Chapter Four
Forged In Iron
Ulysses managed to slink away when he returned to Mermaid Heel with Erza and Kagura. He wanted no part of their guild mates asking about the battle. And he certainly did not want to answer any more questions directed at him. But when he slipped into the Undercroft and made his way to the forge, his last bastion of peace and serenity, he was hindered by an expectant Mira.
"There you are. I was wondering when you three would get back. So what's this fate you have in store for me?" Mira asked as Ulysses entered the forge and tossed his coat on a stool. He sighed at the woman's relentlessness and held up a brick of steel that had been laying on the table. Mira eyeballed it curiously.
"This piece of steel is your fate for losing the duel." Ulysses said cryptically and tiredly. He set the ingot down and then lit the forge. Mira, still bewildered, stepped up to him and grabbed his shirt.
"Alright you nutcase, what the hell does a hunk of steel have to do with losing the duel!? That doesn't make sense!" Mira exclaimed angrily. Ulysses calmly grabbed her hand and she released him when he did so. Swearing on all things holy that he saw her cheeks turn pink, Ulysses went on to explain. Mira stared into his expressionless eyes.
"Well, your impatience is not helping you find out. And because of that, I think I'll add another parameter to your sentence. Go upstairs and wait four hours then come back down here and see me. That's part of your fate for losing the duel." Ulysses ordered and ushered Mira out of the forging floor. She begrudgingly accepted his terms and slowly made her way upstairs. He smiled seeing her honor her end of the bargain. It made him feel again for a time.
She's similar to Adel that way. Impatient and upfront but always a good person. Ulysses thought as he watched the forge burn and placed the steel inside. The heat was both soothing and upsetting. While forging his mind was occupied. But while waiting, waiting for the steel to heat, his mind raced. The memory of the fight with the marauders was fresh and haunting.
Something far more sinister is going on here. That jamming-magic… far too familiar to forget. Magic Lock, a technique employed by the Assyrians to lock up magic users during battles. Effective, for a time. It allows up to four locks, one per mage. I should've learned it when I had the chance. Lock users can cancel each other's abilities, creating a stalemate. Ulysses watched the steel come to temperature. It was time to forge. He picked up his tongs and hammer. His shirt vanished in a flash of magic as the heat from the forge burned ever hotter.
A sword…? An axe? Hmm, what are you? He began hammering. The steel began taking shape. While he hammered, another piece was heating in the forge. Time passed and the metal took on the shape of a long and powerful blade. He put the metal back into the forge to reheat. He then turned the other piece into several parts for the weapon he was building. But then, he was left with his thoughts once more.
I have a bad feeling that my enemies are influencing this part of the world more than I realize. I'll have to ask Ultear to bring me up to date on the events around us. This may be worse than I ever imagined. He stared at the hot metal. White flashes repeated themselves in his mind's eye.
I just hope I never have to use that power again… He pulled the metal from the forge and started to finish the shape. Sounds of voices from beyond the Undercroft entrance reached him but no one entered the croft. He was simply alone. Something he was more than used to. He liked the solitude.
I've also been seen in public too much. Those Assyrians had a good sketch of me. I'll have to start hiding more often. But luckily no one knows for certain that I'm in this hall. I need to be more careful or else those bastards are going to find me here. And put the girls in danger… Ulysses finished hammering the blade and quenched it. The sizzle of hot steel turning cold relaxed his mind. When pulled from the oil, the blade was straight and narrow with two loops attached to the back. He set about grinding an edge and polishing it. Time passed as he procured a handle and began piecing the weapon together.
"Just let us see him. He seriously helped us out!" voices beyond the door became more apparent as the door opened. Down the stairs came the still bandaged Erza and Kagura followed by an annoyed Mira and concerned Ultear. Ulysses glanced up from his work to regard them before going back to sharpening the weapon. As the four women approached they each grew curious about the weapon in his hands.
"Wait… you were making something this whole time?" Mira wondered. Ulysses nodded as he carved his insignia into the blade and stood with it. It was a large Lochaber Axe with an elegant wood handle that held the ferocious blade and a spiked counterweight on the bottom. He approached Mira and handed it to her. She accepted the weapon and he went back to clean up the mess he made in the forge. The four were somewhat bewildered.
"Ulysses… are you okay? Erza told me about what happened." Ultear said as she approached the stoic blacksmith. He nodded and wiped himself down with a towel.
"Is… is this for me?" Mira wondered, glancing between Ulysses and the axe. He nodded again. He truly did not feel like speaking very much. The women looked between themselves and then smiled at Ulysses. Mira smiled widely and started giggling.
"What's so funny?" Erza asked.
"He said a piece of steel was part of my punishment for losing the duel… and he made a weapon out of it for me. You're an odd guy, Ulysses." Mira giggled and held the axe close to herself. Ulysses smiled slightly.
"Aw, that's sweet. Maybe the big bad blacksmith has a soft spot for us." Ultear commented with a sultry smile directed at Ulysses. The heat from the forge was not the only thing that made him sweat.
"I think so… Ulysses, that sword you made… It was amazing. Despite losing my magic, it held strong in that fight. Thank you." Erza said. Said sword hung from her side. One she did not put away with magic. Ulysses nodded again. But his body had another thought and decided his cheeks weren't red enough. So he turned away to try and figure out which project he had been working on before they pulled him away.
"Oh? I think you made him blush, Erza." Ultear said. Ulysses could feel her sly grin through the back of his head.
"W-What!? No I just- I only wanted to thank him! Nothing more!" Erza said, clearly flustered. Ultear laughed quietly. Ulysses sighed and stooped down behind the forge to check his metal inventory.
"I should thank him too…" Mira said and slowly made her way around the forge. Ulysses sensed her come up behind him but did not expect what came next. A soft sensation was pressed into his back and a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck. He glanced up to see Mira looming over him slightly. His heartbeat picked up tenfold.
"Mira…?" Ulysses finally spoke. She smiled at him as the hug lasted for a moment before she let him go and walked away. She left the Undercroft altogether with her new weapon in hand, leaving Erza, Kagura, and Ultear shocked by her actions.
"Wow… I've never seen Mira hug anyone other than Lisanna… and never a man. Wonder what brought that on?" Ultear said. Ulysses on the other hand was absolutely confused and somewhat excited.
That's… different. Kinda nice, actually. I guess she accepts me a bit more that I thought. I suppose I should be happy these girls are slowly warming up to me. Ulysses slowly stood up as Erza and Kagura went off after Mira. Presumably to answer the question lingering in Ultear's mind as well as Ulysses'.
