A/N: So, first fanfic I am feeling motivated to work on. Please, no flames, I take many reviews seriously, so if something could be perfected, please let me know. A thank you to my friend and my cousin for sticking it out and going through the editing process with me.
The young boy keeps climbing up the cliff face, scaling it like a spider up a wall. In the mountain village he called home, children learned how to climb before walking, allowing them to scramble up the high cliffs and mountains to get the very herbs they were renowned for across the continent. The ascent was difficult for most, even the mountain peoples, but he had done this particular cliff climb more times than he ever cared to count.
Reaching his destination, he simply levered himself onto a particular ledge, and walked into the cave hidden from the world. A quick walk through the hazy darkness, and a few turns later, the boy arrives at the end of the cavern, surprisingly well lit from the light piercing through the crystallized roof. In the center of the room is a figure in a toga, a white sash across the chest.
"Hello, sir!" the lad says cheerily.
"How are you, boy?" the young man asks, voice devoid of all emotion.
"I am doing well." is the reply. After a few minutes, he continues, "Why do you stay here?"
The man doesn't answer for a period of time. Instead of meeting the gaze he stares at the ceiling, just to avoid the young boy's stare. When he does, it is in his usual quiet tone. Except, there is a softer edge within, as if he lost someone close.
"I come here to speak to a friend I lost a little while back."
"Oh. Were they killed by the demon?"
"No," the young man replies. "They were the demon. Though, instead of focusing on me, why do you come here?"
The boy smiles sadly. "My parents were in this cave when they were killed by the demon. I promised them that I would visit everyday. I come here to escape all the mean kids in the village."
the young man remains silent for a period of time. "Boy, would you be willing to do something for me? In return, you will never be alone." Unknown to the boy, he had readied magic behind his back, just in case.
"What do I have to do?" The boy asks excitedly. "I have wanted a friend for a long time. I've heard they never leave you!" he exclaims.
"You must be the vessel of my friend. This can only be done, he can only be saved, if you agree."
Chapter One
"What is that?" Gray whispers, looking at the pillar of ice.
"I thought you would know your own element, Gray." Natsu replies absentmindedly, also taken aback by the giant icy tower.
Erza merely glances upwards for a moment before Requipping a sword and charging at it. Only to get blasted backwards and into the air. Right before smashing into the ground, she is stopped and set upon her feet gently.
"That was odd." Lucy, silent up until now, says, ready to run forward and check on Erza. "Hey, Gray?"
Gray merely grunts, still glaring at the pillar. She takes that as a sign to continue.
"Do you think that this was made by that Iced Shell?" A pause. "Because we are out in the desert, and this isn't melting at all."
"Maybe." Is his reply. "But there's also Air magic surrounding it, forming an impenetrable, useeable layer. Which explains why Erza was knocked back."
"Hey, Lucy." Happy says, flying up to her, "is this the place that was in the job description?"
"Unless there is another giant ice pillar that you happened to miss while flying." She says.
"Lucy," Natsu calls her, getting her attention. He looks over, his serious look replaced by his normal, insane grin. "Do you think Virgo could help us out?"
Lucy pulls out her keys. "It's worth a try, I guess. Gate of the Maiden, I open thee, Virgo!"
The familiar pink-haired maid shoots out of the ground in front of Lucy.
"Is it time got my punishment, Princess?" She asks, bowing low.
"No, will you quit asking that?! Could you see if there is a way in that tower from underground?"
Of course, Prin-" is all Virgo can get out before the earth starts shaking, the tower slowly cracking.
The highest point of the icy pillar smashes apart, the pieces falling all around it, some nearly smashing into Team Natsu. Luckily, Virgo smashed most with her chains, and Erza decimated the rest with her Heaven's Wheel armor. They all stare, dumbfounded at what just happened.
"Isn't Iced Shell supposed to be nearly indestructible?" Lucy questions.
"Yes, only the Moon Drip is able to melt through it." Gray replies, shocked.
"Hey," Happy says, getting everyone's attention, "what's that?" He asks, pointing at the top of the pillar.
The object in question is falling at a remarkable rate. The more they watch it, and the closer it comes, they notice details such as hands, arms, legs, and a head of long hair, though they cannot tell what color.
"It's a man." Natsu says, running to catch him.
"Gray, didn't the Iced Shell Deliora was in sap his magic, his strength?" Erza whispers.
"Yeah, it did."
The figure continues to plummet, moving as if to avoid Natsu. Natsu, being Natsu, keeps trying to stay underneath the man, until he veers towards Lucy. The Fire Dragon Slayer nearly runs into her before stopping. Right when he stops, the man somersaults a few times before crashing into the sand, far behind the Celestial Spirit mage.
"Virgo!" Lucy shouts.
"Yes, Princess."
Virgo runs with her master to check on the person. Erza, Natsu, and Gray follow after, at a slower pace. Everyone is questioning whether the man is still alive.
´How could he be alive after being in an Iced Shell for who knows how long, and a drop like that?' All of them wonder?
"Virgo, get some bandages from my luggage." Erza commands, kneeling next to the man. "Natsu, Gray, get some hot water going. Lucy, you help me apply this salve."
Everyone starts working, each running off to do their assigned job.
