A/N: ModernRogue11 here and after two weeks of brainstorming, I finally published a chapter. This particular chapter will set up the plot points that were established earlier on like the connection of spiritual energy to magical energy, and so forth. This chapter will also serve as the final setup before we get to the juicy parts of the GMG, meaning the conspiracy behind Eclipse. That said, I have one last plot point to include before we delve into the Eclipse Project and the Dragon King Festival.

For now, enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 12: Whispers of the Future

The tension from the last event still lingered among the contestants, more so in Fairy Tail and Sabretooth than the others. The confrontation just after the Naval Battle compounded what was already intense bad blood between the two competing guilds. That served to only rile up the audience for an even more spectacular showdown between the two strongest guilds in the competition.

There was a quick announcement from the organizers that Fairy Tail would do away with the two teams and form one representative team for their guild. With this news, the crowd roared even louder with even more excitement.

"Day 4's battle rounds are about to be underway and we'll finally see who was selected in Team Fairy Tail!" Chapati Lola stated as he consulted his fellow commentator for his opinion. "You have a long history with the guild, Mr. Yajima. Got any predictions on who'll be in the final five?"

The old councilman didn't want to state too much but he did have an idea of who might be included. "I can think of a few names. I am certain though that they'll choose the strongest members from the two teams they previously had. You can bet for certain that the likes of Ichigo Kurosaki or Erza Scarlet will be in the line-up."

"Thank you for the info, Mr. Yajima." The square-jawed announcer then faced the arena and began announcing each team's line-ups. "…And now let's announce the match-ups for the Two-man Battles! The first match will pit the Blue Pegasus guild against the frisky Quatro Puppy! The next will be a great battle between representatives from Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel! And today's most anticipated event, Sabretooth will be facing against a unified Fairy Tail! So, put your hands together for a glorious welcome, and let's meet the new Fairy Tail team!" Just as the announcer suggested, the audience roared in anticipation.

Over at the tunnel, five figures were approaching the entrance to the arena. Shadowed by the darkness of the tunnel, their faces bore determined expressions. Their resolve radiated even within the darkness…and as the light slowly illuminated their figures, the whole world finally saw this team take center stage.

"Go get them guys, for me."

"We're counting on you."

Lucy and Elfman said while recuperating from their injuries. Their voice held confidence in their teammates.

"Master really put together an amazing team," Mirajane proudly remarked while anticipating the arrival of her participating guildmates together with her sister and the rest of the guild.

"Show them what you're made of!" Wendy cheered.

"Bring home the win!" Carla added.

"It's just like what I was saying before," Cana declared.

"This team will definitely bring Fairy Tail back to number one," Juvia said with enthusiasm.

All of Fairy Tail was watching eagerly at the reveal of their team. All members have high hopes that the chosen ones to represent the guild will win. Their faith and trust are strong in them.

"The spirit of our guild is a truly unstoppable force," Makarov proudly stated before continuing, "…and these five kids embody that spirit wholeheartedly. And with Ichigo serving as their reserve, there's no doubt in my mind that this team will go far in the competition."

Mavis also held the same proud expression her successor had. "It's time to show the world the power of our bonds, our friendship, and our resolve."

The reveal finally came and the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

"We've been waiting for this moment!" Chapati the announcer yelled! "Give it up for the new TEAM FAIRY TAIL!"

Five mages stood proudly among the other contestants. They all look determined and full of resolve.

Natsu Dragneel.

Laxus Dreyar.

Erza Scarlet.

Gray Fullbuster.

Gajeel Redfox.

These five young yet powerful mages make up the consolidated team of Fairy Tail. All contestants were eager to face off against this team and prove who is superior. That said, the five mages from the former strongest guild won't lie down without a fight. Their allies and supporters were wishing them the best of luck in what could be the most heated set of events to date.

"With that kind of entrance, I'm not sure if the audience will be able to handle the anticipation leading up to the final match," The announcer commented which was quickly answered by an uproar from the spectators.

"The fans are looking forward to it, that's for sure," Yajima added.

"This day will be filled with much drama!"

Amongst the excited watchers were two mysterious figures looking down over a high balcony reserved for the top officials of the kingdom. One was a tall, armor-clad individual with messy brown hair and sideburns that connect to his beard. He looked strong and commanding and his stature was imposing to anyone of lower rank.

The other was a small old man wearing a fine garment of blue, white, and gold. His face was wrinkled indicating his late age and the bridge of his nose had a scar, yet it did not lessen the authority he exudes. The way he is dressed gave him an aura of power and the way he moves and scrutinizes the contestants down below shows his wisdom and years of experience.

"It seems like the Celestial wizard is not there," the old minister remarked.

