Prologue
Long ago, over four hundred years, a civil war broke out between dragons threatening the land of Ishgar and the people who lived within it. The Western faction believing human-kind where nothing but cattle and should only be used as a food source and the Eastern faction believed humans where more and these dragons form alliances and lived among humans peacefully. At first victory seemed assured to those of the western faction until one-day, eastern dragons taught their human allies magic later known as dragon slaying magic. Soon the tide of war went towards their favor, but no one knew what was to come soon after. A man who was only to be known as a slayer of dragons and bathed in their blood. A man turned dragon only to be cloaked in wings of darkness and was only ever remembered as Acnologia. Acnologia's rise along with the black wizard Zeref and his horde of etherious demons brought the land into deeper chaos. Soon the people's heart became black and ruthless. With hopelessness and decay spread across the land, bringing the world into despair that hung like black clouds taking away the sunlight. One day a sage of great power rose and broke through this despair. Seemingly coming from the heavens with blessed eyes, he came with power over life and death, light, and darkness, giving hope to the people. This man would later face both Zeref and Acnologia in battle that raged for three days and three nights, scaring and shaping the very land they fought. The land of their battle site would later be a part of the northern mountains in modern day Fiore, specifically Mt. Zion. After their battle, Zeref and many his demons were sealed away while Acnologia had been defeated and fled never to be seen again. With both threats vanquished, the kingdom was at peace once again. Unfortunately, shortly after his battle he would disappear from the world. However, before his disappearance the sage spoke a prophecy foretelling that Zeref would one day be released from his seal and Acnologia would return to finish what he had started, bringing about the end of the world. He would later be known as the Sage of Six Paths, a god among men who had brought peace and joy into a corrupt and dying world. The magic council in his memory would form the ten wizard saints to act as protectors of the peace.
December 16, x784
The S-class promotion trials had been going well for those participating in the Fairy Tail guild until Grimoire Heart had attacked their sacred island in search of Zeref. The battles that raged where intense and long, seemly no hope for the Fairy Tail members. By some miracle they had began to push back Grimoire Heart. Eventually, Fairy Tail's strongest team made up of Natsu Dragneel, Wendy Marvell, Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster, and Lucy Heartfilia had gone to face Grimoire Heart's Master, Hades. With an intense battle they emerged the victors, completely demolishing the remaining dark guild's morale. Fairy Tail's celebration however would be cut short as the earth itself began to shake in fear. The end of an era had come, the apocalypse dragon Acnologia had arrived. Out of desperation the guild had fought the black dragon valiantly but in vain as the dragon was too strong.
"We can't beat it!" Natsu had said, desperately on his knees staring at the black dragon. Beside him, Lucy had begun to cry while others around them like Natsu stared at the black dragon begging that some miracle would save them.
"All defense magic users bring out your most powerful spells." Erza yelled out, "We're going to die" woman with pale blue hair in a white soldier's uniform had said barely above a whisper next to Erza.
"Don't say that Esdeath! Naruto-kun would nev- "
"Don't you get it Erza! We're going to die!" The now named Esdeath yelled to the redhead, "Nobody's going to save us! Naruto won't come…" She kept repeating, her voice getting lower and lower. Erza just stared at her sister-figure in shock as had never seen her so broken and desperate.
"You may be right Esdeath- "Erza extended her hand towards the older woman, "But Naruto-kun would never give up because that's his way. The guts to never give up! That is what he taught us as his students."
Esdeath stared at the hand and then scoffed, grasping her hand.
"You've always been so naïve, ever since we were little." Esdeath said putting up a smile while others around them began to hold each other's hand. Esdeath looked at her fellow guildmates, 'So this is the love that you always spoke about, Naruto. I think I understand fully what you meant by protecting others.' Esdeath thought to herself.
Acnologia's mouth opened wide for a breath attack, intending to destroy the entire island. Each member of Fairy Tail closed their eyes not noticing that several bright pillars of light started to surround the island.
'My only wish, is that you would be proud of me and that I could reveal my true feelings for you.' Esdeath thought waiting for the attack to come.
In a split second both Erza and Esdeath felt a hand on their shoulders, shocking them and the others around them. A man with long, silvery white hair stood behind them with his most defining feature of having three whisker marks on each of his cheek.
"Naruto-kun!" Both girls exclaimed
He had a somber look on his face as if he would regret the next action he would do.
"Erza. Esdeath. Please forgive me." Naruto had said barely above a whisper and in a blink of an eye, he and the two women disappeared in a flash of red and white leaving the rest behind as Acnologia's attack washed over the island.
Chapter 1 – A New Beginning, The Master and Student
X775 – Northern Mountains in Fiore
"The strong, live and the weak, die"
That was what her father said to her whenever they were alone together.
