A/N: Episode 197.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: LIFE TIME

Bacchus dodged an attack coming from a dragon. "We're overrun here! We should retreat!" Rocker informed.

"Not yet! I wanna drink tasty booze with the Fairy Tail guys later on, so let's dig in one more..." Bacchus replied, not noticing a dragon was behind him.

"Bacchus! Behind you!" Rocker warned.

Bacchus leaped into the air to avoid the attack when the dragon struck him with its tail.

"Hang in there, Droy! Somebody! Somebody, help! Droy isn't breathing! He's not breathing!" Jet shouted as dragons surrounded him.

Macao ended up getting thrown to the wall as his fire dispersed. "Pop!" Romeo called out as Wakaba held him back.

"Stay here, Romeo!"

"But..." Romeo began to protest.

"I'll go. Be right there, Macao!" Wakaba shouted.

"Don't worry about me! Take care of Romeo!" Macao told him as dragons surrounded him.

"Pop!" Romeo shouted as he began to tear up, closing his eyes as a blast was heard, followed by a scream.

"Sherria! Where are you?!" Lyon called out as Juvia had tears falling from her eyes. "Sherria! Sherria! Sherria... We need your Healing Magic... Please! Gray's been..."

"It went... right through his head..." Meredy sobbed.

Jellal quickly rushed towards Siegrain. "Hey, Sieg! Don't you dare die on me! You hear me, bastard?!" He shouted.

"Please! You're all I have left! Don't do this to me, Siegrain!" Jellal cried out.

A tear slipped from Erza's eye. "Jellal... It's no use. Siegrain is already..." She stopped herself, not being able to say it.

"I know..." Jellal choked out. "I know, Erza..."

Kaira was walking through the town when a golden glow from her hand suddenly caught her eye. She lifted her arm up and noticed she was disappearing.

"No, no, no... The Eclipse Portal isn't destroyed yet, why am I vanishing?" Kaira asked herself before her eyes widened in realization.

If she was vanishing, then that could only mean one thing.

One of her parents has died.

Atlas Flame flew into the air as Mother Glare flew in front of him. "Shall I deliver the finishing blow?" Future Rogue asked. "Do it! Mother Glare!"

Atlas Flame was able to dodge Mother Glare's attack as Natsu breathed heavily.

"What are you thinking, Atlas Flame? Why are you assisting that human?" Mother Glare questioned.

"I told you. We're talking about a child raised by Igneel, king of the Fire Dragons. Human or not, we're kin!" Atlas Flame replied.

"I cannot comprehend that. But if you're standing against me, I shan't hold back!" Mother Glare claimed.

"I wouldn't want you to."

Natsu began eating more of Atlas Flame's hellfire. "Bastard. You still intend to fight? You don't know when to give up." Future Rogue said.

"That's 'cause I just need to eat flames to get my power back!" Natsu stated.

"That may be, but your wounds haven't healed. No matter how much power you get back, if you suffer a fatal blow, it's all over!" Future Rogue exclaimed, dodging his attack and sent one of his own, in which it narrowly missed Natsu.

Atlas Flame caught Natsu on time. "Eat this!" Future Rogue shouted, sending another attack as Natsu leaped into the air.

"I can't afford to lose! Not against nobody or nothin'!" Natsu landed on Mother Glare's back and face Future Rogue. "I made a promise!"

"A promise?" Future Rogue repeated.

"Raging Volt!" Laxus shouted, attacking Zirconis as it had no effect.

"What's wrong?! This attack is unworthy of someone so high-spirited." Zirconis taunted.

"I'm just warmin' up." Laxus claimed as lightning cackled.

"Even Laxus's attack won't go through. That Zirconis is truly formidable." Lily commented.

"Even though he's a Dragon Slayer, that's no guarantee he'll beat the dragon, right?" Carla asked.

"If he can't do it alone, then maybe with my help..." Wendy charged forward. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"

The wind soon combined with the lightning. "Nice one, Wendy!" Laxus praised, attacking Zirconis with lightning once more.

"Did it work?" Lily questioned.

"It was a palpable hit. This should do it right here!" Carla responded.

Zirconis was knocked to the ground. "Old man, it's almost too easy to end it here after all your boastful talk." Laxus said as Zirconis rose from the smoke.

"You struck a blow to my face... You stripling..."

"I don't believe it! That wasn't fatal?!" Lily exclaimed.

"Even though that same punch took down Jura?!" Carla added.

"You're actually starting to make me mad. I enjoy mocking girls, but I'll never enjoy bantering with males. I'll just devour you whole, clothes and all." Zirconis claimed as Wendy backed up.

"The man here looks unappetizing with his tough meat, but you..." Zirconis licked his lips and charged forward.

"Wendy, get away!" Laxus shielded Wendy from Zirconis.

"Laxus-san!"

"Rogue! Give up and come with me!" Levia shouted.

"I refuse!" Rogue exclaimed, dodging his attack.

