Here's the next chapter! This one took a while because I moved into a new apartment and I also have to look for a new job. I've also been addicted to Octopath Traveler. On top of that, I'm reading the Highschool DxD light novels and I want to read the first 10 volumes before I start writing it. I already have the idea, but I just want to refine it so it might take a while. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this story in the meantime!

Zexal was glaring at Rogue with rage, sorrow and determination in his eyes.

"Don't tell me you're Zale from the future." Flynn said.

"I am, but that should be the least of your concerns!" Zexal responded. "I don't know everything that's going on, but I at least know that a horrible future awaits us because of this man!" He pointed his water sword at Rogue. "Leave this guy to me and get out of here! All of you!"

"No way I'm running off!" Natsu proclaimed as he walked forward while cracking his knuckles. "I ain't letting this bastard steal Lucy's future from her!"

"This isn't the Rogue you fought in the games mere days ago." Zexal stated. "I highly doubt he spent seven years twiddling his thumbs. I certainly didn't…" He then smiled. "Heh, knowing you, that doesn't mean a damn thing. You'll stay here and fight regardless of our opponent."

"No way I'm leaving without clobbering this jerk for what he's done!" Natsu growled.

Zexal seemed to relax a little after hearing what Natsu had said. "… It's good to see you again, Natsu…" He then looked to the others. "Flynn, Leo, take everyone else with you and escape the castle!"

"No, I'm going to fight, too!" Flynn shouted. "You told me I was strong!"

"Flynn, if Natsu and I fall here, I'm counting on you to protect Lucy. You need to be there for her. Now go!"

Flynn hesitated and contemplated whether to run away with Lucy or stay with Natsu and Zexal to fight. With clenched fists and eyes, he turned and looked at Lucy, who was still crying over her future self.

"… Lucy… Let's do as he says…" Flynn finally spoke up.

"But!" Lucy turned to Flynn, tears still in her eyes.

Suddenly, Leo grabbed her by the arm and started running away with her and Flynn ran alongside them.

"We can let Natsu and Zale handle things here!" Leo said.

"Rogue is after YOU." Flynn pointed out. "So it's best if you get as far from that sociopath as possible."

"R-right…" Lucy nodded.

Wendy and the Exceeds followed the rest to protect Lucy.

"You're not getting away!" Rogue shouted as he charged towards Lucy with shadows.

However, Natsu punched Rogue to the back of his head with a flaming arm and stopped him in his tracks.

"Natsu Dragneel…" Rogue audibly grumbled.

While Rogue was reeling back from Natsu's punch, Zexal kicked him in the stomach with his leg surrounded by black water and a torrent burst forth from it, knocking Rogue back several feet across the floor. However, Rogue turned into shadows and traveled along the floor and onto the wall.

"I planned for the possibility that you would stand against me, Natsu." Rogue said. "Although, I didn't consider someone was able to find a means to travel back in time without using Eclipse, let alone that someone being you, Zale Aeon. No matter. Natsu is fated to be killed by a dragon and Zale is an anomaly. So nothing will change if I were to finish you both here!"

"I didn't know you were such a jerk!" Natsu said.

Rogue's shadow got behind Natsu's blind spot and prepared to strike. "The years will change anyone. Now die!"

With a swipe of his arm, Rogue blew forth a wave of shadows and Zexal got between them, blocking the blast with a sword made of black water.

"You're right that time will change anyone." Zexal stated. "Several years of loneliness and regret have taken its toll on me to the point that I no longer care whether I live or die after this. However, I would never use my bitterness as an excuse for murder!"

"If protecting our future means killing those precious to me, I don't trust it one bit!" Natsu proudly proclaimed. "We're gonna do it our own way!"

In the castle courtyard, the royal guard surrounded Eclipse with Princess Hisui, Darton and Arcadios clad in new white armor standing before them. Meanwhile, Lucy, Flynn, Wendy and the Exceeds were hiding in the bushes nearby.

"We HAD to come out here, didn't we?" Carla rhetorically and sarcastically asked.

"It looks like they're about to open it." Wendy said.

"Huh? Where's Loke?" Happy wondered as he saw that Leo wasn't with them anymore.

"That's because nobody can use their magic near the door." Lily explained.

Flynn looked to Lucy, who appeared to be lost in her thoughts.

"… Lucy?" Flynn tried to get her attention.

"There is no need to hide. Come out." Arcadios's voice called out to them, perplexing the princess and Darton at first.

