Purple venomous winds circulated through the entire garden. The plants littered all around them weren't brimming with life, rather, this wind was deadly. The poison killed the plants almost instantly, and the wind centered around the established Poison Sky Dragon as she stared with vermilion eyes at the distressed lamia mere feet from her.

"A Poison…Sky Dragon?" Lia gasped. She looked right into Wendy's eyes. Just her gaze alone was enough to make her eyes burn.

"Wendy…" Carla murmured.

"Carla, can you watch Aniya for me?" she asked. "I'll make sure this snake is kept busy."

Lia's momentary surprise returned to a smirk, her confidence restored. "Well, you're a rather bold one, aren't you? And here I thought I took chances with big catches, but you just-"

"HRAH!" Wendy swiped her arms, sending an intense wind of deep purple into Lia. The wind caught the lamia by surprise as she covered up. Immediately, the winds that were once so casual and harsh before, they felt like broiling acid against her scales. She could feel her very skin burn from the touch.

'My scales and skin…they're actually-!'

Wendy jumped from a single foot off the ground, jetting at Lia. Lia uncovered as Wendy's fist collided with her face in a split second. The impact propelled enough poisonous force to send Lia sailing across the landscape and graze into the deteriorated palace gardens. The lamia gritted her teeth angrily and suddenly transformed her body into a gel-like substance. The amorphous creature swerved into a spiral that closed in on Wendy. At the last second, the substance curved around her, attacking from behind.

"Wendy! Behind you!" Kinana warned.

The slime closed in, but the second it touched the poisonous winds Wendy gave off, it slowed it down enough for Wendy to turn and pivoted.

"Poison Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!"

A torrential tornado of poisonous air expanded around her, dragging the slime up and away. Within the tornado, Lia was forced into her original form, letting out a cry of pain as her resistant skin was steaming from the harsh cyclone's toxins. Wendy looked up and saw Lia in midair. She suddenly disappeared in a vermilion blur, which ricocheted off the winds and bouncing skywards until she was above Lia.

"Poison Sky Dragon's Claw!"

Wendy spiraled in the air continuously and swung her good leg down cloaked in poisonous wind. Lia only served to block at the last second with her forearms and making them reflect like a mirror, but the winds got to the skin milliseconds before the actual foot did. It deteriorated the magic, making Lia open. 'No way!' With her in shock, Wendy stamped on her burned forearms, sending her packing into the ground harshly.

As the purple winds dissipated, Wendy landed on the ground on her knee, glaring ahead at Lia.

"That's amazing…" Carla was astounded beyond words. 'This force she's using, Wendy is able to create winds now that can eat and decompose the magic particles in her attacks. That makes it so that Lia can't defend so easily anymore or get close. What a devastating combination Wendy made.'

"Here we go!" Wendy jetted forward, yelling as she went at Lia.

The lamia glanced forward and glared at Wendy incoming. Keeping track of her, she opened her mouth and expelled a torrent of rainbow fire. The flames gushed out like an explosion that rattled atmosphere around her.

The two forces collided in one another, but the poisonous winds Wendy continued producing were eating away at the fire. The winds were blowing through them, eventually reaching Lia and sending her flying yet again. Wendy remained resolute as her adversary was put on a merciless defense.

"She's really increased her abilities, too." Kinana gasped. Her thoughts on Wendy were drawn away as she looked back at Carla, who was trying to wake up Aniya. She fell silent at the sight.

"Aniya? Aniya! Wake up!" Carla shook her, trying to get her up. Unfortunately it was easier said than done. "C'mon, wake up!"

Lia slid across the ground to an anchored stop. Her slightly eaten nails gripped the ground and stopped her from sliding too far. She glared up at Wendy as she stood mere meters away, yet the winds that were between them kept her from getting too close. "That little…" She had to find a way to get through, but how?

That's when she got an idea. She looked over towards Ekans and Seviper off to the side. Maybe if she couldn't get through, maybe Pokémon can solve her problems. She didn't see why not.

"Come here!" She reached out and used a telekinetic force on them, plucking the two off the ground and dragged over towards her.

"Masssster!" Ekans pleaded.

Lia didn't listen. Her patience was far outweighed by her hunger. She used that same force and threw them both into the winds for a distraction.

In a jet of seeping poison, something lunging in front caught the two snakes, with Ekans screaming and stopping as she found herself around a neck. The person revealed himself to be a certain Poison Dragon that found the chance to take out both snakes.

"Erik!" Kinana chimed.

The Dragon Slayer smirked. "I can hear their fear." He slid to a halt, Ekans over his shoulder with Seviper under his arm. "As much as I love the sound of pain, hearing it from snakes grates my ears!"

Lia snarled at the passing mage, leaving her distracted for Wendy to zip on in and slug her with a poisonous windy fist. It caused immediate decomposition in the cheek as it floored Lia instantly.

Seeing the foes momentarily preoccupied, Carla tried to shake Aniya again. "C'mon…what's wrong? Aniya!" She snapped her fingers to shake the hypnosis off. "Are you awake…Aniya?"

Inside the Requip Mage's mind, it was a dark, gloomy place. It was nothing but black everywhere as she walked around. She was far from the point of hearing anything outside as she drowned in her darkness. "Where am I…?" she wondered. "Sister? Sister?!" She looked left and right, hoping to find her sister somewhere. But as expected, nothing. Her face showed deep depression. "…sissy…I guess you really are gone. Even after all that…"

After she said that, she felt a sliver of warmth on her back. From behind, a radiant light shimmered like an angel.

"No, you're wrong." A voice spoke. "I've always been here…you just hid yourself too long behind those silly glasses, silly."

"That voice…" Turning with a gasp, Aniya's attention was towards the light. She stared longingly at it as its image began to simmer, taking an image of a familiar human being. "It can't be…"

The light finally ceased. It revealed a person around her age, and she was smirking with a hand to her hip. "There she is." She chimed. "There's my sweet little sister."

"Tabatha…" Aniya hitched, tears starting to swell at the corners of her eyes. "Tabatha…Tabatha!" In a hurry, Aniya desperately lunged at her, reaching the light's embrace in a warm and dear hug that she waited so long for.

She held onto her sister as the person softly smiled, holding her sister as well.

"Tabatha…I've missed you so much." Aniya sniffled. "I…I'm so sorry. If only I wasn't such a weakling…then those stupid snakes wouldn't have…"

"Sssshh…no." she hushed. "Aniya, there's no need for you to feel sorry. I'm the one at fault here. It's my fault that you were left alone all these years."

Aniya hugged her tighter than before. "All I wanted was to have you back…that's all."

Tabatha stroked her sister's hair. She was impressed with how long it's gotten. "…was it worth it?"

"Huh?"

"Was what you wanted worth it?" She pulled back, looking her sister in the eye. "Look, Aniya. You're a sweet girl, you know that? It was never your fault that I was food to her. You shouldn't beat yourself up over this…especially for this long."

"But…I just wanted you back." She sniffled.

Tabatha sympathized with her dearly. "Yeah, I've missed you too, little sis…but stay strong, okay? Just for a little longer." She pulled her sister in for one more warming embrace. "I love you. So try and live your life for me? Just try…please."

Aniya sniffled again. She wrapped her arms around her sister's neck and cried into her shoulder. "…okay." She whimpered.

She smiled. "There's a good girl…it'd be nice to let people see those eyes of yours. I know I do." With those words said, Tabatha slowly faded from Aniya's hold. The Requip Mage looked on in shock and slight dismay as she felt the last warmth of her sister finally sink in and fade.

"Sissy…"

"Aniya…Aniya…" a distorted voice called from the distance.

Aniya turned in the other direction. There, she saw another light was she found herself drawn towards. It enveloped her, casting out all darkness and making her see blurry images move around her. One was right in her face. "Nnnngh…wh…what happened…?" she mumbled.

"Aniya! You're awake!" Carla shouted, with slight impatience in her voice. "What took you so long?"

Aniya sat up groggily, shaking off whatever hypnosis was left in her. "I'm sorry…it's just-"

"Look out!" Kinana warned.

Lia unleashed another dark blast from her palms that Wendy managed to dodge. But the blast arched out of bounds and curved into Carla and Aniya. Both girls saw the incoming beam. Carla's heart raced, yet Aniya was petrified with shock. She just woke up and recollected everything, and she was too slow to react in time.

"Guys, no!" Wendy shouted.

Aniya closed her eyes, waiting for the attack to come. However, the longer she waited for a possible end, the more anxious she got.

A cloud collision was heard, but Aniya didn't feel anything. "Aniya!"

Aniya opened her eyes again. When she blinked, she realized she wasn't harmed. She then looked ahead, her heart racing at the sight. Instead of her, a large purple snake with green eyes had spread wings, unleashing a toxic cloud that battled against the black beam. Poison sprayed all afront while Aniya shakily got back up. "You…but why…?" she mumbled.

The dark beam dragged out long enough to dissipate. Kinana also let up, leaving another stalemate. The snake looked back at Aniya to check her condition. As the two eyes stared at one another, Aniya was in a small trance that she didn't find hypnotic. Yet after that experience, she looked at Kinana with a more curious look than one of deep loathe.

"Er…t-thank you…" she mumbled sheepishly.

Meanwhile, back with the battle, Wendy spread her arms around, summoning a torrential wave of purple winds to surround Lia. They wrapped around her like her own coils would, but of acidic winds that decayed even more of her scales. It even held an intense squeeze on her that she would a foe she would normally eat alive. Irony was too deep this time – skin deep.

"We're ending this now!" Wendy declared, intoxicating cyclones whirlwind around hysterically.

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Lia grew her nails out thanks to some slashing magic. She crossed them, slashing into the winds. But upon crazing, her nails were almost automatically decayed. 'No! My attacks are decaying too fast! And this wind, my body's starting to numb…I can't move!'

Purple winds surged through the atmosphere around Wendy. With her arms spread, a purple wind barrier flowed like water that trapped her and Lia within a cyclone. The lamia was unable to react due to numbness as the wall contracted around Wendy's arms.

Lia screamed in fright as Wendy moved her arms forward, seething vermilion everywhere.

"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art Revision – Shattering Light: Poison Sky Drill!"

All the wind shot in a decaying beam that struck Lia head-on. The lamia unleashed a shrilled cry as the attack blitzed her into a pillar, but the attack kept going and shot across the courtyard gardens and in a straight line through the city. The purple gusts from there eroded into the thin air, dissipating to purple sparkles over the hiding citizens' heads.

Meanwhile, Erik and the others were wide-eyed as Wendy stood in place, her vermilion eyes glaring at the crumbling pillar. The eyes and the hair's vermilion colors soon faded, slowly returning to normal as Wendy started falling over.

"Wendy!" Carla warned her friend. Fortunately, with Kinana still as a snake, she slipped underneath Wendy and caught her. The snake also reverted to her original form, holding Wendy in her lap as Erik and the others converged. "Is she alright?!" Carla snapped.

Kinana examined Wendy, seeing her panting. "I think so…" she hoped. "That was a lot of poison she digested."

"Oh Wendy…" Carla mourned.

In Kinana's lap, a cough came from Wendy. She coughed again, this time spitting up some purple saliva. "Did I *cough* do okay?" she asked. "Guys…?"

"Wendy!" Carla cheered. "Dear heavens! You had me worried sick! What in heaven's name were you thinking back there?!"

"I'm sorry…"

She crossed her arms. "Well can you stand at least?"

"Y-yeah, give me a sec…" She hesitated for a moment, primarily because Erik's venom was surprisingly strong. Her Healing Magic neutralized it for the most part, but all those toxins made her wobbly. "See? I'm fine. Really."

"Well, you most certainly could've fooled me." Carla exasperated.

Erik glanced over, his one eye shooting a dagger at Ekans and Seviper. It was enough to make both submit in displeasure. "So you guys still wanna fight or what?" he asked.

Seviper and Ekans shook their head. "No, we ssssurrender." Seviper claimed.

"Tch, just as I thought." He then looked over at Aniya, who was fully conscious and staring ahead somberly. He could hear her head a little clearer now. The emotions going in her head were hysterical to where she was breaking down. Her mind was completely loophole with seeing her sister again, even for a brief moment. He chose to stay quiet about her moral contemplation.

As they were all trying to have a small celebration, not too far, a mount of rocks were in place of the pillar that Lia was struck into. Like something out of a horror movie, a wrinkled arm shot up, twitching uncontrollably. Its deteriorated claws scratched at the rubble, pulling something out.

Everyone heard a low growl and turned over, seeing something claw out of the rubble.

"You…little…brats~!" The lamia's entire body was completely shaken up as she unearthed herself. Unlike her sultry and seductive appeal before, she now looked no less appealing than an actual snake. Most of her bottom-half scales were chipped, revealing molting blood. Her durable skin was thin and wrinkly. Any normal person would've been numbed at the very least, and poisoned heavily at that. For a lamia of her caliber, she was severely weakened. She was laying on her stomach, slowly crawling over with what heaping breaths she could manage. "I…I'm not gonna rest…until I have one of you…in me…" she adhesively retorted.

As she clawed across the ground helplessly, the others knew she couldn't fight back. Most like Kinana and Wendy almost pitied her. They frowned as she closed in.

"What's wrong? Shaken by fear…because I'm a snake…? Well, I'm just getting started…"

As she closed in, they were about to step in, but out of the blue, straight-faced Aniya walked up, surprising them all.

"Aniya?" Kinana questioned.

The Requip Mage stood facing the lamia, a straight frown as she looked at her condition. Without one word, she somberly saw the anxiety and pity all over her face. It was sad. It reminded her of her own desperation. She couldn't believe she was almost eaten for something like this.

"You…you finally wanna see your sister again, do you…?" Lia shakily asked.

Aniya didn't respond. Instead she picked up the nearest weapon at her feet. A simple pistol she hardly used.

"You must…really miss her…don't you?" Lia shakily got back up, getting eye-level with a hysterical gaze as her eyes started to show the hypnotic patterns again. "…well…come join her!"

"Aniya, look out!" Carla warned.

Lia lunged ahead with everything she had, her eyes working hypnosis in the process. Aniya looked forward and didn't waste a single second to take the hypnosis like before. She pulled the trigger, shooting a simple bullet right through Lia's head. It made a red hole right between the eyes.

Time slowed down as everyone looked shocked at the move Aniya made. They held nothing to say as the mage stood tall and stern as the lamia slowly swayed one way with the hypnotic eyes still on. She fell to her side, thudding hard. As she laid on the ground, the hypnosis eye pattern slowly faded away, revealing regular snake-like eyes that closed for the last time.

A strong silence filled the air as Aniya looked down at the dead lamia. She took a few more paces over and loomed over the body. She stared coldly, looking hard to the snake-like bottom that she last imagined her sister in as a bulge. With Lia finally put to rest, so was Tabatha. The late sister could now rest in peace.

A small tear dripped to the ground. Aniya sniffled as she was finally done. She fulfilled what she wanted to do. She avenged Tabatha. The pistol fell out of her hands as she silently started to weep emotional tears. She slowly slumped to the ground, the tears soon to come in streams as her own peace was finally brought.

The others silently watched, mourning while Aniya was finally freed from the lamia for good.


The throne room was a desolate place. It has been since the days that the war from almost a year ago came to pass. Even now, when the new self-proclaimed emperor took to his own desires, the palace's air was far from the way it used to be.

Neinhart sat on his throne, having his cheek against his knuckles as he was enjoying the show. Holographic projections showed the many battles taking place over the palace. He had modest surprise with some aspects, while others were making him revel in his little world.

The doors to his chamber opened. Yajeel slowly walked in, giving a modest bow. "Your majesty."

"Eh? What do you want old man?" the emperor begrudgingly asked. "Can't you see that I'm busy?"

Yajeel looked up and saw the many holograms plastered in front. In one, he saw Natsu with his group darting down a random hallway. Another one showed Gajeel and Macbeth getting everyone captured earlier up on their feet. The enemy was making their comeback, he saw that. He chose to disregard and continue.

"Well?" Neinhart impatiently asked.

"…my humblest apologies. I wanted to inform you that Glynda and the Machia Knights that we have sent out have finally left the city confines. They should be scheduled to be there within the next hour."

Neinhart looked back at his screens, giving a grueling sigh. "Is that all?"

"No, your majesty. The communication interception program has also been functioning at full capacity, just as you asked. We were able to intercept any perceptive thoughts thus far."

"Good." A soft snicker let itself out as he saw another lacrima screen. It showed Mest teleporting to another part of the castle, only to fail in finding someone there, too. This was entertainment. This was Neinhart's passion he sought. "Let's see just how much more fun this can be when they can't communicate properly." He said. "Like little rats…it's almost pitiful if you ask me. Hehehehe."

Yajeel didn't approve of this, but he had no say, less he'd lose more than just Neinhart's unchecked ire. He politely bowed once more. "Then shall I be dismissed, sire?"

"Do what you want. Just make sure that you leave that Nic and Lady Erza to me…I want to have my own entertainment as well."

"As you wish." With that, Yajeel bowed and slowly retreated behind the doors, closing them. Neinhart was left alone, looking at the screens tirelessly.

"You hear that, Lady Irene? You'll be seeing your retribution first-hand."

On the other side of the doors, Yajeel let out one last sigh of grief. He somberly pitied what the empire has become, but he had no power. He knew it had to be stopped somehow. He looked out the window, seeing the blue sky beginning to cloud up overhead.


"Jiu Leixing!"

Jellal summoned forth nine blades of lightning in midair, directing them all into Pluto beneath him.

