Sorry for missing last week everyone! Time got away from me, and I was only a third of the way through this chapter when Monday rolled around. It's done now though! So, as always,

Enjoy!

All members of Sabertooth were dead silent, no one knowing what to say, How could they? They never thought that this would happen.

Standing in between the blinded teens and their enemy was a friend the never thought they would see again. Blake Hunt stood strong against the light shining off of Apollo, his own Plasma magic leaking from his form.

"B-Blake?" Juno asked. "I-Is that really you?"

"Yeah," Blake replied, his voice reaching their ears. Michael really couldn't believe it. "Kinda didn't expect to see each other again like this, huh?"

"W-Why're you here?" Rina demanded.

"I...Well that's a hole other can of worms." Blake replied. He turned his head back to face Apollo, who seemed irritated by his appearance.

"Blake, huh?" He said. "We lost track of you over a year ago. Where have you been kid?"

"If I told you that it would kind of ruin the whole idea of hiding, wouldn't it?" Blake retorted. "Besides, I'm not here to talk to you. I'm here to help my friends. And that's exactly what I intend to do!"

There was no more time to speak.

Blake blasted forth in a burst of green, plasma gathering around his hands. They quickly morphed into chain spears, which Blake whipped towards Apollo at lightning speed. Even so the man evaded it, appearing behind Blake in a burst of light.

One more makes no difference. I don't need to worry about you." He raised his left hand, an orb of light appearing there. He brought it done on Blake's back, but it bounced off of a light green film on his back, and Blake turned to smirk at him.

"You guys messed up teaching me such a flexible magic." He said. He turned in mid air, bringing his chains back up and forcing them into Apollo's stomach. The men separated and stood opposite each other on the ground again, glaring each other down.

"I don't have time for this," Apollo said. "I need to find the girl or else things are going to go badly."

"Well doesn't that suck,"Blake replied. "Sorry, I don't intend to just let you waltz off. Hey! Are you guys gonna let me do this on my own or what?!" Hearing his friend spurring him own allowed Michael to finally start working, getting to his feet as his eyes finally recovered fully. Keita was still on the ground away from the battlefield, the horrific wound in his chest having taken him out immediately.

"Well I guess we replaced Keita," Rina said.

"Fuck you too," Keita called from his place on the ground.

"Stop arguing," Juno said. "Let's deal with this moron and go find someone else."

"B-Blake..." Michael made a face and turned, seeing Kyoko was still on the ground in surprise. His memory of said situation reeled back to him, and now he felt bad for the poor girl. Blake was watching her quietly, before he chuckled and looked back at Apollo.

"We have all the time in the world to talk once we've trashed these guys, Kyoko." He said. "How about it? Wanna help us kick his ass?" Kyoko's eyes were leaking, but she nodded and got to her feet. She prepared Memory Make circles in her hands, and everyone turned back to Apollo. The man sighed again.

"Children these days are so impudent."

"Stop hitting me!" Elise shouted.

"Stop coming after me!" Azzie shouted back angrily. The two, combined with Luna, had been in a confusing tango thanks to Aphrodite. Sometimes the other two were controlled, sometimes not. It meant that Azzie was on her own, and she couldn't even get close to to Aphrodite. The woman seemed to be enjoying the scene, only making Azzie angrier.

"I'm really sorry!" Luna cried out.

"Don't be, we said it's not your fault!" Elise replied. "Azzie, plan! Now!"

"I'm working on it!" Azzie snapped back. Aphrodite just laughed.

"You three are so much fun!" She said, staggering a bit thanks to the explosion Luna caused. "I should really go, but I'll enjoy this!" Azzie gritted her teeth as she dodged Elise's right swing, backing up a bit. There had to be something she could do, right? She needed to save Luna, and she needed Elise do to that. After all, she couldn't very well fight Aphrodite on her own, even if she was hurt.

"I'm trying to fight it, if that helps!" Luna said as he limps struggled to move. "But it's really hard to!"

