MWAHAHAHAH! Hey Guys! Ghost here with a new sinister tale for you! I'm here to bring you my twist on a classic Fairy Tail tale. Anyway onwards! I don't own anything that stoopid genius Hiro Mashima thought up!
It was a beautiful day in the City of Era, not a cloud in the sky. The sun beamed down brightly on the city. Couples walked in the parks, street performers animatedly did their routines, and...
"Damn it!" An elderly man yelled in frustration as he slammed the reports down on the table. The wrinkles displayed on his face growing evermore creased as he furrowed his brows in anger, his magic power flaring slightly under his emotional tirade. "He's just one damn man-we are Magic Council! I don't understand how we haven't managed to gain one single piece of useful information about him!"
"G-Gran Doma-sama! Please calm down!" One of the other councilors sitting around the table with him pleaded.
Said gray haired man sighed as he ran a hand through his long cascading gray hair. His hand passing under the seemingly cliche pointed wizard's hat he wore on top of his head. "I'm sorry, it's just that I fear that other dark wizards will lose their fear in us and decide to act more freely if nothing is done about him soon. His notoriety is probably kingdom wide by now."
"Well if you ask me I think people like him make this job fun. It'd be a shame if no one were there to cause trouble." Another male voiced chimed in from across the table. The spiky blue haired man sat with his head in his hand, a bored face plastered on his tattoo clad face.
"Siegrain you ignorant brat! Watch your mouth!" Another Councilor, this time an elderly woman, cried in outrage.
"Now, now Siegrain-sama has a good point. It's no fun playing the hero if there's no villain to stand against him." A pale skinned, purple haired youthful women chimed in with an almost mockingly sultry tone. She fiddled with the glass orb in her hands as she smirked innocently.
"Not you too Ultear!" Another elderly man voiced. "Seriously how did these brats get on the Council in the first place." He mumbled under his breath. Unaware that the blue haired man picked up what he had said.
"That's simple. It's because we have a lot of magic power, geezer." Siegrain countered as he smirked devilishly.
"Siegrain-You!" Org, the second seat of the Council, shouted. He was obviously irritated by the blatant disrespect shown by the insolent younger member.
"ENOUGH!" Gran Doma roared as he forcefully slammed the butt end of his staff onto the ground, cracks spreading through the smooth stonework that made up the floor, effectively silencing the room. However the entertained smirk never fell from Siegrain's face. "The vast world of magic is filled with many problems, it will always be. It's a dynamic thing. However this man takes prominence! We eliminate him, his guild is dealt a major blow, as well effectively asserting our power, hopefully reducing the likelyhood that someone else will rise to this notoriety again." Gran Doma ranted, righteousness oozing out of his words.
"Double the amount of Reconnaisance squads as well as spies to follow up leads on his whereabouts. Secondly, send out requests at once to all the major guilds, a 10,000,000 J S-Class bounty should suffice plenty incentive for now. Send the 5th and 6th Enforcement Squad Rune Knights out on more patrols as well as up surveillance." Gran Doma continued. "We must eliminate the one they call... Salamander!"
A week and a half later in the coastal port town of Hargeon, a train pulls into the station with it's breaks screening loudly as it slowed to a halt. The compartment doors open and a pink haired man throws himself out immediately. Falling face first against the stonework of the station's plaza. "Thank God!" He bellowed as he flopped onto his stomach, his face was discolored green, as if he were sick, although the color was fading rapidly from his visage. His deep green eyes slowly retrieving their luster.
A young blonde haired train attendant, a quite attractive one at that the man would argue, saw the man collapse and hurriedly rushed to his side. "S-sir are you okay?" She asked with concern laced in her voice.
"Do I look okay to you?!" He snapped back testily as he groaned and stood up on shaking knees. He tried taking a step, but his gag reflex kicked in as his head continued to spin. The vertigo completely throwing off whatever little balance he had at the moment. The man had to lean heavily against the woman, an arm wrapped around her neck and over her shoulder. She looked all too flustered but went along with it. "Fuck! I swear I'm never taking one of those stupid steel death traps ever again!" He moaned in agony. The woman supporting him gasped and he received hard glares from some of the passengers exiting out into the station, specifically those with children, but he paid them no heed as he tried to quell the rebellion his stomach was having against him.
