Chapter 20
The Clock Strikes 12
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Magic"
Flashback you
Location / Date / Time Skip
Infinity Castle
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Brain 2 asked a chained up Lucy as Imitatia and Bugeisha stood behind him. "The Infinity Castle was once a seat of power for Zentopia. But they grew weak and sealed it away for some asinine reason. They didn't deserve the power."
"Michelle, please. Tell me why." Lucy demanded.
"My name is Imitatia, do you understand me?" The rose themed girl asked back.
"You both did well. This Celestial wizard is the final piece of the puzzle." Brain 2 continued. "Now the never ending nightmare can begin. With all the Anti-Links severed and the wizards are now set to sleep for a hundred years. Their sacrifice has allowed us to use the Infinity Clock."
"I'm just ashamed that I was defeated by that tiny snake again." Ikaruga huffed, gripping her blade.
"You call this a sacrifice!?" Lucy shouted back. "You can't just do this to people!"
"I can and I have." Brain chuckled.
"Did you and your friends not sleep for seven years?" Bugeisha asked.
"That's not even remotely the same thing!" The blonde shouted back. "We had people waiting for us, hoping for us to return. These people will have no one left for them. You can't even imagine what that's like! That time was stolen from us and we can never get it back."
"That's why its called a curse." Brain 2 replied. "And now that same curse will take you."
"This is all for your sake, big sister." 'Michelle' said.
"After all your lies, you expect me to believe that?" Lucy shouted back.
"Believe me or not, they weren't all lies." Imitatia replied before walking back from the blonde. "Let us begin."
"Yes." The two-tone haired man chuckled. "Lucy Heartfillia, the time has come to say goodbye." He walked towards the orange orb behind her and began writing runes on it. The orb began glowing as Lucy dropped her head.
"Brain." The three turned to see Salamander and Angel walking towards them. "I can hear a ship coming towards us."
"It must be her little friends." Angel said. "We already sent Racer after them, but he was unable to free Huntress."
"Prepare yourselves for combat." The leader told the Angel and Ikaruga. "I don't doubt Racers ability, but we must be careful. Salamander, stay here with me." The two nodded and started to walk down the stairs when Salamander suddenly turned around.
"Something wrong?" Angel asked.
"I-I thought I heard something." He replied. 'My friend...'
He walked away from them as Angel reached for him, only for Bugeisha to stop her. "We spent seven years try to restore his emotions. All those missions, the lessons, they didn't accomplish anything. The only way to save him is with the Clock." Angel started to tear up before the swords-woman hugged her.
Up on the alter the blonde captive opened her eyes, now with dead glaze in them. "The never-ending nightmare can finally begin. Sweet chaos suffocate this world."
A small quake awoke Lucy from her daze where she saw an annoyed Midnight and Imitatia looking away. "You're beloved friends are on their way to you."
"My friends, from Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked. "They found a way to get inside?"
"Yes, but I'm afraid they're going to lose their lives." Midnight chuckled.
"What do you mean!?" The blonde shouted.
"Because me and the others are going to have to kill them now." Imitaia said. "I won't let anyone else have you. You belong to me, big sister."
With the Fairy Tail Group
Greenhouse
The guild wizards raced through all manner of plants before a single pillar rose out of the ground, Angel standing on top of it. "I'm sorry, but this is as far as you go."
"Another one!" Erik complained.
"Angel... go, I can handle her." Gray said, stepping forward.
"Fine, but you better not lose to her again." Erik growled before the others ran forward.
"Haven't you been embarrassed by me enough for one lifetime?" Angel asked.
"This won't be like last time." The Ice Wizard said, bracing his hands for a spell.
The other four raced through the gear works of the clock when the metal was sliced into pieces, forcing them to jump back. "A chance at redemption for me. How fortuitous." Bugeshia chuckled, holding her blade.
"Go, I'll take her out!" Gajeel shouted, turning his arm into a sword before jumping up. The two swords clashed in a mass of sparks, letting the others run by.
Gajeel felt his arm heating up and he jumped back, seeing his arm blade was glowing from residual heat. "So you're the one who gave snake face so much trouble." He said, returning his arm to normal. "That means if I beat you I'm better than him."
