Chapter 11: The Terror of Dark Guild
You know...
After living 11 years in this world, I pride myself to not let anything surprise me, not after fighting the manticore anyway. I thought with my future knowledge, anything could be magically explained (pun intended) and I could take on anything without so much batting an eye.
Then the Universe decided to prove me wrong by throwing a curveball.
I blinked as I processed those words that came out from the brats I couldn't believe were around the same age as me. Then I was proven, I didn't hear wrong, with Nick turning to face them and yelled, "I'm not lying! Vitreus is really a dragon and my mother! She raised me and taught me!"
I'm really tempted to just banged my head on the wall.
If he had really been eating 'glittering stones' then I could have reasoned that with a Dragon Slayer Lacrima.
However, putting a dragon in the equation is a different story altogether.
To make things more confusing?
The 7th of July isn't for another week!
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I saw Nick was caught by two of his friend's goon, the chubby kid and the scrawny kid, from the opening he made and was ready to beat him up.
Okay, I think it's time to stop there.
I cleared my throat loud enough for all of them to turned and searched for the source. They tensed when they found I brought an adult beside me and they were looking back and forth in clear sign of nervousness, "Hello there people of the Valley of Hope, do you mind if you could take your hands off him, I got dibs on him first for putting paint on me."
My glowered statement seemed to relax them when I showed similar objectives and Torry didn't so much give a sign to stop me, "All right, but don't ruff him up too much we get as much as the right to beat him up"
Ouch, I knew children can be cruel but this is disgusting.
"Yeah, when I meant letting him go I meant to pull your panties somewhere else and go away. Oh, and I meant literal panties seeing as you're still..." I waved at my own head to emphasize their still ridiculous 'hats' and caused them to blush. Nick had to bit his lips from chuckling out loud.
"Yeah, and who are you supposed to be, trying to boss us around?"
I pointed at myself with a faux confused look, "Who me? I have to say it's only polite for you to introduce yourself first but I'm a reasonable guy so I'll be happy to go first, Roy Jurenelle, a guest to your fine village" I said with a mock salute.
They weren't impressed if by the look of their face could say and I wasn't expecting them to know how significant the Jurenelle family are, I'll be surprised if they did.
"So what? Just because you're not from this village doesn't mean anything," said the Chubby One.
"You're right it doesn't, what it does tell that you give me enough time to do magic" I chirped with a grin.
That got the rest to tensed and the Leader was about to demand what I meant before realizing he couldn't move his feet. The others who noticed the problem tried moving as well only for them to fall flat on the ground for forcing them out of their position, but their feet were stuck like glue.
They followed my gaze at the ground where dark blue runes were written 'For 3 minutes, everyone on Air Park cannot move out of their position except for any person the caster allowed'
FYI, it took a lot of practice for me to be able to not just write runes with my feet, but writing it backward. You never know when I have my hands tied behind my back.
I know some of you might be thinking I'm overreacting, stooping low enough to use magic on children but hey! No harm done, right?
And so begrudgingly, they watched as I yanked Nicholas away from them and had him follow me with mix look of surprise and awe in his eyes.
"Don't look happy yet, I'm still going for revenge here!"
That got an elicit winced from him but seeing I'm holding on to his shoulder tightly, he knew I'm not going to let him go anytime soon, "Any chance we could start over?" He asked with a hopeful grin.
"As a matter of fact we can..." that perked him right up, "...after you got what you deserve" only to sunk his head down in a letdown. I'm not even doing anything yet and he's already making this too easy. "Though I might consider if you answer some questions for me" now his eyebrows were furrowed together into one line.
"Aaahhh... sure... what do you want to know?"
They stopped at a nearby bench and my eyes shifted toward Torry. Should I act partially oblivious and curious, or intelligent and curious?
Eh...what the hell, it's not the first Torri saw me I knew things most people don't.
"They said something about you having a dragon for a mother, care to share that?"
I wasn't sure what I said wrong but Nick began to scowl angrily at me and started to stalk off away, "I should have known you were going to make fun of me, well forget it, I'm not going to sit around and listen to you!"
"Who said I want to even make fun of you, I ask because I believe you!" I protested.
That got him to halt suddenly and whipped his head around to face me and gulped uncertainly, "You...you do?"
"Sure, dragons are real, most people know that. Getting raise by a dragon though, now that's unheard of but perfectly understandable. Unlike most popular belief, I read dragons are a lot more intelligent than most claimed in most folklore and legend..." I trailed off at the end when I heard the sound of sniffling, looking closer at him. His eyes began to redden from tears that were about to sprout from his eyes, and inwardly I panicked.
"She's real, she's really my mom...I'm not crazy...Vitreus is really a dragon!"
At that moment, I knew whether or not I've watched Fairy Tail, I would have believed him either way. Watching his tear-streaked face coming from the relief he found from someone who tried to listen and believe him, how could anyone think he was lying? And since I have a weakness for crying kids and am a bit of an asshole, I said what I said next: "Aaaw...does baby wants a tissue?"
