Chapter 12

Glacia and Niebel

"Uh...um...this is...very difficult to comprehend," Chapati stammered. "But apparently, Niebel is Glacia-tan's little brother."

"Truly, you can see the family resemblance," Yajima nodded. "And we must apologize to Imperial Snow later for suspecting them."

"P-p-pumpkin...there are two Glacias..." Mato was still spinning in circles, his eyes replaced by swirls.

"Then...the other day..." He couldn't believe it. But the resemblance between them was incredible. Niebel was practically a boy version of Glacia.

It finally dawned on Rogue the events from yesterday. When he thought he had been chasing Glacia...he was really chasing her younger brother. And when he thought Niebel was Glacia, Niebel had run away from Rogue because he didn't know him.

But...his eyes showed recognition yesterday, Rogue reminded himself. Did Glacia tell him about me?

"Fro's confused. Mermaid-san had a little brother?" Frosch asked.

"But...Vóreia never mentioned anything like this before," Lector said weakly.

"Your scent..." With his real appearance displayed to the world, Wendy could detect a different scent on Niebel. Morning dew and peppermint. "How were you able to mimick Glacia's scent?"

"Hmph." Niebel bent down to pick up his cloak, holding it out towards her. "Is this what you smelled?"

Wendy's eyes widened. The aroma of mountainous air, a snowy sky, and mint wafted from the cloak.

"You...you used her scent to mask your own?"

"This used to be Sissy's," he said, a reminiscent visage on his face. "When Sissy was the Guardian of the North."

"But...Glacia...she didn't have any siblings," Wendy said. Except for Hisui, she thought.

As the ice naginata shrunk until it was twice his size, Niebel crouched into an offensive stance. "Neither do I."

Niebel kicked his feet against the ground as he sped towards Wendy, the naginata's blade glistening in the light.

"Sky Dragon's Ro—"

But Niebel's weapon stabbed itself into the spot where Wendy stood. "'Give me a long enough lever,'" he quoted, pushing his weight down on the pole. And up into the air went Wendy with a chunk of the arena floor.

"'And I can move the earth,'" Rufus finished.

"Ice Dragon's Dance!" Two identical snow streams flowed from Niebel's arms before he sent them spiralling upwards, forcing his opponent into the sky.

"Wendy-tan!"

"That's not all!" Niebel leapt into the air. "Ice Dragon's Wings!"

Members of the audience leaned forward to get a better view of the Lacrima Vision, expecting wings to sprout from Niebel's back.

But a set of wings sprouted on either side of Niebel's boots, lifting him higher into the air.

Lyon sweated. "Are you sure he's Glacia's little brother?"

"..."

"I get it if you don't want to talk. But...I expected the wings to grow from the back."

"...it's better if they're on his boots."

"Huh?" Chelia tilted her head.

"It's true that Niebel learned this magic directly from Glacia. Ice Dragon's Wings used to be Glacia's spell. But Niebel's magic is more of a variation of his sister's. Same, but different."

"Glacia's wings sprouted from her back, yes," Dobengal continued, "but they grew from her shoulder blades. If anything happened to the wings, her shoulder blades would be damaged. So what do you think would happen if a bird had its wings torn out?"

Lyon winced, suddenly reaching for his back. "I see..."

"I didn't know Glacia even had a little brother," Chelia admitted out of the blue.

"...their resemblance to each other scares you, doesn't it? How Niebel nearly looks exactly like Glacia. That's not even the most terrifying part about them."

"Then what is?" Yuka asked.

"They're not even related."

"The battle has been taken to the sky! Please enjoy it via Lacrima Vision! Niebel, if you do anything to harm Wendy-tan, I'll halt this match!"

Yajima chuckled. "Unfortunately, only Mato has the power to stop the matches. And Wendy won't be able to leave without a scratch. Of course, neither will Niebel."

"Wendy, be careful!" Charle called up.

In the sky above, Niebel and Wendy exchanged blows, neither side backing down.

"Vernier!" Wendy increased her own speed, dodging most of Niebel's attacks.

"Speed, huh? Then—" Niebel's boots glowed blue as tiny snow streams swirled around him. "Swift winds that run the north: Mistral!"

At first, their speed was evenly matched. Wendy tried to punch her opponent, only to be kicked in the face from underneath by Niebel. Much of Wendy's chin took the damage.

"Wendy!" Romeo yelled.

"You can't hit me, I'm a girl!" Wendy cried indignantly.

"..." The teams and the audience sweated.

