Hey everyone. This is it, the battle of Edolas concludes here, after this we have two more chapters in the Edolas arc total before we enter my own DMC-based arc. This would be the first Fairy Tail arc I've completed for my story, so thanks for all your support and I hope to see more as I plan to continue this story. So let us finish this fight off.
Checkmate!
The night skies rocked with explosions as the Devil Trigger Modeus continued his areal duel against the dreaded Onyx Reaper, Nelo Angelo; and at the moment it appeared that Modeus was winning.
Nelo Angelo flew back to gain some distance as he sent multiple electric arcs at Modeus, who responded by sending several crescent-moon projectiles with the swing of one of his swords; the attacks collides and resulted in a powerful explosion forcing Nelo Angelo to shield his eyes. Modeus flew straight out of the dust cloud and swung both his blades down on Nelo Angelo who tried to block it with his weapon, but the force sent the monster straight downward and onto the ground outside the ruins of the coliseum, leaving a crater as the Onyx Reaper was covered in multiple cuts and bruises.
"I… I don't… understand…" Nelo Angelo growled in frustration as he struggled to get up as he saw Modeus hovering down to the ground. "Where… where are you getting this…. Power? How am I…. Losing!?"
"You wish to know?" Modeus asked as he landed on the ground gracefully. "All this time, all you've known is killing and harming those who could not defend themselves; you abuse the power that was given to you. I use my power to protect the weak; until you can understand that, you will never defeat me."
Nelo Angelo growled as he tried to stand up. "I do not accept this!" He stood on his legs, facing Modeus. "I am a herald of the Demon Emperor Mundus! I cannot be defeated!" He roared as dark lighting surged around him brightly, but Modeus wasn't even phased by this; he glanced toward the coliseum as he could see bright explosions of red light and could only assume what was going on in there.
Within the ruins; Dante, in his Devil Trigger form, was definitely giving King Faust a run for his money, even in the Dorma Anima armor. Dante flew directly at the Dorma Anim with his black Rebellion. Faust blocked it with the Dorma Anim's right arm-blade; but Dante was quick to zoom past it and fly straight at the Dorma, leaving a massive red beam-like gash across the giant armor's chest; which exploded two seconds later and sent the Dorma Anim sliding back to the edge of the ruins.
"Launch Dragon Rider Missiles!" Several projectiles shot out from the Dorma Anim's back and directly at Dante, but he shot his blade forward and a red beam shot out of it, directly at the missiles, causing them all to explode, and the beam hit the Dorma Anim shortly after. Faust attempted to block it with both the arm-blades of the armor, but it caused near irreparable damage to the armor as cracks formed all over the arm-blades and a bit on the chest from all the pressure. The red light show vanished, and within the armor, Faust looked like he was close to a mental breakdown as he glared from inside it, his audible breaths could be heard from outside as it echoed from the armor.
Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy, all three on their knees, watched what was taking place and each looked on with his or her own intense expression.
"You we're right metal-head." Natsu said to Gajeel with a grin. "That ain't a dragon, just a rip-off."
Gajeel didn't respond as he looked at Dante in his Devil Trigger form and noticed something; Wendy noticed it to. Dante was exhaling deeply as his chest was expanding and contracting from the deep breaths, he was getting tired.
Dante floated in his Devil Trigger form directly in front of the black dragon-like armor and glared right into it, right at Faust, with his yellow eyes.
"Is that all you got?" Dante mocked
"No… No… NO!" Faust practically screamed psychotically. The Dorma Anim's mouth opened and it shot a dark purple beam directly at Dante. Instinctively, the red-clad Devil Hunter used his sword to block the beam, but it still sent Dante slamming into the ruins. This caught the Dragon Slayers by surprise.
"What the heck?" Natsu questioned. "How can Dante have gotten beaten back in his Devil Trigger?"
"You really need to use your eyes Salamander." Gajeel told him.
"What was that?" Natsu questioned in comic anger.
"He's right Natsu, look." Wendy pointed at Dante as he pulled himself out from the crater and was visibly sweating. Natsu's eyes widened, as he seemed to understand.
"Dante's Devil Trigger is powerful, but it ain't invincible." Gajeel began to explain. "This is like what, the fourth or fifth time he's ever used it?"
"Not to mention he's already used it three times in one day, including right now." Wendy explained also. "It's burning more energy than he's got."
Dante's senses heard what they said and he knew they we're right. He looked at his hand. "I'm such an idiot." He thought to himself. "I remember Vergil saying I have little experience in this form, I should have worked more with it, otherwise I could have ended this now."
"What's the matter, you freak of nature?" Faust challenged Dante as the Dorma Anim straightened up. "I thought you said you we're gonna kill me. It seems you're falling short."
"Oh I will you old piece of shit." Dante replied back as he flew outward from the impression he left on the ruins. "Just you wait."
"I cannot afford to wait!" Faust exclaimed. "You cannot understand how fortunate you Earthlanders are. You posses unimaginable power because are born with an eternal spring of magic! Then there are the Dragon Slayers; their power surpasses even the most absurd concept of limitation; and you… I don't know what you are… but you're power is unlike anything I've ever seen before! You may even wield more power than the Dragon Slayers! That power will belong to me! With it, I can replenish this world's supply!"
Dante, Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel glared as Faust continued. "So long as I posses the Dorma Anim, I am god! My army will pave an unstoppable path of conquest in both worlds! I will reign supreme!"
