Chapter 29: The Fear of the Future
Deep in the mountains, Natsu stood silently, looking out to the horizon. He was breathing heavily. His face was covered in sweat. After having another mental struggle, he had not taken the chance to collect himself. Moments of panic, followed by hyperventilating, his mind constantly playing tricks on him. Images of his friends dying by his hands were driving the man to insanity.
The haunting voices called to him again, mocking his grief as despair.
'Kill them all..'
'They don't deserve forgiveness….'
'They will never understand….'
'You shouldn't feel sorry for them. They weren't your friends regardless….'
'Take revenge for how they turned against you….'
Natsu screamed towards the sky. "SHUT UP! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" He dropped his head towards the ground. Suddenly the voices faded away, only to be replaced with Bloodcurdling screams of his friends.
'Natsu!'
'Stop, please!'
'You're hurting me, Natsu!'
'You a monster!'
"SHUT UUUUUUP!" Natsu screamed at the top of his lungs. His breathing became more rugged and short. He managed to bring himself to his knees before leaning back and resting against the wall. Breathing softened and slowed down as he calmed himself down. He hid his eyes from the world with his forearm.
Natsu hated everything. This power in his possession. His friends were fearful of him. The gruesome murder he committed. The death of his father-in-law by his hands, but most of all, he hated himself. He felt weak and alone. The death of his wife and unborn child should have been the motivation to learn how to control them. Yet, after all this time, he failed to do so, which has affected the people he loved the most.
However, more surprising to him was after all the wrongs he enacted, Lisanna still stood by his side. Why? Why was she so adamant about helping him?
'Natsu, please…don't leave. I want to help you,' the woman's words replayed in his mind.
He slumped over in defeat. "Why…," the dragon mage sad in a low tone. "You saw what I did. Why don't you fear me…Shigure…"
Amid his inner turmoil, Natsu failed to notice a black-hair man standing a few feet away. The man dressed in an ancient-looking black robe with matching pants and boots. He stared at the sulking man with empathy.
"You have been suffering for too long, Natsu," the mysterious man said. Natsu slowly lifted his head and saw the man looking down at him. While not visible on his face, Natsu was undoubtedly surprised by the man's arrival.
'I didn't sense him…how did he do that?' he thought to himself. Natsu slowly rose to his feet while keeping his eyes on the man.
"Who are you?" He asked the man.
"Someone close," the black-haired man responded.
Natsu stared in confusion. He had never met this man before. A memory of Tenrou Island came back to him. A black-haired intruder attacked Elfman and Evergreen. The same man suddenly shed tears upon seeing Natsu when he saved his comrades from his black magic. "Wait. I remember now. You're that man who attacked Elfman and Ever all those years ago. The one with that black magic."
The man gave a sad smile. "Forgive me, Natsu. Harming your friends was not my intention." The man took a step closer. "However, I must ask. Can you consider those people your friends? They turned against when they saw your true power."
"Shut the hell up!" Natsu snapped. "You know nothing about my friends or me!"
The man looked at the man with a painful expression. "I know who you are, Natsu. I know of the hardships you've experienced. The physical and mental anguish you've endured. All for the hope you can see your friends again. Only for your actions to be in vain."
Natsu quickly grabbed the man by his collar.
"I don't know who the hell you are, but don't you dare act as if you understand what I've been through!"
"I do know. More than you realize." From underneath the man's feet, a black shadow appeared and started to stretch and spread. Natsu released his grip on the man's collar and watched the area around him decay and rot away. From the minimal plant life and the few birds fell from the sky dead. Though Natsu was standing in the middle of the black magic, he seemed to be unharmed. "Death. A natural part of life, yet when one can spread death just by the sheer thought, one would want to find a way to end this curse, only to fail at every turn. Instead, I have accepted what I am. An embodiment of death."
Natsu looked at the man with dread. "What are you?"
"A man who suffered from the ignorance and naivety of the gods," the black magic shrunk in and disappeared underneath the man's feet. "The Flames of Darkness…a curse to those wielding the power of the royal family. A result of the gods' stupidity."
"You know of the black flames?" Natsu stood shocked.
"You do not understand the significance of your existence, Natsu. The first being to wield the Flames of Darkness," he pointed to Natsu. "And the one responsible for the hell you experienced…is the one who taught you your power."
Natsu's eyes widened with disbelief. "What…you know who Igneel was?"
"Yes. I knew him personally. While he was not responsible for the curse plaguing his lineage, what you experience during your youth and forced to live through was due to his arrogance and negligence." The man's eyes turned from black to a red hue. His anger visible to Natsu.
The dragon mage growled at the man." Don't insult my father's name, you son of a bitch! Igneel raised me on his own. Out of the kindness of his heart."
"It was that 'kind heart' you speak of that caused all pain and suffering. The man being was guilty of many things. Interfering with human affairs, threatening and waging war against the elder gods, and above all, creating the weapon, known as Deathbringer and bringing both the dragons and humans together into war, to name a few."
Natsu could not respond. He raised him as if he were his son. For all the time he's known Igneel, he was a gentle dragon. He taught him how to love and how to live.
"How do you know all this?"
"You know so little and understand even less," the man said. "You latch on to the only memories you have of Igneel and can understandably not accept the truth. The same can be said of humans. All you have left is your memories of your time with them before sacrificing yourself to protect them from Acnologia. Now you have been shown the true close mined and hypocritical nature of humanity, yet you still protect them. Even after all they did to you."
"Leave Fairy Tail out of this?"
"I don't speak of only your pitiful friends. Humanity as a whole is nothing more than mindless cattle. Fear drives them to reject what they don't understand; They paint those treated unjustly as the guilty. They destroy what they cannot control. They are ungrateful for the sacrifices made on their behalf. Can you sit here with confidence and say humanity deserves to live?"
"They deserve to live just like you and me," retorted Natsu.
"Search your feelings; you know them to be true." The man countered. "You hear the voices in your head, don't you," Natsu's eyes widened. "The Flames of darkness bring out their host's true emotions. The voices you hear are the flames speaking your true feelings and motives. It senses your resistance to accept the truth. It strives to drive mad until you succumb to its grasp and become an agent of chaos. You may not remember what happened all those years ago, but humans despised you then, and they despised you now. So I ask you, Natsu. Why do intend to defend them." Natsu looked away from the man. "Is it because of that woman and the child you hold dear?"
