A Fairy Tail and Saints Row crossover? Whose crazy idea was this? Originally, Zinyak was to anonymously send Knightwalker to Steelport, where she would eventually join the Saints, but I scrapped that and wrote this instead. Please enjoy.
Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and Saints Row is owned by Deep Silver.
Chapter 1: A Duty, an Execution, a Confrontation
The year was X784. I was dressed for battle like I always was, and had my presence demanded in His Majesty, King Faust's throne room. A conference, perhaps? He was enamored with holding them, especially when the fate of Edolas was in question.
Judging by the horizon as I trekked through the Royal City, I was early in my timing so I slowed to a somewhat casual pace. I wouldn't dare be late, though; only a fool could have the gall to be late to a meeting with the king. Displaying such carelessness was viewed as an insult.
Within the next five minutes I reached the doubled doors that led to his castle. No, I did not live there. I was a captain of the Magic Warfare Unit and somewhat of a bodyguard to the king despite only leading the second unit. The thought of having everything served to you on a silver platter made me sick; if a man wishes for anything his heart desires he must work to earn it. Sugarboy and Hughes didn't agree with my philosophy, the spoiled fools. I once argued my point to them, but their stubbornness ultimately prevailed. I had no choice but to drop the subject, although Panther Lily understood my reasoning.
I felt no different about the prince of Edolas, but I never once shared my opinion with the king as it was an insult to his intelligence. Even today there was no point in mentioning it; the king's son, Jellal, had disappeared from the kingdom seven years ago, which was around the same time His Majesty created the Anima experiment. It was something I never bothered to ask the king about, as it wasn't my concern, though I was able to connect the dots.
I forcefully opened the doors to the king's castle, entering the massive building in a distinct manner. This wasn't anything new, as it was instead a signal to the king himself that Erza Knightwalker had arrived.
I immediately noticed the king sitting on his large throne chair, shaped after his head, the only place to find him if he wasn't outside or at a council meeting. I dropped to one knee and bowed my head in respect. The man was an egomaniac, but I greatly respected him. If Jellal were to ever return, he would be next in line to claim the throne, and the very thought of a deserter like him ruling this kingdom angered me greatly.
"Captain Knightwalker reporting, Your Majesty." I slightly tilted my head upwards to meet the king's gaze, his small brown pupils seeming void of personality. He'd been like this for a while now, which somewhat unnerved me. Exactly what was going on in that head of his?
"At ease, captain," he grimy replied, waving a hand to prompt me. I slowly regain my posture and met him head-on. "Is there something you need?" I asked, my emotionless tone countering his.
"The recent orders have come in from Queen Shagotte. You are to execute the one known as Lucy Heartfilia." His tone was blunt, as if the ordeal was a simple matter.
I nodded my head. Lucy Heartfilia… the last name wasn't familiar, but the first certainly was. The only person who entered my mind was the renegade Lucy Ashley, otherwise known as the interim guild master of Fairy Tail, the only remaining magic guild in Edolas. I was somewhat thankful for them; it was because of their stubborn nature that I earned my epithet of "Fairy Hunter," the very title that struck fear into every one of those filthy cowards. They were competent in escaping my clutches, but I vowed that one day, my armor and spear would be stained with their blood.
Heartfilia is likely the Earth Land counterpart of Ashley. It was just the other day I captured her along with the counterpart of Natsu Dragion and the other Dragon Slayer; Wendy, I believe her name was? They had attempted to enter the castle through the abandoned underground lair, and Lucy was previously caught illegally using magic in public. It's quite a shame; their sneak attempt would have gone unnoticed if it wasn't for the amount of noise they caused.
Lucy was currently located in the underground prison. All it would take was a simple walk down to her cell and for me to greet her with death's embrace. I smirked at the notion. She may not be the Lucy I know, but I enjoyed the idea of killing her counterpart.
"Very well, sir. I shall fulfill the queen's orders," I firmly replied, turning on my heel and leaving the castle, setting the prison as my next destination.