"That's assuming you survive." The kimono clad girl said, sheathing her blade. "Zanjitsu Gokui." She drew her sword and it caught fire, almost glowing white. The girl then jumped forward and swung, forcing Gajeel to jump. The blade cut clean through the metal like it was paper, letting the gear fall.
Gajeel landed and ducked another swing before his arm turned into a club. He thrusted it forward and hit her stomach, sending her flying back. Bugeshia spun and impaled her sword into the club, making him cry out. Gravity pulled her down and she landed, quickly sheathing her blade.
"Blitzschlag." She charged forward and swung her sword before sheathing it, a series of quick strikes hit Gajeel. She pointed he blade at his throat, only for a metal clad hand to catch it. The dark wizard sensed that Gajeel was now covered in metal scales that were smoking from the heat.
"Don't you dare think I'm just gonna roll over and die!" He pulled the sword in and punched the girl before his hand glowed. "Iron Dragon Lance: Demon Logs!" Metal spikes shot out and tore through her clothing before they stopped. She slid back and rolled out of the way of club before blocking another sword swing.
The chipped blades started moving and ground against the blade before it snapped in half. Ikaruga could hardly react before she was hit in the ribs by another pillar and sent into another gear. The bolt snapped out of place and the gears fell onto her, completely covering her.
Gajeel panted in exhaustion as his arms returned to normal. "Damn... that was harder than it should have been." He chuckled before the watching the gears glow. They pulled themselves back onto place as Ikaruga coughed up bit of blood. "It's over. You've lost."
"No... We both have." The broken blade started glowing before a small flame appeared on the tip. "Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin!" She impaled the sword into the gear and the entire cog erupted into an inferno. The flames spread and hit Gajeel, making him scream as they started melting his scales.
The pillar of flames tore through the whole clock before dying. The swordswoman pushed herself up with her sheathe, her eye-band burnt off. Ikaruga looked up with her now dull eyes and smiled at the unconscious boy, his scales fused to the gear itself. She let out one last cough before she fell to the ground exhausted.
Central Node
The last four ran forward and finally reached the opening. Looking up, they found Lucy attached to the orb with Brain 2, Salamander and Imitatia standing guard. "Leave Lucy alone, she belongs to me." The doll said, drawing her sword. "Head back to that rotting guild hall if you value value your lives."
"Don't think you can threaten us!" Erik shouted back.
"Very well then, come face your death." Brain 2 pointed his staff at the group before the two guild wizards charged. Erik unleashed his breath attack at her when Salamander did the same. The resulting explosion blinded the legal wizards before Reflector Magic blasted the group apart. "Don't let anyone near her." He ordered Imitatia before the leader and Salamander charged in.
Elfman charged the leader only for his fist to be redirected and miss. Wendy unleashed a watery roar at the dark wizard only for his Vectors to send it flying into Elfman. "Sorry." She declared only for the glowing arrows to launch her into the air. His staff glowed green before the eyes fired off beams of shadow magic, making her cry in pain as the hit her.
She crashed to the ground as Midnight twirled his hair. "Pathetic." He dodged a punch from Elfman before blasting him back. He rolled along the ground before charging again, this time his body transformed into a massive beast. Brain 2 merely chuckled as he redirected another Water spell into hm.
"Salamander." Erza mumbled.
"All of your desperation will be your undoing." The pinkette declared. "Cobra and Titania..." He waved his hand and a mix of sound and fire forced them to jump.
"Can you still hear what I'm thinking?" The red head asked, summoning another sword.
"Just that you think can beat me." Natsu replied.
"And that's all you're going to hear until I succeed." She declared.
Erik jumped up from behind and threw a punch that Salamander caught. He pulled the legal wizard in for a punch to the face before throwing him into Erza. Both stood back up before Erza donned her Heaven's Wheel and sent a swarm of swords at him as Erik unleashed a torrent of Poison.
Salamander easily dodged the blades before igniting himself, burning the poison around him. He jumped back from kick from Erik before grabbing the leg and slammed him down. Natsu then flipped back from a sword swing from Erza before flipping forward and kicking Erza into the wall.
"Is your mind starting to break?" Salamander asked, walking over the other Slayer. Erza charged in with her Flame Empress Armor only for the one-eyed man man to grab the blade and have a sound wave hit her. She donned her Blackwing Armor and flew back before Requiping her Lightning Empress Armor.
