A/N: Mic check one, two! Mic check one, two!
(*Author clears throat*)
Ladies and Gentlemen!
Welcome back for another chapter of The Lost Warrior!
(*Crowd cheers*, *Author hypes the crowd*)
Now, some of you have been waiting eagerly for the next chapter to begin. You've been dying to see a heavyweight bout am I right?
(*Crowd cheers again*)
Don't worry… I have just the thing.
Tonight we have a doubleheader. That's right folks! Back to Back main event matches that are sure to rock the house!
(*Crowd cheers*, *Stadium shakes and quakes*)
Our first match is between the former students of the famous Ice mage known as Ur.
(*Points to Blue Corner*)
In this corner!
We have a young man who used to have a bit of a smoking addiction! He's known as the coldest man in Fairy Tail and is also a habitual stripper! Water mages come to him like white on rice and has a mean left hook! He is the one… the only… Gray Fullbuster!
(*Gray's picture pops up*, *Women lose their minds*)
Easy ladies. There's a certain mage from Phantom Lord that wouldn't take to kindly to that. If you want proof, pay close attention to the weather.
(*Points to Red Corner*)
In this corner!
We have the man who would dub himself emperor! He's known for having an ego the size of Crocus and a somewhat awkward fashion sense! His favorite pastimes include trying to live up to his delusions of grandeur, reading books and trying to one-up Gray. He's Sherry's crush, the self-proclaimed successor to Ur… he is Lyon Vastia!
(*Lyon's picture pops up*, *Women lose their minds again*)
Now… without further ado…
LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEE!
(*Crowd roars*, *Author performs mic drop*)
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or Dragon Ball Z. All rights, characters, and media belong to their respective owners.
Cover Art credit goes to Deviantart artist hsvhrt.
Earlier with Team Natsu
Approaching Temple Ruins
Evening/Night
"Think he'll be okay?" Lucy asked as she ran.
"You kidding me! Bardock's got this!" Natsu assured her.
"I know but…"
"Natsu's right Lucy."
Lucy looked over to see Erza running beside her, smiling with full confidence.
"He may be outnumbered but I believe in Bardock's strength. He's counting on us to do our part. Let's not disappoint." Erza asserted with full confidence.
Lucy smiled, mirroring Erza's confident expression. Gods above she loved this team!
"Right!"
Gray just focused ahead, not really caring for the pep talks going around. He was focused on beating Lyon and stopping Deliora's resurrection. Afterwards came helping the villagers with the curse if it wasn't broken already.
Almost as if some deity heard his thoughts, purple-ish colored shards rained from the sky.
"Huh?" Gray grunted as he looked up.
The rest of the team stopped and saw the shards coming down, harmlessly floating to the ground below before dissipating.
"Woah! Check it out!" Happy said in awe.
"What the heck is going on?" Natsu asked.
"I'm… not sure." Lucy replied, totally at a loss.
Erza on the other hand had a very strong suspicion as to what just happened. Her deduction skills were hard at work once she met the villagers and interviewed them. She didn't bother approaching village chief Moka, given he was hysterical and bit looney. But those who worked with the chief a lot were able to provide a lot of valuable information. That information came in handy now that she got an idea of what exactly was the curse that afflicted the villagers.
Erza looked to the sky with a smile.
("Whether you know it or not, you probably just broke the curse. Good work Bardock.")
"It seems half the job is done now." Erza mused aloud.
"Huh?" Lucy responded, turning to look at Erza curiously.
Erza shook her head at the unspoken question.
"Don't worry Lucy. I'll explain after we're done with the fighting."
"Okay… if you're sure."
Erza's face shifted from reassurance to determination. She looked over to Natsu and Gray.
"Lead the way boys. We don't have much time." She told them.
Natsu and Gray shared a glance before nodding. Natsu took off with Gray following and the girls along with Happy coming up the rear.
As the team was nearing the temple shockwaves sounded off above the island. They all knew Bardock was an intense battle against four worthy opponents. But there was nothing they could do except hold up their part of the bargain by fighting their designated targets.
Once they reached the temple, they spotted a broken down wall.
"This is close to where we were last time." Lucy said.
"I smell something you guys." Natsu notified as he tensed up.
Just then many of the robed individuals from before popped up from the ruins and the jungle. These were the same men and women who were performing the Moon Drip ritual but with Lyon's team down they were nothing but cannon fodder.
"Are these the ones performing the ritual?" Erza asked as she summoned a sword.
"Yeah." Gray replied.
"Then that's all I need to know."
Erza immediately leapt forward summoning two swords and quickly dispatching foes left and right. Lyon's followers wasted no time rushing forward to meet Erza's preemptive strike head on. As Natsu and Gray were ready to rush in, Lucy stopped them by stepping in their path.
"You guys go find Lyon and end this. Happy and I will back up Erza." Lucy said with newfound determination.
"Say what?!" Happy responded wide-eyed.
"Whoa, you sure Luce?" Natsu queried.
Happy gawked at Natsu for ignoring the fact their teammate voluntold him to back her up. Lucy could hear the seriousness and undertone of concern lacing Natsu's voice. She looked over her shoulder as she had her whip in one hand and a celestial key in the other. The smile she sent to Natsu visibly eased any concerns he had.
"You can count on me to watch her back Natsu. And I'll be fine too." She assured him.
Natsu then smiled with full confidence and determination. He really did pick the right partner for the team. He then gave Lucy a nod and glanced towards Happy.
"Sorry bud, but me and Gray got a skee-daddle. We got a bad guy to fight. Think you can watch over Lucy and Erza for me?"
Happy recovered from his stupor quickly and responded with a beaming smile and a salute of his paw.
"Aye sir!"
Natsu sent a wordless thank you to his furry companion before turning to Gray.
"Let's go end this ya ice freak show."
"Shut up and follow me ash for brains." Gray retorted with an eye roll.
The duo took off down the dirt path. With a newfound sense of urgency and vigor knowing that their friends were fighting as hard as they could, the rivals put aside any petty insults and banter to focus on the fight ahead of them.
Within the Temple
Tomb of Deliora (Cave of the Demon)
The cloaked form of Garlic Jr. stared at the frozen form of Deliora with anticipation and mischief. Streams of energy flowed through the air towards the ice, a malicious and sickening aura surrounding all the incoming streams. The Makyan demon glanced over his shoulder, getting a sense of the ongoing battles.
Lyon's followers, the one in robes, would be no match against the Fairy Queen or the Blonde ditz that followed the Dragon boy around. They were outmatched, outclassed and had very little to none fighting experience. He would honestly be surprised if they lasted longer than five minutes.
Lyon himself would be in for a tough time against the Salamander and the other apprentice of the late Ice Wizard Ur. But Garlic Jr. could handle these threats with ease.
The one battle that gave him the most concern was the lone Saiyan warrior against his four remaining men, the best men he could assemble that were leagues above Ginger, Nicky, and Sansho. But compared to a Saiyan warrior such as Bardock…
("If they can manage to weaken him all the better. I have my doubts of them actually being fully capable of a victory against someone like Bardock.") Garlic Jr. pondered.
The imp extended his hands out, Ki and Magic flowing from his hands as he began the one of the last phases of his plan.
("Spice's arrogance will be the end of him if he's not careful. But it is of no concern to me.")
"Soon, Deliora will be in my possession. And once that foolish boy realizes what I've done, it will be too late." Garlic Jr. said to himself with an evil grin.
The dark being then began to cackle as the energy flow began to accumulate. Deep within the ice, Deliora slowly but assuredly was being brought back from the brink of death. A steady glow of red filled the once lifeless eyes of the etherious as a great blanket of dark power converged.
Floors above
Zalty sat on his floating orb while Lyon stood by in the vacant chamber, one of many throughout the temple.
"Zalty…"
"Yes Lord Reitei?"
Lyon crossed his arms and impatiently tapped his foot as his eyes narrowed. Something was wrong since all the chaos started. Between losing his team and Garlic Jr.'s men getting picked off like flies, a new feeling of anxiety and dread settled in the pit of his stomach.
"We will be having guests soon won't we?"
Before Zalty could form a reply, a layer of ice coated one of the walls before exploding. Bursting through the ruined wall was Natsu and Gray. Natsu landed on his feet in a ready stance while grinning. Gray on the other hand had his hands up ready to fight; glaring at someone he once called a brother.
"Lyon…" He growled.
Lyon, although visibly irked, smirked. At long last he could finally prove himself the superior Ice wizard, Ur's true successor… and Gray's superior.
"It's been quite some time Gray. I figured you would crawl out of whatever hole and have the guts to face me eventually. But now of all times?" Lyon mocked with wide spread arms.
"I've come to stop you Lyon. And luckily for me, I didn't come alone." Gray retorted.
"You tell em popsicle!" Natsu cheered as his fists lit on fire.
Gray just smirked in response while Lyon clicked his tongue. Zalty merely chuckled as he floated to Lyon's side.
