Here you go, guys! Another chapter up and running!

By the way, I'm currently trying to pick a theme song for Willy, and have posted a few choices on Deviantart.

If you want to help me pick, feel free to join in!

Until then, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 113

The Power of Embodiment

NO POV

Levy was slowly walking through the forest, carrying a battered and unconscious Gajeel over her shoulder. During the S-Class Trial, the two had run into a couple of other members from Grimoire Heart, a Samurai humanoid goat named Yomazu as well a chicken man named Kawazu, and engaged them in battle. Knowing that the situation was bound to escalate, Gajeel sent Levy away to get help while he fought the two on his own. The fight was difficult, and Gajeel ended up severely wounded, but after displaying a great show of will, he came out the victor knocking both wizards at once.

Eventually, Levy came back to rescue Gajeel bringing Erza and Juvia along with her just as the battle ended. Erza then shot up the warning flare to alert everyone on the island, and she and Juvia then went out to search for Mest and Wendy worried that they wouldn't be able to find their way back to the base camp. Knowing that Gajeel was too injured and exhausted to move, Levy told the two that she would take him back to base camp while they went and searched, and thus began a slow walk back to the camp.

At some point, the main forces of Grimoire Heart had arrived, their soldiers swarming the area, forcing Levy to hide while still carrying Gajeel. She was tired, weary, and even a little scared, but she steeled her courage and eventually managed to escape while telling herself to keep going until she made it to base camp. She didn't know how long she had been walking while avoiding the soldiers, but Levy was sure that she was getting close.

"I'm almost there," Levy said to herself. "Just a few more feet." She then looked at Gajeel. "Don't worry, Gajeel. You're going to be okay," she reassured. "Just hang in there a little longer. Hopefully everyone who's there is okay."

She soon came to a clearing where the base camp was, but she would be in for a rather nasty surprise when she got there. Levy gasped as the sight of the destroyed base camp, met her eyes. Rubble, as well as debris from the camp, lay everywhere with the large crater that Azuma's bomb had created, still in the middle.

"What... what happened here?!" gasped Levy. "The camp... it's been..."

To make things even worse, Levy then saw the unconscious bodies of Mira, Lisanna, and Willy which made her cold run cold. She gently sat Gajeel down on the ground and then rushed over to them.

"Willy! Mira! Lisanna!" Levy cried, as she rushed over towards Mira first. "Are you guys, okay?! Say something!"

There was nothing but silence as Levy went over to Mira. She was just about to check her over, when she heard a small groan coming from a distance behind her, which caused her to turn around. Levy then saw Lisanna's body beginning to stir as she pushed herself up from the ground. Levy immediately felt relief as she rushed over to her.

"Lisanna! Thank goodness you're alright!" Levy spoke.

Lisanna now sitting up, groaned in agony as she held her head shaking the dizziness out from it as she opened her eyes. "Levy...? What happened? What's going on?" she asked.

"That's what I should be asking you!" Levy replied. "The base camp is destroyed! What happened?"

Lisanna suddenly remembered, immediately panicking. "Wait! Where's Willy?! Where's Mira?! And what happened to that guy from Grimoire Heart?! I-"

"Slow down, Lisanna. Take it easy," Levy spoke calmly. "I just got here, so I have no idea what's going on here. Here, let me help you up."

Levy then pulled Lisanna to her feet, helping her stand up on her feet. When she did, Lisanna felt a sharp, dull ache on her midsection, causing her to hold it in pain as she winced.

Levy couldn't help but feel worried. "Lisanna, are you okay?" she asked. "You look hurt pretty bad."

She then looked towards Lisanna's stomach, and saw a large bruise on the right side of her hip, which was sickly mix of red and purple.

"Lisanna! That bruise! Did whoever destroy that camp do that to you?!" she asked. "How did you get that?!"

Lisanna gulped as she thought back to how she got the bruise. She knew that Willy was the cause of her injury when he was going berserk, but she didn't want Levy to know that, so she instinctively lied.

"Oh... yeah. I got this from fighting that Azuma guy," she said. "He managed to get a sneak attack on me and messed me up pretty bad. But don't worry, I'll be okay."

