Lorcan Shade

by LorcanShade

Lorcan's dream was to become a wizard and join Fairy Tail, but his father made him train to become a warrior. So he became a Shadow Maker Wizard. Many adventures and enemies await for this young wizard as he makes new friends and faces necromancers, experiments, and demons. But it is not just his life on the line, but his humanity as well...

Lorcan Shade

Chapter 1

"Run! The monster's back!" The villagers ran, screaming, the sound of their terror almost drowning out the monster's roars. Lorcan heard the beast's cries, and sat down where he was, cowering and covering his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his head. He looked up to see a tall man with brown hair staring at him. He had never seen this man before, but something about his presence made him feel safe.

"Who are you?" Lorcan asked, forgetting all about the monster. The strange man smiled and replied,

"I'm Gildarts, a wizard from Fairy Tail." The boy's eyes widened. A wizard?

"Are you here to help us?" he asked, hope shining in his eyes. Gildarts nodded, smiling. Lorcan smiled in response, and hugged his savior. Gildarts looked around uncomfortably, then awkwardly patted the boy's shoulder.

"Well, I'm off to slay the monster." He said, extricating himself from Lorcan. As he walked away, Lorcan quietly followed, keeping to the shadows in case the wizard saw him and sent him away. As the screams of the dying grew louder, Lorcan felt the fear returning. Even so, he pushed on, wanting to see what the wizard would do. He watched as Gildarts walked up to a man and begin talking with him. As the man turned Lorcan recognized him. It was his father, the captain of the Knights of this city! He saw them share a few words, then the monster came around the corner.

It was huge, at least twenty feet long, and had humongous teeth and claws. It crawled on all fours, like a baby, but there was nothing adorable about this monster. Its eyes glowed red with bloodlust. Once he saw it, Gildarts began calmly walking forward, even as the knights retreated, many carrying wounded. He stopped about ten feet in front of the creature, and everything was still… the monster roared, its voice echoing throughout the village so loudly Lorcan held his ears in pain. But the wizard seemed to not be affected by it at all. As the monster reared back, getting ready to lunge, Gildarts raised his hand. Lines appeared along the monster, making it look it was in a net of energy. The net pushed against the skin of the creature, until POP! It was a pile of monster cubes. The villagers cheered as the wizard strode towards Lorcan's father. As they resumed their conversation, He ran up to the wizard and hugged him again.

"Thank you for saving our town! When I grow up I want to be as strong as you!" Gildarts laughed and knelt down, patting Lorcan on the head.

"I bet you'll be even stronger than me someday. You'll have to work hard, though." Lorcan smiled at the wizard, giving him a thumbs up.

"Don't worry. I will!" Gildarts smiled, collected his payment from Lorcan's father, and walked away. As he turned, his father looked down at him.

"Now I know that he was impressive, but I don't want to hear any more from you about being a wizard. You'll become captain, and continue the family legacy." He patted Lorcan's shoulder. "Now go home to your mother." Lorcan sighed, all happiness gone.

"Yes, father."

Chapter 2

Thwack! The sound of wooden practice swords echoed throughout the training arena. Two men, one older, one barely a man, sparred in the center of the ring, both sweating and panting after a hard day's training. Lorcan Shade, the smaller of the two, charged forward, bringing his sword up and over in a deadly arc. The blow would have been fatal, if his father, Jacob Shade, hadn't parried the blade away, returning the strike with one of his own. As the blade came around, Lorcan bent over backwards, straining as he barely maintained his balance. As the practice sword passed over his head less than an inch away, he came back up, using his forward momentum to bring his sword in at an angle. His wooden sword slammed into his father's rib cage with a resounding Smack! Jacob leapt back, regrouping, but Lorcan continued his attack, not giving him room to breathe. Jacob slashed wildly, but Lorcan deftly avoided the blade, bringing his practice sword down on Jacob's wrist, forcing him to drop his sword. The bout complete, they straightened and bowed to each other. Jacob smiled down at his son, then winced and rubbed his side where Lorcan's sword had connected.

"You've really improved, Lorcan. But how are you with the other weapons?" Lorcan pondered the question, remembering previous training bouts.

"Well, I've beaten you with the daggers, axe, staff, spear, bow, scythe, and now sword, but I'm still having trouble with hammers. They go against my fighting style." He looked up to see his father rummaging through the practice weapons bin. Lorcan groaned, his body sore from a long days' worth of practice. "Please, father. May we stop for today? I still have to work for Mr. Hikano." His father paused, thinking. Sighing, he put the hammer back in the bin.

"Very well, but we'll work extra hard with the hammers tomorrow. You still need lots of practice for the Knight's Trials. What's on your chore list today?" Jacob sighed as he handed Lorcan a towel.

"I have to repaint his walls. They're peeling." Lorcan finished changing, then walked towards the door, waving over his shoulder. As soon as he was out of sight he broke into a fast run, dashing through the town of Hargeon and out towards Mr. Hikano's house. Once there, he rang the gong beside the door and sat down, catching his breath. The door opened, and Mr. Hikano beckoned Lorcan inside. As he stepped over the threshold Lorcan felt all of his worries, his stress, fade away, leaving only peace. He turned and bowed to Mr. Hikano.

"Good afternoon, Master. I'm ready to continue training." Mr. Hikano smiled at the boy, and waved him to the dojo in the back of the huge house. He turned to Lorcan, bowing. Lorcan returned the bow, ready to learn.

"Today we will be focusing on speed. You know as well as I do that Maker Magic takes a few moments to prepare. But I stumbled upon a secret technique that will make your casting take less than a second." The wizard grinned at Lorcan's astonished face.

"Really? That's awesome!" a huge grin slowly spread across Lorcan's face, just like it always did at the prospect of learning about magic.

"So far your technique is close to flawless." Mr. Hikano stated, pacing back and forth, his usual method of teaching. "You have sufficient magic power to enable spellcasting, but what you lack is speed." Lorcan squared his shoulders, replying,

"Then I'll work harder to increase my speed. But, how exactly are we going to do that?"

"Don't interrupt!" Mr. Hikano yelled, stopping in his tracks. Lorcan bowed, apologizing.

"Let me see you Make something." He continued, sitting down. Lorcan got into his stance, feet spread, with his left hand on top of his right, ring finger bent in. As he began adding his magic power, the Shadow Maker magic seal appeared over his hands, glowing as it rotated. He focused, thinking of the practice sword he had used just a few minutes ago. As he saw it in his mind, he cried out,

"Shadow… Make… SWORD!" He thrust his hands out in front of him, the sword appearing out of darkness, razor sharp and waiting.

"NO!" Mr. Hikano bellowed, jumping up. "You are too slow. By the time you finished, you would be dead. You must learn to gather the magic as you make the necessary hand signs. And no pausing during incantation! It looks dumb, not cool!" Lorcan sighed and bowed.

"Yes, Master."

"Again." Mr. Hikano said, returning to his seat. "And this time, summon the sword faster."

Chapter 3

Lorcan looked up at the night sky as he headed home, exhausted from training so much. The stress was getting to him as well. Hiding the fact that he was learning magic was tough. Especially since everyone knew his father, and, by extension, knew him. He sighed as he crossed the threshold of his home. His mother was in the kitchen, cooking, and the smells coming from it were incredible.

"Lorcan! You're home!" He looked down to see his little sister, Maria, pulling at his hand. Smiling, he bent down and picked her up. His tired muscles groaned, causing him to grunt. "Whoa! You're getting bigger! Soon I won't be able to pick you up!" They both laughed as he walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Mom. What are you making?" He put Maria down to hug his mother, who wrinkled her nose at the dirty boy.

"It's a surprise, though you won't have any until you bathe." She pushed him towards the bathroom, making him laugh.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." He called back as he went up to bathe. After he was dressed, Lorcan came down to see his father had returned home as well. They all sat down to dinner. As they began eating, Lorcan's mother turned to him.

"So, how was your day?" she asked. Lorcan smiled, recalling the progress he had made in both his knight training and his magic.

"I think I've made some real progress. After training, Mr. Hikano had me mop his floor."

"I thought you were painting his walls." His father replied, staring skeptically at Lorcan. He laughed awkwardly, trying to think of a solution.

"Well, he had me mop the dojo floor after I painted the living room walls." He blurted out, sighing internally at the close shave.

"Well, he certainly keeps you busy." His mother replied. "Though I don't think he should push you so hard. You are volunteering, after all."

"Mom, its fine. I don't mind the extra work. Mr. Hikano pays me in stories, from he was young." His mother and father exchanged glances, but were distracted by Maria, who was making a fuss about eating the peas. The rest of dinner was spent talking about the Knight's Trials, and what Lorcan needed to work on.

"Remember, you only have one week to be ready." His father reminded him.

"Yeah. One week."

Chapter 4

Lorcan awoke to his father shaking him.

"Lorcan, wake up! It's time!" he whispered, rousing Lorcan from his dream. Lorcan snapped awake as he realized the day. Today was the Knight's Trials.

"Alright, I'm up." He moaned, rising from his bed. He got dressed as quickly as he could. As he and his father left the house, he felt a sudden sadness come over him. He had never wanted to be a knight, and had told his father, or tried to, but his father always scolded him, saying,

"You will become a knight, and you will become captain of the Knights. You will carry on the family tradition." Always the same answer. He knew that if he went through the Knight's Trials, he would never become a wizard like Gildarts. But he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to hurt his father or mother, but he also knew he wouldn't be happy as a knight. His thoughts were interrupted by the gates to the training arena opening. Most off the town had already gathered in the stands, waiting to see the next generation of knights compete to be accepted as a squire. As Lorcan looked around, he saw at least ten other boys, including his friend, Dayton, who smiled and walked over. The boys shook hands.

"Hey, Lorcan. You ready for today?" Dayton asked, glancing around nervously. He had been Lorcan's best friend for years, and they had gotten into a lot of trouble together. He was the only person besides Mr. Hikano who knew that Lorcan practiced magic, but he had kept his friend's secret well. Lorcan smiled at his friend.

"As ready as I'll ever be." He looked around at the other candidates.

"Just be careful with the big guy." Dayton pointed out, gesturing towards a huge man, built like an ox. "He fights to kill. That's why he's here, not in his own town." Lorcan gaped at Dayton in surprise.

"And he's here? Why would my father allow that?" Dayton looked around to make sure nobody overheard, and leaned in.

"I heard he's here to fight you." Lorcan stepped back, shaking his head.

"No way. There's no way my father would put me in this much danger." Dayton shrugged and walked away. Lorcan spent the next few minutes watching the big guy. His moves were minimalistic, but fluid, like a predator. He knew that if he fought this man, he might not survive.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Jacob Shade shouted to the crowd. "Let the Knight's Trials BEGIN!" The crowd cheered, the noise reminding Lorcan of the monster that had attacked all those years ago. "Today's squires will be chosen based on single combat. It they defeat their opponents, by making them yield, then they will be accepted by one of the knights here." He gestured to the warriors seated to his left. "The first match will be Lorcan Shade and Solomon Black!" the crowds cheered as he stepped forward, then grew quiet. He looked behind himself to see the stranger step forward. He quickly looked back towards his father, who nodded. "Warriors!" He shouted. "You may use any of the weapons you brought or are spread throughout the arena!" He looked towards Lorcan. "May the best man win." The gong sounded, and the match began. Solomon quickly picked up a huge battleax that was next to him. Lorcan rolled towards a sword, scooping it up as he regained his footing. They circled each other, waiting for the chance to strike. Solomon dashed forward, closing the distance between them in seconds. Lorcan barely had time to bring up his sword to meet the furious onslaught. As Lorcan blocked blow after blow, feeling each strike through his whole body, he heard his mother cry out his name. As the next strike came whistling in from above, he sidestepped, feeling the wind as the axe missed him by an inch. He brought up his sword in a skyward slash. Clang! The sword broke against Solomon's armor. The crowd fell silent as the blade piece flew up into the air, to land in front of his father. Solomon smiled, and stepped forward. Lorcan backed up, raising his hands. He looked around, but he couldn't reach any of the weapons. Well, not in one piece, anyway. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Lorcan!" It was Mr. Hikano, from the crowd. "Defend yourself!" Lorcan understood immediately what he meant. Solomon looked at Lorcan questioningly.

"Well, go on, boy." He sneered. "Show me what you've got." Lorcan hesitated. The whole town was here, including his father. What would they say? What would his father say? Then he heard a voice.

"I bet you'll be even stronger than me someday." Lorcan smiled, and said,

"Shadow Make SWORDS!" He summoned twin blades in front of everyone. Solomon stepped back, his face plastered with shock, just like everyone else. Distantly, he could hear Mr. Hikano laughing. Solomon's shocked expression turned to one of rage as he swung his axe around. The axe would have decapitated Lorcan, but he cut the axe in half with a swing of his swords. Now it was Solomon's turn to back up. Lorcan followed, swords held out, an undying rage in his eyes. Solomon grabbed a spear that was beside him, thrusting. Lorcan sidestepped, slashing the spear in two. Solomon's fear was palpable. Lorcan heard his father cry out something, but he couldn't make it out over the blood pounding in his ears.

"NO! Don't hurt me! I submit!" Solomon cried out, dropping to his knees, his hands on his head. The crowd had remained silent during this time, but now they cheered again. Lorcan had won. He looked towards his father as he regained himself. The look on his father's face was the same one he had just been wearing. He dropped the swords. As they dissolved, he ran.

Chapter 5

Lorcan ran through Hargeon, back to his only refuge: Mr. Hikano's house. Once there, he locked himself in and retreated to the dojo, where he sat and panicked. His father knew. Everyone knew. What will his father do to him? The thought terrified him. His father could not be described as a cruel man, but whenever he tried to talk about magic or wizards, he was met with a cold anger that was more terrifying than the monster from his childhood. He heard shouting in the distance. As it got closer, he recognized the voices as Mr. Hikano and Jacob Shade.

"Where is he!?" he yelled as he got to the door.

"There is no need to yell, Captain. The boy defended himself. Would you rather he know magic, or be dead?" Mr. Hikano's voice was strangely calm, but Lorcan could tell he was angry as well. The doorknob jiggled, then the whole door shook as Jacob tried to get in.

"Lorcan! Get out here NOW!" Lorcan retreated into the corner of the dojo, once again a little boy, hiding from the monster. He needed to escape. He quickly went to the back door, opened it, took a deep breath, and left.

