A/N:
Disclaimer – I do not own Dragon Ball Z or Fairy Tail
Chapter 18
In one of Fiore's libraries, Gohan, Lahar, Mest, and Tyson were continuing the investigation. The Demi Saiyan and the Cyborg were standing behind the mages, who were scanning through different books. Well, Lahar was, anyway; Mest seemed to be getting bored as the minutes went by. "Man, I'm going on a bender when we're done with all this," the teleporter groaned. "Speaking of, are you getting any closer?" he asked his friend.
"I think I'm finally starting to connect the dots," Lahar answered. "I can't thank you enough Doran—Mest."
"So, care to share with the rest of us, partner?" Tyson spoke up.
The four were then transported to another place. Inside, they saw numerous victims of the Neo Oracion Seis attacks; there were countless bodies of former Celestial Wizards placed on platforms. The bodies were encased in gold as though it was their skin and their faces were twisted with horror and pain, which made Gohan cringe at the sight. "This is even worse than all those corpses I had to bury on Namek," he thought. "I can still feel their life forces, but it's faint. I'm not sure if they're alive or not." Beside one of the bodies was a shattered silver celestial key.
"The Neo Oracion Seis have been destroying churches all over Fiore," Lahar explained. "The attacks seemed random, but I found out that those churches were sheltering specific people, and each one was a Celestial Wizard." The group was then transported in front of what looked like another church building.
"What's so special about them? Was there any record of them in Zentopia's documents?" Mest inquired.
"They were assumed to be corpses at first," Lahar continued. "However…"
"They're still alive, aren't they?" Gohan inquired. "I can still sense their life forces, so what's really happened to them?"
"It's similar to a freezing seal, almost like… never mind, that's not important now," Lahar said as he led the three to the church hall. "What matters is that their current condition is exactly how the Celestial mage Chief Tyson rescued had described it would be once they were attacked and their links were severed. Also, I believe there may be some kind of cabal operating from inside Zentopia. All signs point to something big about to go down and it's centered around them."
"If that's true, then Coco could be in danger," Gohan thought.
"Sounds like we need to find out who they are before they wind up as dead as their buddies," Mest mused.
Inside the building, the green Nikola groaned, getting his mage's attention. "What is it, Nico? Did you hear something?" Katja asked her friend, who just groaned again in response; the Celestial Spirit seemed to be shaking with fear. "There's nothing to worry about, it's probably just the servant staff coming back from their supply run," the Mage assured her spirit. The door suddenly opened and the two looked up to see who entered; standing at the top of the stairs were the Council officers and the half Saiyan of Fairy Tail.
"Hello," Mest greeted.
"Afternoon," Lahar said.
"Howdy," Tyson spoke.
"Hi," Gohan said.
"Who are you?" Katja questioned as she stood from her chair.
"A spirit! You're a Celestial Wizard?" Lahar inquired the girl.
"She looks just like…" Gohan muttered.
"Wendy," Mest gasped.
"Run!" Katja cried as she turned to flee; the four quickly appeared in front of her.
"Wait! Please listen," Lahar insisted as he grabbed her wrist.
"Let me go!" she yelled as her spirit started swatting at Lahar's leg.
"Calm down. My name is Lahar, Captain of the Custody Enforcement Unit. These are my associates, Mest and Chief Tyson," Lahar introduced while Nico pulled on his cheek, getting everyone to sweatdrop. The spirit then fell off and the Marshal fixed his glasses. "We're conducting an investigation."
"Into what exactly?" Katja asked curiously as Nico climbed to her shoulder. As Lahar continued to converse with the mage, Mest and Gohan continued to stare at her.
"Wow! She looks so much like Wendy," Gohan stated.
"Yeah, the resemblance is uncanny," Mest agreed.
"I wonder how she and the others are doing," the Saiyan wondered. "I can still sense their Ki, so they probably haven't engaged the Neo Oracion Seis yet."
Elsewhere, Natsu, Elfman, and Lucy were about to face off against Jackpot near another church building; the mechanical bear laughed as he gazed at his playmates. "I don't know what you are, you freak, but you sure ain't a man!" Elfman commented. Michelle turned to look at the Leader of the Legion Platoon, who was staring down at the two sides about to fight.
"I'll be sure to deal with you later! You hear me, Octo-geezer?!" Natsu called to Byro but got no reply.
"Watch out, I've got a big surprise for lucky guys like you!" Jackpot declared as he pushed his lever down. Elfman charged at the machine with his beast arm while Natsu unleashed a breath of fire. "Looky here!" Jackpot exclaimed as his slot landed on three popsicles. "Cool down with a magic ice pop!" A giant popsicle suddenly fell from the sky and landed in front of Jackpot; Natsu's fire attack crashed into it, melting it and creating a wall of steam around the area.
"I can't see!" Elfman cried as he threw his fist and struck the person in his path… which was Natsu.
"Punch him, not me!" the Dragon Slayer yelled.
"Crap, sorry, bro," Elfman apologized.
"We can't beat him like this! We have to start working together, guys!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Yeah!" Elfman agreed.
"Ok, let's do it!" Natsu said.
Lucy brought out a gold key to call on one of her spirits. "Cancer, will you lend us a hand?" The Crab barber appeared, ready to do his job.
"I'm on it, baby!" Cancer said as he rushed toward the enemy.
"Manly charge!" Elfman yelled as he advanced again.
"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu announced while sending another blaze attack at the Oracion.
"Oh yeah, I'm getting lucky today! I hit the steel walls!" Jackpot cheered as his slot landed on three metal walls; the steel walls fell and imprisoned the three in a metal barrier, where those who weren't fire proof were roasted alive.
"WATCH IT, NATSU!" Elfman barked.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO BOIL ME?!" Cancer yelled.
"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" the Salamander cried.
"That… went wrong," a surprised Lucy said. The three male mages continued to argue with themselves. "Would you guys please stop fighting each other?!"
"They don't seem like a good match to me," Michelle said.
"I know, but Cana used her power to create these teams," Lucy stated. "They're supposed to work well together and be perfect for the task at hand. She's usually right on the money about these kinds of things."
In another location, Hugo, Erza, Max, and Evergreen were scaling up a large mountain; the wannabe Titania was constantly groaning the longer they went up the mountain.
"So this is what teamwork feels like?" Max thought.
"Come on, guys, slow down! My feet are killing me!" Evergreen whined.
"Maybe you shouldn't have worn high heels for mountain climbing," Max suggested.
"Sorry Max, but I am a Fairy after all," Evergreen retorted.
