Hello everyone! I'm sorry if I made you wait once again! But here's the last update you've been waiting for! Now there's only one chapter left to the end of this story. I feel a bit nostalgic when I think about how many things have changed while I was writing and I publishing this fic ... thanks to all those who have been with me this far!

Matter of seconds

Natsu took a deep breath trying to distinguish from which direction came Lucy's smell. She was close, so close, even though he still could not see her. But in the air there was also the smell of Zeref's dark magic, stronger and more oppressive than ever. The dragon bared his teeth at the thought of the dark wizard next to his beloved Lucy. If he wanted to save he had to find her as quickly as possible! He could not allow another tragedy!
- Where are you Luce, let me understand where you are ... - Muttered Natsu sniffing his trail like a hound. He was so focused on the search that he do not even notice a strange movement between the trees.

- Cavern Dragon's Earth Destruction! -

Central Park shook, trembling as if a gigantic earthquake was tearing down the city. Trees and buildings creaked and then the path on which they were walking exploded, disintegrating into a thousand pieces. The dragons lost their balance and a shower of stones fell upon them, threatening to bury them alive. Natsu would have been hit if it were not for Gajeel. The Iron Dragon grabbed him by the arm, throwing Natsu out of the spell's trajectory. The Prince rolled on the ground, slamming his back against a tree so hard that for a moment he felt on the verge of losing consciousness.

- What the hell are you thinking ? - Roared the dragon, without realizing that his comrade had saved his life. - Hey ?! - Natsu fell silent as soon as he glimpsed Gajeel's figure of in the dust. The Iron Dragon had absorbed the impact all by himself, using his metal scales, but his clothes were all torn and stained with blood and a red trickle run down his forehead.

- Show yourself! - Gajeel growled against the mysterious enemy who had attacked them. There was no need to further invitations.

- Oh oh oh! What a show! I did not think there was anyone able to resist my magic! - Exclaimed a man, dressed in black, coming out of the trees. He had long red hair, light eyes and a scar on the nose that looked almost like the sign of a sword. - Allow me to introduce myself. - Continued the man, posing as an actor on the stage - My name is Serena, God Serena and I'm the most powerful of the twelve Spriggan at Lord Zeref service, the one that will mark the end of you. No one of you will be able to move on! -

- That magic you used before ... - Muttered Atlas, watching with suspicion the man who blocked the way - Where did you get it? - The spell had hit the dragon by surprise and had thrown him to the ground. He, too, just like Gajeel, was covered with cuts and bruises, but only one attack was not enough to put him to the mat.

- Ohhh, you noticed! - Exclaimed God Serena - When I said that I was going to be your end I wasn't joking, because I'm a Dragon Slayer! Gale Dragon's Wirlwind! - The wizard laughed and generated a vortex around the palm of his hand, throwing it against his opponents. The wind hit them, roaring louder than a tornado, scratching and cutting like a flurry of blades.

- Humans magic cannot scratch the scales of a dragon, but that of a Dragon Slayer is designed expressly for this purpose! Oh, how long I've waited to test these powers, and now I have finally three dragons all for me! Purgatory Dragon's Blazing Hell! - The Spriggan this time lit a hand completely on fire and slammed his fist in the direction of his opponents, causing a tremendous explosion. Atlas could not stand still to watch: the Fire Dragon sucked up all God Serena's spell and swallowed it down, even though it had a terrible taste.

- I've heard in the past of the '' Hybrid Theory ", but this is the first time I meet someone with so many different lacryme implanted in the body. - Admitted the dragon - But you're not a real Dragon Slayer, because no dragon taught you to use that magic, you are a liar like all the other fools who follow Zeref! Hell Dragon's Fist! - Atlas focused part of its magic in the palm of his hand and used it to throw a punch against his opponent, pushing him back - I'm sorry for you, but you have no hope of beating of real dragons, nor our King! -

- There are no such things as "Real Dragons" or a "Dragon King"! - Exclaimed God Serena, laughing louder and louder - And do you know why? Because all the dragons in front of me will be forced to kneel down and die! I'll show you a something worthy of the most powerful Spriggan! -

But Gajeel had no intention of listening to a fool like that - Out of my way asshole! Iron Dragon's Lance! - The Iron Dragon turned his right arm in a long metal pole, but could not hit his opponent. God Serena waved a hand and ...

- Sea Dragon King's Encircling Deluge! - A giant water whirlpool appeared at his command, ready to swallow all that was on its way. To avoid a tragedy Atlas was forced to react quickly - Hell Dragon's Roar! -
Fire and water clashed, destroying each other and filling Central Park's cold air with a thick layer of fog.

