Chương 1: Chapter 1: It Begins
Waiting was agony.
Ramza of the House Fulzen walked back and forth in front of the door of the manse, unable to stay still, feeling nervous that his father was coming home from a year long absence.
"You seem awfully anxious. Here, why don't you have something to drink?" Asked a voice.
Ramza turned around to see Zoe, his personal maid, holding up a tray with ceramic cups and a pitcher of tea.
He sighed as he took a cup while Zoe filled it up for him. "Thank you. But I'd rather have some coffee."
"That makes you very hyper, sir." Zoe said.
"Hmm." He took a sip from the cup of tea as he glanced at the door, where his father could enter any minute now, "Any word from my father?"
The maid's head bowed. "Sorry sir, but there is no more news from master Poinz."
"Weird. He'd have sent another message by now."
"But isn't it it too soon? The previous letter from him was received two days ago."
"Ah, I'm sure it's nothing." Ramza paced around again, "I guess I'm just a little jittery that it's been so long since he came home."
Zoe put a hand on her chin. "Perhaps the shooting range may help?"
"That sounds like a good idea." Ramza smiled at her, "Please prepare some arrows. I'll go there in a while."
The maid nodded. "Very well."
She left Ramza alone at the door, who's head was still in the clouds. He shook himself out of his stupor, and walked to his room. As he closed the door behind him, he pondered on what his father had told him a year ago before he departed. The memory was still fresh, like an open wound.
That day, his father had called him to his office. Poinz was seated on a cushioned chair, back turned to Ramza. His spiked white hair jutted from the top of the seat.
"You called me, father?" Ramza prompted.
The chair swiveled to show his old man holding his signature cane.
"Ramza." Poinz smiled at him, "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing alright." Ramza replied, "Though teacher Espada is a little rough on me."
His father chuckled. "He may be strict, but he is quite the mentor. I can see that your swordsmanship has improved."
"Thank you, father."
"Your marksmanship is doing nicely as well." Poinz complimented, "Ranger Yumi tells me that you can hit the bullseye without the scope now."
Ramza looked aside. "But I still can't do magic."
Poinz looked at his son with sympathy. "I'm sure that it's just a matter of time before you can do magic. In the meantime, we'll focus on your other skills."
Ramza remained silent.
"You'll be fine." He assured, but he cleared his throat. "But this was not the matter I called you here for."
Ramza blinked. "Then what did you call me here for, father?"
"I have called you here to inform you that I am going on a mission." Poinz declared, "I will be gone for a year, doing work."
Ramza gawked at his father. "A mission? For a year? What for?"
"I am sorry, but I cannot tell you." Poinz turned around, "It is secret."
"Oh." Ramza bowed his head, eyes down.
"But I did not inform you to bring you down: I am telling you this because I want you to do better."
"Huh?" Ramza's head tilted up in confusion.
"You must strive to be the best that you can be." Poinz said, "In your swordsmanship, marksmanship, magic, and most importantly, your self."
He stood up from his seat. "I can sense that something is happening. I do not know what, but I will be more relieved to think that you are prepared for what will happen next."
He then left the room, leaving Ramza standing there. He would soon know that his father left immediately after that meeting, but not without the servants scouring the entire estate for him. It was as if he vanished, without a trace. Ramza still had no clue what his father meant about what will happen next, but he did his best to fulfill his wishes.
He worked himself harder at his training. Even the tutors who taught him were surprised at his sudden drive. His skill with the sword improved; he moved and attacked swiftly, even besting his teacher, Espada, some times. He could shoot arrows at a faster rate, at a dozen arrows under seven seconds. He read up on all the books available to him in the manse, expanding his knowledge by a great degree.
All was accomplished, except his magic. He could still not cast anything, even if he was educated well on it's theory. No matter how hard he tried, nothing out of the ordinary happened. Therefore, he gave up on it. He allocated the time that was supposed to be on magic on the other trainings instead.
Now he felt heavy that in a year, he had made no progress whatsoever on his magical ability. And he was afraid that his father would berate him for it. Sighing, he grabbed his wooden bow, left the room, and made his way to the shooting range. His maid was waiting for him, holding a quiver of arrows.
"Thank you, Zoe." Ramza took the quiver and strapped it to his hip. Grabbing an arrow, he notched it in his bow and aimed at the target in front of him.
He let go of the string and the arrow flew true at the centre of the bullseye. He took another arrow and fired, landing it in the bullseye again. He fired shot after shot until he reached for another arrow, but grabbed nothing but air.
"Sir, I'm afraid that you're out of missiles." Zoe noted.