"You sure, Lisanna?" asked Levy. "You did just regain conscious after all. Maybe you should take it easy and rest."

"I said I'm fine, Levy. I'll be okay," insisted Lisanna. "Besides, we've got more important things to worry about right now. Now that you're here, I'll need some help getting everyone patched up. Not to mention we'll need to at least try and make a shelter and find some beds in all this mess."

Levy still felt a bit hesitant about this, but Lisanna was right though. Considering the fact that there were now three wizards out of commission adding Gajeel, she was going to need all the help she could get for the moment.

"Well, alright then," she agreed, with a hint reluctance. "But make sure you don't push yourself too hard, alright? I don't want you collapsing on me."

Lisanna nodded as she went over to Mira, lifting her on her shoulders while Levy went back to get Gajeel. As Lisanna picked Mira up, she couldn't help but glance over at Willy, the memory of him attacking her still fresh in her mind. She was relieved that Willy was no longer rampaging and hadn't been taken away by Azuma, but she couldn't help feel all the more worried.

"I can't help but think what happened to Willy when he flipped out like that," Lisanna thought. "I haven't seen him like that since he saved us back in Osia, but at least back then... he held back a bit. This time he was more powerful and was more violent than usual. Could it be... Could it be that his magic power's growing unstable again?"

"Lisanna? Lisanna? Do you need help carrying Mira?"

Levy's voice snapped Lisanna out of her thoughts, making her turn towards her. She then gave the bluenette a reassuring smile.

"No, thanks. I got her," Lisanna said. "I just spaced out is all. Let's get everyone to a safe spot and then start looking for materials to make a tent."

As Lisanna and Levy set to work, Silver Beard was watching them from behind a tree not too far away, managing to hide from view.

"Well, this certainly is unfortunate. I've lost my chance to punish that brat, but then again, I can't afford to be so hasty," Silver Beard thought. "For now, it would be for the best if I remained out of sight, lest I want to incur the wrath of Fairy Tail. I shall take my leave for now and leave him to these girls. It's not like they'll pose a threat."

He then looked over to Willy who was now being lifted by Levy and Lisanna.

"Willy Falconer... Our time together may have been a little short, but I promise you, I will continue to watch over you like the man that I am. Make sure you grow powerful as you keep fighting using the gift I bestowed to you. Once you get strong enough, I'm sure that you'll become the ultimate weapon to fulfill my dream. And I won't let anyone else get in my way."

He then calmly walked away, fading away into the air.

Meanwhile, Elfman and Evergreen were having their own battle. You see just a while back; they ran into Grimoire Heart's army as well and quickly dispatched them. However, they also ran into another member of the Seven Kin of Purgatory, the Kin of Lust, Rustyrose who of which engaged them in battle by summoning forth a strange creature using his magic named Belcusas the Thunderclap. Elfman and Evergreen tried their best to defeat the beast as well as Rustyrose, but they were countered every single time as Rustyrose overwhelmed them with his magic as well as Belcusas, forcing them to go on the run.

Elfman was running through the forest with a reluctant Evergreen slung over his shoulder, going as fast as leg could carry him, while Belcusas was hot on their heels bellowing loudly.

"This guy's relentless!" Evergreen spoke. "As this rate, he's gonna catch us! And when that happens, we're through!"

Then suddenly, Elfman skidded to a stop having to have come to the edge of a cliff. When Evergreen realized this, she not only was scared but at the same time, she was cross with Elfman for leading them to this situation.

"You big idiot! I've had it up to here with you!" Evergreen snapped fiercely. "What kind of a muscle-headed idiot runs for his life without even bothering once to look where's running?!"

"Give me a break already! You sure do love to complain, don't you?!" Elfman snapped back. "If that's the way you're going to be, then you can go the rest of the way on your own!"

Evergreen now feeling angrier than ever got off of Elfman's shoulder and gave him a sharp kick to his backside, causing the man to grunt in pain. "You big jerk! So not only are you an idiot, but you would leave a disabled comrade to fend for herself?!" she demanded, yelling.

"Crippled my ass!" Elfman shot back. "You look healthy as a horse to me!"

