Happy new year. minna! This lazy bum has finally decided to update the story. But this section of the story had been so long I had to divide it into three parts. This is the final section of Slaughter. After this, the story would have just one or two chapters left. Enjoy!

Warning: ANGST AS FUCK.

Disclaimer: No idk i no own.

Chapter - 11

Battle

"What's the meaning of this?" Erza demanded, equipping her sword. "What have you done to them?" Drake smirked at her, while Juvia gasped at the uncanny resemblance. "I tried to kill them, of course," he said, "Sadly, I got interrupted once again." Drake tilted his head to the side, smirk plastered on his face and his eyes glowing green, "But that doesn't mean they aren't gonna die."

Erza glared at him, gritting her teeth, "Juvia, back me up-"

"Juvia cannot fight him." Erza turned to her, shocked. Juvia gulped. "Juvia knows she won't be of any use, if forced to fight against Gray-sama."

Erza considered her words. Then she said, "Try to get an opening then, and move those two to a safer place." Juvia nodded in agreement.

"I can hear you, you know," Drake gave them a condescending look before dodging multiple swords. "Looks like Titania is pissed off," Drake snickered and sent his own attacks of ice. Erza repelled them with her sword. "This is the last warning Drake. Leave Gray alone, or I won't hold back. I promise you."

Drake readied a stance for his next ice attack. "That's a silly deal. What's interesting about that? I'd rather have you go all out. Ice Make: Sword." An ice sword materialized out of thin air, glowing in the moonlight. "Fight me, Titania."

Erza and Juvia charged together. Drake's face twisted into a deranged smile. "Water Slicer!" Juvia attacked Drake, making him dodge the attacks. Meanwhile, Erza charged with her sword. Drake blocked the attack in the last second, before the sword reached his neck. But this movement made him fall prey to Juvia's spell, "Water Nebula!"

"Shit," He pointed his hand at the water formation, freezing it just in time. Juvia passed him and scooping up Gajeel and Lyon using water as braces. Drake turned around to send another volley of ice lances at her, only to have them pass through her.

"Juvia, go!" Erza screamed and sliced extremely fast at Drake with her sword. Drake made a sound of annoyance and blocked the attacks the best he could. "Hold on Gajeel-kun, Lyon-san," Juvia whispered, escaping from the battleground.

"You might have noticed," Erza said conversationally, "that if Juvia had wanted to hurt you, you would have been defeated by now."

"Tch, do not underestimate me, Titania. I was bored of them anyway," Drake made a face, with resembled Gray's mannerisms so much that she nearly froze. Drake took the chance and blasted her off with ice. Erza skidded to a stop. 'I can't get distracted now,' she thought, 'if I lose here, I would lose Gray forever.' She looked around at the buildings destroyed by him. There were civilians living here! She couldn't let them fall prey to his madness!

She saw Drake approaching her with a smirk. She had to act fast. Drake then sent a volley of ice lances at her.

This was her chance!

Acting as if she was dodging the attack, she made a run for it. She saw Drake following her with more ice attacks ready. She went straight out of the Magnolia borders into the barren area surrounding it. She turned around, to check if Drake was following him but was shocked to see the area empty. "Searching for someone, Titania?" She turned ahead, only to find Drake waiting for her with an attack ready.

"You can't fool me that easily," he said, forming multiple ice canons aimed at her. Erza's eyes widened.

Before she could have been blasted off into the city, she shouted, "Requip!" She equipped into the Adamantine armor, protecting herself and Magnolia from the incoming assault. "I won't let you harm anybody anymore," Erza glared at him. Drake laughed. "So you wanna stay in the desert, huh?" he glared at her, "I'll make you stay here."

Suddenly, runes materialized around them both. She gasped. With the persistent ice attacks and Gray's face as Drake's pretense, she had totally forgotten about the rune magic!

"One can escape these runes," Drake smirked, "only if the other person dies." Erza gasped as Drake laughed insanely. "Let the game begin!"

"Wendy!" Juvia called, accelerating towards Wendy and Freed in her water form. "Please," she sniffed, landing in front of them, "Help them!"

"Oh my god," Freed muttered in horror, seeing the terrible condition of Gajeel and Lyon. Wendy gasped and raced towards them, starting to heal them at once. Juvia sat on the road, hugging herself and shaking from the sobs.

