Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail
Wizards stared in stunned silence at the mage who sat in the center of a sea of death. Zeref couldn't stop thinking about the past, however. Mavis, dead from a single kiss. His parents, dead just after he found a way to give them life once more. His instructors, dead after warning him countless times to leave this magic alone. His peers, dead because he wasn't smart enough to isolate himself after killing everyone else. Zeref's entire life was nothing but tragedy, and now, he had one more name to add to that list. Natsu, dead because he had been trying to save others from Zeref's curse.
His shoulders shook, while Zeref avoided looking at a single person around him. Maybe one of the Fairy Tail wizards would want to help, but he had chosen the wrong companions if he was seeking comfort. "What was that?" he heard one of the wizards ask. From the sounds of the voice, it was Lyon, talking in a stunned voice.
Jura was the one who replied. "Death magic. I am not familiar with it…though, it seems as if this wizard is capable of using a powerful form of it." he warned, his voice grave.
"Men! We must defeat this threat immediately, before he goes after us, next!" Ichiya insisted. The three other members of Blue Pegasus were by his side in an instant, all preparing to attack.
It was the child that stopped them, however. "Wait!" Wendy shouted, kneeling down in front of Natsu. His form had collapsed on the ground. The girl's shout made Zeref glance upward slightly, wondering what he had done to convince yet another person to save him. He didn't want to be saved anymore, not if this was the result. "I think…Natsu is still alive." she declared.
A slight gasp escaped Zeref, his eyes darting to the pink haired wizard on the ground. "It…it can't be…" he whispered, but he felt a small amount of hope within him. Zeref didn't dare get any closer to check and be certain, but if Natsu was alive, then maybe this hadn't been as tragic as he thought it would be.
Wendy pressed a hand to the boy's chest, leaning down to listen closely. "He's breathing! Maybe…I think I might be able to fix him…" she whispered, placing her hands on his body. Then the girl paused before actually using any magic, staring at the scarf around Natsu's neck. "Wait a second…was this black before? I could have sworn it was white…"
"It was." Zeref breathed, staring at the object with wide eyes. A scarf had absorbed his magic, something he had never imagined occurring in his entire life. The material of it had to be enchanted. Sensing outward, he was shocked to see that it was not the case. The only magic around the scarf was his own, so the only option was that the material itself was designed to absorb magic. What could absorb so much magical energy, though? "Natsu's alive…I am so relieved…"
A small smile formed on his tear streaked face. The young girl blinked, surprised to see him acting this way, but she still smiled after a few moments. "You didn't want to hurt him, did you?" she questioned. "I'm not that good with my magic either…I feel like everyone is always getting hurt trying to protect me sometimes."
"I…you said you could help him before." Zeref commented quietly, glancing towards the girl. "While I may not be close enough to truly examine anything, it appears as if the scarf absorbed the spell for him."
Wendy nodded, pulling the fabric off of Natsu and letting it rest in her lap. "This is a dark energy…I guess it would have to be, considering what it did to the rest of the plants around you." She looked somewhat sad at the sight, but Zeref had long since grown used to dead plants surrounding him. The living plants were more rare and held his attention longer. "If he keeps this on for long, I think it will interfere with his ability to heal and recover energy. Maybe…I wonder if I could remove the taint from it…"
Her musings were cut off as she closed her eyes, focusing on the scarf. Zeref didn't quite know what the girl was trying to do, but his eyes widened when he saw light glowing faintly around her hands. The scarf slowly began to revert back to its white color, patterned in a unique way that suddenly made Zeref realize what it was made of. "Dragon scales…" he whispered. He never imagined that a dragon would willingly surrender such things, but this time, it had saved Natsu's life.
When Wendy finished her spell, she swayed slightly and nearly collapsed on the ground. "Wendy!" shouted a small white cat, rushing to her side. "You know what happens when you use too much of your magic. Honestly, you would be lost without me."
This was even more shocking than he thought it would be. Her magic was healing magic, an art he thought was lost. No, now that he thought about what he sensed before, it wasn't quite right. "The sky dragon slayer." he stated softly, this time making the girl's brown eyes blink open.
"Huh? How—how did you recognize my magic?" she questioned, glancing around. "I mean, I thought it was rare. Dragon slayers aren't common…" she muttered, glancing towards Natsu.
Jura stood in front of her, trying to block her view of Zeref at that point. "Enough of this. Wendy, you may have powerful magic, but this is a wizard none of us can trust. Just look at what he did to our ally! He will destroy us all, if given the chance." he insisted.