"So?" Niebel retorted, his winged shoes beating softly. "Sissy's a girl! And she was never supposed to die!"

"Uh...when did this match turn into grade school teasing?" Orga muttered.

"Right when it started, I believe," Sting snickered. "'You can't hit me, I'm a girl!'"

The two men laughed uncontrollably.

Everyone in Domus Flau continued to watch what appeared to be two shooting stars colliding with each other.

Niebel caught Wendy's foot as she tried to kick him. "Now I see."

"Huh?"

"Ice Dragon's Roar!" The spiralling burst of snow and ice attacked Wendy head-on, crashing her against the arena floor.

"Wendy!" Her team cried.

"Wendy!" Chelia worried for her friend as Niebel floated down, landing gracefully unlike his opponent.

"Oh my! Niebel is doing as he pleases with Wendy-tan! I warned you, didn't I, Niebel?"

"Oh, hush, we have no say in the outcome," Yajima ushered.

"I thought something was missing. Your magic is weak because you have no strength," Niebel stated.

"Ooohh!" The audience whispered amongst themselves.

"Is that kid dissing our guild?" Warren yelled.

"Who does he think he is, disrespecting Sis Wendy like that?" Romeo grumbled.

"First that mermaid girl, now the ice dragon—"

Erza had to pull Natsu back by his scarf as he struggled against her. "Let me at him, I'll teach him to call me weak!"

"This has nothing to do with you!" Lucy exclaimed to Natsu.

"I lack power? I still have plenty of magic in my reserves!" Wendy got to her feet. "Arms—"

"Arms, Vernier, Enchant?" Niebel finished. He disappeared in a white blur and ran past Wendy. Multiple attacks struck her down. "Don't be naïve!"

"Gah!"

"Wendy!" Charle screamed.

"You're really an airhead. You thought I was referring to your physical power?" Niebel stood by as Wendy got to her feet once more. "Strength and power are two different things. You lack power because you lack strength. If you don't have any reason to fight, I can't see why you're still here."

Gritting her teeth, Wendy moved her arms outwards. "According to your philosophy, my strength is my entire guild! All of their hopes, their wishes, sorrows and grief—I carry it all on my back! We've been the butt of everyone's jokes for years! Every emotion they feel—everything I feel—that's my strength!"

By now, Fairy Tail was moved by their comrade's words. Makarov wiped away a tear. "I've been such a good parent," he sniffed.

Before she could cast her spell, Niebel appeared before her in a flash. "Your feelings for an entire guild?"

How? Wendy thought. I didn't see him move!

"That's not enough!" Niebel yelled, rushing past her as he struck her with Ice Dragon's Piercing Talons.

"Agh!"

"Wendy! Hang in there!" Charle cried out.

"Your reasons for fighting are good, I'll give you that," Niebel admitted. "So strong, you're still getting back up."

"...I told you...as long as I stand...as long as they continue to believe in me...that's my strength," Wendy panted.

"'As long as they continue'—you talk as if they're going to abandon you someday."

Wendy flinched as Niebel threw that remark at her.

"Kid's got a sharp tongue," Sting whistled.

"We would never abandon our nakama! Quit making her doubt her words!" Natsu yelled.

"He's really beginning to piss me off," Gray mumbled.

"What's wrong with caring for my family? Their faith in me gives me power! Doubting my family would be an insult to them all!" Wendy declared.

"...heh." Niebel leaned on his heels. "So your strength stems from an entire guild."

"That's right," Wendy shot. She prepared to use her strongest spell, Sky Drill. "So tell me...what makes you strong? What are you fighting for?"

"My reason to fight?" Niebel developed a serious look on his face. "It's my feelings for a single girl. My feelings for her, her faith in me, and the unconditional love she gave me. Everything I do is for Sissy—for Glacia!"

~9 years ago~

—Diamond Mines. The rest of the sign was destroyed from the battle to free the slaves.

From the cavern entrance, cheers and outcries poured out as children of mixed ages came out of the mines, covered in dust and rubble, most of them.

"Is that all of them?" A white-furred Exceed with two tails asked, watching her team mates and friends do their separate thing. One tying up the owners, the other counting the slaves.

"Well, we defeated the Diamond Giant," a tan-haired boy called, using the name of the mine owner. He tightened the rope that held the slave drivers together. "Glacia, the slaves?"

The white-haired girl known as Glacia peered into the mine cavern. Sobs bounced off the rocky walls, and the smell of tears followed. "Hang on," she said to her friends, stepping into the cave, taking a lantern with her.

