Back with the continuation
"speaking"
""thinking""
On with the story
"What the hell was that pain in my gut?" Sting slowly rose to his feet, his hand still rested on his sore abdomen. "You alright, Rogue?"
"Yeah." Rogue stood next to his friend and looked around the battlefield for Mard Geer.
"What happened to that guy with the book?"
"Beats me." Sting shrugged. "But we should probably find him."
"Agreed."
Mard Geer had escaped during Sting and Rogue's bout with pain, watching from a view the battle in the sky
"Wings of Darkness, Acnologia and King of the Fire Dragons, Igneel." Mard Geer said as he watch the two dragons battled each other
"Mard Geer, will not allow either of you to interfere in Master's game. In fact you have only inspired Mard Geer to further improve the game. Thus Mard Geer have decided that you forgotten breed will be destroyed this day!"
With Erza
Erza and the others inside of the broken control room watched the battle between dragons from below.
"are those….dragons!?" Minerva said in shock
Erza looks at the battle of dragons in the sky as she can feel her brand glowing and burning as she clutched it
""could that be Igneel? The Dragon that raised Natsu?"" Erza thought as she looks at the battle
"What are those creatures doing here?! Was this you're doing, Mard Geer?!" Kyôka exclaimed
With END
END sets down Sayla near a cliff and place Franmalth beside her
"don't let her get harmed" END said as he snaps his fingers and a black barrier appeared around Sayla and Franmlath before disappearing
"yes, Master. But may I ask where are you going?" Franmalth asked him as END turns around and looks to the battle in the sky
"Continuing the game" END said before he disappeared into thin air
With Natsu and the others
"Are you ok, Gajeel?" Levy asked. She helped him to a sitting position.
"What the hell is going on here?" the iron dragon grumbled. The pain he felt earlier was gone, but he still had plenty of questions. He turned to Natsu.
"Salamander! Is that really Igneel fighting up there?! Was he inside you this whole time?!"
"How should I know?!" he snapped at him.
"he…..he died that day….i saw him die in front of my own eyes" Natsu muttered out as an image of Igneel dying appeared in his mind
Natsu wiped his tears before summoning Enryuo no Yoroi on him
"but I'm going to get some answers!" Natsu exclaimed as he spreads his wings and flies up while ignited his feet to increase his speed
"Natsu, wait!" Lucy hollered.
"He can't be thinking of getting in the middle of that fight." Yukino hoped.
"Unfortunately, yes, he is." Juvia confirmed.
"Does he ever think before he acts?" Levy sighed.
"IGNEEL!" Natsu roared.
The dragon looked to the dragon slayer with irritation.
"What are you doing here, boy?! I told you to stay back until I was done!"
"Not a chance!" Natsu grabbed onto Igneel's tail and climbed the length up to his back. "We're talking right now!"
"Foolish child!"
Natsu bombarded the angered dragon with questions.
"How are you still alive?! Didn't you die that day!? How in the world did you get inside my body without me noticing?! What happened on the day you passed away!?"
"Shut up!" Igneel hit Acnologia with his tail and followed up with a breath of fire that engulfed the black dragon.
He grabbed Natsu from his shoulder and held the dragon slayer in his claw.
"That was awesome." Natsu praised in awe.
"No, that barely even scratched him," Igneel told Natsu as the black dragon emerged from the wreckage with a roar with not a scratch on his body.
Igneel's instincts began to set in, causing him to smirk in anticipation of Acnologia's return to the air.
"I'm all fired up!" He then looked to the human in his clutches. His irritation returned.
"You're in the way, Natsu."
"What's that supposed to mean?!" The dragon slayer complained.
"I haven't got my answers, and you're already trying to get rid of me?!"
"I told you before that we will talk after I've finished off Acnologia. Besides, you have your own job to attend to."
Natsu looks at him in confusion. "I do?"
Igneel nodded. "You're in that guild-whatever it is, aren't you? Well I have an official request." He turned Natsu around. "Do you see down there?"
Natsu squinted. "What am I looking at? I can barely see anything from this high up."
"There should be a demon down there with a book in his hand."
Natsu focused and saw Mard Geer standing on a cliff looking at the sky
"yeah, I see him" Natsu replied to him
"Good, your job is to steal the book he is holding and bring it to me."
