Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail.
"Fairy Tail!" – Speaking
'Fairy Tail!' – Thoughts
Fairy Tail – Flashback
Fairy Tail – Spells and Magic
Cold Sun Dragon
The Showdown Between Ice and Iron
Previously on Cold Sun Dragon,
And after Ur was done scolding Gray, she was asked to meet with the Magical Council to give Fairy Tail's answer. Given how Ur proved that she was what she was infamous for in her prime, the Magical Council agreed on the selection. And just another hour, Ur was officially a member of the Wizard Saints.
Ur had also made her own conditions as a member of the Wizard Saints. The first one was to no longer try to arrest any member of Fairy Tail for any destruction as the guild will handle it for themselves. The second one was to not interfere or meddle in any business regarding any member of Fairy Tail. There were others but a good one to end the list will be that any child born to any member of the guild will be under the justification of the parents and the other members of the guild. Ur remembered how she foolishly gave her supposedly dead daughter to an unnamed organization to fix her daughter's fever.
Instead, she was told that her daughter had died. They won't even let her see the 'body'. That broke Ur's heart as she was told not to be a mother by not seeing her daughter after she let them do what they wanted to. Natsu did bring up that a girl matching Ur's daughter had instead escaped them but disappeared instead of reuniting with Ur. Regardless, Ur didn't want any child born to a member of Fairy Tail to be in the hands of greedy and inhumane minds, seeking to extort what they can from a famous line of mages including Ur's.
The Magic Council was initially outraged about this stab at their authority. But seeing the benefits that came with it, they decided to accept these conditions. "And make sure that Fairy Tail, now the only one in Fiore with two Wizard Saints as members, keeps in check. We take conditions from you Mages seriously. We keep to our end of the agreement and you keep to yours." That was what summarized the Magic Council's acceptance to Ur's conditions. And all was well.
Gajeel was still in the ruins of the destroyed Chō Madō Kyojin Fantomu Mk II (Super Mage Giant Phantom MK II). He had been knocked out for a while and noticed that there wasn't a single soul in sight. No doubt that the lesser known members of Phantom Lord had either tried to avoid the Magic Council or had been turned in already. Anyways, Gajeel was still too injured and hungry to even budge his own body.
"Is this how I am going to turn up…?" Gajeel muttered to himself, practically the only thing he could do. "If only I won that fight then none of this will ever happen." Gajeel then remembered how he was utterly humiliated and defeated in a one-sided battle that was well in Natsu's favor,
Flashback Begins!
"Ice?" Lucy and Happy asked,
"ICE!?" Ten lesser known mages from Phantom Lord asked, slightly louder.
"WHAT DOES ICE HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!?" Twenty more couldn't handle the stress and exploded like so.
"Simple." Natsu said, "Dragons are beings closest to that of reptiles and all reptiles share one thing in common; they all are coldblooded." Everyone then gasped in realization, "Yes, dragons can be vulnerable to freezing temperatures."
"But I heard that someone tried that with a dragon and got killed anyways! And his spells didn't even do a thing with that dragon!" One of the Phantom Lord members shouted But Natsu didn't lose his calm smirk.
"Ah but there is more to Dragons in the tales and believe me, there is more truth to the tale than any of your think." Natsu. "For example, not only can ice slay a coldblooded dragon but it said that dragons are like diamonds." Everyone titled their head in confusion and that got Natsu a little excited because he was going to get to the best part. "Like a diamond that is so tough that only another diamond can cut it and it is so sharp that a diamond can cut another."
"WAAH!" Everyone screamed when they pieced things together in an instant. "A dragon can kill another dragon and be killed by one too!"
"That is why you can't just use normal magic against a dragon, you must always use Metsuryu Mahō (Dragon Slayer Magic) against a dragon. And that is why I embraced this power that was there for me to find and use; Koori no Metsuryu Mahō (Ice Dragon Slayer Magic)!" Natsu roared as the dry ice like object in his chest glow even more than before. Gajeel just prepared himself for a fight of his life.
