#but that never dimmed her love for magic! she's always showing the other guild members cool tricks and often steals magical artifacts + uses

[silverselfshippingchaos]

AHEKWHAKQGEKQHW?!?!?!?

[vannahfanfics]

Now and Forever

Category: Romantic Fluff

Fandom: Fairy Tail

Characters: Erza Scarlet, Jellal Fernandes

Requested By: Anonymous User

“Is everyone in position?”

Erza raised a hand to the small, barely detectable communication device hooked into her ear as Gray’s voice buzzed in. There came a chorus of affirmative quips from Lucy, Natsu, and Wendy followed by Happy’s characteristic, optimistic “Aye!” before Erza pressed the button on her own earpiece to validate her own position. The team’s latest assignment involved staking out a very popular pub where a certain dark wizard was known to frequent. They had been told that he would likely appear tonight to deal in the smuggling of illegal magical artifacts, and so they had assembled to stop the operation short. Her guild members were stationed in various locations throughout the small building, covering all entrances and exits, but Erza’s location was the most important... on stage, right in the center of the bar, posing as a singer.

Currently she was eclipsed by the stage curtains, but it was only a minute or so before they would be drawn up and she would be revealed to the small crowd. Erza had managed to get over her stage fright after years of forcing her way into jobs such as this, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t still unnerving for her to perform in front of a crowd. She inhaled, then exhaled deeply. All you have to do is sing and look out for the man in the wanted ad. Eyes closed as she steeled herself, she did not notice that she had been approached until they coughed politely.

“Yes?” she responded automatically as her eyes opened to settle on an intimidated-looking stage hand.

“We’re about to go live, Miss Scarlet, and the um, owner was wondering if you intend to, ah, perform like that?” he stammered quietly. Erza’s eyebrows shot up as she realized she was still dressed in her usual armor.

“No. Of course not.” Ribbons of light flashed around her before enveloping her form, hugging her tightly as her armor phased out of existence. The shimmering light protected her modesty as she pulled her new garments from her magical storage universe. By the time that the shocked stage hand lowered his hand at the dimming of the light, Erza’s voluptuous body was now clothed in a skin-tight leotard, mesh stockings and black stilettos, and a pair of bunny ears sticking out of her scarlet hair. A blush painted his cheeks and he murmured his approval before he scampered out, likely to nurse his bleeding nose. Erza chuckled and walked over to the piano, hips swaying with each step, to take her place by the gawking pianist. She leaned over the large instrument and flashed him a wink, making him shut his mouth and find new interest in his music sheets. Suddenly, she heard the whooshing of the red curtains being pulled away from the stage, and she tossed a glance over her shoulder.

The bar was dim, only lit by a ring of circular white lights lining the rim of Erza’s performance area. Her trained eyes spotted her cohorts instantly, mingled among the crowd and constantly shifting their gazes to watch the patrons. There was no sign of their target yet, at least not that Erza could see. The chatter faded as soon as the gorgeous wizard appeared, the bar falling into silence as it awaited her singing voice. The quiet was soon replaced by the heavy, dramatic tune spilling from the piano man’s expert fingers. Erza inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and then began to sing.

At one point in her life, her voice would shake and hitch, and she would’ve been chased of stage in a matter of seconds. However, after careful practice (and a fair bit of encouragement from the ever-supportive Lucy), Erza had conquered her fears and come into her own, performance-wise. Her voice flowed like honey, dripping with emotion as she sang in time with the piano notes of longing and lost love. The bar owner had told her that her intense, dominating looks and personality was perfect for such a performance. After the first verse, Erza opened her eyes and began strutting across the edge of the stage, pausing to lean over in such a way to accentuate her pleasing features and stroke the face of the man nearest the stage. He swooned and nearly passed out into his friends. Erza gave the rest of the crowd a cocky smirk before standing back up and finishing her circuit of the stage, hips swaying and voice thundering in passion.

She came back to the piano and laid herself across the back of it, kicking up her legs with her scarlet hair spilling over her back. In that moment, the lyrics abruptly made her think of Jellal. It took all she could to focus on the task at hand and not lose herself in the thoughts of him. Why did I think of him singing some stupid love song? She knew why. She had loved him a long time, but had never worked up the courage to tell him. Erza had a lot of courage for battle and protecting her friends, but it always failed when it came to being honest with him. Her voice took on a more somber tone as her subconscious delved further into the depressing thoughts. As her eyes flickered up to meet the crowd, she could almost see him standing there, watching her with a knowing smile ghosting his lips.

