I don't any of the Fairy Tail characters. They belong to Hiro Mashima. WARNING: There are spoilers.
Chapter 9: Eisenwald
-First Person POV-
We stop at Kunugi Station. There, we overhear citizens complaining to the Royal Army that some guys with scythes, the dark guild that has been hanging around the area, took over the train. "I can understand carriages and boats, but taking over a train?" Lucy says. "Aye! It wouldn't be very helpful, since they can only follow the tracks." Happy says. "But they are fast." Erza counters. "Sounds like the Eisenwald guys have to rush for some reason." Gray says. "Gray, you stripped again." I tell him. Gray hastily gathers his clothes and puts them on again. "Anyway, the army's already taking action, so it's only a matter of time until they're caught." Lucy says. "Let's hope so anyway." Erza says before setting off once again.
We are now in a city. "Erza! Not so fast! You're overloading the SE plug!" Gray yells. "Scores of people will die if the Lullaby flute is played! Just hearing the sound of it is fatal!" Erza shouts back. "What if you run out of magic power just when we really need it?!" He shouts. "If that happens, I'll use a stick or something to fight. Besides, you, _, and Natsu are with us, too." Erza tells Gray. "I think I'm supposed to tell you something, Lucy." Happy says. "You are? What is it?" She asks. "I forget. All I remember is that it had something to do with you." Happy answers. While Happy is trying to remember, Natsu tries to get out through the window but Lucy manages to haul him back inside.
"What's that?" Erza says. I look out the window to see smoke rising from Oshibana Station. We arrive at the station. Erza grabs the shoulder of the train station worker trying to get people to leave the premises. "Tell me! What's the situation inside?!" She says. "Huh?! Who are you?" The worker asks. Erza head-butts the worker and moves onto the next. When they don't answer, she head-butts them as well. Lucy and I have Natsu hanging on our shoulders. "I guess she has no use for people who can't answer immediately…" Lucy says. "It's one of her flaws." I say. "Finally starting to understand what she's like?" Gray asks Lucy. We look at him. "Why aren't you wearing clothes?!" Lucy asks.
Erza comes over to us. "Eisenwald's inside. Let's go." She tells us. "Okay." We all say. We enter the station. "Apparently, a small army unit broke in earlier but has yet to return." Erza informs us as we run through the station. "They're probably locked in combat with Eisenwald." As we get closer to the platform, we see knocked-out soldiers. Lucy gasps at the sight of them. "They've been wiped out!" Happy states. "We're up against an entire guild. They're all wizards, in other words." Erza says. "A small army unit never stood a chance." I comment.
We come to the train platform now. "So you did come, you Fairy Tail flies." A man sitting on the train says. "Th-there are so many!" Lucy whimpers when she sees the guild. "You. Are you Erigor?!" Erza asks the man sitting on the train. He simply laughs. Erigor wears pants, a black scarf, and gloves. On his bare chest and his upper arms, there are blue tattoos. He wields a huge scythe. "Natsu! You need to get up now." Lucy says as she and I shake him. "It's no use. He rode a train, a Magic-mobile, and then you two. It's a triple motion sickness combo!" Happy tells us. "They're not vehicles, Happy!" Mika says. "Damn flies! Because of you, Erigor got mad at me!" The man who had attacked Natsu and me on the train growls. "That voice!" I hear Natsu gasp. "What is your aim?! What are you planning to do with the Lullaby?!" Erza asks. "You mean you don't know? What do train stations have?" Erigor asks as he jumps from the train and floats in the air. "He's flying!" Lucy squeaks. "It's wind magic!" Mika says.
Erigor lands on a speaker pole. "You plan to broadcast it?!" Erza exclaims. Erigor laughs. "Thousands of nosy onlookers have gathered around this station. No, if I raise the volume, the melody of death might just echo throughout the entire city…" He says. "You're going to make innocent people hear the Lullaby being played?!" Erza asks as she glares at Erigor. "This is a cleansing." Erigor says. "A cleansing of fools who preserve their livelihoods by flaunting their rights, ignorant of those who've had their rights stolen away. It is a sin to live oblivious to this unfair world. Therefore… the reaper has come to dish out punishment." "That won't give you your rights back!" Lucy yells. "Besides, you were kicked out of the wizard league because you kept doing horrible things!" I add. "At this point, we don't want rights. We want power! With power, we can wash away the entire past and control the future." Erigor says. "You're insane!" Lucy shouts.
