Arc 1: Wyvern Rebellion - Chapter 16

Stone and Crystal was strewn about. Garnet was laughing condescendingly at the stone mage. The Wyvern would swing his crystal swords, testing the might of the weapons the mage formed out of stone. Gideon was covered in cuts and blood, some stone weapons holding out and others breaking on first impact. Garnet sent a boot to his chest, sending the mage flying across the ground. The Wyvern laughed again, walking over to the mage with a smirk on his face.

"Not so tough now, are we? Where was that bravado of stopping me from wiping out this pathetic port town? Did I shatter it like I've done with every stone weapon you've formed?" He mocked. He lifted his crystal sword into the air and brought it down. Gideon forced his body to roll out of the way, using his magic to make the earth lift his body and back onto his feet. The mage was breathing hard. A gash on his forehead made one of his eyes shut. And still, he dig his hands into the dirt and pulled out another sword.

"Pathetic. You swing that thing around like a buffoon. It tells me that you're not relatively close to being called a swordsman." Garnet said. Gideon raised his weapon, the ground around him shaking.

"I may not be a swordsman, but I will not back down." He said, determination in his eyes.

"You know, this is all your fault." Garnet revealed. He brought his blades together, forming a single long sword.

"What do you mean?" Gideon asked.

"You humans. Your arrogance is what brought us to extinction. The dragons favored you. So much so that they taught that cursed Dragon Slaying Magic, in hopes of tearing each other down. And what of us? Forced out of our own universe! It's not enough to flee to another continent entirely, no. We had to create magic to live in other worlds. Do you know how cowardly that is?!" Garnet shouted, the rage building in him.

"We fled from our own planet because we were afraid! Because the dragons had a civil war and the one who started it all came after us! We didn't want to be in the crossfire. We want to live in peace! Our leader wanted to live in peace... And now he's dead." Garnet's fury seemed to burn physically. "We will take this planet back. Fiore, Ishgar, then Earth-Land, will be ours." Garnet proclaimed. He turned away from the stone mage, his swords glowing.

"We are the Sky Dominion! You will not stand a chance against us, stone mage." He said. With a mighty swing, he sent a shockwave at the mage. Gideon jumped, the shockwave hitting the ground and sending debris everywhere. The mage created another weapon and stood his ground. He could feel the Wyvern's magic. It was powerful, and it was getting more and more powerful by the second. His mind race on what he could do next. Going down wasn't an option. And no one was going to fly in to help him. He was the sole guardian that stood between Hargeon and destruction.

"I will protect my guild." Gideon said. The determination and strength was there. His eyes were filled with the will to fight.

"I will protect Hargeon."

"You're just delaying the inevitable." Garnet said. A wicked smile crossed his face. The two charged at each other. Garnet slashed at Gideon, the mage blocking with his sword. The force of the blow made him skid back a bit, his feet digging into the ground. Gideon covered his hands in stone, his old habits kicking in. The skin would break off and he'd cover himself once more. His body burned with exhaustion and his mind was growing tired.

He had to keep going. He had to.

The stone mage kept his mind on his purpose. To keep Hargeon safe.

The two exchanged blows, their blades clashing. More stone and crystal chunks flew all over their battlefield. The port town was becoming a war zone, the citizens either hiding or evacuating.

"You think you can keep this up? How much longer can you last? Your body is giving out and you will fall!" Garnet mocked, his swords clashing with the mage's weapon.

"As long as it takes!" Gideon yelled back. The two pulled away from each other. They stood there, both of their bodies covered in cuts and bruises. The Wyvern's face was neutral, placing one hand behind his back.

"You've showed no means of stopping me. Useless like a rock." He said.

-Simidale, Several Years Ago-

The earth gave way as multiple miners dug their hands into the stone walls and pulled them out. They were searching for valuable ore that laid under their town of Simidale. A young Gideon was standing next to his father as he watched the older miner show his son how to properly dig out the dirt using their earth magic.