Pluto did nothing as the planet-like figments around his body moved in his place. Each one slipped passed him and intercepted each sword. They used a gravitational force to keep them all in place while Bellona slipped in from the side with dark galaxies spiraling in her palms.

"Nebula Hold!"

She swung her arms, but Pluto's perception was too deep. Just a mere glance made all nine planets follow in a loop, dragging the swords like ragdolls that intercepted Bellona's attack. The blades got so close she was forced backwards and landed on a knee.

Pluto redirected the planets back upfront, but their patterns was different. They instead withhold a ring-like base and began to spin swiftly, using their gravity to propel the blades back at Jellal. Thankfully, Jellal encompassed his body in Meteor and dodged them. He swerved into an arch and showed himself for a brief moment as a fist was reeled back, ready to jab from the side.

Time slowed down, but Pluto didn't seem fazed. "How interesting…"

Jellal followed through with his attack, but one of the planets around Pluto zipped pass him. It pulled Jellal's fist away at the last second with gravity. "What?!" He didn't have time to react as a second planet-like sphere moved in front of his other hand. Using their strong gravitational force, they ascended, holding Jellal's fists and upper body higher and higher away from Pluto.

"Jellal!" Bellona shouted.

Jellal struggled to break free of the hold, but it served no help. The unknown gravitational force the rocks had were making it so his upper body was rendered useless. Suspended, he looked down, finding Pluto still unwilling to move from that one spot.

"Before there was life, there was nothing." He spoke poetically. "Just an empty cosmos of endless directions. Untapped by anything that could possibly contaminate it."

Bellona created two dark galaxies in her nails and swung them skywards. They sailed swiftly and gracefully pass Jellal, getting behind him to converge to one point. Once there, they created a dark explosion that expanded, projecting enough force to free Jellal of the planetary clutch and send him into Pluto's direction.

"Purity is as finite as resources." He reached out, using one planet to block Jellal and used anti-gravity to push him away. Bellona came next, swiping with galaxies that even more planets were able to intercept. "One land can only hold so small a population, before the resources are used up. Thus, expansion is required, otherwise may collapse fall."

Jellal made his signature stance, creating balls of light around him that he commanded to go skywards. They circled with a golden tail behind each one until they became a bright shimmering star over his head.

"Pleiades!"

The many golden bodies shimmered brightly before separating once more. They shot down like meteors that closed in on Pluto as fast as actual meteors.

Moving one hand in front, all the planets he controlled moved to the front, clumping so that all the falling stars were targeted for them instead. Once the lights made impact, a bright golden flash enveloped the space between Jellal and Pluto. This was the distraction Bellona needed to get behind again with a galactic spiral in hand. 'This is it! All his planets are used up. I have to hurry and-'

Pluto didn't have to know. He just felt. The planet told him. With two fingers like a ninja sign, he waited for when Bellona was close enough to get her. The ground behind him cracked, getting Bellona to glance down in realization. It was too late as Pluto summoned forth rocks from below, sending Bellona sailing backwards again.

"Bellona!" Jellal exclaimed.

The light finally dissipated, leaving the planetary spheres to orbit around Pluto once more. "Enlighten me, how is it that this planet has been alive for so long?"

Jellal stared bluntly. He looked over and saw Bellona stir back up. He glanced at Pluto again.

"Why do we have one moon? Why do we thrive on just one planet? Have you ever stopped to think of those questions? You see, there are other planets and galaxies, as far out of reach as untamable power. There are planets with two moons, perhaps three. And there are planets so large they could be seen in the skies of other neighboring planets. And yet, why so close…why are they so far?"

Jellal and Bellona zoomed in the attack from both fronts. They zoomed in just mere feet until one planet went around Bellona, dragging her away by gravity and coming around, dragging and tossing her into Jellal. He felt surprised and slid back as he caught her bridal style.

"Bellona, you hurt?" he questioned.

Bellona stirred in Jellal's arms, groaning softy. "Gnnngh…his magic…it's like he manipulates gravity."

Jellal glared up again. "Yeah, I've noticed." He saw how Pluto hadn't even moved from his spot still. 'He's conducting his magic into those spheres. They seem to be his overall defense and offense. Then where does that leave his own body?'

"Like two lovers, gravity and human spirit can push and pull them apart. Time and space itself is but astronomical means that these two fates can intertwine. Enlighten me, do you know what I am saying?"

Jellal and Bellona looked to each other for answers. In a sense, they could've sworn that he meant them. It was flattering, but otherwise a little embarrassing. Shaking those feelings out, Jellal started to get a sense of what he really meant. He said it.

"Nic and Erza, am I right?"

"Precisely. Two faces of two different worlds, combining to recreate a cosmos that has been changed by their force alone." He looked up towards the sky, seeing the sun about to be blocked up entirely by clouds. "I was a man who studied the art of astrology. I have dedicated myself to studying everything there is to know of extraterrestrial confines, even if it makes my whole life pointless in the end. The knowing of such unexploitable inhabitants was a passion even I couldn't ignore."

"Studied astrology?" Bellona questioned.

"So then that means you're familiar with celestial constellations then." Jellal deduced.

"Beyond that. I always knew there had to be some kind of life out there…never did I look too far to realize that there was another galaxy – no, another universe, that proved me right. Now, as one who is a Spriggan and a governor of the heavens themselves, I make it to now how these two worlds came to be. That is my purpose." He used two fingers to send three planets around him at Jellal and Bellona. They glided over the ground and zoomed in until they did a sudden U-turn. Their gravity caused the courtyard ground beneath to be picked up and send shards of concrete at them. Jellal and Bellona easily separated and dodged.

Off to the left, Jellal glared. "So you find it an obligation to figure out Pokémon?"

"It's my obligation to understand why they were there and not here." He phrased. "Why did the celestials leave such power…such gruesome power…to one planet…to one man? Why did the stars go out in the sky for seven years? That time of disbelief and understanding, to this day it is a puzzle in astrology that even I cannot understand!"

He put his palms together, making the planets return to orbit and become a perfect ring at his knees. He remained passive as the planets were all beginning to slowly rotate close to the ground.

Bellona's eyes narrowed. "What's he doing…?"

Jellal stared as he watched Pluto work his magic. The ground beneath the planets began to slowly crack apart, chipping off pieces of debris and courtyard that gathered around each individual planet. The faster they rotated, the more rocks were picked up from around Pluto. Until finally, Jellal saw it. "…Bellona, move-!"

"Graviton Field!"

Separating his conjoined hands, the planets all rotated at monstrous speeds to give the illusion of an asteroid belt. The small pebbles and dense rocks carried by each one went in all directions. Each single rock had to the power and capacity of a bullet that punctured the ground. Dust scattered everywhere as nearby pillars were shot down in an instant. Jellal rushed in front and used his magic to recreate a golden shield made by his magic. Some pebbles clanged against it, but as more kept coming, cracks began to show along the shield.

Jellal winced as one stray pebble grazed pass his cheek. A scrape of blood was on his face as it zoomed into to ground far back. Thankfully, Bellona was given enough time as a cynical purple eroded around her, the land beneath shaking profusely as she gathered up her magical pressure.

"Sentient Bolt!"

Just as the wall shattered, an immense pillar of dominating pressure sprouted from out of nowhere. The presence of a goddess with accents inside of it reveled itself. The pressure was so strong that any of the incoming stones were immediately repulsed, sent back towards Pluto as the shockwaves ripped across the ground.

As the dust cleared, Bellona and Jellal were seen standing beside one another, both staggered a little.

Inside the dissipating dust, the sound of a voice spoke. "So you see…with this power, these Pokémon will help reshape the meaning of astrology." The dust dissipated, revealing Pluto unscathed. His glare was as deep as a black hole. "It is my ambition with the emperor's will that we shall show both worlds what retribution is. My own…is for the stars that I could not examine."

Bellona panted weakly from that exposure of magic, but she persevered. "Jellal…"

"I know, Bellona…I have a bad feeling about this."

Pluto pulled out two Poke Balls from his priest sleeves. "Now, come forth, those who define the sun and moon!" He tossed up the two Poke Balls, summoning forth two Pokémon beside him. One was in the shape of a sun, and one other was like a crescent moon with a beak.

The Solrock and Lunatone glared forward, both passively calm while Jellal and Bellona glared.

"May the cosmic judgment be upon you!" Pluto reached out, commanding both Pokémon to brace for their turn to fight.


The hallways was desolate in the decrepit castle that was no longer a proud place to be. It's within one of these many hallways did something appear. Teleporting, Mest and Ralts found themselves filling that gap. Just them. Again.

"Looks like another dead end. Great." Mest sighed. He was getting really sick of all this. He lost count as to how many times he teleported around the palace, but it was the same result, no matter what. "Finding anything yet, Ralts?"

Ralts banged his head against the wall like a woodpecker. He banged so hard that he was making small indents. He only stopped to face him and shake his head before resuming his migraine-inducing habit.

"Not you either, huh?" he rubbed the top of his head. "Well this is getting us nowhere…"

Unknowingly, he was watched. He and Ralts were unaware as a shadow with a head looked from afar. It got Ralts' attention.

"What is it?" Mest looked over, seeing a shadow. "Who's there?!"

The shadow began to gradually grow in size, catching them by surprise. "Relax. I'm not here to fight." A voice called out.

'That voice…' For Mest, he recognized it well enough. His defenses dropped again. "Hold on, aren't you…?"

Emerging from the shadows, the black figure showed his true coloring. It was Rogue, and he seemed grateful to meet someone else.

"Rogue?!"

"Apologies. I didn't mean to startle you." The Shadow Dragon Slayer responded. "It looks like you came alone then?"

Mest calmed down. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I was teleporting around to find anyone…unfortunately, this castle's like a maze."

Rogue glanced down the corridor they were in. "I know what you mean. That blast caught us all off guard." His eyes narrowed. "And unfortunately, I can't even find Frosch in this place. You're the first person I was able to come across."

"I see. Then for now, I think it's for the best we try to stay together. Knowing the others, they might have already found others and are forming large parties. That'll make tracking their magic probably easier."

"Understood." Rogue nodded. He wanted to find his members as fast as possible. He knew Sting could take care of himself no problem, and Lector wasn't that dumb either. Minerva wasn't even worth the time because she's that competent. However, what really freaked him out was Frosch. Heaven knows what the ditzy Exceed may have gotten himself in? He could be captured for all he knows…or worse! Images of Frosch being found by Nic and Greninja flooded Rogue's mind. Red showed on his shuddering face as he could see Greninja holding him while in his little Greninja suit. It was so adorable it was sickening. 'No…no…NOOOO~!' he despaired. 'DAMN YOU, GRENINJA! DAMN YOU!'

This action, however, wasn't unnoticed by Mest. "Uh, hey…you okay?"

"I'm fine! Let's hurry! Who knows what's happened to Frosch?!" Rogue immediately dashed one way. It was like determine exploded out of the blue for him.

Mest blinked. 'What's with him all of a sudden?' He faced Ralts. "C'mon. Let's get going."

The conjoined team thus rushed down the hallway, hurrying towards darkness awaiting them.


Solrock ascended into the air a few meters, letting outa shrilled cry before the head rock glowed a bright orange. From the headpiece, a spiral of smoldering fire went at Jellal. The mage went speeding right towards the fire, using Meteor to blitz away at the last second before impact.

Jellal reappeared above Solrock, making it look up moments before a foot planted on its head, sundering the Meteorite Pokémon.

As Jellal zipped back into the air, he found himself followed by Lunatone as the moon was already in midair. The Lunatone created a dark pink orb of energy in front of the beak, which fired many beams that zoomed into Jellal.

"Pleaides!"

Jellal swiped his arm to send more golden arrays of beams at the attack. The two attacks met in the middle, creating a pulsating explosion of light that caused both to come to the ground. Although Lunatone only got a second's grace before a few glints from the sky caused it to look up. It saw a few stray sword come down for it.

Jellal used this to his advantage and cloaked himself in his Heavenly Body Magic. He blindsided Lunatone so fast it couldn't keep up. "Sorry about this!" He stamped his foot into Lunatone's backside, sending the crescent moon twirling skywards in a panic. It was so out of control it couldn't escape the residual blades that exploded upon impact.

In a streaming smoke cloud, Lunatone fell like a meteor, crashing into the ground harshly. Jellal appeared on the ground and glared forward. He watched the dust clear, revealing Lunatone and Solrock slowly eroding back up. He readied for another round.

Meanwhile, Bellona braced herself as more pebbles and rocks were shot at her at bullet speeds. The planetary ring around Pluto shot them all at her, giving her no room to attack as she used her Nightmare Magic to make a swirling galaxy shield.

'He's keeping his distance from us. He mustn't want us to get close.' She figured. Suddenly she got a bad feeling. When she felt a heavy force behind, her glance went back as a planet was there, staring down her back. Her heart raced. 'He snuck one around me.'

Pluto reached out. "Gyro Hemisphere!"

The planet began to spin incredulously. Much like a familiar Steel-type move, a small blue ring enveloped the outside of it, creating a ring like Saturn. The planet spun into Bellona, but she pivoted on one leg and used her other arm to create another galaxy wall. The dark spiral stopped the planet, keeping it from ploughing through.

Pluto's eyelids narrowed. "I have other ways to search you know."

Bellona was too distracted to realize. It was too late when planetary hemispheres surrounded all her sides, having familiar gyro rings around them. She didn't even have time to register her own shock before they crashed into her, creating a powerful eruption of dust and darkness by her own magic.

Bellona screamed in pain as she crashed onto her stomach, facing away with an aching body.

"Bellona!" Jellal yelled. He was so distracted he almost forgot to dodge another spinning flame.

Bellona strained to give herself support, but Pluto gave no care as the planets around him returned to orbit. "Your will is too weak." He said. "If you wish to pass judgement, then prove thy self!" He shot all the hemispheres at Bellona again. They congregated onto her, surrounding her every side with gyro magic rings reenergizing.

Bellona wasn't going to take that. Her fingernails clutched the ground. Her eyes shimmered for a flashing second as everything went white.

"Goddess Bellow!"

A shockwave of intense energy erupted from her body. The landscape beneath expanded as a dome of Divine Empress Magic was expelled from her body. It enveloped all the planets and shot them away, much to Pluto's surprise. The shockwaves even went as far as making him cover up as dust went pass him.

In the skies in his Meteor again, Jellal looked down, noticing the massive dome of magical energy beneath. "Bellona…" He abruptly saw an opening with Pluto covering himself. 'An opening?' He suddenly saw Lunatone and Solrock blocking his path.

He had to hurry. He didn't have a second chance after this. He furrowed his brow and suddenly jet in a light spritz. He was so fast that Lunatone and Solrock were unaware until Jellal's passing made a shockwave between the two, separating them.

The mage let out an intense scream as he descended at the speed of a meteor. Pluto looked up in shock as Jellal descended onto him.

'This is it…right now!'

Jellal flipped and went feet-first into Pluto's head. The impact in conjunction with his magic made a momentary shock freeze in place before time sped up with it. An eruption of earth and light swallowed up where Pluto was as Jellal sprung back into the air.

Above, Solrock and Lunatone got the perfect backshot of Jellal. Solrock readied another blast of flames, as with Lunatone with an intense pink orb.

"NOW, BELLONA!"

"Right!" The explosion of energy finally dispersed. The pulsating waves dissipated completely to reveal Bellona with galaxy spirals in her clutches. She looked up, seeing Solrock and Lunatone focused on Jellal and not her. 'We're sorry for this…'

Solrock and Lunatone fired. Jellal flipped in the air and somersaulted. Bellona swung with her hips.

"Nebula Hold!"

She threw the galactic spirals up at Lunatone and Solrock. She accuracy was almost spot on as they were staring at Jellal. They didn't realize it before it was too late. As they turned, dark explosions swallowed them, making a black smoke cloud in the sky. As Jellal fell from the height, so did Solrock and Lunatone. He landed next to Bellona, while the other two crashed into the ground harshly.

As the dust cleared, both were laying on the ground, wincing and stirring like they were having a bad dream. In a way, they were. Bellona's magic was going to have them occupied for sure now.

Jellal faced her. "Bellona, thank you."

The Nightmare Mage flashed the other blue-haired man a smirk. "My, Jellal. How flattering of you."

Jellal maintained his calm as they shifted their attention towards Pluto.

The planets all hovered over a breach within the dust cloud. A raspy cough made it confirmed someone was inside of there. Slowly arising, Pluto coughed again as his body was seen with a few scratches. Otherwise, his old body was hanging in there. Jellal wasn't amused to see him like this, and neither was Bellona.

"I must…admit…" Pluto coughed. "You…surprise me…Jellal and friend. There aren't many who can hit me so fluently. All honesty, I'm impressed."

"Your impressions on us aren't in the very least our concerns." Bellona stated firmly.

Pluto chuckled. "No, I can imagine not." He shakily got back up. "Not one person of this world can understand what it means."

Jellal's eyes narrowed. "What are you saying?"

"To have every fabrication you know being altered at your expense. Logic is the base that holds a person's entity together. To have that taken is like taking your own life away."

Jellal and Bellona looked at each other confusedly before Pluto went on.

"A scholar I was, a fascinate of the stars…when I was but a young lad, what thou ever wanted was to know what life was beyond our world. Each twinkle was a life yet to be exploit. Dedicated I was, studied I have, in order to know our world's great astronomy. We as humans want to survive…but what good will it do if our population rises? We need space. Space itself is that very answer."

"So that's why you chose astronomy?" Bellona inquired.