Lyon moved to stand by Jura's side, prepared to attack if necessary. "He's right. Death magic is unforgivable. Why anyone would master it is a mystery to me, but we'll figure that out after you've been stopped."
Continuing to stare at the dragon slayers, hidden behind the two wizards, Zeref ignored their threats. This was the first person he had ever met that showed any signs of being capable of nullifying his magic. "She…she can heal it…" he whispered, still stunned. "I had known that she would be capable of healing…but healing the taint of this? Perhaps…she may be the key…Mavis…I think I've found our answer."
No one understood his ramblings, but the sky dragon slayer was looking annoyed with her protectors. "Hey, leave him alone!" she shouted, smacking against Jura's legs with little affect. "He didn't mean to hurt anyone, I know it. You all heard what he said. His magic forces him to stay on the balance between light and dark…because it forces him to kill. It's okay, you know. As long as you're trying to stop it, that's what matters."
Her kind words made Zeref turn away, unsure of what to do in response. "It cannot be stopped, not in the way you are thinking. If I gain control over this magic…it means I no longer care if I kill or not. Without control, however, I still bear the guilt of destroying the world around me." He had not spoken about his curse so much in a long time. Now, it felt like he was sharing details about it with everyone he met. Surely, one person would actually recognize it soon, but for now, his identity appeared to be safe. Maybe history had forgotten the origins of his original magic. It would not surprise him, since he was remembered as the villain who created demons to destroy the world.
"That's horrible!" she shouted from behind Jura. The other wizards were looking conflicted themselves, unsure of what to make of Zeref's comment. Wendy placed Natsu's scarf back down on the boy's chest, rising to her feet and moving to stand next to her companions. "Isn't there anything that can be done to stop it?"
Staring at her, Zeref knew that his curse itself would not be ended. "No, however, I am beginning to see something that may be able to help…" he mused quietly. "All of you, I understand that you do not trust me. It is quite common for everyone I meet to hate and fear me, and I do not blame you. Still, I would appreciate the chance to speak with you. I am in need of this dragon slayer's aid, and it is imperative that I have the opportunity to explain this task to her in person."
Sharing a look, the gathered wizards slowly sunk to the ground, sitting in a line a distance away from Zeref. No one dared to get close to the circle of death surrounding Zeref. Even Laxus and his team stayed back, eyeing their master carefully. "Hey, what's this about? I don't get what you think a little pipsqueak like her can do for you." Laxus demanded.
Ignoring him, Zeref turned towards the others. "To ease some of your suspicions, I will tell you the name of the magic you have witnessed just now. The one among you who uses Archive Magic will then be able to inform you of what it means." he began, glancing around them. "What you have just witnessed is known as Ankhseram's Curse, something I have grown used to living with. My name…well, that is a different matter entirely. For now, you may call me August, though I will let you know that it is not truly my name."
"August?" Evergreen asked behind him, scoffing. "Who the hell thought of such a stupid name?"
Unwilling to admit that Zeref had named a child August after her comment, he simply remained silent. The day he met August, he had seen something in the boy's eyes that reminded him of Mavis. He had taken the child in as a result, and raised him to be a part of his army. Within the Alvarez Empire, August thrived, though he was a bit of an oddity in terms of personality.
Hibiki had pulled something up using his magic, and was staring at Zeref with narrowed eyes. "He isn't lying. There is a curse, an ancient curse that has long been forgotten about, that forces a wizard to release an uncontrollable amount of death magic. I can't believe we've never heard of this before…it sounds like it would be huge in the magical world, with how threatening it is to anyone around the cursed wizard."
Glancing away, Zeref focused on the sky instead. "It isn't common, so it does not surprise me that society does not recognize the name." he commented. "However, my issue lies in saving someone I once knew, a woman who is dead, yet alive at the same time."
"This is ridiculous. Everyone knows that magic cannot bring back the dead." Jura insisted.
Ichiya nodded in agreement, with his men following his examples. Even Wendy looked hesitant, fiddling with her hands as she glanced towards her lap. "He's right. Even my power…I can't do something like that." she admitted.
"No, that is not what I'm asking for." Zeref stated. "I am quite aware of the results of so much as attempting to resurrect anyone. No one should have to suffer through that pain, and I would not ask you to do that for me. As I stated before, this individual is still alive, in some form, but incapable of truly living. You," Zeref pointed to the man with archive magic, still unaware of his name. "Tell them what else comes along with the curse."
