(October – X778)
Irene stood beside a large bonfire, staring intently at the bright embers that flickered. The stars in the sky and the heat from the flame harkened back memories of days long past. Before the war that ended the reign of the dragons, before the countless death and needless destruction, before the tragedy that took place in her personal life. The chilly eastern wind blew past her, erupting the flames next to her, yet Irene was undisturbed by such a phenomenon; her body had evolved beyond such hindrances, much to her dismay.
As she patiently waited for news regarding the whereabouts of the one who called himself Sasuke, thoughts crept up inside Irene. Thoughts of a new life based on a chance; a chance she forsook long ago and regretted ever since. But not this time, this time she would seize this opportunity and never look back.
"Lady Irene"
A voice called out to her. There was no one around, yet all the same, Irene was not surprised since it was a form of communication conducted without a single voice being ushered from her mouth. "Lief" she smiled and answered back telepathically.
"They are ready" Lief answered.
"Very well, show me," Irene said, her left eye changing into that of a cross-shaped pattern as her vision traveled far and wide, across the sea that divided Alakitasia and Ishgar until it reached a particular point in Ishgar.
….
On the other side of the ocean, Hades sat on his throne, his face was rested on his left hand while his right patiently tapped away at the arms. Ultear stood next to him, while their two mysterious benefactors perched across on the other side of the chamber tall one silently awaiting orders while the smaller one strutted about without a care in the world. However, that all changed as all parties concerned were taken aback by the sight of an enormous eye that appeared out of thin air and stared right at them. Ultear in particular was frozen in place by its presence, unable to comprehend such magic as this, while Hades maintained a calm front.
"Now then, reveal to our master what you have found" the one called Lief calmly spoke.
"And you'd better make it quick because our Lady doesn't like waiting around for too long" his compatriot, Juliet giggled and taunted.
Ultear looked at her master, who gave her an encouraging nod and exhaled as she summoned her orb. Within that orb were recorded images that it had secretly captured during its time scouting Magnolia; images of a young boy with an eyepatch conversing with a girl with scarlet hair.
Once the sight of that girl was in place, the eye's pupil shrunk as the eyelid expanded, almost as if it was shocked by what it had just seen. No sooner did it see the girl with red hair, than did both Lief and Juliet clutch their heads.
"That girl. Could she be? No…. I must find out…bring her to me but be subtle about it."
"I see, and what of these two?" Lief mumbled to himself, glancing at Ultear and Hades.
"They've fulfilled their purpose. Do with them as you wish"
Lief's face expanded, surprised by what his master was asking of him. "But having possession of such an eye, surely we should confiscate it?"
"That eye is of little consequence to me and barely a threat to me. It is but an inferior imitation, extracted from a discarded failure. Whether you want to aid them or dispose of them, I don't care. But return as soon as possible, there is much to do."
Lief reluctantly sighed "Understood."
Hades and Ultear watched with suspicious glares as the duo whispered to each other before turning to face them once more. "We've found the person you wanted and your master seems satisfied. Now, as promised, give me what I desire. Show me the secrets of that eye" Hades demanded, tapping his fingers on his throne.
"We'll keep our end of the bargain. The power of that eye will be yours to keep" Lief answered, "Though, you may not enjoy the process."
"Hmph" Hades smirked, gripping his hands against the arms of his throne tighter "that is for me to decide."
…
Back in Alakitasia, Irene's left eye had reverted to its normal state. As she began to walk away from the bonfire, she found herself unable to control the enormous grin she had on her face. That image continued boring into her mind over and over again: a young girl, probably no older than twelve or thirteen. Everything about her fit the description down to the minute detail: Her complexion, her hair, her eyes, it was as if she was a miniature version of herself. Of course, it was difficult to ascertain what made her so sure that this young girl was her daughter, after all, there were probably hundreds of thousands of young girls with the same hair and complexion. Perhaps it was a mother's intuition, perhaps it was desperation. Regardless, even the slimmest glimpse of hope was enough for Irene to go through with this.
Of course, there was the fact that a certain someone had given her such an information, claiming that her fate was tied to the boy and through him, her daughter and that particular individual was lurking nearby, reading a book. And in that stranger's presence, time grounded to a halt as the flame remained still. "You seem to be in quite a good mood," a young woman with green hair and wearing white robes said.
"Selphia" Irene smiled.
The woman gave out a chuckle at the almost casual manner in which Irene addressed someone like her. "To address a god as if I were nothing more than a commoner is quite amusing. Fortunately, I am not my father" she addressed.
"Perhaps, but you were the one who told me to seek out this failed creation of mine, promising me that what I desired would be had, O daughter of Chronos" Irene replied with a shrug, "And besides; dragons, demons and now gods, frankly, such things have become quite a bore to me."
"Sasuke Uchiha" Selphia flashed a grin at the mention of Irene's 'failed creation'. The demi-goddess found Irene's description of him amusing, for reasons that were entirely her own as Irene did not realize the true context of her words. "Using one child to sacrifice another for your own happiness. You are certainly a far cry from the queen you once were."
"That…." Irene immediately interrupted, dragging her teeth with irritation in her voice at the mere mention of the past, "Is simply ancient history. A fragment of a past long forgotten."
