Chapter 14 – An Old Enemy and an Old Friend
A wind blew across the land, little pockets of dust created strange patterns in the air that one might be able to point out an image in them if they had a strong enough imagination. A cloaked man looked across the train tracks toward two groups who were facing off against each other. The one group had with them a giant automaton which loomed over the other group but they did not seem intimidated at all. There was definitely tension between the two groups which could be pretty much felt even from a distance. For now the figure waited to see what would happen.
"The heck are you talking about!" Natsu stormed back to Xin-Fu. Already his body was starting to flame up in anticipation of the fight to come. "As if you could use Fairy Tail for your…whatever the heck you're planning!" Natsu pointed an accusing finger at him, while Xing-Fu way up high merely chuckled and shrugged, the shrug causing his shrine-top like hat to move, the various tassels on the massive structure jingling around.
"As if you could do a thing about it! The plan is already set in motion, though I will admit there are a few obstacles among you." Xing-Fu turned his head from side to side, quite slowly as if to take in his entire surroundings. "Of course I will make sure that nothing gets in my way of becoming the great emperor of all these lands!" Xing-Fu once again stretched his arms out as if he already owned the entire world. He slowly lowered his hands though, and stared down at the Fairy Tail members. "My subordinates will make sure of that."
Soon, all of the main members of the Xin Clan were gathered around their leader: Davine the divine seductress, Brax the delaying powerhouse, Yashe the controller of the Riesig, Irene of the Ogre's Gate, and Takashi the Mirage. Each member looked down on the Fairy Tail members with triumphant looks on their faces, obviously confident they would win the day. While certainly the power they represented on top of the Riesig represented a significant threat, Xing-Fu was not about to stop the show yet and beckoned for a figure to come forward from behind them.
"And of course my newest servant, your once precious friend, the Sound Slayer Loretta!" One could easily hear the dreadful humor in Xing-Fu's voice as the fully-helmeted Loretta stepped out from his shadow.
"Loretta-san!" Wendy cried out upon seeing her newest friend up there with the enemy. "W-What did you do to Loretta-san!" Wendy clenched her teeth and fists in anger, being forced to see the female dragon-slayer she had started to look up to stare back at her with no visible face, it was almost as if the Loretta she had come to know had vanished completely.
"Painful is it not, to see one of your precious comrades turn against you?" Xing-Fu jeered down at them obviously taking much enjoyment at their pain.
"Sheesh, he has to be overdramatic all the time doesn't he?" Irene whispered to Yashe, nudging him in the leg.
"Huh, what was that Chibi-Irene?" Yashe asked as he looked down at her incredulously. Instantly Irene's Goth loli face turned to one of murderous intent.
"What was that you giant bean-sprout! To high up to hear me huh!?" Irene seemed like she was ready to launch herself at him when Xing-Fu very suddenly turned to face them, his veiled face hiding most likely a devil's glare.
"I thought I told you this was my stage!" Xing-Fu erupted at the two, who instantly clung to each other in fear, looking like father and daughter.
"Tch, love-birds." Brax grunted under his breath and he also received Xing-Fu's death glare.
The drama up top was quickly brought to a halt as Xing-Fu gave a loud cough, and then continued to badger Fairy Tail. "I will make sure you suffer plenty at her hands."
"Why you!" Gray said, his eyes filled with the cold wrath of anger that only one attuned with the lowest of temperatures was familiar with. "We definitely won't forgive you for this!"
"Indeed!" Erza's sharp eyes told her pure feelings through their intense gaze, "we will do everything we can to stop you and save Jellal from your clutches while we are at it!" Erza ex-quipped into her knight armor and pointed a sword at Xing-Fu. "Prepare yourself!" With that, each man, woman, and cat of Fairy Tail readied themselves to attack, but once more Xing-Fu was intent on continuing his drama.
"Oh, you wish to take back the infamous Jellal huh? If you do take him back you do realize the only thing awaiting him is the death penalty correct?" Xing-Fu sneered down at them and laughed, "Isn't he supposed to be your friend as well?"
Erza bit her lip a little, knowing what Xing-Fu said was true and yet, she knew the die had been cast when Jellal willingly gave himself up to the Council after the defeat of Oracion Seis. "I know full well, the consequences, but even so! It was what Jellal decided for himself and I will honor his wish!"
