GMG Day 3: Dúnedan

"Hey," Mira said softly, bright red as she entered Striders room, making sure to lock the door behind her.

"Good morning, Mira," Strider said, smiling at her. She sighed in relief; the previous night was all she could think about right now.

"So…," she began.

"Yeah. Happy to see that you're well, at least," he said.

"Barely. Erza, Cana, and Lucy were pretty… well, you know," she said.

"I've no doubt about it," Strider said, his gaze piercing hers. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"We have to, I think," she said, taking a seat next to him. "Although… maybe it's better if we wait until the Games finish. If we get distracted right now, it might not be a good idea."

"I agree," Strider said with a sigh. Suddenly, he swooped down and kissed her again. He quickly laid her on the bed, running a hand down her side. Mira quickly grabbed it and brought it up to her cheek as she returned the kiss passionately. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in closer, ecstatic as she tasted him. As they separated, her breathing was heavy.

"What… was that for?" she asked, feeling his breath tickle her lips.

"Another taste?" he offered. "I hope you don't mind."

"No. Not at all," she said, clutching his shirt tight. She quickly gave him another kiss before hastily exiting, her heart and mind a flutter.

-o-

"Folks, allow me to welcome you all to the third day of the Grand Magic Games! As our competitors make their way to the arena, we prepare for our event of the day: Pandemonium! I'm joined yet by Mr. Yajima, as well as Lahar - a member of the Magic Council! Good to see you, gentlemen," Chapati greeted them.

"Thank you. And I'd like to remind any would be cheaters out there that I will be watching," Lahar said with a good natured smile, eliciting a light laugh from the audience.

-o-

"Best of luck, my love!" Juvia exclaimed, giving Strider a hug as he went on for the challenge of the day.

"Thank you, Juvia," Strider said, returning the hug before giving one to Mira.

"Like you need it," Gajeel said with a smirk.

"Could always use more luck," Strider said before walking out.

-o-

Meanwhile, Strider was joined by Erza, Milianna, Obra, Hibiki, Olga, Jura, and Novali from the rechristened Quatro Puppy. Erza and Strider nodded at each other; whoever won, it would no doubt be someone from Fairy Tail.

"Welcome, participants, to Pandemonium! The goal of this event is to defeat the monsters that await you in the castle!" Mato pointed as a large castle descended from the sky.

-o-

"Fascinating," Strider said, continually intrigued and impressed with the scale of the Games.

"Guessing you don't have stuff like this where you're from?" Erza wondered.

"Hardly, and certainly not on this scale. It's amazing, really. This country takes Magic to a level I never really considered," he said.

"You're pretty powerful yourself," she pointed out.

"Sure, but there's not many people like me back home. We definitely don't have Games like this," he mused.

-o-

"The monsters in the castle range from D-Class to S-Class! To give you an idea of what you'll be up against, here's a D-Class monster!" Mato exclaimed, pointing at the titantron. It showed a monster on all fours ramming and destroying a large pillar. "And if you think that's scary, wait until you see what an S-Class monster looks like! I'm not sure even a wizard saint could handle them!"

"We'll see," Jura said with a smile, eager for the challenge.

"The rules are simple! Each competitor will go one by one and choose how many monsters they want to fight! It'll be randomized, though - so if you choose to fight one, you could get a D-Class or S-Class! We'll keep going until every monster is destroyed or until everyones Magic runs out! If you lose, you'll keep your points from previous rounds but the current round will be voided! To choose who goes first, please draw a number!" Mato exclaimed, holding out some sticks.

Strider drew first, while Erza drew eight and would go last.

"Ah. Looks like I'm up first, then," Strider said, to a resounding cheer from the crowd. Everyone was excited to see him go at it again. Erza noted a glint in his eye that she hadn't seen before; unlike other matches, he seemed excited this time.

"So, how many will it be, Strider?" Mato asked.

"Well, it's a hundred monsters? total Let's go with one hundred, then" Strider said. The crowd went quiet while the other contestants, minus Erza, seemed shocked. Even Fairy Tail looked surprised by the challenge.

-o-

"All of them?!" Levy asked, surprised.

"Guess I'm not to surprised," Bisca sighed.

"Think he can do it?" Lisanna asked nervously.

"I've no doubt that he can," Bisca said firmly.

-o-

"I expected no less," Erza said with a smile. Strider just winked in response. He heard a mad cackling from Natsu and Gray; both of them were excited to see him get to work.

"Uhh… we designed this game to be played for multiple rounds," Mato said, unsure.

"I'm sure this will be much more exciting to see. Either I'll win or lose. I imagine most would be fine with either," Strider said.

"Ah… well, it's your choice! Head on in!" Mato said. Strider began to ascend the path; as he did so, he pulled out Anglachel.

-o-

As he entered the room, he turned Anglachel over in his hand a few times and rolled his neck, as though limbering himself. Suddenly, a D-Class monster rushed him. Before it got close, however, its body seized up. Strider lifted it up and threw it into a wall, shattering it completely. He felt the wind rush in, carrying the cheers of the crowd inside.

'Not much blood, but you'll get some excitement,' he thought to his sword. He strode towards the D-Class monsters in front of him and quickly began to carve a path. One that rushed him found itself telekinetically stopped; Strider soon pulled it close and drove the sword deep into the skull, obliterating it. Turning his gaze to the others, he continued the carnage. A particular monster swooped down from above and whisked him up. Strider quickly cut its feet off and as he pelted to the ground, he conjured up a massive telekinetic shield around him. As he got closer, the monsters began to feel pressure on their bodies; seconds later, they were crushed under the weight of the telekinetic shield. He brought down the body of the flyer that had picked him up and patently waited for monsters to show themselves.

-o-

"Not a scratch on him," Laxus said, impressed.

"I know that look," Mira sighed.

"What look?" Juvia asked in a whisper.

"Laxus wants to fight him now. Same with Gajeel," Mira said, nodding at the Dragon Slayer who was watching with a childish grin. "Gray and Natsu as well, if I had to guess."

"What do you think of how he's doing, Mira?" Juvia wondered.

"Really well. Laxus isn't wrong. There isn't a scratch on him. I'm not sure why he's just standing there though," Mira mused.

-o-

"YEAH! GO STRIDER! KICK THEIR ASSES!" Natsu roared in delight, fire escaping his mouth.

"I can't wait to kick his ass one of these days," Gray said excitedly.

"Get in line! I'm the one whose gonna challenge him!" Natsu yelled.

"WHAT?! He already beat you, remember?!" Gray reminded him.

"WHICH IS WHY I GET TO FIGHT HIM FIRST!" Natsu shouted.

"Boys," Lucy sighed.

"I think Erza could've done the same," Wendy suddenly said.

"What's that, Wendy?" Lucy asked.

"I mean fighting all the monsters. Erza's really strong too," Wendy said.

"I agree. She's probably mostly upset that she won't have a chance to," Lucy sighed.

