Gajeel panted and coughed, his lungs gasping for much needed air. Ripples of magic pulsed through the air and carried the sounds of battle from around the city. He scowled at the ground, the lingering ache from the woman's magic gradually fading away.
"Blast that woman," he grumbled. He didn't know how she did it, but the moment the viper touched him he lost all control of his magic. It seeped out from between his scales and forced him back into his dragon form. Now that the woman was gone he tried to channel his magic and shift, but somehow he was blocked from the power.
"Did you say something, Lev?"
"Levy?"
Gajeel jerked, the concern in Rogue's voice bristling the scales on his neck. His eyes frantically looked for Levy, but she was no longer next to her friend. The girl looked around in a panic and Lily sniffed the ground.
"Lucy, did you see where she went?" Makarov ground out, coughing as he stood.
Lucy shook her head, her blonde hair flying, "No, she was standing right next to me!"
"She was sucked away."
"Ehhh?"
Everyone turned to Rogue, who flinched and tried to blend in with the shadows. "I saw a large void surround her and a hand was over her mouth. But my shadows can't sense anything anymore."
Lucy reached into the small bag at her hip. "Then I'll shed some light on the situation. Loke!"
There was a chime, a flash of light. A deep voice called out "Lion Radiance!" and the entire training grounds were illuminated with pure, white light. Gajeel's nose twitched, picking up Levy's scent on the path ahead of them. A man froze on the road, slowly turning to the group. Hung over his shoulder was a limp Levy. Gajeel's blood boiled.
"Over there!"
At the shout, the man's eyes widened, the skull tattoo on his forehead furrowing. He sprinted down the path, waved his arm, and vanished out of sight.
"That's Jacob Lessio! But what's he doing with Grimoire Heart?" Macao asked.
"Oh no you don't!" Makarov shouted, growing in size but was knocked to the ground by a flying dragon.
"You're not getting away!" Sting roared, taking off after the man.
"Wait, he's heading to their base...you need a plan!" Makarov called from the ground. The dragons growled, deep and dangerous. Most of the Mage Knights took a step back.
Gajeel roared, "Kick their butts. Easy plan."
"Like Rogue said, she's part of our pack...ain't no way we're leaving her behind." Natsu growled next to him, body tensing for flight.
"Levy! We're coming!" Wendy kicked off from the ground, wings beating wildly. Gajeel took off after her as she called over her shoulder. "Natsu, get over here! Your nose is stronger than the rest of ours!"
"Wait! I'm coming too!"
"Hey! Whaddya think yer doing?"
"Coming with you! She's my friend too, you know. Now fly!"
"Keh, I'm all fired up!"
Gajeel smelled Natsu join the group. Lucy's screams ripped through the air, causing Gajeel to wince. "Oi, Flame Brain! Keep yer woman quiet!"
"She's not my woman!"
The air grew warm and Gajeel banked to the left, narrowly avoiding a blast of fire.
"We'll join you after we take care of things here!" Makarov called after them.
"So what's really our plan, Gajeel?" Sting asked, flying abreast.
Gajeel grunted. "Find the ones who took Levy, then wreck havoc on Grimoire Heart."
Rogue swooped over them, wings silent as the night. "I like that plan."
"Wendy, be prepared to use your healing magic. We don't know how strong these guys are."
"Got it," came the grim response. Wendy looked directly ahead, her flight never faltering. She might be the youngest of the group, but she could also be the most fierce when she thought a loved one was in danger.
Thankfully Lucy quieted after a few minutes and the group soared through the sky, following Natsu's strong nose. They had flown for nearly an hour when they spotted a glow on the horizon. Explosions of yellow and blue light, as well as the darker colors of green and brown, flashed sporadically in front of them.
Gajeel growled, urging his wings to fly faster.
"Gajeel, what's the matter?"
"That's Levy's magic, but I don't recognize the other."
"How can you tell?" Lucy called out from where she clung to Natsu's back.
"I helped train her, so I'd know her magic anywhere."
They flew over an open field, illuminated by light runes originating from a large guild hall. Levy ran around the clearing, her blue hair falling about her face while she fought off a dog-like person and a...chicken?
"WORMS!" He heard Levy yell and a large, squirming word appeared before the chicken mage. Gajeel heard Lucy and Sting gag at the wiggling mass, but the chicken turned on its heel and chased after the word, squawking wildly. A blast of fire covered the mage and exploded near the building, catching the roof on fire. Natsu landed in the grass, smirking at the smoking destruction.
The dog mage yelped and sprinted through the smoke, completely ignoring Levy. Gajeel landed and strange, intricate words formed in the air over the building. They rained down, dousing the flames with water.
The remaining dragons landed and surrounded the smoke hiding the two mages. Gajeel made sure to keep Levy behind him, keeping a wary eye on the enemy. The smoke cleared, revealing an unconscious, burnt chicken and a quivering dog with his hands in the air.
