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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
- 44
- 45
- 46
"How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, that didst lay low the nations!" - Isaiah 14:12

Chapter 45

For the Sake of My Family
"Loke!" Lucy yelled. "Natsu!"
"Guys!" Wendy shouted.
The Sky Dragon Slayer rushed out of the hiding place under the bridge, pulling Luke along with her, while the Celestial Spirit Mage left Aries and ran through the debris littered all over the street. They met in the middle beside the two fallen fighters. Lucy grabbed up Luke and shielded his eyes from the sight of Natsu dripping with blood.
"Daddy?" the boy asked, looking down at Loke's face and his tangled orange hair now covered with dirt and flour. "Is Daddy taking a nap?"
"Yes," Lucy lied between teary sobs. "Daddy is tired after fighting. He...He's taking a nap. Natsu, too. Wendy?" she asked, fearing the worst.
Wendy immediately began healing Natsu's wounds. "The damage is extensive," she fretted. "It's a miracle he's still alive. How's Loke?"
Lucy held onto his hand and gazed down worriedly. His face twitched in pain, and sometimes she saw a quaver of green energy, but he was forcing himself to remain in the Human World. Sadly, Lucy realized why he was not returning to heal. Since Loke joined Kefira and was seeking the Regulus Key, it meant he was now an enemy of the Spirit World. If he returned, the Spirit King would definitely lock him away and probably never let him return.
Luke looked down sadly at his father, then he toddled over to Wendy and squatted beside Natsu. "Is Unkie Nazoo feeling owwie? Is Auntie Wendy making him feel better?"
"Yep," she smiled, hoping to reassure him. "This is why it's bad to fight. People get hurt."
"Then why was Unkie Nazoo and Daddy fighting?"
"Well...they...um..." Wendy was lost for an explanation.
Lucy came to the rescue. "There's a bad lady, and she's making Daddy fight. He said he doesn't want to, but he has to obey her."
"Because she's his owner?" Luke asked with wide, innocent eyes. "A Celestial Spirit fights for his owner."
Lucy was stunned that the boy understood such a concept and spoke that rule with such clarity. Then it dawned on her: Luke was half-Spirit. A part of him was tied to the Spirit World. Who knows, but he might one day get his own Spirit Key. She realized that he probably instinctively knew the rules of their world.
As she squeezed Loke's fingers, she felt the cold smoothness of his ring. She looked down at it and the blue stone. Then she looked over to her blue Lapis Lazuli Key and the chunk carved out of it. Just eying it, she could see that the ring would fit perfectly into the divot cut out of the Regulus Key. The urge to use it, to summon Loke to his full strength, was overwhelming. She even tried to justify that it might heal Loke's wounds.
It would also concrete both of them as traitors of the Spirit World and start a civil war. That alone kept her from using it. She did not want her Celestial Spirit friends to hate her for using a key that was supposed to be left alone. She also wondered if Regulus would be angry if she summoned him back. After all, the Royal Stars wanted to leave behind both the Spirit and Human Worlds. She definitely did not want to piss off a creature so powerful, he could destroy a planet!
"This damn key," Lucy sneered. "I wish we never got it. It has caused nothing but problems. Maybe I should destroy it."
"You can't," Loke said in a creaky voice. He slowly peeked an eye open. "No one can destroy it, not even me. The only ones who can are the Royal Stars."
Lucy stroked back his messy hair. "Just rest, Loke." She gave him a sad smile, leaned over, and kissed his forehead.
He chuckled weakly. "Why are you kissing me? I'm a traitor, right?"
"I know you have your reasons," she whispered. She glanced over to where Luke squatted next to Wendy, watching her glowing hands with childish fascination. "I can't lose him, and I don't want to give up on you, and I refuse to give that horrible woman complete ownership over you. I want to hold on to both of you tightly and never let you go! I'm sorry, Loke, but I'm going to be a spoiled heiress this one time. I'll throw a tantrum until I get what I want."
