Lucy was dangling from Andromeda's arm. She cringed at his foul odour.

"You know, Princess Hisui," Andromeda quipped, licking Lucy up her arm. Lucy let out a squeal of disgust, "We can stop this right now. No more have to die. Just agree to be my mate. We will rule together, raising END's child as our own. He will be the first of many."

Hisui gagged, "That's gross…on so many levels."

The Celestial King and Queen appeared, magic ready, "It's over, Andromeda."

"It's NOT over! Ah! I see END has arrived. Let's see if y'all can keep up with me," Andromeda bellowed, throwing Lucy's body up in the air as he threw his arms up to gather an attack.

She screamed, falling from 50 feet up. She covered her stomach and prayed. Andromeda fired off his attack at the Celestial Zodiacs, catching her on the way down. He began to juggle, throwing Lucy in the way of their attacks, then firing off attacks at the surrounding mages in between.

"Fight back!" The Celestial King ordered, "but be careful not to hit Lucy!"

Natsu and Gray skidded to a halt.

"LUCY!" Natsu yelled. He released a Fire Dragon's Roar. It whizzed past Andromeda's ear. The other mages engaged in battle with the minion demons.

Andromedra threw Lucy up in the air again as he turned his gaze toward Hisui. Catching Lucy again, he stalked over toward his prize Princess.

Atria threw her body in front of Hisui, "You can't have her, Andromeda."

"Stupid woman!" he bellowed, knocking her aside, "Did I ask your permission?"

He grabbed Hisui in the other hand, squeezing. Her face turned purple. She tried to gather her magic, but passed out from no air instead.

The King roared with rage, unable to hit Andromeda directly lest he hurt Hisui or Lucy.

"What's the matter, Brother?" Andromeda quipped, "Demon got your tongue? Or perhaps your daughter?"

He threw Lucy into the air again. The Celestial King, Queen, and the Zodiacs took that moment to attack all at once. Andromeda got off an attack of his own, but the combined efforts of everyone knocked him off balance. He missed Lucy as she came back down.

Natsu flew through the air, catching her mid-fall, safely landing in a wool net Aries quickly conjured up.

"Natsu!" she breathed with relief.

He peppered her face in kisses, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," she cried. Another pain wracked her body.

"Luce?"

Andromeda fired off his attack at his brother, exploding what was left of the guild hall as the King ducked and it went over his shoulder.

"I'm fine!" Lucy said to her husband, wiping some blood off the corner of her mouth. She contracted again, sending Lucy to her knees, "Just finish this bastard! He wants our baby, Natsu! Don't let him take our baby!"

The fear in her eyes was enough to send Natsu over the edge. His body shook.

Hisui was still passed out in Andromeda's hand. He squeezed tighter, determined to finish her.

"HISUI!" Atria yelled, "You have to wake up!"

The King attempted to approach his brother from behind, eyeing the limp body of Cana Alberona. She lifted her head, winking to him. He understood, knowing he could not attack from that angle without hurting her. Another failed idea.

Hisui stirred, sucking the oxygen she'd been deprived of in. She drew her energy together, preparing to attack. Turning rapidly, she fired a lightning bolt in his mouth.

Andromeda screamed in pain, dropping Hisui. She hit the ground, backing up beside Gray.

"You okay?" he asked, never taking his eyes off of Andromeda, who howled in rage.

"I'm good," she replied. She closed her eyes, drawing storm clouds overhead. The clouds shot lightning between them as she intensified them.

Natsu saw his chance to release a Dragon Slash attack, drawing blood on the massive demon's arm.

Andromeda roared again, but this time it was from anger at losing both his hostages.

He reached for Hisui again, barely reacting to the lightning bolt that tore down from her clouds.

Natsu turned to Hisui, "You need to get Lucy out of here," he said in a very low voice. Hisui's eyes widened in fear, noting the dangerous edge to them, "Get her out of here. Take Kinana and Evergreen with you."

Hisui nodded slowly, "Natsu?"

"Just do it!" he commanded, "Loke, take the Zodiacs spirits and protect Lucy with everything you've got."

"But Natsu!"

"Please Loke."

The look in Natsu's eyes as he turned and glared at Loke said it all. Loke motioned to the others. They flanked the girls.

The lesser demons were gone now. Lucy, Kinana, and Hisui hurried to the wall with their Zodiac guard, disappearing through the new hole.

The Queen whispered to her husband, who nodded. She too disappeared off the field.

The only people left on the field were the Celestial King, Gray, Natsu, and Andromeda.

"Thousands of people have died because of you," Natsu said in a low, tremorous voice.

"You threatened the lives of my daughter and Lucy," the Celestial King said, stepping closer, "Plus, you leveled Magnolia and Crocus," the King added, "There can be no retribution for you."

"You killed Cana," Gray growled. Natsu cringed at this news.

Andromeda laughed heartily, "That's right, I did. You think that's going to stop me from killing you now? I'll kill you all and then I'll go find my Princess and my new baby."

He lowered into attack stance, now free of obstacles, "Time to finish this."


"SUPERNOVA!" Nembus yelled, rolling across the former City of Magnolia. The areas he'd rolled on burst into flame.

Gajeel yanked Levy out of the way in the nick of time.

"This guy is nuts!" Laxus exclaimed, surveying the damage he'd done in a short time.

Mirajane was in full demon mode, crashing into his body repeatedly. Elfman fought him hand to hand whenever he pulled up from the balled attack as the other mages pummeled him with their magic.

