Currently, Natsu and his team are in the Sun Village that has its entire Giant Citizens frozen solid in an unknown coat of ice as they are alive within. The group heads to the very edge of the frozen village as they are heading for the treasure guarded by the frozen giants; the Eternal Flame.
Erza and the others just followed Natsu's lead as the salmon haired mage had heard a voice from a small unfrozen part of the ice that they had managed to unfreeze thanks to the liquid version of the Moon Drip magic that they had borrowed or stolen from the trio of the Treasure Hunter Guild; Sylph Labyrinth.
The group are now standing in front of some sort of large mountain frozen in ice yet is guarded by two giants.
"h-hey…are you saying that this mountain…" Gray spoke out while looking at the large mountain. "this entire frozen mountain.."
"is the Eternal Flame!?" Wendy gasped.
"to think that even fire could be frozen.." Lucy muttered out.
"Natsu, are you sure that the voice you heard is coming from here?" Erza asked the salmon haired man who is squinting his eyes with his vision focused on the frozen mountain of flames.
"yeah, it is." Natsu replied before he looks to the side. "you can come out now. No matter how much you hide your presence. I could still sense you when we came here."
Erza and the others look at Natsu in confusion before they look at where he is looking and they soon see Flare Corona of Raven Tail appearing out of her hiding spot behind a frozen giant's foot
"F-Flare!?" Lucy exclaimed in surprise before she quickly moved in action to stop Gray and the others who were going to attack. "w-wait! She's not a member of Raven Tail anymore! She's good now!"
"huh? She's good?" said Gray with a confused face.
"yeah" Lucy nodded before she turns to look at Flare who hid back behind the frozen giant's foot while looking a bit scared. "she's actually a good person, I can vouch her for that."
"if she is good or anything, why is she here?" Wendy asked while a bit tense.
"that's…" Lucy muttered out before looking to Flare. The blonde then decided to come to the red hair who hides herself. "Flare. Please come out. my friends aren't going to hurt you, I promise you."
Natsu and the others watch Lucy who is trying to get Flare out of her hiding spot as it took nearly five minutes, but the blonde managed to come back with the red hair girl following.
"guys, Flare won't hurt anyone." Said Lucy as Flare hides behind her. "she's just….nervous that's all"
"How can we be so sure?" Charla asked before she pointed a finger or a paw towards Flare "she might be on some sort of secret mission given to her by her Master!"
"t-that's…i…" Flare muttered out with a nervous face. "i…didn't…."
"enough." Said Natsu. "right now, we have to focus on saving this village. Just let her be."
"Natsu, you can't be serious!" Gray exclaimed. "even if she's the only one here, she's from Raven Tail, remember!?"
"no! she's not a member of Raven Tail!" Lucy stated. "after the GMG, Raven Tail was disbanded! Flare isn't one of them anymore!"
"is this true?" Erza asked as Flare just nodded a bit shyly.
"even if she's not one of them, did you forget what she did to you during the GMG?" Gray asked as Lucy frowns a bit in remembering her duel against Flare back then.
"I know that it's hard to trust a former enemy. But please understand that Flare is a good person." Said Lucy before she held a hand to her chest. "I'll take responsibility if she tries anything against us! So please!"
Erza and the others look at Lucy before to each other as they weren't so sure if they could trust a disbanded enemy guild's former member.
Lucy looks at Flare who is frowning but the two hears a squeal below as Kiara came and rubs her head against the red hair's leg in affection.
"well…if Kiara isn't growling at her." said Gray while scratching his head. "I guess we can trust her."
"indeed," Erza nodded in agreement. "if Natsu and Kiara aren't attacking her already. I believe she can be trusted"
Wendy and Charla nodded in agreement as Lucy look relieved to her friend's trust in her.
Lucy then looks at Flare who carried Kiara in her arms.
"alright, Flare. My friends trust you, so can you trust us?" Lucy asked as Flare looks down for a moment before she nodded. "thanks."
"first off, tell us why are you here?" Charla spoke out. "I heard from Mira that you came to Fairy Tail's bath house just about a day back. So why are you now here?"
"well.." Flare muttered out while having her creepy smile "I followed Blondie."
"eh?" Lucy replied before she looks shocked. "You what?!"
"Or more precisely, I'm always following her." Flare said as images of her watching Lucy since the Grand Magic Games. Whether Lucy was walking home, returning by train from a job, bathing in what used to be the comfort of her apartment, or even sleeping; Flare was always just a breath away, watching her. "always"
"What?!" Lucy exclaimed in shock while Erza and the others look rather creeped out.
"Just kidding." Flare chimed in as this made the mood lighten up a bit.
"Don't do that." Said Lucy with a relieved sigh.
"if you didn't follow Lucy here, then why are you here?" said Natsu while hardening his gaze.
"that's…" Flare replied before she looked up to the sky, her mood becoming more stable, but also sullen. "I…didn't have anywhere else to go…so I came back here."
"Came back…?" Wendy asked
"Yes…" Flare nodded. "This place is my home." She tugged on the right strap of her dress in order to better show the new mark on her breast that Kiara got a closer look at. "This is the mark of Sun Village."
This news made Lucy and the others surprised.
"You're from this village, Flare?!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise.
"yes" Flare replied while nodding before she continues. "I've been raised by the giants ever since I was small, but when I came back a few days ago. Everything is just frozen in ice." She then looks at the large mountain of ice beside them. "even the eternal flame which is this village's guardian deity has been frozen in ice."
"do you know who could've done this?" Natsu asked Flare who shakes her head.
"this would mean that someone else did this." Said Erza as the others nodded in agreement.
"those three treasure hunter goons couldn't possible be the one who did this." Gray added in remembering the three no named treasure hunters that they encountered before. "this kind of thing takes a lot of magic to do."
