{A New Path}: Reborn To Die Again!

Amell came walking back to the guild that was waiting anxiously for his triumphing return. There was not a scratch on his body, only some minor tears in his cloak, but overall he looked the same as when the fight started. The same could not be said for Acnologia who now lay dead on the bottom of the sea. And, speaking of that, the water returned as the ocean filled itself back in from their incredible last clash. So there was once again water surrounding Tenrou Island.

"Grandpa!" As soon as she laid eyes on his walking figure, she dashed in for a hug, finally feeling that heavy burden loosens from her shoulders. Imagine gaining a grandpa and father and losing both the same day, so her heart was screaming in joy at the sight of his victorious smile.

"That was a fantastic exercise. I should fight dragons more often, they sure are fun to fight." He embraced his granddaughter with a smile and looked at the rest of the guild. "What's with the silence? Cana just became an S-class mage, time for a party, no?" The underlying annoyance in his tone got them working real quick. Makarov flew up from his blanket with a cup in hand.

"FOR CANA!" He yelled as the guild followed, except for Natsu who was sulking for not having the chance to advance. He was silently glaring at Amell, planning his revenge, but since that was going to accomplish nothing, he stood up and walked over to the founder.

"OLD MAN! TRAIN ME!!" He watched Amell with unblinking eyes, he wasn't gonna back down. He had enough of sitting back letting other people fight when the truly strong opponents came. He wanted the top seat, and doing nothing would certainly ensure he would never get there.

Pulled away from Cana's attention by that annoying shouting, Amell glanced over at Natsu in irritation. "What for? Tell me why I should do that."

"Because I want it! I deserve it, and it's fair. You took my S-class status away from me, you have to do this. Or, I am gonna fight you right here right now to the death." His iron-will didn't give in, not shaken at all by Amell's mighty display of power.

"Grandpa, why don't you do it on the island? You said you'd take me there, so how about you train the mages that qualify for S-class."

"Hm, interesting." Amell looked over the candidates and with a smile, not unlike that of an excited child blended with a sadist, he nodded and said. "If you all consent to that, then I agree. But, think long and hard about accepting. I am not a kind teacher, you may die from it, it all depends on your will-power." He could immediately see the hesitation in the eyes of many.

"No worries! I won't die until I make you eat dirt."

"Very well, young Natsu. Finish up here and return to the guild, for in one week's time, you are all welcome to my island."

---

While the week past peacefully in the guild, there was still a feeling of anxiety looming around the halls of Fairy Tail. Mostly it originated from the people chosen to train with Amell, they had no idea what Paradise Island was like, in fact, no one did and that in itself was scary. A few of them had met Leo, everyone else had just felt his magic, it surpassed Acnologia's at the initial encounter. Erza, in particular, didn't wanna think how powerful Leo would be if he ever fought someone for real. And to think he was only the second strongest Overlord was something too unreal to believe.

The day had passed, the sun had set over the horizon, and Cana was walking home from the guild in silence. She was more than mildly intoxicated, even though Amell made her promise to cut down on the drinking, it wasn't so easy when you had been going at it for over a decade. She had been tasting alcohol since she was a little girl, that was also one of the reasons as to why Amell was so harsh on the guild, he hated the thought of young Cana getting drunk and wasting away the precious life she had. Though, he had yet to give her the news that affected all Portgas members. The whole, being part of an immortal family deal. She, of course, had Amell's blood running through her, but she wasn't immortal like Gildarts, she was only half Portgas, and even though it was the dominate bloodline, it only extended her life span. But how much, Amell could only guess, a few thousand years, maybe a million, he honestly didn't have a way to tell yet.

Cana had just slipped into the alley that would take her directly to her apartment, but as she was a mage, quite the skilled one with an incredible bloodline to boot, she knew when she was being watched. As soon as she stepped into the alley, she felt multiple aura's locking onto her, so quick like a cat, she drew a card and her expression turned serious. "Come out, I know you're here." As if they expected this reaction, two figures which Amell would say was familiar stepped out of the shadows around her.

"Cana of Fairy Tail. We have a need for you, and it would be so much easier for us if you surrendered willingly. Though I wouldn't say no to some struggle, I'm always up for delivering some pain." A woman, not entirely human as you would see on immediate inspection said to the young Portgas woman. She had an evil aura surrounding her, such that it made Cana's skin crawl.

"I don't know who you are, but I wouldn't recommend you do this. You won't like the results." Cana knew instinctively that she couldn't win. But if she was to be taken, it wouldn't take a day for Amell to find out, if even that. 'They probably already know grandpa. I don't think they would attack me for any other reason than him, I'm not worth much on my own. They are definitely trying to get to him.'

