Vivi let out a sigh as she glanced over at the others to see they were all out cold still.
"Do you think it's almost nighttime?" Vivi asked softly, so as not to wake their sleeping friends.
"Close." Gray said as he looked up at the roof of the cave.
Vivi let out a soft breath as she stared forward at Deliora.
The ground then suddenly started shaking rather hard, which woke up the others.
"What's that weird noise?" Lucy asked as she woke up.
"Is it night yet?!" Natsu demanded as he sat up quickly.
A purple beam of light shot down onto the frozen form of Deliora, which had the group jumping onto their feet.
"It's a beam of light." Lucy said.
"Shining down from the ceiling." Natsu added.
"But why is it purple?" Gray asked. "It must be moonlight."
"What's going on?" Happy asked, trembling. "I'm getting scared, Gray."
Vivi knelt down to scoop Happy into her arms, and the small feline hugged up to her.
"So, those people are using the moonlight to melt the ice it would seem." Vivi said. "Or they're trying to."
And it would seem that they've been somewhat successful since water was dripping off the ice containing Deliora.
"We need to go." Gray said. "We have to find out where the light is coming from."
"Aye!" Happy agreed.
All five of them quickly left the cave, and found a set of stairs that took them higher and higher through the temple. They made it to one level to see another magic circle that was glowing with purple light.
"Why would someone cast a magic circle inside this old temple?" Gray asked.
"Let's find out." Natsu said.
They went to the next set of stairs that took them to the very top of the temple. There they found a circle of people in full robes chanting to the moon, which was bringing in the purple moonlight. The group quickly hid behind some rubble.
"The moon." Gray murmured.
"It looks like those robe freaks are chanting something to collect the moonlight like Vivi thought they were." Natsu said.
"Yeah, to shine on Deliora." Lucy added. "But what for?"
Vivi frowned wishing she hadn't been right. She didn't like the thought of a demon known for destruction being woken up after being frozen for so long. It'd probably be cranky and hungry, and they'd all suffer for it.
"It's a dispelling spell called Moon Drip."
Vivi blinked in confusion at the new voice then turned her head to see…Lyra was still here? Didn't she leave a while ago?
"What are you still doing here?!" Lucy growled.
Lyra didn't even bat an eyelash at Lucy's annoyance, which made Vivi wonder if any of Lucy's spirits actually noticed when their owner was annoyed with them. Or perhaps they just got so used to it that it doesn't faze them anymore.
"I see, that's what they're trying to do." Lyra said.
"Okay, Tease, fill us in." Lucy said.
Vivi nodded in agreement since she wanted to know what exactly was going on. She was hoping her theory wasn't right.
"They're using the Moon Drip spell to melt the ice around that demon underground, so that they can resurrect it." Lyra explained.
"What?" Natsu and Vivi hissed.
If that demon was revived, who knew what kind of damage it could cause to not only this island but the mainland as well if it ever got that far.
"They can't!" Gray whisper-yelled. "Ice used in an Iced Shell can't be melted."
"I'm sorry to say, but that's not exactly true." Lyra said. "While the ice used in Iced Shell is strong it can be melted by the Moon Drip. Focused moonlight can break any magical spell."
"Oh, no." Happy murmured.
He climbed into Vivi's lap for comfort, and the bluenette hugged Happy to ease him.
"Those idiots have never witnessed the wrath of Deliora!" Gray snapped.
Vivi placed one of her hands on his shoulder, and he tried to relax his body when he felt her supportive touch.
"I think what the islanders think of as a curse against them might actually be side effects of the Moon Drip." Lyra continued. "Concentrated moon energy can contaminate the body. I'm afraid these islanders have been exposed to too much of it."
"I'll make them pay." Natsu growled.
He went to move, but Lucy told him to hold it as she took a cheap shot to his face. Natsu fell backwards into Vivi and Happy.
"Someone's coming this way." Lucy said.
