Chapter 69

Apocalyptic


"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip


Torafuzar crashed into the bottom of the depths, actually catching Tempester by surprise. "Levy! Pull yourself together!" Gajeel growled as he shook the book worm. She opened her eyes and found him staring at her. "You gave me that breath of air just now. More where that came from?"

'He wants me to do it again…?' She repeated before a blush over took her face and she shook her head.

"Hurry up and give the others some air too! They're gonna drown if you don't!" Gajeel shouted, only for her to shake her head again. "What the hell are you stalling for? Use your magic and make us some air!"

Levy stared at him and blinked before a massive blush covered her face. In embarrassment, she waved her hand and created the Solid Script word for Air before the two dived into it, turning it into an air pocket.

"They're still breathing?" The demon questioned.

"Now help Salamander and the others!" Gajeel ordered before he dived back into the water before punching Torofuzar's fist. He spun and kicked the demons face before dodging a fist. Gajeel roared and swung his fist as gas escaped the holes littered over the demon's body.

He took the hit square in his chest as Gajeel's iron scales cracked and shattered, breaking bones. "Behold the greatest defense of the Nine Demon Gates." Torafuzar declared as Gajeel screamed in pain, holding his broken wrist. "I can alter my body's density to deflect whatever attack comes at me. Your pitiful iron won't even put a dent in me. Not that it truly matters…"

Gajeel started sinking as Torafuzar grabbed him. "Thanks to the iron that covers your skin, youve staved off the poison in the water, but it's abundantly clear that you are finally starting to feel its effect. Now you get to watch all your comrades perish. Humanity's era is over. You fought valiantly, but you are no match for the Dark Deluge."

Growling in anger, Gajeel burst the hand open and punched as hard as he could, breaking his wrist even more. "I ain't gonna die here today!" Gajeel roared as he punched punched the head, knocking the demon backwards.

"Impossible!" Torafuzar shouted in shock. "How could that weak iron break through my defenses like that!? No, that's not iron. He must have absorbed the carbon in the water and used it to make steel. He turned my curse against me!"

"Steel Dragon Sword!"

Gajeel swung his arm as fast as he could, shattering the armor and sending the demon to the floor in defeat. "Well… fought…" The demon praised his foe before passing from his wounds.

The waters faded away as everyone landed on the ground, Tempester glaring at the humans. "Well, Salamander. You owe me a song…" Gajeel chuckled.

His knees gave out and he stumbled onto the ground. "Crap, there's still… one more." Instantly, Tempester was behind him, fist ready to kill. Purple ice suddenly shot up from between the two, forcing the demon back. Gray landed and stared at the Curse user, a look in his eyes like he wanted to kill.

"That's the guy who beat Laxus?" He questioned, making Gajeel nod. "I'll get his blood, you just make sure it gets to Porlyusica once I'm done."

"You think this is gonna be easy?" Gajeel questioned. Gray said nothing as he rushed forward. Tempester summoned a wall of hurricanes, only to watch as they were frozen solid. "You gotta be kidding me…"

The Ice Wizard reached his target and clasped his hands together in a quick draw sword style. "Ice Devil Zero Long Sword!" He slashed at Tempester and instantly froze him solid. With a sheathe of the blade, the body crumbled to pieces.

"What the hell was that…" Gajeel pondered.

"I'll be the one to crush Tartaros." Gray declared as he walked away.


With Erza's Group

Walking through a broken gate, the group stared at the broken control room. "Is this it?" Erza questioned, squeezing on Franmalth.

"Yes it is." The demon declared.

"Erza, look!" Happy pointed over to see the body of Crawford slowly moving, typing on the Archive spell.

Erza rushed over to stop him, only to suddenly freeze in place. "What is this!?" Her hands slowly rose up and wrapped around her neck, choking herself. "Mybody… isn't listening…"

"What's going on?" Happy questioned as everyone else was doing the same.

"Damn it…" Minerva cursed as she looked up.

"None can resist my Macro curse." Sayla declared standing next to Kyouka.

"It can't be…." Erza gasped out. "The former chairman is…"

"My Marco doesn't work as well on corpses, but I can still command them." The horned demon declared.

"If we have the late Crawford's clearance level, we can complete all 3000 Faces even from here." Kyouka added with a smirk before turning to the side. "I didn't think you'd have the guts to show your face here, Minerva." She confessed. "Tell me Erza, how does it feel not being able to move? Does it remind of our time in the torture chamber?"

Footsteps rushed forward before Mirajane launched forward in her Satan Soul form. The ground under her cracked open and Abatu punched her in the stomach, making her gasp in pain. "No… Is that…" Brianna gasped out.

Sayla suddenly collapsed as the humans let go of their necks and Kyouka and Abatu rushed over. "I'm so sorry, that's all I have… The Face Project."

"You did more than enough, Sayla." Her lover replied, the pet nuzzling into her. "Rest assured. The ex-chairmen has completed his job. All the Face bombs will go off soon."

"Lady Kyouka…" Sayla groaned. "You're the last of the Nine Demon Gates… Please, avenge us all. And let me return to Lord Zeref's side. Abatu… obey her."

"Worry not." Kyouka leaned down and gripped her hand, a glow flowing off the two. "I shall send you, both body and soul."

"Erza! You have to stop her!" Happy shouted.

"Be victorious, Lady Kyouka…" Sayla mumbled as she closed her eyes.

"Worry not."

"I shall stop Face." Erza declared, donning her Amadura Fairy Armor. Brianna stepped forward, now in her Minotaur form.