Wait a minute.

She blinked, and the phantasm did not vanish. She managed to keep herself singing, but only just barely, while she frantically looked around the rest of the bar. Sure enough, the other members of Crime Sorcieré were strategically positioned throughout the establishment. No way! Is Jellal here to catch the smuggler as well? She thought as her heart nearly jumped into her throat and choked out her melodious tune. Trying not to panic and act natural lest she scare off their target, Erza pushed herself upward on the piano, but her arms were shaking slightly. She could feel the nervousness bubbling up inside her; something about Jellal watching her perform was lapsing her back into her stage-fright. Thankfully, the song abruptly ended and the curtain drew shut with Erza’s echoing voice singing the last word. As soon as it shut completely, she ceased and collapsed back onto the piano, wheezing and holding her chest in an attempt to still her pounding heart. She could still feel Jellal’s dark eyes on her, watching with rapture.

What the hell is going on here?!

~~~~~~~~~~

“Dammit!” There was a thunderous crash as Natsu took out his anger on a nearby trash bin, kicking over the metal container to spill its contents out into the street. He then squatted down while muttering under his breath to retrieve the trash because Lucy scolded him something fierce. He had a right to be annoyed; apparently the culprit had caught wind that his operation had been compromised, and had been a no-show. Erza, now in her trusty armor, crossed her arms as she sighed deeply.

“This is rather unfortunate. Now we are back to square one in hunting him down,” she tutted with a click of her tongue. Jellal laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck with an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, Erza. I hope our appearance here didn’t ruin your mission.” Gray and Natsu both slung their heads around at identical moments, mouths open to likely blame it all on Jellal, but a sharp glare from the red-haired warrior immediately made them swallow whatever ill remarks they were about to spew from him. Erza returned to Jellal with a soft smile.

“No, there’s no way to tell how he learned this bar was being watched, and by whom. We will just have to gather information on his next movements.” Jellal frowned and rubbed his chin, tilting his head to the side and looking up through the corners of his eyes as he pondered something. He then smirked and looked back at Erza.

“We’re also interested in bringing this guy down, so why don’t we team up?”

~~~~~~~~~~

When Erza had accepted Jellal’s proposal to form a joint effort to take down the smuggler, she had never imagined that things would end up the way they were. She was in the fanciest restaurant in the entire city, dressed in an elegant black dress with her scarlet hair fashioned in an elaborate up-do, sitting across from Jellal who was wearing just a simple tuxedo and that coy, smug smirk of his. By their joint information-gathering, they had learned that the smuggler would be conducting his failed business venture in a more lucrative environment; to avoid the same unfortunate outcome as last time, they had decided that only the two of them should be on scene with the others waiting outside for back-up.

But still… To pose as a couple on a date? Surely this is too much! Erza thought wildly. She felt like the room was spinning, and she had the sudden extreme urge to vomit. Her fingers dug into the silky fabric of her dress as she concentrated her gaze on her lap. She was utterly unable to look at him. It was just Jellal, but it was Jellal, and under this premise with all the implications… it was liable to drive her insane!

“Erza.” His voice somehow sounded like the touch of the smooth silk caressing her nervous fingers. As if called, she glanced up, and was immediately met with his smoldering gaze. “Relax. It’s just me, you know.” A haze of pink dusted her cheeks. He saw right through me… “Your performance was lovely, by the way. Because we were so busy gathering intel, I was never able to tell you.” The blush on her cheeks heightened to a shade of carnation. She nervously fidgeted in the chair, unsure how to handle the praise, and dropped her gaze, unable to handle the way he was looking at her... Like a precious object who had captured his attention.

“Y-yes, I’ve… Been practicing…” She mumbled. She was beginning to grow frustrated with herself. How could she be so confident on the battlefield of war, but such a stumbling fool on in the warzone of love? Though his unyielding stare unnerved her, she could not but help wish to be locked in it, and so her eyes slowly circled back to meet his. His expression had not changed despite Erza’s worming about; he just continued to sit there, chin resting on his interlocked hands, those dark eyes absorbing everything about her.