"What the heck does that even mean?" Max inquired.
"Owie, owie, owie," the Fairy groaned again.
"Just shut up and keep walking!" Erza ordered.
"Please forgive me, Queen Erza! I thought I might get a wee bit of sympathy from my teammates but it seems my pain only annoys you!" Evergreen stated sarcastically.
"You seem to have plenty of energy, instead of wasting it on a hissy fit, just keep moving," Erza replied.
"Well I'd never!" Evergreen scoffed while fanning herself. "She just doesn't understand the concept of being strong and ladylike."
The Requip mage suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to glare at her comrade/rival. "What was that? Say it again!" she dared the Fairy.
"Oh, never mind," Evergreen dismissed.
"Aw man, this trip sucks big time. Why'd I have to get stuck with these two harpies?" the Sand mage muttered.
The Indian Knight suddenly disappeared from in front of the group and reappeared before Evergreen; he then lowered himself and placed his hands behind him. "Get on my back, I'll carry you the rest of the way," he offered.
"My, how chivalrous," Evergreen remarked as she got on Hugo's back. "Just like how a Fairy should be treated!"
"Uh, Mr. Hugo sir, are you sure you're ok with carrying her up the mountain?" Max questioned. "It's still a long way and she could be heavy for you."
"How dare you!" Evergreen cried indignantly.
"We're supposed to be engaging at least one of the members of the Neo Oracion Seis, which means that each of us needs as much energy as we can conserve for the battle. We can't afford to let even one of us be exhausted yet," Hugo answered.
"But aren't you worried about saving your energy?" Max inquired.
"I've been trained by my chief in energy manipulation, so I know how to preserve it very well," Hugo replied. "Besides, the energy I'm using to climb and carry her is nothing compared to the energy I'll be using in the fight."
"I didn't realize it was possible for a mage to learn how to use Ki so proficiently," Erza remarked.
"There's a lot you don't realize, Titania," Hugo said with a little spite. "Now let's get going, we've wasted enough time." And on that note, Hugo continued on his way with the female Thunder Legionnaire on his back. Max and Erza looked at each other before following after him.
"Uh, Hugo sir, if you don't mind me asking, do you not like Erza?" the Sand Mage inquired.
"What would give you the impression that I bare any dislike for Titania?" Hugo asked back.
"The way you say that name, for instance," Erza answered. "Have I done something to offend you?"
"How unladylike for you to not know when you offended someone," Evergreen commented, making Erza to roll her eyes. "Truly unfit for the Fairy Queen."
Hugo ignored her statement. "You haven't actually done anything to hurt me, it's just you that's the problem," he replied.
"Just me? What do you mean?" Erza asked.
"I'm a knight, and I take that role very seriously," Hugo explained. "A knight is supposed to only wear armor when they're defending something they care about, when they go into battle. They're not just a warrior in a metal suit, and you're the weapon of offense and defense, fighting for honor, righteousness, and loyalty." The Indian Knight glanced at the Fairy Queen. "But when I look at you, I don't see any of what a knight's meant to be. Your magic is one that allows you to switch from one armor to another and is called 'The Knight.' It's supposed to be a knight's greatest skill in adaptability, but your display of it is completely different. You put on armors for comfort and to hide your own insecurities. On you, those suits seem like nothing more than fashion statements and outer shells, and that is the ultimate disgrace for a knight. The only thing that comes close is my dark magic, but you can see why I do not truly respect you."
"But you don't know anything about me, and I hardly think that someone who emits such a menacing magic power can criticize me on being a knight," Erza said.
Hugo said nothing for a moment before answering, "Perhaps you're right, but I never asked for this power. If I had it my way, I'd have your magic instead, so that I could use it properly." His final statement left Erza speechless as the four continued up the mountain.
In another location, Bickslow, Jillian, and Wendy had just passed a farmland with numerous cows and were now scaling their own mountain. The three easily climbed upward as they approached their destination. "How you girls holding up?" Bickslow asked.
"Don't worry, we're fine," Wendy answered.
"We're getting pretty close, it's just over this mountain pass," Bickslow said.
"That's great!" Wendy exclaimed. Suddenly, dark clouds appeared, darkening the sky instantly. "Huh? A thunderstorm."
"Well, that's weird. I've always heard mountain weather is unpredictable but…" Bickslow stated. At that moment, the three were hit with an intense rain blast. "What the? This storm just came out of nowhere!"
"Be on guard! We're not alone here!" Jillian warned her comrades.
"What was the weather like yesterday… I can't seem to remember," a voice echoed through the air. The three looked up to see a man wearing a dark cloak, resting on a larger boulder with a giant scythe across his shoulders. Lightning flashed around him as he stared down at his foes.
"Is he one of the Neo Oracion Seis?" Jillian questioned.
"Yeah, it's that guy who calls himself Grim Reaper," Bickslow said. "He's like one big walking black cloud."
"He used to be called Erigor; he was with the dark guild Eisenwald," Wendy stated.
"I know nothing of Erigor or Eisenwald, those names have no meaning to me," the Storm Mage said.
"Give me a break, man, you have gotta have the world's worst memory," Bickslow commented.
"Maybe, but I do know what's coming next," the Grim Reaper muttered.
"Don't underestimate him, there's something about him that's completely off," Jillian advised.
"Cloud burst from above!" Erigor exclaimed. A massive gust of wind suddenly poured down from the sky, and the three quickly sidestepped it. The wind blast struck the ground, creating a big hole in the dirt. "And tornados ripping through the air!" He waved his weapon, creating a twister to strike his enemies from behind, but Jillian blocked it with her staff. "I am able to create weather patterns that defy the very laws of nature and can destroy pesky little flies like you!"
"You stay back, Councilwoman, we'll handle this guys no sweat!" Bickslow said to Jillian.
"Here Bickslow, I'll support you!" Wendy said as she used her magic on her guildmate. Bickslow's body started glowing green while Wendy's glowed blue; the two fairies jumped to attack the Oracion.
"Listen up, you windbag, we ain't no flies! We're the Fairy Tail wizards who are gonna kick your butt!" Bickslow declared.
"Powerful gust from below!" Erigor yelled as he swung his scythe. The two mages were knocked out of the sky and blown into a stone wall. "What's wrong? Are you nothing but talk?"
"Dammit!" Bickslow said.
"I can heal you!" Wendy stated.
"There's no time, we gotta stay on the offensive!" Bickslow instructed.
