Sup, peeps. We are both incredibly sorry for how long we forced you to wait for this update. Mewsugarpudd was dealing with A levels and moving to uni and Kisshufan4ever was crippled by Gurren Lagann feels. We hope that you'll enjoy this update.
Otakulover4evr : Yep, it was only an illusion ;) But we're glad that you liked it anyway and, once again, we are sorry for the wait.
Guest : It was very lucky that Midnight had his prince in dragon armour to come and save him :)
Vedra77 : Cobra and Natsu are going to try their very best to do the right thing. And we're very glad that you reviewed.
Guest : Unfortunately you did have to wait a while, which we are very sorry about.
Guest : This chapter will include a lot more of those two, so don't worry.
Guest : We're not giving up on this no matter how long it takes us to update. Thank you for your continued support.
NoOne : Trust me, we are not giving up no matter what! Thank you for saying the story is amazing and we hope that you enjoy this update.
Guest : Yeah, we're really sorry about the wait...
Coco : Midco is Kisshufan's fave pairing as well :)
Kasuyorai : Thank you so much for the follow and the compliments. We really appreciate them and we've thankfully found the time to update again.
Guest : We aren't giving up on this story, it's just hard to update whilst Mewsugarpudd is away.
Freedoms wings : Sorry for the long wait :( We will definitely not give up on the story no matter how long it takes to update. Thank you for your encouragement, and we have things planned somewhat planned out, we just have to hope that we get the time to write them.
Guest : Here you go.
Disclaimer : Still not ours. Go figure.
Gray had launched himself recklessly into battle. Natsu had only caught a quick glimpse of his facial expression, but what he had seen had terrified him. Gray's face was completely blank, void of all emotion. Where he had before been radiating grief and despair, he now emanated an all consuming apathy.
As he witnessed Gray battling clinically against the two women from his past, Midnight and Cobra seemed to be having challenges of their own.
He had to have hope that they would be able to deal with it themselves as he had to aid Gray.
He turned to the other members of his guild, only to see them gazing in horror at the ghost city.
Natsu's eyes followed theirs, and he realised the source of their worry.
More ghosts were heading towards them, though these ghosts seemed to lack personality and their forms weren't as defined as those who were fighting against Gray and Midnight.
Maybe it was because the spirits with a personal connection to the dark haired mages were naturally stronger, maybe the demon was investing more power into them, Natsu didn't know, but either way these ghosts were about to converge on them.
Erza's eyes locked onto his.
"Us three will take care of that horde. You should help Gray." Natsu nodded swiftly, knowing that his fellow Fairy Tail mages could take care of the swarm coming towards them.
Natsu turned back to the combat. He winced as he observed just how beat up Midnight and Cobra were.
Gray himself was obscured from his vision by the icy blue of his magic circles as he attacked relentlessly.
Suddenly, his view was filled with a grinning lady. Gray had mentioned the names before, but Natsu didn't know which was which.
This lady had long brown hair, swept up in a pony tail, and light purple eyes.
Her devious grin widened, and Natsu felt the brush of a knife across his ribs before he leapt back to avoid greater damage.
He put his hand to his chest and looked down at it. Small rivulets of blood dripped from his palm.
"Aw, ruining my fun. I just wanted to slice you up a little, as a fire mage, you look good in red." She winked in a manner that was darkly flirtatious.
Then she was leaping back from an ice attack. Natsu was left staring into the empty eyes of his friend. Like in all other times of distress, Gray's eyes had lightened, though this time they had achieved a shade lighter than Natsu had ever seen before.
"Gray..." He whispered. The eyes didn't even flicker as Gray span back around and recklessly threw himself back into the battle.
Gray had always been an enthusiastic fighter, but he was usually more of a tactician than this. It was Natsu's job to charge in without a plan.
As Gray's attention was currently diverted by the brown haired wraith, the second turned to him.
This woman had spiky blonde hair that just grazed her shoulders and golden eyes.
