"What…did you just say…?" Erza shuddered, in complete disbelief of what Hahlos revealed.
Hahlos doesn't respond. But that only made Erza shake furiously.
"But…how can that be?!" Jellal exclaimed, clenching both of his fists. "We began our operation two hours ago! It was said that the revival ceremony wouldn't happen until midday!"
"That was only an educated assumption." Hahlos retorts. "Did you believe we'd hold the revival process publicly? Izanagi isn't really one to make public showcases…"
Erza clenched her sword tightly. She looked down as her red hair covered both her eyes. "Don't lie! I refuse to believe anything you say, you fiend!" She cursed, shooting her head back up and glaring at the angel.
Hahlos stares at Erza's furious expression. He lowers his head and sighs. "I have told you nothing but the truth. I'm honestly surprised you didn't figure it out earlier." He proceeds to point to the cloudy ground. "After all, despite all of the combat occurring…no holes had formed abruptly under your feet."
Erza and Jellal reeled back and gasped. The latter briefly looked down below where he was standing and felt sweat dripping from his head. The former simply stood frozen cold in utter shock.
"...Then why didn't you revive your ruler the moment Wendy arrived here?!" Jellal argued.
"The Sky Sorceress is an expert enchanter. Soul Transfer magic is a variation of enchantment magic." Hahlos began to explain as he proceeded to remove one of his gloves. He showcases his palm which had a black swirl tattoo marked on it. "If I would've used this right away on her, simply rejecting the enchantment would be an easy task for her." He places his glove back on his hand. "We needed her to actively allow herself to be the master's vessel. And I can tell you right now that she did without any resistance."
"YOU'RE A DAMN LIAR!" Erza growled before pointing her sword at Hahlos.
Hahlos stares at the two wizards, appearing that they're going to attack anytime. However, he lowers his head and sighs. "As much as I want to make you pay for the actions you've pulled today…I want to respect the wishes of Wendy."
Erza and Jellal, the former still appearing furious, both raise an eyebrow. The angel places his arms behind his back and raises his head up once more. His sharp purple eyes met with their eyes.
"Call off your attack." Hahlos demands. "We can turn a blind eye and forget this ever happened. This is your last offer I will grant."
It wasn't often that Natsu felt something cold. Bearing the power of the fire dragon, he had a natural immunity to coldness. But he knew what it felt like, and he certainly felt it the mere moment he picked up Wendy's body.
He checked twice, three times, even four times. Despite the fact that there were no wounds or marks on Wendy, Natsu was unable to feel her pulse, only the coldness of her skin. The pinkette felt sweat sliding from his forehead while his eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
They were too late.
Natsu clenched Wendy tightly as he began to shake furiously. The loose strand of hair he held fell to the ground. He grinded his teeth and let out some light breaths.
"Wendy…I'm…so sorry…DAMN IT!" Natsu wailed, screaming his regrets loudly where onlookers could overhear outside. Tears began to slide off his cheeks.
While mourning, he realized that he was picking up another scent inside. And this scent felt familiar. The fire mage heard a door open and darted his head to the left. He wipes the tears off his eyes.
"So you're here, Natsu Dragneel." A somewhat silvery male voice was heard. His height was average, around the same as Natsu's height. He wore a short sleeved white robe with a blue belt tied around it. His skin around his arms and legs bore white feather patterns. He also wore gray pantaloons under his robe and gold sandals with a white rose on each one. He held a mirror with his gauntlet wearing hand. The mirror reflection showed his brown eyes with halo symbols marked around them and long blue hair as he brushed it with his other hand. His folded wings were a brilliant silver color while his halo was a bright golden color.
The man gently placed the mirror down by a desk. His eyes met with Natsu's as he gave a welcoming smile. He placed his palms together and lowered them to his waist.
Natsu was caught off guard that he held his breath for a brief moment. "...Who are you? How come you know my name…?" Natsu demanded, slowly standing back up. "And why do you smell like…"
"Oh! Right! I forgot to introduce myself!" The man chuckled. "I am the proud ruler of this peaceful land. My name is Izanagi, the sky god." He introduced himself, spreading his arms out.
