Summer...
Summer came and went in the blink of an eye in Isvan. Some years, it could last a few days; others, it may stretch up to a month...
During these days of warmer temperatures, the snow on the ground would thin to almost nothing, and the dreary skies would lighten in celebration. Birds would dance through the skies, enjoying the winds that no longer chilled them in warning.
Fish would swim through the ravines and rivers that no longer had a layer of ice, keeping them closed off to the world. Deer and Moose would stroll through the forests and feast on the thinly hidden greenery while the carnivores feasted on them in preparation for the next winter...
During the summer, there was a saying that Isvan became a nation for the animals.
They would wake from their hibernation and roam the earth, enjoying the natural landscapes that gave them a cruel yet fair life. Where water was plenty from the rivers that overflowed with freshly melted ice, and food could be found if one looked hard enough...
For those that couldn't find food, though...
For those few that were unfortunate enough to wander into the mountains, which stayed cold and uncaring even in the warmest of summers.
They were met with the same fate as all the others...
The little girl running through the mountain range would likely share such a fate.
Run...
The little girl felt her lungs shake as she ran through the snow, her bare feet sinking into the snow as she ran through the forest. Her breath came in stutters and panicked gasps as she ran away from the mountains she had almost gotten lost in.
They'll catch you...
The little girl's face twisted in fear and pain as she stumbled through the tree line, finally coming to the edge of the town she had seen when she first escaped the mountains. The fires that lit up the people's houses were a guiding light for her as she traversed through the pitch-black night.
They'll take you back...
The little girl pushed herself through exhaustion and fatigue, her footsteps coming to a slow stop at the edge of the town. Her eyes wide as she saw the houses that lit up the streets, the warmth of their hearths prickling her skin even from afar.
There, someone can help-
The little girl grimaced as a wave of nausea hit her, her hunger pains from her trip through the mountains bringing her to her knees. The feeling of her stomach trying to eat itself brought broken gasps to her lips and tears to her eyes before she collapsed in an exhausted heap.
I'm so hungry...
She grit her teeth as she suffered through the tsunami of mind-numbing hunger. Her eyes shut as she prepared to suffer through one of the many painful hunger strikes that had hit her on the way out of the lab.
She lay there, prone and unmoving, for hours until she heard a soft voice cut through her silent whimpers.
"Oh... what do we have here?"
She didn't have the energy in her eyes, but she thought the voice sounded like honeysuckles. The old lady's softness held a maturity and warmth that comforted her more than any fire.
"Are you lost, dear..."
The girl could only let out a broken mumble in response; the hoarse, broken gasp coming from her lips held her only desire.
"Food..."
The girl heard a sad laugh from the old lady before she felt herself lift off the ground. Whatever magic the lady held, being able to carry her in the air like she was a balloon.
"Well then... I hope you like venison, dear. That's all I know how to cook."
The girl didn't bother to respond; she just thanked whatever higher being there was that she would be able to eat soon. She hadn't been taken back to the lab and made it out of that god-forsaken mountain.
She was thankful that this old lady was kind enough to help her...
She was thankful that she would see her mother again...
She was thankful...
Ultear was thankful to be alive.
Ultear regretted every moment of her existence...
Ever.
"So you want to talk about it?" Vera asked, his eyes alight with laughter as he trailed the snow that had fallen on Ultear's head.
This is the best day of my life...
The blizzard had waned a few days ago, and they were now at the edge of the mountain range. The skies were still clouded and grey, but the air was light as feathers. The occasional streak of calm wind and flutter of snowfall were the only harshness the weather had to offer.
They had made camp in a small clearing in the forest and had been preparing a few things before they set off for the town outside the mountains. Number 8 had gone to a nearby ravine to get more water while Vera packed the supplies.
Ultear had been napping underneath the shade of a tree since she had gotten the latest shift last night. The little nap was supposed to help her rest before they made the final stretch of the trip towards whatever town was waiting for them...
Then, the snow from a branch fell on her and woke her up...
The ice mage...
Got snowed on...
How could Vera not find it hilarious?
"I mean, look at it this way. What better way to master snow than to-" Vera was cut off as a snowball pelted him in the face, throwing him to the snow in a dizzy mess. His head spinning as he heard the amused and smug voice, "You're right. I do need some practice..."
Vera felt the hairs on his neck stand up as he sat up and spat the snow out of his mouth. His eyes were wide as he saw Ultear standing with an arsenal of snowballs floating around her. The deadly projectiles spun around her like satellites as she gave a small smile.
"Thanks for the reminder."
Shit!
