A/N: Hello, readers! Can you guys believe we're almost at 100 favorites? That's honestly insane! Also, I changed Aira's mage alias from Tsunami to Poseidon, because I thought it suited him better.

Enjoy the chapter!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, I only own my OC's.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: ZERO

An angry Natsu attempted to hit Klodoa with his fists covered in flames but Klodoa is able to easily dodge and then knocks Natsu down with the end of its stick. Natsu rolls away.

"Natsu! Damn it!" Aira prepares to launch a water attack.

"Look at him tumble, Lucy!" Happy stated.

"Well, I don't think that's the main point here." Lucy muttered.

Klodoa tackles Aira in the stomach. This gives Natsu the opportunity to grab the end of Klodoa. "Caught ya!"

"Great going, Natsu! Now, beat the crap out of it!" Aira said, but Klodoa, manages to use it's skull head to hit both Natsu and Aira on the head even if it's in Natsu's grip. "Stop moving around!" Aira started to argue with Natsu. "Hold it down properly, you dumbass!"

"Try dodging it instead, you jerk!" Natsu fired back. The two Dragon Slayers began fighting.

"This battle isn't pretty." Happy sweat dropped.

Klodoa notices Lucy by the sidelines. He stared at her for a while. "Here we go again! The usual..." Lucy starts to get self-conscious.

"The usual over self-consciousness?" Happy teased.

"No!" Lucy stated. "It's such trouble being so cute!" She acts cute and flirtatious.

"Natsu, Aira! Lucy broke!" Happy yelled as the two continued to fight.

"Oh, it's just a kid. Such a disappointment..." Klodoa brushed it off.

"A kid?!" Lucy gets offended.

"Now!" Aira yelled. They both charge at it, but it manages to dodge their attacks and tackle them instead.

"You brats..." Klodoa zaps them with lightning using the orb inside its mouth. "What's wrong? Is all you got is your youth? Youth alone isn't going to beat me! You young'ns always showin' off your young selves, you!"

"I think he might be self-conscious about his age..." Lucy and Happy pointed out.

"And what?" Natsu and Aira get back up.

"Right on the mark, huh?" Lucy said.

"No, I think it's something else." Happy sweat dropped.

Suddenly, Klodoa looked alert. "Incredible... All six... All Six Generals are wiped out!"

Outside, another mark disappeared on Brain's face.

In horror, Klodoa drops its orb. "No, this is bad! Very bad! He is coming!" He exclaimed in a panic tone.

"What's he saying?" Natsu questioned.

"He?" Lucy repeated.

"There's someone else?" Happy asked. "Don't tell me the eighth?"

From the outside, Brain opens his eyes but they are red.

Klodoa trembled in fear. "What are you talking about?" Aira asked.

"He's juicing like crazy!" Happy pointed out.

"You mean sweat!" Lucy corrected.

"Brain..." Klodoa mumbled.

"If you're talking about him, Jura beat him." Natsu stated.

"No... Brain has another personality. There is the front face, codenamed Brain, who holds so much knowledge. And then there's the back face, codenamed Zero, who loves nothing but destruction." Klodoa explained.

"Loves destruction?" Lucy repeated.

"Zero?" Happy questioned.

"Due to his overwhelming, evil magical powers, Brain sealed that existence away himself with six keys." Klodoa added on.

"And those are... Oracion Seis!" Aira said.

"Exactly." Klodoa stated. "And when the Six Generals fall, and their Body Link magic is broken, the personality of Zero will be reborn once again..."

"This sounds like fun!" Natsu grinned.

As if on cue, a wall gets blown up and a figure walked in. "W-Welcome back, Master Zero!" Klodoa bowed, stuttering.

"Klodoa, it seems things have gotten quite interesting. Even that Midnight was beaten?" Zero said.

"I-I truly apologize!" Klodoa sweats nervously.

"Although, it sure has been a while, to have this feeling... To have this body... This voice! This magic!" Zero stated. "It all brings me back... I'll handle the rest. Stand back, Klodoa." He removes his cloat as he releases his power to change into different clothes. "You little brats... You sure made a mess out of my guild. As its master, I will make you pay for that."