"I… I saw Gray-sama… h-his eyes were green and-" she wailed, "I saw him stab Gajeel-kun!" Freed hugged the water alchemist. "I couldn't even fight him, I couldn't stand…"

"Shh, it will be alright. C'mon Juvia-"

"NO! I saw him! He was completely out of it. I l-left Erza to fight that- that monster in Gray-sama's body." Juvia didn't stop crying. "I couldn't do anything!"

"No, Juvia, you brought Gajeel and Lyon away from him, didn't you? They are safe because of you." Juvia didn't respond, and Freed took that as a good sign.

Meanwhile, Wendy tried her best to heal the two, at least temporarily till they reached the guild. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. If she wasn't a healer with actual battle experience, she couldn't have been able to handle the gore. Nonetheless, seeing her nakama in such a state and knowing that Gray-san was behind this…

No, it wasn't Gray-san who did his! It was Drake. Gray-san didn't even know about this… or did he? Wendy's eyes widened at the thought.

Drake had to be stopped.

She concentrated on healing. Gajeel-san was brutally stabbed and had lost a lot of blood. Lyon-san was charred from top to bottom, his clothes battered, with his pulse very low. They needed immediate and proper attention with medication. All she could do was buying them some time.

She was so lost in thought that she almost missed the groan. "W-Wendy…" the sky maiden gasped, "Gajeel-san!" Hearing her exclamation, Juvia rushed towards them.

"S-save L-Lyon," Gajeel groaned, forcing out each syllable, "And s-save G-Gray…" saying this, he once again succumbed into darkness, as they stared in shock. "Juvia-san," Wendy said, snapping Juvia out of her trance, "We need to transport them to the guild infirmary. Porlyusica san will be there. She can help them better."

"Okay."

Suddenly, another explosion resounded throughout Magnolia. "I'll proceed towards the explosions," Freed said, rushing off. Wendy and Juvia carefully grabbed the injured and rushed towards the guild.

The explosions continued resounding throughout Magnolia as the guild teams dispersed within the city to evacuate Magnolia and to bring the injured to the guild infirmary. Natsu and Lucy ran through the streets back to the guild with injured people with them.

"Dammit," Natsu said, "A fight is going on and I don't even know who is up against him."

"Let's get our job done first," Lucy said, "After all, the hour is going to end very soon." Natsu looked at her, "How much time is left?"

"Five minutes."

"Dammit," Natsu grumbled again. Lucy glared at him, "Don't tell me you wanted to fight."

"No," Natsu glared back, "I don't want to fight Gray. I want to save him." Lucy waited for his reason as Natsu sighed again, "It's just that Drake was able to injure so many people, and injure even the guild members, in just an hour's time, just because Gray was extremely strong."

Lucy's eyes widened, "So you mean that the two cannot be combined because it will be nothing more than a disaster." She gulped.

Natsu stared ahead, "Yeah. All we could do now is trust Freed and Wendy."

"Only the Possessed can kill Drake," Mavis said, "the only way to finish his reign of terror is by making Gray able to kill him. And he can do so with the help of the Rune wizard."

Laxus gritted his teeth at the thought of Freed being out there alone. Suddenly, he tensed up.

"Laxus?" Bickslow said uncertainly.

"Come with me, Bickslow," he said as he rushed outside. The two masters wondered what had happened when, "Master!"

Makarov and Mavis turned to look at Laxus and Bickslow entering the guild, along with Wendy and Juvia. They were carrying two wizards who looked worse than death.

"Oh my goodness," Levy exclaimed in shock, "what happened to them!" She rushed towards Laxus who was carrying an injured Gajeel.

"Pantherlily," Mavis commanded, as the shaken feline blinked, "Inform Porlyusica-san. Get two beds ready with Mirajane."

"Y-yes, First," he uttered and flew off towards the infirmary.

"H-he's not breathing…" Levy's voice wavered, "G-Gajeel is not breathing…"

"Bickslow," Laxus exclaimed, "Let's carry them upstairs!" He adjusted Gajeel onto his back so as to not disturb the wounds any further and both of them rushed upstairs. Levy sat on the floor, shaking.

Suddenly the guild doors opened and Natsu and Lucy barged in, followed by the evacuation team.

"The town has been safely evacuated," Lucy informed. Then, she saw Levy on the floor, on the verge of tears, "Levy-chan?" She rushed towards her and asked, "What happened? Are you alright?"

"Lyon…" Natsu muttered from the location she left him at. He seemed to be frozen. "Lyon and Gajeel… I can smell their blood…"

Lucy gasped, "Gajeel went to fetch Lyon from Lamia Scale. They must have bumped into-"

"Gray," Levy spat, "Gray did this to him. Gajeel is dead because of Gray!" She suddenly gasped, feeling a sting on her cheek.

