Ruby walked through the forest along with Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Gray and Cana, as they made their way to the island temple.
After getting over her initial shock at being asked to destroy the moon, Ruby had asked for the full details of what exactly happened to cause the villagers transformation. From what the village leader, Moka, told them, it started three years ago, when the moon suddenly turned purple which they believed was a curse that was turning them into demons. Moka also mentioned that around the same time, a group of mages had taken up residency in the temple, on the island.
Upon hearing that, Ruby realized what was really going on. There wasn't a curse put on the villagers, whatever was causing their transformations was a spell being cast by the mages that arrived on Galuna, the spell being called Moon Drip. Ruby knew about the spell, given Acnologia had also told her of every single form of magic in existence, given the Dragon King, himself, knew and recognized all types of magic and spells.
Moon Drip is a spell that harnessed the moon's magic power in a single place as moonlight. Once completed, Moon Drip could be used to deactivate any spell in existence, even those deemed impossible to break, like Ice Shell. So the mages who are casting Moon Drip, were likely going to use it to deactivate a spell that isn't meant to be deactivated.
Ruby didn't know what exactly the mage's goal is, but whatever it is, she's going to stop them.
The redhead was also thankful that none of the Fairy Tail Mages tried speaking with her, given she's still resisting the urge to tear Natsu apart. Even more so, as she could sense his Etherious Magic was even stronger than the last time she encountered him. The only thing stopping Ruby from simply killing him now, was her promise to Erza.
Finally, the group reached the temple, Ruby narrowing her eyes when she looked at the top and saw the bright purple glow, showing Moon Drip was currently gathering Magical Power.
The group ran to the top of the temple, when they reached the top, they saw a group of cloaked figures, one of whom they heard being called the Sub-Zero Emperor, and three non-cloaked figures standing behind the Emperor.
"Well, it seems we have some uninvited guests, some more than others." Said the Sub-Zero Emperor, with Gray stiffening, while his eyes widened.
"That, that voice? It can't be… Lyon?" Gray asked, recognizing the voice, as the Sub-Zero Emperor, or Lyon, looked at Gray.
"Well if it isn't Gray, finally showing your pathetic face." Said Lyon, removing his helmet and glared at Gray, who was shocked to see his old friend.
"Gray, who is this guy?" Cana asked, seeing her guildmate's expression.
"His name is Lyon, Lyon Vastia, we trained together as kids under the same master." Gray revealed.
"Yeah, we trained together, and then you had to go challenge Deliora and got Ur killed!" Shouted Lyon, glaring at his fellow Ice User, Gray flinching at the accusation and knowing it was true.
"Gray, what's he talking about?" Asked Natsu, confused about what was going on, with Gray clenching his fists as memories he's worked to keep buried came flooding back to him.
"It happened when I was a kid, way before I joined Fairy Tail, I lived in a village up North with my parents. That is until one day, the Etherious, Deliora, showed up and destroyed it, killing everyone, including my parents. I was spared though, before being found by Lyon and our master, Ur, who taught us how to use Ice-Make. I swore that after I learned it, I would hunt down and kill Deliora to avenge my parents. But I was overconfident in myself, and when I heard about Deliora's current location, I ran off to challenge it, believing I was strong enough to kill it. Instead, all I got was a beat down, and I would have died if not for Ur arriving, she gave her life to trap Deliora so it couldn't hurt anyone ever again. Lyon blamed me for what happened, and he's right, it's my fault Ur is dead." Said Gray, while maintaining the lie Ur wanted him to tell, that she died trapping Deliora, instead of her body turning into the ice, keeping the demon locked away.
That's why he doesn't trust me, because I'm the same thing as Deliora. Natsu thought, realizing why Gray has grown distrustful, even hateful, towards him since the reveal of his Etherious nature.
He was the same type of demon that killed his parents and master.
Ruby narrowed her eyes as several pieces started coming together in her mind. Remembering her encounter with the Tartarus Mages, and the resemblance the Ice Devil Slayer had with Gray, Ruby realized it wasn't just a resemblance, that was Gray's father.
Meaning if he was in fact killed by Deliora, that means he was somehow resurrected, likely by another member of Tartarus. Thought Ruby, while knowing that made things more complicated, if there was an Etherious that could resurrect the dead.
It just meant she'll need to get much stronger, if she had any hope of taking on Tartarus, and the other more powerful Etherious and Dark Mages.
"That's right. Now do me a favor and stay out of my way, I'll deal with you after killing Deliora." Lyon said, with Gray looking at him in shock of what Lyon was planning.
"What?! Lyon you can't possibly be thinking of fighting Deliora, let alone freeing it! Ur gave her life just to trap it!" Gray shouted, not believing Lyon was willing to free the demon that took Ur away.
He already had to deal with the guilt of being the cause for it, he didn't want Ur's sacrifice to be for nothing!
"Exactly. Ur only managed to trap Deliora, not kill it. So, if I kill Deliora then I'll finally prove I have surpassed Ur." Stated Lyon smirking, fully confident that he can kill Deliora.
"Darkness Dragon's Binding Chains!" Ruby said, slamming her hand on the ground, creating several black magic circles with jet-black chains shooting out and wrapping around Lyon, his team, and his followers.
"What?!" Lyon shouted at the sudden bindings and tried freezing them, only to be shock when he couldn't access his magic.
"Don't bother trying to escape, those chains nullify the magic of anyone bound in them. And be thankful I'm only binding you." Said Ruby, really wanting to snap this brat in half.
He was freeing Deliora, a powerful Etherious, just to prove he's stronger than his master. He wasn't even sure if he was strong enough to kill Deliora, completely ignoring the chance of the demon escaping to kill more people.
The only reason Ruby wasn't either killing or brutalizing them, is because they weren't actually Dark Mages. Just some foolish brats, that didn't know what they were dealing with.
However, before Ruby could knock them unconscious, she was surprised when her chains suddenly broke apart and dissolved into black smoke. Just then, another person jumped out, revealing themselves.
"Zalty, you arrived just in time." Lyon said, nodding to his masked subordinate.
"Of course, Lyon." Said "Zalty", with Ruby narrowing her eyes at him.
And just how exactly does this person possess Arc of Time? Ruby thought, knowing the only way someone could escape her Binding Chains is by being stronger than her and escaping them, given the chains were only as strong as she was, or if they had the Arc of Time Magic and aged them to the point of breaking apart.
"Alright then, I was willing to go easy on you runts, but since you insist on being stubborn. Let me show you a world of fear. Darkness Dragon's Nightmare Realm!" Ruby said, creating a larger magic circle as the surrounding shadows rose up and wrapped around Lyon and his followers, trapping them in a dome of darkness
Before the others could react, Ruby created an opening in the dome and ran inside, before it closed behind her.
"Uh, do you think we should try he—" Lucy started, only to be cut off when they all suddenly heard screaming coming from within the dome.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
"Oh God, have mercy please!"
"Leave me alone!"
"MAAAAAA-MMY!"
"I-I th-think, sh-she h-h-has i-it h-ha-handled." Cana stuttered, looking deathly pale, the same being said for the others as well.
It also made Cana know for a fact Ruby had to be related to Erza somehow, if she could be this terrifying.