Chapter 18: The Oracion Seis
Power and Betrayal: Coalition of Light (Continuation)
Uruk leaned heavily against Cumber, his breathing still ragged but steadying with each passing moment. The corrupted markings had faded from his skin, leaving behind faint traces like pale scars that seemed to shimmer under the dappled forest light. His eyes, now clear of the violet glow, darted around the clearing as if seeing it for the first time.
"Easy," Cumber said, supporting his brother's weight. "You've been through a lot."
Gine approached, her expression a mixture of relief and concern as she knelt beside her brothers. The contained fragment pulsed angrily within its ki sphere in her hand, casting eerie shadows across her features.
"Uruk," she said softly. "How much do you remember?"
Uruk's brow furrowed as he struggled to order his thoughts. "I remember... pieces. Fighting alongside you both in the mountains. Then..." He winced, pressing a hand to his temple. "Then nothing clear until waking up here."
"You were captured by the Oración Seis," Gine explained, her voice tightening with barely contained anger. "They used this fragment to corrupt you, to turn you against us."
"How?" Cumber interjected, his voice hard with urgency. "How did they manage to capture you? You're one of the strongest fighters I know."
Uruk's face contorted with concentration, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he strained to access the missing memories. "I... I can't..." His breathing quickened, becoming shallow and panicked. "There's something there, but it's like looking through murky water. Every time I try to focus on how they caught me, the memory slips away."
Wendy, who had been quietly regaining her strength nearby, moved closer. Despite her exhaustion, professional curiosity lit her eyes.
"May I?" she asked, gesturing toward Uruk.
At Gine's nod, the Sky Dragon Slayer gently placed her palm against Uruk's forehead. A soft blue glow emanated from her hand, much gentler than the purification magic she had used earlier.
"There's a blockage," she said after a moment, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Not physical—magical. It's a memory seal." She withdrew her hand, looking troubled. "It's complex magic, beyond my ability to safely remove without preparation."
"Brain's work?" Gine asked, glancing toward where the leader of the Oración Seis was still engaged in battle with Jura and Erza.
Wendy nodded slowly. "Most likely. The magical signature feels similar to what I sensed in the fragment, but more... deliberate. Precise." She looked directly at Uruk. "They don't want you to remember how they caught you. Which means..."
"It matters," Cumber finished, understanding dawning on his face. "Whatever happened when they captured you is important enough that they went to the trouble of sealing your memory."
Carla returned, carrying a small lachrima-infused container. "This should hold the fragment," she announced, setting it down carefully. "Lyon says it's designed to contain dark magical artifacts."
As Gine transferred the fragment into the container, Uruk suddenly tensed, his eyes widening with recognition.
"Wait," he gasped. "I remember something. Not how they caught me, but something Brain said afterward, when he thought I couldn't hear." He paused, struggling against the magical barrier in his mind. "Something about... about the fragments responding differently to Saiyan energy compared to wizards. About how our ki creates a... a resonance pattern that accelerates Nirvana's awakening."
Wendy's eyes widened. "That aligns with ancient texts I've studied about Nirvana. It was designed to respond to specific energy signatures—to transform darkness into light. If the Oración Seis have found a way to manipulate that response using Saiyan energy..."
"Then capturing Uruk wasn't just about adding strength to their ranks," Gine concluded grimly. "It was about studying how Saiyan energy interacts with the fragments."
"Which means," Cumber added, "they probably know things about our abilities that we don't even understand ourselves."
The ground trembled beneath them again, more violently this time. In the distance, a column of light erupted from beneath the earth, shooting skyward.
"They blocked my memory because I saw something I wasn't supposed to," Uruk said with sudden clarity. "Something about Nirvana, about the fragments, about how they're connected to us." His fists clenched in frustration. "I can feel it right there, just beyond reach."
Wendy placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Don't force it. Memory seals like this can cause permanent damage if broken incorrectly." Her expression grew determined. "But if we can defeat Brain, the magic may weaken enough for me to safely remove it."
The coalition members had begun to regroup around them, tending to their wounded while preparing for the next phase of battle. Natsu, purged of Cobra's poison thanks to Wendy's earlier assistance, approached with renewed vigor.
"So what's the plan?" he asked, flames dancing around his clenched fists. "Because that big light show doesn't look friendly."
