Chapter 4

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback you

Location / Date / Time Skip

Kageyama groaned as he pushed himself up, catching everyone's attention. "So that's where you were hiding, my little Lu-Lu baby." Dan said, looking in from the hole in the wall.

"Not him again!" The blonde complained as the knight jumped down, wanting some 'sugar'.

"Get lost!" Kageyama shouted before throwing a punch. Dan turned and tapped the Shadow mage in the knuckle and laughed as a cloud of appeared. Kageyama had once again shrunk to tiny size as he approached Lucy.

"You heard the lady!" Romeo shouted, throwing some fireballs. Dan blocked with his shield and the purple flames shot out around the room. Everyone ran for panic but Happy once again stepped on the Shadow wizard.

"Keep shooting at me and all you'll end up doing is bringing these ruins down on top of you." Dan smugly declared, making Romeo cancel his magic. "Lu~cy... we're in a chapel now. Let's consummate our love before the presence God!"

Lucy screamed in horrified scream before running away as Dan chased after her. Romeo tackled Dan only for him to kick the child away. "We have to do something!"

"Well, I have an idea." Happy said.

"I think we have the same." Michelle said, leaning down.

"What is it?" Lucy asked.

"You'll act as the bait." They said at the same time. "We have to get Dan to lower his guard, and the only way to do that is... with matrimony." Happy further explained.

"Not happening!" The blonde protested.

"Do you have a better idea?" Kageyama asked from Happy's head. "I'm getting sick of all this shrinking and we need to end this now."

Mumbling in anger, Lucy put on her best sexy face and Dan fell for it, racing after her. Happy took to the sky and dropped the tiny wizard onto Dan's spear, making him grow to normal size. "Hello again, tinhead." He pulled back his hand as it turned into a black armored limb.

Dan raised his shield only for his arm to pull back, courtesy of Romeo. "This is the power of Fairy Tail! Erebus Pygmachia!" He threw a punch and hit Dan in the face, sending him flying into the wall of the church.

"I like him much better when he's passed out." Lucy chuckled. The wall he hit started glowing before the stone faded to reveal the clock piece. "Way to go, guys!"

A crying noise caught everyones attention and they turned to Happy. "I just can't believe one of Lucy's seduction plan actually worked."

"It was your plan, ya stupid cat!" The blonde shouted back.

Library of Sorcery

Erza summoned a second sword and swung both at the purple man, making him jump back. Nullpudding then jumped and threw his arm forward, sending a swarm of needles at Erza. Glowing quickly, Erza entered her Adamantine Armor and blocked them before charging. She pushed the shields forward and jumped as she glowed again, entering her Heaven's Wheel armor.

As she planned, Nullpudding had jumped into the air to avoid them. "Pentagram Sword!" Erza swung her swords in a star style, knocking the troll out.

Cana jumped and dodged the swipes from Kurohebi before throwing a pair of cards. The man bent down and dodged before hioding up his hand. "Thanks for the new magic." He chuckled before he threw the cards... only for them to turn to water.

"You know what your problem is?" Cana asked. "You can copy all the magic you want, but that doesn't mean you know how to use it." She pulled out three cards and threw them, making them glow. "Summon Lightning!" Lightning shot down and zapped down the strange man, knocking him out.

"Find anything?" Carla asked Wendy down below.

"Just something weird." The girl pressed against the shelf and it tumbled backwards, revealing a strange chamber. The two raced down a hall and found the giant clock piece they were looking for. "This is it."

"Now... how do we get it out?" Carla asked.

The wall next to them exploded as Cana and Erza stood on the other side. "Man, that is big." Cana mumbled. "How are we supposed to carry it back to the guild?"

"Not a problem, we'll just put it with the rest of my luggage." Erza said, shocking the other three.

With Lucy's Group

"How are we supposed to carry that thing?" Happy asked.

Dan popped from behind and Kageyama turned to fight only for Dan to sit down, surrender and tell them his 'tragic' life story. "That's not tragic at all!" The shadow wizard shouted back. Dan ignored him and began chasing after Lucy for a 'wedding'. "You know, it's times like this that make me wish I was still in jail."

