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Lion's Pride	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 10067 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. I make no money writing this. I do it for my own pleasure. Any lyrics are my own or I received permission from the artist.

Chapter List
- 33
- 34
- 35
"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."
- William Congreve
Chapter 34
Love to Hatred Turned
Meanwhile, a battle was raging in Magnolia. Cana sent five glowing cards flying toward a mob of black demons, with an immediate follow-up from Macao and his purple flame. "Where's Gildarts when I need him?" she grumbled in a cranky tone.
"Away on another long mission from Master," Macao told her. "Whoa, watch out!"
Cana ducked as a fiery blast nearly singed her brown hair. Suddenly, a wall of vines sprouted beside her, blocking the enemy's attacks. She looked over and saw Droy with his plant seeds.
"Thanks," she panted. "Damn demons! Where the hell did they come from?"
"Mira found the caster," Wakaba told her as he lassoed a black demon with his smoke and slammed the creature into a stone wall, where it dissipated into wisps of shadow. "Where's Master?"
"At a council meeting," Macao growled, already fighting another demon. "And Laxus is away on a mission. Mira already called him on the communications lacrima. He promised to hurry back, but he'll be a while."
"Dammit," Romeo yelled, working with Warren and Max against another wave of black demons.
"Watch your mouth!" Macao warned his son in a flare of fatherly disapproval.
Romeo ignored him. "Why are all the good fighters gone at a time like this?"
"Hey!" Cana shouted in offense. "I'm here, and Mira, and I saw Gajeel taking on a dozen demons by himself. Juvia's somewhere; I saw a large wet area a few streets down."
"Don't forget the Thunder God Tribe," Evergreen said haughtily from where she hovered a few meters above them, pelting demons from the sky.
Suddenly, they heard a woman's scream and saw a blur of white and red fly past them. Mira slammed into the wall of a store, and blood coughed out of her mouth from the impact. Her dress was torn low enough to expose her bra, and a slash to her forehead dripped streams of blood down her pained face.
"Mira!" Cana screamed in shock and horror. What in the world could be strong enough to defeat Mira like that?
The S-Class mage struggled to open her eyes and saw their group. "Everyone, run," she rasped out weakly.
"Mira-nee!" From down the street, Lisanna came flying in her half-bird form, nimbly zooming back and forth between demons until she came to her older sister's side. Then she ended her Take Over form and returned to a human one so she could fretfully dabbed Mira's bloody face.
"Lisanna?" the bartender-mage asked in a daze. "I told you...to help evacuate...the townspeople."
"Reedus constructed a train and got everyone out of the affected areas," she reported.
Elfman stood in front of the two, already in his Take Over Beast form. He grimly looked at the approaching enemy. "I will not allow you to hurt my sister!" he bellowed.
Queen Kefira sauntered forward, easily avoiding the chaos of demons and mages around her. She had not planned on fighting, but she still needed to ask questions. Unfortunately, these new-age mages were excessively stubborn.
"I asked thee a simple question," she said with hard eyes. "I will call off my demons once I get an answer. Where is the Celestial Spirit mage Lucy Heartfilia?"
Cana heard and looked over in shock. "Why does she want Lucy?"
Jet stopped his fast dodging to look at the regal woman. "That's the lady who was with the walking fish when Lucy got kidnapped. She fought against Natsu and Gajeel together and managed to escape."
Mira glared in protectiveness. "So, you're after Lucy again, huh? Well, we won't let you have her. Lucy is a member of Fairy Tail, and we protect our own!"
"Is she still in this town?" Kefira asked. "We did not sense her bairn."
"Her what?" asked Elfman.
"An ancient word," Freed told them, slicing into demons with his rapier. "It means child. Apparently, she can sense Luke."
Jet glanced around. "If she's here, where's that fishman?"
Suddenly they heard a horrific shriek of agony. Everyone jumped at the bloodcurdling scream.
"That's Juvia!" gasped Lisanna.
Mira managed to stand. "All of you, go rescue Juvia. I'll deal with this woman."
"I'm staying with you," Lisanna insisted.
"A man does not leave his sister to fight alone," Elfman said proudly.
"No!" Mira shouted stubbornly. "She's too strong for you."
Her little sister smiled up at her. "But maybe she's not as strong as all three of us together."