Gine rose to her feet, her decision made. "We divide our forces. One group continues to engage the remaining Oración Seis. The other..." She looked toward the column of light. "The other comes with us to Nirvana. We need to understand what they're trying to awaken and how our energy is connected to it."
"And Brain?" Erza asked as she joined them, her armor dented but her resolve undiminished.
"He's mine," Uruk said quietly, struggling to stand on his own. His siblings moved to protest, but he held up a hand. "I need to be there when we break his control over my memories. I need to see his face when he realizes his plan failed."
Gine studied her brother for a long moment, then nodded. "Very well. But you stay with Wendy at all times. Your recovery is still in progress."
As the coalition organized themselves for the dual assault, Cumber found himself standing beside Wendy.
"Thank you," he said simply. "For everything."
Wendy smiled, a hint of color touching her cheeks. "We still have work to do. The real battle is just beginning."
"Yeah," Cumber agreed, his gaze shifting to where Uruk stood in conversation with Gine, determination overcoming weakness with each passing moment. "But at least now we're fighting it together."
The ground shook more violently as Nirvana's awakening accelerated. Whatever secrets lay buried in Uruk's sealed memories, one thing was certain—the Oración Seis had miscalculated. They had sought to use the Saiyan siblings as catalysts for their plans, never considering that in doing so, they might have created the very force that would lead to their downfall.
As the coalition of light prepared to move out, Uruk cast one last troubled glance at the container holding the fragment that had corrupted him.
"They'll pay for what they did," he vowed quietly. "And then we'll make sure these fragments never hurt anyone else again."
Wendy nodded in agreement, her young face set with wisdom beyond her years. "Some memories may be blocked," she said softly, "but the bonds between you three remain unbroken. That's what will make the difference in the end."
Together, they turned toward the column of light piercing the sky, ready to face whatever darkness awaited them at its source.
"Nirvana," Wendy whispered, awe and fear mingling in her voice. "It's awakening."
The ground beneath them trembled again, more violently this time. Small fissures appeared in the forest floor, releasing thin tendrils of the same black and white energy that formed the distant pillar.
"We need to move," Gine decided, securing the container with the fragment and rising to her feet. "Whatever Brain's ultimate plan is, Nirvana is clearly at its center."
Natsu bounded over to them, his keen senses already fixed on the distant pillar. "That thing is bad news. I can feel it from here—like it's trying to pull something out of me."
"It was designed to reverse light and darkness," Wendy explained, gathering her strength. "To turn evil to good... but the fragments have corrupted its purpose. If it fully activates..."
"Then we don't let it fully activate," Cumber stated simply. He turned to Uruk. "Can you fight?"
Uruk straightened, shaking off the last vestiges of weakness. Though his memory remained clouded, his resolve was clear. "Try and stop me."
Power and Betrayal: Coalition of Light (Continuation)
The journey toward Nirvana's pillar had been tense but purposeful, each step bringing them closer to the looming black and white column that split the sky. Cumber, Uruk, Gine, and Natsu moved with determination, Wendy keeping pace just behind them. The young Sky Dragon Slayer's knowledge would be crucial in understanding how to counter Nirvana's awakening.
"We should be meeting the others at the clearing just ahead," Natsu said, his keen nose leading them through the dense forest. "Erza said they'd secure a path—"
He broke off suddenly as they emerged from the treeline. The clearing before them, which should have been a rallying point for their forces, had become a battlefield graveyard.
"No..." Natsu's voice was barely a whisper.
The sight that greeted them turned their blood cold. Their allies—the powerful mages who had stood with them against the Oración Seis—lay scattered across the ground like broken dolls. Gray and Lyon were sprawled near each other, their bodies battered, ice magic shattered around them. Erza had managed to prop herself against a fallen tree, but her arm was visibly discolored, purple veins of poison creeping toward her shoulder. The mighty Wizard Saint Jura lay face down in the dirt, unmoving. Lucy was curled on her side, her celestial keys scattered around her, her breathing shallow and pained. The Trimens of Blue Pegasus, who had arrived with such pomp and confidence, were now motionless heaps on the blood-stained earth.
And standing amidst the carnage, barely touched by the battle, were the Oración Seis.
