Dying Country

The Scavenger of the Dead
For as long as he could remember, he was alone. His earliest memory was loneliest, surrounded by metal bars preventing his freedom. From when he openned his eyes, when he first got a taste of life, he only knew metal and fire, he became accostumed to the smell of metal and soot, and his body became resilient and unflinching from the amount of burns he would suffer. But, from that experience he got a glorious gift, the gift of craftsmanship, blacksmithing, and a taste for murder, with a spark of hatred to drive him.

Hawk Song was the first name he was addressed by, the first time he was addressed as a human, as a sentient being. He felt compassion, but it was artificial. As he grew, he realized Songbird's love and affection was all artificial towards him, grooming Hawk into an assassin who would follow him, what Sasha eventually became, his poor, dear sister fell to their father's cruel lies. Hawk was smart, he would say, he could see beyond those lies and hollow promises.

Scavenger was the second name he got, a more simple and true to form name. He put on a mask, armor, and picked up swords. From then he picked up magic from a lost mage, in exchange for saving his life. Unfortunately, the mage was a delivery, so the promise was temporary. Not false. Temporary. Eventually, being hired by Wight and becoming his most prized assassin and mercenary got him an armor of pure Orichalcum, the hardest material in the world. A chest piece, gauntlets, leg guards, and a helmet, as well as Phantom Swords, a pair of hilts that erect an energy beam.

He stepped on top of a pile of corpses, assassins and ninjas who attempted to kill Wight's dog. A valiant effort, but a bit more oomph would have given them a better chance. Scavenger stepped down, stretching his arms "Just need to reach the top..." Scavenger said, staring at the tallest building in the city, its tip nearly reaching the clouds, or so they'd say, being called the Tower of Heaven. A rather insensitive but fitting name considering the inspirtation.

"Hey..." Francesca said, clutching onto her arm as she bled "You...you think we're done...?" She struggled to stand, bleeding profusely.

"Boss..." Maxy stood infront of Francesca as a sort of human shield, her artificial metal arm destroyed and cut off, the metal melting from an intense heat "Hawk, stop. You're just doing something stupid!".

"Stupid? Maybe..." Scavenger shook his head "No, ambitious, perhaps! No, that doesn't work either..." Scavenger began walking towards Maxy "What would you call a strong, unhinging desire to kill an entire country with a horrific poison, just to make it repent for its sins?" He asked Maxine, sounding completely calm and composed, right infront of Maxine.

Maxine stood straight, staring directly into Scavenger's eyes, before flashing a grin "You're still weaker than Amon.".

Maxine suddenly vomitted blood, beginning to bleed profousely from her mouth. Scavenger stayed still, only erecting his Phantom Sword's energy beam directly into her stomach, through her spine "Well...that's just your opinion." Scavenger calmly replied, pulling out his sword, causing Maxine to fall on the ground, squirming in pain, clutching her stomach as the wound got lacerated from the blade's heat. Scavenger walked up to Francesca, gripping his sword's hilt "And you? Anything to add?".

"Songbird should've left you to rot!" Francesca angrily shouted at Scavenger, getting up and grabbing him by his cloak "You...you're just...!" Francesca began coughing, her breathe weakening, the brutal glow from Scavenger's blade making its way through her chest "You're..." Francesca's body gave in, falling on the ground, no blood dripping from her wound due to the lacerations.

"You could at least finish your sentences..." Scavenger mockingly said, walking back over Maxine "Well, I'll leave you here, Maxy." Scavenger said in a taunting manner "Don't worry, you'll either die of hunger or the poison, whichever hits first.".

"You can't be serious...!" Maxine said, struggling to speak through the pain "No amount...of poison gathered by you can kill this country...!".

"Exactly." Scavenger said "I can't...Which is why! The clouds will help me." Scavenger pointed at the sky, the rainy clouds "It rains almost everyday, but these clouds never leave. I am going to drop a layer of darkness, and suffocate the land, and leave no creature alive, not even a mouse.".

