Crocus was demolished. There were very few standing building. The buildings that did stand were cracked and threatening to fall down. The grand stands of the Grand Magic Games had toppled over and leveled to the ground. Even the castle was leveled.

The Celestial King had granted an emergency release of all contracts in order to allow all spirits to walk freely in Earthland. The Zodiac spirits had been sent to Crocus first. They walked throughout the city, checking for survivors in the rubble of the castle.

Demon and Royal Guard bodies littered the city. Aries allowed the tears to run freely down her face as she surveyed the devastation.

Scorpio was helping a Royal Guard out from under a cement pad. It seemed that he was trapped underneath, but was not crushed.

Kneeling down, Loke uncovered an enormous scaly arm. He brushed it off, realizing it belonged to the demon they'd seen in the Seeing Pool – Alpheratz. It seemed to be all that was left of him. There was no sign of King Tomo.

He approached the castle, scanning for any sign of life.

"There are no demons left," Capricorn reported to Loke, "I think we can safely let the people out of the caverns."

Aquarius muttered, "They're safer where they are until the war is over."

It was true. Not a single building was inhabitable. The few that stood threatened to collapse at any time. The few survivors they picked out of the rubble were Royal Guards, who were promptly sent back to the Celestial Heavens for healing.

"Loke! Loook over here!" Taurus yelled, "I think I've got something!"

The other Zodiac spirits got to his side as quickly as they could, weaving in and out of debris.

It was a human hand.

"He has a pulse," Virgo said slowly, her fingers on his wrist.

They all dove in, removing rock and cement from the body. As they uncovered the body, a Sabertooth guild mark came into sight on the left shoulder.

The man began to moan as rubble was cleared and he came into full view. He was bloody and he had some broken bones…but Sting Eucliffe was alive.

"Sting," Loke helped him sit up, "Hey man…"

There was no sense in asking him how he was. Sting was in rough shape. There was a large open wound on his head and another one across his back. One leg was bent unnaturally out of shape. From his laboured breathing, Virgo guessed there were at least a few broken ribs. Sting shook his head a few times, trying to get the world to focus.

"I lived through that shit?" Sting asked incredulously.

Loke chuckled, "Yeah. You're going to be okay. But we do need to get you some help. The Celestial King is going to send a healer down for you."

"Will he bring pain medication?" Sting asked, noticing the blinding pain in his head.

Virgo nodded, "For sure."

"My wife!" Sting exclaimed suddenly, trying to get up, "Yukino and the townspeople – they're all in the mountain!"

"Moshi moshi!" Sagittarius held him so he wouldn't move too much.

"Don't worry about them," Loke said, "I'll go let them out."

Sting looked around Crocus. One eye was badly injured, to the point where Loke couldn't tell if it was still in its socket, "Crocus is demolished," Sting said forlornly, "We failed."

"No," Libra said, taking the good hand of her Master's husband, "The people lived. You are victorious."

"The King!" Sting remembered. Again, he tried to get up, but Sagittarius held him down lightly. Even the slight amount of pressure was enough to stop Sting right now. His strength was gone.

"He's not here," Gemini said softly.

Sting let out a whimper. Nobody had to elaborate for him. He knew what Gemini meant.

The Celestial medical help arrived, bringing a stretcher for their very injured friend.

"We'll get Yukino and the other people of Crocus," Loke promised as Sting was loaded onto it, "And we'll meet you on Tenrou Island. Fairy Tail has offered it up for the survivors of Crocus. Just this once, the Celestial King is going to transport everyone there. You'll be with your wife and baby girl soon."

Sting groaned his thanks, unable to say the words. He gestured for Loke to come over. Sting motioned he needed to write.

"I don't have a pen," Loke said blankly. He looked around, then squatted to pick up a sharp rock, "Will this do?"

Sting was using the last of his strength to nod, then etched 6 numbers onto Loke's hand with the rock. Using one arm, it was not an easy feat.

"Thanks Sting," Loke said, understanding what the numbers represented. The men nodded to each other, then Sting passed out.

The Celestial medics flanked his stretcher, disappearing in a haze of light.

"Let's go," Capricorn said.


Sting's cover of the gates to the cavern that held the people of Crocus held up pretty well. The Zodiac spirits held hands, spreading out in front of the gates. They closed their eyes. A wind came up, blowing Sting's cover off and exposing the gates to them. A couple seconds later, a rock face shook.

