A/N: Hello all! I've made you wait long enough, so here it is.
Special thanks to my beta Peanut 61654 for your support; to Miry-0-chan for that much needed reminder; and to Mayuko-chan, whose prophetic powers scared me for a whole week.
CHAPTER 9
FIRE VS ICE
"Undo the seals now, and I won't hurt you." Natsu said, flexing his forearms. The bracelets glinted in the lamplight. "Phantom Lord's my real enemy, you're just standing in my way."
A shiver went down Gray's spine. He straightened. Natsu would not intimidate him! "Look, I apologise about what's happening to your tribe, but—"
"If you care even a little, you'll undo the seals and let me go." His red glare was unsettling.
Gray swallowed. How did his eyes change colour? He can't use any magic! "Even if I let you go, it'll take days to reach your tribe. You won't survive with those wounds," he indicated his poorly bandaged abdomen, "or without water and supplies."
The slave's red eyes darkened into scarlet. "I don't care if it'd take me a hundred years! As long as I have two feet, I'll still go."
Gray didn't doubt his statement from the sound of finality in his voice. "Look, you'll die if I let you go. You can't save anyone if you're dead!"
"I won't die so easily," the pinkette growled. "I have people to protect. Undo the seals now!" He stepped closer, muscles tense, like a cat about to pounce.
The prince braced his feet against the floor. "And have you kill yourself? No!"
The pinkette's face overwhelmed Gray's vision before the prince could react. Those scarlet eyes, inches from his face. The raven gasped, the smell of ash invading his nose.
"Then I'll make you undo them with my fists!" Natsu's fist collided painfully into the side of his head.
The world tilted over.
Fierce pain clung to the back of his head. His vision blurred. It took him a few moments to realise that he was lying on the ground.
"This only proves that you don't give a damn about anyone but yourself!" Natsu yelled.
The prince sat up, grasping his head.
Natsu grabbed his shoulders and pinned him to the wall. Startled, Gray could only stare into the pinkette's dark eyes.
"If you knew what's happening outside your walls, you'd release me right now!"
He didn't pound him right away, which allowed Gray's vision to clear.
"If it was up to me, I'd not only let you go but I'd send the army to help you!"
Natsu was so close, they breathed the same air. "Then why don't you?"
"Because the king controls everything!"
He regretted saying the words as soon as they left his mouth. He sounded so anguished, it was pitiful even to his own ears.
"Him again!" Natsu squeezed his shoulders tight, his nails digging into Gray's skin. "You blame everything on him! Maybe he's not the problem, but your own cowardice to stand up to him!"
Gray's eyes narrowed. He shoved Natsu away and rose to his feet. He clutched his fists at his sides.
The slave regained his footing and smirked. "Hit a nerve, did I? That's because it's true! No one can control you! The fact that you think he does means you let him!" He rose his fists to his face, feet wide. "Knowing that I am supposed to serve a person like you pisses me off!" He charged.
Gray saw the attack better this time. He parried the punch with his right hand, a bone-deep shudder echoing through his forearm. He winced and quickly caught Natsu's wrist in his left hand. He twisted sideways, narrowly missing Natsu's second punch slamming into his head. He grabbed the slave's shoulder and twisted his wrist behind his back.
Natsu grunted, his elbow bent at an awkward angle. Gray shoved him against the wall, hard. Natsu braced his forearm against the rough surface. "You don't know anything!" The prince hissed. "You have no idea how dangerous—"
"Undo the seals!" Natsu snarled. His back bulged from trying to wring his arm free.
"No! I can't let you escape." He pressed their combined hands into Natsu's back, restricting the slave's movement. He braced his free hand against the wall, just above Natsu's forearm. His head was inches from Natsu's snarling face, their bodies so close that Gray could feel the heat radiating off the slave's skin.
Natsu struggled harder, and Gray pinned him to the wall with his body. The slave's skin was blazing hot where his back slid against Gray's chest.
"You'll die in the desert if you leave," the prince said. "That won't help your tribe win. Instead, Lyon, Macao and Mirajane will be hurt because of you. You have my sympathy about what happened to your tribe, but you leaving hurt and powerless won't help anyone."
"To hell with you! My tribe needs me more!" He struck with his free elbow.
