With a demand threating to destroy everything and attacking innocent people, Tranquil Mind asks for Fairy Tail to hand over the last spirit orb. Natsu stands in a small open area in the woods with the orb as he was waiting for Tranquil Mind to show up. Meanwhile, Mira and Erza stayed out of sight so they can spring their trap.

"Looks like they're here." Natsu said as he saw the third member of Tranquil Mind reveal himself. "You! So you're part of Tranquil Mind."

"Yeah."

"Hold on. Your voice….you're the same person who set an entire village on fire looking for the orb." Natsu said.

"I'm Gurin of the Three Masters. Word of advice….don't do anything stupid."

"Whatever. Just take the dumb thing already." Natsu said.

"I don't trust you. I've got my eye on you." Gurin said.

"What are you talking about?" Natsu said as he tried to keep his cover. "I could burn all of you guys down any day of the week if I wanted."

"I'm sure we'll put that to the test soon enough, but we're here on business." Gurin said as he stepped closer to the orb with Mira and Erza getting ready to attack. "I'll take this." He reached for the orb, but Natsu used his flames and surrounded him.

"We've got you now!" Natsu said, but Gurin didn't seem the least bit worried. He slammed his hands together and those puppets appeared with them forming the barrier before Erza and Mirajane could step in. "What? Erza, what are you doing?" Natsu dispersed the flames and saw both of them were trapped.

"You're not the only one who can pull a fast one." Gurin said. He grabbed the orb and tossed it into the air. That was when Mona appeared out of thin air and caught it.

"I got it!" Mona said.

"No!" Natsu said as he ignited his flames around his feet and shot into the air. "Give that back!" He reached for Mona, but Gurin surprised him by jumping to his level and Natsu saw he had flames around his feet as well. "He uses fire?!" Gurin hammered Natsu down and had him hit the ground. Gurin landed down with Mona flying off.

"So long." Mona said as she escaped with the orb.

"Come back." Natsu said as he tried to go after her, but Gurin pounded him back.

"Our business here is done. Now I'll be your opponent." Gurin said. Gurin held out his arm and shot out a blast of fire, but Natsu devoured it in no time.

"Sorry, but fire isn't going to work on me." Natsu said.

"Right. You're the Fire Dragon Slayer and you consume fire." Gurin said. "If that's the case, I think you need to cool down." He surprised Natsu by shooting out a blast of water and had him hit the barrier.

"No way! He can use fire and water?" Natsu said. Gurin was ready to finish Natsu right there, but he saw the barrier went down. That was when Erza and Mira, in her Satan Soul form, stepped in and stood at Natsu's side.

"Sorry. It took some time to break the barrier." Erza said.

"Titania Erza and Mirajane the She-Devil." Gurin acknowledge. "This fight might be more interesting than I thought."

"Erza, they were able to take the spirit orb." Natsu said.

"We'll have to deal with him first." Mirajane said.

"This doesn't seem fair. Three powerful wizards against just me?" Gurin said. "I think one of you should be in reserve. Geyser Trap!" He slammed his hand on the ground. Water erupted right under Natsu and trapped him inside.

"You think a little water can stop me!" Natsu said as he tried to pound his way out, but his hand couldn't even get through the water.

"I be conserving my breath and strength if I were you." Gurin said. "There's no way you'll be able to break out of that water. You'll drown in about five minutes."

"We'll have you defeated before time runs out." Erza said as she requipped into her Sea Empress Armor.

"I'm afraid that armor of yours isn't enough." Gurin said as he shot out blasts of fire. Erza maneuvered around the flames and attacked with her sword, but Gurin jumped out of the way.

"I got him!" Mirajane said as she flew right at him. Mira swung her leg at him, but Gurin met the attack with his own kick.

"That's what I like to see." Gurin said as he jumped back. "Come at me with all you've got. I love a challenge." He shot out water at Mira and fire at Erza. Both of them tried to block the attacks.

'Oh man. I'm not just going to sit here while all this fighting is going on. It looks too good to pass up.' Natsu said as he was unleashing all his fire. Gurin looked ahead and noticed it.

"It's pointless. Fire could never beat water." Gurin said, but Natsu surprised him as he unleashed fire that was powerful enough to turn the water into steam. "No way! There's no way he could have broken free with just water!"

"Never underestimate a member of Fairy Tail!" Erza said as she requipped into her Flame Empress Armor and had the fire disperse. Mira unfolded her wings and was able to fly out of the water.

"I should have known this wouldn't be easy." Gurin said and was met with a punch to the face by Natsu.

"Love to keep pounding you around, but we got to get that orb back." Natsu said. Mirajane flew up and held out her hand.

"Darkness Stream." Mira shot out dark hands towards Gurin, but he used the flames and burned them all away. Gurin used his flames and jumped to her level.

"Flame Skull!" Gurin formed a skull from fire and slammed Mirajane with it and had her hit the ground. Gurin came down and placed his hands on the ground. "Water Rupture!" Water shot out from around and hit all three of them. "Have you had enough?"

"I underestimated him. To think he was a match for all of us." Erza said as all of them got back up.

"I'm far from done." Gurin said.

"So are we." Erza said as she flew right at him and tried slashing at him with her fire sword, but he moved out of the way. Gurin saw Mirajane fly up to him and gave him a strong kick in the back.