He began wiping his head vigorously, turning around as he denied my offer. Despite my playful mocking, I gave him a reassuring pat on the back, making sure there were no hard feelings. I crouched a bit so I would meet his eyes, "Hey, I know how you feel, sort of. I... never got to know my own mother. She died shortly after I was born, and it felt like missing a hole no one has ever been able to fill." There was a faint throb in my chest as I told the kid. Even though I had memories from my past life of having a mother, sometimes, as I relieved my childhood, I began to miss being tucked in bed by the warm tender hand, the soft hummed lullaby as I fell asleep, soft loving voice of encouragement whenever I felt down. It's like I know I miss something important in part of new my life, knowing I couldn't have that.
"Sorry, off tangent, what I meant was, I get it. Orphan kids got to stick together, you know what I'm saying?"
He nodded, and took a moment to get his breathing even, "So..." Nick began to sniffed, "What do you want to ask?"
My face shifted into something more serious yet maintained my lighthearted tone, "Anything really, like why are you here and not with your mother? Where is she and when was the last time you saw her?"
Nick looked thoughtful for a moment before sitting back down and I knew it was going to be a long story so I sat beside him.
"Hmm, where should I start?"
"Why not from the beginning?"
He nodded, took a deep breath, and told a story I wouldn't have imagined in two of my lifetime.
Apparently, Young Nicholas Glade was an orphan that befriended a dragon living on a hilltop behind the orphanage as if it was the most normal thing to do. Her name was Vistreus, and little anti-social Nicholas felt the dragon was a better companion than most people who kept bullying him. It was only when the orphanage burned down that Vitreus decided to adopt him as family, him and his sister... wow, wow, wow!
"Backup, backup, did you just say the dragon adopted the two of you?" Nick wasn't sure why I was acting weird but nodded, yet expressing concern. "So you're saying, the two of you learned magic from her?"
"Not exactly. For some reason, Vitreus doesn't want to have 2 people learning her magic so we moved to live near a friend of hers who could teach her similar but different type of magic"
I can understand that. I mean... it is called dragon slaying magic for a reason. It's not exactly a comfortable knowledge to have two people being able to kill you, and she couldn't have grown to trust his sister that much if she had only been close to Nick on those times they've gotten to know each other.
Anyway, continuing the rest, the Nick worked out this daily life as mages in training, there were few blanks in his story that Nick only vaguely remembers, that he knew other dragon slayers he used to meet...FOR THE LOVE OF CLEOPATRA JUST SAY WHAT NOW?!
"Hold up, hold up!" I waved my arm, gesturing him to stop talking, "Stop and rewind, you're telling me you knew five other dragons slayers with you?"
I assumed he would confirm it, but instead, he scrunched up his nose thoughtfully, "I'm...not really sure actually. I knew there were others beside me but I can't seem to remember their name and faces"
Okay, possibly memory tampering, check.
I rubbed my head at the oncoming headache and went into deep thoughts. In the original story, there was no sign whatsoever the five ever meet before the eclipse and now, suddenly that knowledge is thrown out of the window.
The big question is why does he remember? where was his sister? What in the holy name is going on?!
The only clear blanked memory he seemed to have was the moment he came into 400 years into the future. His story finished with the loss of not only his mother but his sister as well and I couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy of losing not one but two of his family and from the tone of his voice, he was determined to find the both of them.
"Sooooo," my thoughts were broken up from his drawled words. "Do you really believe me?"
"What's not to believe?" Nick's whole body relaxed and he had to make sure he wasn't crying out of relief, but then his eyebrows furrowed and looked back at me curiously.
"Say...how do you know Vitrues taught me magic?"
Ah, crud.
My eye began darting from side to side, trying to come up with an acceptable excuse. Come on, Roy. You're good at bullshitting, think of something!
To my surprised and luck, it was Tornilious who saved the day. "I believe it was the part where we overheard the other kids pointing out that you have a habit of eating 'glittering stone,'" he recalled.
That got the kid to blink and dug through his pocket to pull out multicolored crystals, "Let me guess, your mother is the Crystal Dragon?"
"How do you..."
"I've read things, and since you eat them then I've deduced that you're the Crystal Dragon Slayer, making your mother who taught you to be a Crystal Dragon"
At this point, Nick was amazed by my knowledge and was giving me the 'sparkling eye' as if I just did some sort of magic trick, which kind of unnerved me. "That's amazing! How do you know?!"
"I just read... a lot. So, with that out of the way, I'll just go back and rest since I haven't got the chance after I got here, see ya, Nick!"
"Wait!"
I stopped and slowly turned toward him, he had a conflicted look and wasn't sure what to say until he made up his mind, "Teach me more about magic!"
What?
"What?"
"You know about my magic before I even tell you anything, surely you know more about it than me? Then you can help get me stronger!"
"Aaa...yeah I could but, why do you need to get stronger for?"
"...I want...I want to get out of this village and actually trying to find Vitrues but look at me! I barely could handle a bunch of bullies, how am I suppose to get out there and find her properly if I can't handle myself, so you've got to teach me, please!"
The kid got a point and Ugh! He's using that puppy pout eyes damn it, does everyone knows I have a weakness for small children and their damn pouty eyes. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose before conceding to his demand. At least I know what I'm doing to pass the time while I finished talking with the chief.
I should probably get a time extension, just in case.
. . .
SO!
I did as he asked and I found out what kind of magic he used when he demonstrated it to me the next day. Torri is on the side, ready with the first-aid kit, a towel, and a jug of water, even a table and pair of chairs? Where the heck did he pull that out from?