Loke weakly laughed, but he felt warm inside at seeing the stubborn determination in her huge, brown eyes. "That's one of the many things I love about you, Lucy."
Just then, Kefira suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the demolished street. Her porcelain-smooth face was now marred with a fierce sneer. Loke sensed the fury in her and cringed in anguish.
"Get away from here, both of you," he shouted urgently to Lucy and Wendy. Both girls drew back in fear.
"Oh God, not her," Lucy shivered, retreating back toward Aries. She looked down at the pink-haired Spirit, but poor Aries looked utterly exhausted.
Luke frowned and clung onto Wendy as she backed away from Natsu. "I don't like her. Bad lady!"
Wendy tried to hush him in fear.
Kefira stomped right up to where Loke and Natsu had fallen together. "Pathetic Lion!" She gave him a sharp kick in the ribs.
"Stop!" screamed Lucy. "He's already beaten up."
Kefira did not listen and kicked Loke again, sending him curling over in agony. "Is this the extent of your strength? Is this how low you were taken down when you gave up Regulus? Beaten by a mere child, you who could once destroy an entire nation on a whim. You're too weak in this meager form."
In the midst of another kick, her ankle was suddenly grabbed tightly. Kefira nearly lost her balance, then glared down at the burning, sinewy hand holding her. Natsu glared up at her with flaming anger in his eyes.
"Hey...old hag," he panted heavily. "Don't you dare call Loke weak."
She glared silently at him. Then her hands shot out. A blast struck Natsu, knocking him aside and making him crash through a brick wall.
"No!" Loke cried out.
"Natsu," Wendy shouted, and she ran over to him with Luke in tow.
"This is why I preferred dealing with Regulus," Kefira complained. "He was less whiny than you."
"Leo!" Aries cried out. "Watch out!"
"And you, foolish weak lamb," Kefira yelled. "You were such a waste of a Gold Key."
"Stop!" Loke screamed, but too late.
Another blackish-purple blast hurled toward Aries and Lucy. At the last second, the Ram jumped in front of Lucy and used herself as a shield. Lucy screamed at her not to do it, but it was too late. The blast of dark magic hit her and made a gaping hole through her torso.
Tears ran down Lucy's face. "Aries...why?"
She looked back with a sad smile as she faded away. "For...love...sorry!" Then she vanished back to the Spirit World.
Loke's face paled. "Please, stop it." He tried to get up, but the injuries from Natsu were too severe. "You promised not to hurt my friends."
"I promised I'd make demons that would maim, not kill. That's all I swore. I have but one goal, Leo: to get the Key to the Heart of the Lion and restore Kohinur. If you can't do the job, I will, even if I have to kill this little whore."
"No!" Loke screamed, yanking himself forward but unable to move his legs. "Kefira, don't. Please! You promised. You said you'd make Lucy immortal. You even took a blood oath."
She laughed cruelly. "When has even a blood oath meant anything to me? I swore that oath as the Shaman-Queen of Kohinur." She glared back at him with a smirking gleam and cold eyes. "I'm not queen yet!"
Loke's mouth dropped. He looked over fast to Lucy, realizing he had betrayed her and all of Fairy Tail for nothing. He shut his eyes in a surge of regrets that pained his chest. "You are a shame to the entire Clan Yamataikoku. I swore to your ancestor that I would dedicate my life to his family, but you...you are not worthy of his blood. I never should have trusted you."
"Are you just now discovering that?" she asked in amusement. "My, you're a slow one to learn."
He gritted his teeth and looked with determination to the blonde woman he loved more than anything. "Lucy...don't lose to her," he said through a clenched mouth.
Kefira huffed softly. "I'll be merciful at least. I'll finish her off fast." She raised her hand up out of the draping sleeves and pointed a slender finger. "Hark to my call, oh ancient dragon of the deep. Flaming Waters of Leviathan!"
