Reviews are Nice; The pairings are NOT decided yet. I get people like Vander/Lucy, I like them too, they're adorable when she's sassy and keeps up with him, but...I really don't know if they will get together or if it will be a friendship...or how far this darkness is going to go.

I don't own Fairy Tail. Mashima Does.

I don't own the Pradesh Clan. Desna does (and thank you for them).

I own the Storyline. That's it. Apparently I have also adopted "Good Hestor".

I also own All Things "Bellum" in this Story. it's my original creation, including the characters within the country.

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"...that's a dragon," Lucy looked up at the massive creature.

"Uh...huh…" Vander just stared for a moment, "...we should do something…"

Lucy looked at the gate for a long moment, pursing her lips, "I have to close it."

"Your Spirits are currently fighting a big ass snake," Vander pointed out, shadows going out and snagging Hestor, carefully pillowing the man and dragging him to their position at the side of the massive area, "this is…"

"Really fucked up?" Lucy said, swallowing as she stood there.

"Hisui first?" Vander looked down at Lucy, arching an eyebrow.

The blonde looked at him for a moment and nodded, "her first..then…"

Both of them staggered as power slammed into the area, lucy letting out a choked sound as Vander held her up. It was much more oppressive than what had hit during the one small scale war they'd been apart of. Vander didn't seem to have any issue, and neither did Zen, but she felt like she was being suffocated.

Zen put a hand on Kaleb's shoulder, "calm. A bit."

Kaleb took a deep breath, growling, but when there was two gasps and one that had the rattling of breath, he snapped his eyes towards the sound. Part of him wanted to lash out at the green haired woman, but he moved towards Hestor, only the word 'no' chanting in his mind over and over.

Lucy watched him and bit her lip, letting out squeak as more roars filled the air, the light from the gate releasing more dragons that appeared in the skies, "...uh…"

Zen snorted as he walked to them, "couldn't keep out of trouble?" he gave Lucy a small smile and then arched an eyebrow at Vander, "wait...i forgot, Vander is trouble."

Vander grinned and shrugged, "yeah well…"

Kaleb felt a burning in his chest as he knelt, gently touching Hestor's face, "open your eyes for me...please?" when there was a lack of response, everyone felt his pain and fury, the only thing that seemed to temper it to him not lashing out was that Hestor was breathing.

Kek-t appeared and looked at Kaleb, "...do you love him?" her voice was soft as she stood there.

Kaleb looked up at the spirit, brow furrowing before he nodded, "I do."

"Answer each question truthfully," Kek-t looked at him, "Would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?"

Kaleb wondered what the female spirit was talking about, but nodded, "yes."

"Will you offer your teeth?" when he nodded, she continued, "your jaws?" she tilted her head, eyes boring into him, their dark depths sucking him him almost. When he nodded she murmured, "would you offer him your hunger?"

"Yes," Kaleb said in a whisper, still not fully understanding, but the words coming from deep inside him.

"Would you die for him?" she just watched Kaleb, eyes boring into his.

"Yes," Kaleb said without hesitation.

"Would you starve without him?"

The word came out firm, as Kaleb's eyes flared with power, "yes."

Kek-t stood there, wrapping her arms under her chest, as if she were looking into Kaleb's soul for an answer, "he won't last much longer…."

There was a swirl and one of the Brothers of Ma'at appeared, "would he survive…?"

Kek-t pursed her lips and looked at him, "I...maybe?"

"He's the first one that has not treated us as tools...we could…."

Kaleb snapped, "stop beating around the bush...I've...never felt so hurt when someone else is hurt."

Kek-t looked at Kaleb and then held out a hand, "we will take you to a place that is between time...to save him."

"How will I do that?" Kaleb looked between them.

Zen looked at the Spirits, "He'll...know, won't he?"

The male spirit nodded, "He'll know."

Kaleb snarled, "I'm not understanding this!"

Zen took a breath, "Go with them, follow your instincts. To save him, but only if you will give all that you are to him, Kaleb."

The mindbender looked up at Zen, "I decided I would the moment he gave me a second chance."

