The air in White Eclipse was a bit tense after Cosmic Star managed to beat them in the set of three challenges. Despite that, Cosmic Star still did linger around, getting a better look at the guild. White Eclipse was hospitable, at least. But they didn't want them around for much longer. "I don't like their attitudes…" Sidney said as he looked towards the Cosmic Star members. "Too cheery, too rude, too annoying…I could on…"

"Come on, Sidney!" Kuro said happily, yet he was obviously objecting to the behavior of the ghost mage.

"That ice god slayer is extremely disrespectful," Sidney replied. "If it were me instead of Waiston, I would've put my foot down."

"I admit…that was kinda uncalled for…" Kuro said while sighing softly.

"I don't really approve of their attitudes either, Sidney," Jack said while taking a sip from his mug of beer. Though drunk, he could make fair judgment about their guests thus far.

"I'm with you two on this…" Luke nodded over to Sidney and Kuro.

Daryan looked around, his expression making it seem as though he was lost, but instead, he was just looking at the dragon slayers around. "I see like, four dragon slayers around here…but no exceeds…"

"Again with the exceed business…" Waiston said with a slight frown, remembering an incident several months ago where Michio made an illusion flying polar bear only to mess with him.

"Do you have an exceed?" Heather asked while raising a brow.

"Of course I do! Best Exceed around, too!" Daryan smirked, holding his arm out, whistling right after. A few seconds later, Hiruka appeared, flying through the front doors, and landed on Daryan's arm.

"Daryan is the strongest dragon slayer, aye!" Hiruka nodded.

"Talking…Cat…" Aira said while staring at Hiruka.

"Exceed…" Luke started to groan.

"I don't like talking cats…" Aira said quietly.

"I don't like talking cats that can fly…" Luke said in response to Aira.

"What'cha got against Exceeds!?" Hiruka shouted as he flew up in Aira and Luke's faces, narrowing his eyes at the two.

"Everything," Luke said in an honest tone.

"I just don't like talking cats…" Aira replied while taking a casual step back.

"Hm…" Magnus looked around, taking note of people's reactions. "So, they don't know, do they?" Magnus asked Takeru.

"What are you talking about, guy?" Takeru asked with a raised brow, but he had some idea on what Magnus was referring to, as he heard from Luke and just experienced Magnus knew many, if not everything happening around him.

"Your impending death, of course," Magnus replied, an indifferent expression over his face. "I was gauging their reactions...along with yours during our little challenge. You had to hold back, didn't you? Because if you used more magic, it would've sped up the process..."

"W-What…?" Takeru narrowed his eyes while glaring at the mage in front of him. Is that why he was challenged? To prove a point? "How do you know about that…?"

"I know most things," Magnus merely replied. "I can tell you haven't told a soul here because everyone seems to be as chipper as one can be."

"Tch…" Takeru turned his head away, not in the mood for that kind of conversation, especially from a stranger. "I think you've overstayed your welcome, guy."

"It appears you won't…" Magnus sighed, before clearing his throat starting to raise his voice so everyone could hear him. "Attention, White Eclipse, I have an important announcement!"

"I wonder what this guy has to say now…" Luke sighed while rolling his eyes.

"Listening!" Alex said while turning to Magnus attentively.

"It appears, since your friend here won't made the announcement until god knows when, I'll make it for him." Magnus started. Takeru immediately attempted to silence Magnus by stabbing him in the back with his shadow katana, but it was to no avail, as Magnus merely stepped to the side.

"What's this about Tak?" Taya asked while placing her hands on her hips.

"He only has about seven and a half months to live, give or take a few months," Magnus said, and his action shocked the White Eclipse members.

"That's not a funny joke," Selene said while glaring at Magnus.

"Oh, my dear…I'm afraid I'm not joking," Magus replied to Selene.

"Yes you are!" Selene replied, and then looked to Takeru to back her up. "He's kidding, right?"

Takeru remained silent for a few seconds before he eventually shook his head. "He's not…"

"What!?" Selene's eyes widened. "Why didn't you say anything earlier!?"

"I can only assume that he didn't want to ruin anyone's parade…" Magnus shrugged.

"They've heard enough from you…!" Takeru growled at Magnus, which caused the mage to back off slightly.

"You really pick bad times to tell people stuff…!" Alex shouted, almost angrily towards Magnus.

"My ability is both a blessing and a curse, but I have no control, or care, for how people will react when they hear things like this." Magnus replied.

