Chapter 31

Night has come on the sixth and final day of the Grand Magic Games. As per usual, since three years ago after defending Fiore from the dragon's attack, all participating guilds were invited to the Flower Light Palace, Mercurius for the Grand Ball where they wear extravagant clothing.

"Hey, Laxus! Where's Luce?" Natsu, munching on a chicken leg and carrying a plate of different foods walked towards Laxus.

"Like I know. She's been gone for a while now." The blond man said, irritatingly as he walked away, trying to find his bride-to-be.

"Sting-sama!" Yukino shouted from a distance. All heads whipped to their guild's location and what they saw was something unbelievable. She was floating in the air as if she was being pulled by an invisible force.

"What the fu…?" Laxus uttered.

"Everyone, get out!" Erza ordered. Guilds ran towards the exit and successfully were able to reach the outside of the palace.

"Shit!" Warren Rocko said in his telepathic voice as he slammed into an invisible wall just when he was able to reach the exit.

"What?!" Natsu replied in the telepathy.

"Runes!" Warren said, panicking.

"Freed, what's the meaning of this?" Erza said through the mind communication.

"It's not me!" the Rune Mage protested.

"Then who?" Gray asked. Their train of thought was cut short when they heard Sting.

"Yukino! Grab my hand!" The White Dragon Slayer ran towards the girl and extended his hand to catch her. Though he managed to grab her, the pull was too strong. And he too was being taken.

"Rouge!" The man called for his twin Slayer and in a moment the Shadow Dragon Slayer appeared beside him and held into the girl's arm.

"Rouge-sama!" Still, it wasn't enough. Both men are effortlessly being pulled in.

"Yukino!" Lector and Frosch flew towards the girl and helped their team mates, their wings flapping in effort.

"Help!" The white-haired Celestial Spirit Mage cried as a black sphere appeared and threatened to suck her in. All of their eyes widened in panic.

"Orga, Rufus, help us!" Rogue struggled to pull the girl as he called to their other two members. The Lightning God Slayer and The Minstrel Who Sings to the Red Moon grabbed the girl with both hands and put more effort in pulling their team mate. Their effort seems to be bearing fruit as they were able to slowly tear the Yukino from the black sphere. However, their success was short lived as the force strengthened and managed to tear the girl from Sabertooth's grasps.

"Sting-sama!" She cried as she was swallowed by the black sphere.

"Yukino!" Sting ran towards her and punched the sphere in an effort to shatter it but it was useless.

"White Dragon's Roar!" A large tornado of light released from his mouth. It blinded everyone for a second and destroyed the tiled floor but the black sphere didn't budge. It was too strong.

"Sting-sama!" Yukino pounded the inside of the sphere.

"Just wait and I'll break this shit in a second." Sting jumped a few steps back, activated his Dragon Force, white scales covered his body and took on a battle stance. "Holy Ray!" He crouched down, gathered light in his hands and released numerous beams of light that all homed to the sphere. None have changed. The sphere was still intact and not even a crack can be seen

"Rouge!"

"Dragon Force!" Rouge activated his Spell. Thick aura of shadows covered his body as dark intricate scale patterns appeared in the edges of his face.

"Everyone, back off!" Sting warned, shouting. The people who were left ran towards the other corner of the room.

"Holy Shadow Dragon's Flash Fang!" Large spheres of Shadow and Light gathered in both Slayers' hands, the floors was further destroyed. They merged it into a single sphere and thrust it towards the sphere imprisoning Yukino. A large torrent of combined element burst forth and swallowed the prison sphere. Magic eventually subsided but still, it was no use. The Celestial Spirit Mage was still pounding at her prison, calling out for her friends to save her.

"Freed, Levy, analyze the Runes!" Erza announced through the telepathy.

"Hai!" Both replied.

"Black Lightning Sphere!" A large black sphere of electricity covered the prison sphere, damaging the surrounding area.

"Memory-Make: Shrine of Turbulent Fang" Tornadoes covered Yukino's sphere but it was still useless. It didn't budge. One tornado made contact with a pillar, destroying it and sending concrete everywhere.

"Erza, this Rune…" Freed said through the communication.

"It won't allow escape from Sabertooth and Fairy Tail…" Levy stuttered, fear obvious in her voice.

"Abyss Break." Natsu's Dragon Slayer ears picked up at the whisper.

"Everyone, it's an Abyss Break Spell!" He cried out, warning all the people present to take cover but it was too late. A dark blast rained down from above and hit them in full power.

"AAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"

The wake of the blast left the castle in ruins. The floor was demolished in pieces of concrete, shattered tiles were scattered, all pillars crumbled, walls fell down and unconscious bodies of large amounts of mages were lying on the ground. Though weak, bruised and battered, some were still able to stand: Natsu and Wendy who managed to eat the Fire and Wind Magic in the Abyss Break; Laxus who managed to resist the effects of the Spell by wrapping his body in a shroud of lightning using his immense magic power; Erza, by requipping into her Adamantine Armor; Jellal by casting his own Abyss Break Spell; Juvia who used her Water Body Spell and trapping Gray inside her; and Gajeel by covering his body using his Iron Dragon's Scales Spell. The Twin Dragon's of Sabertooth was left unscathed as Yukino managed to summon Libra and reverse the gravity of the Spell. However, both Orga and Rufus were among the unfortunate who took the blunt force.

"My, my, my, such destructive power! It makes me remember your birthday five months ago, how about you, my dear?" Sael descended in mid-air, features still old but he wasn't looking at the survivors. He was looking at the shadows by the stairs.

"Have you gone crazy? Talking at nothing." Erza mocked. All survivors gathered in a row in front of Sael, ready to take him on.

"Sting, Ryos," Gajeel called out to the remaining Sabertooth members. "This is our fight. This man owes us big time. Don't meddle with us and do your job to free your fellow team mate."

"Yes." Both agreed. The Iron Dragon Slayer was right. There's no time to waste.

"Okay, Sael, it's high time to pay the price." Natsu crackled his knuckles. His tone was nowhere near joking.

"Oh, but you see, it wasn't me you'll be fighting now." Sael smirked. "My lady, if you please." Someone moved in the shadows. She was wearing extravagant clothing like everyone.

"Lucy?" Laxus eyes widened. "No."


A/N: And here's another chapter for you, twilightamanda! The first of the last eight chapters! :D