Vera stumbled to his feet, bolting to a nearby tree and taking a few snowballs for it. Vera ducked behind cover before he summoned Sho to help him escape the relentless assault.
Sho! Wake up! I need ammunition!
Sho shimmered to life in response to his call, clawed fingers scooping up snow and making snowballs with unmatched proficiency. Vera grabbed one and ducked past an incoming snowball to throw it at Ultear.
There!
Vera watched with hope in his eyes as the snowball arced in a beautiful trajectory toward Ultear. Ultear's confident expression fell for one of surprise, probably not expecting him to try to fight back.
I got her!
Vera smiled widely as the snowball closed in on Ultear's face, flying through the air until it was only a few inches from her face...
Before it stopped dead in its tracks.
The snowball floated in the air as Ultear tilted her head, arching an eyebrow at him as he gaped in response.
"That's cheating!"
Ultear shrugged, flicking the snowball back at him and nailing him in the stomach. Vera's last stand amounted to nothing as he fell flat on his back, looking up to see a shadowed figure holding a mound of snow in its arms.
"Sho, don't you-"
'Plop'
Vera grunted as a pile of snow was dropped directly on his head, burying it in the snow before Vera could push it off him. Vera gave an annoyed huff as he sat up and shook the snow out of his hair, as well as spitting out the excess snow that got in his mouth. Vera glared at Sho, who was silently laughing on the snow behind him.
You damn traitor...
Vera huffed, ignoring Sho's silent cackles as he stood up with a fresh coat of snow in his hair. Glancing at Ultear and seeing her looking at him with what would be considered an unimpressed expression...
If it wasn't for the slight twitch of her lips that signaled she was fighting back a smile.
"I think I'm starting to like your magic."
"...please don't encourage him."
Vera said with narrowed eyes, glancing back at Sho, who had moved to the trunk of a nearby tree. He was no longer paying attention to their conversation and was tapping the branches to see if he could make snowfall.
Sho's such a child sometimes...
Vera sighed at the thought before he heard a shuffle from the nearby trees, turning his head to see Number 8 enter the clearing. The water skins Number 8 had stitched together from the Vulcan hide on his waist.
"Uh... did I miss something?"
Number 8 asked confusedly, his eyes glancing at the snow on Vera's head and the look of hidden mischief on Ultear's face. Number 8 connected the dots instantly as he let out an 'ah' in understanding, "So it's Vera just being Vera, huh..."
Ultear nodded, a hint of pride in her eyes as she ignored the indignant yell of 'what's that supposed to mean' behind her and walked towards Number 8. She took the water skin he offered and tossed the other one to Vera, who finally got control over his wanderlust shadow.
"Quit playing around, Vera. We can make it in a few hours if we hurry."
Ultear said, her eyes twitching as Vera caught the water skin and rolled his eyes, "You just don't want Number 8 to know you cheat-"
Another snowball to Vera's forehead cut off his words, his head snapping back as he barely stopped himself from falling backward from the force. Vera gave an annoyed grunt as he blinked the excess snow out of his eyes and rubbed his cold forehead, glaring at Ultear, who had an eyebrow raised, "You were saying?"
Silence was the only answer Vera could give, mainly because his well-being required it...
Although he would be getting her back for this.
Somehow...
He actually didn't know how to do that, but he would figure it out later...
He still had to get the rest of the supplies ready.
So Vera clipped the waterskin to his waist and walked over to the three bags of Vulcan meat they had eaten from over the past few days. Vera glanced over at Sho, who was now drawing something in the snow like a child waiting for their parent to pay attention to them.
I wonder what he's drawing this time...
Vera learned recently that Sho liked to draw things when bored or when he wanted to explain something too complex for simple words. Almost all of them were animals, and his favorite was a wolf that usually looked like a badly diseased dog halfway through...
Looks like it's a cat this time... or an ancient donkey.
Sho could have been a better artist if Vera was being honest.
Come on, Sho. You'll be able to draw when we get to the town. I'll even get you a pencil so you don't have to draw on the ground so often...
That seemed to get Sho's attention because he turned away from his drawing and tilted his shadowed head as if asking if Vera was serious. Vera nodded in confirmation, and Sho melted into the ground, returning to his shadow while Vera picked up his bag of rations. He grabbed the other two and handed one to Number 8 and the other to Ultear, who took her bag and walked towards the tree line.
"Come on... we should be able to see the lights of the town once we're past the mountainside."
Ultear then started walking into the forest, Vera raising an eyebrow before glancing at Number 8, who shrugged in response. The two caught up to Ultear as Vera asked in a thinly hidden curiosity, "You seem like you're in a hurry, Ultear; you excited to meet that old lady again?"
