Chapter 21: Deliora Reborn's Icy Hell

Back at the flying fortress

Maria was still in the control center room. "To think that Irene's clone and Nikka would surrender due to their deep emotions and the love they had. Such a disappointment." She had a sudden sinister smile on her face.

Erza was hitching a ride with Aiho and on the passenger seat was Tsuzuri with Irene's clone still unconscious. "How are things in the city?" She asked.

"So far, I heard that three enemies were defeated. Natsu, Lucy's team, and Fisher Lily's group defeated their enemies." Erza was revealed to hear that. "However, Kikyou contacted me and told me of what they learned about Brandish and Dimaria. They think someone messed with their memories using magic. Not sure for what reason, but, I get the feeling the enemies that are doing this, well, I can't feel that there's another power at the cause of this war."

Erza was counting the enemies left so far. "So, three enemy groups were defeated. However, only three locations are left where three more enemies are attacking." She concluded. "On top of that, the flying fortress and Maria are still there. We would have to take a plane or something to get there."

Aiho had to agree. "Yes, and from what we discovered. The flying fortress has cannons that could shoot us down."

"Yeah, the only problem is that I heard the helicopters are busy carrying people out," Erza said with her arms crossed. "To be frank, I need someone that could give access to the flying fortress and know what the layouts including the areas inside."

"That would be" Ahio began to say as Erza concluded for her. "Kouta..."

At the Heaven's Canceller's hospital.

Misaka, Brandish, and Dimaria were in a single room, sleeping in their beds. Yukino and Index were watching them.

Index was sitting by Misaka's bed. "This loud mouth...I mean Misaka, she has a lot of guts to stand up to powerful enemies." She looked over at Dimaria and Brandish. "Those two bimbos were so strong. They're probably at the same level as Aqua of the Rear."

Yukino drinking an energy drink. "Hmm...nice drink." She looked out the window and was able to see the flying fortress despite how far it was. "That ship is scary, I wonder what else can do." She thought a little nervous. "Let's hope our friends can take that down. Though, I wonder if there's a point in having that flying ship." One thing that was bothering her at the back of her mind. "Maria is a cyborg and how could she do this to her city or is possible that something else is causing it? Like an enemy that hasn't been revealed yet."

The index was eating a chocolate bar. "Munch...munch..." She chewed the candy in seconds. "Touma, come home safe."

At Liberal Arts City.

Gray and Juvia finally arrived but what they found there was a disaster. The entire area was covered in ice, the buildings, trees, amusement that had rides, and the hotel resort were frozen.

"Did Deloria Reborn do this?" Juvia asked.

Gray found this hard to believe. "How can that be, Deliora never possesses any ice powers." He looked around the area.

Juvia did the same seeing if anyone else besides the demon was around. "Ahh!" She shrieked as she saw a group of people frozen like statues. "Deliora Reborn frozen these innocent people." Among the group of people were two little girls and one boy. From their facial expressions, they were terrified of demons.

Gray clenched his hands. "Damn, Deliora, she has to pay for what she did." Memories of the demon that slaughtered his family came to his mind in a flash. "Damn...I can't lose myself like this." He rubbed his head.

Juvia was hugging herself. "Geez, the area is so cold it's like icy hell." Gray had to agree even he felt a chill it reminded him of Invel's magic able to freeze everything to its core. "It's like Invel's but, it feels so evil and cold at the same time. Like a bad feeling that makes a person's spine shiver." He felt almost sick to see this.

"Looks like my opponents have arrived." A voice spoke out alarming Gray and Juvia as they looked at a Ferris wheel and saw a figure on the top. The figure jumped off and landed on the ground cracking the ice beneath. "To think that the famous Gray Fullbuster would show up. I figured that you would considering the original killed your family."

Gray glared at the demon. "How do you know about that?" His glare didn't phase her a bit. "Let's just say I know."

"More the point, how do you have ice powers, the original didn't have that before?" Gray asked almost demanding.

