A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter!

Enjoy!

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: ERZA VS. KAGURA

Hell Palace...

Everyone looked at Future Lucas, lost for words. "Wha...?!" Natsu exclaimed as Lucas just blinked in shock.

"Another Lucas?!" Mira muttered.

"W-What does this mean?" Wendy asked.

"You're not... Gemini, right?" Yukino questioned.

"Or from Edolas or something like that?" Happy added.

"You already know about Eclipse, the time-travel portal, right?" Future Lucas asked.

"Eclipse? Don't tell me..." Lily trailed off.

"You used Eclipse..." Carla started to say.

"...to come from the future." Future Lucas finished as he glanced over at Lucy, making her flinch. "I wasn't the only one. I came with Lucy, but considering she's not here, I can only assume she didn't have enough magic power to cross over. We've been going back and forth for a while now."

Sting and Lucas both exclaimed in shock, along with Natsu and Lucy.

"This is... so sudden, I don't understand..." Lucas trailed off.

"This country is about to..." Future Lucas didn't get to finish his sentence as he fell sideways.

Sting rushed up to him. "Hey!"

"A-Are you okay?!"

"It looks like he fainted. He's still breathing."

"What's this about?!" Happy asked.

"I have no idea." Lily responded.

Fera turned to look at Lucas. "Lucas-san..."

"This is freaking me out. Why in the hell would I...?" Lucas wondered.

Sting picked up Future Lucas. "Anyway, we can't leave him here. We'll take this Luke with us, too." He informed.

"Let's leave the palace and shoot off a flare." Yukino suggested.

"Right. It'll let them know Lucy and Lucas-san were successfully rescued." Wendy agreed.

"Although, I didn't imagine there'd be two of 'em..." Natsu commented.

"But I don't understand. To open the Eclipse Portal, don't you need the power of a Celestial Spirit Wizard?" Darton asked. "So dropping those two into Hell Palace... How does that make sense?"

"Good question. At the time, I already had the 12 Keys. I acted rashly." Hisui replied.

"But they got those 12 Keys back. So how do you intend to open the Eclipse Portal, Princess?" Darton questioned.

"I have no more need of the keys."

"No more need? What do you mean?"

"I used the 12 Keys yesterday to unlock Eclipse. Now I just need a human's hands to open the portal." Hisui explained.

"And that human will bear the responsibility of changing the future of the human race." Darton argued.

"I can't do it alone. That's why I wanted your blessing... and Arcadios to really be here. Whether I open the Portal or not depends on the results of the Grand Magic Games. Right now, let's just observe the tournament." Hisui claimed.

Minerva smirked. "Let Millianna go." Kagura ordered.

"I'm going to give you a battle worthy of a king." Minerva said.

Kagura got into a fighting stance. "I'm not going to say it again. Free my comrade while you still live." She threatened.

"If you want her, come and get her." Minerva challenged.

Kagura had a dark look in her eyes before she charged forward in front of Minerva. "Incredible speed!" Erza praised.

"Yeah. Kagura has insane agility." Nero agreed, causing Erza to look at him.

"You'll be the second tiger that I devour." Kagura claimed, referring to her battle with Yukino.

"I hope I taste better than the last one." Minerva said.

Minerva soon traded spots with Erza, shocking both of the swordswomen as Erza blocked Kagura's attack.

"W-What happened?!" Makarov questioned.

"I don't understand..." Arana mumbled.

"What happened?" Beth asked.

"Maybe..." Risley trailed off.

"She made them switch places, huh?" Kaiba said to himself.

"She switched places with me?!" Erza realized.

"You two fight it out. I'll take on the victor." Minerva told them.

"You're a pretty pathetic king, considering you interrupted us in the first place."

"A king moves her pawns according to her own strategy. The Stormserpent here knows all about that." Minerva replied.

"You and I are not the same, wench. To even assume that is insulting." Nero scoffed.

Minerva ignored his comment. "Consider it an honor. I acknowledge that I can't take you both on. I admit that I underestimated you. A king must win, no matter what the circumstances." She claimed.

