AUTHOR'S NOTE, PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE CONTINUING
I usually don't do this, but for those who had read this story already, I have gone back and added Makarov back into the universe. He had supposedly died when I started rewriting this back a few months back, but now that he's actually alive, I've added him back in. So, when he pops up in this chapter, that's why.

I did this because I'm such a stickler with keeping this story as close to the Fairy Tail continuity as possible, however flawed it might be.

Just wanted to let you know that. Sorry for the confusion.

On with the story.

Chapter 34

Return

At Magnolia…

The fight between the Fairy Tail wizards and Ivan and his Spirits raged on. All combat wizards were fighting the Neo Spirits with all the Magic they could muster. The other wizards not suited for fighting were working to evacuate the citizens from Magnolia before the fight extended beyond just the guildhall.

By the way things were going, that was most likely about to happen. As they fought on, it became clear how different the balance in power was.

The Neo Zodiac Spirits were strong. Stronger than any of the Fairy Tail wizards could've anticipated. Even just one was enough to bring two wizards to their knees.

Worst of all, none of them seemed to be getting tired. While the Fairy Tail Wizards were starting to run out of energy. The best that they could do was tag-team with other members, and pray that help would arrive soon.

"You Neo Zodiacs are starting to get on my nerves!" Gajeel scowled viciously at Neo Sagittarius.

"We are hardly fake." Neo Sagittarius replied stoically. "We are superior versions of the first Zodiac Spirits."

"Superior versions my ass!" Gajeel glared. "You're just overpowered copycats!"

"Yet it is clear that our strength outclasses yours by many miles."

That only agitated Gajeel even more.

Meanwhile, all three Strauss siblings were fighting off against the Neo versions of Virgo and Aries. Even with Mirajane in her most powerful Satan Soul Form, the family was struggling just to land a blow on the two Dark Spirits. Both Neo Virgo and Aries used their whip and chain to attack from a distance. At one point, Elfman got so angered that he tried to rush in and take out Neo Virgo with just brute force. He was so focused on her that he didn't notice Aries whip her chain out and grab his wrist. Before he knew what was happening, Neo Aries was spinning him around with unbelievable strength like a cowgirl with a lasso.

Mirajane and Lisanna attempted to move in to stop her, but the crazy ram Spirit threw Elfman straight at them. He hit the both of them like a cannonball. All three of them were slammed the ground with such force they left an indentation.

Erza and Wendy teamed up in an attempt to take out Neo Ophiuchus. Despite the fight being two against one, Neo Ophiuchus seemed to have the upper hand in the fight. She evaded all of Erza's sword attacks with little to no effect, even when Wendy enchanted Erza's abilities.

Laxus teamed up with Loke to help him defeat the lion Spirit's doppelganger. They attacked Neo Leo with all the power they had, but their efforts had no effect. Worse than that, the more they threw their Magic at him, the weaker they were becoming. Even their most powerful attacks were doing no damage. On the other hand, Neo Leo seemed to be increasing in strength.

"What's going on?!" Laxus said, exhausted. "How can he still be standing?!"

"Something's up with his Magic!" Loke replied, in the same condition. "It feels almost like when Natsu devours fire to regain strength!"

"Of course, it does!" Neo Leo said with a wicked smile. "My Dark Regulus absorbed all the Magic power you used against me! Now, I can use it against you!"

Neo Leo moved so quickly that neither Laxus or Loke could respond in time. Before they knew what was happening, a powerful, black light hit them with so much force they were sent flying backwards.

Meanwhile, Lucy was fighting with all the strength she had. Despite all the dread, grief, and pain she was feeling, she fought on, letting all those feelings fuel her.

Ivan took away her family, and she was going to get revenge for it.

As she thought of that, her eyes caught the movement of a dark figure moving swiftly towards the guildhall.

It was Ivan!

Then, to Lucy's horror, Ivan let out a Fire Dragon Roar!

The guildhall was immediately set ablaze!

Lucy's blood ran cold. Time stopped around her as she watched the fire consume the very building she had come to call home. It was the same for all of the Fairy Tail wizards. All of them froze in shock when they saw the disaster happen before them. The only thing that snapped them out of it was when the Neo Zodiac advanced on them again.

It was then that Lucy quickly realized something!

Makarov was still inside the guild!