"Keep trying!" Azzie said. "You can do it, I know you can!"

"Hah! Good luck with that!" Aphrodite said with a smirk. "My magic directly manipulates the hormones in your body! To fight it is to-?!" Aphrodite paused, making a face. "What the hell does Zeus want?" Azzie didn't know what she was talking about, but the woman quickly raised her hand to her head. She could only presume she was being contacted telepathically.

"This is Aphrodite," she said. "What is it?...WHAT?! What do you mean we've already lost two?! That can't be, they're just kids!...Well how did they lose?!...That's no excuse! I just got blown up by this little fire brat and I'm still up!...Yeah I've got her right here...I know we need her, I'm kinda busy!...Ugh, fine. I'm coming, don't cause a thunderstorm." Aphrodite lowered her hand and sighed as she turned to the girls. "Pink haired, come over here!"

Azzie watched weakly as Luna was forced to walk over to Aphrodite, standing by her side.

"What are you doing?" Elise demanded, unable to turn and see for herself.

"She's leaving," Azzie replied weakly. "She's taking Luna!" Aphrodite rolled her eyes.

"If Hephaestus and Ares could've won their fights, I would have been allowed to keep playing," she said. "But now that we're down three counting Demeter, I guess Zeus is taking you kiddies a little more seriously. Black hair, do me a favour and keep your friend busy. I'll be taking the pinky with me."

"Don't you dare!" Elise shouted, but her words were undercut by her swinging her sword at Azzie.

"And who exactly is going to stop me?" Aphrodite. "You two can't stop me, so what exactly can happen now? Bye now!" Azzie gritted her teeth as the woman turned, Luna forced to walk beside her as she left.

"Guys!" Luna shouted. "Help me!"

"Do't worry Luna!" Elise replied. "We'll save you, don't worry!" Azzie knew they had too, but Aphrodite made a scary good point. If her magic could be instantly reapplied, how could she stop it?

"I hope you have a plan," Azzie said.

"I was about to ask you," Elise said as he arms turned into maces. "Because I'm getting really tied of not being in control of my own choices!"

"Let me go!
Luna shouted angrily, fighting against the magic forcing her to walk beside her enemy. No matter how hard she tried, there was nothing she could do. She was caught. Aphrodite just laughed at her uncomfortable movements.

"You shouldn't fight so hard," Aphrodite said. "It just means that your friends get hurt trying to help you."

"I'm not deaf!" Luna said defiantly, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she defied her captor. "I heard your boss say that they already took two people down! How's it feel to underestimate someone?!" Aphrodite gritted her teeth and grabbed Luna by her hair, making her gasp in surprise.

"Don't be impudent, brat." She hissed "I'm already pissed at you for blowing me up back there, so don't test me. Oh, and if you were curious, the two that got taken out were fought unfairly. Ares was hurt from the blast that killed Demeter, and Hephaestus got attacked by someone with power comparable to what we're after you for. So don't think that your friends are that good!"

"Shut up and let me go already!" Obviously her words did not free her, which only irritated her more. Luna didn't know where this fire was coming from. When she'd been back at the hospital, before Fairy Tail found her, she'd been relatively quiet and awkward around people. But in the heat of the battlefield, she was talking back and trying to fight. Was this how she'd been before?

"Let her go!" Luna couldn't turn her head, but she heard two people running up behind them. Aphrodite was attacked, and she gasped in surprise as she was thrown back. Luna was temporarily freed, and she turned to see what had happened.

Elise and Azzie had caught up to them, but their situation seemed odd. Azzie was holding Elise's hand, and the two had attacked while conjoined like that. Why though?

"How did you break free of my control?!" Aphrodite demanded. "I'm still applying it!"

"And I'm getting rid of it!" Azzie replied with a smirk as she raised the girls conjoined hands. "I'm pumping Elise full of my Dispelling Magic. As your Hormone Magic tries to grab a hold of her, I dispel it! We can fight you like this!" Elise smirked at this.

