A Templar and A Knight [Erza Scarlet]

He mounted on his warhorse, along with a lance in his grasp and Templar kite shield slung behind his back. David were informed that there are a group of Kazunax's forces in the woods of Fiore. Not only just that, the enemies brought slaves and the captured rebels with them. The Templar Master waited for the enemies to arrive with patience and perception, but he do this ambush on his own and nothing he couldn't handle.

Suddenly, he could heard shouting from afar and marching footsteps. It was the enemy, Kazunax's infantries and slavers along with the poor slaves. David scanned them with his eyes, there are also few Kazunax's mounted knights and mages as well. He steered his horse for a while and galloped until he reached far in front of the enemy forces, he stabbed his lance on the soil. The slavers, knights, mages and infantries halt their advance as they saw a lone mounted knight with white mantle which is attached with a red cross. "A Templar! Gut him!" one of the knights shouted and he led his mounted knights, charge towards the lone Templar.

"In battle, for glory." David quickly reached his hand to his bow and an arrow, he took his aim at one of the knights and released the arrow from his bow. The knight was shot in the chest and fall down from his horse, but the knight who led the other knights where coming at David in fast paces. "In war," the Templar Master took up his lance and thrust it through the leading knight's chest, he fall from his horse with a lance pierced through his chest. ... for peace." David put on his mail coif and took out his great helm while staring at the remaining Kazunax's knights. "In death," the Templar covered his head with the great helm, grabbed out his kite shield and drew his Templar sword Altus from the scabbard, "... for martyrdom." he rode his horse and charged towards the remaining Kazunax's knights and of course, the other enemies as well.

"For Fiore!!!!!"

The woods were splattered with more blood as Erza quickly took down about fifty soldiers using her Circle Sword, having Requipped into her Tenrin no Yoroi earlier that day.

She had entered the opposite side of the East Forest to meet someone, thinking it better just in case of any enemies, and she was right in her thinking.

"Out of my way!" she yelled. "Blumenbatt!"

She had slashed one soldier with the two gleaming swords in both her hands, as well as sending about thirty blades raining down on two more. All three fell to the ground, defeated.

In the distance, the scarlet-haired mage could see a warhorse. Mounted on the warhorse was a Templar, an ally.

Must be him...David...., she thought.

"It's Erza Scarlet! Stop her!" ten more soldiers shouted.

"I've had enough of your damn tricks!"Erza shouted, displeased. Just as she was about to open her mouth to yell out her next Requip, she heard a voice.

"Open the Gate to the Fire Bird! Phoenix!"

A magnificent crimson bird with a golden tail suddenly appeared before her. The bird opened its golden beak and spat a blast of burning, golden flames at the soldiers, sending them back.

"Perfect! Ice-Make: Lance!" another female shouted. She put both her hands out, sending out ten lances from the snowflake-shaped Magic circle that had formed before her.

All ten soldiers were impaled by the lances; as the lances retracted, they fell to the ground, their blood making beautiful circles on the ground.

"Kagura!" Erza shouted. She realised that the raven-haired, blue-eyed beauty was not alone. She was accompanied by a dark-haired girl with red streaks in her hair. Her clothes screamed edgy.

"Who are-," Erza began.

"Yukari Kishimura, at your service, Miss Scarlet!" the girl piped up.

"Sorry, she defended me earlier from some troops, and I had to bring her," Kagura apologised.

"It's no problem,"Erza replied. Her scarlet hair was lifted by a small breeze.

"Let's go."

With that, all three females headed deeper in the forest, to defend Fiore, and to find the Templar.

He slashed and dismounted a knight and another with his sword, a Templar will never rest or give up in the middle of a battlefield. David continued to push on until he almost reached at the enemies' formation. "Fire!" he heard one of the enemy mages shouted and they cast a wave of spells against the lone Templar. David and he horse fall and tumbled on the ground, the Templar stood up immediately while his horse, fled in fear. "Chance is right now! Kill the Templar!" the soldiers yelled and they charged toward David with their weapons.

He immediately took off his helm and pulled down his mail coif, David dropped his shield and drew his Sword of Ibelin, now he is dual-wielded in combat. Before the soldiers could reached him, David closed his eyes and opened them again. "Kuruseida!" he unleashed a large front arc with his swords and the soldiers were blasted off. He finally equipped with his armor, the Divine Crusader as well as his eyes were glowing, he was in Awakened State. "That's- No! Don't attack!" the mage yelled out but the soldiers didn't listen, they recklessly charged towards the Templar.