Natsu instinctively blocked Wendy's body from view as he glared furiously at the god. "So you're the ruler here?" He points at him. "Then why do you smell like Wendy?!"
Izanagi sighs, rubbing his forehead with one finger. "Ah, so you haven't figured it out yet…" He placed his palm on his chest. "Thanks to Wendy Marvell allowing herself to be used as a vessel, she gave me and this country another chance of life. And now, I have been reborn!" The god announces before brushing his hair. "Although…blue hair and brown eyes aren't exactly my color…"
Natsu's stomach drops. He darts his head back to Wendy and clenches his fists tightly. Putting the pieces together, he turns his back to Izanagi, walks up to Wendy and gently picks her up.
Izanagi lowers his brow. "Listen…it needed to be done. I apologize deeply for what happened."
Natsu carries Wendy to the opposite side of the house, still not facing the god.
"But your friend, she'll be hailed as a hero! She protected not only us, but you as well. Her actions will always be remembered fondly." Izanagi attempted to give comforting words.
Natsu laid Wendy down by the wall.
"I'll even have a statue of her built and display it proudly in town. In honor of her memory and selfless act."
Natsu snaps his head, his fierce dark eyes glaring daggers directly at Izanagi's brown eyes. He slides his foot and rotates his body before launching himself directly at the god.
"What do you think is going on in there…?" Henry shuddered, staring at his home.
"Beats me." Alivia shrugged. She stared at the misty ground, deep in thought. But her thoughts began to get cloudy as she felt sweat leave her forehead. In fact, the air itself felt hot all of the sudden.
Not before long, they witnessed the side of their own home get blown up by furious flames. The two gasp in horror.
"OUR HOUSE!" Aliva exclaimed loudly. Both her and Henry watched on with utter disbelief.
Izanagi quickly flew out of the flames and landed in the middle of the farmlands field. He swiped his forehead and glanced back at the damaged building.
Panic began to arise from the onlookers as they witnessed Natsu slowly walk out from the portion of the wooden house he destroyed. His expression read that of fury, covered by shadows and eyes glowing. His entire body was covered in hot flames that melted the wood he stood next to.
"Woah there! That was someone's home you just destroyed!" Izanagi gawked.
Natsu didn't humor the angel's ruler. He only stomped one foot forward and let out a furious roar that echoed in the farmlands. Despite being human, the angels swore he sounded like a real monster.
Izanagi slightly flinches, feeling the hot air brush off his skin. He crosses his arms and smirks back at the fire dragon slayer.
"Well now. Guess I got you fired up then."
"Erza!" Jellal shouted, trying to reach out to her. But he was pushed back by a strong shockwave of wind as he covered his face with an arm and slid back. He tried calling out to her again. "You need to calm down!"
However, Erza wasn't listening. She was furiously trying to cut down the enemy in front of her. Hahlos was able to dodge her swings with ease while keeping a straight face. The swordswoman glared harshly at the angel and continued the forward momentum.
"We…won't…forgive you!" Erza scowled, throwing an arm back and summoning a magic circle. She ripped another sword out of the circle and swung it horizontally, then vertically at Hahlos. The angel slid back before getting cut, causing the blade to slice through the clouds and leaving a gash on the floofy substance. The clouds quickly repair themselves shortly after.
Hahlos stares at Erza's enraged state as he stands up straight. "So, you still intend to persist?" He asks before his eyes flash blue.
Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor alongside a two handed silver blade with red gemstones attached. She spreaded the wings and rocketed right at Hahlos. She swung her sword twice in the air, unleashing a blade based attack in a cross pattern. It landed right where Hahlos was standing, causing the clouds to explode and briefly blind the area.
Before Erza could react, she saw Hahlos flying right at her without any damage. "It's like I said, I can see all." Hahlos retaliates while raising a palm towards her torso. "Wind Palm." He shoots out a burst of air which manages to slightly crack Erza's armor and sends her crashing back on the ground, sliding several feet back.
