chapter five: the cold emperor

Moon Drip…

The phrase echoed with familiarity in Miyako's head, and she turned it over in her mind a few times, wondering where she'd heard it before, or, more likely, where she'd read it. She gazed up at Deliora, encased in his prison of ice, and then glanced quickly at Gray.

The ice-make mage had chosen to sit far away from the rest of their group, knees drawn in towards his chest, head bowed so his dark hair curtained his face from their prying, pitying eyes. Natsu's snores rattled around the cavernous space, but that was the only sound, aside from Happy and Lucy occasionally murmuring to one another as they waited for the hours to pass and for the moons to rise.

Every so often, Gray's shoulders would shake, and, about two hours into their vigil, Miyako determined she would not be remembering where she'd seen Moon Drip before, not when all she could hear was Gray's teeth grinding from ten feet away. So, Miyako pushed herself off the ground, shaking her head once when Lucy glanced up and opened her mouth to ask where she was going, and moved to sit next to Gray.

Miyako didn't say anything. Their relationship had not been built on words. She simply sat close enough that she could feel Gray's magic running rampant beneath his skin, making the temperature drop even more than it already had. For his part, Gray did not acknowledge her beyond subtly turning his head away. She'd already seen the tears gathered on his lashes, but didn't comment.

This job had just gotten more complicated. She'd said it before, but it was only really sinking in now just how complicated it would be.

Gray was emotionally compromised. Miyako realized that this meant her hold on him as team leader was tenuous at best. And if Gray didn't submit to her authority, Natsu certainly wouldn't either. If Gray went off half-cocked, Natsu would as well on principle, and with Natsu followed Happy. Lucy was an unknown; she'd only known the celestial spirit summoner for a few weeks, after all. But by her calculations, she'd just lost control of at least three quarters of her team on an island that contained the frozen remains of one of Zeref's most infamous demons.

She closed her eyes and leaned back on her hands.

How to turn this to her advantage, she wondered. Miyako did not often work on teams. There was Laxus when they were younger, obviously, but that had been an equal partnership for the most part. He was the brawn to her brain, and they'd never stepped on each other's toes. Not until recently, at least. There was Mystogan, but those were research missions, never combat, which it seemed this job was rapidly careening towards like a derailed train.

Maybe she was going about it the wrong way. Maybe it wasn't about control. Sure, this was an S-Class mission, and she was the S-Class mage, but Natsu and Gray were capable wizards, likely in the running for the S-Class trials this year themselves. She didn't need to dictate their every move as though they were wayward children. She needed to trust them as the talented mages they were.

Easier said than done. Trust did not come easy to Miyako. She brushed her fingers against her scar, lost in thought for a moment.

"That's it!"

Miyako jolted and glanced over her shoulder. Lucy had whipped one of her silver keys off her belt and was standing now. "Gate of the Harp, I open thee! Lyra!" she called.

A young, winged spirit burst forth from the light of Lucy's summoning. "Hi! Long time no see, Lucy!" the beautiful spirit cried out cheerfully, waving her hand frantically in greeting.

"Hi, Lyra!" Lucy responded in kind.

Lyra frowned suddenly. "Why don't you call me more often?" she complained. "I want to be lots and lots more helpful to you! Lucy, you're such a meanie!"

"A meanie?" Lucy repeated, caught somewhere between surprised and offended. "But I can only call you three times a month!"

"Eh?" the spirit said in shock, though she quickly shook it off and asked, "So, what kind of song would you like me to sing today?"

Miyako glanced down the tunnel as Happy, Lucy and Lyra debated the song. She weighed the likelihood that those three mages were still nearby, and considered telling Lucy to ask her spirit to return to her own realm, but ultimately decided if Natsu's snoring did not alert anyone to their presence, a little music wouldn't either. At the very least, it would boost morale, something they were in desperate need of.

Lyra set her harp on the floor, and wrapped her arms around it in a familiar embrace. Lithe fingers began plucking at the strings, and a sweet melody was coaxed from the instrument. The second the notes hit her ear, Miyako realized they contained magic. A similar principle to the Lullaby, she mused as she soaked in the calming music.

A choked off sound caught her attention, and Miyako opened her eyes. Those tears, which Gray had been so valiantly holding back to this point, spilled down his cheeks in glistening, twin trails.

