The Beginning of the End

The rules are simple…

She rolled the small crystal ball between her fingers, the orb smooth against her porcelain skin. Her thumb brushed against the red heart shaped tattoo on the back of her hand.

No, it couldn't be.

Her eyes widened with recognition.

This man was only a myth. He was not supposed to exist. Yet here he was, standing in front of her in all of his glory.

The black shadows flickered around him like black flames, curling and lapping at his red and gold robes. A glimmer of red flashed across his eyes but they were soon hidden by his raven locks as he bowed his head.

She could feel the raw power radiating from him.

"Ultear…Milkovich…"

She took a step back as he took one forward, the shadows suddenly flaring outwards around him. Sensing her discomfort, he stopped. His lips formed soundless words but she could read them.

I'm here for you…

No…

Her eyes flickered to the side, searching desperately for an escape when he suddenly appeared in front of her. A strong hand encircled her wrist and she gasped as a searing pain shot through her arm. "Stop." She struggled against him, the panic welling up in her chest, suffocating her. "What are you doing?"

He ignored her, his grip tightening even more. She struggled even more but he only stared at her, his eyes scrutinising her intently. It was almost as if he were studying her.

As the pain ebbed away, he released his grip on her. She retracted her arm quickly, clutching at it, harsh breaths escaping her lips. Shaking, she parted her fingers to see a red heart shaped tattoo on the back of her hand.

The mark of the Trial Wars.

Specifically, her mark. The mark that signified her participation in the Dark Guilds War.

She looked up, unsure whether as to feel horrified or excited, but he was already gone.

Her fingers danced lightly across the crystal surface before she paused for the briefest moment. She wondered which fighter she would summon. Each chosen mage would summon one fighter from Edolas based on their compatibility, whether it be their skills or personalities. There were even rumours that some fighters reflected the summoners' deepest desires, whatever that meant.

With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the marble sized ball into the air, watching the wispy purple smoke within it swirl around in circles. A smirk tugged at her lips as she watched the ball arc through the air and smash onto the stone floor. A small puff of smoke escaped from the confines of the crystal marble and dissipated quickly. Ultear raised an eyebrow, unsure as to what was going to happen. She waited with bated breath for a moment and as the seconds passed by, she knelt down hesitantly to pick up the pieces of shattered crystal.

As her fingers brushed against the shards, her mark glowed red and a burning pain shot through her arm. She cried out, eyes squeezed shut in pain as she collapsed onto the ground. The pain was excruciating. It was almost as if something was burning right into her skin. Inhaling deeply, she opened her eyes to see a cloudy mist materialising seemingly out of nowhere. Ultear straightened up and stumbled backwards.

Something, or someone, was coming.

The mist descended upon the room, cloaking it in grey and white. It was quiet, the air was still and she shuddered at the sudden chill. She held her breath, afraid that it would all disappear if she moved at all. The mist started to dissipate as quickly as it came and she turned a full circle, eyes wide as she surveyed the Council meeting room.

There was nobody there.

"What…?" Her voice shook slightly.

She didn't understand what had happened. She had done everything required of her to summon her own fighter. Had she made a mistake in the summoning?

A soft rustling sounded behind her and she whipped around, nearly tripping over her own feet in shock at the sight.

He was sitting on the window sill, one leg drawn up to his chest, the other dangling over the edge, his right hand gripping his knee tightly. He was completely covered in black. Black pants, black armour, black mask and black bandana. His ragged black cape fluttered behind him, the gentle breeze caressing the fabric. She shuddered at the sight. It was almost as if she was staring at the Reaper himself.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest and he turned his head slightly to face her, eyes glinting dangerously, the pale moonlight bathing him in a silvery light.

"My name is Mystogan," he spoke in a clipped tone, each word spoken slowly and deliberately, "and I am of the Assassin class." He inclined his head. "It is a pleasure to meet you, my Lady."

4…

Win the war…

She trembled under his gaze. "I'm sorry, Father."

Jiemma drew himself to his full height. "I am disappointed. As weak as you are, I never expected you to fail with such a simple mission."

He slammed a fist on the table forcefully.

Minerva bowed once more. "I apologise for my incompetence."

