Hey everyone, I'm back. Sorry it took so long for me to update this but I'm back now to continue this story! Not sure how long this chapter will be, just have to see how it goes. Anyways now for the Disclaimer! If you guys don't mind?
Wendy: R-right. Novablade 67 does not own Fairy Tail or Saint Seiya and their characters. The aforementioned series belong to the respective creators, he only owns the oc's who appear in this story.
Koga- Novablade also hopes that you guys will continue to show support for his stories in liking, following, favoriting, or just taking the time to read his stories.
Lucy- as an aspiring writer, he hopes to learn from you guys and continue to grow his craft.
Wendy: without further ado please enjoy the s-story!
Chapter 6: The Hunt I: Balrog vs Dragon
The Hunt I: Balrog vs Dragon
The arena fell silent as Kagura and Erza faced each other, the crowd's attention riveted on what promised to be one of the most anticipated battles of the Grand Magic Games. Though focused on their impending clash, both wizards remained aware of the tournament's landscape. The scoreboard displayed the current standings:
Dragon's Dawn led decisively with 54 points, followed by Sabertooth at 38, Fairy Tail with 30, and Mermaid Heel and Lamia Scale tied at 25 each. Quatro Puppy trailed with 22 points, while Blue Pegasus struggled at the bottom with 18.
As the scoreboard updated to reflect Lamia Scale's recent victory, pushing them to 35 points, Erza and Kagura launched toward each other—only to be interrupted by a massive cyclone of water crashing between them. From this aquatic vortex emerged Honoo Tokyoheim, a dark-skinned wizard from Dragon's Dawn.
"I do apologize for the interruption, Kagura, Erza," Honoo said with a smile. "Shall we make it an even three-way fight?"
The two wizards exchanged glances, then nodded their agreement. Both were curious to measure themselves against a member of the tournament's leading guild.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the arena, Rogue searched for Gajeel—a wizard he secretly admired. Instead, he encountered Mist Dragonblade, younger sister of the Dragon's Dawn wizard who had defeated Minerva. Rogue approached cautiously as the fuchsia-haired girl studied him with evident curiosity.
"Huh... So you're Rogue, eh?" she asked, circling him thoughtfully.
Rogue merely nodded, maintaining his guard while she inspected him.
"Hmm... You definitely aren't what I was expecting at all," Mist remarked. "Well Rogue, I'm Mist Dragonblade. Nice to meet you."
Before Rogue could respond, something sinister happened—a dark presence seemed to take control of his body. Malevolent laughter echoed from behind him. This was no longer Rogue, but something altogether different.
Mist scowled, sensing the change immediately. "I don't know who you are... but you'd better leave Rogue alone!" she challenged.
The shadow laughed dismissively. "And who are you to stop me, little girl?"
In response, Mist released her magical power, allowing the possessed Rogue to feel its strength. "I am Mist Dragonblade! Whoever you are, you don't belong here!"
The shadow chuckled—until it sensed the magnitude of her power. Though not overwhelming, it was substantial. The possessed Rogue's eyes widened in recognition.
"Wait a second, are you—?" he began, only to be interrupted by Mist's fist connecting with his face in a powerful right hook.
"You little brat!" the possessed Rogue shouted, retaliating with Shadow Dragon Slash.
Mist blocked the attack effortlessly, then smirked. "Really? You call that an attack? That's just sad. Here, let me show you what a real attack looks like!"
She summoned her power, manifesting what appeared to be a giant horned beast behind her. "Crimson Balrog...!!!" she began, moving her arms in a fashion reminiscent of a saint she had trained with.
Rogue's eyes widened as he felt enormous power gathering around the young wizard.
"DESTRUCTIVE HAMMER!!!" Mist shouted, driving her fist into Rogue's gut. The projection of a flaming horned beast mirrored her movement, amplifying the impact.
The force of the blow sent Rogue flying against the stone cobbles. As he struggled to rise, Mist approached with anger in her eyes and delivered another kick that sent him tumbling across the ground.
"HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?!" the shadow within Rogue cried. "She only hit me twice! And yet... those two attacks caused this much pain. How could only two hits cause this much damage?!"
