I write it when I write it! Or I'm just lazy. One or the other.
Enjoy!
Even with only half of her power realised, Nashi's form leaked pure energy. Her left side had been engulfed by END, and it was clear she didn't have the mental strength to fight it off.
"W-What do we do?" Takara asked weakly.
"...We run," Drake replied as he remembered the destruction he had witnessed at END's hand. They had no out. No way to fight back. It was run or be massacred. "On my mark, we have to-!"
He got no chance to finish his sentence.
Nashi burst forth in the blink of an eye, her left fist raised to strike Takara square in the face.
But it was blocked.
A sonic boom erupted inside the room, sending Drake and Takara flying backwards into the walls. His ears ringing, his back screaming in agony, Drake tried to stand up. When he did, he saw what had happened.
Luna had blocked the attack.
Just as Nashi's left side was engulfed with END's power, Luna's right side too was covered in the dark red fire. The two girls grappled with one another, but neither could gain the advantage.
"Luna what are you doing?!" Drake shouted.
"I have too!" Luna replied, "if I don't, she'll kill everyone! I'm the only one that can stop her, aren't I?!" Drake wished he could argue with her, but he couldn't. After all, she was right. The only person that could stop Nashi using END's power was Luna using that very same power.
Nashi wasn't interested in waiting for them to talk. She flung herself backwards and came back fast, raising her left fist. Luna raised her right, and the two connected to create another sonic boom. Every move Nashi made, Luna matched movement for movement. Every swing of Nashi's left was matched by Luna's right. Every connected blow sent another wave of force so powerful it knocked Drake and Takara along like rag dolls. After who knew how many blows, Luna grabbed Nashi and held her tight.
"Get out of here!" She shouted, "I need to fight her at full strength, or we'll all be toast! Go back and help Jason! Or hell, leave!" Dazed but understanding, Drake stumbled towards Takara and hoisted her up, dragging her out of the room. Before he even got out, Nashi and Luna exploded through the ceiling and flew far away from them.
"W-What do we do now?" Takara asked weakly.
"Help Jason," Drake replied shakily. "There's no way for us to help them now. Natsu or Gray would have too fight for a difference to be made."
"A-Are you sure?" she asked him, "that power, it was unlike anything I've ever felt before." Drake gulped at this, making a face.
"Good reason for that."
Natsu paused as he tossed another few dozen guards around the exercise yard, looking down as his body pulsed angrily.
"Shit..." He hissed as he tossed the guard he was holding by the head into another trio standing nearby. "That's not good." His expectation was realised when the floor exploded out from underneath him, sending him flying backwards into the wall. Recovering quickly, He looked up and was greeted by quite a sight.
Luna and Nashi were head to head, grating their forwards against one another. Nashi's left side was engulfed by END's power, and Luna's right looked the same. The two swung at the exact same time for one another a few times, sending reverberating shock waves around the room.
"Luna!" He shouted as the two grappled hand to hand now, pushing at each other with an intense amount of magic. "What happened?!"
"Hades is controlling her!" Luna shouted over the chaos. "She's not in control of herself!" Natsu grimaced at this, really hoping he's misheard. Unfortunately, it was pretty clear he hadn't. Nashi's right eye was vacant and empty, her consciousness clearly missing. Her left eye burned with hatred, but who it was directed at was uncertain.
"Hold her down!" Natsu shouted as another explosive wave went off. "I'll find Gray and we can put a stop to this!"
"Hurry!" Nodding, Natsu ran from the destroyed room and into what was left of an adjacent hallway. The explosions behind him spurred him on, making him frown. This was bad. With both Nashi and Luna using END's power, that meant her full strength was on display. If they weren't careful, someone might die.
Natsu ran down any hallway that felt cold, doing his best to follow the coldest route. Gray had been asked to raise hell just like him and Erza, so he had to be around here somewhere...
"Looking for someone?" A voice asked. Natsu made a face and looked over, finding a person standing there. The man in question was bald and wearing a black robe, his eyes closed. He clearly didn't resemble a prisoner.
"Don't hold me up," Natsu threatened, "Lest you want a hole in your chest." The man laughed.
"I know you're stronger than I am," the man said as he stroked his bare chin as though he had a beard. "Luckily, I don't need to fight you." Natsu made a face and scratched at his eyes, feeling tired.
"I'm assuming that's you putting me to sleep," he said in a dry tone. The man laughed.
"Indeed, Indeed! For I am Hypnos, and I am the personification of sle-!"
Natsu's fist connected with the man's chest, an explosion ringing out. the smoke made it hard to see where the man disappeared too, but the man shaped hole in the wall was a decent indication.
"I warned you," he said, turning and running off. "I told him, I really did..."
Neptune frowned and turned to look behind him, massive explosions ringing out. Hades just laughed.
"It seems the babies have found each other!" He shouted. "Better hurry up Poseidon, lest the prisoner collapse on top of us!"