"I know what you went through in that god forsaken tower. I went through the same anguish as you. But I don't understand why you would want anyone to suffer the same fate." She pointed her spear at him and it started sparking.
"Real Nightmare is our goal, and that is all matters." He replied, unmoved by her words. "Unaffiliated and nonresistant mean nothing to me."
"Nothing could be worth giving up for this kind of power!" Erza jumped off the wall and fired of a bolt of lightning, which Salamander countered with a sound wave. Erik jumped up from behind and waved his hands, a mass of snake-shaped poison flying at his foe. Natsu jumped back from the magic before he turned and glanced back at Erik before cracking his neck.
Greenhouse
Gray stared up at Angel before throwing off his shirt and jacket, much to her confusion. "You may have gotten lucky last time, but now I'll be the one thrashing you."
"Ugh, this is why I can't stand stubborn man." She huffed.
"I don't like beating up girls, but if its for my friend I'll bear it." He declared. "This is for Lucy." Angel pulled out four coins and summoned the Cherubim from the cave. "Not this thing again!"
Gray summoned a geyser of ice only for the eagle head to screech and fire off a beam of black fire out of the mouth. The two elements meet and created an explosion. The two land creatures started sniffing the air before turning around. Gray slammed his hands together and a yoyo of a buzzsaw shot out, slicing into one of the wings.
The creature roared in pain before the mans head took control. It eyes started glowing before beams of energy shot out, blasting Gray into an old building. The Ice mage shattered and jumped up from behind, only for the ox's head to shoot out and bite down on the man's legs.
The head receded and the other heads barred down on Gray, only for Ice to start coating it. "Take this! Ice-Make: Knuckles!" Frozen fists shot out and shattered the angel, sending frozen chunks all over.
The angel defeated, it turned into a black mist and faded away as the coins fell to the ground. Angel grabbed her chest in pain before she lost her footing and fell. "Damn you." She growled out before finding a scythe blade at her neck. "I won't lose to you!" She gripped the blade and it shattered.
"Cost Twenty! Come forth, Zarathos!" The two coins glowed before an angel with four wings, three pairs of arms, torn robes and a flaming skull-like head appeared. It roared before firing twin streams of blue fire from its highest hands, forcing Gray to create a shield.
"Throw all the angels you want at me, I'll take them all down!" He shouted before the shield broke. He spun and crafted a frozen cannon before pulling trigger, sending a blast of ice at the creature. The angel roared before a tornado of blue fire shoot out, meeting the ice. The resulting steam blinded Gray before a trio of fists hit him.
He rolled along the ground before standing up and jumping back, making the angel punch a hole through the floor. Gray's arm was coated in an icy vambrace as he picked up some rubble and threw it as hard as he could. Zarathos merely caught it with his mouth and shattered it with one bite.
The angel pulled all six arms back, creating a large orb of fire before throwing it. Just before impact, it bounced off something and exploded behind him. Gray lowered his arms to see Dan in front of him, shield at the ready. "Fantastic, you found your way out of that cave." Angel sighed before Dan zoomed over to her. The armored man started flirting around with her before Zarathos threw him back. "Kill him and burn his corpse to ash!"
Another fireball appeared but Dan blocked with his shield before stabbing the angel with his spear. The angel roared in pain before vanishing, making Angel grab her chest as a dark energy escaped her body. Dan tried to get Gray to leave, angering Angel. "I've had it with all of you! Just disappear! Cost one hundred, come forth herald of the end times! Raguel!"
A massive multi-headed angel with a matching number of trumpets appeared. Dan charged the massive beast only to get blasted back by the sound from its trumpets. Gray charged and instantly shattered from another sound wave. From behind, the real Gray sliced off one of the heads with a frozen sword.
The beast cried in pain as Angel grabbed her arm, her flesh starting to crack. "What is going on?" He asked, holding his sword at the ready. "Why does that keep happening?"
"Every... time I use my magic... It takes part of my life." She said, standing up. "But I couldn't care less."
"You're talking about throwing your life away!" Gray shouted. "How could you do something so stupid!? You can't live life to the fullest, and that means you're dead on the inside!"
"I couldn't care less about what happens to me!" Angel shouted, her flesh cracking even more. "If it means I can undo my mistake and fix him, I would gladly die!" The angel exploded into a huge mass of black goop with faces that blasted Gray back.
