Storms Brewing on the Horizon
Eyes closed, her fingers moved on their own over the holes of her wooden ocarina as she played her song from memory. It was another pleasant day in the forest with the warm midday sun filtering through the canopy above, brightening the sacred meadow.
Her notes filled the air, resonating through the ancient ruins and trees to bring joy and happiness to all who listened. Usually it lifted her spirits too, but today, playing her melody didn't seem to do her any good.
She suddenly stopped and lowered her ocarina to her lap with an exasperated sigh. A fairy gently fluttered down to her face. It was her friend and partner for life, Seri.
"That didn't make the bad feeling go away, Saria?" the fairy asked, sounding quite concerned.
Saria frowned and shook her head, one hand over her heart. "It's still here..." she moaned, her chest tight with worry while her stomach was a sunken pit of dread.
Queen Zelda's premonition had been troubling Saria ever since Rauru had informed the Sages about it. The thought of Ganondorf breaking out of the Evil Realm made them all apprehensive.
However, it wasn't Hyrule that could be in danger, but another kingdom in a faraway land, somewhere in the past. Zelda saw it in her dream, Rauru had said, where Link, still only a child, was destined to stop the evil Ganon once more. But he would not fight alone; the Seven Sages were fated to play a part once more, to somehow bring the Master Sword to the Hero of Time and aid him in battle.
The Sages could not risk breaking the seal on the Evil Realm to confirm Ganondorf's escape, and thus could only believe Zelda's premonition to be true, just to stay on the side of caution. They had their goals set in mind, but first, they had to figure out a way to travel to the right location and time period where the great battle was supposed to take place.
Having no notion on the passing of time, Saria wasn't sure how long they had been hard at work, searching for a solution. Days and years felt the same to her, but she was quite certain a long, long while had passed since they started.
Queen Zelda and the other Sages had tonnes of resources stored in their respective libraries to search through, determined to find the smallest of clues. Long lost spells, ancient artifacts, tales and legends of olden days; nothing got overlooked.
In the forest, however, there were no old, dusty tomes or scrolls lying around, or even stone slabs carved with glyphs that Saria could look into for answers. The Kokiri never kept written records, only stories passed down orally. It used to be the Great Deku Tree who was the keeper of all things known in the woods. When he was still alive, he would impart his vast knowledge and wisdom to those who sought answers.
Saria had tried asking the Little Deku Tree, but the guardian was far too young and his roots too shallow to know of any mysterious magic or powers that may exist somewhere deep in the forest.
Even the Forest Temple and the nearby ruins held no secrets left to uncover. Saria had explored them thoroughly many times before and knew everything about them better than anyone.
With no leads on her end, Saria could only hope the other Sages were having better luck. However, as time went on, she became more and more worried for Link.
She dearly missed him and prayed he was safe wherever he was.
It seemed like forever ago since she had last seen his cheerful smile when he was just a boy. During his adventure in the outside world, he visited her often in the meadow, always excited to share whatever new thing he discovered. Horses at a ranch, a princess at a castle, Zoras in a deep, blue lake, Gorons up in a smoky mountain, and secret Great Fairy Fountains! Wherever he went he would tell Saria all the fascinating details. Until one fateful day, he suddenly stopped coming... sealed away to sleep.
As much as she enjoyed listening to his wonderful – and oftentimes perilous – stories, the fondest memories she held dear to her heart was the time he took on the part-time job as a mask salesman. He would show her each and every one before he sold them.
Some were weird and creepy, others were adorable or silly. Whichever one he wore, it brought a smile on her face. Her favourite was the cute, bright yellow mask of a Keaton fox. They had so much fun taking turns putting it on and trying to trick Mido and the other Kokiri into believing there was an actual Keaton sneaking around the village.
Remembering that day made Saria smile, but it only lasted for a brief second. Nothing could keep the dreadful premonition from intruding her thoughts.
"I'm sure Link is okay," Seri assured, bobbing up and down, trying to sound cheerful. The fairy could always read what was on her partner's mind at first glance. "You know how he is. He can take care of himself in any situation he gets into!"
Saria quietly giggled. "That is true. I shouldn't doubt him. But, if Ganondorf really has returned, then..."
"Don't worry, Saria. He was defeated once before. If he really is back, you, the other Sages, and Link will just have to teach that bad man another lesson! I have faith in you all. I know you can do it!"
Saria nodded and could only hope their wish would come true.
"How about playing your song again?" Seri suggested when she sensed the unease still lingering in Saria's heart. "I'm sure Darunia and the Gorons would love to listen to it while they're busy back in their village!"
Saria burst with laughter as she imagined the Gorons all dancing joyfully to her melody. Link had once described Darunia's dancing as a wild flailing of giant arms and earth-shaking stomps that threatened to shatter the floor of solid rock. Having witnessed the amusing spectacle herself numerous times, Link hadn't been too far from the truth.
Perhaps raising the Gorons' moods could boost their progress with their research. Liking the idea, Saria started to feel better. "You're right. I should help the only way I know how!" she said, giving her partner a grateful smile.
The girl brought the mouthpiece of her ocarina back to her lips and started to play. Her notes flowed to the far corners of the Lost Woods as she poured her heart into her song, hoping to cheer up whoever heard it. It worked like magic; she lost herself to her own music as her worries melted away.
She wasn't sure how long she played. By the time she needed to take a break to catch her breath, the sun was already starting to set beyond the boundary of trees.
Seri fluttered right by her shoulder and chimed with excitement; "Look, Saria, look! Your music attracted a little friend!"
Saria looked down before her feet, expecting to see one of the common forest animals that sometimes liked to stop by to hear her music. Instead, she found a yellow creature with a familiar face.
"A real Keaton!" she gasped, overcome with childish wonder. There were stories told of their existence among the Kokiri, but none had ever seen a real one before. They were often called 'ghost foxes,' a name which suited them perfectly. Saria considered it her lucky day to have a rare chance to see one up close!
The Keaton was male and as small as a Wolfos pup. Keatons supposedly lived very long so this youngling may be a lot older than it appeared to be. Similar to the Kokiri.
The little fox sat on his haunches, his narrow slits for eyes and mouth smiling up at Saria. Swaying gently to and fro behind him were his three, bushy tails that looked soft to the touch.
"Hello there," Saria kindly greeted, keeping her excitement in check so she wouldn't scare the Keaton away.
The adorable creature's ears perked up at the sound of her voice. "Hello!" he replied, his tone chipper and shrill like a very young child.
"Did you like my song?"
The fox nodded and stood on all fours, happily tapping his front feet. "Yes! It was very nice! You must be the one! Keaton was told to follow the music in the forgotten woods to find you!"
Saria blinked and exchanged a confused look with Seri. "Find me? Who told you that?"
"My friend," answered the fox as he paced back and forth, seemingly full of energy. "He said to find the Child of the Forest who will play a special song. Aren't you the Child of the Forest?" Keaton paused and tilted his head curiously.
Saria stared for a moment as she contemplated the odd question. "We Kokiri are sometimes known as the Children of the Forest," she began to explain, gesturing to herself, "There are others like me who live in a village nearby."
Keaton's eyes widened with shock, which was a surprise because Saria didn't think they could be wider than slits.
"There are more Children of the Forest?" asked the fox in disbelief, "Do they all play a special song too?"
"Saria is the one who taught a few other children to play the ocarina," said Seri as she flew down to circle around the fox at a safe distance, looking him over out of caution.
Fascinated, Keaton turned his head to follow the fairy, visibly tempted to chase her around.
"But she is the only one who loves to play her song here in this forest," Seri continued, flitting over to hover safely above Saria's shoulder. "Who is your friend? Why did he want you to find Saria?"
Keaton straightened and padded right up to Saria, his three tails swaying with much more excitement. "My friend, he is very big! Very old! And very wise! He said to find you, Child of the Forest, the one who will play a special song, because he wanted me to tell you something very, very important!"
"Big. Old. And Wise," Seri spoke with a nod at each trait before giggling. "He sounds a lot like the Great Deku Tree."
Keaton laughed, which sounded like whining wheezes. "My friend isn't a tree!" he exclaimed. But then he sat down and cocked his head as if pondering. "Or maybe he's part tree? He doesn't move much and trees are growing on him. Birds like to rest on his great big horns too."