Natsu quickly turned his attention towards the man as he mentioned Lisanna. "Do you hold them close to you to justify humanity's existence on this planet? You love them so much you shared your tainted power with them?"
"And if I did?"
"Then maybe their deaths will remind you of your hatred for humans."
Those words make Natsu ignite his flames and bare his fangs. "If you DARE touch them in ANY way, I'll kill you myself!" he threatened.
The man's wicked personality appeared, and he smirked at Natsu with his red eyes. "I have a feeling you will find the strength one day, but even after all these years, you're still not strong enough." The man turned around and began walking away.
"If you want to kill me, then you must accept the darkness inside you can become one with it. Only then will you have the power to kill me. Should you fail, however, the past shall destroy the future. Remember that Natsu." With those final words, the black-haired man vanished.
Natsu was left alone in complete silence. The only sound heard was the wind blowing through his hair. He looked at the environment that rotted from the black magic. He had never seen anything like it before. He was slumping against the rocky wall next to him, breathing heavily. After feeling that man's magic, he felt something he hadn't felt in years: fear.
It was the last day of the Grand Magic Games. Master Makarov put his plan into action. While the competing team took to the battlefield against the other guilds, the Strauss sisters, Wendy, and the Exceeds made their attack from behind the city. They had only one mission right now. Rescuing Lucy was a top priority.
The girls and Exceeds arrived at the side of the royal castle. Knowing full well the entrance will be heavily guarded, the group needed a thorough plan.
"We need to get into the castle. Once we're in, we head to the prison area." Carla stated.
"Yeah, but how? It's not like anyone here knows magic to turn invisible," Lisanna pointed out.
Mira placed a finger on her chin. "Oh. I have an idea! We need to find some rope."
Wendy turned her attention to the coliseum. "I hope Erza-san and the others will be fine."
"They can hold their own. It's Lucy I'm concerned about."
"We better get moving. Mavis knows what will happen to Lucy the longer we keep her waiting." Panther Lily commented as the group followed Mira into the side of the castle.
At the coliseum, the final day of the Grand Magic Games was about to begin. The competing teams were all gathered. Although their main goal was to achieve victory, there was only one other task at hand, to defeat Fairy Tail.
"It's time for the final day of the Grand Magic Games to begin!" As the announcement excited the audience, the mages were no longer in the coliseum but stationed in random areas throughout the city itself. "For the final event, the battle will take place in the city Crocus itself. The competing teams will traverse throughout the city, engaging in combat with rival groups. Each team will have a designated leader. The defeat of a regular team member will earn the winning team one point. Defeating the leader will award the winner five points, the only condition being the team leader is unknown to the opposition. Strategy is vital for this event.
Fairy Tail stood silently. Their expressionless faces betrayed the thoughts of confusion and angst. Between what happened with Natsu, Lucy's capture, and the discovery of what Lisanna discovered within the catacombs, competing was the last thing on their minds. There was a lot at stake: their reputation, their guildmate, the threat from a former friend.
Erza knew what was at stake, however. She turned her attention towards her team. "Listen up," she started. I know we're all going through an uncomfortable and confusing time right now, but right now, there's only one thing we can do, however, is win this tournament.
Gajeel, the only person not losing himself in thought like his other teammates, nodded. "Lisanna's group will save Lucy, I'm sure of it."
"…This may be the only thing we can do." Juvia finally collected herself. "Lisanna is doing her part. We must do the same."
"But we have another reason to win the games," Gray added in.
"To make up for the seven years, we allowed ourselves to be treated like dirt," Laxus commented.
"Who will obtain the honor and stand at the top of the magic world! Let the final round of the Grand Magic Games BEGIN!" As the announcer finished his sentence, the final game started.
"LET'S GO!" The fairy mages shouted in confidence.
The competing mages ran throughout the city. Some of the mages divided themselves into smaller groups, usually in groups of two or three. The strongest mages of the guild went solo, knowing they had very little competition to worry about.
Rufus was traveling with Orga. They were currently walking down an alleyway when Rufus stopped in his tracks.
"What is it, Rufus?" Orga asked.
The memory-make mage narrowed his eyes in curiosity. "They're not moving…" his response made Orga raise an eyebrow."
"W-what is this…?!" Spectators were riddled with confusion as Fairy Tail was standing completely still in their starting position with their eyes shut tight.
"What are they doing?!" Makarov comically fumed.
"What's gotten into them?"
"How should I know?"
"Come on, guys. Early bird gets the worm."
No one knew what to make of the situation. The mages refused to move, even leaving the rest of the guild confused by their actions.
While the guild was stationary, the other guilds started gaining points. Quatro Puppy was the first to be eliminated from the competition, with Blue Pegasus taking out three members, Mermaid Heel taking out one mage, and Bacchus, the team leader, being taken out in a single attack by Sting, putting Sabertooth back at the top of the rankings.
Kagura earned her guild two points by taking out two Lamia mages, Toby and Yuka. Just as she was about to turn her attention to Sting, the dragon slayer had already disappeared.
"The points are moving at a dizzying speed…but Fairy Tail has yet to move," Chapati updated the audience.
"What are they doing?!" Makarov looks on in confusion. "We need to win this to save Lucy!"
"And that is why we must approach this fight logically and calmly," Mavis stated, gaining her guild attention. "From the very start, the past four days, I've been observing the enemy's battle power, their magic, movement patterns, fighting skills…have all been recorded into my mind. With this information, I have made multiple calculations and creating millions of simulations." The carefree master, now speaking with authority and precision, surprised the fairy mages. "As I have already shown them the winning strategy…." The competing fairy mages opened their eyes in synchronization. "It is up to them to bring us to victory." The first master pointed forward dramatically. "Fairy Tail! Commence with Operation Fairy of the Stars!" the mages dashed forward with determination.
"Fairy Tail is on the move!" Chapati announced.
Crocus Castle
Two royal guards stood silently in the castle's plaza area. Approaching the two men was another guard carrying an unconscious Wendy and Lisanna bound in his arms.
"Halt!" One of the guards shouted as he walked up to his fellow guard. "Who are these to women, and what are you doing with them?"
"Trespassers." The new guard replied. "I believe they were trying to sneak in and rescue the fairy girl."
"They're from Fairy Tail?!" The first guard turned to second. "What do we do?"
"Unfortunately, the king and prime minister are away at the moment." The second guard answered. "The best thing to do right now is to throw them into a cell. Wait for His Majesty and the minister to return to deliver the final verdict."
