No new reviews T_T
On the other hand, this chapter tired me out! Hope you guys like it! And thanks to all the new followers and Favorites! :D Hope you like this chapter and keep enjoying the story! ;)
Here's the longest chapter yet, twice as much as any other chapter! I didn't even realize it was so long till I was publishing it XD
Year x767
It was afternoon in Magnolia, a little Lia, with her hair in a short ponytail and wearing a dress, was walking beside Sophia, holding her hand, the latter having just returned today from a long job and had just took Lia from the guild, since she had been staying with Makarov and Laxus, the older man always volunteered to take care of Lia.
"Alright, what are you thinking about?" Sophia asked her daughter, who had a thoughtful look and was too quiet, which was the complete opposite of how Lia was when Sophia usually returned from a job.
"Mommy, are all dads scary?" Lia asked, as Sophia raised an eyebrow at the question.
"Why are you asking that?" Sophia countered
"Umm…Laxus's dad is scary…I don't like him." Lia answered with a slight shudder, which made Sophia cough to mask the laughter threatening to break, it was good to know she and her daughter both were somewhat on the same page when it came to Ivan. "But Laxus likes him, so I thought maybe dads are supposed to be scary"
Sophia coughed again for good measures, "N-No, not all dads are scary" Sophia answered "Ivan is a…a special case"
"Hmm" Lia mused before asking another question "What about my dad?"
"Eh?" Sophia stopped walking looking down at her daughter caught off guard
"How was my dad?" Lia asked again looking up at her mother.
Year x791
Lia stood in the balcony of the hotel room staring at the horizon, as the night sky started changing colors as the dawn approached.
She had woken up after another one of the weird dreams, the ones she thought were memories, even though all sounds in them were muted, and most of it blurred out, they still could amount to nightmares with how the left her feeling.
She had barely gotten two hours of sleep, and with the events coming today she knew she would regret it, at least by the end of the day, it's not like she had that big part to do, she just had to take down one person and maybe assist in taking down one or two other persons.
Then her mind wandered into the other issue on her mind. Any normal person would question a message like the one Xenos gave them, would probably think it was a lie or a ruse, but Lia knew he wasn't lying, it was like he was reminding her of something she forget, which she did forget, but she knew it wasn't a lie, it was the familiar feeling again that told her that.
The problem was how she felt about it, why she had been trying to keep herself busy and forget about it, why she drank herself unconscious that day, why she spent yesterday trying to numb her mind from thinking about it, she hated the man, and it wasn't mild hate, or one that can be easily let go of, it was the first time she felt like this and it scared her, she wanted him dead, preferably by her hands.
She hadn't felt like that when they were told Lucy was taken by the royal army, they would just save her. She didn't feel like that when she found out Eiran told her Eptá was the ones that killed her mother or that they were responsible for her four missing years, she were more focused on trying to figure out how to make sure her family didn't get caught in the cross fire which was sure to happen when Eptá came for her.
But when it came to her supposed father, the supposed master of Eptá, who was most likely the one to order the death of her mother, if he hadn't done it himself, she felt nothing but hate and she found herself wanting to seek the man and kill him.
She had asked her mother before about her father and every single time her mom didn't answer, instead Sophia would get this thoughtful expression, her eyes would glaze over as she got lost in her thoughts, and Lia would watch as in the midst of that Sophia's mouth would sometimes smile then turn into a frown, she would watch as her eyes, held love mixed with sadness, with unshed tears, and Sophia would only snap out of it when Lia or anyone else would call for the woman loudly.
She never got a straight answer but her childish mind and her over active imagination would make stories, a loving father that maybe died on a job or who had gone on one and yet to return, that one day he'll come back and the sadness that her mother felt would be gone.
But her mother died because of him, the man she loved, and she hated him for it, her mother to be betrayed by the man she loved like this made her blood boil, and the ugly feeling to grow.
"Easy on the railing" A voice told her which made Lia jump, taking her off guard and snapping her out of her thoughts.
"Laxus!" She called surprise, the said guy was standing beside her and she didn't even know how long he's been there, before she looked down on the railing to find her magic had reacted to her feelings and broken the surface of the stone railing. "Oops" She sighed and went to look at the horizon where the sun was starting to rise "What are you doing up so early?"
She wasn't that shocked to notice Laxus was only wearing pants and his chest exposed, she was shocked the first night of the games, but she still opted to stare at the horizon than to look at him.
"You're one to talk" He countered "Have you even slept at all?"
"I asked first!" She replied, reflexively she turned to look at him, which surprised her as she saw he was frowning at her as he looked at her "Laxus?" She questioned at the look in his eyes
"I never thought I would see you of all people with that expression…" He told her, which surprised her "You really want to kill someone? You're ready to go that far?"
Lia frowned, "I don't know" She replied, she herself never knew her thoughts would ever go that far, and when it came to real life, she didn't know, would she really do it? If given the chance, would she kill the man? "It doesn't matter though" She wouldn't let anyone see her darkness, or even get involved with the people causing it.
"It matters, I know what you're thinking" Laxus told her sternly
"Since when are you a telepath?" She asked snorting
"About the same time, you started being one" Laxus retorted, she had shocked him so many times before with knowing what was on his mind, he didn't like though that when he could do the same was because she hated someone enough to be willing to kill him, he had been there before.
"I don't like it, Laxus, I don't…I don't even want to feel like this, it just happened" She choked out, before shaking her head "Lets just…can we forget about it? At least till we go back home" She didn't want to have deal with her emotion crises just before the final day of the games, which Lucy's freedom depended on, she just had to find a way to keep her min occupied till the games started.
"Alright" He told her and he surprised himself and her when he pulled her into a hug "Just don't think about doing that again, it's not you"
"A-Ah" She replied mutely as she felt her face heat up, and successfully mind occupied.
On the 6th of July, the final day of the Grand Magic Games was met with excitement and anticipation.
"At last! At last, it's here! The final day of the wizards' passionate festival, the Grand Magic Games! Like it or not, only one guild will be victorious today!" Chapati announced "I'm your emcee, Chapati, and next to me is a former council member, Mr. Yajima, who will provide the commentary. Our special guest is none other than the mascot of the Grand Magic Games, Mato! You don't have to judge today, Mato?"
"Not today-kabo! Everyone, do your best-kabo!" Mato replied "Now then, the teams are about to take the field-kabo!"
With a small explosion, the Quatro Puppy insignia appeared in the air "Currently in 6th place! Can they turn it around?! Formerly a hunting dog now a puppy! Quatro Puppy!" Chapati introduced them as the five members led by Bacchus entered the arena
"Although he's been trounced once, you can't underestimate the power of the drunken hawk, Bacchus." Yajima said
"Alright! Next up on the field is…" Chapati started as glitter filled the sky before the Blue Pegasus insignia appeared "…Blue Pegasus, led by the current master of parfum, Ichiya Wanderlei Kotobuki!" as the said team walked into the arena.
