Welcome to the Universe! It's been a rough few weeks, which is why there've been no updates, but I hope you're as psyched for the concluding two chapters of this book as I am. I'd like to apologize for the downright deplorable quality this fic has had since the beginning and the terrible way I represented the characters. I've had some issues to kink out, writing-wise, and I've hopefully gotten back to the usual RealDone Universe quality. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
AWOKEN
"ICE MAKE: Cannon!" Gray forged an ice bazooka, firing the ball of ice at the ninja.
The assailant flipped away from the attack and ran up to him, dodging more of his shots. Shifting his arms to his left, the ninja melted the cannon, drawing the water to his side and sent it back at him, wrapping it around the mage. Juvia struggled to her feet, gasping as she saw Gray being flung around like a ragdoll.
"Water Slicer!" She waved her hand, sending out a volley of water blades.
The ninja raised his arms, freezing the blades and swung them around, sending them back at her. She wove water around her legs, evading the attack and swerved around the assailant, spinning her body around. The water followed her movement, creating a vortex as she shot toward him – breaking apart the rocky earth in her wake.
The ninja twirled around, drawing the water away from her, leaving her to fall toward the ground. He sent the water back in a wave, lifting his arm to quickly hold her in mid-air as she was flung back. He clenched his fist, manacling her body as she floated helplessly in mid-air.
"Ice Make: Ice Hammer!" Gray took his magic stance.
Forging a giant ice hammer, he swung at assailant – the sheer girth of his weapon emitting a low sound as it moved over the ground. The ninja lifted his free arm, releasing the hammer from Gray's grasp and threw Juvia at him, smacking them against the ground. He grabbed the hammer and smashed it against them, hurling them away from him.
Gray winced as he pushed himself up, seeing Juvia lay beside him covered in bruises. "How do we beat this guy?" He turned to the ninja who approached.
The ninja raised one arm, parting his legs – one before the other – and pulled his arms back, moving them around him. The two stood up, apprehensive as to what he'd do next as he moved his arms around. Juvia's eyes dilated as it hit her, turning to see a jet of water speed up to Gray.
"Gray, look –,"
The water tapered out, freezing into an icicle at its tip and pierced into his back, drawing blood from him as he spat out and fell on his knee. The ninja pulled the ice into Gray, sinking it in between his ribs and pulled him toward him. Juvia summoned water blades and the assailant tossed Gray aside, raising his hands to hold her up in the air.
She fought for breath as he strangled her, pulling her body toward him as Gray winced on the ground nearby. She shut her eyes, waiting for what'd come next when she realized something. She threw herself back, releasing a large ball water out of her body that remained afloat – flipping to the ground below.
"Water Cyclone!"
The water ball swerved into a vortex, shooting toward the ninja and rapidly increasing in size. The torrent flooded over him, washing him away and smacking him against a tree. Juvia ran to Gray's side, panting and battling the pain as her wounds slowed her. She picked him up and scanned his body, worry enveloping her as he bled from his mouth and breathed haggardly.
"My beloved, are you okay?"
The ninja launched himself up and shifted his arms around, raising the flooding waters into a large wave. He sent it at them, covering trees and rocks in its path as it approached and engulfed them. The ninja stepped back, stunned as he saw billows of steam rising in the middle of the water. He quickly wove the waves aside, seeing that Juvia and Gray had disappeared.
JELLAL STEPPED back, cracking his knuckles as he paced around the dimly lit room – Ultear and Meredy watching attentively behind him. A man, one of the thieves they'd apprehended, sat in the middle of the room, tied to a chair and bruised with his head bent over having nearly collapsed. Blood trickled from his mouth and he groaned, looking up stiffly at the blue-haired man who growled at his smug expression.
"Look, maybe he doesn't know anything." Meredy moved up to him. "It has been nearly an hour."
"He has to – he's an employee there, so he must know what they were stealing." Jellal turned to her.
"We checked what they stole, Jellal; they were just communication Lacrima."
"Something else is going on here." He turned to the man. "I can feel it."