"Well… in any case, Ulysses, I have some bad news…" Ultear sighed as she approached the forge. Ulysses breathed a heavy sigh himself and kicked back on a stool. "It looks like your enemies are moving faster than ever. The Assyrians have brought your identity and 'crimes' to the eyes and ears of the Magic Council as well as the Queen. The Fiore Army is engaging the Hittite invaders in the north of Fiore. The Hittites took over both Seven and Bosco and are occupying them."
"They have a massive army. Well equipped, well trained… but it has faults. And what about the ports around Fiore?" Ulysses wondered. The Mermaid Master sighed and held up an orb. Ulysses rose a brow and peered into the orb. Suddenly a picture appeared to him and he saw the seas lined with yellow lion sails to the north and red eagle sails ported all over the south.
"The southern counties are patrolled by and are hosting the Assyrians. But apparently rumor has it that a small contingent of Far Easterners are trying to be hosted by Bellum and the Pergrande Kingdom." Ultear explained. The orb showed Ulysses everything she was talking about. He sighed until the image of several men in white silk clothes, turbans, and green steel breastplates appeared before him. Most of them wielded yatagan swords. A few carried bows and even fewer were on horses with more regalia than the others who carried kijil swords.
"Zoom in on that bearded fellow on the horse." Ulysses said aggressively. Ultear, surprised by his sudden energy, complied and the image of the man was enhanced.
"Zagarji-bashi Omar Asuman…" Ulysses whispered. He suddenly summoned up a piece of paper and a pen. With fervor he started writing. Ultear watched with interest.
Zagarji-bashi, these are words of the throne. The land of magic awaits. Between the seas it lies, the peak of the land. Come forth. Search thusly; the home of the Sea Women, knock upon the door and ask for the Smith. Ulysses folded the paper and tossed a piece of wax into a small iron cup. He set it on the edge of the forge and waited for it to melt. When it did, he poured a drop on the letter and summoned a stamp. When stamped on, it left a star and crescent moon in the wax.
"This. I need this to get to that man on the horse." Ulysses said quickly. Ultear was still somewhat bewildered and utterly curious but nodded at his behest and gestured for him to follow. Ulysses put a shirt on and walked with Ultear out of the Undercroft. They slipped past the busy main hall and went up to her office. Once inside Ultear opened a window and whistled.
"Here… this old girl will do it in a few days." Ultear said as a raven with white tipped wings appeared on the window sill.
"A raven? Isn't that the messenger of the Nordmen's death god?" Ulysses wondered as he inspected the bird. It cawed softly and showed off the small backpack it wore. He grinned at the adorable bird and placed his sealed letter in the pack.
"Yes… she is. But she works for me as well. Okay, Hani, go find this man." Ultear said as she showed the raven the man on the horse in the orb. With what appeared to be a nod and a wink, Hani jumped out the window and took off into the air. Ulysses let out a breath of relieved anxiety as Ultear closed the window and her orb vanished.
"Thank you… But I'd have expected you to question my methods before helping me." Ulysses said as he relaxed in one of the chairs. Ultear giggled and sat down on her desk's corner. Her fishnet covered thighs squished out under her weight. Ulysses kept his mind on task. Ultear certainly took note of his line of sight, though.
"Well, I could see it was important when you recognized that man. And a sealed letter told me all I need to know. You're an important man. And he must be an ally if you sent him such a letter." Ultear said confidently. Ulysses was impressed by her deduction skills. But she pried no further than that, despite the curiosity in her eyes. He thanked the lord and relaxed a bit more. She proved trustworthy to him.
"Mhm… he is. If you have done your research, you'd know who these three empires have been feuding with for the past millennia. And you'd recognize the regalia of those men." Ulysses said, attempting to test his host's knowledge of history and the world. Ultear giggled and nodded. She gave Ulysses a sultry smile and leaned down close to his face.
"Yes, I have, Mister Ottoman. Your name is a bit of a giveaway, too. So, what was your place in the Empire? Lord? General? Nobleman? Or maybe a Prince?" Ultear wondered as she slid off the desk and leaned on the arms of the chair. Ulysses sank deeper into the leather cushions as Ultear grew closer than he might have appreciated.
"You'll find out when the Janissary commander arrives… but might you explain why you're so close?" Ulysses asked as Ultear slowly started to sink down. She suddenly straddled him on the chain and held his hands down on the arms. Her seductive smile made him nervous.
"I said it before… Ulysses. You're an attractive man. And foreign men are just so… exotic. I hear you're people are also polygamist and a bit promiscuous. Is that true?" Ultear whispered as she leaned into Ulysses. He felt himself reacting to her close presence and he realized just how soft and squishy she appeared to be. He had no knives in the front of his pants but something was straining quite heavily against them.
Oh hell no… is she trying to seduce me? WHY? WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO!? Ulysses thought between panicked breaths and fighting his instincts. He blushed heavily as Ultear pushed her plump chest against him and felt her hot breath on his ear. Her hands snaked up his arms and gripped his biceps.
"Such a powerful man. Your muscles are tight from swinging that hammer… let me relax them." Ultear whispered as she rubbed his arms. Ulysses was slowly losing sanity as she continued small, gentle ministrations on him. She then bit his earlobe gently and tugged.
"Fuck… Ultear… What are you doing?" Ulysses finally choked out. She giggled and leaned back, taking hold of one of his hands and placing it upon her chest. She moaned quietly when Ulysses instinctively squeezed her breast. He cursed himself and tried to pull away but Ultear was surprisingly strong.
"I haven't had a man in a long time. Can you believe that? Six years of running this guild, nothing throughout it. Can you really blame me when a hot boy drops himself into my guild and is a sweetheart to boot?" Ultear wondered as she started moving on top of him. Ulysses was nearly in a full-blown panic. Ultear's wondrous honey scent was overloading his sinuses and her soft body was shooting shockwave after shockwave of pleasurable sensations through his own.
Ah hell no… as much as I'd like to, there are more important things to worry about. I should tell her what I witnessed with those marauders. That'll break her… weird fixation. Ulysses thought as he struggled to sit back up and pull away from Ultear. She giggled at his struggle but his strength prevailed and he managed to push her nearly all the way off. He then held her at arm's length and stared at her with a flushed but grave façade.
"Ultear… there are more important things. Such as the almost coincidental appearance of a Magic Lock user." Ulysses started as his heart rate receded and Ultear pouted at him.
