August 25, x784
An older man slid around the corner of of the corridor clutching his side as he hit the wall with most of his momentum, bouncing off as tried to sprint away. He didn't even slow down to catch his breath, the warm sensation pooling on his left side grew with each passing second. This is it, he knows it, they all know it. The man tripped over his own legs and tumbled over a barrel. His strength is fading fast, the wails of his comrades echoing through the halls served to motivate his escape.
A flash of heat flew through the tunnel he just made his way out of, earning more screams and cries of pain. He slipped as he got up and continued running, puddles clapping beneath his feet as he ran to the closest set of doors. His smashed into it, slamming his fist as he begged for whoever, if anyone, was on the other side to let him out. He cried out as the suffocating heat reached him from behind, growing in intensity. The sensation felt like his back began to sear. In a desperate attempt he turned around with his magic at the ready, WATER-WHIP FANG ATTACK! the mage roared as water sprung forth from his hand trying to slash at the intruder. As soon as the water made contact, it exploded into a torrent of steam blocking his sight and filling the corridor. It was desperate, he knew.
A hand shot from the steam, cloaked in crimson fire as it pushed him up against the door. His felt his vest burn away as the fire seeped into his skin, actively charring his now bare chest. "Please, I'm begging you! I don't know where they are! I swear!" by now it was getting far too hot to breathe.
The figure clad in flames removed his hand from his chest causing the man to drop to his knees. He bent down getting a good look at the man. With only fire staring back it him, the old man was terrified. The figure tilted his head, at least he thinks it did, as if waiting for something.
"I-I k-kno-ow, they were probably sent up north, a-a small vil-ilage hidden in the mountains!" He offered as panic began to grip on his heart.
The fire flared up in intensity, it suddenly standing at his full height.
"I'm so-rry, please, I b-beg you, don't kill me!" He sobbed, but no tears came out. "Their na-name! I belie-ve it was Ne-ew Ghost Crew!" He inched away as far as he could.
With only one step, the heat become unbearable. The demon stretched out his hand, gripping the door vice like. It creaked and groaned as the door was slowly pulled from its hinges. Solid metal, slightly melted around his fingers, and he pulled it off with one hand. 'Impossible.' He thought, completely and utterly overwhelmed.
In a split second he felt his bald head grabbed and pulled him onto his feet, screaming as his scalp burned and blistered. "Please, that is all I know, I swear, I SWEAR!" He screamed. With one punch the to the head, the man was knocked unconscious, though sizzling.
With no one else around the man released the flames that hugged tightly around his body and walked through the door. He stalked his way through the newly opened masters office and flicked a few balls of fire randomly throughout, slowly setting the whole place ablaze. He sighed as he looked out the window, noticing troops beginning to gather at the far end of the clearing. They have slowly been catching up, perhaps it is high time they stopped chasing a ghost.
Coating himself once more in a fiery wardrobe, he smashed a hole in the wall and leaped out of the building falling two stories. His landing rippled through the ground gathering the full attention of the division before him. He stoically stared noticing their expressions, though no one could tell. He didn't want to fight them, not now. Before anyone realized, he snapped his fingers and his coated armor flared engulfing the immediate area around himself. With every passing second the tornado grew, his more magic poured, growing with it.
Slowly the bonfire dissipated into a small tinder fire. No sign of the man anywhere.
Lahar, Head of the 4th Custody Enforcement Unit, stared at the charred ground in shock. "We found him."
August 27, X784, Magnolia, Fairy Tail Guild
A young girl with blue hair yawned deeply, overcome by boredom and lost in her own mind, picking at the little leftover food on her plate. It was fairly early in the morning, and the guild still has not stocked up her normally rambunctious members. Having nothing better to do since she joined, Wendy followed her scarlet haired friend in search of something to pass the time with her Exceed. Though with little to occupy her mind, she thought back on the week they had. Damn, it's only been a week.
"Erza?" she called over to her.
"Yes?" The re-equip mage answered more focused on her strawberry cake than anything else.
Wendy straightened herself up and looked to her right, where the armored, scarlet-haired girl was sitting. "Does it get any easier?"
Erza Scarlet took her eyes off her cake and looked at her young friend, stopping her munching. Erza frowned knowing what was on the young girls mind. It hasn't been all that long since... and she is still very young. She sighed, "With time it will."
"It just reminds me of Grandeeney." Wendy tried to stop her eyes from watering, but to no avail. "Like nothing changed."
"I see." Erza answered setting her fork down, "I may not know all the details, but that doesn't matter because what I do know is that you are loved and cared for. By them and by our friends here in the guild. I am ashamed to say that it took me perhaps a bit too long to realize it myself. However with those here, now, eventually it will get better." She tried to reassure her knowing, what it feels like to be alone. Maybe not to be left behind, but to leave behind. Same coin, different side.
"Thanks." Wendy smiled a little and Carla couldn't be happier.
"How about a job? Fresh air always seemed to calm me down."
"Sure!" Wendy agreed swinging her legs a little.