Lucy began to reach for her keyring, but the blue serpent shot out too fast for her to summon anyone. She pulled out her whip Fleuve d'étoiles and swung it fast. The length, like a rope of glowing water, or as the name meant, 'river of stars,' cracked at the ancient water dragon. Leviathan backed away from the whip and hissed in anger.
"What is it, Leviathan?" Kefira asked in confusion.
Lucy chuckled that finally something was going her way. "Looks like your little blue snake is weak against Fleuve d'étoiles. He's a water dragon, and my whip uses water of the Spirit World." Now she had time to grab one of her Gold Keys. "Open the Gate of the Twins! Gemini!"
They appeared already looking like Lucy with their copy of the whip in hand. "It seems you've found a weakness in this bitch after all."
"Just be careful," Lucy warned.
Natsu lifted his head. He saw Wendy leaning over him, focused on healing him all over again. He saw Luke perched on an overturned crate. The boy watched his mother fight with an intense gaze. Natsu could see it in his eyes: this boy was studying fighting techniques. If he watched enough fights, he would pick up nuances on what worked in a fight and what could be easily countered. He was a born fighter. Then Natsu's eyes drifted wearily and saw his best friend take a firm stand. He knew too well; when Lucy got serious, she could look really scary.
"Good luck, Lucy," he muttered before falling back into unconsciousness.
Lucy broke off to the left and cracked her whip, drawing the blue serpent's attention. Gemini went to the right and aimed the whip directly at Kefira. Seeing their strategy, Kefira turned her focus to Gemini, and Leviathan shot out toward the Twin with a hiss.
Just then, Lucy's whip lashed out and wrapped around Kefira's wrist. With a sharp yank, both Kefira and Leviathan were pulled hard to the side. The former queen cried out as the lashing cut into her skin, and she almost fell from lack of balance. Then Gemini's whip cracked again, and it slashed into Leviathan. The snake hissed in pain and recoiled closer to its owner.
"Using Gemini to double your power?" Kefira noted, impressed with the tactic. "But it's still not enough. Cursed Magic: Black..." She was suddenly distracted by the twang of an arrow. "Leviathan!"
The snake whipped in front of her, taking the arrow in her place. It hissed, then faded away. To the right, Gemini had summoned Sagittarius.
"I not only look like Lucy," the Twin smirked. "I have all of her magic, including the ability to summon as many Spirits as she can." Gemini pulled out another Gold Key. "Open the Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!"
The Bull arrived with his massive ax ready. "I won't be distracted by you anymore, Kefira. Lucy's boobs are much nicer!"
Lucy also pulled out another Gold Key. "Open the Gate of the Scorpion! Scorpio!"
The red-and-white haired Spirit poofed next to her. "We are!"
"See," Lucy taunted haughtily. "By summoning Gemini, I can bring out up to four Spirits at once."
The five of them circled around the ancient queen, Lucy and Gemini with their whips, Taurus with his ax, Sagittarius with his bow, and Scorpio with his tail already aimed.
"Clever," Kefira admitted. "However, I'm afraid four pawns against one queen is still not enough. See, all I have to do is this..."
Her hand shot out toward Gemini and emitted a black blast of magic. Sagittarius released another arrow, which hit a magic shield around Kefira. Taurus raised his ax, but the blast hit Gemini square in the chest, sending the Twins back to the Spirit World with a brief scream. Once Gemini vanished, Taurus and Sagittarius went with them.
"And see," smirked Kefira. "Now you're down to one."
"Keep back, Lucy," Scorpio warned, guarding in front of her. "Our sand will shield you."
"Scorpio," Kefira purred with a smug smile. "As handsome as always. I was good friends with the Empress of Setareh who held your Antares Key. I suppose you don't remember Antares."
His eyes narrowed. "I was told I have no memory of certain things in the past. Antares gave me our sand. That's all I need to know."
