Chapter Twelve:

The enemy...

'Gramps, I gotta go. Every time I'm near you, I put you in danger. I can't just hang around here!'

'But Laxus!'

'Don't worry about me, old man. You'll be alright!'

Laxus stared hard at the floor under his knees. Sweat drenched his forhead and dripped down from his skin in large drops. A hand was on the back of his, holding him in place. Memories of his grandfather replayed over and over in his mind. Just seconds of a memory. His final good bye before he left to Magnolia. He left Makarov to protect him. He feared danger would come to him if he was by the old man's side.

And his fear had come true.

Makarov laid at the other end of the rubble that once was the guild hall. He was unconscious, but alive - Laxus knew this because he could still feel his grandfather's life force. He wanted to run to his aid, to find Wendy, but the owner of the hand held him still and ordered him to. He took orders from no one, but his body overcame his mind and stayed kneeled. The sweat on his face was from his internal battle. Move, dammit! Move, Laxus!

"Oh. You succumb to us so easily." A woman's voice said. Her bird like hands dug into the sides of Laxus' head. He could feel blood trickle from the start of a small wound, "I thought slayers were supposed to be strong willed creatures. You're pathetic."

Laxus couldn't form fists with his hands, no matter how he tried. It pained each and every one of his muscles when he did.

Everything had happened so fast, Laxus wasn't able to react. It was a normal afternoon, the sun was bright and the clouds were strikingly white against the blue sky. The guild was empty, more than normal, with many of Fairy Tails wizards out training the day away. Laxus had made home on a seat next to Mirajane, listening to her stories about her and her siblings. It all seemed so normal. Before he knew it, a blast had destroyed the front of the guild hall, and destroyed it instantly. Everyone was hit in the blast.

Mirajane!

What Laxus could move were his eyes. He darted then from side to side, searching for the white haired wizard. He couldn't see her. Where was she ? The blast could not have knocked her so far.

"Seilah."

A beautiful horned woman approached where Laxus kneeled. He tried to look at her face, but his head was pushed further down and away from her. "DAMMIT." He cursed.

There was a cackle behind him.

"Oh, Kyoka, must we have to play with them. I wish to be out of this dirty place."

Dirty place? Laxus sucked in the deepest breath he possibly could, pulling in the energy that surrounded them. With the destruction of part of the guild, electrical wires hit the floor, causing sparks in the wind. The sparks were what he needed.

"Oh, Seilah, let's not be dramatic! When was the last time I had fun? Keeping Acnologia caged is no easy task," Laxus felt the bird hands of Kyoka in his hair; It was a gentle touch, but the tips of her fingers felt like knives that gently grazed skin, "Maybe I'll take one with me, just for fun."

"Whatever you do, do it fast. I sense the other slayers." A male's voice spoke.

Laxus hadn't realized there were more than the two woman who attacked them. He hadn't seen nor sensed a third person, but now that he was aware, he knew he needed to release himself from this hold. And fast. "Why?" Laxus managed to grunt.

"Hm." He heard a noise come from the man.

"Oh, Kyoka, he's speaking." Seilah's voice was almost sensual.

"Why?" Laxus grunted again. He felt the sparks of energy peirce his muscle and ease the pain. If he could keep them destracted just long enough, he could destroy them. It didn't matter what the old man told him, they were just wizards to him. And no one had ever beaten him before. Ever.

"Why, what? Why are we here?" Kyoka leaned in, grinning against his ear.

He heard the man huff inaudible words under his breath.

"Why are you here?" Laxus growled his question. He was able to extend his fingers. He felt the pain ease from his hands.

"Oh, well, when the infamous, supposed, last Slayers go suddenly missing from prison, we needed to make sure they were eradicated. We can't have dragon slayers trying to band together to destroy him, oh no. Well, not that you could anyway."

Electricity sparked through his arms. Into his shoulders. He felt the sparks bring life into the dull beat of his heart. The breath Laxus took did not pain him, but brought him life. He sighed, relieved, and sucked in another large breath. He needed more.

"Kyoka, you talk to much. Let's be done with this." The man said again.

Kyoka laughed. The bird like claws of her hand slid through Laxus' blond hair. Gently, yet devilishly, she pulled his head back to look into his eyes. What she met herself with was the furious eyes of the lighting dragon slayer; blood and sweat mingled on his face, and fell in streaks between his eyes. He stretched his fingers further. "He'd make a great subject, wouldn't he, Seilah?"

The man groaned nearby, rubbing his hand against his face. "You women." He said.

Seilah laughed, covering the bottom bit of her lip, "I suppose." She said, "But I prefer this woman, over here."

With his head lifted, Laxus was able to avert his eyes. In the director Seilah motioned to, he saw her; finally, he found Mirajane. She laid inbetween the rubble, face down and motionless. Even while unconscious, Laxus could feel her magic. Mirajane...

