Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 56 - Gazania

The mountains sloped down and opened up into a massive valley that was completely at capacity with the town below, damaged in some spots though it was. Once, the place would have been a marvel of the world, stretching from humble beginnings out into unending shopping districts, entertainment spots, and most notably, the biggest guild hall in all of Fiore.

The districts remained. The Empire could always use more of that, more people coming in and spending money. But in place of the several entertainment spots was a single building built upon the broken back of the strongest one left standing, and the rest were transformed into great black towers that shone a spotlight down at night to ensure curfew was met. And the guild hall?

Nothing more than a sunken ruin.

Still, the town was marvelous in its scope, in its ability to make one completely miss the splendid mountains around it, to have them forget they were in a pit of the world and remind them of their pride in where they lived. A grand road sloped down the mountain toward the town, along with smaller, more minute, roads leading through the mountain for various hill tribes to come in for trading.

Waves upon waves of nostalgia came on strong as Sting could only find the strength to utter, "Well. We're back."

"I hardly realized it," Rogue said. "Until I recognized some of the woodlands."

"Where that old bag of shit Jiemma used to train us," Sting said, softly.

Much of the forest had already been patched up after Jiemma had Sting, Rogue, Orga, and Minerva constantly trained away from town. Much though Jiemma probably didn't care for the well-being of others, he didn't want to impose unwarranted costs on the guild. It'd hamper their progress toward being the best.

"It looks just like how we left it," Rogue said.

Sting eyed the black watch towers. Well-manned.

"For the most part," Sting said.

Rogue side-eyed Sting. "Having second thoughts?"

"Considering a way in."

Their paths were few, minimal. Sting didn't get to know the town all that well, because most of his time was spent lounging in the guild hall, training, or coming in and out of the main gates hailed as a hero.

He, and Rogue, were the shining stars of Sabertooth, the once-greatest guild in all of Fiore. The strongest Dragon Slayers, the ones who accelerated Sabertooth's rise all the way to the top. Why would they ever not be championed all around the place?

It would likely have been largely the same if they'd returned to the town as Captains of the Dragon Division. The citizens would have to regard them as heroes.

Flags of the Twilight Empire hung off dozens of buildings. Modernity was coming for Gazania, wedging its way into the easy life so many had in town. The Empire wasn't merely present in the town; in much the way that Sabertooth once proved to be its lifeblood, the Empire took its spot.

Of course, Sting and Rogue had a great deal, inadvertently, to do with that.

"Can you sneak us through if we get closer?" Sting asked.

"We'll be recognized right away," Rogue said.

Everyone in town knew their faces. Though it'd been a little over three years, Sting and Rogue would not be so easily forgotten. No great wizard of Sabertooth would be.

"We'll figure it out," Sting said.

Thus far, they'd traveled off of many beaten paths.

If Frosch and Lector were anywhere, it wouldn't be on the main roads. They'd be hiding, sneaking around to not be caught. Kagura would never allow them to travel so openly.