"What is this thing?" Gray asked before the goop started swallowing Angel. He charged into the mass and sliced his way through the black being before finding Angel's hand. "You think this is what he would want!? Look around you! This thing is a parasite that's going to kill you!"
"You don't know anything, about what I did. How I ruined him!" She shouted back, her own hair turning into black goo. "Just let me die! That's all I can do!"
"Wake up, you idiot!" He shouted before creating another ice shield. "Get it together! If you want to make it up to him, then tell him yourself! You don't die for the people you love, you live for them!" Dan jumped from the side and threw his spear at the girl. At the same time, Gray froze the mass and most of the room before it shattered to pieces.
Dan chuckled before falling on the ground. "Talk about perfect timing. When he beat that thing, I used my spear to shrink that thing as small as possible. And with your coins back you can live a long life."
"Why?" She asked in confusion. "Why would you try so hard to save your enemy?"
"Because all life is precious." Gray said, helping Angel up.
"Very well, I admit defeat." Angel wobbled a bit and took a step forward. The ice under feet cracked and before either man could help, she fell though the hole.
In Lucy's Chamber
"One of the seals has been broken." Lucy spoke monotonously. "Only two remain."
"Just hold on, Lucy!" Erik shouted, having missed a punch on Salamander. "We're almost done with these creeps! So snap out of it."
"No matter how much you plea, it's useless." Midnight chuckled appearing behind the slayer. "Very soon Lucy Heartfillia and the clock will become one, giving us absolute control over Real Nightmare."
"No one is going to touch my big sister!" The doll declared, swinging her whip shield and keeping the two cats as far from the alter. "For the rest of time she will forever be by my side." The Dragon Slayer started talking to himself, but the others recognized it as telepathy.
"You want to be with Lucy, but you never considered what she wants." Erik said. "I know it's not this. All she would want is to forgive you, and welcome you back to her side."
"And that is exactly what I am doing!" Imitatia shouted, swinging her shield whip. "I know my sister and I only want the same thing! We were always together before, and we will be again!" Purple fire hit her and sent her tumbling down the stairs as Romeo suddenly appeared, having snuck on with the others.
"You lied to us, you used us, you betrayed Lucy. Why the hell would we ever believe you again!?" The boy shouted, throwing flames. "Don't you even care about how happy lucy was to see you after her dad died!? Her heart was broken and you tricked her! How can you ever call yourself a sister!"
The doll didn't even need to brace herself as the flames were devoured by Salamander. "Die." He declared, grabbing the boys face as his flames started burning the teen.
'My friends... I'm coming...' A familiar voice caught his attention and he turned to it's source. Seizing the moment, Erza summoned a second sword and sliced along Natsu's legs, making him buckle. Romeo punched as hard as he could and the dark wizard gasped before Erik pulled him off and sent him sliding back with a poisoned fist to the face.
Lucy suddenly spoke up about a blood thirsty enemy when another Exceed appeared. His claws grew and he flew at the blonde, only for a black arrow to send him flying into the runner. "I won't let you touch my sister!" She jumped and swung her sword, clipping his wings before kicking him away.
"I will complete what my father could not." Brain 2 said. "The destruction of all that is-" A blast of energy cut him off before he felt something drain out of him. The leader hit the stone wall behind him, and turned only gasp in shock.
"Pathetic." Lapointe lowered his smoking hand and glared at the younger boy. "Four members have been defeated by this unruly group of wizards who are seven years behind you. After all this time you still disappoint me, Midnight." Lapointe walked towards the stairs as a green mist rolled off him.
"Impossible! I saw you turn into a clump of hair in the archbishops room!" Erik shouted, making the cardinal smirk.
His body melted away as Brain picked up his staff, restoring his power. "Did you really think I would miss this moment? For seven long years, I've waited for my moment and you will not ruin it again. I will destroy you all."
A blast of darkness magic hit Erik and sent him next to the unconscious Midnight. "I would never allow anyone to share this power. It belongs to me alone. And nothing in your power can change this." He turned to the other Fairy Tail mages, all covered in bruises and scrapes. "The Celestial Wizard wizard you came here for shall be no more.
