Chapter 53

Elljayskywalker- Sorry to break it to you, but that's Age of Sigmar lore you're using. Age of Sigmar hasn't happened in this story's timeline. Age of Sigmar came after the End Times, where the Forces of Chaos won and destroyed the planet. Yes.

Alerx09- Yes. Likely after the Battle for Fairy Tail arc. When exactly I have no idea. I already have the next few chapters planned ahead and none of them include Oxyotl and Mystogan.

Gray

"Damnit all, I wish we can do something about this." Said Gray Fullbuster as he punched the water bubble that he was in along with everyone else that escaped the island with him. The group had escaped the Tower of Heaven in time to avoid the initial blast, but the shockwaves that followed turned their boat over and sent them all crashing into the ocean. Some of them would have drowned because of their injuries, but Juvia managed to create a water bubble full of air around them all, preventing them from drowning. Since then they all watched as the tower transform into a massive tower of crystal. Even from how far they were, the group felt the magic power coming from the crystal tower. Whatever happened after Etherion fired on the tower, it caused the tower to actually become a supersized lacrima, something that worried those that knew what that meant. Because a lacrima that size was not only a massive source of power for those that can harvest it but also a ticking time bomb.

There was no possible way a lacrima that size can stay stable for long by itself. It was simply too much Ethernano in one spot. If someone didn't do something about it, it's simply one big bomb that'll wipe out anything in a massive radius. And unfortunately, it seemed that no one was around to do that. To make matters worse, the group saw some fighting at the top of the tower, showing that people were still there. It didn't take a genius to know who was there.

"But we can't." Said Wally as he looked at Gray. "Jellal is still up and ready for a fight based on what's going on at the top of the tower and most of us are too injured or too weak to fight that madman. We're just going to be nothing but a burden to Erza and your friend!"

"But we can't stay here doing nothing either!" Yelled Gray as he glared at Wally. "If we don't do anything, our friends may end up hurt or worse! Not to mention what will happen if we don't get out of here in time! That lacrima is going to explode and they'll be caught in the blast!"

"Well, what do you expect us to do, huh?!" Demanded Wally, losing his temper and glaring at Gray. "Jellal is stronger than all of us combined! Even your friend Natsu doesn't stand a chance against him. Do you think that we'll be helping our friends out by going there when we're so weak!? We'll literally be a burden to them! Jellal will use us as either shields or hostages to make them surrender to him. We just have to trust them to handle him!" The answer from Wally caused Gray to glare at him. The two then started to argue with one another about what to do, causing the girls to try to stop them from fighting. Diederick, meanwhile, sighed as the fighting continued. As it did, he thought about his own conflicted feelings regarding all this.

On one hand, he wanted to go and help his friends, but on the other, he knew that the lacrima tower would soon explode unless someone used up all that energy quick or, at the very least, stabilize it before it exploded. Thus, they needed to get out of here as soon as possible, otherwise, they'll all end up dead. As he wondered what his mothers' would do in a situation like this, he along with everyone else suddenly heard the sounds of an animal roaring. The roar made them all be silent as they cupped their ears in response to the loud roar.

"What was that?" Asked Lucy before the animal responsible for the roar made itself known to them. Flying in front of the bubble that everyone was inside of, the animal was revealed to be an entirely black Wyvern of impressive size. Glaring at them with blood-red eyes, the Wyvern growled at them while they looked at it in shock at the sudden appearance of the Wyvern along with its unique appearance. To the knowledge of those that bothered to know anything about Wyverns', there wasn't any that was all black and had blood-red eyes. This was a completely new species to them, and it would have been exciting and awesome if it weren't for the fact that the Wyvern was looking at them aggressively and hungrily. But what was even more shocking than the Wyvern was that it had someone on top of it and used the Wyvern as a mount.

Standing on top of the Wyvern was a woman armored in dark blue and purple full plate armor. Even from a distance, they could tell that the woman was beautiful, even with the brand that, to their shock, partially looked like the symbol of Fairy Tail as some of the brands were covered by the mask that covered her mouth and framed her face elegantly, despite its fearsome appearance. Glaring at the group, the woman spoke.

"I had thought that at least one of you would be fearsome, but I suppose your strongest fighters are still at the tower. Fighting against the one known as Jellal." Said the woman as she looked at the group of teenagers, not impressed at all with what she saw.

"Who the hell are you?" Asked Wally upon seeing the woman on the Wyvern. He didn't know why, but he got a very bad feeling that this dame wasn't on their side or anyone else's but her own.