"Good, don't be long?" He arched an eyebrow at the spirits.

Both shrugged a bit, Kek-t looking like she was counting on her fingers and mumbling, "should be...like...fifteen minutes here?"

Zen grinned, "we'll hold the fort…"

"Hisui is mine," Kaleb said with a low, dark voice.

Kek-t chuckled, "Pretty sure that Hestor called her first..." the two men and spirits then swirled away, in wisps of black and green.

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Kaleb barely looked around, he knew from the footage he'd seen this was some part of the Hall of two truths, but when he heard the cough from Hestor, his eyes snapped back to the celestial mage. He wasn't sure why the spirits and his own brother were so damn cryptic, or why those questions had been asked, "Hestor...Hes...open your eyes."

There was a cough as Kaleb shifted to get the man sat up against him, "Please open your eyes." He buried his face in the silvery hair, "please."

Hestor coughed again and shuddered, one hand weakly rising, "no energy."

Kaleb felt the movement, grabbing the hand and murmuring, "shh, they said I can save you."

"Dont push yourself, guildmaster, " The nickname wasn't one of mocking any more, but Hestor teasing the man as he leaned against him, "Don't be a hero, yeah?"

"You're dying...your...I can feel...magic just...bleeding out of you, Hestor.." Kaleb held the other man, "I..." he didn't want to see the faint trickle of blood from the corner of the man's mouth, but it was hard to miss against his skin.

"You can't save everyone, Hero," the steel blue eyes slowly opened and Hestor smiled weakly as he shifted his head, "don't cry, don't look at me so..." he coughed, making a face in pain, "a smile suits a hero better, I think."

Kaleb pulled back a bit to look at the man, realizing how close to death he was, his thumb gently moved, wiping the blood from the corner of the Celestial mage's mouth, "I will save you." he could see the question on the other's eyes, "I give myself to you, all that I am, Hestor, freely." He gently drew the other into a kiss, murmuring, "now don't die on me."

The first wave of power seemed to open a lock in Kaleb that wrapped around Hestor and he felt the cracks of the two - not three like Cris thought - containers start to mend as light flowed between them. He smiled as he felt the other warm and his hands started to move, sliding his own clothes off as he deepened the kiss and let out a moan. For once, his mind seemed to have let go, being lost to his need and the urges that he'd chained down for over a year.

He slowly laid the other man down against the green fabric that the spirits had put them on, a recessed bed of some sort, his mind barely registered and carefully removed the other's clothing. He could see where the points in the other's magic was damaged, the massive amount making him angry, worried and more determined as he carefully hovered over the other man.

"Everything, Hestor, all that I am, completely," He murmured against the other's lips as his hands roamed, feeling trembling muscles. He absently let his hand curl away, sensing the bottle of oil more than anything and opened it.

Hestor let out a low moan into the kiss, shuddering as pain and warmth both wracked his body. The feel of Kaleb's fingers, the tingle of the oil had him arching up in just as much pleasure as pain as his body couldn't decide if it wanted to continue to make the other stop.

Neither of them knew how long it was before their bodies joined, but the backlash of the magic that exploded made both cry out and where they were ripple with the magic that was released.

~))~))~

"You know," Vander said as he stood on the edge of the castle roof where they are, "having Kaleb here would be really, really good to coordinate things…"

Zen snorted and then looked over his shoulder as Lucy went again for Hisui, screaming in rage. "You going to go help with the dragons? Get the Dragon Slayer's asses in Gear?"

"Yeah, you don't mind, right? You got Lucy?" Vander arched an eyebrow, "I mean...she might be thrown off, you know."

Wings snapped out as Zen pushed magic into them, "think I got it covered."

"We should probably be more worried...because...Dragons, but you're calm...and it's keeping me calm, wanna spill?" Vander arched an eyebrow.

Zen smirked and pointed to his wings, "do you remember what I said in Stella that Night? What you echoed?"

