"THE HELMET of Fate?" Lucy squinted at the golden helmet she held in hand as she stood in the forest with Finn, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Phoebe, Happy and Jake.

"Legends say it gives incredible power in exchange for your soul." Finn dramatized.

"Ooh, lemme try it!" Natsu grabbed the helmet.

"Didn't you hear me – it'd take your soul!" Finn pushed him back.

"Yeah, Natsu, you probably shouldn't –," Gray cut himself off then smirked. "You know what, let him wear it."

"No, it's very dangerous." Finn seized it and scowled. "Only Lucy can take it."

"Okay …" She accepted it uneasily. "… Why me?"

"Ah, it's perfect! That's what we've been missing!" Happy hovered up to her. "You can't be sexy cuz we've ignored the obvious; your face was too horrifying to begin with! Finn, you're a genius!"

"What? No, n-no, no, no! I wanted you to check if the symbols match with the jar." Finn winced.

"Stupid cat." Lucy punched Happy and looked at the helmet closely, turning it over. She viewed its interior, seeing an Egyptian ankh inside. "Well, there's a symbol, but …" She compared to the jar. "No, it's not the same."

"Let me have a look." Erza took the objects from her, observing the two. "She's right, but they are similar. We should investigate this further."

"Well, that's one demon down." Gray turned to Finn. "Where do we go from here, cap?"

"Wha-me?" Finn smiled with excitement.

"You're the local and it's your call." He shrugged.

"Oh, um, well, we need to go to Wizard City; I bet it'd have something to explain what the jar is."

"That's perfect, let's get going." Lucy walked on.

"Follow me." Finn walked on.

"Finally, something that makes sense in this continent." Gray and the others tailed him.


EYEING THE gorge that stretched around them, Gray walked up to Finn and pocketed his hands. "Okay, not to be rude, but why're kingdoms around here food themed? Candy Kingdom, Breakfast Kingdom? What's next? Lunch Kingdom?"

"Maybe." Finn shrugged. "I've only been here for over a year, so I haven't been everywhere."

"So, why's it like that?"

"I don't know. There was this explosion and then I woke up four hundred years into the future where everyone's still the same age when I left, but totally mutated."

Lucy deadpanned. "You're joking, right?"

"I'm not; I'm the only pure human in Ooo."

"What?"

"Yeah, it's true." Phoebe turned to her. "I was captured by demons in the Fire Kingdom for three hundred years until he saved me."

"Whoa, that must've been rough." Lucy's expression fell.

"Well, at least I've got fire powers now." She lit her hands up.

"So, everyone but you is a mutant?" Gray looked to Finn.

"Yeah. What's weird is I was in1986 when the explosion happened and it's 2016 now, but everyone I knew prior to the explosion – Phoebe – say it's been four hundred years." Finn chuckled slightly. "400 hundred years in 30 – crazy, huh?"

"More like impossible!" Lucy's eyes dilated. "Look, Ooo is just north of Fiore and the year is 792! I know there's time zones, but not different years entirely!"

"Hey, I'm just as lost as you are, and – wait, you're from 792? What kinda year is that?" Finn looked at her quizzically.

"Uh, ours?" Natsu scoffed. "I know my math is terrible, but damn."

"How's that possible?" Erza asked.

"I dunno, but whatever is going on, I'm gonna find out and I'm gonna find where my family ended up." Finn smirked determinedly.

"Good luck with that." Gray shook his head and jerked back as they reached a dead end. "What the …?"

"We're here." Finn grinned.

"Hey, I thought you said we were heading for a city!" Natsu growled.

"Yeah, this is it." Finn put his bag down and removed his hoodie, revealing blonde hair. He stuffed the hood inside.

"What're you doing?" Erza watched him as he pulled out a blue cloak and put it on.

"It's a disguise." Finn tossed another to Phoebe and gave Jake a red coat and hat. He stood up and lowered his hood, pulling a mask up from his shirt collar and covered his mouth. "It's Wizard City and only wizards are allowed."

"Well, where is the city?" Lucy gestured around.

