"Iron Dragons Roar!" Twin tunnels of iron shrapnel barreled towards the god slayers. Ronan and Aerith jumped apart, only for a dragon to follow them. Gajeel took after Aerith, he wouldn't allow Avery near her poison, and shot an iron pillar towards her. Avery was immediately under fire, both literally and figuratively, and she rolled away from the black fire. Ivan had made a mistake when capturing Avery, leaving her equipped quiver, probably figuring it harmless since it was empty. Avery touched the blue lacrima, pulling forth a stream of water to douse the flames. Ronan almost looked bored, summoning ash figures that surrounded her. Avery dropped the water in a circle around her, soaking the ground. As the ash figures closed in, their movements slowed as they dragged through the water, their ashy feet becoming heavy.

Avery took the extra time to form a ball and chain, making the ball much bigger than before. The weight through her a bit off balance, but she needed the sizes to do what she needed. She didn't make the chain too long, knowing she wouldn't be able to swing it far with its size. The figures were almost on her now, and she quickly swung the chain around, standing with her feet wide apart for balance. The figures burst into ash and she was immediately choking on the cloudy air. In a quick moment, she grabbed the scarf Natsu had given her and lifted it over her mouth and nose. It was a bit easier to breath, though her eyes still stung, and she didn't see the fist until it caught her side.

Avery cried out as she tumbled across the floor, but quickly scrambled to her feet and grabbed the chain of her wrecking ball. Ronan, however, grabbed the iron ball and began to melt it, his hand covered in black flames. Avery cursed quietly, but smirked, simply pulling the chain free and swinging it without the ball. Water worked its way up the chain and began to boil, super heating the chain and giving it an even deadlier strength. Avery approached with sure steps, swinging the boiling chain in a way that would fend off any ash figure he could summon behind her. Ronan charged forward, hands covered in ash and Avery grinned, letting lose an iron dragons roar.

The roar was strong enough to send him tumbling backwards, straight into his sister. Aerith had her own tumble with a roar from Gajeel, who was now running at the twins with his iron sword. Avery rushed forward with her chain, not wanting to waste time changing weapons. Both dragons lept skyward, coming down on the twins. "Ash Gods Bellow!" "Smoke Gods Poison Bellow!" Both dragons were blown back, landing hard and coughing. Avery rolled over, trying not to whimper as her skin burned and her lungs ached for air. Gajeel was already on his hands and knees, coughing at the poison that clung to his lungs. He had to get up, the twins were already moving, Avery had yet to recover from the attack.

Avery finally caught her breath, though she knew she could not roar again, and she gasped as a shadow fell over her. Ronan was there, an ash covered foot crashing towards her. Avery lashed out with her chain blindly, rolling to the side as she did. Satisfyingly, she heard Ronan cry out as the boiling chain made contact with his midsection. Avery jumped to her feet, throwing her hand forward. Several arrows shot from her skin and caught Ronan off guard as he backpedaled. Avery risked a glance at her father, just as a poison claw raked across his chest. Her scream caught in her throat as he roared in pain, sending a pillar into Aeriths face. Avery realized she had left herself open, as an ash covered knee caught her in the side of the head. Avery cried out as she was sent tumbling towards Gajeel before skidding in the dirt a few feet away from him.

She was gasping, her head spinning from the force of the kick and her vision was spotted. Her skin burned and her lungs ached, on top of that her magic was pitifully low. Avery weakly lifted her head as a shadow fell across her once more, and she feared Ronan had come to finish her off. Instead, her vision traveled up to the familiar figure of her father, standing in front of her to shield her. Gajeel was barely on his feet, the poison in his lungs and in his blood were making him nauseous. He couldn't falter, he had to protect Avery, he had to get them out of her. He had sworn to protect her and he had failed yet again. As Ronan stepped in front of his sister, Gajeel put his scales up once more, even though Aeriths claws had pierced them. An ashen phoenix rose between them, and Gajeel choked on his gasp. There was no way he could guard against it, not while protecting Avery. He heard her gasp behind him, and as the bird of ash and smoke dove for them, he turned and pulled her to him for protection. Gajeel expected burning and choking flames, he expected the last of his strength to disappear and for darkness to consume him. Instead.

Nothing.

Gajeel slowly opened his eyes and looked up as muffled cries came from the twins. Surrounding them, a barrier of runes and water encasing them, the once brilliant water stained gray from the ash bird. The pair looked up to where two bluenettes stood, their hands intertwined and magic coursing around them in a unison raid. A shadow, black as night, was racing around the twins, attacks coming from it so quickly that one could hardly see. Avery let out a sound that was between  a laugh and a sob. They were saved!  The water barrier dissolved, soaking the ground around them as Levy and Juvia made their way to the arena floor and to the pair.

Gajeel sighed in relief, wincing slightly as he sat heavily beside his daughter. Avery clung tightly to Levy, who was mumbling apologies while Juvia looked over their wounds. "Help Raios," Gajeel choked out, holding a hand to his chest. Juvia frowned but nodded, turning and hurrying to help the shadow dragon. Levy fussed over the pair, worrying about Averys burns and trying to Gajeel to stop bleeding. Gajeel kept a close eye on the fight, the sour feeling back in his stomach, though this time it wasn't because of the poison. The battle was dying down, Juvia and Rouge easily finishing what he and Avery had started, when he saw it. Jose had fled, but Ivan was there, furious that his beginning plans for revenge were falling through.

He met Ivans glare as the man lifted his hand, his paper dolls swirling around him. In a move almost too quick for even Gajeel to see, Ivan glanced at the woman beside him, and the dolls moved. Magic surged and they formed a spinning drill, flying for the bluenette beside him. Despite his bodies pains, Gajeel used what was left of his strength to shove Levy aside, just as the drill slammed into his stomach.

{I'm not sorry}