A maelstrom of lightning surrounded the scores of Acnologius troops. Laxus couldn't see any of them behind their little masks, but could tell in their slight speed reduction that they had some second thoughts of challenging the sailing Fairy Tail guild.
He couldn't count how many there were. For now it was best to focus on those right in front of him that aimed magical staffs down at him. Did Acnologius even have any S-Class wizards he needed to concern himself with?
Laxus pulled back a fist and shot lightning upward, arcing it through a line of Acnologius troops. He bounced off of the back of one, kicked down two more, and flipped about in the air to crush three more troops. An easy first gesture. Two magical blasts deflected off of him, almost like little potshots meant to get his attention, as a black dragon soared down at him.
Reflexively, Laxus destroyed it.
A massive orb of lightning destroyed the black dragon spell—not that Laxus ever thought it was a real one—as well as the three wizards it took to conjure it. Laxus reached up and snagged a set of the black wings from a falling wizard, ripped them off, and quickly tied them about his chest.
He remained airborne, as the wings were powered by his magic. The falling Acnologius wizards sounded off and slowed down, and one by one encircled Laxus in a multi-layer ring of Dark Wizards. Laxus remained where he was, letting them get in their little formation.
"Just curious what made you think anything like this was a good idea?" Laxus asked while his aura sparked little bits of lightning.
"We are sparing you a much worse pain," one of the wizards lost in the crowd said. "And for you specifically, Laxus Dreyar, avenging our champion."
"Listen if you guys want to remotely put yourselves in the conversation with Acnologia the least you can do is put up a challenge," Laxus said. "You've got like ten members flailing around in the ocean while my guild gets away." He clapped his fist into an open palm and cracked his knuckles while more lightning crackled around him. "And it's not getting any better for the rest of you."
"A single wizard cannot stand up to the might of an entire guild," another member said, and the others grunted or shouted in agreement. "Even one as formidable as you will wear down against all of us."
Laxus just nodded. "Maybe not. But this conversation is definitely wearing me down." He shrugged. "But just like your champion, you all really like to hear yourselves talk rather than actually do anything."
"Do not insult the great Acnologai!"
A great mass of magic swelled behind Laxus that he obliterated without having to look. He filled his fist with lightning and punched forward so a straight bolt zapped through an entire line of Acnologius wizards, dismantling those that surrounded him. Laxus launched into the crowd.
He took two down with a single fist and then cast, "Lightning Dragon Roar!" point blank on a few and then to several more, knocking them right out of the sky with a bit of a singe on them. He caught the sword of another with his bare hand and cast lightning through it before kicking the sword-bearer back into his allies.
Laxus ducked beneath one spell and absorbed the blow of two massive conjured dragons that tried to drag him toward the ocean. He managed to break them apart before hitting the water, ensuring no lightning could cast out and harm Fairy Tail, then used the black wings to lance across the sky toward a few of the Acnologius members that'd broken away and were headed toward Fairy Tail.
"Lightning Dragon Iron Fist!"
He got there when they were about a hundred feet away from Fairy Tail, slamming into one that was armed with a magic cannon and completely shattered the thing, forcing it to explode in their faces. All four members dropped immediately into the water that rocked from the impact of the explosion. Laxus blasted through the smoke toward the once-more-descending forces.
"Now we're talking, boys, this is a good little warmup!" Laxus shouted, ripping through two more members and using them as a pad to leap off.
He slammed into another magical conjuration—they only got stronger, meaning the real wizards hid in the back of the crowd—and still destroyed it. He grabbed one of the members by the head and flung them back into the sky, then closed his fist. The lightning mine he placed on that member erupted and shot lightning to any nearby living thing, taking them down too.
Laxus used the distraction to slam into a wizard that wore armor to lessen the blow of his attack. A shame the armor didn't cover their face as Laxus roundhouse kicked them away and took the blow of another before ducking beneath the dark mist spell of one behind him.
He sighed as ten final Acnologius members remained floating near him. Laxus took in a bit of a breath.