Shaking my head from whatever my butler's personal brand of magic, I focused back on my 'protege' if he can even be called that. "First order of business would be showing me the extent of your magic."
"Meaning...?"
"Just attack me with your magic and I'll tell you what I know."
Nick nodded and took a stance, his fist clench tight but not too tight as I suspected, then light magenta-colored magic circle engulfing his fist into the hard crystal. He ran toward me as he cried "Crystal Dragon's Hammer Fist!"
It would seem that other than magic this Vitreous had taught him basic martial arts. I sidestepped, avoiding small fist to the gut, and Nick crushed into a tree instead. Half his arm was stuck out pitifully. If the situation wasn't so funny I might have whistled out my awe from how powerful the magic was when he barely muster up any strength in that punch.
"Don't worry about me, use all your strength, I'm not that fragile."
After pulling him out of the tree, we continued sparring and I have to say I had to resist laughing seeing me dancing around a future Dragon Slayer. He then felt he had enough and make use of 3 of his other attacks.
Crystal Dragon's Storm Wing launches a barrage of sharp crystal with a flick of his arm.
Crystal Dragon's Slash a close combat attack that slashes his opponent with a long crystal blade on his arm or leg.
Then my all-time favorite, the Crystal Dragon's Roar. You don't need me to explain what it is I'm sure.
Anyway, it would seem little Nick has been taught those four basic spells and he's already on his way making a new spell he called 'Crystal Dragon's Plate' turning his body into a crystal that protects him from most attacks just like Gajeel's steel scale. Right now, he could only cover his arms and legs.
Overall I'm impressed...
...and disappointed.
Reasons would be because Nick could barely be called mastered those spells. I felt only being scratched when being roared at, his stances are sloppy so his attacks are easy to avoid, and his easily agitated. I could see potential sure, but not if he kept doing as he is.
"All right, you want to know my utmost honest truth about your skill?"
Nick nodded enthusiastically.
"You suck."
Aaaaaand there goes his smile.
"Which is why I'm here to at least point out how to make you from suck to less suck, and my first order of business..."
I pulled out a small bottle dangling from my belt that had silver liquid in it. I pulled the cap out and the liquid metal crawled out of the bottle and to my arm. It was from great luck I accidentally come across it and immediately bought it for cheap. Laughing maniacally what the potential of Gallium and magic together would be. I had enchanted it with my runes so I could telepathically arrange the kind of shape it had.
I know...awesome right? Talk about lucky finding.
It's not my main weapon so I'm not sure I'll even master it but it would do for now to deal a noob mage.
"First no magic, second...defend yourself!"
My liquid metal turned into a bo staff and quickly, I lunge at him with the speed I only got from years of training. In panic, Nick tried to use his magic, but every time a magic circle appeared, I either hit him in the head,
"Ow!"
Gut,
"Ow!"
Side,
"Ow!"
"Butt"
"Ow"
Or...anywhere really.
"OW! What's the big idea? I thought this was magic training."
"To quote some cliche elderly line, 'You must first master the body before you began mastering the mind'" I said solemnly."
For a kid barely eight, he stared at me weirdly and drawled out the word 'Whaaaaaat?'
I rolled my eyes and deadpanned at him, "You have lots of ethernano sure and you have potential, but your head focused halfway on what your body and your magic want to do, making the result of your magic subpar. Like how you tried aiming and using magic at the same time made it easy for me dodge or to go through it with only a few scratches, I bet when you trained by yourself you only called out the spell without moving around and the result was bigger right?" And this exercise is to make sure you understand that and for me to have fun.
Nick looked wide-eyed, surprised at my observation before nodding.
"So...which is why here, I'll show you how important it is to master the body. And first order of business is learning to dodge and defend from attacks until you don't need to think to do it."
"Wait...how long will that takes?"
"Weeeeell, seeing as I'm going to be out of here two days later, not that I mean I can't visit mind you, I'll have to make use all the time I have here while Torry does my business for me."
"Which mean...how long?"
The grin I had was enough to make him gulp.
Twelve hours later, you could find my two boys panting in exhaustion under the moonlight, one worse than the other.
"Do I have...huff...to do this...huff...everyday?"
"If you want to get stronger and venture out of this valley by yourself then yeah!"
There was silence, then there was giggling that made me frown and searched for the source, then I found Nick laughing his head off as if he found something amusing in getting abused for 18 hours straight with four 2-hour breaks and the occasional drink we stopped for.
"Not...everyday, I will leave you some training regiment, this is only what you get from me since I won't be here for too long so I had to make use my time on you the most effectively."
Nick then turned to me with eyes that I couldn't quite grasp his emotion as he kept staring at me.
"Hey Roy, has anyone ever told you you're weird?"
Yes, yes they have, "What made you ask that?"
"Uhm...well...you're only like...4 years older than me yet you talk like an adult would be."
I stared at him passively and was pleasantly surprised that he was more perceptive than I first thought. I do notice my small habit of acting a bit more natural when dealing with someone younger, I wonder if this is how Detective Conan feels most of the time? I ruffled his hair and chuckled, "That's a secret for me to know and you to never find out."
I chuckled again seeing his pout expression, then I promised to show more magical exercise tomorrow and he all but immediately gained energy to run around in excitement.