Erza finished the last bite of her cake and walked up to the job board, Wendy following closely behind. It took a moment since the board was about half empty, but she finally made up her mind and picked one. Showing it to the young girl, and getting it a nod, they walked towards the bar to get it finalized.
The guild's door opened, startling the redhead. She smiled as she noticed her teammates finally entering their guild.
"Heya guys! How'd you sleep?" Lisanna asked, as she lifted her head from the job request placed on the bar. At least for now, she took over Mira's position.
Erza zoned out the idle chatter and shifted her gaze to the master's office. She knows he's been gone for a couple days dealing with some fallout and whatever else the magic counsel had instore, but he should have made it back by now.
"-rza. You're all set." Lisanna happily said as she handed her back the job. It was quite simple, one right on the edge of Magnolia that is asking help with monster pests getting a little too comfortable in the area.
"You're going on a job?" Gray asked making his way over, with Lucy and Happy following.
"O, can we come?" Lucy asked with her bubbly attitude.
"I don't see why not, though it is rather small and I wanted Wendy to see what its like." She responded shrugging her shoulders with a smile. Wendy hugged Carla and nodded. It's good to see that the young dragon slayer is slowly adjusting.
"I think I understand the gist of it." Wendy said.
"Lisanna, has the master come back yet?"
"Yep! He came in very late last night just as I was finishing cleaning everything up. He was acting a bit strange though. And I think he is still cooped up in there." She mentioned while raising a finger to her chin thinking back at how he was muttering underneath his breath and barely said hi. It could just be politics.
"Thanks." She turned and they all started making their way to the door. Maybe she'll talk to him when they make it back.
"Erza, would you please come to my office. Alone." Makarov's voice rang throughout the guild grabbing everyone's attention. Her brow furrowed; the gravity in his voice was uncharacteristic of his usually lighthearted attitude. Funny how ironic it seems.
"Sorry, I must go."
"It's okay, we can wait." Gray answered, now shirtless.
"Yea, no biggie." Lucy called out as well.
The armor wearing mage nodded and jogged up the stairs and made her way onto his office. He sat in his normal spot shuffling a few papers around before reaching to rub his tired eyes. The council must have really drained him this trip. She closed the door behind her and took a seat in the open chair facing his desk.
Makarov sighed, "Listen, I know the ordeal with the Oracion Seis wasn't pleasant, but something extremely urgent has been brought to my attention and there is no room to wait."
"Then why not tell me last night?" Erza inquired. If it can't wait, then why did he.
"I don't know... *Sigh* Maybe I was praying that the situation would resolve itself before we stepped in. Or get Wendy more time to heal. Guess not." Makarov chuckled a bit at the end, though there was no joy in it.
"What happened? What situation?" Erza immediately tensed.
"We have been given a direct mission by the council. Actually Gran Doma himself." Erza froze at that information. It was rare that the Chairman would show up in person, and even more so if it was about a mission. "Have you heard anything about dark guilds being destroyed?"
Erza shrugged, "Sort of, mostly bits and pieces. I haven't heard anything too serious over the past few months actually." There was always something going on with them. They are hated and it's not too hard to imagine that dark mages hate each other as well. She dealt with her fair share and it is always the same.
"Yes, it has been quiet, until a couple days ago. According to the council, one mage has come back into the fray and his- what's the word- nature is causing some members to feel uneasy. Though the Chairman and a few others kept it under wraps in fear that it might cause a panic." The old man flipped open a folder and played a bit with a surveillance lacrima on the edge of the desk.
"One? Are you sure? Are they?" Erza, again, sat shocked in her seat. After the council being played once before, she's hopes that they are just being cautious. Unlikely though.
"Yes, Lahar confirmed so." It was unintentional, but she scowled when she heard his name.
"Who?" She wondered.
"Have you heard of the one they call 'Salamander?'"
"Maybe a little, I thought that name was used as more of a curse than anything else. You know, to keep underground employers honest... Except a few years ago where parts of Fiore closed. Now that, everyone ones about it."
"I was afraid of that." He closed the folder and rolled her the lacrima. "I have been told that his reputation is massive with dark mages. I'm surprised we haven't run into him yet? And this here is everything we know." Makarov slid her the folder.
Erza grabbed it expecting to find it full, but it was light in her hand, far too light. As she flipped the folder open she saw that there was only a few sheets of paper. 'We know this little about a person who caught the attention of the chairman himself? Just who in the hell are you Salamander?' She thought to herself as she quickly scanned the pages. "Master, what is the job exactly?" She looked at the lacrima getting more confused by the second as she asked him.
"To catch up to him, and if able, subdue." So they already know where he is going, that makes it easier. Hopefully.
"Rather simple, don't you think?" By the way her master was taking this, it was definitely a quest that would be deemed S-Class.
"Hmm, yes. Though I have a feeling it is anything but that."
"There's more, isn't there?" Erza asked unable to keep her hands still. Of course she trusted the man she has come to see as her Grandpa, but she feels their is something more.
