Labyrinth Shield - Chapter One - Joining Labyrinth Shield
Immediately, I feel their eyes on me as I walk into the Fairy Tail Guild hall. They're all judging me because they probally know who I am. Most people do. Gray Fullbuster's student. The still living one of the duo who joined a Dark Guild.
I sigh, and begin to walk to Natsu who I see at the bar talking with his girlfriend, Lucy.
I catch sight of myself in the mirror, and realise I look pretty rough. My medium length brown hair is kind of dirty, and the white streak in it is tinged gray. My angular face is unshaven and stubbly, my dark brown eyes piercing. I must look fairly strange, walking around shirtless but wearing a scarf. My muscular, pale body on show to the world. As an Ice/Snow mage I despise shirts. They restrict movement and make me feel warm. I wear a scarf mostly to cover my ring, but kind of for irony.
"Where is Gray?" I demand as I reach Natsu. Lucy mumbles a goodbye and leave, and Natsu looks at me with that stupid grin of his.
"He's on a job, dweeb," He says in his dorky voice, "Why do you want to know?"
I grit my teeth, painfully aware of how stupid I must look and sound. "I want to join Fairy Tail." I say finally, quickly realising I sounded way to certain. I clear my throat, and nervously wait for an answer.
As I expected, Natsu just laughs. I deeply sigh, and silently pray for Gray to turn up.
I'm vaguely aware of four people walking into the Guild Hall and toward us but I pay no attention.
"Well?" I demand. That just makes him laugh more. What an obnoxious douche. Gray would never act like this, he's caring. Or at least towards his students.
"You really expect a traitor like you to be allowed into Fairy Tail? You've got to be kidding me!" He says as the four people arrive at the bar.
"Can't I just wait for-" I begin, but I'm interrupted by one of the four people.
"Hey Natsu! Long time no see," he says in a carefree way. He has long, dark blue hair and strangely dark blue eyes. He wears a light blue short sleeved shirt, and blue jeans. He reminds me a little of Natsu, but blue.
Natsu turns his back on me, and starts talking with them. I have to resist the urge to make an ice sword.
"Hey Lucious! My fellow Dragon Slayer," He says to the blue haired guy, "What are you guys doing here?"
"We're here to train with you guys, for the Grand Magic Games!" Lucious says, grinning. He's has a slightly chubby face, despite his athletic body. He's a little bit tanned. Not my type. Dragon Slayers are not even slightly my type.
"They're not for ages Lucious, but sure, let's train," Natsu says. He grabs Lucious' arm and drags him away. They're followed by two women who came in, I don't get a good look at them.
I notice one remains, she sits at the bar and sighs. She has long blonde hair which goes down to her breasts, and she wears a pretty and colourful dress that goes almost to her ankles. She looks over at me, standing there like a rejected idiot, and I notice her beautiful sky blue eyes. Despite me having no interest in women, I still can't help but to notice how beautiful she is.
"Apple Martini please Mirajane," she says, and I notice the bartender for the first time.
"Sure Alois, coming right up. Anything for you?" She asks, looking at me. She has a sweet voice, and nice white hair. She's also obviously pretty.
"No thanks," I mumble. She nods and gives a warm smile, and walks away.
Alois looks at me, her pale blue eyes scanning me. Now I sort of wish I wore shirts.
"Why don't you wear a shirt?" She asks, clearly puzzled. She has a high, yet somehow relaxing voice.
"I don't like heat," I answer simply.
"Ice Mage?" She asks, to which I just nod. "I use Hell-Fire and healing, and I know a tracking spell or two. Yet I have feeling we could get on fine!" She says joyfully. Mirajane returns with her exchange pleasantries and Mirajane leaves.
"I haven't heard of Hell-Fire before," I say, a little curious.
"Well, I'm the only one that uses it. It's amazing, even Natsu can't eat it!" I can instantly tell she adores her magic, yet she suddenly changes the topic. "Say, you need a new guild right? Talk to Raven."
I'm shocked by her friendliness, almost everyone I've met is hostile towards me. "Who?" I ask.
She giggles for some unknown reason, "Our guild master. Raven Wrathbringer. She accepts people who were... You know?"
"Okay. She went out, right?" I ask. Alois nods. "Well, thanks. I'll go talk to her."
"Okay!" She says perkily, I leave her there, sipping her Apple Martini.