"Fairy Tail… I don't know it," Grim Reaper claimed as he raised his scythe again. "However, I do know that dark skies are coming." Lightning flashed through the skies, growing more and more intense. "A VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM, RAINING DOWN FROM ABOVE!" The Storm mage threw his weapon down, firing a dark twister combined with lightning at his enemies.
"Stand back, I can stop it!" Wendy said as she stood in front of Bickslow. "Sky Dragon Roar!" The little mage let out a breath of wind that collided with Erigor's attack and canceled it out.
"I don't understand this guy, it's like he's soulless!" Bickslow stated when he saw his magic was ineffective on the Oracion.
"Followed by lightning directly behind you!" Erigor added. Another lightning blast came at the fairies' back; Bickslow quickly blocked it with his dolls acting as a magic shield.
"Too slow, pal!" Bickslow said as his dolls fell to the ground while another group of toys flew around the dark mage and glowed. "I've already moved their souls into different dolls, so now you're gonna get it!" the Seith mage explained as he created a giant magic circle. "Point Blank Barrier Formation!" The dolls fired a magic blast at the Oracion, but the attack missed as the Grim Reaper levitated into the sky.
"He got away!" Wendy cried.
"What the heck? I didn't know that he could fly!" Bickslow said.
"Neither did I, seems I have forgotten," Erigor said as he landed on another rock. "Can you tell me who you people are again?"
"Seriously?" Bickslow inquired.
"Did he actually forget that he was fighting against us?" Wendy asked. The Storm mage sent another gust of wind at the Fairies. "Sky Dragon Wing Attack!" the Sky Maiden exclaimed as she fired her counterattack.
"Are you really foolish enough to use wind magic against a man who can control the weather?!" Erigor asked the little girl. "That was your last mistake!" Erigor deflected Wendy's attack and raised his weapon to gather more winds.
"Wendy, you gotta get out of the way!" Bickslow yelled, but the Dragon Slayer remained frozen in fear.
"I can create a wind so powerful nothing can withstand it!" The Grim Reaper stated before unleashing his massive wind storm and aimed it at the Sky Maiden. Just as he was about to attack, Jillian appeared behind him, looking angry. "What's this? Who are you?"
"Eye Beams!" Jillian shouted as she fired powerful Ki blasts through her eyes; her attacks collided with a magic circle Erigor summoned at the last second, exploding instantly. The Combat Healer landed in front of the Fairies defensively. "So you'd attack an innocent girl without hesitation? That is something I cannot allow!" Jillian suddenly flared her Ki as she took a fighting position. "Both of you stay out of this and rest; I'm taking over this fight!" she told her comrades as she aimed her staff at the Storm mage. She launched a Ki blast atErigor, but he quickly flew into the air, evading the attack completely.
"That attack, I've seen something like it before… but I… can't remember," Erigor muttered. "A thunderstorm aimed right above you!" He swung his scythe, throwing a storm at the Indian Knight; he was surprised when she created an energy dome to shield herself.
"Heh! Protective Barrier never fails! Thank you, Chief Tyson!" Jillian said.
"Impossible! Nothing should be able to withstand my storm magic!" Erigor shouted. "Try this, lightning from in front of you!" A wave of electricity flew through the air and headed toward Jillian. The female knight smiled as she channeled Ki into her right hand. She traced her Ki-infused hand through the air in a distinct circular motion; the lightning attack stopped right in front of her before swerving and flying right back at the sender. Erigor was too shocked to react to his attack coming for him; the Storm mage cried in agony as he was electrocuted and plummeted toward the earth. "H-How did you turn my own Storm magic on me?" he asked. "Not even nature can defy my power!"
"Gotcha now, Wire Trapping Cage!" Jillian exclaimed as she summoned Ki wires from her fingers; they stretched to capture the dark mage, but he quickly got up and flew through the air to evade them. He then swung his scythe again, sending another gale attack at Tyson's student. The attack crashed into the ground, creating a smoke wall. Just when Erigor thought he got her, someone behind him asked, "Looking for me?" The Grim Reaper turned around to see Jillian behind him; instinctively, he swung his scythe at her but she flew through the air, surprising him.
"How is there anyone who can soar through the skies without using magic like mine?" Erigor thought. This, however, made him pause in his attacking, which Jillian noticed.
"You left yourself wide open!" she shouted, taking advantage of his hesitation. "Scattering Energy Bullets!" The Rune Knight unleashed a barrage of energy blasts at the Grim Reaper, who put up a magic circle to defend himself; the attacks crashed into the magic seal and after continuously pounding against it, the attacks broke through the seal and pummeled the Storm mage. Erigor crash-landed while Jillian slowly descended to the ground.
"Unbelievable, this chick's taking him apart without breaking a nail," Bickslow remarked.
"Wow! Ms. Jillian is amazing!" Wendy stated.
The female Knight slowly approached the fallen Oracion. "Surrender Erigor, it's over!" she ordered.
Erigor's body trembled as he looked up at the Healer. "Not yet," he muttered as he brought out a vial with red liquid. "I don't remember how I got this or what it does, but I remember that I am not one who accepts defeat so easily!" Erigor then opened his mouth and drank the combat drug in one go, surprising his foes. The dark mage swallowed and cried out as he started channeling a dark red magical aura; the fairies and the knight quickly backed away from him as he was consumed in a bright red light.
"What's going on? This guy's Ki is going haywire!" Jillian thought. "What was that weird liquid he drank? Is that what's boosting his power?" The light finally died down and Erigor was seen standing with his eyes closed and his blade on the ground; when he slowly picked it up and placed it on his shoulder, he released a massive wave of energy. "What the hell? The force of his energy is cutting through my defenses! Such power!" Jillian thought before she turned to the Fairies. "Stay back, you two! Get to cover and keep each other safe!" The mages nodded as they quickly left and hid behind some rocks. Jillian took a stance as she prepared to face Grim Reaper, who opened his eyes to reveal them to be pupil-less. Erigor then swung his scythe at Jill, and she quickly twirled her staff to form an energy barrier as the Storm mage sent a wind blast at her. The gale attack collided with her barrier and pushed against it; pieces of the shield started flying off until it eventually shattered and the Combat Healer was blown away. "No way, he just dissolved my energy shield with a mere flex of his power!"
Erigor glanced at his hand, closing it a few times before he charged at the female knight. He swung his scythe down on her but she quickly blocked it with her staff. The two pushed against each other, letting their energies mix while they clashed. "I can't believe he's capable of matching my power! Is he suddenly using Ki now?!" Jillian wondered before asking the Oracion. "Tell me, what was that liquid you drank? Why'd it make you so much stronger?!"