"*Sigh* Since we're under the the scrutiny of the council, even after doing their jobs, the task has been assigned to us. I guess they want to see where we stand after the confrontation with their enforcement unit. If we fail... I don't know. And with the reward being what it is, I'm afraid this might turn ugly." Whatever it was that she was expecting, it hadn't been that. "20 million Jewels as a reward as an extra incentive." He finished saying with a bit of a glare. They new that there would be consequences, but come on! Those arrogant bastards. Why can't they do something for once?
"What?! That is insane! I don't think I've ever seen a reward so big!" Erza screamed nearly plopping out of her seat when the amount reached her ears. 'What the hell!? This doesn't make sense!' She shouted to herself.
"Which is why I'm going to be sending two teams. I think there is something bigger at play."
"Who's going?" Erza demanded standing up, ready to leave as soon as he says the word.
"You and your team, all of them." Her eyes widened, this was too much for Wendy, especially her first mission. It's not a question about strength, she knows her team is strong, but are they up for something like this? She's not even sure what this is. Makarov tried to reassure her, "Also going are Mira, Gajeel, Juvia, and Cana."
The shocked redhead stared at her hands, clutching her skirt tighter. Never before in her tenure at Fairy Tail had two S-Class mages been assigned to the same task. Nor so many mages working together for the same goal. She had encountered harsh conditions, some of her missions were even doomed to fail, but she always pooled through. Yet, she had always triumphed solo. Was this task truly that dangerous, or did the Master have a strategy? Or is this just a gross overestimation of man's skill?
"You should get going and tell Lisanna to send her sister up when she arrives, there is no more time to waste." He started to shoo her out the door, smacking her on the butt. She turned around and socked him on the top of the head.
She sprinted out of the door and jumped over the railing causing her team to jump.
"I'll explain on the train, you all have 45 minutes to pack and meet me at the station. North platform."
Forty-five minutes later and everyone met up at the station, backpacks in hand, ready to depart though some were very out of breath.
As they boarded Erza requested a private cart, much to the shock of her teammates. Waiting for everyone to get comfortable she took out the folder and the lacrima Makarov gave her and handed them over to Lucy not wanting to waste any time, asking her to go over the little information they had. "Tell me what's there."
Erza sighed heavily, as she placed her back on the on the cushioned seat. Truth to be told, she felt nervous. This situation was not something she could have ever predicted. With all the stronger members still somewhat healing and dealing with the fallout of fighting their own. It felt heavy having to deal with something else so soon. The redhead shook her head violently, knocking these thoughts out of her mind. Master trusted her with this and Erza trusts her friends.
"What's that?" Wendy asked looking over the table to at the file in Lucy's hand. Gray leaned over with an eyebrow raised.
"It's just a small file on some guy. With not much." Lucy frowned.
"Erza, what's the deal? What are we supposed to do with this?" Gray asked squinting trying to figure out what the hell is going on? 'Are we supposed to catch him? Interrogate? Meet up?' He thought to himself.
"This, is our mission. To capture that man. And if the others get there on time, we'll be having some help."
"Others?" Wendy chirped up. Carla began thinking to herself.
"Yes. Mira, Cana, Gajeel, and Juvia."
"Isn't that overkill?" Gray scoffed.
Erza hummed, "Maybe, depends on the file and lacrima." Even she had to admit, it sounded ridiculous. "But the council isn't joking. They've offered 20 million jewels for this job."
"20,000,000?!" Lucy stuttered, completely frozen, before feeling a metal hand slapping over her mouth. Erza quickly shushed her. Gray's eyes nearly popped out of his head, Happy passed out, and Wendy and Carla's mouths dropped. Suddenly feeling that maybe they should have stayed home.
"Yes, which is why we need to know everything you found out."
Lucy nodded then began, "Sorry, but all of that for one guy? And honestly I'm not even sure it is just one guy anymore."
"What do you mean?" Carla asked flying to get a quick look.
"See these names here?" She pointed at the back page filled with four columns worth of guilds. "This is a list of dark guilds destroyed."
"WHat!? That has to be over a hundred!" Gray stammered.
"Close, its 112. Which is why I don't think it's one person. It has to be an alias of some sort. No one could have destroyed so many dark guilds and lived to tell the tale. Or, you know, been witnessed. We had trouble with six members..." Lucy reasoned because the alternative is something far scarier.
"How many casualties?" Erza asked trying to keep a calm face. Internally she was beginning to really feel unsure of this. Even with back up. How have they not been informed of this before?
"Too many... at least 112 dead." Lucy murmured. If her math is correct, then that is at least one from each guild. The obvious of who it might be, was left unsaid.
"Damn..." Erza clenched her fists. She was hoping, even preparing a little, that he was a vigilante type. To reason with him. At least to avoid a fight this early.
"Lucy, what does the rest say?" Happy asked, finally piping up after all this time.
"The rest is general reports by someone called... Lahar." She squinted when she said his name. "Oh I remember him!" Lucy recalled it was he who help round up the last of the Oracion Seis and cart them off to prison. "Anyway he states - Oh..." Lucy flipped the page, but that was just it. Nothing else.
"What?" Carla asked.
