Chapter Forty-Nine
"Achoo." Lucy sneezed and shook her head.
"Someone is talking about you Lucy." Lisanna teased and the blonde looked over at her.
"Then they need to stop. That was like the forth one in half an hour." She lamented and Mirajean giggled softly. It was the second day after the conflict with Mard Geer and everyone was still together. General Makarov had wanted a large meeting; so it made sense that they all stayed together to speak at one time. The meeting had been long and drawn out. They'd explained what had happened; but kept the original hybrids a secret. Something that still surprised Natsu. But Laxus had shrugged and said that he wasn't in the mindset of turning on allies just because they weren't their normal ones.
During the meeting Elfman had admitted to being able to use Takeoverian magic; which was something they had talked about keeping quiet but he would't let anyone lie about that too. General Makarov had been horrified for a moment before covering his initial reaction. He asked if Elfman could show him so he did; turning into the hulking beast from before. Makarov had choked on his drink; while Cana — who had snuck into the meeting cheered.
Now there was another human using magic; and one who hadn't had much time with Lucy. So her Zodicarian heritage wasn't the cause of it. They talked about what to share and what not to. Lucy had convinced him to only share Elfman's abilities with Fairy Tail and to hide the battle as much as possible. State that Mard Geer had somehow tampered with their recording abilities.
They'd all shared a meal and gone to bed; rotating through the night who was on security. In the morning they had decided to stay around and plan. Now it was nearing nighttime and they were all gathering for another meal.
"Why would people talking about you make you sneeze?" Freed asked and Mira tried to explain the superstition. Lucy turned and smiled. Natsu, Gray, and Laxus were training with Elfman in his Beast Mode as they had dubbed it. It was like watching kids try to mess with a large uncle; getting picked up and thrown just to pop back up to their feet and running back for more.
"They're like little kids aren't they?" Evergreen asked as she walked over. Lucy looked up and nodded slowly. "Don't look at me like that."
"Sorry but you have't been the most approachable."
"Fairiests are used to being revered. It takes time to warm up to those who don't immediately adore us."
"Must be exhausting." Lucy shook her head and she looked back to the guys. "And yeah, they are like kids. I like hearing their laughter."
"It's nice to hear anyones laughter anymore." Evergreen agreed and sighed heavily. "I'm worried though. Takeoverians have been known to get trapped in the Takeover forms. Elfman could lose who he is and hurt someone he cares about. That would kill him if he ever reverted back to his human self."
"Big brother would never lose himself." Lisanna said as she joined the other two watching the training. She crossed her arms over her chest and took a deep breath. "I believe that even if the Beast tried to take over; he would remember us. Family doesn't forget family."
"Let's hope that is true." Evergreen said and shifted from one foot to the other. "For his sake if not our own."
"I think she likes the big lug." Lisanna giggled as Evergreen fluttered away. Lucy watched as Evergreen missed a beat and nearly tumbled out of the air but caught herself. She looked at the youngest Strauss.
"You know she has better hearing than humans right?" Lisanna's face pinked before she burst out laughing and ran over to the food area. Her laughter had distracted Elfman and Natsu swiped his legs out from under him. Gray used his ice make powers to form chains to keep him down and Laxus jumped up high and came down with his fist surrounded by lightening.
Lucy heard Mirajean and Lisana gasp but right as Laxus would have made contact he froze. The lightening immediately frizzled out and he flicked Elfman's nose. There was a blink from the beast's large eyes before Elfman appeared within a breath and started to laugh. Laxus joined him and Gray melted the ice to help him up. Natsu used his fire to dry him off and they all started talking about combos and moves.
"Come on guys. Let's eat!" Happy cheered and everyone headed for the tables. As everyone sat down, Lucy smiled and looked at her plate.
"Ember for your thoughts." Natsu whispered and she lifted her gaze and met his concerned one.
"Missing Erza and Cana and the others. We used to have dinner nights all the time before the invasion. The laughter was real and good."
"There will be a time in the future where you all will have those times again. I promise." He swore and cupped her hand in his and she smiled and leaned over and put her forehead against his.
"I know, and thank you." She said and she nuzzled closer to him. "And it'll be better with you there."
"I'm invited? I feel honored." He joked and she shook her head.
"You know you're invited, dork."
"Hey, a Dragis can't assume anything."
"You assume everything." She countered and he laughed. Everyone looked over and saw them head to head. They all softened a little at the sight.
"Get a room." Lisanna called out after a moment and Lucy flipped her off while Natsu grinned and pulled back.
"What does that mean exactly?" Evergreen asked and started to put food on her plate.
"It means to go to a room and get it on." Lisanna said and ducked as Mirajean swiped at her head.
"Get it on? Clothing?" Laxus asked and looked at Freed who shrugged. Lucy, Mirajean and Lisanna started to giggle and Elfman blushed as he cleared his throat.