"Yes. Search far with the telescopes I have, seeping into quasars to find stars and any planets reminiscent of our own. I thought I came close…that is, until the stars went out, for those seven crusading years. You remember them? Don't you? The darkness that shrouded the universe…all because it came from a planet that I have yet to discover…" the tone he was giving off was beginning to grow dark and remorseful. "If I had known, then with the power of Pokémon and stars, the worlds I sought so curiously for could still be sought, even in those times."

"I understand how you feel."

Pluto looked at Jellal with surprise.

"Believe me, you're not the only one who thought so highly of an outcome. I'm sure many of us reciprocate…as do I."

"Jellal…" Bellona muttered.

"Every single person, no matter where. Suffered. It was not in your power to begin with, as it was not mine, nor the Council…or perhaps Zeref and Acnologia even…but you must understand. The past is but history. Dwelling on what could have been won't bring you forward."

"…no, you're absolutely right." Pluto glared up in a dreading silence that followed. "…but the Pokémon world's technology will."

A second wave of shock went through Jellal and Bellona.

"Perhaps the power we of Earthland had was of no bounds, but the land from which Nic Pularis and the few who have come over, we saw when we spectated the conference. The technology. The advancements that this strange world of familiar qualities has. Why, I've heard rumors even that they can build ships that can send them into actual space. Now tell me, why don't we have that? With such potential, I would be able to locate a home beyond reaches, and create a world from there; a continual network that will bring many more to reach. This shall be the true binding of the universe, the way I saw it."

Bellona's glare hardened. "So that's it…now I understand. If you were to take the Cambire Foundation's as associates, they'd have the technology needed for your over-the-top desires. I don't know whether to consider that a gamble, or a selfish turn wasted."

"So that's why you joined the Spriggan." Jellal noted.

"Precisely. Whatever it takes, now with the power of Pokémon, my dream shall finally be realized!" He turned towards the Solrock and Lunatone sleeping soundly. Within the area of which his planets orbited, they all went above their heads.

The nine planets aligned themselves up like a pillar, with the sun's last rays still peaking over the incoming clouds. That last ray shimmered, making a powerful cosmic chain as the small planet-like hemispheres glowed. The rays became a pure beam that compressed with each planet it went through. It enveloped the Lunatone and Solrock, stopping them from stirring. They both opened their eyes, finding out they were awake.

Bellona's shock was evident. 'What happened? Did my Nightmare Magic get dispelled?' She looked at the planets as they hovered back to Pluto. 'Did those planets actually nullify my magic?'

Lunatone and Solrock also floated in front. Pluto directed them at their foes. "Confusion!" Both their eyes glowed and a telekinetic aura surrounded them, which reflected on Jellal and Bellona, immediately anchoring them against the ground.

Both mages found themselves pinned down by the force provided. As shocking as it was, even Jellal was unable to escape this time.

"I suppose now is as good as time as any to tell you what my magic is." Pluto said. He gestured to the nine colorful planets around him. "You see, the power I handle is that of Planetary Magic. My magic…is that of which fell to Earthland's reaches eons ago. I discovered an archeological crash site that dated back to 500 years ago. It was very small, but within the earth, I found what were pieces of the moon."

Jellal gritted his teeth as he strained. 'The moon…?'

"By adding lacrima to give the moon pieces a sense of gravity, and adding natural elements, I can give them composition and control them at my very will. It is with this power, and the power of Pokémon, that will give the empire something greater than power. That…is knowledge!"

Jellal glared up. "His fundamentals aren't sound in the slightest. He's right, we can't understand."

"Then I would say his mind is up in the clouds…but it's too high to even recognize." Bellona stated. "His astrologic ideals are poor it's sad." The longer she stared, the more she stared at the many pieces of the colored moons he had. 'But still, to think he was able to implant magic and used lunar power…so that's why my magic was nullified.'

Pluto raised his arms overhead. "Now…I shall show you proof that true power lies beyond our planet…" He slowly raised his head, glaring up at the sky. "Behold!"

Jellal and Bellona turned their heads well enough to get a glimpse of the now clouded sky. They could feel an unfathomable magical pressure that was weighing them down harder than the Lunatone and Solrock were.

"What's…happening…?" Bellona strained.

Jellal's eyes narrowed.

Pluto entire body looked like it was convulsing as the nine spheres around him were slowly orbiting like a ring once more. They slowly rotated as they went clockwise. The speed increased s each glowed a powerful different color. The colors moved so fast they looked like a rainbow ring. Like them, Pluto's own eyes shut before opening. They too were rainbow.

Within the atmosphere, in space's confines, a very small rainbow glint was seen on Earthland. Far up, the moon close to earth did little to nothing. At first it was stationary, but in a very, very small area, no larger than what could be the size of a football field, a rainbow glow enveloped it.

The rainbow area suddenly cracked once, then twice. It looked to be pulling away…

A short while had passed, and Pluto continued to surge his magic through the lunar pieces fragmented above him. Jellal and Bellona were straggling incredulously. The weight of the telekinetic force with the heavy magic pressure was making it hard to breathe.

Bellona coughed. The pressure was already too much to take.

"Bellona…" Jellal's worries were short-lived as he heard a small rumble. It sounded oddly like a jet engine, and yet the sound sounded more enflamed than technology racing through the sky.

Far away, still barely reaching the city's limits, Ajeel was walking a little better than before. It was here he heard that strange sound as well. He looked towards the sky, hearing a loud, decimate roar. "This magic…" his eyes widened in realization. "Pluto…?"

In his throne room, Neinhart smirked. "My, looks like Pluto sure knows how spoil this. What better way to give show a little life…without fireworks?"

Both members of Crime Sorciere looked up in shock. Not just them, but members inside and outside the castle were feeling an intense rumbling from outside. It distracted them briefly from combat and running long enough for them to question what was happening.

"Now you will feel the power of the moon itself, and all of its divine power." Pluto stated.

Jellal couldn't think of what to say. Neither could Bellona. They stared wide-eyed as the clouds above swirled and slowly eroded away, revealing the blue sky. However, the sky had many rainbow glints, and they were coming down with fragments of white rock the size of them crumbling from a bigger slate and falling down onto them.

'It can't be…'

'Impossible…'

Pluto brought his hands down, guiding the attack to roar and close in on Jellal and Bellona exclusively. The pieces were far from ordinary.

"Absolute Planetary Magic: Selardi!"

The very thin crust of the moon's already thin pieces were expelled in that small area. And yet, to control such magic was breathtaking to Jellal and Bellona. So much that they almost forgot their current situation. They were pinned down, unable to escape as Lunatone and Solrock were pinning them down.

"Je…llal…" Bellona strained she turned towards Jellal.

Jellal could see it within her. He could see the consoling levels of fear she was giving off. The heavens were literally roaring as they sent fragments of moon rocks down at them. Against such magic, he was gritting his teeth as well.

That is, until he got an idea. "…Bellona, hurry! Make an illusion!"

Bellona's eyes widened. "What…?"

"If we can distract them long enough, their focus will deteriorate! Hurry!"

Jellal had a point. Bellona could see it. If she could use a spell to divert their focus, there might be a chance to get away by the skin of their teeth. As degrading as the alternative might be, she couldn't despair. 'Jellal's right. What am I doing? I can't give up now.' She glared at Lunatone and Solrock. 'I have no intention of expiring…at least not now. Please Jellal, give me your strength!'

"May the heavenly judgement be upon you!" Pluto rejoiced.

Concentrating, Bellona focused hard on Lunatone and Solrock. Her eyes began to narrow with a dark tone to them.

"Living Dread!"

Lunatone and Solrock pressed them when suddenly the atmosphere around them darkened. They both looked around to find a cold chill shrilling around them. It was disorienting.

"What's…happening?" Solrock murmured.

"I don't know." Lunatone responded. It looked forward to see Jellal and Bellona unable to move, yet in front, materialized and growing, it and Solrock saw an amorphous creature slowly erode in front. It gave off a sinister red aura that paralyzed them both.

The figure's red eyes glimmered. It stared down with a big grin showing. The whole thing looked to be forming a Gengar that had grizzly cackles. It left both shocked.

"No! Don't pay attention you fools!" Pluto retorted.

Around Jellal and Bellona, the Confusion subsided. The aura concealing them was free, giving Jellal the chance to seize Bellona's wrist.

"Meteor!"

In a blitz, Jellal cradled Bellona with his upper body and bolted away from the eminent impact. He zipped across the landscape as the lightspeed drive of the falling rocks whistled before making varied impacts into the courtyard.

From the distance, one could've figure it was relevant to a small meteor shower, yet the way the attack looked was like rainbow rain shooting down from the dark heavens themselves. They just kept falling, and explosions of cosmic energy erupted to no end.

"Jellal!" Bellona screamed.

Jellal zipped left and right, charging at Pluto as very small meteors kept plummeting. Their individual strengths created a pulsating geyser of debris that rained down everywhere. That itself was sharp against Jellal's cranium. Still, he had to persevere.

"Futile!" Pluto gestured towards the sky, where falling, a large fragment fell at blazing speeds. He dragged his arm down, guiding it down in an arch that rocketed into Jellal and Bellona.

Looking up, Jellal could see how fast it was coming in. He looked down at Bellona, who had worry plastered all over her face. He upheld his confidence, for her sake. 'Bellona…don't worry.' He took one more step in front, his own speed in his magic making him disappear. The next instance, he appeared behind Pluto as time slowed down. 'My own strength wasn't mine either from the beginning. It's thanks to certain people who cared for me that I picked myself now. Now it's my turn…to show what that strength is!'

Pluto looked back. "What?" Suddenly Jellal grabbed him. "Hey! Unhand me you fool!"

"You sure about that?"

Pluto was caught flabbergasted at the blindsiding, but he realized his own mistake. He looked up at the meteor the size of a house coming right for him. It was so bright that he almost had to look away. He grunted at the situation he was in. He knew what Jellal was trying to do. "Damn you…!"

"You want to die by your own folly so soon?" the mage bargained.

Pluto glared forward, his narrow eyes squinting as he realized what he had to do. To defend against the meteor coming for him and the others, the rainbow ring above his head started to charge up a small compressed energy sphere in the center. It was small, but it was familiar to the likes of plasma. Pluto let out a cursed roar as he relinquished the energy into a photon-like beam that shot up from the ring. It scaled higher, and higher, until it disappeared into the downwards meteor.

The deafening roar of chilling intensity did nothing at first. It continued course like it was, until it suddenly emitted a strong enough light that made anyone unfortunate feel an intense burn reminiscent of the sun.

BOOM!

A brief flash compressed into a ball of energy in midair before the ground everywhere ripped open. The entire courtyard's level completely diced into pieces before caving into an immense wave of force that quickly raced across the ground. Shards pulsated into walls, buildings all over the town. And the palace's base was being pelted and dented in by explosions and shockwaves ripping off durable parts of its exterior. The pillars all over the yard were caught in an avalanche of intense magical surges that immediately broke them like crackers.

Years of construction reduced to milliseconds of destruction as the roaring smoke and dust echoed for miles on end. It continued like this until the last bits of smoke and dark debris ceased to shower like rain.

On the ground, the dust was slowly dissipating. Many coughed, which of course was Bellona and Jellal. Their clothing was all torn up, and from the looks of it, they were still kicking. They grunted heavily as their skins were nothing but dirt and blood as they laid close to one another.

"Bellona…" Jellal strained to get up, coughing. "Are you…alright…?"

Bellona ushered another cough as she strained incredulously. "…yes…I believe I am…but…"

Jellal understood. He looked over into the dust dissipating in the distance. There, he and Bellona saw Lunatone and Solrock were both dazed and swaying from all that intense shock. Disorienting would be one word for them. Pluto was no different. He waved dust away as he was shown to be shaken up incredulously by the attack. His priest attire was in rags, and his moustache had layers of dirt on them. They all looked to be in bad shape, but otherwise strained to stand.

Jellal and Bellona stirred up. On their shaken feet, they glared at Pluto.

"You…insolent…" The Planetary Mage glared at them with cold hard daggers. "You dare to turn the moon's power…into your own? To sink so low…you wretched non-celestials have no place to be amongst the stars now!" He pushed forward, commanding his spheres to attack.

But nothing happened.

"What…?" Pluto looked up, seeing they were absent. "What happened? My planets!" He looked down at the ground to try and find them. When he saw it, his eyes shrunk in horror. There he saw. All the spheres that he had, but amongst them, they were nothing. They were all crumbled rocks with shattered lacrima crystals sticking out of their loose gravel. Pluto sunk to his knees, his face falling in deep dejection. "No…no…this can't be…" He shakily reached down into the rock deposits, shuddering as it was nothing but dust that was picked up by the wind. He gasped as he reached for it. "No! Come back!"

"The moon is a very lovely thing to look at."

Pluto looked down at Jellal. He saw him joining his hands and spreading two fingers from each hand to point at him.

"However, what you just did is beyond forgiveness. You took power that you thought you were ready for, and now look. The heavens themselves judged even you to have gone too far."

Pluto took a heavy step back. "No, you're wrong!" He reached out, making Lunatone and Solrock move in front of him.

"Perhaps it's hypocritical to say, but to desire something you know is impossible…it makes you realize it's what you have already that gives you worth." Above his head, seven magical circles formed a constellation. They hovered over Pluto as he looked shaken to no end. "The beauty of life isn't what is beyond your own reach. Rather…it's the ones right in front of you!"

"STOOOOP!" Pluto's anguish cries went unanswered as he could no longer fight back.

Jellal thrust forward. The seven magic circles shined with golden lights.

"Mya the seven stars brings judgement upon you! Grand Chariot!"

The circles above glinted for a split second before seven intense beams of cosmic golden light roared down onto Pluto and his Pokémon. The Spriggan let out a vile scream that went deaf within the roaring lights. The land shuddered as another shockwave passed beneath Jellal and Bellona as they stared at the light pillars before them.

The attacking lights finally dissipated after so long. As they shimmered away, the sky above was slowly starting to recede to the way it was supposed to be. On the ground, Lunatone and Solrock were defeated, and yet behind them, with a deeper sense in the crater and smoldering earth, the smoldering body of Pluto itself was there, charred, gaping teeth bared as he looked unrecognizable.

Jellal looked at his handiwork solemnly before turning away. "It's done."

"Yes…" Bellona nodded. "Do you believe we were too harsh?"

Jellal paused for a moment to think over things. He looked up at the sky, seeing the last bit of blue fade within the storm clouds. "…it's hard to say. We all want to achieve great things that no one else would think possible…" he looked down at Bellona. "But I think it's just as important to know some beliefs you can't do alone."

Bellona nodded at the sentiment. She and Jellal looked at the crater as the dust settled. While in the distance, the last dust of Pluto's moons and lacrima were swept into the winds.


Disease. Famine. Mistreatment. Any one of those would make any one person suffer. People suffer every day, even if it's not from nutrients. Rather, it could be from actions that they did not fault themselves for. When one gives warning and they cross lines, they may find themselves challenged only to end up in a place worse than what they ha expected. Hell.

And life itself was nothing short of a hell, at least for the thin people of the town that was crumbling.

People in rags were stumbling and running for their lives. People coughed before they stumbled forward. If they fell to the ground, they'd be trampled to death by the healthier individuals still on the move. With that in mind, many had to turn away from others as they scurried off, but they only found themselves cornered by a rock wall that enclosed them in.

Desperation, survival. Two things that intertwined. People would be separate to survive. And the same is reversed. People would survive by being desperate. Even if it meant discarding possessions.

"Mommy!" Orion, a thin but still somewhat healthy little boy. He watched as his pale mother in rags fled for her life with the other citizens in one direction while watching from an alley that she left him in.

In the darkness he was. It was shocking when the whole town, even in broad daylight, it had a dark hue that subdued a majority of sunlight. And the next thing they knew, darkness swamped them, literally. Orion remained hidden as he watched as a passing blast of darkness flooded the one street. The sounds of screams made it certain people met their misfortune.

Slowly getting out, Orion looked down the street where he watched his mother go. Amongst the burning houses and hundreds of dead bodies, he could tell one of the thin ragdolls was his mother. He stared with no emotion as a cold chill went up his spine. Something was behind him.

When he turned around, he was face-to-face with the monster that was passing through. The monster had shadowcast armor with shackles around the wrists. Its void-like visor was directed down on the child that dared to remain put and not wet himself.

The two had a long stare, so long that it felt like an eternity until the demon finally chose to spoke. "…kid. Run."

Orion didn't listen. "Who are you?"

Demora calmly stared. "…you ask who I am, and yet you should be running, just like I said…" He stopped to see a sickly ragged man stumble pass them. He didn't waste anything but a simple swat of his hand to make the chain around his wrist sway, smacking the diseased man on the head so hard it crushed his skull.

Orion looked over in shock, but then faced Demora, who crouched down in front of him.

"…you have a strong face. Tell me, child, how are you so strong to stand before darkness?"

Orion swallowed. "I survived. I did what I had to do."

"Even in a diseased world, there are still those who strive to survive…how very interesting." Demora stood up. "What's your name, child?"

"Orion…that's all."

"Orion…" Demora turned around. He looked at the diseased people who laid dead all around them. "Well child…it would appear that this is most fortunate…for both of us, in fact." He looked towards Orion. "Tell me…do you know what it means to suffer?"

Orion was confused. He didn't know how to answer such a question. But Demora's grizzly gauntlet extended down towards him. He looked up, seeing a foreboding dread coming from the monster.

"Then allow me to turn that suffering you bare into everlasting peace."