"The wall's a magic barrier activated by the voice of real wizards." Jake wore the hat. "The code is 'wizards rule'."

"Wizards rule? Seriously?" Lucy raised her brow.

"Uh-huh." Jake smiled.

The wall before them flickered and disappeared, revealing a city in a gulley up ahead. "Whoa!" Natsu jerked in surprise.

"That was easy." Gray blinked.

"Well, only if we can keep attention off ourselves." Finn looked to Phoebe and Jake then gestured for the others to follow.

Lucy's face lit as she took in the various wizard shops that littered the market city. Several magic symbols covered the edifices as humanoid mages of varying shapes and sizes traded in the buildings. "Wow, this place is amazing."

"It is Wizard City after all." Phoebe smiled.

"Well, I'd better start investigating." Lucy searched around and walked toward a library. "I'll see you guys back here at …" She looked at her watch. "12pm!"

"I'll help." Finn tailed her quickly.

Gray huffed and looked around. "I'm gonna hold a stakeout in case a demon's here." He walked on.

Seeing the others leave, Natsu sighed. "Wait up." He and Erza went with Gray.

Phoebe crossed her arms as the others dispersed and watched Jake and Happy follow Finn. "Hey, guys, wait up." She mumbled and cocked her neck.


"HUH, EGYPTIAN again." Lucy chuckled as she set a large book down in the middle of a library. "Guess the writers aren't creative anymore."

Finn fingered books on a shelf across from her and watched as she began to read, using glasses that turned the words to holograms and flipped pages rapidly. Happy and Jake stood a few feet behind him and chuckled as he fidgeted. Sifting his mind, he nodded and walked toward her, taking a seat. "How's it goin'?"

"I'm reading …" She squinted.

He glanced around. "So … you ever wonder if you'd live your life on a boat?"

"What?"

"A boat … would-would ya live on a boat ?"

"Mmm, maybe." She shrugged. "Kinda enjoy the water." She continued reading.

His eyes dilated and he cleared his throat. "D-do you like horror movies?"

"Hmm, no." She held up the book.

He winced and sifted his mind. "You ever been in another country alone?"

"Okay, what is this?" She raised her brow.

"Uh, nothing, just asking a few questions." He forced a laugh.

"Well, no, I haven't." She shook her head and shut the book.

He watched her leave and groaned as she went to the shelves. "Hey, bro, what're you doin'?" Jake hopped onto a seat beside him.

Finn grumbled and sat back. "I was trying to talk to her."

"By asking random questions?" Happy smirked as he sat on the table.

"They weren't random! … They were coded." Finn muttered.

"For what?"

"To see if we were compatible." Finn flinched.

"You wanna date Lucy?" Happy laughed hysterically. "Dude, you'd be better off with Freddie Kruger! I mean, look at her; she's a nightmare!"

"I heard that!" Lucy tossed a book at his head.

"You took that stuff seriously?" Jake chuckled and turned to Finn.

"Hey, it's scientifically proven." He crossed his arms. "MatPat said so."

"Well, you like horror movies, you've been to another country before alone and you can't live on a boat cuz you're afraid of water." Jake counted. "None of your answers match."

"No." Finn scoffed. "I'm not afraid of –," Jake flicked water in his face and he screamed.

"Ha!" Happy watched him writhe on the floor.


ERZA, GRAY and Natsu perched on a roof, the boys looking at the sky while Erza watched the streets like an ardent sleuth as she held up a magnifying glass. "Ooh, that cloud looks like a chicken! That one looks like a kite! That one looks like a dog and, ooh, that one looks like a peacock." Natsu chuckled. "Peacock."

"Peacock? What're you five?" Gray raised his brow. "And it's a sunny day, like, what clouds are you even looking at?"

"Nah, you won't get it; it's an inside joke between me and Happy."

"Based on what!?" Gray frowned.

Erza's eyes twitched as the two began to argue. "Will you shut up!"

"Yeah, sorry, Erza, but this was a bust." Natsu stood up and walked toward her. "It's been hours and there's nothing here." He cranked his neck. "Bet there'd be some sorta alarm if a demon ended up here."

