A/N: Hello, readers! Another chapter is here!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THE COUNTRY UNTIL TOMORROW

Natsu and the others were currently walking around Hell Palace. "We keep going, but it all looks the same. It throws off your sense of direction, too." Lucy stated.

"In fact, is this really the right way?" Natsu asked.

"I'm starting to have my doubts, too." Sting admitted.

"I can feel a slight breeze. I think we're good." Wendy reassured.

"Come to think of it, how did you get here, Loke?" Mira questioned as Loke was supporting Arcadios, with Drake helping.

"I jumped." Loke replied.

"It's important to also think of what happens after."

"Actions before thoughts."

"You make a good point once in a while!" Natsu commented.

"Once in a while?" Loke quoted.

"Will Arcadios-sama be okay?" Yukino asked.

"Well, he'll survive, but..." Drake trailed off.

"It's unusual for anyone to live through swimming in lava." Happy finished.

"Now that you mention it, did Horologium do something?" Carla questioned.

"No. He'd already jumped into the lava by then." Lucy replied.

"He's the paragon of a military man. I'm impressed." Lily complimented.

"It's probably thanks to the jade amulet he's wearing." Loke pointed out. "It's a powerful charm that's doing its duty."

"Come to think of it. Lucas, don't you have a similar pendant?" Drake asked.

"Yes." Lucas responded, taking out his necklace from under his shirt. "Sting gave it to me before I left Sabertooth. It's a great protection charm."

Sting looked away blushing while Lucas placed the necklace back underneath his shirt.

"I recall the name of the princess is Hisui, which means jade." Yukino recalled.

"He said we should decide for ourselves whether Eclipse is the right way to go, right?"

"Although the princess is the one who dropped us in here." Natsu reminded.

"Anyway, I want to escape from here and put everyone who's fighting in the Grand Magic Games at ease." Loke informed.

"Yeah." Lucy nodded in agreement as her face turned serious.

"We keep proceeding downwards." Lily said.

"We have no idea how deep this place is." Mira informed.

"It's so big, they could have built another town down here."

"Here?"

Happy screeched at seeing bugs crawling out of a human skull as the group continued down a staircase. "I smell something!" Natsu informed.

"It seems we're close to the exit." Wendy stated.

"Then the leader of the executioners was telling us the truth, huh?"

"Come to think of it, I know all of their names but the leader's." Lucy pointed out.

"True. Okay, I'll decide on it." Mira said. "Kama!"

"Meaning 'sickle'!"

"Hey, look at that!" Ace pointed towards something as the group saw a door in front of them.

"A door!" Natsu exclaimed.

"It might be the exit!" Happy said.

"We can finally get out of here!" Lucy said.

"That's also a lot bigger than it has to be." Lily pointed out.

"It looks like a sturdy door." Fera stated.

"How can we open it?" Wendy asked.

"Leave it to me! White Dragon's..." Sting was about to use his breath attack.

However, before he could make an attack, the door opened by itself. "Huh?" Lucy questioned.

"It opened!" Happy shouted.

The door opened wider, revealing a bright white light. "Why?!" Carla asked.

"An ambush?!" Wendy guessed.

A silhouette of a person was shown as Sting stopped in front of them. Suddenly, without warning, Sting was hit with a wave of emotions as he clenched onto his right side. "Sting?" Lucas questioned in concern.

"My mate bond... it's going haywire..." Sting muttered before looking up. "Who the hell are you?!"

Mercurius...

"P-Princess! Princess! It's terrible! Princess!"

"What is it?! Contain yourself!"

"When a scheduled update from Hell Palace didn't come, troops went in... The report states the Garou Knights were wiped out!"

"What?! It can't be!"

"Just against several wizards?!"

"What happened to the criminals?"

"We believe they escaped Hell Palace."

Hisui lets out a sigh of relief at the news.

"How can this be?!"

Hisui soon had pink-tinted cheeks. "I knew it..."

"You shouldn't be sporting an expression like that." Darton spoke up. "Anyone can tell what you're thinking."

"Darton! I thought you were at Domus Flau with my father." Hisui said.

