Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 35 - Crocus

Towering walls loomed in the distance far before Erza and the others even arrived at the gates. They were barren of any life around them, but with each step that brought them closer once the gates came in sight, they slightly opened more. So, Erza thought, whatever spy that'd been latched onto them probably got on ahead and leaked that Fairy Tail was arriving.

Or, she sensed, they hadn't even needed a spy.

The atmosphere around the city had an undeniable thickness to it. Nothing palpable or that she, with her magic ability, could touch. But the presence of overwhelming magic was clear, and it was bearing down on the Fairies. Wendy, the most sensitive of the group to that sort of thing, had been walking closer and closer to Erza as they approached, as a result. Natsu, Gray, Gajeel, and Elfman all had to stand a bit taller and prouder as if against it. Kip didn't seem bothered by it much, either.

He was in the back of the group with Gray and Juvia, still keeping to his cloaks. Erza stood alone at the head of the pack, hand resting on the hilt of the sword she'd clipped to her hip. She was thankful to have her armor on.

It was as if thousands of eyes attempted to pry into the minds of the Fairies, or just observe them and whatever actions they'd take. The massive towers at the edge of the wall, no doubt mere guard towers, drew Erza's attention in that regard. Brilliant lacrima caught daylight into the tower that surged power down and through the rest of the tower, possibly the wall itself, as there didn't appear to be a mechanism that opened the walls.

Above and to the east a bit, one of the high-speed trains ramped up the slope of the natural walls Crocus had. The rails soared into the air probably about a hundred, no two hundred, feet, to level with whatever station they were headed for in the city.

It was nearly impossible to see more of the city from their vantage point. Erza had skirted the edges of Crocus in her travels before and couldn't remember if the walls had always been this large. She was certain that the inlaid sigil, a symbol for the word Spriggan, was new. As was the carving in the wall: that of a young man in a flowing robe holding a single book.

"Zeref," Natsu said.

"Yeah," Elfman muttered. "I recognize that creep from Tenrou."

"It's incredible you've seen the Emperor," Kip muttered. "What, next you'll tell me you met Acnologia?"

The silence gave him his answer, and he sighed. Maybe he was regretting his choice of companionship after all.

The gates completed their opening sequence. A brush of cold stroked across Erza's cheek but didn't send a chill through her bones as it did Wendy, the Exceeds, and Kip. Gray joined Erza at the head of the pack, surprisingly still wearing his clothes. Even his breath was visible in the overwhelming chill that emanated from the well-dressed man who pushed his spectacles up to greet the Fairies.

He stood at the precipice of the city's entrance, icicles flecking away from the walls as if they had to react to his magic.

"Welcome," he said, at last raising his gaze to match the Fairies. "To Crocus, capital of the Twilight Empire in Ishgar. It's an honor to meet more members of the vaunted Tenrou Island survivors. My name is Invel, the Winter General of the Twilight Empire."

More.

So, Invel had likely already met Lucy. That made sense; she was a valuable asset to them in Clover Town, no doubt this wizard had a similar interest that Axel had. Hopefully not so similar, but Lucy was one of the few Celestial Spirit Wizards. Any would want to meet her, study her.

"I am Erza Scarlet," Erza said. "My friends and I have come to complete the Grand Magic Games."

"Incorrect," Invel said. "You and Natsu Dragneel are here to complete the Grand Magic Games."