SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 44 out, this is Chapter 45 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and my OCs.

Chapter 45: Dragon Sense

"Traitor." Knightwalker declared. "In the end, you are one of the Fallen. Just an Exceed. You've forgotten the debt you owe our king for saving you, and instead turn your blade against him. Scarlet!" she roared.

"Wait, Erza." Mystogan stopped her. "You plan to aim your spear at me, the Prince of Edolas, Erza Knightwalker?" he demanded.

"Prince, you say?" Faust laughed, now in the Dorma Anim. "Don't make me laugh. I don't think of you as my son. After 7 years of hiding in faraway lands, you have some nerve skulking back here. I know that you've been going around Earthland sealing off Anima. You've betrayed your country. You sold out your own kingdom."

"You Anima plan is a failure." Mystogan announced. "Continuing fighting will be meaningless, yes?"

"Meaning?" Faust echoed. "The meaning of fighting? This is not a fight." He emerged from the ground. "It is retaliation against those who defy the King. A one-sided extermination. No matter who stands in my way, I will eliminate them, even you. There won't be any trace left."

"Father…" Mystogan muttered.

"I am no father." Faust retorted. "I am the King of Edolas. Yes. I'll wipe you out here, and no one will be left to stop the Anima in Earthland. I'll suck up another giant lacrima, and then fuse it with the Exceed. I can do it as many times as I want. Nothing is impossible for the King! The King's power is absolute!"

"That's…" Shagotte gasped. "Dorma Anim…"

"Dorma Anim?" Mystogan echoed. "It means 'Dragon Knight' in our native tongue. Ulchan, is this… what you're afraid of?"

"My soldiers, capture the Exceeds!" Faust ordered.

"Run for it!" Mystogan warned.

"After them!" Knightwalker gave the order.

"We'll protect the Exceeds from the Royal Army." Mercury barked out orders of her own, the Royal Army having turned a number of Exceeds into lacrima crystals. "Attack Knightwalker's forces."

"Enough pointless banter for now." Gray agreed. "What'll we do about that giant thing?"

"We'll just have to dodge it." Mystogan suggested. "The Exceeds are defenceless now. If we don't protect them, then…"

"Protect them while dodging me?" Faust taunted. "I won't let a single human escape. I'll blast every last one of you to bits. Begone!"

"Mystogan!" Erza gasped when Mystogan moved in front of Coco's Legion, blocking off the energy beam with his own magic barrier.

"Erza, take this chance and go." Mystogan instructed. "Three Layered Magic Circle: Mirror Water!" he deflected the attack back.

"That tickles." Faust chuckled after the smoke died down, revealing the unscathed robot. "You're much more suited to crawling on the ground." He laughed, having blasted Mystogan off his steed. "You should wander along the ground until you give up and die. How beautiful." He droned, the Exceed lacrima raining around him. "Turn every Exceed into a lacrima. Spare no one. What?" he demanded, his rampage was cut off by Natsu's punch. "Who?" he barked, Gajeel landing an uppercut on the robot. "Magic shouldn't work on Dorma Anim, so who is attacking me?"

"Roar of the Sky Dragon!" Wendy let loose her attack.

"We're counting on things here." Mercury nodded, leaving the Dorma Anim to the three Dragon Slayers.

"Lily, are you safe?" Mystogan inquired, approaching the injured Exceed. "I'm sorry, Natsu." He muttered, seeing the battle rage on.

"Prince, what is the meaning of this?" Pantherlily inquired. "You let yourself be done in on purpose before? In order to save me?"

"How are your injuries?" Mystogan asked.

"It's nothing serious." Pantherlily assured.

"We have no choice but to leave Dorma Anim to Natsu and the others." Mystogan admitted. "We have something we must do."

"Something to do?" Pantherlily echoed.

"My final work that Ulchan had entrusted to me." Mystogan nodded. "For that, I'll need your help."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.