"He's... the guild master of Oracion Seis?" Lucy asked as Zero builds up his Magic Power. "The ground is shaking from his magic power?!"

"Gettin' fired up, Natsu?" Aira questioned.

"I've never felt magic power this nasty!" Natsu replied, grinning at Zero.

"That's right... I'll start by erasing this baldy who hurt this body's Brain!" Zero stated, aiming at the unconscious Jura.

Aira protects Jura by creating a wall of water. "You're gonna attack someone who can't even move?!"

"What nonsense..." Zero said.

"Shit! I don't have any magic power left!" Aira's decreased Magic Power causes the wall of water to disappear as Zero blows him and Jura away.

"Aira!" Cain shouted in concern.

"Whether he can move or not isn't much of a difference. As long as it has, it's just as fun to destroy!" Zero claimed.

Natsu charges at him with his fist covered in flames, but Zero manages to defend against his attack. "Why, you..." Zero touches Natsu with his index finger, blowing him away towards the ceiling.

"Oh, no!" Happy trembles in fear as he holds onto Lucy's leg.

"W-What'll we do? My body's... frozen stiff..." Lucy trembled in fear as she stared at Zero. Zero turns to Happy, Cain, and Lucy who are tearing up. "I'm scared!" He easily attacks them.

In a flash, they are all on the ground, unconscious. "Impressive, Master Zero! Excellent work as always! Defeating these annoying brats like they were nothing!" Klodoa praised.

"But they still live." Zero added. "You're still alive, aren't you? Stand up. You still have form!" Nobody responds or moves a muscle.

Jellal still feels the pain from the battle before. Erza apologizes to him about being in too much of a hurry to stop Nirvana and not caring about his condition. Jellal brushes it off and is glad that he was the one who undid the seal on Nirvana.

Wendy and Carla are attempting to find Jellal, hoping that he will know how to stop Nirvana. Carla then runs out of Magic Power and is forced to switch back into terrestrial mode. Wendy then breaks down, despairing over her guild. Carla then convinces her to find a way to stop Nirvana herself.

On the King's Summit, Zero overlooks the view and spots the Cait Shelter Guild, their first target. Klodoa tells him that by destroying the guild, they destroy the people capable of re-sealing Nirvana. However, Zero responds that it is meaningless and destroys Klodoa itself, first cracking its supporting stick and then stepping on its skull head. He laughs evilly as he declares he wants to destroy every thing. He needs no reason because if it has physical form, he will eliminate it. Zero starts to activate Nirvana's fire and aims it towards Cait Shelter.

Wendy and Carla finally find Jellal and Erza, who had just emerged victorious from their battle against Midnight, the final Oracion Seis General. Wendy runs up to Jellal, only to find that he doesn't remember who she is. She later cheers up after Erza explains to her that Jellal's memories are still scattered and that he can't remember anyone. Wendy then asks Jellal if he knows how to stop Nirvana, but Jellal tells her that a Self-Destruction Spell will no longer work, and that he doesn't know any other method to stop it.

Just then, Nirvana, which had arrived in front of Cait Shelter, begins charging up to fire at Wendy's Guild. However, just as Cait Shelter and it's inhabitants are about to be obliterated, a blast of Magic hits one of Nirvana's legs, throwing it off balance and causing it to miss the Guild.

The blast is revealed to be from the Blue Pegasus Aerial Bomber - Christina, who was shot down by the Oracion Seis. Aboard are Gray, Satsuki, Lyon, Ren, Eve, Sherry, and Hibiki. Hibiki then uses his Telepathy to tell Erza and the rest that Christina is up and running thanks to a combined effort of all on board. Hibiki goes on to explain that after searching through Archive, he has finally managed to figure out how to stop Nirvana: the group must simultaneously destory six Lacrimas located at the base of Nirvana's main body, which channel the Magic Power that its six legs absorb from the Earth and convert into energy. He also cautions that unless all six Lacrimas are destroyed simultaneously, the other Lacrimas will regenerate any one that is destroyed.