“I would love it if you would sing for me sometime… A private performance, if you will.” Erza choked on air at his very blatant and insinuating remark. Her cheeks were surely the shade of her hair now. Her mouth opened and closed, attempting to form words but dismally failing, only managed to produce sputtering gasps. Jellal’s smirk widened, and then he began to laugh heartily. “Relax, Erza, I’m only playing the part of the flirtatious date. There’s no need to take everything so seriously! I’m only teasing,” he grinned widely. Erza’s shoulders hunched up as she glowered at him.

“That teasing was in very bad taste!” she scolded him. Jellal continued to laugh. By the time he had finished, Erza was steaming enough to fry an egg on her head. “I hope you’re happy.”

“I am, because you feel more at ease, don’t you?” Erza’s mouth fell open. What a devious ploy! It had sure worked, too; Erza had more or less forgotten about their environment and operation, and was more relaxed, because now it just felt like she was just spending time with Jellal. That in itself was nerve-wracking in its own right, but she had managed to recover some sense of the defensive decorum that she maintained with him during their normal interactions. As he flashed her a devilish wink, she shook her head and decided to swallow her amusement and embarrassment with wine.

“As cunning as ever.”

“I always aim to please,” he smirked before glancing off to the side to scan the room. Erza did not need to do so herself; the way his jaw tightened and his eyes narrowed told her well enough that he had locked onto their target. “He’s sitting four tables away, to your ten o’clock.” Casually sipping at the bitter wine in the crystal glass, Erza languidly turned in her chair as if she were relaxing herself, but cast a sordid gaze in the indicated direction. Sure enough, he was sitting across the room with a handful of well-to-do-looking gentlemen, the picture of decorum and propriety despite the fact that they were illegally dealing forbidden magical artifacts. “I recognize a few of them. Those are some of the most prolific magical artifact dealers in all of Fiore.”

“He must have something quite special in stock.”

“Let’s get a closer look.” Without waiting for her agreement, Jellal stood and ironed out the creases of his suit before holding out a hand for her. Erza knew it was important but was a little put-off, and the first thing that came to mind was that they hadn’t even eaten anything yet besides some small appetizer salads. You’re not here for the food, Erza; you’re here to catch a criminal! She scolded herself. It really wasn’t about the food so much as frantically trying to think up an excuse not to do what Jellal was asking because she was so unsure of what little scheme he was hatching in that handsome head of his. Still, she had to do it. She breathed in deeply before rising from the chair, the picture of beauty with her upturned chin and pin-straight back. Her hand slid smoothly into Jellal’s; a jolt of electricity rocketed up her arm as his fingers gently enclosed around it. As if that wasn’t enough, he flashed her that irritatingly sexy smirk and brought her hand to his mouth to press his lips against the top of her hand. It took all her willpower not to yank her arm away and maybe whack him upside the head for good measure.

“What are you doing?” she hissed under her breath at him.

“Playing the part. You attract far too much attention, Erza…” With a frantic glance around the room, Erza could easily find that he was right. Her regal, sensual aura had lassoed the attention of the room with frightening ease; men and women alike were looking at her with palpable jealousy, though for far different reasons. While the women in the restaurant were lamenting the fact that they couldn’t be her, their male partners were wistfully wishing they could bed her. Such a lecherous thought brought a blush to her cheeks, and, unable to take the implicative stares, she focused her attention on Jellal. Likely sensing her newfound unease, he tugged on her arm to pull her body flush to his, that unrelenting cocky smile painting her face with further hues of red. “Far too much attention. I’m going to have to show this room that you’re mine tonight.”

As if it were effortless, Jellal had pulled the infallible Erza into a whirlwind from which she could not escape.

Before she knew it, he had swept her to the dance floor, which was conveniently located right next to their target’s table. Not that Erza really noticed that; her mind had descended into a fog, with Jellal the only lighthouse that illuminated her misty reality. All she could do was stare like a helpless, trapped rabbit in the grasp of a cunning fox. Erza was painfully aware of his hand running down the bare skin of her arms, leaving goosebumps trailing from his touch, before it jumped to settle firmly on her hip. His other hand still held hers captive, holding it aloft. Her body automatically settled her other on his shoulder, more because she subconsciously knew it was the proper form for a dance than of her own volition. Jellal’s eyes glittered like a galaxy, and Erza was lost in their cosmos, an unwitting astronaut plunging into their depths. The string quartet set to their instruments, and with the serene shimmer of a love song, they began to dance.

