Chapter 27
Clouds billowed near the horizon, bringing with them flashes of lightning and the promise of another storm. Water lapped against the side of the hull and the ship rocked gently on the waves. Levy looked to the stern of the boat where a line of rowboats bucked on the ocean. Satisfied the party guests would make it safely back to shore before the storm hit, Levy turned her attention back over the railing. A firework sailed into the air, illuminating the ship and waters below. Its boom echoed through the air, momentarily blocking the sounds of the activity behind her. The echo slowly disappeared and footsteps thumbed the wood next to her.
Natsu and Gray abandoned their posts and leaned over the railing to stare at the still smooth, dark water. Captain Erza barked orders and the two men darted back to position. Levy shook her head with a small grin and watched the commanding Captain make her way across the deck.
"Anything yet, Princess?" Captain Erza asked, drawing up beside her.
Levy shook her head, brushing her damp hands against her pants. "Not yet, but I know he couldn't have gone far."
Erza nodded, beginning to turn. "Understood. We will keep standing at the ready–"
"Captain! Somethin's coming off the port bow! And a whole lot of them, if my eyes aren't lyin'!"
Levy and every able-bodied sailor rushed to the opposite side of the ship, where dark shapes grew larger and larger underneath the ocean.
"Throw lines over!" Levy shouted, leaning over the railing, "And be ready to hoist them up the moment they grab hold!"
The sailors stood around, fumbling with ropes buckets in their hands.
"Well what are you waiting for? Hop to it!" Erza barked at the confused sailors and the men jumped to obey.
A band of merfolk broke through the surface right as the ropes fell overboard. A shrill whistle sounded and they each grabbed hold of a rope and wrapped it around their forearm. At Captain Erza's command, the human sailors hoisted their new comrades onto the ship.
Levy would have to compliment Captain Erza on her strict training, for the sailors showed an admirable fortitude once they saw the nearly two dozen merfolk lining the deck. Each male and female merfolk sat on the railing or, with the help of a sailor, slid down to sit on the deck floor itself. Their colorful tails and fins were as bright and varied as the scales of a tropical fish. Shells and braids decorated their hair. Levy studied the various lengths of hair floating in the breeze, easily able to tell which merfolk were the strongest in the group. Levy gave a sigh of relief; each merfolk's hair grew at least halfway down their backs.
Another whistle sounded, the shrill pitch strangely familiar. Levy followed the sound to the bow of the ship, finally spotting Gajeel sitting on the railing next to the rigging. She hurried to his side, his shorn hair a stark contrast to the manes boasted by the other merfolk.
"Gajeel! What's going on? Why are all of you–"
"Is the ship ready ta fight?" Gajeel panted, staring at the ocean.
Levy followed his look, but the dark ocean lay bare and empty. Captain Erza skidded to a halt next to Levy, Natsu and Gray close on her heels, and speared Gajeel with a dark look.
"What do you mean fight?" the captain barked, steel flashing behind her eyes.
"It was all a trap ta get my dada's trident," Gajeel bit back, hand gripping the ropes tightly as the ship pitched.
Levy shook her head, "But how–"
"The whole thing was a trap ta get more power. Acnologia fought my father, nearly killing him along the way, just ta get his hands on the trident's power. He's coming for you, for all of us!"
Captain Erza bolted down the deck, deftly jumping over each merfolk's tail, and barked orders to man the cannons. Sailors darted below deck and hip rocked and groaned as the sailors loaded and moved cannons into position. Levy stared at the ocean with Gajeel, a hand gently holding his shoulder. His brow furrowed, his lips curled and revealed his sharp teeth. A trill came from one of the mermen and Gajeel whistled in answer. The merfolk gulped, looking around the ship and ocean with fear etched into their faces.
Just what happened? Gajeel said something about his father…
"Is your father alright?" Gajeel nodded and Levy pressed on. "This…Acnologia. That's the same man that claimed was your uncle, correct?"
Gajeel nodded again, alternating between staring at the ocean and whistling instructions to the rest of his kin.
Levy watched the activity around her helplessly. She had only seen Acnologia for a brief time, but she had witnessed the magic he possessed. It was strong enough to transform Gajeel and himself into a completely different creature, but that wouldn't be enough to fight an entire armed ship and regime of fighting merfolk.
"Gajeel, we'll be fine," she reached for his arm and tried to break the silent treatment he was giving her, "We have cannons and–"
"You don't understand, Levy," she flinched at the harsh way Gajeel said her name. "That trident is one of those arti-fice things ya showed me. Its magic is the strongest I've ever seen and if he uses that with his own magic then–"
A low groan echoed across the ocean. The water churned and swirled, a massive whirlpool forming nearly 100 yards from the starboard side. The ship pitched and bucked in the writhing waves. Sailors cried out and the merfolk scrambled for a hold.
A looming shape slowly rose out of the waves. Torrents of water rolled off the black, reptilian body. Gleaming black and blue scales flashed with magical power and the creature's massive head rivaled the size of the entire ship. Two large, wrinkled wings shuddered on its back. A pulsing light shone on his chest, the exact size and shape as the rumored trident.
"By the mages," Captain Erza whispered in awe and trepidation.
"Sea Dragon!" the sailors screamed, their harsh training momentarily forgotten in the presence of the ancient creature.
"Turn the boat around," Gajeel said growled softly, "and get yerselfs outta here. We'll take care of him."