"Humph, you're no fun." Ultear whined. Ulysses sighed and did his best to reduce the strenuous sensation in his pants. He cleared his throat and tried to focus. His instincts were still screaming at him.
"Neither was what happened to your girls. They told you about the fight, right?" Ulysses asked. She nodded and he sighed. "Well, the wizard who blocked their magic was a Magic Lock user. It's a type of Anti-magic ability developed by the Assyrians and the Hittites about one hundred years ago."
"Wait, are you saying…?" Ultear trailed off as the realization hit her. Ulysses nodded and released her.
"They must be releasing some of their soldiers or even mercenaries into Fiore in some attempt to draw me out. Or it's possible they're trying to take over from the inside out. Either way, it's a dangerous game we're playing. It's getting worse." Ulysses said. His overwhelming sense of dread about the situation did not sit well with him. It wrenched his gut in two and smashed it.
"That certainly tangles us up even more in this web. I don't want to abandon you, but these last two incidents have me feeling very nervous, Ulysses. What do you suggest we do?" Ultear asked as she repositioned herself to simply resting on his lap. While he was still slightly uncomfortable by her proximity to him, Ulysses managed to settle himself down.
"I assume you've made sure word doesn't get out that I'm here, right?" Ulysses asked. She nodded. "Then the best thing for now, if you wish to continue this, is that I have to stay out of sight and avoid unnecessary contact. But I can't hide away in your basement. I need every opportunity to slip away and go north."
"Hmm, I understand. And now that the Queen is under the impression you're a criminal, you need to stay hidden now more than before. At least you can fight your enemies. Hisui would send the wizard guilds after you." Ultear said thoughtfully. Ulysses sighed at the thought of fighting more wizards.
"After what your girls put me though, I think I'll pass on that." Ulysses deadpanned. Ultear giggled at him and pinched his cheek.
"Aw, they won't do it again. You're too cute." Ultear teased. Ulysses batted her hand away and felt himself blush. She giggled again and then got up. She looked out the window and yawned as the sun was slowly setting. "But, I think it's about time to go to bed. I'll do my paperwork tomorrow."
"Isn't that important for the guild?" Ulysses wondered as he was baffled by Ultear's laziness. She shrugged and ruffled the hair on his head.
"Kinda. Don't worry about it. Why don't you go get some sleep? You haven't slept since you got here." Ultear said as he followed her out of the office. Ulysses chuckled.
"I know. But doesn't the time Erza knocked me out count?" he asked with a sarcastic grin. Ultear shook her head as they walked up to a pair of double doors down the hall from her office. Ulysses' grin fell as he noticed the number printed on the door.
Wait a second… He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. It read 'Room Two Twenty Four' on it. The door read Two Twenty Four.
"You should get some sleep. Come on." Ultear said as she opened the door. She pulled him in by his hand and Ulysses felt his blood run dry as realization set in. Ultear had given him the key to her own room.
"I just wouldn't die, would I?"
Nightfall had come. It was the first time Ulysses had tried to sleep in five days. He knew he had to. His abilities only allowed for one hundred and twenty hours of uninterrupted consciousness. He was nearing on the hundred and nineteenth hour. Not that it upset him. It was not nearly as exhausting as trying to live through his own dreams. Or more correctly, nightmares. But he was having a hard time finding the sandman. Part of his impending insomnia was because he was in an unfamiliar place. But the real problem he was having was the sweet-scented Ultear pressed up against his left side. He swore she wasn't wearing anything.
I really wonder how I managed to end up here. Anyone else would have simply thrown me to the wolves. Or more rightly, savages. But here she is, the master of a women's only guild, holding onto the most dangerous man in the world. I wonder why…
Ultear squeaked quietly in her sleep as she relaxed and snaked her hand onto his chest. Ulysses kept himself calm and tried to enjoy the foreign sensation of having someone sleeping next to him.
And she seems to trust me enough to simply sleep next to me. Without worry. So jarring. How can she possibly be comfortable? I just hope my temporary sealing spell is enough to protect her. She didn't give me much choice. Magically trying to reverse one of my swords with time magic is fucking stupid.
Again the beautiful woman next to him shifted and her leg was now intertwined with his. Ulysses did his best to not focus on how that felt against him. But after a moment she shifted, grumbled, and he watched her eyes flutter open. His night vision did little to help him fall asleep, either.
"Ulysses?" Ultear asked tiredly as she sat up. The sheet fell and Ulysses was glaringly aware that his hypothesis from a moment ago was right. She slept naked.
"G-Go back to sleep." Ulysses choked out as he tried not to stare at her. He failed to mention his enhanced night vision to her. The last thing he needed was her being angry with him at such an inopportune moment.
"Why are you still awake? Is it hard for you to fall asleep?" Ultear asked as she lounged next to him. She started tracing his face with her finger. The sudden yet relaxing sensation was enough to divert his mind from thinking about her body.
"Yes. Very. My… condition allows for one hundred and twenty hours of wakefulness. That doesn't mean it's easy to sleep when the time comes, though." Ulysses said quietly. Ultear smiled and continued her ministrations.
"Do bad memories keep you up, too?" She asked suddenly. Ulysses looked over and locked eyes with her.
"Too?" he wondered.
"Mm hmm, I've had a few sleepless nights myself. So it's okay. You can tell me if something is bothering you." Ultear said sweetly. An old feeling tore its way into Ulysses' body. Empathy and a slight need. Something he thought he lost a long time ago. He felt himself wanting to reach out. He wanted to reach out and be held. But he resisted.
Why? I… I barely know her… or anyone else here for that matter.
"Ulysses." He turned his head to stare into her eyes again. Ultear smiled warmly. "Don't be afraid. Just like my girls, I want to help you. You're safe."
"Huh…" Ulysses' voice cracked. He slowly leaned in and Ultear put her arms around him. She pushed his head into her bust and slowly stroked his hair. They fell silent as Ulysses finally felt relaxed. For once in a long time he felt safe. Comfortable. Slowly but surely he passed beyond the threshold of reality and into the darkness of sleep.
"What have you done?"
Mangled corpses. Decapitated bodies. Incinerated skeletons. People trapped in rubble crying out for help. The smell of decay, burnt flesh, dust, and blood. And the tactile sensation of high-energy particles bouncing around. This is what Ulysses saw, smelled, and felt in his dreams. This time, as he kneeled in the epicenter, he wondered who called out to him.
"What have you done?"
Normally he would be screaming, crying out for help. But something was keeping him calm.