"He said he was paid by his boss, but it doesn't make any sense." Ultear frowned. "Why'd he pay his own employees to steal from his own company?"
"Maybe there's something we're missing." Meredy shrugged.
"What should we do, Jellal? I checked his mind and he isn't lying – he could be insane." Ultear huffed. "We should just had him over to the police."
"Those aren't the eyes of a mad man – he's up to something." Jellal walked up to the man.
"If you hit him again, he'll become unconscious." Meredy held him back. "Just listen to Ultear and let the police handle this."
"This doesn't add up, Meredy." Jellal raked his hair. "They coordinate with the security to shut off the cameras to steal Lacrima and they're only for communication? You can't make any money selling them on the black market and there's no need to go through so much trouble for something so insignificant." He paced around. "Fiore Lacrima works on many different kinds of Lacrima, so why not go after the experimental ones? Some that might be dangerous."
"We could try investigating the company itself – maybe they are paying them and this is some kinda ruse." Ultear folded her arms.
"For what reason?" Jellal turned to her. "If they were making some dangerous tech, they'd have done that already."
"If they are, this is a good way to distract the public. I mean, we're here trying to solve this bogus crime, so they could be working on something." Meredy pocketed her hands. "You have been sensing strange magic lately, so that's what it might be."
Jellal looked at the man then sifted his mind, nodding afterward. "Let's check out Fiore Lacrima."
The three began to leave and Meredy turned back to the man. "Wait, what about him? We can't just leave him here."
"He'll stay here like the others; I don't trust them." Jellal opened the door.
"We'd be committing a felony here."
"It's too late for that now, isn't it?" Ultear raised her brow.
Meredy bit her lip in uncertainty, uneasily following her and Jellal out of the room when they suddenly heard a crash. They turned and saw the man had broken out of his binds, looking at the walls nonchalantly as he wiped the blood from his chin. The three entered the room, watching him as he paced around.
"You're not going anywhere." Jellal frowned.
The man turned to him, his deadpanned gaze sent at each of them becoming more soulless as his pupils slowly faded away. He sped up to them, moving at speeds that made him look like he apparated before them. He summoned a black energy ball and hit Jellal in the gut, sending the trio flying into the hallway.
Jellal's body exuded a yellow aura, his world slowing as Meredy and Ultear fell helplessly on either side of him. The thief ran underneath them, shooting up to the end of the hallway even in the slowed speed. Jellal chased him, grazing against the wall as he jumped in front of him and cut him off.
The thief punched him aside, kicking off the wall to his right and ran up the ceiling – defying gravity and flipping onto the floor. Jellal flew up to him, throwing a sharp left hook that was swiftly dodged. The man shot a black energy ball in his face and ran further down the hall, bursting through the door and into another corridor.
Jellal fell back, rubbing his head in pain as the yellow aura subsided. Meredy and Ultear crashed on the floor, both confused as they recuperated and turned to him. Jumping to his feet, Jellal ran into the other hall, seeing two doors broken down ahead of him.
"They escaped."
"NOW HAND it over." Midnight frowned as he approached the wizards, followed by Rusty Rock and Minerva.
Anger screamed in Erza's eyes, held back as she helped Natsu stand. "Minerva, what're you doing here?"
"What I want." The raven-haired woman placed her hand on her hip. "Thought you'd have caught on by now."
"So, you still haven't changed, huh? Always seeking more power for yourself." Sting growled.
"You know me well." She smirked.
"Wait." Natsu stroked his chin. "You guys are in the contest too?"
"Ah, it has been quite a long time, valiant wizards." Rusty adjusted his shades. "How the hands of time and destiny have brought us together again never ceases to amaze me, but alas, our meeting won't be as pleasant as last time."
"The feeling isn't mutual." Lucy frowned.
"Did I stutter? I told you to give me the artefact." Midnight walked up to them.
"Yeah, that's not gonna happen, pal." Natsu smirked. "You're not taking the prize money for yourself."
"We're not here for the money." Minerva raised her hand, exuding a purple aura. "We're here for something more important."