Lyon of course argued that Zalty should be keeping an eye on Garlic Jr. hoping the imp would keep his word in order to aid in Lyon's ascension. But Zalty was adamant about staying as far away from Garlic Jr. as possible. Zalty even dare say that Garlic Jr. was untrustworthy. Lyon understood to an extent. Given Garlic Jr.'s secretive behavior but Lyon held out some faith that Garlic Jr.'s machinations would eventually help the benefits outweigh the risks involved.
"I'll handle the Dragon Slayer my Lord. No need to sully your hands on someone not worth your time." Zalty said.
The comment infuriated said Dragon Slayer while Lyon thought about it for a moment. He had heard numerous stories about Fairy Tail's Salamander as well as the Queen of the Fairies herself. It was almost as if some god was chomping at the bit to bless Lyon before seeing battle and possible bloodshed. But of course, Lyon had his sights set on the bigger picture. He needed to ascend to greater heights and he couldn't worry about the small stepping stones in his way.
"Go ahead Zalty. I see no harm in you taking care of the annoyance." Lyon said with a smirk.
Both Fairy Tail mages immediately shifted their stances as they eyed their opponent. This next fight was going to be big. And the stakes couldn't be any higher…
Gray vs Lyon: Last Man Standing
Natsu was immediately knocked back with a crystal ball to the sternum, sending the teen into a nearby wall. Gray knew Natsu could hold his own so he rushed off to his own fight.
Gray started off with a vicious right cross to Lyon's face, sending the teen down to the ground. Lyon's eyes grew wide with outrage as he shot to his feet and lashed out with his magic.
"Ice-Make Eagle!"
Gray recoiled in shock as he did his best to dodge a barrage of ice sculpted eagles. Fairy Tail's resident ice wizard performed a series a flips before coming to a stop and sprinting. He then spotted a downed pillar, thinking it could be useful. As he went for cover behind a downed pillar, Gray felt himself getting angry.
("He's betrayed Ur's teachings! He's using maker magic with one hand!") Gray thought.
Gray jumped over the pillar, ready to initiate a counter when all of a sudden…
"Ice-Make Wolf!"
Gray immediately dropped and rolled right to avoid an ice made wolf trying to bite. He got up to one knee before finding himself being bitten by another ice wolf on his leg. Gray would have responded had he not heard the barks and growls of more ice wolves. Not willing to take this beating lying down, Gray brought his hands together to form a hammer. He shook off the ice wolf biting his leg before swinging at it full force and destroying it. The rest of the pack converged on Gray and luckily enough the ice mage managed to take out 4 of them in one swing. In a low arc shot, Gray's hammer connected with one wolf before it became a domino effect. Hammer still in place, with a wolf on it, Gray caught three more ice wolves before sending them into a wall. Gray dispelled the hammer and turned his attention to five more ice wolves. This wasn't going to be easy by any means…
Meanwhile, Natsu was dodging a crystal ball while also trying to get to Zalty, who had made things difficult for the Dragon Slayer. The fight started off with Zalty sending a few petty insults Natsu's way, riling up the Dragon Slayer. Natsu reacted predictably and attacked almost the instant another insult left Zalty's mouth. Upon breaking the crystal ball, Zalty feigned indignation and anger, giving Natsu the false hope the fight got easier. He was proven wrong an instant later when the same crystal ball he destroyed impacted the back of his head. Since that point, Zalty revealed he dabbled in a bit of telekinesis… as well as the lost magic Arc of Time. But the words were lost on Natsu, who was simply trying to win.
"Face it Dragon Slayer, you won't beat me. You might as well give up." Zalty taunted.
Natsu bared his teeth as he stood tall, not showing any worse for wear but definitely was annoyed.
"You kiddin'? I'm a member of Fairy Tail and last I checked we never back down!" Natsu retorted.
The salmon haired teen settled into a stance, eyeing Zalty while channeling his power and utilizing his senses.
"Ain't no way in hell I'm losing this fight you weird smelling freak!"
Zalty again was on the offensive, using the crystal ball to hit Natsu at various angles, only for said teen to dodge. The entire chamber was a playground as well as a battleground. Natsu was doing his best to maximize all this space to his advantage. So in order to find the opening he was looking for, Natsu just dodged or destroyed the crystal ball without using too much magic. He wanted to save a good attack for when he got up close and personal.
Back with Gray, the ice mage of Fairy Tail traded hand to hand blows with Lyon, gaining the upper hand after Lyon sent a series of magic attacks against. But despite gaining some ground, Gray was starting to feel a bit winded given the small nicks and scratches he received. Plus Gray was pretty sure, some of those attacks hurt him far more than he let on.
Lyon tried hitting Gray with a jab, only for Gray to dodge before gripping the outstretched arm and flipping Lyon hard on his back. Not wanting Lyon to get any sort of break, Gray gripped Lyon's arm a little harder before using his strength to swing Lyon around several times before releasing him and watching the self-proclaimed cold emperor slam into an ice covered wall, leaving an imprint.
Gray slid back into a stance, breathing a bit heavier than when the fight started. Nearby, Natsu and Zalty's fight had reached a stalemate, leaving Natsu to just glare at his opponent while in a fighting stance.
Lyon slowly got to his feet, an enraged scowl showing on his face. He wiped some blood and spit off his lip with the back of his hand before letting said hand fall to the side. With a clenched fist, magic gathered in Lyon's hands. Zalty smirked as his crystal ball floated above his palm.
Both Natsu and Gray bared their teeth and narrowed their eyes. Looks like their opponents really wanted them to work for their victory.
Outside the Temple
Erza parried another weak slash attempt from one of Lyon's followers. Lucy on the other hand kicked one follower while whipping several more in a nicely put together combo. Happy of course was cheering from the air or cheering from a tree branch, depending if he was conserving magic or not.
The fight against Lyon's followers was one sided. Although Erza started with a great ferocity, she calmed herself a bit after gauging the group of opponents her and Lucy were facing. Not only were they out of practice if they were magic users, their combat skills were sorely lacking.
As she settled into a stance next to Lucy, Erza continued to stare down the rather persistent group of foes.
("They are rather persistent, I'll give them that much.")
Erza narrowed her eyes and shifted her feet some more.
("Which begs the question, do they know when to surrender or not?")
"Man, these guys don't know when to quit!" Lucy commented, a tad bit alarmed.
Erza was going to reply until she heard some commotion to her right. Both she and Lucy looked over and the sight they saw took them by surprise. Apparently, one of the robed individuals was lying unconscious on top of several of his fellow cult members (are they a cult though?). Several feet away with an extended left fist was a scowling and very irritated Bardock who was showing the toll his fight left on him. The Saiyan Rebel let his fist drop to his side before turning his attention towards Lucy and Erza.
"Bardock!" Lucy exclaimed.
The Saiyan Rebel levitated over to the duo, just as Happy joined them from his perch.
"Yeah." The Saiyan simply responded.
Now that the trio of Lucy, Erza and Happy saw him up close, they couldn't help but grimace at his condition. The arm sleeve covering the Fairy Tail mark on his left was gone. The right hip pad was heavily damaged with half of it being missing. The armor of course had noticeable cracks in it as well as a couple of holes in the torso. Lastly there was a rip in the tights on the right thigh. But what really got their attention was the blood and bruises.
"Bardock are you okay?" Happy asked sadly.
The Saiyan Rebel glanced over at the team mascot. He felt a tad bit touched they cared about him but he brushed it off. Now was not the time for this.
"I can still fight fur ball. It'll take more than a bunch of cheap shots and some numbers to stop me." He responded gruffly.
He crossed his arms and a flash of discomfort flashed over his visage. The trio of Fairy Tail wizards couldn't help but look on in concern. But unknown to the trio, one of Lyon's followers was sneaking up on them while the rest were closely edging forward ready to pounce. Sensing this and getting irritated rather quickly, Bardock bared his teeth and narrowed his eyes.
("Fucking morons… I can sense them coming a mile away.") He thought while doing a mental eye roll.
"I'm sick and tired of this bullshit already…" Bardock cursed under his breath.
The others looked at him confusedly for the comment. Without warning he turned around and shot a powerful Kiai towards one of the shortest robed individuals in the crowd, knocking him and several others over. As soon as Bardock dropped his outstretched hand…
"They must be some kind of stupid to think they can get the drop on us." Bardock commented.
Erza quickly caught on to his words and her eyes narrowed perceptively as her senses alerted her to her enemies.
"Requip!"
Going into her Heaven's Wheel armor, Erza had a sword in each hand… as well as dozens aimed at her opponents. All of Lyon's followers paled beneath their hoods and knew that they had been in over their heads. Some were scared stiff on their feet, others dropped to their knees while the rest fell right on their ass. It was quite the sight.
Bardock walked over to the group he knocked over and held out a hand with a primed Ki orb.
"Anyone else want to 'try' and beat us? By all means stand the hell up and come get some." Bardock taunted with a snarl.
Lucy and Happy in the midst of it all couldn't help but look back and forth between their guildmates. The blonde let out a nervous chuckle at how intimidating the duo could be.
"That's Erza and Bardock for ya!" Happy commented.
"No kidding… Next time Natsu asks for me to go on a mission with him, remind me to stay at home for a while." Lucy added with a sweatdrop.