"So sorry, flies. You're going to the afterlife without getting to witness the age of darkness!" The man from the train says. Shadow fists come at Lucy and me. Before we can react, Natsu takes out the magic with his Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon. "You!" The man growls. "I knew I recognized that voice! Oh, look at all these people!" Natsu says. "They're enemies. All of them." Lucy tells him. "Sounds interesting!" Natsu says as he pounds his fists together. "You're facing the strongest team in Fairy Tail! You better prepare yourselves!" Lucy says. "I leave the rest to you. Teach them the true terror of a dark guild." Erigor says as he floats off. "Natsu. Gray. _. You three go after him. If the three of you work together, not even Erigor the Reaper can beat you." Erza tells us. Natsu and Gray glare at each other. "Are you listening?!" Erza yells. "Aye, Sir!" Natsu and Gray say. The three of us run off to find Erigor.
-Lucy's POV-
After Natsu, Gray, and _ run off, two of the Eisenwald wizards go after them. One uses black ribbons to hop up to the second floor while the other disappears into shadows. "We'll hurry after them too when we're done here!" Erza says. "Two girls against this many?!" I ask. Some of the Eisenwald wizards start talking. "What are you two girls gonna do for us?" "We'll pluck out your wings, you lousy flies." "Depraved scum!" Erza says as she summons a sword. "A sword appeared. A magic sword!" I gasp. "Try insulting Fairy Tail again! You won't live to see tomorrow!" She growls. "That ain't nothin' special! We got tons of magic swordsmen on our side!" The Eisenwald members yell. They jump at Erza with weapons of their own. But she wipes out all their magic swordsmen.
Some of their wizards launch spells at Erza. She jumps up out of the way and magic circles appear around her sword. "It turned into a spear!" I exclaim. She takes out some more wizards and then changes her weapon again. "Now she has twin swords!" An Eisenwald member exclaims. "This woman can re-equip so fast!" Another says. "Re-equip?" I ask. "Magic swords are sort of like your celestial magic." Happy says. "Basically, you summon weapons stored in a different pocket of space. Switching between those weapons is called re-equipping." Mika explains. "That's amazing!" I say. "Erza's amazingness is just getting started." Happy says.
"All right! I can kick butt too!" I say as I grab my keys. I summon Cancer. "Another fight, ebi?" He asks. "Take 'em out with style!" I command. The Eisenwald members rush at Cancer. He dashes through them. When he is finished, the weapons and hair of the Eisenwald members are cut. "Not bad." Erza says. "Y-You're too kind! Yahoo! My likeability has gone up!" I say. "However, his sentence-ender bugs me. 'Ebi' is no good. At least make it something like 'snip'." Erza adds. "Disapproval!" I groan. "Ebi… snip." Cancer mumbles as he stares at his scissors.
"That said, there are still this many? How annoying." Erza says. "I'll take them all out at once!" A magic circle appears below Erza's feet which cause her whole body to glow. "Magic swordsmen always fight while re-equipping weapons. But Erza can also fight while re-equipping magic armor that increases her abilities!" Mika says. "That's Erza's magic! It's called 'The Knight'!" Happy adds. Erza's armor has changed to one that makes her looks like an angel. "Dance, my swords!" Erza says. A wheel of swords surrounds Erza as she floats. "Circle Sword!" The swords disperse in all directions, taking out many Eisenwald members. "Whoa! She wiped most of them out with one blow!" I exclaim.
-Erza's POV-
There are only two left. "No doubt about it! She's the strongest woman in Fairy Tail…" A green-haired man begins as his colleague jumps at me. I take him out. "…'Titania, Queen of the Fairies' Erza!" He finishes. He runs off as my armor returns to normal. "He might be headed for Erigor. Follow him." I order Lucy. "Me?" She asks. "Please!" I say sharply. "I'm going now!" She yells as she scurries off with Happy and Mika. My knees buckle and I fall to the ground. "I guess I did overdo it with the Magic-mobile. I leave the rest to you, everyone…"
-First Person POV-
Natsu, Gray, and I have been running down a hall for a few minutes. "Work together?! You gotta be kidding me!" Gray exclaims. "You can't put fire and ice together! It's impossible!" Natsu growls. "Erza's way too selfish-minded!" Gray says. "She always has to decide everything on her own!" Natsu adds. "Well, it's not like you two put up any resistance!" I mutter. "I can handle Erigor just fine by myself! Don't copy me!" The boys tell each other.
