-That night-

After spending a whole afternoon chatting and laughing with Roza, I feel like I really connected with her, and that she isn't as creepy after all. She acts that way because she finds it hilarious to watch others squirm she admitted to me. Which I didn't deny, was funny. She exampled her creepiness on the waitress at the cafe' and both of us were sent into hysterics.
We exchanged information about Acnologia as well, we both had the same suspicion and concluded that he must have a dwelling in Mount Zonia, or at least flies by the area often. I felt sorry for that handsome man that lives there. I hope he never comes across that monster.
I told her about my vendetta to Acnologia for Tenrou, she understood. I'm not sure why she wants to find him though, she didn't hint anything of it. 
We agreed to meet tomorrow in the Lost forest at dawn to begin our adventure to find Acnologia together. 

I felt more confident knowing I'm not alone on this mission anymore, and that I'll finally give my friends the revenge they deserve.
Instead of spending all the money I didn't deserve, I thought to camp out in the Lost forest. It'd be faster for Roza and I to leave too. I huddled in my sleeping roll by my little fire under a pitch sky of stars. Pondering to myself over my notes.
"If he actually is on Mount Zonia, I have to be ready, I can't let my magic go haywire again" I assert myself, rubbing my temples in frustration. I bite my lip, worrying about my mental health. I look up at my little fire dancing over burning twigs, I frown. 'Natsu...Grey, Erza, Master, everyone... Wendy~ I miss you all so much' I smile sadly thinking about my guildmates still alive.
'I wonder how they're doing... I hope me leaving hasn't hurt them too much... What am I saying, of course it would've... Though... Not as much as knowing that our friends aren't coming back... I should've said something, maybe it'd be easier for them to move on then"
While wallowing in my own thoughts, in the corner of my eye, I could have sworn I saw.

"Shadow..." I shuffle out of my sleeping roll and stand. Unsheathing my short sword, I assume my stance.
I breathe low, deep and calm. Scanning the thick woodlands. The atmosphere silences, intensifies and becomes stagnant. Sweat trickles down my brow and back, I felt sickly impatient with anticipation for something to jump out at me.
"Who's there?!" I catch movement to the left of me, then the right, behind, above. I spin around losing track of the zipping shadows. Whispers and murmurs of sin, terror, rage, depression and envy echo around. I take deep slow breaths to keep level headed but my hands tremble. 'I should've stayed at the damn inn'

The whispers grew louder, I panic looking every which way to figure where they're coming from.
"W-what.. A-are you!?" I whimper out to a shadow breezing past, slow enough for me to see the glinting light of its soulless eyes. I swing my blade, striking nothing but air. I felt a cold hand brush against my shins. A ghostly creature floated around my feet. I stab at it, horrified at its touch turning my skin pitch black. 
'So that's where those splotches came from... The man knew!' 
"GET AWAY!" I thrash my sword around pointlessly.
Another icy chill washes over my hip and neck, I stumble, feeling more and more terrified with each touch. I could feel something being eaten away inside me. Like a feeling that I can't describe.

I hear a screech, loud and haunting. My body jolts and trembles uncontrollably. Screams and whistling cries ring in my ears, I fall to my knees, keeling over and holding my sword tight. 
"It's not real... Not real!" I whisper.

*Step. Step. Step*

The crunching of bare feet on dirt seems to walk among the noises in my head. Louder and clearer with each step. I glance up and all-around at what appears to be hundreds of shadows swirling around me. Trapping me. My fear bursts out of control.
"STOP!! GO AWAY!!!" I stand and swing my sword at the looming figure approaching. Morphing into scattered shapes. 
My sword lodges into what felt like flesh, I scream out a battle cry and kick the creature. I can barely see straight beyond my growing despair. It's figure expands and horns sprout from its head, the shadows shroud its skin and edge its form in unrecognisable patterns.

I look at my hands, completely covered in the black frosty plague. I throw my sword at the creature and run for it. Only to be toppled under something large and heavy, the weight forcing me down. 
"Shhhh..." The creature huskily seethes, I wriggle and thrash about to break free. Something hard whacks against my head. The stinging ache of its impact pulses on my skull. 

Then silence.