"Whatever you're here for, you're not getting it." He chuckled. "You think we're gonna just give up after winning?"
"Your ego belies a small mind, Salamander, for the contest is already over." Rusty pocketed his hands.
"What, how? We've got a week left." Surprise dilated Lucy's eyes.
"It has been a month since the contest was over and keeping the artefacts now would be breaching the agreement." Midnight cocked his neck, eyeing each of them. "Though I suppose you simply got lost in this island."
"How's that possible? We've only been here for a day." Erza fished out a time Lacrima, seeing that it was five pm. "There should be a week left."
"Why does matter if we're breaching the agreement …" Yukino's brows stitched. "Unless –,"
"You're the ones behind the contest." Rogue sifted his mind.
"I knew it!" Ichiya jerked back, taking an exaggerated pose.
"No you didn't." Rogue frowned.
"So, you're gonna give us the prize money now, right?" Natsu smiled eagerly.
"Natsu, just stop." Lucy patted his shoulder.
"All this time, you're the ones who wanted the artefacts?" Yukino frowned.
"You made us do the dirty work for you." Levy clung to the artefact.
"Unfortunately, that is the case." Rusty huffed . "I believed it would've been more profitable if we carried out the search ourselves, but surprisingly, using you worked to our advantage."
"Our employer has his own way of doing things and we're here simply to carry our orders." Minerva forged a plasma ball in her hand.
"Give us the artefact – I won't ask again." Midnight turned to Levy.
"We're not giving it to you." She stood defensively before Levy. "Whatever that thing unleashes could kill a lot of people and we're not gonna let that happen."
"Well, I did grow tired of talking." Minerva threw the plasma ball at Lucy.
Rogue deflected her attack with a shadow ball, turning to Lucy. "Lucy, get Levy out of here – we can handle this." He winced, holding his shoulder in pain.
"You won't be able to fight them with those wounds." Ichiya cut him off. "Lucy, take the injured and get away with the artefact, we'll hold them off." He fished out a vial. "Prepare for the fight of your lives." He flicked it open. "Witness my parfum of power!" He breathed in the fumes, transforming into muscular man twice his size – his new physique ripping his clothes, leaving only his pants. "Man!"
"Such foolishness. It's revolting to say the least." Rusty fished out a purple rose from his jacket. "Arc of Embodiment: Juton Frost Beasts!"
Four large creatures appeared before Midnight, Rusty and Minerva, each stalking toward the wizards who backed up. The large beasts walked on four legs, having black skin with a lizard-like builds with spikes running down their backs and tails, sharp teeth and tusks.
"Behold the magnificence of these creatures that hail from Jutonheim, home of the Frost Giants, enemies of the gods!" Rusty grinned. "Rejoice in your destruction!"
"You heard Ichiya, get outta here!" Erza turned to Lucy, donning her Purgatory Armour.
A frost creature charged at Ichiya and he held it back – his feet digging into the sand as it pushed him backward. Lyon took his magic stance and touched the ground, spreading snow that blanketed the beasts and froze them over. He grunted and held his arm, feeling it bleed out.
"Lyon, we have to go!" Sherria pulled him aside.
The ice shattered as the monsters burst out, engaging Erza, Ichiya and Sting who held them off. Lucy set off with Levy, Lyon, Rogue, Toby, Sherria, Rogue and Yukino, stopping as she saw Natsu leaning against a tree, holding his bandage that began to redden.
"C'mon, we need to go." She ran up to him.
"Look out!" He pushed her aside.
A frost beast lunged onto him and he blocked it with his forearm, throwing it aside and hunching over. The beast retaliated, biting at him and nearly taking his head as he quickly jumped back spat fire at it, making it recoil in the blazing heat. He panted and wheezed as he clung to his wound.
"Natsu –,"
"No, get outta here!" He frowned.
"But –,"
"I said –,"
The beast smacked him through the tree and into the forest, hurling him across the rocky ground. Growling at Lucy, the creature chased after her – running clumsily and bashing against trees that broke like twigs in its path. Lyon lunged at the creature and punched it, freezing its body solid and assuming his magic stance.
