Chapter 5, probably the last chapter made mostly out of dialogue. If you finish this chapter, make sure to read the AN at the bottom, I'd appreciate it.
Afternoon of November 22nd, Magic Council HQ, Era
Makarov made his way through the corridors of Council's Headquarters, accompanied by two guards and a redhaired knight walking right beside him. The day of their trial has finally arrived and their fate was about to be decided. The Master already knew what was going to happen, but he kept his head held high, passing by whispering Council members with a small smirk glued to his face. His plan was about to be brought to life.
After few minutes of walking, they found themselves standing in front of the giant wooden door of the courtroom.
"We have arrived. Miss Scarlet, please give me your arms." said one of the guards, walking in front of Erza. The knight looked at him in suprise, but complied and extended her hands in front of her torso. The guard grabbed her wrists and smacked magic cancelling handcuffs on her armored arms.
"Is this necessary?" asked Makarov, raising his eyebrow.
"I'm simply following my orders, sir." answered the guard.
"Are you going to put those on me as well?" joked the Master, joining his hands in front of his chest. The guard merely squinted his eyes and walked up to the door, grabbing the massive doorknob.
"Miss Scarlet." he called out to the knight, inviting her inside.
Erza sighed gently and slowly made her way into the room.
"Be convincing." whispered Makarov when she passed him.
"I know." retorted the woman through her teeth. Couple seconds later, she found herself in the bright, big room as the heavy door closed behind her, cutting off her possible way of escape. The room was rather empty, but spacious, with a big, brown wooden stand where Council members were sitting placed at the end of the room, with a wooden path that led straight to a thick railing in front of it. Erza didn't get to take the sight in, as she felt a gentle push on her back, telling her to walk forward. The knight slowly made her way down the wooden path, checking the stands with her eyes in the meantime. She briefly spotted couple of familiar faces, such as Yajima and Saint Jura, but her eyes were mostly focused on the figure of the Chairman, who sat right in the middle, on something that resembled a throne.
Erza finally reached her destination, as she got in front of the railing and extended her bound hands forward. Her arms were grabbed by a guard, who slid a steel bar right into the link between her cuffs and planted it deep into the ground, seemingly locking the knight in the place.
"Erza Scarlet." Gran Doma's voice echoed across the room, as he stood up from his seat. "You have been brought here to answer for your violation of the law. You are about to be judged accordingly and pledged innocent, or guilty. Do you swear to tell truth, and only the truth?"
"I do." answered the woman, trying to sound as serious as possible.
"Very well. I hereby open the trial of Erza Scarlet, accused of destroying Blackhill Village, acting on her own accord in Dark Mage hunting and acting against the Council's consent and laws." said Gran Doma, smashing the wooden surface with his staff.
"I am so going to make her pay when I get back." thought the "knight", gritting her teeth.
Meanwhile
"I'm counting on you, Mira." thought Makarov, as he walked through the so familiar corridors, exiting the main wing of the building. He had at least 30 minutes until his trial and he knew exactly what to do with them. He made his way downstairs, entering an area he's been to only once. He never expected, or wanted to find himself here for a second time, but those were difficult times.
After couple minutes of walking, his only source of light were dying torches, with the windows completely absent, as the elder man made his way deeper into the dungeon. Finally, he reached the end of the stairs and walked down the dark, dusty corridor, with two guards standing at the end of it right by the barred steel door.
"Sir, you're not supposed to be in...here..." said the guard, trying to stop the Master, however his eyelids have suddenly become heavy, as he fell to the floor along with his partner.
Makarov canceled his Sleep Magic and searched the guard thoroughly, looking for keys. Upon finding them, he turned them in the lock and pushed the heavy door, opening them. The first thing his eyes have registered were two rows of cells, spreading deep into the dungeon. It was dark, so dark he had to make a ball of fire in his tiny hand and hold it in front of him to not trip and fall onto his face. The tiny mage made his way down the prison, walking slowly and checking every plate that was hanged above the cells. The prisoners were curious and suprised by his presence, but remained silent. Some of them walked up to the bars and followed him with their eyes, muttering something under their noses. Months and possibly years of being locked up took its tool on all of these men and women, majority of them out of shape and covered in their dirty, tangled hair.
After few minutes, he found his destination and gulped lightly, his eyes glued to number 100977 engraved on a wooden plate hanged right above the cell. The Master carefully walked up to the bars, gently lightening the interiors of the room.