"And yet you continue to carry the name of your dearly departed friend; the Sage Dragon Belserion" Selphia pointed out.
"A mere act of convenience. I needed a new identity to carry with me and his name was the first thing on my mind" Irene justified and glared at the god with an annoyed expression, "And honestly, wouldn't you have foreseen this?"
"We see 'possibilities', NOT certainties" Selphia shook her head, " We cannot control how mortals will act, certainly not ones as fickle as you."
"Then why give me counsel regarding my fate? Or could it be that this is simply an elaborate ploy for your amusement? Has the boy led me astray?"
"No, he has not" the goddess answered, "That girl you found, truly is your daughter. Her name is Erza. Quite a feisty one she is."
"Erza…" a small smile formed from the corner of her lips, "Not a bad name for a girl all things considered. I would have picked something else, of course."
"And here I thought were you saw her as nothing more than a tool " Selphia sarcastically quipped, "Perhaps there is still a figment of motherly love after all."
Irene gave an annoying "hmph" and faced away from the half-god, turning around to face the frozen flame, her finger carefully tracing across the fire, "Don't mistake my desire to see her for an act of love. She has what I need to end my suffering and that boy is simply a conduit to lead her to me."
"Oh well," Selphia sighed, closing her book as it vanished into thin air. "If that is truly the course you wish to set your future upon, then by all means. As always, I shall observe it."
In a blink of an eye, she had disappeared and with her disappearance, time began flowing normally again. To the servant kneeling beside her, nothing had changed but Irene knew better. She didn't know why the daughter of Chronos, the god of time himself, would give her counsel on her possible future or even aid her in finding her daughter again, especially after she had abandoned her for ...several reasons. Now that the half-god herself had confirmed that the young girl truly was her daughter, she couldn't care less about the divine games they were playing. What she wanted was finally within her grasp and she would not waste this opportunity again. Her heart was now hardened, no amount of any lingering familiar affection was going to get in the away this time.
"To think that my faint interest in that discarded fledgling would lead me to the very object of my desire. It seems fate has cast its light upon me once more" she noted to herself as a servant continued to kneel before her. Given the fact that this was a personal endeavor and had nothing to do with Zeref or the affairs of the empire, Irene expected that her master would be displeased if she wasted the resources of the empire on such a trivial matter. She would have to seek help elsewhere. Of course, if she succeeded in her goals, she would become irrelevant and unworthy of her seat as a shield of Spriggan, her utility lost in her potentially new body. She would need to find a peace offering to please Zeref once he finds out. But most importantly, she would need a place to conduct this little endeavor of hers in peace, far from prying eyes and she knew exactly who to call upon.
"Find Wall Eetho and begin recruiting as many mercenaries as possible from the empire. This one is strictly off his majesty's notice, understood?"
"Yes, Lady Irene" the servant bowed and immediately departed.
As the servant disappeared from her sight, the Scarlet Despair gazed at her arms, believing that her time in this body was numbered. "Soon, I will have what I want. If you are truly the child of my blood, then you and I shall become of one mind and one body, my dear daughter."
Sergeant Luka sat at the recruitment desk, bored out of his mind. Four hours of his life were being wasted, signing away the names of wannabe tough guys who wanted to join this little expedition that had been commissioned by a shield of Emperor Spriggan himself. He was told that this recruitment drive was of utmost importance because of the prestige involved but he couldn't care less.
Occasionally he'd slip out a yawn as he signed away the names of the freelancers on the paper, the tally had reached up to a hundred by this point. As he looked up to see who was next, all Luka could do was sigh at the sight of the never-ending line. "Standard fee is a solid gold bar straight out of pocket of the Scarlet Despair herself, you get paid once the job is done. And no, your friends don't get to collect your pay when you die and NO, this does not make you a member of the Alvarez army" he lazily repeated the same line he had been barking over all day long as the hopeful recruit signed his name and moved on. "Next!"
"Put my name in!"
As he waited for the next recruit, something shook him out of his boredom. Instead of a burly man standing before him, small hands reached out from underneath the table. Shaking his head out of his stupor, the Sergeant leaned over the table to see a young boy, no older than maybe ten to twelve, with black hair whose bangs covered one of his eyes. He wore a brown tattered poncho and had a look of supreme confidence. Sergeant Luka's reaction was to instantly slap his face and cover his eyes with an audible groan.
"You're in the wrong place kid, playground is that way" he pointed towards the one of the exiting gates of the recruitment center.
"Nuh-uh, I don't have time for all that kiddie stuff. I heard you're recruiting mercs for a special mission and I'm the toughest there is!" the boy refused to be pushed aside.
The Sergeant had to blink just to register what the boy was saying. It almost made him burst out into laughter, but he managed to hold it in. "Riiiight. Listen, kid, I'm sure you think you're badass and all that jazz, but this job is for grown adults. Leave it to the grown-ups and just run along and play" he warned the boy.
However, even after the warning, the lad stood his ground and stubbornly refused to move, even as the line behind him was getting annoyed. "No way! I know how to fight; I can fight better than all of these losers!" he proclaimed.