"You're turn, Natsu." Mira said.

"I've got him. Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu unleashed his fire and it lashed against him.

"I'll finish this!" Erza said as she went in for the attack.

"I don't think so!" Gurin as he pulled himself together and shot out a blast of water at her. Gurin thought he had her when it hit, but he saw electricity travel through the water and electrocuted him. "How did that happen?"

"This is how." Erza said as she still wore her Flame Empress Armor, but she held her spear of lightning and her sea empress sword.

"No way! The defense of your armor with the offense of two different weapons." Gurin said as he found that impressive.

"Great idea, Erza." Mirajane said. "Your armor will protect you from fire and you can use your weapons to counter his water and fire attacks."

"Yeah. We've got this guy." Natsu said.

"You really think so?" Gurin said as he had something sneaky up to his sleeve. "Think again!" He drew a cross with his fingers and a magic circle appeared that looked similar to a certain one.

"That magic circle…is that Abyss Break?" Erza said. "I thought he could only use fire and water."

"Not quite the Abyss break, but close. Abyss Silence!" Gurin said. The magic circle shined and there was a ton of magic power coming from it.

"Look out!" Mirajane said as she pushed Natsu and Erza out of the way, but she took the attack. A bright light shined from the magic circle and Mirajane got hit with a heavy attack as she was blown out of the area.

"Mira!" Erza called out.

"What the heck just happened?" Natsu said.

"Abyss Silence. It's sort of like half of the Abyss Break." Gurin said. "It can only be accomplished by those who possess magic that are opposites like fire and water."

"That does it. You're going to pay for hurting Mira like that." Natsu said. "Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" Natsu charged right at him and rammed his head against him, but Gurin held his ground.

'The downside to using the Abyss Silence is that it takes up a lot of my magic power.' Gurin thought. 'That doesn't matter. I can still take these guys.' He tossed Natsu over him.

"You let your guard down!" Gurin looked behind him and saw Erza was right in the position to attack.

'No! I'm not going to make it!' Gurin thought. Erza struck with both her weapons and dealt the final blow. Gurin dropped to his knees and tried to hang on to his strength.

"It's over." Erza said as she requipped to her normal attire.

"It is, but I've done what I needed to do." Gurin said. "I never had any intention of winning this fight."

"Really?" Natsu said.

"Yes. I just needed to hold you down while Mona escaped with the orb." Gurin said.

"So you used yourself as bait and let your comrades escape." Erza said.

"Yes. Everything I've done has been for the revival of the guild." Gurin said.

"Revival of the guild?" Natsu wondered.

"That's right. The Magic Council as well as all of Fiore will bow to our magic." Gurin said. "If they refuse, we swore to unleash the Master Puppet. When that happens, the scattered members of the guild will return."

"Do you really think that will ever come to fruition?" Erza said.

"I don't know, but there was no other path for me. Ishida, the rest is up to you." Gurin said as he took his last breath and his body collapsed.

"Erza…" Nastu said as he wasn't really sure what to think of the sacrifice he made. Erza could see that.

"He was just doing everything he could for his guild. I can respect that." Erza said and Natsu actually felt sorry for him. He was the first member of a dark guild that seemed so devoted and caring Natsu's seen in a long time. Of course, he realized they had a serious problem.

"The spirit orb! Mira too! Where is she?" Natsu asked. Erza looked in the direction Mira was blown into.

"I think Mira is safe. She probably went after Wendy." Erza said.

"Erza, do you think they can get the spirit orb back?" Natsu said.

"Um…we should get back." Erza said.

…

The Guildhall

Erza and Natsu headed right back to the guild and they told Makarov everything that has happened.

"So they took off with the orb." Makarov said.

"Yeah, but Wendy and Mirajane are pursuing them right now." Erza said.

"Hopefully they'll find their hideout." Makarov said. "If they don't, so be it."

"How can you guys be so calm? They have the last spirit orb." Natsu said.

"We're back." They looked towards the entrance and saw Mirajane, Carla, and Wendy, but they seemed pretty bummed out.

"I'm sorry." Wendy said.

"We failed, Master." Mirajane said.

"Say no more. I can tell by the looks on your faces." Makarov said.

"I'm sorry. We tried, but they escape." Wendy said.

"It's alright. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. Erza, I think it's alright to tell them now." Makarov said.

"Tell us what?" Natsu asked.

"We didn't tell you because we needed it to look convincing." Erza said. "The spirit orb they just took was a fake."

"Fake?!" All of them shouted.

"But where's the real one?" Natsu said.

"Still with Sabertooth." Erza said. "The orb we handed over was a fake one they developed based on the information they've gathered."

"And you don't think you could have told us that BEFORE the mission?!" Carla said.

"I'm sorry, but we needed to be sure the orb would be passed." Makarov said.

"But…if they find out the orb is a fake, they'll come after us again." Wendy said.

"By that time, Sabertooth might have found a way to destroy the orb." Erza said. "As long as we can buy some time, we can still prevail."

"I guess, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." Natsu said.

"Oh, don't be like that. I'll treat you to some cake." Erza said.

"Really?! Wait, I've heard that before." Natsu said as he knew Erza would just hog all of it.

"Worth a shot." Erza said. One member might have been defeated, but there are still two more and an entire army of puppets. Hopefully, they can destroy the orb in time.

Next Time: Secure the Citadel