Good day people (or good 'your local time of the day')! I'm here with my new chapter. Again, since there were no new manga chapters last week – no complains about manga, so here's just a new chapter for my story, as scheduled xD
Thanks everyone who left the review, I'm glad to know readers' opinion.
Answers for the reviewers:
Steam Powered Crow: Thanks, I really think Cana should have a bit more screen time than Mashima granted her. As for trap – I really wanted to make a tiny preview of Tower of Din, since it's going to pop-up many times.
DraXXter: You know, my favorite author is Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, I really like his style – no words wasted, every phrase actually means something. I'm trying to write in the same style.
Meow: Well, here it is – the next chapter. Thanks for your support!
DragonSlayer96: Well, then I think this chapter won't disappoint you either – here's even more action. However, I'm not going to show all that Nelliel got – this arc isn't her last appearance.
Silent Reader 6100, FanFictionHunter: Thanks people, here it is – an update xD
Guest: Well, this is the really high praise – I'll try to keep it that way! xD
Mira-san: Thanks. Read this one then – there's a lot of Gajeel here.
Now, let's proceed. Initially I planned to conclude the Phantom Lord arc in this chapter, but it already become too large, so I had to postpone Makarov's battle against Jose for the next one. However, most interesting battles still here, so I hope you won't be disappointed. There are some notes about two used spells, I placed them at the end of the chapter to not spoil it. Good reading.
Chapter updated 7/12/2016
Chapter XV – Slayers' Festival
…
August 28, X784, 8:55, inside Phantom Lord's giant.
(With Mirajane, Gray and Elfman)
An extremely tall and massive man, dressed in a dark-green coat, appeared before the Fairy Tail mages. "I'm called Aria of the Sky. The pinnacle of the element four. I have come to slay the fairies," He announced, taking a combat stance.
"The game walks into the bag!" Gray smirked. "Mira, hide! Elfman and I will handle him! Are you ready?" Gray looked at the white-haired fellow.
"The real man is always ready!" Elfman shouted, throwing away his coat.
"No, wait!" Mira exclaimed, "Don't be hasty, he could be stronger than other members of his group!" She tried to warn Gray and Elfman, but they were already rushing toward the enemy.
"Bīsuto Sōru!" [Beast Soul] Once again, Elfman made a large violet magic seal, executing a full-body Take Over, gaining the appearance of The Beast.
"Aisu Meiku: Ōgāma!" [Ice Make: Scythe] Gray created a giant scythe made out of ice and jumped into the air, preparing to strike.
"Kūiki: Hetsu!" [Airspace: Mantle] Aria extended his arms forward and cast a spell, making an invisible but resilient wall in front of himself. Elfman smashed into the invisible wall and was thrown back. Gray tried to hit his enemy with the scythe but it collided with the resilient wall and Gray was hit with the recoil.
"Ough!" "Guah!" Both mages flew backward, rolling head over heels.
"Nice try, but against my 'Airspace' magic, simple tricks won't work. Kūiki: Zetsu!" [Airspace: Suppression] Aria fired multiple void blasts at his opponents, which exploded spontaneously in the air around them, adding to the damage they had already taken and increasing the impact when they finally smashed into the ground.
"Nuogh!" Gray and Elfman both fell right in front of Mirajane, who looked at them in fear. They didn't even touch Aria.
"Kūiki: Retsu!" [Airspace: Rend] Aria cast another spell, creating air currents that formed a massive sphere of compressed air, which flew toward the Fairy Tail mages and released the stored air. A wave of high pressure sent Mira crashing into a wall, together with Gray and Elfman.
"Oaauuh!" All three screamed in unison. Yet, despite damage they've already sustained, Gray and Elfman jumped on their feet.
"Nee-san, hide!" Elfman said before he again rushed toward the enemy, raising his beast claws.
"We'll handle him! Mira, please, find a safe spot!" Gray shouted as he extended his arms forward, preparing to cast a new spell.
"Good, you really are up for a fight. Show me everything you've got, Fairy Tail," Aria said calmly, eyeing the approaching enemies.
As Mira watched her brother and Gray's attempts to fight back the enemy, Natsu's words suddenly popped up in her mind…
Flashback, about three months after Lisanna's funeral.
"I see Elfman is training quite hard," Natsu noted, sitting at the bar counter. "I think he's doing well, considering the situation. But how about you? Still have trouble with your magic?" The god slayer asked. Natsu and Mirajane were not on best terms before, but after the 'common' tragedy, they became almost like kindred people. Natsu was frequently hanging around the guildhall, just to keep Mira company.
"What do you mean?" The new barmaid asked.
"You know what I mean," Natsu replied. "Did you at least try to perform a Take Over?"
"Why?" Mira asked with smile. "You think I can't handle the salver with booze without my magic?" She gave him a bit strained laugh.
"Jane, stop it," Natsu frowned. "I know a lot about psychology, c'mon, I can help you to get your powers back…"
"Natsu, please…" She let out a tired sight, "It has nothing to do with psychology, my powers are gone. Gone. Get over it, just as I did. I don't miss them – my powers brought only sadness to everyone. If you really wanna help me – wash these mugs," She pointed at more than two dozen of dirty beer mugs.
"Gladly, but I can't," Natsu quickly replied as he stood up from stool. "I just remembered – I have to meet with the decorator. See you!" He waved his goodbye and quickly headed to the guild door.
"Right…" Mira rolled her eyes, 'I don't know who's gonna be your wife, but I already pity her…' She thought.
"Jane!" Natsu called for her from the doorway, he was already outside, "Powers doesn't bring sadness, lack of them does…" He said then quickly closed the door to avoid being hit by a beer mug that Mira threw at him.
End of flashback.
(With Natsu and Erza)
Erza and Natsu were in the different parts of the enemy guild, still trying to find the guild's power source, which was used to power up the Abisu Bureiku [Abyss Break] spell and the guild's anti-magic shield, or at least someone who can tell them about it. They felt some faint magic, but was unable to locate its source so they were forced to check every room, every corridor of this quite a large building. They were running around for almost twenty minutes now, and they already checked almost everything.
In fact, the shield generator actually existed. It had nothing to do with Abisu Bureiku, but it really was used to energize the guild's shield and also its energy was used for the giant's movements. Also, Nelliel was using its power for her illusive spell to keep Natsu and Erza away from the generator's room, hiding its signature. However, it couldn't last forever. 'Damn, what is with this damn spell? I can't hide this core much longer...' Nelliel thought, she was near the guild's shield generator. Master's orders were clear – keep the intruders from the magic power generator until Abisu Bureiku is cast. The shield would protect the guild from being damaged by the dark blast and its energy would be needed to move the guild back home. However, because three of the four elements were defeated the spell preparation took much more time than intended.
(With Mirajane, Gray and Elfman)
Gray and Elfman stood in the middle of the corridor, wiping blood from their mouths and breathing very heavily. They had multiple bruises and wounds. Aria struck them several times while Elfman and Gray were unable to hit him at least once. "I'm rather impressed that you two are still able to stand. You're quite something…" The airspace mage noted calmly.
"Dammit!" Gray bellowed as he once again rushed toward his enemy as Elfman did the same with deafening beast's roar. Aria was just toying with them…
'What's wrong with this guy… His eyes are covered but Gray and Elfman are losing so badly in this fight…' Mirajane thought as she watched the battle. She was hiding behind the corner, trembling with fear. Mira was not afraid for herself, but Gray and Elfman… and if they don't defeat Aria quickly – half of Magnolia will be destroyed, along with all of Fairy Tail.
"However, before my airspace magic, there's nothing you two can do. Kūiki: Setsu!" [Airspace: Fracture] Aria made a fracture in airspace behind Elfman and Gray. The fracture created an effect, similar to explosive decompression, which pushed the Fairy Tail mages back with great force, sending them crashing into a column.
'No, they can't make it!' Mira gnawed her fingernails almost to the meat. 'They're too exhausted – they've escaped the trap, both of them have already fought against one member of the Element Four, and Gray used his magic to help stop Jupiter… I have to help them… but how?! I'm completely powerless…'
Flashback, about one year after Lisanna's death.
Mira was on the second floor, washing the tables. The time was about 22 hours, so there were very few people in the guildhall. She was almost done with her job and was about to go home when Natsu and Sin came into the building; they've just returned from their mission. Cana asked them about their mission and now they were discussing it. As far as Mira could understand, they destroyed some criminal gang that was terrorizing a small town. Also, it seems that the Mayor's daughter was so fascinated with Natsu's way of dealing with criminals that she started to think about becoming a mage.
"Have you supported her undertakings?" Cana asked as Natsu finished his story.
"Of course, you know my position on this issue," Natsu replied, "This world is for those who wield power. Others should rely on our good will."
"Aren't you too categorical?" Cana asked, taking another big sip of booze.
"Not at all, it's just the truth," Natsu replied. "Take those villagers, for example. Until my arrival they were trembling in fear before that gang of pathetic rats. If you have power, you can protect yourself and those you hold dear. If not, you can only hide in a corner, trembling in horror and praying that someone will come to help…"
Mira didn't even notice that her fingernails dug into her palm so deep that it began to bleed as she listened to Natsu's harsh words, which were especially painful because the truth can hurt much more than any lie…
End of flashback.
(Fairy Tail back yard)
Here, Fairy Tail mages were fighting out of last strength against Jose's shades.
"Oh yeah, where's Loke?" Bisaca asked when she realized that she hasn't seen him in a while.
"He said he had some bad feeling about Lucy, so he headed to the hideout to check on her," Alzask replied, reloading his gun.
"Say what?" Wakaba exclaimed, "He skipped out?"
"I don't think that's it, if Abyss Break is cast then the hideout won't be safe place either," Bisca said, aiming her rifle at another shade.
"He has good intuition…" Cana noted, "I hope he know what he's doing…"
At this time, Loki was running along Magnolia's streets, toward the Fairy Tail's hideout.
(Fairy Tail hideout, with Lucy and Reedus)
"I see… so I was put to sleep by Mirajane-san…" Lucy said once she finally woke up. She was now sitting on one of the crates.
"Oui, this is our emergency hideout," Reedus replied, he was sitting near the opposite wall, drawing Lucy's portrait.
"I lost my keys…" Lucy said sadly. "I guess I was just in everyone's way… No choice then, yes?" She asked, her large eyes were full of sadness.
"That's not it," Reedus replied. "She simply wants to protect her nakama, just like the rest of us." Reedus had really nice painting skills; on the portrait Lucy looked just as real... and almost as sad. "Getting in the way doesn't have anything to do with it…"
"Reedus… But that's why I can't just sit here!" Lucy exclaimed as she rose to her feet, "I've got to go back!"
"You can't, Lucy!" Reedus replied firmly, "Think of Mirajane…"
"But…" Lucy tried to argue as, suddenly, the door into the hideout was destroyed by a powerful blow from outside.
"Lucy! Stand back!" Reedus warned, preparing his paints.
"Gi hi hi hi… So there's where you've been hiding, Ojō-sama," Gajeel's voice said from the dust cloud.
"Lucy, hurry up and run!" Reedus said, drawing a cannon on his belly.
"What are you saying!? I'll fight, too!" Lucy retorted.
"It's for everyone's sake! Please!" Reedus added, "Kyanon Bōru!" [Cannonball] The cannon, that Reedus drew, fired a black cannonball toward the dust cloud.
