******Author's Note: My apologies, but I have caught up to Fairy Tail's Manga, so I'll be doing filler and crossovers until such a time as the current arc is finished. First up, Zelda: Twilight Princess!

I stared down at my arm, just as shocked as the crowd that had gathered. I decided it would be best to disperse the crowd, then approach the situation logically. I told everyone to go home, trying desperatly not to wave my weaponised arm, and the crowd respected my wishes. Only friends and family remained.

A quick thought crossed my mind, and I turned to Laxus, the person closest to me. "Laxus, what colour are my eyes?"

Laxus replied calmly. Surprising, considering the situation. "One green and one gold, why?"

"Gold? Good."

"Why is gold good?"

"It means I fixed Archive, at least. But I KNOW Regeration left my body before I absorbed the thunder and lightning! I should be dead!"

"You didn't re absorb it?"

"Not conciously. I had no time. I don't even know where the hell the Magic went, it was completely gone for the couple of seconds I had to look around after eating the lightning."

"I think I might have a guess."

"Oh? Let's hear it."

"Is it possible for a Magic to mutate?"

"Yes, I believe it is."

"Look at your arm then. Maybe Regeneration got caught up with the lightning, and the massive Magic around it caused it to mutate to...that."

"Huh. Very possible, but it would need a base for this, something to be worn on the hands."

"Hmm, and you don't wear gloves..."

Mira jumped in and shouted her idea. "Gilgimesh! Mar, check Gilgimesh!"

"What's a Gilgimesh?" Laxus asked.

"A re equip Magic of mine, it COULD have been the base I suppose, and Archive never tossed my re equip weapons. Let's see!"

I focused on Gilgimesh, but to my sorrow, nothing came. As I realised those beautifal gauntlets were gone, my arms, legs, and the lower half of my face covered themselves in tendrils, just as Gilgimesh would. When the tendrils stopped moving, both my arms were now instruments of death, with my legs reinforced to the point of being near invulnerable. The mask was still, as always, really just there to keep sand out of my airway and to look badass.

I tried dismissing the my new power with the Magical commands that I use to command...well, Magics, but I found that they were to no avail. This...mutation didn't answer to Magic.

I realised there, that the Magic wasn't a Magic at all anymore, but a true biological mutation.

My eyes lit up with glee as I stared at my new clawed arms, and the mask pulled back to reveal me smiling widely.

Lisanna was the first to speak the question on everyone's mind, "Mar? What did you do this time?"

"Haha, Sister? Honey? Brother? Friend? I guess I'm a MUTANT Archangel now. Regeneration has mutated into my very being, and for god knows what reason, it has combined with my stored re equips to make some very...interesting tools of war!"

"Can you un equip them?" Mira asked, nervously.

"No idea, I'll try."

I put Magic far away from my mind, focusing instead on my body, and I thought of my regular, winged self. Sure enough, my living araments faded away, leaving only me.

Mira teared up at this, and ran to hug me. Her arms went straight around my neck and she squeezed me tight, saying, "I'm so happy...I'm so happy you're alright!"

Everyone smiled at us, then joined into our hug. Laxus even joined in, and none of us objected.

After we seperated, Laxus put his hand on my shoulder and told me, "I knew it. I KNEW you were too damn stubborn to die."

We all broke into laughter, which was very rudely interrupted by my new organic power shifting my form. Before anyone had time to blink twice, two Laxus' stood before my family.

"Well, this is awkward." I said. "Holy hell, I even have your voice!" I quickly focused back onto myself once more, and shrunk down to my regular size and form once more.

Laxus recovered from his stunned state and told me, "Mar? Never do that again. Please."

"Noted. That wasn't exactly with my consent, you know?"

We all retired shortly thereafter, with Mira and I calling it an early day. More or less to celebrate my renewed life in our own way, then figure this new organic power out.

It was around eight by the time we got to the second bit of our agenda. Turns out "You're not going to die" sex can last a while.

We headed out to an open meadow just outside of town, and Mira accessed her Satan Soul straight away. Said it would give her great physical resilliance in case I couldn't control whatever the devil I had done to myself. I smirked and made a self restraint comment, then we got to training.

I decided to stick to the claws, I knew I had them and I figured the basics would apply to any other weapons I had. Within a couple of hours, I had gained full control over my offensive abilities. Turns out, it felt almost as natural as breathing.

Mira dismissed her Satan Soul as I reverted to my regular self, then she came up to me and sat me down on a nearby log.

"You feeling alright about this Mar? Do you feel any different?"

"Oh, I'm great Mira! This new Regeneration has givin me a new lease on life! I feel stronger, faster, and maybe just ever so slightly taller!"

"Ha, keep dreaming!"

"Haha!...Oh, right, Mira?"

"Yeah?"

"Something's been bothering me, remember when I copied Laxus?"

"Yeah, what the heck was that anyway?"

"A new ability, I'd guess. I think I'll be able to control it the same way I do for the claws, and anything else related to...this, anyway. But, anyways, when I copied him, memories entered my head. Memories that wern't my own. Memories of wandering a desert, then a massive feeling of dread, like if someone close to me was in trouble."

"You...saw Laxus' memories? Hmmm, that may have been when Master took that blow from Hades. Family just knows, you know?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I do." I said with a smile. I wasn't lying either, and that gave me no small joy. "Mira, weird idea, how about I see if I can replicate the process?"

"Hmmm, two of me? Why not?"

I focused on my wife, as hard as I could, but not a thing changed. My abilities didn't even seem to be spurred into action.

I raised my head and sighed, then said "Oh well, guess that's the odd one out."

Mira slapped me on the back, probably in preperation of reassuring me, but the moment she did, my form changed to hers! She retracted her hand rather quickly.

I looked at my new hands, legs, and even clothing, then stood up and said, "Direct physical contact with my consent seems to trigger this. But, I think I would rather stay as I am when possible, I'm rather fond of a bit on my own body that I felt disappear." I said, reverting to "Regular" me. It even put my trench back on, despite me not even having it at the time.

"Okay, I can see why Laxus thought that was so weird. Any memories Mar?"

"Yeah, the first night we were involved actually. I know you felt some sort of dread, even regret while you were laying there with me. I also felt most, if not all of it vanish when I put my arms around you and pulled you close. You knew you found the right guy if he could read you that well. Know what the cherry on the cake is Mira?"

"What?"

"I didn't remember this, I was asleep. My body itself reacted to your distress."

"...Thank you for being honest. Would you have done the same awake?"

"Without a doubt."

Mira smiled widely at this, then said, "Thank you." once more.

I laughed and kissed my wife on the cheek, then hopped up and said, "Watch this, I have a crazy idea. Might want to get Satan Soul up actually."

Mira shifted while asking, "What's this 'Crazy Idea'?"

"This isn't technically a Magic, right? So what if I can use a Magic WITH it?"

"Oooh, good idea Mar!"

I shifted my right arm into claws, and let my lightning run through my arm. Once I had achieved my desired level of focus, I dragged the blades along the ground, then tore them skyward, sending out four vertical beams of lightning that left the land scarred.

I stood there, flabberghasted, admiring my work. I eventually shook some sense into my head and said, "Wow! I think I just found some conductors!"

Mira had already dismissed her Satan Soul and was laughing incredibly hard. Apparently my expression could be noted as "Absolutely priceless."

Mira decided to head back home after a stressful day, and I decided to go bar hopping. I hadn't mingled in seven bloody years after all, I wanted to get my finger down on Magnowlia's newfound pulse.

I heard of a guild named Sabertooth, the guild that now held the number one spot in all of Fiore, and that it was based locally. I decided to go and pay them a visit later, if not just to shake a few hands and gauge our competition for a few months down the line. I also heard of a Mermaid Heel, an all female guild. I shrugged at the news, and I honestly think it's a good idea. Women could always use a few extra heroes. Hell, everyone could. To my surprise, Lamia Scale had also grown in size and political power. That made me happy, I remembered that young master Leon and young mistress Sherry were with them. Them and Jura. I found myself wondering how the old bugger was doing, I really liked him for whatever reason. Just struck me as an all around good guy I guess.

The moon had reached it's zenith by the time I made my way to Sabertooth. I thought if there was no one there that I would just come back in the morning.

I found the rather large building quickly, they sure weren't the type for modesty. Then again, I could have said the same for us seven years ago.

I entered to a nearly empty hall, save two men who seemed to be damn good friends and a bar maid with purple hair.

My entrance drew all of their attention, and the two men motioned for me to come and sit, so I did and the purple haired woman handed me an odd coloured drink. I didn't care really, if it was poisonus, my body would fix it and the reactions would be priceless. Mind you, the other two men there would have had to have been poisoned too, they were drinking the same stuff.

The blonde one spoke first, "So, what's your name stranger? Want to join Sabertooth?"

"My name's Mar, and no thanks, I'm really just checking the place out."

"Mar...name sounds familliar. Why are you checking this place out then?"

"You guys are apparently our main competition in the games three months from now, I just wanted to see what we're up against."

"Ha! And you're not hiding this?"

"Why should I? It's the truth."

"Ha! I like this guy Rogue! Oh, my name is Sting by the way, what guild do you belong to?"

I replied by pulling my coat across my heart, revealing my brand.

"You belong to that garbage guild? Huh, I thought they were all old men and layabouts."

Now, I'm a patient man, but you do NOT insult my comrades with me present.

"Step outside."

"Ooooh, I think I made him mad! What are you going to do to me Fairy Trash?"

"Step outside. Before I make you."

"Ha! Make me step outside, what a jac-" Sting was cut off abruptly by me throwing him through the damn wall, then jumping through the hole after him.

"I warned you. Now put your money where your mouth is, no one dishonors my friends."

Sting coughed the drywall dust out then rushed at me and started swinging at me. He remained perfectly calm, even though we were fighting. Well, he was swinging and I was dodging anyway.

"What's wrong?" He yelled, "That old bastard never taught you how to punch?"

I caught his arms that time, and started applying bone crushing pressure. "That 'Old Bastard' as you call him is my Master. For insulting him personally, you just earned yourself a Magic fight. You can go first boy."

I threw Sting across the street while noting that Rogue was near the hole, face in hand. Clearly, this happened alot, and he wasn't going to interfere. Sting reminded me of Natsu in a way, only with a severe negative attitude adjustment.

Sting stood tall and yelled "Light Dragon's Roar!" causing a massive wave of pure light infused energy to be let loose at me. I was astounded, at least, but never the less, I used my Lightning Form to escape behind Sting.

"Ha! What a joke! Vaporised from one attack!" Sting yelled.

I grabbed Sting's shoulder, and forced him to the ground with it, then mounted him and held his neck to the concrete. "Not quite."

Rouge started yelling at us, "Sting! He just used Lightning Form! He's a fucking Dragon Slayer!"

"Y-You? A Dragon Slayer? DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!" He yelled as he forced himself out of my grip and struck me across the head, hard enough to cause my spine to crack. "Ha, he's done. We'll just leave him here, cops will find him eventually."

As my spine re mended itself, I stood back up and reached to grab Sting, only to find he was almost back through Sabertooth's hole. Rage. Anger. Hatred. I felt all of these. I used Lighting Form once more, this time ditching my coat, and I grabbed Sting, the hoisted him up into the sky.

"Sorry boy, I don't die that easily."

"What the fuck? YOU WERE DEAD!"

"I was, yes."

"Oh my god...You're Mar! THE Mar!"

"What of it? You want the name etched on your fucking grave?"

"NO! I'm so sorry sir, please, take me back down and I'll explain everything!"

"Sir? You have one chance."

"Thank you sir!"

We landed on a nearby rooftop, and I threw Sting to the floor. "Talk. Now."

"Sir, I'm a huge fan, you're the man that inspired me to become a Mage!"

"Hm?"

"Your story...it spoke to me. A man, never knowing his real parents, abandoned and left to the whims of the world. A man who survived, and flourished."

"That's the readers digest version, yes, but I didn't turn out to be a natural born asshole. Speaking of your parents, did your dragon dissapear on the seventh of July, fourteen years ago?"

