Snowflakes In The Dark

15: Who Really Is The Coldest Mage?

Several hours faded into the night, and a purple glow fell upon the demon encased in ice. It had startled the mages awake as panic and confusion pulled them to their feet.

"What's happening?!" Lucy asked, as she had startled Natsu awake.

"Damn it! Morana, wake up!" Gray had turned to the ice dragon and shook her shoulders. She was unresponsive for the first few shakes, but a few groans were heard as she stirred against him.

"Just grab her and lets go!" Natsu got to his feet as Happy flew into the air.

"This must be the moon drip that Morana was talking about!" Happy pointed it out. Gray had pulled Morana on his back as they all rushed out of the cave they were in and ran all the way towards the top of the temple.

"So they are trying to melt the ice with this kind of magic!" Gray grumbled, angered and concerned that this was actually happening. So much weighed down on his heart as his grip on Morana tightened.

Lucy glanced at the ice dragon on Gray's back. "Let's not forget that Morana isn't doing well!" Natsu nodded in agreement as he ran behind the group. Happy was up in the air above them as they made their way to the top.

"I'm fine... Just keep going." Morana mumbled softly as she stirred awake. Her vision was blurry, and her thoughts were scrambled. Yet the further away from the demon they got, the better she was feeling.

"Maybe it's best to keep Morana away from that demon?" Happy commented as he flew over her head.

"It's probably for the best." She glances at him before setting her eyes on the top of the temple that they were nearing. It was just right before them, and they slowed their pace.

When they got to the top, they saw the cause of the spell. Members of the cult circled around the center. They were chanting in belianese as purple magic circles were stacked on top of each other towards the moon. It was sapping the power of the moon and concentrating it through the temple and onto the iced-encased demon below.

They hid behind a few stone ruins. Gray had set Morana next to him and Lucy as they all watched in confusion and disgust at what was before them. Morana tensed as she watched the cult members chant in unison. Her body was trembling as she clung to Gray instinctively. He glanced down at her and saw the fear in her eyes as she tried to keep herself grounded.

"Let's bash some heads in!" Natsu suggested. The fire dragon has been itching for a fight since he first woke up that morning. Having been defeated by a giant rat, and then knocked out by Morana, he was really craving a beating.

"No, you idiot!" Lucy hissed as she pulled him back from jumping at the cult members.

"Use your brain, Natsu! We can't just attack so soon." Gray added as he kept his arm around Morana. The woman was frozen in place, as it looked like she had forgotten to breathe.

"Aye! Look! Someone's coming!" Happy interrupted the tension as he pointed out a cold presence that approached the cult members. They all watched as they held their breath when a man in a strange outfit appeared. He had a mask covering his face, as his presence was chilling to look upon.

"Cold Emperor, I have grave news. There are intruders on the island." A cult member approached the masked man.

The masked man gave thought to his subordinate's information, "Destroy the village. I have no need for them and with the intruders," His voice sounded chilling to the bone. "Make sure you kill them as well. We don't need any medeling pests on our hands."

"Yes, Cold Emperor." The subordinate bowed before rushing off to complete his new task. Three mages from before appeared as the subordinate met up with them. The Fairy Tail mages were shocked by what they just heard. Fear, shock, worry, anger—it was all there, stewing within them.