"please! Please help and save the village!" said Flare as she soon bowed down to her knee. "every giant here has raised me! They're my Family! Please save them!" she then started to shed some tears. "I want to save them! Please!"
"Flare…" Lucy muttered out with a frown as she went and comforted her.
"we will save them." Said Natsu as everyone looks at him. "that's our job after all."
"but, Natsu. This ice isn't like anything that we have ever seen before." Erza told the salmon haired man before looking at the frozen mountain near them. "even for the Eternal Flame which has been said to be burning for decades or even centuries was frozen."
"I have an idea." Natsu stated as he looks at Gray. "and I need your help with this, Gray."
"me?" Gray asked while pointing a finger at himself.
Natsu nodded before he lifted his artificial left arm and grasped his metal hand as the Celestial Gem attached to the back palm shines a golden light.
In a second; three of Lingyue's Celestial Guardian Spirits: Byakko of the West Sky, Houou of the East Sky, and Ocean Singer; Seiocho appears in several golden light.
"you've called upon us, Daimou?" the three spirits spoke out in unison.
"Houou, use Unity with me." Natsu stated. "Byakko and Seiocho, lend your power to Gray."
"Natsu, what do you have in plan?" Erza asked while in the background, Flare is shaking scared while clinging on Lucy as the red hair is afraid of Byakko who took her down during the GMG back then.
"this ice is merely like a layer of magic that preserved anything it freezes." Said Natsu. "if we can break the layer and ignite the trapped Ethernano, we can break the entire ice on the Eternal Flame."
"will this work?" Wendy asked as Natsu nodded.
"something like this once happened in Lingyue before." Said Natsu as he faced back to the frozen Eternal Flame. "although the situation is a bit different, but the process for its solution is nearly the same."
"it'd be best for the rest of you to stand back." Houou stated before she squalls loudly. the Phoenix spirit flew down and burst in flames all around the Natsu whose attire is now like an eastern Chinese robe that is has flaming feathers around the design, a pair of flaming wings spreads out on the salmon haired man's back, a crown in the shape of a phoenix head is attached to Natsu's head with a few red flaming feathers around his ears. "this process may be a bit destructive for the rest of you."
Erza and the others nodded as they backed away from the area as Natsu and Gray with Byakko and Seiocho faced the frozen Eternal Flame.
"Gray, use your magic in channeling the ice's magic property into you." Natsu told the ice maker wizard. "your Ice Make Magic will serve as a conductor that channels the ice magic into your body; but Byakko and Seiocho will help you in dispersing it so that you won't get frozen inside your own body. Got it?"
"yeah" Gray replied with a nod as he went takes off his jacket before he placed both of his hands to the surface of the ice mountain. "I'll try my best!"
The mountain of ice started to glow as blueish white energy is flowing around its surface before flowing straight to Gray.
Gray grunted as he could feel the ice's magic flowing into his body.
"Byakko! Houou!" Natsu called out as the two spirits started to glow in a green and blue aura respectively. Their auras started to flow out and channels into Gray's body that started to glow a light blue color.
"focus everything you have in channeling the ice, Fullbuster." Seiocho stated while focusing her power in helping Gray. "but be cautious, this ice can even kill you if you make a mistake."
"I know!" Gray exclaimed as he keeps on channeling the energy of the ice into his body that is getting dispersed out by the two Lingyue spirits.
Natsu and the others watch the Ice mage work as they could see the frozen mountain is slowly shrinking in size.
"it's working!" Lucy exclaimed. "The ice is melting!"
"with this, the Eternal Flame can finally burst into life." Erza added with a smile.
Flare looks anticipatedly as she is anxious yet excited for the guardian of her village to finally lit in flames once again.
Soon, there came a large explosion that was so bright and nearly blinding everyone. When it died down everyone gasped in disbelief. The flame was gone, it was as if it had just disappeared.
"The flame…it's gone!" Lucy said in shock
"What does this mean?" Charla asked in surprise. "I thought it was supposed to be burning but it's…"
"how could this be?" Erza muttered out
Flare's legs gave way and she fell onto her butt on the ground. She was shaking, despair passing throughout her entire being. "No…" she shuddered, tears pooling in her eyes.
Wendy shook as well, but her reasons were out of fear. She could feel something from when the flame was formerly standing. Something scary.
'What…is this feeling?! This power…It feels like…!' she though as she felt an ominous feeling arising from within her heart.
Gray looked to the ground in shame, internally cursing himself at his failure while Byakko and Seiocho disappears back into the Celestial Spirit World.
"No…I messed up. There's…there's no way we can save the giants now…dammit!" Gray curses as he blame himself for what he caused.
"The flame has been burning for hundreds of years…for it to vanish now…The village…it won't survive…" Flare said.
"It's not gone!" Wendy shouted, alarming the others. "I can feel a presence. Whatever was in the fire is still alive!"
"Maybe…" Charla crossed her arms. "But what is alive exactly?"
"Look!" Lucy pointed. Everyone turned to where the flame once stood, seeing a structure in the ground.
"What is that?" Gray asked.
"The flame's altar." Flare answered.
"Look closer!" Lucy said. The others squinted, seeing a small flame in the middle of the altar.
"There's a tiny flame." Wendy said
"But's it's very weak." Charla informed. "It looks as if it could go out any minute."
"How are we going to light it?" Wendy asked.
"leave that to us!" Natsu shouted out as everyone turns to where the salmon haired man is but in surprise, they didn't see him.
"where is Natsu!?" said Erza before she realized that the man is now airborne and is holding Chitetsu whose handle expands and the katana became a red feathered nagitana that is bursting in flames. "there!?"
