"Shit!" Erik stopped dead in his tracks, which nearly caused Gajeel to ram into him, "We were too late!"
"Damn.. Look at them all.." Gajeel said as the two of them watched Fires crawl along the barrier. They were all clawing or breathing fire on it, but it stayed standing defiantly.
"At least we have time," Erik said, "They aren't breaking down that barrier anytime soon, so we can still go down there and help somehow."
"Which begs the question.. How? What difference can the two of us make?" Gajeel asked. Erik didn't have much of an answer to that; instead just saying, "We just have to help, even if it doesn't make any difference. I will stand for my friends and family."
"The Fires are one of the largest, strongest Kingdoms out there, rivaled only by the Nights and Days," Strongjaw said. "But we don't have the time to go down to Verasil to ask them for their help."
"So we're throwing our lives away for this, essentially?" Nash asked. Strongjaw gave him a look, "Not if we're smart about this."
"We need to find a way inside and talk to someone. The adults that raised us will have a plan," Erik said.
"Wait. Look up there," Strongjaw suddenly pointed, "Those Dragons don't look like Fires."
Everyone else followed her gaze, spotting a pair of Dragons–one white and gold in color, and the other pitch black.
"Is that.. Sting and Rogue?" Gajeel asked.
Sure enough, it was the two Dragons. They were weaving their way through rampaging Fires, narrowly avoiding being snatched up or burned.
"Crazy bastards!" Erik stated, then launched forward, taking flight. "We have to help them!"
"Let's just try to end this differently from the last time you three were around Fire Dragons," Gajeel said. "You kind of need your remaining eye!"
"Shut up and fly!"
Erik flew towards Sting, grabbing him and pulling him out of the way of being crushed by a large Fire's jaws.
"Holy shit, Erik?!" Sting exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!"
"Saving your scales by the look of it! We heard about the war claims, but this is just insane!"
"I know! We need to get into the barrier!"
Gajeel headbutted a Fire coming for Erik, leaving the larger Dragon dumbfounded. "Did an Iron just save a Poison?! Are you two broken?!"
"We're brothers!" Gajeel snapped, before blasting the Fire with his breath weapon.
"What are you doing here?!" Atlas descended towards them. "You are supposed to have gone home!"
"We are home," Erik stated, glaring defiantly, "And we're not going to let you destroy it!"
Atlas let out a snarl, before shooting towards them. What stopped him was a strike of lightning and a burst of wind on each of his wings, sending him toppling.
"And stay down if you know what's good for you!" the newcomer shouted. It was Laxus, hovering alongside Wendy.
"Looks like the gang's all here!" Rogue said.
"Except for Natsu.." Wendy lowered her head solemnly.
"He wouldn't be a part of this, would he?" Sting asked, looking hopeful. "He wouldn't try to-"
"He would," Erik interrupted, pointing towards the city, then diving towards it. "He's inside the barrier now. I can barely hear his thoughts, but apparently, he's going to destroy the lacrima holding up the barrier."
"Why would he do such a thing?!" Wendy cried.
"I'm going down there to find out! Wendy, come with me. Hopefully the two of us can get through to him!"
Wendy followed the Poison, using her magic to boost their speed.
"The rest of us can keep those Fires off the barrier. Even without destroying this.. lacrima thing, they might do some real damage to it," Strongjaw said.
"Then let's do this!" Laxus exclaimed.
xXxOxXx
Natsu stalked around the barrier, before slipping inside at the first chance. He didn't allow his doubts to hold him back and instead kept pushing forward. He only stopped to duck out of sight when he watched Oceanum fly overhead, shooting her breath weapon at the barrier to chase off Fires.
He glared at her show of defiance. They asked for this when Irene murdered Firesoul.
Or did they?
His eyes widened slightly at the sudden thought. How many people were aware of it? Did Belserion know? Did Erza? Or did Irene do this on her own, as a form of revenge for taking her home, regardless of what the others would think?
He didn't want to blame Erza, at most. She was like a sister to him, like the others had been siblings. He wanted to assume she didn't know.
But what would he do if she did?
Did Lucy know? What would she have said or thought if she did? He knew she wouldn't condone such behavior, but he thought he knew Irene too…
But it didn't matter. It was just Irene that the Fires wanted, so as long as everyone stayed out of the way, they would be left unharmed.
But at the same time, they likely wouldn't give up without a fight, so this was going to be a massacre regardless.
But this had to happen. Irene couldn't be allowed to get away with this.
He stalked towards the town, before turning human to make it easier to blend in. Sure, he's lived here his whole life, but with Fires attacking from every angle and people's fear being high at this point, he'll be called out or attacked within seconds.
If memory serves, the lacrima was in the middle of the city near the cathedral. It served at the centerpiece for the decorative gardens out front.
He stopped when a group of people–a bunch of citizens he didn't recognize–ran in front of him. Likely trying to run for a hiding spot from the Fires.
He glanced ahead, and choked up at the sight of Lucy, who, along with Jude, was helping Layla down the street, following the others. She glanced up for a mere moment, her eyes meeting Natsu's, before he ducked away into the crowd. They were heading in the direction he needed to go anyway.
"Natsu? Natsu!" he heard Lucy calling. He just kept his gaze forward and kept moving, before breaking off when he felt safe enough to do so. He only paused for a short moment to make sure she wasn't following him before continuing towards the cathedral.
