"speaking"

"thinking"

On with the story

Everyone went in the forest for the Test of Courage as one by one, all the paired up students entered in, screaming from getting scared by Lucy and the others

We turn our attention to Natsu with his two pairs as they ventured in the forest

"what a lovely night for a stroll…do you not agree?" Natsu asked with his hands behind his back as he walks in between Erza and Mira

"I am seriously going to pummel this guy to the ground. He's really getting on my nerves!" Mira gritted her teeth as she cracks her knuckles together

"just bear with it until Natsu wakes up" Erza said, feeling very annoyed by how talkative Natsu's subconscious is and how obnoxious he is "if he doesn't wake up, then we will wake him up"

The three ventured further in the forest as they reached the end after getting a few scares here and there, but they were fine

They soon find Kagura waiting there while sitting on a chair and was drinking a bottle of soda

"you guys made it" Kagura said standing up

"where are the rest? Did they go home?" Erza asked, asking about the other group that went ahead of them

"No other group had come here yet" Kagura said "you three are the first one to arrive here

"this is why this event was a waste of time" Erza said facepalming

"I can guess that the ones who got scared so badly are either hiding from the scares or had fainted in the course" Mira said sighing "I should've gone to bed early"

"can you contact Lucy and the others? Tell them that we have some groups frightened or scared in the forest" Erza asked as Kagura nodded before taking out a magic radio

"Lucy, hello. Anyone who can hear me, there are some groups that got scared and are still in the forest, I repeat" Kagura said on the radio but there was only buzzing in reply "hello, anyone who can hear me…"

Kagura repeated her words on the radio but there was no response from the other end

"strange" Kagura said looking at the magic radio and started adjusting the frequency again "no one is picking up"

"neither are their cells" Mira said holding her phone as she tried calling them

"something is not right" Erza said "let's go and find them"

"I'll go with" Kagura said while summoning the Dragon sword from her earring

"nu-uh, you stay here" Mira told Kagura "just in case some of them finally arrived"

"and with him" Erza said pointing at Natsu

"what!? you can't leave me her with this man!" Kagura shouted, not liking the behavior of Natsu's subconscious

"ho~? Being with such a beautiful woman like you? I can't ask for anything else" Natsu said holding a few strands of Kagura's hair to which the swordswomen backs away

"just watch him and wear some earplugs if you want" Mira said, giving the said earplugs "we need to make sure that everyone is safe"

"keep a close eye on him" Erza said before she and Mira went back

"ah! Wait!" Kagura exclaimed before she looks at Natsu who winked at her which makes her feel uncomfortable


Hisui and Cosmos ventured in the forest as they had tons of scares

"this is exhilarating! Of course that we were scared by everyone's trick but this is truly exhilarating!" Hisui said in joy while Cosmos sweatdropped "this school field trip is truly enjoyable!"

"really….can you consider this exhilarating when you screamed a lot?" Cosmos thought before they stopped when they heard a bush rustling near them

"I wonder what scare we would get this time!?" Hisui asked in anticipation wanting to be scared

"Princess…." Cosmos said with an awkward smile as the bush's rustles before Rustyrose appeared

"good evening, Ladies" Rustyrose greeted them with a smile and a bow "what a wonderful eve this is"

"uh, who are you?" Hisui asked while Cosmos looks at the man, eying how suspicious he is

"oh, forgive me! what rude manners I have to the Princess of Fiore!" Rustyrose said with an apologetic bow "my name is Rustyrose, a poet, a mage, and more knowingly…"

Rustyrose lifts his head up as he had a smirk on while he place a finger to his glasses

"a member of the Grimoire Heart that beats once again!" Rustyrose exclaimed as he was covered in rising purple magic aura

"Princess, get back! He's dangerous!" Cosmos exclaimed as she lifts a hand up and vines went flying at Rustyrose

"a mage of plants….how weak" Rustyrose said as he snapped his fingers and the vines burned in flames

"what!?" Cosmos looks in surprise before the ground bellow her breaks and a giant claw hand grabs her "Gaah!"

