Erza caught Wendy as she was about to hit the pavement, huffing and puffing having spent all of her magic. The little Dragon Slayer had used almost all of her strength trying to throw whatever she could at Erza, manipulating the wind and air around Erza in ways she'd never thought possible. And all without Carla at her side.
Wendy had far to go, yet the potential within her was near limitless. If nothing else, the tournament showed her a guiding light a point where she could square off with even Natsu and Gajeel in combat.
"You-you're not even tired?" Wendy asked.
Erza smiled. "I burned through a fair bit of my magic to keep you on your toes. But I've seen you fight, Wendy, I knew how to counter most of your attacks, strong though they were."
"Maybe one day...I..." Wendy sighed wiping sweat from her brow.
Erza picked her up, carrying the young woman in her arms. "Come on. Let's go see what the boys are up to, it certainly sounds exciting."
Wendy nodded and Erza started toward the commotion.
It wasn't hard to find and was consuming far more of the abandoned district than Erza and Wendy's confrontation had. Buildings were completely obliterated and long stretches of scarring and scorching marked where Natsu and Gajeel had been. Erza followed the trail of the immense, combined magic power radiating off the two, culminating not in a fantastic display of fire and steel and crashing auras but two warriors slugging each other amidst debris and rubble.
Natsu stumbled after Gajeel narrowly avoided a punch but recovered by blocking Gajeel's kick and landing an attack of his own. Both were shirtless, bruised, cut, bleeding and still had a decent amount of magic left, given Gajeel's iron scales coating his arms and Natsu's flames sparking up his arms, too. Erza continued to hold Wendy, who was able to meekly watch while her magic slowly returned to her.
The fight would probably go on for some time. Erza checked her surroundings again, both impressed and nostalgic for the appearance of the place. Fairy Tail never intentionally left a giant mess behind after a quest, but something about seeing Natsu tearing through the place brought out a bit of raw emotion in her. She pursed her lips at the sight of it all.
In the near distance was a more official-looking building, as well as...
Well, it looked like a dilapidated version of their hotel building, making it stand out a bit as compared to the other places. And, was that building flooded? Erza leered to inspect further, but the sound of Natsu and Gajeel's colliding fists drew her attention back to the fight below.
Perhaps it was some Imperial testing ground or a facility they were still active in despite the ruined district, a place for guards to wait and lurk during the Battle Royale so contestants didn't get out of hand. They had such poor taste.
Natsu and Gajeel slid back from one another, giving themselves a moment to breathe, before diving back into their fight, sharp, draconic teeth bared in excitement.
Capricorn slid in front of Lucy as Axel darted back into the room, kicking aside Axel's diamond blade arm. Scorpio pushed Lucy back while Capricorn batted away more of Axel's attacks and Scorpio unleashed a huge blast from his Sand Buster on Axel, sending him flying through the opposing wall.
"Just look at how strong he is," Aquarius gushed.
"Yeah, yeah," Lucy said. "Look, you guys got it from here? We have to find Lector."
Capricorn nodded dutifully to Lucy. "Not a problem, ma'am."
"Look out!" Aquarius roared and shot a jet of water at a reemerged Axel, who was almost completely unaffected by the blast of mere water against his diamond coating. Capricorn still dodged the strike, but his kick did nothing against the diamond, nor did Scorpio's blast do anything.
Lucy slung her whip out at Axel before he could strike Capricorn.
"Diamond Dragon Roar!"
The beam struck Scorpio, sending him back with a scream. Aquarius laid into Axel, summoning all the water near them and shooting it down at Axel.
"Diamond Dragon's Fortress Crusher!"
The power behind his fist yanked the whip away from Lucy as he punched up at the blast of water, dissipating it and sending rain all around them. Aquarius sneered as Lucy dove to catch her whip. Capricorn, unable to inflict harm on Axel, still had the battle smarts to block several of his blows, though his defenses were less and less effective from how damaged he was getting.