Upon her initial incarceration, Lucy was placed in a cell where she was bound with wooden handcuffs. For some reason she was later moved to a different cell entirely, having her hands tied by a special substance that neutralized her magic. I discovered she was a Celestial Mage, so her spirits wouldn't be available to assist her.
The facility was awfully quiet, an unusual contrast to past memories. Upon previous treks down here I remembered being greeted with the panicked yells and screams of prisoners of various crimes. Some had been arrested for something as wild as attempting to assassinate the king, some were caught using magic without authorization, while many still committed the tired crime of theft. In the end, their felonies meant nothing to me; the only thing I cared about was slaughtering those who were given the death penalty, for I was a harbinger of the law, rightfully punishing the guilty.
As I neared closer to Lucy's door with my spear in tow, I overheard the girl muttering about something. It wasn't until I was only a few feet away from it that I realized she had been talking about the Exceeds and their queen. Somehow, she managed to discover the truth about our kingdom. It highly impressed me that she figured everything out despite only being in our world for two days at the most; perhaps she was smarter than she looked.
Regardless of her characteristics, however, her fate was sealed. I decided to interject on her thoughts.
"I see you've done some extensive research on our world," I said, raising the celled door so I could enter. Upon entering I walked up to the girl until I was the only thing in front of her, my figure engulfing her in a large shadow. She was slumped against the wall in a pose that suggested she admitted defeat, but the expression on her face deemed otherwise. Her eyes appeared to be gleaming with happiness and she was smiling which somewhat unnerved me.
I narrowed my eyes at her, hoping to wipe that disgusting look off her petite face. "Why are you so happy? Don't you realize the fate that's been thrust upon you?"
"You make a good point," she replied, her expression unwavering. "I just got distracted since you look nearly identical to the Erza I know."
I simply nodded in response. Oddly enough, I had a feeling she would say something like that. She must be close friends with her Erza, but I can't say the same for the Lucy I know, that spineless bimbo. I then noticed the familiar symbol marked on her hand and had a thought: if this Lucy was a member of Fairy Tail, did that mean their Erza was as well? The very thought of myself bearing the mark of those rebels turned my stomach.
"In our world, you're one of Fairy Tail's strongest and most loyal members!" She added with audible glee.
An exasperated "What?!" was the only reaction I could muster. I forcefully grabbed Lucy by the substance using my free hand and dragged her outside to the nearest balcony in humiliating fashion. Perhaps this would silence her incessant babbling.
The girl's eyes widened in her as I placed her against the wall. Good, it seemed I regained control of the situation. Within a few moments this pesky fairy would be nothing but a bloody mess.
"Please, you don't have to do this!" She frantically yelled, her eyes meeting mine. "If this is for what I said earlier, I'm sorry! All I want is to save my friends!"
I couldn't help but laugh at her last few words; she was no better than Ashley, only caring about her friends and not thinking of the bigger picture. This selfish girl deserved to be taught a lesson, and I would be the instructor. "You think your friends are more important than the state this world is in?" I asked in a mocking manner. If she was so smart in discovering our philosophy, how is she not aware of our magic recession?
"What are you talking about?!" She exclaimed, sounding somewhat irritated that I dared to insult her. It seemed she shared another trait with Ashley: a short fuse. "What do you mean by 'the state of your world'?"
I smirked. This Lucy truly was a hopeless cause. I holstered my spear and hoisted her by her hands, dangling her over the edge of the balcony. Her screaming filled my ears with delight as she looked down to what was perhaps a hundred-foot drop. I was never one for telling stories, but I liked the idea of revealing the truth to someone before killing them; it would fill their spirits with the utmost guilt that was incapable of saving them from paying the ultimate price.
"For someone who flawlessly interpreted our philosophy, you forgot one important detail: our supply of magic." I said to her, my darkened eyes sharply contrasting with hers, lightened with the fear of death. "It's nice to see you're no different from Lucy Ashley. You're just as selfish as she is, caring about your friends and nothing else."