"She won't be trapped inside of the lacrima like the others. Their very essence is being used to power Real Nightmare. Nothing of her being shall remain when it is complete, even the very memories of her shall crumble away and become the lifeblood of my ascension!"
He turned to Salamander and a green energy hand grabbed him. "And as for you, you're time is up." The hand started glowing and the boy winced in pain before getting thrown to the wall, his arms and body covered in burns. "Your seal is mine." The mans clothes changed again as his eyes turned blood red. "The seals I placed on the first six have fallen. Now nothing can stop me!"
Erik forced himself up and opened a vial of poison. "You monster..." He mumbled before gulping down the contents. "I'll make you pay!"
Imitatia stared down at the battle in disbelief before dropping to her knees. "Sister... I'm sorry..." She mumbled, tears falling from the doll's eyes. The water hit her hand and her eyes went wide. The doll jumped down from the alter before rushing Wendy and Elfman.
She grabbed the little girl and before Elfman could act, charged over to the downed Natsu. She slid to a stop and placed the girl down, staring into her eyes. "You have to heal him! He's the only who can help defeat Zero!"
Erza placed her blade at the plant themed girl's neck, making Wendy gasp in shock. "Give us one reason to trust you."
"I never wanted any of this." Michelle said, grabbing the blade. "I only wanted to be with my sister again, but not like this! Believe me, I only want to save Lucy now! And none of us stand a chance against Zero unless we work together!"
Erza glared at the doll before pulling her blade back. "Help him, Wendy."
The female Dragon Slayer nodded and held her hands over the males body. A large droplet of water formed and it spread out over the body. The flower themed girl stood up before rubble fell from the ceiling. She looked up just in time to see Angel fall through the hole in the roof. Imitatia jumped up and grabbed her teammate before landing on the ground and racing back over.
The feathered girl slowly opened her eyes and saw Imitatia's face. "What happened?" She asked before glancing over to the side. "Get away from him!" She raced over to her boyfriends side, pushing Erza to the side. "What are you doing?!"
"It's fine. They're healing him." The doll said, shocking the girl.
The water turned black before it bubbled into nothing, making Wendy turn to them. "I don't understand. It's like something is blocking my spell."
"It has to be Real Nightmare." Erza surmised before summoning a hammer longer than she is tall with a long black handle in a zigzag shape. The head consists of a series of gray cylindrical sections, the frontal one being larger than the rest, with light brown plating on its front. On the front of the hammerhead is the emblem of the Zentopia Church on a white circular background.
"This worked on the others. It should work her as well." She gripped the handle and raised it high before bringing it down, tapping his head. A black mist started rolling off his body, confusing the legal wizards. "What kind of spell was he under?" Erza asked.
"One that robbed that him of his emotions." Angel said, gripping the remains of her dress. "And it's all my fault."
The last of the mist fell off, Wendy returned to healing the dark wizard. Her watery magic syphoned the burns away before Natsu opened his eye and found himself staring up at a stone ceiling. "Ugh, my head." He gripped his face in pain before his eye opened to a white speck. "Angel?" He asked as a small smile crossed his face.
Tears started forming in her eyes as she covered her mouth. "...You're back... You're back! I've never been so happy!" She cried out before kissing him. The two embraced in a hug on the floor as Natsu ran his hands through her hair.
An explosion caught their attention and they looked up to see Erik and Elfman getting blasted back. "What is Zero doing here!?"
"This was always Brain's plan." Imitatia said. "He used us to get the Clock together and now he's going to kill us all."
"Ugh! I've had it with this bastard using us all!" Natsu complained, standing up. "I say we kick his ass and settle this between us. What do you say, Titania?"
"I do not like the idea of working with you, but to save a friend I will withstand the humiliation." The redhead replied before the two charged.
Angel stood up only for her leg to give out. "Stay here and get healed. I will back them up." Imitatia declared before drawing her blade and joined the two.
Erik almost did a double take as Salamander, Imitatia and Erza raced into the fight side by side. The plant themed girl swung her whip shield at Zero, forcing him to dodge. Swords of all manner flew at him and he swatted them aside before a spiral of fire-laced kicks to hit his back.
"Annoying maggots!" Zero placed his hands together and a barrage of green magic shot out. Imitatia braced behind her shield as Salamander was peppered by the Darkness Magic.