"My name is Lilea." Said the woman as she looked at the teens, finding no point in hiding her identity from them. Especially with what she has planned for Fairy Tail after all this. "Not that it matters. I have plans for you all. Plans that will get be Jellal and the secrets that he possesses." Upon hearing that, both Gray and Diederick at the woman. They didn't know anything about this woman. They just met, but if she was planning on taking Jellal for herself then she wasn't exactly on the side of good.

"What the hell do you want with Jellal?" Demanded Diederick, causing Lilea to scoff."

"That is something that depends on what he knows and you don't need to know anymore." Said Lilea before speaking again. "Enough talk. You all will help me in capturing Jellal, whether you like it or not. Even if it means I have to kill some of you in order to get the rest to cooperate." Upon hearing that, Gray glared at the woman along with everyone else.

"No way are we going to be held hostage by you, lady!" Yelled Gray as he prepared to cast magic on her. Even though he didn't know her or why she was all the way out here on a Wyvern, he could tell from her tone and the fact that she was going to take them, hostage, that she wasn't a friend to them or even friendly. As if the spiky armor that she was wearing didn't give that away. Before he could do anything along with everyone else, the Wyvern immediately swiped at the bubble the teens were in with one of its legs, bursting it and sending them all falling to the water. At the height they were in, the fall would have killed all of them except for Juvia. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on who you ask, they were saved by the black Wyvern, who went in to save them after bursting the bubble.

Grabbing the girls in one hind leg and the boys in the other, the Wyvern roared out in triumph before flying towards the top of the tower with her master's prize. Chuckling in satisfaction, Lilea looked down at her prizes struggling to break free from the grip of the Wyvern, whose tight grip was preventing them from utilizing any magic at all. Even Juvia couldn't do anything with how tightly the Wyvern was gripping her. Seeing that her hostages weren't able to escape, Lilea looked toward her target, intending on using her hostages to get what she wanted.

Unbeknownst to her, however, her plan would be disrupted slightly by someone. Someone that no one near the Tower of Heavens even knew about. And that someone intended to take the entire Tower for themselves.

Meanwhile

Natsu

"Don't you see what's going on Jellal!?" Demanded Natsu as he fought with Jellal, completely energized after consuming some Lacrima from the tower. Fully recharged and containing more power than he even obtained before, Natsu engaged Jellal again. This time intending on beating him. It was during this second fight that Natsu learned why Jellal was doing all this and it disguised him. "You're just a slave to Zeref's will! Fight it!" Jellal just yelled out a curse at Natsu before attacking him.

"You don't get it! I'm Zeref's chosen!" Yelled Jellal as he launched an attack on Natsu. "Only I can bring about true paradise in the world! True freedom! And you're stopping me from accomplishing it!"

"Stop lying to yourself!" Yelled Natsu as he dodged Jellal's attack and punched him straight into the air above the Tower of Heaven. "You're just a slave and you don't even see it! Free yourself from Zeref!" Intending on ending this fight, Natsu launched himself straight at Jellal, flames all around him. As he launched himself at Jellal, the flames around him began to collate around him and form a flame dragon. Stunned at this, Jellal didn't do anything as the dragon of fire charged at him with Natsu straight in the middle of it.

"You can do it, Jellal! Free yourself!" Yelled Natsu before launching a punch straight into Jellal's cheek, sending him crashing down the Tower of Heaven. Jellal broke through multiple floors of the tower. Eventually, he stopped and created a large crevice on the floor that he stopped him. However, he was finished. That last attack from Natsu knocked him unconscious, ending his plans and securing victory for Natsu.

Seeing that his opponent was finished, Natsu went crashing back down to the floor that Erza was on. Starring in awe at Natsu, Erza couldn't believe that he did what she failed to do. Defeat Jellal and end his twisted plans once and for all.

"So that's the true power of a Dragonslayer." Thought Erza as Natsu glared down at the hole that Jellal made after crashing back down on the Tower. "He was able to defeat Jellal and end the nightmare. The nightmares that plagued me and the others for so long. Now, with Jellal gone, the others can live free from him now. If only Simon and Shô were…" She then gasped when she saw that Natsuwas starting to collapse on the ground.

"Natsu!" Yelled Erza as she rushed forward and caught him before he could hit the floor. She held the fatigued dragon slayer close as his body reverted to normal. Feeling his hot breath, Erza concluded that the consumption of Lacrima must have taken a toll on his body. Smiling at the Dragonslayer, Erza embraced him before speaking.

"Rest up, Natsu." Said Erza with a smile. "You earned it after everything that you were forced to endure. You were amazing today. If only the others were able to see you now." As Erza thought of her surviving friends and how they were doing, she suddenly heard the screeching of something, and it was coming closer. Turning around to the source of the screeching, Erza gasped out loud when she saw a black Wyvern making its way toward her. She then stared in horror at what it held within its hindlegs. Her friends, all struggling to escape its grasp but failing. She then saw who was riding it and she couldn't help but widen her eyes in rage at the rider for it was the same person that killed Shô.