Still, Scorpio was back up and slammed his scorpion tail into the side of Axel's head. Though diamond, the force of it was enough to get him to stumble back. Lucy cast her whip out, binding both of Axel's hands as Capricorn and Scorpio struck him hard into a back wall.
Aquarius leveled her water on him, holding him in a sphere of water.
"Get moving, Lucy, we can't hold him for long!" Aquarius roared. "Now!"
Scorpio and Capricorn prepared themselves. Lucy recalled her whip and dashed out of the room, almost running square into Juvia.
"What are you doing here?" Lucy asked.
"Looking for you!" Juvia exclaimed. "Kiyl ran off. Where's Axel?"
The Diamond Dragon Slayer was, unfortunately, able to answer himself, as he broke free of the sphere with a great roar, knocking back the three Celestial Spirits. Lucy whirled around with her whip while Juvia, her feet splashing in the water, attempted to trap him in a Water Dome alongside Aquarius, but he countered.
"Diamond Dragon Slayer Slashing Talon!"
With a diamond claw, he cut at Juvia, but the force of it sent her careening to the side, leaving Lucy exposed. Lucy took off anyway. They'd take care of Axel.
"Diamond Dragon Shining Lancer!"
A diamond weapon obliterated the wall next to Lucy as she ran, with Axel coming through and slamming into Lucy. She was, obviously, knocked off balance and flew through the open window in front of her. Glass sliced up her arm while she fell the story down to the ground, slamming onto the pavement, her shoulder popping out of place, and rolling away a few steps.
She cried out, tears sliding down her face. Axel leaped out the window toward her but Juvia caught him from behind with a Water Nebula, sending him flying down the street.
Lucy bit hard into her cheek, using her good shoulder to push herself to her feet while Juvia landed next to her.
Only Capricorn joined them, as Scorpio and Aquarius rushed to the window.
"Help Happy!" Lucy shouted.
"No!" Scorpio roared.
"Do it!" Lucy exclaimed, feeling a sob burst out of her mouth.
Aquarius balled her fist. Lucy glanced down the street, where Axel approached in a shimmering aura, eyes blackened with rage.
"We're coming back for you, understand me?" Aquarius said, and Lucy nodded with a smile.
The couple ran off. Capricorn adjusted his outfit while Juvia fell into her battle stance. Lucy glowered at the Diamond Dragon Slayer.
Not far off, another explosion resounded. Where were they, anyway? The entire portion of the city looked abandoned, if not completely in ruins.
"Lucy," Axel said. "You'll regret what you're doing."
"Shut up," Lucy said, soft at first, before then screaming it at him.
Axel stopped, as if genuinely offended, but didn't lower his power at all. Lucy's whip was still in her grasp, her good one. The weapon was all but useless against Axel, but she couldn't press her luck too much with another Gate opening.
It was all a distraction to let the Exceeds get in. That was the plan all along. Let Axel think he was getting closer, let him steal the keys, so, when the time was right, Lucy could be invited to the facility and, with the sneaky Exceeds, use her Spirits that were already planted there to steal the Lector lacrima.
Well, part of that worked out. It was all down to Happy and the others. The wizards had to hold up their part of the bargain.
"Juvia," Lucy said. "Where did Kiyl go?"
"No idea, not really my concern right now," Juvia said. "Do you have enough magic for a Unison Raid?"
"No," Lucy said. "Not even the arm strength for it."
Juvia sneered. "Guess this one's on me, then? Make sure to tell Gray for me."
"Will do," Lucy said, and Juvia dashed at Axel
Sting punched Elfman up, through the roof, with a great roar, exerting his power against Elfman's Lizardman form that'd been bearing down on Sting. Gray slid into position, into Sting's blindspot, and launched an Ice-Make: Lance at Sting, who deflected it.
Gray moved forward anyway, hitting him with an Ice-Make: Hammer he'd left discarded but not forgotten, launching Sting and giving Gray more time to prepare his hands. Sting whipped around.