The two heard the sounds of thundering footsteps coming towards them. They looked up, and they saw Belcusas coming towards them, causing the entire cliff to shake and tremble.

"This isn't good! He's got us cornered," Evergreen gasped. "And if he goes berserk this close to the edge, the cliff will collapse which will be bad for you because you can't fly. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to fly considering how low I am on magic power."

Then Elfman had an idea. "That's it! Why didn't I think of that before?!" he exclaimed grinning. "Guess those smarty-pants glasses aren't just for show. I should probably get myself a pair."

"What the heck are you talking about? You're not only annoying, but you aren't exactly the type of guy that thinks," Evergreen spoke, rudely. "Secondly, my glasses have nothing to do with my intelligence. I'm smart with or without them, making you said is nothing more but a baseless stereotype! Need I remind you that I'm Fairy Tail's greatest fairy to-"

But before Evergreen could continue her ranting, Elfman suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and using his strength threw Evergreen high into the air right over Belcusas's head, causing the creature to look up. Then the beast heard Elfman.

"Hey, blockhead! Eyes forward!"

Belcusas looked down as saw that Elfman was now no longer in front of him. He then looked behind him and then saw him who had managed to slip past him while he was distracted.

"Hey, Freakshow! You want me? Well, here I am!" Elfman taunted. "Come on! I'm ready to throw down if you are! And I ain't going to hold back so give me your best shot!"

Belcusas let out a roar as it swung his mighty fist, angry from Elfman's taunts. Thinking quickly, Elfman used his Take Over Magic: Beast Soul to change into a giant, muscular, humanoid beast, and defended himself by crossing his arms. Belcusas fist collided with Elfman's arms, the sheer force of causing it to crack and crumble. At the last second, Elfman immediately dispelled his Take Over and jumped clinging to the edge as Belcusas fell over the edge, hitting the ground with an earth-shaking thud.

Elfman let out a breath of relief, pleased that his plan worked perfectly. Evergreen, on the other hand, as she landed back on the ground, wasn't so pleased.

"Nice work, Evergreen!" Elfman grinned. "We totally fooled-"

But Evergreen cut him off by planting his foot right in his face repeatedly stomping on it, trying to push him off of the cliff. "The next time you get the bright idea to use me as bait just because I can fly, leave me out of it!" she yelled. "Do you understand me?!"

"Hey! Take it easy! I'm slipping here!" Elfman cried as he desperately tried not to fall. "You're going to push me off!"

"Goodness me. A heated discussion followed by intense physical contact?" said a voice. "Today's lovers have no sense of shame, do they?"

Evergreen and Elfman looked behind them, and they saw Rustyrose who had an amused and teasing smile on his face.

"Would you shut up?!" the two of them snapped crossly. "It's not like that, okay?!"

"I will admit that I am impressed that you both were able to take out my beast, of which many have met their end by. In fact, surviving Belcusas is a feat worthy of heroic song," went on Rustyrose. "A shocking turn of events I did not foresee, but it was rather a pitiful victory, and I mean really pitiful. There was so little gracefulness in that display, my poet's soul wept in disgust."

"Like we give damn what you say!" Elfman snapped, as he pulled himself up. "Just shut up already! I'm getting sick and tired of your mouth!"

"We really shouldn't be talking smack to this guy, right now," Evergreen spoke. "Especially since he's been moping the floor with us with that magic of his. I can't even get a read on it at all. Just what exactly is that magic of his, anyway?"

Rustyrose smirked mockingly. "I suppose I could explain how my magic works, but I suspect that it would be too difficult for scum like you to comprehend," he sniffed snootily. "It springs from a place that's very close to the darkest depths of magic known as the Abyss of Sorcery, and as a result, it burdens me with many serious and powerful side effects."

He then paused as he held his right hand to his heart and his left hand to his hair. "Oh, what a catastrophic fate! I walk down the path of life that is laden with the weight of tragedy!" he spoke dramatically.

Elfman and Evergreen stared at the man, the looks on their faces filled with bewilderment and confusion.