He was pushed into Erik and the two crashed to the ground. "Get off me!" The First Generation Slayer shouted before standing up. The two glared at each other before they turned and ran at the same time to Zero. They both threw a elemental enhanced punch that hit opposite cheeks.
Zero growled in annoyance before grabbing their heads and slamming them against each other before blasting them with magic. The pair went flying backwards before Natsu rolled to a stop and stood up, blood matting his hair and dripping down his left check. He reached up and grabbed Erik by the foot, pushing the two back further. Without a word, the former foe turned unlikely ally threw him forward.
Erik opened his mouth and unleashed a roar, only for Zero to reach through the mass of poison and grab the Fairy Tail mage's face. A wicked smirk crossed his face before a dark green glow began forming in the open mouth. In a flash, Erza and Imitatia stuck with their weapons. Brain let go of Erik before turning and blasting the spell at Erza. The redhead was sent flying into the ceiling as the other hand caught the sword.
The blade broke before he grabbed a shard and stabbed it into Imitatia's shoulder. Erik punched up in an uppercut and finally hit the original leader. Zero glared at the legal wizard before grabbing the doll and throwing her into Erik. The pair flew back and bounced along before coming to a stop, Erik holding the doll in his arms.
"Cobra, take her to the Nereid and the find a place to hide." The Fairy Tale mage looked up to see Salamander walking in front of them. "If this doesn't stop him, nothing will."
"Why should I-" Erik started before Imitatia pulled on his shirt.
"Trust him." She said before grabbing her other arm, which was dangling like it was string. "I would really appreciate getting this thing out of my arm."
Erik let out a sigh before looking back at the fire user. "You had better win this." He rushed off to the side before jumping to the side, catching a falling Erza as well.
"Zero..." Salamander called out walking forward, blood dripping onto his shoulder. "You have no idea how long I've really, REALLY wanted to kick your ass." His hands erupted into flames before the ones on the left turned pitch black.
"Salamander." Zero grinned, seemingly unphased by the poison that just hit him. "I must say I rather enjoyed you as a husk of your former self. Tearing those useless emotions out of you made you quite the obedient slave." Purple miasma rolled off his body as it turned into faces, all crying out in torment. "Your worth as a lapdog was noteworthy, but it's time put you down."
The world seemed frozen as the two readied their strongest spells. A strange wave of calm washed over both of them, only for it to be broken in an instant
"Dragon God Inferno Blast!" Natsu thrust his palms forward and clasped his hands together. Two orbs of fire, one nebulous black and the other bloody crimson were fired ahead of him. But his attack was too slow.
"Genesis Zero!" Zero placed his hands together and the mist fired forward to pull Natsu's soul into nothingness.
Unable to block, Natsu did the only thing he could as he stared into the void. He screamed with all the anger and hatred he could bring into his soul. The sound magic was a meager defense to redirect the attack, but the spirits still reached out to grab him. The flames connected and Zero cried in pain, but neither would end their attacks.
The spirits cold arms pulled him deeper into the void as Natsu shouted even harder. The arms pulled him back and all that he could see was starting to grey. 'Natsu.' His ears twitched as he heard a voice, one from the heart rather than the mouth. 'I won't let you disappear after I just got you back! You need to win this fight! Not just for me, but for Huntress and Ikaruga and Imitatia and the others who care for you! We couldn't stand it if you didn't!'
Sorano's voice pushed him onwards and his body was bathed in flames. The sound spell rose in power as the spirits began shaking in fear. 'My friends... where are you?' The other voice that had been on the edge of his mind came forward again, and he felt like he would be safe.
In that instant, a roar equaling a dragons shook the chains that tethered the Infinity Clock to the earth. A massive sonic blast shot forward and pierced the spirits, blasting the caster through the wall behind him. The dark spell faded into nothing as Salamander stood with his back towards a broken window.
Natsu, a bloody and battered mess had been victorious. With the last of his strength, he smiled at his love before his legs gave out and he fell out of the castle, twinkling like so many falling stars as his flames finally went out.
.
.
.
"-su! -atsu! -NATSU!" The dark mage was shook awake and stared into the blue eyes of his beloved. Had Angel pushed Wendy to the side and followed him to spend their final moments together?
The two fell to the ground as the clock started glowing, blinding the pair. "You should have left me died alone!"