Kefira chuckled, not paying attention to the other mages who scrambled toward Juvia's shrieks. "A three-against-one melee? Unfair odds, I say. Alas, 'tis of little matter. I shall vanquish all three of ye if I must. Or perhaps only two and leave the littlest alive to torture until she telleth me whither went Lady Heartfilia."
Mira sneered with a face she rarely showed to anyone. "Take Over: Satan Soul!"
The ground under her went gold, then darkened to a sinister black light. Lisanna backed away as a glowing black magic circle formed overhead and rocks lifted in a surge of magical energy. A grid pattern glowed over Mira's skin for a moment, then wings sprouted from her back, a tail grew and swished, her arms turned into claws, her ears lengthened to something like an elf, her white hair stood on end, and a crack ran down the adorable face that enchanted photographers all over Fiore. The gentle bartender was gone. All that was left was a demonic form.
"Oh?" Kefira smirked. "This is interesting. And somehow familiar."
Mira lifted a hand. "Darkness Stream!" A nebulous form of black with a dark glow shot from her hand and sped toward Kefira.
"Aurora's Shield," Kefira cast, and a blinding gold barrier rose in front of her. Lisanna shouted as she had to shield her eyes from the glare, Elfman grunted as spots floated in his vision, and Mira hissed in frustration. "Satan Soul, didst thou say? I believe I am familiar with that demon. Certainly strong, but I created much worse creatures in my youth. Still, 'tis a fascinating form. A Take Over mage. That magic is genetic. Ye three must be of the Strauss Clan."
Lisanna gasped. "How did you know our family name?"
"Simple. White hair, blue eyes, Take Over magic in all three of ye. Your clan was famous even in Kohinur. I thought it died out in the Great Gathering, but I guess one or two survived. Perhaps ye three are the last of your lineage. A pity I must kill ye off. Perhaps I shall be generous, do away with the mousy brat, and let the male live to perpetuate another generation." She smirked sadistically. "I can have a lot of fun with him."
A flash of fury glowed in Mira's eyes. Protective rage boiled in her heart until it made the magic around her burst outward and flicker in dangerous black flames. She extended her beastly hands toward Kefira and bellowed, "Evil Explosion!"
In another area of Magnolia, Haftorang had met up face-to-face with Juvia and opted for the quickest way to end the fight. As soon as she turned into a water state, he opened his mouth. With a suctioning inhalation, all water in the surrounding area—street puddles, gardening cans, an abandoned soda bottle, and Juvia herself—instantly sucked into the massive mouth of the Southern Fish.
Juvia was halfway inside his mouth, the suction still pulling at her, but somehow she managed to solidify just her hands. Gajeel held onto them, tugging hard, straining against the pull of the fishman's mouth. The rest of Juvia was water and starting to stretch out from the vacuum.
"Bastard!" the iron dragon slayer growled. "Hang on, Juvia."
"Behind you!" Juvia shouted.
Gajeel could not turn around. All of his focus was on trying to pull Juvia out of the massive mouth. He smelled the demon approaching. "Iron Dragon's Scales," he growled, and he prepared his metal skin for the inevitable blow.
"Gajeel-kun," Juvia screamed as the demon's black arm made a stabbing motion.
Despite the metal that covered his skin, the shadow pierced him. Blood shot out of Gajeel's stomach. He gagged at the pain, but he refused to let go.
"Gajeel-kun," the water mage sobbed, although her face was already water. "Let go. Juvia can't watch a friend get hurt like this."
"Shut the hell up," he growled, although his face showed pain and growing weakness. "I ain't letting you get eaten and that's all there is to it. If it weren't for you and that old geezer, I'd be a total mess, so just work with me and get out of his mouth."
"Juvia is trying," she cried. "Even just making Juvia's hands like this is taking all of Juvia's magic. Something is trying to force Juvia to turn all into water. Juvia can't feel anything. It's like all of Juvia's body is...vanishing!" That worried her. Was she already being digested? Even if Gajeel managed to pull her out, would she have a body left to her? She probably would have bawled heavy tears if she was not already all water. "Juvia just wants to see Gray-sama one last time!"
Suddenly, Gajeel felt his grip slipping. "Oi, oi!" He saw her hands turning blue with drops of liquid being sucked out. Her watery face tensed, and she whimpered in agony. "Juvia!" he shouted. "Hang in there."
"Gajeel-kun!" she screamed.
Suddenly, she lost all solid stability. Gajeel's hands went right through the water. He lost his hold so suddenly, he fell backward and landed on the ground.