Saria couldn't quite picture what the little fox's friend looked like, but she was intrigued. Smiling, she leaned forward on her stump so she was a little closer to Keaton. "Your friend sounds very gentle. You must have come from far away because I have never heard nor met your friend in these woods before."
Keaton nodded a few times. "Yes, very far! Keaton travelled for days and days and days listening for your song!"
"That must have been quite the journey! What did you need to tell me? It must be urgent if you've come all this way."
"My friend wanted me to let you know..." the fox trailed off, eyes tightly closed to think really hard. They snapped back open, wide-eyed and eager. "Oh, yes! He said that time flows like a river, slow and fast, depending on where you are. The Ayavir ne Sei Nu... The path to veri is not where they seek, but brightest when il kiye au is lost."
Softly humming, Saria knitted her brow at the strange message.
Seri was first to mention what was exactly on the girl's mind; "You said a few odd words there..."
Keaton laughed again. "My friend has a habit of speaking in the old tongue of his kind. He even forgets that I sometimes don't understand him. I'm starting to learn some of his words though!"
"Do you happen to know those old words you've mentioned?" asked Saria as she placed one elbow on her knee to rest her chin on the palm of her hand. "Ay-a-veer Say? I'm sorry, I don't remember it all..."
"Ayavir ne Sei Nu," corrected Keaton, the corners of his narrowed eyes twinkling with amusement; "Seven Wise Ones. Whoever these Seven are, they must follow the flow of time to find what they're looking for. Veri, the shadows. The path to the shadows is brightest when all light, il kiye au, is lost."
Bewildered, Saria straightened in her posture as she tried to make sense of what Keaton had just told her. Seri was quiet beside her, slowly drifting in little circles, appearing just as confused.
It seemed like the old and wise loved to say important things metaphorically. Saria had sat through Rauru's long-winded speeches more than once, too polite to interrupt, only to have everything he said go way over her head so he would have to repeat himself. She wouldn't be surprised if Keaton's friend was just like Rauru in that regard.
"Sounds like your friend knows many things... Who is he exactly?" Saria asked, wanting to find out why Keaton was sent to find her.
"He is my dearest friend!" answered Keaton joyfully.
"Does he... have a name?"
"Name? Oh..." The little fox paused and slightly frowned. "I have known him for a long time but I never asked for his name! Hmm, he calls himself a 'feeble old dragon'. Does that count?"
Saria's eyes widened. A dragon! Darunia had once spoken of an evil one that had terrorized the Gorons and the Fire Temple during Ganondorf's reign of terror. Obviously, the dragon Keaton spoke fondly of was different; a kind, gentle, and wise old friend.
Before Saria could question any further, Keaton suddenly stood with his ears and tails shooting straight up as if startled by a very loud noise.
"I must go!" said Keaton, turning around. He bounded towards the mossy wall under the main entrance of the Forest Temple. He stopped short of reaching the border of plants that grew as tall as him and glanced back at Saria and Seri, smiling. "Thank you for the song! Please do not forget my message, Child of the Forest!" He vanished into the greenery and should have immediately encountered a dead end.
Saria hopped off her stump and sprinted to where Keaton had gone. Down on her knees, she parted the plants and found a small hole beneath the ancient stone wall.
Seri flew into the mouth of the hole, casting her natural light within the tunnel as she peered inside. "Was this always here? The little Keaton must've made this, but it doesn't look like it's been recently dug... I wonder where it leads to?"
A new mystery. Saria shrugged and smiled. Just when she thought she knew her forest by heart, there was always something new to discover in places she had never thought to look.
It truly did feel like her lucky day – or perhaps it was fate that had brought her a mystical Keaton with a very important, yet strange, message passed down by a dragon.
Saria got up and dusted off her knees. She started to walk towards the Forest Platform situated near the entrance of the meadow with Seri following over her shoulder. Carefully, she mulled over Keaton's words. The Seven Wise Ones... Could that be the same as the Seven Sages? she wondered.
With the message still fresh in her mind, she hurried to the Chamber of Sages to share what she had learned.
It was a bitterly cold and windy day, which, according to Romeo, wasn't unusual in the beginning of February. The windmill of the Training Building creaked and groaned and the air was dazzling from snow crystals blowing under the sunlight. Climbing up the icy hill to the Training Grounds was a miserable trek that morning. Link would have preferred to stay warm and cozy in the comfort of Fairy Tail if it weren't for Erza forcefully dragging him and Romeo with her.
It was only just yesterday that Lupus had finally finished Erza's set of dragon gear, the very last of Fairy Tail's requests. The harsh weather did little to stop her from wanting to train right away. Due to the complexity and very detailed specifications she had requested for each of her items, it took Lupus well over a week to complete her equipment. The Celestial Spirit had worked almost non-stop from start to finish – with a few naps here and there – all the while grumbling and complaining and keeping Lucy up at odd hours each night because the spirit had converted her apartment into his workshop. It also took over eighty high-grade beef steaks to feed his ravenous appetite, which Erza had fortunately helped pay for.
Lucy had been grateful that everyone had given her the funds to buy the expensive meat in return for the wolf's services. Extra materials were also provided by each member of the guild because not all items could be made with just the dragon horn itself. Metals, gems, fabrics, leathers, inks, paints, and whatever else required for crafting; the guild went out of their way to gather the necessary materials.
Now that Fairy Tail was fully equipped with weapons, armour, and accessories designed to take on dragons and other mighty foes, Lucy and Lupus were able to get some much deserved rest.
Despite the layers Link wore, he was shivering as he and Romeo followed right behind Erza and Jellal towards the backyard of the Training Grounds. Erza was just too eager to start that they didn't even take a moment to warm up inside!
Link could hear Natsu and a few others complain about the cold as they, too, followed the group outdoors.
Because it was Erza, there was bound to be injuries so Wendy, Carla, Natsu, Happy, and Gray had tagged along, hoping to be Erza's voice of reason.
And because it was Erza, Jellal was inclined to join when she had – more or less – commanded him, claiming it would be an opportunity for him to practice a bit more with his new set of staves.
It was going to be a three-on-one battle; Link, Romeo, and Jellal versus Erza.
The team-up had Link brimming with so much excitement that he had forgotten about the cold the instant they entered the battle ring. It was a rectangular arena of paved stone that was bordered by a wooden, medium-tall fence, both marked with runes. The powerful enchantment created an invisible barrier that nullified all magic before it could leave the boundaries of the ring, allowing mages to let loose with their spells without fear of destroying anything nearby. It also concealed magical energy from the outside world, making it safe for Link to use his magic freely.
However, because it stopped magic from leaving the ring, it restricted Jellal's telepathic communication and senses. He always erred on the side of caution, so rarely did he ever step foot in the arena.
It was subtle, but Link could see his master's discomfort by the stiffness of his movements. However, the man made no complaint as he continued to follow Erza's lead. Wendy and the others waited on the outside of the fence, either cheering, shouting, or looking on with apprehension.
As they made their way towards the centre of the arena, Erza turned her head to Jellal and said, "A bit chilly out. Wouldn't mind if you warmed this place up."
Jellal grunted. "Is that the main reason you wanted me here?"
She quietly chuckled, her teasing grin partially hidden by the collar of her parka. "Of course not. I'm certain the boys appreciate having you on their side for the bit of fun we're going to have, am I right?" She glanced over her shoulder at Link and Romeo, a devious glint in her eye.
Link smiled and nodded enthusiastically.
Romeo, however, stumbled and quickly stammered out in a squeaky voice; "Y-Yes, ma'am!"
Link looked at Romeo in concern. The older boy had been quiet and trembling since they left the guild. Link thought it was because of the weather, but it was now clear Romeo was badly shaking out of fear. Pale as the surrounding snow, the older boy was afraid to make eye-contact with Erza.
It was then that Link realized that this would be the first time Romeo had ever stood against Erza in a battle. With Macao out of town for the next few days, there was no overprotective father to stand in the way of Titania's definition of a 'friendly spar'. The boys would definitely not come out unscathed by the end of it.