Natsu looks at him as he was still confused "Why should I? I'd rather beat the crap out of Acnologia first"
Natsu told his father as he punches his fist to an open palm
"Because this is a job only you can do. I know you must be eager to fight him." Igneel explained to him.
"I guess so…" Natsu considered as he was more indifferent than anything about the idea. He was much more focused on Igneel at the moment.
"You must not open or destroy the book once you get it," Igneel instructed. "Just steal it and bring it back to me."
"What's the pay?"
"What?!"
"If you're giving me a job request then you have to give some kind of pay as a reward for doing it." Natsu explained.
"That's how it works."
Igneel's face twisted in an irritated frown as he pondered his son's terms.
"If you complete the request, I will tell you everything you wanted to know about."
"everything?" Natsu told him as Igneel nodded
"everything," Igneel told him as Natsu nodded
"Deal," Natsu said to his father
"And besides, I have some things I want to tell you too."
"I'm sure you do." Igneel drew back his hand and threw Natsu towards Mard Geer. "Go, Natsu!"
"Right! You better keep your promise!" Natsu shouted back to Igneel. "Don't go anywhere!"
"I promise." Igneel smiled. He turned back to Acnologia who was fast approaching him.
"Come, Acnologia! We're ending this here!"
The two dragons roared at each other before flying towards each other
Natsu flies towards Mard Geer as he summons Enryuo no Kiba to his side
""you! what do you think you're doing!?"" END shouted out to Natsu in the mind link
""I'm doing a job!"" Natsu replied to him
""a job!? I told you to stick with the plan!"" END told him with anger in his voice
""not when I got a job! A wizard of Fairy Tail always takes request no matter what it is!"" Natsu said before he got nearer to Mard Geer
Mard Geer watched Natsu fall towards him and his eyes widened. "Who?!"
"I'm Natsu Dragov! And I'm the son of Igneel!" Natsu punched Mard Geer and the demon blocked, but the impact still sent him sliding back.
"You're a dragon's son you say?" Before the dust completely settled, Natsu jumped forward and kicked Mard Geer further into the ruins.
Natsu landed on the ground. "I'm taking that book you got and then I'm going to stop Face!" he tapped his toes a couple of times before taking off again.
"After that, I'm going to take you down!"
Mard Geer could feel his interest rising again. "Really?"
""you bastard! You're ruining the game!"" END shouted to Natsu who ignores his shouting
""tsk!"" ""Mard Geer teach him a lesson!"" END ordered Mard Geer in the mind link as the Underworld king smirked
""with pleasure, Master"" Mard Geer replied to him
Natsu charged Mard Geer with frightening speed, his mind and body focused on the task given to him by Igneel.
Mard Geer stood his ground and held out his palm to the advancing Dragon Slayer.
"Ibara Rambu!"
The sharpened vines rose from the ground in all angles, crisscrossing one another, but Natsu deftly evaded them all.
Mard Geer's eyes went wide with shock. He's dodging them on his first try?! When Natsu was closer he drew back his fist, coating it in flames.
"Karyu no!" Natsu chanted out as Igneel dashed towards Acnologia
"Tekken!"
Both Father and Son struck their opponents with their ignited fists, their flames roaring all around.
Mard Geer fell to his back and rolled a few meters away from Natsu.
He rose to a sitting position, his smirk growing more sadistic.
""it would seem that Master's clone is not to be taken lightly"" Mard Geer thought before he stood to face Natsu again and focused his telepathy.
""Kyôka. Can you hear me?!""
with Erza
In the remains of the control room Kyôka heard her Guild Master's call as she and Erza briefly stopped their battle to watch the dragons' war overhead.
""Mard Geer-sama?""
""I want those nuisances out of the sky."" He ordered as he was referring to the dragons battling overhead.
""detonate the Face bombs more earlier than scheduled. You are in the control room now, yes?"
""Yes, but there are complications. Both Sayla and Keyes have been defeated by the humans. We have no way to activate the system with the chairman dead.""
""That is no problem. The means to activate the bombs lie within you.""
Kyôka was stunned at the revelation. ""How?""
""All you need do is establish an organic link with the main lacrima in the center of the control room. This will allow you to become the detonation key and set the bombs at your leisure. When you do this, not only will the wizards be rendered powerless, the dragons will be without life force as well. And once it is done, our victory will be assured! Now go fulfill our destiny, Kyôka!"" Mard Geer ordered her
""But Master, if this one was to establish an organic link with that level of magic power…this one will die!""