Lucy didn't stop to think. She immediately transformed into her Aquarius Star Dress, made a dash for the guildhall, and jumped in through one of the broken windows. She coughed and choked as smoke and ash rose up in her face. She quickly made a water shield and looked around the room.

"MAKAROV!" she shouted.

Lucy then heard the sounds of an old man coughing. Looked over on the far side of the guild and saw the former Master on the floor. His wheel chair had tipped over, and he couldn't get up. Lucy ran over to him and got down on her knees.

"Makarov!"

"L-Lucy?" Makarov groaned, his voice weak and frail from the smoke. "What are you…?"

"Just hang on!" Lucy said. "I'll get you out!"

Lucy hoisted Makarov onto her back. As soon as she took her first step, a crackling noise came from above. She snapped her head up and saw the wooden braces on the ceiling were beginning to snap and crumble from the fire. Lucy set out in a dead sprint for the open doors as the roof began to cave in behind her.

In a last-ditch effort, Lucy leapt out of the doors just as the guildhall collapsed behind her. She stumbled a bit as she tried to regain her balance, but she ended up tripping and falling, letting go of Makarov in the process.

"So, he really was too stubborn to leave the guildhall," a dark voice said. "I had a feeling that would draw him out."

Lucy looked up and saw Ivan standing just a few feet away from her.

"I just didn't expect you of all people to bring him out of a burning building," Ivan said callously. "And here I thought your pathetic daughter got her recklessness from her father, but she must've gotten some of it from you, too. Not that it matters now that she's dead."

Lucy scowled so hard that tears brimmed her eyes.

"Thanks for saving me the trouble, Celestial Wizard," Ivan said. "I'll reward you by saving you the agony of watching your friends fall."

"Don't you dare, Ivan!" Makarov shouted, his voice raspy.

Ivan looked over at Makarov with an evil, taunting grin.

"Watch closely, little troll," he said. "You're about to see your whole guild about to be wiped out. Starting with this beauty."

Ivan raised his fist, and a blaze of fire ignited around it. Lucy clenched at the sight of it. It was painful to see her husband's fire in the hands of this monster of a man.

"Consider yourself fortunate," Ivan said. "Not only will you not see your friends die, but you'll be sent into the afterlife by your dear husband's fire."

Ivan moved in to strike. Lucy shut her eyes and waited for the end to come.

Suddenly, a jet stream of white fire shot down from the sky!

Ivan stopped in mid-lunge as the white flames cut him off from his target. Lucy opened her eyes, and gasped in surprise.

One right after another, streams of dazzling white fire came down from the night sky, cutting off the Neo Zodiac from their targets. It was so intense that they couldn't pass through it. Even Neo Leo's armor was not enough to block the heat. When he tried, the fire melted his gauntlet and burned his skin, making him howl in pain.

All of the Fairy Tail wizards stopped and stared, their eyes wide with shock.

"What's going on?!"

"I don't know!"

"Where'd that fire come from?!"

"It's so hot! It feels like my skin's going to melt!"

"Wait?! Does this mean Natsu's back?!"

"That can't be! Ivan has his soul!"

"Then who's fire is this?!"

While everyone was confused and dumbfounded, Loke's face changed into revelation.

"I know this power!" he said. "No doubt about it! It's him! He's back!"

"Who?!" Laxus asked.

Loke's eyes were filled with hope now, "Wait, then that means…!"

The Lion Spirit looked down at the starfire on the edge of the lake. At that moment, a silhouette of a person appeared among the flames.

Everyone watched as the silhouette became clearer, moving gracefully and powerfully through the inferno. The white fire whipped around the person, ruffling their hair and cloths, but it did not burn them.

Then, the person emerged from the fire.

A girl with one piercing cyan-Dragon eye, Dragon scales on her face and left arm, and pink hair with a large streak of emerald green in it. She was covered with dried blood, scratches, and bruises, her clothes were torn and dirty, but she stood tall with determination.

Around her waist was Natsu's scarf.

As soon as the Fairy Tail wizards saw her, a wave of surprise and joy came over them.

They knew who this person was.

"It's Alu!" Lisanna shouted with glee. "She's back!"

Alu looked past all of her companions and guild mates. Her eyes were locked onto Ivan. Ivan stared back at Alu with anger and bewilderment, while she scowled deeper with resentment and vengeance.