Vivi and Happy, who were helping Natsu sit up, looked up as some guy in armor and those weirdos from earlier came into view.
"What a waste." That Yuka guy said. "I lost so much precious sleep for nothing. We searched all day for those intruders, but found no trace of them."
"Maybe there wasn't any!" Toby, who had been sleep walking, snapped.
Vivi frowned really thinking someone needed to muzzle that dog if he kept snapping.
"I would have tracked them just fine if you three hadn't interfered." Turiel pointed out.
Yuka frowned at her as Toby took a snap towards her. Turiel ignored them both while not even batting an eyelash.
"I'm afraid we have some sad news, Cold Emperor." The weirdo love girl, Sherry, said. "We thought that we had some intruders during the day, but it seems as if they got away somehow. I cannot speak of love in this situation."
Lucy and Vivi exchanged a glance while both mentally agreeing that they were glad to not be friends with a love girl.
"Intruders?" The man asked.
Gray stiffened while pretty sure he recognized the voice of the man under the metal helmet.
"So, he's their leader, huh?" Natsu murmured.
Vivi nodded while already planning to go for him first. Once a leader is taken out of commission the flunkies always panic, which would make it easier to take them out.
"He's trying to act all high and mighty wearing that stupid looking mask." Lucy said.
"I don't know." Happy whispered. "I think it looks kind of cool."
Vivi chuckled softly as she patted Happy on top of his head while the feline admired the Cold Emperor's metal mask.
"Has Deliora been awakened yet?" He asked.
"It should be later tonight or tomorrow." Sherry assured the Cold Emperor.
"Which one, girl?!" Toby demanded.
Yeah, that doggy really needs to be muzzled. His outbursts were starting to really bug Vivi.
"The time has almost come." The Cold Emperor said. "If you see those intruders again, kill them. I don't want anyone getting in my way."
Whoa, talk about cold. Vivi then noticed that Gray was practically shaking, which had her looking at him in worry.
"They must have been villagers." Sherry said. "They're the only other people on this island."
"Then destroy the village." The Cold Emperor ordered.
"The entire village?" Turiel asked though was ignored
His other three flunkies were too quick to accept his order, which had Vivi's gut churning. This is why she hated dark mages. They don't care who gets hurt as long as they get what they want.
"What?" Natsu hissed.
"But the villagers had nothing to do with this." Lucy said.
Vivi frowned because this was their fault. It was them that came here, not the villagers. She couldn't let them pay for what she and her friends have done.
"Yeah, we gotta stop him." Natsu growled.
"It's a shame there has to be bloodshed." The Cold Emperor said.
He then smirked, which showed he obviously didn't care if innocent bystanders were hurt or worse. Vivi shook in anger. She really, really hated dark mages.
"That voice." Gray murmured, which caught her attention. "It can't be."
Natsu jumped up suddenly from their hiding place, and to say Vivi wasn't surprised was an understatement.
"I've had enough of this sneaking about business." Natsu said then collected fire into his mouth.
He let out a ball of fire into the air as Vivi stood up guessing there was no point in hiding now.
"If it wasn't already obvious, your intruders are right here, and we're not villagers." Vivi said casually as if discussing the weather.
"Yeah!" Natsu agreed.
Lucy stared at the two of them with her mouth hanging open in shock. Why the hell did they do that for?!
"Geez, I guess there's no turning back now, huh?" Lucy asked, reaching for her keys.
"I want to help out too!" Lyra said excitedly. "Want me to sing?"
Lucy hung her head as the vein in her forehead pulsed vigorously due to her annoyance.
"No, I want you to go back." Lucy said.
"Awe, you're no fun." Lyra whined.
Lyra disappeared back to the spirit world as the villains then noticed the mark on Natsu's shoulder. As Sherry gasped, a trumpet came to Vivi's hand.
"I know that mark." Sherry said. "They're from Fairy Tail."
"Interesting." Yuka muttered. "Those villagers must have gone to the magical guilds for help."
