Kageyama jumped in his seat, startled by the stranger who had suddenly sat down across from him.
But when he heard what Ankh called him, his face twisted with anger.
"You jerk! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!" Kageyama shouted.
Ankh just smiled a cold smile, ignoring him.
He muttered to himself, "What's taking Erza and the others so long...?"
A big, angry vein bulged on Kageyama's forehead.
He raised a hand, his voice a furious roar. "What do you actually want, you—"
BOOM!
The whole train car shook violently.
Passengers stumbled, grabbing onto seats to keep from falling over.
When the shaking stopped, everyone looked out the windows, confused and scared.
But when they stuck their heads out, they immediately pulled them back in.
It was freezing! Unbelievably cold!
People soon saw the terrifying reason: the train tracks and the train's wheels were completely covered in a thick, gleaming layer of ice.
The entire train was frozen in place, unable to move an inch.
At the very front of the train, near the engine, Gray stood with his arms outstretched.
He slammed his right fist into his left palm. A freezing white mist poured from his body, spreading over the tracks.
Gray, who wasn't wearing a shirt, relaxed his stance and shrugged.
"Easy," he said with a faint, proud smile.
Erza stood nearby with her arms crossed, looking impressed. "That was smart, Gray."
Gray's smile widened. "Of course!"
Meanwhile, back in the train's control room, Lucy stood next to the train conductor.
The conductor's face was pale with fear.
After a long, silent moment, Lucy finally spoke, her voice full of despair.
"We... we could have just asked the conductor to stop the train normally. You know, with the brakes."
"Why... why did it have to be done this way?"
Broken ice-covered tracks. A damaged train. Terrified passengers with their journey ruined.
Lucy could already imagine the mountain of complaint letters and bills for repairs that would soon land on Master Makarov's desk.
...
Back in the train car, Kageyama finally steadied himself.
The passengers around him had sensed the danger and were now running away, screaming as they fled the carriage.
Seeing that the area was now empty, Ankh finally let his magic power flow freely.
He no longer had to hold back.
It was only then that Kageyama realized how much trouble he was really in.
He had finally seen the guild emblem on Ankh's arm.
That was the mark of the Fairy Tail guild.
If this were just any other mage, maybe he could have handled it.
But of all people... It had to be Ankh.
The one even other Dark Guilds talked about in fearful whispers!
Run!
His only thought was to escape. Fighting back wasn't even an option!
Kageyama pushed off the floor with all his strength, flipping over the rows of seats as he scrambled toward the door at the end of the car.
He didn't dare to look back.
But before he could reach it, a crushing, invisible force slammed him down onto the floor.
It felt like a giant, heavy hand was pressing on his entire body.
Struggling to lift his head, Kageyama saw the demon-like man walking calmly toward him.
Ankh stepped over to where Kageyama lay helpless.
He reached into Kageyama's coat pocket and pulled out a strange-looking flute shaped like a human skull.
"Lullaby," Ankh said, turning the flute over in his hand. "So this is the thing."
He could feel the dark magic swirling inside it.
The energy felt familiar—exactly like the magic he had sensed from the demon named Seilah before.
Seilah was from Tartaros and this flute... it had the same evil feel.
It was no ordinary object; it was a demon itself.
"Give it back!" Kageyama growled, his face pressed against the floor by the gravity magic. "That belongs to Master Erigor!"
Ankh raised an eyebrow.
This guy had some courage, staying loyal even now.
Too bad for him. Ankh didn't care how brave his enemies were.
Looking down at the struggling man, Ankh suddenly placed his foot on Kageyama's face.
"Don't worry," Ankh said, his voice cold. "Erigor will be joining you soon."
Terror filled Kageyama's eyes as Ankh increased the power of his gravity magic.
The foot on Kageyama's head suddenly felt as heavy as a giant boulder!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
With three powerful stomps, the entire train car cracked down the middle.
Explosions tore through the carriage, completely destroying it and damaging the cars on either side.
When the smoke cleared, Ankh was calmly spinning the magic flute on his finger.
Behind him was a bloody, broken shape that no longer looked human.
Ankh had no interest in saving or reforming people like this.
They were from a Dark Guild, known for doing terrible things.
They deserved their fate.
Unless, like Ultear, they were useful to him, Ankh saw no reason to let them live.
Someone like Kageyama, who couldn't even fight properly, wasn't worth another thought.
Ankh stepped over what was left without a second glance.
Then he stopped, sensing something.
He looked into the distance.
A huge surge of magic power was coming toward them, fast!
"They must be Erigor's men," Ankh murmured. "They found us quicker than I thought."
In the original story, Erigor was supposed to meet the team at a train station and trap them with his wind magic.
But now, the leader himself was coming!
He must have gotten word that his man was in trouble and had come for revenge.
Just then, Natsu came stumbling over from where the train had been stopped.
He was holding his head, looking dizzy and confused.
"What's going on?" Natsu asked weakly, still feeling sick. "Where are Erza and Lucy?"
Ankh pointed toward the front of the train. "They're up there. Pull yourself together. We've got company coming."
Even though Natsu didn't fully understand the situation, hearing that a fight was coming was all he needed.
His eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
By the time Ankh and Natsu caught up with Erza and the others, a large group of rough-looking, angry men had already surrounded them.
In the middle of the group stood their leader.
He was a grim-looking man with long hair swept to one side.
He wasn't wearing a shirt, showing off his muscular chest.
He stared coldly at the Fairy Tail mages.
"Fairy Tail!" the man, Erigor, snarled. "So you're the ones who stole my Lullaby?!"
Ankh held up the skull-patterned flute, waving it slightly. "You mean this? It's a nice toy. I think I'll keep it."
Erigor's face, already dark, turned even stormier.
He raised a giant steel scythe and pointed it straight at Ankh.
"I've heard of you, Ankh!" Erigor shouted. "They call you the 'Grim Reaper'! But that title belongs to me!"
Ankh was caught off guard for a second.
Erza quickly leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Erigor is one of the strongest mages among the Dark Guilds that aren't part of the big alliance. People in the underworld call him the 'Grim Reaper,' too. Just like they call you."
So that was it.
Erigor was jealous of a nickname?
Ankh found it almost funny. But before he could say anything, Natsu, standing beside him, couldn't stay quiet any longer.
"What are you talking about, you gloomy freak?!" Natsu yelled, pointing a fiery finger at Erigor.
"Someone like you isn't even close to being worthy of having the same nickname as Ankh's!"
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