"I don't know."

"How would you not know?"

"I'm a true Dragon Slayer. I killed him."

My Magic peaked at the sheer metion of patricide, sending me straight into Archangel. I only realised later that the form remained intact after Archive's incident, my senses were blurred with a blood rage at the moment. While my aura blared, screaming out for blood, and seemingly splitting the very sky, I asked, "I'm sorry, I must have heard you wrong. Did you just say you killed your own fucking parent?"

The sheer weight of my full power was making it hard to breathe for Sting, and he began choking on the very air around him. I realised he couldn't talk in this condition, so I let off ever so slightly.

"What amazing power...you could easily be in the top five in Sabertooth, if not our very Mast-"

"I have no interest in being your Master. Now ANSWER ME."

"I-I did. Rogue too."

"I see." I said, my aura remaining as it was. "Very well. If all in Sabertooth are like you, I have my assessment ready. That, however, is not for your ears. Sting, was it? You have no right to even glance in my direction. I will spare you tonight, but if I EVER find you insulting my friends, or getting near them for that matter outside of the Tourney..." I paused just long enough to shift my right arm into claws and press one against Sting's throat, "I will tear out your fucking spine and strangle you to death with it. Are we clear?"

Sting was sweating bullets. Clearly, the organic weapon was having the desired effect. "C-Crystal."

I released my grip on him, shifted my arm back, let Archangel fade, and got ready to fly away. Didn't even care they had my coat, since I appeared to be able to transfer it, or at least duplicate it. Just as I was about to lift off, Sting spoke once final time, "Mar! My goal as a Mage is to surpass you! It will happen one day, mark my words!"

I turned back to him and told him the simple truth. "Darkness covers your heart boy. It makes you weak. So long as you hold that darkness in you, you will never come close to surpassing me."

This apparently struck a nerve, as Sting finally lost his cool, and rushed to strike me again, screaming. I once again caught both of his arms and leaned in close to his face. "Never." I whispered, before throwing his arms back and striking him square in the chest, as hard as I could, with a lightning infused fist. The impact caused him to fly to the concrete below, bloody and beaten.

"Get him medical attention. I likely overdid it. Fools just don't know when to stay down."

Rogue, instead of getting angry, agreed with me, and thanked me for not killing Sting. As he turned to grab his friend and hoist him inside to wait for the medic, I noticed he had a katana. Nothing fancy, just a regular old katana. It filled my heart with joy to see someone traveling the path of honor. Well, despite the whole patricide bit. For now I'd give Rogue the benefit of the doubt, and think that he was forced into it somehow. Sting on the other hand...well, I meant what I said.

I sighed and jumped back down to the guild, and helped Rogue lift Sting onto a table. When he asked me why, I just pointed at his sword and said, "I follow the same path. Likely not to the same extent, but I do follow it."

On my way out, I realised the hole I left in the wall was rather large, allowing me to walk out with my wings outstretched without touching anything. I remembered Arc of Time never left me, so I tried using it constructively for the very first time...well, ever! I successfully repaired the wall, got a thank you from Rogue who opened the door to say farewell, followed by a shake between swordsmen. After I let go of his hand, I flew into the sky and headed for home.

As I walked through the door, I saw Mavis out like a light on the couch. She looked so cute when she was sleeping. Then again, that went for her pretty much ALL the time. I opened my door and slipped under the covers next to Mira, and an odd realisation crossed my mind. I hadn't seen anyone who went to the beach for DAYS! I jerked up, waking Mirajane, who yelled, "What's wrong? Do we have an intruder?"

"No, just realised that our friends have been missing for days! How the fuck could I have been so blind?"

"No one told you? They're in the Spirit World. Virgo shifted them all over from the beach. Time flows faster there though, they're schedualed to turn up just short of three months from now!"

"Three months...oh lord, that's going to be worth being there for their faces."

"My thoughts exactly! Now go back to sleep, it's one in the morning!"

"Right. Sorry love."

The next morning was probably the most normal one I'd had post Tenrou. The Strauss family and Mavis ate breakfast together, shared stories of their previous day, and plans for the day to come. I had to stay quiet for that last bit though, everyone there knew I didn't plan that far ahead! The least normal thing we found was that my coat was stuffed in our mailbox, with a note saying, "Courtesy of Rogue. Have a good day!" on it.

We laughed our way to Fairy Tail, and split when we reached the door. Mira worked the bar, as usual, Elfman went off to train with Lisanna for the tourney, and I jotted off to check and see if there were any S class requests available after word of the Tenrou Team coming back got out. No such luck.

I decided to head back out to the meadow me and Mirajane practiced at the previous night, to see how many of my other weapons were assimilated by this new...thing. I also needed to think of a name for it, it was getting awkward to talk about, or even think about for that matter!

With some trail and error, I found that I could shift an arm into a collosal curved sword, stretching from the ground up to above my elbow. There was also a spike on the back of it, jutting out from my elbow. A true weapon of death, I could easily reach five feet in front of me with it, if not more. The other arm became blessed with a whip like weapon. It's reach was much further, and it came in segments. If some got caught, I could break the end off and regrow the sharp tip. It's reach was quite easily twenty feet around me, all of it being a killzone. The whip was bladed on each and every segment, I could turn it into a tornado of death just by spinning. The last one was...odd. I didn't find a weapon it had rooted from, but never the less, my hands changed so that they were huge, with only three fingers each. When I pointed them away, tendrills shot out and snared my target, in this case, a rock, to the ground. It also tore at the rock with such force that it split clean in two. Clearly, a painful way to go. I wouldn't be using this one on anything short of a monster.

I sat on a half of the rock, satisfied with what I had found so far. I could figure out the rest as I went along, because, truth be told, I was happy with claws and a sword. The other two were just such sweet icing on the cake. I still needed to think of a name though. Something catchy, something to the point...hmmm. I mulled it over for a good twenty minutes before it finally hit me. A mastery of weapons? An inborn talent to reject death? Athena! It was perfect! The greek goddess of war would be the inspiration for my latest, greatest weapon of war!

I smiled and stood up, then brought myself forward, closer to the ground. I stopped in a crouching position, like a marathon runner ready at the starting line and yelled "Athena! Come to me!" On command, my blade materialised on my right arm. Clearly, this ability approved of the name! That settled it! Athena it is!

I strolled back toward Fairy Tail, and stopped to look at our new guild. Barely a tavern, and no where near the center of town like we used to be. I bet we could use some cash, I'd take a job! A dangerous one that would let me test out Athena, or a high paying one so I could donate the cash to Fairy Tail itself.

I searched the job board, and didn't find much. Fairy Tail must be held in REALLY low faith nowadays. Poor sods. At least they had Jane, the situation probably would have been even WORSE if they hadn't! I did find one job however, a very strange one. The only S class request we had, actually. It had just come in that morning, so I was told, and was brought by a courier. No one special, but I could tell this was was unique already. It was signed with an odd symbol I had never seen before, three golden triangles, shaped to form a larger triangle. I was to go to a distant land known as "Hyrule" and speak with a young man known as "Link". The reward was...substantial. I decided to take it! It could be fun!

I grabbed it off the board and kissed my wife on the way out, telling her I shouldn't be gone for more then a couple weeks, then I set out to an absolutely glorious sunny day.

I found that the station didn't offer service to this Hyrule place, but a town a few clicks away did. Why? Hell if I knew. I decided to walk over there. It wasn't that far, and the day was a truely grand one. I don't think the sun had ever shone so bright! I walked through a large grassland on my way, when suddenly, I felt a raindrop. I felt another following it, and another, prompting me to look up. There was literally a SINGLE cloud in the sky raining one SOLELY me. I chuckled and said, "Okay Juvia, you can come out now."

"Was Juvia that obvious?" came a voice from behind me as the woman formed from water.

"Uhhh, yeah. That thing's a dead giveaway." I said, pointing to the cloud. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you were in the Spirit World with everyone else?"

"Juvia was sick. Only felt better today. Juvia has a question for Mar, if you would answer."

"Of course, shoot."

"Shoot? Juvia doesn't want to shoot Mar!"

I laughed and just said, "It's a phrase Juvia! I meant ask away!"

"Oh! Juvia is sorry, she can be a spaz sometimes. Mar, you are an expert in this sort of thing...how do you tell a man is about to propose?"

The question hit me off guard, and nearly made me trip and fall flat on my face, but I recovered and asked, "Well, I wouldn't know. I've only done it once, and that was from my perspective. I will help you though, has he been acting weird lately?"

"Yes, Grey has been...avoiding Juvia for lack of a better word. We stopped taking jobs together shortly before Tenrou, but we're still..." Juvia's face blushed horribly here, and I could tell the statement was awkward. Involved, got it.

"I get it Juvia, don't worry. I'm the one who started that train, remember?"

"Yes, Juvia remembers, and she is still grateful."

"Forget about it! It's what I do!"

"Juvia believes modesty is the sign of a saint, and Mar shows it in no small amount."

"Ha, thanks Juvia. Anyway, have you found anything weird in his underwear drawer?"

"H-HOW WOULD MAR KNOW JUVIA LOOKED THERE?"

"You just told me. I'll take it as a yes then."

Juvia's head sank, red as blood, and she said, "Y-Yes, Juvia found a small black box, but didn't open it."

"Ahhh. I see now."

"Is Juvia crazy? She certainly feels like it."

"No, no, you're RIGHT. Juvia, how large was this box? Show me." I said, holding out my hand. Water formed in my hand, creating a box no larger then the one my ring was in. Perfect.

My grin must have betrayed my thoughts, because Juvia caught on REALLY quickly. "O-Oh my god! He is, isn't he? Ohhhh, Juvia's not ready for this!"

Juvia started panicing and talking to herself, and I just laughed as she did so, I eventually spoke up and said, "Think of it this way Juvia, Grey IS ready, and willing, obviously. You have three months or so to work on your cold feet. It shouldn't be a problem!"

Juvia stopped and smiled, and the rain finally stopped. "Mar is right! Juvia just hopes she can last three months without Grey!"

"Haha, you obviously know how to find me, you can talk to me anytime, about anything!"

"Yes, Mar is an easy person to track, and even easier to talk to. Well, at least to someone like Juvia."

"Water in my body has a particular feel to it?"

"Yup!"

"Ha, excellent. Say, Juvia? What are you doing right now?"

"Not alot. Juvia thinks she might train, or take a job or two. Her schedual is rather open today...and the next few months really."

"Perfect. Juvia? How would you like to come to a foreign land with me? It's an S class job, but you were nominated before, so I think I can look the other way."

"S class? Juvia would be glad to help!" she said, literally BEAMING with joy.

"Haha, that's what I like to hear! The town where we'll hop on a train is right nearby actually."

"Oh! So that's where we've been headed!"

"Yep, should be right over these hills actually."

As we reached the peak of the hill, however, nothing was as it should have been. The town was burning, and the screams of it's people could be heard from where we stood. I could see creatures, not of this world. Creatures of purest shadow. Above all else, the town was covered in a giant cube that formed some sort of barrier between it and the rest of the world!

We were both shocked, but recovered and ran at the cube without so much as a word between us. We knew what had to be done.

I took the lead, and let Athena's sword take over my right arm, then infused it with Lightning and cut us a way in. As we entered, the gap closed behind us. As soon as it did, several beasts appeared before us. They had long claws, and grey bodies wrapped in black and red runes. There had to be at least eight of them.

I charged forward, determined to keep these things in front of me and away from Juvia, and my first slash successfully cut two of them down. Immediatly the remaining beast's eyes lit up. A piercing red I thought unique to my own addorned them. They all reared and roared so loud that Juvia and I had to cover our ears and close our eyes, and when we opened them once more, all eight beasts were again whole.

An idea crossed my mind, and as we fought them off, I started yelling at Juvia, to go over the noises of these weird creatures. "Juvia! Would I hurt you if you were in water form?"

Juvia replied after sending one of the creatures to a nearby wall at high speed, "No! Juvia cannot feel pain or be injured when in water form! Why?"

