souls | fairy tail

2.1: getting the band back together

X784 - PRESENT TIME

In the dead of the night, a figure whisked through the forest of Shirotsume, moving as quickly and gracefully as a shadow. It neared closer and closer to a Guild Hall, belonging to the Dark Guild Ghoul Spirit. Inside, lay the beaten members of the dark guild. And standing completely unscathed in the centre, were the Thunder Legion, no longer teens and grown up.

"That's enough, Bickslow." Freed reprimanded as the Seith Mage watched his babies torment the Dark Mages with glee.

"What? That's it?" Bickslow turned around.

"How dare they form a guild, as weak as they are." Freed muttered.

"My babies ain't had enough fun yet!" Bickslow argued.

"More!" His dolls echoed.

"Then I think you'd like what I'm here for Bickslow." A new voice spoke up.

The Thunder Legion turned to see a figure clad in all black standing in the doorway. They were dressed in loose black pants filled with pockets, tucked into aged and well-used black steel-toed boots. The upper half of the person's body was covered by a high-collared black jacket. It had three zippers that started at the left shoulder, and went diagonally downwards instead of just going from top to bottom vertically. The back of the jacket extended further behind the person, billowing out just slightly as it fell to knee-length. Several harnesses criss-crossed over the jacket, across the body of the figure. The figure's face was obscured by a large black hood that fell just past their eyes and a black mask that's bottom was obscured by the collar of jacket, leaving no skin showing. On their wrists and palms sat dark metal gauntlets with black gloves underneath. Finally, attached to one of the harnesses on their body, a black sniper rifle lay their back.

"Shadow! You son of a bastard how've ya' been?" Bickslow cheered, greeting his old friend.

"Been! Been!"

Nox grinned underneath her mask as one of Bickslow's Dolls, Poppo, flew up to her and nudged her arm. She patted the doll on the head before turning back to the group.

"I'm alright, just finished a job." Nox replied, "I see you three were quick to dispatch your enemies."

"It was almost too easy." Evergreen smirked, "Shame... we find ourselves having to take low-level jobs like these."

"Well, the S-Class trials aren't too far off." Freed commented.

"Regardless, I have a message to deliver to you three from Laxus." Nox explained, making the other three perk up.

"Really?" Freed asked, "What pertains that Master Laxus would send you to deliver a message?"

"He's asking you three to head back to Magnolia. I'm tagging along too, I just came out to collect you three for a mission." Nox explained.

"What kind of mission?" Evergreen asked as they left the Dark Guild and began trekking through the woods again.

"Laxus will fill you in on the details when we get to Magnolia." Nox replied as the group wandered through the night. "But, I suppose you three should know the objective."

"And what might the objective be?"

Nox looked up at the night sky, her barely-visible ruby eyes glinting in the moonlight.