AuthorNotes: I'm still hear, still updating. Had this chapter done for a bit, just was on a little vacation away from my main computer. Now fair warning, there is a part in this chapter that might upset some diehard fans. Just bare with me. Again, shout out to DZ2 for suggesting this Prompt, I'm having a ball. And enjoy
Chapter Twelve
A Step Back
The guild was silent. They were recovering from the war effort. Caelum had surrendered. The Four Gods of Ishgar had dealt with Jakob Higgs, God Serena even mounted his head on a trident, a mockery to his mastery of Water Magic, and paraded it through the streets of Asterios, the capital of Caelum. News had spread wide that God Serena had taken it as a personal offense that the Seventh Wizard Saint thought he could usurp the place of the Guild Master of his rival.
The Western Front had held firm, Blue Pegasus and Quatro Cerberus having led the charge together, dozens of lesser known guilds and rising guilds joining the effort to repel the invading forces. Across the Kingdom of Fiore, the people celebrated their victory.
But victory was hollow for Fairy Tail. Four of their own were in critical condition, and Harry was indisposed, left comatose from his sacrificial act. Still his body sparked dangerously with Light and Darkness, two magics that warred within him, testing his mental fortitude.
Laxus felt frustrated. He looked at his fists. He was weak. Despite gaining so much power in such a short time, he had been unable to protect the damned dark-haired sonovabitch. He cursed the General for his might and his Magic, loathing him for forcing Harry to do something so damn stupid. So reckless.
So like Fairy Tail.
Natsu sat at the bar, his hair hanging over his face as he drank himself silly. None had the guts to tell him to stop, so he drank himself until he felt he was drowning in booze. The alcohol was burned up in his belly, the side effects of his magic, but the taste, the sweetness, the kick, it took his mind off his brother's comatose state.
Gildarts was there. He wasn't taking a mission until Harry recovered. He had sworn so. And after two weeks, he sat in a corner, alone and avoided like the plague, the dark expression on his face scaring even Makarov. The Crush Mage was blaming himself. He should've taken on the General, but he had been busy with foot soldiers.
Fucking foot soldiers.
He blamed himself and took a swig of his whiskey. If Harry woke up he would hug the kid tight enough to break a few bones. Maybe then he could apologize for his weakness.
His screams of agony pierced the air, emerald flames raging across the burnt great hall. His body still sparked, he still remained within a shroud of darkness that attempted to protect him from the chains of holy light.
The specter had long since gone, leaving him to scream his throat raw and feel the scorched, volcanic burnt complexion of skin spread even farther. He saw visions, memories, bittersweet and rage inducing.
They had not mourned him. The world considered him dead. The Dark Lord- curse his soul, he would find him and kill him himself- had fled, barely clinging to life. Never to bother the Potters again. But his parents remained vigilant and attempted again and again, method after method, ritual after ritual, to summon him back. But none worked.
For the specter held him with a tight grip. His word absolute and deal binding.
He saw them throughout the years, losing the spark of life he saw in Natsu and his own reflection. The war waged on, battlelines finally drawn, and those opposing the Dark Lord finally taking the fight to him.
He saw a country bathed in war. True unbridled war. It made the war he had fought seem so small. Magic so dark cast an era of darkness across the lands, and children right out of school- Hogwarts, such a fascinating place- joined sides, raising their wands against brother and father.
Hogwarts still stood, a bastion of peace and neutrality. Though the war had come to its halls, the professors and even his parents repelled them, keeping the school safe and the children to be nurtured. It was not them who decided what sides the children joined after school, but while they were in Hogwarts, they would be kept safe.
Feeling his rage building, the shroud of darkness thickened and the chains buckled. "Mother…. Father…. I will bathe the battlefield in his blood! THAT BASTARD SHALL PAY WITH THE BLOOD HE SO CHERISHES!"
For the first time, he thrashed against the chains, righteous rage filling his heart. Though the Darkness of Sin plagued his soul, a spark of light shined in his heart, small but strong, and through the desire to end such a travesty, he forged a connection with the Holy Element.
"Remember, Son of James, when the Flame calls, heed it," A powerful, earthshaking voice enveloped the great hall. He stared up and into the eyes of a man wrapped in a shroud of storm's gray, his eyes gleaming with power. He was familiar yet foreign all the same.