Gray ducked his head, but was too slow. Pain flared above his eyes. He grunted, blinking fast to clear his vision. With difficulty, he pinned Natsu's other arm to the wall.
He felt the tremors going through Natsu's body as the Tribal leader struggled to break free.
"Your tribe is dead!" Gray yelled.
The silence that followed was deafening. Natsu stilled. Gray heard the sound of their combined breathing.
Sweat dripped off them, leaving dark splatters on the floor.
"What did you say?" The pinkette whispered.
Gray swallowed. "You heard me," he said quietly, his heart squeezed tight. "You can't help them because they are already dead!"
He wasn't sure that the Tribal leader was breathing.
Natsu shook. From rage or anguish, Gray wasn't sure. His jaw was clenched shut, teeth bared. The prince gasped from the deranged look in his eyes. He increased his grip on the slave. There was no way he was letting him go now.
Natsu's skin felt hotter. What the…? Gray thought. The heat kept increasing, as if someone was adding logs into a fire. Soon it felt like he was clutching hot coals. Gray yelped and let go.
The slave turned around.
Gray stumbled back. "H-how?"
The skin around the slave's eyes had turned scaly, so was the skin on his arms and chest. But what made the prince back off—
The Dragon's fists were enveloped in flames.
The bracelets flickered white where the strands licked the metal.
Gray's back dug into a table.
Natsu took a deep breath. The prince stepped back and cursed when the table bit into his skin. He didn't dare take his eyes off the slave.
The slave stepped forward. A roar tore from his throat, a terrible sound that shook the palace. The raven grabbed his ears but it was no use. The sound echoed in his skull like a trapped animal. He screamed, but couldn't hear himself above the Dragon's roar. Tears came to his eyes. His knees hit the floor without him wanting to.
He saw movement in the corner of his eyes and hit the floor without thinking. He rolled out of the way. All he heard was a clear high-pitch note ringing in his ears, like a never-ending chime. He sat up and scanned for the slave.
Black eyes met narrowed red. Natsu withdrew his burning fist from the wooden wreckage. The table lay in splinters on the floor.
"I'll kill you!" The slave launched, burning fist flying towards him.
Gray watched, paralysed, as the Tribal leader got closer, like an angel of vengeance. He tried to dodge but his body was unresponsive, like a puppet with its strings cut.
He saw the fury reflect off the Dragon's eyes.
In desperation, he slammed his hands on the floor. "Ice Make!"
A volley of ice shot towards the Tribal leader. Fire met ice with a loud bang. The floor creaked. Dust fell from the ceiling. The ceramic tiles warped under Natsu's feet.
Ice enveloped the fire.
Silence.
Gray shakily rose to his feet. His legs felt wobbly and out of balance. He still heard faint ringing that wasn't real.
The dust settled, revealing a large column of ice in the middle of the princess's room.
Gray's knees almost buckled form relief. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
He couldn't believe what he'd just seen.
The slave had twelve bracelets, and was still able to use magic.
Natsu was a monster.
He waited a few moments.
Nothing happened. He heard no sounds. He didn't feel the Tribal leader fighting his ice.
Had he killed him?
Gray peered into the ice.
Narrowed red eyes stared back.
Sharp pain stabbed through Gray's chest. He clutched to his chest before he could stop himself. "Shit. Ice M—"
The ice cracked and shattered into a hundred pieces. Gray cried out from the scorching pain in his heart.
Natsu flew at him from the wreckage, fist enveloped in flames. Gray rose his forearms in defence but was too late. The fist smashed into his jaw like an iron hammer. Pain flared more intense than he's had ever felt before.
The force sent him crashing into the shelves. Books and trinkets rained down. Something sharp dug into his back, hard enough to break skin. A crystal jug shattered on the floor, the shards glittering on the mosaic like diamonds.
Natsu was on him before he could breathe.
The prince shielded his head. Natsu attacked him again, raining punch after punch.
He hunched down, trying to make himself a smaller target. Sharp pain rebounded through his arms and back where the blows connected. The heat was unbearable. His skin felt like it was melting off. He couldn't withstand this much longer.
Natsu'd kill him.