Ultear rolled her eyes in response, "I'm more excited not to have an annoying mage talking in my ear all the time..."
"Really? I thought you liked it when Number 8 talked to you." Vera retorted instantly, a slight smirk on his lips as Ultear narrowed her eyes at him. Ultear gave a small huff before she shook her head, muttering in a tone that didn't pack any natural ice in it, "You're insufferable..."
Vera lightly chuckled in response, glancing towards Number 8, who had fallen silent. It was a feat that wasn't that strange since Number 8 wasn't much of a talker anyway, but it was worrying because the expression on his face wasn't its usual blank one...
It looked more...
Dreadful.
"Hey, 8, what's on your mind?"
Vera asked, pulling to a stop as Ultear followed, the two looking with hidden worry at Number 8, who froze in place. A look of nervousness swept his features before he glanced away from them, his hands coming up and fiddling with the hair on his neck.
"Nothing... It's just..."
Number 8's voice was low, barely above a murmur, as he looked back at them. Unable to hide the anxiousness coursing through his body as he saw them looking towards him with worry now fully present in their faces...
They were worried for him...
He didn't want to admit how much he enjoyed experiencing that since they left the lab...
He liked how Vera and Ultear looked out for him in their subtle ways. He was happy they had made up for their earlier dispute and now had a silent understanding. He liked how they could all interact without having to worry about when one of them would disappear.
He didn't want that to end...
He knew better than anyone, though...
Nothing lasted forever...
This would be no exception.
"What's going to happen..."
Number 8 felt the words catch in his throat, his body fighting back its nerves as he tried to meet the eyes of the others. His voice failed him as he gulped, keeping his head down and forcing himself to calm down, "Once we leave the mountains..."
Number 8 took a deep breath, calming his rambling thoughts and fried nerves as he looked up with a barely hidden fear in his eyes. Number 8 meets Vera and Ultear's gazes with an honest expression.
One that didn't hide his true thoughts...
One that didn't hide his desperation not to be left behind again.
"What's going to happen when we get to town?"
Number 8 felt his words hang in the air for a bit, chancing a glance through his hair to see their reactions would be...
Let's say they weren't exactly... what Number 8 had expected them to be.
"You didn't tell him!?"
Ultear practically hissed at Vera, who flinched and looked away with guilt and a sheepish expression. Vera rubbed his neck as he looked away from her murderous glare, "It may have slipped my mind..."
Vera winced as the temperature dropped substantially, his eyes trailing away from Ultear's cold fury and towards Sho, who he hoped would have his back...
Sho didn't...
Sho was sitting on the tree trunk, giving a disappointed shake of his head.
You know, I don't like you sometimes...
If Sho cared about the little dig, he didn't show it; he just stared disappointedly as Vera wilted. Sparing a glance at Number 8 and proceeding to mumble embarrassedly under his breath, "Uh... I was planning on taking you to a guild in Fiore; sorry for not mentioning it sooner..."
I got stuck in a blizzard... then an avalanche... then I got sick, so... yeah.
The silence was palpable as Number 8 took in his words, giving a slight nod in confirmation before he turned his gaze from Vera to Ultear. Number 8's head tilted as he broke the tension with such an honest question that it hurt...
"What about Ultear..."
The hope that was so painfully obvious in his voice hurt to hear...
"Is she coming with us?"
Vera could only blink as the question sounded in his head repeatedly, his eyes glancing at Ultear, who had been stunned to silence. Her eyes widened as she lost her earlier anger for an expression that tried to hide her panic, glancing away as if it was her turn to be judged for her sins. Her voice subdued as she mumbled, "I'm not coming with you guys..."
Number 8 frowned in response, opening his mouth to comment before Ultear turned towards the trail and called over her shoulder, "About twenty minutes up ahead is when the mountains break, and we'll be able to see the town. I'll wait for you two up there; Vera can fill you in on the rest in the meantime."
Vera watched as Ultear left on that note, not sparing a glance back as she carried her rations and waterskin toward the clearing. Vera left with Number 8 in a somber silence as he waited for Number 8 to ask the question he was going to ask...
"Why doesn't Ultear want to come with us?"
The question that had far too many answers.
"I'm not sure what I'm allowed to say..."
Vera answered before he looked over to Number 8, a small sigh escaping him as he placed his pack on the ground and walked towards a nearby tree. Sitting against it as he patted the snow next to him, "But I think she's fine with me telling you the basics..."
She wouldn't tell me to explain everything otherwise...
