Summary: Igneel demands Erza must free him for all of the help he's given. But in the end, the Great Dragon ends up attacking Fiore. And the only way a dragon can be stopped is at the hands of a Dragon Lord.

~ ~ ~

"Young sorceress," Igneel whispered fiercely. I could practically feel his rage, hot and fiery, lashing out uncontrollably.

I sat up in bed and rubbed the back of my head. The downfall of being a sorceress- anyone could speak into your head. I seriously needed to learn to block out voices.

I cracked open my door and peered into the main room of the apothecary. I had taken to sleeping in my makeshift bedroom a lot lately. Sleeping in the knight's quarters were kind of awkward, considering all the knights' that resided down the hall were male. Sweat and cuss words were far too much for my classy, magical self.

Just kidding.

I grabbed my sword from its sheath, wincing as metal ground on metal. Taking great care not to bang the weapon on any wooden furniture, I snuck past Porlyusica. I really hoped I didn't run into Jellal. I already felt bad about lying about having magic.

"You owe me...You owe me.." Igneel growled.

I froze.

My promise.

Of course.

I was conflicted about helping the dragon. He had helped me after all..

I walked down the steps, down to the underground cave.

Igneel was waiting.

"Why do you want to be free?" I asked.

"I have been down here for centuries! I am the last of my kind."

I sighed, feeling I would regret this.

"I brought my sword up and whispered. "Skytha."

The sword glowed.

Before I cut the great dragon free I whispered, "You'll leave Fiore, right? You won't attack anyone?"

The dragon stared at me and said, "I have no need to answer. Fulfill your promise, young sorceress."

I had no choice but to strike the chains of the dragon.

He roared and flew up, as high as the cave would allow him. He broke the rocks and flew free.

~ ~ ~

Mira Jane Strauss roamed the Inner Sector of Fiore, looking for some suitable new clothes. Minerva had given her some money and told her to treat herself.

Minerva's been acting weird since she's come back..

She entered a shop and looked around. Nothing good. But a pair of earrings caught her eye.

Those would suit Erza..

Suddenly the shopkeeper let out a yelp and rushed to the window.

Mira frowned and left the shop. People from the Outer Sector were screaming and yelling, banging on the gates of the Inner Sector, begging for the barrier to be opened.

Why?

Mira didn't know. But when she copied the others and looked up into the bright, blue sky, she saw her answer. 

It was a dragon.

And by the looks of it, it wasn't so friendly.

Mira screamed, dropped her basket and ran back to the castle.

~ ~ ~

"A dragon?" King Faust yelled, looking outside. "This is impossible! They are extinct!"

"And what's more, it looks like the Great Dragon," Porlyusica said.

I fidgeted nervously with the hem of my skirt. Igneel.

"We need to open the gates," Jellal said. "Let the people of the Outer Sector take shelter."

"Are you crazy?" Faust yelled, turning to his son.

"They matter just as much as the people from the Inner Sector," Siegrain said quietly.

"Let them in," Faust whispered.

Siegrain went with the guards to open the gate.

"Jellal," he said. "Take Wakaba and Gildarts out and slay the dragon."

Jellal nodded and left.

"Sire," Porlyusica said. "You need a Dragon Lord to control a dragon."

"We don't need to control it," the king said. "We need to kill it."

"But-"

"No!"

"Sire," Porlyusica said softly. "If you care for Fiore, for Lady Minerva, for your sons, for Queen Misaki.."

"Do not speak of Misaki," Faust whispered, his voice sad.

"Please."

The king hesitated. "I killed all of the Dragon Lords."

"We must find one, then. At least try."

~ ~ ~

"You did this," Porlyusica said. "Why?"

She spoke calmly, but I knew she was angry. Furious, even.

"I had to keep my promise."

"The Great Dragon was chained for a reason."

"And I suppose magic was banned for a reason too," I said. "Yet here I am, in the castle, protecting the Crown Prince."

The old woman said nothing.

One point for me.

"You need to find a Dragon Lord."

~ ~ ~

"Hold," Jellal said. The senior knight's huddled around him, crouched to the ground. Their weapons aloft. The dragon flew toward them.

"Hold."

The dragon flew faster, claws extended.

"Hold."

The knight's moved around nervously.

"For the love of Fiore!" Jellal yelled.

"For the love of Fiore!" they repeated.

"Attack!"

They lunged.

The dragon blew fire and the knights screamed.

"Move!" Jellal yelled, stabbing the sword. Nothing happened.

"Withdraw!"

The knights fled.

"Porlyusica is right," Jellal muttered. "We need to find a Dragon Lord."