"Quit acting like you're some big savior! You're not!" Dante shot at Faust. "You may have fooled everyone else, but not us! You just want to keep the power for yourself, if you really gave a crap about your world, you would have shared your power instead of killing everyone else just so you can have it all! You're no god, you're just a power-hungry whack job!"
Faust's face was evident with pure rage. "I've tolerated you're insults long enough! I will claim your power even if I have to syphon it from your corpse!"
Dante tried to stand his ground as he stood in front of his friends, almost protectively, holding his black Rebellion in a defensive state.
"I call to the oh Heaven and Earth, I ask that you relinquish all your magic power to the Dorma Anim!" Faust said in an almost prayer-like fashion.
From all across the entire landscape around the coliseum ruins, perhaps even the whole of Edolas itself, streams of dark purple energy began to emanate from the ground and make their way directly to the Dorma Anim's right arm blade as he raised it.
Modeus looked around to see what is happening and his orange demonic eyes looked in almost dread. "Is… is Faust so mad with power that he would drain his entire world's supply just to win a fight?"
"Of course he is." Nelo Angelo grunted as he continued to face Modeus. "It was his own maddening lust that made it so easy for me to appear as his ally, his own self-destructive nature alone would have been Edolas' downfall even if I weren't here. This world is finished."
Modeus' fists clenched his swords. "This may not be my world, but there are good and innocent people who live here. I will not let Faust have his way!"
"You'll have to get past me first." Nelo Angelo lunged his double-bladed scythe at Modeus who blocked it with an x-formation of his swords.
At the same time, Faust could feel the large intake of energy into the Dorma Anim, and he loved every bit of it. This was a man who was truly addicted to power.
"I can feel it!" Faust exclaimed. "The last remnants of Edolas' magic power are vanishing. That means you're time is up!" He spoke to Dante and the Dragon Slayers. "I must harvest your power immediately!"
Dante turned around. "Natsu, Gajeel, Wendy! You guys have to roar now!"
That caught all their attention. "All of us at the same time?" Wendy asked.
"We can't afford to drag this out. I'm almost out of power to." Dante replied.
"He's right." Gajeel agreed. "We have to end this now!" The Iron Dragon Slayer stood up. "Are you ready?"
Wendy stood up next. "You bet I am!"
"Yeah!" Natsu stood up as they lined up next to Dante. The son of Sparda began to channel much of his own demonic energy as it surged into his black Rebellion while the Dragon Slayers prepared their respective breath attacks.
"Fire Dragon…"
"Iron Dragon…"
"Sky Dragon…"
Faust looked on in surprise. "What? How can their magic power still be increasing?"
"…ROAR!" Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel each unleashed their own roar attack as Dante blasted his own demonic energy blast from his sword with them. The result was a powerful Unison-Raid attack that mixed Fire, Air, Iron, and Red Demonic Power as it surged straight at the Dorma Anim.
A massive explosion could be seen from miles around; it even blasted back Modeus and Nelo Angelo a bit form their fight as they both looked on to the massive smoke cloud.
"That power…" Modeus breathed. "They've channeled all their power into that attack. Does that mean… they've won?"
It was Nelo Angelo's dark laugh that caught Modeus' attention. "More likely, it means your friends are finished."
Inside the ruins; the Devil Trigger Dante stood firm with the three Dragon Slayers by his side, but he quickly fell to his knees in exhaustion, using Rebellion to support himself.
"Dante!" Wendy quickly kneeled to his side as Natsu and Gajeel approached him as well.
"I'm… I'm… just about… done." Dante breathed heavily. "I barley have enough gas in the tank… to keep up this form…"
"Well you won't have to worry. We got him." Gajeel stated, causing them all to lightly smile. However, they heard Faust's maniacal laugh that caused their smiles to vanish.
"Up there!" Natsu pointed upward, several thousand feet in the air, almost in the orbit of the entire planet was the Dorma Anim, still in one piece, and Faust laughing like a maniac.
"God damn it! That thing can jump!?" Dante questioned in frustration.
"How can something so big jump that high?!" Gajeel questioned.
"Oh no, our combined attack didn't even touch him!" Wendy exclaimed in despair.
Modeus and Nelo Angelo saw this from their spot as well. "No…"
"Yes." Nelo Angelo smirked evilly. "Your friends just wasted what was left of their own supply, its over! They're dead! And when Faust finishes them, I'll end his life personally!"
The Dorma Anim began to fall back down to the ground. "This ends now!" The armor's red eyes glow as Faust unleashed another attack. "Dragon Knight Diffusion Cannon!"
Countless projectiles shot down from the Dorma Anim and directly toward Dante and the Dragon Slayers as they looked in dread, knowing they couldn't avoid this attack.
"NO!" Modeus flew at super speeds directly in front of Dante and the Dragon Slayers right before the attack hit. "Full Moon Shield!"
As Modeus crossed his two swords, a massive glowing white projection of the full moon encompassed him and his friends just before the attack hit. The white shield took the impact, sparring everyone from the devastating effect.
The Dorma Anim landed on the ground just as the dust vanished and the large shield shortly after. "What?! How could he have blocked that powerful of an attack!?"
Dante, still in his Devil Trigger form, as well as the Dragon Slayers each looked in surprise at what Modeus had just accomplished.
"Did he block them all? By himself?" Gajeel questioned in surprise.
"Modeus." Wendy breathed in both surprise and amazement.
"Faust!" Modeus called out. "You will not claim another innocent! Not while I still stand!"