"Ice Make: Ice Geyser!" He thrust his fists forward.
Ice spread underneath the frozen beast and rose into the air, erecting into a tower of icicles that broke apart the casing and stabbed the beast's chest. The beast writhed in pain, breaking out of its impalement and ran down the edifice, charging at them. Lyon took his magic stance and shuddered as his arm bled.
"Let's get outta here!" Lucy grabbed him.
Erza hurled through the tower, downing it and the monster and slamming against a tree behind the two. She fell to the ground and quickly grabbed her sword, readying herself a as another frost beast charged at her, ignoring the falling structure. She flew toward it and sliced its jaw, knocking it aside with her wing and stabbed its foot.
She dislodged the blade and looked forward, seeing Lucy leaving with the others. She smiled in relief when another beast clawed at her from behind. Ichiya tackled the monster, grabbing its arm and tossing it at Minerva, Midnight and Rusty. Midnight waved his hand to the side, sending the beast crashing away from them.
Rusty watched the other wizards fleeing in the distance, chuckling to himself. "Oh, you're not going anywhere." He fished out a purple rose. "Arc of Embodiment: Dark Elves!"
Eight masked men appeared around Lucy, Levy, Rogue, Lyon, Yukino, Toby and Sherria, cutting them off from all sides. Clad in black and white armour, the masked men each wielded energy cannons and blades, training at them.
"Oh crap." Lucy backed up.
Blocking two claw attacks, Erza flipped over a frost beast, digging her blade into is back and rolling onto the ground. Sting shot two energy balls at a monster, failing to down it as it recoiled then lunged at him, meeting a glowing right hook that sent it flying. Ichiya skidded as a creature bit into his arm, quickly poking it in the eye to escape its jaws and bashed it with his shoulder.
A frost beast grabbed Erza and pinned her against a tree, further injuring her arm as it dug her into the bark. She summoned three blades, bringing them through the creature's skull and downed it. Ichiya punched a monster in the gut, grabbing its tusk as it flung into the air and slammed it on the ground, smashing its head into the sand with heavy fist.
A beast bit at Sting who quickly grabbed its tusks and pushed back, flying into the air as it charged at him. He spat a light beam at the creature, driving it into the earth and dragging it into the forest past Natsu who struggled to his feet. A monster ran up to him and he dove onto the foot path, quickly getting his footing.
"Fire Dragon Roar!"
He spat fire at the creature, blanketing it in flame and burning its body alive. He fell to his knees and breathed heavily, feeling pain envelop him. Rogue phased through three energy blasts, teleporting up to four elves and punching them aside. An elf swiped a dagger at Yukino who grabbed his wrist, elbowed him in the face and flipped him over.
Lucy whipped an elf aside, knocking him over to Lyon who froze his head and tossed him onto another that ran up to him. An elf tossed a grenade into the air, opening a vortex that pulled Yuka in and exploded, knocking everyone off their feet in the aftershock.
"Yuka!" Toby growled, running up to the elf who shot him with a cannon, flinging him onto a tree.
GRAY GRUNTED as Juvia wove the icicle out of his back, turning it into water that she hovered over the wound, slowly healing it. He looked around, seeing the sunlight spill into the dim cave they were in. Looking into Juvia's eyes, he sighed in relief, feeling the pain deaden as she set him against a wall.
"How do we defeat that guy?" He rubbed his sore shoulder. "It's like he controls everything."
"No, it's just water." She sat beside him.
"What about when he was tossing you around?"
"It was because of my water body spell – guess I do it so often, I didn't even notice I'd cast it." She chuckled.
"Well, we need to get out of here." He pushed himself up. "We don't want him to find us or he's gonna kill us."
"If he does find us, I've come up with a way of defeating him." She helped him stand.
"How?" He raised his brow, drawing a smirk from her.
"ARC OF Embodiment –,"
"Enough!" Erza shot lightning at Rusty and he jumped out of the way.
