Phoenix Tear (A Fairy Tail Fanfic)

Chapter 7

*Ebon's POV*

After Alistair left, I sat by myself at the guild for a while. We had created an alliance between our guilds, but she let me in on a startling secret about the Dragon’s Den: not only were there four Dragon Slayers, but those Slayers-

“Is something bothering you, Master?” I looked up and saw Sheridan Kokoa, my trusted advisor. He was one of my closest friends and, as you know, one of the Ten Wizard Saints.

“Nothing you need to worry about, Sheridan,” I replied, faking a smile. He didn’t buy it.

“All due respect, Master, but I’m always willing to listen,” he said, sitting down beside me. I have never had a nobler friend.

“You don’t need to use the title, my friend. We’re just two men together.”

“Yes, two men - two fathers,” he murmured. We sat in silence for a few minutes, watching as Amya played with Kitty and Finn, with Opal and Aniela chatting nearby.

“I can assure you that I’m fine,” I finally said, “but I could ask the same of you.” His normally calm and gentle faced seemed to be creased with worry.

“Nothing you need to worry about,” he replied, slightly smirking. I hate it when he does that.

“Okay, fair. I was just reflecting on something Alistair confided in me,” I admitted, “but it’s really no big deal. Now, what’s on your mind?”

“Not much of a big deal either, but it had occurred to me that things have been too quiet lately,” he said seriously.

“Almost like the calm before the storm?” I said.

“Exactly.” I waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. He just protectively watched his family, like he was trying to prevent them from disappearing. Something was clearly bothering him.

“Sheridan,” I said, waiting for him to look at me before I continued, “remember, we’re friends. I can tell something’s eating at you. What is it?”

“Nothing, really,” he murmured, “I just have a feeling that something bad is going to happen.”

*Sheridan’s POV*

Ebon kept trying to pry more out of me, but I wasn’t too sure of the details myself. All I knew was that something was going to happen - and that I would likely be in the middle of it. Finally, we gave up and called it a night. It was almost 9 p.m. anyway; it was guild policy to clear out by then because the Anthlings had the place to themselves after hours. Finn and Kitty raced ahead of us; I lagged behind, lost in thought, and Aniela stayed in between.

“Dan,” she called, using my nickname. I looked up at her concerned face.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.

“Nothing, Lala - just a premonition.” She stopped and looked back at me. She made a beautiful picture, with her lovely lavender hair flowing in the slight breeze, her milky skin glowing under the moonlight, and her sensitive cocoa eyes worriedly looking into my soul. It’s no wonder I fell in love with her…

“Mom, Dad, come on!” Finn yelled.

“I wanna finish gluing Pop Fizz’s arms back on before I go to bed,” Kitty added. I smiled reassuringly at Aniela, then quickened my pace to unlock the door for my impatient children.

It was another hour before both Kitty and Finn finally went to bed. Usually, we manage to get home a bit earlier, but no one was in a hurry to get home today with Alistair and her dragons around. The new alliance with the Dragon’s Den could be Phoenix Tear’s saving grace - with the help of Team Psionic’s huge reward.

“Are you going to tell me about the premonition, Dan?” Aniela asked.

“Yes, but it’s not really anything specific. I’ve had this nagging feeling over the last few days that something bad is going to happen,” I confessed. My lovely wife leaned against me and soon we were embracing.

“Whatever happens, we’ll pull through together,” she said softly, “we always have.” I kissed her lovingly, but we were soon interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Who could be coming by so late?” I muttered. I went and answered the door - and narrowly avoided a knockout spell.

“Aniela, upstairs!” I yelled. I heard her feet pounding up the steps as five masked people forced their way into our home. I immediately recognized where they were from.

“Sheridan-sama, our master requests your presence,” a masked man informed me.

“I don’t care! Leave me alone!” I replied coldly. Unsurprisingly, they only moved in closer.

“Then we’ll just have to take you by force,” a woman said. She unleashed some dark magic at me and the others followed suit.

“WHITE PROVIDENCE!” I unleashed a powerful white force field that canceled out all their attacks.

“Impressive; he’s even stronger than our master said,” a different woman observed.

“It would be foolish to expect anything less from one of the Wizard Saints,” another man replied. I can’t tell you how much I hate being labeled by that title; I didn’t ask for it and I don’t believe I deserve it.

“If that’s what you believe, then I suggest you leave before I get serious,” I threatened.

“That’s impossible, Sheridan-sama,” a woman suddenly appeared behind me, “you see, our master is most eager to meet with you.”

“POISON IVY!” Vines and poisonous fumes came out of nowhere. Aniela was suddenly by my side.

“Lala…” I whispered, but I really wasn’t surprised. She does this every time I get into a fight, “the kids?”

“I sent them out of the house,” she whispered back, “so we can focus on fighting.”

“How cute,” one of the men sneered, “but that won’t change anything.” He summoned a magic rifle and started firing.

“LARKSPUR WRATH!”

“SHINING WHITE SHOWER!” We fought against them for a while. We almost had an opening to escape when one of the women knocked Aniela down with a magic whip.

“End of the line, girly.” The man with the rifle aimed at her. My heart skipped a beat. I immediately turned to attack him.

“Ani-” The teleporting woman’s hands suddenly appeared in front of my face, cutting me off. They glowed with a blue light.

“That’s enough. We’re done here,” I heard her say as I lost consciousness.