"They're currently in 5th place…" Mato added "…but in the end, will they be able to grasp the parfum of victory-kabo?"
In a shining light, Lamia Scale's insignia appeared "Here they are! Lamia Scale is on the field!" Chapati announced as the team walked into the field "Right now, they're in fourth place but will Ice wizard Lyon Vastia, who rivals or surpasses Fairy Tail's Gray Fullbuster, lead his team to victory?!"
"And we can't forget Jura Neekis, one of the ten Great Wizard Saints!" Mato added
"A team you'd never get tired of." Yajima commented
"And in third place…" Chapati started as a water beam shoot into the sky before the Mermaid Heel's insignia appeared from it "…Mermaid Heel!"
"They're large flowers that have bloomed during the tournament, but they're not only glamorous…" Yajima commented, as the team walked into the field.
"The team leader, Kagura Mikazuchi, is as calm as ever. There's something scary about her-kabo." Mato added
On the lacrima screens, appeared the Sabertooth insignia as the crowds broke into larger cheers "And currently in second place! Will they remain dethroned?! Will the two Dragon Slayers, the twin Dragons, Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney, challenge Natsu and Gajeel again?! And if so, what will the results of that rematch be?!" Chapati announced "Sabertooth takes the field!" The said teams didn't turn to the crowd or react in any way "Huh? It seems their mood has changed somehow."
"Maybe they've jump-started their fighting spirit." Yajima suggested
"That's cool-kabo!" Mato said
"And currently in first place! Will this be the day the so-called strongest guild seven years ago comes back in full force?!" Chapati announced "Fairy Tail is taking the field!" The said team walked into the field, causing confusion on the absence of Natsu. "Huh?!"
"K-Kabo?!" Mato wondered
"W-What?! They've changed the members! This is an unexpected development! In place of Natsu Dragneel, we've got Lia Sephiran!" Chapati announced, Lia stood with her team, both Erza and Lia dressed in the clothes they got yesterday.
"Natsu was instrumental in the tag team battle, so why isn't he here?" Chapati wondered
"Maybe something happened?" Yajima suggested
"All right! The Grand Magic Games has reached it's climax at last!" Chapati announced "In 6th place, Quatro Puppy with 15 points! In 5th place, Blue Pegasus with 30 points! In 4th place, Lamia Scale with 37 points!"
"The final day of the festival. All of the guilds are fired up." Jura told his team
"With every right, I don't think the game has been this exciting in a long time" Anise added
"In 3rd place, Mermaid Heel with 40 points!" Chapati said "In 2nd place, Sabertooth with 44 points!" as the crowds cheered "And in 1st place, Fairy Tail, with 45 points!"
At the same time rushing towards the castle was the infiltration team, Natsu led the group with Wendy, Mira and Eiran right behind him and flying beside them, were Lily, Happy and Carla.
"It sounds like the final battle of the Grand Magic Games is starting." Mira stated as she heard the loud cheers coming from Domus Flau and saw the fireworks in the sky.
"All right! Now's our chance!" Natsu said
"Aye, sir!" Happy said
"While everyone is absorbed in the tournament, we'll rescue Lucy." Lily said "A battle fought on two fronts…"
"Given the circumstances this was our best option." Carla added
"We couldn't very well leave it to chance, even the smallest chance that we lose the games would mean we can't save Lucy" Eiran said
"But how can we sneak into the palace without getting caught?" Wendy wondered
"I have a good idea!" Happy spoke up
"I bet it's a stupid one!" Carla said as Lily agreed
"What are you talking about?" Happy said as he laughed, as he had the four mages in their group wear ridiculous costumes. Eiran didn't appreciate that the costume he had looked very much like what that exceed from Sabertooth wore, pink and all. "See? Perfect disguises!"
"That's way too suspicious!" Carla told him with a deadpan
"It's okay! We already figured out what to do!" Mira told them as Eiran nodded
Back in the arena the final day was just about to start "Show us your fighting skills! Your magic! And the bond you have with your comrades!" Chapati stated "The final day! A survival game in which everyone participates! Let the Grand Magic Game begin!"
"And for this final battle, the battlefield is the entire city of Crocus-kabo!" Mato said
"The members of each guild have already dispersed and are standing by." Yajima announced
"The teams run around and if they encounter an enemy guild, a battle ensues." Chapati explained "If an opponent loses consciousness or becomes unable to fight, the other side will gain one point."
"And each guild assigns one leader." Yajima added
"Although the guilds don't know who the other guild leaders are-kabo!" Mato added
"If the leader is defeated the other team gets five points. So theoretically, the highest score could be 45 points." Chapati explained "Every guild has a chance to win."
The crowd was watching through the lacrima vision the teams each waiting at a different part of the town. "Should the team stay together and fight or split up?" Yajima wondered
"That depends on your strategy-kabo!" Mato said
In town where the Fairy Tail team was "Listen. We have no choice but to win. To get Lucy back!" Erza told them
"It's Natsu's and the other's job to try and rescue her…" Lia said
"But we can't pin our hopes on that." Gajeel finished
"Even so, we've got another motive for winning this thing." Gray said
"We gotta win for the guys in the guild who had it rough while we were gone these seven tears." Laxus said
"And we do have to fulfill Gildart's wish for Fairy Tail to become number one again" Lia added grinning; she would forget about everything else for now and focus on this one goal.
Just then in the arena lights started rising into the sky "Who will attain the glorious peak of magic?!" Chapati started and his voice carried all over town "Let the Grand Magic Game begin!" The lights exploded in a flurry of colors, signaling the beginning of the games.
"Let's go!" Erza said
"Yeah!" All the members of Fairy Tail team said together.
The crowds broke into cheers excited to see the finale "Well! The final battle has begun at last!" Chapati announced
"Yes. It seems many of the teams are splitting up to fight individually." Yajima commented as they watched through the lacrima vision
"Do your best, everyone-kabo!" Mato cheered
"The members of Sabertooth, each of whom has great fighting strength, have split up!" Chapati noted "Otherwise, some teams are using the buddy system, while others have formed a three-person cell."
That's when they all noticed the oddity of one particular team "W-What's this?!" Chapati wondered along with the entire crowd including their own guild members, as the Fairy Tail team was shown standing in place with their eyes closed. "W-What's wrong?! The members of Fairy Tail have their eyes closed and aren't moving!"
"What the hell are they doing?!" Makarov shouted from where he stood with the rest of the guild
"W-What is this?" Lisanna asked
"I don't know!" Cana answered before shouting at the lacrima "The devil takes the hindmost! Hurry up and start kicking ass!"
"Is it a plan or what?" Venus questioned
But the Fairy Tail team didn't budge an inch "Fairy Tail's odd behavior is curious…" Chapati stated "…but other people have already made contact with the enemy!"
At that moment Novali from Quatro Puppy ran into Yuka and Tobi and was easily defeated by them, at that moment the trimens ran into Mermaid Heel's Arania and Beth, but before they could fight a large wave of water hit the area.