"I returned after feeling a strange sense of foreboding. And I suppose this is what it was about." Darton replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Hisui asked. "You're the one... You're the one who plunged Arcadios into Hell Palace without a trial!"

"And you used Fairy Tail and God Pegasus to rescue Arcadios for you, right, Princess?" Darton accused, leaving the guards in shock. "You're the real power behind Project Eclipse, after all. Arcadios did a brillant job playing the bad guy in front of me, while someone was behind him. In other words, he was covering up for you."

"You figured all of that out? Impressive." Hisui complimented.

"Princess, think about it! That's a dangerous thing! We mustn't change the world." Darton said as him and Hisui stared at each other.

Hisui closed her eyes before looking out at Domus Flau. "No. I think the world has to be changed." She claimed.

"You think?" Darton repeated.

"I promised them I wouldn't tell anyone about this... But it seems I should share it with you. About Project Eclipse 2." Hisui said.

"Two?"

"The true Project Eclipse." Hisui explained as wind blew through her hair. Darton widened his eyes. "If the project fails, tomorrow... this country will be destroyed."

Domus Flau...

The audience cheered and waved God Pegasus's guild emblem in the air. "God Pegasus still doesn't have any fallen members! Talk about strong!" Chapati announced.

"Of course. Atlas and Shiro are in there, after all." Rialle commented.

"By the way, what's gonna happen next, Master?" Bella asked.

"It looks like all of the members are on the move." Izumi added.

"According to Nero..." Kaiba started to say.

Juvia stopped all of a sudden. "Juvia was told to be right here, right now." She thinks to herself as a gust of wind blew, causing her to turn around.

"Boreas, God of the North Wind!" Sherria shouted, attacking Juvia with black wind.

"Just as First Master predicted!" Juvia noted as the wind cleared. "Juvia and Sherria will clash."

"Here comes Sherria-tan!" Chapati exclaimed.

"Yes, yes..." Yajima muttered.

Sherria pointed a finger at Juvia. "You're the one Lyon loves!" She accused.

"I don't want to be loved!" Juvia claimed.

"In that case... vanish!" Sherria blasted more black wind towards Juvia's direction.

"God Slayer, Sherria... I recall she can heal herself." Evergreen pointed out.

"How can she be taken down?" Bickslow questioned.

"Just immobilizing her is fine. Meanwhile, Erza will fight Minerva." Mavis replied.

"She looks triumphant!"

"First Master, is Minerva that woman from Saber? The one that kept hurting Lucy... She's a dangerous opponent." Freed said.

"But if she's going to throw down with Erza, there's nothing to worry about, right?" Evergreen asked.

Erza stopped at the location. "Here..." She thinks to herself. "According to Number One's strategy, I'll run into Saber's..."

She suddenly felt a presence behind her as she turned around, seeing Kagura charge towards her. "It's Kagura!" Chapati shouted as the audience cheered while Mavis was left in shock.

Erza requipped two swords. "Number One's prediction was off?!" She thought, clashing swords with Kagura.

Erza leaped back. "She's strong!" She noted.

"The warrior I've heard so much about. Show me what you've got, Titania!" Kagura thinks to herself.

Erza and Kagura continued to trade blows. "This is an interesting showdown! A battle between the two strongest swordswomen!" Chapati announced, spinning around.

"It's a grand turning point." Yajima stated.

"You're this strong even with the sword sheathed?" Erza thought.

"Oh, my! They're at a stalemate with one sword still sheathed!" Chapati said.

Minerva soon made her appearance, throwing Erza and Kagura back. "Do you mind if I play, too?" She asked.

"Minerva's gotten between them!" Chapati said.

"It's... unpredictable..." Mavis muttered.

"Good Lord, this is such a pain in the ass."

The three women turned at the sound of a new voice, seeing Nero had joined them. "Though, my calculations are always on top of things." He added.

"Oh! My! Goodness!" Chapati exclaimed as the audience cheered loudly. "Nero has joined! Making it a four-way battle! Who will survive?!"

Erza, Kagura, Minerva, and Nero all stared at each other. "I feel incredibly nervous. That's because there's no telling what will happen." Freed commented.