"Anyone order grilled chicken?" Natsu laughed, earning a slap from Wendy's wing. Lucy slid off and hurried to Levy's side. The two girls held each other and shook.
Gajeel ignored the flame idiot. "Levy, where's the one that took you?"
"Over there," she gestured to a grove of trees where an unconscious man tied with a shimmering CHAIN slumped on the ground.
"Can you tie up these ones too?"
"S-sure!"
Levy twisted her fingers and tendrils of magic floated to the other incapacitated mages. It swirled around them, capturing them in its light, and brought them over to their comrade. Binding words formed around each of the enemy mages, attaching them to a nearby tree so they couldn't escape.
"How long can you keep the spell going?"
"It'll stay as long as I'm not unconscious."
"Oh my, it seems as if some fairies have made their way to my home. How fortunate for me." A chill shot across Gajeel's scales at the deep, menacing voice.
"Who're you?" Natsu snarled at the old man walking out from the smouldering building.
"Levy, stay behind me," Gajeel hissed to the girl trying to inch her way around him.
She huffed, eyes never leaving the new threat. "Do you really think I'm going to let you get hurt for me again?"
"I am Hades, master of Grimoire Heart," the man answered. "Now let's see: one, two...five dragons, a Celestial Mage and the king's own daughter. What an interesting bunch. Not a problem, you are no match for me."
"We'll see about that!" Natsu snarled, rushing the man.
The man threw off his jacket, clenched a hand and pulled. Natsu yelped, diamond chains surrounding him, and was yanked to the side. Sting and Rogue snarled and charged, Gajeel rushing forward to help his companions. The man's other hand flipped through the air and chains surrounded the Twin Dragons, flinging them into Gajeel. They all crashed into the trees, splintering the trunks.
"Not bad, young dragons. Very quick, agile too. But you're still years away from being able to defeat me."
Gajeel struggled to his feet, desperate to free his wing from underneath Sting's leg. Light flashed and Gajeel's blood chilled when Levy twisted her own hands around. She flung the word HOLE onto the ground, causing Hades to sink into the ground. Flicking her fingers, OIL appeared directly above Hades and fell, covering him in black drops of tar. Natsu blew a fireball at the man, engulfing him in flames.
The chains surrounding them broke, allowing him to free his pinned wing. A giant, unnatural gust of wind extinguished the flames, revealing an enraged Hades. One eye was blocked by a black eye patch, but the other stared directly at Levy.
He lifted his hand and yelled, "Katsu."
The air around them shimmered and Levy's body began to glow.
"Levy!" Gajeel growled, lurching to his feet. He could hear the others crying out, all of them rushing to her side.
Levy disappeared in a flash of light, leaving only her tattered clothes behind.
"Erased without a trace...pathetic. But Makarov won't have the nerve to fight me anymore, now that I've eradicated his daughter."
"You gaffer!" Gajeel snarled and charged the man again.
The man dodged, purple magic forming on his fingertips, "Magic Bullet."
Magic disks pounded into his scales. He was knocked backward, twisting tail over wings.
"Gajeel!" Wendy rushed to his side, helping him to his feet.
"You wind bag! Where'd ya take her, you?"
"Just in the nick of time," a methodical voice said within the trees.
"Horologium!" Lucy cried, causing Gajeel to glare at the strange object.
"You see, I sensed a spatial distortion around Lady Levy and activated a defensive spell."
"But why are you facing away from us?" the blonde mage asked.
"'Please don't turn around,' she says. 'I can't let Gaj-anyone see me like this' she says. 'Can someone find me my clothes!' she says. Lady Levy, please do not screech."
"I summon thee: Virgo!"
The two women hurried behind the clock-person and, satisfied Levy was no longer in danger, Gajeel turned his attention to the smirking man. "Yer gonna pay for that!"
He took a deep breath, feeling his magic swelling in the pit of his stomach. The air churned with the other dragons pulling in their breaths, a circle of magic forming at each of their snouts.
"Iron Dragon-"
"Shadow Dragon-"
"Fire Dragon-"
"Sky Dragon-"
"Light Dragon-"
ROAR!
Their blasts converged onto a single point, striking the man where he stood. The echo of their attack shook the trees, threatening to rip them from their roots. Energy simmered and curled around the field and Gajeel shut his jaws with a smirk. His smile died when the magic disappeared and revealed Hades; standing and unscathed.
Wendy gasped, "How'd you-"
"I thought you guys said you have magic!" Lucy screeched, dragging a properly clothed Levy behind her.
Sting stumbled backward. "We do! But we've never actually had to use it before!"
"I'm a little disappointed in you dragons. But oh well...my turn."
A pulse of energy covered them, pushing them into the ground. Gajeel struggled to stand, his magic trickling through his scales and onto the ground.