"What the…" Eve wondered as Ren protected the three of them with his magic, while Arania and Beth were down, when the wave subsided Anise was standing there and the trimens had escaped.
"With those three points, Lamia Scale ties for 3rd place with Mermaid Heel!" Chapati announced "All right, the scores are on the move! Unlike the members of Fairy Tail, who are still just standing there!"
At this point their guild members were yelling at the screens demanding the Fairy Tail team to move.
At that time Lyon and Jura took out Semas and Yeager respectively, with that Lamia took 3rd alone now with 42 points, while Quatro Puppy was reduced down to two members.
Yuka and Toby ran right into Bacchus but before they could fight him, he was taken out by Sting. As Sabertooth points rose to 49 and they took first place.
Kagura took down both Yuka and Tobi before Sting escaped her, with those two points Mermaid tied with Lamia again, before they took the lead on Lamia when Millianna took down Quatro Puppy's last member Rocker.
"That's another point, bringing them up to 43!" Chapati announced "Wow, Mermaid is really putting the pressure on!"
"And I think Puppy is already wiped out?" Yajima questioned
"Wild-kabo!" Mato cheered
"The points are increasing at a dizzying rate! But Fairy Tail has yet to move a muscle!" Chapati commented "What's going on with them?!"
"What are they doing?! They've gotta win to help Lucy!" Makarov bellows
"That's why." Mavis started "That's why they must be calm. From all of the previous competitions, I've observed the enemies fighting strength, magic, psychology, and behavioral patterns. I took it all into account and ran hundreds of millions of battle simulations in my head." The entire guild was now focused on her
"Um…" Macao started
"First, what…?" Wakaba asked
"Their movements, predictions and results, locations. It's all gone according to my calculations. " Mavis stated "I've already told them the strategy."
At that moment the Fairy Tail team members opened their eyes, they had memorized the first's plan to the point they were all moving in sync with her words "Lead your comrades to victory…That's my war." Mavis stated standing up "Begin Operation: Fairy Star!"
"Roger!" The Fairy team replied almost as hearing her words before they took off each on his own
"Finally! Fairy Tail has finally started to move!" Chapati announced
Elsewhere, at Mercuruis, the royal palace, Natsu and Wendy were both tied up and led by one of the guards.
"Hey, what do you want? And who are you?!" One of the guards at the gate asked the guard holding the two dragon slayers.
"Intruders. I'm sure they've come to save that Fairy girl." The guard holding the two said
"Fairy Tail?" The second guard at the gate questioned "His Majesty and the Minister of Defense are both out…"
"We'll just have to throw'em in the dungeon. Take'em." The first guard said
"Roger" The guard holding Natsu and Wendy said as he started heading one way before he was stopped by one of the guards
"Hey, the dungeon is that way." The guard told him as he apologized and led Natsu and Wendy to the right direction.
Once down the right path Wendy smiled at the guard "Mira is brilliant!" Wendy said as Natsu grinned and Mira transformed her face back to normal again. Inside the guards clothes were the three Exceed huddled together.
"Aye!" Happy agreed with Mira
"I'm squished!" Carla commented
"Hurry up and get me out of here!" Lily said
A weasel ran towards them "This way I found her!" He told them in a voice that obviously belonged to Eiran
"I didn't know you could use transformation magic!" Natsu commented as they followed him like this till they were sure they were unseen.
Back at the games in the cheering stands. "Everyone, spread out! Please proceed to the next checkpoint." Mavis recited, It was the plan she given them yesterday
"F-First…" Makarov called as he and the others stared at her
"What's the checkpoint?" Jet asked
"I don't know." Droy replied
"I think Lia mentioned something about the First before…" Raine muttered
On the battlefield, all of the Fairy Tail members were on the move, and already spread out to the points or heading to where they were supposed to be.
"First off, Rufus attacks" Lia muttered as she recalled what the first told them, as on schedule she sensed the mage's magic and saw the lights "Two…one…" She stopped raised her right hand only as the lightning attribute magic headed straight for her an orange red tinted magic circle appeared "Destroy!"
Lia smirked; if she can't fight the guy might as well show him how unfazed by his magic she was. At this point shaken and disordered, Rufus didn't react.
Erza ran into Jenny from Blue Pegasus taking her down. Gajeel ran into the trimen taking down Eve and Ren, while Gray took down Hibiki who had ran from Gajeel.
"That's the First for you" Lia muttered as she heard the announcement along with the fact they were tied for first place with 49 points, she herself was running, she was supposed to keep circling till it was time to face her enemy.
At that point Jura took down Ichiya, which had Lamia rise to third alone with 47 points and put Blue Pegasus out of the competition. At another spot was Anise who had just taking down Risley from Mermaid Heel, so Lamia had now 48 points.
"Mermaids keep falling down against Lamia's water mage!" Chapati announced "As they rise to third with 48 points!"
Inside the palace, in the dungeons, at Lucy and Yukino's cell. "Lucy…" Someone called in a whisper, the blonde mage looked up from where she slept before lying down again "Lucy!" The voice called louder as Lucy looked up shocked to see them.
"Natsu! Wendy! Mira and Eiran, too! I…" She called loudly running to the bars before Natsu covered her mouth with his hand telling her to be quiet "Sorry!" She apologized when Natsu let go
"We're here, too!" The Exceed called from behind
"Everyone!" Lucy called
"You look good, anyway" Carla told her
"How did you get in here?" Yukino asked
"Never mind that, just back up!" Natsu said before he melted the bars and made a hole for the girls to pass.
"Here, we brought a change of clothes." Mira told Lucy
"Thanks, everyone!" Lucy thanked them, Wendy and Yukino held a large sheet so Lucy can change behind.
"We have some for you too, Yukino" Wendy told the other girl
"Just hurry, we don't know when the patrols will come" Eiran told them as he and Natsu kept look out.
"Now we just have to think of a way to escape." Carla said
"If possible, we should slip out of the palace without attracting anyone's attention." Lily said
"Well we thought you, Happy and Carla would fly Lucy, Yukino, Wendy and Natsu out of here" Eiran told them "Mira and I can use transformation magic to get out."
"Wait a second. They still have our keys." Lucy told them while still changing "First, we have to look for that guy with the scarred nose…"
At the moment the ground started shaking, before it opened under them. "Everyone!" Natsu called
"The floor!" Happy called
"What is this?!" Wendy asked
"I'm still getting dressed!" Lucy called
"Mira! Lily! Happy! Carla! Grab who you can and fly now!" Eiran called
At that the Exceed used their Aera magic as Mira used her Satan soul grabbing Yukino, while Happy grabbed Natsu, Carla grabbed Eiran, and Lily transformed and grabbed Wendy and Lucy.
But as the floor closed they could only head down for now, which was pretty deep and took them a while till the finally reached ground.
"What the hell is this?" Natsu asked as the Exceed landed and their Aera magic stopped and Mira stopped using her magic as well.