"Well, it wasn't my idea." Erza huffed and looked at her watch. "Well, it's nearly 12, so we'd better get going."


"SO." FINN slid up behind Lucy and leaned against a shelf before her. "Where're you from?"

"Fiore – we already said that." Lucy moved a book aside.

His eyes darted around as he heard Jake and Happy snicker nearby. "Well, why don't I give you a tour of Ooo? There's a lotta cool places around here."

"Like where?" She grabbed a book and headed to the reading area.

"Well, there's this awesome volcano I went to a few months back, or this cave in a talking mountain where a dragon lives or, and this is the best one, a dungeon filled with skeleton monsters!" He grinned, holding his fists before him excitedly.

She gave him a deadpanned stare as she looked for words. "That sounds great, but a talking mountain?"

"Yep, what're you gonna do?" He shrugged.

A loud bang came behind them and they turned to see Natsu, Erza and Gray enter the library – the Salamander wearing a large dragon mask. "Look, I am a god!" He roared, fire blazing from the mouth hole as he pumped his fists to the sky.

"Natsu, quit goofing around." Gray frowned then turned to Erza who chuckled. "And stop encouraging him."

"Okay, okay." She smacked the headgear off him and walked towards Lucy as he pouted. "Hey, you said we should meet at 12pm."

"Oh, sorry, I got a little carried away." Lucy rubbed her nape and put a book in a shelf. "I couldn't find anything other than some old Egyptian myths about Scarabs."

"Well, what now?" Gray crossed his arms.

"Only one thing." Natsu grinned. He kicked Finn, knocking him aside and grabbed the Helmet of Fate as it flung out of his hands.

"Wait, stop!" Lucy reached toward him.

"This's gonna be awesome!" He donned the helmet.


"WHOA." NATSU gasped as he stood in a desolate, dim realm. A bright light came down from above and he looked up, failing to see its source as it blinded him.

"Who are you?" A loud voice echoed.

"I'm Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel, but people call me Salamander, the Dragon Slayer." His voice echoed in a cacophony, at times coming before he even spoke. "Whoa, cool."

"You, you're not –,"

"Who are you? What is this place?" Natsu looked around.

"I am Nabu, the Lord of Order and you are inside the Helmet of Fate." The ominous voice bellowed.

"Oh, so, it's some kinda parlour trick."

"Listen, you fool! I do not know how you found the Helmet, but you must know that the world is in grave –,"

"Hello?" Natsu listened for the echo. "Sweet." He chuckled. "Fire Dragon Roar!" He spat out, saliva spraying out instead of fire. "What the?"

"You are in the realm where several ancient powerful wizards have spent –,"

"Gimmie back my powers, you jerk!"

"Silence! The boundaries between dimensions have been tampered with and the cosmos has been heavily altered. All reality, all times and space have merged and –,"

"I'm not listening!" Natsu blocked his ears.

"If you do not stop the Lord of Chaos from obtaining –,"

"Blah, blah, blah!"

"Go to the Bad Lands, you must –,"

"You're a big stupid head!" Natsu sang.

"Enough!"


NATSU FLOATED above Finn, Jake, Happy and the mages silently. With the helmet on his head, he was garbed in a yellow cloak, gloves, boats and navy blue tights. His eyes glowed brightly when a light burst from him and he plummeted to the floor.

"Natsu!" Erza came to his side as he lay on the floor with his normal attire, the helmet rolling a few feet away as he roused in unconsciousness.

"Natsu, are you okay?" Lucy and the others converged around him.

"You could've gotten killed." Happy landed near him.

"You idiot." Erza helped him up.

"Yep, you sound like that guy." Natsu grunted.

"What guy?" Lucy's brows knotted.

Natsu steadied himself. "There was this guy inside the helmet who called himself Nabu, said he was a Lord of Order and we should stop some Lord of Chaos or something."

"That was the name of the cult I got the Helmet from." Finn snapped his finger.

"Cult?" Lucy's eyes dilated.