"That's...not possible..."

"It's a world of magic. Anything is possible. Even country-wide genocide.".

The Moon Through the Clouds
Amon stared at the sky, seeing the full moon peek through the clouds "...The moon looks nice tonight." Amon said, seemingly lost in the moon's beautiful lunar lights contrasting with the damp and dark clouds. He stood among the rain, as Erza and Racer were just finishing whatever urgent news he had. He zoned out, still trying to get over all the recent events that just took place. More so his own actions than others.

"Amon, are you listening?" Racer called to Amon, snapping him out of his trance "We have to stop Scavenger. Otherwise, the country and everyone in it will die.".

"..." Amon stayed silent for a bit, looking at the highest point in the city, the skyscraper, Tower of Heaven. He knew that's the best point for the poison he was preparing, the Cloud Poison. The poison was made illegal due to its deadliness. A magical poison that binds itself to the clouds, making them solid, heavy objects that unleash a gaseous poison once they hit the ground. It was a brilliant and deadly attack. If the cloud is attacked, it would just release the poison earlier, and make it land faster, but with less gas. The cloud would have to be destroyed while it is still in the sky for the minimum amount of deaths to occur.

"Are you okay?" Erza asked Amon, noticing his expression was rather stoic, dim, despite the shocking news "If you're not feeling well, you can return to Necro. I'll take care of this.".

"No. I'm fine." Amon said "I can teleport us right to the tower. It'll...be easier travelling for you." Amon turned to Racer "You coming?".

"Unfortunately, no. You two will be more than enough." Racer replied "I have to return to everyone else, make sure they're fine. You, I don't have to worry about too much, or as much as I do about them.".

"We understand. Go, quickly." Erza said to Racer, who nodded in reply, leaving the umbrella with the two as he sped up, leaving a gust of wind following him "Okay, Amon, take us to the tower...Amon?".

"...Do I...want to save Bosco?" Amon asked himself, staring at the tower, before staring at the moon again "I don't think I'm quite over it yet.".

"Amon, don't do this now." Erza said to him "I understand you have a grudge to bear against the people and this country, but not everyone is to blame! What about all the slaves still alive and suffering? The children who know no good or evil? Aren't they worth saving?".

"I-...We save the country, and then the slave go free?" Amon asked in return "It's not that...good to stay alive, I'd imagine.".

"..." Erza had no reply, looking in disbelief for a moment, before lighting up with confidence again "Do you want to let this country die then? Or just its people? Like Lynda, or Black?".

"...Hm." Amon turned his gaze from the moon to Erza, putting his hand on her shoulder, teleporting the two of them atop the Tower of Heaven building "I'd be a bad little brother if I let Lynda down..." Amon said, avoiding eye contact as he did, to which Erza smiled in response.

"Oh, Arachno died?" Scavenger said, extending his arm to the sky, as a black mist seeped out of his arm towards the clouds "I didn't expect much from him anyway...".

"You!" Erza threw the umbrella away, summoning a pair of swords in her hands "Stop this instant! Lest we cut off your arms and put you down where you stand.".

"Ohhh, threatening." Scavenger mockingly retorted "What else? You're going to handcuff me and take me to court? Don't make me la-..." Scavenger was suddenly interrupted by Amon's hand coming into contact with his face, smashing his head into the floor.

"I grow tired of your voice." Amon said, beginning to crush Scavenger's head, or so he tried. Every push made him chuckle, as the orichalcum was too tough for him to bend.

"Hahaha! Idiot!" Scavenger grabbed Amon's armed, stabbing him through the chest with his other free hand gripping his Phantom Sword "Orichalcum isn't a weakling's alloy! It is that of victors!" Scavenger exclaimed, as Amon coughed blood, quickly picking up Scavenger and throwing him at Erza.