-o-

As Strider erupted to another level, he was faced with more monsters. Again, he rolled his neck; but as he stopped, his eyes and mouth suddenly erupted a blazing blue. He lunged at one and held the palm of his hand to its head. The monsters eyes began to burn the same eerie electric blue as Striders and suddenly, it turned on its companions. The four legged beast began to cut a swath, tearing up its own companions while Strider took out a few more extraneous beasts.

-o-

"What was that?" Millianna asked, surprised.

"I'm not sure. It looks like he's controlling it, though. I don't think I've ever seen Magic like that," Hibiki said, consulting his Archive. No hits.

"That seems like cheating," Novali said gruffly.

"It appears he has more than a few tricks up his sleeve," Jura said, smiling.

"Erzy?" Millianna wondered. Erza simply shrugged, watching the match intensely. "Scaaaaary."

-o-

"Interesting," Mavis said thoughtfully, paying close attention.

"First Master?" Makarov wondered.

"It appears to be the same attack he used to command the sentinel. Although, it appears he's not limited to just one subordinate," Mavis said; Strider had just used the attack on a few more monsters. His small army was making short work of the foes.

"That's insane. Can he control anything?" Levy asked, flabbergasted.

"I'm not sure," Mavis replied, wondering about the answer as well.

-o-

As Striders small army demolished everything in their way, Strider suddenly clenched a fist. The heads of the monsters that he controlled erupted and they fell, destroyed.

-o-

"That was… a bit over the top," Lucy said, shivering. This wasn't the Strider she was used to. There was no hint of warmth or kindness in his eerie eyes anymore; all she saw and felt was a sense of overwhelming power.

"Looks like he still has one left," Wendy said, her voice small.

-o-

As Strider turned he, saw a small black creature looking up at him. It had a single eyeball and seemed to crawl on two metallic arms.

"Well?" Strider hissed to it. As his voice carried over the speakers, a collective chill went through the crowd; it was cold and terrifying.

The creature suddenly shifted; it grew by an order of magnitude, suddenly towering over him. It had one single, large eye that looked at him quizzically while its large and lumbering arms and legs snapped in a threatening manner. It shot a hand at it, which Strider simply deflected.

Strider suddenly sheathed his sword; it had stopped quivering, bored by the ordeal. Slowly, he began raising both of his arms, directly in front of him. The S-Class monster stopped moving as its body began to rise as well. Clenching his fists, the metallic structure of the creature began to implode upon itself; sparks and gears began flying. Strider wrenched his hands apart and the creature was split in twain. As he let both halves fall to the floor, with a flick of his hand the gates of the castle blew open and he walked out, victorious and still unscathed - emanating a sense of dread that encompassed the arena.

-o-

"Crap…," Novali said, chalk white as Strider walk down, his features still electric blue.

"No kidding. Super strong," Millianna said, hiding behind Erza.

"You think so?" Olga asked gruffly.

"Well done," Jura said with a small smile. Strider rolled his neck once more and his features were back to normal. He gave Jura a warm smile and winked at Erza, who simply nodded in return. From the side, they heard a massive cheer from Fairy Tail, ecstatic at the show of power and the triumphant victory. They were joined by the rest of the crowd, all of whom happily cheered Strider on - although he picked up more than a couple of questions about his powers.

-o-

"Come on, was it really that impressive? Olga would've been those monsters in ten seconds flat!" Lector shouted.

"Lady Minvera?" Rufus inquired.

"It was impressive. Extremely impressive, even," she said, licking her lips sensually. Her eyes darted to her teammates who seemed halfway between agreeing and not acknowledging the feat. "You don't agree?"

"I, for one, am impressed. Although, something is troubling me," Rufus said.

"And what would that be?" she wondered.

"I can't seem to copy his Magic. It's odd, as I've been able to do so for everyone else here," he said.

"Perhaps you need to be a bit closer?" Rogue suggested.

"Perhaps. Nonetheless, it shouldn't be this difficult," Rufus said.

-o-

"Jellal?" Ultear asked. She, Meredy, and Jellal were close by and keeping close tabs on the events.

"It was more than a little impressive. Those monsters would've given most Wizards trouble," he said.

"You could've beaten them," Meredy reminded him.

"Not without taking a few hits - and even then, it would've taken me longer. His Magic is…," Jellal trailed off, trying to think of a word.

"Powerful?" Ultear offered.

"Much more than that. Hardly anything was able to get close without his say so. He can keep virtually anything at the distance he wants. If that's the case, the advantage would always be in his favor," Jellal said.

"He'd have to be careful in using it though, wouldn't he? It'd exhaust him pretty quickly," Meredy said. Jellal simply nodded, troubled by the question.

'How much Magic can he use?' he wondered.

-o-

"Congratulations," Laxus said, clapping Strider on the back as he rejoined them.

"That was magnificent, my love!" Juvia exclaimed, hugging his arm.

"Thanks," Strider said, giving her a quick hug.

"She's not kidding. Really good job," Mira said.

"Can't wait to see you in action again as well," Strider said.

"Mhm," she smirked.

-o-

"Kagura? What do you think?" Risley wondered.

"He's quite powerful. Exceptionally so - that much is certain. It makes the final match quite difficult, to be honest," she said. "That said, we'll give it all we have."

-o-

"I think Jura probably could've done it," Shelia said.

"I agree. Although, I'm not sure it would've been as graceful as him," Lyon acknowledged.

-o-

"Ok… well, thank was quite a spectacle! Fairy Tail Team B gets 10 points! Now, after some deliberation we've found a suitable secondary event for the day. It might be a bit on the boring side, but we think it'll suffice!" Mato said, bringing out a spherical device. "This is the Magic Power Finder - or MPF for short! It measures your magic power. The highest score will determine the rankings!"

"Crap. I wonder if this is strictly a contest of power or if I could swing the odds my way?" Hibiki sighed

"This shouldn't be to difficult," Novali noted, cracking his fists.

"Jura?" Erza wondered.

"I'm certainly looking forward to it. To your score as well," he noted.

"Likewise," Erza said with a slightly sly smile.

"Meow! It's finally my turn!" Millianna exclaimed as she threw off her purple robe.

"The cape is off and the sexy is on! How will Millianna perform?" Chapati asked the crowd. Millianna quickly attacked the device, slashing across it. After a brief pause, it displayed a number - 365.

"Looks like Millianna scored a 365. But, because we don't have a baseline, we're not sure if that's a good score or not," Chapati said thoughtfully. The crowd seemed just as puzzled.

"Allow me. We Rune Knights use MPFs quite often. Millianna did quite well - that score would qualify her for Squad Captain," Lahar said.

"Yay! I'm one pumped up kitty!" Millianna exclaimed.

-o-

"That's great and all but raw power ain't really Millianna's strong suit," Beth said.

"She did pretty good, though," Risley said, cheering for her teammate.

-o-

"Clocking in at 124 is Novali of Quatro Puppy. A bit on the low side…," Chapati said as Novali struggled to accept the score.

-o-

"Am I the only one who thinks that Hibiki is out of his league?" Eve wondered as his teammate was up next.

"I should be the one out there," Ren said.