His boasts earned a chuckle from the recruiter and the rest of the mercenaries behind him. But that only served to enrage the boy who brandished out a pistol out of thin air and fired it upwards, the recoil sending him flying backward while the bullet ricochet all over the recruitment center while the rest of the mercenaries frantically took cover until it hit a box and punched a hole through it. Even the boy himself looked on with a widened eye, taken aback by the force of his weapon.
With the sound of the bullet still whizzing in his ear, Sergeant Luka flew into a rage as he stood up from his recruitment desk and stomped his way toward the boy, who was stricken with regret and panic as he shuffled back. "Why you little brat! You could've killed someone!" Before he could lay his hands on the kid, a voice called out to him.
"Let him in"
The sergeant as well as the rest of the mercenaries turned around to see two knights brandished in elaborate golden armor from head to toe walk past them. "The boy wishes to prove to himself that he is capable. Give him a chance" one of them stated.
"S-sir Marcus?" Sergeant Luka said, perplexed by his superior's request. Whispers began forming amongst the freelancers, many of whom were just as baffled as the Sergeant, if not more.
"Wait, THE Marcus?"
"If that's the case, then the other one must be his brother, Remus."
"The Golden Beasts, two of the legendary four silver hounds. They're said to directly serve under the Scarlet Despair. But where are the other two?"
"So those two are gonna be our bosses?"
As his masters disappeared out of sight, Luka raised his voice to calm the crowd down and restore order. Looking at the boy, there was a certain sparkle in his eye as he looked on at the knights, obviously taken in by their power. This one was oblivious to the true ways of the world and it wasn't as if he cared about him but an inexperienced rookie would prove to be a liability just as he proved his recklessness now. Alas, he couldn't deny his boss's orders either. Regaining his composure, he went back to his desk and called for the boy.
"All right kid, you win. But mark my words, you're gonna regret it. You'll get a front-row seat to the real world"
The boy was unperturbed by his warnings. Instead flashing a grin and brandishing his gun out even more, "Hah! As if that's gonna scare me. Once this mission's done, they'll all know my name, Sugar pistol Alzack!"
"Sugar…what? Ugh never mind…. Alzack…. that your name?" he asked, readying his quill on the paper.
"Yup. Alzack Connell" the boy named Alzack answered without hesitation.
"All right, Al-Zack" Luka repeated what he had heard and wrote the kid's name on the tally, "Welcome aboard kid, though you might not enjoy it once we're done."
Alzack responded by twirling his gun and flashing an enormous grin.
Within the rowdy crowd, Selphia sat atop a box and witnessed Alzack's display of bravado with amusement. As the boy signed his name on the dotted line, the demi-God smiled, "Oh little Alzack, always eager to prove yourself. Just like my two brothers. Hmm, speaking of my brothers, those two should be done by now as well."
Erza let out a yawn and raised her arms upward, stretching them as she gave out an annoyed grunt while rubbing her eyes.
"Didn't get enough sleep?" Sasuke asked, observing her discomfort with a little concern. The two were strolling through the streets of Magnolia early in the morning, their destination being the guild.
"Came back late last night…." Erza yawned and rubbed her neck while continuing the walk with a hunch, "Nothing a little coffee can't fix."
"If you're really tired, you could just sleep it out" Sasuke sighed, "It's not like you have any urgent matters to attend to right now."
"Maybe" Erza moaned and agreed, eyes facing the large building in front of the street. She wanted to tell him that it was because of a bet she made with Mirajane, one that insinuated that whoever didn't arrive at the guild by 7: 00 AM would have to admit that the other person was simply better in every way and clean the winner's room for a week. She couldn't handle that kind of humiliation. Was it petty and childish? Absolutely. And that was one of the reasons why she didn't want to tell Sasuke the truth. Instead, Erza decided to deflect by asking him, "So what about you? Why are you up this early?"
"I'm making a habit of coming to the guild to see all the quests on the notice board before anyone else does" he replied.
"Huh, figures" Erza chuckled, "meticulous as always"
The early hours of the guild were relatively quiet and peaceful, a far cry from the usual rowdiness that was present. Only a few members were present when the two stepped in, consisting of Reedus, Macao, Wakaba, and a few other people he was unfamiliar with, who were possibly either clients or new members or members he hadn't met yet. "Hangover must've done everyone else in," he said, his eye looking around the place.
"You know, it's nice not having to deal with Natsu and…*yawn* Gray fighting again" Erza stretched once more as her eyes began to give away, nearly causing her to fall back as Sasuke caught her.
This earned her a sigh from Sasuke, who looked down on the sleeping Erza. "You need to sleep" he advised her as he pushed her towards the bar area of the guild hall, "take a nap on one of the tables. I'll get you some coffee once you wake up."
Her eyes were shut tight, yet it still didn't stop her from giving out a dopey smile, "Yeah…good idea…. Mmmmm so comfy."
Erza fell into a heavy slumber as she began snoring, while Sasuke slowly pushed her prone body towards the bar. Once they were there, the Uchiha gingerly lifted her over the stool the girl instantly dropped onto the table while Sasuke looked on with confusion.
"Oh, didn't think you'd make it Erza"
In an instant, Erza's eyes popped wide open, red as a beet but alert nonetheless. She slammed her hands on the table and glanced sideways to see the presence of a smug grin coming from her archnemesis. "Mira" she hissed.