"Oh, you're making me cry…" Gajeel snickered, "How touching." The dust cloud dissipated and Gajeel appeared, holding the cannonball in his arm; he managed to catch it with ease. Black Steel took a bite of the cannonball, as if it was an apple and quickly spat it out. "Damn, cast iron! I hate cast iron, you trash!" It seemed that cast iron for him was like a raw meat for humans.
'Reedus! I'm sorry!' Lucy thought as her conscience cried in protest when she started to run, she finally realized that she couldn't help Reedus without her keys.
"Not so fast!" Gajeel shouted and threw the cannonball in Lucy. The cannonball struck her at the back of her head, knocking her from feet as Lucy saw stars.
"Lucy!" Reedus exclaimed when he saw Lucy was hit.
"Tetsuryū no Gōken!" [Iron Dragon's Hard Fist] Gajeel covered his right arm with iron scales and slammed his iron fist into Reedus's belly, sending him crashing into the wall.
"Attempting to leave your ally and run away, Ojō-sama?" Gajeel asked with scornful sneer as he lifted Lucy from the floor by her collar. "You fairy assholes ain't so hot after all, if they'd let somebody like you to join," He said and slammed his fist right into Lucy's face, making her to fly out of the hideout, right through the destroyed door.
"Lucy…" Reedus moaned, trying to stand up but his strength left him and he passed out.
"How weak… You actually like hanging out with guys like this one, Ojō-sama?" Black Steel kicked Reedus' body, sending him into the corner like a useless trash.
"Reedus!" Lucy exclaimed, trying to get back on her feet and holding on to her face. "You! You'll never…" She cried tearfully.
"Silence!" Gajeel demanded as Lucy was smashed into the wall of the nearest building by Gajeel's Tetsuryūkon [Iron Dragon's Club], and fell unconscious.
"Hmm… What's going on?" Black Steel wondered, grabbing Lucy's body as he looked at the still incomplete magic seal. "Why hasn't Abyss Break been cast yet?"
"Shisuō no Kōsen!" [Regulus Beam, KanJi reads – Light Ray of the Lion] Someone shot a ray of golden light toward Gajeel, making him leap away.
"Now that's what I call a greeting!" Gajeel shouted almost joyfully as Loke appeared from the dust cloud, made by his spell.
"What you have done to Lucy?" Loke asked, his hands settled in pockets. "Return the girl at once, or else… I'll erase you from this world!" He demanded as his eyes gleamed threateningly.
"Perfect, I've been looking to have some fun!" Gajeel said as he threw Lucy's body on the pavement. "Bring it on, Fairy Tail! Tetsuryūkon!" Black Steel transformed his arm into an iron rod and tried to hit Loke, but he disappeared, appearing above Gajeel. Loke engulfed his arms with golden light and engaged the enemy in melee combat with a flurry of blows. However, none of his attack reached the target – Black Steel avoided Loke's attacks with ease.
'What's with the strange vibes I'm getting from him?' Gajeel thought, examining the enemy during the fight. 'He's not just some Holder-type wizard, is he?' When Loke paused in his attacks Gajeel asked him. "Who the hell are you? You smell weird…"
"Don't smell me," Loke replied with a smirk, "I'd rather not to be sniffed by guys." But his smirk quickly disappeared as Loke suddenly felt weakness due to overuse of his magic, 'No! Not Now!'
"Tetsuryū no Gōken!" Gajeel slammed his iron-covered fist into Loke's abdomen once he saw him distracted. Loke crashed into the stone bridge's column and fell unconscious.
"My imagination?" Gajeel asked himself. "He was totally weak… Damn fairy assholes, no fun with them at all…" Black Steel complained, looking at knocked out Loke. Then he grabbed Lucy's unconscious body and headed back to the guild.
(With Mirajane, Gray and Elfman)
"Kūiki: Hetsu!" Once again Aria made a resilient invisible wall, which threw Elfman and Gray back after their attempt to hit the Air Mage. Both Elfman and Gray's magic ran out long ago, Elfman was in his human form and Gray was unable to cast anything as well.
'No! His magic is invisible! What could we possibly do?!' Mirajane thought, watching this hopeless struggle as tears of desperation were flowing from her eyes like rivers. "Elfman! Gray! Run! You can't win!" She cried desperately, knowing perfectly well that they aren't going to listen. "He's too strong! He really is the strongest of the Element Four!"
"Hmm… Still you get up, Fairy mages…" Aria said with slight amazement in his voice as his adversaries again rose to their feet. Only Lord knows how they were still able to get up with their injuries.
"Well, we can't just let you beat us…" Gray replied, breathing heavily.
"We're mages of Fairy Tail…" Elfman croaked. As they spoke, spatters of blood were flying out of their mouths.
"We'll take you down, bastard!" Gray and Elfman bellowed simultaneously and again rushed toward the Airspace mage.
"There's always somebody too strong for you, young mages…" Aria said and disappeared, using his teleportation magic, just when Elfman and Gray were about to reach him.
"What happened?!" Gray asked.
"Where'd he go?!" Elfman was looking around, trying to find the enemy.
"So sad… But it's over, Fairy Tail…" Aria said as he appeared right behind Gray and Elfman. "Kūiki: Zetsu!" Again, Aria fired multiple void blasts at his opponents, which started to explode spontaneously around them. Both mages screamed in pain as they fell to the floor, rendered unable to fight or even move. "You are about to experience the same pain as Makarov when I defeated him…" Aria said as he made two magic seals and a bright light engulfed Gray and Elfman's bodies. "Kūiki: Metsu!" [Airspace: Perish]
"UUAAAGH!" Both Fairy Tail mages screamed in unison as flows of magic started to leave their bodies.
'Perish? Perish? Perish?' Mira thought, watching her brother and Gray screaming and writhing in agony. Time almost stopped as another wave of memories surged into her mind.
Flashback. About seven months until current events.
It was an early morning, Mira just has arrived to the guildhall. Natsu also was here, looking for a new mission, Levy was already there too, awaiting her team to gather; they were intending to take a job as well. To pass the time, Levy was solving the crossword.
"Oh, Natsu!" The Bookworm noticed the god slayer. "Maybe you can help me?"
"Maybe," Natsu came closer to her, "What is it?"
"You know a lot about gods, I need the name of the 'deity, a patron of song', six letters," Levy inquired.
"Oh, no, jo-cha… Levy, I can't help you with that. You're well aware that I'm terrible with names," Natsu shrugged. Besides, he was pretty sure that question in the crossword has nothing to do with any real god, that question is definitely about some local mythology .
"But yesterday you were telling the story about some guy named Baldr…" Levy frowned.
"He's not 'some guy', High Lord Baldr is a real god and a war hero", Natsu rolled his eyes. "But seriously, Levy, you really shouldn't compare the incomparable," Natsu replied, still examining the mission board.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"I mean, everyone knows the warrior gods and no one is interested in gods of songs or something… You see, that's a very difficult task to compose a legend about a singer. Singers shall carol, but won't be caroled. This world respects power – gods of war, death, magic… oh, yea – of thunder! Everyone know them – this is what this world really needs. Sooner or later any singer will be lost and forgotten. Rise up Mjölnir and vanquish the enemy, and you will be remembered for all eternity," Natsu got a bit carried away. "…Oops…" He has finally noticed Mirajane. "Sorry, Jane, I didn't mean it, I just…" He knew that she actually thought about becoming a singer.
"No, you meant exactly what you just said…" Mira sighed. "Take the truth and hit someone's head with it – that's your style. Just like that red-haired witch of yours – you're two of a kind…" She said and before Natsu could reply, she went to the basement. No one knew it, but thanks to Natsu's words she cried for about half an hour down there, all alone…
Flashback. About twenty-eight hours ago.
"Such weakness… It's almost a sin… and this is the once feared 'devil'?" Nelliel asked, carving a four-point cross of Zentopia Church on Mirajane's skin with her katana. Tied to a wooden cross with snakes, platinum blonde moaned in pain when Nelliel carved a cross on her hip, right over Mira's guild stamp, she couldn't cry because there was a snake in her mouth.
"I'm wondering… is everyone in your guild as weak as you?" Dreamwalker asked.
Flashback. About twenty-three hours ago.
Mira was delivered to the hospital by Natsu. He was talking with Erza outside Mira's hospital ward, but she could hear them.
"Countless times I told her that inactivity won't bring Lisanna back, but she didn't listen," Natsu said. "If she'd supported us yesterday – we could have convinced master to act…"
"Elfman said that she really enjoys the peace of her job in the guild," Erza replied. "Who could imagine that our own guildhall would become a battlefield…"
"I could," Natsu replied. "Peace is just an illusion. The first truth that my mother made me to learn – peace is a lie…"
End of flashback.
"AUUAAGH!" "YAAUUUH!" Gray and Elfman's screams echoed in the Phantom guild's walls.
"Don't worry, young mages, soon your guild will join you…" Aria said, as his spell continued to drain the magic from the Fairy Tail wizards.
Mira watched this with empty eyes. 'Annihilation? Whole guild? Gray? Elfman?! No… No! No! NO!' "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mira let out a heartrending scream as her body started to shine. "AAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" Mirajane elicited a powerful magical blast that destroyed half of the corridor and threw Aria away, interrupting his spell. Mira's appearance started to change: her eyes became darker, ears got pointed edges, hands turned into claws. Her hairs became wider, jutting upwards. She also got a large, stocky tail covered in scales. She was now dressed in a revealing, black and crimson one-piece suite with a pair of matching, high-heeled, thigh-high boots of the same color.
On the other side of Phantom's guildhall, both Natsu and Erza felt the burst of some familiar magic. They did not know what happened, but now they both knew – she-devil has returned. They rushed toward the source of Mira's magic.
With immense speed, devil-Mirajane dashed toward the dazed Aria and slammed her scaled fist into his face, sending him crashing into the column. "Scum," Mira snorted, glaring at the enemy.
"Oh…" Aria said, slowly standing up.
"Mira?!" Gray looked at her in shock.
"Nee-san?!" Elfman was shocked as well.
"How very sad… It seems that Sol's information was inaccurate after all…" Aria said as he started to remove the cover from his eyes. "Well, I guess if I'm going to fight against the mighty devil… even I have to take this fight seriously…" The air mage removed the cover from his eyes and stared at Mirajane. "Come at me… demon."
"Kūiki: Hetsu!" Once again Aria made an invisible wall as Mira rushed toward him. The wall was stronger than before since Aria used all of his power now. "Kūiki: Zetsu!" The air mage fired multiple void blasts at the she-devil, which exploded spontaneously around her. However, with her immense speed, Mira avoided all the blasts with ease, covered her fists with dark magic and slammed them into the invisible wall, destroying it with one blow. "No way!" Aria exclaimed in shock, "She destroyed my airspace with one blow?! She is…"
Mira reached the enemy and grabbed him by his coat, "Īburu Supāku!" [Evil Spark] She cast a spell, electrocuting the enemy with dark lightning and throwing him backward. Aria fell on the ground as Mira cast another spell, "Dākunesu Sutorīmu!" [Darkness Stream] She extended her hand forward, creating a dark purple magic seal. Multitude of hands, composed of dark energy, appeared from the seal, and tried to grab the target.
