1 chapter 1 : The boy who refused to die

Cold...I'm cold and my whole body hurts horribly, I also felt something hard and cold in my head but all this horrible pain was nothing compared to the suffering that what I saw gave me, the mutilated corpses of my parents.

I couldn't do anything except make tears flow, the pain and exhaustion were so strong that I couldn't get a single sound out of my mouth to cry.

How could all this happen?! How did things get like this?! My parents and I lived north of Fiore in a small village and today was supposed to be a perfect day, I was going to celebrate my sixth birthday.

The day had started very well and they had prepared the party, my friends from the village came and everything was going well when suddenly calamity struck.

A monster, a demon named Deliora ravaged the village and killed everyone. Yes, everyone without exception since I too was dying.

[General POV]

"Ul look, he's moving a little and I see some mist coming out of his mouth..." Gray didn't even know how long he had been there when a young boy's voice was heard and it It was Léon (Lyon in original version) who rushed towards Grey/Gray (I really don't know which version of the name to use) before realizing with horror that a metal rod among the debris was embedded in Gray's head.

Ul : A survivor?!! Show me…

Ul got closer and his face became as serious as Leon's, there was blood everywhere from the torn limbs of Gray's parents, especially his mother and the guests.

She immediately pulled Lyon away from the gruesome scene and watched as Gray was still breathing with that thing embedded in his head while the boy clung to life to the point of clenching his fist despite his condition.

 « How is it possible to be alive after that?! What kind of kid can cling to life with all that?! » She said with shock and that was the last thing Gray heard before losing consciousness.

Much later when Gray woke up he was lying in bed and having difficulty moving, he wondered where he was when a sharp pain in his head hit him.

The pain was excruciating and unimaginable, like having a white-hot iron rod pushed into your head.

He screamed so loudly that Ul suddenly came rushing in to him in her underwear with Lyon in his underwear.

She tried to calm him down but the pain was so horrible that Gray couldn't hear anything or even realize they were there, he screamed and cried over and over before losing consciousness again in a high fever.

Ul : He woke up...

Lyon : He had been sleeping for four months, by taking care of him you slowed down my training, Ul…

Ul: Enough! This boy suffered and lost everything, I don't want to hear you complain like that anymore. Did I make myself understood correctly?!

Lyon:…

Ul : SHOULD I REPEAT MYSELF?

Lyon : No sensei, I won't complain anymore...

Over the next five days, Gray suffered several similar seizures as his damaged brain regained its functions.

Ul had called her acquaintances to help Gray recover, healing mages as well as doctors and it was on the evening of the sixth day that Gray really woke up, still with a strong migraine but much more bearable.

He remained calmly on the bed as the memories of everything that had happened poured into his consciousness, memories precise and detailed to the extreme, it was like watching a movie again but with every detail possible. He saw his parents die again and started crying in bed.

"Daddy…mom…bouuuuuuuuh…AaaAaah" He cried so hard that Ul came in, thinking it was another crisis but she saw Gray turn his face towards her and his gaze broke the woman's heart, Gray was only 6 years old.

Ul came closer to him and took him in his arms while Gray hugged him tightly, he needed comfort and Ul shed some tears for him, she herself had lost her child ago a few years ago.

(later)

Ul : My name is Ul, my disciple Lyon and I found you dying a few months ago in a village a few kilometers from my house after Deliora passed by. Do you have a name...?

Gray: Gray…Gray Fullbuster.

Ul: (points to Lyon) This is my disciple, I am an ice mage. (to Lyon) Would you like to introduce yourself to our friend?

Lyon : (sighs) Lyon Bastia. How are you feeling ?

Gray : Bad...my parents...my village...all my friends...

Ul : We know...don't hurt yourself with all this. For now you have to eat, I guess you must be very hungry.

Gray: (Nods shyly)...

Lyon: That's good, me too.

They ate together and told Gray that her survival was a true miracle and that several healing mages who were Ul's friends had even been fascinated by her resistance during her treatment.

Surviving after having a metal rod stuck in his brain was unimaginable as a normal person, but he clung tightly to life with a terrifying determination.

…

Gray spent several days recovering where he watched from afar Ul trained Lyon in ice-building magic.

They then accompanied him to his parents' grave where he mused and cried. Gray was only 6 years old.

Ul moved closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

Ul : Do you have family?! Someone you could go to?!

Gray : I don't have anyone anymore. You took care of me, I will be eternally grateful to you and I will never be able to repay you…

Ul : If you want, you-(interrupted)

"Please make me your disciple too like Lyon" Gray said as he kneeled in front of her.

Ul : Why?!

Gray : One day, I'll be strong enough to take my revenge on Deliora and I need to learn magic to get there.

Ul looked into Gray's eyes and was slightly frightened by his gaze. How could a kid barely 6 years old have such a dangerous and determined look?!

Ul : You will do what I tell you when I tell you.

Gray: No complaints will ever come from me, however difficult your training will be.

Ul : You don't know what you're saying yet. I'm going to teach you ice building magic just like Lyon, I recently slowed down his training so even if he's ahead you won't be too far behind.

Lyon : Tsk! We'll see…

Ul : I hope you can give up this revenge later, but it's your life and that's what I would also want in your place. Only, if in the future you sink into darkness and dare to tarnish my name and our magic then you will find me in your path. Did I make myself understood correctly?!

Gray : I understand. When should we start?!

Lyon : AHAHAH he seems in a hurry…

Ul : Today, take off your clothes.

Gray didn't ask a question as Ul expected. He had seen them train like this before.

He was cold, she and Lyon saw him shivering but his gaze remained determined as he quietly handed Ul his clothes back.

"We'll start with a run in the snow to my house in the mountains, 6 kilometers is nothing yet. You think you can do that, Gray?! » She asked with a teasing smile.

"Okay..." Gray replied with a serene calm while Lyon himself was surprised as Ul had never asked him to do something so dangerous in the first place.

They ran in the snow and Gray endured the cold and fatigue for almost a good 2 kilometers before falling into the snow.

It was a monstrous performance for a 6 year old in these conditions and Ul carried him all the way home.

Gray had his feet completely frozen and he was going to lose the use of them if Ul had not healed him, she knew healing spells and especially those against damage linked to ice or cold.

Once he woke up, she was next to him.

Ul : Honestly, I'm very impressed and you went far beyond my expectations. You didn't even let out a complaint until your young body was grinding against its limits. It was a test to see your determination...

Gray :…

Ul : (sighs) My training is very demanding but you have what it takes to endure it. I hope you end up with a smile on that face one day, my disciple.

Thus, Gray's training would begin to lay the foundation for the one who would later shock the continents, dragons, demons and men.