The smoke cleared, unveiling Erza in her Lightning Empress Armour – standing amongst Natsu, Ichiya and Sting. Minerva smirked. "Guess the time for games is over, Erza." She drew a frown from her. "Let's settle things once and for all!"
Summoning balls of plasma around her hands, the raven-haired mage shot up to Erza, tackling her and dragging her into the dirt as she flew into the forest. Minerva threw a punch at Erza who blocked and smacked her aside, kicking her off and flipping to her feet as she sent her flying. The two women squared off, sizing each other in the middle of the clearing.
"I've been waiting for this for a long time, Erza." Minerva smirked.
"Just shut up and fight." Erza took her stance. "If you want to unleash a demon, then I will stop you."
"Be my guest." She laughed. "I'll go easy on you."
Erza shot lightning at Minerva and she teleported away, tossing three plasma balls that landed around her, forming a triangle. Clasping her hands together, she ignited them, creating an explosion Erza quickly jumped away from – blown back by the shockwave. She capitalized with fierce left hook, flinging her into the air.
Erza steadied herself in mid-air and spun her spear above her head, gathering lightning that she sent down in a huge blast – creating a blinding flare across the forest. Minerva teleported behind her and punched her in the back, drawing blood as she spat out and fell over. The raven-haired wizard kicked her to the ground and wove plasma around her body, slapping her hands together and causing an explosion that upheaved a cloud of sand.
"Good riddance." She grinned.
The dust cleared, unveiling Erza in her Adamantine Armour as she unclenched her shield. Seething in anger, Minerva teleported before her and punched her in the face, hurling her back and bursting her out of her armour as she sent her flying into the forest.
NATSU SKIDDED back against the dirt, growling angrily as he charged at Midnight. "Quit fighting like that, it's not fair!" He whined.
Midnight sighed, shutting his eyes as he parted his legs and assumed his stance – shifting his arms around in a circular motion and holding his hands to his front and side. "Useless."
Natsu lunged at him with a fiery fist, meeting his forearm as he deflected it and thrust his palm into his gut. The Salamander retaliated with a roundhouse kick and three punches, all of which were countered with jabs to the chest. Midnight smacked away an uppercut and stabbed his wound with his fingers, clenching his hand into a punch and pushing him back.
Natsu skidded back and held his gut in pain, blood drenching the bandages that slowly fell apart. He spat fire at him, growling as the tube of flame veered off into the bushes before hitting him. He roared and flew up to him, throwing a barrage of flaming fists that were easily deflected.
"Predictable." Midnight huffed, his eyes still shut.
"Predictable, huh? How's about this?" Natsu flew upward, slamming his fists together. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"
Natsu shot down, colliding in a thunderous explosion that sent dust flying about. The cloud cleared, unveiling Midnight's palm blocking his attack. The raven-haired mage smirked, flipped him over and jabbing his wound, flinging him away. Natsu struggled to his knees, looking at his blood-soaked hand as pain wracked his body.
"You're pathetic, Natsu; I can see your attacks coming without the need to open my eyes." Midnight chuckled. "Fairy Tail, as predictable as ever." He pocketed his hands. "At least you feeble-minded fools will have the honour of dying on the holy ground of a god."
"I'm not gonna let that happen!" Natsu's body went ablaze.
Natsu flew toward Midnight with a fiery punch – the raven-haired mage, chuckling as he assumed his stance. Natsu threw a left hook then suddenly flipped over, kicking him upside the head and bashing his fists on his back, driving him into the ground. Natsu launched into the air and sprayed fire on him – the flames quickly going the opposite direction.
Midnight stood and looked to the sky where the flames came from, seeing them dissipate. His eyes dilated as Natsu came running from behind, his arms covered in fire. He took his stance and Natsu jumped toward him, quickly sliding and leg sweeping him. He grabbed him as he fell, slamming him around and tossing him into the air.