"That's right," Jellal yelled, using METEOR over and over again, "I've got my magic back, you asshole!"

Arcadios swung dual swords, slicing at Nembus's body, trying to break the balled attack he was using. He was moving fast, breaking everything he rolled over into dust.

The Christina shot attacks from above.

Gajeel used iron hammers, smashing at Nembus as he passed by.

Levy scripted BOULDER, crashing it down around Nembus's path.

"What do we do to beat this guy?" Elfman hollered, "He's running circles around us!"

Nembus roared, throwing miasma at the Christina. To their horror, it caught fire, crashing to the ground.

He turned his sights on Mirajane, roaring without hesitation. She dodged, but he let out a second attack immediately after.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed, "Then let's get rid of his running ground! Levy! Make a barrier!"

She scripted barrier, instantly creating a giant pen.

Nembus bounced over the walls, heading directly for Mira. She braced herself, ready to try to stop the rolling boulder of a demon. Elfman stood beside her, ready to take the brunt of the force.

"It's too dangerous!" Bisca yelled, "Mira! Elfman! Get the hell outta there!"

At the last minute, both Mira and Elfman dodged to the side, forcing the demon to roll right past them. Levy had constructed another barrier. This time, he didn't get over the walls.

Gajeel grinned, "Okay! Freed! Reinforce the barrier with runes!"

Freed ran, working quickly around the barrier as Nembus backed up, trying to hop it.

"Okay! He's trapped!" Laxus yelled, "Dragon Slayers – let's do it."

It was an all out attack. Laxus, Wendy, Erik, and Gajeel all unleashed their Dragon Roars, aimed directly at the small barrier they put up. The Thunder Legion, Bisca and Alzack, and Mirajane and Elfman poured their attacks in as well. Erza, Jellal and Levy sat back, watching the attack, suddenly exhausted.

They waited for the dust to clear. Nembus was standing inside the barrier, breathing heavily. He was relatively unscathed.

"No," Erza said in shock, "How can that be? That was all of us."

Nembus let out a feral yell, then turned his attack directly toward Jellal.

"I'm the weak link," Jellal realized. He'd been denying the agony he was in for days, possibly weeks.

He glanced at Erza, "Forgive me," he said quietly.

"Jellal!" Erza screamed, "What are you doing?"

Jellal ran as fast as he could toward Nembus, gathering as much energy as he could. The demon roared, powering up to hit Jellal at close range. At the last second, Jellal released everything he had, his attack colliding with Nembus's. An enormous explosion sounded, knocking everyone back.

When it was over, Nembus was uncurled from his ball, upside down in the corner of the barrier.

"He's dead," Laxus announced, checking the body, "We did it."

Oddly, no one felt like celebrating.

"Erza," Jellal wavered on his feet, "I'm not feeling so good."

Jellal collapsed in a dead faint, the effects of the infection he'd been carrying finally getting to him. Erza didn't need to call Wendy – she was already running for him.


Lucy rolled on the leaf bed in the forest, clutching her stomach.

"There's no doubt she's in early labour now," Evergreen said grimly.

"But she's only 6, maybe 6 ½ months," Hisui whispered, "The baby will die."

They looked at each other hopelessly.

Atria entered the small leaf fort, immediately going to Lucy's side. She was covered in sweat, her face etched in pain. Atria grabbed her hand, focusing light into it.

"What's she doing?" Kinana whispered to Hisui.

Hisui shook her head.

"Lucy," Atria said softly, brushing the hair around Lucy's face gently, "I've just poured my light into you. The calming effect should stop your labour."

Hisui, Kinana and Evergreen all breathed out their held breaths.

"It won't last long enough," Atria continued, "I don't think you'll carry to term. But maybe we can keep the baby in there another month or two. Give it a fighting chance."

Lucy nodded, already feeling the calming effect taking over her body.

"Natsu," she whispered, her exhausted body lulling her into sleep.

"He's helping the King finish Andromeda," Atria said quietly, holding Lucy's hand, "Everything's going to be fine."

"He wants my baby," Lucy cried, tears pouring down her face.

"That's not going to happen," Atria promised, "The King will die before that happens."

Lucy nodded, dropping off to sleep. Atria placed a hand on her stomach, sending an extra shot of light directly into it. Baby Dragneel kicked her hand.

"He's strong," Atria assured, "It's going to be okay."

She turned to Hisui, "You were great out there."

"I didn't do anything," Hisui said.

"You did," Atria protested, "You protected the people."

"We lost a few hundred when they made the run from the tunnel to the forest," Kinana said sadly, "It was chaos at that point. There was nothing we could do."

"I know," Atria offered a supportive smile, "But Hisui…you remember, don't you?"

Hisui nodded slightly, "I can control storm systems," she said slowly, "It used to get me into trouble…a lot."

Atria nodded, reaching for her hand. Hisui was hesitant, "This doesn't mean I can forgive you and the King for everything," she stated.

"I know," Atria said sadly, "I was just hoping…"

There was an awkward silence, before Evergreen piped up, "She kicked butt when the demons tried to attack at the tunnel gates. She really did protect the people as best as she could."

Hisui smiled, "Thank you."

Evergreen nodded, checking Lucy's tummy for signs of contractions. All signs were gone now.

"Let's sleep," Kinana suggested, "We're out of danger for now, but that doesn't mean that won't change."

"I'll keep watch," Atria said softly.