Chapter 39: An Old Flame
"Feels good to be back," Mira said, stretching as they got settled.
"No kidding. I've missed this place," Bisca said, leaning against the wall. For seven long years, it was a depressing place; but now, with everyone back, it had become so much more inviting and warm.
"Looks like everyones pretty happy we won," Cana said, peeking out the window.
"The Strongest Guild in Fiore," Lucy said proudly.
"My only question is why you're all in my room," Strider grumbled.
"Having a bunch of beauties in your room isn't something any guy should complain about," Jenny sighed.
"The first love of my life is privacy," Strider said.
"Privacy's not as hot as any one of us," she said, smirking.
"No arguments there. She's stocky and sturdy, a bulwark whom I love as dearly as I do my own life," Strider said.
"Wow. So charming," Mira said sarcastically.
"It's yet to fail me," Strider said, looking at the time. "I suppose I'll take the night off and set out in the morning. This should be fun."
"You're the only person I can think of that would think that. Even Master Yoruichi hasn't tried a Century Quest —with or without some of our best fighters, at that," Kagura said.
"I've gathered that no one besides Gildarts has," Strider said.
"And that's only because he's a complete idiot," Cana added.
"Isn't he your dad?" Jenny asked.
"Yeah. And he didn't know I was his daughter for almost two decades," Cana sighed.
"Oh. Wow. I'm so sorry you have to put up with that," Jenny cringed.
"Men can be idiots," Mira said.
"Indeed. Absolute and utter fools," Erza added.
"Completely oblivious," Kagura chimed in.
"Natsu-and-Gray level dumb," Lucy concurred.
"Truer words have never been spoken," Strider mused.
"You're a man, you know," Juvia reminded him.
"True, but I'm also me. That has to count for something. At least I hope it does. My ego can't take much more," he laughed.
"You just better make sure you come back safe and sound. Otherwise, I'll personally raise your body and kill you all over again," Jenny said.
"Don't worry. I'll be playing this safer than usual," Strider said.
"Make sure you run at the first sign of trouble," Bisca said.
"I will. You know, I tried to find out as much as I could about the quest, but it seems that the ones who requested it will only provide details in person and on the scene," Strider mused.
"There've been a lot of people who tried it before you. None of them was strong enough and the lucky ones just barely escaped with their lives — but that was when it was still a decade quest. Eventually, when it becomes a Century Quest, they refuse to say much about it until you're on scene. It lets you get a feel for what you're up against and if you really want to continue with it," Mira explained.
"I'm only vaguely aware of it. Blossom Valley is northeast of Mount Hakobe, I believe," Kagura said.
"Sounds about right," Cana said, looking at a map. "There's a forest where the Shrine is supposed to be."
"That could be helpful," Strider said, examining the map. "A forest, hmm? I can use that."
"What do you intend to do?" Kagura wondered.
"A little magic here, a bit more there," Strider answered cryptically.
'Three century quests, the Wild Hunt, demons, and more. A bit to exciting, I'm starting to think,' Strider thought.
"A bit of a more concrete answer, please?" Jenny suggested.
"That's really all I've got. I've no idea what to expect from this quest. Perhaps whatever it is might not be susceptible to Magic. Or, on the other hand, it might be resistant or impervious to telekinesis. Or against physical damage. I'll have to judge it on the fly," Strider said as he sat down. To their interest, he pulled out a book.
"What book is that, my love?" Juvia asked.
"A book written by the uncle of a friend of mine. There and Back Again," Strider said fondly, looking at the map on the back of the hardcover.
"What's it about?" Cana inquired, leaning down to get a look at the cover. It was bound in beautiful red leather of a kind she hadn't seen yet. It looked a bit tattered; Strider had obviously read it often.
"A telling of his adventures across the land, encountering orcs, goblins, spiders, and finally, a dragon. I find myself reading it often whenever I'm about to embark on something new," Strider said, thumbing a corner. "To see what's ahead and remember what's behind. It helps me reflect, I suppose."
"Let's leave him be for the a bit, ladies," Bisca said, gently pushing them all out.
"I'll bring your dinner when it's ready," Mira said to him.
"Thank you, Mira," Strider said quietly, focused on his book. Sure they were gone, he quietly began singing to himself.
"The road goes ever on and on,
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow if I can…"
-o-
"Is everything alright?" Strider asked aloud. Sheepishly, Mira entered his room.
"How did you know I was out there?"
"My telekinesis extends pretty wide. I can sense a fly miles away," Strider said.
"Really?" Mira asked, surprised.
"Actually, I heard you come up the stairs. What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to bring you dinner," Mira said, setting the laden tray on his table before sitting on his bed.
"I imagine there's something else you'd like to say as well," Strider said, sitting next to her.
"I think you know. We've said a hundred times already, though, and I don't want to bother you before the quest," Mira said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I appreciate how much you care for me," Strider said warmly. "I'll come home safely. I promise."
"Good," Mira said. She turned to look at him and caressed his cheek. "Make sure you do. I've something special for you."
"Oh? What is it? You've got me curious," Strider said interestedly.