"So, why are you telling us this now?" Reve asked while eying Magnus.

"Simple," Magnus replied. 'There is no medicinal cure for what Takeru has."

"W-What!?" Selene's eyes widened even more, and then she turned to Takeru. "What happened!? How did this happen to you!?"

"A few weeks ago…" Takeru started with a sigh. "Arc and I went on some S class jobs, and on one of them, we met with this mage…he was from a guild called Silent Sanctum, I think we've had a small encounter with them before six months ago…"

"I remember something like that…" Reve said. "Stupid asshole with his shield…" Reve shook his head.

"Anyway…he and Arc damn near killed each other. I could only sit and watch." Takeru felt regret for that. It was such an intense battle and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. "Arc had it the worst and I couldn't just let him die…so I used my magic to heal him, but at a price…"

"Your life span…" Selene continued, but she then shook her head in disbelief. "There has to be a cure!"

"There is none," Magnus replied, but his realist attitude only received the coldest glare one could receive from Selene.

"There has to be something!" Aira said with panic obvious in her voice.

"Normally I'd say to help yourself," Zain started. "But this is serious, so if I find anything, you'll owe me one."

"Zain..." Takeru's eyes widened somewhat at his rival's sincerity.

"You won't find anything," Arc said as he walked into the room, his tone of voice different than usual.

"A-arc...!" Taya said, looking towards the demon slayer. She noticed the change in his voice, and she didn't have a good feeling about it, but she wasn't sure what he was up to.

Arc walked over to Takeru, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've decided..."

"Decided what, Arc?" Taya asked, hoping that Arc wasn't about to do what she thought he was going to.

"You saved me, so now, it's my turn to save you," Arc said as his body started to glow, beginning the process of transferring all of his magical energy to Takeru.

"W-What's he doing?!" Gaia shouted, bewildered at Arc's actions.

"Arc, no!" Taya shouted, her eyes widening her horror. No one else uttered a word; the only thing they did was watch as Arc's body started to turn into sand. Taya was the only other person to try and pry Arc away from Takeru, but he wasn't budging.

Takeru obviously objected to this, and he placed both his hands on Arc's hand, desperately trying to pry Arc's hand off, but Arc only tightened his grip. "They'd miss you more than they'd miss me. They need you here, as for me, not so much..." Arc flashed a genuine smile to Takeru before his body turned into sand completely, and fell to the floor, and everyone, including Magnus, stood there in shock.

"A-Arcturus!" Taya's jaw dropped, her eyes as wide as they could be as Arc vanished.

[Flashback...]

It was broad daylight. Taya and Arcturus were fleeing in the opposite direction of Tartarus Castle. They just decided to make a clean getaway. It wasn't as if the demons of Daityas' crew of the Nine Demon Gates slept regularly. They were running, but eventually, Arc took Taya into the air for an easier escape. "Shit..." Taya said while panting heavily. She could scarcely believe they just...did that.

"We escaped, but we didn't get away." Arc reminded Taya. Even with the blindfold still on, he knew where they were going.

"No kidding. If it won't be Dait, it'll be Marde or one of his own..." Taya grunted. "But I couldn't stay there any longer, damn it. I have a sister to take care of. I can't get her involved with them."

"I didn't feel like being there anymore either. Dait just kills for the fun of it, and Marde's been keeping some plans to himself and his Demon Gates for a while now. Whatever it is, I don't want to be a part of it." Arc said with a nod. They were on the same page. "Problem is, I have no idea where we can go now."

"Neither do I. But wherever it is, it has to be somewhere that can keep Nami safe." Taya closed her eyes for a minute. She then remembered something... "She had her eyes on a certain guild. It's a little out of the way, but it also seems like the last place they'd look, too..."

[End Flashback]

.

.

From an undisclosed location, Ruika was watching through an eye the events transpiring at White Eclipse, an interested look etched onto her features as she watched the death of Arc. "He killed himself to save that useless dragon slayer...?" The celestial mage then shook her head, realizing that this was exactly what Daityas wanted in the long run. "He died a lot sooner than Dait predicted...This will be excellent..." Ruika then found a nearby place to sit by, and proceeded to do so, continuing to watch the events at White Eclipse. "But, that news can wait..."

.

.

"YOU..." Takeru threw an enraged punch towards Magnus, but the mage swayed to the side, narrowly avoiding the punch.

"You're going to say this was my fault?" Magnus asked, though it was a rhetorical question, as he answered before Takeru could even speak again. "It wasn't, it was your own for being so careless..."