Instead of answering her question, the Grim Reaper asked, "Who are you? Who am I?"
Jillian powered up and backed away from the Oracion. "What's with this guy?" she thought. "It's clear I can't charge at him head-on or else he'll just blow me away again. I should aim for his blind spot like before. Even if he can match my strength, he can't keep up with my speed!" Jillian then disappeared from Erigor's view and started moving around the battlefield at a fast rate. The mages frantically looked around to try and find the Rune Knight.
"Yo, why's that council chick running around like that?" Bickslow asked. "Does she have some kind of plan to beat this guy?"
"I hope she knows what she's doing," Wendy said.
Erigor continued to scan the area in search for the Combat Healer. "What should I do? What do I have to counter with? I can't remember any of my abilities!" he stated. Jillian suddenly phased behind him and channeled Ki into her right fist; she threw it straight at the Grim Reaper's back. At the last second, Erigor put up his arms to block the attack, but what truly caught Jillian off guard was when his entire body was warped in a human-shaped tornado. "Storm Mail!" Erigor yelled. Jill's fist crashed into his gale armor and pushed against it until it was canceled out.
"What? No way, how did he do that? What kind of spell is this?" Jillian muttered in awe.
"Storm Mail… that spell seems familiar to me… but I can't remember a time I used it," Erigor mused. "Tell me, who am I? How am I able to do something like this?" As he spoke, his winds grew more intense and started to blow Jillian away; she quickly stabbed her staff into the ground to help withstand the gale force.
"Dammit! His power just keeps on growing! Whatever that thing he drank was, its effects don't seem to be wearing off anytime soon," she noted. The Storm Mage suddenly flew toward the Rune Knight while still using his Storm Mail; she instinctively jumped to the side to avoid the Grim Reaper, but he quickly swerved through the air and struck her in the back. "Ugh, he's a lot faster than before. I won't be able to dodge him so easily!" she thought. Erigor continued to pound Jillian using his gale armor as a battering ram.
"Oh no, we've gotta help her!" Wendy cried. She tried to rush over to the Rune Knight but she was grabbed by her guildmate.
"We can't just race over there, we need a plan first, kid!" Bickslow said.
"It's time to end this!" Erigor declared as he created a magic seal with his hand. "Storm Bringer!" The Oracion waved his hand, forming a massive tornado that swallowed Jillian; her screams were heard as she endured the violent windstorm. The Rune Knight was slammed into the ground when Erigor's attack was finished.
"Err, this isn't good! This guy's totally kicking my ass here! The Chief would be so disappointed," Jillian thought as she struggled to stand back up.
"I'm surprised that you were able to survive that attack," Erigor stated. "I may not know who you are or who I am, but I know that you cannot defeat me."
"If I don't of something fast, I'm done for!" Jill thought while using her staff to stand. "At this point, I've only got one more attack left to use." The Combat Healer took heavy breaths as she raised her staff above her head. "Sorry, Chief Tyson, I know you said never to use this attack on a human, but I don't have any other choice." Her staff started glowing as she gathered energy into it; she then aimed her weapon at the Grim Reaper and yelled, "Extermination Ray!" The Combat Healer fired her enormous energy disintegration beam; it traveled across the ground, incinerating it and any rock it touched as it flew toward the dark mage. Erigor gave a neutral expression as he simply swung his scythe and formed a giant twister around himself. Jillian's blast made contact with the tornado, but instead of disintegrating it, it swirled around with the tornado's rotation, going higher until it was redirected right back at the Rune Knight. Jillian's eyes grew wide and she jumped into the air just before the blast hit her; it collided with the ground and exploded on impact, causing a shockwave that disoriented the Corporal. "Damn, I didn't think he could launch my attack back at me; how reckless of me! Guess that's the reason the Chief said never to use it on another human," she thought. She then sensed someone behind her and glanced back, but it was too late.
Erigor swung his blade, slashing Jillian in the back. Blood sprayed out of her back as she fell toward the ground. The Storm Mage crossed his fingers and formed a magic seal. "It's over. Storm Shredder!" he exclaimed as numerous blades of wind came out of the circle and struck Jillian repeatedly. Her clothes were shredded, revealing her torso, legs, and arms all bruised. She collapsed on the rocky surface when the assault had ended. "I'm surprised your body's still intact after that," Erigor admitted. "You're truly strong and yet… I don't even know your name. But in a few minutes, you'll be dead and I'll have forgotten our battle, so there's no point in knowing." Jillian glanced up at the Grim Reaper, who was about to live up to his title by killing her. Erigor raised his scythe, ready to deliver the final blow, when suddenly…
"Sky Dragon Roar!" A gale blast from a different source flew straight at him, though he easily blocked it with his Storm Wall. He looked down to see that his attacker was the Sky Maiden of Fairy Tail. "I thought I was the one who couldn't remember anything; have you forgotten that your wind attacks have no effect on the Storm master, child?!" he demanded as he sent his own wind blast at the Dragon Slayer. Bickslow's dolls suddenly appeared in front of Wendy and blocked the attack.
"You ok there, Wendy?!" Bickslow asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Bickslow," she replied.
"It seems you flies don't know when to give up!" Erigor exclaimed. He followed up by sending a tornado blast at the two.
Bickslow quickly blocked the attack with his dolls. "Wendy, I'll distract this guy! Go help Jillian!" he instructed. "Alright, babies, Victory Formation!" His dolls arranged themselves in a V-shape and fired a blast at the Storm mage. Erigor simply blocked the attack with his Storm Wall. "Wendy, go!"
"Right!" Wendy agreed. She held out her hands. "Here, let me just give you a power boost first! Arms!" A blue light encompassed his body as his power increased. While Erigor blocked the attack, Wendy raced around Bickslow, heading for Jillian.
Erigor fired another gust of wind at the older mage that was once again blocked by his babies when he noticed the little girl running to Jillian. Raising his scythe, he unleashed a bolt of lightning at the ground in front of her, sending her flying back with a scream.
The Grim Reaper started to fly toward her but noticed another blast coming his way and swiftly intercepted it with another Storm Wall. "Keep going, Wendy! I've got your back!" Bickslow shouted. "Sorry pal, but if you wanna get to her, you gotta beat me!"
Wendy stood up and continued on her path while Bickslow had his babies fire more blasts at the dark mage. It was futile, however, as Erigor simply blocked them again. This time, he retaliated by sending a bolt of lightning at him, striking the Seith mage.