"No spoilers," Mira giggled. "Just know that it'll be well worth you coming home safely."
"Why not just show me now?" Strider wondered, laying her down. "It might make me work a little harder."
"I think it'll tire you out," Mira giggled. "Just come back if you want to know what it is."
"Now I'm even more certain I will," Strider said, grinning like a kid.
"Mhm. Just keep that in mind," she said, giving him a quick kiss. "Good night, Strider."
"Sweet dreams, Mira," he said.
-o-
"Are you getting ready?" Master Mavis asked as she entered Striders room. She blushed a deep red; she caught him in a state of undress.
"An announcement before entering next time, Master Mavis," Strider said, laughing at how deep red she was.
"My apologies," she sighed, turning around. "You are very handsome, though."
"Thank you. Good thing I always have my looks to fall back on. But to answer your question, yes. I think I'll take the scenic route to the shrine, though. From the little I've read," Strider said, nodding towards an open atlas, "Blossom Valley is a beautiful place. I'd like to enjoy it as much as help out."
"I've never been there myself," Mavis said.
"I'll be sure to bring you back some of the blossoms," Strider said.
"Make sure you save the flower picking until after you complete the job," Mavis added.
"Will do," Strider agreed.
"I believe the visit to see Acnologia is immediately after your quest," Mavis said.
"Master Makarov told you?"
"I inferred. I hope you don't mind, but I would like to accompany you there," Mavis said.
"Why would I mind? My home is yours as well," Strider said.
"Thank you," Mavis said, smiling. She looked contemplatively at Strider.
"What is it, Master?"
"You can just call me Mavis."
"What is it, Mavis?"
"I find you intriguing is all," she said lightly.
"I'm happy to hear that," Strider said, laughing.
"You're not bothered by it?"
"Not at all. Intrigue has always served me well," Strider said. Mavis blushed as she picked up on what he meant; his laugh only served to make her more red.
"Moving on," Mavis said hurriedly. "Will you attempt another Century Quest after completing this one?"
"Most certainly. But after Acnologia, I intend to visit the Alvarez Empire for a minute. These Ghost Riders interest me deeply," Strider said.
"Are you sure that's a wise idea?"
"Wisdom aside, it's important. They're more troubling than any Century Quest."
"What do you intend to do if you encounter them? They seem nigh unstoppable."
"Hopefully, nigh doesn't mean entirely. I'll take it as it comes, I suppose."
"Just make sure that you're being careful," she sighed.
"Of course," Strider said. He unsheathed Anglachel and flipped Him in his hands a few times. Mavis watched with interest as Strider appraised the sword, as though he were psychically convening with it.
"You seem to have a close relationship with your sword," Mavis said.
"He's been my companion for close to a decade. He's never worn, never cracked, never chipped, never broken, never dulled, never too light, never too heavy, never too fast, never too slow," Strider said quietly. Mavis raised a brow; she had hardly heard someone refer to a sword as a person.
"He?"
"Hmm? Yes. I suppose I've been with Him so long, He's almost become humanlike," Strider said.
"Does your sword have a name?"
"Why so curious?" Strider asked as he turned to her slightly, a glint in his eye. Mavis was surprised but stood her ground.
"Curious is all I am," she said.
"Anglachel," Strider said.
"Does that mean something in your homeland?"
"Flaming Iron," Strider said.
"I see," Mavis said.
"I best be off, Mavis. I'll see you soon," Strider said, ruffling her hair as he passed her. As she turned, he had disappeared in a haze of black smoke.
-o-
Strider flew for a long while until he reached the mouth of a canyon-like valley. Mountains jutted upward on either side, their peaks capped with snow. In the distance he could see the outline of a deep green forest where his quest lay.
"Kind of feel like walking it," he mused aloud to himself, wanting to take his time. The name Blossom Valley was well earned as he could quickly tell. Cherry blossoms of close-in-color shades spread out as far as he could see. He had hardly gone a mile when he was stepping in the ones that had fallen, evanescent in their stay on the land. He took a deep breath, inhaling the succulent scent. The shade seemed to grow darker as he approached the treeline, which was only a few more miles away. They grew from a white-pink to an almost deep-red when he was only a mile short. He picked a few of the blossom branches and stored them in a pocket dimension as gifts.
As Strider took his first step into the forest, he felt a wave of excitement rush over him. The feeling was almost electric; he couldn't tell if it was magic, evil, or just raw power – but something instilled a sense of wonder in him. He slowly made his way through, whistling as he moved some branches out of his face. His whistles were almost deafening in the quiet forest. What would've unnerved or enervated anyone else by now only seemed to stoke him.
He was a couple miles deep when he had finally come across a large shrine. But this shrine appeared to be occupied. He could see monks in pink and red robes walking around, offering prayers and chanting. As he came into view, only one of them offered him a glance. She was a young lady with long pink hair. She approached him with a smile and bow.
"Hello. What can I do for you, sir?"
"Hello. I'm here for the Century Quest," Strider said.
"Really? Are you sure? You're not just here to pray or make an offering?" She asked, halfway between amused and bemused.
