Chapter 10

Hunting The Wind

Since the day athos left to find Laxus a lot had happened and Mirajane was happy to tell him all about it all when he came in to the guild feeling better from his beat down. Only however on the condition athos told her what he'd been up to for the last couple of days.

Athos didn't want another one of Mirajane's lectures about him going after Laxus and so he tells her that he had been away in the forest practising with his lute like any bard would do. Mirajane however looks at him on his stool trying to see for tale tail sign of lying, Athos keeps as natural face as possible until finally she accepts his story with a smile telling him to be careful in the wilds.

She then began to inform him about how about the team of Nastu,Gray,Erza and Lucy managed to defeat a dark magic monster saving the guild masters from death only then when they came back to have Natsu challenge Ezra to a fight before she was arrested by the magical council for damages caused to official magic buildings.

Athos could only guess what damage Erza and her two friends had caused before Mirajane finally finishes off the news by telling Athos that Nastu had gone after her leading him to cause trouble resulting in the two being locked up and now everyone was just waiting for them to return to the guild.

Poor athos couldn't believe some much had happened whilst he'd been away, though he wasn't surprised about Nastu. The young pink haired boy had always been in pain in the neck with his untamed temper in his mind.

"Well maybe now natsu might learn from his this and start acting like a grown-up. Though I certainly won't mind seeing our resident dragon slayer be beaten down by Erza again" Athos said to Mirajane with a friendly smile. However he soon lost that when Mirajane before brought up that she knew athos himself had been beaten up by Erza when she was just a little girl.

This athos could not never forgot especially as it was over some strawberry cake and all the whole guild saw it unfold. Still as Mirajane laughs at Athos who begins to mumble as he recalled the fight suddenly a familiar pair walk into the guild looking tired, Nastu and Erza.

Noticing this all the mages on the ground floor welcome them back with cheers and shouts only to have Nastu begin to run about like a crazy person, shouting aloud about how great the fresh air tasted. His noise instantly kills the welcoming spirit of the ground floor mages as he run about knocking over cups and other ornaments as he does.

Yet while Natsu runs about, Erza comes straight to the bar where Athos and Mirajane were talking and polity interrupts them with a small cough before asking Mirajane if she could purchase a slice of strawberry cake.

Mirajane nods happily telling Erza to wait right there before going to the fridge at the back of the bar and pulling out a single slice of strawberry cake on a clean white plate. It came as no surprise to Athos to see a slice already waiting to go in the guild fridge especially since the day the guild didn't have any cake and Erza went rather blue over the fact.

Still shaking himself out of his thought as Mirajane asked Erza to pay for the slice, Athos insists he pay of it. He felt it only fair after all Erza had been through especially since she had natsu with her that she deserved something.

Normally Erza would tell Athos to keep his money yet with such little sleep from her night in a cell, she wasn't in the mood to argue and so with that Erza thanks Athos before taking her dish to eat at a nearby table. Mirajane quickly holds out her right hand out to athos, who just as quickly reaches into his right back pocket of his trousers, pulling out a handful of jewel before putting them in Mirajane's open right hand.

She thanks him with a smile before the two go back to talking about the guild. Everything seemed to go back to normal for the guild with natsu still running around while everyone else chatted and drank until Elfman, the tall, muscular brother of Mirajane asks Nastu if he id going to continue his fight with Erza?

"You bet I am!" Nastu said looking his sight on Erza who was eating quietly at her chosen table near Athos and Mirajane. He suddenly charges at erza calling for her to bring it on only to be receive a strong punch to the gut from her that knocks him out cold. The ground floor mages laugh at this as it was what they expecting to happen yet suddenly their laughter began to die down and they all felt very tired.

"Oh..It has to be Mystogan." Mirajane said softly before she fell to the floor asleep soon followed by most the other mages, they never saw the masked mage enter the guild. Yet the master, who had sat at the bar drinking this whole time manages to keep his eye open as the masked mage picks a job from the job board and shows it to him.

"Ok just lift your sleeping spell before you go" the master said trying to stay awake as the masked mage makes his way out the guild, counting down as he goes. "Five,four,three,two, one."

With that the sleeping mages awaken and the masked mage Mystogen vanishes leaving the guild member to begin to talk about how everytime Mystogen comes for a contract, he puts everyone to sleep so he can collect it without being seen.

They knew no one expect the master has seen what he looks like. However according to one mage that was not true and he happly shares this fact with the rest of them from the second floor balcony by shouting down to them all.

"You idiots! Mystogen just a little shy that's all and besides i know what he looks because I'm strong enough not to knocked out by his sleeping magic."

Of course the person saying this is Laxus, who smirks as he boasts about this fact. Most of the fairy tail mages didn't try to argue to him however Nastu who would not allow laxus to call him weak challenges the lighting mage to fight him right then.

Hearing this Laxus encourages Natsu, telling him that if he wanted to fight the powerfulest mage in fairy tail he would have to come up to him. The dragon slayer would have however as Nastu jumps over the bar ready to make a dash for the stairs, the master slams him down to the ground with his giant grown left fist telling the dragon slayer he wasn't allowed up there causing Laxus to laugh loudly.

The feeling of being untouchable made Laxus continue to boast going as far as claiming to be fairy tail's strongest mage surpassing the skill of both Ezra and Mystogen. Such a statement made a lot of mage angry and seeing this from where he sat, Master Dryer sternly orders them all to go back to what they had been doing. He knew his guild could erupt into a fight at any moment and wanted them all to settle down before anything could happen and luckily most of the mage went back to drinking and chatting. That was all apart from Laxus who stood on the balcony still looking down at them all like a king over his kingdom while below him Athos just sat there not saying a word as he looks up at Laxus. He felt a little hurt that Laxus once agian had omitted him for his speech about being more powerful than most the s-class mages in the guild.