Hearing his cry of pain, Wendy stopped to look back at him. "Bickslow!" she cried.
"That moment of hesitation has sealed your fate!" Erigor stated, sending an intense blast of wind at the Dragon Slayer that blew her away. He floated over her as he prepared to finish her off. "Time to exterminate a fly, Emera Baram!" he called, sending an enormous amount of wind at the young girl, who couldn't react in time to dodge the attack.
However, at the last second, a figure jumped in front of her, and Wendy realized it was Jillian. With her body emitting Ki, she took the attack head-on, shielding Wendy from it entirely. Once it ended, she stood for a couple of seconds before collapsing.
"Ms. Jillian!" Wendy cried. "Oh no… this is all my fault!"
"Now to finish you all off! Storm Bringer!" Erigor created a huge tornado that surrounded the three of them. When the tornado vanished, the three fell to the ground, Wendy could still move since she was the least injured, but Jillian and Bickslow were badly hurt.
"No, Bickslow… Ms. Jillian," Wendy muttered as she pushed herself up and looked at her fallen comrades. "What do I do?"
Elsewhere, Gray Fullbuster and Freed Justine had made it to their location, which was a crystallized fortress. Inside they came face-to-face with the divine beauty of the Neo Oracion Seis: the dark mage Angel. "Oh my, what do we have here? Two handsome men have come just to see me. Hello, boys," Angle greeted the fairies sultrily.
"She's with the Neo Oracion Seis!" Gray exclaimed.
"Angel, if I'm not mistaken," Freed noted.
"What… a… babe!" Dan shouted as he went up to the Oracion and grasped her hand. "You're the beauty of my dreams!"
"That's not really a compliment," Angel said.
"Who's that? One of her allies?" Freed inquired.
"Are you kidding?!" Angel and Gray shouted.
"Dan Straight of the Legion Platoon at your service! Lupey-pie is old news now, I've devoted my heart to this Angel!" Dan announced.
"I'll have you know, my loyalty lies with Laxus!" Freed stated.
"Why are you competing with him?" Gray questioned his teammate; the mages then heard a soft melody echoing through the cave. "What's that music playing?"
"Where's it coming from?" Freed wondered.
The mages looked around until they spotted the musician: Lady Solaseed. The Zentopian nun stepped into the light before ceasing the playing of her flute and concealing it. "Greetings, Gray Fullbuster and Freed Justine of the Fairy Tail guild, it's a pleasure to meet you," she said while bowing to the Fairies. She then turned to glance at Angel and frowned. "I wish I could say the same for you, Miss Angel, but you and your allies disgraced Zentopia and caused us a lot of trouble."
"And who might you be?" Angel asked.
"Forgive me, I am Solaseed of the Legion Platoon," Solaseed introduced herself. "I am Zentopia's head nun and personal teacher of its doctrines."
"She's with the Legion Platoon?" Gray asked. "I didn't think there were any more of those guys."
"The Legion Platoon… that's the group the Oracion Seis used to attack our guild for the clock pieces, right?" Freed inquired. "It would seem that Zentopia has decided to increase its numbers to overcome these dark times."
"So what are you here for?" Gray asked.
"I am here to assist Sir Dan on his mission," Solaseed replied. "As you can see, he finds it difficult to focus, so I must ensure that he focuses straight on defeating the enemy. Pardon the pun." The nun then turned to the Knight and gave him a serious look. "Now Dan, what did we talk about before we got here?"
"To keep my quest for love on hold," Dan answered.
"Exactly, don't forget we're on a mission that could determine the fate of the world," Solaseed said.
"I know that, ma'am, but even during these crucial times, we must never close off our hearts!" Dan said. "I managed to find the light in my life after facing the jaws of darkness! This glorious Angel from heaven has graced me with her presence, and now I want nothing more than to be her personal Knight in shining armor!"
"Didn't you feel the same way about Lucy not too long ago?" Gray commented.
"What about your request to Cardinal Lapointe? Are you really willing to sacrifice Coco's freedom for the affection of this criminal?" Solaseed asked the Knight. Dan gave no answer and just looked away from his superior. "Remember why we're here: to save Coco, the Archbishop, and all of Zentopia from this world's evil! We can't afford any distractions, especially not now after the Legion Platoon's blunder led to the enemies' success!"
"You're right, Lady Solaseed. I won't let myself get distracted again, please forgive me," Dan pleaded.
"I'll let it slide. Now, take down that so-called Angel!" the nun ordered.
"Right! Sorry about this, Angey!" Dan yelled as he jumped toward the dark mage and tried to jab her with his spear. She jumped to the side, causing him to miss and stab the ground, where his magic made it shrink to a mere shard.
"Hmm, it seems that I'm in a bit of a situation here. You gentlemen wouldn't be interested in helping a defenseless angel, would you?" the Oracion asked the Fairies.
"Give me a break! You're not defenseless!" Gray refuted.
"Besides, we're here to stop you just as they are, so it'll be in our best interest to fight alongside the Legion Platoon!" Freed stated.
"Looks like you won't be turning us against each other or using us to help yourself again, dear," Solaseed said mockingly.
"Yeah! Now why don't save yourself a serious beating by telling us what you and your pals did with the Infinity Clock!" Gray suggested.
"What an idiotic question," Angel scoffed as she placed her hands on her chest. "Cost is forty. Come forth from the light, in my name embrace thy holy might!" As she spoke, she held up four gold coins that were pieces of her life force; the Fairies and the Legionnaires stood together as they braced themselves for battle.
"Angel Magic," Freed said. "Be on guard!"
"She's so heavenly, I'm on fire! But that darkness in her eyes really bothers me," Dan declared. "My spear will set her straight!"
"Despite its divine light show, I'm sensing an immense dark magic power from those coins," Solaseed observed. "This could be trouble."
Angel then tossed her coins into the air, where they shined even brighter. "Oh, angel of the sunlight, Shamsiel, I summon thee!" The coins' light then exploded, blinding the good mages; when it died down, standing before them was a giant white baby with large wings and two sheep in its hairdo.
"HEY! WHAT'S UP, FELLAS?!" Shamsiel greeted them.
"What the hell is that?!" Gray shouted.
"I don't know, but he's chubby and cute!" Dan answered.
"I found some new playmates for you," Angel told the chubby creature.
"OH BOY! LET'S PLAY CATCH! WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST?!" Shamsiel asked as he jumped toward the mages.
