Chapter Thirteen: Shadow Man

Here is the next chapter for you all.

Review Replies:

ultima-owner Very true.

YumYum495 Lol our views are different. I like that though that just says how many different theories there are when Spiritual Pressure and Magic are involved. : ) I hope you enjoy the chapter.

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I hope you all enjoy and have a fantastic Jesus filled day.

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Previously:

"You mean these items took their magic?"

"That's my hypotheses anyway. When I was holding the necklace I felt it trying to take my magic but it couldn't because my Spiritual Pressure stopped it. I didn't notice it till I left the town."

Natsu growled, "What should we do?"

A dark laugh sounded to the side, "I know what you could do?"

Now:

Both Natsu and Toshiro looked at the person that spoke. He was hidden in the shadows smirking like a mad man. Red eyes glowed as he watched the two Dragon Slayers get ready to fight him. The man laughed as he stayed hidden in the shadows, "What's wrong you seem troubled? Do I frighten you?" Both the teens glared at him backing up a step, "Oh, so I do. How delightful."

Teal eyes narrowed as he assessed their opponent, 'That is strange. It's like he's not even there. There is no life energy around him more like…He feels like he's…projected yet he smells like he's really here. What is going on?'

The man's red eyes focused on Toshiro, "You are an interesting one. I find you to be the most alluring. You smell unique and feel different than the Dragon Slayer next to you. What makes you so different?"

The Ice Dragon Slayer glared, 'What is he after? He seems interested in both of us. What do we have that he wants?' The man walked out causing the two dragon slayers to back away. The man had dark grey hair, a dark tan, and his outfit consisted of a dark shirt, blue jeans, and boots. Despite how normalish the red eyed man looked he gave the two mages a chill up their spine. For Toshiro that didn't bode well for him. Teal eyes narrowed, "What do you want?"

The man smiled at them almost laughingly, "Hm, I did tell you I knew what you could do right? I wonder if I should tell you." The smile turned into a smirk, "Or I could let you flail around trying to make sense of it all. Hm, both are tempting."

Natsu growled moving back more, "Answer the damn question!"

The red eyed male laughed lightly, "Nah, I think I will watch the fun. I will see you two later." He stepped back into the shadows causing the pink haired hot head to charge forward to try and get straight answers out of the man but he disappeared in wisps of smoke.

The red eyes in Toshiro's inner world made the Ice Dragon Slayer go stiff, 'I do wonder what pinky would think if he knew that this magnificent beast was in here. Would he be angry at you? Would he understand? Better yet does he already know?'

The bleached haired male glare at the pair of eyes looking over Hyorinmaru's sleeping form, 'Get out!'

The eyes seemed to laugh, 'Okay, I'll leave for now. But take heed, I will gladly enjoy making your life a living hell. I could make you suffer and there would be nothing you can do about it.' And just like that the eyes disappeared as the laughter echoed through the frozen landscape of the young Dragon Slayers icy inner world.

Toshiro stood there in shock doing his best to hold his reaction in. He didn't want to admit just like he knew Natsu didn't but that man shook him up. 'No, I can't. I have to stay strong. I have to find a way to wake Hyorinmaru up. There is no telling what will happen if I can't wake him. There has to be away.' He pushed the sleeping dragon's wing but the beast didn't even budge, 'What is keeping him asleep? I…I feel scared.'

Natsu touched his shoulder just like Toshiro he was trying to keep the shaking down. Even when he attacked the man in his anger to get the answer he felt scared. "Hey, the rest of the group is headed our way."

Toshiro nodded and opened his eyes, "He won't wake up. Nothing I am doing will wake him."

"Are you sure he is just not sleeping hard?" The Fire Dragon Slayer suggested with a tilt of his head.

"Never. He's always made himself available to me. Even when I tell him to sleep heavy for a few hours he won't." The white haired male replied letting loose a breath then looked into charcoal eyes with determination, "If I can find what is keeping him asleep then I should be able to wake him up. All I have to know is how to handle the situation and how it is affecting my Zanpakuto."

"Can I ask what his name is?"