"Hold them down! I have an idea!"

Juvia complied, and soaked the very earth around us with her presence. Suddenly, several watery hands sprouted from the earth, grabbing each of the beasts and holding them in place. As soon as I saw they were immobile, I switched to the whip, and spun like a maniac. The metal tore and shredded through each and every one of the beasts, killing them all simultaniously.

As they faded away and Juvia re formed, a portal opened in the sky above us, on the roof of the cube. It turned from red to blue, then two entities emerged from it. A wolf, and a small imp like creature landed next to us, and the imp was carrying an odd charm, filled with clear crystals.

The imp waved the charm through the air, and the cube shattered, as did all the creatures inside of it. The villagers soon found themselves coming out of their homes, and celebrating the towns new heroes. During the confusion, however, the imp dissappeared, and the wolf ran in the direction of the station.

After calming the villagers down and explaining we were not the ones who banished the dark, we asked where the station was, and then I asked when the next train to Hyrule was. It was SUPPOSED to leave half an hour ago, but, well, monsters. Luckily, the station's staff were in the crowd, and they led us there. Gave us a seat in the second to front car. Surprisingly fancy, for a train. I guess this was their "First Class" car. We opened our door, and found a man in a green tunic, with a pointed hat of the same colour in our seat. When he saw us, he smiled and waved, then banged on the wall behind him. Soon after, the imp appeared out of his shadow, and landed in his lap. The train started moving shortly afterwards.

The imp began to talk, "Hi there! Sorry about earlier, I didn't want to be seen, people around here are very xenophobic. My name is Midna, and the quiet guy here is Link! He doesn't talk much, but he's a real nice guy!"

"Glad to meet you Midna, Link! So, Link, you wouldn't happen to be from Hyrule, would you?"

He nodded in responce, then pointed at my heart.

"He wants to check and see if you're who he thinks you are. Please show him your mark, if you have one." Midna said.

I removed the part of the coat covering my heart, and both Link and Midna smiled.

"Told you big guy! These two are our backup from Fairy Tail! Although, I don't think I remember seeing EITHER of you in the profiles I browsed." Midna said.

"Profiles?"

"Reports on different Mages you guys have! I could have submitted a preferance, but I didn't see anyone I liked, so I just sent out a general call for help. I didn't even see a 'Mar' or a..."

"Oh, crap, how rude of us, this is Juvia, a water Mage and a close friend. I'm Mar, as you know, and I'm a bit of a 'Jack of All Trades' when it comes to Magic."

"Link here is a swordsman, and the chosen bearer of courage. I'm both the former, and FUTURE princess of the Twilight Realm."

"Chosen of courage? Explain that please.

"He's one of three chosen individuals, selected by the Hylian godesses themselves. He bears a third of a great power known as the Triforce that was used to create Hyrule inside him."

"Wow. Heavy stuff. Also, Twilight Realm?"

"A realm parralel to this one. An entire alternate world! I need to get back there and take out it's current regent, a usurper named Zant. He cast me out and cursed me to this form."

"I get the feeling that getting home isn't so simple?"

"We need to reconstruct the Mirror of Twilight, which Zant shattered into four pieces. We called for backup when we found that Zant had corrupted a dragon to guard the last piece."

"A dragon? Do you know it's name?"

"Argorok. Twilight Dragon Argorok."

I sighed. Part in dissapointment, part in relief. "Oh. Good, I guess. Meeting Raiden again would be awkward anyway. We didn't part on the BEST of terms."

"Raiden?" Midna asked.

"It's a looooooong story. Maybe I'll tell it next time we have a breather." I said with a smirk, earning one in kind from both Midna and Link, who at this point was staring out the window. "Anyway, this Zant fellow? Why did he overthrow you?"

"He sought power. Power far beyond the control or understanding of our people. He sought to unlock the secrets of our ancestors, the people who made this." Midna said as she pulled a horned artifact from Link's coat. "This is the Fused Shadow. It's power can make me, even in this form, into a demigod."

"Wow. I can see the temptation. How did he actually overthrow you?"

"That's just it! I was the most powerful Twili around right up until Zant cast me down! I KNOW he was never that strong! Somehow, he gained a massive amount of power in a short time period!"

Juvia was lost in thought, probably thinking of what could boost a mans power so substantially so quickly. Or Grey. Hell, who am I kidding, it was probably Grey.

"Any idea how?" I asked.

"Zant rambled when he cast me from the realm, he said that his new god gave him immense power! Judging by the fact he so easily overpowered me, then did...this, I'm inclined to believe him."

"A god? Hmmm. Sorry to burst your bubble Midna, but there is no god. This...thing that enpowered him is likely just a being of tremendous power with a hate on for Hyrule."

"Ha! I never said I believed him! We already know that actually, I was just easing you in to it. Zant's 'God' is a powerful sorcerer from a desert clan known as Gannondorf. He somehow managed to cross into my realm and grant Zant his power. Givin how strong he can make another, I can only imagine he is on the level of what you humans percieve as a god."

"Huh. Thoughts Juvia?"

"J-Juvia doesn't want to fight a god! Or someone on a god's level or whatever! Juvia is not Mar, Juvia can die!"

"I'm fully aware. That's why when we inevitably have to hunt this guy down, you'll run. Run back to Fairy Tail and don't look back. If you got hurt, Grey would put me on ice. Literally."

"Ju...Juvia also can't abandon her comrades. Juvia will stay!"

"That a girl."

We arrived at a station shortly afterwords, and Midna vanished into Link's shadow. We walked out of the train to be met by a bustling town, with a huge castle in the center, a diamond shaped barrier around it.

"I'm guessing that's not natural?" I asked Link. He shook his head in responce. "Ha, you really are a quiet one. Where are we headed anyway? Where's this Twilight Dragon?" Link pointed skyward, then brought out his map, as if knowing I was going to ask how we got up there. He pointed to the side of a great lake in the south-west. Must be some sort of device there.

Once we got out of town, Midna popped out of Link's shadow and opened a portal in the sky, which drew us in, then dropped us into a massive lake. Teleportation? Excellent.

We all swam to shore, then Midna placed a dark artifact into Link's head, turning him into a wolf. The same one we saw at that small town.

"Well, that clears a couple things up." Juvia said.

Everyone, including Link as he was, snickered, then we continued up the side of a cliff to meet a collosal CANNON! I was in absolute awe, I had never seen a weapon this large. I was in even more awe when Link and Midna loaded themselves into it...and fired.

They sailed for the sky at god knows what speed, leaving Juvia slack jawed.

"D-Did they just do that?" She yelled, hysterical.

"Yeah. Yeah I think they did." I said as I loaded myself in. "Come on Juvia, I guess we have to follow them."

"You can't FLY us up there?"

"Too slow! Now get in, I just lit the fuse."

Juvia jumped in just in time to get shot out again, going ass first for the sky.

I landed first, then caught Juvia as she came down, still screaming.

"Took you two long enough!" Midna heckled.

As we regained our footing and smiled, two golden orbs fell onto the floor, and bounced toward the door nearby. Whoops. I forgot to get Fairy Law and Glitter back. Stupid agenda being so buggering occupied.

I ran forward and grabbed the two orbs, releasing one, then the other to be absorbed. After I had regained my Magics, I inhaled deeply and turned to ask, "So, Midna, where IS this dragon exactly? And how is there a city on top of the clouds?"

"Uhhh...forget it, I'm not going to ask what that was. Anyway, the dragon should be atop the center tower, since dragons enjoy high places. As for the city? It belonged to an ancient race, even we're not sure how they managed to build an entire city up here."

"Hmm, interesting. Ah well, better to not think of such things. Too complicated for me, I'd reckon. But, up top huh? Do you two have any means of flight?"

"Link here has a pair of handheld grappling hook-like devices, he could climb up with those while I catch a ride in his shadow!"

"Good, Juvia, you can go vertical in Water Form, yeah?"

"Juvia can!"

"Good! And I won't use Lightning Form, there would be no party if I got there first!"

"Lightning? You said you were a 'Jack of All Trades' earlier, what did you MEAN exactly?"

"Ever heard of Archive?"

"No, sorry."

"It let's me copy the Magics of those I fight, and give them to others as needed. It's literally an Archive of Magic."

"Ah, that would make sense."

"Although, Lightning is mine. My Magic and mine alone. It just so happens Midna, I'm a Lightning Dragon Slayer."

"Wha-? Link, could we have PICKED better helpers? I'm glad we sent out that general notice now!"

Juvia and I laughed, then I took off my coat, revealing my black wings, and then outstretching them, getting ready to fly.

"Wings? You really ARE full of surprises, arn't you?"

"You have no idea Midna." I said, as I took for the sky, friends old and new following me. Link was surprisingly agile with the devices, he almost overtook me a couple of times as we climbed. On one such occasion, I noticed something I had neglected before. A sword lay upon Link's back, and once I noticed it, it's power was more then evident. Pure holy light eminated from the blade. A regular blade of evil's bane. Oh, and the sheath had an interesting gold and purple design on it too, but I didn't notice that until much later.

We landed atop the spire, and I noticed there were four larger pillars on top, one for each corner of the flat, unfenced roof. They were covered in vines, an impressive feat, considering how high up we were. Those vines must be the single most stubborn form of plant life on the planet!

I slipped my coat back on, and as soon as I did, there was a great roar from below us, and the wind shifted suddenly.

"Here it comes!" Midna yelled from Link's shadow.

Link drew his blade, and I took out my guns. We heard the sound of wings against the air, gaining ever closer and closer. Suddenly, we heard nothing, followed by the beast ascending right past us, so close that Juvia was knocked over.

Argorok was small, for a dragon. Barely the size of three of me stacked on each other. His wingspan was still very impressive, however. He also appeared to have a lantern at the end of his tail, grown right into his scales and flesh.

It turned around in the sky and dove at us immediatly, so Link and I jumped out of the way, with me throwing Juvia clear in the same motion. She used the momentum to bounce off one of the pillars and shift into Water Form, chasing the beast.

When she caught it, she wrapped herself around it as tightly as she could, binding it's wings to it's back. Argorok crashed into the pillar Juvia had used to boost herself at him, then tumbled to the ground. He got back up, however, then roared so loud that Juvia was forced to turn human again to cover her ears. When she did, the dragon inhaled deeply. I knew what was coming next.

I used Lightning form to get in front of Juvia in a split second, then once again throw her free of danger. I however, did not have time to dodge the flames that spewed from the dragon's mouth. I fell to the ground, most of my body covered in third degree burns, and my clothes burnt to cinders. My hair even burned away.

I heard Midna yelling out for me, and Link screaming in rage, then berserking on the dragon as I regenerated. I guess I forgot to tell them. Oh well.

Everything came back to me quickly. My hair, my skin, and best of all, my eyes un melted. Believe me, it is NOT pleasent to have your eyes melt, LITERALLY melt. To top it off, Athena even regenerated my clothing once more. I sat up to see that Link and the dragon were no longer at ground level, but on the tops of the pillars, and that Juvia was placing cold water on my still receeding burns to help them along. I thanked her then took off my coat, again, and took flight, Water Mage in tow.

Just as we got to the top, Link did something that downright baffled me. He jumped onto the back of the dragon from the top of one of the pillars! I told Juvia to try and restrain the dragon again, and get it out of the sky while I got Link to solid ground.

Before we could act, however, Link exposed a rather disgusting eye on the dragon's back, and stabbed it repeatedly. Argorok didn't like that, and his wings stopped moving, causing him to fall, Link still in tow. Juvia got Link off the bastards back just before it hit the floor, and I chased it. When it was trying to get up, I grabbed it's neck with the momentum I had from flying, and forced it to the ground again. Why did I do this? I needed a second to take Athena's Claws out.

After Gilgimesh's new form was formed, I leapt at Argorok, sinking the metal claws deep into it's scaled hide, and hitting flesh underneath. The dragon roared in pain as it had when Link was stabbing it, clearly this was having more or less the same effect. I removed my claws from it to strike again, but it swiped at me and knocked me aside, slamming me into one of the pillars.