Aria used his teleportation magic to avoid Mira's spell and appeared behind her. But Mira felt his presence and instantly turned around, before Aria could do anything, casting another spell point blank, "Ebiru Ekusupurōjon!" [Evil Explosion] Mirajane put her hands together, gathering magic into a dark-red sphere between her palms and expelling a powerful beam from it. The spell smashed Aria into the wall and made a hole in it. He was thrown outside the guild by the explosion.
The Fairy Tail members, who were still fighting against the shades, noticed the flash of dark light:
"What's this?!"
"Someone's fighting up there!"
"Look, someone fell out!"
Mira grew a pair of black demonic wings from her back and dashed after Aria, with intentions to finish him while he was still in mid-air. However, Aria wasn't ready to lose just yet. He again teleported behind Mira and quickly cast a spell "Kūiki: Retsu!" Air currents formed another massive sphere of compressed air, which flew toward Mirajane and released the stored air. A powerful shockwave threw her out of the building through the hole.
Mira quickly overturned in mid-air and shot a spell at her enemy. "Satanikku Burāsuto!" [Satanic Blast] She formed a sphere of darkness magic above her head and released it at the target in the form of a large beam that exploded upon contact. A large, destructive pillar, formed of Darkness Magic, shot upward through the guild's roof, damaging the building.
The Fairy Tail mages saw it from the ground:
"I be damned…" Max said in shock.
"I can't believe it…" Warren whispered in awe.
"This… this is…" Laki stuttered.
"Yes, this is Mirajane's magic!" Macao exclaimed, "Teiku Ōbā: Satan Sōru!" [Take Over: Satan Soul]
'Ugh… she's a strong one…' Aria thought as he stood up. "All right, demon, I admit – you're strong. It seems I have to use everything I've got to defeat you," He said as Mira flew back inside the guild building. He extended his arms forward as the air around him started to whirlwind inwardly until he became completely covered with it. Then Aria aimed the spell toward his opponent, releasing golden speckles in that direction. "Kūiki: Rei! [Airspace: Zero] I have activated the airspace of death, 'Zero', This airspace consumes all life." A powerful wind started to blow toward Mira, Gray and Elfman. The two were still on the floor, unable to stand. "I wonder… Can you survive this airspace?" Aria asked with a smile.
Outside the guild, the Abyss Break seal started to shine, it was completed.
"Look, its shining!" Laki yelled in fear.
"Is it… complete?!" Max asked shockingly.
"Is this the end…?" Cana fell on her knees in desperation.
"Come on, demon!" Aria said with a sneer as the harsh winds from his spell made Gray and Elfman to roll head over heels on the floor, but Mirajane just looked at Aria with her head tilted.
"Hmpf…" She snorted scornfully and charged at the opponent, almost unaffected by his spell.
"What?! She's tearing through my airspace barehanded?!" Aria exclaimed in shock, seeing that his spell is completely ineffective – Mira was tearing his spell apart with her claws almost effortlessly. When she came close enough, she made a dark purple magic seal, gathering darkness from the surrounding area, and released it in the form of a large, powerful blast of energy, "Sōru Ikkusutinkutō!" [Soul Extinction] Rays of dark light shot out through the hole made by Aria as Mira's spell lit up the corridor. The air mage took a direct hit from one of Mira's most powerful spells. His clothes were ripped and his body severely damaged, he was unable to stand. "AAAAARRR!" Mirajane let out a demonic roar and dashed toward Aria. She stepped on his massive belly, covered her fist with dark magic and slammed it into Aria's face, yelling, "Begone!" Mira's blow elicited a shockwave as Aria was knocked out and utterly defeated. "Such a pathetic worm like you can never defeat our master…" Mira spat on Aria's body "…that tale will never appear in your saga."
Gray and Elman, still lying on the floor and unable to move even a bit, could only watch in shock at that completely one-sided beating, as Mirajane wiped the floor with Aria, who gave the two of them so much pain earlier.
"Everybody, get down!" Max screamed, jumping on the ground.
"This isn't the sort of magic we can survive just by ducking our heads!" Warren shouted back as he started to run.
Cana just stood on her knees, knowing that it's impossible to run or hide from this spell, but suddenly, the huge seal just disappeared into thin air as the giant stopped, not knowing what to do.
"YYOOOUUUUHHHOOOO!" All of the Fairy Tail mages shouted as one.
"You pulled it off… you guys…" Cana said thankfully. Most of Jose's shades had been defeated and it seemed that imminent threat to the guild was averted.
"Ohh…" Mira let out a weak moan as her body started to fall on the floor. Her magic may have returned, but her body was still weak. Her Take Over spell wore off.
"Hey, hold on!" Natsu appeared from the doorway and dashed to catch Mira's body. "Nicely done," God slayer said as he made Mirajane to sit near the column and examined Aria's body.
"Yeah, we're alive too, thanks for asking," Gray mumbled, slowly rising on all four.
"I saw you breathing," Natsu waved off Gray's acquisitions.
"You're a man, nee-san!" Elfman praised his sister, trying to hold on feet.
"Don't mention it…" Mira smiled weakly, "And thanks for the inspiration… You were right after all…"
"Of course I was," Natsu replied as if it was absolutely obvious. "You had any doubts?" He didn't understand what she meant exactly, but if she was thankful – he probably deserved it.
"You're incorrigible…" Mira sighed. "The four elements were the source of the giant's power…"
"I've figured that out when the giant just stopped," Natsu replied as Erza appeared from another doorway.
"Hey, everyone all right in here?!" She asked.
"You!" Mira pointed at the dragon slayer, "I'm back, so you're my rival once again!"
"Yes, yes, as you say…" Erza smiled. The two girls may be rivals but now Erza was just happy that the she-devil emerged and saved… well, the entire guild, not just Gray and Elfman…
While Fairy Tail was enjoying their success, far away in the forest, inside of Porlyusica's treehouse, master Makarov opened his eyes.
"Hmm? Makarov!?" The old lady was surprised. "How do you feel?" She asked as he sat up in the bed. "Hey, you should stay in bed!" She exclaimed.
"As if I'm going to listen to you…" Makarov mumbled as he hopped out of the bed and headed to the wardrobe to take his clothes.
"You're going to your death?" Porlyusica asked emotionlessly.
"I'm going where I should be. I can't be lying here whilst my kids are fighting for our home," Makarov replied and headed to the door. "Sorry for the trouble…" Makarov added as he stepped out the door.
"Honestly…" Porlyusica shook her head, "You never change…"
Inside of Phantom's control room, Jose was pissed off to the limit. "IMPOSSIBLE!" he bellowed, "Those pieces of shit from Fairy Tail managed to take out the entire Element Four?!"
The control crew was scared:
"Err…"
"Well…"
"I'm sure there's been some sort of mistake…"
"Those who have not enough faith to fight with the sinners even worse than those who defeated them…" With a green flash, Nelleil appeared in the control room.
"Nelliel-san? Where's Gajeel? Jose asked.
"I'm right here, master," Gajeel appeared in the doorway, carrying Lucy over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "So, the Element Four were wiped out? Well, if they got beaten by that trash, that just makes them trash as well. Gi hi hi! I guess you should've just sent me out there to take them out in the first place." Gajeel came closer to the master's 'throne' and dropped Lucy on the floor, "I've brought a present for you, Master"
"That was quick," Jose said, "But you did an excellent job finding her, Gajeel-san."
"Don't underestimate the nose of a dragon slayer," Gajeel replied, pointing at his nose with a smirk.
"Gajeel-san, are you sure that her sinful life still smolders inside her body?" Nelliel asked, eyeing the unmoving Lucy. "Our righteousness won't be rewarded if this little sinner dies, you know?"
Gajeel made a thoughtful face. "Hmm… I did rough her up a lot…" He said and slammed his boot into Lucy's abdomen, sending her crashing into the wall. Lucy smashed in the wall and fell on the floor, coughing with spatters of blood. "Hah! Looks like she's still kickin'!" Black Steel let out an evil laugh, spreading his arms wide. "Though, those two who tried to protect her might well be dead…"
Lucy lay twitching on the floor, coughing and panting as even members of Phantom Lord felt some sympathy, looking at a heavily brutalized girl.
"As expected of an Ace of my guild," Jose said. "Good job, Gajeel-san." Phantom's master took a microphone. "Attention, all you Fairy Tail wizards out there. We've succeeded in capturing Lucy," Jose announced through the broadcasting system.
"What?!" The Fairy Tail mages shouted in unison.
"No!" Mirajane exclaimed, "They found our hideout place?!"
"This is bad…" Erza said as she and Natsu were looking toward the voice source.
"…please, listen to this voice," Jose continued as Gajeel grabbed Lucy by her hair and lifted her up.
"OOW!" "AHH!" The poor blonde screamed, "AAAAUUUOOO!" Lucy let out a heartrending scream when Nelliel plunged her katana through Lucy's right palm, through her Fairy Tail guild mark.
"Our first objective has been achieved, I'm sure you all heard that…" Jose said through the broadcasting system.
"That's Lucy's voice!" Max shouted.
"Hey! What are you doing to Lucy?!" Cana screamed.
"…Thus we have one final goal that remains to be fulfilled: to wipe you off the face of this world, disgusting brats!" As Jose said these words, Gajeel landed in the middle of Fairy Tail's back yard.
"Hello, trash! Do you remember me? Tetsuryūkon!" Iron dragon slayer transformed both his hands into iron pipes and swung them around, smashing down all of the exhausted Fairy Tail members in one blow.
"What's with this guy…" Macao croaked.
"He's not joking this time…" Wakaba said weakly, both were unable to stand up, like the other Fairy Tail mages.
"You!..." Cana tried to stand up but got Gajeel's boot slammed into her face and flew down from the shore into the gulf. As if the situation was not grim enough, gray clouds started to close the sky, and this time Juvia had nothing to do with it.
Inside Phantom's control room, Jose headed to the door, "Nelliel-san, keep an eye on Lucy for me."
"Hmm?" Dreamwalker looked at the guild master questioningly.
"A few insects seem to have invaded our guild. I shall have to let them know that they'll be seeing no more miracles. I'll deal with them all myself," Jose said as a powerful magic aura engulfed him.
"Natsu, Erza! It's up to you! Save Lucy!" Mirajane cried.
"We'll take care of the nee-san, go!" Elfman shouted, both he and Gray were able to stand now.
Natsu and Erza looked first at Mirajane and then at each other. "Okay, take care!" Titania exclaimed and they both headed toward the control room, Erza picked up Lucy's scent so they knew where to go now.
"Reedus? Can you hear me?" Loke asked as he hobbled into the wrecked hideout.
"Lucy…" Reedus cried, "I'm so sorry… couldn't protect her…" The paint mage was still on the floor as Lucy's portrait was lying nearby.
"Me to, friend… Me too…" Loke was mad at himself. 'Damn, I'm so pathetic! I'm completely useless!'
"Tetsuryū no Hōkō!" [Iron Dragon's Roar] Gajeel took a deep breath and released a very powerful tornado from his mouth, which consisted of metallic shrapnel, toward the Fairy Tail guildhall. The old building, which was already damaged two days ago, started to crumble.
"NO!"
"Our guild!"
"It is…"
Cana climbed back to the shore, only to see the destruction of her home. "No! It can't end like this! Not our guild!" She cried desperately as Gajeel continued to rampage with devilish laugh. "It won't last…! Please stop…! It's already been reduced to rubble!" Cana was suffocating due to desperate sobbing, "You son of the bitch!"
