The Premonition
What a shitty place, was the first thought that crossed the man's mind as he laid eyes on the rundown building before him. It was supposed to be the headquarters of a Dark Guild, but it looked more like an abandoned cabin out in the middle of the haunted woods. Well, not quite abandoned, for there was light coming through the cracked and boarded up windows. Under the glow of the half-moon, he could make out the small pathetic banner the Dark Guild had hung above their bolted door.
Poor unfortunate souls, having to spend Christmas in this lousy dump.
There was very little pity he could give to those who were stupid enough to choose this way of life.
He climbed the creaky wooden steps and stomped across the poorly patched-up porch, not bothering to be quiet. They heard his approach. Audible laughter and voices behind the walls had instantly died down. Chairs screeched and footsteps rumbled. Shadows flickered across the windows as people moved about, likely rushing over to peer through the gaps to see who stood at their door.
He could feel the glare of their eyes and sense the hostility emanating from each individual. Knowing it was useless to knock, he let himself in. He flicked his right hand forward and – from the palm of his hand – sent a powerful burst of ice to smash the door to pieces.
Yelling and cussing erupted from within as chunks of wood and ice were blasted inwards.
Calmly, the man strolled inside the shabby building and was overwhelmed by the stench of smoke and liquor. He hadn't even taken five steps when he was surrounded by a group of at least thirty men, each one brandishing a weapon of sorts; knives, brass knuckles, wooden bats, and rusty crowbars and chains. Half were burly, tough-looking punks sporting various piercings, scars, and tattoos, while the other half appeared young, just kids in his eyes. He wanted to believe they were either dragged into or fooled into this miserable life of crime.
Towering in the back was a hulking, muscled brute built like a mountain with bulging arms thick enough to lift entire boulders. He was the tallest, the strongest, and also the ugliest, making him stand out as the leader of the pack.
A quick glance at the gang's attire and the man could tell they were just a lowly band of misfits and bandits calling themselves a Dark Guild. A cheap way to gain an infamous reputation and bring fear to those who opposed them. What a bunch of ignorant fools.
"Who da fuck are you?!" the leader demanded, his voice deep and gruff, and his round, pudgy face red with anger. He didn't wait for an answer as he pointed a fat finger at the man. "Yer trespassing on our turf, asshole! Wreck 'im, boys! Break his arms and legs to teach 'im a lesson!"
Before any of the scoundrels could make a move, the man simply flicked a finger and encased them all in thick layers of crackling ice from head to toe. They were statues literally frozen in time, each one bearing a cocky, arrogant expression, unknowing of their fate a second before it happened. They were still alive; trapped in a cold, merciless prison that glistened under the faint candlelight of an old rusty chandelier. The ice appeared dark and grim, its purplish hue turned almost black in the near absence of light.
Only the leader was spared. The brute was stunned with wide-eyed horror, his bearded jaw dropped to the floor. He visibly trembled from both fear and cold, his pig-like nose dripping with snot. The night of Christmas was already harsh and bitter, but the intruder's presence made it feel ten times worse.
Frost crept outwards from the ice like greedy, pale fingers, spreading across the floor, over furniture, and up along the walls. Bottles and glasses full of wine and beer started to freeze, solidifying in a matter of seconds. The burning candles were on the brink of snuffing themselves out, threatening to bring the darkness of night.
Sneering, the man began to walk forward, snapping the brute out of his shock.
Mouth flapping like a fish out of water, the bandit leader made choking, whimpering noises as he slowly backed away. With no goons left to protect him, he was a sad, pathetic excuse for a human. He turned tail and fled towards the back door, ungracefully stumbling into chairs and tables. Before he could get very far, he ran face-first into a barricade of ice that suddenly appeared in front of him. He was knocked flat on his back, moaning and clutching at his bloody, broken nose.
The man rounded the frozen statues to stand over the brute, scowling and shaking his head at the disgrace lying on the floor.
The bandit shriveled up under the other man's intense glare, his body badly shaking. "Wh-Wh-What the h-hell, man?! What d'ya want fr-from us?!" he stuttered, holding up one hand in front of his face in defense.
The man scoffed in disappointment. "You call yourselves a Dark Guild? Disappointing," he mocked, sounding quite bored, "Here I thought there would be someone worthy to join the dark army of Zeref."
It was a lie, honestly. A line he recited out of habit to every Dark Guild he encountered.
In truth, he was on a secret personal mission to eliminate any potential candidates who were strong enough to join the ranks of Tartaros. If he wasn't out slaying demons and monsters, then he would be busy eradicating Dark Guilds left and right. Reduce the numbers to keep the true Dark Guild from growing too powerful too fast. Even if he was on the lookout for new members, which he was supposed to be doing, he had yet to find anyone – or any creature – remarkable to bring back to Tartaros.
The bandit leader blinked in confusion. "Huh? Z-Zeref?"
"You have heard of that name, haven't you?" questioned the man, raising an eyebrow. Judging by the brute's blank stare, the answer was clearly 'no'. The man feigned contempt. "Despicable. An insult to our–"
A sudden chill in the air. Colder than his ice, piercing deep into what was left of his miserable soul. It was a frightening, yet exhilarating sensation he remembered all too well.
A great evil had suddenly risen; the very same that had cursed the land during the finale of the Grand Magic Games.
The man shuddered involuntarily and turned his head in the direction it was coming from, eyes boring into a frost-covered wall. Far north, maybe northeast. Perhaps not even in Fiore. Despite the distance and magnitude, the evil was still capable of making the darkness inside him restless, bringing out his true power.
But then the evil suddenly vanished.
The man blinked and snapped back to his senses. He uttered a curse as he vigorously shook his head, trying to regain his composure. It took a short while before he was back in control again. He glared at nothing, his body shaking, his mind unnerved. Muscles tense and fists clenched by his sides, he was bracing for the evil's return, but it never came back.
What was that about? It didn't even last that very long...
Something he would have to ponder over later.
Lost in the moment, he hadn't realized he had accidentally frozen the bandit leader – as well as the entire building – with his aura alone until he remembered where he was. The cabin was nearly pitch-black, the chandelier now a solid block of ice. Moonlight filtering through the gaps in the windows provided some light to see.
The man scoffed at the pitiful brute imprisoned in ice by his feet, feeling not a hint of regret. Before he could turn to leave, a command suddenly intruded his mind;
Silver, return.
A groan of annoyance escaped the man's throat. Of course he wouldn't be the only one to have sensed the evil just now.
Unable to defy the command, Silver Fullbuster quickly released the men from their icy prison but left their leader frozen. They all crumpled to the floor, unconscious. Once they saw the state of their leader and pathetic guild, perhaps they would learn to change their ways and move on. If not, then it would be unfortunate if they ever crossed Tartaros's path again.
Bound to his 'master', Silver already knew where exactly to teleport. In a blink of an eye, the shimmering, frozen walls of the cabin were replaced by the dark stones of Tartaros castle.
Silver found himself standing in the middle of a long corridor dimly lit by torches that burned with eerie green flames. A large shadow brushed past him. It was the Etherious, Keyes, the Black Archbishop. The Necromancer.
The Etherious didn't even give Silver a glance as he silently drifted down the corridor like a phantom, his lower body composed of shadowy mist.
