Well guys, sorry I was gone so long! I've been busy trying to juggle everything else in my life. Needless to say, updates may not be as often as we wish they could be. But, I'll still be updating...it'll just be taking a bit longer than usual. Anyways...last time, Byakuren began telling Natsu and the others just what was going on...now, we learn exactly what are the 'Dragon Wars', and why it called Byakuren to call the Dragons of Fairy Tail! Enjoy!
An erie silence filled the large Fairy Tail infirmary, not a single soul found within it making even the smallest of sounds. All the members were absolutely still, absolutely silent, some sitting up in their beds, a few with gaping mouths and widened eyes, while others simply wore a look of terrible confusion, so great it sends tremors down your back. It was as though Fear itself had walked into the small room within the infamous Guild Hall and washed his horrible powers over all within. However, no figure was causing the intense fear that had plunged itself into the hearts of all that stood in the room. No, instead, it was simply the words that one white-haired Dragon Slayer had said from the very back of the room, the very words that still hanged in the air, chilling everyone within the room to the bone.
Byakuren sighed to himself. He understood the fear that they felt very well; two months ago, he himself had felt the icy grip of terror clutch his heart as the horrible words he had just barely spoken had met his ears. However, now was not the time for fear. Now was the time for action.
Finally, after the silence had hanged for several more moments in the room, one of the Dragon Slayers in the room, a girl with dark black hair and bright red eyes, turned her gaze over to Byakuren, a small frown upon her face. Slowly, she opened her mouth, and said in a soft, dark tone, "You can't be serious."
Byakuren smirked as her words hit him, and he folded his arms behind his head, taking a slightly more relaxed position in his chair. "Oh, I am quite serious, Miss...Alsay, was it? Anyway, I'm being true with you guys. The Dragon Wars are here, whether you want to believe it or not, and if we want to survive them, we'd best be prepared."
"But...this is crazy!" Laxus growled, clenching his fists in anger. "The Dragon Wars aren't supposed to start until one thousand years after the last one! And the last one was-"
"Nine-hundred, ninety-nine years, and nine months ago," Byakuren finished, his smirk only fading by the tiniest bit. "Trust me, man, I did the math, done the research, studied every single record that I could salvage from ruins and archives that told of the six Dragon Wars before our generations. Trust me. In three months, the Dragon Wars are gonna start again."
The Ice Dragon Slayer paused, taking a moment to gauge the reactions of everyone that was around him. Honestly...they were taking it better than he had expected. Laxus, after his outburst, ground his teeth together to reduce his remaining rage, and collapsed into a chair, holding his head up with his left hand. Natsu gripped his head with both hands and began beating it like crazy against the far wall of the infirmary, mumbling incoherent words of confusion. Gajeel had simply folded his arms across his chest, frowning as he tried to register exactly what Byakuren had just said. And the other Dragon Slayers in the room simply stared down at their sheets, varying cases of worry written across their faces. The only exception to this was Alsay, who was glaring now at Byakuren, her bright red eyes boring into his crimson and sapphire ones. All in all, the room was filled with silence once more, as all within it pondered over the terror that was coming.
"Um...excuse me...but what are these 'Dragon Wars'?"
Instantly everyone in the room stopped and turned back to the speakers. Standing in the frame of the doorway were Lucy, Grey, Erza, and Mirajane, the last three looking over at their friends in the beds, while the first of their group looked over at Byakuren, frowning. Byakuren couldn't help but sigh at the blonde's question. How many times would he have to explain this to Guild Members before everyone understood it? Shaking his head, he began to explain.
"The Dragon Wars are a sort of tradition held by Dragon Slayers, ever since the first generation of Dragon Slayers that were born six thousand years ago," the white-haired Dragon Slayer said, standing slowly up again, forming a staff of ice to keep his balance. "Basically, its a series of all-out battles solely between Dragon Slayers to see who the strongest Dragon Slayer in the world is. They only happen once every thousand years, and all Dragon Slayers fit enough to fight must battle."
"That sounds like Natsu's kind of event," Grey said with a frown, smacking his forehead with his hand. "The idiot's always wanted to prove to everyone that he's the strongest, even though he's never actually succeeded in beating any of the S-Class Mages."
"Hey! I beat Laxus, remember?!" Natsu shouted, glaring at his teammate. Byakuren chuckled and shook his head with a touch of annoyance running through him.