Glacia pulled her cloak closer to herself, willing herself to go down further. There was only one child down here, but it could may as well be a trap, even if her nose didn't pick up anyone else.

The sobbing got louder, and Glacia had to force herself to continue. Waiting for her at the end of the tunnel was a boy with white hair no younger than four, crying his eyes out.

Her eyes softened, feeling sorry for a boy she barely knew. Setting her lantern down on a crate near the boy, Glacia knelt down so she could be at eye level with him. "Everything's okay now. You're free. Won't you stop crying?"

Sniffing, wiping his eyes, the boy looked up at her, his pale face smeared with black ash. His white bangs grew past his blue eyes, covering them effectively. "*Hic*...who are you?"

"My name's Glacia. Can you tell me yours?"

"...Niebel...*hic* just Niebel," he hiccuped.

Glacia brushed away some of Niebel's bangs. "It was hard to see...but you have really bright eyes. And you hide behind all of that hair like a sheep dog, or a shy little ghost."

Instead of crying more, or even yelling out indignantly, Niebel smiled weakly. "We have the same eyes, miss. They're just like mine," he said.

Glacia's mouth parted in surprise, before they formed a smile.

"C'mon. Let's get you out of here," she said, taking his hand.

"They just had to play nose goes."

Glacia came back from the street vendor, holding a bag full of steaming hot goods for her team.

"..." She looked around herself. She couldn't pinpoint it, but Glacia knew she was being watched. No, not watched...

Followed.

"Glacia!" The said girl snapped out of her trance to see her team waiting for her by the fountain.

"Aren't you eating?" Dobengal asked, noticing that his friend barely even made a dent in her lunch. Just one bite, and she stopped eating.

"..." Glacia's gaze was fixated on a tree, as if trying to burn a hole through it.

"Glacia?" Vóreia stopped eating her takoyaki. "Is something wrong?"

"...are you hungry?" Glacia called to the tree.

"Huh?" Her companions reverted their gaze to the tree. Niebel came out, a sheepish look from being caught.

"You're that kid from before," Dobengal said.

"Niebel?" Glacia asked. The boy nodded.

"But why are you here?" Vóreia asked.

Niebel bowed deeply as he yelled, "Take me with you!"

"What about your parents?" the older boy questioned. It was then that Glacia elbowed his arm.

That's what made him and Vóreia notice that that particular topic hit a soft spot on Niebel. But the look on his face showed not sorrow, but anger.

"We really are the same, aren't we?" Glacia smiled as she offered her lunch to Niebel. The boy stared at her, then at the lunch in awe.

"F-for me?"

Glacia nodded. Niebel took the food gratefully and tried to eat as civilized as he could. He never had anything more than scraps before in his life.

...why did you do that?

Blinking, Glacia turned her head towards Dobengal, who was still eating, just slower than he did earlier.

There's nothing wrong with helping, is there? she thought.

You barely even know the kid other than the fact that he was a slave from the mines.

...he reminds me of myself when I was little. Lost, abandoned...it's not fun being left to survive on your own. Glacia smiled. It's all right, he'll live.

So you're taking him with us?

Yup.

You know, nearly all slaves have a brand on them. That's how they identify the enslaved and the free. When we reach the border, those corrupt guards won't let him leave.

Glacia hit her palm with her clenched hand. They will. Just watch.

Niebel winced, rubbing his upper left arm, right where it met the shoulder. Glacia got up to inspect that spot. Burned into Niebel's skin was a skull and crossbones mark, signalling that he was a slave. And would still be.

Pulling a first aid kit out of her bag, Glacia rubbed some salve on the burn before covering it over with bandages.

"Everything will be all right, okay?" Glacia whispered.

Once dressed in rags, Niebel now donned a winter jacket, gloves, and boots. Courtesy of Glacia.

"Let's go."

As they approached the border, they were met by their guildmaster, a man in his late thirties with graying black hair. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Niebel holding onto Glacia's arm.

"Can one of you explain why—"

"Glacia wants to take him with us!" Vóreia and Dobengal pointed at the duo.

Nordenburg leaned down a bit to get a better look. "Well, I'll be—you look like siblings! Is he your lost brother or something like that?" he chuckled.

"Um..." Niebel looked at Glacia, who held her foster father's gaze.

"They'll perform a check at the gates. If he's a slave, we'll have to pay a fine—"

"We won't," Glacia said calmly. "Trust me."

At the checkpoint, everyone had to reveal their left arm for inspection. The only person left to do this was Niebel.