"It's all about the feel of the earth, Gideon. The rocks and dirt here have a distinct feel to them. That's what helps us locate where the ores are. When you get good enough, you'll be able to sense where it is." His father explained. The miner's arms were completely covered in stone, draped over the rippling muscles he had. Gideon nodded in response. He wanted to impress his father as he was his only son. He want to make him proud. The pair moved from the wall they were digging at and headed deeper into the mountain.

"Why don't you dig at the surface?" Gideon asked. His father continued on until the tunnel opened up to reveal other earth mages also digging through the walls.

"Well for one, it allows us to work even through the winter and summer. It's not too hot or cold when we're done here. And second is because of the Stone Gorillas." He explained.

"Stone Gorillas?" Came the very confused response the young earth mage. His father chuckled a bit, knowing he'll have to catch his son up on many things.

"Gorillas that look like stone. They can blend in with their surroundings. They're very territorial and tend to attack miners. They are known to eat ores, gems, and metals that we mine. We usually have to deal with them." He revealed. Gideon was a bit confused.

"So, if they like the stuff, why don't we just share? Or just let them eat it?" Came his reasoning. His father shook his head.

"It would be nice. But between the length of time it takes to find the actual deposit in the earth and the speed and amount they can eat, it's not worth it." He answered. He looked at his son and smiled. "But enough of that. Come on. Let's try to find some ore."

As the pair met with other miners, they were led to a large boulder in the way.

"This thing doesn't want to budge. We could dig around it, but there's a deposit right behind it and digging and trying to take it out would take too much time." One of the miners explained to Gideon and his father.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of it." He assured the other miners.

"Gideon, use your magic and hit the rock." He instructed. The young earth mage nodded. He dug his fingers into the wall and pulled the stone onto his skin like he was taught. He approached the boulder and placed his hand on it. He closed his eyes and tried to find that special spot. The weak point. He sent out a vibration through the rock until it came back with a specific feel. Once he found it, he placed the tips of his fingers on the spot and reared his fist. He then swung forward with all his might, his fist slamming into the boulder. The force of his punch, combined with the vibration from his magic, shattered the rock.

"Excellent work, son!" His father praised. "You're becoming a powerful earth mage. You might be even stronger than me."

The pair would get past the debris only to freeze in place. Their eyes widened in surprise and their bodies running a bit cold. On the other side were Stone Gorilla frozen in place as well, their hands filled with ore almost being placed in their mouths, just as surprised that there was anyone else nearby.

"What are the chances of this?" The miner asked. Gideon's father looked to his son, the two sharing a smile.

"This is Gideon's first time seeing a Stone Gorilla. Go sound the alarm, looks like things are going to get dicey." His father said. The miner accompanying them ran back through the hole, while Gideon was pushed behind his father.

"W-what are you doing? They look dangerous, you couldn't possibly take them on." Gideon expressed. His father chuckled, using his earth magic to cover his arms in stone.

"Gideon, my son. These guys are the main reason we do what we do. We have to protect the ores, gems, and the minerals found in our mines. Besides, look behind them." He said. Gideon's eyes shifted to beyond the several Stone Gorilla's to reveal young ones still playing with the ore. "They aren't going to just let us go." His father said, taking a step forward. The gorillas got into a stance, their massive stone hands forming into fists.

"Remember, son, sometimes you have to protect those who can't protect themselves. They know that. And I know that. You're not a fighter, you're a miner. Let me do my job. If things get dicey, run back to the village. I'll be right behind you." He said. Gideon shook his head, the young mage digging his fingers into the earth.

"I can help." He offered.

"No! You'll only get in the way. You don't have the strength yet!" His father shot back. Gideon was taken aback. He watched in fear as his father charged at the creatures. He watched as his father exchanged blows with them. Gideon did as he was told and sprinted out. His heart was racing and his legs were wobbly from fear, but his body wouldn't stop. That's when he heard the ferocious howl of the creatures behind him. He looked back, seeing the gorillas charging after him.

"Oh no!" He yelled, fear getting the best of him. He tripped on a rock and fell. The Stone Gorillas were hot on his heels. He pushed back off the ground and kept going. He could feel the tunnel shake as he fled. More Stone Gorillas appeared as they dug their way through.