Esdeath Partas, a young girl no other than 12 with straight pale blue hair. Dressed in a simple shirt that had the black cross emblem of her clan on her back and wore black shorts and black shoes on her feet. Esdeath had gone hunting for wyvern in the morning to obtain their scales as they are extremely valuable and make her father proud. The scene she stared before is not what she had expected to come home to. The buildings that were once the homes of her clansmen were on fire with flames that soared so high it seemed they could touch the heavens. The marketplace where people would gather together for simple mundane tasks such as buying groceries or gather together socially became a mass grave site for every man, woman, or child that lived in the village.
"The strong, live and the weak, die"
Esdeath continued to repeat the phrase in her head as she walked through the village seeing if there were any survivors only knowing it was pointless. Everyone was dead. As she continued walking one body caught her eyes, the body which laid face down onto the ground belonged to her father
"The strong, live and the weak, die", even as those words continued to echo in her mind. The young Partas heir found it ironic that the very same man, her father, would say those words and yet lie here in his own blood in the Partas Village slain with the rest of her clan by a gang of bandits.
'Truly ironic' she thought to herself again.
Every man, woman, and child were either raped or killed without remorse while she, was left alone. The only one left of the once great and infamous Partas clan. A warrior clan who took pride in mercilessly killing whether it be animal or human, if it was for a job or leisure. As long as blood was spilled her people were satisfied. If she herself had not gone out in the morning most likely she too would've perished with her fellow clan members.
"The strong, live and the we- "
"Oi, you there"
Esdeath heard a voice call out to her right.
The person belonging to the voice was a somewhat tall man being roughly 6 feet tall in his late twenties and early thirties with long white waist length hair with shoulder length bangs framing his face with his right eye being mostly covered. He wore crimson armor with numerous metal plates, forming protective guards along his chest, waist, shoulders, and thighs. On his back he carried a gunbai and a katana tied to his waist. One of his two most defining features was the six whiskers like scars on his face with three being on each cheek. The second was his uncovered left eye which was a dark purple with a ripple covering the eye.
"You okay kid" He asked Esdeath in a harsh but gentle voice while walking up to her.
"That's a ridiculous question, why wouldn't I be" Esdeath, replied with a stern face, looking up at him
In a matter of fact tone the man stated "Well to start off, I assume you watched this village and its people getting brutally murdered by bandits. I also presume that this man on the ground is a relative, your father perhaps? As a child I'm sure that this was a terrifying experience for you"
"What's you point?" Esdeath scoffed out
"My point is, is that you haven't shed a single tear. Not once since I came to this village and encountered you. Why is that?" He said with a straight face wondering why she was so calm.
"Isn't it obvious, they were weak and because they were weak they had to die. That is how life works. The strong, live and the weak, die." Esdeath replied more firmly, irritated that this man was treating her like a weakling.
The man raised a brow at her statement calmly replying, "Oh, if that is how life works then why aren't you dead with the rest of your people. After all you did say the weak should die and you don't seem very strong. If anything, a dog with no teeth seems to be stronger and more vicious than the way you are now."
'How dare he!'
"How dare you belittle me! I am not weak, I am Esdeath Partas heir of the Partas clan! I will not stand here a let you talk like that, trash!"
She pulled a small knife from her pocket and jumped at him with high speed. With dagger in hand and armed to the teeth with anger and hate in her eyes she was ready to kill the man in front of her.
The man stepped to the side to dodge and grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back making her drop the small knife. He then kicked the back of her knees forcing her onto the ground. She struggled in his grip until she got tired and finally she slumped.
"Kill me" Esdeath had muttered barely above a whisper
"What did you say?"
"Kill me" she repeated more loudly
"Why" He inquired
"Kill me because I am weak. None of my clan members are alive and I'm still too weak to fight. There isn't any more reason other than that." She had stated in a somber voice.
"I see, you're still going on about that. Is that what you truly want child?" The man had asked her
"Y-yes" She had stated hesitantly
"I can hear hesitation in your voice. You really don't want to die do you?" Esdeath only nodded as her reply
"Then if you want to live, what is your dream? What is that gives you purpose in this world?" He asked her
Esdeath looked to the ground in thought unsure what she wanted or what she could possibly live for. After a few minutes of silence, she gave her answer.
"I wish to become stronger, that is my dream and that is my purpose."
"Is that so, then I shall help you become stronger. If you accept I shall teach you how to use magic as well as hand to hand combat."
Esdeath looked up at the man eyes wide in shock. Esdeath lowered her head to the ground repeatedly saying yes.
The man could only laugh at her response and asked while raising his hand to her "What is your name girl? After all I'm sure you would get bored of me calling child or girl, I know I would."
"Esdeath, Esdeath Partas." She responded, looking up and grasped his hand. She was lifted onto her feet and asked for his name.
"My name is Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki. Nice to meet you Esdeath." He responded and smiled at her. Esdeath couldn't help but smile back at him.
"Nice to me you too Naruto-sensei."
Chapter End