Glass shards exploded around her as he threw a glass at the wall beside her. "That's not good enough!" He stalked over to her, a hand lifting her chin so that she stared straight into his eyes. "You're weak! You're a disgrace to the guild! You're a disgrace to me!"

He was going to hit her, she knew it. She had grown used to his abuse over the years and had accepted it as punishment for her weakness. She deserved it after all. Power was everything, and she was weak. She deserved it.

Her father grabbed her by the arm painfully and she flinched at the contact. Another sign of weakness, one that she was going to pay for dearly. A searing pain spread across her left waist where her guild mark was but she willed herself to remain still. She didn't need to give Jiemma another reason to mete out more punishment.

Sweat was pouring down her face as the pain threatened to overwhelm her completely and she fought against the urge to squirm.

A fist swung towards her and she braced herself for the impact when a hand suddenly shot out from her right, stopping the attack inches away from her face.

"That's not nice, old man," a lazy voice drawled.

Her gasp caught in her throat. She knew him, with his black hair tied up in a bun, the white strips of cloth fluttering lightly behind his head. His armour was slightly different though, with the purple armour plates covering his abdomen, chest and shoulders only, leaving his entire back exposed. Understanding dawned on her as she watched the purple guild mark of Succubus Eye slowly carve itself into his back. She could hear him hiss at the pain as a burning smell wafted in the air. She uttered a cry of pain as the same thing happened to her. Looking down, she could see the same mark pulsing on the back of her hand.

A blue glow surrounded the man's hand and the magic sent Jiemma flying backwards, smashing through the wall. The man stood there with his arms wide open, laughing freely amidst the dust and debris. He let out a low whistle. "Nice."

Grinned, he turned around to face Minerva properly. He snapped his fingers and a small flame flickered into existence. "I'm Castor, well that's my class. The name's actually…"

"Bacchus," she whispered in disbelief.

He raised an eyebrow. "Well well, looks like someone knows my counterpart."

Minerva nodded slowly, a slow smile on her face.

It seemed like the Trial Wars had started and she had been chosen.

She had been chosen.

5…

And I will grant you one wish if it is within my power…

His ears twitched as the rolling thunder crashed around him. The wind swept through the plains, flattening the grass in waves as the torrential downpour soaked through his clothes and he shivered at the numbing cold.

Placing the finishing touch to the summoning symbol that he had drawn on the muddy ground, he clapped both hands together and slammed them onto the ground. A blue spell mark expanded over the symbol before being absorbed by it. His ears twitched once more as he picked up the low rumbling sound underground.

He leapt back just as a pillar of lightning struck the spot where he had been standing previously, a thunderous roar crashing through the area. The light disappeared back into the sky instantaneously, leaving Cobra standing in the middle of the plain, staring down at the crater in front of him.

He could hear a shuffling down below but the wafting smoke obscured his vision and he approached the crater cautiously. As it slowly cleared, he could see a hulking figure kneeling in the middle of the hole, the muddy waters slowly gathering around him.

Cobra stared at the Edolasian, who remained motionless. His eyes raked over the fighter's figure. He had a black elbow guard around his left elbow and he was only wearing black shorts and boots, with a bow and arrows strapped to his back.

"Hey," Cobra called out uncertainly. "You ok…" He paused and added as an afterthought. "Archer?"

Cool eyes stared up at him between the blond locks plastered to his forehead and a slow grin spread across the fighter's face. With a low grunt, the shirtless man pushed himself off of the ground and slicked his wet hair back before raising a hand in greeting.

"Sup man, call me Laxus."

6…

Lose and you die…

The man ran a hand through his tousled hair, the blue locks falling in his eyes messily. The soft hush of the ocean waves soothed his nerves and he took a few steps forward, feeling the soft sand shift underneath his boots. It was peaceful, quiet. He closed his eyes, feeling the gentle sea wind caress his face and weave through his hair.

Inhaling deeply, his eyes fluttered open and he glanced back at the lacrima tower looming in the background.

Soon, he mused to himself. Soon, he would find Paradise.

A small sphere of pure magic formed in his hand as he concentrated the magic in his palm. His hand shook with the effort of containing the concentrated energy.