"Exactly," she said. "So, I'd appreciate it if you gave us Luna back!" The two jumped forth as one, reaching Luna in an instant. Just as her muscles began to do their own thing, Luna's hand was grabbed by Azzie. This linked her to the dispelling wizard, and freed her as well.

"Thanks," Luna said with a smile as the murk in her mind cleared away.

"Don't mention it," Azzie replied. "Although I have to say, this is going to be hard. I'm going to be using a lot of magic to keep both of you free, so we need to take this chick down as fast as possible."

"That'll be easy, seeing as she's not a threat with no one here for her to control." Elise said as she laughed. "Let's deal with her and get out of here!"

"I think not." Luna made a face as Aphrodite said this, her expression having darkened considerably. "I was told to bring the girl in, and I'm not interested in failing like those other three. This is a matter of life and death; if only you realised that."

"We do," Elise replied. "That's why we're here, fighting you." Aphrodite just sighed.

"I suppose so," she said as she raised a hand above her head, which glowed bright gold. "Which is why I can't let you go."

"What is she doing?" Luna asked weakly, unsure of what was happening. All she knew was that the light made her uncomfortable.

"Be ready for anything," Azzie said. "There's no telling what she's doing!" The let grew brighter, before Aphrodite took a deep breath.

"I call upon the power of prosperity!" She shouted. "Hear my cry and grant me the strength to defeat my foes! My name will be become Venus, Imbue me with the power to defeat my foes!"

"Plasma Shrapnel!"

"White Dragon Roar!" The blast of light from Michael's mouth connected with Apollo as he tried to dodge the countless bursts of energy coming from Blake, tossing him back into the waiting arms of Rina.

"Lightning God's Primordial Hammer!" Bringing her hands together, Rina slammed them down on top of Apollo as he reached her. This created a massive electrical surge as the god hit the ground, throwing up debris everywhere. The man recovered and blasted light at Rina, who dodged as best she could despite it blinding her.

"Kyoko now!" She shouted as she rolled on the ground. Kyoko had been lying in wait, Memory Make Circles preparing her attacks.

"Poison Dragon Scales!" She shouted. "Feline Binds!" The spells she had memorised from Drake and Kumi launched forth, the poisonous projectiles flying straight for Apollo as the binds sought to take his magic away. Apollo disappeared in a burst of light, all attacks missing their target. Michael turned, and he gasped as the man reappeared behind Kyoko.

"Kyoko watch out!" He shouted. The blonde's eyes widened, and she turned to look over her shoulder weakly as Apollo blasted her full force with his light. She cried as she fell backwards, Blake catching her.

"Are you okay?" He asked weakly. Kyoko writhed in his grip, pulling at her face.

"I can feel the heat in my head!" She hissed. "I can't see anything!"

"If it's anything like the other blasts it's temporary," Juno said weakly from Michael's left. "But it sure makes it harder to fight him."

"We don't have time to play." Michael turned and watched as Keita got back to his feet, still nursing the hole in his upper body. "We need to defeat him."

"You need to sit down," Michael advised. "Or else he'll hurt you more."

"That's an astute observation for someone not paying any attention." Michael barely had any time to look before a fist connected with his stomach, sending him high into the air. Apollo new that if he was paying attention the light couldn't hurt him, so he neglected to use it on him. Smart. Another fist sent him careening back into the earth, and he landed with a groan.

"Michael!" Juno's concerned voice came before another blast went off. Michael looked up just in time to see her sliding down the trunk of a massive tree, eyes closed.

"Juno!" He shouted worriedly as she slumped to the ground.

"I don't have time for this," Apollo hissed. "I'm running out of time." Michael turned in time to watch him appear behind Rina in the blink of an eye, sending a beam of light through her shoulder like he'd done to Keita. Before she could hit the ground he grabbed her by the neck, pulling her back as he opened a palm in front of her. With every blink, Michael saw countless bursts of light hit Rina, riddling her body with damage as Apollo held her there.

