Author's Note
Ok, Chapter 9 is here, but first a shout out to you guys. We recently hit 1000 views and over 500 visitors. So I just wanted to say thanks to all of you who take the time to read these stories.
This will be the end of the Lullaby arc 'primarily' and I hope you enjoy it.
The Greyhound Chapter 9
Once the shock of seeing a wooden monstrosity passed the Fairy Tail mages wasted no time in preparing for battle… and bantering with each other.
"Oi, what the hell, how'd you get so big? Come back down here so I can hit ya!"
"Cool it flame brain! The situation is bad enough without you tryin to make it worse."
"What'd you just say popsicle stick!"
As the two rivals continued to argue, Erza was thinking out loud.
"Hmm, Eisenwald said nothing about Lullaby transforming into a beast. I'll have to go back to the train station and punish them when this is over!" she said with conviction, slamming her gauntlets together.
"Um Erza, maybe you should focus on stopping those two from killing each other first?" Lucy recommended with a sweatdrop.
"Hmm?" turning to see the two were indeed fighting she growled, "Boys, what are you doing?"
"NOTHING!" they chanted in unison.
"Enough! I will not be ignored!" The demon cried. Its voice was unstable, constantly shifting between lower and higher octaves. When heard in combination with the now dark sky, it was more than a little unnerving.
The booming voice brought the remaining guild masters out to see what the source was. The wooden behemoth before them was something they couldn't have predicted.
"You worthless humans can never be relied upon. The only exception was my glorious creator Zeref! The rest of you are unworthy of being in the same species as him. But worry not, I will correct this error. Starting today this world will know DEATH!"
The demon roared as it raised a hand to crush the insects beneath him.
"Boys counter-attack now!" Erza commanded as the three raced into battle.
"Even in that exhausted state, she's still an effective leader." Kinzo complimented in his mind, looking on towards the battle. Considering all they'd been through today he was impressed.
Gray had to deal with him, burning a fair bit of his magic in the process.
Natsu had fought Eisenwald and beat their Ace Erigor to boot.
And finally Erza. This woman had soloed most of a dark guild, drained her reserves by driving that four-wheeler for miles, and fought with him not once but twice all in the span of a few hours.
He was impressed.
But he also wasn't surprised that they were losing.
Gray and Erza were doing a good job of distracting the thing but not much else. Their attacks were too shallow to leave any real damage. And while Natsu no doubt had the firepower to punch a hole through Lullaby's bark, he needed time to not only cast a spell but get close enough to use it. If he tried roaring from too far away the attack would weaken as it traveled, and if he tried to punch the thing he would be within range of Lullaby hitting back.
They were struggling, but something just wasn't sitting right with him. Turning towards Makarov he saw him off to the side standing next to Lucy... Ah, that's what it was.
"You could end this in an instant, old man, so why won't you?" he asked himself while sending an accusatory glare the geezer's way.
Makarov caught him staring, and almost like he knew what the boy was thinking, only smirked in response. Crossing his arms and leaning back against the tree behind him.
"Damn that old man," he thought before turning his sight back towards the fight. Things had gotten worse in the few seconds he'd looked away. The others were grouped up on the ground trying to find a way to inflict some damage, but Lullaby was screeching to the heavens.
"RAHHHHAHAHA!" the noise, deafening.
Followed by silence, and then the sound of deep inhaling. To everyone else present the display was strange, but Kinzo was panicking. It wasn't just inhaling, that thing was building up power.
Running out to the clearing he screamed "Gray get back here, NOW!"
The color Talionis was picking up from Lullaby was black. Black only shows up in spells that guarantee death.
Makarov was smirking back at the boy whose name he still didn't know. "Hmm, seems like he understands I could end this at any time if I wanted to. I wonder what he'll do with that knowledge?"
As the boy turned away he looked toward Lucy who was on his right. "Lucy, what do you know about that boy?"
"Huh? Oh, you mean Kinzo? Not much really. I know he was friends with Gray when they were kids, but more importantly, it seems like he's a well-known assassin. Does the name Greyhound mean anything to you? " She responded and asked.
Wide eyes let her know that yes that name did mean something to him. "Oh Mavis, how did my children get wrapped up with someone like that?"
The famous dark guild hunter and assassin for hire. Stories flooded his mind of buildings reduced to ashes with people still in them. Noblemen and CEOs found dead in their homes. His work was so well known throughout Ishgar that the Counsel put a bounty on his head for several million Jewel. Though no one had ever seen his face, or at least they didn't report it. So catching the man was improbable.
His thoughts ended though when he heard the very man he was preoccupied with shouting in fear.