Deliora chuckled lightly. "Fine, as you know I was created by Zeref and Maria, they came with some new abilities for me."

"Maria, is she talking about the girl Maria who made that broadcast?" Juvia thought in question.

"I still can do that Disaster Strike and Maria gave me an ice power it's known as Hell Ice!" Deliora stated with a wicked smile. "It's so cold that it can freeze an entire town even a small one. Though, for now, I decided to be a little merciful."

Juvia was disgusted. "What do you mean by that?"

Deliora looked at the water mage as her face darkened. "As you can see I froze some people that weren't able to get away. So, you have to do what I have in mind for this fight." She put her arm out a black wind of ice. "Hell Ice-Make: Black Sword."

"She can use Ice-Make magic too?" Gray exclaimed in shock.

Juvia narrowed her eyes. "This can't be good, her power is similar to Invel's but it's more powerful than his."

"Regardless..." Gray spoke getting Juvia to look at her crush. "If you think we'll back down from fighting you, then you got another coming." He gave the demon a challenging stare. "We'll defeat you and put a stop to this war that's happening here!"

Juvia nodded feeling her confidence rise. "Alright, my love let's defeat her!"

Deliora made a clicking sound with her tongue. "Tsk...tsk...don't get cocky, thanks to my human body, I can use it for all kinds of advantages." She quickly vanished.

"Where'd she go?" Gray asked taken by surprise at the demon's speed. "I must try to use my Observation Haki."

He cleared his mind and tried to sense the enemy around the area. "Peek-a-boo!" She reappeared before Gray's Haki could pick her up and she punched Gray in the face sending him rolling across the area.

"Gray!" Juvia cried as she glared at the demon. "Water Nebula!" She threw a torrent of water at the demon.

Deliora Reborn placed her hand out as the water touched her hand and it was frozen to Juvia's hand. "Oh no..." She struggled to pull out but her arm wouldn't budge. "I'm stuck!" Deliora swiftly got to the left side of Juvia. "Hell Ice Shard!" She hurled out multiple ice shards that hit Juvia which somehow managed to hit her instead of going through her.

"How am I feeling it?" Juvia cringing in pain.

Deliora Reborn recreated her black-ice sword and walked at Juvia. "My ice has the power to hurt those wizards that have a body element like your water magic." She got in close range and prepared to take a swing at Juvia's head. "I will cut your head off!" But before she could, she turned around and blocked an ice sword that was just swung at her.

Gray had an angered look on his face. "Don't lay a finger on her!" Deliora used her free hand and broke the top of Gray's ice blade. "Take this!" She pulled back her free arm again and punched him in the stomach sending him crashing on his back.

"My darling!" Juvia cried as she felt her body boil with anger and steam was hissing from her body like boiling water. The heat was hot enough but she felt her arm get loose as she freed herself quickly before the demon noticed it.

Gray got back on his feet and did his stance. "Ice-make: Cannon!" He created multiple ice cannons. "Fire!" The cannon fired ice cannonballs at the demon.

Deliora evaded them all with her speed. "No way!" Gray exclaimed.

"Water Claw!" Juvia clashed with water-covered hands creating a torrent of water that engulfed Deliora Reborn.

Deliora Reborn flinched a bit but she quickly shook off the attack. "Nice try human, but water attacks barely hurt due to my Hell Ice." Juvia gritted her teeth.

"Shave!" Gray quickly vanished and reappeared in front of Deliora as ice blades were jutting back from both of his forearms. "Ice Make: Seven Slice Dance!" He landed seven slash attacks on Deliora's body dealing damage.

Deliora Reborn saw several slash marks on her body. "Heheheheh..." She chuckled evilly. "I admit you got me, though, it'll take more than that." She placed her hand on her wounds and froze them. "My ice has the power to slightly heal my wounds."

Gray gritted his teeth. "Damn, that means we'll have to strike down together at once." Juvia was thinking the same thing and knew they would have to make sure their powers would land a serious hit.