"Sex. Mating." He said when the first word didn't compute. At mating everyone gawked…then Bixlow started to chortle and everyone lost it.
"Lushee…I'm not…tired." Happy yawned multiple time during his denial. She was carrying him to the Magi-Hover and had promised to come back out and discuss things with Laxus and the others for the next day's plan. She cradled him close and stepped into the Magi-Hover.
"Well I need you to get plenty of rest. We may or may not run into the hybrids again and if we do; you need to be ready to translate for us."
"But I want…to help…plan." He snuggled close and she stepped into his room. She knelt down and gently placed him on his sleeping mat. She stretched out beside him and stroked his fur as he fought sleep.
"But you are a very important part of the plan. You are our ability to speak to the hybrids. So you need to be fully charged to do that important job."
"You…promise…I'm…" He snored then forced himself awake. "Important?"
"Oh so very very important Happy. I promise." She watched him give in to sleep and she waited a few minutes before standing up and walking out. In the main part of the Magi-Hover she took a deep breath.
"Alfie, please keep an eye on him and notify me or Natsu if he has a nightmare or anything troubling."
"Will do." Alfie hummed and Lucy started out the door when the AI chirped. She stopped and looked around. "There is an incoming transmission. From the convoy ship to Solarium."
"Patch it through please." Lucy said and sat down in Natsu's seat and watched as a screen brightened and she saw Erza. She was surrounded by purple trees and what looked like a stone mountain.
"Erza? Is everything okay?"
"Lucy, yeah and no." Erza sighed and spun the comm around and Lucy's mouth fell open. Chunks of stone and ice were everywhere.
"What happened?"
"Looks like the inhabitants of this particular village were somehow frozen, and then something like a bomb went off. We're trying to find survivors but so far haven't. Some of the crew are looking for clues. One of General Jellal's crew is using her powers to try and get a reading of some sort."
"Be careful. The last thing we need is all of you getting turned to ice or bombed." Lucy said and her friend nodded.
"We will. And if you see Levy tell her while we landed we're still trying to find someone to translate the text."
"I will. Do you need anything else?" Lucy asked and saw her friend's expression soften for a second before she reigned it in. She shook her head.
"Just needed to touch base with a friend."
"I'll always be a comm away." Lucy promised and Erza smiled before the message ended. Lucy shook her head. She stood up and punched her thigh before storming out of the Magi-Hover.
* "What's wrong Blondie? Laxus asked as Lucy stalked over her expression grim.
"Erza just messaged me. The first village they found on Solarium was ruined. Looked like the inhabitants had been frozen and a bomb gone off…shattering the people."
"Oh no!" Mirajean covered her mouth with her hands and Laxus snarled.
"Nothing is ever easy. Damn it!" He swore and Mirajean laid a hand on his forearm and he stood there shaking with anger.
"They're looking for anything useful and survivors before they move onto the next settlement—if there is another one." Lucy said and shook her head. "I don't know why but I got a bad feeling in my gut when I saw that ice. There was something about it that wasn't right."
"What wrong ice are you talking about?" Gray asked and appeared beside her. He'd just come from his Magi-Hover and had missed the conversation.
"There was some pinkish ice that had frozen the inhabitants of the first village on Solarium that Erza and her group found." She said and he froze.
"Did you say…pinkish ice?"
"Yeah…maybe pink-purple." Lucy said and watched as his tanned complexion paled a bit. He pulled out his comms and waited.
"What's up Gray?" Rouge's voice came over the device.
"I need you to run a scan of the ice shards if you are still near the destroyed village." He said and there was silence for a minute before they heard a swoosh sound and then more voices. There was some clicking.
"The reading says the ice has high levels of something called Dela…"
"Delioraperan." Gray corrected and Rouge cleared his throat.
"How did you know that? I can barely make out the name on this readout."
"Because it's not a natural compound. It's the residue left after a demonic attack."
"I'm sorry…did you say DEMON?" Sting screeched on the other end and Gray sighed heavily.
"The ice demon Deliora. He's a myth of Ice Dragis lore. Said to be a destructive monster with no conscience or conceivable way of stopping him. The lore states that there is a forbidden spell to lock him in ice; but that ice is made of the caster's own flesh…but there is a way to unfreeze that spell."
"How?"
"Using Moondrip to melt it. It takes an increased amount because its such a hard to gather material. The Moondrip gives ice a pinkish color while the purple is the residue of the Delioraperan."
"So…we may run into an ancient ice demon as well as space giants." Erza sighed and they heard something crack. "It's gonna be interesting."
"No,..not interesting. You are going to leave the planet. If Deloira is really there you can't stop it. You have to leave."
"Gray?" Lucy whispered seeing the Ice Dragis getting worked up. Natsu wrapped an arm around her waist and watched his best friend breath heavily.
"We can't leave until we find out if there are survivors or not. If there are, we can't leave them to face this thing alone."
"You don't get it Erza. Deloria is a planet slayer." Grays words were heavy.