Bardock on the other hand let the Ki orb grow. He wasn't going to pointlessly kill someone so weak. But he did need to send a message across that he was not to be trifled with. The short man, he assumed was male, was on his knees being assisted by the others.
"So what's it gonna be?" Bardock offered.
The robed male gave a visible sigh. He honestly was getting too old for this. He had his own reasons for joining this insanity in the first place. But whatever spilled down the rumor mill about the man in front of them… if that were true…
("This honestly has gone too far… I was only here to keep my family safe…") the elderly man thought.
In the crowd two figures, having statures shorter than the rest, moved forward at a fast pace. In a matter of seconds they were both out in front of the elderly man, arms outstretched.
"S-Stop it!" the girl exclaimed.
"Don't hurt our grandpa!" the boy yelled out.
Bardock raised a brow at this display. Not only did these kids have guts but it seemed he found the right person to single out with intimidation tactics. Erza, Lucy and Happy couldn't help but gape at the situation though.
Bardock gauged that the girl wasn't any older than 10 years old while the boy was likely 12 or 13 years of age. The trio of people they were in front of included not only their grandpa but seemingly both the kids' parents. The male and female helped the senior member of their family to his feet, all three of them had their hoods off like their children.
Bardock dispelled the Ki orb and brought his arms across his chest. All of Lyon's followers congregated around the small family that had almost drawn the Saiyan's wrath. Erza had changed back to the armor she usually wore as she, Lucy and Happy walked over to where Bardock was.
The couple had escorted the senior member of their family to the front. The kids of course ran to their grandfather with looks of worry. The elderly man simply waved them off with a kind smile. He then directed his attention to the man who was the cause of the group's surrender.
"Don't mind my grandchildren young man. They're simply trying a protect an old man who loves his family enough to join them in this endeavor." The old man stated.
Bardock simply scoffed and let his senses do some work for him. He felt out Gray and Natsu's unique energy signatures. Meanwhile he kept his ears open to whatever dumb excuse the old man would spit out. Lucy, Erza and Happy gazed around at all of the people in the robes. They were all so normal under the hood but their emotions were as clear as day. Anger. Frustration. Bitterness. Sadness.
It was quite the depressing sight to see.
"I guess I should ask the obvious… why?" Erza queried breaking the few seconds of silence.
The old man sighed while his family looked at their feet in sadness and shame.
"Lord Reitei and his subordinates weren't the only ones wronged by Deliora. We all have lost family and friends to that monster." The old man summarized solemnly.
Lucy gasped and held a hand over her mouth while Erza recoiled in surprise.
At this point Bardock tuned them out when he felt a spike in Natsu's energy… a slight drop in Gray's… and the startling increase of power underneath the temple. There were three other energies he picked up in what he deduced was a ball of chaos.
("Natsu… Gray… Ultear… some random punk who should be beaten by now…") he listed off.
Bardock's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the temple. The one being he was looking for was in that very temple.
("Garlic Jr.")
While Bardock had his eyes set on the temple, the trio of Fairy Tail members listened to the various stories and backgrounds the old man had learned of during his time under Lyon.
According to the old man, his son and daughter-in-law each lost several cousins as well as brothers and sisters to Deliora's rampage several years ago. Most of the people that had joined Lyon had similar stories. Spouses lost in acts of bravery and self-sacrifice, mothers and fathers killed while fleeing, siblings simply caught up in the chaos and destruction… the list went on. Very few joined for the petty reasons of lost businesses or fortune. But it was a group bound by tragedy and Lyon took full advantage in order to boost his own ego. The realization sickened the Fairy Tail group, no more than Bardock himself.
The Saiyan Rebel wanted no more to go and show this Lyon guy the true meaning of cruelty. But given the way he sensed the fight going on inside the temple, he figured to leave it to Gray and Natsu.
The Temple
Things had taken a dramatic turn in the fight amongst the four wizards…
Natsu had gotten sick of being toyed by his opponent so he found a quick remedy to the situation he was stuck in. Getting in a crouched stance, Natsu eyed Zalty with critical eyes. His timing needed to be just right or he would be back at square one.
"Give up yet young Dragneel?" Zalty questioned with a mocking smile.
"As if." Natsu snorted.
Drawing a deep breath and increasing his magic output, Natsu decided to go for his signature move.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
As a torrent of flames shot from Natsu's mouth, Zalty failed to notice flames igniting beneath Natsu's feet. Zalty avoided the torrent of flames only to realize a second or two later that the attack was a diversion from what Natsu wanted to truly do. Too little, too late. In a flash, Natsu smashed Zalty's face as well as Zalty's mask with an empowered Fire Dragon's Flaming Elbow. The sheer momentum of Natsu's attack sent the now unmasked Zalty through one of the walls and crashing somewhere outside. Natsu landed on the floor with a grin and a puff of smoke from his nostrils. Although annoying to deal with, Natsu beat his opponent.
One down, one to go.
Gray gave Lyon a vicious headbutt that would make his guild mates proud. Head snapping forward, Lyon yelped in pain and staggered back. Gray hopped back, ignoring the slight pain his head is feeling.
"Ice-Make Lance!"
Gray's attack flew forwards and struck Lyon multiple times, sending the silver haired teen to his right knee. Lyon stood back to his feet, scowling at Gray, but said raven haired teen came at him again.
Gray let loose a combo of jabs and hooks that had Lyon reeling. After 10 hits connected, Gray planted one foot on Lyon's chest before flipping and using the other foot to connect on Lyon's chin.
After finishing his attack, Gray landed on his feet before standing upright and getting his hands up in a stance, ready for another go. Lyon on the other hand took a moment to spit some blood off to the side after being knocked on his ass. Lyon was beyond livid that Gray was actually beating him. He knew somehow he got inside of his old friend's head with the way he was performing as well as the taunts.
"Get up Lyon. I want to keep kicking your sorry ass all over this temple until you finally see some reason." Gray said.
Lyon for his part growled and shot to his feet. The nerve! Him see reason?
"You're delusional Gray! Me see reason?! I've never seen more clearly! Ice-Make Dragon!" Lyon retorted.
Gray uttered a curse as he began running. Several ice dragons converged on Gray's running form. As Gray was pivoting, making turns, Lyon formed a smirk.
"You would never understand Gray. Ur was never the strongest wizard we knew. For all her power, she truly and was utterly weak." Lyon spat.
"How could you say something like that?! She raised us-"
Gray was interrupted when he dodged one of Lyon's dragons last second, the ice made beast destroying itself as soon as it hit the wall Gray got himself cornered in. Gray continued moving though, there were several dragons left and he had to outlast Lyon at all costs. This was a fight only for him to finish. He sure as hell wasn't going to leave it to Natsu, as capable as he was.
"Ur was practically like my aunt and second mom! She gave me enough when I had lost it all! And you!"
A dragon managed to snag Gray by his side while the others attached themselves to his limbs. Though he received a good amount of damage, Gray did his best not to cry out from the pain. He gritted his teeth and looked at Lyon with a type of loathing that dulled any physical pain.
"You're willing to taint her sacrifice! To taint her victory! And for what?!" Gray roared.
The dragons carried the seething mage into the ground, creating a cloud of dust and a crater in his wake. Lyon for his part had long since regained his composure and strolled over to where he sent his former friend. Nearby Natsu watched in anticipation and slight anxiety. His fists clenched at his sides, eager to help Gray prove a point to Lyon via the right way… a nice sucker punch to the face. But alas this was Gray's fight and his alone.
Lyon watched as Gray once again rose to his feet, slightly hunched over and panting. Lyon grew irritated with Gray's persistence and had long since had it with the raven haired teen's incessant prattling.
"You betrayed her and her memory for doing all this. And for throwing your years away… for throwing lives away for the sake of your cause… I pity you." Gray finished with labored breath.
Lyon walked at a fast pace towards Gray's position. Gray was unable to defend himself from a very painful experience. All Gray could hear next was the hard impact of ice on flesh and his name being yelled out from Natsu. Gray looked down to see that he was stabbed with an ice made cutlass. His right hand slowly grasped Lyon's left wrist.
"You're so soft and naïve Gray. It honestly sickens me. You should have left that trash you call your ideals back at whatever home you made." Lyon said with condescension and scorn.
Gray looked up slowly and glared fiercely at the young man who he had once called brother. This had to end.
A significant shift in magic and temperature had alerted both Lyon and Natsu. The Dragon Slayer couldn't help but smirk proudly at Gray's tenacity even when wounded.
Gray let his left fist fly, sending Lyon flying back yet again. All those fights with Natsu paid off when a serious fight actually happens. But the Ice mage of Fairy Tail didn't have time to think on this. Lyon's ice cutlass dissipated into nothingness as Gray used his own ice to close up the stab wound, one of many wounds he has sustained no matter how big or small.
"Ice-Make Tiger!"
Gray stood in anticipation, knowing he was going to have to settle this in a way that would make his late teacher proud. As the ice tiger neared, Gray poured magic into his hands before leaping high into the air and bringing them together.
"Ice-Make Cage!"
