Fairy Tail Bluemage (Chapter 17) (Patreon)

"A reporter from Sorcerer Weekly is coming!" A voice exclaims causing the guild to erupt with excited chatter. 

"Hey... Merlin?" Lucy begins quietly as I sit at the counter. 

"Hm? Oh, Hey Luce." I wave lazily as I swivel the stool around, placing my elbows on the counter. "Need something?" 

"I... uh... was told by Levy to come and see you for something about my magic?" 

"Oh! Right. That." I mutter. "I'll tell you about it later today. But it should really help you out." 

I blink as Levy walks over a grin on her face. "Heeeey Merlin."  

"What's with the smug grin that promises either my pain or annoyance?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. 

"I'm here to make sure you don't run away from your Sorcerer Weekly interview!" She beams. 

"..." 

"Hey, Lucy, want to go train." I instantly state, turning towards the girl. 

"No no no!" Levy grins, placing her hand on my shoulder. "None of that~" 

"Is this like... payback for something?" I ask. 

Her face falls, eyes narrow slightly, an eyebrow is raised seemingly daring me to continue that train of thought. 

I give her an innocent smile in reply. 

The woman takes a seat next to me, then swivels around to face Lucy. "Uh, on the whole training thing... come see him after the reporter leaves. His training is... brutal... but definitely worth it. I mean, Natsu's done it, Gray's done it, Erza's done it. So have I." 

"Wait... is that why everyone has gotten so much stronger?!" 

"Were... you feeling like you were useless?" I ask with a frown. "That you weren't improving?" 

The blonde gazes down at the floor. 

"Well, don't feel bad." Levy shrugs. "We're basically cheating." 

"Cheating?" The girl echoes. 

"I'll tell you a bit about it later." I explain blandly. "Just know that it'll be up to you if you want to do it-" 

CRASH 

Natsu lands flat on his back with a wheeze. 

He looks up. 

"You unlocked Erza's origin whatchamacallit, didn't you?" He groans, having just been punted across the guild hall by a mildly irritated Erza, having been annoying her, lording his win over her as she was eating her strawberry cake. 

"Yep. About... two weeks ago, now." I nod once. 

"Fuck you, Merlin." Natsu states without any real heat, causing me to let out a small chuckle. 

"I honestly don't know why she didn't put you back in your place sooner... getting used to her new strength so she won't accidentally punch a hole in you maybe?" I theorize, tilting my head as I tap my chin. 

He sits up with a weak groan, rubbing his head as he crawls to his feet. 

"ERZA FIGHT MEEE!!!!!"  With that, he rushes off. 

"I cannot!" The woman declares, knocking the fire wizard flat as she turns. "I have to go put on makeup!" 

She rushes off. 

"..." 

"Man... everyone's really worked up about that Sorcerer Weekly interview." I hum blandly. 

"Well, it's quite a big deal!" Mirajane speaks up from behind me. "Everyone here's itching to be in sorcerer weekly, not to mention a cover story!" 

"Huh." I mutter. "Sure. Whatever." 

~~Linebreak~~

I hung around the guild hall for an hour or two, merely waiting. 

I would have liked to go on a job, but Levy put her foot down. 

"Woah! Is that the Tatania!" A voice calls out. 

My eyes slowly slide across the guild hall to see a blonde guy in a pink shirt, his hair seems to form a singular giant spike, there's a camera around his neck. "I can't believe it's really you... THIS IS SO COOOOOOL! I AM SUCH A FAN WOOOAAAW!!!" 

He dives on the floor, sliding on his knees as he screams out. 

"..." 

My eyes narrow, mouth slightly ajar. I look to Levy who looks totally unperturbed by what is happening. 

"COOL! COOOOL! COOOOOOL!" 

"I think I want a gun to shoot myself." I note with a flat expression, causing Levy to weakly nudge me. 

"Meet Jason from Sorcerer Weekly!" Mirajane smiles. 

He begins taking numerous photos of Erza. 

"Gonna be honest, this doesn't really feel like it's worth waiting two hours for." I mutter quietly, mostly to myself. "Could have earned like... I don't know, three hundred thousand Jewel by now." 

I watch the hyperactive dude speed around the room, questioning Erza about her favorite armor... which happens to be bunny armor. 