"I have to get to the village! I have to get help!" Gideon thought. The young earth mage didn't know how fast he was running. His mind was focused on the task at hand. In the distance he could see the miners scrambling and executing procedure as they secure the ore they dug and trying to escape. Gideon yelled out to them.

"Go! There's more coming!" Gideon yelled. The miners were confused at first, but upon looking back, the Stone Gorillas were closing in on them.

"Move it! We've got more coming!" One of the older miners yelled. The miners quickly did as they were told and got away.

From the tunnel, a herd of the stone creatures flooded out toward the cavern. Gideon kept going, trying to warn everyone to reach the exit. From another tunnel he saw his father fighting other magical creatures. Some of the miners who knew how to use their magic for combat dove in as well. Gideon turned, wanting to go back. But someone grabbed his wrist and pulled.

"No! I need to help! I can help!" He yelled.

"You're going to get killed!" The miner yelled. Gideon felt frustrated. He complied and returned to the village.

After some time, the Stone Gorillas were repelled but not without great cost. The miners and other earth mages that fought were severely injured or died.

Gideon sat outside the clinic in the village, his mind replaying the events that happened in the mines. He had the muscle and didn't know how to use them. His mind was weak. He wasn't strong enough.

"You did good today, son." Came the voice of his father. He came out to the lobby covered his bandages and his arm in a sling.

"You were hurt because of me." Gideon said. His father shook his head.

"You did what you were told. I wouldn't dare put you in that type of danger." His father said. "Your mother would kill me." He chuckled. Gideon's face dropped.

"I want you to teach me to fight." He said. His father raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I want to get strong. I want to be able to protect others." Gideon said, looking up at him. "I don't want anyone else needing to run or fight because I couldn't do anything. I want to be able to help. I can't do that being the way I am." Gideon said. His father smiled and laughed. He patted Gideon's back.

"You're just like me when I was your age. Determined and willing. I'll see what we can do." His father said. Over the course of weeks, he taught his son how to form the stone over his arms in different ways for defense. He taught him how to manipulate the ground to help him fight.

"Remember, Gideon, sometimes the ground isn't just a solid thing. Sometimes it's a weapon. You can make it move and shift, and you can use that to your advantage. You have to put the earth where you need it. You can move the earth, but most importantly you need it on your body. That's why we're focusing on your arms." He instructed. They spent hours upon hours in the mines, Gideon learning how to form and manipulate the earth and rock, while also learning how to be a miner.

Then one day, a fiery red head appeared. She walked into the village with a pack on her back and flipping a map around.

"Damn it. Was it upside down the whole time?" She asked to no one aloud, irritated. She walked through the town.

"You look lost." Came the voice of Gideon. The young earth mage stood there. Fiora stopped in her tracks and turned to him.

"What's it to you?" She asked with her hands on her hips. Gideon nodded, trying to bring out his friendly persona.

"You look like a traveler. And you sort of yelled you had your map upside down." He revealed. Fiora's eyes widened, her cheeks turning red. She then got embarrassed and tried to look angry.

"So?! What are you going to do about it?!" She yelled. He was a little taken aback from her fiery personality.

"I could help. Depends on where you're going." He said, walking over.

"Well, I'm trying to find a particular animal. Heard they might be around here." She explained.

"And that animal is?" Gideon asked. Fiora looked down to her map.

"A Stone Gorilla. Heard they're super tough. I wanna fight one!" She said. Gideon's eyes widened. He shook his head.

"No. They're dangerous." He said.

"How would you know? Have you seen one?" Fiora asked, her hands on her hips.

"As a matter of fact, I have." He said, pointing to a direction. "They live down in the mines."

Fiora's eyes lit up.

"So you know where they live!" She exclaimed. Gideon shook his head.

"I don't recommend going down there. They're dangerous, and they aren't friendly." He warned.

"Come on! Just show me where they are." Fiora urged. Gideon was taken aback.

"I don't want to get in trouble for leading you to your death." He said.

"I won't die! I'm going to become the greatest wizard ever and I need to start somewhere." She explained. Gideon raised an eyebrow at this.

"Are you?" He asked skeptically.