The prince ducked and rolled away, the crystal shards imbedding into his back. Natsu struck his back but Gray hardly felt it in his scramble to get away. He drew three gestures in the air. "Ice Make, Prison!"
Natsu smashed into ice bars. Gray held his hands in the Ice Make position, not letting him go. Natsu roared in rage and beat on the bars, fists ablaze, but the ice held. Gray drew a relieved breath and mentally thanked Ur for her Ice Make guidance.
Natsu growled, feet wide, a scowl on his face. His knuckles and the bars were smeared with blood.
"Give up!"
"Never!" Natsu snarled and punched the bars again, but the fortified ice didn't shatter. He sent Gray a murderous look.
Natsu's gaze fixed on something to the prince's left. Gray resisted the urge to look, as any distraction could weaken his concentration. He couldn't afford to take chances.
A shadow fell over the slave's face as he picked up a large crystal shard. He tested the shard's weight.
A wave of coldness washed over the prince. "Put it down."
"I never listened to Steel Dragon, what makes you think I'd listen to you?"
Gray snarled. "What are you, ten?" He said in Common. "I'm on your side, damn it!" He took a deep breath to calm down. He showed too much emotion already. "I'm the only person in the palace who can shield you from Alastair." He said in Tribal.
Natsu's expression didn't change. "I hate liars." He hurled the shard.
Gray flinched and braced for the pain. He couldn't move and risk the cage breaking.
The shard sailed off to his left. He heard glass shatter and suddenly the room became much brighter. Liquid fire spread across the floor from the broken lamp.
"Shit! Do you want to burn the place down?" Luckily the lamp was away from furniture.
One oil tendril snaked to the cage's corner. Gray winced as a burning sensation flared in his right ankle.
Natsu leaned on his hands and knees towards the oil. He smirked, his canine teeth flashing in the light. He bit into the flames as if they were food.
Gray stared open-mouthed. "What the…"
Natsu sucked in a breath, and all the flames flew into his mouth. The room fell into darkness except for the dragon's glowing fists. He wiped his chin with his burning palm.
"No stupid cage can hold me!" The fire around his fists grew larger. He reared back and punched the cage.
The bar cracked.
Gray choked, the air driven out of his lungs. It felt like someone had punched him in the gut.
Ignore it! Gray thought. It's just in your head!
Dark stains ran down Natsu's chest and stomach. He punched again. The crack widened.
Gray managed to draw a painful breath.
"Stop! You're only making your wounds worse!"
"This wound is nothing to me! Undo the seals or I'll burn you into ash!"
Someone beat at his door. "Your highness?" someone yelled. "Take down the door!"
Gray knew the slave's wounds weren't nothing. He barely made it through the watermill today. He hated to think what would happen to him tomorrow.
He had to stop this before the guards got through and killed the pinkette.
"You're right, I can't imagine how you feel. I really want you to defeat Phantom Lord, but you can't with your wounds. They've already hurt you once. I can't risk my friend's lives and hope you'll somehow walk through the desert alive. You'll be too late to save anyone. I promise I will help you look for survivors."
"You're wrong!" Natsu struck. The bar shattered. "Don't underestimate Steel Dragon! He'll beat them up so bad, their mothers won't know them! I should be there with him, beating up Phantom zopa!"
Gray's hands trembled from the effort of keeping the ice. "He'd be in more trouble if you went! He'd have to protect the tribe and you on top!"
"I am not listening to you! You're a coward and you speak like one! I don't even care if I kill you and don't have powers anymore!" Natsu broke the second bar in one punch.
Gray braced his feet. The third and final bar was about to give up.
"Do you know what I hate?" The prince said. "Short-tempered idiots who jump to conclusions!" The prince drew four Ice Make gestures.
With a roar, Natsu broke through the final bar and charged at Gray.
"Ice Make, Geyser!"
Ice shot out from the magic circle, encasing the dragon slayer in solid ice. Natsu's fist was mere centimeters from his head. The Dragon leader fought against the thick ice but the it held firm.
Gray collapsed onto the debris with relief, pain, and lack of strength. He didn't feel like a winner.
It was almost immediately that the door was flung open and bright light flooded the room. "Gray? Where are you?" Lyon yelled.
Gray shielded his eyes. "I'm fine."