"Oi!" Luke stepped up, annoyed with Magnus' nonchalant attitude about the situation. "I've had enough of your attitude…"

Magnus merely shrugged Luke off. "I thought I already told you, I don't associate myself with those who don't deserve to be mages."

"Okay you know what…" Luke started, but Heather placed a hand on his shoulder, basically telling him Magnus wasn't worth it. Even though she wanted to tear him apart, this wasn't the time.

"I think you've overstayed your welcome…" Sidney said as he approached the five mages.

"Way to go, Magnus…" Alex sighed. "Such a partypooper sometimes, you know that?"

"I suppose it can't be helped," Yakuza sighed. "Adios, ice dragon," Yakuza said to Waiston as he walked out, not giving the ice dragon slayer to make any comeback, so Waiston just stood there, his fist clenched.

"I apologize…" Gaia nodded her head, and then looked to Adam once more, nodding sternly as she stepped out.

"Gomen…" Alex bowed apologetically multiple times, and then walked out after Gaia.

"I have nothing to apologize for," Magnus said simply. "But, I do hope your friend rests in peace…or at the beach…" Magnus' last comment was completely unnecessary, and it only brought rage from everyone else, especially Taya and Takeru. Taya formed a single vector, and allowed it to launch towards Magnus, but Magnus, without even looking back, swayed his body to the side, avoiding the vector with ease, and then continued walking. "Close."

"Aw man…I was hoping I could get a nice fight in today too…" Daryan sighed as he followed behind.

"Don't worry, Daryan!" Hiruka said with a reassuring tone. "You'll show them all soon enough!"

"Did you really have to do that?" Gaia looked at Magnus once they walked out of the guild.

"...It had to be done." Magnus said while glancing back at White Eclipse. "If Takeru Tenebrae died before the demon Arcturus, the future...would be very grave."

.

.

"Oh, what an exhausting day…" Diana held her feet up on the couch of Silent Sanctum, yawning loudly.

"Indeed, it has been quite exhausting…" Blake nodded, taking a seat on the bar.

"Oh, you two are back…" Jikan said as he walked into the main room, somewhat surprised by the presence of the two god slayers.

"We've only managed to find three other god slayers, and only two of them have potential…" Diana sighed.

"I see…" Jikan merely shrugged. "Oh, I believe you two haven't been caught up to current events? We could've used you a while ago."

"Hm? What happened?" Diana asked curiously as she looked over to Jikan.

"Long story short, the reason Siegrain is now in office in the Magic Council is because we managed trick Jellal into making him, however, this came at a price, as now we lost Ultear Milkovich, thanks to Sensory Magic," Jikan explained.

"Oh, sensory magic…bleh…" Diana scrunched her face up at the mention of it. "Disgusting…"

"What would you need us for?" Blake asked.

"Well, with your assistance, we might have been able to keep Mlikovich, but it appears we'll have to do that later…" Jikan sighed slightly, and then held out his pocket watch, glancing at the time. "It's only a matter of time, old man…"

.

.

An explosion rocked the frozen town, and Layanna slid back across the ice, digging her feet into the icy ground, shattering the ice in the process. Layanna was in her Arc Angel armor, which was just a basic suit of armor, but there were angel wings sprouting from the back, which Layanna would use to fly if she needed to. Layanna looked to the pair of assailants, Maggie Solfatara, and Ur Mlikovich. Layanna was usually the quiet type, but even she couldn't stay quiet at the sight of Ur. "You're supposed to be dead…" Layanna said to Ur, who merely shrugged the comment off.

"Actually, if anyone's supposed to be dead, it should be you," Ur replied, sliding into the ice make pose for the first time in a long time. "Ice Make: Rose Garden!" Ur threw her hands down to the ground, and beautifully crafted crystallized rose garden shot up from the ground. Layanna, however, was able to avoid the Rose Garden by using her power of flight, shooting up in to the air.

"Ah, ah, ah, where do you think you're going, love?" Maggie said in a taunting tone as her arm extended into a lava whip, which wrapped around Layanna's leg. Maggie then brought her arm down to slam Layanna into the ice, but to Maggie's surprise, the council member adapted to the situation rather quickly, and used her sword, Angelica (A somewhat thick sword which angel wings at the hilt), and slashed Maggie's arm, though Layanna was surprised that her blade went through Maggie's lava arm cleanly, and even more so that Maggie was unharmed. "That was rude; you could've chopped my arm off." Maggie said as she retracted her arms.