Erza had never really danced before, but somehow, she did not completely manage to bungle things as Jellal guided her about the dance floor. Her body was pretty much on autopilot, moving at his command like a marionette by its masterful puppeteer. A few other couples danced around them, but Erza was hardly aware of them; her attention was completely captivated by the stunning man before her. The way he fixated on her with that roguishly inviting smile, piloting her body as if he knew it intimately, staring through her into the very depths of her quivering soul, Erza almost thought that he could love her.

“Erza, it would be helpful if you could assist in me keeping an eye on that fellow over there.” Her body stiffened as she realized she had been caught red-handed. Her hands weren’t the only things red, either; she knew her face was afire as she discreetly peered over Jellal’s shoulder to watch the men and try to catch snippets of their conversation. The businessmen looked quite heated now, as if they were not pleased with what they had been offered.

“… Now, gentlemen, there is no need to get so heated. Ten million is quite a gracious place to start the bidding on my part. After all, it’s not every day that you’re offered a relic of the dark wizard Zeref, is it?” At the mention of their former adversary’s name, Erza drew in a sharp breath. Jellal continued to sweep her around the dance floor but took care to keep her well within earshot of the table. “The Magus Staff is an extraordinary magical artifact.” A ripple of unease circled through the potential buyers.

“The Magus Staff is also forbidden!”

“What’s the Magus Staff?” Erza whispered to Jellal. She had never heard tale of such an artifact. Jellal frowned deeply, staring off at a point beyond her shoulder.

“It’s one of the many dark magic artifacts that Zeref created. Apparently the thing channels ‘Erasure’ magic. Anything the user wants to erase just vanishes without a trace… people, objects, entire armies. Its potential is limitless. That’s why it’s so dangerous and classified as forbidden,” he explained grimly. In the background, the music was reaching a crescendo, the various stringed instruments screaming in melodic cacophony. Erza was about to tune back into the conversation, but Jellal suddenly swept her away from the table in a few whirling spins, leaving her impossible dizzy.

“Jellal, what-“

“He’s watching.” Erza had to swallow the urge to glance back at the table, knowing that doing so would just confirm the buyer’s suspicions. She could feel his prickling gaze searching her back, and was suddenly uncomfortable that her dress plunged in the back and her shoulder blades were on full display. “Erza, you’re not very good at espionage, are you?” Jellal grinned, and he stole a loud gasp from her throat as he suddenly hiked her leg up around his waist, pulling her across the dance floor with her heel scratching against the tile. The song had finished and the band had begun playing a simmering, intense beat, a tango; the rest of the patrons had abandoned the effort, leaving the two of them alone- plenty of room for Jellal to do as he wished with her.

“I’m beginning to think that you’re enjoying this too much,” she pouted up at him as he dropped her leg only to pull her body against his such that there was not a millimeter of space between the fabric of their clothes. Her chest was pressed up against his and her back arched, forcing her to look directly up at him, at that smirk that starting a fire in her belly and those eyes that threatened to strip her armor away and bear her tremoring heart to him. It was hammering against her rib cage, driven crazy by the sheer amount they were touching and the overwhelmingly lusty atmosphere. Jellal’s hand was pressed against her lower back, guiding her around the dance floor in a sordid display that commanded the attention of everyone around them.

“Oh, I’m definitely enjoying it.” His husky whisper sent a shiver traveling up Erza’s spine. Did his face have to be that close? As the music hitched, so did Jellal’s moves, and once again Erza was flung about in a complicated turn. Except the music didn’t descend back into the intense calm, but exploded into the storm, trapping Erza in its maelstrom and stealing her breath away. Erza didn’t even have time to think about where Jellal had learned to dance so expertly as she was whisked around the dance floor; she was a sword in Jellal’s hand, brandished around and shining with the light and ringing with the sound of singing steel. Her heels clattered across the dance floor like popping firecrackers, barely striking the shiny tile before they were gone again. As the music crescendoed in a tumultuous symphony, Jellal grabbed Erza and plunged her into a deep bend backwards, holding up one of her legs while the other kept her suspended so far down that a few loose strands of her crimson hair touched the floor. There was a moment of deep silence before the room exploded in impressed claps. Erza’s chest was heaving with exertion and her skin was tingling with electricity from the exceptionally… erotic experience. She watched with wide eyes as a bead of sweat rolled down Jellal’s face. That smirk was intoxicating now; just looking at it was making her drunk. He eyed her triumphantly before his gaze flickered upwards.

