Chapter 68
Silver Wish
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Magic"
Flashback
Location / Date / Time Skip
Silver smiled as he stared up at the crimson sky. "Don't leave me hanging, kid. Finish it."
"Like hell I will!" Gray shouted. "I'm your son, and you owe me answers! What do you want from me!?"
"…Because all I want is for you to kill me." Silver confessed. "I'm not your father anymore. I'm just a walking corpse, a bodied that never got buried. For 17 years, my life was taken from me. I've been waiting for the grave ever since. That bag of bones is a necromancer who uses bodies like puppets. With me, he want to change things up and try something new.
"He was getting board and wanted to see if he could make one live again. It was dumb luck that I was chosen and lived this long. I wanted revenge, on every demon I could find. But then I found out you were alive… I realized that my hands were stained in blood, guilty and innocent. After everything I had done, I wasn't fit to speak either of your names."
"So you wanted to die?" Gray questioned.
"I told you, I've been dead for too long." Silver replied, pushing himself up. "You're the only one fit to carry out this request."
"You can't put that on me!" The wizard shouted. "I'm your son!"
"And you're better man than I'll ever be." The corpse stated. "No real father would ever hurt his son. I hope you'll forgive me one day."
Gray summoned an ice sword and walked forward. "You just want to rest in peace… but you're an enemy of the guild." He declared. "And yet… after all you've done-" He swung the blade and missed, tears falling from his face. "I could never bring myself to kill you."
The sword dropped to the ground and he collapsed, Silver catching him in a hug. "I missed you… so much, son. I wish your mother could see it too."
With Juvia
"Impossible!" The water mage shouted. "That man can't be his father. You're lying to me."
"Truth does not care about what you believe. I was there at the beginning." Keyes chuckled back.
'Hey, girl.' A voice echoed in Juvia's head, surprising her. 'Can you hear me? Just making sure, but you're Gray's girlfriend, right?' Her face turned beet red as he chuckled. 'Doesn't matter. I need you to take out that skeleton you're fighting. He's Keyes, the weakest of the Demon Gates. Beat him, and the corpse trying to set off the 3000 Face bombs will stop moving.'
'But, then you will…' She questioned.
'Guess Keyes talked a a lot." Silver mumbled. 'Doesn't matter. Do it, it's the only way to save Gray.'
Far from Juvia, Natsu slammed a punch into Tempester's face only to be blasted back by an uppercut that cracked the ground. "What's with him!? He questioned.
"I didn't think there were humans this strong." Torafuzar confessed as he stared down at Gajeel. "You've impressed me.
"Same with you, sharkie." Gajeel replied. "But you're still gonna get gutted." The two charged at each other and swung their fists.
"Natsu and Gajeel are having such a hard time…" Lucy mumbled. "I hope Juvia is okay…"
Juvia jumped back as her arm was slashed by Keyes. 'Sir! Can you hear me!?' She shouted as she was pushed back. 'I can't hear him anymore. Do I have to do this?'
"I knew that Silver wanted to rebel against us." Keyes confessed, firing bolts of black energy at the woman. "He became strong and mastered Ice Devil Slayer magic for the sole reason of revenge. But that was fine. I realized that his anger and desire for revenge were the driving force that allowed him to live. Such an interesting puppet."
"How can you be so cruel!?" Juvia shouted in anger.
"Father and son, dead and living will kill each other." The skeleton chuckled as the attacks hit her. "This is my story. A story in which I try to create more perfect puppets."
"What do you think humans are!?" Juvia panted.
"Tools for my experiments. Nothing more." Keyes replied.
"Humans won't do as you please!" Juvia shouted as water gathered in her hands.
"I can make them do so." Keyes chuckled, avoiding the water slash. "Once I kill you, I'll use your corpse to kill your friends."
"I won't allow you to do that!" She growled, only for a black tendril to grasp her hand.
More wrapped around her and pinned her in place. "Then try to destroy me. The moment Silver loses his master, he will also die."
"Juvia!" Lucy shouted before a bone hand slammed her to the ground, pinning her in place. "What is this!?"
"Keyes' play pen." Torafuzar declared. "To him it's a toy store."
"Well, won't you erase the boy's father?" Keyes teased as Juvia sank into his body. "Do it. Cut the bond between father and son." Juvia gritted her teeth as the tendrils wrapped around her and sucked her into his body. "Of course you won't. Feelings and ego only get in a humans way of what must be done."
With a flourish, she was completely absorbed into his mist like body, shocking the other three humans. "The first one…" Keyes declared before his body started bulging. "What is-?"
"You can't sever the bond between two humans!" Juvia shouted from within him.
"She… became water!?" He questioned in shock. "I wasn't careful! How could I fall into a humans trap!?"
"Gray's feelings… his father's feelings… they'll reach each other…" Juvia declared as Keyes exploded from the inside out. "Even if they can't physically see them, they know they remain! I believe in that power!"
The skulls and corpses faded away, shocking the other two demons. 'Gray… I'm sorry…'
'It's okay… thank you…' Silver declared, surprising the girl. 'Thanks to you, I can finally move on. I leave Gray to you.' Juvia burst into tears as the voice faded away.
"That human killed a demon!?" Torafuzor questioned in horror. Juvia coughed up a black mass and fell over, scaring her friends. Lucy rushed over as Torafuzor gained a small smirk. "Keyes managed to contaminate her at least."
"Bane particles…" Tempester mumbled.
"Juvia! Pull yourself together!" Lucy barked as she held the water wizard off the floor.
"I want… to see Gray…" She begged as tears left her face. "Where is he?"
"You'll see him, very soon." The blonde declared as she hugged her friend.
With Gray
Gray watched as his father faded away, tears falling from his eyes. "Rest well, dad." He mumbled. "I'll finish your story."