"Erza!" Jellal calls out, running towards her. Erza stabs her blade through the ground and shakily pulls herself back up, her expression non-changing. She lowered her head and took several deep breaths. Jellal offers a hand at the red haired woman and helps her fully stand back up.
Erza covers her face with her palm and sighs. "Apologies…for losing it, Jellal. Don't worry, I've calmed down now." She assures him, lowering her palm and eyeing Hahlos once more.
Erza points her sword at the angel. "You have a lot of nerve, you fiend! You think we'd just leave after everything you've done?!" She chides.
"I should be the one telling you that, you scum." Hahlos shot. "You wizards attacked our peaceful country, getting the innocent civilians involved in all of this."
Erza swings her sword to the side and clenches it with both hands. "We wouldn't have taken such drastic measures if you hadn't stooped so low, that night." She retorts.
Hahlos sighs deeply. "It doesn't matter how low I'd stoop, as it is all for the protection of my home." He spreads his arms out. "It is my duty, I would even allow my life to end for it. "He clenches his fists. "That is loyalty after all, wouldn't you do the same for your home?" He debates.
Erza perks an eyebrow before lowering her blade and shaking her head. "Honestly, if you were talking to me several years ago, I would have agreed with you." She lowers her head. "However, while I would do anything to protect the ones I hold dear…" She raises her head back up at the angel. "I learned that I'm not the only one who feels that way. I have my family to back me up. I am loyal to them as they are loyal to me, we protect each other. *That* is my loyalty!" She maintained, recalling Natsu's words to her at the Tower of Heaven.
Hahlos widened his eyes slightly at Erza's words. But he quickly regains his composure and lightly coughs. "This argument is pointless. If your loyalty is as strong as you claim…" He raises a fist as winds begin to circle around him. "Then show me, let's see who's loyalty is stronger." He challenged.
"Erza." Jellal stands by the swordswoman. "I'll fight alongside you."
Hahlos smirks. "I may not be able to see into the past, but even I'm aware of how our last encounters went." He provokes.
"It doesn't matter how many times I'm struck down." Erza clenches her sword with two hands again and raises it above her head, blade aimed at the angel. "As long as I have something to fight for, then I'll always come back up. Even if your winds shred me to pieces." She declared.
Jellal clenches both his fists and coats his entire body in a yellow aura. "Let's go!" He then flies towards Hahlos, Erza following suit.
Hahlos' eyes flash blue and goes on guard. Jellal throws a punch at the angel which is caught by his palm, the impact creating a shockwave and sliding Hahlos back slightly. His eyes flash blue again and peers over to his side, where Erza swerves past Jellal and heads straight towards the angel's side. He clenches Jellal's fist and tosses him towards Erza's direction.
Erza squints her eyes and manages to catch Jellal with one hand. Jellal grins at her before pushing himself back at the angel. Hahlos' eyes flash blue once more, causing him to remain still as Jellal suddenly flies right above the angel. Hahlos eyes roll back to Erza, casting a Storm Mail around his left arm and blocking a swing from the swordswoman. He whips his right arm and requips a silver rapier and prepares to skewer her cracked armor. However, his eyes flash blue again and instead he swings his left arm up and flies upward, as yellow beams of light fly right by the two of them.
Jellal grits his teeth and attempts another Pleiades spell which casts several more beams of light and fly their way at Hahlos. The angel swiftly makes his way towards Jellal, dodging each beam and using the winds to boost his speed. Hahlos proceeds to land a downward kicking blow at Jellal's back, sending him tumbling down on the cloudy ground.
Erza requips her armor and leaps up at Hahlos. She switches to her Heaven's Wheel Armor as well as summons two blades. "Dance, my blades! Circle Sword!" She chants, summoning even more blades as they spin around her. She swings her arms upwards and unleashes the barrage of blades at the angel.