"You bothersome pest!" Faust shouted. "For the world, for my beloved Edolas, you worms couldn't possibly understand our plight! You have an abundance of the one thing we desire most! The citizens of Edolas have no use for guilds; they would serve no purpose here. What they need is everlasting magic power, and I am determined to give it to my people! I want them to experience the bliss you Earthlanders have kept for yourselves!"
"Are you really so blind?" Modeus questioned.
"What?"
"Is your lust for power really driven you so mad that you cannot see what is right in front of you?!" Modeus continued. "The issue isn't the lack of magic, its you! If you truly valued your magic, then you wouldn't have resorted to using this device that feeds off every bit of diminishing magic your world has! The lack of magic is not what is destroying Edolas, you are!" He pointed his right blade directly at him.
Faust's face was evident with shock as Modeus spoke those words. It was silent for a moment as he let this all sink in.
"So long as you continue on this path, your world will fall into despair. Even a child could see the heartless evil in that." Modeus continued.
The look on Faust's face inside the massive armor was covered in shadows as he heard those words. However, less than a second later, he let loose a loud and psychotic yell; something that startled all five members of Fairy Tail.
"SO WHAT?!" Faust yelled, completely loosing whatever piece of sanity was left in his twisted mind. "EVEN IF EDOLAS DIES, I'LL JUST CONQUER EARTHLAND IN ITS PLACE! NO ONE CAN STOP ME!"
He swung both his arm-blades, charged with intense magic power, right on top of Modeus, who crossed both his blades as he felt himself pushed onto the ground, leaving a large impression as they both struggled against each other.
The Dragon Slayers, as well as Dante, tried to stand up, despite their loss in power, but couldn't even get off their knees. "Is there… anything we can do…?" Wendy asked.
"No… I'm out." Gajeel struggled. "Its up to him… now."
Natsu breathed deeply as he felt both anger and frustration building up inside him; Dante looked on but noticed something, with Modeus here, then where is…? He felt a presence coming from the back of the group as a dark shadow loomed over the Sky Dragon Slayer.
"WENDY! BEHIND YOU!" Dante shouted
Wendy turned around in surprise, as did Gajeel, and even Modeus, still struggling against Faust, and saw Nelo Angelo floating above her wielding his scythe and ready to strike.
"This ends now!" Nelo Angelo laughed. "Prepare to die!" He swung hard down toward Wendy as she screamed, but something rushed in front of her and stopped the attack.
Everyone looked in surprise to see Natsu standing in front of Wendy and holding the scythe-weapon in his hands.
"Natsu!" Wendy exclaimed as he had yet again protected her.
"What?" Nelo Angelo questioned at the fact that Natsu was able to hold him back, despite being extremely low on magic power.
"Don't you dare give up!" Natsu stated, surprising Dante, Gajeel, Modeus, and Wendy. Even though he seemed weak, he continued to hold Nelo Angelo back. "This fight ain't over yet!"
"You're resistance is futile!" Nelo Angelo told him as he pressed his weapon forward, forcing the struggling Natsu to his knees as he still held onto the weapon firmly. "You cannot stop me, little Dragon Slayer, you're all out of power!"
"NO I'M NOT!" Natsu exclaimed as his hands began to light with fire, and a firey aura surged around him.
Everyone looked in surprise at this, even the weakened Dante. "Where…? Where is Natsu getting this power? I thought he was drained?"
"I WON'T EVER GIVE UP!" Natsu exclaimed further as he looked at Nelo Angelo with a rage-fueled determined glare that sent a chill down Nelo Angelo's spine. "IF I RUN OUT OF POWER TODAY… THEN I'LL JUST BORROW SOME FROM TOMORROW!"
Natsu, with newfound strength, grabbed Nelo Angelo by the throat with his flame-filled hands and threw him directly at the Dorma Anim, sending him flying like a meteor on account he was covered in Natsu's flames. The impact was strong enough that it actually knocked down the Dorma Anim and sent it tumbling on its back; much to everyone's surprise.
"DO NOT EVER UNDERESTIMATE FAIRY TAIL! GOT IT!?" Natsu exclaimed to both Faust and Nelo Angelo.
Wendy, Gajeel, and Modeus all looked toward Natsu; despite having burnt away nearly every ounce of his own magic, he was still able to stand up and force both enemies back. Dante looked toward Natsu and couldn't help but smirk.
"Tomorrow's power… huh?" Dante thought as he stood up, still in his Devil Trigger form and holding Rebellion. He soon felt a tug on his arm and looked down on Gajeel who tried to pull himself up.
"Hey Redgrave, how's your throwing arm?" Gajeel asked as he smirked, the red demonic Devil Hunter smirked back, having an idea where Gajeel was going with this.
The Dorma Anim stood back up as Nelo Angelo too floated in the sky directly behind Natsu; both enemies stared directly down at him.
"I've had enough of you! Natsu Dragneel!" Nelo Angelo exclaimed as he shot fourth a very powerful stream of his dark lightning, and at the same time, the Dorma Anim's red eyes glowed as it shot a blast down that sent Natsu flying straight up.
"ALL OF YOU BOW DOWN!" The maddened Faust yelled. "I AM THE KING OF EDOLAS BOW DOWN BEFORE ME!"
"You first!"
Everyone looked up as they saw the Devil Trigger Dante flying high into the air, and holding Gajeel by the back of his shirt in his right claw, before flying down.
