Alright lads, enough fucking around. EVERY MONDAY. CHAPTER GOES OUT. I FINISH THIS ARC. I SWEAR TO GOD.

Okay I'll stop yelling. We have work to do.

Elise stared at Luna, wide eyed. The girl was still standing where she'd struck Venus down, flames coating her body. Despite the magic rolling off of her, she just looked confused.

"L-Luna?" She asked weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh," Luna started. "I came to help?" Help? She could use her magic? Was it some sort of muscle memory? Elise got no time to think about, as an explosion of magic come from where Venus had landed. Within an instant Luna had blasted herself over to her and Azzie, grabbed them both, and hoisted them away from the woman.

"Are you sure about this?" Elise asked. "Do you remember how to fight?"

"N-Not really," Luna replied. "I'm scared out of my mind, but END told me that I'll be okay."

"Who?" Luna looked over at Elise blankly, but she was certain she had no idea who Luna was talking about. Her panicked mind vaguely recognised the name, but she couldn't place it.

"Huh?" Luna asked. "You don't...? Ah, it doesn't matter right now. Look, I just need you to help me fight her. Can you do that?"

"How do we get past her control?" Elise asked, confused. "I don't understand how you got free."

"Don't worry about that," Luna said. "We just need to worry about taking her down right now!"

For a brief moment, while looking at Luna, Elise saw her change. At one moment, she was the scared amnesiac who had no idea what was happening. In the next, her gaze hardened, a reassuring smile came over her face, and embers flew across her face.

"Can you trust me?" She asked, voice sounding just like it used to. Elise felt her stomach settle, and she smiled back as she got to her feet.

"Of course I do," she said. "You shouldn't have even needed to ask. Luna smiled at her, before both turned to Azzie as she cradled her wounded arm. Venus had really gone after it in an attempt to free Elise from her grip, and now her elbow was slowly turning black.

"Azzie?" Elise asked, making the purple haired girl look up weakly. "Are you okay?"

"It's broken, but I'll live." She said. "Listen, both of you. There's only one way we win this. I've been thinking of a way to use my magic protectively, but it's not perfect. It may not work to the letter, but it'll be better than fighting without it."

"Agh!" Venus screamed from where she'd been thrown. "Who the fuck did that?! I'll kill you!"

"Don't ask," Elise said. "Just do it." Azzie pressed her lips together firmly, nodding. Bringing her good arm upwards, she pressed her hand to Elise's collarbone.

"Negative-Magic Film," she said. Elise watched as white wisps of magic flowed out of Azzie's fingertips, and began to coat her entire body in a thin layer of itself. It stretched to her legs and around to her back, eventually coating her completely.

'What is this?" Elise asked, raising her hand to stare at it.

"It's a protective barrier," Azzie replied. "It'll protect you from any magic aimed at you're body, while letting you're own magic out freely. Like I said though, it isn't perfect. Massive attacks will still hurt you, and I can't day for certain that all of your own attacks will get through without being weakened. But...It's better than getting caught in her trap again." Elise watched the girl warily before she nodded, standing to face Venus as she came back.

"Give Luna one too," she said. "We need to finish this woman off." Making an affirmative sound, Luna was also coated in the Negative-Magic film. Standing both girls faced off against Venus as she reappeared, looking livid.

"You," she hissed. "How did you get free from my grip?" Luna gulped.

"I don't know," she replied, Elise sensing that was a lie. "Maybe you're just shit at magic." Venus narrowed her eyes at this, before frowning.

"Damn it, it was her wasn't it?" She demanded. "END saved you? Zeus warned us she may try and step in. But he said her power level was much lower than we had anticipated."

"What are you talking about?" Elise asked. "Who's END?" Venus stared at her for a moment, before she burst out laughing/

"My God they really don't tell kids anything these days do they?" She asked. Elise made a face, turning to look at Luna. She had a stern look on her face, but the look in her eyes betrayed her. She knew what Venus was talking about.

"I'll ask later," she hissed, shaking the thoughts from her mind. "Word of warning though Luna, I really despise things being kept from me." Luna only gulped again at this.

"Noted," she said. "Afterwards, I'll tell you what I know about this." Elise smirked.

"Then I suppose we have to live through this, huh?"

