"Hey! Took you two long enough!" Bacchus exclaimed with a grin as he lounged leisurely in the middle of an army that were all completely on guard, the army's eyes widening as half of them spun around to aim their weapons at Eric and Screecher.

"Where's Flare?" Eric asked as he looked around for his girlfriend before blinking as all Bacchus did was laugh and point upwards, looking to where he pointed before aiming a deadpan stare at his cackling girlfriend as she stood on the back of a wyvern and held dozens of terrified guards high in the air.

"…Really?"

"It was either that or she rushes in to help you." Bacchus said with a shrug as he stood up, rolling his eyes at how the guards quickly backed away before chuckling as he saw the floating Zash behind Eric.

"I see you managed to capture Zash instead of killing him like we planned. Nice." Bacchus spoke with a grin and a thumbs-up, Eric ignoring Zash' terrified squeak from behind the chains that covered his mouth as he shrugged.

"I figured the king would want to take his chunk of flesh for him trying to kill his family." Eric admitted, to which Bacchus chuckled as Screecher looked up at Flare.

"Flare! We're done, so you can put them down!" His voice echoed up to Flare and she looked down, her eyes lighting up as she saw Eric waving up at her before letting out a groan as she registered Screecher's voice.

"Really?! Can't I just let them drop?" She asked with a hopeful look, Screecher letting out a sigh and Bacchus snickering as Eric chuckled.

"No. Now, please put them down…gently." He reiterated, Flare just groaning as she floated back down while her hair extended to put the guards down gently, each of them swiftly scrambling away as Flare retracted her and landed gracefully in front of her fellow Quatro mages.

"So…what now?" She asked, to which Eric just hummed before shrugging as he held out the Dragon Cry.

"Could both of you touch this, please? There's something I want to test and I've already let Screech touch this."

"Apparently, Eric is the only one that can touch it since it drained half of my ethernano in the three seconds I touched it." Screecher explained to the confused duo, to which both just turned to give Eric deadpan stares as he gave a sheepish smile.

"Yeah, that. …Are you still going to touch it?"

"…Why not? It will give me an excuse to take tomorrow off and drink more." Bacchus said with a shrug as he nodded, Eric giving Flare a pleading stare as his girlfriend just gave him a long stare before letting out a sigh.

"You owe me."

"We'll go out to that restaurant on another date." Eric said, to which Flare beamed as she nodded before reaching out and touching the staff with a single finger while Bacchus grasped it.

"So, what are we waiting fooo-What the fuck was that?!" Bacchus exclaimed as he quickly pulled his hand back, Eric keeping the staff afloat with his Gravity magic and quickly reaching out to catch Flare while Screecher groaned as Eric caught him with his gravity.

"How bad was it?" He asked as he helped Flare up, the redhead taking deep yet shaky breaths while Bacchus frowned as he wiped the droplets of sweat from his forehead.

"That…that needs to be sealed up. That took nearly all of my ethernano."

"S-Same…h-h-here." Flare gasped out, to which Eric frowned in thought before Flare gave him a thankful smile as he picked her up in a bridal carry.

"T-Thanks." She whispered, to which he smiled and nodded before turning to the others as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

"It drained half of my ethernano and nearly all of Bacchus' & Flare's, but it doesn't drain any of yours. Are we sure you can hold it?" Screecher asked as he floated in the air, Bacchus' breathing finally going back to its regular pace as they watched Eric reach out and grasped Dragon Cry tightly.

"…Nope, no draining. Are you guys sure you're not pulling my leg or something?" Eric asked with a frown as he put the artifact back into his Requip dimension, humming as Bacchus & Screecher just shook their heads before blinking as he turned back to see the army still cautious of them.

"Uh, our King will most likely sent a message to discuss things with your new leader so…wait for that." Before any guard could stop them, Bacchus & Screecher quickly rushed to his side before they vanished, Eric activating his magic and carrying them high into the sky before they rocketed back in the direction of Fiore.

"Are we going to have to do that plan to get through Bosco again?" Bacchus asked as the four of them flew away from Altair, Eric frowning before he shook his head.

"No, this time, we just smash right through the barrier."

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Princess Veronica. Dante." A rather tall & muscular man spoke with a frown as he opened the door, dressed in dark grey armour with a 5-petal flower piece resembling the Fiore Royal crest engraved on the chest piece and a red cape with the Fiore crest in yellow on it clipped to his shoulders.

"Sir Arcadios. Is Hisui perhaps here?" Veronica greeted with a smile as Dante nodded, Arcadios frowning at her question before shaking his head.