"Welcome to Hell Palace." A voice echoed
"Who are you?" Lucy asked
"You fell right into the trap." The voice continued
"Trap, you say?" Carla questioned confused
"Look around you. This is the capital of death, Hell Palace." The voice told them "The final freedom, where all criminals end up. However, no one has ever gotten out." A screen appeared to show an emerald green haired girl "Rot down there, rebels!"
"Who the hell are you?!" Natsu questioned
"I'm Hisui E. Fiore, the princess of the kingdom of Fiore!" She introduced
"Then she's the princess of this palace?" Mira questioned
"Scary…" Lucy said
"Dammit! Where's the freaking exit?!" Natsu shouted before the screen disappeared.
"I can't even see an entrance, let alone the exit." Lily said
"I am guessing the entrance is how we came." Eiran said as he looked at the far off roof
"What should we do?!" Wendy freaked out as they looked around the seemingly endless unground area.
Back on the surface the games were about to get exciting.
"Oh, my! Fairy Tail's Gray and Sabertooth's Rufus are going to duel in the library area!" Chapati announced
Lia grinned everything was going according to the First's plan, she was still heading for where she was supposed to meet her opponent, but she still had time according to the first's plan.
She had said she had a small part in the plan, but then again had it been the original plan, she would be heading to fight Rufus right now, instead of Gray.
Last night in bar sun…
"So Rufus has the same ability as me to sense people?" Lia repeated to confirm
"That's right. I believe Rufus should be defeated first." Mavis said "Lia you have the best chance to defeat him, so…"
"Wait a second, First!" Gray interrupted "Let me do it." Making all of them look at him.
Mavis looked away a second later "According to my calculations, you and Rufus aren't a very good match for each other. The chance of you winning are very…"
"I don't give a damn about that!" He bellowed "I'm gonna help Lucy. And also pay him back for kickin' my ass before. Let me fight as a Fairy Tail wizard!"
"Gray…if you're gonna fight Rufus with molding magic, the only way to beat him is out speed his ability to memorize" Lia told him, as he turned to her. "You'll have to mold your magic so fast that he can't see it, that's the only way for you to nullify his magic."
Lia had wanted to fight Rufus, she was excited when the First had told her that she was going to fight him, but she knew Gray's conviction in this one was stronger.
Besides wasn't she the one to preach Rufus on the power of feelings, what better way to show him than having him beat by Gray, who had the stronger conviction for this one.
Besides it's not like her opponent was anything to scoff at.
In the stands where the rest of the Fairy Tail guild was "Molding Magic versus Molding Magic…" Levy commented
"That guy gave Gray a whuppin' before. Is he gonna be okay?" Elfman wondered
"Of course he will be fine" Juvia said confidently
Romeo turned to Mavis "Did you calculate this too, first?"
"Yes" She replied
"Then Gray's gonna win this fight." Warren stated
"What kind of strategy did you give him?" Max asked
"I don't know if he's going to win or lose." Mavis replied surprising everyone.
"You don't know?" Levy repeated worriedly
"Then how can he have a chance at winning?" Elfman asked
"I don't know" Mavis replied "But he just has to win. Rufus is the key to Sabertooth's fall."
The battle between Gray and Rufus commenced, Gray making the first move with his Freeze Lancer, but Rufus dodged as he memorized the spell, Gray followed with his Ice impact but Rufus dodged again and memorized the spell.
Rufus then sowed his memory make magic, by combining Orga's black lightning and Gray's ice molding magic to cast Sword of Frozen Black Lightning, as Gray dodged back.
Rufus followed with Shrine of the raging wind fang, as multiple tornadoes headed straight for Gray, the latter countered with his Ice shield, only for Rufus to memorize it and then forgetting it, making the shield disappear, and the attack hit Gray head on.
"H-His shield disappeared!" Romeo commented shocked
"How can someone defeat a magic like that?" Sol wondered shocked too
Gray struggled to stand as Rufus started reading some of the fallen books and memorizing the different magic in them. Before Rufus gathered his magic for a new spell, the spell surrounded Gray before soldiers made of ice appeared.
The soldiers headed straight for Gray, Gray tried to counter but the soldiers were too much and he fell again as the soldiers disappeared. Rufus attack with another spell, before he started memorizing more spells, Gray froze the books in return but Rufus told him he had already read all of them, before he attacked again, causing an explosion.
Lia had stopped momentarily to watch the fight on the Lacrima vision, she bit her lip nervously "Come on Gray…"
As the battle continued, deep underground was the infiltration team still lost in Hell Palace.
"We keep walking and walking but there's no exit…" Lucy said tiredly
"Didn't we pass by here before?" Lily asked
"Who knows, this entire place looks the same" Eiran replied as Natsu smelled the air
"Well, Natsu?" Mira asked him
"No good. Nobody's gotten out of here in a long time." Natsu answered
"That spells trouble for us." Mira said
"Wendy, any change in the air current?" Eiran asked the younger girl who shook her head
"I'm Sorry, but I can't tell where the air is coming from, it's too still here." She answered
"Come to think of it, Dragon Slayers have a strong sense of smell, right?" Yukino wondered
"But human odors don't hang around for long." Wendy told her before Lucy turned wondering where Happy was, only for the blue Exceed to scare her while wearing a human skull.
"What are you doing?!" Lucy asked them freaked out
Natsu picked another skull "Look at the skulls lying over there."
"Don't pick it up!" Lucy told him
"What's with you?" He asked her
"Well, this is the capital of death…I guess I could say." Lily noted
"Princess Hisui said this is the final freedom, where all criminals end up." Carla recalled
"This is Freedom? Not despair?" Lily wondered
"She said we wouldn't get outta here but gimme a freaking break." Natsu said "Just for that, we're definitely gonna get out. I'm fired up."
"That's right! If she thinks we'll give up, she's sorely mistaken!" Lucy said confident
"If we split up, I'm sure we'll find a clue to an exit." Wendy stated just as confident
'You're all so strong." Yukino told them
"Well, most of it is that we just don't give in." Mira told her
"If push comes to shove, we'll make our own way out of here" Eiran said
"Let's hang in there! Every pinch has some kind of way out." Lucy said
A little while later though "Um…Everyone…" Yukino called as she watched the Fairy Tail members on the ground.
"No matter how many rocks I destroy, there are more rocks!" Natsu said depressed
"I guess there are pinches that have no way out…" Lucy said
"Even though we split up, we didn't find anything." Wendy said
They continued to despair, before Happy said he had a plan snapping them out of it. Happy thought that they probably had the guards watching them somehow, so his plan was to somehow lure the guards to where they were, and then they find out how to get out from here from the guards.
His plan for luring the guards though was for Mira and Lucy to strip to attract them, which they ended finding some 7 year old sorcerer's weekly issues, with picture of Mira and Lucy, before they actually started doing the plan.
