Hey guys and fans. Here is the next chapter of the fic. Sorry for the short chapter but enjoy the read...XD

Chapter Thirty Eight

Sealed Fate

Ishimaru was dressed in a yukata, his long hair pulled up in ponytail in the back as his eyes watched us from where he stood. He had both of his hands crossed across his chest and I can see the lean muscles from his chest where it was opened and from how he was standing, I can tell that this was a powerful man.

His face showed complete disapproval at what he was seeing, and his eyes narrowed angrily.

"I was just going to sleep when I heard this disturbance in my own home," he growled, "To think you would bring your trash friends here and destroy my property, stupid son."

"Did he just call us trash?" Gajeel growled, his red eyes narrowing in anger.

"Easy there Gajeel," I told him.

I glanced toward Totomaru, and the young man had his head down at what the man was saying. Why wasn`t he doing anything? He should be talking to the man…or isn`t that the reason he had made us come all the way here?

"I made myself clear last week," Lord Ishimaru continued, "But it seems that you are as hard hearing as usual brat. You came crawling here like a bug when I`ve heard that your guild was disbanded and you expect me to let you stay here after turning your back on me years before."

Totomaru simply stayed silent.

"You are no longer welcome here nor are you recognized as a son of mine," he continued, "Leave my property at once."

"Lord Ishimaru, I think that`s quite enough."

The new arrival was a young woman with lithe form. Her dark hair was flying behind her as she quickly approached the location. She was also well dressed in a flower petals covered yukata and she had a fan in her hand.

Totomaru had looked up when he had heard the voice and he had disbelief written across his features as he stared at the girl.

"Mai?"

The woman turned her attention toward him and her eyes, which were a soft blue lightened softly as she observed him.

"This isn`t of your affairs Lady Mai."

The softness in her eyes disappeared as she turned her attention toward Lord Ishimaru as they became as cool as ice.

"Not my affairs, it may not be," Mai said, "The Forest get quite dangerous during the night and sending them back out there isn't one of the best ideas….and I am sure that they are quite famished with how far they have to come here."

"They will not stay upon my compound," Lord Ishimaru said.

Jeez, can you be any less of a jack-ass, I thought looking at the man with narrowed eyes.

"That is quite alright," Mai said, "They will stay with me and my people."

A look crossed the older man then. It looked like he was upset at the woman`s decision. He glanced at her for quite a long moment before sighing.

"I see that you`re not going to budge from this offer," he said, "Then, I`ll allow it. They`re your responsibilities…and so does the damage that they have caused."

"Everything that is broken can be repaired," Mai said, "these doors are no exceptions."

Lord Ishimaru gave us a sweeping glance before walking away along with the two guards that were with him. When he was gone, the woman, Mai, walked toward us and came to a stop in front of the group.

"Mai…," Totomaru whispered.

"It`s nice to meet you again," she said smiling lightly at him, "It`s been a long time."

"Yeah," Totomaru answered.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Totomaru blinked himself out of his trance. He then turned toward us behind him.

"These are my friends," he said, indicating each of us, "Eve, Gajeel and Juvia."

We greeted her and Mai gave a light bow of the head.

"Mai, what are you doing here?"

"I`m sure you will learn about it soon," Mai said, "Come with me, you must not provoke Lord Ishimaru`s wrath any longer."

We followed her deep within the compound and away from the large main house probably of Totomaru`s family and we reached a seat of few houses that looked freshly built and they were few peoples milling about and we entered inside of it.

Most of the people had an insignia upon their clothes. It was a tree coma shape and below it had two hook like thing that seems to almost form an upside down heart.

"This…This is your clan right?" Totomaru said looking at the few people that were working here, "I recognize the insignia."

"Yes," Mai said softly, "At least…what`s left of it."

All of us stared at the young woman that had taken a seat in the large open room we`ve entered. They were a few lights on inside and a larger version of the insignia was hanging in a banner from behind her.

All of us take a seat around her and Totomaru quickly asked what we were thinking.

"What do you mean what`s left of it?" he asked.

Mai looked up.

"You really don't know anything don't you?" she asked.

"What is there to know?" Totomaru told her.

The young woman looked down.

"My clan…my clan was annihilated," she whispered.

