Fairy Tail - Eyes of Ice

Chapter 56 - Tartaros Pt. 1

Kai rubbed some sand from his head as he marched down the streets of Magnolia.

"Had to pick a messy job, didn't you?" Kai grumbled to the floating cat next to him.

"What?" Iggy asked. "It was a decent-paying job! You and Erza should be happy that I found it for you."

"I'm happy, for sure," Kai said. "I could use the money right about now."

"For a ring?"

"For a house." Kai hesitated, at last removing bits of sand from his hair. That stuff was all over that house, what curse had they inflicted on that poor person? "And maybe a ring."

"When are you going to do it? Soon? Tomorrow? I know the perfect spot."

"Would you settle down? I haven't even picked a ring yet."

"Oh, come on."

Kai swatted at Iggy as she flew closer, making her keep a fair distance. The two marched through the streets at a bit of a slow, more relaxed pace. Iggy had only just gotten back from her job and Team Natsu was finally back from the Sun Village.

They arrived back at the guild hall while everyone else, for the most part, was caught up in their own business. The Thunder Tribe, barring Evergreen who was with her totally-not-but-definitely boyfriend Elfman, had gone on an errand. Gildarts was out, as usual.

Kai, though, tilted his head at the sight of the three other natural Dragon Slayers all gathered in a tight circle around Levy, with Lucy poking her head in as well. Carla, Happy, and Panther Lily sat in front of Levy near an old book. Iggy wandered over as well.

Kai joined them, sitting in as Levy continued her story, or explanation, or whatever she was doing,

"Whatever this E.N.D. thing is, we have to be careful," Levy said. "According to this, it's Zeref's strongest demon, even more powerful than Lullaby and Deliora."

"How many demons does he have?" Lily asked.

"I don't know, it doesn't say," Levy said.

"What even are they? Some monsters he makes?"

"Depends," Levy said.

"From the sound of things, Zeref conjures these demons through various books," Carla said. "I'm sure Lullaby and Deliora had their own Book of Zeref, so to speak."

"It's an ancient form of summoning magic, and seems to be Zeref's thing," Levy said. "E.N.D. probably has a book of his own he can use to conjure it."

"So we need to take it," Natsu said.

"We don't even know where it is," Kai said.

"Oh yes we do," Natsu said, leering at Kai. "Remember what Warrod said? There's a guild out there that worships Zeref. You really think Tartaros wouldn't have this E.N.D. book?"

"We can't just storm Tartaros to get it back, though," Carla said.

"Oh yes, we can."

"Sure, why not?" Gajeel interjected. "I'm with Salamander on this one. We can go in there and knock some heads."

"Igneel couldn't beat E.N.D., so maybe this guy knows something about him," Natsu said. "It sounds like they were either close enemies or knew each other, so maybe this E.N.D. book mentions Igneel."

"Or Metallicana," Gajeel added.

"Or Grandeeney," Wendy added.

"Or Kairi," Kai added, to round them out.