"Impossible?!" Ivan shouted. "How times do I have to kill you?!"

"You don't want to fight with me now, Ivan!" Alu warned, her voice full of conviction and power. "I'm not the same person you fought back in Mount Zonia! Now, I'm only going to tell you once! Give me back my dad and Yukino's souls, and you won't get hurt!"

"Ha!" Ivan spat. "You think I'll give up the ultimate power to a runt like you!"

Alu shook her head and groaned.

"Geez, Aquarius was right!" she said. "You really are so power-hungry you're stupid!"

"What'd you say?!" Ivan snarled viciously.

"You think just stealing souls would make you into a Celestial Dragon Slayer?!" Alu went on. "How you ever thought that inscription in Mount Zonia was a Spell is beyond me! You're no real Dragon Slayer! You're no real Celestial Wizard! You're just a leech who can't summon a single Spirit! You had to make your own Spirits that are just empty husks! You can't summon Draco! Only the real Celestial Dragon Slayer can do that!"

"Oh, and you think YOU can!" Ivan mocked. "You're just a weakling! You were born weak! You couldn't summon something as powerful as a Dragon!"

"Wanna bet?!" Alu turned her head up to the sky and shouted, "Draco, come forth!"

Just then, a mighty creature came soaring down from the night sky. An enormous Dragon, the color of obsidian, and with scales that shone and glittered like the stars and moon. With a flap of its mighty wings, the Dragon landed in the lake behind Alu, causing a wall of water to splash up around its feet. It let out a thunderous roar that shook both the sky and earth.

The Fairy Tail wizards and Neo Zodiac were so surprised by this that none of them could move. All except for Lucy, who barely managed to get to her feet. She stared at her daughter as tears formed in her eyes. She was relieved and happy to see Alu was alive, but she was also stunned by her return.

And the arrival of the Dragon.

Then, something struck her. A tale her late mother had told her a long time ago. One about a Spirit Dragon that was rumored to have powers that rivaled the Celestial Spirit King. A Dragon whose key had been lost to time.

"Wait, this Dragon!" Lucy breathed. "Could he really be-!"

"Draco!" Loke shouted. "It is you!"

The Spirit Dragon only glanced at Loke for a moment to acknowledge him before turning his attention back to the situation at hand.

Ivan stared up at Draco, his face painted with bafflement and disgust. He looked back at Alu.

"You can't possibly have summoned that Dragon!" he raged. "You're just a weak little whelp!"

"She speaks the truth, foolish wizard!" Draco said, his voice strong and commanding, making everyone shudder. "What you found in Mount Zonia was not a Spell, it was a Prophecy! The power that you have is just stolen Magic!"

As Draco spoke, Alu closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. At that moment, everyone began to feel a strong pressure. She began to glow a strange light, and her cloths and hair swayed as if they were being affect by a gust of wind that only touched her.

"But the Prophecy has been fulfilled in this young woman!" Draco declared. "Her soul is alit with starfire, and the blood of a Dragon Slayer and Celestial Wizard flows through her veins!"

Alu's eyes snapped open, and the light around her glowed brighter. A wave of intense Magic Power emanated from her, making everyone step back defensively.

"What's going on?!"

"Alu's doing this?!"

"I've never felt this kind of Magic from her before!"

Ivan was unable to speak. Seeing the little Fairy Tail wizard releasing so much Magic Power, and have large Drago behind her, was enough to make him nervous. He couldn't deny the powerful aura surrounding Alu. Nor could he mistake her look of conviction. None of it was for show.

Something had changed in her.

Alu opened her mouth. All of the surrounding starfire, along with the fire burning away the guildhall, flew straight past her comrades, and straight to her. She devoured all of it one large slurp. Her aura intensified, and a shine of confidence came into her eyes.

"You listen up, Ivan! Instead of hiding behind your shields, you better come and fight me face-to-face! Because I want you to take a good look at the power you tried to steal! I'm Alu Layla Dragneel! Daughter of Natsu and Lucy Dragneel! Wizard of Fairy Tail! And the Celestial Dragon Slayer reborn! I'm all fired up, and I'm ready to show you my true power!"

With a battle cry, Alu sprinted towards Ivan, ready for the fight that was to come.