When Lorcan got to his house, he climbed up the back. He had no idea what his father would do, but he didn't plan on sticking around to find out. As he packed his bags, he heard his door open. He spun around, summoning a dagger, to find Maria in front of him. He discarded the dagger and sighed.

"Maria, you shouldn't be here." He whispered. Maria saw Lorcan's bag and gasped.

"You're leaving?" she asked, tears in her eyes.

"Yes." Lorcan said, sitting down.

"Why? Don't you love us?" She sniffled.

"No, of course I love you." Lorcan assured, kneeling down and pulling her into a hug. "I'll always love you. You're my favorite sister." Maria laughed.

"I'm your only sister."

"And I promise I'll write to you every chance I get." Lorcan let go and stood, grabbing his bag. "I'll tell you about all the adventures I have, deal?" She shook his outstretched hand.

"Deal." They hugged once more.

"Bye, Maria." He whispered, then left.

Chapter 6

Lorcan looked out the window of the carriage as it entered Magnolia, home of Fairy Tail. He saw several people, and markets. This town was way bigger than Hargeon, that's for sure. He stopped and paid the carriage driver, then got out. He asked some people where Fairy Tail headquarters was, and found it pretty easily. The giant words Fairy Tail didn't hurt either. As he entered, a wooden chair went flying towards his face. He ducked, and it went out the door. He stood back up just in time to be hit by a fireball. He was knocked back outside. When he entered the building again, he saw a small pink-haired kid breathing fire at a black-haired kid in his underwear.

"Hey!" He shouted. "Watch where you put those flames! I could have been barbecued!" the pink-haired kid turned, surprised.

"You better watch it! I'm the son of a dragon, so I can barbecue you any time I want!"

"Natsu!" a red-haired girl in armor shouted, grabbing Natsu by his hair. "Apologize!"

"Alright, alright! Sorry! Now let me go, Erza!" He pushed her away, and ran off. Lorcan shook his head, and continued on. He approached a man with dark blue hair.

"Excuse me. Do you know where the Guild Master is? I would like to join Fairy Tail." Lorcan asked. The man turned, smiling.

"Is that so?" he asked. "Well, in that case, my name is Macao. The Guild Master should be around here somewhere. He's the super short old man. You can't miss him."

"Thanks." Lorcan continued to survey the room, finally spotting the Guild master. Macao was right, he was short. Lorcan walked over to where he was.

"Excuse me, sir. I was told you were the person to talk to about joining Fairy Tail." The man turned towards him.

"Oh, so you want to join Fairy Tail, huh?" Seeing Lorcan's nod, he smiled. "Do you know magic?" Lorcan was shocked.

"Of course I know magic. What kind of idiot would try to join a wizard guild without magic?"

The man laughed.

"Don't get so excited. I was just checking. So, what do you do?" The man asked. Lorcan got into his stance, and said,

"Shadow Make Sword." As it appeared, The Guild Master leaned forward, scrutinizing the blade.

"Maker Magic. Very impressive, very deadly. We have another Maker here too, Gray, the black-haired kid over there." Lorcan saw the underwear kid chasing that Natsu kid. He stared at the Guild Master incredulously, while he nodded in response.

"Well, that's all well and good, but I was wondering if I could join Fairy Tail."

"Of course you can join. Welcome aboard. My name is Makarov." He answered. Lorcan gaped at him.

"That's it? No test? No interview?" He asked.

"Boy, everyone comes to a Wizard's Guild for their own reasons, with their own pasts. That is not for me to know. The only thing I need to know is the type of person you are. And from what I can tell, you're a warrior with a pure heart." Makarov stood up, stretching. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be going to get a drink. See Mirajane for your Guild Mark." He hopped down and walked towards the bar. Lorcan sighed, looking around. He saw a white-haired girl walking around. Maybe this is Mirajane, he thought, and walked over.

"Excuse me, are you Mirajane?" he asked. She turned and looked up.

"No, that's my sister." She said, smiling. "I think she's over by the stairs." She pointed the way.

"Thanks." Lorcan said as he walked over. He saw another white-haired girl. "Mirajane?" He asked, approaching.

"Yes, that's me." She replied.

"I was told to come see you about getting my Guild Mark." Her eyes lit up.

"Oh, you're joining? Great! It's good to have you. Just let me get the stamp." She walked off. As he waited, people walked up, welcoming him and congratulating him. He felt awkward. He had just come from a place where no one knew he had magic, and here they were, welcoming him with open arms. Mirajane approached, with a stamp in her hand.

"Where do you want it?" She asked. "You can have it anywhere that you can show in public."

"Uhh. How about my left upper arm?" He bared it, and she pressed the stamp to his skin. It burned for a second, then was surprisingly cool. She removed it. The Guild Mark was there, black as midnight. Lorcan smiled. He was now a full-fledged wizard!

"Congratulations!" Mirajane said as she walked away. He smiled, and was about to go have a celebratory drink, when he felt someone poking his back.

"Hey!" It was Gray. "I hear you're a Maker wizard too. Just let me make this clear." He leaned forward. "I'm the best Maker in the guild. Got it?" Lorcan chuckled. This kid was trying to prove he was top dog.

"Really?" He replied. "Why don't you prove it?" The boy growled in frustration.

"Fine. Let's step outside." He started walking towards the door.

"Hey!" Lorcan cried after him. "Aren't you going to get dressed first?" Gray gasped and looked down.

"Why does this always happen to me!?" He cried as he ran to find his clothes. As he was dashing around, Lorcan walked outside. He sat down, closed his eyes, and waited. When Gray arrived, fully dressed, Lorcan stood up, taking off his backpack.

"Okay, the first one to submit loses." Gray said. Lorcan nodded. Most of Fairy Tail had gathered around to watch the fight. Lorcan smiled. This was exactly like the Knight's Trials, except for Wizards. He readied himself. "GO!" Gray shouted, and got into his stance.

"Shadow Make BOW!" A bow appeared in Lorcan's hands, a full quiver on his back.

"Ice Make HAMMER!" A giant hammer appeared above Gray. He brought it down with a resounding Boom! That would have hit Lorcan, had he still been there. His warrior training allowed him to dodge with ease, firing two arrows in that time. Both hit their mark, as Gray's legs were shot out from under him. Lorcan discarded the bow.

"Shadow Make Swords." His twin blades appeared as he marched forward. He stopped in front of Gray, and held the blades to his throat. "Do you yield?" He asked. Gray nodded. Lorcan backed off as the group disbanded. Lorcan helped Gray to his feet.

"How did you do that?" He asked. Lorcan shrugged.

"I was trained in almost every known weapon since childhood. I just Make the weapons I need. I suggest you just work on what makes your style unique." He walked towards the job board.

Chapter 7

Lorcan looked around the clothing store. Evergreen, a member of the thunder legion that followed Laxus, had insisted that he change his look from "dirty runaway" to "hot wizard" as soon as she met him. He had never really cared what he looked like, and he tried explaining that to Evergreen, but she wouldn't hear it. So, he went along with her. He sighed. I could be doing anything besides this, like a job. He shook his head, turning to leave.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Evergreen asked, appearing out of nowhere. "I just found the perfect outfit for you." She held out a pile of green clothes. He looked over the mess with disdain.

"Why is everything green?" He asked, fearing the answer.

"Because Green is the best color." She replied, shocked. Lorcan sighed. She held out the pile of clothes again, but he pushed it right back.

"Forget it. I'm not wearing any of that." He turned, surveying the clothing store for anything, anything that would save him. He had almost given up when his eyes lit upon a black trench coat, with red highlights. He walked over, studying it. It was nice quality, but durable, and reasonably priced, unlike anything else in this forsaken place. He took off his old jacket, slipping into the new one. It fit perfectly, and didn't make a sound as he moved. He turned to see Evergreen gaping, her eyes roving up and down his body. He shifted uncomfortably. "Please stop staring." He asked. She stammered,

"I-It looks perfect on you." She managed to blurt out. Lorcan smiled.

"Well then, I have another suggestion." He paid for the coat, then walked out of the store.

"W-Where are you going?" She tossed aside the pile of green and ran after him. She caught up to him as he entered the blacksmith's shop. "What are you doing here? We're trying to buy clothes, not armor!"

"On the contrary." He replied, scanning the shelves. He walked up to the cashier. "Excuse me. I'm looking for gauntlets and boots. Are there any you would suggest that are not too expensive?" The cashier smiled.

"Of course. Just let me show you what we have." She came around the counter, leading them back towards the front. "These are steel gauntlets made by some of our apprentices. They're not the prettiest, but they'll get the job done." She continued on, showing them many different levels of craftsmanship, until she reached a pair of blackened steel. "This is one of our higher end items. The steel is coated with a thin layer of molten ebony, giving it the black shine." Lorcan grabbed one. It was really light, but he could tell that it was far better than anything he had ever had.

"How much for the gauntlets and a matching pair of boots?" He inquired. She paused, calculating.

"Well, if you include the boots, then it would be one hundred thousand Jewel." Lorcan did a double-take.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" She smiled, and repeated the price. He groaned. That was most of his money! But he knew he needed to be able to defend without magic. That had almost cost him his life on a previous job. He sighed. "Very well." He pulled out the bills and counted them out, Evergreen gasping as He gave up eighty percent of his money on metal gloves and boots. As he walked away, armored but poor, She chastised him. As they grew closer to the guild hall, Evergreen finally asked,

"And why would you want armor in the first place?" Lorcan turned to Erza, who was passing.

"Hey, Erza! Would you mind helping me try out my new armor?" She nodded, Requipping a sword. She swung with all her might. Lorcan put up his arm, stopping the blade in its tracks. Evergreen gasped. Lorcan glanced over. "That's why." He thanked Erza, and approached the job board.

Chapter 8

Lorcan approached the mansion where his new client was waiting. He knocked on the door, which was answered by a butler. He entered, looking around.

"Welcome. You are Lorcan Shade, I take it?" Lorcan turned to see a man descending the stairs.

"Yes, I am. Then you must be Dr. Nova." The men shook hands. As they walked into the living room, Lorcan asked, "So, you need someone to rescue your daughter?"

"Yes. She was taken a few weeks ago, right from her room." Dr. Nova sighed deeply, holding back tears.

"Then that's where I'll begin my investigation." He stood up. "I'll find your daughter." He promised.

"Thank you. I'll have Joseph show you to her room." He stood as well, waving the butler over.

As he entered the girl's room, He looked around. Everything seemed fine. He turned to Joseph, the butler.

"Did you clean the room?" He asked. Joseph shook his head.

"Everything was left as it was found, sir." Lorcan nodded his thanks, then returned to his investigation. There was no sign of a struggle. He went over to the window. There were slight scratches on the glass close to the bottom, as if it was forced open. He inspected the locks, which reinforced his theory. They were broken. He turned to the butler.

"These locks are broken, and the glass is scratched, which makes me think that whoever took the girl came through here, and probably left through here as well." He left the room, heading for the location under her window. Something's off. He thought. Those locks are just like the ones I have in my room, so they're extremely durable. The sound of them snapping should have woken the girl. But there was no sign of a struggle. I must be careful. He knelt down, studying the outside ground beneath her window. There were boot prints leading away to the East. "Tell Dr. Nova that I found footprints, and that I'm in pursuit." The butler bowed and left. Lorcan followed the path, but tracking was not . After a while, they turned and cut through a forest. After a couple more hours, they came to a stop at an old ruin, deep in the forest. It had just begun raining, and the noise allowed him to move more quickly without the fear of being found out. He crouched behind cover, surveying the area. No guards that I can see. He thought. He saw a sewer grate, off to the right that could serve as an entrance. He entered, wrinkling his nose at the smell. As he crawled through, he heard indistinct voices above him. I'm glad I took the tunnel. He thought. It sounded like there were a lot of them. He finally saw the end of the tunnel. He summoned a dagger, cutting through the grate. He clambered up, sucking in a breath of fresh air. He looked around. Looks like a prison. He went to each cell, looking for the girl. As he came to the last cell, he gasped. Inside was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Chapter 9

Lorcan felt his heart skip a beat. The woman had silver hair, blue-grey eyes, and pale skin. And she was shivering from the cold and damp. He gripped the bars, whispering.

"Hey!" She jerked around, startled.

"Who are you?" Her voice was soft and melodious, like a sad song.

"I'm Lorcan Shade, a wizard from Fairy Tail." He said, smiling. She shakily stood up and walked over, gripping his hands through the bars.

"Are you here to save me?" She asked, her eyes full of hope. Lorcan nodded.

"Yes. Your father sent me to find you." She let go, her face full of fear. She backed away, falling back to the ground.

"What's wrong?" He asked, confused. She began crying softly. The sight broke his heart.

"My father is the one who brought me here." She muttered through her sobs.

"What!?" Lorcan cried. The voices from the guards grew silent. The sound of many footsteps grew closer. Well, so much for the subtle approach. He Made his bow, and knocked an arrow, aiming at the door to the prison. As he waited, He asked, "Why would your father bring you here and hire me?" She had calmed down by now, and answered.

"The bandits upstairs took over a few weeks ago. Maybe he hired you to get rid of them so he could continue his experiments." Lorcan stopped, turning.

"He experimented on his own daughter?" She nodded. "Why? Why would he do something so horrible?" She shook her head.

"I don't know, but I've been down here for months. It's always so cold." She said, rubbing her shoulders. Lorcan's vision turned red as he grew furious.

"No one should do this." He whispered in cold anger. "Especially not to their own family." His grip on his bow tightened so much that it shattered. He Made his twin blades, cutting through the bars of the girl's cell. "Come on, girl. We're getting out of here." He said, discarding one blade and extending his hand. "And then we're going to have a chat with my client." She smiled, her face full of hope.

"Lanaya." She replied. "My name is Lanaya." Lorcan smiled.

"Pleased to meet you. Now, let's-." The door opened, and the guards came through. Lorcan cursed. In his anger, he had forgotten about the guards. He let go of Lanaya, Making his second sword.

"Stay back. This shouldn't take long." He charged forward, ducking the first guard's swing, his right-hand blade skewering him. He decapitated the next guard with a left-hand slash, withdrawing his first sword from the gut of the other guard.