"Hold on, one of the members of the Legion Platoon seems to be missing." Michelle said, looking around.

"Where's Coco?" Lucy asked before getting chased by Dan again.

"I'm starting to get hungry." Romeo said.

"Leave! Me! Alone!" Lucy shouted, only to fall on deaf ears. The roof exploded and crashed down on them as Byro and Kanaloa appeared before them.

"Why are you two struggling with these fools?" He asked as a rock crushed Dan. "Return to base. I will deal with these fools at once."

"You know, it's kinda hard to be intimidating when you're standing on top of an octopus." Kageyama said. The cephalopod shot ink out of its blowhole and forced the two boys to jump back. "Okay, that's different."

"Be careful!" Happy shouted.

The sea creature shot out more ink and the two males jumped again. "Knuckle Shadow!" Kageyama waved his arm and shadowy fists hit the sea creature, only to have them bounce off the skin. A tentacle slammed into him, destroying a pillar and forcing Lucy and Kageyama to save Dan and Coco.

"You are really lucky I'm a good guy now." The shadow wizard told the unconscious knight. "The old me would have left you behind. And as for you..." He turned to face Byro and the octopus. "Shouldn't you try to avoid your comrades in a fight!?"

"Coco and Dan are supposed to be your allies!" Lucy added.

"As proud members of the Legion Platoon, they are prepared to sacrifice their lives to win this holy war." He declared.

"You don't have any right to her life!" The blonde shouted. "You don't get to say anything for her. She's not your slave, not Zentopia's, not anyones! She can make her own decisions!"

"You have no right to talk about lives when you know nothing about the situation you in." Byro declared. Kageyama was slammed into the ground and trapped underneath a tentacle, pushing it off him as best he could.

Kanaloa squinted and shot out some more ink, only to hit the ground and not the man. The octopus looked around for it's target only for a purple orb of flames kept its mouth open. "My turn. Orrochi Shadow!" Snake like shadows shot forward and went for the mouth, only to be swatted away.

"How terribly naive." Byro said as Kageyama rose out of the ground. "Kanaloa has survived countless battles alongside myself. Such childish tactics aren't going to work."

"Well, what now?" Happy asked.

"Our work is done, Kanaloa. Let us go." Byro ordered the octopus.

"Hold it, right there!" Lucy shouted. "My father left that clock handle to me which makes it mine. It's the only thing I have left to remember him by. You do have any right to steal it!"

"We are not stealing anything." The old man replied. "We are taking them into our care. We are gathering these pieces because they belong to the Infinity Clock. The archbishop of Zentopia has ordered we retrieve them. We're simply following his orders."

"The Infinity Clock?" Lucy asked back.

"Oh, like we're gonna believe that." Kageyama said. "If your archbishop is as smart as you say he is, then why would he want the pieces gathered in the first place? And I don't want any church holding the fate of the world in their hands."

"Yeah, he's right." Lucy added. "You might make a mistake with it too."

"How dare you insinuate that our teachings are mistakes." Byro said. "The archbishop is infallible!"

"You might be able to fool most people with that hero act, but you can't fool me." The shadow wizard said. "I know it all too well. And this is where you get beaten!"

"How dare you! Kanaloa!" The octopus swung its tentacle and forced the shadow wizard to dodge. Romeo and Lucy wrapped their whips around the octopus and tied it up before Kageyama unleashed another snake spell, taking it out. "You may have beaten Kanaloa, but you will not beat me."

With the Strauss and Talon Group

Lisanna swam underneath the water in her mermaid mode before finding a puzzle. Quickly solving it, the water draining from one lake to another. The other three jumped down and entered the empty basin. Far away from them was a glowing orb, catching there attention. "Good work, Lisanna." Mira said.

"Thanks... to be honest I was starting to feel like a drag on." The youngest sibling confessed.

"Shall we get the clock piece before someone notices the missing lake?" Talon asked.

