Now here goes another chapter!

Happy reading!

Chapter 42

Speed and Ice

Back on the other side of the wall of ice, Gray was squaring off with a very vengeful Racer. Gray was still feeling a little tired from using his Ice Make Rampart to stop Racer from pursuing Natsu and the others, but he was still ready and willing to fight.

"I know I said that I'd take care of him," Gray thought. "But this isn't gonna be easy." He shook his head. "No don't think like that. There's no way that I'm gonna let this guy have his way. I have to beat him no matter what it takes!"

"Well I gotta say, I'm impressed with you Ice Wizard," smirked Racer venomously. "No one's ever been able to stop me twice before. So, in order to keep my reputation intact I'll save face and give yours a trashing you'll never forget."

"Oh, is that so?" said Gray putting up his guard. "You certainly got talk, but can you back it up?"

Then Racer dashed forward and reappeared right behind Gray making his eyes go wide with surprise. Gray turned around only see nothing behind him as Racer disappeared again.

"You don't seem to realize something," said Racer reappeared behind Gray once again. "I could have easily had gone to catch up to that fire-breathing brat if I wanted, but I didn't because I want the satisfaction of getting rid of you first."

Gray turned around again only to have Racer disappear once again and reappear behind him using his speed. He then talked right into Gray's ear.

"Once I leave you in the dust, I'll have just enough time to catch up with that brat and take him out," he said. "And it won't take very long!"

"Just you try it!" snapped Gray. "I won't let that happen!

He turned around to see that Racer was now a few feet away from him. He immediately went on the attack using his Ice Make magic slamming his hands to the ground and unleashing a floor of ice with spikes. Racer zipped around as the floor spread and then reappeared behind Gray and gave him a powerful kick to his back sending him flying into the air but Gray managed to right himself and landed safely on the ground. He quickly looked around trying to see where Racer went, but he couldn't see him at all.

"Oh man! This guy's so fast! I can't keep up with him!" he said to himself. "How am I supposed to fight this guy?"

Suddenly Gray felt something go right by him landing a blow to his chest knocking him flat on the ground on his back as Racer reappeared with his back to him.

"This answer to your question is that you can't," he said flashing a smile filled with cockiness. "You're way too slow. You can attack me all you want, but you'll never be able to catch me with your slow Ice Magic."

"What did you say?!" growled Gray as he got to his feet.

Racer continued to mock Gray. "Tell you what Ice Boy," he said. "I'm willing to let you go if you go back to lying on the ground and staying there. That's where you belong anyway."

"Over my dead body!" snapped Gray.

"I can certainly arrange that for you," Racer grinned. "Let's kick things into overdrive! DEAD GRAND PRIX!"

He raised his hand and then swung his hand down like he was karate-chopping casting another spell, then there was a strange rumbling sound like the sound of an engine on a race car coming from behind him. Gray looked and saw several little lights that shone from in the bushes which made him worried.

"What the heck are those things?" he wondered taking a step back. "Whatever they are, I'm sure it isn't anything good."

Then suddenly dozens of two-wheeled green vehicles came shooting out of the darkness from behind Racer. Gray immediately knew what they were.

"Magi-cycles!"

The Magi-cycles came shooting right at Gray each one threatening to run him over. Gray managed to dodge them, but each one just barely missed him or lightly scratched him.

"Dammit! How many of these things are there?!" he thought as he dodged another magi-cycle. "There's so many of them that I can't even keep up! If I don't do something quick, I'm gonna get ripped apart by these things!"

Then Gray had an idea just as Racer hopped on top of a red Magi-cycle and drove it straight towards him.

"Here's a little taste of my motor show from hell!" he yelled as he hit Gray square on with his cycle as he drove by.

Gray screamed in pain as he was sent flying into the air taking quite a lot of damage. He was able to once again land back on his feet, but the magi-cycles began circling around him like a pack of sharks circling their prey.

Racer clicked his tongue in annoyance. "He's a tough little bastard," he muttered.

"Hey Blondie!" yelled Gray. "These things are Magi-cycles, right? That means you can ride these scrap heaps!"

"That's right," said Racer. "And not only that, but these sleek wonders were built to be almost as fast as I am. These babies not only are too much for you to handle, but they can run circles around a slowpoke chump like you!"

"Sound interesting!" said Gray flashing a grin. "I'll take that as a challenge!"