As he fought, Lanaya steadied herself on her legs. She was worried. Even though this wizard was certainly skilled, he was vastly outnumbered. She had to help, somehow. Her hand raised of its own accord, green light emanating from within. She looked at it questioningly as it pointed at the nearest guard, then fired a beam of greenish-white light, launching the guard into the wall. Lorcan looked back in surprise, then smiled. He returned his attention to the fight as Lanaya powered up another shot. Together, they took care of the guards pretty quickly. Lorcan went back to Lanaya, who seemed even more exhausted than before.

"Nice job." He commented. She smiled weakly in return. He draped her arm over his shoulder, supporting most of her weight. They made their way through the ruin, towards the entrance. As they entered a courtyard of sorts, the door opposite of them opened. A man walked out into the rain, an orange aura surrounding him. He was covered with bandages, and there were IVs coming out of both his wrists, running along his arms and down his sides to a small Lacrima on his belt. A metal mask covered his entire face, and labored breathing could be heard from behind it. Lanaya gasped.

"Andrew." She said. The man stepped forward. Some of the orange energy wrapped around his hand, forming an axe. "What have they done to you?" Lanaya asked. Lorcan set her down, facing him.

"Obviously you know him." He said. "What kind of magic is that?" Lanaya examined the orange energy.

"I think it's pure magic power." She said. Lorcan Made his own axe, hefting it with the fluidity of a master. Andrew charged, bringing his axe up and down in a deadly arc. Lorcan caught the axe on the inside of his own. He slammed his weapon to the left, disarming the man. Andrew backed up, creating another, but Lorcan charged in with a flurry of blows. Andrew tried his best, but many of the strikes made it past his defense, cutting him in the arms, legs, and chest. He thrust out his left hand, sending a beam of energy into Lorcan, launching him across the courtyard. He rolled to his feet, panting. They both stood still, regaining their breath. Andrew was the first to charge, striking at Lorcan over and over again. He barely managed to deflect the blows, but his axe shattered from the force. Andrew grunted as he brought back his arm for a killing stroke.

"No!" Lanaya screamed as he brought the axe down. Clang! Lorcan parried upwards with his newly Made blade, followed by three upward strikes, the sword turning in his hand. Andrew fell back, bleeding profusely. His axe shimmered, his magic power fading. Lorcan stepped forward, ready to end it, but Lanaya stopped him.

"Please, don't kill him." She begged. Lorcan stared at her incredulously.

"He just tried to kill both of us." He answered. Lanaya shook her head.

"I know, but he had no choice." She gazed at the wires running into his body, her eyes tearing up. "My father did this to him, using my magic power." Andrew gasped for breath under his mask as his shirt turned red.

"Kill… me… please…" He said, his voice muffled. Lanaya put her hands on his shoulders, crying.

"I'm so sorry." She said. "You were my best friend, and I let this happen to you." Andrew shook his head. He struggled with the straps of his mask, finally tearing it off. His clear blue eyes stared into the sky, drawing breath through a heavily scarred face. Most of his lips were missing, and the scars covering his face were obviously from many horrible surgeries. Lanaya gasped at the damage done to him, covering her mouth. Lorcan sighed.

"To think that there is someone capable of such cruelty." He said. Andrew turned to him.

"End… it… please." He gasped. Lorcan nodded, Making a dagger. Lanaya turned away as Lorcan knelt down beside the dying man.

"I'm sorry for attacking you." He said. Andrew nodded.

"You… were only… protecting… her." He managed to get out. Lorcan sighed, and plunged the dagger into Andrew's heart. He gasped in pain, then relaxed. "Thank… you." He said as he faded. Lorcan stood, helping Lanaya to her feet.

"Come on." He said. "We need to get out of here." As they neared the front door, Dr. Nova appeared. Lorcan's rage returned as he saw this monster.

"YOU!" he roared. He sat Lanaya down, turning to face her father. Dr. Nova approached, his eyes cold and calculating.

"Ah, I see you have rescued my daughter. Thank you very much, Mr. Shade, but I can take it from here." He stopped as Lorcan Made a sword in his right hand. "Please don't do something you'll regret." Dr. Nova said, smiling, spreading his arms. Lorcan's face contorted as his rage reached its limit.

"The only thing I'll regret is that you won't die nearly as painfully as you should!" He roared, charging. Dr. Nova raised his arm, surrounded by a red aura. Lorcan hesitated. It was the same kind of energy as Lanaya's and Andrew's, but evil. He dodged as Dr. Nova fired a blast of red energy at him. Lorcan tried an overhead strike, but Nova put up a red energy shield, blocking it. Lorcan slashed again and again, but it didn't so much as scratch the shield. Dr. Nova coiled a tendril of energy, grabbing Lorcan by the ankle. He threw the wizard around the room like a rag doll, causing the already weak walls to crumble. Lorcan cut the tendril, falling to the ground. He charged again, this time Making a giant hammer. He smashed it into the shield, but it repelled him. Lorcan retreated, thinking. He had heard of a cannon powerful enough to destroy a city: the Jupiter Cannon. He put his hands together.

"Shadow Make JUPITER!" He shouted. A giant cannon appeared, fixed to his arms. Dr. Nova's face paled, and he threw more energy into his shield.

"Die." Lorcan whispered, and fired. The blast launched Lorcan back into the wall. It went forward, destroying everything in its wake. As it hit the shield, Lorcan could hear Dr. Nova screaming. The dust settled. Lorcan ran to Lanaya's side.

"Lanaya! Are you hurt?" He asked. She groaned, sitting up.

"I think I'm okay." She said. Lorcan helped her to her feet, and they left.

Chapter 10

Lorcan closed the door to Lanaya's room. She was resting, and he didn't want anyone to bother her. Joseph, the butler, had no idea that Dr. Nova had been using Lanaya for experiments. He had immediately made her some hot soup to drive off the cold she had gotten during her imprisonment. As Lorcan walked downstairs, he thought about Lanaya. I hope she gets better. She was in bad shape. He turned his thoughts to the energy that she had used. What was it? Is it connected to the experiments she refused to talk about? He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. I'll think about it in the morning. He laid down on the couch, and drifted to sleep.

In the morning, He decided to check on Lanaya. When he reached the door, he knocked.

"Lanaya? It's Lorcan. May I come in?"

"Yeah, go ahead." He entered. Lanaya was sitting up in bed, an angel come to earth land. He smiled.

"I was just making sure you're okay." She looked so much healthier since yesterday. The color had returned to her skin, and her eyes sparkled like diamonds. She smiled, making the room that much brighter.

"Thanks. I'm feeling so much better. You have no idea how long it's been since I've had a good night's sleep." She stretched, groaning. Lorcan looked away, his cheeks glowing.

"Well, I'm glad you're okay. Come down stairs when you're ready, and we can talk more." He quickly left so she wouldn't see his embarrassment. He went back downstairs to wait.

When Lanaya came down, Joseph had prepared a hearty breakfast for the both of them. As she sat down, Lorcan began the discussion.

"So, now that you're free, what will you do now?" He asked. Lanaya paused, considering the question.

"Hmm. I don't know. Why?" Lorcan took a deep breath. Just do it! He thought.

"I saw the magic you used. If you want to learn to control it, Fairy Tail can help." He sighed. The proposal was made. She slowly put down her silverware.

"You mean your guild?" She asked. "How could Fairy Tail help me?" Lorcan paused, thinking.

"Well, there are many wizards. Some could probably teach you ways to use your magic." She stared at him skeptically, pondering the proposal. She answered,

"How about I come see what you're guild is like? Then I can make my own choice." Lorcan smiled.

"Of course. You'll love Fairy Tail."

Chapter 11

Lanaya gasped as she saw the guild building.

"You live here?" The question made Lorcan chuckle.

"No, the living quarters are behind headquarters. This is just where we go to hang out and find jobs." Lorcan smiled at his home. "If you want to find one of us, just look here." He pushed the doors open, then pulled Lanaya to the side.

"Wha-?" Boom! A burning table flew through the spot where they were just standing. Lanaya gaped at Lorcan, who smiled in response.

"Natsu and Gray are most likely fighting again." He stated, walking through the door. Lanaya followed, watching every angle. As he thought, Natsu and Gray were fighting in the middle of the hall. Erza was on her way to try and stop the fight, but Lorcan stopped her with a raised hand. Lanaya gazed questioningly at Lorcan as he strode forward. Gray was the first to see Lorcan, and immediately stopped fighting, but it was too late. Lorcan grabbed both of the boys, Natsu by his scarf, and Gray by his shirt. He held them aloft.

"Seriously, guys?" He looked from one boy to the next. Natsu pointed at Gray accusingly.

"Don't blame me! Stripper boy here started it!"

"No, I didn't! It was all Lizard Breath!" Lorcan slammed their heads together, silencing them and startling Lanaya.

"You guys need to have time to calm down, then apologize." Lorcan nodded to Erza. "Would you mind beating them up if they don't apologize to each other?" Erza smiled, and the boys cowered.

"I would love to." She said. The boys sighed, defeated. Lorcan put them down, and they walked away. Lanaya laughed as Lorcan walked back.

"Does that happen often?" She asked, laughing. Lorcan sighed, shaking his head.

"More than I care to admit." He looked around. "Ah. There's Master Makarov. He should know at least who to ask about your particular brand of magic." He led her over to the bar, where Makarov was sitting, draining a beer. "Master Makarov." Lorcan called. Makarov turned and waved.

"Ah, Lorcan. How'd that job go for that Doctor fellow?" Lorcan hesitated. Makarov frowned. "What happened?" He asked, concerned. Lorcan motioned Lanaya to a seat. Makarov groaned. "You didn't have an affair with the daughter, did you?"

"No!" Both Lanaya and Lorcan cried out.

"No, that's not what happened." Lorcan iterated. He explained the story, with Lanaya confirming what happened.

"So let me get this straight." Makarov muttered, gazing from Lorcan to Lanaya. "You took a job, saved a girl, and killed her father, your client. Then you decided to invite her to join Fairy Tail. Is that right?" Lorcan and Lanaya nodded. Makarov stared at them, then laughed. "Well, if that's all, then welcome aboard! Glad to have you." Lanaya opened and closed her mouth, at a loss for words.

"You'll get used to it." Lorcan said, standing. "You still have to see the rest of Fairy Tail. Then you can make your decision." He helped her to her feet, and continued showing her the guild.

Afterwards, Lorcan and Lanaya sat down. He gazed at her.

"So, what do you think?" She looked around in amazement.

"This place is great, and there are lots of wizards who sound like they can help me." She looked back at Lorcan. "I'll stay, for now." Lorcan smiled.

"Then I guess it's time for you to meet Mirajane."

Chapter 12

Lorcan walked away from the job board, request in hand. He looked around the room, searching for Lanaya. As he saw her, his entire day brightened. He hurried over.

"Hey Lanaya!" He called, sitting down. She smiled at his sight.

"Hey, Lorcan." She answered. He quickly put the request on the table between them.

"I found this job that needs two people, so I thought you could help me." He put on his best smile. "What do you say? You want to come?" Lanaya glanced through the job.

"A necromancer? Why would you need help with that?" Lanaya handed the paper back.

"The job requires two people. Come on, don't tell me you don't want to go." His smile faded as he realized she wasn't planning on coming. "It pays fifty thousand Jewel per person."

Lanaya smiled.

"Well, why didn't you say so? Let's go." She stood up, turning to leave. He sat there for a second, all of his happiness gone. Lanaya turned. "I was just kidding. Of course I'll go with you." His smile reappeared as he ran to catch up.

Makarov and Macao watched as they left.

"Poor boy's head over heels." Macao remarked as he finished a mug. Makarov nodded in agreement as he topped off both their drinks.

The journey passed with much talk. They could carry a single conversation for hours without end, making each other laugh. As they neared the village, an unsettling fog rose around them. The light mood disappeared, and they both became wary.

"Where did this come from?" Lanaya asked, glancing around nervously. "It was a clear day just a second ago."

"I don't know, but be on your guard. The fog might be hiding any kind of enemy." Lorcan Made a bow, slowly rotating as they approached the gates, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

"Who goes there?" The challenge rose from behind the gates. Lorcan returned the challenge.

"We're members of Fairy Tail! We're answering your request!" The voices were silent for a moment.

"If you're really Fairy Tail wizards," The voice cried out. "Prove it!" Lorcan immediately bared his left shoulder, the guild mark showing. A face appeared over the gate, weathered and leathery. "Open the gates! It's the wizards!" The gates opened just enough to allow the two wizards to enter, then shut immediately behind them, with a resounding boom. Lorcan turned to the man he had seen over the gate.

"Where's the mayor? We need to talk about the situation." The man shook his head.

"The mayor's dead. I've been trying to hold what's left of this town together." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. It was clear he hadn't slept in days. "We've been fighting off hordes of the undead for days." He turned to the people. "The wizards have come!" The people cheered, hope shining on their faces. Lanaya looked around at the people. They have endured so much, and now they have hope. A smile creeped across her face. The cheering died out as Lorcan stepped forward, hands raised for silence.

"Good people!" He cried. "Before we deal with this necromancer and his army, we need information." He walked along the edge of the crowd, continuing. "How many soldiers does he have? Where do you think he's hiding? How strong do you think he is?" He stopped, facing them. "We need this and more, so we can plan a course of attack." He gestured towards their leader. "If you have any information to share, we'll be with your leader, discussing strategy. Thank you." He turned and returned to Lanaya's side as the people cheered once more. A small group of children ran up to Lanaya, grinning.

"Are you really going to make the monsters go away?" A little girl asked. Lanaya knelt down, looking the girl straight in the eyes. Smiling, she replied.

"Of course. We'll make sure they never bother you again."

"That's right." Lorcan said, coming to stand by her side. "We'll beat up the monsters and send them running, crying!" He jokingly jabbed the air a few times, making the children laugh. Lanaya joined in, Lorcan's confidence and easy manner making her believe in them.

"Now run along, she said, standing." The children obeyed, but one stayed behind. He hugged Lorcan.

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a wizard like you." Lorcan smiled. Kneeling, he put his hand on the boy's head.

"I'll bet you'll become a strong wizard, and help towns like this one." The boy's smile grew wider. He ran, pretending to hurl magic at imaginary foes. Lorcan stood. Lanaya stared at him, surprised. He glanced at her. "What?" He asked, turning around. Lanaya followed him.

"Nothing." She said. "I'm just surprised you were this good with children." Lorcan shrugged.

"Having a sister the same age as those kids doesn't hurt. Plus, the kid reminded me of myself when I was young." He walked over to the makeshift barracks, entering. Once inside, they met with the leader, whose name they learned was Henry.