Then Rustyrose using his magic displayed a picture of a particular man with black hair and strange robes. "However, we've learned that the great black wizard Zeref is on this very island," Rustyrose continued. "And once we've obtained him, he will lift this tragic burden from our shoulders and will user in a new and wondrous age of magic."

Elfman and Evergreen saw the image of Zeref and recognized him immediately.

"Wait a second! That's the guy from earlier!" Elfman thought.

"The legendary black wizard...?! That guy was him?!" Evergreen thought, her mouth agape with horror. "But... he shouldn't be alive right now, much less on this island!"

You see, a while back as the second part of the trial started, Elfman and Evergreen had an encounter with Zeref that almost resulted in their deaths had it not been for Natsu and Happy. However, neither one of them could have imagined that the man they saw was Zeref himself.

Rustyrose went on smirking sadistically. "We'll enter a new and prosperous world known as the Grand Magic World! A true and primal world that is ruled by darkness and chaos, as it should be!" he spoke. "It will be a wizard's province where those who do not share the abilities of a wizard will perish or pray for death as they tremble in fear!"

His face filled with maniac elation as he seemed to take pleasure just by talking about it.

"Doesn't it sound wonderful?! A world made entirely for our kind alone, completely free from those ignorant or frightened of the dark arts! And the moment that Zeref's takes its place as its ruler, the Grand Magic World will be complete! We'll wipe out anyone who lacks the magic necessary to survive, and it will become a utopia for wizards only! I've waited so long for this glorious day, and at last, it's dawn will soon break!"

"I don't believe it! What he's saying, it's pure madness!" Evergreen spoke, feeling unnerved.

"No way... There's no way we'll ever let that happen!" Elfman said. "We will stop you!"

Rustyrose's elated look quickly changed into one of mock and disgust. "Do you honestly think you can stop our great plan? Don't make me laugh!" he sneered. "It's wizards like you that are the scum of my ire which won't be allowed in The Grand Magic World. You'll both be snuffed out like candles in the wind, and just like that, we'll forever be free of you pitiful creatures!"

Elfman then glared at Rustyrose now feeling angry. "Screw that! What you're talking about is nothing more but a coward's freedom!" he spoke firmly. "A real man doesn't need to destroy the world just to feel happy living in it! Don't you understand that most people don't have magic power? You'd put them through hell and wipe them out just for your so-called freedom?!"

Rustyrose then looked across to Elfman, his face changing to an emotionless frown for a fraction of second. "That's right. For the Grand Magic World to be born, they cannot be allowed to live," He then gave a scornful smile. "What does it matter? They aren't necessary. What great purpose do they even serve? People who don't use magic are like candles that can't be lit and are utterly useless trash."

"Having magic power doesn't mean you're more valuable than someone who doesn't!" Elfman burst out. "All life has meaning!"

He then winced in pain, causing him to hold his left arm.

Evergreen then saw a large bruise on Elfman's arm, which made her eyes go wide from the sight of it. "He's injured! Belcusas must have done more damage to him than I thought!" she thought.

"Why do you even care? Afraid you'll lose your cash crop?" taunted Rustyrose. "A fine example of hypocrisy between you and all the other legal guilds. You all claim what you're in the right by helping the people, but that's nothing short of egotistical nonsense. All you do is profit off of the weak and are afraid of being left with nothing. How pathetic."

"You're wrong! This world's built on people who help and need each other, and we work together to make life easier for everyone!" Elfman spoke defiantly. "We use our magic to help people, and in exchange for our services, they give us compensation! That relationship and trust built the world we live in, and gave birth to the guilds!"

Elfman then stood bravely before Rustyrose, putting up his fists ready to fight, his face filled with determination and pride.

"I won't let you mock what we've made together! This world belongs to everyone, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you tear it down!" he yelled

Rustyrose chuckled. "How sad. It seems that you haven't the intelligence to understand," he said snootily. "You've strayed too far from the Abyss of Sorcery and know nothing about the true terror of Zeref. His power may elude you for now, but you along with your little friends, will learn that lesson soon. Once his power is unleashed, the only options you all will have left is either servitude or the grave!"

