A Metal Rose

🌹 The Dragon Sense

   "Traitor," Edolas Erza snarled from her position on the flying beast, clutching her weapon. "In the end, you are one of the Fallen. Just an Exceed. You've forgotten the debt you owe our king for saving you, and instead turn your blade against him."

   "It's the other Erza!" Natsu exclaimed. 

   "He may be an Exceed," Gabbey called out evenly from her spot next to Mystogen. "But he will always be ten times the warrior you are."

Edolas Erza's eyes snapped over to the dragon slayer, eyes narrowed in disgust before popping open in surprise. 

   "Gabriella," Erza said in confusion. Her eyes narrowed again and she shook her head. "No, you're one of the Earth-land wizards. I can see the differences now that I look at you properly. You would never stand next to. . ." Her gaze snapped over to her counterpart and she roared, "Scarlet!"

   "Knightwalker."

   "Wait, Erza," Mystogen stopped the red head from doing anything. He turned his body towards Knightwalker. "You intend to aim your spear at me, the Prince of Edolas, Erza Knightwalker?"

   "Prince?"

   "Prince, you say? Don't make me laugh!" A rather haunting voice echoed from the land below them, from where Gabbey didn't know. "I don't think of you as my son!"

   "That's the voice of the King!" Coco exclaimed. 

   "You're related to that?" Gabbey asked rhetorically, grasping onto Mystogens cloak. "Gross."

   "Where is he?" Lucy asked, looking around. 

   "After 7 years of hiding in faraway lands, you have some nerve skulking back here!" The King growled. "I know that you've been going around Earthland sealing off Anima! You've betrayed your country! You sold out your own kingdom!"

   "Where is that voice coming from?" Wendy muttered, making Gabbriel glance at her. 

   "It's over some sort of speaker, so it has to be on the ground somewhere," She pieced together.

   "But deep inside the ground," Carla added on carefully, glancing around. 

   "Hey! Show yourself!" Natsu demanded. 

   "Yeah!"

   "Your Anima plan was a failure. Continuing to fight would be meaningless, yes?" Mystogen said. 

   "Meaning? The meaning of fighting?" The King let out a harsh laugh. Gabbey's eyes instantly focused on a glowing green spot on Edolas' land. It appeared in the middle of the ruins of an old coliseum.   

    "What's that noise? Or wait, what is. . ." Gray trailed off. 

   "The air is trembling from magic power!" Lucy noted. 

   "Where would they get this much magic power from, though?" Gabbey asked. 

   "This is not a fight. It is retaliation against those who defy the King!" Edolas trembled as a towering figure rose from the ground, magic energy surrounding it heavily. "A one-sided extermination!"

   "What is that?"

   "It looks like. . .an egg?"

   "Some magical weapon?"

   "No matter who stands in my way, I will eliminate them. Even you! There won't be any trace left!" The King's voice roar from the egg-like object and it lifted up in the air, chains breaking easily. 

   "Father," Mystogen murmured next to Gabbey. 

   "I am no father. I am the King of Edolas!" With a burst of light, standing where the egg once floated, was a metal dragon, glaring at everyone in the sky. "Yes. . .I'll wipe you out here, and no one will be left to stop the Anima in Earthland! I'll suck up another giant lacrima, and then fuse it with the Exceed! I can do it as many times as I want!"