I've done no wrong.
It was true. He had done nothing. But maybe it was just as bad to do nothing as it was to do something. He did not stop them. He followed his father's orders. That was all.
"You've neither helped, nor hindered your father's blasphemous plan. Allah is angry."
He turned to face the voice coming from behind him. But to his dismay he found a half-rotten corpse stalking him. Her jaw cracked and started to wither away. Ulysses started screaming.
"YOU DID EVERYTHING!"
"MOTHER, NO!"
Ulysses was staring at a wall. The one across from the bed. It was radiant with the sun's morning light. He settled down and realized he was back in the real world. The soft silk sheets under his hands were real enough. It was far more comforting than the gritty, broken marble of his nightmares. He had awoken with a cold sweat running down his back. But the sensation of a cool touch running up his spine was another story. He looked to his left and followed the trail of an arm back to its owner.
"Are you okay now?" Ultear asked with genuine worry. She sat up, once again exposing herself, and leaned in close to inspect him. Ulysses blushed slightly and turned away.
"I think so. Did… did you do something while I was dreaming?" Ulysses asked. He managed to keep the majority of her nudity out of his view. Ultear nodded and drew closer. Ulysses nearly had a heart attack when she pushed up against him and caught his head in her hands.
"I held you just like this throughout the night. You woke me up when you started thrashing a bit. So I tried calming you down, and it worked up until now." Ultear explained and stroked his hair. Ulysses presumed her methods worked better when he was unconscious. At the moment his heart was beating as though he'd been running for miles. Ultear giggled and pressed herself further into him.
"W-Well… thank you," Ulysses muttered despite his predicament. "It helped keep me from being completely terrified in my nightmare."
"Aw, I'm more than happy to help." Ultear said sweetly. Ulysses chuckled nervously and attempted to get out of bed. But Ultear's grip was tight and she pulled him back down to the pillows.
"Uh, Ultear… Shouldn't we get going? You've got a whole guild to run." Ulysses said. He instinctively closed his eyes as Ultear straddled him and playfully pinned his hands over his head.
"Oh come now, we've got some time. Why don't we pick up where we left off last night?" Ultear whispered into his ear. Ulysses felt both trapped and uncomfortably free simultaneously. Ultear was slowly sliding his shirt up and gliding her hand across his torso. She seemed to like it whenever he shivered under her touch. But he was hesitant to force her off.
"Uh… But I don't-"
"ULYSSES!" a chorus of voices called following the slamming open of the bedroom door. Then a period of silence followed where Ulysses dared to open his eyes. He lost the ability to speak and felt his blood run cold at the sight that greeted him. Standing in shock in the doorway was Erza whom was covering both Wendy and Kagura's eyes with her hands. Just behind them was Mira with an expression undiscernible from both anger and shock.
"Oops… Looks like I kept you too long." Ultear giggled as she released him. Ulysses instantly fixed his shirt and scampered away from Ultear's touchy fingers. His panic felt far worse than what his nightmares produced.
"Uh, um, shit… I didn't… I mean, there's a mildly reasonable explanation for this." Ulysses said quickly. Erza, red faced with a bloody nose, shook her head and ran out of the room with Wendy and Kagura in tow. Mira was left as the sole judge of the situation as she stood stoic in the doorway.
"I bet it's a good one, Ulysses. What exactly led to you being in Ultear's room, with her, while she was naked?" Mira asked. Her tone invoked a sense of danger as she brandished her new axe. Ulysses sighed as he got up and made his way to the door.
"Maybe not a great explanation… Simply put I only need to sleep once every five days. But when I try… it's not easy. But Ultear gave me a place to stay, right? But she never mentioned it was her own room." Ulysses explained lamely. Mira cracked up laughing for a moment before calming down.
"That sounds like her. Let me guess, she latched on and didn't let go?" Mira wondered with a smug grin. Ulysses nodded furiously.
"Yes, exactly! I mean, I guess I could've left… But I needed to sleep. And, actually, she kinda helped…" Ulysses trailed off and blushed. Mira suddenly gagged and stared at him in disgust and he realized his choice of words was very poor.
"AH! No, not like that! I swear!"
"I simply held him until he fell asleep and tried to sooth him." Ultear said as she walked up next to him. Ulysses glanced at her.
"Ah! NOW YOU'RE CLOTHED!?"
"Oh, I see… Trouble sleeping, huh? I understand… Still doesn't make it any less weird." Mira said. She pouted slightly and leaned on her axe. Ulysses sighed and nodded. He found Mira's pouting to be odd but made no mention of it.
"Don't worry. I know… now, can I get a shower?"
Ulysses sighed heavily as he donned another warm cloak on a hot day. His jacket did little to alleviate his heating condition, but he wore it for a reason. The white marble of Helios glared his eyes as he followed the small party of girls out of the city gates. But he needed to hide himself, lest anyone would see him and report him. The last thing he needed was to ruin the girls' adventure by being spotted. Or killing someone because he was spotted.
I wouldn't kill so many people if they all weren't trying to take my goddamn head and the world as well. Ulysses kept his head down and walked just behind them. His signature bastard sword hung from his hip. He was pleasantly surprised to see Erza carrying her sword and Mira carrying her axe. Wendy, however, was unarmed. Ulysses caught up to her and Carla.
"Wendy," he said, garnering her attention. Her curious and innocent smile warmed his heart. "I'm not sure how much you know about my situation, but if anything happens I'm here to make sure you girls are safe out here."
"Oh, Master Ultear explained it a bit. I'm glad you're here. That man who attacked our hall…" Wendy trailed off and shivered with trepidation. Ulysses patted her head.
"Don't worry. Just stay with them three and I'll take care of those guys." Ulysses assured her. Wendy nodded confidently and they caught up with the others. Carla continued to give him a curious glare but Ulysses ignored it.
"Oh, that makes sense. Ulysses, you never mentioned you were having trouble sleeping." Erza said suddenly. Ulysses sighed and assumed Mira had reiterated his explanation from the earlier debacle.
"Yeah… It's nothing to worry about. I eventually pass out once my body hits the hundred and twenty hour mark. Trying to stay asleep is the hard part." Ulysses explained. Kagura patted him on the arm.
"I understand. I frequently have bad dreams." Kagura sympathized. Ulysses gave her a curious glance.
"Really?"
"Yes, I do as well. We had a rough childhood before Mermaid Heel." Erza added. The sisterly pair shared a smile with one another. Ulysses understood why they were so close.
Sisters by trial, not blood. Ulysses concluded once again.