Gajeel took a metallic decorative fence from the guild's roof and ate it. "A meal and so many things to destroy – I'm like in wonderland, Gi hi hi hi!"
Inside of the control room, Lucy was crucified the same way as Mirajane a day earlier: she was tied to the wooden cross by snakes, the hospital gown that Mira gave her was ripped off, so everyone was looking at her underwear. She, however, was not gagged so now she was screaming in pain, because Nelliel was 'drawing' some image on Lucy's abdomen with the edge of her katana.
"Hmm… I never thought that I am so good at drawing…" Nelliel said to herself.
"Err…"
"Umm…"
"Well…"
Well, she actually was good at drawing, but the method she used, shocked everyone. By the way, it was an image of Nelliel herself in a victorious pose…
"Nelliel-sama… maybe… that's enough… It's not funny anymore…" One of the Phantom members pitied poor Lucy.
"Hmm? I just want her to remember that a sinful life is punishable…" Nelliel replied as she finished her self-portrait, "Okay, where I should draw the next image?"
"You… you should stop…" One of the phantom mages said but the next moment Nelliel winded him full force, sending him crashing into the wall.
"Attempting to protect the sinner is sin," Nelliel noted, "Don't ruin my inspiration, be gone."
(With Mirajane, Gray and Elfman)
"Okay, sis, can you stand?" Elfman asked as he helped Mirajane to stand up.
"Yeah, just hold me a second, I need to get my balance," Mira smiled, despite her body protesting against any attempts to do… well, anything.
"You really kicked his ass badly, Mira," Gray praised. "You didn't lose your grip even a bit."
"Just followed the advice Natsu gave to you," She nodded to Elfman, "Though, I should've tried it earlier, not when you were almost killed…"
Suddenly, an extremely evil and dark aura interrupted their talking.
"What is this?!" Mirajane asked nervously.
"Ught! I feel a chill unbefitting of a man…" Elfman trembled a bit.
"Feels like… something crawled up the back of my neck!" Gray shivered.
"My, my… what a wonderful show you all put on…" Jose clapped his hands as he appeared in the corridor, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Honestly, I never expected you to provide me with quite this much entertainment…"
'This guy's…' Gray thought with his teeth clenched.
'Phantom's top dog…' Elfman stared at Jose.
'What a malevolent aura…' Mira covered her mouth. 'Being so close to it… It's making me physically nauseous…'
"Destroying Jupiter… Taking down the Element Four… Now, then… Allow me to show my gratitude for the splendid display…" Jose said, closing in on the Fairy Tail mages, "I found it gratifying…"
Gray and Elfman stood in front of Mirajane to cover her as Jose waved his arm and they both were struck by lightning-like magic streams. "No, get back!" Mira yelled but it was too late.
"Guah!" "Uaah!" Gray and Elfman screamed as they were burned by Jose's magic.
"Gray! Elfman!" Mira shouted as Jose waved his arm again, eliciting a powerful magic wave that smashed the Fairy Tail mages into the wall.
Then Jose sent a stream of energy toward Mirajane, but she dodged it, once again performing her Take Over – Satan Soul. She dashed towards Jose, tearing through his magic, and tried to hit him with her claw, but he avoided her attack easily and grabbed Mirajane by her demonic tail, throwing her away from himself. Mira overturned in mid-air and landed on her feet.
"You… If I'm not mistaken you was wounded by Nelliel and after that you fought with one of my strongest mages… How can you possibly stand?!" Jose asked in slight amazement.
"I have to protect my friends…" Mira replied, panting, "You can do whatever you want with me, but I won't let you touch those I love!"
"Such intestinal fortitude…" Jose smiled evilly. "You're truly the woman worth killing…"
"I don't care who this sinful whore is…" Nelliel said as she finished carving another picture, on Lucy's right hip this time. "All I see is a mere vermin who committed crimes against the Lord's laws. Who cares if she'd die? No skin off my back…" Dreamwalker shrugged.
"If anything happens to her, you'll…"
"You'll get it from the boss!"
"This is me… caring… besides, I'll make everything to look like it was your fault," The illusive dragon noted apathetically.
'What a bitch…' All phantom members thought as one.
"This is just an idiocy… those Fairy Tail vermin throwing their lives away for this trust fund baby…" Nelliel said, looking for another place on Lucy's body where she could draw something else.
"Hah…" Lucy smiled, to everyone's surprise.
"Oh, you've got something to say, rat?" Nelliel looked into Lucy's face.
"You really are an imbecile, aren't you? I feel so sorry for you, it makes me want to cry…" Lucy said with a bold smile.
"Teasing Nelliel?!"
"What's she thinking?!"
"She's insane!"
"Oh, so we're not just an eye candy?" Nelliel frowned.
"I'd be shaking in my boots if I were you!" Lucy exclaimed boldly and screamed from pain as Nelliel swung her sword and made a deep cut on Lucy's abdomen, right under the picture she drew.
"Care to explain yourself?" Nelliel inquired.
"If anything happens to me… you'll all became stains on the ground…" The smile returned to Lucy's face, "Fairy Tail would retaliate with appropriate force… That's the kind of guild you're dealing with…" Lucy's smile became wider, "You'd end up spending every waking second cowering in fear of the most formidable guild in the whole world, for the rest of your lives!"
"Oh, that's a fascinating little tale… You know, the lie is a sin…" Nelliel replied, raising her katana, Yume Hyakutō [Dream Slicer], "I think I shall carve out that lying tongue of yours…"
"Nelliel!"
"What are you?!..."
"She's going to cripple her!"
Lucy just closed her eyes, clenching her teeth in fear, but suddenly… "Senjin no Saiken!" [War God's Crushing Fist] Via a hole in the floor, Natsu appeared between Lucy and Nelliel, and slammed his energy-covered fist into Dreamwalker's chest, sending her crashing into Jose's throne.
"Cardinal!" Lucy exclaimed with a thankful smile.
Gladius Terminus glinted in the air as Natsu sliced all the snakes, releasing Lucy from the cross. Lucy fell on floor, as Erza appeared through the hole made by Natsu.
"Oh, shorty!" Nelliel exclaimed almost joyfully when she saw Erza, "I had already started to think that you were completely lost in my illusion…"
Erza ignored her and looked around. "We're in luck – Jose's not here. Quickly, let's squash this bitch, we need to get Lucy out of here."
"Oh, so you brought a friend…" Nelliel said as if she just noticed Natsu. "Going two against one… so sinful… but are you really sure you two should be here while Gajeel is wiping out your guild?" Dreamwalker asked, pointing to the window. Erza, however, has already dashed to it, as her dragon ears heard desperate cries from the outside.
"You'll pay for this!" Erza growled as she saw their guild hall turned into a pile of rubble as Gajeel stood nearby, holding Cana by her collar. "I'll go!" She said to Natsu, he nodded and Erza climbed to the window.
"No way I'll let you go, shorty!" Nelliel shouted, disappearing with a green flash, however, one second later she kissed with Natsu's boot and was knocked out of her invisibility mode.
"You're not going anywhere, you little green insect…" Natsu said indifferently. "I grew tired of your idiocy, the only way for you to leave this place is feet-first," Natsu added and turned to Erza, she was already outside the window. "Amica mea, tell Sin to get here… and bona fortuna!"
"You too, be careful," Erza replied and jumped down to the Fairy Tail backyard.
"Now, let's talk about those sins, you and I, shall we?" Natsu turned to Nelliel, building up his magic, "Deus benedictus confessio cardinal. In credo peccaturum, et sanctum cardinal…" [Praise God-blessed cardinal. Believe in sin and holy cardinal]
"I have a bad feeling about this…" Lucy mumbled, crawling to the corner, as far away as possible from the imminent battle between the two slayers.
(With Erza, FT backyard)
"Too bad you had only one building, Fairy Tail…" Gajeel said with false sadness, "Crimson Cardinal may have destroyed our building, but we still have many, but you just lost everything. Gi hi hi!" Gajeel turned the guild building into pile of rubble and now he was holding Cana by her collar, showing her the result of his 'efforts'. She tried to stop him and now he was intending to punish her. His arm was transformed into the iron club. Other guild members were lying around, severely beaten up by Gajeel and unable to stand. "Okay, let's deal with it," Black Steel raised his arm-club with the intention to slam it in Cana's face as a sudden bellow caught his attention:
"GAJEEL!" Erza landed on the ground right in front of him and slammed her boot between Gajeel's eyes, sending him crashing into the rubble that was their guild just an hour ago. She was dressed in her Lightning Empress Armor, but again – without spear – it was just her combat outfit – no more, no less.
"Titania?!" Gajeel exclaimed as he jumped to his feet, "Good! Just when I thought the fun was already over, you showed up! Tetsuryū no Hōkō!" Black Steel released a very powerful tornado from his mouth, which consists of metallic shrapnel, aiming at Erza.
"Seiryū no Hōkō!" [Star Dragon's Roar] Erza released a concentrated, destructive blast of plasma, to counter Gajeel's spell. The two spells clashed, eliciting a powerful shockwave that forced most of Fairy Tail's members to cover their heads.
"What?!"
"She breathed magic from her mouth?!"
"Look, she's unarmed!"
Erza's breath vaporized Gajeel's shrapnel and granted him several burns. Most of Fairy Tail's mages were shocked by that what they just saw, but Titania ignored that, she was focused on her enemy. "You better take this battle seriously, Iron Gajeel, because taking this battle lightly is the fastest way to merge with the void…" Erza said, building up her magic power as the apparition of a huge dragon with gold and platinum scales appeared behind her.
"I be damned…" Alzack whispered.
"A dragon!?" Bisca exclaimed.
"It's huge…" Max mumbled.
"How? What the…?" Laki asked as Gajeel answered her questions, though unintentionally.
"So, that green-haired lunatic was right after all…" Gajeel sneered, looking at Andromeda's apparation. "You are the Dragon Slayer!"
"What else are you two hiding from us?!" Cana exclaimed indignantly. The news about Erza was so shocking that the Fairy Tail mages even forgot that their guildhall was annihilated.
"Later," Erza replied shortly as the dragon's image disappeared, "Sin, go to the control room, Natsu needs your assistance," She commanded to the boney dragon who saluted to her and headed to the destination. "You did this?" Erza asked calmly, looking at Gajeel, but her eyes were burning with fury.
"Oh, do you like my work?" Gajeel asked, waving toward guild building's ruins. "Your boyfriend is not the only one who can destroy everything he wants… Where is he, by the way? I hoped to fight him, not some trashy girl…"
"Hmpf… Gajeel, I don't care what you call me, no one is interested in worm's opinion…" Erza replied scornfully. "As well as I care little about the destroyed guild, building can be easily rebuilt. But for hurting my nakamas I'll bend that face of yours and turn it into iron filings."
"Familiar notes…" Macao mumbled.
"Gi hi hi! Sounds like fun, Titania!" Gajeel sneered, "Try me!"
"Gladly!" Erza engulfed her legs in plasma as Gajeel transformed his arms into iron clubs and they both rushed at each other, engaging in melee combat. After a quick exchange of attacks Gajeel shouted, "Tetsuryūkon!" He extended his iron club and shot it toward Erza, but she dodged and Gajeel hit Max, sending him flying.