"Erza…"
"Erza-san…" Natsu and Wendy said in unison, both knowing just how hard it was for her to go through with what she had just stated.
"Well I guess you do not understand him very well then. He told me himself he wants to live and complete his work, didn't you know Jellal Fernandez." Once again Xing-Fu beckoned for someone to come forward, and this time it was Jellal, hands in his pockets and his face tattoo being prominently displayed as always.
"To think that you wished for me to die so badly Erza, I would never have believed it if I did not hear it for myself." Jellal grinned down at all their shocked faces, each one a perfect mask of complete disbelief.
"No, Jellal that is not what I-" Erza quickly tried to explain but Natsu interrupted her mid-sentence.
"Jellal! What do you think you're doing up there! Didn't we work together to take out Zero! You said that you trusted me and you became one of us!" Natsu's words shot up toward their one time ally but Jellal was unmoved.
"Natsu…" Erza looked over at the male dragon-slayer for a moment, a look of wonder and thanks in her eyes and then turned to look back up at Jellal. "Jellal, you were finally free from your bad dream, come back with us! Of course we will have to turn you back in but we will do our best to help you!"
Lucy, Wendy, Gray, and the two exceed watched the exchange, wondering how Jellal would respond. Jellal fell silent for a moment and his face turned stern, but then he started to talk.
"Oh, so when I was weak and remembered nothing you're saying that is when I was truly awake! It was then that is the bad dream! To think I actually helped the one who foiled my plan back at the Tower of Paradise. The very thought revolts me so much, I can barely stand to think of it!" Jellal angrily clenched his teeth and glared down at the hated Salamander. "I cannot wait to pay you back for the destruction of my tower and interfering with Zeref's resurrection, Natsu Dragneel!"
"Wait Jellal, then that means your memory has returned?" Erza asked even though she could feel what the answer would be.
"That would be so, Erza Scarlet, thanks to the Xin Clan I have truly been brought back from the abyss and I decided that I would assist them in their endeavor, as long as I could get my revenge." After Jellal proclaimed his intent, Yashe spoke up from beside him.
"It really was quite a simple procedure really, as you ignorant mages probably don't know; the brain works on virtually the same principle as archival magic. There are set pathways that connect to different data and functions that must be allowed to send a signal through in order to access anything, including memories. When our new ally, Jellal, went through his ordeal with the vast magical energies of Etherion it messed with his structure on a very basic level; amazingly he managed to be almost fully reconstructed but of course the process was not perfect and many of his neural connections were damaged. All I had to do was reconnect those connections for Jellal to be able to fully access his memories." Yashe looked very content with himself as he finished his explanation, and then realized he had stepped on Xing-Fu's stage. "Oh, I'm sorry, forgive me."
"While normally I would punish you, I must admit your timing was most excellent so I will let you off for now." Xing-fu stated, putting Yashe at ease.
"Truly, Xing-Fu-sama, you are as wise as you are generous." Davine said, her voice dripping with sweetness for their leader.
"Thank you Xing-Fu-sama, your praise is most kind." Yashe bowed, instantly cutting his height him half, bringing him almost to Irene's level, causing Irene to start pouting again. He stood back up again with a beaming smile. "Truth to be told, that helmet the dragon slayer is wearing is my work too. Not to be compared to my Riesig of course but it is truly a magnificent work of art!"
"So, that means the helmet is to blame for Loretta turning against us!" Wendy burst out, her countenance suddenly full of new hope. If angels had been passing by at that moment, upon seeing her joyful face they no doubt would have burst out into song with Hallelujahs and Glorias.
"Partially right chibi! But the true reason for-" Yashe was going to explain the whole thing when a single command from Xing-Fu shut him up.
"SILENCE!" The command hung in the air and instantly Yashe shut up, so quickly that he actually started to choke, it was uncanny. "While it pains me to admit it, this phase of the production is coming to a close. It is impossible for you to win against our might. Yashe, you may talk again." As if a hand had been released from his throat, Yashe started to gasp for breath. "Command the Riesig to target the Titania, after she is gone the rest will easily fall into our hands."
"Yes, Riesig! Time to crush!" Yashe eagerly yelled and his semi-transparent armor started to light up like a circuit board, his archive magic going to town in controlling the massive automaton. "For the Xin Clan!" The Riesig rocketed at massive punch at Erza, fully prepared to pulverize her into pulp at quite an incredible speed.