"Cosmos-san!" Hisui exclaimed as a giant creature arises out of the ground, in its grasp was Cosmos who was getting a death squeeze

"feast your eyes upon my Sacred Guardian Beast, Belcusas the Thunderclap!" Rustyrose proclaimed as the giant beast grips tighter on Cosmos

"Gah!" Cosmos screams in pain before she fainted from the overly tight grasp

"Cosmos-san!" Hisui exclaimed before she looks at Rustyrose who slowly approached her

"now then, Princess of Fiore." Rustyrose grabs Hisui's hand and pulled her "you have a purpose to fulfill for the great world"

"let me go! let me go!" Hisui screamed as she tried pulling her hand away from Rustyrose grasp

"it does pain me to do this, but time is of essence after all" Rustyrose as he grips his hand into a fist before slamming it straight at Hisui's gut

"aah!" Hisui gasped in pain before she fainted as Rustyrose holds her before carrying her up

"now then, with the princess in hand…the coming of the great world is just imminent!" Rustyrose proclaimed as he laughed before swords and black magic spheres came flying at him "what?"

Belcusas got int front of Rustyrose as the giant beast shielded him from the attack

"who dares attack me during my glorious time?" Rustyrose stated as Erza and Mira landed on each side of him

"that's our line, punk" Mira said as she transformed into her Satan Soul while Erza was in her Heaven Wheel armor "who are you and what did you do to the princess and Cosmos!?"

"ho? A Take over Mage and a Requip Mage…an interesting pair that my eyes are seeing" Rustyrose said as he adjusted his glasses "and might I add, the amount of magic power, the two of you have is very impressive"

"let the Princess and Cosmos go this instant or face our wrath!" Erza exclaimed while pointing a sword at Rustyrose

"the Princess is an important piece for the great world, but for the plant mage…" Rustyrose said as he snapped his finger and Belcusas threw away Cosmos to the air "YOU CAN HAVE HER BACK!"

"Erza get her!" Mira shouted as Erza flies up and catches Cosmos while she dashed towards Rustyrose intending to save Hisui

"Belcusas" Rustyrose snapped his finger as Belcusas roars before swinging its fist at Mira who blocked but got sent flying away from the sheer strength of the swing

"Guh!" Mira crashed into some trees as they broke down

"Mira!" Erza shouted out while carrying Cosmos

"I'm fine!" Mira shouted as she got up while holding her purply bruised left arm "that thing has some swing…ugh"

"what is your aim here!?" Erza exclaimed after taking Cosmos away to safety

"in this hideous world, everything has it purposes but some does not" Rustyrose said with a smirk and a small chuckle "to those who does not have any purpose should be dispose off like trash such as that plant mage there"

"what did you say punk?!" Mira shouted as she lifts her right arm up and the Dragon Shield equipped on her before turning into the metallic Dragon head "I'll teach you to mess with my friends!"

Mira soon dashed at Rustyrose at highspeed but Belcusas intercepted her by punching its large fist at her

"eat this!" Mira shouted as she swings the Dragon head at Belcusas fist, erupting a powerful flaming explosion that destroyed the creature in an instant

"impossible!" Rustyrose exclaimed in surprise "my Sacred Guardian Beast: Belcusas the Thunderclap is destroyed?! How is that possible!?"

"now you!" Mira shouted as she went for Rustyrose next

Rustyrose screams in shock before he smirks

The ground breaks before Belcusas appeared again, grabbing Mira in its hands

"another one?!" Erza exclaimed as the giant creature holds Mira tight "a Summoning Mage?!"

"h-how?! I just destroyed this thing!" Mira gritted her teeth while trying to break free but Belcusas grasp on her was too strong

"it is in your best to never underestimate my Sacred Guardian Beast: Belcusas the Thunderclap." Rustyrose said "thousands have fallen to his might, and none has ever truly extinguished his life."

"gah!" Mira grunted in pain as Belcusas grips her tighter before throwing her straight to the ground and hammers his fist at her

"Mira!" Erza shouted as Mira lifts the Dragon head up before it turns back into a shield and a magic barrier appeared

"guh! Heavy!" Mira grunted as Balacasus hammers its fists at the barrier, it holds against the attack but was pushing Mira to the ground "Erza! Get him while this thing is busy on me!"