My friends yelled for me, and I just replied, "Stay back! I've got this!"

Argorok had trouble taking off, clearly Link and I had done some real damage. It was time to finish it. Athena's whip repleaced my claws and invulnerable legs, and I let it go at Argorok, the tip piercing his neck. I retracted it rapidly, landing myself on Argorok's back. I quickly wrapped the whip around his neck, blades pointing inward, then jumped free.

When I landed, I started pulling, and I could see the blades sinking in. Argorok screamed in pain while I yanked at his new bladed collar. He struggled to the point where I was torn from the ground and dragged after him, so I went Archangel and veered myself toward the ground once more. I began pulling again, several times harder thanks to my peaked power. Once I thought the blades were in deep enough, I planted both my feet and grabbed my whip arm with my normal arm, then infused the whip with lightning and pulled as hard as I could in one motion. Argorok's screaming stopped suddenly, and his body fell to the ground. A few moments later, his head landed near me.

I breathed a sigh of relief and cast my powers aside as my friends ran up to me, cheering. Juvia downright tackled me, taking us both to the ground.

"Mar was great! Juvia knew you could do it! Do you know what this means?"

"I do. My name is Mar Strauss, and I am a TRUE Dragon Slayer."

I heard an unfamiliar voice say, "Wow. That's not something you see everyday." causing me to jolt to a sitting position quickly and look over to it's source, with everyone following suit, and to everyone's surprise, the source of the voice came from none other then Link.

I was the first to speak. I said, to put it bluntly, "Did you just fucking TALK?" earning a shrug from the green clad warrior. Both Midna and Juvia were no less shocked, their expressions made that plain for all to see.

Link just laughed and struck the dragon's body with his blessed blade, causing it's body to disintegrate, and the ashes turn into a fragment that seemed to be made of stone. Link picked it up and let out a reliefed sigh, then Midna jumped over to his side.

"Now, Mar? What the hell was that? You were pretty...toasty."

"Would you believe me if I said immortality's a bitch?"

"...You know what? I don't want to know. But anyway, that's all of them. Finally. Shall we go kick a usurper's ass you two?" Midna said, grinning devilishly.

Juvia and I replied by breaking free of our shock, then nodding and saying, simultaniously, "Let's do it!"

A portal opened in the sky once more, and we were sucked through to the top of an ancient structure in a massive, rolling dessert. In the center of the roof was a large stone dais, with a smaller one nearby, three stone pieces laying inside of an indentation. Link placed the last one, which fit perfectly with it's brothers, then Midna popped out of his shadow, and Link patted her on the back. Mind you, his hand was so big to her that it hit MOST of her back, but I'm sure that was the gesture he was trying to get across.

Midna looked to the sky, and noticed that the sky was darkening already, so she turned to us and said, "Did you guys bring any means of sleeping comfortably? We only have one spare sleeping bag set up downstairs."

I replied, "Juvia can take that. I can sleep upside down like a bat if I need to. I take it we're taking a break before we deal with Zant?"

"Yeah, I think it would be best. He's not going anywhere, he knows we're coming."

"Good. Is this mirror the only way to get into the realm?"

"No, he can do it himself, but the portal is that big stone wheel there. It is the ONLY point where our realms intersect."

"Good, I'll keep watch first. Nothing quite like adrenaline to keep a man awake."

Juvia interrupted, "Mar! It hasn't settled yet? Will Mar be alright?"

I replied calmly, "Juvia, I just took down a dragon. I'll likely be riding this all WEEK, let alone a few watch hours. Get some sleep would ya?"

Juvia sighed, and started walking off with Link, down a big spiral staircase nearby. I figured Midna was in his shadow again.

I started studying everything about the site, the portal, the mirror, the dais the mirror was mounted on, everything. I eventually just came to the conclusion that I didn't understand what the heck any of it was and I should leave it alone before I broke something.

I sat with my back to the dais, facing the portal slab, my head inches away from the mirror. I just smiled into the night. It was an absolutely beutiful night, with stars and a full moon hanging over head, not a cloud to be seen. I raised my ring hand to eye level and gazed at the little guy. I wished out loud that Mira could have been there with me, to see this amazing view with me.

A voice came from nearby, "Married? You look WAY too young for that!"

I recognised the voice quickly, and responded with, "I'm alot older then I look, how long have you been there Midna?"

"The whole time! I couldn't just leave you alone up here!" she said, popping out of MY shadow for a change. "Dragon Slayer or not, you wouldn't stand a chance against Zant one on one!"

"He's that good, huh?"

"Skill isn't a problem, it's that he has the power of a GOD Mar!"

"Fair enough, but I'm not too human anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"...Midna, I have wings and you saw me tear a dragons head off with a bladed whip that was made from my own organic material, that wasn't enough?"

"Point taken."

I chuckled, then I asked something that was on my mind, "So, Midna, what is your relationship with Link, exactly?"

"I-I...THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS!"

"Haha, it's okay Midna, I'm apparently some sort of immortal matchmaker to my friends, and I'm also a damn good listener if you want to tell me about it."

"...Wow. He kills dragons, helps relationships, AND he's a good listener? Your wife is a lucky woman Mar."

"Hey, I'm no saint, I have bad qualities too, but thank you for the compliment."

"And modest too! If we wern't spoken for, I'd be all over you!"

We broke into laughter, and when we calmed down, I asked, "So, who's the lucky fellow? Is it Link?"

"Y-...Yeah. Yeah it is. I just don't know if he likes me back. AHHH! It makes me feel so stupid sometimes!"

"It's fine Midna, it's happened to all of us at one point or another. You sure he hasn't showed any signs?"

"W-Well, there was one."

"Oh? Do tell."

"We had to climb a snowy mountain earlier, the air was freezing, and the wind only made it worse. Even in Link's shadow, I was shivering, and I was worried about getting frostbite. Somehow, Link withstood it all, and he heard me through the winds whistling tune, so he called me out, then opened his tunic and stuffed me in, right up to my neck. It was the only other time he spoke on our journey and he told me to stay close, because he wasn't going to lose someone he cared for."

"Hmm. Not exactly a romantic gesture, but definatly a very caring one. It's still very possible he likes you Midna."

"No, no no! He can't! Look at me Mar! I'm cursed to this...this disgusting form! How could any man love me."

I sighed, then picked up Midna and sat her in my lap, where I could keep an arm around her to make her feel safe. Then I said, "Midna, Link and I are the type to look for personalities, not looks. That's how I fell in love with my wife, and it's how you fell in love with Link."

"...You're right! I have a shot! Plus, once we beat Zant, I will probably get my original body back! Thank you Mar!"

"Hey, it's what I do. Now, let's get Link out here. I think it's his time on watch."

We walked down the staircase into the room below. A tent was set up in the middle of the room, and I could see a filled sleeping bag inside, probably Juvia. Another bag was nearby, with Link's sword next to it, among some other gear.

I bent over and shook him awake with Midna sitting on my shoulder, and he smiled as he woke up.

"Your turn buddy." I said to the no longer green clad man.

Link slapped the sides of his face to wake up, then geared up and went upstairs, leaving Midna and I alone in the big room.

"You know, he smiled at YOU right? I may as well have not been there. Also, why do you only have two bags?"

"I saw, and I don't take up much room, I'll either sleep in Link's shadow, or with him in his bag."

"You two sleep in the same bed? Why didn't you mention this?"

"I didn't think it was important!"

"It is! How does he treat your presence?"

"I...I'm always the first to wake up. When I do, he always has an arm wrapped around me. I just figured he did it while he was sleeping."

"Even if he did, that is a manifestation of his subconcious desires. He WANTS to be closer to you Midna."

"Oh my god! You might very well be right!"

"Go find out."

"What?"

"Go find out! Right now!"

"I...I should! But I'm nervous..."

"Haha, want me to come?"

"That would help, yes..."

"Then let's go. Hop into my shadow, would you?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to warm him up for you first."

"What do you mean!"

"I'm going to test the waters, see if he DOES care for you in that way. He won't be able to see you in my shadow, so he'll be free to speak his mind without embarassing himself."

"Oooh, cunning. Have you done this before?"

"Not this specifically, but I've helped quite a few friends find what they really thought of each other. Now come, we have work to do!"

I walked upstairs with the nervous imp in my shadow, occasionally glancing back at it and saying, "Relax. I can FEEL your stress." As we were about to reach the top, I turned back to my shadow one last time and said, "Now, no matter WHAT I say, or what happens, you stay there until I call for you, okay?"

"Got it!"

Once I reached the top, I found Link slumped in the same spot I was, staring at the portal.

"Interesting stuff, isn't it?" I asked.

Link turned to the source of the voice, then smiled and nodded when he saw it was me.

"Not going to talk with me? Good. I need someone to listen."

Link motioned for me to sit down near him and I started talking, "Link, Midna just confessed to having strong feelings for me."

I could see a fire light in his eyes, it was plain for all to see. To my surprise, he broke his silence, "Midna...just confessed LOVE to YOU?"

"Yes. From the sound of it, it was love at first sight."

"NO! No, she was going to be with me..."

"She still can be."

"What do you mean?"

"Duel me. Blade to blade, fair as it can get. The winner gets the heart of the maiden."

"Honor? I've seen the ring Mar. You are a worthless cheat and nothing more."

"You'd be surprised. Do we have a deal or not?"

"...Fine. I'll cut your damn throat and Midna will finally see how I feel!"

Link drew his blessed blade and I drew Yamato. (It was an item that wasn't in Archive, so it wasn't effected by Athena.)

We charged at each other and clashed swords at a feverish pace, both of us only using a single hand. It impressed me immensly that a normal human could manage such speed.

I read his movements and locked our blades, then stepped in close to his face and said, "Is this all? Is this really all you care about her? SHOW ME THE TRUTH!"

He broke our lock, then kicked me in the chest, sending me to the ground. He leapt through the air and prepared so strike through my chest while I was down, but I rolled out of the way in time for him to only cut my coat. I regained my footing and realised the coat was garbage with a hole that large, so I discarded it and let my wings stretch.

I walked back to Link slowly, katana in hand, while he got loose, ready to move at a moment's notice. I stabbed straight forward, to which he dodged to the side, then I spun in a complete 360 degree ring, but I missed once more. I quickly placed Yamato behind me to meet his blade coming for my back, then did a backflip over him. Once I landed, I poin ted Yamato at his face, keeping him at sword's length. "You're fast! Show me more."

"Eat dirt." He said as he grabbed my sword with a gloved hand and threw it upwards, then thrusted with his. I dodged to the side and used the momentum to spin almost completely around and deliver a roundhouse to his back, sending him to the ground. Midna began whispering to me to stop, but I just told her everything was going according to plan, and not to worry.

Link got back up, a burning rage in his eyes. From Midna's reaction, I could guess we both saw it.

"Have I finally awakened the beast in you? Good. Now things get fun."

"For Midna...For her I would gladly give my soul! If that's what it will take to beat you, then so be it!" He yelled as he held up his right hand, which gained the symbol of the Triforce, with one brightly lit segment on it. Realising he was actually willing to give his soul away to Hyrule's great power, I broke the rules of our contest and used lightning to get near him and knock him out with one swift punch to the diaphram.

I turned and recovered my stance just in time to feel a great sting up my back, and hear one of my wings falling to the ground.

"Thank you for saving me from that grave mistake, but you are still a cheat, and you are still an obstacle between Midna and I!"

I turned to him slowly, as my wing re attached itself and my back healed. "That hurt. I'm impressed. I think that's more then enough, you bested me."

Link was still in shock about my wing healing, but my statement snapped him out of it. "Y-You! That's how you survived the fire! But why are you giving up? You could kill me easily, it's just a matter of time!"

"I could, but I wouldn't do that to Midna."

"What?"

"Ah, yes. I'm getting ahead of myself. Link, Midna has no romantic feelings for me, the feelings she confessed were for YOU!"

"She...loves me? Wait a damn minute, why did we fight then?"

