Hello. ~

My first Fairy Tail fanfiction! FT is currently my new best friend.

Disclaimer? No, I don't own. Should be obvious.

On a side note, this chapter will just be a short prologue thing.

Please read and review. ^^

Prologue.

A figure sat in an armchair near the dying embers of a fireplace. The room was dimly lit; the fire threw shadows that flickered and danced across the room. A plain wooden door was barely visible behind the armchair. But he — for the figure was a man — made no move to reignite the fire to lighten up the room.

The darkness was his element, and so was everything that went with darkness — shadows, fear, death.

The fire spluttered higher for a split second, and for a mere heartbeat the embers illuminated a pair of black eyes. Black, bottomless eyes that held no hint of a sparkle or a glint of life in them. The eyes were dull, dead.

Then the fire died down again and everything was plunged into darkness once more.

There was a knock on the door.

The figure in the armchair sat up, long white fingers straightened in anticipation. One by one, the shadows in the room detached from the corners of the wall and under the armchair and flew into the hands of the man, swirls of blackness curling and pulsing delightedly in his hands.

"Enter." His voice was smooth, but there was a hint of menace underneath the deceptively pleasant tone.

The doorknob rattled fearfully, then the door slowly inched open.

A young boy, no more than sixteen, stood trembling in the doorway.

"Are we ready to start?"

The boy shook his head numbly. His teeth were chattering.

"When I ask you a question, boy, you speak up."

"N-no, master." The poor boy shook like a leaf in the wind.

The black eyes narrowed to slits, the fingers clenched into a tight fist. "Explain." The voice was a hiss now; it lost its pleasant exterior.

"W-we have the necessary magic power, master. But we n-need to infuse the magic into a powerful magical object as the h-host."

"Indeed." The figure was silent for a while, staring into the fire. Then he looked up into the face of the terrified boy. "You are dismissed."

Not believing his good luck at making it out alive, the poor lad scarpered before his master could change his mind.

A pathetic, bumbling fool. They all are.

He stood up from the armchair and spoke aloud. "Useless creatures. Nevertheless… you heard what the boy said, Phasea. A powerful magical object is required if we ever want to meet our goal."

"Yes, master." A woman — who wasn't there a few seconds ago — stood near the fireplace. She had midnight black tresses and was dressed in a dark blue combat outfit, complete with a set of knives tucked in her belt.

"Do you have any ideas, Phasea?"

"The only object strong enough to contain the magical power we have amassed is the Staff itself, master."

"Indeed. The Staff. This has set my plans back a bit… but no matter… the Staff will be in our grasp soon…"

The woman stayed quiet.

"You are to find the Staff, and bring it to me. These are my orders."

"Yes, master." She bowed, then retreated to the doorway.

"You are my best servant, Phasea. Do not let me down."

The woman met his black eyes unflinchingly.

"Yes, master."

There were no second chances.

Yes. Well, that is it.

Chapter 1 ought to be up soon.

Thank you for reading.

- TheAliensDidIt