Though the next day I was glad I never said he had talent because he certainly doesn't have one and I'd feel bad lying without knowing it. Because, sure his magic performance was better, but that only applies to his own magic. Basic magic spells such as Transformation magic, Requip (not something grander as Erza since the amount of Etharno used is proportional to the size and weight of said item), Mold Magic or at least molding his crystal into decent shape, or Binding Magic. I don't expect him to be able to use them all, it's not easy to use another kind of magic, but they're called basic for a reason.
"Are you even trying?"
"I'm trying the best as I can!"
I'm sighing at the pathetic display of him trying to make him work out Transformation Magic to make his face look like me. It's his twentieth try and he couldn't make me without crooked nose and thick lips.
I'm starting to think he's doing this to piss me off.
Putting magic exercise aside Nick was...
Nick was a nice and fun kid.
People have been ignoring him for his 'lie' and he got them back by pranking them. That helped him knowing all the shortcuts to various levels of the bridge and I have to admit, pranking with him was a lot of fun since he's a lot more creative than I would give him credit for. He also gave me a small tour around, even to the various famous back alley shops most people would miss when touring.
I'm...honestly, part of me was worried about him too. Despite being a cheery overexcited kid with me, he became a lot more meek when dealing with the other villagers. The fact he has no friends doesn't make his life any better. It made me ask myself if that was half the reason I tried reaching out to him.
Torri certainly seems to think so if the smug knowing look he shot me from time to time was any telling.
"Aniki do you have a dream?"
"...aniki?"
Nick seemed to realized his mistake and covered his mouth while I stared at him curiously.
"Sorry, Anik...I mean Roy-san. I...I've always wanted a big brother and you're the first person I had fun being with since getting here so...I..."
It felt like seeing a kicked puppy so I couldn't help but pat him on the head in the end, gosh I'm such a pushover in front of children.
"So...dream?"
"Ah the question...well...honestly, I'm not sure I have one."
"You don't? How come?"
"Well...I'm...just...not sure what to expect in the future since I'm just doing what I want in the present and I never stop to think of the future."
Because that would be thinking all the plot that's going down.
"What about you Nick? Your dream is to find Vitrous and your sister right?"
"Yeah, but...that's more of a goal than a dream. My dream is...my dream is to be the most powerful wizard in the world and have people know my name and acknowledge me as someone special!"
"That's certainly a big dream you have, you do know you have to defeat me first right?"
"You bet Aniki, I'll catch up to you, just you wait!"
"I'm sure you will." And I truly believe he will. Dragon Slaying Magic has a lot of potentials and I bet my hair he'll amount to great things. "Right, let's train your own magic now!"
We trained and trained until Nick was even sick by the word 'train'. But it's honestly endearing seeing him complained by the evening, but running at me in the morning for more training. But what I find most adorable was his attachment with Tornillious. He might call me Aniki, but Torri had always had a way of making everyday act to look more elegant; the way he cooked, the way he spoke, the way he tended to our wounds, or the way he silently gives us the general expression of being impressed or hugely disappointed. Torri is secretly flattered the boy looked up to him like a role model.
Frankly, even I looked up to him. Who wouldn't? I'm a self-aware man in a child's body living in a fantasy world. Of course, I know I'm a nightmare to take care of. And yet, if there's one fact of life I knew that I'm willing to bet every fortune I have to be true is that Tornillious would always be there for me. On my side, on my back, or even as my right hand. There's short to nothing that can keep us apart.
. . .
The Fated Day didn't start with a bang, or with ominous silent and certainly not with a dreadful warning.
It started with a scream.
My instincts flared for me to wake up, and just when I thought I was hearing things, the scream came once more but louder. There was booming noise and the smell of burning fire sunk my stomach low and I opened the curtain to witness what I had expected.
The towers burning, people were running, but what surprised me most was the cloaked figure with a white mask attacking them and the giant ship floating above us. One glimpse at one one of the cloaked figure and I saw the mark of the one guild I wished I never need to face.
Grimoire Heart.
Fear clutched tightly into my heart, and my breathing began rag because my mind went overdrive with repeating words like 'what do I do? What do I do?' Because I did not expect this, no one could have expected this, why are they even here?
While I was in the middle of a panic attack, I heard the front door forcefully opened, and the most distinctive annoying laughter echoed the house and all blood on my face was drained by the horror implication of it.
"Kakakaka, so this is the Chief's house huh? So simple, so small, so...fragile."
The sound of something crashed and breaking made me winced and I dared myself to peek out through the wooden crevice from the door. I covered my mouth from sounding any gasp as my eyes locked on to the teen who had long spiky yellow blonde hair, looking only a few years older than me, a maniacal grin that screamed insanity, and red eyes that promised a fun murder.
The moment I saw him, I knew he was Zancrow.
Fuck, fuck, triple fuck.
Forgive my language but I'm allowed to curse when facing a 99% probability of certain death.
My mind was too busy being scared my flight or fight instinct was useless as I stared numbly behind the door. This teen was like... 13 or 14, give or take, and he was already on his was killing people without remorse. Natsu barely won with him and I doubt I could fare any better so I thought to wait under the bed until all this fiasco is over would have been a good idea.
Before I could crawl back, another explosion was heard followed by the scream of the two original occupants of this house. I knew from the struggling sound, the irritating grunt, and the sliding sound between skin and the wooden floor, I knew they were being dragged out until I saw them being forced to kneel in front of him.