With his speed and agile, David slashed the soldiers and slavers with both of his swords while the mages watched in horror. Half of the infantries is killed and the lone Templar stood among the bodies of his fallen enemies. "I am David Balian of Lejonet! Templar Master of the Grail Templars! Face me and my blade, heathens!" David taunted at the rest of Kazunax's infantries and the dark mages. "... Archers!" a large group of archers were marched right in front of the enemies' formation with their bows and arrows. "Fire!" their leader shouted and the archers unleashed a rain of arrows upon the lone Templar.

David quickly deflected the arrows with his swords but there are too many. An arrow pierced through his side abdomen and another arrow pierced through his shoulder, David hold his pain as he keep on deflected the arrows.

Erza, Yukari, and Kagura quickly came across a clearing. Erza could see that they were standing about five meters from a river.

"Oh, crap,"Kagura muttered, her dark blue eyes narrowed with fear and annoyance.

Erza looked up to see what the problem was. She scowled. Across the river were several dozen soldiers, all holding gleaming swords and spears, and all smiling with contempt.

"You're done for,"the general said. "Get them!"

With a loud battle cry, the soldiers that were in the front splashed their way into the river, every ounce of their concentration settled on killing all three of these mages.

Shit! Erza thought. She didn't have a single armor that could control water.

I could try freezing the river.....if nobody else has any better ideas,Kagura thought. She stole a glance at Yukari.

"Yukari, do you have any water Spirits in your arsenal?"she asked the Celestial Mage.

"Of course I do!"Yukari replied, holding up a golden key. "Open the Gate of the Twin Fish, Pisces!"

She brought the key down in front of her in an arc. A bright violet magic circle appeared before her in the river, and two twin boys with blue hair emerged. They appeared to be in their late teens to early twenties, and both were shackled at the wrists to each other.

"How may we please you, master?"both of the twins asked, bowing to Yukari.

"Pisces, please get rid of these pests," Yukari commanded politely.

"As you wish, hime,"the twins replied. They both looked at the soldiers with their shocking cerulean eyes. They stepped into the river, and instantly, their legs turned into blue-scaled mermen tails.

They began to swim in a circle, slowly at first, but as they gained momentum, they worked faster and faster until they were able to produce a whirlpool. The soldiers let out screams of terror as they were sucked in the gaping eye of the swirling water, then they were quickly thrown out as Pisces rose up, still swimming in their circle formation.

"All right! Thank you, Pisces!" Yukari graciously thanked her Spirit.

"It was our pleasure, hime," the twins replied as they vanished in a puff of smoke.

"All right," Erza sighed, glaring at the remaining soldiers.

"Enough of my Tenrin no Yoroi. I have something else I want to show you."

With that, a light glowed around her current armor.

"Kansou! Hishou no Yoroi!" she yelled, as she changed from her billowing Tenrin no Yoroi to an armor with a leopard-patterned chestplate, shoulder guard, and a cloth that went from her waist to her feet. On her head were a pair of leopard ears, and she had gained a bushy tail.

She sped towards the soldier, the armor having significantly increased her speed, and slashed with her sword. The soldiers were taken aback as they were slashed in various places as Erza zoomed through them.

"My turn! Ice Make: Geyser!"Kagura shouted, taking out the remaining soldiers with a spiky tower of ice. Blood ran down the tower like red paint as the soldiers were impaled, one by one.

"Let's keep moving!" Erza commanded as Yukari and Kagura raced across the river and to where Erza was.

He continued to deflect the countless arrows, regardless his wounds. David spin both of his swords and sped towards the archers with ferocity and speed. "Keep of firing! Keep on-" a bolt was struck through the archer leader and David halted his pace after saw what happened, and he heard horns were blown far away from his position.

"For Pergrande!" a large group of mounted knights were emerged from the woods which is left side of Kazunax slaver forces, they're equipped with great helms, black robes with white cross, as well as swords and lances. "Hospitallers." he muttered and sighed in relief, the reinforcement he requested from Pergrande finally arrived. The Hospitallers charged through the ranks of the slavers and it's time for David to continue his role. He slashed and killed the remaining archers with his swords.