"I guess she's still recovering from her match earlier," the knight beside him replied.

"I presume you are taking steps in acquiring her services?"

"I am," the armored man then remembered a crucial detail. "Although, she only has some of the golden gate keys. We still need to approach the Sabretooth mage to gather the other two."

"I've heard from reliable sources that the wizard you're referring to, Yukino Agria, was excommunicated from her guild after her loss against the swordswoman from Mermaid Heel."

"You are correct. She was indeed expelled from her guild. That would've provided us with the perfect opportunity to recruit her but that won't happen now."

"What do you mean?" the diminutive man asked.

"Yesterday, the city's civil registry reported a file for adoption. Given the timing of the wizard's expulsion and the sudden request for adoption, you can tell who the person is that was adopted."

The old man's eyes grew wide after realization sunk in. "Yukino Agria was adopted!? By whom?"

The armored officer turned serious as his eyes narrowed at this info. "The man who decimated Raven Tail with ease."

"Ichigo Kurosaki of Fairy Tail!?" The question was answered with an affirmative nod. The minister began contemplating the possible outcome of this new revelation. "Acquiring her now would be very difficult. If she is indeed in the care of the Kurosaki family, then we can bet that they will do everything in their power to protect her."

"The prospect of fighting a man so powerful such as Ichigo Kurosaki should be a last resort. His power alone could rival anyone if not all of the Ten Wizard Saints. There is no mistake that even with our best forces, we will be hilariously demolished."

"You can't be serious?" the elder official questioned. "He is just one man, Arcadios. Surely our forces are more than enough to take him down."

"You don't understand, Darton," the man now identified as Arcadios clarified. "He isn't like any mage in the competition. Heck, he doesn't even come off as a wizard."

The diminutive minister, Darton, looked at Arcadios curiously. "What do you mean?"

"The way he moves. The way fights. It's nothing like any mage we've seen in the past seven years. He is steadfast, relentless, and efficient in the art of battle. I should know since I'm a soldier. But you know what's the most frightening thing about Ichigo Kurosaki?" Darton didn't answer and simply shook his head. Arcadios took this as the cue to answer. "His eyes…"

"His eyes…?"

"I've never seen anyone with so much intent to kill. He has the eyes of someone who won't hesitate to kill his enemies. That alone tells me that Ichigo Kurosaki has spilled blood in the past and will no doubt do so again to protect his new daughter."

Darton was silent after that brief explanation. If this was true, then acquiring Yukino Agria from the Kurosaki family is now impossible. "Are there other methods we can rely on to approach her?"

"I don't know. For now, all preparations have been set and the project will begin in three days."

Without the keys, all preparations will be for nothing. The golden keys were the most important factor in accomplishing this project of theirs. Knowing that one of the needed mages was out of reach put everything they've planned for in near-ruins.

"That damned eclipse…" the elder remarked. His eyes were downcast and his voice held a tone of uncertainty.

"…And then the whole world will be forever changed," the tall knight continued. His expression was serious and full of thought.

"Is there no way we can put a stop to it?"

The armored man's lips formed a devious grin. "We can't let Zeref wait much longer, can we?"

"As much as I see no other way to prevent what's to come, this project of yours goes against the morals we stood for."

"Be that as it may, it is a necessary evil we must commit to circumvent the looming tragedy ahead."

"I still don't like it, Arcadios," Darton expressed. "I don't like it one bit."

With that, the two officials went their separate ways. While the knight was headed to his regiment, the elder priest walked to a specific room in the coliseum. This room held the history of the Grand Magic Games in a massive mural that is thousands of years old. Once the old man was in front of the painting, he ran his hand across the faded images depicted.

"The Grand Magic Games," he said to himself, recalling an old story told by the ancients from long ago. "Those who know history, know that long ago they went by another name…"

His eyes looked up and the image of a black dragon with blue markings was revealed. Said dragon was breathing fire onto a wizard who was fighting the dragon. It depicted an ancient struggle that occurred in the past and will happen if things don't go the way they planned. This event is what the Grand Magic Games was long ago. Its name was…

"…The Dragon King Festival; the feast of dragons, men, and sorcery."

Ichigo and the rest of his family were currently in the quarters provided to each guild during preparation and breaks. Being a reserve member for the new iteration of Team Fairy Tail, he had time to spend with his family after the heated confrontation that would've escalated if he didn't interfere. The hybrid reaper was glad that he arrived just in time before Karin completely unleashed her shikāi. Though he managed to quell the situation, that didn't mean his sister isn't pissed anymore.

"Who the hell does that bitch think she is!?" Karin yelled, showing her anger towards Sabretooth's mistress.

"Aunt Karin," Kazui called his furious relative whom he quickly gained her attention.