"So is Mard Geer, and Earth is still standing. So I'm not giving up on Solarium." Erza's voice was firm and Gray shook his head.
"I get you think…"
"No Gray." Erza's voice softened as she cut him off. "I get it. This demon is something that you know a lot about. Given the way you are speaking, probably more than you are letting on. But I'm not going to turn my back on any survivors who need help. We were not turned away, and I will not turn away anyone who needs my help. If I have to fight this demon to save them…I promise to slay it, and end his legacy."
"Erza…" Gray tried to object but the line beeped, signaling she had ended the comm. He swore and spun around and glared at Lucy. "Why are you females so damn stubborn?"
Lucy shrugged as he stalked off and Laxus rubbed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. Mirajean walked over to Lisanna and Elfman and wrapped an arm around each of them.
"Can we send Gray there?" Lucy asked and everyone looked over at her.
"You want to send one of our stronger warriors to another planet?" Evergreen asked and Lucy looked at her.
"He isn't going to focus on the Draconics here. His mind is going to be on Deloria and the convoy at Solarium."
"Even if we wanted to send him there; it would take too long to get him there. It took days for them to reach it from the Guild Station. Starting from this planet would add time." Freed said and Lucy bit her lip.
"Capricorn?" She held her hand out and suddenly he appeared.
"What can I assist you with?" He asked and looked around. The grim expression made him tense as he looked at the young woman in front of her.
"Is there anyway that you or one of the other guards could help get Gray from here to the planet Solarium quickly?"
"Zodiac Guards move in ways that others cannot." He shook his head and then there was a popping sound and everyone jerked.
"Is that…a grandfather clock?" Lucy asked and reached out her hand to touch the piece of furniture that appeared off to the side of Capricorn. Suddenly it moved; the wood and glass moving inward as if the clock was inhaling.
"I might be able to assist." A voice said and Lucy jerked back when she saw eyes open on the clock face at the top of the piece; and she realized that there was the smaller one and then a larger on next to what look like black arms.
"Not a clock. Not a clock." She murmured and stepped back into Natsu whose mouth was open in shock.
"Does celestial furniture live?" He asked and Capricorn shook his head.
"This isn't furniture. This is Horologium, he is a minor Celestial Spirit."
"Yes. Pleasure to meet you." He said and bent forward and everyone stared unsure of what to make of him.
"How could you help?" Lucy forced herself to step forward, even if she thought talking furniture was a bit much.
"I cannot guarantee it would work. But there is a chance." Horologium rubbed his hands together and Lucy realized they were the hands of a clock face. She felt like Alice after falling down the rabbit hole…and that was saying something given the past two years.
"Get to the point." Capricorn nagged and the minor spirit nodded. He opened the glass door along his body.
"If this Gray enters into my body; he might safely move through space at the speed of our kind." He looked at Capricorn. "I've never traveled with a living being inside of me…but I have moved plants before."
"I don't know if Gray would risk it." Natsu shook his head. Laxus looked over at him. "What?"
"You are considering stuffing Gray into some talking wooden box?"
"I mean…It's someone from Lucy's background. I trust them." Natsu said with a blank look and Lucy felt herself smile. She looked at the almost hopeful expression on Horologium's face and turned.
"Gray" He appeared and stared at the newcomer with apprehension.
"What?" He snapped bitterly.
"This is Horologium. He thinks he can get you to Solarium."
"Get me…" He looked at her. "But I'm needed here."
"But you won't stop worrying." She said and reached out and put her hand on his chest. "If you need to go, there is a possible way to get you there quickly. Perhaps in time to prevent anything from happening to our friends."
"What would I have to do with this Horror…"
"Horologium is the name. Pleasure to meet you." The clock figure bowed again and waved its hand at its hollowed core. "If you will step in here; I will gladly head to Solarium with you."
"Get…inside…you?" Gray looked confused and tilted his head. "Is that…sanitary?"
"I do believe I've dusted out the cobwebs." Horologium said and shimmied a little and looked down. Gray looked over and saw Laxus shaking his head but he looked at Lucy and saw the look on her face.
"Ok. Let's do this."
"Gray, I will not let you." Laxus snarled and stepped forward but Capricorn stepped in front of him and glared. Laxus reared back and snarled.
"I understand it's undesirable. But my Celestial Mage is right. Gray's mind will be distracted if he stays here. And as warriors we know that we cannot allow distractions." He tilted his head. "This is the best course of action."
"Fuck." Laxus muttered and shook his head. "Gramps isn't going to like this."
"Then report it later." Natsu said and held his arm out to Gray who clasped it. "Don't die out there."
"Don't die here punk." Gray said and he looked at Lucy again. "Thank you Lucy."
"Don't thank me yet. You are going off to potentially fight a demon of legend." She shook her head. "Just try not to die."
"I'll do my best." He said and turned and Wendy flew into him, knocking the air out of his chest in the process.