"Right you are then." The new guard nods and proceeds to the dungeon with the new 'prisoners.' Unbeknownst to the guards, their comrade was actually at disguised Mirajane, using her take-over magic to sneak into the castle. Her face transformed back to her natural look, and she winked to her guildmates.
"Nice work, Mira-san!" Wendy complimented.
"Not bad, sis," Lisanna said with a smirk.
"Aye!" Happy appeared from Mira's disguise.
Up in a particular room of the castle, the kingdom's princess stared out the open window. She had a grand view of the city and the mountains. Currently, the princess had a rather rugged look on her face. Many thoughts were going through her mind.
"We have gone too far. There's no turning back now…" the princess began. "Still, what we are about to do will possibly do more damage than harm."
Suddenly, a royal guard appeared at the entrance of the room. "Your highness." He said. "Everything is ready. We only wait for your order."
"Yes. It is time for us to start Phase two of the Eclipse Project."
At the Coliseum…
Fairy Tail was on the move. The five mages suddenly separated and dashed in multiple directions. They didn't divide without a strategy, however. Following the plan provided by Master Mavis, they went to find their targets. As predicted, Rufus used his memory-make magic and cast Night of Shooting Stars and shot giant projectiles that tracked and descended the fairy mages. Since it was lightning-based magic, four of the mages quickly dodged the attack while Laxus simply blocked it. Fairy Tail began gaining points, eliminating the whole team of Blue Pegasus just a Jura effortlessly defeated Ichiya. Sherria followed by her guildmate and knocked out Mermaid Heel's Risley, earning another point for her team.
The fairy mages stared in awe at Mavis. For someone who was usually carefree to be so combat-focused, developing strategies that seem flawless showed the guild so how she earned the title, the Fairy Tactician.
Lucy and Yukino were fast asleep in their cell. There was not much to do when kept in a prison cell with nothing to do. Lucy prayed her friends would come to rescue her.
Luckily her prayers were answered.
"Psst. Lucy." Both girls stirred in their sleep. The blonde woman looked up to find the voice belonging to a smiling Lisanna accompanied by Mira, Wendy, and the three.
"Girls! You came!" Lucy shouted in happiness.
"How did you all get in here?" Yukino looked at the group with
Lisanna and Happy quickly reached into the cell and covered Lucy's mouth. They silenced her intensely, reminding her to stay as quiet as possible. Lisanna ordered Lucy to stand back. She grabbed hold of the two middle bars and, using her fire magic, heated the bars hot enough for them to easily bend, creating a way for the girls to escape the cell.
"Lucy, get changed quickly, "Mira said as she handed Lucy a new change of clothes. "You too, Yukino." She then gave a set of the former Sabertooth mage.
"Well then, ready for a breakout, ladies?" Lisanna asked.
"Wait, I still need to find my keys," Lucy argued.
"Mine as well," Yukino added.
Suddenly, the entire floor of the prison area split in half like giant doors opening. Taken by surprise, the group plummeted down to a lower level.
Eventually, the group landed on top of each other in what seemed to be a cavern. In front of them stood an ancient-looking entrance held up by two statues. Skulls and skeletons littered the ground and the stalagmite-riddled ceiling.
"Ouch." Several of the women groaned in pain.
"Where are we…." Lisanna asked after collecting herself from the fall.
A voice boomed throughout the cavern. "Welcome to the Abyss Palace." An image of Princess Hisui E. Fiore appeared before the mages. "You fell into my trap perfectly."
"What? A trap?!" Carla said.
"Here in the Abyss Palace, criminals may never leave. The guilty get what they deserve. May you rot here like the criminals you are," Hisui declared with an authoritative tone.
"Princess, why are you doing this?!" Before Lisanna could get an answer, the image of the princess disappeared.
Inside the room where the princess stood in front of a magic mirror, the guards that accompanied the royalty cheered as their princess took charge during the King's absence. Unbeknownst to the guards, a look of guilt plagued the princess's face.
'Fairy Tail…please make it out safe….'
The Coliseum
Gray stood down Sabertooth's Rufus with eyes of confidence. After his humiliating defeat at the hand of the rival Make mage, his goal was to restore his pride.
Both make mages engaged in heated battle. Rufus always seemed to have the upper hand as he countered everything Gray threw at him. The speed of memorization seemed to outweigh Gray's attack power when Rufus retaliated in kind with just a much force. Thinking quickly, Gray used Ice-Make Unlimited: One Sided Chaotic Dance, where he summoned multiple ice swords, never-ending his magic casting, which is how Gray concluded Rufus's magic activated and copied the spells.
Being overwhelmed, Rufus casts Memory-Make: Karma of the Burning Land to melt the ice with fiery flames but ultimately fell to Gray's Ice-Make: Ice Bringer. Gray had earned his victory through sheer will and might. He stood victorious as he took Rufus's hat and wore it in triumph.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Lisanna asked herself. Her group served the area, looking for anything that can give them a clue to their escape. "We came all this way to rescue Lucy, only to end up as prisoners."
"If only we'd been more careful…." Wendy berated at herself.
Happy and Carla, who had left the scout the area, came flying back.
"Lisanna, the ceiling the completely closed off," Happy reported.
"On top of that, there are no exits in sight. They have us trapped down here." Carla added.
"I'm hopeful that we're just looking in the wrong direction," Lucy stated. Seeing Lisanna here, Lucy realized she wasn't competing in the games. "Lisanna, if you're here, then who took your place?"
"Juvia went in my stead. Rescuing you was the Master's top priority. Besides…" the white-haired woman lifted her hand, and a faint platinum aura coated her hand before fading. "I still don't feel competent to fight. I didn't want to be a burden to the team, but I couldn't stand by and not do anything either. Not while you and Natsu were out there…."
Hearing the man's name made Lucy look away in discomfort. Lisanna, not missing her sudden change in tone, assured her guildmate.
"Natsu's in pain, Lucy. None of us know what exactly he went through. Even despite what Conner told me, I still can only imagine how he must hate himself."
"Conner?" Lucy asked. "You mean that blood mage? What did he tell you?"
"He told what happened to Natsu during the seven years he was gone. Why he didn't come back when his memory returned to him, everything that happened at the coliseum is a testament to what unraveled during his absence. He's still in there, Lucy. I need to help him."