"What is it, Kazui?"

The boy pulled out an all too familiar jar and presented it to his angry aunt. "You just said a bad word," the young reaper informed. "Pay up the Swear Jar."

Everyone in the room except for Karin fought the urge to laugh at how quickly the tension disappeared thanks to Kazui.

The mentioned Soul Reaper, however, grew a tick mark out of a mixture of embarrassment and irritation.

"Goddamn it…" Karin muttered under her breath. That didn't escape the ears of her nephew as Kazui continued pestering her.

"You said another bad word. Pay up some more."

"Okay. Okay, geez." The raven-haired Kurosaki pulled out a wad of jewels and promptly placed it inside the container.

"Leave it to Kazui to lighten the mood," Yuzu commented after watching the funny exchange between her twin and nephew. However, the brown-haired Quincy's attention was quickly drawn to her adoptive niece. "Are you alright, Yukino?"

"I am, Yuzu," The silver-haired mage replied.

"Then how come your voice says otherwise?" Orihime, who was sitting next to the mage, asked Yukino after hearing her voice crack.

Yukino kept silent. She didn't say a word to her adoptive mother because she didn't want to worry her or anyone in her new family. That said, she feels frustration deep inside her. What Minerva said about her reminded her of the defeat she suffered against Kagura Mikazuchi. Despite all her hard work through the years, it still wasn't enough to win her match. It made her insecure about whether or not she was a competent mage, to begin with.

"You don't need to hide it from us, Yukino."

The troubled mage looked to her adoptive father who called her.

"We won't judge you for whatever it is you're thinking," Ichigo calmly said. "You can tell us anything. Isn't that what family is for?"

Yukino can't help but smile. Even when these people adopted her just a day ago, they already treat her like she's their actual daughter. It put her at ease, knowing that they will understand her regardless of what she might say.

"It's just…" Yukino began with hesitance, "…ever since my loss against that wizard from Mermaid Heel, I've been questioning myself if I'm a competent mage at all."

Ichigo and the others listened, urging the anxious mage to continue.

"All my life I've been doing the best I can to get stronger so that one day, I can find my sister and see her again. I was confident of my strength and getting into Sabretooth where only the strongest were accepted fueled my confidence even more." Yukino paused. Some reflection of her attitude and the actions she took during her tenure in her former guild, especially during her infamous match, made her realize that she was too confident…arrogant even. "I guess I let my ego get the best of me." After those words were said, tears began pooling in the corner of her eyes. "Thinking about it, maybe what Lady Minerva said was right." The tears that were gathering in her eyes finally cascaded down her cheeks. Beginning to succumb to her self-doubt, Yukino finally asked the question that was residing in her mind. "Am I even a competent mage?" she questioned herself. "I thought that getting into Sabretooth and becoming one of its representatives was proof that I am. I guess it was just my pride telling me that I'm strong. I can't even win one stupid match. Maybe I am weak…"

"Stop." Ichigo interrupted, making the girl cease her self-berating. "I don't want to hear you saying that you're not a good mage because you are." The way Ichigo said that makes it seem like it's a matter of fact. "I saw that fight and while yes you did lose, it doesn't mean that you're weak. It simply means that you still have much to grow."

"He's right, sweetie," Orihime agreed, wrapping an arm around the saddened mage's shoulder. "Just like Kazui, you still have much to learn. Besides, we were in your shoes before which meant we also experienced what you're going through right now. You're young so you're bound to feel overconfident at times and make brash decisions. What you do with the consequences of these reckless choices is what determines your character."

Yukino listened on, taking in the words of her newfound family as she went through some self-reflection.

"You're like what? Eighteen years old?" Karin jived in. "That woman from Mermaid Heel is around the same age as me and Yuzu, which means that she's got a ton of experience over you. That's all you need…experience."

Yuzu slowly approached Yukino and placed a hand over her hair. A sincere smile can be seen on the Quincy's face as she eased her niece's worries. "It's normal to doubt yourself, Yukino. All of us do that but the important thing is to never let your worries…your fears control you. You face them, accept them for what they are, and finally, learn from them. That's how you grow and you can bet we'll be there to help guide you become the best version of who you are."

"Don't listen to that mean woman, big sister," Kazui told Yukino as he enveloped her in a big hug. "You're an amazing person and together, we can help each other become strong."

"You have potential in you, Yukino," Ichigo told his adoptive daughter. "I can see you become a powerful and capable mage when you reach your prime. To get there, you will go through some tough choices and you will undoubtedly question yourself like what you're doing now. And yet, all of us…" his hand gestured to everyone, "…me, Orihime, Kazui, Karin, and Yuzu…we'll be here to help you get through all that and more. You know why?"