"Fall back! Fall back!" the slavers yelled and the soldiers are begin to retreat, leaving the slave caravan behind. The Templar and his allies Hospitallers halt their paces, watching the enemy forces retreat. Slowly, David regained back his normal eyes and his Divine Crusader armor changed back to his Templar surcoat and mail plate. The leader of Grail Hospitallers galloped his horse out from the crowd, "Released the slaves!" the Hospitallers immediately dismount from their horses and begin to free the slaves from the caravan. "You're just in time, Hospitaller." David shook his hand with the Hospitaller leader after he sheathed both his swords into the scabbards.

"Indeed, I'm captain MacCullen of Hospitallers... You must be Grail Templar Master Michael then?" the Hospitaller asked. Michael is his Templar's name while David Balian of Lejonet is his noble and birth name, either any two of this will do. "Yes, captain. I was ambush on these heretics to free the poor slaves but being alone in this ambush is quite a foolhardy act." David look on the arrows which pierced through his shoulder and side abdomen, he took them out with his hand without show any painful expression... he already get used to them during the war.

"Grandmaster! Grandmaster!"

A lone Templar on his horse were headed towards David and the Hospitallers. "Grandmaster! Scouts have reported that there are three female mages from Fairy Bridage were hunted by Kazunax's patrol forces! One of them is Titania of Fairy Bridage!" the Templar reported to the grandmaster. Titania of Fairy Tail... Erza Scarlet... and also like David, she is one of the child slaves in Tower of Heaven. He met her few times, back in his younger days... But after the marriage in Fairy Tail headquarters, David rarely saw her again. "... Assemble Raphael and the Templars! I'll go after them and tell Raphael to wait for my signal!" he look back at the Hospitaller captain, "Captain, I need your lance and your horse... Would you mind?" the Hospitaller captain nodded and gave his spear to David, who received it. He get mounted on MacCullen's black warhorse and steered it for a little. "Grandmaster! You need these!" the Templar knight brought David's great helm and shield, he pass them to him. The Templar master nodded after he received them, he pulled on his mail coif and shut his face with his great helm.

Slung his shield across his back, David look at the Templar again for a while: "Lead the Hospitallers and the freed slaves to the fortress!" that is the only thing he said and he sped off away from the Templar, the Hospitallers and the freed slaves. The warhorses of Pergrande is more faster and resilient than the warhorses in Fiore. David used to had one... Chamsiin is it's name and together they grown up in Templar monastery. Chamsiin is the closest companion to David until it was gravely wounded during Battle of Ibelin, David was forced to euthanized him with his sword and tears.

He rode through the woods and went past several bodies of Kazunax soldiers, no doubt it was Erza's and the other two mages' doing. He slapped the warhorse's rear and it increased it's pace. There they are, the red-haired mage and her two comrades. David and his warhorse went past the three and steered it right in front of them. Finally, a white mantled Templar met up with the "Knight" and her two comrades.

"Erza-san, it's been a while..." his voice bellowed from his great helm, David took off his great helm and pulled down his mail coif, the first thing he do is smiling. "It's glad to see you again, Titania."

Erza, Yukari, and Kagura had walked halfway towards the other entrance, when they noticed a warhorse galloping past them in a circle, then came to a stop in front of them. Erza held her arm out, halting the two behind her as she requipped back into her Heart Kreuz armor.

It was no doubt, her old friend, David Bailian of Lejonet.

"David-san," she greeted, smiling as well. "I'm glad to see you too. It's been too long."

Her brown eyes widened a bit when she noticed the wounds that the Templar had received.

"Guess they gave you a hard time, those damn troops," she murmured. She gestured behind her.

"These two are my new acquaintances, Kagura Blackblade and Yukari Kishimura."

Both girls bowed to David, respectively.

"Nice to meet you, sir," Kagura greeted with warmth.

Yukari smiled.

Erza waited for a moment until both girls were done.

"What's been going on? Why did we suddenly run into Kazunax's troops here, in East Forest?" she asked.

"You look... different, Erza." He bowed his head to the other young mages once, a typical Templar or a knight's greeting. When Titania told him that the heretical troops gave him a hard time, David looked down his wounds and looked back to Erza, "I suffered more wounds than these in the Desierto, believe me." He was talked about his participation in the Crusade of Desierto, Magic Council's dirty war against Kingdom of Bellum in X783. A lot of noble Templars had been killed in that battle... even David's long lost father Magnus Lejonet.