"Aisuryu no Buriza Dageki (Ice Dragon's Blizzard Strike)!" Natsu charged with his entire forearm and fist covered in a contained snowfall. One that was already chilling the room, five degrees a second, creating ice shards on the ground already.
"Tetsuryukon (Iron Dragon's Club)!" Gajeel turned his arm into a metal club and matched punches with Natsu's own spell. But he had to keep in a loud scream when he noticed that Natsu's punch was starting to freeze the iron club brittle. "Tetsuryu no Uroko (Iron Dragon's Scales)!"
"Impressive." Natsu smirked to see that the effects of his Buriza Dageki was no longer taking place. Not when Gajeel used the best that his Tetsuryū no Uroko has to offer. "Now show me the peak of those scales. "Aisuryu no Shusseki no Aori (Influence of the Ice Dragon's Presence)." Natsu whispered, with a voice that was cold as the winter wind.
Now it was cold for sure. And this time, ice was forming from around ten meters of Natsu's location and especially from his hands. But Lucy noticed that when a rat, frighten by the fight, had arrived at the wrong place and at the wrong time. As soon as the rat touched the ice, it boiled and burned at the touch! "That ice! It's dry ice!"
Everyone gasped and their quick fears were immediately confirmed when Gajeel screamed like never before. It was like his whole body had been burned, both on the inside and outside. "Can you take it? Can you take the coldest touch in the world?" Natsu spoke sadistically at Gajeel who growled at that mockery.
"No way in hell I am losing now!" Gajeel shouted and Natsu just smirked even worse.
"Very well." Natsu then let go of one hand, only to pull Gajeel over his other shoulder, sending the Ace of Phantom Lord packing. And landing hard into the iron floor of the wrecked guild hall. "Now let's see you, 'not losing'." Natsu said, smiling at his handiwork and witnessing Gajeel get on his feet like an old man. "Aisuryu no Fubuki Hane (Ice Dragon's Snow Storm Wings)!"
Gajeel gasped to see Natsu cover both of his arms this time with snow and ice. Then, like a bird flapping its own wings, Natsu opened his initially crossed arms and opened them to send a mighty force of a snow storm into Gajeel's direction. "Damnit!" Gajeel could only say, he couldn't think of a spell that can even slow down this one; not that it will help that there was no time to even 'spell' out one.
And for a little while, there was nothing but smoke to behold where everyone last saw Gajeel. Of course, Natsu never let his guard down and move out the way just in time for a Tetsuryukon appearing out of nowhere. "I'm not done yet!" Everyone was shocked to see that Gajeel was still unconscious. Everyone but Natsu that is.
"You will be. Look at you, what strength can you spare to keep fighting from keeping on your legs?" Natsu pointed out and his got another growl from Gajeel as an answer.
"Shut up! Tetsuryūsō: Kishin (Iron Dragon Lance: Demon Logs)!" Gajeel sent out various spears from his right arm once again but once they actually touched Natsu, they didn't kill him. Instead, the tips of the spears all shattered at Natsu's skin that briefly shined. "What the hell!?"
"Don't be so surprised Gajeel, it was a long trip back from a certain island of demons and a long time since I finally let loose. I had plenty of time to see what I can really do with my many spells. And now one of 'weakest' actually took you by surprise. How pathetic." Natsu said in an encrypted tone, not actually answering directly. But Lucy saw that shine and had a good idea. "So for now, lets us both cut loose. It is only right after how you been tossed around like a ragdoll and I don't have anything to show for a tough battle. I am feeling very disappointed in you Gajeel, as a Guild Ace and especially a Dragon Slayer."
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Gajeel ranted on and on. "You think that because you got the whole package from that stupid dragon Lacirma inside your chest! I am sick of you and your arrogance! Laughing at us real mages, it is unforgivable!" But nobody spoke another word. Not even the unconscious Phantom Lord members.
"You used to talk a good game. I can't say sorry enough for Gramps and his boasting. Laxus too or even Gildarts. But you were the ones laughing after assaulting three of our own guild mates. You laughed at the prospect of killing not only us but the entire population of Magnolia. Those who laugh about people dying, especially innocents, with only your jealously justifying your actions; it is that what is unforgivable." Natsu spoke it all in one breath and with confident with a scowl, not a smile or a smirk. And yet, Gajeel growled louder than a grouchy and hungry bear.