"Gray get back here, NOW!"
Looking at Lullaby himself he spoke to his guild member "Lucy I believe we may want to move"
"What are you talking about?" Gray shouted back "You know maybe if you helped us this thing would be down already! So maybe yo-"
"I swear on Ur's grave if you don't get your ass back here right now Gray!"
The second those words left his mouth Gray was running, he knew Kinzo wouldn't joke about Ur like that.
As he ran, the sound of Erza and Natsu following close behind became evident.
Reaching his target a few seconds later he asked "What's the issue?"
"That thing is about to use some kind of Death Magic. I can shield us."
"Ok sounds goo-..." as he spoke, the implications of Kinzo's statement settled. He could shield them, but what about everyone else?
"Wait, what about the guild masters!?"
"They aren't my concern," he said flatly.
"The hell they're not! You're taking the time to help me so-" he started to protest.
"You're family Gray, I'm not letting you die. But them, I don't know them." The assassin hit him with the hard truth.
"I don't care if you don't know them, they still matter!" He was right, morally speaking they did matter, but Gray failed to realize something. Kinzo had spent the last 5 years ignoring his own moral compass, so he saw things differently.
"Maybe in your eyes but not mine."
Disbelief, he didn't understand how the Kinzo he knew could change so much, even if they were apart for years. The boy he knew had really become cold-blooded.
As he sat in his shock Natsu and Erza were getting in his friend's face demanding he help the others. Wait, Erza... Kinzo had let her go at the train station when he said...
When he said she was important to him.
"Kinzo!" he shouted, gaining the rogue's attention. "You're right they are important in my eyes, these people are important to me. A guild master like them helped me when Ur died. Master took me in and they do the same for the people they meet. I know you don't care, but please if you can, save them..."
"I'm asking you as family."
Blank, a blank face was all that greeted him once he'd finished. Uncaring features bore into him.
But then Kinzo's eye started to twitch. And soon after his lips curled up into a snarl. "Damn you, Gray."
Resigning himself to help the boy he called a brother, he shouted aloud for all to hear "Alright geezers gather round, quickly!" At first, no one moved but with the three Fairy tail mages calling out as well they soon started running.
"You to blondie! And bring the old fool." Lucy and Makarov make their way closer.
By the time everyone had gathered around Lullaby was glowing with power. "Alright keep close together!" Kinzo yelled.
"Oh this is gonna take most of my magic isn't it." he thought to himself before casting the spell.
"Metal-Make: Bunker!" Throwing his hands out in front and forming a large set of walls around everyone present. The area was about 30 square feet and its height stopped around 7 feet. It was much larger than any bunker he'd made before having to accommodate several dozen people.
Once it was fully set and the roof was formed overhead, he leaned forward, resting his hands and head against one of the walls. Sucking in air like his life depended on it.
Man today had been a long day, and with everything he'd made he was probably down to less than 10 percent of his total magic left. That meant maybe one or two more constructs before he was completely gassed.
Though the effort was well spent when they heard it. Lullaby speaking.
"HAHAHAHA! Do you really think that little shelter will protect you from death's call?" He was taunting them.
"Now DIE! Perish at the sound of my LULLABY!"
They couldn't see it, but he could. It was like Death himself had come to greet them. A mass of black coated everything as it reached out to consume all before it. It would be pointless to try escaping, which was why he didn't intend to.
As the Death Magic spread it came into contact with his barricade, and once it did the magic was absorbed, safely stored inside the walls of the metal bunker. They were safe, they had avoided death, and no one but Kinzo knew.
Sound began to reach their ears, a quiet song. It was beautiful, soft and tender. Like the voice of a mother singing to her child.
"Is this his lullaby?" Lucy asked.
"I'm not sure child" Makarov responded.
"It doesn't matter, this is disgusting," Kinzo called back.
"What do you mean, I think it sounds beautiful?" the blonde questioned.
"Not the sound. This thing, this energy isn't magic. I mean it's still Ethernano but it's wrong, twisted. Like someone took a spell and forced it to rot. I've never seen anything so disgusting."
Silence was his only response, the others around him soaking in what was said and trying to understand what he meant, especially when the song outside sounded so sweet. Though while the others looked elsewhere Makarov was staring at his face and he finally noticed, the boy's golden eye was glowing red.
"Well it doesn't matter, he can have it back," Kinzo whispered to himself. Looking into his metal to see the twisted attack still moving through it, trapped inside. Until he pressed his own magic in and forced Lullaby's call for death back on him.
Sound rang out again, but the sweet song from before was drowned out by the Demon's rage-filled screech. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?"
