(3/3)
Gray's entire body trembled as he stared at the massive, frozen figure of Deliora. His breath came in short, uneven bursts, his voice breaking as he finally spoke.
"Why... why is it here? This—this is impossible!" He stumbled backward, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Ur sealed it... She sacrificed everything to trap this thing in ice. It can't... It shouldn't be here!"
His sudden outburst caused both Lucy and Natsu to exchange worried glances. Lucy stepped forward cautiously, her voice soft yet firm. "Gray, calm down. Take a deep breath."
Gray shook his head, his hands gripping his temples. "You don't get it! This thing—it's a monster. An immortal demon that destroyed everything in its path. This ice… Ur made it unbreakable. It was supposed to be over!"
Lucy placed a reassuring hand on his arm, steadying him. "Gray, I know it's overwhelming, but we need to understand what's going on. Who—or what—is Deliora?"
Gray exhaled shakily, lowering his hands. For a moment, he said nothing, his eyes glued to the hulking figure frozen in the ice. "Deliora," he began, his voice heavy, "is a demon—one of the most destructive monsters to ever exist. It ravaged the Northern Continent, leaving nothing but ashes behind. Ur… my teacher… gave her life to stop it. She sealed it in this ice, her ice. It's supposed to be unbreakable."
He clenched his fists, anger bubbling beneath his words. "And now it's here. Someone moved it. Someone is messing with Ur's legacy."
Before Lucy could respond, a faint sound echoed through the cavern. Footsteps.
"Someone's coming," Gray hissed, his head snapping toward the entrance. He grabbed Lucy and Natsu, pulling them behind a jagged outcrop of rocks.
The sound grew louder, more distinct, until three figures appeared, their silhouettes illuminated by the dim light of the cavern. They were clad in dark robes, their hoods obscuring their faces. Each of them exuded a chilling air of authority, their movements slow and deliberate.
"I don't think they're from the village," Natsu whispered, narrowing his eyes.
The shortest figure spoke, his voice calm yet commanding. "Intruders have set foot on this island. They must be eradicated before they interfere with the Moon Drip ritual. We must take care of them before the cold emperor learns about it."
"Moon Drip?" Lucy mouthed, her brow furrowing in confusion.
The second figure nodded, gesturing toward Deliora. "Reitei's orders are clear. The resurrection of Deliora must proceed without delay. We cannot afford disruptions."
The third figure turned to face the frozen demon, her voice laced with reverence. "Soon, the cursed moonlight will break this seal, and Deliora will rise again."
Gray's grip on the rocky ledge tightened, his knuckles white. His jaw clenched, and his breathing grew heavier as their words sank in.
After a brief exchange of murmured instructions, the trio began to retreat, their footsteps fading into the distance.
"They're gone," Lucy whispered, emerging from behind the rocks.
Natsu cracked his knuckles, flames flickering in his palms. "Who do they think they are? Talking like they're some big shots! Let's go after them!"
"No," Gray said sharply, his tone commanding enough to make both Lucy and Natsu pause.
He turned back toward the frozen demon, his eyes filled with fury and determination. "Deliora… It's not just some monster to me. That thing destroyed my life. My family. My town. Ur gave everything to stop it. And now these lunatics are trying to undo all of that?" He slammed his fist against the rock. "I'll make them pay for even speaking her name."
Lucy placed a hand on his shoulder. "Gray, I understand how much this means to you, but we need to be smart. You can't let anger drive you."
Gray nodded, though his expression remained grim. "They mentioned the moon. This Moon Drip thing is tied to it. We stay here until nightfall. If the moon's involved, we'll figure it out then."
As the tension in the cavern settled, Natsu let out a yawn, his head drooping before he flopped onto the ground. Within moments, soft snores filled the air.
"Seriously? Now?" Lucy muttered, rolling her eyes.
Gray sat a short distance away, his gaze fixated on the frozen demon. His hands rested on his knees, but his posture was tense, his mind clearly elsewhere. Lucy hesitated before speaking, her voice soft. "You okay?"
Gray didn't respond immediately. Finally, he muttered, "I'm fine." But his expression said otherwise.
Hoping to lighten the mood, Lucy reached for one of her keys. "If you're not going to talk, maybe we could use a little music to relax?" Without waiting for a response, she summoned Lyra, the Celestial Spirit of the Harp.
Lyra appeared in a gentle swirl of golden light, her harp cradled in her arms. "Oh, it's so nice to see you, Lucy! What kind of song would you like today?"
"Something soothing," Lucy said with a small smile.