An icy prison erected itself, trapping Lyon's creation within. Gray landed on the roof of his cage in a kneeling position, looking down at Lyon with fierce determination and a glare so cold it could freeze the island ten times over.
Lyon just scoffed and extended his hand.
"Fool. Your feeble constructs doesn't hold against my superiority. There is a reason why my maker magic will always trump yours." Lyon stated haughtily.
Natsu for his part grinned a wide grin as Lyon's tiger tried to break out, key word being 'tried'.
"What?! Impossible!" Lyon recoiled in surprise and shock.
Natsu began laughing his ass off, which annoyed Lyon. The silver haired teen turned towards Natsu, enraged that the Dragon Slayer found this part of the fight so rousing.
"What are you laughing at you dolt?!" Lyon yelled.
Natsu calmed down for a moment but kept his wide grin. He crossed his arms and looked at Lyon a bit smugly.
"Gray's told me once what he has been trying to tell you for the last few minutes now. Maker magic isn't supposed to be used with one hand." Natsu explained.
"Otherwise you get this mess. Your creations end up being unstable and not effective in a fight. One of Ur's teachings to us Lyon, something you felt you were better off without." Gray added on.
Lyon took a step back, trying to deny it all. It couldn't end like this! Not when he had come so close.
"It's over Lyon. You've used a good amount of magic and on top of that you can't beat me. And even if you did, you'd lose to Natsu in a heartbeat." Gray declared as he stood up slowly.
Lyon didn't want to admit but the battle had taken its toll on him. Not only that, his magic reserves were indeed down a considerable amount. And of course Gray had exploited a weakness Lyon had long thought to be a forgotten memory. Did he really come so far only for his dream to be denied? Was this really the end of the line? He had come so far!
"It can't end like this…!" Lyon growled through clenched teeth.
Before Gray or Natsu could contemplate a reply, the temple began to shake. Dust, debris and loose bricks began to fall. Both Fairy Tail mages looked around with slightly wide eyed looks. They had the sinking feeling something bad was about to happen. Lyon on the other hand turned the opposite direction of both mages and looked to where one of the tunnels lead.
"Is this Garlic Jr.'s doing? Has he finished his part of the plan?" Lyon questioned aloud with narrowed eyes.
Natsu caught his words and stared at him in shock. His head snapped towards Gray.
"Gray! We have to go! That Garlic Jr. guy is close to bringing that demon back!" Natsu shouted.
Gray's head snapped over and the despair on his face said it all to Natsu. Natsu for his part just looked to the ground cursing loudly.
It seemed time was just about to run out for all of them…
Fight Over!
Outside the Temple
"What's going on?!" Lucy cried out.
The blonde was clearly alarmed as was everyone else minus Erza and Bardock of course. But the redhead was nervous while the Saiyan was downright focused like a laser. He had uncrossed his arms, faced the direction of the temple and stood unmoving.
Lyon's followers were panicking, all stumbling around trying to find an anchor to hold on to until the tremors stopped. The old man and his family gathered around each other, seeking solidarity as well as a way to protect each other from harm.
"All is lost… our efforts were never needed…" The old man uttered softly.
Villager Camp
Back at the village, Chief Moka was still ranting about the destruction of the moon. The rest of his people on the other hand had other ideas and were starting to panic. In the tent containing Lyon's personal vanguard of mages, they couldn't help the sense of foreboding and dread wash over them.
Sherry looked over to her near uni-browed companion with fear and concern written all over her.
"Yuka…?" she whispered.
She saw him furl his brows together, face scrunched up in a grimace. Deep down he knew this wasn't something they wanted… that anyone wanted.
"They were too late…" Yuka uttered.
Outside the Temple
Bardock knew they were working on borrowed time at this point. He bared his teeth as he prepared himself for what hopefully would be the final fight. He glanced over his shoulder at Erza as the tremors decided to subside a bit.
"Stay here! I'm ending this!" He declared.
Not waiting for an answer, Bardock flared his now blue aura and bust forward from the spot at a high speed. The blowback and high winds that resulted from the Saiyan's takeoff made Erza bring up both arms to protect her eyes from the dust and Lucy bring up just one arm while the other held Happy.
When the dust settled, the trio of Fairy Tail members shared worried looks. It looks like this crisis on Galuna was coming to ahead… and not in the best way.
The Temple
Bardock burst through the opening Natsu and Gray came in earlier just in time to witness Lyon getting beat down with a series of melee and magic attacks. He hovered for a bit, ignoring Gray's handing out an ass kicking and Natsu's shocked expression as he was pinpointing the source of vile energy that he had picked up earlier.
His eyes scanned around the random chamber the mages had picked as a battleground. He glanced towards a spot in particular. It was a tunnel that led to other parts of the temple. But then he changed the direction of his glance and his eyes went straight to the floor. It was a good thing that part of the floor was frozen, otherwise he would have to worry about Natsu and Gray falling dozens of feet below to whatever was beneath the temple.
("There.")
Aura still ignited, Bardock flew down with both fists extended. He made his way through easily, finding out that the chasm that he was going down was easily passable without the excess amount of rocks and debris. Once he reached the bottom he halted for a split second before letting his arms go back to his sides as he flew down a long tunnel. But at the speed he was going it wouldn't take him long to see whatever light was at the end. The trip took under 15 seconds.
By the time the Saiyan Rebel had past the threshold, he arrived to the sight of two things before slowly landing on the ground. The first thing his slightly widened eyes found was the demon that had tormented Gray's past and the pasts of so many others. Only this demon was very much alive if the glowing red eyes were anything to go by. The second thing he noticed was the short figure who stood in front of Deliora with his blue hands extended. The figure was the same being who had been a part of the chaos and even added to it. This was very same being who Bardock suspected had some sort of connection to his son.
"Garlic Jr." Bardock announced.
The impish creature hummed in slight confusion. He was so absorbed in completing the plan that he momentarily didn't sense the Saiyan's approach. He chuckled a little as his hands slowly dropped to his sides.
"Well then… it appears I've been cornered."
He turned around and brought down his hood, letting his pointy ears show… along with the slightly enlarged, blue cranium he calls his head. Bardock simply stood several meters away glaring at the last Makyan on Galuna.
"And yes. It is I, Garlic Jr. I've been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time Bardock." The demonic being said.
The Saiyan Rebel scoffed disbelievingly at the notion. He knew that Garlic Jr.'s men wanted to capture him and possibly risk disobeying orders and kill him too. But what was their boss' motive? What was his line of thinking?
"Given the way your men greeted me I have my doubts. But given that their dead and I need answers, I figured you could answer some questions before I end your little scheme." Bardock told the imp.
Garlic Jr. just grinned a toothy, unsettling grin after hearing those words. He got the impression that his men went outside their orders… he didn't know who or how many of the seven men he brought with him did so. But it didn't matter at the moment. There was a reason they were his minions and he was the boss. And there was a reason he survived and they ultimately didn't.
"Fair is fair. You've made it this far so I don't mind indulging you a bit in some answers. After all, your hard work should be rewarded." Garlic Jr said.
Bardock narrowed his eyes at the response he was given.
("Little bastard is definitely going to die slowly…") He thought darkly.
"You see…"
Garlic Jr. gestured to Deliora with one hand while not taking his eyes off Bardock.
"Deliora is merely a disposable pawn in a much larger game. For you and I both know that even if this demon were at full strength, he'd be no match for either of us." Garlic Jr. began.
Bardock simply rolled his eyes but didn't comment.
"But you on the other hand are different. My employer has taken much interest in you and your unique skills. She sought myself and all my men out in order to aid her in her plans. But you are not the end goal I'm afraid." Garlic Jr. further explained.
"Then what's the whole point of this then? How do you know about me anyways? And just how the hell do you and your dead men know my son?" Bardock angrily rattled off.
Garlic Jr.'s grin fell away to a bitter scowl. Bardock saw this and felt the shift in the imp's energy. No doubt that he touched a nerve. The Makyan's cloak started to shift as he was beginning to increase his power.
"Your role in my employer's plan is of no concern to me and I honestly don't care to reveal it to you. All you need to know is that she requires your skills and your power. You will end up being nothing more than a hired gun and a puppet." He began.
Bardock growled and his fists clenched tightly turning his knuckles white. He damn near drew blood with the way his nails were digging into his palm. He really hated that he and other Saiyans were seen as nothing but thugs and muscle to be used and tossed to the wayside. It got on his nerves in the worst way.
"My men and I have crossed paths with Goku and his pathetic friends before. The Namekian, the bald one and… ah yes…"
An aura instantly ignited and engulfed Garlic Jr.'s form. Looks like the time for talk was coming to an end. And Bardock was unhappy about that. He slipped into his fighting stance and glared ahead at his final opponent. He had fought his fair share of Makyans before back in his days of serving Frieza. But he had never met an opponent like Garlic Jr. before.
"That meddlesome brat with a tail, your grandson."
That fanged smirk came back before Garlic Jr. started cackling again. Without warning he shot forward at Bardock kicking him in the stomach and catching him off guard. Using his size to his advantage, the impish demon propelled himself off of Bardock's person before deciding to levitate in the air.