When been asked by Erza that why they've been attacked by Kazunax's forces in East Forest, no doubt that David is going to answer her question. "They used the forest as trading slaves route, I ambushed them to free the slaves... You and I both knew that being a slave is a nightmarish life." his eyes lowered for a while when he mentioned to Erza about being a slave... a child slave. The scars behind his back were carried his past as a child slave in Tower of Heaven. In the past, orphans, slaves, sons of dark mages, and street urchins were raised among the ranks of Templars.

Before he could say anything, David heard some shouts from the mages' behind, it's Kazunax's patrol soldiers. "Save the reunion, we got a war to fight. I've requested assistance from my Templars, they will be here in no time." David pulled out a small cylinder from his satchel bag, he thumbed it and a flare was shot into the air. He threw it away and pulled on his mail coif, "It's a honor for a Templar to fight alongside with Fairy Tail once more." He smiled at Erza and put on his great helm. "There they are! a large group of Kazunax's foot soldiers were approaching the four, two knights and two mages.

David steered his horse and it jumped across the Fairy Tail mages, the Templar master charged towards the foot soldiers with his lance readied. The first foot soldier was halted his pace and feared as the mounted Templar was aimed for him. David thrust his lance through the torso of the foot soldier and released it from his grasp, then he drew out his Templar sword and heading towards the remaining foot soldiers of Kazunax.

"I do, huh," Erza replied. Her once, waist-length scarlet hair was now halfway down her back.
"You have changed as well, David."

Her chocolate eyes darkened for a moment as she briefly relived those dark moments she spent as a slave in the Tower of Heaven.

The artificial eye that had replaced her right eye was a bitter reminder of what had happened to her. She shook the memories away as she heard shouting behind her. She turned around.

More soldiers? Tch....what pests....., she thought. She felt a strong breeze pass through where she and her two apprentices were standing as David jumped over them via his horse.

"Kagura, Yukari, stay together!" she ordered. "Kansou! Kureha no Yoroi!"

A light surrounded her body as she'd requipped into her Black Wing armor. She was now wearing a black armor with silver trim, and her abdomen remained exposed. To complete the armor, she now sported a pair of black, batlike wings.

"Move!" she yelled to the soldiers as she pushed off the ground with her feet, gliding towards one soldier at high speeds. She managed to stab him, and push his body towards two of his comrades. They let out yells of pain as they were slammed by the corpse, Erza's armor having increased her destructive power significantly.

"Open the Gate-," Yukari began, but then, she fell on her knees in a sudden bout of exhaustion.

Damn it, that's right! I opened two of the Gates! she thought in panic.

"Yukari! I've got you covered!"Kagura assured her. "Ice-Make: Sword!"

A sword instantly formed in Kagura's right hand.

"Move it!" she yelled as she slashed ten soldiers, one at a time, that were about to surround her and Yukari.
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Erza continued slashing her way through the troops, until she'd caught up with David.

"Damn, there's too many of them," she panted. She'd exhausted about one-quarter of her magic already. Without it, she would be doomed.

He slashed one by one, David later dismounted from his horse and began his fight on foot. A pikeman tried to thrust his pike into him but David managed to block it and stabbed his sword into the pikeman's abdomen, the Templar bashed his fallen opponent down with his kite shield.

Erza caught up with him and David back-to-back with her. By judging her voice, she was nearly fatigued and they were surrounded. "You're right, and you used too much Ex-quip do you? Can tell it by your tone." David said to her as a footman recklessly charged against him, the Templar bashed him on the ground and stabbed him with his sword, a final blow. Looks like he had to use Awakened State as well as his Noble Archangel Armor. "Hold on," David said as he shut his eyes, gathering his magical energy within him and an arcane seal appeared, surrounded both David and Erza. At once, the footmen charged at them and in time, David's eyes shot out and blast off the footmen away.

As the smoke were appeared and cannot see through, the footmen slowly approached it with their swords and spears. "Swords of Judgement!" several light elemental swords were shot out from the smoke and pierce through almost majority of Kazunax's forces. An individual stepped out from the smoke, it was an Archangel Armor. Golden plated armor, hooded helm with glowing eyes as well as a pair of large ethereal angelic wings. His gauntlet glove were hold Silverlight, the rune sword.