Without saying a word, Silver joined the demon's side and walked in the same slow pace.
"Came back empty-handed," Keyes stated, his voice a deep and dry rasp that sounded desperate for moisture. However, no amount of water could cure the hoarseness in his throat when the demon was more skeletal than flesh. A drink would literally go right through his desiccated, ghostly body.
Silver shrugged and replied, "Slim pickings down there these days. Cowards and weaklings was all I stumbled upon."
"Save your excuses for someone who cares," said Keyes, fully aware of Silver's true intentions.
Not that it mattered. The calm, reserved Etherious was always indifferent to Silver's private activities, which the mage took for granted. Silver could do whatever he pleased so long as his actions didn't directly affect Tartaros and as long as none of the other members took notice.
"A fresh corpse would have sufficed," Keyes added. Although the demon didn't show it in either stance or tone, Silver knew the Necromancer was a tad disappointed.
The man smirked. "I'm not sure about that. From the ugly trash I've encountered, none would have even been valuable as corpses. So why have you summoned me?"
"You know why." Keyes turned his head slightly, his hollow sockets for eyes appearing to peer sideways at the mage. "We have pinpointed its general location during that brief instance it reappeared. Cube is taking us there right now as we speak."
Silver raised an eyebrow, anxious yet also curious. "Whereabouts?"
"Franmalth will tell us more. We are to assemble before His Highness in the Throne Room."
"Oh, lovely," Silver grumbled, unable to hide his sarcasm. He was not looking forward to another one of Mard Geer's long and dull, poetic monologues about how he was the Underworld King and no other greater evil – except for Master E.N.D. and Lord Zeref, of course – should even exist. Since the great evil's appearance back in July, Mard Geer had been obsessed with finding it to either eliminate it or take control of its awesome power. But none could trace where it had gone. Until now.
Silver could already hear Mard Geer's voice echoing through the corridor coming from the Throne Room up ahead. The king was busy ranting to whomever was already his audience, invigorated by the great evil's return.
Shortly before entering the throne, Silver put on a cold, stoic mask and joined the rest of the Nine Demon Gates.
Somewhere far away in a distant land, there stood an enormous fortress high above the clouds. Great walls of dark stone. Tall, fearsome towers pointed to the sky. A fortified gate made of heavy black steel guarded by large statues of monstrous beings.
In an instant, the fortress was swallowed by twisting black clouds that flashed with arcs of deadly lightning. Winged monsters cloaked in shadow soared within, their eyes glowing red, their forms huge and menacing.
A greater shadow loomed above all else, spreading its darkness across the land, corrupting everything it touched.
But before the darkness could consume the entire world, there was a single ray of light. Sacred, holy, and just. Possessed by a courageous young boy who stood defiantly against the mountainous shadow towering before him.
The boy was not alone for long. Others joined his side. They were people of every shape and size. Each as brave as they were strong. Together they faced the wave of darkness coming their way.
The earth was sundered apart and crumbling. The sky, angry with rage. A shimmer in the clouds. It split into two. A rift that flowed like gentle water. From the torn heavens, a radiant blade descended upon the broken, burning land, accompanied with seven orbs of light, each a different colour of the rainbow.
Below, light and shadow clashed with a force so great, the world turned white and silent.
She woke up with a start, her heart pounding, and her body shivering, drenched in cold sweat. It took a moment for her to realize she was sitting in her own bed within her chamber, the dim light of early dawn peeking through the drapes of her windows.
Just another dream... she assured herself as she took a deep, calming breath. Sighing, she moved to brush away strands of blonde hair clinging to her face only to freeze. Golden light nearly blinded her when she pulled her right hand from under the covers; the Triforce of Wisdom was shining. The mark faded away before she could blink, bringing back the shadows.
Zelda held her breath as she gingerly touched the back of her right hand, her bare skin still warm from the power that had awakened for only a brief moment. Why did the Triforce suddenly appear? Unable to figure out the answer made her chest tighten with worry.
It had been ten years since Ganon was defeated and sealed away in the Evil Realm. Peace and prosperity had returned to Hyrule since then. And the land continued to flourish and thrive, slowly mending its own scars that the Evil King's reign of terror had left behind.
There was no decline. No monsters to speak of. No hint of imminent danger... So why was the Triforce beginning to stir once more?
It wasn't the first instance it had happened either. About a year ago, Zelda had woken up in the same manner, the Triforce glowing on her hand for just as brief. She was frantic at first, had thought evil was on the rise again, but as time passed by and nothing had come from it, she was convinced by others it was likely triggered by the strange dreams she kept having at the time.
But now that it had happened again, Zelda was beginning to trust her own intuition. The Triforce of Wisdom may be warning her of something.
Hands crossed over her heart, she closed her eyes and tried to remember what she saw in her sleep. Sometimes, her dreams were not just dreams, but visions... premonitions... of events that had yet to come. She had them often when she was a child, and now, she was certain they have returned.
The shadows in her dream troubled her most, evoking the same dread – the same fear – she had long ago. Others may not believe her, but she knew deeply in her heart what they represented and it left a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
She needed to check to make sure her assumptions were true. It was only dawn, still plenty of time before she would have to take on the responsibilities as the Queen of Hyrule.
Zelda flung aside her covers and slipped out of bed. Once her bare feet touched the floor, she was already casting her spell. Her hands were enveloped in blue light as she waved them around her body, magically changing her form.
In a flash of white and smoke, she transformed. Queen Zelda was no more; in her place was a man named Sheik, a shadow warrior of the ancient Sheikah clan. On days Queen Zelda needed to break away from her daily – and often dull – affairs, she would secretly switch to Sheik and sneak out of the castle for a good hour or two.
Making hardly a sound, Sheik lightly stepped up to one of the windows and unlatched it with fingers bound in white. A cool breeze blew in, making the thick drapes softly rustle.
Sheik hopped onto the windowsill, needing to crouch in order to fit. He peered down and saw the castle courtyard far below, the patrolling guards the size of ants from his perch. The Royal Chamber was situated in the tallest tower of the castle, giving the Royal Family the perfect view over Castle Town beyond the castle's outer walls. Falling from such a height would mean certain death for most, but for Sheik, he was equipped with the right tools to descend the tower with ease.
He craned his head upwards and located the overhanging beam of wood that made up the underside of the roof. From the small pouch belted around his thigh, he pulled out a long, thin chain with a hook on one end. He whipped the chain at the beam, making it wrap around the wood a few times before the hook snagged onto the chain itself.
He tugged it twice, finding it secured in place. He dropped the rest of the chain, allowing it to unravel to its full length, the end only reaching just half-way down the tower. Gripping the chain in a tight hold, he dropped off the windowsill and began to carefully and swiftly slide down. The bandages around his hands protected him from any burns and blisters caused by the friction.
Once he was near the end, he stopped, planted his feet against the wall, and kicked with all his might. He swung diagonally outwards to launch himself onto the lower roof of the castle's east wing. He landed on all fours with the grace of a cat on top of the slanted, stone tiles. Having performed the manoeuvre hundreds of times, it had become second nature to him.
He kept his profile low as he darted across the roof towards the outer, fortified wall of stone that protected the castle. Several guards patrolled the walkway on top that was lit up with torches. However, Sheik had noticed a few men asleep at their posts, making him quietly sigh and shake his head. The Captain was going to get a stern word from the Queen in the morning.