Back in the library though was the fight between Gray and Rufus still going on, and Gray still being beat up by Rufus. Rufus used a spell that increased the gravity at where Gray was, as the latter was almost getting crushed.
Gray despite that, pushed himself into a standing position before he gathered his magic and attacked Rufus who dodged. Gray stripped off his top, much to everyone's surprise, and Juvia's enjoyment. He started gathering his magic before he released a molding spell that was too fast for Rufus to memorize, shocking the latter.
He didn't stop there he molded another one too fast for Rufus to memorize again that attacked and froze the latter. Rufus countered with a fire spell that headed straight for Gray, but Gray came out of the flame unharmed, running till he was right in front of Rufus, saying he remembered flames hotter than that as he gathered his magic, and in one hit from his Ice Bringer finished off Rufus.
"Gray did it! Fairy Tail won! Rufus lost!" Chapati announced as the crowd broke into cheers "Gray Fullbuster won the Molding Magic showdown! He's brilliantly avenged the robbery of the first place during the 'Hidden' event on the first day of the Grand Magic Games!"
"The invincible Rufus…!" Mato called shocked
"What a close contest!" Chapati commented
"I guess he was just out-endured by Gray." Yajima said
"Fairy Tail receives precious points here!" Chapati stated as the said guild rejoiced and cheered "Now let's take a look at the current score! Fairy Tail is in first place with 50 points! There are five people left, with the leader and four normals."
"Sabertooth is in second place with 49 points!" Mato said "Rufus lost, but with the fluctuating points, there are three normals and the leader left-kabo!"
"In third is Lamia Scale with 48 points, They've got two normals and the leader left." Yajima said
"Mermaid Heel is in fourth place with 43 points. They've got the leader and one normal left." Chapati announced "Well, Fairy Tail is alone at the top."
"And all five members are in good condition." Yajima said
"Fairy Tail has gained the advantage-kabo." Mato said
Lia didn't stop to watch the screens this time, she kept moving as she heard the score being called "Everything is going to plan so far" She muttered a bit relieved, that was one less thing to worry about for now, on the other hand…
She looked up at the sky, so far the infiltration team hadn't released the flare that signaled they had done the job, they were taking too long and it worried her.
Deep underground were the infiltration team sans Eiran, Happy and Carla, gathered around an unconscious Natsu on the ground.
"Natsu! Natsu, come on! Wake up!" Lucy called desperately
"He's not even twitching" Wendy noted
"Can't your magic do something, Wendy?" Mira asked her
"No. My power isn't strong enough to do anything." Wendy replied with tears in her eyes, before she started crying "I'm sorry! If only I knew more magic, this wouldn't have happened!"
"It's not your fault!" Lucy told her "Come on, Natsu, you're upsetting Wendy!"
"It ain't my fault!" Natsu said weakly as he got up on his knees "I'm so hungry I can't walk another step!"
"And nothing in here looks the least bit edible." Mira said
"Will we end up eating…you know?" Lily wondered as he stared at human skulls
"That's scary talk, so stop it!" Lucy yelled at him, Eiran walked towards them frowning
"Anything?" Mira asked him as he shook his head, after Natsu had fell, Eiran went ahead to scout while the rest can rest a bit, but he couldn't find anything.
"Just the same like before" Eiran said sighing
"Natsu!" Happy called as he and Carla came back as well
"Any luck, Happy?" Natsu asked him
"No. Even the ceiling is totally sealed off." Happy answered
"I don't think there is an exit in here." Carla told them
"Dammit! After we walked all the way here!" Natsu said
"The hunters have become the hunted, huh?" Mira stated
"Pitiful…" Wendy said
"We've walked for miles. How big is this place?" Lucy wondered
"I happened to overhear this. The underground area beneath the palace is ten times as wide as the capital, Crocus." Yukino told them
"I didn't wanna hear that." Lucy said
"If I'd known this was going to happen, I would've drawn a map on my body." Lily said, as Eiran sweat dropped at him.
"We didn't even know the place existed till we were here" Eiran told him "Anyway, if we can't find a way out, we'll just have to wait till the guild wins the games, they'll get us out."
"That's right!" Wendy agreed
"Come to think of it, Natsu. What about the games?" Lucy asked him
"Lia took my place." Natsu told her
"He was all, 'I'm gonna save Lucy!'" Happy teased
"Yeah, well…" Natsu blanked
"Oh, stop! You're making me feel bashful!" Lucy told them cheerfully
"It's strange. Despite the circumstances, being with all of you makes me feel at ease." Yukino told them
"Maybe that's because you're with friends." Mira told her, surprising the girl, who looked away frowning.
"Friends…" Yukino repeated
They continued to walk further "I'll tell you one thing. I didn't forget about you either." Natsu told Yukino
"Oh, you don't have to…" Yukino told him "That aside, um, there's something I want to tell you, Natsu."
"What is it?" Natsu asked her
"While we were in captivity, Lucy told me. When I was expelled from Sabertooth, you became furious and stormed Crocus Garden." Yukino recalled as Natsu stared away nervously
"Y-Yeah…I remember that." Natsu replied
"This means he totally doesn't remember it!" Happy said in the background
"He forgets things too quickly!" Lucy added
"Anyway, aren't you with the kingdom's Alpaca Pals or whatever club? Sorry if we got you involved in our trouble." Natsu told her
"It's Arcadios!" Happy corrected
"No. I'd always wanted to be in Sabertooth, so I truly was shocked when they kicked me out." Yukino told them "Right now, I'm just a provisional member of the Royal Armed Forces."
"It's also true that she has nowhere to go home to." Lucy told them "Both of her parents passed away when she was a child and her big sister went missing."
This made Mira falter in her step while Eiran frowned. "I see…" Natsu said
Yukino stopped walking "That's why I felt so happy when I heard you fought on my behalf, Natsu." She turned to him and bowed "Thank you."
"Wha…?! I don't need any thanks." Natsu told her hurriedly
"After all, you don't even remember doing it, right?" Lucy teased him
"The only thing Natsu remembers properly is food" Eiran said with a sweat drop
"Yukino Agria. She's quite a loyal girl." Lily said
"You like making those kinds of pronouncements, don't you, Lily?" Happy asked him
"You wanna have a little talk later, huh?" Lily threatened Happy who deflated
"No, I was just kidding. Sorry…" Happy replied scared
Mira walked behind Yukino and held the girl's shoulders "Hey, everyone, don't you think she kind of looks like Lisanna?"
"Now that you mention it…" Lucy noted
"Who's Lisanna?" Yukino asked as Mira smiled at her
"She's my little sister." Mira told her making Yukino smile. Just then the cave started shaking around them.
"What's this?" Natsu wondered as he sniffed the air
"I feel flowing air" Wendy said
"Which means…" Lily started taking the lead
"We'll check it out!" Carla said following him
"Maybe a wall crumbled from that shaking?" Lucy wondered
"This smell…I remember it from somewhere." Natsu said
Carla came back calling "Everyone! There's a crevice over here I think we can pass through!" as Happy cheered her, they headed there and started to pass through it, in the front was Wendy, Natsu and the Exceed followed by Lucy and Yukino, trailing at the end Mira and Eiran.