With this, Elise jumped forward, turning her arms into swords. At first she noted that it was slightly harder to do, mostly because of Azzie's protection barrier. It seemed she was right. It wasn't perfect, but that was fine. If it could protect her, that was all she needed. She sprinted straight for Venus, who raised her hand. It was at this Elise saw something she hadn't seen yet. Shiny green wisps flew from the woman's hand, flying straight for Elise. It aimed for right between her eyes, but a small explosion caused it to dissipate, and the woman's eyes widened.

"Huh?" She asked. She barely had any time to back up before Elise slashed at her. Her attack still missed, but things were still fine. After all, Venus' attack had failed.

"Good job, Azzie." Elise said under her breath as she stood. "You're contribution makes all the difference."

"What did you do?!" Venus shouted. "How did you dispel my magic?!"

"I wonder," Elise said. "What's the matter? Did I startle you?" Venus gritted her teeth at this, visibly irritated.

She didn't have time to complain, however, as Luna was also making her move, positioned horizontally to kick the woman in the stomach as she flew in from the left. Venus barely had time to dodge this attack either, but Elise saw something she had not been prepared for. Luna re-positioned midair with her fire, flames shooting out of her hand as she rapidly spun and managed to connect the kick as Venus tried to back away. The woman gasped as she was thrown back, Luna landing gracefully.

"That worked?" Luna wondered aloud as she stood up. "Huh."

I guess it is muscle memory.

"Good job Luna!" She said. "Keep that up and she doesn't stand a chance!" Luna blushed slightly at the compliments, but nodded and faced the woman together. Venus looked straight up stunned, but she still stood tall.

"This is insane," the woman hissed. "The old man actually underestimated a group of frigging children? I can't believe this."

"Doesn't matter how old we are," Elise said with a smirk. "We're just stronger than you are!" Blasting ahead with Luna, both girls let out a vicious barrage of attacks that Venus had no choice but to either dodge or block. She got cuts and scraps on her arms, her body and legs burned from the flames, and the few attacks she did manage to block or dodge were easily made irrelevant as they pummelled her. Venus slid back as the pair stopped, arms covering her face from getting hit too bad.

"Ugh..." She hissed. "I'm not supposed to fight you head to head...I'm not made for it..."

"Than give it up already," Elise said. "I'm not a fan of killing people, but if i have to I will."

"Or you could tell us why you're doing this." Luna offered. "Maybe we'll understand."

"Doubt it." Venus said as she stood straight up again, blood trickling out of her mouth. "Besides, I'm not in the position to be telling you anything. Hurry up and take me down already if you're so intent on it. I've lost, I'll accept it." Elise frowned at this.

"Anyone so willing to lose shouldn't have come to a battle like this to begin with," she said. "What did you think you were doing?"

"Fighting for what I believed in. Same as you." Venus said. "But that doesn't really matter now, does it? At the end of the day, you're the hero of your story. I'm the hero in mine. And sometimes the hero loses. It's just like that sometimes. I just hope you kids are ready for what will come after this. If you do somehow manage to defeat Zeus, Poseidon and Hades."

"As if they could defeat me, gorgeous." Elise's eyes widened as she turned, finding a man standing there.

Not only was he standing there, he had Azzie by the neck.

"Hades," Venus said as Elise allowed her body to return to normal, sensing a fight right now would be bad. "So you three came?"

"Battle was going poorly hun, had to do something." Hades said. Elise couldn't tell is Azzie was conscious or not, but she didn't look anymore hurt than before. Maybe he hadn't done anything to her.

"Let her go," she whispered weakly.

"No can do," Hades said. "Zeus ain't letting me kill you all, so I can't really let loose. That being said, I'm still going to ask regardless. Give me that pinky over there and everything will be okay." Pinky. He had to mean Luna. Gritting her teeth, Elise looked over at Luna.

The girl looked ghostly pale, staring right at Hades like she's seen a ghost.

"Luna?" She asked. Luna took a moment to form words, but once she did she only confused Elise further.

"...Z?" Luna asked weakly. "Z is that you?" Hades smiled at Luna, an almost warm gesture despite the circumstances.

"Hello Luna," he said. "It's been a while. I assume the Doctor's cleared you after the accident?"

"T-The accident was a lie!" Luna shouted. "These people told me that! You were my enemy the whole time?! You were manipulating me from the start?!"

"Yikes, already figured it out huh?" Hades asked, shrugging. "Yeah, I was tricking you. I never found you on the side of the road. That being said, I was never mean or rude to you, so I think I was doing pretty good."

"That's a horrific standard," Venus muttered.