Yukino shakes her head, unable to find the reason why they'll help her.

Ichigo smiled a fatherly smile and answered, "Because you are part of this family now. And most of all…you're my daughter."

Yukino felt touched. What they said to her was heartwarming and it drove all her doubts away. It had been a long time since someone had comforted her while she felt distressed. It was mostly because while still in Sabretooth, no one wanted to and she didn't need to. She was glad that she was now in the care of such generous and compassionate individuals and when she's down they'll be there to help her get back up.

"Thanks," Yukino expressed. "I needed that."

Orihime engulfed her daughter in a hug and said, "…And we'll do it as many times as we need to if you ever feel down and blue again."

"Feel better now?" Karin questioned.

"I am, Karin," the spirit mage replied.

"That's good," Yuzu commented. "I think it's time for us to head back to the rest of the guild. The tag battles must be starting right about now."

"Oh!" Kazui exclaimed. She quickly took a hold of his sister's hand and said, "Come on, big sister Yukino. Let's go back and watch the games."

The silver-haired mage didn't get a chance to respond as she and Kazui disappeared via Flash Step.

"Typical Kazui," Karin remarked at her nephew's antics. "Well, I'll be seeing you with the rest." She then disappeared the same way her niece and nephew did.

"I'll be waiting for you with our guildmembers, honey," Orihime chirped. Ichigo nodded and she took that as her cue to vanish using Bringer Light.

Yuzu was just about to exit the quarters when Ichigo called her.

"I need to talk to you about something," the elder brother told the Quincy twin.

"What is it?" Yuzu questioned.

"It's about Yukino." Just now, Ichigo had an idea lingering in his head. It was about helping his daughter become stronger after the admittance of her self-doubt. He couldn't stand to see any member of his family like that, so he decided to consult his youngest sister since this concerns Yuzu also. "Could you give me an honest opinion of her strength as is?"

Yuzu took on a thinking pose; her face in serious thought with her right index finger tapping the bottom of her lip. "She's strong as is," the Quincy replied. "Her magical energy is large considering she summoned multiple spirits during her match. That alone tells us of her potential. I heard she's good at hand-to-hand combat which is a plus but…" Her brother raised an eyebrow before urging her to continue. "…That won't be enough. Her greatest strength also serves as her greatest weakness. Being able to summon spirits to fight for her is only good if she was at a good distance from any conflict. Even though she knows martial arts, it still won't be enough since she doesn't get to it use more often because she relies on her spirits."

"I thought the same thing," Ichigo admitted.

"Are you planning something for her?" Yuzu questioned her older brother.

"I am, actually. She said she wanted to get stronger to find her lost sister, right? We'll do just that."

"What are you suggesting?" Yuzu was now curious about her brother's plans.

"What do you think about us training Yukino to be a Quincy?"

Yuzu was left flabbergasted. This was the second time her brother put up a surprising idea. That said, just like before, it was a welcome idea since it meant helping their new family member become stronger.

"Ummm…Yuzu?" Ichigo called her sister. "You haven't said anything."

"Oh," Yuzu got out of her momentary daze by shaking her head. "I'm sorry."

"You against it?"

"No," the Quincy quickly replied. "I'm all up for it. It's just that you took me by surprise with such an unexpected suggestion again. You've been coming up with such startling ideas as of late."

Ichigo thought about it for a while before replying, "You're right. I guess I have been doing that for a while now."

"Still, I'm all in for training Yukino to be a Quincy. Why a Quincy though?"

"It'd best fit with her Celestial magic. While her spirits are engaging her enemies, she can support them by firing energy arrows from afar. In the case when she's forced to do close combat, she can conjure energy weapons to defend herself."

"You're going for the Wandenreich variant of Quincy that focuses more on bladed weapons. That's actually a good suggestion."

"So, are you willing to train her?"

"I am. Still, the fact that she can't use spiritual energy like us is a problem."

"Maybe we can train her to manipulate ethernano instead of reishi. The raw material to use is different but the concept is pretty much the same."

"We still don't know how this is going to turn out though."

"I agree with you. I think it's best to start with something simple…like focusing her energy on an object."

"Gathering ethernano to a singular point? I guess that would be a good place to start her training. So, do you have a timetable of when this training of hers will begin?"

"After the Grand Magic Games. We still need to deal with that sudden spike of spiritual energy we sensed earlier."

Both Kurosaki siblings turned serious after mentioning that event from earlier.

"What device could've gathered such an enormous amount of power?" Yuzu asked with worry in her voice.

"Whatever it is, we'll put a stop to it," Ichigo declared. "For now, we best break the news of this training we come up to Yukino. She'll be ecstatic once she hears this little surprise, we have for her."

"You think she can do it?" Yuzu asked her brother.

