Child of Magic | jerza

The Dark Knight [1]

Summary: An evil sorceress much more powerful than Erza enchants a statue to come alive. The statue is then ordered to kill King Faust. Prince Jellal decides to take things into his own hands and challenges the statue to a fight-to-the-death competition.

~ ~ ~

A woman stood in an almost empty corridor. Nothing was in it except for a single, black statue.

"Berbay odothay arisan quicken," the woman chanted. 

Coming alive, the statue turned around and knelt before the sorceress.

"Orith stargh," she said softly. "Kill Faust Fernandes."

~ ~ ~ 

"The crown prince requests all trainee knights to wear this," Macao said, handing us a red and gold headband with feathers and who-knows-what attached to it.

"You're kidding me!" Gray shouted, throwing the headdress to the ground. "Just 'cause it's his damn birthday doesn't mean-"

"Do you have to wear?" Gajeel grumbled, eyeing the colorful headdress with distaste.

"Nope!" Macao said, looking pleased. "I'm a senior knight."

"Whatever," I mumbled, putting on the headdress. I felt ridiculous. 

I will get my revenge later, Jellal.

~ ~ ~

"Today, as you all know, is my eldest son's twenty-sixth birthday," Faust announced, putting his hand on Jellal's shoulder. "And we shall celebrate the traditional way!"

"Long live Prince Jellal!" the crowd yelled.

The guests began helping themselves to dinner while Gray, Natsu, Gajeel, and I stood against the wall, looking ridiculous.

"Looking good, guys!" Jellal snickered, giving us a double thumbs-up. He strode toward us, his Fioran cape trailing behind.

Gajeel raised his fists. "Sire, may I please punch you?"

He laughed and whispered, "I doubt you'll get the chance."

Jellal turned to me. "Erza! Those peacock feathers really suit you!"

I copied Gajeel and raised my fists.

"Aw, c'mon," he chided. "I brought you guys a little gift."

He motioned to a cake sitting in the corner.

"For me?" Natsu asked, causing a chorus of annoyed sighs. 

"From the royalty section?" Gray mused, inspecting it carefully.

"Strawberry cake?" I asked eagerly.

"Yep!" he said, walking back to the long table where the Fernandes' royalty sat. 

"Alright guys," I said, taking charge. "We'll split the cake into fourths."

I cut myself a slice of cake and decided that Prince Jellal wasn't an idiot after all.

~ ~ ~

King Faust raised his goblet of wine and said, "Let us enjoy this party in honor of Prince Jellal!"

The guests raised their goblets and bowed their heads.

CRASH

A man dressed in all black came crashing through the window, riding a horse.

"Well, isn't that a fancy entrance," Natsu muttered, his mouth smeared with white frosting.

Everyone immediately stopped talking and looked at the king, as if this were part of the party.

I set down my plate of cake.

Something was wrong.

King Faust stood up and yelled, "And who do you think you are?"

The man, dressed in full armor, got off the horse and silently stood in front of Jellal. He threw his metal gauntlet at his feet. Immediately, one of the guards rushed into the room and stabbed the man from behind.

The stranger didn't budge. He simply stared at the guard as he pulled his sword out from the intruder's body.

"No one approaches the crown prince-"

The expressionless stranger straightened up and punched the guard, knocking him out.

"I was so sure that guard just stabbed him in the heart," Gray said aloud.  The nobles began to titter anxiously, rising from their seats in fear.

I nodded in agreement.

The armored man faced Jellal.

Jellal went forward and bent down to pick up the gauntlet.

"Don't you dare!" Faust thundered. "Do you know what it means when a man throws his gauntlet down?"

"No," Natsu whispered.

"It means he wants to challenge Jellal to a battle," Gray said. "If you pick up the gauntlet, that means you're accepting."

"Shut up, idiot," Natsu retorted, huffing angrily and crossing his arms. 

"I know. And I accept," Jellal said.

He picked up the gauntlet.

That stupid, arrogant fool.

~ ~ ~

"I swear that guard stabbed him!" I told Porlyusica. "It's as if..it's..magic.."

"I'm not surprised," the old woman said. "Faust has a lot of enemies."

"But why did he challenge Jellal?" I asked, pacing back and forth. He should've challenged Faust to a battle. Why Jellal?

Porlyusica shrugged, but I knew she was hiding something.

"And Jellal saw the man get stabbed with his own eyes!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in frustration.

Porlyusica grumbled, "That boy and his huge ego.."