Jellal sighed and stopped, making the three of them pause and wait. With a wave of his hand, he magically brought out his sash of staves belted over his shoulder. Alongside Rain Stick and Heaven's Rod, he had three new staves that Lupus had crafted to replace the ones he had lost during the battle against Doriate of Succubus Eye; Stormbringer, Frostbite, and Hellstrom.
Out of the three, the largest and strongest was Stormbringer, composed mostly out of Dreadwing's horn. It stood half a meter taller than Jellal's full height with the main shaft carved to resemble a pair of tightly twisting serpent bodies. One was shiny gold and the other was painted a glossy black, both with layered scales that got spinier near the top. Their heads morphed into enormous twin horns that curved up and inwards to form a hollow chamber with their points, where grasped within was a large ruby orb that gleamed like the eye of a dragon.
The mighty staff could instantly call forth the elements of a thunderstorm with only a flick; crackling lightning straight from the clouds, gusts as powerful as Wendy's breath, and torrential downpours that could flood an area within seconds. At its true potential, Jellal surmised it could summon a storm strong enough to destroy an entire town, but hadn't dared to attempt such a feat outside the enchanted ring.
Next to Stormbringer was the shorter, more eye-catching Frostbite with its crystal-clear blades on top that sparkled radiantly like diamonds under the sun. The magical and very expensive King Glacialfang Tiger tooth hadn't gone to waste. No longer needed for the Immalgus Seal, the fang was returned to Crime Sorcière for they were the ones who had found and purchased it.
Lupus had combined the tiger tooth with dragon horn to forge a sturdy, elegant staff that resembled a spear. The shaft was smooth and polished like gold with the bottom embedded with a rounded, sapphire jewel. Attached at the top was the fang, split into two and reformed into identical, curved blades that were jagged and wickedly sharp, their long, needle-like points extending far above the tip of the rod. In warmer temperatures, the blades would emit a pale, shimmering mist because they were so cold they would freeze the moisture in the surrounding air.
As implied by its given name, Frostbite could conjure up icy blasts of wind to instantly freeze anything in place. Ice, hail, frost, and snow were under Jellal's command when he wielded the bladed staff.
To counter the numbing cold brought upon by Frostbite – or in this case, winter – Jellal had Hellstrom to heat things up. He selected it from its holster, a heavy staff forged from solid black metal. Fiery red runes, engraved along the entire length of the shaft, granted it protection from extreme heat, which was necessary to contain the incredible power enclosed within the dark metal claws at the top.
Jellal tapped the blunt end of the staff against the stone ground to produce a sharp, metal clang. The claws opened up like a flower to reveal the crimson crystal dragon perched like a king upon a pedestal of ruby flame. It was Natsu's father, Igneel, magically reshaped from the Dragon Slayer's Hell-Fire Lacrima.
Since Natsu had no more use with the Lacrima, he had given it to Jellal when asked, but with one condition. Jellal had reluctantly agreed to go along with the condition, not wanting to pass up on the ability to control the flames of a Hellfire Dragon and Fire Dragon Slayer combined. And thus, the Lacrima now stood proud as a miniature statue of the King of Flames, making Hellstrom a favourite to Natsu, Happy, and the children of Fairy Tail.
One more tap and the runes of the staff flashed to life and the crystal dragon shone white-hot before bursting with bright orange fire. An intense heat radiated from the small flame, enough to quickly overtake the chill of the winter winds.
Jellal tossed Hellstrom into the air and, with a quick wave of his hand, levitated it off to the side towards the fence, close to where the others were watching. It hovered in place slightly above ground, acting like a torch to keep the arena heated. Snowdrifts around it were already turning into slush and it wouldn't be long until the ring was covered in puddles.
Seeing the little dragon burning always brought a wide smile on Natsu's face. He pumped his fists into the air and shouted, "Go all out, Bacon! Romeo! Whup Erza's ass! You guys can do it! Maybe!"
"And try not to die!" was Happy's cheerful encouragement from his perch atop a fence post.
Sharing the same seat beside him, Carla shook her head at his poor choice of words.
"Happy, don't say that!" Wendy cried, appalled. She grew even more worried for Link and Romeo that she started to plead; "Erza, please! Please don't hurt them too much! Okay? Promise?!"
"Of course. I won't go too far," Erza replied, her lips curling into a strange smile.
"Uh oh," Gray uttered, a grimace on his face; "I know that look. It's not going to end well... Good thing Macao's not here to see this."
Hearing that made Romeo start to panic. He held himself tight and stuttered between quick, deep breaths; "I-I'm going to die... I'm going to die! Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no..."
"Don't worry a thing, Romeo, I'm not going to kill you," Erza tried to assure and yet her tone wasn't quite convincing and she still had that odd, odd smile.
"It's only practice," Link reminded Romeo as well, hoping to calm him down. But of course, 'practice' didn't mean anything when they were up against Erza.
Romeo gaped at Link in disbelief. He gripped the younger boy's shoulders and leaned right by his ear. In a harsh whisper, which to Link sounded like a raspy screech, Romeo said, "Are you forgetting this is Erza?! She doesn't know the meaning of 'holding back'! I... I'm not as brave as you, okay? I've never fought dragons or demons or demons reincarnated as Erza before in my entire life! I don't even know why I got dragged into this!"
"Because I know you're more capable than what you believe," said Erza, having easily overheard him.
Romeo tensed up. Nervously, he turned to face Erza who stood with her hands on her hips, but she appeared rather curious than angry.
"I've heard you two have been working on a Unison Raid with your new weapons this past month," she continued, "I'd like to see how effective it is against my new armour."
"Who told you that?! It was supposed to be a secret!" exclaimed Romeo while Link was just as surprised.
"Natsu told pretty much everyone," she answered with a lazy gesture in the Dragon Slayer's direction.
Romeo pouted. "Natsu! You weren't supposed to tell anyone!"
Natsu raised his brow questionably as he leaned forward and crossed his arms atop the fence. "Eh, really? But you guys kept talking about it back at the guild."
"Yeah, it was hard to miss your conversations," said Gray, chuckling.
"Oh..." Romeo scratched behind his neck as his face turned slightly red. He exchanged a look with Link. "I guess we get a little too excited when we talk about it, huh?"
Link smiled sheepishly. It was true the pair often got carried away discussing their new special move whenever they thought no one was listening. It had occupied their minds and training ever since Romeo had brought up the neat idea of trying a Unison Raid together, shortly after receiving their equipment from Lupus.
Only once had Link ever seen a Unison Raid, and it was during the Grand Magic Games when Sting and Rogue had combined their magic into one powerful attack against Natsu. Unison Raids were extremely strong spells and looked easy to do, but in reality were very difficult to pull off, as Link and Romeo had learned the hard way. It required precise timing, control, and coordination to merge two spells together into something new and spectacular.
"It's not really a Unison Raid... yet," Romeo started to explain, anxiously fidgeting with his hands, "but, more like... a team-attack at this point? We still haven't gotten the timing right so it's very rough around the edges!"
"Rough edges? Our weapons aren't rough, they're very sharp," Link corrected.
Romeo groaned and shook his head at him. "I wasn't talking about our weapons, I was talking about our technique!"
But Link didn't quite understand what he meant. How could a technique be physically rough as stone?
Thankfully, Jellal drew Link's attention away from the bewildering thought when the man said, "A Unison Raid takes time and dedication to master. Although few have been successful within their first try if their magic is easily compatible with their partner's. Link, with your magic so different from Romeo's, there is a chance it may not be feasible."
Link frowned in disappointment.
"What?! No way! Are you serious?!" Romeo cried, throwing his arms into the air.
"I didn't say it was entirely impossible," said Jellal with a slight shake of his head and a wave of a finger; "But it is an obstacle the two of you will have to take into consideration. If you have the basic fundamentals down, then I do not doubt you will eventually find a way to somehow adapt and overcome it."
"Perhaps I can give you boys a few pointers that could help," suggested Erza, her eyes staring at them with anticipation. Meanwhile her mouth twisted into a grin so sinister that even Link was beginning to have second thoughts. "Hurry and change into your gear so we can get started!"