"I know she can…" Ichigo answered with full confidence.

"You have a lot of faith in her, don't you?"

"I wouldn't be much of a father if I didn't."

The last Quincy chuckled at the comment. "Despite that tough-guy act, you still have a big heart."

Ichigo simply grinned at his younger sister before both of them headed back to the rest of their guild.

The first match of the tag battles has just ended. Blue Pegasus' Ichiya and his partner, who was surprisingly the Exceed Nichiya, were able to defeat the mages Bacchus and Rocker which garnered them an upset victory. Currently, the announcer is about to introduce the next set of competing mages for the second tag battle. The teams involved are Lamia Scale's Lyon and Yuka versus Mermaid Heel's Kagura and Milliana.

Ichigo and Yuzu arrived just in time to see the next contestants enter the arena. The Soul Reaper was expecting to watch the upcoming match with some mild interest when he was greeted by Makarov and surprisingly, Mavis Vermillion.

"Hello, Ichigo and Yuzu," Makarov welcomed the reaper and his sister.

"Yo," Ichigo casually replied before turning his attention to the specter of the former guildmaster. "You must be Mavis Vermillion, the founding master of Fairy Tail."

"I am," the childish ghost confirmed. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Ichigo."

"The pleasure's all mine…I think?"

Mavis giggled before taking notice of Yuzu. "…And you must be his younger sister, Yuzu."

The Quincy bowed to show respect to the first master. "It's an honor to meet you, First Master."

"Please, no need to be so formal. After all, we're all family in Fairy Tail. Besides, I have a lot of questions about all of you." Mavis' last statement had a glimmer of curiosity in her eyes.

"What kind of questions?" Ichigo asked.

"Different kinds!" the first master exclaimed excitedly. "Like, for starters, what makes spiritual energy different from ethernano? How do we use it? Can it be combined with magic? Is it true that your swords are the manifestations of your soul? How about Soul Reapers, Quincies, and Fullbringers? What makes them different from each other? Is it true that you can attain a higher form when you say your sword's name?"

"Woah!" Ichigo had his hands were doing a stopping gesture. "Slow down. One at a time, please."

"Ahem. First master?" Makarov mock coughed, getting the attention of the eager spirit. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Mavis then remembered their purpose of meeting the Soul Reaper and sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry," she apologized. "I just got so excited about meeting an actual death god. It's not very often that we get individuals other than mages into the guild."

"I still find it hard to believe that gods walk among us," Makarov commented before adding, "…and in our guild, no less. Still, there's that pressing matter we should discuss."

Mavis' expression turned serious as she looked at the two, spirit warriors. "Ichigo, Erza has informed me and Third Master about this mysterious energy festering in the capital. While much is still unknown, she told us that this has been happening for seven years now."

Ichigo and Yuzu had an equally stern look concerning the matter.

"She's right," Ichigo replied. "We speculated that it might be a device that's collecting this dark energy. Whatever this device is, it's inadvertently collecting reishi from the atmosphere."

"Reishi?" Both Mavis and Makarov asked.

"It means spiritual particles in our native language." The reaper clarified. "That being said, the situation just got more serious earlier this day because of a massive spike of energy our family felt except for Yukino."

"What would be the implications of this spike in energy?" Makarov asked.

"We can't say for certain," Yuzu answered this time. "However, knowing how strong the reiatsu or spiritual pressure we felt earlier as well as its connection with ethernano, it's safe to assume that the people behind this will be making their move soon."

"…And tomorrow would be the perfect time to do it," Ichigo remarked.

Being the tactical mind that she is, Mavis was coming up with various possible scenarios in her head on what's to come at the end of the Grand Magic Games. She couldn't deny that the event will indeed take place the next day after the tournament has concluded. However, there were still variables unknown to her that needed some light shed upon. For instance…

"When you explained the situation earlier, you stressed the connection between spiritual energy and magical energy," Mavis stated to which Ichigo and Yuzu nodded. "Could you please explain this connection to us?"

The siblings did. They told the spirit and the third master how the two seemingly different energies were intertwined. Once the two masters were made aware of this connection, they fully grasped the severity of the situation not only Fairy Tail but all of Crocus has found itself in.

"That is indeed concerning." Makarov made no motion as he wrapped his head around the revelation.

"As I said to Erza earlier, concerning doesn't begin to describe it," Ichigo expressed.

"If what you say is true, then the power accumulated by this device could potentially be enough to destroy the city a hundred times over," Mavis stated with some distress.

"Yes, First Master," Yuzu affirmed.

"Then it's decided then." With determination, Mavis looked at Makarov and said, "Later this evening, we inform everyone in the guild so they could prepare themselves for the worst. I'll try to come up with a sound strategy that would ensure none would be hurt on our side." She then turned to Ichigo and said, "I assume everyone from your family is already aware of this."