Zero then uses his Magic to jack Hibiki's telepathy, complementing the Allied Forces on coming so far and then taunting them saying that he (Zero) is in front of one of the six Lacrimas, therefore making simultaneously destroying them impossible as he states that none of the Allied Forces can defeated him. He then brags that he has already taken down five of their comrades, Natsu, Aira, Lucy, Happy, and Cain. Soon after, Zero disconnects.

Hibiki then downloads an application to coordinate their timings in destroying the Lacrimas, Erza and the rest are shocked to learn that they have only 20 minutes to do so before Nirvana fires again. Soon after that, Lyon, Gray, Ren, Satsuki, and Sherry run out of Magic Power and Christina begins losing altitude. Using the last of Hibiki's Telepathy, Lyon, Gray, Satsuki, Sherry, Erza, Carla, and Wendy plead with and inspire Natsu, Aira, Lucy, Happy, and Cain to get up.

Natsu, Aira, Lucy, Happy, and Cain slowly began to rise despite their injuries.

"Can you hear our voices?" Hibiki asked.

The five of them are heavily breathing as they try to get back into the fight. "We... can... hear you...!" Natsu replied weakly.

"Natsu-kun..." Hibiki smiled to himself.

"We'll destroy... all six... Lacrimas at once..." Aira panted.

"Poseidon! You're okay!" Satsuki sighed in relief, glad to hear that he was alright. Everyone else smiles, relieved to hear the voices of the once fallen Fairy Tail Mages.

"Men..." Ichiya commented.

"And a lucky one gets to fight Zero on the way, right?" Lucy asked.

"There's only 18 minutes left... We have to hurry." Happy added. "We're gonna protect Carla and Wendy's guild!"

"My telepathy is going to run out soon. You should have a map in your brains that I sent you. I numbered each of the lacrimas." Hibiki informed. "Decide on which one of you goes..." Christina nearly breaks down.

"One!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Two!" Aira added on.

"I'll go to three!" Lucy said. "I just hope Zero's not there!"

"I will head to four." Ichiya said. "My parfum tells me that it is the closest one to me."

"The map is what told you." Erza corrected.

"Was it really necessary to correct me?" Ichiya gasped.

"I'll take five." Erza stated.

"Erza! You're okay!" Natsu exclaimed, happy to hear Erza's voice.

"Yeah." Erza responded.

"Then, I'll..." Jellal almost says that he'll take number six, but Erza stops him before he could continue.

"You're six." Erza told him.

"Was there someone else? Who was that just now?" Natsu questioned, wondering if there was an extra person.

"Natsu doesn't know about your circumstances yet." Erza whispered. "He thinks you're an enemy. Don't speak." Jellal nodded his head in agreement.

Hibiki's power finally runs out and the Telepathy cuts off. Christina then crashes as Sherry and Ren's powers completely give out as well.

"Hey!" Natsu shouted.

"The telepathy cut off..." Aira said.

"He was at his limit." Lucy muttered.

"That makes six." Carla said. "We have to hurry!" Erza agrees with her.

"Anyway, it sounds like we have six people." Happy stated. "Let's go! Whoever runs into Zero is responsible for defeating him! Everyone has their own place to go, so there is no backup!" They're all determined to destroy the Lacrimas inside Nirvana.

"Men! Men! Men!" Ichiya, still tied to the stick, hops away to his station. He gives up after a few hops. "Four! I am going to four!" He heavily breathes. "Everyone is counting on me! I cannot betray that trust, no matter what!" He gets back to hopping away to number four. "I don't have time to catch my breath! I am still young! Men! Men!"

Meanwhile, Natsu arrives at his destination, which also happens to be where Zero is stationed. Smirking, the Dark Guild Master asks what business the Fire Dragon Slayer has with him. Natsu grins and states that they'll see who will get destroyed in the end, him or Zero.