Smoke still rose from the wreckage of Christina, Blue Pegasus's magical battle ship, now a twisted hulk of metal in the distance. Hoteye's massive frame supported the unconscious form of Cobra, the only member of their dark guild who showed any sign of injury from their previous encounter. Racer stood with arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. Angel's celestial spirits hovered menacingly around her, their golden light a mockery of their divine nature. Midnight appeared almost bored, as if the devastation they had wrought was merely a tedious chore now completed.
And at their center stood Brain, his staff glowing with malevolent energy, his eyes fixing immediately on their group—or more specifically, on Wendy.
"Ah," Brain's voice carried across the clearing, a note of triumph evident in his tone. "The sky maiden arrives, as predicted. How convenient that you bring her directly to us."
"What have you done?" Natsu roared, flames erupting around his fists as he took a step forward.
Gine's arm shot out, blocking Natsu's advance. Her eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation, calculating their diminished odds.
"Stand back," she warned quietly. "Something's not right."
Cumber moved closer to Wendy, his body tensing protectively. "Stay behind us," he murmured to her. "We'll handle this."
But Brain's smile only widened at their defensive posture. "Handle this? I believe you misunderstand the situation." He tapped his staff against the ground once. "We've been waiting for you—for her, specifically."
"What do you want with Wendy?" Uruk demanded, his fists clenched despite his still-recovering strength.
"Want?" Brain echoed, almost amused. "It's not about want. It's about necessity." His eyes gleamed with dark purpose. "The sky maiden's magic is unique—the last of its kind. Her healing abilities are required for the next phase."
Wendy tensed behind Cumber. "I won't help you," she declared, her voice remarkably steady despite the fear evident in her eyes. "Whatever you're planning—"
"Planning?" Brain interrupted. "No, my dear. We are past planning. We are executing." He raised his staff, dark energy coalescing around it. "And you have a role to play."
Before any of them could react, the ground beneath their feet erupted with tendrils of dark magic. Gine moved with blinding speed, shattering the nearest ones with precise ki blasts, while Natsu's flames incinerated others. Cumber spun to shield Wendy as Uruk launched himself forward toward Brain.
"Too slow," Racer taunted, suddenly appearing in Uruk's path, delivering a kick that sent the still-weakened Saiyan tumbling backward.
"Wendy!" Cumber shouted as the ground beneath her specifically began to glow with runes that hadn't been visible moments before.
Gine abandoned her defensive position, streaking toward Wendy with her incredible speed—but even she wasn't fast enough. A column of dark energy erupted around the young Dragon Slayer, encasing her in a crackling prison of magic.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu launched himself at the energy column, his flaming fist connecting with the barrier—only to be violently repelled, his body crashing through several trees from the backlash.
"Wendy!" Cumber cried again, his ki flaring brilliantly as he drove his fists against the barrier, but it held firm.
Inside the column, Wendy's eyes were wide with terror as the dark energy began to constrict around her, pulling her upward toward Brain. She reached out toward Cumber, their fingertips separated by mere inches and an impenetrable wall of magic.
"I'm sorry," Brain said, though his tone held no remorse. "But the sky maiden's power is necessary. We require her to revive someone essential to our plans."
"Let her go!" Cumber demanded, his aura intensifying as he prepared to unleash his full power, consequences be damned.
Gine placed a restraining hand on his shoulder, her voice low and urgent. "Cumber, wait. We need to—"
But whatever strategy she was about to propose was cut short as Brain made a single gesture with his staff. The column of energy containing Wendy suddenly contracted, then shot toward him with impossible speed. In an instant, the young Sky Dragon Slayer was at his side, still encased in the magical prison, her face pressed against the barrier as she struggled to break free.
"Your friends fought bravely," Brain observed, gesturing to the fallen mages around them. "But as you can see, the outcome was never in doubt. The Oración Seis cannot be defeated by conventional means."
"We're not conventional," Uruk growled, pushing himself back to his feet, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth.
"No," Brain agreed, studying the three Saiyan siblings with calculated interest. "You are not. Which is precisely why we've been so... interested in your kind. The energy you possess—it resonates with Nirvana in ways we've barely begun to understand."
The column containing Wendy began to float backward as Brain and the other Oración Seis members started to retreat toward the tree line.
"We will take our leave now," Brain announced. "The sky maiden has an appointment with destiny—a revival that must occur before Nirvana reaches its final stage."
"You're not going anywhere with her!" Natsu shouted, staggering back into the clearing, his body battered but his spirit unbroken.