"I want everyone to get away from here!" Natsu exclaimed as Chitetsu's blade is charging a crimson red flaming sphere in front of its tip that grew larger by the second. "now!"
"Get back!" Gray shouted as everyone runs away and took shelter.
"burn in the Phoenix's eternal flames!" Natsu shouted as he grips the handle of the nagitana, the flaming sphere grew and blazes even more till it became very large. "Houou!" the salmon haired man then grips the handle tight and thrusts the blade straight through the flaming sphere and unleashed a stream of flames straight to the altar. "Kaen En no Reppu!"
The stream of flames flew down and barrages against the small flames in the altar before it caused a powerful blazing explosion that rages in pure destruction.
"he is overdoing it!" Lucy screamed as she with Wendy and Charla hides behind a giant's foot, the heatwave of Natsu's attack just burst and rages so powerfully that it felt like they are getting cooked. "it's too hot!"
"hang on, Charla!" Wendy cried out while hugging Charla.
"you don't think I am!?" Charla exclaimed.
"with this much fire!" Erza exclaimed as she with Gray and Flare are hiding by a large wall of ice that the ice maker wizard made. "The Eternal Flame!"
"yeah! It'll become back to normal!" Gray exclaimed.
Flare looks in awe while holding Kiara as the small flames in the altar grew bigger and blaze in glory till it became what it is to be.
"it's back!" Flare exclaimed in joy as the Eternal Flame was lit once again. "the Eternal Flame is back to normal!"
The guardian deity of the Sun Village lit ablaze as its bright flames just gave light to everywhere and everything.
"it is so big!" Lucy exclaimed in shock. "Warrod-san wasn't kidding when he said that it's an eternally burning fire!"
"it's like the sun itself…" Wendy muttered out.
Natsu came flying down as he landed right in front of the large blazing fire that is just burning so brightly. He then turns his head to the side as Erza and the others approached him but at a safe distance because the heat from the Eternal Flame was so hot and the fire was so bright that it hurts their eyes.
"that's the Eternal Flame, huh?" said Gray while shielding his eyes. "damn, that's bright!"
"Flare, do you believe that we can use the flames from the Eternal Flame to free the villagers?" Lucy asked the red hair who nods.
"The Eternal Flame is a sacred flame." Flare stated. "It is a fire that has been burning for centuries and can purify anything. The ice of that covers the village will be burned."
"then let's start to it." Said Charla. "the faster we unfreeze the village, the faster we get to know who the culprit is."
"right.." Erza nodded as she looks at Natsu. "we better get to it, Natsu."
"yeah" Natsu replied before his eyes suddenly squinted and his body tensed.
"Natsu?" Lucy called out in seeing his sudden mood change.
"we're not alone here." Said Natsu as this made his team look confused. The salmon haired man turns and swung his weapon upwards in creating a shield of flame that protected them against barrages of magic blasts. "get down!"
"what!?" Lucy screams as she, Wendy, and Charla covered their heads.
"an attack?! From who!?" Gray shouted as the shield of flame dispersed and the group were now face to face with Minerva Orland; former Sabertooth but now member of the Dark Guild; Succubus Eye.
"you! Minerva!?" Erza exclaimed in seeing her former foe during the GMG.
"Long time no see, Titania." Minerva greeted her while smirking. "looking well, I see."
"what are you doing here!?" Gray growled out as the group remembers the woman's ruthless nature when she tortured Lucy during the Naval Battle.
The said Blonde former a hard fist in remembering how she was brutally injured by the foe before them.
"a mission." Minerva replied. "my guild; Succubus Eye has been given a mission to ensure this Village stay frozen."
"what!?" Erza and the others look in surprise.
"y-your guild caused my home to be like this!?" Flare exclaimed while pointing a finger at Minerva. "w-why?! What did my village do to your guild!?"
"who knows?" Minerva replied while shrugging her shoulders. "all that they do is follow orders from their superiors and that is it. I don't ask questions ever since I joined them."
"Erza, look at her mark." Said Gray as he pointed out to the Succubus Eye' guild mark on the left side on Minerva's stomach. "that's Succubus Eye."
"a Dark Guild…" Erza gritted her teeth "You let yourself fall to the dark side, Minerva. that's pathetic and way too low even for you!"
"I never fallen to the dark side, Erza." Minerva stated while smirking with a dark look. "I am conquering it!"
"Where is your comrade?" Natsu spoke out while hardening his gaze. "I doubt your guild just sent you to stop us from freeing the village."
"as always, you are a monster in every aspect; Daimou." Said Minerva before she snaps her fingers twice. "Doriate, greet yourself to these ingrates."
Soon enough; her partner came crashing in as his hulkish body stood up and looks at Fairy Tail.
"h-he's big!" said Lucy. "like Elfman!"
"you can handle the rest, Doriate." Minerva stated as she suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind Erza who she grabs in a choke hold. "Titania is mine!"
"ugh!?" Erza grunted with wide eyes before she and Minerva suddenly disappeared.
"Erza!" Gray shouted.
"Erza-san!" Wendy gasped
"they're gone!" Lucy exclaimed.
"don't falter." Said Natsu as he didn't look away from Minerva's partner who stands a few feet from them. "Erza once beat Minerva during the GMG, right? Trust in her."
"still!" Lucy exclaimed before everyone turns their attention to Doriate who is looking at them.
"you are the mages that have come here unwantedly." Doriate spoke out before he started waving his hands around. "Therefore, I must kill you as part of my mission."
"here he comes!" Charla exclaimed as Natsu soon dashes in and swung his weapon upwards in unleashing a crescent shaped flaming slash that went straight for Doriate.
"wha!?" Doriate jumped away as he dodged the attack that caused an explosion to a frozen building.