The Legion Knight dropped his weapons and cheerfully ran toward the sunlight angel. "I'll play with you, I'm great at catch!" Dan laughed, and he was immediately socked away by Shamsiel's large fist. "Ow! That hurt!"
"Why are you even here anyway?!" Gray questioned the Knight.
"Dan," Solaseed sighed. "Alright, time to attack!"
"Dark Ecriture! Pain!" Freed exclaimed as he fired his attack at the Angel.
"Ice-Make: Saucer!" Gray shouted as he threw an ice disk.
Both attacks struck the sunlight Angel in the chest, but there wasn't any sign of the creature being the slightest bit affected. "CUT IT OUT, THAT TICKLES!" Shamsiel giggled. He then grinned and said, "AN ANGEL'S LIGHT IS A THOUSNAD SUNS, SEE FOR YOURSELVES!" The two sheep in his hair suddenly released a bright light that blinded the mages. The Fairies were then consumed in a giant explosion.
"Try this on for size, big boy!" Solaseed yelled as she performed a series of hand movements. A magic circle appeared above the sunlight Angel as the nun yelled, "Spiteful Saint!" Numerous orbs of light fell from the magic seal and rained down on Shamsiel, but he only grabbed his stomach and laughed harder the more he was struck.
"HA, HA, HA! STOP, THIS IS TOO MUCH! YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME WET MYSELF!" Shamsiel cried. "OH BOY, THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! LET'S KEEP PLAYING!"
"Dammit! Our attacks didn't even faze him," Solaseed muttered.
"That was an impressive attack, Ms. Solaseed," Angel complimented the nun. "But you might as well give up; you stand no chance against an Angel's might!" Freed, Gray, and Solaseed glared at the white-haired mage as they prepared to take on her giant baby thing again.
Meanwhile, Erza, Evergreen, Hugo, and Max had made it to the top of the mountain, where the Poison Dragon Slayer was waiting for them. "Well now, isn't this a treat. Not only do I get to crush the famous Titania of Fairy Tail, but I also get the Knight of Darkness Hugo Steelsoul of the Custody Enforcement Unit. How lucky am I?" Cobra stated while grinning.
"He's one of the Neo Oracion Seis!" Max exclaimed.
"He's got a creepy look on his face," Evergreen remarked.
"He's called Cobra the Poison Dragon Slayer of the 2nd Generation," Erza explained. "By his title, his magic consists of poison."
"Everyone keep your distance and don't let him touch you!" Hugo instructed before addressing Cobra. "In the name of the Custody Enforcement Unit, I demand that you surrender yourself and return the Infinity Clock to our care!" The Lieutenant took a fighting stance as he glared at the dark mage.
"I have no interest in surrendering to the likes of you!" Cobra replied.
"Then I'll just have to take it from you by force, once I've defeated you," Hugo declared. "All of you get behind me now!" The Knight then released his malicious aura; the Fairies flinched from its force but were still able to move. Cobra, however, found himself completely immobilized. The Dragon Slayer fell on one knee as he tried to fight Hugo's magic.
"Heh! So it's true, you can paralyze anyone you face in an instant," Cobra muttered. "And the way this works is by you emitting a dark magic power. It's called your Overpower magic, right?" The dark mage then smirked. "I can hear it. You're thinking, 'don't fight it, no one has ever been able to overcome your magic since the Chief.' Well I hate to break it to ya, but it's gonna take a lot more than that to bring me down!" Cobra's arms suddenly expanded while growing red scales and claws, and the Dragon Slayer then rose to his feet.
"I can't believe he was able to fight off my Overpower magic by increasing his own power," Hugo thought. "No matter, I've been trained to handle situations like this." Hugo then charged at the dark mage and started throwing punches and kicks at him, but Cobra managed to swiftly avoid every one of his strikes before jabbing him in the chest. Hugo backed away and grasped his chest, where his breastplate was cracked. "How was he able to keep up with my movements? And that strength, he managed to crack my armor in one go!"
"I can hear your movements," Cobra stated. "I have to say, you're pretty fast, but I can still predict your strikes."
"He said he can hear my movements, guess the Intel about him reading minds is true," Hugo thought.
"That's right, I can hear it all. Your confusion, your despair, nothing is hidden from me," Cobra said. "Now may your own voice destroy you." The 2nd Generation Dragon Slayer then released a sound wave that blew Hugo away.
"Come on, we gotta help Sir Hugo!" Max stated.
"Right!" the girls agreed.
Cobra didn't even face them as he let out another sound attack; the battlefield exploded and Evergreen and Max were on their knees while Erza was still standing. "Stay down! I'll handle this!" she told her friends.
"Do you know where Cubellios is? Don't try to hide anything from me, Titania!" Cobra questioned the Fairy Queen, who gave him a confused look. "I see, you really don't know."
"So what, you're just gonna answer your own questions?" Max inquired.
"His magic allows him to hear our thoughts," Erza explained.
"You'd better not be seeping through anything private!" Evergreen protested.
"If you can't help me, then I don't need you," Cobra declared. He then snapped his fingers. Erza's earlier command was then released in a much larger vibration before exploding around the Fairies; when the smoke cleared, Erza was in her Adamantine Armor, holding her shields defensively in front of her guildmates. Her shields were cracked from the attack but none of the Fairies were harmed.
"What was that?!" Max questioned.
"More than just a listening spell!" Evergreen stated.
"He absorbed the sound of my voice and amplified it, then used it to attack!" Erza explained. She changed into her Robe of Yuen and brought out her bisento.
"I can hear it. You plan to use the elasticity of your clothing to weaken my attack, and land a strike of your own," Cobra revealed the strategy he picked from Erza's mind. The Scarlet mage charged at him and swung her weapon, but he avoided her slash effortlessly. "Close, but no cigar." Erza tried again but still missed her target. "Did you forget I hear everything, including your movements?" Cobra then palm struck Erza's abdomen, sending the sound vibrations through her body before sending her flying. "You never cease to impress! You're more dexterous than ever before; no wonder you defeated Azuma of Grimoire Heart!" Cobra commended Erza as she got to her feet.
"Natsu defeated him by attacking without thinking, and then deafened him with a roar," Erza thought. However, her mind was as clear as day to Cobra.
"You don't honestly think I'm that stupid, do you?!" the Dragon Slayer demanded furiously in response to her thoughts. "I'm not gonna fall for the same trick twice!"
"We'll see!" Erza shouted as she jumped to slash him again. He still dodged her without taking damage.
"7 years ago, I lost Cubellios…" Cobra muttered as he released another sound wave that knocked Erza off her feet.