"I wasn't part of them or anything; I merely killed them all and took their stuff." Finn raised his hands. "They were doing human sacrifices in hopes of awakening a Lord of Chaos. Thought they were a bunch of nutcases, but I didn't wanna take any chances."

"What else did Nabu say?" Erza looked to Natsu.

"Something about the cosmos being altered and all realities merging; magical mumbo jumbo – I wasn't listening." He scratched his head. "He said we should head to the Bad Lands."

"Goddammit!" Finn groaned.

"What is it?" Gray asked.

"Well, it's just a place full of mutants." Finn groaned. " I'll take you there." He headed for the door.


CRICKETS CHIRPED through the still air, meshing with the crackling of fire as Finn, Phoebe, Jake and the mages set up camp. Sitting amongst the others at the fireplace, excluding Natsu and Lucy, Finn spread a large map that outlined the locations of Ooo. "Cloud Kingdom?" Gray raised his brow.

"Now that's my favourite." Jake laughed. "Man, Party god is wild."

"How many gods are there?" Erza asked.

"Well, we don't know, but Party god's this floating disembodied head of a wolf that rules Cloud Kingdom and has crazy parties all the time."

"… Right." Gray huffed and shook his head. "Wait, how's the Ice Kingdom next to a desert?"

"I don't know." Finn shrugged. "But I wouldn't go there, there's this tyrant, the Ice King, and I'd rather avoid him."

"So, what's so dangerous about the Bad Lands? If everyone in Ooo's a mutant anyway, why're the ones there so different?" Erza pointed at the map.

"Trust me, these ones are crazy. The place's filled with bandits, cannibals – all kinds of monsters and most people who go there end up lost forever. Luckily, I've got this magic compass that can navigate through the strong magnetic pulls that are all over the place." Finn smiled.

"Well, Ooo's pretty insane, but at least it's not boring." Gray leaned back.

"It sure isn't." Finn rolled up the map when he saw Lucy walking out of her tent. "Hey, Lucy." He walked up to her. "You find anything in that book I got ya?"

"Finn, buddy, pal, amigo." She patted his shoulder and grinned, drawing a confused look from him.

"What're you doing?"

"Just acknowledging you, platonic friend." Her smile widened. "Brother."

"Oh, come on!" Finn groaned and walked away.

"What? I just wanted to ask about the places you were talking about." She followed him.

Phoebe frowned and drew her knees close to her chest. Resting her elbows on them, she looked into the fire and thinned her eyes. The sounds and cold of the night dampened and vanished from her mind. All that remained was the warmth and glow of the fire before her. Her deep orange orbs sunk into the fiery depths, surrounded and engulfed in the heat.

Anger rose.

Erza's brows crossed as she heard a low growl come from the girl who sat next to her. She turned and frowned as steam rose from her body. "Phoebe?" The girl squinted and blinked rapidly as she began to fidget and look around. "Phoebe, are you okay?"

Finn turned upon hearing her name, his face falling cold as he saw an aura exude from her small frame. "Phoebe, what's wrong?"

"Don't call me that!" The girl shot up and snarled like an animal.

"Whoa, I know Lucy's hard to look at, but calm down." Happy jumped with a start.

"Hey!" Lucy frowned.

Phoebe screamed wildly and the fire exploded, spraying wood around and set the grass ablaze. "Hey, what the hell?" Gray backed up in surprise.

Red veins appeared along the skin of the redhead and she thrashed about, quickly clutching her head. Finn quickly came to her side and she lashed out at him, nearly cutting him with her nails that slowly sharpened. He gasped as he stepped back, the girl before him nearly unrecognisable as her orange eyes went black and her once plump face grew skinny and pale.

"Whoa, what's happening?" Jake backed up.

Phoebe screamed and clung to her jacket, ripping the fabric and clawed at the ground. Sparks fizzled out of her body and she erupted in a bright flame. "Finn, what's going on?" Erza drew her sword.

"I don't know; she's never done this before!" Finn frowned in worry as he looked at Phoebe who began to pant.

Phoebe gasped sharply and the fire died, letting the consuming dark of the night fill the camp. Lucy yelped in surprise and the others quickly tensed up. Phoebe rose up slowly, her hands quickly wrapping round her shoulders and she quickly backed into Finn who instinctively held her.