Erza rushed at Scavenger, requipping her Heaven's Wheel Armor "One-Thousand!" She declared, surrounding herself with blades, slicing Scavenger a multiple times with all of them, swinging back and forth a 'thousand times', the wind pressure from her attacks reaching other buildings in the surrounding, slicing through the walls like wet paper.

"Fun." Scavenger said, landing safely on his feet, and extending his hand towards Erza, striking her square in the stomach, pushing her back by a few meters "But, kinda weak." He tore off what remained of his cloak, revealing himself to be fully decked with orichalcum gear, complete with gauntlets, shoulder guards, a helmet, chestplate as well as boots "You'll never break through this unbreakable defense of mine. Try, try and try, but nothing is going t-..." Once again, Scavenger was interrupted by being struck in the back by Amon with an open palm, before striking a second time, the two consecutive strikes created a shockwave blast through Scavenger, breaking the glass of the building's windows. The first strike lifted Scavenger from his feet, the second allowing the shockwaves to transfer throughout his body, even through his armor, which, of course, Amon didn't plan.

He just wanted to hit Scavenger.

Scavenger was sent flying towards Erza from Amon's attacks "Would you let me finish a sentence?!" Scavenger angrily said, stabbing the ground with his Phantom Sword, the energy blade cutting through and slowing him down. From behind, Erza leaped, requipping her Purgatory Armor, slamming her mace against his back, but the armor held well against it, not a scratch on it. The armor pressed against Scavenger, and weight from Erza's attack, hunched him over.

He swept to the side, allowing Erza to hit the floor, causing Scavenger to take advantage of this, swinging at her, to which she retorted by raising her mace to block.

Amon grabbed the blade with his black blood coated hand, preventing him from losing his fingers "Hawk, do you remember what I always told you?" Amon said to Scavenger, raising Scavenger's sword away from Erza "You will never beat me. You're just a weakling.".

"Haha..." Scavenger pulled out a secondary Phantom Sword, hidden underneath his armor, swinging at Amon from the side "I'm not that brat from ten years ago!".

Erza deflected Scavenger's sword swing, her sword melting from the head, but the impact still landed "Amon, don't forget you're not fighting alone!" Erza said, planting her foot in the ground, summoning a new sword and striking Scavenger with enough impact to send him flying off the building into a smaller, nearby building rooftop.

"Huh." Amon said, removing the black blood from his arm "Thanks.".

"You need to learn to fight together with me. We won't win if you keep rushing ahead like that." Erza said to Amon.

"Sorry...".

Scavenger suddenly rose from the rooftop, wings of darkness carrying his body "Hmph!" He charged at the two, spinning forward with both swords "I will color the skies red!" Scavenger exclaimed, Amon putting his hand on Erza's shoulder and teleporting both out of the way, as Scavenger's double swing sent energy slashes, travelling through the entire top of the Tower of Heaven, and continuing forth to stab through multiple more buildings until hitting the ground "Running away, are we?!".

"Erza, can you fly?" Amon asked Erza.

"Ah, yes!" She replied, requipping her Black Wing Armor "Wait can you control your flight?!".

"...Buy me a bit of time, please." Amon asked of Erza, who nodded in reply, flying at Scavenger, clashing blades with him. "Right." Amon clapped his hands together, focusing his Black Blood in his body "I need to willfully trigger the transformation, or atleast just the wings...Just give me the wings!" Amon suddenly fell on his wings, the pain surging through his body "W-...Wait, does it have to...hurt...?!" Amon began clawing at the stone floor, his nails extending into claws and stabbing through them.

"Amon?!" Erza said in concern, looking back at Amon who was clearly in pain, before blocking a swing from Scavenger, pushing her back a fair distance.

"Focus on the battle at hand!" Scavenger said, smiling under his helmet as he rushed at Erza, the two clashing swords again "I wonder how brilliantly your hair will burn against my blades." Scavenger maliciously said, pushing up against Erza's single sword "Will you bleed me a crimson as brilliant as your mane, O Lioness?".