Hibiki hesitated, glancing at the screen with doubt in his eyes. "I don't really know about this…but it says that the curse grants immortality as well." he stated quietly.
Nodding, Zeref stared at his own lap. "I was not the only one with this curse. Since I valued her life, my curse attempted to steal it away. At the same time, her own curse reacted and attempted to keep her alive. As a result, she is neither dead nor alive, but trapped in a state in between both. This is what I wished to have Wendy aid me with. I believe that with her power, she can remove the taint of my magic from her body, just as she did with Natsu's scarf. Then, Mavis would live again."
"Wait, you think this little kid can free Mavis?" Laxus demanded, glaring over at him. "You're insane. What the hell made you think to do this? I thought you were trying to off yourself. Did we finally get you to change your mind?"
Narrowing his eyes, Zeref eyed Laxus carefully. "Not quite, and I suggest keeping your input to a minimum, Laxus. There are some things that they do not need to know." he added darkly.
At this point, Natsu sat up, rubbing his head and grumbling for a moment as he glanced around. "Wh—what happened? I thought we were all running from…" he trailed off, glancing towards Zeref.
"You were. It appears you have more to thank Igneel for than I thought." he commented, glancing towards his scarf. "This other dragon slayer removed the magic for you, however, the scales within that scarf absorbed my magic before it could cause you any harm."
Natsu touched the scarf, wrapping it back around his neck after he studied it closely. "Huh. I didn't realize it could do that. So, what's with the group meeting?"
"Oh, August was just asking me to help save a friend of his." Wendy commented, staring at Zeref with thoughtful eyes. "And after hearing about all of this…I think I should. I'm not usually helpful to others, and I can't really fight. I don't even know if I can do this…but if I can heal your friend, I want to at least try and give her a chance." She smiled towards him, holding Charle tightly in her arms. "My name is Wendy, by the way. It is nice to meet you."
Giving her a small smile, Zeref nodded. He had at least convinced her to help, and that was all he truly needed. "Save your friend….oh, you mean Mavis? Wait, did I really miss that much? I can't believe he told you guys about her, I had to bug him about it to get him to explain anything about the girl." Natsu rubbed the back of his head after his comment, glancing towards Zeref. "Still, it's good to see that he's finally letting others in. Didn't I tell you things are better this way?"
"My only use for Wendy is as a tool to free Mavis, you are simply seeing more to this than there actually is." Zeref countered, watching the dragon slayer scowl and cross his arms over his chest.
Surprisingly, Natsu did not need much more prompting to defend the young girl. "Hey, don't you talk about Wendy like that! She's not a tool, like I said before, the people you work with should be your friends, just like me." he insisted.
"Is this even relevant to the matter at hand?" Lyon questioned, interrupting before Zeref could reply. "It is like I am working with children. As I see things, there is no reason to report this man to the Council. They are likely already aware of the issues caused by this curse, and are keeping things quiet to avoid panic within the public."
Turning away, Zeref did not respond. He knew the truth, but this time, it was best to leave them to speculate their own theories. When even the Council forgot about the curse he bore, Zeref knew it was hopeless to search for a cure. "Indeed! It would be a shame to have to transform this lovely parfum of budding friendship, into one of bitter sorrow. I say, let him be free, men!" Ichiya declared, his nostrils flaring again as he sniffed the air.
"Actually, I highly doubt he views us as friends, sir." Hibiki commented, glancing towards the black wizard. "If he saw us in that way, I am certain we would find ourselves caught up in more magic like the spell we witnessed before. That is how the curse works, after all."
"You told them about the curse too?" Natsu demanded, before anyone else could reply. "Damn it, is there anything you didn't tell them about?"
Pausing, Zeref pondered for a moment about the facts Natsu knew compared to those the other wizards were now aware of. "I suppose they are not aware of my true identity. Nor do they know of who my associates are, or what I had originally come to this place for."
The dragon slayer frowned, glancing over at the others before nodding and giving Zeref a slight grin. "Alright, then I guess that just means I've gotta stick around a little longer and learn more. Lahar can wait, I'm getting fired up for this mission of yours. Come on, let's go save Mavis." With that, Natsu rose to his feet and turned to head back towards town.
Glancing towards the others, Zeref nodded towards Laxus and the Thunder Legion. "Inform the others that I am going…home for a little while. It was the only place I could think of where she would not be found." Laxus nodded, getting up and glancing towards his friends.
"Alright, sounds like we're done here. Oh, and August?" Laxus stated, glancing towards his guild's master. "If you go around making plans as stupid as this one again, don't be surprised to find me beating some sense into you. There are better ways to spend my time, and I'd rather not waste it on jobs like this."