"The horde attacks from the fog in front of the city. Every time we beat them back, our numbers diminish, and we see our slain friends stand and retreat with the enemy, only to attack the next night." He paused, lost in the memories of the horrible events he'd lived through. "Whenever people try to escape, the fog takes them. All we hear are screams." Lanaya had covered her mouth in horror, while Lorcan nodded, digesting the information.

"Where is your cemetery? That's the most likely place for the necromancer to be hiding." Henry pointed to an area north of the town.

"It's deep within the fog. The cemetery surrounds the crypt of the founders of this town." Lorcan nodded once more.

"Then tonight, we'll help you drive off the undead, and tomorrow, we'll go after the necromancer there." Henry nodded his thanks, and they began to talk about defending the village.

"Now the weak parts in our defenses are here, here, and here." Henry indicated three spots on the north wall. "The corpses have broken through these sections before, and when they get inside, they do considerable damage." Lorcan replied, gesturing to the areas.

"Then I believe that more soldiers be focused on these three areas. Lanaya and I should be able to move along the wall, helping where we can." Lanaya nodded agreement.

"I also have recently learned some healing, so I can help support the battle." She suggested. Lorcan nodded.

"That would significantly help keeping our numbers up and theirs down." He said, turning to her. "But conserve your magic. We have no idea how many we'll be facing. Once you start running low, stop healing and focus on destroying as many undead as you can." He returned his attention to the map. "We have a plan. Let's stick to it." Henry nodded, and left to give the orders to his men. Lorcan followed, but Lanaya grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.

"What is it?" He asked, turning around.

"How can you be so calm?" She asked, her face full of fear. "We're about to fight the undead, and every man who dies will stand up and turn on us." She shuddered. Lorcan stopped, sighing.

"When I was a boy," He began, his back still to her. "My town was besieged by a sea monster. Every night it would come from the port, advancing further into the city, eating everything and everyone in sight. I was so scared, I just sat there, covering my eyes, blocking out everything else." He turned, facing Lanaya. "That's when he came. A wizard from Fairy Tail, named Gildarts. He walked up to the monster and killed it with one spell." Lorcan smiled. "He showed no fear. It was like this was a normal thing for him." Lorcan put his hand on her shoulders. "But now I know that he was acting. He felt fear, just as you and I do now. The important thing is to hide that fear from the ones we are here to save. It gives them hope." He turned, leading the way outside.

Chapter 13

Night fell. As the men ran to their positions, checking their equipment, mostly makeshift spears and tools used as weapons, Lorcan mounted the wall that defended the village. He peered into the thickening fog, but he couldn't make out any discernable movement. As time went on, nothing happened. The men began whispering to one another, growing restless. Suddenly, screams came from the south side of the city.

"They're in the back!" someone cried. Lorcan immediately jumped off the wall, running towards the sound of the commotion.

"Come on!" He shouted. The men turned and charged, following him. Lanaya caught up to Lorcan as he turned a corner.

"How did this happen?" She asked as they ran. Lorcan cursed.

"I should have thought of this." Lorcan pointed towards the area where the enemy was. "Those corpses aren't just animated by the necromancer, they're controlled by him as well. He knew that we had arrived, so he needed to build his numbers as much as possible." He turned his head, making eye contact. "And what better way to make it harder for us to fight than to throw women and children at us." Lanaya gasped. Lorcan sped up. "But that won't happen." He growled. "I won't let that happen." He created his hand signs, Making his twin blades. Lanaya gathered her energy in her fists. They turned the final corner, and saw a massacre. Women and children ran for their lives from the army of corpses. Lorcan roared his rage, charging them. He jumped over a corpse, decapitating it on the way. As he cut a swathe through the horde, Lanaya hung back, throwing spheres of energy at the corpses who were going after the civilians. She heard shouting as the militia joined the fight. She smiled. The odds seemed to be in their favor. That is, until the dead children stirred. Many of the militiamen stopped fighting, as their children walked towards them. They fell to their knees, their reason for fighting gone. Lorcan decapitated another undead, turning around. He stopped. Staggering towards him was the boy from earlier.

When I grow up, I'm going to be a wizard like you! The words echoed through his mind. He became enraged.

"HOW DARE YOU DESECRATE THE DEAD!?" He roared, rousing the men. "Return your loved ones to their rest!" He cried, leaping forward, his blades spinning a dance of death as corpses fell around him. The men gripped their weapons, rage in their eyes, rage at the thought of their loved ones being denied their eternal rest. The night passed, and eventually the dead retreated, vanishing into the fog as the sun rose. Lorcan's cracked and nicked blades shattered, and he fell to his knees, exhausted. All around him, the cries of pain and loss rose, filling the air. Lanaya moved from person to person, healing who she could, but there was only so much she could do before she collapsed, unable to continue. Henry had the wizards moved to the barracks, where they recovered. Once they had regained their strength, they set off for the Necromancer's crypt. They walked in silence, tears streaming Lanaya's face as she recalled the deaths. Lorcan, on the other hand, was furious. His cold hatred permeated the air itself, and lent speed to his movements. That man has to experience death for himself. He thought. Finally, the crypt appeared out of the fog. Lorcan quickly Made a quarter staff, with a spearhead at either end. They made their way inside. The air was thick with death, and it was unnaturally cold. They advanced further in. Eventually, they came to an open chamber, holes in the ceiling offering sparse light. Lorcan felt the ground shift beneath him.

"Get down!" He cried, tackling Lanaya to the floor as bone shards erupted from the ground, coming together to form a giant skeleton. The wizards gaped up at the creature. Laughter echoed all around the chamber, ending in coughing. A shriveled old man clambered into view, his body unnaturally thin and haggard.

"Well now." He whispered, his voice echoing around the room nonetheless. "What do we have here?" He pointed a bony finger towards Lorcan. "A warrior of the shadows," His finger shifted to Lanaya. "And a wielder of light." He laughed, once more ending in a fit of coughing. Yes, you will make good servants." He drew more shards of bone from the ground, firing them at the wizards. Lorcan put his hands together.

"Shadow Make SHIELD!" He summoned a shield of darkness, blocking the shards. He rolled forward, leaving the shield where it was to provide cover for Lanaya. He Made his twin blades, running straight at the necromancer. The dark wizard waved his hand, and the giant skeleton moved to strike Lorcan. He leapt upwards, landing on its arm. It swatted the area on its arm where he was, but he rolled forward, barely avoiding the blow. Nevertheless, the impact sent vibrations through the arm, making Lorcan lose his balance. He fell, grabbing onto the arm. He pulled himself up, and continued to climb, while Lanaya went after the necromancer. She fired sphere after sphere, but the necromancer just waved his hand, and bone shards flew up, blocking the attacks. She gathered her energy into her fist, and kept it there, wreathing her arms in pure energy. She dashed forward, closing the distance. The necromancer tried to get away, but he was too slow. She proceeded to beat the living hell out of him. He screamed in pain, and waved both his hands. Two giant snake skeletons formed out of the shards, hissing at Lanaya. Meanwhile, Lorcan had finally made it to the head. He struck it with his blades, but they just bounced off. He discarded them, and jumped backwards. As he was in midair, he Made the Jupiter cannon, firing at the giant's head. The projectile exploded, taking the head with it. The rest of the body broke apart and dissolved as he landed. He looked up to see the two snakes attacking Lanaya. He Made his bow, firing shot after shot. One of the snakes turned his way, hissing. He fired again, the arrow sailing through the snake's eye socket. It hissed, and charged. He dodged its attack, discarding his bow and Making his Jupiter cannon again. He fired, blasting the skeleton apart. Lanaya saw the attack and gathered her energy, powering up. As the last snake lunged, she fired a beam of energy, the green light obliterating the snake. The two wizards turned towards the necromancer, but he was gone. Lorcan stepped forward, then a single bone shard flew out of the darkness, striking him in the chest. He grabbed it as it tried to burrow inside him, and threw it away. Unnoticed by him, a small magic circle appeared for an instant where he had been hit, then vanished. Lanaya healed the wound, and they left.

They strode through the gates to see a giant funeral in progress. They waited as the village paid their respects to those they had lost. Afterwards, Henry approached them.

"Did you get him?" He asked. Lorcan sighed.

"He got away, but I don't think he'll be coming back."

Henry released a sigh of relief, a single tear making its way down his cheek.

"Then the nightmare is finally over." He spread the news. The necromancer was gone. That night, they had a celebration in honor of the wizards. They ate and talked, danced and laughed, enjoying their victory. Unseen, a figure watched from a nearby hilltop. He smiled.

"You will be mine, dark warrior." He said, fingering the bone shard in his hand.

Chapter 15

Lorcan and Lanaya laughed, clanking two mugs together.

"To Fairy Tail's best team!" Lorcan cheered, gulping down his drink. They talked and laughed. Suddenly, Macao walked up to them.

"Hey, Macao! Come join us for a drink!" Lanaya laughed as she unsteadily lifted her mug, swaying. Macao smiled, then turned to Lorcan.

"Sorry to cut in on the fun, but you should see this." His serious expression made Lorcan's smile disappear.

"What is it?" He asked, worried. Macao brought out a job request form. Lorcan took it, reading aloud. "Help. A monster has attacked. Please send Lorcan Shade as soon as you can. Sent by Captain Jacob-." His voice caught in his throat, and he was unable to finish reading. Lanaya frowned, disconcerted by his hesitation.

"What's wrong, Lorcan?" He stood, facing Macao.

"When did this come in?" He asked.

"Just now. The master wanted you to see it first." Macao shrugged. Lorcan quickly walked towards the door, Lanaya following.

"Lorcan!" She caught him by the arm. "What's wrong?" He turned to her.

"My father sent this." He said, trembling. "My home is under attack." He exited the building. Standing in the street, He cried, "Shadow Make DIREWOLF!" He hopped on the giant canine, and set off at a dead sprint. Lanaya was soon lost behind him, still calling his name.

As he neared his hometown, Lorcan saw a huge column of smoke. He dug his heels into his mount, making it sprint up the hillside. He looked down. Below him, the city burned.

He dismounted, discarding the dire wolf, and ran into the city. Everywhere he turned, there was fire. An explosion to the south caught his attention, but he ran towards his house. Please be alright. He thought over and over, begging for his family to be alive. As he turned the corner, He saw his house, or what was left of it. He ran to the house.

"MARIA! MOM! DAAAADDD!" He called out, sifting through the rubble. As he lifted one of the support beams, he saw them. "No." He whispered, falling to his knees. He cried, repeating the word over and over, begging for there to still be some chance they were alive. Another explosion sounded, nearer this time. He stood, a rage filling him like never before. He turned, sprinting towards the source of the chaos. When he got there, he saw a man, laughing. The man had yellow hair, big furry ears, and a tail, of all things. His arms changed from normal skin to a deep obsidian color.

"That's right. BURN!" HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He suddenly stopped, sensing Lorcan's presence, his anger, his hate. He turned, smiling. "Oh, so there's still someone alive, huh?" He asked, leaning against a crumbling wall. "I thought I got all of you already." Lorcan Made his twin blades, brandishing them.

"YOU DID THIS!?" He screamed, running at the strange man. "I'LL KILL YOOUUUUU!" The man waved his hand, and the ground in front of Lorcan exploded, knocking him to the ground. He staggered to his feet, cut in a dozen places by shrapnel. He discarded his swords.

"SHADOW MAKE BOW!" He called, firing a shot. The man dodged easily, disappearing for a second, reappearing before him with a hard right hook. Lorcan was sent flying. He looked back at the man. I'll KILL him. He thought, pushing himself back to his feet. The man clawed the air, and the area around Lorcan ignited, driving him to the ground once more. What is he? Lorcan thought. Is he even human? How can he be this strong? Lorcan delved deep, and rolled to his feet. "Shadow Make JUPITER!" He cried, firing as soon as it was Made. The projectile hit the man, knocking him down. He stood up, laughing.

"Now that, I was not expecting." He chuckled. "You might actually make me break a sweat." He swiped the air again. Lorcan managed to dodge the explosion, barely. I need something bigger. Something stronger. He delved trough his memory, as he dodged explosion after explosion. He had heard Master Makarov talk about a weapon the Magic Council had made. He remembered the name. He remembered the power. He brought his hands together.

"Shadow… Make… ETHERION!" He threw his hands apart. Four pillars appeared, floating in the air. They began glowing and rotating, rising higher. The man looked around at them, backing up.

"What are you doing? Stop it!" He yelled. Lorcan glared at him, and said.

"Fire!"

A beam of pure darkness came from the sky, obliterating the whole city. As the dust cleared, the man stood up, bleeding in a dozen places, leaning on one side. He looked around, seeing Lorcan on the ground, unconscious. He limped over, enraged.

"To think… that… a mere human… could hurt me!" He spat blood, and lifted his foot to crush Lorcan's skull.

"Stop, Jackal." He turned. A woman wearing a horned helm walked towards him, over the debris of the village. Jackal grimaced.

"What are you doing here Kyoka?" She smiled.

"I was looking for a new volunteer for my enhancements." She gazed pointedly at Lorcan's unconscious body. "And I think I found the perfect specimen."

Chapter 16

Kyoka closed the tank. Lorcan's body floated, embraced by branch-like arms. She smiled.

"You'll make a fine demon, if you survive."

"Yeah, but aren't you worried he'll kill us?" Kyoka turned to see Jackal leaning against the wall. "I mean, I did massacre his entire village." She turned back to her work.

"I'm taking care of that as we speak. When he wakes up, he'll believe that he's been a demon his entire life." She stepped away from the machines, smiling. "It's started."

Lorcan opened his eyes. He saw a child, hiding from a monster in a small town. He blinked, and he saw a building. The words Fairy Tail could be seen across its front. He tilted his head, thinking. That place looks familiar. Before he could place it, he was inside the building. The people around him looked so familiar, but he couldn't think of their names. Finally, he saw a girl, with silver hair, blue-grey eyes, and a wide smile. She held her hand out, but she was fading.

"Wait!" He cried, stretching his hand out, but she was already gone.

Lorcan opened his eyes. He was in a bed. As he looked around, a woman approached the bedside. Kyoka. The name popped into his head.

"Kyoka?" He asked. She smiled.

"Hey, Lorcan. Don't move. You hit your head pretty hard, trying to escape." She said. A sudden flash of pain pierced his head. As he cried out, gripping his skull, he remembered.