"Uh…" Vander pursed his lips, "oh...that we…" his eyes went to where Kaleb, Hestor and the spirits had been, a shocked look in his eyes, "no!" when Zen nodded, The shadowquip looked almost giddy, "damn...okay, that's a reason to be calm...I'm just gonna…" He nodded towards where he saw one of Laxus' Dragon attacks go off, "yanno...go help."

Zen nodded, "I'll stay here, until we get the door closed. Then come join. Remember, fifteen minutes."

"Yeah yeah, we'll try to not kill everything before he gets back," Vander grinned darkly and then swirled away in shadows.

Zen rolled his eyes and went back to watching Lucy fight, then smirked as the snake reared up, in an instant, he was at her side, wing up to take the impact, "Miss me?" He nuzzled her sweaty hair and moaned, "mm, sexy."

Lucy let out a whine, trying to hold onto her anger but Zen being so close was truly getting to her. She gave him a little huff, "yes, Missed you, big issues right now." She groaned as he pulled her close and licked her lips, "Other than that one...because that's a big issue I want to take my time on."

Zen kissed her and murmured, "Then knock the bitch out."

"Yes, Sir," Lucy purred against his lips and then turned as he let her go, leaping back into the fray against Hisui, trying to land a hit that would knock the woman out...because as much as she wanted to kill the green haired woman...it wasn't her right, not anymore….and really...who knew it was so damn hard to incapacitate someone?

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"Has anyone seen Natsu!?" Laxus bellowed as he sent more magic towards a blue dragon, moving almost reflexively to grab Rowan and pull him out of the way off an attack.

Rowan snorted, not at all bothered as his hands moved, winding plants along the ground, "no, I don't think anyone has."

"Fucking fire prick!" Laxus snarled as he let out another attack, "and where the hell did these dragons come from?!"

Rowan rolled his eyes as he moved to the side, "we're going to have to talk about your anger issues again, aren't we?"

Laxus stumbled and stared at his mate, "Uh...no?" at the slowly arched eyebrow, laxus looked around, "...No, Master?"

Rowan smirked a bit and dipped in to kiss Laxus' cheek, "let it all out now, Thunder God...tonight? Your ass is mine." he saw the thrill shiver up the big man's spine and grinned. "And if you're really good?" He purred against Laxus' ear, "I'll let you be inside me."

That was all it took for Laxus to grin ferally and launch himself forward. Rowan smirked as he watched the slayer go.

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Vander blinked as he heard the cheer from in the sky, stepping out of a shadow next to Cris, "...is that that idiot Natsu...on a dragon made of fire?"

Cris sighed as he sent out another roar and then turned to Vander, "yes. Where is kaleb! We could use the ability to coordinate better! And what was with that pain earlier!"

Vander sighed as he fell into battle, moving among the shadows and coming out behind small dragon things, slicing through them, "uh...well...not sure you really want to know."

"Vander!" Cris glared as he cut through one of the creatures, shooting off another stream of magic, watching as mist was left in its wake. He knew that something had happened but vander being this relaxed bothered him...especially with the dragons roaring and everything turned upside down.

Vander appeared behind him out of a shadow, blade slicing a head clean off, "Hisui was using Celestial mages as batteries, killed eleven, Hestor was barely living...Ancient Celestial Magic Bullshit?"

Cris turned and looked at his brother, arching an eyebrow as he looked at vander, "...this isn't a joke."

Vander shook his head, "nope, not a joke." He spun blade flashing out and he blinked when he saw a mage, "oh..uh…" when he heard a warning growl behind him, "oh...shit, Cris really?" he looked over his shoulder, seeing the same look that Emi had on her face when she'd first seen Gajeel, "look, after the battle? Yeah? Then you can uh...mate."

The dark haired and skinned maged blinked as she stood there, "what are you talking about?" her eyes narrowed as Cristoff stood over her and nuzzled her hair, "I'm about to hit him, I don't enjoy teasing."

Cristoff purred, "not teasing, you smell wonderful." He grinned down at her, "Cristoff Pradesh…"

"Risley...Law?"

The lunar slayer grinned, "stay with us."