“They’re leaving.” Erza tipped her head backwards. Though the image was upside-down, she could see the dealer and the businessmen rising from the table to exit down a nearby hallway. She gasped as Jellal suddenly jerked her up and spun her around to stand at his side. He looped her arms in his as he guided her off the dance floor, walking smoothly as if nothing had just happened, but Erza’s legs were trembling so much that she could barely walk in her heels. She leaned slightly against his body, and that smirk of his widened. What is he doing to me? she thought wildly.

There had always been something explicitly unspoken between Erza and Jellal, but that was all it had ever been; a whisper, a sigh, a wistful fantasy of what may be. This, however… This was not unlike the tango they had just danced to, a rising storm threatening to thunder upon the coast, exploding into a destructive force that would change everything. Erza was but a small vessel caught in the thrashing waves, being borne to whatever island that the hurricane Jellal was leading her towards. Erza had never really expected anything to ever come of the unspoken thing between them, but it was rapidly becoming apparent that she had been very wrong. It both scared and excited her.

But was now really the time?

They tailed the party of criminals outside the restaurant and to the side alley. Their target meandered down to the end, and Erza watched in mild horror as he picked up something long and thin wrapped in cloth from behind a dumpster. He yanked off the cloth to reveal a crooked black staff.

“Jellal, we have to- Oh!” Her words were cut off as he suddenly shoved her against the brick wall of the restaurant, hands on either side of her waist as he pinned her there. His face was so close that she could feel his hot breaths on her lips. He was staring out of the corners of his eyes, and she followed suit to see the party of criminals staring at them suspiciously.

“Erza, just follow my lead- and please don’t hit me,” he mused, and no sooner than he had turned her gaze back to him did he tilt up her face and press his mouth against hers.

Her mind didn’t need the Erasure magic to go blank.

Catching the criminals flew to the far reaches of her mind as Jellal’s mouth moved rhythmically against hers. If the night had been like a red-hot tango, then their lips were dancing in a smooth, melodious waltz, pure as moonlight and soft as silk. Erza abandoned herself to the calmness of the sea, allowing the breeze of Jellal to drift her further into bliss. She had never realized how much she wanted it until now- to be kissed by him, held by him, loved by him.

Too bad it was all an act.

As he relinquished her mouth to pepper kisses over her jawline, down her neck, and across her shoulders, his hands tracing intricate patterns on her sides, Erza felt her eyes flood with water. She could not choke down the small sob that escaped her lungs; it was just so painful, so unfair, that things had turned out this way. Jellal suddenly stopped kissing her too look up at her quizzically. “Erza…?” Her face was contorted in agony as she tried to tell him what was wrong, but she couldn’t force the words out of her throat. He watched her, confused and worried, and just so happened to glance out of the corners of his eyes.

It was a good thing he did, or it would’ve been the end for both of them.

“Look out!” he cried and wrapped her in a tight embrace before flinging himself to the side. They crashed to the ground together, and Erza looked up in time to see a blob of dark energy crash into the place on the wall she had just been. The brick seemed to melt into nothingness, vanishing without a trace to leave a large hole in the structure. The music from the dance floor and the din of conversation drifted out into the alley. Erza tossed a glance over her shoulder to see the dealer brandishing the Magus Staff with a dark sneer.

“Well, that wasn’t the demonstration I had in mind, but it’ll do, I suppose,” he snickered. Erza pushed herself up with a huff, and ribbons of light enveloped her figure as she changed into a more suitable outfit for fighting. Jellal blushed darkly, because his face was extremely close to her chest as she was pretty much bare save for a few ribbons of light in very strategic places, but Erza had finally managed to dispel the fog from her mind now that she was in her element. Speed was obviously going to be her ally so she selected her Flight armor from her vast inventory, cladding herself in the cheetah-patterned, ruffle-adorned armor. She stood up just as her two swords materialized into reality, and spun on her heel to kick off in a savage sprint down the alleyway. A vortex formed in her wake, buffeting the shocked Jellal and inadvertently sending him blasting out into the street.