"I'm certain. I make no guarantees at solving the problem, but all the same I would like to try solving it. Is there a process I have to go through?"
"Ah… no, not really. Let me bring you to the head of our order. She'll be able to answer your questions and judge whether or not she'd like you to try," she said.
"As you say, miss. Lead on," Strider said.
"You can just call me Sakura," she said.
"Sakura, then," Strider said, looking around. "How long have you been here?"
"15 years tomorrow," she said proudly.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you!" Sakura said, genuinely excited. "We don't often get visitors here nowadays. Not since the last person was found in a not very good state."
"Not very good state?"
"His body was torn apart and spread throughout the forest," Sakura said with a shudder. "He hadn't taken more than a couple of steps into the main shrine when he just… went."
"Not a very good state indeed," Strider said.
"Have you ever heard of a case like this on your travels?" Sakura asked.
"Nothing exactly like this, no," Strider said.
"So… things similar?"
"Here and there."
"Fine, I won't pry," she sighed.
"Thank you," Strider chuckled. "Aren't you afraid of living so close to such a being?"
"Not really. Whatever it is has been a presence here for almost half a millennium but in that time, we've never had a problem here. Whatever it is seems to stick to the old shrine. That's a problem, though, because we have a lot of history there. The Old Shrine is more than a thousand years old is of great significance to us. Written records, lacrimas, formulas, recipes, books, and so much more."
"Mmm… it sounds like whatever it is isn't disturbing anyone, then. Perhaps it's a wise idea simply to let it be."
"You'd miss out on the reward," Sakura said.
"Perhaps, but if it's so unaggressive, then I don't see much problem in letting it stay. Mmm…" Strider began humming. She let him think in peace for a minute before chiming in.
"What is it?"
"Just thinking about the best way to play this," Strider said.
"Do you have a strategy?"
"I've a couple," Strider said.
"Mind sharing?"
"I'll let you know after I come back," Strider said.
"If you don't?"
"Then you'll know my strategy didn't work in this case," Strider said.
"Very reserved," Sakura sighed.
"Being rude to guests again, Sakura?" An older woman suddenly asked. Sakura quickly stood at attention, turning as red as her hair was pink.
"NO MISS! I'VE BROUGHT A WIZARD!"
"I can see that. Please get us some blossom tea and cakes if you wouldn't mind," the older woman giggled. As she looked towards Strider, he saw that she couldn't.
"Please follow me. My name is Saki."
"Lead on, miss," Strider said. He followed her through a couple more doors in silence until they reached a sparsely decorated, vividly colored room. Saki carefully sat on a cushion; Strider eschewed one to sit on the floor.
"You're here for the Century Quest?"
"I am. My name is Strider. I'm from Fairy Tail."
"And before Fairy Tail?"
"The North and West."
"I see. Welcome, Man of the West," Saki said, smiling. "What would you like to know about the Quest?"
"Has the job really been around for five centuries?"
"Yes. The Warrior of the Shrine first showed up nearly 500 years ago, after the death of a monk. It was initially thought to be the spirit of the monk that had died, but we could never be certain. Since then, no one has been able to enter the shrine, or the surrounding area."
"What can you tell me about the shrine?"
"It has two upper levels and two basement levels. The basements extend deep and far, as they house the thousands of texts we have written and collected, as well as many artifacts. The uppermost floor is a prayer room. The ground floor and second floor were mainly residential, but they're almost clear now. But we want to avoid damaging the place as much as possible."
"What if damage is inevitable?"
"Then the damage is inevitable. We hope you'll make a sincere effort to not destroy anything, but it won't come out of your reward."
"From what I understand, the Warrior attacks those who attempt to enter the shrine. Why not leave it be?"
"An interesting solution," she said, smiling. "And perhaps we might have to. But our ancestors requested that this Quest never be rescinded, and so we don't."
"I see," Strider said thoughtfully. "Mmm, that is unfortunate. As long as it stays active, wizards will keep trying. It doesn't seem to venture outside its own territory, so leaving it alone might've been the best resolution."
"A resolution with no promise of reward."
"Or pain."
"True enough. Thank you, Sakura," Saki said, enjoying the tea and cake.
"Thank you. Care to join us?" Strider asked her.
"Can I, miss?" Sakura asked.
"Certainly. It'll be good for you to sit in on this," Saki said. Sakura smiled and sat off to Striders side, casually stealing glances as he and Saki continued.
"What can you tell me about the warrior in question?"
"Its armor is rather loose and ill-fitting, as well as on the lither side. Its sole weapon appears to be a sword, the make of which we haven't been able to discern. It opts to wear a hood as opposed to a helmet. Rather unsettlingly, we're unsure as to whether there's a corporeal body or not. Every bit of skin that might show has been painstakingly covered. Some of the blood of the fallen has dried on it, from what I can tell when I go near the shrine. It appears not to be able to use magic – or, at the very least, we haven't seen it using Magic."
"Does it have a patrol or something similar?"
"It simply stands at the center of the shrine."