"Damn, why am I even here again?" He ground out to himself as he was finally able to support himself, he turned towards the attendant. "Thanks for the help." He gave her a childishly toothy grin, that anyone unknowing of the man wouldve found unbearably cute.
The blonde haired woman blushed and turned away, "Really its not problem, although you were really warm. Are you sure you're not sick? Plus that clothing isn't exactly ideal for this time of year you know." She said as she looked over his body. He wore a long sleeved crimson open vested hoodie which showed off his toned midsection with white knee length pants, sandals and top the odd appearance off a white scaly scarf wrapped tight around his neck.
She notice with curiosity that his ears twitched and a wild wicked grin spread across his face, "Oh I'll be just fine...it's 'Mr. Salamander' you have to be worried for right about now."
She gasped. 'He's going after Salamander?!'
She couldn't help but crack a smile as he took two steps forward and proceeded to fall flat on his face yet again, "Damn it!" He yelled, as she moved to help him to his feet again.
In another part of the city at the same time, a seemingly frustrated blonde stormed down the street. "Tch. Stupid old pervert...only taking off 1000 jewels." She paused for a moment and thought about it.
"Is my sex appeal really only worth 1000 jewels?!" She shouted angrily, kicking over a cafe's street sign.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The blonde heard squealed off to her left. She saw a massive crowd of women who all seemed to fawning over someone.
"Hmmmm? What's going on?" She thought. As if to answer here thoughts more women ran by.
"It's Salamander-sama!" One of them squealed.
"Oh my Gosh! I want his autograph!"
"Salamander?!" She gasped. The notorious dark mage for whatever reason was incredibly popular, it defied logic, but he was still an imposing figure in the world of magic...and I guess that can get you a fanclub somehow no matter who you are. "I wonder if he'll let us see his magic! I hear you can't get it in stores anywhere." She said to herself, after all it wasn't everyday you saw someone this notably powerful...or dangerous. She gulped at the last thought. 'I hope this doesn't get to out of hand!...But I wonder if he's attractive?' The blonde thought blushing slightly as she walked over to the crowd of women.
She wove her way through the crowd of fawning women. However she found herself stopping a clutching her chest. Her heart beating thunderously as she stared at the man before her. "W-why is my heart beating so fast?!" She thought, her face flushing furiously, as she stared at the glorious man in front of her. Inside the ring of women stood a tall attractive man. His deep blue hair frayed wildly as it was combed over the left side of his head and his deep black eyes flickered lively. The ornate crimson tattoo of what can only be described as a pair of stylized tongs over the right side of his right eye only served to bolster his appearance. He wore a pair of red pinstripe dress pants with black dress shoes. His collared button up shirt was lined red up the center and around the collar. His purple cape, held together by a flame pendant, housed what she could only describe as as white suns with squiggly rays beaming out from their centers inside the capes golden borders. "Ha Ha, seems I've been had. I can't get anywhere like this." The man mused in a deep suave voice. She almost couldn't stop herself from squealing along with the other women. 'S-seriously what's going on with me?' She asked herself, however her conviction was waning. They met eyes, black peering into brown. She felt her heart clench painfully as she gripped tighter onto her shirt. 'Hhyyyyaaaaaaa! Is it just because he's a famous Mage?! Because I think I'm..." The blonde found herself thinking as she began to creep closer to the man.
"NATSU-SAN! NATSU-SAN!" She heard a small high pitched voice yell ecstatically. A blonde haired boy, no older than 11 or 12 years old burst through the crowd of women. A small maroon cat wearing a blue vest was perched on his shoulder. "Natsu-san! I finally..." He shouted a bright grin on his face, bearing his distinctly sharp canine teeth. His wide blue eyes drooped into narrowed slits and his face dropped it's glee as he stared sinisterly at the man in front of him. It almost sent a cold shiver up the older girl's spine.
Sensing the boy's distress the cat asked in concern, "Sting-kun what's wrong?"
'W-what? Did that cat just talk?!' The blonde girl thought incredulously. 'Plus why did my heart stop beating so hard, and I don't seem to feel as giddy as before...Uhhhh! don't tell me Salamander-" However her thoughts were cut off.
"Who the hell are you?" He asked, threat laced unmistakably in his voice.