"Damn you, Hades!" Neptune shouted angrily. "Why?! Why are you creating these ridiculous plans?! Why are you leading us all around by the nose?! What do you stand to gain from it?!"
"Everything!" Hades shouted back as black magic engulfed his body. "I stand to gain everything! Too realise a plan in motion for centuries! A plan set in stone since the creation of our world!"
"You speak of the King, don't you?!" Neptune shouted as the waves fought off the darkness that threatened to consume him. "Who is he?! What is he?!"
"Wouldn't you like to know!" Hades replied, as he raised his hand. "We will continue our conversation when one of us lies dying! Then, and ONLY then, will I tell you!" Neptune gritted his teeth and raised his trident, launching himself forward and attempting to skewer the man. Hades grabbed the trident easily and flung him aside, raising a hand and commanding skeletons to raise from the ground. They tried to fight, but they were washed away in an instant by the water. Neptune slammed the ground with the butt of the trident and caused the ground to crack, allowing water to flow forth and engulf the room. Hades stood on his pyre of bone and regarded him coldly, yet manically.
The water changed shape, flowing around Neptune and surrounding him in a barrier. The water then flowed outward into massive tendrils that lashed around like tentacles. Neptune sent them at Hades, who was forced to jump off of his pyre as it was thrashed to pieces. He fought off the tendrils that tried to lash him with his own staff, wielding it at a speed so high it wasn't even visible. He spun after a deflect, slamming the staff into the ground. A massive bone arm sprung from the earth and swatted the tendrils aside on it's way to Neptune, but his barrier of water shattered it as it came into contact with it. It wasn't alone though. Hades summoned more massive arms that came for him, and these ones managed to get through the barrier.
Neptune leapt back and fended the hands away with his trident, stabbing and whirling to avoid their attacks. He jumped up as one tried to slam him, aiming his trident at Hades.
"Etesia impulsum!" At his command, a storm consumed the room they fought in, which really didn't resemble a room anymore. All of the walls had been torn down, and even the adjacent hallways had as well. The rain and wind tore at Hades, but he stood still and bore it like it was nothing. Neptune then slammed his trident down on the ground, causing it to shutter.
"Terrae Motus Inspiratione!" The earth shattered at his will, building up and stabbing at Hades with a massive spike of stone. The man swatted it away with his staff, before aiming it at him.
"..."
Neptune's eyes widened. What came from Hades mouth sounded like garbled nonsense, but it sent a chill down his spine. What dripped from his staff looked like liquid darkness, and as it touched the ground in consumed the earth. He barely had enough time to raised his trident and create a barrier of water before the dark blast reached him, and the water was eradicated as well. Neptune stared at the evil eating away at the floor, slowing raising his eyes towards Hades.
"...What are you?" He asked. Hades didn't react.
"...We don't need you," he said flatly, "and frankly, you're wasting my time. So, heed my words, Poseidon; you will die here. There will be no body to send back to Hera and the others. Right here, right now, you will fade from existence."
Neptune wanted to react. He wanted to spout defiance and charge at his enemy. But he couldn't. Hades words spread fear through his system. As he watched the man, the light in the room faded away. Any remaining light was around Hades, and even then it was a cold, unfriendly light. More of the dark magic spread from his body, but this time it was different.
Neptune heard screams.
As more magic came from Hades, the screams got louder and louder. The darkness warped and twisted into claws, clawing at Neptune and Hades as the screams amplified. They were deafening, maddening. Neptune felt like the darkness was drowning him. What was this? What had he stumbled into?
The darkness formed behind Hades, and it resembled a door. The door was locked with chains, but several had been snapped. The black door pulsed like a heart, and then surged as though someone was slamming into the other side. The screams became deafening roars. Maddening screams of fear and rage. The roars of a man tearing another man to shreds, of his blood splashing all over the walls.
The door pulsed.
The screams were deafening.
The door bucked from the pressure.
It felt like his blood was boiling, like every cell of his body was screaming in terror.
The door creaked at the weight pushing against it.
What waited on the other side?
It could only be one thing. Only one thing could be on the other side of that cursed door.
It was Hell.
Neptune felt his arms go limp at his side. He felt the trident slipping from his fingers as the roars got even louder, pounding against his eardrums in tune with the door's bucking. What could he do against this all powerful force? What was he supposed to do to fight this?
"Thank Goodness you survived, Poseidon. Zeus would be very proud."
Hera words rang in his ears. The devastated and ageing mother figure managing to console him.
"What will we do, Poseidon?" Pythia's voice asked, drowning out the screams. "Will the King rise?"
He saw her horrified eyes.
The eyes that seen horrible things. Things that Hades were trying to bring to fruition.