"Juviaaaa!"
Gajeel watched in horror as the last of the water slurped into Haftorang's mouth. Juvia tried to shout something, but the wide lips closed over her. Haftorang licked a wet drop off of his blue lip ring, then let out a loud belch.
"You bastard!" Gajeel howled. He began to jump up, but instantly he fell back onto the street. The stab to his stomach was pouring out blood fast. "Dammit! If that fucking fireball was here, I'd have him cauterize this."
Just then, Cana arrived running with a large group of mages following her. "Gajeel!" she shouted, seeing him laying on the ground bleeding heavily.
He forced his eyes open and saw the group, including one that gave him some hope. "You, mini fireball," he said to Romeo. "Burn this wound closed before I bleed to death."
The boy looked horrified. "But...I...I've never done something like that."
"Fuck if I care. It doesn't have to be the work of a doctor, just something to stop the bleeding until I can get to a healer."
Romeo stepped forward hesitantly. "O-okay, but it's gonna hurt."
"Don't you think I know that?" he shouted. "Hurry up before I pass out. Cana," he yelled as he pulled off his shirt so Romeo could get to the wound. "That damn fish swallowed Juvia. I want you to turn him into sushi."
"Swallowed her?" everyone gasped.
"Incoming!" Bickslow yelled, pointing to a mob of demons coming up the street.
"Just great," Macao sighed. "I'm too old for this."
Haftorang waved a fin and the demon halted. Everyone watched in shock at the frozen horde, then looked to him.
"I don't like using such vile things-s-s," he explained in a light hiss, and suddenly the demons exploded into bubbles of darkness. "I came to save Lucy Heartfilia and her child. Please tell me where they are located."
"Lucy?" Cana gasped. "That other woman wanted her, too."
"Yes-s-s, and if she finds them before I do, there is a chance she will kill Lucy before I can stop her. So please, tell me their location before my mistress learns of it."
Cana readied her cards. "Mistress? Then you're in league with her. In that case, not a chance!" She heard Gajeel cry out and Romeo apologize as he cauterized the gapping wound. "You've hurt too many of our friends. I won't let you hurt Lucy too."
She flung out three cards at a time. Haftorang puckered his lips like a kiss and shot out small bullets of liquid from his mouth. They pierced the cards and made them disintegrate.
"I wish to save her life," Haftorang insisted patiently. "She is the consort of my king, so I shall protect both from harm."
"King?" Freed asked suspiciously. "Do you mean Loke?"
Haftorang nodded. "He who now goes by that name, yes-s-s. I was then called Piscis Austrinus-s-s. I was Leo's closest friend and ally. He may no longer officially hold his title, but in my eyes he will always be my king."
"Don't listen to him," Gajeel sneered between clenched teeth. "He's the one who fought and defeated Loke when Lucy was kidnapped. He's aligned with that queenie bitch and wants Loke dead."
"Fool, I minimized my attack to stun Leo without killing him. He was never in danger of dying. However, now he may be. I must find Lucy and her son so I can save his life before it's too late."
Droy looked confused. "Wait, you're trying to save Loke and Lucy?"
"I am sworn to the Lion," the fishman said. "As his consort, that oath of protection includes Lucy Heartfilia, so long as she does not endanger his existence. It also extends to his son and heir. Upon my very existence, I shan't allow harm to come to the family of my king." His huge mouth lifted in a keen smile. "If you are truly their friends, you will help me. The Spirit World is ready to pass a death sentence onto Leo; meanwhile, Kefira will kill Lucy if she finds her and I'm not around. I can shield Lucy twenty-four hours a day, since I don't sleep and have no need to leave her side. I can also save Leo's life while making him strong enough to protect Lucy and the baby on his own. To live together in peace...this is what Lucy wants more than anything, right? I can provide that! If your guild truly believes in protecting one another—in camaraderie and the bonds of friendship—then please help me save them." He folded his fins in front of himself and bowed low. "I offer my services in protecting your friends, noble Fairy Tail mages-s-s."
Gajeel managed to stand. A nasty scar was left on his stomach and back, but the bleeding had stopped. "I don't fucking believe you. Even if it's the truth, we're not handing Lucy over to either you nor that queenie bitch. This guild is a bit insane when it comes to protecting one another, but I wouldn't trade in that loyalty for anything. I'll fight just as hard as any of them. Iron Dragon's Club!"
