Fairy Tail: The Red Swordsman

Chapter 6 - Time to go

A deep guttural voice emerged through the snow storm, *sniff* *sniff*, "Human, I smell human".

The floor of the cave began to rumble as the Vulcan's caught scent of him and started their approach.

"How many are there?", Lexios asked, a sense of urgency in his voice. His body still aching from the battle with the dragon and losing control of his power only made things worse, nevermind the freezing ice trap he had got himself caught up in had stiffened his muscles.

"Atleast 20, maybe more. It's difficult to tell through the blizzard but get ready."

Lexios stepped back and raised his arm. "REQUIP! Lightning God Armour!" he cried, his voice echoed around the room. But something was wrong.

"What's going on? Why is my magic not working?", he turned to Azrael with a perplexed expression as the cries of the Vulcan stampede edged closer.

"It makes sense now", Azrael spoke, the tone of his voice bestowing great understanding, as if he was finally able to put pieces of a puzzle together which had long evaded him.

"The sword, it must stockpile magic. Just like I told you before, great power can only be gained from great power. That must be why you are unable to use your magic, it has merged with the sword, similar to when my power was sealed away."

Just wonderful Lexios thought to himself. I have already lost everything that mattered to me and now I no longer have my magic and just to top it all off, the sword had been left behind in Crocus during the chaos.

"What am I supposed to do? I have no magic and I no longer have the sword. I have no way to fight these monsters", his voice beginning to crack with worry.

Azrael's eyes scanned the room as he attempted to find a solution. A way out perhaps? Something to use as a weapon to open up a chance to escape? With all his celestial wisdom he struggled to conjure up an escape plan. But just then, as he was on the verge of telling Lexios to run as fast as he could an idea came to him.

Azrael turned swiftly towards Lexios. For the first time he felt some urgency from the angel. Was he concerned for his safety?

"Listen Knight, the sword has chosen you, only you are worthy enough to wield it. Summon it. Call to it just as it called to you when you fought the dragon".

"How? Does it even work that way?", Lexios said looking unsure. Everything had happened so fast. One moment he was just a Knight, a protector of this realm, but now he was caught up in events far beyond comprehension.

"Just do it! Quickly, they are almost here!", Azrael cried.

The cave flooded with the mass of ape-like monsters, surrounding Lexios as they cackled and gibbered. The Vulcans formed a circle around Lexios, moving in a circular motion like clock hands.

"Hmm, human. You'll make a lovely new meat suit", one of the Vulcans spoke up licking it's lips. A beady eyed hunger was apparent in it's gaze as it eyed up Lexios. The other Vulcans babbled like a flock of chickens, each confessing their intent to takeover this lonesome human for themselves, while they pushed and shoved one another.

Lexios stuck out his arm once again to call out to the sword. He closed his eyes, the muscles in his neck bulged as he strained as he attempted to reach into the depths of his mind, searching for some innard, telepathic connection that possibly connected his body to the sword. But there was nothing. No feeling of a hidden power ready to awaken. Maybe it only had the basic functional capabilities like your typical common sword does.

With no options left Lexios opened his eyes and raised his gaze towards the herd of Vulcans in front of him. I guess there is no going back now.

He smiled with a devilish grin, "Who's first?".

The monster who spoke up previously stepped forward into the circle which now formed a fighting ring. Lexios smiled as he remembered his early days before he rose through the ranks of the royal guard. The rookie soldiers use to get together at the barracks and bet on fights for some extra money. A ring would be made up of onlooking soldiers who waited their turn to step into the ring. As a youngster he showed excellent combat potential both with a sword and with his fists. He had always been younger than the other knights and his naivety often led to him being persuaded into fighting. The crowds were often wild, shouting insults at the fighters who threatened there purse and yelling words of motivation to their prized fighters. It was not too dissimilar to his current situation he thought.

"I cannot wait to try you on", the Vulcan's evil eyes still hungry for human flesh.

"I'd like to see you try. Bring it.", Lexios taunted with his outstretched arm which beckoned the monster to attack him.

"Aaaarrrghhh!", the Vulcan charged at Lexios. The monster launched itself into the air, raising it's arms up together forming them into a muscular club. The club arced through the air toppling down towards Lexios like a collapsing tower. He managed to roll and evade the attack at the last second, the monsters ape-like arms brushing his flowing maroon locks, causing his hair to hang loose blinding his line of sight. As the creatures arms crashed into the icy surface of the cave, Lexios turned, projecting as much strength into his frost-stiffened legs. He propelled his body into the monster's side, knocking it into the nearest group of savage bystanders.

Being pushed back into the ring, the Vulcan growled as it locked eyes with the Knight once more. In a fire-filled rage, the monster threw a large right hook at Lexios who moved to his left, dodging the collosal fist before throwing a left hook of his own into the Vulcans abdomen. As the Vulcan clutched it's stomach in pain Lexios rose up, hitting the creature with a flurry of jabs to the arms before connecting with it's right temple.

The creature stumbled in an obscure circular motion before collapsing to the ground. The mass of roaring onlookers became silent as they looked to one another in shock.

"Bastard!", he groaned, shaking his fist to relief the pain from hitting the rock hard skull of the creature.

A slow, gentle clap rang from behind the ring of monsters. "Not bad Knight, I'm impressed", Azrael said with a grin of appreciation.

"The human put down the Boss? No way", the monsters muttered between them.

"You'll pay for that human!", the crowd growled as the circle tightened on Lexios.

He let out an exasperated breath as he whispered to himself, "Oh shit".

The monsters leaped towards Lexios like a hurricane of flying monkeys. They were on him in an instant, large jabs and kicks flew in from every direction. Lexios tumbled to the ground from the barrage of monstrous attacks, his body toiling in agony.

"Arrrggghhh!", he cried out in pain. He was completely surrounded, there was no way out now he thought to himself as he laid on the ground buried in rage-filled body's.

"Call the sword!", Azrael called out, "Forget what has happened, I know things have not worked out the way you would have hoped. Life does not always work that way but you have been chosen for a reason. You can do it! You are worthy Lexios!".

He was not totally sure what exactly but those words seemed to awaken something within him. He could feel an aura of magical power; a connection to the sword?

Amidst the flurry of kicks and punches, Lexios fought through the pain to call out, "I... AM... WORTHY!".