Lyon reached down and pulled him out of the debris and from beneath the ice lock. Gray hissed in pain.
Lyon quickly inspected his injuries and dug the crystal shards out of his back. "You'll live." He clapped Gray on the shoulder. "What happened?"
"There's no one here, Sir," a guard said.
"Search harder!" Lyon spat. "They couldn't have gone far!"
"Don't," Gray hissed.
Lyon held up the light to illuminate the room. "Your room's trashed. I heard a roar, almost as if a dragon was attacking. Hm…" He trailed off. "It was him, wasn't it?"
"Look in the ice."
Lyon brought the lamp close and whistled. "How'd he get his flames burning? In the ice?"
"Let me see." Gray said.
Lyon helped Gray up and indeed, Natsu still had the flames around his fists. It was like they were liquid fire and had frozen that way. The dragon was caught mid-lunge, one arm outstretched to punch the spot where Gray was. The angle of his body meant that Gray was very lucky he got out of the way in time.
Huh, lucky.
God helps those who help themselves, Lyon's phrase echoed in Gray's mind. If Gray hadn't defended, he'd be dead.
It seemed that the saying was true.
"Did you give him his powers back?" Lyon asked.
"No."
"Then how the hell-"
"Don't ask me."
Lyon huffed. "How're you going to punish him for this? You're not really killing him with the ice, are you?"
"Hmph. I won't kill him. Just until his flames fade. I can feel him fighting the ice."
"If the king finds out—"
"What's the commotion?" The king's voice boomed.
The brothers turned to the door. The king himself stood in the broken doorway, dressed in wrinkled shorts and unkempt hair.
"It's taken care of," Gray replied. "Sorry for disturbing your sleep."
The king looked around the trashed room and paused on the ice geyser. His lips broke into a smirk. "Took you long enough. Shut him up faster next time." He turned around. "And clean up the mess. It's unsightly."
The king's footsteps faded and the princes simultaneously glanced at each other. "Maybe he has a one-arm-a-day rule or something." Lyon said. "Can't chop another one until the morning."
"Very funny."
Lyon shrugged and held up the lamp to inspect the trapped slave.
Gray fell to his knees, arms wrapped around himself. "He's melting the ice." It felt like his insides were being scorched. He knew that it was all in his head; the sensations he felt had no relevance to his bodily functions. But damn, it hurt like hell.
"Want me to take over?" Lyon drew Ice Make symbols in the air. "I lost count of how many people I trapped. It doesn't bother me anymore."
Gray shook his head. It was only right that he felt the pain of denying Natsu his freedom.
The search turned empty handed and Lyon sent the men away. He dressed Gray's wounds while they waited for Natsu's magic to burn out. The raven hardly noticed.
The pain felt that much greater, because deep down, Gray wanted to let Natsu go.
It made no sense to keep the Tribal leader in the palace where he didn't belong. He belonged with his Tribe, fighting with them against Phantom Lord.
It hurt to know that Natsu wouldn't come and save them because of Gray's decision.
He had effectively killed them by keeping Natsu here.
Gray covered his face with his hands. He hated this. He hated that he had to do this. The deaths of the Dragon people stabbed through his heart and he felt so hollow. A choking sound escaped him.
"Sorry, is that too tight?" Lyon asked.
The raven shook his head.
He really wanted Natsu to leave. He didn't belong here.
If only Alastair wasn't ruling!
The king was the only reason why everything was so unfair. He didn't care about the genocide that was happening outside his walls. The Dragon Tribe had been a thorn in the king's side for years.
The prince knew that the moment Natsu stepped outside the palace, he'd be hunted down like a dog. The slaves who managed to escape were dragged back and killed in the central square.
He didn't want Natsu's life to end like that. Gray told himself that was the reason. But even as he tried to convince himself, the real reason reared its ugly head.
The look in his father's eyes as he chopped off Vidaldus' arm…
He needed all of his limbs if he was to eventually rule the city.
The burn in his chest increased and he grunted from the pain.
He wouldn't be the only person hurt if he let Natsu go.
Lyon would be punished.
Mirajane and Macao would be punished. Maybe hanged if they failed to prove that they didn't collaborate.
