"I've got it!" Levy's cry echoed throughout the guildhall and I bolted to my feet. I bounced lightly on my toes as she rewrote Freed's enchantment. "Okay it's done, but listen up you three! You can't get caught up in the battles, so split up and find Laxus, use your noses!" Levy ordered and I saluted her with a grin.
"Aye aye Captain!" I grinned and shot out the door, followed closely by Natsu and Gajeel, who quickly veered off from me and shot down opposing side alleys. Stella fluttered out behind me and I gestured for her to come closer. "Stella stay up in the sky, I don't want you to get caught up in the fighting. But if you hear a whistle, come on down."
"Okay! But… be careful, Aquila." Stella whispered as she hugged my arm and I stroked her head. The she took off into the sky, so high I could barely see her. Then I turned and began to race down the street neither Natsu nor Gajeel had taken.
I smelt Erza's scent lingering in the streets and turned around, determined to follow it, when I heard an explosion. "That's coming from Kardia Cathedral!" I altered course, running straight for the Cathedral, the only one left who could have an explosion of that magnitude was Laxus. As I turned, I could see Natsu and Erza racing for the entrance as well.
"Nice to see you Erza." I grinned as we all stood in the entrance watching Laxus and Mystogan duke it out.
"I'm glad to see you both made it out of the guild hall." Erza said with a sigh of relief.
"Who the heck is that guy?" Natsu asked, pointing at Mystogan.
"That's Mystogan." Erza answered as we watched. I frowned as Mystogan paused and stared at Erza, then covered his face.
"You're wide open!" Laxus stated with a grin then fired a bolt of lightning at him, destroying his head covering and mask. My eyes widened as the smoke cleared, revealing…
"Jellal?!" Erza whispered, her eyes wide with shock.
"What the-?!" Natsu whispered. I said nothing, merely sliding in front of Erza. How the hell had Jellal survived the Etherion blast without us discovering him?
"But how? You're still alive?" Erza murmured, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
"Oh, so you know this guy." Laxus said with a wicked grin.
"I don't get it, so Mystogan, is really Jellal?" Natsu asked, confused as the rest of us.
"Erza, please forgive me. I was afraid you'd see this." Mystogan whispered, even sounding like Jellal. "I'm not your friend Jellal. I do know of him, but I'm not him." Mystogan looked at Erza, then myself, then Natsu, then whispered, "I'm sorry, I must be going." He vanished into smoke.
"Hey, wait up!" Natsu called out as the smoke dissipated, revealing Mystogan was gone. "Alright man, you against me, I'm going to take care of this clown, that okay with the two of you?" Natsu demanded as he turned to Erza and I. I nodded but turned to see Erza trembling beyond belief.
"Erza, snap out of it, we can talk about this later, right now we have to-" I screamed along with Erza as Laxus blasted us both with a volley of lightning.
"Those're quite some expressions, you're making there girls." Laxus smirked as Erza and I crashed to the floor.
"Bastard." I growled as I struggled to stand and watched Natsu try to fight Laxus. "Come on Erza, we need to help him. Laxus is the problem!"
"You're right." Erza agreed as she requipped into her black wing armor. We both charged at Laxus, Erza swinging her blade at his left arm, while I threw an ice-coated punch at his right.
"Alright Laxus, tell me now, what've you put in the sky?!" Erza demanded as we broke apart for the moment.
"What, haven't you heard? It's my thunder palace." Laxus grinned.
"You're despicable. To think you'd attack your own town!" Erza yelled.
"It doesn't matter Erza, because we'll take him out before he has a chance to use it!" I yelled as I leapt at Laxus again, throwing a punch that connected with one of his own, as Erza swung a kick at him. He caught both and let out an evil laugh.
"Natsu! Go hurry and destroy them!" Erza commanded and I interrupted her.
"He can't, Erza! Body link magic, Bisca was fried when she tried."
"You fiend! You're using body link magic to protect them?!" Erza yelled as Laxus grinned, his eyes containing a gleam of madness.
"Yeah I did, and they're going to stay there until I tell them to blow." Laxus said. "It's a shame you won't be around to see it!"
"You coward!" Erza screamed, and Laxus let out a jolt of lightning into us as he released us.