"If that's what you think, then you've got another thing coming!" Elfman snapped. "Fairy Tail is a burning candle that shines in through any darkness, and doesn't bow to anyone! If we're going to be heading for our graves, we're taking Grimoire Heart with us!"

Elfman then jumped straight into the air, his right hand clenched into a fist and gunned straight for Rustyrose. However, Rustyrose used his magic to transform his right hand into a large, black, claw-like tendril and counterattacked with a mighty swipe knocking Elfman to the ground.

"Fairy Tail, eh? You're as inelegant as the name suggests, something that's not needed in the Grand Magic World," Rustyrose scoffed. "Very well, then. Since you've made your position clear and wish to act like garbage, then you shall be disposed of accordingly."

Elfman grunted as he struggled to his feet, refusing to give up. "You can call me whatever you want," he gasped. "But you sure as hell won't get away with trash-talking my friends!"

As Evergreen watched Elfman get back up, she couldn't help but be filled with admiration. Rustyrose, on the other hand, stifled a giggle trying to keep it in, but ended up bursting into a fit of laughter much to Elfman's anger.

"What's so funny, Pretty Boy?!" he demanded.

"Forgive me, but you just said a moment ago that you wouldn't get away with me speaking ill about your little friends," Rustyrose explained. "It made me wonder if you would do the same for a particular person in your guild despite him being a traitor."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Evergreen snarled. "Who are you talking about?"

"Oh, dear. Are all you Fairy Tail wizards so ignorant?" Rustyrose sighed. "Then allow me to spell it out for you. I'm talking about someone who goes by the title, "The Traitor of the Barem Alliance" of which who we also aim to obtain for Master Hades on this island. But you Fairy Tail wizards know him as Willy Falconer."

Elfman and Evergreen instinctively flinched, their eyes going wide with shock.

"Willy?! He's here on the island?!" gasped Evergreen.

"No way... you guys are after Willy, too?!" Elfman spoke, his nails digging into his palms. "But why?! Why are you looking for him?!"

"Who can say? I'm not exactly sure myself," Rustyrose spoke shrugging. "But if I'm being honest, I'd have to say as his title suggests, he's been branded as a traitor of the Barem Alliance. After all, he was once a member of the Oración Seis. I would have guessed that you all would have just tossed him aside to save your image like all the other guilds or he would have just left you all for dead. In fact, I'm surprised that your guild would allow someone like him into your ranks in the first place. "

"What did you say?!" growled Elfman, his blood beginning to boil.

"Come now. Surely you understand, no matter what kind of guild we come from, legal or nonlegal, both of our guilds have zero tolerance for traitors," Rustyrose went on. "And that boy deserves no mercy for doing what he did. Ever since he ditched the Seis, every single dark guild has been out for blood for that cur. In fact, if I recall correctly, there's even a bounty on his head for one million jewel."

"A bounty?" repeated Evergreen. "For one million jewel?!"

"That's right. I would assume that the bounty's purpose was to serve as a form of punishment, but I think that kind of punishment is too light for the boy's actions," Rustyrose went on, his sadistic smile retuning. "The only punishment that I think would be suitable for him is death."

Elfman's hands clenched tighter into hard fists as he seethed in anger, trying not to lose his cool.

"Yes, death would be perfect for scum like him. In actuality, that's probably why Master Hades is out on the hunt for him," Rustyrose went on. "After all, he's unwanted by everyone who's even heard of him, despised by wizards and non-wizards alike. He's a stain in this world that needs to be expunged and whom better than we of Grimoire Heart to be his executioner."

"You shut the hell up right now!" Elfman yelled, enraged as well as fed up. "You've ticked me off before, but now you've really crossed the line! Let's get one thing straight! Willy isn't anything like what you said! If you say one more thing about him, I'll kick your ass to kingdom come!"

Rustyrose sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, I know I said that you're pathetic, but now I'm starting to believe that you're nothing short of foolish. Why even bother defending someone him? You know what he is, a traitorous dog that'll bite you if you're not careful. Oh, wait, don't tell me. Is it because he's your so-called friend?"