"Don't try with that. We have made sure no one will know until it's too late. You can blame your mother for birthing you into the wrong family." The woman said mockingly. Cana recognized the taunt, she knew what they wanted, but even still, she couldn't let that slide.

"You have no right to speak of my mother in any way." Cana prepared to attack but suddenly found herself unable to move. She was gonna activate her magic, but instead, a man behind the woman walked up, with anger written all over his face.

"Your grandpa humiliated me. KILLED ME! Since I'm not allowed to fight him, I'll settle for you." He pulled back his fist. Cana knew what was to come, so in an effort to strengthen her resolve to not give in to the pain of what's to come, she flexed her muscles to try and embrace the hit. Finally, he launched his fist right at her abdomen, and how wrong she had been. Not only was the pain worse than she could have imagined, but it also didn't stop. A small light was now stuck to her abdomen and a few seconds later, it exploded sending her crashing into the walls of the alley. Internal bleedings, maybe, but what she knew for sure was that if given the chance, this man would kill her right here and now. He was clearly furious, much more so than the woman.

"THIS IS FOR MY HUMILIATION!" He sprinted up and kicked her in the chest. As another explosion detonated, the woman grimaced a little, knowing how fragile humans are.

"That's enough! Lady Kyoka wants her alive, without her, we can not go against him." Seilah, one of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros. And the man was Jackal, the explosion-curse demon Amell had killed some time ago.

"I don't care! I don't follow her fucking orders. I'll leave her alive, sure, but not until I've taken a limb or two." Jackal shifted from looking at Seilah to glaring at Cana. But, now, from seemingly nowhere, there stood a woman in front of Cana, a little taller than Seilah, looking almost like a civilian. There was no aura of power around her, even Seilah who was facing Cana had not noticed when this person arrived. It was because of this that they knew she was not to be underestimated.

"Taking a limb or two? That will be quite difficult with me here now, won't it." The woman said. She turned away from the demons and pulled out a tiny flask from inside her clothes. She wore a thick white coat, which one would dress in to prepare for the harsh winter. The tiny flask she opened with care and poured the liquid inside onto Cana's chest. Within seconds, all wounds, internal and external were healed. "Phoenix tears. Very magical in nature, and there is no more potent kind of healing in the world." She was sitting bent down as she was talking to Cana in a kind and peaceful tone, though her voice was oddly deep for a woman. However, this changed when Jackal came out of his stupor and launched himself ready to blow her head off.

"Insolent ant." She tilted her body to the side, dodging the punch, she grabbed his wrist and broke it like a twig.

"AAAAH! BITCH!" Jackal tried landing a kick, but that was also dodged, and just like before, she countered, but this time she chopped his leg clean off at the kneecap. "We have since long ago transcended what exists here. Only a few could hurt me, you are not one of them. None of your curses will affect me, my resistances are too great for the little power you wield." She struck him at the chest with her palm sending him crashing into a wall. "Sir Sebas, they are yours now, I will care for Lady Cana meanwhile." Like a ghost, a man with the aura of complete and utter domination appeared behind Seilah.

"Resistance is futile. Though I do not like killing such pitiful creatures, the crime of attacking Lady Cana will not, and can not be forgiven." His hand swiped across the air, and with it, Seilah's head dropped to the ground. "Next is you, young demon. I hope in your next life, you learn that Lord Amell is not someone you can go against. I would hate to have to kill you again." And with that, Jackal's head exploded from the simple tap of Seba's finger.

"I shall return and report to Lord Amell, when she is ready, take her to the island." Sebas disappeared from his spot.

"W...Who are you? Do you know grandpa?" Cana sat against the wall. Having mentally reverted to her six-year-old self, she looked at her saviour with child-like awe.

"I am called Aurora. One of the Overlords created and now serving your grandfather. He expected this to happen, so he sent someone to watch you, that being me. I apologize for arriving late, there was this great little cafe here that had the best cookies I have ever had." Aurora didn't look apologetic at all, she almost started salivating from thinking of those cookies. Her whole body yearned for more, more sweets, more sweets!

"That's okay, can you take me to grandpa? I would really like to see him, I haven't seen him all week." Since she was still intoxicated, she was taking longer in processing everything that had happened. What she understood clearly was that she was gonna meet her grandpa soon. She had already forgotten Aurora's name.

"Absolutely, I'll get you there in no time."

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End