Natsu spins his naginata all around before he swung it to the side then dashed at the hulkish masked man.
"you!" Doriate grunted as he lifted his hands up in blocking slash and thrust attacks of Natsu's naginata. "not letting me use my power, are you?!"
Natsu didn't reply as he swung and pierced the blade of his weapon to the frozen ground with his hands holding the bottom edge and his body up in the air with one leg upwards and ignites in flames.
"Karyuu no Kagizume!" Natsu shouted as he swung down his flaming leg in firing down a drop kick at Doriate who blocked with both hands crossed above his head but the force behind the salmon haired man's attack caused him to drop to one knee.
"guh!? This mage!" Doriate grunted as he can feel a very heavy blow that rattles his body upon the moment. he received the attack. "s-strong!"
Natsu looks down at Doriate with glowing red eyes before he jumped into the air with his Naginata as to dodge a fist strike from the dark mage. The salmon haired mage reaches behind his robe before taking out several crimson red feathers that he threw straight at his foe.
Doriate looks at the feathers that hits the ground and formed a circle around him.
"this is?" the masked dark mage asked before seeing Natsu landing a few feet away while doing several hand signs with one hand that he soon slammed to the ground.
"Kaen Jutsu: Houou En no Jin!" Natsu exclaimed as the red feathers burns in flames before they created a hexagonal circle that instantly caused flames to burn the dark mage.
"aggghh!" Doriate screams in pain as the flames burn him in a pillar of fire.
Natsu spins his naginata around before he slammed the bottom tip to the ground and Doriate was soon engulfed in a powerful explosion.
Smoke filled the air as Doriate is standing in the smoke while grunting in pain before he fell down with a big thud.
Natsu looks at Doriate before he turns to Gray and the others who are looking at him with saucer wide eyes and jaws that had dropped.
"s-so strong!" Flare spoke out. "i-in just 3 minutes…"
"I know that he doesn't like dark mages and everything…." Gray muttered out while scratching the back of his head. "but we still got to know the motive of that guy's guild in freezing the village, right?"
"w-well…we can ask him later when we tie him up and interrogate him." Said Lucy while sweatdropping.
Natsu went back to his group as his Unity with Houou came undone into golden sparkles.
"that guy isn't human." Said Natsu as he stopped and turns his head to look at the fallen figure of Doriate. "that guy is a demon."
"he's a what?" Gray asked in confusion and surprise.
"you learned how to see Chi from Kagura, right?" said Natsu as he looks back at the group to show his glowing red eyes. "look at his Chi and you'll understand."
Gray, Lucy, Wendy, and Charla looks at Natsu before to each other while Flare looks confused on what they are talking about.
"worth the try." Said Gray as he and the others look at Doriate with their eyes slowly glowing in their respective Chi's element.
"t-that…" Lucy spoke out with a surprised tone as she sees Doriate is covered in a dark yet violent black aura. "w-what is that!?"
"so dark…so..so black…" Wendy gasped.
"hey…is there a chi that is so dark!?" Gray asked to Natsu who shakes his head.
"a person's natural characteristic is what represents their Chi's element." Natsu stated out as he looks at Doriate's chi. "seeing his aura that is so dark and so malevolent…that just shows that he's not human…he's a demon."
"but a demon…" Charla spoke out. "are those things even real!?"
"I don't know, but Succubus Eye…." Natsu muttered out while squinting his eyes. "it's a dark guild that is a sub guild to one of the last remaining head dark guild in the Balam Alliance."
"the Balam Alliance's last head dark guild.." Gray spoke out. "are you saying that this is the work of Tartaros!?"
"it's possible." Said Natsu while nodding. "that guild is more secluded and darker than Oracion Seis and Grimoire Heart. Not much is known about Tartaros; even the Magic Council couldn't find any information on them; but they know one thing." The salmon haired mage then turns to his team. "They say that they have demons in their guild."
"they have demons in their guild!?" said Lucy with a bewildered face.
"that's right…" a raspy voice spoke out as this caused everyone to snap their heads back to Doriate who seems to have regain conscious. "you have opened it…Hell's Gate.."
"he's still not down!?" Gray exclaimed while readying his magic with the rest doing the same.
"it can't be undone…" Doriate spoke while his mask fell off to reveal an inhuman mouth filled with sharp fangs that is grinning. "you fools have opened the gate…and it can't be closed."
"what is with his mouth!?" Charla exclaimed before everyone hears something as they look up and were soon wide eyes as they see the large one eyed bird creature that came flying down and instantly ate Doriate.
"hahahahaha….enjoy the last moments that you have…humans!" Doriate laughs out as he hangs in the mouth of the bird monster that soon swallowed him whole.
"i-it ate him!" Lucy exclaimed while Wendy gasped.
"that's not the only thing that we have to worry about!" Gray exclaimed as the bird monster is grinning while looking at them. "I think that guy was just the appetizer! And it now wants us as the Main course!"
The bird monster grins as it opens its mouth to show its sharp fang like teeth.
"looks like he is right!" Lucy screamed while hugging Wendy and Charla.
Natsu looks at the bird monster as he swung Chitetsu to the side before he sheaths the weapon into its scabbard.
"hey, Natsu!" Gray exclaimed. "that thing is planning to eat us! Don't just relax and everything."
"I used up all my energy to reignite the Eternal Flame and fight off that dark mage before he was eaten by this thing." Said Natsu while hardening his gaze. "I'm completely spent right now."
"you can't be seriously saying that you are out of juice, are you!?" Charla exclaimed.
"if you are out of energy! Then eat some flames from the Eternal Flames!" Lucy exclaimed while pointing at the large fire behind them. "I don't want to be eaten by that thing!"
"if I do eat some of the flames, it'll make him wake up later on." Said Natsu in a calm tone.