The man blanched before regaining his composure, "W-why haven't you heard of me? I'm Salamander!"
"No you're not." The boy growled out...no he literally growled.
"What are you talking about brat?!"
"Of course he's Salamander-sama, he's a great Mage!"
"Just go home!"
The women around him shouted heatedly, they look like they were about to jump the poor boy.
"Now, now ladies I'm sure he's just confusing me with some poser. No need to get so angry." He said cooly getting the women back to there swooning state. The blonde girl crinkling her nose in disgust, she recognized the apalling magic he was using. She gripped the keys strapped onto her belt tightly. She was about to step in when-
"HOW DARE YOU!" The young blonde roared, he was seething in rage as he charged the blue haired man. The maroon cat hopping off his shoulder in the midst of this. The girl's eyes widened in shock as his fist was consumed in a bright white sphere of light. "Hakuryuu no Ken(White Dragon's Fist)!"
'What kind of magic is that? Punching with...light?' She wondered in awe, she simply stayed and watched as the other girls ran away at the outbreak of the fight.
Sting punched the older man square in the shin, light streaking behind his fist. The man's confident smirk fell as his leg swept out from under him, sending him faulting to his face. "OUCH! You little brat that really freakin' hurt!" Salamander exclaimed as he rolled around on the ground, clutching his now bleeding nose with one hand and rubbing his shin with the other as he clutched it to his chest. However the furious blonde gave him no respite, "Hakuryuu no.." He started, the blonde taking a deep breath of air. "HOKOU(White Dragon's Roar)!" The older blonde watched in stunned silence as a thin swirling white laser beam erupted from the boy's mouth and struck the wide eyed blue haired man straight in the chest. Sending the man rolling down the street and subsequently sending a huge cloud of dust into the air in it's wake. He stood there panting in front of the blonde girl.
"Haaaa...Haaaaa...Haaaa...Damn I put to much into that last one." He muttered to himself. "But that's what you get for calling Natsu-san a poser!" Sting said in triumph as he raised a fist in the air.
"Sting-kun, what was that about." The maroon cat asked as it walked up to the boy.
"Oh, Lector, you haven't met him yet, but Natsu-san is a really good friend of mine. He's super strong too! This guy over here doesn't deserve the name matchstick let alone Salamander."
'This little kid knows Salamader?! What the hell is going on?!' She asked herself in shocked stupor, too much was going on too quickly.
"Oi, Oi brat don't get so ahead of yourself." Someone wheezed out through the smoke. Sting's eyes widened, in shock or horror she couldn't tell. As the smoke cleared they could see the dirtied version of 'Salamander', but he looked fine none the less. "You're in for it now kid. Prominence Wh- What the hell are you doing?" He asked as the blonde girl stepped out in front of Sting and spread her arms.
"Look if the kid didn't hit you, I was going to you disgusting creep." She said sternly in defiance as she narrowed her eyes.
"Fine have it your way, you're both going to die here today then." He stated as his voice leveled flat and his face became eerily calm. 'Its just a girl and a brat I can't possibly lose.' He told himself.
"Oi woman! What are you doing?! Get out of the way. I have to kick his ass! This ain't your fight!" Sting yelled at the older woman.
"I have a name you know?! It's Lucy!" She said angrily as she took her eyes off the fake Salamander. However that was a mistake. "Prominence Whip!" He heard 'Salamander' shout. She turned back with wide eyes to see large tendrils of purple flame fly out of his hand towards them. 'Oh no I don't have time to call one of my spirits out.' She thought in worry, she turned around and hugged the small boy and his cat to her chest in an attempt to shield them from the attack. She felt blinding pain as the tendrils made contact, slamming into her back, exploding harshly, and despite her efforts she heard the young boy cry out in pain as the tendrils weaved their way around her grip and hit the boy on his back.
"Gahhhhh!"
"Eeerrhhhaaaa!"
"Kyaaaa!"
The three voices cried out in agony. Lucy fell to the ground completely consumed by her pain. She felt her skin was burned badly along her back and arms, and her muscles screamed in protest at the slightest movements. She could see sting lying next to her, his eyes showed pain, his clothes were a little singed, and he was sprouting a few blisters but he didn't look to bad. However, he was still young. It didn't look like he was in any condition to fight.