""I know this. Are you afraid of death, Kyôka?""
A bead of nervous sweat fell from Kyoka's face as she considered Mard Geer's words.
""don't die, that is all I ask of you""
Her Master's words rang in her mind as she choose on either putting her duty above her feelings.
she narrowed her eyes in determination.
""No. This one will gladly lay down her life in service of Master END and Lord Zeref.""
Kyôka looked up and created a line to the giant lacrima overhead with her claws. She then pulled herself up, landing on the underside of the ball.
"What is she doing?!" Erza shouted.
Kyôka dug the rest of her claws into the lacrima and began to drain its energies. It was more painful than anything she had ever felt, but she pushed forward for the sake of her mission. As she continued filtering the energies into her body, the lacrima shrank and little balls shot out in all directions.
"nyau meow? (What are those?)" Milo meowed while looking around the screen
"They seem to be some sort of icons?" Lily guessed.
Erza watches and tightened her grip on her sword. She had no idea what was happening. She looked around at the icons.
"Are those the number of Face bombs on the continent?"
Kyôka finished her process and suspended upside down from the shrunken lacrima.
"Organic Link complete. This one has now become the key for Face's detonation."
"What?"
"Why would she do that?" Lecter questioned.
"Sounds scary." Frosch shuddered.
Minerva grimaced at the thought. "She must intend to detonate the bombs early, Erza!"
Kyoka's superior smirk returned in full force.
"There is only course of action for you. You must kill this one!"
""forgive this one for not heeding your orders, Master"" Kyoka thought with a small sad smile
Erza looked up to the new Kyôka as her appearance fits that of a feathered demon
"You are certainly not lacking for confidence now." Erza observed. "Though you are still unable to foresee your own defeat."
"It would seem neither do you." Kyôka launched herself from the lacrima towards Erza.
"Witness the true power of the Goddess of the Slave Planet, Kyoka's, etherious form!" Like a gust of air the demon sped past Erza, slashing away pieces of the knight's armor and breaking her sword.
"She broke her armor with her bare hands?" Lily implored.
"Erza!" Minerva shouted.
"Damn, she's even faster than before." Erza requipped into her Blackwing armor.
Kyôka let out a blood-curling scream and the Face clock sped up. Everyone took alarming notice to this.
"We're losing time?!" Lecter blurted out.
"That's not fair." Frosch whined.
Minerva clenched her fists against the ground. "Dammit, she's speeding up the countdown. Erza, hurry!"
"I know!" Erza dashed towards Kyôka.
"You cannot defeat this one." The demon boasted. "This one's curse is strength enhancement. With each passing second this one's power increases without limits!"
"We'll see about that!" Erza slashed at Kyôka, but the demon jumped back, sliding down the slope below the lacrima. Erza jumped after her.
"Since this one is now connected to the detonator, the activation of the bombs will consume her life as well."
"What?!"
"However that is no cause for concern! As long as this one succeeds the plan for Master END , this one will gladly sacrifice herself!"
Erza requipped into her Purgatory armor and swung her club don upon Kyôka who evaded the attack once again.
"Why would you go that far for this?!"
"Because fate wills it!" Kyôka grabbed a broken pillar with her claws and threw it at Erza.
"All demons written within the Book of Zeref share the same desire to return to our Master! It is a homing instinct of sorts. We were created by Zeref so we shall return to his side."
Erza jumped over the pillar and requipped into her Heaven's Wheel armor. She sent swords to attack Kyôka.
"That's nonsense! All you've done is chosen death! You no longer follow the same path as your comrades!"
"Silence!" Kyôka screamed again and green streaks of lightning shot forth from her hands.
"What is this?!" Erza exclaimed as the lightning strucks her , breaking pieces of her armor away.
The lightning strikes at the others near the area as Minerva, Mirajane, Milo and the Exceeds were all struck by Kyoka's attack.
"What's happening to my body?" Erza exclaimed as her body tingles in pain
"Painful is it not?" Kyôka sauntered to her afflicted opponent.
"This one has enhanced your pain receptors to their absolute limit. Even the slightest breeze will cause you exquisite agony." Kyôka looked around to the others, her smirk widening as she watched them writhe in pain.
