:Chapter Two:
The raven-haired girl felt, as though she was a zombie as she walked along side her exceed companion through the streets of Magnolia towards the Magnolia Station. Her eyes were a dull green this morning accompanied by large dark circles around her eyes. She spent the whole night worrying about travelling by train and could not fall asleep. Her boots dragged against the stone ground and her hands dangled at her sides. She was just no use to anyone like this.
Upon entering the station she was surprised to see how many people where actually using this as a mode of transportation. She was determined to never ride the train after that incident a few years back, yet here she found herself, exhausted, nauseas and extremely grumpy.
"I hate this!" They heard Natsu say which only proved that they were heading towards the right train. "Teaming up with you is the worst idea ever!"
"Ya tell me about it," Gray growled. "Erza made a huge mistake asking a loser like you to come along."
"Why don't you just take care of it yourself? I don't wanna go anyway."
"Sounds like a plan to me, then I'll get to watch her beat you senseless."
"Let's just sit here and pretend we don't know them," Lucy whispered holding a celestial spirit in her arms.
"It's too early to hear them arguing," Carrow stated as Lucy looked up to see a ghost like version of the S class wizard she had come to befriend. "Ah, don't mind Eri, she's trying out this new Zombie look."
"Can it Carrow," Erika growled taking a seat on the bench. "You'd look like this too if you didn't get a wink of sleep last night."
"You couldn't sleep?" Lucy asked as the Ice and Fire wizards continued to bicker in the background.
"Excuse me a minute will you?" Eri smiled sweetly, and Lucy wasn't sure what scared her more, Erza's glare or Eri's sickly sweet smile.
"Natsu? Gray?"
The wizards stopped their bickering and instantly coward at the look Erika was giving them. "Will you two idiots knock it off? Some of us are trying to relax before this mission and we didn't get any sleep! So if you don't shut up I'm gonna make sure you're tied to the tracks so the train can run you over."
See everyone expected Erika to yell when she was angry but she did this thing where she talked in an extremely calm tone that was scarier than anytime she yelled. So leaving the boys in a stunned silence she went to sit back down on the bench the color completely drained from Lucy's face.
"She can be scary too."
Carrow and Happy both nodded. "Aye."
"Sorry I'm late have you been waiting long?"
"No, not really."
The familiar voice caused the guild mates to turn as their collective jaws dropped. Behind Erza stood a large crate filled with suitcases and Erika shook her head.
I knew she would be bringing all that stuff.
"All that stuff belongs to you?" Lucy asked as Eri placed her head in her hands willing the lack of sleep headache to go away.
"Well it's time to go good buddy," Gray laughed throwing his arms around Natsu as Carrow, Eri, Lucy and Happy sighed.
"Aye!"
"Good I love to see the two of you getting along," Erza smiled.
"One happy is more than enough," Lucy stated as she realized that Erika didn't look well. "Hey Eri, are you going to be okay?"
"And who is this young lady?" Erza asked walking towards the bench. "I believe I saw you at the guild yesterday, but we haven't been formally introduced."
"My name is Lucy and I just joined fairy tail. Eri asked me to come along with you guys so I could learn a thing or two about how guilds work. I hope that's okay with you."
"The more the merrier," The scarlet haired wizard smiled. "I'm Erza. Wait- you're the girl I heard about. I was told you defeated a mercenary gorilla using only your pinky finger. It'll be great to have a wizard like you on board. Thanks for your help."
Eri did her best to hide her smirk and not roll her eyes. Obviously the rumor mill had gotten a little bit out of control around the guild.
"Oh no it's my pleasure."
"Hey Erza, I'll come with you but only under one condition," Natsu started.
"Well let's hear it."
"I want a rematch when we get back to fairy tail."
Lucy gasped, Carrow smirked, Erika began laughing and Gray looked at Natsu like he had lost his mind. "What's wrong with you, do you have a death wish?"
"I'm a lot stronger than I was last time. This time will be way different cause I'm gonna beat you.
"Yes I can tell you've improved. Sparring with Eri has helped you quite a bit, as to whether or not you can beat me I suppose we will have to see."
Erika was still laughing at the bench and Carrow was sure that lack of sleep had caused her to lose a few marbles.
Erza was right, almost every day that she was in Magnolia Natsu would ask to spar with her and train with her and so they did. They were a great team and Carrow and Happy benefited from the collective training. But in all the matches they had, Natsu had never gotten close to beating Eri, which was why she could not control the hilarity that was the fact he thought he could beat Erza Scarlet.
"I accept your challenge," Erza stated as Natsu grinned shooting fire from his mouth.
"I'm fired up!"