"I see. Thank you," Strider said. He relaxed a bit, mulling over the information. Saki and Sakura were quiet for a long time until Sakura finally interjected.
"Umm…"
"Yes. I'll take it on."
"Are you sure?" Sakura asked nervously.
"I am."
"Very well. Thank you, Wizard. I hope for your success," Saki said with a little bow of her head.
"Will you escort me?" Strider asked Sakura.
"As far as I can, sure," she said. "Miss."
"Thank you, Sakura."
-o-
Sakura lead Strider through the forest in silence. They hadn't gone more than a couple of miles when she stopped and nodded ahead.
"You can head back," Strider said.
"Are you sure? I don't mind staying," she said.
"Your sweating says otherwise," Strider said with a laugh. "I'll be fine. Thank you for the escort."
"It was a pleasure meeting you," Sakura said, bowing low.
"We'll meet again," Strider said as he strode ahead. Sakura sighed and turned back.
The shrine was ruinous, to be sure. It was old and decrepit, centuries of erosion and lack of maintenance espousing their work. Arching entrances led into a wide and open ground floor; the forest was visible on every side. Towards the far end, Strider saw a lone figure. He could make out the sword that it held at its side, a dark hood, and blood-spattered leather armor.
"What do you think?" Strider asked softly.
"I am eager," Anglachel responded.
"Of course you are," Strider scoffed as he unsheathed him. He passed one of the archways – and to his surprise, found himself elsewhere. He looked around; the forest was still around him, but as he looked up, the ceiling had given way to a beautiful gray sky. The arches remained, but the rest of the world was eerily quiet, as though it had fallen away. He looked ahead at the warrior, who hadn't shown any sense of movement. Strider held up a hand in peace and sheathed Anglachel.
"Hello," he called out. No reply.
"My name is Strider. Can you speak?" Strider asked. To his surprise, the warrior slowly turned its head from left to right to left.
'So it can communicate? Well, I suppose if no one lived to tell anyone, that would make sense.`
"Are you human?" The warrior shrugged. "Are you a spirit?" The warrior shrugged. "Are you bound here?" Again, it shook its head. "Did you kill all those people?" This time, it nodded.
"Do you regret killing them?" Again, it shook its head. "Did they try to rob this place?" It nodded yet again. "Can you not leave this place?" It shook its head. "So you are bound here?" It shook its head.
`Hmm…` Strider thought. It was an interesting situation. He carefully paced side to side, his eyes never leaving his quarry. The battlefield had changed, the mechanics of which he didn't understand to deeply beyond it being a pocket dimension of some sort.
"Can I help you leave this place?" Strider asked. He sighed as the answer became clear.
The warrior raised its sword slowly. It held the sword with both hands, comfortable yet sternly. It moved one leg back and brought the sword back at well, raising it diagonally over a shoulder. Strider withdrew Anglachel yet again. Their poses could not be more different; Strider was more relaxed in how he wielded his blade, turning it over carefully as he held it with a single hand, pointing the tip towards the ground.
He observed the sword with interest. It was a stark black blade with beautifully carved grip and interestingly carved hilt; on one side, it sloped down and ended in a loop, while on the opposite it sloped up and ended in a loop.
"Forgive me," Strider called aloud, earning a slight tilt of the head from his opponent. "I don't wish to fight you if it can be avoided, but I don't want the monks here to live in fear for future generations. Perhaps you feel pain, perhaps you don't, perhaps you did. But I will make this as swift and painless as possible."
The warrior moved at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, it was upon Strider. Strider saw the blade move in slow motion; with a singular ferocity, it brought its sword down on Strider, who reacted quickly by bringing Anglachel up to meet it. As soon as the swords connected, Strider kicked the warrior back, adding a bit of heft to his attack with telekinesis. The warrior landed lithely on its feet, its sword back in position.
"What do you think of the blade?" Strider wondered.
`It is of interest. It is not sentient, but it is nonetheless alive. It is almost… familiar.`
"Just what I need," Strider sighed. He slashed Anglachel in front of him. A deep gash ruptured through the arena, sending brick and textiles in every direction. The warrior leaped out of the way and shoulder-rolled. As it found its footing, it was immediately on the defensive. Strider had disappeared and reappeared in front of it and viciously attacked.
Strider could immediately tell that the warrior was a proficient swordsman – more so than he was, at least. It managed to deflect each attack, even managing some counters. As Strider brought Anglachel down again, the warrior met the blade with his own. But instead of reversing the attack immediately, it slid its own blade down Anglachel's edge, where it thrust. Strider managed to leap back just in time, but felt a small prick; looking down, he exasperated. The warrior had drawn first blood.
`You won't win with swordsmanship alone,` Anglachel said. `It has been around for centuries and the properties of its weapon are unknown. You will have to use your wits this time.`
"Evidently," Strider mused. The bricks that lay strewn about suddenly shot at the warrior. It managed to repel several tens of them with quick slashes, but one finally met its mark. Others constantly began buffeting it, but none managed to wear way the leather. Crusted blood began to fall of its spattered garb, like dust.