"Sure, no problem." Elfman walked over and pulled the orb out before throwing it off to the side. "Crap, not her." The others turned see Mary Hughes walking over to the piece.

"Thanks big guy." She chuckled. "In fact, I should thank all four of you doing the hard work for me."

"Not this annoying girl again." Talon said.

"How did you know where to find us?" Mirajane asked.

"Simple, I followed you here." The church girl said. "Figures it was easier than just wandering around looking for it."

"Four against one? You don't stand a chance!" Elfman shouted charging her with his Beast Arm glowing. Mary waved her wand and he attacked his siblings. "Crap!"

"Did you really forget about my magic?" Mary chuckled. "As long as I this baton, you're all my puppets."

"Thunderstruck!" Lightning shot down and hit her, making her cry in pain. "You might control or bodies, but not or magic." Mary waved her arm and tried to control him, only for Talon to explode into sparks. "Lightning Body is a pain in the ass, isn't it?" He asked from behind.

"You are really starting to piss me off." Mary growled before pointing her wand at the group. Talon felt nothing happen to him and smirked before a painful scream came from Mirajane. "I'm supposed to use this, but I feel like making you suffer."

Mirajane fell backwards as her Satan Soul stood up, shocking the group. The soul charged Elfman and slammed him into a rock wall before turning to Lisanna. Lightning shot down from the sky and zapped the spirit, making it turn around to glare at Talon. "Don't worry Mira, I've got this." Talon said before clasping his hands together. "Levinbolt!"

Seven orbs of electricity shot out and surrounded the spirit before they zapped it. "Deal with him already!" Mary shouted waving her wand.

The Take-over spun around and used darkness to slice through the orbs. It charged Talon and he wrapped his arms around the being. 'Normally, I'd love for this to happen. But not like this.' He slammed his head into her and dazed her enough to let go. "Overload!" He spread his arms wide and a pulse of electricity hit the soul.

The spirit channeled the energy through her arms and fired it back, sending Talon sliding back. Instantly the spirit wrapped her hand around his neck and started choking him. "Now take her out!" Mary ordered. The spirit fired off a beam of dark energy and created an explosion.

The dust clouded everyone's vision before a single blue tail rolled out. "We got trouble." Elfman said, confusing the other two. "Calm down, Mira." The dust settled and everyone stared at the older sibling.

Her ears were covered by sky long blue scales, extending backwards, and gain pointed edges, bearing resemblance to those of elves. She also gained similar scale-like armor in their forearms and hands as well as in their legs. Each forearm also receives a fin-like protrusion on its outer side. She also grew a large, sky blue, stocky tail seemingly made of metal plates or scales, getting smaller and smaller near its end.

Her bikini also changed into a light blue and dark blue, one-piece suit revealing their arms and legs, which is open on the front and the back, exposing most of the belly, wide cleavage and upper back too. Two angel-like wings came out of her back pointing upwards as well.

"No one told me she had a second soul!" Mary shouted as Talon continued to fight the grip.

"What happened to her?" Lisanna asked.

"We need to get out of here, now." Elfman said. "The reason you've never seen it before is because our master forbid its use. It's known as Halphas." Mirajane opened her eyes at Mary before Elfman picked up his sister and ran for both of their lives. The ground exploded behind them as Mirajane attacked her possessed soul.

Talon wrapped his legs around the arms and spun, freeing himself. "Two against one! How is this fair!?" Mary complained. "And one is a sinful demon."

The vernette took to the sky and flew next to Mirajane, taking care not to stare at her. "To be honest, I like Zentopia's teachings. Acknowledging the malice within you and devoting every ounce of love to others. However-" Both raised their hands and their respective magics struck the soul. "I've lost all respect for them now that I know they take in people like you."

Mary growled in anger and waved her again, a third finger extending. The Takeover suddenly turned into magic and merged with her. "Its a sin to use this spell, but with it will defeat you with your own magic!"

She took to the sky and threw punches, only for Mirajane to block and hit back. "This is what you call a sin?" She kicked her to the ground before holding out her hand. "If anything, your sin is using my power to hurt my brother and sister!" A beam of cosmic energy shot out and hit her.