"Unfortunately, the princess is asleep. I'll inform her that you've come searching for her when she awakes from her sleep."

"Arcadios, she is my cousin. She can come in." A soft, melodic voice spoke from behind Arcadios, who sighed but nodded as he opened the door wider, Veronica smiling in amusement at her uncle & the knight glaring at each other before turning around to see her younger cousin sitting happily with a cup of tea in her hands.

"Forgive Arcadios. I didn't wish to be disturbed for the day."

"It's of no concern, cousin dearest. If you wish, we can have this discussion tomorrow." Veronica said with a frown, not saying anything about the slight bags under Hisui's eyes or the tired smile as she shook her head whilst placing her cup down.

"Not at all. Please, be seated. Uncle, you can sit as well."

"I'll remain standing if that's okay with you, Princess." Dante said with a smile as he stood slightly behind Veronica on her right, to which the two princess shared an amused eye roll while Arcadios came to stand on Hisui's right.

"Now, I must ask what was so urgent as you're not one to send a servant to come get me. Is it perhaps your father?" Veronica asked with concern, Hisui giggling as she shook her head.

"Oh heavens no! Father is well and will rule for the next decade if I have anything to say about it. I'm not nearly ready to take over. No, this is about the young man known as Eric Creed."

"Ah, that idiot, hmm?" Veronica spoke with a giggle, Arcadios blinking at the familial tone in the princess' voice before glancing over to Dante as he heard the man scoff.

"Believe me when I tell you, princess, that goofball is just a waste of time to learn about."

"You say that and yet your tone shows that you've come to grow fond of him, uncle." Hisui said with a smirk, giggling as Dante just grumbled while Veronica answered.

"He just acts tough since it's a 'man's thing' to hate each other even though they respect each other."

"Sounds like someone I know." Arcadios just blushed at the princesses' giving him amused glances as he cleared his throat and looked away, Hisui giggling before turning back to her older cousin.

"Regardless of uncle's words, I wish to know more about him. More specifically, do you know how he managed to go from a simple mage in Quatro Cerberus to nearly as strong as the Ace of their guild? Despite his behaviour, there is a reason Bacchus Groh is feared as the Drunken Falcon." Hisui spoke with a frown, to which Veronica and Dante glanced at each other before the older princess shook her head.

"As far as I can remember, he never told me anything about how he managed to get that strong. Hell, he always tells me that he doesn't think he's that strong at all compared to the truly strong of the world."

"Also, don't mention the fact that he killed an Elder Wyvern in front of him. He apparently hates being seen in awe about that incident since the wyvern wasn't that strong."

"…He does know that an Elder Wyvern is nearly equivalent to an S-Class mage even when injured, correct?" Hisui spoke with a bewildered look, Veronica just smirking as she nodded.

"He does, but he doesn't care for that. He believes that if it was at that level, he would have died on that first mission, but since he didn't, it was weak to him."

"So, he's been strong since he began a mage, then? Also, has he said anything about the incident that the mages of Quatro Cerberus found him at?" Hisui asked, to which Veronica frowned as she slowly shook her head.

"Not anything significant. He simply told us that he remembers being in the captivity of Zeref Cultists from the time that he was five or six years old and then being released a year ago when he found them all dead."

"Nothing else?" Arcadios asked, frowning as Dante just shook his head while Hisui looked at him.

"That was at the same time that Zash ran off with the artifact, correct?" Veronica and Dante were confused by the princess' words as Arcadios nodded before Hisui noticed their expressions and smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, right. You two do not know."

"Know what? We know of Zash Caine that ran away with the Dragon Cry artifact that has been in your family for centuries, but other than that, nothing else has been told to us."

"Well, Quatro Cerberus has taken on the job of retrieving the artifact & capturing Zash Caine and I wished to see what type of person this Eric Creed was since he was on the mission along with Bacchus Groh, Flare Corona and Screecher."

"Oh, then you can rest assured because he is bringing them back, one way or the other." Veronica said with a smile, Dante shrugging in agreement as Hisui looked surprised while Arcadios frowned.

"How certain of that are you, princess?" The knight frowned, to which Veronica giggled but was interrupted before she could answer by a servant quickly rushing in, out of breath as Hisui frowned at them.

"I thought I said the princess was not to be interrupted for the day!" Arcadios exclaimed as he went to march over to the servant before looking surprised as the princess stopped him, standing up as the servant quickly bowed before she spoke.

"A-A-Apologies, my Princess, S-Sir Arcadios, but the King said that it was urgent!"