I'm unsure if she's being truthful there or just choosing something sexy to be more interesting for the magazine, the reporter then zooms over to Gray, asking him about his stripping habits when he... ah... just so happens to be in his underwear.  

"Well... he's certainly... energetic..." I mutter quietly. 

"Hey! You're the guy who's always writing about me breaking stuff." Natsu shouts. "I'm going to kick your butt!" 

"Pallug." I deadpan. 

A large weight seems to drop from the sky, landing on the wizard and knocking him flat. 

"Y-You!" Natsu growls lowly as he begins to struggled under the weight of the large cat. 

He's about the size of a horse. Not fully grown, but still a respectable size. 

He lifts Pallug off the ground, straining under its weight. 

"Who did that?!" He growls. 

"Natsu. Don't hit the reporter." I call out as the large horned beast leaps off Natsu and shrinks back down to his smaller size.  

"Oi oi! You want to fight or something?!" He calls out. "I'll take you any time any place, Merlin!" 

"Natsu." My eyes narrow slightly. 

He audibly gulps. "But not right now! I'm gonna go... uh... look for a job to do!" 

He quickly makes his way to the board. 

"You know... I don't get why he gets so spooked by you." Levy mutters.  

"He's seeing me as sort of like... a second Erza." I explain blandly. "He seemed to internalize that 'maybe fighting the guy who can beat you within an inch of your life, then heal you over and over again' isn't a good idea." 

"He doesn't really seem like the type who'd let that get him down, honestly." Levy continues. 

"Probably my takeover, then." 

"Your takeover? The ah... OH! That thing you did at the tower?" 

"Yep." 

"Oh? I didn't know you use takeover magic, Merlin." Mirajane speaks up from behind me. 

"Oh. It's less off a true takeover and more a specific takeover spell." 

"Oh?" The woman asks. "What is it?" 

"Takeover. Bahamut Soul." 

"Bahamut Soul?" She blinks, tilting her head to the side. "I've never heard of anything like that before." 

"Which is why I called it a spell. Like, you have 'Satan Soul', right? You can take over all sorts of demons. I can't do that. I only have Bahamut. Thus it's Bahamut Soul." 

"Oh... well... It's... been quite a while since I've used Satan Soul." Mirajane weakly smiles. There's a deep pain in her eyes. 

She shakes her head slightly, seeming to rid herself of her thoughts. "I still know a bunch of the technical aspects, though! If you ever need help with your magic, I might be able to give you a few pointers!" 

"Thanks. One of these days I might take you up on that." I reply. 

That's unlikely, as it's not true takeover magic, but it's similar enough and it always helps to be nice! 

I sit in silence, sipping my drink as I watch the man dart around the guild hall. 

Eventually he makes his way towards us. 

"Ah! Miss Mcgarden! Is it true that you're in a love triangle with the other members of your team? Team Shadowgear?" The man questions. 

"Ugh." The girl looks disgusted. "No. Never. Besides. Team Shadowgear has been disbanded." 

"WHAAAAT?!" The man exclaims. "THIS IS A HUGE SCOOP! What happened?! Do you hate each other now? Was it because one of the two boys cheated on you?" 

"No comment. No comment. And god no! I never dated either of them!" The girl growls. 

"I see. I see. Is it true that you have been going on more high profile missions recently?" 

"That is... true." She nods once. "I just needed someone to open my eyes to the potential of my magic." 

She casts a meaningful glance my way. 

"Are you going to join a new team or will you continue to perform solo missions for a while?" Jason questions. 

"Oh, I've actually already created a new team, with him." Levy gestures to me. 

"Huh?!" The reporter blinks. "Oh! Hello I'm Jason!" 

"Merlin Ambrosius at your service." I offer a hand with a small smile. 

"Oh! You're the one I'm supposed to interview! such a COOL last name!" The blonde man cheers. "So, here's the questions we ask every wizard!" 

"What's the best quality of Fairy Tail?" He asks. 

"Well... probably the bonds we share, honestly." I admit as I cock my head to the side. "Like, for Phantom Lord, they treat their guild as a cutthroat business. You aren't guildmates to them... you're competition. That's why you hear about Phantom Lord wizards constantly fucking each other over. They are ununified. Constantly being forced to watch their own backs. In Fairy Tail, I don't have to worry like that. I know I might not have the best relationship with everyone in the guild, but I do know the largest majority would have my back if it matters and that's comforting." 