"Fast!" Erza thought as she prepared to dodge out of the way along with her teammates close by but before the giant fist could strike home, a cloaked figure got in-between her and the massive, metal fist. Before she could tell the figure to run, the fist struck, she covered her face as a massive wind from the force of the blow buffeted her, along with Natsu and the rest. When she opened her eyes she was amazed to see the figure standing there in what appeared to be a depression in the earth caused by the attack, but the figure had stopped the blow, with one hand.
"What's the matter willow branch? Did your precious Riesig stall again?" Irene teased her counterpart, as they could tell the blow had not killed anyone but they were unable to see from their angle what had happened.
"Shut up chibi-Irene! That is impossible! It is perfectly calibrated!" Yashe commanded the Riesig to take back its fist, and they all stared at the person who had managed to stop the punch. "This is i-impossible; there is no way someone could stand up to my Riesig!"
The figure brought a hand up to his shoulder then turned his head on his side to crack his neck. "Well I must say that was a pretty powerful punch you got there; I may even have the chance to fight seriously for once. The master was right to send me after you guys when he figured out the request had been tampered with." The hood fell off the figure's head to reveal to all his identity.
"Gildarts!" Natsu rejoiced upon seeing possibly the most powerful mage in all of Fairy Tail, the indomitable Gildarts who dared to take on requests above S-rank. There was not a single person that Natsu, or any of the Fairy Tail members knew, that could best Gildarts in a fair fight, even armies could not hope to match him and his powerful crush magic.
"Hey everyone! Glad everyone is all right, this is certainly a nice party you got going here." Gildarts casually walked out of the crater formed by the Riesig's punch and stretched his arms out a little bit.
"Gildarts Clive," Xing-Fu stared down at the strongest man in Fairy Tail, thinking about how this changed things, "certainly a rather worthy opponent has shown up; however, in the end it makes no difference. Yashe you and the Riesig will concentrate on Gildarts with Irene's support, under no circumstances are you to allow him to interfere with the other battles.
"Right!" Pronounced the tall-short couple, instantly glaring at each other upon realizing they had said that in unison.
"I'll be sure to protect this totem-pole from Gildarts crush magic while he gives that strongest mage a good thrashing." Irene gloated, making her appear as a very small package full of immense aspirations.
"Xing-Fu, I demand that you leave the destruction of Natsu Dragneel to me, it is high time he paid for his interference!" Jellal demanded quite forcefully which infuriated Davine.
"How dare you demand anything from Xing-Fu-sama! I will-" but before she could finish her threat Xing-Fu intervened.
"Silence Davine, I will honor our ally's request and leave the Dragon Slayer to him." Jellal had not bothered to wait for permission and instead had already launched himself at Natsu, empowered by his meteor magic. Davine wanted to go after him but a single gesture from her lord stopped her from following. "Your talents are needed elsewhere."
Natsu grinned as Jellal shot down at him like a comet and his flames grew in excitement and anger. "Heh, just what I wanted, I guess I'll just have to beat you until you lose your senses!"
"Wait Natsu! Leave Jellal to me, this is my responsibility!" Erza tried to step in but Natsu pushed her back.
"Get back Erza!" After she was pushed out of the way Jellal struck Natsu with a fierce elbow to the face, the force knocked Natsu back with Jellal close behind. Natsu flipped over and tried to kick Jellal who was in hot pursuit but his magic made him easily dodge Natsu's attempt at a counterattack. Natsu landed on the ground and rubbed his cheek where Jellal had smashed him. "I promised you I would get him back-gah- and I intend-oof-to keep that promise!" With a loud shout Natsu, who was being pummeled by Jellal's lightning fast assault, managed to finally connect a spinning kick on Jellal, knocking him off course. He skidded across the ground but very quickly righted himself. "I've gotten stronger than the last time we fought so don't think you can keep using the same trick on me!"
"Natsu…"
"I'll drag his sorry butt back home, so I'll leave the one responsible for this to you Erza! Go hit that guy with everything you got!" Natsu gave Erza a thumb up then quickly turned back to Jellal.
"I see you have gotten arrogant since the last time we fought!" Jellal scoffed, looking none the worse for having a very brief but intimate relationship with the ground. "But I'll be sure to remind you just who the superior mage is!"