A limp corpse went flying back while others dashed stiffly ahead. Orion wasted no time punching them all with dark-coated fists that knocked them down just as hard. With the next wave covered, he looked up, seeing the already fallen soldiers staggering back up like zombies.

In the far back, with glowing bloody eye, Sindge stared motionless as he used his magic. This didn't go unnoticed by Orion.

'His magic relates to blood. If someone gets cut, he can manipulate them, dead or alive. That means distance is essential.' Brought out of his thoughts, he looked down as one of the dead soldiers prodded their arm, up trying to puncture him from below. He narrowly evaded by sliding back meters away. He glared ahead as the many corpses were brought up once again by Sindge.

"Is that all you got?" the Spriggan challenged.

Sting swung a light-infused roundhouse that knock another guy over. He continued with the momentum and shot off another guy's chest to avoid another sword that cleaved into the other guy. Sting flipped and landed outside the huddled group's space, turning around to face them.

"White Dragon's Roar!"

He stood on two feet as he unleashed a high-pressured laser of light that ripped across the ground. It swallowed the dead bodies as they turned to attack. Sting glared forward as a massive dome of light roared skywards, making ripples exert upwards.

"Is there no end to these guys?" He questioned. He watched the light fade into oblivion. He saw the many bodies with charred limbs get up again like groggy zombies. "Man this is so creepy. They just keep getting back up. Just what magic is this…?" A small chill went down his spine when he felt something looming behind him. A dark silhouette with bloody eyes held a long dagger that glinted.

"Sting! Look out!" Lector warned.

Sting turned around at the warning, and thankfully in time as the dagger swung diagonally by Sindge. Time slowed down for the White Dragon as he stared at the space ahead of him. The dagger's swing was mere inches from his nose. If he weren't warned, he'd be cut in the back. He pivoted and got distance as Sindge towered in front.

"Not bad reflexes, kid." He complimented. "You and your pal over there know how to move." He swung his sword in a commanding way. "But let's see just how long that lasts!"

The dead group behind Sting stirred. When Sting turned around he saw all of them lunging for him, swords and weapons ready. Sindge smirked as he caught Sting off guard, taking a crouch before lunging after him from the front.

Sting looked back, realizing the folly. 'Crap! Pincer attack!'

"Now DIE!" Sindge lunged forward at incredulous speeds.

Another black and purple wave shot from nearby. It cut a path that intercepted Sindge and made him recoil before he got too close. He cut into the ground and roosted on the helm of his blade as it sped to a stop. He glared ahead as Orion swung an arm, sending another torrential blast that intercepted the soldiers behind Sting.

"Thanks for the save man." Sting praised.

Orion swooped in front, glaring at Sindge. "I thought I said don't mention it…or to let your guard down."

Sting grew serious. "Yeah, sorry."

Sindge's eyes narrowed. "Tch, I'm getting sick and tired of this. Should've figured this drag out till their corpses were mush."

Sting focused on Sindge. "Well if you ask me, seems like you're not far off."

"…perhaps not. Let's fix that then." He pulled out two daggers from pockets within his cleats and twirled before catching. With his arms at his sides, he motioned the attack to commence. The dead soldiers behind the Dragon and Devil Slayers were up again, but were motionless until Sindge jerked his elbows back. Gushing from their mouths, thin streams of blood spewed ahead, making the bodies quiver before their pale forms went limp.

Sting and Orion looked back, seeing a barrage of thing blood streams heading their way. They dodged as they continued their path towards the master. Sindge remained perched on his sword as the same blood all converged into loops around him in midair. Red liquid circled around him like a barrier as he glared at his prey.

"Look out!" Orion warned.

"I got it!" Sting exclaimed.

Sindge crossed his arms, slashing in an 'X'-shaped chop.

"BLOOD SLICE!"

Following with the swat, the bloody swirl became intense crescents of blood, similar to Juvia's attack or an Air Cutter. The attack shot across the ground and closed in on them. They hurriedly moved off to the side. The bloody crescents continued their thin course towards the limp soldiers standing like statues, cutting clean into them. Time slowed once again as their figures were seen in white, cut up like paper into pieces that the blood connected with. Sting and Orion looked back with wide eyes at the horror as blood sprayed the carpets, the walls, and the stained armor…what was left of it that is.

Sting looked morally horrified as he saw the sacrifice made. "That's just sick…"

Sindge darkly smirked. "What's wrong? Red not your favorite color? Well then…maybe you just need a little convincing, my young friend." He reached back for something large attached to his belt. He pulled out something that was stashed within a pocket and began to turn the lid.

Sting's eyes narrowed. "What the…?"

The top turned, releasing a supercooled mist around Sindge. He took the top off and began to drink from the thermos. With each swallow, he guzzled down ounces of blood that he's saved. When he finished the whole container, he gave it one last swallow before lurching forward. The thermos dropped to the ground, his glare blooming with blood red. "Now we're talking…"

Orion balled his fists. 'He's consumed blood. His Magic Power's even stronger now.'

Sindge remained passively quiet as his eyes dilated with a bloodlust fury. Veins around the head slowly pulsated as the blood entered his system. "Let's get going. Blood Spiral!" Just by craning his head, the splattered blood on the stained ground began to recollect into a blood rush that became seeping streams that rushed behind Sting and Orion. The two looked behind to find they were suddenly encompassed in a helix of warm, gross blood that caged them in.

Lector gasped.

Sting looked at the walls of the spiral with disgust. "Now he's molding blood on command?"

In a spritz, Sindge reappeared above the spiral, a sword ready to plunge.

"Above you!" Orion warned.

Sindge roared as he plunged his sword downwards. Sting managed to jump away from the impaling attack in time and back away. However, he cut it a little close as he jumped to the edge of the red barrier. The blood actually touched his back, sending goosebumps up his spine.

Sindge smirked. "Looks like you're out of room, kid." He spritzed after Sting, going left and right in sweeping fashion. He quickly closed the gap on him and Sting, holding his sword again in midair, shrieking like a psychotic banshee.

'No good! He's quicker than before!' "Watch it!" Orion warned, knowing he wasn't going to make it.

"Sting!" Lector worried.

Sting braced himself as Sindge closed the sword on him. "Nice knowing ya, punk!" Blood began to magnify from fragments of the spiral into his blade. It made a small helix of blood that made the attack more potent. "Red Karbia!"

The sword came down, but as time slowed down, Sting stared up as everything in the background went white. '…I don't have anywhere to go…guess this is it.' He reached for his pocket. 'I hoped for saving this for later…guess it's time to shine.'

Sindge let loose a cry as his slash finally met something with a powerful glowing essence from it. The bloody spiral surrounding them dissipated, splattering all over the ground around them like red rain. Sindge held a slash pose as Orion and Lector looked shocked beyond comparison.

"Heh, sorry kid…but you just didn't make the cut-!" He heard a crack from his sword. "Huh?!" He looked down, his eyes widening when he noticed the edging around his sword was chipped. He stared with surprise. 'No way…my sword was…was chipped? How?'

A dark blue claw grazed from the side, catching Sindge off guard as he looked back to be delivered a blow to the side. He went tumbling across the ground several times until he sprawled on all fours. Once around, he shook his head and looked up, leering with curiosity.

"What…?"

Sting, unfazed, smirked. "Looks like it's your time pal…give 'em hell."

The Pokémon referred to had his sharp draconic yellow eyes glisten in the room lighting. His rugged red head was attached to a bipedal primarily dark blue body. The wings were rugged with red plates on the back. The Pokémon let out a shrilling roar, which reverberated throughout the area. It made Sindge's own glare harden.

"The hell…?" Sindge locked eyes with the draconic beast, their grizzly stares deep and unrelenting on one another.

"Guess you didn't know." Sting grinned. "Meet my Pokémon, Druddigon." Once again, Druddigon roared. "Gotta say, pretty choice timing. His Rough Skin Ability really packs a punch."

Sindge's eyes narrowed. "Rough…Skin?"

"Yeah, crazy right? Turns out, whenever Druddigon is hit physically, the attacker gets hurt as well."

"…I see." Sindge looked back at Druddigon, his stare as deep as can be against his hard scales. The spikes he had also didn't help. "In that case, why don't we even things out?" He put two fingers to his mouth and let out a high-pitched whistle throughout the corridor. Within the darkness above them, a figure's eyes glimmered like a demon.

Druddigon looked up in confusion.

"What's that?" Sting questioned.

Descending from the shadows, a massive blur zipped down and flapped its wings above Sindge's head. Sindge smirked as above him was a large bat-like Pokémon with a gaping mouth with four protruding fangs shown. "Well now, guess now we're back to square one…meet my little associate – Golbat!"

The Bat Pokémon let out a loud shriek of its own that made soundwaves throughout the area. Everyone held their ground as Sindge and Golbat glared with bloodthirsty ferocity.

Sting held his prime. "Looks like we're doing this now. You ready. Druddigon?!"

Druddigon rammed his fist together. "Yeah!"

Sindge's eyes glimmered. "Pathetic!" He reached out. "Golbat, bring me their blood! Use Leech Life!" At his command, Golbat flapped its wings and went sailing after Druddigon from above.

Sting balled his fists next. "Alright Druddigon, wait for it…" He and Druddigon remained patient as Golbat swooped in, closing in to take a bite. When closed and mouth open, he swiped his arm. "Aim for the mouth! Use Dragon Rage!"

Druddigon roared as his stomach began to glow a blue spiral. As the energy flared, Golbat closed the gap quickly, but Druddigon opened wide and expelled a voluminous black and blue beam that swallowed up the massive bat. The beam sailed skywards, sending Golbat into a whirl.

Sindge's glare hardened. "Damnit." He realized something else. As he looked ahead, Orion closed the gap on him as well. He swiftly evaded an incoming punch. Orion swung again, and he dodged away. Swung again into the ground, and Sindge slid back for his own distance. They both adjusted.

"Don't forget your own battles as well you know." Orion spoke.

"Believe me, pal, I wouldn't even dream of it!" Sindge suddenly spritzed into a blur, darting at Orion. Sword against fist as Sindge let out a shrilled cry as the damaged sword closed the gap.

Meanwhile, Golbat's wings glowed to signify a Wing Attack. He swatted one wing down, making time slowdown for Druddigon as the recoil made his head fling back. He clawed against the ground and stopped his slide a few feet away, sneering at Golbat. The bat in return remained stationary in place, his wing showing a bruise. He winced at the pain.

'He's damaged. Gotta strike hard and fast!' Sting thought. "Alright Druddigon, Hone Claws!"

Druddigon's glared dilated. "Gotcha!" He spread his claws out, in which he scraped the nails into one another. As they sharpened, a red aura enveloped the body, increasing his Attack and accuracy. Once set, he took a pose and smirked. "Alright, let's take this bastard home!"

Golbat adjusted from the recoil and went to attack again.

"Use Slash!" Sting roared.

Druddigon's claws glistened white and elongated. He let out a roar as he and Golbat came together again, and he slashed. He followed through with a white trail, but Golbat ended up behind him, startling him. After a gasp, Golbat's fangs pierced his shoulder, making Druddigon roar in pain.

"Crap! Druddigon!" Sting exclaimed. 'That bat is too fast.'

Druddigon recoiled heavily as Leech Life worked its magic. The partial blood was being drained, and a green aura enveloped Golbat as his energy recovered. Golbat's eyes narrowed as the delicious ounces sapped, but then a sharp pain went through the teeth. Rough Skin had taken effect again.

Seeing the opportunity, Druddigon took it. He pivoted and brought his arm around with Slash, managing a direct glow that caught Golbat by surprise. The raking wave sent the bat shrieking and sliding back across the ground in deep pain.

Druddigon adjusted with Sting. "We're not done yet, pal!" Sting exclaimed. "Druddigon!"

"YEAH!" the Cave Pokémon roared.

Golbat sat up, squinting angrily at his delicious yet stubborn prey.

Sword against fists clashed, clanking hard as refine steel parried with dark gloved fists. With each blow, Sindge was nimble with his flips and turns, dodging Orion's backfists and jabs. As opposed to that, when Sindge found an opening behind, he horizontally slashed, only for it to miss when Orion backflipped to do a dark-coated axe kick down onto Sindge. The kick was narrow, but it didn't strike as Sindge rolled backwards to get further behind.

Crouched down, the Blood Control Mage smirked. 'This guy's more close combat than I thought. His attacks and mine are almost completely alike.' In his mind, he replayed the limited long-range spells each used. 'So no matter what, he's sticking to a hardy gamble. Be admirable if not insane. Then again people call me that.' He stood up, giving a sneer. "Alright, you're crafty, but let's see how you like this…"

Orion looked over his shoulder, seeing more compartments on Sindge's belt unfasten. The corks on them all were undone as inside, it looked like small containers of blood. 'More blood.'

Sindge smirked. "Blood Spear!" Swiping his arms to either side, the blood in the vials rushed out into a multitude of condensed spears of pressurized blood with velocity of arrows.

Orion backflipped constantly as the spears of blood arched down to follow him. As he flipped, the arrows followed. It was only when he lost momentum and dropped to a knee did he realize he was surrounded by the spears. They all came down onto him, shooting at intense speeds.

Sindge's dark glare looked satisfied. "DIE!"

The spears closed in, but Orion slammed his fist into the ground, letting out a roar equal to a dark shockwave that pulsated in all directions, dissipating the blood in an instant.

Sindge grunted as he was forced to cover up with his forearms from the shockwaves. As the roaring darkness was making him lose ground, he was open as Orion closed the gap, time slowing down as his fist went right for him. Sindge's eyes widened as the dark fist balled and let loose.

"Dark Devil's Cowling!"

The fist crashed so hard against his forearms that Sindge felt an intense shock run through him. His world shuddered as he slid on his heels backwards until he finally fell onto his back, thudding hard.

He laid there, grunting in pain. "D-damnit…" He lazily attempted to get back up, but only managed to get to his knees when his breath was raspy. He could feel his cells getting as light as his head. 'Shit. Controlling all this blood and drinking it is starting to get to me. I better end this and fast-!' He was about to get up, but his eyes went to something that disturbed him.

In the corner of his eyes, his shock went wild as he saw it for himself. Like a groaning zombie, Sindge noticed that his forearm bandages where Orion struck. They were gone. Instead, there was the underside.

Flesh. Raw, unadulterated flesh. It was red, blotched, with bubbles of pus barely noticeable. The longer Sindge looked at it, the more his eyes and mind started to dilate away from reality.

It went back to the time of his early teen years. Even as a boy, he never had any demented problems. He was normal…at least as normal as best could describe someone out there. He was well in shape, sociable…only he had one habit, a really bad habit. At times of conventional study, he would read or lay in bed, but in all those times, he'd be nipping his teeth against parts of his fingers and fingernails. Day by day, it would be ripped off. Skin; epidermis needed to make blood stay in. But around 12, that all started to deteriorate, literally.

He'd come to school with gauze over his fingers, and even then they'd still bleed. He was prescribed to stop, but like all bad addicts, some lessons just don't die as easily as people do. Bandages didn't help. He'd wait until they would heal…so that he could do it again. And again. And again. Just nipping against fingernails and his finger's skin until it was raw. Until they bled.

Blood would stain his sheets. And the smell of iron in the blood didn't make it better. It made him ferocious. As much as it hurt, he nipped away, until nothing but pain against raw skin refrained him. But the sensation and smell of blood was too irresistible at that point. He'd grit against his fingers down to the knuckles. Any blotches he would lick to suck up the tasty blood. Until finally, he went up the arms.

The habit was so bad he had to be hospitalized to keep his mouth in check. But the doctors weren't safe. Just one day, one could say he snapped. Just one needle, an arm, and the taste of blood was in his mouth. It was delicious.

To this day, the madman wears bandages so he'd never have to bother his blotched arms ever again. Just looking at it now was making him sick to where he shuddered like a rabid animal. His eyes shuddered unknowingly as Golbat's wings were gripped by Druddigon.

The bat was suspended as the Dragon-type was holding him back. "Keep it just like that, Druddigon!" Sting exclaimed. "I'm going in!"

Sindge slowly turned around, his distraught expression on Sting as the White Dragon blitzed right for him. He watched silently as Sting pulled his fist back, creating a ball of light for his next strike. When he made his jump, his reflection was within Sindge's eyes. As his punch let loose, his eyes shrunk drastically.

Sting fired and explosive light from his punch, hitting the distraught bloody mage as the attack ripped open a large base. Orion returned to a safe area and watched as Sting's attack swallowed up the man. The roaring wave of light echoed through the area, while Sting looked confident.

"…Did that shut him up?" he wondered.

Within the dissipating light, rippling blood was mixing with it. A passing blood wave revealed a grizzly, highly-defined eye.

"What?!"

The light fully dissipated, revealing Sindge behind a rippling wall of blood he molded as he turned around. It stopped Sting's attack brutally cold. He looked at Sting like he really wanted to murder him. He growled angrily as well.

Orion's eyes sharpened. 'He stopped his attack with blood of that density!'

Sindge released the wall and immediately seized Sting's wrist. The shocked man realized his mistake.

'Crap!'

Sindge gave no words as he craved blood. He swiped a dagger across Sting's arm, gashing blood that made him scream in agony as he recoiled. He clutched his arm while Sindge held the bleeding dagger to his mouth.

"Sting!" Lector cried out. Sting clutched his arm in pain. He got to a knee as Lector flew down to check the wound. "Are you hurt?"

Sting opened an eye. "…yeah, I'll be fine." He looked ahead, him and Lector realizing the flaw. Sindge evilly smirked as he had the blade to his mouth. Sting's eyes shrunk. 'Oh crap!'