The hit had stung. That part didn't bother the Saiyan Rebel. What bothered him was the fact that Garlic Jr. was trying to rile him up or just toy with him. Shaking off the hit, Bardock glared up at Garlic Jr. before igniting his aura and flying up. Only problem was Garlic Jr. was rather faster than he appeared and it helped the Makyan that he was so small in stature.
Thrusting his hand forward for a punch, Bardock only found air as Garlic Jr. had dodged before throwing a small Ki blast in Bardock's face. Another cackle resounded through the cavern as Garlic Jr. made the fight into a game of tag. Bardock on the other hand wasn't having any of it.
"Get over here you fucking runt!" Bardock yelled enraged.
"You'll have to try harder than that if you actually want to catch me!" Garlic Jr. mocked.
Increasing his power, Bardock zoomed in catching the Makyan by surprise before Garlic Jr. started to dodge a little more frantically than before. The Makyan had backtracked towards a wall before dodging another punch where Bardock's fist had now embedded itself in the wall. The Saiyan ripped his fist out of the rock and snarled before giving chase again. Once he caught up to his oppoennt he was throwing every punch he knew, only seeing Garlic Jr. dodge and weave, doing his utmost to not get hit. After 15 seconds of this, Bardock threw another punch, let Garlic Jr. dodge as before… and then hit the Makyan demon with a kick to the gut using his right leg. The hit sent Garlic Jr. bouncing off of the cave wall before Bardock came zoning right back in for left cross across the face.
Not giving his opponent a chance to run away, Bardock started hammering away on Garlic Jr.'s face and torso. Each punch was raw power and pure strength that had pinned Garlic Jr. into the nearest wall in the cave. The punches increased in intensity, so much so that a crater formed and Garlic Jr.'s form was starting to look unrecognizable. After 45 seconds of using Garlic Jr. as a punching back, Bardock flew back before priming a Ki orb in his right hand.
Gripping his right forearm with his left hand, Bardock bared his teeth as he fired a Ki Blast into Garlic Jr.'s prone form. Smoke and debris kicked up from the resulting explosion. Even though the attack seemed successful, Bardock hovered in the air for a moment, staying alert to any sudden movements.
("Ain't no way you're done for. That fight was too easy and you know it…") Bardock thought as he waited for some sort of response.
On cue, a Ki blast shot from the smoke, Bardock moved his body right and watched as the blast hit the other side of the cave. He turned his attention back to the crater and narrowed his eyes. Looks like his hunch was right… that fight ending so soon would have been too easy.
Emerging from the smoke was a smirking Garlic Jr., who shockingly enough was fully healed while sporting tattered clothes. The two stared at each other as Bardock was trying to figure out just how Garlic Jr. healed up so quickly.
("Something is definitely off about this guy. He healed up fast after all my attacks. How though?")
"Only one way to find out…" he said under his breath.
Bardock lifted a hand and clenched it into a tight fist as Ki flowed around it. In his previous bouts against Makyans, including Garlic Jr.'s lackeys, he had never seen their kind regenerate or heal beyond normal levels. Sure they had some degree of resiliency but that was it. Makyans were equated to Space Vampires, always trying to take over worlds and enslave others. Luckily Frieza sent some the best of his main army along with several Saiyans to quell the ambitions of any Makyan who dared get greedy. Bardock got firsthand experience on one of those missions and made the most of it.
Back to the battle…
Bardock raced forward at high speed before firmly planting a Ki enhanced fist through Garlic Jr.'s gut. It was a bloody spectacle to behold as Bardock hovered in the air with a small corpse stuck to his forearm. But even Bardock suspected that this wasn't the end.
As he stared at the body on his forearm, Bardock's eyes widened a great degree as his senses were picking up something… coming from the front and the rear. He violently ripped his arm out of Garlic Jr.'s body and flew back, conveniently getting between the Makyan and the awakening Etherious behind him.
Garlic Jr.'s form slowly lowered down to the Cave floor before standing upright. Bardock's attuned senses picked up the sound of laughter that eventually erupted into a full blown cackle. The Saiyan glared down at what was supposed to be a corpse. Instead Garlic Jr. was mocking him with laughter and the hidden talent of high speed regeneration. Or at least that was the Saiyan's hunch.
After calming down for a bit, Garlic Jr. gazed up at Bardock with a manic look in his eyes. Even the Saiyan knew from that look that the Makyan was willing to divulge his secret as to how he survived a fatal blow he just received.
"Funny… I've fought plenty of your kind before. Yet the last time I checked, Makyans don't have high speed regeneration." Bardock commented.
Garlic Jr. chuckled before his aura erupted and surrounded him. This power that Bardock had been feeling in this fight… it was the aura of death, chaos and an evil, a true evil that he hadn't felt since Frieza.
"You would be right. But then again I'm no ordinary Makyan like the lesser ones you fought." Garlic Jr. retorted.
Bardock scoffed as Garlic Jr. gestured something with outspread arms.
"You see, my high speed regeneration is a result of something far greater. The gift of immortality!" The Makyan exclaimed.
What?!
Bardock recoiled in shock and surprise at the declaration. But then he narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth.
"Bullshit." Bardock growled in response.
Garlic Jr. merely cackled in response as his aura grew and his powers shifted even more. Then the wind picked up and the intensity had Bardock blocking his eyes with his uncovered arm.
"Let me tell you my tale Bardock… then you can truly decide whether or not I'm telling the truth when I show you my true power."
Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.
"It began long ago…"
The home world of the Makyans, Makyo Star comes to view.
"Before you Saiyans encountered our kind, we were conquerors in our own right. Powerful beings who did as we pleased across the stars."
Violent images of shadows and forms come to view. Rape, pillage, slaughter and greed…
"In time my father, Garlic, had come in his own right as one of the strongest Makyans to ever live."
An imposing figure with glowing green eyes stands in the forefront. His features aren't clear but his presence and aura speaks for itself. Surrounding the figure is an army loyal only to him.
"Many years ago, at the height of my father's powers, he was sent to a small little planet called Earth on a mission of conquest."
What looked like a shooting star was racing towards a beautiful world, lush with blue and green.
Back to the Cave
Bardock's eyes widened as he recognized the name of the planet. It was the very same planet he had sent his son to. Garlic Jr. nodded as his enemy made the connection.
"Yes… the exact same world you're thinking of." Garlic Jr. confirmed.
Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.
"While there he encountered the Guardian of Earth, a Namekian whose power rivaled my father's."
Two figures stood meters apart. They slipped into fighting stances before rushing at each other.
"The two obviously never saw eye to eye. My father wanted the world and the Namekian was trying to protect it from him and all other invaders. It was a situation where no one could win if a compromise wasn't reached."
The figures fight… and the fight… and they fight…
"Eventually my father and his most loyal soldiers followed him into combat in a quest to take the throne and title as Guardian of Earth. But it backfired…"
The Namekian had taken down each of Garlic's men before defeating the main Makyan himself in combat.
"In the end, my father and any survivors from what troops he had left were sealed away within a special little corner of darkness called the Dead Zone."
The Cave
"Dead Zone?" Bardock parroted in confusion.
"A dimensional prison reserved for only the most vilest of creatures. Makyans, Acrosians, Tuffle, Martians, Humans and of course Demons. There were rumors of Saiyans running about as well but I never saw one myself or even heard of a Saiyan before meeting your son and his brat." Garlic Jr. explained.
Bardock seemed surprised as he heard Tuffles being named on the list. But he quickly shook off the surprise and asked something for clarification.
"Is the Dead Zone hell itself or something separate?"
Garlic Jr. grinned wider before continuing his tale.
Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.
"The Dead Zone is a prison but it isn't Hell itself."
Picture pans out to show a wasteland, filled with destroyed buildings and withered pieces of nature. No natural animals lived here, they were all rather odd looking. Like a rabbit with fangs and the antlers of a dear. Or a bear with a horn and wings.
Several lifeforms of different aspects of violence and evil all migrated across the landscape within the Dead Zone.
"The Dead Zone was for those condemned for evil and villainy. A perfect place for where my father eventually met my mother, a demon banished for cruelty and lewd behavior."
A male and female figure stood amongst the masses.
"They loved each other as much as a Demon and Makyan could anyways."
In whatever counted as the most evil nursery possible, inside the crib was Garlic Jr., the infant.
"Eventually I was born and after many years, I grew to be a strong, benevolent warrior like my father."
Garlic Jr. stands alongside several beings, including some that would become his most dedicated soldiers and subordinates.
"My father would one day grow tired and ill. On his deathbed he asked for me to do what he ultimately couldn't…"
The Cave
"So you found your way to Earth somehow." Bardock deduced.
Garlic Jr. nodded and he figured he conclude his story before the real fight began.
Within the mind and memories of Garlic Jr.
"Eventually I found my way to Earth and began my plan for domination of the world and taking the title of Guardian as my father had once tried."
A portal appears and from it emerges Garlic Jr. along with Ginger, Nicky and Sansho.