"You think Erza could lose?!" Evergreen questioned in disbelief.

"No, but look at her opponents..." Bickslow replied.

"Kagura, we're counting on you!" Arana said.

"She'll be okay, won't she?" Beth asked in concern.

"Better not underestimate Kagura!" Risley claimed.

"But I'm scared!" Beth admitted.

"I have faith in Kagura. All you have to do is believe in the strength of her heart." Risley informed.

Olga looked at the screen. "Nero will come out victorious, right?" She questioned.

"Don't underestimate Nero. He's pretty powerful." Izumi grinned.

"Besides, his only target is Minerva. My guess is he'll let Erza and Kagura take each other out." Rosaline added.

"I don't care who my opponent is. I'll go right through you." Erza declared.

"Erza, why are you hiding Jellal? According to Millianna, the agony he put you through should be unforgivable." Kagura thought.

"I don't care about Erza and Kagura, hope you don't take that the wrong way." Nero glanced at the two swordswomen before staring at Minerva. "My only target is you, Minerva."

Minerva chuckled. "People have lost a lot of confidence in Sabertooth. Naturally, it goes without saying that your guild is responsible. Nero, Erza, Kagura. To prove to everyone that our guild is the strongest, I'm going to get rid of you three together." She claimed as a purple magical aura surrounded her.

"Keep barking, you overgrown cat. Is that why you're keeping Lector hostage? To prove you're the strongest?" Nero fired back, a light blue magical aura surrounding him as Minerva looked shocked. "Yeah, I know all about that."

"You talk a good game." Erza said.

"No need for tedious talk. Come!" Kagura ordered.

Erza and Kagura's magic power was exterting as well. "Th-This is... Yajima-san, I think I can feel the vibrations from here!" Chapati said, turning to Yajima.

"That shows just how powerful and concentrated the magic of those four is." Yajima stated.

"It's okay! I know you can win, Erza!" Makarov encouraged.

The four of them had a stare down before their magic power dispersed and all four of them charged forward at each other, their magic joining together and causing a huge explosion. The explosion disappeared as they continued fighting.

Minerva placed her fingers against her palm. "Ragudo!" She shouted, trapping Erza and Kagura.

"Not on my watch!" Nero shouted. A light blue Magic Circle with an Oni face in the middle appeared in front of him as he summoned a ghostly spear and hurled it at Minerva, who traps it with her Territory Magic, causing an explosion as Minerva then attacks Nero, causing him to skid on the ground.

"Shit!" Nero cursed.

"Niel Wielg Mion Terse Elcantaeus!" Minerva chanted.

"What language is that?" Bickslow asked.

"I don't know, but it seems ominous." Freed answered.

"Run, Erza!" Evergreen shouted.

"That's..." Mavis trailed off.

"Number One!" Makarov exclaimed.

"...Yakuma's 18 Battle Gods Magic?!" Mavis finished in shock.

"Yagdo Rigora!" Minerva finished her spell, causing a monster to appear as well as a yellow ball of light followed by a huge explosion. The light disappeared, shocking the audience.

"That's my lady." Orga commented.

Atlas looked over at the smoke. "That explosion... That's where Nero's fighting at..." He then chuckles to himself. "Minerva's truly strong, according to Luke. But Nero had years of training with Terra. Plus the time he spent in Lunar Fang. If you think that's enough to stop him, you're sorely mistaken. Same goes with Erza."

When the dust settled, it showed Erza, Kagura, and Nero still standing. "Wha...?! They're unharmed!" Chapati exclaimed.

"What'll happen with these four?!"

"This goes way beyond awesome!"

"It's dangerous!"

"They've got me on the edge of my seat!" Makarov commented.

"She can command that magic..." Mavis trailed off in shock.

"All four of them are scary." Bickslow commented.

"Does this mean their magic balances out?" Evergreen questioned.

"For right now..." Freed replied.

"That's my Nero! Powerful and handsome!" Izumi cheered with hearts in her eyes.

Rosaline clashed heads with her. "Your Nero?! Since when was he yours?!" She exclaimed in anger.

"Since he slept with me, Vale!"