There wasn't even a moment for anyone to blink when Erza already magically shifted out of her warm winter clothes and into her bright and shiny new armour. Sharp gasps of awe could be heard as all eyes were drawn to Erza's seemingly extravagant, yet also intimidating form.
She towered before Link and Romeo for she now had a pair of large golden horns atop her head, making her look a foot taller. Smooth, mighty, and fierce; their deadly points curved forward to always gleam towards whatever she faced. The horns appeared to be growing out of her own skull because her loose, voluminous, and wavy scarlet hair hid away the band that held them in place.
Around her neck was a thick collar of gilded metal with a silver medallion in the middle, stamped with Lupus's golden crest. Pauldrons guarded her shoulders, the right piece rounded smooth and layered, while the left was armed with multiple curved spikes of gold. Her gilded gauntlets were also plated and viciously spiky, each finger ending with a sharp claw. Twin, runed armlets of intertwining gold and silver bands protected her upper arms, both shimmering blue with magic.
Her body armour was more like an elegant, dazzling dress of shiny, little, layered scales of gold rimmed with black, conforming with her natural curves. The tapered bottoms touched down to her knees and the sides were split from the hips, showing her bare thighs adorned with another set of gold and silver, runed bands that softly shone blue. A belt of yellow cloth cinched above her waist where short, sparkling, crystal-beaded tassels dangled all around her hips. She had plated knees that bore a single horn each and wore black heeled boots protected by golden, spiked greaves.
To further enhance her chances to take on dragons and other flying foes head-on, her armour was also designed with a double pair of wings. They were neatly folded behind her back, scaled and webbed to match the look of some of the great beasts of the sky. The wingtips were long and seemingly frayed and light, making it appear she wore an ethereal cloak of soft gold that fluttered in the wind.
"Wow! Erza's so gorgeous!" Link heard Wendy exclaim, completely enamoured.
Beautiful to some. A true terror to many others.
Link saw Erza as the latter, especially when she could easily wield the weapon she had wanted Lupus to make; an enormous, two-handed great sword that was larger than she was tall. It was a solid, very broad, curved blade that had been polished and sharpened to look like gilded steel. Etched along the flat, dull side of the blade was an ornate, zigzag-like pattern pulsing with white light, appearing like lightning streaking across the shiny surface.
Grinning, Erza rested the narrowed point of the sword on the ground, holding it vertically beside her by the silvery metal hilt that was over two feet long. The guard of the weapon was the same silver, thick and strong and sharp at the ends, adorned with Lupus's mark gleaming at the base.
By the amount of intricate detail and polish on her entire equipment set, it was evident that Lupus had indeed spent a lot of time and painstaking effort in crafting each piece.
Jaws to the floor, Link and Romeo both had to take a few steps back from the sheer amount of magic emanating from Erza. The air felt heavy with her smothering aura, making Link break out in a nervous sweat.
Romeo's amazement immediately turned into absolute fear. His knees buckled. He grabbed onto Link's arm for support as he stared wide-eyed at Erza. "Insane! There's no way I'm going to survive against you! You're going to end up breaking every bone in my body because y-you're as strong as... as..."
"Nearly as strong as Dreadwing itself," Jellal finished for Romeo. While everyone else was amazed, shocked, or terrified of Erza's new armour, the mage of Crime Sorcière remained composed.
Erza raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Only 'nearly'?"
Arms crossed, Jellal looked her over and nodded, a smirk evident by the glint in his eye. "That is correct. Still very impressive overall. Dreadwing is known to be close in power to Acnologia. Wearing that armour puts you somewhere just below them in terms of magical strength."
That comparison brought a terrified whimper from Romeo and an invigorated roar from Natsu.
"Erza! You're fighting me next! Got that?!" Natsu challenged, pointing a flaming finger at her.
She sneered at the burning Dragon Slayer, eager to destroy him in combat, no doubt. "I would love to, but first," she turned back to Link and Romeo and flexed her free hand before her, golden claws curling into a fist repeatedly, "I'll need to get acquainted with this new armour and test its limits. As powerful as it is, it's a huge strain on my body trying to maintain this much magic under control. Will have to build up some endurance somehow. Can't equip it for too long, so boys, hurry and get ready. Show me your Unison Raid! I will stay on the defensive for now, so cast aside your fears!"
Link nodded tentatively, knowing Erza on the defense was no less dangerous.
"Y-Yes, ma'am..." Romeo mumbled meekly, bowing his head and accepting his fate. He pulled away from Link and brought out their equipment with a flick of his wrist, piling their weapons, armour, and clothing on the ground.
With the cold no longer a problem, the boys quickly changed out of their winter garb and into their dragon gear.
Link had new items mixed with the old, having sadly traded his precious Dreamstone in order to have Lupus fulfill Link's request. Dragonsteel gauntlets and boots, the Sky Cloak of Warding, and Sky Bow were now accompanied with a short-sleeved, tunic-styled scale mail, a shiny shield, a cool mask, and Dragonslayer, reforged anew as Lupus had promised.
After Link buckled his belt holding his item pouch and Celestial Spirit Keys around his waist, he adjusted the bottoms of his tunic mail that reached halfway to his knees. The armour was similar to Erza's dress, but his layered scales were larger and painted a shiny emerald green bordered with silver. It had small, silver shoulder guards and a silvery plate to further protect his upper chest, which proudly displayed Lupus's emblem on the left breast. The armour was a little heavy, but provided strong protection against the magical elements of lightning, wind, water, and ice.
To further raise his defensive capabilities, Link was equipped with the sturdy Storm Shield. It was shaped like his steel one, but with horn-like protrusions on the three points on the top rim. It was lighter in weight and a lot shinier too, polished smooth like a golden mirror. Link had asked Lupus to copy the design painted on his old shield and the wolf didn't disappoint. On the reflective surface, the crimson bird soared above the Triforce outlined in black. Lupus also added his own touches, replacing the bottom symbol with a tiny red silhouette of a flying dragon and engraving an ornate pattern along the thick, outer rim made mostly out of steel.
The Storm Shield could withstand the strongest of blows – even Erza's demonic strength! But best of all, with a well-timed parry, Link could reflect some spells right back at the caster. Although pulling that manoeuvre successfully required a lot more practice.
Last, but not least of Link's new gear, was a magical mask that held a special power and heartfelt memories; the Dragon Keaton mask. Wanting to take after the Legendary Hero – and mimic Romeo's new look – Link wore the yellow face of Keaton the fox. However, it wasn't exactly the same as the original mask of the Hero; instead of a smooth yellow, the face was textured with carved scales, had a pair of little horns between the long, pointy ears, and a slightly longer nose with visible fangs in its smile, giving it a draconic appearance. Wearing the mask boosted Link's spells whenever he fired arrows from his Sky Bow or unleashed an attack with Dragonslayer.
Link straightened his mask on his face just as Romeo finished putting on his own, the black, bird mask of Crow. They both looked at each other behind their disguises, with Link smiling and Romeo appearing a little more confident.
Originally handmade by his future counterpart from the bone and scales of a Cinder Dragon, Romeo's mask had been transformed and upgraded with magical properties from Lupus's amazing handiwork. Combined with a piece of Dreadwing's horn, Romeo's new mask was the face of a fiercer bird with a sharper beak and a short, golden horn sprouting from its forehead. The black, gold-tipped scales that covered it were refined with more details, making them closely resemble true feathers from afar. Fueled by the powers of the mask, Romeo's flames burned twice as strong and the magic from his dragon blades were mightier than before, especially Salamander's.
The black mask fit well with his dark outfit crafted out of dragon horn and other materials by Lupus's hands. Influenced by his Rainbow Fire master, Totomaru, Romeo went with the style of a ninja, wearing light-weight armour and tight, form-fitting clothes. Fingerless gloves with silvery, plated vambraces protected his forearms and smooth, layered pieces of leather and silver covered his shoulders. Strapped around his dark boots were shin-guards, thinly plated, but durable. In place of his old yellow scarf, Romeo now had a white one speckled with golden pieces of dragon horn woven in the silken material. The long ends flowed and sparkled behind him like mystical little wings, the tassels soft and feathery.