He ran towards a magi-cycle and leaped into the air and managed to land right on top of one gained control of it. He also found an S.E.-plug on top of the handlebars which he put on his right wrist.

"Well what do you know, looks like a slowpoke chump like me was able to tame one of these chargers!" he said victoriously. "And thank you for including an S.E.-plug by the way! It was very kind of you!"

"Well fancy that," said Racer who was annoyed but at the same time impressed. "Guess you proved me wrong, but if you really think that you can beat me in a race like this, you're sadly mistaken! Especially since you're hooked up to that magi-cycle!"

He was right about one thing. Due to Gray having the S.E. plug on his wrist, it was constantly sapping away at Gray's magic just to keep the magi-cycle active. It definitely was going to be tough, but that wasn't about to stop Gray.

"Come on then!" yelled Gray as he revved his engine pulling up alongside Racer. "I can take you on! Let's go right here and now! You and me!"

"You must be kidding me! You're challenging me to a race?" Racer yelled back. "You don't stand a chance in hell against me!"

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge!" Gray shot back. "Underestimate me and you'll be paying for it by eating my dust buddy!"

They raced through the trees in the Woodsea clashing with their vehicles again and again. Pillars of dust exploded from their collision. Eventually, they made their way to a clearing on a rocky path racing side by side heading right towards a cliff.

"I gotta say, kid, I'm pretty impressed," said Racer. "From someone who comes from a weak, pathetic, and goodie-two-shoes guild, you got some pretty sharp instincts."

Gray felt a pang of anger from that insult. "What'd you say?!" he snapped. "OK, that's it! Now I'm really mad! I'll teach you not to mock Fairy Tail!"

He brought his hands together putting his fist into his palm and bringing them both back behind him.

"ICE MAKE: LANCE!"

Then Gray unleashed a barrage of lances made of ice aiming straight at Racer. The attack caused a large boom making dust fly everywhere, but Racer and Gray both shot out from the cloud of dust completely unharmed dropping down from the cliff and riding downwards on it heading towards the forest below.

"You know what? I take it back," said Racer with a cocky smile. "Maybe you're not as sharp as I thought. You're still way too slow!"

"Shut up! It's hard to do anything like this!" snapped Gray as their magi-cycles hit the ground with a jolt. "Besides I'm still right on your tail man!"

"How about we change that?" said Racer. "Let's see if you're fast enough to dodge this one Fairy! HIGH-SPEED RUSH!"

He turned around behind him and held out his hand aiming at Gray and making a magic circle appear. Then suddenly several fast spinning tires appeared out of nowhere and shot straight towards Gray.

"Damn it! Now's throwing tires at me?!" he cried as he forced his magi-cycle to power-slide to defend from the incoming tires. Some of the tires harmlessly missed him and some bounced off the magi-cycle. Gray gritted his teeth as the impact of the tires shook the magi-cycle, but he was then able to drive right again and began pursuing Racer once more.

"Not too shabby chump," said Racer. "Now that we're properly warmed up, the Dead Grand Prix can really start! In fact, it's just getting started!"

The two mages riding their magi-cycles circled each other and soon came to a felled tree that made it like a tunnel. The two entered the tree tunnel and were so driving so fast, they were able to drive along the sides. Racer then went on the attack taking advantage of the darkness and the cramped space of the tunnel. On the back of his magi-cycle, a compartment opened revealing several lasers on it.

"It's the end of the line for you now!" yelled Racer. "There's no way that you'll be able to dodge this!"

The lasers then fired unleashed hot beams of light straight at Gray. The lasers hit their target with a mighty boom causing the ground to shake and the log they were in to explode into a million splinters. Dust and wood flew everywhere. When the smoke cleared, Gray came out of the smoke skidding to a stop still intact from the attack, but he was pretty shaken up.

"Geez! That was too close for comfort," he said. "This guy's definitely got a couple of screws loose in the insane variety!"

Then he heard Racer who had also come to a stop completely unfazed by the recent explosion.

"What's the matter, pretty boy? Too intense for you?" he teased. "Because I can guarantee you that it's only gonna get worse from here!"

Racer's magi-cycle then revealed two more compartments of lasers on top of the headlight and on the sides of its forks. Gray's eyes went wide with shock as the lasers began charging up power getting ready to fire at him again. Gray quickly flared his engine and was on the move again just as Racer's lasers began to fire at him. Luckily the lasers just barely missed. Racer then shot ahead of him firing another barrage of lasers again with Gray following close behind swerving as he dodged the incoming attacks.