Natsu and Gray notice the T-intersection up ahead. "Which way?" Natsu asks. "We can just split up." Gray says. The two step into the halls they're going to take. I join Natsu. "Natsu. _. We're dealing with an idiot bent on unleashing dangerous magic. If you find him, beat his brains out." "That's not all. He's also an idiot who picked a fight with Fairy Tail. I'm gonna turn him into cinders!" Natsu responds. The two smile at each other. Then Gray and Natsu realize what they are doing and turn away from each other and grunt. "Don't die now." Gray whispers. "Huh?" Natsu asks. "Nothing!" Gray says as he runs off.
-Gray's POV-
I separate from _ and the flame-head. As I run down the hall, I notice a broadcast speaker. "Wait. If he's going to broadcast the Lullaby…" I find the studio and kick its door open. "Empty." I walk further in. "Does that mean broadcasting it isn't their goal?" Suddenly black ribbons hit the ground where I was standing. A man comes down from the ceiling. "Your hunches are too good. You're an obstacle in our plan!" He says. "Looks like there's another side to this!" I say.
-Erza's POV-
Once I regain some strength, I get everyone to evacuate and make sure everyone gets out of the town. When I turn back to the station, I see a fierce wind surrounding it. "I had always wanted to fight you at least once, Queen." Someone says behind me. I turn and find Erigor floating above me. "But it's a pity. I have no time to play with you now!" A magic circle appears on his hand. It's so bright that I have to close my eyes and shield them as well. I feel a wind push me backwards.
When I open my eyes, it appears that I am inside the wall of wind. "Erigor!" I shout as I run towards the wind. I try to get through but I flung back by the wall. "Forget it. This Magic Wind Wall is one-way only. Try to leave, and the wind will tear you apart." Erigor tells me. "What is the meaning of this?!" I ask as I stand up, clutching my arm. "You people have wasted much of our time. I must be going now." Erigor says. "Wait!" I yell. Curse you, Erigor… Where are you headed?! Your target wasn't this station, in other words?
-Gray's POV-
The man slashes his ribbons at me. "There's no escape from my urumi swords!" He says as he whips them again. "Ice Make…Shield!" A huge shield of ice forms, blocking the attack. "Ice Make Knuckle!" Fists of ice fly at my attacker. I knock him through the wall. "What's your real goal?! You never planned to broadcast the Lullaby over the speakers?!" I ask. The wizard laughs. "Erigor's Magic Wind Wall should be active right about now…" "Magic Wind Wall?" "A wind barrier to keep you guys from escaping!" The man explains. I grab his collar and push him against the wall. "I hate when things get confusing. Explain what's going on!"
"We simply created a cage to hold some flies. We only took over this station to block all traffic to the final stop… Clover station." The man says. "What?!" I say. "Clover Station is beyond a large gorge, and this train line is the only way in and out. Unless you're able to fly like Erigor, that is!" The man continues. "The Lullaby's there?!" I ask. "Know what's in Clover? Try to remember!" The man says. I think about what is in Clover. "You're open!" The man shouts as he jumps at me. I quickly make a shield. I continue to think as I guard. Clover… That's where Gramps and the others are holding their conference! The guild masters are their real target?! My realization must have shown on my face because my opponent says, "Finally figured it out? Too late to do anything about it, though!" He hits me again. "That's pretty ballsy of you, trying to go after such powerful old wizards!" I say.
"Having those ignorant old fogies hear the flute will be a cinch! Erigor will succeed! I'm sure of it!" The man says. He manages to wrap me in his urumi swords. "And you pests are stuck in this station! No one can stop him now! We're going to have our revenge on everyone who ever oppressed us! They're all about to disappear for good!" His words make me angry. I freeze the swords wrapped around my body and then I break them, freeing my arms. "We will stop you." I growl. My ice crawls up his body and icy mist swirls around me as I walk towards him. "And we'll make you regret trying to take out our masters. Even if they are old fogies, they're like parents to us!" I yell. I grab his face.