"Oh yeah. I'm gonna join a guild, compete in the Grand Magic Games, and they're gonna call me the Flame Empress." She said with a wide confident grin. Gideon was a bit confused by this.

"You've never been in a guild before?" He asked.

"Nope."

"Why don't you join a guild first? Get some experience in. That way, when you're ready, you'll know what to do." He suggested.

"I guess I could try that. I'll check some out- Hell no!" Her tone shifted. "I'm gonna get strong all on my own. Whatever guild I join should be lucky I decided to join them. It should be an honor!" She exclaimed.

"But that's not how it works." Gideon tried to argue.

"Who made you the expert?" Fiora asked.

"No one. I just think a little humility would go a long way."

Fiora stepped back and sized Gideon up and down. She frowned. "Guy your size and you're talking like a coward. If you don't like a challenge, then why are you a wizard?"

Gideon's eyes narrowed. "How do you know I'm a wizard?" He asked. She smacked her teeth.

"You don't know the first thing about being a wizard, do you?" She asked. Gideon stood there silently, staring down at the fiery mage. She sighed and looked at her nails. "Being a wizard is a dangerous job, especially for those of us who are solo mages. Guy like you, if you can't handle the heat, don't use your magic. You're just a waste." She insulted. Gideon glared.

"Fine. I'll fight you. You'll see it's too dangerous to go down there." He expressed, walking back a bit of distance. Fiora grinned.

"Tell ya what. If you win, I'll leave it be and leave. But if I win, you're taking me to them." Fiora said, getting into a fighting stance.

"Deal. You ready?" Gideon asked, his fingers digging into the dirt.

"Bring it." Fiora replied. The earth mage charged at her, the earth around him moving as he moved. Fiora stood her ground, the fire surrounding her hands. She sent out a stream of fire at him.

"Blazing Soul: Blazing Cannon!" She exclaimed, sending the stream of fire at the earth mage. Gideon raised his arms, the stone on his skin flowing up. The earth around him rose up, creating a barrier.

"Rock Wall!" He cast, a thick barrier of stone lifting into the way. The wall suddenly began to crack, Fiora busting through. He hands filled with fire.

"Blazing Soul: Explosion!" She cast. She punched forward, a fireball shaped like a skull flying at the mage. Gideon raised his arms, the earth around him shifting.

"Granite's Shield!" He exclaimed, a thick stone shield forming on his forearms. The shield glowed in a dim light green. The fireball collided with it, a large explosion filling the area. When the smoke cleared, the shield held strong, not even a scratch on it.

"Good luck getting through this." He said. Fiora smiled widely.

"Oh yeah, this is what I'm talking about!" She exclaimed. Her hands were filled with flames again, her magic burning brighter and hotter. "Blazing Soul: Blazing Cannon." She said, the fire engulfing her arms in a torrent. She poured it on, the flames climbing her shoulders. He let the attack go and aimed her palms behind her.

"Blazing Soul: Jet Explosion!" A burst of fire erupted from her hands, launching her forward. She laced her fingers together and her hands into the air. "Blazing Soul: Hammer Meteor!" She formed a fire hammer, the flames engulfing it. She swung her hammer down, the earth mage bracing for the attack. He held up the shield, only for it to shatter. His eyes went wide. Fiora continued the assault, Gideon forming shields to defend himself. But every single time she broke through. Eventually she got all the way through, landing a fiery punch into his chest. He was thrown to the ground, sliding on his back.

"You are something else." Gideon said, sitting up. He was impressed, but at the same time he was disappointed. He learned how to fight and still lost to someone. If he can't win here, how could he win down there?

"What can I say? I'm the best." She boasted, grinning. "Now, we had a deal."

Gideon stood up, sighing. He walked over to her and began to lead her to the mines.

"Gideon, by the way." He said.

"Fiora Blaze!" She responded.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

"What's the worst that could happen?" She said, her confidence getting a boost of arrogance. Gideon shook his head in disbelief, this girl's confidence unlike anything he's ever seen before.

The way to the mine was at the basement level of one of the Mining Guilds. He led her through and down toward the large cavern. Fiora followed closely, looking all around. She was mesmerized by the ore that was already dug out.