I walk into the Fairy Tail training ground, and see Lucious and Natsu fighting. Shockingly, Lucious seems to be winning. He's clearly a water dragon slayer. One girl stands near by, smiling with amusement. She has long brown hair and bright cyan eyes. She's average height and wears a black shirt with the Labyrinth Shield guild emblem on it. She has a crimson beanie, with matching jeans. I nervously approach her, and her smile turns to a scowl.
"What do you want?" She snaps.
"I'm just wondering where Raven is," I say simply. So much for this guild being friendly.
"She went to the hill nearby," she tells me, turning away. I sigh deeply, and leave the Guild Hall from a side entrance.
It takes me a few minutes to get the the hill. I passed it on my way here, so I knew where it was. It's a cloudy day, but still the heat makes me want to go inside. I sigh, and spot a woman sitting and staring at a spot in the distance.
She has black, tinged red spikey hair. She has a black midriff top on, and uncomfortable looking leather black trousers. She also wears knee high brown boots. I don't like the look of her, but I'll have to learn to like someone like her if I wish to join her guild.
I approach, and notice she wears a black eyepatch. Her one eye is yellow.
"Raven?" I ask her, nervously. She doesn't look at all approachable.
"What?" She snaps, looking up. "Oh, it's you. Damien Herondale, right?" She asks, squinting at me. For the second time in one day, I consider starting to wear shirts.
"Yes, Damien Targaryen Herondale," I say, wanting to make clear who I am before asking if I can join hey guild.
"I reconize you. I know who you are, but I'm sure I've seen you before..." She says.
I roll my eyes, wondering if she is mocking me. "I'm the only survivor of the Tartarus guild, that might be why." I snap.
"Oh." She says, I sense a conversation change is necessary. "What do you want?" Her tone has changed from cruel and mocking to weary.
"Alois said to ask if I can join Labyrinth Shield," I say quickly, expecting yet another rejection.
She considers for a moment before speaking; "Demonstrate your power," she request simply. I nod, and consider what to do to prove myself worthy.
I splay my hands in front of me, making ice spikes protrude outward from the ground. Shockingly, impaled on the spikes is my mother, her mouth wide in an 'O' shape. Dead by my hands.
I'm aware of me gasping, and falling back. Then the image of my dead mother fades, and I fall back on the grass.
"Are you okay?" she asks, not really sounding concerned, "Did using such little magic exhaust you?" Her tone is back to mocking and cruel.
"No, it didn't," I snap. I stand up, and sigh. Just a memory. Not real. Not anymore... "What do you think?" I ask, clicking my fingers and letting the ice disappear.
"You can join." She says sharply. I frown, thinking that seemed way to easy.
"Well, thanks." I say stupidly.
"I'll tell Ezrith, she'll put the emblem on you when you get to the Guild Hall. I have business to deal with," Raven says and walks swiftly back towards the Fairy Tail guild hall. I follow, easily keeping up with her fast pace. The positives of being very tall.
I only have a moment to realise Ezrith is the rude girl before we arrive.
We get to the training ground, and I see Ezrith, Lucious, Natsu and Alois are sitting on benches and talking. Raven approaches, shutting up their chatting. Alois smiles brightly at Raven.
"Ezrith, get back to the guild hall and give Damien his emblem, he's joining the Guild. I have business to deal with," Raven says quickly, and then walks away, leaving me standing in front of the quartet. I do not like Raven Wrathbringer.
Alois breaks the silence by jumping up and hug tackling me to the ground. I know what will happen next, but it doesn't prevent it!
She leaps off, screaming in pain. I didn't injure her, or at least not on purpose. I get up, panicking that I made the only nice person hate me.
"I'm sorry! I can't help it! I'm too cold to touch!" I yell, she doesn't seem to be in pain anymore, but she looks shocked. She gets up and bats her dress off.
"That's sad..." She says, sorrow etched in her voice.
"I sort of deserve it," I tell her before asking; "Are you hurt?" Natsu, Ezrith and Lucious are on their feet, looking concerned. Me and Alois face each other.
"No. I'm fine. I just wish I could hug you. It seems like you need it," she says. I have the ridiculous urge to cry, so I hang my head and wait for someone to speak. No one has been this nice since Gray or Daniel. I haven't seen Gray for around a year, and I miss him. I talked to him last a while after the fall of Tartarus.
"Not to interupt your moment, but we should go back to Labyrinth Shield," Ezrith says, "It's in Wychelm." She says. I've never been to Wychelm. It's a quiet town, and last time I knew it didn't have a guild so Labyrinth Shield must be quite new. Or they might have moved locations.
