The Plague Returns?

Mythal had to admit that his return back to the living world had brought a few strange occurrences, none as strange as his having to explain his letters. He’d essentially quit Fairy Tail un the presumption he wasn’t going to be alive enough to return. But he had come back alive and yet it felt strange to go back to the guild he had called home for so long. It wasn’t that they wouldn’t have accepted him back – it was more a worry about what could come their way. Faera was still very much alive and most likely furious over what had happened in her own realm. If he joined back up with Fairy Tail, it was entirely possible he could bring them to danger. He couldn’t risk it; not right now. Maybe in the future he could afford it but not at the moment.

But a client had sent for him personally, made up a letter addressed to him and all. It had been couriered to him and upon opening the letter, he had let out a small sigh. The Herbalist from Beanstalk Village apparently had finished some of her research and was wondering if he could aid in offering some opinion on the matter. Not one to turn down jewel, he had accepted and made his way to the village.

Yet he wasn’t alone. As he walked through the woods only a few miles from Beanstalk, he had picked up on a very particular presence that was attempting to keep in the shadows of the woods. An effective technique, were it not for several of the God Slayer’s enhanced senses. He could smell the man from a mile away first of all and then there was the fact that he could literally feel his weight in the darkness of the forest. Mythal decided not to act right away; his magical aura wasn’t too strong and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was some spy meant to follow him. Whether it was for Faera or some other organization, he couldn’t quite tell.

The Herbalist was more than elated to see him, commenting on how long it had been since they’d seen one another. “It’s been a year, right?” she stated as she invited him in.

“A month or two,” the Darkness King said with a shrug.

“Well, let’s get started then. The plant sample you brought me? It’s quite the infiltratory bud; it’s roots are strong enough to break through most barriers. It could even grow through walls, given enough time and nutrients. Here’s the strange thing…”

“One second,” Mythal said, holding up a single finger. He snapped out of existence briefly, melting into the shadows of the building and reappearing outside, right behind the spy that had been listening in. The God Slayer tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to spin around in surprise. A hefty whack with a knife-edge brought the man crumbling down onto the ground, immediately knocking him out.

He reappeared inside the house, dragging the man with him. The Herbalist gasped and pointed at the stranger. “Who is that?” She asked, as Mythal bent down and searched the man’s pockets. A used match, still smelling fresh of flame and an odd-looking silver coin. It had a skull on one side and a hand on the other.

“No idea. But he was fairly interested in what you hadda say.”