Although his defense paled in comparison to Link and others, his magical outfit was best suited for speed and flexibility. Romeo was constantly training hard – and hurting himself in the process – to make his body move and react as quick as lightning. 'A trait of a ninja,' as he loved to quote.
Continuing to follow in the footsteps of his master, Romeo had a katana belted by his left hip. Lightning Striker, he called it; a sharp and beautiful blade that appeared to be made of gilded metal like Erza's great sword. And just like its name, Romeo could deal an electrified attack with a quick draw of his weapon.
Matching his katana, Romeo had a new dagger added to his collection that was strapped across his body. Despite being the smallest of his knives, Thunderbolt outshone them all with its fancy golden hilt and elaborate sheath. Always crackling with yellow lightning when drawn by his hand, the short dagger was meant to be thrown like a ninja kunai to shock and paralyze whatever it struck.
Now fully armed and dressed for battle, the boys turned and faced Erza together, one standing more boldly than the other.
She nodded at them in satisfaction. With the strength of one arm, she heaved her sword to rest the flat edge over her right shoulder.
"Looks like you're both all set," she said, taking a few steps back while spreading her large, magnificent wings open behind her. Each had a wingspan that stretched twice her height, fully displaying the elegant, swirly pattern of black lines drawn on the webbing.
Before she could make another move, Jellal took a step forward and pointed a finger at her. "Erza," he said sternly, "you better keep your word. Please refrain from accidentally killing them. Me included."
Erza chuckled as if he was only joking. She cocked her head and gave him a knowing look. "If something goes out of hand, I can trust you to stop me, Mystogan. Now boys, shall we begin? Come at me!"
With a mighty flap of her wings, she launched backwards into the air and stirred up a gale that nearly knocked the three of them off their feet. She softly touched down at the very end of the ring and beckoned Link and Romeo with her free hand, anticipating their not-quite-perfect Unison Raid.
Obedient, Link slid Dragonslayer free from its scabbard and held it by his side. The lustrous blade had been restored to its full length and was still as strong and sharp as ever. The hilt, once a metallic blue, was now shiny and gold to match his Storm Shield, and the guard had been changed from beastly claws to a pair of stout, twisted horns of a golden dragon. The onyx jewel remained intact, embedded in the centre like a watchful eye. Now infused with Dreadwing's power, Dragonslayer could do more than just slice through anything.
Romeo hesitated and soundly gulped. He looked at Jellal, his quivering voice betraying the fear hidden under his mask as he asked, "You can stop her, right?"
Sighing, Jellal glanced from Romeo to Erza and back to Romeo. "No idea," he answered with a shrug before bringing Stormbringer forward, holding the large staff in both hands. "She doesn't even know what to expect wielding that much power. Just don't let your guard down at all costs, understand? This is mainly your battle, but I will lend my support when the situation calls for it. And knowing Erza, there will be some sort of chaos bound to happen... Be careful, all right?"
Link nodded. "Yes, Master."
"Yes... Yes, sir," Romeo uttered, raking an anxious hand through his hair. He took a couple deep breaths, hopped on his feet, and shook his hands to loosen tense muscles. "Okay okay okay... I can do this. I can fight Erza. It's just Erza. Just. Erza. Oh gods! Link, lend me some of your courage! I desperately need it!"
"I want to but I don't know how," said Link, furrowing his brow.
"A few words of encouragement would do, perhaps," Jellal advised privately to Link, "Better hurry. Looks like Erza's getting a little impatient."
A minute hadn't even gone by. Link took a quick peek at Erza and flinched from the grumpy look she was shooting at them. Not only that, the sky directly above them had suddenly gone dark as a rectangular cover of gray clouds had gathered within the invisible boundaries of the ring. It was very odd to see when the sky outside the arena was still clear and sunny. Link could sense it was Erza's magic at work, a storm summoned by her mood alone.
"Uh, Romeo, don't be afraid," Link tried to assure his brother as he followed Jellal's advice, "We can do this! If you want, I can go first."
Romeo paused and abruptly shook his head. "You can't do that, it'll ruin the formation! Okay, you're right. We can do this. I can do this." He took another deep breath and lightly smacked the sides of his face. "All right, here we go. Unison Raid attempt number... uh, what are we at? A hundred and ninety-four?"
"Aren't we at two hundred?"
Romeo gasped. "Really? We already failed that many times?"
"Yes. Two hundred and six times actually."
"Damn, well–"
"Boys!" Erza roared from across the arena, tired of waiting; "If you two aren't going to come at me, then allow me to strike first!"
There was now lightning and thunder rumbling in the isolated cluster of twisting clouds to further intensify her threat. The air had gotten tingly all of a sudden, making every hair on Link's body stand on end.
Romeo jumped. "We're coming! We're on our way!" he screamed, his voice unnaturally shrill. To Link, he whispered, "A-Are you ready?"
Link nodded and fell into his stance, eyes locked on their opponent.
"Okay, here goes nothing..." Romeo muttered under his breath as he shifted into his own stance. "Unison Raid attempt number two hundred and... and seven: Ultimate Whirlwind Lightning Storm Slash! Here we go!"
"Wait!" Link cried, causing Romeo to nearly trip over his own feet.
Romeo spun around, panicking. "What?! What's wrong?! Did I miss something?!"
Link slightly tilted his head. "I thought we were going to call it 'Ultimate Wind and Lightning Blade Dance'?"
Romeo scoffed and crossed his arms. "Huh? No. We agreed on 'Ultimate Whirlwind Lightning Storm Slash.' We discussed this last night!"
"But didn't you say–"
"Boys," Jellal groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Nevermind the name! Erza is about to lose her temper any second now if you don't get moving!"
Romeo flinched back into his stance. "R-Right! Yes, sir! Link, we're sticking with 'Ultimate Whirlwind Lightning Storm Slash,' okay? Here we go!" He launched ahead without waiting for a response, dashing at a blazing speed with flames erupting from his heels. Puddles of water and steam burst from each explosive step he took, leaving a misty trail in his wake. He was a dark, fiery blur as he zipped side to side across the arena towards Erza in hope of confusing her.
Staying behind, Link was pouting for he was sure they had decided on the other name for their Unison Raid. Nevertheless, he waited diligently for Romeo's signal before it was time to act, keeping his eyes and magic sense on Erza. Since she was so overpowering in her dragon armour, it wasn't difficult to quickly pinpoint her exact position.
It took mere seconds before Romeo got within range for the first step of their attack. There was a flash of gold and flickering yellow. Thunderbolt was thrown. However, Romeo's aim was way off; his crackling dagger soared right above the horns on Erza's head and bounced off the invisible barrier behind her. Amused, she smirked at his effort.
There was an audible exclamation of the forbidden word coming from Romeo as he skidded to a crouching stop just off to the side. He whipped his head towards Link and shouted frantically, "Uh! B! Switch to B!" He hesitated for a few seconds longer before mustering the courage to charge straight for Titania.
Plan B. Link instantly shifted in his stance, dropping his shield hand to grasp Libra's Key to summon her at once.
Technically, their foe, which was Erza in this case, was supposed to be paralyzed so Link and Romeo could land their attacks much easier, just like how they practiced against stationary targets back at their Super Secret Training Grounds.
But with Romeo still in the midst of mastering his accuracy with Thunderbolt – combined with his fear of Erza – there was a known chance he would miss. So a backup strategy was devised: Use Libra to keep their target immobilized.
"Plan B, Libra. Hold down Erza's feet," Link commanded, speaking quietly so Erza wouldn't notice the Celestial Spirit awaiting beside him. Libra nodded, her eyes narrowing on their opponent. The spirit tilted her arms to cast her magic.
Luckily, Romeo had Erza's full attention; he was upon her before she realized their plan. His katana slashed out as quick as the lightning it possessed. However, Erza was just as fast, swinging her giant blade forward to use the broad side like a wall to defend against his strike. When their swords connected, deafening thunder cracked and a blinding flash of yellow lightning appeared to strike down from the clouds between them.
Romeo was thrown back with a pained yelp, but was able to recover and flip around in midair. He landed roughly on his feet and slid to a stop several metres away from Erza.