-Narrator's POV-
A shadow chases Natsu and _. "It's about time to strike." The man within that shadow thinks to himself. Erza stares at the wall of wind, trying to figure out a way to leave. Lucy runs around with Mika and Happy, trying to find the man that got away. "Where did that fat one go?!" Lucy asks. "Erza's gonna strangle you if you don't find him quick!" Happy says. Gray walks back into the studio. "I'll show you that there's a guild even more terrifying than the dark guilds." He says before walking away, his opponent encased in ice with a terrified expression.
-Erza's POV-
I go back inside the station and try to get information on how to get rid of the barrier from the other Eisenwald members. I tie them as I go. "Forget it! It's impossible! You know we can't undo the magic barrier…" The last one says. "Erza!" Someone shouts. I look up. "Gray! Weren't Natsu and _ with you?" "We split up and _ went with Natsu!" He answers. "But never mind that for now! Eisenwald's real target us the town up ahead!" "What?!" I gasp. "Gramps' and the others' conference! They plan to use the Lullaby there!" He yells. "Is that so?!" I ask the Eisenwald member I have in my hands. He nods very quickly.
"This station is surrounded by a Magic Wind Wall, though." I tell Gray as he joins me on the first floor. "Yeah, I saw it. Try to break out and it'll turn you into mincemeat." He says. "I've already tried." I say. "Erza! Your arm!" He exclaims. "It's nothing. But, as we speak, Erigor is nearing the masters. Come to think of it, there was someone in Eisenwald named Kage. He managed to break the Lullaby's seal all by himself." I say. "A dispeller…" Gray mutters. "A seal-breaking wizard?! He could remove the Magic Wind Wall too!" He exclaims. "Let's find him! Catch Kage!" I say.
-Lucy's POV-
"We completely lost him…" I moan. "Aye." Happy seconds. "Yeah." Mika confirms. "What do you say we head back to Erza for now?" I ask the two flying cats. "E-Erza said to go after him. You gotta be really gutsy to ignore an order from her… I don't want to see her do it to you, too…" Happy says with a scared expression. "Wh-what is she going to do to me?!" I ask, scared as well now. "A-All right! We'll look! We'll look until we find him!" "Your mood sure changes easily, Lucy." Mika says.
-First Person POV-
Natsu is frustrated now. He is destroying stuff with his magic. "Erigor! Where are you hiding?!" Natsu shouts. We're now in a room with lots of boxes. Suddenly, the guy from the train pops up behind us. We don't have enough time to react and he sends us flying into the boxes. "I owe you for earlier, you motion-sick flies!" He says. "You again?!" Natsu yells as we get out of the boxes. There is a poster now stuck on Natsu's neck. "That suits you." The man says. "Shut up, Toupee." Natsu says.
"Not Toupee! Kage! Kageyama!" He says angrily. "Oh, that so?" I ask sarcastically. "Whatever, though. I've got your magic figured out. You increase your destructive power by adding fire to your body. That's pretty rare magic!" Kage tells Natsu. Natsu gets angry and burns the poster. "I really wanna beat you up, but this is no time for that! Where is Erigor?!" He shouts. "That's a good question. I'll consider telling you if you can beat me." Kage says. "Knuckle Shadow!" Kage's attack hits Natsu. He's shocked that it didn't hurt Natsu much.
"Oh, you're gonna tell us after I give you a beating? That's great! Two birds with one stone! Now I'm all fired up!" Natsu says. "Claw of the Water Dragon!" I yell as I punch Kage. "That's for what you did on the train." We avoid Kage's shadow attacks. But then he drops to the ground. "You can't dodge my Snake Shadow! It'll follow you wherever you go!" Kage shouts as several shadow snakes come at us. Natsu gives me a look and I grin in understanding. "We'll shatter you!" I yell. "Wing Slash of the Fire/Water Dragon!" "Impossible! They defeated the Snake Shadow in one blow! This destructive force! Wizards like this can't exist!" Kage exclaims. "Oh, but we do!" I say, grinning. "Want another hard Fly Punch?" Natsu asks. "Y-you're monsters!" Kage shouts as Natsu jumps at him. Natsu punches him through a wall. "You made me cause even more destruction. What do you have to say for yourself?" He says as we walk through the dust cloud.