As the barrage finally stopped, the warrior once again regained its footing. Strider scoffed before putting his telekinesis to work again. He lunged back at the warrior, intent on keeping their swords locked and his foe on its toes. It wasn't long until the warrior was beating Strider back. But suddenly, it felt an attack from behind. It leaped away from Strider and began running and dodging. Strider had fashioned the bricks into sharp cones, each of which was bent on piercing its target. It began ducking behind the arcs, upon which some of the cones broke upon. Some found their mark; Strider focused on hitting it right where the heart should be until finally, one of the cones tore through it. As it burst through, Strider grumbled audibly; there was no blood spilt.
"Spirit it is, then. Or wraith," Strider growled. He chided himself for taking the moment to comment; the spirit was upon him in a flash, seemingly unhindered by the attack. If anything, however, it seemed agitated; it began to push Strider back a bit. Strider narrowly avoided a thrust, following it up with a clothesline that laid the spirit out. He attempted to strike it while it was down, but it rolled out of the way. Strider followed by slashing along the ground, narrowly cutting a small gash into its leather armor.
The two warriors began to circle each other. The warrior kept its head slightly down and its sword raised, while Strider looked down at it, Anglachel tapping along the ground.
'Why are you hesitating? Your telekinesis would make short work of the beast.'
"It doesn't do well to rush things, relic," Strider whispered. He raised a couple of fingers and shot a telekinetic burst at the warrior, but it suddenly slashed it in two. Each burst cut along the ground, leaving two long, deep gashes. Strider couldn't help but smile; it wouldn't be as easy of a victory as he thought – at least not if he wanted to keep the fight in the pocket dimension
'I suppose if I exit the premises, I'll appear back in my world. If I'm not careful, my attacks might impact the world,' Strider thought.
'If you're too careful, they'll find you strewn about this place,' Anglachel reminded him.
'It's not as though we haven't taken that risk before,' Strider scoffed. He suddenly disappeared and appeared in front of the warrior again, back on a ferocious attack. He used his telekinesis to strengthen each hit; and each hit became slightly stronger than the last until the warrior began to buckle a bit. Strider slowly let go of his sword with one hand which he suddenly thrust between an opening in his attack – right into the wound he had previously made. He gritted his teeth and felt around for anything; but as it became apparent that he wasn't dealing with a corporeal enemy, he instead sent a telekinetic burst through where the body should've been.
The warriors leather armor expanded as it shot back. The leather greaves it wore suddenly fell away, revealing what appeared to be a disconcerting wound against space. Strider carefully observed what appeared to be a garish white outline against the space in front of him; one that he could see through to some extent, like a ghost.
With the two legs exposed, Strider focused his next attack on hacking them away. He gave chase to the spirit, sometimes jumping and missing by an inch, other times teleporting but missing by a mile. The speed of his opponent was superior to his, but it appeared to have been slightly frazzled at giving way to him. Finally, Strider stopped with a heavy sigh. He gripped the air around his opponent and pulled him back. As it drew closer, he delivered a big boot straight to its face. He followed up with a quick thrust into the wound and stomped on its sword hand. The warrior did not cry or yell; it simply held on to its sword, unable to move it as Strider applied some telekinetic weight to it. He piled on some debris to make it harder to move before leaning down and grabbing at the hood.
With a vicious jerk, Strider ripped the hood off and looked on in surprise. Under the hood was the ghostly visage of a woman with shoulder length hair and white unseeing eyes. Before he could do anything else, the spirit opened its mouth wide, detaching its jaw considerably and letting out a burst of white energy. It caught Strider right in his face and launched him back. He felt as though his face was on fire; he swatted at it and as he opened his eyes again, he felt a hard knee connect with his face. Strider was buffeted back into one of the arches. He barely got his sword up in time to deflect against the woman's blade.
As she came into view, he saw that her jaw was still detached, hanging low and swishing but her wild movements. The eyes were a stark and horrifying white, seeing and unseeing. Her attacks were relentless and little by little, they began to pile on. Suddenly, she was rocketed back by a telekinetic burst. Strider followed up by flicking her body into an arch. She burst through the arch and smacked against a telekinetic barrier he had set up immediately behind it. The barrier suddenly pushed her forward until she was closer to him, whereupon he grabbed her by the hair and attempted to cut off her swinging jaw. To his satisfaction and disgust, the attack connected; her jaw hit the ground, whereupon it turned almost obsidian black and sprouted blossoms. Looking up, he saw that she was feeling around for it, her arms flailing as though panicked.
To his surprise, the white ghostly figure suddenly began to darken. First were her eyes; from a bright white, they grew darker and colder. The skin of her face and legs followed, with her hair contrasting – instead of dark, it suddenly became redder. Strider raised a brow before plunging to the side; she had brought her sword up and slashed it against the ground. The resulting shockwave cut a massive triangular gash across the battlefield, leveling several arches and bringing down part of the shrine. It suddenly stopped in its tilt, however; Strider diverted some of his power to hold it back up, disgruntled.
-o-
"What was that?!" Sakura exclaimed; she had heard a resonant thud reverberate from the forest.