With a righteous roar, Harry shattered the chains of holy light and absorbed the light into his very veins, healing his scorched, volcanic burnt flesh.
The guild shook and the shadows on the walls danced a dark jubilee as a figure stepped from the sealed off chambers he had been left to heal in. Emerald green eyes looked out at them and a crooked smile soon followed.
"We beat those bastards back, didn't we?" Was the first thing Harry asked, and the first thing Natsu did was rush up and engulf his brother in a bone-crushing hug. "We did, Harry, though you sure helped a lot," Both brothers laughed and Harry disentangled himself Natsu and made his way to the bar.
"Drinks for everyone are on me tonight," Makarov would not say anything against this, but he could tell that in Harry's eyes lie a new darkness, a new sorrow. He wondered when the child would lower the walls he was constructing around his heart to hide his newfound pain.
Before he could join the party, another bone-crushing hug engulfed him. He felt Gildarts hug him, confused, but saw Makarov smiling. Sighing, he realized what the man was hugging him for.
"I am fine, Gildarts. You sacrifice much for the guild, day in and day out, I can handle a little sacrifice myself," Gildarts stepped back. "I was weak. I am the Ace of this guild. I am meant to make the sacrifices, not the young ones. You are still new, you barely know us, but you put your life on the line for us. You're growing into a fine young man, Harry, but don't do that shit again," Suddenly Gildarts unleashed ALL of his magic, his aura flaring and his eyes changing color- black with red irises.
"Or I will beat the fear of the gods into you,"
Instead of feeling any sort of adrenaline rush or anger, Harry felt warmth. Like he used to with Igneel. It seemed Gildarts actually cared about him. He found this guild strange, its necessity of forming bonds with everyone so mind-boggling, but it brought a smile to his face.
"Sure. Next time you can face the tough guys. I'll stand back and let you show off,"
"Cheeky brat," Gildarts grumbled, his voice still loud and empowered. He reeled in his magic and his eyes returned to normal. He smiled and slapped Harry on the back. "Come. It's time you and your team shared a drink with me,"
Fairy Tail, Magnolia
Harry, Natsu, and Laxus returned from yet another mission. It was a simple escort mission, some noble needed to get from his family's manor to Crocus to visit the King and then travel back to his home. Some reasonably strong rogue mages attacked, but Natsu took care of them.
As they entered the guild, their ears nearly burst an eardrum as noise filled them. Cheering, explosions, and mini fireworks. Through the haze of noise, Harry and Natsu saw that a banner was hung from the rafters, and written on it in golden letters were the words 'One Year Anniversary!'.
Makarov bounced forward, a proud grin on his face. "It's officially been a year, you three. And I have to say, I am impressed. Now normally I do not do this, but your abilities are without a shred of doubt the best our guild has to offer. Laxus, you have tempered Natsu's headstrong tendencies, he may still rush into things, but he does so with obvious tactic and strategy," Natsu rubbed his head sheepishly.
"Harry," Makarov looked at the emerald eyed young man. "You were from the beginning an outstanding mage, with a strategic mind and a maturity beyond your age. However you lacked experience. As did Natsu. Now, however, you are an experienced mage with a remarkable record. You and Natsu are powerful, resourceful, unyielding, but now you are wiser. I have heard of missions where you put the safety of the client ahead of your innate desire for battle," Harry flushed a little from the praise.
"And Laxus. You are much the same. I will not repeat it all, but you three have made each other better. Now I proudly hand these to you. They will show any and all that you are the elite of Fairy Tail," Makarov handed them each a file. When they opened them, their eyes widened.
"We're S-Class!?" Laxus exclaimed. This wasn't his normal behavior but nor was this normal procedure for promotion. The files showed their statuses had been updated, their ranks now S-Class on their official records. He had wanted this for so long.
Makarov smiled proudly. "Yes. It is not normal, but a Guild Master decides how his mages are promoted to S-Class, and I figured you each were worthy of S-Class. I saw no point in giving you the Trials, for every mission you took was your test. Rather ingenious if I do say so myself,"
"Master, your ego is showing," Macao laughed, making the diminutive man huff. "And you're banned from the liquor supply for a month," The Purple Flare mage looked horror struck, but everyone else laughed. Except two mages.
"This is bullshit! We had to take those stupid Trials and they got some special quests!?" Mirajane shouted, angry.