"You shouldn't be bothering Gray sama right now. He has lessons to attend to." Instead of the knives that the other two ghosts possessed, in her pale hands were gleaming shurikens.
Natsu was forced to flip and cartwheel out of their way as the weapons were thrown in rapid succession. Her supply was seemingly endless.
Flames enveloped his hands, and he pounced towards her, only for her to dissolve and reappear in front of Gray who's face still remained mostly neutral.
There were cracks in the ice mage's facade, however, as lines of tension were appearing by his eyes.
"Stop this, Kyoko!" He yelled, grabbing the blonde's hand. Thin trickles of blood escaped from their linked limbs as Gray had evidently caught a shuriken between them. Natsu's anger rose at the needless damage to the hands used to so carefully craft Gray's magic.
The blonde simply laughed before slashing out with her other hand.
Gray stumbled back, releasing his grip on the spirit as a gash formed just underneath his eye.
The other one - who Natsu now assumed to be Jun - was about to take advantage of this situation when Natsu moved to intercept her.
Her pretty face twisted into a snarl.
"Don't get in my way!" She hollered as she gripped Natsu's wrist, and flung him with demonically augmented strength.
Natsu rolled, and forced his heels beneath him so that he was left in a crouched position. He spat a small amount of blood to the side from where he had bitten the inside of his cheek.
He had landed next to Lucy and he gave the blonde haired celestial spirit user a nod as she directed her whip around a spirit's neck. Loke was powering through the swarm of spectres, light flaring from his fists. Natsu smiled slightly despite the raging battles as he saw the fierce look on Loke's face. Even though he was a celestial spirit, Loke had also been a Fairy Tail mage, one who had been close to Gray before his true nature had been revealed.
Erza was a blur, decked out in her Heaven's wheel armour and furiously sending dozens of blades into the dead citizens around her.
Natsu turned his focus back on Gray's - meaning his and Gray's - battle. The others could take care of themselves, and he was willing to believe that the sheer rage that they were feeling due to Gray's suffering would help them in eliminating their opponents.
The ice devil slayer, on the other hand, would need all the help that he could get, not because he was weak but because he was already in so much pain.
"I didn't want to have to do this but I see now that I have no other choice" Midnight's eyes met with those of his younger brother. He had to protect the poison dragon slayer. Apparently he had failed to protect everything else in his life, he needed to at least keep Cobra safe, the mage who made him feel so much more than he had ever felt before.
Aito darted forwards, sniggering at the distraught, solemn look on Midnight's face.
"What's wrong nii-san, afraid to lose someone else?" Midnight's heart throbbed as his brother's pudgy hand slashed at his face. The illusionist felt no need to dodge, allowing his magic to divert the blade. As his brother was deflected, Midnight sent his first blow of the battle.
It was a weak punch, but enough to move the tiny body away and to show his brother that he was willing to fight him despite his reluctance.
Midnight was grateful for his new powers and for the training that he had underwent with his partner in this quest. He had finally overcame the weakness that had cost him the battle with Titania. Now he could use defensive and offensive moves at once.
His shield was still protecting his nakama from his brother's erratic attacks as Midnight attempted to decide on the best plan to deal with this situation. This is when his new magic manifested itself as an upgraded version of his old abilities.
"Phantom devil slayer's obsidian scythe!" He yelled sending a curved black blade reminiscent of his old invisible scythe at his brother.
The youth dodged, eyes losing the impish glint as he realised that his older brother was actually going to fight him. Eyes a lighter shade than Midnight's ruby orbs locked on to the still form of Cobra, protected by Midnight's magic.
His lip curled in disgust, and Midnight took the opportunity to keep up the offensive.
Aito refocused and attacked again. But Aito wasn't a mage, he wasn't even alive and his powers were not his own. His strength was inconsistent, waning as his brother pressed the attack.
Probably the only reason that the battle wasn't over yet was because Midnight wasn't emotionally prepared to land a killing blow on his little brother.