"Wind Turbine!" Hahlos swipes his right arm and releases harsh winds which pushes the swords back at Erza. She swings her swords downwards, casting another sword based magic attack at the Tenhei member. He thrusts his rapier at the attack, causing it to dissolve. He makes his way towards the swordswoman and attempts to skewer her once more, but she blocks the attack with both her blades. She parries the attack and quickly requips in her Flight Armor.
Jellal pulls himself off the ground and lets out a couple coughs. He looks up and notices that both Hahlos and Erza are nowhere to be seen, but he manages to spot various clashes of blades. He squints his eyes and lightly clenches the grazed wound he received earlier. The blue haired mage takes a deep breath and coats his body with yellow aura.
No matter where Erza swung her blades, Hahlos always managed to block the attack. And no matter how many times Hahlos parried or damaged Erza's blades, she always requiped new ones immediately. After clashing once again, Erza manages to successfully push Hahlos back slightly by swinging her arms out. Taking the chance, she quickly dashes at the angel and slashes in several directions at once. Hahlos eyes flash blue before this, but to Erza's confusion, she sees the angel flinch a little.
Erza cuts through Hahlos and slides several feet behind him. She slowly looks back and stares at the angel who was standing still. He slowly turns around and faces her once more. And to Erza's shock, the angel appeared undamaged to even his armor. "He managed to block all of that?!" She thought.
Before Hahlos could strike back, his eyes flash blue once more. He flinches again and covers half his face with a palm before glancing up and behind him. He sees Jellal flying right above the angel, raising his hands and placing them on top of each other with two fingers on the top hand spread out. Seven lights shine above the blue haired mage.
"Heavenly Body Magic Spell: Grand Chariot!" Jellal chants loudly, sending seven powerful light blasts right at Hahlos. The angel widens his eyes and clenches his teeth as he prepares to fly out of the way, however his eyes flash blue and quickly darts his head at Erza who had summoned a large spear.
"Even if you have the ability to predict our attacks…there's only so much forward momentum you can take!" Erza points out. "We didn't forget our first encounter with you, Hahlos!"
Erza throws the spear quickly at Hahlos right when Jellal's attack hits where the angel was standing. The light beams form a constellation on the ground before exploding in a bright light. Erza covered her eyes but was able to have enough distance to avoid the attack. After the light fades away, they see that not only did the attack create a large hole in the clouds, but Hahlos was nowhere to be seen.
Jellal, still holding the pose, pants heavily. "My body…is nearing its limit…" He said wearily, watching the clouds once again repairing themselves.
Erza begins to feel exhausted too before glancing up at Jellal. She then widens her eyes in utter shock before yelling out "Jellal! Behind you!"
Jellal feels a heavy presence and quickly turns around. He feels his stomach drop that not only was Hahlos flying right behind him, but his physical condition only had a small cut on his left cheek and a graze on the right side of his body. The angel's face was casted by the sun's shadow as his eyes glowed purple.
"You're kidding…" Jellal shuddered. "After all of that…he only got a few cuts?!"
"Heavenly Body Magic…I'm starting to figure out how you all arrived here." Hahlos recalls as he raises his palm at Jellal. "That means, you should be dealt with first."
Hahlos unleashes a burst of wind right at Jellal, which strikes his grazed wound from earlier. The blue haired mage lets out a cry of pain as he gets sent crashing down on the ground, the impact causing a burst of cloudy mist.
Erza gasps and attempts to reach out to Jellal. But in merely one second, Hahlos rockets down and lands a kicking blow right at Jellal's gut. He coughs out blood before getting knocked out cold.
"JELLAL!" Erza exclaims, witnessing the angel stand over her friend. She glares at Hahlos before requiping into her Purgatory Armor and making a dash for it at the Tenhei member.
Hahlos peers over at Erza. "You say you haven't forgotten our previous encounters…but-" He begins before zipping right at the swordswoman and thrusting his palm at her stomach. He shoots out another Wind Palm which shatters her armor and sends her tumbling back. The angel stands tall and places his arms behind his back. "But you did forget something, you're still in my territory."