Erza pushed him back, her sword's blade being cut in half "Gah..." Erza grunted in irritation, throwing her sword at Scavenger, who effortlessly deflected it, before blocking Erza's following attack with two swords "While I appreciate the comparison, a Fairy is more accurate. Fairy Queen to be precise.".

"Cute." Scavenger said, headbutting his helmet against Erza's head "Now scream!" He roared, but his joy was cut short by a hand pulling by the back of his head, pulling him away from Erza and throwing him through a building, and into the ground.

"Gah...!" Amon grunted in agony, flapping his demonic, bat-like wings, his flesh gone pitch black, with his scars now being highlighted as white markings that grew and extended like tribal markings, the ones on his neck in particular extended and "sliced" through his eyes, while his hair simply extend in length, reaching the middle of his back. The markings seemed to almost mimic veins, or a skeleton, in particular th ones on his chest resembled a ribcage, while the back a spine, with spikes extending from the sides. A tails prouted from the middle of his back, seemingly grown from his spine, while his eyes became pure red, his teeth becoming sharp and deadly fangs "You do not know how much this hurt...".

"...Amon?" Erza said, taken aback by Amon's demonic appearance "This is...uhm." She struggled to find the right words.

"I'm horrifying aren't I...?" Amon said, distraught "It's fine! It's fine...I understand. This is kinda freaky..." Amon's train of thought was cut short by Scavenger flying inbetween the two, extending his arms and swinging at both. Amon blocked with his arms, the blade struggling but slowly makings its way through his shell, while Erza used her two swords at once.

"You two are a nuisance! But also failures!" Scavenger cackled, pulling his weapons away, flying up higher into the clouds.

"Failure...?" Erza muttered "...! The poison!" Erza exclaimed, as she and Amon followed suit, flying higher eventually going above the clouds, seeing the moon clearly, where there was no rain to get into their eyes. Its white glow beautifully reflecting against their eyes, Erza's armor and Amon's demonic shell.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Scavenger said, catching the attention of the two "The moon...it has a nice glow to it. It's a nice thing to see before dying, wouldn't you say?" Scavenger said, inviting the wrath of Erza, who clashed swords with him, the impact sending the clouds apart, allowing the citizens, assassins, Rune Knights and ninjas to gaze into the full moon "A bit overdramatic, don't you think?".

"You will take no one's life. Not a single soul!" Erza roared, distancing herself from Scavenger "We will make sure of that.".

"Hahaha!" Scavenger laughed "If you haven't noticed, not a single scratch is on my body! I am immune to all forms of attack! I am INVINCIBLE!".

"That's a funny word for an idiot." Amon said, turning to Erza "I have an idea..." He said, leaning and whispering into Erza's ear, as she perked up, grinning and nodding with him "Right.".

"What are you planning?" Scavenger said "Don't tell me you have a brilliant plan.".

"Maybe." Amon said, suddenly grabbing Erza's wrist, spinning around, and throwing her at Scavenger, who reacted by attempted to block. Erza requipped her Adamantium Armor, closing the giant shield, and smashing into Scavenger, and against his swords.

"Quick...Amon! Before I fall!" Erza thought to herself, trying to keep her wait on Scavenger and not fall off. Meanwhile, Amon flew behind Scavenger, slipping his claws through the cloth and in the gaps between Scavenger's armor that bound it together, tearing off the armor, the chains holding the chestplate breaking.

"Orichalcum is unbreakable, but it's not your flesh!" Amon declared "Erza! Take him back down!".

Erza grinned, releasing her shield, stepping on top of it as it pushed against Scavenger further.

"N-...No!" Scavenger said, his tone exchibiting fear "My...my invincible defense!".