She rapidly shook her head in denial, acting as though I was spewing nonsense. I continued speaking, my voice becoming stern. "This attitude you and all those other Fairy Tail wizards carry on their shoulders will inevitably spell the end for all of you. How can you be so arrogant to flaunt your magic power in a world that is in the process of losing all of it thanks to you ignorant criminals?"
Her eyes widened in shock at my revelation; she was finally realizing her mistakes but now it was time to repent. "I'm sorry! I had no idea magic was an endangered resource! Please don't kill me Erza, you're better than this!"
I was 'better than this?' Don't make me laugh. "Unfortunately for you, I am not the same Erza you associate yourself with. In this world I have killed countless Fairy Tail wizards for breaking the law, and adding an Earth Land wizard to my tally would make for a new record, don't you agree?" I taunted, my smirk growing larger. "Why else do you think they call me the Fairy Hunter?"
I noticed the water forming in her eyes. "Crying isn't going to save you, little girl. Perhaps you will repent in the afterlife," and released her from my spear, sending her falling several stories. The loud splat I heard soon after confirmed she'd died upon impact with the ground, and a member of Earth Land's Fairy Tail been officially added to my list of kills. It pleased me greatly that I killed her without using any magic power.
With Lucy Heartfilia dead, I had completed my mission; Queen Shagotte was surely to be pleased with my efforts. I holstered my spear and turned my attention elsewhere, as it seemed I was free for the rest of the day. I was immediately interrupted by the rapid sound of approaching footsteps. Moving my head toward the direction of the approaching force, Panther Lily, the captain of the First Magic Warfare Unit halted in front of me. I looked directly at his face; he appeared to be exhausted judging by the sweat on his face.
"Panther Lily, what's wrong?" I asked him. It was unusual for me to worry about my fellow captains, but he was the only one I truly respected, and he felt the same for me.
The towering Exceed took deep breaths before speaking. "Erza, the king has an announcement to make. He wants everyone in the Royal Army to report to the outdoor court immediately," he stated in his usual impassive tone. His Majesty never held a meeting in the outdoor court, they were always in the castle's conference room. Was there some sort of emergency?
Without voicing any of my concerns, we made a wild dash for the court as alarms blared throughout the Royal City. I was not looking forward to whatever His Majesty had to say and dreaded the absolute worst. The matter of which he would discuss evaded me, but the sight of what appeared to be two Fallen Exceed involved in a chase with the Extalia Imperial Guard instantly confirmed my suspicions.
Panther Lily and I arrived at the court where we met up with Sugarboy and Hughes; they appeared to be in a somber mood which contradicted their flamboyant personas. Coco was stationed on the podium high above us, where the king would commence his declaration. The Royal Army soldiers erupted in applause when His Majesty appeared before us. I, along with the other captains stood firm and silent, patiently waiting for him to speak.
He raised a hand; the short amount of time it took for those in attendance to cease their noise was unparalleled. Although I couldn't read his face from such a low height, I could sense the anger coursing through his body. Recently he acted rather blunt; any anger coursing through his veins was well-hidden on his part. Now, he was intentionally making it known to all watching him.
The annoyance he felt only intensified when he peered at the Exceeds flying about in the sky. Panther Lily appeared to be distressed at the sight, which perplexed me. It was known he had been banished from Extalia for saving a human's life, and I sympathized with his fate. He concealed the truth to everyone, only informing me of it when we formed our bond and the king upon joining the Royal Army. He believed said banishment was a weakness, but I assured him that yesterday's weaknesses become tomorrow's strengths as I was in a similar position when I received my first taste of murder.