"To whom do I owe this pleasant suprise?" asked a raspy, sarcastic voice from inside of the cell.
Makarov took these words as a sign of a good start and cleared his throat.
"I think this is the first time in years you had to ask someone for their name, isn't it?" asked the tiny mage, receiving a small chuckle in response.
"I never thought I'd miss it. For years, I wanted to spend at least an hour in silence, yet here I am, wishin' I could hear voices once again. Well then, will you tell me who my sudden guest is?"
The Master hesitated for a moment, sorting his thoughts, making sure he plays his cards right. One mistake could cost him dearly.
"Fairy Tail's Master, Makarov Dreyar." said the tiny mage, deciding to take a risk. Upon hearing this name, the prisoner slightly twitched in his seat, seemingly unsettled.
"I need your help, Cobra. Or should I call you Erik?" asked the Master.
The man's eyes squinted dangerously, as he stared at Makarov's figure. "I ain't even going to ask where you've learned of that name, old man." answered Cobra, his voice losing its previous playfulness. "What do you want from me?"
"Answers." retorted the elder mage sharply, slightly suprising the prisoner. "I am going to ask you some questions, and you will answer them best to your knowledge."
Cobra was stunned, his mouth open, as he just stared at the man. After a short while he regained his composure and started to laugh, his voice rough and dry.
"Well, at least now I know you're funny, old man." wheezed the dark mage, wiping his eyes. "So, your people throw me and other Generals in here for life, and you just come here and expect me to sing for ya? Why do I have to answer any of your questions?" his voice lost any trace of its previous carefreeness, as he now hissed at the elder mage.
"You don't." answered Makarov shortly. "You can remain silent. I will thank you for your time and be on my way. You and your comrades will stay here and spend the rest of your lives in this disguisting place. If you wish to avoid that, however, you can tell me everything you know and I will make sure your sentences will be shortened. Your choice."
Cobra remained silent, staring into Makarov's eyes. None of this made any sense to him, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested in the man's last proposition. Still, he had to make sure..
"Why should I believe your words? Nothing you just said makes any sense."
"Do what you think is best, Erik. You are free to make your own choices." retorted the elder, making the prisoner raise his eyebrows. "Right. Forgive me." he sweatdropped, slightly embarrassed of his momentary inability to read the mood.
Cobra waged his options in silence, his mind engaged in a heated battle. The man standing in front of him was an enemy, he shouldn't even consider putting trust in this small figure, and yet, his words were far too tempting to be left ignored.
"You're the first person I've talked to in months, I might as well listen to your blabberin' and kill some time. Can't say I will tell ya anything, though."
Both men stared at each other for a while, before Makarov sighed in his thoughts in relief.
"Very well." muttered the senior. Sweat ran down his temple - his time was limited and Cobra was certainly easy to startle. He had to tread lightly and ask the right questions, as the ice was mighty thin. Still, risks had to be made. He wouldn't get far without taking them.
"I guess I will begin with the most intriguing one..." started the Master, choosing his words carefully. "What do you know about Salamander?"
Cobra's eyes glimpsed in the darkness, betraying him. Not that he'd be in any position to lie about meeting him - the entire Council and at least 12 guilds knew about their encounter by now.
"Sorry, old man, that one is a fat no." said Cobra, trying to cross his bound hands in the shape of an X in front of his chest.
"I know you've fought, Erik. Half of the country does." retorted the Master.
"It's not about that. I just don't sell out comrades, that's all." smirked the prisoner, shocking the elder. Comrades?
"What do you mean "comrades"? Both of you tried to kill each other for all I know, and now you're saying you became friends?"
"No comment." stated Cobra, seemingly closing the topic.
Looking at his watch, Makarov decided to bet everything on one, final card. He disliked playing this role, but he had to pull the Dragon Slayer's tongue to get what he came here for. Personal feelings had to be put aside, as time was playing against him.
"Listen, kid." whispered the elder, stepping towards the cell so close his nose was behind the bars. "I've sent my own children to find this man. They've returned, beaten and mentally broken. I went against the Council, twice, to find out the truth about this man. You will tell me everything you know about him, or I'll make sure you stay here for as long as the Council wants you to. I don't want every single piece of information you have, nor do I want you to betray him. I want the truth."