His arm turned to metal and shot out. Haftorang easily moved to the side and avoided getting skewered.
"Fascinating." The fishman smiled as he dodged another stabbing motion from Gajeel. "Does the flesh truly turn to metal, or is it a mere transformation of sorts-s-s?" He ducked nimbly as the club turned into an ax and tried to make a chop at his head. "Where does the metal come from? Is it all within you, or a summoning of elements-s-s?"
Gajeel glared. "I dunno what the hell you're talking about, you hissing tuna. I fight how Metalicana taught me, that's all."
"Is your understanding of your own Lost Magic so limited? A shame. Shall we test it scientifically? Fish's Corrosion!" Haftorang's lips puckered together, and a jet of water shot out from his mouth.
Gajeel leaped to the side and shot his metal club at the fishman again. "I'll hook you like a fresh-caught sea bass!"
He laughed wildly, his red eyes gleaming at the thrill of the fight. Gajeel leaped up to a wooden barrel, and the water Haftorang spit splashed against it, not even damaging the wood. Then Gajeel ran over the top of a fence, balancing with grace as shots hit right at his heels. With a pounce, he leaped up to a roof to get the high ground. Suddenly, one of the jets of spit hit Gajeel in the stomach and splashed all over him.
Gajeel held out his dripping clothes. "The hell? Just water? That's no fun. Iron Dragon's..." He stopped, his eyes went wide, and his teeth gritted in pain. Suddenly, Gajeel doubled over while holding his stomach. "What...did you...do?" He collapsed, began to roll over the slanted roof, and fell over the ledge to the ground. Once landed, he curled into a ball groaning with pain.
"Was it his wound?" Romeo asked worriedly.
Gajeel suddenly howled, a beastly noise unlike anything they had ever heard. He gasped hard and raspy, holding his stomach as he tried to regain control. Then the pain overwhelmed him, making him scream again even louder.
"My God," Cana gasped. She ran over and knelt beside him as the dragon slayer stomped his foot and punched a wall to distract himself from the agony. Cana covered her mouth as she felt ready to vomit. Gajeel's skin was slowly turning reddish-orange and crusty.
"It seems the metal exists within his very blood," Haftorang said, watching the wreathing dragon slayer with fascination. "I wonder if he's even Human still."
Cana swung her head around to the enemy with tears in her eyes. "What did you do to him?"
"A corrosive liquid that reacts only to metal. If he was a normal Human, it wouldn't have done anything besides rust away his belt buckle. However, with a creature like this-s-s...I'm afraid it might be lethal. My sincerest apologies-s-s. I hadn't expected such a strong reaction."
Gajeel howled again. Blood was pouring out from the corroding skin, but even that turned to orange dust before it could drip. The rust-like corrosion was spreading fast. Cana bit her lip as she realized that he really could die. "Someone take him to Porlyusica, fast," she screamed.
Jet was the quickest, so he put Gajeel over his shoulders. "I won't be as quick as normal carrying someone this heavy," he warned, but he sped off almost too fast for anyone to see more than the dust of his trail.
Cana wiped tears out of her eyes. "First Mira, then Juvia, now Gajeel," she muttered, half to herself. Then she screamed in fury, "What the hell do you people want?"
"The Celestial Spirit mage Lucy Heartfilia. Or more precisely, her child, the son of Leo the Lion."
"You can't have them!" someone yelled.
Everyone was stunned that the scream of defiance came from Romeo, and they all looked over to him in wide-eyed shock. His dark eyes were narrow and hard as he glared at the enemy. The boy who had trained for seven years to protect his guild was now furious, and flames danced along the edge of his skin while his orange scarf flapped in the breeze.
"He looks just like Natsu," Bisca realized softly.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else in this guild," the thirteen-year-old warned darkly. "We are Fairy Tail! We will fight to the very end to save one of our own. Blue Fire!" Romeo shouted, and an icy blaze shot from his hand toward the fishman.
Haftorang nimbly dodged, but a small bit of the cold flame hit his translucent fin. He hissed in pain and smacked the fire out.
"That's it!" Wakaba shouted. "He's a fish, so he must be weak against fire. Romeo, Macao..."
He did not even need to give an order. Glyphs circled around Romeo's wrist. "Red Fire!" he cast, and a small flame shot out. It was nothing compared to the attacks Natsu could do, but Haftorang showed annoyance as he desperately tried to avoid it. Macao followed up on his son with his Purple Fire, manipulating the sticky flame like a whip to spur the fishman toward Romeo's fireballs.
