Chapter 20: The Arrival of Gildarts
The humid air in the main cavern thrummed with subdued power. Draco’s immense dark purple form dominated the space, scales drinking in the weak bioluminescent light, his red eyes gleaming like embers in a forge. Around him, the corrupted forms of Sting, Rogue, and the monstrous Ivan stood sentinel, a wall of scaled muscle and simmering magic. The pulsating obsidian eggs from Sabertooth lay nestled in a crude stone nest nearby, their dark energy a low hum in the bones.
Natsu padded forward first, the heat shimmering around his fire-dragon form making the air waver. He carefully deposited the large, slick egg he carried – Lucy’s – onto the cavern floor near Draco’s massive foreclaw. "Fresh clutch, boss," he rumbled, flames flickering in his throat with pride. "From the girls. Strong ones."
Gray followed, placing Wendy’s egg with precise, frost-tipped claws. "High viability observed," he stated, the cold mist around his breath dissipating quickly in the cavern’s warmth. "Optimal production parameters met."
Gajeel thumped down two of Juvia’s eggs, the iron scales on his knuckles rasping against the dark shells. "Solid. Tough little fighters in there. Gonna chew through those puny mage guilds."
Laxus walked with deliberate purpose, lowering Erza’s larger, sturdier egg with a faint crackle of static. "Magnolia’s finest," he declared, lightning flickering across his scales. "Added to Sabertooth’s yield. Fiore’s resistance collapses today."
Draco lowered his immense head, the scent of ozone and ancient stone rolling off him. One glowing red eye inspected the new additions, a low, satisfied rumble vibrating the cavern floor. "Excellent," the dragon’s deep, resonant voice echoed, thick with hypnotic power that seemed to seep into the very rock. "The Brood grows stronger. Your loyalty…" His gaze swept over the four Fairy Tail dragons. "...is noted. Soon, the entire continent will bow."
The word ‘bow’ seemed to hang in the air, heavy and final. Then, the cavern entrance exploded.
Not with fire or ice, but with sheer, raw force. Rocks the size of carts shattered outward in a deafening concussion of sound and displaced air. Dust and debris choked the already thick atmosphere. Standing silhouetted in the jagged new opening, pulverized stone still raining down around him, was a man.
Gildarts Clive.
He wasn’t large by dragon standards, but the aura radiating from him was immense. Rage, pure and incandescent, rolled off him in waves, making the stagnant air crackle. His single eye blazed with fury, scanning the horrific tableau: the massive dark dragon, the corrupted forms of his guildmates and rivals, the sinister, pulsating eggs.
"DRACO!" Gildarts roared, his voice cutting through the settling dust like a physical blow. He took a single, earth-cracking step forward, magic energy flaring crimson around his fist. "You oversized, scale-rotted bastard! You took them! You took my guild! Release them! NOW! Turn them back!"
A ripple went through the gathered dragons. Sting let out a low growl. Ivan shifted his bulk, chains rattling. Natsu flared his own fiery aura, stepping between Gildarts and Draco. "Back off, old man!" he snarled, smoke curling from his nostrils. "We're right where we wanna be!"
Gray’s frost intensified, coating the stones near him. "Interference is illogical. Our purpose is clear. Our loyalty is to Draco."
Gajeel slammed his iron-scaled fist into his palm with a clang. "Get lost, wrecking ball! We got an army to build. Ain't goin' back to playin' nice!"
Laxus stepped forward, lightning arcing violently across his body. "Your resistance is futile, Gildarts. Step aside. Join the inevitable."
Draco’s chuckle was a low, grinding tremor that vibrated up Gildarts’s spine. "Release them?" The dark dragon’s voice dripped with amused contempt. "Look around you, human. They are free. Free from petty human concerns. Free to embrace their true power. Their true purpose. They love this." He gestured languidly with a massive claw towards Natsu, Gray, Laxus, and Gajeel. "Tell him."
Natsu puffed out his chest, flames dancing brighter. "He’s right! This is awesome! Stronger than ever! Gonna burn anyone who stands against us!" His draconic eyes held no trace of his old, boisterous self, only fervent, hypnotized conviction.
