I do not own Fairy Tail..
_ AngeL .. † 080512 & 111412 †
A 12-year old Erandur stared hopefully at the empty dirt road. It's almost noon yet his father's still not home since yesterday morning, but he knew he'll come home today... He then turned his gaze to the dusty dry land where he was standing and started to draw with his bare foot a stick man holding hands with a stick child. He doesn't need nice clothes nor shoes; he doesn't even need wonderful toys nor delicious food; all he was asking for his birthday was to be with his father who was always full of dreams.
As he returned his gaze to the road, a smile crawled at his face as he saw a tall, lean man in ragged coat. Poverty was evident in his appearance and yet, he has this smile of content and his eyes who haven't had sleep reflected the joy at the sight of his eldest son.
Erandur ran to meet his father with arms wide open… And together, they walked towards their small house where a 5-year old Erikur was also waiting.
"So how's your visit to the traders? Do they agree to take you?" Anna asked excitedly at the rather quiet couple.
"Well… yeah. But I'm not sure if it's a good idea." Gajeel answered as he seated himself on one of the chairs in the kitchen while Lucy proceeded to the bedroom to prepare their luggage consisting only of their old clothes and the few ones Gajeel bought during their first day in this weird place.
As the faces of Gray, Natsu, Erza, Happy, and the rest of Fairy Tail appeared at the blonde's memory she couldn't help but smile. Finally, she's going home; she could hardly wait for tomorrow.
"Why do you say it's a bad idea?" The old woman pressed on but the dragon slayer was already out of the room. He went to the bedroom where Lucy was seated on the bed happily humming to herself. She looked too happy while the dragon slayer was saddened… Does she really hate him that much?
"I really think it's a bad idea," Gajeel muttered with uncertainty.
"Well," the blonde cringed. "I kinda thought so too but there's no other way. I'd rather risk it than be stuck here with you forever."
The dragon slayer chuckled… She really does hate him that much. "Can't blame you. I'd hate to be stuck here with you either." And he walked lazily out of the room. Truth is; the dragon slayer knew the moment they're back at Fiore he will become an apparition – he'll be gone at Lucy's sight and will be no more than just some other guild mate… that somehow… he felt as if he wouldn't want that.
"Say, Lucy-" he turned to chat some more but stopped as he saw Lucy hugging her old clothes with eyes shut while her mouth was forming a smile. "Lucy?" We're not yet in Fiore but she's already ignoring me. And this is even the first time I called her name.
"Gajeel," the dragon slayer was transported back to reality as Anna tugged his clothes. "What is it old lady?" Gajeel boringly asked as if he knew whatever she's gonna say would be of no importance.
"A handsome man's looking for Lucy," the old woman whispered suspiciously while pointing the door.
Gajeel's eyebrow twitched. He stomped towards the door and forcefully opened it as if taking out all his frustrations and confusion through that simple task of opening the wooden door. "What is it that you want?" He growled.
Erikur stared at the dragon slayer completely ignoring the tone of his voice. "I'm here for Lucy," he demanded.
Gajeel was irritated. He crossed his arms on his chest and stood at the door with legs apart that Erikur felt as if he won't let him come in unless he gave the correct password.
Erikur clutched his fists and then all of a sudden it flew towards the dragon slayer's face. Gajeel, who was either not expecting it, or just got too many things on his mind, found himself on the floor. "This has nothing to do with you…" Erikur gritted his teeth desperation evident in his voice.
"Gajeel!" Lucy stared shocked for a second at the dragon slayer and as her eyes fell on the assailant she was even more surprised. "Erikur?"
"W-what was that you bastard!" Gajeel suddenly stood up and grabbed Erikur by the collar.
But Erikur was not at all moved by the sudden actions; instead, he turned his stare at Lucy. "Lucy, please…"
The moon hung lazily amid the flora of nightfall and the sentinel has just seated at his assigned post in the watchtower when from the distance he noticed several lights running aimlessly inside the thick forest. Suspicious, he blew the trumpet made of a large shell, to warn the people of thieves and to call the warriors. A few minutes later, he was summoned to the port where a white gigantic boat was sitting peacefully, together with a group of warriors and some curious denizens. Apparently, the 'lights' were no thieves nor pirates but the crew of Capt. Erandur scouring the forest for his lost brother given that tomorrow morning they will be sailing back to the far country of Fiore and the said captain won't be leaving unless his beloved brother was with him.
