𝙏𝙃𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍 // 𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙮

// Change P.O.V //

"Well, well, well, what do I spy with my little eye?"

The sickening scent of sewage came over the group as that evil voice rang out from all around her, bouncing from the cavern walls. In a flurry of panic, Lakyn handed Minerva off to Yukino and backed the younger Slayers behind her.

"Show yourself, Rush," Lakyn glared.

A shadow lurched forwards on the ground and it stretched upwards, snapping and contorting into the form of a person.

A rather handsome, young-looking man with dark hair and piercing, yellow eyes. He was very broad-shouldered, and his stare pierced into Lakyn's own eyes.

"Lakyn Flaneur. Long time, no see," he grinned in an almost familial way, "why don't you come over and give me a hug?"
"What do you want with Sabertooth?" Lakyn ignored him.

"With?" Rush took a step forwards, "no, no. It's not what I want with Sabertooth. It's what I want from Sabertooth."

"Is it [Y/N]?" Lakyn spat.

"Well... yes, and no," Rush gave a gallic shrug, "she's a capable young lady, I will give her that. Heck, she gave me one hell of a fight when she took down our guild. I admire that in a woman."

Yukino cringed at his monologuing, clasping Minerva to her chest.

"What, then? You want to whisk her away to your secret base and make her your wife?" Lakyn hissed.
"If I wasn't unhappily married already, of course," Rush simpered, "what I truly want from Sabertooth is my daughter."
"A daughter?" Yukino gasped.

"Yes, a daughter. My daughter. My Novalee," the Shadow God Slayer spoke, "don't look so surprised. It was obvious, wasn't it?"
"Novalee... your daughter?" Minerva croaked.

"Oh, drop the act, Sabertooth! Where's all the glamour I've seen in the papers?! All the pizazz! Right now, it's downright gloomy," Rush snickered.

"Shut your mouth and give me a fight, then," Lakyn hissed.
"Oh. You don't look very much like a Sabertooth member to me, Lakyn," Rush said, "I wasn't speaking with you."

"Lakyn... it's fine, I—" Yukino started.
"No!" Lakyn cut across, "Yukino. This is a dangerous man. I won't allow you to cross him!"

"I wasn't speaking with you!" Rush repeated angrily, raising his hand back and smacked the back of it across Lakyn's face. She hit the wall and slid down it with a groan, instantaneously downed. Yukino stared on in terror at the man slowly advancing.

"Children... children, stay behind me," she whispered, herding the Dragon Slayers back.

"Oh? What's this?" Rush peered around her, "ahh, what a little predicament. Sting Eucliffe, [Y/N L/N] and Rogue Cheney, all in the wrong place, I see."
"Leave them out of this," Yukino hissed defensively.

"What will you do to stop me?" Rush reached forwards to brush his spindly fingers along her cheek. Minerva suddenly threw herself forwards, out of Yukino's arms, knocking the man down and going down with him. With what little strength she had left, she made an attempt to use her magic, which became futile when he used his own to bind her limbs together as Lakyn had done to Phyillida and throw her away like a piece of rubbish.

"Minerva!" Yukino yelped, eyes following the woman.
"Look at me, not her," Rush ordered, "what will you do now?"

Instinctively, Yukino's hand went down to the pouch on her belt where she kept her keys, only to find it empty.

"Looking for these?" Rush swung them on his finger.
"How did you..." Yukino swallowed.
"You should keep your guard up more," the God Slayer smirked, "my dear... I will make a compromise with you. Either, you can take me to my daughter, or you can hand over these little tiger cubs to me."

The Celestial Spirit mage was frozen in pure fear, unknowing of what to do. Both Minerva and Lakyn were incapacitated, she was without her keys and the only line of defence for Past Sting, Rogue and [Y/N].

"I won't do that," Yukino said determinedly.
"Oh?" Rush hummed.
"I am prepared to die for these children," she furrowed her brow.

"Are these children prepared to die for you, though?"

As he spoke, a tendril of shadow slunk forwards and wrapped around Past [Y/N]'s neck, lifting her upwards. It slowly carried her towards Rush.

"What a pretty little thing," Rush spoke.

"Take your hands off of her!" Past Rogue shouted, preparing himself into a defensive stance.
"Oh, what are you? Her little boyfriend? How laughable," the God Slayer sneered, "your magic will do nothing to me!"

Another tendril grabbed the young boy as well and lifted him, so both Past [Y/N] and Past Rogue were hanging either side of him, choking for air. Yukino teared up as her heart began to race. [Y/N] and Rogue would both die if their past selves were to as well.

"Maybe his won't... but mine will!" Past Sting yelled, "White Dragon's Iron Fist!"

He spun around into the air and slammed his fist into Rush's face. Despite the size of the teenage boy, Rush stumbled back at the attack that opposed his own magic.

"Ahh, that's right... the White Dragon Slayer," Past Rogue and Past [Y/N] vanished in a flash of shadows, "step out of my way, wench. This little bastard can try his luck against me."

When Yukino didn't move, a length of shadows raised and slapped her aside like a ragdoll. She cried out and slammed into the wall alongside Minerva and Lakyn, leaving Past Sting standing alone.

"Look at you. What a brave boy," Rush said, "I almost admire your courage, Sting Eucliffe. Standing up for not only your partner, but this girl you barely know. This girl from Fairy Tail, the guild that you despise."
"She's my friend," Past Sting said firmly, body emanating a bright glow.

"Although your magic has the ability to overcome mine... it works both ways. And as far as I'm concerned..." yet another tentacle wrapped itself around the blond boy's throat, lifting him from the ground, "I can overpower you quite easily."

And suddenly, Past Sting dropped with a thud as the tentacle severed in two. Rush gave a hiss and glanced around.

"Then why don't you pick on a Dragon your own size."