"Enough!" the Southern Fish hissed. "Fish's Phlegm!" He spit again, but this time it was yellowish green. The huge glob hit Romeo and encased him from the neck down, making him stick to the cobbled road.
"Romeo!" Macao shouted in horror. He gave up trying to fight and racing over to his son.
"Eww, that's gross," Romeo grimaced, struggling yet unable to move anything but his head. "It feels like snot!"
"Touch it and you will stick with him," Haftorang warned just before Macao could grab at the greenish goop.
"Che! I'll get him," Evergreen sighed, and she lowered her glasses. "Stone Eyes!"
Haftorang waved his fins, and magic glowed from their rainbow translucence. "Fish's Mirror."
Water formed in front of him, a perfectly glassy pool that reflected the faces of everyone in front of him, including Evergreen's magical gaze.
"Crap!" she cringed, but it was already too late.
Luckily, Max saw the problem just in time. "Sand Wall!" he shouted. A thick barricade of sand raised up, blocking the effects of the mirror, but it only protected those near him. Evergreen, Freed, Jet, Droy, Macao, Wakaba, and Bisca were instantly lithified.
"Bisca!" Alzack cried out in horror.
She had been standing right beside him, but Max's Sand Wall had protected him while being just barely out of reach of shielding his green-haired wife. With gritted teeth, Alzack aimed his rifle and fired round after round with a maddened shout. He was barely even aiming, just shooting with a burst of emotions. Haftorang spit again, and the same corrosive water hit the gun, instantly dissolving it into useless rust.
"Bastard," Bickslow growled, seeing that the other two members of the Thunder God Tribe had been turned to stone. He was only protected because of his helmet. "I'll turn you into a puppet." He lifted his visor, and his wild eyes shined. "Figure Eyes!"
Haftorang looked back at him. It was silent for a moment, then the fishman tilted his head. "And that does what?"
Bickslow pulled back in shock. "How...?" The tattoo on his face crunched up. "I've felt something like this before. With Loke! You...you're a Celestial Spirit!"
"I believe I did introduce myself as Piscis Austrinus-s-s," the fishman said.
"But," Bickslow said softer, "something is wrong. You're...taken. Your soul is hidden under another soul. Somehow, you're already possessed, although I don't understand how. It's unlike any spirit I've ever felt."
Haftorang tilted his head back and laughed. "Possessed? You might call it that. Joining with Fomalhaut must protect me from whatever sort of magic you use. Possessed! I prefer to call it merged." Then a guileful smirk rose onto his wide mouth. "Do you wish to see?"
He brightened into a massive blue-green glow, and slowly the glow shifted to gold. His body changed. Instead of fins, he had massive feathered wings. Instead of a mere loincloth, he wore a white robe. His face shifted, but no one could say what exactly he looked like. Not fish, but not exactly Human.
"It's angelic," Laki whispered in amazement, unable to move as her brain was over-awed at the form before them.
The radiant creature before them spoke with a deep, echoing voice. "You brave mages are fortunate. Few Humans in history have seen the face of the unbounded Fomalhaut, Guardian of the Southern Sky. However," he sighed, sounding truly contrite, "I'm afraid I must be going. I have no time to play anymore. My king needs me." The glow intensified. "Fomalhaut: Fusion."
Up in the air, Lisanna nimbly dodged while attacking a flying demon, using her Animal Soul: Half Bird form to fly while her sharp talons clawed at the dark creature. Down on the street, Elfman's Beast form smashed into demon after demon, keeping the way clear for Mira.
Mira had blood running down her legs and head, dripping from her chin and down onto her scantly-clad bosom. She hated to admit that she was losing. This woman was far too powerful. She used too many different forms of magic to keep up with her. Light magic, darkness magic, fire, water, wind, and earth magic...it was too much! She had never heard of this sort of mage. However, with Lisanna and Elfman fighting so hard, she was not about to give up. Mira wiped blood out of her eyes and focused through the dizziness.
"Tell me whither I may find Lucy Heartfilia, and I shall leave this town," Kefira promised, not winded in the least by her fight. Instead, she looked bored and peevish. "I have no desire to demolish it, but I shall until I find the place where ye have hidden her."
"Go to hell," Mira growled. She pulled her hands back and formed a sphere of darkness. "Soul Extinction!" A massive blast of darkness shot forward, destroying buildings all down the length of the street. However, when it ended Kefira stood with a rainbow sphere shielding her.