"Haha...Hahahaha...HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAH- Is this it?! Is this really it?!. After all of that big talk before and you're down just like that?" She heard him say maniacally, his footsteps growing closer as they reverberated off of the plaza's stonework. "Unfortunately it's time for you to die now."
'No-No I don't want to die, I still have to join Fairy Tail-and get a boyfriend and get married and-' Lucy thought, however she already found herself succumbing to unconsciousness.
"Good bye! Prominence Typhoon!" She felt the blistering heat of the flames as soon as they were created in her hands, she waited, she waited for her end to inevitably come however as the seconds dragged on she wasn't burning. She heard an odd gulping sound. Sting looked over her body as he cradled an unconscious Lector towards the blue haired man. His face lit up once again, "Natsu-san!" He shouted. 'S-Salamander...?' Was the lat thing she thought, before slipping into the darkness of unconsciousness.
"Guah! Echhhhk, Bleh! Are you sure you're a fire mage? 'Cause your fire tastes like shit!" Natsu said,wiping his mouth, as he stood between Sting and the unconscious indecently dressed blonde...well not like he was going to complain about that..., and the blue haired prick who has been using his name.
"Natsu-san!" The young blonde shouted out the newcomer's name in glee.
"Yo! Sting! You've gotten big haven't you?" He answered chuckling lightly as he turned to face the young Dragon Slayer. "Give me two..." He paused as he put his hand to his chin in thought, "No...one minute and we can talk some more. 'Kay?" Sting nodded his head and Natsu turned back to the utterly shocked fake.
"W-what the h-hell are y-y-you." The man stuttered as he peered in unhidden shock at the man who'd eaten his flames as if they were some sort of treat...a disgusting one at that.
"Me?" He said gesturing to himself, "I'm just your everyday mage." The pink haired man said with a look of complete consternation on his face.
"HUAH?! Bullshit! Normal people can't eat fire!" The blue haired man yelled out of exasperation and none to little in fear.
He sighed, before looking at him with a maniacal grin. "Look man that's not my fault now is it?! Let me get to the point though cause we're short on time...stupid Rune Knights are getting more persistent." He said, grumbling the last part under his breath. "You've committed three sins here today Bluey!"
Said man got in a defensive stance in an attempt to be ready for whatever the new brat would try. 'It's Bora the Prominence, damn it!' He thought sullenly to himself. 'Why does no one know me?!'
"First! You tried to hurt my friend! I don't exactly have many of those so I can't really forgive you. Second!...You used the name Salamander, that is a crime punishable by death." He said to him as he pointed an accusatory finger at him.
"I am Salamander!" 'Plus that's only two! Is this guy some kind of idiot?!' He cried in defense.
In the blink of an eye the pink haired man was in front of him, his face dead serious with an anger burning in his eyes that paralyzed Bora in fear. He could practically see a large red dragon looming over him ready to crush him like an ant.
"Then who the hell would that make me?" Natsu questioned in malice, his voice just above a whisper. So quiet the Blue haired man hardly registered it before the flame covered fist made contact with his head head. "Karyuu no Tekken(Fire Dragon's Iron Fist)!"
The punch and resulting explosion flinging Bora down the street like a rag doll and into the middle of the shipyards, grunting in pain as he tumbled down the unevenly paved road. Some of his bones cracking as friction ground him to a bitter halt. He gazed weakly at the approaching pink haired boy. That punch had hurt like hell. Bora's vision swam and he felt nautious he couldn't believe it was possible for someone to actually punch that hard."P-Please d-don't kill me." He mumbled out weakly. His answer was returned by a searing kick to the stomach. The flames boiling the skin as he was yet again somersaulted through the air. 'T-This guy's crazy!' He thought as he landed roughly on the ground.
"P-please, I beg you. I-I'm a slaver I can give you anything you want! Money! Girls! Yeah, yeah!" He tried as he groveled on the ground, inching away from the powerful man before him. His dark eyes shadowed by his bangs radiating a powerful red.
"Why the hell should I care about that?" He asked in all seriousness. " I don't know if you were listening earlier but I'm Salamander. I don't need it."