"I see! I see!" The man cheers, pen scribbling away on his notepad. "On the topic of relationships, who in the guild would you say that you have the best relationship with?" 

"Oh. Well, that's easy. Levy. Followed closely by Natsu, Erza, Lucy, and Grey." 

"Ooooh? Is there's something deeper going on between the two of you? The reason why Shadowgear disbanded?!" Jason questions, I can see the faintest blush on Levy's cheeks as she flinches slightly. 

"it's... really not any of your business, honestly." I point out blandly. "Sorry if that came out as a little rude." 

"Hm. Hm." The man hums twice, nodding slowly. "Next, what's your dream! What drives you as a wizard?" 

"To be honest... I really don't have one at the moment. For a while, it was 'finding a place I belonged', but I achieved that... now I don't really know what to do." I admit quietly. 

"What was the toughest job you have ever taken?" 

"Oh, that was easy. The rune knights hired the guild to take on the Eisenwald guild. I had to fight Erigor the Reaper pretty much by myself. Horrifying wizard, that one. I only won through trickery and a cheap shot." 

"COOOOL!" The man grins. "So, what magic do you use?" 

"I've got a bit of everything, but my most impressive magic would probably be my healing." I answer. 

His pen scribbles away at the paper. 

He looks up suddenly. "Other fairy tail members, such as Laxus Dreyar say that you are everything that's wrong with the Fairy Tail Guild. That you're weak, and cowardly. Do you have anything to say in response?" 

"What?!" Levy gasps. "That's Ridiculous!" 

My eyes slowly slide across the guild hall, locking eyes with the muscular blonde stood on the second floor of the guild building. "If sparky the sentient thundercloud has issues with me, he can come to me like a man instead of whining to the nearest reporter like a pouting child." 

I watch his eyebrow twitch is very poorly hidden rage. 

His body crackles. 

BOOM 

He appears a short distance away. "Care to repeat that, little man?" 

I rise to my feet. "I said. That if you had issues with me, you should act like an adult and talk to me instead of acting like a whiny child." 

"M-Merlin?" Levy blinks. 

"Because that's all you ever fucking do, isn't it?" I question as a pressure descends on me, the air becoming slightly electrified.  

I meet the enraged wizard in kind, my own magical aura beginning to crackle around me. The floorboards shake, nearby metal objects buzz with static from our clashing magical energy. "Waaah Fairy Tail's become a joke. Everything's going to change when I become guild master! I'm going to kick out all those weaklings! Well newsflash, you entitled brat. Listen well. You being Makarov's grandson does not make you better than anyone here. Nor does it mean you're going to be the next guild master." 

The buzzing intensifies as the cups shake and shudder. "Makarov isn't related to the first guild master of Fairy Tail... nor is he related to the second. Fairy tail isn't your family's personal home business like a little cafe or Knick knack shop so stop treating it like it is." 

Laxus eventually speaks. "You are everything that's wrong with the guild. You're just a filthy coward. Running to the magic council at every chance you can get to solve your issues. You are pathetic. People are mocking fairy tail, and you people don't care! People are saying that we are unable to fight our own battles." 

"Oh? So let me get this straight? We should utterly annihilate everyone who even so much as sasses us?!" I ask, eyebrow twitching. "Why should we give those losers the time of day? Are they the number one guild? No. They aren't." 

"Our guild hall was destroyed!" He roars. 

"Is a building worth the lives of our guildmates?" I ask, voice eerily quiet. "Are you going to look around and declare to these people that their lives are worth less than what's simply our hangout spot? Because I can tell you one thing, Thunderbolt, War kills people. War is unpredictable. War... fucking sucks. You're so pissy about phantom lord, but what happens If Jose, a wizard saint, caught your little thunder troupe by themselves? Would they be able to put up a good fight? No. What if Makarov gets taken by surprise by some secret weapon? What if they had some strategy to put him out of commission? It's a fact that Makarov is easily stronger than Jose, it's not even a competition. So why were they so keen on fighting us? Why do they, with only like... five mildly impressive mages, want to fight the number one guild in Fiore? Fucking THINK Laxus. This is the reason why your grandfather doesn't want to make you guild master. The fourth guild master will be someone who deserves the position. Not a result of nepotism." 