At School District 4

Bloodman and Wall were waiting with their Alvarez soldiers.

Zancrow had his former grimoire heart wizard grunts.

"Hahahahahah!" Zancrow cackled evilly. "I can't wait to get my revenge on those do-gooders Fairy Tail and if any others interfere, I'll burn them all to hell!"

"The city shall fall into despair and death." Bloodman chanted wickedly.

Wall had a wicked smile. "To think humans are going to challenge me again, I was hoping to fight against that Laxus Drayer guy, but, whoever will challenge will be nothing compared."

Just then a vehicle was driving toward their location. "Boss Zancrow, a machine is heading our way!" The grimoire heart wizard grunt pointed out.

"It's time..." Zancrow smirked as he felt his god flames enveloped around his body.

B

"Shave!" Gray declared as he quickly vanished with his speed.

"Ice-Make: Arrows!" Gray created countless ice arrows and shot them at Deliora at high speed.

Deliora Reborn once again evaded them with her super speed and delivered a punch into his stomach causing him to skid his feet against the frozen ground. "Damn, she's so fast." He growled in frustration. "I thought I had trained my Observation Haki hard enough, but, I guess it's lacking."

"Water Ray!" Juvia released a ray of water from her hand at Deliora while having an enraged look on her face.

Deliora Reborn's arm was hit and she felt partly burned. "Damn, so hot."

Juvia motioned her finger in a taunting motion. "Not hot, boiling." She released another water ray at the demon but this the demon was prepared as she put both her hands out front. Juvia saw this coming too. "Sierra!" She transformed her entire body into water and soared through the air feeling her water body sizzle like boiling water as she quickly tackled her body against Deliora.

Deloira was being against the ice which her feet were skidding against. "Got you now!" She whispered with an evil smirk as her arms were moving toward Juvia's body.

Gray realized what she was going to do. "Juvia, get away her quick!" But, it was too late when Deliora's arms wrapped around her body and froze her into an ice statue.

Deliora moved her arms looking at her new ice human statue and cackled like a manic. "I did I defeated a Fairy Tail scumbag!" She cackled as her head was looking at the sky.

Gray was feeling his rage build up once more. "Damn you!" He rushed at her. "Hold it!" Deliora Reborn's voice made Gray stop abruptly as she held her black ice sword at the water mage's head. "Take one step and your girlfriend will be broken into pieces of ice!" Gray was feeling almost helpless and as much as he wanted to kill the demon right now, he couldn't risk making Juvia's situation even worse. "Damn..."

"Innocentius!" A voice rang out as a 3000-degree-Celsiur fire monster appeared out of nowhere.

Deliora was taken off guard. "What the hell is that?" She felt intense heat coming from the monster.

Gray saw his chance. "Shave!" He quickly vanished grabbed Juvia out of harm's way and took them somewhere safe.

Innocentius created a large red cross of fire that merged two flames in his hands and directly threw them at Deliora sending her crashing into a tree melting some ice from where the demon was standing.

"Are you two fine?" There was Stiyl and the three witches, Jane, Mallybeth, and Marie.

"Yeah, and Juvia is too," Gray replied. "Anyway, why are you guys here?"

Stiyl took out a cigarette and lit it before he blew some smoke out. "Well, some of the drones that the scientists had in the area were looking around this area. We got worried about the people that were still. Then the drones went off."

"I thought, you guys don't do science stuff," Gray said a little confused.

"Honestly, what scientists do is their problem, but, considering this amusement is also important to Index and her friends. I wouldn't like it if someone were to destroy it." Stiyl said in a calm tone. Gray could understand that and he chuckled softly. "Something funny?" Stiyl asked.

Gray shook his head. "No...it's nothing."

Deliora stood up. "Alright, this has been nice so far, but, it's for me to take this to the final level!" She declared as Gray and his new comrades were puzzled until she began to grow and her human-like appearance began to change drastically. "Etherious Form: Giant Demonic Beast!" She changed into the original Deliora's form.