"Escort me, Sakura," Saki said.
"A-a-are you sure miss?" Saki asked nervously. Whatever it was, it likely wasn't good.
"I am," Saki nodded. Sakura took her elders arm and began to led her through the forest. The beautiful pink cherry blossoms grew darker and darker until they reached a point where they were either blood red or green, as the blossom forest met its natural sibling. She led her through the miles until they reached the abandoned shrine.
"Oh no…" Sakura groaned.
"Is it bad?" Saki asked.
"It's still up, miss. But there's a lot of arches missing, and I don't see Strider or the warrior."
"I see," Saki said.
"What is it, miss? I don't think I understand."
"I believe that Strider and the warrior are still fighting, but on a different plane," Saki said. "Be a dear and help an old woman sit down."
Sakura quickly took out a spare robe and laid it on the ground and helped the old woman on to it. They crossed their legs and watched and listened.
"What do you mean different plane?" Sakura finally asked.
"It's an old kind of magic, dear. They're, perhaps, in another dimension. Their attacks can be felt in our realm, but the damage is limited to theirs. It appears that Strider is a powerful telekinetic indeed if he has the presence of mind to keep our shrine aloft, despite the dangers."
"What do you make of him, miss?"
"Strider? I'm not sure, dear. He's a powerful wizard. That much is clear."
"How can you tell?"
"You simply can with some. He didn't display any bravado like the usual contenders typically did."
"There haven't been many in recent times, though," Sakura reminded her.
"True, but we keep a record of every opponent – their name, their magic, their personality. They usually didn't even stick around to ask questions. He did, however. While there wasn't much to tell him, it was likely better than nothing. He's more careful than the others. But something else as well…" Saki trailed off.
"What is it, miss?"
"He's more dangerous than them as well, it seems."
"How do you figure that?" Sakura asked, brow furrowed.
"You say he's keeping part of the shrine aloft. As I said, it appears as though he's a powerful telekinetic. But simply diverting your powers in such a fashion is not the usual in Ishgar," Saki said softly. "Most wizards have to actively concentrate to use their Magic. Diversion is simply not the norm here."
"Are you saying he's not from here?"
"He did say he's from the north and the west," Saki said, smiling. "Don't pry into it if you can help it, Sakura dear."
"I wasn't going to pry!" Sakura said, blushing. "Besides, we're not even sure he's coming back."
"He's coming back, dear," Saki said; she could almost feel it.
-o-
"I'd promised not to destroy this shrine," Strider said coldly. "I'll thank you to be careful with your attacks next time."
'You cannot reason with beasts,' Anglachel suddenly said around. The woman laid her eyes on his sword and tilted her head. Her tongue wagged disgustingly, unconfined.
'This creature is a wraith. That much is obvious. Perhaps she was once a great warrior; now she is reduced to naught. Her sword, however, is of interest. It appears to be old, Dúnedain. Exceedingly old. I now know why it felt familiar,' Anglachel said, hissing.
"Oh? And why is that?" Strider wondered.
'It is of the same material as I,' Anglachel whispered. 'It is a blade of iron, forged from a rock that came from the Heavens. It was not forged in this land, Dúnedain; they do not have this technique here. There is only one that has forged blades of such a material. This blade comes from further north, Dúnedain.'
Striders eyes went wide at the implication.
"You've lost your mind, old fool," Strider said coldly.
'Do you not remember the spider, Dúnedain?' Anglachel hissed. 'It cried 'Ungoliant!' I know my maker; and I know my mate. It is you, Anguirel.'
Striders eyes slowly trailed back to the warrior, who suddenly took a step back.
Strider felt a wave of anger wash over him. He couldn't pinpoint the source, but his right hand begun vibrating viciously. He brought Anglachel high and locked it with Anguirel. Strider leaned in between the area between the swords; no twinkle remained in his eyes.
"Fall," he snarled, his eyes and mouth erupting electric blue. The warrior had no choice but to do as he commanded. As he body collapsed on the ground, Strider quickly laid into her with brutal and vicious quicks. While no scream escaped its banshee-like mouth, Strider hoped that he had inflicted some pain on it. He finally kicked her where her jaw should've been, rocketing her back.
'Destroy it, Dúnedain,' Anglachel whispered viciously. Strider already knew what he intended to do.
His attacks became wilder and more relentless. Each time the spirit tried to escape, Strider brought her back. He smashed her with Anglachels pommel; slashed at her armor with his angry black blade until more and more fell off, revealing a scarred and tattered body; cut deep gashes against her face and body where, while there was no blood, there was satisfaction; and slowly, bit by bit, chopped off what he could. His attacks kept coming until he had finally whittled the wraith down considerably. She was missing an ear that he had shorn off; several fingers; and one of her hands was reduced to a stump. With each loss, her skin turned darker and her hair became more and more pink. The ground was littered with obsidian black branches with blossoms sprouting from them.
"The sword," Strider said coldly. "Give me the sword, wraith."
It refused to do so; Strider saw its fingers tighten around it further.