"Its time you learn your place old man!" Gajeel exclaimed as Dante reeled him back. "Because in the end…"
"It'll be on your knees!" Dante finished as he actually threw Gajeel down at the Dorma Anim's right foot as Gajeel's left arm was morphed into his iron-pillar, completely impaling the armor's right foot and locking it into the ground.
"What happened?" Faust questioned.
"I locked your foot!" Gajeel revealed as he kept the foot pinned down. "Pull that jumping crap again and you just might loose it!"
Faust struggled to move the Dorma Anim's right foot, but it wouldn't budge. "Curse you!"
"Just hold em there Metal-Head!" Dante called to Gajeel as he continued to hover in the air.
"Worry about yourself, Dante!" Nelo Angelo flew in the air, directly at Dante, but he didn't get even an inch closer as Natsu's tackled him from the sky, after being previously launched in the air, and he shot flames from his foot to shoot himself and Nelo Angelo straight to the ground.
Natsu got up and held Nelo Angelo in a full-nelson position, forcing the Onyx Reaper to drop his weapon on the ground. "Maybe you should worry about yourself you wannabe!" Natsu growled as he held Nelo Angelo firmly.
Dante looked to Natsu and they both nodded toward each other and they knew what they each had to do.
"Modeus!" Natsu shouted to him. "I'll hold him here! You hit him with everything you got!"
"What?! Natsu, what are you…?" Modeus questioned.
"JUST DO IT! TRUST ME!" Natsu called as he struggled to hold Nelo Angelo in place as he tried to get out of the hold.
Modeus saw the firm resolve in Natsu's eyes and knew what he had to do. "Alright! Just hold him still."
At the same time, Dante called to the only remaining Dragon Slayer. "Wendy! Roar at me NOW!" Wendy looked up to Dante in confusion. "We have to end this so do it!"
"Okay!" Wendy nodded as she stood up on her feet. "I'll do it, because I believe in you Dante!"
Faust's Dorma Anim wasn't moving, despite the struggles of the mad king inside, as Gajeel held firm and was not about to move even an inch.
"You insect let go of me!"
"Sorry, but that ain't happening! Gajeel exclaimed.
At the same time; Nelo Angelo tried to get out of Natsu's hold. "What are you trying to do!? Release me!"
"NO! I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!" Natsu shouted as he held his feet firmly on the ground so Nelo Angelo couldn't fly away.
Modeus brought both his swords together as they glowed a white light and seemed to merge into one single sword made out of light. "I trust Natsu knows what he's doing, so I won't hold back." He pointed directly at the struggling and subdued Nelo Angelo.
As Modeus was preparing her attack, Wendy was charging as much power as she could, as a vortex of Sky Dragon magic formed around her. Dante was in the right position in the air as he looked down on Wendy.
"Come on kid, I know you can do it." Dante put his faith in her as this was their only chance.
"Sky Dragon Roar!" Wendy unleashed her breath attack directly at Dante; he used his wings to stabilize himself as he came into a position that put him right in the center of the vortex, holding his black Rebellion in both hands.
Gajeel saw what he was doing and smirked. "Look at that. He found her attack's rotation and it's giving him a boost."
Modeus swords continued to glow white as two beams of energy shot up and below and quickly took the form of a bow-and-arrow-like construct out of white energy which he pointed right at Nelo Angelo as his whole body began to glow a bright silver light. The once dreaded Onyx Reaper was now growing fearful, knowing he probably couldn't survive this attack.
"No… NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"
"Sorry pal, but your time is up!" Natsu stated as he actually propelled himself straight toward Modeus with flames from his feet.
"Lunar Goddess of the Hunt: Artemis!" He launched his massive light-arrow directly at the incoming Nelo Angelo as Natsu launched his own attack.
"Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" Surrounding himself in flame, Natsu shot his head forward into Nelo Angelo's back to propel him directly at the incoming arrow of white light.
While at the same time, Dante channeled all his demonic energy into not just his blade, but he sky magic around him as it changed from white to a mixture of red and white; just like his and Natsu's fight against Vergil; he combined his power with hers and now it was ready.
"DEVIL DRAGON: CRIMSON SKY BLADE!" He shot forward in a condensed attack of red-demonic-sky-dragon-magic directly at the Dorma Anim's heart.
As Dante, Natsu, Wendy, Modeus, and Gajeel gave their own cries; Nelo Angelo and Faust each had wide-eyed looks of despair.
"NO! IT CAN'T BE! IT CAN'T END THIS WAY!" They both shouted at the exact same time as both attacks hit dead on.
Modeus' arrow had pierced Nelo Angelo in the front as the fire-blast from Natsu propelled him into it; just at the time Dante's attack pierced the Dorma Anim.
For an instant, only an instant, it looked like other beings had taken place in the fight. Igneel's fire-breath propelled Nelo Angelo at a beam of white light shot from the moon; while Metallicana held the Dorma Anim in the ground as Grandeeney shot Sparda himself with her sky-breath-attack, as the Dark Knight pierced the black-dragon-armor with his sword.
That was it; it was done. Dante, who had returned to his human-form, had flown through the air as he held Rebellion forward, with Faust impaled by Rebellion as they both flew toward the ground. Dante, as he fell, jammed Rebellion into a large rock, which slammed the impaled Faust onto the rock's surface, with blood splatting from his back onto the rock's surface as his face had a look of pure terror, while Dante fell flat on the ground right in front of him.