"You're a bit behind the times, Imposter," Mist said contemptuously. "Dragon Slayers aren't as powerful as some others. There are warriors far stronger than Dragon Slayers. I myself happen to be one such individual. A Balrog Slayer."
Rogue's eyes widened again. "So does that mean your entire guild is—?"
"Before you finish asking that question, yes," Mist interrupted. "All of us are one type of slayer or another... Mostly Balrog Slayers and the like, but we have some Devil Hunters in our guild as well."
The shadow made one final desperate attempt to defeat Mist, but the Balrog Slayer was simply too skilled. She cupped her hands before her as what looked like stars gathered behind her.
"Be gone, vile spirit!"
"NO!"
"CRIMSON..."
"What are you doi— oh no..." The shadow paled as it realized what was coming.
"BALROG..."
Rogue knew what was coming—and that it would hurt immensely.
"BURNING EXCLAMATION!!!" Mist shouted as a bright red beam engulfed him.
Rogue cried out in agony as the shadow fled his body at the last moment. He crashed into a wall, his clothes in tatters from Mist's devastating attack. As he lay face-down on the ground, Mist—having been awarded points for his defeat—rushed to his side.
"Oh my gosh, are you okay?!" she asked anxiously. "Talk to me, Rogue. I hope I didn't hurt you too badly."
Rogue weakly waved off her concerns, assuring her he was battered but otherwise fine. Mist sighed with relief.
"Whew, good. I thought you were truly hurt. Thank Elohim for that."
Her response intrigued Rogue, though he decided to ask about this "Elohim" later. For now, he had to acknowledge that this girl had utterly defeated him—and for some reason, that made him smile.
Mist seemed caught off guard by his smile but didn't mind it. "Huh, so you can smile then?" she asked with mild sarcasm.
Though Rogue remained quiet, she could tell he wasn't a bad person—perhaps misguided, but not evil at heart. She decided to ask him something now that their battle had concluded.
"Can I ask you something, Rogue?"
Rogue nodded, curious about what she might want to know. Their guilds weren't exactly on friendly terms, but Mist reasoned that this didn't mean they had to be enemies personally.
"Yes, what is it you want?" Rogue asked, still somewhat sore about his defeat. It was humiliating to be soundly beaten by a younger girl.
"I know your guild and my guild aren't getting along right now, but I don't get the feeling that you and Sting are bad people. So... I... uh... I w-was wondering, would you want to become friends?" Mist asked nervously.
Rogue was surprised—this girl wanted to befriend someone who had been her enemy moments ago? He chuckled lightly.
"Mist, was it?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah?"
"You really are an odd girl, you know that?" Rogue said, still chuckling.
Mist grinned sheepishly. "Heh heh, yeah, I kinda get that a lot."
Rogue couldn't help smiling. There was something about this girl that calmed him, though he couldn't explain why. Perhaps by becoming her friend, he might understand the source of this feeling.
When Rogue tried to stand, his injuries reminded him of their presence. He winced and nearly fell if not for Mist catching him.
"Careful, Rogue. You're still injured, you know," she chided gently.
Rogue nodded, accepting that he needed to rest until his injuries healed.
"Not to worry, Rogue. I know someone who's especially skilled in the healing arts. I'll take you to her," Mist offered.
Rogue smiled weakly. "T... Thanks M... Mist. I'd appreciate that."
With Mist's help, Rogue steadied himself, and together they made their way toward her healer friend.
With Rogue's defeat, Dragon's Dawn gained another 10 points, bringing their total to 64. The current standings now showed:
Dragon's Dawn: 64 points
Fairy Tail: 40 points
Sabertooth: 38 points
Lamia Scale: 35 points
Mermaid Heel: 25 points
Blue Pegasus: 18 points
Fairy Tail had gained 10 points when Juvia defeated a wizard from Quatro Cerebus, effectively eliminating them from the Games. Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel were also struggling, each with only one undefeated wizard remaining. Sabertooth wasn't faring much better, with three wizards left—two of whom were on the verge of defeat.
Rufus was locked in battle with Gray, while Orga had just arrived in the same area as Laxus, Jura, and Kazuma of Dragon's Dawn—the latter having made an explosive entrance to that confrontation.