"Ice-Make: Ice Cannon!"
"White Dragon Roar!"
The cannon exploded in Gray's hands as a laser—much different from Natsu and the others' Dragon Roars—struck it. Sting pounced at Gray's confusion. A shadow loomed.
"Ice-Make: Wall!"
Sting slammed into it, buying Elfman the time to drop down from the roof and pummel Sting, putting him through the floor. It broke through the entire tiling, sending Gray falling as well, but he was able to catch himself, unlike Sting, who took another brutal punch from Elfman before blasting the brute off of him.
Gray leaped into the air to avoid Sting's swinging slash attack.
"Ice-Make: Ice Geyser!"
The geyser uppercut Sting before consuming him, sending him into the air, making him the perfect target for a brutal attack by Elfman, who was transformed into his Ape form, punching Sting out of the ice with a huge fist.
Sting shouted, in pain, as he landed, but flared his aura as if nothing happened. A flaring aura appeared around him.
"White Dragon Iron Fist!"
Elfman launched himself at Sting as Sting punched forward at Elfman, stopping the brute with his sheer strength. It didn't deter Gray from sprinting at Sting anyway. They had to beat this guy.
Not only to free Lector, not only to get him off their back but because this was an Imperial Captain. This was a big deal, this would put a true scare into the Empire!
For that reason, as Elfman was flung away, the great ape recovered. For that reason, Gray charged on, anyway, even as Sting turned his attention to Gray.
"Holy Ray!"
"Ice-Make: Shield"
Sting' giant blast shot out in all directions, and Gray's shield wasn't fast, or strong, enough to block all of them, slamming him to the ground. Sting rushed forward and kicked Gray into the sky, then pursued.
"White Dragon Claw!"
"Ice-Make: Clone!"
An ice-double took the hit for Gray, exploding as Gray hit the wall. Sting punched through it. Gray cast Ice-Make: Knuckle to punch Sting away but Sting left a parting gift: a tiny sigil in the wall of glowing light that exploded in Gray's face.
Gray spat blood as he landed and Elfman continued his attack. Sting's pain wasn't nearly as obvious as his anger. They were only serving to piss him off. Damn it.
Gray could keep going, Elfman too, but Sting had to have more in reserve. He just wasn't thinking about it. They needed to act fast, and decisive. Gray opened his palm, bringing back his bow. Some blood slid down his arm onto it, helping form the great arrow that Gray nocked, aiming right at Sting.
They'd continue to fight, no matter who was in front of them.
Gajeel raised his head to Salamander, who was also doubled over but refusing to fall. Sweat poured down both of their faces, exhaustion ran deep in Gajeel though he'd never show the idiot that. Clearly, the other guy was tired out. One more hit should do it. Yeah.
Good.
Gajeel took a lazy step forward toward Natsu, who did the same.
"Been a good fight," Natsu said through huffs.
"Sure has," Gajeel said. "Best man's about to win, too!"
"In your dreams!" Natsu shouted and almost left his feet to attack Gajeel.
However, he never got the chance. A veil of water wrapped itself around Natsu's head in the blink of an eye and yanked him to the ground, extinguishing his flames before a massive, water dragon dropped on Natsu.
"What!" was all Gajeel could get out before a spear caught him in the shoulder, pinning him against a far wall.
Shadows crept to the fringes of his sight as a figure approached the two, one that'd once come as an ally, one that always seemed so meek and timid. Gajeel snarled, but the exhaustion from the fighting finally caught up to him.
At least, he thought as unconscious came to take him away, that asshole wasn't going to get away with it, as he heard an amazon cry ring out in his final moments before a painful rest.
When the spear shot into Gajeel's shoulder, Erza's heart plummeted. She was still processing the fact that Natsu had been taken out by an unseen foe, who was still advancing on the two with great speed, riding a wave of furious purple water.