I groan, my head pounding and body aching. I lift my arm, the simple movement exhausting, to touch the side of my head, where a belting throbbing lump protruded.
"Always been reckless" I hear a voice hiss, a large hand pulling my arm back down, then something warm and wet slapping onto my hand. 
My view is hazy as I open my eyes, radiating lights swirl about the air.
"W-Where~" My throat burned and voice hoarse as I try to speak. 
A face hovers over mine, blurry at first but the features soon sharpen into a handsome... 'The man!'

His face scrunches into an annoyed scowl, huffing through his nose, he places his thumb and index finger above my cheek and over my eyelid. Stretching them apart, his piercing cold eyes appear to medically examine mine.
"But also lucky" He sighs in disdain, his face relaxing into a stoic expression. I try to memorize the dreamy deep voice that soothes my worries. 'This is the most I've ever heard him speak without me provoking him!'

He slides his hands under my neck and knees, effortlessly lifting my frame. I gaze up at him as he walks with me in tow, completely transfixed on his handsome face. 
"WAHH!" 
I fall and submerge under bright clear water. 'IS HE TRYNA DROWN ME NOW?!'. 
I thrash, flip and force my body to move, to stay afloat, but my body felt so weak I fell under. I felt my lungs ache with the pressure of no oxygen. 

My feet touch the ground, I stop thrashing...
'Gods I'm an idiot' I thought as I stood up, the water only coming up to my chest. I wipe the water from my eyes, noticing black liquids running off them, my skin bubbling and forcing it out. I look up at the man with a bewildered expression and a million questions. He merely stood there above me, silent. 
"What is this stuff?" I ask, he keeps quietly staring at me, the same sharp intimidating look in his eye.

"... Uhmm... W-What is this water made of?" I glance down at it, trying to get him to talk. And figure out what happened earlier. He still doesn't answer. 
"So you'll talk when I'm unconscious but not when I'm awake?" I grumble while crossing my arms to cover my bare chest. Waiting for another silent response. The man's eyes I notice were roaming my body.
"WHY DO YOU KEEP STARING AT ME!?" I shriek and duck into the water more, tired of his invasive gaze. 

...

"Why do you keep putting yourself in danger?" The man asks, his sorrowful voice permeating around the expansive walls of the cave. I blink, not expecting him to speak, let alone ask something like that.
"Wha-... I-I'm... On a mission... It's.. personal" I mumble, looking away from him. 
"Get out" He orders emotionlessly, I flinch. 'Did I say something wrong?'
"The ethernano..." He adds, pointing to the water, his voice blunt.

"THIS IS ETHERNANO!?!?!?" I immediately rush from the pool of bright blue liquid magic. 'For so much of it to be in one place... That's... Insane!'
"H-How is there... So much?!" I huddle down to hide my nude body. Embarrassed beyond belief.
"WHERE ARE MY CLOTHES!?!" I cry, my face red hot as the man just continues to stare at me. 

I pout, activating memoir despite all his warnings not to beforehand.
"Tch... You're still as audacious as ever" One side of his lip curls for a brief second, stopping my trace of thought. 'A smile... Brief... But he smiled'
"W-What do you mean by that? Do you know me? Or.. Remember me all those years ago?" I question, he resumes his silent staring. Annoyed at this, I pick up a small pebble next to me.
"Answer me!" I throw the little rock, he catches it with little effort. Sand melts from his closed fist. 'Well damn...'

His glares and silence getting on my nerves, I don't care for how scary he seems. I just wanted to stop being put in awkward positions like this. 
"Fine, don't answer me!... Just tell me where my clothes are!" 
"Burned"
"... Freakin WHAT?"

~A Few Hours Later~

The morning sun begins its slow rise above the horizon, I dragged the man all the way from the mountains to the Lost forest to find my belongings. I teleported actually. 
"You better not had burned all my other things too!" I yank on a chunk of his knotty azure hair. He growls, a deep feral sound that frightens me. But my dignity is on the line! 'I can't walk around in palm leaves forever!' I mentally cry, a makeshift palm leaf and moss bikini scratching my skin. 