Bora hardly had time to register as the flaming kick slammed upwards into his jaw easily breaking the hinged bone. He flew several feet into the air, rocketing further into the shipyards only 50 feet or so from the roaring waves of the ocean. Unable to do anything to defend himself in his current state, he quivered in fear as the psychotic man approached him. Natsu stopped as he stood over the man still glaring down harshly. However to Bora's surprise his glare fell, leveling off into impassiveness. "Okay I guess you're lucky. I just don't feel like killing you. Why though? You hurt Sting and that blondie? ...Well I don't necessarily like killing people but after our plans are complete everyone 'il be happy in the end...Well thats according to Ardet atleast."
'W-what the hell is he going on about?!' Bora thought incredulously as he teetered at the edge of unconciousness.
"Well I can't let you get away unpunished I guess." He commented as he put a finger to his chin. Evidently confused about the next course of action. Bora saw the boy ponder momentarily, however snapping his fingers together obviously in his eureka. A smile etching his face. Hey just to let you know, if you reveal any important info about me I'll break into prison to kill you, 'Kay?"
'Huh?' Was the last thing Bora was able to think.
"Karyuu no KOOOOEENNN(Fire Dragon's Brilliant Blaze)!"
Bora's world went black as raging flames consumed the entire port around him in a humongous explosion, the ground shaking below him as the world receded from his view.
Sting marveled as he watched the one sided slaughter from its point of origin. An unconscious Lector cradled to his chest. He still couldn't believe the amount of power his idol held as he watched the flames rage in port, reveling in the feeling of the ground trembling underfoot. The flame's luminescent glow shining through even in the light of day was incredible, they appeared almost ethereal. 'I'll definitely beat him one day!' He thought in excitement, his body practically trembling in anticipation. He saw his pink haired companion emerge from the flames, racing back towards him, a sheepish look etched onto his features.
"Whats wrong Natsu-san?" Sting called to him.
"J-just used a little to much power that's all. T-that'll probably attract a little to much attention so we gotta go. I can already smell a squad from the military approaching the port." He said as he slowed to a stop in front of the younger boy.
Stings face lit up in choice of his pronoun, "I-I can come with you this time?!" He shouted excitedly.
"Sure why not? I was on my way to a dangerous mission last time so you couldn't come with me, but I was here to take care of that bastard this time around." Natsu said grinning, as he gestured to where he took his poser.
"Alright let's go!" The blonde said as he jumped into the air, raising a fist as he did so. Landing, Sting immediately turned and started jogging in the general direction to leave the city. Natsu was about to follow after his enthusiastic friend but stopped as he recalled an earlier event. He gazed back towards his right where the older blonde girl lay. He didn't quite feel right leaving her there like that, she did protect Sting after all...but he didn't have much choice in the matter, he really couldn't stay here much longer after making such a scene like that. Ardet would be super pissed if anyone actually figured out his identity before whatever plans they had could be put into motion.
"Natsu-San come on, they'll catch on to you!" Sting said as he called to the elder Dragon Slayer from down the street.
"Im coming, one sec!" Natsu acted quickly as he removed his red jacket folding it so that it could act as a pillow. He rolled the girl over so she was in a more comfortable position and positioned the jacket underneath her head. He stood up and took his first step, but another idea came into mind.
"They can't possibly miss this, could they?" Natsu smirked fiendishly as he lit an arm on fire.
"Nahhhhh."
He quickly finished the menial task and raced down the street, quickly catching up to the smaller boys strides.
"Natsu-san what was that about?" The blonde asked curiously.
"Just making sure that blonde was okay, after all she did try to protect you. It was my fault for not getting there earlier anyways." Natsu replied meekly.
"Yeah, Nee-san was a little wierd but she still seemed like a nice person." Sting said as he nimbly jumped around an older women who let out a surprised 'eep' at the sudden action.
"Hmph. What was her name anyways?" The older Dragon Slayer questioned.
"I think she said it was...ummm...Luigi?" Sting replied sheepishly. Natsu suddenly stopping in his tracks as he stared dumbly at the younger boy. His mouth agape, showing off his fang like canines. "What?" Sting questioned as he also slowed to a patter.
"You're right that is a weird name for a girl." He stated and yet again was off like a rocket. This time leaving Sting in the dust as he entered the train station's plaza.
"Natsu-san wait up!" Sting cried out as he tried to catch up.