Before leaving, Erza tells Jellal and Wendy that Zero is most likely at Lacrima One (Natsu's), as Natsu has a very good sense of smell and probably chose that number for that very reason. Wendy wants to go back Natsu up in his fight, but Erza tells her that Natsu will be able to handle Zero by himself. Upon hearing the name "Natsu" uttered by Erza, Jellal's memories begin to return.

Natsu and Zero are in battle, with Natsu barely holding against him. He manages to use Fire Dragon's Iron Fist to counter Zero's Dark Capriccio. Suddenly, a smiling Jellal appears and blasts Natsu with Fire Magic, making Zero ask him if his memories had returned.

Natsu lies on the ground after being hit with Jellal's flame attack. Zero asks Jellal if his memories have returned, to which he responded with a yes. An angered Natsu gets back up and starts heading towards Jellal to attack him, but Jellal calmly attacks him with more fire and then explains that he has only regained his memories of Natsu, the Allied Forces' only hope, and states that his only wish is to help him defeat Zero and stop Nirvana regardless of what sins he had committed in the past. He pleads with Natsu to accept his flame. However, Natsu attacks him, screaming he won't accept the man who made Erza cry as his ally.

"Damn, this tunnel is long." Aira and Cain finally arrive at Lacrima #2. "Finally we've arrived. So I got to destroy this thing?"

"It seems so." Cain replied.

"Sounds easy enough." Aira stated before he looks around to see if Zero was there before proceeding further. "Doesn't look like Master Zero is here. Man, I really wanted to fight that guy."

"Someone else is most likely fighting him as we speak." Cain informed.

"I suppose I'll use Dragon Force for this, it will be easier to destroy." Aira said.

"You can do it, Aira!" Cain told him.

Lacrima #1...

A bored Zero tells them to take their fight outside as it annoys him. He then unleashes Dark Capriccio against Natsu. Jellal jumps in front of Natsu and shields him from the spell, just like how Simon shielded Natsu and Erza in the Tower of Heaven against Jellal's attack.

Jellal collapses saying that Natsu can finish him off if he wants as he is already on his last legs.

Lacrima #3...

"You should rest a little, Lucy..." Happy suggested.

Lucy struggles to walk as she uses the wall for support. "No! I won't make it then..."

"But... You can barely walk." Happy informed. "Are you okay?"

"What are you talking about? I can walk just fine..." Lucy stated. "But... Even if I'm not so okay... I can't go saying that now!"

Lacrima #4...

"Men, men, men... I must hurry, no matter what happens to this body of mine!" Ichiya continues to drag himself to his station. "I am Ichiya, of Blue Pegasus! I will fulfill my duty to the end!"

Lacrima #5...

"Master Zero is not here." Erza thinks to herself as she looked around her station. "As I thought, he is at lacrima number one, which Natsu headed towards. Natsu..."

Lacrima #1...

Jellal then begs Natsu once more to take his flame, the Golden Flame of Rebuke.

Lacrima #6...

Carla is carrying Wendy as they fly to their station. "Thank you, Carla..." Wendy said. "I hope Jellal is okay..."

"Don't worry about others, worry about yourself! Can you really do this, Wendy?" Carla asked.

"Yeah! This is something I have to do!" Wendy responded.

Flashbacks reveal that Jellal met up with Wendy after everyone was assigned their Lacrimas and entrusted her with the task of destroying Lacrima #6 in his place. He also tells her she has great power as the power of the sky rests within her.

Wendy finally arrives to her station as she stood in front of the large Lacrima, determined to destroy it for Jellal. "The power of a dragon... is within me... This is to protect my guild! Please Grandeeney! Lend me the power!"

"Wendy..."

Lacrima #1...

Jellal says that he doesn't want Natsu to forgive him, but to take the power that the Flame of Rebuke will offer and that he believes in the man Erza believes in. Natsu eventually accepts the Flame of Rebuke which engulfs him. He then begins to eat it while Jellal lies smiling. The Flame of Rebuke activates the Dragon Slayer's Ultimate Form: Dragon Force.