With that, the Thunder Legion made their exit as Zeref moved to follow Natsu. Behind him, Wendy slowly rose to her feet and rushed to catch up. "Wait, don't forget about me!" she shouted, glancing a bit uncomfortably towards Zeref. "Where are we going, anyway?"
Turning over his shoulder, Zeref checked to make sure they had put a little bit of distance between themselves and the others. Seeing that they were all still gathered together behind him, Zeref turned back towards Wendy and Natsu. "As I stated before, we are going to one of the few places I can call my home." Letting his gaze flicker towards Natsu, Zeref questioned if the boy would figure out just where that was.
"I'm sorry, I don't know where that is…" Wendy whispered, politely trying to hint for more information.
Smirking, Natsu glanced over at him. "You weren't lying to that officer in Oshibana, were you?" It only took another moment for Natsu's smirk to vanish into a look of horror as he froze. "Wait a second…then that means…don't tell me we're taking a boat…"
"Unfortunately, that is the only way to travel between continents, Natsu. Wendy, I should apologize to you as well. I know transportation doesn't typically agree with the magic in dragon slayers, but—" The girl cut him off, smiling towards him.
"Oh no, that's just fine!" she insisted, smiling brightly. "I've been on boats before, though it wasn't ever for a long period of time. I actually find the rocking soothing, it is nice and peaceful out on the water."
That made Zeref pause, glancing towards Wendy before he shook his head. Whatever the reason was, this girl didn't have the standard weaknesses of a dragon slayer. "I see. Then, in that case, our destination is the Alvarez Empire. Oh, and once we arrive, I do believe it would be best to refer to me as Spriggan, rather than August. Things may get confusing there if he's around, now that I think about it."
"Oh, now that makes sense!" Natsu stated, grinning at Zeref who simply blinked in surprise. "Lahar seemed to recognize your fake name. Sorry, I kind of had to tell him that I ran into you…anyway, I guess he met this guy that's actually named August, not you."
Unsure of if it was true or not, Zeref simply moved on. Back in the town bordering Rosenwald, Zeref knew that this would be the start of a long journey. Hopefully, he wouldn't be spending too much time helping dragon slayers overcome their motion sickness. If so, he realized that the dragon slayers wouldn't be the only ones uncomfortable during this journey back to the empire he had created so long ago.
Even with Natsu off on a mission for the Council, Lahar was making no progress in his investigation. It was almost as if Fairy Tail had vanished entirely. No one in Hargeon had seen strange wizards coming into town, and even the local train station said they saw nothing out of the ordinary. Sure, things had been hectic when Oshibana Station had shut down, but afterwords, things had been running smoothly and there was no change to how things operated in town.
Knowing that, however, did give Lahar a single clue. The chaos caused by the dark guild's takeover of Oshibana Station had aided in Fairy Tail's escape. They had left Magnolia on that day, when Eisenwald attacked. Lahar was certain of it, but he still didn't understand how no one saw a single wizard. Maybe the chaos had kept everyone focused on protecting themselves, but it still got on Lahar's nerves to see just how unobservant the public truly was when their lives were at risk.
Today, Lahar was busy visiting Oshibana for that very reason. He had learned very little about the incident that occurred here, but maybe Fairy Tail had somehow been involved in orchestrating the attack. The timing seemed too perfect for it to be otherwise. As he found himself standing before the train station, Lahar tried to sense for lingering magic energy. Unsurprisingly, whatever spells used all those days ago had faded away. While a minor trace of magic could be detected, it was impossible to determine the true purpose of the spells at this point.
Standing in front of the station was one of the local authorities. Dressed in a blue coat and pants, the man seemed to stand observant before the world. Approaching him, Lahar began to see at least a glimmer of hope for his future. "Excuse me, sir. I am Captain Lahar of the Rune Knights. I am here on an investigation, trying to learn anything that I can about the incident that resulted in the shutdown of this train station recently."
The officer glanced at him, snorting as he shook his head. "Oh, another rune knight. Honestly, I'm sick and tired of you stuck-up knights looking down upon us ordinary officers." he complained, shaking his head. "If you want information, find it elsewhere. I've got work to do, unlike some people around here who don't even bother helping a city clearly in need of protection."