"Is something wrong with him? Is he sick?" Hisui asked in rapid succession, blinking as Veronica had stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"H-He said that the Quatro Cerberus mages have been seen entering the Western Gate with Zash Caine in chains and the Dragon Cry secured." That surprised Hisui and Arcadios as the princess looked at her cousin, who just smirked as she shrugged.

"Like I said, he's bringing them back one way or the other. Let us go to the throne room before your father sends more servants to come fetch us."

"Now announcing the esteemed mages of Quatro Cerberus! Sir Bacchus Groh, Sir Eric Creed, Sir Screecher and Ms. Flare Corona!" Eric blinked at the formal announcement of their arrival as a group of guards opened the rather large double-sided golden doors before being even further surprised by the large gathering of nobles on either side of a crimson carpet that led up to an extravagant gold & purple throne.

Sat upon it was a rather short man wearing striped overalls, held up by a leather belt at the waist and a gorgeous crimson cape draped around his shoulders with a golden crown adorned with scarlet rubies sat atop his head.

Standing next to him was a beautiful & slim, petite young woman, with wavy light green hair and dressed in a strapless emerald green dress down with a tiara adorned with seven gemstones on her head and a crimson cape similar to that of the short man covering her shoulders.

"Your best manners, kids. These people will eat you guys alive if you're not careful." Eric heard Bacchus whisper and glanced over to see the man standing tall as his ambient ethernano had increased a bit, most likely a show of power as the nobles around him began to have trouble breathing while a few of the Rune Knights' hands were trembling slightly.

Nodding slightly, Eric did the same and immediately, a few women began waving themselves a bit faster with their fans and some of the men pulled at their collars as the temperature increased, the two S-Class mages keeping up the act until they made it to the foot of the dais that led to the throne.

"Your Royal Majesty." Bacchus spoke with a bow, which the other three followed as they kept it for a few seconds before standing upwards, King Toma smiling as he nodded back before glaring at the shaking man floating behind Eric that was still tied up in flaming chains.

"Are those hurting him?" The King asked and Eric frowned as he shook his head.

"Not at all, your Majesty. I surmised that you would wish to be the one to land the first blow." Eric spoke, the King smiling as he nodded in thanks before glancing at the knights gathered at the dais next to Eric & the others.

"Put the suppression cuffs on him and hand him over to the Garou Knights. Tell Kama he knows what to do." The King ordered with a frown, Zash exclaiming as he tried to get loose, but it was too late as the knights reached him and placed a pair of bronze cuffs on his hands & feets.

Immediately, Zash's eyes drooped & his body slouched, Eric frowning at how the ambient ethernano around Zash was quickly sealed back into his body before it was being continuously drained along with his body's ethernano into the cuffs.

"You can release him now, Eric Creed." One of the knights spoke, to which Eric nodded as he snapped his fingers and Zash fell to the ground, the chains vanishing into the thin air as the knights picked up the nearly unconscious man before dragging him away.

"Now then, I hear from my gatesmen that you also retrieved the Dragon Cry, but I do not see it anywhere." The King spoke with a frown, Eric ignoring the hushed whispers from the nobles as he answered.

"Uh, yes, that is where there's a slight problem, your Majesty." Eric spoke as he stretched his hands out before Dragon Cry appeared in his hands with a flash of crimson flames, Eric dropping the staff to the ground.

However, before anyone could burst out in outrage, their eyes widened as the staff floated midair for a few seconds right before it disappeared and reappeared back in his grasp once more.

"I've thrown it a few thousand meters into the air, tried dropping it from a few hundred meters in the air and I've even tried leaving it as far deep in the ocean as I can. Nothing will work."

"Before anyone accuses him of lying for personal gain, all three of us are witnesses to him doing so. We've even tried destroying it, but the staff simply repairs itself back to normal." Bacchus spoke up for Eric, the king frowning and the other nobles quieting down as Arcadios frowned.

"If I may, your Majesty." He spoke as he turned to the king, who smiled as he nodded and Arcadios nodded back as he walked down the dais towards the Quatro mages, Eric nodding as he stood back while holding up the staff.

In the blink of an eye to the nobles yet rather easily followed for the mages & Dante, they watched as the staff was sliced in a dozen sections, Eric quickly tossing the segments towards the far corners of the room.

Before everyone's eyes, the segments froze midair before flying back towards Eric, who just sighed as the staff repaired itself in the span of a few seconds and floated next to him.

"Like I said your Majesty, it appears the staff has taken a liking towards me."