Brain merely smiled. "I believe I am. Unless, of course, you wish to sacrifice your other friends." He gestured toward the fallen mages. "Many of them are poisoned, you see. Without immediate treatment, they will die within the hour. A pity the only one who could save them is coming with us."
The realization hit them like a physical blow. They were trapped in an impossible choice—pursue Brain and rescue Wendy, or stay and somehow find a way to save their poisoned allies.
"You coward," Cumber spat, his young face contorted with rage and frustration.
"Pragmatist," Brain corrected. "And a patient one. We've waited centuries for Nirvana's revival—a few more hours makes little difference."
With that, he tapped his staff against the ground once more. The air around the Oración Seis shimmered, and before the four warriors could launch another attack, their enemies—and Wendy—vanished in a cascade of dark energy.
"No!" Cumber shouted, rushing forward to where they had stood moments before. But there was nothing—not even a trace of magical residue to track.
Gine knelt beside Erza, examining the poison spreading through her arm. "This is bad," she murmured. "Very bad."
Natsu was already moving among their fallen comrades, checking for signs of life. "They're alive," he confirmed, "but Brain wasn't lying about the poison."
Uruk stood silently, his eyes fixed on the spot where Brain had been. "This was another trap," he said quietly. "He knew exactly what moves we would make."
Cumber turned to his siblings, his young face set with determination despite the desperation in his eyes. "We have to go after them. We have to save Wendy."
"And we will," Gine promised, rising to her feet. "But we can't abandon the others. There has to be a way to help them and pursue Brain."
As the four stood amidst their fallen allies, the black and white pillar of Nirvana pulsed in the distance, growing stronger with each passing moment. Whatever Brain planned to use Wendy for, time was clearly running out.
The true test of the Coalition of Light had just begun.
Power and Betrayal: Coalition of Light (Continuation)
The clearing had become an impromptu field hospital, the moans of the injured punctuating the tense silence. Cumber paced back and forth at the edge of the clearing, his ki fluctuating with barely contained fury, eyes fixed on the distant pillar of Nirvana where Brain had undoubtedly taken Wendy.
Uruk knelt beside Erza, whose poisoned arm had now turned an alarming shade of purple, the dark veins creeping dangerously close to her heart. Natsu hovered nearby, his usual boundless energy replaced by worried vigilance.
"Can you do anything?" Natsu asked, watching as Uruk pulled a small device from the pouch at his belt—a sleek, metallic object with glowing blue circuitry visible beneath its translucent casing.
"Brain miscalculated," Uruk replied, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "He assumed that without Wendy, we'd have no way to counter the poison." A grim smile touched his lips. "He doesn't know everything about Saiyans."
Gine, who had been examining the other injured mages, approached her brother. "The techno-magic device? I thought it was damaged in your last mission."
"I repaired it," Uruk said, adjusting several small dials on the device's surface. "It's not as powerful as before, but combined with my ki, it should be enough to neutralize the poison."
He placed the device on Erza's chest, directly over her heart. Closing his eyes, he placed his palm atop the device and began to channel his ki into it. The blue circuitry pulsed brighter, synchronizing with the rhythm of his energy. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he focused, directing the healing energy with precision born of practice.
"The device acts as a conduit and amplifier," he explained as he worked. "Converting ki into a specific frequency that disrupts toxins. Something I picked up during my time with the Eastern Province healers."
Slowly, the dark purple veins in Erza's arm began to recede, the discoloration fading outward from where the device rested. Her labored breathing eased, and some color returned to her pale face.
Cumber paused in his pacing to watch, momentarily distracted from his worried thoughts of Wendy. "Will it work on all of them?"
Uruk nodded, though concentration lined his face. "It will, but it takes time and energy. Each treatment drains my ki significantly. I'll need to rest between each one to replenish enough energy for the next."
"We don't have time," Cumber said, his fists clenching. "Every minute we delay is another minute Brain has Wendy. Who knows what he's forcing her to do? Why he needs to 'revive someone'?" His voice cracked slightly on the last words, betraying the depth of his concern.
Gine placed a steady hand on her youngest brother's shoulder. "Cumber, I know you're worried about Wendy. We all are. But rushing in blindly won't help her."
"So we just wait?" he demanded, shrugging off her hand. "While that monster uses her?"
