Hey all! This is my first ever Fairy Tail story. Introducing... a tough, confident version of Lucy Heartfilia!
NOTE: Considering there probably won't be any more scenes as disturbing as in the last chapter, I'll keep this story's rating as 'T'.
Credit for story image goes to pl. fairytail. wikia. com and to whoever posted it there.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the characters!
Natsu turned to where Zeref was resting and frowned. "He's not there..."
"Was Zeref here?" Sorano frowned. "That woman must have taken him away already."
"What the..." Natsu sniffed the air, confused. "Something's getting in the way of her smell."
"I've got to look for Cana-chan, too." Sorano told him. "But that can wait. I'm worried about her, but we have to track Zeref down first. As we heard, they're planning to use Zeref for something."
"We have to settle this." Natsu scowled. "They laid a finger on the old man. You think I'm gonna let them leave the island now?"
"Leave the island..." Sorano's eyes widened. "That's it! Those guys must have a ship somewhere around here! That Ultear woman said she was taking Zeref to her master!"
"There's a good chance their ship is anchored somewhere close by!" She told Natsu, excited. "She must have taken Zeref there! Happy-kun, look for their ship from the sky!"
Happy looked at her with wide eyes. "It would seem that I'm all out of magic power."
Sorano sighed.
"We should go back to the old man's and Wendy's place." Natsu suggested. "We'll have Lily take care of Charle."
"The grave of Fairy Tail's first master Mavis should be around here." Cana muttered, looking around route E. "I got here first... looks like I pass. I'll become an S-Class mage!"
In order to meet that person... in order to tell that person... Cana grit her teeth. I've become an S-Class...
Her eyes widened when a bright glow spread from a side tunnel. "Light?"
"Damn..." Gray frowned, wandering through the woods. "Cana sure has a bad sense of humor. And I'm out of booze..."
Something suddenly occurred to him. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen her drink since she got to Tenrou Island. Maybe she's sober?"
He scowled and hid behind a tree when he heard footsteps. Someone's presence?
"Very soon, you'll be able to return as the true king." Ultear told the unconscious man on her shoulder. "Zeref..."
Did she say Zeref? Gray grit his teeth. That man she's carrying?
His eyes widened when he got a good look at her. Ur?
"No... it's Grimoire Heart." He clenched his fists. "An enemy..."
She resembles my teacher, Ur... Gray began to follow Ultear quietly. Who the heck is that?
"Ahahaha!" Hades laughed. "This is fantastic!"
"You're in quite the good mood, old man." A shadowy man smirked.
"They've already taken care of three of the Seven Kin." Hades smirked. "Makarov's kids are quite something."
The man stood up. "When's my turn?"
"This isn't the type of battle you need to take part in..." Hades admonished him. "Bluenote."
"I want to play a little." Bluenote put his hand down on a table. "It's not good to let the body get lazy."
The entire ship shook, before plunging completely underwater.
Hades frowned. "Was that necessary?"
"What?" Bluenote withdrew his hand. "If we keep the ship submerged, they won't be able to find it, right?"
"We're going to gather Makarov's kids together." Hades smirked. "They won't ever know they're in the mouth of the devil."
"If we don't offer up food to their mouths, they won't bite." Bluenote observed. "If it were me, I'd go on a feeding frenzy."
"You stay here." Hades ordered him. "If you were to go, that noisy battlefield would fall silent."
"Damn." Bluenote slumped back in his seat. "There's only four of those brats left. Barely half. After one more goes down, I'm heading out."
He spun in his chair and smiled. "Looks like I'm going to fly today."
"Did you say Bluenote Stinger?" Doranbolt shouted in disbelief.
"He was a Gora commander in the Gabria war. He annihilated the entire Blue Dragon regiment by himself." Lahar explained. "Not even a weed remains in the roads he's walked... that's the level of magic user he is."
"If he's that fearsome... and he's with Grimoire Heart..." Doranbolt paled. "It's not just us that can't compete with him. It's all of Fairy Tail too..."
"We'd better get in touch with the HQ." Lahar prepared to use the communication lacryma. "We won't be able to predict what happens next."
Doranbolt reached out and stopped Lahar. "Give me some time." He requested, grabbing the communication lacryma and vanishing with it.
"What are you planning?" Lahar grit his teeth. "Doranbolt..."
"Wendy!"
Wendy turned to the approaching group and smiled. "Natsu-san! And Sorano-san too!"
Sorano glanced at Makarov. "How's Makarov-kun doing?"
"He still hasn't said anything." Charle sighed.
Their eyes widened when Doranbolt appeared suddenly next to them with the large lacryma.
"You..." Lily growled.
Natsu glared at him. "Where'd you go, you bastard?"
"This man is Mest-kun of the Council." Sorano crossed her arms.
"My real name is Doranbolt." He told them. "No need to worry, I've come to help you guys out."
"Eh?"
"With my magic, Fairy Tail members will be able to leave the island." Doranbolt explained. "All we have to do is find everybody."
"I refuse." Natsu grunted.
Charle scowled. "Why do we have to accept help from the Council? Our guild takes care of its' own problems."
"That's not the point!" Doranbolt protested. "If the HQ gets wind of the situation here, they're going to attack the island!"
Happy panicked. "Are they going to fire Etherion again?"
"Then we'll settle things before that happens." Natsu announced.
"Makarov's been beaten too!" Doranbolt shouted. "There are terrifying people in Grimoire Heart! There's no way you can win!"
"So what?" Natsu grit his teeth. "Does that mean you should blow the island up?"
"This island is the sacred ground of our guild. Our first master's grave is here too..." Wendy muttered. "If they attack it..."
"I don't believe this!" Sorano exclaimed. "If they attack it, this will be a disaster!"
"We came here to protect our guild." Happy added.
"Are you planning on fighting against them?" Doranbolt screamed at Natsu. "You're just some mage guild!"
"Listen up. I don't care if it's Grimoire Heart or the Council." Natsu got in Doranbolt's face. "Anyone who lays a finger on the guild is an enemy. And I'll destroy them all."
Doranbolt paled.
Wendy looked up at rapidly approaching rain clouds. "This air... it's like the sky itself is going to come down."
"Lucy!" Loke shouted, running up to the woman.
Lucy turned to the Spirit and smiled. "I heard you retrieved Capricorn's key. Well done."
"Thanks..." Loke gasped for air, holding it out. "Here you go."
He paled when Lucy took it and time stopped.
"We meet again, young one." The Spirit King boomed, appearing before them. "And my old friend too... I'm glad to see you're doing well."
"Been a while, hasn't it?" Lucy waved at the huge Spirit. "What's up?"
"Lucy Heartfilia." The Spirit King began. "You now have all 12 of the Golden Keys in your possession. As I told you before, this is a rare event. And to think you have all the Silver keys too... tell me, what happened to the one called Angel?"
"Are you aware of the world called Edolas?" Lucy asked, then continued as she saw him nod. "Angel turned out to be from that world. She stayed behind when we went there on a rescue mission of sorts."
"I see..." The Spirit King eyed Lucy thoughtfully. "Yes... I think you're worthy of the special magic that is granted to those who have all Golden keys."
Lucy blinked. "Special magic?"
"Those who have all of the Golden keys are considered in the Spirit World to be the rulers of the stars." The Spirit King explained. "As such, there is a certain spell that has traditionally been taught to those few."
With extreme care, the Spirit King lay a hand on Lucy's head and focused. Lucy gasped when she felt information being forcibly pushed into her mind.
"It is done." The King stated after about a minute. "It is a shame, but I cannot give you the reward for collecting all Silver keys."
Lucy blinked again. "What is it and why can't you give it to me?" She asked out of pure curiosity.
The Spirit King sighed. "For gathering all the Silver keys, one would normally be given the only key to the Gate of the Snake Charmer, Ophiuchus. However, that Spirit has found a summoner for the first time in centuries, and I cannot interfere with the contract it has."
"That's Yukino's key..." Lucy remembered. "It's fine. Even if you could interfere, I wouldn't want it from her. I owe her enough as it is..."
"It is a shame, though." The Spirit King observed. "Were you to collect all Silver keys, all Golden keys, and Ophiuchus, you would be given my key. That has never happened before, and to be honest, I was kind of hoping it would finally come to be... no matter. I wish you luck, Lucy Heartfilia, ruler of the stars."
Lucy smirked as she watched him vanish. "Urano Metria... definitely sounds like a useful spell."
Juvia screamed as she collapsed in a puddle.
"Juvia!" Erza called out, watching her friend fall. "Hang in there!"
"You'll be 13th place." Meledy observed, then turned her gaze from Juvia to Erza. "Erza Scarlet... you'll be 4th place."
Erza scowled and requipped into the Heaven's Wheel armor. "What are you ranking?"
"It's the order I've decided to kill you in." Meledy stated calmly, forming a ring of light swords around her and hurling them at Erza.
"Ridiculous." The redhead snapped, blocking the flurry of attacks.
"This is important." Meledy countered, directing the deflected attacks at an immobile Juvia, who screamed in pain.
"Why are you after Juvia?" Erza demanded angrily.
"13th place is just trash." Meledy explained. "I'll take care of it quickly."
Erza scowled as the rain woman was knocked further away. "Hang on, Juvia!"
"Third place is Gildarts." Meledy declared, grabbing one of her light swords and swinging it at Erza. "But he's not on this island anymore."
"Second place is Makarov." She continued. "But I think Master Hades beat me to it."
"Master Makarov is in second place?" Erza frowned. "Who's first place then? Lucy?"
"Lucy-nee is not on the list." Meledy explained, shocking Erza. "First place is someone else, someone I've ranked far ahead of your ex-master."
"First place is Gray." She scowled angrily. "Gray Fullbuster."
"What?" Erza blinked, confused. "Our Master is not on your list... instead, Gray's in first place? Why Gray?"
"The man who killed Ultear's mother..." Meledy shook in fury. "The man who hurt Ultear... the man who hurt my Ultear..."
"I'll never forgive him!" She screamed, creating a new ring of swords. "I'm going to tear him apart!"
Erza looked around at the mass of swords surrounding her and paled. Meledy's eyes widened when water churned around Erza and knocked all of the projectiles away.
"Can't forgive?" A female voice rasped. "That's Juvia's line..."
"Whose life..." Juvia glared at Meledy sinisterly. "Did you say you were after?"