"him?" Flare asked in confusion as the others were confused as well.
"witness the revival of a great and powerful creature of the past." Said Natsu as the fire of the Eternal Flames suddenly rages and shines even brighter.
"w-what is happening to the Eternal Flame!?" Wendy asked as everyone backed away from the burning mountain of flames that was raging wildly.
The bird demon of a monster looks at the burning fire as it looks confused and bewildered.
Natsu was the only one who stood in his place with a calm expression as the flames behind raged even more.
"it's been a long time for you, hasn't it?" Natsu spoke out as the Eternal Flames started to have a large skeletal being forming out from within it. "wake up and see the world once again, Uncle."
"i-isn't that?!" Gray exclaimed with his jaws dropped.
"no way" Lucy muttered out. "how!?"
From within the Eternal Flames came out Atlas Flame; the Hellfire Dragon. One of the 7 dragons that came into the present world during the Eclipse Gate incident.
Atlas Flame soon roared out very loudly as the sound echoed while causing the land to tremor and shake like an earthquake.
"a d-dragon!" Wendy gasped as Atlas Flame roared on until he stopped.
The bird demon looks scared from the sight of the fire dragon as it turns and quickly flies away to flee.
"It's running away!" Gray exclaimed as the bird demon flees in fear.
Atlas Flame saw the escaping bird monster before he took a deep breath and unleashed a powerful stream of flames that instantly flew and hits the fleeing foe.
"wha!?" Lucy and the others look in surprise as they see the bird demon now turned into ashes after receiving the attack from the fire dragon. "i-it got turned into ashes!"
"as always, the might of a fire dragon isn't to be trifled with." Natsu spoke out while turning to face the Fire Dragon.
"it has been 400 years…." Atlas Flame spoke out while looking down at Natsu. "…it has been 400 years since we last met, Son of Igneel; Natsu Daimou."
"it has" Natsu nodded while smiling. "I am glad to see you doing well, Uncle."
"likewise." Atlas Flame replied with a nod.
"it's one of the dragons that came out of the Eclipse Gate!" Lucy exclaimed. "that fire dragon!"
"but I thought he was sent back to his time" said Charla with a bewildered face. "how can he be here!?"
"I feel…more powerful…and more alive." Atlas Flame spoke out while holding up his right claw.. "it was as if…I have been given a new fire to burn and lit ablaze."
"it was all thanks to Houou's Reincarnating Flames." Said Natsu as he glanced at his right shoulder as Houou appears perching on it while in her smaller form. "the flames of a Phoenix is known to be healing and reviving to many."
"I see…a Phoenix, huh?" Atlas Flame spoke out before he bows. "I, Atlas Flame thank you for restoring the life that I once lost."
"it is fine. Gratitude is not needed" Houou replied while shaking her head.
"once lost? You were dead before?" said Gray with a surprised face.
"indeed" Atlas Flame nodded. "it happened a very long time ago…so long that I cannot remember."
"Uncle, what caused this all?" Natsu spoke out. "What caused the village to be frozen in ice?"
"ice….everything was covered in ice by that man." Atlas Flame replied while leaning his head down. "that man thought that I was a demon and froze the entire village to extinguish me."
"just a single person froze the entire village!?" Lucy spoke out in surprise.
"was it an ice mage!?" Gray exclaimed.
"no..the ice that froze myself and the village…is unlike any normal ice magic." Atlas Flame replied while squinting his eyes. "that man's magic….he hunts demon for he uses Ice Devil Slaying Magic. An Ice Devil Slayer!"
"Devil Slayer magic!?" Charla spoke out in surprise.
"not like Dragon Slaying magic nor God Slaying magic..but Devil Slaying magic?!" said Lucy. "I never even heard of such a magic!"
"I've been burning for 400 years….i've been…" Atlas Flame spoke out before he suddenly went silent.
"Uncle, what's wrong?" Natsu called out.
"i….i can't remember…" Atlas Flame spoke out. "the reason for why do I still burn in this village.."
"it would seem that the ice that had frozen him had cause damage to his memories."Houou spoke out. "even if my fire manage to reignite the flame of his soul; the ice had frozen him for a period of time and caused some damage."
"what was the reason that i….?" Atlas Flame asked while squinting his eyes even more. "for what purpose?"
"Uncle, do you still remember who you are?" said Natsu while taking a step forward. "do you still remember Igneel? Me? Or anything at all?"
"I still remember you, Son of Igneel." Atlas Flame replied while nodding. "i…I can't remember for what reason do I still burn for 4 centuries."
"you are the village's guardian deity!" Flare called out as everyone turns to see the red hair girl getting to her knees while having her hands in a prayer. "you are the Giant Flame! The light that protects the village! Please! Please shine your flames in freeing everyone! Please!"
"Flare…" Lucy muttered out.
"flames…..that is right!" Atlas Flame spoke out as he slammed his right claw down to the ground. "I am the Giant Flame; Atlas Flame!"
Natsu and the others started to back away as Atlas Flame's fire started to burn and rage very powerful and more intense."
"I made this village! When my village is unhappy, it pains me. When it feels sorrow, I weep along with it. Using my fire! I will save this village! For I am the fire dragon, Atlas Flame! The Giant Flame!" With that impassioned declaration, the Eternal Flame grew brighter. Its heat also increasing and radiating outward.
"That's some fire!" Gray shouted.
"It's too hot! Gray, cool me off!" Lucy shrieked as Gray slapped a hand to her forehead so that cold air could seep out to cool her down.
"Igneel….The Dragon King Festival…..Acnologia…..Zeref…." Atlas said as he gaze upon Natsu "I remember everything now!"