Lucy stayed silent, not knowing what to say. A part of her deep down did not hate Natsu, but what happened when the darkness took over him may have completely changed how she looked at the man forever.
"What happened to Natsu?" Yukino said, walking over to the two girls.
"Long story short, some evil power had taken over Natsu. It made him do things he wouldn't normally do."
"Evil power? Is that what that giant eruption of energy from the coliseum yesterday was about?"
"Yeah. Ever since then, he's been missing. It seems like Crimson Claw, or more specifically, Master Ardious, was targeting him for unknown reasons. He's dead, however, so getting info out of him is out of the questions."
"Who killed him?"
"Natsu," Lucy answered with unease.
Yukino's eyes widened with shock. "What?! Natsu did it?! I thought Fairy Tail mages don't kill people?"
"Hence why I said a lot of things have happened. I want to find and help him, but we need to find our way out of this cavern before I do anything else…."
"Help him with what…?"
"Help remind him that he is not the monster that he or the other mages think he is," Lisanna said with determination.
Mira listened to her sister's words. Her heart was still confused about her feelings towards the man. Her train of thought was interrupted when Happy came flying back.
"Everyone! I found a passageway! It's narrow and cramped, but it might get us out of here. The group started moving one after another through the rock. Once on the other side of the cavern, the mages saw a familiar man lying on the ground.
"Is that…General Arcadios?!" Yukino said in shock. The former Sabertooth mage ran over to her commanding officer. "General Arcadios! Are you okay?!"
Arcadios grunted in pain. His wounds and tattered clothes showed signed he was beaten and left alone. He opened his eyes to see the group of mages standing around him. "R..r…run away…."
"Run from what?"
Suddenly, a giant man with a beer bottle in his mouth appeared behind the group. He slammed his fists on the ground. As the group dodged the attack, a spiral wave of a liquid substance shot out a just missed Lisanna. Though the mages appeared unharmed, Lucy noticed the damage done to the ground where they once stood.
"Is that…acid…?"
"Tai Tai." Another mage spoke as he waved his hands around. As he lifted his flagpole over his head, the ground underneath the mages erupted with pillars of water.
The assault on the women continued; roses emerged from the ground, alongside a woman in a pink dress with yellow trimmings.
A cluster of paper appeared from the shadows and gathered to form a woman wearing a black kimono with red trimmings.
"Who are these people?" Lisanna exclaimed.
"…An independent group of knights that support the kingdom from the shadows…." Arcadios answered weakly. The Garou Knights. They are the strongest executioners in the kingdom.
A hooded man wearing armor and a matching mask appeared. On his back were two gigantic scythes. He was the leader of the group as he stood in between the other knights.
"It's because of them that no one leaves this place alive…."
"I am Kama. Leader of the Garou Knights. By Decree of the Her Majesty, Hisui E. Fiore, you are to be executed for treason against the crown!" Kama declared as he walked forward.
"Don't think we're going down without a fight," Lisanna said.
"Guess we'll just force them to show us the way out." Mira grinned with confidence. "Lucy, Yukino. Keep your distance for now.
"Happy, Carla, get behind me," Pantherlily transformed in his larger form.
Arcadios could not believe the confronting nature of the mages. "You all intend to fight them?"
Kama scoffed. "You dare to seek confrontation with the Garou Knights? Such audacity." He shot his hand forward dramatically. "We shall return you to the earth itself. Garou Knights! Commence with the execution!"
(BGM: Xenoblade Chronicles – Time to Fight!)
"Let us begin, Cosmo," the kimono-clad woman said to her teammate as she drew a sheet of red paper.
"Lead the way, Kamika," the woman in the dress responded.
"Paper Blizzard: Red Dance!" the kimono-clad woman, Kamika, blew the piece of paper in her hand forward. Suddenly a violent twister of paper appeared.
"Everyone, get back!" Lisanna dashed in front of her friends. She challenged her opponent's flames with her own. Unfortunately, her flames were pierced right through by the red paper flames.
"What the hell?!" Lisanna cursed.
"Red paper is the God of flames," Kamia stated.
"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy assisted with her breath attack. The combined dragon attacks overpowered Kamia's attack.
"Nice one, Wendy." Carla cheered.
Suddenly, a giant carnivorous plant emerged underneath the Sky Maiden. "How beautiful," the plant mage, Cosmo spoke. "A doll that dances beautifully. Tis' the corpse, that blossoms in blood."
Just as the plant closed its jaws in, Mira destroyed it in a single punch in her Satan Soul: Sitri.
Panther Lily sliced a tentacle-like thorn that quickly shot out for both Lucy and Yukino from behind. The acid mage attempted to take the exceed by surprise by punching the ground where he stood with acid magic. The swordsman just barely dodged the acid wave.
Kamia invoked another spell as she blew a purple paper forward. "Paper Blizzard: Violet Dance!" Purple markings snaked and coiled around the fairy mages.
Cosmo assisted her fellow knight and summoned a colossal flower above the trespassers. "Grow Flow!" The giant plant began sucking in everything it stood over. Both the mages and the environment flew up as a violent tornado blew.
"Mira-nee. We have to destroy that thing!" Lisanna stated.
"But how. We can't move!"
"Girls, hold on! I'll undo the binds." Wendy shouted while holding on to a rock. "Blessings to heal abnormal magic! Reze!" The purple marks disappeared from the Strauss sisters' bodies.
"Lisanna, let's go!" Mira flew upward.
"Right behind you!" Lisanna ignited her fists in flames.
"I shall join you, ladies!" Panther Lily unsheathed his sword.
A combined attack from the three mages destroyed the opposing plant. Unfortunately for them, the force of the attack destroyed the area around them. The erupting explosion shook the underground city.
(BGM: Time to Fight – paused)
Deep in the mountains, Natsu felt a sudden burst of energy, his energy, combined with that of a demon. He looked around frantically, trying to indicate the source. His attention turned towards the city, just barely visible through geography.
"Lisanna…" he muttered to himself as he moved an inch closer towards the city. Knowing it was Lisanna's magic he was sensing, he began to worry. His concern battled with his guilt. Could he face his friends again?
Lisanna groaned in pain. She shook her head before rolling onto her stomach and rose from the ground. She found herself in a different area. A corridor with statues wedged into the walls. "Mira-nee! Lucy! Where are you?!" As she surveys her surroundings, she sensed someone was with her.