"Yeah… Lisanna, Elfman, and I had a rough time as well. Maybe not so bad, since we had each other." Mira chimed in. Ulysses felt the empathetic energy in the air. He looked between all of the girls and soon could see what had truly brought them all together. He glanced back at the retreating town.
"All you girls… Brought together under one roof. A family forged in iron, rather than blood, and a home to go to." Ulysses muttered to himself. The girls fell silent and stared at him. He glanced around and then realized he had spoken aloud.
"That's… a good way to look at it." Erza said happily. They shared a giggle and their trip continued towards an objective they still had not shared with Ulysses. He sighed but a sudden piece of information from their conversation piqued his interest.
"Wait a second, you have a brother, Mira?"
"Interesting. The Take Over Siblings… But if you and Lisanna joined Mermaid Heel, where did he go?" Ulysses wondered. He had spent about an hour or two listening to Mira explain her powers and her siblings' powers. She also managed to dote on them despite their absence. Ulysses found her passion for her family to be very heartwarming.
"He's an independent contractor in Crocus. Odd, considering he's really strong. But that was in the last letters he sent us. Maybe we'll see him soon." Mira said. There was a skip to her step as she spoke with Ulysses. He was glad to see her and the other girls in good spirits. But he was about to bring a shade over their sunny trek through the Fiore countryside. In the distance he spotted red crested helms.
"Stop." Ulysses ordered as he walked ahead of everyone. The girls did as he said and he watched the checkpoint in the distance. He sighed and drew his sword, forsaking his cloak and tossing his coat to Mira. She caught it and struggled with its weight for a moment.
Dammit… Assyrian checkpoints are more thorough than a mother cleaning house. I can't sneak past them in the woods. They probably have war hounds. Ulysses thought. He contemplated how fast he could dispatch the fifty or so soldiers, plus some war hounds, and turned to regard the girls.
"Ulysses… maybe it's better if you stay behind… Last time…" Kagura began. She stopped when Ulysses growled and faced the checkpoint.
"Last time I didn't eliminate all of the Golden Skull. Lucy knocked some of them out. The Skull knows I'm with you, that's for certain, but can't directly attack because they don't have the forces for it. They could easily kidnap or kill one of you in retribution if I'm not there. And the Assyrians would sooner detain you for any reason they please than let you through." Ulysses explained. He flourished his sword and stayed just far enough away to obscure himself from the Assyrian's view.
"What do we do?" Erza asked. Ulysses glanced back and sighed. The girls were his responsibility. He had not failed to notice that the others in the guild were going on local quests. But he was always the one to travel outside of Helios with the girls.
These girls… they don't deserve this. They aren't a part of this. And I'll kill anyone that drags them into it. Ulysses hardened his resolve.
"This is what you'll do."
Anjer watched as a group of women approached the checkpoint. He waved his spear and whistled to captain Uteth. Captain Uteth stopped the girls as they reached the checkpoint. Most of the unit gathered around to admire them. Anjer had to ogle with them. They were some of the cutest he'd seen in a while since he started guard duty.
"Hold there. State your business!" Captain Uteth called. The girls smiled and just waited. Anjer felt a pit grow in his stomach. Something was wrong. And the moment before he could call to the captain to warn him, a spear lodged itself between the folds of his armor.
"IT'S HIM!"
"RUN!"
And run she did. Wendy had not witnessed the first strike. But the sound it made. The sound the man had made shook her to the core. She kept pace with Mira and Kagura as Erza led them through the throngs of panicked soldiers.
"Don't look back. At All." Ulysses' words echoed in her mind. She only managed a glance before Carla righted her with a bump on the head.
"Keep running, Wendy. Just trust the man." Carla said to Wendy's utter surprise. Then, she tripped.
"WENDY!" Carla cried. Wendy tumbled to a stop right as a few of the Assyrian's hounds were on their trail. Wendy shakily got up as the others stopped to retrieve her. But they were not as fast as the hounds. Carla yelped and started pulling her along. The hounds were coming. Wendy looked back at them as pure terror filled her heart and the sounds of clashing steel filled her ears. The hounds were almost upon her. She screamed. Ulysses bellowed.
"RUN, GODDAMIT!" The hounds were pinned to the ground by a hail of spears. They howled in pain and Wendy stared on in horror as she saw Ulysses decapitate a man. Erza grabbed her and they continued running. Leaving Ulysses to finish his duty.
Ulysses stared out across the mess he created in the road. Fifty or so men lay dead in pools of blood that seeped into the dirt like rainwater. Cuts littered his body and his shirt was shredded from various spear and sword wounds. His own hot blood dripped down his arms and soaked his socks. His blade was indistinguishable from a red piece of wax. He wiped his sword down and started gathering the bodies together in a ditch. He ripped his spears from the dead hounds and the soldiers he surprised with his first strike. When they were all piled together he stepped back and sniffed the air.
There. One is hiding in the brush. Ulysses turned and lobbed a spear into the brush. A scream sounded and a young Assyrian soldier toppled over out of a small bush. He could not have been more than sixteen in age. Ulysses felt a strong disgust for himself well inside his chest.
The Assyrian army was nearly wiped out in the last Power War before the Ottoman state fell. I should have expected they would recruit immature men. Ulysses thought. The deed of killing the boy would weigh heavily on his mind for years to come as he watched the terror and life fade from the boy's eyes. It was difficult for him to resist vomiting. He removed his spear, his weapon of war, and dragged the boy to the pile of his dead comrades.
A coward or not, he did not deserve this fate. But I'll make no exceptions to keep those girls safe. Even if it curses me for a thousand years. Ulysses thought as a white-hot ball of energy appeared in his palm. He turned it towards the dead men and hounds. In an instant, the ball released enough energy to completely incinerate the corpses to dust. Armor and all. Then Ulysses continued on his way to catch up with the girls. His wounds slowly healed as he walked. They would turn into a few more scars upon his body. Nothing more than a reminder of his sins.
As long as I don't let those bastards hurt those girls, or have this key, I can die knowing everything will be alright. He gripped the leather strap around his neck. The key glistened in the fading sunlight.
"I hope he's okay… He's not invincible. We proved that when we managed to defeat him." Erza said worriedly. She paced back and forth around the room of an inn. Mira and Kagura sat quietly on the couch. But they both shared a similar feeling of worry for their favorite blacksmith. Wendy sat adjacent on a chair, clutching her hair and staring off into nothing. Carla did her best to comfort her.