"What do you think, Jenny?" Eve wondered.

"Mmm?" she asked, seemingly in a trance.

"Looks like she's still thinking about Strider," Eve sighed.

"That's none of your business, eve!" she said, bright said. She'd recovered from the fight with Mira the day before and accepted her upcoming nude photo shoot. Her thoughts, however, were geared towards Strider at the current moment.

'Guess I could give him a private show,' she thought with a smile.

"Have faith, men! Our friend won't let us down," Ichiya said dramatically. At that very moment, Hibiki scored a 95 and, unfortunately, let his teammates down.

"Man, not even three digits," they heard him complain.

"At least he tried," Eve said with an exasperated smile, cheering for his friend nonetheless.

-o-

"Next up - Obra, from Raven Tail!" Chapati yelled.

-o-

"He's the one!" Lily snarled.

"The guy who attacked Wendy and Carla!" Happy said angrily.

"The scoundrel," Carla shouted.

-o-

Strider caught something leap out from the blue figure, hitting the MPF.

-o-

"4?! That's it?!" Natsu cried.

"Anyone else buy that?" Lucy asked.

"Not a bit," Gray frowned.

-o-

"Sorry, but no do overs," Mato said. Obra didn't acknowledge him as he fell back into the line.

-o-

"Damn it, Obra - what were you thinking?! Now we won't get any points!" Flare exclaimed.

"Quiet, Flare! Obra can't reveal his true powers," Alexi replied.

"Right. Sorry," Flare said nervously.

"Yeah, that's one guy you don't want to get worked up," Nallpudding said.

"Heh, ain't that the truth," Blacksnake agreed.

-o-

"Millianna is still in the lead with 365 points!" Chapati exclaimed.

"Meow! This is better than chasing my own tail," she said happily.

"I'm about to change all that," Olga said as he got in position.

-o-

"RIP THAT THING INTO PIECES AND SHOW THEM WHOSE BOSS!" Lector shouted.

"And do a silly dance while you're at it!" Frosche said adorably.

-o-

"120 Millimeter Black Lightning Cannon!" Olga roared as a streak of black lightning erupted from his hands. The attack engulfed and electrified the sphere. Novali and Hibiki were seemingly shocked as well at the display of power. As it settled down, the MPF showed the number: 3,825.

"NO WAY! HE'S TEN TIMES STRONGER THAN ME!" Millianna exclaimed comically.

-o-

"THAT'S CRAZY!" Lucy shouted. Gray and Natsu were impressed and surprised by his power as well.

-o-

Laxus and Gajeel grinned; both were hoping to go up against him. Juvia and Mira were surprised by the power of the attack as well; Strider stood nonchalantly, more interested in how Jura and Erza would score.

-o-

"Next up, Jura!" Chapati yelled. The crowd erupted, excited at seeing one of their favorites step up to the stage yet again.

-o-

"I hope Jura can beat that loudmouth," Shelia grumbled, waving at Jura.

"I'm sure he can. I'm just hoping he reins it in a bit," Lyon said smugly.

-o-

"Do you mind if I give it my all?" Jura asked.

"That's the game, isn't it?" Mato said rhetorically. Jura clapped his hands in front of him, seemingly beginning to pray. As he did so, he began to give off an intense magic energy.

"RUMBLING FUJI!" he roared. A bright light erupted like a volcano, encompassing the MPF and bathing everyone attending in a glow. As it subsided, the score read 8544.

-o-

"CRAP! HE SURE PACKS A PUNCH FOR AN OLD GUY!" Gray shouted, eyes bulging.

-o-

"What the…!" Olga said, nearly speechless. His score was handily beaten.

"And here I thought it'd be higher," Erza said, smiling.

-o-

"Excellent," Strider said, tapping his thigh. "I'm looking forward to fighting him again."

"Again? Why?" Juvia wondered.

"You never know if it's a fluke if you just win once. I think we'll have to give it a couple more shots. I'm sure Jura has a few more aces hidden away," Strider said.

-o-

"Outstanding! Ladies and gentlemen, this is a new MPF record! Jura has proven the title of Wizard Saint should never be taken lightly!" Chapati exclaimed as Jura bowed.

-o-

"I knew he was strong, but wowza. He may be on the same level as Gildarts," Makarov said, surprised, eliciting a giggle from Mavis.

"Maybe so, but remember we still have one to go. And more so than any other Wizard I can think of, Erza will most assuredly become one of the youngest Saints ever," Mavis said.

-o-

"And finally, we have Fairy Tail B's Erza Scarlet!" Chapati roared. "I dunno about you all, but I wouldn't want to follow Jura!"

-o-

"What do you think?" Carla asked Happy and Lily.

"ERZA'S GOT THIS! BEAT JURA!" Happy cheered her on.

"Erza's one of the strongest competitors here. I find it impossible for her to score below 2nd place, if I had to say," Lily said.

-o-

Erza had suddenly transformed into her Heaven's Wheel armor, smiling at the MPF. Suddenly, swords began appearing out of thin air. 10, 20, 30 - they contend to build quickly until they reached 150. They progress slowed down, but even more swords began to appear - these of different shapes and sizes.

-o-

"No way!" Mira said, surprised.

"What is it?" Strider asked.

"She's pulling swords from her other armors! I don't think I've ever seen her do this!" Mira said, paying attentive attention.

"Is it uncommon?" Strider wondered.

"Uncommon? Try impossible. It takes a lot of magic power to pull off 150 swords - but it seems like she's trying to get 200. Using all these different kinds is taking even more out of her," Mira said.

"Think she can pull it off?" Strider asked.

"If anyone can, it's Erza," Laxus mused.

"I already know what it's like to be on her bad side," Juvia sighed.

"No kidding," Gajeel said, just as impressed.

-o-

The crowd roared in delight as various elemental blades began appearing - some were sparking, others alight, others more seaworthy.

-o-

"This girls no joke," Risley said, stunning.

"Erza Scarlet…," Kagura said softly, eyes narrowed.

-o-

It was around ten minutes later when Erza finally made her move. Her breathing was heavier, but she felt a thrilling rush - she had broken several barriers that she didn't think she could.

'This should help the guild in the future,' she thought with a smile. Finally, she unleashed. Every competitors - including Jura - had to cover their faces as the swords collided with the MPF. The clash and clang and rumble shook the crowd to their core and caused a small seismic event. As the bright light finally let down and people got their first look at the MPF, they stood shocked.

9,999 - and no trace left of the MPF. The constant barrage of attacks absolutely destroyed it.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! THE MPF IS NO MORE! ERZA SCARLET'S POWER IS OFF THE CHARTS!" Chapati roared excitedly. The crowd joined in a raucous round of applause, shaking the arena itself.

-o-

"Holy crap!" Natsu and Gray yelled excitedly while Wendy and Lucy jumped for joy.

-o-

"Thought so," Mira said with a smile.

"That was amazing," Strider said.

"No kidding. She's something else," Juvia said in awe. While the attack took a long time to charge, it had the intended effect.