Vander groaned, "Stars above…" he let his head fall back and hissed, "of course you'd find your mate in the middle of a fucking battle like this."

"Mate?" Risley frowned "this a joke?"

Vander smirked, "nah, fully real. Get this, sweet," He swung an arm over Risley's shoulder and took her chin in his hand so she looked at Cris, "See this big guy? All muscle, all sex on legs?"

Risley blinked slowly and nodded, "...uh...huh…" she wasn't blind and she couldn't help but lick her lips.

"You are his other half, the other part of his soul that he's been looking for since he was like six," Vander grinned, "and you're going to be so satisfied that you'll not be able to walk for a weeks."

The woman's face went a bit red, "well.." she coughed and snorted, "of course, chubby is better."

Cris purred as he wrapped an arm around Risley and nuzzled her hair, "much better."

Vander looked up, yelling at the sky, "okay! Any more cosmic shenanigans want to happen? Now's a good time!"

He knew he shouldn't have opened his mouth when he heard a feminine screaming and the wall next to him exploded. With a snarl, Wendy came out of the rubble naked and ran past the three of them with a battle cry, "Should have kept my mouth shut…"

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Lucy let out a crow of success as she managed to punch Hisui and send her slamming into a wall. She watched as the green haired woman's head bounced off the wall a few times before she slumped and the large snake spirit disappeared. With a hmpf, she leaned over, snatching the key out of her hand and looking at it, "huh...I think this is Ophiuchus…."

"Well, good, you got a new key," Zen grinned and then nodded towards the door, "I think you're up."

Lucy looked at the Zodiac spirits and nodded before pointing, "let's get that closed!" she held her hand out to Zen and smiled, "help me?"

Zen grinned as he took her hand and then brought it up, kissing the inside of her wrist, "any time you ask." He watched as the spirits moved to close the door and felt the magical pressure start to build as it wanted out while it was closing. He drug her towards it, the two moving to what looked like a bar in a circle. His arms went around her as they got there, both their hands on the bar before he braced himself and then grunted as he started to twist it, hearing Lucy let out a scream of frustration over the magic that was swirling in the air.

The two let out a yell as they were pitched towards the bar and the door, magic slamming into them from behind. Zen twisted just enough that they didn't get crushed into the bar but the slamming of the huge doors was easy to hear, it resounded through the air.

Lucy slumped to her knees, hands still on the bar and groaned, "what is it with this world and crazy ass princesses?"

"It's something in the water."

Both of them turned, seeing Kaleb standing there, power radiating off of him and bright golden wings curled against his back. The mindbender was carrying Hestor and the mage's head was tucked against his neck. Lucy smiled as she almost could feel the vitality from the other Celestial mage and let out a sob of relief, "you did it! You saved him!"

She went to speak again as a roar resounded in the air, "...right...we...uh...we've got a dragon problem…"

Kaleb nodded as he let out a hum, "Take care of him? Zen and I should go join the battle."

Lucy went to open her mouth but rolled her eyes at the looks both gave her. With a groan, her head fell back, her tone only half whining, "Fine, I'll play nursemaid." she sighed, "Aries? Can we get some wool for him to be set on, please?"

The Ram gave a nod and smiled, murmuring a soft 'sorry' before wool was settled out and Lucy carefully made sure it was a decent shape before nodding to kaleb to put him down. "We'll...take care of the bodies….you two go...do badass overpowered mage things."

Zen chuckled as he leaned down, kissing her lightly, "stay safe." He smirked at Kaleb, "let's go...time to get your flight wings." he didn't give the mindbender too long to register it before he was dragging the man over the edge of the building wall and flying off.

Kaleb let out a startled sound, taking a moment before he at least got himself stable, "you're an asshole."

"Sink or swim, little brother, let's go."

Notes:

yes, Kek-t quoted/paraphased a song. it's the Spoken Intro part of "You took the words right out of my mouth". I do not own any rights at all to the song. It came up while I was writing...and the words Fit.

For those of you that play FFXIV: Yes...Hestor Quotes...a very emotional Scene in the Heavensward Expansion.