"Requip!" Erza and I flipped backwards and once the smoke cleared it revealed our trump card. Erza had Lightning Empress armor, and I had coated my body in ice, which turned me into a very poor conductor.
"Lightning Empress armor and a coating of ice? Nice try but that won't protect you from my attack!" Laxus yelled as he sent a bolt of lightning towards us. Erza and I leapt into the air, dodging the stroke completely.
"Now that we're properly equipped, it's a fair fight!" I yelled as I sent jagged icicles hurtling towards him, in a combination with Erza's lightning.
"Well, then let's see if you can handle this!" Laxus fired off several bolts of lightning, which Erza repelled with a shield form her armor, and I summoned an icicle large enough to hide behind, which absorbed the hit for me.
"When wizards clash, there are multiple factors that determine the outcome. Type of magic, experience, level of magical energy, and technique." Erza declared as she slipped into a battle stance more suited to her spear.
"So?" Laxus declared haughtily, as he stood casually, as though he were taunting us.
"There's one more, that you seem to have forgotten Laxus. Your spirit!" I cried out, narrowing my eyes at him. "Master taught you that, as he did the rest of us, but you seem to have forgotten that. So!" I slammed my fists together, sending ice chips flying off of my hands. "It looks like I'll have to remind you."
"Maybe. But I also know that power trumps everything else." Laxus spit out.
"You couldn't be more wrong." Erza brandished her spear in Laxus's direction.
"Would you just leave it alone already?! I told you that I was going to be the one to fight him!" Natsu yelled from behind us. We paused in our battle and turned to face Natsu, who stared us down, his gaze filled with determination. Erza smiled and I threw my arms up in surrender.
"Then I'll have to put my faith in you." Erza said with a smile as she began to run form the building.
"What the hell! If Pyro here wants a crack at him, far be it from me to stop him." I grinned and followed Erza out.
"Hey! Where you guys going?!" Natsu yelled and I turned back with a grin. "Hold on, you're not going to try to do something crazy like take that thing down are you?" Natsu said with concern.
"I'd like to see them try. Attacking just one of those lacrimas can be deadly. And who knows how many of them are floating above the town right now." Laxus cackled. "And besides, you're out of time!" I spun around and shot an icicle in his direction, narrowly missing his head, though he didn't flinch.
"Well, then I suppose it's to your benefit, since we're stronger than you anyways." I said sweetly as Laxus narrowed his eyes.
"Then we'll simply destroy them all at once." Erza stated coldly, not bothering to face Laxus as she said it.
"Is that so? You both must have some kind of major death wish then." Laxus grinned as I glared at him.
"No buddy, we're just that good." I stated as I descended down the steps and whistled.
As Stella swooped down from the sky, Erza called out to Natsu, "We're leaving him in your hands so don't let us down!" Erza and I raced down the street, with Stella following close behind.
"I'm putting my faith in you two, you hear?!" Natsu yelled over the enraged Laxus. Erza merely paused and smiled at him, then we continued running down the street. "Whether you guys destroy those things or not, you'd better make it back alive!"
I scoffed at Natsu and then grinned at Erza, "Hah! Can you believe him? It's like he doesn't know us at all!"
As we skidded to a stop, Erza requipped into her Heaven's wheel armor. "Alright then, you take the ones to the north, I'll handle the ones to the south!" I commanded Erza who nodded in agreement. "Let's go Stella!" I stated, and she grabbed the back of my vest and began to soar until we were level with the lacrimas. Alright Fairy Tail, we've been through a huge shit storm, but we're still us, so let Erza and I succeed here, in order to protect everyone!
I exhaled and then coated my body over with ice and yanked my hair out of its braid. I could feel Erza summoning her swords and so I snapped all off my hair off, leaving me with clumps of needles that I could shoot. I held them in the air and then began to summon icicles, large, thick ones and I panted as I could the strain on having to summon them all then hold them in the air. "Damnit!" I swore in between gasps.
"What's wrong Aquila?" Stella asked in concern as she beat her wings hard to keep us in the air for such an extended period of time.
"It's not… enough." I panted out as I fought to keep summoning them as the lacrimas began to glow. I grit my teeth and though it felt like I was yanking out my internal organs, I kept summoning them. I had to keep on going. "Stella… when I fire them off… you have to drop me…"
"WHAT! No way!" Stella began to protest vociferously.