"There's no way I'm gonna lose to this freak!" Gray thought to himself his face scowling with determination. "I can't lose to this freak! Erza and the others are counting on me!"

Meanwhile not too far away, Lyon and Sherry were still searching for the village based on the information they had obtained from the members of Red Hood. Then they felt the ground tremble beneath them and heard the sounds of explosions causing them both to stop.

"What was that?" wondered Sherry. "Some kind of enemy attack?"

"I don't know," said Lyon. "But I think I have an idea."

Just then someone raced right by them on top of a log riding a red magi-cycle. The moment Sherry and Lyon saw the person riding it, they knew who it was.

"Lyon! That guy's with the Oración Seis!" cried Sherry.

"Yes, I know," said Lyon. "The one known as Racer."

Then another magi-cycle pulled up right in front of them coming to a screeching halt. The person riding it was none other than Gray.

"Gray?"

"Lyon! Your timing couldn't be better!" said Gray. "Come on and hop aboard!"

"Excuse me?" Lyon asked feeling a little baffled.

"You heard me," said Gray flashing a smile. "Just shut up and get on already!"

Lyon was still was feeling confused, but he quickly shook it off and then got on the magi-cycle sitting behind Gray. Sherry, on the other hand, was still baffled.

"But Lyon! Wait a minute-!" she began, but Lyon quickly interrupted.

"Don't worry about me Sherry," he said. "You stay here on standby!"

Then Gray with Lyon riding along sped away leaving Sherry along and even more confused than before.

"Standby? I know I said that I would always follow Lyon to the ends of the earth, but... I'm not really sure what that is supposed to entail," she said.

Back in the high-speed chase, Gray and Lyon sped through the forest in hot pursuit of Racer. They raced through the forest until they made their way to an open field. They could see Racer in sight and were starting to catch up.

"Hey, Gray! Did you find Wendy?" asked Lyon.

"She's fine and Happy's alright too!" replied Gray. "Natsu's managed to get them both to safety and is taking them to Hibiki, Lucy, and Erza as we speak!"

"I see. That's good," said Lyon sounding relieved. Then he turned his attention towards Racer up ahead. "So, what's the plan then? Why did you bring me along?"

"I need you to help me take out this speed freak," explained Gray. "It's practically nearly impossible for me to cast spells while I'm driving this thing."

"Oh? So what you're trying to say is that you can't do this without me is that right?" smirked Lyon. "Very well then Gray, but be sure to pay close attention as I show you how to use some real Ice Make Magic."

"Oh give it a rest already!" Gray said now annoyed. "Cut the big talk and just do it already!"

"Alright then! Here goes!" said Lyon as he prepared to use his Ice Make magic by putting his fist into his palm.

Gray happened to catch a glimpse at what Lyon was doing and he was surprised. The reason being was back in the Galuna Island incident when he and Lyon were enemies. While they both used the exact same magic, Lyon cast his spells using one hand while Gray used two. Gray could still remember Lyon's words from back then.

"How pathetic... I see you still use two hands when you cast your Ice Make Spells..."

"Lyon...? You're using two hands..." murmured Gray. "Why are you..."

Lyon smiled. "That is what Ur taught us right?"

Gray stared at the man behind him with surprise not expecting that response, but then he smiled.

"I guess being in a guild's changed him after all," he thought to himself.

"ICE MAKE: EAGLE!"

Lyon cast his spell unleashing a flock of eagles made of ice aiming right for Racer. The eagles hit their mark destroying the red magi-cycle in a million pieces.

"All right! You got him!" cried Gray.

"No I didn't!" said Lyon. "He's not down yet!"

Sure enough, Racer had appeared just above them having to have dodged the attack just in the nick of time.

"Now you've gone and done it!" he growled. "Here's payback for trashing my ride!"

He then dive-bombed straight towards them and using his overwhelming speed, destroyed the magi-cycle in an instant sending Gray and Lyon tumbling to the ground. However, that didn't stop the two from attacking. Thinking that Racer was open, they both immediately attacked again.

"ICE MAKE: APE!"

"ICE MAKE: HAMMER!"

Lyon unleashed an ape that sprang into life throwing a punch at Racer, but he was able to dodge that attack. Gray at that same created a large ice hammer that swung down at Racer threatening to squash him, but again he was able to dodge the attack using his speed.