"It seems more like it's been melted than a natural crevice." Lily commented
"If that's the case then the shaking might have been a trick to make us think it was natural" Eiran added "Stay on guard, it might be a trap."
"Ah" Mira agreed
"We can just about squeeze through it." Wendy said
"It is narrow…" Lucy agreed
"Are you okay, Yukino?" Mira asked the other girl
"Yes, more or less." Yukino replied
The exceed had already passed, as Happy cheered Natsu when they were close to the end of the crevice, Wendy passed through before she tripped, Natsu tripped behind her and fell on her.
Lucy got stuck and Natsu had to pull her but the latter ended up falling on Natsu's face as the others passed through.
"Everyone, somebody's over there!" Natsu called as they followed her
"Sir Arcadios?!" Yukino called shocked to see him here and unconscious.
"I get it. It was this old man's scent." Natsu noted
"'Old man' isn't nice!" Lily reprimanded as they headed to the unconscious man.
"Hey, are you all right?! Wake up!" Natsu called as Happy wondered what he was doing here.
"He was dropped in here like we were." Lucy noted
"But how did he get those injuries?" Yukino wondered as Arcadios groaned and regained conscious
"Run!" He told them, Wendy started to heal him as Yukino asked him about how he got his injures.
"Don't worry about me! Get away from here!" Arcadios told them before they were attacked from behind, Natsu picked up Arcadios and jumped away as the others dodged as well.
"That's…" Lucy noted the markings left by the attack
"…acid!" Lily concluded
"The ground is melting!" Carla said
"Then that passage was…" Wendy said retreating
"…a trap" Eiran said as he looked straight at their assailant, before he turned to look at Wendy who squealed when another one appeared behind her.
They were all thrown away by the new person when he pulled a flag from the ground.
"Who the hell are these guys?!" Natsu asked but plants began to grow beside him, while Mira guarded Yukino as confetti flew in the air
"Now what?!" Mira asked
"Confetti?" Yukino wondered
The large flower behind Natsu opened to show a person, just as the confetti gathered showing another.
"Sir Arcadios, is this…" Yukino wondered
"I told you to get away from here!" Arcadios told them weakly as he pushed himself up on his arms.
"Old man, do you know these guys?" Natsu asked him
"They're an independent unit that supports the kingdom of Fiore from the shadows." Arcadios told them "They're the kingdom's strongest executioners. And their name is…"
"…the Garou knights." The fifth member to show up said "Mission 1500, begin."
"Executioners?" Natsu repeated
"The kingdom's strongest?" Lucy repeated worriedly
"I thought they were an urban legend." Yukino told them "They run criminals to the ground and then execute them. They're the kingdom's execution machine, so to speak. That's the Garou knights!"
"It's impossible to get out of this Hell Palace alive because of them!" Arcadios added
"We are Fiore's independent Garou knights." The one holding the two scythes said "And with the special authority granted to us, we will now execute the criminals."
Natsu started laughing "Hey, Natsu, at a time like this?" Lucy asked him
"Oh, sorry, but these losers don't look anything like knights!" Natsu pointed out
"Well, true…" Lucy agreed
"And their outfits don't match at all…" Wendy pointed out
"Especially you!" Natsu pointed at the one holding the flag
"Normally, knights would all look the same…" Mira said
"With armor and a helmet…" Wendy added
"…And swords or at least spears for weapons" Eiran said thoughtfully
"We've got individual freedom-tai. We're an independent unit that operates undercover." The one holding the flag told them "if we wore matching outfits we'd actually stand out-tai."
"Did I touch a nerve, headband bastard? Then hurry up and bring it on." Natsu taunted as Lucy yelled at him
"Talking like that…will make me mad!" The one holding the flag told him
"Don't be fooled by their appearance! The magic they use is designed to kill people!" Arcadios told them
"Huh. Magic designed to kill, eh?" Natsu wondered "Perfect! Our way outta here has come strollin' up to us!"
"That's right. They can tell us where the exit is." Mira stated
"Lucy and Yukino, you don't have your keys, right? Please back away." Wendy told the two girls as they retreated while helping Arcadios.
" Happy and Carla, you two go with them, if any of those guys gets past us, you'll need to get them out of here" Eiran told the Exceed
"Aye!" Happy said as they retreated to stand beside Lucy and Yukino, Lily transforming into his battle mode, and stood beside Mira and Eiran.
"To show no fear before the Garou knights betrays your ignorance, criminal." The one standing at the center with the two scythes said "Return to the earth of the kingdom of Fiore."
"Leave them to us, first." The one who had used the confetti said as she walked forward beside her the one who had used the plants.
"Just two of you?! Then I'll take you both on myself!" Natsu yelled
The one holding the bottle in his mouth and had used the acid before, complained that he wanted to go first, as did the one holding the flag.
"Let's go, Cosmos." The one holding the confetti called
"With our beautiful dance, right, Kamika?" Cosmos told her
Kamika blew at the red paper confetti in her hand as the red paper multiplied as fire head straight for Natsu, who tries to set the paper on fire but fails.
"Red paper is the god of flames." Kamika told them
Natsu tried to eat the fire but ends up being hit. Wendy ran forward to support him and using her sky dragon's roar scatters the paper.
"Let's jump in there!" Lily said but Mira stopped him
"Wait. Better leave it to Natsu and Wendy, and see what the other side does first." Mira told him
"Besides we better keep an eye if the other three enemies decide to join the fray." Eiran added
Natsu and Wendy head straight combining their attacks, but Cosmos and Kamika dodge, when Natsu comes behind Cosmos to attack her, the latter blocked using a giant flower.
Natsu retreats beside Wendy and the two combine their breath attacks.
"Both of them are gone. Vaporized?" Lily asked
"No…the attack wasn't strong enough to vaporize them" Eiran stated
"They're…hiding?" Mira noted as the dust cleared to show the two hiding inside a flower covered in red paper.
Natsu and Wendy are taken by surprise when long vines head for them but they still dodge, Kamika then uses yellow paper that shines a bright light, causing them to close their eyes.
"I can't see!" Mira said
"She can use paper like that, too?!" Lily wondered
"That might be troublesome if she has variety" Eiran said
As the light faded out, Cosmos captured Wendy using her vines trapping her in the air, before Kamika hit Natsu using white paper. "White paper is the god of blizzards!" She said, freezing Natsu, who then melted the ice, but was captured by Cosmos's vines, lifting him beside Wendy.
Cosmos made two plants one under each of the two dragon slayers, the plants opened up and green tongues wrapped around Natsu and Wendy and started pulling them down.