"H-hey now..." Erza stammered, taking a step away from Juvia. "Calm down..."
"What's with her..." Meledy frowned in confusion. "She's only the 13th..."
"Calm down, Juvia!" Erza begged.
"Calm down?" Juvia repeated. "This woman is after Gray-sama... for her own irrational needs..."
"Um..." Erza hesitated. "Well, er..."
"How could Juvia possibly calm down?" Juvia staggered forward, slipping into a fighting stance. "There's no way Juvia will forgive that woman!"
Meledy's eyes widened and she screamed as water surged at her and sent her crashing back.
"Water Nebula!" Juvia shouted, blasting Meledy with more water and knocking her into the air.
Juvia... Erza was pale. She's like a completely different person than the one I fought during the exam...
She's getting her strength from her strong feelings towards a loved one... Erza realized watching Juvia pummel Meledy relentlessly. That is Juvia's true power!
"Erza-san." Juvia scowled. "Please leave this to Juvia. You need to hurry and find Wendy... and Gray-sama, too."
"Understood." Erza nodded and dispelled her armor, turning and running off. "I'm gonna leave it to you, then."
Meledy glared after Erza's departing form. "Target '4' will not escape!"
Two waves from opposing directions crashed together with her in the middle. "Damn!" Meledy snapped, turning to Juvia. "Maguilty Ray!"
"Water Slicer!" Juvia shouted, sending out water blades and canceling out the attack.
"It's starting to rain..." Ultear looked up and sighed.
Behind a tree, Gray frowned. Where are they going? Perhaps regrouping... going to where their master is...
"Tears allowed me to forget my desires." Rustyrose mused, catching some raindrops. "Wicked eyes remain wicked even in the dark..."
"Is that some song, Rusty?" Azuma asked, sitting on a rock above him and watching him calmly.
"No..." Rustyrose muttered. "Just cries of the heart..."
He looked up at the other man. "Azuma, you seem rather beat up and worn out..."
"Hmph." Azuma grunted. "Just proof of battling with strong people."
"Strong people?" Rustyrose smiled mockingly. "Well, that's no good, because there's none of that in the guild. My heart doesn't even begin to tremble..."
"I wouldn't underestimate them." Azuma cautioned him. "Fairy Tail... their weapons lie not in their magical power, but in their incredible faith which they can transform and wield like blades..."
"Faith... like blades?" Rustyrose mused. "Sounds like our Meledy..."
"Open, Gate of the Maiden." Lucy held up three keys. "Gate of the Clock, Gate of the Twins. Virgo, Horologium, Gemini!"
She smirked darkly as the three Spirits materialized. "Listen up, you guys. I have jobs for you."
She turned to Horologium first. "Horologium, you are to assist with rescuing everybody. If you find someone losing badly against an opponent, you are to hide that person inside yourself and take them to the assigned meeting spot. If that place is compromised, find someone who won their fight and stick with them."
The clock saluted. "Got it."
"Gemini." Lucy turned to the twin Spirits, which had transformed into her. "You're on fighting duty. If you find an enemy, kill them. Not capture, not knock out, not throw off the island, kill them."
"Alright." Gemini-Lucy nodded.
"Virgo." Lucy turned to the third Spirit. "I'm assigning you both roles. I trust you can handle them."
"Of course." The maid bowed. "Will I be punished?"
"Only if you fail." Lucy agreed. "But not if you fail on purpose. So don't bother trying."
"Dammit." Virgo cursed quietly.
"Now go, you three." Lucy commanded. "I want everyone from the guild safe, and every intruder disposed off! Is that clear?"
"Yes, Ma'am!" The Spirits chorused, before dispersing.
"Phew..." Lucy sighed and leaned against a tree heavily. "I have little magic power left now... I'll only be able to summon two more Spirits if I have to, then I'll be drained..."
She looked up at the rain. "Hopefully I'll run into opponents who won't need much to defeat."
"It's mysterious, isn't it..." Meledy glared at Juvia, who glared back. "That over one person, Gray... one person can hate him, and another could love him... even with just one person, there can be different ways to see him and to feel about him."
"It's a mark of being an individual." Juvia observed. "It's what it means to be human."
"I've got good luck, to have killing Gray as my objective..." Meledy mused. "And to meet someone who has such strong feelings for him."
Juvia frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Your feelings about Gray will be... 'I will kill him'." Meledy reached out towards the rain woman. "Juvia... I'm going to show you a touch of heaven and boundless despair."
Juvia stiffened.
"Well then, let's see what feelings arise when you see the form of your beloved." Meledy announced.
Juvia's eyes widened. Gray... sama?
"This is it." Meledy declared. "Sensory Link!"
Juvia screamed as light engulfed her and something shot out from her wrist, arcing over the forest.
"What?" Gray howled in pain. "What is this?"
He looked in shock and confusion at a tattoo-like bracelet that formed on his wrist.
Juvia held up her hand weakly and examined the tattoo that formed on it in confusion.
"Lost Magic..." Meledy intoned. "Maguilty Sense."
The water user frowned. "What did you do?"
"I have made Juvia and Gray's senses as one." Meledy explained. "If the targets of this magic don't have strong feelings, they won't connect."
"J-Juvia... and Gray-sama..." Juvia turned a deep red. "Are one?"
"Yeah..." Meledy grunted. "Their senses."
Elsewhere, Gray clutched at his face. "Now what's happening?" He demanded. "My face suddenly got all flushed!"
"It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it?" Meledy asked. "To have both of your senses completely shared..."
"It's like heaven..." Juvia was ecstatic. "Juvia could die happy!"
"Yes, but..." Meledy waved her arm and sliced Juvia with a light blade. "This magic will share your pain as well!"
Gray screamed in pain as his arm felt like something cut it. Frowning, Ultear looked around in confusion at the source of the scream.
"All the damage you take will be felt by Gray." Meledy finished.
"How dare you..." Juvia growled. "You're trying to hurt Gray-sama..."
Meledy screamed in pain when Juvia shot past her with a Water Slicer and hacked away at her chest.
Impossible... The pink-haired girl coughed. Her magic power is still growing? Could her feelings turning into power... really make her this strong?
She scowled as she regained her footing. Then I'll show you the power of feelings too! She declared mentally, pressing two fingers to her other wrist. "Three-spread Sensory Link!"
A bracelet identical to Gray and Juvia's formed on her hand. Juvia growled as she surged at Meledy again and knocked her into a rocky wall.
The water user screamed in pain when her bracelet lit up and pain assaulted her. W-why... did it get Juvia too...
Gray grit his teeth and clutched at his side, where he felt something break. What the hack is happening?
"For the sake of Ultear..." Meledy rasped, picking herself up. "I put my life on the line... I've attached myself to your connection..."
Juvia's eyes widened.
"As of now, the three of us... You, me, and Gray... our senses are connected. "Meledy told Juvia. "Now it doesn't matter which one of us dies. Gray will die too..."
"This is a dead end of despair..." She announced. "An end to Gray's life."
"That can't be..." Juvia's eyes widened. "That also means that no matter what, you will..."
"That's right." Meledy nodded. "That is my conviction. It's the end... for the three of us, there is only death."
What the heck is this pain? Gray groaned, leaning against a tree. And my feet are cold? It's like someone else's feelings are flowing into me...
He glared at the tattoo bracelet on his wrist. Is it because of this? When the heck did I get this?
Dammit... He looked out after Ultear, who apparently decided to ignore the noise he made earlier. At this rate, I'm gonna lose sight of them!
"A weight on Juvia's back..." Juvia muttered. "That must be what Gray-sama is feeling..."
"My back is leaning up against something." Meledy observed, forming two swords in the air. "Now that Gray and I are connected... there's no longer any need to fight with anyone." She crossed the two swords under her chin. "I can just kill myself."
"Stop it!" Juvia shouted, lunging towards Meledy in fear.
"I do not fear death." Meledy grit her teeth.
Juvia frowned, noticing that she was going to make it in time. Gray-sama, forgive me... She thought, using a Water Slicer to cut her leg open.
Meledy gasped and fell to one knee in pain, letting her words cut through thin air and vanish.
"Your own leg..." She grunted. "Even though the Maguilty Sense shares the feeling of pain, it doesn't share the physical wound. If you want to stop me, you'll have to kill me."
"I should warn you, though." Meledy eyed Juvia sternly. "This magic has a special trait. It's able to share death. Everyone under the effects of this magic has their lives linked together."
"How do you expect to fight against me now?" She demanded. "The only thing left for the three of us is to die!"
"There's one other option." Juvia countered angrily. "The three of us can live!"
Meledy's eyes widened in shock.
"Although we may defeat our enemies..." Juvia began to cry. "Juvia of Fairy Tail would never take their lives!"
"How incredibly childish!" Meledy shrieked, shooting up and forming a guillotine blade over herself. "I'm going to kill Gray for the sake of Ultear!"
"As if I'd let you!" Juvia staggered towards her. "Before that happens, I'm going to render you incapable of fighting!"
The town was in ruins. Smoke was rising from destroyed buildings and there was not a soul around. Amidst all of the carnage, a small pink-haired child was wailing in fear and shock.
"Everything's fine now." A younger Ultear soothed the small girl, patting her head. "Won't you stop crying?"
Zancrow scowled. "What's up with this brat?"
"C'mon." Kain Hikaru muttered, holding an ice cream. "Stop those tears."
"She'll be fine." She smiled at the terrified child softly. "Let me get a look at your face, sweetie."
"What the heck is up with you?" Zancrow demanded. "Acquiring the key to awakening Zeref required an extermination of a peaceful land's people!"
"She reminds me of myself from a long time ago." Ultear observed sadly. "It's ok... this child has a strong flow of magic."
Kain and Zancrow exchanged confused looks.
A grown Meledy turned to Ultear. "Why do you always seem so sad, Ur?"
"I though I told you not to call me 'Ur'." Ultear chastised her. "Ur was my mother. It's my dead mother's name."
"Dead?" Meledy repeated.
"Someday I'll tell you the story." Ultear promised, looking out at the sky.
Meledy smiled and hugged her. "Ultear, you're my mother." She decided.
"I don't need a big kid like you." Ultear teased, causing Meledy to give a wide happy grin.
Meledy's eyes shot wide when Juvia hugged her tightly. Eh?
What is this? She wondered as Juvia shook with sobs. Why... why are you crying?
"Even you can smile!" Juvia shouted, pulling away from her. "Even you have someone important to you!"