I feel myself freeze and the group around me was no better. Totomaru turned pale, Gajeel actually looked surprised and Juvia put her hands to her mouth in shock.

"T…That`s impossible," Totomaru whispered, "There is no way…"

Mai looked up toward him.

"For the past months," she said, "One after the other, clans had started to fall to a mysterious enemy who possesses powerful magic. I do not know what their goals are but it seems that they want to destroy us all. Your brother was the one that came to my clan`s aid and it`s thanks to him that I am still alive."

I glanced at Totomaru beside me.

"Brother?"

"I was wondering where he was," he said.

"Why didn`t the Magic Council help?" Gajeel asked.

"My father despises wizards, and everything that is associated with magic," Totomaru said, shaking his head, "He won't ever ask for their help."

Mai nodded lightly.

"I have tried to convince him before," she said, in a soft sigh, "But he wouldn`t heed my words. He is more stubborn than I credited him for…and that is why I need your help."

Totomaru looked at her.

"Whoever is attacking us will attack here," the woman said, "That I don't have a doubt in my mind about, but…we don't have a single person who can use magic here…"

"So that`s why you wanted us to stay with you," I told her.

Mai turned her attention at my direction.

"Yes," she said, "While Lord Ishimaru isn`t keen to ask for help from wizards…I am not like him. I know that none of our trained samurai can hold their own against magic. If things continue on like this, our fate will be sealed in extinction."

"I will not let that happen."

Totomaru had an angry look upon his face.

"I`ll help you," he said.

Mai smiled, and it made her face light up entirely.

"I knew I could count on you Totomaru."

Mai`s servants, later on, showed us where we are going to be staying and it was nice to finally sleep after a long day like this. Now that I think about it, the anime never showed much about samurai or if they were any at all considering it was mostly focused upon Fairy Tail and what Fairy Tail was doing.

Or is this one of the many changes that Nova was talking about, I thought thinking about the strange creature I`ve met.

My presence here has already caused changes from what Nova had told me, I just didn`t see it yet or notices it….or maybe I do notices it. Juvia was supposed to be stalking Gray after the Phantom Lord war and yet, here she was with us along with Gajeel who went off by himself before Makarov recruited him into Fairy Tail.

The ripples of your presence have started to bear fruits, Eve SkySlayer.

SkySlayer?

Why call me that?

"Eve, you asleep?"

I turned my attention toward the voice.

"No I was just thinking."

Gajeel let out a soft sigh.

"What about?"

"Just stuffs," I answered, "You wanted something?"

Gajeel stayed silent.

"Something about this is giving me a bad feeling," he said.

"How?"

"The Magic Council should have been able to get wind of what is happening here," he said, "Even if that old geezer didn't call for help…someone would have at least reported them."

"That`s strange, you`re actually thinking for once," I told him, unable to keep the amusement from my voice.

"It`s not like you aren`t thinking about it either," Gajeel said, with a light annoyance in his voice.

Gajeel was right.

Something didn`t feel right about this. All joking aside, there is no way the Magic Council would have simply turned a blind eye on what is happening here. I mean, entire clan getting whipped out and no one is doing anything against it.

"You are right about something," I told him, "There is something we`re missing. Whoever is attacking those samurai clans wouldn't be doing it just for the heck of it."

"Think that Mai girl is hiding something?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly.

"Juvia thinks Totomaru likes her," the Water wizard said, then let out a lovestruck sigh, "Just as Juvia loves her Gray-sama….ah, Juvia wishes to see him again."

"….Do I even want to know?" Gajeel asked.

I chuckled.

"Probably not."

I looked toward the ceiling above.

"We`ll worry about that tomorrow," I told him, "Say…where is Totomaru by the way? I thought he was going to come in with us."

"He stayed behind for a few minutes," Gajeel said, "Probably making out with his girlfriend…GIhihihihi."

"S…Shut up," Juvia said, and from her tone I can tell that she was beat red, "The…There is no way…"

I thought about it. I didn't see anything going on between the two but I`m not the best judge of character, so who was I to say that he liked her. But there was no denying that Totomaru may be close to her back then…

But he never mentioned her before….I wonder why.

A mysterious new happening...What could Eve and friends discover?

Next Time: The Enemy

Jacques0 out.

R&R