Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 21 - Crime Sorciere Appears

Elfman's Lizardman moved with the force of a train, barreling right down at Erza. No sweat slicked down Elfman's scales but the wear and tiredness was clear in his face. Erza's eye twitched at the bruise on her leg as she braced herself and summoned a shield out of her armory. Elfman swung, aiming at the shield.

Just as Erza hoped.

Lurching to the side, she avoided his attack and Requiped into her Black Wing Armor. Elfman recovered fast, swinging his arm up to try and block Erza's attack but her swing cast a magic arc that slammed into Elfman's side and sent him hurtling into the far wall. Erza landed lithely, Requiping into her Clear Heart Armor. She twirled her blade in hand before landing.

Elfman maintained his Lizardman form. He'd held it for far longer than Erza anticipated, and when his hits were able to land on her, they hurt. The craters pocking the arena ground weren't caused at all by Erza. He'd almost eradicated it, making the task of fixing it for the next match a tall one.

But, Erza figured, there was power and then there was powerful speed.

Erza flared her wings. She had strength enough to fight him head-on, but if she were to be caught in his grasp she'd be in a world of hurt.

Elfman took a step toward her, then, collapsed in a heap. His body unconsciously transformed to the hulking man they all knew and loved. Erza maintained her armor set but did away with her sword as she approached her friend. The announcer overhead declared her the winner, but, curiously, did not mention or hype her fight to come against Wendy the following day.

The big lug grunted and got to a knee. Erza helped him up the rest of the way.

"That was a good fight," Erza said.

"It was very manly," Elfman said. "I thought I had you there for a while."

"You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Elfman," Erza said. "Your ability to shift through forms at a fast pace is absolutely marvelous. Even Mira would be jealous."

Elfman failed to hide his blush. "You think so?"

"I do. If she's watching, she's smiling at you right now."

A wellspring of relief spread from Elfman. Erza stayed with him while the two limped out of the arena, where the announcer did proclaim an extended break so they could properly address the structural damage done to the arena as well as give the crowd a break between fights.

She helped him to the infirmary ward, where Wendy happily greeted him. Since she was unable to provide magical healing to herself, she was beholden to whatever medicines and aid the Empire had at their disposal. Elfman, too, would need to rely on that while Wendy got her strength back.

"And you?" Wendy asked. "Are you okay, Erza?"

"I'll be okay," Erza said. "I would rather get back to the stands with Gray and Lucy for the next round of fighting."

Wendy smiled and nodded. Erza bid them farewell and stepped out of the infirmary.

Each time she left one of her friends behind there, she feared something would happen. That the medicines would be a trap and they would try to take the Fairies and kidnap them for something. Her face never betrayed such fears, nor did her actions. She knew better than to give the Empire a single edge against them, particularly while Lucy, nightly, fraternized with Axel.

Erza strolled through the arena, catching the gaping look of more than a few attendees. They called her by her real name, and then by her assumed name: Titania. At that, she was forced to look at who called out to her, and often, it was a despondent soul. A hopeful one.