Erza jumped on Gajeel's club, stood up on hands, upside down, shouting, "Here, taste this! Seiryū no Kudatsume!" [Star Dragon's Crashing Claw] She smashed her plasma-covered foot into Gajeel's face. Being a woman, Erza actively used her legs in close combat.
Then she jumped to the ground and grabbed Gajeel's iron club with the intention to throw him over, but he shouted, "Tetsuryūken!" [Iron Dragon Sword], and transformed his right arm into a spiked sword. He swung it around, wounding Erza's arms and forcing her to release him. A few drops of blood flew out from cuts made by Gajeel.
"Aren't you afraid to cut yourself with that sword?" Erza mocked him, using this time to examine his new toy.
"This is the Sword of the Iron Dragon," Gajeel replied, raising his arm-sword. "There's nothing that won't be cut to shreds when hit with this! I want to test how well it cuts, on you, Titania Erza!" Gajeel proceed to assault Erza with his sword, making her jump around like the best acrobat in the world to avoid his attacks. Each of his attacks elicited a shockwave. "Can't stop it now like you did before, huh?" Gajeel asked as Erza once again jumped in the air to avoid his attack.
However, Erza turned in mid-air and cast a spell, "Seiryū no Yokusen!" [Star Dragon's Wing Flash] She created two streams of plasma from her hands and then sent them spiraling towards her opponent. The spell hit the target, eliciting bright flash of plasma. But Gajeel wasn't blown away – he used his sword as some sort of shield to block the spell, though only partially. "I don't need to stop it since you can't come close to me!" Erza mocked him back.
"Not bad," Gajeel admitted. "To be honest, I wanted to fight against Crimson Cardinal, but you didn't disappoint me either. Let's finish this, Titania!"
"I promise to find a nice place for you at the nearest garbage heap, Black Steel! Time to clean up this town from trash!" Erza shouted as her eyes flashed with white light.
"And this is Erza?!" Warren exclaimed in shock, "'place at garbage heap', 'merge with the void' – where did she learn to speak like this?!" Max looked at him with pity and Warren quickly added "Oh, right, sorry, that was a stupid question…"
"This is what you're worried about?!" Cana exclaimed, "Both of them are Dragon Slayers who can transform their bodies to take the characteristics of dragons! We're actually witnessing… a battle between two Dragon Slayers!"
"Tetsuryū no Uroko!" [Iron Dragon's Scales] Green light engulfed Gajeel's body as his skin became covered with metal scales. The Iron Dragon Slayer rushed to Erza with immense speed "Tetsuryū no Gōken!" Gajeel performed his fist attack, with greatly improved force. Erza had no chance to dodge, the only thing she could do was block the attack with her crossed arms. The power of Gajeel's blow threw her backward, leaving a heavy bruise at the point of impact. It seemed that Gajeel's 'Scales' spell was an analogue of Erza's 'Drive' spell.
"Augh!" Erza screamed.
"Gi hi hi hi! That made a nice sound," Gajeel laughed and dashed toward Erza, "Tetsuryū no Gōkya!" [Iron Dragon's Hard Kick] Gajeel swung his leg, but this time Erza dodged the attack as Gajeel's spell elicited a shockwave.
"No way! His kick sent up a gale?!" Cana yelped.
"These scales are made of the hardest steel!" Gajeel shouted, "They'll render all attacks useless!" He added, making another leg swing.
"Seikō Kudō!" [Starlight Drive] Erza cast her own spell and caught Gajeel's leg, "Oh really? Begone! Seiryū no Shōgeki!" [Star Dragon's Shock Blow] With her hand lit up with starlight, Erza swiped at her target in a claw-like fashion, as torrents of plasma, protruding from her fingertips, smashed Gajeel and sent him crashing into the remains of the guildhall. Erza took a deep breath: "Seiryū no Hōkō!"
Gajeel quickly stood up and did the same: "Tetsuryū no Hōkō!"
"It's the breath attack again!"
"Everybody, hit the deck!"
The two spells clashed, producing a powerful blast, wrecking that remained of the Fairy Tail guildhall and scattering the guildmembers. When the smoke dissipated, Erza stood where she was, but she was spiked with several metal shards, her breathing now got heavier.
Gajeel appeared with no visible damage. "Looks like the difference between our dragon elements is becoming clear, Titania," Black Steel said, standing with his arms folded. "You may think that these energy attacks of yours is something fierce… but against steel it doesn't even make a scratch. The metallic shrapnel from my Iron Dragon Roar, on the other hand, has got you looking like a cute little porcupine…"
"Erza…" Makao mumbled.
"He's… strong…" Wakaba stuttered.
"Not a scratch?" Erza suddenly smiled, "Sure you're not a bit groggy?"
"Yaugh!" Gajeel screamed as several cracks appears in his scaled skin and several drops of blood spattered from these cracks.
"Nice sound indeed," Erza smiled, "Don't be so quick to judge my element, iron dragon. My plasma breath can incinerate reality itself! By the way, is it alright for you to stay there?" She wondered.
"What?!" Suddenly, Gajeel noticed something glowing on the ground, but too late, while he was pushing his speech Erza managed to draw a rune right beneath his feet.
"Ai Warifu: Tōkai no Keishō! [Ai Rune: Hidden Crystal]" Pillar of white-purple light shot into the sky, launching Gajeel into the air. As light dissipated, Gajeel fell on the ground with several more cracks on his scaled skin, these new cracks, however, weren't bleeding but smoldering. A whirlwind of plasma surrounded Erza's body. "I warned you, Black Steel – you need to take this fight seriously, otherwise I'll turn you into a smoldering scrapheap…" Erza's eyes flashed with bright light, "Now, that we're both warmed up… it's time to settle this…"
"Wha…?"
"Did she just say 'warmed-up'?!"
"You mean… they were just feeling each other out?!"
"Look at the damage that was already done!"
"That's Erza for you…"
"Natsu destroyed an entire mountain… She's probably just as strong…"
"There ain't room for two dragons in the sky," Gajeel said, standing up and glaring at Erza, "I'll strike you down… Titania Erza."
(Few minutes earlier, With Natsu)
Nelliel rose to her feet and looked at Natsu, her smile gone. She realized that the time for games was now over. "On your knees, now!" Natsu demanded.
"Oh? Which of us should kneel?" Nelliel asked as she disappeared and a second later two dozen of her copies appeared instead.
"This one," Natsu replied as he dashed forward and slammed his boot at one of the images, sending her crashing into the wall. Natsu chose the real Nelliel as all of her false images disappeared.
"No way!"
"Nelliel was struck?!"
"How did he know?!"
"Still didn't understand? You can hide some trash from me Nelliel, but you cannot hide yourself," Natsu's heavenly eyes flashed with crimson light as he was warming up his palms. Natsu could see souls of living beings, and no disguise can hide a soul from him.
"I see…" Nelliel replied, pulling out her katana. "No elegant victory then, this will be just a rough battle… It's been a while since I fought like that… Muryū no Hōshu!" [Dream Dragon's Gunner] Six energy beings, shaped like humans with hand-held automatic weapons, appeared in front of Nelliel and opened fire at Natsu.
"This won't work," Natsu jumped up to avoid the flurry of bullets, which was composed of concentrated ultrasonic energy. Natsu dashed toward the energy soldiers and struck one of them – it instantly disappeared. It seemed the bullets were real but the soldiers were illusive. "Pathetic illusions," Natsu said as he proceeded to destroy all of the illusive soldiers, easily avoiding their shots.
However, when he came to the last soldier, illusion suddenly was replaced by Dreamwalker herself, which slammed her boot into Natsu's face. "Muryū no Shōsen!" [Dream Dragon's Flash Attack] With the force of the blow, the god slayer was thrown backward. It seemed that Nelliel could instantly take the position of one of her illusions, destroying it in the process. "Muryū no Shūsen! [Dream Dragon's Swing] Nelliel channeled magic into her sword and swung it around, sending a powerful shockwave.
Natsu's only chance to avoid that attack was jumping in the air, which he did, making a summersault. While he still was in mid-air, God slayer charged his sword with magic, "Senmei Saikō: Komushinyōbu! [Sure-kill Shot: Arc Mystic Dance]"
And, to Natsu's surprise, Nelliel did the same, "Shitsugeki: Nidangiri! [Deathblow: Two-step Slash]"
Nelliel made two very fast steps and tried to bring down her sword on Natsu, as god slayer executed long, arc-shaped swing. CLASH! Two magically charged swords met, and entire room shook due to power of the blow, which produced powerful shockwave that scattered around most of the spectating Phantom Lord members.
"No, not us!" They screamed.
"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed worriedly.
"My magic is graceful and I'd prefer to use elegant methods in my work – illusions, traps. But I can make an exception for the likes of you…" Nelliel noted calmly, as her blade, Yume Hyakutō, reflected the light that was coming from the window.
"So, you're capable of something more than just flapping your jaw?" Natsu asked emotionlessly as Gladius Terminus glinted in his arm. "Who could have thought…" He added.
However, that was just a mockery – in fact, Natsu suspected that among two Phantom Lord Dragon slayers Nelliel is the stronger one. After all – she's almost two years older than Gajeel. And now God slayer got the confirmation – Dreamwalker just used a 'certain kill'-type skill – Shitsugeki, an analogue of Natsu's Senmei Saikō. And she possesses a sword which could be charged with high-grade magic, and also durable enough to withstand the direct impact with Natsu's own divine blade.
In other words, summarizing all the aforementioned, Natsu and Erza, though unintentionally, made the right choice when Erza decided to fight Gajeel and Natsu remained here to deal with Nelliel. Not that there were any doubts about Erza's talent and intelligence – her experience was an issue. For eight years she was a knight-mage, her combat style was mostly focused on close-to-middle range combat. And suddenly, she became a long-range fighter, with quite limited number of close-range spells. Even for Erza it's not that easy to develop a new combat paradigm so quickly. Though, her main issue right now isn't the lack of a real combat experience with new magic, but the lack of a reliable weapon, that's for sure – searches of Astrum Eclipsis should be the top priority. But right now, isn't the time to think about that.
Natsu's left eye flashed with dark blue flame – he took a look at Nelliel's attribute. 'Just as I've thought – Thasaidon…' Natsu thought. Thasaidon* – one of those rare attributes that only consists of one element, Thasaidon – the pure void element. That explains an unusual nature of Nelliel's illusions… By the way, yesterday Natsu already took a good look at Gajeel, just like Nelliel – his attribute also consists of only one element. Adamantum – the attribute that consists of pure metal. As such, it is very possible, that, just like Haru – these two also were taught by real dragons. And if so – Nelliel definitely has a lot of tricks in her sleeve.
Natsu again raised his sword and dashed towards Nelliel. Their swords clashed in sword lock, but Natsu easily broke this lock and tried to slice her chest. She avoided the attack but not completely – her shirt was sliced in half. It swung open, revealing Nelliel's leopard-print mini bra. Dreamwalker was distracted and Natsu struck her to abdomen, forcing her to lean forward. Then Natsu struck her in the back of her head with his forehead, smashing her to the floor and while she was on the floor, he sent her crashing into the wall, "Senjin no Shōkya!" [War God's Shock Kick] "Nice choice of clothes," Natsu commented on her lingerie. "But even if you'd been completely naked you're still going to pay for… all the sins you've committed, as you'd said. It's do or die, Nelliel," Natsu added indifferently, pointing at dream dragon slayer with his katana.