Cobra stared at Makarov with his eyes slightly widened, clearly shocked by this sudden change in tone. If he said he wasn't taken by by this speech, he'd be a liar. Gulping softly, he figured out he might as well tell enough to keep the old man satisfied.
"Fine. You win, geezer." sighed Cobra, waving his hands in the meantime. "I guess I can spill a bean or two."
Makarov's face relaxed in relief that his stunt did not end up badly. He stepped away from the bars and waited for the prisoner to talk.
"We did fight. He jumped me, Racer and Hoteye in one of our hideouts. We fought, but neither could take down the other. I focused and tried to listen to his heart a little harder than usually, and that's when I realised we were comrades. All of this was one, damn misunderstanding, on both parts. So we just split our ways. That's all. I don't know too much about him, not that I'd tell you anyway. I still consider myself generous for even telling you this."
Makarov frowned. Erza did tell him one of the members of Oracion Seiss had the ability to read thoughts, and that he peeked into her mind, but he never gave it too much thought. One peek into his mind resulted in comradery? Was it even mutual? So many questions, so little time...
"When you listened to him..." started the Master, feeling thin ice under his feet yet again. "What did you hear? What made you think of him as an ally?"
Cobra's eyes squinted, as if he considered whether to respond to this question, or blow it off.
"You really are a persistent old man, aren't ya?" he snorted in response. "Fine. You want to know what I've seen in that thick head of his?"
The Master nodded in anticipation, swallowing his spit slowly.
"A common enemy." he said, grinning mockingly.
"A common enemy?" frowned the Master. "Are you talking about Fairy Tail?"
"No. They are considered taboo, even in the Alliance. Then again, if you release me and other Six Generals out, I can tell you everything about them. What do you say, geezer, wanna learn who I'm talking about?" smirked the man, clearly trying to bargain.
"You know I can't do that. I have no authority to let you out. All I can do is keep my end of the promise, I won't add anything more."
Cobra hesitated for a moment, waging his options. If getting out immediately wasn't an option, getting out earlier was better than nothing. Having decided to talk, Cobra adjusted himsrlf in his seat and spoek out.
"They call themselves Seven Commandments. They are an unofficial fourth leader of Baram Alliance, but they are hated by pretty much everybody. They control almost half of the Alliance, with their roots reaching as far as other guilds' branches. Since they're so despised, none of the guilds wants to even speak to them, let alone fight them. Believe me, they tried. As the name suggests, there's seven of them. No one knows their real names, instead, they use nicknames. Their magics, location, and members are unknown. But there's one thing they don't keep a secret, and that's the reason both us and Salamander want to slaughter them with our own damn hands."
Cobra's voice, previously mocking, was now full of hatred and poison. This sudden change suprised Makarov, making him curious about one certain thing.
"What would that reason be?" asked the tense elder.
Cobra raised his hands yet again, as the chains inbetween his antimagic shackles echoed across the dungeon.
"Let's just say this isn't the first time I was put in chains."
Makarov inhaled through his nose and closed his eyes slowly, seemingly disappointed. But that was not the case, as this small riddle gave him more than he could ever hope for. Previously shattered pieces were now starting to put themselves back together. He looked at his pocket clock, his time almost running out: Mira was about to step out of the courtroom any minute now.
"Thank you, Erik. You have me in your debt." said the tiny mage, bowing to the prisoner.
"One more thing." interrupted Cobra, suprising the elder a little. "It's only a rumor, so don't take it for granted, but I've heard one of them uses mind control. Whether it's true, or not, I leave to ya."
Makarov's eyes widened in shock, as a ridiculous thought formed in his head. No, it couldn't be...But it'd explain everything that happened in past months...
"Why are you telling me this?" asked the elder.
"Normally, I wouldn't say a single word to ya. But, since those bastards are involved, screw my pride. If I can't take care of them myself, I'll let y'all do it. Maybe you'll take out each other, I sure as hell wouldn't mind that."
Makarov smiled awkwardly and shook his head. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." with that said, he started to walk away from the cell.
"I still want Six Generals to be released. Don't you forget it, old man!" shouted Cobra with a smirk, as he watched the elder mage's back getting smaller with each step.
"I will do everything in my power to keep my word. That, I promise you. Goodbye, Erik."
Makarov waved his hand in farewell and made his way back to the courtroom, restoring all the fallen guards back to normal. His mind was a mess, cut links and thoughts circling all over his brain. He was both glad and scared at the same time - glad, that his hunch regarding Salamander was seemingly correct, but scared that yet another problem has emerged. A problem he had no hopes of dealing with on his own. The truly dangerous times have yet to come.