"You're a fucking Hypocrite as well." I growl. "I know for a fact that Mirajane called you. And what did you say? 'Unless blondie becomes my girlfriend and Cana strips for me deal with it yourselves.' Well. Guess what? I dealt with it, so what's the problem here? You have no right to fuck off for months at a time, ignoring any pleas for help, attempt to blackmail people in the guild, then swagger back in here all 'Oh wow. You're all fucking weaklings'. Either lead by example or shut the fuck up and sit back up on that second floor like the little spectator you are." 

His fists clench, a magic circle appearing around one of his hands. 

"Let's take this outside." I frown. 

The force of my voice causes him to briefly pause. "What?" 

"Clearly I won't get through that thick head of yours and clearly... you're just a fucking dick, so I- some weakling coward loser who's been in the guild a grand total of like four months am going to beat you senseless until you fall off that high horse of yours." I blandly announce as I turn and slowly walk towards the door. 

"Knock it off you brats!" Makarov growls, his arms elongating and swinging to the back of our heads. 

I duck it fairly easily and Laxus turns into lightning to dodge it, blasting forwards over my shoulder and stepping outside.  

"Sorry master, this has got to happen, besides, bad blood between wizards would sell so many issues." I roll my eyes. "I'll try and limit the property damage... and even if I don't, I'll fix it afterwards." 

"COOOOOOOL!" 

I step outside the guild hall, the door swinging open. I frown at Laxus as I slowly walk out across from him as he stands in the middle of the road. A domineering aura of magical power seems to flicker around him as he just stands there, arms crossed. 

"You sure talk a lot of shit." Laxus glares. "How about we make this a little interesting. When you lose. Get lost. I don't want the likes of you anywhere near my guild." 

"Wh- You can't decide that!" Levy shouts. 

"Laxus! That's too far!" Makarov roars. 

"Sounds good." I hum. "When I win, you stop being such a little whiny bitch, mmkay?" 

"You know... I have to wonder." I begin idly. "What even was your plan during the harvest festival? Sure. I was able to piece together some bits and pieces, but... you can't really be stupid enough to assume the magic council would accept you as a guild master if you went through with all of that? Hell, even if you did. You're pretty bold in assuming when Gildarts comes back he wouldn't put you in your place." 

"Gildarts would respect my word as guild master." Laxus frowns. 

"No. At best he'd fucking leave the guild after you got your grubby little hands on it, dumb fuck." I scoff, shaking my head as I place a hand on my forehead. "I swear. Complain about me giving the guild a bad name, then you try and start a battle royale. It like you don't think at all." 

His fist clench, his body crackling, he disappears with a boom of thunder. 

From the left. 

I narrowly tilt my head out of the way of the punch, the ambient electricity from the attack crackling over to my body my own punch slams into his gut, causing the wizard to crackle and disappear, passing through me as his body becomes nothing but lightning. 

I grit my teeth as I lash out with a kick that he just phases through. 

"Pathetic!" The man snarls. "You can't even hit me!" 

A long breath leaves my lips. "Temple." 

I duck downwards, avoiding a swing that ruffles my hair. 

"Nape." 

I flip forwards, avoiding a swinging axe kick. 

"Sternum." 

I place a hand on the ground, summersaulting away where I land with a crouch. 

A smirk rests on my lips as remain crouched there, Laxus drawing his fist back. 

Spell Learned: 

Lightning Magic: Thunder Bolt: 
Spell Level: 3 
Casting Time: Standard Action 
Range: 150 Feet 
Target: 150 Foot Line 
Duration: Instantanious 
Saving throw: Reflex: Half 
Spell Resistance: Yes 

You release a powerful stroke of electrical energy that deals 1d6 points of electricity damage per caster level (maximum 15d6) to each creature within its area. The bolt begins at your fingertips. The lightning bolt sets fire to combustibles and damages objects in its path. It can melt metals with a low melting point, such as lead, gold, copper, silver, or bronze. If the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the bolt may continue beyond the barrier if the spell’s range permits; otherwise, it stops at the barrier just as any other spell effect does. 

Overcharge: For each additional MP you spend on this spell, you deal an additional 4d6 points of damage. 

"You're predictable Laxus... even more so that you're frothing with rage." I smile as he swings his arm downwards, letting out a roar. 