'I've had my fun,' Anglachel whispered in Striders mind. 'The wraith shall not speak. What of it? Let us end its pitiful life. Let us reclaim my mate, Dúnedain. I shall not be separated from her again.'
Strider was of the same mind. He held his hand out and a moment later, the wraith flew into it. Striders hand tightened around her neck as she swung fiercely. Suddenly, her sword arm jutted straight to her side. Her flailing stopped as her eyes went wide. Strider chopped her sword arm off; the limb flopped to the ground and turned black with cherry blossoms. The sword clinked satisfyingly on the ground. Strider threw her against an arch which broke; he diverted a bit more power to hold aloft the building before retrieving the sword.
As he picked her up, Strider felt a strange feeling course through his body; it was warm and pleasurable, not unlike how it felt after an intense orgasm. He brought Anglachel and Anguirel close together. The two black blades vibrated and shone black before dulling.
"Are you there, Anglachel?"
This time, he received no reply. With a scoff he sheathed Anglachel and picked up Anguirel's scabbard; a beautiful black with pink blossoms emblazoned onto it. He put the sword around his waist – right next to Anglachel – before turning his attention back to the wraith. He walked up to it slowly as it tried to crawl away. It was almost pitiful; with its missing limbs, its movements were sluglike.
"I will give you peace, wraith," Strider said, his eyes and mouth burning blue. He concentrated his telekinetic power and clenched his right fist – hard. The wraith began convulsing, like electricity was coursing through its body. Strider stood its body upright and kept applying the pressure. He suddenly pressed a hand to its skull; and finally, he heard it in his head. It was an earsplitting scream, but one he took pleasure it. The scream continued for nearly half a minute, the skin turning obsidian black and beginning to sprout pink blossoms. He quickly unclenched his fist, expanding his hand as far out as he could; the wraith shattered, its body breaking apart into tens of long, branchlike pieces.
As Strider relaxed his powers and looked up, he saw that there was a ceiling overheard; he was back where he belonged. Looking at the shattered pieces, he put them in a pocket dimension before repairing the arches as best he could with his telekinesis. As he turned, he saw Saki and Sakura approaching him with smiles.
"DID YOU DO IT?!" Sakura exclaimed.
"It appears so," Strider said calmly. "The warrior was indeed a spirit – well, wraith. Quite a ferocious opponent; it almost had me a couple of times."
"It's dead?!" Sakura asked.
"It is. Needless to say that I understand why the job went unfinished as long as it did," Strider said. He was faster than most, but wasn't able to keep up as effectively with the excellent swords-woman as he would've liked.
'More sword fighting when I get back home,' he thought to himself.
"MISS, DID YOU HEAR THAT! STRIDER BEAT THE THINGY!" Sakura exclaimed.
"I heard, dear," Saki said with a short laugh. "Thank you for your help, Strider."
"Not at all, miss," Strider said, smiling. "I was hoping you could tell me something, though."
"What is it?"
"The wraiths sword was of interest to me; it reminded me of my own, in fact. You wouldn't happen to have any records of such a blade, would you?"
"I do not think so, but you're welcome to look through the library in the basement. Perhaps you may find something of interest. You may do so while Sakura and I alert the others. We will bring you your reward here," Saki said.
"I'm much obliged to you, miss," Strider said with a gracious bow of his head. He fortified the arches and descended down to the basement. He was relieved that the texts were neatly organized; he quickly and carefully began rummaging through them for anything that might be of use. He pulled out a couple on weapons; on the history of the shrine leading up to its abandonment; on the history of Fiore & Ishgar; on a map of the world; on spirits, demons, & wraiths; on the genealogy of the shrine.
Through gritted teeth, he went through more and more but none held the answers he wanted. The genealogy mentioned only names and positions; of interest was only that Sakis ancestors had often been the Head Monks at the shrine. The spirits, demons, & wraiths text offered him nothing new of use. None of the texts on the weapons included anything about Anguirel, nor did the text on the history of Fiore & Ishgar. He went through more and more until only the map and the history of the shrine remained.
The map was of slight interest to him. He had observed many maps, but this one was different from the one at the guild or hotel in Crocus; it had Ishgar, Alikitasia, and the Chasm; but south of Ishgar and Alikitasia, there was a landmass he hadn't seen on others.
"Interesting," Strider whispered, putting it aside for the moment. He began going through the history of the shrine, when he suddenly hit upon something. He leaned closer to the text and carefully read the words written therein.
'I've stumbled across something upon the beaches of Northern Fiore. Herein I document my odd finding. Twas nighttime I saw it; it had shone darker than the night I had seen, and its beauty was as seductive as water in a desert. It had washed upon our shores, I know not when; but that I was the one who had first seen it shall be recorded as my greatest feat.
It is a sword, the likes of which I had never seen heretofore. Its blade is of a make I know not what; its hilt is lithe and sleek, cunning and beautiful. As I touched it, my body erupted in a pleasure I've not known in my days. There was no one on this beach. This blade is mine. It is mine alone.
I shall not be separate from it.'
There was no indication as to who wrote the text, Strider saw. He continued.