And Vivi was going to make sure they got the best help that they could get since Fairy Tail was on the job.
"Don't worry about them." The Cold Emperor said. "Go eradicate the village."
Vivi's eyes widened as Natsu and Lucy asked the Cold Emperor why he still wanted to hurt the village. Vivi didn't understand herself. He had the intruders, which were them, right in front of him. He didn't need to hurt the villages.
"Anyone who stands in my way whether deliberately or not is my enemy." The Cold Emperor said.
"Say WHAT?!" Natsu demanded.
"That's some pretty messed up logic, Man." Vivi said.
"I have to agree with the Fairy Tail wizards." Turiel said, tilting her head. "Those villagers are not in our way. If they were a threat by themselves, they wouldn't need to call for help."
Well, at least one of them was logical and not completely cold-blooded. The Cold Emperor just turned to glare at Turiel, but the ginger-haired woman didn't seem that frightened.
"You should listen to your comrade!" Vivi said.
Natsu nodded in agreement then rushed forward, but Gray overtook him. He looked really, really pissed off.
"Why you!" He frowned then jumped into the air as he formed ice in his hand. "Stop this crazy ceremony right now!"
He slammed his hands to the ground with ice shooting out across it towards the villains while getting bigger as it went. The Cold Emperor jumped into the air and then used the same magic as Gray only with one hand as he landed on the ground with his hand slamming down. Vivi gasped with the others in surprise at the attacks hit therefore cancelling each other out.
"He's an ice wizard too?!" Happy asked in disbelief.
Vivi frowned in concern as she caught the livid expression on Gray's face as he glared at the Cold Emperor.
"Lyon." Gray growled.
His friends all stiffened in surprise when realizing that Gray knew the man behind the mask.
"How could you?" Gray asked. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"
The man across from Gray merely smirked as if he found Gray's anger towards him amusing.
"Oh, Gray, it's been quite a while, hasn't it?" The Cold Emperor, or rather Lyon, asked pleasantly .
"Why would you try to revive Deliora?" Gray demanded.
Lyon ignored Gray's question once more as he gave Gray and his team a sweep to see what exactly he was up against. He almost wanted to laugh since they didn't seem like much. As if knowing that he was judging them, Vivi glared at the guy while ready to kick his ass.
"To think you were one of the wizards called to this island to help those poor villagers." Lyon mocked. "Did you come knowing you would find me? Or is this just mere coincidence? Not that it makes any difference to me."
Gray just continued to glare at Lyon while feeling his anger growing with every passing second.
"An acquaintance of yours, Cold Emperor?" Yuka asked as Toby made growling noises.
"Do as you were ordered." Lyon said smoothly. "I can handle the intruders on my own."
"Yes, sir!" They all but Turiel said.
They all started to leave with Yuka and Toby dragging Turiel with them then disappeared in a flash, and Vivi growled knowing she couldn't let them get away.
"Vivi!" Natsu shouted.
"Right!" Vivi said.
The two started running forward while ready to kick Lyon's ass, so to go after the other four.
"Vivi, Natsu, no!" Gray shouted. "Don't go near him!"
It was too late. Lyon cast an icy spell that started freezing both Natsu and Vivi. However, Vivi whirled around him to start heading back towards the village, which was the plan all along.
"You going to be okay, Natsu?!" Vivi called over her shoulder though kept going.
"Yeah, keep going!" Natsu shouted despite the situation.
Vivi looked over her shoulder at Gray who watched her go. She gave him a parting grin.
"Don't look so worried, Gray!" She said. "I'll be back. Happy, grab Lucy! Time to move!"
"Aye!" Happy shouted, grabbing the blonde to take up in the air. "See you back at the village!"
Those two went off into the air towards the village as Vivi took the jungle route. While she wanted to stay at the boys' sides, the defenseless villagers came first.
"You two better be okay when we get back." Vivi said under her breath.