Chapter Six
“Laxus, are you sure this was a good idea? We have been in here two days, and we haven’t seen a single soul!” Niko muttered.
Laxus shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. When this is over, we can join Blue Phoenix! Then, when I do, I’ll find out what happened to my parents, and I’ll get revenge for them!”
Niko sighed, and leaned back against the wall.
The days passed quickly, and soon, the week had passed. “Laxus, we have waited a week. This is day eight, where are they?” Niko asked.
“I don’t know Niko. They should be here soon.” Laxus said.
“Hey, listen! Don’t those sound like footsteps?” Niko asked.
Laxus cocked his head. “Hey, they do! You think they are coming for us?”
Niko nodded excitedly. “Finally! We can get out of here!”
Tabitha descended down the steps. “Laxus! You came! So, did my disruption dust work?” She asked.
“Whoa Tabitha, can you slow down? If you mean that gold dust, then yes it worked. And yes, I did most definitely come. But, would it be too hard to get me out of these?” Laxus raised a chained hand.
Tabitha shook her head slowly. “I’m afraid not, Laxus. This is your new room.” She said.
Laxus’s mouth fell open. “What?” He cried in sync with Niko.
Tabitha burst out laughing. “Man, you should see the look on your faces! Nah, I’ll get you out now.
She whistled, and a spear of light pierced through both of their chains. Laxus and Niko stood up on shaky legs. Laxus groaned, and cracked his back. Niko sighed contentedly.
“Hey, could you make a some stairs down here? I sort of wanna get out.” Niko said.
Tabitha frowned. “Ask Laxus! He can do that… Jeez, you lazy bums.” She said.
Laxus shook his head. “Tabitha, I can’t control the shadows any more. I have to relearn everything.” He said sadly.
Tabitha burst out laughing, but she stopped when she saw the look on Laxus’s face. “Seriously? Man, that’s awful! Don’t worry; I’ll help you get them back!” She said cheerfully.
Laxus grinned. “Sure, I won’t turn down a little help, but do you think you could start by getting us out of here?” He called.
Tabitha whistled, and a small staircase descended from some light from one of their windows.
The climbed up the stairs, and Tabitha helped them through the small trapdoor in the ceiling.
Around them, Blue Phoenix was gathered. “Welcome to the guild!” They all called.
Laxus’s mouth fell open. Niko just grinned. “Hey, I don’t mean to break the mood, but I’m starving!” Niko said.
Everyone burst out laughing. One of the members waved to Laxus and Niko. “I’ll see if the kitchen has any leftover food from the last meal.” He headed out a door.
Tabitha grinned at Niko. “I think we will get along quite well.” She said.
Niko grinned. “That would depend on how much food you have.”
“I hate to interrupt, but Laxus, Niko, come here. We must speak of your contract.” The voice came from behind Laxus.
Laxus and Niko turned around. “Hello Guild master Lairno. But, what contract?” Niko asked.
Lairno just waved them over. They followed him to his office. He sat down in a large chair, and waved them towards some extras. When they had sat down, Lairno began to speak. “A contract is essentially how long you will serve the guild, and how you will be paid. Did you not have one with Black Dragon?” He asked.
They shook their heads. “We didn’t get paid, and we had no contract. We worked, and we got fed and received housing. That was our pay.” Laxus said.
Lairno frowned. “Outrageous! Well, no matter. We must discuss your contract here. Let’s put down some basics. I must assume that you do not have any intention of leaving the guild soon?” He asked.
They shook their heads. Lairno nodded. “Good. Now, will you be staying with someone you know, or will you be using our dorms?”
“Ah…” Laxus sputtered. “What do you mean? Don’t we live in the Guild house?”
Lairno shook his head. “Nah, you eat here, and get your jobs. That’s pretty much it.”
“Oh. Wait… What are jobs?” Laxus asked.
Lairno ignored him. “So, I assume you will be using our dorms for the time being?” Niko nodded.
Lairno scribbled something down on paper. “Very well. And, does sixty percent of your income sound good?”
Laxus glanced at Niko. Niko shrugged. “Sure, why not.” Laxus said.
Lairno nodded, and wrote something else down. “And, your goal in rank is…?”
“Rank? What’s that?” Laxus asked.
“There are several ranks in the recognized guilds. There is the basic rank, which is just Wizard. Then, there is Meister. After that comes Spellbinder. For the few people who make it past that there is Thaumaterge. Of course, there is also Guild master.