Eri shook her head as the conductor for the train began to call for boarding. Carrow reached up to grab Eri's hands and gave her a smile. "You can do it Eri!"
But the exceed had been wrong.
No sooner did the train start to move then both dragon slayers were out of commission, both trying their hardest not to puke to high heaven every time the train lurched forward.
"I swear you're totally pathetic Natsu. One minute you're picking a fight and the next you're like this." Gray muttered as Lucy looked between Eri and Natsu.
"They both get motion sickness?" She asked as Erza nodded.
"I had totally forgot about that when I told Eri to come along. She doesn't usually go on any mission involving trains because of this," Erza stated with sadness. "I am a terrible friend."
"That's gotta be tough on them getting from place to place." Lucy stated.
"Eri knew what she was in for," Carrow replied raising his hands as if it was no big deal. "Besides she knew how much this meant to you."
"Well then Eri allow me to give you a hug," Erza stated grasping her friend, and with a swift motion hitting her diaphragm she knocked the girl unconscious before doing the same to her pink haired counterpart.
:-:
Eri wasn't sure what was going on but she knew that she was still moving and still felt like a pile of garbage. So she and Natsu were still on the train but she could no longer smell any of her team, including Carrow.
Don't tell me they left us on here.
She groaned catching the attention of someone passing by.
"Well looky here it's a couple of fairy tail wizards. How's the guild treating you these days? Is it worth sticking around?"
Eri's eyes opened and she noticed the man was medium height with his dark hair tied back in a ponytail. He was smiling but there was a sinister look to it, and there was a weird scent on him that she couldn't place.
"What?" Natsu muttered obviously hearing what this bozo had to say.
Suddenly the foot of the man currently on the train covered Natsu's face.
"Don't act all high and mighty just cause you are in a legal guild Mr. Fairy, I mean judging by the both of you if this is the best fairy tails got then that's just pathetic. You guys just blindly follow the magic council and you know what you look like to us? Harmless little flies."
Eri willed the nausea to go away and let out a growl as she attempted to sit up. Natsu was standing his fire around his palms, and just as Eri finally managed to stand the train lurched again causing them both moan.
"What kind of pathetic wizards are you?" The man asked as Eri popped an eye open, trying to gauge her surroundings.
"Let me show you how it's done," The man growled out as a magic circle appeared sending shreds of shadows towards the fire dragon slayer.
"Natsu!" Eri cried watching as he hit the ground and clenching her fanged teeth.
"It's all in the follow through."
"That magic," Natsu muttered and Eri realized that he had seen this guy before.
The train began to slow and the two fairy tail wizards realized that someone had answered their prayers and managed to stop the train.
Thanks Erza.
She stood smirking as her strength quickly returned and managed to stop herself from falling like Natsu and the perpetrator. A loud clunk was heard and Eri watched as an odd looking object fell from the coat pocket of what she assumed to be a dark guild member.
"What is that?" She asked and almost instantly something felt wrong and she fell to the ground in pain.
"Eri?" Natsu asked worriedly as his eyes widened.
His big sister was writhing in agony and he had no idea why. Her eyes were closed and her hands clenched so hard they were drawing blood. He looked around and noticed an odd looking piece of wood on the ground and then looked at Eri.
"What is that?" He asked although his question was drowned out by the Earth Dragon Slayer's screams.
"You saw it," The man stated slowly pulling himself to his feet having been roused by the blood curdling screams on the train.
"I don't know what you did to her, but it's payback time."
Suddenly fire surrounded his arms as he launched himself at the dark guild member breaking through his shadow shield and blowing a whole in the side of the train.
"Lucky shot."
"Little fly huh?"
Natsu realized that the screaming had stopped and Erika was passed out on the floor.
"Attention all passengers, our emergency stop was a false alarm, we will be departing again momentarily."
Natsu's eyes widened as he quickly grabbed his backpack and through Eri over his shoulder. "I've got to go."
"I'm not letting you get away that easily. You're messing with Eisenwald now!"
"Oh so you're with Eisenwald huh? I'll show you what happens to people who knock fairy tail! How about we take this outside?"
The train slowly began to move forward and Natsu's eyes widened and he realized he needed to exit this machine quickly for his and Erika's sake.
"Natsu!"
Happy's voice was like music to his ears as he leapt off the train hurdling towards Gray. He let go of Erika who hit the ground beside the tracks and he took out Gray both of them incapacitated from the intense force behind the jump from the train.
It didn't take long before Gray and Natsu came too, and Erza had Erika draped over her shoulder as she stirred. "What happened?"
"That hurt you idiot!" Gray cried.