'When I touch this sword, I feel a love I've never known before. It speaks to me sometimes; with words that caress my ears like a mother her babe. It is loving and kind, sensual and sweet. I've seen the others look at it; but I made sure they knew that it is mine and mine alone. They shall not touch her; they shall not have her. She is mine.`
"It spoke to her…" Strider mumbled. He continued.
'One of them tried to take her away from me! I excommunicated him quickly; the fool was crying, saying that he was only trying to clean her. I know a liar when I see one. He wanted her. He wanted to take her away from me. But we got him in the end, didn't we? He will never try again. None of them will ever try again.
She is mine and mine alone. She came to ME. I will not share her. I will not share her. She is mine and mine alone. She is no ones but mine. Mine.`
The writing continued in a similar fashion for almost another foot of the scroll; it was almost disconcerting. Finally, however, it returned to intelligible thought. But this time, the style was different; it was as though a long time had passed. The scrawl continued:
'It has been I know not how long. The monks come and go, but she stays my me. She speaks to me, but less so now than before. She said something I did not know. Anglachel.'
Strider paused and sighed. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he reread it again and again and again and again.
Anglachel.
He continued.
'She's become quieter and quieter. But every time she speaks, she only says Anglachel. I know not what it is. I have looked far. I've looked wide. The word means nothing to me. I tell her so, but she doesn't listen. She keeps saying it.
Was Anglachel her master before I?
It cannot be. No. The word must mean something else. Only I am her master. She serves none but me. She shall serve none but me.'
Again, there seemed to be a significant passage of time. This time, the ink was different. Strider grimaced; blood.
'The monks are dead. They want to take her from me and make her into a shrine. Fools. She is mine.`
There was a large spill of blood below; Strider was unsure as to whether there was any text under there, but there was only one more word at the end. It was written in ink, however; not blood.
`Eöl?`
Strider let out a loud sigh. He deposited the text into a pocket dimension, alongside the map. He perused the other contents in the shrine, but none was of interest. As he returned to the ground floor, he saw the monks approaching him with smiles. They threw cherry blossoms around his head and led him towards Saki and Sakura, who were kneeling on pillows.
"Did you find anything?" Sakura asked.
"Nothing much, unfortunately. I hope I can come back to look around in the future," Strider said.
"Of course. You are welcome here anytime, Strider. You are a friend of this shrine forevermore."
"I am honored," Strider said, sitting down as well.
"For the honor of completing the first century quest on this continent, we fear our modesty in the reward," Saki said graciously. She presented him with 11 cards. "The 550 million jewel you are owed for your successful completion of the Blossom Valley Century Quest. It is in part funded by the Kingdom of Fiore, as well as the continent of Ishgar. To properly recognize the wizard the that has rendered us an immeasurable service, we must unfortunately give it some measure."
"I assure that that's more than enough. I'd like to donate at least 50 million jewel back, though. Forgive my damage to the shrine. I assure you it was the warriors fault," Strider said.
"Thank you, Strider," Saki said as Sakura accepted the card on her behalf. "Please accept these as well."
Saki presented him with a beautiful cherry blossom pink clothes; a cape, a robe, and a sash. Strider gratefully accepted them and put the cape on over his own.
"Beautiful," he said honestly.
"We were about to inform the King and Princess, as well as your guild and all the news agencies; but the miss thought that we should let you do that instead," Sakura said.
"I'm grateful for that," Strider said with a little grin. "I'm curious to see how they'll react."
"Pretty sure this makes you a legend," Sakura said thoughtfully.
"Third, we'd like to present you with these flowers," Saki said. Several monks brought out gorgeous vases with cherry blossom patterns that were filled with different flowers and herbs. "A small token of our appreciation. These are herbs and flowers you won't find elsewhere; and while they are beautiful, they have their own uses. To learn more about them…"
Another monk brought out a small bookcase laden with old texts. Strider looked surprised.
"Before the shrine was abandoned, some of our most important texts were salvaged. Since then, we've of course transcribed them to new paper. They include texts on geology, geography, horology, botany, a bestiary, a text on weapons, historical tomes, tomes on magic, and more."
"Are you sure?" Strider asked, astonished; he didn't want to admit that of all the things, this interested him the most.
"We are," Saki said with a small bow. "We hope you're able to find what you're looking for; the library is large, after all. And you will be welcome to it in the future, as I've said."
"Thank you," Strider said graciously.
"Our thanks to you, Strider," Saki said, carefully getting up. She extended her hand to Strider, who gratefully shook it. "Thanks to you, we may once again reclaim a home we had thought lost."
"I was happy to help, miss," Strider said with a little bow. He stored everything in his pocket dimension before breathing in the air; it was sweet and fresh.
"I best be on my way. I imagine you all would like to get settled," he said.
"Wait! What about the food!" Sakura exclaimed, eliciting laughs from everyone. They all pushed upon Strider as many cakes, sweets, meats, and other items that he could handle. He graciously accepted what he could, turning away more than a few valuables that they insisted upon. Finally, with several more bows, he gave them a gracious smile and disappeared into the treeline.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone