"Hey," Natsu silently called out through the prison cell, "Grannies, can you hear me?"
Natsu has once again successfully infiltrated the palace using the path showed to him by Sonya when she helped him escape.
And following the scent of Kaori and Wanda, he arrived in this dungeon where they were kept, chained and injured.
No, injured couldn't even be used to describe the two. Kaori was lost her eyesight, with her eyes being halfheartedly wrapped by bloodied bandages. Not to mention half of her upper body was completely burnt with no hope of recovery.
Wanda have both her legs broken and crippled—she would no longer be able to walk for the rest of her life. She was also missing some teeth, with her mouth hanging open and bleeding.
Perhaps only healing magic the likes of Sky Dragon Slayer have a chance of healing these two.
"Hold on, I'll help you two out." Natsu grabbed the bars, heating it up with his magic until it melted, before he went inside the cell. "Still alive, thank goodness."
He was starting to worry that they may have died from what they have suffered, but thankfully they are still breathing.
Unfortunately, they appear unresponsive despite being fully conscious …they just stared at him in a daze.
"Was the staff taken back?" He wondered. Though some might say it's obvious, but Kaori is a kunoichi, she could have hidden it before they were defeated.
And the reason they were this gravely injured is because they were tortured for information.
So he couldn't be sure …with Kaori and Wanda in a state like this, he couldn't confirm.
But for now, Natsu decided to set aside the matter of the staff and opted to help the two and escape the palace first.
Natsu carried them on his back, and unknown to him, the lingering heat that he got from being in close proximity of the Three Thousand Burning flame was being transferred to the two injured old ladies.
The Three Thousand Burning Flame can give someone an "Undying Body" if they successfully subdued it, but this flame is so powerful that just being exposed from its heat would heal the injured.
Well, it isn't on a level of a healing magic the likes of Sky Dragon Slayer, but it is more than enough to delay the death of a dying person …or in this case, stop the injuries of Kaori and Wanda from worsening.
For now, Natsu has no idea about what's happening …but it won't be long before he realized it.
...…
...
…
"What …what is this …" Sonya took a step back, letting go of the staff as it floated in front of her, "…can something so vile actually save our kingdom?"
It was merely for a moment.
But the moment Sonya touched the staff, she felt like she was about to be overwhelmed by an absurd amount of malice and anger.
If an ordinary person were to hold this staff, they would surely lose their mind and and go insane.
She also felt that vast amount of energy hidden in the staff, if it was released, along with the 'evil' contained within it, she couldn't even imagine the devastation it will cause.
Can something as vile as this really help the kingdom? Is releasing it from the seal the right choice?
"The seal is about to be undone,"
"!?" Sonya turned her head and saw King Animus standing just by the entrance, looking at her impassively, "Your majesty."
"Hand over the staff, Sonya." Said Animus, extending his hand forward. "I'm going to start the ceremony much earlier than planned."
He was supposed to "replenish" himself through the flame, but it suddenly gone missing. He doesn't have that luxury anymore.
And instead of wasting time searching for it, he might as well push forward his plans on using the staff ahead of time. The fire can wait.
"Your majesty," Sonya grabbed the staff, protecting it, "…Is what you said to me true? Can this staff really save our kingdom from its destruction?"
King Animus smiled, "Of course. If we don't use the staff, our kingdom will be destroyed. The Stellariums has absorbed too much starlight, if we don't use the staff now to keep it from exploding, it will destroy our kingdom."
Despite hearing that, Sonya stubbornly refused as she shook her head. "I can't give this to you your majesty."
She held the staff tightly, as King Animus narrowed his eyes at him.
"This staff …" Sonya bit her lips, "This staff contain so much malice and hatred …if it was released, it would be disastrous! I can't let you have it your majesty. This thing needs to remain sealed!"
King Animus eyes widened at that. He was surprised about how could Sonya know the true nature of this staff?
However, Animus didn't dwell on that thought for too long; Sonya was far too kind, Animus was sure that she would do everything in her power to prevent him from taking it himself.
But Animus needs the staff. He needs to have his revenge on Acnologia and bring forth a new age of dragons!
For that, the Dragon Cry is necessary!
"What are you talking about Sonya?" King Animus sneered at her, "Hand me the staff now before I start to lose my patience."
"No!"
Animus glared at her, "Sonya, you—"
"Lady Sonya?!"
Suddenly, the Three Stars bursts in, looking worried.
