Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 51 - The Sheep in Wolf's Clothing

"Come, my boy," Ivan Dreyar said, his arms outstretched. His words had a gross gurgle to them like they'd been sitting in his throat for years, perhaps since the last time Laxus saw his old man. "You know what it is I want."

"My power?" Laxus asked, arms folded. Makarov watched with an expression that resembled no interest but was, in actuality, probably a seething hatred. The rest of the Thunder Tribe remained outside, unaware of the situation.

"Your...association," Ivan said. "By now I'm sure you've heard of the dissolution, of sorts, that's befallen the Dragon Division of the Twilight Empire."

"Nope."

"Well," Ivan said with a sneer. "They've quite a vacuum. And I thought it befitting that the most powerful Dragon Slayer in Fiore is titled as such, properly. You are of their generation, those who remain, but have attained far greater power than they could ever fathom." Ivan curled one of his hands into a fist. "So what'd you say, Laxus? And you, father, you belong with those of your elite power. A Wizard Saint should not be mucking about with low lives."

"A Wizard Saint has a duty to protect those in need," Makarov said. "With such power, I will do so."

"And as sweet as it sounds to boss around those other Dragon Slayer jerk-offs, I'll pass," Laxus said. "What, you think by sweetening us up and getting us into a meeting room with people that'll kill us you'll gain some clout? Don't think so."

"You'll regret this," Ivan said.

Laxus waited a moment, as Ivan tensed. Perhaps he had some backup, some insurance that would get Makarov and Laxus to stick around. As it stood, if Ivan was alone, the Thunder Tribe would take care of him no problem the moment Laxus even intonated the thought.

"Tell me what became of the others who were here," Makarov said. "You were able to cast accurate illusions of some of their normal clothes, so you must have seen them. Where are they off to?"

"I wouldn't care to know," Ivan said.

"Why not hold them in one of your illusions, too?" Laxus asked.

Ivan shrugged. "Why waste my time with the likes of them?"

"Gildarts was among them," Makarov said. "I can't imagine he let you off lightly."

"Even Gildarts was stumped by my ability to be masked in an illusion. No, I wouldn't throw myself so lightly toward Clive, but—"

"He's lying, I bet he got his butt beat around by Cana or Max," Bickslow said with a sharp laugh.

Ivan silenced. Laxus grinned.

"Good for them," Laxus said. He approached daddy dearest, who hazarded some steps away. "Oh yeah. This weasel definitely got a beating."

"So what if I did?" Ivan asked.

"It means you're nothing but a peacock," Laxus said. He stopped a mere foot from his father.

This was the man who shoved a lacrima into his son to awaken latent magic, powerful magic. The man who weaponized a little boy, and set him on the path of completely alienating the only family that cared about him. This was the man who quit the guild, quit the family, and left Laxus to believe he'd done the wrong thing in staying behind.

This was the man who almost ruined his life.

"But I can't call you a coward," Laxus said. "Because at least, this time, you had the guts to show up alone."

"I don't fear children, nor whimpering old men," Ivan said.

"You fear August," Laxus said.

Ivan darted his eyes to Makarov, who nodded.