At the same time, a large explosion erupted from where Natsu's and Modeus' attacks collided and Nelo Angelo was in the middle. He gave a loud and painful scream as he was consumed in a mixture of fire and white energy as his whole body was reduced to ashes, ending him once and for all. The Dorma Anim exploded also shortly after.
Faust himself had barley any life in him as he slowly looked down to his blood-soaked robe, down to where the massive sword had impaled him. His pupils shook.
"Is this it…? Am I fated to die… here…?" He looked up to see Dante standing up on his feet, albeit a bit shaky, as he glared at Faust. Faust's pupils shrunk as he looked to see something else standing in Dante's place, he didn't know it, but he was looking at the image of Sparda glaring down at him.
"This power… I can't believe I was so desperate to possesses something this terrifying…"
"You wanna know why you lost?" Dante uttered as he looked at the dying Faust. "It's not about power, it's about souls. Someone like you who let his soul rot can't measure up by getting power, no matter how much it is."
Faust's eyes glanced past Dante as he saw Natsu getting up and glaring at him to, as well as Gajeel and Wendy, even Modeus offered a glare.
His final vision was the sight of Sparda with the dragons Igneel, Metallicana, and Grandeeney behind him, along with the moon itself shying brightly above them.
The eyes of Faust lost their color as they closed and he went limp. The mad king was now dead.
Dante smirked as he grabbed Rebellion by the handle. "And that's checkmate." He pulled it out of the rock and out of Faust's body as it fell to the ground.
He chuckled, as did Natsu and Gajeel, Wendy smiled as a small tear of joy fell from her left eye. White steam flew out from Modeus' body as he reverted back to his humanoid appearance that held a content smile on his face.
Natsu was the first to voice a laugh. "Yeah! We won baby!"
"Finally." Gajeel breathed loudly.
Modeus nodded. "It's over."
Dante quickly fell on his bum as fatigue finally took over his body. He turned to his smiling friends. "We make one hell of a team, don't we?"
Wendy still had a few tears in her eyes as she nodded with Dante. "Yeah… we really do."
The still smiling Natsu looked toward the black-clad swordsman. "Yo Modeus, where'd you learn to do that, huh?"
"Yeah, its like you got your own Devil Trigger now." Wendy added, in a tone that sounded amazed.
"I guess you could say that I do." Modeus said. "Sparda had choosen to pass his will and strength onto me, I know what he meant. He had gifted me the same kind of ability that he has, as well as that passed onto his sons. And I swear that I will use it to protect everyone." He kneeled down to Wendy as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Especially, the ones I care about."
Wendy didn't waste any time in embracing Modeus in a hug, which he was happy to return.
Gajeel gave a humorous chuckle. "Bunch of softies."
Natsu and Dante both gave laughs at that comment. "I don't know about you guys, but I could use a breather." Dante said as he sat down.
"You and me both pal." Natsu agreed as he sat down as well.
Their respite didn't last very long as suddenly the ground began to rumble and shake, causing all their smiles to vanish.
"Hey, what's going on?" Natsu questioned, sounding quite irritated.
Dante grimaced. "Now what? Is it too much to ask for just a little breather?"
"Great." Gajeel growled in annoyance as well. "Enemy reinforcements?"
"I hope not." Modeus replied. "We're all spent on energy."
Wendy looked up and had an expression of pure terror on her face. "No! Up there! Look!"
Natsu, Dante, Gajeel, and Modeus each looked upward to see what she was so terrified of. The islands that we're once floating in the sky we're now coming down, as if gravity was now taking effect on them.
"What the hell?" Dante questioned. "The islands are falling?"
The islands quickly crashed onto the ground, sending tremors and shocks all across the land around them.
It has happening all over Edolas, the islands and everything else that was once floating in the sky was now coming down to the earth in a destructive fashion. This even caught the attention of all the members of Fairy Tail, both Edolas and Earthland alike, as well as the Edolas Royal Army.
"Look… the islands… they're falling…" The tired Lucy of Earthland saw.
"What the hell is going on?" Trish questioned.
"Whoa! Is the world coming to an end or something?!" Both Earthland and Edolas Grey shouted at the same time.
Lady looked toward Lisanna. "Hey, you got any idea what's going on?"
"No! I haven't the slightest idea!"
All the Royal Army soldiers and Fairy Tail members looked on with their own expressions of terror, already some we're beginning to panic.
Happy also looked into the sky with fear and confusion in his eyes. "This can't be good."
Elsewhere; Queen Shagotte was comforting a small group of scared Exceed children around her as they we're on one of the falling islands.
"The islands above Edolas are dependent on our magic to stay afloat. If they're falling, it means our worst fears have been realized." She looked at the children with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I wish I could save you from the horrors you've endured today."
Meanwhile; both Erza Scarlet and Erza Knightwalker we're still lying in their crater after their battle ended in a draw, and both we're too exhausted to even move. But that would be the least of their concerns as streams of yellow energy we're flowing from the ground and up toward the sky.
"Am I hallucinating?" Knightwalker questioned.
"I see it to." Erza confirmed. "I'm not sure what to make of it."
Knightwalker could only look with shock as she felt this sort of power before. "Is that… our magic?"
"It is, but what's causing it?"
It was the same even in the Royal City as streams of magic flown from the ground straight up to a single point at the very center of the sky. It wasn't just the ground, but every single appliance and tool that utilized magic was now being drained of its power. The citizens looked with fear and confusion as they saw all of this happening, and had no idea of how to respond.
Byro looked from the balcony of a castle as he saw it. "So it's finally come to pass, has it?"