"So you're the chief here, eh? Just the man I'm looking for!"
"What do you want? We don't have anything you demons would want from us"
"Hmmm, nothing~?" He said with an agonizing sing-song tone of his as if promising something bad if he lied, "Not even...perhaps an heirloom made centuries ago? Like...perhaps...Zeref's Key?"
Despite his back facing me, I didn't need to look at the chief's face to know his face was pale because I was looking like him too.
How could I have missed it? Of course, old secluded village like this would hide one of the keys.
Scratch that, fake keys.
Because some Zeref Fanatic was disillusioned enough to make up keys to unlock Zeref's inner self. Probably he was in denial Zeref mellowed out after his rampage with his demons and dismissed his devotion for him like some child who doesn't know anything.
My blood boil in silent rage that some idiot, a powerful idiot, invited people to cause this destruction in vain, for a seal that never even existed and that anger me more than anything.
Yet that anger couldn't overwhelm my fear as I watched hopelessly as that sonnova-witch pulled Rebecca's arm and she screamed from the burn he was giving her. He was giving her pain, torturing her, while Chief Peru's pleading cry was ignored and I couldn't do anything but hyperventilate.
Move, you stupid body, MOVE DAMNIT!
The only response was trembling knees, tears breaking from my scared eyes, and my throat letting out a squeaking cry.
It was goddamn frustrating how pathetic I was.
Zancrow was then pushed back aside by a force of magic, the rest of his lackey tried to help but was intercept and they were now being electrocuted from a certain Triplet Mage. While Zancrow was groaning outside the house, I tried to take action and went toward Rebecca and Chief Peru. Thankfully, Rebecca at least only suffered a second-degree burn but she needs someone to look at that soon, plus she's already fainting from the pain. Torry was soon beside me as well knowing I was out of my room, ready to either back me up or protect me.
"Chief Peru, hurry and take Rebecca out of here while Jan and the other distract those mages. Torri, I want you to watch over the two!"
"Master Roy!" Torri didn't hide how displeased he was. That one call of my name was enough to make me feel chastised like a kid, but there was no time for us to argue.
"Please, Torri. I trust you more than most and I need you to trust me." Torri wasn't any happier, by it but I know he's strong and smart enough to avoid a blown-out fight against a mage so I could trust him to guard the main target. I then turned toward Chief Peru with a serious look, "Chief, you need to tell me where you hid the key. That key is not worth sacrificing the whole village for this!"
"How do you...doesn't matter, if you know about it child then you should have realized the consequences of letting them get a hand on it!"
"I know it more than you and I know you're doubting my words but trust me when I say the key won't unlock what we feared it would that's why it isn't worth sacrificing your people, so please!" I pleaded, trying to muster as much sincerity for him to believe I was not joking around.
He gazed at my eyes, looking transfixed for a while before nodding, he was the only one who knows where the key is kept, and how to take it out. I offered to accompany the chief, but he insisted it was something he could only do alone because of security precaution. Instead, he asked me to guard Rebecca.
I knew he wouldn't take no for an answer, his daughter would be top priority after all. Without a word, I turned my back and dragged Rebecca from his father's side.
She did not take it well.
"No! No! NO! Dad, what's going on? Where are you going? Get your hand off me! Dad, please!"
The chief shamelessly had tears rolling down, and he edged closer so he would have his forehead rested on hers, "Rebecca, my gem, my precious daughter. I pray that I will come back, but you must go and be safe."
"Dad?"
"I have my duty as chief to fulfill, protecting this village but I don't have the strength to protect you."
"I don't care about that. Who will protect you?!"
Time is on the essence, and any other time I would have let them stew in their family bubble as this might be the last time they'll see each other. But we've got to go, and we've got to go ten seconds ago. I didn't dare to watch them as Torri volunteered to pull Rebbecca to his side, separating them as they shared their "I love yous". Not knowing, at that time, it would be their last.
When we went out, the bustling colored town had turned into was a war zone. The bridges and railways were torn and elevators were cut down, leaving little place for people to run to. Houses were cracked and pillaged, people pulled to be tortured or killed. Everything was chaos. I had to swallow my own bile before I had to pushed the stunted older pair to start running before we're next. I had been ignoring the sound since Zancrow came in but now the horrific sound was full blared once more and I shuddered at the pleading and scared screams echoing around town like a horror orchestra. The smell of burned wood and skin suffocated my lungs followed by the smell of iron blood that made my gut churn.
Torri swiftly guided me through the shadows, avoiding their sight until we reached one of the working elevators. My butler looked back at me and one look at me, gazing back at the flaming town was enough to share my thoughts.
"Master!" It was amazing how that one word conveyed a lot about how Torri feels about my plan. Probably because he used that same tone and word for, like, 90% the time while I was experimenting Runes.
"Tornillious." And I managed to reply as much with his name.
We spent a moment exchanging our will through our eyes, one pair stubbornly determine, the other furiously worried. But that moment was broken by one scream. It was more horrific than any other because it was followed by the crying sound of an innocent babe and the merciless waves of laughter.
"Tornillious!" I said again, more instant.
I knew when the shone of his eyes showed signs of defeat, and he made a firm grip on my shoulder, "Please, Master Roy, be safe."
"Safe is relative, Torri," I couldn't help quipped, "Now go help keep Rebecca safe, that's an order."