'This power is now yours to use.' Silver echoed in his head. 'I mastered Ice Devil Slayer magic for one reason. I knew that's what it would take to kill E.N.D.'
"Don't worry…" Gray clenched his fist as black tattoo appeared on his arm. "I'll kill E.N.D. for the both of us."
With Sting & Rogue
The Twin Dragons each threw a punch and hit Mard Geer, who slid back with a smirk. "It certainly looks are worthy of the power of Dragon Slayer Magic…" He mumbled.
"I'll be taking M'lady back to our guild!" Sting shouted.
"And for that to happen, you're going down!" Rogue added.
"You know, for a pair of humans, you're the first to be able to stand against me for this long." Mard Geer confessed. "So I do understand how'd you get so full of yourself."
With Erza's Group
The women marched onward as Minerva squeezed the mushroom. "Are you sure it's this way?" Erza questioned.
"Of-of course!" He snapped back.
"I wonder if Sting and Rogue are okay…" Minerva mumbled.
"Believe in them." Brianna declared. "Like I believe we'll find Nicholas. That's all we can do for now. We've got bigger things to worry about right now."
"She worries for her friends…" Pantherlily mumbled among the Exceeds. "Regardless of everything they did during the Grand Magic Games, they might actually be good people."
"Just goes to show you shouldn't judge people right away." Lector chuckled. "You know, M'lady is actually a really good cook."
"Wait, really?" Happy asked. "You can cook?"
"Huh… wouldn't have guessed that." Slate added.
"Get moving or we'll be leaving you behind." Erza snapped, anger in the red heads eyes.
"Yes, ma'am." The four cats nodded.
With Natsu's Group
The two demons stared down at the standing humans. "We gotta take care of these guys fast…" Natsu mumbled, making Gajeel nod.
"I'm bored." Tempester declared.
"Indeed." Torafuzar added. "It's time we acknowledge them. Not as humans, but as Dragon Slayers." The two started glowing as their bodies transformed. "So unless the Etherious' real power is released we cannot destroy them."
"Then let's get serious!" Tempester shouted.
The two dragon slayers smirked as Natsu's body started to glowed. "Well, we're gonna…"
"Get serious too." Gajeel finished, shadows swirling around him.
"Lightning Fire Dragon Mode!"/"Iron Shadow Dragon Mode!" The two declared as the demons finished their transformation.
.
.
.
.
.
"Hold on, since when could you do that!?" Natsu questioned.
"Since I ate Rogue's shadow back at the games." Gajeel chuckled. "Now I'm stronger than you."
"Bullshit!" Natsu shouted. "I'm still way stronger than you!"
"Prove it! First one to take out their enemy is the winner!" Gajeel challenged. The two glared at each other before they charged their respective enemy.
Both of their punches landed as they unleashed a barrage of fists. "What is wrong with these two!?" Torafuzar questioned. "Are they human? Or more demonic?" The two humans roared and threw their fists, and somehow punched each other.
"What the hell are you doing, you punk!?" Gajeel growled.
"Come on, I didn't even hit you that hard!" Natsu snapped back before the two started arguing with each other.
"Guys, could you not do this right now?" Lucy requested in annoyance, still holding Juvia off the ground.
"Enough games." Torafuzar declared, holding up his hands. "I invite you into the black seas of Hades. Dark Seas!" Black tinted water rose up and washed through the remains if the base, catching everyone who didn't run for their life.
Natsu and the others held their breaths as Gajeel looked around. "How deep does this magic go on for?' Gajeel questioned.
Torafuzar swam forward and clotheslined the two men. Natsu swung his arm but no flame emerged. The demon punched both aside and sent them flying apart. 'How does he have this kind of speed underwater?' Gajeel questioned befofe glancing to the side, Tempester sitting on the ground. 'Meanwhile, the other one is just watching? They're toying with is."
"Salamander! Take the girls and look for a way out!" He turned, only to find the three floating in the water unresponsive.
"It seems they swallowed the black sea." Torafuzar explained, catching Gajeel's attention. "This water is poisonous to drink it. Their death will occur in five minutes, not that a human could hold their breath for that long."
Gajeel bolted his mouth shut and shot forward. 'I gotta whoop this guy's ass before it's too late!'
"You're not getting away!" The demon declared, moving to the side. "I've submerged the entire floor. Deep Impact!" He dived down and slammed his fist on Gajeel, sending him crashing to the floor. "Join the dead at the depths of the black sea!"
Gajeel transformed into his shadow and appeared behind him. "Iron Dragon Sword!" He slammed his sword arm into the demons back, only to eat a fist to the gut. Another punch hit his face and slammed it into the roof. 'He's… a friggin' beast!'
"This is the power of Tartaros!" Torafuzar declared as he punched Gajeel again, breaking the mouth guard and sending him flying back.
His vision began fading as his air supply started running out. Unable to move or see, he missed Levy swimming towards him. Pushing her lips towards his, she shoved air into his mouth, making Gajeel snap back to reality. 'My breath?' He looked down and saw Levy dropping to the floor. 'Levy!?'
"Where the hell did you sneak in from!?" Torafuzar charged at her, only to eat a metal forearm to the back of the head.
"YOU DON'T TOUCH HER!" Gajeel shouted, clutching her to his chest for safety.
Yeah, this was an incredibly emotional chapter for Gray and Juvia, and part of the reason why I love her. As for the rest of it, goddamn was this fight fun. I always respected sharks even before this show, but now? Now I know to fear talking murderous anime demon sharks.
If you're wondering why this chapter seems short, again, following the source material. If it's an embellishment from the show, I'm not putting it in. They usually don't add anything to it anyway. See ya next time.
Beta read by General Feng Xiang