They were all surprised that Arcadios knew where they were hiding and came out from the bushes.

"We didn't do anything wrong!" Happy protested.

"You and the minister together?" Carla questioned why Darton wasn't acting hostile towards them.

"The situation has changed." Darton clarified.

"Fairy Tail?" Princess Hisui approached them. "However, since we're in a state of emergency, I must postpone official apologies until a later date." She then smiled. "I also offer my congratulations on your win at the Grand Magic Games."

"We won!" Happy loudly cheered.

"So everybody managed to do it!" Wendy smiled widely.

*That's a relief…* Flynn thought so nobody would think he was doubtful that their guild would win.

"Why are you opening Eclipse?" Lucy inquired. "The dragons aren't here yet."

"They know of the dragons…" Hisui turned to Arcadios for confirmation.

"Yes." Arcadios answered. "I informed them of our situation." He looked towards the group and saw some people missing. "Come to think of it, where is the 'you' of the future?"

Lucy, Flynn and Wendy just looked down in silence.

"She was murdered… by another person who came from the future." Lily answered for them. "A man."

Arcadios and Hisui were shocked to hear of the future Lucy's demise.

"He said I was going to prevent the door from opening so the Eclipse Cannon never fired." Lucy stated.

"And that is why he tried to kill you?" Arcadios asked.

"You will stand in the way?" Hisui inquired.

"I won't do anything of the sort!" Lucy shook her head without hesitation. "But… why are you opening the door even though there aren't any dragons?"

"Simple, the cannon needs time to fire." Hisui replied. "If we waited for the dragons to arrive, it would be too late."

"Will it really take down the dragons? All of them?" Lucy asked.

"I can say… nothing is certain." Hisui answered. "However, His Majesty should be working on a plan for the worst-case scenario."

Flynn looked at Eclipse and then toward the sky in the direction Eclipse is facing. The stars and moon were clear as day and there wasn't a cloud to speak of.

*I've heard that dragons are ferocious, but how come none have been seen so far?* Flynn pondered. *My hair is standing on ends… Why?*

At the central city square of Crocus before the Li Ying Crystal, King Toma E. Fiore and his guards stood to face all of the wizards in the capital, including those who participated in the Grand Magic Games, gathered around him.

"And so…" The King said after informing the wizards of the coming dragon invasion. "We regret to intrude on the festivities even before the cheers have died down following the Grand Magic Games. However, there is a pressing threat to the existence of our country. Or so I've heard."

Some of the wizards listening to the king's speech started talking amongst themselves about the ten thousand dragons.

"Currently, we have undertaken a large-scale operation to combat them." The King continued. "The Eclipse Plan. The purpose of the plan is to take out all ten thousand dragons in one shot. On the other hand, due to the dragons' numbers, we require a contingency plan in case several or even hundreds of dragons survive the attack. We ask all of you who belong to wizard guilds… to please aid us in our time of need."

"In other words, you want us to take out any dragons that survive?" One of the wizards guessed.

"Exactly!" The King nodded to the question. "I ask you to save our country!"

"Right!"

"Of course we will!"

"Just leave them to us!"

"We'd never get our butts kicked by a bunch of monsters!"

"This is OUR country!"

All of the wizards rallied with the king, bringing the man to tears.

As the crowd was talking amongst themselves, Juvia could make out someone calling to her.

"-ia... Juvia!"

Juvia looked to her side to see Zale walking up to her.

"Zale?! What are you doing here?!" Juvia asked in concern.

"Didn't Porlyusica tell you to rest?" Gray recalled.

"I'm fine enough." Zale insisted. "I even walked here just in case. And with all of those dragons coming, I would never forgive myself if something happened."

"Well, let me give you some healing before the fighting starts." Sherria approached Zale.

"Thanks, Sherria." Zale knelt down in front of Sherria so she could place her hands on his forehead and start healing him.

Back in the courtyard, Eclipse made a loud noise and the door start to creak open, a bright light shining through it as Lucy looked at it in awe.

A/N: I'm sorry this took longer than normal. I've been really busy lately and have had a lot on my mind. Also, the recent reviews got me thinking (regardless if that person was trolling or not because I appreciate the criticism, although I don't like the tone they used) that I might want to rewrite this story because there are several things I feel I could improve on. If you want me to start over with a clean slate, I will do so. If you want me to continue, I will do so. Please let me know your thoughts. In the meantime, I will be working out the details of the Highschool DxD story and begin that.