"That's no good!" Lily said
"Natsu, I'll get you free!" Mira said
"Let's go!" Eiran said as they started to head for Natsu and Wendy but stopped when Natsu yelled at them
"Get back! This is just startin' to get interesting!" Natsu yelled
"Say what?! This is no time for that!" Lily yelled at Natsu
"Just let me do it myself! Interfere and I'll punch ya!" Natsu yelled back
Wendy fired a roar burning the vines holding Wendy, before Wendy used her wing attack to cut the ones holding Natsu.
"Gajeel and Natsu's combo was really something too…" Lily stated
"…but it looks like these two go well together." Mira finished
"Well they don't fight like Natsu and Gajeel do for one" Eiran pointed out
Natsu and Wendy started attacking taking the upper hand with their combo. Before eventually two of the other three joined the fray.
"Those two are coming in! Then so are we!" Mira stated as she, Eiran and Lily ran forward.
"Leave it to me!" Lily yelled
"Just watch for the fifth one as well" Eiran said but then the one with the flag raised it causing them to fly back, and Natsu and Wendy to hover in air.
Lily was attacked with the one with the bottle in his mouth and thrown back.
"Hey! I thought it was supposed to be two against two!" Lucy yelled
"I don't remember making that promise." Kamika said
"Our purpose is the execution of criminals." Cosmos said
"We were just playing with you a little!" The one holding the flag said.
Lily, Mira and Eiran faced the one that used the acid magic
"That was a damn powerful force!" Lily said
"We can't let ourselves get close to him." Mira said
As the guy they faced laughed "Come on! I'll melt you into nothingness!"
"Mira! Lily! Get back!" Eiran said standing in front of them as dark blue crystal started covering him as armor. "I will handle this guy!"
At the same time Cosmos attack Natsu forcing him to the ground, while Kamika casted an illusion on Wendy, who blew it away to find herself standing on a carnivores plant that closed on her to consume her.
"Wendy!" Natsu screamed
"Mira, Lily, go!" Eiran told them
"No, I will go; Lily and you handle this guy!" Mira said as she transformed into her Sitri form to help Wendy and Natsu
As Eiran and Lily started fighting the guy with the acid, but when Vines appeared behind Lucy, Yukino and Arcadios, Lily turned around to help them while Eiran held off the guy with the acid.
As the guy started drinking from his bottle, before throwing an attack right at Eiran, surprising the other guy when he came through the acid unharmed, and hit the guy square in the chest as the latter skid back.
"I'm gonna melt you down!" The guy with the acid told Eiran
"Bring it!" Eiran replied but before he could do anything, he along with the rest of his friends were surrounded by purple paper that paralyzed them.
Cosmos grew a large plant that started to suck them in. "Getting away? Oh, well, you don't have what it takes to beat me anyway." The guy with the acid yelled
Eiran grits his teeth but turned to face their current problem, as they were getting closer to the plant, Wendy manage to cure their body from paralysis, and they all combined their attack at the flower causing a huge explosion, that causes the ground beneath them to collapse and they all fall to the cavern below.
Natsu gets out from under the rubble "We fell another long way."
"You can say that again…" Eiran groaned as he gets up, his armor gone and he was somewhat unharmed thanks to it.
"Are you okay?" Natsu asked him as he nodded before Natsu turned to the empty corridor "Hey! Is everybody okay?!" but only hears the echo of his own voice
"Natsu, can you smell them?" Eiran asked as the dragon slayer sniffed the air
"Ah, but they're not close" Natsu answered
Before they can do anything they turned around as one of the Garou knights, the one with the two scythes landed behind them.
"It seems that shockwave scattered everyone." The guy said "But my knights are highly capable. None of your people will live to go home."
"If Lucy and I get separated here, what's the point anymore?" Natsu wondered as Eiran gritted his teeth, "Sorry, but I need to put off our fight. Although I guess you won't go for that, huh? I'll ask your name at least."
"I don't give my name to criminals." The guy replied
"Natsu, go find Lucy and Yukino" Eiran told the dragon slayers as he faced the Garou knight
"No, this guy is mine!" Natsu yelled
"Natsu! Lucy and Yukino can't use magic if they end up on their own and facing an enemy they'll be done for" Eiran told him "And you're the only one here that can sniff them out"
Natsu clenched his fist "Alright! But you better get our way out from this guy!"
"You bet!" Eiran grinned as he faced the Garou knight while Natsu ran following Lucy's smell.
"I will hunt him down once I am done with you" The Garou knight told Eiran who called his armor again, the armor was like that of a knight covering his entire but his face. "Life is fleeting. Sing of your crimes."
"I know them quite well but they're none of your business" Eiran told him blankly
"Are you prepared then, Criminal? It's time for your execution." The knight told him as Eiran took a fighting stance.
"Come!" Eiran replied at that moment the knight drew his scythes and at incredible speed swung them at Eiran aiming for his neck, but Eiran flipped back to dodge.
"Why do you dodge me?" the knight asked him perplexed
"What did you think that I would just let you kill me?!" Eiran exclaimed
"I'm only after the heads of criminals." The knight replied
"I'm afraid I won't let you take my head, some people expect me to come back and I can't disappoint" Eiran replied
Eiran ran forward with a punch before crouching as one of the scythes swung over his head, he swung his leg at the knight, but the latter jumped before he swung his left scythe down on Eiran who jumped to the right to dodge.
"You're as light on your feet as the weight of your sins is heavy." The knight told Eiran
"You really think there is a human out there who hasn't 'sinned'?!" Eiran told him standing up "People live with their sins and wrongdoings every day, and there might be those who keep on doing evil, but some actually just try to make up for it" Eiran narrowed his eyes "And you have no right to kill them"
"The only way to reprimand your sins is in death." The knight told him as he put his scythes side by side so that the palms on them were facing Eiran "Your sins leave a mark never to disappear etched in your body as memories." a circular, concentrated Magic Power appeared in the scythes' palms, as palm marks appeared all over Eiran.
"What the…?!" Eiran asked as he saw the marks over his crystal armor
"Do you have chest pain? It's proof of your crimes. The guilty plea you can't cast off." The knight told them as the marks faded.
"You really don't listen do you" Eiran's face was completely blank "I've lived with the guilt every day of my life, it's the reason why I never use my magic to its full ability, why there was a time I tried to isolate myself, but I have friends who would be very disappointed if I just gave up here." Eiran breathed reigning in his magic making sure he won't lose control "Now let's get this over with."
The knight put the scythes together at the palm before they merged together forming one large double edged scythe "Executioner technique! Guillotine Justice!"
The scythe went flying at Eiran who dodged but the scythe followed as Eiran dodged again. "Your crimes will always haunt you, you can't get rid of them." The knight told Eiran who kept dodging "They'll chase the marks on you wherever you go until the execution is carried out. Reflect upon your sins and despair!"
"I don't know about that! Crystal Dome!" A dome appeared around Eiran, the blades hit them, what surprised Eiran was that they managed to actually scratch the domes and cause a fracture.