- Be careful! - Shouted Atlas, trying to warn his friends - There's someone else! Do you hear the footsteps? -

Who was hiding among the trees?

A masked wizard emerged from the fog and Natsu was able to see him just in time to deflect his magic wand, but another jumped on him from the right, forcing the dragon to step aside to dodge an ice geyser. Gajeel too repelled the first attack, hitting a masked wizard with a fist in the face, but another grabbed him by the shoulders and a third hit him in the stomach using a dark energy sphere.

- How many fucking people are here? - Growled the Iron Dragon, trying to wriggle while an army of dark wizards pounced on them. Where they came from? Why they had not realized before their presence?

- Ohoho! This is a real show! - Chuckled someone in the noise of battle. It was a male voice, but it seemed a bit too high to really belong to a man. Because of the fog and the wizards who continued to jump on them, Natsu, Gajeel and Atlas took a bit to understand where it came from, and to notice a strange character, sitting on the branch of a tree. He had long blonde hair tied in a ponytail and brown eyes, a sharp face, smooth and delicate skin, like that of a model, and thin and groomed eyebrows.

- Who the hell asked you to intervene Neinhart? - Shouted God Serena, bothered by the idea that someone was stealing his show - These are my prey! -

- You said you wanted to show our guests a something worthy of the strongest among the Spriggan and I could not disappoint them! - Explained the wizard - I conjured up for them a whole dark army! Here are three thousand soldiers! Thousand for each! Will our beloved dragons be able to defeat them all, or will they be too much for them? -

"Three thousand?!" Thought Natsu, trying to get rid of his opponents that pounced on him like hungry wolves with a blaze. How did Zeref find so many followers?

- What you are seeing is the History of the Dead. - Explained them Neinhart - Here I've collected for you the souls of all Acnologia's victims in the last century. It would have been a waste to leave them vanish and so I turned them into an army of faithful servants! Try to defeat them if you can! But beware: I can regenerate my soldiers indefinitely! -

- A real dragon doesn't bow the head or in front of three thousand or over a million soldiers! If you're dying so much to see something incredible I'll show you! - Gajeel growled, picking up all the energy he had. The dark wizards who stood on his way were literally thrown off by the force of his aura.

- So be it! - Exclaimed Atlas, imitating his companion - We'll open the road Natsu! - A blinding light shone around them and within seconds the two changed their shape, returning the original appearance that they had kept hidden for so many years. The real Atlas did not even look like a dragon. His body, his wings and tail were completely made of fire, to the point that in the flames it was difficult to see his eyes sparkling. Gajeel instead had a sleek and aerodynamic body, completely covered with metal scales, dark and brilliant. His wings seemed to be made of sharp blades, each attached to the other as the feathers of a mechanical bird, and his red eyes sparkled like those of a raging demon. When the Iron Dragon stomped a foot on the ground, his weight shook the park knocking around the dark wizards.

- It's all useless! I said that no one will pass! - Shouted God Serena collecting his magic between the hands.

- Storm Dragon's ... - But the Spriggan could not throw his attack.

- Dark Écriture: Pain! -

- Line Formation! -

- Leprechaun! -

A hail of spells engulfed him forcing God Serena to step back. It was only then that that Natsu realized the steps they had heard did not belong only to the obscure army of Zeref. There were reinforcements arriving for them, the wizards of Fairy Tail that Natsu had met at the Garment District and those who he had known during the last month. The wizards of Quatro Cerberus, those of Crime Sorcière and of all the other guilds of Magnolia that Makarov had contacted.

The two groups clashed as tidal waves, using all the magic they had. That was the opportunity they were waiting for!

- Iron Dragon's ... -

- Hell Dragon's ... -

Both giants inspired by inflating the lungs to the limit and then ...

- ROAR! -

A torrent of flames and a swirl of metal chippings hit the masked wizards, dispersing their ranks. Even Natsu was hit by the explosion's recoil, so hard that he had to cover his face with the arms to prevent the dust from blinding him.

- Run idiot! - Gajeel incited Natsu while jumping with open jaws between the dark wizards - I know what it means when you love a woman! Go and bring Lucy back safely! -

- We're counting on you! - Shouted Cana, making her way through the crowd to give him another push.

- GO! Leave it to us! Explosion Cards! -

There was no need to say more - Okay! I'm all fired up! - Natsu threw himself through the crowd and his opponents reacted immediately hurling at him a barrage of spells. But no one could stop him. The dragons and the guilds mages responded with their magic and Natsu managed to pass unscathed. He had to reach Lucy before Zeref could hurt her! He had to stop him at all costs!