"We were escaping… a building." Kyoka nodded.

"The Fairy Tail building, yes." She put her hand to his head. Lorcan felt warmth spreading through his body, relaxing him. "Just rest. You need it." Lorcan sat up as he remembered more.

"What about Jackal? Is he okay?"

"I'm fine, if you must know." Lorcan turned, with a sigh of relief, to see Jackal standing in the doorway.

"Good." Lorcan said, standing up. He looked down at his body in surprise. He didn't remember being this tall… or muscular. He looked for his trench coat, finding it on a chair beside his bed. As he put it on, he brushed his black hair out of his eyes. I don't remember having black hair. Or long hair. He put it aside, thinking it was just an after effect of the head injury. His memory was coming back with each passing breath. He was Lorcan Shade, the Shadow Demon. He and Jackal had been captured by Fairy Tail, the lowly magic guild, trying to stop them from releasing END, their master. He looked to his left shoulder, where the Tartoros Guild mark was located: Two crossed hammers. He looked Kyoka in the eyes.

"How much longer until we can begin the plan?" Kyoka smiled.

"We just have a few more jobs for you to do." Lorcan nodded. He turned, walking out of his room.

"Then let's get started."

Chapter 17

Master Makarov knocked on Lanaya's door. Inside, he could hear her sobs as she mourned. He entered, walking over to her side.

"Are you okay?" He asked, patting her shoulder.

"How can I be okay!?" She cried, turning to him her beautiful face red and tear-stricken. "My friend is dead! Not only that, but there's not even a body left to bury!" She turned back around, hiding her face. Makarov sighed, turning to go. He paused at the door.

"It has been a few weeks. I'm sure Lorcan would not want to see you this way." He closed the door behind him as he left. Lanaya didn't hear him. She was already lost once again in her own grief.

A few days later, she left her room. All the tears she had had already been shed, and she realized she had to move on with her life. As she entered the Guild Hall, Gildarts approached her. He had come back after hearing the news, and had constantly tried to cheer her up. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt bad that he didn't see his friend more.

"Hey, Lanaya. Can I speak to you for a second?" The look on his face caused her to worry.

"What is it?" She asked. "Is it Lorcan?" She followed him to one of the more secluded tables. They sat down, leaning in so no one would hear them.

"I've heard reports of a man matching Lorcan's description except for two things. Long black hair, and red eyes." Gildarts sat back, waiting for her response. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Thank you for this, Gildarts, but that's not-"Gildarts held up his hand.

"He was also wearing a black trench coat and armored boots and gauntlets." He leaned forward again, a smile on his face. "Who else wears a combo like that?" Lanaya stood. It can't be a coincidence. She thought.

"We have to find him." Gildarts stood as well, his smile growing.

"Exactly. Just follow me, and we'll go to where he was last seen." His face grew serious. "But I must warn you. He was seen killing people."

Lanaya followed Gildarts from the last known location of Lorcan Shade. He had picked up a trail leading to the south west. As they followed his tracks, Lanaya's hope grew. We have to find him. She thought. He has to be okay. After a while, they came across a clearing. As they looked into it, Lanaya gasped. It was Lorcan! She immediately stood up "LOR-"Gildarts pulled her back down, but the damage was done. Lorcan spun to face them, firing beams of darkness from his hands. Gildarts leapt from cover, destroying the beams with his Crash Magic.

"Lorcan! Stop! It's us!" He cried, waving his hands. Lorcan lowered his hands.

"I know exactly who you are." He said disdainfully. "You're the ones who captured me!" He fired another beam, which Gildarts blocked. "Tortured me!" He fired another one. "You humans will never touch another demon ever again!" He planted his feet. "Shadow Devil's RAGE!" He roared, and a giant beam of darkness came out of his mouth, rushing towards Gildarts. He tried to block it, but it was too fast. He was knocked off his feet. Lanaya turned, shouting for Lorcan to stop, but he was gone. Suddenly, he appeared out of shadows right in front of her. She drew breath to scream, but he blasted her back. Returning his attention to Gildarts, who had managed to stand, he formed darkness around his hand, creating twin blades. Lanaya gasped. He's combined his magics. There was no stance, no words. He just pulled the swords out of the shadowy aura that surrounded him. But these swords were not the elegant blades she was used to. They were jagged, made to cause pain. He leapt across the twenty foot gap separating the two wizards, bringing his blades down in a great arc. Gildarts destroyed the blades before they cut him, so Lorcan engulfed his hands in the shadow aura instead. Gildarts lifted his arms to block, but Lorcan's strength was leagues above what it had been a few weeks ago. Gildarts was sent flying. As he stood up, Lorcan grabbed him.

"Be consumed by the shadows." He whispered, and pulled Gildarts into darkness. Lanaya barely had time to blink before Lorcan was thrown back into reality, Gildarts walking out of the darkness. He cracked his knuckles.

"I didn't want to hurt you, but you leave me no choice." He dashed forward, throwing a huge right punch. Lorcan's face turned to darkness, making the punch pass right through. Gildarts brought his fist down, striking Lorcan's unprotected throat. He backed up, gasping for breath as Gildarts threw a powerful uppercut. Lorcan was launched into the sky, coming down with enough force to make a small crater. He stood up.

"You… humans… will never take me again!" He roared, his voice changing, becoming deeper and gruffer. Gildarts and Lanaya backed up as what appeared to be bone slowly formed over him, making armor. A helmet formed, with horns coming from his forehead that reached to the sky. His hands were covered with gauntlets that ended with claws. Even his trench coat grew shorter, the red highlights fading. There he stood, Lorcan the Shadow Demon.

"Lorcan." Lanaya whispered, her eyes full of tears. "What happened to you?" Lorcan threw his head back, roaring his rage to the sky. Gildarts turned to Lanaya.

"Get ba-"He was hit by Lorcan, who was moving so fast he was a blur. Gripping him by the face, Lorcan pushed his head into the ground as he ran, making a trench that stretched for yards. When Lorcan let go, Gildarts kept sliding for a few feet. Lorcan leapt on top of Gildarts, throwing punch after punch, his arms moving so fast that he appeared to have eight fists. Each punch sent shockwaves through the ground, causing the very earth to crack. Lanaya clenched her fists. She had to help Gildarts, but that would mean fighting Lorcan. She shook her head. Gildarts had stopped moving, but Lorcan continued the attack, roaring. She waved her arms over her head.

"Lorcan! Stop it!" Lorcan ceased his attack, turning to Lanaya.

"You are even worse than him." He said, his voice sounding like there were three of him talking at once, at different pitches. He slowly walked towards her. "Pretending to be my friend, only to lead me into a trap by Fairy Tail." He growled. Lanaya shook her head.

"That never happened. I am your friend." She raised her hands slightly, as one would with a wild animal. "Whoever did this to you must have done something to your memory." She began to back up as he approached. "Come back to the Guild. We can-"

"No! I will not be fooled by you again!" He roared, charging forward. Lanaya gathered the magic energy in her body, then exploded it outwards, knocking him to the ground and stunning him. She ran over to Gildarts, who was still on the ground, bleeding and broken, helping him to his feet. Together, they ran.

Chapter 18

Lanaya stood over Gildart's bedside. Porlyusica, the unofficial healer of Fairy Tail, tended to his wounds. Old and wise, she was a friend of Master Makarov, but hated the company of humans. She was pretty tall, with pink hair and red eyes. As she set another broken bone, Gildarts didn't even twitch. She shook her head.

"I haven't seen this kind of damage in a long time." She said, stepping back. She turned to Lanaya. "What monster did you two tick off?" Lanaya shook her head.

"I still can't believe it myself." She said. "It was Lorcan." Porlyusica stepped back, stunned.

"You mean the Maker? I thought he was dead." Lanaya shook her head again.

"So did we, but one of Gildart's contacts saw him, and we tracked him after that." Lanaya stepped forward, grabbing Porlyusica's hand. "Something's wrong with him. He attacked us, screaming how he wouldn't let us capture him again." Porlyusica led Lanaya over to some chairs, and they both sat down. Lanaya continued her story. "He was furious, but I detected a hint of fear in his voice and movement." She paused, looking down. "Whatever he thinks we did to him, it was horrible." Porlyusica nodded, digesting this information.

"So let me get this straight." She said. "Lorcan, who we all thought was dead, turns out to be alive. Not only that, but someone has turned him into a demon and given him false memories of us. Is that correct?" Lanaya nodded. Porlyusica stood. "Then there's only one thing to do. Follow me." She left the room, Lanaya close behind. They made their way to Porlyusica's cottage. As they entered, Porlyusica headed towards the back, where she rummaged through her bookshelves, finally pulling one out. She walked to a table, motioning Lanaya to join her. "This is a spell to enter someone's mind." She said, opening the book. "You'll need to touch Lorcan In order to activate it. He will resist, but this is the only way to get his memories back." Porlyusica handed the book to Lanaya. She hesitated.

"But aren't his memories gone?" Porlyusica shook her head.

"In normal mind wipes, yes. But in order to have memories of his closest friends betraying him and imprisoning him, he needs to know who they are, and that information comes from his real memories, locked behind a mental block." Porlyusica stood, shooing Lanaya out of the house. "Now get out of here. I can't stand the smell of humans anymore." Lanaya bowed, thanking the healer, and left.

Several days later, Lanaya picked up the trail from the clearing where she last saw Lorcan. She followed his tracks. She was no tracker, but armored boots left a pretty easy trail to follow. She followed the tracks for hours, not stopping. She had to find him. Finally, she saw him in the distance, walking over a high rise. She sped up, closing the distance. She kept slightly back, but close enough so that she could see him. Finally, he stopped for the night, creating a sleep roll out of darkness. She waited until he was asleep, and crept closer. Finally, she was within arm's reach. She touched his forehead, entering his mind.

Lanaya looked around. She appeared to be in a fortress of some sort. I need to find his memories. She thought, starting forward. She walked down passageway after passageway. Eventually, she entered a big chamber. In the middle was Lorcan, tied down to a table. Lanaya saw Gildarts and herself standing over him. Is this a dream or a false memory? She thought. Gildarts walked over towards a small table, covered with sharp looking objects. The dream Lanaya leaned over Lorcan.

"Where are the other demons?" she asked. Lorcan struggled against his bonds, refusing to say a word. The fake Lanaya smiled. "This could have been easy for you, but you had to go and be all noble." She turned to Gildarts. "You can start with his feet. Work up from there, but go slowly." She turned back to Lorcan, smiling. "He needs to feel every cut." Lanaya ran from the room as Lorcan's screams filled the air. Tears streaming down her face, she turned into another room. In this one, she saw Lorcan, still strapped to the table, but it was obviously after the torture. She slowly approached, her hands covering her mouth. It was horrific. He was cut up and stitched together in so many places. His body shivered uncontrollably, in shock from the damage done to it. Oh, Lorcan. She thought. What horrible memories. She turned as a door opened. In walked the fake Lanaya and Gildarts. The fake Lanaya walked over, slapping Lorcan awake.

"You ready for another round, monster?" She laughed. Lorcan glared at her.

"I'm not the monster here." He replied as Lanaya left the room, afraid to see what they would do next. She wandered, aimlessly, until she came to a locked door. Is this it? She thought, running her hands along its surface. She tried opening it, but it wouldn't budge. She sighed, knowing she would have to break it down. She gathered her energy, powering up. As she charged up, she heard footsteps. She turned around to see Lorcan walking towards her.

"What are you doing in my head!?" He roared as he walked closer.

"Saving you." She replied, then spun, blasting the locked door open. The blast knocked her out of his head, back into her own body. She had done it. Lorcan was free.

Chapter 19

Lorcan opened his eyes. He rubbed his head, grimacing at the pain. That was a weird dream. He thought as he sat up. He had been tortured by Lanaya and Gildarts, of all people. He sighed, shaking his head. He stopped, eying the hair that was now in front of his face. I don't have black hair. He thought, running his hand through it. He turned, seeing Lanaya on the ground right next to him. He put his hand on her shoulder, gently shaking it.

"Lanaya?" She awoke, groaning. She turned to Lorcan, then smiled.

"Lorcan!" She cried, lunging forward, tackling him in a hug, knocking him back to the ground.

"Wha-?" He began, then stopped as Lanaya kissed him. He was stunned. His mind ceased to function as she drew back. They both stared at each other. Lorcan smiled. "Am I supposed to know what that was for?" Lanaya sat back, blushing.

"Sorry." She said, looking away. Lorcan quickly replied.

"No, don't be sorry." He said, hand outstretched. "I just wasn't expecting it. I'm having a weird hair day at the moment." He motioned towards his head. She frowned.

"You mean you don't remember?" Lorcan furrowed his brow, confused.

"Remember what?" Lanaya sighed, all of her happiness gone.

"Your home, Hargeon." She said. "It's gone." Lorcan stood slowly.

"Gone? What do you mean?"

"I mean," she replied, hesitating. "That it was destroyed. Everyone's dead." Lorcan's world stopped.

"No." he whispered. He sank to his knees, repeating it over and over as tears streamed down his face. After a while he calmed down enough to speak. "How?" He asked, his voice trembling. Lanaya shook her head.

"Nobody knows. You're the only one we know who survived. We actually thought you were dead too." She waited as Lorcan processed this information. He gripped his head, crying out. "Lorcan!" She put her hand on his shoulder. At her touch, the pain vanished. He remembered. His body shook with rage as he remembered everything.

"It was that demon!" He spat. "It burned my home to the ground. It slaughtered my friends and family!" He turned back to Lanaya, his red eyes glowing in his rage. "Then they made me one of them!" He stood, roaring. Darkness blasted from his mouth, destroying the trees he was facing. He panted as his rage threatened to envelope him. Darkness emitted from every pore, surrounding him in a thin cloud of blackness. Lanaya reached out a trembling hand, resting it on his shoulder. Instantly, he began calming down. He turned back to Lanaya. "Sorry." He said, his head hanging.

"It's fine." She replied. His head popped up, his face a mask of horror.

"My God!" He gasped, staring at her. "I attacked you. I almost killed Gildarts." He threw on his trench coat. "We have to get back to Fairy Tail." He turned, waving his hand. Two giant dire wolves leapt out of the shadows, one for Lorcan, one for Lanaya. They mounted, though Lanaya was a little nervous about riding a wolf, and they rode off. As the distance passed, Magnolia came into sight. They rode through the gates, galloping towards Fairy Tail. As they jumped off of their mounts at the entrance, Lorcan dismissed them. The headquarters fell silent as Lorcan opened the door. Everyone stared, stunned, as a dead man walked towards the stairs leading towards Gildarts' room. He knocked on the door, entering after he heard Gildarts reply. Gildarts drew back in his bed, preparing to fight.