Meanwhile
Jolene knocked on the heavy, wooden door leading to a personal chamber. Her whole body was tense, mixed feelings clutching her speeding heart. She hated bringing news like this one, especially with upcoming events putting everyone on the edge. She's known him for years, but that didn't change the fact she was most likely to receive punishment for what she was about to report. It was beyond being not fair.
"Come in." called out a stoic, calm male voice from behind the door.
Gulping loudly, the woman pushed the door and slowly entered the dark room, the windows covered by curtains despite it being the middle of the day. The room was seemingly empty, with only a kingsized bed placed in the middle of the room, and a closet standing by the right wall being the only pieces of furniture in the chamber. A tall, male figure was currently standing inside of the closet, his well toned torso naked, as he searched through his variety of clothing. Jolene just stood there, her eyes glued to his figure, as he looked at her for a second, before returning to his activity.
"I hope you have a justified reason to disturb me, Jolene." he said, sliding his fingers on the sleeve of a silky robe.
Jolene quickly dropped to the floor and kneeled in the doorway, cursing her momentary lack of respect.
"Forgive me, Master, I shouldn't have disturbed your rest. However, I have news that you may consider to be crucial." she said, her usually playful voice replaced by a strained, terrified tone. "Just now, The Body has disobeyed an order and left in search of Salamander. We tried to stop him, but..."
The man stopped caressing his clothing and froze in place for a moment. This little action filled Jolene with pure terror, as she closed her eyes, fully prepared to receive her punishment.
"I see. Thank you for reporting this, Jolene." he whispered and returned to his previous activity. The woman opened her eyes, suprised and raised her head to look at her Master.
"Y-you're not mad, Master?" she asked, suprised and glad she wasn't lashed out on.
The man pulled a dark blue robe off a rack and threw it onto his naked torso, carefully straightening up every crampled spot on the material.
"Our plans are going accordingly, regardless of his insubordination. I have chosen him to be the one to carry out this task long ago. Few hours don't make a difference. Salamander has been crucial to our plans for years now. Normally, he should have been captured months ago, however, it appears none of you seem to respect my words. I guess I should be glad at least one of you has decided to take matters into his own hands. Better late, than never."
Jolene gulped. She told them, she told them many times that they should organize a hunt for this kid. But none of them listened, and now here she was, taking the blame for those morons.
"Is this all you wanted to share with me?" he asked, shifting his head to look at the kneeling female, making her jolt at the sound of his voice.
"Yes, Master."
"Very well. You are free to leave."
Jolene bowed once again and rose up from her knees, ready to leave the room.
"Oh, I almost forgot." said the man, making the woman freeze in her spot. "Retrieve Luppi immediately. We are about to move into the final stage of the operation. His presence here is crucial and necessary."
The brunette sighed in relief in her thoughts and turned around to bow to her Master for the last time.
"As you wish, Master Silva."
With that said, she closed the door and put her back against it, sliding to the floor. A loud sigh of relief escaped her mouth, as she just sat there, glad to be in one piece.
"Be careful, Grigol." she whispered to herself, her tone worried, as she looked at the nearest window.
Makarov reached his destination just in time, as just when he walked around the corner, the door to the courtroom opened, with Mirajane, still transformed into Erza, walking out of the room, her hands now free.
"How was it?" asked the Master.
"Property damage and insubordination. They've given me a fine and community work, nothing about jail, though." responded Mira, dropping any signs of her previous act.
"I see. You think they've caught on?" he whispered so that she was the only one to hear him.
"No. They wouldn't have let me out if they did."
"Good point."
Makarov placed his hand on Mira's and pulled it, telling her to kneel down. The female blinked in suprise, but lowered her figure, as Makarov reached out to her ear.
"Head back to the guild immediately. Don't wait for me. Once you're a safe distance away from here, change back into your own clothes and undo the magic. Don't go back for me, just head back home. Got it?"
Mira's eyes widened, as she looked into Makarov's old eyes. "What's going on?" she asked, only to feel his finger on her lips.
"No questions. Do as I say."
It took her a while, but ultimately she nodded and risen up from her knees. Makarov gave her a gentle nod and focused on two guards who approached him, carrying the same set of handcuffs they've put on Mira 30 minutes earlier.