He did not allow the trident to slip from his fingers. He did not allow the screams to madden him. He raised his eyes and glared at Hades, fighting the fear on his stomach. He could not let Zeus' sacrifice go in vain. He could not allow all the horrible crimes they had committed against Fairy Tail to have been for nothing. If he died here, than he could never atone for those actions. He would never be able to stop The King.
He could never tell Pythia she had saved the world.
He growled and defiantly raised his trident.
"HADES!" He shouted against the screams, "I don't know what you are, or if you are even human! But here my voice, you devil worshipper! I WILL NOT allow you to go any further! YOU WILL BE STOPPED HERE!"
If the man gave any reply, it went unheard. Light and water surged around Neptune before the darkness consumed him, and using all the might he was able to muster he flung himself towards Hades, who waited at the door.
The outcome could not be seen through the darkness.
"Gray!" Natsu shouted as more explosions rocked the prison. He ran past escaping prisoners, so he figured somebody was up here. and Judging by the cold, it was probably Gray.
Rounding another corner, Natsu finally spotted his lifelong friend. He also seemed to be in the middle of dispatching a man with long brown hair and golden armour. Said man was also frozen solid in place, Gray just watching him.
"Oh, Natsu," Gray said, "Let me guess."
"Don't give me snark and let's go!" Natsu shouted back angrily. "We don't have time for you attitude!" Nodding, Gray followed Natsu as the two ran in the direction of the explosions. Even without them, Natsu could have found his way. The throbbing pain in his chest was a good indicator.
Although it seems his daughters found them first.
He first noticed by the intense heat, but before he could warn Gray a nearby wall exploded in flames and engulfed the entire building in it's rage. The rock and steel melted into magma and sloshed along the floor, or what remained of it, with the consistency of water. Stumbling backwards, Natsu watched as Luna and Nashi exchanged a flurry of blows, each one sending waves of the aforementioned magma flying everywhere. He dodged it for fear it would burn him, and Gray did the same as the two burned the prison to cinders.
"Hurry up!" he shouted to Gray, " before they bring the whole prison down on top of us!" Gray nodded and aimed his hands at the pair of girls, a blue glow coming from them.
Mist came from his hands.
Gray's eyes widened, looking shocked. He tried again, but only the mist came out.
"What are you doing, you god damn air freshener?!" Natsu demanded angrily, "Freeze them!"
"What does it look like I'm doing?!" Gray shouted back as magma flew over his head. "I'm trying! My ice magic is melting before it even gets made! I need to us my Devil Slayer powers!" Grimacing but nodding, Natsu watched as the dark tattoos spread all over his friends body, the temperature fluctuating wildly as he did so. The girls seemed to take notice of this, and when they did Gray launched a lance of ice at the one with shorter hair. She reached out with her free hand and melted it in an instant, glowering at him.
"Natsu," Gray said, "Get to the portal. Get everyone in between here and there through it. This whole prison will collapse. Not if, when." Natsu watched him weakly, not saying anything, he sighed after a while.
"Don't overdo it, Ice Stripper," he said as he turned his back to him. Gray chuckled.
"Get going, Flame Brain, Don't worry, I'll save your daughter."
Once Natsu had made an exit by breaking a hole in the floor, Gray flexed his arms. He'd have Luna's help in this, but the heat they were generating was going to be a problem. If he wasn't careful, he wasn't going to make it out of here.
"I had to admit it," he said to himself as the girls struggled against each other. "But she's easily going to surpass us one day, Natsu...Luna! I'm going to help you, okay?!"
"Please hurry!" Luna's voice came. "I can't hold her off forever!" Gray nodded, taking a deep breath.
And as he exhaled, a frigid wave of ice pulsed out of him in a wave. In came into contact with the heat and magma, and the wind in the prison began to fly violently as the super heated air came into contact with the frigid cold. Discarding his doubt, he ran into the fray between the two pink haired girls, and aimed his open palm at Nashi. countless tendrils of ice shot forth and tried to catch her, but most melted before they reached her. The few that got close were evaded as she was forced into a defensive manoeuvre, one that nearly cost her as Luna came in with a kick that would have taken the head clean off a lesser opponent. Nashi flipped backwards and opened her hand, a gout of dark flames shooting straight for them. Luna stood in front of him and took it head on, but she didn't eat it.
"What are you doing?!" Gray demanded. "Eat her fire!"
"I tried that!" Luna cried back, burns actually forming on her skin. "I can't!" What? That didn't make any sense. It wasn't her own fire, so...
Except it was.
Gray now finally grasped the seriousness of the situation. Nashi and Luna were not only really hurting each other, but because they were in essence the same person they could not consume each others fire. Taking a deep breath, he created a pair of blades in his hands and raised them, managing a weak smirk.
"I hate this job sometimes," he said.
Sorry for the lapse in chapter there everyone, in happens often I know. I will try to be more consistent though, mark my words. After all, ain't much else I can do these days. I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!
Chapter 365: Luna and Gray vs. Nashi