"Erza!" Max and Evergreen cried as they rushed to help their friend.
"Then Fairy Tail took her away from me!" Cobra exclaimed as he deflected the others with another sound attack. "Return Cubellios to me now!"
"Who is that?" Erza inquired as she rose to her feet again.
Cobra turned behind him to see Hugo coming at him with a blade in his hand. "Nice try, pal!" the dark mage said as he snapped his fingers. Just like before, a sound wave was thrown toward his opponent, but this time, Hugo swung his blade, slashing through the attack and canceling it, which surprised Cobra. "How'd you do that?"
"It's my anti-Magic chakram blade! It allows me to sever and neutralize any magical attack I swing it at," Hugo explained. The Knight swung his blade rapidly at the Dragon Slayer before he was kicked to the side. Erza then tried to strike Cobra from behind, but he grabbed her bisento and used it to toss her into Hugo, sending them sliding across the ground. "Are you alright, Titania?" Hugo inquired.
"I can still fight if that's what you mean?" Erza answered.
"Good, 'cause I've got a plan," Hugo said. "I'll charge at him head-on, and he'll attack me with that sound wave he's been using. So I'll cancel it out, allowing you to get close and strike him. Just stick behind me and be ready to move!" Erza nodded as she followed Hugo to advance on Cobra. Just like he planned, Cobra released a sound wave at them and Hugo used his blade to counter it; the attack was nullified and Erza took the offensive. She slashed at Cobra many times but he still avoided her strikes. Hugo soon joined in and the two warriors double teamed the Oracion. Cobra then struck both of them in the stomach, hitting them with the sound vibrations and knocking them away.
"That was a nice plan, but it doesn't matter if you deflect my attacks! You can't hit me when I can still hear your movements!" Cobra stated. "I'm through toying with you! This one's for Cubellios!" He then took a huge breath and aimed at Titania. "Poison Dragon Roar!" He let out his breath attack and sent it toward the Scarlet haired mage. Hugo quickly got in front of her and severed the attack, making it pass by them without causing harm.
"Thank you for saving me," Erza said gratefully.
"Don't mention it… ever," Hugo replied. The two then resumed their fighting positions as they prepared to attack Cobra again.
Back at Katja's church hall, the Celestial mage was asked to summon her spirit to keep a lookout while they explained the situation to her. "Now, Open Gate of the Chisel! Caelum!" she announced as she swiped her silver key. In a flash of light, a silver machine curved into a ball appeared before Katja. "Please keep watch over us," she requested to her spirit. Caelum then shifted into a type of weapon and took position in the air. Gohan and Mest continued to gaze at the young Celestial Mage as she put her key away.
"I can't get over how much this girl looks like Wendy," Gohan thought. "And she can open two gates at once. I heard that Lucy hadn't learned how to do that yet."
"Um, the both of you keep staring at me," Katja stated to Gohan and Mest while looking a bit timid. "I know Celestial Wizards are kind of rare. Have either of you met some of us before?"
"Yes, but that's not why we were staring. Sorry about that," Gohan apologized.
"I hope we're not being creepy, but you just look like someone we know," Mest explained.
"Is that so?" Katja inquired. "So, who is this girl that resembles me?"
"She's from the same guild as me," Gohan answered. "She's a good friend of mine."
"I see. You know, in a strange way, I envy this girl," Katja said as she held Nico in her arms. "She's got people who care about her and will always remember her. I'd love to have someone like that. But no, even after a hundred years, I won't have anyone." She stopped to look at Gohan and Mest, who were perplexed that a girl her age was speaking with such hopelessness. She gave them a sad smile before continuing to speak. "It may sound odd, but I gave up hope a long time ago. I lost most of my friends in the attacks, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before I join them."
"You've given up on what exactly?" Lahar asked.
"On living… in the here and now." Katja answered. "I'm resigned to my fate, so I thought I'd take as much of this age's scenery as I can while I'm still here."
"But we can protect you!" Mest argued.
"He's right! That why we came here, to save you from your fate!" Gohan said.
"Thank you both, but I don't think anyone can save me at this point," Katja said.
"We'll see about that, little missy," Tyson said. "Alright y'all, if we're gonna protect this little lady from those lowlives, then we're all gonna need to shape up and fast, ya hear!"
Gohan quickly turned to leave as he said, "I'll keep a lookout from outside. I should be able to sense the enemy if they come to attack us."
"Sure thing, city boy, just holler if ya need a hand!" Tyson told the Son of Goku. He then faced his fellow Council officers. "Okay boys, it's time for a serious workout! This is how I whipped my Indians into shape and it'll build you up pretty darn quick."
"You mean like training?" Mest inquired. "What kind of training will this be?"
"You boys know magic, right?" Tyson asked. "Well, yer gonna use those tricks of yours to catch the Chief. And ya'll better not hold back on me, ya hear?!"
Outside the church building, the Demi Saiyan was meditating on the outside balcony. Gohan sat on the air as he resumed his earlier image training. In the mind space, he was facing off against the Tufflebot in his Super Saiyan 2 form. He dashed around and fired numerous energy blasts at the machine but it easily evaded them. Gohan glared at the Hatchiyak before powering up. "Why do you want to destroy me so much?" Rancor asked. "Is it because you failed to do it the last few times we've fought?" Gohan charged as him and punched him hard in the face; the machine suddenly turned into a batch of gas and disappeared from Gohan's view. "Why don't you trust me, city boy? Is it because I almost killed cher paps and your pals in the past?" a voice asked from behind Gohan; he turned around to see Super Android 13 smirking at him. He tried to kick it, but the Cyborg also turned into gas and disappeared. "Why do you hate us so much? Is it really because of what we've done?" the voices continued to ask as the gas swirled around Gohan. "Or it because… they remind you of me?!"
The half Saiyan had a shocked look on his face as the gas took the form of the Bio Android of his nightmare: the monstrous Cell. The grasshopper stood behind the Demi Saiyan, smirking evilly as he started to grow in size. "Even after you've defeated me, I still haunt you as a reminder of a failure you'll always be! You failed to stop me from killing your father and now you'll fail to save these new friends you've made in this new world! You'll let them down, just like you've always done with your allies!"
"No! No! NOOOO!" Gohan roared as he exploded in blinding light of Ki. The Son of Goku snapped out of his mental exercise and started breathing heavily. Blood was dripping from his mouth and sweat from his face.
"Um, excuse me," someone said from behind the Saiyan. Gohan turned to see Katja and Nico stepping onto the balcony. "Are you alright? You're bleeding."
