Chapter 4: Ace of Mermaid Heel and the Hierarch of the Daelaam

Thaqif: I'll try my best. No guarantees though that I will get everything you want.

Sabertooth inn

Crocus

Natsu really had to hand it to the person that attacked Sabertooth before him. They really did a number on their inn. He was going to make them pay for what they did to Yukino but someone got to them first if the explosion he heard was any indication. He was currently watching some distance away from the crowd of both civilians and Sabertooth members that gathered to see the destruction of the inn where Sabertooth resided in while participating in the Grand Magic Games. With his enhanced hearing, he overheard Sting saying that he'll make the person who did this pay for what they did. Something he doubted, for some reason Natsu thought that whoever did this was holding back and was merely sending a message to Sabertooth. The same message he wanted to tell them, though in a different way. His way was to literally beat them all into submission until it got through their thick skulls that they have to treat their guild members like family. Not to do something like they did with Yukino. He would have attack them now but since there a crowd he had no choice but to begrudgingly hold back.

"Who did this Natsu?" Asked his exceed friend, Happy in fear. He didn't want to find the person that did this. Such destruction and in one shot! Whoever did this must have been at least S-class scale to do such carnage and so quickly that no one saw them do it.

"I don't know, but I do know this." Said Natsu, serious. Happy waited for the answer that Natsu was going to give him. "I want to fight them!" Yelled Natsu out enthusiastically, making Happy fall to the ground in shock and disbelief. Typical Natsu.

Street of Crocus

As Artanis was walking with Kagura to their designation where they can converse without interruption or anyone spying on them, he was thinking on his current dilemma. In order to keep his presence and the presence of the Protoss as a whole from the public he will have to sacrifice Jellal in order to do so. But at the same time, he didn't want to. Kagura had no idea that Jellal was mind controlled at the time he killed her brother. He could try and convince her but would she even believe him? He could try and Psionically show her the truth but he doubted that will convince her. She'll likely think it was just a ploy to keep her from attacking Jellal. After going over his options, it appears he will have to tell her. Hopefully, the guild members of Jellal's guild or Fairy Tail will protect him when Kagura comes for him. Or perhaps he can convince her to let go of her anger. Eventually, they were at the Rocky Mountains that surrounded Crocus. Kagura turned toward him.

"We should be safe to converse here. Now, tell me where Jellal is." Demanded Kagura.

"Very well. But first, I ask you that I have your word that you will keep our meeting a secret." Said Artanis. After getting a nod from her, he reluctantly told her. "Jellal is currently a member of Fairy Tail team B, disguised as Mystogan. That is all I know." Said Artanis. Kagura narrowed her eyes at this information. Her hands balling into fists, so tight that her hands hurt from the pressure exerted on them. Her brother's killer was here all along. Right under her nose! She gritted her teeth before taking several deep breaths. She then nodded at Artanis, grateful for the information.

"Thank you. As per our agreement, I will not tell anyone about you." Said Kagura, before turning to walk back to the inn where her team slept in.

"Wait!" Yelled Artanis. Kagura then turned to him.

"What is it?" Asked Kagura. He already got what he wanted from her. What does he want know?

"I want to say what I believe you should do against Jellal." Said Artanis. After seeing her standing still, he continued. "I believe that you should forgive Jellal for whatever he has done to you." Said Artanis, upsetting Kagura.

"Forgive him!?" Yelled Kagura, walking right up to his face which was hard as he towered over her significantly. If she had to be honest, she was a little intimidated by the height difference on their way here but she was too deep in her rage that she cared little about that now. "Why should I forgive him for what he's done!?" Yelling right in the direction of Artanis's face.

"Because I have done a similar thing to someone I called friend." Said Artanis, making Kagura widened her eyes at this revelation. "He was called Zeratul. We fought side by side during a great war that ravaged our home country of Aiur." Explained Artanis, deliberately saying country in hopes that Kagura will believe that he was from an unknown country. It would take too much time to explain the full truth. Or she'll think he's insane. "He was an exile and was ordered to be killed on sight with anyone else that he was in league with but my mentor, Tassadar, worked together with him to save our country. At the time, I was ordered to investigate Tassadar's actions as he has previously went rouge before when I learned that Tassadar joined forces with Zeratul and his followers I was hesitant but I followed my mentor's wisdom because I knew that my people were losing the war for our country. Eventually I called Zeratul an ally and later friend. We all worked together to save our country but it wasn't enough. Our country fell and those of us that survive became refugees and Tassadar died to buy us time to escape. Zeratul took us in to the land that we exiled him and his people to because, despite what we have done to them, we were still the same people of Aiur and they still had loyalty to Aiur. We all hoped to one day regain Aiur. I was made the Hierarch of both my people and the exiles despite my young age. It was hard. There was still animosity between our people. Eventually, I launched an invasion to retake Aiur. Zeratul warned me not to do so but I failed to listen to him. The invasion was going well until a dark being managed to mind control most of my forces as well as myself. In order to free me, Zeratul freed me by sacrificing his own life. Died by my own hands. After being freed, I rounded up our forces and retaken Aiur but at a heavy cost." Said Artanis, his glowing eyes dimming greatly. He didn't tell Kagura the whole truth. How that he had to go sacrifice Shakuras, gaining both the Purifiers and Tal'darim, and a many more that would take too long to explain. He looked at her and saw her giving him a sympathized look.