Lacrima #2...

"All right, this Lacrima may be big, but it's nothing I can't handle!" Aira stated.

Lacrima #3...

"I can sense a ton of magic power!" Lucy informed.

"The lacrima is near." Happy stated.

Lacrima #4...

"This parfum reeks of danger." Ichiya said. "I am close. Men."

Lacrima #5...

"The time is near. Natsu, I believe in you." Erza said.

Lacrima #6...

"Wendy, concentrate!" Carla said.

"Yeah. I know." Wendy nodded her head in agreement. "Natsu-san..."

Lacrima #1...

Meanwhile, Natsu has fully activated Dragon Force, his skin becoming scaly and his power being tripled. He attacks Zero, restarting the battle.

Lacrima #3...

Lucy finally arrives to her station, heavily breathing from walking. "I made it... The third lacrima..."

"Lucy, hang in there..." Happy said.

"I knew it wasn't time to show off, but I wasn't able to say I couldn't do it!" Lucy had tears in her eyes.

"Lucy?" Happy mumbled, worried about her.

"I'm completely out of magic power." Lucy said. "Even so, I want to protect Wendy's guild! I don't want to get down on myself! That's why I'm going to keep going, until the bitter end!" She attempted to get back up, but fails.

"Lucy!"

"I can't fall! Not in a place like this!" Lucy claimed.

Lacrima #6...

"Wendy..." Carla mumbled as she watched her.

"I have to do my best. For Cait Shelter... For Jellal, who believed in me..." Wendy does her best to concentrate on her Magic Power. "And for all my other friends, too!"

Lacrima #1...

A delighted Zero and Natsu battle it out, with Zero using some of his most powerful attacks such as Dark Delete and Dark Gravity along with his previous used attacks such as Dark Capriccio. Following the use of Dark Gravity, Natsu and Zero take their battle to the lowest level of Nirvana, just about the legs.

Lacrima #4...

Ichiya, still tied to the stick, finally arrives at his station as he tumbles down. "No... I can't pass out yet! Hibiki, Ren, Eve... Give me the power!"

Lacrima #2...

"3 more minutes..." Aira muttered to himself, staring up at the Lacrima.

Lacrima #5...

"Natsu." Erza breathed out.

Lacrima #1...

Zero appears to have the upper hand and beats Natsu and begins mocking him about his lack of Mastery of the Dragon Force.

Lacrima #3...

Lucy is breathing heavily, unable to stay conscious.

"W-What are you going to do, Lucy?" Happy questioned.

"I don't know!" Lucy responded. "I don't know, but maybe if I throw myself against it... I have to destroy it!" She stares at the large Lacrima in front of her. "I won't give up! I won't give up no matter what!"

"Sometimes, it's that feeling that can give you the power." Gemini approached them.

"We were listening back then." Gemi said as they do their little dance together.

"We heard your feelings." Mini added on.

"Gemini... Why are you here?" Lucy asked.

Gemini transforms into Lucy, surprising Lucy and Happy. "We can copy your body and abilities. We will become your will!" Lucy and Happy cry tears of joy. "We just need to destroy this thing in about three minutes, right?"

"Thank you!" Lucy said.

Lacrima #4...

"Men... Men... I will show you my powerful parfum!" Ichiya uses his Parfum Magic to make himself bulkier and break free of his bonds.

Lacrima #6...

"More power... The power of the heavens..." Wendy continues to concentrate.

Lacrima #1...

Natsu once again stands up while telling Zero that he can sense his friends' feelings and hopes which givve him the power and will to fight. He remembers the encouraging words and actions shown to him by his comrades.

Lacrima #2...

"Guess it's about time." Aira said as water engulfs his body. "Water Drive!"

When the water disappeared, Aira had a different appearance. His blue hair was now spiked up and he had dark blue markings on his face and shoulders.

Cain just stood back as he watched him. "I believe in you, Aira..." He thought.

Lacrima #3...