"My children," he began with a loud tone, "the time has come for us to stand up for our kingdom and reclaim what is rightfully ours! No longer shall we be frowned upon by a race of flying felines, and no longer shall they be viewed as gods for there are none in this world! It is with great pleasure that I, King Faust of Edolas, commence the initiation of Code ETD: EXCEED TOTAL DESTRUCTION! THE EXCEEDS WILL BE SACRIFICED TO PROVIDE US WITH UNLIMITED MAGIC POWER TO LAST AN ETERNITY!"
Soldiers on the upper platforms blew through their horns, and flags bearing the Royal Army's emblem were raised on both sides of the court. I gasped in surprise at the revelation, and caught the glare on Panther Lily's face as he was noticeably trembling in rage. As of late he'd displayed his disdain for the increase in military armaments, and now everything made sense: despite his declared hatred for his own race, deep down he disagreed with the king's declaration. Hughes and Sugarboy paid it no heed, and even appeared to be as cheerful as ever along with the rest of the Royal Army.
"How can you two be smiling about this?!" Panther Lily suddenly yelled at the two captains, completely catching me off-guard. "Don't you realize the king is going to commit genocide just for the sake of magic?!"
Hughes cocked an eyebrow. "Don't get your tail in a bunch, Lily. This is going to be totally awesome!" I scoffed at his expected response; everything was "awesome" to him. Sugarboy merely hummed in agreement, his usual form of speech when he was too lazy to utter any words. Panther Lily's anger only intensified. "I can't believe you two! Do you just blindly follow everything the king says? You might as well be up there with him, kissing his feet while you're at it!"
On normal occasions I tended to avoid arguments unless two lines were crossed: the first one being if my name was directly mentioned in the conversation and I happened to hear it, and the second one was if said argument involved a close friend of mine. I never had any friends growing up, as everyone except my parents ridiculed me for wanting to be in the military. Panther Lily was the closest person I had to a friend and I valued his words to a higher degree than Sugarboy or Hughes so I decided the gloves were off.
"Who the hell do you think you are, Hughes?" I challenged him, his eyes about to pop like a balloon at my sudden outburst. "You can't fault Panther Lily for being angry, he is an Exceed after all. If you have any problems with what he has to say you can answer to me," I threatened, readying my spear to demonstrate my point and his eyes shifted directly to its sharp blades.
I felt a heavy hand on my left shoulder and turned my head to see Panther Lily smiling at me. "Thank you Erza, but that won't be necessary," he reassured me in a calmer tone than before, then returned to his usual scowl as he looked up at the king. "I just don't agree with the king's decision and there's nothing we can do about it. I tried challenging him on it before, but the insane look in his eyes told me everything."
My eyes widened in shock. He knew this was going to happen? "Why didn't you tell me this before?" I quickly asked without thinking of the context. I immediately realized my question was a foolish one, for I had missed the conference meeting earlier as I was tasked with executing Lucy. I peered down at the ground and closed my eyes, signaling that my question be ignored.
As the Extalia Imperial Guard continued to pursue the Fallens in the sky, everyone expected the wild group of cats to turn into a giant lacrima due to a cannon blast. Instead, the king's balcony was shrouded in a giant blast of red light. I instinctively shielded my eyes as the light proved to be as blinding as the sun. When everything subsided, I heard what sounded like guns cocking and looked around to find myself surrounded by a group of yellow-skinned creatures. They were not human nor Exceed from what I could tell, and black spikes protruded from the tops of their heads. Armed with rifles, they appeared to be… aliens?
The question "Why is Edolas being invaded by aliens?" wouldn't stop ringing in my head. It was like some mantra I was doomed to forever repeat. They appeared before us without a sound (minus their guns, of course). The other captains were surrounded much like I was, and without a second thought I readied my Ten Commandments for combat. The aliens started firing laser-like bullets at me; they weren't enough to kill a man, but they stung like poison. I quickly switched my spear to Mel Force and sent them crashing into the nearest wall with a powerful wing gust.