"That's some pretty fast maker magic you guys got there," called out Racer as he zipped around towards them. "But you're gonna have to be a lot faster than that! Then again you guys don't have the speed to keep up with me!"

He then attacked by giving Lyon a sharp kick to his midsection and then dashed back to Gray giving him a punch right to his jaw. Both of them fell to the ground as Racer reappeared in front of them once standing tall without taking a single hit. He turned back towards them and flashed a cocky smile.

"Just give it up already!" he said. "If you ever want to land a single hit on me, then you'll have to be fast as lightning!"

He then disappeared once again using his overwhelming speed dashing all around Gray and Lyon.

"Damn it! This is pointless!" Gray growled in frustration as he and Lyon got back on their feet. "We can't land a single hit on him!"

"Calm down Gray!" said Lyon. "Don't go losing your cool on me now! We will be able to stop him together! We just need to focus!"

"Focus huh? Sounds good to me," said Gray now smirking with excitement. "Then what do you say we cut loose then?"

"Get ready Gray!" shouted Lyon. "He's coming at four o'clock! When I give the word, fire with everything you got and don't hold back!"

Then Gray and Lyon both took off their shirts leaving them practically half naked. Racer was a little irked wondering why the two were taking off their clothes (and apparently at such a speed), but that wasn't going to stop him from attacking the two as he dashed straight towards them.

"Get ready Gray!" shouted Lyon. "He's coming at four o'clock fifty meters ahead! When I give the word, fire with everything you got and don't hold back!"

They then waited until Racer was close enough. As soon as they thought he was close enough Lyon then shouted.

"Now Gray! Attack! He's right in front of us!"

"We got you now! ICE GEYSER!"

Gray slammed his hands into the ground and a giant tower of ice erupted from the ground spiking all around it. Racer zipped and zagged all around the tower of ice dodging all the spikes. Lyon then attacked next.

"SNOW DRAGON!"

A large dragon of ice roared as it tried to attack Racer, but Racer once again zipped and zagged dodging the mighty ice beast.

"No way!" cried Gray. "He dodged all of that!?"

"And to make things worse, he's even faster than before!" said Lyon.

Just then Racer flew right by them knocking them both aside like a hit and run car accident again and again.

"What's the matter punks!? Can't keep up?" mocked Racer as he kept on hitting them.

It seemed that Racer had Lyon and Gray beat, but then Lyon noticed something as he fell to the ground. In the distance, he saw a flock of birds. They were just like any other flock of birds, but they were flying at an incredible speed. In fact, they were being just as fast as Racer. That was when it hit him. He figured it out what was going on and he figured out how to beat Racer. Racer then reappeared in front of them once again with his back turned brimming with confidence.

"You can attack me for all you want, but you'll never be able to hit me," he said with an evil cocky smile. "I told you time and time again, no one can keep up with my speed. I am the fastest man alive after all."

In the distance behind some trees, Sherry has finally caught up and she had been watching the fight the whole time. She was worried.

"This is bad," she said to herself. "Even with those two working together, they still can't touch him. Are all of the Oración Seis this powerful?"

Racer then turned around and cracked his knuckles. "This has been fun, but now I think it's time I put an end to this," he smirked. "Once I'm done, I'll go back and retrieve the girl for Brain."

Gray took a defensive stance ready to fight once again, but then he heard Lyon. He spoke in a low voice so Racer wouldn't hear.

"Gray. Listen to me. I've figured it out," he said. "I found his weakness and now I know how we're gonna beat this guy."

"Care to explain how?" asked Gray.

Then Lyon whispered his plan to Gray. Sherry continued to watch from the sidelines as they consulted with each other.

"I wonder what those two are talking about?" she wondered.

"So those two are having a strategy meeting huh? What a waste of time," scoffed Racer under his breath.

Soon enough Lyon finished telling Gray his plan.

"You got that? That's the plan," he said.

Gray then looked at Lyon completely surprised. "You're kidding me! You're out of your mind!" he said.

"You heard me," said Lyon. "And if you don't like it, then too bad. I don't need you now. I can stop him "

Then the next thing Gray knew and to Sherry and even Racer's surprise, Lyon had encased Gray in a pillar that grew higher and higher till it was above the treetops.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" yelled Gray. "Let me out of here! Quit screwing around! There's no way you can take on this guy by yourself and you know it!"

"Just sit back and watch Gray," he said. "I'll finish him."

"Well that was kinda harsh," said Racer. "I would have thought that you'd treat your friends a little better."