-o-

"Wizard Saint indeed, First Master," Makarov said, proud of his child.

"That girl is something else," Cana said with a smile.

"YAY ERZA!" Lisanna cheered happily, hugging Happy tightly.

-o-

"Perhaps these Fairies are something to worry about," Minerva noted, impressed with the display of power.

"What the fuck…," Sting bemoaned his teammates further drop to third place.

"I must admit, that was quite the showing. It wouldn't ever be useful in a fight, but in an event like this - it was an impressive trump card," Rufus mused.

-o-

"That was really something else," Arana said, extremely impressed.

"No kidding. Looks like we'll have to watch out for her as well," Beth said. She found herself clapping for her opponent.

-o-

"Good job, Erzy!" Millianna cried happily, pouncing on her oldest friend.

"Thank you, Millianna," Erza said, returning the hug.

-o-

"So? What do you think?" Ultear asked Jellal slyly. The bluenette sighed and shook his head but smiled.

'Well done, Erza,' he thought.

-o-

"You were AMAZING!" Lucy cried happily, hugging the de facto leader of the team.

"Thank you, Lucy," Erza said, returning the hug.

"HOLY CRAP ERZA THAT WAS AWESOME WE GOTTA FIGHT AGAIN!" Natsu said, jumbling his words together.

"After the Games," Erza said with a slight smile, hugging Wendy.

"He's not wrong - that was pretty awesome. You even kicked Jura's ass," Gray said with a large grin and thumbs up.

-o-

"Well, folks - that's going to be tough to top but we have to try! Welcome to our matches of the day. We have four singles matches ready for you! Let's welcome our first two competitors - Millianna of Mermaid Heel, who placed a respectable fourth in our event - and Semmes of Quatro Puppy!" Chapati introduced.

The battle was quick to begin. Semmes immediately began spinning, his towering form lumbering over Millianna. With her speed, however, she quickly and easily dodged his attacks.

"Try this!" she shouted, shooting some tubes at him. To her dismay, the attack simply bounced off. Her moment of hesitation allowed Semmes to get several quick and hard attacks in.

"Kitten Blast!" she yelled. Her attack had the opposite effect, however; instead of slowing him down, it sped him up.

-o-

"She might be in trouble," Lucy said nervously as Semmes collided with Millianna again.

"I wouldn't count her out just yet. Millianna is extremely strong. I've no doubt that she could take on anyone in Quatro Cerberus, except Bacchus," Erza said, smiling as she saw Millianna attack from midair.

-o-

Instead of trying to whip Semmes with her attack, she latched on to him - caught within Semmes's spin. He dragged her around half the arena before beginning to shift in the other direction. Now going counterclockwise, Semmes was heading backwards and was about to collide with Millianna. She braced herself as they hit each other and sent up a massive dust cloud.

As it finally cleared, the crowd saw Semmes lying on the ground, tied up in ways no one should bend by Millianna, who sat upon him triumphant.

"Folks, this round goes to Millianna!" Chapati exclaimed.

-o-

"She's gotten much stronger since we last met," Erza said, proud at her friends improvements.

"Don't have to remind me," Natsu grimaced, remembering being tied up by her.

-o-

"Next up, we have Eve Tearm of Blue Pegasus against Rufus Lore of Sabertooth!" Chapati said.

Eve started immediately by sending a blizzard toward Rufus, who simply smiled in the face of the attack. Memorizing it, Rufus easily dodged the attack.

"Crap. Forgot what his Magic can do," Eve said. He ran towards his opponent, hoping for a physical attack - but as he got to him, he blushed. Instead of nearly attacking Rufus, he saw Ichiya drinking wine, naked in a bubble bath.

"Wha-," Eve began before Rufus was behind him.

"You must be surprised. With my Magic, I can manipulate your memory as well," Rufus said, landing a blow on Eve. Charging his attack from the first event - A Night of Falling Stars - eve managed to narrowly escape by creating a snow clone. Eve sent another attack at Rufus, which managed to hit.

-o-

"Kids out of his league," Gray grumbled. He remembered his fight against Rufus - and was itching for a little payback.

-o-

"Memory Magic? Now that's interesting," Strider said, intrigued. He leaned forward a bit, carefully watching Rufus and his movements.

'That could be useful,' he thought.

-o-

Rufus quickly recovered, resolving to end the match with his next attack. He touched his temple with his fingers; and immediately, the ground around Eve started to catch fire. Several fire geysers erupted under the Snow Wizards feet, buffeting him around before he finally landed, bruised and unconscious.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the winner: Rufus Lore!" Chapati exclaimed.

-o-

"That looked boring," Olga said as Rufus joined them.

"You've no idea. I had hoped to be paired against Fairy Tail," Rufus said.

"No kidding," Olga said, rolling his neck. His eyes drifted towards Laxus, who was up next.

-o-

Makarov had taken special precautions for the match. Bisca was primed to attack, her sniper rifle locked and loaded and pointed at Ivan if he tried anything. Meanwhile, Warren established a telepathic connection with the Thunder Legion and Lisanna, all of whom were determined to keep the match fair.

"Any news, Bisca? Over," Warren inquired.

"None yet. Ivan hasn't done anything. Over," Bisca said.

"Lisanna? Thunder Legion?" Warren asked.

"Lisanna and Thunder Legion here! Nothing to report, over!" she chirped back.

"Should those scoundrels dare attack Laxus, they will feel the wrath of the Thunder Legion," Freed said, surprisingly dangerous.

"Hey Master, Ever's been bugging me about Elfman. Any chance we could excuse her, over?" Bixlow asked, grinning as Evergreen ranted about his child antics.

-o-

"Everything seems good, Master," Warren said, giving Makarov a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Warren. Hmm… Ivan. I will not accept any attacks on my children," Makarov said dangerously, eliciting a giggle from Mavis. "What's so funny, First Master?"

"It just lifts my spirit tremendously to see that all the members of the guild care so much for each other," Mavis said with a smile halfway between sad and glad. "This… this is exactly the kind of guild I had in mind. Thank you for everything you've done, Third Master. Oh! Sorry - Sixth Master!"

"Thank you, First Master," Makarov said, bowing low to Mavis. He was humbled by the praise she had given him. "But I'm actually the Seventh Master!

"No, you're the Sixth!" Macao exclaimed.

"Get it together, gramps," Wakaba said, exasperated.

-o-

"Excuse me, Lahar - do you by any chance have security on site?" Yajima asked, turning to the Rune Knight.

"Yes, sir - as per the rules," Lahar nodded.

"I want you to keep a close eye on Raven Tail for me. If you notice anything off, let me know and I'll have them stop the match," Yajima said seriously.

"Yes, sir," Lahar nodded. He was well aware of Raven Tails previous antics and planned to keep a close eye on the match.

-o-

"So Raven Tail was founded by Laxus's father - Makarovs son?" Strider asked.

"Yeah. Ivan. He and Master have been on bad terms for a long time," Mira said sadly. She had seen the elder around the guild but hadn't spoken to him at all. "I feel bad for Laxus. He was liked Master more, though."