"NO!" Orion crouched and went for a sharp lunge at Sindge.

"I wonder how this tastes?" Sindge opened his mouth and gave the blade a small lick. When the blood touched his tongue, a shock went through Sting, leaving his heart to momentarily stop. He gagged as his eyes dilated, his body convulsing through the cold chill flowing through his body.

"Pal? You okay…?" Lector got no reply. "Sting…?"

Orion closed the gap on him and Sindge. He let out a roar as the punch came forward, but Sindge wasn't worried.

"Moron."

Orion was suddenly struck rom the side. The mage felt pain on the left side as it showed Sting driving his knee into Orion's gut. The impact sent him into the wall, sitting up in distress.

Druddigon looked over at the sudden change of events. With him distracted, Golbat's eyes squinted and he reeled away. He ascended high until he was safe enough to flap his wings once, unleashing a light blue crescent of air that was Air Cutter. The attack struck Druddigon with explosive force, sending him into the ground.

"Druddigon!" Sting looked back, but an unknown force swung him back around and make a harsh stop in front of Orion.

With Sting's shadow over him, Orion looked up. "What…what is…?"

"Crap! Sorry!" Sting abruptly punched ahead, but Orion leaned to the side to dodge. Sting used the other fist to try and attack. Orion also dodged that.

As Sting punched right and left, over and over, Sindge turned his back, smirking.

"Crap! That guy's got Sting under his control!" Lector exclaimed.

"I wonder…just what a taste of dragon blood is like…"

"Wha-?!" Sting was thwarted from his barrage against Orion when his gash in his arm started to bubble intensely. He glanced over, his eyes dilating as he watched small strips of his own blood leaving his body and flowing into Sindge's mouth.

Like a Dragon Slayer with his element, Sindge had his mouth opened as he took a small sample of blood from the strip of red flowing. Once gone, the blood flow in Sting was weak to where he staggered a little. Lector worried a lot, but even more as the blood was swallowed by Sindge. His eyes opened, looking up at the ceiling as his raspy breath had a hot mist. "Aaahh! So this is Dragon Slayer blood!" he cried out. "This is power!"

"This is bad! We have to run, Sting!" Lector warned.

"I'm trying…but I can't move…" Sting ushered his body, but to a fruitless avail.

Sindge harshly turned towards them, his bloody red eyes glowing. "…I want more."

Sting cringed.

"Give me your blood~!" Sindge lunged into the air as he held a dagger overhead. He roared as he was ready to skewer Sting's head.

Sting's eyes widened as Lector cried out. The blade came down, in fact hitting something that gushed blood in a stereo splash. Sting's eyes were shut as he thought he was dead, but he opened them, shocked beyond belief. "What…?"

Between them, Orion used his forearm to block the dagger from Sindge's blow. The two were in an intense standoff as Sindge thrust a little harder with a growl, but Orion's teeth gritted as he held his own, despite the blood seeping from his wound.

"Crap! You okay?!" Sting exclaimed.

Orion grabbed Sindge's wrist, holding him in place. "I'm fine." He grunted. "But you! Get out of here now!"

"What?!"

"You're not safe around here if he can take al your blood in an instant! You have to buy some space!"

Sting looked hesitant. "But, what about…?"

"Forget about me!" He used his strength and pivoted. He swung around and threw Sindge backwards. The Blood Mage easily landed in a slide and glared back at Orion as he held his ground. "…this is your only chance kid…now go."

Sting was hesitant to answer, he really was. He and Lector watched as Orion's dark-coated fist crashed against Sindge's blades, making a gust between them as they stood off intensely. He wanted to keep going, but he knew he was in no position to. He balled his fists and looked dissatisfied. But he knew better than to argue.

He faced Orion, giving him a sharp glare as he faced Sindge. "…okay. Be careful." He made a sharp turn away. "Lector!"

"Right!" The Exceed used his magic to create Aera wings. He picked up Sting as they glided off to the halls awaiting them.

"Druddigon, return!" Sting recalled his struggling Druddigon along the way. The red laser sucked him back into his Poke Ball as they departed. With one more glance back, Sting looked worriedly at the fading Devil Slayer and his chances, but shook his head and focused on getting away. His face grew determined as they faded into darkness.

Back with Orion and Sindge, the Devil Slayer locked eyes. "There. Now it's just us."

Sindge smirked. "Heh. If you asked me, your friend there made a wise move." He jumped back to get his own distance from the Devil Slayer. "Guess you'll be the first to know even my own Blood Control is limited. It only goes as far as I can see them, so I think you made the right decision…no matter how foolish it was."

Orion didn't answer. He rolled up his sleeve to fasten the spot where he bled out from the dagger.

"Let's see what you taste like…" Sindge held the dagger up to his tongue, licking it softly. Slowly, the tongue touched and guided the blood into his mouth. He looked back with a scoff, but that scoff turned to shock. This time, it was his body convulsing. "Gnnngh! What the hell…?" He faltered a bit. "I feel…" He covered his mouth as he sunk to his knees. He coughed into the gloved hand, red gushing out from between the fingers that splattered against the ground. He continued coughing it all up, and Orion was oddly calm by it.

"So then it's true then. Devil blood is poisonous to humans." Orion deduced. "…talk about coincidence."

Once coughing was over, Sindge glared up at him, eyes narrowed, "You bastard…"

Orion held up his fist in readying for the next round. "I have a job to do…so allow me to say this to you once more. I hope you find peace in your death."

Sindge stood up. He held up two long knives as Golbat flapped behind him. He lunged. "That's…MY LINE!"

Orion lunged forward. The two mages of bloodlust engaged one more time.


Gray joined his hands to congregate ice particles once more. "Ice-Make: Freeze Lancer!" He jutted his arms out, making a right icy flash that shot lances of ice in accelerated fury at Invel.

The Winter Mage remained stiff as ice itself as the lances all made impact with him, instantly freezing him within its cold embrace. Moments later, the ice glistened, breaking to shattered fragments as his glare seethed through the pieces

"Damnit."

Invel gave him no time to recuperate. He adjusted his glasses before his irises flashed an icy blue. A vile frosted aura expelled in all directions, swallowing Gray up and forcing him to cover up. The frost immediately covered his forearms to shield his face. Instead of being shoved back, he used his magic to make small footholds for his feet to anchor. He strained incredulously as his body temperature felt like dropping.

"Your unwillingness to fight isn't a moral compromise." Invel taunted through the frosty aura. "It would do yourself well to try and fight back."

Gray was being parted, and he was hating that. He had to mold his magic again like before, but as he attempted at thinking, he fell short as a thought of Nic's scar appeared again. He grunted before he chose to swipe his arms forward, sending two precipice waves of ice arching into Invel.

Invel's eyelids lowered. He watched the two waves reach his destination. He stuck two fingers forward and immediately force the ice itself. The entirety of the two waves were stopped cold…literally. Gray's glare only hardened on him, but Invel took no amusement from it. He put his hand to the tip of the ice and flicked his index finger into it. Upon impact, the shock made the ice fully shatter to pieces before the shock finally caught up, expelling cold waves as the ice shattered all the way towards Gray, sending him flying into the icy dome that housed Juvia.

The shock went through his back, making him gag before he slumped to the ground, gagging. 'No good…I can't even get close to him like this.'

"How very disappointing." Invel scorned as he walked forward.

Gray looked up, scorning his teeth back at him.

"To think that I was defeated by the likes of you, someone whose will was of great respects, if not for that vulgar rush you had for another. What pity."

Gray's eyes widened at a part of Invel's sentence he spoke. He looked back to the wall he hit. He looked knowingly at it, knowing someone was trapped inside. He realized he may be out of time. When his hand touched the ice beneath him, he took another stare down at it. Then back at the dome.

Then and there, it hit him. His attack plan. He faced Invel with his back facing the wall.

Invel noticed the stare and adjusted his glasses. 'That look he has. Does he intend to fight back now? No matter the case, it's my duty as a Spriggan to fulfill our emperor's divine wishes.' He crossed his arms. 'No matter what…this will end it!'

Gray prepped himself as he watched Invel's every move. His eyes squinted as the Ice Mage swiped both arms, projecting another freezing wave that rushed at Gray. As it traveled, it made frost and ice on the ground itself crack.

'NOW!'

Everything went bright blue as the freezing wave made impact with something. A tremendous level of ice voluntarily shattered to pieces while Invel's glare remained stable. As the ice shards around the air turned to frosted blue crystal, it was clear to the Spriggan what happened.

Gray's eyelids slowly opened, revealing a cold stare ahead. "…forgot something important."

In front of him, the entirety of the ice dome surrounding Juvia was turned into a molded shield with arches of ice along the sides like railing. It was a last-second save, and Gray's usage of molding the barrier from behind to upfront did more than save his frosted behind. It also saved someone who was laying on the frosted ground, bits of ice scattered across her clothing.

Invel's eyelids lowered to the same level as Gray's. "How interesting…"

Gray rushed over and knelt to the freed woman's side. "Juvia? Hey, Juvia! Are you alright?"

Juvia's eyes weakly opened, the cold forcing her to conserve her energy. She looked up, her blurry vision deepening resolution to find Gray above her. "…Gray?" she mumbled.

"Yeah, I'm here. Are you alright?"

Juvia weakly nodded. "I am. I used my Sierra to try and slow down the cooling inside…unfortunately it didn't last too long. I'm sorry."

Gray shook his head. "Don't be. Can you still fight?"

Juvia staggered back up, with Gray following her lead as she faced Invel once more. "Yes." She said. "Now then, I believe this man owes us for what he did, don't you think?"

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

Invel said nothing as Gray and Juvia faced him. His glare was as icy as ever.

Taking similar stances, Gray took the lead. "Whoever said I had to use my Devil Slayer Magic to turn the tables on you, pal? Don't forget, I can still mold whatever you freeze over-!"

CLICK!

Gray and Juvia's eyes widened. The pupils shrunk as something cold touched their necks.

A small cynical grin appeared on Invel. "When history repeats itself…Ice Lock."

Gray and Juvia simultaneously looked down. Horror strung their hearts as they saw icy collars connecting the two by a long icy shackle that clanked like actual chains. Their dark and blue eyes were the size o peas as they were processing what was happening.

The world around them was slowly rotating. Their minds were drowning into a deaf realm of which that lead them to flashing images of their previous encounter with this spell. The spell that unchained Gray's beast.

Juvia's eyes shuddered as she slowly turned towards Gray. "Gray…" She remembered a brief image of herself stabbed, while Gray was stabbing himself.

"Juvia…" Gray's mind flashed with pained visions of falling over with Juvia, and crying tears of anguish when he lost her. His teeth gritted as his eyes were covered by his bangs. The inner frustration he was feeling was escalating. Juvia mimicked this as well.

"Now, I believe same rules apply as last time." Invel spoke. "Only one of you will walk away. You have zero say in the matter."

Gray glared at Juvia, the attention given towards her was making his heartbeat louder. And with each loud thump, a different painful memory flared from that battle, until finally it lead up to Gray's demon slaughtered alongside E.N.D.

At the last memory, an intense pain went though his heart. It was cold that it made him flinch.

"Gray!" Juvia wanted to do something, but the more she was fighting the urge, the more her own body stiffened. It was tough enough to stay still.

As Gray grimaced in painful scorn, Invel watched from the sidelines as he watched Gray specifically. 'The woman is of no importance. However, this man on the other hand…he is a different concern' He watched diligently as Gray was shuddering in place, the memories making him so distraught he looked like a statue. 'He's the one most truly scarred. For him to come out of this, his inner devil will have to come forth, or else-!' He stopped in his thoughts when he looked towards the side. Ice-like projectiles headed his way. He swung his arm, shattering them in an instant. Time around him slowed down for a moment as he registered the ice-like attack. 'What?'

Gray and Juvia were taken back as well. They glanced off to the side to see the distraction.

"Who goes there?" Invel claimed.

A boot stepped in front. "It looks like we've made it just in time." The figure looked over, revealing himself to be Lyon. Beside him was a small white and blue bear cub-like creature with a massive snot drop from its nose. The head was blue, with huge eyes shown like a cuddly teddy bear. With it, Lyon also looked at the scene, processing the stalemate. "Gray! Juvia!" he shouted. He gasped as he proceeded the ice chain keeping them bound together. He could feel any icy chill coming from it. 'What's that around their necks? Are they shackled by his magic?' He slowly gazed over at Invel. Just looking at him, his cold stare was leaving a shiver down his spine. He persevered. "Tell me, are you the culprit behind this?"

"Yeah! Are you?!" his Pokémon pointed like a kid. He sounded like a kid with a cold.

Invel hardly took regards to him. "And to who might you be?"

"I was about to ask you that." Invel paused as he realized. "Are you perhaps associated with these two?"

"I am…but unfortunately, that doesn't answer my question about you now, does it? No, I take that back. Judging by your Magic Power, you're a Spriggan, are you not?"

"I am. I do apologize, but if you intend in being in my way, then I'm afraid this where you meet your end as well."

Lyon smirked. "Presumptuous, aren't we?"

"Lyon…"

Hearing a familiar voice, Lyon turned his attention towards Gray. He could visibly see the intense shuddering and shape his body was suffering from. "Gray…" He looked at Juvia to find she was also in the same predicament. "I see…you two truly are tethered to one another." He mused. "How I envy you."

Gray's hazy eyes shuddered. He was in no mood for Lyon's snarking. He realized this and frowned.

"Can you still fight?" he asked.

"They cannot." Lyon turned towards Invel. "They're indeed tethered to one another. However, the tethering you refer to is but the opposite. For you see, I have locked away their minds and hearts. Only one will stand in order for that chain to break."

"I see. So you would go as far as to take human free will. You Alvarez truly are deplorable."

"To you, Fiorian, but what we desire is something we have every intention on reclaiming."

Lyon closed his eyes. "And here I thought you were smart enough to learn from experience." This comment made Invel glare. "Unlike myself, Gray has had more than enough experience to reflect on his own past mistakes made." His eyes narrowed. "And that's why I know because of this that his experience will get him through this as well…just as it always has."

Gray remained silent at Lyon's words. He could hear his ally's words preach towards him, yet the words spoke were mumbled. At the same time though, he could coherent parts that made his head throb. His mind hurt as it was caged and churned.

"I speak this now because he once said something, that he knew in his heart he had to move forward." Lyon took a stance, gathering power for ice. "And only that Gray will be able to break free. Cubchoo!"

"Yeah!" Pouncing in front, Cubchoo readied for battle.

Invel closed his eyes. "So you say this Gray you know will move forward? Well…I suppose there's only one way to truly find out, isn't there?" An icy blue aura enveloped his body. "Not one heart can break free once darkness swallows it!"

An icy aura enveloped Lyon. "It can when they find the strength to move on! Perhaps I need to give you…a demonstration!" Lyon slammed his hands on the ground, sending a shockwave of ice that raced at Invel. The stalagmites sent in waves at him grew in numbers until they closed in from almost every corner.

When they were close enough, Invel's glasses shimmered before he swiped his arm, freezing every ice spike and made it all shattered. As the pieces crumbled, he and Lyon glared, with Cubchoo sniffling.

As Lyon covered for them in the distance, Gray and Juvia looked to one another with deep distraught stares. They looked mesmerized as they could see and feel the words Lyon said sink in. It wasn't immediate, but wedged within the crevices of their caged mind, it felt like at least a small part of what he said was making Gray really feel.

"G-Gray…" Juvia wavered. She could feel her body move on its own to a combative stance.

Gray, however, was stiff as a statue. He balled his fists as he continued to remain stationary like a statue. The immense feelings he had inside were swelling so much that his body was shutting down.

"I speak this now because he once said something, that he knew in his heart he had to move forward…And only that Gray will be able to break free."

His teeth gritted tighter. 'That idiot…what am I doing?' He shakily glanced off to the side, seeing Lyon shoot waves of ice from a distance that Invel pointed at. The ice waves maneuvered around him, shattering to more fragments. 'I can't believe now I'm the one like this. That guy just spoke like I was an inspiration…but…I thought I really was moving forward. How am I when I…'

Before he could respond to his own inquiry, he narrowly dodged a heel from Juvia. The rain woman spun around and shot a wave of water from her kick. He dodged by ducking and grabbed her heel, throwing her. She flipped onto one foot and poised herself, both having distraught glares as their minds were already drowning.

'This is bad. Gray and I are already fighting!' Juvia fret. 'On top of that, he's still…'

Gray saw an opportunity and his body reacted. A single step and a wave if ice shot at Juvia's feet. He watched her dodge thankfully. 'Juvia…' His mind wandered away as his will was redirected to the embrace she gave him back before they departed. As he thought about her, his eyes narrowed as he tried to withhold restraint. For a brief second, his foot grazed in the slide away from a blast of water from Juvia.

The two slid to opposite sides, circling one another as the chain intertwined them. As they kept circling, Gray's own heart was thinking back to Invel's previous battle against him. With each second, another memory made his insides ache. He winced again, and it only made Juvia somber. "Gray…"

Gray winced at the literal pain, but as he did, a small stir in the air made his and Juvia perk. 'Guys, are you there?' a familiar voice asked.

Their eyes widened, moments before waves of ice and water flourished between them. As the icy waves sprinkled the atmosphere, they came to realize something about the voice.

'That voice…" Juvia mumbled.

'It can't be…' Gray blocked a punch with his forearm. As the guys parried blows, the telepathic conversation continued.