Groaning, Mary could only look up as Talon held up his hands. Lightning channeled off his arms before they took the form of a hammer. "Mighty Spark!" He lowered his hands down and the hammer crashed down on Mary. The explosion settled and the church girl was shown unconscious, the take over now with Mirajane once more.

With Lucy's Group

Byro stood his ground as the clock hand started glowing under the wraps. "The clock hand..." Kageyama waved his hand and his snake shadows charged Byro. The man waved his staff and nullified the spell before the shadow user released a knuckle shadow. It too was nullified before the armored man caught his fist and slammed his knee into the gut before throwing Kageyama into a rock.

Lucy raced over and tried to summon a spirit, only to have it nullified as well. "Man... you are playing seriously dirty." Kageyama groaned out before Byro kicked him away. Kageyama flipped onto his feet before charging forward, only to slide under the armored man and tried to force him to the ground. Byro turned and swatted the other man with his staff before beating it over his head.

Off to the side, Coco winced with every blow hit. Kageyama collapsed to the ground with blood coming out the side of his mouth before Byro kicked him in the face. "Sinners like you could never understand the weight the Legion Platoon carries. We are prepared to sacrifice our lives for this mission."

"You don't get to talk to him like that!" Romeo shouted.

Kageyama rolled along the ground before forcing himself up. "Talk like that doesn't work on me." He said. "I've more than paid for my sins. So I don't give a damn about what you think about me. And life isn't so something you just throw away." Byro punched him in the gut, making Romeo and Happy wince and start to run over. "Stay out of this... he's mine."

Byro wrapped his staff around the back of Kageyama and forced him to the ground before stomping on his head. "How dare a sinner like you lecture me about life. You, a guild rat chasing coin. You are nothing but scum to me."

"Big talk coming from a thief." Kageyama said before getting kicked away.

"This is a holy war." Byro declared. "One who's heart has been tainted by darkness could never understand what we do."

"I can't believe Lord Byro is being so ruthless with him." Coco said from the side.

"I read up on that guy after the fight at Lucy's place." Dan added. "From what it's said, he's more than made up for his crimes."

Byro kicked the downed man in the gut before slamming the end of his staff into the head. "Someone like you will never be able to leave the darkness. It will swallow your soul." He slammed the bottom of his foot down and Kageyama groaned in pain. "You could never understand the sacrifices we're prepared to make."

Kageyama was picked up off the ground before Byro kicked him into a pillar. "We are prepared to sacrifice our lives for the greater good. Are you willing to do the same?"

He turned and started walking over to the others when Kageyama weakly grabbed his foot. "Bet you think you can just do whatever you want as long as it's justified. But in truth, you just don't want to feel guilty for all that you've done. You killed, stole, and destroyed lives. You're no different than what I used to be.

"I thought that no matter what we did was justified because we were doing what was right. We were just murderers, thieves, and scum. In the end we were no more right than you are. So congratulations, you and I are on the same level."

"You dare compare my noble crusade to your sinful life!?" Byro growled, looking like he was about to explode. "For that you will die!" He raised his staff and a purple glow started coming off it.

"Lord Byro, are you mad!?" Dan asked. "You can't use Divine Arrow that close! You'll kill him!"

"Turn to dust and be purified in the fire of Zentopia!" He threw his arm back and his staff glowed, launching an arrow of magic. It went high as Coco had kicked the staff. "Coco? How dare you!?"

"Lord Byro, please you have to stop." She begged. "All this suffering, is this really what Zentopia is all about? We should be helping the weak instead of knocking them down. What's righteous about making people suffer?"

"Blasphemy..." Byro mumbled on anger before raising his staff. "There will be no tribunal waiting for you! Only death for a traitor like you!"

He fired off another spell only to be blocked by an arriving Erza on her Adamantine Armor. "The chance to cross swords has at last present itself. Prepare for battle." She returned to her normal armor as the others appeared around the four.

Wendy ran over and grabbed Kageyama before starting to heal him. "Thanks, kid. I owe ya one." He chuckled out.