"Gray?" Lucy called over softly.

"What?" Gray replied sharply, fighting past the tremor in his voice.

Miyako twisted around and shook her head at Happy and Lucy. The older blonde opened her mouth anyway, but Happy put a paw on her shoulder and she quieted.

It was roughly an hour later when Lucy and Happy fell asleep, joining Natsu in the ranks of the comatose. Gray had long since dried his tears with quick, subtle swipes of the back of his hand on his cheeks. He looked paler than normal, not that Miyako could comment. The longer they sat there, the more words bubbled up on her tongue. She bit them back though. None of them could be strung together into a proper sentence, and she didn't want to bother Gray with her incoherent rambling.

Eventually, though, Gray tilted his head back, eyes trained on Deliora. "Why is it here, Miyako?" he asked quietly.

He sounded so vulnerable, Miyako regretted her answer had to be, "I don't know."

"You know everything," he said, tone half-accusing and half-joking. Still, when he turned to look at her, there was a level of sincerity in his eyes that caught her off guard.

Was that what people thought of her? That she always had the answers? It couldn't be further from the truth. Over her years of study, Miyako had come to appreciate the notion that the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know.

"Do you want to go home?" she asked eventually.

The look Gray sent her could have curdled dairy. It softened after a moment. He knew she meant no harm. "No, I have to see this through," he murmured. "I have to. I owe it to Ur… I-," he broke off to scowl at the ground.

Miyako opened her mouth, the words I understand ready to leap off the tip of her tongue. But she held back, knowing it would be a lie. She didn't understand. She couldn't. Gray's childhood was still a mystery to her, and even if he could articulate it to her, the words would still be hollow. "I hear you," she said instead. "What do you need from me?"

He glanced at her, surprise written in how round his eyes got. "I don't know yet," he said after a moment of silence. "I'll let you know, though."

That was all Miyako could ask for. Her jaw popped on a yawn in the next second, and she shook her head. The tedium of waiting was beginning to get to even her.

"Get some shut eye," Gray told her firmly. "We don't know how tonight is going to go. You should get some rest while you can."

Miyako raised her brow. "And what of you?" she queried.

Gray's eyes darted to Deliora, then back to her so quick she almost missed it. There was an uneasiness in his whole demeanor, and she was surprised when he said candidly, "I couldn't sleep with Deliora here, even if I wanted to. Besides, someone has to keep watch."

She wasn't happy about it, but Miyako nodded. She grabbed her bag, intending to use it to pillow her head, but with all the books she kept in it, it wasn't particularly comfortable. Gray chuckled at her predicament, then kicked over his own bag, which contained mostly clothing and was far more suitable as a pillow.

"Thanks," she murmured.

He shrugged, then turned back to his silent staring contest with his demons. Miyako pressed her cheek into his canvas bag, and noted how it smelled like its owner, like smoky coldness and cedar. Her eyes drifted shut…

-O-

The whole cavern rumbling in a localized earthquake woke her hours later. Dust and stone were shaken from the ceiling and rained down on Deliora and their heads.

Natsu jackknifed awake. "It's night?" he demanded, already alert.

"What's that sound?" Lucy groaned in annoyance, pushing herself off the ground and rubbing her still-tired eyes.

Miyako sat up cautiously and then gasped when a purple magic circle burst into existence over their heads. Familiar, purple light shone down directly on the ice encapsulating Deliora and the reflective surface scattered the light so it danced on their skin and the walls.

"It's landing on Deliora," Gray observed nervously.

"That ain't a coincidence," Natsu said.

No, it couldn't be. Miyako stared up at the magic circle, a pit forming in her stomach. There really was only one logical conclusion, and it was aligning with the fuzzy details of Moon Drip swimming in her mind that she was still fighting to remember fully.

"Let's go! We'll search for where the light is coming from!" Gray called over his shoulder, as he was already running.

He must have scouted an exit while they all slept, because he darted straight up a set of stairs carved into the side of the cavern, leaving them no choice but to follow. The stairs let out in the ruins they'd fallen from that morning. There were another two magic circles, one on the floor and one on the ceiling, but it was clear the light was not originating from this room.

"It's further above!" Natsu said.