"I'm not wearing that." Makarov shot them down almost immediately, making the guards unsettled.
"But, sir, this is the law..." started one of them, with the other one nodding eagerly, however Makarov's raised eyebrows were too convincing for both of them, and they gave up trying to bind the elder. With small sighs, they pointed towards the courtroom with their spears and accompanied the Master, who gracefully made his way into the room.
Upon entering it, the door behind him was quickly closed and blocked with a wooden bar from the outside.
"This is going to be interesting." thought Makarov sarcastically, chuckling to himself as he walked to the wooden railing, ready to take his spot. On his way, he spotted Jura sitting in his seat. The man nodded lightly to the Master, who slowly blinked back in response.
"Makarov Dreyar. One of Ten Wizard Saints and Master of Fairy Tail. You have been summoned here under suspicion of conspiring against the Council and the world of magic. Do you swear to tell truth, and only the truth?" asked Gran Doma, his voice echoing across the room.
"So this is how they're going to play this out." thought Makarov, smiling sarcastically. "I do." he replied shortly, more amused than worried.
"Very well. Let us begin."
The Chairman sat down in his throne-like chair and extended his right hand, waiting for a Council member to pass a pile of papers in his direction. Upon receiving them, he flipped few pages and cleared his throat, before speaking out.
"On November 16th, the Council has decided to put a bounty on the individual called Salamander. You, and 11 other Guild Masters have been asked and have agreed to cooperate with the Council on this matter. You have been instructed to wait 48 hours after the official decision. You, on the other hand, have broken this rule and sent your guildmembers to fight Salamander not even 24 hours after the meeting. This was a clear act of insubordination and violation of the Council's trust. Your guildmembers are guilty of destroying Blackhill Village, to the point where rebuilding may be impossible. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Muttering echoed across the courtroom, as present wizards whispered to each other.
"I can't deny any of that. However, I had nothing but good interest in mind. This bounty has caused more harm than good. Even as we speak, S-Class mages battle each other in order to get rid of their competition. Instead of uniting against common enemy, they jump to each other's throats. At least two guilds have destroyed each other in a meaningless battle, every single one of them blinded with money. Is this what the Council had in mind?"
Some whispers have reached the elders ears yet again, the Council members seemingly outraged by his accusations.
"And what of Dragon Claw? My kids have managed to solve a problem that suprisingly passed right through the Council's fingers on multiple ocassions, I'm sure it somewhat redeems their "crimes"?" noted Makarov, sarcastically toning the last word and carefully observing Gran Doma's face. He felt his lips move on their own, turning into a small smile, as apparently he hit the mark, with the Chairman's face becoming slightly unsettled, even if for a moment.
"The incident with Dragon Claw was a terrible and unforgivable mistake on Council's part. Necessary matters will be put to action very soon. Changes and reforms are needed, so that we can avoid incidents like this in the future. Everything for the better good of world of magic. As for the current situation between the guilds, everything is under control. Your guild was the main reason behind these riots. Violence breeds violence." retorted the Chairman, his voice slightly wavering.
"Yes, of course. How rude of me. Violence was definitely not in your mind when you compared that boy to a thorn that has to be "ripped out"." pointed Makarov ironically. He was getting more confident with each exchange between him and the Chairman.
The Chairman's eyes narrowed dangerously, as he threw away the papers he kept in his hand and smashed his staff into the floor.
"This meaningless discussion is over. Makarov Dreyar - do you confess to your crimes?"
Makarov closed his eyes and slowly exhaled through his nose. "I have known you for years, Chairman. We had our differences, but I've always respected you. However, for the past couple months, I felt like I was talking to a different man. I'm sure it's just my imagination, though."
The elder opened his eyes, only to be met with Gran Doma's scared face. People present in the room never would have caught it, but not Makarov. He was now sure of his biggest fears and it was time to burn them into ashes.
"Do you confess?" asked Gran Doma, articulating each word with more force than the previous one. His lost composure was now emerging like an empty plastic bottle thrown into the ocean.
"Yes, I confess. I confess to my crimes. I confess to trying to prevent a disaster from happening, and I confess to being blind. Blind to what was happening righr before my eyes for so long."
The Chairman stood up from his seat and smashed his staff into the ground. "Makarov Dreyar. You are pledged guilty of your crimes. You are hereby sentenced to be put in jail, where you will await your sentence. Guards, seize him!"