"You were much more back then, Scorpio. You can be again," she said enticingly. "Help me and Leo. We have the Fomalhaut Key, Lucy has the Regulus Key, and Taurus knows where the Aldebaran Key is hidden. If we can summon those three, we can get them to remake your Antares Key. You could regain your memories. Wouldn't you like to know thousands of years worth of deeds you performed? You were royalty, admired and feared throughout both worlds. Don't you think Aquarius would rather you be a king once again?"
"We are who we are," Scorpio answered. "Aquarius loves me as I am. I don't need to remember thousands of years without her by my side."
Lucy was touched by such romantic sentiment. "Scorpio," she whispered with a sad smile. "I think I'll give you and Aquarius an extra long vacation."
He grinned back at her and gave her his typical hand signal of his index and pink fingers raised.
Kefira scoffed at the dismissal. "Lovestruck fool."
She shot another black blast. At the same time, Scorpio shouted "Sand Buster!" and a burst of sand crashed into the dark magic. The two forces canceled each other out, yet while Scorpio was focused on the black magic, a stream of burning blue shot out. Kefira had summoned Leviathan again. Although the flaming-water snake looked much weaker, it still bit Scorpio, setting him on fire.
"Burn to glass, sand boy," Kefira chuckled cruelly.
"Leo," Scorpio shouted as the flames overwhelmed him. "Don't give in. We are rooting for you!" Then the Scorpion vanished back to the Spirit World.
Lucy's knees trembled and felt weak. She knew this sinking feeling. On Hoshinoue Island, she had felt a similar dread. She was alone, her friends defeated one by one. Even if she called out more, she would only be forced to watch them suffer. Her confidence evaporated like dew in summer. It was hopeless. The difference in power was impossible to surmount.
"Mama."
That small voice cracked through the gloomy pessimism. She looked over to Luke, still perched on a crate watching her fight. His huge eyes, shaped just like Loke's, watched her with worry. Lucy realized that if she lost, Kefira would likely kill her son out of spite. Wendy was too weak to face her alone, Natsu was unconscious, and Loke still could not even stand up. She saw the Lion also watching her, his eyes almost identical to Luke's, worry and sadness gleaming behind blue sunglasses.
"I can't give up yet," she said to herself. She picked up her whip and faced Kefira squarely. "For the sake of my family, I can't give up yet."
Loke felt immense pride seeing her standing so firmly. He looked down at his blue ring, then over to her again. He tugged on the ring a little without fully removing it. If she was just a little closer...
Lucy saw Loke's movements. She cracked her whip, hitting Leviathan and making it vanish again. Then she made a dash toward Loke. She stretched her hand out, and Loke removed his ring, prepared to toss it to her.
"Not so fast, little whore."
Kefira made a blast shoot up from the street just in front of Lucy. She screamed as rocks hit her face. One left a long gash across her forehead that dripped blood into her eyes. Lucy could not see and wiped her eyes furiously, trying to get the blood out of the way. She saw that she was still too far away from Loke for him to toss the ring to her.
Kefira gave a small sigh. "I respect your courage, Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail. In honor of that, I'll let your son live. Die in peace knowing he'll be safe." She raised her hands. "I hope you meet me and Leo in another life. Next time, we would love to have a mage like you on our side. Until then, sayonara." A red magic circle formed in front of her hands. "Cursed Magic: Nine Diamonds!"
Lucy grabbed one more Gold Key. "Open the Gate of..."
However, she stopped as she saw the nine blasts shoot out. She could call one of her Spirits, but she would only be using them as a shield. That was not the way she was taught! Spirits had feelings. They could hurt. What right did she have to make one suffer for her sake?
"Lucy!" Loke screamed when he saw her hesitate.
She lowered her hand with the key, smiled over to him sadly, and lipped "I love you." Then she closed her eyes tightly and prepared for the hit.
Lucy felt a strong wind but no pain. Slowly she opened her eyes and caught a flash of red hair. Erza stood in front of her wearing her Adamantine Armor.
"E-Erza?" she asked in shock.
