A/N: Episode 196.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE: SIN AND SACRIFICE
"What're you just standin' around for?!"
Rogue heard Sting's voice as he turned around. "Sting!" He exclaimed as Sting was running towards him.
"I'll give you a hand! Let's go!" Sting shouted.
"Did you take one of them down?" Rogue asked.
The dragon appeared behind Sting, crashing into some buildings. "Nope! I brought it with me!" He replied.
"What?!"
Sting laughed. "This is funny?!" Rogue questioned as Sting began running in place.
"No matter what anyone says, we're partners!" He claimed.
"Scissor Runner, my capture mission is quite a chore. Help me out."
"I don't care about that, Levia." Scissor Runner said as him and Levia looked down at Sting and Rogue. "I'm going to obliterate all the humans!"
"Let's show 'em the power of the Twin Dragons, Rogue!" Sting grinned.
"Sure." Rogue agreed as him and Sting stood back to back, facing Scissor Runner and Levia.
"That's right. As long as he's with me, everything's okay." Rogue thought as Sting winked and still had a grin on his face. "And if I become steeped in evil, I'm sure the light will kill me!"
Gray, Lyon, Kida, and Juvia dodged the incoming beam as Lyon leaped into the air, his fists placed together.
"Ice-Make: Snow Tiger!" Lyon called out as the beam destroyed the ice tiger.
"Ice Cannon!" Gray shouted as the ice cannon was destroyed.
"Gray-sama's Ice Cannon... was pulverized?" Juvia muttered to herself.
"Frozen Prison!" Kida yelled, sending out a wave of ice and trying to capture the hatchlings, but they easily avoided avoided the ice as Kida gritted her teeth in frustration, landing between Gray and Lyon.
"It's not in my nature to be on the defensive end like this. Let's go, Lyon, Kida!" Gray said.
"Of course!" Lyon agreed.
"Ready when you are!" Kida stated.
"Ice-Make: Freeze Lancer!"
"Ice-Make: Snow Dragon!"
"Snow Life: Wolf!"
The three attacks combined, destroying three of the hatchlings and causing an explosion. However, three more showed up.
"Bastard!" Gray cursed.
"Secure the shields! Let's go!" Lyon said, rushing off.
"Gray-sama!" Juvia called for him.
"I know!" Gray responded as beams were shot at them. Gray, Lyon, and Kida used their Ice Magic to put up a large ice shield around them, blocking the beams.
"Damn things keep poppin' up... I'm sick of ya!" Wakaba blew out some smoke.
Macao and Romeo were blasting purple fire from their hands. "Keep it up, Romeo!" Macao encouraged.
"I know!" Romeo said.
Macao and Romeo's attacks combined with Wakaba's as it made an explosion. Two of the mini dragons fired their beams at them as the three of them ducked down.
"Dammit! Those sons of bitches are tough!" Macao claimed.
"There's no end to 'em! What do we do, Macao?!" Wakaba asked.
"You're asking me?" Macao questioned.
"Are you giving up, Pop?" Romeo asked. "Are you givin' up?!"
"Idiot, who said anything about that?!"
Romeo fell forwards as Macao caught him by the shoulders. "I'm not gonna let you die on me." He claimed.
"Don't treat me like a little kid." Romeo looked up at his father. "Pop, I'm a Fairy Tail wizard, too!"
"Hey, father and son! No time for a tender moment! We got incoming!" Wakaba informed as the beams fired at their hiding spot.
Macao had shielded Romeo from the blast. "Romeo..."
"I've still... got a long way to go..." Romeo stated.
"Dammit. That hurt." Macao groaned, falling back.
"Cripes... I'm gettin' old, too. Good grief..." Wakaba commented.
"Are you a Dragon Slayer?" The rock dragon asked Cobra.
"Don't address me so familiarly. Your vile voice makes my ears ring. I'm in high spirits after being locked up for so long. I wanna absorb many voices. So don't get in my way, stone monstrosity!" Cobra claimed.
"Cheeky human!"
Cobra avoided the attack as he leaped into the air. "I can hear your attack!"
"I'll lend you a hand!" Ichiya offered.
"Out of the way, you extra!" Cobra declined, poison coming from his fist as he slammed it down on the dragon. "Poison Dragon's Sharp Horn!"