All the guards saluted to the Chairman and pointed their magic spears at the tiny mage, slowly closing the distance. Majority of the present mages loudly expressed their approval of Makarov's arrest, some of them standing up from their seats. The Master did not budge from his spot, however, as he just glared daggers at the Chairman.
"I don't know who you are, but you have made a terrible mistake. Whatever it is you're planning, Fairy Tail will put a stop to it. Mark my words, Seven Commandments."
Gran Doma was now terrified, as he yelled to the present wizards to assist in Makarov's arrest. Everyone except Jura and Yajima have risen from their seats, ready to seize the tiny mage. The Master, however, raised his right hand and used his Titan Magic to increase its size, before smashing it into the floor beneath him, as he fell down along with the rubble.
"Why haven't you chained him up?! After him! Don't let him escape!" yelled a Councilwoman standing next to Yajima, who bowed his head sorrowly. "Now you've done it, Macky."
Jura stared at the Chairman, his eyes squinted. Despite all the commotion, Makarov's last words did not escape his ears, as the pieces started to put themselves in the Tenth Saint's head.
"I will help in the search. Excuse me." he said, bowing to the Chairman as he made his way down the wooden stand.
The Chairman didn't even notice the Saint leaving, as he struck the floor with his staff, silencing the commotion.
"I hereby disband Fairy Tail! All of their members shall be taken into custody and judged accordingly. It is time we get rid of the main source of all our problems. Today is the day we purge the world of magic off its filth!"
Chanting erupted in the courtroom, as the mages have expressed their joy over the Chairman's decision. Each and every single one of them has awaited this day.
"This is bad. I have to get rid of them as soon as possible Master will not forgive me this failure." thought Luppi in Gran Doma's chambers, blood flowing down his hand, as he bit his thumb nail through in frustration. "The time to purge this world has come."
2 hours later, Magnolia, Fairy Tail Guild
After a long and unpleasant journey, Erza has finally made her way back home. Her stomach wound was still causing her trouble, as she was forced to support herself even after her long train ride, but it was much better than day before. It was late afternoon, but she was sure someone was still at the guild. Limping with her trusty spear, she pushed the door and entered the so familiar building, the feeling of home hitting her right in the entrance.
"I'm back!" she exclaimed to the present members, gaining their attention.
"Erza! What happened to you?!" a worried voice called out to her, as Lucy ran up to the knight, quickly taking her arm and wrapping it over her shoulders.
"Little trouble on the road, nothing to worry about." she smiled at the blonde reassuringly. "It seems my wounds haven't healed as well as I expected them to be."
"Let's have Wendy take a look at you." said Lucy, supporting Erza to her table, where Gray, Wendy and Juvia were sitting, all three of them playing cards. Upon hearing their footsteps, Gray raised his head lazily to take in Erza's figure with his eyes, only to drop them back to his cards after a moment.
"Welcome back. Enjoyed your vacation?" he asked sarcastically, throwing some cards on the table.
"As a matter of fact, I did." retorted the knight, slightly suprising the Maker mage. "Is Master here?" she asked, aiming the question at Lucy.
"No. He left for your trials, with Mira disguised as you. We tried to stop him but..."
Lucy stopped talking as she felt an iron grip on her arm, yelping in pain. "Erza, it hurts!"
"He did what?! How could he do something this irresponsible?!" she asked no one in particular, outraged.
"You weren't back, so he had to manage. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself." shrugged Gray, continuing his game.
Erza looked at his raven head with suprising hostility.
"Is there a problem? You've been pretty bold as of late, Gray." she asked in a low, scary tone.
Gray threw his cards onto the table with unnecessarily high strength and turned around to look at the redhead.
"Yes, there is. Your lack of trust in us. That's the problem."
Erza's eyes widened in suprise. "Excuse me?" she asked, her voice losing its previous sharpness.
"I know you went after that guy. He's the one who did that to you, wasn't he?" he asked, pointing at her stomach with his chin. "You should have told us, even if you wanted to go alone. All you talk about is trust, yet here you are, doing things behind our backs. I'm sick and tired of you keeping secrets from us."
Erza sighed heavily and slowly took a seat right next to Juvia, who desperately tried to focus on her cards, not wanting anything to do with this conversation.
"Everyone has secrets, Gray. That's what makes us human. But don't misunderstand me, I just needed some time alone. This..." she gently patted her left side "was my own stupidity catching up to me. I am not keeping anything from you. We're a team, aren't we?"