"It seems like your little explosion separated you and your fellow sinners." The white-haired mage turned around see Kama walking towards her.
"I'm surprised you're still standing…."
"The Garou Knights are not so easy to kill," Kama stated. "I have heard tales of the strength of Fairy Tail. You battles, your numerous victories. You are indeed strong, mage, but my knights will complete their mission at all cost. Rest assured. Your lives will be forfeit."
"Geez, can anything ever go smoothly for us?" Lisanna adjusted Natsu's scarf around her neck.
(BGM: Time to Fight! - resumed)
"Where did everyone go?" Wendy said to herself. She became separated from her friends like everyone else. From her surroundings, she could see she was in a garden-like area.
"How beautiful…" a voice said. A giant rose emerged from the ground. From the petals, Cosmo walked out of the flower. "Yet at the same time, you possess an unsightly scent. I, Cosmo, shall be your executioner."
"Fairy Tail doesn't do down without a fight," Wendy challenged.
"Dammit, we all got separated?" Panther Lily drew his sword as the acid mage walked towards him. The exceed found himself in a hallway that is similar to those in ancient temples.
"Your strong, cat. Let's see how well your blade stands up to my acid," the man challenged.
"And you are?"
"The name's Neppa. Not that it matters to you, criminal."
"Lucy? Yukino? Where are you?!" Mira called out. She was in an isolated area that resembled a ritual ground. Trying to find a way out, she failed to see a cluster of paper swirl around and take the form of a woman. "You should not be looking anywhere but at me right now," Mira turned to see Kamia materialized from her paper. "The moment you look away, your life could end without notice."
"You're making a big mistake, knight." Mira challenged.
"Your mistake was thinking you can survive against me, Kamia the executioner." Kamia taunted.
"We all got separated." the spirit key mages wound up in a wide-open area decorated with totem poles and ancient architecture along with the two exceeds. Lucy rose to her feet and dusted herself off.
"What a surprise. Everyone without any decent fighting abilities got grouped up together." Carla commented angrily.
"Regardless, we need to find the others," Happy said. Suddenly, Happy began floating in the air without his wings. He started panicking, trying to keep to the ground. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What's going on?!"
Sitting on top of a tall statue was the flag-wielding Garou Knight. He was waving his hands in the air, confirming he was holding Happy in the air. "I caught a fish! Tai!" the man cheered.
"But I'm not a fish!" Happy protested.
It took a minute for the man to process what the cat said. "You're right!" He tossed the helpless exceed into a pillar. Happy groaned in pain as he slid down the post.
"Who is this guy?" Carla looked at the man with worry.
"The name's Uosuke. I'm here to execute you." Uosuke introduced himself.
At the coliseum, Makarov sneezed that broke out into shivering.
"Master, are you okay?" Romeo asked.
"I suddenly just imagined all the incident reports someone is going to fill out later…." Makarov answered. "Mostly like it will be me…."
"Really? At a time like this?" Bisca said.
"I just hope Lisanna and the others are okay?" Levy spoke.
"All we can do now is put our trust in them and wait," Makarov stated.
Lisanna put up her guard. "Unfortunately, I've got no choice. We're going to have to do this the old fashion way."
Kama scoffed as he reached for his scythes. With blinding speed, the knight made a clean sweep for Lisanna's neck. The woman barely dodged the killing blow. Before she had the opportunity to counter, Kama unleashed a flurry of strikes. She avoided the attacks, narrowly escaping most of them. During the assault, the knight destroyed the environment with each strike.
"Damn. This guy is relentless."
"I only aim for the heads of sinners," Kama stated.
Each of the fairy mages dealt with a member of the Garou Knights. With the lethal nature of all of their attacks, the girls and Panther Lily were on their highest guard. The slightest slip-up would result in their deaths.
"Take-Over Soul: Kitsune!" Lisanna transformed into her fox form and shot her tails towards Kama. The knight jumped into the air to dodge. While airborne, he tucked his body and spun towards Lisanna like a buzz saw. Lisanna rolled out of the way. "Tail Drill!" She retaliated by using her drill spell.
Kama brought his right scythe up to block the attack. "You are strong, sinner. I'll give you that." He pushed his opponent away.
'I'll still don't feel one hundred percent with using dragon magic, but I need to try,' Lisanna thought to herself. She puffed her cheeks. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" The fire blast shot out. Kama quickly brought up his left ax, much to Lisanna's confusion. The scythe was cutting through the flames.
"Fool. My scythe can cut through any form of magic!" Kama taunted. His left scythe contained unique properties that can nullify magic of any kind.
Lisanna persevered and applied more power to her attack. The force of her attack began pushing Kama back.
"Damn it!" Both fighters pushed forward. Through sheer will alone, they strived to push each other back and come out the victor. Eventually, the energy from both attacks resulted in an explosion that sent both flying back.
(BGM: Time to Fight! - End)
Lisanna coughed harshly. She attempted to free herself from the rubble. "Arrgh!" She clenched her arm in pain. "Damn it...my body still can't handle the force of the magic. I knew it wasn't a good idea."
Kama rose from his knees. He panted heavily in shock. "That's impossible…no magic should be able to resist my nullification." The corner of his eyes caught a glimpse of his scythe. Much to his surprise, his nullify scythe was cracked and broken in various places along the blade. "No way…"
After eating the poison summoned by Kamia, Mira was unharmed due to her demon magic, much to Kamia's horror. She defeated the knight with a single blow in her satan form.
The rest of the fairy mages were able to get the upper hand against the knight opponents.
Wanting to atone for his mistakes, Arcadios sacrificed himself to save the women from Uosuke's lava terrain spell. In a blink of an eye, Lucy and Yukino reunited with their spirits. Loke, being a free spirit, retrieved his master's keys as well as Yukino's. Arcadios was rescued by Horologium and launched a counterattack, coming out victorious.
Panther Lily, with the sheer force of will, cut through Neppa's acid waves with ease.
Wendy rendered Cosmo's sleep affliction magic useless with an enchantment of her own and responded with a wing attack spell.
Lisanna was panting heavily. She gripped her arm in pain. While she slowly rose to her feet, Kama limped towards her.
"I've heard of your guild's strength. I never thought I see the day where I would witness it with my own eyes. I don't know what type of magic you have to render my nullification scythe useless, but your journey end here, fairy mage."
"Don't think I'm going down easily." Lisanna challenged.