Teal eyes looked conflicted at first but then said as the young Dragon Slayer would hear him say his name eventually. It was probably best that this was done now rather than later, "Hyorinmaru."

Natsu tilted his head, "Is he an ice dragon?"

Toshiro feigned bafflement, "Why do you ask?"

"Igneel, my father used to tell me about an ice dragon with that name." Natsu said, "If I recall correctly, it was the one dragon they could never find because he stayed hidden unless he was truly needed."

Toshiro blinked as he contemplated on how he needed to answer, "Were you told what he looked like? You have me curious now. Because he is an ice dragon but I have no memories of what my dragon father looked like." He really wanted to see if the memory he had of Hyorinmaru earlier was the same as how Natsu described. He was skeptical that the dragon was his Zanpakuto spirit because the dragon looked different than the Hyorinmaru he knew.

Natsu looked over to where the rest of their team was heading their way, "I think he said that Hyorinmaru was large like him with his scales light blue, icicles forming around the edges of the scales, and the claws being made of unbreakable ice."

Toshiro shook his head, "Did he have legs?"

The fire breather raised an eyebrow, "Of course, Igneel said that his ice brother was the most identical to him."

"Then they are two different Hyorinmaru's. My Zanpakuto is large but he has a serpentine body, large wings, made entirely of ice, and with no legs."

Natsu smiled comfortingly, "Then I guess we keep looking hu?" Toshiro sighed and looked away unsure making the Fire Dragon Slayer roll his eyes, "Aren't you at least curious what happened to him?"

"To be honest, no. If I was left behind, he likely had a reason and he will find me on his own time." Toshiro replied pulling up his blank emotional mask. 'Damn it, I let my emotions get the best of me. I shouldn't have asked and told him it wasn't his business. It doesn't matter if the two had the same name.' He sighed, 'At least I now know that the memory is correct. I wonder why he looks different now.'

Natsu sighed and stared at Toshiro irritated. He really had hoped that he pulled part of his personality out but the brat went and locked himself up again. "Natsu!" The pinkette blinked looking at Happy who jumped into his arms, "Are you two okay? Nothing happened while I was gone right?"

"There was this man." Natsu replied causing the group to look at him, "He seems interested in us."

"More than interested, he looked obsessed. Now he plans on playing with our heads." Toshiro replied looking at the re-quip magic user, "The whole time he was talking with us he was eyeing us like we were a prize."

Erza narrowed her eyes, "I don't like the sound of that."

"I also think that the relics are taking the magic from the people. Three of them are cracked and likely leaking magic power. If it's leaking I think the relics are actively seeking out more magic. The people don't feel like they have any magic at all. They remind me of an empty cup." Toshiro replied.

"I thought I felt that too. I am glad to have confirmation. I have been trying to figure out why they had to stay within the shield. It makes sense now." The red head said with a nod, "Let's meet back up with the Mayor so we can let him know what we found out." Natsu and Toshiro tensed up, "Is there something wrong with that."

"I'm not going in that town." Natsu replied, "There is something wrong with it."

Gray blinked in surprise then teased, "Wait, are you backing off."

"You don't understand Fullbuster." Toshiro replied, "What Dragneel says is correct. There is something wrong with the town. Not only do the people of the town feel drained of magic but the moment I left the town I too felt something was wrong. After I left the Mayor's office I realized that the relic was trying to take my magic from me. However my other power source protected my magic."

Lucy covered her mouth, "Wow, that does not sound good."

Erza sighed, "Okay, Gray you stay with Hitsugaya, Happy, and Natsu. Lucy and I will go inform the Mayor."

The guys nodded allowing the girls the walk away. Natsu sighed as he leaned against the tree nearest to him. Gray looked at that forest the two Dragon Slayer's were supposed to check, "So were you able to locate the relics?"

Toshiro shook his head, "No, it hit us harder the closer we got where the relics could be. We can find them it just a matter of how we are going to do that without it taking our magic. We also don't know how much magic it is taking when it does. So that will cause problems."

Gray nodded, "That is true. Do you think it is taking anything from us?"

Toshiro nodded, "Yes, slowly. If I had to guess we wouldn't notice till after being here for two weeks at minimum."