Nevertheless, Sheik took advantage of the sleeping soldiers. He bounded off the roof, landed softly on the ledge of the wall near a snoring guard, and quickly jumped over the other side, his movements as quick and smooth as a shadow. As he began to plummet towards the moat, Sheik quickly took note of the nearest tree growing on the embankment. He pulled out another hooked chain and whipped it around a tree branch to safely swing over the water.
He rolled into his landing and returned his chain into his pouch. From there, he stayed in the shadows as he slipped past the remaining guards and left the castle grounds.
Castle Town was quiet, the streets nearly empty with the exception of a few guards and packs of stray dogs sniffing around for scraps.
Sheik made his way through town unseen by traversing the rooftops of buildings, keeping the Temple of Time in his sight. With one final leap, he soared over the treeline and waterway to quietly drop before the stone steps that led to the temple's large heavy doors.
Body pressed close to the ground, the Sheikah stayed low as he listened for any activity. Crickets. Birds. Barking dogs and a crowing Cucco in the distance. No footsteps. No people. It was clear.
Sheik bounded up the steps and pushed one of the doors ajar just enough for him to sidle through. Facing the inside of the temple, he nudged the door closed behind him, tuning his senses to the vast, open hall.
With the sun beginning to rise, the large glass windows allowed plenty of light through to brighten the pale interior of the temple. At the opposite end of the room was an altar that led to the Doors of Time, forever to remain closed for as long as there was peace in Hyrule.
The sacred hall appeared empty, but Sheik could feel a familiar presence who constantly watched over this realm. He stepped onto the Platform of Light in the centre of the hall and crouched upon it, his hand touching the emblem of Light.
He closed his eyes as if in prayer. Silently, he reached out to the ancient Sage of Light; "I need to speak with you."
Sheik felt the air shift around him and noticed the room grow dark. When he opened his eyes, he was no longer crouched within the Temple of Time, but within the mystical Chamber of Sages in the holy Light Temple. Under his feet, the Platform of Light had changed into the golden symbol of the Triforce set within a floor that shimmered and flowed like water. There were no walls that made up the room, only an endless black void with a few other pillars of watery blue scattered here and there.
Six different coloured pads were situated around the Triforce. Red, blue, orange, green, purple, yellow; each one designated for the other six Sages.
Right now, only the yellow one was occupied by the oldest and wisest of the Sages, Rauru.
As Sheik stood up, Rauru gave him a polite bow. "Your Majesty," the kind elder greeted before he looked on with concern, "What urgency brings you here at this hour?"
"I have told you before, Rauru," grumbled Sheik, slightly shaking his head, one hand on his hip, "there is no need for formalities. Treat me as you would an equal. As for why I am here... The Evil Realm... Is it still sealed?"
Rauru furrowed his brow at the question. After a short pause, he nodded. "Yes, the seal still holds strong, Your –" he cleared his throat, "Zelda. You know very well that if the seal was ever weakened or tampered with, we would know immediately. I would not be standing here as composed as I currently am otherwise."
Sheik was well aware of that; as one of the seven Sages who had placed the seal, he would sense the very first breach without having to be in the same realm. He wanted to confirm with Rauru in person. However, in spite of what Rauru had said, Sheik still felt a great sense of unease. "Yes, of course," he murmured.
Rauru stared for a moment, no doubt able to detect that something still bothered the other. He brought his hands together before him, lacing his fingers within the voluminous sleeves of his brown robe. "What has brought up this concern, if I may ask?"
Sheik held up his right hand, curling his fingers into a fist as he stared at the back of it. "The Triforce of Wisdom... it appeared again on its own."
"Just now?"
"When I woke up in my chamber this morning," Sheik answered, meeting Rauru's inquisitive gaze, "I had a dream – a premonition."
Rauru narrowed his eyes. "What did you see?"
"An enormous, evil shadow," Sheik began, feeling a sudden chill as the image flashed through his mind, "It will one day rise and try to take over the land."
"A shadow..." Rauru echoed in disbelief, a quiver in his usually calm voice. "You believe it signifies Ganondorf's return to Hyrule?"
Sheik shut his eyes, trying to recall every little detail possible. "His return, yes... but not in Hyrule. What I saw may be another kingdom... Perhaps even another timeline..."
"What do you mean?"
"There was a young boy... He stood in the path of the shadow, surrounded by sacred light..."
"Was it Link?"
Sheik frowned, opening his eyes only to stare at the shimmering floor, his heart heavy with guilt. He knew of no other boy who was as valiant as the young Hero. "I believe so... I had sent him to the past to give him back those seven years he had lost... But it seems evil will somehow follow him..." And once more, the Hero of Time was fated to battle against the ultimate evil to save the realm, a burden Sheik had been hoping Link would never have to carry in his new life. But alas...
Rauru soundly hummed in thought. "We do not know for certain that the shadow is Ganondorf of this time–"
"It has to be," Sheik interrupted, giving the elder Sage a knowing look, "Why else would my Triforce be resonating in this time period? It has happened before, do you remember? I had dreams back then as well, similar to what I saw in my premonition. A great shadow vanquished by golden light that soared on majestic wings of white... Perhaps... Perhaps those weren't just dreams as well..."
Maybe they were visions, Sheik wondered as he further dwelled on it. But the shadow was defeated in those dreams. Defeated, but not fully eliminated, was Sheik's assumption, for one day the evil would suddenly rise back up only to face the true Hero.
"It cannot be a coincidence," Sheik continued, shaking his head, "for it to happen twice and both times I saw light and shadow engaged in a tremendous battle – wait, could it mean...?" Had the first battle already taken place? Is that why the last vision was now different? No longer just a grand town as the battlefield, but the entire kingdom itself?
He was starting to see the connection now. Light and shadow were destined to clash once more with the victor yet to be determined...
"And what does it mean?" Rauru questioned when Sheik had trailed off, caught in his own thoughts.
Sheik didn't respond right away, needing another moment to think his answer through. "This may sound preposterous," he answered, slow and hesitant, "But Ganondorf may already be meddling in the kingdom in the past..."
Rauru's eyes went wide with shock. He grunted, "No, that can't be. Our seal has yet to falter, Your Highness. Ganondorf could not have escaped."
"He holds the Triforce of Power," Sheik pointed out, holding his right fist before him, "What if he was able to use it to escape the Evil Realm unnoticed?"
Rauru deeply furrowed his brow at that troubling speculation, his hands noticeably fidgeting within his sleeves. He grumbled under his breath, "I suppose I cannot deny that possibility... With the Triforce of Power at his command, he... he could force his way out... create his own opening within the Evil Realm that may lead to another world... another time... However, we do not know for certain that he has escaped unless we open the Evil Realm and check for ourselves. That is too big of a risk to take when the Hero of Time is no longer with us."
Sheik nodded. "I understand. Is there any other way that we can find out?"
"Unfortunately, I know of no other way around this," said Rauru, a hint of regret in his tone. "Tell me, Your Highness – Zelda, even if we were to discover Ganondorf's escape, what are you suggesting we ought to do?"
Arms crossed and his expression steadfast, Sheik replied, "If Ganondorf is truly free, Link will need the Master Sword and our help to defeat the Evil King once more when the time comes. I saw it in my premonition."