The dual haired illusion mage landed trivial hits on his sibling, unwilling to use all of the new power humming in his veins.
This lack of commitment gave Aito the opening that he needed. Midnight had been utilising plenty of different attacks, concentrating on channelling small amounts of magic into a variety of moves.
With this lack of attention, his shield grew weaker and weaker, eventually becoming brittle enough for Aito to break through, which he proceeded to do the moment he became close enough.
"Cobra!" Midnight roared as he leapt forwards, but it was too late to prevent the blade from slipping between the dragon slayer's ribs. Arching upwards, the unconscious mage coughed out a spray of blood that splattered over Aito's youthful face.
Knees scraped across the gravel that had been churned up from beneath the snow during the numerous battle that had been (and still were) taking place.
"E..Erik?" Midnight's voice trembled as his hand latched onto the unresponsive dragon slayer's sleeves. Breaths rattled out of his chest, but they were laborious.
Aito giggled, the childish noise incongruous with the sight in front of him. Erik was dying.
"No..." Midnight buried his face in the chest of his best friend, the person that he loved above all else, even over his father.
"I wonder if you would have cried over me like this?" Aito mused, drawing Midnight's attention.
Something dark welled up inside of Midnight, clawing at his sanity. A memory of his fight with Richard danced before his eyes, and his magic activated unconsciously.
"Ugh!"
Cobra's breathing settled, and Midnight's eyes fixed on him in confusion. No more blood flowed from his chest, and when Midnight tentatively removed the sliced fabric, the only evidence of the previously devastating wound was the blood sticking the material to his no longer motionless chest.
Slowly, Midnight raised his gaze to where his brother had been gloating. As if waiting for this undivided attention, the boy collapsed.
A minute passed before Midnight dove towards the slumped form. He could hear Cobra stirring behind him, but right now his priority was his little brother.
Because Midnight had a sinking feeling that he knew what he had done. One of his older abilities had been to reflect injuries at those who caused them, injuries that were inflicted upon him. It had helped him in taking down his powerful nakama, though Midnight still regretted taking things to that extent.
But with this increased magic... his desperation had fuelled his actions and somehow allowed him to transfer Cobra's injuries. His younger brother, the child that he had sworn to protect was limp within his arms, blood sliding down his chest from a knife wound between his ribs. A fatal wound. Midnight could feel the drain of magic, and it occurred to him that in that moment he had reached into his magical container, damaging it in order to save Cobra.
It hurt, and the damage to his magic container could prove difficult in the future. Even with the gift of devil slaying magic, Midnight shouldn't have been able to do what he had just done. If he ever tried something like that again, the backlash from his broken container could kill him.
A gargled noise drew his gaze to the child in his arms as the boy began to cry.
Midnight's arms wrapped tighter around the sobbing form of his young sibling as the demon's influence seeped out of his eyes. One tiny hand reached up to pat his cheek, leaving a sticky hand-print behind.
"I'm sorry nii san. I'm so sorry." Midnight choked back his tears and clutched the little boy to his chest.
"Don't be sorry! It's not your fault. I love you. I'm so sorry. I've failed you so many times. I should have asked mum and dad to let me stay behind with you. I may have been able to keep you safe from the demon" His brother smiled radiantly, and shook his head as the light slowly left his eyes.
His young body began to shimmer and Midnight felt his sobs break free.
"Don't leave me! Please don't leave me. I'll teach you anything you want, I'll look after you properly this time. I'll never abandon you again. Just stay with me." Midnight's anguished sobs punctuated this speech yet his little brother still faded.
"I'll see you again soon nii san. I love you." As Midnight's original parting words from so long ago were repeated by the child, Cobra's hand was placed onto his nakama's shoulder.
The child's body dissolved into nothingness, and Midnight was left clutching a worn old teddy bear.
Midnight's anguish filled the air.
So I hope this angst-fest was sufficient as an apology for how long it has taken to update this story. We hope that you enjoyed the chapter, and hopefully we will see you all soon.