As soon as Erza's gauntleted hand barely even brushed his tunic, his eyes snap open. As if on overdrive, not even seeing anything, his fist rockets into Erza's cuirass, sending her flying out of the pit his landing had created. Before Lucy is able to do anything, the strange man pulls her legs out from underneath her, catching her and putting her in a headlock. All if this was done in the space of a few seconds.
"Lucy!" He looks up at the young woman he had thrown out of the hole, a worrisome mixture of fear and a seething fury settling on her countenance.
"Erza, I'm okay. It's alright." She says, trying to calm down the knight, while also trying to remain calm herself. ´ Who is he?' She wonders.
"I'm sorry." A rough, yet softly voiced, whisper comes from behind Lucy.
She stiffens considerably, like one might when a blade is held to their back. This, of course, sends Erza into a frenzy, but she doesn't move, only allows her aura to become darker. The man, voice obviously not used in years, speaks louder, but still in a soft tone, which is overbalanced by his rough, scratchy tone.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt anyone. It was instinctive." He let's go of Lucy, backing away from her. He also holds his hands out to either side of his body.
"You bastard!" Natsu roars as he leaps into the pit, fist covered in flames. "Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!"
The blow lands solidly on the man's face, but he doesn't even flinch. The fire enveloping the Fire Dragon Slayer's fist disappears, and he leaps back.
"Weapon Take Over: Flame Cannon Arm." The man whispers.
His body changing in an instant, glowing blindingly. When the light vanishes, everyone takes a step back, Erza wrapping her arms protectively around Lucy. He is still there, but his arms have turned into two halves of a cannon, blue fire racing along the sides.
"Mixed Flame Barrage." He whispers, voice once more contradicting itself with its soft yet scratchy melody. He joins his arms together at the elbow, the cannon muzzle coming together and absorbing the blue flames, but yellow, red, and orange flames go in as well.
Right when he fires it, he pulls up to go right over their heads. The blasts are all of those colors and more, the flames mixing to create different colors and strengths. Each blast sends heatwave after heatwave rolling against the fairies.
"This is my strength." He says. "Actually, just a portion, since I have used up all of the flames that fists-for-brains gave me." He pauses, then continues with, "It's a good thing I was frozen in my Flame Body, otherwise his blow would've stung."
"You-" Natsu is cut off when Erza lays a hand on his shoulder, looking into his eyes when he turns around, she communicating with he almost as if it were telepathic.
"Natsu," she whispers, tone low, menacing enough to make even a Wizard Saint think twice about something, "he nearly hurt my Lucy. For this, he is not able to even beg for forgiveness. I will take him on."
The strange man raises an eyebrow, watching the scene unfold, no emotions visible on his face. He continues to stand this way, arms returned to normal, hands in his breeches' pockets, eyebrow raised in curiosity.
"Before I kneel to take this," he says. "I'd like to trade information. What is the complete date of today?"
Fairy Tail's Titania stood a few paces away from him, rage contorting her visage. "November 20, X791. What is your name, in return?"
The mysterious man smiles before replying. "Call me Nicholas. Nicholas Schwarzen."
Not even a moment after, Nicholas was knocked back, Erza standing close to where he was just a second before, dressed in her Flight Armor. He lands, though, lithe as a feline, body glowing as Erza dashes for him, both swords cleaving towards the glowing sphere. A blade-like shape flashes out, meeting her neck.
Once the glow dims down, everyone stares. In Nicholas's place, there is a well-defined man, torso bare, the area underneath covered in a short black kilt. The man's body is also covered in a seemingly continuous tattoo, in the shape of black flames. His hands seem to have morphed into thin, shining grey blades.
"This," he whispers, "is my Devil's Body. It if my most powerful. Especially when combined with my Devil Blade."
The tattoo starts moving lazily, as flames sputter to life on the sword-hands. He keeps it there, and places the other behind her neck. Everyone stares at this, before noticing Erza's glinting sword, tip poised next to his neck.
"What will you do, Erza?" He questions, voice devoid of all emotion. "Kill me? Are you quick enough to slice into my neck before I can cut your head off?"
After a moment, neither moves, booth looking into each others eyes. Nicholas, to everyone's surprise, is the first to remove his swords from her neck, morphing them back to hands. Erza follows suit.
"Well, it seems you have honor." The strange man states, fatigue gently lacing itself into his voice. "The question is why? You could have easily killed me."
"The same could be said to you, Schwarzen." replies Erza coolly. "You could have killed Lucy, yet you didn't. I think it would be better to listen to what you have to answer to any questions our Master will pose to you."
Nicholas' brow furrows, annoyance on his features. "No. I must ask some questions of you, before I take leave towards anyplace." He says. He rubs a ring that's set on his finger, emblazoned with a simple jewel in the shape of a broadsword, and it falls off, collapsing as it does so. Lucy, Erza, and Gray watch it, while Natsu grabs those two and starts running.
"We can't leave Erza!" Lucy shouts, tugging against the Fire Dragon Slayer's hand. "I won't-"
"Lucy, stop it." Natsu says quietly, coming to a halt at the top of the sandy pit. "That's ancient magic inside if the ring. I've smelt something similar to it before, before Igneel left."
After he tells her this, she stops struggling, falling to her knees as an explosion of magic occurs in the pit behind them.