"Okay, here we go! The Gate of the Golden Bull is good, right?" Gemini asked.

"Yes, please!" Lucy answered.

Lacrima #5...

"Requip!" Erza requips into her Black Wing Armor.

Lacrima #6...

"Power... Power is welling up from within me..." Wendy gathers air around her.

"Wendy..."

Natsu then uses his Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade, while Zero uses his ultimate attack: Genesis Zero. The two attacks clash and an explosion occurs.

The guild members of Cait Shelter watch in horror as Nirvana prepares to fire.

Lacrima #2...

"It's time! Everyone, I'm counting on you!" Aira shouted.

Lacrima #3...

"Gate of the Golden Bull, we open thee! Taurus!" Gemini and Lucy chant together as they summon Taurus.

"Alright!" Happy cheered.

Taurus appears as he does his signature pose.

"We're counting on you, Taurus!" Lucy and Gemini said in unison.

"Leave it to me, nice bodied-babes!" Taurus said.

Lacrima #4...

Ichiya gathers Magic Power in his hands. "Parfum of Power... Maximum Power! Men!"

Lacrima #5...

"Here I go!" Erza prepares to attack the Lacrima.

Lacrima #6...

"Grandeeney... Give me the power!" Wendy was almost complete with with her Magic Power.

"Wendy... Concentrate! You can do it!" Carla continued to watch her, having faith in Wendy.

Zero unleashed his Ultimate Attack, Genisis Zero, which brought forth shadowy beings from a pocket dimension called "Nil." These entities, referred to by Zero as "People of the Nil" engulf Natsu and trap him in the Nil Dimensioin from which they hail.

In the Nil Dimension, Natsu floats, unable to use his powers or move. However, a vision of Igneel appears before him, asking him if he is going to let a thing like this beat him. Natsu then has a flashback to a time when he was training with Igneel, years ago. The young Natsu whines about not being able to destroy a rock that is twice his size, but Igneel then reminds him not to let his feelings get the better of him and to remember that he is a Dragon Slayer. He then tells him to have faith in his powers and remember the pride that comes with being a Dragon Slayer.

Lacrima #2...

"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art!" Aira shouted as a dark blue Magic Circle appeared. "Meikyō Shisui: Poseidon's Emission!" The huge wave of water headed towards the Lacrima.

Lacrima #3...

"Go!" Lucy, Happy, and Gemini exclaim in unison as they watched Taurus destroy the Lacrima.

"Rampage!" Taurus sliced his axe at the Lacrima.

Lacrima #4...

"Sparkle to Infinity!" Ichiya does a couple of twirls as he pounds his fist at the Lacrima.

Lacrima #5...

"With this one blow, I use up the rest of my magic power!" Erza charged towards the Lacrima before swinging her sword at it.

Lacrima #6...

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy unleashed her Magic Power and releases a large hurricane of wind at the Lacrima.

The present day Natsu smiles and finally unleashes the true might of Dragon Force, burning away a shocked Zero's Magic. After punching Zero numerous times, Natsu then uses one of his Dragon Slayer Secret Arts, Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade, and smashes Zero upwards, engulfing both of them in flames. Both of them then crash into the first Lacrima at the same instant that the others destroy their own Lacrima, finally putting an end to Nirvana once and for all.

Lacrima #2...

"Were we able to stop it?" Aira asked himself as he deactived Dragon Force.

"I'm not heaing an explosion, so everyone must've succeeded." Cain replied.

Lacrima #3...

"All right!" Lucy and Happy hugged each other while Taurus and Gemini high fived each other.

Lacrima #4...

"Erza-san, everyone... Good job!" Ichiya praised.

Lacrima #5...

"Natsu... You did it!" Erza smiled to herself.

Lacrima #6...

Wendy and Carla were crying tears of joy. "It's stopped! Wendy, it actually stopped!" Carla cheered.

"Yup!" Wendy agreed. "Nirvana has been stopped!"

A/N: We're almost at the end of the Oracion Seis arc!

Hope you enjoyed!

~Kaleb