Kama huffed. He was very amused with the woman's refusal to back down.
Suddenly the walls around the two fighters burst apart. The rest of the Garou Knights came flying out of each hole, lying unconscious as they fell to the floor. Kama stared in pure shock seeing his unit defeated. Out from each wall hole emerged a Fairy Tail mage.
"Everyone! You're okay." Lisanna cheered as she reunited with her friends.
"Lisanna!" Lucy shouted in concern.
"Get away from my baby sister!" Mira transformed into her Satan-Soul.
"For your sake, Knight, I suggest you step away from that woman." Panther Lily threatened.
"I could say the same thing, swordsman." Kama brought his right scythe to Lisanna's throat. "Take one step forward, and your comrade dies."
"Don't you dare!" Mira shouted. Just as she was just about to lunge forward, the entire area shook violently. Debris from the ceiling fell everywhere.
"What was that?" Yukino looked around frantically.
"An explosion of some sort," Pantherlily assumed.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Kama swung his scythe in front of him. The force of the move caused a giant gust of wind to appear and pushed the fairy mages away a great distance. Pantherlily and Mira managed to keep their balance, but they weren't able to resist the wind that drove them away from Lisanna.
Left alone, Kama turned his attention towards Lisanna and raised his weapon above her head. Not wanting to go down without a fight, the take-over mage ignited her fist and attempted to strike back.
"No, Lisanna!" Mira cried out. She Dashed forward in the hope of reaching her sister in time.
Just as Kama's scythe reached Lisanna's head, an explosion shook the underground area once more. From the ceiling, something broke through the cave ceiling and fell to the ground with ferocity.
Debris flew everywhere. From the dust clouds, a figure started walking closer. The figure stepped out of the dust, revealing an angry, glaring Natsu staring at the lone knight.
"Who the hell are you?!" Kama asked.
"N-Natsu…" Lisanna stared with wide eyes.
Mira and the rest of the fairy mages looked on with shock and a feeling of fear.
"Natsu…how did he find us?" Mira muttered.
Natsu studied the situation before looking back at Kama. He dashed forward with lightning speed and closed the gap between them before the knight could realize what happened. Natsu grabbed Kama by his head and slammed him to the ground. With his opponent vulnerable, he cocked his fist back and landed a fierce punch to Kama's stomach. The force of the attack created a crater under Kama as the ground sunk in.
The knight, in shock of the pain, said nothing before he was rendered unconscious.
Natsu stared down at his knockout for a brief moment before sighing and walking away. The fairy mages kept their eyes on him as he walked towards Lisanna and kneeled to her current level. "Lisanna, are you okay," he said softly.
The woman stared silently at her rescuer. After leaving the city since the coliseum incident, she wasn't expecting to see him so soon.
"Lisanna?" Natsu asked again.
After a minute of silence and shock, Lisanna gathered herself. Tears of happiness fell from her eyes as she smiled. She quickly jumped on Natsu and hugged him tightly. "Yes…Yes! I'm okay. You came just in time!" She released her grip but still held on to him. "But…how did you know how to find me or what was going on?"
"Well…I felt a sudden burst of energy from where I was. I assume you were in a fight because of it."
"But you found my exact location. God knows how many depths below ground."
"Remember, you have my magical energy. I was able to pinpoint exactly where you were. So I followed where the energy was the strongest, and…" the fire mage turned to Kama. "Well, you know…."
Lisanna smiled. "Regardless. I'm so happy you're okay. After you left, I was worried about you."
Natsu took Lisanna's hand and helped her to her feet. He had a face of guilt as he turned towards his other friends. "Are…are you guys alright?" He reached his arm out
Mira and Lucy stared at the dragon mage with caution and nervousness. They tensed up as he reached forward.
Seeing their reaction, Natsu pulled his hand back.
'Dammit…' he cursed to himself. He knew he terrified his friends. He clenched a fist in frustration as he cursed himself for terrorizing his friends.
He suddenly felt a hand touch his. Lisanna gently grabbed his hand and gave him an assuring look.
"Give them some time, Natsu. They'll come around eventually."
"She's right, Natsu." Everyone tuned to Panther Lily. "I too must admit that I felt fear towards you when under the influence of the black flames. Even then, however, I know you are still the good person you always were, as well as the great father you strived to be for Akiza. Forgive me, Natsu."
"Lily…" the conflicted dragon mage couldn't believe someone was defending him. He did not deserve it, in his eyes.
"I'm sorry as well, Natsu-san," Wendy spoke, walking forward. "I should have defended you back at the coliseum, but please don't blame yourself for what happened. I know no one hates you."
Natsu squeezed his eyes shut as he turned away from everyone. "How…how can you look at me the same way after what I did? How can you look at me and still consider me a friend?" He clenched his fists. "My guildmates turned against me…I killed my master. The last bit of family I had left…." No one but Lisanna knew what he meant by family. Hearing that made Lisanna's heartbreak. "And Akiza…my only child…couldn't even look me in the eye…." He turned to face the group. "How can you sit here and tell me it wasn't my fault?" Natsu hoped someone would have an answer.
Mira, Lucy, and the other exceeds stayed silent. Something inside them told them that Natsu was still a friend. He hated himself for what he did.
Happy wanted to say something to his best friend, but all he could do was stare at his partner with a loss for words.
"Natsu…" Lisanna called his name softly. "The regret that you feel over your actions proves more than anything you are not the monster you claim to be. I know you can't forgive yourself, but you still have people willing to stand beside you. As am I."
"I can see past your actions and still see the same man that helped me find my place here, Natsu-san. The one who saved my former guild and taught me to embrace my powers and become stronger. You're a kind person, Natsu-san. If Gajeel-san were here too, he would say the same thing." Wendy placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
"I'm a little in the dark about what happened," Loke stated, gaining the fire mage's attention. "But I still got your back, Natsu. Don't let your actions dictate the type of person you think you are. If you were the villain you claim to be, then Lisanna wouldn't be trying so hard to help you."
"Loke…" Lucy muttered his name. The spirit sensed his master was looking at him and gave her a wink of assurance. The blond couldn't help but smile at his positivity. "Getting back to the situation at hand, we need to find a way out of here."
"Right. We have to find a way out of here." Lisanna limped forward but lost her balanced quickly. Mira was going to catch her, but Natsu reached her first.
"I got you…." Natsu assured softly.