"Please don't get the wrong idea," said Lyon. "We're the furthest thing from friends. We simply studied under the same master when we were kids. Nothing more and nothing less."

Sherry then came out from her hiding place and ran up to him. "Lyon! Why are freezing him like this?!" she cried. "We'll need his help to beat this guy!"

Lyon smiled at Sherry. "Don't complain, Sherry," he said. "We can handle this on our own. The two of us will give Lamia Scale it's greatest victory ever. Now let's go, Sherry!"

Sherry was still a little put off for what Lyon had just done, but she wasn't the one to go back on Lyon's orders. "Y-yeah. Of course!"

Racer scowled. "I'd wouldn't be so confident if I was you. Let it go to your head and you'll be quick and sure to lose. Then again you never really had a chance to win to begin with."

"You should take your own advice," Lyon shot back. "Now come get some!"

Racer then disappeared once again using his speed.

"MARIONETTE ATTACK: ROCK DOLL!"

Sherry then cast one of her spells creating a large golem made from the rock below the ground. The golem then swung one of its hard fists punching toward Racer, but Racer was able to dodge the attack with ease.

"That's a pretty neat trick girly," he said. "but sadly, it's way to slow too hit me! It's practically standing still!"

Racer then attacked the golem hitting it repeatedly his blows slowly reducing the golem to rubble.

"Damn it! I can't even see him!" said Sherry. "Fine then! Try this! WOOD DOLL!"

Sherry then made another golem. This time it was made from one of the trees nearby. The golem swung its limbs at Racer who once again dodged with ease.

"Come on! I told you it's pointless!" said Racer. "Keep on throwing your puppets, but you'll never be able to hit me!"

"Fine then! How about this then?!" said Sherry as she manipulated her Wood Doll to use its branches to trap Racer in between them making him unable to move.

"How's that?" smiled Sherry. "Not too slow now am I?"

"Oh no! You got me," said Racer feigning sorrow. Then he smirked. "Just kidding!" He then disappeared from his wooden prison shocking Sherry.

"No way! How was he able to break free?!" she cried.

Racer then zipped by Sherry landing a blow to her hard reappearing right above her. "Like I said, sweetheart! You're way too slow!"

He was about to attack Sherry again, but then a tiger made of ice pounced towards Racer forcing him to dodge once again. Then Racer heard Lyon.

"Over here, slowpoke! I'm the one you want!"

Racer turned his attention towards Lyon's voice and he saw him a few feet running as fast as he could. Taking it as a challenge, Racer then zipped after him quickly closing the distance.

"I don't know what you're getting at by calling me that," he said. " But the only slowpoke around here is you!"

"Oh please! That speed is all you've got anyway!" Lyon shot back as he skidded to a stop and prepared to use another spell. "It means nothing if your attacks have no power behind them! Because of that, you don't have the power to land a decisive blow!"

"Oh yeah!? We'll see about that!" said Racer as he shot straight toward Lyon.

Just when he thought Racer was close enough, Lyon then cast another spell.

"ICE MAKE: HEDGEHOG!"

Several numerous spikes of ice appeared on Lyon's body giving him the appearance of a hedgehog. Racer immediately skidded to a stop just in front of Lyon.

"I'd be careful by not getting so close if I was you unless you want to end up as a shish kabob," said Lyon smiling with confidence. He then jumped into the air into the trees taunting Racer once again. "What's the matter Racer?! Are you afraid now that your speed is going to end up skewering you?"

Racer grinned darkly as a magic circle appeared below him as he prepared to cast another spell.

"Don't you dare get cocky with me kid," he growled. "GEAR CHANGE: RED ZONE!"

The magic circle he was standing on quickly turned to red and Racer shot forwards straight at Lyon kicking up a lot of dust. Lyon didn't even have time to defend as Racer slammed right into his gut with a powerful kick shattering his spikes and sending him straight to the ground making a cloud of dust from the impact.

"That was my top speed just now, said Racer as he reappeared. "Did you honestly think that I would go all out from the start against such a weak opponent like you?"

Then from the dust Racer was surprised to see Lyon still standing and on the run again.

"Come and get me!" he yelled. "I'm just getting started!"

"You're on!" Racer smirked.

He then went on the attack again using his full speed catching up with Lyon and sending him high into the air with another powerful kick. Lyon fell to the ground tumbling, but he managed to get back on his feet and was running again. This went on again and again. All Sherry could do was watch Lyon take the merciless beatings in stride and continue to run. She wanted to help, but she was still feeling the recent attack Racer had inflicted on her earlier.