"You." Thought Erza in anger upon seeing Lilea, Shô's murderer, on top of the Wyvern. Looking smug with herself despite the mask.

Lilea, chuckling upon seeing the rage in Erza's eyes, jumped off her Wyvern and landed on the Tower of Heaven a few feet from Natsu and Erza.

"I presume that you two have managed to defeat Jellal." Said Lilea as she eyed the damaged environment around her. "I hope you didn't kill him as I intend on using him for my own gains as it's clear that this tower is no longer viable for my family." Upon seeing Erza still glaring at her with hatred, Lilea decided that it would be best that she make this quick. Especially with how the tower was holding up after that battle between Jellal and these two it seemed.

"Since you're not in the mood and I'm in a bit of a hurry, I'll be brief." Said Lilea before motioning towards her Wyvern, which began to squeeze Erza's friends, making them all scream out in pain. This caused Erza to stop glaring at Lilea and yell out in concern for her friends. "Give me Jellal and I'll let your friends go. I recommend doing it fast, otherwise, I'll have Sullava kill them quickly before you can do anything about it." Upon hearing that, Erza was conflicted on what to do.

On one hand, she couldn't let Lilea get her hands on Jellal. There was no telling what Lilea and her family could do with the knowledge that Jellal had regarding the Tower of Heaven. They could use that knowledge to construct another tower or more and she couldn't help but dread what they intend to do with multiple R-system towers. And that wasn't even considering the possibility what other dark knowledge that Jellal accumulated over the years.

But on the other hand, her friends were in danger. Not only her friends from Fairy Tail, but also her childhood friends as well. Friends that she loved and wished to keep safe from anything that wished to harm them. Especially after she lost both Shô and Simon today. She refused to lose anyone anymore. Thus, she was inclined to choose her friends, yet her mind screamed at her to not let Lilea take Jellal, even if it meant the death of her friends. So, she was unsure of what to do.

Before she could ponder on this choice more, the Tower began shaking.

"So, it appears the lacrima is finally starting to go unstable." Said Lilea as she noticed the shaking tower. "Better decide now or your friends will die before I take my leave." Glaring at Lilea for that, Erza told her that she'll die too if she stayed too long. "You underestimate my Wyvern, girl. Now decide quickly or your friends will end up as food for my Wyvern." Upon hearing that, Erza gritted her teeth, glaring at Lilea. She then looked at her friends screaming in pain at the tight grip of the Wyvern before closing her eyes in shame. Praying for forgiveness, Erza yelled out to Lilea.

"Fine, take him." Said Erza before pointing at the hole that Jellal made after Natsu defeated him. "He's all the way down there. If you hurry, you may be able to get him before the tower explodes." Upon hearing that, Lilea smiled behind her mask before speaking to her Wyvern in a language that Erza didn't understand. Whatever it was, it caused the Wyvern to let go of her friends and sent them flying towards her and Natsu. Crying out in concern for her friends, Erza gently laid Natsu on the ground before inspecting her friends, sighing in relief when she found that they were all alive.

"You made a wise choice." Said Lilea as she made her way towards the hole, moving past Erza as her friends got up and glared at Lilea. "Now find your own way out of here. Sullava will not carry any of you to safety. Consider yourselves fortunate that I'm in a bit of a hurry." Chuckling at the glares that she was no doubt receiving from the humans, Lilea jumped down the hole to retrieve her prize. As she fell down the hole, Lilea thought of how unlikely the humans will be able to escape from the tower in time before it exploded. Oh how Makarov will weep at this.

Glaring down the hole that Lilea went down in, Erza turned her attention to her friends, who were also glaring down the hole that Lilea dropped down in.

"That was one massive bitch. Pardon my language." Said Diederick as he went against a broken piece of crystal. Everyone gave their own voices of agreement to what he said as they recovered from the tight grip of the Wyvern.

"We got to get out of here now." Said Gray as he tried to get to his feet, but the tight grasp of the Wyvern really took the fight out of him. Same with everyone else.

"Ain't seeing a way for us to get out of here, man." Said Wally as he laid on the ground, too exhausted to stand. "Looks like this is the end of all of us. *Chuckles* Guess this is what we deserve for what we did while working for Jellal."

"Don't say that." Said Lucy as she looked at Wally. Both at them not getting out of here alive and that he deserved all this, along with his friends, for helping Jellal when they had no idea who he actually was as a person. "We can still get out of here. We just need to..." It was then that the tower shaking got even worse, sending crystals all around them and nearly crushing Gray if Juvia hadn't pushed him away in time.