"Shut up you icy freak how come you all left Erika and I on that train!" Natsu asked as realization dawned on Eri and she lifted herself from Erza's shoulder.
"The train…" She muttered softly.
"We're shaken up pretty bad, we were attacked by a weirdo on the train. I think it's the dude that dragged away the guys that were going to eat Happy. He said he was with Eisenwald."
"You fool," Erza growled hitting Natsu in the head. "That is exactly who we are after on this mission!"
Erika was searching her brain trying to remember what exactly had happened when she felt a small furry hand in hers. "Eri you're all sweaty and cold, what's wrong?"
We were on the train, then that guy showed up and dropped that wood flute and-
"Eri what's wrong?" Erza asked seeing how her friend was now frozen.
"He had it," Eri shivered. "He had lullaby."
The group's eyes widened and Natsu looked at his sister with worry. "You sure that's what the weird skull thing was? I mean you did lose it when you saw it…"
"I could feel it," Erika muttered as Carrow looked at the team and sighed. "I could feel them."
"What do you mean you could feel them?" Lucy asked as Erika averted her gaze. Carrow cleared his throat and pointed to the area they were standing.
"This ground, the dirt the trees everything is interconnected," Carrow started. "Erika's magic allows her to feel their connection, their life force almost so she can use it in many ways. She can see life through the earth's eyes or find people by the ground they touch, normally quite a remarkable talent, however it does have a side effect…"
"I can feel the death."
The members looked at her, as her skin grew paler than one thought possible. "The flute is made of wood so is the train car and once they touched each other I ended up getting four hundred years of history in only a few seconds. All the souls that flute has captured crying to be released, it was a lot to take in."
"It's death magic," Lucy stated. "There are deadly spells that have been forced to be banned by wizards."
"That's right there are cursed black magic spells that are forbidden to be used by wizards." Erza replied.
"Well if I am right," Lucy stated looking towards a sickly looking Erika. "Lullaby is even worse."
"We don't have time to waste we have to catch up to the train," Erza stated climbing back aboard the magic mobile as Erika looked at Carrow.
"You okay to fly?" She asked as the orange cat nodded.
"Aye!"
They took off quickly with Erika and Carrow matching pace.
"Slow down Erza, you're using to much of your power driving this thing."
"I have no choice but to press onward. We're running out of time. If Erigor get's his hands on this death magic, trust me lives will be lost. "
It didn't take long before the group had reached the smallest station in Fiore; Kunugi station. They quickly realized that the Eisenwald group was no longer around and after hearing the conversations it was obvious that they had stolen the whole train.
"I can understand cars and boats but why did they want to high jack a train?" Lucy asked.
"Doesn't make much sense does it," Carrow stated.
"Ya it can only follow the tracks so it doesn't make the greatest get away vehicle," Happy replied.
"That's true but they are quite fast."
Erika nodded and could see Natsu still down for the count in the back seat of the magic mobile. "I guess it's up to us to find out where they are going."
"And why are they in a such a big hurry," Gray wondered as Lucy blushed.
"Um, you're naked Gray!"
"Am I?"
The group shook their heads at the Ice Wizards obliviousness to his own lack of garb and decided to press onward. The military was already out watching for the Dark Guild members and Erza and Erika hoped that they would eventually catch up with Eisenwald before something terrible happened.
"Ready to fly again Carrow?" Erika asked as her companion smiled and nodded. "You're totally getting a bucket of fish when we get back to Magnolia!"
The group continued to press on and the raven haired dragon slayer couldn't help but feel worried about the Scarlet haired wizard. "Erza, if you don't slow down a bit you're going to overload the SC plug."
"Ya, you're going to be out of magic energy before we even get started!" Gray yelled as Erza's eyes narrowed and the magic mobile's speed increased.
"There's not telling how many innocent people will die if lullaby's song is played. I have no choice, we have to stop them before it's too late."
"But you're magic," Gray started as Erza cut him off.
"Well I'll just have to rely on hand to hand combat," She stated. "Besides I have you, Natsu and Erika as backup."
Erika and Carrow continued to fly overhead keeping pace with Erza and the Magic Mobile, however the orange exceed couldn't help but notice that something was distracting his friend.
"Something about this plan seems fishy," Erika muttered as the exceed nodded. "Let's keep our guard up Carrow."
"Aye."
Black smoke caught the group by surprise and Erika noticed it was coming from the Oshibana Station. "Erza do you see that?"
"Clear as day Eri."
Within minutes they had arrived at the station and Eri had to admit Natsu had seen better days. She gracefully landed on the ground and gave Carrow a pat on the head as thanks. When she looked up, Erika noticed that Erza was already interrogating the conductor of the station.