Gray's scowl weakened at the sight of her smile, even if only a little. "Yeah. We are." He scratched his head and growled quietly. "Sorry. I'm still frustrated about that whole thing."
"Don't be. I understand you well enough. I think we all do." responded Erza, putting her armored hand on his shoulder. Deep inside, it hurt her that she had to resort to lies, again. But she couldn't share this with anyone, not even Master. This was something she had to deal with on her own. Her possible connection to Natsu was too personal to be exposed, even to her friends.
"Wendy?" she called out to the tiny Dragon Slayer, who tried to copy Juvia and adorably pretended to not listen. Upon hearing her name being called out, she dropped her act and looked at Erza questionably.
"Could you heal my wound? It's nothing serious, but I'd like to get rid of it as soon as possible. Can you do it?" the knight smiled at her.
"Yes, of course." nodded Wendy.
Erza patted the girl's head and stood up, taking her breastplate off.
"Wai...Erza!" shouted Lucy, watching her friend strip right in the middle of the guild.
With a loud thud, Erza placed her armor on the bench and was now standing in just her black tanktop, laying down on the table. She rolled up her shirt to reveal a purple-yellowish bruise to her friends, making Lucy grimace in disguist.
"What do you think?" Erza asked Wendy, who watched the bruise carefully.
"It doesn't look like anything serious. I'll do my best to heal you as fast as possible!." nodded the girl and brought her hands close to the wound, beginning to heal it seconds later.
"There's a storm coming. I can't let anything bring me down. I don't know what, but it's coming, and it will leave a huge impact on all of us." thought the knight, as she watched the bruise change colors already. "Seven Commandments... Whoever they are, this name sounds like trouble. Be careful, Natsu."
3 AM of November 23rd, a tavern somewhere near Magnolia
Natsu lazily rolled the liquid of his drink around, watching it crash into walls of his glass. With a loud sigh he brought the glass down and slammed it into the wooden counter, startling the bartender, who was currently fighting with a stain on the wodden surface.
"How about you go to sleep, kid? I'm kinda sick of sitting here with you." he said in a stoic, yet irritated voice.
"I don't remember asking you, though." muttered the Dragon Slayer, waving his hand lazily.
"This is my tavern! I can't let you sit here alone, are you crazy?" the bartender raised his eyebrows, shocked with the man's logic.
"Why not?" asked the Dragon Slayer innocently, rendering the man speechless.
The bartender shook his head in defeat and resumed his previous activity, scrubbing the wood with doubled force and mumbling something under his nose. Suddenly, the silence inside of the local was breached, as the sound of opening doors reached the ears of both men. Natsu smirked to himself, glad that the bartender was no longer able to kick him out prematurily. He reached out for his glass and slowly started to lift it to his mouth, the strong smell of the alcohol teasing his enhanced nose.
"Welcome. Is there anything you'd like?" asked the bartender with a fake smile. He clearly wanted to close in for the night.
"A bottle of something strong." replied the new client in a low, manly voice.
Natsu froze in place, his hand stopped right in front of his mouth. His eyes widened in shock, his grip tightening as the glass started to crack. He knew this voice. He'd have recognized it anywhere. No matter how hard he tried, this voice still haunted him in his dreams to this day.
The man walked up to the nearby table and sat down, his back just one meter away from Natsu's. The Dragon Slayer gently placed down the remains of his glass, its contents spilled all over the counter.
"Here you go." said the bartender, bringing a bottle to the client's table. He grabbed the bottle and opened it with his teeth, chugging down half of it in one go. After a short while he lowered his drink and sighed in relief, before speaking out.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?"
Natsu's previously tense body loosened up, an unfamiliar feeling filling his chest. "Seven years, to be exact."
"That sure is long." whistled the man in response.
The atmosphere inside of the tavern was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Both men remained in their seats, their backs turned against each other.
"You've found me rather easily. What gave me away?" asked Natsu, not recognizing his own voice.
"A giant pile of rubble that used to belong to my subordinates."
The man grabbed his bottle and emptied it in one go, slamming it into the table when finished.
"It's amazing how one little prick that managed to escape from us turned out to cause this much trouble. I should be angry, but instead I'm impressed. Ya really know how to fuck with people, don't ya, Salamander?" asked the man, his grip on his bottle increasing with each word.
"So I've been told. But you won't have to worry about that any longer."