"Damn you!" Michael shouted angrily, bursting forth with his magic propelling him. He gathered light in his hand and aimed to punch the man in the face, but he dropped Rina and dodged it. He whipped around and sent our a horizontal beam, cutting down any trees he clipped with it. Apollo dodged that too, landing a ways away from him.

"Have I angered you?" Apollo asked. "I shouldn't have been holding back from the start, that's my bad. I was told not to kill you. And now my time is running out."

"Holding back?" Michael demanded, feeling his anger growing as he stared at Juno and Rina's unmoving forms. "You were holding back?"

"I was. I was ordered too. For some reason Zeus sees fit to keep you lot alive. for what reason, I don't kn-"

"Shut up. I don't want to hear your lies." Michael could feel the white scales growing out all over his body. "I came here to kick your ass and save Luna, not listen to you ramble on about whatever problems your having! Blake!"

"Yeah?" Blake asked, from beside him, the light film of plasma once again protecting his body.

"We're taking him down, now!" He shouted. "So help me out with that and I'll see of I can make my dad let you in again!" Blake just laughed at this.

"Who said I wanted to come back? You guys are all wrong in the head."

And with this oh so casual jab, they launched forward.

Michael brought his hands together and blasted at Apollo, Blake following it up with a whip of plasma. Apollo managed to dodge the first one, but Blake's attack struck him dead on. The plasma wrapped around his midsection, allowing Blake to tug him in for more attacks.

"White Dragon's Holy Fist!" Michael shouted, his fist glowing bright white. As Blake brought him in, he slammed the fist into Apollo's face with all his might. This sent the man backwards, but Blake had not let go. Lifting the whip, he brought Apollo down onto the ground and launched himself above him.

"Plasma Burst!" Bursts of plasma flew from Blake's hands directly down on top of the man, pummelling him as he tried to stand. Michael wasted no time, flying in as soon as the bursts stopped and grabbed the man by the head, throwing him out of the crater Blake created.

"White Dragon Roar!" He shouted, the laser flying out of his mouth and straight through Apollo's upper chest. The man hadn't been given a moment to recover, and he'd have to wait even longer as Blake appeared behind him, his hands glowing bright green.

"Plasma Inferno!" He shouted, unleashing his attack. The plasma clung to Apollo's body as he fell, spreading and causing a massive fire as he hit the ground. Michael waited warily, his rage barely subsiding at all. Eventually though, Apollo did get up from the ashes.

"...Your attacks are surely powerful," He said. "Perhaps if you hadn't taken so long to get here..."

"Enough already," Michael hissed. "I don't want to hear it."

"Neither do I." Michael turned to watch both Juno and Rina getting to their feet, bruised but alive.

"You guys okay?" He asked.

"Peachy," Rina said with a grin, wiping her mouth. "What's wrong Apollo? It doesn't hurt as much as it used too."

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Apollo asked. "I should have finished this faster, and now the sun is setting..I'm a fool."

"That's one way to put it." Michael replied, readying himself. "I'm done playing with you. Got anything else you want to say?" Apollo just smirked as all of them readied themselves.

"Taking me out will only make it harder for your friends," he said as his smirk widened. "It's all up to you, sister. I leave them to you." Michael didn't know what that meant, and he didn't care.

"Holy Nova!"

"Jupiter's Fury!"

"Plasma Salvo!"

The explosion that followed could be heard all over the forest, and more than one person stopped what they were doing to see what had happened.

However, not many noticed the accompanying boom of thunder afterwards. And as the sun finally disappeared beneath the horizon, the moon seemed to gleam much brighter than usual.

Of course, no one had time to notice that. Because the tide of the fight was in danger of turning.

I already know full well that Apollo's end is disappointing, but that was the whole point, I never intended him to have a good fight in this, because I wonder why? I want to know what theories you guys have before next week! I hope you guys enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!

Chapter 329: The Gleaming Moon