"You're too proud to admit your feelings unless they have consumed you completely. This was the only way I could think of that would accomplish that on short notice. That, and I wanted to see how good you were first hand."

"Short notice? What do you mean?"

"It's irrelevent right now. You never said the words Link, though I'm sure I know the answer already. Do you love Midna, despite her flaws?"

"Flaws? What, you mean her looks? I don't care. I love Midna for being Midna."

"Good, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. And from the reaction I'm getting, sounds like that was what she wanted to hear too."

"She? Oh god, she's here isn't she! She heard me!"

"Midna, you can come o-" before I could even finish my sentance, Midna was out of my shadow and tackling Link to the floor, arms around his neck and tears in her eyes.

There were confessions, tears, then kissing. Looooots of kissing. It was around the time the last one rolled around that I decided to go get some shut eye, so I walked down the stairs, content with what I had done.

As I looked around for a safe place to sleep without using a bag, Juvia spoke up through the tent, "Did Mar do it?"

"Ha, we woke you up? Sorry Juvia."

"Juvia doesn't care, it was for a good cause. Did Mar succeed?"

"Yeah. Yeah I did. It's amazing what people will hide from each other."

"It really is. Does Mar have a place to sleep?"

"Looking for one right now."

"No you're not. We're friends, get in here. The bag is big enough for both of us."

"Oh. Thank you Juvia." I said while crawling into the tent and taking her up on the offer. We both set personal space aside for the night, like she said, we were friends after all. She didn't mind that I had my shirt off, she understood that wings need their breathing room, plus I'm told that being held by my wings is nothing short of extremely pleasent.

The next morning Juvia and I woke at the same time, and the very first thing she said was, "You're right! Wings are very comforting." I smiled at the compliment, then we set out for the roof to see how the new lovebirds were doing. We found them just as I had left them, only they were asleep in each other's arms, smiling ear to ear.

Juvia and I decided to let them lay until they woke naturally, so we just sat down and watched the portal stone for any signs of activity. It was near noon by the time the two of them woke up.

Midna quickly roused herself and dove into Link's shadow, ready for the upcoming fight, while Link got his gear ready. When we were finally ready to go, Link touched the Mirror, and it opened a large portal, encompasing the entire larger stone dial. A smal staircase made of light appeared before it, and we climbed up and stepped through the winding tunnel between dimensions.

Before we entered, I apologised to Link again, saying, "Sorry about last night, I make a hell of a villain." He simply replied by laughing, and giving me an "All is well" look.

We entered a realm, void of natural sun. I guess that's why they called it the Twilight Realm. All in all though, the view was beautiful. The sky was darkened, but not enough to drag all light from the world. Permanent twilight. As I gained my bearings, I realised this would be a pretty awesome place for a vacation. Hell, I even made a mental note to bring Mira here after the whole mess with Zant and his god was solved.

"It really is a beautiful place, right?" Midna asked.

"Amazing Midna...I might bring my wife around." I said.

"Juvia may bring Gray too!" the awed woman added.

"Ha! We'll save it for when Grey get's back then, and make it a double date!"

"Juvia would like that!"

"Haha, okay you two, we still have a job to do!" Midna interrupted.

"Right. So, where would your false king park his ass around here?"

"Throne room, straight down the middle of the center building. Looks like it's locked though, we'll need to find a key."

"Key? Who needs a key?" I said as I let Athena's Sword encompass my arm and began running at the chained door. I struck the chain as hard as I could, but the iron did not budge. Hell, the impact made my arm sore.

"Ha! Nice try Mar, I don't think ANYTHING can get through those chains, believe us, we've tried explosives." Midna said, chuckling.

"Hey Midna?"

"Yeah?"

"This is your realm, any emotional attachment to the doors?"

"Of course not!"

"Good." I said as I equiped Athena's claws instead, and wound my hardened right leg back. I kicked the door itself as hard as I could, which at first seemed to cause no damage.

"Thought so, the doors are pretty solid too, I don't think the-" Midna was interrupted by me snapping my fingers loudly, followed by the door crumbling to pieces, to her and Link's extreme awe.

"Juvia knew you could do it!"

I laughed, then stepped through the gap in the chains into a room full of the same beasts we had met in that small town, at least eight in number. They took notice of me as I closed the mask and cracked my still clawed knuckles. I remembered these things had to die at the same time, so I waited for them to close in, telling everyone to stay behind the chain.

As the beasts came ever closer, one of them roared and jumped at me, and I could hear Midna yelling. "DON'T KILL THEM IF YOU DON'T HAVE TOO! THOSE ARE MY PEOPLE!"

"Shit." was all I could think of while I tucked my hands behind my back to let them transform back to normal. The creature that jumped at me took me to the ground and started roaring in my face, then swiping at my mask with long, bestial claws. It was going for the kill. How cute.

Once my hands were normal, I grabbed the beast and reversed our position. I cracked it in what looked like it's throat, then swung it around as I got up, hitting all of it's friends and knocking them to the ground. I remembered these things were capable of bringing each other back from the dead, but could they restore conciousness I wonder?

I looked at the beast that landed on me, slumped in the corner. He wasn't moving, but I could tell he was breathing. The other beasts seemed to not even notice that he was out.

I smiled. Knocking them out was the way to go. I decided to try and control Athena with nothing but my imagination as a base. If there was a time, hell, it may as well be now. My eyes shut and I started thinking of my entire body, strengthening to superhuman levels. Well, further then it already had anyway. The remaining seven beasts had regained their footing by now and were running toward me, but I was deep in concentrated thought. I opened my eyes just in time to see three of them leaping at me this time, and my body reacted with very little consent on my part. I kicked the one in the middle and grabbed the other two by their throats as I passed by them, then ran at a speed I would usually need lightning to achieve and slammed the two I was holding into the back wall, creating impact marks and knocking them both out.

I could almost smell fear in the remaining five, so I decided to make this quick. No need for Midna's people remembering this, I rather LIKED this place, and didn't want to be met with pitchforks the next time I was here.

I dashed back at them, and grabbed the one closest to me, the one I had kicked earlier, and gave him an open palm uppercut that sent him to the roof. As the last four were focused on the roof, I gave one an overhead punch, another a backhand, the third a backflip kick, and the last I used the momentum from said backflip to kick it on the back of the neck.

All five of them hit the ground in quick succession as I landed in a kneeling position, and realising the door forward was barred as well, I quickly drew Ebony and fired at the door, crumbling that one as well.

I stood up to meet awed faces, so I just put my gun away and said, "What? You're all not USED to this by now? I'm shocked!"

Everyone burst into laughter as I helped them through both sets of chains to a room with doors on either side of where we entered, and a staircase that stretched beyond as far as I could see in front of us.

"The throne room is dead ahead, up the stairs." Midna claimed. "Once we reach the top, we just need to force our way in and Zant will be there. I know he will."

We nodded in understanding, then started dashing up the stairs. It took us a few minutes, but we made it to the top. A large, decorated golden door was waiting for us, a sizable golden lock and chain on it to match. As I was getting ready to blow the door away, I realised something. I couldn't do it. I couldn't just destroy such a piece of art. Everyone, especially Midna, seemed to agree with my sentiment, so I just bashed the wall in instead.

A man who was sitting on a throne at the back of the room quickly stood and began yelling, "Are you insane? I left keys around the place for a damn reason!"

I replied, "To lead us around while you gathered power? No thanks. Besides, I missed the door!"

The man replied by taking off the almost fish like helmet he was wearing and pointing at his head, then saying, "Stranger, this is my dissapointed face. It will be the last one you see. You, your companions, and that harlot hiding in green boy's shadow. That's right Midna, I know you're there."

"Hm? You are threatening me with death? Cute. I take it you are the usurper, Zant?"

"I AM NO USURPER! I HAVE ONLY CLAIMED WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE!"

"And what would that be? Power? Cause, if that's the case, I can see quite plainly why you were denied."

Zant replied by screaming and disappearing, then reappearing behind me and ramming two blades through my back and lifting me off the ground.

"Big talk from a dead man." He said, the sinister smile almost audible.

I went limp for a moment, just to mess with him, and when I felt his foot on my back, trying to push me off his blades, I reached around and grabbed it, then pulled myself closer.

"Big talk from a backstabber." I said as I forced myself back to ground, taking him to the air instead. I twisted my body so that Zant was thrown aside, then turned my back to my friends and said, "Would one of you mind getting these out? I can see the damn blades sticking through my front!"

Link oblidged, and tore them out quickly, letting me regenerate. Zant got back up and started screaming again. "D-DEMON! THAT SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU!"

"Please stop screaming, you're giving me a damn headache. And yes, it SHOULD have killed me, but it didn't. And if you do it again, we'll be at the same impasse. Also, I prefer Archangel."

"An angel?"

"Ha, not quite. But close enough to take you down...unless someone else wants to step in here?"

Link raised his hand, so I tagged him out and slumped against a back wall to watch.

Zant seemed confused by the action, saying, "You...arn't going to team up on me?"

Juvia replied, "It's an honour thing. Mar wouldn't let us if we wanted to."

"Mar...the winged one?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Midna, you have some very interesting companions."

Just like that, the fight between Zant and Link began. Blades clouded the air as they clashed. There was not a wasted movement between the two, but soon, Zant struck Link across the chest, tearing open his tunic and splitting the rings of the mail he wore underneath. Link recoiled, and caught the sight of his own blood. I had seen that face before, the face of madness, of blood rage. Link started screaming like a madman while swinging wildly at Zant, using both hands to gain more momentum on the blade. In the process, one of Zant's swords was shattered to pieces, and he was kicked to the floor. Link leapt through the air, sword pointed down, and only narrowly missed Zant, who rolled out of the way.

"You intend to kill me?" Zant yelled. "So be it! I'll just make sure you die first!"

Zant hit Link with some sort of dark magic, sending him through the hole I had made in the wall, and binding him to the floor outside. Zant drew his remaining sword and slowly walked to the hole. He had just cheated, I knew that, but intervening would cost me my honour...but if I didn't...oh to hell with it, not worth the risk.

As Zant walked through the hole, I used Lightning Form to get in front of him and grab his royal getup.

"Cheaters don't get to win, boy." I said as I threw him back at his stolen throne.

"Ah, so you will intervene. And what if the young lad decides to team up with you to kill me?"

"Then I knock his ass out. Now, stand up and fight me!"

As he stood, I couldn't help but think of Juvia, and I looked back to see her tending to Link. He seemed to be out cold. Good.

I turned my head back to Zant in time to see him charging, blade pointed straight for me and outstretched. When he got close to me, I just stepped to the side and tripped him, causing him to fall flat on his face.

I sighed, then picked him up and got him to his feet.

"Striking an unarmed man? Your respect is worth the dirt on my shoes."

"Shut up and draw so I can kill you."

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" I said as I let Athena's Sword encompass my arm.

"What? What the hell are you?"

"My name is Mar Strauss. I am a Dragon Slayer."

"You! It was you that killed Argorok!"

"Yes."

Zant was enraged at this, and swung at me in a very odd mannor. Feral, but tame at the same time. Madness and order, fused into one. It would have been beautiful if it wasn't trying to kill me. He didn't show any openings, so I just decided to make one. He swung from over his head, and I blocked with Athena's edge, then forced his weapon out of his hand and across the room. I then followed up witn a diagonal slash from his right hip up to his left shoulder. I could tell right away it wasn't even close to deep enough to kill, but it was more then enough to get him bleeding. To top it off, I punched him hard enough to launch him toward where I had thrown his sword.

I heard the man curse under his breath as he grabbed the wound.

"I'm going to make you regret knocking Link out. Ah, yes, any chance killing you would reverse the curse on young miss Midna?"

"Ha! I'll never remove that curse so long as I live and even after! My god gave me the power to do that to her, and so long as he lives, she stays in that fitting form!"

"Your god...lives?"

"Hahaha...he gathers power in Hyrule Castle as we speak."

"Hmm, troubling. I guess I'll have to stick around, a chance to kill a god and a dragon in the same week are so very rare to come by."