"Purgatory Armor." Erza said, a tower of darkness forming right behind the shield that seperated between Scavenger and her. She raised her mace upwards "I don't usually condone misfortune but...I'll make an exception for you. So please, crash." Erza calmly said, and with all her strength, struck the shield, and by extension, Scavenger, sending him rocketing down like a bullet, going through the clouds, and crashing through the Tower of Heaven building, straight to the very bottom, creating a crater that caused the entire structure to collapse on top of him. "Whew...!" Erza said, returning to her normal Heart Kreuz Armor, as Amon swiftly caught her on his back.

"Ha! We did it!" Amon said, sounding joyful.

"We did, huh." Erza said, smiling back at Amon, wrapping her arms around his neck to get a good grip. "Doesn't this burn magic power?".

"This...?" Amon was confused, before realizing she meant his demonic form "Oh! Uh...nah, not...nah...I don't...I don't think so?" He replied.

Erza merely chuckled, before looking at the full moon "The moon really is nice tonight.".

Amon looked at the moon as well, appreciating its glow "Yeah, it is..." Amon concurred "Though, personally, I prefer a wintery moon on a snowy day, you know? Adds to it.".

"Yeah...".

Amon's eyes suddenly widened feeling a burning sensation in his chest. He gazed down, seeing a red blade going through his chest from behind. In horror, he flew away, adjusting himself to see Scavenger back into the sky, his wings of darkness expanded into a larger scale "Hawk?!...Erza!" Amon turned his gaze to Erza, who was bleeding from her mouth, the blood dripping down her chin.

"I'm...I'm fine...! He missed my...my vital organs...!" Erza said, coughing up blood into her hand. She jumped off Amon's back, requipping her Black Wing Armor once more "This won't stop me from fighting however...".

"Hahaha! Oh, you heroes are all a joy! You know that?!" Scavenger exclaimed, grinning madly under his helmet "You're all the same though! All of you refuse to give up, to let things just go and happen! No! You have to interfere!" He grabbed his helmet, tearing it right off, throwing it away, exposing his heavily bandaged face, exposing both of his blue eyes, his mouth, and black hair, but covering everything else "You have to be a pest! You have to just keep, getting in the way. Go for the bigger goal, and ignore the pleas of the ones who can't afford you!" His maddened grin switched to a spiteful frown, gritting his teeth viciously at Erza "I will not kill you. I will make you see your efforts fail, as I plummet this country down!" He roared, letting his gauntlets slip right off his arms "And I will do so, without holding back..." Soon, his boots followed, kicking them right off "The Hawk who scourged through death, will be your ferryman.".

Silence crept its way between the three, not a single sound being made. The moment Erza raised her sword, Scavenger lunged at her in breakneck speed, the shockwave of his movement moving an entire section of the clouds away, exposing the sky further to the people below, as he clashed against her blade with such intensity and force that he sent her flying, pushing her away, turning his gaze at Amon "Er-...!" Who was cut short by Scavenger delivering a fierce kick to his gut, sending him flying upwards.

"You all should die!" Scavenger flew above Amon, just in time to strike him in the back with his elbows, sending him back down "But that's a mercy, isn't it, Amon?!" He shouted, flying back down and striking Amon with a kick, sending him shooting towards Erza, whom only just recovered, and just barely dodged Amon, not realizing who it was until he already passed her "And you..." Scavenger's voice creeped up behind Erza, his hand covering her face, tightening his grip on her "You're probably the worst case here! How easier things would've gone if you hadn't come...".

Before Erza could retaliate, Scavenger spun around, throwing Erza away, pulling out his sword again, extending its blade "It's all a matter of...who's righteous, isn't it? That's how the world works for you, right?! Do you consider the layers and causes of these horrendous acts you oppose?".

Amon's wings expanded, the wingspan casting a shadow over Scavenger, causing him to turn around, swinging his swords in surprise, but missing as Amon teleported awat "Ugh...!" Scavenger turned around, looking for Amon "Show yourself, you bast-...!".

