Chapter 52

Wendy had to admit that she was fairly disappointed by how quickly her fight had gone and how much Erigor had underestimated her. It was not the first she was taken for granted and not the last it will happen. She is Wendy Marvel, a member of the dragon team and dubbed the maiden of the sky and one of the strongest members of her guild...the number one guild. Many know her name and of her capabilities yet they see the need to underestimate her, they look down on her all because she is a child? She can understand that it is sometimes hard to comprehend that a child can be stronger than most ȧduŀt mages, but she does not understand being treated as if she doesn't know how to tie her own shoes. She is strong and any who know that should know to proceed with caution, lest they want to end up like poor Erigor here. She is not an arrogant person, but she does not like to be treated like a child and have her strength ignored. She had worked hard to become as strong as she is, for she would not allow herself to be a burden to Archer and the rest. If she could not measure up to those considered strong, she does not believe she'll be of use to Archer and Erza when they would need her.

On that note, she considers Erigor for a moment. She knows him as a powerful wizard who many fear and she has defeated him as easily as she makes her breakfast in the morning. She has defeated someone considered strong with ease, so she should be proud, and she is. She's grinning before she understands it as she takes the man by the scarf and happily drags him off to Erza and Archer, who both stood overlooking the pile of bodies they had accumulated. She noticed Asher and Nero conversing about something, having long since taken care of any fool who dare approach them, and from what she could hear; their topic of conversation is the blonde who had recently joined them. It had her looking to said blonde with curiosity and interest. She had been the one to bring her to the guild and the one to know her the longest yet she has spent little time with her until now. She doesn't know much about her, safe for her apparent resentment towards men. Well, she wouldn't consider it as resentment for she is not bitter to every man she meets. It's just that she perhaps does not like how certain men treat her and that is very much understandable. They underestimate her as well, and no one likes that. Besides, she should not be underestimated because she is very skilled with those daggers alone. She also has some impressive magical knowledge and a great magic sense on top of incredible control of her magic. She seems pretty good at combat as well and has reflexes like a cat.

She also seems to itch for a fight sometimes, something that is shown when she beats the hell out of her guildmates with a grin on her face.

It is also seen when she stabs her knife into some poor man's side.

Wendy feels a bit bad for them after seeing the way she brutally took them down, but that pity was gone the minute she remembered how ċȯċky they were.

All because she's a pretty girl.

She doesn't get that. Why does being a pretty girl immediately mean that you can't handle yourself in a fight? What kind of misogynistic logic is that?

"Is he alive Wendy?" Erza had to wonder when Wendy dumped Erigor's unmoving form before her feet. Her question was met with silence as Wendy stared down at the body she had brought over as if she too was curious about his state of being. That just made Erza doubt even more, because if Wendy wasn't sure then he likely already shook hands with the one he wished he could be.

"That was very devastating" Archer appeared out of nowhere, sounding proud of the younger. Of course she is. She's always proud when Wendy defeats an opponent. "He's not dead, but he'll likely drown in his own blood"

"Splendid" Asher carelessly stepped on his body as she approached them with a smile that spoke volumes of her sadistic nature. Nero followed after her, glancing at Erigor with pity before exchanging sweet words with the young slayer. Lucy was the last to approach, smiling and happy with how well she had handled herself, although she was thinking of Wendy and how she handled the wind user. She could only imagine the type of pain he must be in

"Does the council want him dead or alive and will we get paid for delivering him and his entire guild as well as saving countless lives on top of retrieving something they carelessly misplaced?" Nero wondered to which Archer shrugged.

"We'll see how things go"

"Welp, that's their problem" Archer doesn't seem to care about the pay or their reaction when she refuses to return the flute. She had already told the old man that she would not be returning it, especially after he lost it. Especially after she told him it would be safer in her care. This man does not even know what goes on behind his back, he does not know of the deception and the betrayal that is taking place and will be taking place in the future and he does not heed her advice. He fears her, yet does not see the need to heed her words. What a stupid old man if she ever saw one. At least he's not the other one, he would've been something else.