"I grow weary of this," Kefira sighed in boredom. She raised her hands. "Hark to my call, oh ancient dragon of the deep." Her arm stretched forward, and a slender finger pointed. "Flaming Waters of Leviathan!"
Blue liquid shot out. Mira flew back and forth, dodging the stream that set everything it touching on fire. She cursed under her breath. She had heard Natsu talk about this water-flame, and she knew that she could not let it touch her.
"Mira-nee!" Lisanna shouted in worry as she saw her sister growing tired, slowing down, and barely able to dodge.
Suddenly, something caught Lisanna's eyes. Far to the west side of Magnolia, in the direction where Cana and the rest had gone running, there was a massive explosion. A ball of golden light bubbled out, blasting everything in its path, then expanded upward like a mushroom. A few moments later, the roar and wind from the blast hit them. Lisanna was blown back, unable to steady herself with her wings. The demons around her were scattered, but she was flung right into a tall building. She felt her wing crunch and fold backwards on her. She screamed, then fell limply into some bushes below.
"Lisanna!" Mira yelled. The distraction cost her. The blue liquid flame hit her leathery wings. Mira screamed as her wings were seared off, and she plummeted to the ground in a spin. She landed hard, and blood poured out from her back.
"No!" Elfman bellowed. "Lisanna! Nee-chan!"
"Go to her," Mira ordered sharply, trying to stand again.
As he raced over, Elfman phased out of his Beast form and back into his muscular body. He knelt beside Lisanna and cried to see her arm broken, bent in the wrong direction, and a small, sharp edge of white bone stabbing through her skin. Blood poured out from the open fracture and turned the skin around it purplish-red from internal bleeding.
Weakly, the petite girl opened her eyes and strained out a smile. "Elf...nii-chan."
Elfman's hands shook, unsure what to do. Her arm was bleeding heavily, but if he moved it the snapped bone could tear the skin worse. Lisanna's blue eyes were slowly glazing over. "Lisanna, stay with me," he begged.
Mira heard the desperation in his voice. She could not see Lisanna well, but she had heard the loud crack. Definitely a broken bone, probably an open fracture by how Elfman was reacting. She glared at Kefira, but despite all of her boiling rage, Mira felt like she could barely lift her arms. She was dizzy from blood loss and nearly out of magic. The drain was starting to make her nauseous, and she could no longer see straight. Still, for Lisanna...for Elfman...for Lucy...for all of Fairy Tail...
"Adieu, Clan Strauss," Kefira said. A purple-black ball formed between her hands. "Cursed Magic: Black Sins of Orlov!"
Mira gritted and lowered her head, ready to take the hit to protect her younger siblings. Blackness enveloped her.
And then light.
She saw a flash and heard the booming crack a second later.
Nothing hit. She loosened up, and as she did, the full drain hit her. She lost her form, faded back into simple Mirajane, and her knees collapsed under her like a rag doll. Panting hard, she looked up to see her savior.
"You look like shit, Mira."
A smile spread over her face. "Laxus!"
He glanced down and had a smile for her. "Really, what would this guild do without me?"
Kefira grinned and eyed him up and down. "A fascinating specimen of lacrima fusion. Lightning Dragon, if I'm not mistaken. Nearly flawless, although the initial strength is less than ideal. Still, the fusion process must have advanced by leaps since my time. Most of our experiments never lived past the initial integration. Half of those died within the first five years, and the survivors were only of weak lacrima origins. None of our attempts at fusing dragon lacrima into Humans succeeded even marginally. Yet I sense the lacrima hath been in thy body for years, and with no visible adverse side effects. How I'd love to take thee to my old lab and see what such a powerful lacrima fusion can do!"
Laxus faced Kefira, and his eyes narrowed at what she was saying. "What the hell do you want with us? Why are you attacking my guild?"
"Thy guild?" she asked curiously. "Art thou the one they call Master Makarov Dreyar?"
"His grandson," he sneered. "Laxus Dreyar."
"I see. Greetings, heir of the master of Fairy Tail." She bowed regally. It made Laxus arch an eyebrow and wish people greeted him like that more often. "I am Yamataikoku No Kefira, Shaman-Queen of Kohinur, Magistrate of the Pearl Islands, Protector of Ruby Silphium, Owner of the Lion's Heart, Mother of all citizens of..."