Rauru bowed his head. "I see... Then I shall do what I can from here. If I come across a solution no matter how slight, I will inform you immediately."
Sheik's grateful smile was hidden behind his shawl. "Thank you, Rauru. Please, will you inform the other Sages? In the meantime, I will search the castle library for any information we could use." After dealing with Queen Zelda's responsibilities on the throne. Maybe she should pretend to be sick so she would be left alone.
"Yes, of course," said Rauru with a curt nod.
With that, Sheik was transported back to the Temple of Time within a quick flash of blue light. Compared to the Chamber of Sages, the temple was blinding with the bright morning sun shining through the windows.
He stiffened when he sensed another presence standing by the doors behind him. As he spun around on his heel, he shifted low into his battle stance, throwing needles already clutched between the fingers of his right hand. He let out a sigh of relief when he recognized the stern face of his master, Impa.
He didn't need to ask how she found out where he had gone; Impa had the uncanny ability to know where Sheik was at all times.
Impa held up the silver chain Sheik had left hanging outside the window of his Royal Chamber. "The day has yet to start and already you're shirking your duties," she said with a small smirk.
As Sheik made his way over, he slipped his needles back into his sleeves and responded with, "Something urgent has come up."
The amusement on Impa's face was quickly replaced with a serious expression. She straightened in her posture. "Urgent, you say? Meet me there and tell me more about it," she said, returning Sheik his chain.
Sheik nodded, knowing Impa was implying the top of the roof right above the Royal Chamber. It was the most private location to freely talk without fear of eavesdroppers around the castle. Although, it wasn't the best on days it rained or the wind blew strong. Thankfully the weather was currently in their favour.
Impa slipped out of the temple doors without making a noise. Sheik waited a few moments before he followed suit. One important rule of the Sheikah was to never travel in groups to the same destination. Avoiding detection at all costs was vital in being a part of the clan.
As Sheik carefully traversed through the town unseen towards Hyrule Castle, he suddenly thought of something. If Ganondorf did, in fact, somehow opened a portal to another world with the Triforce of Power, would the Triforce of Wisdom be able to do the same?
It was something Sheik was willing to try if Rauru and the other Sages couldn't come up with another answer. Eager to share his news, he hurried to meet with Impa up on the rooftop.
Sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed, Link was busy stuffing his crumpled clothes into his suitcase when there was a knock on his bedroom door. Romeo stepped in and gawked at the disaster Link had made; clothes, weapons, and various items were haphazardly scattered over the carpeted floor and unmade bed as if Link had emptied his closet and dumped out all of his drawers.
Link greeted his brother with a bashful grin. Since moving into their larger house back in September, the boys had their own separate bedrooms, so Link wasn't forced to keep his room tidy. Although his father sometimes made him clean it up from time to time when the mess got out of hand. His room was usually a bit more organized than its current state; he just couldn't decide what to bring for his very first guild mission.
"You're still packing?" Romeo asked, "Wendy's going to be here soon! Do you need help?"
"Plue's helping," said Link, glancing over at his bed where the spirit was patiently waiting for the boy's next order. "Plue, pass me my ocarina."
"Puu-puun!" the canine happily squealed. He ran to the edge of the bed and dove head-first into a mountain of clothes piled on the ground. After half a minute of rummaging, Plue burst from the pile with Link's ocarina clutched in his paws.
Link smiled at the spirit in thanks as Plue gave him his musical instrument. He shoved it into his pouch belted around his waist.
"Hey, don't forget to take your dream journal with you," Romeo reminded him as he carefully tip-toed over all the obstacles towards Link's desk. He picked up the leather-bound book and handed it to Link. "In case you have more weird premonition dreams again."
Link slightly frowned as he took his journal from his brother. He flipped to the latest entry dated on the very early morning of December 26th, which was two days ago. On the night the Triforce had shone on his hand, he had a strange, vivid dream. And he wasn't the only one to have dreamt it. Somehow, Carla saw the same things he had seen in his sleep.
An enormous fortress of black. Monstrous shadows with wicked red eyes. Light and darkness tearing across the land in an epic battle. Colourful orbs of light descending from a watery rift in the heavens.
Carla had called it a 'premonition' – a glimpse of the possible future. "It may come true and it may not. It is not absolute," Carla had said. Why they shared the exact same dream, she wasn't too sure. It was a mystery that none could answer.
Link closed the book and put it in his suitcase. "Thanks. I wish you could come too," he said with a small pout.
"Me too," sighed Romeo, taking a seat on Link's bed, "But we don't want the Magic Council to suspect anything. It has to be just Team Natsu to look like they're going on a normal mission together. No one but us knows that you and Mystogan will be tagging along in secret." He grinned at the last part.
Link nodded in understanding. Just yesterday, Master Makarov had warned the guild that the Magic Council was on their way to pay a surprise visit to Magnolia for reasons unknown. Link had heard the name 'Magic Council' mentioned a few times before, but wasn't sure who they really were. To him, they sounded like a bunch of bad people since they wanted Jellal dead.
Because it was a big risk to stay in town while the Magic Council was snooping around, Master Makarov had wanted Link and Jellal to leave Magnolia for a while to avoid detection.
Wishing to help, Erza had devised a plan: Team Natsu would quietly escort the pair to a distant town or village while under the guise of being out on an actual job request. And on that very same morning, Lucy had come across the perfect mission for them to take. The posting listed a specific village near the southern coast of Fiore: Daffodilia.
The village was named after daffodils, which were pretty yellow flowers. The word 'yellow' was the only hint Lucy's spirits were able to pry out of a stubborn Lupus when they asked for the location of his Celestial Key in Earthland. Going to Daffodilia was a long shot, but it wouldn't hurt to investigate.
But first they had to save the village before they could look around for a Celestial Spirit Key. The posting was lacking in details, asking only for a guild to come to the village in desperate need of help. More information would be provided by the Village Chief upon arrival.
"If you need help writing your journal entries, I'm sure Wendy will give you a hand," Romeo assured. "You know, I'm pretty jealous. Your first job is an A Rank – well, first one unofficially – and you get to be a part of Team Natsu!"
"You've done an A Rank before, haven't you?" Link asked, tilting his head curiously.
Romeo nodded, but he wasn't really enthused about it. "Yeah, only once and it was about a month before you joined Fairy Tail. It was with Dad, Wakaba, Alzack, and Bisca. I think your mission will be a lot more fun though with Natsu on your team."
Macao soundly cleared his throat by the doorway as he leaned against the frame, a stern look on his face. "I wouldn't say it'll be fun," he warned, waving a finger at the boys, "A mission ranked an A is very dangerous. Not as extreme as S Rank, but still, you need to be very careful on this mission, Link. Do you understand?"
Link nodded for the umpteenth time, having heard his father constantly repeat himself since yesterday.
Romeo snorted and waved a hand. "He'll be okay, Dad. Technically, there are two S-Class mages on his team – one of them, a former Wizard Saint! So Link should be fine."
Hearing that still wasn't assuring enough for Macao as he ran a nervous hand through his hair. "I want to believe that. But knowing Natsu's team and their luck, they always end up in all kinds of trouble no matter the rank of their job."