"How can you say that?" Lucy screamed, "How can you blame Gray for this?"

"I… I don't know anymore, Lu-chan," Levy sobbed with her face hidden by her palms, "I am sorry! I did not mean it but… but Gajeel… and so many more…"

"Let's go upstairs," Lucy muttered. She helped Levy up and went to the infirmary.

Meanwhile, Laxus came downstairs. "They are stable," Laxus declared, "but wasn't that Lyon guy Gray's brother figure or something?"

Yeah..." Natsu replied, with a faraway voice.

"Tch," Laxus made a sour face, "This is getting out of hand…"

"… I need to see them," Natsu said and rushed upstairs, bumping into Bickslow, who didn't give him any heed.

"What's going on?" Natsu inquired, entering the already crowded infirmary.

"Please," Porylusica frowned, "I need you all to leave the room. Their condition has been stabilized for now but they certainly aren't gonna wake up-"

"Shh!" Natsu shushed her. He tried to hear it again, more intently.

"…-tsu…"

"Lyon!" The dragon slayer immediately rushed to the ice mage's side, "P-p-please…" Lyon rasped out, "G-Gray… I c-couldn't-… h-he's s-suffering…" Natsu couldn't look into the pained eyes anymore.

"K-kill… him…"

"What…" Natsu looked up in shock. Natsu saw a lone tear escape his eye.

"H-he… c-c-can't…"

Porlyusica and Wendy rushed to Lyon's side as he started to have a coughing fit. Mirajane showed the rest of the members out of the room.

"Natsu…" Lucy started hesitantly, "are you okay?"

"No," he said as he walked away towards the main hall. Lucy sighed and went to try her hand again at consoling Levy and Juvia.

Erza gritted her teeth, "Why are you doing this?"

"My my, Titania," Drake snickered, "There's obviously one answer to my little puzzle. But I'll ask nicely anyway," he outstretched his arms into the ice-make stance, "please die."

"In your dreams," Erza said, attacking head on this time. She dodged the volley of ice attacks aimed towards her and equipped into her Heaven's Wheel armor. Multiple swords appeared out of thin air and aimed themselves at Drake.

"Dissipate the runes and surrender."

"And why should I do that? I'd rather have you dead. It's not like you'd harm your precious Gra-" he coughed of blood as one of the swords passed through his torso.

"There are two things I've learned so far. First," she said approaching the rune mage with a sword in her hand, "You don't get hurt, you heal automatically no matter what happens to you. And second, you have this misconception that I won't hurt you." She smirked as she sliced at Drake, missing him by inches as he stumbled back.

"Tch, you'll pay for this Titania," he winced, pulling out the sword and the wound healed itself, "you won't step out alive."

"Oh, we'll see what happens when you actually manage to even touch me," she snorted, "let's see, greenie eye, who wins and who gets mutilated." Somewhere in Magnolia, Natsu sneezed. Someone had just stolen his weird naming rights.

Why you… Ice make Gungnir!" A large ice formation encased Erza as it rose up towards the sky. Then, a crack resounded through the atmosphere and the top broke into pieces. The scarlet knight ran down the ice, her sword ready in stance.

"Ice make sword!" Drake said, an ice blade materializing into his palm. He headed for his enemy, as Erza launched towards him. The two mages clashed mid-air, the sound of ice-metal collision resonating throughout the arena. Erza swung the weapon effortlessly at Drake, as he struggled to parry them.

"This is weak," Erza declared, slicing through and breaking the ice formation. Drake's eyes widened. She pushed him back by the hilt of her sword. Drake stumbled and fell down. "Your ice formations are far weaker than Gray's." She smirked down on him, pointing the sword at his throat. "You can never win against me with such petty tricks you are trying to call yours. Give up Drake, leave Gray alo-"

Suddenly, she was blinded by immense pain emerging from her head. She shrieked and collapsed, but remained very much conscious. "Weak weak WEAK! I'm TIRED of hearing this!" Drake screamed in rage, grabbing his head. He then stood up, with menace in his eyes, and readied his sword once again. "You think the sword I create is weak? Lemme see how weak it is when you're writhing on the floor like the bug you are!"

Erza's eyes widened as he brought down the sword down towards her heart. She raised her own sword though the pain but she knew she was too late.

She closed her eyes, expecting pain, but nothing happened. Even the immense headache subsided. She heard the sword clank as it was dropped beside her. That was the moment she decided to look up.