Offering to help the good captain, the sentinels and the warriors set out to look for the lost little brother and so do the enthusiastic denizens who have nothing better to do. As more stars appeared on the horizon, more lamps were dispersed and more people were alerted.
Then somewhere amidst the commotion, a little apartment was mobbed right after the report of having seen the lost brother visiting the said house in the early afternoon of this day. Frantically, the landlady of the small apartment who was thankful for the freedom started rambling about the brother abducting a certain blonde girl with her husband in pursuit and of how she was locked in the restroom during the performance of the crime – causing the search party to be more eager, with the thought of punishment in mind.
Finally, a certain cry of "we've found them!" rang above the other insignificant dins pulling the concourse of justiciars to the direction of the shore southwest of the port where they saw a faint light evanescing as the fog thickened until eventually there left nothing.
"May the sharks eat him and the innocents be washed safely ashore," the denizens prayed knowing for certain the culprit has successfully slipped from their hands of justice therefore passing the burden to the unseen deities. But either they were mocked by those they worshipped or were answered differently, a fleeting boat went after the phantom which the denizens counted at least 15 cross men maneuvering the oars and a gigantic not-so-happy Capt. Erandur, that the people decided it was the latter.
Staring at the sea one last time before it turn red, the denizens focused their eyes on the direction where two boats have disappeared.
"At first I thought I was doing this for you… for myself. But I realized I'm doing this for my brother. I want to save him but I can't bring myself to surrender him to the Council so I thought maybe you could instead. Please Lucy, please help my brother."
Lucy stared at the handsome man who was propelling one of the oars as she recalled everything that happened early this afternoon. Of course, when she learned that their hunch about Capt. Erandur being the enemy who channelized them here was right, she felt fooled and betrayed; but eventually it dissipated until all she could feel now was a mixed emotion of pity – for Erikur and absurdly, for Erandur – and excitement with the thought that they will be going back to Fiore. Shuddering slightly from the cold, Lucy narrowed her eyes in an attempt to see the 'barrier' which Erikur talked about earlier. It must have been the same magic used to conceal Tenroujima, Lucy thought, though she has no idea what it looked like.
"How are we supposed to get through the barrier?" Sharing her thought, Gajeel broke the silence between them and Lucy diverted her gaze to Erikur, realizing that they had suddenly jumped onto this boat without having a more concrete plan rather than 'Sail Back to Magnolia and Report to the Council Plan'.
"You remember this morning when I whispered something to my brother and he suddenly decided to sail back to Fiore as soon as possible? It's because I told him a hole broke out into the barrier. So the answer to your question, Gajeel-san, is we will use that hole to escape." Erikur answered calmly yet with determination.
Gajeel huffed 'of course' but the blonde pressed further, "You said earlier it was your brother who made this barrier. If you already told him regarding the problem then why won't he just repair it then?"
"Because he can't… anymore." The brunette answered. "I think… I wanted to believe… the Gods have finally decided this madness must stop, that's why we run into you. As I've explained earlier, my brother's magic is a lost magic – one that creates a barrier to conceal a specific area be it small or large. But this crazy dream of his wouldn't have been realized if not for his wife, Aoine, who uses the kind of magic which alters a human's memory. The staff which my brother used to transfer people here was an ancient magic tool which will only take effect unless the one wielding it has a strong will. Aoine somehow managed to coalesce her magic into the staff that whoever was hit by it would automatically lose their own memory and be replaced with a fake one that they've been here ever since they were born. But during their fight with you, it seemed that you were able to knock Aoine's consciousness therefore your memories are intact. After finding out, my brother instantly decided to visit you in the form of an innocent trader in order to have you knocking at our doors instead of us searching for you… which proved utile."
Gajeel flouted and Lucy stared at the rippling water, embarrassed for falling easily into the trap. She remembered the name Aoine for it was her who foolishly insulted Erza. Had it not been for the armored mage, she must have been wondering right now what her keys are for. Wanting to dispel the awkward atmosphere, the dragon slayer hissed sarcastically, "we're not asking about that and you already explained that earlier. We're asking about the hole, you know, at the barrier?"
Erikur stared at Gajeel and uttered "oh right, I'm sorry…" before diverting back his stare ahead of him. "Well my brother told me a pink-haired monster almost killed him. Thankfully, my brother was able to escape by using the staff to himself and to Aoine. But the damage to him was immense, his second origin has closed therefore weakening the barrier."