"Archer and I will go to the council and you lot can return to the guild," Erza says after considering for a moment. Bringing Asher and Nero along seems like a terrible idea because the two can be as reckless as Natsu when they see the need and they can make enemies of anyone they meet. It's not that she fears what the council would do to them, it's that she's concerned about how things can unfold and what type of damage these two can cause.

"Afraid we'll kill someone, little knight?"

"Yes I am, Asher"

Asher doesn't seem surprised, instead, she wears a knowing smile even when she turns to part ways with the two.

"Come now children, we must return to the guild"

"Children?" Nero and Lucy's sound very much offended, but still, follow with little complaint. Wendy is left to watch them retreat before deciding to go with them as well. While she does want to go to the council she does not need to be there when Archer did something they do not like. Best not.

"Now then" a clap and Archer's walking off with a bounce in her step. Things went pretty well, although it was all very underwhelming. She had expected as much, but it was still disappointing. Still, she was happy to see that Wendy was so strong. She had known but it's different to see her in action, especially when Wendy is shown to have a rather merciless side. She didn't seem to care about Erigor in the slightest, even when she suspected that he may not be breathing. That's unlike the Wendy she had known, but very much like the one she had raised so she is beyond proud of her show of strength. Wendy deserves to be an S-class mage and she's sure she'll have that title soon enough.

"Where will you store the flute?" It's a valid question and one that has been on Erza's mind for some time now. Archer had said that she had wanted the flute for safekeeping yet she never said where she would be hiding it.

But sometimes you just can't stop the war, can you?

She wouldn't be here if that wasn't the case.

Terrible, really.

"And where are all the other dangerous stuff?" You'd think that after all these years and their newfound relationship that Archer would stop beating around the bush, but of course she kept her frustrating habit despite it all. It's not as frustrating now, Erza will admit to that, but she still thinks she does not need to be that way.

"With the dragons," Archer says as if it should've been the most obvious thing to figure out and when Erza takes the time to think on it, it kinda is. " They're in a completely different realm, one no one but us knows of and even if someone other than the chosen does know, they will not know how to enter this realm. And even if they manage that by some miracle they would have to face a horde of dragons"

It's the safest place to keep weapons of mass destruction and also the best place to hide should they need to. Archer had created that realm with much in mind next to keeping the dragons safe from Acnologia. It was an idea that struck her when she had recalled all the very cliche fics on Wattpad that almost always involved some dragon realm or another. She figured that if there truly was such a realm it would be good for everyone in the end. The dragons would be safe, the slayers would have their adoptive parents, and she'd have some powerful allies to summon. The dragons are also very knowledgeable and can be teachers to those of her guild when the time comes. They don't need to become slayers, she just finds that the dragons' guidance would be very beneficial to those who wish to become stronger in the use of their magic.

For example; Laxus would be that much stronger had he been trained by a dragon of his element.

That will happen sometime in the future, as for now, she'll let Laxus think he can take the guild before she slaps some sense into him.

"I'm curious to know how many dragons are in that realm" who wouldn't be?

It took her a great deal of time to create the realm and by then Acnologia had already killed off a good deal of the dragons. That was added to the fact that not all dragons wanted to align themselves with the Phoenix, apparently, they had some hate towards the creatures that were supposedly the most powerful. They didn't like the Phoenix for they didn't think to help them before, why should they believe them now?

Kinda stupid though, but somewhat understandable.

Still stupid though because they died when they could've just accepted her help.