"Wendy…"
"I don't want you to go but I know you have to." She whispered, her voice cracking. "Just please be careful Gray."
"I will." He promised and wrapped his arms around her briefly before pulling away. "Take care of Natsu…Lucy has enough on her plate without worrying about him too."
"Hey…I'm right here." Natsu lit up in flames and Gray smiled, a real, unstrained one. He looked at Horologium and stepped forward. The clock bent down a little and Gray stepped inside and turned around.
"You're surprisingly spacious."
"Just try not to bounce around too much during travel." Gray's face pinched as Horologium closed the glass down. Gray touched the glass and his mouth moved.
"He says, I think I'm starting to regret this already." Horologium stated and put his hands flat against his sides. "He asks, "Is it too late to back out?"
"Take care of him. And thank you." Lucy whispered as Horologium nodded and then flashed out of sight with another pop.
"Gramps is definitely not going to like this." Laxus shook his head and headed to his Magi-Hover.
"Where are you going?" Natsu asked and Laxus waved his hand over his head.
"To go call Gramps and tell him we might have just killed Gray by sending him through space in the stomach of something called a minor Celestial Spirit just because Lucy thinks he'd be too distracted to fight on this planet." He said and Lucy dropped her head.
"I hope that was the right choice." She whispered and Bixlow put a hand on her head and she looked up at him through her bangs.
"Have faith Lucy. Fairy Tail is known for doing unusual things with better than anticipated results." He ruffled her hair. "Let's start planning while bossman talks with his grandfather."
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Sting swore as he was being chased around the clearing by something looking like long red thread. Erza, Rouge, and the rest of the group had been caught by the red thread. General Jellal and his group had splintered off some time ago and he had no idea where they were. He threw a light ball over his shoulder. As it hit the thread the thread reared back like a serpent.
"Get out of here!" Erza shouted before the red thread wrapped around her mouth. Her brows drew together as she squirmed against the hold it had on her.
"I can't leave you all!" Sting shouted and spun on his heel; confusing the thread that had been chasing him and he leapt into the air and crossed his arms. "Light Dragon Claws!"
The thread exploded and there was a high pitched scream from the surrounding forrest. The thread lifted up where it had landed on the ground and started after him again. He was about to leap up for another attack when there was a pop and a large wooden object landed in front of him. He looked around it and saw Rouge and Erza stop struggling and stare with wide eyes.
"What the hell…" He started to question when ice shot out of the wooden thing and froze the thread that had reared back and was about to attack the object in front of him.
"Ice Make sword!" He heard Gray's voice and watched as he leapt out of the wooden object and hacked at the red thread that was holding Erza. Once she slipped free she spun, armor appearing on her and she also had a sword in her hand as she wore red and yellow pants and a white wrapped top. She started cutting with the sword as the screams in the forrest got louder. There was some rustling and from the foliage burst out a figure.
"Stop cutting my beautiful hair you vile creatures!" The voice screamed and they froze. A pale face stared at them from under the red hair that they had mistaken for thread. The hair whipped away from everyone and settled around her in two braids. She straightened and pointed a finger at them. "Get off of Solarium. You are not welcome here!"
"She's the smallest giant I've ever seen." Sting whispered and the female spun to face him and he jerked behind the wooden object.
"She is not a Giantix." A voice stated and he walked around and looked up and saw a face on the wooden object.
"You spoke." Sting stared in confusion.
"His name is Horologium." Gray said and his ice sword disappeared. He looked at the female. She was covered in scrapes and bruises and looked gaunt. "And we are here to get rid of the demon that froze the village."
"You…you saw the village?" She whispered and they nodded and they saw tears running down her face. "I couldn't save them. I tried…but I couldn't stop it."
"Deloria is nearly unstoppable." Gray stated and stepped towards her. "But we will do everything we can to help you and anyone still alive on this planet. But we need to work together."
"I'm Flare." The female said and looked around. "I'm sorry for attacking you all."
"Flare, are there other survivors?"
"No." She cried, tears running down her face. "Every last one has been frozen. I couldn't…"
"They aren't dead." Gray said and she stared at him, her mouth falling open. "The ice of the demon freezes them, but unless they are shattered they're still alive. Just frozen and unable to move."
"They're….Oh." She sank to her knees and started to cry.
"Gray why are you here? How are you here?" Erza asked as a few of the females from the crew walked over to Flare and started to console her.
"Horologium is from the Zodicarian planet. He helped me get here. And it was a rough and wild ride." Gray shook his head and he turned and looked at Horologium who was standing tall. "Thank you."
"Of course. When you are done here and wish to return to the Celestial Mage, call my name. I will grant you this ability just this once." He said and popped out of sight.
"You traveled with him?"
"In…In him." Gray said and looked back at Erza whose expression looked like she might get sick. "He's hollow. It was weird. So very very weird."
"Well I'm glad you showed up when you did." Sting said and wrapped an arm around Gray's shoulder.