"I can see that...but yeah, all Dragon Slayers are born with a want to grow stronger, to prove themselves. It's kind of a hidden by-product of the Dragon Wars, so that the Dragon Slayers are at their strongest when the Wars begin. They have to be strong, otherwise they may not survive the Wars in one piece, if at all."
"How can you say that?!" Lucy asked with a gasp. "That...that's horrible!"
"That's the truth!" Byakuren said sharply, glaring. "I've read the record that remain from the last Wars, and let me tell you, it wasn't the kind of story you want to sit down with before going to bed. Fifty Dragon Slayers attended the last War, and only fifteen came out alive, half of them missing limbs, the other half missing a part of their minds." Sighing, he sat back in his chair and rested his head in his hands. "But we don't have a choice. We need to fight in the Wars. It's what we've all been preparing for, all our lives. That's why I came, so I can warn you guys of what's going to happen, and help you guys get ready for when the storm really hits!"
Erza frowned, shaking her head. "Still, that's a lot to be gambling with. Why would anyone even want to face such odds in the first place? It seems like it's pretty much lose-lose all around."
"Well, that's because I haven't mentioned the good part yet," Byakuren said, smirking. The four mages frowned, looking at him in confusion. Finally, Mirajane stepped forward, a small frown on her face.
"What do you mean, 'good part'?" she asked softly. Byakuren grinned, bowing his head forward with his eyes closed.
"The 'good part', the reason that all the Dragon Slayers in the world would even pause long enough to think about joining in the Dragon Wars, is that the victor can summon a Dragon that corresponds with his Slayer Element."
"What?!" everyone said in unison, knocking Byakuren back in surprise. Sighing, the Ice Dragon Slayer nodded, dusting himself off a bit.
"Yeah, that's what I said when I first found out. But, it's true. You can summon the Dragon that matches your element, and that Dragon will stay with you, training you and travelling with you, for an entire year. You can imagine just how many Dragon Slayers would give everything they have just for a chance, a sliver of a chance, to summon back their old teachers and masters. And if Dragon Slayers born from Lacryma transplanted within them were to win," he said, looking over to Laxus, "they can summon a Dragon that can teach them how to best master all of their skills."
"That...that's incredible!" Grey said, his eyes wide in shock. "So, if someone in this Guild won-"
"Then I'd be able to see Igneel again," Natsu said, grinning his crooked grin.
"And I'd be able to talk to Metalicana," Gajeel said, frowning a bit.
"And we'd be able to have Dragon teachers," Alsay finished, looking over to Laxus, who gave her a faint nod. Byakuren nodded to all of them, smirking again.
"You got it. So..." Slowly he looked up to everyone, grinning. "Who's ready to get to training?"
Somewhere in the darkest, stormiest of oceans, there lays an island as desolate and uninhabitable as can even be conceivable. The shores are covered in jagged cliffs covered in such sharp, thorny rocks that the smallest brush against them can slice a person apart. Fang-like mountains grow upon the island's face, and enormous cracks cut across toward the main mountain, where a cloud of shadows and ash rises above the land. The only plants that can be seen are Demon Lilies, poisonous flowers that are completely disgusting in appearance, and deadly in attributes. Nothing else has ever lived upon this island, ever.
And that's just how Straider liked his base.
No one would guess that an inhospitable island would be the home to the leader of the Dragon Slayers of Chaos. Solitary life upon an island so far away from the rest of humanity, and so desolate that for one to step upon it spelled out certain death. It was the perfect place for Straider to live and plan. He couldn't help but smirk and stare over his 'domain' as his thoughts turned to the on-coming Dragon Wars.
He had been planning for the Dragon Wars since the very moment his master had left with the other Dragons, and now, nearly twelve years later, it was all falling into place. He had his army behind him, all willing to fight to the bitter end for him and his master. He had his powers, all of them now, unlocked for his complete and utter control. And he had his aces, his most powerful of soldiers, who would be unstoppable in the Dragon Wars. It was all just so...perfect.
"The troops are ready to begin moving, my Lord."
Straider smirked, nodding back to the cloaked Dragon Slayer behind him. "Excellent, Akira," he said, turning back to the tortured landscape before him. "Summon the last three of the Dragon Lords, and begin moving towards the Isles of Legends. I'll meet you there in three days time."
The shrouded man nodded, bowing lowly. "As you wish, my Lord," he said softly, before disappearing in the blink of an eye. Smirking, the man closed his eyes and slipped his hands into his pockets.
"Let the games begin."