"Of course." He stepped into the range and pulled out the arrows imbedded in the target. He returned to the shooting spot, and fired once more.
As he shot the arrows, he imagined that he was shooting down his problems. His father's absence. Thud. His failure at magic. Thud. Whatever will happen next.
THUD.
Ramza flinched and his arrow went high above the target. He swiveled; the sound had come from behind him. Zoe and the other servants glanced too, and one of them went to check what happened.
THUD.
There it was again. This time, more servants went toward the noise. Zoe suddenly took Ramza's hand and began to pull him away from the shooting range, her face one of worry.
"What's going on?" Ramza asked her.
She glanced back at him, "We don't know. Let's just get away from here for now."
THUD.
The noise sounded louder this time, and Ramza could make out shouting from where it came from. Zoe pulled harder, making Ramza drop his bow. He bent down to reach it, but the wall in front of him suddenly burst into rubble.
"Master!" Zoe cried.
"W-what?" Ramza shook his head, dazed.
"It's been a long time, Ramza."
He looked up to see his father holding down some sort of dark beast with his cane, black coat flapping in the wind. Poinz then hit it with the cane, and brought down his weapon on the monster. The beast dissolved into shadows.
"Father?" Ramza asked in disbelief.
Poinz dusted off his clothes. "It's not safe here. Follow me."
He then began to sprint, grabbing Ramza's hand. Zoe followed behind them as they ran through the Fulzen Manse. A loud roar emerged from the outside, and Ramza chanced a look through the window. A shadowed bear rose on its' two hind legs and crashed through the wall, making a large hole. Ramza was tossed aside with Zoe, while his father was thrown to the wall.
The beast roared again, but Poinz stabbed it in its gut with his cane. The bear fell down to the floor, dead. Poinz tried to stand, but he stumbled and leaned on his cane for support.
"Father!" Ramza shouted.
"I'm fine." Poinz hauled himself up, somehow.
"What now, master?" Zoe asked.
"What we planned." He said grimly. "Take Ramza to the room and give him his supplies. I'll gather the others and hold a perimeter around it."
"Understood." Zoe nodded and pulled Ramza away, but he resisted.
"Father! What's going on? And what are these monsters?"
Poinz looked at him with a determined face. "Someone has come for you."
Ramza stepped back. "F-for me? But what could they possibly want from me?"
His father looked away. "I cannot tell you, but you must make haste to the room."
Another shadowed beast came through the hole in the wall, this one being a huge raven with blood red eyes.
"Go!"
Zoe forcefully pulled him away, and he did not resist. They ran through corridors until the maid opened a door and pushed Ramza through it. She quickly dashed to a tarp. Ramza looked around; it was a stone room filled with books, scrolls and items covered in cloth.
"Here." Zoe handed him a bag filled with supplies: food, drink, clothes.
"What is this place?" Ramza wondered aloud.
"The spell room." Zoe explained while rummaging through the room, "We never used this room because you did not unlock your magic yet."
"Oh." Ramza's head bowed at the reminder of his failure.
"And take these too." She put a sheathed sword in his hands, accompanied by a bow, which he slung across his waist and back respectively. She gave him a quiver of arrows, as he placed it inside the bag.
"Wait, why're you giving me this?" Ramza asked.
"You will go somewhere." Zoe put bluntly.
"What?"
"This is Master Poinz' plan: To teleport you from here to a safe place."
"But why?"
Zoe continued. "Master Poinz shrouded his magic on you, cloaking your presence. But it could only last so long. He knew that at this time, he could no longer hide you."
"So that's why he wanted me to become stronger..."
"And why he wanted you to be teleported to somewhere safe: so he could buy you more time."
"Exactly." Poinz went through the door, "Is he ready?"
"As much as he could be."
"Thank you, Zoe. Please join the others outside."
The maid then left the room, leaving father and son inside.
"Father, I'm sorry-"
Poinz raised his hand. "We do not have time."
He then reached into his coat and brought out a small slip of paper.
"Bring this with you." He instructed, "I will now teleport you to the city of Magnolia, where you will seek a man called Makarov Dreyar. You will give this paper to him, and everything else will fall into place."
"I don't understand..."
"You will, given time." Poinz sighed, "Now, any final questions?"
Ramza swallowed, "Will I see you again?"
"If fate wills it, then yes." Poinz began to cast a magic circle. "'Till next time."
"Till next time."
Then Ramza's world tipped over and his vision turned black.
...............................
"Ugh..." Ramza shook his head, "Where am I?"