As Lyra began to strum her harp, a hauntingly beautiful melody filled the cavern. Her voice, light and melodic, wove through the air like a calming breeze.
Gray's expression shifted almost immediately. His shoulders tensed, and his eyes grew glassy as memories began to flood his mind—memories of his time with Ur. The sound of laughter, the chill of the Northern Continent, and her stern but kind eyes. The melody pulled at his heart like an invisible string, and before he realized it, tears were streaming down his face.
He clenched his fists, abruptly standing. "Stop it."
Lyra's song faltered as she glanced at Gray, startled.
"Gray—" Lucy began, but he cut her off.
"Stop the noise!" he hissed, his voice low but intense. "If those guys hear us, we're dead."
Lyra stopped playing, her harp falling silent. Lucy dismissed her with a concerned look at Gray, but he had already turned his back to her, wiping his face roughly.
As the hours dragged on, the cavern grew darker, the faint glow of moonlight spilling through cracks in the ceiling. Suddenly, a beam of vibrant purple light struck Deliora, illuminating the frozen demon in an eerie glow.
"What the...?" Lucy whispered, her eyes wide.
Gray's jaw tightened. "It's the moon. That light… it's doing something to the ice."
The group scrambled to follow the beam to its source. Their path led them up a crumbling staircase to the top of the ruins. Carefully, they crouched behind a broken pillar, peering down at the scene unfolding below.
A circle of robed figures stood in formation, chanting as a pool of shimmering purple light gathered in the center of the ruins. The light seemed to pulsate in time with their voices, growing brighter with each moment.
Lucy gasped. "What are they doing?"
Gray didn't answer, his eyes narrowing. Beside him, Lucy took out another key. Before she could summon another Spirit, a soft voice filled the air.
"They're performing a ritual called Moon Drip."
Startled, Lucy turned to see Lyra standing beside her, having summoned herself to aid her master.
"Lyra? What's Moon Drip?" Lucy asked.
Lyra adjusted her harp, her tone serious. "It's a dispel magic that gathers the power of the moon. That energy can dispel any spell, no matter how strong."
Gray stiffened. "Any spell… including Iced Shell."
Lyra nodded solemnly. "Yes. But the sheer scale of Moon Drip could also explain the curse affecting this island. It's possible the constant use of moonlight's power is altering the islanders."
Their conversation halted when a figure emerged from the shadows at the center of the ritual. Clad in elaborate robes and wearing a featureless white mask, he exuded an aura of authority and menace.
The robed figure spoke, his voice calm but laced with malice. "Continue the ritual. And as for the intruders… destroy the village."
Gasps escaped from Lucy and Natsu, but Gray remained silent, his face pale.
"Who's that guy?" Natsu whispered.
Lucy shook her head. "I don't know, but we can't let him do this!"
Gray's hands shook as he stared at the masked figure, his heart pounding in his chest. "That voice…" he muttered under his breath.
Lucy turned to him, concerned. "Gray? What's wrong?"
He didn't respond, his mind racing. "That voice"—it was a voice he thought he'd never hear again.
Before anyone could stop him, Natsu leaped out from their hiding spot, fire bursting to life in his hands. "Hey, you weirdos!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the temple ruins. "What do you think you're doing here?!"
The robed figures turned sharply at the interruption, but their leader, Reitei, remained calm, his attention unwavering. "Destroy the Village," he ordered, his tone commanding. "The intruder is irrelevant."
"Irrelevant?!" Natsu snarled, flames blazing around him. "We'll see about that!"
He lunged forward, ready to attack, but the air suddenly grew frigid. A thick wall of ice shot up before him, forcing Natsu to skid to a halt. From behind him, Gray stepped into the open, his fists clenched.
"Enough, Natsu," Gray said sharply. His gaze locked on Reitei, and his voice trembled slightly. "I know who you are."
Reitei turned his head slightly, his expression obscured by his mask. "Do you now?" he replied coolly, his voice calm yet cutting.
The ruins trembled with tension as Gray stepped forward, his breath visible in the icy air. His eyes locked onto the masked man with a mixture of fury and disbelief.
"Lyon," Gray said, his voice sharp and strained. The name hung in the air like a dagger, cutting through the freezing silence.
The masked figure turned his head slightly, his stance calm and composed. "So, you remember," Lyon replied, his tone eerily indifferent. Slowly, he reached up and pulled off his mask, revealing a face both familiar and chilling. His icy blue hair glinted under the moonlight, and his expression carried a haunting mix of arrogance and detachment.
Gray's fists clenched, ice forming instinctively around his hands. "How?" he demanded, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "How are you here? And why... why is Deliora here?!"
