Phoenix Fire || Fairy Tail [1]

𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐢𝐢. 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫

"What's happening?"

"I can't move my legs!"

"The shadows are dragging them down!" Happy murmured, eyes round as he watched the soldiers slowly sink into the tiled ground.

"Is that some kind of shadow magic?!"

The terrified screams of the soldiers and the execution squad were drowned out abruptly as their heads disappeared below. Their last words hung in the silence, pleads for salvation from the Fairy Tail mages. It was far too late to act.

Darkness consumed the far end of the hallway, extinguishing the lights on that side. Wendy was closest to the presence, so Rose took a short flight from Future Lucy's shoulder to the young dragon slayer. She seemed unfazed and kept her gaze fixated on what was coming.

"That shadow..." Future Lucy's tone was nearing hysteria. Rose contemplated returning to her side to perhaps calm her, but she needed to be near the source of the threat. "I've never seen anything like it, it didn't happen like this!"

Natsu's gaze shifted between the two Lucy's, then back to the darkness. "What the heck's going on here?"

Rose shuffled slightly, ruffling her feathers unconsciously. There was something within the darkness, and she had a feeling that it was the same thing she had fought just hours ago.

Would she be able to face it a second time? Rose doubted it. She'd barely been able to stand after the last battle, and from what she could tell this time the spirit was even stronger. Not to mention, she had her friends with her. They weren't in good states themselves. She'd have to ignore her limits if she wanted to protect them, or...

...Dark thoughts began to encroach on her mind like scavenging vultures, picking her thoughts apart. It wasn't as though this was the first time she'd failed to protect someone important to her. Why even bother? Just give up, this is your fate.

Fate...

... she despised that word.

"Why... why didn't the shadow target us?" Pantherlilly seemed hesitant to approach the mass more than he needed to. Footsteps resounded throughout the hallway.

"Okay," Natsu stated blandly. "Who are you?"

The man who'd emerged from the darkness seemed somewhat familiar. A black fringe covered his right eye, and the one which she could see was a familiar red. The rest of his hair was a shade just off white, tied back into a high pony-tail. A scar across the bridge of his nose disappeared under the fringe, and an intricate black tattoo decorated his left cheekbone.

"Shadows can reach beyond the present to both the past and the future." Rogue murmured, striding confidently towards the group of mages. "And into the hearts of men. It seems we meet again, Natsu Dragneel."

Rogue stopped in his tracks, smirking at the dragon slayer. "I travelled quite a way from the distant future. I am Rogue."

Without her consent, Rose swore. Of course, having the vocal chords of a bird, it sounded more like an angry squawk.

"Ah, Rose." Rogue's head tilted to the side as he observed the bird. "I see you haven't changed in the slightest."

Apparently that pissed Rose off enough that she underwent the transformation without even trying. She managed to roll off of Wendy's shoulders just in time, landing on the ground in a crouch. Water vapour misted her breath and escaped her lips in a hiss.

Rogue didn't seem particularly surprised by that. Before anyone could speak, the phoenix slayer rose to her normal height and crossed her arms with a scowl. What was he planning? He hadn't tried to hurt them yet, for some reason...