Lisanna chuckled. "Thanks, handsome." She gave a warm smile.
"Lisanna…" Mira felt nervous with her sister around Natsu even if the man was worried about them and helped her sister.
"I'm okay, Mira. Everything is going to be fine." Lisanna assured her. She surveyed the room and found an entrance leading to a staircase. "There's an exit. Let's hope it leads to a way out of here." She pointed Natsu in the direction of the entrance. He put her right arm over her shoulder and helped her walk.
The rest of them followed after them shortly after a brief moment of thought. Mira was the last to catch up. She eyed Natsu until he was no longer in her sight. Seeing her sister in the arms of the man should have put her at ease, but she was still unsure of how she saw the man. Maybe it wasn't just the caution of her sister's safety, but something else. She broke into a light jog to meet up with her friends.
The group traveled down the staircase and into a spacious area held up by pillars. Among everyone, Natsu was still uncomfortable with the situation. He bit his lip and frustration. It hurt him to see his friends still feared him, but now guilt overcame that emotion that others had taken his side and defended him.
'It feels like I'm turning everyone against each other…dammit.' He thought to himself.
Lisanna saw the discomfort her love interest was feeling. With her left hand, she placed an assuring hand on his chest. Gaining Natsu's attention, he looked down to see the white-haired woman smiling at him. Somehow, he felt a ton of weight lift from his shoulders. He gave her a soft smile back.
"By the way, is that man, okay? I smell a hint of ash on him, outside of his burned clothes." Natsu asked, turning his attention to Arcadios.
"Walked through some lava to save both Lucy and Yukino from the Garou Knights," Loke answered.
"What?" Natsu turned his back towards the blond. "Lucy, are you okay? What were you doing here?"
"Yeah…Both Yukino and I were arrested on some false charges." Lucy was a little hesitant but felt somewhat relieved knowing Natsu was still protective of her.
Natsu turned his attention to the white-haired key mage. "You're Yukino? From Sabertooth?"
"Yes…Or at least a former Sabertooth member."
"I'm sorry for what you both went through." He responded. "I take it that's the reason you're all down here?"
"A lot has happened since you left, Natsu," Panther Lily stated. "Too much to cover quickly. Long story short, Arcadios wanted to use both Lucy's and Yukino's celestial power for something called the eclipse Project. The gist of it is to go back in time and prevent Zeref from achieving immortality."
"W-what?" Natsu said, confused. He recalled his conversation with the black-haired man from earlier. "The past will destroy the future..."
"Natsu?" Lisanna asked.
"…Seven years ago, while we were all on Tenrou Island for the S-Class trials, a man with black hair and robes appeared. He seemed to know me, but I never recognized him. He found me again literally not too long ago he found and appeared in front of me. He said something cryptic: the past will destroy the future. "
"Wait. How was this man able to step foot on Tenrou Island?! Only members of the guild can enter." Lucy stated.
"I know. I can't answer that, but he seemed to know more than he was willing to let on. He seemed to know me as well." Natsu answered.
"Yet you don't recognize him," Wendy added.
"No, but he said something about Igneel. Everything that happened with the black flames was because he was responsible for what was happening to me…and now bringing that up makes me feel like crap now." Natsu sighed.
Everyone but Mira and Loke tensed up. Even now, they still weren't able to fully accept what was revealed to them in the dragon graveyard.
"Umm…Natsu about Igneel…" Lisanna started with hesitation. "Igneel…isn't who you think he is. In truth…"
"Igneel is a Dragon God." Natsu finished the woman's sentence, which caught everyone to stop in their tracks and stare at Natsu in bewilderment.
"What?!"
"How did you know
"You…you knew this whole time?!"
"Yeah. After my magic came back to me years ago, I discovered the truth shortly after. Even to this day, I still can fully believe it. It just raises so many questions."
"Then…does that explain why your flames are a different color?"
"Somewhat. The same goes for god slayers. If a slayer's magic is blood red, It means a human has fully mastered and is entrusted with the 'blood' of the gods themselves." Natsu answered.
"So does that mean both Conner and Icis fully mastered their respective gods' magic?" Lisanna questioned.
"The same goes for the dragon gods. If a slayer's magic has fully changed to a platinum hue, it means they have fully mastered the dragon gods' power and entrusted with their very soul."
"But...how did you know about all this?" Wendy asked.
"One day after I was my power returned to me, some woman I bumped into while on a mission recognized my power. She seemed to know who I was and Igneel personally. It was her that told me the truth about Igneel's heritage and his power.
"Really? Who was she?"
"I don't know. I never saw her after that day, but our interaction has bothered me ever since.
"So…the legends are true," Loke spoke.
"Wait. Loke, you know about them?" Lucy was shocked.
"Of course, we are celestial beings, after all. Even though we aren't divine beings like the Gods, the heavens and cosmos are mutually exclusive and share similarities. The Spirit King was well acquainted with the Elder Gods. A couple of them outright hated him because he refused to aid them during the events of the Dragon King Festival."
"How strong was the King?" Mira questioned.
"The King of the Elder Gods, Solaria, though friends with His Majesty, wouldn't dare fight him one-on-one."
"Jeez. Everyone's just some overpowered weirdo, aren't they," Lisanna muttered to herself with a funny, frustrated face.
"But even then, everything about the Dragon Gods is non-existent. Knowing this now, I'm not sure how I never sensed or recognized your power, Natsu."
"That's because Igneel's power hadn't awakened in me at that time."
"What do you mean?"
"For as long as you've known me, I've only had a portion of Igneel's power. I guess you could say that part of his power was sealed from me until I unlocked it. For what reason, I don't know, but ultimately a part of true power was unleashed when Acnologia attacked Tenrou Island seven years ago."
'Yet…even after that, I still couldn't sense your energy."
"Along with the amnesia I suffered from, Igneel's powers was sealed off completely after I 'died'," the dragon mage air quoted with his free hand. "It remained like that for five years until…they awakened again…completely." Natsu's voice trembled a little, which didn't go unnoticed by Wendy or Lisanna. "Getting back to the point, why would stopping Zeref from becoming immortal be so important? For what purpose?"
"He believed that going back in time would save the human race from extinction. The Dragon King Festival was the moment when Zeref gains immortality. By stopping him, it can change the outcome of history."
"Does he believed this…Dragon King Festival will happen again?" Natsu asked.
"Most likely since he's going through the trouble of making this plan a reality," Panther Lily interjected.