"I'm here to make sure that we can unfreeze everyone and end the threat of Deliora." Gray said and looked around. "This place is too quiet. He isn't close."
"How can you be sure?" Sting asked as he pulled off his vest and wrapped it around Flare's shoulders.
"He isn't quiet. And the reason I know this is..." Gray said and started to walk away from everyone.
"Because…he killed my family." Gray's voice was dark as he walked with his head held high.
"I remember now, that Gray was brought to the large village on Edolas by a traveling Ice Mage….I can't remember her name but she had him and another Ice magic - not Dragis; youngling with her. The Dragis all promised her to protect them and raise them."
"But I never heard more after she left." Rouge punched Sting in the shoulder and nodded at Gray who had tensed as he had started to speak. They had followed; the two of them and Erza. The rest were going to head back to the shuttle with Flare. She needed food and medical care.
"So this is personal." Erza murmured and watched as Gray created a blade out of ice and started to hack at foliage to get through.
"Extremely." Sting said rubbing his shoulder.
"Should I try and speak to him?" She asked and they both shook their heads. Erza bit her lip and sped up. The two Dragis she had been walking with watched and shared a look and fell back a bit.
"I don't need to be spoken to." Gray muttered before Erza could speak to him.
"Yes you do." She objected and took a deep breath. "It's hard to lose people you care about. But you can't let it blind you to what's the most important thing."
"Defeating Mard…"
"Staying alive." Erza corrected him before he could finish his thought. "There is a lot that you may think I don't understand. But I do. And I feel extreme empathy that you are facing this. But I want you to know you aren't alone. We are here to help."
"The best help would be if you all had gone back to the shuttle."
"Gray…" Erza watched as he stopped and slowly looked over at her. She swallowed her words and stared into his dark eyes. They were filled with so much emotion she was worried that she was going to watch him drown in the pent up emotions.
"I know you mean well but this is not what you need to worry about. I know what to do. I just need to know you and the others are safe."
"Well you better not be thinking of using that self sacrificing spell, because if that's your plan, I'll call on that Celestial clock myself to send you back kicking and screaming." She warned and he stopped and turned and looked at her.
"You don't get to threaten me like that." He said and got up in her face. She swallowed and met his gaze. The coolness that usually radiated off of him was gone, not he was giving off heat. His anger was expected but the way his expression darkened wasn't.
"And you don't get to kill yourself to try and protect people." She said and held her arms out to her sides. "We need to find a way to save people while staying alive ourselves. We need everyone we have and more to win against Mard Geer."
"Well if then we're going to need a miracle because I can promise you. If this is truly Deliora; then the only way to contain him is to use that spell and I will. And if you try to stop me…I'll freeze you and anyone else."
He turned on his heel and stalked off. Sting and Rouge walked forward and stopped beside her.
"That went well." Sting said tongue in check and she turned to look at him. "What? We tried to warn you."
"Shut up." She grounded out and started after him again.
"Gray isn't going to do something stupid, is he?" Lucy asked Natsu as they sat under the open sky. They were on the roof, taking to the high ground to watch for any threats while Freed and Bixlow were scouting the ground. Eve, Habiki and Ren were sleeping while Laxus was still on a call with his grandfather. The Strauss siblings were talking with Wendy and Evergreen about the plan, to fine hone details. Happy was still in the Magi-Hover sleeping. Loke had disappeared shortly after Gray and Horologium had left.
"Probably." Natsu sighed and shrugged. He looked at her and she saw the worry etched on his face. "But it's his life, and he's there now. Nothing we can do."
"Hopefully Erza can keep him safe."
"Whose gonna protect him from her?" He asked and Lucy giggled softly and shook her head. He put an arm around her and pulled her close to his side. They surveyed the lines of the buildings and the sky. Nothing. Everything was quiet. Almost too quiet.
"Do you think Mard Geer is recouping?"
"Definitely. And planning." Natsu said and looked down at her. She sighed and twisted the fabric of the vest he was wearing in her hand. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
"I'm worried we gave away too much of our tactics and power." She whispered and he felt a tear hit his chest. He closed his eyes and turned, pulling her into the circle of his arms completely.
"It's okay. Even though he saw a lot, there is so much more that we have that he hasn't seen. That we haven't seen ourselves. I know that when it comes down the fights; we'll always find a way to win. We have too much to lose for any other option."
"But Natsu…"
"No buts Lucy." He whispered into her hair. "I believe in us. There is something about all of us fighting together that makes me even more confident than I have ever been before."
"I wish I had your faith."
"I'll have enough for both of us." He promised and she nodded against him, He looked around and nuzzled the side of her head.
"Come on. There is nothing here to see." He led her to the edge and she wrapped her legs around his waist and clenched her eyes shut as he leapt down. As they fell, she forced herself to keep her breathing even, trying hard to match his. But the falling sensation made her a little uneasy. But, she also knew that as long as she was in his arms; she'd be safe.