"Lady Sonya, are you alright?" Asks Swan, approaching her, "We heard you yell and thought something happened."
Doll looked around, "There's no one here but us."
"No signs of anything suspicious either," added Gapri.
"Huh?" Sonya looked confused as she looked around, "B-But his majesty …I was here with his majesty just now?"
"His majesty?" Doll looked startled as he turned to look at Swan and Gapri who shook their heads, "Lady Sonya, we have been guarding the entrance ever since you entered, no one came in after you."
"What?" Sonya took a step back, her face riddled in confusion, "But I am sure that …"
{'Sonya, let go of the staff.'}
Sonya's eyes widened, "No!" She yelled in response, startling the three stars, "If this staff is released many would suffer! I will not let you to have it, your majesty!"
"Lady Sonya?" Gapri looked at her worriedly, "Please calm down, his majesty isn't—"
"He's here!" Sonya insisted, "I can hear him!"
"But no one's—"
{'Sonya, are you really not going to let go of the staff?'}
"No!" She shook her head.
{'…I see. Very well. I hope you forgive me for this…'}
Sonya's eyes slightly widened, "What are you—urk!? What is happening?!"
"Lady Sonya!?"
"What happened!?"
The three stars panicked seeing Sonya's state and quickly rushed to assist her, but they were inevitably repelled by a powerful force stopping them from advancing.
"Argh!?"
They were slammed on the wall by the force that repelled them, cracking it in the process.
{'Sonya, I am not sure if you still remember …but I was once a dragon who dwells in your body.'}
Back then, four hundred years ago, Animus and two of his friends came across the young Sonya whom they attacked after deeming her unappetizing.
It was also during that time that Acnologia, who murdered all dragons that participated in the Dragon King Festival appeared before them, and severely wounding them.
His two friends died, while Animus managed to convinced Sonya into allowing him to dwell inside her body.
Using the Dragon Soul Technique, Animus managed to put his soul into Sonya.
During his 'stay', Animus and Sonya did befriend each other. In fact, Animus came to like and care for Sonya, so much so that Animus learned "Thought Projection" to 'project' himself in human form in the outside world to protect her and talk to her.
Eventually, Animus realized that the Ethernano in four hundred years ago has become too thin because of Acnologia's excessive hunger for Ethernano, leading him to eating too much Ethernano it became too thin that mages became so few in number.
It was because of that event that only ten percent of the people in the world right now can use magic, and many magics were lost. Because four hundred years ago the world suffered a decline magic because of Acnologia.
The decline in magic became so bad that ordinary people began to treat magic as something 'evil' and they began hunting them down and burning them in stakes.
Because of the thin Ethernano, Animus was sure that he has no chance of recovery and could only wait until his soul dissipates …that is until he came across the information about the Eclipse Gate, that will allow anyone who uses it to travel through time.
He heard that Igneel, the King of Fire Dragons found a slayer and used said slayer's body as a vessel to carry his soul to recover after suffering grave injuries trying to fight Acnologia.
They wanted to use the Eclipse Gate to travel to a time where Ethernano has recovered so that they can heal themselves.
Animus lead Sonya to sneak in during the ceremony, and the two ended up four hundred years in the future, which is around ten years ago.
Unfortunately, even though Animus was starting to recover, it was taking too long. Sonya was not a proper vessel for him, and he couldn't even come out of her body due to incompatibility.
He was thankful that he found the now stolen Three Thousand Burning Flame, since it helps him recover faster …and now, he also have the Dragon Cry.
With this, he can release himself from Sonya.
So, Animus took over Sonya's body and planned to use the staff.
"Hahaha," Sonya, or Animus in Sonya's body, laughed as he held the staff, "With this, I can avenge my race! Acnologia, wait for me! I will end you—urgh, Sonya? You're still fighting back?!"
Animus gripped his head, as he felt a stinging pain from Sonya who was trying to regain control of her body.
"Just …obediently …sleep!!!" Animus exclaimed in pain. "Argh!? I need …to use …the staff …now!"
Animus gripped the staff, as it starts to release a suffocating amount of magic power, leading to him grinning.
"With this …I can finally—urgh!?" Before Animus could rejoice, he was kicked in the stomach and was sent flying to the wall, causing him to groan in pain.
With eyes burning in anger, he turned towards the assailant and couldn't help but grit his teeth.
"How dare you …ZASH CAINE!!!"