When they finally reached the top of the step pyramid., Miyako realized what the light she and Lucy had seen from the boat was. A ring of cloaked figures stood underneath a brilliant beam of purple light that reached all the way up into the sky, concentrated by stacked magic circles. They were all chanting, and Miyako hastily grabbed her journal to copy the incantation,

Kuupelar Kulrakar Zeram sem Deioluna.

"What is that?" Natsu demanded, and Miyako scowled when he grabbed her writing hand and dragged her behind a boulder, Happy, Lucy, and Gray following.

"Moon Drip," Miyako whispered. She pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes. "I know what it is now. Kuso- it's an ancient spell. It collects and concentrates the purifying effects of moonlight. Given enough moonlight, it's capable of nullifying any spell!"

"You're kidding me!" Gray said angrily. "Iced shell is ice that can't be melted!"

Miyako stared into the depths of Gray's cobalt eyes. They burned with anger and resentment, all of it, in that moment, directed at her. She swallowed. "It can with Moon Drip. They're trying to resurrect Deliora."

"Oh no," Happy said waveringly.

"They don't know the horrors of Deliora!" Gray snapped at her

She didn't take his tone to heart, and looked back out over the ring of figures. "It's powerful magic," she said neutrally. "But it isn't a curse. What's happening in the village is merely a side-effect of this ritual."

"Damn them!" Natsu growled, his muscles tensing as if preparing to leap.

"Wait!" Lucy hissed, her elbow flying out behind her and catching Natsu in the nose before he could do something stupid. "Someone's coming!"

Someone new had joined the merry trio that had almost caught them earlier. He stood head and shoulders above Sherry, Yûka, and Toby, an intricate silver mask covering most of his face, and a cloak draped over his shoulders importantly.

Reitei.

"Damnit, I'm all sleepy after waking up at noon!" Yûka complained. "And we never did find the intruders."

"If they even existed!" Toby screamed at his normal volume.

Sherry sighed. Their quartet paused and looked out over the ritual. "It is saddening, Reitei-sama," she murmured. Miyako could barely pick up her words. "There seemed to be intruders around noon, but we failed to catch them. I can't express my love like this."

"Intruders…" Reitei repeated.

Beside her, Gray tensed, and she cast a cursory look in his direction. There was a pinched look on his face, and, perhaps instinctively, he grabbed hold of her arm.

"Has Deliora been revived yet?" he asked.

"At this rate, either today or tomorrow," Sherry estimated and Miyako cursed under her breath. That didn't leave them much time to work.

Reitei's shoulders seemed to relax. "Finally," he murmured. Then, more loudly, "As for the intruders, I will brook no interference."

The more the man spoke, the harder Gray squeezed her arm.

"Yes," Sherry agreed. "The only other people here should be the villagers on the far side of the island."

"Destroy the village."

Natsu snarled. "What?"

"But the people in the village have nothing to do with it!" Lucy said in shock.

"I would rather avoid bloodshed, however…" Reitei drifted off and there was a twisted sort of smile on his lips.

"Ouch! Gray!" Miyako hissed. He'd gripped her so hard he was going to leave a bruise, and his blunt nails dug into her skin.

He didn't seem to hear her. "That voice… it couldn't be…"

She was so distracted by the dawning horror on Gray's features, she didn't notice the sudden increase in temperature in the air around her until it was too late, and Natsu exploded, leaping out of their hiding spot, spewing fire and shouting, "I can't stand sneakin' around anymore! Your interferers are right here!"

"Well, I guess we have to do this now, don't we?" Lucy grumbled, her keys jangling as she prepared for a fight.

The four enemy mages whipped around at Natsu's declaration. "That mark…" Sherry said, eyeing Natsu's shoulder. "They're from Fairy Tail."

"I see, so the people of the village requested a guild save them," Yûka sighed.

"What are you doing? Eliminate the village, now," Reitei said dispassionately. When even his followers looked confused, he continued, "Anyone who interferes or plots against me is my enemy."

Natsu howled and prepared to charge, but Gray was faster. "Why you!" he shouted, hands automatically flying back into his ice-make pose. "I'll stop this crazy ritual of yours!"

Gray slammed his palms onto the temple roof. Blue ice began erupting from the ground in spikes, rushing towards the masked mage at a high velocity, but it was met head on by Reitei's own ice, tinted green, from where he had one hand pressed into the stone. The two ice spells collided and fractured into a flurry of snow.