Yuzu and Ichigo nodded. "Except for Yukino then yeah, we all know," the oldest sibling confirmed.

"Very well, we stay vigilant at all times. It's all we can do for now until the enemy shows themselves and make their intentions known."

"Although I don't like it that there's still so much that in the dark, I have to agree with the first master on this one." Makarov voiced out.

"With everything settled, for now, it's best if we join everyone else and watch the matches," Yuzu suggested. "It seems Natsu and Gajeel's fight just started not long ago."

Having ended the discussion, the three people and on spirit headed back to the balcony to spectate the battle their two guildmates are participating in.

"Wait, what are you doing!? What the crap!? AAAAHHHH– ugh…"

Gajeel would've run through several curse words if he wasn't feeling nauseous. Riding a metal wagon on some tracks, the Iron Dragon Slayer disappeared into the depths of a mine shaft he and Natsu found themselves in.

The battle between the twin dragons of Sabretooth versus Natsu and Gajeel was as intense as it was explosive. Everyone thought that the two fairies would be outmatched by the two tigers but somehow, Natsu and Gajeel were able to counter everything Sting and Rogue had to offer. Their class ultimately led to the White and Shadow Dragon Slayers entering their Dragon Force that they used to collapse the arena into the mining shaft all four dragon slayers found themselves in right now. Expecting that Fairy Tail's dragon slayers were defeated, everyone, more so Sting and Rogue, were greatly surprised to see Natsu and Gajeel barely injured. Of course, one little insult from the iron dragon led to another from his teammate and then we get to the scenario of Gajeel disappearing to God knows where in the tunnels.

It was just about this moment when Ichigo arrived with his sister and the two masters. He was left pretty confused about everything and only managed to utter…

"What the fuck is he doing?"

The oldest Kurosaki sibling then felt a tug on his clothes and found Kazui with the infamous Swear Jar.

"Dad, you said a bad word," the boy Soul Reaper stated. "Put some money in the jar."

Ichigo didn't argue. He dug inside his pocket and placed some jewels inside the jar and then continued watching the now two-on-one match between dragon slayers. "I don't know whether he's brave, dumb, or both," he remarked.

"He just wants to have a good fight," Lisanna expressed to Ichigo's surprise.

"Is that so? Then I guess I can understand that."

"How so?"

"In some ways, I can see a younger version of myself in Natsu," Ichigo admitted. "Although, I didn't have the same mentality he has when I was his age. But still, that desire for battle was in me and I realized it when I fought someone who nearly killed me."

Everyone nearby who heard the Soul Reaper quickly turned their heads in surprise and shouted a collective "WHAT!?"

"Kenpachi Zaraki." Ichigo grinned as he recalled the battle-crazed captain who was his fellow War Potential even though that was just an introspection in his attempt to control his hollow powers. "That man made me realize that my purpose for fighting also hid the desire to fight strong opponents. It's a basic instinct to all people; to challenge others to measure our strengths. It may not be at the forefront of our goals but it is embedded in our very soul."

Everyone, including the guild masters, was listening intently to the Soul Reaper about his views of strength and battle. To them, their bonds were enough of a drive to motivate them to get stronger. Right now, though, Ichigo's words were beginning to reflect that maybe their motivation masks a more primal essence.

"…And then, he asked me a question. Do we fight in order to gain power or do we gain power in order to fight?"

Ichigo's eyes were focused solely on Natsu as the dragon slayer was efficiently holding back the Sabretooth mages. He couldn't help but agree that Kenpachi's words held so much weight in the world. "To protect, you need to get stronger…crave power. To see if your power is enough to shield your loved ones, you need to test it in the heat of battle and yet, it won't stop. There will always be someone stronger than you therefore you will want to gain more strength to defeat the enemy. It's a cycle that will continue until you beat everyone or you get killed in the process. It's dirty, I know and yet that's how the world works."

The mages of Fairy Tail were silent after this revelation. It left them pondering whether their bonds were enough to get them through the toughest of times.

"That's a little harsh, Ichigo," Makarov remarked after hearing the reaper's words.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it," Ichigo answered. "Especially to the younger generation. Just look at what happened to me, my wife, and my sisters. We couldn't protect the ones we loved because we weren't strong enough. Even Yukino suffered because she was perceived as someone weak by her former guildmates. That's why I tried so hard to gain this power I have right now so that nothing like what we experienced would ever happen again. That same oath was shared among me, Orihime, Karin, and Yuzu. Even Kazui holds the same belief and gave his word to protect Wendy with all his strength and Yukino so she could find her sister. We gained power because we fought and we used that power to fight for the ones we care for."