"Gildarts, wait!" He quickly said, raising his hands. "It's me, Lorcan." Gildarts stared at Lanaya questioningly as she walked in as well.

"It's really him." She said. "I got his memories back." Gildarts smiled.

"So you're back now." He said. Lorcan nodded. He walked over to the bedside.

"I'm so sorry for what I did. I could have killed you." He looked at all of the casts covering Gildarts' body. Gildarts waved him off.

"Give me a little credit, would you? I was holding back most of the time." He laughed, wincing. "Though that seems to have been a mistake." He continued, groaning. They all laughed, and all was right in the world. Lorcan's face grew serious.

"I need to find those monsters, and shut them down." He growled, his anger returning. Lanaya nodded. Gildarts smiled.

"Well, good luck with that. I'll just stay here and try not to die." They left. As they walked towards the door, Lorcan sopped.

"Wait just a second." He said. He went over to Master Makarov. Word had spread of Lorcan's return, and Makarov had been waiting for him. Lorcan stood before him. "Master, I am just letting you know that I'm back, and that I would like to rejoin Fairy Tail." Makarov tilted his head, confused.

"Rejoin? I don't remember you leaving." He said. Lorcan bared his left shoulder. The guild mark was gone. In its place was the Tartoros guild mark.

"They took my guild mark away, so I'm technically not a member anymore." Lanaya gasped as Lorcan let his sleeve fall. Makarov nodded slowly.

"Very well. Remove that mark, and I'll let you join again." Lorcan smiled.

"Thank you, Master." He immediately cleansed the mark from his skin. Mirajane walked forward with the stamp and reapplied the guild mark. Everyone in the room cheered as he walked towards the door. He nodded to Lanaya. "Come on." He said. "We've got some hell-hunting to do."

Chapter 19

Lorcan pulled on the reigns, bringing his wolf to a stop. Lanaya pulled up next to him.

"There it is." He said, pointing. "The headquarters of Tartoros." The fortress rose up before them, the tall spires reaching into the skies. Lanaya gasped, causing Lorcan to glance at her, worried. "What is it?" He asked. Lanaya stared straight at him.

"This is the fortress that was in your mind. The one that I was in when I got your memories back." Lorcan shrugged.

"Maybe it's because I'm a demon." He dug his heels into his wolf. "Regardless, I'm destroying Kyoka, Jackal, and anyone else who gets in my way." The burning rage emanating from him was almost palpable. They made their way towards the gate. They dismounted, and Lorcan flicked his wrist, dispelling the wolves. He summoned a blade, cutting a doorway through the portcullis. He walked through, Lanaya following. As they entered, Lorcan gestured for Lanaya to stop.

"What is it?" She asked. Lorcan didn't move.

"Jackal." He growled. He pointed towards a side door. "Hide in there. You won't want to see this." She obliged, leaving the door open a crack. She saw someone enter.

"Lorcan!" He called, walking forward. "What took you so long? You should have been back days ago." He stopped, standing before Lorcan, who replied.

"There were… Complications." He said, clenching his fist. Jackal furrowed his brow.

"Why are you looking so mad all of a sudde-." Lorcan's fist plowed into Jackal's face, launching him back. He leapt to his feet. "What the hell!?" He shouted. Lorcan charged.

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" He roared, using his breath attack. Jackal barely dodged in time. "BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, WAS IT?" He closed the distance in a flash, landing blow after blow. "YOU HAD TO TAKE MY HUMANITY AS WELL!" He landed a huge uppercut, sending Jackal skyward. "SHADOW DEVIL'S RAGE!" He roared, blasting Jackal. The demon turned, using the ceiling to launch downward. He punched Lorcan, his fist exploding. The force would have knocked Lorcan back, had he not become a shadow at the last second. Jackal smiled.

"You touched me." He said. He spread his arms. "Detonate." He commanded. Lorcan's fists and face glowed, then exploding, shrouding him from sight. Jackal backed up as Lorcan advanced, unharmed, through Jackal's attack. "And now," He said as he grew closer. "You'll see what happens to those who hurt my family." Lanaya gasped as she saw his face. There wasn't a shred of his humanity there. There was only the demon. Bone formed along his body as he turned into his demon form. Jackal's face paled. His eyes rolled back into his head as he transformed. He grew bigger, his face replaced with a jackal's snout. He was covered with greenish yellow fur. He roared at Lorcan, and punched him. Lorcan was sent flying, the impact shaking the entire castle. He stood, apparently unscathed, and charged, becoming a blur as he sped towards Jackal. They collided, and Lorcan drove Jackal back, landing blow after blow. The fight only lasted seconds after that. It ended with Lorcan standing over Jackal, both panting. Jackal had returned to his human form, and lay there, gasping for breath. Lorcan Made a sword, razor sharp and waiting. As he lifted it, point down, Lanaya burst out from where she had been hiding.

"Wait, Lorcan. Don't!" But it was too late. The blade dropped, piercing Jackal's heart. He shuddered, then lied still. Lorcan returned to his human form, gasping. He looked around as he regained himself. He saw Lanaya slowly backing up.

"Lanaya." He said, walking towards her. She backed up more, terror on her face. He stopped.

"This is why I asked you not to watch." His eyes looked down, too ashamed to meet hers. "I am no longer human." He said, lifting his hands, examining them. "But I am still me." He said, looking at her. She nodded, slowly walking forward. He sighed, the tense moment gone. "We still need to find Kyoka." He said, starting forward. "And she'll be even tougher than Jackal." His head turned to her as they walked. "I'll need your help." Lanaya nodded.

"What do you need me to do?" She asked.

"I need you to support me. Focus on healing, so I can focus on attacking and taking her down." She nodded, then grew confused.

"But why don't you turn into a shadow, like before?" He replied.

"Because I can't do that in my demon form. The bone stops me from becoming a shadow, but it greatly enhances my strength, speed, and defense." He turned back, focusing on where they were going. "It's a double-edged sword." They continued along a corridor until it opened into a vast chamber. In the middle, waiting, was Kyoka.

"Ah, Lorcan." She said, glancing at Lanaya. "It seems you have gotten your memories back." She applauded. "Congratulations." He growled in return.

"You will pay for what you've done!" He started forward, but Kyoka held up her hand.

"But I have a gift for you." She brought out a syringe from behind her. "This will turn you back into a human." Lorcan stopped.

"That's impossible." He said. "You're lying, trying to get me to drop my guard." She laughed.

"Why would I need to do that? If you take this, you won't be able to defeat me, but I won't stop you from leaving." She gestured towards the door. "You have served your purpose well. I now know that I can turn humans with strong wills into demons." She held the syringe out. "All you have to do is take your humanity back." Lorcan looked back at Lanaya, indecision in his eyes. She knew he wanted to kill Kyoka, but she also knew that he wanted to be human. She straightened.

"The decision is yours and yours alone." She said. "But no matter what you choose, I'll stand with you." He smiled his thanks. Turning back to Kyoka, he replied slowly.

"No."

Kyoka gaped.

"What?" She asked. Lorcan began slowly walking towards her, an aura of darkness flowing out of him.

"If my humanity is the price I have to pay to avenge my family and friends, then so be it."

Kyoka grumbled, and threw the syringe to the ground, smashing it. Lorcan roared, darkness rushing to Kyoka. She dodged, and ran, jumping out of the window behind her. Lorcan began to follow, but Lanaya grabbed his arm.

"Lorcan, no!" She cried. He stopped, looking back at her. She sighed, eyes downcast. "You don't have to fight them. You already have your revenge." She lightly pulled on his arm. "Let's go home." Lorcan nodded.

"Okay."

Chapter 20

Lorcan and Lanaya stepped into the carriage. Lorcan would have just summoned the dire wolves, but Lanaya didn't like them. So, they took the carriage. As soon as they began moving, Lorcan grabbed his head as a lance of pain went through it. He groaned, the pain becoming more intense as they continued forward. Lanaya looked over at him, worried.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Lorcan shook his head.

"I… need to… get out." He managed to say, opening the door. As soon as he stepped off the vehicle, the pain vanished. He sighed in relief. Lanaya stuck her head out.

"Do you always get a migraine in vehicles?" Lorcan shook his head, then gasped.

"What if it's like with Natsu?" He asked, turning to her. "He gets motion sickness, and he's a Dragon Slayer. What if I get migraines because I'm a Demon?" Lanaya thought about it.

"Well, it is possible." She mused. "But that's a huge weakness." He nodded in agreement. He summoned a dire wolf, and rode behind the carriage. As they made their way towards the city of Glenarm, where their next job was. When they arrived, they headed to the inn that was designated as their meeting place. They entered the Angel's Hand Tavern, and sat down. Eventually, a man walked up to them. He was graying, and had bandages on his arm.

"Are you the wizards from Fairy Tail?" He asked. They nodded, and he smiled. "Thank you so much for coming out here on such short notice." He said. Lanaya replied.

"No problem. The job said something about a monster?" The man nodded. He looked around, and leaned in.

"This place is besieged by a werewolf." He straightened up as a man sitting next to them laughed.

"There's no such thing as a werewolf, you blithering idiot!" He said. "I still say it was just a bear." Their client turned, his face flushed.

"There's no way a bear could have done that much damage to that poor girl." He walked away, beckoning them to follow him. As they left the tavern, Lorcan began asking questions.

"You said there was a girl killed?" He asked. The client nodded.

"Alicia, my niece. We found her the night after the full moon. She was…" He paused, trying to hold himself together. "…ripped apart. We didn't even find all the pieces." He stopped, wiping his eyes. He turned to them. "Please." He said. "Please find the monster that did this and kill it." Lorcan nodded. As he turned, he saw a face he had thought to never see again. It was Dayton. He stopped, staring. Lanaya noticed his expression.

"What's wrong?" She asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Her words fell on deaf ears as Lorcan strode forward, pushing people out of the way, his eyes locked onto Dayton's back. As he closed the distance between them, he shouted.

"Dayton!" The boy turned, then stopped. He quickly walked forward, meeting Lorcan halfway.

"Lorcan?" He asked. Lorcan grinned.

"I thought you died in the city." Lorcan said. The men laughed and hugged, both happy to see their lost friend. Lanaya strode up, confused.

"Lorcan, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" She asked. Lorcan turned, smiling.

"Lanaya, this is Dayton, my old friend from home." He faced Dayton again. "Dayton, this is Lanaya, my partner and friend." They shook hands.

"We obviously have a lot to catch up on." Dayton said. "Let me buy you a drink, and we can share our adventures." Lorcan laughed and shook his head.

"Sorry, but we're here on a job. We've got a werewolf to find." Dayton's face fell.

"So you're here for that?" He wiped his tearing eyes, glaring at the ground. "Damn beast killed the woman I loved." Lorcan grew silent. He put his hand on Dayton's shoulder.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He said. "If you have any information, please let us know." Dayton smiled weakly.

"Trust me, I will." He walked away. Lorcan sighed. It was good to see his friend alive, but he had work to do. Lanaya led the way to the place Alicia was killed. They looked the place over. Lorcan found some dark brown hair and bloody paw prints. Lanaya found a section of clothing and claw marks on the floor. They walked in the direction of the tracks, following them. As they continued, Lorcan stopped.

"Look." He said. A few feet in front of them, the paw prints changed, becoming more human with each step. They looked at each other. It really was a werewolf.

Back at the tavern, they discussed what they found.

"We can assume that the cloth and hair came from this Alicia girl." Lorcan began.

"Not necessarily." Lanaya replied. "The hair could have come from the werewolf. We need to know what color hair Alicia had before we can rule that out." Lorcan nodded his agreement. As luck would have it, Dayton walked through the door at that moment. Lorcan waved him over, and faced him.

"Dayton." He began. "We've confirmed that the beast that attacked Alicia was a werewolf." He paused, allowing Dayton to process this.

"Then that means there will be more attacks." He said, looking between the two wizards.

"Yes, there will be, and we have nine days to find out all we can." He held up the hairs. "Is this Alicia's hair?" He asked. Dayton took them, examining them in his hand.

"No." He said. "Alicia's hair was auburn, not brown." Lorcan nodded.

"Then this is the werewolf's fur, which means that he or she has brown hair in human form as well." He stood up, remembering something. "Dayton, you're still good at tracking, right?" Dayton stood as well, nodding. "Great." He turned to Lanaya. "Let our client know that he was right, and that we're on its trail, then meet us at the tracks." He turned to Dayton. "We're going to narrow the search." They left.

Back where the tracks turned from beast to man, Dayton knelt, examining the tracks.

"What can you tell?" Lorcan asked, pacing. Dayton shrugged.

"Well, judging by the depth of the print, I would say he is about one hundred seventy pounds." He followed the tracks, judging the distance between steps. "He seems to be about five foot eleven, maybe a bit shorter." He said, standing. He turned back to Lorcan, nodding. "That's all I can get." He said. By that time, Lanaya had joined them, and they went back to the tavern. Over the next eight days, they investigated, but found nothing. They sat around a table at the tavern.

"The full moon's tonight." Lorcan said. "We have to find it and kill it tonight, or someone else dies." The other two nodded. They waited for night to fall. As soon as the sun set, they left the tavern, and patrolled the streets, watching every nook and cranny. After a while, Dayton began panting and sweating. Lorcan turned to him.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked. Dayton nodded.

"Just a little tired." He said. Lorcan smiled.

"You stopped exercising, didn't you? You always did hate the physical fitness aspect of training." Dayton laughed, and they continued on. Suddenly, he collapsed.

"Dayton!" Lanaya called, rushing over, Lorcan not far behind. Dayton groaned, holding his abdomen. Lorcan grabbed Lanaya, pulling her back. "What are you doing?" She asked. "We have to help him!" Lorcan held her still, looking her in the eyes.

"It's him." He said. Lanaya stopped, turning to face Dayton as he began to change. The sound of bones snapping could be heard as his entire skeleton rearranged itself, forcing him to cry out in pain. He writhed on the ground, his clothes shredding as he grew in size. Fur sprouted everywhere, as his nose and mouth merged to form a snout. His eyes glowed red as he stood, a werewolf. Lanaya looked from the beast to Lorcan's pained expression.