"I see. That's tough," Strider sighed. His mind drifted to his own father; quickly, he jolted the memory away.

'Can you hear me?' Strider thought to Laxus.

'Loud and clear. Seems unnecessary,' Laxus thought back.

'Better safe than sorry. Keep me posted. I won't help unless you say so,' Strider thought.

'Works for me,' Laxus thought back.

-o-

"So you're from my old mans guild, huh?" Laxus asked as the match began. Suddenly, Alexi attacked. Fairy Tail was as stunned as anyone as they watched Alexi lay into Laxus.

-o-

"NO WAY!" Natsu yelled in shock. He'd never seen Laxus floored so easily. "DO SOMETHING, LAXUS!"

-o-

Laxus was unfazed as he stood encased by a purple aura. He could see his projection being beaten by Alexi, yet the man hadn't moved at all. It was obvious what was going on.

'It's an illusion,' he thought to Strider.

'Shall I stop the match?' Strider asked.

'Na. I've been wanting to kick their asses for a while now,' Laxus thought back.

'I look forward to the outcome,' Strider thought back, smiling slightly.

"So what's going on?" Laxus finally spoke to Alexi, knowing perfectly well what the answer would be.

"The match the audience is watching is an illusion. An excellent one at that," Alexi responded.

"What's the point? I mean if you beat me with an illusion, are you really winning at all?" Laxus wondered.

"True. But winning the games is not our ultimate goal. However…," Alexi said. Laxus saw the tables turn. His projection got up and let out a might roar at Alexi, who was hit fully. The illusion of Laxus began to rip into Alexi relentlessly.

"As you can see, the outcome of this match will depend on how our negotiations fare," Alexi said; the illusion changed again and Alexi again started to beat Laxus.

"No need. I can beat you and when it's all over, everyone can see the outcome," Laxus said.

"Oh? Are you sure of that?" Alexi asked. Suddenly, he was surrounded. An illusion within the illusion faded and the entirety of Raven Tail was standing by his side. Laxus, however, didn't seem remotely surprised or impressed. Alexi soon removed the mask he wore.

"Not even you can take us all out at once," Ivan said, letting the mask fall. He looked at his son with a manic smile; Laxus, however, didn't seem at all surprised. "Surprised to see me?"

"Not really. Thought you'd try something like this," Laxus answered.

"We can save the pleasantries for another time. Where is it, Laxus?" Ivan asked.

"Where's what?" Laxus retorted.

"The Lumen Histoire!" Ivan shouted.

"Never heard of it," Laxus replied.

"Do not hide it from me, boy! So many years I've spent trying to find it, but couldn't. I will NOT be denied! If you don't tell me, I'll have to beat it out of you!" Ivan yelled, sending an attack that barely grazed Laxus.

"No idea," Laxus replied.

"The past seven years, I've built a guild that's suited to beating Fairy Tail. Each of my members are counter to yours. It's in your best interest - and the guilds - to tell me what I need to know," Ivan said.

"You don't think the old man's been keeping tabs on you? Operating funds, location, your guild mates - he knows everything," Laxus said with a smirk.

"That's impossible," Ivan said, taken aback.

"It must've been Gajeel!" Flare cried out. The Iron Dragon Slayer was in contact with them, operating - what they thought - as a spy for them.

"I knew we couldn't trust that iron chomping freak," Nullpudding sighed.

"Huh. Never pegged him as smart enough to double cross us, but I guess I was mistaken," Blacksnake mused, somewhat impressed.

"The little trolls been spying on us?" Ivan asked, still shocked.

"That's right," Laxus replied, sighing. 'He's not that bright.'

"Does anyone else find this a little off?" Flare asked.

"If Makarov knew, why didn't he do anything?" Nullpudding asked.

"Because the old man has a knack of holding back when he shouldn't. To nice for his own good. He didn't try anything because he loves you - because you're his son," Laxus said, a bit of ice in his tone.

"SILENCE!" Ivan roared as he attacked. Laxus hardly blocked it; the attack was seemingly pathetic. "Enough chit chat! Where is the Lumen Histoire, Laxus?! Tell me!"

The intensity of the attack increased, making Laxus recoil a slight bit. However, he continued to do nothing. As it stopped, Ivan smiled.

"Ah, so you were just testing my power? Good to know some things never change. Or is it because you can't bring yourself to strike your father? That's a good boy, my sweet little Laxus," Ivan said venomously.

"LAXUS!" a voice suddenly cried out. Turning his head, Laxus saw Makarov, his index finger pointed towards the sky as he stood atop the balcony. Seeing that told Laxus everything he needed; he smiled at the gesture.

"Enough! Obra, it's time! Show this ingrate our trued hatred for Fairy Tail!" Ivan ordered. Obra jutted his arms out, but wasn't close to quick enough. Laxus was on him in a flash.

"Next time you decide to pick on a little girl, you better make sure I don't hear about it!" he yelled, smashing Obra with a thunderous punch and getting some revenge for Wendy and Carla.

"Needle Blast!" Nullpudding yelled. Laxus easily dodged the attacks.

"Gray sends his regards!" Laxus yelled, punching him into next week.

"Red Hair Scorch!" Flare yelled, her hair wrapping around Laxus. "Got you now, blondie!"

"Think so? Think again!" Laxus yelled, sending a devastating Thunder Dragon Roar at her. The intensity of the attack was enough to knock her out.

"Sand Fake!" Blacksnake hissed, appearing behind Laxus.

"Man, you are creepy. Get lose, loser," Laxus said, hardly even swatting him away before turning to Ivan. "Look, deadbeat - I don't know what your goal is and I don't care. There's only one thing you're getting for all your trouble: pain!"

"Laxus! You dare hurt me?! I'm your own flesh and blood!" Ivan cried hypocritically.

"Fairy Tail's my only family now. And whoever hurts them gets no mercy from me!" Laxus said viciously as he knocked Ivan into a wall, out cold.

-o-

The people gasped as the illusion disappeared, leaving only a soft purple haze behind.

"W-what is this?!" Chapati asked, shocked.

-o-

"All there members are down there!" Happy exclaimed.

"Ivan!" Makarov yelled, seeing his son.

Bisca, Lisanna, and the Thunder Legion saw the same happen to the respective members of the guild they were keeping an eye on.

"They were illusions!" Lily yelled.

-o-

"It appears the match were were watching was merely an illusion. This is a brazen violation of the rules," Yajima said, fuming.

"Wow! Ladies and gentlemen, not only did Laxus beat his opponent - but he beat the whole Raven Tail guild!" Chapati exclaimed.

"Crap! First Strider, then Erza, now this guy?! Fairy Tail's got some real monsters in their guild!"

-o-

As Strider watched the guards on the scene, he noticed something exit Obra - a small creature. It began to run away when it suddenly felt its body stop. No one seemed to pay attention to it - all were fixated on Ivan and the other members. Suddenly, the creature felt its body rocket back before stopping in front of Strider. It looked on, curious and afraid, as Strider analyzed it.