The lacrima looked so much bigger and far more regal than he remembered. It radiated magic just as much as it absorbed it in. There was a large glowing magic circle under it, with lines shooting out to the outer edges of the city.
At first, he loved the sight of it. He wasn't intimidated by its power years ago because it protected him, but now that he had to destroy it, it glowed with a far different light.
He inhaled deeply, summoning magic to his lungs in preparation to shoot it with fire, only for it to catch in his throat when he heard a voice.
"And just what do you think you're doing?"
Natsu turned, standing before Irene. Similarly to the lacrima, he viewed her in a harsher light. He felt himself sneering, "I wouldn't have to do this if you hadn't run from your crime like a coward!"
"What crime? Whatever Firesoul has to say about me-"
"She's dead! I watched you kill her firsthand!"
He hated how surprised she looked, as if she hadn't done it.
"Dead? What do you mean-"
"Don't play stupid with me! You're not a stupid Dragon, Irene! Why did you kill her?! And on top of that, why did you kidnap me?!"
"I did neither of those things! I don't know what lies Igneel has been feeding you, but they end today!" Irene raised a talon, swiping at him. He quickly dodged out of the way.
"Lies?! I watched you! You stood over mom with her head in your jaws!" Natsu spat, then shot her with flames. She shielded herself with her wing.
"Natsu! Stop!"
Natsu whirled around, right as Wendy crashed into him, using her talons to push him to the ground.
"Sorry about that, but we can't allow you to do this," she said once she landed.
"What the hell?! Why are you guys here?!" Natsu demanded.
"Rumors spread over the Fires' plans. What the hell are you thinking, coming here?!" Erik demanded. "Do you realize how many people will die if you do this?!"
"They'll be fine! If Irene didn't hide like a coward, we wouldn't need to do this!"
"She wouldn't do whatever you're accusing her of!"
"You can hear it, can't you?!" Natsu demanded, causing Erik to reel back.
"Neither of you are lying.." he said, looking oddly sick.
"What do you mean?" Irene asked. "That's impossible."
"I can hear it, he did see you," Erik insisted. Irene shook her head, "That's impossible!" she insisted, "I was never there! Do you hear that?"
"Yes, but-"
Natsu blasted him with fire, launching him into the lacrima. Erik let out a cry of pain as something cracked.
"You said I was right! So don't let your biases stand in my way now!" Natsy snarled.
Wendy squawked, then angrily rammed him again, sinking her claws into him.
"Don't you dare hurt my brother!" she hissed.
"I am one of your brothers," Natsu argued, aggressively wrestling her off of him. She lashed out, latching her beak on his neck and forcing him to the ground, before spitting, "No brother of mine would try and destroy my home!"
"We're not here to destroy Magnolia! We're here for vengeance for my mother! I don't know why you don't understand that!"
"Do you really believe that the Fires wouldn't burn this place to the ground the moment the barrier is open?" Irene demanded. "That's what they did to my Kingdom, Natsu. Back then, it was also just me they wanted! But they burned and killed so many innocents!"
"Well, if they're anything like you, then maybe they weren't so innocent!" he shot back. He felt some sick sense of satisfaction at how she flinched.
Wendy growled, clawing his face, "Leave her alone! She did nothing to deserve this!"
"You don't know what she did!" Natsu shot Fire at her, forcing her into the air to avoid it.
Erik tackled him from behind, while Wendy grabbed onto the wing on his opposite side. The two of them shared a short look before dragging him off the ground.
Natsu thrashed violently, escaping their grip and flapping his wings in an attempt to slow his fall.
Irene caught him in midair, before carrying him to the barrier. Thanks to her larger size, she was able to far more easily carry him than Erik and Wendy could.
"If it's me they want, it's me they'll get! And I'm going to keep you as far from that lacrima as I do it!" she said, before violently throwing him out of the barrier, then following him.
She launched into the fight. She wasn't going to run from the Fires this time.
xXxOxXx
Gajeel dove down, slamming a Fire into the ground before continuing forward. He smelled something burning-not necessarily something very descriptive given the circumstance–and had a bad feeling about it.
He landed in a safe spot and started searching, soon coming across a smoldering body. He choked up when he saw the melted metal scales.
Aceron.
"No! Oh God, please be alive.." he ran up to him and placed a talon against his neck, only to reel back when he felt how hot it burned. "Aceron! Aceron, wake up!"
The Steel's eye–the one not melted over with metal at least–slowly opened. "Ga..jeel..? Now.. I know.. I.. I'm… hallu… hal.."
"What happened to you?! We need to get you inside the barrier!"
"Don't.. bo… bother.." Aceron wheezed quietly. "Look… at… me… I won't su.. survive…"
"We have to try.. We have to try!" Gajeel grabbed his neck, trying to move him. He refused to acknowledge the injuries, the blood, or the fused and melted scales. He just couldn't.
"I stood… I fought… I protected.. Magnolia.. I have… no… regrets.." Aceron said, his eye drooping back closed. "You need… to live.. and fight.."
"We can do it together!" Gajeel insisted.
"You are.. strong… You can… do this without… me…" Aceron assured him. "I trust you…"
"No, no, no! Stay awake! I can get you help! Please, just stay awake…!" Gajeel shook him, to no avail. The older Dragon's eye completely closed, and his uneven breathing came to a complete stop.
"Dammit.." Gajeel slowly backed away.
And thus, the first victim had been claimed.