"END! The most wicked and vicious of all Zeref books! 400 years ago, Igneel tried to destroy it but failed!" Atlas said as Natsu's eyes squinted a bit.
As Atlas' flames continued to burn, the light shining from began to thaw the ice from the village as the giants unfroze one by one.
"Huh?" "We're free, but how?" "This is the warmth of the Eternal Flame!"
at somewhere in the village; Erza and Minerva was fighting after the dark mage took her away from her group,
they had been fighting in a stalemate but that was until they heard Atlas Flame's roar and the fire that is burning.
"The ice is melting." Minerva said with a grimace.
"They did it!" Erza said with a smirk while Minerva gritted her teeth in anger.
"Hm. This is a rare sight." A voice boomed from above the two women. "Did humans wander into our village?"
Minerva and Erza looked up to see a giant bent over and staring down at them. He was a menacing presence to say the least. His massive frame towering over the two human wizards.
"I suppose this ends our fun." Said Minerva before she turns and fled.
"Minerva!" Erza called out as Minerva stopped running but kept her back to Erza.
"We will finish this some other time." Minerva stated ominously. "You and me…on the ultimate stage!"
"Don't let the darkness taint you!" Erza shouted. "I know you are not that weak!"
"Let it taint me?" Minerva asked while turning her head to show a sadistic smile. "I will conquer and plunge this entire world into darkness!"
back at the Eternal Flame, the entire village has been unfrozen as all the giants were out of their frozen prison.
"Look!" Lucy pointed once the light and heat from the flame dialed down to bearable levels.
"The village is back to normal." Wendy stated with a smile
"How warm this feels…" said Flare while crying in tears.
'Son of Igneel…Natsu Daimou.' Atlas Flame's voice spoke out into Natsu's mind telephatically as the salmon haired mage looks at the fire dragon 'I shall return dormant as the village's guardian…i…I entrust you with the future…the future where you decide what your fate is to be. That…that is the last message Igneel once entrusted to me to give to you 400 years ago.' The fire dragon squinted his eyes while a small piece of his flame flew towards Natsu who caught it in his right hand's grasp. 'your own fate is for you to decide. You are the child of the Fire Dragon King; burn the fate that brings tragedy to your life and set ablaze a new fate that is for you to decide. That is Igneel's last message.'
Natsu looks at Atlas Flame as the Fire Dragon burns magnificently till his existence disappears into the flames.
"he….dissapeared." Gray spoke out.
"is he…?" Lucy muttered out.
"no…he went back to sleep." Said Natsu while looking at the Eternal Flame. "to remain as the village guardian deity."
"will he wake up once more?" Wendy asked as Natsu nodded before he frowns a bit.
"Igneel's…last message." Natsu spoke out before he looks at the burning red flames in his grasp that disappears to reveal a crimson red dragon scale. The salmon haired mage looks at the scale in his possession before he placed it on his artificial left arm's shoulder and the scale was absorbed right into it.
Natsu then looks back at the Eternal Flame and just basked in its warm radiance with his team.
time passes on as the entire team got back together.
The entire situation was explained to Erza as they got more information from the giants who are kind and grateful enough for their small saviors who they host a party in celebration for.
"You say an ice devil slayer was the one who caused this?" Erza asked her team.
"Yeah." Lucy nodded. "That's what Atlas Flame told us. He said the man who did this thought he was a demon and froze him along with the village."
"So all of this was a misunderstanding?" Erza stated "Such slipshod stories irritate me."
"but there is still that guy.." said Gray referring to Doriate. "his guild is under Tartaros."
"So this was the work of Tartaros?" Erza asked while cupping her chin. "the last head dark guild of the Balam Alliance..a guild that has been rumored to have demons within."
"just hearing you say that, gives me the chills~!" Lucy shivers while imagining the demons that Tartaros may or may not have
"Succubus Eye was probably just an agent guild sent to play guard dog." Said Charla. "that guy along with Minerva are told to keep the village frozen but we don't know why."
"maybe…they think that the giants will be a problem to whatever they had in plan?" Wendy inquired. "I mean…they are giants after all."
"It is certainly a possibility." Erza nodded. "but it feels like there was more to this attack then they let on."
"all we know for now is that Tartaros is possibly planning something in the shadows." Said Natsu while having Kiara riding on his head. "something that we might have to find out sooner or later."
"yeah" everyone nodded in agreement.
"speaking of finding." Lucy spoke out before she looks around and then to her team. "has anyone seen Flare?"
"Flare-san? She was just here a second ago…I think." Wendy replied while looking around. "but now.."
"Flare?" Lucy called out. Unbeknownst to her the giants began to take notice of her calling the red hair wizard's name.
Lucy saw what looked to be a red braid behind one of the trees and her mood perked up. She walked to the tree and just as she thought, there was Flare.
"There you are." Said Lucy in finding Flare who sat against the tree, a saddened look on her face as she clutched her knees to her chest. "What's wrong? Why are you hiding?"
Flare gave no answer, but the giants began to speak up.
"Flare?!" "She's here?" "Come on out, girl!"
Lucy grabbed Flare by the arm, dragging the sulking girl from behind the tree.
"Come on. Don't be like that. You've waited this long to come home, right?" Lucy told her
"I shouldn't be here…" Flare said guiltily. "I…I abandoned the village. I left without so much as a word."
"But no one is mad about that." Lucy smiled. Though that quickly faded into a look a fear when she saw an angry giant staring down at her. "R-right?"
One of the giants - possibly the leader of the village – spoke up.
"How was the outside world?" he asked Flare.
Flare looked up at him and the other giants. She began to fidget, looking down at the ground once more before she answered his question. "There were lots of good times…but painful ones, too."
The giants began to grin, the Fairy Tail wizards also joining in.