"I got it!" Erza exclaimed as her armor switched into her Flight armor and she soon dash at Rustyrose at highspeed while she holds her two swords

"the ground is that of the great mother! Its form is to her desire! But also to my desire!" Rustyrose exclaimed as the ground around him turns into mud that causes Erza to slip from her dash

"what?!" Erza exclaimed as she was covered in the mud

"you two have power but I have power that surpass yours!" Rustyrose exclaimed as he raise a hand up "arise! The spears that impales the gods, Gungnir!"

spears burst out of the ground as Erza jumps away in time but Mira was not able because of her position

"Gaaaahh!" Mira screams in pain as some of the spears pierce her back and graze her body, causing her to lose focus on defending against Balcasus who hammers down on her barrier, breaking it and smash the dragon shield against Mira

"MIRA!" Erza shouted out as Mira was knocked out from the attack, she soon glares at Rustyrose who smirked

"have I not told you? None can ever defeat me!" Rustyrose exclaimed as he laughed in gloating

"how dare you!" Erza exclaimed as her armor disappears before Enryuo Yoroi appeared and equipped upon her as it changes to fit her

"ho? You two have unique magic items here" Rustyrose said eying Mira's Dragon Shield before to Enryuo Yoroi on Erza "but they are seemingly wasted upon you two"

"silence!" Erza exclaimed as a flaming sword appeared in her hand before she dashed towards Rustyrose

"Balcasus" Rustyrose called out as the giant beast charges at Erza while roaring

"Haaa!" Erza swings her sword at Balcasus' legs before at its thrown fist before pushing the giant beast back and then delivers a flaming slash that cuts it arm off

"impressive.." Rustyrose commented "but utterly useless"

He snapped his fingers as Balcasus' arm regenerated upon it

"is this thing immortal!?" Erza exclaimed before she jumps away as a blast of magic went flying and nearly hits her

"upon my aid, a troop of might!" Rustyrose exclaimed as floating magic cannons appeared around him and one had fired on Erza "dance, weakling"

The cannons started firing as Erza started dodging them and Balcacus' attack

"I have to warn the others!" Erza screamed in her mind as she deflects a magic blast before getting hit by one from behind "but how!?"

"rain from the sky and the heaven! Khryselakatos' arrows!" Rustyrose exclaimed as magic circles appeared all around Erza

"damnit!" Erza exclaimed as she put her guard up before rains of magic arrows came down on her "Gaaaaahh!"

Enryuo Yoroi protects her body but not very well as some arrows leaves dozens of cuts on her body that was not guarded by the armor

"now for the final blow!" Rustyrose exclaimed while raising a hand up "Balcacus! Wield the mighty hammer of thunder and lightning! Mjolnir!"

Balcacus roars as it lifts its right arm up, its hand changing into a giant hammer that is charged with electricity before swinging it down on Erza


Kagura stood in her place in annoyance as Natsu stared at her with a smile

"would you stop staring at me like that!? It's making me uncomfortable!" Kagura said while shaking in anger

"I cannot resist! Your beauty allures me!" Natsu said as he flirted with her

Kagura grumbles in annoyance before they heard thunder strikes down from the sky

"thunder?" Kagura said as she looks to the night sky and saw dark clouds blowing away "it's coming from in the forest"

Kagura kept looking to where the thunder came from as she felt a bad omen in her heart

"Natsu…do you think that-!?" Kagura spoke out as she looks to Natsu but the man was gone "eh?! Where did he!? When did he!?"

Kagura looks around before realizing that Natsu must have went into the forest

"that guy!" Kagura exclaimed as she summoned her sword to her side from her earring


Rustyrose walks in the forest while carrying Hisui over his shoulder as she was still unconscious

"now then" Rustyrose said as he took a glance behind, Balcacus walking behind while dragging Erza, Mira, and Cosmos who were all knocked out "I should gather 3 more mages and the preparation would be complete"

Rustyrose chuckled as he reached into his pocket and takes out a small glass orb

The orb glowed in his hand as it light up and showed a dark room

"what is it, Rustyrose?" a dark and deep voice spoke out from the small orb

"leader, I have but great news to share to you" Rustyrose said as he showed Hisui to the orb

"she is Hisui. ! the princess of the Fiore Kingdom!" the voice sounded surprised as Rustyrose chuckled to the reaction "I see, you have captured her. What luck! Hahahaha!"