The Titania glanced back at her with a smile. "It seems we made it here in time."
Behind her came Levy and Gajeel.
"You okay, cheerleader?" the iron dragon slayer smirked.
"Don't worry, Lu-chan," Levy said, her pen ready to fight through her scripts.
"You guys!" Lucy smiled, feeling better just knowing she would not be alone. "You came."
"Aye!" Up in the sky, Lucy saw Happy, Charle, and Pantherlily rushing forward.
The black Exceed landed and immediately took up his battle form and faced Kefira. "I learned that the Exceed were sent to Edolas due to your evil army's magic. For their honor, I'll fight you with all of my might."
Natsu finally rose to his feet and strode forward with fury in his gaze. "You've been harassing my nakama and my godson since the very beginning." Flames engulfed his body while streaks of blazing lightning glinted through his narrowed eyes. "It ain't smart to piss off a godfather."
"And Luke's special," Gray added, standing beside Natsu and ready to fight. "He's got two godfathers."
"And two godmothers," Wendy added in, ready to provide support magic to the rest.
Happy chimed in, "And two god-cats!"
Charle glared over at the blue Exceed. "Goddess-cat!"
Kefira looked around her with fanatical excitement. "Dragon Slayers, powerful mages, and the Exceed, all coming to the aid of the son of the Sun Sign. The prophecy...the dream Zeref had long ago. It has come true! The Will of Zeref! To find the Regulus Key, regain the Royal Stars, and harness their power under one ultimate ruler!"
"Wrong," Loke said as he slowly pulling himself up to his feet, yet still he needed to lean heavily against a wall, using his shoulder to hold himself up against the pain. "Zeref didn't want the Lapis Lazuli Keys for power. He wanted to destroy them to stop others. However, he discovered that no mere Human—not even a half-Spirit one—can destroy those keys. The best he could do was to keep them from falling into the hands of others. He wasn't doing it for you," Loke chuckled weakly. "He was sitting on the Regulus Key the whole time, purely to stop you. It was right under your nose, buried on Hoshinoue Island, and he knew it."
Kefira sneered at him. "You...idiot Lion and your cursed children! I hope you all suffer for eternity. Now go back to that damned Spirit World of yours and rot in jail. Curse Magic: Black Sins of Orlov!" Dark magic burst out from her hands.
Gray put his hands together. "Ice-Make: Ice Wall!"
A massive barrier shielded Loke from the blast. The Lion looked over in shock that his friends from Fairy Tail had protected him, especially Gray considering the fight they had earlier. Gray gave him a reassuring smile.
"Are you fighting for this bitch, or for us?" he asked.
Loke chuckled and pushed his glasses up his nose. "I still have my guild mark on my back. I'm a member of Fairy Tail."
Wendy took in a deep breath and lifted her hand above her head. A glowing blue circle formed above her. "O strength of arm to cleave the heavens! O swift wind that dashes through the heavens! Arms x Venier!"
Under each of the gathered fighters, glows formed, and the mages felt strength flowing into their muscles.
"All right!" Natsu laughed, feeling his strength returning. "Let's go, Gajeel!"
"Who said I'm gonna follow your lead?" the iron dragon slayer snapped, and he leaped forward faster than Natsu.
Levy grabbed Lucy's arm. "Come on, we still need to get you and Luke to some shelter. There are demon's running around all over the city." She pulled her away from Erza and Gajeel, trying to make it around to where Luke still sat on a crate watching the fighting.
"This is a girl's fight, boys!" Kefira gathered her strength and raised her arms. "From Chapter 4, Scripture 12 of the Book of Zeref: Reverse Magic. Divine Punishment: Nemesis!"
From the surrounding rubble, purple-black creatures took shape. One shoved Lucy and Levy, forcing them apart. Lucy fell onto her back with a cry of pain. Levy was tossed into the air, but Gajeel managed to catch her safely.
"Not these guys again," Gray moaned.
"Dammit, I hate demons," Gajeel sneered.
"Get ready for them," Erza warned.
Then, in the distance upon the wind, they heard a softly spoken incantation.