Erza would track Natsu down. If by some chance she returned empty-handed… and because Natsu was of high status before he was captured… she probably won't make it out with all limbs intact.
He had responsibility for all these people. Did he have a right to choose who lived? On one hand there were the Dragon Tribe people, who had no alliance to Fairy Tail. On the other hand, there were Gray's friends who he cared deeply about.
Was it wrong that he picked his loved ones over strangers?
If only there was a document he could read that said exactly what to do in this situation!
But really, he shouldn't be having this dilemma. Natsu was hurt. His injuries weren't life threatening, but in the desert, even the tiniest wound could turn fatal.
If he let Natsu go and he died in the desert, the surviving Dragon people would lose heart, and Gray's friends would suffer for nothing.
It wasn't worth the risk.
He'd rather have Natsu hate him than to see the slave dead.
Gray rose to his feet and stumbled towards the ice. He leaned on the rough cold surface, his face level with Natsu's. He stared for a long time into the slave's unmoving red eyes. He felt the eyes of the whole Dragon Tribe stare back at him.
Gray looked away, unable to handle that stare.
"How long is he going to hold this up?" Lyon said, sounding annoyed. "He shouldn't be able to use magic."
Gray didn't reply, wanting to know the answer too.
Natsu was right. Gray was afraid to stand up to Alastair. Everyone who did ended up dead.
Even the priests bowed to him.
Except the Dragon Tribe. But even they weren't going to stand up for much longer.
As he thought that, the resistance abruptly stopped. Instant relief flooded Gray's body as the pain ceased. There was no fire on the Dragon's fists in the ice.
"Step back," he warned Lyon.
The captain complied and Gray released his ice. It shattered, revealing Natsu's broken form. He fell on the floor face down, arm outstretched, and didn't move.
Gray reached out but Lyon stopped him with a warning look. The older prince flipped Natsu over and they saw a jagged wooden board protruding from his abdomen. Blood pooled in the wound. Many smaller debris were imbedded in his chest. A long deep-looking scratch was on Natsu's face from his forehead to ear.
Gray fell down on his knees by the slave's side at the sight, heart in knots. He wrung his hands as Lyon held a hand over the slave's face. Even in the dim light, Natsu looked too pale.
"Is he alive?" Gray asked.
"He's breathing faintly," Lyon replied. "We better get him to a healer."
Gray carefully scooped Natsu into his arms bridal style, careful not to dislodge any of the imbedded wood. "Let's hurry." Natsu's body was very cold.
The two briskly walked through the corridor and down a flight of stairs to the king's quarters. Lyon held up the light and opened all doors for him. None of the guards reacted, but some of the slaves looked aghast when they caught sight of Natsu's wounds.
Gray tried to think that they weren't as bad as they looked. The palace healer patched up worse things than that. Natsu would be all right once they got there.
A part of him wanted to disregard everything, ditch Lyon and just blast the walls directly to the healer's room.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, they reached the healer's quarters on the third floor of the king's tower. Lyon pounded on the door. Gray anxiously waited, Natsu's head cradled against his chest.
Don't die, Gray thought.
The door opened to reveal a middle aged man by the name of Myst, with short greyed hair, dressed in a white robe with green circles on the front. The old healer looked at Lyon, who still held his fist in the air, then to Gray and the person in his arms.
"Please help him," the prince said.
The healer grabbed Lyon's light and came closer to inspect the wounds. The raven felt hope well up in his chest.
As the healer leaned close, Gray caught a human-shaped shadow at the edge of the corridor, watching them.
An uneasy feeling washed over the prince. The person was too far back to make out his or her face.
Lyon also noticed the figure. However, the moment he passed the lamp to Myst, the shadow abruptly withdrew and Gray heard the patter of feet running away from them.
Lyon dropped his spear and ran after the spy.
"They've seen me," Myst whispered, looking about the hallway. Haunting shadows showed in his sagely blue eyes. "They've seen me! I can't heal him now."
"What? Why?" Gray said. His throat felt like it was clogged up. "You've brought people back from the brink of death before!"
"His wounds look serious. I want to help, but…" The man stepped away and hunched his back, looking very small. "Alastair's spies have been following me for the last three weeks. I think he suspects I am teaching Juvia." The healer shook his head and let out a puff of air in what seemed like frustration. "I'm not allowed to heal any slaves without the king's approval."