A soldier raced up with a sword, but a swift kick to the face sent him packing. The sword pierced the ground at the same time his head hit the floor. It came from Nic as he retracted his foot in his Mind Form. He, Erza, Lisanna, and Elfman were currently engaging foes.

"Is anyone there?!" Erza called out. She dodged another soldier and swung her leg into his face.

'Wait, hold on…Erza?' The sound of Lucy's voice was clear as day. 'Wait…what's going on?!'

"It's a long story, okay?" She slashed down two foes with one pivot. "Listen. Everyone, we need to find each other, and swiftly…"

'Tell us something we don't know!' Natsu exclaimed. He sounded like he was having a blast elsewhere.

Nic waved his arm, his eyes glowing green. "Natsu!" He swiped his arm, using Telekinesis that went and outlined each soldier in green psychic energy. "We're trying to find a rendezvous point. Listen, we don't know if anyone's listening, so pay attention!"

'Wait, hold on.' Mest said. 'We've been trying to use Telepathy Magic the whole time. Nic, what happened?'

'I believe that's our doing you can thank for.' A familiar voice said.

'Lady Bellona?' Rogue questioned.

'Yes. Apologies, but I think Jellal and I were responsible for that. The Spriggan we've defeated had a lacrima inside his uniform. Thankfully he dismantled it. Now it looks like we'll be talking freely.'

'I still don't think I have a good feeling about this…' Lucy grimaced.

Nic swiped both arms, using an omnidirectional pulse wave of Psychic. The attack's capacity made a dense crater that dropped him some before the shockwave spread forward and back. All the soldiers far up and away were sent flying at Mach speeds into darkness. He adjusted, looking back at the others with a reassured stare.


'What's happening now?' Wendy asked.

'Wendy? Is that you? Is Carla okay?' Happy wondered.

'Happy? Yes, I'm fine. How are you and Natsu?'

They all heard a snicker. 'We're just fine! Right, Charmander?' They all heard a weak grunt. 'Oops, sorry. Forgot you're worn out…but guys, listen, we took down a Spriggan!'

'Really? That's great!' Kinana chimed. 'We managed one as well!'

'Anybody else got anything to say, or are we gonna discuss a rendezvous?' Erik's voice broke the little tender they were all having.

'Erik! YAY!' Sorano happily cheered. 'Guess this, Yukino and a lot of us were taken by this creep, and Macbeth and Gajeel saved us!'

'Nice to see you too, Sorano.' Macbeth said mildly.

'So what do we got? Can't imagine we're all close by, right?' Gajeel said. Shockingly enough, he and the others were still outside as they were tying Decker and Valeria up. He looked up, staring at the huge balconies skyward.

'Look, everybody stay calm. Let's work through this.' Nic insisted. 'Let's all try and meet up at the courtyard again if we can, alright?'

'Sounds like a plan to me!' Natsu chimed. 'Alright then, let's go, Happy!'

'Aye sir!'

'Okay, we'll be careful. You as well.' Sophie's voice clocked out of the communication.

With everyone making a plan of attack, Gray and Juvia were still throwing themselves around like wild animals. As one was racing with the chain between them, the other parried. Yet the other so lost in the talk that they couldn't keep up with their bodies not listening.

Juvia whipped her arm, sending a snake of water at Gray. The moment it touched his forearm he used to block, it shattered. Time slowed as Gray stared forward, pain clear in his eyes.

'Gray…' Enough was enough. Juvia knew she had to get through to him somehow. But while she couldn't at the moment, she knew someone else could. 'Nic, are you still there?'

'Juvia, hey.' Nic responded. 'What's wrong?'

'It's nothing, I'm fine.' She lied. 'It's Gray…' She sideways dodged a wave of ice from him. 'Something's wrong with him. I need you to speak to him.'

'…what?'

'Nic. Please…' she sounded desperate. 'It's about 'that'.'

A moment if silence filled the telepathic airspace. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. Nic knew what Juvia was talking about. There was a silence through the air as Nic's brow furrowed. He frowned heavily.

'Nic?' The silence left Juvia uncomfortable.

'Yeah, I hear you, Juvia.' He responded. 'Okay, I'll see what's up…' He made a few adjustments to the connection it became private. After localizing Gray's signal, he spoke. 'Gray, can you hear me?'

'Nic?' a surprised Gray blocked Juvia's Water Claw. It created a wave that pushed him back a few feet. He adjusted and settled himself. 'What's up?'

'I don't know. Juvia asked me to talk to you. About 'that', right?'

Gray's eyes widened. He could feel his head race with a vision of Nic getting slashed in the shoulder by him. It made him wince.

'Gray…it's okay, honestly. I understand what you feel. I was there, too.'

Gray parried Juvia's blows with his own. He raced up and met her in the center. 'Nic…' He thought for a moment of what Orion said on the ship about a Devil Slayer's true power, and how forgiveness unlocked it. '…I don't think this is the time.' he lied as he jumped away.

'You sure?' Nic's own tone was questionable. 'Gray, if you're in a tight spot, just tell me. We'll come and-'

'No man, it's fine!'

'…Gray…'

There was a deep pause in the air. Gray was silent at first. The sudden snap at Nic was a sheer tell he was lying. His face contorted with pain as he gritted his teeth. It was time to come clean. 'Nic…just how?' he paused. 'How are you able to forgive yourself and us so easily?'

'Gray…'

The memories Gray were flashing back to were being read by Nic simultaneously. He could see the events of Invel and the pain he caused him in the psyche battle. He could feel the darkness that was taking in his friend's guilt.

'Look, Nic…I'm sorry. I can't bring myself. I don't think I can. I thought I could for a little while. But after meeting Orion and knowing we're here again, I'm not sure I can take it. I lost Juvia once…and my Devil Slayer powers aren't coming up. Nic, how can you forgive the darkness so easily? How did you forgive Giratina?'

A strong silence fell. From the other end, a sigh was heard.

'And Natsu said I was selfish.'

'What?'

'Did you really think I forgave myself so easily after the Impure Underworld? A million people died because of Giratina. Something like that is hard to forgive…but it's just something I knew was needed, in order for me to move on. How do you think I would feel if I hurt Erza? Or if something happened to Vanessa?'

Once again, Gray was shocked. He had a small picture in his mind of what Nic would be like, and it wouldn't be pretty.

'Honestly, I wouldn't forgive myself so easily either. I don't think I ever would…but I know it's what they would've wanted. We've all been hurt in some ways. You and I were pulled into darkness, but why did I come out while I had to drag you? Why did I save you? You remember what I said to you and Natsu that day?'

Gray thought back to the day he and Natsu were tricked to talking with Nic. They saw the new scars he had on him, and he forgave them and himself, because in no matter what way, he saved them from their selfishness.

'I told you guys that you could hate me for as much as you want, but no matter what…I'm thankful to have you.'

'You do?'

'Believe it or not, I think Natsu's feeling the same way you do. But I think he's learning from his mistakes and moving on just like the rest of us. So maybe you did try to kill us, and Giratina tried to damn me as well. But it's better to forgive and see what good came out of the darkness. I freed my Uncle because it's what he wanted. To be free is to be open and understanding to another…and I was thankful to darkness for opening my eyes.'

'Nic…'

'Just forgive…that's the strength that guided us, and me to save my friends…I gotta go. More enemies are heading my way. Gray…just remember, thanks for being beside me, even in those times.'

'Nic…'

The telepathic connection turned off, leaving Gray on a meaningful scale. He stood motionless as he looked own at the ground, processing everything that Nic said. Even after not forgiving himself for what he did, Nic was glad to have met him and still be his friend. Nic forgave Giratina because he found even greater strength in that monster. He was damned and cursed by him all his life, and yet he was courageous enough to see good in the deeds made by him.

Then something else came to mind when he looked ahead of him. Juvia. The woman who had his back, even when he wasn't looking. She loved him, even after what he did. She'll always love him. He could hate himself forever, but she made it perfectly clear that no matter what, whoever stood between them…she'll be there. That's what friends were for. That's what love was. Loyalty, even when you fail.

"Ice Blades: Swan's Wings!"

Washing his arms forward, Lyon summoned a plethora of sharp wings made of ice that soared through the air at unlimited speeds.

Cubchoo took in a deep breath. "Icy Wind!" He blew out of his mouth, which glowed bright blue. An intense wind of sparkling blue blew with the blades, sweeping them in a frigid tail wind that became a tornado of slashing airwave that swallowed Invel. The impact created a maelstrom of swarming ice blades that roared like a hurricane in front of Lyon and Cubchoo.

As the winds roared, the cool shockwaves were making them cover up. Lyon looked over his shoulder at Gray and Juvia. "How long are you going to keep standing there?!"

Cubchoo gasped. "Look out!"

Lyon looked back, but to the horror that was a silhouette in the darkness of the cold. Piercing eyes gleamed through, seeping at him. As he stared, the cyclone literally froze into solid ice; even the blades were frozen in place. In another second, it all exploded into every direction, icy shockwaves that whipped up a tremor that made Lyon's arms frost over before he went doubling over and slid onto his back. Nit far behind, Cubchoo also wailed as thudded onto his stomach, making his grunt in pain.

Lyon winced as his face had shivers and frost layered. "He…froze my magic…"

"So you're a conductor of molding magic as well. I see."

Lyon looked up. His eyes widened at the gruesome display.

Before him, the shockwaves dissipated. They revealed a fine layer of thick ice that crafted in a gauntlet. Another wave cleared to show body armor of ice. And finally, a headpiece around a man's eyes.

The bead of sweat on Lyon's face turned frozen solid. It hit the ground, shattering to pieces as the gauntlet braced itself, revealing Invel in the same armor that he used against Gray. "If that's the case…then perhaps even you can mold the ice of hell."

Lyon was left voluntarily speechless. 'This Magic Power…how did he…?'

Juvia was still in place trying to restrain herself. She was seeing Gray look at her, the best he could through his limited mind. 'Gray…I know you can do it. You're strong. You just have to believe you are as well. Please Orion, Nic…make him realize that.'

Gray was completely silent as bangs covered his eyes. As he frowned, balling his fists, he began to feel an underwhelming surge work through him. 'Nic…you forgave me, even when I couldn't myself. Thanks…I really owe ya. And Orion…' He thought to the fellow Devil Slayer. His thoughts of him ran to their first fight, when he could see into Gray's heart; something he couldn't do. He could read his hate, his pain, and his anguish…because he felt that before and forgave himself. He made peace. Peace with the darkness that was his Devil Slayer powers. '…wait, that's not right. I should be thanking the darkness, shouldn't I? Even after all that, to be free…'

Darkness was what Gray feared. He feared that would take over him, and make him harm his friends. He knew that, and he knew he had friends who would love him even if that did happen. They would pull him out if that were the case. Nic did. And he'd do it again. How many times it took, as many times he hurts Nic, that darkness he controlled would bring him back. Now, he knows he'll never feel guilty.

In a dark void that could be his mentality, that same light he felt back when he fought Orion. 'Thanking the darkness…for giving me something I have now…to find peace…I get it now. Thank you…'

It all went completely white for him. Silence loomed, and then it faded, revealing his eyes showing determination.

Lyon struggled to get up, as did Cubchoo. Both strained as the ground beneath them was beginning to freeze over. It anchored Lyon's elbows into the ground, making it hard for him to move as Invel closed in. "All unlucky ones who touch my ice shall freeze…forever." He looked down at Lyon and Cubchoo. "Even you…"

Both struggled to get up, but to no avail. 'Damnit, I can't get out in time!'

Invel closed a fist, driving it up. "May you realize…your darkness shall never compare to my own!"

Lyon's eyes reflected the downward fist heading for him and Cubchoo…

FWOOSH!

A white flash enveloped everything. An icy wave of energy suddenly slung through the speeds of light and created an intense wave of mist that exploded. Tremendous creatures across the ground raced as the chamber sprayed with a blizzard of intense proportion. The frosted waves never ceased until one clear wave showed Invel's fist still out. He could feel the impact freeze up the part.

"It's over…"

The wave receded, revealing a frown. "Yeah, I'd say so, too."

Invel's eyes widened. He gasped as he looked ahead. To his incredulous disbelief, he could see it with his own eyes. Gray was standing before him, bare chested as expected with nothing restraining him. What's more, he had a calm ferocity as he held a prolonged blade of ice-like energy in one hand. He shielded the attack on Lyon, and to make matters worse, the shockwave completely freed him and Cubchoo.

Invel's eyes widened. 'What?!'

Gray followed through with the icy swing, easily overpowering Invel's punch and spiraling him into the ice nearby. The quaking roared as the wavy energy sword Gray held dissipated. He glared forward. "Hey, you good back there?"

On a knee, Lyon opened an eye. "Never better…" He noticed a figure walking up beside him. "Juvia?"

Juvia looked in the same condition as he was. Battered, but she was still standing. She looked at Gray's back, a serious look on her face. 'Gray…'

Gray held his ground as the mist dissipated. With a wave of his hand, Invel got back up and had a gash in his armor. 'How did he do that?' Invel angrily questioned. 'He shouldn't have been able to break free unless he…'

Gray held something in his hand in front of his face. It looked like a piece of an icy chain.

Invel's eyes shrunk. 'No…he couldn't have…'

Gray held the piece to his mouth and took a bite out of it. He chewed and slurped on it, and to Invel's horror, he watched it all go down his throat like noodles. With one more swallow, Gray glared back with a renewed sense.

"You…you couldn't have…that's impossible!" he outraged. "My spell should've locked your heart!"

"…but I didn't lock my mouth." Gray countered. This once again left Invel staggering. Gray's fists ignited in icy frost, but the frost had a grim-like energy towards it. "Alright, where were we?"

Invel realized it, and he was at a loss. 'This can't be…' His anger began to rise. 'Did his Devil Slayer power return? I can feel it…it's much stronger than before.' His gauntlets clutched tight from the growing anxiety he was feeling arise. 'Does he now have full control? That can't be, unless his heart truly gave into the darkness.'

Gray swept his feet across. He took in a deep breath as energy spiraled within. Once ready, he opened wide.

"Ice Devil's Rage!"

A voluminous roaring ice blast expanded like a trembling erosion that left Invel to process its intense range. The man covered up as the bitter cold attack engulfed him, creating a massive wave of ice that expelled into a mountain of ice shards that glistened before erupting. The shockwaves of that attack made a body graze across the ground, revealing Invel as he doubled over.

Time revolved around him for a moment as more pieces of his armor were broken. He crashed onto his stomach, laying there as the mist resonated off Gray's mouth.

"You say I should give into my darkness…" he wiped the mist from his lips. "Well let me tell you something. I didn't give into it. It's called peace."

Invel didn't understand. He glared ahead impatiently as his will was driving him. Taking a running position, he abruptly sprung ahead to deal one deadly blow to another. He punched and jabbed, but Gray easily dodged, until one faulted punch left Gray to catch it bare-handed. He looked ahead with shock.

"This isn't like last time…" The ice slowly forming on Gray's arm began to crawl up his arm. "There were a lot of things I was sorry for that I am now. I couldn't save Juvia…" his eyes narrowed. "And then I gave into darkness because I was turned on people that I cared most about…but then I learned something."

Invel looked desperate as he saw the ice on Gray's arm mold. The gauntlet around his own arm and morphing around Gray's. The grip tightened on him so that he couldn't pull away.

"…and it's that I have to thank you, even if I don't want to." He pulled back, dragging Invel into him as the gauntlet pulled into a fist. "Because it's what makes me STRONGER!" He smashed his ice-clad fist into Invel's face, the impact creating a shock that made the ice beneath tear open. The impact shot Invel and his shattered armor away and onto the ground. He laid there as Gray towered meters away.

"That mark I had, it was given by my old man…someone who was able to find his peace. I didn't think I would until I fulfilled his wish, and then I realized the mistakes made. But you know what…so what?"

Invel staggered back up, a hazy look inside his eyes.

The gauntlet around his fist began to mold into an energy bow. It had an intense icy aura that resonated great frost as he aimed. "A certain Devil Slayer told me, that in order to become a true Devil Slayer, that I'd have to be open to other's hearts, and forgive…even to creeps like you!"

Invel strained to move forward. "You…can't do this!"

"Watch me!"

Invel roared with all his might. He rushed forward with what was left of his armor at Gray. With all he had, he roared as his gauntlet pulled back with all the bittersweet frost it could condense. One blow would freeze Gray and shatter him like glass. And Gray held his stance, aiming the bow and arrow at his prey.

Seeing the sickened dark look of Invel, his eyelids dropped. "…I'll guide you to peace."

"DIE!" Invel punched forward.

Gray let go.

"Ice Devil's Zero Destruction Bow!"

The energy bow sprung to life and crashed clean through Invel's gut. The attack created a shock that made his eyes immediately go white as the sound of a jet engine roared as the shockwaves from the bow's fire made ripples around Invel. The arrow lodged itself into Invel, making him gag uncontrollably in midair endlessly.

Gray watched the struggle. The shockwaves ripped all of his armor off. He saw the ice suddenly explode through Invel's chest, impaling and stabbing every part of his insides. The gags of blood running from his mouth as he fell was a sure sign of victory. Juvia, Lyon, and Cubchoo watched in shock as Invel plundered to the ground, thudding with ice spikes in his chest and body.

He laid on the ground, twitching at the loss that he was suffering. He looked like he was trying to say something, but no words were spoken.

"…it's over." Lyon saw it and knew.

"Yes…it is." Juvia nodded.

Gray frowned as he deactivated the bow. He walked up towards Invel as he gagged with the stalagmites of ice inside of him. He looked down at his face, seeing the sickening wails he would've given.