"I don't fucking care who you are!" he shouted. "Why are you destroying my town? What is your goal?"
"I seek only an answer. Where is the Celestial Spirit mage Lucy Heartfilia?"
"She left on some quest," he snapped. "Try knocking again in a month or two, and leave your hoard of demons at home."
"A quest?" Kefira frowned. "A curse upon that wench! She must be after it. Whither did she go?" she demanded.
Laxus folded his arms in a cocky stance. "As luck would have it, to that place you claim you're queen of, Kohinur."
"Laxus!" Mira gasped.
"Kohinur?" Kefira seethed. "She would dare to set foot upon my land?" Then her face loosened, and she chuckled to herself. "She shall be on my turf. All the better. Haftorang!"
He walked forward, back in his fishman form. "Sorry it took me so long, mistress-s-s. I fear I failed seeking Lucy's whereabouts-s-s."
"And where thou hast failed, I succeeded. We're leaving to Kohinur!" She suddenly vanished. Once she was gone, all the demons around them faded away like smoke.
Haftorang bowed to them. "My apologies-s-s. If my mistress manages to regain her throne, I will personally request that she pay recompense for the damages incurred today. Rest assured, I did not kill any of your friends, although some are lithified and one was severely wounded. Another is in a sticky substance. It will dry and crack in a few hours. Also..." He opened his mouth, and water floated out with a gurgling sound. The liquid coalesced, took shape, and they saw Juvia laying curled up on the ground.
"Juvia!" Mira cried out in shock.
"She will awaken in an hour or so, disoriented but unharmed. I promise to try and protect Lucy as well. Good day, mages-s-s." Once again, Haftorang turned into a glorious golden being and flew away.
Now that all the enemies were gone, Mira forced herself to stand and walk. She came up to Laxus, glared at him in anger, and suddenly slapped him hard across the face. He stood there, cheek turning and red, and glared at her silently.
"Why did you tell her?" she yelled, looking like she was about to cry. "We were fighting so hard to protect Lucy, and you handed her over without even trying to fight. What sort of Fairy Tail mage are you?"
"A practical one," he answered sternly. "On my way here, I saw the damage done. Most of the guild members are unconscious and half-dead. If even you and your siblings got defeated so thoroughly, I wonder if I really could have stopped both of them on my own. Maybe I could have, but your baby sister has gone into shock. If we don't get her to a healer soon, she'll die."
"So you'd sacrifice Lucy for Lisanna?" she yelled.
"Not just her!" he shouted right back. "The fishman might have spared the lives of those he fought, but not so the demons. There are casualties all over Magnolia. I did what I had to do to save the whole town."
Laxus turned away from her quivering pout and walked over to Elfman and Lisanna. The small girl was shivering from shock and blood loss. Laxus carefully took her arm and put it as close to her body as he could. Lisanna cried out at the movement, but Laxus worked gently, watching the snapped bone carefully to prevent further damage. Then he pulled off his coat and wrapped her up in it. The shivering lessened a little.
"You don't need to worry about Lucy," he finally said. "Natsu's with them, and Erza and Gray. If it's those three, they'll definitely win. And if Lucy is fighting for the man she loves, she'll definitely beat that bitch." He lifted Lisanna carefully, making sure her arm did not move much. Still, she cried out in agony and finally passed out. Laxus moved her to lean against his chest, then he began walking away. "Tend to the wounded and bury the dead," he called back to Mira. "It's the least we can do for now. The rest is up to Team Natsu. That flame-brain better not disappoint my expectations in him or I'll kick his ass out through his nose!"
End of Chapter 34
Rhov's Corner:
Lithify - to turn into stone (remember this for your vocab exam!)
The constellation Piscis Austrinus (Haftorang in this story) is pictured as swallowing the waters poured out by Aquarius. This is why he easily swallows Juvia's water form and uses water-spitting magic.
The spell "Black Sins of Orlov" is taken from the cursed diamond called Black Orlov. I picked it since the name of Kefira's homeland, Kohinur, was taken from the Koh-i-Noor Diamond, another cursed gem.
"Ruby Silphium" - The now-extinct silphium plant, a contraceptive herb used in Ancient Egypt up until Roman times, lent the shape of its fruit to what we now call a "heart" shape, a symbol of love, since the ancients took that herb before they...well...you know! What the Ruby Silphium is will come up later.
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Lion's Pride