"If you ask me, this plan makes no sense. Zeref has been dead for ages. Going back in time will only make things worse."
"Heh, I said the same thing." Lisanna deadpanned.
"Hey! Look over there!" The former exceed guard pointed forward.
Everyone came to a halt when something caught their eye. In front of the group stood two giant doors. Each one was decorated with a design that resembles light shining brightly.
"A door!"
"That may be our exit!" Happy shouted happily.
The group walked closer to the door. They examined it, looking for any way to open it.
"So…how are we going to get it open?" Loki questioned.
"Maybe saying the magic word?" Natsu joked.
Suddenly both doors began opening. Everyone looked in awe, wondering what the other side was. From the light behind the doors, a cloaked figure emerged. Natsu immediately went on the defensive. He let Lisanna go to stand on her own and stood in front of the group.
"Natsu-san, be careful!" Wendy called out.
The group eyed the figure until they came to a complete stop. They stood in front of Natsu silently.
"Who are you?" Natsu spoke.
A royal guard ran frantically through the halls of the castle towards the princess's chambers. He reached the doors to the room and pushed his way in, alerting the other guards. "Princess! This is bad! The intruders have defeated the Garou Knights."
"What?" Another guard said in horror.
"Even worse, apparently something broke into the Abyss Palace! Probably reinforcements for the enemy!"
As the guards quarrel amongst themselves, Princess Hisui hid her face of relief.
'I knew it…' the princess thought to herself.
"You mustn't show such a face to the troops, princess," a voice said from behind the woman. Hisui turned around to see Minister Darton walking towards her. "They might see through you."
"Darton?!" Hisui said in shock. "I-I thought you were with my father at the games?"
"Instinct had me anxious. Thought I come back to make sure everything is in order."
"You left me no choice, Darton! You through Arcadios in the Abyss Palace without a trial of any kind!"
"And because of that, you used Fairy Tail to rescue him by using their comrade as bait." The princess looked at the small man with guilt. "I also put together you were the one pushing for the Elipse Project. Meaning Arcadios acting as the mind behind all this was a front to hide your involvement with the plan."
Princess Hisui avoided eye contact. "I knew you would see through our plan eventually."
"Princess, I beg you to reconsider. This plan is too dangerous. Think of the consequences that will occur." Darton pleaded.
"I know, but most likely, the world has to change."
"Most likely?" the minister questioned.
"I…promised someone that I would not speak of it to anyone." Hisui walked towards the balcony of her room. "But I see the error I have made. I should have told you about the second project. The real Eclipse Plan."
"What do you mean the second project?!"
"If this plan fails…by this time tomorrow, this country and possibly this world will be destroyed."
"And where did you get an idea like this?!" Darton said with concern. Hisui turned her to minister. She began explaining everything from her source of intel. With every word spoke, Darton grew more and more fearful of the plan.
"If that information is true, then we need to cease the Grand Magic Games at once!"
"We can't!" Hisui protested. "For I do not completely trust this person's words!"
"Even so. These actions can put the citizens of this country in danger!"
"My source of information knows the future…and knows the result of the Grand Magic Games." Daron looked on with confusion. "A certain guild will attain victory in the most unorthodox manner."
"Meaning?"
"It is such an unusual manner that I have decided to if I am to believe this information, I need to see this outcome come true."
"You are risking the entire safety of the country based on some ridiculous theories? Then…if the result of the games comes true as your source stated…."
"Then I am certain that what this person talks about with OUR future. When that time comes, I will open the Eclipse Door."
Natsu stared at the hooded figure. Not entirely sure who it was, the man eyed them carefully for any hostility.
The hooded figure trembled. They stuck a hand out from the cloak and reached for Natsu's face. The dragon mage felt no negative emotions but rather feelings of sadness and guilt. The figure's hand touched and cupped Natsu's cheek. They kept their hand on his cheek for a solid minute. After then, the figure pulled his hand away. The figure trembled as tears fell from the figure's eyes and leaked down their cheek.
"Natsu…" The figure appeared to be a woman. Her voice trembled with pain. "Natsu… it's you…you're alive…."
Both Wendy and Natsu suddenly picked up a scent.
"This scent…" Wendy said.
"Why do you smell like…."
"But even with all this, why would you believe some crazy person's prediction of the future?!" Darton argued.
"Because…The person that spoke to me…."
The hooded woman slowly removed her hood. The reveal made everyone stare in utter disbelief and shock.
"…came from the future!"
The hooded figure was none other than a tattered and hurt Lucy Heartfilia.
"What the hell?!" Natsu cursed.
"Another Lucy?!" Mira muttered to herself.
The group stared at the future Lucy in silence. The blond stood with tears, staring at Natsu as if she had wronged him in some way. "Natsu…Natsu...I never thought I would see you again."
"Lucy…I don't get…why are you here…how are you here?"
"I'm here because of your sacrifice…." Future Lucy said, trying to hold her emotions back.
"W-what?" Natsu questioned.
"Please, Natsu…forgive me…forgive us…" the woman's words started to slur as she began to lose conscience. Natsu moved quickly and caught the blond from falling. The man stared at her unconscious form. He gently brushed her hair out of her face.
"I…don't understand. What is going on? Why are there two Lucys?"
The group stared in silence. No one was able to find the right words to respond accordingly. There were so many questions, and no one had the answers to them. Something about what future Lucy said kept playing in Natsu's head. What sacrifice? What was she sorry for? He needed to find out what she meant.
(To Be Continued…)
Well, well, well. Look who posted after 5000 years. Hello everyone, I hope everyone is doing fine. So sorry for the long period of silence. I'm sure, just like everyone else, 2020 was a challenging year for me as many responsibilities kept piling up. I was an essential worker during lockdown at my previous job, so most of my time and energy went into that. I was hoping to release this chapter long before June of last year, but COVID affected many things, including my mental health; so, I had to take some time to help myself. I'm just happy I finally got it out despite having to cut MAJOR elements from this chapter. I'm sorry in advance if the update feels lackluster. Story-wise I need to cover some things before getting into the heavy stuff.
Worry not. However. I still plan to see the story to the end. I have no plan of abandoning this story any time soon. Hopefully, I'm able to get the next chapter out sooner than later.
Even with everything opening up and society more or less returning to normal, I still hope everyone takes care of themselves.
That's all for now. See everyone next chapter!
-HeartlessAngel96