The man walks in front of me, I take note of his graceful step in spite of all the muscle on him. His quiet nature, intimidating and omnipotent. 'A dominant predator... But so gentle and intelligent' I thought to myself, my thoughts conflicting with my feelings. 
We finally come up to the small camping area I set up.
"What happened last night?" I slowly murmur, most of my belongings are scattered around the little area. The scene of a struggle. What scared me most was my short sword chucked to the side in a scuffle of trampled plants. Coated in drying blood.

"I actually hit something last night?" I pick up the blade, examining it. Trying to recall exactly what I saw last night, but it's all just a blur of shapes and shadows.
"The shadows.." The man suddenly speaks, picking up a shred of the clothes I wore last night, it's edges burnt and tethered.  
"They haunt this place and are drawn to negative energy. More active at night. They turn their prey into one of their own after feeding off of their positive energy... Hopes, dreams, pride.. Joy..." He explains, his brows furrowing almost angrily at the scrap of clothing. Crushed in his fist, it turns to dust. 'Well that's melodramatic'

"That's... That's....... The most I've ever heard you speak!" I smirk, shocked initially that I was almost turned into an emotion eating ghost. However, 'If I start panicking about what almost happened to me, It'll just happen again'.
The man did not one-bit look amused at my remark. His deep blue eyes glare at me boredly, his frown slowly twists to a scowl. 'Out of the two of us, he seems the most likely to draw a whole army of those things.'
"What? It's true, you never or barely ever talk" I shrug, grinning at him, my eyes drift to his right arm, a long clotted crimson scratch just barely hidden under his cloak.

I slowly approach him, his expression like that of a watchful hawk as I do. I gently lift his heavy cape to better see the large freshly sealed wound cutting through half of his upper arm's muscle. I gasp in utter shock, not sure of how long he's walked around with such a nasty lesion.
"H-How did you get that injury? It's huge!" I let his cloak fall limply over his arm again. 'It looks like it went to the bone!'
The man says nothing but looks down to my short sword, still clutched in my hand. Blood staining its silver surface. My stomach drops and mind whirls.
"D-Did I do that?" I whimper, stepping away from him, dropping the sword. 'I hurt him... Yet he's still so kind as to help me'

"I'M SO SORRY!!!" I bow to him then crawl down to my knees, pressing myself into the ground.
"You've only ever helped me, yet I hurt you... I can never be forgiven! I'm so so so so sorry!" I cry, I hear the man shuffle away slightly.
"... Accidents... Happen" He murmurs with a low growl, sounding unsure of what to make of my apology.
"But it wasn't an accident!!! I swung my sword about recklessly and cut you!" I lift my head, gazing up to him with teary regretful eyes. He looked confused and repulsed. The most expressive I've seen him.

"Yoooooo Hoooooo~" Before he could speak, a voice sings out, the notes echoing along the lazy winds. 'Breezey all of a sudden...'
"KYAAA!!" I shriek, the palm 'clothes' crumbled and slumped on the ground as I lay in the dirt. Leaving me nude again in front of the man. 'HOW MANY TIMES IS HE GONNA SEE ME NAKED!?!?'
"Ohh myyyy~" Roza's voice coos, I look around and see her standing by a tree, her golden eyes shimmering.

I quickly cover my bare chest and crotch with some leaves and stand. Roza's eyes switch from shining at the man behind me to dark and menacing at me. Naked in front of him.
"Youuuu said... I could have him" She croons, her voice low and haunting. I shudder, recalling the silly agreement to shut her up. 'I didn't think she actually meant it!'
"Ohhhhh my dear handsome and glorious love!~ We finally meet! I feel our hearts already beating for one another" She cries, waving her muscley arms dramatically toward the man. She prances toward him on invisible clouds. Lost in fairyland.
I couldn't help but cringe at what she said.

I quickly try my best to put on a straight face as Roza drifts toward us, her eyes squint into golden slits and her aura turns menacing.
"Ohhh but (YCN)~~~ My dear~~ friend" Roza signs with a deep raspy voice, nothing like that of her natural voice. It's like a man's. I flinch, thinking it's just an act.
"Yesss..?" I smile up at her as best I could, hoping she's not misunderstanding the situation.
"What are you doing with my beloved senpai?" She tilts her masculine face, her eyes leering over my now half-naked frame. 'She's definitely taking this all the wrong way... I guess I would too...'