"And what are you?" Strider inquired of it. The creature didn't answer.

"Are you Obra?" Strider asked. It simply nodded. Strider nodded at the blue figure on the ground.

"Puppet," the creature answered in a gurgling voice.

"A puppet?" he asked. It nodded. "Then what are you?"

"Obra," it said.

"Whom do you serve?" Strider asked.

"Ivan," Obra answered.

"Do not lie to me, creature," Strider said dangerously. Obra shut its mouth quickly, trembling a bit.

"What is it?" Mira asked, intrigued.

"Something you don't want to mess with, I think," Strider said.

"What are you?" Mira asked it. Obra didn't answer, it's eyes fitted on Strider.

"Are you afraid of me?" Stride asked as he touched it gently. The creature nodded imperceptibly.

"There's no need to fear me," Strider said before opening a pocket dimension and storing it inside.

"What happened?" Mira asked.

"Pocket dimension. It can't hurt anyone there. Best that I talk to Master Makarov and Master Mavis about it, though," Strider said.

"Good fight out there," Gajeel said with a grin as Laxus came back.

"Very good job," Strider said. Laxus nodded and smiled at the two.

"Wendy's up next," Mira said worriedly.

-o-

"Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm welcome to our final competitors of the day. First off, we have Shelia Blendy from Lamia Scale!" Chapati yelled.

"Do you feel the love?!" Shelia asked happily, waving to the crowd!"

"And Fairy Tail A's Wendy Marvel!" Chapati continued.

"I finally get a turn!" Wendy said, ready to rumble.

"Go tear 'em up, kid," Natsu and Gray said, grinning.

"This just might be the cutest match of the games!" Chapati said, fawning over the girls.

As Shelia ran out, she quickly fell flat on her face.

"Oh my goodness! You're not hurt, are you?!" Wendy asked worriedly. As if on cue, she fell right on her face as well. The crowd laughed at their antics as the two girls finally got their feet, smiling sheepishly.

"Hi, I'm Wendy," Wendy said, rubbing her face.

"Hey, Wendy. Shelia. Nice to meet you. Good luck!" Shelia said.

"Yeah! You, too!" Wendy said.

As the battle began, Wendy quickly increased her offense and speed with her enchants, Arms and Vernier.

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" Wendy yelled, leaping into the offensive. Shelia easily defended against the attack before sending a black gust of wing toward Wendy, who blocked it in time. The slight move to defense was enough to give Shelia time to press her advantage.

"Sky God Dance!" she cried, twirling and sending an even more powerful black gust of wind at Wendy.

-o-

"No way…," Olga said, surprised.

-o-

"God Slayer Magic?" Mavis wondered, incredulously.

"In someone so young?" Makarov replied, shocked.

-o-

"She's like Zapcrow!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Pretty sure you got the name wrong, but close enough," Gray replied.

-o-

"So she's like Olga, then?" Strider wondered.

"Looks like it," Mira said, worried for Wendy.

"Wendy's no slouch," Strider said, noting her apprehension.

-o-

"Sky Dragon Roar!"

"Sky God Roar!"

The two attacks clashed, sending a shockwave through the arena. Shelia appeared to be unharmed while Wendy was trying to regain her footing.

"Lyon told me about you, Wendy! I was surprised to hear that someone in Fairy Tail had Magic similar to mine," Shelia said, before her face dropped in worry. "Sorry if I hurt you."

"It's fine. It's a battle, after all," Wendy said, smiling weakly at Shelia.

"We should try to have a little fun then, I guess," Shelia added with a smile of her own.

"I don't really understand how people can find fighting so enjoyable. I don't like to fight, honestly. But I will for Fairy Tail," Wendy said, eliciting smiles from the crowd and her guild.

"I'll have to fight just as hard for love and Lamia Scale," Shelia said, nodding. She sent another Sky God Dance at Wendy, buffeting her back a bit. Wendy suddenly began to inhale the air around her. Shelia coped the movement.

"Sky Dragon Secret Art: Shattering Light: Sky Drill!" Wendy cried, using one of her Secret Arts against Shelia - surprising her and her teammates.

-o-

'My word. She's already mastered one of them?' Porlyusica thought to herself as she observed from the bleachers. She had taken a shine to Wendy as both were connected through Grandina. She was surprised to see that Wendy was already using the attack, considering it hadn't been that long that she was made aware of it.

-o-

Shelia slowly got up, bruised and cut all over. Shockingly, however, her wounds started to heal.

"That was really strong, Wendy. Looks like I should use my full power as well!"

'Darn. I used a lot of power in that attack,' Wendy thought, struggling to keep her balance. Suddenly, she recalled something fresh in her memory, but that happened nearly a decade ago.

-o-

"So am I correct in assuming that your Magic is mostly used for charms, enhancements, and attacks?" Strider asked Wendy as they were training. The S-Class Trials were upon them.

"Pretty… much," Wendy said, breathing heavily. She had tried to attack Strider, but he was able to deflect almost all of her attacks.

"I see. Wendy, would you be open to learning something new?" Strider asked.

"Hmm? Like what?" she asked.

"I think your Magic could be much more effect if you could use it like mine - as well as if you simply let it flow a bit more," Strider said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"How to explain…? Let's see. You use Sky Dragon Magic, correct? If there's a companion Magic to that, I think Wind Magic would be it, right?" Strider asked.

"Right," Wendy nodded.

"And Wind Magic - while not exactly like it - has some attributes of Telekinesis. Sure, you're not using your mind to control objects, but controlling the Wind around them to control them - that's not entirely impossible," Strider said.

"OK… I think… I get what you're saying," Wendy said, not really understanding.

"Basically - think of Sky Dragon Magic as a conduit for casting Wind Magic as well. If you can control the wind - not even to a great extent for now - you can expand your horizons quite a bit. Let's see… ah! Here we go," Strider said, picking up a ball sized rock.

"What do you want me to do with it?" Wendy asked.

"I want you to use your Sky Dragon Magic to create a small and gentle gust of wind - only enough to keep this rock afloat for… let's say ten minutes," Strider said.

"10 minutes?!" Wendy asked, shocked. She usually expended her Magic quickly; her attacks lasted seconds, not minutes - save for her healing.

"Your not attacking it - your just keeping it floating. Ten minutes," Strider said, tossing the rock at her.

-o-

"Are you mad?!" Lyon yelled at Shelia.

"Don't do it!" Jura yelled as well.

"You dimwit! Are you trying to kill the pool girl!" Ooba screamed.

-o-

Wendy imperceptibly began effecting the arena.

"God Slayer Secret Art: Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!" Shelia yelled. A black het stream roared out from her at Wendy, looping several times before it reached her. Wendy hardly put her arms up, smiling to herself as the attack missed.

"No way," Shelia said, surprised.

-o-

"How'd she miss?!" Happy asked, shocked.

"Ah…," Carla suddenly said, a look of dawning upon her as she felt a light wind wash over her.

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"A lesson she learned before the S-Class Trials," Carla said, smiling.