Torri looked like he had more to say but quickly shut his mouth when I said the word 'order.' I knew he couldn't talk back at me, his master. At least not without being more stubborn than me and we both know we don't have time to quarrel. So while he kept going, I turned heel and requip a small dagger on hand. The moment I spotted the group terrorizing a mother and her child, I threw the dagger to one of their necks.
It was hard, trying it on people the first time, the pressure didn't make it easier. But I let my mind focused, when my dagger was only inches from the target, I teleported there and knocked out the man next to the one being stabbed by now, and pulling the baby out of reach at the same time.
"Take the baby and go, NOW!"
She didn't need to be told twice before bolting out, leaving me with three other mages. Not giving up my momentum I threw two more daggers to the opposite side, leaving the one mage in the middle to use his whip on me, but my Garalium sword materialized on hand and block it before sliding inside his guard and mercilessly stabbed him in the gut.
I didn't have time to think of having my first kill, I've grown a bit numb from killing animals and right now my mindset had switched into one of survival. I thought about continuing running but an explosion threw me aside and almost knocked me out.
The ringing in my ear cause me dizziness and I felt pain all over my body but the adrenaline somehow numbed them to something bearable, "God freaking Disney that hurt!"
I tried getting up, but find my breath hitched at the sight, wishing what I was seeing was wrong, wrong, wrong!
Because what had thrown me off other than the explosion was Jan's body, his charred dead body and standing over him was Zancrow's maniacal laughing. It was unreal how an amusing laugh I heard from TV became so terrifying and out of place. Everything about him oozed crazy and dangerous, two things you don't want to mix.
I saw from the corner of my eyes, Jon dragging Jen by the shoulder as he limped toward us, but one look at the sight of their once was their brother. They rushed toward the body with a face full of dread and agony, ignoring the pain their body was sending to their brain. Jen kneeled beside it and shook his head in denial, Jon hugged his dead limped body of his former brother, his scream was nothing less of sorrow at the loss of his family and that Blonde Bastard relished it.
"Maybe this should teach you all, never mess with Grimoire Heart." He aimed his flamed hand at them and there was no need for me to think when my hand subconsciously wrote a rune. I summoned a tornado that trapped him in placed and turned to urged the brothers to move.
But I couldn't.
Seeing them hugging the body of their family, I couldn't manage to say anything that tore them apart.
Everything was happening so fast and so bad, it became harder for me not to get overwhelmed by all this. Which is why when Zancrow broke through my spell, I made a decision.
A stupid decision.
A very stupid decision, please don't imitate me.
I swiftly put the Triplet Mage with my Mark and requip a dagger on hand and threw it down to the ground. Once I knew it was in place I teleported them so they could mourn in peace.
Now for those who wonder why I didn't use it to escape along with Torry and Rebecca is because A) the distance was too long and B) three people was too much for me to teleport. In conclusion? I just depleted too much of my magic to retaliate that crazy blond mage who now is looming over me.
"Seems like a little worm is trying to fight back at us! Isn't that funny?"
"Not as funny as your hair though, ever heard of hair gel? You look like a lion who got his hair dried."
Hey, if I'm going to die (again) I sure ain't going to satisfy him with my fear.
His hair must have been a sensitive issue because as far I know, it wasn't easy to make him frown that easy. Oh goody, I pissed a psychotic pyro even more.
"You think you're funny aren't you?" He set his whole body ablaze, making him like some sort of demon flame hail from hell itself, his grin promising imaginable pain. Well if he tried to look scary, congratulation he succeeded. He then arched his back and took a deep breath and I don't need to guess what his next spell was.
"Bellow of the Flame God!"
Guided by my own danger instinct, I stretched out my hand and the liquid metal formed into a shield. Yet I had missed the one glaring mistake from that; Galliums are weak against heat.
I could have reinforced them with magic but there's no way it could hold up to Zancrow's god slayer magic. So when I saw the round black flame forming larger infront of me and I knew one blow from that and I'll be no more than burned corpse on the street. I closed my eyes in resignation, ready to take on the pain while my shield turned into silver goo but as the seconds' tick by, nothing happened.
I dared to open my eyes but there I was, scorch free. And shielding in front of me was the small crystal body of a boy I began to feel fond of.
"NICK!" That insufferable boy ignored me and even try to look defiant at the Psycho Mage, "Stop Nick, he's out of your league, he's out of both our leagues, don't you dare try to up against him Nick, Nick!"
Despite my cry, that kid kept root to his spot. Zancrow frown turned to an ominous smile once more as if that sadistic bastard had just found a new plaything for him to play.
NO, like hell I'll let that happened to him!
"Well, well, well, isn't this an interesting sight. Are you going to defy me, kid?"
Don't answer him, don't answer him, don't answer him!
"Leave us alone!"
Of course you answered him, Idiot!
"Don't want to," he said in childish mock tone then quickly turned into a predatory grin, "What are you going to do about it?"
Nick growled and made a familiar stance, a stance I showed him these past few days with grueling training to make it firm, "or I'll make you!"
Okay, that's it. I didn't teach him just so he could die a dog's death.
I got up on my feet and quickly trying to reach out for him, but everything seemed to play in slow motion as I watched him took a deep breath and with a roar loud enough to deaf the whole block, he released a torrent of wind and crystal shard, bigger and longer than I saw him used it in the last three days I've been with him. It made me wonder if this is how Natsu conjured his own roar.