"Hahah catch me if you can, Sting!" Natsu turned to tease childishly, not noticing he was about to run into to someone who rushed off the arriving train. He saw a blur of red before he collided into something really reallllllyyy hard. Both people were sent tumbling to the ground. Natsu regained his senses as he looked up and locked eyes with a beautiful red headed women. Her hair was a deeper red than even his fire, a brilliant crimson. She wore thick steel Heart Kruez armor, a variant that Natsu might even have a tiny bit of trouble busting through, a thin blue skirt that stopped right above her knees, and a pair of brown boots. They just sat there for several moments, dark brown eyes peering into onyx.
"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean...I was just trying to get to that fire quickly. If it helps console you, you may hit me." She said breaking the silence, bowing respectively on her knees as Natsu got onto his feet again.
"What are you talking about? It was my fault too, I wasn't looking where I was going." Natsu said pointedl. as he offered a hand to help her up. Which she gratefully accepted, he noticed he stood about a half a head taller than the woman.
Upon noticing the arrival of Sting, Natsu gave him a curt nod and said his farewell. "Well sorry again, me and my friend have to leave though, good luck Red!"
"My name's Erza, and to you as well." The woman said with a small smile.
Natsu paused briefly as he reevaluated the woman in front of him. Natsu's eye quickly quirked in recognition of the woman...after all it was someone who he has been looking forward to fighting for a long time now. 'Titania!' He thought in wonder. He felt the familiar rush of adrenaline course through his bloodstream, however now was not the time or place for this fight to take place. No he was sure they'd meet again, they had to. Especially if he was involved.
"Natsu." He said with a grin. "Until we meet again...Titania." With a final wave the Dragon Slaying duo raced off again. Leaving behind an utterly confused red head in their wake. However, she snapped out of her stupor in order to tend to the burning city. There was no doubt in her mind who these flames belonged to. 'Salamander!' Her gauntleted hand winding tightly into a compact fist that shook from the sheer amount of strength. With her objective in mind, she raced towards the raging inferno that was now threatening to consume Hargeon.
Lucy's body felt heavy heavy. She wasn't sure how long she's been sleeping, or even why she fell asleep all she could remember was...
"Salamander!" She gasped suddenly, sitting up quickly on to regret it moments later as her body groaned in protest. She found herself lying in a completely white walled room, was she in the hospital? She glanced at the window to see it was now after dusk, darkness consuming the outside world. However she could see some sort of illumination outside.
'The beds certainly make it seem the case.' She thought grudgingly as she eased herself back down into a comfortable position.
"I'm glad to see you're awake, I was beginning to worry."
"Kyaaaaaaa!" Lucy squealed in surprise, however that squeal quickly turned from that of shock into fandom as she saw the woman sitting at her beside. "Y-you're p- You're-!"
The red headed woman besides her sighed, she was plenty use to this and it really was a drag to be a famous wizard. "Yes I'm Erza Scarlet."
"O-oh my God! I love you're guild so much, it's always been my dream to join it! Do you think-"
"We can handle that later, we have more concerning issues right now. Pease tell me all that you know about the Salamander that's been in this town. You're the only eyewitness I could find, and you needed help for those burns so I brought you here." She said sternly, a placid look on her face but her eyes told of her real impatience.
"Okay! Okay! Well uhh... First there was this one weird guy who was calling himself Salamander. He was using a the name to attract crowds of women, and then he was ensnaring them with a love charm..." She tapped a finger to her chin trying to recall the events, however her mind was still a little hazy.
"Could you describe this man? It's very important theres never actually been a description of him before."
"Oh yeah! But apparently that guy wasn't even Salamander!" Lucy suddenly remember, causing the Knight's eyes to go wide. "I was ensnared in the love charm and I was pulled out when some young blonde kid named..uhhhhh Sting, I think that's what the talking cat called him, came out of no where and started calling him a poser." Lucy finished, however she was trying desperately trying to remember the name which the boy kept calling out.
"Wait did the man using the charms happen to have blue hair and have a tattoo over his eye?" Erza questioned, slightly confused by the whole situation.
"Yeah! That's him!" Lucy shouted as the picture of the creep ran clear through her mind.