"That was some big talk for someone who grows tired," one of them said. They all had that same armor on. They held their hands up.
A great magic circle appeared from the darkened sky and two massive talons precluded the arrival of the visage of Acnologia, clearly with a few things wrong, like how he still had a left arm. The fake Acnologia roared in a lower pitch than Laxus remembered, too. Laxus pursed his lips.
"Acnologius stands as the harbingers of darkness and destruction of this world!" one of the wizards exclaimed. "Who are you to—?"
Fast as a bolt of lightning, Laxus punched him across the face, shutting him up.
"You know exactly who we are," Laxus said, and kicked away another before zapping one next to him. Acnologia took a swipe at him.
Laxus blocked with ease and punched Acnologia right across the face. Oh, that felt so good!
"We're Fairy Tail!" Laxus roared. "And this is our power!"
Laxus blew through the massive spell of one of their elite and shouldered him square in the chest.
"Lightning Dragon Jaw!"
The attack obliterated that member, sending him careening down while the one behind him felt the sheer impact of the blow and was knocked aside. Acnologia took another swipe at Laxus, who deflected it with ease and used more of just his raw strength to blast down that Acnologius member.
"You've been inactive for so long, how are you this strong?" roared a member.
Laxus spun around. They'd lined themselves up so nicely. Laxus held out his hand and a weapon of pure lightning appeared in it.
"Inactive doesn't mean I haven't done anything," Laxus said. "I have a family to protect. I have family to avenge. Lightning Dragon Heavenward Halberd!"
He launched the spell toward the Acnologius members as the faux Acnologia dove at him from the magic circle. The spell shot straight through Acnologia and destroyed the final members of Acnologius, as well as rid the sky of its darkness in one brilliant flash of lightning.
Laxus watched Acnologius fall around him. He clenched a fist and wiped a little sweat off his brow.
"And I'm not tired," Laxus said. "Air's just a little thin up here. Idiots."
Gray couldn't help but give a little laugh while Laxus descended back to his boat as all of Acnologius crashed in the water. He wasn't even sure if he could just call Laxus a showoff or just efficient. They could've all easily taken down Acnologius, but would have damaged the ships in the process.
He was both worried and excited at having Laxus with them. On one hand, Laxus was a juggernaut of Fairy Tail. On the other hand, it left the guild practically wide open. They needed to rely on other guilds for protection if things were to go south in Eliasvil.
Then again, Natsu and Lucy weren't with them. Were they staying back to protect Fairy Tail? Nah, no way. Natsu wouldn't miss the chance to beat the crap out of his old man.
Gray approached the helm. Juvia smiled at him and immediately latched him into a hug. Naturally. The Mercphobia sailed well, as did the other two ships. Everyone aboard their ship sang along and chatted like normal.
"So nice to be out on a nice cruise with my hubby," Juvia said.
"I don't think this is the cruise any of us had in mind," Gray said.
Juvia squeezed tighter. "Just feels so at home out on the open seas with you. The call of the ocean, the salty smells, the rocking boat."
Gray blushed but that last one still piqued his interest. Juvia nuzzled against him and gave one last squeeze before returning her attention to the seas that'd gotten just a bit tumultuous. Thankfully last night Juvia deactivated her spell and they just relied on the natural push of the ocean to advance the ships while the helms continued to steer themselves.
"Are you going to continue your Abyssal magic training today?" Gray asked.
Juvia nodded. "Valla suggested I keep it up. I think I'm making good progress. I may even be able to increase our speed to get us to Quora a half day faster." She shrugged. "Maybe. I'm not sold on that yet."
"That'd be great, sweetheart," Gray said, and kissed the top of her head.
Valla's words from Crocus echoed in his mind. Words that foretold Demon magic within Juvia now.
He closed his right hand, the dark mark hidden beneath his skin pulsing. He could sense something brewing in Juvia's heart. Nothing as potent as he felt with Tartaros or even other Abyss-Born, but…
Gray wrapped his arm around her and looked back out to the wide-open seas with his wife. He pushed Valla out of his mind as much as he could.
