Two Dragons: Chapter One- The Norm

"That job was a cinch, I wager we can take on one more before the Grand Mage Games. With our power and skill, we'd definitely be able to complete a SS-class quest." Sting Eucliffe, member of the dragonslayer duo of Sabertooth, turned to his more silent companion, Rogue Cheney. "Isn't that right Rogue?"

"Preferably one of higher difficulty and something more worth our time, yes an SS-class one would be nice. It could essentially be training for the tournament in 4months time." Rogue said, eyeing the request board. Sabertooth, the strongest guild's request board was constantly filled. EVERYONE wanted Sabertooth, although some of the jobs were such trivialities you had to be careful of which one you have to pick.

"Request from the church of Zentopia, reward 40 000 000 000 jewels? Shall we?"

"Not interested."

"You're not interested in anything!" Sting protested.

"You're only looking at the money. Any way do you think it is within the time range?" Sting opened his mouth to reply but Rogue continued. "No, and it's a church. We'd spend a month listening to them brief us and the procedures before we can actually get going."

"This one then, ridding some town of a monster, 20 00 000 jewels. That has got to be within the time limit." Sting suggested but Rogue eyed another job request frowning.

"Guaranteed place in the Grand Mage Games and the reward of 75 000 000 000 jewels?"

"Pfffft, guaranteed please-"

"Shut up! From the princess of Fiore, people accepting the request will be briefed upon arrival and magic capacity tested." Squinting Rogue read aloud. "Warning: We are not held responsible for the loss of lives."

"This is all very interesting but really, Rogue? For all we know, the princess lost a-"

"We're taking this."

"WHAT?! ARE YOU SERIOUS, THE PRINCESS MAY HAVE JUST LOST HER NECKLACE OR TRYING TO FIND A HANDSOME SUITOR OR SOMETHING! ROGUE!"

"Well then it shouldn't be a problem if we just saw what is going on and by the way it SPECIFICALLY requested on the board for a the dragons of Sabertooth. Even if we didn't go, master would be too proud and would make us go anyway. Any way if it is that simple, it is easy money, is it not?"

"Fro, thinks so too." His green exceed in a pink frog suit said in agreement.

"See we out vote you. We're going."

"THAT'S COS LECTOR ISN'T HERE! AND YOU SAID I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO CARED ABOUT MONEY!"

"Exactly." Rogue finished with a triumphant smirk, touché.

The flowering tower, Mercurius, loomed over them as they walked up to the palace. Not, that Rogue hasn't seen it before, they come here every year for the games, it still strikes awe in him. Sting just walked on quietly; slightly irritated at his suggestions being rejected, more or so Rogue just had a love for anything intellectual, much unknown to his fellow guild mates. A soldier appeared outside, "Names and reason."

"Sting Eucliffe." Sting suddenly said, he just had to say something. "And Rogue Cheney from Sabertooth, taking up the job request issued by your highness." Now since when did Sting become so polite and gracious?

"And?"

Sting looked baffled at the response, Rogue interjecting. "Our exceeds Frosch and Lector."

"Please handover any weapons." Reluctantly Rogue handed over his katana as Sting stretched out his arms, proving that he didn't conceal any weapons. It was quite unnecessary consider how much his clothes covered up. "You may now see the Princess."

He's never seen the inside of the palace and to describe in one word is not sufficient. The curves and bends within the palace, the amount of door and rooms and the size of the place is enough to confuse anybody. Meandering through the maze-like place they finally reached a room it opened up to a dim-lit room, compared to the grandeur of the rest of the palace, it lacked reasonably in charisma. A woman with green hair greeted them with a subtle smile and the slightest brush of her hand, beside her was a stocky man dressed in armour. "Sting, Rogue, I see you have taken up the request." She beckoned at the guard who shut the door. "This is of utmost importance and has been posted in any guild, it is also extremely dangerous for an ordinary mage and despite you two being extremely efficient mages, and I need you to sign this contract saying we bear no responsibility for any injuries or death."

She put forward a scroll as Sting extended his arm to sign it; Rogue caught his hand and held it back. "Your majesty, would it be possible to brief us first before we take on the job."

The princess flashed an irritated look, "So be it. Have you ever had an acquaintance with this girl?" Distaste thick in that comment, showing the two a picture of a girl with eyes the colour of the night sky and hair as black as sin. "Nevertheless, this girl poses a threat to our country and needs to be eradicated as soon as possible."

The picture was only an artist's impression, meaning that they have never gotten a direct photo of her. A girl skilled at camouflage and going around undetected, Rogue frowned. "So you want us to arrest her? That is easy enough for the rune knights."