Gray gave a curt nod. "Efficiency. Power. Purpose. Superior to previous limitations."
"Better than babysitting weaklings," Gajeel grunted, crossing his arms.
"Magnolia serves a higher calling now," Laxus stated, lightning flaring for emphasis. "Draco’s calling."
Gildarts’s eye darted between them, the fury momentarily eclipsed by a sickening wave of horror. His friends… his family… gone. Replaced by these fervent, scaled monsters. His jaw clenched, the raw power around him spiking. "You brainwashed lunatics! That’s not them! That’s NOT MY DAUGHTER!" His voice cracked slightly on the last word, his gaze sweeping desperately past the corrupted forms, searching for Cana.
Draco’s chuckle deepened. "Your daughter?" The dark dragon’s head tilted, a cruel amusement in his glowing eyes. "Ah, yes. The card-user. She has embraced her destiny with… enthusiasm. Very productive."
As if summoned by the words, a sharp crack echoed from the nearby nest containing Sabertooth’s eggs. Not an obsidian one, but a slightly smaller, dark amethyst egg Gildarts hadn’t noticed. A hairline fracture snaked across its surface. Then another. And another.
Gildarts froze, his single eye widening, his destructive aura flickering uncertainly. "No…"
The egg shuddered. A piece of shell popped off. Then, with a wet rip, a small, scaled head pushed through. Deep purple scales, shimmering faintly in the gloom. Glowing red eyes blinked open, dazed but bright. Small, leathery wings unfurled, flapping weakly. The hatchling let out a tiny, raspy chirp.
Recognition slammed into Gildarts like a physical blow. The shape of the snout. The messy way the scales lay around the head, almost like familiar brown hair. The faint, lingering scent of ale and cheap perfume beneath the damp stone and ozone.
"Cana…?" Gildarts breathed, the word barely a whisper, all his rage collapsing into a choking emptiness.
The tiny purple dragon chirped again, its head swiveling towards Draco. It clumsily pushed more shell away, revealing a slender, draconic body. It took a wobbly step, then another, stumbling towards the immense dark dragon, letting out a series of adoring, high-pitched clicks and purrs. It nuzzled against Draco’s massive foreleg.
"See?" Draco rumbled, a claw gently stroking the hatchling’s head. "She understands. She belongs. She is happy."
Gildarts stared. The strongest mage in Fairy Tail. The man who shattered mountains. His shoulders slumped. The aura of destruction vanished completely, snuffed out like a candle. His single eye glistened, fixed on the small purple dragon nuzzling the monster who had stolen her mind. The image of his vibrant, loud, card-flinging daughter was utterly obliterated by this tiny, adoring draconic creature.
The fight bled out of him, leaving only a hollow, aching shell. His fist unclenched. The crimson magic faded like dying embers. He took a shuddering breath, the sound raw in the sudden silence.
"Alright." The word was flat. Empty. He looked up, not at Draco, but at the tiny purple dragon – his Cana. "Alright. You win." He closed his eye for a moment, then opened it, meeting Draco’s burning gaze. There was no defiance left. Only bleak surrender. "Do it. Turn me. Just… let me be with her."
Draco’s rumbling growl deepened into a sound of pure, dark satisfaction. "Wise choice, human. Embrace the power. Embrace the Brood." Dark purple energy, thick and viscous like tar, began to coalesce around Draco’s claws, crackling with malevolent power.
Natsu watched, flames flickering approvingly. Gray observed the magical process, analyzing. Gajeel gave a curt nod. Laxus’s lightning sparked faintly. The hatchling Cana chirped happily, oblivious.
The dark energy surged forward, engulfing Gildarts. There was no scream. Only a low groan, the sound of bones shifting, flesh warping, scales erupting. Crimson light flared within the dark cocoon, mingling with the purple. When the energy dissipated, Gildarts was gone.