Gajeel then took in a breath so huge, his chest was swelling like that of a lizard's. Natsu saw that and did the same,
"Tetsuryu no Hōkō!"
"Aisury u no Hōkō!"
As both Dragon Slayers bellowed out their roar attack, it was a terrible sight. Two vortexes, one of snow and ice and the other of iron and metal, were trying to claw at each other. And for a brief moment that felt like an eternity, the stand-off ended; with damage to both sides.
Natsu's ice armor spell allowed him to take in the rubble shooting towards himself and his allies but Gajeel wasn't so fortunate. In fact, he only barely escaped the explosion of rocks and raw steel with his own spell while not even trying to protect his own guild mates; he considered them expendable and desired any injury because 'they were stupid not to run'.
"Salamander!" Gajeel now looked like a mad man from the look in his eyes. "This has gone too long! It is time that I go out and kill you at last!" Gajeel smirked, thinking that Natsu's loss of voice to be a sign of victory. He couldn't be any more wrong.
"Okay then, Black Steel Gajeel." The Ace of Phantom Lord had this shiver down his spine, hearing that tone and then saw the Dragon Lacrima in Natsu's chest glow red and mix in with the ice blue color to form something out of this word. "Brace yourself." Gajeel couldn't even breathe when he felt the whole world punch him in the face.
He felt that he went through a wall and landing hard in a pile of rock, stone and rubble that didn't smell like steel at all. And Gajeel knew this because that all was all he could feel, hear and smell before he blacked out. He didn't even see the rest of his guild fall and lose in this guild war.
Flashback Ends!
"And I am never going to find him? Why did you do this to me…?" Gajeel would have said at least a name until he felt like something was shoved into his mouth.
"Hello Gajeel, you sure healed nicely." Gajeel would have growled to see Natsu himself standing over him. "Eat up, we need to talk." Gajeel cursed internally to hear his stomach growl louder than his mouth but the Iron Dragon Slayer chewed on the piece of scrap metal that Natsu had 'given' him.
XXXXX
And after that piece of junked iron went down his throat, it was nothing but wires and other meal metals within reach for Gajeel to feed on. After getting his stomach full, he burped shameless. "Thanks but there is nothing to talk about Salamander. You have ruined us and we were the best guild in Fiore!" Gajeel then acted only slightly respectfully. Natsu just sighed,
"That last one isn't up to the mages Gajeel, it is up to the people that count on us. And Fairy Tail was doing just that for Fiore, the same as your guild but we never tried to get you involved that might as well cause a war." Natsu said and Gajeel finally managed to growl at the verbal jab. "What I want to know is simple; who did you get your Tetsu no Metsuryū Mahō (Iron Dragon Slayer Magic) from? I seriously doubt that a mage like you will just take the easy way and get via a Lacrima."
Just growled again but huffed as well. "You have got instincts Salamander, I will never stoop that low." Natsu said nothing and waited. "…Metalicana." Gajeel then said out of the blue,
"Who?" Natsu got interested.
"Metalicana, the Tetsuryū (Iron Dragon). He found and raised me and taught me his magic." Gajeel finally got somewhere and that confirmed Natsu's suspicions. "But everyone just took me in for how I was a mage with magic that can't be learned by the books or bought in the stores. They never believed me."
"Fairy Tail laughed at me too when I first came as well." Natsu said, having a seat next to Gajeel who did nothing to protest or move away. "That I was raised by a dragon too, Igneel the Enryūō (Fire Dragon King)."
"The Enryūō!?" Gajeel spoke in disbelief. Natsu got raised by the greatest of all fire dragons and all he got was a simple iron dragon for a teacher.
"Yeah. Because unlike all fire dragons, Igneel's magic has a special and exclusive ability. If I were to consume the magic of another fire or any other type of dragon, for that matter, then I will be able to wield it for my own." Natsu explained the difference and Gajeel growled in slight envy. Somehow, his abilities seemed rather lame compared to Natsu's. "So what happened? Did Metalicana vanish?"
