Hot and Cold

Laxus' Return

~*****~

Hades was standing atop his ship in the pouring rain when we arrived, completely unbothered by the fact that we'd shown up. "So, you wish for the same treatment I gave your master?" Hades questioned. "Come face your destruction, children of Makarov."

Hades turned on his heel, cape billowing behind him. "Hey, old fart! Give us a way up there!" Natsu bellowed.

"We owe him one for gramps," Gray states.

"He'll answer for it soon enough." Erza responds.

"So, if we can defeat that man in time the rest of them will leave and the council won't have to fire on us?" Wendy asks.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Lucy nods. "And if their ships destroyed, the can swim back."

"Happy, I've got a job for you," Natsu says. The four cats turn around and gaze at Natsu curiously. "I need you to find whatever makes this thing fly and take it out."

"I guess it'd be a major problem if it started moving," Happy hummed. "At least, for you two."

"I'll punt you across the island, cat," I retort as I feel a flush on my face.

I turned my nose up as Ballad began to giggle. "We'll help him!"

"You can count on us," Lily nods.

"I will go, too." Carla mentions.

"Can we go in now?" Lily asks nervously.

"Good plan, but I'll cast my Troia spell, just in case." Wendy beams.

Natsu and I hum as she places her hands on us. "I think we've kept him waiting long enough." Gray exclaims. "Let's go!" He barks as he creates a large stairway of ice straight into the ship.

"Remember, his power surpasses our master's. Once we're inside, hit him hard and hit him fast." Erza ordered.

"Yeah, okay--" Wendy gasped.

"Don't worry; I'm not stopping until he's beggin' for mercy!" Gray exclaimed.

"After everything he's done, he doesn't deserve any mercy!" Lucy exclaimed.

"We're gonna put that bastard in the ground!" I agree loudly.

"Ready or not, Hades. Here we come!" Natsu charges into the opening at the top of the stairs. "I've got a message from Makarov! Choke on it!" He blasts through the opening with an intense fire blast.

"You'll have to do better than that!" Hades calls out through the flames. "Try again!"

"Black Wing: Moon Flash!" Erza shouts as she sails in to the right.

"Cold Excalibur!" Gray shouts from the left.

"Ice Dragon Iron Fist!" I shout from above.

The three of us skid to a halt behind him. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" Lucy shouts. Taurus slams his axe down upon Hades with a mighty shout.

"By the grace of wind, may you strike fiercely," Wendy hummed delicately. "Move swiftly and be free of all harm. Arms and Armor! Vernier! Now Go!" Power bursts through my body as we sail in again to attack. For an old man, he sure is nimble in avoiding us.

"Natsu!" I shout, spreading my wings wide. He lands on one of them and gets launched forward.

"Sky Dragon Roar!" Wendy bellows. Lucy summons Scorpio and with the two attacks being launched, it forms a unison raid, barreling straight for Hades.

"Fire Dragon-- Sword Horn!" Natsu shouts as he sails through the unison raid, using it's momentum for a stronger hit.

We gaze at the smoke skeptically, waiting for it to clear. "I've often heard young people refer to their mistakes as life experience." Hades' voice rings out. "But true mistakes do not yield experience as there is no coming back from them. Such is the case here. Your future consists only of the grave. There will be no lesson to learn other than opposing me was the biggest mistake of your lives!"