"Uh…whose this?" Jellal asked as he came face to face with an unknown male. Erza was behind him and Meredy and Ultear stared at him. His eyes were on Ultear and she started to bristle at the look.
"This is Gray. He's an Ice Dragis from Fairy Tail Guild…he came here when he learned about the properties of the ice we found." Rouge stated and Jellal looked Gray up and down.
"And how did an Ice Dragis get here that fast?" Ultear asked and Erza cleared her throat before she spoke up.
"Horologium, a Celestial spirit brought him…we're still not sure how it worked but it did."
"Traveling through Zodicarian means is nearly always fatal to those who don't share their blood ties."
"It doesn't matter." Gray finally spoke, shaking his head and looking away from Ultear. "Now that you all are here; you can take these three back to the ships and get off world while I handle Deliora."
"What?" Ultear asked and grabbed Meredy's shoulder. Gray looked at her but it was Jellal who spoke.
"What's with that reaction?"
"Deliora…he's imprisoned back on Edolas in the mountains. He was trapped by…by the Iced Shell spell."
"Thats what I thought too…but the ice that was found on the village and the remains of the giants had his signature." Sting said softly and Ultear shook her head.
"Impossible…Ice Shell can't be broken…the power to cast it…"
"Moondrip was also found in the makeup of the ice." Gray whispered while staring at her and she looked at him.
"You intend to use Ice Shell on him, don't you?" She asked and he didn't speak. "You'll die doing that."
"Its the only way." He said and clenched his fist. "But to ensure he can never be freed again; I'll need someone to destroy his body after he's frozen solid."
"No way… That would be overkill."
"No!" Gray shouted and turned on Erza and stared at her. "It's the only way! Don't you get it?"
"There has to be another way. Maybe we could get Natsu here. Make him melt Deliora with his flame powers. Or Laxus with his lightening."
"Fire and lightening? You think either of those haven't been tried before?" Gray shook his head. "Deliora has been around for longer than your planet. Ice Shell was created specifically to trap him. Ur… She was the strongest Ice Magic welder I had ever seen. If her Ice Shell couldn't hold him for eternity; then this is the only way. Otherwise her sacrifice was meaningless. And if Mard Geer ever got Deliora on his side…it would be the end of everything."
"I don't…"
"He's right." Ultear cut off Erza and the redhead rounded on her. "If Deliora is free, then Ur's magic wasn't enough. And we have to end him before he gets off of this world."
"But we can't let Gray just die to…"
"Its not your decision to make." Gray cut her off and she growled. Jellal shook his head and he looked back at Ultear who looked paler than usual. He looked over at Gray and saw that he was still staring at Ultear from the corner of his eye.
"Well for now it isn't an issue. We have scoured the rest of the area as far as we could go. The ice has created large mountain ranges and we can't get over it. There is another village close to here that we wanted to look into."
"I have an incoming message." Rouge said and flipped open his comm and they watched as a familiar face popped up.
"What's going on?" Erza asked and the female looked at her.
"Flare is currently in a medicated sleep. She is severely malnourished but Alfie believes she should recover soon without issues."
"That's good to know." Erza murmured and Meredy tilted her head.
"Who is Flare?"
"She is someone not of this planet who apparently has been living with the Giants. She said she tried to protect them but couldn't. She thought we were the enemy but Gray convinced her we weren't." Sting said and all eyes turned back to the message.
"She has been whispering in her sleep, something about the Flame God… We aren't sure what that means."
"It means we should have had Horologium bring Natsu too." Sting muttered and Gray punched him in the back of the head.
"We'll keep an eye out." Jellal said and the female nodded before ending the message.
"Come on. We're losing light." Gray said and started to stomp through the foliage in the direction he had been leading them before they'd ran into the others. They followed, none bothering to ask how he knew where he was going. He stopped and they watched as he tilted his head left and right. Erza watched and realized that he was sniffing the air. She waited and he turned and looked at them.
"The scent…what's wrong with it?" She asked.
"It stops here. Which makes no sense. It shouldn't have just disappeared."
"How does Deliora move between planets?" Meredy asked and Gray took a deep breath.
"He sucks the souls out of his victims and uses them as fuel to move through the darkness of space."
"There is no way he consumed enough souls to get off this planet. I mean, from what I could tell; the planet wasn't heavily populated.
"What if someone was helping him get here and get off?" Sting asked and they all shivered at the implications of his question.
"I don't think that's it." Erza shook her head and stepped up towards Gray and she looked around. She pointed at him bent vegetation on the ground. "Something moved away from here in this direction. I think whatever was here, cloaked their scent somehow."
"These plants could help do that I guess." Gray said and looked around. "I'm not familiar with them so there is no telling what properties they have."
"But Deliora wouldn't bother with masking his scent." Ultear whispered and looked around. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were hazy and they waited. After some time she opened her eyes and swayed. Gray caught her and she sighed.