"H..how? He's too big, there's too much magic…" She hated how her voice broke, how weak she sounded next to an actual warrior.
Gajeel gripped her shoulder, the arm holding his spear still tightly wound through the ropes. "Listen, we'll hold him off. We've got our poison, we should be able to keep him away long enough for you guys to get to safety. Bring back more ships, more cannons—"
"But what about your people?" Levy cried out, flashes of lightning coming from the dragon.
"On my mark! Fire!" came Captain Erza's orders and the ship thundered.
It rocked heavily on the water and Levy grabbed hold of Gajeel's arm to keep him from falling overboard. The cannons hit their target and the dragon roared, his magic sparking into the sky. Clouds billowed overhead, bringing with them a torrent of heavy rain. It immediately plastered Levy's clothes to her skin and brought a chill to the air. Lightning flashed, illuminating the dragon's deep, rage filled eyes.
Wind blew hard against the sails, pitching the ship to the side. Barrels rolled across the deck and humans and merfolk scrambled to hold onto anything they could. Levy held onto the rigging with both hands, her feet sliding out from under her. Gajeel grabbed her around the waist and held her up, his arms fins tickling her skin as the ship struggled to right itself.
"Ready again! Fire!"
As soon as the ship righted itself, the cannons fired another volley. The air shuddered and boomed. Large splashes of water landed uselessly in front of the dragon. A low, melodious cackle drifted across the waves and another pulse of energy flashed from the dragon.
The wind surged again, bringing with it a huge wall of water that rushed over the ship. Ropes and crates washed overboard and two sailors screamed as the water forced them over the side of the ship.
Gajeel whistled, its high pitch making Levy flinch, and several mermen jumped into the water after the sailors. Levy breathed a sigh of relief, but a bolt of energy from the dragon Acnologia made her chest tighten.
"Fools! You dare challenge me, the great ruler of the ocean!? See how even the wind and waves obey me!"
At his words, the torrent of rain surged sideways. Levy wiped rivulets of water from her face. Acnologia thrashed in the water, waves crashing against the side of the ship and heaving it back and forth on the surface. Acnologia laughed again, his two great wings struggling to open fully.
Levy clasped the rigging tightly, her hand cradled in Gajeel's larger one. Her chest tightened and her hands grew cold. She glanced about the ship, exposed and at the mercy of the sea monster. Merfolk struggled to stay on deck. Sailors scrambled to hold onto any secure footing they could find. Captain Erza and Natsu hoisted the almost drowned sailors and their merfolk rescuers back on board. Levy twisted and studied Gajeel.
His lip curled, his sharp teeth gleaming with every flash of lightning. His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths. His hand tightened on the weapon in his grasp and Levy knew it was only a matter of time before he ordered his troop to fight the monster head on.
Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. Sailors yelled and the air tasted sharp with fear. Sails billowed and creaked, unable to withstand the strength of the storm. Levy gazed across the ocean, staring at the enormous dragon threatening everyone she loved and held dear. In the midst of the fear and thunder, a peace settled over her heart. Something began to form within her breast. Something warm. Something…powerful.
"ACNOLOGIA!" she yelled over the storm.
In that single moment, everything seemed to calm. The yells and commands stopped, the waves crashing against the ship soothed. The storm settled around them and the great sea dragon slowly turned his large head to stare at her.
Levy met the stare with her own dark look and climbed to stand on top of the ship railing. "The ocean belongs to no one, but especially not you!"
Acnologia growled, "What do you know, you're nothing but a mere human! When I am done conquering the ocean, do you really think your pathetic little kingdom won't be next? I will unite the surface and ocean, under one rule–"
"Look around you!" she flung out her hand, "Ocean and land creatures are already working together! Your plan is ruined, so leave!"
The dragon laughed, his long neck bending close to the water, "Do you really think I will listen to–"
"I wasn't asking," Levy called out softly, the warmth flowing through her blood and setting on her fingers, "You will leave this ocean and never return."
Water crashed and lighting flickered high above them. Levy released the rigging and felt Gajeel's hand fumble for a hold on her shirt.
"Foolish human! I am the great sea dragon! You will never–"
"You have until the count of three."
The warmth in her hands flickered, nearly burning her skin.
Acnologia snarled, thrashing through the waves closer to the ship, "I will never–"
"One."
Light formed in her palms, swirling around her in spirals and swirls.
"The ocean is MINE!"
"Two."
She lifted her hands and slowly brought them together, the ball of energy growing larger and pulsing with magic.
"How dare you try to command me!" Acnologia reared his head, his dark maw opening wide as if to swallow her whole.
"Three."
Levy clapped her hands.
Beams of brilliant light shot through the sky, moving in a shockwave from her hands towards the monster. They crashed into the water and surrounded the dragon in an impenetrable barrier of light and magic. Acnologia screamed and roared, hurling useless bolts of dark energy against the magic. Levy closed her eyes against the power gathering to its breaking point inside her. It reached its peak and Levy could hold it no longer. With a flash, she opened her eyes.
"...Fairy Law," she whispered.
The low, melodic tone of a bell tolled in the clouds and the world went white.
The rain cleared. The wind slowed until it was only a gentle breeze. Twinkling stars blinked high above them. The ocean lay calm and empty, save for the ship bobbing gently on the smooth waves. Levy smiled and heard Gajeel yell her name as the water rose up to meet her.