Coup D'état

Chapter 6
"Hey Jason we'd like a word with you!" called Hayley through Jason's door, once again interrupting his memory.

He got up and answered to see Hayley and  Cane along with a brown haired, tan skinned, individual with golden eyes: Thomas Manor.

"What do you want?" asked Jason.

"Why don't you come with us?" suggested Thomas, but he could tell it wasn't just a suggestion.

Jason followed the three to the training room in the guild. Despite its usual recreational popularity no one was in there at that moment.

"Why'd you give the promotion to the rookie?" asked Hayley.

"What are you talking about?" said Jason "the master did."

"Well that's the thing," she started "we're beginning to think that there is no real master running this place, it's just you."

"Well that's partially the truth," said Mephiles.

"I mean you helped found the guild after all, but the master doesn't trust any of his subordinates but you, I mean seriously what kind of relationship is that.  You relay all his commands, decrees, the available jobs, everything, but he doesn't even have his own room.  Doesn't that seem a little odd to you?" Jason remained silent. "So if the master really exists then he'll choose a replacement for you when you die, and if he isn't real then one of us becomes the new master."

"Oh crap,"

"What are you getting at?" asked Jason.

"Oh we're going to kill you.

"Barrier!" Hayley outstretched her arms erecting a barrier with her magic. Cane picked up a large weight and began eating it, while Thomas pricked his finger.

"I call upon your strength," he said while wiping the blood on a piece of paper. "Familiar of Fire, the Blaze, give me your power!" He slapped the piece of paper on his arm and his body absorbed it. "Contract complete." His vanes glowed red and a mark reminiscent of a flaming bird appeared on his back.

Cane finished eating his weight. "You're always gonna need some iron in your diet." He inhaled deeply. "El Drago!" He shot a huge beam of blue energy from his mouth.

Jason barely had enough time to dodge, but before he could counterattack Thomas appeared in front of him. "Blaze Kick!" Thomas dealt a fiery kick into Jason's lower jaw, nearly breaking it and burning him at the same time.

Jason landed on his hand and recovered but wasn't prepared to be hit in the back. He flew forward and turned around to see that Hayley had blasted him with her Barrier magic.

"Why aren't you fighting back?" asked Mephiles. "My life's in danger too ya know."

"Shut up."

Jason rushed forward but Thomas appeared in front of him and attacked with another Blaze Kick. Jason managed to block, but the attack send him backwards and burned his arm.

"Permanent Press!" Hayley forced her palm forward creating a barrier rushing into Jason and pinning him against a wall.

Cane swallowed some more weights. "I won't miss this time." He deeply inhaled. "El Drago!" He shot the beam from his mouth again. Jason was pressed against the wall by Hayley's barrier and was unable to move. The blast hit him full force. Hayley released the barrier and fell to the ground.

"I didn't expect it to be so easy," said Cane.

"Almost too easy," said Thomas.

"You're right," said Hayley. "Let's hit him again."

"I don't have any problems with that," Cane ate some more metal. "I'll hit him with something different this time." Cane's body started to bulk up. His muscles increased to such sizes that they ripped off his shirt. "Strength!  Say goodbye Jason!  You'll make a tasty meal!" Cane charged Jason with blinding speed. He went in for the kill, but before his fist could make contact he stopped. Jason had blocked the shot with one hand.

"Amaterasu: Formula One!" Jason thrusted his hand forward, creating a magical seal that blasted Cane backwards into the wall on the other side of the room. Jason looked up, his eyes now completely black. "I hope you enjoyed the hits you got in before, because you're not getting in anymore.  The real battle begins now."

"Well if you decided to amp things up so should I," said Thomas. "Time for my ultimate move." Thomas got in a sprinting position and his entire body lit on fire. "Fire Spiral: Meteor!" Thomas sprinted at full speed towards Jason. Thomas made a small leap and spun creating a shield of fire around him. "No one's ever survived this attack before!"

Jason made no attempt to dodge. "Black Chain." Two black spiked chains came out of the palms of his hand. He flailed the chains in front of him, ensnaring Thomas and threw him into the wall behind him. He then stepped forward and threw him again into Cane.

"What are you?" asked Hayley, backing up, terrified.

"How quickly your confidence falls when you're faced with real power," said Jason. "My magic, the Demon Eyes, increases my overall magical power.  I'm the most powerful mage in this guild for a reason.  No one can compare."

Jason pointed his finger gun at Hayley.

"Barrier!" Hayley erected a barrier just before Jason yelled "Black Bullet!" The attack zoomed threw the air and broke threw Hayley's shield, shattering it completely and going threw Hayley's abdomen. She fell to the ground, blood oozing out of her new wound.

"But how?" she mumbled.

"It's simple really," said Jason. Cane and Thomas attempted a counter attack but he sidestepped. He delivered a punch to Cane and a kick Thomas in each of their jaws sending them sprawling on the ground next to Hayley. "I'm better than you."

"We're really sorry," groveled Hayley trying to back away. Cane and Thomas tried to join in.

"Here's what you say Jason," said Mephiles. "'I know you are.'"

"I know you are," repeated Jason.

"'And I'll be willing to forgive you.'"

"And I'll be willing to forgive you."

The trio looked somewhat pleased by this remark.

"'Under one condition.'"

"Under one condition."

Their hearts immediately sank.

"What?" stuttered Hayley.

"You must face 1000 years of agony in one second."

Jason stared them down, like a monster intimidating its prey. "Katsu!"

Before anyone could react they had already been hit my the attack, burning their skin thoroughly.

"The wounds aren't nearly as bad as they seem," said Jason. "They'll be out of commission for awhile.  At least a week."

"Only a minor inconvenience," said Mephiles. "They will not stop us from our goal of killing Zeref."