"You're not dying, not like this! Open, Gate of the Ram - Aries!" The girl pulled out the key and the spirit appeared before she panicked and grabbed onto the two. "I need you to make a crash pad!"
The spirit nodded and pink cotton shot out of her hands. It hit the ground and started piling up and out. "We're still in trouble!" Natsu said, glancing down. Something suddenly grabbed onto them and pulled back, sending the scarf into his eye.
They spun around in the air until they crashed into the puff ball, Natsu on the bottom. The two dark wizards pushed the cotton out of the way to see a girl sporting neck length purple hair. Her lime green-colored blouse with a green neckline and trim amplified her beautiful body. Her outfit was complimented by a long, white skirt and green boots.
She also seemed completely unaware of the purple scaled wings folding into her back before they glittered away. The sky started raining down light as the girl helped their heads off the ground. "You two have been badly hurt." She said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"We're fine." Natsu said, keeping his hand on Angel's.
"So tell me, we're you two the ones calling out to me?" The purplette asked.
"What are you talking about?" Angel asked before Natsu's head perked up.
"I can hear it." He whispered before suddenly pushing himself up and grabbing her arms. "It is you."
The new girl looked on confused before reaching forward, making him flinch. "What happened to your eye?" She asked, brushing his face.
"Some bastard took it from me." Natsu said, sitting back. "It doesn't matter. I just need my hearing."
"What are your names?" The girl asked.
"Natsu." The boy answered. "And this is Sorano. What's yours?"
"Kinana." The new girl replied.
The Slayers ears perked up as he caught a soundwave and he turned around to see Lahar and Doranbolt at the edge of the crater along with a whole squadron of rune knights. "Salamander and Angel of the Neo Oracion Seis. The others are already in custody, so surrender peacefully."
"And if we don't?" Angel asked.
"Stop it!" The unharmed girl shouted. "They aren't actually bad people!" Her arms started glowing purple as the stone under them started melting.
"Magic?" Angel asked before recognizing the effect. 'It can't be... Cubelios?'
Natsu's magic picked up their thoughts, talking about arresting her. "Calm down, we're coming." He said before standing up. Angel understood and stood up as well before the two helped the other walk forward. "Get out of here, kid."
"Natsu... Sorano! Wait, you never answered my question!" The girl shouted as the two reached the council workers. "Were you the ones calling-"
Her voice ended and the four turned to see empty air. "Where'd she go?" Lahar asked. The bispectial man turned back to the two criminals, only for swarms of white energy appear and block them off. The men began panicking as something knocked them down and and the energy cutting them off from each other. Lahar reached out to grab them but the storm cut his arm almost to the bone.
The swarm died and the two criminals were no where to be seen. "No! They've escaped again!" Lahar shouted, holding his bloody arm.
Natsu groaned as he pushed himself up, the jingle of chains coming from his arms. "Good, I see your finally awake." A voice said, catching the pinkettes attention. "I wouldn't try breaking out, if I were you. I do apologies for your rough treatment. Now that you're awake, let's talk about how you're going to help me destroy Fairy Tail."
"Piss off." Natsu replied. "I'm through with doing shit for other people if those pricks are involved. All I want is go away and be with them. So give me one reason why I should listen to you." The man chuckled before a wall moved to the side, revealing Angel and Cubelios in racks, their arms covered in fresh bruises and blood in their mouths. "You bastard!"
"Ah, ah, ah." The main voice said before a pair of glowing brands appeared next to their necks. "If you think we were rough with them when you were asleep, imagine what we'll do to them with you awake."
Natsu growled in anger before his head hung in shame. "What do you want?"
The man chuckled before the cell door opened and he threw a heavy bag in front of him. "Put this on."
And the Infinity Clock is done. Forgot mention this last chapter, but I have a crossover poll on my profile. Feel free to ignore this if you've already voted.
I don't know if this is a win for either side, but let me try and explain what just happened.
First yes, I brought Brain back into this ending because I wanted to nail in that he uses the Seis. They are nothing more than pawns for him, which is why none of them object to ehgera beih. Sorry, spoilers do that to me. And I also thought it would be ironic that Erza would be the one to free Natsu from his curse. I'll see ya guys soon for another chapter. Hope you all get excited for what's next.
Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.