Everyone was quiet after the Soul Reaper uttered those words. Are there bonds enough to overcome any adversity they may face? Have they been deluding themselves by thinking that as long as they have each other, they can accomplish anything? These questions were finally answered by the first master.

"No truer words have been said." All eyes focused on Mavis as she continued to speak. "Our bonds merely serve as a drive…a reason to fight. However, a goal is meaningless if we don't have the strength, both of mind and body, to reach it. An iron will can only do so much of a difference in ability and power thus the desire to get stronger. Just like Ichigo said, to get stronger we fight with our best and once we gained the power, we fight again to achieve whatever it is we set ourselves for."

"…And it all boils down to instinct." Ichigo finally added. "It's a simple fact that the desire for battle is engraved in everyone's soul. The satisfaction of gaining strength through conflict and the thrill of using it to fight for what we desire. There's no reason for any of you to ever deny it or change it because all of us were born this way. Just look at Natsu down there…"

The mages turned their heads to see their salmon-haired dragon slayer effectively countering a breath attack from Rogue with his own. Sting came up on Natsu from behind with a light-powered fist but was blocked by the fire wizard. The pinkette sensed the shadow dragon closing in and quickly ducked under a kick before returning the favor with his own. This exchange of magic-coated fists and feet sent to each other raged on. Powers of light, shadow, and fire were thrown left and right in a bid to subdue the adversary. Amidst the battle, what Ichigo wanted his guildmates to see was the expression on Natsu's face.

He was smiling.

"Look at his face," Ichigo told the rest of Fairy Tail. "That smile proves everything that I said that everyone has an innate desire to test themselves in battle. We relish the thrill and exhilaration of fighting with all that we have all the while letting our goals and desires point us forward."

The fellow guildmates of the Soul Reaper watched as Sting and Rogue grew restless of not inflicting any lasting damage to Natsu. Deciding to finish it, the twin dragons performed a Unison Raid whose energy was so massive that everyone in the stadium began to worry for their safety. The Salamander wasn't concerned in the slightest. He took in the biggest breath he could muster and roar his dragon flames that obliterated the attack from the light and shadow dragons to the point that they got overwhelmed and suffered terrible burns. As the flames died down, Sting and Rogue were left speechless, motionless, and subsequently, unconscious. Their bodies fall to the ground with a thud, signaling the end of the tag battles with Fairy Tail taking the lead in the tournament.

From the balcony, Ichigo smirked when he saw the fire dragon slayer celebrating with the widest grin you could ever see. That reaction alone proved his point and promptly left the ecstatic mages to celebrate their victorious comrade.

"King."

Ichigo heard Zangetsu speak within his mind. It caused him to stop in his tracks to respond to his inner self. "What is it?"

"Do you feel it?"

The reaper closed his eyes and expanded his spiritual senses and detected something. "I do. It's faint…like a child's and yet very reminiscent of the spiritual energy from earlier."

"What do you make of it?"

This time, it was the old man who asked. Ichigo thought for a moment before arriving at a plausible answer. "I'm not sure but whoever it is, we need to find that person as quickly as possible. That individual could be the one to hold all the answers."

Ichigo wasn't the only one who sensed the faint spiritual energy. Orihime, Yuzu, Karin, and Kazui all detected the hidden power and promptly left to follow the Kurosaki patriarch. Them noticing the energy was to be expected because of who they are. It was the independent mage guild that felt the presence and took the initiative and traced the source.

Jellal saw a person. No taller than Wendy or that boy Kazui who was watching the matches. The individual was wearing a black hood with white linings on the fringes. The most interesting thing about this person was the gray scarf. The rogue mage cannot see the mysterious person's face under the hood so he intently observed for any unwanted actions.

Just then, that person began to leave the coliseum after the match ended. Moving quickly, Jellal quickly left his port and followed the hooded stranger to confronting him or her of whatever intentions the person had.

Carla froze. Images suddenly began appearing in her mind and just like the ones she had before, it was not a good vision.

Mercurius Palace was destroyed. The towers that were standing mightily came crashing down in a blaze of fire. The white Exceed could see faces of her guildmates showing distress, sadness, and despair. A massive gate was swung open and from its maw came creatures that could make any demon squirm in fear. She could also see dragons breathing down their destruction onto the land. Finally, Carla saw a lone figure standing ready to face the army of beasts and reptiles. It was a man clad in black with a singular horn protruding from his left temple. This man was holding a massive white Khyber-shaped sword and a small pitch-black trench knife sword. It seemed that he was ready to take on the hoard all on his own when suddenly he let out the most terrifying roar one could ever hear. Feral, primal, bestial, and at the same time tormented, tortured, and broken.