The giant that spoke to Flare stepped forward and bent down towards her. With a smile on his face, he said, "You'll find that anywhere. For as long as you live." Flare's mood began to brighten as he continued. "Whether or not you're here. This will always be your home. You may come and go as you please. Understand?"
"Yes." Flare nodded in reply
"Good." The giant replied while nodding as he then grins with the rest of his kin. "Now, there is only one thing that needs to be said…" He sat down, a couple of the other giants joining him. They all smiled happily before saying in unison. "Welcome back, Flare. Our dear daughter."
Flare's eyes widen as tears were falling down her eyes
"I'm home!" she said as everyone rejoiced and the party began anew, this time a smiling Flare joining in the festivities.
Everyone just joined for the celebration, but for Gray; he was thinking on something very hard.
'an ice Devil Slayer….just who is he?' Gray thought.
In a blizzard as they were wrecked up buildings everywhere
A lone man was sitting on a broken-up stone and in front of him was a grave marker
"Silver-sama" a soldier wearing a mask approached the man "the main office is calling a convocation"
"I'm visiting a grave, maybe later" the man named Silver replied to the soldier
"this time every single member of the Nine Demon Gates has been summoned!" the soldier explained to him "Ice Devil Slayer, Silver-sama! Please comply with their demands of your presence!"
Silver sighs as he stands up from his seat while the soldier started to shake all scared.
"Don't act too scared, I ain't going to bite your head off" Silver said as he turns around to look at the soldier. "I only eat demon's souls after all."
Upon the time at night, at Warrod's Home.
"Wa ha ha!" Warrod laughed loudly as he clapped his hands. "I knew it was a good idea to entrust the job to you! Well done!"
The Fairy Tail wizards left Sun Village late into the night by riding Draco, they bid goodbye to Flare and her Giant Family with happy waves before they arrived back at Warrod's home just around the time the sunset the next day.
"We are relieved that we were able to complete the task given to us by you, Warrod-san." said Erza with a smile.
"We were really surprised to hear that Tartaros was involved." Wendy said.
"Hm…well you can trust that the council will investigate that." Warrod replied. He turned and began digging through his plants. "Now, on to your reward."
"Just what we've been waiting on!" Lucy exclaimed as her eyes had jewel signs on them.
"Well since it was a job, it's only natural." Charla smirked.
Warrod turned around, holding out to the wizards what looked to be a rock.
"Here." Said Warrod in handing the item to Lucy who hold it.
"Here…what…?" Lucy inquired in confusion while she looks at the item in her hand.
"This is a potato from my very own garden." Warrod replied with a smile.
Everyone except Natsu looks at him all shocked and confused before the tree man laughs.
"That was a joke…" said Warrod
"O-of course it was." Gray said with a half-heartedly laugh
"I didn't grow this. I actually bought it from a market in a nearby village." Warrod finished, trying to hold back a snicker.
"Just fork over the cash!" Gray shouted.
in properly rewarding the Fairy Tail wizards for a job well done. Warrod gave them the location of a hot spring that was known to only a few wizards in the entire world. It was secluded, sealed off by the nearby trees and mountains that surrounded it.
"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed.
"This place looks amazing!" Wendy added.
"The view is absolutely breathtaking." Erza said as she looked out at the expansive fauna before her then decides to dip her hands into the water "Master Warrod is quite knowledgeable to know of such a secluded area."
"Look there, Wendy." Charla said as she pointed to a sign near the spring. "It says here that this spring helps promote both health and beauty!"
"That's amazing." Wendy said.
"I can just feel my troubles melting away." Lucy said as she relaxed into the hot spring that has Kiara just floating by, the little Pop Fox's fur gets wet but she looks to be enjoying herself. "A nice hot bath after a job is the best feeling in the world."
"I agree." Erza smiled. She was standing in the water, her hands blissfully busied with the leaves from the trees surrounding the spring. "It refreshes both body and soul, allowing you to focus on the troubles and challenges of tomorrow."
"I feel bad that Natsu-san and Gray-san can't be here." Said Wendy
"never mind them! They probably have no interest in hot springs anyway" Charla said while floating in the warm calming water with Kiara.
"I wouldn't go that far" A voice called out from out of nowhere as the girls turned and see Natsu, and Gray on the other side of the spring.
After the situation sunk in, Wendy and Lucy shrieked in fright except for Erza.
Wendy quickly covered herself and turned away, her face bright red from embarrassment. Lucy took the offensive, grabbing wooden pails and throwing them at the boys.
"This is a women's bath!" Lucy shouted. "Get out!"
"guah!?" Gray shouted in pain as he got hit by the flying pails but not Natsu who tilts his head ot the side in dodging it.
"We were here first." Said Natsu as he is bare naked with only a towel around his waist; the man not having his artificial left arm attached to his left side. "You guys showed up after we did."
"Did I forget to mention? This bath is mixed." Warrod laughed as he stepped into the spring with only a towel on.
"You can't come barging in here either!" Lucy yelled while holding clutched Wendy close to her, the dragon slayer still very embarrassed. "You boys need to get out!"
"This is so embarrassing." Wendy whimpered.
"Calm down." Gray said. "It's not like I haven't seen you naked before. It gets kinda boring after a while."
"You have a death wish or something?" Lucy growled with a dark look.
"Let's all just calm down." Erza stated while just looking calm "Isn't it normal for comrades to be on such close terms with one another?"
"No! It's not!" Wendy shrieked in protest.
Warrod chuckled at the young wizards.
"Isn't camaraderie a beautiful thing?" the tree man asked with a smile.
"You're not that kind of comrade!" Lucy shouted.