Sighing, Macao walked in and knelt beside Link, his entire brow creased with the deepest worry. He gently gripped the boy on the left shoulder, being careful not to touch the black dragon mark that was still rather tender.
With the magic armlet now a useless, hard lump of melted gold, Link was advised to keep the dragon covered with bandages or wear long sleeves to hide it from view. It was a temporary solution until Master Makarov could find a suitable material that could withstand extremely high temperatures for a new armlet.
"Just... be on your guard at all times, okay?" Macao pleaded. "You won't know what you're going to be dealing with until you get to the village, but if anything happens, please let the others handle it first. I know you're strong, Link, but only fight if you have no other choice. Be discrete, as Master always says. And please please please try not to burn anything down, okay?"
Laughing sheepishly, Link nodded. "I'll try. Promise."
Macao smiled and tussled the boy's hair. "That's what I want to hear. Plue, make sure you keep an eye on him, okay?"
The little spirit raised a paw in the air and shouted, "Puuuuun!"
"Good boy," said Macao, petting the happy canine on the head. "Now, Link, are you almost done packing your things? You've really made quite a mess in here – Oh!" He was interrupted by a loud knocking on the front door. "That must be Wendy."
Link gasped. "She's here already?"
"I'll let her in. Hurry and get ready or else you're going to be late!" said Macao before leaving the room.
The boy frantically looked around and started to pile whatever he could grab into his case. More clothes, toiletries, Porlyusica's care package containing extra elixirs and rolls of bandages, a few random objects he picked up without thought; it ended up being so full that Romeo had to help him hold it close so he could properly zip it up.
"Plue! Am I missing anything?" Link asked, giving the messy room a quick scan.
"Puu puu puun!" the spirit cried, noisily running over with a ring of jingling keys. Link's Celestial Spirit Keys. Of course, the boy definitely couldn't forget to bring his friends!
Link grabbed the keys and paused to look at the sparkling Locator Charm attached to the ring. He smiled, seeing the blue arrow within the crystal star pointing towards the foyer where Wendy was waiting for him. He clipped the ring to his belt and put on his winter coat. Next, he strapped his wooden bow and small quiver full of normal arrows over his back. Just as he was about to retrieve Freedom propped against the wall, Romeo stepped in front of him, holding out a large, familiar blade.
"Bring Dragonslayer with you instead," whispered Romeo, a sly smile on his face.
Link hesitated. "But I'm not supposed to–"
Romeo hushed and shook his head. "I know, but you don't have to let Dad see. Just run out before he notices. Besides, I think it's a good idea to take it with you, in case you do find Lupus. Seeing this might persuade him to help us."
Link perked up at the idea and couldn't wait to share it with Lucy. He nodded and quickly equipped Dragonslayer before throwing on his fur-lined cloak. He pulled on his hood to fully conceal the weapon underneath. With his small, bulging suitcase in hand, he hurried to the front door with Romeo and Plue jogging right behind.
Standing in the entranceway with Macao were Wendy and Carla, both carrying backpacks over their shoulders.
"Finally done packing?" commented Wendy, giggling. "Ready? Erza's probably waiting for us at the southern gate. She doesn't like it when we're late so we better hurry!"
Link felt his stomach sink with dread. "Really? Is she going to punish us?" he asked anxiously as he shoved on his winter boots and fleecy gloves in haste.
Wendy gave him an apprehensive look. "Well, one time Natsu and Gray were only five minutes late and she made them take turns pulling her huge cart of luggage all the way to another town."
Carla sighed and shook her head at the memory. "It had rained the day before too so it was muddy and slippery. It took four grueling hours to reach the town."
"You guys better get going then!" said Macao, afraid for their well-being. "You've got ten minutes before the clock hits seven!"
Not wanting to endure Erza's punishment, Wendy, Carla, Link, and Plue ran out the front door.
"Be safe and good luck!" Macao shouted after them.
"Bye! See you guys when you get back!" Romeo added.
Grinning, Link glanced over his shoulder and gave them a final wave before having to turn a corner.
The early winter morning was very dark and cold, making their huffing breaths visible in the brisk air.
Link jogged after Wendy as she led them out of the residential area. After they turned onto the main street that would take them straight to the southern gate, Wendy cast Ile Vernier, the advanced version of Vernier. The new enchantment was twice as effective, granting them a seemingly unlimited boost in energy and quadrupling their running speed. With the street empty with no carriage or people in sight, they didn't have to worry about crashing into anything as they sprinted down the middle that was mostly clear of ice. Buildings passed by as a blinding blur of colours as all the Christmas decorations that were still up blended together.
Crossing twenty whole blocks took less than a minute. It was over before Link even knew it. He nearly tripped over his own two feet when Wendy suddenly dispelled her enchantment moments before they reached the southern gate. The party stumbled to a stop right in front of Erza, Jellal, and Lucy who were waiting off the side of the road.
"Morning!" Lucy was first to greet them. She was surprisingly chipper despite the early hour. Plue trotted up to her and got a gentle pat on the head. "Wow, you guys ran down the road super fast!"
"Didn't want to be late!" said Wendy. She looked at Erza nervously. "W-We're not late, are we?"
Erza smiled and shook her head as she glanced at her pocket watch. "Nope, right on time with thirty seconds to spare. Excellent."
Wendy, Carla, and Link breathed a small sigh of relief. They joined the others in waiting and received a silent nod from Jellal.
Behind the three adults was Erza's magical four-wheel vehicle that Link had heard stories about. Excited, he ran over for a closer look, having never seen it in person. It was green and resembled a carriage, but it did not require any horses to pull it. Instead, it ran on magic energy siphoned from a mage who was often the driver. Attached to the back of the vehicle was Erza's infamous luggage cart that was piled shockingly high with her belongings and held down with rope and a white tarp.
Arms crossed over her chest, Erza tapped her fingers impatiently as she glared down the empty road leading into the heart of town. "Now it's just the boys. Where are they?"
"They're on their way," Jellal informed, giving her a sideways look.
Erza grunted. "If they're not here within the next two minutes, there will be hell to pay."
"I'm afraid it's going to take longer than that at the pace they're moving," said Jellal, slightly shaking his head.
Worried, Wendy asked Erza tentatively, "You're not going to force them to pull your cart again, are you?"
There was a wicked glint in Erza's eyes as her lips twisted into a malicious sneer. "As much as I would enjoy that, there's not enough time. It's going to take six to eight hours to drive to Daffodilia depending on road conditions. I would like to get there while there's still plenty of light out to help the village. I do have another form of punishment for them in mind, however." She chuckled deeply to herself, bringing odd or nervous looks from everyone around her.
While waiting for the rest of their team, Lucy came up to Link and asked, "How's your arm?"
"Still hurts," the boy answered, moving his left arm around. "Feels like I have a big bruise."
Lucy frowned. "Here, let me help put your luggage away. You're going to be riding the cart with Mystogan and one of us."
Link pouted in disappointment as he and Plue followed her. "I don't get to ride the car?"
"Unfortunately, there's no room for all of you to fit inside," Erza explained, giving Link an apologetic look, "Not only that, you and Mystogan need to stay out of sight in case we encounter the Magic Council on the road. Riding in the back will allow you both to escape quickly and unnoticed if a problem arises."
"Um, how exactly is anyone going to ride on it with all your stuff?" Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow.