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a little exercise," Gohan assured as he wiped his mouth.
"Ok. May we join you?" Katja asked, getting a nod from Gohan. The Celestial mage sat beside the Z Fighter with her spirit in her arms. "Forgive me, but I never caught your name."
"It's Son Gohan," the Saiyan introduced himself.
"I'm Katja and this is Nico," Katja said while Nico groaned.
"Nice to meet you. What kind of animal is your pet, anyway?" Gohan inquired.
"If you mean Nico, then I think he's supposed to be a dog," Katja replied. "And he's not just my pet, he's my best friend. He always been by my side and he's very loyal to me." The Celestial spirit nuzzled the mage before she petted his head. Gohan reached out and petted Nico's head, too.
"I had a friend like that. His name's Icarus," Gohan said. "He was my friend, too. He would always wait for me to play with him and he made me very happy."
"Where is he now?" Katja inquired.
"We got separated. But I know he's alright," Gohan replied.
"Even though you're apart, you still carry him in your heart. That must be nice," Katja mused while smiling. "I hope Nico and I could be like that." Her words got a chuckle out of the Demi Saiyan. "What's funny?"
"Nothing. It's just, that's probably something Wendy would say," Gohan stated.
"Wendy? Is that the girl I remind you of?" Katja asked.
"Yeah. You two would get along, you're so alike," Gohan commented.
"Really, how so?" Katja inquired.
"Well, you both have blue hair and have animal companions, you're both so adorable," Gohan said, getting the mage to blush. "You're both a bit shy, and although you look a little older, your appearances are nearly identical."
"They are?" Katja asked before she noticed Gohan scanning her up and down; she then saw his eyes had stopped moving and believed them to be glancing at her chest. "I KNOW THEY'RE FLAT, BUT DON'T STARE!" she screamed while slapping the Demi Saiyan's cheek while Nico jabbed his foot with his pointy nose.
"You even share the sensitivity to your chest thing, sorry about that," Gohan said sheepishly.
"No, I'm the one who should apologize," Katja said.
"Anyway, the two of you are almost the same," Gohan continued as he removed Nico from his foot. "But one big difference is that she hasn't given up on living while you have."
"I see, she probably has people like you to thank for that," Katja said. "So, where is she now?"
Gohan's face expressed slight concern. "She on a dangerous mission right now, and I'm a little worried about what'll happen to her," he confessed. "The last one didn't go so well, and she was almost killed because of a mistake I made."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Katja said. "So, does this mission have anything to do with the attacks on churches I've heard about?"
"Yes. We're trying to stop the ones responsible. I know she's strong and resourceful, but these guys are really dangerous, so I'm concerned," Gohan admitted.
"But you don't know how she's doing because you're here with me," Katja stated. "You don't have to be here to protect me. My fate is sealed no matter what, there's nothing that can change it."
"I don't believe that!" Gohan protested. "We came here to protect you, so I'm not just gonna leave you to your fate!"
Katja stared at the Saiyan with wonder. "You'd really risk your life for someone whose time is coming to an end? Someone who has no more reason to live and awaits her demise?" she inquired.
"Yes! If there's even a chance to save you or change your fate, I'll take it!" Gohan answered. "And don't say you have no more reason to live, 'cause there's always a reason, you just have to find it. Don't think that if you died now that you'll have no one to remember you. I'm sure Nico won't forget you and neither will I! Even after a hundred years, there'll still be someone who'll have heard about you." Gohan's thoughts were brought to the time he spent with his friends from his home and then the short time he spent with Fairy Tail. "Listen, the people I've been around have always lived their lives to the fullest, and that's what they taught me. They fought to live and always had something to live for, which is why they fought so hard. That's why no matter what, you have to never give up on living, 'cause if you do, your enemies will have won and you won't be someone worth remembering. Just keep on living and never give up hope; that's how you change your fate."
The Celestial Mage looked at the Demi Saiyan in awe before smiling; she rested her head on his shoulder as the wind blew around them. "Thank you Gohan, your words have really lifted my spirit," she said softly before looking outward. "Such a nice day, a shame it's one of the few we'll be seeing in these dark times."
"Yeah, but at least we can enjoy this one," Gohan stated. He then noticed something in the distance: a pillar of green energy being shot into the sky. "Oh no," he muttered as he recognized the light show.
"What is that? Is something wrong, Gohan?" Katja asked when she saw his face.
The Saiyan got to his feet before throwing his cape off. "Katja, take Nico and get inside right away. Don't leave Tyson or Mest's side until this is over," he instructed her.
"What about you?" she inquired as she placed the Nikola on her head.
"I have to take care of something," Gohan answered as he flared his Ki. "Just tell the others to be on guard and to leave this to me. Don't worry, this shouldn't take long."
Katja looked down at Nico, who groaned at her. She then embraced the Demi Saiyan and said, "Alright, just be careful Gohan."
"I'll be fine, and I'll protect you! I promise!" Gohan declared. Katja nodded before rushing inside. Gohan then faced the direction where he spotted the pillar of light and flew toward it. As he sped over there, one thing was on his mind. "Is it true? Do Rancor and Tyson really remind me of Cell?" he wondered. "Have I not gotten over what happened at the Cell Games yet?" He then shook his head to clear it. "No, I can't afford to think about that now! I have to stay focused and protect Katja! I have to stop Rancor this time!" He then powered up to Super Saiyan and flew faster. He finally made it to his destination, which was an open field close to a city. Hovering in the air over the soon-to-be battlefield was the fighting machine, Rancor.
"About time you got here, Saiyan, I was beginning to think you wouldn't show," Rancor said mockingly. Gohan gave no answer as he glared at the Hatchiyak. "What's wrong, monkey? Still a little miffed about our last battle? Worried you won't be able to defeat me?"
"No! Things won't turn out the way they did the last time we fight!" Gohan proclaimed as he powered up to Super Saiyan 2. "This time, I'm gonna finish you and bring the war between our people to an end! Right here, right now!"
A/N: And done! Gotta be one of the quickest chapters I ever wrote, if not the most exhausting! Man, my shoulder needs a serious massage! Anyway, the battles between good and evil have just begun and it seems the villains will triumph. Can the heroes put a stop to their plans before it's too late?! Will Gohan be able to defeat Rancor?! Find out in the next exciting chapter of Dragon Tail Z! Thanks for your reviews and glad to see the numbers of favorites and followers for this story increases by the day; already past one hundred and still counting! Until next time, BBFN AntiHero out!