"Damn…you…" Invel's teeth gritted with what dying strength he had. "How can…you do this? To have forgiven…such darkness…is impossible…"

Gray looked down in remorse. "I know…I thought so too." He raised his chin. "But even a demon needs to know his own fears in order to surpass them. Those who don't will just end up like the rest. Sometimes, you just need to look on another end. That's what I've learned."

"Gray…" Juvia said quietly.

Gray looked back at her, softly grinning.

"You still…cling to hope…even in darkness." The light began to fade from Invel's eyes. "You forgive…even the living sins…you're just like Nic…truly a monster…you've become…" With those last words, the ice shimmered as Invel's eyes rolled shut. His body laid on the ground, finally expiring from the severity of it all.

Gray and the others said nothing. Instead, bangs covered Gray's hair as he silently mourned for the gatekeeper that was his darkness. He hated him, but he had to thank him. Because of him, he knew what he had to do and move on. They all remained quiet as Invel's body slowly began to solidify into ice, slowly crackling and becoming one massive crystal of ice.

Gray murmured low. "Thanks."

The ice shattered, leaving sparkles to shatter in place and twinkle upwards. The others continued to stare up as the twinkling stars of frost went over their heads. As one sparkle came down, Juvia caught it with one hand. It was cold as it made a snowflake in her palm that turned to frost in the palm. She closed it, silently pitying his demise.

Lyon stepped forward. "Gray…"

Silently, the moment ended and Gray turned around. He faced them, reassuring with a grin. "Thanks you guys. I'm good."

Lyon and Juvia looked at him knowingly. They could see he was at peace with what he did.

"We should get going now, don't you think?"

"Right." They agreed.

As they readied to find the exit, Gray looked towards the ceiling. His mind wandered to the voids of his minds, which were now a clear, icy light. 'So this is what a Devil Slayer's peace is like. Orion…'


Bloodied sword clashed against hardened dark fists as Sindge forced himself at Orion. The Devil Slayer blocked the attack, but was surprised at the force that was against him. With a hardy grunt, he crossed both fists, swatting Sindge back into midair before he landed in a crouch to pounce again.

'His fighting style is getting slower.' Orion deduced. 'He's not as nimble as before. The blood he's consumed must be wearing off.'

Sindge grunted as Orion was evaluating him. He pulled out two medium-sized daggers that he twirled and aimed at Orion. A loud roar surged as another bloody wave surged from the vials he stowed away. The waves of blood forced the Devil Slayer to jump back and dodge the impaling spears. With profound distance, Orion figured he was safe.

Until a bat-like silhouette behind made him realize the mistake.

Sindge's eyes had that same dark gleam. "Wing Attack!"

Golbat's wings glowed and swatted Orion once he's turned around. The impact to his crossed arms sent him back at Sindge. In a split second, time slowed as Sindge was mere inches from the back of Orion's head with a sword ready to swing.

Orion's strained gaze caught a slim feeling from behind. He dragged his heels beneath him and managed to duck before the guillotine blow. He slipped behind Sindge as the Blood Mage looked over his shoulder, seeing a dark fist in time to narrowly dodge the cross. He adjusted a pivot and swung a dagger across, forcing Orion to once again back away for caution.

"You thought just because I was slower meant you could get ahead of me, right?" Sindge asked. "Well hate to break your heart pal, but as long as I have even one drop of blood at my disposal, I can carve through you like a pumpkin." He raised his blade and licked over the flat end, proving his insanity.

"So I've noticed." Orion glared. His fists ignited in darkness and crossed his arms. "Dark Devil's Wave!" He swung both arms in opposite arcs, creating a shockwave of expanding darkness that raced after Sindge.

The Spriggan smirked. "Nice try…" He twirled another sword he had out and swung it forward. A dense wave of blood rushed to the front and created a barrier that the darkness went around. "Hasn't anybody told you how dense blood can be?" he asked as the darkness dissipated. "It's because the blood cells contain iron in them. And it's not easy to disembody iron unless you were that crafty."

The darkness faded, revealing nothing.

Sindge's eyes widened. 'Where'd he go?' His attention drew to overhead. He turned around to find Orion above him, fist reeled back as he was closing the gap on Golbat. 'I get it now. So that's his aim. He's try to take out the support that I have.'

Golbat was weary as Orion drove his fist into him. However, the bat was much too fast to be hit. He swept to the side as Orion followed through, falling to a slide along the ground. Orion hurried to swing around as his foot pivoted, but he turned right into a knife that was thrown pass his cheek. That warning blow made him alert as Sindge easily closed distance between them once more, holding his sword overhead to plunge Orion's head.

Orion glared as his feet coated in black and purple. He pressed on the ground and shot back to avoid the sword that plunged in his place. He slid back continuously for that same distance, but above him, Golbat was tailing.

He looked up as the bat unleashed another wave of Air Cutter. X-shaped aerial crescents surged and made impact on him. A smoke surge erupted upon direct contact, sending Orion sliding back further with a strained look on his face.

Sindge saw the opportunity. 'I got him!'

Orion was in midair as he tried to recoil. He winced behind the smoke cloud that blocked his vision from his adversaries. 'This isn't working. I've taken too much damage from earlier. I need to get in once more and-!' His senses went wild as many holes poked through the smoke. They revealed bloody lances that sped to fast. 'No!'

"Blood Spear!"

Sindge's surprise attack sped like long bullets that shot into Orion. The attack's varied blows shot through his right shoulder, as well as his left leg, arm, and the side of his torso. The varied strays of deep sickening red made Orion scream as as blood splattered all over him as he doubled over. He crashed on the ground, laying like a bloodied, limp ragdoll.

He laid twitching on the ground, his eyes dilating from the shock and pain that flowed through him like poison. As he tried to remain calm, he was painfully unaware of the situation he fell into. 'He got me.' He grimaced, twitching his fingers and feet. 'He used the smoke as cover, and I fell for it…damnit. And…I can't move. What's happening?' He was brought to reality when a sword stabbed his left shoulder blade, making him gag blood from the pain.

Above him, Sindge towered with a serial glare. He held the sword tight as he got Orion's attention. "You're good, pal. Real good."

Orion wasn't able to muster to words he needed to say. He was too in shock as the sword was removed from his shoulder. Blood red spouted and stained his coat.

"Perhaps I can't control you to kill yourself or your other friends…but nobody ever said anything about implanting blood into your system."

Orion's eyes widened. 'That move…' He thought of the spears of blood that pierce him moments ago. 'So that's it. He used controlled blood and implanted it inside me. This man…he's insidiously crafty.' Another sword stabbed his leg, rendering more shock to flow through his body.

"You talk so incredulously about this so-called 'peace before you die'." Sindge removed the blade again, making more of Orion bleed out. "Maybe I'm hypocritical about this, but the only peace that exists…is the kind when you're dead. When you can't feel any pain!"

Orion balled his fists, but his strength wasn't with him right now. He was cursing as the infected blood paralyzed every part of him.

"To not feel pain is to know that you are a dead man. It's better to be dead than alive because you know no pain. To be hurt, mentally, physically, you can only take so much until you wish for it to be over. But know this…" He licked the blade once more, this time making a shiver went up Orion's spine. "Not one human being can go a lifetime without knowing two things: Pain, and suffering. Only after can they find peace. I merely aim to give that justice meaning." He held a blade up, ready to pierce his skull. "So, Devil Slayer…exactly how can you live being at peace when you're in pain?"

Orion offered no answer. He stared up at Sindge as he saw the bloody face if hell. The deep, intense glare he had with a cackling dark aura was making him recall himself. 'To have found my peace…I couldn't have done it alone.' His fingers twitched incredulously as he attempted to find strength, but to no avail. He could only stare up at the maniacal face as everything around him went deaf in his mind. 'Demora…it was you who saved me from suffering that day. You showed me what it's like to finally know peace, even if it took me so long to realize.'

Sindge raised his blade slightly with his eyes shrinking. He snarled low to end it.

'Demora…Dad…' Orion's eyes slowly closed. Darkness clouded his mind as everything went bleak around him.


The forest enveloped within an endless hue of dark sky was quiet, until a dark flash snapped and erupted a shockwave that decimated a fraction of the forest itself.

The darkness was roaring with the shriek of a banshee. The whole wave dissipated, revealing Demora as he stood tall. As everything burned around him, he glared dense daggers at a figure that stepped forward, eroding dark streams from just its footstep alone.

"…so this is what you desire then…" the foster-father mumbled. "Orion…"

The 13-year-old Orion was seething daggers as his lifeless eyes had dark purple irises. His skin was almost completely within a wavy, fiery cloak of darkness. His teeth were gritting by sheer hate that he felt for the demon that he faced. All over his body, there was black, with the Devil Slayer tattoo on his forearm shimmering an ominous light. His arms were also cloaked in darkness, but this darkness was thicker. They looked like decayed claws that crackled like flames of fading fire. The demonized teen let out an earsplitting shriek into the air as a helix of darkness swelled within his area.

Demora glared dark daggers that could pierce one's soul. "What a poor soul you are…to think you'd go this far only to show so little results…pity."

Orion's demonic eyes dilated. "Don't mess with me!" He shot two fists forward, sending the spiraling darkness around him into two condensed funnels that ripped across the earth.

Demora watched the attack come right for him. With one pivot, the demon balled his own fist and punched forward. The impact of the darkness he emitted unleashed a massive shockwave that obliterated parts of the earth and created a voluminous black hemisphere that could've been seen from miles away. Within that darkness, Demora glared daggers at his deranged foster-son ripping through his darkness with a fist enveloped in pitch-black and punched.

Today was it. This was the day Orion was going to do it. He was going to kill Demora if it was the last thing he did. It was a long time coming, but even Orion wasn't sure. As far as he knew, he woke up an hour ago with Demora hovering over him. If it weren't for his survivalists training he gave to boy, he would've been killed long before then. It looked like he wasn't the only one sick of this.

Unable to hold back one second longer, the pain and demanding anger that Orion had boiled up for the years he's spent with the tough demon was cultivated into his mark. The past three months for his mark have been spontaneous to where it spread even when he wasn't thinking about Demora. And when he did, he'd lose control until Demora had to beat him down.

Well no more. This day, he was going to be free, free from the monster that slaughtered everyone but him that grueling day. He was going to use his hate to win…even if he had to turn into a monster himself to do that.

Demora blocked the punch as shockwaves spread, knocking away logs and rocks that were scattered around their feet. The demon repulsed his son and pulled his fist back, hammering an intense wave of darkness that swallowed up the demon child with horror in his eyes. The shockwave shot across the forest for miles, making it look familiar to a linear wave of black that swallowed the land.

As the dust cleared, black energy swelled everywhere. It swallowed everything like fire until a slurping sound was heard. The darkness began rotating into a cyclone that swam into a decimated mouth. The vast majority of the darkness was swallowed by Orion as he was on a knee, panting after wiping away the intense attack he managed to swallow. As his stomach lurched, Demora socked a grim blow to the beck of his neck that sundered him.

Demora wasn't holding back either. He was using every bit of his strength with the intention to kill. The demonic aura he had was proof of that. Today, this morning…like it or not, it was time to end the monster that was his son.

The two parried blows intensely, vile and vile clashing in sheer willpower. Their combined force as their knuckles collided tore apart the landscape and ripped open tree trunks too close. One blow got Orion's face, but another got Demora's abdomen. It was a nonstop hell that wasn't slowing down. Both demons were aiming to kill, and the longer Orion fought, the more demon he became.

"DEMORA!" He socked Demora's stomach with a point-blank Dark Devil's Fist Driver, swallowing the demon's abdomen and sending him in a dark skid through the forest floor.

Demora gagged intensely as the attack sent a shock through his body. As the end of his skid, he laid on his back as the shock restrained him. He looked up as Orion was already coming down from above, roaring like a banshee as his fist came down with explosive dark force. The explosion that rattled intensely destroyed the ground.

Demora roared as he went sailing backwards, parts of his armored body chipped and battered. He landed on his armored heels, facing the dust cloud that eroded away to reveal Orion.

Their eyes met, with Orion's dark purple eyes flaming for a hate-filled finish. "YOU MONSTER!"

Demora lowered his head, hesitating a moment as he looked at his son. He then gathered darkness in his fist as he ran ahead. Orion mimicked the same arts. All the darkness each could muster up made stones defy gravity. As they roared, their equally demonic howls shuddered the airspace, producing a magnitude that caused shockwaves of black to expel that swirled into their spheres.

Both pulled back once more, each fist going into overdrive like jet engines as pictures of skulls enveloped them. Each one pivoted, punching forward.

At that moment, two purple globs of light eroded like magma that was about to burst. The bubbles each had expanded until they condensed, flashing millions of lights per second before two pillars of sheer darkness erupted skywards. The skies above them literally tore open as the any puffy clouds vaporized within the dense waves of atomic darkness. The landscape was destroyed in a split second as trees, rocks, and nearby unlucky animals were vaporized in one small flash.

As that every flash dissipated, the roar of their attacks continued fading in the distance. And yet the dust beneath was lifting. Orion and Demora's two fists were past each other as they looked at each other in the eye.

Demora's fist was on Orion's left side. And for Orion's fist, it was into Demora's abdomen…where a gaping hole was.

The demon looked ahead, realizing what happened. He softly smiled. "Well done…" he fell over onto his back with a thud. He looked up at the sky aimlessly as his unseen eyes beneath his visor were bleak, but he didn't mind.

A dark shadow loomed over him, getting him to turn towards his son. The Devil Slayer snarled menacingly at his fallen teacher.

"Congratulations…you've done it." He said. "Suppose you wanna put me out of my misery then, huh?"

The demonized Orion crackled his knuckles. He wanted to, but he was out of power. All that attacking left him vulnerable as well.

"I see…" he looked up at the sky again. "So that's where it stands then."

"…tell me." Orion's voice was partially distorted. "Why?" His teeth gnashed together. "Tell me WHY?!"

Demora offered no input. He heard his own foster-son let his wails take over.

"Why…did you have to take me? I should've died that day. I should've…but then you came along and took me in…you made me live…why?"

Demora didn't know how to put it. He looked up at the sky, having nowhere else to stare. "I saved you." He answered.

"Saved me…saved me?!" Orion drop to a knee and grabbed the demon's throat. His demonic eyes seethed daggers of spite. "I have been suffering for seven years because of you! You taught me all these survivalist skills, and for what?! So you can finally test me like this? To see that I had what it takes to live in this disgusting world?!" The demonized boy was shuddering in place, his eyes completely black from shadows. "Just…why…? Demora…"

He could feel his patience was so thin for answers. He was so desperate that he'd go this far. It was sick. This isn't what he wanted to see the person he raised to become. Not his vision. With what minutes he had, he needed to make it clear so that he could understand.

"…tell me something." He started. "Did you ever stop to consider your own life beforehand?"

Orion looked away. "What life? The life that you stole from me?"

"The life that left you hungry at night. The life that you survived because your own parents abandoned you to fend for their own salvation. Am I wrong?"

Orion wanted to rebuttal, but when he looked at him, he couldn't find any reason to talk. It was true. His village was severely poor, his own father wasn't there, and his own mother was barely taking care of him because she was out doing anything she can to find food to keep her going. He only survived because he depended on himself.

"We demons…we were created for the sole reason of fulfilling one purpose…" Demora paused, giving himself room to wince. "To bring ourselves back to Zeref. But…there was one that was a fault in my kind. The answer…lied within the humans."

Orion's eyes slowly widened. The vile he had was receding just a little.

"We were programmed to hate humans. It was written before we were born. My kind, we damned all humans, even I have followed this code once…but, as I watched life move on, I began to realize something. Why did we hate humans so much?" he coughed. "Was it in our biology? Was it Zeref? As sick as it was, my own curiosity has lead me to realize that my own life could have more than one meaning. As humans look to one another, suffering…dying…and many more who feared. There were those who showed traits that triggered this 'hate' that Zeref programmed."

Orion's brow furrowed. "What's that mean…?"

"Love."

Orion's eyes widened. "Are you saying…?"

"I wanted to know why we hated love so much, why he made us unloved. Every fiber in my body has urged me to not follow this curiosity, for it might in fact kill me…" he snickered at the irony. "Now look at me. Done in by my own will that I wanted."

Orion's glared was still fixed on him, but he was on his knees. He was in a position to finish him for his nonsense…but his human-self was urging him to listen.

"That hate you feel right now, that's the kind we demons were designed to have for humans. I exploited that…and in doing so would in fact would make me realize that this hate had to be flawed in some way. Tell me, do you remember the very first trap I helped you make?"

"Yes…I got caught in the rope instead."

"And now look. You can even trap bears. You've made your own fires…and you've learned from the most hated species amongst men." He winced again, holding his abdomen as it was spilling black blood. "When you fixed that trap…I realized something…that I was proud."

Orion looked away, a pained feeling in his demonized face. "So I was just your little experiment? To know what this love is, right?" he shot a steep glare back. "You really think demons can comprehend hate?!"

"I'm sorry…I know it's too late now…but believe it or not…everything changed when I saw your eyes."

"My…eyes?" Ironically enough, the demonic vibe in the eyes were fading back to normal.

"Yes…I saw hate. Vile, contemptuous hate. If I could at least try to change one life while changing my own…then perhaps I could possibly go in peace than fall without realizing my own faults. And because of that…I can forgive myself. My dying hope now is if you can forgive me, and yourself."

