Chapter 78: Chapter 78 - Council Meeting
---3rd Person POV, Magic Council---
Sitting in the Magic Council with other Guildmasters, Makarov was curious about why they had all been summoned so suddenly. He himself had only received the invite last night and the only reason he remembered it, since he drank with Kratos and Gildarts last night, was due to Mirajane leaving the invite on his desk. Asking Bob and Goldmine if they knew what was going on, neither of them knew more than him.
"I was just about to ask you the same question.", Goldmine stated scratching his head, "Even after reforming the Magic Council, they still don't keep us in the loop."
"I am sorry fellas, we didn't call the meeting because we wanted to.", Yajima said coming over with a cup of coffee, "The King asked us too, apparently he wants to speak with the Magic Council and the Guildmasters about something important."
"If this is your idea of a joke, it's not funny.", Makarov chuckled, "The King wouldn't request us to come together, he hates Mages."
"That's what I said, but one of the knights...I think Arcadios was name came here with a royal letter written by the King himself.", Yajima told them, "He might not show up, but his advisors should."
Admitting that was a possibility, the four men started discussing their desires to retire. Yajima jokingly remarked they should open a tavern if they went through with it. Laughing at that, they admitted that was a good idea but they would drink themselves into debt.
"Well well well, look what the cat dragged in.", a familiar voice said.
The smile on Makarov's face fade as he turned around to see one of his long time rivals approach. Seeing the pale man in his usual dreary attire, Makarov decided to start the opening salvo in their usual bickering.
"Jose...still as bitter and angry as usual I see.", Makarov stated.
"Word is one of your Mages went a bit overboard, and destroyed not only the Church of the Eternal Flame but also the Mage Hunters. I wonder if this meeting is on how to deal with him.", Jose snickered.
"They wouldn't call us all together to make that decision. The Kingdom knows how Mages felt about them, calling a vote would put a stop to any punishment that may be needed. After all...they were experimenting on we mages like lab rats.", Makarov remarked with a scowl.
Conceding that point, Jose still said it wasn't impossible. Pointing out that this might just be a ploy to keep leadership away from the Guilds, the four men had to admit that was possible. The former Magic Council Head had done something similar so it wasn't unheard of.
"Maybe you are forgetting in your old age, but Mael is the Rank 1 Wizard Saint. He gained that title by beating the former top four...all at once.", Goldmine chuckled, "They are going to need a lot of firepower to take him on. I heard he gave God Serena such a beating that he may retire soon."
Jose was going to remark on that comment, but the doors from the inner chambers opened. Quieting down, everyone turned to see the Minister of Defense Darton enter with several Cherry Blossom Holy Knights. Stepping forwards, Arcadios ordered everyone to sit and be silent so the Minister could speak. Taking a seat at the end of the table, Darton had knights do role call to ensure all the Guilds showed up. Once the head count was completed, Darton began speaking.
"Magic Council Members and Guildmasters...the Kingdom of Fiore called this meeting to discuss a threat to this country's safety. As you all know, the Rank 1 Wizard Saint Mael recently delivered a crushing blow to the Church and Mage Hunters. While the Kingdom acknowledges he had every right to, given what we know now, it has left us in a vulnerable state.", Darton informed them, "With those two groups gone, there is no one left keeping the Dark Guilds in check. Within days of the news breaking, we have already seen a surge in activity and we are preparing to counter the threat."
Motioning to the knights, Darton had him pass out folders to everyone present.
"The information you are being given is classified information, and is not permitted to leave this room. As we speak we have our intelligence network working to verify the current situation in the field.", Darton stated.
"Are you suggesting they are preparing for a full on Guild War?", Goldmine said reviewing the documentation, "The last one was nearly 300 years ago, and a lot of people died...both mages and non-mages."
"Many Dark Guild members have unsettled grudges that they want to resolve. Right now is the perfect opportunity to lash out, and our intelligence suggests that-", Darton spoke as someone barged into the room.
Turning towards the door, the knights prepared to engage but stopped when they saw it was a messenger. Demanding to know why the messenger barged in without knocking, he apologized but said it was gravely urgent. Asking him what was wrong, the messenger turned to Darton to speak.
"Sir, we have received reports from the Field Agents...all of the Dark Guilds they have checked in on thus far...they have been obliterated.", the messenger stated.
"What do you mean obliterated?! Arcadios, did someone order an attack on the Dark Guilds?", Darton inquired.
"No sir, we are still gathering the manpower now.", Arcadios replied.
"If I may sir...the craters left behind, they bear a striking resemblance to the crater at the Church HQ. I...we think Mael may have taken them out.", the messenger said speaking freely.
