Chapter 7
Erza was by Cascadia's side instantly, "What was that?" Cascadia didn't answer immediately. She was focusing on Xavier walking away from her.
"Where do you think you're going?" Cascadia shouted, struggling to get up.
"I can see this will require too much effort and I just don't care at this time. Besides, I got what I came here for." He pulled out a silver ring with a small black orb on it.
"Is that..?" Erza began.
"Exactly. You see, I found it before I ran into…what was it, Cascadia? I found it before I ran into Cascadia. You see, this isn't my home." With that, he jumped out the window and vanished.
"Not his house?" Cascadia looked at Erza, who was still staring at Cascadia.
"We should head back to the guild. We can figure this mess out later. What I want to know now is the honest truth and I want to hear it from you directly. What type of wizard are you?
Cascadia looked down, knowing that Erza knew the answer, she replied, "I'm an ice dragon slayer." She looked up slowly at Erza, "I'm sorry for being deceitful, but I have my reasons. I can explain at the guild, but not here. Not where there may be prying eyes."
"Alright. Let's look for Gray and Natsu and head back." Erza consented.
"He got away?!" Natsu screamed, after hearing what Erza and Cascadia had relayed to him and Gray, "And with that fugie rune ring thing?"
Erza crossed her arms, scowling as they continued to walk towards the guild, "It's Fugerunt. And yes. He got away. We had other things to worry about. Like Cascadia being injured."
"I'm fine, by the way," Cascadia interjected irritably.
"No, you're not. You're completely drained of magical energy not to mention the wounds to your stomach. How did you even get those, by the way." Erza asked, "Those don't even look like normal wounds."
"He used wave magic. He hit me with sound and light waves." Cascadia answered.
Erza pondered on this before responding, "I've never heard of that type of magic. We'll need to do some research on that. That'll include you relaying all you know from fighting him"
"Aside from that, you said Cascadia has something important to tell the guild. Why couldn't she just tell us now?" Gray asked.
"If you don't want me to tell you at all, just keep talking." Cascadia responded, "Besides, we're almost there, so just be patient."
She was indeed correct, the large guild hall was in sight. By the time they actually reached the hall, Cascadia was none too pleased to admit to herself that she really had overdone it. She could hardly stand.
"Whoa, there." Natsu caught Cascadia just as she began to fall, "Be careful."
"Right." Cascadia panted, "I'm fine. Just need to sit."
When they walked inside, Cascadia immediately collapsed onto one the benches, exhausted.
Erza stood next to Cascadia, giving her a gentle look before shouting, "Everyone, Cascadia here is a new member of this guild and has something to share with all of you as family. Everything said stays in the guild or I kill you personally."
The guild fell silent, a few gulping noises could be heard at Erza's threat. Erza nodded to Cascadia, who stood up, glaring at Erza before beginning.
"My name is Cascadia Vasilakis for those of you who I haven't yet met. I joined the guild a little under a week ago. I joined under…difficult circumstances." She paused, wondering how to begin.
"I was abandoned when I was three years old and taken in by my father, Glacona, in a frozen tundra with no name-" Cascadia stopped when Natsu suddenly cut in.
"-Isn't Glacona the name of that dragon that Igneel told me about. The one who actually once beat him in a battle?"
"If you would shut up," Cascadia began, "I could continue with my story."
"Sorry." Natsu said, looking slightly surprised at her tone.
"Anyway," she continued, "I was taken in by my father, Glacona. He is, was, an ice dragon. In fact, he was the most powerful of ice dragons. He raised me for eight years, until I was eleven. He then just vanished. I looked everywhere but couldn't find him. I honestly don't know where he went. I continued to train and look for him in that tundra that became my home for seven years. Up until now. However, I noticed I was being watched. I could feel the malice. I had heard of Fairy Tail, so I thought I could get help as you already have two dragon slayers here. However, before I could get here, I nearly got caught by my pursuers who claim to be from a dark guild called the broken wing. I got away because of Gray. I'm sorry for deceiving all of you, but with the power my father taught me, I've become a target and wasn't trusting that I could tell anyone. For that, I am sorry." Cascadia finished, looking defiantly at each member of the guild.
The first thing said, by Natsu, was something she did not expect, "You're an ice dragon slayer?! That's so cool!"
"Er…Yeah." Cascadia said, taken aback. "You're not mad?"
"Why would we be?" Gray said, hands on his hips, "You had your reasons and they seemed valid enough to me. I mean, it was clear somebody's after you. I saw that first hand."
"Besides," Natsu added, "We now have four dragon slayers, so Fairy Tail will be stronger."
"Four?" Cascadia asked.
"Well yeah," Gray said, "There's Gajeel, the iron freak, Wendy the sky dragon slayer, Natsu the pyro, and now you."
"I had heard of the iron dragon and Salamander, but I didn't know about Wendy." Cascadia admitted.
"She's newer than the other two, but she's been here for a while."
"Enough of that," Natsu cut it, "Anyone else notice her dragon disappeared seven years ago too?"
"Too?" Cascadia asked.
"Yeah, all of them disappeared." A new voice cut it. He had long black hair and iron studs covering his face. She recognized him from the first time she came to the guild. He was fighting with Natsu, "I'm Gajeel, by the way."
"The Iron Dragon," Cascadia murmured.
"Eh, yeah." Gajeel said, "The Iron Dragon…"
"Anyway, Cascadia, you wanna have a fight?!" Natsu asked excitedly.
"A fight?" Cascadia asked nervously.
"Yeah, we have a field out back. It'd be cool to see how strong you are!"
"Hold on," Erza grabbed Natsu by the ears, "She's tired. Wait for another day."
"Hmmph." Natsu crossed his arms, "Fine. How about tomorrow?"
"Just do it," Gray said, "He won't stop bothering you until you give in."
"Fine." Cascadia agreed. "Tomorrow."