"I'm not?' Warrod asked, a knowing grin on his lips. "I guess I forgot to mention it." He raised his left arm from the spring water, there was a Fairy Tail mark emblazoned on it. "I was one of the founding members of Fairy Tail. I was present when Mavis started the whole thing. So in essence, I am a senior member of the guild."
"what!?" everyone but Natsu shouted in unison.
"So the guild you said you retired from…" Lucy began.
"Was Fairy Tail?!" Charla finished
"Indeed." Warrod nodded while still smiling "I had thought you know of it from Natsu-kun since I've met and talk to him occasionally at the Council."
"really?" Wendy asked while turning towards Natsu who just nods while having a sip of sake from a floating wooden stool that has a few bottles of the said alcohol on it.
"That's why the master was so adamant about us taking this job." Lucy realized. "I thought it was weird that he was getting so flustered over another wizard saint."
"and why you requested Natsu and Gray for this job." Erza deduced.
"It is." Said Warrod while nodding again. "You entering my home filled my nose with the scent of the old wooden beams that make up the guild. To meet young wizards is truly is a joy. Looking at all of you now, happy and smiling, this is the harmony that Mavis always spoke of. Even after all this time, that spirit still burns bright within each of you. I realized it the moment I saw you all. Mavis once said to me: 'Camaraderie isn't just a word. It's friendship of the heart. It's that person you can trust unconditionally. You can rely on me. Just as I am sure, I will be relying on you. In times both painful and sad…I will be by your side. So remember you are not alone! There are as many dreams out there as there are stars in the sky. The breeze on your skin foretells the events of tomorrow. Now let us walk together…in the rhythm of the fairies' song.'" The old tree man then titled his head down with a smile.
Everyone else looked at him with soft smiles.
"That's what Master Mavis said when she created Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked as she looked up at the night sky. "That's so deep and moving."
"sorry if this is ruining the moment, but I got a question." Said Gray with a hand raised.
"Yes, what is it?" Warrod replied
"Do you know anything about Tartaros?" Gray asked as Warrod looks at the young man before nodding in understanding
Warrod leaned back against the rocks of the spring as he stroked his chin in thought.
"Tartaros. You mentioned them earlier this afternoon." Said Warrod
"Can you tell us anything about them?" Erza asked while in the middle of washing Natsu's back since the one armed man can't do it so easily. "Any information would be helpful, Master Warrod."
"I don't know much…" Warrod began as he rubs his chin a few times and his face grew a serious look "But I will tell you what I've heard. They are a creepy guild, but also mysterious. No one knows the location of their base, the number of their members, anything. But there is one thing that is known about them…" the old tree man then narrowed his gaze "They are devil worshippers."
"devil worshipers.." Gray muttered out.
"just like Natsu-san has said." Wendy spoke.
"not much more is known; but in my opinion that I've shared with my fellow comrades in the 'Emperors of Ishgal'," Warrod stated as he held a finger out. "we suspect that they are in control of a very powerful demon from the book of Zeref!"
"A demon from the book of Zeref?!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Just like Deliora!" said Gray
"Lullaby as well." Erza added with a nod.
"Tartaros.." Natsu muttered out while narrowing his gaze. "a guild of demons…huh?"
somewhere near the Sun Village. Minerva made the trip back to the Succubus Eye guild hall in anger.
"Damn her." Minerva curses with fury. "How dare she make a mockery of me again? I swear I will make her bow before me, and watch as she begs forgiveness for her sins."
Minerva approached her guild hall as she steps in her eyes widen in shock
"What…in the world?" Minerva asked as she sees her guild hall was in ruins. Everywhere she looked there were broken tables, destroyed chairs, tattered curtains and cloth, and rubble.
"What happened in here?" the black haired woman asked no one as she stepped further inside. "Where is everyone?" Her eyes then caught sight of a piece of black paper that looked to be in the shape of a person. She picked up and examined it "What is this?"
"a Human." An ominous voice answered from the shadows.
"a Human?!" Minerva questioned in shock, still looking at the paper.
"This one's magic is able to make human's stronger." The mysterious voice informed.
Minerva turned her head, glaring at her mysterious "guest".
"Who are you?" Minerva exclaimed in a demanding voice as she turns to see the person, now revealed to be a woman in a mask, who ignored the black haired woman's demand and continued her earlier musings. "But…not all are proven worthy. Weaklings become…that." She was referring to the paper in Minerva's hand. "This one is known as Kyoka." She introduced. "One of the Nine Demon Gates of Tartaros."
'Tartaros?!' Minerva looked down at the rest of the paper dolls, surmising that they were the bodies of her guildmates. 'Impossible…the news of our failure to protect Sun Village has already reached them?'
"You would take such a drastic action over the loss of one village?!" Minerva exclaimed while looking at Kyoka.
"Of what do you speak?" Kyoka asked with a confused look. "This one has no memory of a village."
Her statement made Minerva look in dumbstruck.
'So Silver was attacking of his own accord when he sent Doriante and I there? But why?' Minerva thought in shock.
Kyoka let out an amused sigh at Minerva's angrily confused expression.
"This one has already explained her purpose here." Said Kyoka while smiling. "To strengthen humans. In the coming days Tartaros will execute a massive operation in the coming days. This one is here under the master's orders to bolster our forces."
"These wizards should have been your soldiers in your operation!" Minerva reasoned. "What fool does this to their own troops?!"
"Those unsuitable for strengthening are of no value to us." Kyoka stated with a smirk. She then looked to Minerva, her eyes wide with intrigue and sadism. "The question is, are you suitable, human?!"
Minerva's eyes went wide with fear and she stepped back, tripping over a broken chair. She tried to get away, her body shaking as she watched Kyoka inch closer to her.
"Stop! Don't! Stay away from me!" Minerva screamed out as her masked guest just smirks in watching her fear. "STOP!"
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