"Lava body…" Layanna said to herself as she landed on the ground, wincing slightly as she felt a burning sensation on her leg. Maggie's lava whip may not have worked the way Maggie intended for it to, but it did leave a second degree burn on Layanna's ankle. "That's…not going to make things work…" Layanna then shook her head, and then turned to the two opposing females with a serious look. "Turn yourselves in now."

"Is she ordering us around?" Ur asked.

"She's trying to, love," Maggie replied.

"If that's not enough, allow me…" Aloy said as he sped into the area with his meteor; the thought projection's presence was a sign for the two Tartaros mages to back off.

"Oh…great…" Maggie sighed.

"Captain Aloy…" Layanna looked towards the captain.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourselves, criminals?" Aloy asked, raising a brow.

"One word…" Maggie replied, her cheeks starting to puff out. "Ashfall…" Maggie threw her head forward, unleashing a powerful burst of ash that covered the area. When the ash faded, Ur and Maggie were gone.

"They escaped…" Layanna mumbled.

"They'll be back…" Aloy said, thinking to himself how brash Tartaros seemed to be getting, though neither he, nor Aloysius heard any word from them in a while. Something he decided would have to chance soon.

.

.

It was nightfall in Magnolia town. Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Cynthia Lucy, and Erza were all walking in the somewhat empty streets of Magnolia, all going to Lucy's house. Lucy looked around the empty city as a slight chill found its way up her back. "It's so empty…" Lucy said aloud, almost as if she was asking for someone outside her group of friends to answer.

"It's been like this since the assassin has been attacking…" Erza said as she looked around.

"I'm scared…" Cynthia said with a slight whimper. "What if that assassin attacks someone from Fairy Tail…?"

"I won't let them!" Natsu roared out, but he was immediately shushed by the three females.

"Quiet down, Natsu-san!" Wendy said with a slight pout. "Just because it's quiet out here, doesn't mean people aren't sleeping…!"

"A-Ah…I guess you're right…" Natsu rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"It is unusually quiet, however," Carla commented as she looked around, continuing this for a few seconds before an open window caught her attention. "Hey…look at that!" Carla pointed towards the open window.

"That's nothing to worry about, Carla!" Happy said in a cool, reassuring tone. "People leave their windows open at night all the time!"

"…Even when there's an assassin roaming the country…?" Carla asked as she crossed her arms, giving Happy a look, which quickly made him realize, or so she thought he realized.

"Maybe they went out to get fish really quick!" Happy grinned, the thought of fish starting to make his eyes sparkle and his mouth water.

"Not everything is about fish, Happy," Carla sighed, but the fellow exceed was already too far gone in his fist fantasies.

Lucy looked at the window, placing her hand under her chin as she began to think aloud about the situation. "It's a little odd for a window to be open this late at night…especially when…" Lucy was going to continue, but she cut herself sort when she saw an unfamiliar shadow crouched on the window, looking around; Lucy covered her mouth with her hands as she gasped, her eyes widened at what she believed she saw. "T-That's…!"

Erza was the next person to catch on, and her suspicions were confirmed the moment the shadow leapt from the window and onto the nearby roof. "The assassin!"

"Happy! Let's go!" Natsu shouted.

"Aye, sir!" Happy's wings sprouted from his back, and he picked up Natsu, flying him up to the roof, and dropped him off so he could give chase. "Get 'em, Natsu!"

"Hey, you!" Natsu shouted as he reared his left arm back, clenching his fist as fire wrapped around it. "You're the assassin; I can smell the blood on you!" Skye (The assassin if you forgot), turned at the sound of Natsu's voice, surprised that anyone had seen her, though her mask covered her face, and she wasn't really surprised, because the sweet, innocent Skye seemed to be in some sort of trance. Skye merely requiped, but it was a different weapon then she used thus far. It was a large ring, resembling a hula-hoop, with sharp blades on the exterior of the rim. This was Skye's Biofrost, a highly defensive weapon. Skye twirled around with the dangerous weapon in hand, and even someone as reckless as Natsu could see the danger of the weapon, so he planted his feet on the ground, skidding to a halt a few feet away from Skye. "I can't get close to that…!" Natsu then had an idea; he started to puff his cheeks out as fire formed around his lips. Before Natsu could fire off his Fire Dragon's Roar, Skye pulled out multiple pellets from her assassin's outfit, and hurled them towards Natsu, all of which exploded around the Salamander, not only damaging him, but created a thick smoke screen which hindered his movement. "D-Dammit!" While Natsu as distracted, Skye attempted to escape once again by hopping from rooftop to roof top.

