Dark Ice

Dark Ice: Chapter Four, Pink Letter.

A week had gone by since Lyon returned from the mainland with a young boy and his mother. The young boy's name was Jerrad and the Mother's was Alana. The two were saved by Lyon from burning to death alongside their small town, though, Lyon still regretted being too late to save the rest of the town's people, he was content with saving Jerrad and his mother. There were already too many young men who've had to grow up without a mother in their lives.

Today Lyon had a meeting with the founder of the safe haven; Levy Mcgarden. Levy had been one of the three known surviving members of Fairy Tail. However, to say she survived without any scars both physically and mentally would be a mistake. Lyon served as Levy's right-hand man, and commander of Tenrou Island's armed forces in the case of the Chautari locating the island and trying to invade.

Lyon stood at the top of a balcony watching as Jerrad and Alana were settling in nicely to their new home. They'd even managed to find themselves new friends which Lyon was rather happy about. His attention suddenly shifted when he heard a knock on the door, he knew then the time for the meeting had arrived.

"Commander, the meeting is starting."

The voice of Lyon's oldest ally Yuka Suzuki sounded into the room, soon filling Lyon's ear. Lyon turned after taking one more glance over at the two he saved.

"I'll be right there."

Lyon responded.

Later that morning, Lyon had entered the main hall of Tenrou Island. It was given the name "Hall of Hope" as it was to serve as a beacon of hope in the form of a building that resembled the old Fairy Tail guild hall. Lyon soon walked up to the round table that was placed at the center of the room. Present at that meeting were the Island's providers: Omani Aura, leader of the water supply division. Gendry Kuroi, leader of the food supply division. Kugo Kazui, the master of coins also known as Job support division. Jun Mo, homing and constructions supply division. Lastly, Kuro Basa, leader of the Entertainment Division. Among all of those Special leaders had been the founder of Safe Haven, Levy Mcgarden.

"I'm sorry for having to call you all over on such short notice, but the matter we are to discuss couldn't wait much longer."

Announced Levy. The others knew very little of what she was talking about, though some had an idea as to what she was referring to.

"The discrimination of Demons on the Island is becoming a bigger problem. The humans feel uncomfortable and fear the demons that walk among them as equals. The demons are being discriminated against by humans and are being treated unjustly. They're getting angry. If they continue at it like this, they will invoke a civil war. We have to put a stop to it before it even starts."

Levy explained. The humans and Demons on the island had always been at odds, though some were capable of looking past each other's differences, there were humans who refused to do so and were stuck in the way things were before Acnologia's attack. However, things were different as of then, there were no humans and demons, everyone on the island was survivors of the Chautari and Acnologia's reign. That was something they were failing to understand and something Levy intended to make them understand.

Elsewhere in the small town of Gilmore, Gray sat at a table, enjoying a dinner that wasn't cooked by him, or berries he picked out. While the dark days have come, the ice mage still proceeded to eat the meal like it would be his last. Chumming down on every good piece of meat he could get his hands on. All of this was the courtesy of his hire and mayor of the small town, Toma E. Fiore. Toma watched in awe as Gray devoured his meal. He could question just how the Ice mage was still able to eat like that and be so indifferent when he wasn't. It was quite a shift in character.

"Uh... So, as I was saying... Thank you for your services. I can't imagine the risk you took in killing Kapone Alver. And as promised, I did offer you 100,0000 jewels in return."

Toma explained. Though the old man was rather happy with Gray's work in eliminating his bounty, he still believed he would need Gray's strength in the war to come. However, Gray refused to fight. The young man had changed since Fairy Tail's destruction. His motivations seemed as though it was only about money and revenge. Though in the mind of the Fullbuster there was more to it than just that. Though Gray wouldn't dare show such weakness.

Soon a member of Toma's guards walked into the room where Gray was enjoying a meal, handing a signed letter, sealed with pink wax over to the previous king. Receiving the letter, Toma looked over the stamp, realizing then who the letter had come from. The old man reluctantly opened the letter, eyes scanning the contents. He soon slowly looked up over at Gray, the look of fear suddenly appearing in his eyes.

"... It's for you."

Gray stopped. He noticed from the reaction Toma made that it wasn't a letter of good content. The ice mage soon reached forward to receive the letter from Toma, eyes scanning over the content of the letter.

Content:

"Your false king's friends are dead. Their heads upon the walls of the Tower of Heaven. Come see them, bastard. You should have refused the offer your false king gave you and he should've stayed put like a good puppy. Instead, he hired you to kill one of my men along with his gang and now you'll both pay for it.

I have your friend. If you want her back, come and get her. I have her in a cage for you to see. The cage is cold, but I have made her a warm cloak from the skins of the six men who came with her to Era.

I want the false king. I want the false king's queen. I want his daughter, and I want you. Come to me, Fullbuster, this is not a request, this is a demand. They along with you will be punished for treachery. You have until sunrise, otherwise, I will have my army siege Gilmore and take what I want the hard way.

Jerome, 3rd Commander of The Chautari."

Gray sat back. He knew the letter had shed some fear into the former king, though their only choice was to fight. Gray didn't understand what Jerome meant by having one of his 'friends' in a cage for him to see. He didn't know exactly who he was talking about, though if the possibility of Jerome having a surviving member of his deceased family were to be true, the ice mage would never be able to forgive himself if he was to simply let Jerome have his way. For a moment, Gray looked to the fearful king whose hands shook from having just read that letter.

Gray took a moment to think about his position, before standing up from his seat. Jerome wanted a fight, the ice mage was willing to give him one. Gray knew about the army of Demons his enemy had under his power, but being a devil slayer, the ice mage was certain he could defeat them all in one fell swoop.

"This is my fight. I will fight it alone. You, your wife, and daughter should find a place to hide, he'll be coming here in the morning and I'll be waiting for him here."

Gray announced. The previous king only nodded, before having his servants clear the table and his guards to escort he, his daughter, and wife to a safe bunker that was built merely miles off of Gilmore. The people would be forced to leave their homes and relocate elsewhere and the town of Gilmore would become a war zone the next morning.

"When he comes, I will destroy him."

To be continued.