Gray's heart crushed. "No."
"I'm sorry."
"Can't you just do it anyway?" Gray asked.
The healer's voice dropped to a whisper. "He'll hang me for treason if that spy tells him I healed a slave without his permission. Alastair's already threatened to get rid of me. He's just looking for an excuse now. I'm sorry."
Gray swore. He sent the man a pleading look.
"Juvia shows great talent, but she still needs more guidance. If I heal your slave now, you won't have anyone to heal you and your friends later on."
Gray couldn't ask this man to risk his life to save another's. Gray wanted to, really wanted to… especially when Natsu lay dying in his arms...
"Go to the healing temple." The man said, a sympathetic look in his eyes. "They heal everyone."
He heard Lyon's cursing before the sound of his footfalls. "He got away," the older prince said, a sheen of sweat covering his forehead. "Chased him as far as the garden, but he just disappeared! Damn it, it pisses me off!"
"Let's go," Gray turned away from the healer and walked towards the stairs.
"Where are we going?" Lyon asked, retrieving his spear and lamp and catching up to Gray.
"May Gods be on your side," the aged healer whispered at their retreating backs.
A/N: I hoped you liked the chapter. It was very hard to write. Will Natsu survive the wounds? Find out next chapter!
Natsu: This chapter is wrong! There is no way I'd ever lose to him! *Shakes fist at Gray*
Author: Um, well…
Gray: Did you seriously expect to win when you had your magic cut and I had my full powers? Keep dreaming.
Natsu: Shut up! *punches Gray*
Author: *dodges*
Lyon: You! *clamps hand on author's shoulder* How dare you make me lose to A WOMAN two chapters ago?
Author: Eep!
Erza: You get careless when you're angry. You also lose your technique.
Lyon: I'll show you technique! *tackles Erza*
Myst: I can't believe I didn't heal Natsu. The author is too cruel!
Author: *pats Myst's shoulder* Now, I think that's everyone. Thanks for reading!
Juvia: Author forgot Juvia.
Author: Sorry Juvia. What do you want to say?
Juvia: When will Juvia marry Gray-sama?
Author: …
Author: How about I set a deadline for the next chapter? Please check back on Sunday 5 October for the next update. (I hope I didn't just shoot myself in the hand). Please review!
Juvia: Author-sama, when will Juvia marry Gray-sama? Author-sama, don't run away. Author-sama!
Chapter 9 fail typos:
1. He didn't pound him, which alolowed…
Natsu: You wanted to write lol, admit it!
Gray: I don't see how that's funny. Hold on, can you even read?
Natsu: …
2. In desperation, he slammed his head on the floor. "Ice Make!"
Natsu: Ouch!
Gray: Why do these typos only happen to me?!
Reviews:
Starting this chapter, I'll reply personally to reviews as this section's getting too long. Kindly let me know if I shouldn't PM you.
Blackhatred, lalalightwood, MULTICOLOREDSOUL, and nazurath92: Thanks for your reviews guys. I hope you liked the fallout.
AsDarknessSpreads: love your long review! You made me smile :D
Peanut61654: You ask all the hard questions xD Thanks for putting up with me!
Mayuko-chan: My dear friend… when I first read your PM, I actually looked over my shoulder to see if you were watching me write. I admit you guessed spot on. Lynx 0, Mayuko 1. I hope it was still interesting! I'll surprise you yet! Also, I have to finish this story or I'd go insane.
Baked Soap, darkmoonlady, AmazonPro ThereWasColdLikeDeath, and Zylette: Thank you! I'll do my best to keep up the hard work.
ThatCreepyGothDragoon: Thank you! I found a couple of spots where I can bring up the past, but I have a feeling the bits I'll show may not be dark enough for your liking :( I'll try anyway. I agree that Gray is tougher than this (much tougher!) but it's hard to be tough without being cruel in this situation. Gray hadn't had the chance to prove himself to Natsu yet.
Miry-0-chan: The chapter's finally out. I think it was well worth the extra week's wait (but not the 3 months wait Dx). I tinker with this story all the time, but I often forget about updating. I hope you liked it.
Do you like this story? Not so much? Please tell me in a review.