"Give me back Millianna!" Erza yelled.

"Don't you... Don't you dare..." Kagura shoves Erza back. "...pretend to be her friend!"

"And it seems you have a great deal to talk about. Pardon the intrusion." Minerva said as she made Millianna disappear.

"I accept the conditions! But release Millianna!" Kagura demanded.

Minerva only chuckled, disappearing as well. Nero sighed as he sits down on a slab of debris.

"I'm gonna be here for a while..." He thought. "Come to think of it, I wonder if the others met up with their matches yet. Right now, Shiro should be meeting up with..."

Orga was covered in black lightning as he faced Laxus. "This should also be an interesting match-up." Yajima commented.

"We finally meet, Laxus." Orga commented.

"Black lightning, eh?" Laxus questioned.

"You've already realized it, haven't you? I'm the Lightning God Slayer." Orga said.

"You may be able to kill a god, but I don't know about a fairy." Laxus stated as yellow lightning surrounded him.

"Huh? Was Nero's calculation off?"

Both Laxus and Orga turned to see Shiro walking up to them. "I was only supposed to meet Laxus here." He commented before getting covered in blue lightning. "No matter, I'll just wipe the both of you out."

"Blue lightning?" Laxus muttered.

"What a pain in the ass. I guess it's about high time I show you the damage a Dragon Slayer taught by a dragon can do, artifical." Shiro insulted.

"Wow! The remaining members are all pairing up to duel!" Chapati exclaimed.

"Everyone... Do your best so we can get Lector back." Frosch said, watching the Lacrima screen.

Mercurius...

"I just can't imagine it. It'll really turn out like this supposedly future person said? I find it hard to believe." Darton stated as he was next to Hisui, who was sitting in a chair.

"It's like I told you. That's why it's an 'unbelievable outcome.'" Hisui said.

Far away from the stadium...

Jellal, Meredy, and Ultear were gathered together. "We made a grave error, while at the same time got locked into an inescapable destiny." Jellal spoke.

"If everything that the Future Lucas said is true..." Meredy started to say.

"...this country will be destroyed tomorrow." Ultear finished. "Jellal..."

"But destroyed...?!" Meredy said.

"I guess it's still clinging to me... The sin of destruction..." Ultear claimed. "I know a lifetime isn't enough to make up for them."

"But how about if we at least evacuate everyone?" Meredy suggested.

"It'll cause a panic." Ultear said.

"But still..." Meredy began to protest.

"Wait." Ultear and Meredy turned to Jellal. "There's no guarantee that it's all true." Jellal claimed.

"Huh?"

"What do you mean?" Meredy asked.

"Something about his story... Something doesn't add up. Something..." Jellal trailed off.

Natsu's group was walking through the hall. "Luke, for some reason, this 'you' is lighter than you are." Sting muttered.

"Are you saying I gained weight?!" Lucas exclaimed.

"You're putting words into my mouth, that's not what I said. I was just making an observation." Sting said.

"He probably lost a lot of weight from his hardships." Ace commented.

"I suppose that makes sense." Sting hummed.

Erza and Kagura had a stare-down. "Looks like the time has come to settle up." Erza spoke.

"I'm serious about this." Kagura informed.

"That's what I'm hoping for!" Erza replied.

The two of them clashed their swords together. Kagura's strength sent Erza back a few feet. Erza then changed into her Heaven's Wheel Armor.

"Heaven's Wheel!" Erza slashes at Kagura. "Pentagram Sword!"

Kagura flew up into the air. "Archenemy!" Kagura charged down. "Strong form!"

"Slashing form!" Kagura called out next as Erza requipped once more.

"Adamantine Armor!" She shouted. However, Kagura easily slashed at her shield.

"Are you for real?!" Romeo exclaimed. "That armor even withstood Jupiter!"

"And she hasn't even unsheathed her sword!" Lisanna added.

"She's strong..." Makarov commented as both Erza and Kagura were falling down.