"It seems this one was unable to hold back. Her curse affected your friends as well."
Each breath Erza took was filled with pain and suffering. She writhed in pain as she can feel her body being pierced by hundreds of needles
Kyôka walks towards Erza as she kneels down and blow a breeze at her
"aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Erza screams in pain as the breeze felt like dozens of glass shards pierced her own body
The knight fell to her back and Kyôka stomped on her stomach. The pain was excruciating but Erza could no longer scream. Her voice had gone hoarse.
"This brings back memories does it not, Erza?" Kyôka taunted.
"Our time in the torture chamber was very precious to this one." Erza's body twitched from the horrible sensations covering her body. It felt as if she was being crushed by a massive weight.
The clock continued to countdown. There was now less than twenty minutes before the bombs detonated.
Kyôka reached down and broke off a piece of Erza's armor.
"Armor is unbecoming of you." She broke off another piece.
"After all you have such lovely skin." She continued to rip Erza's armor off of her while enjoying torturing her
When she was done peeling away Erza's armor as she was left with no armor other than loose scraps of clothing
Kyôka smiled in sick satisfaction as she laughs
"Your suffering is your final appeasement before this one departs from this world. You still have much to atone for, Erza! Much to suffer and despair for!" Kyôka raised her hand over her face.
"Now to rob you of your sight." She snapped her fingers and Erza's eyes began to cloud, her view of Kyôka going completely dark.
"Now for the rest of your senses."
One by one Erza could feel the loss of her senses. She no longer felt the rocks beneath her body. The taste of blood in her mouth was completely gone. The smell of burning flesh and putrid air was eliminated from her nostrils. The last thing she head was Kyoka's maniacal cackling. Everything had gone dark. She had reached a state of total sensory deprivation.
""I…I can't feel anything…"" Erza thought as she felt like she was in a void of nothingness
""am i….going to die?""
""stand up""
A voice spoke in Erza's mind as she hears the sound of explosions coming from her hearing that suddenly returned
""Stand up""
The voice spoke again as Erza can feel the rocks underneath her
""where is that voice coming from?"" Erza asked as she can't see anything
""Stand up""
The voice speaks again as Erza can smell the smoke and burned wounds from her nostrils
""where is it coming from?" Erza thought again before her visions returned but she was not at her battle with Kyôka
She was in a void of darkness before she sees in front of her a small spark of fire
Erza looks at the small fire before walking towards it
She reached the fire as it suddenly grows bigger and rage around like fireworks
""Stand up"" the voice spoke again before Erza sees something in the flames
Erza looks in the fire as Enryuo no Kiba appeared in the flames and floated to her
""use my power, Erza""
Enryuo no Kiba glowed to Erza as she grabs a hold of the sword and a bright red flash overtook the whole void
Kyôka rested her foot on Erza's chest, laughing uproariously at her victory as the knight's comrades tried to fight through the curse.
"Total victory is at last ours!" Kyôka proclaimed.
"While this one's soul may depart, humanity's future will go along with it!" She stepped on Erza's face and continued her tirade.
"You shall not die so easily, Erza! No, this one will present you to Master END as a plaything! You shall experience a fate much worse than death! He will rend both your body and soul apart piece by piece for all time!" Kyôka exclaimed as she pressed her foot harder on Erza's head.
"This one envies such a reward! You should be delighted to given that distinguished duty! Tell this one how grateful you are!"
"Thank…you..." Erza uttered.
"What?"
"Natsu…" Erza's fingers twitched.
"How?" Kyôka backed away from Erza, allowing the redhead to gingerly rise to her feet. Kyôka looked Erza's body up and down, noticing the glowing brand on her right shoulder.
"What is that?"
"This light has guided me ever since that day." Erza said as she can feel jolts of pain run through her body but she ignored it
"I don't know how but even when you're not here you protect me with this light. I will make it back to you, we will make it back to Rose and Mary, we will all make it back to Fairy Tail as a family!" Erza requipped into her hakama and sarashi to the shock of Kyôka as well as her own comrades.
"How can she stand with all of her senses gone?!" Minerva questioned.
"This is…not possible…" Kyôka quavered.