There are also some mages among the Kazunax's footmen, they lined themselves up and cast a rain of arcane bolts against the Archangel and the Titania. The Archangel immediately shielded himself and Erza from the arcane bolts with his ethereal wings. After the arcane bolt attacks is completely useless, the Archangel opened his wings and sped through the ranks of Kazunax forces, killing mages and footmen with his rune sword.

"I had to Ex-quip three of my armors," Erza explained. She nodded as he told her to hold on.

She glared calmly at the soldiers who attempted to attack her, as they were blown away by David'a arcane seal. She then heard David yell his attack, and turned around.

The knight had almost forgotten the majestic power of David's Requipping power. He was now donning a golden armor, with a hooded helm, glowing eyes, and a pair of large, angelic-looking wings. One of his gauntlet gloves appeared to hold his weapon.

She smiled as he shielded her and himself from the knight's arcane-style bolt attacks with his wings, then opened his wings, speeding off.

David, you really are amazing...., Erza thought as she watched him. However, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. She gasped, then quickly blocked an incoming sword aiming to cut her arm.

"That won't work on me," she whispered as she thrust her sword into the attacker's torso, covering him, and herself in a spray of crimson blood.

"Kansou!"

Within an instant, she'd Requipped again, but this time, she was donning a red flame-patterned hakama and bandages covered her chest. She was holding two katanas, one in each hand.

With a deafening shout, she ran, slashing soldiers as she circled Yukari and Kagura, who were 50 meters away from her. She would not let anything hurt those girls.

"I'm not going to let you hurt my friends! I'll gladly give my life for them!" she screamed as she thrust both swords out into two troops' chests, piercing through their backs. They both fell dead on the ground as she continued to fight.

He grabbed one of the footmen with his gauntlet and snapped his neck, the Archangel will show no mercy on the battlefield against the heretics of Kazunax. He slashed his enemy in the torso with his sword and bashed the other one with one of his wings.

He saw Erza and her other two mages in danger, David flied onto the air and swooped down on the other two soldiers who were trying to attack Erza and the other two mages. He stand back to back with Erza, and his glowing eyes were looking at her. "Steady Titania, more are coming." his voice was changed deep and echo due to his Awakened State as well as his Archangel Armor. The footmen and mages surrounded them and this time in great numbers and formation, plus David's magic energy within him is draining and he's getting fainted. "Damn it..."

Far away from the four individual and their enemies, a war horn was blown and the soldiers of Kazunax look at the location where the horn was heard. They saw a mounted Templar on the cliff, later then another group of Templars were appeared on the other cliff along with the Hospitallers. A sign of relief, David gazed on his Templars as well as his allies the Hospitallers join into the fray. "For Fiore!" a large number of Templar infantries poured out from the trees with their swords, spears and kite shields. The Kazunax's forces were dumbfounded because the Templar forces are outnumbered their numbers. The Templar infantries pierced through the ranks of Kazunax's forces.

Behind him and the Fairy Tail mages, David heard there is a slashing and hacking sound. The soldiers were blast off and a lone Templar with his two-handed sword, dashed and stopped right in front of David and Erza. "You, my brother... Always reckless and foolhardy in such brilliant swordsmanship." the Templar took off his great helm, it was a blonde man with turquoise eyes. In the mean time, David's eyes returned to normal and his Archangel armor was turned back to his Templar armor. "And you, Raphael... Always started your sarcasm in the middle of a battlefield." Both Archangels laughed and pushed their fists together. Raphael... or simply known as Leonardo for being a bard and a doctor, Raphael is his Templar's name.

"Michael, Noble Armor drained much of your energy, can you fight?"
"This isn't Desierto, Raphael."
"Bene, I take that as yes.
"You take the left, I take the right."
"Same bet? I feared that you going to lose on this, fratello."

A group of footmen charge towards both David and Leonardo. At the same time, both Archangels swing their swords at the same time and blast the footmen away from their position. "Fine, I take them all down by myself... Pity that Gabriel still in Oak Town," both of them ready their swords and charged through the ranks of Kazunax's forces in order to join their Templars. "Guard your friends! Erza! We handle them!"