"You asked me a question." Erza said, a claw mark on her cheek, scratches from Scavenger's throw "You seem to mistake me for someone who only thinks of rightesouness as a way to make money. I'm insulted!" Erza gritted her teeth, her Black Wing Armor's wings flapping with such might they sent a burst of wind as she flew towards him "I do what's right because that's what it is! Right!".

"Annoying little...!" Scavenger bursted in speed towards Erza, completely forgetting about Amon. Before the two could collide, he smirked, moving out of the way, vanishing from Erza's sights, appearing from the sides with his swords "I'll clip those win-...!" Scavenger was cut short by a foot connecting to his face, sending him away from Erza. He adjusted himself with one flap of his wings "Grr...! Amon!" Scavenger roared, growing an extra set of wings of darkness, one of a darker pitch "You two are my worst nightmare right now. This country...it doesn't deserve to exist!".

"But the people do!" Erza shouted back at him "Some don't know you exist or desire any ill will upon you. What gives you the right to dictate their death?!".

"You...you...!" Scavenger grew progressively angrily, his tight on his Phantom Swords tightening "Stop dictating what is right and wrong, you wench!".

The sky quaked, the clouds around Scavenger being seemingly pushed away by a powerful wave. Amon planted his fist firmly in Scavenger's stomach, while Scavenger remained perfectly in place, yet the impact was felt like a tremor in the sky by the people below them. "Sorry." Amon said, flapping his wings as he took a small distance back from Scavenger, who began violently coughing blood, covering his mouth "My hand slipped.".

Before Scavenger could utter a word, he recieved a vicious kick to his chin from below by Erza, sending him flying upwards "I'm not dictating what is right or wrong! It's just how I see things!" Erza exclaimed, chasing after Scavenger, as did Amon.

"Enough!" Scavenger threw vanished in a large burst of air, a shockwave pushing against Amon and Erza, disrupting their flight "Enough!" With one stroke of his sword, a trail left by the beaming energy of the blade, he managed to cut through one of Erza's Black Wing wings "Fall! Fall and just die like a lowly, lonely bird!".

Erza requipped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor to maintain her flight, but Scavenger only got behind her, slicing off both its wings as well "Your wings clipped, your hope is gone, and you're a waste of space!" He quickly turned around, clashing against Amon's attack as he came to Erza's aid, Erza herself beginning to fall due to lacking any form of flight or support to keep her afloat.

"Erza!" Amon teleported behind Scavenger, quickly rushing to catch Erza, falling through the clouds and back into the raining city. She quickly requipped back into her Heart Kreuz Armor, bracing for impact as Amon teleported behind her, the impact of catching the falling Erza in his arms pushing him downward further, before he flapped his wings, stopping them from falling further "Ugh...got'cha..." Amon said "You alright?".

"I'm fine, but now I can't maintain flight and fight alongside you as well." Erza begrudgingly said "I'm sorry.".

"Don't apologize now...You can still help. We just need a good plan..." Amon said, staring back at the clouds above "Hmm...".

The clouds moved apart, opening a gateway for Scavenger to pass through as he lowered himself down "Hahaha..." Scavenger chuckled, extending his hands to the sides in mad laughter "It's done!".

Black Heaven
"The sky! The heavens are now a venom that will kill all life!" Scavenger exclaimed, joyfully smiling "The clouds...are going to fall..." As Scavenger said so, the clouds in every corner of the sky began to slowly fall to the earth, turtling their way down.

"N-...No!" Erza exclaimed in horror "We we're too late?! No! This can't be it! This can't be...".

"Hm." Amon tried to think of an idea, his eyes lighting up when he got an idea "Erza, could you keep him busy, for atleast a minute?".

"A minute?" Erza tilted her head in confusion "I could try, but it will be difficult considering he's an airborne foe.".

"Just a minute. I promise I'll come back and help you." He said.

"I know you will." Erza said, smiling and patting Amon on the back "Do it.".