"Please hang on Lyon..." she said to herself. "Don't give up..."

"What happened to all that bravado kid?!" snarled Racer as he right-crossed Lyon smack on his cheek sending him to the ground once again. "Don't tell me that was just talk!"

Lyon grunted as he winced in pain, but he willed himself back to his feet and once more started running again with everything he had. Now Sherry was feeling more confused than before.

"What is he up to? And where is he going?" she wondered.

"Wow. I don't know if this guy's just being stubborn, but he sure is a glutton for punishment," said Racer as he chased after Lyon again.

The chase went on until Lyon and Racer soon came to a cliff that was high from the ground. Once Lyon realized this, he immediately turned around and attacked Racer.

"ICE MAKE: EAGLE!"

"When are you gonna realize that you're not gonna be able to hit me?!" yelled Racer as he dodged and weaved from the attacks making the eagles fall harmlessly to the ground turning into small spiked piles of ice. "Is this really the best you got?! What a waste of time! I guess you are nothing but big talk!"

He then proceeded to give Lyon a merciless beatdown zipping all around him and punching and kicking him in an overwhelming speed. He punched and he kicked and he kicked and he punched until he finished with a powerful downwards punch sending Lyon to the ground with a thud flat on his back and his head propped against a log. Lyon tried to get up, but then Racer reappeared sitting right on top of his lap preventing him from moving.

"And don't think I haven't forgotten what you said before," said Racer now wearing an angry frown. "You really don't think that I have the power to land a decisive blow?" He then grabbed a spike from one of the piles of ice from Lyon's attack and broke it off. "Why don't I show you?!"

He raised the spike over his head treating it like a dagger and swung it down towards Lyon's throat. However, he stopped making the sharp end of the spike just inches away from Lyon's throat.

"You see that? I don't need attack power to finish a punk like you," said Racer. "With my speed, I could easily take you out before you even had a chance to react or think about using your magic! Although I gotta say, you got some skills and the bravado to back it up. You would have been able to live a little longer have you not crossed paths with me, but I'm a member of the Oración Seis. Six Demons... six Prayers... six unwavering pillars... and if there's anyone who dares try to cut us off will pay the ultimate price... that is death! So, get ready to say goodbye because you're finished!"

Lyon then looked up at the sky and saw a bird flying above. He could see that it was flying at normal speed. He looked at Racer and he smiled.

"I see... It's just as I thought," he said.

Racer was now puzzled. "What's the matter? The fear of death making you confused?"

"Actually, the opposite," said Lyon. "I figured out the truth to your magic. A while back while me and Gray were fighting you before, I noticed some birds in the distance. They were flying unbelievably fast just like how you were going so fast before. That's when it hit me. Your magic doesn't make you fast at all. It actually makes a target's perspective of speed slow down within a certain radius. In other words, you slowed me down. Nothing more and nothing less. You're just as slow as the rest of us no matter what you're called."

Racer was now seething in anger and sweating in fear as Lyon smirked knowing that he had him figured out.

"And since your magic can only work within a fixed area and that you've followed me all the way out here," continued Lyon. "Gray's now outside of your magic and ready to take you out!"

Then several meters away from where he was frozen, Gray broke free from Lyons ice and could see Racer in the distance.

"Now this is more like it! Fresh air and clear shot!" he smiled as he created a bow and arrow of ice and took aim.

"Then you froze him on purpose just to give him a sniping post!" cried Racer in disbelief now feeling fear for the first time in this first. "But... there's no way that he could hit me from that distance! He's too far away!"

"Oh, he will," said Lyon sitting up and smiling victoriously. "If it's one thing I learned, it's to never underestimate a wizard like him! Especially since he comes from the Fairy Tail guild!"

Gray pulled back the arrow as much as he could. Then with a mighty twang and a flash, he unleashed one of his greatest and most powerful spells.

"SUPER FREEZING... ARROW!"

The arrow of ice launched piercing the air flying straight toward Racer. Racer tried to get away, but not even him wouldn't be able to get away from the arrow in time.

"It's so fast!" he cried as the arrow shot straight into him with incredible speed and velocity. As Gray's attack was about hit him, Racer saw his past life in the Tower of Heaven flash before his very eyes. He also began to remember then prayer he made as a member of the Oración Seis.