Unsure of what to do in response, Lahar simply nodded and began to back away. "My apologies for disturbing you. Please, enjoy the rest of your day." He at least tried to amend his folly, but the officer didn't seem to care. Perhaps it was simply an old grudge, but then again, it wasn't an uncommon mindset to find among law enforcement these days. The Rune Knights were the elite guard of Fiore, and some did let that pride go to their heads. Attitudes created tension between Rune Knights and other officers, resulting in a weak hatred and animosity between them.
In the streets of Oshibana, it became clear that this city actually had been suffering. Homes were run down, looking worn and aged. Shops were nearly empty, and only a few people wandered through the streets to visit them. Restaurants only seemed to serve two tables at the most right now, leaving business lacking. Lahar wondered if it was a lack of wealth that caused this, or something else entirely. Maybe this place truly did need some help.
Either way, Lahar did know the best place to hear rumors in any city. If the officers were not willing to help, he would turn towards the citizens for answers. Stepping towards the local bar, Lahar prepared himself to face drunken men and woman with a scowl. He hated alcohol and the way it made normal men seem so unintelligent and idiotic at times. People did foolish things when drunk, and it was why Lahar made it a point to avoid alcohol as much as possible.
Stepping inside, Lahar saw the first place in this town that seemed to be doing well, comparatively at least. People gathered at the counter, drinks in hand as they grinned at each other and talked. Noise filled the air, with other conversations beginning at the tables inside the bar. Moving past a few people, Lahar managed to find a seat for himself at the counter. Serving drinks was an older man, with a ragged grey beard and balding hair. His gaze turned towards Lahar, a slightly irritated look as he moved towards the new customer in the place.
"What can I get for ya today?" the man spat out, in a rough voice. He clearly didn't make any attempt to be pleasant to guests, but in a place like this, not everyone minded.
"Just water, thank you." Lahar stated, watching the man scowl and grab a glass. "I was wondering…have you heard anything about the recent attack from Eisenwald?"
The bartender seemed to glare even more harshly than before, slamming the glass on the counter as he poured ice into it. Pulling out a pitcher, he began to pour water into the glass. "We don't talk about them in these parts. Speaking about dark wizards only brings them into town, we say. I don't care if you are one of them fancy rune knights, this is my bar, and what I say goes."
Nodding, Lahar clasped his hands around the water. "I see, I meant no disrespect." he tried, but the man only grunted and turned towards another guest.
This place was odd, Zeref had to admit. Perhaps living in the shadow of a dark guild had caused many people to be suspicious of strangers. Either that, or Eisenwald had struck so much fear into them that no one was willing to mention anything about the guild. Taking a drink, Lahar gazed around at the people in this place. He counted at least ten individuals, not counting himself and the bartender. That gave him at least a small chance of finding someone who had been here during the attack.
Turning back towards the counter, Lahar considered how to approach this. Not many people would be willing to talk, he realized. Either they disliked rune knights, or they simply did not wish to speak with strangers. "Are you still here?" the bartender questioned, while Lahar thought. "Persistent bastard, I'll give you that much. Look, if I tell you what I know, will you get out of my bar? I thought I made it clear that you wouldn't be getting any information from my customers here."
"I…did you do that just to get me to leave?" Lahar questioned, watching the man simply stare in response. Maybe that was the case. Considering the looks the other guests kept sending his direction, he could only imagine how rune knights were perceived by this town. Daggers were being shot towards him from all directions, people glaring at his back and the robe that marked him as one of the Council's officers. "Oh, now I see. Oshibana isn't a fan of the Rune Knights, is it?"
"You can say that again. Folks around here don't like people who claim to be here to help, but do nothing to actually fix our problems." the bartender picked up an empty glass resting on the counter, taking it behind with a cloth and beginning to scrub it in front of Lahar. "You being in my bar brings bad business, and I want you out as soon as possible. So, do we have a deal? I talk about Eisenwald, and you leave once we're done, alright?"
Seeing it as the best option so far, Lahar nodded and remained quiet. "Good. So, Oshibana Station, right?" Once again the captain nodded in confirmation. "Well, there's not much to tell. Erigor, that wind mage everyone talks about, came to town with a few of his buddies. They attacked the station, and announced that it belonged to them now over the loud speaker. Damn bastards got everyone riled up and interrupted my afternoon nap. Sometimes, I wonder if they have any consideration for us when they do things like that."
Lahar wanted to point out the flaw in his logic. The guild had taken over an entire train station; it wasn't the man's lack of sleep that was the largest issue with this town. "Anyway, after a while, they sealed off the station with some spell. Don't know why, or what happened, but it kept things quiet for a bit and brought a crowd. Everyone wanted to see what had happened at the station, and others simply wanted to dodge town and find safety elsewhere. Eisenwald is known to attack often, but it is rare for them to seal off a section of town like that."