"No wonder she's so familiar, it's Titania."
"Why don't you ask her where's Mirajane?"
"Now you're being sarcastic, Michael."
"Hehe..."

Both of them slash through the Kazunax's horde with their swords, and this battle is going to be won and over.

"Right," Erza breathed as she once again, stood back to back with David. She turned her head for the slightest instant to check on him.

Damn it, his Magic's running out. Shit! the mage thought in panic.

Suddenly, she heard a war horn. She turned her head to see where it was coming from.

"What's that?"Yukari asked, her crimson eyes fixated on the cliff that jutted out above them.

Kagura and Erza quickly turned to the cliff as well. Standing on the cliff was a warhorse.

Templars! Oh, thank goodness! Erza thought as a massive wave of relief rolled over her. She vaguely heard slashing and hacking behind where she and David were standing. A lone Templar galloped past them, and came to a stop in front of the two mages.

The scarlet-haired mage looked vaguely surprised to see their rescuer call David "brother", as he took off his helm, revealing his turquoise eyes and blond hair.

She suddenly looked panicked as a group of footmen rushed towards them, but David, assuring her that he and Raphael could handle them, told her to save Kagura and Yukari.

She gladly did so, rushing out in front of the two girls, her arms outspread.

"Yukari, Kagura, are you okay?" she asked

"Yes, but Yukari's almost out of magic," Kagura quickly informed the knight.

Erza looked down. Yukari was on her knees and panting.

"Looks like summoning Phoenix and Pisces wiped me out," she sighed. "I'm sorry, Erza-sama."

"It's okay. I'm only sorry that I had to let you fend for yourselves," Erza apologised. "It's good that neither of you are seriously hurt."

She looked back at the two Templars, who were cutting their way through the troops.



They're strong, but I'm here if they need me, she thought.

The pike men tried to thrust their pikes against them but Raphael, single-handed break the pikes with his two-handed sword and David jumped in the air from Raphael's behind with his kite shield and sword. He and Raphael slash the soldiers with their swords and send them off, blood were splattered on their Templar mantle and surcoat.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

The last surviving Kazunax soldiers and mages were forced to fall back as the Templars is about to overrun them, they retreated back into the woods but the Templars did not gave a pursuit, it's finished. The Templars and the Hospitallers cheer in victory, brandished their arms in the air while yelled in victorious war cry. David took off his great helm and pulled down his mail coif, sheathed his sword and slung his shield back when he approached Erza and her comrades. Raphael followed him from behind and crouched down in front of Yukari and examined her, he's a doctor after all. "You, young lady... You have used too much magic."

"Your friends seem exhausted, why don't you follow us back to our stronghold? It's not far from here." David asked Erza as he crossed arms onto his chest.

Erza smirked as she noticed that the Templars were victorious in this round.

Yukari looked up to see Raphael before her. She nodded when he said that she had used too much magic, and tried to stand.

However, she fell back on one knee. Kagura rushed towards her friend and helped steady her.

While Erza was watching this with a surprising amount of sympathy, she heard David, who was asking if she wanted to go back to their stronghold.

"That doesn't sound too bad," she responded. She smiled. "Looks like we all need a rest now."

"Mio Dio! Be careful now! Here, drink this." Raphael quickly reached his satchel bag and took out a distilled fresh water, he gave it to Yukari as her friend helped her up. "It's better we give them a ride, she wouldn't last if she keep walking to the Fortress of Grail." David look in the skies for a while and it's getting dark. "We've got a straggling warhorse, abandoned by one of the heathens." Raphael motioned his head to the horses nearby, no doubt they were abandoned by their masters. David signaled a Templar who wore a kettle helm to grab the horse and they bring them right in front of David and Erza.

"Come on, Titania... Your friends' condition is my concern, we need to go back to the fortress." David mounted onto his horse and let his great helm hanging under the saddle, he pointed his finger in the air and rounded it. "Move out!" one of the Templars yelled and along with the Hospitallers, they began to march in line. Raphael lifted Yukari up gently and put her on the horse, a youthful Templar infantry who is about Yukari's age volunteered to lead the young mage and her horse by pulling the rein.

A Hospitaller dismounted from his horse and gave it to Kagura, he nodded to her. "Here, you need a ride." the Hospitaller's friendly smile was visible to her due his nasal helm. David, held his hand to Erza. "You seems exhausted too, care to sit behind me?" he nodded to Erza with his friendly smile.