Niebel glanced at Glacia, who smiled encouragingly. "It'll be all right," she said.

Slowly, Niebel pulled his arm out of his jacket before lifting his shirt sleeve. The bandages from before were still there.

One of the guards nodded to the other, and guard number two pulled out a pair of scissors from a first aid kit.

Vóreia held her breath as the bandages were cut. Glacia should have known that cloth wouldn't be able to hide a slave brand.

But when the bandages were removed, what was underneath surprised her.

Niebel's upper arm was smooth and clear, not a flaw on his skin in sight. It was as if he had never been branded in his life.

While everyone else slept under the stars, Niebel got out of his tent.

He wasn't the only one. Glacia stood by the lake, as if waiting for something.

Hesitantly, Niebel came closer. "Um...miss?"

"Hm?" Glacia turned around. "Niebel, you should be asleep."

"But...why aren't you sleeping?"

"I guess you could say...I can't sleep too."

They stood like that, awkwardly, as the winter wind blew past. "Um..miss?"

"Yes, Niebel?"

"Th-thank you for saving me, miss."

"No problem." Glacia seemed to realize something. "Niebel, you don't have to call me miss."

"Huh?"

"It feels weird being called miss by someone younger than me," Glacia admitted sheepishly, rubbing her head. "Especially when you look a lot like me. I mean, you could be my little brother!"

Taken by surprise, Niebel smiled slowly. "Ha..."

"Look! It's the sunrise!" Glacia pointed at the horizon. A warm golden radiance climbed slowly into the winter sky, bringing light to the cold darkness.

Tears began to stream down young Niebel's cheeks, and he hurriedly wiped them away.

"Niebel? What's wrong?"

"N-nothing..." Niebel managed to smile through his tears. "I-it's beautiful...Sissy."

~Present~

"Shattering Light: Sky Drill!"

"Ice Dragon's Mirror!"

It's no use, Wendy thought as the ice mirror appeared before Niebel. Your mirror will shatter.

But when Sky Drill made contact with the mirror, it didn't shatter.

The mirror absorbed it.

"What?" Wendy cried. "But how?"

"He absorbed the attack?" Lyon exclaimed. "How strong is he?"

It took a while to realize that he had directed that question to someone in particular. "You're asking me?"

"Well, who else knows about Imperial Snow than you?"

"Sissy saved my life when I was little! As long as I live, I can never repay her enough for what she's done!" Niebel shouted. "That's strength! That's love!"

"What do I think?" Dobengal said. "I think Niebel—"

The ice mirror began to glow as he finished, "That's what makes me stronger than you!" A stream of blue flames were released from his mouth at the same time Wendy's own spell—Sky Drill—burst out of the mirror.

The two attacks collided, and a large blue flame stream struck Wendy head on.

"—has already surpassed his older sister."

All around herself, Wendy could only feel a burning cold sensation. Yet her insides were burning up. Suddenly, the flames heated up. It felt like her skin was melting, but now she was freezing inside.

The blue flames dissipated, and Wendy fell to earth, writhing and shivering. Parts of her clothes were charred, but her skin was tinted blue.

"Wendy!" Fairy Tail cried out in shock at the state of their comrade.

"Wendy, hang in there!" Charle screamed.

"...urm...ugh..." To everyone's surprise, Wendy pulled herself to her knees. Weak and shaking, the Sky Dragon Slayer managed to return to her feet.

"Wendy..." Charle breathed.

"You're still standing," Niebel said in shock. "Why?"

"...it's simple. We're...both fighting for our family. Me and Fairy Tail...you and Glacia...we're...the same."

Niebel narrowed his eyes. "You and I are nothing alike."

Those eyes, Wendy thought as she took a step closer to Niebel. They're just like Glacia's. So sad...and lonely.

"The world can't be sacrificed for a girl," Niebel recalled. "That's what this country chose in exchange for peace. All because you were too scared to die."

"Then what would you have done?" Wendy asked, taking yet another step.

A gentle breeze blew between the two. The wind also played with Niebel's bangs, arranging them so that they covered parts of his forehead and just a side of it. It looked as though he had been forced to arrange his hair to match Glacia's earlier.

"Gladly, I would've let this pathetic world burn to the ground," Niebel declared, "than let Sissy die for this country."

Eyes widening in horror at Niebel's words, Wendy tried to step closer. But her legs gave out, bringing her to her knees. Wendy's eyes began to close as she fell facefirst in the sand.

"WENDY!"