Lucy and Gajeel let out a silent chuckle at the pink-haired monster. "By the way, you never mentioned your own power nor why are we not able to use magic here." Lucy asked further. "Unlike my brother, unlike you, I have no power… I am not a mage," the brunette simpered with a hint of sadness. "That's why I'm scared of him. And to answer your second question, this barrier that my brother created requires a continuous supply of mana – the reason why he only capture mages – so naturally you can't use magic without mana. Besides, like I said earlier, it has always been his and my father's dream to live in a place where magic is unknown, where people live without magic. Having found no such place, he decided to make his own. That's why I said its madness. He hates wizards ever since we were a child and it's ironic when we discovered he is one of them and even married a mage. Maybe this is a punishment to him for harboring that stark hatred."
"Yet your asshole brother can use magic eh?" Gajeel butt in derisively, suspicion apparent.
"A question I kept asking him yet until now I receive no answer," Erikur sighed and the dragon slayer snorted, for one cannot expect him to trust a stranger much more an ally of the enemy. The moment his power's back, Gajeel promised himself to give this man a helping of his iron fist just because.
Then there was silence… But it was not long enough until the sound of scouring water not far from them caught their attention. Agaze eyes focused at the source, they were dashed to see Capt. Erandur whose appearance returned back to usual – lean yet tall, long brown hair, well-shaved face. "Erikur. You had me worried my dear brother," the captain went fore and smirked evilly as soon as their boats were adjacent.
Letting go of the oar, Gajeel stood in a defensive stance with Lucy behind him and Erikur did the same. "So my little brother has decided to betray me, his only family, for the sake of a stranger? How sad…" The older man shook his head slowly, feigning despair.
Sweat beaded the dragon slayer's body and he felt the blonde gripped his shirt as if seeking for protection. All of a sudden, an image of the celestial mage happily hugging her clothes at the thought of going home flashed in Gajeel's memory and it stabbed him like daggers. He can't deny the fact that earlier he felt a bit – just a very tiny bit – of despair but that doesn't mean he really wanted to stay; especially after witnessing Lucy's excitement and sheer delight. Scanning the enemy, the dragon slayer counted 10 men plus Erandur himself, a total of 11 against 3. A one-sided fight no doubt… For the first time, Gajeel doesn't know what to do. Had it not been for Lucy, he would surely jump into the enemies with or without power and damn the consequences but right now he could only think of how to protect Lucy. But, even if they yield, it is still uncertain what this sly mage will do to them - to Lucy.
"Damn!" Gajeel hissed after realizing he kept on thinking about Lucy. Normally, he wouldn't give a shit to what will happen to her but…
"Don't worry," Erandur croaked as if he was able to read what the dragon slayer was thinking. "I won't do you harm. Like I said, I wanted to help you go back home. Apparently, Midas…" Lips curled to an evil smirk, he waved his hand to the direction of the shore somewhere behind them which served as prison to mages. "Midas is now your home."
Lucy, unable to take the disappointment of a failed escape, stepped forward with clutched fists. "You've gotten mad!" She pointed her finger to Erandur who raised a brow at her sudden actions. "What do you expect to achieve with this? You're only depriving us of our lives! Erikur said it was your father's dream to live in a place where no magic exists, but not this way. If you think you're making your father proud that's where you're wrong… I bet he is crying right now, seeing as how you have fallen."
Eyes widening with shock, Erandur seethed with anger at hearing such vilification. "Shut the fuck up, bitch!" He uttered the words slowly for his mind was in a maelstrom of emotions undecipherable. She's done it, Erikur could already see himself starving inside the cold cell and the bodies of Lucy and Gajeel beaten to the extent they're unrecognizable. He could already hear the painful scream coming from the blonde girl for he knew his brother would make sure she'll suffer in an unimaginable way.
But none of those happened – or will happen – for Erandur gave out a sigh in an attempt to calm hisself for he knew he has no magic power enough to keep the barrier going. Damn that monster! It was its entire fault that he himself wasn't able to cast another magic. Turning to his crew, he uttered in an obvious disappointed tone "take them!"
"We won't go without a fight," Gajeel raised his fists, with a resolve not to lose especially in front of a certain blonde girl.
I apologize for taking too long in updating this story… It's just that I'm no longer in the mood to write but of course I won't leave these stories unfinished so I will really give my very best to find time for them.
Also, I'm not good in writing action scenes so don't expect for an action next chapter.
This chapter is meant to answer all questions regarding the place and the intention of the antagonists so I hope I was able to answer them all.
Thanks!