"I can't fight him." He said, his eyes full of tears. Werewolf Dayton howled to the sky, filling the village with the blood-chilling sound. Lorcan squared his shoulders. Stepping forward, he Made a barrier, enclosing him in with the monster.

"Lorcan!" Lanaya slammed her hand against the barrier, calling to him, but the barrier muffled her voice. People began gathering as Lorcan approached his friend.

"Dayton," He said. "You're not well." The werewolf snarled at him. "Just calm dow-." The werewolf lunged. Lorcan turned to shadow, Dayton passing through. He hit the barrier, falling down. Lorcan put his hands out, trying to keep him calm. "Dayton, I know you're in there." He called out. "Control yourself. Fight it!" He cried. The werewolf roared at him, lunging once more. Lorcan sighed as the beast passed through him. The people had seen the wolf now, and some screamed. The wolf's head snapped around as he noticed all of the meat surrounding him.

"Lanaya!" Lorcan yelled. "Get these people away! The barrier might not be able to hold him back!" Lanaya immediately began leading the people away from the makeshift arena. The wolf refocused on Lorcan. Lorcan sighed, and punched the wolf. It reared back, yelping in pain. "Back!" Lorcan shouted. The werewolf roared. Lorcan roared back, shifting to his demon form. The transformation surprised the monster, making it hesitate. It took a step forward, but Lorcan roared again, threatening it. The beast backed down, its head lowering, baring its throat as a sign of submission. Lorcan strode forward, grabbed it by the throat, and pinned it to the wall.

"Turn back to human." He ordered, releasing the monster. It growled weakly, but obeyed. As the bones began shifting, Lorcan lowered the barrier. Dayton finished transforming back, becoming a man once more, passed out on the ground. Lorcan took off his trench coat, draping it over his friend. He picked Dayton up, and they headed back to the tavern.

Lorcan stood guard outside Dayton's door, keeping the townspeople at bay. They were understandably angry, but he would not let them hurt his friend. Lanaya opened the door, coming out of the room.

"How is he?" Lorcan asked, supplying more power to the barrier.

"He's fine, but his body is still pretty torn up. He's healing pretty quickly, though." Lorcan nodded, and stepped towards the barrier. The people backed up as he passed through what they could not.

"Hey! Wizards!" The client ran up, glaring at him. "Aren't you going to do your job!?" He pointed towards the door. "Get in there and kill that thing!" Lorcan grabbed the man's pointed finger, bending it backwards. He gasped in pain. Lorcan leaned in close.

"Never. Tell me. To kill my friend. Again." The man nodded. Lorcan released him, and he retreated, nursing his finger. Lorcan raised his hands for silence. "Good people of Glenarm! I have gained control over the werewolf!" The people gaped at him. "I will be taking him away. He is my friend, so no harm will come to him. Anyone who hurts him will answer to me." He turned around and passed back through the barrier. The people cheered, knowing that their families would be safe. Alicia's uncle, however, glared at the door. That animal had to die.

Lorcan entered Dayton's room. He smiled to see Dayton awake and smiling. He sat down in a chair next to his bed. Dayton immediately apologized.

"I'm so sorry, Lorcan." He said. "I can't believe the werewolf caught me by surprise like that." Lorcan's smile faded. "What?" Dayton asked.

"Dayton." Lorcan began. "You… You were the werewolf." Dayton laughed.

"Ha Ha. Come on man, there's no way…" His smile faded as he realized Lorcan wasn't joking. "I'm the werewolf?" He looked at his hands in horror. "But that means." He looked up at Lorcan, tears in his eyes. "I killed the woman I loved." He buried his head in his hands, sobbing. Lorcan stood and left, giving his friend much-needed space. Lanaya was waiting for him.

"So," She began. "How'd it go?" She stopped as she heard his cries. Her gaze softened. "Oh." Lorcan nodded. Suddenly, the sound of broken glass came from his room. They ran inside to find Alicia's uncle and Dayton fighting. The uncle was trying to stab Dayton, and Dayton was fighting back, but he was still weak. The dagger approached his chest. Lorcan spoke in his demonic voice.

Defend yourself! He cried. Dayton's eyes glowed red, and he pushed Alicia's uncle off of him, throwing him across the room. Dayton turned to him, the glow fading.

"How did you do that?" He asked. Lorcan smiled.

"I showed the werewolf who was top dog, and now it listens to me." Dayton frowned. He turned as Alicia's uncle stood back up.

"Mr. Kisame, please stop." He said. Mr. Kisame charged.

"You killed my niece!" He yelled. He thrust his blade. Lorcan Made a sword, parrying the blade away from Dayton's heart.

"Lorcan, stop." He said. "He's right." Everyone paused. Dayton sighed. "I killed her. I never wanted to. I loved her." He turned to Mr. Kisame. "But I must face judgement for what I've done." He nodded to Mr. Kisame's dagger. "Do what you must." Mr. Kisame hesitated. He had expected a monster, and had gotten a glimpse of it. But this boy was no monster, and the wizards were good. Mr. Kisame sheathed his dagger.

"If the wizards from Fairy Tail believe you are not a monster, then I will trust them." Dayton sighed.

"Thank you." He said.

The next morning, Dayton visited Alicia's grave one last time. Lorcan and Lanaya waited for him. Lanaya turned to Lorcan.

"What are we going to do with him?" She asked. Lorcan shrugged.

"We'll take him with us. Help him learn to control the beast inside. And once a month, chain him to a wall." He smiled at the last bit, joking. Dayton rejoined them, and they walked towards the carriage, back to Fairy Tail.

Chapter 21

Dayton smiled at his new guild mark. It shone a pale silver on his chest, right over his heart. He put his shirt on as Lorcan held Happy, a baby bird-cat thing. Natsu had just finished explaining how he hatched it. Lorcan and Lanaya laughed, handing Happy back. They smiled as he ran off without a care in the world.

"There's nothing like children, is there?" Lorcan said. Lanaya nodded.

"When I'm ready, I wouldn't mind having one or two myself." She replied. Lorcan smiled.

"Me too." Their conversation ended as Dayton walked up.

"So, when are you two going to start dating?" He asked. Lorcan blustered while Lanaya blushed and looked away.

"So, are you ready to start training?" Lorcan asked, changing the subject. Dayton nodded. "Great." Lorcan said, handing him a huge stack of books. "This is everything Fairy Tail has on werewolves." He and Lanaya walked away, Lorcan waving over his shoulder. "Enjoy!" Dayton grumbled under his breath and sat down, opening the first book. When he was finished with the stack, it had already gotten dark. He took the stack to Lorcan's room and knocked. Lorcan opened it, smiling.

"Oh, so you're done? Good. We'll start the actual training tomorrow." He leaned forward. "Get a good night's sleep tonight, because you won't have time for one later." He closed the door.

The next morning, Lorcan met Dayton in the guild hall.

"You ready to train?" He asked. Dayton replied.

"Finally." He glared at Lorcan. "Why'd you make me read all those books, anyways? Half that stuff is myth." Lorcan smiled.

"I made you read them because I read them while doing my research." He led the way outside. "Now you know everything about your kind that I do, except one thing." He turned around. Dayton waited for him to finish. "How strong you are." Lorcan finished. Dayton shrugged. Lorcan began pacing, reviewing all of the information that he had found. "Once you learn how to control the wolf," He concluded. "I believe you can access a full wolf form as well as your bipedal form." Dayton's eyes widened. Lorcan smiled. "Now I'm going to make you transform." He said. "Try to keep your mind and remember what starts changing first." He stepped backwards. "'Understanding is the first step to control.'" He paused. "Mr. Hikano said that." Dayton nodded, his heart heavy. Lorcan straightened.

Transform! He commanded. Pain shot from Dayton's chest as he felt his organs change size. He felt his ribs grow bigger, and his spine elongate. His feet broke, the fragments of bone coming together to form a second joint as the fronts of his feet became paws. His arms lengthened, his hands growing bigger. His face contorted, forming a snout. His ears shifted up, becoming pointed. He stood, a werewolf. Many members had come outside, hearing the commotion, and they stood still, mouths opened at the monster in front of them. Dayton looked around, finding Lorcan, who was smiling.

"Dayton?" He asked. Dayton nodded. The guild members cheered as Lorcan punched the air. He howled his joy, the sound making them stop, terrified. He bowed his head. Lorcan laughed. The crowd dispersed, and Lorcan commanded Dayton to turn back. They practiced, all day, for many days. Eventually, Dayton could transform on his own. They moved on to speed, making him turn faster and faster, until he could completely transform in less than five seconds. They celebrated over drinks, and the next day, Lorcan got the three of them a job. It was a success, and they celebrated again. It was as if Dayton had always been a part of the guild. He knew he belonged.

Chapter 22

The day was just starting to end in Magnolia and instead of the sun, the pale moon was taking its place.

The air was glittered with something Lorcan and Lanaya could not quite place, as they slowly walked back to their individual living quarters after an afternoon of well-deserved fun. All day they strolled through each cobblestone path, laughing and people watching, and to be honest, they felt wonderful to just hang out for once without a job hanging over their heads. Lanaya clutched her stomach in laughter as Lorcan told her yet another hilarious story as they neared Southgate Park. It was getting late out so Lorcan and Lanaya were two of the few people still left wondering around the grounds.

"Hey, you want to go sit under the tree in the center?" Lorcan turned to Lanaya, she nodded,

"Yeah, as much fun as today was, we should probably rest our feet for a bit." As they walked over to the tree and sat down, Lanaya's fingers lightly brushed against Lorcan's. The small action brought her back to the fact that she had formed romantic feelings for her partner, and how lovely this made her feel. She had never met anyone who had ever made her feel this way before. At her closing thought, her cheeks began to feel like they had been set ablaze, and she softly smiled and turned away, again thinking to herself.

"Everything okay?" Lorcan leaned over Lanaya's face trying to get a good look at her. She laughed nervously,

"Oh y-yeah! I was just thinking about… today!" Lorcan just smiled back at her nodding in agreement. She looked angelic in the light of the moon, and it took everything within himself to not grab her and hug her to his chest. Over the time that he had known her, his feelings had just grown stronger, not to mention harder to hide. Lorcan put his foot down, and made a decision that would affect their relationship forever.

Tonight was the night that he would confess his love for her.

His heart began pounding as he formed sentences in his mind, trying to form words. That was before Lanaya spoke. She looked up and into his eyes, not caring that she was blushing in front of the man she had grown such loving feelings for,

"Lorcan… I-I need to say something, or I'll never say it." He looked back into her eyes, and confidently brushed a strand of soft blonde hair away from her face,

"I do too,". Lanaya started,

"Lorcan," she let out a shaky breath, trying to steady herself, "the day we met… I have always felt like I was safe with you, only you, and all I have ever wanted to do was to express how I feel towards you. I L-" With that, in one swift motion, Lorcan grabbed her chin and captured her lips with his. Lanaya's heart swelled with love and passion as she kissed him back, cherishing the moment they were sharing. Lorcan's mind went blank as it filled with peace and affection as they slowly pulled back. Breathless they just stared at each other in awe and relief, they both shared the same feelings!

"Lanaya, I'm hopelessly in love with you, my heart practically stopped the first time we met, and I knew you were so special to me." He pressed his forehead to hers and they stared into each other's eyes. Lanaya's eyes gleamed like sapphires as she replied,

"I love you too, I have since the day we met and became friends." And with that, she lightly caressed his face and kissed him once more, again, leaving something magical lingering in the cool night.

Lorcan woke up, the sun shining in his face. He felt next to him, but Lanaya had already left. They had been living together for some time now, after they became more than friends. This would happen sometimes. He would wake up, only to find Lanaya had already begun her day. She was a morning person, while he was not. He got up, dressing himself. He went down to the guild hall, where Lanaya and Dayton had already met. They both smiled as he sat down with them. They talked while Lorcan had breakfast. Suddenly, they heard yelling out front.

"Lorcan Shade!" The voice sounded familiar, but he couldn't recall it. He looked to the other two. They shook their heads.

"I challenge you to a duel to the death!" The shouting continued. Lorcan shrugged.

"I have no interest in a duel." He said as some members walked up, expectant looks on their faces.

"Aw, come on!" Natsu complained, Happy hovering over his shoulder. "You gotta take his challenge! Otherwise you'll bring down the guild's name!" He said.

Lorcan shook his head.

"Sorry, I'm just not feeling it." He stood and walked over to the job board. There were no good jobs available, so he walked back over. The yelling hadn't stopped. He groaned as he sat down. "Idiot's giving me a headache now." Lanaya shrugged.

"Why don't you just go tell him?" She stared at him. "As a warrior, shouldn't you show him proper respect?" Lorcan sighed.

"Fine." He got up and went outside. In the street stood Solomon Black. He stopped screaming and turned to face Lorcan.

"You're not Lorcan Shade!" He said. "Go in there and get him!" He took a step forward. Lorcan sighed.

"I am Lorcan Shade, I fought you in the Knight's Trials, and no, I won't fight you now." He turned and walked back into the guild hall.

"You will fight me!" Solomon yelled, walking away. "I'll make sure of it!" Lorcan let loose a sigh of relief.

"Finally he's gone." He spent the day relaxing with Lanaya. They went to bed early, to get rest for their next job.

The next day, Solomon returned, shouting his challenge, and Lorcan refused him yet again. This continued for several days.

"Are you scared?" Solomon asked one day. Lorcan smiled.

"I've already beaten you once. I don't need to do it again." He walked back inside the guild hall.

"You'll regret refusing me!" Solomon called after him.

Lorcan opened his eyes. He looked around. It was still dark. He felt for Lanaya, but she wasn't there.

That's strange. He thought. He rolled over, crumpling something. He picked up a piece of paper. As he read it, he got up, getting dressed as fast as he could. He ran out of the dorm, and out into the night, dropping the note on the way. It read:

Lorcan, I have your girl. Meet me at the place where we last fought. If you're not here in three days, I'll kill her. Signed, Solomon Black.

Chapter 23

Lorcan approached the ruined gates of Hargeon. He rode through them at a gallop, wasting no time getting to the arena. As he entered, he saw her.

"Lanaya!" He called. He ran over. She was chained to the floor. She looked at him.

"No! You have to get out of here!" She cried as he tried to undo the chains.