Deciding he'd held that bunker up long enough Kinzo caused the walls and roof to fall away, revealing the forest once more. Well, what was left of it. As far as the eye could see in every direction the forest had decayed. Clearly dead trees bent over at strange angles, and deceased animal life littered the ground.
It seemed the rumors surrounding Lullaby were true, whatever heard its song truly did die.
Speaking of Lullaby he'd fallen to a single knee, holding his head in pain. "To use my own attack against me how? How did you do it insect!?" almost instinctually the demon's gaze met Kinzo's as if he knew it was this human, in particular, that was responsible.
Three eyes bore into two, and then the three widened. "That eye, how do you have that eye!? You dare disgrace my master by using his EYE! I'LL KILL YOU!" Smashing the earth as it rose to devour him.
Seeing the danger an enraged demon posed to his wellbeing, and knowing Makarov wouldn't step in to help, Kinzo took charge. "Gray, Scarlet get on him." Without a second thought, the two sprang into action.
A third silhouette tried to rush past him as well, but he grabbed the person by their scally scarf and yanked them back.
"Oi, what was that for!" Natsu cried as he landed on the dirt.
"Not so fast Salamander, I need you here, since you're the key to beating this thing."
"...so then, shouldn't I be out there fighting it?" he asked in confusion.
"You three already tried that once, remind me, how well did that go?"
Grumbling was the only response he heard as the dragonslayer rose to his feet. "Well, then what better idea do you have?"
"Metal-Make: Shifting Blade" the massive hybrid-ax forming in his hands for the second time that day. Holding the large ax head out in front of his person.
"Roar."
"… What?"
"Remember what I did on the train tracks with your fire? Well, I can do it again. Hit me with a roar, I have more speed than you so I should be able to get in close before Lullaby can counter-attack."
"..." Silence and narrowed eyes formed after the explanation. The fire mage definitely didn't trust him.
"We don't have time for this Salamander, work with me here."
"Look all I know is that you've been a pretty crappy person ever since we met. You attacked Gray and Erza, and we had to CONVINCE you to save the guild masters' lives. I have no reason to trust you at all, so why would I give you anything?"
For all the dumb stunts he'd seen the pinkett pull, the kid had a point. He had no reason to trust him with his power, but maybe he could give him one.
"Natsu, you guys are big into family at Fairy Tail right, you take care of your own? Well, the only person left on this planet that I consider family is over there right now fighting for his life. I'm not asking you to trust me because I'm a good person, I'm not. I'm asking you to help me keep Gray safe."
It was quiet for a while, the firebreather clearly mulling the idea over.
"Fine" he finally said, but just as the words left his mouth he got close, very close. Their eyes were inches apart, onyx glaring into brown. "But I'm warning you, don't cross Fairy Tail again."
Choosing to ignore the threat, the rogue simply raised his weapon once more.
"Give me everything."
"Oh don't you worry about that."
Taking a deep inhale and building up what remained of his magic the Pinkett shouted "FIRE DRAGON'S ROARRRRR!"
The flames crashed into him, superheating the air and making it hard to breathe, but the magic power was taken. Safely stored in his weapon, and ready to be released.
The younger boy fell on his butt once more breathing heavily. "Rest easy Salamander, I'll handle things from here."
Turning to face the battle that had been raging for at least a couple of minutes while he'd been acquiring the power he needed, he wasn't surprised to find the Ice mage and knight on the defensive. But, he had a plan to change all that.
"Gray, I need you to off-balance this thing!" he yelled over the distance.
Turning for a moment to answer, the Ice user cried back "And how exactly do you expect me to do that?"
A smirk played on his lips, he knew Gray would love this. "You remember that prank we played on Lyon, with the rope and a cantaloupe?"
The raven-haired boy smirked back, did he ever. But, there was a problem "We're gonna need something heavy to push this thing forward"
Turning to Erza who had been listening in on their conversation while also distracting the angry demon "Scarlet, do you have any heavy armor you could change into?"
Looking back she nodded. "Well then get high and come down on this thing hard!"
Doing just that she took flight in her Heaven's Wheel armor once more. Dodging outstretched limbs trying to swat at her, until she was well above the wooden monster.
Banking hard until her person was heading back towards the earth she started picking up speed fast until only a few dozen yards separated her from the beast.
"Re-Quip Giant's Armor!" Calling from her storage space she fitted herself with a massive yellow suit of armor clearly too big for her frame and pulled her legs into a cannon-ball-like position just before crashing into the back of the demon's head.
