For a while he looks at him and a short smile rests now on his lips. Even through he denied a long time ago any form of relationship at all, Rogue is for sure out of the ordinary to him. Something about him is different than the other members of this family are suppose to be. No one bearing the name of Cheney was ever able to capture his entire attention in the way Rogue just did within an instant moment. Right as his minds trails off, he strokes gently through the pitch-black hair of the sleeping Shadow Walker and gazes at him. Even through he's centuries older than him, there is something deep inside of him wishing to keep him at his side forever.
But he knows Rogue has some invisible protection around him. Maybe the Shadow Walker knows about it, maybe not. It could be cast on him by his parents. It could be also cast by a guardian spirit on him as well. Honestly he doesn't know the one responsible for this sort of protective barrier. But he's going to find a way for sure to eliminate it, so he can fully claim Rogue Cheney all for himself.
Since the beginning of time he had always wandered around, constantly being on his own and alone. So he knows deep within himself how it feels to be left behind. He knows how it feels like to have lost someone very dear. Therefore every step of his plan is just for one case. Not only to be the eternal ruler of both worlds, but also to be finally loved by a living creature. He only wishes to escape the mere loneliness corroding and corrupting his entire soul. That's all he wants and that's his true goal.
So he will destroy anyone crossing his path, trying to rob him of his personal luck. Anyone who dares to challenge him and he doesn't make execptions at all. Like he said at All Hallow's Eve to Rogue, he's going to kill anyone who dares to lay claim on him. As he had done before decades ago, he's for sure to repeat things if necessary.
************
Before Natsu and himself get even a proper answer on what is really going on here, they find themselves minutes later accompanied by their cats and Rogues father at a place he had never been at all. He gazes in amazement at the given scenery as they walk now towards a huge clearing. One thing for sure. He was never at all at such an incredible landscape and around the town they live is nothing at all to be able to be compared with what he sees right now.
Right now he wonders, why Rogues father decides to bring them at a place like this, when they should be looking for a way to stop the Man of Shadows. Besides, would it not be better if they work together in order to find Rogue? He's worried about the young man with the ruby-red eyes and the pitch-black hair. Because there are still certain things he needs to know from Rogue. A short sigh leaves his lips as he notices a slender young man with long blond hair approaching them.
„Who is that?" is he only asking in a low voice with his arms crossed while he stands right next to Natsu. „Beats me" is Natsu right now answering surely unimpressed by this young man and both of them look right now at Rogues father, who is exchanging a few words with this stranger. After a while ne notices that the cat he saw earlier this morning is right next to Rogues father and seems to know the blond man quite well.
A mysterious aura is around this man. Something about him seems to be odd. One closer glance at him and he is sure this one must have european influences within his bloodline for sure. „Since Rogue still owes me a favor, I am willed to do as you ask me to do" is he right now picking up from this stranger and he rises shortly an eyebrow. What kind of favor is this man talking about?
He grits his teeth and forms a fist as he thinks again on what Natsu and himself have discovered a while ago in the cellar. If this one dares to do also this step, he's going to avoid this from happening at all. He doesn't know at all why he is suddenly so tense. Rogue and him are just friends, nothing more. But something deep inside tells him there is much more between the two of them.
„Natsu, Sting; just assure me, you master your elements within three days"
„Wait... WHAT? In only three days?"
„Sir, by all respect, what if we can't do this at all?"
„Then everything we know is lost"
is Rogues father right now telling them as his hands lay on the shoulders of Natsu and him. He looks right at him and quickly nods.
„I'm going to do this and Natsu as well" is he right now saying as he notices how eager his friend now is to control the element of fire. „Mr. Cheney, if we manage to do this, then you owe us a full explanation about this creepy guy" is Natsu right now saying towards Rogues father and a short smile rests on his lips. With a nod the man disappears and right now the two of them are left in care of the blond man.
************
Bringing Natsu and Sting right away to Rufus was a very good decision indeed. In this case he can now focus on tracking down the Man of Shadows without even endangering the two children of dragon heritage. This here is his task. To find and save his son out of the grip of this vile being. If one man can help to master their elements in such a short time, then it's for sure Rufus Lore. He knows the intelligent young blond from Rogues time spent within the Spirit World. No, he has to correct himself. He knows him from a time before his only son started slowly to drown in misery.
Because right now he puts all of his faith into these two children to assist Rogue in his task to secure the balance of the worlds. Therefore this is the only chance they have for them to awaken their true power by a master of memorizing everything in only a short amount of time. Otherwise it would have taken decades, if not centuries for Sting and Natsu to learn all about their element. Right now time itself is their biggest enemy. If he isn't able to locate Rogue in the three days he gives them to master their element, then every living creature will face immediate annihilation triggered by the Man of Shadows.