"I will save you, I promise." He replied, Making a dagger. He cut her loose and began leading her back towards the gates, but a white light appeared, blinding him. He felt Lanaya snatched from his grasp. The light vanished, allowing Lorcan to see again. It was Solomon Black, holding Lanaya by the arm.

"I know you don't want to fight me." He said. "But you will, because if you don't," He materialized a sword out of light and held it to Lanaya's throat. "She dies." Lorcan felt his anger growing.

"You want to fight?" He asked, furious. "Let's fight." Solomon laughed, throwing Lanaya to the ground. They circled each other slowly, waiting for one of them to strike. Lorcan dashed forward, attacking with a flurry of dark punches. Solomon blocked them all with light. Lorcan backed up.

"What kind of magic is that?" He asked. Solomon smiled.

"Oh, just a little something called Light God Slayer Magic." He laughed at Lorcan's face, and attacked, firing a beam of light at him. Lorcan turned to shadow, and the attack passed right through him. As he rematerialized, Solomon punched him, sending him flying. He tried to get up, but Solomon blasted him, over and over again, until he could no longer stand. Solomon walked over to Lanaya. Picking her up, he turned to Lorcan.

"I know you're stronger than this." He said, forming a blade out of light. "Let's give you…. Some encouragement." He turned and stabbed Lanaya in the chest. Lorcan screamed as Solomon let her fall. Lorcan slowly stood, all pain forgotten. This man had hurt Lanaya. He will die. Lorcan roared as he took on his demon form. He dashed forward, grabbing Solomon by the face. He forced it into the ground, and launched an overwhelming assault on him, striking him over and over with dark fists, moving so fast they were a blur. Solomon released a blast of light, knocking Lorcan back. He lunged forward, grappling and throwing Lorcan through the wall of the arena. He followed Lorcan through the hole, landing blow after blow. Lorcan was virtually defenseless. Solomon grabbed him by the throat, turned, and threw him all the way to an old ruin on the cliffs overlooking Hargeon. As Lorcan stood, Solomon appeared. He attacked, but Lorcan caught the blow. He threw Solomon to the ground, jumped, and came down with so much force on Solomon that the edge of the cliff broke off, and fell. They continued to fight on the falling piece of rock, trading blow after blow. Solomon blasted Lorcan away from the cliffs. He landed on the water, moving so fast that he was able to stand on its surface. Solomon did the same. They both formed swords, fighting in close combat, attacking high and low, their blades sending off sparks of magic every time they touched. Solomon got a hit on Lorcan's head, and he fell over, his speed causing him to bounce along the water until he came to the shore, creating a small crater. He stood unsteadily, as Solomon punched him, sending him flying back into the arena. He stood, ready to defend himself, his bone armor cracking. Then he saw her, face down on the ground, a pool of blood forming around her. His vision turned red as he turned back around to face Solomon. He felt a searing pain in his head. Reaching up, he clamped his hands around his mask, gripping so tight it broke. The pain went away. He tore off the rest of his armor, becoming pure darkness. Solomon saw this and frowned, puzzled.

"What are you doing?" He asked. Lorcan said nothing. He was the shadows, void of light, but full of rage. He dashed forward, flowing over the ground. Solomon tried to hit him, but his fist passed right through. The demon swirled around him, attacking from every side. Solomon tried to fight back, but it was like grabbing smoke. In seconds, Solomon fell to the ground, bleeding from dozens of wounds. Lorcan stooped in front of him, a shadow given form.

"Do you know how it felt when you stabbed the woman I loved?" He said, his voice like that of a group of people all saying the same thing. Solomon shook his head weakly, unable to move. Lorcan smiled.

"It felt kind of like THIS!" He plunged his hand into Solomon's chest and ripped out his still beating heart. He showed it to Solomon, who lay there, struggling to breathe. Lorcan closed his fist, crushing the heart. Solomon gasped, shuddering, then died.

Lorcan stood, returning to his human form, and ran over to where Lanaya was. Kneeling, he put her head in his lap. He looked at the wound on her chest. It was really bad. Her gasping got his attention, and he wiped blood away from her mouth.

"You can heal yourself, can't you?" He asked. She shook her head, replying weakly.

"He drained my magic power somehow. It's so cold." Lorcan shook his head, his eyes tearing up.

"Don't worry, we'll take you back to the guild, and get you healing magic." He said, choking back tears. "Everything's going to be okay." Lanaya stared up at him, and smiled.

"I'm dying, Lorcan." Her voice broke off as she coughed up blood. Lorcan quickly wiped it away.

"No! You're going to be fine." His lips quivered as the tears began streaming down his face. "You have to be. We… We need to go home. All of our friends… are waiting for us…" His voice faded to a whisper as his body shook with sobs. "Please."

"Goodbye, Lorcan." She said, her voice growing weaker. "I'm happy… you found me… all those years ago." Her breath shuddered in and out of her lungs. "I love… you." She smiled, and was silent.

"Lanaya? Lanaya!?" Lorcan shook her, but there was no response. "No." He repeated over and over as he hugged her to his chest, rocking back and forth. He cried as he remembered finding her, alone in that cell, all those years ago. How they became friends, and had many adventures, then became something more. He remembered her smile, and her willingness to help anyone, no matter what it took. He stopped as he realized that he could not let her die. He laid her flat on the floor, put his hands over her wound, and started feeding her his magic. As he got down to his last reserves, she began breathing again, but her body would not heal. If I leave her like this she'll die. He had reached his limit, so he gave her the only thing he had left. His life. The wound began to close, and she opened her eyes.

"Lorcan?" She saw the light coming from his hands, and gasped.

"What are you doing? Stop!" He only smiled and said,

"I promised I would save you, no matter what it takes."

"No! I can't let you do this!" She cried, grabbing his arms. He held his arms still, resisting as his life force continued flowing.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye." He said, smiling weakly. "I love you too." He coughed, the last of his life force flowing into her. Her wound had closed, and she was alive, but, in order to save her life, Lorcan had forfeited his own. As his consciousness faded, he heard someone calling out a name, getting softer and softer…

He woke up. He was surrounded by tall grass, but it was golden. He heard the voice again, but it was someone else. He turned to see his parents and sister, along with all the other villagers. They were beckoning to him. He smiled, and walked over, joining them. He was finally home.

Chapter 24

Lorcan opened his eyes. He remembered… walking towards his family over a golden grassland. He sat up, remembering. He died, saving Lanaya. He looked around. He was in a dark chamber of sorts. Suddenly, a voice whispered from the shadows.

"I told you, you would be my servant, dark warrior." He saw an old, unnaturally thin man limp out of the shadows. He narrowed his eyes.

"You." The necromancer laughed, falling into a coughing fit as he did. He straightened, walking around Lorcan, examining him.

"How did you bring me back?" He asked. The necromancer smiled.

"I stuck you with a cursed bone." Lorcan remembered it. "And now you are my servant!" The necromancer clapped his hands with glee. "Now I can have my revenge against that vil-." His words were cut off as Lorcan grabbed him by the throat with one hand and snapped his neck. As the shriveled body fell to the floor, Lorcan stood.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to be messing with you." He said, walking away. "I have a home to get to."

Lorcan pulled on the reigns, the dire wolf slowing to a stop. He dismounted, entering the city of Magnolia. He walked along its streets until he came to Fairy Tail. He eagerly entered, excited to see Lanaya again. But what he saw stopped him cold. He saw Natsu, except he was taller, almost a grown man. Mirajane was older as well, standing next to what he had to assume was a teenage version of Lisanna. He saw a shirtless almost-adult Gray leaning against the bar, next to Cana, who was draining a huge mug of beer. All of the kids he knew had grown up! He walked forward. Gradually, talk in the hall stopped. Natsu stepped forward.

"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?" He asked, glaring at Lorcan. Lorcan responded.

"Natsu, it's me! Where's Lanay-." Natsu punched him in the face. Lorcan was forced a step backwards. As he stood, all of the wizards were on their feet, rage in their eyes.

"How dare you dress up as a member of Fairy Tail!" He said, walking forward. Lorcan Made a sword, brandishing it.

"My name is Lorcan Shade!" He bellowed. "And I have come back to see Lanaya! Now where is she?" He asked. Gray stepped forward. He examined the blade.

"It looks different, but the quality's the same." He stepped forward again. "Show us your guild mark." Lorcan gladly revealed it, the black emblem shining in the light. Everyone was shocked. They all stepped back as he strode forward. He approached Makarov.

"Where's Lanaya?" He asked. Makarov sighed weakly. "She left the guild about five years ago." Lorcan stepped back, astonished.

"What?" He asked. "Why?" Makarov answered.

"She said too many things reminded her of you. She couldn't take it anymore." He leaned back. "Dayton went with her, back to Hargeon." Lorcan leaned forward.

"They rebuilt Hargeon?" He asked, hope in his eyes. Makarov nodded. Lorcan straightened. "Then I request permission to leave the guild as well." Everyone gasped, except Makarov, who just smiled.

"Of course. You need to be with the one you love, after all." He waved his hand, and the guild mark vanished. Lorcan bowed and left.

Chapter 25

Lorcan gasped as he approached the city of Hargeon. It looked exactly like it did when he was a child! He rode through the gates. He dismounted and immediately began questioning the crowd.

"Excuse, me. I'm looking for Lanaya Nova and Dayton Scroll. Have you seen them?" He repeated the question to everyone he saw, but got the same answer: no. He continued asking around, losing hope with each rejection. Suddenly, he saw a glimpse of silver hair. He rushed forward, pressing through the market crowd.

"Lanaya!" He called out. Suddenly, a brown blur crashed into him, dragging him into a back alley before he had time to think. It slammed him against a wall.

"Lorcan?" The voice sounded deeper and gruffer, but Lorcan still recognized it.

"Dayton!" He cried, grinning. The werewolf stepped back, Turning back into his human form. He stepped forward again, stretching his hand out, examining Lorcan's face.

"Is it really you?" He asked, Lorcan nodded, still smiling. The men laughed and hugged, overjoyed to see each other again. "We all thought you were dead!" He cried, letting go. Lorcan nodded.

"I was. Look, I really want to stay in this dirty alley and catch up, but I have to find Lanaya." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Please take me to her." Dayton's face fell. He looked up at the sun.

"She's probably visiting your grave." He looked away uncomfortably. Lorcan sighed.

"Then take me to her."

Lorcan motioned for Dayton to stay back. He approached the figure beside the grave. As he came closer, he saw the familiar silver hair, and smiled.

"Lanaya!" He called. She turned, and stopped, her face pale white. Lorcan smiled, walking forward. She looked exactly the same as she did all those years ago. She slowly stood, her hand over her mouth.

"Lorcan?" She asked, her voice muffled. "Is it truly you?" He nodded as he grew closer. He pulled her into a hug.

"Yes, Lanaya. It's really me." He held her as she began crying softly.

Later, he told them of what happened after he died.

"The bone shard!" Lanaya gasped. "I remember that." Lorcan nodded.

"But why did it take so long for me to come back?" He asked. Lanaya shook her head.

"I don't know. Maybe he had to build you a new body." She gestured to the grave on the hill. "The body you died in is buried up there."

Dayton leaned forward. "So what was death like?" He asked. Lanaya gaped at him. "What?" He asked. Lorcan smiled.

"It… was like a golden grassland." He spread his arms out, indicating rolling hills. "The whole village of Hargeon was there, including my family." He sighed heavily, tears in his eyes. "They waved for me to join them, but before I could, I was pulled away by something else." He looked at them. "Next thing I know, I see the necromancer, and the rest is history." Lanaya leaned forward, putting her hand over his.

"Well, the important thing is that you're back." She smiled. Dayton stood, a smile on his face.

"That means we can go back to Fairy Tail!" He shouted, pumping his fist.

"No." Lorcan said quietly.

"No?" Dayton replied, sitting down. "Why not?"

Lorcan leaned forward, a gleam in his eye.

"Fairy Tail is a great guild, but why don't we start our own?" Lanaya and Dayton gaped at him, their mouths reaching the floor.

"Why would we do that?" Lanaya asked, recovering first.

"Because this is our home now." He replied. "We can make a guild, not just for wizards, but for warriors as well." He looked at them. "We can make a guild where everyone is welcome, no matter their past wrongdoings." Dayton and Lanaya nodded slowly, picturing it.

"But where will it be?" Dayton asked. Lorcan stood, walking over to the window. He pointed towards the cliff where the old ruin used to be.

"Right there." He said. He turned back to face them. "But we'll need the village's help."

Chapter 26

Lorcan, Lanaya, and Dayton spent the next week talking to everyone they could, trying to get help with the building of their guild. They got many carpenters and stone masons to agree, and they began construction. The foundations took almost a month to build. During that time, Lorcan sent notices to every city, announcing that a new guild, one for wizards and warriors, would be built in Hargeon, and if anyone with a fire burning in their hearts craved adventure, then they could join this new guild and help establish it in Fiore. As the weeks passed, both wizards and warriors came to Hargeon, joining in the effort to build the new guild. They worked together, laughed together, and fought together, already reminding Lorcan of Fairy Tail. He smiled. Soon, the first building was complete. The new guild celebrated that night, drinking and dancing. Lanaya approached Lorcan, smiling.

"We've done it." She said, staring out at the small crowd of guild members. "But what will we call it?" she asked, turning to him. He smiled, putting an arm around her affectionately.

"I've given it some thought." He said. "How about the Knight Helm guild?" Lanaya shook her head, her nose wrinkled. Lorcan laughed. "Well then," He replied. "What would you name it?" She thought for a moment. Her eyes sparkled, and she smiled.

"How about," She turned to him, and whispered the name in his ear. He smiled, nodding. He stepped forward, raising his hand for silence. No one noticed, so he turned to Dayton. He nodded, and Dayton threw back his head, howling. The noise stopped all talking as everyone turned to Lorcan.

"Thank you." He said, nodding to Dayton. He faced the crowd. "First off, let me just congratulate you on joining Fiore's next best guild!" He waited as people applauded and cheered. He raised his hands, silencing them. "I bet you're wondering what the name of the guild is." There was a collective shout of "Aye!" and he continued. "This guild, this place for both wizards and warriors alike, will be known as the Phoenix Fire Guild!" The crowd cheered. Lorcan shouted above the noise, raising a glass. "May our guild last for a thousand years, and may our enemies tremble at our name!" Everyone raised their glasses, crying the guild's name as one. Lorcan smiled. He now knew he was truly home, and this was only the beginning.