"Carla? Are you alright?"

The exceed was snapped out of her stupor by Wendy. "…Yes," Carla replied hesitantly. She still can't get herself out of what she saw. The visions were terrifying and yet the horned man was what scared her the most. That roar had pierced her very soul and shook it to the point of fear. "That vision," she said to herself. "Mercurius Palace crashing down, that strange gate, the dragons and horrid creatures, and finally, the horned man. What does it all mean?"

The cat's contemplation was once again disturbed when Team Shadowgear came in and announced Natsu and Gajeel's victory. Lucy and Wendy expressed their joy at this development as it meant that the guild is now one step closer to regaining its former glory. Even so, Carla couldn't help but be distressed by what she saw. Whatever it means, all of them should be ready for what the future has whispered to her.

"Stop right there."

Jellal was finally able to catch the culprit he and the rest of Crime Sorciére were searching. The Heavenly Body mage removed the mask he was wearing to reveal his face to the stranger. He did so to gain the trust of whoever this person was.

"I've already removed my disguise and showed my face to you. It's only fitting that you show your face too."

The stranger was caught by the former councilman on a balcony overlooking the city. One could see the moon so bright that it seemed so big up in the sky. The winds picked, fluttering the cloaks the two disguised individuals were wearing.

Aside from the scarf, Jellal also noticed another detail from the stranger.

A pair of slippers typically worn by girls.

The cloaked person slowly turned around with her face still hidden under her hood. Yet that won't last long because she slowly revealed herself to Jellal, leaving the rogue mage confused about this girl's identity.

"A child?"

It was dark. The only source of light to brighten this depressing room was a singular candle on a wooden table. Only one person was inside this place. Her body was hunched forward and her left hand was tightly gripping a quill pen while she wrote down an entry in her journal.

This person was Levy McGarden. Her body held various scars that were covered in bandages. The clothes she was wearing were worn down. Her face no longer held the bright and cheerful smile she was known for but instead, carried pain, sorrow, and despair.

"It's been fifteen years since that fateful day," she spoke in her mind as she wrote in her journal. "You weren't born yet back then, so you didn't know the kind of excitement we had. It was the last day of the games. It was nice. Everyone believed we were winning and the battles our friends fought that day were intense. Our excitement was so high, knowing that by the end we would win. That was a stark contrast to what was to come. That fateful day…

"July 7…

"…When everything we ever hoped for turned to ash.

Levy's voice began cracking. Her hands were trembling from the sadness of recalling the memory of the day the world became Hell.

"First, they died. Then, we lost. Only a few of us survived including your parents. We tried to fight back but lost so much more in the process. Your father fought valiantly until he was struck down by multiple dragons. Your mother fought the denizens of Hell just to protect you. She sacrificed herself so you could live. I'm sure that with everything we lost, it was the death of your mother and father that pushed you into doing this.

"Right now, your senseis are doing the best they can to fend off the Togabito. Karin just unleashed Bankai while Yuzu entered her Vollständig form. Even then, I still fear for their safety despite their power. They are facing overwhelming odds and yet they don't stop fighting. Orihime is constantly resting because of exhaustion. Healing so many in such a short amount of time can take its toll on even someone as powerful as her. Kazui still can't move on from Wendy's death. He still blames himself for not saving her, saying he wasn't able to keep his promise.

"Natsu, Lisanna, Mira, Laxus, Erza, Lucy, Juvia, Elfman…" Levy's recalled a name that made her shed tears. "…Gajeel. Everyone we ever loved died. We're the only ones left and I don't even know if we can last long. It's just too much." Her tears fell, landing on the pages she was writing on and staining the parchment. "You're our only hope. I know you can save us from this nightmare. I know you're just a child but with Lucy gone, you're the only one we could count on. Your power, born from your father's fire and your mother's soul, will be valuable in this mission we entrusted to you.

"Change the past, save the future. We're counting on you…

"…Madeline."

A/N: The last plot point is finally in place. The next chapter is when we begin to delve deeper into the conspiracy that is the Eclipse project. I've already prepared the necessary ideas that would benefit this canon-divergent Grand Magic Games arc and as well as a subplot that I've planned since Chapter 10. The interactions will be more dynamic, or at least I'll try to make it dynamic with my limited writing skills, and certain characters will be more prominent here compared to the original. I will also elaborate on my first OC in the chapters to come. She will be an integral part of the character development of two characters moving forward.

I hope this chapter lived up to the expectations I've set myself for. If you like the chapter and the story overall, like and add it to your favorite list. If you have opinions you wish to share with me regarding the story, leave a comment. If you have some misgivings, please state them in constructive criticism.

This is ModernRogue11 saying…until next time.