Chapter 27: Broccoli Head

"What a peaceful place", Wendy absentmindedly commented. I looked up at the sky squinting my eyes a little to soften the glare of the sun, stretching out my arms I let out a satisfying sigh. "Yeah, the air is so fresh", I said; taking in a breath of the earthen air.

"The wind feels nice, too", Erza said whilst enjoying the gentle breeze that flowed around us. The soft rustle of leaves and the distinct cries of birds, it was all very nostalgic to me and in another way; relaxing.

Happy too was enjoying the calm atmosphere which had surrounded us, "It feels like we're going on a picnic!" He cheered happily.

"Yeah, huh…" Charle said with a rather agitated smile on her face, "If it weren't for that", deadpanning a little. I sighed as I turned my attention to the ongoing argument between Natsu and Gray ever since we had stopped to eat lunch. I regretted the moment I brought homemade steak for lunch as well as packing some frozen yoghurt as a light healthy snack. My thanks to Gray who helped keep to frozen on the way here, but now a nonsensical argument suddenly popped up when Natsu thought Gray had eaten his share of the steak. I rubbed my temples ever so slightly, to think I use to miss this.

"You ate my meat, didn't you?!" Natsu angrily shouted at him showing his fist as a way of threat.

"As if I'd eat something you touched!" Gray was equally angry.

"Put on some clothes!"

"The colour of your hair hurts my eyes! Do something about it!" Now they were going off topic, for just one day I would appreciate them not going at each other's throat. Just for one day. Erza was the first to act upon there stupidity.

"Won't you give it a rest already? We're about to meet with someone of extremely high standing", she said sternly. They continued to fiercely glare at each other but didn't push it. I had to hand it to Erza, she really did have a lot of authority over Natsu and Gray when needed. But then again, she did beat them half to death as a kid to make them obey her. They're scared shitless because of her, but I would be as well.

When it comes to the Ten Wizard Saints, they're the ten most outstanding mages on the continent recognised by the council", I said nonchalantly while pulling my hair to one side letting it rest on the side of my chest.

"That's right. Our Master and Lamia's Jura are among them as well. In the past, Jose from Phantom and Jellal also carried that title. Among them, the four highest ranked wizards known as the Four Heavenly Kings of Ishgal", Erza said while readjusting a strap on her luggage's.

"Ishgal?" Wendy enquired. I answered for her considering that I had visited this area before once in my travels, "That's the old name for this continent, but something bugs me why would such an amazing person request the two of them", I turned my attention back toward the still ongoing arguing buffoons.

"Why don't you go get eaten by Erza?!" Natsu said whilst shoving his forehead against Gray's.

"You can go cover yourself with Erza's shit!" Gray retorted, pushing him back a little.

While I already found this extremely offensive I had to feel pity for Erza who was on the onslaught of their blatant words.

"Am I the one being insulted now?" Erza said cautiously. I opened my mouth to reassure her that if she felt bad then she could just beat them up but Wendy's voice overrode my voice for a moment.

"Ah over there!" She pointed towards a little cottage with several trees sticking out of it, "There's a house there, this is the house of Warrod Cken; ranked 4th amongst the Ten Wizard Saints".

Erza slowly pushed the door open, we were soon bombarded with the fragrance of flowers and an unknown but plant like smell. Altogether it smelled much like a forest. "Excuse us, we're from the mage guild, Fairy Tail", Wendy said quietly. A little wary of this new environment.

"Shhh...Quiet. The plants like silence. If you can comprehend that, then shut those annoying mouths", an elderly voice patronised us. For the sake of it I placed my hands over my mouth to minimise the amount of noise I could make. From the back I couldn't tell much, but one thing was for sure. And that he was surely no longer human. We all stood there in awkward silence not daring to make a sound in fear that we might anger this ancient all-powerful being who could probably defeat us in the snap of his fingers.

It dragged on like this for several more minutes when he finally said something, "As if…" All of a sudden all the plants and flowers burst into life, more vibrant and beautiful than when we once stepped in. the over-flow of flowers seemed to gather around us as well as a heavy hit of its fragrance invaded into our noses. "It's a joke, a joke! The plants and flowers love human voices!" He said chuckling a little, he turned to us and we got a good view of what he looked like. Other than looking like he had a broccoli of a head, he had a warm sincere face as well as a goofy grin. He continued to laugh as Natsu, Gray and myself gave our little commentaries of how he looked and who he was.

When I finally calmed himself down he took a sudden serious face on, "Thank you for coming wizards of Fairy Tail. Which one are Natsu-kun and Gray-kun?" He picked up Happy and Charle and suddenly outrageously said, "My good ness! They're more cat-ish than I expected!" He jaw dropping a little, perhaps it was because he was a senile or maybe his eyesight had gone bad over his longs years on earth. But I was soon proven wrong.