"E-Erza…" tears welled up in his beautiful blue orbs. "I-I… Erz-" Gray collapsed; right into Erza's waiting arms. "G-Gray!" Erza's vision became blurry with tears. "The hour is up!" A relieved laugh escaped her lips. But then she looked at the ice mage and the smile quickly faded. "Gray?"

It was as if all the world's regret and pain had etched itself onto the ice mage's face. "I h-hurt you… I promised to never let anyone make you cry. Yet, I'm the reason you're…"

"Baka!" She hugged him tightly. "It's not your fault! It's over. For now, it's over. You're back and there's nothing else I desire!"

Gray sobbed, "B-but I hurt so many people… Loke, Gajeel, L-Lyon and N-Natsu! It's all my fault they're-"

"It's not your fault!" Erza screamed, "Don't even dare to blame this on you! This is all Drake's fault. It was not in your hands."

"But that is precisely why it is my fault! If only I hadn't been weak enough to let him control me…"

"You are not weak. I'll say it and you better remember it, Gray Fullbuster. You are not weak and none of this is your fault!" She declared, looking into his blue eyes she had longed for since the last hour. He stared back, but the dark undertone in his eyes didn't go away. And she had a feeling that it would not go away for a long while.

"C'mon, let's head back to the guild."

"E-Erza…"

"What's it?"

"T-the runes…" he said, the horror evident on his face. Erza's eyes widened, as she tore her gaze away from him. The runes were intact. They hadn't dissipated with the hour's end.

Suddenly, Gray pushed her away and retreated into a corner. He trembled, grabbing his hair, "one of us has to die," he gave a chuckle, shocking Erza, "we are trapped forever. He knew the hour was up. He did this deliberately. I should have kno-"

"Gray!" Gray snapped up to look at a terrified Erza. He heard a voice at the back of his mind, "You might have won our battle today, Gray-chan," Drake whispered, "but this is your last win. All there's left for you to do for completing the Slaughter ritual is you mastering my magic," the voice chuckled and faded away as Gray snapped back to reality, with a frantic Erza shaking him.

"Gray! What happened to you? Did he control you again?"

"… to master his magic…" Gray whispered. He stood up, with a wary Erza, and walked towards the nearest rune wall. He touched it.

Drake was right. He could feel the runes as if they were his own. And the next thing he knew, the runes had dissipated. He laughed, "Mastering his magic," tears escaped his eyes, "Completing slaughter…" he collapsed onto his knees and hugged himself, crying his eyes out. He then felt a sting on his arm. He looked at it. Three parallel slices.

Freed gawked at the scene. He had reached the clearing and nearly had dissipated the runes when the ice mage just walked up to the barrier and managed to dissipate it like it was nothing. He saw Erza standing behind Gray, frozen in shock, unable to move even after the ice mage collapsed.

"Gray…" Freed said, approaching the ice mage, but Gray backed away, far away from both of them. "Stay away from me… or I'll hurt you too…" he got up and ran away.

"Erza," Freed said, "Go back to the guild." Erza looked at him, trying to comprehend his reason behind stopping her from following her nakama.

"I'm here on First's instructions," Freed declared, "I will save Gray, no matter what happens."

Erza stared at him, and then turned and walked away towards the guild's direction, leaving the fate of her childhood friend in the hands of the rune master.

"No…" Natsu came down the stairs when he heard Bickslow utter the word, "N-no way…" Bickslow approached the fire mage, removing his visor.

Natsu scowled at him. What was with this guy?

"Oi… do you wanna fight?"

"It's inside you too…"

"What?"

Erza entered the guild hall, looking shaken. But she too diverted her attention to Bickslow's shocked face. Lucy, Levy and Juvia had also joined them.

"Drake's soul…" Bickslow gulped, "A mutilated part of it… it is inside you, Natsu."

Natsu's world stopped. "T-that's impossible."

He couldn't smell Gray, because Drake was inside him. He was able to enter into Gray's mind because he was possessed.

That night in the cave, the smoke surrounded them as the soul mutilated itself into three unequal parts. One went to Natsu, one went to Gray. And the last part was locked in the trunk in the runes' basement, which Freed and Gray were off to seek.

At the back of his mind, he could hear Mavis commanding something to the guild mates. Lucy was saying something he would later comprehend. But there was just one thing he knew.

Freed's journey with Gray was futile because Natsu was also possessed.

BOOM!

I'm SO sorry for the cliffhanger. Really. (JK I'm not.)

Feel free to read and review!

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