Meledy was shocked. Could it be... my magic crossed beyond feeling... and is even sharing emotion?
"Live..." Juvia muttered tearfully. "You live too. Juvia... Juvia lives for the ones she loves! You have to, too! If you have a loved one in your life, you have to keep on living!"
Love... live... Meledy began to tremble. If any more of this woman's emotions transfer...
Meledy started crying and grit her teeth helplessly. Tears of love and life... these emotions...
She sighed and fell to her knees, before slumping back into a puddle, causing the link bracelets to fade. "I can't fight with you..."
"Juvia won't try to run away..." The water user collapsed as well. "Or hide Gray-sama..."
Those seemingly shared emotions vanished... the symbols on my arm too...Gray rubbed his teary eyes and frowned. Tears? Just what happened?
His eyes widened when he sensed Ultear standing directly behind him. Crap!
"Were you following me?" Ultear smiled, seeing him scoot away from her.
"You are..." Gray started.
"You surely must have noticed by now." Ultear observed. "I am your teacher Ur's daughter, Ultear."
She is... Gray paled in shock. Ur's daughter? She's been secretly involved with Jellal's group and with the Council, and is a member of Grimoire Heart...
I see... He gave a mirthless chuckle and looked away. Surely she will have some sort of grudge against me...
"Gray..." Ultear gave a tearful smile, stunning him. "I've wanted to meet you for so long... please don't worry. After all, I am your ally."
Sorano peered out of the cave they were hiding in. "It doesn't look like the rain will stop anytime soon."
Wendy sighed. "I wonder if Charle and Lily are ok..."
"Hey..." Natsu's eyes widened as he noticed Charle flying over to them. "Charle! What's up with Lily?"
"He stopped at our camp on the way." Charle explained. "He said Mira and Gajeel were in critical condition there. Grimoire Heart's ship is still off the east shore."
"They're alive!" Happy cheered.
"Our camp..." Natsu muttered.
"Hey, why don't we stop by for a bit?" Sorano suggested. "Cana might be there, too."
"That's right!" Wendy nodded. "I think it's a good idea to meet up with everyone!"
"There's no way..." Doranbolt muttered to himself.
Natsu turned to him. "Stop the Council for us."
The man looked away sadly.
"We'll manage to take care of Grimoire Heart and Zeref." Sorano reassured him. "So please do something to stop the attack on the island!"
Doranbolt shook his head. "There's no way it can be done."
"All right then." Natsu grunted, picking Makarov up and securing the man on his back. "Just buy us some time then. I'm counting on you."
"I'm not talking about that!" Doranbolt shouted, shooting up. "I'm talking about you! How do you expect to handle this insane situation we're stuck in?"
"With all our might." Natsu shot back, causing his eyes to widen in shock. "That's all."
"An ally?"
"That's right." Ultear nodded.
Gray grit his teeth. "I'm..."
"You don't have to say anything." Ultear soothed him. "I already know. Ur's death wasn't your fault... it was simply a mother protecting her kids... in the end, it was pride."
Gray looked away. "Don't lie. To be honest, I don't care what you think of me... but don't say that what you're doing is Ur's pride."
He glanced at the unconscious man she was carrying and scowled. "Ur lost her life because of Deliora!" He shouted. "And you want the person who created it! You want Zeref! You're using him to try and create a meaningless world!"
Ultear sighed. "You're wrong, Gray."
"About what?"
"Everything I did..." Ultear looked down. "Was Ur's will."
"Wendy!" Erza yelled out. "Where are you?"
"Erza Scarlet, I presume." A voice greeted her, interrupting her search.
The redhead spun around, scanning the area wildly. "Who's there?"
"We meet at last." Azuma observed, emerging from a tree above her. "The true warrior, Titania."
"By the way..." He scowled. "I took care of that little girl."
Erza narrowed her eyes furiously. "What did you say?"
"Incredible." Hades remarked. "Even Meledy was defeated. I hadn't anticipated that half of the Seven Kin would be wiped out..."
"Bluenote." He glanced to one side and sighed when he found the man's chair empty. "Ah well, perhaps I was too late..."
"I apologize, Makarov." He told the air. "I hadn't intended on using him ever again. It's over."
Elsewhere, a man with a long ponytail and 'Blue' written on his coat was walking through a forest, looking around for signs of life.
"Natsu and all the others are coming here?" Lisanna asked overjoyed.
"Sora-chan and Wendy are with him, right?" Levy asked, thinking of her fellow bookworm.
"Yup." Pantherlily smirked. "If everything goes according to plan, Charle should lead them here.
"That a relief." Lisanna sighed. "We're have many wounded here. If an enemy were to attack us, it would be a disaster."
"He should be bringing a wounded Makarov with him, too." Lily added.
"I can't believe it." Levy muttered. "Even Makarov was beaten..."
"Levy..."
"I know, I know..." Levy frowned. "We can't give up, no matter what. If we combine all our power and work together, then surely..."
"It's important to know when to give up, too." A new voice observed. "In this world, no matter what you do, there are just some things that will always be stronger than you."
Rustyrose smirked. "The broken pieces of my heart tremble. And now... I'll eat up every last one of you... until not a single fairy remains..."
This is bad... Lily grit his teeth. Can I maintain combat mode right now?
Levy, Lily, and me... Lisanna paled. Our magic power is almost exhausted right now. Please hurry... Natsu!
"I hope Doranbolt-san is okay." Wendy told Charle.
"Don't waste your time worrying about that guy." The female Exceed scowled.
"I'm worried about Cana-chan, too." Sorano sighed. "What if she got lost somewhere?"
"Hopefully she managed to make it back to camp." Happy mused.
"Hmm?" Natsu narrowed his eyes. "Someone's there!"
Sorano paled. "Wha..."
"This magic energy..." Wendy was wide-eyed.
Charle trembled in shock. "Why does the rain not reach him?"
"It's like a thick aura around his body..." Happy grit his teeth.
"Who the hell are you?" Natsu shouted at the cloaked figure approaching them.
"I wonder if you can fly..." The man muttered. "Nope... still can't fly..."
He raised a hand and swung it downwards. "Fall." He commanded simply.
Natsu and the others gasped when an immense pressure made them crash to the rocky ground harshly.
"Ugh..." Charle moaned. "I can't move..."
"Gravity?" Happy realized.
Sorano screamed as her body was pushed deeper into the ground. Under the attacker's calm gaze, the earth around them fractured and crumbled, creating a crater with them in the middle.
Levy looked around in fear. "What is this? Such incredible magic power..."
"There's still a more powerful monster out there?" Lily paled, having shifted into his battle form.
"Looks like something obnoxious just got let loose." Rustyrose observed calmly. "Is he trying to interrupt my meal?"
Erza paled. "This is..."
"So he's out..." Azuma grunted. "Bluenote... this war is over. No life will be left on this island."
"I'm not interested in Fairy Tail, and I couldn't care less about Zeref." Bluenote informed the struggling group. "But there's one single thing I do want, and it's here."
"Where is the grave?" He demanded. "Where is the first Fairy Tail master Mavis Vermilion's grave?"
Mavis' grave is just ahead. Cana trudged through a rocky tunnel towards a source of light. Finally, I'll be an S-Class. I'll finally get to meet my father.
Her eyes widened when she reached a wide cavern with a shining stone monument in the center. "What's going on? The grave... is glowing..."
She approached the carved pillars cautiously. "What is this light?"
She glanced at a circular hole carved out between the two main pillars of the grave, where an orb of light was shining brightly. Swallowing, she reached out towards it.
The light flared and she screamed as it zapped her arm, pushing her back.
"One of the three great fairy magics, Fairy Glitter..." She read the runes that appeared around the light. "Is sealed inside..."
"Fairy Glitter..." Bluenote started. "It's often mentioned alongside Fairy Law. It's one of the three great magics of your guild, isn't it?"
Natsu growled, standing up. "What are you talking about?"
A burst of pressure knocked him back to the ground.
"Natsu-san!" Wendy panicked.
"That radiance is a deadly light that rejects the presence of any foes." Bluenote explained.
"I don't know anything about-" Happy was suddenly pushed deeper into the rock. "Guah!"
"I want that magic." Bluenote finished calmly.
"You bastard!" Natsu surged towards the man.
"That magic appears to be sealed in Mavis' grave." Bluenote observed. "You will tell me where it is." He blasted the approaching fire user across the crater and frowned. "Are you listening to me?"
His eyes suddenly landed on Makarov's prone form. "Oh? Is that Makarov? Perhaps I should just ask him."
"Go ahead and try laying a finger on the old man!" Natsu yelled, still pressed against a rock. "Just see what happens!"
What should we do... Sorano thought furiously. Somebody... help...
"What I want isn't magic!" Cana shouted at the gravestone. "What about the test? Master Makarov, where are you?"
"I finally made it all the way here..." She grit her teeth, looking around helplessly. "I thought I would finally become an S-Class... those last twelve years of my life were to culminate in this test!"
After my mother died, her will stated that I was to live with my dad... Cana recalled her past. Searching for my father eventually led me to Fairy Tail... his name is Gildarts.
A small girl looked up at the proudly standing guild hall of Fairy Tail.
"Hmm?" A large man with rust-colored hair and a tattered cloak looked down at her. "What are you doing here, little girl?"
Cana teared up in happiness.
"Hurry up and go home." Gildarts chuckled, passing by her. "If you hang around here, your clothes will wind up stinking of booze."
Cana's eyes widened and she spun after him, reaching out weakly before dropping her arm and looking down sadly.
"You sure have gotten big, Cana." Gildarts looked down at the girl.
"Yeah..."
"Gildarts!" Someone shouted. "You're going to miss the train!"
"Coming!" The man rushed out of the guild. "See ya later, Cana!"
All those times that my father came and went, I would wait for his return. So I joined Fairy Tail. Cana remembered. Dad wouldn't have even been back for a minute before he left for work again. Back then... the one thing I couldn't say gradually grew bigger inside of me.
Dad was really popular with everyone. On top of that, he was the best mage in the guild. Cana's eyes clouded over as she continued reminiscing. Someone like me could never compare with him... he always shined so brightly. And as I continued to be unable to speak the truth, time flowed on... I became afraid of ever being able to tell him what I wanted to.