“She’s a Fairy Tail wizard!” the businessmen panicked and attempted to scale the wall behind them, while the startled magical artifact dealer sent another blast of the dark magic careening toward her. Erza ducked to avoid the projectile and it claimed the dumpster instead, melting a hole in it and sending trash spilling out into the alley way.

“Take this!” Erza howled and brought up her swords, then delivered savage blows with the blunt sides to his abdomen. He went down pathetically easily, dropping the staff and flying backwards. He and his compatriots crashed through the brick and mortar to sail several yards down the adjoining alleyway, landing right at a very disappointed Natsu’s feet.

“Aw, man… You couldn’t save any of the fun for us, Erza?”

~~~~~~~~~~

With the criminals arrested and the Magus Staff in safe hands, Erza changed back into her dress and walked back into the street where Jellal was still sitting there pouting.

“I think you did that on purpose,” he sighed up at her. Erza smiled kneeled down in front of him, offering a hand. He smiled wryly and took it, allowing her to pull him to his feet.

“Consider it payback for all the teasing you’ve done to me tonight.” Now that they were alone again, Erza could feel his lips ghosting across the skin of her neck; she raised a hand to cover it, to chase away the phantasms of his lips that would haunt her for the remainder of the night. As her expression took on an obviously depressed edge, Jellal smiled and took her hand again, kissing the top of it like he had done previously that evening.

“Erza, you really are dense,” he mused quietly. Before she could inquire what he meant, he grabbed her by her upper arm and yanked her forward, catching his an intensely passionate kiss. His lips crashed against hers like the waves finally carrying Erza home after what felt like years at sea... home, into Jellal’s waiting arms. She melted against him, desperately trying to match the fervent rhythm he was playing against her mouth. His hands snuck into her scarlet hair to pull it loose from its up-do, and he buried them into the wavy, crimped strands as he aggressively but not painfully tousled it loose, the countless bobby pins that his eager fingers plucked free clattering down to the street like rain. Erza’s hands ran down his chest, feeling his abdominals even through the thick fabric of his suit flexing powerfully as he leaned further into the kiss. He teased her mouth open to envelop his tongue in her own, twisting and writhing with it in a zealous desire that left her knees weak. As she collapsed against him, held up only by the firm arm around her waist, she felt that fog drifting over her mind again; it was all right, though, because Erza was now safe upon the shores of ardent love, grounded in the man that she had desired for so, so, so long.

She had begun to cry again. Jellal pulled away from her, though her aching lips desired him still; her face followed after his, desperately chasing that feeling, until his hand caught her face and held her still. His thumb swept across her cheek to catch the tears falling like stars to earth.

“I love you,” she gasped, desperate, needing him to hear her before the words failed her again. “I love you, Jellal, I want you now and forever, I-“

“It’s okay,” he crooned softly, killing her babble with the softest of breaths. “You have me, Erza. Now and forever.” She felt her throat tighten as the intense emotion that she was feeling choked her, and all she could do was nod. He continued to gently stroke her face even long after her tears had dried. He didn’t kiss her anymore, only gazed at her with those eyes like galaxies, the cosmos that Erza wanted to find the farthest reaches of and belong to. Now and forever.

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

[deaegratia]

A walk on knight’s bread

During her stay there, Nenela learned to love Gridania. The sounds of the wind rustling through the trees, the many different people that lived there in (what seemed like) perfect harmony… The kind conjurers at Stillglade Fane, who helped her so much in her studies. The birds and the waterwheels and of course the kind Mother Miounne, who always had a kettle on to welcome back adventurers from the forest with a cup of tea and a treat. She loved it, and yet… It wasn’t her home. A time came when the conjurers guild had taught her all they could. Gridania would be fine without her. No, Ul’dah was where she was needed most. So she packed her bags, said her goodbyes, and followed the lumber line down south.

When she first made her way to the Shroud, it had been a relaxing carriage ride. On foot, however, the journey took quite a bit longer. Every day was another challenge. Don’t anger the antelopes. Try to avoid catching the attention of bandits. Most importantly, don’t get lost. Though Bahamut’s flames had razed down many of the trees, there were still plenty of places where the wood was like a labyrinth to her. Finally, after a week or so, the scenery began to change. No more trees, but vast stretches of dry land. Thanalan. How she’d missed this.