As twilight settled in later in the day, Gray perched up in the crow's nest with his legs up, watching as Juvia practiced her magic well-beneath the surface of the water so it wouldn't affect the ships. But they could all sense it. Her magic power had grown immensely, as if she'd unlocked her Second Origin again.
He rubbed some of the tiredness from his eyes. There was a certain tranquility yet ferocity to what she did and the spells she used.
Gray leaned his head back and stared at the darkening sky above.
The wood of the mast creaked until a little bob of red appeared and then Erza emerged, smiling at Gray.
"Bored, too?"
"Not bored, just need someone to talk to or my thoughts will rip my mind apart." Erza leaned against the railing. "It's beautiful, isn't it? The ocean?"
"Yeah," Gray said. He stood and joined his oldest friend. Juvia emerged in a massive cyclone of dark water before pouring herself back down into the water and sending ripples of power out beneath the waves.
"She's truly incredible," Erza said. "And has progressed so much since the war with Alvarrez."
"Even since our own little civil war," Gray said.
"You're worried."
"I am."
"I know you're not usually one to talk about these things, Gray, but you've also never been the type to get married."
Gray sighed. She had him there.
"Valla, the Abyss-Born who's been training Juvia, told me that there was Demon magic in her. Maybe not specifically that but something like it, and I can sense it."
"She seems fine to me. And you had Demon magic and were fine, too."
"Until I found out Natsu was E.N.D. Until I was possessed by Claudia."
Erza pursed her lips. "I understand. You fear that this may be a small virus that will spread a large infection?"
"Basically. Problem is I don't know how to stop it. And Juvia enjoys the magic, she always tells me that it's fulfilling her."
"Well as you say, Gray, it was just those two incidents. One of which you were purposefully provoked and the other you were possessed. You weren't truly yourself. The same may be said for Juvia. Besides, Valla was the most powerful of the Abyss-Born and you defeated her. If anything happens to Juvia, we can take care of Valla again to set things right."
"You're right. Like always. It's why you're the Guild Master."
Erza blushed and shook her head. "Oh, no. There were no other options. Gildarts and Laxus would've turned it down and…"
"You deserved it, and you continue to do so."
Titania fell silent. Gray knew exactly what she was going to lament on, and tried to come up with comebacks for when she would say—
"I failed Wendy and Carla," Erza said. "And I'm leading us into war."
"First Master and Gramps did that, too, and we turned out okay. With Gramps we were fighting against Zeref and Acnologia and basically twelve of the strongest wizards in the world. This time it's what, maybe eight? And we're a lot stronger and we've got Gildarts here from the start."
"Whose strength is not what it used to be," Erza said.
Gray raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Gildarts is still an incredibly powerful wizard, but I've seen it and so has Cana: his strength is failing him. His magic is taking its toll. It was never all that sustainable, and the overexerted usage against Alvarrez and recently Vothorm has taxed him." Erza gripped the railing tightly. "I fear the rest of us may have caught up to Gildarts."
"Then we have a bunch of Gildarts on our side, and Gildarts still has experience. Come on, Erza, pick your head up. I'm supposed to be the one with the doom and gloom. You know we'll get Wendy back, wherever she is."
"She's with them," Erza said, her voice stout. "She's with Baylan and Vothorm, I know it."
Gray clasped Erza's armored shoulder. "Good. Then she'll be within reach of us and we can get her back."
"I know, I just can't help but think of what they've done to her."
"Nothing she can't take. Wendy's a tough kid. Heck, what if she broke out, what if she's escaped?"
Erza smiled. "Such an optimist, indeed."
"It's the only thing keeping me steady." Just then, Juvia once more burst from the water to practice another spell, then sank back down. "Also my wife is getting strong enough to kick my ass, so, that also keeps me steady."
Erza burst out a laugh and Gray couldn't hold one back himself. As the sun set on their first day of travel, the two old friends continued to share laughs and smiles while the guild sailed onward to uncharted territory and to war.