"Accept your fate! Eventually, your heart will be tainted with darkness!" Levia said.

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen! As long as he's around..." Rogue looked down at Sting.

"How tough is this son of a bitch?!" Sting exclaimed, thrusting holy light forward as Scissor Runner dodged it.

The two dragons crashed into one another. "You would interfere with me? If you can't help me, fight elsewhere!" Levia said.

"This is my territory! Don't act so high and mighty, latecomer!" Scissor Runner retorted.

Sting landed on the ground. "Now, Rogue!"

"Yeah!"

Both Sting and Rogue activated their Magic, striking both Levia and Scissor Runner while they were distracted.

"We did it!"

"I don't feel a thing from an attack like that." Levia spoke.

"This is annoying. I think we should just finish this now." Scissor Runner said as Sting ended up getting thrown back.

"Sting!" Rogue called out.

"Rogue. I'm done trying to reason with you. Like it or not, you're coming with me." Levia claimed.

"Iron Dragon's Sword!" Gajeel shouted, striking the dragon but he ended up getting thrown back.

The dragon soon took flight. "Right? Or left?" Gajeel asked himself. "Which way will it come from?!"

"Crap!"

The dragon struck Gajeel, piercing his claw into his chest as he flew back and crashed into a wall.

Cobra continued to attack the rock dragon. "Unless your poison can penetrate this body, it's useless! And I think it's about time for my turn."

Cobra ended up crashing to the ground.

"Prepare yourself!"

Lucy continued running towards the palace. "I have to hurry! I need to tell everyone about that note!" She told herself.

She turned the corner, only to come face to face with a bunch of mini dragons that surrounded her. "Oh no!" Lucy thought.

Ultear was still collapsed on her knees. "My life was cursed. I've deceived people, mocked them, and taken their lives. But, Gray... You gave me a chance to live as a human being. I intended the independent guild Crime Sorciére to be my way of atoning my sins. I meant to atone... but I didn't change. I'm still a witch who doesn't think twice about murdering someone. I... I don't deserve to live." She thinks to herself.

Ultear thought back to her time as a young girl in Grimoire Heart. "But now... I do." She raised her hand. "If giving up my life can reset the world... I'll gladly offer it."

Ultear's hands began to glow as she slammed them onto the ground, energy swirling around her.

"Arc of Time! Last Ages!"

The clock soon struck.

Ultear screamed in pain as her body began to crack. "Tough it out! Think of the agony you inflicted on so many people! Compared to that, this pain is... Exquisite pain... running through my cells... one by one... Is this where I pay the price with my time... with my life?!" She wondered as she sat up.

"My life is flowing out of me... My time is vanishing... My life... My future is..."

Ultear screamed.

"It was a life tainted by villainy and vice, but looking back, someone was always there for me. Gray, Jellal, Meredy... It was more happiness than someone like me deserved. And yet, I didn't realize it. I spent my time and my life on foolish things. But it's not too late! I'll sacrifice the rest of my time for the sake of those who are dear to me! Please! Bring the world back... to at least before the portal was opened! Take my life in exchange for just a little time!"

Bright lights soon appeared before a large beam surrounded Crocus.

Once the spell was finished, Ultear turned to look at the clock. "Time... Time... went back..."

She saw that the clock had barely changed as she widened her eyes. "...one minute?! The value... of my life... is just one minute?!"

Ultear began to fall forward. "No... I couldn't save a single soul..." She realized, finally collapsing to the ground in exhaustion.

"Look out!" Gray warned as he grabbed onto Juvia and Meredy, making them duck for cover.

"Don't lose focus!" Lyon shouted as he froze another dragon. "This is a battleground!"

Gray and Meredy stood up. "Sorry!" Meredy apologized.

Juvia's face was red. "Gray-sama touched Juvia's behind..." She muttered.

"Juvia..." Gray called out her name. However, before he continued, something flashed within everyone's minds as they saw Gray getting killed.

"What was that just now?" Lyon asked.

"I'm gonna get killed?" Gray questioned.

"A dream?" Meredy guessed.

"Juvia saw it, too." Juvia informed.

"What the hell?! Suddenly getting a vision of my death is just too creepy!" Gray exclaimed.

"The little dragons appear from over there..." Meredy stated, pointing.

The dragons soon appeared, ready to fire the beam. "They really did show up!" Lyon exclaimed.

Gray used his Magic and froze the dragons before they could make an attack.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Lyon yelled.

"Did someone warn us?" Gray wondered. "Who could've done that?"

Siegrain knocked down more of the dragons. "They just keep coming!" He complained.

Suddenly, a vision of him dying flashed in his mind. "Jellal, Erza... You both saw that, right?" Siegrain asked.

"A vision of you getting killed? Yeah." Jellal replied.

Just like in the vision, a mini dragon aimed its beam at Jellal and Erza.

Siegrain swipes his hand and shouts, "Cepheus!"

