Fairy Tail - Eyes of Ice

Chapter 9 - Tower of Heaven Pt. 4

Ice and snowy mist exploded around Jellal and Kai as Kai's first attack made contact with Jellal's open fist.

"Even as a Dragon Slayer, you're still so weak," Jellal said.

Black power erupted between them and shot Kai back. He managed to just barely catch himself and then sprinted back toward Jellal, coating the entire floor with ice along the way. He swung once at Jellal, who blocked the punch quite easily and then elbowed Kai right in the chest and slapped him away.

Kai spun out of the slap and summoned forth more magic. More power. Kai roared, trying to summon the might of the sleeping dragon within. Jellal just laughed. The room shook, some of the walls cracking a bit from the pressure Kai exerted.

"Yes, show me everything you can do!" Jellal exclaimed. "So I can show you how futile your efforts are!"

"Ice Dragon Roar!"

The power surged from within to without Kai as a blast of frozen magic shot right at Jellal, who supercharged his fist and punched it down, but a frozen spectacle still burst around them. Kai used the momentary cover to hurtle toward Jellal and connected a spinning kick to his side, knocking Jellal aside. Kai then punched down at Jellal, using the ethereal power around him as a power source to strengthen the blow.

Jellal tried to catch it but Kai powered through and actually connected with Jellal's chest. Jellal bounced on the ground and caught himself, then shoved his hand forward. Fifteen black rays of magic lanced across the sky toward Kai.

"Ice Dragon Shield!"

A thin layer of ice, and a thick ice shield, appeared on his arm. Kai ducked and tried to absorb the blows but the shield barely held up. Jellal finished it off with another attack, one that knocked Kai away into the wall.

He gritted his teeth, ignoring the blood pooling in his mouth, while Jellal summoned up some dark specters and sent them at Kai. Kai swung his blade out from its sheathe and easily cut them down, then launched two powerful spells at Jellal who just used his aura to break them apart. Kai sighed but didn't relent.

"Ice Dragon Cold Blade!"

The blade glowed a brilliant blue as it sliced through the air. Jellal actually had to dodge it, and Kai used the power of the spell to launch a beam of ice at Jellal, catching him in the shoulder. Jellal grunted, finally showing an ounce of pain. Kai spun around with the blade and almost cut Jellal's head clean off if it weren't for Jellal blocking Kai's arm with his own. In response, Kai blasted Jellal with the remaining magic in the blade.

Jellal cocked his head back. Kai kicked Jellal in the chest.

"Ice Dragon Roar!"

The attack hit this time, shooting Jellal in the wall. Kai flicked his blade and lowered himself into a proper stance.

Two massive shadow hands appeared from nowhere near Kai, reaching down at him to grab him. He sliced through both but was hit square in the chest by a magic blast that turned into the shadow hands again.

Kai summoned his strength and managed to stop them from pushing further. But he couldn't resist. They'd reached a stalemate.

"Give up, Kai," Jellal said. "You won't be able to hold that back for long. Once your little muscles finally give out I will literally crush you."

"Not a chance!" Kai exclaimed.

The hand increased its pressure against Kai and the ground beneath Kai cracked, but he held firm. He didn't move.

"You'll give in. They always do. Just look at Sho, Milliana, Wally, and Simon. They cracked once to listen to me. They'll do it again."

"Shut up!" Kai said. "Just...shut up! They're free of you! We're all free of you and this tower!"