“You are both Wizards. Now, since I have everything done, why don’t you just sign here…” he passed them two papers.
Laxus quickly looked over the paper, and signed it. As he leaned over the table to give it back to headmaster Lairno, his shadow fell across the table. The headmaster glanced at it, and fell out of his chair.
He shot back up. “Laxus, boy, what has happened to your shadow?” He cried.
Laxus glanced at his shadow. Upon the table his shadow lay, with a massive grin plastered across it’s draconic face.
Laxus staggered backwards. “Blast, I totally forgot about my messed up shadow! Oh man…” Laxus muttered.
As the three warily watched the shadow, it shifted slightly. “What the…” Lairno muttered.
The shadows grin grew wider, if it were possible. “I must thank you for taking such…good care of my host.” It said through its grin.
They all fell backwards. “It speaks?” Lairno cried.
“When we want to. We are a mass collection of shadows. The reason he can no longer use his past spells is because we have taken them all. He must train for his techniques once more. And this time, they must have care, not the will to just kill. Unlike most people think, we are not evil… we just like sticking around to watch the…fun.” The shadow writhed, and shrank back to Laxus’s size, but as before, the dragon’s head stayed on it.
Lairno sat quietly for a moment. “I think I’ll change your income to 70 percent.” He erased some words from the paper. He slid them back across the table.
Niko’s mouth fell open. “Are you kidding? A dragon thing comes back from Laxus’s shadow, and all you can do is say “plus 70 percent?”” He cried.
Lairno shrugged. “Just sign the form. I have seen many of strange occurrences.”
They silently signed the forms. Lairno took the forms back. “Good. Now, go back to the main rooms, and find yourself one or two more teammates. I assume you two will stay together in a team, yes?” He asked.
They nodded, and turned to head out. “Oh, wait. One more thing. Take these keys to your dorms. Boy’s dorms are on the right hand side of the building. Rooms 111 and 112.” He slid a pair of keys across the table. They each took one, and headed out.
Laxus sat down at one of the tables. “Who should we ask to join our group? We need one more- I saw one the rule board back there.” Niko said.
Laxus shrugged. “Think Tabitha has a team yet?”
“Why don’t we ask?”
Laxus stood up, and headed over to Tabitha. “Hey, do you have a team?
Tabitha turned around. “Well, I guess you could say that.”
Laxus sighed. “Just great, who else can we ask to join our team then?”
Tabitha grinned. “You are already getting into a team? Well, the reason I have a so called team is I usually do my jobs on my own. When we fought back at that bank, I had reinforcements because it was a dark guild.”
Laxus grinned. “Does that mean you can up with Niko and I?”
Tabitha shrugged. “Maybe. It depends if you can beat
me in a battle. The two of you against me. That’s my rule. I want to someday be in the strongest team, Like team Electrica!”
“Team Electrica? What’s that?” Laxus asked.
“They work for the Government. They are formed from the three most powerful people in this land. They are only sent out for battling powerful dark guilds or when other countries attack us. I wanna be just like them!”
Laxus grinned. “I didn’t really expect you to be the type to be content with weakness.”
His face fell. “But, I lost most of my power. And I can’t seem to replicate those shadow claws I got when…” He trailed off.
“When what again?” Tabitha asked.
Laxus shook his head. “Let’s fight in a week. I hope Master Lairno will let me have some free rent for a little. Oh right, how often do we pay rent?” He asked.
“Once a month. You better train well, or I’ll whoop you next week!” Tabitha said.
She turned, and headed out.
“Oi, wait! Where is the training field?” He called.
She mutely pointed to a door next to the bar.
Laxus turned, and headed back to Niko.
“Well, what did she say?” Niko asked.
“We have to beat her in a fight, or she won’t join.” Laxus said.
Niko grinned. “Hah, that won’t be a problem for the Black Dragon!”
Laxus growled. “I’m not part of that guild anymore, and neither are you.” He hissed.
Niko grinned. “I know, but your shadow looks sort of like a black dragon.”
Laxus glanced at his morphed shadow. “I guess you could say that.”
Niko grinned again. “I am confident you can get a few new moves before you fight Tabitha. And, I’ll train hard too!” He laughed.
A grin split Laxus’s face. “Man, having you around is pretty encouraging.”
Niko nodded sagely. “Hey, have any food?”