"Damn straight, he is!" barked Elfman fiercely. "Let's get something straight, Willy's my best friend, my brother, and is not a traitor! And I'll be damned if I'm going to let people like you talk crap about him, much less take him away! He's a member of Fairy Tail, and as a real man, no, as Willy's best friend and brother, I won't let you!"

He charged straight at Rustyrose again, only for Rustyrose to attack with clawed tendril for an arm once again looking to pierce through Elfman's stomach.

"Elfman!" cried Evergreen. "Don't do it! You can't beat him!"

At the last minute, Elfman moved to the right making Rustyrose's tendril narrowly miss his stomach nicking his injured arm, but managed to catch it pinning it to his side. Rustyrose tried to pull back his tendril, but like a stubborn bulldog, Elfman refused to let go smirking with triumph.

"I got you now, Pretty Boy," he chuckled, wincing in pain. "The basic principle of Take Over Magic is to learn everything about your opponent inside and out. Isn't that right, Big Sis?" He then looked at Rustyvoice. "I appreciate it, pal. I needed a new arm."

He raised his right arm and using his Take Over Magic, transformed his arm into a tendril just like Rustyrose's.

"Impossible! That's my Jet Black Sword!" Rustyrose gasped, feeling surprised as well as appalled. "How dare you taint it with your filthy stench?!"

But Elfman didn't care. He brought back his own Jet Black Sword and made it shoot it forward, hoping that his surprise attack would work, but Rustyrose was quick to counter once again.

"In my left arm appears a kite shield through which no attack shall pass!" he commanded.

His left arm became shrouded with his magic power and transformed into a giant golden shield which managed to block Elfman's tendril just in the nick of time.

"Your cheap tactic has failed," Rustyrose smirked. "So now what will you do?"

At that moment, Elfman quickly let go of Rustyrose's tendril and grabbed the very thing he was targeting the whole time.

His sunglasses.

As soon as he got a hold of them, he immediately crushed them into pieces in his hand shocking Rustyrose again.

"Sorry, Pretty Boy, but I was really after your specs the whole time!" Elfman grinned, as he turned back. "Now, Ever! Do it!"

"Normally, the only people who I allow to call me that are Laxus and the Thunder Legion," Evergreen spoke grudgingly, but then she smiled too impressed with Elfman. "But I'll make an exception just this once since I'm in a good mood right now. This guy's talking trash about Fairy Tail and threatening to kill one of our own, and I'm going to turn that foul mouth of his to stone, so he won't ever open it again!"

Rustyrose's face filled with horror as Evergreen began using her specialty magic, which allowed her to turn her opponent to stone if they looked into her eyes.

"STONE EYES!"

Evergreen's eyes began to glow as Rustyrose stared directly at them, screaming in agony while shielding his eyes. It seemed that Elfman and Evergreen would be victorious. However, they would soon be wrong. A sly smile crossed Rustyrose's cheeks as he tried to hold back his laughter.

"Just kidding!" Rustyrose snickered.

He then dispatched Elfman quickly with a quick swing of his claw knocking flat to the ground and did the same to Evergreen. The two of them were shocked as well as confused as to why Evergreen's Stone Eye Spell didn't work. They soon found out why. When they looked up towards, Rustyrose's face, they were bewildered to see that Rustyrose was wearing another pair of glasses.

"B-But... how?! I destroyed your glasses!" Elfman gasped in disbelief. "I know I did!"

"It's because of my magic, you see," Rustyrose said. "It mostly comes from my imagination, the Arc of Embodiment. If I can envision it, I can give it form and make it a reality."

And just to demonstrate with a hand of his hand, Rustyrose used his magic to make several other sunglasses above his head making Elfman and Evergreen all the more dumbfounded.

"How... can that be?" Evergreen whimpered as she trembled in pain. "That kind of power... shouldn't exist!"

"The embodiment of wishes is linked to the root of sorcery," Rustyrose went on explaining. "While it has its limitations, I'd say that they're a small price to pay for a magic that makes me unrivaled and invisible in power. And no other wizard has ever managed to defeat it even once."

He took a couple of steps forward appearing to be leaving Elfman and Evergreen, but then he turned around towards them as the ground began to tremble and shake beneath them.