Jellal and Natsu started their duel again. Jellal's superior speed gave him the advantage, but Natsu was a stubborn dragon-slayer so he was not about to go down easy.
Lucy found herself facing yet another crazy woman, she cursed her bad luck for always attracting the most annoying of enemies but there was no way she was going to let this floozy get the better of her. Davine sighed as she look at the well-endowed celestial mage before her, "yet another poor deluded child who thinks their looks will get them whatever they want in life." Davine shrugged and made every single movement of her body look as sensuous as possible. Lucy's face made it seem like she had seen something utterly revolting.
"Why in the world does everyone try to make me seem like a bad girl!? I'd take a look in the mirror if I were you."
"Oh believe me I look in it all the time and I like what I see, one day even my lord Xing-Fu will be captivated by my beauty." As she spoke a bunch of male mages came pouring from who-knows-where, surrounding Davine and showering her with compliments and gifts, a few even looked like they had been with the magic council.
"What on earth?" Lucy stared at the throng of admires while Davine merely laughed, one of those annoying Ojou-sama laughs that had the rather obnoxious meaning of I'm better than you, in it.
"From your look of jealousy I bet you've never had a boyfriend in your life." Lucy nearly stumbled as she took a figurative arrow-to-the-heart from Davine's rather true statement, at least about the boyfriend thing. "Beauty is wasted on someone who doesn't know how to use it."
Lucy glared at her foe; she was not about to take that lying down. "Ya well when I find a boyfriend it will be true love, not whatever charm magic you're obviously using on these poor guys!" Lucy pointed an accusing finger at Davine, "In fact, I bet you use that forbidden magic because you were never able to get what you really wanted! In fact probably the guy you liked dumped you for somebody else!" Lucy thought she was quite clever until she suddenly felt a wave of killing intent ooze out from Davine's every pore, so much hatred that she was even strangling one of her admirers with one hand.
Lucy had just stepped on a magic landmine.
"Oh, figure that all on your own did you? Think you're so clever, hah well once I become Xing-fu's lover I'll be an empress and I'll make sure to make you my personal slave." The tanned and toned dame shot a killer's look at Lucy's direction, but then softened as she stopped choking her hapless victim and turned soft and divine in the eyes of all the men around her. "Did you hear her speak such horrible things about me? Please make her feel as much PAIN AS POSSIBLE!" The last little bit was not at all soft or sweet but the charmed men turned angry faces toward Lucy and marched forward, almost as one man.
"Oh boy, things are about to get ugly." Lucy gulped and quickly reached for her keys…
Brax looked stone-faced at Gray, after the initial scuffle on the Riesig everyone had left the automaton as it was in combat with Gildarts. Brax found the closest enemy to be the somewhat famous ice-mage, Gray Fullbuster. "Humph so you will be my opponent, I will admit I rather wished to fight Gildarts myself, the chance to fight an opponent of his caliber would have been my greatest accomplishment."
"I doubt that," Gray interjected, "he would wipe the floor with your sorry butt. Besides I'm more than enough to take you out, one-man-army wanna-be." Gray jabbed at the fact that Brax was decked out with so many weapons and other gear. "Ice-Make Lance!" Using the traditional two-handed style of ice-making magic, large shards of ice grew exponentially from Gray's hands to try and pierce Brax in the chest. The muscular mage rolled out of the way and threw a combat knife at Gray, who deflected the attack with a quick ice wall.
"Humph, I doubt you will be up to par," Brax commented as he used his agility to avoid Gray's attacks while throwing his own, Gray began to notice something odd: when Brax threw his weapons it seemed like only half of them actually tried to hit him, yet he knew Brax was throwing more than that. Something was off.
Brax began dropping some grenades and other devices as well in the surrounding area and started to make his way forward, though his progress was being impeded by Gray's forcing him to circle around the mage. When Gray's attention was forced to shift along with Brax's location, suddenly a combat knife just shot out from the direction Brax had been before. Thankfully Gray saw the glint and managed to jump out of the way. "Where the heck did that come from?" Gray glanced over in the direction the knife had come from and noticed something odd, a glittering signifying something metallic just seemingly hanging in the air. It suddenly occurred to Gray what had happened to the weapons Brax had thrown that for some reason had never come his way.