What ensues is the attempted assassination of Piccolo…
Gohan's kidnapping as well as Chi-Chi getting caught in the crossfire…
Garlic Jr.'s wish for immortality fulfilled by Shenron…
Goku, Krillin and Piccolo teaming up to defeat Garlic Jr.'s minions…
Garlic Jr.'s narrow defeat at the hands of Gohan's intervention, the little demi-Saiyan using some of his hidden potential for one of the first few times without formal training…
The Cave
"And after all that I was found by my employer and released from the Dead Zone. My once dead men were returned to me and I gained reinforcements as well." Garlic Jr. concluded.
Bardock just nodded numbly. He took a moment to glance over his shoulder briefly at Deliora before returning his gaze to Garlic Jr. Without warning though, Garlic Jr.'s form started to change before his very eyes. Bardock immediately ignited his aura and powered up to his max. He still had plenty of energy but some of his strength had taken a hit during the earlier fight with the Spice Boys.
Bardock watched with morbid curiosity and a bit of trepidation as the little gremlin that was his opponent slowly but surely hulked out. The clothes the Makyan was wearing stretched to their max before exploding into shreds. In roughly a minute, Garlic Jr.'s skin was now a darker hue, his muscles overgrown and the only thing he wore now were dark colored pants that were torn up near his calves and knees.
Garlic Jr. stood in a sloppy stance, grinning at Bardock before racing up to meet his Saiyan opponent head on. Bardock did the same and as the two met, their forearms collided. Both snarled viciously as it was now a battle of strength and power. This was the real fight.
Both fighters backed off, hovering in the air before Deliora, who was watching the fight with interest as it awaited its imminent release.
The fighters re-engaged and collided in a furious flurry of punches and kicks. Bardock of course was amazed that the Makyan could pitch in attacks at a high rate but even to the untrained eye, Garlic Jr. was using sloppy form. Bardock figured that the Makyan was relying on brute force and speed rather than actual technique to win him the day.
The trading of blows continued on for several minutes, see-sawing across the cave. It wasn't until Bardock managed to dodge a punch to the head before lashing out with a kick to Garlic Jr.'s head in return that slowed the momentum of the fight. The Makyan's head snapped back before he snarled and threw a punch. Bardock managed to bring both arms in time to block the punch but the sheer force behind it sent him flying. The Saiyan Rebel's body managed to clip some of the ice holding Deliora before his body was lodged in a cave wall.
Bardock climbed out the hole slowly, shook his head before glaring at his opponent. He ignited his aura and shot forward with a fist cocked back, roaring with fury. Garlic Jr. sidestepped an attempt at a punch before being hit with a blast by the hand Bardock didn't try to punch him with.
Annoyed more than anything, Garlic Jr. started throwing punches that Bardock was dodging at a high rate. But the Saiyan's battered body took a few shots. Bardock of course winced as his body took more damage. In the middle of Garlic Jr.'s barrage, Bardock stopped and bared his teeth. He took the moment to get in a break in Garlic Jr.'s defenses. The Saiyan Rebel started hammering away at Garlic Jr's torso, catching the Makyan off guard with the sheer ferocity of the blows.
This continued on for a bit until Garlic Jr. snarled and began gathering energy on his torso. When he began doing this, Bardock quickly backed off as his senses were picking up the buildup of energy. The Makyan then unleashed his move, Death Impact and the Saiyan Rebel made quick haste in avoiding the beam. Bardock flew around the cave as Garlic Jr. cackled while trying to hit his intended target. The beam ended up hitting various parts of the cave as well as knocking more ice of off Deliora. Hell, the beam even managed to pierce through the upper levels of the temple.
After wasting a good amount of energy trying to hit his opponent, Garlic Jr. slowly extinguished his beam. Bardock hovered a good distance away from the Makyan he once made fun of for his height.
"This fight is getting us nowhere Bardock. You only delay the inevitable by not simply submitting to me." Garlic Jr. said with a grin.
"Screw that. I'm kicking your ass and ending that demon over there once I'm done with you. Even immortals can be beat and I'm about to prove it to you." Bardock retorted with confidence.
Garlic Jr. cackled in response to the Saiyan's response. He had not had so much fun in quite some time and since Goku, the Makyan had yet to find a worthy opponent. But now he had the chance to exact revenge in some form while having a worthy fight.
("But all good things must come to an end… Deliora is ready to receive his new master.") He thought while calming down.
Without warning Garlic Jr. used his Darkness Eye Beam to successfully stun Bardock. Not letting up, Garlic Jr. rushed in and hit Bardock with a haymaker to the head, sending the Saiyan crashing down to the cave floor. Bardock groaned as he slowly sat up from within the small crater his body had made. His senses suddenly flared in warning before being overcome by pain from numerous amounts of energy raining down on him. Garlic Jr. had employed the use of Continuous Energy Bullets to pin the Saiyan Rebel and to keep him from coming up for a reprieve. To Bardock it felt like forever until he was blasted continuously to the point rocks and debris were starting gather around and on his body. The barrage lasted maybe 30 seconds. Garlic Jr. admired his handiwork with a sinister grin, seeing Bardock unconscious and buried beneath rubble.
The Makyan wasted little time turning towards Deliora and hovering close to where the now uncovered torso was.
"It's time for the last phase of my glorious plan to begin…"
Garlic Jr. then slowly began to laugh as his arm touched Deliora's torso. The laughing then grew to a cackle as sparks of malevolent energy shot all over the cave, causing pieces of the cave and even some pieces of the temple to rain down. But the Makyan didn't care about the cave in. Oh no… he was more focused on the fact that Deliora was now accepting him as master and soon to be puppeteer. Inch by inch, Garlic Jr.'s form seeming melted into Deliora's skin and the process lasted for only a minute or so before the Makyan was nowhere to be found.
Deliora's eyes then lit up and what ice remained around its body shattered instantly.
The Demon was making its return to the living…
Meanwhile
Villager Camp
The Fairy Tail group and the victims of Deliora had decided to retreat and regroup at the Villager Camp.
When Natsu made a hasty exit with a wounded Gray and unconscious Lyon in tow, any questions Erza, Lucy and Happy wanted to ask could wait. They had more pressing concerns… like the fact Deliora would be coming back at any time now.
The rush back to where the villagers had set up a temporary refuge, lacked much communication. If there was any at all it came in the form of Lyon's former followers trying to calm down those who were a bit panicked and on edge.
Now though, everyone was gathered at the makeshift entrance to the camp, which included Lyon's former followers, Lyon's personal guard of mages (who had been released at Erza's request), the villagers and Fairy Tail's strongest team.
Chief Moka had been held back for obvious reasons, but when both sides met the villagers eyed the robed individuals with wariness and distrust. In the best explanation Erza could give she was able to summarize why so many people had gathered on the island. The villagers were enraged of course at hearing the news that these outsiders wanted to bring back something as vile and destructive as Deilora. But they had softened their scolding when they heard why all these people had done what they did. It still didn't make the situation any better.
Erza also capitalized and explained how the curse that all the villagers had suffered from simply turned them human in the day time while also distorting their memory. All the villagers had realized this and thanked the Fairy Tail group for breaking the curse. The team had of course mentioned that they were happy to help and refused the credit vaguely mentioning it was someone else who wasn't with them at the moment.
And when the matters of the reward came up, Erza refused the monetary part but did accept the Celestial Spirit Key on Lucy's behalf. Even Erza for all her strictness saw that Lucy could make greater use of the key than the villagers or herself. It would honestly be a shame for such a powerful ally to not be with the likes of Fairy Tail.
After all was said and done, the Fairy Tail mages simply waited with everyone else, anticipating Bardock's return… or worse yet Deliora.
"I'm telling you we need to head back Erza! There's no way Bardock stopped Garlic Jr. from bringing that demon back!" Gray argued.
"And even then, Bardock is perfectly capable of handling both Deliora and this Garlic Jr. person. We have to have faith that he found a way to beat them both." Erza smoothly countered.
It had been roughly 10 minutes since they up and left the temple grounds. Or was it 15 minutes? Or 20 minutes?
There had been rumblings and explosions but for several minutes now things had just stopped. Smoke was coming from the temple but there were no signs of either of the combatants or even the demon that had everyone on edge.
Natsu, Lucy and Happy stood off to the side to guard Lyon while Yuka, Toby and Sherry opted to stay with them as well as the victims of Deliora.
"You better be right… because if not-"
"I know."
Gray bit back a curse and spit off to the side. He hated being so useless in this situation. After his fight with Lyon, the female villagers had fussed over him and his injured state. He was uncomfortable of course with all the attention but relented. His torso was now wrapped in bandages, same with his head and arms. There was small holes and tears in his pants but other than that he was in decent shape.
Natsu had his arms crossed as he looked a little nervous and pensive. There was still no word from Bardock. Happy sat on a boulder eating a fish while Lucy kept him company. The Celestial mage looked between her three senior teammates with concern. Although they eased the villagers' worries somewhat, their own concerns were pressing.
Worryingly, Lucy looked over at Natsu, instantly wanting to converse a little to ease the tension. She placed a gentle hand on his left shoulder, drawing the Dragon Slayer's attention.
"What do you think is keeping him?" she asked.