"Not enough yet?" Kagura asked.

"Flight! Sonic Claw!" Erza changed into her Flight Armor. Kagura was able to attack her back.

"She was struck instead!" Levy exclaimed.

"What?!" Lisanna questioned.

Erza crashed to the ground as Kagura landed on her feet. "She's stronger than Erza?! Impossible!" Makarov said.

"I didn't predict this, either." Mavis stated.

"I'm starting to feel bad for Erza. Kagura's a menace when it comes to swordsmanship. One of the few things I admire about her." Olga commented.

Lex glanced at the tribe woman. "You're actually admitting that?"

"Yeah, well, I definitely wouldn't want to fight her. If Kagura and I ever got into a one on one, I'd be defeated instantly." Olga claimed, shivering a little.

Erza was struggling to get up as she was back in her normal clothing. "She sure is some kind of strong! Mermaid Heel's Kagura! Erza, who slew 100 monsters, is overwhelmed!" Chapati announced.

"I'm surprised. I didn't know there was anyone as strong as you here..." Erza struggled to catch her breath. "That strength... Does it stem from your grudge against Jellal?"

Kagura gritted her teeth before she walked forward, kicking Erza in her stomach and sending her flying. "I don't care what kind of grudge you have against Jellal... but Millianna's started walking towards the future, so leave her out of it!" She said.

"It's her will." Kagura said before sending Erza back more with her sword as Erza crashed into a pillar. "And my will is the same. I'm going to kill Jellal."

"What happened with him?" Erza asked.

"You know that man as well as I do. Jellal murdered Simon... my big brother!" Kagura revealed as Erza widened her eyes.

"Simon's... younger sister?!" She repeated in her head.

"We were poor... but happy. However, that happiness suddenly came to an end... with the child hunters." Kagura continued. "I escaped, and searched for my brother for years. And then, I met Millianna."

"Simon... Actually, Simon was..." A younger Millianna started to say.

"She told me about my brother's heroic suffering and death. After years of abuse and being stripped of his freedom, he was murdered by Jellal. Everything in front of me went black." Kagura thrusted her sword forward. "And I made a new vow. To unsheathe this sword only when it was time to slay Jellal, my brother's enemy."

Erza thinks back to all of her childhood friends from the Tower of Heaven. "Millianna wasn't there then." Erza spoke up, catching Kagura's attention. "It was only me, Jellal, Natsu, and Simon."

"You two together, shatter it!" Jellal exclaimed.

"Erza, move!" Natsu shouted at her.

"Don't worry about anything! I'll protect you!"

"Don't!"

"Heavenly Body Magic! Altairis!" Jellal threw the black orb towards Erza.

"Erza!" Natsu screamed.

However, the spell hit Simon instead - who stood in front of Erza. "Simon...?" Erza questioned.

"Erza..." Simon muttered, crashing to the ground.

"Simon!"

"I'm glad... I wanted to... be helpful to you... someti..."

"Okay! I got it, so don't talk anymore!" Erza told him.

Simon touched Erza's cheek with his hand. "You were... always... so kind... so kind..." A tear fell from Simon's eye. "I loved you..."

Simon's hand soon dropped from her face as Erza let out a cry of pain.

"True, Jellal may be at fault for Simon's death... but Jellal didn't kill him. It was me." Erza confessed, a tear slipping from her eye.

Kagura widened her eyes. "You would go that far to cover for Jellal?"

"No. It's the truth. My weakness... killed Simon." Erza responded.

Kagura's entire body was shaking, gripping tightly onto her sword. "Kagura!" Arana shouted.

"What are you...?!" Beth trailed off.

"You mustn't draw that sword!" Risley warned.

Kagura gritted her teeth as she closed her eyes.

"Kagura..."

Kagura unsheathed her sword, causing a bright light to show. Nero, who was watching nearby, only widened his eyes in shock.

"I'm sorry!" Erza apologized.

Blood soon splattered on the ground.

A/N: Another chapter is completed!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.