"Regardless," Hades said, ignoring her. "I'm not in the mood for any teenage angst right now. Come quietly, and we can spare your friends. And please don'y act up like the blonde one did. All I wanted was to know where you were, and she made me go and slash her face open. Quite sad."

"B-Blonde?" Elise asked weakly, mind running through the blondes she knew. Bella. Akio.

Steph.

"I-I swear if you hurt them..." She hissed under her breath.

"I didn't," Hades replied. "Well, not that much at least. She might be hurt a bit, though." She. Rage flowed through Elise's body, and she felt herself losing control.

Until the clearing grew deathly cold.

Now gasping for air, Elise looked up to find Hades glaring at her. His red eyes bore into her like a drill, daring her to speak up.

"Are you going to get in my way too?" He demanded. "Do I need to squash you too?"

"U-Uh..." Elise started. It was like the light itself was getting sucked into him. Any hope, any chance, disappearing like the night.

Until flames burst to life beside her.

"Don't listen to him!" Luna shouted, the light returning to the clearing. "He's trying to intimidate you! We can take him, I know we can!" Elise stared at the girl, surprised by this. She could see the fear in her eyes, but she was going to fight anyway. Whether or not she won wasn't even factoring in.

And again, Elise saw a familiar face.

"...Sorry, Nashi." Elise said. "I guess I let him get to me for a second there." Smiling at her, Luna faced Hades with her, who smirked.

"I feel bad for you," he said to Elise. "I have to bring your friend her back in one piece. You I never heard anything about." Elise, despite the terror rising up within her, gave him a smirk.

"Try me, asshole."

"That was immensely disappointing." Tristan said flatly.

Damien wished he didn't have to think like that.

After He and Gin had appeared on the battlefield, Athena had been completely dismantled. Tristan's Divine Territory had made it completely impossible for her ti predict what to do next, and Damien had easy subdued her. Now she sat on the ground in front of them, body wrapped in bonds Tristan created to hold her.

"So," Damien said as he stared at her. "Are you going to spill the beans, or are you going to just sit there?"

"Why would I bother explaining?" Athena demanded. "No explanation would seem justified to you. Our actions are monstrous in your eyes. Just as we intended."

"Are you really trying to play the good guy?" Tristan demanded. "I've seen demons with less destructive tendencies. Present company included." Athena chuckled.

"It doesn't matter if I fall," she said. "If Zeus, Poseidon and Hades stand, then there is hope."

"Is that so?" Damien said. "I don't remember seeing any of them in town."

"They wanted us to go in their stead," she replied. "To see if this transaction could be done peacefully. Of course, that didn't happen. And now they've descended to the battlefield to end this. To take her with us and leave." Damien scrunched up his face at this. Meridia's words floated back into his head, the prophecy she had spoken to Bella.

"Hey," he said, gaining Athena's attention again. "Do you recognise the phrase 'When the King rises, humanity will find salvation in the end?'"

Athena's demeanour changed in an instant. Her hardened expression grew shocked and soft, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"You..."She breathed. "How did you...How are you...? Have you spoken with The Oracle?"

"The Oracle?" Bella asked, stepping forward. "Who is The Oracle? Have you heard that phrase before?"

"I have!" Athena insisted, sitting forward. "The Oracle is a seer! She see's through time and offers prophecies based on what she see's! How do you know the words she spoke?!"

"A Demon Lord spoke them," Bella replied, sweat dripping down her face.

"Huh?" Gin asked. "You guys have spoken to your Demon Lords recently?"

"What the holy hell is going on?" Tristan demanded. "Oracle? Seer? Demon Lords again? Someone fill me in." Damien ignored all of his, a pit falling into his stomach.

"Athena," he said, all eyes on him. "What did The Oracle see?" Athena made a face at this, but he could tell from the look in her eyes that she wasn't going to hide much now.

"She saw a sky darkened by the smoke of a world brought to its knees," she replied. "The world crumbling to ashes as armies of the damned ran rampant. A man, a dark King, rising to take this world as his own." Damien's stomach fell at this, his world growing quiet. This Oracle, whoever she was, had seen that? Spoken the same words Meridia had? Was there any connection.

"Ah, there you are." Damien's eyes widened and he whirled, his stomach somehow dropping even further. Two men had approached them from behind, carrying limp bodies in their arms.

"Poseidon?" Athena asked. "Dionysus?"