Now that I was free, I turned my attention to the other captains who all seemed to be effectively holding their ground. Sugarboy was using his fancied sword, the Rosa Espada, to convert the bullets coming his way into a harmless liquid, while Hughes was being protected by Panther Lily and his Bustermarm Sword, as the former's Command Tact only proved useful in the king's amusement park. Panther Lily was fending off the aliens with relative ease; it seemed we had the situation under control.
What any of us failed to notice was the oncoming force of aliens leaping from the upper platforms where our own soldiers once stood, said soldiers having been killed by the extraterrestrial force. I turned my head to the upper balcony, where a large figure was standing in place of the king. I hatched an idea and ran over to the large Exceed who currently had temporary leeway.
"Panther Lily, can you fly up to the king?" I asked him, pointing at the target. "There's someone up there with him, and he's likely a threat."
He smiled and retracted his sword. "We'd better hurry before the reinforcements arrive," he replied and unveiled his wings. I proceeded to wrap my arms around his back and he ascended until we were at eye level with the destination. I couldn't see the king, but the larger figure's back was facing us, so chances were high I'd be able to land a strike to the back.
Taking off like a jet, he dashed forward and threw me toward the balcony. In its default form, I readied my Ten Commandments to pierce a whole in the target's chest with its sharpened, fang-like blades. With the distance between us quickly shrinking I peered my eyes and prepared to puncture some organs…
…until he quickly turned to face me and grabbed me by the throat at the very last second. He knew my plan all along and forced me into a false sense of security, a triumphant smile visible on his large face. I couldn't turn my head to see if Panther Lily was still in the skies, but he shouted in my defense.
"Get your hands off of her!" He shouted at the large alien, only for the latter to send the Exceed crashing to the ground with a simple raise of his free hand. Telekinesis?
My anger intensified, and with my spear still in my hand I blasted him away from my grasp with Mel Force. The alien crashed into the wall, causing the room to be shrouded in smoke; when everything had cleared up, I noticed the king slumped against the wall, unconscious with his spear nowhere to be found. To my surprise, there wasn't as much as a scratch on the alien.
He sarcastically applauded my efforts and his arrogant smile grew larger. Taking the time to study his appearance, he looked similar to the group the other captains and I battled on the ground floor, but this one had to have been around ten feet tall. His uniform was different from the others and a red cape on his back; the manner at which it flapped in the wind reminded me of my scarf. If my suspicions were correct, he was likely the leader of the invading battalion.
"Why hello there. You must be Erza Knightwalker." He stated in a British accent. "My name is Zinyak, and it's a pleasure to meet you." He bowed at me in mock fashion after the introduction.
I scowled deeply at his mannerisms, while at the same time I was surprised. How did he know who I was? "And who exactly are you?" I fired back, preparing my Ten Commandments for another assault. "I'm not one for introductions, so I suggest you do as I say before I kill you for harming the king."
He only laughed at my threat, shrugging it off as if it bore no meaning. "I see you humans are all the same, displaying hostility toward something you don't understand. As for your king, I can assure you the person who harmed him was you."
Displaying hostility toward something I didn't understand? Of course I would do such a thing, it was human instinct. What was his point, and what did he mean by I harming His Majesty? I may not personally like King Faust, but I'd gladly follow him to the ends of the earth, as my loyalty was with the kingdom of Edolas. By refusing his commands I'd be betraying everything I stand for. If Zinyak was trying to play mind games in that regard, he failed miserably.
Just then, I felt a chill on my back and turned around, staring a hole into the very balcony where I killed Lucy; looking at the ground, my eyes locked with the bloody corpse than lay there. It was impossible to make out the finer details from such a distance, but it was laying in the streets where Edolas citizens normally walked. If anyone were to find a dead, bloodied body lying in the open a panic would ensue. My warrior instincts had clouded my judgment, as my only concern was satisfying Queen Shagotte.