Meanwhile, the impact had sent Erza falling backwards in an awkward position due to Libra's gravity locking her feet onto the very ground she stood on. Fortunate for her, she had a strong set of wings to help her quickly regain her balance. Standing straight back up, she took note of Libra's presence, her amusement turning into a delightful grin.
Romeo vigorously shook his head and arms, his body likely tingling from the electric shock. He shoved his katana in its scabbard, took a few noticeably deep, calming breaths, and sprang back into action.
Link was tense, holding his weapons in a white-knuckled grip as he watched intently for Romeo's signal.
Romeo went for another direct, frontal assault, forcing Erza to block with her great sword once more when he moved to draw his katana. However, it was a feint; the boy swerved and ran past her a good short distance before twisting around in a screeching halt. Lightning Striker was drawn and raised towards the sky, the blade flashing bright with arcing bolts of yellow electricity.
That was the signal!
Holding his breath, Link concentrated his magic and cast Farore's Wind. The world before his eyes was a blinding green as he was swept up by a tempest. In the next moment, he reappeared behind Erza, but he was facing away from her. Reorienting himself in the right direction after teleportation was something he hadn't quite figured out yet.
He met Romeo's gaze and together they performed their special sword attacks; Romeo lunged at Erza's winged back just as Link spun on his heel, infusing Dragonslayer with magical energy that turned from blue to red to yellow.
The hardest part of their team manoeuvre was the timing. In theory, if their attacks managed to land on their target at the same time, their magic was supposed to merge into an awesome new spell. But more often than not, either Link or Romeo would be quicker than the other by a fraction of a second or more.
This time Romeo was ahead when he was first to yell their attack with Link shortly behind; "Unison Raid: Ultimate Lightning Whirlwind Storm Slash!"
Lightning Striker crackled as Romeo slashed downward on one of Erza's folded wings, releasing deadly, blinding bolts of lightning from his sword. Just a half-second later, Link unleashed the magic in his sword, spinning in rapid circles on one foot to transform the energy into a tall, howling whirlwind of blazing yellow that protected him from all sides. Anything caught in the twisting winds would be shredded to pieces if not blown away. Having practiced their Unison Raid so many times, Romeo and Link knew how far apart they had to be in order to avoid hurting each other.
Link saw nothing but yellow as he spun as fast as his whirlwind, unable to tell if his sword or magic was hitting anything. When the light and his spell dissipated after what felt like a long minute, he found himself lying on his back, seeing the world still spinning without him.
The face of a black bird appeared in his vision, blurry and twisty like the stormy sky. "You okay, Link?" Romeo asked.
"Did it work this time?" Link asked as he stayed on the ground, too dizzy to get up.
"Nope. Attempt number two hundred and seven was another fail," said Romeo, sighing in slight frustration. "Our attacks didn't even faze Erza either..."
"Nothing but a tickle on my back," she said calmly from somewhere nearby.
It was a moment longer when Link finally regained his bearings. Romeo lent a hand to pull him up.
The frayed, golden tips of Erza's wings fluttered in Link's face. She was still held down by the dutiful Libra who would not relent unless commanded to do so. What Romeo said was true; there wasn't a scratch or even a hair out of place on Erza's head from the boys' attacks. It was no surprise considering the armour she wore.
Unable to turn around, Erza could only look over her shoulder at the pair. "Although the Unison Raid was not a success, what you both tried to do was still quite impressive," she commented, a pleased smile on her lips. "You had the right approach. An opponent who had yet to see your abilities would have certainly been taken out by the surprise. Work on timing your execution and overcome the obstacle Mystogan had mentioned earlier. A perfect Unison Raid isn't too far for the both of you to achieve."
"Really?" said Romeo, pushing his mask to rest it atop his head. Erza's praise brought the biggest grin on his face, making Link smile just the same.
"Being able to trust one another is a key factor and you both share that unwavering bond. I look forward to the day when you succeed." Erza's smile lingered only a second longer when it suddenly turned cruel. "Now then, you boys had your fun. It is my turn to play!" Grunting, she broke free from Libra's gravity seemingly without effort and took to the air, laughing wickedly as she shot towards the darkening clouds.
The gales created by her wings sent Link and Romeo flat on their backs. By the time they got back up, Erza was hovering beneath the eye of a dangerous cyclone forming within the rectangular confines of the enchanted battle ring. Lightning flashed and thunder roared in the thickening storm clouds as Erza's armour and sword began to shine with intense, electrifying power. The winds blew stronger and harsh, able to blast away Hellstrom's heat that once shielded them from winter's bite. It started to rain, which quickly turned to sleet, then finally snow; becoming a raging blizzard that instantly chilled Link to the bone.
"H-Hey! What is she doing?!" Romeo shrieked, gawking at the flying terror known as Erza. "She said she would stay on the defensive!"
"I think she lied..." said Link, which was often the case when Titania was enjoying the 'friendly spar' a little too much. He shivered from the cold and trepidation, realizing they would soon be in a world of hurt as Erza's magic spiked to an incredible level. Worried for Libra, he dismissed her back home so she wouldn't have to suffer the painful wrath of Titania.
He noticed Wendy and the others frantically waving and shouting on the other side of the fence, but he couldn't hear a word over the storm.
"Mystogan! Help!" Romeo pleaded when Jellal quickly ran up to them.
Jellal was visibly more annoyed than concerned about the situation as he stood in front of the boys, his eyes glaring through the blowing snow at Erza. Hellstrom was back in its holster while he held Stormbringer ready by his side, the ruby orb at the top pulsing with energy like a beating heart. "She's going to unleash something catastrophic! Link, use your barrier to protect yourselves!"
Putting away his weapons, Link nodded and wrapped his arms around Romeo. He hesitated when Jellal didn't move to join them. "But what about you, Master?!"
"Don't worry about me!" Jellal snapped, keeping his attention on Erza; "Use your barrier, Link! Now!"
The boy frowned, but didn't dare disobey. He shut his eyes tightly to concentrate as Romeo clung to him for dear life. His magic surged and he focused on weaving the energy around them, instantly forming a diamond-shaped barrier of blue crystal. The storm was silenced and the biting winds were no more. They were safely encased within Nayru's Love.
Ears ringing and shivering from the frost on their drenched clothes, the brothers huddled together for warmth. They watched in dread at the growing chaos outside.
In the eye of the storm, Erza had raised her great sword straight up, high above her head like a rod to attract the lightning from the clouds. Every strike of lightning charged her blade, making it shine brighter and brighter with overflowing energy, lighting up every corner of the sky.
Meanwhile, Jellal stood his ground down below, waving his staff in the air with the ruby orb now steadily glowing red. White sparks danced across the great horns as Jellal was preparing a spell that could hopefully counter Erza's magic.
Romeo uttered a curse under his breath. "Whatever Erza's doing, it looks like a super, crazy strong attack! Would be so awesome to see if it wasn't aimed at us! Link," he hugged the younger boy tightly, his voice quivering, "do you think your barrier is strong enough to protect us if Mystogan can't stop her?"
Link nodded, determined to maintain his barrier no matter what. If Nayru's Love could withstand multiple punches from a brute demon, Natsu's fiery breath, Gray's ice weapons, Gajeel's iron blades, and Erza's freakish strength – the last four tested about half a month ago – then there was the slightest possibility that it could survive against a single, powerful magical blow from Erza. At least, Link could only hope. "Yes, I think we'll be okay," he answered confidently.
However, he underestimated Erza's true power when equipped with her new dragon armour...
There was a blinding flash of yellow light as if the sun had exploded and swallowed the heavens with its radiance. It was the last thing Link saw before all his senses went completely numb, followed by nothingness.
The dark and empty corridor echoed with each of his footfalls as he marched through like a man with a purpose. But it was all just a facade. He was bored and restless and had already wandered the entire fortress and the desolate, ugly world outside for what felt like an eternity. Every imperfection in the stone bricks, every fascinating detail in the architecture, every new change no matter how slight; he had memorized it all for the past, slow, agonizing month.
Gonna go mad if we're stuck up here for another damn month, he grumbled bitterly to himself. One month of nothing but waiting around, getting on each other's nerves. Normally, he was calm, collected, and unyielding like his element, however there had been several instances where he was tempted to wipe that annoying, snarky grin off Jackal's stupid mug. Ezel had already gotten into a tussle with Jackal more than once and the end result was never pretty for either of them.