The man turned around, looking at the back of Natsu's head questionably.
"Because you're not leaving this place alive." hissed the Dragon Slayer, feeling every single bit of his reason being overshadowed by rage.
The man snorted lightly in response. "You really are funny."
Suddenly, out of nowhere, both men kicked their seats and turned around, their fists clashing with incredible strength. A powerful shockwave erupted inside of the local, pushing and breaking the wooden furniture, with the bartender being sent flying into his display of liquor, as he crashed into the bottles, breaking them all.
Natsu felt himself being pushed back, losing the power struggle. His right leg was lifted off the ground, his figure thrown off balance. His opponent didn't waste time, as he was already pulling his left arm back, ready to strike again. His punch cut the air, as it missed Natsu's head just barely, with the Dragon Slayer slipping his head to his right, as he brought his leg down and let it pull his body along with it. The punch was so strong it sent a whirpool of air, which crashed through the wall of the tavern, leaving a giant hole in it.
Using this chance, Natsu stepped in and pulled his left arm back, flames covering his fist.
FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!
He smashed his attack right into the man's stomach, pushing him back a little. However, the attack didn't fully go through, as it was stopped by the mountain of muscles that was standing in front of him.
"Weak." whispered the man, shocking Natsu. "Way too weak!" he repeated, yelling, as he bounced Natsu's fist away with his stomach, knocking him completely off balance. Using this moment, his opponent quickly shifted his weight on his feet and extended his right arm at hip level, seemingly aiming to hit a right hook on the Dragon Slayer's body.
LARIAT!
The man smashed his extended arm into Salamander's left side, making him gasping for air, as blood found its way through his open mouth. Carrying him with his arm alone, the man turned to his left, before giving one final push to his attack, as he sent the Dragon Slayer flying, making him crash through the wall.
Natsu rocketed out of the tavern, rolling on the ground, as he desperately tried to stop himself. Losing any sense of direction, he felt his body come to a halt, with his back smashing into a thick tree, placed several meters away from the local.
"I guess some things never change, no matter how much time passes." taunted the man, as he emerged from the ruins. He was at least 2 meters tall, with green, spiky hair and an enormous, muscled body to go with it. His steps were loud and heavy, as he made his way towards Natsu, who rolled onto his back, sprawling his limbs to the sides.
"I'm supposed to take ya in as fast as possible, but fuck that. I'd rather enjoy myself and beat you into a pulp. Master did say to bring you in one piece, but I guess it doesn't matter if you're missin' a limb or two now, does it?" he licked his lips, which were curved into a wicked smile.
Suddenly, he stopped walking and glued his eyes onto the fallen Dragon Slayer, whose figure started to unnaturally twitch. A sound resembling a chuckle started to come out of his mouth, before he raised his hips upwards and started to laugh into the night sky, his voice echoing all over the nearby forest.
The man simply watched, his face expressing shock, as he continued to follow the Dragon Slayer roll on the ground with his eyes, as he was currently gasping for air from laughter.
"Lost it, haven't ya?" he asked, scratching his head.
With one final laugh, Natsu sighed loudly, slowly getting back up onto his feet.
"Don't get me wrong, Grigol." said the Dragon Slayer, wiping the blood off his face with his sleeve. "I'm just happy, that's all."
Grigol stared to Natsu with shocked eyes, his previous attitude now blown out of the window. It wasn't Salamander's words that shocked him, it was the fact that he stood up after taking one of his attacks as if nothing happened. He heard he got stronger, but this was plain ridiculous.
"This must be my lucky day." continued Natsu, grinning with his bloodied mouth as he slowly made his way towards Grigol "Not only did they finally send one of you after me, but they've sent you of all people. I couldn't have asked for a better gift."
Natsu's body burst in flames, as he stopped few meters before the giant, who was glaring back at the Dragon Slayer.
"I'm all fired up." said Natsu, his face twisted in a horrifying grin.
The battle weighted by many memories was about to begin.
To be continued in Chapter 6: A promise
I'll be honest, I don't like this chapter. Writing it felt really off and I won't blame you if you bash me for it, this time for real. It contains some plot points that are really necessary, but I just couldn't find the right way to write them. Next chapters will be much better, that, I promise you. Chapters 6-10 are already planned out, with some of the sequences already written and ready to be pasted into the story. This is how I'll redeem myself. As always, let me know what you think in reviews and stay awesome!