Regarding Lucy, she didn't understand the situation she was in with our kingdom losing magic power, and I showed her the same hostility Zinyak was talking about. Despite the fact she felt deep sorrow for committing the crime of illegal using magic, I disposed of her without as if she was garbage all because I wanted to bear the distinction of killing an Earth Land member of Fairy Tail as a captain of the Edolas Royal Army. Unlike the Edolas Fairy Tail guild members, this Lucy was naive and unaware. Perhaps the gossip about me being a monster was true...
At that point I wanted to break down and whimper, but something in my subconscious told me to stand up and fight. Today, I wouldn't simply be fighting for myself, I'd be fighting for everyone in Edolas. Sugarboy and Hughes were pre-occupied with the continual onslaught and Panther Lily was out of action, so it was my responsibility to send this trespasser on a trip to Hell.
Shooting Zinyak with a sharp glare, I transformed the Ten Commandments into its Silfarion form and pointed it in the direction of his neck. He appeared unfazed by the threat, chuckling darkly and tilting his head. He was trying to get under my skin, and I was afraid to admit it was working. Damn my high sense of pride.
"You think a transforming lance is supposed to frighten me?" He chuckled. "I thought you were better than that, Fairy Hunter."
I felt my body tense up. How did he know my moniker? More importantly, if he knows who I am he should be familiar with my spear and its various forms. The Ten Commandments was one of the most powerful weapons in Edolas and a Knightwalker family heirloom. My father utilized the spear before I did, and the king bestowed the weapon onto me when I was promoted to captain in the army, as he felt I deserved to carry out my father's legacy. I turned my tenseness into intensity at the thought of this outsider insulting my family. My eyes burned with the hottest anger, and I charged at Zinyak with full speed.
"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT MY FAMILY, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I screamed so loudly my voice likely echoed over in Earth Land. This giant alien simply annoyed me at first, but now he was going to die for daring to insult me, my family, and the king. Zinyak was going to die and my body would be coated in his blood.
I charged toward the alien leader at what felt like mach speed, but he dodged at the very last second, leaving me open for a sneak attack. The room was small so I had to watch my footing and it proved to be a disadvantage. Zinyak grabbed my back and sent me flying to the ground with a loud crash. I would've switched back to Mel Force and shot below to decelerate my rate of fall, but the other captains were still fighting and Panther Lily's unconscious body proved to be an obstacle; I'd rather die than intentionally harm my fellow comrades, and more importantly use my only friend as a form of protection.
My body crashed into the cement with what sounded like an explosion. I couldn't deny the truth; Zinyak had defeated me in one fell swoop. He played me like a fool, letting my emotions get the best of me, and I paid the price. Slowly raising my head, he sauntered toward me with a sadistic expression on his face, one that rivaled the one I flashed Lucy with before I sent her falling to her end.
It was ironic that I were to die like this, but I found it fitting. He stood over my fallen form, his black, soulless eyes staring deeply into my weakened brown pupils. He appeared ready to end my life, but I sensed the hesitation in his eyes.
To my left, Panther Lily was regaining consciousness, seemingly ready to strike back at Zinyak, then noticed me lying on the ground. He began crawling over to help, but I weakly raised a hand, signaling him to remain still. I looked back to the alien with deadened eyes; this was the end.
"What are you waiting for?" I asked, coughing between words. "You've won; just kill me already."
He slowly shook his head and pressed some buttons on his wrist. I was blinded by the same red light as before, but this time it shined down on me. Before I could react, I felt my body floating into the air and opened my eyes to find I was ascending toward the sky. If I were truly dying, I pictured myself suffering in the fiery pits of Hell for the number of wizards I've killed with a smile. There was no way I was being sent to Heaven, so there was only one plausible thought in my mind.
I was… being abducted? The large ship fading into view directly in front of me and welcoming myself in its embrace only confirmed my suspicions.
"No, my dear, I have other plans in my mind…" I heard Zinyak utter before I blacked out.
Man, this chapter took forever to write, lol. I'm not sure if future chapters will be quite as long as this; I just wanted to establish a good introduction.
This will most likely be updated on an occasional basis, but please review! Any and all opinions are appreciated.