"That man was Bora the Prominent, once a member of the guild Titan Nose but was thrown out a couple years ago after breaking the law repeatedly." Erza said, her gaze downcast in consternation. The frustration starting to pile up little by little on the misleadings she was consistently getting on Salamander. "He was found in the middle of the shipyard. Although they stabilized his medical condition, he's apparently slipped into a coma. Therefore unable to answer any questions."
"Huh? Oh yeah that's right...that blonde kid could use some crazy magic and starting fighting with Bora...However the kid was still pretty young so he couldn't take him out, and he was about to get attacked so I stepped in...but I got distracted and he attacked me at that moment. I just shielded the boy, and everything after that I-I don't remember." Lucy lamented, tears stinging her eyes as the memory replayed in her head. However she wouldn't let herself cry in front of your idols. "Maybe I shouldn't go to Fairy Tail...after all I couldn't even protect one kid properly."
"Nonsense. Uhh..." Erza said no knowing the girls name, and waited for her to comply.
"Lucy." The blonde said simply, turning her face away slightly.
"I'm sure you're a very competent wizard. But if you have an attitude like that you'll never be able to get into Fairy Tail. You need to embrace your power, and push forward no matter how hard it is to climb even higher towards the summit of magic, that is the Fairy Tail way!" Erza said with a surprising amount of intensity, but the heartfelt gesture really made Lucy happy. She found herself smiling at the older woman beside her. "Besides I failed today as well, I came here looking for Salamander but I've found nothing and still half of Hargeon is in flames at the moment."
"Huh the towns on fire?!" Lucy questioned in wide eyed shock.
"Yes I'm assuming it was Bora, he was apparently some sort of fire mage."
"Yeah...he was..." Lucy said as she remember the scalding purple flames.
"Either way I found this with you is this yours?" The red head questioned as a flash of gold filled the room and a red jacket popped into her hand.
"No I don't own a jacket like that." Lucy said as she tilted her head to the side. However as she studied the jacket, an unnaturally marred spot caught her attention. "Let me see that for a second." Complying, Erza handed it to her. She unfolded it and stared at the burns in question.
'IOU1' -N was crudely burned into the red fabric.
Munch Munch Munch Sllurrrrpppp "Hah! Natsu-san!"
"Wait there was another guy!" Lucy exclaimed as the sudden memory came back to her. This caught Erza's full attention.
"Yeah apparently the blonde kid knew the real Salamander, I can't believe I couldn't remember that he'd actually said his name before!" Lucy cried out in exasperation.
"Really do you remember what he said?!" The knight asked frantically.
"Yeah his name was Natsu!"
However the reaction she got from the red-head was not one of joy or excitement. No the woman paled immediately and the next word out of the woman's mouth was not knew Lucy ever expected her to say.
"Natsu." The pink haired man said with a grin. The small blonde boy carrying an brown cat inched closer to him nervously.
"FUCK!"
Natus walked down the dimly lit halls of the castle's corridors. The only ambient light being the torches placed ever so often along the length of the hall. A banner of the guilds crest could be seen adorning the walls every so often. A flame completed wrapped in chains bound by a padlock.
"Natsu-san why does this place have to be so creepy?" Sting asked as he hovered close to the elder Dragon Slayer.
" I don't know actually. Apparently it's a dark guild thing I guess. Welcome to Hell's Claimed. Don't blame me though, Ardet insisted on it when we moved the guild here." Natsu drawled, obviously not affected by the atmosphere the two wandered in at the moment.
"Oh...okay..." Sting answered as confidently as possible, however he was still a little scared.
The two walked along the path for several more minutes in silence until they stood in front of two large double oak doors. Natsu proceeded to kick the massive doors open with little effort to reveal a large hall. Illuminated by a single fire place at the far end. A lone figure stood in front of it casting a long shadow towards the duo.
"Yo Ardet I'm back. Got a newbie too. I'm bored though so I want my next mission."
"Very well." The elderly male voice boomed throughout the room. " I've received a request from Eisenwald. They'll pay you to help protect them while they carry out their plans with Lullaby. " His visage still doused by the light of the flames behind him.
"Will I get to fight?"
"Most likely..."
"Alright! I'm all fired up then!"
There it is chapter 1 of Redeeming Hell is complete! Please Read, Review, and follow I'm really looking forward to some feedback here :D.