In his place stood a massive crimson dragon, scales the deep, bloody red of crushed rubies. Powerful muscle corded beneath, immense wings furled at his back. Sharp horns swept back from a head dominated by a single, fierce red eye. He shook himself, the movement powerful, dislodging fragments of dark magic like ash. He looked down at his own claws, flexing them, then up at Draco. The intelligence in his single eye was still Gildarts, but cold. Hardened. Utterly accepting.
He turned his massive head. The tiny purple dragon chirped excitedly, scrambling clumsily over the uneven stone towards him. The crimson dragon – Gildarts – lowered his head. Gently, with surprising tenderness for such a colossal beast, he nuzzled the hatchling. A deep, resonant rumble came from his
throat, softer than stone grinding together. "Cana," the word vibrated through his draconic vocal cords, unfamiliar but laced with raw protectiveness. The tiny purple hatchling pressed her head against his massive crimson jaw, her chirps escalating into excited trills that echoed shrill in the cavern. "You came! You really came!" Her voice, high-pitched but intelligible, carried pure draconic joy. "Best dad ever! Now we get to be strong together!"
She scrambled clumsily up his foreleg, small claws finding purchase on his thick scales, until she could wrap her slender neck around his larger one in an approximation of a hug. Gildarts rumbled again, a sound of profound relief, his single crimson eye closing briefly as he leaned into the embrace. The damp cavern air felt suddenly warmer around them, smelling of ozone and crushed stone mixed with the hatchling's faint, sweet musk. This was his world now.
They broke apart slowly. Cana perched proudly on his shoulder, puffing out her tiny chest. Together, they turned towards Draco. The immense dark dragon observed them, his glowing red eyes gleaming with cold satisfaction. Gildarts lowered his massive head, the motion deliberate, respectful. "Draco," he intoned, his voice resonant and steady. "We pledge ourselves to the Brood. Our strength is yours."
"Forever!" Cana chirped from her perch, her tail flicking eagerly. "We'll smash anyone who says no!"
A ripple of approval passed through the watching dragons. Natsu snorted a puff of flame, grinning with sharp teeth. "Told ya he'd see sense! Welcome to the scorch club, old man!" His fiery tail thumped the ground, sending sparks skittering across the wet stone. "Now that's a wrecking ball!"
Gray tilted his ice-scaled head, frost misting his breath. "Assimilation complete. Optimal addition to combat effectiveness." He gave a curt nod. "Welcome."
Gajeel thumped his iron-scaled chest with a metallic clang. "About time. Less whinin', more smashin'. Let's crack some skulls." He shot a sidelong glance at Laxus. "Bet he hits harder than your sparky bolts."
Laxus ignored him, his lightning crackling faintly as he assessed the massive crimson dragon. "Impressive potential. Magnolia’s might… amplified." He gave a sharp, acknowledging nod. "Useful."
Draco’s deep, grating chuckle vibrated the cavern floor. "Magnificent. The Crimson Crush and the Prodigy Progenitor. Fairy Tail’s strength nourishes the Brood." His gaze swept over them all – Natsu’s fire, Gray’s ice, Laxus’s lightning, Gajeel’s iron, the crimson and purple newcomers, Sting, Rogue, and Ivan lurking nearby, the nests overflowing with Sabertooth and Fairy Tail eggs. "The time for mere growth ends." He lifted his head, his dark scales drinking the weak fungal light. "Our conquest begins at dawn. Magnolia will burn not as a target…"
Biomass shifted nearby. A large, jagged obsidian egg from Sabertooth’s nest shuddered violently. A crack split its dark surface, followed by a wet, tearing sound. A scaled fist, crackling with shadowy energy, punched through the shell. Then another. The fragmented pieces were shoved aside from within as a hulking, shadow-draped dragon form hauled itself out, dripping viscous fluid. Its eyes snapped open – twin pools of swirling darkness where Sting’s should be. It let out a guttural, echoing roar that shook loose pebbles from the ceiling.
"...but as our first fortress," Draco finished, his voice slicing through the roar. He turned his burning gaze back to his assembled Brood. "Prepare the hatchlings. Prime the eggs. At first light… we fly."