"You're calling me an extra...?!" Ichiya said, offended as he narrowly avoided the poison coming at him. "My rear is cooking! Men!"
Ichiya flew up in the air. "I warned you to get out of the way." Cobra said as the dragon roared once more. "Bastard. So that didn't work?"
Natsu and Sebastian were still riding on Atlas Flame. "You're built to last... but come on!" Natsu challenged.
"One who has determination knows no defeat!" Future Rogue claimed.
"Is that right? Well, the same thing applies to us!" Sebastian said as Motherglare and Atlas Flame clashed.
Meanwhile, Ultear was walking through the destruction as the battle against the dragons raged on before she finally stopped and fell to her knees.
"He stopped me." Ultear thought as wind blew through her hair. "I didn't kill him, but that's not the point. I was about to kill an innocent human being! I was on the verge of snuffing out a person's life... without considering any consequences."
Ultear's hand shook. "I really haven't changed." She continued as a tear fell onto her palm. "What good is Crime Sorciére? My crimes can't be expunged."
Lucy was running through the debris holding a journal. "Where is everyone?!" She called out. "I have to tell them about this!"
A beam was suddenly shot at Lucy as she collapsed to the ground. "Ow..." She mumbled. Lucy looked up as she saw that she was surrounded by the mini dragons.
"The little dragons! Oh, no! I'm surrounded!" Lucy exclaimed as the dragons prepared to fire once more. "I don't have time to..."
Red hair suddenly appeared out of nowhere followed by an explosion. Lucy was lifted into the air, safe from the attack before she was brought down. "What is this?" She wondered.
Lucy looked behind an alleyway, flinching back when she saw that her savior was none other than Flare. "Flare?!" She exclaimed.
"Um... Thanks!" Lucy thanked her before continuing on her way, missing the way Flare's cheeks turned pink a little.
"Take this!" Laxus shouted, firing lightning at Zirconis. "Wretch! You're outclassed, dirty old man!"
"I wonder how long you'll be able to prattle, snot-nosed brat." Zirconis claimed as Laxus continued firing lightning at him.
Zirconis, however, fired the attack right back as everyone else ducked. Laxus was attacked as he fell to the ground.
"When you call someone a snot-nosed brat, be sure you're prepared to face the blowback that goes with it!" Laxus shouted, attacking Zirconis with his lightning once more.
"Come! Bring it on, stripling!" Zirconis challenged.
"Bastard..." Laxus muttered.
Erza continued to slash at the mini dragons before dodging the incoming beams. Jellal leaped into the air, attacking four of them with a black hole that expanded while Erza took down another.
"There are too many of them!" Erza informed.
"That's unusual. Are you complaining, Erza?" Jellal asked.
Erza slashed another dragon. "It's not a complaint!" She replied.
"That's fine." Jellal turned around. "With the two of us together... we'll fight to the very end!"
"I know! Let's go!" Erza said.
Jet was helping Droy stand up. "Stand up, Droy!" Jet said, trying to support him. "You're heavy!"
"I can't! My legs won't listen to me..." Droy informed.
"Dammit! Get ahold of yourself, Droy." Jet told him as he struggled to lift Droy up. "This is why I'm always tellin' you to go on a diet!"
"Jet... You've done enough. Leave me here." Droy said.
"Idiot! Like I could do that... I'll move you through will alone!"
Three dragons fired their beams at the two as they both laid on the ground. "Damn, that hurt!" Droy exclaimed.
"That was close..." Jet sat up. "Come on, stand up... while you have the chance."
"I'm telling you... I can't... I'm worried about Levy. Please, even if it's you alone... go help her..."
"Stand up!" Jet winced. "Jeez... You're not makin' this easy... Feels like I've got one foot in the grave myself... I'm not going to help Levy alone. The two of us are goin' together."
Jet stands up again, supporting Droy. "I swear... we're gonna help her together..." He continued.
"Sorry I'm so heavy..."
"Don't give in! If your spirit breaks, it's all over, Droy!"
Another dragon came up and fired their beam at them.
Lucy continued running. "I have to tell them! I have to tell them all!" She claimed.
Arcadios and Lily were fighting off the mini dragons while the royal guards surrounded Hisui to protect her.
"String Magic: Tazer Whip!" Percy called out, shooting a yellow string as it sent a spark before electrocuting the mini dragons.