"No name, nor age, no known affiliations, no description, nothing. He's a ghost. Just a few monikers. His main one being Salamander."
"Salamander!? Are you sure?" Wendy jumped from her seat while Carla brought her paw up to her chin. 'It couldn't possible be the same person as before, could it?' Carla thought.
"Does that name mean something to you Wendy?" Erza asked, surprised that she reacted so strongly. She's been quiet, but that was to be expected.
"Y-yea, sort of." She stuttered then sat back down after feeling a little bit flustered. "When we were captured, Carla and I overheard Cobra talking about how he was going to kill Salamander the next time they have a chance to meet him."
"Apparently before the team-up to take them down, they ran into him and a few of them tried to take on Salamander." Carla finished. If this was the same Salamander then they were royally screwed. It took all of them to beat six. But this guy took on half of them? "They didn't say how the fight went, but they were rather pissed about the whole thing." Carla looked at Wendy about to say something else, but the young girl subtly shook her head.
"That is... disturbing." If they had known there was a fight, they could have acted sooner and, you know, not almost die.
Lucy coughed into her hand and decided to continue, "The reports from survivors are all the same thing, a fire coated demon waltzes into the hideout kills the master, beats anyone in his way and leaves... after calling in the military to deal with the consequences... and prisoners."
As she talked more about this guy, the less he began to make sense. His attacks centered around bad guys which is sorta okay, but then he kills, while also calling in people to make sure the victims turned out okay? He may have a moral compass, but it never seems to point in one direction for too long.
"It feels like we're walking into a big headache." Gray rubbed his chin.
"Sounds like it. And that's it. The members are too terrified to mention anything else saying he'll come back for them... Oh, I forgot, he specializes in fire magic."
"You forgot? I think that is pretty important to know. My ice, Erza's flame empress armor, Wendy and her sky dragon arts. We're basically a walking combo of counters and that's just us." Gray reasoned seemingly getting a bit of himself.
Though it is true. Plus another S-Class mage, Juvia, and the odds are looking pretty damn good...
Erza got a sinking feeling in her stomach. Nothing is really adding up.
"What about the lacrima?" Wendy pointed at it.
"Surveillance. Play it." Erza said offhandedly before shaking her thoughts out of her head and focusing on the screen.
The video started with slight shaking as it was pointed at moving ground. Panting could be heard from behind with footsteps thundering all around. "Make sure that thing is recording!" Someone shouted from up ahead. The lens shifted giving full view of the forest and part of the council's military division as they sprinted through. A cliff could be seen from above the tree along with vast amounts of smoke bellowing into the clear blue sky.
Only then did they begin slowing down. A few hand signals were waved by none other than Lahar and many of the troops, about 50 of them, began to spread out cutting of any means of escape. Slowly the men crept forward as sounds of explosions and shouts could be heard far off into the distance. The lens captured some men looking at each other with uncertainty.
A minute or so passed by with not much else happening other than echoes of destruction.
Suddenly four dark mages rushed through a few bushes looking over their shoulders with burns covering half their bodies. They didn't notice the military and were quickly dropped and cuffed. The lens caught the manic panic in their eyes with blood slowly dripping from their hairlines. The mages didn't seem to realize they were caught and kept trying to squirm further away.
Lahar ordered some of his men to knock them out and withdraw. He cursed under his breath and pushed forward, this time faster. There was a new eerie feeling in the air. Slowly the sounds from up ahead began to die out. No longer sounding like a warzone, but the aftermath of a natural disaster. No animals growled, no birds chirped, and no sound was heard except the crackle of a fire.
They approached a small clearing that gave way to what was the dark guild's main building. Red, blue and gray are the new colors of what was once a quiet, lush forest, which has now become the stage of a bloody battle.
Just beyond them, the main hall. It looks to be like an old three story tavern tavern that clung tightly to the cliff's wall, converted to suit the dark mages esthetic. The area used to be a trade route until bandits took over. And recently, by the dark guild.
The outside looked deceptive. Clay and carved pillars make up most of the building's outer structure. Normally it would be difficult to see through the small, curtained windows. But the entire left side of the building was completely decimated letting the soldiers peer at the skeletal inside of it. The front metal door is bent at an odd angle with a part of it still cooling. Rounded, wooden beams charred to ash, barely support the upper floors and it had the leftover lanterns attached to them. The walls are completely empty blackened with soot.
Several long tables are occupied by hunched over bodies where broken splinters litter everything. The other, smaller tables have been mashed to pieces, more bodies littering every floor. Where there obviously was a bar, now a smoldering wreckage of twisted metal and broken rocks stood, revealing a hidden entrance not easily noticed if one were to check.
Some men could be heard groaning and crying from the confines of the building.
More smoke began to bellow from the upper right side, perhaps the main office. Flames flickered from behind the window, growing more hungry with each passing second. Lahar, once again, ordered his men to get into position and slowly advance. Though more hesitantly. It looked as if war broke out.
*BOOM*
An explosion rang out sending debris their way from the the same tower as before. "Move back!" Lahar ordered with a wave of his hand. A few men lunged to get out of the way from fallen rubble. From the newly formed hole, a fiery hand gripped the edge, sizzling the clay. Glowing red eyes peered at them through the smoke for a microsecond before jumping clear from the building, dropping the full two stories.