"Something's coming." She breathed shakily.

Finn frowned and turned to her, seeing the glow in her eyes and life in her cheeks that quickly went dead in fright as she leaned into him. Gray squinted as he looked around, hearing a rustling in the bushes. "She's right – I can hear something."

"Oh man." Happy went and held onto Lucy's leg.

Erza held her sword forward and looked at the black forest around them. Her eyes dilated and she searched worryingly. "Where's Natsu?"

A fog slowly rose from the earth, contrasting against the shadowed woods and swept through the camp. A silence fell around them and Lucy quickly drew a key as Finn drew his sword. Moving out of his hold, Phoebe stepped forward and frowned. Fire rose from her body and lit the ground. Snakes massed around them.

"Oh my God!" Lucy jumped onto the ashen firewood as the serpents surrounded them.

"Step back!" Erza donned her Lightning Empress armour and pointed her spear at the snakes.

The serpents slithered about, their grey, scaly bodies creating a pattern as they circled their prey. They moved a few feet toward them and stopped. Their cold eyes glinted in the mist and their tongues lashed out as they hissed.

"Oh no." Finn's eyes dilated.

"What's happening?" Gray turned to him.

"It's –,"

The snakes sped back into the bushes. The silence blared once more, the sounds of their hastened breaths and the crackling of Phoebe's fire filling the air as they looked around. Finn held his sword tightly and his eyes thinned.

"Whatever you do, don't touch them." He frowned.

"Don't touch what?" Gray raised his brow.

Loud shrieks came as several humanoid beasts stampeded out of the forest. Coming into the glimmer of Phoebe's fire, the monsters were illuminated, revealing their bodies comprised of serpents.

A demon clawed at Erza and she slashed its arm, its blood spraying onto her forearm and caused her to hiss in its sting as scales formed on her skin. Kicking the beast back, she sliced it in half and jumped away from splattering entrails.

Finn jammed his sword into a monster's mouth and swiped his free arm, pelting the ground with small balls that released smoke. "We have to spread out! If they surround us, we're done for!"

Lucy held her key before her. "Open Gate of the Lion: Loke!" She winced as a flash came. It vanished. "What the?"

"Lucy!" Finn cut down a demon that ran up to her and he tossed a ball at its blood, causing it to dissipate. "Come on!" He grabbed her hand.

Phoebe shot fire at three demons and sprayed the ground, causing them to backtrack. She panted and another smacked her aside, sending her flying against Finn and landed on Lucy. She writhed as scales spread on her cheek, drawing a gasp from Lucy.

Seeing the demons charging at them, the blonde helped Phoebe up and ran into the woods. "We have to go!"

Finn slashed a demon aside and jumped to his feet. A monster charged at him from behind and suddenly froze solid. "Ice Make: Lance!" Gray smashed it to pieces. "Let's get outta here!"

"Right!" Finn tossed several smoke balls and ran into the forest with him.

Happy yelped and flew away from a demon to his left. A monster spat a strip of acid from his right and Jake quickly grabbed him, moving him from harm's way. "Don't worry, I got ya, little guy!" Jake held the feline and enlarged his free arm, pushing a tree down to block the demons as he ran off.


ERZA SLASHED two demons aside and flipped back, firing lightning at two more. She landed on the ground and panted as a fire started, bringing the forest alight. She looked around and several demons surrounded her, ready to strike as she clung to her spear. The flames shot up and encircled her, burning the hordes and causing them to step back.

She jerked back as a figure ran toward her, speeding through the fire as if it were nothing and fell on the ground. Breathing heavily, the person knelt and panted, grabbing his scaled arm in pain.

"Natsu!" Her face came alight.

"Shit, what are these things?" He looked at his hand, seeing it develop blisters.

"They're demons – we shouldn't touch them." She came to his side.

"Damn, there too many around here." He stood up and looked around. "Doubt we can fight them all; not in the dark like this."

"Then we need to move. Come on!" She grabbed his hand and ran into the woods.