"I don't think we can get out of this one." Said Diederick as he watched the tower collapse. "Even if we did get out of the tower, the explosion from the Lacrima will end up killing all of us before we can escape in time. Hate to say it, but we're doomed unless a miracle happens."

"Don't say that!" Yelled Lucy in desperation. "We can still…" She then screamed when a large crystal landed in front of her. Sighing at this, Diederick looked at the sky and thought about his mothers. How they'll react to his untimely death along with everyone else. After all, they were the ones that sent him on this insane adventure by giving him tickets to that resort. Imagining their reactions to his death, one with sorrow and one with rage yet also with sorrow, Diederick closed his eyes as he accepted his fate while everyone else was either doing the same or trying desperately to think up a plan to get them out of this situation.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on who you ask, a miracle was coming to save them from the Tower of Heaven exploding. Except that miracle came from a god that intends to gain many benefits from what he was about to do.

While Diederick was accepting his fate, he suddenly screamed out in pain as the Chaos God Tzeentch utilized the gift that he gave Diederick to temporarily control his body. The Chaos God of trickery and lies would not have given the child a gift without a way for him to…manipulate him to do things that benefit the Changer of Ways.

Catching everyone's attention with his screaming, Diederick was turning around to face the crystal that he was leaning on. They then watched in shock as he ripped out a sizable chunk of Lacrima and began to consume it.

"Diederick! No!" Yelled Erza as she saw this happen. Natsu may have been able to survive consuming Lacrima, but that was because he had a strong will and was a mage of questionable durability. And even then, he nearly died from eating the Lacrima in the first place. Diederick wasn't a mage and wasn't a Dragonslayer to boot. There was no telling what would happen if he ate the Lacrima. Gray and Wally tried to stop him, thinking he's gone off the rocker, but it was too late. He ate the Lacrima and, surprisingly, was able to chew and swallow the crystallized magic.

Everyone then watched as Diederick screamed more before turning out, shocking them further when they saw his eyes weren't their normal brown color. Rather they were bright blue with no pupils.

Before anyone can do or speak anything, Diederick suddenly went to his knees, shaking to his core, before coughing out a large amount of blood. They then watched as the blood started to move on its own and began forming a symbol that none of them had ever seen before. The symbol of Tzeentch.

Speaking of the Chaos God, Tzeentch was laughing to himself as he felt the energy coursing through the next Everchosen. From the connection he had formed with him, Tzeentch can feel the energy that was coursing through him and it was glorious.

Magical energy that he had never seen or witnessed before was coursing through the veins of the Everchosen and Tzeentch was enjoying it all. And there was more of this wonderful energy in significant amounts around the Everchosen and all Tzeentch needed to do to acquire it all was take it and spare everyone on the Tower. To have them return to their families with their minds and bodies intact.

Now, Tzeentch was not merciful at all. Not even in the slightest. He'll seemingly offer mercy to his servants and his opponents that beg for it at times, but it's all an elaborate scheme by the Architect of Fate to enact a grave and amusing punishment to his servants or inflict a crueler fate on his enemies for even thinking to plead for mercy.

No, he was sparing everyone because he wanted them to wonder what spared them. What caused the Everchosen to act the way he did? He wanted them to investigate what caused it all. To spread knowledge of what occurred to their closets and trusted associates. This will eventually lead them or others to investigate the anomaly surrounding Diederick and that will eventually lead them to uncover the Chaos God and that was when things will get interesting for Tzeentch. After all, the more that people knew about him from this new world the better. Especially when he can corrupt them into becoming followers of the Chaos God of Fate, allowing him to establish a foothold on this world. One that will become crucial when the other Chaos Gods learn about this world.

Laughing out loud, Tzeentch began to conduct his plan to…rescue everyone from the Tower of Heaven. The blood symbol on the floor around everyone soon began to turn blue and began to glow. Soon a massive blue light emerged from the blood and everyone screamed as it engulfed them all.

In the meantime, Lilea, having grabbed Jellal from where he was in the Tower, was riding her Wyvern when she felt something was amiss with the Tower of Heaven.

Looking at the tower while Sullava was flying to their ship with Jellal in her claws, Lilea watched in disbelief and slight horror as the symbol of Tzeentch appeared above the Tower of Heaven, enabling her, her crew, and anyone else watching to see the symbol of Tzeentch. Though many didn't know the meaning of this symbol, Lilea did and she was horrified at the potential meaning behind all this. Very horrified.

Before anyone can post a review, Diederick and the others are safe and not in the Chaos Realm. I'm saying this because I'm not sure when I'm updating the next chapter and I didn't want people to speculate on that part because I felt that is too important to let people speculate. Sorry.