Thus, Silver was constantly on the move day and night, wandering all parts of the fortress and outer grounds, purposely avoiding confrontation. It was all he had to keep himself occupied. He'd rather be out and about wiping demons, monsters, and other nasty troublemakers off the face of Earthland. However, Mard Geer had commanded all Nine Demon Gates to remain on standby at headquarters while they tracked down the Great Evil across the continent. The King of the Underworld was dead-set on finding it once and for all.
Since Christmas night, Cube had been steadily making its way towards the location where it was last detected. No longer did they soar across the skies of Fiore, but over the northern Kingdom of Seven. So far they had come across a good number of flattened, snowy ruins of villages and small towns along the western coast; the only indication that they were still going the right way.
It was a merciless trail of destruction that could only be done by giant creatures of flight. Dragons, no doubt, if the rumours rang true. Could be quite a big concern to Tartaros, especially if the infamous Black Dragon, Acnologia, was involved. Nevertheless, Mard Geer was adamant in their pursuit, believing Cube and Tartaros could withstand the fury of dragons and the Great Evil combined.
His Highness was a little too overconfident for Silver's liking, but the man wisely kept his mouth shut. Perhaps the King's overconfidence would bring upon Tartaros's own demise; Silver could only hope.
He was about to round a corner when Mard Geer's firm voice intruded his thoughts; "Monitor room. Now."
A command to all Nine Demon Gates. Franmalth had discovered another clue.
Silver exhaled a heavy sigh, silently praying it wasn't another destroyed town or village. He put on a stoic face and focused on his destination in mind.
In a blink, he teleported, watching the dark corridor instantly shift to a large room lit up by multiple glowing screens mounted on a wall and hanging down from the ceiling. Each magical screen displayed live feed coming from the many Surveillance Lacrima placed around Cube, showing different rooms or halls of the fortress and the outside world straight below. They were controlled by the many switches and blinking buttons on the enormous technological console that Franmalth stood in front of.
Silver wasn't the first to arrive at the monitor room. Aside from Franmalth, already present were Kyoka and Seilah, standing on either side of the yellow, one-eyed demon. Backs turned, it took only a second before they sensed Silver's presence in the room.
Kyoka merely shot him a sideways glance over her shoulder, her narrowed eyes always as sharp as knives whenever she looked his way. Meanwhile, Seilah offered a small smile, her display of kindness only a tease. Most Etherious were wary of Silver, just as he was wary of them. In spite of that, there existed a certain level of respect between him and each demon, some with higher regard than others.
Franmalth kept his one eye on the screens before him as he impatiently tapped the top of his silver cane with a finger, waiting for the rest of the Demon Gates. Mard Geer himself wasn't present, too lazy to drag his ass off the throne. Instead, the close-up of His Highness's calm, composed face shone upon one of the hanging screens as he looked down at his subjects.
Arms crossed and back against the opposite wall, Silver stayed where he was as the remaining members began to show up. Prompt as always was Torafuzar, stomping into the room with a great sense of pride and duty. Behind the hulking, scaly demon was Tempester, his steps lighter in comparison, but his stride and poise equaling the other. Not long after, Jackal came shuffling in, shoulders slouched forward with his hands in his pants' pockets. He looked irritated and the reason why came in the form of the grumpy, tentacle-legged Ezel crawling right at his swinging tail. Last, but not least, was Keyes, silently gliding in on wisps of shadow.
Mard Geer's mouth curled into a smirk once everyone's attention fell on his screen. "We are drawing close to the Great Evil, Mard Geer can feel it," he began, his voice loud and resonating as if he spoke before an audience within a theatre; "Only a matter of time before we corner this vile disgrace that tried to taint this world with its darkness. It is our glory. Taking away this world's light is a deed that belongs to us and our great Master E.N.D.! Our wrath shall be known for we shall smite this evil swifter than those angels and send it to the gates of Hell!"
He was seething by the end of his rant, his anger no longer rare to see when the Great Evil was involved. Thankfully, his bouts of rage lasted only seconds at most. It was as if a switch was flipped and Mard Geer was instantly calm once more. His dark eyes fell on Franmalth. "Show us what you've found."
"Of course, sire!" Franmalth exclaimed in his shrill, nasally voice as he bounced in place, excited like a child. With the point of his cane, the yellow demon tapped a sequence of buttons on his console. The image on one of the screens on the wall enlarged to fill the others, forming one huge image that displayed the current world directly below Cube.
Silver furrowed his brow, seeing a humongous crater and wide-spread damage that continued on off-screen. Something had blasted a good chunk of the earth away, leaving crumbled mountains and lumpy piles of melted rock. There were a few lonely, snow-capped mountains still standing, appearing as tiny anthills when compared to the deep and massive hole.
Silver was appalled by the sheer magnitude of destruction, but refrained from showing it.
"Hell're we looking at now?" Jackal demanded, cocking his head, one of his pointed ears twitching. "'Nother worthless human cesspool blown to oblivion?"
Torafuzar grunted, his mouth set in a grim line; "Complete overkill if it was..."
"Sadly, no," answered Franmalth giddily. He shifted to a more fervent tone as he continued; "What you see is the aftermath of a tremendous battle. This is the exact location where the Great Evil had last made its presence known. Endless mountains as tall as the sky once covered this entire region and now look at it! All of it gone! Poof! Just like that! Whatever the Great Evil had battled here, they've certainly left their mark and then some. Maybe they all killed each other in the process! Who knows!"
Jackal snorted and growled out, "That'd be a huge disappointment if we came all the way here for nothing!"
"It would set us back on track if that is the outcome," said Mard Geer, his smirk turning into a cruel sneer. "But Mard Geer knows this wretch still lives. It is hiding somewhere like a coward once more. Demon Gates, your mission is to get down there and find out where it has gone. Take every minion and search immediately. Do not return until we have an answer. Is that clear?" His screen went blank before anyone could respond.
There were groans and snarled curses from a few disgruntled demons. Silver, on the other hand, was pleased to have the opportunity to leave headquarters and stretch his legs down on solid earth. Finally something new to look at. He was getting tired of the fortress and its miserable inhabitants.
Franmalth was the only Etherious overly enthused by the King's command. He faced his comrades, his large, glowing yellow eye flickering behind the slits of his steel helm and his big, red lips twisting into a snide grin. "You heard His Highness!" he exclaimed, twirling his cane, "Have a swell of a time down there while I keep an eye up here! Gyahahaha! Try not to freeze to death!"
Jackal and Ezel looked ready to kill him.
Meanwhile, Silver chuckled. "Won't be a problem for me," he remarked, drawing all eyes in the room with half of them glaring. Smirking, he gave a quick two-finger salute. "See you all whenever."
He teleported. The darkness of the monitor room changed to the bright, frozen land beneath a dark, overcast sky.
Silver was blasted by the harsh, northern winds that made his cape snap to the side. The temperature was well below freezing, cold enough to turn water to ice in less than a minute. Unfazed, he stood at the very edge of the massive crater, his eyes slowly sweeping across the vast open space where enormous mountains that touched the clouds once stood. All that remained was a deep pit of melted rock layered with wind-swept snow and ice.
Seeing the damage up close, Silver was overwhelmed by both awe and trepidation. Torafuzar was right when he said it was overkill; the blast zone was big enough to wipe out a city ten-times the size of Crocus. No living soul would be left standing.
Whatever was responsible for the destruction had been extremely powerful indeed; it was faint, but Silver could sense magic still lingering in the area even after a month had passed. What epic battle could have taken place here? A rematch between the Great Evil and the angels rumoured to exist, perhaps?
Silver narrowed his gaze as he pondered over the thought only to shrug soon after. The answer wasn't going to come to him while he stood around. He glanced up at Cube hovering high above beneath the sea of clouds, a floating island of water and barren land in the shape of a literal cube. Knowing it would be awhile before the rest of his guild would arrive, Silver went ahead to start looking for clues since he preferred to work alone; a lone wolf amongst the army of demons.