"Now come forth, my dark Tower of Dignir!" Rustyrose command. "Turn all of your sorrow onto these foolish fairies and return them to the void from whence they came!"

At his command, a giant tower erupted from the ground immobilizing and dragging Elfman and Evergreen along with it. The two of them struggled to try and get free, but it was no use.

"Damn it! What the hell is this?!" Elfman cried as the tower continued to rise. "I can't move!"

Evergreen, on the other hand, was now regretful than she was frightened, her eyes filling with unshed tears. "Elfman, I'm sorry!" she wailed. "If wasn't your partner, none of this would be happening right now. You would have been an S-Class Wizard by now. You would never have lost or have been held back by a weakling like me."

Elfman was surprised. Typically, Evergreen was a proud woman, and would never admit to what she just said, much less admitting to being weak. However, he smiled kindly at her.

"You idiot. I made it this far because you were by my side," Elfman spoke quietly. "I'm glad you're here, Ever, and thank you for being my partner."

Evergreen looked at Elfman, and when she saw his smile, her eyes began to overflow with tears, touched by Elfman's kindness despite how she treated him.

"Now fall to the ends of darkness," Rustyrose spoke as he snapped his fingers.

The Tower of Dignir continued to rumble and shake, the magic power rising within it. Then it exploded with a violent kaboom swallowing Elfman and Evergreen along with it.

Meanwhile, a few yards away from the island, among the wreckage that was once the fleet of the Magic Council, one ship remained barely managing to stay float on the water as it was anchored close to a reef above the water. On that ship, Lahar and some of the surviving soldiers were bustling about, trying their best to get back on their bearings.

"Look alive, people! Get the wounded to the tents along the reef at once and heal them quickly!" ordered Lahar. "We'll worry about the repairs once we've secured the island! Those who are ready and able, we're going to launch a full-scale attack on the island, so make sure you're equipped for-!"

Then Lahar was suddenly interrupted, for, at that moment, a battered Doranbolt appeared via his teleportation magic. When Lahar saw him, he was surprised, never seeing him in such a state before.

"Doranbolt! What happened to you?!" asked Lahar. "How did you get those wounds? You look like you've been put through the meat grinder!"

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," replied Doranbolt. "What's the damage to the ship, and how are the crew members?"

"They're all fine. We all have a few injuries, but there were no casualties," said Lahar. "Though as far as the ship goes, I'd be lying if I said everything's fine when it comes to that."

"What about the communication lacrima?" asked Doranbolt.

"It still works," replied Lahar. "Now would you mind telling me what happened over there?"

"Well, I was making good progress, until Willy Falconer figured me out," said Doranbolt. "The next minute, Fairy Tail, Grimoire Heart, and Zeref are locked in a three-way war. Not only that, but Grimoire Heart seems to be targeting Willy for some unknown reason. The attack on the ships was their dirty work."

Lahar's eyes widened with fear and disbelief as he began to tremble. "I don't believe this! This can't be a coincidence!" Lahar spoke stiffly. "Three of the biggest thorns in our sides somehow winding at the same place?! If I were a gambling man, I'd say this game was rigged!"

"In any case, where's the communication lacrima?" wondered Doranbolt. "The council needs to know what's happening here."

Doranbolt then saw the communications lacrima, which was a large green crystal ball. He was just about to activate it, when he heard Lahar.

"The council won't hesitate! You know how he is! He doesn't tolerate evildoers and won't hesitate to condemn them!" Lahar spoke with a hint of horror. "With an opportunity like this in front of him, he may just decide to wipe them out!"

Doranbolt then froze and snapped his head towards Lahar, realizing what he was getting at. "Do you mean an Etherion Blast?!" he gasped.

"If the chairman does resort to that, it is very much possible that's what he'll do," Lahar said firmly. "And since he's our superior, we have no other choice but to obey."

"Wait a second! That's completely out of the question!" Doranbolt burst out. "I know that the council has had it in for Fairy Tail for a long time, but even they don't deserve the same fate as Zeref or Grimoire Heart!"