"Why would I tell you lady?"
All the group caught was the tail end of their conversation before Erza's fist made contact with the conductor's face, even knocking a tooth out.
And that's why you tell Erza Scarlet what ever she want's to know.
It was Erza's typical tactic as she made her way through the rest of the staff working at the station, beating them into submission, however they were all unconscious and no use to the group after Erza was done.
"Seems like her questioning method is a little counterproductive," Lucy groaned with Natsu draped over her shoulder.
"Erza's got her own way of getting things done," Gray stated as the Erika and Carrow nodded.
"The Eisenwald guild's inside, let's go!" Erza stated.
"Right!"
"Gray you might wanna put some clothes on," Carrow stated as the ice wizard began to search for his clothing.
"You okay to carry Natsu Lucy? He's still not looking that great," Erika muttered earning forced laugh from her younger brother.
"You're not one to talk sis," He growled.
"C'mon we better get inside, who knows what those bastard's are up to."
The group nodded and followed the S-class wizard inside the station. The station was made of marble and stone and looked to be relatively undamaged much to everyone's delight.
"A small army unit stormed in a while ago and have yet to return, my guess is they were caught in battle with the Eisenwald forces," Erza's voice echoed against the stone walls.
"I would say you're guess is right," Erika pointed up ahead where a group of soldiers were laying and the smell of death permeated her nose. "We were to late to save these ones."
Erika's voice was soft and she was happy that Natsu was still unconscious as he did not do well with death like this. More soldiers bodies littered the stairs and other hallways and the two exceeds gulped.
"They've been completely wiped out," Happy stuttered.
"They were up against a whole guild of dark wizards," Gray stated. "They didn't even stand a chance."
"They're up ahead Erza," Erika stated as the she gave her friend one single nod.
"How can you tell?" Lucy asked as Erika pointed to her nose. "Oh, I guess it can come in handy too huh?"
"You have no idea," Erika replied.
As they entered the next room it was obvious to see that the whole dark guild was a part of this death plan. The room was filled with it's members and to the onlooker it would seem as if the Fairy Tail members were extremely outnumbered, however it would be the Eisenwald guild that would be unmatched.
"Step into our parlor fairy tail flies," Eragor's voice called and Erika rolled her eyes.
"Wow, there's so many of them," Lucy cried and Erika shot her a look that made her pull herself together.
"It's been a while Erigor," Erika stated as the look of surprise crossed Natsu, Lucy and Gray's face. "I see you're still carrying around the scythe like you're some big shot or something."
The wizards on both sides seemed to shrink back and grow pale as they watched the tiny raven-haired wizard taunt the one known as Erigor the Reaper.
Erika was aware that the blonde celestial wizard was busy trying to wake Natsu but she didn't care. She was not afraid of Erigor by any means but she was afraid that he would hurt hundreds to get what he wanted.
"Hey you two, it's you're fault I got in trouble with Erigor."
Erika instantly recognized him as the man who uses shadow magic, the one that had caused her and Natsu such grief on that stupid train, but lucky for them, just the sound of his voice was enough to draw Natsu from his motion sickness comatose.
"I know that voice-…"
"We're not threatened by any of you," Erza stated her voice strong and smooth as the magic coming from her was practically tangible. "Tell us what you're planning to do with Lullaby!"
"You haven't heard yet?" Erigor asked as his flew up into the air causing Erika to roll her eyes. "What do all train stations have?"
"He flew?"
"He uses wind magic Lucy," Carrow replied as Erika wracked her brain for an answer to his question.
"You're going to broadcast lullaby's song?" Erika asked as Erigor chuckled his white hair hanging in front of his face, casting a shadow over his smirk.
"Thousands of nosey onlookers have flocked to the station to get a glimpse of the action, who knows, maybe if I turn the volume up loud enough I can take out the entire city with my melody of death."
"What reason do you have to commit such a heinous crime against the innocent people of this town?" Erza asked.
"This is a cleansing of all the fools out there who failed to appreciate the rights they hold so dear, who remain woefully ignorant to the plight of those who've had their rights stripped away. They've committed the sin of turning a blind eye to the worlds injustice. Therefore the Reaper has come to punish them."
"But killing them isn't going to help you get your rights back, it's only going to make it worse. That's the whole reason you were kicked out of the wizard league in the first place."
Erika and Erza both agreed with Lucy's statement, but they were also aware that there was no way to negotiate with these dark wizard guilds.
"We've given up on trying to regain our rights. We want power," Erigor stated his black eyes boring holes into Erika's green ones. "Then we can wash away the sins of the past and take control of what happens in the future."
"You're completely insane!"