"No," Gine replied firmly. "We plan. We strategize. We divide our forces effectively." She gestured toward where Natsu was helping move Gray into a more comfortable position. "While Uruk treats the injured, I've been gathering intelligence. Happy and Carla have been scouting the area around Nirvana's pillar."
As if summoned by her words, the two Exceeds flew into the clearing, their expressions grim but determined.
"They've established some kind of base at the foot of Nirvana," Happy reported, landing beside Natsu. "There's a cave entrance with magical barriers."
Carla nodded in agreement. "I spotted Wendy through a gap in the barrier. She appears unharmed but confined. They've taken her deep into the cave system."
"Did you see what they're making her do?" Cumber asked urgently. "This 'revival' Brain mentioned?"
"Not clearly," Carla admitted. "But there was some sort of coffin or sarcophagus in the central chamber. Brain seemed very interested in it."
Gine's expression darkened. "A revival... someone who requires Wendy's unique healing abilities..." Her eyes widened slightly. "They're trying to resurrect someone powerful. Someone who's been sealed away, not just killed."
"But who?" Natsu wondered, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"It doesn't matter," Cumber said decisively. "Whoever it is, they're bad news if the Oración Seis wants them. We need to get to Wendy before the revival is complete."
Uruk carefully removed the device from Erza's chest, her breathing now steady and the poison completely neutralized. He looked exhausted but satisfied with the result.
"I'll need about ten minutes to recover enough ki for the next treatment," he said, moving toward where Lucy lay. "In the meantime, we should formulate a plan."
Gine nodded, then turned to address the small group. "Here's what we know: Brain has taken Wendy to assist in reviving someone connected to Nirvana. The Oración Seis are guarding a cave at the base of the pillar. We're currently down most of our forces, but we have the element of surprise—they think we're trapped here tending to our poisoned allies."
"So we split up," Natsu suggested, punching his fist into his palm. "Some of us go after Wendy while the rest stay to protect the injured."
"Exactly," Gine confirmed. "Uruk, how many more treatments can you perform before your ki is too depleted for combat?"
Uruk considered this as he began setting up the device for Lucy. "Three, maybe four more before I'd be at risk. After treating Lucy, Gray, and Lyon, I should still have enough energy to fight, though not at full capacity."
"Then here's the plan," Gine said, her tactical mind working quickly. "Uruk will stay to treat the most critically injured and protect those who can't fight. Once he's done, he'll join us if needed. Natsu, you and Happy will approach from the air, creating a diversion at the cave entrance to draw out as many of the Seis as possible."
Natsu grinned fiercely. "Distractions are my specialty."
"Meanwhile," Gine continued, "Cumber and I will use the commotion to infiltrate the cave system and locate Wendy. Carla, you'll guide us through since you've seen the layout."
Cumber's expression hardened with resolve. "And when we find Brain?"
The cold determination in Gine's eyes matched her brother's. "You'll get your chance, Cumber. Brain will answer for taking Wendy."
"I'll knock him senseless," Cumber vowed, his ki flaring briefly with the intensity of his emotion. "No one takes Wendy against her will and gets away with it."
Uruk looked up from his work with Lucy, noting the fierce protectiveness in his younger brother's demeanor. Despite the dire situation, a knowing smile briefly crossed his face.
"The revival process will likely require time," Gine pointed out. "Brain won't risk interrupting it once it's begun. That gives us a window of opportunity, but we need to move fast."
"How long until we're ready?" Cumber asked, already preparing himself mentally for the coming battle.
Uruk activated the device on Lucy's chest, his ki flowing into it once more. "Give me thirty minutes to treat the most critical cases. By then, I should have enough energy reserved for combat if you need backup."
"Thirty minutes," Cumber repeated, his gaze returning to the distant pillar of Nirvana. In his mind, he could see Wendy's face as she was taken, the fear in her eyes as she reached out toward him. His resolve hardened into something unbreakable.
Hang on, Wendy, he thought. We're coming for you.
As Uruk continued his treatments and Gine finalized the details of their rescue plan with Natsu and the Exceeds, Cumber walked to the edge of the clearing, staring at the black and white energies swirling around Nirvana's imposing pillar. Whatever Brain was planning, whatever ancient power he sought to resurrect, Cumber would stop him—not just for the sake of their mission, but for Wendy.
The Oración Seis had already taken his brother once. He wouldn't let them take anyone else.
To be continued in Chapter 19: Girl and the Ghost; Wendy's Rescue