Vera watched as Number 8 warily glanced at the snow before following Vera's lead, dumping his pack on the ground as he walked over and sat down. He got himself comfortable as he watched Vera take a deep breath and tilt his head in thought, "Now where to start..."
Vera stayed silent for a few seconds, running the thoughts through his head about what Ultear would and wouldn't want Number 8 to know before he asked, "Do you know the difference between us and Ultear?"
Number 8 tilted his head in response, confusion fading as he answered in blunt honesty, "She's stronger than us?"
Vera gave a dry chuckle, "Yes, but there's another thing..."
Vera glanced over to Number 8, sighing before he spoke softly, "We don't have anyone waiting for us outside of the lab..."
Vera saw Number 8's eyes widen in response, the silence settling as Vera glanced over to the new drawing Sho had made on the snow next to them, "Ultear does..."
It was a jackal...
"Even if she doesn't know it yet."
It was a liar.
Ultear walked through the woods, her mind wandering even as she followed the trail she knew would take her to the town she had stayed in when she escaped the lab. The city had buildings of cement and wood, far more significant than those usually seen in Isvan. A town that was wealthier than most due to the trade of the wood collected from the forests and the game that wandered through the mountains near the city's edge.
Ultear remembered the bustling town fondly, and while a part of her would even be considered excited to stay there once again, it was drowned out by her warring emotions. The words Number 8 had said stabbing at her conscience as she glumly wandered towards the clearing where she could see the town.
Just stop thinking about it... Nothing's going to change...
Ultear frowned as she walked through the snow, kicking a patch of it in frustration as she recalled the look of hope in Number 8's eyes. The hope that she would go with them to whatever backwater guild they aimed towards in Fiore made Number 8 look like a child who had just gotten his first Christmas present...
Ultear didn't understand why Number 8 cared about the idea so much...
Ultear didn't understand why Vera looked conflicted when tasked with breaking the news to him...
Ultear didn't understand why she had pushed it on him in the first place.
I should've just told him... why didn't I...
It wasn't like Ultear was shy about her thoughts; the plan had always been to split up once they were out of the mountains. She would get the information she needed from Vera, have the old lady check to see if he was lying, kill him if he was, leave him be if he wasn't, then leave the two to their own devices, and never look back...
It was always the plan...
So why wasn't she able to tell Number 8 about it?
Ugh! I hate this...
Everything had become complicated since they got stuck in that shitty blizzard. Number 8 was no longer just a deadweight she was forced to bring along because of Vera's impulses. Vera was no longer just a tool she would use to get the time magic she so desperately needed. She even warmed up to Sho; a literal shadow had somehow wormed its way into her good graces, and that made everything...
Complicated.
Just stop thinking about it...
Ultear grit her teeth, pushing aside the thoughts as she wanders through the snowy trees. The mountain path thinned out as she approached the clearing that would allow her to see the town again. The city where she would finally get what she needed and one step closer to her goal...
Regardless of whatever wishful thinking Vera thought he could use to change her mind.
I'll get to town and hear whatever he wants to say...
Ultear could hold her conflicting feelings at bay until then; it was easier than admitting that she wasn't as sure of herself as she used to be.
Then I'll leave, and it'll all be over.
With that in mind, she climbed the rest of the way until she got to a break in the mountainside, opening up to an overhang that towered over the forests outside the mountain range. A cliffside separated Ultear from the forest below, the vast forest covering the distance between the mountains and the town. The town that had guided her out of the harsh mountains the first time she escaped, lighting up the night sky like a beacon...
Except the town was different from what she remembered.
What happened to it...
Ultear could only stare at the horrific scene, her mind whirling as she dropped her knapsack and dashed toward the cliff. A slide of ice formed below her feet as she slid down to the forest and ran towards the city she once knew.
The city with no lights.
The small clearing was silent after Vera had explained the bare bones of Ultear's backstory, not enough for Number 8 to know the specifics but enough for him to understand where Ultear's priorities lay...
Enough to know that it wasn't with them.
"So this person... the one she cares about... they left her at the lab?"
Number 8 asked with a slight frown, glancing at Vera, who frowned similarly, "It's a little more complicated than that... but yes. They did..."
Vera glanced at Number 8 to see his reaction, a little surprised to see Number 8 give a simple nod in response. His words were unbiased as he tilted his head in question, "So Ultear wants to kill them?"
Vera raised an eyebrow, "Yeah, was it that obvious?"
"It's Ultear." Number 8 stated factually, eliciting a chuckle from Vera, who glanced at the path Ultear took before standing up, motioning Number 8 to follow him.