"Byro!"
He turned around to see Hughes and Sugarboy walking toward him, both battered and bruised, and Sugarboy's armor was just about gone.
"You two, still alive I see." He observed as they joined him. Surprisingly, all three we're smiling in content as they saw this happening.
"Hmm, its surprisingly beautiful." Sugarboy noted with a smile.
"Beautiful? What in the heck are you talking about, man?" Hughes questioned, although he was smiling as well.
"The magic power of course." Sugarboy answered. "I guess I'm just shocked. I would have thought the surging of magic power would be terrifying, but its actually quite serene."
Hughes, still smiling looked on. "So, you think Nelo Angelo is behind this?"
"I actually believe he may be dead." Byro stated.
"Dead? What makes you say that?" Sugarboy questioned.
"Call it a hunch." Byro answered. "I have a feeling that Dante-character may have had something to do with it, after all I did see him maim the Black Angel myself with is own two eyes."
"Good riddance." Hughes said. "I just wish I could have seen that bastard taken out myself."
"That makes two of us." Sugarboy added.
Anime Chambers
Mystogen and Panther-Lily saw the Reverse-Anima spell running its course. A large stream of Edolas magic shot up from the pit below and straight up into the orb, as well as into the sky as even the magic that powered the Anima-device was also being absorbed. Meaning the process could not be stopped; it was irreversible.
"Prince…" Lily tried.
"This is for the best, Lily." Mystogen said, as he didn't even turn to face his friend. "The people have always fought over power. I tried to warn them, but they wouldn't let go of temptation. So I shall remove that temptation. The last of our power will pour into the Reverse-Anima. Once it reaches Earthland, it will be absorbed by the already abundant magic there and become a part of nature."
"But it's not just that, isn't it?" Lily assumed.
"No." Mystogen confirmed. "Because of how little magic is left, and the state of the people of Edolas, both human and Exceed alike, constantly fighting each other, they become completely vulnerable to those who reside in the Demon Realm. When all of Edolas' magic goes, so to will be what is needed to activate the anima and breach the barrier between worlds. With that power gone, there will be no possible means for us to reach the Demon World, nor would they be able to reach us. Edolas will finally be safe from the threat of Mundus and his darkness."
Back on the battlefield; the Royal Army soldiers each looked at their spears as yellow streams flowed from them as well, their weapons we're loosing their magic power. The soldiers looked with fear at this.
"My weapon isn't responding to my commands!"
"What the heck is going on!"
The same thing was happening to the weapons of those in the Edolas Fairy Tail.
"It's not working!"
"No! What do we do now!"
Those who we're of Earthland Fairy Tail looked around in confusion as well. "Everyone's freaking out." Lucy observed.
"Yeah, no shit." Lady drolled to the exhausted Lucy. They both heard a scream and turned around to see the weapon Mary was holding was going through the same process.
"It's happening to me to!" She looked with fear as she saw the magic leave her weapon.
"My weapon!" Edolas Grey held his axe-like weapon as streams of magic flowed out of it and into the sky. "No! What's happening!?"
"Just calm down man!" Grey tried to calm his Earthland counterpart.
Coco looked up with tears in her eyes. "It's over. I guess… this is the end."
"So… did Nelo Angelo do this? Is he opening another portal or something?" Lucy wondered.
"No, I don't sense any demonic energy." Trish replied. "This isn't him."
Happy and Carla both looked upward to see all the magic from the ground and weapons flowing into the point in the sky.
"Carla?" Happy asked, but she didn't have an answer. He felt a hand on his head and looked up to see it was Lisanna who looked toward him.
"Happy… just stay strong… for Natsu." She told him; despite the fact that she was looking quite scared to.
Happy nodded. "Aye."
Back at the coliseum ruins; Dante, Natsu, Gajeel, Modeus, and Wendy we're all standing up, despite the rough shape they we're in, and saw the same thing happening to the area around them, streams of magic floating from the ground and into he sky.
"It's pure magic power!" Wendy exclaimed
"Are you sure?" Natsu asked.
"Yeah, it certainly looks like it." Dante noted.
"This ain't good." Gajeel stated. "You think Nelo Angelo opened up another demon-anima or something?"
"No, I don't sense any demonic power." Modeus stated. "Something else is responsible."
"You think it was the Dorma Anim? Wendy asked. "Faust said he was absorbing all of Edolas magic in order to use it."
"But we destroyed it." Natsu pointed out.
"You're right." Modeus confirmed. "Since the Dorma Anim is destroyed, logically it shouldn't be able to absorb any more magic."
"Then why is all this happening?" Gajeel questioned.
Dante groaned in annoyance. "Great, just one thing after another."
Islands continued to crash down all over Edolas as the land shook, almost like a deity from above was punishing the mortal world. It was a sight that would make one think the apocalypse had arrived.
That was just what the remaining Royal Army soldiers we're all thinking as they dropped their drained weapons and ran away from the battlefield in a panic.
"RETREAT!" They all shouted as they screamed and ran off. This was noted by Grey, Lucy, Lisanna, Trish, and Lady.
"I don't believe it." Lisanna observed.
"They gave up." Grey observed as well.
"Yeah, but it looks like they're not the only ones." Lady pointed to the Edolas Fairy Tail. "Look!"
"Those soldiers got the right idea!" Edolas Grey said in a panic as all the Edolas Fairy Tail members we're in a similar position. "We're doomed!"
