The early morning on Galuna Island was shrouded in a thin mist, enveloping the lush mountains and forests.
The rising sun cast golden rays upon the land, dispelling the chill of the night.
But deep within the island, the faint, ethereal evil emanating from the direction of the Moon God Temple was like a stubborn shadow, flickering in and out of sight in the morning light, bringing with it an lingering coldness.
Gray walked in front, his steps steady. He wore a dark blue, fitted outfit that outlined his lean physique, and his ice-blue short hair swayed slightly in the morning breeze.
The lines of his profile were stern, his thin lips pressed together. His ice-blue eyes stared straight ahead at the winding mountain path, deep as a cold pool, as if holding ten thousand years of unmelting frost, yet faintly burning with a suppressed flame.
Juvia followed closely behind, her aqua-blue long hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders, swaying gently with her steps.
She looked at Gray's silent and resolute back, her large, sapphire-like eyes filled with worry and an indescribable flutter.
The mountain path was rugged, and morning dew dampened the grass. All around was silent, save for the sound of their footsteps and the occasional bird song.
"Lord Gray," Juvia spoke softly, breaking the silence as she walked beside Gray, "Are you… okay?"
She looked at Gray's tightly furrowed brow and slightly pale profile.
Gray's steps paused slightly, but he did not turn around, merely giving a low, faint "Mm."
Juvia mustered her courage and continued, "Is that 'Deliora' particularly important to you?"
She chose her words carefully.
Gray was silent for a few seconds.
The mountain wind blew, bringing the fresh scent of grass and trees, and a hint of the salty sea air.
Just as Juvia thought Gray would not answer, his deep, icy voice resonated, carrying a chill as if from the distant past: "Deliora… it killed my parents."
Juvia clapped her hand over her mouth, her pupils contracting sharply!
"When I was very young,"
Gray's voice was terrifyingly calm, as if he were recounting someone else's story, but the coldness hidden beneath that calm made Juvia feel a chill to her bones.
"It appeared in my hometown, a small village in the north."
"That day, it was very cold, just like now." Gray's gaze seemed to pierce through time and space.
"That monster… descended from the sky."
"Its massive body blotted out the sun."
"It just casually swung its claws, spewing flames."
"Houses were torn apart like paper."
"Fields turned into a sea of fire."
"People screamed, fled, then became minced meat, or were burned to ashes."
Gray's voice trembled slightly, but quickly regained its iciness.
"My parents hid me in the fireplace, and they stood in front of the door."
"I saw it, Deliora's claws, piercing through their bodies."
"Blood splattered on the snow, like blooming red plum blossoms."
"Then, everything went quiet."
"Only the sound of burning flames and the monster's roar remained."
Juvia's tears fell silently. She looked at Gray's back, as if seeing the little boy hiding in the fireplace, witnessing his parents' tragic deaths, trembling with fear and hatred.
"I survived," Gray's voice carried a hint of imperceptible hoarseness, "rescued by a passing Mage."
"But hatred coiled in my heart like a venomous snake."
"I had only one thought: become stronger, take revenge, kill Deliora!"
"I searched everywhere for powerful Mages, and finally became a disciple of Ur."
"Ur, my master, she was very strong, and also very gentle." A hint of warmth flashed in Gray's eyes, but was immediately replaced by deeper pain.
"She taught me Ice Make magic, taught me how to control my power."
"I thought as long as I was strong enough, I could take revenge with my own hands."
"Until one day, I heard that Deliora had appeared again, rampaging in the northern snowfield."
"I wanted revenge too much." Gray's voice deepened, filled with deep self-reproach.
"I found a forbidden magic scroll that Master had collected, Absolute Zero."
"It was a magic that required the caster to turn themselves into eternal ice to seal the enemy, a mutual destruction spell."
"At that time, my eyes were blinded by hatred. I felt that as long as I could kill Deliora, sacrificing my life didn't matter."
"I secretly learned it."
"Then I rushed recklessly towards the snowfield where Deliora was."
"But I was too weak," Gray's voice was filled with bitterness and helplessness.
"Deliora was too strong."
"I couldn't even get close to it."
"The storms it casually stirred up could blow me away."
"The cold air it exhaled could freeze my blood."
"I tried my best, but couldn't even harm a hair on its body."
"Just as I was despairing, Master arrived with Lyon."
"Master wanted to take me away, she wanted to save me."
"But how could I leave?! My enemy was right in front of me!"
"I refused to leave, even if it meant death."
"Lyon, that idiot," Gray's voice carried a complex emotion, anger, and also a hint of nostalgia.
"He had always blindly idolized Master's power; he thought Master could definitely defeat Deliora."
"To force Master to act, he actually rushed towards Deliora himself! He also wanted to use Absolute Zero!"
"That fool!"
Gray clenched his fists.
"Master, she had no choice."
"She could only first freeze Lyon, stopping him."
"But Deliora had already been attracted by us."
"It was looking over."
"Master knew that with the two of us, she couldn't escape."
Gray's voice choked.
He stopped, his back to Juvia, his shoulders trembling slightly.
"She looked at me and said, 'Gray, let me seal the darkness in your heart.'"
Gray's voice was deep and hoarse, as if he had used all his strength.
"Then she pushed me to a safe place."
"She turned and faced the monster."
"Her back was so firm, so resolute."
"Her last words to me were: 'Don't tell Lyon I turned into ice.'"
"'That child is too stubborn. If he knew the truth, he would definitely try to save me at all costs, and it would ruin his life.'"
"'Gray, Lyon,'"
"'I hope you both can see a broader world.'"
"Then, light swallowed everything."
"Master transformed into eternal ice crystals, sealing Deliora."
Gray's voice fell completely silent.
On the mountain path, only the howling wind and Juvia's suppressed sobs remained.
After a long time, Gray slowly turned around.
There were no tears on his face, but his ice-blue eyes were filled with deep sorrow and a calm born from enduring hardship.
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