"Gray now!" Kinzo yelled
"Ice-Make: Chains!" he cried. Setting up a massive tripwire, just as Erza made contact causing the creature to tumble. As its center of gravity was pushed forward Lullaby tried to right itself by taking a step, only to find its leg unable to move because of a frozen chain. He screeched before crashing face-first into the dirt.
"Scarlet, Gray give me some space!" Both listened, racing away from the fallen demon, as Kinzo charged in at max speed. Leaping off the ground as he came within striking range. The ax head was brought up and as gravity took him once more the ax head came down.
Fire, fire ripped through the air in massive waves burning everything it touched. Lullaby was still on his knees trying desperately to stand, but it was all in vain as the fire reached him all the same.
"AHHH!" the demon bellowed as the stream of flames blew through his waist and legs like they weren't even there.
In the same way he came he left, in a flash of light. In an instant, the demon of death was gone from sight.
That attack had been far stronger than anticipated, he may have to rethink just how tough Natsu really was. But while destroying the threat it had also kicked up a good amount of dust and smoke, which was perfect for Kinzo as it meant no one else was able to see what was right in front of him. Lullaby in its flute form, broken in half and scorched but still glowing. At least for the moment.
"human" he called out in a weak voice. "You will regret this, my master's eye was not to be touched, but you have stolen it! You will die for that offense. Perhaps not by my hand, but make no mistake you will be repaid. An eye for an eye. My brothers will see to that." As his words came to an end, so did the glow in his three eyes.
Alright, that was enough, the threat was no concern of his. The Eye of Talionis belonged to him no one would take it. The only thing that concerned him was Lullaby's mention that it had been his master's. Did that mean at one point the eye was Zeref's?
Well, it didn't matter he could think about it later. For now, he would collect his well-earned prize. Deciding he didn't care what effect it had on his stuff any longer he just Re-Quipped the two broken flute pieces into his storage space. No doubt the others would simply think it was reduced to ash and that was just fine with him. He'd lost this damn flute more times today than he'd like to admit.
Walking away he found himself emerging from the smoke near the Fairy Tail mages and their guild master who were grouped together facing off the rest of the crowd (They looked rather angry for some reason). Glancing behind the crowd he understood why. The meeting hall they'd been staying in had been reduced to rubble.
"I guess that attack went farther than I thought," he said to himself before waiting to see how Makarov got himself out of this one.
"Now listen everyone, I'm sure we can work something out… I mean we did save your lives after all." The old man tried only to be met with a more volatile response from the pissed group of guild masters.
"Ah, well I'm sure, I mean surely… RUN BRATS!" he finally screamed, turning tail as he raced away from the angry mages.
As the 5 wizards and cat sprinted by, the old master made eye contact with the rogue and decided to do something he'd been considering since Lucy told him who he was.
"You should come to boy, unless you think you can fight your way through every guild master in the country?"
Taking a glance back he knew he couldn't, not in his current state. Oh, who was he kidding, out in the open like this he wouldn't win even at full strength.
Resigning himself, he chose to accept Makarov's help, running as fast as his tired legs would carry him. Regardless of how bad a taste it left in his mouth.
Author's Note
Alright, the Lullaby Arc is officially over! you made it all the way through part 1. Someone who reads this fic recently asked me to list all of the MC's magic types and the weapons/tools he has. So I thought it would be a good idea to list them here at the end of each chapter just for reference.
Magic
1) Metal-Make Magic like ice make... but with metal
2) Speed Magic (Potential energy magic- p.s. I made this up so you won't find it on a wiki... I think.) so any time you see Conversion Leap (speed boost) or Kenetic Decay (stealing something else's speed)
3) Telekinesis lifting things with one's mind etc.
4) Re-Quip
Tools
1) His Revolver- Iron Maiden
2) The rings his mother gave him - can be molded into other objects
3) The magic absorbing metal - He can choose to make his weapons out of this or other kinds of normal metal (iron, steel, etc.)
4) The Eye of Talionis - replacing his right eye, it allows the user to see magic (Ethernano)
5) Isacc Colt's journals - three journals belonging to his father
6) metal woven into his hair - this will not play a major role for most of the story but I may as well mention it so people don't forget.
Alright, I think that's everything. Congratulations on making it to the end of what I consider to be part one of the story.
Now I have some important news about the future of this fanfic. I have officially joined the Military and ship out to basic training in a couple of months. In that time I plan to crank out as much of this story as I can. Unfortunately, when I do ship off I will be away from my laptop for months at a time so updates and even my ability to write will be seriously restricted. Sorry to say it but by mid-August updates will be very infrequent for a while. Like I said though I plan on powering through a lot of the story and if I still have chapters written that I haven't posted yet by the time I leave, I'll just release them all at once.
Till next time.