"Hey, what do you do with all these rocks?" She asked. Gideon smiled.

"You can do a lot. We use them for buildings, walls, roads, and many other things. We mine them, bring them up, and smelt them into whatever we need. All the expensive ones get sold to provide jewels for the town. And there's a lot of different types of ores here." Gideon explained. Fiora was listening intently.

"That's really cool. So, you're an earth mage, right?" She asked, walking back over to him. Gideon nodded unconfidently.

"Yeah. I mine down here with my dad." He said.

"Oh? What's your dad like?" She asked, curious. Gideon's expression lit up.

"He's awesome! He's strong and can manipulate the earth better than me. He's one of the toughest miners here. He can fight the Stone Gorillas by him... self..." Gideon said, his expression turning into that of a sad one. He looked at his hands and clenched them. "Got hurt really bad a while back. He wouldn't admit it, but that's probably the worse he's ever gotten. All I could do was run. I ran, and he had to fight the creatures by himself. He got hurt, and it was because I wasn't strong enough." He revealed, his eyes filled with shame.

Fiora rubbed the back of her neck, not knowing what to say. She got near and patted him on the back.

"Nah. You're stronger than you think. You just gotta stop being so afraid to hit back. I can tell you've been taught how to fight, I think you get frozen in the brain, trying to figure out what exactly to do. You moved like you were taught, but don't try to be creative about it." She explained.

"What are you talking about?"

"You use your magic to help you, right?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"But you didn't use it all."

"I used what I had to."

"And what happens when you need more?"

"I'll worry about that when the time comes."

"What if the time comes too late? What if it doesn't come at all?"

"Then I'll make the time."

Gideon stopped at a dead-end.

"They're around here. Just have dig a little to look for them." He explained.

"I didn't bring a shovel." Fiora said, looking down at her hands. She didn't think about bringing one. Gideon shook his head and walked to the wall.

"That's okay. I have a way." He said, digging his fingers into the stone wall. Fiora was a bit confused. She watched as the stone mage closed his eyes. He then began to form a hole in the wall. He dug his hands into the wall and pulled them out, making the hole larger. Soon a tunnel was being formed. Fiora placed her hands on her hips, impressed.

"That's pretty cool. You were like a... beaver." She complimented. Gideon raised an eyebrow.

"Beavers don't dig. They chew on trees and make dams." He corrected.

"Then gopher."

"That's not better."

"Well what do you call it? I've never seen someone dig through a wall like that. It's like you were making the earth move and parting for you." She said. Gideon looked up, seeing smaller animals scurrying about.

"A mole." He said. "They live in the ground and dig." He explained. Fiora smiled.

"Then I'm calling it Mole Magic." She proclaimed.

"Don't call it that!" Gideon complained. Fiora smiled at him.

"Fine. But I'm calling it your Mole Magic. If you were a wizard, you'd be a mole. A mole man." She teased. Gideon rolled his eyes.

"And what about you? You use fire, you're like a flaming chicken." He insulted.

"I'll show you a chicken!" She yelled, throwing a punch at him. He blocked it with his stone covered arm. Fiora recoiled, wagging her wrist.

"You bastard." She said.

"Says the girl who wants to fight a Stone Gorilla." He retorted.

"I'm not gonna fight one, I'm gonna beat one." She corrected.

The tunnel was dug further until Gideon found some pretty.

"Weird. This should have already been mined by them." He said, pulling out a gem.

"What's that?" Fiora asked, looking at it.

"This is a mixed gem, it's a crystal made from different minerals. They're hard to come by, and we usually find them deeper down. It's surprising they would have missed something like this." He explained, looking down the tunnel. He was about to leave when he felt Fiora tap him on the shoulder.

"Hold on, I'm thinking." He said. But she kept insisting. He turned with a scowl. "What?!" Then paused. A large stone hand leaned over and grabbed the mixed gem from his hand. The Stone Gorilla held Fiora by the mouth and torso, her struggling to get free.

"Let me go!" She yelled, muffled. She lit her hands on fire, her body burning. The gorilla roared and shook her violently. She screamed, her fire going out. Gideon's eyes widened.