We now stand in front of Kage. "Well, I feel better, at least." I say. "Looks like we win, Diorama." Natsu says. "It's Kageyama!" He groans. "All right! Tell us where Erigor is like you promised!" I say. Kageyama laughs and says, "You fools. Erigor's not in this station anymore…" "Huh?!" Natsu and I say. "Natsu! _!" Erza calls. "That's enough! We need him!" She says as she runs over with Gray. Erza jumps towards us with a sword in her hand. "Wait! I-I dunno what I did, but I'm sorry!" Natsu and I exclaim. She goes past us though and hits the wall near Kageyama. "You will shut up and remove the Magic Wind Wall for us!" Erza tells Kage, her sword less than an inch away from his neck. Natsu is still freaking out. "That wasn't funny at all! You really are dangerous, Erza!" He exclaims. "Shut up!" Gray tells Natsu. "Understood?" Erza asks. "A-alright." Kage answers.
Suddenly, a hand comes through Kage's body. "Wh-why?" He asks as he collapses, revealing his attacker. Kage's attacker is trembling with an expression of regret and horror. "Kage!" Erza exclaims. "Damn! He was our only way out!" Gray says. Natsu and I stare at Kage's attacker with horrified expressions. "Kage! Stay with us! We need your help! You're the only one who can remove the Magic Wind Wall! Don't die!" Erza says.
Natsu clenches his hand. "He's one of your own comrades!" He growls. His flames surround his body. "He's a member of your own guild!" Natsu yells. Kage's attacker disappears into the wall as Natsu jumps at him with an Iron Fist of the Dragon. Natsu destroys the wall, knocking the man out of it. "Is that just how your guild is?!" He shouts. "Kage! You need to stay with us!" Erza yells. "It's no use, Erza! He's unconscious!" Gray says. "We can't let him die! He has to do this!" Erza says as she shakes Kage. "Oy, he can't use magic in his condition!" I walk over to Natsu who stares at the hole he just made and gently take his fist into mine. Natsu tenses but then relaxes slightly.
-Lucy's POV-
I follow the noises of destruction. I come to a room and find my guild mates. Erza is shaking a man and Gray is trying to calm her down. Natsu is staring at a hole and _ is holding his fist in hers. "Umm… Do you think this is a bad time?" I ask Mika and Happy. "Aye." Happy says while Mika nods.
-First Person POV-
We gather on a balcony outside after treating Kage's wounds. "What?! Erigor's real target is the conference?!" Lucy exclaims. "Gramps!" Natsu and I gasp. "They cut off our only method of reaching Clover. Erigor headed there through the air." Erza says. "We could catch up to him in the Magic-mobile. But unless we do something about this barrier first, we're stuck here." Gray says. "Seriously?!" Lucy asks. Natsu tries to attack the wind wall with his Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon. He gets hurt and flung back. "Kage! Please! Help us!" Erza pleads of the still unconscious wizard. "Dammit! I will break through this stupid thing!" Natsu growls. He attacks the wall with a combo but gets the same results. I rush over to him. "Natsu!" I exclaim. "You idiot. Brute strength won't do anything." Gray says.
"We need to hurry! Can't you freeze it with your magic or something?!" Lucy asks Gray. "I already would have if I could." He answers. Natsu launches himself at the wall again. "Natsu!" Gray exclaims. "Stop that! You'll get torn apart!" Lucy yells. I catch Natsu as he gets flung back by the wall once again, looping my arms around his shoulders. "Stop it, please!" I yell. I grip his shoulders tightly. "I don't want to see you hurt yourself." I whisper. Natsu gasps. He turns around and hugs me, murmuring, "I'm sorry."
Then Natsu seems to think of something and he goes over to Lucy. "That's it! Celestial Spirits." He says. "Huh?!" Lucy asks. "Remember Everlue's mansion, when _ and I teleported by going through the celestial spirit world?" Natsu asks. "Normal people would suffocate and die if they went through, though. Plus, the gates only open where there's a celestial wizard." Lucy says. Natsu is confused and it shows on his face. "Basically, if we wanted to pass through the celestial spirit world to get out, we'd need at least one celestial wizard outside the station!" Lucy explains. "You're confusing me. Just hurry and do it." Natsu says. "Natsu! She basically said she can't do it!" I say. "Besides, the very act of a human entering the celestial spirit world is a serious breach of contract! It didn't matter before because it was Everlue's key." Lucy tells Natsu. "I'm still confused." He says.
