Give Our Prayers to the Sacred Light

Natsu and James hurried up the exterior of the Tower of Heaven. Dark storm clouds had accumulated overhead and a bright light was starting to stream down through the clouds.

Damn, we won't make it in time! James thought angrily. The Magic Satellite Square is about to fire!

"Natsu we got to go faster!" James snapped. Natsu just grunted and tried to run faster. They needed to reach the tower's peak before the Etherion fired. Suddenly the light became blinding and the Etherion came pouring down.

"Natsu! Inside!" James roared. He tackled Natsu and they crashed through a window. The light of the Etherion encapsulated the Tower.

"Erza!" Natsu screamed.

The light slowly died and Natsu and James were surprised to be alive. Looking around they saw that the entire Tower had been transformed into a massive lacrima crystal.

"What the hell?" James growled.

"What happened?" Natsu asked, his head hurting.

"Doesn't matter. We need to keep moving. We are almost at the top. We need to save Erza," James ordered. Natsu nodded and they took off running again.

"Erza!" Natsu gasped as they reach the top of the Tower of Heaven. She was in only a pair of flared red and yellow flame pattern pants with bandages around her chest. A repeating pattern of red lines were wrapped around her body as she was slowly being absorbed into a large lacrima crystal.

"You grab her. I'm going after Jellal," James ordered.

"Oh great and powerful Zeraf, I call upon you to offer you this woman's flesh!" Jellal was chanting.

Natsu grabbed Erza and pulled her out of the Lacrima. "I got yah."

Jellal turned around just to get punched in the face by a furious James.

"Erza's an important part of our Fairy Tail Family. We won't let you have her," James seethed. Jellal got up and coolly regarded James and Natsu.

"Natsu. James," Erza whispered.

"What you doing hanging around with this loser? If we don't hurry and get back to work, Lucy's not going to be able to pay her rent," Natsu said lightly. "Trust me you don't want to make her angry."

"Sorry but I can't move," Erza breathed. Natsu smirked and proceeded to tickle her.

"This is payback!" Natsu smirked evilly. James frowned and then punched Natsu in the head.

"Now is not the time to mess around!" James snapped. Erza smiled softly before turning serious. "You two need to get out of here as fast as you can."

"Not going to happen," James growled.

"Yeah, we're not leaving." Natsu stated getting serious. "If you can't fight, I'll just have to do it for you."

"You can't. He's too powerful," Erza explained. "Besides you don't know anything about him."

"Who says I need to know the guy to beat him up?" Natsu inquired.

"Please just this once, do as I ask you." Tears were forming in Erza's eyes.

Natsu gently picked Erza up and said, "Honestly, I don't know you all that well either. But I can still take you down!" He punched Erza hard in the gut.

"The hell man?" James asked indignant. "We're here to save her! Not finish Jellal's job for him!" He caught Erza as she collapsed and gently laid her down. She was knocked out.

"You're even more foolhardy than the rumors make you out to be," Jellal stated. "What kind of sick satisfaction do you get from striking a defenseless friend?"

"I had to do it. Cause she was crying," Natsu explained. Fire ignited in his fists. "She looked so weak and fragile. Her voice was trembling with fear. I don't want to see Erza like that. I've always looked up to her as a strong warrior and when she wakes up from this nightmare, I want her to feel like her old self again." Fire ignited all around him and rage twisted his face. "If you want to get to her, you'll have to go through me!"

"Is that a challenge? Considered my interest piqued. I'd love to witness the power of a dragonslayer!" Jellal flexed his fingers beckoning Natsu to attack.

Natsu surged forward, striking with a heavy right hook. But Jellal easily deflected it. Natsu quickly spun on his heel, ducked low and swung his leg high catching Jellal in the face. The blue-haired wizard went flying and Natsu quickly followed it up with a series of lightning quick jabs to Jellal's face.

"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu roared, delivering a devastating blow. "Fire Dragon Talon!" Jellal went flying and crashed heavily into a large lacrima crystal. Natsu finished the combo with his Fire Dragon Roar. A massive fireball engulfed Jellal but he just brushed it aside, his black robes burned and tossed aside revealing a skin-tight black sleeveless shirt.

"Is that the best you can do?" Jellal smirked. "I expected more from you, Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel. I was hoping to get a taste of the destructive might of a dragonslayer before ripping you to shreds with my bare hands. But if that's all you got, I won't waste my time."

"I show you!" Natsu charged at him again.

"You must be punished for disrupting my ceremony. Prepared to be destroyed by my Heavily Body Magic: Meteor!" Jellal glowed golden and then took to the air. Natsu looked in shock as his adversary took to the skies. Jellal then slammed into Natsu, mercilessly pummeling the Dragonslayer, moving too fast for Natsu to retaliate.

He's too fast. Natsu can't handle him. James thought. He had placed Erza in a safe location and was prepared to go help Natsu. The only thing currently holding him back was both his and Natsu's pride as warriors. James knew Natsu would not appreciate him interrupting in a fight this important.

Natsu was able to predict some of Jellal's moves, but the servant of Zeref was simply too fast.

"Be glad you got your hits in because it won't happen again!" Jellal unleashed a maelstrom of punches on Natsu, pummeling the dragonslayer to the ground. Jellal continued his assault; Natsu not able to defend himself at all. He cried out in pain as Jellal launched him into the air with a powerful kick.

"And now I'll show you the true destructive power of Heavenly Body Magic!" Jellal took to the air. "May the Seven Stars bring judgment upon you: Seven Star Sword: Grand Chariot!"

"Move Natsu!" James roared. He started to move to save his friend but the impact of the attack caused shockwaves to ripple out that knocked him off his feet. Smoke and dust filled the air. Pieces of lacrima crumbled here and there.

"That spell packs as much of a punch as being hit by a falling meteor," Jellal explained to no one in particular. "Surprised his body's still in one piece after being hit with it. Perhaps that was a little much. The R-System can't afford to suffer any more damage or it will be rendered useless. I can feel the magic energy beginning to leak out. I'll have to hurry. It's time Erza."

He started to walk towards Erza. Suddenly he was punch in the face and forced back.

"Forget about me?" James growled. "You know, you talk way too much Jellal. Not good to think out loud when the enemy is around. This tower can't afford more damage? Well then I am just going to bring it all down."

"This is not your day buddy!"

Jellal turned to see Natsu had pushed himself upright and had begun to smash away at the Tower's crystalline structure.

"What are you doing?" Jellal cried.

"Don't you know? Destroying stuff is what us Fairy Tail Wizards are best at," Natsu smirked.

"You won't get in my way!" Jellal roared.

AN: Sorry it took so long to upload. Busy at college. We are reaching the climax of the Tower of Heaven arc. Next time James will have his moment in the spotlight.