"Fiora!" He yelled, his body absorbing stone and lunging at the Stone Gorilla. He charged at it, his stone covered arms swinging at the creature. It dodged and began to escape. Fiora started to reignite herself, only to slowly find out the Gorilla wasn't getting hurt, the fire was just surprising it. Gideon tried his best, but the Gorilla was too fast. Fiora, on the other hand, was trying to figure out a way to get out. She was then grabbed by the legs, a second gorilla appearing and grabbing her. She was somewhat loose.

"What the hell is going on?! You bastards!" She yelled, the fire on her hands growing hotter. Gideon tried to grab her, only for a third Stone Gorilla to appear. It lunged at him and grabbed him.

"Fiora, don't light the tunnel on fire! You'll suffocate us!" He yelled, his stone covered arms slamming into the gorilla. The creature block and hit back. Gideon was thrown into the wall. Fiora lit herself fully on fire, yelling with fury. She lit up the area. The Stone Gorilla holding her was terrified by the sudden bright light. It let her go. She turned her head and saw her friend being pinned.

"Gideon, I'm coming!" She yelled. She dashed forward but was swung on by the second Stone Gorilla.

"Put your fire out! It'll eat up all the oxygen down here!" Gideon yelled out once more.

"What am I supposed to do?! If I put it out, they'll just beat us up." She shot back, the second Stone Gorilla hitting her down. Gideon looked around, trying to think of anything he could do. That's when a memory came up. His father's words.

'Remember, son, sometimes you have to protect those who can't protect themselves. They know that. And I know that' His father said. Although his father called him a miner, he knew he could prove him wrong. He pointed his arm at the Gorilla hammering down at Fiora. He had to make it powerful. When he saw Fiora's eyes he could see the fire in them. She wanted to fight back, but knew she couldn't. Gideon yelled.

"GeoGuard: Stone Lance!" He yelled, a lance made of stone flying out from the ground. It impaled the Stone Gorilla in the shoulder, stopping it from attacking Fiora. The gorilla grabbed its arm, roaring in pain. The other Gorillas stopped to look. Gideon's eyes widened, realizing what he did. He did it. He fought back. Fiora's eyes widened.

"Get me the hell out of here!" She yelled, the gorilla holding her releasing her. Gideon scrambled to his feet.

"GeoGuard: Knight!" He cast. He grew the lance on his arm along with a shield. He used his muscles to fight back and swung the lance as hard as he could. "Fiora! Run back to the cavern! You can fight them in there!" He instructed.

"I'm not leaving you! I'm not gonna let them have their way!" She yelled, the flames on her hands getting hotter.

"You'll die if you stay here! You wanted to prove how strong you were, right? Then don't worry about me!" He said, pushing the Gorilla back. Fiora hesitated but complied and ran back. She was chased by the Stone Gorillas, her flaming hands lighting up the tunnel. She turned her head and saw Gideon get slammed into the ground. He cried out in pain, but held on. He squeezed his grip with all his might, cracking the Gorilla's stone skin.

"Blazing Soul: Jet Explosion!" Fiora yelled, the flames erupting from her feet and propelling her forward. She laced her fingers together and slammed the Gorilla into the wall, her hands blazing. She pushed on, the fire growing hotter. The Stone Gorilla was weakened greatly, but was still alive. It reached and grabbed the fire mage by the leg.

"Let go of me!" She yelled, trying to kick it off. The creature threw her into the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of her. It raised its arms, ready to kill her. Fiora stared up, seeing the creature ready to bring it down. Gideon roared and tackled the creature.

"Get off her!" He yelled, the creature falling over. Fiora slowly got up, rubbing her head. They both ran toward the cavern. In the distance, he could see more Stone Gorillas arriving.

"I warned you." Gideon reminded.

"Yeah, yeah." Fiora brushed off. She looked down at her hands and closed them. Her body was on fire, but her hands weren't. She clenched her fist, the fire around her burning hotter. She was getting angry, her fire turning dark red. "I owe them for their hospitality. I suggest staying behind me." She warned. The flames around her began to grow, the heat becoming unbearable.

"Fiora, you're on fire. Literally." Gideon said, his body covered in stone. He formed stone gauntlets over his hands.