"There is an empty space in the middle. It'll be tight, but at least three of you should be able to cram in there. I've provided blankets and a Heat Lacrima to keep you guys warm on the road."
"In that case, I'll join them," Wendy volunteered, cheering Link up. "There's one advantage for being small!"
It was about five minutes later when Natsu, Happy, and Gray eventually showed up.
"Your punishment will come in due time," Erza growled at the tardy trio. They cowered and broke into a nervous sweat under her frightening glare. "But right now we need to get moving. Get in the car."
"Natsu, wait!" Wendy ran up to him before he could crawl into the vehicle. She handed him a vial full of dark liquid. "I made this medicine yesterday that might help with our motion sickness. Please give it a try!"
Natsu was ecstatic as he took the vial. "Whoa! Really?! Thanks, Wendy, that's awes – uck!" The moment he uncapped it, his nose wrinkled in disgust. He held the offending vial an arm's length away.
Wendy shifted her feet bashfully. "Yeah... it doesn't smell pleasant. Doesn't taste that great either. But you know what Granny says: The more bitter it is, the better it is for you!"
Natsu eyed the medicine suspiciously, not quite believing Wendy. "Does it really work?"
Mitten hands pressed together, Wendy chuckled sheepishly and shrugged. "Uh, well... I wasn't able to test it out, but now's a good time to experiment! Cross our fingers it will work!"
"'Experiment'?" Natsu mumbled, looking uncomfortable from hearing that word. Lips curled into a deep frown, he hesitated a moment longer and eventually gave in. He plugged his nose and poured the entire vial into his mouth.
The look of pure revulsion on Natsu's face made Link wonder if he made the same expression whenever he had to drink an elixir.
Everybody got ready to leave right after. Erza sat in the driver's seat and Lucy, Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Carla piled inside the cabin of the vehicle.
Link had dismissed Plue back to the Spirit World before he climbed onto the luggage cart. He followed Wendy through the short, narrow gap between two large trunks that led to the hidden compartment. Right behind him was Jellal who needed to crawl on his hands and knees in order to squeeze through the tight opening. Once inside, Jellal placed a small case that was the perfect size to close up the hole.
It was indeed a very tight fit inside. The tarp was their roof and Erza's luggage made up the walls, all tied together so they wouldn't fall over and conk them on the head. A small Heat Lacrima lamp was hooked onto the handle of one of Erza's suitcases, providing warmth and a little bit of light to see before daybreak. A thick, black fur mat covered the bottom to give some comfort and a pile of woolen blankets were available to further protect from the cold.
In order, Wendy, Link, and Jellal sat shoulder-to-shoulder with barely any room to move on either side. Fortunately there was enough head-space for them to stand, allowing them to stretch their legs from time to time. They huddled under the blankets and tried to get as comfortable as they could.
Link heard Erza's vehicle roar to life before feeling the cart start to move. Unlike the train that ran on smooth rails, riding in a cart on the open road was rough. Link could feel every bump, every dip, and every turn.
It certainly didn't help Wendy and her motion sickness. Not even five minutes into their trip, she was already groaning and slouched forward, hands over her mouth. "Noooo... the medicine didn't work..." she uttered, her face pale and glistening with sweat. She pulled out a small notepad and a pen from the pocket of her coat and began to scribble something, all the while mumbling to herself; "Might have to adjust the amount... Lower the volume... Increase the temperature – no, decrease it and increase the time... Maybe add a bit of this when I get back..."
"Are you okay?" Link asked, concerned.
Wendy nodded and mustered a small smile despite her misery. "Sorry... Don't worry about me... I'm just jotting down some notes for myself... See if I can make this medicine actually work. It would really, really help us Dragon Slayers... on these horribly long trips..."
The only thing Link could do for her was lend his shoulder so she could rest her head until they stopped for their first break.
Not wanting to waste their time on the road, Jellal had Link practice his Sensory Magic. After months of practice, the boy had finally managed to successfully use Farore's Wind to warp to the exact locations of magical sources, but only if the magic was strong enough for him to easily detect without having to focus too much. From there, he had learned to use magical sources as reference points to teleport to areas around it. Useful for surprise attacks from above or behind; a tactic Link remembered Gemini had used against the Evil King.
Once Link had nearly perfected his teleportation, (there were still a few hiccups with his spell every now and then), he had moved on to something much more difficult; using his own magic to sense other forms of magic at various levels and distances.
He was far from mastering the ability. He needed to deeply concentrate in order to pull it off and the effort often left him exhausted in the end. Honing the skill seemed impossible because it wasn't a visible spell he could simply cast with a flick of his hand. It required a calm, focused mind to grasp and understand until it would become as natural as breathing.
The exercise Jellal wanted him to perform was to discern the auras of their teammates sitting in the car. Similar to how Dragon Slayers could tell others apart by scent alone, a Sensory Mage could do the same by feeling individual auras. However, it was subjective between Sensory Mages, Jellal had said; how Link described Wendy's aura was not exactly the same as how his master perceived it.
Memorizing auras took a lot of time and patience for Link because everyone's magic had felt the same in the very beginning. Jellal had instructed him to hang back and observe every time a fight broke out at the guild, (which fortunately happened almost every day and night.) And so he did, for weeks on end, he would quietly sit in a corner or hide under a table, watching and feeling as the guild got trashed by drunken Fairies.
By focusing on one person's magic at a time, Link was able to familiarize himself with everyone's aura that he began to notice differences between each guild member. The longer he was exposed to their magic or presence, the more noticeable the differences became. It had gotten to the point where he could identify each Fairy's unique aura with his eyes closed.
Link took a deep breath and shut his eyes to focus, trying to ignore all the distractions and sounds around him. The roar and motion of the vehicle, the grinding of wheels on an icy road, the rattling suitcases, Wendy's moans and her shifting body; tuning it all out required all of his concentration.
In his mind, he imagined his hands reaching out, extending far beyond their limits, blindly feeling around. Invisible hands made of magic. He immediately grasped onto two magical energies closest to him. One was airy and calm and comforting like a hug. Wendy. The other was very powerful, yet reserved, and warm as a mid-summer night. Master Jellal.
Link reached out farther, his imaginary hands stretching across the cart and into the cabin of Erza's vehicle. There, he detected five magical signatures. Sitting in the middle was someone whose aura felt similar to a Celestial Spirit's, but not quite the same; light and joyful and full of sunny warmth. Master Lucy. And on her lap was one of the Exceeds; cool and calm as a gentle breeze, it was none other than Carla. To Lucy's left was Gray, chilly and rigid, just like his strongest ice. On her right was Natsu, hot and erratic to match both his element and personality. Perched atop his head was Happy, the feline's magic feeling just as warm and cheerful as his name.
Past the cabin and in front was Erza, her aura strong, sturdy, and cold like the steel of her armour.
Smiling, Link answered Jellal's question confidently; "Natsu is on the right with Happy on his head. In the middle is Lucy and Carla and Gray is on the left."
"Correct," said Jellal, making Link swell with pride. There was a rustling of clothing. "Here. Take this. Your Aunt Mira went overboard again."
Link opened his eyes to a small paper box held in front of his face. Treats from Mirajane! The boy thanked Jellal as he took the gift. Inside the box were mini custard and fruit tarts, Jellal's favourite dessert.