"My prayer... was to be fast..." he thought. "Faster than anyone else... that's all I want..."

Then the arrow hit Racer with a mighty explosion as a bright blue light shone illumination the area. When the dust settled, Racer was now lying on the ground unconscious and finally defeated. A few moments later, Gray had come down from his snipping post and Sherry who had recovered both met up with Lyon as he finally had some time to rest.

"Looks like we did it," said Gray looking at Racer's unconscious body. "I can't believe your plan actually worked."

"I can't either," sighed Lyon. "And to think that there's five more just as strong as he is."

"On that note, could you both please tell me when you two are going plan something that crazy!?" said Sherry pouting. "I actually thought you two were fighting!"

"Don't blame me," smirked Gray. "It was all my senior pupil's plan." He then went over to Lyon offering his hand. "You need some help standing up?"

"Don't worry about me," said Lyon. "I'll just sit here for a little while longer to catch my breath."

Then Racer began to stir and regain consciousness, slowly pulling himself up on his feet. "I'M NOT DONE YET!" he roared. "In the name of the Oración Seis, I refuse to accept defeat! I'm taking you all to the big slab in the sky!"

Lyon, Gray, and Sherry looked at Racer in shock as he ripped his jacket open revealing a strange device strapped to the middle of his chest. It was circular in appearance and had 5 orange lights on it and had a red glowing orb in the middle. The moment the three saw the device on his chest they immediately knew what it was.

"No... it can't be...!" gasped Lyon.

"He's rigged himself with a bomb lacrima!" cried Sherry.

"You can't be serious!" exclaimed Gray. "He's gone completely insane!"

Racer now wore a grin of total insanity. "We'll all cross the finish line together!" he crowed. "Prepare yourselves!"

"Not gonna happen!" said Gray as he prepared to use his magic to try and stop Racer. However, he had used practically every ounce of his magic in the last attack. He felt weak almost fainting. "Damn it... not now..."

Racer then ran straight for the three as the bomb on his chest began to count down with him laughing in utter insanity. It seemed that it was the end as the larcima began to countdown all the way to zero, but then at the last second Lyon rushed forward and tackled Racer sending him and himself over the cliff much to Gray and Sherry's horror.

"No! Lyon!" cried Sherry and Gray as they saw them both drop plummeting to the ground below.

Then the lacrima went off with a mighty kaboom shaking the entire area. Sherry and Gray stared at the smoke from the explosion in silence. Then Sherry sank to her knees and let out a cry of despair.

"NOOOO! This isn't happening! It can't be happening! He can't be gone!" she cried as her eyes welling in tears. "How could this have happened?!

"No! It can't be!" said Gray. "Lyon can't be dead! He's gotta be alive down there! Come on let's find him!"

Gray having to have recovered a little and refusing to believe that Lyon was dead, managed to make a slide of ice as he slid down on it hoping to search for Lyon. All Sherry could do was stare into the ground below in grief for what had happened to Lyon. Then her grief began to take slight hatred as she clenched her hands in anger.

"Someone's gotta pay this..." she murmured.

Back at the cave, Brain along with Shark and Midnight were still inside waiting for something to happen. Suddenly Brain felt a shot of pain go through his head causing him to shoot a hand towards his cheek. At the very same time, one of the black lines on his cheek vanished. He immediately knew what had happened and that made his eyes wide with shock and utter disbelief.

"Master? Are you alright?" asked Shark.

"No... it can't be..." murmured Brain. "Racer was defeated... But...how...? How could one of the pillars of Oración Seis be defeated like this?!"

"It would appear that the enemy was far stronger than we expected," said Shark. "What do you suggest we do master?"

Brain then looked at Midnight who was still sleeping in his corner. "I have no choice now," he said grimly. "Although I never imagined that I would be forced to send him. However, I don't have a choice. Midnight! Wake up! You have work to do!"

At the sound of Brain's voice, Midnight stirred and then he opened his red eyes that gleamed in the darkness. He then stood up and stood before his leader.

"Eliminate every last one of your enemies!" said Brain with an evil smirk. "Find your enemies and toss them into your ever ending nightmare!"

Midnight stared at Brain and then replied.

"Yes... Father..."

Once again I'm sorry for those of you who are suffering from Shark deficiency syndrome, but don't worry!

Shark will be in action soon enough. You'll just have to be patient a little bit longer!

Until then, I'll try my best to speed things up!

Dragoman out!