Despite my awe witnessing his spell, I knew he's using all his ethernano for this one magic and I wasn't surprised to see Zancrow still standing straight as if the attacked didn't so much as fazed him. little shards were stuck all over him, and the wounds didn't seem to go deeper than just flesh wound.
Yet despite the result, Nick still stood tall, panting and ready to keel over yet his eyes never left his opponent. If it weren't for the fact he was an eight-year-old who doesn't know things that are way over his head, I would have shown my respect for him then and there.
"Nick, I'm warning you. Back off now or I'll cut ties with you and you'll go back to be all alone Nick so don't you dare try to play hero!" I thought playing dirty with words was enough to get the message across through his thick head. To my despair, he stayed rooted and I had enough of him and before I could yell his head off for him not to run, Nick cut me off.
"I'm not running away, not when after he tries to hurt you!"
"Why would that even matter if he did, that's not a reason for you to get yourself killed you Brat!"
"IT DOES WHEN YOU'RE MY FRIEND!" my retorting words were swallowed down at his reply and the sincere childish look he gave me just hit home, "You were the only one who ever believe in me, who tried earnestly talking with me, understanding me. You were everything I was always wanted when I've been on my own for so long, with people shooting looks at me like I was a nuisance and hope for me gone. I won't let anyone take that away from me, I'd rather die than let it happened!"
He's willing to bare his life for me and that's...that's something I can't imagine an action showing that I'm worth risking his life for. Words could not describe how gratifying his words were if not for the fact he was facing someone way off his head even though he has the dream of reuniting with Vitrous and his sister.
Stupid Fairy Tail Universe and their damn stubborn characters...no...not characters, people...hard rock stubborn people who have fixation in risking lives for someone he barely knows for three days.
"Blah, blah, blah..." Zancrow interrupted us, "Now that those heartfelt words are now said and done, I'd like to go back to burning you to crisp."
I looked up at him with a calculating look, my mind went through all the tools at my disposal and was surprised a plan that quickly formed in my head. I'd be sacrificing my new weapon but it's a small sacrifice.
"Nick, I want you to back down now!"
"No Aniki, didn't you hear me that I..."
"I heard you, Nick, that's why leave dealing with him to me."
His eyes widen looking at my determined face, my plan most was left to luck but right now, as I looked back at my rotten luck, the universe might give me a small break. That, and I felt my fate doesn't end, right now I truly believe that.
"So you're going to deal with me? A worm like you? KAKAKAKA that's the funniest thing I heard all day."
While he was drowning in his own ego I requip my dagger in each of my hand and threw it at him. He was briefly surprised at my quick draw but swiftly dodge all of them. He made the mistake of attempting to catch one and I relished the knee kick him on the face.
"That bloody nose is a good look for you" I quip.
I wasn't going to let him get back into his own flow so while he growled at me, I teleported to his back, take the dagger on the ground and stabbed his feet. I was about to follow it with another kick to his head but it seemed he had predicted that and made a kick of his own on my gut, followed by a swipe of a scythe shaped flame on his arm coming down at me and I teleported away to a safe distance.
Zancrow caught the fact I teleported to where my dagger is and began blown them to bits with his black flame that began shooting out his hand. Bad news for him, I have dozens where that came from and already marked a few spots when I was running around.
Our battle was full of hit and miss, with me appearing where he least expected and teleport away before he could retaliate. It went on to the point he was annoyed.
"You know what, I had it with you pest!" He brought his flamed hand together and I had to resist a smile, "If you burn down the west and burn down the east, God's Breath, Kagutsuchi of the Flame God"
Gotcha!
I pulled out a notebook and opened it where it was faced the flame, and began sucking in the flame of the god. The dumbfounded look of that mad teen was priceless
"Wha...but...how..."
"You said this is the flame of the god? How about you try tasting your own flame!" I wrote the word 'release' over it and the same spell was spew out at him. Seeing as this is his own there was no way for him to eat it.
The first scream of pain coming out of him was just as I hope it'd be.
"You...YOU!"
"Yes, me?"
My mocking tone seemed to flip a switch inside him as he came up in front of me faster than a normal human did and placed his hand over my right eye, his hand still aflame.
I screamed as his hand didn't relent on just giving me a burn and fully intend to see me squirm as he kept a slow agonizing dark burn to scar my face, at this rate I might become the twin brother of Zuko. Zancrow's didn't get to enjoy his work before the dull pain on his right hand began aching further and Zancrow watched in confusion and slight horror silver blotches began appearing on his arm, feeling his sense of feeling numbing and moving it became extremely difficult along as circulating magic to it.
"What...WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!" Zancrow cried with a fearful tone that helped make me smile.
I was in pain and exhausted, but the happy grin was too much for me to hold back. "You see that hexagon mark on your hand..." he looked at the side of his arm and his eyes widen at the mark, "Yeah, that mark helps teleport anything and anyone to that point, and to my delight that mark went past your skin."
"Right now inside of you is a liquid metal called Gallium, and I had it teleport inside you and as you can see it right now spreading throughout every muscle, every tissue, every cell until you can't feel it anymore, let alone using it."
"So here's the deal you Son of a bitch, you take everyone from your guild back to your ship or I'll spread that nasty metal inside of you until it reaches your heart and you'll be dead before the first-second strike, and let me tell you it's not going to be fun nor painless."