"No, it is not as simple as that." She then took out a photo of another girl. This one with caramel blonde hair, glinting in the golden sun and emerald eyes with a playful smirk on her lips, someone who flaunts her looks. "I assume you know who this is."

Sting just raised an eyebrow, "Medea Sunshadow, a member of the magic council. You're saying she proves to be an obstacle?" Of course Sting would know, Medea Sunshadow, a young and extremely charismatic member of the council. A tool used by the council to improve their popularity with the people, a model.

"She is the target's sister; we can't trust her to make a move against her own blood." Sister? They look nothing alike! "The job is for you to kill her sister, something she would never assist us with even if they are on opposite ends of the moral compass."

KILL?! Rogue clenched his hand, "We are not hired hitmen or assassins, your highness. Any way there would be no way to prove whether we killed her or not, we could easily fake her death and claim the reward."

"Oh but you're not people who would be low enough to do that are you? This girl is a murderer and capable of great destruction, her methods are efficient so she doesn't leave any traces. She destroyer villages all just to achieve her final aim," Pausing to see the reactions on Sting and Rogue's face and then relishing that she played her cards right. "To revive Lord Zeref, the black mage, to destroy the world and rebuild a new one where she is the Queen and him King and the rest of us as slaves, to which is fully capable and intelligence has reported to us that she plans to make a move within 4months, at the conclusion of the Grand Mage Games."

"Why can't we just bring her to you and you carry out the execution?" Sting asked, clearly uncomfortable about assassinating a girl who has the face of an angel or at least the naivety and innocence not present in a supposed mass murderer.

"Any time wasted in bringing her to us will result in her escaping as for proof," She pointed a necklace hanging around her neck. "This necklace, it is her life as far as anyone's concerned. It is sufficient proof. Also why are you two so nerve racked? It has come to our attention that you killed your own parents, it should be a thousand times easier to kill a ruthless murderer who ended so many other people's lives." The statement delivered so nonchalantly shocked Rogue. This was none of their business and nothing to do with them, something that should lie buried in the past.

"Why us," Sting said. "It specifically requested for the dragonslayer duo of Sabertooth, why?"

Tsk, so many questions coming from these two, one cannot have the patience of an angel. Maintaining the elegant and indifferent façade the princess clarified, "After the years holding the Grand Mage Games we would have realised all your habits by now. You two are almost perfectly in sync with each other, in terms of attacks and movements and I believe the bond and teamwork will work against the type of person she is. So do you take the job or not? We've already sent many people on this job, professional assassins; it is okay to turn it down but imagine the shame of turning down a job, the two strongest members of the guild can't accept a job from none other than-"

"We'll take it." Rogue and Sting said simultaneously, not that they wanted to take it but the thought of disgracing their guild was enough to spur them on.

"Good, now Arcadios please brief them on the nature of the girls magic and any of her sly tricks. I do believe the magic testing stage won't be necessary for these two."

The stocky man grunted in reply to the princess' request. "You've heard of the Element Four of Phantom Lord right?" Flicking a quick glance at Rogue who recoiled slightly, how much do these people know about us. "Earth, water, air and fire mastered by each mage, well this girl is a master of all four. In addition to that her cunning nature and how she views the world in a logical way proves a massive advantage, a strategist capable of predicting enemy movements. You two will have to be very careful if you want to survive."

Sting gave them a bored look, "Element Four got defeated by the mages of Fairy Tail with ease, so how is this dangerous? It's not like she has anyone she can manipulate being a 'wanted' criminal now."

Arcadios glared at the arrogant dragon-slayer, "Jura of the Ten Saints is a master of earth magic, shall we say the mastery she has over all four elements is the equivalent to Jura's control only one element."

"So you're insinuating she's at the level of a wizard saint?" Rogue asked; this is not looking good.

"Many people are at the level of a wizard saint but only a chosen few are selected. In other words other people who don't have the title can quite easily defeats some saints but to answer your question, yes she is at that level. In addition to that, her swordsmanship is near flawless but the danger is not that but her weapons; the four swords of power; Excalibur, Clarent, Durendal and Joyeause." Rogue frowned, he has read about them but it didn't quite fit in with the whole atmosphere and personality of the girl.

"That is all?" Sting asked stretching her walked towards the exit. "We shall be off then, your majesty."

A small smirk materialised on her mouth, yes, it is over. She has everything the other girl didn't have; power, the royal lineage and the subordinates. "You are excused but just for additional information, her name is Karma Nightshade. She will be trying to kill you too."