"The body link… will shock me, and since… it's lightning… It'll hit you too… So drop me, and then catch me." I ordered her in between gasps.
"No! What if I can't catch you?" She whimpered and I paused in my efforts to ruffle her fur.
"I have… complete... faith… in you." I gave her a smile and she nodded with fear in her eyes. "You… can… do it."
Hey Fairy Tailers, can you hear me? the thought echoed through my mind, but it wasn't from me. "Warren?!" I stated in shock. I thought Erza, Natsu, Gajeel, and I were some of the last ones standing. Things aren't looking so good for us, check out what's floating in the sky. We're going to have to pull together so get off your butts and lend us a hand! If any of you are still fighting, give it a rest for a second. Now listen carefully, those lacrima up there are part of a spell called the thunder palace. As Warren gave his explanation, I grinned then paused.
Wait a minute, how did you find out about the thunder palace Warren? I heard Erza's voice echo through my mind.
I've never been happier to hear your voice. Gray's voice followed Erza's and I grinned.
Hey there Ice princess, glad to see your being useful. I imparted my thoughts into the telepathy currently including us all, and laughed when I picked up on Gray's unspoken annoyance.
Always a pleasure Aquila, Gray imparted sarcastically and I let out a mental laugh. I was worried about the both of you, He added and I smiled softly. He was such a big softie when he wanted to be.
I see so, you're the one who told him, Erza voice echoed once again. As the guild realized that the girls were freed, a mental cheer echoed through everyone. Then it devolved into bickering and squabbling. I narrowed my eyes and prepared to unleash a mental bass-whooping on them all, but I was beaten to the punch.
WOULD YOU IDIOTS QUIT YELLING AT EACH OTHER! Gray's voice blasted through our minds, only for the bickering to return at double the force. As they argued back and forth, I sighed and put my head in my hands. They chose now to act like toddlers?
Shut up! A voice echoed, causing everyone else to go quiet. Lucy's voice echoed as she continued, we shouldn't be wasting our time arguing! The citizens of Magnolia are in danger and we're the only ones who can help them. So we're going to have to work together! Look, I know things have been rough with all of fighting against each other, but we can do anything if we pull together. That what you guys have taught me. I know that I'm still fairly new to Fairy Tail, but I promise you, I love being a part of this guild, just as much as the rest of you. I always dreamed of joining Fairy Tail someday, it's what I wanted more than anything in this world. Now that I've joined it… it means everything to me. If you feel the same way, let's work as a guild and SAVE OUR TOWN!
I grinned at Lucy's proclamation and felt the swell of emotion echo from everyone. But if none of you are up to the challenge, then I'll do this alone! I'll destroy those things myself!
Well said Lucy. Now are we going to get our shit together, Fairy Tail?! My thoughts were answered with a roar of encouragement, all aimed at Lucy.
As the guild began to gently tease and rib at one another I rolled my eyes. Hello everyone, just a reminder but giant balls of death above our heads, save the soft fuzzies for later!
With that reminder the noise faded into silence, as orders were issued. I'll take the two hundred to the north! Erza proclaimed.
I've got the two hundred to the west accounted for! I thought as I shifted my ice west instead of south. Everyone else, have at the rest!
We can do this! Erza gave some words of encouragement and with that everyone attacked.
"HRAH!" I threw my ice with all the force I could muster at the lacrima create explosions and winds that buffeted us in the air. I watched as the rest of the lacrima went up in smoke.
"DROP ME!" I ordered Stella who let go with only a touch of hesitation. I screamed as I fell, and was shocked by hundreds of volts of lightning. I fell limp through the air once it was over, only to feel Stella's paws grasp the back of my vest and pull with all her might.
My descent slowed, and Stella beat her wings until we were hovering over one of Magnolia's towers, where I could see Gray and Warren laying. Stella gently set me down next to Gray, who grinned at me, evoking a smile in return. We had done it.
Erza's voiced echoed once again, checking on everyone and gently scolding us for our recklessness. I let out a small laugh, as Gray asked the same of us.
I laughed once again, and I laid fully on the ground, finally sinking into blissful unconsciousness.