Erza thought of her friends. "Until I see them again-"she drew back her fist and struck Kyôka's chin with a hard uppercut.
"I have no right to feel pain!" Erza felt like her hand was shattering to pieces but she fought through it and clenched her fist harder.
"You wish to make me feel the ultimate pain?!" She shouted to Kyôka.
"As long as I have my friends and family you will never have that satisfaction!"
Minerva grinned. "There is the Erza I've grown fond of. That annoying sense of duty and honor only suits someone like her."
Kyôka stepped back and wiped the blood from her chin. "How was she able to land her strike?! She should be blind!"
She looks to Erza and her eyes widen in shock as to see Erza had regained her vision
""how!? This one had taken her sight!""
Kyôka stared at Erza with hatred and disgust.
"This one has taken all of her senses! Not only that but her pain receptors are amplified to their limits, she should be unable to stand! That strike was allowed because this one was being careless. It will not happen again."
Erza runs forward before kicking Kyôka's abdomen, making the demon grunts in pain
The demon gasped for air and slid back on her heels, clutching her aching abdomen. She glared at Erza.
"How is she able to strike this one when she can no longer hear or see?! How do you know this one's location?!" Kyôka fumed at the deaf woman.
"I can hear you!"Erza said as she glares at Kyôka
Erza rush towards Kyôka as she sends her fists at Kyôka
"she is regaining her senses?" Lector said in amazement as Erza was using her bare fists on hurting Kyôka
"but how?" Frosch asked confused.
"is a sixth or seventh sense developed when her other senses were taken?" Lily suggested
"nya nya meow (No, it's because she's Erza)" Milo meowed with a smile
"I'll buy that" the exceeds said
"Filthy human! You will pay!" Kyôka screamed as the timer on Face's countdown increased
"She's speeding up the clock again!" Minerva shouted.
"We're running out of time!" Lily added.
"Do you think you really stand a chance against a demon from the book of Zeref?! Learn your place!" Kyôka shouted as she dashed towards Erza with the later doing the same
"I nearly forgot that the demon's strength increases each passing second." Lily realized. "This is bad for Erza!"
"She has to find a way to counterattack or the time will run out!" Minerva said.
"this is the end!" Erza shouted as Enryuo no Kiba appears in her hands
Kyôka screams as she strikes her claw at Erza who ducks and slides and was now behind Kyôka
Kyôka quickly turns to look at Erza who had readied Enryuo no Kiba into a drawing stance
""How? Does she feel no pain? No fear? She's too...strong!""
"Haaaaaaaaaaa!" Erza slashed her sword at Kyôka as the demon was slashed by her blade
Kyôka fell to the ground as Erza stood a small ways past her, huffing in exhaustion.
Her entire body had gone numb, shutting itself down in order to protect itself from further pain.
""I….won"" Erza thought before she slowly wobbles around and then fell face first with Enryuo no Kiba clanging when dropped to the ground.
"Look!" Lecter pointed. "The timer!" Everyone looked to the clock. There were less than forty seconds left until detonation.
"Damn…" Minerva closed her eyes and switched places with Erza with her territory magic.
she grabbed Enryuo no Kiba and jumped into the air. She came down on Kyoka's chest with the point of the blade
SNAP!
A loud finger snap was heard as everything stopped
Kyôka looks up weakly at the blade near her heart before she hears footsteps
She turns her head to the side and smiled weakly
"Mas…ter" she muttered out in a whisper as END walks towards her
END kneels down beside her as he lifts up the blade a bit before pulling Kyôka into his arms
"forg..ive this one…Master…thi..one failed…you" Kyôka whispered to him as she stares at him
"it's okay, everything will be alright" END whispered to her as he carried her up in his arms and walked a bit away before looking to where Minerva stand frozen
He gritted his teeth one time before a made up copy of Kyôka appeared on the ground with Enryuo no Kiba's blade near the clone's chest
"Mard Geer will pay for failing me" END said before he walks away with Kyôka in his arms
SNAP!
Time flows back normally as Minerva plunged the sword at Kyôka's chest as she pierced it and killed the demon.
"I did it." Minerva exhaled. "It's over." She looked down at the dead Kyôka
She heard a rumbling and looked up to the lacrima, it was shaking.
Erza gets up and sees something that horrified her
00:00
FACE
"ON"
That's a wrap!
Bye bye