Natsu threw a volley of fireballs at Midnight as he plummeted – the raven-haired mage flipping over and deflecting the onslaught in his descent. Natsu screamed to the heavens, the fires of his body bursting brightly as his opponent assumed his stance. Midnight gasped as column of fire exploded out of the ground, engulfing his body and hurling him aside.
Midnight struggled to his feet, his clothing charred. "But how?"
"Never underestimate Fairy Tail." Natsu grinned.
Erza and Minerva burst out of the bushes, the redhead elbowing the raven-haired mage in the face and kicking her onto the ground. Lucy kicked an elf aside, Lyon froze another and Rogue shot shadow balls at the rest, spraying a dark beam onto Rusty – knocking him off his feet. Minerva got to her feet and Sting spat a light wave at her, hurling her aside.
"Fairy Tail never gives up the fight." Natsu folded his arms.
"And neither does Sabertooth." Sting frowned.
"It's over." Erza sheathed her sword.
Rusty glanced at Minerva and Midnight, the trio's eyes flickering for a moment. "Yes." He dusted himself and adjusted his shades. "The farce is over."
A massive pillar of flame shot out of the forest in the distance, illuminating the island and sending birds flying in a panic. The wizards looked on in shock, backtracking when quick sand began to form around their feet. Natsu panicked, flailing his arms around as he sunk further and further.
"Natsu, stop! You'll sink faster if you keep moving!" Erza frowned, turning to Minerva who stood up and smirked.
"What's going on?" Lucy looked around in a panic.
"Mere theatrics and my, oh my, how I am disappointed; I didn't even need to do much to fool you." Rusty chuckled.
"What do you mean?" Confusion etched on Erza's face.
"We were simply buying time so Sethos could be awakened." Minerva wrapped her scarf around her neck.
Levy gasped. "The artefact's gone!"
"Bravo! You finally caught on!" Rusty clapped.
"While you fought us like the idiots we know you to be, our employer took the artefact and proceeded with the ritual." Midnight pocketed his hands.
"We just needed to stall long enough for it to be completed." Minerva walked up to Erza.
"Your employer?" Her eyes dilated.
"The magic of imagination is the magic of the mind and little goes a long way in playing our game with you." Rusty smirked
THE PILLAR of fire subsided, diminishing into a small flame on a platform before a damaged temple in the middle of the forest. A cloaked man stood before a magic square etched onto the concrete, the artefact lain at its centre with droplets of blood that led up to his feet.
He raised his head slowly, looking at the fires that raged on in a nearly blinding light as they fluctuated in height. A silhouette formed out of the furnace, slowly stepping out and towering over the man at around eight feet tall. Its cold dark eyes looked down upon him, its horns sharpening the contour of the shadow it cast over him.
MIDNIGHT LOOKED around contently as the wizards struggled in the sand – enjoying the look of despair on Erza's face as she turned to Natsu who flailed around. He walked over to the pink-haired mage, smirking as only his eyes peaked above the sand and twitched as it entered them.
"Goodbye, Salamander."
Natsu drowned in the sand.
Welcome To The Universe! Hoped you enjoyed this chapter.
Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I've been having a little trouble lately with finding inspiration for our fics, ergo the hiatus. I'd like to apologize – again – for the subpar quality this series has had from the get-go.
Since we began fanfiction, my writing has been driven by my love for the characters in the stories, but for the past few months, my focus has shifted from that into just making them suffer. Slowly, the characters became less like themselves and more like random words on a page. The stories lost their soul and for that, I apologize. Hopefully these last two chapters will be good enough to rectify my mistakes.
I'd like you to help us improve future books and keep this from happening again. Fanfiction is my way of practicing for my scripts and it's a hell load for my editor (my writing buddy) and I, so we'd like to know if we're doing things right. Your reviews help us see our flaws, see what we should add or do more. We can't do any of that – okay we can some of it -, but we'd do a better job if we had some feedback. So, help us give you better stories and just communicate with us; we'd like to know our audience a little better.
How'd you like this chapter? Was it good? Great? Boring is hell? Share the love and or hate in a review and check out our Deviantart page for some of our character designs. I know they're a few, but it's a work in progress.