Howl that trembles the flower of Providence.

Fiery Ophanim of Araboth,

Holy purveyor of Empyrean.

Ye moon of crimson before the battle.

O you of the dawn who wake and sleep,

Whose eyes are keen and whose claws are sharp.

Lioness who sees and catches by night.

Ancient Lost Magic: Shield of Pakhet.
All around Magnolia, a brilliant golden dome formed in the sky. Those underneath it felt soothing warmth, as if the September day had just become the middle of summer. It seeped into their minds and made them all smile like children without worries.
"What...is this?" Kefira asked, struggling between giddy gentleness and her own fury.
Slowly, the demons around them melted away, turning into wisps of lavender smoke. Loke especially felt a power within this sphere of protection flowing into his body, soothing all pain and providing him with strength.
"Shield of Pakhet?" he whispered. "That magic was lost thousands of years ago. Who in this lifetime...?" He stopped as he sensed the power within the spell. "It can't be!"
While everyone else was lost in a dizzy sense of bliss, eyes closed, mouths opened, sighing in peace, Loke looked around desperately, squinting through the golden haze. On the highest steeple of the cathedral, he saw a man in black standing with his hands raised to the sky. Even from this distance, Loke felt the magic flowing out in excess to form a shield large enough to cover the whole city. Then a voice entered his head.
"This is all I dare do to help. It's for my brother's sake. I leave the rest to you...Father."
Tears formed in Loke's eyes. "Zeref," he whispered. "Thank you."
"Divine Punishment: Nemesis!" Kefira yelled, yet nothing happened. "Nemesis!" she shouted. When nothing appeared, she sneered in frustration. "Arc of Time: Restore! Restore, damn you!"
"It won't work now," Loke explained with a light smile smugly on his face. "Shield of Pakhet creates an area through time and space in which demonic beings cannot exist...ever! For all eternity, this entire city will be shielded against demons and other evil Living Magic. Shield of Pakhet was how Zeref protected his own location while his demons devastated the rest of the world."
"Zeref?" she questioned with a grimace.
"Your demonic horde is gone," Loke told her. "If you continue fighting, all of Fairy Tail will be drawn to this location. Do you alone think you can take them all on? The only reason it took an entire army to beat you last time was your demons. Without them to shield you, you're actually rather weak."
Kefira sneered in fury. "Weak? Thou thinkest I'm weak? I, Shaman-Queen Kefira? I, teacher of Zeref? I am weak? Haftorang, come hither!"
The fishman appeared at her side. "You summoned me?"
Loke scoffed lightly. "You still have to call upon others."
She ignored his taunts. "Deal with the Spirit Mage. Take the Regulus Key. I shall give a lesson to this new generation of cocky mages."
"No!" Loke yelled. "Piscis Austrinus, I command you not to hurt Lucy."
He glanced over to his old friend. "You know how it is, Lion. We obey the will of our owner, and seeing you reinstated as King is my goal as well as hers. I only promise that I won't kill her."
"Lucy!" Natsu shouted.
"You damn fishhead!" Gray sneered. "Ice-Make..."
"I'm your opponent," Kefira said. "White Blaze of Orlov." A searing white magic circle formed in front of her, sparkling with intense power.
"Shit! Shield!" Gray shouted.
A flame shot out from the center of Kefira's circle, white as hot metal. It crashed into Gray's shield and easily melted through it. Gray barely had time to leap to the side.
"Dammit, that flame is hotter than yours, Natsu."
The dragon slayer grinned at the challenge. "Super hot flame, huh? I wanna taste it."
"Careful, little dragonlet," Kefira chuckled. "T'would burn thy tongue."
"Bring it on!" Natsu punched his fists together into sparking flames. "I'm all fired up!"

End of Chapter 45

Rhov's Corner:
Nine Diamonds - The playing card Nine of Diamonds is sometimes called "The Curse of Scotland." All of Kefira's attacks are based on cursed gems. This one just isn't a real gem.
Fiery Ophanim of Araboth - I know people will question this one. "Ophanim" is Hebrew for "wheels" and refers to the Biblical vision in Ezekiel 1:15-21 and in Daniel 7:9 of the fiery, many-eyed, intersecting wheels guarding God's throne. The four Ophanim are considered to be angels residing in the seventh layer of Heaven, called Araboth (ערבות).
Shield of Pakhet – Pakhet is the Egyptian lioness goddess of war. Part of this incantation is actually part of Spell 470 of the Egyptian Coffin Text which calls upon Pakhet. Repeat it three times and a lion jumps out of your computer screen.
White Blaze of Orlov – Just as Kefira uses "Black Sins of Orlov" which is based on the Black Orlov cursed gem, so there is its counterpart, the Orlov Diamond, said to be "the diamond of failed romance."
=^-.-^= "O you of the dawn who wake and sleep. O you of the dawn..."
"Happy, what are you doing?"
=^..^= "You said if I chanted it three times, a lion would jump out."
"I was joking. Besides, the full incantation goes: O You of the dawn who wake and sleep, O You who are in limpness, dwelling aforetime in Nedit, I have appeared as Pakhet the Great, whose eyes are keen and whose claws are sharp, the lioness who sees and catches by night."
=^o.o^= "Cooool! I wanna play with a lion. O you of the dawn who wake and sleep..."
^_^' "Please don't summon ancient goddesses."
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Lion's Pride