"I agree! Master, we had to take those Trials!" Erza shouted, equally as incensed.
Makarov bristled at their tones. "And each of you failed. Do you remember why?" He remarked even toned, the guild and the trio before him looking amused. Erza and Mirajane had two separate expressions, not liking the memory particularly much. Mirajane's was painful and sad, Erza's was anger and bitterness.
"You, Mirajane, failed to communicate with your partner and got your brother injured," Mirajane looked pained, forced to remember her brother being in a body cast for a week.
"Erza, you ordered Gray along, treating him like a lackey, and when you finished the First Task, he quite literally flinched when you spoke. Flinched. After checking him over, he had fractured bones, a dislocated finger, and a severe skull fracture. And when asked how he got them, he admitted that you punished him for not performing to your standards," Makarov went on, making Laxus frown, Natsu growl, and Harry cast a harsh glare at her.
These three weren't exactly close with the guild, but each of them cared in their own way. To hear what Erza and Mirajane had done was disappointing, but what Erza had done was beyond infuriating. It was with great self-control that they didn't rush her then and there.
"I shouldn't have needed a partner anyway. I am S-Class material even without one, and better off," She retorted, her anger getting the better of her. Normally she was a staunch supporter of respect and following the rules, but she had been humiliated when Makarov denied her an S-Class Promotion.
"And that is why you are not ready," Makarov said with finality. "Now I will not have any more questions about my decision-making. These three are S-Class and that is final. Let us enjoy the party shall we?" He said, and the three guys were swarmed by those of the next generation, each congratulating them and wishing to talk with them.
It left them a bit out of their depth.
Makarov chuckled as he saw the three forced to talk with the rest of the guild. It was good for them to socialize.
X778 October 1
After becoming S-Class, Harry, Natsu, and Laxus officially formed a team. They were Team Dragon and they kept up their mission performance.
Laxus had taken on three mages as students, they were Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen. They weren't popular in the guild, antisocial and not seen favorably. He felt bad for them and saw potential in them, so he offered to train them. They tagged along on easier missions as Laxus showed them the ropes.
Natsu didn't change much, though he did update his wardrobe. He now wore a red shirt-sleeved shirt and black baggy pants tucked into brown leather boots. He wore a specially-designed cloak, dark gray with dark red flames- a homage to his magic's growth and Harry's base form scales.
His brother hadn't changed much, only having one real outfit- dark gray jeans, a blue shirt, and a bomber jacket. He was simple like that, but Natsu supposed it fit his current demeanor. He could tell Harry was taking a step back, he was focusing more on refining his magic and didn't engage much in battles, choosing efficiency over theatrics. It was clear his brother felt detached from fighting due to the sheer power gap between them and the average opponent. And after taking in the Holy Element, his eyes often became distant, as if he was seeing something they couldn't and reflecting on them.
Natsu could often find his brother cloud gazing when he was like this. It was strange, but Harry still liked to have a good fight, he went all out in their training and spars, and his appetite hadn't changed at all. He could still eat a mountain of food and want more.
"Hey guys, have you heard the news?" Laxus greeted them at their table, a clear sign of excitement in his voice. "No, what?" Harry asked, curious and drawn from his and Natsu's poker game.
"The Tournament of Wizards is being organized. It starts in six years. Wizards from all over the world are going to be participating. And the divisional prize is a book on Lost Magic," Laxus could see that both of them were intrigued. "Any idea what element? And the fee to join is a thousand," Natsu asked as Laxus sat down with them.
He threw a thousand in the pile and drew some cards. Before he could say a word though, Macao and Wakaba sat down with them, practically materializing from thin air at the mention of an entrance fee, throwing a thousand each into the pile. "Little Laxus finally going to join the Lightning Magic Division?" Macao asked as he drew cards. Wakaba puffed on his cigar with a smirk.
Laxus smirked. "Damn right. Finally going to earn the position as Grand Mage. It will be great," He said before turning back to Natsu and Harry. "And the element actually depends on the division you participate in. I don't much care for the Dragon Lacrima, I already have one in me as you know, but it's a nice prize. I'm in it for the promotion,"
Harry tossed in a couple hundred to raise the stakes. "So what are the rules? It seems clear that each division you only use the Magic it's named after," Laxus nodded. "You fight a series of opponents, it's always different, and however long it takes until you win every fight, the Division continues. The tournament only happens once every twenty years because some Divisions can last months. They try to get as many done in a day, but sometimes the wizards are pretty powerful and skilled too, making the fights longer. Also there's a no-killing rule obviously. Otherwise it's anything goes," he explained, making Harry nod.
