Fairy Tail - Eyes of Ice

Chapter 63 - Tartaros Pt. 7

Kairi's talon had fallen in such a broken way, but also in a way that lay near Kai. He used all of his remaining strength to crawl over to it, pulling himself through thick puddles of ice-cold mud and dirt. He daredn't even look at her body; he hardly could with all of the tears flooding his eyes.

At last, he reached the talon and just one of her claws with both of his hands. His body collapsed near her. It was possibly just as broken as her own. The tears slid down from his face freely and his chest ached so badly from all of the sobs at last escaping. He couldn't even speak.

"My son," she muttered. "Look at how wonderful you've become."

Kai shook his head. "I couldn't do what you said, Mom. I couldn't do what you asked of me, even though you thought I was ready."

Kairi reached out with her claw, stroking the side of Kai's face with it, though it was clear she used all of her own remaining power to do so.

"You will, Kai. You're alive yet. I know what it is you can do, now, and I see where you can go."

"Without you? Where can I go? What's the point?"

He pulled his gaze up and stared into the eyes of his mother; glazed over, but still with that ancient mystique that all dragons had.

And yet, despite the pain and the end coming, Kairi the Ice Dragon smiled at Kai.

"You can go to limitless places, for you have limitless potential, Kai. You will defeat Acnologia. I know you will. It was never my destiny to stop him but to prepare you for it. My life should have ended long, long ago. Now I can rest, and rest easily."

"Why do you have to go?" Kai asked, gripping the talon even tighter. "You haven't met more of my friends. I—I'm going to marry someone, Mom, and you haven't even met her!"

"I've seen her, through you. She is so lovely, Kai, and she's perfect for you. I do wish to see the happiness of such a bond come to you. Perhaps I will, from whatever lay next for me. I'm sorry I'll never properly meet her."

"You can. Just hang on, Mom. I—Wendy! Wendy can heal you!"

"Grandeeny's daughter?" Kairi almost let out another laugh. "Is she part of your family and guild, too? Oh, that is wonderful to hear that you've all found one another again." Kairi's eyes started to close again. "A family that I've put in danger, haven't I?"

"Don't talk like that, Mom, please..."

"I'm sorry, Kai, for what I've done to you. For the missions that I have placed upon your shoulders."

Kai shook his head. Clover Town came to mind, and how he'd abandoned his family then. He thought of asking Kairi if she remembered saving him back then, too, but pushed the thought aside. What good came of talking about that time now? It didn't matter.

"I'm sorry I almost created a monster out of you."

Kai braced himself against Kairi's talon, holding it so tightly in his embrace.

Kairi continued, "You lived a life fueled by vengeance and a need for power. I never sought that for you, my son. I wanted you to know love and to know what it is to be a dragon, full of grace and beauty and true, magnificent power fueled by the wonder that is magic. I did not want to create a monster. I entered your soul to protect you from the darkness that consumed Acnologia, and yet I almost fed you into it."

"But you didn't!" Kai cried. "Mom, please, please!" He could barely speak, his words fumbled out of him between heavy sobs.

Kairi hummed, the thrumming of her voice filling Kai's heart not with sadness but with...love.