Natsu stared at her a moment before looking over at his other teammates. His faced twisted into a look of frustration. Although his new friend had dumped some heavy things on them in terms of information, he accepted him more freely than Gray did. That said, a man of his caliber shouldn't have been gone this long.
"I honestly don't know. But he's fine. I know he was the only one who could face Garlic Jr. and beat him."
Then he looked at her again with a determined and confident look on his face. In her heart and mind, she was put at immediate ease by how steadfast Natsu could be. And how awesome it was that he had such faith in his friends.
"Plus there's no way some half dead demon is gonna take him down. Lullaby may have been chump change compared to Deliora but Bardock makes them both small." He assured her.
"You're right about that but still…" she trailed off.
"You're all wasting your time."
Natsu and Lucy looked over there shoulder at their beaten opponent who had been tied up in ropes. His comrades were off to the side, hoping to avoid a tongue lashing again after they had 'reunited' several minutes prior. Yuka looked at him while Toby continued to comfort Sherry who was downtrodden at letting Lyon down.
Gray looked up at him from the rock he sat on several meters away. Erza spared the ice mage a glance, not willing to turn her body away from the direction of the temple.
"It should be me facing Deliora right now. And Garlic Jr., knowing what I do now of course." Lyon told them.
They could all tell he was being a sore loser about this. Plus there were too many deep seeded personal issues concerning his past and his ego to also consider.
"Shaddup will ya? You lost and we won. Get over yourself already." Natsu shot back somewhat lazily.
"And you tainted the sacrifice your master made to protect you. I thought she meant a lot to you Lyon. How could you do something to dishonor her memory like that?" Lucy responded with a slight glare.
Lyon just narrowed his eyes and scoffed off to the side. The rest of Lucy's teammates was going to let it go. Natsu didn't fight him but he backed up Gray when Gray was trying to get through to Lyon with both his fists and his words. Erza didn't need to do a thing after tying the mage up herself. She was honestly disgusted with his actions but she was relieved to know he didn't kill anyone. But Lucy… no way would she let this go.
She took a step towards the ice mage but Natsu quickly took hold of her wrist that had taken its place off his shoulder. She leveled a challenging stare over to her partner who met her gaze head on. He shook his head softly, communicating a silent message for her not to press the issue. She relented slowly and crossed her arms beneath her bosom. As much as she wanted to lash out at the ice mage for his callousness, it wasn't entirely her place to do so. Natsu knew this too plus he figured that Lyon had enough verbal lashings from today to last a lifetime.
Things went back to silence for a few moments before a tremor rocked the land. The camp buzzed with activity as off in the distance an explosion went off without warning. The mages that had been at the camp entrance covered their eyes for a moment before looking off in the distance… and seeing a large smoke plume along with an eruption of flames in the distance.
Something had gone terribly wrong…
Although they were enemies at one point, Yuka, Toby and Sherry all joined Fairy Tail's strongest group, spread out in their own stances. Happy was slightly behind Lucy's leg as she took her place next to Natsu. Lyon had managed to stand and was simply hunched over as he hung back in the rear. Though he had learned his lesson, the spirit of defiance was still there. There was no way he was leaving his 'team' and his former opponents to do what he was meant to do.
They collectively waited a moment while the villagers and victims of Deliora had fallen back into the safety of the camp. Although most had hidden themselves away in the buildings, the braver ones stayed outside to provide any support to the mages they could while also providing security for the non-combatants. Everyone waited with bated breath before another explosion went off in the distance, more fires springing in its wake.
Natsu kept his eyes forward before some tingling sensation in the back of his skull told him to look up. His eyes picked up something small in the night sky, the moon providing the necessary illumination to alert to him that something was incoming.
"Heads up!" He alerted everyone.
Everyone's eyes snapped towards the sky and immediately panicked filled their very being. Natsu quickly grabbed Lucy and Happy before setting the standard for what everyone else should be doing… getting the fuck out of dodge.
The mages had all leaped away from what was the impact zone for a new threat. As soon as said threat made its landing, Natsu had hugged both Lucy and Happy close to his body in order to give them protection. Everyone else simply covered their heads and eyes. When the dust settled, everyone opened their eyes and were ready to greet their new arrival in force. But whatever they had in mind wouldn't matter.
Everyone immediately paled, eyes widening and bodies frozen in place. Even Natsu couldn't help but be shocked and a bit fearful at what he was seeing. Standing there in all its fearsome glory was a newly resurrected Deliora. The demon's skin had darkened a bit, its eyes glowed an ominous blood red, horns on the head lengthened and there were veins across the demon's body that bulged in a way that seemed unnatural.
But what got the Dragon Slayer's attention as well as everyone else's was what was protruding from Deliora's torso. Although his appearance had changed, his scent had not. Looking down on the mages from what was considered to be a comfortable perch was…
"Garlic Jr.?!" Lyon yelled out enraged.
Said Makyan cackled in response. The only visible part of him that the mages could see were his torso and his head. The rest of his body had connected to Deliora's internals as a way to control the demon. All the magic and Ki he funneled into the demon was paying off. He could squash anyone who dared stand against him. But he wanted to savor this moment. He was going to brag about his plan to Lyon, kill him before slaughtering everyone else and then… watch Bardock drown in despair at the results of the slaughter.
The Makyan peered down at the mages, who had recovered somewhat from his grand entrance.
"What is the meaning of this? You tricked me!" Lyon continued, visibly seething.
Garlic Jr. grinned a grin that unsettled everyone but the angry ice mage. He was enjoying this moment to the fullest.
"And? You were the one that fell for it. If you should be angry at anyone it should be yourself you rotten brat." Garlic Jr. responded.
Lyon felt a vein bulge in his forehead before he used his magic to break out of his restraints. The others glanced at him quickly before returning their attention to the demon. They all understood why Lyon was angry, if they were in his shoes they would be too.
"You believed my sob story even not even a shred of it was true. Your advisor had every right to advise you on how to deal with me. I was never trustworthy and to be honest I enjoyed every moment of taking your so called destiny away minute by minute."
Lyon's eyes widened before he slowly let his head tilt down so he could glare at the ground. His fists were clenched and an icy mist gathered in both of them. Sherry looked over at Lyon in concern while everyone else kept their eyes on Garlic Jr., waiting for him to make his move instead of watching the guy gloat. But villains and their egos…
"And best part was you weren't even the main mission. Taking your dreams away, tormenting all these people, that was an added bonus for me!" He ended with a cackle.
Lyon fell to his knees, gritting his teeth as he scowled at the dirt. It was bad enough that this whole journey to prove himself had been nothing but a waste in the end. Gray was right. That blonde was right. Salamander was right. He had disgraced himself, tainted Ur's sacrifice and worst of all signed the death warrants of everyone on the island and possibly the world. And all for what?
Sherry knelt by Lyon's side and placed a hand on his shoulder to offer some sort of comfort. He accepted it without a visible reaction and Sherry was thankful her crush didn't shrug her off.
"Hey you pointy eared bastard! Where's Bardock?" Natsu growled as he shifted into a ready stance.
Garlic Jr. stopped his cackle to look over at the salmon haired teen. He continued grinning before forming a response.
"Oh don't worry about him. He's indisposed at the moment. I want him to see the results about what I'm about to do to all of you and those rodents who are hiding behind you." He replied with a sinister glint in his eyes.
"Requip!"
A light shined in the midst of the group. Erza had changed armors again, this time instead of Heaven's Wheel, the scarlet haired teen opted for her Black Wing armor. The female swordsman got into a fighting stance, sending a defiant and frosty glare towards the Makyan. Natsu let his hands burst aflame while Gray got into his stance.
"You won't lay a hand on the villagers you fiend! This is as far as you go!" Erza roared.
Garlic Jr. was about to deliver a very powerful retort… when all of a sudden a boulder impacted his back. Deliora's form stumbled forward slightly, taking the mages by surprise and of course Garlic Jr. as well. He made Deliora turn its body slightly towards the disturbance.
"What the hell…!" Garlic Jr. shouted.
Seconds after he looked back in the direction of the temple, the eyes of Deliora caught something in the sky. A figure had eclipsed the moon and was coming down at a rapid pace. A furry fist impacted the side of Deliora's face before the demon was promptly kicked in the sternum. The kick was powerful enough to send Deliora flying before the demon carrying its puppet master had fell to the dirt, skidding along the way.
Deliora's large form slowly rose from the ground and Garlic Jr. was trying to shake the discomfort he was feeling at the moment. After getting his bearings, Garlic Jr. opened his eyes to glare at the person or thing that interrupted his moment of triumph. What he saw shocked him and would stick with the immortal for so long he lived.
"What?!"
Great Ape Bardock vs Garlic Jr (Fused with Deliora)
[Start "Voices"]
The mages looked on in awe and slight fear at the large creature that stood before them. But when everyone did a double take they were able to recognize the creature wore the same clothing as a certain warrior with palm tree hair.
The leg sleeves on the boots had light damage to them, there were a few small tears in the tights while the torso armor had obviously seen better days. The right hip protector was damn near gone while only half of the left one remained. But the clothes weren't the only thing that got everyone's attention.