Amon grabbed Erza by her arms, spinning around, speeding up and aiming directly at Scavenger, throwing Erza towards him. Erza requipped her Neptune Armor, gathering the raindrops in the surrounding onto her sword, swinging into a giant sword slash at him.

"Ha!" Scavenger sliced the water slash with ease "What's some water gonna do to me?!".

"This." Erza thrusted her sword forward, as the slashed water swung by her formed into two blades around Scavenger "Trident!" Scavenger blocked Erza's physical attack, using his free hand to block the other water blade, but was struck by the third one, trying to block with one of his wings but was pushed by it further down. A water tendrill wrapped on Scavenger's wrist, allowing Erza to pull herself towards him "You're not going to escape me this time!" She pulled, forcing Scavenger back towards her, punching her square in the face.

"Right." Amon flapped his wings, flying up into the clouds, stopping inside of the clouds, seeing them slowly fall. Amon's breathing intensified, going faster and heavier "Right, right right. Bosco isn't that big! It's not...It can't be all the clouds of the country..." Amon breathed in calming himself "...What kind of little brother lets his big sister be in danger?" Clenching his hands into fists and exhaling, he began inhaling, trying to suck the clouds, and subsequently, the poison, into him. But it failed, he had to stop to breathe, after running out of air "Come on...This is...this is a..." Amon gritted his teeth "I'm a Shadow God Slayer! I have Nyx's...!" Amon clenched his teeth, growing more and more frustrated, turning into panic.

"I have to...save everyone!" Amon said "I can do it!" He repeated "Save everyone, save everyone...save everyone...!" Calming himself by repeating those two words some kind of mantra, he felt something inside him wake up, a familiar presence, a hungering beast, a monster, a killer.

Wendigo.

Amon's fangs became sharper, his gut emptying, triggering a powerful feeling of famine in him. "Urgh...!" Amon's vision became blurry, but he quickly gritted his teeth "Feast, Wendigo." Amon said, opening his mouth and roaring, the clouds' direction beginning to move towards him, entering his mouth through his flesh and mouth.

Erza pinned Scavenger into the ground, before staring up, noticing the movement of the clouds "What is going on?".

"W-...Why are they not falling?!" Scavenger said, noticing clouds from miles are beginning to speed in towards that singular point. There was no reason for them to come here, there was no purpose, what was the cause for this? What could possibly...?

"Amon..." Scavenger said with such venomous malice, his seething rage caused a shiver down Erza's spine, causing her to quickly turn her focus onto him, laying a vicious hook to Scavenger's face, causing him to spit blood.

Her fist shook, as Scavenger remained unflinching "So this is...is the killing intent of an assassin...".

"No..." Scavenger replied "This is just hate." He said, spreading his wings, aiming at Erza, to which she blocked all four wings using two swords in each hand, sparks flying as they clashed, like metal against metal. "He won't ruin everything for me again!".

"Too bad I'm in your way then." Erza said, almost as a snarking reply. She quickly leaped off, the situation not giving her much options for attack. She stomped the ground and charged at Scavenger, who jumped back onto his feet.

"Lioness, you'll be the first to die, and I'll present your head to that bastard!" Scavenger said, the two clashing their swords, Erza wielding two magically enhanced metal swords, while Scavenger used his Phantom Swords.

Sparks began flying around, the two viciously clashing blades. Every three or five clashes, however, Erza abandoned her sword, the blade beginning to heat up and rust in its durability against Scavenger's energy blades, causing them to break. At the moment they cracked, she let go, summoning a new one. The process continued for a while, as Erza took a step forward every time she switched to a new sword, moving closer and closer, forcing Scavenger to take a step back in order to not be cornered. Scavenger surpassed Erza in speed, but her precision and reaction time allowed her to foresee his predictable pattern, deducing through the movement of his arms, and at times, body, how will he attack her, and thus retaliate.

"Why...?" Scavenger gritted his teeth, growing irritated "Why are you overwhelming me...?!" Scavenger angrily inquired.