"He should be okay. Lucy did say he took a killing blow and survived. We saw it." Mira said with what confidence she could muster. Before they debated any further a knock sounded at their door. Erza drew her sword and nodded to Mira to open it. Kagura stood up and brandished her sword. Mira went over to the door and looked through the peephole. She suddenly swung it open and pulled a very disgruntled and wounded Ulysses into the room.
"Ulysses!" they cried at once. He grunted and stalked over to the couch to sit down. He dropped his sheathed sword on the coffee table and nearly collapsed but Kagura managed to catch him.
"Damn… I didn't think this town was another six miles away…" Ulysses mumbled, holding a wound on his side. It was the worst one he suffered, a spear through the kidney. Erza stared in horror at his bloodied visage but Mira rushed over to Wendy and shook her from her stupor.
"Wendy! Ulysses needs your help! He's bleeding!" Mira exclaimed. Wendy gasped and jumped from her seat. She spotted Ulysses and her face grew grim. She nervously approached him and he let her see his wounds. Everyone fell silent as Wendy began healing him quietly. She yelped as he clasped her on the shoulder.
"Wendy… sorry," Ulysses mumbled. He relaxed as the pain screaming in his body started to fade. "The hounds… and you saw me fighting. I know it's hard to accept… but I won't let them hurt you."
"Ulysses…" Kagura whispered as she held him up. She panicked as he started going unconscious but Wendy calmed her down.
"His wounds heal faster when he's unconscious. He should rest, anyway… he fought for us. For our sake. Not everybody would risk their lives to keep us safe." Wendy said with a solemn smile. Mira sighed as she leaned down and inspected Ulysses.
"Yeah… I'm just mad he didn't want us to help. Something about magic-blocking… magic?" Mira wondered. Erza nodded and placed her hand on Ulysses' forehead. She stroked his hair and smiled.
"I used to think a good man never existed in this world. But he does. His name is Ulysses." Erza said quietly. The others gave her a curious stare and she blushed.
"Erza, that's the first time I've ever heard you admit that a man was good. Do you like him or something?" Mira asked with a glare. Erza blushed harder, if such a thing were possible, and started stuttering uncontrollably.
"N-N-N-N-NO! I mean, he's a good person! Nothing more!" Erza stated defiantly. Though her authoritative nature was lost to the embarrassed blush she sported. Mira stood up and gave her a light push.
"Yeah, sure that's all you meant!" Mira growled. Kagura looked between the two of them before turning her attention back to Ulysses.
"He is a good person… and rather handsome. Wouldn't you two agree?" Kagura said absentmindedly. Now she was a blushing mess as Erza and Mira gave her shocked stares. Mira calmed down and adverted her eyes with a blush.
"Well… y-yeah." Mira mumbled. Erza wringed her hands and tapped the pommel of her sword.
"He did make us some weapons… and the forge is really hot." Erza said as she glanced between the slashes in Ulysses' shirt. Carla looked around at the three girls and sighed. Wendy was focused on fixing and dressing Ulysses' wounds.
"My, you three are so predictable," Carla sighed. They all gave the cat a glare. She sighed. "The poor man won't know what to do with three of you. But… I guess the heart wants what the heart wants."
"WHAT'RE YOU GETTING AT!? DAMN CAT!" Mira yelled and started chasing Carla around the room. Erza and Kagura steamed with embarrassment. Wendy sighed as she healed the center of attention. His wounds healed mostly on their own, so she focused on the worst one. She suddenly felt a small pulse of magic come from him. It felt all too familiar to her.
"Huh? No… he's not one."
Somewhere near Helios…
"You can't be serious. We have been looking for this guy for years and you suddenly have him in a basement right under our noses?" Assyrian Seventh Expeditionary Regiment Captain Joth Red-Eye said. He was completely bewildered and almost did not believe what the woman before him was saying. Some of his men started spreading the word and we're rearing for a fight.
"Oh, I am. And I want something in return for helping you. I'll only tell you how to catch him if you promise me a portion of whatever this Platinum Vault is." The woman said. The glint of greed and ferocity in the woman's eye suggested truth. Captain Joth still was not convinced.
"That's something we can do. But I need evidence. I can't just go on a local's word all the time. I can't even count the number of idiots who've shown up with men who barely fit Platinum's description." Captain Joth explained with exasperation lacing his words. He tapped on the table between them as the woman reached into her deep cleavage. While he hated dealing with the locals of Fiore, he had to admit they had beautiful women.
"That's why I have this. I borrowed it from my guildmate. He re-forged it for her." She laid a small knife out onto the table. Captain Joth picked it up and unsheathed it to examine the blade. His hands trembled as he rolled it over in his glove and saw the infamous emblem. A hammer crossed with a key.
"That's the seal of the Forge Master Hephaestus… also known as Ulysses Ottoman. Platinum. I NEED A RUNNER!"
"What for, sir!?"
"I need to deliver a message to Queen Hisui."
Ulysses slowly sat up in a bed he was unfamiliar with. But with his last experience, he was somewhat relieved. He glanced around to get a grasp on his surroundings and recognized the layout of the inn the girls had rented a room in. He found his coat lying on him and his sword propped against the nightstand. He equipped a shirt and dispelled his sword. He picked up on laughter and the sounds of clinking glasses just beyond the door. He donned his coat and stepped out of the bedroom into the dimly lit room on the other side.
"Huh? OH YAY! Ulysses is okay!" Mira exclaimed drunkenly. She stumbled to her feet and downed another cup of sake as she tossed an arm around Ulysses. He sighed when he saw the enormous amount of empty sake bottles lying about the floor. Wendy was napping in the corner with Carla while Erza and Kagura giggled amongst themselves.
"Mira… how many bottles did you order?" Ulysses asked. Mira laughed and tried drinking her empty cup, only to find it empty.
"I think there's a few more on the way… Hey, are you sleepy? Sleepyhead Ulysses? Aw… that's cute… You were probably adorable when you were sleeping." Mira slurred and nearly fell over. Ulysses held onto her and tried to ignore her drunken rambling. He set her down on the couch with several empty bottles. She tried drinking the empty bottles. A knock sounded at the inn-room door and Ulysses drew his dagger. His senses told him everything was safe but he wanted to be careful. When he opened the door there was a terrified young man with a bag of sake bottles.
"Oh… hello sir. Room service, four more bottles for the ladies here." The young man said nervously. Ulysses glanced back into the room and noticed the girls were all passed out. He sighed.