The landing created a crater with a flash of heat expelling dirt and dust in every direction. A mage used a wind spell letting them have a clear view.
Now the lens finally got a good look at the figure. His entire body was coated in crimson fire. The edges of his fingers looked like talons, but that could be the effects of the flames dancing around. Glowing dark red orbs took the spot where his eyes should be. Its as if flames grew sentient. From the way flames flickered they could tell that he was, at the very least, in very good shape.
Salamander extended his hand and subconsciously everyone took a step back.
*Snap*
The sound reverberated like thunder.
Salamander's fiery coat expanded outward, two times - three - four - fives the size! His magical pressure also began to grow in tandem. Some of the soldiers slowly dropped to their knees, unable to stand. The lens of the lacrima began to stutter, fizzling in and out as the growing blaze continued its height. The heat got to intense and more men began trying to cover themselves up from it; with magic or their bare arms. The summit of the flame reached higher than the trees, growing higher than the even tavern. By now most men were laying flat on the ground, some passed out.
Then, just as fast as the snap, his magical pressure vanished and the lacrima began capturing everything clearly again. The bonfire before them dissipated bit by bit. Those able to, armed themselves and watched. The fire shrunk and shrunk, below his height, below a crouch, until is was a smoldered patch on the ground.
"We found him." The spectacled commander whispered before regaining his composer, "Get the dogs! Find him!" Lahar ordered as he and a few close men ran towards the downed men in the building. The video cut out.
"Holy..." Lucy shook in her seat and paled considerably.
Happy's ghost was floating out of his mouth.
Wendy and Carla were hugging each other tightly, her hair falling in a way that covered her face, though if one looked closely one could tell she had silent tears sliding down her cheeks.
Gray and Erza, on the other hand tried to compartmentalize. That show of power was no joke. Salamander wanted them to see it. He wanted them to feel scared. There is a reason he's never been caught and for some reason he chose to let them in on his little secret. Gray looked up to meet the eyes of the scarlet haired warrior, he had a cold sweat forming. She wanted to praise him for trying to keep it together, but she wasn't exactly doing so great either.
"Is there anything else?" Erza asked trying to keep her voice calm.
"Ye-yea... the last entree says that Sal-alamander, after being absent struck, is heading East, all the way from Crocus! To a v-illage called Sleetwell." Lucy stuttered, very much wanting to be in her apartment right now.
Wendy hugged Carla a bit harder. The exceed didn't seem to mind. Her thoughts full of on fire mage.
"I think that's it for now. We should get some rest before we reach Sleetwell." Erza ordered.
Lucy and Happy nodded and tried to get comfortable on the seat.
Gray stood up and decided to walk the length of the train.
Wendy and Carl rushed off.
Erza sighed. 'Maybe I should go after them... Never mind if she wants to talk I won't force her.' She thought to herself as she looked out the window. The land drifting by.
Later that day, the team arrived at Sleetwell after being refused a cart to get them there. Even after Erza tried to persuade the driver. The sun was already starting to set in, as orange light started to cover the snowy hills. If what they new was true, then there is dark guild somewhere around that goes by the name New Ghost Crew over the back ridge. According to Lucy.
They knew where he was going to strike, they knew he had to travel far, twice as far as they did at least. And there is no direct route from Crocus. So, surely they have a little time to prepare and wait for the others. Still... to find a dark guild so close to the capital and not catching it has been on all of their minds. The smoke could be seen from the castle.
The road that led to and from Sleetwell was barely discernible from the deep snow and thick pines that surrounded the road. The only way to tell was a groove in the road that was slightly cleared from the rest of the area. The frigid wind gently sways the tall evergreens while wild bushes make their claim on every acre not taken by the trees.
Many doorways still stood tall and in some cases it was one of the few things left of a home. But most doors were completely gone and only remnants of rotten wood were left behind. Window panes hung perilously from their hinges and here and there drapes had been flung out by the wind. Sleetwell, once home to hundreds of families and counting was now a mere shadow of its former glory. A hub where one could travel through the mountain passage and survive before freezing to death. Empty halls and empty rooms where lives were once saved to the best of the staff's abilities only further added to the saddening atmosphere of this town.
The more time would pass the more the traces of those who lived here will disappear. Even now there were only remnants left, it'd be only a short while until there was nothing left. But despite being nothing like its former self this town still served its purpose. It was still home to a community and lives still thrived, it was just in the form of animals this time.
Since no one was around, they occupied one of the better looking rundown buildings and settled in for the night.
...
*BOOM*
All four mages and two exceeds wake suddenly, every thought in high definition even with little visibility against the night sky. Their eyes take in every detail as the buildings shutter and the far edge collapses. Lucy and Wendy screamed. Carla and Happy flew through and grabbed them before they got crushed. Another powerful explosion erupted behind the town, as the shockwave hit the broken down ghost town it broke the glass in the windows. Some of the more unstable buildings shuttered and collapsed in on themselves. Erza quickly ran up to the window, looking for the source of the shockwave, but she didn't have to look too far - A fountain of flames could be see from over the ridge. Even from this far away, she could feel the heat.