"It's an inanimate object. Staves do not take likings towards anyone. Clearly, this is simply Quatro Cerberus' attempting to gaining more power for themselves."

"Were you there when this staff was created?" Eric asked as he looked over to the noble that spoke up, the Quatro Cerberus mages hiding their smirks as the noble blinked in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Well since you know so much about staves and more specifically, this one, you must have been there when the first staff was created. Matter of fact, I'm guessing you were the one who created this, right?"

"N-N-No, I-I was simply-!"

"Then, was I talking to you when I clearly said 'Your Majesty'?" Eric continued with a raised eyebrow, Hisui giggling as the noble grew red.

"Y-You dare disrespect me, boy?!"

"The boy has a point, Lady Caise. Have I grown so old that you think of yourself as king?" King Toma asked with a raised eyebrow, the noble paling significantly as both Dante & Arcadios turned to the man while slightly unsheathing their blades in unison.

"N-Not at all, Your Royal Majesty! I-I was simply saying that-!"

"When I need your opinion, Lord Caise, I will ask for it. Until then, my council of advisers are to simply be that: advisers. You advise me when I need it, not when you feel like doing so. Am I understood?"

"O-Of course, Your Majesty."

"I also wish to apologize for my lashing out and for disrespecting you, Your Majesty, Lord Caise." Eric spoke up with a bow, the King chuckling as he nodded.

"No need for that, but it is quite nice to see a young man that knows his manners. You could learn from him, Lord Caise." Lord Caise gave a stiff smile at that as he nodded, Eric standing back upright as the King stood up from his throne before clapping his hands.

"Everyone except for my family, Arcadios and the Quatro Cerberus mages, leave the throne room. I wish to speak with them alone." The nobles didn't waste the offered opportunity as they quickly shuffled out of the room, the Rune Knights looking a bit hesitant before Arcadios nodded for them to leave, which they did as Eric held the staff out to the King.

"No, you keep it. It would be completely useless in the Treasury since it would just try to escape and at least I know it would be safe with you."

"I thank you for the kind words, your Majesty, but I feel like this would fit better with you." Eric said as he dismissed the Dragon Cry back to his Requip dimension before the king was surprised as the scaled gauntlet that Eric took from Zash appeared in his hands, the King smiling in gratitude to Eric as he took the gauntlet before handing it over to Arcadios.

"I thank you for that, young Eric. The gauntlet is part of the armour of the first King of Fiore and I'm certain he would thank you as well for retrieving it if he could."

"It was my pleasure, your Majesty."

"Please, you have done me a great favour in retrieving that. Call me Toma."

"Um, is Lord Toma okay then? I don't feel comfortable just saying your name, my Lord." Eric said with a sheepish smile, the King chuckling as he nodded before turning to the other mages gathered.

"I see you're still as extravagant as ever." Dante spoke with a scoff as they watched the King speaking to the other mages, Eric rolling his eyes with a snort before he answered.

"The way I am right now, I could kick your ass with ease, old timer. You're looking at the mage who became S-Class in less than a year, which broke the three year record that Erza Scarlet held." Eric spoke with a smug smirk, Dante rolling his eyes before Eric chuckled as he heard Veronica speaking behind him.

"I see the arrogance is still there." She said as he turned around, to which Eric chuckled as he shrugged before noting the girl standing next to her.

"Ah, where are my manners? Apologies for the late introduction, princess. I am-!"

"Eric Creed, the youngest S-Class mage of Quatro Cerberus, the Wyvern Slayer and the Hell Flame Dragon Slayer."

"…Wait, why am I the Wyvern Slayer?" Eric asked with a frown, Veronica just shaking her head and Dante letting out a groan as Hisui giggled.

"There are many tales of you slaying dozens of wyverns of all shapes & sizes ever since you killed the Elder Wyvern on your first mission and many people have come to call you that."

"Ah, thank you." Eric said with a smile, though Veronica giggled as she saw how the corners of his mouth was twitching as Dante snorted.

"So, you still hate everyone talking about the Elder Wyvern, huh?"

"It wasn't that strong, it was injured and I had the element of surprise. That's all it took. I didn't need any major spells to kill if because if I did, then I would have agreed that it was a tough battle."

"Ah, are you regaling the tale of you felling the Elder Wyvern? Quite the tale told by my jesters, but I would like to hear it from the source. I know! I have not had breakfast, so why don't you all join us?! Then you can tell me all about it!" The King spoke with an excited grin, Eric giving a shaky one back whilst glaring at the snickering Quatro mages in the background.

"It would be our pleasure, Lord Toma."