"We can't use magic again? How are we supposed to survive without it?" Edolas Elfman breathed in terror.
"This will be a day of mourning for the rest of time, or at least until we die." Edolas Cana said in a grim tone.
"Maybe we'd be better off dead!" Edolas Jet held his head. "Without magic, we're screwed! It's game over for us!"
Edolas Droy gave a loud moan of despair. "We'll have to disband! Because what good is a wizard's guild without magic!"
Lucy tried to get them to clam down. "You guys, just chill out. Everything will be okay." She tried to reason.
"Come on everyone." Trish tried as well. "Now is not the time to get sulky!"
"How would you know?!" Edolas Lucy ran up to both Lucy and Trish with a face of frustration and fear. "I don't think you get that our magic is disappearing! All of it!"
"Lucy!" Edolas Eva came up behind her and tried to look her in the eyes as she held her niece's shoulders. "Calm down! Panicking isn't going to help!"
"What else are we supposed to do?!" Edolas Lucy exclaimed as tears we're forming in her eyes. "We're loosing our magic! Everything! What we are we supposed to do?!" Edolas Lucy lost all control as she buried her head into her aunt's chest and cried out of fear. "I'm scared Aunt Eva! I'm scared!"
Edolas Eva embraced her and tried to comfort her as best she could. "It'll be alright. I promise." She tried to comfort as she to felt some tears in her eyes, she was scared, not for herself but for her niece and all her friends in Fairy Tail. This caused both Lucy and Trish to look toward each other, neither having a clue of what to do next.
Edolas Natsu fell to the ground in despair. "It's all over. We won the battle but lost the world. Guess you could call this a bitter-sweet victory."
"We fought the good fight, but we still lost everything in the end." Edolas Juvia said in a grim tone.
"Is this it?" Mary fell to her knees looking absolutely terrified. "No more magic?"
Lady kneeled down to her teary-eyed Edolas counterpart's level and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." This caused Mary to hug Lady to try and get what comfort she could in this time of despair. Lady felt it a bit odd that she was hugging herself, but returned it anyway.
Lisanna was trying to comfort the Edolas counterpart to her older sister. "Mira…"
"I'm sorry Lisanna." The teary-Edolas-Mira looked to Lisanna. "I'm so sorry we dragged you into this. This wasn't your fight, and you still got swept up in it."
Lisanna's eyes shook as she heard those words. "I'm sorry to, I'm sorry I couldn't do anymore to help you. But no matter what happens next, I don't regret anything at all these last two years." That caused Edolas Mira to smile, despite the seemingly horrible situation they we're in.
Happy and Carla both found themselves in the middle of a panicking group of Edolas wizards as they to saw the magic leave the ground of the Edolas world.
"You can't loose hope!" She tried to calm down the panicking wizards, but it didn't seem to work.
Erza Scarlet and Erza Knightwalker continued to see the process of Edolas permanently loosing its natural magic and we're too exhausted to do anything, they could barley even move.
"Unbelievable." Knightwalker breathed. "That I would live long enough to see Edolas die like this. Will our strength endure? I doubt it."
Erza looked toward her counterpart with an expression of sympathy on her face.
All over the Royal City, citizens continued to watch the magic leave their city as many lacrima we're loosing their power. Lights went out, and anything else that ran on magic was no longer working.
A little boy looked out the window of his room and saw everything happening. "Dad, I'm scared! Is a floating island gonna fall on our house!?"
His father was sitting down with his hands on his face in despair. "Well… I don't know son."
All the citizens we're now in a full-blown panic as they we're running and screaming all over the place. Edolas Gajeel stood on a balcony on an upper level of the city and saw all of this.
"Don't think we're escaping this fate." He said. "There's nowhere to run, our cherished world is dying."
True to his words; the exact same thing was happening all over Edolas; in both natural settings like forests, and cities alike.
"This is terrible." An elderly woman said with her granddaughter near her. "Magic power is flowing from the land and into the heavens!"
"Really grandma?" The young granddaughter questioned in a worried tone.
"This must be punishment for defying the Exceeds and their queen." The grandmother said as she ran her hand through the stream of flowing magic.
Hughes, Byro, and Sugarboy looked on to the scene that was playing out in front of their eyes; the once floating islands continued to descend as magic power continued to flow into the sky.
"Hmmm, so it's begun." Sugarboy observed.
"The beginning of the end, you mean." Hughes replied. "What a way to go." Oddly though, he was smiling. "But Edolas had a good run, huh?"
Sugarboy had a similar attitude. "Hmm. Perhaps we shouldn't be so relaxed about this. Not just the Royal City, but all of Edolas, is withering before our eyes."
"A world without magic power." Hughes lamented. "I can't even imagine it. Can you?"
"That's a good question." Byro replied. "I never once considered it a possibility. I doubt I'm the only one." Byro looked down to see the panicking citizens. "We face a great calamity. Nelo Angelo may be dead now, but it would seem that even in the end, he still won."
All of Edolas, all of its human inhabitants, we're sinking into panic and despair as everything that once ran on magic power, and all natural magic from the earth, was now vanishing before their eyes. Even the floating rivers we're now descending to the ground.
Back at the Coliseum Ruins; Wendy was the first to speak up. "I think we should head back to the Royal City."
"Yes, that's a good idea." Modeus agreed. "With all that's happening, I'm quite certain people will start to panic, if they hadn't already."
"Yeah. I've seen people get like that, and it's not pretty." Dante said. "I wouldn't be surprised if they'd start killing each other."