"Oh no! Oh no! The powers of a dragon and a god are going to collide!" Lucy was all nerves, trembling at just the thought, "What's going to happen?!"
"I'm surprised that you managed to appreciate my looks," She replied calmly as she stood up and threw away her shirt, leaving herself only in the quite revealing bra, "Since you're hanging around with that shorty of yours, I thought you are completely devoid of taste for beauty."
"Uooohh!" Phantom members shouted, as now they had two girls in underwear around.
"Yume no Gazō!" [Dream Image] Nelliel shouted, creating a copy of herself and both Nelliels rushed at Natsu, raising their arms. "Muryū no Saiga!" [Dream Dragon's Crashing Fang] Both Nelliels cloaked their right hands in an ultrasonic energy and struck Natsu with their fingertips. Natsu blocked the attack of the one he saw as the real Nelliel, but received a powerful blow from her copy and was thrown back.
Natsu crashed into the wall and fell on the floor due to completely unexpected blow, as his enemies moved in for another attack, "Muryū no Shōsen!" The two girls performed similar leg attacks, forcing Natsu to roll aside to avoid it. The dual leg swing elicited a powerful shockwave that knocked Lucy from feet onto all four.
"Uuooohh!" the Phantom mages shouted as they got a good viewing angle on Lucy's ass, barely covered with her silk thongs.
"What's wrong, Cardinal? Weren't you the one who asked us to fight seriously?" Both Nelliels said simultaneously. Natsu quickly realized what is going on – it seems that image actually was Nelliel's self-enchantment spell, like Erza's 'Drive' or his own 'Core', but instead of doubling speed and strength it doubled Nelliel herself! The copy had no soul and probably was remote-controlled, but it was as powerful as the original.
"Sentō Chūkaku!" [Combat Core] Natsu used his own self-improvement spell as crimson light engulfed his body and he quickly leaped away to avoid another double leg attack. Natsu took a deep breath: "Senjin no…" [War God's…]
Two Nelliels did the same, inhaling a large amount of air, "Muryū no…" [Dream Dragon's…]
"Oh no! They're going to counter Natsu's god's howl with a dual dragon's breath!" Lucy screamed as she threw herself on floor and covered her head.
"Everybody, get down!" one of Phantom's mages shouted.
"…Dogō!" [Howl]
"…Hōkō!" [Roar]
Two streams of ultrasonic energy clashed with Natsu's antimatter tornado-like blast, creating a huge magical vortex that ravaged the control room, destroying one of its walls.
As smoke dissipated, Natsu appeared on his knees, panting, as the two Nelliels stood. "You may really possess some divine-like powers, Crimson Cardinal, but even you can't hold against numerical advantage…" Dreamwalker smiled as she remained visibly unharmed.
"No way!" Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "Natsu was brought to his knees?!"
"You think?" Natsu asked as Nelliel's copy fell to her knees and became half-transparent as the real Nelliel suddenly got several bruises – it seemed that damage that her copy has received was partially reflected on her own body.
"Auuuh!" Nelliel screamed in pain.
"You can't always overcome quality with quantity…" Natsu noted calmly.
Sin arrived in the control room, "Natsu! What do you need?" He asked.
"Watch over Lucy for me," He replied, as he stood up, took off his coat and threw it to Lucy. "Hold it for me, will you?" Natsu asked, "And keep your hands away from my pockets."
"No need to say that!" Lucy replied resentfully as she quickly put Natsu's coat on herself, to the chagrin of every Phantom member in the room.
"What the hell is this thing?!" Nelliel asked when she saw the little boney dragon, seemingly she didn't pay attention to him during yesterday's assault on Phantom Lord representative branch.
"None of your business," Natsu replied as he noticed that all her references about religion, sins and righteousness disappeared from her speech. "All right, I think that warm-up is over, Dreamwalker…" Natsu said as crimson mist engulfed his body and the floor started to crack under weight of his might. "It seems that these little skies are too little for all of us, let battle rejoice," God slayer's eyes were glowing with crimson light.
"Wha…?!" Lucy's eyes widened in shock.
"Warm-up?!" a Phantom mage exclaimed, looking at the destroyed stuff.
"This is insanity!" Another one yelled.
"Then I'll bring you down to earth…" Nelliel growled as her copy became solid again and stood up. "Bring it on, God slayer!"
(With Erza and Gajeel)
Most Fairy Tail members managed to crawl to the shore and hide behind the steep edge to avoid being hit by the dragon slayers' spells, providing freedom for Erza's actions.
"I've seen Erza's powers before… She was really strong…" Macao whispered in awe.
"Me too… But compared to what she has now… back then she was a weakling…" Cana agreed.
"Seiryū no Chōgoku!" [Star Dragon's Light Sphere] Erza lifted her arms, gathered a large amount of plasma above her head and threw a huge shining sphere at Gajeel. The sphere flew forward and created a massive, destructive explosion, forming a huge pillar of pure plasma that shot into the sky. That was one of two spells that Natsu modified for her, using his own knowledge, making it even more destructive. That was the first time Erza has used a modified version of the spell in full power. 'Wow!' Erza thought, looking at the plasma pillar, 'As expected from my Natsu…' She smiled to herself.
Gajeel appeared lying at the bottom of a deep crater. His iron scaled skin was cracked all over. 'Crap! My iron scales… are useless against her magic!? No way!' But that was not only Erza's magic, but Titania herself was the problem – she noticed that Gajeel's spells are mostly designed for melee combat, while her own spells mostly ranged. Therefore, she tried to keep some distance between herself and Gajeel, sending spells at the iron dragon slayer from afar. However, it wasn't actually that easy, because, as it was said – Erza herself was unaccustomed to that combat style… "I'll tear you apart!" Gajeel roared and rushed toward Erza.
"Seiryū no Kōren!" [Star Dragon's Light Kama] Erza made a huge Kama made of starlight, about fifty feet long, and swung it around, trying to blow away her opponent.
"Tetsuryūken!" Gajeel shouted, transforming both of his hands into large spiked swords and used it to parry Erza's attack.
"That guy… He's actually going toe to toe with Erza…"
"Unbelievable…"
"This is the power of lost magic…"
For a few seconds Gajeel and Erza were struggling against each other. "Raaaaaagghhh!" The Iron Dragon roared, straining all his powers. Initially, it seemed like he couldn't withstand it as he was pushed backward, but a few seconds later Erza's spell weakened and her Kama disappeared. Titania was exhausted, too. Gajeel saw the opportunity and dashed toward his enemy. "Tetsuryū no Gōken!" Gajeel winded Erza with full powered attack, forcing her on all four as he slammed his forehead into the back of her head, smashing her into the ground. "Tetsuryū no Gōkya!"
The iron dragon tried to stomp on Erza but she rolled aside and cast a spell, "Seiryū no Shōryō!" [Star Dragon's Plasma Beam]. The star dragon slayer created a spiral of plasma energy around her hands and then threw it at the target, generating a large whirlwind of pure starlight. The whirlwind caught Gajeel, dragged him into the air and exploded, causing massive damage to him as he crashed down on the ruins of Fairy Tail's guildhall. That was the second spell, modified by Natsu, as he promised; he found a way to turn a straight beam into a massive whirlwind. But now Erza had no strength to praise her beloved…
While Iron Dragon slayer still didn't stand up, Erza gathered her remaining magic, "Io Warifu: Junsui no Keishō!" [Io Rune: Pure Crystal] Erza drew a mid-sized rune, which produced shining, white-purple crystal of pure magic, and Erza shot it forth, aiming at Gajeel.
"GUAAAH!" The crystal hit the target, creating vacuum explosion, which almost torn Gajeel apart, and evaporated some of guildhall remains.
"Erza…" Cana let out an anguished moan, though it actually wasn't matter anymore as it was no longer possible to repair the guildhall anyway.
Star dragon slayer stood panting, she was bleeding and bruised all over.
"Damn, she can barely stand…" Bisca trembled, gunner-mage was quite worried…
"But it's finally over," Wakaba pointed at the Iron dragon slayer, who was lying on the ruins of the guildhall, unable to stand.
"She's incredible…" Macao mumbled, eyeing the Star dragon slayer.
"No, look!" Cana suddenly point at Gajeel, who, despite still unable to stand, managed to grab a part of a metallic dome, that was on top of Fairy Tail guardhouse's roof and started to eat it.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Erza shouted as she looked first at Gajeel and then at the clouded sky – she can't replenish her own powers like this.
"Ge hi hi hi!" Black Steel laughed as he suddenly rose on his feet – his body was glowing with green light as he now was full of magical power and his stamina was restored. "Tetsuryūsō: Kishin!" [Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs] Gajeel extended one arm towards Erza with the fingers outstretched, summoning the magic seal and firing a large number of steel spears in rapid succession.
"Aaaaauuuugh!" Erza screamed in pain as she sustained multiple wounds. Gajeel dashed toward her and launched her in the air with a powerful uppercut. "Tetsuryū no Gōken!"
"What happened?!" Wakaba yelled in shock, "He seemed completely wasted just a minute ago!"
When Erza almost fell to the ground Gajeel struck her with his leg, "Tetsuryū no Gōkya!" Making her roll head over heels toward the steep shore.
"Erza!" Cana tried to help her but Erza shouted:
"No! Stay out of here, he's too dangerous!" She took a deep breath, "Seiryū no Hōkō!" Erza released a concentrated blast of plasma, aiming at Gajeel, and landed a direct hit, but when Erza's magic dissipated, Iron dragon slayer appeared almost unharmed.
"Ge hi hi hi, and this is it?" Black Steel sneered, "Guess you're not so tough when hungry, right?" He rushed toward Erza, grabbed her by her hair and lifted her off the ground, making her scream in pain. "Well then, eat my steel! Tetsuryū no Gōken!" He slammed his steel fist right into her mouth, making her fly further toward the shore. "That was fun, Titania Erza…" Gajeel snickered, raising his arms, "Metsuryū Ōgi: Gōma Tetsujinken!" [Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Karma Demon: Iron God Sword] Gajeel clapped his hands together above his head, creating a gigantic iron sword. Then he swiped it down, destroying a substantially large area in front of him, sending forth a massive shockwave and smashing Erza with this sword.
(With Natsu, Nelliel and Lucy)
"Shinunoru Tōryūgi: Byōhen Rimyō!" [Morbid Dawn] Natsu swung his sword, sending a powerful shockwave toward Nelliel.
"Muryū no Shūsen! The two Nelliels made almost the same move as Natsu, sending a counter-shockwave toward him. The spells clashed, producing another magic vortex.
'Not good… This isn't working…' Natsu thought as he was knocked from his feet but both Nelliel and her copy remained standing. Natsu run up against another problem during this fight.
Problem was that Natsu's deathfrost techniques were unaffected by his 'Core' self-improvement spell. Actually, Natsu noticed that tendency a while ago – during his spars with Erza while they were training: the more power his opponent has, the less useful his secondary power is. It has some specific use, of course, like in Reina's case, for example. But in general, as the power of Natsu's god slayer spells and sure-kill shots continued to grow, his deathfrost techniques were becoming less and less needed. This situation was especially sad since he couldn't trade these techniques back in exchange for his hand… but he could sort that out later.