"What did you just do?" He asked and she inhaled deeply.
"An ancient spell, to try and hear the voices of the plants. They said something large moved through here, ripped some of their friends off of their roots and rubbed them over its body. Then continued on foot in that direction."
"Then this isn't Deliora. Maybe it's something trying to make us think it's him?"
"That is insane." He whispered and Ultear looked up at him. They shared a look and Meredy cleared her throat and Ultear pulled free of Gray.
"Let's keep tracking this thing." Jellal said and started forward into the wilds around them.
"Whats with you and the Ice Dragis?" Meredy whispered as she and Ultear brought up the end of the group. Her friend shook her head and Meredy pointed a finger at her. "I know you too well. Try again."
"Ice Shell is only taught to Sorcierians."
"Ultear…You are Sorcierian." Meredy said and she nodded and looked at her friend and pushed the pink hair out of her friend's face.
"How does an Ice Dragis now this power then?"
"It can be taught to anyone whose magical entity is tied to ice, but it's not something that is typically handed out. Sorcierians believe it should be the ultimate last resort. And they worry others would use it without finding another means to the same end."
"Do you think Gray would listen to there being another end?"
"I'm not sure." She whispered and stared at the back of his head. They had stopped to relieve themselves and eat something but had been tracking for some times since then. Erza and Gray were the two furthest ahead; their stamina unmatched. Jellal was between them and Rouge, with Sting between his friend and her and Meredy. The path skirted around the ice mountain that they had found. They followed in silence for the most part.
"Do you find him attractive? Is that why you keep looking at him?" Meredy asked and Ultear rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"No you little fool. He just… Reminds me of someone."
"Who?"
"Someone it hurts to remember." Ultear said and sped up, leaving her friend to watch her back with annoyance and confusion.
"Gray, you need to slow down. You are going to wear yourself out before you get to the enemy."
"I'm fine." He said and leapt up on top of a fallen tree and turned to hold his hand out, but Erza had already leapt up and was beside him. He shook his head and leapt down to the other side. She followed suit and he grinned when he heard Jellal mutter that they were showing off. He also heard him and Rouge discussing how to get Ultear and Meredy over the fallen tree safely.
"No you aren't. In more ways than just stamina." Erza muttered. "Why have you been staring at Ultear like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you know her."
"I don't." He shook his head and stopped. The tracks had stopped in a clearing and he sniffed. He walked around while Erza went the other way. When they came fact to face on the other side of the clearing he looked over the way they came and then back to her.
"What do you want to say?" She asked and he ran his hands through his hair.
"I don't know her. But she looks like someone I knew. A long time ago."
"Who?"
"Ur." Erza's brows drew together.
"The Ice Dragis who used that forbidden spell to trap Deliora?"
"She wasn't an Ice Dragis." Gray shook his head. "I don't know what she was. But she wasn't a Dragis of any kind. She found me in the mountains of Edolas after Deliora had ransacked our village. I was the only survivor. She took care of me, healed me and let me travel with her and another kid she'd found on another planet that Deliora had ruined. Lyon was his name. He also came from an Ice planet and learned ice spells from her."
"What happened Gray?"
"I learned Ice Shell against her wishes and knew where Deliora was likely headed and went to try and use it against him. She followed me and protected me. But ended up using the spell. Lyon and I were injured and knocked unconscious by the battle between the two; before she used the spell. When we came to we saw Deliora encased in ice and knew what she'd done. He blamed me, and I accepted the blame. We were found by a traveling Air Dragis and taken to the capital of Edolas and I was given to a shelter for care. Lyon was sent off world."
"I'm sorry." Erza murmured and put her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged and then pulled away and looked around.
"Where did this thing go?"
"I'm not sure."
"I don't like not knowing what we're tracking." He murmured and she nodded. She didn't like it either.
"How does Ultear remind you of Ur?"
"She looks like her, only younger and softer. Ur was lean, honed for battle." He squatted down low and inhaled deeply. She watched as he reached out to touch a small flower that was struggling to stand up after it had been bent by whatever had made the clearing.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No." He stood up and looked her in the eye. "I want to find Deliora and end this."
"I don't think it's Deliora." Erza shook her head. "I know what the ice is saying. But nothing else makes sense of it being him. Especially since you and Ultear mentioned that this Ur was powerful and used that spell."
"Moon…"
"Moondrip yeah yeah." Erza waved off the word. "I don't think it's him. We need to consider its just someone trying to make it look that way."
"Why? What could anyone gain by attacking this planet and trying to frame Deliora for it?" He asked and put his hands on his hips.
"The Flame God." Jellal's voice made the two jerk apart and they looked over. He waved and lifted a brow.
"The Flame God?" Gray asked and Jellal nodded.
"I had one of the crew do research on it. Supposedly it's a powerful flame that survived for eons, forever burning, and none know the god itself. But it's said the flame can grant powers to people who were born without any."