My chance came with the test to become an S-Class mage. That was when I decided... if I passed it, I would tell my father the truth. She clenched her fists angrily. But I failed the test four years in a row. Erza, Mira, and Lucy, who all joined the guild after me, managed to pass. I couldn't keep up... I fell behind. I couldn't live up to my dad... that was when I decided this time would be my last try. If I failed again, I wouldn't even be worthy to be called Gildarts' daughter. I'd quit the guild... and leave the town.
"I'll be your partner then, Cana-chan." Sorano declared. "I won't let you quit the guild! I'll make you an S-Class mage!"
Cana's eyes widened when a card in her pocket began to glow and beep. "What the..."
Sorano examined the card, confused. "What is this card?"
"It's a special card that will let me know if you're in danger, Sora-chan." Cana explained, smiling. "For example, if we were separated during the test and it lit up... I'd come to help you.
Cana frowned at the flashing 'Help Sora!' card, her face paling.
"What am I doing?" She mumbled, dropping to her knees in front of the grave and letting the card fall to the ground slowly. She looked at her trembling hands and shrieked.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this!" She panicked. "I never meant to betray my friends! It's over... I'm no good..."
"It doesn't matter if I become an S-Class mage or not..." She muttered. "And it doesn't matter if I can't tell my father how I feel..."
"I don't care about any of that!" She shouted, reaching out towards the light in the grave again. "I just want to protect my friends!"
"I don't need anything else as long as everyone's safe! Even if I can't be a part of this guild! No matter where I am... my heart will be in the same place!" Her fingers closed around the shining orb. "So please... lend me the power to protect the guild!"
"I..." She teared up, smiling faces of all the people she'd met flashing through her mind. "I love this guild."
"In that case, you have nothing to fear." A serene female voice spread around the cavern. "Mistakes aren't made by locking your feelings away and holding back, they're made while wearing your heart on your sleeve."
Light from the orb began to coil around Cana's arm, forming unfamiliar symbols on it.
"Well then, go forth..." The voice continued. "I have bestowed Fairy Glitter upon you."
"Thank you." Cana smiled, turning and running out of the cave. Master Mavis... I'm going to fight for what's important to me!
This may be my final fight! She told herself resolutely, an insignia of Fairy Tail branded on her arm. I'm going to make up for everything everyone in Fairy Tail has done for me these past twelve years!
She glanced at the 'Help Sora' card, which was flashing an arrow pointing to her right.
"This way!" She grunted, heading in the indicated direction. "Hang on, Sora-chan! I'm on my way!"
One of the three great magics of Fairy Tail, Fairy Glitter... She studied her arm as she ran. With this magic, there's no opponent I can't defeat.
She grit her teeth when the card fell silent and she ran out onto a rocky shelf overlooking a crater.
"So it's you!" She exclaimed, noticing Bluenote.
Wendy perked up. "Cana-san!"
"You're not going to hurt my friends anymore!" Cana shouted, throwing a large amount of cards at him. Bluenote grunted and jumped down into the crater, using his magic to drag her down with him.
"Fairy..." Cana began, as light enveloped her arm.
"Light?" Happy's eyes widened. "What magic is that?"
"It can't be..." Bluenote observed, surprised. Cana screamed as he forcibly slammed her against the rocky ground, disrupting the spell.
"You..." He stared at her. "That magic you have..."
"Sorano..." Cana mumbled. "I'm sorry for leaving you. I don't have an excuse... I'm just sorry." She grunted, picking herself up. "But you can trust me now. With this magic, I'll beat him for sure!"
"Awesome!" Sorano exclaimed. "Did you get it from the grave?"
"You went to a grave..." Natsu scowled. "Do you mean... the test..."
"You mind if we talk about that later?" Cana frowned. "Give me a hand defeating this guy, Natsu. Distract him while I build up magic power."
Natsu muttered something unintelligible.
"Hmph." Bluenote grunted, pushing everyone away. "No one is capable of moving under the weight of my gravity. To think... you just happened to find the magic I've been searching for all this time."
He turned to Cana. "I'm going to take it now."
"This magic can only be used by the members of our guild!" Cana shot back. "You guys wouldn't be able to use it!"
"If you trace the origins of spell craft, you'll find that it all began with one single magic." Bluenote informed her. "That means every spell in existence is, at its' foundation, just one single magic."
"Those who are attuned to the flow of magic..." Bluenote used his power to make Cana hover in front of him. "Can process and use every magic in existence."
Cana screamed as pressure from every direction began to slowly crush her.
"Now let me ask you, little girl." Bluenote stared at her unwaveringly. "Are you able to use Fairy Glitter?"
"Of c... ourse I... can..." Cana rasped.
"An exceedingly complex and unfathomably intricate spell that collects and concentrates the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars..." Bluenote intoned. "There's no way someone like you could use that!" He focused, slowly tearing magic power out of her. "Don't worry. I'll take that magic from you."
Natsu took a deep breath and slammed his head into the ground. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"
Bluenote's eyes widened and he released Cana as a column of fire shot out from under his feet and engulfed him.
"Stay out of my way, trash!" He commanded, using his gravity magic to smash Natsu into a rock wall.
"Nice, Natsu!" Cana cheered, skidding back. I can do this... I can use this magic!
"Gather! O river of light that's guided by the fairies!" She screamed, raising a fist to the sky. "Shine! In order to perish the fangs of evil!"
Bluenote's eyes widened. "Impossible..."
"Fairy Glitter!" Cana finished, creating a ring of light that closed in on the man.
Sorano gasped. "What incredible light..."
"One of the three great magics of the guild..." Wendy was stunned.
Bluenote roared and pushed an arm into the light. "Fall!"
Cana paled as the light exploded and pushed everyone back, revealing Bluenote unharmed in the center of the blast.
"You call this Fairy Glitter?" Bluenote scoffed. "Don't make me laugh."
Cana's eyes widened when she fell to the ground and the marking on her arm dissipated.
"Even the most powerful magic is garbage in the hands of an incapable user." Bluenote observed.
No way... Cana struggled to stand as he approached. I didn't have enough power...
"You know, don't you? Your magic can be taken from you even after you're killed." Bluenote reached out towards her face. "I wasn't able to fly today either. Now fall into the depths of hell."
"Gravity Change!" A new voice shouted. "Counterbalanced!"
A circular sword smashed into the surprised man's face, sending him hurling back.
"Yo." Gildarts scowled as Lucy lowered Caelum, looking murderous. "We'll be your opponents."
"Lucy!" Natsu cheered. "And Gildarts!"
"It's Gildarts!" Happy exclaimed.
Cana teared up. Father...
"So those are the strongest two in Fairy Tail?" Bluenote asked, recovering from the attack.
"Libra lifted the effects of his magic." Lucy told the others, watching Bluenote warily. "Use this chance and get out of here."
Gildarts nodded in agreement. "Get away from this place."
Natsu grit his teeth. "What?"
"This is the first time I've ever seen Gildarts this angry." Happy remarked.
"Go!" Gildarts shouted, charging at Bluenote. The man threw his arm out and tore the ground under Gildarts out, flipping it upside-down in mid-air.
Sorano gasped. "The ground... it turned upside-down!"
Gildarts scowled and focused, turning the ground into small blocky pieces and leaping off one, aiming a fist at Bluenote. The man jumped up and threw his own fist out, smashing it into Gildarts' in mid-air. The resulting clash of energies exploded outward and turned the ground in the crater into fine dust.
"Crazy..." Wendy moaned.
"They both have insane magical power!" Sorano exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"He overpowered me?" Bluenote wondered, surprised. "Me?"
"Don't ignore me!" Lucy shouted, spinning and smashing a foot into the side of his face, sending him sprawling.
"I think it'd be best if we listened to them and got out of here." Wendy observed.
"Let's go." Cana agreed. "If we stay here, we'll just be in their way. Especially Gildarts'."
Bluenote grit his teeth. "Those two are..."
"Strong!" Natsu cheered. "I wanna watch this fight!"
"Let's go, Natsu-kun." Sorano grabbed his arm and yanked him away.
"This was an important test." Gildarts started angrily. "It meant more to those kids than any adult could ever imagine. It also meant a lot to her-" He inclined his head at Lucy. "As it was the first one she ever set up. This test was a representation of determination towards the young ones' futures, and you trampled all over it." He growled.
Rustyrose paled as he was sent flying. "Who the hell are you people?" He screamed in anger and fear.
"Freed!" Levy cheered, eyeing the new arrivals. "Bixlow!"
Lily's jaw dropped. "Why are you guys here?"
"We saw the signal flare." Freed explained. "We came back with Gildarts."
Lisanna's eyes widened in joy. "Gildarts came back too?"
"Hmph." Rustyrose grunted. "A couple more weaklings added to the mix are no match for my Arc of Embodiment."
"From the start, we never had any plans of doing this fair and square." Bixlow scowled. "Now we're going to take you down!"
"You've committed the crime of hurting our comrades." Freed added, his visible eye narrowing in anger. "The rules don't apply to you."
"Baryon Formation!" Bixlow shouted, making his wooden dolls spin in a circle and spit out a blast of green energy at Rustyrose.
"I can repel anything with the golden shield from my left hand!" Rustyrose declared, blocking the attack.
"Dark Ecriture: Pain!" Freed waved his sword.
"And my feet have Pegasus Wings!" Rustyrose laughed, flying over the runic words. "You think you can defeat my creativity? My power is infinite!"
"Sacred Guardian beast, Belfast the Hurricane!" He shouted, summoning a large lizard-like monster. "Tear them down!"
"Seidh Magic: Puppeteer!" Bixlow's eyes glowed green behind his visor and he pointed at the creature, gaining control over it. "Crush!"
"Impossible!" Rustyrose panicked as Belfast exploded.
"Dark Ecriture: Darkness!" Freed intoned, turning himself into a black armored demon and shooting at Rustyrose, blasting him with a large orb of dark energy.
"Incredible..." Pantherlily was wide-eyed.
"The Raijinshuu's power!" Lisanna cheered.
"So this is what they're like when they're serious..." Levy mused. "They really are strong."
"Get up." Bixlow commanded Rustyrose.
"There is no path to redemption for you." Freed announced grimly.
This feeling in my heart... Rustyrose burst into a cold sweat. Is it... fear?
"The war on Tenrou Island..." A white-haired woman muttered, thinking back. "Was drawing to a close... we believed in it... our victory... we believed it would come..."