"It's a joke, a joke! Wahahaha!" Laughing out loud while trying to contain his laughter at the same time, my patience was bordering thin. "Ah…I'm thirsty", he suddenly claimed. To my utter surprise as well as Wendy's he took the water can he was using just a moment ago and poured the contents into his mouth. Somehow managing to laugh at the same time without choking himself. My jaw was slightly slack, to think this man was one of the most highly regarded and revered in the Magic Council.

"My apologies, but are you Warrod Cken-sama of the Ten Wizard Saints?" Erza enquired. It was no longer fun time and games for her anymore. Warrod suddenly put on a serious face and answered firmly, "Certainly! Indeed, I am Warrod Cken", I almost sighed in relief until he said this, "It's a joke…"

We all cried out in shock, had our entire journey just been a waste!? "It would be a joke if it were a joke", he suddenly continued. I hung my head in defeat, there really was no way to tell if this guy was telling the truth or not. He laughed as he gave us a rushed apology as he ushered us outside to sit at one of the tables.

"Since I retired, I've continued my efforts to afforest the deserts". He said, while flipping through a book. To my curiosity I asked whether he was in a guild before or not.

"Hahaha…'tis was a good guild using my 'Green Magic', I halt the spread of deserts. It sounds nice to it charitable activity, but to be honest it's just a hobby. For that reason, I've spent years travelling to deserts all over. Some time ago, I found a strange village. According to the book, that was the 'Village of the Sun'. It was a village that worshipped an everlasting flame as a guardian deity". I lifted a brow at the new information I had just acquired.

"An everlasting flame?"

"That's right, however that village was frozen", from the corner of my eye I saw Gray slightly move forward a little; now knowing that there was ice involving this incident. "Was it a natural disaster or a man-made disaster? The people, animals and plants; even the buildings and river…even the everlasting flame that protects the village was frozen". My eyes widened, how a flame could possibly be frozen. That goes against the very fundamental laws of the elements.

"I don't know what happened in that village, but the villagers in the ice were still alive", alive? Wouldn't be something like how Gray's mentor froze Deliora in ice and somehow he was still able to be alive. But the thing was that was a onetime spell which cost her, her life. To freeze an entire village though…

"The frozen villagers are alive. I can't just leave them like that. I want you to save that village. That I my request". His previous signs of goofiness had completely disappeared.

"I see! That's easy! I'll just melt all the ice with my flames!" Natsu said enthusiastically, I would have thought the same thing but if it was just ice then Warrod himself could have just conjured a fires spell to melt the ice away. Fire is one of the most known spells, of course it take a genius to master it. There has to be something more than that.

"If that were simply the case there'd be no need for me, right?" Gray was also slightly wary of this predicament as well.

"Indeed, that is no ordinary ice. Your power will also be necessary ad well", Warrod said calmly. Erza however was on the same train of thought as mine though.

"Forgive my words, Warrod-sama, but a wizard of your power…surely this is a matter you could resolve on your own", I silently agreed with her words.

"It seems you might be quite mistaken regarding something. The Ten Wizard Saints are not omnipotent. They're just ten people the Council hand selected. There are countless mages greater than me on this continent and if you were go beyond the continent, the likes of me would be quite insignificant. In actuality, I know almost no offensive magic. If it came down to a martial contest with some youngster I have no confidence that I would win", Erza tried to say something but he cut her off.

"Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Your friends and guild are there to make up for that, right?" He smiled warmly and for a moment I saw the flash of sadness. But I could not understand why. But it was soon forgotten.

"It's just like you say", Erza said proudly with a sense of pride as well.

"We accept your request!" Natsu said grinning while fist bumping Gray as a sort of apology.

"Please leave it to us!" I said cheerily. He gave an amiable smile, "The village is about two thousand kilometres south of here".

"That's quite far", I said absentmindedly sweating a little in the thought of having to walk more.

"What? The least I can do is help you with transportation", I took hold of his staff and pushed himself up from his seat. "Gather there. Don't forget your belongings", using his staff to point at a certain patch of grass. Once we had situated ourselves there we waited for the next command.

"Turn to the right", we all turned to our right where Happy turned to his left, "…That was a joke". We all cried out in frustration at his antics, he chuckled a little. He began chanting an unknown language but undoubtedly a spell. The earth began shudder a little underneath us and we found ourselves sitting in a tree like plant. Hardly big but a reasonable size for all of us to sit comfortably.

"I'm counting on you youngsters from Fairy Tail". Suddenly in a flash of moment the tree abruptly burst upwards and we found ourselves speeding above the ground with the tree growing ever so faster and faster. The scenery rapidly changed and we flew above the ground, it was a pure bliss. I surveyed the ground below me and realised how everything seemed so insignificant and tiny.

Erza and a small smile on her face, "He's so modest but indeed he's something else. Magic that controls Mother Earth…" I looked back, I could no longer see the cottage or the strange man of the Ten Saints. I felt a sense of nostalgia but I could not understand why, perhaps it was…


Hi guys! I've returned to the original plot, sorry for not updating as fast as some of you may like but hey. I never said about having a regular update. I will update when I have the time. But yeah this is the latest chapter. Hoped you enjoyed it.

Peace out.