"If I'm ordered to execute them, then that's what I'll do," Lahar said in a cold and yet reluctant. "You and I both know that neither you nor I have the power to decide that. Need I remind you that we're not only up against Fairy Tail, but we also have Grimoire Heart to deal with, and they have some powerful forces on their side including Hades himself, the Seven Kin of Purgatory, and even Bluenote Stinger."

Doranbolt's face paled at the mention of that name, going as white as a sheet. "Bluenote Stinger?! He's there with them too?!"

"Legend has it, he was the one who took out Commander Gohra's Blue Dragon Corps, singlehandedly during the Cabria War," explained Lahar ominously. "They say that his power as a wizard is so terrifying, every single blade of grass that he treads on withers and dies."

"Unbelievable... and a monster like him is part of Grimoire Heart?!" Doranbolt spoke, clenching his fists in fear. "This is even worse than we imagined!"

"I'm afraid so. We alone don't even stand a ghost of a chance against them on our own, and neither does Fairy Tail," said Lahar.

Doranbolt looked towards the floor, gritting his teeth, feeling helpless as well as frustrated that there was nothing that he could do. Not only that, but out of all the Fairy Tail members, he was more concerned about Wendy, knowing that she was so young and yet was about to die at either the Council's or Grimoire Heart's hands.

Lahar then stepped up to the communication lacrima and raised his hand, making it hover just on the surface of it. "I'm going to contact HQ now, he said. "They will advice on our next move."

Then suddenly, Doranbolt grabbed Lahar's forearm on the lacrima and pushed it down. Lahar scowled at the man giving him a look asking what he was doing, but Doranbolt looked back at him with firm eyes.

"Just give me a little more time first," Doranbolt spoke.

"What for?!" demanded Lahar.

But before he could go any further, Doranabolt touched the surface of the communication lacrima, and using his teleportation magic, vanished from sight taking it with him. The soldiers that saw what had happened were surprised while Lahar was appalled and confused.

"Doaranbolt's vanished!" gasped a soldier. "And he took the communication lacrima with him!"

"How are we supposed to contact HQ now, sir?" another asked Lahar.

"What do you think your doing, Doranbolt?!" Lahar growled crossly. "Have you forgotten whose side you're on?!"

Back at the Base Camp, Lisanna and Levy managed to scrape up whatever they could find and not only made a makeshift tent, but also patched up the wounded. They were now keeping watch over them, making sure that if anything happened, they would be there to protect them. However, Lisanna still felt very sorry for herself.

"They'll be okay, Lisanna. They're all still breathing," said Levy trying to be reassuring. "But still... I can't believe Gajeel, Mira, and Willy were defeated."

Lisanna's eyes began to fill with tears; the longer she stared at the three. "I feel terrible about this," she whimpered sadly. "It's all my fault."

At that moment, they heard footsteps coming from behind them. They looked back and saw a battered, bruised, and crying Elfman carrying a barely conscious Evergreen who was just as battered as he was.

"No, it's not anyone's fault. As much as I hate to admit, Grimoire Heart strong. Too strong for any of us!" Elfman sobbed, his nose running and tears streaming. "There was nothing I could do! I'm a sad excuse for a man! I couldn't protect my big sister, or Willy, or even my own partner...! We don't stand a chance against Grimoire Heart!"

There was a long silence as Elfman and Lisanna continued to cry. Until at last, Levy spoke, her eyes filling with tears as well, but was more determined.

"It's time for all of us to come together," Levy spoke choking back a sob. "We all wanted to become S-Class wizards so badly, that we let the trial drive us apart. I know that it was only for a little bit, but we were thinking about ourselves instead of the guild. Well, we can't afford that anymore! Especially now since Willy's being targeted!"

She then looked towards the sky as she went on, her voice cracking with sobs, but also had a strong will behind it as she hoped that someone out there would hear her.

"The enemy may be overwhelming, but we're the Fairy Tail guild! If we put all of our strength and our feelings together, there's no doubt we can win! Please everyone! We have to come together and think of each other! I'm begging you!"

Nothing much for Willy in this chapter, but I figured I'd focus on Elfman defending his brother and Mest too.

If you liked what you read, feel free to leave a fav, follow, or review!

If you have any questions or want to give me ideas, please PM