She glanced at a picture of Fairy Tail members gathered together and smiling up at her. "I certainly didn't expect that, but..." She gave a bitter smile. "They left me behind..."
Elsewhere, a young teenage boy was staring out at the sea, a bright scarf around his neck and a Fairy Tail mark clearly visible on his shoulder.
Fear? Rustyrose was turning white. Is that what this feeling in my heart is? Fear?
But... He picked himself up. It's not bad...
He smirked and adjusted his glasses. "Fear is just inspiration for my imagination!" He waved his arm, causing a swarm of purple wraiths to spread around Freed and Bixlow. "Come forth, Ghosts of Brittia! Devour the spirits of the fairies!"
"They're wrapping around our bodies!" Freed grunted, struggling against them.
Levy paled. "Be careful, you two!"
Rustyrose smirked.
Gildarts grunted when Bluenote punched him in the face and caused him to turn. The other man cringed when Lucy leapt over Gildarts and swung her two swords, hacking away at him wildly.
"You are a nuisance." Bluenote observed, pushing her away with some difficulty. "How did you become Master if that man is clearly stronger?"
"I ask myself the same thing." Lucy told him, kicking him in the back and sending him flying towards Gildarts.
"You bastard..." Gildarts smashed his forehead into Bluenote's, stopping his flight painfully. "I'm gonna blast you away!"
Erza scowled, requipping into a new armor and surging towards Azuma. The man jumped over her sword slash and waved his arm, sending several vines at her, catching her leg.
"Brevi!" He commanded, making the vines explode and sending Erza hurling back.
The woman requipped and somersaulted in the air, launching herself at Azuma. "Venus Photon Slicer!" She shouted, blasting Azuma with a large explosion of light.
Azuma crashed back-first into a tree trunk and chuckled.
Erza scowled. "What's so funny?"
"I've been waiting for someone strong like you." Azuma observed. "This will be fun. I've heard a lot about your bravery and valor. We're the same kind of people. I fight in pursuit of those who are strong."
"Sorry, but I don't agree." Erza countered, requipping to her normal armor. "I don't care much about how strong someone is."
"That's not true." Azuma smirked. "If you didn't care, you wouldn't have tat kind of strength."
"All I need is the power to protect my comrades." Erza informed Azuma. "So long as I have the strength to do that, I don't care if I'm the weakest woman in the world."
Azuma stared at her in shock.
Erza glanced away. "I'm... contradicting myself, aren't I?"
"You're a strange one." Azuma told her. "You play by the rules, straight and narrow, don't you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Erza asked him.
"It means we're out of time." Azuma announced gravely. Vines and trees began to sprout around him.
"My magic is magic of the trees." Azuma informed Erza. "Lost Magic: Great Tree Arc."
"The explosions are created by condensing the magic of the earth into the fruit of those trees." Azuma continued. "But the true power of this magic is rooted in the earth. It controls all of the magical power stored within the earth itself."
Erza was wide-eyed. "Controls the magical power in the earth?"
"I only had one reason for coming to this island first." Azuma told her. "It was to take control of the magical power of this island."
Erza paled. "What did you say?"
The large tree in the middle of the island began to slowly topple over as it was uprooted.
"There are not my intentions or desires." Azuma sighed. "It was an order, so I had no choice."
"W-what did you do..." Erza watched the tree collapse in disbelief. "What have you done to our sacred land?"
Doranbolt paled. "What's going on?"
"T-the island!" A soldier from the Magic Council pointed to it. "That giant tree is tearing apart!"
"Gaah!" Natsu shouted. "What the hell is going on?"
"Hurry up, Charle!" Happy shouted.
Charle glanced back at the slow cat. "What about you?"
"W-what is this..." Sorano suddenly stumbled as she felt herself weaken. "My power..."
"All of a sudden..." Wendy crashed to the ground in exhaustion. "My power is being drained..."
"This is..." Gray scowled.
"It must be Azuma's doing." Ultear told him, frowning.
"Damn..." Pantherlily struggled to stand up.
"Freed!" Lisanna shouted. "Bixlow!"
Rustyrose laughed as he knocked the two flying back.
"What's going on here?" Freed grit his teeth, reverting to his normal state.
"I..." Bixlow gasped. "I can barely move..."
Lucy blinked and staggered when her magic power faded and Caelum recalled itself, leaving her barehanded. "What is this?"
Gildarts cried out when Bluenote punched him and sent him crashing to the ground.
"Shit!" He grit his teeth. "What's happening?"
"Bastard!" Lucy swung at him. Bluenote sighed and caught her fist, before throwing her away and using his gravity magic to push her into the ground, immobilizing her.
"Dammit, old man..." He muttered, glancing at the collapsing tree. "You gave Azuma some messed-up orders, didn't you?"
"Mistress' magic power has faded." Virgo frowned, scouring the island in search of people. "I'm switching to using my own gate in order to remain here. Hopefully Mistress will choose to punish me for that."
"Lucy..." Gemini-Lucy looked around anxiously. "Well then... we haven't completed our orders yet!" She exclaimed, switching to her gate as a source of magic power. "We can't leave until we're done!"
"Lucy is out of magic power to keep me here." Horologium stated, doing the same thing as Virgo and Gemini. "But it is not yet time for me to clock out. I shall stay until my time limit has been reached."
"Gildarts..." Hades frowned. "That Makarov... he had quite the trump card. So there was someone other than me who was able to stop Bluenote..."
"This has taken quite a long time." He scowled and crossed his arms. "Azuma must have taken control of the magical power of Tenrou Island. With this, any chance Fairy Tail had of winning has disappeared."
"Master Hades knows well of this island's power." Azuma explained. "The great Tenrou tree that grows from the very center of this island bestows divine protection upon those bearing Fairy Tail's mark."
"We're protected from losing our lives on this island. There's a special power on this island that's enhancing our magic." Erza muttered in realization. So that's why this island was chosen for the exam...
Her eyes suddenly widened. "Are you the one who took down the Tenrou tree?"
"That's right." Azuma nodded. "The life protection it granted Fairy Tail is now lost. And we will continue draining the magical energy from all the mages of Fairy Tail."
"There's no way..." Erza paled. "You can't possibly do that..."
"It is already done." Azuma countered. "Fairy Tail will be eradicated."
"There you have it." He looked down on Erza, challenging her. "With control of the island's magic, your power is at our disposal. Now then, Titania, your friends on the island are on the verge of death, and the only one who can save them is you."
His eyes narrowed. "Do you have the power necessary to save your comrades? If so, then come. Show me."
Erza glared at him furiously.
"My strength..." Gray rasped, clutching his side. "It's fading..."
"It appears the Tenrou tree has fallen." Ultear observed anxiously. "Those with the mark of Fairy Tail are losing their power."
"Why am I doing this for her?" Meledy wondered, dragging a panting Juvia to safety. "I don't even know..."
Erza grit her teeth. "Why are you doing this?"
"Orders from Master Hades." Azuma frowned. "I am to erase every last mage of Fairy Tail."
"Not that." Erza snapped. "I mean, why have you made it so that only I can still fight?"
"I already told you" Azuma sighed. "I wish to fight you at your full strength. That's all."
"If what you say is true..." Erza scowled. "Then when I defeat you, you'll return everyone's magic power to them."
"I agree to that." Azuma nodded. "To be honest, I don't like doing things this way either. But of course, that's only if you win."
"My comrades' lives are on the line!" Erza requipped a second sword and surged at him. "No matter what... I will win!"
Azuma's eyes widened when she changed armors in a split second. "Heaven's Wheel: Blumenblatt!"
Erza glanced back and her eyes widened when she noticed a coiling vine blocking all the swords she hurled at Azuma in her attack.
"Folium Sica!" Azuma shouted, sending a whirlwind of sharp leaves at Erza. "Ramus Sica!" He added, following up the leaves with large wooden splinters.
Erza cried out when the attack broke her armor in several places and a giant wooden fist followed it, smashing her into a tree trunk. Her eyes shot wide and she leapt back, barely avoiding a number of vines that Azuma sent at her.
Azuma blinked and cried out in pain when Erza vanished and appeared behind him, having requipped into a new armor and moved too fast for him to see, cutting him across the middle.
"Flight Armor..." He grunted. "In that case..." Thick vines wrapped around him, stopping Erza's next attack and trapping her sword, keeping it tightly lodged in place. Azuma took advantage of her pulling at the weapon and sent out vines from behind her, tying up her legs. "Tower Burst!"
A huge column of fire shot up around Erza, burning her until it ended ans she fell limply out of the sky, landing heavily on wooden ground.
He had incredible magical power... he's really strong! Erza grit her teeth. My Armadura Fairy and my Purgatory Armor are both damaged... what do I do? Wait... last week I bought that seduction armor...
"A-absolutely not!" She exclaimed. Lucy's clothes are intended for that, and she wears them all day... she does enough distracting that way for both of us!
Azuma sweatdropped. "Talking to yourself?"
But then, what do I do? Erza frowned. If I want to surpass his magical power, I'm going to have to collect all my strength in one attack... I can't afford using any magical power for defenses...
So I have no need for armor. She requipped into the clothes she used when fighting Ikaruga. I'll put all my power into this sword.
Without my defenses, all I have to hold on to is this blade... Erza jumped at Azuma, pouring magic into the sword. "Let's go!" My defeat would mean the guild's defeat...
"Come!" Azuma shouted, readying himself. "Titania!"
I can't lose! Erza grit her teeth. For the guild... I need to put everything into this one attack...
Her eyes widened when a vine caught her and several others quickly wrapped around her body, immobilizing her.
"I release the magic of Tenrou Island asleep beneath the earth!" Azuma shouted, throwing his arms out to the sides.
I can't move! Erza paled. "Shit!"
"Terra Clamare!"
A huge blast of orange energy engulfed Erza. Azuma panted, tired, as it dissipated and revealed a barely conscious redhead.
"Titania..." He smirked. "You've been beaten."
A traveler keeping his hair and face carefully concealed by a cloak and hood stiffened and looked up at the sky in worry.
"Erza..." Jellal, masquerading as both Siegrain and Mystogan, frowned. "Don't lose..."
Erza's eyes widened. Jellal?
Azuma frowned when she began to cough and pushed herself up, using her sword as support.
"It can't be..." He muttered, shocked. "She was hit by the enormous magical power of Tenrou Island!"
Erza panted, glaring up at Azuma. That was Jellal's voice? But... he's so far away right now... it can't be!