"Come on, we don't want to keep her waiting."
Vera proceeded to pick up his knapsack of rations, walking towards the path that would lead them to the meeting place. Number 8 followed in step with him as they made the quiet trip to the clearing where they could finally see the town Ultear had stayed at during her first escape.
They walked in a comfortable silence, the snowy landscape passing them by as the mountainous terrain thinned out. The trail was nearing its end before Number 8 asked, "Do you think Ultear is a good person?"
Number 8 watched Vera's expression tilt in surprise, a look of curiosity taking over as Vera asked, "I didn't think you'd care about that stuff..."
"I don't." Number 8 answered immediately since he really didn't. Half the people he had known in his entire life were evil, terrible human beings who experimented on others for selfish gains. The other half were the experiments they disposed of. He didn't care whether someone was good, but Seven had sometimes told him of her little daydreams when they couldn't sleep.
'You know... one day I hope you can see the world...'
Her voice was like a warm melody that lulled him to bed, knowing she would care for him when he awoke.
'There are some wonderful people out there...'
Number 8 was curious if Ultear fell under Seven's version of 'wonderful people,' so he asked Vera about it. He didn't think it would change his opinion of Ultear; he already was fond of her and Vera, but it would be good to know, "I feel like you're a better judge of character than I am..."
I don't have many references...
Number 8's unsaid doubts crossed to Vera, who slightly nodded in response, "I guess that makes sense... as for Ultear..."
Is she a good person...
Vera wasn't sure; in the story, she had fought tooth and nail against Fairy Tail until the Tenrou arc, and even then, it took everything Gray had to convince her to change. There wasn't a single point in the story up until then that Vera recalled her doing anything good in nature...
She destroyed Merudy's village...
Ultear had a tortured past...
She brainwashed Jellal...
Ultear had a lot of reasons for what she did, and Vera didn't agree with all of them...
She wanted to turn back time...
Ultear was complicated...
She missed her mother.
To Vera, though, who had a better insight into her than probably even she did, it wasn't all that hard to understand.
Ultear was broken...
She had been trying to fix herself...
That's all.
"Ultear is lost... I think she can be a good person once she finds herself."
Vera tilted his head with a small smile as he tapped Number 8's head like Sho had done to him, ignoring how Number 8 stiffened in surprise as they made the last stretch toward the clearing. Vera looked back at Number and said honestly, not wanting to dance around the possibility, "That probably won't be for a while, and it most likely won't be with us, but I'll try to speed up the process somehow..."
Hopefully, that old lady is legit... otherwise-
"Vera..."
Number 8's almost hesitant interjection pulled Vera out of his thoughts, and Number 8 pointed ahead to the clearing where they were supposed to meet Ultear. The ice mage was nowhere in sight, with only a forgotten knapsack left over and a slide of ice that seemed to travel down the cliffside.
What...
Vera shivered as he felt Sho come to life, a sense of urgency propelling him towards the clearing where he got a good view of the forest outside the mountains...
As well as the city's ruins a few miles away that had once stood at the edge of the forest's shadow. A town with collapsed and charred buildings that had crumbled into the snow, buried after what must have been months or even years of snow hitting them. There were no hint of survivors, and even from the cliff side, Vera could see the wreckage hadn't been cleared. There were probably still bodies buried under the snow and debris from whatever had caused such a disaster.
How did this-
'Tug' 'Tug'
Vera whipped his head over to Sho, his eyes wide with growing panic as Sho started drawing in the snow again. An ogre of a creature being drawn in the snow, with a monster physique and gnarled claws and canines. It was brought together as Sho finished the drawing and pointed towards the town center, where a large white tarp stood covering something that towered over the rest of the city. One that made the collapsed buildings look like broken legos compared to whatever was under the white tarp, standing in the city's center like a reminder...
There's a demon under there?
A reminder of what had destroyed this city...
Why would there be a demon out here...
This city...
Where are we anyways...
Ultear had yet to remember the city's name, and at the time, Vera hadn't cared too much about the details, but now...
What demon could destroy a city this big...
Now, it was stabbing his mind like a knife, trying to break through the fog. The fog that kept the story's quieter details and his entire life hidden from view, where the information he needed could only be pulled out if he focused, and even then, he might come up blank.
Why does this place look familiar-
Vera froze as his mind pulsed in recognition, his eyes wide in terror and understanding as he ditched his knapsack and ran towards the ice slide. Ignoring the confused calls of Number 8 as he slid down towards the forest and sprinted at full speed towards the town mentioned only once in the story...
Brago...
The resting place of Deliora, the Demon of Disaster.