Highbridge had not existed for very long. Though it was build over a chasm that looked like it had been there for centuries, it was in fact only after the Calamity five years ago that the ground had split open and the bridge had been built. Its people were willing to give her a place to stay for the night, but not for free. If the adventurer wanted to stay, she’d have to do her part in defending the village from the Qirqin as well. Nenela didn’t waste a second and agreed to help them. After all, wasn’t this what adventurers did? To protect, to ease their pain. Surely she could help the Brass Blades stationed there to take on a few oversized rats.

A few, they’d told her. She’d believed them, right until she saw the hordes of beastmen arriving. No wonder the Blades were unable to prevent the villagers from getting kidnapped time and time again. There were so many, and they just kept coming. Nenela was struggling to even keep track of them. 

Wind, earth, water, none of it was enough to defeat them. Strike one down with a rock, another would pop up as yet another attempted to pick her up and carry her off to gods-knows-where. She’d hoped the Blades would offer more help, but as their number dwindled, they decided to cut their losses and abandon their post. And still the villagers would continue to cry out. She fought desperately, but a single Lalafell just wasn’t enough. Exhausted, she fell to the ground, barely even struggling as the bandits took her away. She’d been so close to home… It seemed fate had other plans.

Nenela didn’t know how long it had been since she passed out, but it had definitely been a while. The cave she was in was not like any other place she’d seen before. Judging by the temperature, she was still in Thanalan, but where? As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she noticed she was not alone. A group of a dozen people or so surrounded her, their hands bound and their faces solemn. Some were crying, others simply looked down in quiet acceptance of their fate.

“The lizards claim they will soon bring us before Ifrit for tempering. All of us are as good as dead…”

The girl looked up as that sudden proclamation echoed through the cave. In her groggy state, she had trouble understanding it, nor could she determine who had said it in the first place.

Ifrit… She’d heard that name before. ‘This place is hotter than Ifrit’s arse,’ or similar phrases about things being extremely warm. Nenela always thought it was simply something people said, not something that actually existed. And tempering? What was that supposed to mean? It sounded like something a goldsmith would do.

Lizards, however… Nenela knew very well what they meant by that. Amalj’aa. Though she had never actually seen any in the flesh, she knew who they were. Beastmen. They’d plunder and kidnap and – her eyes widened as her mind finally connected the dots – they worshipped Ifrit, the Lord of the Inferno.  Of course Qirqin wouldn’t simply kidnap anyone for no reason. They’d sold her and the other stolen villagers to the lizards. Tempering… was that simply a fancy word for kill?

She didn’t have long to think about that, as not long after that a few Amalj’aa entered, bringing in more prisoners. Big strong beasts, more muscle than bone, darker than the darkest coals and adorned with all manner of beads and jewelry. Lizards was too friendly of a word to describe them. They were monsters. The prisoners, on the other hand, were a much more welcome sight. Judging by their uniforms, they were Flame Soldiers. But then she looked at their faces. They were terrified as well. Perhaps it had been too much to hope they would be able to help her.

And then there were those three… A Miqo’te, and two Elezen. Adventurers? More experienced than her, if she had to make a guess. Instantly she felt a bit less embarrassed about getting captured. If people like them had gotten caught, no wonder she hadn’t stood a chance. Right now though, they were asleep. After the beastmen had left, she made her way over to the trio. Remembering her lessons at Stillglade Fane, Nenela deduced the lizards must have cast some kind of sleeping spell on them. A gentle (but firm) slap would likely be enough to wake them up.

The Elezen man bolted upright. “YesmomImgettingupIpromis- Oh.” It took him a second to realize he was not, in fact at home, but in the middle of an Amalj’aa stronghold. The Miqo’te girl slapped the back of his head in a playful manner. “David. Idiot,” she insulted him, though Nenela wasn’t sure if she meant it. The Elezen, on the other hand, woke up in such an elegant manner it was almost as if she had simply woken up from a nap instead of a magically induced slumber. “…Well. That could have gone better, but it seems we are still alive, so I’d call that a success.”