"I'll admit your speed is something else, but..." Erza jumped back, causing Scavenger's sword swing to continue, missing her and leaving himself open "Even a rookie with your speed will be a nuisance." She lunged forth, leaping and delivering a devastating knee to Scavenger's face, her armoured leg only serving to hurt even more, as the cold steel had blood left dripping on it, sending Scavenger crashing through a lamp post and into a wall "Plus..." Erza stabbed her swords into the ground, as they both cracked from the pressure of the impacts against Scavenger's swords "In terms of skill, you're better off as an assassin than a full-on fighter. I wonder, do you feel inferior to Amon because he can actually put up a fight while you try and use your top qualities as guises to qualify yourself as a swordsman?".

"Hurk..." Scavenger's swords fell on the ground, rolling away from him as he bled onto the ground, covering his injured nose with his hand. He stared up, seeing Erza standing right infront of him "M-...My swords..." He extended his hand to one of his swords, only for Erza to lightly tap it with her foot, causing the cylinder shaped hilt to roll away from him "M-...My goal...! My dream! Why are you getting in my way, you damn wench?!".

"Because you're putting the lives of people who have nothing to do with you at risk." Erza replied, without a hint of cynicism, sarcasm or mockery. It was all genuine.

"..." Scavenger stood up, barely keeping himself balanced "That wound of yours..." Scavenger said, referring to Erza's stab wound on her right shoulder, which re-openned from the intensity of their physical confrontation, causing it to bleed onto her arm, dripping from her fingertips "I wonder if you'll be using that arm after today. Hahaha..." Scavenger lied against the wall behind him, his consciousness fading "Haaah...Well...no finishing the job?".

"No need to. I'll just wait for the authorities to take you away." Erza replied, crossing her arms.

"Heh..." Scavenger raised both his arms, as the bandages began falling off his arm, revealing black markings extending onto his flesh, pulsating "I planned to use this on Amon, but...".

Erza's eyes suddenly widened in shock and horror, realizing what was on Scavenger's flesh "Stop! Are you mad?!".

"Nah." Scavenger grinned one more time, the markings creeping onto his face, the clouds vanishing from the sky, and the sun rising. No more rain, no more clouds, just a clear, bright sky with a smiling, warm sun onto this vile country, for the first time, in a century, Bosco knew clears skies "Brahmashir...Astra...".

A tower of pure black rose into said clear sky, catching the attention of all who was in the city. The tower fell like a wave of water, a destructive explosion that spread in a large radius. It had no sound, no light or really any indication beyond its size, and tremors it triggered. Its heinous black contrasted with the bright blue skies, looking otherwordly, as if it didn't belong there at all. The scene where it happened, the bussling city district where the largest building stood, was reduced to just a clear wasteland, leaving no a trace of anything behind, a clean slate.

Erza openned her eyes, unharmed with barely a scratch on her. She still stood in her spot, unharmed "What...?" Erza looked around, seeing the disaster the spell caused, and seeing a cloaked figure standing infront of her, a golden sphere surrounding the two "...W-...Who?".

Before the individual could answer, a tremor caught the two's attention, a black sphere crashing not far from the two. The sphere broke apart, revealing Amon, writhing in extreme pain, his body pulsating with energy surges tearing their way through his flesh, red cracks becoming visible against his demonic flesh "I...I did...it...!" Amon said, digging his claws into the ground in pain, feeling his body trying to tear itself apart "Erza...I did-...!" He was cut off by the cloaked man quickly blitzing towards Amon, grabbing him by his neck, tightening his grip "Gah...!".

"Stop!" Erza exclaimed, summoning her swords into her hands "Do not try anything! I-...!".

"Erza." The cloaked man spoke, releasing Amon, and the moment his feet hit the ground, a gigantic beam of golden energy blasted him away. The man turned around, taking off his hood obscuring his face, his blue, messy hair and strange tattoo on his eye bringing back years of memories back to her.

"Jellal...?".