"You're not the only one he slept with!"

"Ladies, ladies..." Olga sighed while Rialle sweat dropped.

"I see. I certainly didn't expect you to make it this far. Titania... Erza Scarlet. Stormserpent... Nero Lamenton. And Kagura Mikazuchi... We'll get nowhere at this rate. I'm going to make a little change." Minerva said as a person appeared in a bubble.

"Yajima-san, what is that?" Chapati questioned.

"A person?" Yajima guessed.

Both Erza and Kagura gasped. "The kitten I captured earlier." Minerva said.

"Millianna!"

"What are you doing, wench?!" Erza asked.

"Can you see this girl suffering? I'm stealing her magic even now in that space." Minerva replied as Millianna's face morphed in pain. Flashbacks of Millianna went through Erza's head.

"Millianna!" She exclaimed.

"That's low!" Arana commented.

"What should we do?! Millianna!" Beth said.

"What's she doing with Millianna?!" Risley questioned.

"Relax. I'm not using her as a hostage to make you give in. As I said, I'm just going to make a change." Minerva claimed as both Kagura and Erza gritted their teeth in anger.

"That's it. That's the expression I wanted to see." Minerva said.

Nero narrowed his eyes. "I wish I could say I'm shocked, but after what Sting told me about Lector. I'm not really surprise you're pulling this stunt." He stated. "Unfortunately for you, I have no connection to the woman. Such a tactic won't work against me."

"Of course not. I have other plans for you, Lamenton." Minerva spoke as Nero let out a 'tch' sound.

Mercurius...

Darton had a disturbed look plastered on his face. "If that's... If that's the truth, the Grand Magic Games must be cancelled at once..." He informed.

"No. I'm still skeptical about what they said. Not to mention, my brother's warning about them following soon after." Hisui stated.

"Yes, but even if it isn't true, if the public is in imminent danger..." Darton trailed off.

Hisui gulped. "That person knows the future. They know the results of the Grand Magic Games. I was told that a certain guild wins through an unbelievable outcome." She said.

"Unbelievable outcome?" Darton repeated.

"Owning to the special outcome, predicting it is impossible. If that outcome becomes reality, I'll believe what the person told me." Hisui claimed.

"Y-You would let the future of this country ride on the results of the Grand Magic Games?!" Darton questioned.

"In a way. After all, I still can't believe that outcome." Hisui replied.

"But if what that person told you about it comes to pass..."

"...then it's safe to say everything they told me about the future is true." Hisui finished. "Then I'll open the Eclipse Portal."

Hisui then thought back to her brother's words.

"This person... They killed someone special to me. In front of my eyes. It was someone who I thought they would never hurt. You can't trust him, Nee-chan. If he was able to kill him without any remorse. He'll achieve this easily."

Hisui wondered who the person was that her brother talked about.

Hell Palace...

"Who the hell are you?!" Sting asked the hooded figure before he sniffed. "Hey, wait a second! This scent..."

"Sting..." The hooded person spoke before a tear fell from their eye as they covered their mouth. "I'm sorry!"

The hooded person continued crying. "You're..." Sting trailed off.

"Help me!"

"That voice..." Yukino muttered.

"What is this?" Mira asked.

"It can't be..." Fera mumbled.

"You're..." Drake started to say.

Lucas stepped forward. "W-Wait! Hold on a second!" He said.

The hooded person removed their hood as Lucas screamed in shock.

"He..." Hisui started to say.

Arcadios opened his eyes as Sting went wide eyed.

"No way!" Lucas exclaimed.

There, standing in front of him, was himself. Except he had green hair and had jade green dragon scales on the right side of his face, tears coming down from the left side.

"...said he came from the future." Hisui finished.

"Luke!" Sting shouted.

"Two Lucas's?! How is that possible?" Ace questioned.

"Did he come from Edolas or something?" Happy wondered.

"No. This doesn't seem to be anything that simple." Lily answered.

"Please... help me!" Future Lucas pleaded, still sobbing. "Soon, this country will be..."

A/N: The rescue team has met Future Lucas! If you're wondering what happened to Future Lucy, it'll be explained!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.