Helena pulled out a card from her belt as an orange Magic Circle appeared from it. "Yokai Magic: Suiko!" She shouted as a white tiger appeared, attacking the hatchlings with Water Magic.
More hatchlings then appeared, aiming their beams at Percy and Helena.
"FoxFire: Red!"
Flames that were shaped as a fox engulfed the mini dragons, saving Percy and Helena.
"Nice save, Romin!" Helena complimented as Romin landed on the ground.
"Thanks. But it's not over yet!" Romin informed.
"Devour this! Iron Dragon's Roar!" Gajeel released his breath attack on the dragon, causing an explosion. "Now, that had some effect."
However, the dragon was still standing. "Dammit! It's like brand-new and just-out-of-the-box!" Gajeel said.
In the sky, Mother Glare and Atlas Flame clashed again. "That's the way, Dad!" Sebastian cheered.
"Mother Glare!" Future Rogue shouted.
Mother Glare lifted into the sky before diving down, causing Atlas Flame, Natsu, and Sebastian to crash. Mother Glare lifted into the sky again.
"That's what happens when you underestimate Dragon Manipulation Magic." Future Rogue claimed.
Atlas Flame, Natsu, and Sebastian appeared from the smoke. "I'm only just gettin' started!" Natsu shouted as Atlas Flame rammed into Mother Glare.
Raden was looking for everyone when he saw an explosion up ahead. "Nox, are you okay?" Orion asked.
"I'm fine." Nox reassured. "It feels like winning the Grand Magic Games happened ages ago."
"Orion, Nox, Massorao! You're all okay!" Raden appeared above them.
"Raden!"
Debris soon fell on top of them as Orion was clenching onto his shoulder in pain. "Dammit! My shoulder..." He said.
"All right. You're still unharmed, right?" Massorao asked Raden.
"I'll call for help! Wait here!" Raden responded.
Raden was about to fly away but Nox grabbed onto his tail, keeping him from going any further.
"What's wrong?" Raden questioned.
"We're fine. We don't need no help." Nox answered.
"But you're all beat up." Raden argued.
"You heard the man. We don't need any help. Get going, Raden." Massorao said.
"But I can't leave you like this!"
"We're the Assembly of Ash! Black Sun's strongest! There's nothing we can't overcome!" Massorao reminded.
"Massorao's right." Orion agreed.
"Orion, you too?" Raden said.
"We're fighting. Seb and everyone else... Right now is the time to fight!" Orion replied.
"Orion... Got it! But promise me."
"Promise?" Nox repeated.
"Promise that you'll live through this!" Raden said.
"Okay, you got it. I promise." Massorao told him.
"Good!" Raden nodded.
More debris fell on top of the three Black Sun wizards as Raden flew off.
Beams continued firing and causing explosions. "Juvia!" Meredy shouted out.
"Meredy!" Juvia exclaimed.
"Have you seen Ul? I got separated from her!" Meredy asked.
"I haven't seen her, but..." Juvia trailed off as beams were pointed right at Juvia and Meredy.
"Look out!" Gray warned as he grabbed onto Juvia and Meredy, making them duck for cover.
"Don't lose focus!" Lyon shouted as he froze another dragon.
"This is a battleground!" Kida added, freezing a hatchling solid.
Gray and Meredy stood up. "Sorry!" Meredy apologized.
Juvia's face was red. "Gray-sama touched Juvia's behind..." She muttered.
"Juvia..." Gray called out her name, getting her attention. "Juvia, I want to tell you something."
Juvia sat up. "W-W-What is it?" She asked.
"Oh, it's not important..."
"It may be important to Juvia!"
"I can already tell this involves a huge misunderstanding." Meredy commented.
"Maybe he's going to confess his love for me..." Juvia thought as she clasped her hands over her mouth. "W-What should I do?!"
"Juvia!" Lyon shouted out suddenly.
A dragon aimed its beam at Juvia as Gray grabbed onto Juvia's shoulder, pushing her down and causing the beam to strike him instead. Lyon and Meredy watched with wide eyes.
More beams fired at him. "Huh?" Gray spoke in confusion.
Another beam soon struck Gray in the head as he collapsed to the ground.
"No!"
"Gray!"
Meanwhile, Ultear was still on her knees as a tear fell from her face. "I don't deserve... to live anymore..." She thinks to herself.
A/N: Another chapter is finished!
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.