"Senjin no Anshinshō!" [War God's Dark Nova] The god slayer brought his arms together and created a massive bat-like entity, composed of twisting crimson energy, and launched it at the enemies.
Everyone in the room threw themselves on the floor, including Lucy:
"Get down!"
"It's gonna blow!"
"Run!"
The crimson bat collided with the floor right under the real Nelliel's feet, producing a massive explosion with a ring-like blastwave that smashed both Dreamwalker and her copy into some machinery, destroying it and half of the room. That was a modified version of Natsu's old spell – Senjin no Bakusō [War God's Explosive Spear] Using Andromeda's grimoire Natsu greatly improved the destructive power of that spell.
"Aauugh!" Nelliel screamed in pain as her copy blinked again. "You… Muryū no Orochi!" [Dream Dragon's Python] Nelliel made a huge snake in the middle of the room that immediately proceed to attack Natsu. The snake was not illusive but Natsu easily sliced it with his sword.
"You're disappointing me, Nelliel," Natsu said with still the same indifferent voice.
"Oh? Then how about that?" Nelliel asked, pointing under Natsu's feet. Natsu looked there and his eyes widened – while he was busy with the snake, Nelliel's copy drew a magic seal right beneath him! "Muryū no Hashira!" [Dream Dragon's Pillar] The seal elicited a pillar of concentrated ultrasonic energy that smashed Natsu into the ceiling.
"Guaah!" Now it was Natsu's turn to scream, however, when Nelliel's magic dried out Natsu overturned in mid-air and cast his own spell "Senjin no Yōshihō!" [War God's Proton Cannon]. With his arms extended forward and completely clad in crimson energy, Natsu fired a massive, concentrated beam of the aforementioned energy at his enemies. That was the second spell that Natsu tried to modify, but, unfortunately, the result was unsatisfactory – mana consumption rate was reduced, yes, but the spell also became less powerful, so the god slayer continued to use the original version. Nelliel's copy dodged the attack but Dreamwalker herself was smashed into the floor and received massive damage.
However, when Natsu landed on the floor, the copy dashed toward him and slammed her boot into his face, "Muryū no Shōsen!" She sent him crashing into the control room's remaining machinery, which crumbled on Natsu's head. The real Nelliel stood up and both of them rushed toward Natsu and began to attack him in melee, since Nelliel noticed that the god slayer has an advantage in ranged combat.
The two girls engaged Natsu with a flurry of blows:
"Muryū no Shūsen!" [Swing]
"Muryū no Shōsen!" [Flash Attack]
"Muryū no Saiga!" [Crashing Fang]
Yet, thanks to his 'Core' spell, Natsu was on par with the two Nelliels:
"Senjin no Saiken!" [Crushing Fist]
"Senjin no Shōkya!" [Shock Kick]
They fought running and jumping all across the room, destroying it in the process. But that wasn't all that Nelliel had in her sleeve, "Shitsugeki: Sandangiri!" [Deathblow: Three-step Slash]. Both Nelliel and her copy charged their swords with magic, and assaulted Natsu.
There's no chance to dodge such an attack, so Natsu used his only option – counter it with his own technique, "Senmei Saikō: Saryōhinyōbu!" [Sure-kill Shot: Airy Mystic Dance] Natsu executed continuous attack, from aside it looked like he turned into whirlwind of metal.
Clash! Clash! Clash! Clash! Clash! Clash! Within fracture of a second their swords met six times as Natsu parried three attacks from Nelliel and the same number of attacks from her copy. Due to extremely small time between impacts, shockwaves they produced seemed like one powerful blastwave, which made a hole in the control room's wall.
"Unbelievable!" Lucy yelped as she watched the battle in awe.
The Phantom mages were shocked too:
"That guy… is actually on par with Nelliel!"
"I can't believe it…"
Not willing to give his opponent(s) time to catch her breath, Natsu pressed the attack, "Senjin no Sōken!" [War God's Twin Blades] Natsu made two energy blades and swung them at his enemies, blowing them away from himself.
"Nelliel's getting beaten down!" One of the Phantom's mages said in disbelief.
"No, but look! Crimson Cardinal is also outta breath!" Another one exclaimed.
It was a true. All three of them – Natsu, Nelliel and her copy – were panting, covered with bruises and cuts, and all three were bleeding.
"Damn… I can't… lose…" Nelliel croaked, "I have… no choice! Muryū no Shūsen!" Nelliel and her copy charged their swords with ultrasonic energy and sent forth a shockwave, but not toward Natsu – toward the Phantom mages that have gathered nearby.
"No!"
"What!"
"Stop!"
"Not us!"
They tried to run but it was too late – Nelliel's spell knocked out all nineteen enemy mages. Lucy's jaw dropped on floor as Natsu asked, "You can't beat me so you've decided to beat your own men instead?"
However, the right answer came by itself when Nelliel ran closer to the unconscious mages and took a deep breath. Immediately, nineteen green clouds detached from the knocked-out mages and headed to her mouth…
"So… so she really does eat… dreams…" Lucy mumbled in deep shock.
"Damn! That was so obvious! What a moron I am?!" Natsu thought, he was angry at himself, because Nelliel thought about it before the god slayer himself did. The two Nelliels looked at Natsu with smiles and dashed toward him, assaulting him with a flurry of blows, easily overpowering him.
"No way! She was on the ropes just a minute ago!" Lucy exclaimed in shock.
"No!" Sin exclaimed, "Dragon slayers can replenish their magic and stamina by consuming the concentrated ethernano, using their elements as a carrier!" Sin's voice sounded worried.
"But Natsu can do the same!" Lucy exclaimed, "If only I'd have my keys…" Lucy cried desperately. It's been six weeks since she got the Sagittarius's key, so of course she made a contract long ago, and, sadly, that key has been lost together with other ones. But now that actually was meaningless, with her keys or without, she couldn't defeat some enemies and give Natsu some 'food', because no one left. Nelliel got them all herself!
"Muryū no Shōsen!" The two girls sent Natsu crashing into the wall with double leg attack. "What's wrong, god of war? Can't support war efforts without supplies?" Nelliel mocked Natsu. She and her copy locked their hands and began to cast their spell in chorus, Metsuryū Ōgi: Reikyō Sōryūtei!" [Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Soul Mirror: Twin Dragon Swipe] Two half-transparent, emerald-colored dragons' heads appeared above girls and rushed forth, aiming at Natsu.
To nullify incoming spell, God slayer urgently used his own magic, Metsujin Ōgi: Ketsusei Manjinyō!" [God Slayer's Secret Art: Blood Star: Ten Thousand Blades Dance] Natsu sent forth multiple crimson blades, which clashed with Nelliel's spell.
When two 'Secret Art'-class spells collided, resulting explosion devastated the floor of control room, and all who were present there (including knocked out phantom mages) fell down to the hall beneath. Only thanks to Sin, Lucy didn't fall down.
Natsu and Nelliel (as well as her copy) also managed to land on their feet, but, unlike Dream dragon slayer, God slayer could barely stand – he was very exhausted and his manapool was almost dry.
Two girls crossed their swords, charging it with magic, "Shitsugeki: Suishōgiri!" [Deathblow: Emerald Star Slash] Two Nelliels swung their swords, sending forth a cross-shaped torrent of destructive energy, which ravaged the hall. In his condition, Natsu could neither counter nor dodge this attack.
Powerful blow smashed him into the wall and made a huge hole in it. It was outer wall – Magnolia and guild ruins could be seen through it. The average mage definitely would've been torn apart by such an attack, but, fortunately, Natsu was way above average. However, battle definitely was over. God slayer was lying on the edge of the wall. He tried to stand up, but he barely managed to rise to knees. Due to last attack, he got severe wound and now he was bleeding heavily. He was facing inside the hall, so he didn't see the destroyed guild yet. "I've never seen how gods fall…" Nelliel said as she came close to Natsu and raised her foot. She was intending to push him out…
(With Erza and Gajeel)
Being smashed by Gajeel's most powerful spell, Erza was lying on the ground, face up, watching the cloudy sky. "Please… help me…" She prayed to the sky, once ruled by dragons. "I can't… lose… not again…"
"I can't believe it…" Wakaba mumbled in shock.
"Erza… actually… lost?" Max stuttered in fear.
"Is he really… so strong…?" Laki asked.
"No, it's not that… She spent too much magic…" Bisca replied. "She stopped Jupiter and ran through the entire town…"
"And we couldn't help her…" Alzack agreed. "We're too weak…"
Gajeel came to Erza's body, "I have no further use for you…" He said and lifted her by collar. He wanted to throw her away, down into the gulf, like some useless trash.
"No!" Cana threw a card in Gajeel. The card just slightly struck him in the head, since Cana had no magic to cast something. It was just a card.
"Oh, right, I forgot to punish you…" Gajeel said as he released Erza and she fell to her knees as Gajeel headed toward Cana.
"Please… Let me save… My friends…" Erza pleaded once again. "Please, Morrigan-sama… if you hear me… supreme goddess… help me…" Erza herself didn't know why she pleaded to Natsu's mother specifically, but, suddenly, one cloud moved aside, letting the rays of sunlight to fall right on Erza. She quickly took a deep breath and rays of sunlight started to twist as they headed into Erza's mouth.
"What the…" Gajeel mumbled as he turned around, "She eats… light?!"
The star dragon slayer consumed as much light as she could before looking into the skies once more, "Thank you… Okā-sama…" She whispered her thanks to her soon-to-be mother-in-law.
"Don't get full of yourself just because you ate some light!" Gajeel shouted, running toward Erza. "All that did was put us back on equal footing!" He leaped at her with a raised fist but before he could hit her Erza slammed her plasma-covered boot into his face, sending him back, rolling head over heels.
"Guuaahh!" Gajeel screamed.
"Look!" Laki exclaimed joyfully.
"She's at full power!" Wakaba was shocked.
"You mindless brute…" Erza growled, heading toward Gajeel, powerful streams of pure starlight began to swirl around her and the earth trembled under her steps. "You hurt my friends…"
Black Steel jumped on his feet. "Tetsuryū no Hōkō!" Gajeel released his dragon roar toward Titania, but she took a deep breath and breathed a stream of air against Gajeel's roar, without any magic… and blew Gajeel's spell back at him.
"What!? She deflected it?! Just with her lungs?!" Gajeel yelled as he was struck by his own magic.
"…You hurt my friends and you destroyed my home, but… you also destroyed the place where I was intending to celebrate my wedding…" Seems she just remembered about that as she wasn't too concerned about destroyed building before. Erza continued her speech as if nothing did happen, "Do you know how much time I spent planning decorations?" She spoke calmly but the earth cracked under the weight of her fury. "How many sleepless nights I had, trying to arrange guests in the perfect order?"
All of Fairy Tail's mages gulped as one when she said that. 'She didn't sleep because of... this?!'
"Aaaaarggh! Who the hell do you think I am?!" Gajeel roared, building up his magic. "You trash! "Tetsuryū no Gōken!" He jumped at Erza and tried to slam his magic fist into her face.
Calmly watching his approach, Titania outstretched her arms forward. With her right hand she drew a big (about eight feet in diameter) rune in front of herself, with her left arm she drew the same rune in about hundred feet away from herself, at place where guild yard gates once were, so right now Gajeel was between two runs. "Rei Warifu: Senkōki no Keishō!" [Lei Rune: Glimmering Crystal] Broad, immensely bright, white-purple ray of pure magic shot between two runs, and Gajeel was right in the middle of it.