Don't be naive... Her hands trembled. Don't get carried away... that guy isn't anywhere around... don't hang on to memories... maintain your awareness... to protect everyone... I will fight!
She grit her teeth and charged at Azuma, cutting through the vine he threw up to shield him and inflicting a slash on his arm. The man grinned with excitement as Erza followed up with more attacks, hacking away at the vines he kept shooting at her.
So scary... His eyes were wide with life. My heart is raging!
"Your name is your life." Azuma observed, swinging an arm and tying Erza up with vines again. "You can't forget about it, right?"
"Shit!" Erza struggled against her bonds. "Move!"
"Let's name you Erza Scarlet." A boy with blue hair and a red mark on his face smiled. "It's your hair color. That way, you're certain to remember it."
"This is the end!" Azuma announced, gathering magic power. "I'll give you the power of Tenrou Island once again! Terra Clamare!"
Erza screamed in pain as the blast engulfed her. This it it, huh...
"Are you giving up?" A wavy image of Natsu formed in front of her. "Erza?"
Erza watched in shock as the other guild members formed around Natsu's impression.
So it's like that, huh? She clenched her fist resolutely. Sorry... it seems like I forgot something about myself...
Azuma's eyes widened when she shot out of the energy sphere and it followed her. "What?"
It's not that I'm protecting everyone...
Azuma paled when he noticed an image of all the Fairy Tail members form in the sphere, their hands outstretched as if they were pushing Erza forward. "T-this is..."
I'm the one who has always been protected! Erza finished, gripping her sword tightly.
The magic of Tenrou Island that I should be controlling... is protecting Erza? Azuma watched in shock as Erza neared him with her sword poised to strike. Conviction... these guys' real strength is neither individual or a sum...what a guild. His expression turned into a proud smile. Splendid.
Erza roared as she brutally slashed him from shoulder to hip. The man continued to grin, even as he plummeted to the ground below.
Elsewhere, Jellal gave a satisfied smirk.
Erza grit her teeth and collapsed to the earth near Azuma as her exhaustion caught up with her.
"Y-your body..." She rasped as she looked at Azuma and noticed trees beginning to sprout from the man.
"It's a side effect from the Lost Magic." Azuma told her. "I overused it too much."
Erza watched on in shock.
"Just as I promised, I'll return everyone's magic power to them." Azuma reassured Erza.
Erza frowned, recalling a voice she shouldn't have been able to hear. "Do you know a man named Jellal?"
"Yeah." Azuma grunted. "He became obsessed with the idea that Zeref's ghost existed and lost all reason as a result. A sad man who walks the path of emptiness." He eyed her with understanding. "Was he... important to you?"
Erza looked away sadly.
"I'm sorry." Azuma sighed. "I think that was all Ultear's doing. It was an eight-year-long plan meant to make the Council ignore our actions for a while."
"She is a truly frightening person." Azuma added. "One who Master Hades trusts above any other."
Erza struggled to her knees. "Why are you guys after Zeref?"
"The very first magic in the world..." Azuma mused. "To get closer to the source of all magic..."
"Source of all magic?" Erza frowned. "And what's going to happen if you finally manage to get your hands on it?"
Azuma smiled. "Jellal dreamt of Heaven..." He muttered, before his body completely turned into a grove of trees and his consciousness faded.
"Hey!" Erza charged forward, only to trip over a left-over vine. "The source of all magic.."
Natsu's eyes widened as he struggled to lift Makarov. "What is this..."
Sorano looked around. "What's going on?"
"My magical power..." Wendy examined her hands in wonder.
"It's back!" Happy cheered.
"All right!" Freed scowled at Rustyrose.
Bixlow nodded. "We're back in action!"
"Take this!" They both shouted, knocking Rustyrose away with three wooden dolls and a sword at the same time.
Lisanna's eyes widened. "What was all that about?"
"It looks like our magic power has returned to all of us." Levy explained cheerfully.
"What happened, Azuma?" Rustyrose git his teeth angrily. "All their magic power is back!"
Bluenote sighed, repeatedly stepping in Gildarts' head and knocking him into the ground. "Without his magical power, even the mighty Gildarts is nothing but trash..."
"Gravity Change!" A voice shouted. "Counterbalanced!"
Bluenote didn't manage to look to his side before a large metal orb smashed into his face.
"It's back?" The man paled, watching Lucy hold up Caelum in its' standard form. "Their magic power is back?"
"How am I supposed to present the dignity of an exam proctor now that you've messed me up?" Gildarts smirked, grabbing the man's foot and flipping him in mid-air, smashing a fist into his exposed back and sending Bluenote crashing into a rock. "Try and set a good example for the kids, at least!"
"Yes!" The man exclaimed, recovering from the impact. "Just like that, you two! Let's really get this fight started! It's about time we started getting serious!"
He brought his hands together and a small black orb formed in front of him. "Black Hole!"
Gildarts grit his teeth as the black hole began sucking in air and debris. "What is this?"
"A point of infinite gravity..." Bluenote smirked. "That will swallow up everything!"
"Lucy." Libra warned. "Something like that is beyond my ability to counter."
"That's fine." Lucy reassured her, changing Caelum into two swords and surging towards the black hole. "I have an idea!"
"Fly!" Bluenote cackled crazily. "Fly!"
"Come forth!" Rustyrose commanded. "Tower of Dingir! Crush those foolish fairies with all your sadness and send them back to the earth!"
"What is this?" Freed exclaimed, struggling against the stone wall he was trapped in.
Bixlow grit his teeth. "I can't move my body!"
"Crap!" Lily grunted, caught by his tail and Levy trapped next to him. "We were caught too..."
Freed frowned when he noticed Bixlow remove his visor. "Your Figure Eyes... they won't work on someone wearing glasses!"
"Not him..." Bixlow smirked, noticing Elfman give him a 'ready' signal. "Our only hope happened to have an eye open. I'll be controlling you for a bit!"
"By all means." Elfman grunted, stepping out of the infirmary tent.
"Let's go!" Bixlow shouted.
"What?" Rustyrose glanced back just in time to catch a fist to the face, followed by a vicious kick to the neck.
"It dispelled!" Levy cheered as the tower vanished.
"Freed!" Lisanna shouted, growing wings and extending her feet towards him.
Freed nodded, sensing her intent as he used her feet to propel himself towards his enemy.
"It's up to you!" Lisanna shouted, pushing him downwards at Rustyrose.
"Got it!"
Gildarts and Bluenote's eyes widened when Lucy ran at the black hole with a sword leveled at it. The moment Caelum's tip connected with it, a magic circle spread from the sword and the black hole vanished into it.
"What the..." Bluenote paled. "What did you do to it?"
Gildarts used the man's distracted state to slam a fist into him, knocking him down. Realizing Lucy's plan, he planted his feet on Bluenote's head and stomach, pinning him to the ground. "Now, Lucy!"
Lucy nodded and plunged her second sword into the man, releasing the black hole inside his chest. Bluenote screamed in agony as the gravity tore him to shreds, before what remained of him got completely sucked into the back hole he himself created.
"That's done with." Lucy sighed, resealing the black hole inside Caelum and dismissing both it and Libra. She frowned, noticing Gildarts collapse. "You all right there?"
"Just tired..." The man smirked.
"Ok." Lucy nodded. "I'll head to the infirmary then. Catch up once you've regained some strength."
"Dark Ecriture..." Freed intoned, nearing Rustyrose. "Destruction!"
Rustyrose screamed as he was knocked back with a brightly glowing purple slash across his entire torso.
Everyone's eyes widened when Virgo shot out of the ground and snatched the unconscious man, bowing to the mages. "I apologize for the intrusion. Per Mistress' orders, you will never see this man again."
With that, she sank back into the ground, taking Rustyrose with her.
"Um..." Levy hesitated. "What was that?"
"That girl sometimes scares me..." Freed muttered. "If I understood that Spirit right, our opponent will shortly be killed."
"But-" Lisanna started to protest.
Bixlow shook his head, stopping her. "None of us likes this much, but... Lucy's mentality is somewhat different than the one most Fairy Tail mages have. When faced with a strong enemy, she won't let him live and come back to fight her again. She must have sent out some of her Spirits to scour the island, find any remaining enemies, and dispose of them."
Lily sighed. "That reminds me of Knightwalker, however... I trust Lucy despite the short time I've known her. If she's willing to live with death on her conscience for the sake of the guild, who are we to say no?"
The others exchanged glances, before slowly nodding in agreement.
Gray looked up. "It looks like all the magical energy is back to who it was before."
Ultear nodded and picked up Zeref, preparing to leave.
"Ur's will..." Gray muttered.
"It's up to you whether you believe that or not." She smiled at Gray. "I'm going to take Zeref and leave the island. You must defeat Hades. With Ur's Iced Shell, you can do it."
Gray examined his hands in wonder.
"Please..." Ultear muttered. "You're the only one who has the power to answer our prayers."
Gray sighed and clenched his fist. "Ok. I'll defeat Hades."
"Gray..." Ultear was wide-eyed. "Iced Shell takes the life of the user..."
"I know." Gray frowned. "I've said it a hundred times, I'm fully prepared for that."
Ultear looked down. "Thank you."
"Stop that." Gray scowled. "I'm not doing this for you, and I'm not doing this for Ur. This is for the guild."
"W-what the..." Natsu paled. "What the hell happened here?"
Sorano trembled, examining the beaten forms of Mira, Elfman, Evergreen, and Gajeel. "Everyone... Gajeel-kun... and even Mira-chan..."
"I'll start with the healing magic immediately!" Wendy decided.
Lisanna sighed. "I'm thankful, but it would be impossible to heal this many."
"Besides, I think you've overused your magic today." Charle scowled. "You should rest a while."
"So Makarov and Cana are injured as well..." Freed sighed.
Bixlow grunted. "Just what happened here?"
"Grimoire Heart's battleship is currently to the east of us at sea." Pantherlily told everyone. "How about we split into two teams for now? An attack team and a defense team."
"Meledy." Ultear called out, noticing the pink-haired girl.
"Ur..." Meledy turned to her, relieved. "Ultear. Is that really..."
"That's right." Ultear put the man on the ground. "It's Zeref."
Meledy's eyes widened and she smiled.
"There's been a change of plans." Ultear told Meledy. "We're leaving the island."