Still he could not wallow in self-pity for long because after a few minutes, Master Dryer came over to him with a piece of paper in his hands saying in his usual friendly tone.

"Athos i need you to take care of this for me."

The fairy tail bard quickly takes the paper from his master offering hands and at once looks at it, wondering what his master could want him to do for him? The piece of paper turns out to be a contract but not one from the ground floor board, no this job athos could see by the little red s in the right corner of the contract came from the s-class board.

Yet to add to this, athos also picks out that the requester for the job is none other than magic council themselves. Not only making this an s rank contact a rare and very well paid one at that.

Knowing how special this contract is athos couldn't help but ask his guild master why he choose him for the contract? After all couldn't he of ask Erza or maybe Laxus? However the master refuses to answer his mage, only telling him that he a job is a job and he should do it without questions before making his way back to his spot on the bar counter to continue his drinking.

Hearing this Athos then hands the contract to Mirajane, who had been quietly observing what athos and the master had done. She quickly takes the contract off him before once again skim reads the job description to himself.

Athos already had looked over the job while the master had talked to him and knew exactly what it entailed. his task is to track down the man behind the incident that nearly killed the guild masters, Erigor. Known as the grim reaper from the many assassin contract he's completed, he fled after battling Nastu and now is hiding from the magic council who now want a fairy tail mage to hunt him down and bring him for punishment.

This wasn't a job Athos would ever have considered taking after all he wasn't the type of person who enjoys hunting down criminals. But how could he turn it down now? What with his master expecting him to finish this contact and the fact the contract came straight from such a highly respected place. Athos would not disappoint and so after Mirajane asks him if he is sure about this?

He answers her with a small nod before finally with a bow of farewell to mirajane, athos leaves the guild with both the master and mirajane watching him. Mirajane could not help but worry about her friend but the master did not share the same feelings. For he knew deep down that erigor would be not match for his best plant mage.

But back with Athos he wasn't feeling worry or pride but wonder. Wonder at how he was going find a mage would ride the wind? After all the job description only gave a few sightings of where Erigor had been last seen meaning Athos would have to be clever about finding him if he didn't want to end up chasing his own tail for days.

"I guess I should start with the most recent place Ergior was last seen." Athos said recalling the small list of places his target had been seen at on the contract from his memory. The fairy tail bard's first stop would take him to Oak town where Erigor had last been sighted walking around the town late at night. Athos could only guess his target was trying to find work with the town criminals but guessing Erigor wouldn't hang around if there were no jobs for him to take, athos rushes about the town's local pubs and inns seeking information about Erigor location.

Yet to his surprise no-one in any or the bars or inns in town had seen or heard about Erigor.

"How strange" thought Athos as he came out the last bar in Oak town still without information on his targets location.

He was sure Erigor must have at least gone for a drink during his travels. But then again, if he had no jewels he certainly would not be welcome into any establishment. A dead-end already in his investigation Athos began to wonder if the person who said they saw Erigor in this town really did see him or was just someone wasting his and the magic councils time?

Still not about to give up on a wim, Athos search continues leading him to a range of towns over a three days including Oshibana, Hargeon and Clover town, Athos search finally lead him to the last place Athos expects to find the ex guild master, Eisenwald.

Home to Erigor, this large stone made building hide in a dead forest far away from any town with a huge open wooden door and windows without glass in them. It looked to be abandoned and athos had to wonder if really anyone would really want to hide here? Yet with a feeling in his gut that he'd regret not checking the old guild, athos steps forward towards the building open front door only managing to take a few steps before suddenly a strong gust of wind from the door began to push him back.

Athos quickly holds on to his hat with his right hand as the wind slowly forces him back inch by inch. He didn't have to guess that if wind magic is being used against him it must Erigor was trying to stop him from entering Eisenwald.

"Erigor!" Athos shout loudly as he begins to force him way through the strong wind.

"Show yourself and we can deal with this situation peacefully."

With no answer back athos step by step fought with all his might getting closer and closer to the entrance to Eisenward before suddenly the wind dies down instantly. This did not sit well with athos as then from the open door of the guild came a slow and beaten looking Erigor.

Stumbling out like some wounded night creature holding his scyther like it's a walking stick,his black scarf had gone from his neck and his body covered in bruises and cuts form his last fight Erigor looks at athos with a menacing grin before saying aloud.

"The fairy tail bard huh? If it wasn't humiliating enough to be beaten by some fire mage of a kid now they send a mage who uses flowers to beat people up. How pathetic do they think I am?"

Athos paid no mind to his targets comment and proceeds to offer Erigor the chance to surrender with the promise that if he does, athos would see to it that his battle wounds treated before the council his trail. But Erigor didn't believe him. For he'd had heard all the stories about the fairy tail bard, the mage with a sliver tongue that convinced an entire dark guild to surrender, the mage who could twist nature itself and make it dance for him.

Such a mage Erigor could not see making such a peaceful offer unless he wanted him alive for some reason that made him feel like making his capture as hard as he could for the bard. For suddenly Erigor charges towards athos, his scythe at ready to strike yet Athos does not move an inch. Knowing that the fairy tail s-class guide lines states that he has to give his foe to the counts of three to surrender before attacking, he begins to count.

One. Two. Three. With that Erigor scythe comes slashing towards the bard head only to suddenly to be caught by a bunch vine's that shot out the ground before athos wrapping themselves around a the scythe blade within few inches of the bard head.

Erigor then look at athos ready to shout at him for his cheap block only to notice the determination in the bard's eyes as he looks back at his foe. The wind mage knew then that the real battle between himself and the fairy tail bard had begun.