"What's it going to be? Leave us both alive or leave us both dead? Your choice Grimoire Heart."
We were on hold on a staring contest between two mages until a flock of robe mage came up from behind him and one of them fearfully began to explain how they had found one of the Key and that they had ordered to pull back. Zancrow sneered at the man before looking back at me with disdain, "You, what's your name?"
"Call me Roy." Like hell I give you my last name.
Roy," he said as if tasting the name on his mouth. He pointed his now useless arm and didn't hold back his contempt snarl toward me, "I am Zancrow, one of the 7 Kin of Purgatory and you'll pay for what you did to me, mark my words that you will regret ever crossing member of the strongest guild!"
"Say that when you have a pair of arms to work with!"
The Grimoire Heart Mage sneered at me one last time before leaving with his fellow guildmates. I made that cue for me to finally relax and let my body rest on the ground. Feeling nothing of the mental and physical strain this whole ordeal had made me gone through. I could feel the tremor of rushed footsteps of Nick as he rushed toward my side, checking any noticeable injury yet unsure of what to do.
"Relax Nick, I'm fine. Let me rest and I'll be up in a jiffy."
The young boy smiled and thanked me, for what exactly I didn't know but...all's well that ends well.
That's what I thought before a dark forbidding sound of a machine coming to life and the two of us looked up to see the giant guild ship had their cannons drawn out. a giant magic circle appeared above the village and all the blood on my face was drained at the familiar circle is displayed. I took Nick's hand and began running toward the nearest shelter we could find, briefly hearing a mechanical woman voice sounded throughout the town, giving us our death sentenced.
Jupiter...Fired!
. . .
When I woke up I was expecting to see the white ceiling of my room along with the gaudy small golden chandelier. Instead, I was greeted with the smoked night sky, the shambled of the 300-year-old tower, and the great, great pain shooting throughout my body.
I first tried moving my head, looking left and right, then slightly lifting it to examine my body. I have a limber stuck on my body, a boulder or two that got my hand wedge between them, and seeing as I could feel my every muscle, I didn't lose a limb or became invalid which is good news for one thing.
That got me frowning because knowing how bad Jupiter is, it's amount to a miracle that I could go unscathed from that ordeal.
Ignoring the burning flame, I tried getting up, coughing a bit and looked around and my heart sank at the scene. The once beautiful lively village with hundreds of years of history now was only but a shadow of its former glory. Flame and rubbles colored the scene, body sprawling across the streets without knowing if they were dead or alive. The scene reminded me of the aftermath part of the war on Pakistan where I had watched the video.
Seeing something like this first hand, no words can describe the true devastation of such cold-blooded act.
I heard rubbles moving and I quickly turned around to find Nick on one of the rubble as he started to wake up. Quickly, I pulled out my hand from the wedge and ran toward his side.
"Nick, Nick, hey you're going to be okay buddy, hey can you hear m-" my breath hitched when I saw his back. His whole body had turned into crystal probably from the stressed, yet instead of reassuring me, seeing the hole on his back that almost went through the other side, the cracks on his face and limbs, I was sure if that was his real flesh and blood body than he would have been dead by now.
Thankfully, he was still breathing albeit weakly. I kept slapping his face hoping it would wake him up, "Come on Nick, you're stronger than this
"A...Aniki?"
"Yeah, it's me, Nick, think you can stay alive for a little longer?"
His haze eyes looked at me with a strange flicker of emotion in it before forcing out a smile, "Thank God you're alive."
That word sent chills in me because then the few dots in my head began connecting. I slowly turned my head, hoping I was wrong. Yet there where I had been lying unconscious were shards of pink and blue crystals.
He was shielding me.
This kid just protected me.
"You Sonnova-what were you even thinking Nick?! Wait, you know what? I don't want to know because you're not dying on me, Nick." God, he was just eight! I don't think I can live with myself if he died.
I carefully tried pulling him to lay on the ground, I wasn't sure if I could cover the hole on his back so I had his back facing the sky instead. I still don't know when help will arrive if any actually come and my mind was trying to come up with any ideas. Years of learning basic biology were useless at the state Nick was in and I'm not confident my skill would help him in time if I ask him to undo his spell. All that's left is...
"Aniki...I'm cold..."
I felt my heart stopped at those words, I looked down and saw his eyes weren't looking at me, I barely feel the soft beat of his heart, "You have to stay strong Nick, you have to live. Think of Vitrous, think of your sister, didn't you say you were going to see them!"
"Aniki...don't leave me alone..."
I grabbed his outstretched hand, it was cold and hard, and I was afraid that holding him too strong could break his crystalized hand.
"I'm here Nick, I got you, I'm here. My hand fumbled for the bottle on of my belt, glad that it was still intact, pulling it out and forced him to drink. It was my last shot of an all or nothing gamble but even I don't know if it could help him at this point.
"You're going to be okay Nick, you hear me? It's going to be okay," I desperately reassured him...or reassuring myself.
"Okay..." he said, his voice hoarse and his smile was wistful, his eyes slowly coming down and I couldn't help but panic.
"Nick, no...Nicholas, don't you dare fall asleep now, Nick...NICK!"
. . .
At 7th July X777
Was the day my eyes were open at the cruel and unforgiving world this universe truly was.