"But..." Meledy hesitated. "I haven't found Gray yet."
"Forget about him."
"Eh?"
Ultear smiled. "He's not our enemy."
"Listen, Gray." Ultear started solemnly. "My father was killed by Hades."
Gray paled at the revelation.
"In order to avenge him, my mother began to track Grimoire Heart." Ultear looked down. "After Ur died, I learned the truth from her diary... that she researched Grimoire Heart to get her revenge."
"But Hades' magical power was more than anyone could imagine." She sighed. "Ur knew that too... that was why she learned Iced Shell."
"Iced Shell?" Gray repeated.
"I wasn't able to learn it." Ultear looked distraught. "Even though Ur's blood flows through me... as far as I know, Iced Shell is the only spell currently able to defeat Hades."
Gray glanced at the unconscious dark mage.
"Don't worry about Zeref." Ultear reassured him. "Once we get off the island, I'll seal him away so that no one can find him ever again. I have no intention of handing him over to Hades."
"Please..." She begged. "The only person that can fulfill Ur's and my wishes is you..."
"He isn't our enemy." Ultear smirked. "He's our trump card!"
"I can't believe that story I made up actually fooled him!" She crowed. "Ahahaha! If everything goes well, I'll get rid of both Hades and Gray! To think everything has gone this wonderfully!"
"Master Hades too?" Meledy paled. "Why?"
"That way Zeref will be all ours." Ultear explained.
"So you're trying to fool Master Hades?"
"Gray, Hades, everyone... they're all dancing in the palm of my hand." Ultear grinned maniacally. "I won't give Zeref to anyone! He's all mine!"
"Ah, I'm too much..." She calmed down. "Though it might be too much to expect Gray to pull it off. But having Hades distracted might be good enough. Let's leave this island before he catches on."
"Right." Meledy picked up Zeref.
Ultear's gaze landed on Juvia. "And who's this woman?"
"Juvia." Meledy told her. "She's Gray's friend."
"Hmph." Ultear scoffed, forming a sword in her hand.
Meledy's eyes widened. "What are you..."
"I'm going to kill her, of course." Ultear examined the unconscious water user.
"B-but..." Meledy hesitated. "But she doesn't have any fighting spirit left!"
"Shut up." Ultear commanded. "No part of Gray will live to see the future. Whether he's killed by Hades, or wastes his life by using Iced Shell." She began to swing down. "If he lives, he'll have to go through the loss of a friend!"
Ice shout out over Juvia, freezing the sword and blocking it. Ultear's eyes widened when Gray formed a curved ice slide to snatch up Juvia and land behind them.
Meledy's eyes widened. "Gray!"
Gray scowled. "I figured it was something like this."
"Well, this is unexpected." Ultear watched him calmly. "When did you figure it out?"
"I didn't buy into any of that from the start." Gray announced.
"I see... so you played along all this time to see what my true intentions were..." Ultear snorted. "Bad boy."
"I swore I would never use that magic again." Gray grit his teeth, slamming a fist into his palm. "No matter what kind of will Ur had, I have my own will! I want to walk the path where I can live with my friends!"
"Well, well..." Ultear stepped towards him. "So you're not a simple-minded fool... and I was so close to getting rid of Hades..."
"You know something?" She asked him. "I really didn't want to fight with you, because you're her beloved student, aren't you?" She smirked darkly. "You've chosen to be killed in the cruelest way!"
"Bring it on, delinquent bitch!" Gray snarled, tossing his shirt away. "I'll teach you manners in your mother's place!"
"I should tell you... there's one very important thing you don't know about me..." Ultear cackled. "I'm the leader of the Seven Kin of Purgatory! Someone like you is no match for the likes of-"
Her eyes widened when Gray was suddenly in front of her, smashing a fist into her chest and causing ice to erupt from the point of impact.
"Ultear!" Meledy screamed, watching the woman fly back.
"I don't matter!" Ultear snapped, turning in the air and landing in a crouch. "Hurry and take Zeref to the escape point!"
"Y-yes!" Meledy nodded and turned to leave.
"Juvia!" Gray commanded. "Snap out of it!"
"Gray-sama's voice!" Juvia shot up instantly. "To be awakened by Gray-sama's voice... what kind of sun-kissed sheets is Juvia lying under?"
"Forget about that and chase after them!" Gray ordered. "Don't let them have Zeref!"
"Yes!" Juvia nodded, taking a step forward and collapsing when her leg flared in pain. Wincing, she began to use her arms to scoot forward at an incredible speed, completely freaking Meledy out. "If it's Gray-sama's orders, pain like this is nothing!"
Ultear took advantage of Gray's distracted state to slam a foot into his head, knocking him away and preparing a crystal ball for her next attack.
"Ice Make: Lance!" Gray shouted, firing sharp arrows of ice at her.
"I'll shift this ice's time to the future..." Ultear concentrated and the attack dispersed in steam. "Evaporate."
"Ice Make: Hammer!" Gray tried again, dropping a large block of ice on Ultear.
"To the future!" The woman waved her arm at the ice, erasing it.
"My ice magic..." Gray paled. "It's useless?"
"Shouldn't that be obvious?" Ultear smirked. "After all, Arc of Time is a magic I earned in order to kill molding mages... am magic I learned in order to kill my mother."
"To kill Ur, you say..." Gray grit his teeth, recalling his teacher crying as she clutched a small shirt to her chest.
"I always hated her." Ultear growled, creating a large amount of crystal orbs around Gray, who quickly surrounded himself with ice.
"Futile." Ultear grunted, making the ice vanish and letting the crystal missiles crash into him. "Flash Forward!"
"Ur..." Gray skid back, recovering from the attack and sending a volley of ice spikes. "She was always thinking about you!"
"Your point is?" Ultear asked him, easily dispersing the attack.
"It's so sad..." Gray swung a fist at her. "All the things she can't tell you anymore, it's so sad..."
Ultear smirked as she dodged his fist and wrapped her legs around his neck, executing a perfect leg scissor take-down. "Is it going to be a physical battle now that your ice is useless?"
"I'll strike you down with ice..." Gray grunted, picking himself up. "I'll strike you down with Ur's magic..."
"My magic, Arc of Time, manipulates the time of all things." Ultear told him smugly. "If ice goes to the future, it will evaporate. If it goes back to the past, it will revert to water."
"I believe in Ur's molding magic." Gray countered, forming a vicious-looking ice blade.
"You cannot defeat me with ice." Ultear smirked. "Molding magic will be of no use to you at all."
Gray grit his teeth as he cut his own side open, causing blood to spurt out. Ultear's eyes widened in confusion.
"Your..." Gray panted as the ice blade slowly turned red and he formed a second one, which did the same thing. "Your darkness... I will seal it..."
Ultear scowled as he surged towards her again. "I told you, ice won't work!"
She paled when Gray swung at her and slashed her across the stomach. "Time... won't move?"
She screamed in pain when Gray hacked at her again and again. "What the hell is happening?"
"You can't move the time of living things, if I recall correctly." Gray grit his teeth.
Red ice? Ultear's' eyes widened. It can't be... he froze his own blood?
"Ice Blade..." Gray grunted, delivering one final powerful swing and knocking her back. "Seven Slice Dance!"
Despite the torn flesh and broken bones... Ultear thought, watching Gray freeze his wound. What tenacity... nevertheless, I... cannot lose!
Gray's eyes widened in shock when Ultear smashed a fist into her palm. "That stance..."
Until I reach... the great world of magic! Ultear scowled angrily. "Ice Make: Rosen Crone!"
Gray screamed when coils of ice resembling rose flowers crashed into him and sent him hurtling back.
Exactly like Ur's... He paled, wide-eyed. Molding magic...
"I never thought... I would be seeing that again..." Gray groaned, picking himself up after the attack weakly. "Ur's magic..."
Ultear narrowed her eyes in fury.
"I should have expected it..." Gray muttered. "After all, you have the same blood flowing in you..."
"Shut up!" Ultear roared, blasting him with more ice. Gary scowled as he dodged the attack and crashed into her, making them both roll down a cliff.
"What happened to make you this way?" Gray demanded. "Why are you doing this?"
"I said shut up!" Ultear screamed. "As if someone like you could understand!"
Her eyes widened when the ground vanished from under them and they dropped into the sea.
I... was abandoned by my mother... Ultear scowled, recalling her past thanks to Gray's words. And then... I was taken to a magical research lab. Ever since I was a child, I was the subject of experiments to amplify magical power... and they left my body and heart in shambles. One day I slipped out of the lab and ran back home to my mother. But what I saw when I got back...
She grit her teeth, remembering seeing her mother laugh at something a young Leon had said.
My mother's face full of happiness... she had gotten rid of me and had those new kids in her life. That was why she looked so happy. I'll never forgive her...
I went back to the magical lab. I acquired magical power... so that I could kill my mother. It wasn't long before I learned about Zeref and the dark guild searching for him.
"When Zeref is resurrected once again, the great world of magic shall be complete!" Hades told her.
"Great world of magic?" Ultear repeated in disbelief.
"There is no magic you couldn't have access to in that world." Hades explained. "There are magics that could even bring back happiness you've lost."
Ultear's eyes widened. "Bring back happiness I lost..."
The man nodded. "Arc of Time. In this world, only bits and pieces are known about the Arc of Time. It's a Lost Magic... forgotten long ago in times of antiquity. But in the great world of magic, Arc of Time I complete. With it, you could travel through time and change anything you want."
Ultear stared at him, enthralled.
I did this... Ultear watched Gray sink beneath her and prepared a spell. So that I could fix everything... to change my cursed existence into a life where I could find happiness...
I will complete the great world of magic! She shouted internally, sending out a stream of ice that Gray countered.
"Help me..."
What? Ultear's eyes widened as she glanced around wildly, trying to find the speaker. What was that voice?
"Help me! Please!"
Ultear paled, so shocked that she barely registered Gray kicking her towards the sea floor. There it is again!
"This child was born with far too much magical power!" Ur explained, holding up a sweating Ultear. "All that magical power is burning up her small body. She's got a high fever." A doctor examining Ultear explained. "We've had similar cases in our institute before."
Ultear was confused. Why am I seeing this now? Ur melted away at Galuna Island and was washed away into the sea... the sea? Am I... inside my mother?
"She died?" Ur trembled in horror. "What do you mean, she died?"
"You shouldn't look at her body." A doctor warned her as he left. "It's bad."