"Lyon," Gray snarled, recovering quickly. "You bastard, do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Reitei, Lyon he'd been named, chuckled humorlessly. "How long has it been, Gray?" he asked casually.

Miyako's mind was racing, trying to factor this new development into a plan. This confrontation couldn't happen, at least, not in a way that favored Gray with how he was right now, chest heaving from a mixture of emotions that were ready to explode in a spectacular fashion.

"What's the meaning of this?" Gray demanded.

"I can't believe you were the wizard the villagers called here," Lyon said, sounding a little amused. "Did you come knowingly? Or is this just a coincidence? Well, no matter."

"Reitei Lyon, you know him?" Yûka called uncertainly.

Lyon did not acknowledge his question. "Go now," he commanded firmly. "I can handle things here myself."

"Yes," the three mages intoned, scattering quickly.

"You think we'll let you go so easily!?" Natsu demanded, starting to chase after them.

Gray tried to call out a warning, but it was too late. In a flash, Lyon extended his hand and ice began growing around Natsu's body, crystalizing into a frozen prison.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried out, drawing Lyon's attention to her.

"Happy! Take care of Lucy!" Gray commanded.

Happy shouted an affirmation, wings flaring out behind him, and Miyako watched as he grabbed Lucy's shirt and disappeared into the clouds. Lyon moved to intercept them, but Gray was quicker, and with a swift kick, redirected his attack harmlessly into the ground.

"So, you bought enough time for the woman and cat to get away," Lyon said. "No matter, Sherry and the rest should have no problems against them."

"Don't underestimate Fairy Tail!" Natsu said fiercely.

Gray glanced at Natsu, and sighed under his breath. With a single push, Natsu lost his balance in his icy orb and went rolling down the side of the temple, shrieking the whole way. Now it was just Lyon, Gray, and Miyako, and she glanced between the reunited ice mages, unsure of where to go from here.

"Miya-chan," Gray said in a carefully controlled voice. He wasn't looking at her, his gaze trained on Lyon with frosty determination. "I need you to let me handle this."

Miyako looked at him sharply.

What do you need from me? She'd asked earlier. He'd found his answer. Part of her wanted to tell him no, what he wanted was not what he needed. He wasn't ready yet, not for this fight. She could tell just by looking at him that the anger that was making his hands tremble would not be his friend in this confrontation. But then, she took a breath.

Trust, she reminded herself.

"Okay," she agreed. "I trust you."

And she turned and ran without looking back.

-O-

It was cold where Gray's cheek was pressed into stone. It had been a while since he felt cold, but he was pretty sure that's what he was experiencing in that moment of defeat.

When was the last time he'd felt a cold so deep it bit into his skin and gnawed at his bones? He must have been a child. As his eyes drifted shut of their own accord, he could almost picture it. The mountains with their snow that never saw a thaw, fat flakes drifting down from an overcast sky. He remembered lying face down in it, just like he was now, Ur standing over him…

"What's the matter? That all you got? Wake up, Gray."

The mountain dissolved in his mind's eye, and Ur's voice faded into something else.

"Do you trust me?"he heard himself ask.

And his mental picture came into focus. Oh, he was at Fairy Tail. It was the summer, and heat poured down from the blue sky. He was looking at Miyako, eight years old with her twin tails, cheeks ruddy from the sun. Even back then she was so pale she never colored beyond a burn. She was staring at him, warier than any child had the right to look.

"This won't work unless you trust me," he cajoled.

His hand was still extended towards her. They were out back on the pond which he'd frozen into solid cerulean with his magic. She shifted on her skates, still adjusting to the slip and slide feel of ice beneath her feet.

"Come on, Mi-chan."

She'd snapped at him for calling her that. It was Laxus' nickname for her, and no one else was allowed to use it. He'd laughed at her indignation, so out of place on that round face.

"How about… Miya-chan?" he'd suggested, coming up with it on the spot. When she didn't protest the name, he wiggled his fingers under her nose. "Can't stand here all day."

And then she'd looked at him with those sharp, grey eyes and scrutinized his whole being. "Okay," she finally murmured. "I trust you."

i'm gonna try and make the next chapter the last one for the galuna arc. it's not my favorite, although i've had fun writing this. still i am eager to move on cause i have exciting plans for miyako's role in the upcoming arcs

~ calliope