"Let's take them both." Kyoka said, a sly smile on her face.

"No..." Laxus strained his voice.

"Hm?" Seilah looked at him curiously, "Oh, he doesn't agree."

Faster than he, or Kyoka, could anticipate, Laxus reached up and grabbed the demon's hand from his head. She gritted her teeth as she attempted to pull free, but to no avail. "You think you can just come here, and kill us, huh?" Laxus snarled as he squeezed her hand.

The electricity sparked between them.

"No no no..." Wendy whimpered. She, along with her comrades, stood behind the guild hall. The smell of smoke and fire surrounded them. The young slayer coughed as she covered her nose. Next to her, Natsu balled up his fists, with flames seeping out from his fingertips. His eyes darted from side to side as he sniffed the air.

"They're still here..." he said, meaning the enemies hadn't left.

"Right." Gajeel sniffed the air as well, "And they're no joke..."

"No..."

Gray leaned cautiously against a tree as he observed the smoke. There would be only one reason why they qere attacked; Tataros. What hurt them was they knew nothing of their faces, or names, only of their existence. So how could they be sure?

"Wendy." Gray said.

Wendy looked attacked him, her hands still to her face.

"This Tataros, how many of them are there?"

He could hear Wendy gulp, "That matter? Nine... but with Eric, makes ten."

Gray grimaced, "Isn't he our ally?"

"He's playing his part." Natsu whispeed as he inched towards the guild, "Ally or not."

"Right... but more importantly," Gajeel started a sprint towards the guild, with Lily close behind, "I feel Laxus!"

Natsu quickly followed. He felt it too. Laxus' energy radiated through his bones. Wendy wasn't too far behind, with Gray and Happy at her side. They could no longer see the clouds in the sky above the guild hall. The smoke, mixed with the electrical sparks that emitted from Laxus inside, took hold of the sky. Each of them thought of the imminent danger they were in. Even if it wasn't Tataros, the fact that Laxus slayer abilities was now out and open, and visible within the sky, was danger enough.

The back entrance was in shambles, with the walls partially destroyed. Just what exactly could cause this? - Gray thought as he and the other jumped and climbed the sides of the hall. There was no use trying to go in through the front, it could leave them exposed. Or worse, whoever was inside, could be put in more danger. They couldn't risk it.

Parts of the roof, near the S level area of the guild, had fallen in. Gajeel noticed it, silently motioning his comrades to follow suit. One by one, each of the wizards scooted over silently, peering their eyes inside. Through the smoke they saw Laxus. He stood, prepared to fight, surrounded in a yellow glow of electricity. Beside him two woman stood, confusion and shock on their faces. "Are they...?" Natsu asked quietly.

"I think so..." Wendy said.

"I can feel their power..." Gajeel said.

"This doesn't look good." Lily added as he folded his ears; even of the magic was from Laxus, he didn't like the sparks.

"Natsu... what do we do?" Happy hovered quietly beside his pink haired comradr, worry on his face.

Natsu blew out air, "Prepare to fight. This is what they needed me for."

"You?!" Gajeel hissed as he narrowed his eyes at Natsu, "It wasn't just you they broke out."

Natsu returned the same narrowed eyes at his metal comrade, "Well it wouldn't have been fair, so they had to get you too."

"You're full of it-"

"Not now, please." Wendy pleaded.

As the two dragon slayers glared at one another, Gray ignored them and observed the scene below. Laxus' magic only intensified. Bits of his electricity broke cracks into the walls that stood. It was then he noticed additional feet, an additional body. A few feet in front of Laxus stood another person, a man. Gray squinted through the smoke, but only managed to see the outline of him. He wore dark clothing, and didn't say a word.

"Something smells familiar..." Natsu said as he inched closer. The othere did the same. They watched as Laxus yelled, releasing every bit of magic into an attack. The force of his power pushed the smoke away asnwaynd cleared the area. There, they saw everything. The rubble, the debris; Makarov and Mirajane, unconscious within the mayhem. They saw the wizards below withough distraction. There, Gray saw the man.

"No..." Gray whispered.

He stared at the man's face, his hair, the scars on his face. His heart refused to beat. His mind sunk to a place where thoughts didn't reside. He opened his moth, but all that emerged was breath.

"Gray..." Natsu turned towards his comrade, "He smells like you..."

"Silver..." Gray managed to whisper. "It can't be..."

"Silver? Your pops?" Gajeel questioned, a worried expression on his face.

Gray wasted no time. He lunged towards Laxus, the electricity slicing at his skin. He had to stop him. He couldn't let him harm Silver.

While midair, Silver turned towards Gray, and grinned. He said something, but Gray did not hear. He only heard the sound of his yells as he pushed Laxus towards the ground.

"NO! YOU CANT!"

You can't. He's my father.