"We're rolling in a new age of darkness but by the time it get's here you flies will be long gone." Shadow man stated and Erika could see the darkness creeping towards the celestial wizard, but as it went to strike it was torn apart by the flames of the salamander.
"Eisenwald dude," Natsu stated with a hint of cheer in his tone. "I knew I recognized that voice."
"You are finally back to normal," Carrow muttered as Natsu chuckled.
"Looks like we've got ourselves a party here huh?"
"Natsu these are the guys we have to fight," Lucy stammered and Natsu and Erika smirked.
"It's a party."
Lucy's eyes widened as she realized how crazy alike the two dragon slayer's were, and it made her feel safe in an odd way.
The fairy tail group stood motionless as they watched the dark guild members, hoping to catch them before they made a move. Erika's eyes were focused on the beady black ones of the guild leader. She could practically feel the wheels of his brain turning.
"This is the strongest team fairy tail has to offer, you'd better be ready!" Lucy cried as Erika's eyes widened.
'He's gonna run!'
"I leave them to you, show them the terror of the dark guild Eisenwald."
Within the blink of an eye he disappeared into what appeared to be thin air, but Erika knew better. Erigor was a master of wind magic and was able to break the wind currents to cause a mirror like effect, making it seem like he had disappeared when really he was making a getaway.
"I'm going after him."
"Eri wait-!" Erza didn't get a chance to finish as the raven-haired dragon slayer took off at a speed many had never seen her use. Erza knew that Erika was more then capable of fighting the leader, but she feared her friend was underestimating the wizard.
Erika didn't look back as she dashed through the train station surprised at how pungent the reapers scent was.
"Jeez you think the guy would at least take a shower or something," Erika muttered as Carrow nodded flying behind her.
"Where do you think he's heading too?" Carrow asked slightly out of breath as Erika shook her head.
"Not sure, but if I was a dark guild leader hell bent on murdering innocent people, I would do my best to stop those attempting to thwart my plans in their tracks."
"You think he plans to lock us in here?"
Erika nodded pulling her hair into a high ponytail, something she often did before entering a battle. "Something like that. I've dealt with his wind magic before but who knows what tricks he's learned in the last year."
Reaching the outskirts of the station Erika new instantly that they weren't alone, and jumping left she barely missed a small wind cyclone that could've sent her flying.
"Long time no see their eyeliner boy," She laughed as Erigor's eyes narrowed.
Erika could hear Erza's voice over a megaphone and assumed she was getting the civilians to clear the area. She smirked as her fangs snapped together. "Looks like you're too late, you'll have no one to murder here in a couple of minutes."
"You really think I'd loose to you Fairy Tail fools so easily," Erigor laughed blocking a punch that Erika sent towards his face. "You fell into my trap like flies to honey and I couldn't have for better."
"You're true target is somewhere different then," Erika muttered as the clues began to add up. "You're going to Clover."
"Ding Ding, we have a winner," Erigor laughed as his wind intensity grew. "See I will be going to clover while you and your little fairy friends are stuck inside of this station."
Erika growled as Carrow looked at his partner and friend. "I won't let you get that far! Earth Dragon Roar!"
Erigor laughed as Erika's eyes widened realizing that her attack had done nothing.
Damn wind user. Of course breath attacks wont work, stupid.
"Well thank you for supercharging my attack," Erigor stated as a large wind cyclone appeared. "I'll give you some advice. Don't get to close, or the wind will rip you apart!"
"Why you-"
Erika didn't get the finish the sentence as the wind barrier tossed her back against the stone wall of the station, and her head felt wet to touch.
"Erika you're bleeding!"
"We have to get out Carrow, we have to tell the others! He's gonna kill, he's gonna kill the-"
"Eri I need you to calm down."
Carrow could see his friends jade eyes beginning to turn black and the ground beneath them began to shake. He wanted to save the guild masters as much as anyone else, but if Erika lost control, there was no guarantee anyone would get there alive.
"I won't let him win Carrow," Erika muttered as she walked towards the wind barrier the sharp air threatening to slice her into pieces.
"Eri?"
"Let's go kick Erigor's ass Carrow," The dragon slayer laughed raising her hands as the ground began to shake.
"Earth Dragon Secret art: Magnitude Form One."
The ground began to shake beneath them and with the force of an earthquake the ground ripped apart shattering the wind barrier that was blocking them from leaving. However she noticed the rest of the station was not as lucky.
Sorry Erza, Lucy, Happy, Natsu, Gray, but I have to stop him from getting to Master Makarov! Get out soon!
And with her thoughts behind her Erika took to the skies with Carrow hoping to catch up to Erigor before it was too late.