The noises of a battle are in full swing. Erza grabs Gray and busts through the back wall and sprint over the hill. "LUCY, WENDY! Stay here!" She ordered as the two mages sprinted away. Lucy nodded and held onto Wendy, with the two exceeds floating nearby.
Gray tried to mentally prepare since seeing the footage, but there is hardly anything in the world that can prepare one for realty. As soon as he slid over the hill, the mountain side lit up. No longer did it feel like night, his crimson body was seen even from hundreds of meters away. His magic was a menacing glow in the eve of the dark guilds destruction. He could barely make out figures running at the mage with various weapons. Only to be swatted away with away like flies. Further back, mages attempted to cast spells, but a quick increase in pressure and some of the men vomited while others ran away. He felt the pressure. It reminded him, of his childhood... Ur... Deliora. A desperate fight that ended with corpses, unfortunately he could sympathize with the defending bad guys. He pushed back the memories and focused. Only a hundred meters to go.
As they neared, it felt like the heat of the day was on them, Salamander was the evening sun in the night. Everything around him was melted, replaced with soaked mud and a burning building. Dozens more poured out as the last of the stability crumpled. Gray shuttered hoping that everyone made it out.
"SALAMANDER!" An old man roared, his blue jacket stained purple in multiple places. His left arm dangled by his side, as he huffed heavily while kneeling. "You'll never get away with this you over glorified candle!"
The rogue took a step forward and Erza re-equipped her sword kicking off the ground and soaring towards the unsuspecting man. Her dash caught him off guard, so Gray capitalized on it, Ice make: Floor! His ice expanded out faster than either mage moved. Erza swung her sword in a sideways arc hoping to catch his midsection, it grazed him. He didn't bother moving out of the way. Using her momentum she spun around in midair and kicked at him, though he took it without so much as a huff. Salamander still flew back a few meters. Ice make: Lance! Gray shouts throwing more ice his way. He simply lets the short barrage melt into his fire. Erza landed posed and ready. Gray now by her side.
She doesn't want to admit it but she felt his heat through her boots and he was heavy. Salamander stood, looking completely unaffected, the only indication something happened was a slight tilt of his head.
"HAHHhAHha seems like you met your match you brain dead bastard! That's what you deserve-" The old man from before laughed then got into a coughing fit, littering the ground with his blood.
Erza was all too aware of the few dozen dark mages lining up behind her. She did a quick scan seeing that just about that many bodies are littering the muddy field. 'He did all of this in the few minutes since the battle started?' She realized. "Gray, on my signal. 3... 2...-"
A fiery pillar exploded behind them. Gray and Erza forced themselves to turn and wished they didn't. A wall of fire engulfed the men for a split second before vanishing. All of them collapsing onto the floor in agony.
"AUgh!" the same man as before screamed. A fiery hand gripped his face before he was thrown at Gray hitting him in the back knocking him further away due to the ice.
'I didn't even see him move!' Gray thought as he tried to slow down. The old man now clearly unconscious or dead. He didn't have time think as Erza jumped in front of him redirecting a piece of stone being thrown at them. Now, after one spell it was down to just the three of them. Erza grit her teeth and steadied her breathing. "Gray, you ready?"
"Of course. Damn he's fast." Gray mumbled putting his hands together drawing in magic power.
Salamander stood to his full height and dropped his hands to his sides as if inviting them to do something. His glowing eyes stared at them for a second before it seemed like he was squinting at them. He tilted his head then turned to face them directly, he opened his blazing palms so they faced the ice and re-equip mage.
Re-Equip: Flame Empress Armor! Erza shouted kicking off the ground as she flew towards the fire mage who didn't so much as move. Thinking he was tricking her she side stepped and reappeared behind his back. His head turned to give her a side glance. She widened her eyes and scowled. Now directing her attack, she sliced up his back through his flames, but it didn't have the intended effect as the her flames got absorbed, but she felt her blade hit something hard. Erza quickly dropped to a crouch and swept his legs out from under him and kicked his back causing him to soar.
Ice Make: Ice Hammer! Gray shouted as a massive hammer with spikes formed above Salamander before slamming him back into the ground. Steam poured from the impact point.
Re-Equip: Black Wing Armor! Erza transformed just as Gray's ice exploded outward. He didn't even looked fazed as he cracked his neck. Gray scoffed, Ice Make: Ice Geyser! The ground froze, ice spikes growing on the newly formed ground. The frozen spikes impaled him in the stomach. Moon Flash! Erza roared flying past her opponent slicing at his previously hit abdomen. A faint grunt could finally be heard from the mage. She spun midair kicking his back with both her feet and using her winged armor she drove Salamander into the ground. Dirt and dust exploded everywhere as his body impacted the ground. Another grunt, this time a bit louder.
Erza jumped back to gain some distance, raising her sword just in case. Gray took it as a chance, Ice Make: Prison! A frozen cell formed around where he should be lying.