Unfortunately for Gray this revelation came at a price as Brax used the opportunity to charge in hit Gray a few times before quickly backing off, but for some reason his attacks didn't hurt. Gray glared at Brax and was about to made a hammer to pummel him when Brax snapped his fingers…
Wendy was determined to make things right, as soon as she saw an opportunity she made sure to make a beeline straight toward Loretta; thankfully no other enemies challenged and before she knew it there she was, confronting her newest friend. Loretta started blankly, though it was impossible to tell what her expression really was due to the full-on headgear that seemed to shut the sound-slayer out from the rest of the world. "Loretta-san, please snap out of it! I don't want to fight you, and I know you don't want to fight me either!" Wendy tried to keep herself from feeling fear as she tried to see if there was any reaction; the only part of Loretta's face not covered was her mouth. Her lips were pursed together in a line but aside from that nothing which might betray her emotions.
Without another word Loretta punched the ground, instantly Wendy knew what was coming from her time with her and jumped up, allowing Carla to catch and bring her up into the sky, the sound-slayer sound waves traveled harmlessly through the ground. "Loretta-san! Please snap out of it!" Wendy pleaded, only to be met by the sound-dragon's howl, thankfully Carla managed to avoid the brunt of the blast but sound is a tricky thing and even magically traveling by still felt like it could burst their eardrums.
"It doesn't look like she can hear us Wendy!" Carla observed as they continued dodging in the sky. "I bet that helmet is keeping us from getting through."
Wendy gritted her teeth in frustration, "but what are we going to do Carla? I don't want to fight her." Wendy looked pleadingly at Loretta for her to stop but to no avail.
Carla grunted as they dodged another sound blast, "I know it's not ideal Wendy but our only chance to save her is to fight. She's a dragon-slayer like you, so she's tough, she'll be able to take it no matter how painful it is. If we were in a similar situation I'm sure she'd do whatever it takes to save you as well." Wendy hated to admit it but Carla was right, sometimes one had to fight even their friends to save them.
"I understand Carla, you're right; I need to do whatever I can to help Loretta-san. If we can just get rid of that helmet, I'm sure we can reach Loretta-san!"
"That's my Wendy," Carla smiled at the young dragon slayer, suddenly filled with happiness. "It's nice to see you being assertive; being with Fairy Tail is really helping you grow."
"Alright let's do this Carla!"
"Right Wendy!"
"Power to rend the heavens…Arms X Armor X Vernier!" Wendy greatly increased her, and Carla's, speed, power, and defense. It was time to take her friend back!
She charged…
Erza felt a little conflicted about letting Natsu take care of Jellal but she trusted him with her life, which he had already saved before during the Tower of Paradise incident. Well at the very least she was now free to punish the mastermind who had reset Jellal to his mad past self. "Xing-Fu, it is time I brought your ambition to an end! I do not know what foul scheme you have devised that requires Jellal but it will all end here!" Erza pointed her sword at Xing Fu's back, who after descending from the Riesig had decided to face away from his foes. Xing-fu chuckled at Erza's bravado.
"Erza Scarlet, you do not understand how disrespectful you are to an emperor." With a flourish he turned around to face her, but as usual his face was hidden behind his headdress' veil. "As the rightful ruler of the Xin Dynasty that ruled even during the age of dragons, I will teach you respect for one above your station. While the Dynasty itself is no more, it can be reforged and its legacy lives on. I could end you myself but one of my bloodline should not have to dirty their hands so instead I'll show you a special magic that only one of my bloodline possesses! Arise warriors of the Xin clan!" Xing-fu lifted up his hands and out of the ground rose two large samurai-type warriors reminiscent of an ancient terracotta army. The two warriors' glared down at Erza with glowing white eyes, hands gripping their katanas with a vengeance.
"The first emperor of the Xin Dynasty had his two strongest warriors bound for eternity in his service and for all his descendents of which I am the latest. When not employed in an emperor's service they guard the family tomb for all time."
"Well I suppose it is time to end their career once and for all then." Erza readied her swords and charged the two clay-warriors. As the two parties engaged Xing-fu stood and watched the engagement; the battle between Fairy Tail and the Xin-clan was in full swing.
Author's Note: Well it has been a while, so much going on so little time. Still this is one fanfiction I planned to finish and I will do it. Course the home stretch is incredibly hard since it is mostly fighting at this point and writing decent fight scenes is no walk in the park. Well enjoy this 'intro' fight chapter and hopefully I can write the next bit soon. Need to figure out which fight to write first...