Gray was having flashbacks of the monster that took his family away, though, he couldn't risk the others so, he had an idea. "Stiyl, have your friends get Juvia and the other people away from here. We'll finish off this monster once and for all!"

Marie was puzzled and a little annoyed. "Idiot, do you think you are giving-" She froze when she saw Gray strip off his shirt making her blush red as Gray continued talking. "However, Stiyl, you stay here!"

"Eek!" Mallybeth shrieked out of embarrassment.

"Pervert!" Jane restored her face beet red.

"I heard this idiot likes to strip but come on," Stiyl yelled a little weirded out.

Gray ignored their comments. "I will show this demon that nobody messes with my friends including you guys!" His declaration stunned Stiyl and the others. The ice mage put his right arm out which was covered in a black mark.

"You guys aren't going anywhere!" Deliora Reborn roared in a demonic beastly tone. "Hell Icy Roar!" Air, ice, and snow were powering up in her mouth as she was about to fire it at Styil and his group. "Protect us!" Innocentius used its body as a shield to its user and the three witches, it was barely hanging on which Gray noticed.

"Ice Demon's Rage!" The ice mage released a large beam of cold air, ice, and snow from his mouth hitting Deliora in the chest thus stopping him for momentarily and Gray leaped into the air. "Ice Demon's Laughter!" His hand created several purple lights which formed into medium to large-sized shars of ice and released them onto Deliora's face inflicting damage causing him to take a few steps back.

Stiyl and the three witches didn't waste any time and gathered the people who were frozen and left the area until they got close to the vehicle they had taken.

Gray landed back on the ice carefully making sure he didn't slip. "Time to end this..." His right arm including his other became black metal. "Armament Hardening..." He then created an icy bow that was as black as his arm. "Ice Demon's Zeroth Destruction Bow!" He fired a black icy arrow from the bow that went at high speed making contact with the demon's chest and shooting through leaving a black spiky array of ice that heavily damaged her greatly.

"Ahhhhhh!" Deliora shrieked in great pain as blood trickled from her wound she stood still for a few seconds and Gray created an ice stair leading all the up to the demon. "Styil finish it off!""No need to tell me that!" Stiyl replied as he quickly ran up the ice stairway. "Flame Sword!" With all his might, he created a 3000-degree C flame sword and stabbed the demon releasing the magic deep inside her body which burned from the inside. "Consider this payback for nearly the people and the things we care about in this District!"

Deliora fell over on her back as she reverted to her human appearance and was left motionless on the ground with her eyes rolled back, her chest scorched with blood, and some ice pieces lying on both sides.

"It's over..." Gray muttered to himself as he looked at the dead demon. Then he and the others noticed the ice that covered the Distract was melting and then the people that were also frozen were back to normal too.

Juvia came running at Gray. "Gray, did you miss me?" As she hugged the ice mage's arm with heart-shaped eyes. "I'm glad that you're safe!" For once, Gray didn't pull away and he returned her hug. "I'm glad that you're safe too."

"Uhh... you two done yet?" Stily asked with an annoyed look.

"It's so romantic!" Mallybeth cooed with her hands cupped.

"Geez, this is war, and we have to see something so gushy," Jane muttered.

"Now, now, let them have their moment," Marie suggested.

"Do...you...have to...watch us?" Juvia was seen with an angry look on her face as her eyes glowed red.

Jane, Mallybeth, and Marie comically yelped in fright. "Eek!"

Stiyl was startled but hid it.

Gray had other thoughts. "Looks like we defeated the others. Now, we have to meet the others at School District 7. Hopefully, the others are thinking of a solution on how to invade the flying fortress."

Gray and Juvia confront Deliora Reborn. She proved to be quite the opponent and was unable to freeze Juvia with her ice power. With Stiyl and the three witches' help, they were able to finish off the demon for good. What fight will be next find out next time.

End of chapter.