Behind the scenes

Dragons

I'd never fought with a teammate before. Back in Phantom, I had lackeys, but never anyone who I would fight alongside. And these damn Fairies... well, we don't work together. On the one hand, I could use flame-brain as a distraction, and attack from the other direction. On the other... Laxus knocked him into me a few times.

One of the times we got knocked together, I got an idea, and put my arm in front of the Salamander's mouth as he let loose his Roar. I used the momentum of the roar to power my fist at Laxus' face. I barely missed, and that only because I hadn't been ready for the speed and force behind my punch so it wasn't as precise as usual. "Iron Dragon's Sword!" I yelled, shifting the metal studs in my arms into a sword coating my fist. At least, I think. Maybe I'm actually changing my fist into a sword. Dad never fully explained that, and I can't tell what's under the metal once I cast the spell.

I swung my sword at the lightning freak, but he was fast and jumped out of the way. Continuing momentum, I swung a foot at his head, changing it to an iron pillar. He blocked the hit, and as I was still off balance shot a powerful bolt at me. I couldn't get my feet back under me fast enough, and it hit me square in the chest. You'd think I'd have been a little used to that sting after our encounter yesterday. Had it only been a day, really?

As I fell to the ground, Natsu popped up behind our opponent with a roar, exploding fire hitting him in the back. I pushed myself off the ground again, my sword ready. I swung it into Laxus, like a child playing ball, and knocked him to the ground between my reluctant partner and myself. With a quick nod, we both inhaled, preparing our roars.

"Fire Dragon's ---"
"Iron Dragon's ---"
"ROAR!" we shouted in unison. His fire breath and the cyclone of metal that I shot out collided with Laxus, creating a blast that shook the building. Any windows that hadn't already shattered did so at that moment, and some stones broke loose from the ceiling and walls.

We stood panting, feeling a little proud of ourselves, when my ears picked up a laugh in the midst of the rubble falling. What the hell?! "That's all you can do? So then, that's the power of a Dragon Slayer?" His pants were in tatters, and his shirt completely burned off, but the blonde freak was otherwise unscathed.

"Impossible!" I muttered. "What incredible power! How was he able to withstand our attacks?" He grinned widely, and I actually saw his canines elongate. "The geezer always told me to keep this to myself. But I'm going to show you my special secret..." I heard the Salamander gasp, "impossible!"
"He's gotta be bluffing!" I exclaimed. But he wasn't. He started yelling, pulling even more power to himself. I saw scales form on his massive arms, and he drew in a great breath. "Lightning Dragon's--"

"Is he about to do what I think? NO LAXUS!" Natsu yelled at his former comrade. "ROAR!!!" The blast was so huge that I couldn't block it. I couldn't even run or jump out of the way. This wasn't anything like the smaller bolts he'd hit me with yesterday, or even the massive bolt I pulled Pinky away from earlier. This was as wide as the cathedral, almost alive with power. It stole my breath, and crushed us both to the ground. "Gaaaah!" I couldn't help the groan that escaped me as I tried to get back up. "I'm paralyzed?!" The electricity still jolting though my muscles kept me from controlling them properly.

"Still alive? I will end this! You two idiots, Erza, Mystogan, the old man, and even the fools of this town! I will exterminate you all!" I wouldn't have thought it possible for him to gather more power to himself, but he did. Or maybe he just pulled back all of the power he'd just discharged. I don't even know. It didn't feel quite the same though.

"What is this power?" I tried to turn my head so I could look my attacker in the face. Natsu murmured, "This feeling... Gramps?" Come to think of it, this spell that was being collected did feel like the old man.

"Wait, Fairy Law?! That's the spell Makarov used to take out Jose in one hit!" I knew it felt similar! Even though I had been several rooms away when it happened, there was no mistaking the feel of this magic. "Don't! Laxus!" Flame-brain was growling with the effort to drag himself towards the madman in front of us.

"That attack targets everyone the user sees as an enemy!" I pushed for all I was worth, trying to stand.

"STOP! LAXUS!" My heart stopped and plunged into  my stomach. Why is she here?! "Levy?" I could hear the surprise in Natsu's voice. "You fool! What are you doing here?" I growled at her. How am I supposed to keep her safe if she throws herself into harms way?

"The Master is... Your own grandfather... He's at death's door!" As the wind blew past her in the door, I could smell her grief. I thought I sensed a hiccup in the power of Laxus' spell too, but it didn't last long.
"So please! Just stop this! Go see him while you still can!" The sadness in her voice was pulling at me, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the threat in front of me.

Laxus seemed to be on the verge of dispersing the spell, and Natsu was muttering in disbelief, "Gramps...gonna die?" Suddenly, Blondie resumed his stance and barked out a laugh. "Well that suits me just fine! Looks like my chances of being Master just went up so more!" Why can't I get up? This is bullshit! No matter how I tried, my body wasn't cooperating, and I couldn't stop this attack. I almost blacked out from the effort, and when I could focus again I heard, "Fairy Law, activate!" I buried my face in the arm I had in front of me as a brilliant light washed over me.