An explosion appeared underneath the dragons, collapsing the ground underneath them.

"That Magic just now... It can't be..." Siegrain thought.

"Ultear?"

Beams fired at Jet and Droy. "Whoa!" Jet exclaimed as him and Droy took cover in an alleyway.

"But what was that just now? It's like a caught a glimpse of the future." Droy said.

"A warning? Then it's dangerous here. Let's go over there!" Jet informed.

"Yeah!" Droy agreed.

"It can't have been a dream..." Romeo muttered.

"It was like images from the future..." Wakaba said.

"Then this area is dangerous." Macao stated.

That day, people all over the world saw one minute into their future.

However, like a dream, it quickly faded from memory, so not many people would dwell on this mysterious phenomenon.

But for the wizards who were in the middle of battle, seeing one minute into the future made the difference between life and death.

Zirconis charged forward. "What was that just now?" Wendy wondered.

"We can think about it later!" Laxus shouted as Wendy moved out of the way of Zirconis's jaws.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!"

"Lightning Dragon's Roar!"

Wendy and Laxus's breath attacks combined, attacking Zirconis.

"Images... of the future..." Lily turned to Carla. "Was that your power, Carla?"

"It wasn't me." Carla answered.

"It wasn't me, either." Happy chimed in.

Lily and Carla sweat dropped. "We know that."

"A vision?!" Bacchus mumbled, moving out of the way just in time.

"You did it, Bacchus! Awesome!" Rocker cheered.

That one minute...

"Right?!" Gajeel asked himself. "Here!"

Gajeel struck the dragon with his Iron Dragon's Sword.

That one minute became the root of the human race's counterattack.

"What the...? For just an instant, I could see his movements." Gajeel said.

"Take this!" Cobra shouted, striking the rock dragon.

"Here I come!" Sting yelled, attacking Scissor Runner with holy light.

"Where did you go, Rogue?! Come out!" Levia shouted as Rogue appeared from the shadows.

"I won't let you get your way! I refuse!" Rogue claimed, leaping into the air and attacking Levia with shadows.

Lucy continued running before she stopped. "What is this? If I turn that corner..." She paused as a vision of her being surrounded by dragons.

"I can't turn there..." Lucy mumbled as she went straight.

The attack continued striking Zirconis as both Wendy and Laxus had determined looks.

"Princess, let's leave this to the wizards. Come." Arcadios said.

"I'll escort you." Yukino offered.

"No. Please let me stay here. I have a duty to watch what happens." Hisui informed.

"Princess... But..." Yukino began to protest.

"Everyone!" Lucy called out, getting their attention as they surrounded Lucy.

"Look! Look at this!"

"What is it?"

"A memo pad from the future me!" Lucy explained.

"Future you?"

"Here..." Lucy handed Yukino the memo pad.

"'If by any chance the portal in this time period is destroyed, the Eclipse portal in the future will cease to exist. As part of a chain reaction, I'll also disappear from existence.'" Yukino reads.

"What does that mean?" Arcadios questioned.

"It's talking about what will happen if the portal in our time period is destroyed. Then the future will be painted over with a future in which the portal was destroyed. The portal will wink out of existence in the future. If that happens, Rogue won't have any means to come back to our time period." Lucy explained.

"But is it possible to stop what's already happened?" Hisui asked.

"If everything worked out, then both the dragons and Rogue would disappear from our time!" Happy replied.

"It's worth a shot!" Carla added.

"However, there's one big problem. How do we destroy a giant structure like that?" Arcadios asked.

"It won't be an easy job." Lily responded.

"But if Rogue doesn't come from the future, the world should return to its proper history. We have to do it. And I have to keep my promise to my future self!" Lucy declared.

A/N: Since I only have one more chapter of the Eclipse Arc (plus the filler episodes that Siegrain will show up in). Once the Tartaros Arc starts, there will be some changes. First of all, Siegrain will be one of the Seal Keys for Face. Not Jellal. Because it just makes more sense. Crawford will also not be transferring the final key into himself, but he'll still die. I was going to have Siegrain be under the protection of Crime Sorciere and therefore Tartaros can't activate Face (because Erza wouldn't betray him. She's as loyal to someone who's like a brother to her as much as she is to Jellal).

But then I thought, that would intercept Igneel and the other dragons returning. So I made the decision that Seilah finds Siegrain, and Crime Sorciere fights to protect him. But Seilah captures him and returns to the Cube, where Kyoka stabs him and puts him out of commission. Jellal arrives, sees Siegrain with a pool of blood surrounding him, and becomes enraged (Can you tell I want to write Jellal being enraged? He only does it for Siegrain and Erza in this book).

Siegrain "dies" obviously as he has to in order for Face to activate, but Wendy ends up healing him. Which means, more trauma for Siegrain if you count the Council being bombed by Jackal. I'm literally putting him through so much.

If anyone wants to write a scene with that general idea, feel free to PM me it because I love getting ideas.

~ Kaleb.