"How much is the bill?" Ulysses asked with his dagger behind his back. The young man pulled out a small booklet and did some quick math.
"Um, eight thousand Jewel. Exactly." The man said with a smile. Ulysses felt a small urge in the back of his mind to stab first and ask questions later. But he refused to hurt someone innocent yet greedy. He procured the money from his pocket dimension and exchanged it for the bottles.
"Great. See ya." Ulysses said and closed the door. He set the bottles down and sat down right in front of the door. An unsheathed sword appeared in his lap. His mind was active and his body was on alert.
I wonder if they know it's harder to fight while drunk… Lucky for me that alcohol doesn't encumber me. Or affect me at all, really… Ulysses settled his breathing. He focused his hearing and simply started to wait out the night.
A few hours had passed since Ulysses started guarding the room. He was still patiently waiting, paying attention to footsteps and the sounds of voices in the building. It seemed that not everybody had gone home or to bed, yet. Especially a very quiet individual near the inn's front desk. Ulysses could hear him clearly, but barely understood his words.
They still never told me what their job was. But I don't blame them. Having fun every so often is good and they've done more than enough for me. Three times I've nearly died, three times they've saved my life. I might have survived with my healing factor… but not if I got attacked again. Ulysses heard two pairs of footsteps in the hallway.
The least I can do for these girls… Who I now hold dear for their kindness… Is kill anyone trying to hurt them because of me.
Ulysses reached forward and picked up his sword.
Miles hurried away from the room he led the masked madman to. He was going to run and find a town guard up until he heard the door slam shut. When he turned around he watched as the bloody blade of a sword was rammed through the door from the inside. Then, it all went quiet as a pool of blood rolled out from under the door. Miles then ran to one of the bathrooms to vomit.
"Ugh… my head…" Mira whined from the couch as she woke up. Ulysses still sat on the floor in front of the room door but his sword was missing. Erza slowly moved to get up off the floor in the center of the room. Wendy was still asleep in the corner with Carla while Kagura had moved to the bedroom in the middle of the night. She exited the adjacent room and yawned loudly.
"Huh… Something smells weird." Kagura said mid-yawn. She shuffled over to where Ulysses sat and picked up her sword, only to drop it on the floor and gasp.
"Good morning, Kagura." Ulysses said quietly and stood up. Kagura glanced between him and the door. She then gagged a bit and turned away.
"Kagura? What's wrong- Oh… oh no…" Erza trailed off as her eyes saw it as well. She rushed over to comfort Kagura and they moved away from the scene. Mira noticed their odd behavior and moved to peek over Ulysses' shoulder.
"What's all the fuss about? Oh." Mira stared in horror. A white masked cultist was pinned to the door of the room by Ulysses' sword. The blood around the wound had dried and the cultist's dagger lay in the dried pool of blood on the floor. Ulysses stepped forward and pulled his sword free. The corpse slumped to the floor.
"I left him there so that I didn't wake or leave you girls alone while I disposed of him. It also served as a message to anyone else who had his idea. I'm sorry you saw this… But like I said… if there was one, maybe there were two more I didn't detect. I couldn't just leave…" Ulysses said. His grip tightened on his sword and he hid his emotions. A gentle hand rested itself on his sword hand. He glanced at Mira. She put her other arm around his back and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Thank you… Ulysses. If you weren't here… he might have done any number of horrible things. I guess I never should've ordered that booze. It made us vulnerable. More so than usual." Mira said. She gently rubbed her thumb on his hand and Ulysses felt all his guilt, rage, and sadness start to dull slightly. He stared at the man he killed.
"I see them, you know. When I try to sleep… or relax… I see them. Even if I never saw their faces, I see them. They haunt my memories. Every single one." Ulysses whispered. The last flash of life in the eyes of a dying man. He had seen it when he killed the cultist. Their masks hid their faces, but not their eyes. The man's hazel eyes had been hoping for something as the blade had run him through. He felt someone gently hug his left arm.
"It must be hard… fighting for your life every time you draw your sword. And now our lives on top of that… I wish they would leave you alone." Kagura said as she held his arm. Ulysses felt a hand on his back.
"I wish you didn't have to kill." Erza said quietly. For a moment, everything was silent and vividly real. Ulysses was surrounded and felt comfort at every turn.
I get it now… I really can rely on these women. They actually care for me… Ulysses let himself smile for a moment. He put away his sword and stared down at the body. He glanced back to see Wendy and Carla still asleep.
"Okay. Get ready to head out. I'll get rid of this mess."
"So what exactly is this quest about?" Ulysses asked as the girls led him to the outskirts of the town. They approached a large and abandoned warehouse.
"According to the flyer, there's a large group of bandits held up in this warehouse. They occasionally shakedown townspeople and attack travelers." Erza explained. The group stopped outside the doors to the warehouse and Erza promptly kicked them open. And just like that, a massive brawl ensued as the bandits did not take too kindly to their hideout being raided. Ulysses had expected the girls to possibly form a plan, or take them by more of a surprise. But apparently they enjoyed the upfront, beat them into submission method.
Why am I not surprised? Ulysses thought with a sigh. He did not detect an ounce of magic from any of the bandits as Erza opened up on them with a slew of flying swords.
"I suppose I can sit this one out. They're not very dangerous, are they?" Ulysses said as he stood and watched the carnage with Wendy and Carla. Mira transformed and laid siege to their puny force of archers. Kagura simply smacked them into the concrete with her gravity magic.
"No. They don't appear to be very competent, either. They could learn a technique or two from you, Ulysses!" Wendy giggled. Ulysses smiled seeing her being cheerful. He hoped and prayed she would be alright. She seemed so innocent and the last thing he wanted was to destroy that innocence. A stray arrow came their way.
"Shit, Wendy!" Ulysses said as he drew his sword. But a blast of wind from Wendy's hand sent the arrow flying back into the warehouse. Ulysses stopped dead in his tracks.
"Humph. Arrogant boy, Wendy is perfectly capable of fending for herself." Carla stated. Wendy smiled sheepishly. Ulysses' adrenaline died down and he sheathed his sword.
"Well… I could've swore you were a healer. What kind of magic can heal and attack?" Ulysses wondered. Wendy smiled and stared up into the air.
"It's called Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. It mostly has support and healing spells, but also has attack spells. But the attack spells aren't as powerful as the healing and support spells, so I rarely go on jobs where I have to fight. I think I'm mostly here just to heal Mirajane's knuckles." Wendy explained as Ulysses watched Mira smash a bandit's face in. He was surprised to learn that Wendy wielded an old and powerful Lost Magic. But then both of them turned towards a noise they both heard. A bandit was trying to escape out of the side of the warehouse. Wendy went to react but Ulysses held her back and grinned.