Back with Erza, her three-way battle with Kagura and Honoo was intensifying. Erza and Kagura exchanged sword strikes while dodging Honoo's water attacks. Kagura temporarily immobilized Honoo with her Gravity Magic, but her advantage was short-lived.
A bright blue aura surrounded Honoo as she concentrated her magic. Kagura and Erza's eyes widened as they felt enormous magical power emanating from the supposedly trapped wizard.
"I have to hand it to you, Kagura. Your Gravity Magic really is quite something. However... I'm afraid it won't be enough to keep me down," Honoo declared.
As Kagura and Erza continued their duel nearby, they felt Honoo gathering an immense amount of power into a single point.
"SEA GOD..."
Erza's eyes widened in shock. This girl was a God Slayer? From Fairy Tail's battle on Tenrou Island against Grimoire Heart, Erza knew something of what God Slayers could do—and what little she remembered was terrifying.
"BATTERING RAIN: ECHO FIST!!!"
Breaking free of the gravity magic, Honoo unleashed a powerful spell. A huge surge of water poured forth, splitting into hundreds of icicle-like shards before launching forward. Hundreds of small shockwaves the size of fists followed, crashing into both Erza and Kagura. Though they blocked some, others broke through their defenses.
When the barrage ended, only Erza remained standing, and even she did so with considerable effort. Her entire body felt aflame with pain. Honoo noticed Erza grimacing—no doubt her attack had felt like being struck by several sledgehammers. Kagura was down on one knee, using her katana to support herself.
"I told you that wouldn't keep me down, Mikazuchi. Looks like you're still up, Scarlet. You certainly are something else, Titania Erza, Queen of the Fairies," Honoo remarked.
Seeing that Erza was still fighting through pain and that she and Kagura clearly had unfinished business, Honoo offered a solution.
"I can see you still have some unfinished business with Kagura here, so I'll let you two have at it," she suggested.
Erza was suspicious. "And what would you get in return for allowing us to continue?"
Honoo smirked. "Well, that depends on you, Erza. Guess I should say it will depend on what you do."
Erza eyed the God Slayer warily as she resumed her battle with Kagura. Neither could last much longer, so they needed to end it quickly before both collapsed from their injuries.
"E...Erza Scarlet... I suggest we finish this before we both collapse," Kagura said through gritted teeth.
The redhead could tell her opponent was fighting through pain, determined to settle something. Out of respect, Erza prepared to end the match quickly. They charged toward each other, magical energy blazing around them.
"Erza Scarlet... You're close to Jellal, right?!" Kagura demanded.
Erza nodded tentatively.
"How can you be so close to the one who killed Simon?!" Kagura screamed, her attacks intensifying with rage.
"I take it you knew Simon?" Erza asked, surprised by her anger but confused.
Kagura scowled, pressing her attack even harder. How could someone who had grown up with Simon not understand?
"Knew him?! I more than knew Simon! He was the most important person in the world to me, and that man... Jellal killed him! Simon was the only family I had! That's why I swear Jellal will pay for making Simon suffer!" Kagura cried.
Erza's eyes widened as she realized what Kagura was saying. She hoped she wasn't misinterpreting, but it sounded as if Kagura was related to Simon somehow.
"Wait... you said family? Do you mean that you're related to Simon?" Erza asked cautiously.
Kagura nodded. "Yes, Erza. I'm his younger sister."
Erza paled, shocked by this revelation. "Y-you're his sister?! I see... Then I must apologize."
Tears streamed down Erza's face as she explained what had happened during Simon's final moments. Given the magical energy building around Kagura, Erza suspected her reaction wouldn't be pleasant.
"Jellal may have struck the final blow, but I was the one who killed Simon. Or... rather, m-my weakness killed him. I was too weak to stop Jellal, and that's what killed your brother. I'm sorry... Kagura," Erza said sorrowfully.
Kagura's eyes widened, tears spilling down her cheeks. Her grief transformed into rage as she unsheathed her Archenemy sword—the blade meant for Jellal—and used it against Erza. As she drew the weapon, excess magical power shook the ground, cutting a large gash into the earth.