How much magic does this old geezer have!?
Hades walked forward, a wicked gleam in his eye and held his open palm in the air. The pressure increased, the unexpected pain making him groan and claw the ground. He could hear Levy calling out to him, but he couldn't think, couldn't move. The air crackled, setting his nerves on fire. Thunder echoed through the trees and an explosion of light exploded into a crater in the ground. Hades closed his hand, the pressure immediately disappearing, and backed away from the crater and the glowing orb within.
Hades howled with laughter. "Oh? Another Fairy Tail contender wants to take a shot at me? This will be fun!"
Laxus slowly rose from the crater, lightning swirling and crackling around him. "Don't get too comfortable, old man. I have a bone to pick with you for messing with my kingdom. And there's someone here that I owe a great debt to...I can't let her or the ones she loves get hurt again." Gajeel frowned when the prince turned his gaze to him. "Take care of her for me."
With his final word, Laxus charged Hades. They disappeared in a bolt of lightning, moving too quickly for Gajeel to follow. Echoes of thunder permeated the air and Gajeel caught glimpses of punches and kicks between flashes. Purple rings formed, only to be shattered a second later.
"Everyone, over here!" Levy called to them and began to wave her glowing fingers. Giant words flew through the air: IRON, SHADOW, LIGHT, WIND, and FIRE. Gajeel stretched his neck and latched his jaws on the IRON word, crushing it between his teeth and swallowing the large bits whole. His depleted reserves filled to the brim and magic hummed through his blood.
A surge of purple and yellow energy swept over them and knocked Levy and Lucy to the ground. Laxus skidded to a halt and dropped to one knee, panting heavily. Hades towered over him, breathing steady but clothes ripped and torn.
"You're good, boy, to withstand my Amaterasu formation. But you're still not on my level."
"Keh, guess I still have a lot to learn then. Hey dragon, you eat fire, right?" Lightning flashed and Gajeel covered the girls with his wing. He gritted his teeth in preparation for the blast, but pain never came.
Levy placed a hand on his leg. Her wide eyes focused over his leg, where Laxus collapsed in the middle of the field.
"This...is my apology, Levy."
"What are you talking about?" she stammered, her hand still on his leg.
"All of my magic power…" he murmured, guesting to Natsu with a shaking hand.
The flame dragon shimmered, yellow streaks writhing and jolting around him. He stood tall and proud, eyes glaring at the monster in front of them. "Thanks for the meal. I'll be sure to put it to good use."
"Gajeel," Rogue called and he nodded in response.
They had never tested it before, never needing to use the ancient technique their parents taught them all those years ago. But they were dragons, and dragons were never ones to back away from a fight when there was something they needed to protect.
"Levy, back away," Gajeel growled as Rogue cloaked himself in shadows.
The shadows twisted, the tendrils slithering to where Gajeel stood. Gajeel breathed deeply, pulling the phantom flames into his body, combining them with his own magic power. His scales hardened and turned into black steel, dark shadows blazing over his body. His magic surged and he raked the ground with his claws, tongue snaking over his sharp fangs.
"Let's take this putz down."
Natsu shot to the sky, angling his body toward the gaping man. "Lighting Flame Dragon!"
Sting and Wendy ran to the side, their bodies glowing and necks arching for their combined breath attack. "Unison Raid: Hurricane's Light!"
Levy and Lucy ran to Hades' blind side, their voices shouting out "I call to thee: Aquarius!" with an answering "Solid Script: Water!"
Gajeel positioned himself directly in front of Hades, glaring into his eye. He bared his teeth, magic ready to be unleashed.
"Shadow Iron Dragon," he snarled.
His jaws opened and his magic surged, shooting from within his core and blasting toward their enemy. Light and thunder, water and wind joined him and with his family's support, they pushed their magic to the ultimate limit.
Natsu's combined lighting and fire rained down from the sky in a fiery inferno, burning Hades in its deadly flames. Lucy and Levy, together with a terrifying mermaid, shot a blast of water so powerful it knocked Hades from his feet. Gajeel's magic, fused with Rogue's shadow energy, engulfed Hades in a void of darkness and a bright hurricane of wind launched the mage into the sky. The thunderous explosion did little to mask the sounds of Hades' screams as the mage fell to the ground with a bone crunching thud. He lay face first in the dirt, completely still.
The last of his magic faded from Gajeel's body, leaving him lightheaded. The shadows disappeared, his scales softened and lightened to their normal color. Natsu crashed to the ground, Lucy running to him and the mermaid disappearing in a splash of water. Wendy and Sting groaned, sinking to the ground and leaned against one another. Gajeel crawled to Rogue's side and they both hummed when Levy ran her hands all along their snouts.
He heaved a sigh, startling Levy. It was finally over.