"Keep you guard up." She ordered. Something about her attack with her flame empress armor grated her nerves. It reduces a flames destructibility by half, but it didn't so much as faze him when she sliced his back.
"You don't have to tell me that! He just tanked a hammer like it was nothing!" He noticed and now that he thought about it, Salamander didn't raise his arms up to guard even once. If that's the case-
Upon standing in his cage, they finally met his magical power. Suddenly Gray felt ill as his power dropped like a hammer on his shoulders. Only barely did he manage to keep standing. Sure Fairy Tail had her monsters, but this guy's was so concentrated it actually made him shiver.
Erza forced herself to take a deep breath and step in front of Gray. His power was indeed strong, but so was she. And after witnessing his willingness to harm, she wasn't gonna let him reign free any longer.
The two looked at the cage noticing the edges starting to melt, Salamander staired at them. His magic flared in waves, he took a step closer to the bars causing Erza to grip her sword tighter and Gray to attempt to repair the damage. It was a fleeting attempt, but he tried. It melted faster than it formed.
Without warning he stopped mid step and his magic died down. Gray repaired the damage as fast as he could seeing the rogue got distracted. He frantically looked around, spinning in one spot like a caged animal. He turned every which way as if he was trying to see something that wasn't there. It took a second, but his turns slowly began to center one spot. His phoenix like hands gripped the bars that faced Gray and Erza and it sounded like he was taking in a deep breath. Either to calm down or rage, no one knew.
Mister Phoenix punched the ice, shattering the cage in one go. He sprinted at them and within milliseconds reached them. Erza swung, but he ducked and slid underneath while Gray formed a sword and tried to swipe down on him. Salamander simple shattered the sword and kept on sprinting past them. The scarlet mage's eyes widened as soon as she realized that that was the way they came from. "He's after Lucy and Wendy!" Erza shouted, immediately starting to fly after him.
"What!? How'd he know?" Gray questioned, but was already running. 'He must've sensed their magic or something and is trying to get away. Damnit! Why was I so careless?!' They both thought, berating themselves. They should have been more careful. Gray clenched his jaw.
Erza flew over the ridge just in time to see Salamander standing tall in front of Lucy and Wendy. The former shaking considerably with the exceeds hiding behind the two inexperienced mages. Lucy tried to reach for one of her keys, but before she could, Phoenix extinguished his flames. The sudden lack of light hid his shadowy figure. Everything he did was unexpected. That didn't change as he grabbed Wendy and Carla. He was too fast to make out as he exploded from the building and ran.
"Wendy!" "Carla!" Lucy and Happy shouted.
Without his brilliant flames, the night suddenly grew much darker. Erza could barely make out his form as she gave chase. "Wait! Stop!" She heard Wendy shriek in front of her. Her rage began to bowl from the deepest pit in her stomach.
"Salamander!" Erza warned as she pushed her armor to its limits, finally catching up enough to see his tattered cloaked back. She re-equipped her sword for a spear and thrust it at his leg, trying to slow him down without harming Wendy and Carla. Salamander jumped over the attempt and slid down the mountain. With Wendy in his hands, Erza over took him landing in front of him.
"It's over Salamander!" Erza figured as he looked desperately around. In front of her she heard Gray, Lucy, and Happy finally catch up behind his back. "Put her down and step away from them." Erza ordered changing into her Heaven's Wheel Armor.
Salamander growled, honest to God growled at them. It sent a shiver down Lucy's spine. The only source of light now being half the moon. Though he did comply and set Wendy down gently, he whispered something which caused her eyes to widen. She shook her head, though he no longer was listening. Salamander's eyes snapped to stare at Erza, his biggest threat. Leaving Gray and Lucy with Happy floating above her head to charge at his rear. His eyes spelled rage. Wendy tried to get up, but he dropped his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. With a flick of his wrist he sent a small ember that landed by the young dragon slayer. A warm flame, around the size of a campfire slowly formed.
"Move away from her!" Gray bellowed holding an ice bow aimed directly at him.
Now that he wasn't moving and facing them, they could make out his outfit. His long sleeved, tight jacket covers him to his knees and is barely tied with string at the left side around his waist. It looks mostly to be a piece of rags instead of a real jacket. Erza and Gray can make out where they impaled and sliced him earlier. Clearly they drew blood. A slash across his back could also be made out from before, clear cut to his skin.
The sleeves of his jacket are a little narrow and reach down to cover his wrists. Which are rolled in heavily blood stained bandages that wrap fully across his hands. His outfit is fully buttoned up refusing to show them what he wears underneath. At his knees they could tell he wears dark baggy pants with a leather bound type of shoe that covers his foot up to his shin. Above his neck is a hood that covers his head and overshadows his glowing eyes. A thick scaly scarf obscured his nose and mouth that wrapped around his neck.
Salamander crouched getting into a stance.
They wouldn't dare attack him as he is now, not with Wendy in danger. She sat there staring, her mouth quivering a little with Carla trying to push her out of the way.
Water Lock!