"Try and grab the Flame God and use it to add powers to…who?" Sting asked and Erza straightened and everyone looked at her.
"To the militants and raiders on Earth!" She said and looked at Jellal. "Mard Geer somehow knows that I have powers and possibly Levy. Which means he knows humans have an ability to gain and use magic and powers. If he can empower his troops…"
"We'd be in for an even more disastrous battle." Rouge finished for her and looked around.
"But Deli…"
"Deliora's signature in the ice?" A new voice asked and everyone spun and looked as a male strolled out of the forest. Gray stiffened. "So you recongize me huh?"
"Lyon." He bit out and the male nodded.
"Ur's other survivor?" Erza asked and Ultear looked over at the redhead and then to the male who was still strolling toward him. He had white hair and was pale; his skin reflecting brightly and she inhaled sharply.
"Frostonian." She spat and he nodded as he stopped a few yards from them.
"Most people can't identify me, you are very impressive. Granted all of you have managed to track me all over this part of the planet; which I find very annoying even if it is impressive."
"What are you doing here Lyon?" Gray asked as he took a few steps forward.
"I'm here to get the gift granting power of the Flame God and take it to my leader."
"Mard Geer?" Erza asked and the male before her sneered at her even as he nodded. "Don't you realize he's a power-hungry monster?"
"Maybe. But he's promised me that which I truly want. So I'll gladly work with a monster to get my desires met."
"What desires do you have that are so important you'd side with that tyrant?" Ultear asked and pushed past Sting and Rouge and threw her hand out. "He has been destroying solar system and trying to…"
"I know all he's done." Lyon snarled and turned to face her and froze. A look crossed his face. "Ur?"
"Her name is Ultear." Meredy shifted to get in front of her friend.
"No…she is exactly like Ur." Lyon said and took a step forward but stopped when a series of arrows made of ice land in front of him. He watched as Gray dropped his hands and he held a bow made out of ice.
"She's her own person. No matter how much she may look like Ur, she isn't her. So don't try and push anything on her that isn't hers to bare."
"You always tried to pretend like you are something special. When all you are is the person who killed Ur."
"I didn't kill her." Gray bit out and Ultear looked between him and Lyon. Meredy wrapped her arm behind herself and set her hand on Ultear's waist. Guiding her back towards Rouge.
"You went off on your own to take down Deliora and Ur went after you and used the spell to save you!"
"She used it to save you, you idiot!" Gray shouted and Lyon jerked back from the venom that was in his words.
"I don't…"
"You don't remember but it's true. When you realized that I was listening to her; and was going to let her take me to the capital of Edolas; you got angry. You said that it wasn't fair that she would risk everything, get so close to Deliora but not finish him off. That you had stuck by her side to learn the Ice Shell spell and that if she wouldn't take down the demon you would."
"That's right." He shook his head and laughed, it was cold and dark. "I remember now. I started to use the spell but Deliora turned his attention on me. You tackled me while I was distracted."
"We fought; and when Deliora roared; it crushed rubble from the ruins of my village to fall on you."
"Yes…I remember that." Lyon nodded and shrugged. "But you still let Ur…"
"I tried to use Ice Spell. And yes, she stopped me. She made me promise to get you to safety. She vowed to stop him for both of us. And for her daughter and the rest of the universes."
"Her daught…" Lyon looked over. "You are Ur's daughter. Aren't you?"
Gray looked over and Ultear was breathing hard, and there were tears in her eyes. He laughed softly and ran a hand through his hair. "That's why you look so much like her. Here I thought I was just willing myself to think you looked like her. Because of Deliora's essence and memory."
"It doesn't matter." Lyon shook his head and flipped his hands up and and pointed at Gray and then to Sting; as both Dragis were on the furthest sides of everyone else. "I'm going to have to kill you all, finishing killing everyone on this planet; and then take the Flame God and his power giving abilities back to my leader. So just accept your faith."
"You can't kill us. We aren't enemies. And you can't give this…" Meredy grunted as a fist made of ice appeared out of nowhere and collided with her abdomen. She was gasping for breath as she fell to her knees. Ultear immediately knelt and started to run her hands over her friend's face.
"Meredy? Meredy can you breathe?"
"She can breathe. But she has internal bruising forming." Alfie's voice piped up and Lyon jerked and looked around. Trying to find the person who was speaking. "I recommend using a quick healing light."
"Don't make it harder on yourself." Lyon said and threw his hands out in front of him. Gray leapt forward and blocked him.
"If you want a fight. I'll give it to you. But you aren't going to get your hand on anyone else behind me. Or anyone else on this planet."
"What? You think I'm alone?" He asked and grinned as he threw his hands out and ice shapes came from each hand. One was a sword and the other a large animal. Gray shook his head.
"One handed spell casting weakens the ice magic integrity." He scored and Lyon sneered.
"Not for me. My powers are unmatched! Now die!"