"Open for me Stellar Memory's gates!" Too bad that Lucy had no idea how to do it. She began by taking her keys and the twelve of the zodiac. She could not summon all the spirits together, even if she used all the power at her disposal. But then what could she do?

Lucy closed her eyes, clutching the twelve keys to her chest and silently praying the spirits to help her.

"I beg you: tell me what to do. Tell me how to open Stellar Memory! "

Asking was everything that she needed.

Lucy felt the energy of the spirits leave the keys and pinch her fingers. She heard them opening their portals and materializing one by one. When she opened her eyes, she found them all around her, arranged to form a circle in the order in which their constellations appeared in the starry sky.

- Lucy - sama. - Said Aries, the first in circle. She had soft pink hair, a pair of curved horns and a wool dress. She looked like a timid and fragile girl and yet she was a powerful spirit. - We heard that you needed our help: fear not, we'll open Stellar Memory for you. -

- Are you crazy ? - Shouted Aquarius - Haven't you realized yet that it's not Lucy who wants to open Stellar Memory? It's that scoundrel! - The mermaid lifted her jar and turned to Zeref, ready to strike - We must eliminate him! -

- No Aquarius! - Shouted Lucy, trying to stop her - Please don't do it! - And the spirit halted abruptly, clutching her jar with trembling hands for the anger. Zeref however did not move a millimeter, staying to watch the scene with a smirk.

- I beg you. - Continued Lucy, praying her spirits to listen - Trust me. - But it was evident that she had not a plan and that she did not know what to do.

- Are you sure? - Asked Loke on the opposite side of the circle - If we consume all our energy to open Stellar Memory you won't be able to summon us for days. We won't be able to help you in anyway. Is this what you really what? - But the spirit was interrupted abruptly. A ray of dark energy pierced his side, forcing him to his knees.

- LOKE! - Cried Lucy in horror, running near her friend and manager.

- I don't have the power to destroy an entire constellation. - Said Zeref, holding up a finger and pointing it at the lion - But as long as your spirits have a physical form I can torment them in a thousand ways. Is this what really you want? Don't forget that I can force you to open Stellar Memory without them just as Mavis. It will cost you just a few years of life ... -

Lucy gritted her teeth in anger. Unfortunately she was at the mercy of the dark wizard and if she did not want to see her friends suffer, she had no choice but to listen to him.

- Please, Loke, Aquarius! I beg you all! - Prayed the girl - Open Stellar Memory and leave it to me! -

- As you wish. - Aries nodded and her aura flared as a bright flashlight followed by that of all the others spirits. Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Loke, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

Their energy shook Central Park like a tornado, rippling the surface of the lake and tearing the leaves from the trees. Then it darted up and down again, hitting the South Gate House. The building stones reacted instantly, moving and changing position as many crazy little bricks to form a giant stone portal with imposing dark wooden doors. Lucy heard the sound of a bell, just like when she evoked one of her spirits and the portal slowly began to open up.

- Princess! - Virgo called her. The spirit's energies were at the limit and her image was starting to blur.

- There is one last thing that you need to know: Stellar Memory is incredibly powerful, it can rewrite the past and even change the future, but if it's damaged it can't regenerate itself. Please be careful! -

It was in that moment that Lucy felt a terrible roar and the sound of a tremendous crash. When she turned to look in the direction it came from, her heart skipped a beat. In the middle of Central Park there were the figures of two gigantic dragons. But Lucy did not even have time to realize that they were Atlas and Gajeel.
- Hurry up! - Zeref grabbed her by the wrist, dragging her with him. Besides the portal she could not see anything, there was no trace of either the lake or the skyscrapers, just pitch black.

- LUCYYY ! - That was the voice she wanted to hear ever since the beginning of the story.

- NATSU ! - Shouted the girl, trying to guide him towards her, but Zeref pulled harder using his magic to close the portal behind them.

- Stop! - Natsu came out on the trail, running at breakneck speed but the dark wizard shook his head - No way! -

It remained only one small opening and Natsu would have not make it if there had not been Loke nearby. The lion spirit grabbed him by the arm and, despite the wound on his side, he used all the energy he had left to throw him inside. It was a matter of seconds. Natsu was able to pass just a moment before the doors Stellar Memory closed with a thud.

Loke took one last breath before disappearing - You can do it Lucy, improvising is your specialty. -