The beast had a tail, brown fur covering most of its bodies and red eyes with no pupils. Judging by its posture and its stance… this beast was an ally, an angry one at that.
The Great Ape let out a tremendous roar, clenched fists at its sides. Before anyone could dare comment on the sudden events, Great Ape Bardock crouched before soaring across the jungle towards an unsuspecting Garlic Jr./Deliora, who had numbly climbed to his feet.
Thus began the clash of titans…
Bardock used his cocked back fist to send Garlic Jr./Deliora back in the direction of the temple, making the pair fall once more. Bardock landed on his feet before letting out another roar. He glared over at the demonic pair, challenging them to get up.
Garlic Jr./Deliora slowly clambered to their feet again, the flames from the results of their combined power at their back along with the ruins of the temple. Behind Bardock was the undisturbed grounds where his team and everyone else was. Garlic Jr. glared furiously at the Great Ape. He had been taking by surprise by another meddlesome monkey, only this time it was someone older and more powerful than last time.
("No! No! No! No! This was supposed to be my moment of triumph! My moment to exert my power and continue with my plans but now…!") He thought with increasing rage.
"Damn you! Why won't you just die!" The Makyan yelled.
Deliora prepped an energy beam, a favorite from its past seeing how it was the 'Demon of Destruction'. Instead of leveling the landscape like it usually would, the demon's master ordered Deliora to fire the beam directly at Bardock. A beam of power went straight for Bardock, who had raised his arms up to block the attack, burning away his other arm sleeve but not harming him in the slightest. However the attack did push him back a few dozen feet before the attack detonated, causing a large cloud to envelop the Ape's form.
Letting his fury and relentlessness all out, Bardock brought his arms back down before charging forward. Garlic Jr./Deliora was once again blindsided by a punch, an uppercut this time that took the pair off their feet for a moment. Bardock then continued releasing his anger by getting the Garlic Jr./Deliora with a left cross before getting them again with a right hook in succession. Bardock traded off between utilizing crosses, jabs and hooks for several seconds before leaping up in the air and bringing his hands together. Bardock then performed an ax handle smash on top of Deliora's head that had left the demon and its master delirious.
Giving the pair no time to recover, Bardock performed a flip kick that sent his fused opponents soaring high into the sky before they fell back down to earth in the most ungraceful way. Bardock growled, not bothering to rattle off insults or waste his breath. Immortal or not, Garlic Jr. needed to fall and Deliora needed to rest in pieces like a good little (not so little) etherious.
Garlic Jr./Deliora stood once again and this time they were on the offensive. The pair rushed forward before locking hands with Bardock. Garlic Jr. felt he should have been able to push Bardock back and he was able to. However, something in Garlic Jr.'s subconscious was warning him. That warning was too little too late…
Bardock had baited Garlic Jr. into pushing him back a small distance before the Saiyan reared his head back and delivered a vicious head-butt to Deliora's cranium. The Saiyan followed through by hopping in the air and delivering a drop kick to Deliora's torso. The pain doubled for both the Etherious demon and its master as they let go of both of Bardock's hands. They stumbled back a bit as Bardock landed on his feet once more.
But the pair managed to get in a good attack when Bardock had let his guard down for a split second. While trying to regain their footing, Deliora's hand fired off a blast at Bardock's torso. The sheer force sent Bardock flying back towards where the mages and civilians were. He crashed back first with a pained grunt. It seemed whatever injuries he sustained from earlier were giving him slight issues.
("Damn him. I need to end this. Now.") Bardock growled internally.
The Great Ape ignored whatever noise was coming from behind him. His focus was on one thing and one thing only… Winning this fight.
Bardock rose to his feet slowly, while doing so he could hear Garlic Jr. cackling across the island. It seemed he was using Ki and magic to amplify his voice.
"Fool! You have no idea the power of an immortal! Screw that witch and screw the mission! I'm going to enjoy killing you!" The Makyan declared maniacally.
Bardock shifted his feet, feeling a surge of power build within his being. It was an all or nothing attack that was going to have a devastating impact on the landscape and his opponent. Garlic Jr. had his puppet prep another energy beam, this time one that was bigger than the one before. It seems Garlic Jr. was pouring a lot of power into this one if what Bardock sensed was true.
Bardock's eyes lit up a moment before he reared his back and brought it back forward… unleashing a powerful mouth beam in the direction of Garlic Jr./Deliora. The pair had fired off their own beam with the belief that their own attack would maybe match and overpower whatever Bardock was trying to do. But to their everlasting horror, the beam held for only a few seconds before being swallowed by Bardock's own beam.
The beam impacted Garlic Jr./Deliora, swallowing both up and carrying them off the island before an explosion detonated miles off the island shore. As Deliora's body started to distentigrate, Garlic Jr.'s body had weakened and he could feel his power draining. Despite being immortal, he still had the glaring weakness of Ki reserves that weren't limitless.
"Curse you, you filthy monkey! I will kill you and Goku! Mark my words! You haven't seen the last of-"
As he was close to being left in a weakened state, a portal appeared and whisked him away. Deliora's body was soon nothing but ashes. The Demon of Destruction was truly no more.
Bardock ceased his beam, smoke billowing from his mouth before looked to the sky and the moon. He let out a thunderous roar of triumph, declaring to the world he had truly arrived.
("Who's next?") He thought while grinning internally.
[End Playback]
Fight Over! Bardock Wins!
As Bardock continued to roar on into the night, everyone who had witnessed the clash were stupefied. Lyon was on his knees looking on in stunned silence while Sherry held onto his arm. Yuka stood side by side with Toby, both sharing gob smacked expressions.
"And this is what we could have fought? I'm honest to any deity happy that he's with Fairy Tail." Yuka commented.
Toby could only nod numbly and hum in agreement.
Gray let his hands hang uselessly by his side. He took a deep breath before exhaling and looking to the starry sky. He had somber smile on his face as he had finally seen to day where his personal issues could be laid to rest somewhat.
("Thank you for everything Ur. We did it. We finally won when it mattered most. I miss you teacher and I can't express how it feels to finally be free of that demon.")
Gray took a moment to exhale again before closing his eyes.
"It's over…" he murmured softly.
Natsu and Erza stood side by side proudly smiling at Bardock's showing of power and tenacious win. Lucy had hugged Happy to her chest and both were cheering to their hearts content at how the crisis had finally ended.
"I knew he could do it! That was freaking amazing! I'm so gonna ask him how he turned all monkey on us when he gets back!" He declared with a giddy smile.
Erza let out a light chuckle at Natsu's statement. Her little brother could be such a child at times but that's just one of the many things she never wanted to change about him. The knight looked on at Bardock as he continued to roar triumphantly into the night.
("Well done Bardock.") She thought fondly.
Elsewhere on Galuna
She was lucky to escape the temple grounds when she could. Her disguise was useless thanks to Natsu Dragneel. But then she used every trick in her book to monitor any events on Galuna before leaving. Though she made the right decision staying, it had been difficult for her to maintain any bearing or composure to what she just witnessed. Garlic Jr. had outright used both her and Lyon to his own ends. It infuriated her that she allowed the brat to overrule her but she couldn't overstep her bounds since she was just an 'advisor'.
Anyways, when she witnessed the clash between Garlic Jr. and Bardock (who she assumed transformed into the Ape), she was left in a state of awe. Never before had she seen power of that magnitude since her own master. Hell, she would even dare say the clash went beyond the powers of her master. Of course though, she would never say that out loud.
She sat on a tree branch, legs swinging freely as she had both arms on top of her crystal ball. Her chin was propped up by one of her hands as she looked on with an appreciative and almost fond look at the beast who had come out of the bout victorious. She allowed herself a true smile before closing her eyes. Although this mission didn't turn out the way she hoped she still got something out of it. And it was all thanks to one man.
"You really are something else Bardock…"
A/N: And done!
Voices by Disturbed
You know how DBZ sometimes transitions its episodes and such? Like how certain things happen at the end of one episode and things occur differently in the beginning of the next? Happened with this chapter when Team Natsu went to the temple.
Also, apologies for the long wait but I am back in the game.
To summarize my absence, I found work and had to do some stuff, didn't have access to my laptop until December 2019, and when I finally started writing again it took me a month of procrastination and distraction to finally finish a majority of this chapter.
Will I be updating my other story? Yes I will.
Will I be posting new stories? Yes and Maybe. Lol (It's complicated right now so sue me)
Anyways, to recap Bardock unleashed his Great Ape form, Gray beat Lyon, Lucy got a key and everything is going swell. Next chapter ends the Galuna Island arc. The chapter after the next one will be the filler chapter leading into the Phantom War Arc.
Honestly, this chapter will likely be revised at a later date but I'm satisfied with how it turned out considering I haven't touched it in a while. I've been reading stories on the sight but just haven't touched my own unless it was to review my material and see what adjustments I could make.
Anyways, you know the drill. Recommend the story, favorite it, follow it, review it. You guys are awesome as always and I'm glad to be back. Time to ring in the new year and new decade right.
See ya later!