Ever since Jellal had complimented Mirajane on her baking, she made them at least once a week just for him to have while at the guild or on missions. Too many, in fact, that Jellal would give extras to Link, Erza, and Juvia to take home to share with Meredy.
Not wanting to be greedy, Link offered one to Jellal and together they quietly ate. When finished, Link went back to practicing his Sensory Magic following Jellal's guidance. He steadily maintained his magic sense, feeling their surroundings as they drove down the road. Briefly, he picked up on a few traveling mages as Erza passed by them.
After three hours, Erza pulled over for a short break. Everyone had gathered outside under the bright morning sun that shone blindingly over the vast snowy fields. Natsu and Wendy were hunched over on their knees, their faces pale and beaded with sweat, bringing pitying looks from their fellow teammates.
"Wendy... your medicine didn't work..." Natsu groaned, one hand on his noisily churning stomach.
"I know... I'm sorry..." Wendy replied meekly, shaking her head. She held up a trembling fist in determination. "I have to keep adjusting the recipe until I get it right."
"How much farther until we're there?" Jellal asked Erza as he leaned his back against the vehicle.
"We're making decent progress," she replied, her voice muffled by the scarf she wore. She was covered in head to toe in thick white fur made into a hat, a coat, and a long cloak, keeping her warm against the freezing temperatures and wind. She looked down the road through her black-tinted goggles that protected her eyes from the bright glare of the sun. "Haven't encountered too many travelers. It's pretty icy though, so I haven't been going full speed. We'll likely get there in another four or five hours."
Natsu and Wendy loudly moaned at that.
"Would either of you like me to put you out of your misery for the remainder of the trip?" Erza offered, knuckles soundly cracking before her. Although her face was hidden, everyone could sense her cruel, cruel smile.
The Dragon Slayers both whimpered and vigorously shook their heads.
Erza snorted. "Very well then. Five minutes are up. Everyone back in. We'll take another break in two hours for lunch."
After those two hours, they stopped to eat lunch together outside on a large picnic blanket on the snow. Gray erected walls of ice to shield them from the frigid wind and Natsu made a small fire to keep them warm. Merrily, they chatted and ate their individual lunch boxes Mirajane had lovingly prepared for the team to enjoy. There was delicious hot cocoa and tea too, made by boiling water in a kettle over the fire.
Once they were ready, they continued on. It was three more hours until they finally made it to their destination.
Erza had noticeably slowed down the moment they entered the village of Daffodilia. A few times, she made a few sharp stops before resuming, tossing her passengers. It made Wendy's motion sickness worse as she curled up and moaned in her hands, "W-What's Erza doing?! I'm going to lose my lunch if she keeps this up..."
Right outside, Link could hear many young voices giggling and yakking, sounding as if a bunch of children had suddenly surrounded them.
Jellal shifted uncomfortably, his body tense. He furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes at the tarp above. He connected telepathically with everyone. "Something doesn't feel right around here..." he noted.
Curious, Link tried to sense for himself, but his concentration was disrupted by the voices in his head.
"Doesn't look right either," Erza growled, "There are so many kids out on the road! Do they want to get run over?!"
She shouted at them to move out of the way only to draw peals of giddy laughter instead.
"They're just curious about your magic car," said Gray, "Probably never seen one before. Although, it is a bit odd that I don't see any adults around. Hey, is that a baby crawling on the ground?!"
"What happened here?" Lucy questioned, concerned, "It's like the kids are free to run amok. This village is a mess! Where are their parents?"
"Maybe something happened to them and now we have to save them?" Happy suggested.
After another jarring stop, Erza's furious voice rang loud over the sound of children; "Get off the damn road or else I will crush every bone in your little bodies!"
Link and Wendy winced from the awful, terrified screeches and tearful wails that erupted seemingly from every direction.
"M-Monster!"
"She's the monster from the mountain!"
"Run for your lives!"
What sounded like hundreds of pounding footsteps echoed through the streets as the children fled from the terror that was Erza. Many doors slammed shut. Then there was silence.
Jellal sighed and rubbed his weary face. "That's one way to impress the client..." he grumbled out loud to himself.
"That was a bit harsh..." said Lucy.
"Yet effective," Erza replied, a hint of a smirk in her tone. The car started moving again without a hitch. "Got a clear path now. Looks like the chief may be in the building just up ahead."
Erza stopped the car shortly after and everyone either climbed or – in the case of a Dragon Slayer – stumbled out onto an empty, messy street littered with toys, fallen Christmas decorations, garbage, and plenty of random household objects. They were in the village plaza where an enormous, but sad, droopy Christmas tree stood in the centre, most of its ornaments knocked off by thrown snowballs.
Link didn't need to sense around to know that something was indeed not quite right about the village.
Arms crossed, Erza shook her head at the chaos. "Darn kids. Almost looks like a tornado blew through here," she commented.
"I'll scout around," said Jellal as he swiftly walked down the road, "Meet you all back here when you're done."
To Link, Jellal added, "Keep your senses sharp in there."
"Yes, Master," the boy replied, watching Jellal's cloak vanish around the corner.
The group waited a moment for the Dragon Slayers to recover before moving ahead.
Link followed behind everyone else as Erza led them through the open metal-gated fence towards what appeared to be the tallest, brightest, and most important building in the village. It was three-storeys tall and painted yellow, the colour vibrant under the mid-afternoon sun. Waving atop the snow-covered, domed roof was the village flag that had a large, yellow daffodil set in a field of spring green.
There was a wooden sign that hung on the front red door that read 'Village Chief' in big black letters. Erza knocked on the door and slightly stepped back to stand in front of her team waiting in a semi-circle behind her.
After a moment, they heard a frightened young voice shout from the other side, "Wh-Who's there?! Are you the monster?!"
Everyone but Link shot Erza a look of disapproval.
Slightly irked, Erza soundly cleared her throat and answered, "No, we're Fairy Tail! We're here to help! Please, may we speak with the Village Chief?"
"Fairy Tail?!" the same young voice exclaimed.
"Grandpa! No!" another child protested, this one sounding more like a girl. "She's the mountain monster who turned everyone small! She wants to crush all our bones!"
This time Link joined Team Natsu in giving Titania another look of disapproval. Lucy and Carla were also now shaking their heads.
Abashed and a little red in the face, Erza dropped her eyes to the ground. "I... apologize for my behaviour. I did not mean to frighten anyone..."
"Lies!" Happy hissed under his breath while Gray and Natsu both uttered, "Bullshit."
Erza sharply turned her head to glare murderously at the three of them, making them yelp and jump back in terror.
Behind the door, the first child told the girl, "Nonsense, Darlene. These people are the guild I hired to help our village. Please be a sweetheart and take the others to the kitchen while I invite them in. There are important matters we need to discuss."
There was a short pause before the door finally clicked and was pulled wide open.
Fairy Tail stared at the young boy greeting them in the doorway. He looked a few years younger than Link, standing half a head as tall. His deep green hair was short and curly and his eyes were brown and rather stern, unbefitting of his youthful face. He wore mismatched clothes that were big and baggy and shoes that were obviously too large for his feet.
"Fairy Tail, thank goodness you're here!" cried the boy, his hardened expression melting into joyous relief as he looked at each of their faces. He paused when he saw Link, his smile morphing into a worried frown. "You there... Have you been affected by the Christmas Curse as well?"