-o-

'Excellent work, Wendy,' Strider thought proudly.

-o-

Wendy and Shelia leaped at each other, punching and kicking - neither giving up, neither standing down. With each strike, they put everything on the line - doing whatever they could to cinch a win for their guilds. Lamia Scale and Fairy Tail looked on with proud smiles as they felt the energy of the two girls cascade.

-o-

'Jellal? Is it Shelia?' Ultear asked. They had felt a strong dark presence during the Games, one that felt more pronounced during this match in particular. They thought it was Shelia for a short moment - but it became obvious to Jellal it wasn't.

'No, I don't think so. She's not the presence we felt,' Jellal replied telepathically, looking around.

-o-

"Ladies and gentlemen, this match ends in a draw!" Chapati yelled. Shelia and Wendy had given the match their all; both were breathing heavily, unable to continue to match any further. The crowd was roaring in excitement for the two young girls. Shelia approached Wendy and began to heal her. Wendy sighed, relaxing as the feeling washed over her.

"You did really well, Wendy!" Shelia exclaimed.

"Yeah - you too! I had a lot more fun than I thought I would," Wendy said with a smile. They each shook the others hand, earning another round of applause.

-o-

"Those girls are something else," Lyon said with a smile.

"Indeed they are. I've no doubt they'll continue to grow as excellent Wizards," Jura said.

-o-

"Way to go, Wendy!" Natsu and Gray cheered excitedly as she rejoined them.

"That was amazing, Wendy," Lucy said, giving her a hug.

"And that, ladies and gentlemen, brings an end to Day 3 of the Grand Magic Games! We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow!" Chapati announced.

-o-

As Fairy Tail returned to their hotel, they were celebrating the victories of the guild for the day. Strider, Erza, Laxus, and Wendy had each put on a spectacular show.

"You did extremely well, Wendy," Strider said, ruffling her hair.

"Thanks for the lesson you gave me," Wendy said, giving him a hug.

"Not at all. Plenty more where that came from if you want to learn a bit more," Strider said kindly.

-o-

"Great job," Cana said to Erza, joining her at the bar.

"Thank you. I had fun," Erza said, digging into her strawberry cake.

"I could tell. Those many swords… jeez, I'm surprised you didn't pass out by the end of it," Cana admitted.

"No more surprised than I was," Erza said. "It'll come in useful in the future. I need to work on cutting down the time it takes, though."

"Yeah, yeah - just don't push yourself to much," Cana said firmly. As strong as Erza was, she wasn't invincible.

-o-

"Two days left before the final event and I haven't even gotten to kick someones ass," Natsu groaned.

"It's some bullshit," Gajeel complained as well. Lisanna and Levy sighed; the only thing the Dragon Slayers could seem to agree on was the fact that fighting was preferable to not doing so.

-o-

"Master Mavis, Master Makarov - a moment?" Strider asked. They followed him upstairs, curious about what he wanted.

"What is it, Strider?" Mavis asked as he locked the door behind them.

"After Laxus's fight with Raven Tail, they arrested the members," Strider said, cutting to the point.

"That's right," Makarov nodded.

"The blue one - Obra. This was inside him," Strider said, reaching into his pocket dimension and showing them the creature.

"What is it?" Makarov asked, intrigued.

"I'm not certain myself. It appears to be a spriggan or something similar," Strider said.

"A spriggan?" Mavis asked, surprised.

"Small spirits. I've come across them at barrows," Strider said. "It tried to escape but I was able to catch it. I'm thinking of trying to interrogate it. I just wanted to inform you."

"Thank you, my child. But what do you expect to learn?" Makarov asked.

"That I'm not sure," Strider sighed.

"How do you plan on trying to extract information from it?" Mavis asked. Strider paused before answering.

"There are ways to extract information - none of them pleasant. I'll try to make sure that I won't leave a lasting impact on it. I'm not sure if this creature is good or evil by nature - although when it comes to spriggans, they trend towards the latter. I'll likely try my Tamer Magic," Strider sighed.

"If that doesn't work, do you plan on torturing it?" Mavis asked uneasily. Again, Strider paused.

"No," he finally replied. "But it will take prying. Nothing physical, though."

"It's your call, First Master," Makarov deferred. Mavis thought about the best way to approach the situation.

"Do it no harm, Strider. Be as gentle as you can. If you have to be more hands on, I'd prefer you hand it over to the authorities," Mavis said.

"As you wish, First Master," Strider said, putting Obra back in the pocket dimension. With a short bow, he left.

-o-

"Feeling better?" Strider asked Erza as she came up the stairs.

"I am, albeit tired. What were you talking to Master about?" she wondered as she followed him to his room.

"I captured the creature that attacked Wendy and Carla. I plan on interrogating it," he said.

"What do you mean 'interrogate it'?" she wondered.

"I want to see if I can learn anything from it," he said.

"Does it seem talkative?" she wondered.

"Ha. I wish. That'd make it easier. No, unfortunately it isn't. That said, there are ways to get information," he sighed.

"Torture?" she asked quietly, remembering her own experience.

"No. Of course not," he said, his voice a bit cooler.

"Strider…," she trailed off, sitting next to him.

"Hmm?" he wondered.

"Were you ever…?" she trailed off again. Strider sighed and nodded.

"Your scars," Erza whispered.

"Some, yes," he said.

"If you don't mind me asking - what happened?" she asked.

"I was imprisoned for a while at one of the enemy strongholds, which belonged to an excessively vicious brute. He tortured me on a daily basis. Entertainment and sadism, mostly. Whips, swords, rams, irons, brands. A bit of a cultist," Strider sighed.

Erza bit her lip, unsure of what to say. Gently, she put her arms around his waist and rested her head against his shoulder. She noticed him clenching his fist tight, as if under duress. She took his hand in hers, gently caressing it.

Gently, she slipped a hand under his shirt. Keeping her head on his shoulder, she began feeling around. She could feel the jagged scarring and marks and burns - more than she had anticipated. She sighed heavily - while he didn't lose something like an eye, she wondered if this was worse?

Strider didn't move as he let her continue. Her hand was warm and gentle to the touch, strikingly different from his roughness. He felt her trace the lines and edges, losing track here and there only to find a few more.

Slowly, Erza slipped her other hand under as well, feeling his stomach and chest. She traced three large scars - ones that she remembered Mira mentioning. Slowly, she explored every inch she could. Giving him an intense look, she began to lift up his shirt. She blanched as she saw the condition he was in.

A large portion of his body had been ravaged over the years. She saw scars, rips, and tears all across - mingling with discolored burns and gruesome brands in the shape of odd runes. Most vivid was the black mark on his right shoulder - which, horrifyingly, seemed to have grown larger since she last saw it. She gently touched it, noting that he recoiled ever so slightly.

"How did you survive this?" she asked, astonished.

"A story for another day, I think," Strider said.

"I'm sorry," she said gently lowering his shirt.