Breaking out into a loud laugh, Makarov put the folder down with a smile on his face. He knew about the device Levy and Hermione had been working on, as they ran it past him first before starting construction, but he didn't expect Mael to move the same day it finished. The thought that Mael had plan things out so far was something he didn't expect from the prideful young man.
"What is so funny?", Darton inquired.
"If Mael is out there cleaning this up, I think we should let him do so. The only people being harmed are the Dark Guilds, the same ones that have murdering people for decades. It goes without saying...karma is over due for them, Mael will give it back to them tenfold.", Makarov stated.
"Call him and tell him to stand down immediately!", Arcadios demanded, "We can't risk pushing the Dark Guilds into a corner. They may take drastic actions to survive!"
Saying he would call him, Makarov made no promises he could make him stop. If what the messenger said was correct he already had probably wiped out nearly half of the Dark Guilds by now. Calling him as instructed, Mael picked up almost immediately.
"What's up Gramps?", Mael asked with a chuckle, "Did Kratos sucker punch someone again?"
"No, that's not why I am calling. Are you out hunting Dark Guilds right now?", Makarov inquired.
"If I say no would you believe me?", Mael questioned.
"Not now.", Makarov laughed.
"Yeah I am out here cleaning up the rest of the mess I started.", Mael informed him, "I just wiped out the Dark Guild Ghoul Spirit...why the hell did the Kingdom not wipe them out sooner!? The Guild Hall was only a few miles northwest of Shirotsume Town, these people have been living in their shadow for years."
Before Makarov could say anything else, Arcadios took the phone from Marakov. Demanding Mael stop this immediately, Arcadios reminded Mael that what he was doing was technically illegal under the current law. Telling him he could could get off with a light sentence if he surrendered himself, Mael just chuckled in response.
"Is that so? What happens if I say no to your request? You couldn't stop Zash Caine from divulging national secrets and his theft from the Kingdom's Treasury. If you can't stop some piss ant like him, I really don't think you should be making empty threats against me.", Mael stated with a casual tone, "Now then, you can tell your men to stay out of my way and I will have this cleaned up by dinner tonight. If you want to take the credit for wiping them out, by all means take it."
Freezing up at the mention of Zash Caine, Arcadios wondered exactly how Mael got that information. It was a National Secret that only a few people knew about because it was embarrassing for the country. Snapping back to reality, Arcadios told him it wasn't about taking credit.
"What you are doing is against the law, if you continue-", Arcadios started to say.
"Let me stop you right there...I have watched this Kingdom stand idly by while hundreds of small villages were wiped out by the Demons the Magic Council created. When the Church abducted people off the streets where the hell was the Kingdom to stop it? At every turn you all had the ability to stop it from reaching this point, but you put it to the side and hoped it would go away.", Mael told everyone, "This has gone on for far to long, and it's going to stop today. Tell the King I am coming to speak with him tomorrow after this is all over."
"You can't make a demand like that!", Darton shouted.
"It wasn't a demand, I am telling you that is what will happen. I will be there at 10am sharp whether you want me to or not. It's best if you warn the Garou Knights not to try something stupid.", Mael said before ending the call.
Hearing the name Garou Knights, the Guildmasters looked at each other in confusion. That name was used for the five Magic Knights that were under the King's direct command. They served as judge, jury, and executioner whenever the need arose but the public thought they were a myth. At first the Magic Council and the Guildmasters thought he was crazy, but when they saw how Darton and Arcadios were acting...that thought started to fade.
"I want our men at the location of the two major Dark Guilds immediately! If he thinks he can do this himself, I want to watch him die!", Arcadios shouted in anger, 'How dare he treat us like we are a joke! We are the pride and strength of our country, if this arrogant man thinks he can do this himself we will watch him fall!'
---Mael POV---
"Jeez...that Arcadios really needs to take a chill pill.", I muttered as I flew towards where the Grimoire Heart Guild was.
According to the Ghoul Spirit members I interrogated, they were currently have maintenance done on their airship. The Magic Engineering facility was in a remote part of Fiore, the Canyonlands. If my memory served in the initial series there was a ghost town nearby that had once been the home to a Dark Guild that accidently trapped themselves in a different dimension...I thought.
Flying over the sea of worn away sandstone, I eventually spotted the ship in one of three docks. From my current height the workers looked like grains of rice that were running around all over the place. Looking around for any of the Guild Members themselves, I saw Blue Note and Azuma sitting on deck having drinks.
"Alright then, time to get this party started!", I chuckled as a Sun started to form between my hands, "Greatest Sun!"
Launching it straight at the unsuspecting people, they had no idea that death was rushing towards them at an alarming rate of speed.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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