Land of the Ashen: A Dark Fairy Tail

First Fight

I know I am a horrible human being, I didn't update yesterday and its really late today, so I don't think you can count it!!!! I am so sorry, I was just so busy! Usually I try to update everyday or every other day, but there are some times it doesn't work out that way, please don't hate me...

I dedicate this chapter to FlamesxKeys!

Thanks for all your amazing support!

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"We have your parings." Gramps tried to change the subject back to the reason they came.

"Yes...sorry." Lucy wiped her final tears and sat back in her chair.

"The two of you will be fighting a powerful duo, their names are Zane and Winter. One is S-Class and the other is high E-Class, their magic is speed and weather. So this is a perfect battle for your, their number is 150 and your was 149, so this will be interesting." Grams explained with such a relaxing tone it seemed to annoy Natsu.

"Thank you Master, what field will be in?" She asked, politely as if he wasn't just sending them to their deaths.

"Field number 230." He smiled as they exited the canopy tent.

"This is insane..." Natsu muttered as they weaved threw many other tents of commanding officers and intellectuals.

"Yep, it is. But isn't everything?" Lucy lead him threw the maze.

Natsu just shrugged, he would much rather be on his own. Thats how he always was, but did he really like it that way? This was his first time to be with actual people in a long period of time.

When they emerged from the city of tents there was a wide, vast field of grass. But ruins of what looked liked it was once a beautiful capital lay in every conner, scattered across the land. The sun barely showing threw the hazy clouds above, but this didn't take away from its appearance at all. Then he turned to take in more of the sight to be horrified, it had seemed that only that spot he looked was left alone. Everywhere else the land was beaten, scorched, torn down. He could feel the pain of all the dead shrubs as they lay shriveled. This field of death went on as far as his eye could see, far to the right and past that. These were the battle fields.

"Natsu, our field is over here." Lucy's voice snapped him out of his mental trance.

"How many fields are there?" He asked.

"I'm not really sure, since we only get random numbers. But the largest number I've gotten has been 1,457."

"No way! They go that high?!" His jaw dropped.

"I'm sure it goes higher than that. The bigger the number, the further into Parasaph territory you have to go. Luckily for us today we are still in Fiore, but who knows about tomorrow."

"Huh?"

"This field is the boarder between Parasaph and Fiore, the battling fields are on both sides. Half on each kingdom, but the rules are the same. The bad news is, if you are defeated on the other side there is a small chance they will take you." Lucy's face turned sad.

"Wait what?! They cant do that!" Anger filled him, they couldn't just take people because they didn't win a petty fight.

"Yes they can, its their kingdom Natsu. Why do you think we are at war with them?" The kept walking threw the barren fields. A few times they past people in heated battle, but they didn't even notice us.

"No, I have no idea why were are in this silly war, why all these mages are being taken, people killed, kidnaped. Why is it, what is the reason for doing all this?!" He shouted in the air, mostly at no one.

"To tell you the truth, Natsu. I don't know, they wont tell us. Only the council knows." Lucy, sighed sadly.

"The council...well, whats their problem?!"

"Natsu! Do not speak ill of the counsel! Not because I am on their side, but if people hear you, they can charge you with blasphemy!" She covered his mouth, looking around frantically. "Got it?"

He nodded in response.

"We should get to our field now, come on." Lucy turned around quickly and walked swiftly in front of him.

After a few more minutes of awkward silence, Lucy stopped.

"This is it."

"How can you tell?" He asked, shocked.

"Right here, on this stone it had the number 230." She pointed down to a small boulder at her feet.

"Oh..." Natsu felt stupid, but then again it was his first time.

"Finally you are here, you two too, forever!" A husky voice sounded a little ways away from them.

Both Natsu and Lucy gazed upon their opponents standing before them. A male and female, both tall with slender strong built bodies. The female had long silver hair and blue eyes, she wore simple, ragged brown clothes. With a bracelet of silver on her wrist. The male had torn black rags, as did they all, his his were loose and baggy. He had brown hair and green eyes.

"They don't look hard, in fact easy!" Winter, the white haired female, laughed, but it sounded more like a mocking howl.

"Your right, since we were waiting for so long, it would only be fair if we would be first to make the first move." Zane bowed in acceptance.

"Like we need gestures of kindness for the likes of you!" Natsu puffed.

"Natsu-" Lucy warned in his ear, he turned, she shook her head.

He couldn't get too cocky with his new found abilities, all though he had them the whole time, he just now found out how powerful they really were. Also he had never used them in real combat, nevertheless this would be a formidable battle.