This week was a bit busy. Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been busy and I have been working on a canon project. I just feel tired so I will just go into the story. Maybe a lone AN at the end.

Bilderburg retreated, stung by the loss their leader suffered. However, the cost was great. Many were injured and the damage to the city was great. The beauty of the city was ruined and at least a hundred citizens had died during the attack. Magnolia's reputation as one of the most best places to live was crushed. Magnolia was no longer a safe place to live and hundreds of thousands left the city in mass exodus. The city was a shell of what it once was and it seemed that the grey clouds that hung over the city would not leave.

In Fairy Tail, the mages were resting and they were worried about the future. Gildartz was trying to appeal to the Wizard Council for aide, but they had been unresponsive. The government was also of no help. The attacks on Angkol camps had brought the Garlan Empire into war. The people rioted in the streets and the Garlan armies were in turmoil as Angkol soldiers assaulted the borders of the empire. It was clear that the Angkols could easily handle two enemies at once. Lidia had no choice. It was time for war.

The fields near Oak Town

The screams of dying soldiers pierced the air as the ground was tossed up by the cannons from both sides. The field had once been green and filled with nice flowers, but the ground was scarred and the dirt was kicked up everywhere with hundreds of soldiers advancing forward, praying that a cannonball would not end their lives in a hail of shrapnel.

"Soldiers! Present rifles!"

Hundreds of rifles aimed towards the group of kettle helmeted Angkol riflemen advancing forward, their uniforms a wine red against the brown of the field. The long row of rifles were still aimed towards the advancing Angkol soldiers, a few of the rifles wobbling with anticipation. The soldiers were anxious to fire as they saw the group of Angkol soldiers stop and aim their own rifles. The soldier's squinted their eyes and lowered their heads, putting their eyes completely level with their rifle barrels and putting their cheeks against their bolts to protect their heads from bullets. The air hung heavy as the command was called out.

"Fire!"

The shots rang out, several Angkol soldiers going down, screaming. The soldiers nodded their heads as they scrambled to load more bullets into their rifles, but soon soldiers from their own ranks were falling. Suddenly there was an explosion from the very left side of the Angkol line and the soldiers let out a small cheer as they aimed once again and fired.

…

"We have taken the field gentlemen!" exclaimed the man wearing the red uniform and holding field glasses to his pale face.

Several of the uniformed men behind him nodded but one of the officers was not impressed. He wore a different uniform, a dark grey uniform with a gold rope going around his shoulders. He wore glasses and he was shaking his head. He took the glasses from the pale man and he quickly scanned the field, grimacing as another salvo of bullets brought down more Garlan soldiers.

"The battle is not over yet gentlemen. You underestimate the enemy Faldio. Our enemy is stronger than you think." said the man as he put down the field glasses as the pale officer pursed his lips.

"With all due respect, Lord General Crack, I believe that the battle is won-"

A series of explosions and cries of pain turned the attention of the officers towards the field. An entire line of Garlan soldiers went down in a cluster of dirt and strange shouts could be heard as the survivors of the ambush started to retreat, running from the front lines. Crack glanced at Faldio as he shouted to the returning soldiers.

"Retreat immediately! Oak Town is lost! Await reinforcement from the mages! Go!" Crack shouted as Angkol brutes started to appear through the dust.

Crack looked at Faldio who had a grim look on his face as the officers quickly piled onto a truck.

"Let this be a lesson to you." And with that, another town fell to the Angkols.

?

It had been a long journey from the main base but they had finally made it to the outskirts of the town. Jack looked up at the gates of the city, smiling as he looked at the iron that blocked him from going any farther. He looked all around him to see if anyone was watching. The town seemed completely empty and the clouds were grey. It was a shame that Ferdinand had gone ahead without him.

"Hmm, this doesn't seem like a small town at all." sighed Jack as metal cables slowly coiled around the gates.

The cables gripped the bars tightly and with a single flick of his wrist, the iron gates screeched terribly as they were torn from the gatehouses. The iron gates were flung onto the dirt path and Jack moved quickly, expecting hordes of people to come out of their houses.

But no one came.

Jack shrugged his cloaked shoulders when he saw that no one was going to attack or investigate. It was a shame. If the rest of the crew had been here, they would have had a marvelous time destroying the town. Alas, he and Ferdinand were the last surviving members of Tartaros. He continued on, looking up at the volcano as he went. He marveled at the size of the volcano and quickly followed the path up past a collapsed cave. The path spiraled around the volcano and after several minutes of walking, Jack came to the top to see the boiling inside of the volcano. He slowly smiled his devious smile.

"This is where it all begins."

Fairy Tail

Raymond was sitting at a lunch table, trying to eat a sandwich when the doors to the guild smashed open and a man with dark brown hair stormed in. He wore official looking robes and he walked right up to Natsu who was chewing on a torch. Natsu noticed the strange man and the two talked for a while like they knew each other. The man moved on and finally, he had found himself in the middle of the guild. He looked around the large wooden main hall to see everyone at least half glancing at him. Finally, he cleared his throat and shouted in a loud voice.

"ASH TOWN! GO TO ASH TOWN! TARTAROS' NEXT TARGET IS ASH TOWN!" the man shouted as everyone gave him looks.

Nobody really knew what this all meant besides Asura, Azami, Raymond and a select group of people. The guild watched as the master's office slowly opened and Gildartz walked out. He had concerned look on his face as he walked through the lunch room towards the strange man. Gildartz looked at the man, a dark look coming onto his face.

"Ash Town? Are you sure Hitoshi?" asked Gildartz as Hitoshi nodded slowly.

?

"Ash Town…"

"Are you sure he's there?"

"…yes, I can feel it."

"…"

"Then to Ash Town we go. We have unfinished business."

"Then we need to hurry. It would be bad if they found the artifact…"

Yeah…sorry about this chapter. It was more a buildup for next chapter. I was really uninspired so it made it even worse. At least you got to see Crime Sorciere and Crack again. Anyways, review and I will see you all later. FF