Ur's Ceremony

Gray looked in disbelief at the shattered ice beneath him. The voice that had just appeared in his mind belonged to his master, Ur.

"Ur, is that you?"

"..."

Only silence answered Gray, yet the fragments of ice in his hand flickered with light from time to time.

Gray poured Magic Power into the shattered ice, and a pale blue energy entered his body.

Gray slowly opened his eyes.

"I understand, Ur."

Up above, Lyon felt that he had already dealt with Gray and decided to take care of Natsu and the others as well.

Just then, the temperature in the space suddenly dropped several more degrees. Even Lyon felt a chill, and within that chill was a faintly familiar sensation.

"Ur?"

"Impossible. That woman has been gone for so long. How could it be her?"

At that moment, a figure swiftly rushed up through the opening.

When Lyon saw who it was, his expression turned grave. Gray was now covered in a thin layer of snow, with a terrifying chill radiating from his body.

Lyon said solemnly, "What did you do? Why do you have... her presence on you?"

Gray said nothing and merely walked toward Lyon one step at a time.

Lyon's expression grew even more serious, and a sense of unease gradually rose in his heart.

"Hmph! You're just putting on an act."

Lyon once again controlled the Ice Dragon and sent it charging toward Gray.

Gray stopped walking and pressed both hands against the ice.

"Ice Modeling: Dragon Binding Rope!"

Chains suddenly rose from the ice Lyon had created, wrapping themselves around the diving Ice Dragon.

Lyon was slightly shocked. "You actually altered my creation? How could someone like you possibly be capable of that?!"

"They're just chains. How could they possibly trap my dragon!"

As he spoke, Lyon increased his Magic Power output. Covered in Magic Power, the Ice Dragon became even more violent, twisting its body incessantly in an attempt to break free from the chains binding it.

Yet no matter how the Ice Dragon struggled, it could not break free. The chains even froze directly into its body.

"Damn it! Do you think my Ice Dragon only has this much power?!"

As he spoke, Lyon appeared beneath the Ice Dragon. A powerful surge of Magic Power erupted, and a magic circle appeared in the Ice Dragon's mouth.

"Dancing with Dragons!"

Gradually, Lyon realized that he was losing control of the Ice Dragon. The magic circle before its mouth slowly dissipated as well.

Before long, more and more ice began to form over the Ice Dragon's body. Its movements grew weaker and weaker until the entire Ice Dragon was frozen solid.

Lyon stared at it in shock. "Impossible! How is this possible? How could someone like you freeze my ice?!"

Gray slowly spoke. "This is the power Ur gave me."

"Don't worry. It's only temporary. Ur wanted me to make you bastard come to your senses!"

"Ice Modeling: Ceremony of the West Seat!"

Gray gathered the ice energy carrying Ur's will into his fist and slammed it viciously into Lyon's face.

Lyon was knocked straight to the ground, and a flood of memories instantly surged into his mind—memories belonging to the three of them.

Tears slowly began to fall despite himself. Lyon felt it all in disbelief.

The obsession in Lyon's heart was slowly fading away.

Seeing this, Lucy and the others knew that it should be over. Only Natsu looked thoroughly unhappy.

"Ahhh!! So this was an S-Class Mission? I barely even got to fight, and it's already over?!"

Hearing Natsu's words, Lucy also found it strange. The difficulty of this S-Class Mission had been far too low.

With Gray supporting him, Lyon came over to the group.

"What mission are you talking about?"

Just then, the entire cave began to shake violently.

Lucy cried out, "What's happening? What happened now?!"

Lyon suddenly thought of something.

"Oh no! Deliora is going to awaken!"

Gray shouted, "What?! Isn't everything over already?!"

"Once this process begins, it won't stop! Even without anyone here, it would only collect energy more slowly!"

The group hurried down to the bottom level, where chunks of ice sealing Deliora were falling away one after another.

Lyon said, "No! This isn't melting. Ur's seal is breaking!"

Gray instantly realized something. He looked at Deliora with a grave expression and immediately began circulating his Magic Power without the slightest hesitation.

The moment Lyon sensed Gray's magic fluctuations, he knew what spell it was.

"Gray, are you crazy?! Are you trying to sacrifice yourself?!"

Hearing Lyon's words, everyone stared at Gray in shock.

Gray shouted, "I won't let this monster come out and do evil again! For Ur!"

Just as the spell was about to activate, Ye Yang, who had remained silent beside them all this time, finally moved.

"Bang!"

Ye Yang kicked Gray straight to the ground, instantly dispersing his magic.

Gray shouted angrily, "Ye Yang, what are you doing?!"

Ye Yang paid no attention to Gray's anger.

"It's only one of Zeref's Demons. Why would you treat your life so cheaply?"

"Did you forget everything I just told you? As long as I'm not dead, none of you have the right to die before me."

At that moment, Deliora burst straight through the ice. Powerful energy rapidly gathered around its mouth, and the enormous energy fluctuations shook the entire cave violently.

A powerful blast of energy shot forth. Facing the wave of energy before him, Ye Yang showed no panic whatsoever.

"You're nothing more than an empty shell that's been worn away. Do you really have to make such a show of yourself?"

"Heavenly Cloud Sword!"

"Shoot him down, divine sword!"

Ye Yang's Light Saber instantly extended, piercing straight through Deliora's energy blast and stabbing directly through Deliora's chest.

Gradually, the energy dissipated. Everyone watched as Deliora, pierced through by the Light Saber, stood motionless in place.

Lucy said, "Is it... over...?"

Gray and Lyon stared in utter disbelief. Deliora, which their master had sealed at the cost of her life, had been dealt with so easily by Ye Yang.

Ye Yang spoke. "Haven't you noticed yet?"

"Hmm?!" Everyone was confused.

"Deliora died long ago. During the ten years it was sealed by your master, this Demon's immortal body had already been worn away. Your master was a great wizard."

"What you just saw from Deliora was merely its final flicker of life."

Ye Yang withdrew his Light Saber. Cracks continuously spread from Deliora's chest, and before long, they had covered its entire body.

"Bang!"

Deliora instantly shattered into fragments of ice crystals that drifted through the air.

Lyon and Gray both knelt down, bidding farewell to their master.

"Thank you, Master!!"