"There's no need," Strider said gently. He felt Erza take his face in her hands. She gently caressed his cheek, wondering what other stories he had to tell. Slowly, she leaned down and kissed him. Strider was as surprised as he was when Mira kissed him, but he took the kiss in stride. Be brought her in closer, sitting her on his lap as he took in the soft touch and warmth of her lips and tongue.

"Mmm," Erza moaned in pleasure. She quickly had Strider on his back, her hands going up his shirt yet again. She felt his hands descend her back before finally giving her ass a tight squeeze. Strider soon flipped Erza on her back, kissing her down her neck. Erza moaned in pleasure as she she weaved a hand through his hair, keeping his head in place as he began to suck at the base of her neck. She felt a free hand slip suddenly slip under her shirt, making its way up. As his hand reached her breast, though, Erza suddenly paused.

"Strider, wait. Please stop," she whispered. Strider immediately did so, retracting his hand from her shirt. He gently lifted himself off of her, sighing.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"I just…," she said, licking her lips as she slowly got up. "What about you and Mira?"

Strider sighed as he sat beside, the question running through his mind as well.

"I don't know," he said quietly. "I care about you as well, Erza. A lot, at that."

"As do I. But…," she said, sighing again before reacting his sentiment. "I don't know."

"How about we call it a night for now?" he offered.

"Right. Umm… good night," she said, quickly going to her room.

-o-

As soon as she exited, Erza felt the blood rush to her face like never before. She rested against Striders door, her face redder and hotter than ever before.

"OH MY GOSH!" she squealed before running to her bedroom.

-o-

Strider chuckled a bit as he heard her. Heading to the mirror, he took his shirt off and observed the damage. It had become by the by for him - a part of his daily life to the point that he hardly considered it anymore. He remembered the encounter that gave him the three gashes across his chest, as well as the clash that gave him the accursed mark. Looking at the smaller scars, however, he recalled the days in which he suffered them.

-o-

Strider was kneeled in a dark room. His arms and legs were bound by chains as blood trickled down his body. His hair fell raggedly to his shoulders as his breathing was laborious. He was barely conscious as he listened to the cold world around him.

"Wake him up," came a sweet voice. A splash of cold water hit Strider across the face, jolting him awake.

"You again," Strider said.

"Me again, Man of the West. You appear to be well. Or as well as you can be," the woman said. Striders eyes darted between her and the armored orc that flanked her. With a disgusted snarl, he turned his eyes to the woman again.

"Your hospitality is limitless," Strider said.

"You would enjoy much more of it if you told me what I needed to know," she said, caressing his cheek.

"Not even over my cold, dead body," Strider said.

"Yes, I know. Normally, I wouldn't mind this trend or acquiescing you such a demand. But time is of the essence now. I have a special guest, just for you," the woman said. The door opened yet again and in walked one of the largest men Strider had ever seen. The man had grotesque and ghoulish features, his skin a pallid gray. His skin seemed to be creeping over his painfully tight armor, while his face was contorted into a snarl by an open mouthed metal muzzle.

"This is the boy? You couldn't break this Ranger?" the new arrival asked in a brutish voice.

"Silence, brute. This is the Tower. He will be in charge of your… interrogation," the woman said with a smile. Strider simply scoffed.

"A Black Captain?" he asked. Pooling up the blood in his mouth, Strider spat it at the Tower. "Go on then. Try not to hurt yourself, old man. Your armor looks a bit tight. I don't want you passing out before I do."

"I wouldn't be so arrogant. He specializes in breaking men," the woman said. Tower suddenly smashed Strider in the face with a powerful fist, knocking some more blood out. Strider took the blow and laughed in return.

"Ha! Is that it?" Strider asked, egging him on. "I implore you - do your worst! Go on! We'll see who breaks first!"

"Audacious as ever," the woman sighed before taking his leave. "Enjoy your stay, Dúnedan."

"I intend to," Strider said, getting in the last word before scoffing at the Tower yet again. Sending the Orc out, Tower began his interrogation.

-o-

"Str-," Bisca said as she entered, stopping starkly as she saw him without his shirt. This was the first look she had gotten of the scars that covered his body.

"Oh, Bisca. Forgive me," Strider said, hastily putting his shirt back on. Bisca crossed the distance between them quickly, stopping him midway. Wide eyed, she ran her hands over his chest and stomach, feeling the ridges.

"This is…," she began softly.

"Yeah," he sighed, finally pulling his shirt down. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh! I… was wondering if you plan to stick around for long after the Games finish?" she asked, blushing slightly.

"I do. I believe Master Makarov mentioned something about another event after the Games end. I'm thinking of looking for some jobs around the area as well," Strider said.

"Got it. Well, I was wondering if you want to go out or something after the Final Event?" she asked.

"I would love that," Strider said.

"Really?" she asked, surprised he acquiesced so readily.

"Anything for you," he said, brushing some loose strands of hair behind her ear. She smiled at the gesture and gave him a hug. Strider felt her linger for longer than usual, gently rubbing his back. She sighed heavily; the condition was just as bad.

"Are you ok?" she asked, leaning back and cupping his cheek.

"As ok as I can be. A bit tired, however. I think I'll call it a night," Strider said.

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow," Bisca said. She was about to leave when Strider stopped her. He quickly swooped in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Smiling, Bisca returned the gesture before taking her leave, happy.

-o-

"Erza? What is it?" Mira asked as she entered the room with Cana. She went in to check on how her best friend was doing after exerting so much magical power. Mira was more than a bit surprised to see Erza staring intently in the space ahead of her, still red.

"M-M-MIRA!" Erza said in an unusually high voice. "What're you doing here?!"

"I just wanted to see if you were alright. Are you… alright?" Mira asked, taking her temperature. "Oh no! You're burning up! Should I get Wendy!?"

"No, no! I'm p-perfectly fine!" Erza said, managing a strained grin. "See. Perfectly fine!"

"She's been watching way to much TV if she thinks that's gonna work. Come on, Erza - out with it!" Cana demanded.

"I've no idea what you're talking about!" Erza retorted.

"You're not really the best actress, Erza," Mira sighed. "Tell us. Now."

"It really is nothing!" she reiterated.

"Buying that?" Cana asked.

"Not even a little bit. Erza…," Mira said threateningly.

"Ugh…," Erza sighed, looking a bit uncomfortable. She began to tell them about the scars she had seen. She was about to tell them about the kiss and how it almost became something more, but decided against it for the moment. Mira and Cana looked uncomfortable as they found out.

"That bad?" Cana asked quietly.

"More than that," Erza sighed.

"Is he still awake?" Mira asked.

"I'm not sure. I'd rather we not disturb him right now, though. Wait for the morning or later," Erza said.

"Right. Ugh…," Mira said, rubbing her temples.

"No kidding. Maybe… Maybe Wendy and Shelia can try something?" Cana suggested.

"He's probably tried every remedy he could," Mira said.

"Sure, but he doesn't have Magic like that back home. What's the worst that can happen? It doesn't work. It's worth a shot," Cana said. Mira and Erza looked at each other thoughtfully.

"We'll ask them after the Games end," Mira said.