He marched in the opposite direction of the crater so he wouldn't be pestered by the others. Snow crunched beneath his heavy boots as he wandered the ruins of nature, effortlessly climbing over great piles of shattered rock and venturing deep through yawning valleys of toppled, half-melted mountains. He turned and twisted and circled back a few times, choosing the easier paths to follow, not quite sure what to look for. Everything was so broken and bare and there was so much ground to cover. It would take weeks to thoroughly search every inch even with their numbers. Arduous and boring for sure, but Silver wasn't going to complain.
The more time it took, the greater the setback for Tartaros, which was what Silver secretly wanted.
Snow, rock, and ice; it was all Silver could see no matter where he went. Day gradually turned to night and yet he kept moving, his path lit up by a small pocket Lacrima Lamp he kept on hand. He never slowed down even when it began to blizzard right before dawn. The winds howled and snow blew in his face, doing little to stop his march forward to wherever his feet would take him. It was miserable weather that brought a sneer to his face when he thought of his guild mates struggling in the cold.
Day and night, under the blinding sun or skies of gray, Silver never stopped once. Time passed by as a blur as he continued on, searching for nothing, hearing only his thoughts. He was a ghost in a desolate land.
One day, he eventually came across a few small mountains untouched by battle. For a moment, he stopped to marvel at the natural beauty, his mind wondering how something so grand and mighty could have easily been erased by powers unseen. A fleeting thought. Eyes back forward, he ventured through their narrow valleys that were treacherous and steep. Some days later, he emerged on the other side of the mountains and into an old forest of evergreens.
He stopped once more, a calm smile tugging on his lips. He wished Cube had a nice forest like this for him to explore. Instead, all it offered outside of the castle was a barren land with ugly thorny plants.
The snow was up his knees as he trudged through the woods like a lost man. He crossed frozen streams and empty meadows and broke through woody shrubs and thick growth that threatened to snatch his cape.
Just as he was starting to appreciate the tranquility the forest had to offer, he had reached the end of it in the middle of one cloudy afternoon. Out of the trees and onto a tall cliff with rocky ridges and large boulders, overlooking an open field of pure white snow and rugged hills.
Silver waded through snow drifts as high as his waist before stepping foot on solid rock and ice. He rounded the boulders and stopped at the very edge of the cliff, his eyes growing wide. Down below was a massacre – or what was left of one.
Partially buried in snow and frost were the remains of a large army; discarded pieces of armour and furs, shattered shields and blades, broken spears and polearms, snapped bows and arrows, and torn flags flapping in the wind. Strewn among the mess were the blackened, severed limbs of men with armour still attached or still clutching to the hilts of weapons. Dead horses, caribous, and other large, beastly mounts were also scattered about, their bodies crushed, ripped apart, and mostly eaten.
Silver recognized the insignia upon the yellow flags bordered with white: the royal black and blue '7' of the kingdom named after the lucky number.
Unfortunately, luck had not been on their side for they had lost over hundreds of men and mounts, slain and devoured by giant monsters. Visible beneath the snow were deep claw marks and huge footprints as large – or even larger – than the one vile demon Silver deeply loathed.
"Dragons got you all, didn't they?" he murmured, frowning out of pity.
"Quite a tragedy," someone suddenly spoke up from the side.
Silver tensed in alarm and whipped his head towards the speaker, his expression hardening into a cold, hostile glower. He clenched his fists, imbuing them with magic, but made no other sudden movements as his eyes found a man in a hooded black cloak standing on the very same cliff just a few metres away. Silver didn't hear him approach nor did he notice the man standing there earlier.
"All living creatures need to eat in order to survive," the man continued, his voice that of a young man in his early twenties; "Such is the flaw of mortals. Dragons certainly have an enormous appetite. Always on the hunt for warm flesh."
Silver's scowl deepened, sensing something off about the stranger. Very dangerous vibes. More so than Mard Geer could ever put off when he was in the foulest of moods.
Face hidden in shadow and wearing thin clothes unsuitable for the climate, the young man was not from around here. He wasn't an illusion either with his warm breath visibly steaming in the icy air. Calmly, he gazed out at the field of death, unaffected by Silver's chilling aura.
Definitely no ordinary kid. Better not mess with him...
Trusting his gut, Silver pretended to relax in the other man's presence, but kept his magic ready in the palm of his hands. He snorted and raised an eyebrow. "So you saw what happened? You saw actual dragons?"
The young man shook his head. There was a hint of amusement when he replied, "No, clearly an observation. The same as you have made. Coincidentally, I've only just arrived."
"From... where exactly?"
"From somewhere and nowhere. I've come from many places," was the man's cryptic answer, making Silver further raise his brow. The man gestured at the defeated army below with a bare hand, his skin shriveled and reddened by the extreme cold. "From what I have seen on my latest journey, I can tell this prosperous Kingdom of Seven is doomed to fall into darkness. There is no light to protect the people here. No angels or sacred gods to call upon to save them.
"The Gates of Hell will soon open and a new Demon King will rise. You and the Etherious should tread lightly, lest you fall far from grace. A mistake Mard Geer will surely regret."
Silver went as still as a statue and stared. "Wait, how do you know – Who are you?"
The man didn't answer right away as he slowly turned his head, his shadowed eyes meeting Silver's, sending an unnerving sensation down the mage's spine. A faint smile was noticeable on the man's lips, not quite hostile, but not friendly either.
"I am a traveler," said the man, "A wanderer. An observer. Of the past, the present, and the future. Certain destinies await us all. We are at the beginning of a new chapter and I'm curious to find out what lies ahead.
"Our fates may never cross again, so perhaps it would be wise that you forget we have even met. Farewell." The man turned and calmly walked away, disappearing out of sight behind a boulder.
Silver stayed where he was, carefully listening until he could no longer hear the man's light footsteps over the wind. When he was certain the stranger was long gone, he dispelled his magic and ran a hand through his hair to calm his nerves. He didn't dare pursue after the hooded man, knowing he would be crossing a dangerous line.
He turned back forward and couldn't help but curse at himself the moment he realized what he had discovered.
What have you found?
Silver swore another round at Keyes prying into his personal emotions through the Necromancer's Curse. Thankfully, the demon couldn't read Silver's thoughts.
Probably a clue that we're looking for, Silver replied through their mental link, keeping his irritation out of his tone. Just when he had hoped their search would take forever, he ended up finding their lead sooner than later. He followed the stranger's advice and decided not to mention the encounter as he continued; Troops belonging to this kingdom. An army prepared for war, but looks like they weren't prepared enough. They've been completely annihilated.
Any corpses left?
Pieces of them. Frozen and half-eaten. If you stitch them altogether, you could create some sort of grotesque abomination.
Not worth the trouble, Keyes muttered, drawing a snicker from Silver. Return at once so we can leave this wretched cold. I have had enough of this snow.
Silver's grin broadened at the misery in Keyes' raspy voice. All the other demons were likely just as miserable having to search the frozen wasteland for days on end. Silver couldn't wait to see their grumpy, pitiful faces.
His smile faltered as his gaze swept over the defeated army of Seven one final time before he warped back to Tartaros.
A/N: Apologies for the wait, been stressed and exhausted and worn out these past few months. Feeling nothing but ugh overall...
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Looks like Erza went a little overboard with her 'fun'.
Since Navi is short for 'Navigator', I named the fairy, Seri, after Apple's Siri. Following this trend, Mido's fairy would be either 'Lexa' or 'Tana', short for Amazon's Alexa and Microsoft's Cortana respectively! Why, yes, I am a dork.
The guild is now armed with deadly dragon gear! I have mad respect to the artists who design and come up with names for all the weapons and armour for games because it takes a lot of creative thought. Especially when having to put it all into words. I know I tend to go on and on with details on items, and most of you probably just skim or skip over all of it - and I'm totally fine with that - but it's something I feel needs to be done in order to paint the same picture in your head as how I imagine it.
Question for you all: If Happy had trained like Carla, what do you think his humanoid transformation would look like? More cat-like like Pantherlily or more human-like like Carla? Or would he be some sort of failed, deformed monstrosity, similar to Naruto's failed clones in the very first episode of Naruto? (Maybe that's why Happy doesn't transform in the series...)
Thanks for reading!