"THUNDER BOLT!" 

The electricity is snuffed out as I leap forwards, arm drawn back as I use my new level nine ability to spend mana to counter any spell I have learned. "HAVING TROUBLES?!" 

My own punch slams into his jaw, causing him to take one surprised step backwards. 

He narrowly avoids my next swing that wound have hit him right in the chest, as he spins once and sends a roundhouse kick towards my head, a purple magic circle crackles in front of my hand. 

"Empower. Merciful." I quietly whisper. 

FWOOOOOSH 

His entire body is engulfed in a large purple beam of fire that shoots out over the lake... or it would have had he not shot upwards at the last second by transforming into electricity. 

I turn, shooting upwards, a boom echoing out in the sky as purple fire crashes against lightning. 

'Empower'.  

The attacks are evenly matched, the two canceling each other out with a blast of heat and smoke. Static fills the air as my vision is obscured. 

My eyes widen as a visible barrier of ambient heat seems to condense in front of me, gathered from my own attack. 

It dulls the blow of Laxus' lightning infused Lariat, but I am still launched back, flipping roughly on the ground, my clothes are lightly scuffed, but my mage armor and natural resilience keeps me uninjured. 

The attack practically ate through the 'temporary health' I gained from the Hell Prominence. 

A smaller magic circle appears in front of my hand as my shoes struggle to find purchase on the road. 

Dozens of small orbs of purple fire spew from it like a machine gun, they lightly curve, like hurled baseballs, crashing into the ground as Laxus uses his lightning body to flicker in between and out of the way of each, showing some shocking speed. 

Oh wait. 

That was a pun. 

"PATHETIC!" He shouts as he slams his fist on the barrier of energy that quickly appears in front of me, I quickly counter with a punch that the lightning wizard blocks with a forearm. 

"That so?" I hum as with a sudden flash, purple runes explode around the mage, a perfect box containing him. surge I slam a flaming punch into his jaw that sends him reeling, his back crashing into the word enchantment barrier a moment later. "Well, if I'm so pathetic, what does that say about you, Laxus? After all. Wasn't it this spell that you planned on using?" 

Blood drips down his busted lip, eyes narrowing slightly. 

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Natsu shouts, likely noticing that I TOTALLY just stole his Fire Dragon's Iron Fist. 

I fold my arms behind my head as I slowly walk around the outside of the barrier magic, the blonde mage's eyes seem to flick around the runes.  

"I'll tell you a secret, Laxus... the way you get out of that is apologizing. I want you to grovel in front of Mirajane and apologize for being such a bastard." I probably have a punchibly smug look on my face right now. 

Laxus drags his finger across one of the runes, passing through the barrier in an instant. 

His knuckles crash into my nose, snapping my head back. 

My back slams into the ground as I roll briefly, flipping to my feet a moment later. 

Laxus has a frown on his face, eyes narrowed. 

"My magic... in that instant... you canceled it... didn't you?" 

I bring a hand to my nose, as blood streams from my nostrils. 

Crack 

I twist it back into place, a wave of bubbles crossing my body and cleaning the blood. The ache from my broken nose lessens by the second. I didn't even need to heal it with magic. "Basic elemental magic is fairly easy to understand." 

Lightning crackles around my hand. 

"DAMN IT MERLIN! TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY!" Levy roars. "You said that you'd leave the guild if you lost! Stop being such an idiot! Kick his ass already!" 

"Hm." I hum mutely, eyes narrowing. "We both know you can do better." 

His eyebrow twitches slightly as a quiet murmur seems to echo out through our spectators. 

He points upwards, giving me a half-lidded stare. 

Well. Someone appears to have cooled off quickly. 

"Oh. I'm aware." I hum. "I'm just not worried by it." 

A massive crackling ball of electricity sits in the sky above me. 

"Damn it! This is going too far! Stop it you two!" Makarov shouts. 

"If you think you've got what it takes, Laxus... hit me." I smirk. 

Laxus raises his fist, a stream of lightning shooting upwards and connecting to the orb. 

Then he begins chanting. "Resounding through the air, the roar of thunder, plunge from the heavens and reap destruction! RAGING BOLT!!!" 

A globe of electricity smashes down on me as I speak two simple words. 

"Null Element..."