"right now, I shall be preparing the final fireworks of Lumania Town and it shall be spectacular!" Rustyrose stated "just await and see it in the news. After that, I shall be returning with her"

"very good, Rustyrose. You are quite dependable unlike some others" the voice spoke "I await the fireworks then"

The glass orb dimmed as Rustyrose pocketed it before he walks into an opening in the forest where there were many of Belserion Students laying on the ground, unconscious and injured

"trash sometimes have it uses" Rustyrose said as Balcacus throws Erza and the others away "especially worthless trash"

Rustyrose snapped his figner twice as Balcacus disappears before the mage's aura rises

"Come forth, Tower of Dingir! Devour all! Vanquish them within you! and return them to the earth!" Rustyrose exclaimed as a giant tower arises out of the ground, swallowing anyone near it

Erza, Mira, and Cosmos were sucked into the tower as their body are nearly sucked into it

"be grateful, trash! The magic within you shall aid the Tower of Dingir and reborn this land from this cursed world!" Rustyrose proclaimed with a laugh before he hears running footsteps coming "ho? Seems like I do not need to do any collecting"

Rustyrose looks behind and sees Ultear, Éclair, Minerva, Ikaruga, Lucy, and Kamika appeared

"welcome ladies!" Rusytrose exclaimed as he bowed to them "a very good evening to you all!"

"you are! Rustyrose!" Kamika exclaimed in surprise

"you know this dramatic fool?" Minerva said with hostile eyes

"I'm truly grateful" Rustyrose said chuckling and then smiled "a maiden knows my name"

"he is Rustyrose of Grimoire Heart, just like Zancrow" Kamika said as a drop of sweat slides down near her cheeks "in the past, he was given the nickname 'Imaginer of Destruction'. His magic allows him to summon anything from his imagination. That's why he was feared just like Zancrow…"

"another one of Grimoire Heart.." Ikaruga said as Natsu's black red katana appeared in her hands "we must not let our guard down…"

"Lucy, Éclair. You two get everyone out of that tower" Ultear said as Drac appeared on her right hand "we will handle him"

"ho? Do you believe that any of you can defeat me?" Rustyrose asked with a chuckle "not even when your friends here could?"

"move quickly" Kamika whispered to Lucy and Éclair as she holds purple magic paper in her hands

"be careful" Lucy told them as she and Éclair went to the tower while the rest faces against Rustyrose


Cana was at the inn as she had slept drunk from over drinking too much sake and beer. Right now, she was going around the hall, trying to find another drink

"ah, that's right..the Test of Courage thing" Cana said as she didn't find anyone in the inn "I can just skip it"

Cana went back to the room, and as she was going back. She bumped in with Irene

"ah, sorry, headmistress. A bit drunk here" Cana said laughing nervously while rubbing the back of her head

"it's fine." Irene replied to the card mage "I can guess that you overslept and missed the Test of Courage?"

"yeah, let's go with that" Cana said

The two went around before they heard a commotion outside

They went to a nearby window and slides it open. To what they see surprise him

A giant shining tower in the middle of the forest as it was shining bright like the sun

"pinch me because I think I'm still drunk" Cana said as they watched the tower

"I have a bad omen" Irene said looking at the tower before to Cana "contact the authority and have them come to the forest"

"what about you?" Cana asked Irene who went away

"I'm going to see what that thing is" Irene said as her eyes glowed scarlet


Balcacus roared as the giant beast had Kamika and Minerva in its grasp while it glared down on Ultear and Ikaruga who were on the ground, injured

"this thing…it's immortal!" Ultear grunted out while holding her left arm as it was bruised from Balcacus' attack

"none of our magic is working upon it….it is hopeless.." Ikaruga said, her hair in a mess while she breathes raggedly

Balcacus roared as the giant beast stomped the ground while tightening its grip on Kamika and Minerva, causing them to scream in pain

On the other hand, Lucy and Éclair were in a bit of trouble as Rustyrose was now fighting against them

"he's so strong!" Lucy said huffing her breathing as she had her spirit Taurus and Leo out but the two spirits were barely making any scratch on the dark mage "not even Taurus and Loke can beat him!?"