He sat up, and Ramza discovered that he was on a hill overlooking a large town. The sunset was sinking in the horizon. Noticing the large signpost, Ramza knew where he was. He was right where he needed to be.
"Magnolia..." Ramza took in the scenery. "It's beautiful."
Standing up, he promptly heard a shout.
"Can't get a break..." Ramza sighed. "Guess I'll check it out."
Moving farther down the plains, he saw a woman with blue hair facing a large group of lizardmen. The woman seemed to be writing in the air. Ramza looked closer, and it seemed that the words that she had written had taken form.
"Solid Script: Fire!" A wall of flames blasted from her writings, roasting a lizardman.
They faltered back slightly, surprised at the woman's power. However, the woman was outnumbered one to about forty. It wouldn't be long until they recovered from their shock, and charged. Ramza withdrew his bow and fired, arrow hitting the skull of a lizardman.
The reptiles turned around and saw Ramza shooting another arrow, bringing one of them down. They looked at each other warily, unknowing what to do.
"You okay?" Ramza asked the woman.
"I'm good!" The woman replied.
The lizardmen had decided on a plan: split in half and engage the enemies separately. Ramza slung his bow and unsheathed his sword, preparing for close combat. A bunch of them ran at the woman, but she cast another fire spell and kept her distance. Some lizards swiped at Ramza, but he blocked the blow with his sword.
'They just keep coming...' Ramza thought. In seconds, they had surrounded him.
"Hey!" The woman shouted, "Solid Script: Stone!"
A huge rock in the form of the word flew through the air and smacked the lizardmen in front of him, leaving an opening that he quickly ran through. He wasn't fast enough as two of them struck at him, claws gleaming. He intercepted with the sword, but it shattered on impact.
'Not now!' Ramza thought. A lizard planted a kick in his gut, throwing him aside. He rolled through the dirt, gritting his teeth through the pain as he equipped his bow again.
He put himself in an archer's position and fired, felling lizardmen as they came his way. The woman had dispatched of all of her opponents and was running towards Ramza to help. She wrung her hands through the air and spelled out a word.
"Solid Script: Fire!" Flames emerged from her casting, cooking a lizardman to ash.
Ramza shot his final arrow, which imbedded itself in the gut of a reptile. The woman made quick work of the remaining lizards, either roasting them with fire, crushing them under a rock or blasting them with other spells that Ramza did not know of. When she finished, she approached Ramza.
"Are you alright? You kinda got kicked there..." The woman pointed at the place where the lizard's foot connected with him.
Ramza looked at it, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm good. Nothing too serious."
"Thanks for helping, by the way." The lady said.
"I didn't really do much..."
"You did!" The lady insisted, "You pegged them like a champ."
Ramza shrugged. "I guess uh, what was your name again?"
"Levy. Levy McGarden. Nice to meet you." She stretched out her hand in a handshake.
Ramza took her hand and shook it. "Ramza. Ramza Fulzen. It's nice to meet you too."
"Well, thanks again for the backup. That mission that I took was more than I expected."
"Mission?" Ramza asked, "Like a job?"
Levy nodded. "It said that there was this item that the client wanted from a bunch of lizardmen. Turns out, it was guarded more than what was said."
"What was the thing that they wanted?"
Levy pulled out a small sparkling ring from her pocket. "A gemstoned ring. It was supposed to be delivered to him, but the lizardmen stole it."
"Is it important?"
She inspected the ring. "They didn't say."
"Huh."
"Hey, why don't you come with me to the client?" Levy suggested as she pocketed the ring, "We'll split the money in half."
Ramza raised an eyebrow. "What brought this on?"
"Think it of as a way of repaying you." Levy smiled, "Least that I could do since you helped me and your sword broke."
Ramza thought about it. In doing so, he could learn a bit of how things work here in Magnolia. Also, a bit of money never goes amiss. "Sure, let's get that reward."
Turns out, the ring was for the guy's proposal. He quickly paid the two, thanked them, and ran off, probably to give it to his one true love.
"So," Levy asked Ramza as they left the client's house, "Where are you going now?"
Ramza looked up at the darkening sky. "Oh, probably find a place here to stay."
Levy blinked. "Wait, you don't have a home here?"
"No. I don't live here."
"So you're new to Magnolia?" Levy asked.
Ramza nodded. "I just came here recently."
"What for?" Levy was curious.
Ramza shook his head. "Dunno. My old man just told me to go here and told me to find a guy called Makarov Dreyar."
She laughed. "Well aren't you lucky?"
Ramza was confused. "What?"
Levy smiled at him. "I'm a member of Fairy Tail, and Makarov is our Guild Master!"
Ramza's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"
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