"Erza…" Mirajane snarked back, "And here I was ready to celebrate, thinking you'd thrown in the towel. I was just dreaming about it: you admitting that I'm better than you, cleaning my room and crying like a baby. Ahh…. shame you had to get here." The white-haired girl leaned over to the side to take a look at Sasuke and then continued "But then again, it looks like you needed help, so I guess that still makes me better."
All the energy that had been drained from Erza the previous night, came back to her in an instant as she miraculously willed herself out of the chair and stormed towards Mirajane, who also left her chair and awaited her confrontation. Once they were within arm's reach of each other, Erza's forehead brutally collided with Mirajane's as they shot daggers at each other. "Then show me" Erza dared.
"I'll bring it to you, red!" Mira accepted the challenge.
Sasuke didn't utter a word as the two girls began their usual catfight, fists began flying and the petty nicknames started coming out of each other's mouths. Given the frequency of their fights, which were just as common as Natsu and Gray's, Sasuke, much to his disappointment had to deal to their antics as well.
Just as he pondered on what to do next, Macao called out to him, "Hey Sasuke! You got a couple of fans who want to see you. Didn't think you were that popular"
Sasuke blinked as he looked over to where Macao usually sat. Next to him were two small figures in elaborate white robes. One of them turned around and waved at him with a big smile, revealing to him that he was just another kid. "Fans?" he mumbled to himself as he walked over to them. Who were they? What did they want?
"Really like that orange juice huh?" Macao wondered as he watched one of them slurping through the straw loudly, before his eye darted to the other one who sat quietly without having even touched his, "But what about you? Don't like it?"
"I do not have any interest in consuming this beverage for the time being. I will do so at a probable time that I can allocate for myself" he eloquently replied.
"He means, he'll drink it later" the first one explained to a slightly puzzled Macao, after which he set his sights on the arriving Sasuke and waved wildly at him, "Heeeeyyy! Over here!"
As the Uchiha approached the two strangers, Macao got up from his seat and walked towards Sasuke. "Know these two?" he asked.
"No"
Hearing his blunt reply, Macao lightly tapped his shoulder and said, "Well, good luck to ya then. If you run into any problems just, holler at me." Sasuke responded with a silent nod as Macao walked away from him and into the bar, most likely to get some beers again in the morning…. or perhaps it was something else like coffee or tea given that he claimed to have cut back on the booze for the sake of his pregnant wife, who was due in just a few weeks.
Regardless of the matter, as Sasuke approached the two guests, he used this opportunity to get a good look at them. Their attire consisted of white robes with gold linings, while the inside were brown tunics with blue sashes and belts. They reminded him of a certain someone he encountered a long time ago but he was having difficulty remembering it. Other than that, they both had brown hair, blue eyes and a similar face but one was awaiting him with a big smile with his hair slicked back and his hood open while the other sat quietly his bangs covering his eyes while the hood concealed the rest of the face. "Twins?" he presumed. Then again, there was only one to find out.
As he sat on the opposite bench, one of them leaned forward on the table with a cheeky grin while the other remained silent and stared away. "To think it took this long for us to finally meet you" the one on the left, the cheerful one stated.
"Elder sister was adamant about our timing," the dour one said, "As was our master."
"Sister?" Sasuke wondered out loud.
The two immediately locked eyes with Sasuke, as if their full attention had been snapped back to him. "Does Malebolge ring a bell?" the cheerful one suggested.
Lowering his head, Sasuke dug through his memory to find out what they were talking about. Memories of that cursed place, a fallen civilization, destined to tear each other apart for eternity as punishment for their transgressions against the divine. And in that place, he recalled two eccentric individuals; A young girl called Lynette who later revealed herself to be a member of the dark guild Grimoire Heart, and whose faction was in possession of his Rinnegan. The second was a mysterious woman who somehow knew everything there was about him and whom the god of justice explained was a half-god. "Selphia" he mentioned.
"Correct!" the cheery one congratulated with a clap. The broody one remained quiet.
"And if she's your sister, then that makes you half gods as well. Correct?" Sasuke deduced.
"Also correct" the quiet one spoke up.
"I'm Kaminik" the cheerful one introduced himself.
"And I am Kiran" the dour one added. "We are the twin sons of Chronos, the everlasting god of time, and the younger brothers of Selphia. Together, we are the Lords of Causality, the watchers of time and the observers of the fate of every living being in this world."
Without warning, the one called Kaminik jumped on top of the table and gracefully bowed. "It is an honor to finally meet you…...Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki". In that instance, Kaminik snapped his finger, and everything ground to a halt. Everyone at the guild froze in place just as they were doing something. Sasuke's eye widened with awe as he looked around. Erza and Mirajane were in the middle of a fight, Macao was just about to take a sip of coffee when a piece of bread was about to take off and stayed perfectly in the process of its trajectory heading straight for Erza and Mirajane.
And equally surprised was the Sage of Six Paths himself, who materialized out of thin air and levitated before them. "You know of me?" Hagoromo asked, though given that other deities have known of him somehow, he knew he should not have been surprised.
"In passing" Kiran commented, "We know of your deeds and your exploits. And even if we cannot approve of some of your actions, they were certainly impressive and done outside of our domain, thus, out of our jurisdiction."
"What actions?" Sasuke asked "And if it's out of your jurisdiction, why do you care?"
"His creation of the nine creatures you called the Tailed Beasts. They are not a product of the natural cycle of living and dying but an artificial creation. It is a violation of the natural order of existence and disruption to the delicate balance between life and death" Kiran explained.
"And to answer your other questions, we keep tabs on things that happen outside of our world" Kaminik added as he jumped back to the bench and sat down, "It's kind of our job."
"And what job is that?" Sasuke pried; his hands clasped together as he stared intensely at them.
" We already told you. But, if we were to summarize: to watch over the natural order of this world, the fate of every living being and to ensure that the flow of time remains constant" Kiran replied, "But our duties are also to ensure that no god meddles in the affairs of the mortal world as well."
"But what of the two of us? Do my actions constitute a threat to your 'natural order' "Hagoromo asked wearily, his face turning left and right at the guild that had been frozen in time, "And are you not also meddling in the affairs of mortals by stopping time and speaking to us in this manner?"
The twins looked at each other before facing the two of them. Kiran sighed and spoke up first, "Oh boy, this one's gonna be a doozy. Well first things first, technically we're not meddling in anybody's business right now. We just stopped time for a little bit so the four of us could talk without anybody knowing the truth. Second of all, a fly is going to enter Macao's coffee in exactly five seconds after we unfreeze time, so do with it as you will."
"Additionally, you two are not from this world" Kiran continued, picking up from where his brother left off, "Both of you are variables that do not fit into this equation of ours, the consequences of which have already been …. devastating."
Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned back, "What are you talking about?"
"It is not what you are doing that troubles us, but what you will of and have already done. But if we were to explain it in detail, you would not be able to comprehend it. So, just imagine if this world was the human body, and you two are foreign cells that entered this body. What do you think will happen?" Kiran inquired.
"The body will either reject the foreign substance and send out antibodies to defend itself and eliminate the cells or they'll accept it" Sasuke intuitively answered, their words slowly starting to make more sense.
"Ding! Ding! Ding! Correct!" Kaminik praised with an impudent grin, "And guess who the antibodies are…?"
The Uchiha pointed his fingers at the two of them and gave a flat answer, "You two."
"Correct again. Well mostly, since it isn't just us."
With this affirmation, Sasuke and Hagoromo's stance changed from weariness to outright concern. While they didn't show it outwardly, both were mentally preparing themselves for the worst. "If that is what you claim, then does that not imply that you seek to eliminate us?" Hagoromo questioned.
"Well, even if we could, we have no such authority" Kaminik shrugged and gave tired smile, "That kind of executive power can only be exercised by our uncle."
"Uncle?" Sasuke and Hagoromo repeated in unison.
Without hesitation, Kiran smacked his brother on the back of his head. "That's Lord Ankhseram to us. Show some respect" he scolded his more emotive twin. "This world has accepted you as one of its own, so we cannot interfere in your affairs. However, by that same token, you two are now bound to the rules of this world as well, thus, should you break the laws of this world, Lord Ankhseram will be forced to take action."
"Owww! Hehe," Kaminik cried out, rubbing the back of his head as he gave out a nervous laugh, "Ah…well, ehe. Besides that, we don't want to kill you. We like the two of you. Even if you'll probably screw things up soon. That and... you two aren't the only ones from other worlds."
"Wait..." Sasuke paused, "What do you mean we're not the only ones?"
"Exactly like I said" Kaminik bluntly answered, "In fact, you've already met one of them. And you're probably gonna met the other one soon. I think you'll like him. "
Sasuke's eye narrowed, the implication of having met another outsider intriguing him, "One of them? Could it be..."
"I know what you're thinking but no ...it's not that. She's more of a grumpy old lady"
"Grumpy old lady..." Sasuke mumbled until his eye widened at the realization. There was only one person who fit that description so far if they meant the ones he had met. "Porlyusica. So, she's from another world too?"
"She is also an outsider but hails from a world quite different from this realm or even yours. But we will leave it at that. Same for another outsider whose arrival to this guild is imminent. You will likely meet him someday." Kiran elaborated.
"Who?" Sasuke asked.
"Sorry, can't say anymore. Wouldn't wanna ruin the surprise" Kaminik deflected, swaging his left index finger in front of Sasuke, indicating to him to not pry further.
"Then what is the purpose of your visit?" The Sage asked.
"It is to warn you, to not repeat your actions in this world" Kiran answered.
"That thing you did with the Tailed Beasts and him" Kaminik pointed out to Sasuke, "You can't go around doing something like that again. Unc-I mean Lord Ankhseram doesn't like that nor any other god for that matter."
"It is a sign of arrogance, that you have chosen to take control of who lives and who dies. It is an affront to his authority and many who chose to defy his rule have suffered his wrath. I would not wish for the two of you to be placed under his judgment" Kiran added, "Let it be clear, do not create life through unnatural means, do not save those who are beyond saving but most importantly, do not bring back the dead. With your powers, Sage, you are quite capable of all of these affronts. This body here is proof of that. These are our master's warnings."
"The disruption of the delicate balance between life and death as well as the natural order. I did not think my actions would have such dire consequences beyond my home" Hagoromo pondered. "Even so, I no longer possess the same strength that I once did. I doubt I will be able to perform any of these acts anymore."
"That is good to hear" Kiran gave an approving nod. "Master Ankhseram will be quite pleased to hear that. He has nothing but absolute respect for you and would prefer not to take action against you."
His words only served to irritate Sasuke, who barely contain his annoyance at his blatant ignorance of hypocrisy, "You think your actions didn't have consequences that reached that far? Have you forgotten? The world changed because you created the Tailed Beasts and favor Asura as your successor. You're the one who told me that."
"Of course," Hagoromo conceded. His expression remained blank but there was exhaustion in his voice at the mention of Asura. If only he'd been more attentive toward both of them. "That sin is mine alone to bear."
As the two of them glared at each other, the twins rose from their seats, with Kaminik slurping the last bits of orange juice from his before snatching his brother's glass. "If you have understood our warning, then we will take our leave." Kiran addressed, apathic to the fact that his share was taken by his brother who gulped down the juice in seconds and put it on the table "On behalf of Lord Ankhseram as well as his comrades who rule this realm, we formally welcome you to Earthland."
As the twins turned around to leave, Kaminik immediately stopped and spun back, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I know you want some answers about …a certain someone, right? Well, there's a special on the notice board, just for you. Course, it's up to you whether you want to take it or not, but think of it like a welcome gift."
"Certain someone?" He asked, looking back at the bulletin board, yet by the time he turned back around, the twins had disappeared. And time itself had reverted to its natural state.
"At the very least, some of our questions have been answered. How certain deities knew of our existence and our history" The Sage of Six Paths had disappeared into the back of his mind. "And I believe one of them said Earthland. Perhaps, that is the name of this world."
As life in the guild returned to normal, the first thing on Sasuke's mind was to test out the prediction that one of them made. Counting down to five, he noticed a fly buzzing about and nearly entering Macao's coffee cup, as predicted by Kaminik. Without waiting any further, he immediately walked past the older mage and informed him "There's a fly in your cup."
Macao awkwardly looked at Sasuke walking away before looking back at his cup, only to realize that the boy was right. "What the?!" he shouted and immediately reeled in disgust, "Seriously!"
For his second act, Sasuke remembered the piece of bread that was about to fly off and was likely to land on the bickering Erza and Mirajane soon, likely to escalate the conflict into a full-blown battle if it were to ever hit the both of them.
"Ugly witch!"
"Thunder thighs!"
"Flat board!"
"Stinking prude!"
"You've said that before!"
"And you already called me a witch!"
As the two continued arguing, Sasuke caught the loaf and tossed it aside which caused the two of them to stop their fighting and gawk at him, realizing that one was them was seconds away from getting embarrassed by a flying piece of dough. "S-Sasuke…?" a confused Erza said, which Sasuke ignored and continued on his path to the notice board.
Once he had reached the notice board, his eye trailed everywhere for that particular special contract that one of the demi-gods mentioned. And much to his surprise, it was there: a blatant request for him, Erza, and for reasons that surprised him, Gildarts. A special rescue operation commissioned by a wealthy weapons manufacturer and 'duke' of Hargeon for a ludicrous sum of money. It was way too specific and the reward was too good to be true. There was something wrong with this contract.
"Whoa, 600 million jewels! And just for the three of us!" Erza shouted out loud, startling Sasuke a little.
"Wait….why the three of you!?" Mirajane chimed in, baffled by the reward price as she pointed toward Erza with a gaping mouth "And why that much!? What did you do to make it worth that much to commission you?"
Their commotion caused the rest of the guild, many of whom had just recently arrived at the guild to join in as they took a look at the request, causing a crowd to gather around the notice board, much to Sasuke's discomfort. "Yeah, that does look a little too good to be true" Macao agreed.
"But 600 mil can't be beaten. I could buy half of Magnolia with kind of moolah" Wakaba offered a counterargument.
"But why me, Sasuke, and Gildarts? And who's this Duke?" Erza mentioned.
"I'm not sure either" Sasuke concurred. He had read somewhere that a duke was a ruler, but on a smaller scale than a king and with less authority. In most cases, they served under a king or an emperor. Comparable to a Hokage, just without any fancy powers or fighting skills as far as he knew.
"Duke Manuel Erdrine, a descendant of the fallen Erdrine dynasty. He surrendered his right to the throne to the King of Fiore in exchange for a comfortable life and a decent position of power and authority. He's currently one of the largest weapons manufacturers in Fiore, operating out of Hargeon as its Duke." The rest of the guild looked back and saw Makarov stroll his way to the front of the notice, rubbing his chin and inspecting the contract, "Though I cannot fathom why he would request you three in particular."
"It could be a trap or some elaborate ploy that we don't know of yet" Sasuke suggested. "But if he's working for the king, he's technically a public figure and an ally, isn't that right?"
"Perhaps, but the world of politics is far more complicated than simply being friends and enemies, and that is why, I would advise against accepting such a request" Makarov nodded along but continued, "Especially, if Gildarts is among the concerned party, then I see a reason to be concerned."
Mumblings were going on amongst the guild members when Gildart's name was mentioned. This was something Sasuke could not fully agree with; just because the assumed threat was no match for Gildarts, did not mean Gildarts was a threat to everything else. Even if Gildarts could get them back safely, there was no guarantee that the ace of Fairy Tail would leave Hargeon town unscathed. "I should go alone, see what it's all about" Sasuke volunteered and raised his hand. "If all of this is just a hoax, then there's no harm in it. Otherwise, I can come back and split the reward with Erza and Gildarts."
"No" Makarov stated, "I refuse to let you go on your own into unknown danger."
"Exactly! I'm coming with you" Erza interjected.
"That won't be necessary" Sasuke argued.
"No way! I've let you go on your own for long enough. I'm not that helpless kid you knew anymore" Erza insisted, placing a hand on her armored chest, "I've gotten stronger Sasuke. And I have just as many questions for this quest as you do. I'm going and that's final."
"Or maybe he just thinks you're not cut out for it" Mirajane gave out a snide remark as she approached Sasuke, "In fact, I got a better proposition for you, Sasuke. I'll pretend to be Erza with my takeover and then, we can go there, kick whatever butt needs to be kick, and come back before dinner with a big fat paycheck. Heck, maybe I even can do a better job as Erza than Erza could do as herself."
Her proposal did not amuse Erza in the slightest as the redhead glared at the oldest Strauss with a venomous gaze. " .Dreams. Mira."
"That's enough. No one is allowed to take this quest without my permission." Makarov put his foot down as everyone else calmed down. Once the order had been re-established, the master of the guild looked at both Sasuke and Erza as he gave his verdict, "That being said, I'm going against my better judgment permitting you two to take this quest but only because you both have proven to be capable young wizards and on the conditions that Gildarts agrees to this."
Personally, Sasuke thought to just ditch the formality of accepting the request and go off on his own in the dead of night. Breaking the rules wasn't a problem for him. But the issue was, he wasn't the only rule breaker around and if he set the precedent for it, others were likely just to follow. Erza was becoming her own person and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He took no joy in seeing her hurt again, after everything that happened in the Tower of Heaven, but he was not her parent. He had no right to control her life and he knew it. Thus, he agreed to this compromise with a reluctant "tch, fine." At the very least, with him and Gildarts around, the odds of success were very high, regardless of the obstacle.
"Thank you master" Erza gave a grateful bow as she looked at her friend, "It's been a while since we've worked together, haven't we Sasuke?"
His broodiness cracked under that smile and it gave way to a small grin, "Hmph, guess so."
"By the way, speaking of the third guy, where is Gildarts?" Macao pointed out, to which the rest of the guild gave a collective "Oh…"
"Did someone call my name?"
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the entrance as a certain someone approached them. With a strong build and a confident face, the man of the hour had arrived.
"Gildarts!"
"How do you feel?" Lief asked, standing over the prone body of Hades, who was lying on an operating table in a dark room. His eyes had been masked by bandages, the aftermath of a successful surgery.
"The pain is there, but it will subside. I can feel new strength emanating from within" Hades answered, raising his right hand and circling his fist into a ball, tightening his grip, "This curse power, I've never felt anything like it."
Lief stared over the prone body of Hades and then glanced sideways at the army of Grimoire Heart soldiers, most of them being nothing more than untrained cannon fodder, though he could sense some semblance of magic coming from all of them. The girl called Ultear, who was leaning against the wall, however, was different from the rest of them. Despite being a child, she seemed to be his most trusted confidant and his second in command and her magic potency was off the charts. Not that it mattered since he and Juliet were more than enough to take them all on but he had no obligation to do so since his master gave him different orders. Speaking of his master, "Be grateful that my master chose to give you this power and bestowed upon you my curse power."
"Well, that's a bold-faced lie" Juliet mumbled in the distance, knowing that it was Lief who made the conscious decision to implant Hades with the eye. "I wonder how Lady Irene would reach if I told her what Lief did? Hmmm….nah, I think I'll keep this to myself hehehehe"
"Then, however shall I repay such kindness" Hades retorted, insincerity in his tone.
The mysterious man clicked his tongue, annoyed by the old man's sarcasm but refrained from doing anything further. "You don't" he answered, removing the surgical gloves and tossing them aside as he went for the door, "Do with it as you wish. This is where we part ways."
As he shut the door behind him, Ultear walked to her master's bedside. "How are you, master Hades?" she asked.
But rather than answer her question, Hades issued another order for her instead, "Follow them Ultear. Convince them to let you join them in their endeavor. Find out everything you can from them."
Ultear reeled back with a bemused look but understood his intentions soon enough. More than that, it aligned with her own goals of discovering these mysterious figures, their connection to this eye, and their link to Zeref and the boy called Sasuke. Even without his command, she would follow them anyways.
"Do you think they might lead us to Lord Zeref?" she asked.
"Perhaps. But they are hiding something from us, that much is certain" Hades said, "We cannot let this opportunity slip away."
"Well, that might be a little harder" Ultear noted, on the basis that they'll likely see through her plan to spy on them. However, infiltration was something she had become quite well versed in, and the art of deception didn't always have to involve trying to lie. To her, the ultimate deception was where the deceived do not realize that they are being played. "But it looks like I'll have to whip out a new identity."
Gildarts hummed as he shifted through the request, reading through its contents meticulously while Makarov, Sasuke, and Erza looked on. The rest of the guild had decided to leave them to their devices and resume their daily activity, which included all of the usual drinking and brawling.
"So, what do you think?" Makarov inquired.
"Honestly, definitely, most likely a trap" Gildarts admitted, earning a strange look from Sasuke, "I'd say about 90 percent."
"Then it's a waste of time standing here or even accepting it. We'll be better off going in unofficially" Sasuke grumbled, if what Gildarts said is true, then the three of them might as well abandon the request and investigate on their own.
Erza wanted to pitch in but Gildart already beat her to it by calling for Sasuke, "Now hold your horses' tough guy. Let's say it wasn't a trap or some evil plan, let's say the Duke needed our help, let's say he heard about us, and let's say that pay was….well, my roof needs fixing and the toilet needs running water."
"We live right next to a canal. Maybe if you learn to take care of your house every once in a while, this wouldn't be a problem" Sasuke pointed out, reminding the wandering mage that they were neighbors. "And besides you, I don't think I've done anything to warrant that much attention."
"Not quite" Makarov argued, "During my meetings with the council, word has gotten around of a young wizard who's been hunting down Dark Guilds and has earned the commendation of the King Himself. My guess is that you're previous heroics in saving Princess Hisui and aiding the King has garnered the attention of the Duke. Which is why I can assure you; your reputation is quite warranted."
Sasuke gave a dissatisfied frown and sighed, realizing that his actions had far-reaching effects on the wizarding world. He knew it was inevitable, given his encounters with Tartaros and Grimoire Heart and their dislike for him but he was worried that he was making enemies faster than he was gaining in strength.
"So, Gildarts. Is this okay with you?" Erza asked.
Gildarts responded with a nonchalant shrug and answered, "Sure, why not. If it's true, we get a big payday, if it's a trap, I'll just kick their asses. Not a problem."
Erza was astounded yet also amazed by his casual approach to such a grave matter. She had always been aware of his destructive abilities but to see him in action would be a sight to behold. "Did you hear that, Sasuke? We'll be taking on a quest with an S-Class Wizard!" she eagerly looked at Sasuke.
"That reminds me, I know why they'd ask for Gildarts and as the old man pointed out, me. But what about you, Erza" Sasuke looked at her, "Why do they want you?"
"Me?" Erza remarked, pointing at herself.
"Who else? Didn't think you were getting so popular, little lady" Gildarts teased.
"Erza has been working hard and proving her worth. A few of my peers have even discussed her name from time to time, believing she has the potential to be a Wizard Saint someday" Makarov chimed, citing her rising fame with a hint of pride.
His words of praises stunned Erza which her face to heat up a bit as she looked away. "I don't think I've done anything of note to deserve that much, master."
"Don't be"
Erza blinked and looked at Sasuke, who stared back with a straight lace face. "You've been working hard, harder than anyone else. And you've gotten stronger too. Whatever accolades have been handed to you; you've earned it."
The redhead rubbed her arm and smiled, her bashfulness giving way to a more confident stance. "Thank you Sasuke" she accepted his encouragement. To have him acknowledge her progress, felt like a burden had been lifted off of her shoulders, like her struggles were not in vain.
But there was still a long way to go before she could surpass him and that was the one wish, she truly desired.
AN: Just finished with the first chapter of this year and I recently just finished the Phoenix Priestess. Pretty good all things consider. I'll be watching Dragon Cry next. Anyways, Happy Belated New Year. Thanks for supporting me through all this time and I hope you'll continue to enjoy this story.
Neoyle: You'll have to keep reading to find out ;)
Demigod0414: because it's still composed of elemental energy. Fire and lighting are still fire and lightning, even if they were formed from Chakra. It's kinda like how Acnologia can eat any and all forms of magic, but he could not eat the enchanted air that Irene created through her magic.
Ultear can only control certain aspects of sentient living things and the entirety of non-sentient living things, like trees. That's why she can control Gray's ice power, even if he conjured it up entirely out of magic from thin air. But once Gray combined his ice magic with his own blood, then she couldn't do anything anymore. In that same way, I believe she could theoretically control Sasuke's fire and lightning abilities along with his ninja tools, but she won't be able to affect his Sharingan and abilities made of pure chakra like the Susanoo, which I think would be impossible for her.
Plus, I made the choice so the fight could be more interesting instead of a one sided stomp. And he still won the fight. This was the storyboard for the fight: Sasuke encounters an opponent who can counter most of his abilities, so what does he do? Switch tactics and learn his opponents tricks with his Sharingan, and pull out a victory.
Yoj1mb03796: Yup, I'm using the stories here to build a foundation for future stories in the main timeline. I'm glad you enjoyed Sasuke's interactions with the other guild members, each of them have their own unique quirks, which makes each encounter different from the other. At least, that's how I feel.
Moose16363: Glad you enjoyed it. I'll do my best to keep you entertained.
Kaleidoscope's Beauty: He still has a long way to go before he can take them on. That's part of why the story is building up to him getting stronger by fighting new opponents with new tactics.
Dragon of the Eclipsing Moon: Thank you! I'm always welcoming of fair criticism in order to improve my writing. I've read some of your stories too and I think they're neat.