"It's nothing new." She replied. The group of Stone Gorillas began to charge. Gideon stepped back, taking a breath. He braced himself, his hands covered in stone. He was ready to fight.

"Blazing Soul: Devil's Hellfire!" She yelled, a torrent of fire pouring out from her palms. It lit the tunnel in red, the Stone Gorillas stopping in their tracks. The flames grew brighter and hotter, the tunnel becoming unbearably hot. Gideon could feel the heat even through his stone cover. Fiora's hair began to float, the flames growing more and more. She continued to push the power forward. The Stone Gorillas began to pass out, the heat being too much for them. She stopped, panting. Her arms and legs were burning hot. Gideon couldn't believe she took them all out. She dropped to her knees, exhausted.

"You're crazy." He said.

"I told you... I'm gonna be... the strongest wizard..." She said between pants. Her arms were red. "And I'm not gonna let some stone idiots stop me."

Gideon managed to take her back top side and had a medical wizard look her over. She stayed for several days, Gideon asking for some pointers. Then the day came when it was time for her to go. Gideon led her to the edge of his village.

"What's next for you? Gonna fight some other powerful monsters?" He asked, putting his hands in his pockets. Fiora nodded.

"Maybe. I need a guild to accept me without thinking." She said, rubbing her arm.

"Well, that's a good idea. Find a guild. You could go to the Fairy Tail guild." He suggested. Fiora looked up, remembering the name.

"Hmmm. Yeah I heard some stuff about them. They used to be the best, I heard they lost some strong members or something." She remarked.

"You don't know? Fairy Tail has gotten stronger than before. They have the most S-class wizards in Fiore." He explained. Fiora's interest peaked.

"Really? Maybe I heard wrong. Well, I'm off." She turned to leave.

"Wait!" Gideon yelled. Fiora was surprised by his volume and rubbed her ears.

"I'm still here, damn it!" She expressed.

"S-sorry. I just wanted to say that, I think I want to join a guild too. I want to be strong like you and help the people of my town." He said. Fiora smiled and laughed.

"That's a great idea! You'll definitely get strong in a guild. Tell ya what, I'll come back around some time and see where you're at. Who knows, you'll be able to keep up with me." She teased, ruffling his hair. He smiled and nodded.

"Okay! I'll train and be strong!" He said.

"You bet. I'll see you around, mole man." She teased.

"M-mole man?" He questioned. Fiora smiled.

"That's your new nickname." She said, walking away. Gideon looked down.

"I'm not a mole man." He said.

-The Present, Hargeon Town-

"You've showed no means of stopping me. Useless like a rock." The Wyvern said. He brought up his hands, crystal digging up from the ground.

"And as such, my crystal magic will overtake everything. The Sky Dominion will be unstoppable." Garnet proclaimed. Gideon smiled widely and began to laugh.

"What is this? Why are you laughing?" Garnet asked. Gideon wiped a tear from his eye.

"You remember the craziest things when your life is in danger." He said, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?"

"My best friend, Fiora Blaze, ignited a fire in me. She inspired me to join a guild with her. As long as I'm with her and this guild, I'm at my strongest! But I have an important question for you." He said. Garnet glared at him.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You've fought mages. But, have you ever fought a miner?" He asked. Garnet's glare intensified.

"A miner? What does that have to do with anything?" He asked.

"I feel bad for you, Wyvern." Gideon said with a smirk. He dropped his stone sword and dug his hands into the dirt. He could feel the tree spirit magic circulate through him. If it wasn't for this, he wouldn't be able to do what he wanted to do. He covered his body in stone. He took a deep breath and dove into the earth. He could feel the earth circulating through him. It felt like an old friend. The ground rumbled around them.

"What the hell is this?" Garnet asked in anger. The Wyvern turned about, trying to track down the mage. Gideon dug through the earth as fast as his body would let him. You wanted me to think outside the box Abe-senpai, here you go! He dug many holes, jumping out of one hole and diving to make another. Garnet began to retaliate by casting his crystal where he saw Gideon appear.

"Stop moving so I can kill you!" He yelled, the crystal digging up from the ground.