"Demora…" Orion didn't stop to think about until now. His head went down as he began to think about it. In a way, he was salvaged. Demora took him in, and he taught him. Some strife was along the way, but that didn't stop him from going forward. He got stronger, and it was because Demora was willing to out of kinship. The more he thought, the more cracks around his demonic form were showing.

"I may not have been the right father…but I do admit…I actually…did enjoy the time I had. Even if I did fail you in the end. I lead you down this path of hate against me, and now your hate has you demonized…but…I'm grateful."

Orion looked back. The pieces shattered along his face to show his human skin. Orion's clad hand cupped his left cheek. Out of impulse, Orion caught him and cradled the dying demon. He had shock in his eyes as he saw the face he hated so much look so thankful. "I…I don't understand…you're grateful of me killing you? Why?"

Demora smiled. "To be killed by someone who you made suffer, to try and strive for peace…someone who you came to realize as the same."

"Demora…" At this point, the demonized hate he had was gone. Orion's body was back to normal as he looked at the abdomen, seeing a small flurry of purple sparkles erode from it. He gasped as they floated skywards. As they went up, he began to rethink of it all. The hate he had against him was fading. Guilt was beginning to flare as his sole reason to live was finally being put to rest. And yet his teacher and father – someone he couldn't survive without until now – was happy.

"Orion…listen to me, just for once…even if you do hate me…I just want you to know…I am proud of you. You've become strong now, and I'm thankful to have it been by you who taught me how it feels to care for another…I love you, my son. Thank you…for giving this demon his peace…and your own…" The sparkles around Demora's body began to flow like blood. The black blood he had was vanishing in the sky as Orion watched in horror as the only person who cared and taught him love and hate was fading away.

With a heaping asp, Orion began to recollect all the memories they've had together. From saving him, to the years he's learned to hunt and filter water. He's learned Devil Slayer Magic, and to overcome with forgiveness. As he looked down, he realized something as his heart ached. He quickly pulled the fading Demora in, embracing him with tears of love shedding than grief. He held on, daring to not let go.

"…I love you too, Dad."

Demora's final smile faded as his body went limp. With reciprocated love, a single tear from the demon's visor as he faded into purple sparkles that fluttered into the sky. Orion looked up, staring at the dispersing lights. A pained look filled his face as he sniffled. Of course he was sad, but at the same time, he was happy, because he realized that this was what his father wanted…and he has - must forgive himself. Demora did, and he died proudly for seeing his son be happy.

As he looked towards the sky, it now faded. The dark hue Demora once kept him in faded, revealing bright light onto his pale skin. A new light, one that the demon showed him. The mark he had also faded.

At long last, overcoming hate and forgiveness, Orion had found his peace, and can now live on.


A spiral of blood surrounded Sindge's sword as he held it over Orion. "This pain you feel…is mere mercy compared to ache others feel!"

Orion's balled fists tightened. 'You freed me, just as I freed you. You prepared me for what it's like to walk in light when you pushed me to overcome my hate…and I thank you because of that.'

Sindge plunged the sword. "Goodbye…Devil Slayer!"

As the sword came down, Orion's mind showed Demora's dying face. 'Your peace…IS MY WILL!' His eyes flashed a sharp yellow with embers before a dark shockwave exploded from his body.

The sudden eruption of Magic Power made Sindge go wide-eyed. "What?!" The darkness suddenly exploded, sending him flying onto his back near Golbat. The bat looked shocked before it was also enveloped in the darkness. The waves of pitch-black spilled everywhere, dissipating to a dark hue that swallowed the entire corridor.

Natsu abruptly turned his head. His nose picked up something as he looked up. The chandeliers above him began to go out.

"Huh?" Lucy looked up. "Hey, what happened to the lights? Klefki?"

The Key Ring Pokémon looked around, looking worries. "I don't know!" she shrieked.

Happy was standing out of the battle, looking around as concern arose. "Guys…does anyone feel that?"

"…yeah, that chill." Natsu smelled the air one more time. This time his eyes narrowed. 'That smell…'

Nic's group looked around, and they saw the hue around them darken.

"Big Elf? What's going on?"

"I don't know, stay close."

Erza's brow furrowed. "This force…"

Nic's eyes narrowed. He looked off into the darkness. He had a feeling of what was happening.

With Gray's group, Juvia and Lyon were questioning the darkness around them. It even made Lyon had chills. But Gray looked up, having a gut feeling from the way his Devil Slayer powers were acting up. 'Orion…'

Sindge groaned as he got up. He looked around, turning left and right to realize the lights were forcibly turned out. "What the…?" He turned around to find pitch-black in the shadows. Looking own, he could barely see his own feet. This strange chill he was getting, it was all over the place. It was creeping him out. 'What's going on here? How did it get so…?'

"To help those who are lost, find their peace the way I have before moving on to the next life…that is the purpose of the Peace Jaegers."

An overwhelming pressure caught Sindge by surprise. He felt an intense shiver rattle his spine as he turned around. But what he saw, only made his eyes shrivel in shock.

Glaring from pitch-black, a pair of yellow eyes with dark embers emanating seethed at him. "…I shall show you, what it means to truly know no pain." Orion's silhouette was seen within purple wavy energy flames igniting his own body. Darkness solidified around his body, encasing his arm in gauntlets of darkness like he used against Gray and Vanessa, only this time his entire body was covered in dark armor. Purple flame-like energy molded into energy wings. The pupils around the yellow eyes…were also pitch-black. "Devil Force."

A dark aura raced along the Magic Power Orion gave off. It left Sindge completely bewildered as his own blood was boiling. He stepped back from shock. 'The hell did he do? He…he just got more power, but how? I paralyzed him.' He looked at one of the spots he impaled. He saw black blood instead of red. His eyes widened. 'Demon blood? Did his demon cells multiply and expel the cells that invaded?' His teeth gritted angrily. 'This man…just what is he?!'

Intense darkness spiraled around Orion's left fist as he punched forward with all his might. A roaring tidal wave of darkness ripped open the ground as it passed Sindge. The Spriggan remained shocked with parted chapped lips as the shockwave blew his Golbat away, continuing through the darkness and ripping a hole clean through the palace wall. The entire palace shuddered with the impact's brace disappearing into the sky.

Sindge's eyes dilated as he didn't even look back. Golbat was blown to the wall and unconscious, yet further away was a massive hole and torn ground from just one punch. He saw the look on Orion's face.

He was dead serious.

Getting to a runner's position, Orion suddenly lunged at Sindge at lightning speeds. Getting out of shock, Sindge brought his sword up and encompassed it in blood. Orion flew right into him, creating so much force that it pushed Sindge backwards. 'He's gotten even more freaking powerful!' Orion completely ploughed through and made Sindge double over onto a slide. He stopped, but Orion ascended into the air thanks to his energy wings.

"Blood Spear!"

Summoning waves of blood, Sindge shot them skywards. They all shot like missiles that Orion easily maneuvered around and evaded. They even went as far as follow him, but he easily dodged them all and went into an arch. The spears of blood followed Orion's path, diving right into Sindge.

The Spriggan looked shocked as Orion suddenly faded. He looked up, seeing the spears diving at him. He reached up, immediately dispersing the blood before impact. With him distracted, an unknown force caused him to turn into an invisible punch that cracked the side of his broken face. The impact made him shoot across the air, but Orion reappeared at one point above, leaving Sindge wide-eyed.

Orion disappeared, reappearing and choking the neck that he plunged into the ground. The dark ground caved into the force that made Sindge gag. Shock overwhelmed his body as Orion towered over him, his immense stare making the shock on him shrivel his spine.

Orion backed off, allowing Sindge to shakily get back up. 'This…man…just what is he…?' Orion suddenly vanished again into darkness. Sindge remained calm, but he had a strong feeling. He turned and used his sword to parry a dark gauntlet in time. However, the impact made him lose ground considerably. Orion's increased speed made him punch over and over, flying in and making Sindge go on defense.

Each blow made shockwaves of darkness burst all around them. Parts of the wall dented in, and the ground had craters as parried blows sunk in. Glass shattered everywhere as the numbers intensify, and Sindge was unable to keep up.

With one final punch, Orion took his fist back and drove the darkness into Sindge. He shattered the sword with one blow, crashing into his face and sending the mage spiraling out of havoc into the darkness. He slid on his face, then his neck, all the way around until he finally used two daggers while in midair and plunged them into the ground, slowing him down.

He finally slid to a halt, gagging up blood that he suffered from. He panted profusely as his devilish eyes were shuddering out of distraught adrenaline. 'No way…this guy…he's just…' He suddenly got back up, swaying about before Orion appeared out of thin darkness in front of him.

"Blood Spiral!"

A spiral of blood was created, but Orion used one punch to create darkness that exploded, evaporating blood in an instant and throwing Sindge further back. The man screamed in riling agony as he crashed into the ground one more time.

Orion adjusted. He said nothing as he watched Sindge struggle with his aching breath.

"You Devil…Slayer…" he gagged blood again, almost fumbling over in the process. "You really think…you can end my suffering? Not even in death, will that end my pain…"

Orion's glare was dead silent. However, his own bloody glare was nothing like Sindge's. The blood red in his eyes was around the shrunken eyes as they dilated with each heartbeat. Big, then small. His raspy breathing and his widening smirk showed drooling blood that only a madman would have.

"I am…Blood Loco Sindge…and you…WILL KNOW SUFFERING!" With every ounce of his strength left, Sindge sprung across the ground at Orion. He pulled out his last two knives that he held away. He let out a bloodthirsty roar of a monster as his pupil-less eyes were highly defined. With all his might, he generated magic into whatever blood was within the area that spiraled abound his body. The blood was like a cyclone that shot him at Orion.

Orion readied himself. 'You're right. I do know suffering…' He took to his heels and went speeding into Sindge. The devil in the dark and bloodied madman closed the gap on one another swiftly.

Sindge crossed his blades as he licked his lips, cackling.

'I do know suffering. I suffered in darkness because of hate and pain. I was one-sided…but thanks to that…'

"DIIIIE!" An annoyed Sindge slashed his two blades with all his might, but Orion suddenly d=vanished like a light going on. His eyes widened.

Beneath the spiraling blood and his abdomen, Orion reappeared, time slowing down as he glared at Sindge, who looked down in growing anxiety. '…I could find my peace, and live with the example my Dad set me…this is the power of peace!'

The energy wings he had behind his back surged into his right fist. He poured all his strength back into the elbow and clutched the gauntlet as purple ignited like a rocket engine ready to take off. All that power as he pulled back made the darkness wail, time still slow as the while darkness distorted into a maelstrom that packed behind the punch ready to launch.

Sindge was wide-eyed. He saw the face of a skull emerge on the punch as it reeled up towards his abdomen.

The skull-faced punch shot a shockwave as Orion let out a pure bloodcurdling roar towards the sky.

"Devil Slayer's Secret Art – Hellion Ultra!"

The fist drove itself into Sindge's gut. At the moment of impact, a dark bright radiance pierced his entire abdomen. The gut expanded briefly as purple magma built up from inside, and finally Sindge couldn't that it anymore. An intense wave beamed clean through the abdomen, almost ripping the madman in half as the shockwave sent him at Mach speeds into the ceiling. The impact was so brutalizing that the limp man shot clean through the ceiling, making shockwaves quake the entire castle. He broke through another floor. Then another, and another. He continuously broke through it all until a black and purple comet that was now a lifeless Sindge with a gaping mouth shot straight up skywards. He continued skywards, fading into a glint whose force repulsed the clouds that circled the palace skies.

In the courtyard, Jellal looked at the sky brimming with sunlight. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure." Bellona answered.

Gajeel, Macbeth, and those captured looked up. Kevin and his Rattata looked up as well, though Rattata shriveled as he chuckled with cross-eyes. Wendy's group was also looking up. They were unable to realize what happened.

Meanwhile, inside, Orion continued posing with an uppercut directly underneath a series of massive holes that could fit a mansion. Sunlight peered down through the holes, emanating the fading darkness that Orion was in. He frowned as the sun's warmth embraced him, allowing him to revert to normal. He slowly sunk to his knees and hunched over, panting from the exhaustion he felt. "May you find your peace…"

He breathed slowly, allowing himself to be at ease, at least for a little while.


The darkness inside the palace's main throne room did not recede. In fact, around Neinhart, darkness was what surrounded him. He stared coldly at the monitors before him. All the entertainment before him with everyone beating the current Spriggan 12 left him…unsatisfied. He scoffed inside the shadows. "Pathetic." He sighed. "Oh what to do, what to do…"


On the main floor, the darkness vanished, allowing Yajeel to glance up at the lighting over his head. He could tell yet another fight had come to an end. 'The lights are back on…'

A knock from a nearby entrance got his attention.

"Hm?" He turned towards it. "Someone's using the side entrance, I see…" He walked over to the nearest doorway. He stood before it and tapped his staff on the lacrima scanner in front of it. The door automatically opened. Almost immediately, a Wingull fluttered in, cawing as it roosted on his staff. "Oh, Wingull! My friend!" he gasped.

Wingull cawed lightly again, gesturing towards the door.

"What is it?"

"Gramps…"

Hearing a familiar voice, Yajeel turned towards the doorway. To his own shock, he saw someone battered leaning against the side of the door. He looked to be seriously upset, but determined at the same time. Ajeel was back.

"Ajeel!" Yajeel gasped at his grandson's return. He backed away to allow him room to stumble indoors, clutching his abdomen the whole way indoors. "My grandson! Are you alright! Your wounds…!"

"I'm fine…" Ajeel slowly walked pass his grandfather, leaving him worried.

"W-wait, hold on!" Yajeel hurried over towards him, but Ajeel suddenly turned around, giving him a sharp but pleading look. It left him perplexed. "Ajeel…"

"Gramps…" he grunted. "Tell me, where's that emperor?"


Meanwhile, far out within the wasteland that bordered the forest from the walls of the empire, a pair of hips swayed in a mini-skirt and dark leggings as three other individuals followed behind. The frontal figure used her fingers to adjust her glasses, showing her dead serious eyes.

"Miss Glynda…" Viridian spoke.

Glynda didn't stop her path. "I know. Seems Sindge's bloody antics have finally caught onto him…how unfortunate."

Pixy shrugged. "Well that's what he gets if you ask me. Good thing we Machia don't have blood. That guy wouldn't be so lucky."

Tyson snickered. "Say, these guys sound like a blast if they're causing that big of a ruckus back there. Maybe we should've hung back a bit to watch, huh?"

"Don't ask for the impossible, Tyson." Viridian scolded. "Remember our place. It is our obligation to do as we are commanded by our superiors, to reclaim the lost name of our former leader."

Tyson had his hands behind his head. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Just saying it'd be a show is all."

"Perhaps so."

"Both of you, quiet!" Glynda enforced. "We're on a mission. Do not dwell on those that are beneath you."

"Of course, ma'am. A thousand apologies." Viridian bowed his head.

The traveling group passed one of the ships that had fallen from the sky from daybreak. The smoke had long since dissipated, and the ships all laid scattered around them. The wasteland had become a broken shipyard. The smell of burned wood and bodies filled the air.

As they walked on, a pile of wood shifted. Pixie stopped to turn and look at the shifting in the distance, revealing a very weak soldier. His armor was torn apart, showing char and blood on the whole left side of his body. "Please…help me…" he mumbled.

Pixie meekly smirked. "Oh dear, Miss Glynda. It seems we have some stragglers still. Would you like me to help them?"

Glynda closed her eyes. She frowned as her path was untouched. Without looking, she pulled out a wand from her sleeve and aimed it at the ship and soldier.

"Please…help me…" he whimpered.

Glynda sighed. "…troublesome worth."

With one flick of the wand, all the ship and the guys that could be alive still abruptly exploded. Magic broke apart everything and reduced the decimated ships to splintered pieces. Everything inside was also torn apart. This time, it made sure no one made it out. Around them, even more flames and smoke filtered through the clouds. This made Pixie snicker.

"Well, that happened."

"Apologies, but this was for their own good." Viridian's glare glimmered. "We do not stray, understand?"

"Right!" they shouted.

Glynda didn't care. She swayed her hips like nothing mattered as she marched into the forest with the Machia Knights. They left the wasteland, leaving bonfires in their wake that arose to smoke. This smoke filtered to the stormy sky above, in which growing thunder roared in the distance. More accurately, not far from a certain basin with a ship.

Unknowing for those onboard, the Spriggan's glare was fixed on them, and nothing is standing in front of her job.


Sorry for the wait, again, but I did exactly what I said would happen. This chapter was going to jam so much in that it would be near 30K again, and would take over a week. But I made it so freaking long because I wanted to conclude these 4 big fights before we move on with the next part of the arc. Thank god that's over! So now Gray has finally forgiven himself and the darkness that corrupted him, relearning his Devil Slayer powers.

As you can imagine, the main fight this chapter was about Orion VS Blood Loco Sindge. It was a VERY long fight, but I gave depth to why Orion made the Peace Jaegers, and how he's come to make his peace with his decisions and his late foster-father.

So now that we've made it this far, I want to know something. Of all the OC Spriggan and Alvarez soldiers I've made, which of them do you find the most dangerous to be? And who is your favorite Peace Jaeger member so far?

I'm also going to say this now before I forget. I created a poll involving Joey. It's going to be up for a while, but I just thought I'd let you know now before I forget.

Phew! Okay! Well I did 3 chapters, just like I said. Now I'm gonna jump to From Depths We Rise and then jump back and forth as usual! Glad this worked out! Reviews are appreciated, and thanks for hanging with me these past few updates! :)