"What? You think you can kill him? You think you can kill Gannon?"

"I don't think, I know. If this is the extent of the power he is capable of giving, I could do it rather easily."

"Bastard! How dare you slander the one true god of both realms!" Zant yelled as he ran for me, grabbing his sword then swinging with rage almost literally clouding his eyes.

I quickly became agitated at his attempts to cut me, so I simply smashed his sword into pieces with mine, then ran him through. My bladed arm stuck into Zant all the way up to my elbow, popping out the other side with a sickening crunch. A mixture of breaking armor and bone that nearly made me sick. Poor Juvia and Midna threw up at the sight and sound of Zant's demise, and I was glad Link was either out cold or just coming to.

I turned my arm back to normal while it was still inside Zant, then retracted it quickly and swung it downward to get the loose blood off of it.

Zant fell to the ground, choking on his own blood and cursing. He quickly calmed himself and said, "Imp- (He was interrupted by a cough of blood here.) Impressive...but you will never kill my lord. It's not possible."

"Is he immortal?"

"To all but a single blade that can banish him from an age. You do not possess it."

"I'll improvise. Die quietly Zant." I said as I turned to leave the room.

"I won't die! (More coughing) My lord will raise my very body from the dead as many times as is needed! I will never die!" he yelled as he raised his hand and fired a dark spell towards Juvia. I could tell the energy was more then enough to kill her, so I took it myself. The spell ravaged my body with dark energy, and almost rendered me immobile, but thanks to the special state of my body, I could walk it off.

"I told you to die QUIETLY!" I yelled as I turned back around, shifted my arm back into Athena's blade, and cut the usurper's head clean from his shoulders. His body fell limp, and I left him to soak in a pool of his own blood.

As I walked past the hole in the wall, Juvia called my name softly, eyes wide with shock, and Midna seemed to recoil at my presence. They had seen my darker side, and they were scared.

I didn't stop walking, and I was silent the entire way. I didn't stop until I was safely back in my own realm and I had flown to the top of the almost stonehenge like ruins on top of the tower that held the mirror. I saw the castle in the distance, covered by a diamond shaped spell, likely to keep Midna and Link out while Gannon recovered his mortal form. Even through the barrier, now that I was focusing on the castle, I could feel a dreadful presence. A true god of darkness sat at the top of Hyrule Castle.

I raised my now normal once more arm, covered in Zant's drying blood. A tears fell from my eyes and I fell to my knees. Thoughts crossed my mind about my actions. Not just from now, but many times before. I had killed enough to be called a serial murderer, even before coming here. During the acts, I felt no remorse, save for that brave woman in the Tower. Every one of them were better off dead, I know that, and in killing them, I saved countless others, but still. Was I no better then them? Was I just some simple psychopath who enjoyed killing for the hell of it?

I gripped my head and began screaming at the top of my lungs, the guilt overwhelming me.

I soon found that a heavy rain was falling on me, and it washed Zant's blood off my arm. "Were it only so easy." I thought aloud.

"Why can't it be?" a familiar voice asked.

I recognised her. It was Juvia, if that wasn't already obvious by the sole dark cloud in the sky. "Because death doesn't wash off easily, Juvia." I replied. "Death drove me from my old home, away from all I cherished."

"Death is a natural part of life. It was not your decision that someone faces you, let alone lays their life on the line. Zant, for instance. He was not willing to die without killing us first. In killing him, you saved us all. Juvia especially! Juvia knows that without you, she would be dead now. Juvia thanks you, Archangel."

I smiled through my tears, "Thank you Juvia. That means a lot...Juvia? Are you okay with...me? With everything about me?"

"More then okay. You are Juvia's friend, and Juvia knows you would never take a life without damn good reason. Why do you think we call you Archangel?"

That hit home. I stood up, turned around, and hugged the rain woman, saying "Thank you" repeatedly. As I released her, I noticed Link and Midna below, so I flew down, Juvia in my arms, and asked them, "You two...are you okay with me too?"

Before Midna could speak, Link interjected and said, "Of course we're okay with you! Was just a shock is all, heck I would have done the same if I was in your shoes!"

"Yeah! What he said!" Midna agreed.

I bowed my head and let one final tear fall from my pale green eye, then I raised it and smiled to everyone. "Alright people! We have a god to take down! Let's get moving!"

With that, Juvia took on her Water Form and I spread my wings. I grabbed Link before I took off and we set out for Hyrule Castle.

On the way, Zant's words echoed through my mind. All but a single blade? If he was telling the truth, this was going to be impossible. If he wasn't, it seems likely this Gannon isn't actually a god. A random thought crossed my mind, and I looked down to Link and asked, "Hey, that blade on your back wouldn't happen to be the one Zant was going on about, would it?"

Link replied by looking up and smiling wide enough to show teeth. I took it as a yes.

Soon, we were at the base of the protective spell, our backs to the town surrounding the royal castle. I wondered if I would find Miss Zelda in here somewhere? Then again, Gannon. On second thought, I hope she's in a panic room several miles away.

I walked up and tapped the protective spell, and got a nasty shock as a responce. Wait. Shock!

I turned to Midna and asked, "Hey, do you have any means of opening this?"

"Actually, I have a Twili artifact that could turn me into a beast capable of shattering it."

"Yeah, well save that." I said as I grabbed the spell with both hands, then bit into it. It came apart at my assault, but I rapidly realised, it was a BIG spell, it covered the entire castle and all it's land. The best I could do was eat a massive hole in it. Oh well, I take what I can get.

As I was finishing, I heard Juvia explaining to our new friends about exactly what the hell I was doing. I heard laughter, and you know what? I didn't care.

When I was finished, a hole at least twice my size was in the spell. I shrugged, then got everyone inside wuickly, in case the spell tried to close again. No such misfortune, in fact, the spell actually started cracking from the hole I made, and reached all the way around it. It then proceeded to shatter and dissapate.

On seeing this, everyone looked to me, jaws wide open, and I just shrugged.

We continued onward through the castle's gardens, when suddenly we heard the sound of a war horn in the distance. Several goblin like creatures revealed themselves on the surrounding battlements, flaming arrows drawn on crude bows.

I pulled Ebony and Ivory while Juvia got her Magic ready and Link drew his own bow, but, to our surprise, the creatures didn't fire. They instead lowered their weapons, and once the chaos settled, I could hear galloping. A four legged animal was approaching quickly.

With a squeel, a massive boar jumped over the ramparts, a large creature riding it. Givin the skin tone, horns, and eyes, I thought him to be these things' leader. Mind you, he was missing half a horn.

He jumped off the boar and sent it away, then drew an axe as large as he was and roared at Link. Considering how clean the cut on his horn was, I assumed the two had history. I was only proven right when Link pushed us back and drew his blade, signaling that he wanted to fight him alone.

The fight didn't last very long, as it turns out, being huge and slow has extreme disadvantages when your opponent is small and quick, with a mean sting to boot. The goblin king fell flat on his face, then stood back up by leaning on his axe. He then, instead of getting mad, walked to Link calmly, and thanked him for the dual. Vocally. In perfect English. He then took his followers and left, leaving me speechless.

I broke free of my stupor and looked to the castle before us, then asked my companions, "So, we're hunting a man who fancies himself a god in a castle, where do you all think we'll find him?"

"Throne room." Juvia said.

"Yup." Midna agreed.

"Definatly. The Hylian throne is on the top floor, outside if I remember correctly."

"You've been here Link?" Juvia asked.

"Yeah, I delivered a sword to Zelda herself before all this crap started."

Zelda. That reminded me to ask, "Say, where IS Zelda anyway? I'll need to talk to her about a reward after all this is over with. Sorry, it's just buisness. I would do every job for free if I didn't have to eat."

Link frowned while Midna appeared, the same face on her.

"Oh god, I touched a nerve, didn't I? I am SO sorry!"

"No, it's fine." Midna started, "It's because of her that I live right now. My kind arn't supposed to live in the light, we die if we are exposed to it. It's why Zant covered the land he was invading in darkness. Zelda gave her life to give me her light after Zant exposed me to just such a horror. I felt my life slipping away every moment I rode on Link's furry back. It was a very harrowing trial."

"...She is dead then. I truely am sorry."

"It matters not either way. As for your reward, I'm sure the royal treasurers would be more then generous."

"Fair enough." I said while stretching my wings and beckoning Link over, "Let's get this asshole out of here, we'll see what we can do for Zelda afterwords."

Midna and Link seemed content with this, so we all set out for the top floor.

We came up on what a spiral staircase leading up, so we figured the throne room was on the other side. Perfect.

I asked Link and Midna as I set the larger of the two down, "Think you'll need us right away?"

Link replied by smirking, and as if reading him like a book, Midna popped out and said with an OVERLY cocky tone, "Who says we'll need you at all?"

Juvia and I smiled, then I said, "Funny, I just know we won't be of much help against this guy. Not a blessed blade between us. I've got an UNHOLY one if that counts for anything, but none blessed."

Link chuckled, then said, "You know what? I like you. You're the guy that takes the edge off as much as possible when periods of extreme stress are imminent or have already happened, and I aprreciate it."

"Bah, it's how I cope with stress. I'd be a bloody wreck if I didn't, believe me at that!"

Juvia put a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing too loudly, and I continued, "So, do either of you know who this 'Gannon' calls an ally? There's two people up there."

Midna looked to me, puzzled, and asked, "How do you know?"

"Magic sensory, I can tell there's someone in there around 5"10 in height, female, with long hair."

"You see SHAPES of Magic?"

"Yeah, I'm not normal, remember?"

Link seemed distressed at my description, and Midna wasn't far behind in joining him. They had realised it was probably someone they knew, a friend by the looks of it.

"Don't answer if you don't want to, but I'm going to see her one way or the other."

Link started, "Mar, can you tell anything else? What she's wearing? Her hair colour?"

"No, sorry. I only sense the people themselves. All I can 'See' is a blue figure, and it from the way it's positioned, it looks to have been crucified."

"Mar...that sounds like Zelda. Wait...how can you tell she's female?"

I blushed mildly at the question, then replied, "Wel, uhh...Oh to hell with it, I can see bits of the female anatomy that men don't have. Nothing graphic, however."

"YOU'VE SEEN JUVIA NAKED?" The hysterical rain woman yelled.

"Can't answer that either way I guess."

Juvia downright fainted, right there on the stairs! I caught her before her head hit the stone, and leaned her against the wall.

"Well, bugger. Guess I have to stay out for a bit now."

Midna was stuttering behind me, trying to work up the courage to say something, no doubt.

"Umm...Mar? What do you see when you sense me?"

"Oh, I've seen your real shape, no doubt to that, but I'm not describing a bit of it! Why would I ruin the surprise for your boyfriend over here!"

Link tried his best to avoid all eye contact with either of us, eventually causing me to just push the two together and be done with it.

I told them to get up there and finish what they had started, then when they left, I tended to Juvia.

Her breathing was stable, and her heart rate was normal, it was almost like she was sleeping. I liked that. People were always at the most calm, the most blissful when they were asleep. I sat down next to her and wrapped a wing around her, the least I could do to provide some comfort.

Soon, I felt something truely disturbing upstairs. This "Gannon" and the woman fused, then started to attack Link!

I had to get Gannon out of there, I'd just need a distraction and an oppertunity!

As the thoughts raced through my mind, Juvia slowly came to. I had my distraction.

I filled her in and we both set for the top, coming up behind the rather impressive cross like structure behind the throne, where the woman was held.

I told Juvia to hold down...whoever was in there for me, just for a couple of seconds. It would be all I needed to seperate the two.

As we made our presence clear, I saw that the woman was floating, with a golden aura about her, and it appeared that her and Link were playing a game of tennis, just with swords and a spell that I wouldn't want within a hundred feet of me.

They seemed to be at a stalemate, so Juvia grabbed the woman's arms and pulled them back in Water Form, causing her to be hit dead on. Electricity surrounded her as a man's voice cryed out in pain. She was paralyzed for now, and I took the oppertunity. I struck her in the back with an open palm, and mere seconds later, I isolated the evil presence, then forced it out of her onto the floor.