Gajeel said nothing but showed sweat when Natsu was getting a little impatient. What is worse is that Gajeel's wounds are stinging when Natsu ignited his fist with fire and ice again. "Yes!" Natsu halted but didn't extinguish the magic in his hand yet. "Yes Metalicana did disappear! Out of nowhere and without a word! I haven't seen him since!"
Finally, Natsu sighed and the magic in his hand disappeared. "Just like with Igneel. On July seventh, seven years ago on X777. How about you?" Natsu asked and Gajeel had the look of surprise on his face.
"Yes! Metalicana did disappear on that that day!" Gajeel was in disbelief that not one but at least two dragons disappeared on the exact same day. "But why are you telling me this, we are still enemies?" Gajeel asked with a softer tone but Natsu took in a large sigh once again.
"Because I know where Metalicana is, I know where Igneel is. In fact, I know where all the dragons are." Natsu said and Gajeel looked like a kid who found a present all for him after a couple of birthdays missed. "But I can't tell you."
"And why not!?" Gajeel found his anger and stood up, "I have been searching for Metalicana all this time and you just said you know where he is but you won't tell me!?"
"More like I can't tell you. I physically can't Gajeel." Natsu said and Gajeel was stilling steaming red but waited for Natsu's 'excuse'. "When I found this dragon Lacrima, within the most dangerous ice mountain on Earthland and surrounded by a ring of active volcanos, it not only asked of me to wield its power but it did give me two things; the secret about the dragons that told me where they were but something else as well." Natsu said and then opened his mouth to reveal something that disgusted Gajeel and quelled any rage within the Iron Dragon Slayer.
It was a mark at the very base of Natsu's tongue. It appeared to be at least three black bars that reached not even close to half the length of his tongue. And it looked like it was made of magic, magic that seemed to be alive. (1) "W-what the hell is that?"
"Something that I am trying to understand myself." Natsu said. "All I heard found out is that this is some kind of seal. A seal that is powered by my own magic reserves and has a mind of its own, one that cannot be lied to or be denied. If I should even try to write down where the dragons are, my body will be completely paralyzed for an entire hour, completely helpless to even breathe. All in some kind of effort to keep the secret hidden."
"Damm." Gajeel remarked as he tried to take this in, "So I guess that my only lead went cold again." Gajeel suddenly turned sad again but felt a hand on his shoulder.
"I can tell you this though Gajeel." Natsu said with a smile. "That Metalicana is out there for sure. That he stills loves you as his son, in his own way. That he actually left, to save your life." It was still not a good answer but it made Gajeel realize what he had been trying to figure out for seven years.
"Is he looking out for me? Does he know that I am looking for him?" Gajeel actually begged of Natsu who smiled.
"He knows everything and no matter what you do, you will always be a beloved son of Metalicana. He is still proud of you Gajeel." Natsu answered and Gajeel surprised the former with tears in his eyes.
"Thank you…Natsu." The said mage said nothing, "Thank you…for telling me about Metalicana, I will find him someday. Because for now, it is enough to know that he is still alive." Gajeel then finally left the ruins of Phantom Lord, leaving Natsu to lose his smile while out of sight.
'I am sorry Gajeel but that is a lie. A lie that I can never correct with this accursed seal!' Natsu thought to himself. 'I just wish that you will still be willing to face whatever truth will finally be given to you.' Natsu then shed some tears as well. 'I also wish that I can still live with all this knowledge, all these secrets for my guild? Knowing what is coming and unable to stop it is one of the worst pains I ever felt.' Natsu then left the ruins himself, looking into the sunset. 'Igneel, I will do what you wanted me to do. I will find the fallen one and see to it that Gajeel and the other will never die by his hands! I swear it!' Natsu proclaimed secretly to whoever he was hoping to hear his thoughts. No one ever did answer.
End of Chapter 14.
*Here it is! My first update in September this year! Tell me what you think!*
1. Thought that I will take inspiration from the unnamed curse mark that Danzo used in the Naruto franchise. If you look it up, this cursed mark works in that shape and form all the same.