"Not a chance!" Gideon yelled. He came out from the ground and threw a punch, a stone gauntlet forming over his hand. Garnet blocked it and tried to cast more crystal, but was stopped when he was kicked in the head. Finally, Gideon appeared, having emerged rapidly and jumping through the air.

"Here's Earth-Land's one and only magic of this type. GeoGuard: Mole men!" He smirked, he dove back into the ground. Suddenly a Gideon covered in full rock emerged from a hole with a stone blade in hand charged the Wyvern. The Wyvern created a crystal sword and sliced him to bits. He smirked.

"So much for your- What?" He asked. As Gideon fell apart, he realized that it wasn't the real mage. It was made entirely of stone. Another stone Gideon emerged from a hole and charged Garnet, then another emerged from another hole, then another. Soon, stone Gideons began to emerge from the holes in droves. The Wyvern was overwhelmed and attacked on all sides.

"Where did you get this power?" He asked, grunting.

"I learned it from the best." His stone golems said in unison. The Wyvern swung his sword taking out as many as he could. But they just kept coming. Soon, the real Gideon appeared high overhead, a great sword in hand. The golems piled on, holding Garnet in place.

"MY DAD!" He yelled, bringing it down with all his might. The blade hit the ground and shattered, the shards piercing the ground.

"I'M A MAN NOW! I'M GOING TO BE STRONG! I'M GOING TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE I LOVE, AND KICK YOUR ASS! GEOGUARD: GRAND ARMY!" He cast. Above were more Gideon Golems each carrying great swords of their own. The Wyvern was surprised. He realized that the shards became the golems. And he was about to get rained on. That was, until he began to shift into this Wyvern form. He roared and began to fly up, destroying the golems in his way.

"You'll have to try harder than that, you insolent human." He said. He had vibrant red scales and crystal protrusions throughout his body. He opened his wings, they shimmered. He flapped and a blizzard of crystal rained down on Gideon and his rock golems. Gideon quickly ran out of the way, the golems being destroyed in the process.

"You're pretty fast, but not fast enough." The Wyvern said. Gideon turned and saw a massive claw heading his way. He placed his fingers into the ground and raked them until a large spike appeared.

"Take this!" Gideon yelled. The claw hit the spike, breaking it off. Gideon had a feeling of dread. He looked up and saw the claw coming back down. Gideon dove out of the way, the claw piercing the earth. The ground quaked, waves of crystal destroying the very ground they stood on.

"Damn it!" Gideon yelled, the stone beneath him cracking. He had to think fast. If he got caught in the crystals, he was a goner. He had to think fast. That's when an idea came to mind. He'd had to use all the spirit magic in him. But, if it didn't work, it was all over.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" He said, the ground quaking. He placed his fingers into the ground, pulling all the spirit magic out.

"I'll destroy you and that damn guild!" Garnet yelled.

"Like hell you will." Gideon said. He pulled on something, a handle. He tugged and tugged until it revealed an enormous great sword of stone.

"W-what the hell is this?" Garnet asked. He began to channel his own magic, ready to counter.

"The end, you bastard!" He yelled. "GEOGUARD: MOLEMAN'S GRAND ARMY!" Soon, many Gideon golems pulled their own enormous stone great swords from the ground, the blades imbedded with crystal. "After this, I'll show her that I can fight." He said to himself.

"GeoGuard: Hell's Earthquake!" Each golem brought down the swords onto the Wyvern. The Wyvern began to bring crystal out of the ground to destroy the golems, but there were too many. The crystals began to crack and break, the swords cutting through.

"NO!" The Wyvern yelled, trying to hold back the onslaught. But each sword cut and crashed one after another. The battlefield was covered in dust and debris. Once it cleared, the wyvern was in pieces, his body cut in half. He tried to hold on, but he couldn't.

"This... is... not..." He said, the life fading from his eyes.

Gideon was breathing heavily. He fell onto the ground. He laid out his arms and legs, exhausted. He started to chuckle loudly.

"See that Fi? I'm stronger now! I can't wait to tell you." He said, his eyes slowly closing. "I can't wait to tell her." He fell asleep.