"That's impossible..." Ur fell to her knees. "Give back my daughter!" She shrieked after him, weeping. "Give back my Ultear!"
It's not how I remember it... Ultear observed, confused. At all...
Ice Make... Gray began channeling magic power, snapping her back to her senses. Gungunir!
Ultear screamed as a huge spike of ice froze her body, letting only her head and the ends of her limbs stick out. The huge ice block shot upwards and out of the sea, leaving her hanging several meters up in the air.
"Ur once told me a story about you..." Gray floated up to the surface weakly. "She only ever told it one time, but I remember it..."
"When that girl was born..." Ur smiled, watching an attentive Leon and a bored Gray. "A felt a light shining into my heart. And I dreamed of a future full of hope for her. I was so happy then." Her eyes clouded over as she remembered a wailing baby. "Beginning from that tiny little body... the future held infinite possibilities. The power of life... I couldn't stop my tears from overflowing."
"That child was proof that I lived..." Ur recalled a tear falling from her eye to the baby, giving her an idea. "The tear of Ur... Ultear..."
I wanted to go to a world of great magic... Ultear began to cry as Gungunir shattered around her. And return to myself in a time before I hated my mother... all I wanted was to be with my mother just one more time...
"My fight is over." Ultear stated, having been dragged out of the sea by Gray. She was currently slumped against a tree, watching him tie his shirt over his self-inflicted wound.
"But my battle is far from finished." Gray grit his teeth.
"You can't win against Hades." Ultear warned him.
"Yeah." Gray sighed. "I know. It'd be impossible to do it by myself."
"One more thing." He turned back to Ultear. "That girl you were with... Meledy, was it?"
Surprised, Ultear nodded.
"I could see you care for her a lot..." Gray smiled. "You should know that the Council is most likely still somewhere around here. Go find her and head for our infirmary camp. You look like you could use a rest."
"Are you crazy?" Ultear asked him, wide-eyed. "They'll never tolerate my presence over there! I came here as part of Grimoire Heart!"
"You're using past tense already." Gray noted calmly. "They might be a bit annoyed, but tell them I vouched for you, and you should be fine. Fairy Tail isn't the sort of guild where mages hold grudges."
Ultear stared after his departing form in shock, before making up her mind and starting to head towards the Fairy Tail camp.
"The sky's really pouring down." Sorano sighed, watching lightning crackle in the distance.
Levy shivered. "I hate lightning."
Lily trembled, covering his ears with his hands.
"What's wrong, Lily?" Happy asked, puzzled.
Charle scoffed. "Don't tell me you're scared of lightning?"
Happy smirked when he saw Lily tense. "There's a cute side to him after all."
Charle giggled.
"S-shut up!" Lily tried to get them to stop.
"Now then..." Natsu looked at Sorano. "I'm going to go defeat Hades. Sorano, Happy..."
"Aye, sir!"
Sorano was surprised. "Me?"
"We're all friends, right?" Happy asked her pointedly.
"I know..." Sorano hesitated. "But wouldn't Freed-kun be a better choice?"
"I still have to inscribe this area with runes." Freed countered.
Bixlow nodded. "Leave the defenses to us."
"I'm going with Natsu-san and Sorano-san too!" Wendy added with determination. "I think I can provide some kind of support!"
"I-I'm going too..." Lily added, still shivering from the frequent thunder. "I need to help fight Gajeel's enemies..."
"I'm going to stay here and help Freed with the runes." Levy decided.
"I want to stay with Mira-nee and Elf-niichan." Lisanna sighed.
Freed nodded. "Then it's decided."
"We will protect everyone, no matter what!" Bixlow added.
Levy glanced at Sorano. "Be careful, Sora-chan."
Sorano looked resolute. "Most of my magical power has recovered."
"The only enemy left is Hades." Lisanna observed.
"This looks like the final battle." Wendy told everyone.
"We're working hard, too!" Happy shouted.
"They know." Charle shushed him.
Lily stepped forward, still covering his ears. "Exceeds, away!"
"Let's do it!" Natsu roared, eliciting cheers from the others, before he ran off.
"Sorano, wait a second." Lisanna stopped Sorano from following him. "When those he trusts are near him, Natsu gets even stronger. And you are a friend, despite being only about a month in the guild. Makes sure you stick close to him."
Sorano smiled. "Ok!"
"Hold on!"
Meledy paled. "What's with her?"
"Give me Zeref!" Juvia demanded, scooting after Meledy like a crab.
"What about all that stuff you said about love?"
"I don't want to argue with you!" Juvia shouted.
A figure suddenly jumped down in front of them. "Meledy!"
Meledy's eyes widened at the crazily grinning blond. "Zancrow?"
"Just where were you planning on taking Zeref?" Zancrow demanded.
"T-that's..." Meledy stammered.
"So you were planning on betraying us along with Ultear after all!" Zancrow shouted. "Well?"
Meledy shook her head weakly. "No..."
"You are no longer a part of Grimoire Heart!" Zancrow roared, blasting Meledy and Juvia with black fire.
"Hee hee hee!" He cackled. "Zeref belongs with us! Hee hee hee!"
"Wait..." Meledy protested weakly. "Zeref is Ultear's future... my future..."
"So naive..." Zancrow grinned. "How long are you going to keep spouting that crap?"
"Ultear promised..." Meledy teared up. "If I can make it to the great world of magic, my town can go back to the way it used to be..."
Zancrow's eyes lit up with malicious glee. "But the one who destroyed your town was Ultear-san!"
Meledy froze. "That is... a lie..." She choked out.
Held up by the white cloth around his waist, Zeref began to stir. "Acnologia..." He muttered.
Zancrow looked down at him. "What?"
Zeref glanced at him with red eyes and black energy burst from him, passing through Zancrow, Meledy, and Juvia.
"Sorry..." Zeref mumbled, his eyes returning to black as he stared at Zancrow's gray and lifeless body. "I didn't even know your name... one more dark moment to weigh on my conscience."
He bent down and passed a hand over Zancrow's face, closing his eyes.
"That's good." He glanced at Juvia and Meledy, straightening up. "It looks like you guys are ok. As for me... I had no reason to come to this age."
He sighed and began to walk away. "I am not an ally to anyone. I am not an enemy to anyone. But still... if an age is about to end right now, I might awaken once again. I wanted myself broken before that happened... Natsu."
Just now... A pale Doranbolt watched the entire scene from behind a tree. Did he say... Acnologia?
Shit... Gray clutched his wound as it throbbed and threatened to re-open. My eyes are getting blurry. I can't... go on...
He sighed and began to topple forward. His eyes widened when Erza reached out and caught him, steadying him on her shoulder.
"Erza..."
Erza smiled. "Are you ok?"
"I'm always needing to be saved by everybody..." Gray mumbled, looking away.
"I'm the same way." Erza reassured him.
Gray's eyes widened when Natsu, Happy, Sorano, Wendy, Charle, and Pantherlily came into view. Natsu watched Gray for a moment, before grinning widely.
"I'm that way too."
"Impossible. The Seven Kin..." Hades strode towards the entrance to his ship. "Even Bluenote was defeated? I truly have to give praise to Makarov's soldiers."
"Oh, well... I suppose I'll have to be their opponent then." He emerged outside and glared at Tenrou Island. "The devil shall play with the fairies at last... this is the finale."
His visible eye narrowed. "Let's have some fun, then..."
Natsu, Gray, Erza, Sorano, Wendy, and the three Exceed glared up at him.
"Come!" Hades beckoned. "Fourth Fairy Tail!"
NOTE: To those confused by the Jellal situation, let me explain. Lucy tricked the reformed Council into thinking Siegrain is a real person, and now Jellal is pretending to be him. At the same time, Lucy made the Council believe that Siegrain is Mystogan's true identity. Since the Council considers Jellal to be missing and Siegrain to be an innocent, Jellal is free to show his face around, but chooses not to in order to maintain Mystogan's reputation. This also has the Council thinking that the real Mystogan is still around, not knowing that Edo-Jellal is back in Edolas. Mest/Doranbolt still chose to use Mystogan in his cover as the man is considered a recluse and he was sure his mission would be over before anyone could contact the one he believed to be Mystogan to verify the story.
Jellal... Siegrain... Mystogan... fake Mystogan... I hope I made this clear enough for the readers, because truthfully, I just confused myself right now. Maybe if I draw out a chart of what happened to who...
NOTE #2: Grimoire Heart member status: Zancrow – deceased. Kain Hikaru – deceased. Zoldeo – deceased. Rustyrose – deceased. Azuma – deceased/turned into a tree. Bluenote – deceased. Meledy – inactive. Ultear – inactive. Master Hades – active. Yomazu and Kawazu – unknown.
NOTE #3: The Tenrou Island Arc will be split into four parts:
That Time of Year (done) – Beginning of the Exam and Grimoire Heart's invasion.
Unleashed Madness (done) – The first fights: Zancrow, Caprico, Kain Hikaru, Azuma vs Mira.
War on Tenrou Island (done) – The remaining fights: Meledy, Ultear, Rustyrose, Azuma vs Erza, Bluenote.
Zeref and the Black Dragon – The fight against Hades and Acnologia's attack.
NOTE #4: Sorano's animation magic gives her a limited degree of control over pretty much anything. Being a general multipurpose type of magic, water spells belonging to it will be weaker than those of Aquarius or Juvia, who specialize in that element. Same goes for fire and Natsu, air and Wendy, ice and Gray etc. Currently, Sorano knows the basics of making water and earth move as she wishes, and is also able to interfere with other animation spells and low-level attacks.
Her current spells:
Whims of the Sea Element – creates a huge wave that pushes everything in its' path away in the direction Sorano directs it.
Sinking Ground – causes ground in a certain area to turn into quicksand, quickly burying anything on top of it.
Earthen Revolt – launches a hail of stone bullets/spikes from the ground into the air.
Magic Subjugation – causes any animated objects that are touched by Sorano's magic to fall under her control.
Others may be listed here if I come up with something else... this list will most likely be longer in the last chapter of the arc.
NOTE #5: Hopefully I'll be able to get rid of all those notes by the time this Arc finishes. Any more of them and the 'Notes' section will get longer than the chapters. They're already one Word page long...
NEXT TIME: Zeref and the Black Dragon. Easter break is coming to an end, but I should release the next chapter before college resumes in four days. Look forward to it!
Thanks for reading!