"From there, our officials took care of things. They made some calls, and got some wizards brought in to break the spell. By the time all was said and done, Eisenwald had moved on to some other city to bother for a bit, and the wizards that freed Oshibana followed after. Haven't heard a peep from Eisenwald since, and I'm glad." The bartender set his clean glass down, leaning over the counter towards Lahar. "See, things have gotten peaceful around here, for the first time in ages. Whatever did that was no Rune Knight, I promise you that. These people know that too, so I suggest you look elsewhere for better info, because you aren't going to find many people who want to talk in this place."
Glancing away, Lahar felt his brows draw together as he frowned at the wall. "No, it was not." he stated quietly. "I had always thought we were the hands of justice, ensuring this nation was safe. Yet, every time I come closer to capturing another criminal, tales like this reach my ear. I apologize for the trouble your city has gone through, I will not linger to bother you any further."
The man nodded gruffly, looking pleased as he moved to refill someone's drink. "Good. Now, get out of 'ere, and don't come back. I'm sick of your ugly face already."
Rising to his feet, Lahar nodded and moved to walk out. This place was not going to be of use to him, that much had become clear. People hated Rune Knights in Oshibana. Glancing down at his robes, Lahar felt shame for the first time over having this uniform. They truly had abandoned Oshibana. Eisenwald had been a small guild, and not something important for them to investigate. As a result, they held a tight rule over this small town, and these people had suffered. The great and powerful nation he learned to revere long ago was not as great as it seemed. People still suffered here, and he could do nothing to aid that.
Lahar's teeth clenched together as his hands balled into fists by his sides. This wouldn't be the end of their suffering either, he realized. Eisenwald was gone, but that paved the way for new dark guilds to take over. With how rarely rune knights came to Oshibana, and the isolated area, it was perfect for them to take root and grow. As he walked out into the streets of the city, Lahar questioned just how safe this place truly was.
Shaking his head, Lahar narrowed his eyes and stared at the ground. This shouldn't be his problem, yet he couldn't stop worrying over it. Fairy Tail was his focus. He had to find the guild, wherever it ended up. The takeover of Oshibana station may have been related, but there was no evidence linking Fairy Tail to Eisenwald. As unlikely as it was, the events were simply a coincidence that Fairy Tail had taken advantage of. So long as he remembered that, focus on his mission would come much easier.
Planning to return to his hotel room for the night, Lahar moved quickly through the streets. However, he did not expect to feel someone grab his arm from behind him. Already tense from the glares he had been receiving all day, Lahar whirled around and prepared to attack the mysterious person with an iron-tight grip on his bicep. Even with his sudden movement, the hand did not release. Lahar found himself face to face with a strange man, unsure of what to make of him.
The man was still likely a teenager, if he had to guess. Dark black hair fanned out behind his back, wild and untamed. He wore an amused smirk, though Lahar's gaze was more drawn towards the metal piercings adorning most of the man's face. "Oi, you're the rune knight in town right?" the man questioned, eyeing Lahar carefully.
Slowly, Lahar nodded and once again tugged on his arm. This time, the other man released him and let Lahar's arm fall back to his side. Sensing outward, it became easy to tell that this was a wizard, at least. "I am. Did you need my assistance with something? Is there an issue you have to report?" It wasn't entirely uncommon for citizens to lodge complaints with the rune knights. While there were other, more efficient channels to use, people tended to see their uniform and assumed that word would reach the magic council in an instant after informing a rune knight of a problem.
The wizard crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back slightly and standing even taller than before. Despite the fact that this man was younger than Lahar, he stood even taller than the rune knight captain. "You could say that," the man began, scowling slightly and glancing away. "My name is Gajeel and my guild master sent me to find one of you guys. Said to give you some important information. You better listen well, because I'm not going to repeat myself. Phantom Lord has information about Fairy Tail, and we want in on the action if you plan on moving in to crush them once and for all."
Alright, so maybe I was wrong about being able to combine chapters before...this kind of worked out, since it focused on two sides of the story for now. Plus, we've got two more dragon slayers in the mix...and now, Zeref is off on a new mission to save Mavis, while Phantom Lord is trying to ally with the rune knights. Anyone want to try and guess where this is going? I'm getting rather excited, as we are moving into my first somewhat original arc, rather than one that is a variation from canon. Feel free to review and tell me what you think!