There is no use dwelling on dead dragons.

~~~~~~~~

Doma was very much conflicted when Archer and Erza appeared in his office, both dragging bodies after them. Archer was smiling at him, mask removed and teeth on display and the old man had a terrible feeling in his gut. It is times like these that made him question himself and the decisions he had made that led to this point. He thought it a good idea to employ the phoenix and it is actually an amazing idea. She handles things swiftly and silently, bringing no attention to what does not need to be brought to light and punishing those that need to be punished. She is the best worker he has had since he became the chairman and he could only imagine how certain things would turn out differently without her.

Yet there was this constant fear of her snapping his neck, because he knew she could do so if she wanted to. He himself wondered why exactly she allowed herself to work with him for Phoenix do not interfere with mere humans. He could not understand her appearance in the world, he could not understand why she showed herself, he could not understand what she could possibly want. And there isn't just one of them, but two, the other an older sibling no less.

"I have returned, Grand Doma, and I come bearing gifts" she dumps Erigor at her feet with a grin. "Wanted criminal, no?"

Doma nods in agreement before looking to Erza who herself dumped a body before him.

"As am I, and so is the old man here," Archer says that, yet Doma couldn't help but feel as if she knew exactly how he had gotten the flute.

"And the flute?" He was hoping she would return it even if he knew deep down that she would be doing no such thing.

"Acquired" Archer holds out her hand and the flute materializes in her grasp. With its appearance came the eery presence that encompasses the weapon of darkness and destruction. "And as I've said before, I will not be returning it to you because clearly, you can not keep it safe. Had it not been for us, many would have been killed because of your carelessness"

Speaking to the chairman in such a manner would earn anyone else a death penalty right then and there, but this is Archer. What could the chairman possibly do to her? And she had a point even if the old man would never admit to it. He was careless. Things are happening right under his nose that he has no knowledge of, and while he's sure Archer knows every single detail he is just as confident in her ability to keep this information from him.

"I will question all who work here," he says after a moment of consideration and those words don't seem to satisfy Archer at all.

Erza looks at her with a question, one the phoenix immediately understands and silently promises to answer later.

"Do as you please, Doma. I got what I wanted so I won't be bothering you unless you need me"

With that Archer has decided that the conversation has come to a close for she was already approaching the door. Erza chanced a single look back at the old man, noting the way he slumped in his seat, his brow creasing in concern. She could practically see the gears turning in his head as he considers all who could possibly betray him.

"There's a traitor" Erza falls in step with the phoenix, brown eyes stuck to her as she awaits the answer. There is no need for her to reply, Era had pieced it together on her own.

"Of course you are not one of them"

"Naturally" she allowed a smile before covering her face with her mask when they entered a more public space. "I see and hear all"

It was a joke but Erza actually believed it. Archer does tend to know what she could not possibly have any knowledge of and Erza never took the time to question her on this. She doubts she would receive a concrete answer to the question should she ask it.

Archer opened her mouth to says something else, only to abruptly stop once she senses someone nearby, someone she had no good feelings towards and one she had always avoided when Erza was in her presence.

"Something wrong?"

Before she could reply to Erza's question, the very person she did not want to see came walking down the corner, a smile finding his face once he sees the both of them. Blue eyes first travelled to Erza, who stood stiff at his appearance before finding the red of Archer's own, her expression hidden behind her mask, but her displeasure was as clear as day.

"Hello, Erza" he adopted this sickening honey-sweet voice when speaking to the redhead, one Archer knew he used in purpose and one that always worked to start a fire under her flesh. "Archer" he smiled, innocently when looking to the phoenix, knowing exactly what he was doing and ċȯċky enough to believe Archer won't kill him for even looking at Erza the wrong way.

"Siegrain" Erza always had to remind herself that this man before her is not the boy she had known, not the boy that had changed for the worse and banished her, forcing her away from those she holds dear. She had to remind herself of this every time she saw him and she would have to fight the anxiety that would surface whenever he was near.

"I've heard of your latest exploits and must thank you for retrieving the flute," he says calmly, smiles still intact and eyes drifting slowly back to Erza. He was very aware of how uncomfortable she would get when around him, it made him smile even brighter. It's always good to see her, to know where she is and how she's doing, just waiting for the day he would lure her back to fulfil his plan. "I do hope you've returned it to Gran Doma"

Siegrain could only smile when they vanished before his very eyes, Archer having decided to leave as soon as possible before she actually does something reckless.

He chuckled darkly as he continued on his way, smile turning to a smirk as he thought of Erza, the little girl he had known all those years ago.

"Soon"