It was only then that they noticed the young Lalafell that had woken them. They introduced themselves as David, Amh, and Furiosa. They were kind enough, but they did not seem very willing to answer Nenela’s questions. How they had gotten here? “As you can see, most likely through that entrance over there. Though I would not be able to confirm it for you, on account of being asleep at the time,” said Furiosa. “Dumb luck, I guess?” said David. “Thancred late,” Amh said, frowning. Well, that was no use at all.

They sat there for a while, until an Amalj’aa broke the silence. “Rejoice, heathens, for your worthless lives shall soon have meaning!” It was time.

To think they were standing in front of a god. It wasn’t what Nenela had imagined at all. When she imagined the gods, they were kind and benevolent. Slightly different in their morals, perhaps, on account of having existed for eternity, but not too unlike the spoken races. But this… The Lord of the Inferno truly was the element of fire personified. Sharp claws, massive horns, and the smell. Like smoke and ash and burning flesh. Her eyes watered and she had trouble breathing. No, she told herself. If I am going to die, I will do so with dignity. There will be no crying today.

“O mighty Ifrit! We bring before You ignorant savages who know not Your godhead! If it please You, Lord, scorch their heathen souls with Your cleansing flame, and mark them as Your own!”

To serve a god that was not your own. To obey his will until the end of your days. Somehow, to Nenela, that sounded like a fate worse than death. In that moment, all she could do is pray. The gods had protected her once before. Surely they could intervene again? Had she not always been faithful? She ignored the tears stinging in her eyes. Please, I beg of you. Do not let him take me.

As she stood there trembling, she heard her fellow prisoners begin to chant. “Oh mighty Ifrit… My one true god… “ The girl waited for her turn, expecting searing heat that would burn her mind away forever, yet all that came was a gentle breeze, not unlike someone blowing on their soup, waiting for it to cool down. Except in this case, she was the soup, and instead of being set aflame she remained cool? She was too terrified to realize that metaphor was not making any sense.

The man, David, tapped her on her shoulder. “Hey… You said your name was Nenela, right?” The girl looked up and nodded. Neither he nor his companions seemed to show any signs of this weird tempering. “Lemme guess. You’ve been having visions, haven’t you?” Nenela wasn’t sure how he knew that, or how that was relevant, but she nodded again. Behind them, Ifrit was raging on and on about how their souls had been tainted and how they would burn for all eternity, but David remained focused and to the point. “Alright, listen Nelly. I’m gonna count to three. You’re gonna grab your cane, and you’re going to heal. I know it’s scary, but you’re gonna keep your eyes on me and you’re just going to do it. Can you promise me that?” She wanted to object, that they were facing a god, that he shouldn’t trust her to keep him alive because ohGodshesgonnaenduplikethatguyintheDeepcroft, and that her name was not Nelly, but in that instant, she realized she didn’t have much of a choice. A final nod, and he quickly ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry kiddo. This’ll be a walk on knight’s bread, I swear.” “What does that even mean?” “Oh, y’know… I’ll tell you when we get out of this alive!”

“Pray forgive my lateness!”

The blonde Hyur who had come running in along with members of the Bloodsworn was late indeed, for Ifrit had already been slain. He was about to congratulate the Scion adventurers on their first primal victory, when he did a double take. One, two… Four of them? He could have sworn there had only been three last time he checked.

“Too late,” grinned Amh, collecting her arrows to put them back In her quiver. Furiosa simply quirked an eyebrow as she wiped the ash from her daggers. David turned around, holding an unconscious Lalafell in his arms. “Say… You wouldn’t happen to have any Phoenix Downs with you, do you?” Thancred scrambled around in his pockets and handed a crumpled feather to the gladiator. “I see the festivities will have to wait, then. Come, let us retreat to more agreeable surrounds. Camp Drybone, shall we say?”

Part three of Tales from the Desert, this time for ‘Nenela fights her first primal”. Though you could also say ‘Nenela gets her butt kicked and never learns what the hell ‘a walk on knight’s bread’ means and then sort of accidentally becomes a Scion?”

David belongs to @thevantass

Amh belongs to @thewanderersminuet

Furiosa belongs to @alternis