"Good timing!" Midna yelled, "We were worried that we would have had to kill Hyrule's regent!"

Regent? This WAS Zelda then. Oh well, it mattered little either way right now. I took the woman and sat her on the throne, away from the current field of battle. Luckily, it was a very long room, stretching nearly one hundred and fifty feet from the door to the five steps leading to the throne.

I stepped back down as Gannon started taking the shape of a great dark boar like creature and told them, "You have a very bad judgement of when people are dead. She's pretty alive, you know?"

"We figured that out! Shut up and fight!" Midna yelled back at me.

The beast slammed a front foot on the ground as it rose. The thing was massive for a boar, at least half a story tall with fire red fur, and a large glowing crack on it's stomach. A previous injury, no doubt.

As it started at us, tusks lowered with intent to gore, Midna's hair turned to a large hand, and grabbed it by the head, then threw it to the side. Gannon struggled to get up, and as he tried, Link went berserk on his old wound with that blessed blade while Juvia and I held him down.

Gannon sweeped around, to make sure we would have to step back, then he jumped into the air and dissapeared through a blue sigil that appeared in midair.

The same sigil appeared around the room repeatedly. They seemed to mark his possible points of re entry, so I payed close attention. Red...red...red...red turns to blue! That one!

As he charged through at Link, I jumped in the way this time and caught him with a single bare hand. He pushed me quite a ways back, even getting my back against a wall, but I just let the lightning flow through me to augment my strength, then I flipped him over backwards.

As Gannon landed, Juvia went straight for the throat, intent on keeping him distracted while Link was launched through the air by Midna's "Hair". He aimed his blade downward as he flew, and stabbed the beast, burying the sword to it's hilt.

The dark boar scremed in pain, and seemed to fade into darkness. Had we won?

Link picked up his sword which now lay lazily on the floor, then sheathed it and ran to Zelda. Juvia, Midna and I were right behind him, and we got the princess on her feet.

We filled her in on who Juvia and I were, but when we were finished, Zelda stopped dead silent and pointed behind us.

We all turned to see a floating golden head, seemingly made of pure power.

I turned to Link and asked, "Say, you're the Chosen of Courage, where and what are the other two?"

"Zelda here is Wisdom. Power was stolen by a fiend nearly one hundred years ago. I'm starting to think this is him."

"A fellow immortal? Well, regardless, how do we stop h-" My sentance was interrupted when I heard a strange noise.

We looked to it's source to see Midna wearing that strange relic Link had shown me earlier. Link reached out for her, but we were quickly swept away. Teleported by Midna herself. The last words that she said before we dissapeared were simply, "I'm sorry Link. I love you."

We landed in a great field outside of the castle town, and looked back to the castle just in time to see it's tallest tower crumble into dust.

Link, for the first timne since I met him, showed genuine sorrow. He fell to his knees and began crying, somehow, he knew Midna was not coming back. I could see why, Midna's realm was responsible for nearly destroying both realms, this was likely what she had planned to do from the start to attone. I could see why, but that didn't change that her sacrifice was not needed. She had just made the most selfish decision of her life, the decision to die.

My head sank. I knew such sorrow well, and it was showing. Juvia and Zelda walked over to comfort us, just as I heard a horse cry out. We looked up to see an evil man, presumably Gannon, holding the artifact that Midna once wore atop a reared horse. He crushed it in his grip, then threw it to the ground and charged at us, SMILING.

Now, I found this downright WRONG. UNACCEPTABLE even, and I wasn't directly involved. I couldn't imagine what thoughts were going through Link's head as he started screaming at the top of his lungs and ran toward a man on a horse, blade drawn.

Link narrowly dodged Gannon's blade, then struck the horse's leg hard enough to take it clean off. He then span around and took off it's head, then turned once more to face Gannon. I saw his eyes as I rushed to help, and there was no more human left. There was only pure killing intent, and you know what? I was okay with it if it was directed at this piece of human trash.

Gannon turned his head slightly, and noticed us coming. As he did, a barrier appeared between the women and I, simmilar to Freed's runes. It quickly spread to cover a large area with only Link, Gannon, and I in it.

I heard the large man curse. He had probably meant that to keep me out. Too damn bad. There would be no stopping an Archangel, even if he DID lock me out.

Link screamed out again and started swinging in a primal rage. It was rather obvious he wasn't coming out of bloodlust until this man's head was cleaved off, and I decided this would be one kill I would never regret.

This man had no honor, but a large amount of power, so I was willing to bend my usual rules in regards to swordsmen. This one would get Lightning and Archive, along with two opponents.

I fired up Lightning and let my aura overtake me, sending small bolts of electricity in every direction.

Ganon took notice just in time for me to strike him across the face, sending him flying into his own barrier.

"You! Stay out of my way, this fucker will die by MY HAND!" Link yelled at me.

"He will, don't worry. But know this, I know Midna's pain far too well for me to just stand around and do nothing."

Link didn't speak, but he agreed with my intrusion now, and that was all that mattered.

Gannon was back up now, and dusting himself off, then laughed and said, "Marvelous! Someone has grown to such power, even without the Trifo-" I intterupted him by going Lightning Form and uppercuting him in the jaw, sending him toward the heavens. I followed and hit him away from the wall, then downward, then upwards once more.

I must have struck him a good 20 times before I thought my part was done, and then sent him rocketing to the Earth with one final bone shattering kick.

I landed a couple seconds after he hit the ground, leaving him time to recover. To my surprise however, he emerged the dust unscarred. I hadn't even scuffed his armour!

Gannon dissapeared from infront of us and re appeared behind us, reaching around and grabbing me by the throat before I could react. He easily lifted me off the ground, then smiled at me evily.

"A Mage? Interesting. I think I have just the thing for you." he said as he plunged his hand into my chest and began channeling dark energy into it.

"What's this? Archive? Arc of Time? Ohhh, this is going to be fun!"

My eyes widened, and I shouted to Link, "STOP HIM! KILL HIM! DO IT NOW!"

I turned back to my attacker, and Fairy Glitter's mark appeared on my arm as I readied the spell.

"Hahaha, what the hell are you doing?" he asked calmly. "That spell would take both of us at this range!"

"That's the idea!" I said as I let Glitter bind us together. Gannon's hand went clean through my chest to the other side, and Link didn't waste a moment of his oppertunity, plunging his blade through Gannon's heart and my right pectoral.

Gannon staggered back as I let the spell erode away, blade still in his chest. The barrier quickly dissapeared as the holes in either side of my chest closed.

Gannon was laughing as he died. "I left you a present." he said to me. "I saw what you did...two hundred years ago. It won't be so easy this time, I assure you!"

He got in my head. He scared me, so I drew Athena's sword and nearly brought it down on his neck. I stopped only a couple inches short, causing the dark man to mock me. "What's the matter? Getting cold feet now, even after what you did to Zant? Pathetic. Enjoy your final weeks, mutant."

"No. Believe me, I want nothing more then to cut your head from your shoulders. But this is not my kill to make. Link? Would you do the honors, please?"

"Gladly." my green clad companion said as he guided my arm down swiftly, severing the head of the so called "God".

As my arm shifted back as Link fell to his knees once more. Clearly, this was a hollow victory for him. For all of us.

I placed my hand on his shoulder, just to comfort him. I had no words, for once in my life. No words to quell his sorrow, or to even ease it. I had never lost a loved one in such circumstances, so I didn't have anything to say.

Juvia quickly came up and hugged Link. She was one who could understand all mannor of pain, I knew that.

Zelda walked up behind us, perfectly calm. When Link snapped at her for being so disrespectful, she simply smiled and pointed backwards, toward a tri coloured light. Red, green, and blue surrounded a small figure in black robe.

"The godesses?" Link yelled as he ran for the shape.

The figure slowly stood up, proving to be the tallest of anyone present, if only just barely larger then myself. I could tell even from over where I was that I had met the figure before, but it wasn't before Link pulled back its hood that I realised who it was. My guess was only further reinforced when Link started making out with the figure. Midna had been freed of her curse! And holy hell, I didn't pick up on her being THAT alluring!

She was tall with orange hair, and grey-blue skin, with light blue runes on her thigh. She wore a black dress that bore the same runes on it's arms, and she had piercing red eyes. "Link, you lucky son of a bitch." was really the only thought going across my mind. Their touching moment sent my thoughts wandering, and I found myself wondering how my family was doing without me.

As the two broke apart, they turned to us and apologised for losing control, then bid us to come with them. Midna needed to get back to her home realm and fix all the crap that Zant had put it through after all!

We were soon atop the temple once more, and Midna was poised to return through the portal from where she came.

She started speaking, "Well...I guess this is farewell, huh? Light and shadow can't mix, as we all know. But...Never forget that there's another world bound to this one."

Zelda came forward and replied, "Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin...One cannot exist without the other. I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world...They left it because it was their design that we should meet. Yes... That is what I believe."

Midna seemed shaken, but she raised her head with resolve that made me proud. "Zelda... Your words are kind, and your heart is all in Hyrule are like you...Then maybe you'll do all right. Thank you..." Midna turned to Link here, and said, "Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as that mirror's around, we could meet again...Link...I...See you later..."

She ran for the portal then, and threw a tear towards the mirror. I had a feeling she would do something like this, and I knew what was about to happen. I used Lightning form to intercept the tear, and upon hitting me, it blew a rather large hole in my chest, but the mirror was untouched, save by some splatter. I regenerated, then told everyone to stay back. I touched the mirror and went through alone.

By the time my chest had put itself back together, Midna already had time to get to the throne room, I'd reckon, so I continued onward through the trail of carnage I left.

Two smashed doors and a staircase later, I was outside the throne room, and I could hear Midna crying. I decided to lay low and just lean against where the wall still held true.

I heard her talking to herself, through her choked breath. "Link...I'm sorry...I can't let this happen again, I just can't...I...I love you..." I let her cry for around twenty minutes, and when she slowed, I inhaled deeply.

I had had enough, time to snap her out of this. Without entering the room, I started, "Midna. Can you hear me?"

"Mar? How-WHERE are you?"

"I'm a Mage, I do these things. Are you done wallowing in your self pity?"

"Mar, I don't know how you managed to get here, but you need to leave! Now!"

"I won't. Not until I make you see how damn selfish you're being."

"Selfish? I JUST GAVE UP THE LOVE OF MY LIFE SO THAT BOTH OF OUR REALMS WOULD STAY INTACT!"

Yelling, crap. I walked through the hole and yelled right back, "FOR YOUR OWN DAMN ATTONEMENT! WAS KILLING YOURSELF AGAINST THAT BASTARD NOT ENOUGH?"

Midna reeled at my accusations. She knew I was right.

"How Mar?...How are you here?"

"It doesn't matter! I'm here to break you out of this, and with the goddesses as my witnesses, I will do it!"

"Mar..."

"Midna! Was this invasion your fault?"

"Yes...I wasn't strong enough to stop Z-"

"BUUUULLSHIT! He overpowered you through unknown means! If Gannon had never had his power come to this realm, he and Zant would never have met, and you would still be sitting on that throne, ignorant to the world of Light, and alone when you lay your head down at night!"

"How do you-"

"Link told me some time ago! You used to be a selfish she devil! The journey through the light changed you, and it changed you for the better! Midna, you have NOTHING to atone for. Everything that happened was no fault of yours, so don't make a martyr out of yourself when you don't need to, you hear me?"

I sighed, then sat Midna down, and sat next to her, wrapping a wing around her as I did. "Midna. There is nothing more precious in this world then life, and you were willing...hell, you DID throw yours away for a cause you never even had a right to pursue. That hurt all of us, Link especially. Not five minutes before you were brought back, he was an animal. Feral to the very core. I honestly think his plan was to slay your killer, then fall on his own sword."

"! He wanted to die?"

"Without you, his life would hold no purpose. Midna, even if I havn't gotten through to you, even if what I say doesn't matter, do it for Link."