Lyon smirked, his cold gaze piercing. "Still so naive, Gray. Some things are beyond your understanding."
Before Gray could respond, the robed subordinates began retreating. "We'll be going," one of them said, their voice low and reverent. Lyon nodded without looking at them.
Natsu growled, his flames flaring up as he stepped forward. "Oh no, you don't!" he yelled, lunging toward the retreating figures.
In an instant, a wave of frost surged from Lyon's hand, freezing Natsu. "Stay put," Lyon said flatly, his voice dripping with disdain.
Natsu struggled against the ice, flames bursting to life around him as he tried to break free. "You think this can stop me?!" he snarled.
Above, Lucy gasped, her wide eyes darting between Natsu and Gray. "What's happening?!" she whispered frantically.
"Happy, take Lucy and run!" Gray ordered, his voice firm and commanding.
"What?! I can't leave you two!" Lucy protested, but Happy grabbed her arms, lifting her into the air despite her struggles.
"Aye..." Happy said, his wings flapping hard as he carried her away.
Gray turned back to Natsu, who was still straining against the ice. With a swift kick, Gray sent him tumbling off the temple ruins and into the snow below.
"Damn it, Gray!" Natsu shouted as he hit the ground, his flames sputtering in frustration.
The air between Gray and Lyon grew colder, their breaths frosting in the chill.
"What the hell are you doing, Lyon?!" Gray demanded, his voice thick with anger. "Do you have any idea what you're playing with?! Deliora isn't something you can just control!"
Lyon's expression didn't falter. He stood tall, his arms crossed as if Gray's accusations meant nothing. "You still don't understand, do you?" he said, his voice calm and cutting.
Gray took a step forward, his hands trembling. "You're mocking her... mocking Ur's sacrifice by doing this!" he yelled, his voice cracking with emotion. "She gave her life to stop Deliora, and you're—"
"Silence!" Lyon snapped, his icy aura flaring around him. "You don't get to lecture me about Ur!"
Gray froze, his expression torn between fury and shock.
Lyon's voice dropped, the venom in his words unmistakable. "You, of all people, have no right to speak her name." He took a deliberate step forward, his eyes narrowing. "You killed her, Gray. Or have you forgotten?"
The words hit Gray like a physical blow, and he staggered back, his expression a mixture of guilt and rage. "You don't know what you're talking about," he said through gritted teeth. "Ur made her choice!"
Lyon smirked again, his cold confidence unshaken. "Keep telling yourself that. It doesn't change the truth."
...
Far below, Natsu groaned as he pulled himself out of the snow. He clenched his fists, flames sparking in frustration. "Stupid Gray," he muttered. "I could've taken them all!"
His grumbling was interrupted by a faint sound—the rhythmic lapping of waves against the shore. He turned his head, squinting through the darkness.
A ship had arrived at the island, its silhouette barely visible against the moonlit water. A lone figure disembarked, their movements silent and purposeful.
Natsu's flames dimmed as he watched them vanish into the jungle, heading toward the ruins. "Who the hell was that?" he muttered, his curiosity momentarily overriding his anger.
However, he didn't know, but It was Aurelius Nyx who adjusted the cloak draped over his shoulders and glanced toward the ruins towering above the jungle. The faint glow of magical energy caught his attention, but his focus shifted when his eyes turned skyward.
The moon, a vibrant and unnatural purple, hung heavily in the night sky. Aurelius narrowed his visible eye, its sharpness cutting through the magical haze. To anyone else, the moon seemed cursed, its hue a harbinger of something terrible. But to Aurelius, the truth was clear.
"A thick layer of illusion," he muttered under his breath, his tone calm but edged with curiosity. The moon's glow wasn't natural—it was a veil, carefully crafted to distort reality.
As he studied it further, the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place. The dense magical energy enveloping the ruins, the purple moon—Aurelius connected the dots with ease. Lyon and his followers were channeling moonlight to fuel the ritual, likely in an attempt to break a spell.
For a brief moment, Aurelius considered stepping in. His fingers twitched as he weighed the consequences of intervening. It would be a simple task to disrupt the ritual, even simpler to dismantle Lyon's group. Yet, as his gaze shifted toward the ruins, a new thought occurred to him.
"No," he said softly, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "This will be good for them."
The jungle rustled around him as he stepped into the shadows, his movements silent and precise. He watched the unfolding events from a distance, his sharp mind assessing every detail.
They would grow stronger through this trial, learn from their mistakes, and gain something more valuable than any lecture or training could provide.
"Experience," Aurelius murmured, folding his arms as he settled into his hiding place. "Let's see how they handle this."