Erza coughs several times and forces herself to sit up. She clenches her teeth as Hahlos slowly approaches her. "The Ethernano here is nothing but a hindrance to you humans. But for us angels, who are used to this environment, it only amplifies our magic power." He stops a couple feet in front of the swordswoman and stares her down intensely. "I will commend you all for making it this far despite that. But it ends here." He proceeds to land a kicking blow at Erza, sending her rolling back several more feet.
Erza lays on her back and slowly lifts her head. Her vision was beginning to get blurry as she witnessed Hahlos not make a move but continue to stare down at her. The angel claps his palms together and slowly spreads his arms out, summoning a long rod made from wind. "Sky Javelin." He says, gripping tightly and reeling it back. "You're not the only one fighting to protect something, Erza Scarlet."
Before he could toss the javelin, Hahlos picks up another source of magic power heading their way. His attack vanishes as he glances up towards the castle. Erza senses the source as well and follows Hahlos' gaze. The two spot a small light shining from the distance as it gets closer. The swordswoman realizes who it is and widens her eyes.
Hahlos squints his eyes and spots a girl with dark pink hair who was being held by someone who had wings. However, the angel wasn't able to see who was the one flying towards him.
"Erza!" Chelia shouts from a distance. "We're here to help!"
Erza manages to sit up again as she shakingly pulls herself up. "Ch-Chelia! Carla! What are you two doing?! Get out of here!" She urged. Hahlos glances back at Erza for a moment before keeping his attention back at the two girls.
Despite Erza's warning, the two don't listen. Carla takes a deep breath and keeps her focus towards Hahlos. "...Are you ready for this, Chelia?" She asks.
Chelia nods her head, appearing determined. "Of course. I've always been ready for this!" She clenches her right fist tightly, and the air around it begins to slowly surround it before turning black. She inhaled deeply, sucking in the air in her mouth. "After all…that's…love!" Chelia exhales and channels a Sky God Fist, her blue eyes glaring right at Hahlos.
Erza and even Hahlos widen their eyes and let out a gasp of shock. The angel proceeds to glare right at Chelia who is now only several feet away from him. "You…girl! What is the meaning of this?!" He growled, witnessing her use the same magic as the country's ruler; Izanagi.
Hahlos' eyes flashed blue. He regained his composure before focusing back on Chelia. "Even if you somehow have that power, do you honestly think you can strike me with such a simple attack?" He challenged, clenching both his fists.
Carla's wings spreaded out and stretched back. The feathers shine as her speed increases. Chelia winds her arm back, preparing to strike Hahlos. Carla squints her eyes, peeking behind Chelia's head and watching the angel. The Exceed extended her eyes in focus.
"Now! To his left!" Carla directed.
"Sky God's Fist!" Chelia shouts before slamming her fist right at Hahlos' chest. The increased speed from Carla and hard hitting attack from Chelia caused the angel's armor to crack and shatter.
Hahlos coughed out loudly. Chelia's black winds grow larger as she digs her attack deeper, crushing the angel's armor with ease. He slowly looks up at Chelia, completely baffled about what's occurring. "H-how in the-"
"You're not the only one…" Carla began, raising her head as her eyes met with Hahlos. "Who can see into the future!"
~~~Flashback~~~
"Hey Hahlos…" Carine, who was staring off to Hahlos' left, slowly turned her head back to him. "Have you ever been curious about the world below us?"
Hahlos raised an eyebrow, his purple eyes meeting with Carine's small brown eyes. He wasn't sure how to respond as the girl brushed her long white hair. She tilts her head in confusion.
"S-sorry…guess that was a weird question huh?" She sighed.
Hahlos frantically waved his hands. "No no! It's just that…I thought I was the only one…"
~~~Flashback End~~~
Hahlos' eyes shrunk and mouth gaped open. He stared hard at Carla who was glaring right at him.
"C-Carine…?" Hahlos spoke quietly under his breath.
Chelia let out a battle cry before blasting Hahlos with her black winds, sending him hurling back several feet. His armor was completely destroyed, wounding him in the process.