Suddenly Happy screams. "I just remembered, Lucy!" Happy says as he comes over. "Remembered what?" She asks. "What I was supposed to tell you on the way here!" Happy exclaims. "Oh, when you kept calling me weird?" Lucy asks. "This is it!" Happy says as he holds up a gold key. "That's Virgo's key!" Lucy shouts and then she scolds Happy. "You know it's wrong to steal!" "No! Virgo told me herself!" Happy says. "This is no time for nonsense." Gray mutters. "Virgo?" Natsu says. "That huge maid!" I say. "Everlue was arrested so, apparently, their contract was annulled. She visited us later and said she wants to make a contract with you, Lucy!" Happy explains. "'It' did?" Lucy asks. "I'm glad to hear it, but this is no time for that! We need to figure a way out of here!"
"But…" Happy starts. "Shut up! Enough talking! Just stick to meowing!" Lucy says as she pulls Happy's cheeks. "She can be frightening sometimes…" Gray says. "She's surprisingly powerful!" Natsu says cheerfully. "But Virgo can dive through the ground! Maybe we could go under the wind barrier to get out." Mika says. "Wh-what?!" Erza exclaims. "Are you serious?!" Gray asks. "Oh, right! You're so smart, Happy and Mika! Why didn't you suggest that sooner?" Lucy says. "Happy was trying to suggest that when you started pulling on his cheeks." Mika huffs, her arms crossed across her chest. "Sorry! I'll make it up to you later somehow! I promise! Please just let me have the key!" Lucy tells Happy. "Aye! I look forward to your apology!" He says, handing Lucy the key.
We stand back as Lucy prepares to open Virgo's gate. "I am connected with the path to the celestial spirit world!" A magic circle appears below Lucy's feet. "Heed my call! Pass through the gate! Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" A petite, fuchsia-haired maid with chains on her wrists appears. She bows to Lucy. "You called, Mistress?" Virgo says. "Who are you?" Lucy asks, clearly thrown off by Virgo's appearance. "Hey, Marco! You've really slimmed down!" Natsu says cheerfully to Virgo. "I'm Virgo. I apologize for causing you trouble earlier." "It's okay. You were following orders." I say. "Slimmed down?! More like a different person!" Lucy exclaims. "A different person?" Gray asks Lucy.
"Why do you look like that?" Lucy asks Virgo. "I'm a devoted celestial spirit. I take whatever form my master prefers." She explains. "Your last form was a lot more powerful and tough-looking." Natsu says. "Is that so?" Virgo asks. "In that case…" She changes to what I remember her as. "I'll use this form again." Virgo says in a deep voice. Gray and Lucy freak out. "Don't listen to him! Your skinnier form is better!" Lucy shouts. Virgo reverts. "Understood." She says, her voice back to normal as well. Gray and Lucy calm down.
"We're in a big rush! Can the contract wait until later?" Lucy asks Virgo. "Of course, Mistress." The Spirit answers. "I don't like being called 'Mistress.'" "Queen or Dominatrix, then?" Virgo asks as she stares at Lucy's whip. "No." "Princess?" Virgo suggests. "That's more like it." Lucy says and then asks Virgo to dig a hole to the other side of the barrier. "Very well, then." Virgo says before disappearing into the ground. "Oh! She went down!" Gray exclaims as he looks down Virgo's tunnel. "Great thinking, Lucy!" Erza says, pulling Lucy to her chest. "All right! Let's go through the hole!" Gray says. Natsu grunts. I look over and find him lifting up Kage. "What are you doing, Natsu?" Gray asks. "Having him die after fighting me would leave a bad taste in my mouth." He answers. "Same here." I add as I help. Erza smiles at us.
-Erza's POV-
We climb out of Virgo's tunnel. "We're out!" Gray shouts to be heard over the wind. "Let's hurry ahead!" I say. "The wind's so strong!" Lucy complains. "It's no use…" Kage says. "There's no way you can catch up to him now...We win…" "Where's Natsu and _?" I ask. "Huh?" Lucy gasps as she looks around. "Happy and Mika are gone too." Gray says.