Yukari managed to stand as Kagura helped steady her. She smiled at Raphael and gratefully took the water that he offered. She sipped at it while everyone was bustling around. She smiled at Raphael thankfully as he lifted the young mage onto his horse.

Kagura looked up as a Hospitaller approached her. She could spot his friendly smile underneath his nasal helm. She smiled, then mounted the horse with a little difficulty.

Erza quickly Requipped back into her Heart Kreuz armor with some difficulty, and then took David's hand. She smiled back.

"Yes, please," she responded.

The Templar grandmaster hold the hand of Titania up and helping her to sit behind him, David clicked his tongue to made some sounds and the horse moved on. The horse galloped all the way to get right in front of the Templars and the Hospitallers' marching with their banners.

As he keep silent for a while, David turned his eyes over the shoulder to check Erza, make sure that she is all right. "Feeling comfortable behind there?" he asked her with his smirk and turned his head forward, focus on the road. Later then, Raphael rode his horse and galloped slowly beside both David and Erza... with his mischievous smirk and David noticed it. Raphael later then turned his head look at the grasslands and hills.

"What a nice scenery,"
"... It is not what you think."
"Oh, scrutiny! I wasn't talk about you and Miss Titania, I was talking about the grasslands and hills fratello!"
"... If you keep on being sarcastic with me, I'll make sure that you'll fall back into the line and I mean it."
"Va bene, va bene.... You've changed a lot, Michael... Since after-"

David halted his horse and stared at Raphael in the eyes with his pair of furious and angry silvered eyes. The blonde Archangel too, halted his horse for a while and look back at the Templar master. Few moments of silence, Raphael shook his head and rode back into the lines. David didn't mean that way, and Raphael was right about him... He was completely changed since after the death of Vannyah... David rode his horse far away from the Templars and Hospitallers but he is still leading the way. "I'm sorry, you must be confusing about just now." he apologized to Erza without looking at her.

To be honest... Erza was the second person and woman who sat behind the Templar master on a horse. He reached his hand into his torso and grabbed out his necklace cross and there is a ring strung beside the ivory cross. David's eyes went narrowed for a while when he rubbed the ring with his thumb gently, and look onto the skies. "Would you mind if I say this? It's been a while that a woman sat behind me while riding on a horse."

Erza looked up as David asked her a question. She had been dwelling on the fight whilst they were riding.

"Yeah," she murmured. She noticed Raphael riding beside David's warhorse with a mischievous smirk on his face. Erza swallowed. She had a feeling she knew what he was thinking.

As Raphael fell back in line after David's hostile glare, Erza looked up, a flicker of confusion crossing her face.

"It's okay," she said reassuringly. Then she listened to what he had to say.

"I see," she responded. "I've never ridden a horse before, until now...this is the first time I've traveled horseback."

A faint smile lingered on her features.

"Really? You never ride a horse before? A knight should ride a horse, no?" David joked with Erza before he chuckle. He turned his head over his shoulder and saw the faint smile of Titania, it was really rare to see her smile. David gazed at Erza's smile for a while, his eyes went narrowed and smiled gently to her.

10 years ago when he first met Erza, David was still a young 21 years old noble baron and that time... he had friendly jousting competition with other nobles and knights. He finally won in the jousting competition but the prize was... odd, a bundle of mixed roses. The winner of the jousting competition should give the roses to a lady he loved as a dedication of victory in the tournament... a typical knight's tradition. David was nervous because he was still single that time until... he saw a scarlet-haired young woman in her 19s. Too nervous and still wearing his Lejonet surcoat wit mail, David hesitatingly gave the bundle of roses to the anonymous woman and she was surprised. That day on, they became acquaintance.

"How's everyone in Fairy Tail? Are they fine?"

"Indeed," Erza gave a small chuckle as she said this.

She remembered the day that she'd met David. She had gone to a jousting contest when completing her last mission. David had won that contest, the prize being a bundle of beautiful roses. She had been very surprised when David presented the roses to her.

"Fairy Tail....," Erza began. "Where should I begin? Almost three-quarters of the guild has been wiped out due to Kazunax. The only ones left are my team, Wendy, Juvia, Gajeel, Shadow Gear, and the Takeover Siblings. We've been pushed back all the way to the outskirts of Magnolia, and we've been forced to change out guild's name to protect ourselves. We are now the Fairy Brigade."