"We have almost all the clock pieces." Erza declared. "Now hand yours over or we'll be forced to get violent."

"You'll have to take it from me, Titania." Byro replied. Erza responded by summoning a sword before ordering everyone to attack. Magic of all types fired off at him only for him to nullify all of it. "No matter how many spells you throw my way I will nullify all of it."

The clock pieces started glowing before they floated into the air. They shined like a star before merging into the clock and started ringing loudly. Everyone began covering their ears to cover the sound before a wall behind it shattered. Six figures walked out from the dust cloud and everyone stared in shock at who it was.

"The Oracion Seis?" Lucy asked in shock.

"And it seems like they have new members." Erza added.

"A great deal has changed since we last met." Midnight said. "For instance, I now go by Brain the Second."

"Call yourself whatever you want! Why are you here?" Gray asked.

"I have but one single wish. To make my fathers dream a reality." He declared. "And that is to destroy all that formed in this world. And thank you for doing the work for us, but we no longer require your serves." The Clock started glowing green before their symbol appeared on it.

Dan and Byro charged forward only to get taken out by Brain II. "You may not be aware of this, but once the Clock bears the mark of a wizard it becomes their property. That means this belongs to us." The Clock started ringing as Lucy shouted how 'unfair it was'.

"I can hear their growing anger and confusion." Cobra said.

"Unfortunately, we dark ones are forbidden from touching the Infinity Clock." Angel spoke up. "Therefor we had you assembled it for us."

Talon unleashed a bolt of lightning only for the hooded man to block it with a gust of wind blew the hood back and Kageyama went wide eyed. "Erigor!"

"Erigor?!" The others shouted in shock.

"The name is Grim Reaper." The bald man replied.

"Brain, remember we have an important goal." Angel said. "We can't waste time on these bugs."

"Maybe so, but we have a score to settle." The leader replied. "Let's return the favor from seven years ago. Cobra, Racer." The two men nodded and they jumped down. Racer blindingly attacked anyone near him before growling at Erza. Cobra snapped his fingers and a sound bomb destroyed the floor, taking out almost all of them.

"This is a waste of time." Angel complained.

"We should be going now. Angel?" Brain requested.

"As you wish; The cost is thirty." Three coins rose out of her hand and started glowing before a blinding light filled the room. "Come forth, oh angel who heralds victory; Barakiel!" A three headed winged beast appeared and quickly detonated, creating a pillar of smoke and nothing more.

Kageyama groaned as he opened his eyes before pushing himself up. "Easy, easy." The shadow user turned around and found himself staring at his guild master.

"How'd we get back to the guildhall?" He asked, looking around to see the others around him.

"Thank Ichiya for that." Juvia said walking over. "He saved all of you from being buried alive. He dropped you all off and did the same for Lyon. Unfortunately, the Legion Platoon escaped."

"Where's Lucy and Michelle?" Kageyama asked.

"They needed some air so they went around town for a bit." Gray said. The shadow user groaned before pushing himself up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going after Erigor." Kageyama replied. "You don't know him like I do. There's no way he would ever join up with those guys, not like this."

"We'll find him." Natsu said. "But right now we need to recover and get our strength back. And how those guys even broke out of jail."

The doors and Lucy and Michelle walked in. "I need to reread Key of the Starry Heaven. Does Jouki still have it." Lucy asked before the book was thrown to the ground.

"This books sucks!" The child in question declared as Asuka nodded behind him. "They weren't supposed to gather the clock pieces. That's what destroyed the world."

Lucy picked up the book and reread it before going wide eyed. "He's right..."

"Look, I don't wanna be that guy, but if a kid can figure it out on his first read and you can't what does that say about you?" Talon asked, making Lucy drop her head. "Hey, don't be like that. If anything, you should blame your father for making things so complex. He should have just out right told us."

"Then it seems we know what we have to do now." Natsu said. "We need to stop the Oracion Seis... again."

Not much left to say about this chapter. See ya next time.

Beta read by JballinR12.