"There!" Loke pointed to the rock face. Hidden in the bushes surrounding the large boulder was the gate control panel, "Sting said this is the code," he punched in the bunch of numbers etched into his arm. The gate doors began to open.

Minerva, Orga, and Rufus were at the gate doors, arms poised.

"Don't fire!" Loke shouted, "We're here to release you."

Relieved, Sabertooth stood down. Yukino glanced up, tears instantly streaming down her face as she flew into Libra and Pisces's arms.

"Zodiac spirits," Minerva commented, "That's not a good sign if the boss isn't opening the gates."

"He's okay," Capricorn assured her, much to the listening Yukino's relief. She collapsed to her knees, sobbing.

"Listen up!" Loke yelled, loud enough for the people in the caverns to hear him, "My name is Loke. I am a Zodiac spirit, sent here by the Celestial King. You cannot go home to Crocus, so the Celestial King is granting us passage through the Celestial gates just this once. We're going to take you to an island to wait out the war."

The people murmured to each other.

"We will take groups of 10," Virgo took over, "So this is going to take a really long time, even with 12 of us Zodiac spirits."

The Celestial spirits nodded to each other. Taurus would wait with the people and organize the next group as the other 10 spirits made trips to the island, with the exception of Aquarius, who was heading to Hargeon. Loke separated Sabertooth, including Rogue, Yukino, and Sera first. Yukino would need to be by Sting's side as soon as possible.

Nodding to Taurus and Aquarius, Loke disappeared with the first group. He just hoped the King would be as successful with his mission.


Nembus lead his army of demons over the hillside, snickering as he saw the destination before him. He would not fail.

He roared out his permission for the demons to charge.

On top of the next hill, Lamia Scale watched and waited. The Celestial King had sent an army of Royal Guards to back them up. Once again, the townspeople of Hargeon and Margaret Town had already been evacuated to an underground refuge.

Lyon stood next to Ooba, watching the demon forces run full force toward them. On the hill next to them, Toby, Sherry, and Yuka waited. The demons were running across a narrow valley. They would have to climb the hill to get to them. Not that they would get that far.

"NOW! AQUARIUS!" Ooba yelled.

Aquarius appeared out of nowhere in the nearby harbour, gathering her attack together. She sent the tidal wave directly into the demons' path. Most of the demons didn't know what hit them as they washed away.

Waving, Aquarius disappeared. Lyon supposed she was headed back to Crocus to help with the evacuation there.

They surveyed her damage. She had managed to obliterate half of the army. Even with half of the army gone, there were still thousands of demons. They collected themselves off the ground and started charging again.

Ooba started twirling her fingers, laughing like a mad-woman. Demons starting spinning in their spots, unable to advance.

"Come and get us, you demon pricks! I'LL SPIN YOU!"

Lyon laughed with her, sending out a sheet of ice over top of the hill, "C'mon Fuckers! Let's see whatcha got!"

Nembus growled. His heavy girth was too much to spin. He was also too heavy to slip on the ice field. He began to gain speed, running full force up the ice field.

"Doll Attack: Rock Doll!" Sherry yelled.

Instantly, a rocky golem pulled together, roaring as it charged for Nembus. They collided when Nembus was halfway up the hill. Nembus grabbed ahold of the rock golem, sliding backwards on the ice with it.

Sherry clapped her hand excitedly, jumping up and down, "Oh I LOVE this! We are so kicking ass!"

Ooba was still laughing manically, spinning demons as they attempted to get up the hill.

Nembus was getting irritated. He did not appreciate the mockery these mere humans were trying to make of him. Roaring angrily, he threw the rock golem off of him, smashing it to smithereens with a single punch. He let out a deafening screech, instantly melting the ice off the field and disintegrating his own demons. The next deafening screech was aimed at the mages. Toby and Yuka had to scramble to get out of the way as the entire hillside exploded. Ooba smacked her head on the ground as she was blown back.

"SHIT!" Lyon bellowed, "Everyone – retreat behind the first defense line!"

The mages began to run, Lyon, pulling Ooba's body behind him, all while dodging Nembus's angry screeches as he began to bomb the hillside. He began his advance, his minions now the ones who were laughing manically as they got up from the various places they had been spinning.