It was a day like no other, and yet it was the day that Allona Redfox's life changed forever. It was the day she had to give up her son. Tears leaking from her amber eyes, she held her three year old son, Gajeel, to her chest as she ran through the forest, branches scraping her feet and she knew her skin was open and breathing. Gajeel was quiet as fox, and his own amber eyes were open, watching his mother.
The dark guild members were coming closer and Allona had run out of magic power, though her own life was nothing compared to her darling son's. As she ran, she spoke sweet tender words, despite the tears, her voice was strong, "Gajeel, you are and always will be loved. No matter what, where I am, what path you choose please know I will always smile down on you, okay? I want you to be as strong as daddy for mommy okay? Please, one day find a girl and love her as much as your daddy loved me, Gajeel, okay? Please be safe…at all costs, be safe."
The three year old just looked at his mother, looking confused as to what was exactly happening at the moment.
"THERE SHE IS! THERE'S REDFOX'S WIFE!" yelled someone.
"No," cursed Allona, running deeper into the mountain's forest. She needed to make sure Gajeel was safe and sound before she died. It was the least she could do for her son, who she knew this would be her last act as a mother. Her husband got on the wrong side of a dark guild. As a result, they broke into their house near the mountain's foot and killed her husband. Allona, being a level headed woman for the most part took her son and ran, leaving rune traps outside her house as a distraction. There were rune traps all around, as well.
"USE MAGIC, DAMMIT!" one yelled, Allona figured he was their leader.
Finding the last of her strength, Allona set her three year old down softly at the edge of a giant cave built into the mountain. On her knees, Allona wrote down some runes, using her blood as her ink and lead.
Once the barrier was complete, Allona was ensured it was all correct, despite the tears and anxiety mixed between the actual writing. The runes allowed her time to clean up her son, and to find something, or someone to take care of her. It was an old, yet efficient wall set up to not let anything harmful to go past for thirty six hours.
"Auuugh!" yelled Allona as she felt the life force being sucked out of her as her runes were set into action.
The dark mages approached, but were ultimately thrown back, one even yelled, "She set up another fucking trap!"
"Read it out loud!"
"It's in a different language!"
"She can't hide there forever—let's wait it out." Said the leader, leering at the woman.
Allona stood up, though she was dizzy from blood loss and wobbled a bit before gaining her balance, she walked slowly, ignoring the pain and rejection of movement form her legs, to her son and picked him up again. Seeing nowhere to go, she entered the dark, hollow cave.
"You're going to be safe, Gajeel, I promise you, okay? Mommy'll do anything for you," whispered Allona, her sweat raven hair stuck to her face and the once perfect silver dress was ripped in several places from battle with some of the mages. It was lucky she knew how to use Rune magic not just for defense, but offense as well, it was also lucky her secondary magic was lightning.
Her husband and she were Independent mages; a happy couple with an engaging son named Gajeel, whereas Allona could carry a tune like a baby bird and often sang to her son, her husband could not.
Opening her mouth to softly sing her son one last song, her bird like voice came out,
"Tell the swine
We will make it out alive
There's a note in the pages of a book
So sleep tonight
We'll sleep dreamlessly this time
When we awake we'll know that everything's alright
Sing to me about the end of the world
End of these hammers and needles for you
Hold on to the world we all remember fighting for
There's still strength left in us yet
Hold on to the world we all remember dying for
There's still hope left in it yet
Arise and be
All that you dreamed
All that you dreamed"
Gajeel giggled at that, like he always did after his mother sang, "'ommy," said the young boy, "'sing moreah!"
"I love you, Gajeel," said Allona.
"I wuv you too!"
"What do we have here?" a voice interrupted their conversation, Allona who was distracted from her singing and her son, did not notice the giant entity before her. One whose scales shone in the dim lightning of the damp cave, one whose teeth were the size of her legs, one who could kill her and her son without so much as a second thought. Amber eyes widening, Allona gasped. Before her was a dragon.
The dragon looked down at the petite woman and her son. Obviously to the dragon, the woman was battle worn, bloodied and bruised, while her young human son was clutched to her chest.
She knew she should've listened to the rumors of a dragon nearby, but she never once saw the dragon herself in all fifteen years of living near this mountain—so she naturally ignored them and didn't pay mind. To think, of all the times to run into a dragon, it would be now.
"D-dragon," breathed out Allona, who now held her son more tightly to her chest.
"Way to point out the obvious, human. I am Metalicana, the great Iron Dragon. You must be the human who was running from the group of mages outside my cave. I heard you're signing, as well. You're either a brave human for walking into a dragon's den uninvited or very, very foolish." Said the steel-like dragon.
Allona swallowed, "I had no idea…I apologize, but please, if you thirst for kill—kill me and leave my son!" begged Allona, making eye contact with the dragon who too, had amber eyes.
"Kill? I have standards you know, and murdering woman and children are not one of them, human." Said the lightly offended dragon.
Before Allona could answer, her knees gave out and she fell to the ground. Though only now on her weak knees, she still held onto her son, who was quiet during the entire exchange. Tears prickled her eyes as Allona Redfox worried for the safety of her dear son.
"You're dying, human. I can smell your death approaching," said the iron dragon, looking down at the human mother and son with slight pity.
"I know…" looking up into the dragon's eyes she spoke once again her voice, despite the situation, was strong and determined, not shaky and weak. "Please Metalicana, the iron dragon, take care of my son, Gajeel for me! Please so that job that my husband and I cannot fulfill due to the darkness of the world!"
"What could I possibly need with a human infant?" said Metalicana, skeptic clear in his voice.
"He had magical potential, I can feel it. He is bound to so much greater than a life of three years. You're a creature of magic, I know you can feel his potential just as I can. His soul yearns for the strength…I've heard stories of Dragon slayers! Please, teach my son, raise him like your own."
"You sound like an old friend of mine, human woman." Stated the dragon. It was true, just a few weeks back Igneel, Grandine and he had a small get together where they spoke of training potential dragon slayers to prepare for the years to come. In order to protect the world and every life in it, who would have thought of such timing? What the human woman said before was true too, her son held great potential.
"Please…" added the woman softly, and once more tears fell from her eyes, Metalicana watched with great surprise how her until then silent son spoke.
"Don't cwy 'ommy. I'll pwotect you." Said the young boy who was now patting his mother.
It was as if a bell went off in Metalicana's head—at that moment the air froze in the cave and as the little boy patted his dying mother's head, some of his aura flew from him and onto the dragon.
"I will take your son, human. What is your name?" said the dragon. Allona smiled, one that brightened up her face, setting her son down next to a rock, the little boy immediately curled his legs together and watch is his mother lay her head down.
"Allona Redofx," she said, and using the last of her strength, she smiled and brushed her son's now bare foot, "And this is my pride and joy, my life and my living legacy, Gajeel Kurogone Redfox."
A/N: Well, cupcake13 and I were talking about the song that was used in this, 'Arise' by Flyleaf and this came up.
The name "Allona" means strong. I also had young Gajeel pat his mother's head as a sign for affection because that's what he does to Levy. Also; keep in mind that Allona has a petite body as well. ;D
I love Gajeel and I'm very curious about Metalicana, so I wrote this. I chose rune magic because that's connected to Levy. And let's say that Gajeel's stubbornness grew from chillin' with Metalicana, but his determination and overall strength of character derived from his mother.
I hope you enjoyed this~!
As always, pop in a review full of your thoughts, critiques and questions.
Have an awesome time!
-CupCake