"Then we should get there and see how we can help." Natsu agreed.
"And if we can find this world's me, he might know what to do." Gajeel said.
"With any luck, we also may run into our friends who are probably trying to do the same thing." Modeus said.
"Then what are we waiting for? Lets go." Natsu said as he, and everyone else, started to weakly run in the direction of the Royal City.
"Wait for me!" Wendy said as she tried to catch up. The five of them we're still recovering from their injuries and fatigue so they couldn't run too fast and some we're holding their arms.
As they ran, Dante looked up at the flowing magic power that soared into the sky, as well as some of the falling islands. "I don't know how we're gonna fix this."
Back in the Anima Chambers, Lily was still attempting to change Mystogen's decision.
"Prince, I agree that our dependence on magic has led to bloodshed, and it may have indeed made us vulnerable to monsters would seek to destroy us." Lily acknowledged. "But this…"
"I know." Mystogen replied. "The people of Edolas have a hard road to treed. Many will find it difficult to adapt to this changing world, and could die." Lily looked to his prince with a grim expression as he continued. "It is fort that reason, a leader must step forward and guide them; a new ruler for a brand new Edolas. One who could gather the desperate and frightened, and bravely shepherd them out of these dark times."
"And you're saying… this new leader is you?" Lily asked.
"No." Mystogen answered. "I can't rule this world. Instead of growing with Edolas as its prince, I chose to reside in Earthland, so I have no right to its throne." He turned to Lily. "We'll need a hero to unify the masses, one who will vanquish the villain who caused this."
Lily understood. "You mean the sacrificial lamb."
Mystogen nodded. "Whoever eliminates the one who plunged the world into chaos is bound to become a true hero to the people. And that hero will unify the scattered survivors, and become their ruler."
"Am I correct to assume that we will use Nelo Angelo as the villain?" Lily asked. "After all, we both know that his plan was to bring Armageddon to our world."
"The obvious choice, but sadly Nelo Angelo is not an option." Mystogen replied.
"And why is that?" Lily questioned.
"For two reasons. The first is that he would not play a part in our plan, he would not sacrifice himself for the good of Edolas a he was evil to the core; and I doubt that either of us had the power to slay him." Lily grunted in response, having been aware of Nelo Angelo's power. "The second is, that I believe he is no longer alive."
That took Lily by surprise. "The Black Angel is dead? How can you be certain of that?"
"Because the strongest Earthlanders went to face him." Mystogen replied. "Three Dragon Slayers, and the son of Sparda, the greatest swordsman to ever exist. By now, they have no doubt slain Nelo Angelo, so we cannot use him as our villain. The people need to see the hero vanquish the villain in order for this plan to work."
"So, who will play out these roles then?" Lily asked.
"Look, the writing is on the wall." Mystogen said as though it we're obvious. "I tried to overthrow the king with an armed rebellion, now I've stripped the world of its power and plunged it into chaos. It should be obvious that since I am the man behind these terrible deeds, there is only one role I could possibly play." Lily gave a light gasp, as he knew where Mystogen was going with this.
"You are respected on both sides." Mystogen continued. "You can be exempt from prejudice. You are the hero! Slay me and become the ruler!" Lily's pupils shrunk at this.
Those in the Royal City continued to panic as Edolas continued to loose its magic power. Anyone who wasn't running and/or screaming was praying to their gods for some form of miracle or salvation.
The only one who appeared to keep his cool was Edolas Gajeel as he wrote down on his notepad what he saw. One panicking citizen ran up to him.
"Hey! The world's coming to an end! What are you writing about?!"
"I'm noting what I see." Edolas Gajeel replied, not taking his eyes off the event. "We're witnessing history in the making here sir. It's our duty as citizens to record this for future generations."
"Whatever you say!" The citizen said as he resumed his panicking state and ran away.
"Take me before the populace and execute me for my crimes!" Mystogen told the still shocked Lily. "After that they will follow you to any fate! As a captain in the Royal Army, and a member of the Exceed race, you can quell the chaos and become their savior! You are the ruler they need! Lead them into a world without magic!"
Lily was completely stunned. He could not believe what his prince had just told him. He was asking him to slay his own friend, someone he cared for since he was a child. Lily's look of shock had turned into anger.
"DO YOU REALLY THINK THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THIS KINGDOM IS FOR YOU TO DIE!? ANSWER ME PRINCE!"
Unknown to either of them, they we're being watched by a certain black Exceed who could not stop pumping his arm-up-and down, who heard everything about their plan.
Done.
The Battle of Edolas is now over. Both Faust and Nelo Angelo are dead. I know that in the cannon anime, King Faust lived, but I chose to kill him because lets be honest here; the guy was willing to commit genocide just to obtain power, someone like that is beyond any hope of redemption. And besides, he doesn't have any other role in the Fairy Tail story as a whole after Edolas so he would no longer be seen anymore anyway. That being said, there will be a few more individuals in the Fairy Tail part of this story who will also kick the bucket, but don't worry, I'll be careful not to kill anyone who is important to the story.
I'm sure we all know what happens next; as Mystogen and Lily debate who will play the 'hero' and the 'villain' in their game, they will soon get a few extra players that will actually help them. Only two chapters remain in the Edolas arc before I move onto the next one.
Oh, expect the next chapter to get a little emotional as some people say goodbye, as well as a certain talk between Dante and the Edolas counterpart to his mother.
See you all soon with the next chapter. Thanks for waiting.