The knight caught his blades though as Eiran let down his barrier, while completely focused and ready to dodge on a moment notice, it would take someone or something strong to even fracture his crystal after all.
"What will power…You recognize your sins, yet you don't accept punishment." The knight told him
"You really still harping on that…I told you I don't plan on dying today or anytime soon, I have to get back to my friends" Eiran replied
"Your friends have already been executed. Go to the other side without a fuss. They're waiting for you." The knight replied
Eiran sighed annoyed by this guy already "Apparently you haven't heard of Fairy Tail wizards before…we don't go down when we know our friends are waitin' for us"
"A lowly wizards guild would dare defy the kingdom?" the knight asked him
"We'd defy the entire continent, if they threatened our friends" Eiran answered before positioning his hand towards the knight. "Crystal Lance!" The beams of Crystal headed straight for the knight, but the knight simply cut through them with his weapon.
"I knew it, your weapon has some kind of magic canceller" Eiran noted
"Indeed. My right sickle cuts off the head of sinners. My left sickle negates the magic of sinners." The knight replied "No matter how strong your magic is, I'll cut through it."
"No matter how strong you say?" Eiran repeated "Well, good thing I'm good at fighting without magic"
Eiran ran forward "Wha-" The knight's eyes widened as Eiran appeared in front of him, and punched him in the stomach, he then grabbed the man's left wrist twisting it so he was forced to let go of the sickle, before kneeing him in the stomach and flipping him over before kicking him in the stomach hard enough for the knight to be send away and land on his knees a distance away.
"Y-You…" The knight started
"I told ya" Eiran interrupted "I don't fight at full power, but I need to get to my friends and make sure they get out of here" His eyes narrowed at the weapon less man "So about time I wrap this up" Eiran clenched his fist
"Are you a monster?!" The knight asked
"Ah" Eiran answered as he walked forward
"You do this to me…Do you people intend to become enemies of the state?!" The knight asked him
"You shouldn't be asking that…because the moment you took Lucy you became enemies of Fairy Tail!" Eiran told him as He ran forward punching the knight and sending him flying through the wall.
When he goes through the opening as all of the Garou knights end up hitting each other "Huh?" Mira wondered seeing everyone
"Huh? Everyone!" Wendy noted
"What timing!" Lucy exclaimed
"Everyone!" Natsu yelled as he came running "Huh?! Not Fair, you guys finished with the fight already"
"Natsu!" Happy said happily
"But talk about coincidence" Eiran said his armor gone
"Is everyone okay?" Wendy asked
"Well, more or less. Anyway, we'd better find our way out of here fast…" Lucy replied, beside her was Loke carrying Arcadios and beside him was Yukino.
"Total defeat?!" The knight on the ground muttered since he was the only one unconscious in the Garou knights
"Natsu, you can have the honor of finding our way out" Eiran told the Dragon Slayer, who grinned evilly and stood over the knight
"All righty, if you don't tell us where the exit is, it's execution time for you." Natsu threatened as they watched him.
After they got the directions out of the Garou knights, and filled each other on their fight, they followed the way he told them going deeper into the Hell Palace.
"We keep going, but it all looks the same. It throws off your sense of direction, too." Lucy said as they kept walking
"In fact, is this really the right way?" Natsu wondered
"I doubt that guy lied after how you questioned him" Eiran said
"I can feel a slight breeze. I think we're good." Wendy assured them
"Come to think of it, how did you get here, Loke?" Mira asked the spirit who carried Arcadios
"I jumped." He replied
"It's important to also think of what happens after." Wendy told him
"Actions before thoughts." Loke replied
"You make a good point once in a while!" Natsu agreed
"Once in a while?" Loke questioned
"You two are cut of the same cloth" Eiran told them
"You act just like us, you know!" Loke told him
"Will sir Arcadios be okay?" Yukino wondered
"Well, he'll survive, but…" Loke told her
"It's unusual for anyone to live through swimming in lava." Happy said
"Now that you mention it, did Horologium do something?" Carla asked Lucy
"No. He'd already jumped into the lava by then." Lucy replied
"He's the paragon of a military man, I'm impressed." Lily said
"It's probably thanks to the jade amulet he's wearing." Loke added "It's a powerful charm that's doing its duty."
"Speaking of jade, that reminds me of the Jade Dragon, Zirconis." Wendy said
"Oh, that guy" Matsu said
"That dragon sure talked a lot." Lucy commented
"I recall the name of the princess is Hisui, which means jade." Yukino added
"He said we should decide for ourselves whether Eclipse is the right way to go, right?" Carla wondered
"Although the princess is the one who dropped us in here." Natsu stated
"Anyway, I want to escape from here and put everyone who's fighting in the Grand Magic Games at ease." Loke said as Lucy nodded
"They probably worried since it's taking us so long" Eiran added
They kept walking for a while longer till they reached stairs that kept taking them downwards.
"I smell something!" Natsu noted
"It seems we're close to the exit." Wendy added "Then the leader of the executioners was telling us the truth, huh?"
"Come to think of it, I know all of their names but the leader's" Lucy noted
"True. Okay, I'll decide on it." Mira decided "Kama!"
"Meaning 'Sickle'!" Lucy noted
"Well, it's…descriptive" Eiran said
When Lily called their attention to something ahead.
"A door!" Natsu noted
"It might be the exit!" Happy cheered
"We can finally get out of here!" Lucy cheered
When they noticed how large it is, Natsu running ahead to destroy it, but the door started to open and Natsu to stop himself tripped and ended up rolling all till the foot of the person who opened the door from the other side.
A woman wearing a cloak, they all stared at her warily, as she looked down on Natsu on the ground. "Who the hell are you?!" Natsu asked her quietly before sniffing her "Hey, wait a second! This scent…"
"Natsu…" The woman said as she started crying "I'm sorry!"
"You're…" Natsu started
"Help me!" She requested
"That voice…" Yukino noted
"What is this?" Mira wondered
"It can't be…" Wendy said
"You're…" Loke started
"How on earthland?" Eiran was just as shocked as Lucy walked forward and the woman removed her hood.
"Hold on there!" Lucy told her before freezing on seeing the woman's face, just as they all froze on seeing her face.
"Lucy!" Natsu said shocked as he stared at the woman, who was apparently another Lucy.
"Another Lucy?!" Mira wondered
"W-What does this mean?" Wendy asked
"You're not…Gemini, right?" Yukino wondered
"Or from Edolas or something like that?" Happy asked
"You already know about Eclipse, the time-travel portal, right?" The other Lucy asked them
"Eclipse? Don't tell me…" Lily started
"You used Eclipse…" Carla said
"You're from the future?!" Eiran questioned as the other Lucy nodded, which made Lucy and Natsu freak out even more.
"This is…so sudden, I don't understand…" Lucy stated
"This country is about to…" Future Lucy started before she fainted and fell. With the situation at hand, Natsu picked up future Lucy as they decided to take her with them and figure things out once they're safe away.