Natsu looked disappointed about something. "Too bad there ain't no division where you battle the best of each other for a better prize. I mean I could easily beat the Fire Magic Division," He said with a cocky grin. "Unless I joined it," Harry retorted.
"No way! I'd kick your ass!"
"I would wipe the floor with you!"
"Wanna bet!"
"Bet!"
Laxus chuckled at their brotherly bickering. It was endearing. "As funny as it is to see you two argue about who would win that Division, there actually is a battle royale for the winners of each Division. It's the Grand Master Division. It takes only one day, but everyone fights at the same time. It's a real war zone. I hear this year the reward for that is a Storm Dragon Lacrima. Last time it was a book on Titan Slayer Magic,"
Harry and Natsu set their cards down, serious looks on their faces. "There is a Titan Slayer running amuck?" Natsu asked seriously. His voice was stone cold.
Laxus frowned. "Yeah. Not sure what the element was. They never revealed it. Why?" Harry explained. "The Titans are a race of beings that are the literal embodiment of the elements. The Gods are similar, but not exactly. When you refer to a God, that is a being made of pure magic. No element. But the Titans, they are the elements. A Fire Titan? Literal fire given a titanic humanoid form. They existed far back during the early age of the Dragon Era, when the Dragons ruled the world. But Dragons and Titans are bitter rivals. We eat our element, the Titans are the elements. And they're chaotic beings of massive power. One could topple a country, in a day. Imagine why Dragons wanted to fight them. The power they could gain was was said to be truly monstrous,"
Laxus, Macao, and Wakaba looked like they'd lost all the blood in their faces. "And Titan Slayers, they're dangerous because their magic is just as chaotic. If they lose control, you have a new Titan being born," Natsu finished, eyes dark. "Igneel warned us if we ever found one, to be ready for the fight of our lives, for their magic makes them instinctively our enemy- a bitter rival ready to kill you basically. For first generation Dragon Slayers, we are told of Titan Slayers to humble us. Not many Dragon Slayers have lived after fighting Titan Slayers,"
"Well that's grim. Let's hope whoever won the last time didn't teach himself the magic," All five nodded. Then Harry smiled. "A Storm Dragon Lacrima would be pretty nice to have though. The element is pretty cool," Natsu nodded, smirking. "Yeah, true. Dad always did say he respected the Storm Dragon King for he mastered a magic that wild,"
"Who's the Storm Dragon King?" Macao asked, looking at his cards.
"Someone you respect but don't wanna meet," Both Sons of Igneel said as one.
X778 October 31
Their little poker game and conversation brought a weird drive into Laxus. Titan Slayers were out there and he knew he wasn't ready. He put himself into his training, intent on mastering his magic beyond standard mastery. He would push the Lacrima inside him to its absolute limits. And he thought heavily on the Lacrima he had taken from that one guy's corpse.
Knowing Laxus was busy training, Natsu and Harry prepared to take a mission alone. It was an S-Class quest and a private request. When they read the details, they frowned.
Requesting Harry Potter. Reward: 150,000,000 Jewel. Location: Ash Fields. Target: King of Ash Fields.
Kept inside Harry's bomber jacket, deep in a pocket, a golden key glowed and far away, high in sky, beyond the realm of Earthland, a spirit felt her heart freeze with dread.
Author Note: Okay, you saw the part I was talking about. Erza and Mirajane. What I want to stress to those who chose to stay and read this far, is that it isn't bashing. It's meant to be a point of character growth primarily for Erza. One thing I have always had trouble with in regard to character is the borderline abuse she deals upon her fellow guildmates. Yes yes, I know its meant to be a gag, but this isn't the anime, its my story, and I think she could improve. I leaned on her pride, how early on she shielded her heart and basically thought she could succeed alone with her multitude of armors. And what happened to Gray off-screen, well working with an Erza focused on becoming S-Class and she thought you weren't keeping up with her determined pace? I think in the anime you'd get punished. However, unlike the anime, here there is consequences.
Now that I have unnecessarily explained myself, I hope I didn't lose too many readers. Thank you, once again, for reading to this point.