"Natsu's in trouble!" Lucy said as she and Cynthia ran across the streets, while Carla took Wendy into the air.

"We have to help him!" Cynthia shouted.

"Kanso!" A heavenly light appeared around Erza's body as she jumped high into the air, now in her Heaven's Wheel Armor. Erza then created a multitude of swords above her, and then sent them all towards Skye. Skye showed no emotion as the rain of swords approached her; instead she used her highly trained eyes to avoid the incoming swords, performing various maneuvers, such as quick steps from side to side, slides, and even backflips, which allowed her to escape the assault unscathed, much to Erza's surprise. "W-What!?" Erza said in an obviously shocked tone as Skye continued on her way, but Erza used her armor's flight advantage to swoop in with two swords in hand, and slash at Skye repeatedly.

Skye watched as the tenacious Titania gave pursuit, so she held her hands out, replacing Biofrost with her two silent blades so she could match Erza in sword combat. Both Skye and Erza seemed to be relatively even in swordsmanship. Skye eventually dodged a slash from Erza, and landed a vertical slash on Erza's exposed stomach, a deep gash as well, as Erza grunted before falling from the sky. "…"

"Erza!" Lucy shouted, but she then pulled out a key. "Gate of the Ram, I open thee! Aries!" A golden light shimmered on the tip of the key as a magic circle appeared, to which Aries arrived a few seconds later. "Aries, help Erza!"

"Y-Yes…!" Aries nodded, and then held her hands out. "Wool bomb!" A large puff of pink wool appeared, cushioning Erza's fall.

"Erza, are you alright!?" Lucy asked.

"I-I'm fine…hurry can catch them!" Erza shouted, wincing noticeably from the stomach wound.

"O-Okay!" Lucy nodded, holding out yet another key. "Gate of the Lion, I open thee! Loke!" Another golden light shimmered from the key, and Loke appeared, fixing the cuffs on his suit.

"You called?" Loke asked.

Lucy then pointed to the roof tops, just as Skye made it out of her sight. "Up there!"

"Understood!" Loke nodded, and then hopped up onto the roof tops.

"Carla, I think I can hit them!" Wendy shouted.

"Good luck, Wendy!" Carla nodded, flying a little higher into the air before dropping Wendy, allowing the small dragon slayer to carry out her plan.

"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Wendy threw her arms down, unleashing sharp whirlwinds in Skye's direction, but the assassin managed to dodge by leaping into the sky; Wendy's attack only succeeded in utterly destroying the rooftop. "Wah!"

"Wendy, look out!" Cynthia jumped up, tackling Wendy out of the sky and down to the ground, not a second too soon as Skye hurled various poison bombs at the sky dragon, but since Cynthia moved Wendy, they failed to strike their target, and just exploded in the air.

"T-Thanks, Cynthia…" Wendy said as she let out a sigh of relief.

"Where do you think you're going?" Loke asked as he slid in front of the assassin, his fist pulled back as his Regulas activated. Loke then swung his fist towards Skye, but Skye managed to avoid the punch by ducking low. With her fist clenched, Skye landed a surprisingly fast uppercut on Loke's chin, sending the spirit staggering back a few feet and almost off the rooftop. Skye, now almost out of the town, continued to make her escape, but she was stopped by a determined Salamander, who almost landed a Fire Dragon's Talons on her head, but she dodged at the last second, and Natsu's foot hit the roof top, destroying it.

"You're not going anywhere!" Natsu immediately brought himself up; his fist covered his flames as he actually managed to land a hit on Skye; a Fire Dragon's Iron Fist at her stomach, which threw the assassin for a loop as she slid back a few feet. Natsu then puffed his cheeks out, unleashing a Fire Dragon's Roar towards Skye.

"Tch…" Skye jumped high into the air, avoiding Natsu's attack, and swung her leg at Natsu's side, sending the Salamander tumbling away. After this, Skye made her escape, leaving the town.

"She got away…" Cynthia groaned.

"Like hell she did," Natsu said with a slight smirk. "I got her scent, and there's no way she's getting away!" Before anyone else could say anything to Natsu, the Salamander already ran off in hot pursuit of the assassin.

"Natsu!" Happy shouted, starting to follow Natsu, but Happy realized it was almost useless to even try.