"I will destroy the enemy in the name of Zeref." Kyouka declared. Abatu dropped into a crouch and glared at the large woman.

"I'll stop it, no matter what!" Erza shouted as the two charged forward. Abatu launched forward and tackled Brianna to the ground before they rolled behind some rubble.

"You're already too late." Kyouka said before swinging her claws, meeting the sword hand on. Erza slid back and the demon threw chunks of stone at her. The red head sliced them apart and managed to kick Kyouka in the face, sending her back. Erza rushed and slashed at her side, cutting the demon in the stomach.

"Incredible…" Minerva mumbled.

Mirajane smiled before flinching in pain, forcing Happy to run over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine…" She replied.

"That reminds me. Weren't you with Lisanna?" He asked.

"We ran into a bit of a… problem." Mirajane sighed, shuddering at all the memory of all those Lamy's. "They managed to escape in all the confusion. I followed them while the others stayed behind."

Kyouka chuckled as she clutched her fresh wound. "Very impressive, Erza. As I thought, you're a lot like us." Brianna and Abatu burst out from the rubble and landed next to their respective partners, cuts and bruises covering their skin.

A sudden pressure wave of magic suddenly hit everyone, freezing them in fear. Abatu himself collapsed to the ground, confusing Kyouka. "What is happening?"


With Wendy

Wendy suddenly fell over, scaring both Doranbolt and Carla. "Wendy! What's wrong!?" A glow scared the two as a guttural sound echoed throughout the sky.


With Gajeel

"Gray was here?" Juvia questioned as the others finally woke up.

"He just headed somewhere." Gajeel answered before holding up a bloody bag. "Levy, take this to the old lady."

"Now we can heal Laxus and the others." Levy cheered.

Lucy glanced over to the side as Natsu sat away from the group. "What's wrong, Natsu?"

"He's probably just pouting after hearing that ice powered idiot stole his win." Gajeel chuckled.

"Gajeel…" Natsu mumbled, shaking in fear. "Can't you hear it?" Gajeel tilted his head in confusion as the Fire Wizard turned to him. "This voice…"

Gajeel went wide eyed as a roar echoed around them. "What is this?" Juvia asked in fear.

"That voice… there's no mistaking it…" Natsu whispered in fear.


With Mard Geer

The ground shook from the echo as he looked around, just as confused as the two humans. "This goes above and beyond my wildest expectations…" The Underworld King confessed. "For him to show up now… Did it come seeking this giant demon? Or did it come following after Zeref…"

"The hell are you babbling about?" Sting shouted.

"Acnologia…" Mard Geer answered as the dragon roared around them. A single flap of the aforementioned beast's wings tore the ground apart as it unleashed a blast of magic, destroying a chunk of rock. Mard Geer turned to find Sting and Rogue frozen in place. "What's going on…?"

He jumped up way from the paralyzed duo and looked up at the black dragon. "I see… it's still looking for E.N.D." The demon surmised. "Does it fear our lord? Has it come to destroy it before E.N.D. is reborn? Interesting."

The dragon floated in the air and opened its jaw, gathering magic in its mouth.


"What the hell is that thing doing here!?" Cana shouted.

"Acnologia? You mean…" Macao mumbled.

"The one that blew up Tenrou Island!?" Wakaba asked.

"Why is it here?" Romeo questioned.

"Everyone! Find a place to hide!" Elfman shouted. "We can't give up yet!"

"Someone carry Laxus and the others!"

"We gotta scatter!"

"Shit…" Cana mumbled. "What did we ever do to deserve this?"


With Natsu's Group

Natsu seemed to be glowing in magic as seemed to flow off him. Lucy crawled over in confusion and concern for her teammate. "Hey… Are you okay, Natsu?" She tapped his shoulder, only to pull her hand back from the heat. "He's burning up?"

Gajeel was frozen in place as iron grew on his body. "Gajeel too?" Levy questioned.

"The Dragon Slayers are reacting to Acnologia?" Juvia surmised.

They watch the dragon of their nightmares float in the air, preparing for a roar like the one that almost killed them.

"Natsu." The Fire Wizard flinched at the voice before looking around, the voice echoing in his head. "The time has come."

"…Igneel?" He questioned.

"I'm confident you can defeat E.N.D." His father declared, confusing Natsu even more.

"Why can I hear Igneel's voice!?" Natsu shouted, scaring the others.

"I'll do something about Acnologia." A glow on his chest caught everyone off guard as Natsu burst into flames. Screaming in pain, a pillar of sheer fire pushed the others back. "Sorry for everything, Natsu…" The tower of flame and smoke was blasted away, revealing a massive red dragon in the air. "I've been inside all this time."

The humans were in pure shock as Igneel flapped his wings, flying into the sky. "I can't tell you everything now." His father explained. "I'll get rid of Acnologia first."

The fire dragon slammed into the black dragon, killing the attack before it could fire. "Live, Natsu. For both of us."

Lucy glanced over to Natsu and found tears were falling from his face. "Dad…"


Remember how I'm saying over and over again that I'm following the manga. Prime example right here. That Laxus fight against Tempester was completely anime original. And honestly, I think I like Hiro's version better cause it makes A HELL of a lot more sense. If Laxus is comatose and close to death, he's not gonna suddenly have the strength to stand up and fight.

But the big twist of this… yeah, did NOT see that coming. Who'd have thought the dragons would be hiding INSIDE the Dragon Slayers? Not me, that's for sure.

Beta read by General Feng Xiang