Link tilted his hooded head questionably. "Christmas Curse?"
The young boy opened his mouth only to be interrupted by Natsu; "What're you talking about, kid?"
Lucy brushed past the Dragon Slayer and approached the boy with a friendly face. In a kind voice, she asked, "Do you happen to know where the Village Chief is? We want to ask him what's going on."
The boy nodded and motioned for them to come inside. "Yes... I know where he is," he said as Fairy Tail stepped into the entranceway of the large home. It was pleasantly warm thanks to the blazing fire coming from a nearby fireplace. The boy closed the front door after Link was last to enter.
Sighing, the young boy moved to stand proudly before Fairy Tail and gestured to himself. "He's right here. You are looking at him right now. I am Andre Wolfshire, the Village Chief of Daffodilia."
Link was the only one blinking in confusion while everyone else suddenly exclaimed; "What?!"
"That can't be right! You're just a little kid!" said Gray, pointing.
"Young man, I'll have you know I am a hundred years old!" Andre retorted, dabbing a thumb to his chest, his stern expression returning.
Fairy Tail gawked in disbelief.
Andre pouted childishly and planted his hands on his hips. "You must have noticed that there was not a single grownup when you first stepped into our village, yes?" Seeing a few nods, he continued, "That is because we are cursed by a horrible monster that lives in a nearby mountain!"
"A curse, you say?" Erza murmured, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow in thought. No longer did she doubt his word. "How and when did this happen?"
"Late Christmas night," Andre began, "hence why we call it the 'Christmas Curse'. I was asleep by the time, but witnesses have reported hearing a terrifying roar of a monster accompanied by a bright flash of purple light. It came from the direction of a mountain just west of here – Mount Narciss – and lasted just a few seconds at most. When it was over, those same witnesses found their bodies had regressed back into children of various ages. You can imagine my absolute horror when I woke up the next morning looking like this!
"In truth, it was wonderful at first, to be so young and full of energy again, free of all the aches and pain of old age. It has been far too long since I was able to frolic outdoors like my grandchildren..." His wistful smile was brief. "However, we cannot stay like this for long. As children, we cannot defend or provide for our village during these harsh winter months. Especially if that monster decides to come down and attack us."
Natsu smacked a fist into an open palm, a cocky grin on his face. "A monster, huh? What does it look like? I'll hunt it down for ya!"
Andre shrugged. "We don't know. We're too afraid to venture up the mountain..."
"Don't get too hasty, Natsu," warned Lucy, gripping him by the shoulder. "We could get cursed too if we go in unprepared! Wait," she glanced at Wendy and Link before turning back to Andre, "Were children also affected? Did they become younger too?"
"Yes, but not all," said the Village Chief, stroking his chin as if he had a beard, "It seems children who are around ten or younger have thankfully remained unchanged. What's odd is that some adults are now physically younger than some of the older children who were also affected. There's no consistency on how the curse works. And it's not limited to just humans either," he added, looking between Happy and Carla, "Pets and animals – even wild beasts – are now babies or juveniles if they weren't already before."
Carla looked anxious while Happy gasped in horror. "We can turn back into babies?!"
Erza looked at Happy with shiny, adoring eyes. "You were so cute as a baby. But never mind that," she shook her head and hardened her gaze, "This curse will be a huge problem if we are inflicted by it."
"I'm sorry, Fairy Tail," Andre apologized, bowing his head in guilt, "I know you will be putting your lives in grave danger. But I beg of you, please save our village!"
"We will, on one condition," said Erza, her stern expression far surpassing Andre's in intensity.
The young Chief shifted nervously under her stare. "C-Condition? What is it?"
"You do understand that this sort of situation is not an A-Rank but an S-Rank category. Please adjust our reward accordingly."
"S-Rank?! Really?!" Natsu shouted in excitement. He was the only one eager about the change while the others were either apprehensive or nervous.
"Oh... I-Is it?" Andre stuttered, embarrassed. "I didn't know... I'm sorry about that... Yes, of course. I'll... I'll increase the amount to what our village can afford at the moment and throw in whatever you desire from our treasury. How about that? Is that reasonable?"
Erza smiled and handed the Chief a document that appeared magically in her hand. "Sounds reasonable. I would like this agreement in writing."
Andre nodded without question as he took the paper. He skimmed it and looked up at Erza, hopeful. "You promise... you will return us back to normal?"
Erza gave him an assuring nod as she placed a hand over her heart. "You have our word. We will save your village. Lucky for us we may actually be prepared for something like this." As she spoke the last part, she glanced over her shoulder, a confident smile on her lips.
All eyes followed her gaze to look directly at Link.
The boy was taken aback by the sudden attention. As he met each of their stares, seeing their wide range of emotions, he started to realize that if anything were to happen to his friends, he would have to be the one to protect them.
A/N: Anyone else a big fan of Silver?! Wish he did more in the series because he's such a cool character. No pun intended.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review!
Below is the first out of four cute little shorts. Thanks to everyone who voted for their favourite characters!
First up is Wendy. Hope you all enjoy!
Hope in the Form of a Smile
Wendy was having another bad day.
She did her best to hide it, but somehow Link was able to see through her fake smile when she entered the guild.
Saying nothing, he handed her a tiny clear glass vase with a single pretty blue flower in it.
"Oh, what's this for?" she asked, her brow raised.
"To cheer you up," he said, a slight frown on his face, "You looked sad this morning and yesterday... and the day before... and the day before that..."
Wendy held back her sigh. "Thank you, Link, but I'm not sad. Just..." Frustrated. Mostly at herself. Despite her efforts, she just couldn't seem to do anything right while training under Porlyusica. Wendy hated to disappoint her teacher, but lately that was all she kept doing after causing one accident after another with her clumsy, clumsy hands...
Wendy smiled at the gift, nonetheless. A genuine smile. "I appreciate this. It did cheer me up a little."
Hearing that was enough to bring a wide grin on his face.
The next day, Link gave her a slightly bigger vase with a handful of purple and yellow wildflowers.
Wendy was truly surprised by yet another kind gesture. "Link, thank you. But you don't need to keep giving me presents."
"I want to," he said, his blue eyes burning with determination, "as long as it cheers you up a little, I'll keep doing it."
And he kept his word despite her protests.
Day after day, when she returned to the guild after a job or training, he would be waiting for her with small gifts to give. Flowers, pretty stones, hair clips, cheap little trinkets and collectibles; whatever he thought Wendy might like.
It eventually became a routine. No matter how tired, frustrated, or upset Wendy got in her lessons, she always looked forward to seeing Link back at Fairy Tail.
She cherished every little gift he gave her, keeping them safe in a wooden jewellery box back in her dorm. With flowers, she would save at least one or two from each bouquet, pressing and drying them between the pages of a heavy book before pasting them into a scrapbook. Whenever she was in a foul mood, she would flip through those pages or sift through her collection to lift her spirit back up.
It was during those first few weeks that Wendy realized that Link was truly happy when she was happy. Knowing that Link would be there to make her smile at the end of day gave her the willpower to keep going, even when she was on the verge of giving up.
She wanted to grow stronger in many different ways so she could always protect him. He was her light and hope, just as she was his.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Take care.