Her hands twitch and ruby red nails elongate, I shudder at the sight. 
"N-Nothing! Listen, I was attacked last ni-"
"LIAR!!" Roza lunges, I scamper back, huddling back to the man's solid wall like frame, who merely stood watching. Roza crashes in the dirt. 'What's gotten over her?!?!'
"You little tramp, hOw DaRE yoU stEAL mY sEnPAi!!" She screeches, tears perking in her enraged golden eyes. Her arms growing bulkier and face more manly. 'What on.. earth?'

The man lifts his injured arm and grabs Roza's head. Roza blushes like mad, her eyes glimmering in the light. He picks her up by her scalp, Roza not seeming to react at her whole body being lifted from the ground. Meanwhile, I mentally flip at this man's brute strength. He doesn't even glance at Roza, going gaga at her 'senpai's' touch, before he hurls her into the sky, far away into the horizon. A small twinkle shines in the distance. 
Baffled beyond words, I stare at the man, dumbfounded. He stares back, his tattooed brows knotting. 'WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!?'

"W-WHY DID YOU THROW HER!! SHE'S A FRIEND!" I shriek, staring off in the direction she was thrown. A whole flurry of thoughts and feelings rushing through me.
"We need to leave" was his only response, I quickly found out why. 
All the negativity that had just transpired here had drawn the thought leeching shadows out of their hidey holes. They lurk within the far off trees, creeping closer with each passing second.

~A short while later~

-At Mount Zonia-

Returning to the strange and handsome man's home with all my gear packed. I slump down on a flat boulder, completely tired. I snuggle down into the warmth of my cloak. I pull out a few rations and splurge, not eating dinner or breakfast. I felt starved. The man took a gracious seat atop another paved boulder, moss coated and shaped like a large throne. 'He looks so regal despite being a caveman...'.
I wanted to yell and rage more at the man for hurling Roza over yonder, but I still felt extremely guilty about the injury I gave him. So instead, I pull up and scribbled angrily about it in my notebook. I come across the note Roza and I agreed on. That Acnologia might be on Mount Zonia.

"Hey... Weird question but... Have you ever seen the dragon, Acnologia around here?" I ask aloud, gazing up from my notes to the man. His expression calm, eyes closed and body relaxed. He looked to be meditating.
"I know you heard me... This is important to me, please for once, answer me.." I plead, the man's only response is a cold glare mixed with something I'd not seen on his face.
Distress.

He looks away, resuming his meditation. I flip to a new page and draw him in his peaceful posture. Once finished, I take a bite of my ration and stretch. I thought to sort my bags, see to it I have enough rations to last and clean clothes to wear. Whilst sorting my bags, I find the Dragon King Festival lodged down the very bottom of my bag. My stomach twists and I felt light-headed. I glance behind me, the man still peacefully sat on his stone throne.
'I have to continue. I have to find that monster. I have to avenge my friends'.
"Uhm... I'm sorry if this is sudden.. But I have to go, nothing against you! You've saved me so many times and I'm forever grateful..." I zip up my bag and stand.
"My only wish is you'd tell me your name so I don't have to call you the 'strange handsome man' in the stories of you that I'll one day tell my kids about~" I blush, my fingers fidgeting with the random wholesome thought. 

I approach the man, adjusting my bag to my back. I bow low to him.
"I'm sorry for what I did to your arm and all the other troubles I've caused you. I'll be sure to repay you somehow one day..." I smile, the man's eyes flick open to gaze up at me with a stoic expression. 'What am I saying, I should ask him to come with me!'
"I'll be leaving now... Thank you for everything you've done for me... You'll always be my hero..." I humbly state, ignoring my thoughts and turning away Escorting myself out of the looming cave with the beautiful crystal rocks and phosphor spectral lights.

'I'll visit him sometime after I complete my mission. For now, I have to find and apologize to Roza... If that's at all possible.'
Chilling gusts of wind blows into the cave, it waves through my (HL) (HC) hair, which flows limply, having not been washed for several days. The mid-day sun blinds me momentarily upon exiting the cave, I stand on the ledge, scanning the horizon. The snowy cliff faces and far off forests.
"No matter where you hide, I will make it my life's purpose to find you, Acnologia" I mumble out to the world.

"... And I will end you"