"I am sorry for everything that you lost but what does this have anything to do with Jellal?" Asked Kagura.

"His situation is like mine. He was mind controlled at the time. By who, I have no idea. But I ask you to not take his life for something that he had no control of." Said Artanis. Kagura went into thought. Should she believe him? For all she knew, he lied about his story so she can feel sorry for him and to prevent her from attacking Jellal by putting up a story that sounded similar to her brother and Jellal's. But she felt that Artanis was telling the truth. Those eyes of his showed no signs of deceit in them and his voice was full of regret and sadness that it made his story believable. He could be just skilled actor but she felt it was not the case. For now, she will believe him until he gave her a reason not to.

"*sigh* I will think about it. For now, I will believe you and I will not attack Jellal today." Said Kagura. "But know this, if you are lying to me about your story and if I find out that you are in league with Jellal. I will take your life." She held up her sword as she said this. Artanis sighed in relief. He knew that it wouldn't be easy in convincing Kagura to let go of her hate but at the least he was making progress. "In the meantime I should go." Kagura then walked away. Artanis looked as she left and then yelled at her to wait. She stopped and saw that Artanis was coming to her. "What is it?" Asked Kagura. Artanis than pulled out a triangle shaped device and put it into her hand.

"If you ever need to talk or if I ever need to talk to you, this device will allow us to communicate with each other." Said Artanis. Before walking away and in a flash of light was gone. She widened her eyes at the sight before looking at the device in her hands. This had been a very unique night. She then walked back to the inn that her team was staying in. After sometime of walking she entered the inn and saw that Millianna was up. When she saw her, Millianna ran up to her, looking concerned.

"Where have you've been Kagura? You've been gone quite a while." Said Millianna. Usually Kagura wasn't gone this long. Her walks usual take only half an hour.

"I took a walk. I decided to take longer than usual." Said Kagura. She made a deal with Artanis after all and she intended to keep it.

"Oh. Okay." Said Millianna, thinking that Jellal was on her mind and she wanted to relieve her anger by doing something. She then noticed the object in Kagura's hand. "Hey, what's that?" Asked Millianna, curious at the object. She has never seen such a thing in her life. It was so pretty and elegant for a triangle. It looked like it was from the palace with all its beautiful curves and elegance.

"Something that I picked up. It's nothing important." Lied Kagura. With that, she went to her room, put the device Artanis gave her on her night stand, took off her clothes and went to take a shower. As the water washed over her she went into thought on what Artanis had told her. If what, he told her was true then she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He lost his country, mentor, friend, and was made a leader despite his inexperience and age. It was quite a lot to take in. She couldn't help but sympathize him. He was like her. They both suffered hardship, lost loved ones, and was placed into positions of powers that they had no prior experience on. Though his was on a much larger scale than hers. She then went into thought about what he said about Jellal and that he was mind controlled at the time. She heard of magic that enabled such a thing but it was hard to master. So, it had to be someone that wanted a puppet and was very powerful. He said that she should forgive Jellal but honestly she couldn't bring herself to do so. She held a grudge against him for so long that it was almost impossible for her to let go. She sighed in frustration. Perhaps a nights rest will help her think. After showering for some time and drying off she donned her sleep wear and went to bed. While trying to sleep she thought about Artanis himself. The man was quite admirable in her eyes. He was strong, powerful if his abilities were any indication, was open minded enough to let go of prejudices views for the common good, and was trustworthy if he trusted her to keep their meeting a secret. To be honest, she couldn't help but think of him. She blushed a bit before going to sleep. She didn't know that there was a Protoss observer watching her and that Alarak was watching her. In fact he was watching the entire conversation between her and Artanis. He laughed at Artanis's story. He knew that the hierarch was soft. His trust in this Terran was an indication of that. If it was him, he would have killed her on the spot, to ensure that no one will know of their presence. He would be doing it now if Artanis wasn't here in this world with him. As much as he disliked saying it, he didn't want to fight the Daelaam. They were far too evenly match to have anything to gain besides the winner doing whatever they please but that would be void. The aftermath would have left the winner severely weakened, too weak to effectively combat this world and its wizards. Besides, he would miss mocking the hierarch and now he had something else to mock him with. As soon as Artanis was in the Spear of Adun, Alarak contacted him and said that he never thought that Artanis was interested in Terran females. The hierarch then ended the transmission between them. Alarak could feel the embarrassment and anger from the hierarch even from how far apart their ships were.

Alarak sure knows how to troll someone. Anyway, a brief history lesson for Protoss history right there. Also I noticed that Jellal and Artanis are the same in that they both killed a friend while mind controlled. Huh? What a coincidence. Anyway, so far it's a tie between Meredy, Flare, and Kamika for Alarak. And a tie between Cosmos, Sayla, and Kagura for Artanis. With Hisui and Angel having none. The poll will be up until I think that it stayed up long enough. Now I know that there is a harem option there but if it's a tie for these girls, I'll have to make it a harem regardless. So, if there are no more votes when the poll ends it a harem for both of these guys. Just without Angel and Hisui. So vote guys! And Read, Rate, and Review. I'll see you all next time!