But something went wrong. Kagura had forgotten about her injuries from Honoo's attack. Dizzy and disoriented, she fought through the pain, determined to avenge her brother despite her more severe injuries threatening to render her unconscious. Erza, taking pity on Kagura, swiftly ended the fight with a single strike to her gut using the hilt of her katana.
Kagura buckled and collapsed, defeated by Erza. Though she had failed to avenge her brother, she was satisfied... for now. She still had unfinished business with Erza, but that would have to wait.
Clapping interrupted Erza's thoughts as she used her sword to steady herself. Looking over, she saw Honoo, who had watched the entire fight. As the God Slayer approached, Erza swung her sword, stopping it just in front of Honoo.
"Listen, Scarlet, I understand that you're upset... really, I do," Honoo said calmly.
Erza scowled, clearly angry. "If you understand, then why did you do that?!"
Honoo answered quietly, hoping to diffuse Erza's temper. Though her anger was warranted, now wasn't the time—the two guilds weren't supposed to clash yet, according to their agreement.
"You looked like you needed to take care of some unfinished business with Kagura, so I figured I should let you instead of getting in the way. But it's too soon for us to clash yet, Erza Scarlet," Honoo explained.
This seemed to calm Erza somewhat. Though still angry with Honoo, she acknowledged that this dispute could be settled later.
"Yes, you are right about that..." Erza admitted reluctantly.
Sensing Erza's apprehension about their agreement, Honoo proposed a friendly wager to distract her from the immediate issue.
"Tell you what, why don't we make a wager? A... friendly bet, competition of sorts?" Honoo suggested.
Erza raised an eyebrow, still suspicious. What was Honoo planning now? She decided to play along and find out.
"You have my attention. I'm listening," Erza replied. "What sort of wager were you implying this will be?"
Honoo smiled, gesturing emphatically as she explained. "A contest to settle this dispute between you and me. Why don't we make it a race to see who eliminates Sabertooth first? And whoever wins will get to choose whichever wizard they want to face when our two guilds battle it out for the top guild of this year's games."
Erza considered the proposal for a moment before closing her eyes and smiling. This could work—plus, it would give her time to think about what to say to Kagura when they eventually settled their differences.
"Very well then, I accept your challenge," Erza said.
Honoo smiled, glad to have taken some weight off Erza's mind, if only temporarily. The two wizards shook hands to seal their agreement.
"Let's call this one a draw until we can properly settle things then, yeah?" Honoo proposed.
Erza nodded, and the commentators seemed to understand this arrangement. They would certainly settle their score—but later.
The current standings in the Grand Magic Games now showed:
Dragon's Dawn: 67 points
Fairy Tail: 45 points
Sabertooth: 38 points
Lamia Scale: 35 points
To be continued in Chapter 9: Fall of the Tigers II: Sabertooth Eliminated?
Hey all hope you enjoyed this chapter I know I said the saint Seiya cast will appear soon, trust me, they will. I just wasn't able to get to them this chapter. Instead of having each pairing, other than Koga x Wendy instantly attracted to each other I figured I should let things play out a bit more.. just so the pairings make sense and are more developed after interacting for a little while.
Hope I made the interaction between Erza and Honoo interesting enough, I figured that she needed at least one rival since Mira Jane doesn't really take that to heart these days... sigh. Well anyways, I'll do my best to fit the saint Seiya cast into the next chapter. And be on the lookout cuz there will be an interesting twist concerning the God Slayers and their power. Just thought I'd put my own little spin on it. Take it away, guys!
Koga- Right. Next time on Fairies and Dragons: Allies of the West ..
Wendy- The games are beginning to reach their climax now. Lamia Scale is on the ropes and.. it looks like a race between Fairy Tail and Dragon's Dawn to eliminate Sabertooth?
Koga- other guilds are caught in the middle as the countdown to the showdown between Fairy Tail and Dragon's Dawn has begun!
Wendy- Even Koga gets in on the action, I'll be rooting for you Koga! But also I'll cheer on my own Guildmates!
Koga- Next time: Chapter 9: The Hunt II: Sabertooth Eliminated?
Wendy- G-good luck everyone! And we'll see you next time!