She clenched her teeth in anger as memories flooded back. How she had to defend the guild along with her team. She remembered hearing Wendy's cries as she saw their beloved guild fall.

"We've formed a resistance force as well," she added. "For that bastard Kazunax does not deserve to take over Fiore."

"...Good God..." David couldn't believe after what he heard, three quarters of mages had been killed in the defense of Fairy Tail Guild.

"Not just Fiore, he taken all kingdoms in Earthland. I'm planning to gather all the mages, warriors, nobles and knights from all kingdoms and march them towards to Kazunax. And that alliance forces is no longer Templars... but known as the Grail Watchers."

Grail Watchers is an ancient multinational military organization... Men and women from every kingdoms in Earthland, knights and mages. The Grail Watchers sacrificed everything to defend Earthland from Zeref's demons and dark mages in the past. Since after Zeref's defeat, Grail Watchers had been dissolved into two Orders... Grail Templars who resided Fiore while Grail Hospitallers resided Pergrande.

"It is a pity that king of Fiore and his sons were killed... Even after Fiore was restored, who will lead the kingdom? Not the Magic Council I hope... We Templars already had enough with their strict rules since after Templar-Magic Council Civil War in X700." Indeed it's true, Templars and Magic Council are not in good terms since after their defeat, and the worse is that the Templars have eternal feud with Rune Knights.

"The Earthland needs to be saved and I want to gather the forces from the kingdoms in Earthland, would you like to join me?" he asked Erza.

Erza looked up at David's offer. She nodded.

"I want that bastard wiped out. I want everything to be the way it was before he came and tarnished our honour."

She thought about Kagura and Yukari.

"Perhaps those two brilliant apprentices of mine would love to join in as well," she added.

"You'll have my word, I'll have him submitted to justice otherwise his head on a pike if he resists." the veteran Templar sworn to Titania of his words, sooner or later Kazunax's reign will be fall on the ground. If the two apprentices willing to join his cause, maybe David should too... he need to find some traveling companions.

"Only four of us? I guess we need more people on this noble quest." David chuckled for a while as he keep on galloping his horse. Not very far from their location, there is a village nearby and behind it... a large fortified city were in his sight. "There it is... Fortress of Grail." David said to Erza as he increased his horse's speed.

The Templars and Hospitallers march past the village and approach the gates of the fortress. "Open the gate!" one of the crusaders on the bulwark shouted and the gates slowly opened, the Templars and Hospitallers march into the city.

David slide down from the saddle and held his hand out, to help Titania come down from his warhorse.

"Yes we do...," the scarlet haired beauty remarked as they made their way to a large, fortified city.

If only Natsu, Gray, and Wendy, as well as everyone still left in Fairy Tail could be part of the cause as well..... she thought as they marched into the city.

As they came to a stop, Erza took hold of David's outstretched hand and dismounted from the horse.


Yukari and Kagura both looked amazed.

"Wow...,"the ice mage breathed.

[ooc:... Where's everyone?]

"Wonderful isn't it? This is the place where the first Templars raise their banners and trained new recruits. It had a lot of histories." David told the two young mages as he showed his hand to the tower where banners of the Templar were raised. There is indeed a lot of histories about this fortified city, mostly about the Templars and mostly their recruits are orphans, street urchins, sons of darkmages and child slaves.

"Grandmaster! Letter from Kingdom of Bellum, sir." a Templar guard approached with a letter in his hand and handed it over to David. The Templar master opened the letter and began to read it thoroughly. A smile went across his face and he turned towards the Hospitallers and Templars. "My brothers! King Ritcher of Bellum agreed to our proposal and decided to rise against Kazunax and his heretic followers!" he shouted and raised his arm in the air, the Hospitallers and Templars cheer in awe and joy. King Ritcher... a great enemy in the past and friend in the present, thanks to the Crusade of Desierto, David knew him as a great general and king. "Our noble crusade will begin... in time." David told Erza and he showed his way into the castle.

The guards salute as David, Erza, Raphael and the other two Fairy Tail mages walk on the hallway. "Have a good rest here and Titania, we have something to talk later... privately." David told Erza as they enter the guest room.