Chapter 25: Frost’s Grasp

The mountains loomed in the distance, their jagged peaks shrouded in a heavy mist. A biting wind tore at their clothes as the group advanced, each step crunching in the snow. The air was thin, colder than anything Cael had felt in his life, yet the feeling didn't seem to faze the others—except for Mira. She walked a little behind, her hands wrapped tightly around her cloak, her gaze distant. She didn't speak, and the silence that followed her only made Cael more aware of the burden she carried.

Cael glanced back once, catching her eyes. She gave him a small, forced smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. He wanted to say something, to offer her comfort, but the truth was that he didn't know how. Not yet. Her trauma was something deeper than just battle wounds, and it would take time before she could face it. Until then, the others would carry the weight of this mission.

Gray, Natsu, and Lucy were at the front, discussing strategies as they trudged through the snow. Cael lingered in the back, watching over Mira, though he knew there was little he could do for her at the moment.

They had been walking for hours, and the further they ventured, the colder the air became. Snow began to fall in heavier sheets, making the path more difficult to follow. The sound of their footsteps was muffled, the world around them growing eerily quiet.

"We're getting close," Gray said, pulling up his hood as a gust of icy wind whipped past them. "Lyon's probably holed up somewhere in these mountains. We need to find him before his storms reach the nearby towns."

Cael nodded, keeping his senses sharp. He could feel the faint tremors of magic in the air, an unnatural chill that didn't belong in nature. Lyon's power was already here, lingering like a constant threat.

"Any idea where to start?" Lucy asked, looking between Gray and Natsu.

"We'll have to follow the disturbances," Natsu said, his usual energy absent in the face of the cold. "The snowstorms are getting worse. He's leaving a trail of destruction behind him. All we need to do is find the center of it."

As they pressed on, the wind began to pick up again, the gusts sharper now, as if the mountains themselves were resisting their intrusion. It felt like something was watching them—something cold, something unforgiving.

Then, Cael felt it. A surge of magic—a violent rush of energy, one that practically burned the air around them. He stopped in his tracks, his violet eyes narrowing. The others noticed his sudden halt.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, her expression concerned.

Cael didn't answer immediately. He extended his senses, following the pulse of magic that had been left behind like a breadcrumb trail. His mind raced, recognizing the feel of ice magic, though it was much darker, much more powerful than what he had expected.

"It's him," Cael muttered, his voice low. "Lyon Vastia."

Without waiting for a response, Cael began to move, instinctively knowing which direction to head in. The others followed, unsure of what exactly Cael had sensed, but trusting him nonetheless.

The air grew colder the further they went, until their breath came out in visible clouds, and their faces were numb from the wind. They came to a clearing, and there, standing against the snowstorm's relentless rage, was the figure they were after.

Lyon Vastia.

He stood at the center of a swirling vortex of ice and wind, his long, white cloak billowing out in the storm's fury. His silver hair shone like frozen moonlight, and his eyes—cold, almost vacant—were fixed on the group.

"So, the Fairy Tail guild has come to pay a visit," Lyon's voice was cold, almost mechanical, like the chill of the ice that surrounded him. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

Cael stepped forward, his violet eyes locking onto Lyon's. There was no hesitation in his movements, just a calm, determined focus.

"Lyon Vastia," Cael said, his voice steady. "You're the one causing all of this. The storms, the disappearances… it ends here."

Lyon's lips curled into a twisted smile. "You think you can stop me? You know nothing of my power."

With a flick of his wrist, the storm around him intensified, the winds howling and snow swirling in an impenetrable curtain. The ground beneath them began to freeze, turning solid as ice spread outward from his position.

"I've mastered the art of ice magic," Lyon continued, his voice dripping with arrogance. "And you'll learn just how deadly it can be."

Gray immediately reacted, stepping forward with a glare. "We're not backing down, Lyon."

The moment his words left his mouth, the ice storm exploded outward, sending waves of freezing air crashing toward them. The group scattered, but Cael held his ground. He could feel the power surging in Lyon's magic, but he was ready. The Machine Takeover was still new to him, but it felt like the right time to tap into it.

His body trembled as the familiar surge of energy coursed through him. The crackling of purple lightning arced around his form, his aura flickering with raw power. The air around him warped and distorted, the ground beneath his feet cracked open as his magic resonated with the surrounding atmosphere.

Lyon's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What is this? Your magic isn't like anything I've seen before."

Cael didn't answer. Instead, he rushed forward, his body moving with incredible speed as the purple flames of his magic roared to life. With a burst of force, he collided with Lyon, the ice mage barely managing to block the attack with a wall of ice that formed around him.

"Impressive," Lyon murmured, eyes flashing with cold amusement. "But you're not the only one with power."

The storm around them intensified, and Lyon's magic turned the ground beneath them into a frozen wasteland. Ice spikes shot up from the ground, aiming to impale them all. Cael dodged, his agility enhanced by his magic, but it was clear that this fight was going to be difficult.

"Gray, Natsu, Lucy!" Cael shouted, his voice cutting through the howling wind. "We need to work together!"

Gray and Natsu sprang into action, their attacks complementing each other. Natsu's fiery breath clashed with Lyon's ice, creating steam that filled the air. Gray's ice magic clashed against Lyon's, but Lyon's control over the storm was far superior.

Meanwhile, Lucy began summoning her celestial spirits, her confidence growing as her stars joined the battle. But amidst the chaos, Cael remained focused on Lyon. The ice mage had to be stopped.

The battle raged on, the cold intensity of Lyon's magic pushing them all to their limits. Cael's heart pounded in his chest, his thoughts focused entirely on Lyon. This battle was more than just about strength—it was about stopping the madness before it could spread any further.

And despite the fierce storm surrounding them, Cael knew one thing for certain: this battle would determine the fate of more than just the guild. It would decide whether Lyon's icy grip would freeze the world in its wake or whether they could stop him here, before it was too late.