Just a little more…just a little more…

Just as the sphere was about to explode, he crushed the ball of magic with a roar, releasing a blinding light. The shockwave nearly threw him off balance and he stumbled backwards, sinking onto one knee. The sand whipped up around him like a sandstorm. He raised a hand, shielding his eyes from the light but it was too bright and he couldn't see anything.

A silver shadow sliced through the white light and he squinted. Was that…a sword?

An armoured foot stepped through the crack in the light and a manic smile spread across his face as he realised that it was a portal. Her armour clinked noisily as she made her way towards him and he eyed her warily.

She had an armoured breastplate and gauntlets, a spear strapped to her back, with waves of crimson hair spilling over her shoulders.

Scarlet hair.

A sudden rush of memories flooded his head and for a moment, they overwhelmed him.

He grasped her hand in his, pulling her to her feet. She stumbled over her own feet, falling into his embrace. They stared at each other for a moment before the two of them burst into laughter.

He choked, clutching at his head, willing the painful memories to disappear.

Get out…

Please…just get out…

Of…my…head…

His fingers threaded through her hair. They were smooth and silky and the colour…it was beautiful.

"Such beautiful hair," he murmured. His eyes lit up as an idea formed in his head. "Hey, that's it! Why don't we call you…"

His fingers tug into his scalp. "No…" he whispered. He fought the urge to scream at the heavens. Struggling to come to his senses, he looked up at the fighter, breathless and exhausted.

She was staring at him impassively, her eyes flickering around as she took in the scene before her. His hands fell to his sides limply. No, she wasn't her. She had been taken away from him a long time ago. He bit down on his lip, tasting the salty liquid on his tongue. Now he had to find the one who had committed the act and kill that person. Only then would he truly achieve paradise.

He let out a quiet chuckle.

Paradise was calling him, beckoning him.

He would find paradise.

He would find paradise and he would find her.

He looked up once more, the unspoken message clear in his eyes.

Come…

She was confident, he thought to himself, noting the way she held herself, the way she strode over to him with head held high. Proud, he mused, her eyes full of disdain, looking at him as if he were beneath her.

He rose to his feet just as she stopped in front of him. He was slightly taller than her but power radiated from her body. Any lesser man would have shrunk back in fear but he was no such man. His eyes roamed over her body and she responded in kind by scrutinising him.

He could tell that she was a fierce warrior by the way she glared back at him, by the way her body tensed and fingers twitched instinctively, her hand drifting casually towards the hidden blade at her waist. She was sizing him up. A dangerous woman, he noted, grinning at the lethal sparkle in her eyes.

She was perfect.

After a moment, as if deeming him worthy of her time, she spoke softly but clearly. "I am Captain Erza Knightwalker of the Royal Army's 2nd Magic War Division."

He threw back his head and barked out a laugh. He could feel the adrenaline surging through his veins.

"Welcome Captain," he said with a smirk, "to the game."

7…the last fighter…

Welcome to the game…

Author's note:

You guys should really know which anime I'm basing this story on.

On another note, you guys probably didn't fully appreciate some hints I scattered around the chapter but it's cool, you'll work it out when I get a few more chapters up. But yeah, think about those pairings. There are reasons for them. And their wishes, think about those. And just to clarify, all summoners are dark mages and all fighters summoned are from Edolas.

And hey, hello hiatus, we meet again. How long will it be this time?

Yeah see these hiatuses have a name, it's called "If you want me to update faster so that you get something to read, then you know what to do" hiatuses. Well, now you know what to do, because I will keep on writing, I just won't publish them until I get back –eyes ever growing personal collection of Mystwalker stories-

-Dances over to the SNK fandom temporarily- Annie Leonhardt, wait for me.

So just to recap:

Ultear (Grimoire Heart) - Mystogan (Assassin)

Minerva (Succubus Eye) - Bacchus (Castor)

Cobra (Oracion Seis) - Laxus (Archer)

Jellal (Tower of Heaven) - Erza Knightwalker (Lancer)

Tower of Heaven actually has it's own insignia (go FT wiki it). Really wanted to have Jellal and Scarlet (Sabre) vs Mystogan and Knightwalker (Lancer) but the plot wouldn't really work and everyone would be really confused as to what was happening yeah.