"hahaha, Celestial Spirits. Immortal beings but they are only as strong as their contractor. While my servants on the other hands.." Rustyrose said smirking as he snapped his fingers before two more Balcacus appeared besides him "they are powerful as I am! Hahaha!"

Lucy gritted her teeth as not one of her Celestial Spirits are able to fight him

"Éclair, how's your end!?" Lucy exclaimed as she had been fighting against Rustyrose while Éclair tried to free the others

"it's no use!" Éclair said as she tried pulling Erza out from the tower but she was stuck in it "I can't get them out!"

"of course, you can't!" Rustyrose proclaimed "the Tower of Dingir sucks in the worthless fools in and returns them to the mother earth! And soon, so shall all you fools!"

Lucy gritted her teeth as she reached for her keys, intending to summon another spirit

"Lucy, don't!" Loke, the Leo Zodiac Spirit exclaimed to his contractor "your body isn't capable of summoning a third spirit! The feedback will kill you!"

"we just got to try!" Lucy exclaimed as she grabs the Scorpion Key and holds it near her face "if we don't, everyone will be in danger!"

"respectful words, you have. Miracles do often happen, but…" Rustyrose said as he grins before tree roots arises out of the ground, wrapping around Lucy, causing her drop her Zodiac Key "no miracle shall come today!"

"Lucy!" Éclair exclaimed as the roots wrapped tight around Lucy, causing her to gasp in pain

"surrender yourself as the sacrifice for the great world, and all pain shall never come" Rustyrose said as his first Balcacus came while holding Ultear and the others in its grasp, all defeated "just like your friends here"

Éclair watched in horror as they were overpowered, and no one could defeat Rustyrose, he was too powerful

"now, fuse with the Tower of Dingir!" Rustyrose exclaimed as Balcacus place Ultear and the others in the Tower as they were sucked into it

"Éclair! Run! Hurry!" Lucy exclaimed while the roots wrapped tighter around her even more, causing her to gasp in pain "Run!"

Rustyrose watched Éclair as he could tell that she was overcome with fear

"one had succumbed to fear, trash is trash after all" Rustyrose said chuckling before snapping his fingers and all Balcacus disappeared "now then, what shall you do, trash? Will you run in fear? Or join your friends in sacrificing for the great world!?"

Rustyrose approached Éclair who was frozen in fear as the man was covered in a menacing purple aura

He chuckled as he reaches a hand to Éclair whose eyes widen in fear

"please…..help…." Éclair called out in her mind as Rustyrose's hand got closer and closer to her "..help….please….Natsu…."

A single tear slides down Éclair's eyes to her cheeks and falls to the ground, dripping into it

Her prayer was soon answered as a hand grabbed Rutyroses' and it was Natsu

"my my," Natsu said chuckling as he looks at Rustyrose with a raised eyebrow "do you not know that you are not to touch a maiden unless permitted by one?"

"you are!" Rustyrose exclaimed before Natsu backslaps his cheeks, making the dark mage stagger a few feet back

"Natsu…." Éclair muttered out as Natsu glanced and winked to her before looking back at Rustyrose who holds his slapped cheek

"how dare you!" Rustyrose growls in anger

"tsk tsk tsk" Natsu wiggles his index finger to Rustyrose while giving him a disapproving look "you have been a very bad gentleman to these maidens. can you still call yourself a mage after doing this?"

"who are you to question me!?" Rustyrose exclaimed

"me?" Natsu asked while pointing at himself "I am merely Natsu Dragneel"

Natsu waves his hand to the side as a cape, the same cape that he received in Crocus for winning the CMC and arresting Ivan back then appeared on him. The cape waved around him before Éclair's necklace shined and Natsu's sluggers appeared

"and I am the one…" Natsu stated as the sluggers flied to him before the cape turns into flames and so did the two silver sluggers. "..who shall place you down"

Natsu was encased in a torrent of flames as it dispersed and revealed golden metal wings

"advent" Natsu raise a hand up as the golden white wings spread majestically "to the top"


That's a wrap!

Bye bye