"GAAAAAAHH!" His scream probably could be heard from anywhere in Magnolia. When ray dissipated, Iron dragon slayer fell on the ground like a ragdoll, stripped of his iron scales and cowered with severe burns. 'No… I am… the strongest…' He thought desperately, but all his attempts to move were unsuccessful. By the way, Erza's rune magic evaporated all remains of Fairy Tail's old guildhall, but at this point it was completely meaningless.
"Remember well this lesson, Kurogane…!" Titania growled, coming closer. 'Okay Erza, you can do it! It's now or never!' Star dragon slayer raised her fist, "Metsuryū Ōgi: Tengoku Jōshōsei!" [Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Heaven's Kingdom: Rising Star]
Erza slammed her fist to the ground, sending her magic through it and causing an underground explosion. It destroyed almost the entire plateau where Fairy Tail's back yard once was and launched Gajeel into the air. Then she jumped up to him, charging up her fists with her magic and, still in the air, attacked Gajeel with a continuous barrage of punches, each of which produced a powerful explosion. Then she rose her arms, charging her hands with all remaining magic, and struck Gajeel's body with both hands. The flash from her blow lit up the skies to the very horizon, as streams of plasma, created by her blow, formed the huge KanJi '天' [Heaven] in the sky. Gajeel's body flew forth and crashed into the Phantom's giant, making another hole in the wall and forcing the giant to bend back. Also, the shockwave from that last blow shattered all the window glass of Phantom's guild.
Erza landed on the ground, in the middle of the crater that she just created. "AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGG!" She let out a deafening dragon roar that literally shook half of Magnolia, announcing her victory. "Now, Gajeel, we're even!"
(With Natsu, Nelliel and Lucy)
"I've never seen how gods fall…" Nelliel said as she raised her leg to push Natsu out of the guild.
Suddenly, a loud scream sounded from somewhere nearby. Few moments later, a bright flash lit up the sky as something smashed into the Phantom's guild, breaking several walls and ended up crashing into Lucy. The blonde was smashed into the wall by someone's body. Nelliel turned around to see what happened. "Gajeel?!" She asked in shock, seeing him utterly defeated and barely alive.
"That… damn… trash…" He croaked as Lucy just moaned in pain. And whilst Nelliel was distracted, Natsu saw the opportunity. He quickly took a deep breath, consuming unreleased aggression from Gajeel, and from Lucy as well, making them both to pass out.
"Hey, Natsu!" Sin exclaimed but he was ignored at this point.
Nelliel slowly turned around, only to see Natsu already standing on his feet. All his wounds were healed, as he was at full power. Unlike dragon slayers, god slayers can't restore their stamina along with magic when they're consuming their element – their health is restored instead. Suddenly a loud roaring sound shook the Phantom guild.
"Did you hear it, Nelliel?" Natsu asked, tilting his head. "This was the victorious roar of the Dragon Empress who just put one of her defiant subjects back on his place… He was tasty, by the way, so much aggression…" Nelliel stepped back as she realized that now the odds were against her. Natsu abruptly rushed toward Nelliel and attacked her with continuous sequence of magic-enhanced blows, Nelliel's copy dashed to help the original but she was on the other side of the room as Natsu moved much faster than before.
'Boom!' He slammed his fist into her abdomen.
'Smash!' Leg blow into her face.
'Crash!' Elbow in her chest. Nelliel could only scream, receiving one devastating blow after another.
'H…how…? We were on par from the beginning… From where did that burst of power come from?!' Dreamwalker thought as Natsu took a short pause between his attacks.
"AAAAAAAARRRRRR!" The god slayer let out a deafening war cry, gathering his magic, and charging his sword with it. Fueled by anger for his destroyed guild, humiliated friends, and with pride for Erza's victory, now Natsu was unstoppable.
"Senmei Saikō: Jūrokuya: Tsuki!" [Sure-kill Shot: Sixteen Nights: Thrust] With his sword, Gladius Terminus, charged with destructive magic, Natsu unleashed his attack. From aside, it seemed like, just for a moment, Natsu's shining sword became twenty times bigger than usual, and Natsu thrusted it right through Nelliel's copy. With horrible wail, second Nelliel crumbled to pieces, as original let out a heartrending scream of agony as she fell on knees and grabbed her stomach. "It seems that God's fall has been postponed," Natsu noted, looking at Nelliel with merciless sight, "Let's see how dragons fly, instead."
"Senjin no Sentsui!" [War God's Warhammer] Natsu made a huge energy hammer and performed a raising strike, sending the already weakened Dreamwalker crashing into the ceiling. "Time for you to pay for your own sins," Natsu whispered, but that whisper was louder than any yell. God slayer raised his arms, "Metsujin Ōgi: Ketsusei Senjinkei!" [God Slayer's Secret Art: Blood Star: War God's Verdict]
While Nelliel was falling from the ceiling, Natsu jumped up and slammed his right fist into her face. BOOM! A powerful explosion shattered the entire hall. BOOM! Knee blow in her abdomen. BOOM! Left uppercut into her chin. BOOM! Left foot blow to her back. Each of Natsu's blows produced a powerful explosion that caused significant damage to the building as Natsu continued his way up along with his victim.
BAAM! Dual leg blow in her chest. BOOM! Headbutt in her face. Finally, they broke through the roof and Natsu raised his right arm, even the sky darkened while Natsu was gathering magic in his fist. "Begone!" Natsu slammed his overcharged fist into Nelliel's face, eliciting a shockwave powerful enough to tear off the Phantom giant's head. With his fist still pressed to Nelliel's face, Natsu headed down, crashing through ceilings with her body until they reached the shield generator's room. Nelliel was smashed into the generator's lacrima by Natsu's fist, shattering the generator to pieces with her own body and receiving the final shockwave from Natsu's technique.
Due to the massive damage that Phantom's building received from Natsu's spell it started to crumble, in fact the giant was torn in half. Due to the generator's destruction, the Giant's limbs were shattered and its 'body' fell on the bottom of the gulf as the right half of the 'body' crumbled to pieces, leaving only half-destroyed ruins in place of Phantom's pride.
"This is the redemption for your sins," Natsu said with his eyes glowing, stepping on Nelliel's body.
* – Thasaidon – Master of the Endless Void – The Great Old One from Cthulhu Mythos
Spell List:
Bīsuto Sōru – Beast Soul
Aisu Meiku: Ōgāma – Ice Make: Scythe
Abisu Bureiku – Abyss Break
Kyanon Bōru – Cannonball
Shisuō no Kōsen – Regulus Beam
Aria's spells:
Kūiki: Hetsu – Airspace: Mantle
Kūiki: Zetsu – Airspace: Suppression
Kūiki: Retsu – Airspace: Rend
Kūiki: Setsu – Airspace: Fracture
Kūiki: Metsu – Airspace: Perish
Kūiki: Ochiru – Airspace: Zero
Mirajane's spells:
Teiku Ōbā: Satan Sōru – Take Over: Satan Soul
Īburu Supāku – Evil Spark
Dākunesu Sutorīmu – Darkness Stream
Ebiru Ekusupurōjon – Evil Explosion
Satanikku Burāsuto – Satanic Blast
Sōru Ikkusutinkutō – Soul Extinction
Gajeel's spells:
Tetsuryū no Gōken – Iron Dragon's Hard Fist
Tetsuryūkon – Iron Dragon's Club
Tetsuryū no Hōkō – Iron Dragon's Roar
Tetsuryūken – Iron Dragon Sword
Tetsuryū no Uroko – Iron Dragon's Scales
Tetsuryū no Gōkya – Iron Dragon's Hard Kick
Tetsuryūsō: Kishin – Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs
Metsuryū Ōgi: Gōma Tetsujinken – Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Karma Demon: Iron God Sword
Erza's spells:
Seikō Kudō – Starlight Drive
Seiryū no Hōkō – Star Dragon's Roar
Seiryū no Kudatsume – Star Dragon's Crashing Claw
Seiryū no Yokusen – Star Dragon's Wing Flash
Seiryū no Shōgeki – Star Dragon's Shock Blow
Seiryū no Chōgoku – Star Dragon's Light Sphere
Seiryū no Kōren – Star Dragon's Light Kama
Seiryū no Shōryō – Star Dragon's Plasma Beam
Ai Warifu: Tōkai no Keishō – Ai Rune: Hidden Crystal
Io Warifu: Junsui no Keishō – Io Rune: Pure Crystal
Rei Warifu: Senkōki no Keishō – Lei Rune: Glimmering Crystal
Metsuryū Ōgi: Tengoku Jōshōsei – Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Heaven's Kingdom: Rising Star
Nelliel's spells:
Muryū no Hōshu – Dream Dragon's Gunner
Muryū no Shōsen – Dream Dragon's Flash Attack
Muryū no Shūsen – Dream Dragon's Swing
Yume no Gazō – Dream Image
Muryū no Saiga – Dream Dragon's Crashing Fang
Muryū no Orochi – Dream Dragon's Python
Muryū no Hashira – Dream Dragon's Pillar
Muryū no Hōkō – Dream Dragon's Roar
Shitsugeki: Nidangiri – Deathblow: Two-step Slash
Shitsugeki: Sandangiri – Deathblow: Three-step Slash
Shitsugeki: Suishōgiri – Deathblow: Emerald Star Slash
Metsuryū Ōgi: Reikyō Sōryūtei – Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Soul Mirror: Twin Dragon Swipe
Natsu's spells:
Sentō Chūkaku – Combat Core
Senjin no Shōkya – War God's Shock Kick
Senjin no Saiken – War God's Crushing Fist
Senjin no Dogō – War God's Howl
Senjin no Sōken – War God's Twin Blades
Senjin no Anshinshō – War God's Dark Nova
Senjin no Yōshihō – War God's Proton Cannon
Senjin no Sentsui – War God's Warhammer
Shinunoru Tōryūgi: Byōhen Rimyō – Death Knight Combat Style: Morbid Dawn
Senmei Saikō: Komushinyōbu – Sure-kill Shot: Arc Mystic Dance
Senmei Saikō: Saryōhinyōbu – Sure-kill Shot: Airy Mystic Dance
Senmei Saikō: Jūrokuya: Tsuki – Sure-kill Shot: Sixteen Nights: Thrust
Metsujin Ōgi: Ketsusei Manjinyō – God Slayer's Secret Art: Blood Star: Ten Thousand Blades Dance
Metsujin Ōgi: Ketsusei Senjinkei – God Slayer's Secret Art: Blood Star: War God's Verdict
Now that was a spell list... Footnotes about some spells:
'Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Heaven's Kingdom: Rising Star' – This spell was developed from Oni's move 'Tenchi Sokaigen' from SF IV: Arcade edition.
'God Slayer's Secret Art: Blood Star: War God's Verdict' – This spell was developed from Evil Rue's move 'Messatsu Goshoryu' from SF IV: Arcade edition.
Well, this is it people. Chapter fifteen has been completed. I really hope it was enjoyable. Do not forget to leave a REVIEW! A lots of reviews will encourage me to work faster! See you in the next chapter – The consequences. It will be the conclusion of the Phantom Lord arc, remake of 'theater' chapter and bridge to Tower of Heavens arc. Cya!