To Kill A Dragon

Best Laid Plans

Disclaimer: All Fairy Tail Characters Belong to Hiro Mashima, Tiamat is loosely based on Tiamat from Forgotten Realms which Belongs to Wizards of the Coast, LLC. The traits of the chromatic dragons have been altered to match the dragon slayers in the Fairy Tail Universe. Drakan belongs to Surreal Software.

Chapter 23: Best Laid Plans

"Elfman, thank the Gods! I was so worried, where's Lisanna?", Cana put her drink down and looked behind the take over mage expecting to see the petite Lisanna appear with her bright blue eyes and cheerful smile. When this did not happen she took in Elfman's appearance more carefully. The robotic movements, the sweat that was pouring down his face. Something was wrong.

"Yeah, Elfman why didn't you contact us?", Warren asked. He had been trying to get in touch with them for hours and he was a little peeved that Elfman had worried everyone for no reason.

Elfman swallowed before responding. He couldn't look at his guildmates, not while knowing what he was about to do. Still, they deserved to know what had happened and a few more minutes surely couldn't hurt. He felt the compulsion running through his body, every muscle screaming at him to get on with his task. He was going to murder every single person in his guild. From little Asuka all the way to Master Makarov. He never would have thought this was possible. Fairy Tail had been a home to him since his parents had died, it broke his heart to do this but he couldn't kill Lisanna again. He just couldn't! He wished he was strong enough to fight Seylah's Macro, to tell his family what he was going to do so that they could run out of the guild and allow him to sacrifice himself and the building so that they could all live. But he had never been particularly strong, his manliness only a disguise he wore to hide his fear and regret.

"We were too late to save Former Council Member Yuri.", he paused for a minute pained by events that had led him here, "Lisanna was captured. I couldn't do anything to help her."

Gray had thought Elfman looked out of sorts but now that he knew Lisanna had been captured he understood, he imagined he didn't look any better. "It's not your fault, man. I'm sure you did the best you could."

Elfman winced. The kind words from one of his oldest friends felt like knife blades slicing through him. His best had not been good enough, not this time and certainly not on that fateful S class mission all those years ago. Both times Lisanna had been the one to pay the price while he looked on helplessly.

"Don't worry Elfman, Levy is calculating the location of Tartaros. Once we have it we'll go after all of them.", Lily told Elfman trying to boost his sagging spirits.

"What are you even doing here, Elfman? Why didn't you use your magic to go after her? ", Cana yelled at him, "Where the hell is your damn manliness now, coming here with you tail tucked between your legs?" This attitude of his was pissing her off, it was unnatural.

"Cana!", Gray yelled at his friend, "He already feels bad enough as it is."

"Look at him, he's acting strangely. You're so blinded by your own fear that you can't even see it! He's been gone for hours, Gray. Where was he all that time?", Cana snapped back, "Can't you see that none of this makes any sense?"