I recall that Wychelm has an odd pronunciation. Witch Elm. I'm pretty sure it's a very old town.
"That's miles away!" I say, and at the same time Natsu says "I wish you could have stayed longer."
Natsu and I glare at each other for a moment before Lucious speaks.
"I have super speed, sort of," He says, he has a sort of goofy voice. "I can get us there in seconds."
Ezrith turns to Natsu, "Well, I wish we could stay longer, but we have to get him his emblem." She says 'him' like you would say Satan. I don't have time to wonder what her problem is with me, but I make a mental note to find out later.
"Okay, see you soon," Natsu says, He flashes us a goofy grin, and heads inside.
Lucious holds out his arm, Ezrith and Alois grab onto it.
"Erm," I say, I can't touch skin. Instead I grab his shoulder.
"Ready?" He asks, flashing a Natsu like grin. So arrogant.
"Ready." I say, but before I can finish wind rushes around me, and I get incredibly dizzy.
"Wow!" I gasp, realising a large change of scenery. I look up at a large, church like building which must be the Labyrinth Shield guild hall. "Are we in Wychelm?" I ask. Lucious grins and nods.
"Let's get inside," Ezrith says, walking up ths steps and opening huge doors. Lucious follows her like a puppy, and Alois walks beside me.
"He does that sometimes, she's a sort of role model and savior for him," Alois explains. She reminds me a little of Mirajane.
"Okay," I say, not entirely sure how to answer to such random and kind of deep infomation. We walk into the hall, and I sharply inhale.
We step into a well lit room, with a ton of wooden tables and chairs and a high roof. Most of it seems to be mahogany. I notice a huge request board, spanning an entire wall. On the opposite site is a large bar. Behind the bar is a large woman, with dark skin and black hair. She smiles a huge smile and walks across the guild hall towards us.
I then notice the lack of people.
"Where is everyone?" I ask Alois.
"On jobs, the guild has about twenty members, who work or stay at home a lot," she explains. I nod, glad Alois is here.
"Ezrith, Lucious and Alois! You're home!" The woman says. She pulls Ezrith into a bear hug, then stands back and looks at us as if admiring art. "Who might you be?" She asks me.
"Damien Herondale," I say, expecting her to scream for the town to hide their children.
"Oh. You poor, poor boy. I know about you. I'm Shalaid. I know everything. It's why my boobs are so big!" She says, then loudly laughs. I have no idea how to react, but I instantly know she'll blabber on a lot. Ezrith and Lucious laugh openly, while Alois giggles.
"You do know a lot, Shalaid," Ezrith says, "If you'll excuse me, I have to mark him." She says 'him' rudely again.
"Okay hun! Lucious, Alois, do you guys want some drinks?" Shalaid, Alois and Lucious walk towards the bar. Alois gives me a look as if to say sorry, but nevertheless, I'm left alone with Ezrith who isn't hiding her hatred.
She walks to a table, and I follow.
"What colour?" She asks.
"Black." I answer.
"Where?"
"Over my heart."
She stamps on the Guild Emblem, and I feel a strange warm through me. A good warm. I'm part of something, part of a guild. I have a new home. New friends. After Daniel... I didn't think I'd ever be happy again. But now I may have found happiness. You know, despite Ezrith hating me. Lucious might hate me too.
"Thanks," I say, and walk to join Alois.
Once I get there, Lucious loudly announces he wants to go on a job with us.
"Sure," Alois says, "I want to kill stuff." This coming from the friendly girl surprises me slightly.
"Okay, I'll get to stab things," Ezrith says, and I swear she looks at me with a cruel sideways glance.
"I'm probally not as good as you guys, but sure," I say.
"It's settled. I'll find us a job!" Lucious says. Ezrith follows him to the request board.
I smile kindly at Shalaid, who frowns at me. Alois is sipping an Apple Martini. "Hun, not to be rude, but I think you should shower before your job!" She says.
"Oh gods," I say, feeling embarrassed. "I'm sorry, the past year-"
"I know, I know... It's fine. They're showers upstairs, you'll easily find them and some towels." She tells me.
"Thank you" I say, and head for the stairs.
"Welcome to Labyrinth Shield!" Shalaid and Alois say together as I leave, smiling. Everything happened so fast, my head hurts slightly. This morning I had no guild, no home, no friends. Now I have a Guild, maybe even a home, and maybe even a friend or two. I can only hope this will last.