"Hang on, I got it." Ulysses said and summoned up another sword. Though instead of attacking the man directly, who was now running away, he began to unscrew the pommel. Once freed from the tang, Ulysses lined up a throw and whipped the pommel at the man. The bandit collapsed as the pommel cracked off the back of his head.
"Wow… nice throw. But why that?" Wendy commented. Ulysses grinned and went to go retrieve the pommel. She followed closely. Carla seemed to be holding in laughter.
"It's called 'Ending Him Rightly' and, well, it was probably a joke in the manuscript, it's pretty fun to do." Ulysses said. He retrieved the pommel and screwed it back on.
"It was kinda funny. But why not take it off your other sword?" Wendy asked as she looked between both weapons. Ulysses grinned again and drew his bastard sword.
"Well, here's the difference…"
After about ten minutes of explaining different pommel constructions to Wendy, and also different sword designs, the others were done beating up the bandits. Erza procured a rope and tied up all seventy eight of the bandit crew into a big ball of bandits.
"That was exciting. Also a lot less dangerous than the last crew we faced." Erza commented as she hefted the ball of bandits. Mira and Kagura joined her as they walked outside to see Wendy giggling with Ulysses while Carla napped on Wendy's head.
"Wait, wait, so it was written by an actual swordsmanship instructor?" Wendy asked. Ulysses nodded and stood up on an unconscious bandit he was sitting on.
"If you want to end him rightly, hold your spear and sword together on your arm, unscrew the pommel of your sword and throw it at him vigorously!" Ulysses exclaimed. Wendy laughed again and Ulysses picked up the unconscious bandit by the collar.
"What are you two going on about?" Mira wondered as they approached. Wendy giggled a bit and Ulysses grinned. He began slapping the bandit to wake him up.
"Hey! HEY! Wake up, sunshine!" Ulysses yelled at the man. The bandit woke up and started cowering in fear as Ulysses held him up.
"Please! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me!" the bandit pleaded. Ulysses drew a sword and brandished it in the man's face.
"Oh, I'm gonna hurt you. But I'll give you ten seconds to run. NOW!" Ulysses yelled and dropped the terrified man. He began crying and took off into the fields yet again.
"What the-!? Ulysses, he's one of the bad guys! Don't let him run away!" Erza exclaimed angrily. Ulysses urged them to stay back as he began unscrewing the pommel on his sword again. The man was pretty far away now as Ulysses lined up the shot. Then, he whipped the metal ball at the bandit. With an audible thud, the man went down as the pommel bounced off the top of his head.
"And thus, he has been ended rightly." Ulysses said with a flourish and a bow. All of the girls began giggling at the poor bandit's fate and Kagura started out into the field to retrieve him.
"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" Mira wondered as Kagura returned with the bandit and a pommel. Ulysses accepted his pommel and screwed it back onto the sword. With another bow he started with them back to the town.
"I aim to please." Ulysses chuckled.
"You're a good aim. Period."
As the group made their way back into the town, Ulysses could feel something was off. The normally bustling town square was eerily silent and all of the civilians could be seen looking down on them from the windows of their homes. A small group of Fiore soldiers were standing in the center of town. The walked forward to receive the bandits from Erza but also cut Ulysses off from the girls. One of the soldiers whispered to the girls.
"You'll want to stay back."
"Motherfucker…" Ulysses started. He tossed his cloak off and drew his sword as the soldiers leveled their spears at him. But in the same instant a huge contingent of both Fiore and Assyrian soldiers burst from various buildings throughout the town. They surrounded the square and kept the alarmed and angry Mermaids separate from their quarry. The man who stood surrounded in the middle of the town. The soldiers nervously kept him at spear's length.
"Platinum! You're surrounded!" An Assyrian captain shouted. Ulysses glanced around and counted two hundred men. One hundred and fifty Fiore soldiers, and fifty Assyrians.
"I can see that. What makes you think that'll stop me from slaughtering all of you?" Ulysses growled. He gripped his sword tightly and picked which man to kill first.
"Because you're coming back to Crocus with me." A feminine voice stated from behind. Ulysses turned to see a break in the formation. A green haired woman in extravagant armor walked forward with a tall knight who sported an afro. Ulysses noticed the crown on her head.
"Fuck." Ulysses cursed as the knight drew his sword. He stood just in front of the woman. The Queen of Fiore.
"I am Hisui E. Fiore. Queen of this land, and I'll not have you walk freely upon my land anymore. Arcadios, arrest this man." Queen Hisui ordered. The knight stepped forward and faced Ulysses down. Ulysses gritted his teeth.
"You're making a big mistake… Not only do I have the power to kill all of you… I'm willing to use it if those Assyrian dog-shits lays a hand on any of those girls there." Ulysses threatened. His eyes glowed brightly and his knuckles turned white gripping his sword. Pure wrath invaded his mind as Arcadios tried to step closer, only to nearly lose his head in the process.
"Don't worry. The Mermaid Heel members are to be escorted back to their guild by the Magic Council, and only the Magic Council. Does that suit you?" Queen Hisui said. Ulysses growled and sliced off one of her soldier's spearheads. The man yelped and retreated.
"No one is going anywhere. I can't let you do this." Ulysses growled. Arcadios stepped forward and engaged him. Ulysses roared and easily overpowered the man. He kicked Arcadios' knees out and brought his sword down to execute him.
"ULYSSES!" The edge of his sword sliced off a piece of Arcadios' hair and stopped dead in its tracks. Ulysses looked up to see Erza shaking in her armor. She hid her face with her hair as tears rolled down her cheeks. Ulysses felt all of his fury vanish. Mira was holding onto Wendy, and both of them were teary-eyed. Kagura could not even face the scene before them. Their upset visages quite simply broke Ulysses. He lost his will to fight and his sword vanished from his hands.
Erza… Kagura… Mira… Wendy… I'm sorry. Ulysses stepped back and slowly put his hands behind his head. Arcadios stood up, shaken from his near death, and slowly sheathed his sword. He carefully stepped behind Ulysses and handcuffed him.
"You're making a big mistake."
Pause for dramatic music… And that's it for this chapter in the Saga of, wait that's not the title. But will Ulysses pull himself out of this predicament, or fall prey to the hands of his ancient enemies?
Find out next time with more of Bonds!