"Great, allies." Tristan said as he readied himself. "We need to - Abby?!" Tristan seemed to be referring to the woman slung over the thinner mans shoulder, unconscious.

"What's going on here?" Poseidon asked.

"Do we gota keel ya?" Dionysus asked.

"Put Abby down!" Tristan shouted.

"We won't ask again!" Gin said, despite not really being able to fight.

"Everyone shut up!" Athena shouted from her spot on the ground. "Something's happening here! Poseidon, they heard the prophecy!" Damien saw Poseidon's face flicker at this.

"They what?" He demanded.

"They heard the same prophecy!" Athena said. "They told me the line, word for word! They know it too!"

"Impossible," Poseidon replies. "There's only one Oracle. The power has remained in her family for generations. There cannot be another seer."

"We have no seer," Damien said weakly, finally noting Ultear's unconscious frame over Dionysus' shoulder. "A Demon Lord told us."

"A Demon Lord?" Poseidon asked. Everyone grew quiet at this, no one knowing what to say. Damien could hear his heart pounding in his ears, waiting for someone to make a move. Poseidon looked contemplative. Tristan and Gin were pissed. Athena looked desperate. As for himself and Bella? He was just confused.

"Poseidon!" Athena insisted. "We need to stop what we're doing! They know about it too!"

"Athena..." Poseidon started. His eyes grew soft for a moment, and he turned to Damien. "You, Fairy boy. You spoke the prophetic line?"

"Y-Yeah, I did," Damien replied.

"Does your guild know? Have you known for long?" Damien swallowed hard at his, averting his gaze.

"No," he said. "No one save a few of my friends know. And I've only known for a week or two at most." Poseidon watched him carefully for a moment, eyes focused right on him. After what felt like an eternity, he sighed.

"The plan doesn't change," he said, making Damien gulp. "We have no way to know if the majority of their guild would agree, or if they'd do what needed to be done. So we continue as planned."

"W-Wait," Damien said. "Wait, please. We can talk to your guild! See this through together! No one else needs to get hurt!"

"And therein is our problem." Poseidon said. "Nobody needs to get hurt? Inherently untrue. If we're to survive the oncoming slaughter, people will need to be sacrificed. Wars are not fought on kind words and light warnings. Will your guild do what needs to be done? Will you turn your back and watch as a comrade walks to their death, should they need to risk that? Will you let that happen?"

"I-I..."

"The answer is no. I know that, and so do you," Poseidon's expression softened slightly. "We have watched Fairy Tail for many moons, young man. We know that it is not something you are capable of doing. You will not let your friends die if you can help it. But here's the thing; that's not good enough sometimes. If you're fighting a battle, a war, lives need to be put at risk. Sometimes they need to be lost. It's up to the living to honour the dead and their sacrifice. To make good on it and not waste it. But Fairy Tail has shown us, time and time again, that you are unwilling to accept such outcomes. I respect your devotion to your family, young man, but devotion is not nearly enough."

"Please..." Damien tried. "We can try and work this out..."

"Will you watch as a loved one leaves you one last time?" Poseidon repeated. "Will you accept that their death is a part of a greater good? A greater plan?"

Damien could not bring himself to answer. His head told him yes. Sacrifice the few for the many if need be. It wasn't a hard thing to answer in theory.

But then he saw his friends in his head. He saw their smiles and how seeing him could light up their eyes. He saw Drake's lips curl as he suppressed a laugh. Elise as irritation seeped onto her face. Simon as he tried to remain stoic and calm. Ultear as she smiled lovingly, like a mother would to her misbehaving son. He saw Steph smile and call his name.

He saw Nashi, giving her life for him. He remembered how much that hurt. How much he'd cried.

His head told him yes. His heart told him no.

"Your silence is all the answer I need," Poseidon said after a long silence. "It pains me deeply to know you have been told of the future that guides us. Had we interacted sooner, perhaps we could have worked together. Maybe the old man's regrets aren't so misplaced after all. But the fact remains."

With this, Poseidon raised a hand, water circling it.

"You're in the way, and I need to ask you to move."

That's a good place for today. I do my best to humanise yet justify The Olympians, and I want to know how you guys think I've been doing so far. I think it's a pretty decent job. And if you'll notice, if you go four lines above this AN, the explanation is laid bare. The Olympians are the head. Fairy Tail is the heart. I may or may not have just referenced another show. Anyone know which one? Lemme know! I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!

Chapter 336: Gone to Hell