A ball of water quickly surrounded the the fire mage, catching him by surprise. His hand went to his nose and mouth rapidly covering it up. Even Erza was surprised by his quick reflexes. Bubbles began to madly form around his person. Sparks formed on his skin. Piercing Armor! Erza re-equipped into a more powerful suit of armor in a flash, refusing to give him the chance to run. Her breastplate, waist guard, gauntlets and leg plates, all featured a greenish-silver tint. Each pauldron dons the Fairy Tail emblem and her leg plates are designed decoratively. She wore black pants, brown elbow pads underneath the gauntlets and complemented with an olive belt that is tied above the waist guard. Pierce! She called out with her large, silver jousting lance that featured intricate designs aimed directly at his side. With only a fraction of it's power she threw it through the orb and stabbed him in the left part of his abdomen. He gasped, blood seeping the bubble, which no longer began to boil. She transformed back into her normal attire.
Cana sprinted past without a second thought grabbing Wendy and Carla while combing three cards in her hand. Heaven, Reverse Death, and Mountain. She threw the newly formed card at the water prison. Summoned lightning! Electricity pumped through Salamander releasing the last of the air he managed to hold onto.
Gray, not one to waste such a chance clasped his hands together freezing him. The ball of ice isn't clear, it is tinged pink.
"NO!" Screamed Wendy, struggling to get out of Cana's grasp.
Evil Explosion!
Demon logs!
Explosion Cards!
"Please stop!" Wendy cried once more, but it fell on death ears. Their attacks collided with the frozen mass all at once knocking back Lucy, Happy, and Carla. Gray froze his legs, Erza stabbed the earth, Wendy held onto Cana who dug her feet in, while Mira's claws clung tightly to the ground with Gajeel planted still. Nothing within twenty meters was left standing.
The resounding explosion echoed far into the night, forming a crater with a collapsed and bloody rogue. His jacket all gone, showing the blood soaked black T-shirt he wore. His hood, too, disappeared showing the Fairy Tale mages a flop of long messy pink hair. Well, mostly pink. His bandages, once thought to only cover his hands and wrists, were wrapped all the way to his shoulders. Those blacks pants of his were shredded to bits. No more shoes, and his shins were exposed.
"Thank goodness you guys showed up!" Lucy gasped sprinting over to Wendy checking up on her.
"We couldn't just let him take the pipsqueak." Gajeel scoffed, though secretly happy they got there on time.
Mira transformed back into her dress and knelt next to the young girl, "Wendy, Carla, you okay?" Her voice filled with concern.
"Salamander?" Wendy choked out.
"Don't worry, we got him." Gray answered, taking in a deep breath.
"Why!? He wasn't going to hurt me!" Wendy screamed with tears slipping down her cheeks. Not only the new comers, but the others as well looked at her like she grew a second head.
They all saw the footage, saw his willingness to kill, even witnessed his lack of remorse.
A cough alerted them. Eight mages turned and gawked... Salamander, as it were, propped himself onto his knees by his elbows. Then he sat back onto his heels, his eyes unfocused as they looked up into the night sky. He leaned slightly to the left supporting himself on his arm while bringing his feet to be placed underneath him.
"There is no way..." Erza murmured watching him force himself to stand on wobbly legs.
"He can still stand!?" Gajeel gasped knowing how much they threw into that combo attack.
*Tap Tap Tap* Blood dripped from the edge of his lips. Some shards of iron slipping from his skin.
Salamander, no, the Phoenix rising from his own ashes stumbled a bit, but did not fall back down. He gripped his shirt, slowly, agonizingly slowly, he tore it away from his flesh. Their earlier attacks only scratched the surface. The only deep wound being that from Erza's javelin. However that is not what they gasped at.
To say he was damaged would be a joke. His entire chest and backside told a long history of battles and survivability. Wounds, not quite yet healed lay bare for them all to see. Deep bruises wrapped around his ribs, a maze of scars glistened in the moon light. One in particular, a massive diagonal slash across his chest starting from the base of the left side of his jaw bone ended below the right side of his waist. Wider than anyone should have been able to survive...
It finally clicked, his monikers.
At last he dipped his head to look at them... he sighed, swaying slightly then brought his hand to the gash in his side. His irises, they could've sworn shifted into slits. Salamander's - Phoenix's - hell, it doesn't matter, his mouth curved into a deep grimace, exposing his longer canines.
Satan Soul!
Flame Empress Armor!
Salamander responded in kind. His magical power exploded. The ground immediately around was crushed. Happy, Lucy, Carla, and Wendy were stomped into the ground, unable to stand against it. The power was suffocating with such concentration they felt it sink into their bones. Cana, Gajeel, and Gray collapsed onto their knees grunting at the boulder dropped on them. Gray felt his pressure before, and if he had to guess it was at least three times stronger and still pressing on him. Even while injured. Mira and Erza, in all of their S-Class missions, couldn't come up with anything to compare him to. Though if they had to guess, he wasn't done. Mira couldn't move, her tail the only thing keeping her upright. Erza leaned heavily on her sword.
Salamander turned around raising his hand.