Midna burst into tears again, and choked out, "Oh god...you're right! I...made a mistake! I've made a horrible mistake!...And this is one I can't fix..."

"What do you mean?"

"I shattered the mirror. It was the only bridge between our worlds, and I severed it. We're trapped here Mar. Forever."

"Haha, you don't get it do you?"

Midna remained silent, but her tears stopped, and I could see hope flooding into her eyes.

"I stopped it. I stopped that tear. You owe me around six new ribs and a lung by the way."

Midna was overjoyed, she broke free of my wing and hugged me, then got up and started running for the hole in the wall.

I caught up to her and lifter her off the ground, bridal style.

"Hey! What are you doing!" she barked at me.

"Carrying a friends future wife to him, what does it look like?"

Midna blushed at the prospect, and as we walked out of the castle, the Twili people were waiting, and they let out resounding roars of applause. They probably had the wrong idea, but I didn't care right now.

The portal opened and we both stepped through, only to meet more applause from Zelda and Juvia, with Link remaining dumbstruck.

I walked over to Link, and held Midna out for him, saying, "I believe she's yours."

Link took her, and I, out of habit, told them both, "Now, you two treat each other RIGHT. I hear about any domestic violence, or in your case Midna, broken mirrors, and I'm going to have to come back here and BEAT some sense into you two!"

They both smiled back at me, and nodded in agreement. All's well that ends well!

Juvia and I ended up staying in Hyrule for an extra week with the two lovebirds while Zelda put the kingdom back together and scraped up my payment. I teleported home and back to grab Mira as well, noting that the land was rather beautiful, and worth a weeks vacation.

In that week, we all went fising, we visited Link's home village, Link and I went one on one, one after the other, with Link's master, the man who taught him the art of the sword, and promptly got our asses handed to us, something that the women apparently found hillarious. I used Yamato, for the record. No point in freaking out an entire village with...well, me.

We travelled all around Hyrule, but never to the Twilight Realm. I MEANT what I said about waiting to go there with Juvia and Grey, damnit! A grand volcano, with inhabitants made partially of stone, a realm of water, much to Juvia's liking for WHATEVER reason, the city in the sky, and a small town in an arid section of Hyrule named Kakariko, these were all placed we explored. Only after getting to the capital and buying an extra tent and a couple extra bags of course. Well, getting anyway. Buying would imply we had to pay for them, and as it turns out, that's exactly what heroes to an entire nation don't have to do.

Even Midna was welcomed with open arms, if not more then the rest of us! Scholars of all sorts were fascinated by her, and she promised to get around to answering any questions they had the following week. She also seemed to be quite good with children, it was almost like Midna eminated a calming aura to them!

The entire week, Mira and I payed close attention to the new lovebirds, noting that they were VERY shy. Kissing was about all they did until Mira came up with the idea to give them a little push.

We found a hot spring place outside of Kakariko with mixed bathing, and we reserved a couple pools. As it turns out, Juvia was okay sharing a pool with Mira and I, so long as we kept swim wear on. We agreed. Reluctantly. When Link and Midna learned that we would be bathing, they realised they noted that they didn't have any swim wear, so Mira jumped in and said, "Well, we reserved a pool just for you two, why don't you go in naked?"

Both of them blushed furiously, but eventually, Midna agreed, much to Link's surprise. He caved shortly after.

As soon as they were in, we stole all except one of the towels out of their waiting room, and their clothes, then snuck off into our own pool. The moment we hit the water, the wave of relaxation was instant. Hot springs really do have a tendancy to loosen you up from all of life's worries.

I turned my head to the wall that seperated us with Link and Midna, just to check how they were doing. They were kissing, that much was obvious, but I couldn't make out anything else.

I turned my head back to the beautiful woman on my right shoulder, and wrapped both an arm and a wet wing around her, then kissed the top of her head.

A solitary worry remained in my head, and that was what Gannon had said to me before he died. "Enjoy your final weeks, mutant." What the hell did he mean by that? And why did he mention Archive?

Oh well, it didn't matter right now. What mattered was the woman under arm and wing next to me, and the getting the lovebirds in the next pool to hook up already.

I had a sinister idea, and a wicked grin took over my face. Juvia was sitting to Mira's right, almost clean across the pool from us, so I figured she wouldn't notice what I was about to do.

I wrapped my wing further around Mira, covering everything beneath her neck and above her legs, then I let my hand wander. Mira protested, whispering to me, "What are you doing? Juvia is right there!"

I whispered back, "Hey, she only said for us to wear swim wear. This is still fair game."

Mira's protests were silenced as started stimulating harder, causing her to blush a deep shade of red.

Juvia noticed, and asked, "Mira? Are you okay? You're turning red!"

"H-H-HOT WATER! WATER IS VERY HOT!" she spouted out quickly.

"I'd hope so, it's a hot spring silly!" Juvia replied as she leaned back and closed her eyes, letting nature sink in.

Mira pushed me off of her soon after, then smiled and kissed me.

After we finished, I checked over to Link and Midna again, and almost immediatly had to look back, lest I risk a nosebleed.

"Mira? Juvia?"

"Yes?" they replied in tandom.

"Mission accomplished."

An hour later, we got out and replaced Link and Midna's clothing, then I walked backwards toward the door to the spring and tapped on the wall and shouted, "Time to go you two!"

A few minutes later, we were all out in the lobby, and we departed. It was obvious already that Link and Midna were closer, just from body language. That and Midna was walking with a mild limp.

Midna spoke up, "Sooo, who stole all the towels? And our clothes?"

I started whistling while Mira broke into laughter and Juvia did her best to look away.

"Ah. Everyone then. Thank you for giving us that push. We appreciate it!"

We didn't reply, but I'm confident they knew that we knew.

We led Link and Midna back to the Mirror Chamber and saw them off, then set back for the capital. On the way Juvia and I explained that we were going to the Twilight Realm a few months down the line with Grey, a double date in a realm outside of our own! She had no objections when I described the place to her, or at least what I got before I started breaking stuff.

We entered the castle town once more, this time under cover of night, so there were precious few people that recognised us, which was surprising, considering I still hadn't bothered to cover up my wings.

We took the old fashoined route to the throne room this time, with a royal escort as well. Once we explained who we were, two royal guards saw us gladly up to the princess' room.

Zelda was still awake, luckily, and saw us in. Immediatly, she handed a large briefcase to me and said, "There! One hundred million berry, counted and placed!"

"A HUNDRED MILLION!" Juvia yelled.

Mira and I turned to her, and I said, with my usual cocky smile, "It WAS an S class job, Juvia."

Juvia's jaw hit the floor, and I had a feeling it wasn't coming back up any time soon.

I offered my hand to Zelda, but she brushed it away and hugged me, then Mira, then even Juvia.

"I may be a princess, but I am still only a woman. Please don't be so formal!" is what she said.

I laughed at her straightforwardness, I liked that sort of thing. We bid her farewell and headed back for Magnowlia.

I nearly gave Macao a heart attack when I donated ninety-five million jewel of my reward to Fairy Tail, keeping the last five only to live off for a while. I was going to need to gap to train for the Grand Magic Games, after all!

Mavis was out on a job, while Elfman and Lisanna were still hard at training when we came back, and I promised to tell them all a heck of a story when the Strauss family was reuinited.

Three days later, Mavis returned, and I sat all of Fairy Tail down to tell them of my journey. I told them every detail, every aspect. I even told them of how I was forced to slay the usurper king, and how I was a tool in the dark god's demise. Out of everything, however, everyone was most impressed by my defeat of Argorok. I guess taking down a dragon does that.

After I finished and we were done celebrating my living up to my Magic's namesake, I headed home with my family to relax. As I fell into slumber next to my wife, I heard a voice.

"I hope you didn't forget about me, mutant. Your time has come!"

"Gannon?" I said as I sat up voilently, waking Mira.

"Mar? What's wrong?" she asked

"Haha, she can't hear me boy. Now, suffer my final wrath! I left a Magic Bomb in you, targeting Arc of Time!"

"NO!"

"What's wrong? MAR!"

I felt Arc of Time lose control, and my body began glowing golden.

"NO! NO! NOT THIS! YOU BASTARD!"

"MAR!" Mira yelled at me as she realised my condition.

I stood up, and my entire body was enveloped in the same light. Arc of Time was firing, even harder then it did two hundred years ago.

"I CAN'T STOP IT! NO!"

"MAR! WHAT'S HAPPENING!"

I calmed myself. There was nothing I could do now.

"Mira...I'm sorry."

"What's happening Mar? ANSWER ME!"

My family walked in on us, knowing something was wrong, and upon seeing me, Mavis screamed. She knew.

"My family. My precious, irreplaceable family..." I started crying here, "I...I can't stay. That dark god bastard activated Arc of Time, I can't stop it..."

My entire family burst into tears. I was causing them just as much pain as they felt when Lisanna was torn from them, but I had a feeling that I wasn't coming back.

They all came over and hugged me at the same time, Mira first, then Lisanna and Mavis, then Elfman.

"How long do you have?" Elfman asked.

"Ten minutes, if my last trip was testament to anything."

"Then we stay like this. A family that lives together, dies together."

Everyone agreed, and we stayed in that position until I felt that my time had come.

I began tearing up as I slowly dissapeared, starting at my feet, then slowly moving up my body. I kissed Mirajane one final time and I left them with my final words, "Live...Live for yourselves and for me!"

With that, I was gone, my body floating along the current of time. Everything was cold...dark...I wanted to go home. I knew it was a want in vain. After an what felt like, and perhaps even was, an eternity, my eyes opened.

I was laying down on metal, near an engine by the sound of it. I stood up and turned to the source of the noise. "Woah." was all I could say. A large sphere like engine sat in the middle of a large room, humming lowly. I could feel tremendous energy coming from it.

I turned and walked slowly, into a room that split into two directions. I snuck right, noting that there were two people to the left. The door opened automaticly and I slipped through it and another door behind it, noting some stairs leading down. Probably for repairmen.

I found myself in another hallway with a large window encompassing one side. I looked through to see what appeared to be an advanced airship dock, with a smaller ship on the right, and a rather large man doing pull ups on the left. I could barely make out a neck on him.

I took a left and walked along the hall, noticing that there was a room labeled "Elevator." Perfect. If I was on an airship, the commander could tell me more. I figured he would be at the top floor, so I pressed the button for that, and flew upwards at a rather impressive speed for an elevator.

It opened to a large room, adorned with advanced model airships and a large fish tank on the left. A man with a shaven head sat to my right at a desk with what appeared to be a holographic computer screen in front of him. Jesus fuck, how far did that madman send me?

"Ah, Liara, you got my message, how ar-WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" he yelled, drawing an advanced pistol, prompting me to do the same with both of mine.

"Commander? Is there a problem?" a female voice asked over what sounded like a microphone.

"I'll handle it!" he replied back. "Now, I'll ask again, who are you?"

"My name is...well, I guess it won't really matter now, will it?"

"WHO ARE YOU! Did that smug bastard send you to kill me?"

"Smug bastard? Well, either way, no. I'm here of my own volition. My name is Mar Strauss."

"Alright, good, now we're getting somewhere. Why are you here son?"

"Hey! I'm probably not that much younger then you, if at all pal. I'm having a REALLY bad day and I need someone to help me, so how about we put the guns down and talk like civilised people!"

"Huh. I like you. Plus I can see your face, and you don't show any signs, so it's not likely you work with him, I suppose. Very well. On three, we put the guns down, okay? One. Two. Three." With that, we both holstered our weapons and shook each other's hands.

"Now, who's this smug bastard, what signs are you talking about, and above all else, who are YOU, if I may ask."

"Sorry, my line of work has more then it's fair share of danger, this is normal to me, if you'll believe that."

"Sadly, I would. My life is no different."

"Ha! Now I'm really glad I didn't shoot you, I can see a good friend in you already."

"Well, I'm honored sir, but really, what's your name?"

"You don't know me? That's actually kind of refreshing. I don't like it when everyone knows exactly who I am from a mile away. Makes me easier to shoot. My name is John. John Shepard."