"What's happening?" Wendy asked, horror lacing her words.
"The Empire is making their move," Erza said. "Let me handle this one, Wendy. See if you can get to Natsu and Gajeel. Use whatever magic you can to get them on their feet and retreat."
She set Wendy down as Kiyl leaped into the air, summoning a monsoon over Natsu that'd, if not hurt him, certainly drown him even as he floundered beneath the veil holding him down. With a furious power, her Sea Empress Armor formed around her. Both her Crystal Sword and Empress Sword formed in her hands, too, and she blasted for Kiyl.
She sliced through the deluge before it could hit Natsu, then swept her Empress blade to dissipate the veil of water over Natsu.
Kiyl landed behind her, between her and Gajeel, who was passed out but very much alive, still. Kiyl glowered at her.
"I see that little Sky Dragon Slayer did little to slow your magic," Kiyl said. "I have more than enough to kill you. And if I can't? Well, you can't fathom how outnumbered and outplayed you are."
"You made a grave error today, Dragon Slayer," Erza said. "No amount of water you throw at me can harm me in this armor. Back down, now."
Kiyl's eyes flared.
"No. Your armor will wear down, Erza Scarlet. Because you are not fighting the sea alone. You are fighting dragons."
"I only see one."
"Check again."
Erza hardly had to see to get what he was saying, as, at once, scores of glowing eyes emerged. Some from the buildings around them, some approaching from a nearby facility, and some even rising out of the rubble, like puzzle pieces reforming. An entire army of—what were these, automatons?—emerging. There weren't a mere few, but so many. Perhaps even a hundred of them, at once, in Erza's direct vicinity.
"What are these creatures?" Erza asked.
"These are Fourth Generation Dragon Slayers," Kiyl said. "Entities created from pure Dragon Lacrima with a singular drive: to wipe out the enemies of the Empire."
Erza raised her weapons as the automatons took pause. Kiyl raised his hand.
"What is your plan, then, Erza Scarlet?" Kiyl asked. "Continue this fight and die suffering? Or allow me to be quick of it? Your three allies already have one foot in the door because of the Battle Royale. It'll just be a matter of whittling you down."
Erza never bought that the Empire would truly hold back as Kiyl once intimated they would. She did anticipate an ambush of some kind.
But this army of Dragon Slayers far exceeded her expectations. The few there would likely struggle even without being beset by the wears of fighting.
Erza glanced up at the viewing lacrima. They'd been turned off. Nobody in the arena could know what was going on, could see the Empire about to wipe out Fairy Tail. More importantly, their friends in the stands couldn't see what was happening, either, to come help out.
It was Erza alone against Kiyl, master of Sea King Dragon Slayer Magic, and an army of artificial Dragon Slayers.
So be it.
"Just as you've had enough of this charade of peace, so too have I," Erza said. "Come, Imperial. Let me cut you, and your army, down."
Juvia crashed to the ground, picking herself up with wobbling arms before Axel's foot came and slammed her into the ground. She screamed, blood escaping her mouth. Capricorn was gone, Lucy having forcibly closed his gate before Axel could inflict any more harm on him.
Lucy watched, helpless, as Axel tossed Juvia away, almost into the marching steps of several new soldiers that appeared, most converging on a single point while some stayed behind. One such soldier, quite robotic in nature, grabbed Lucy from behind by the neck and lifted her into the air so she could see the carnage ensuing: the area was obliterated, Elfman was blasted out of a building while Gray struggled to get back up and Sting was pursuing them.
There was no sign of the Exceeds, and this army of robots was everywhere, having emerged like demons from the bowels of hell.
And there, glimmering, was Axel, his blade arm raised over Juvia.
"Stop it!" Lucy screamed, almost out of tears. "Please, stop it!"
But Axel hardly heard her. The robot's grip tightened on her.
"I'm begging you, Axel, please!"
His arm returned to normal. He straightened, wearing a grin that had Lucy's gut doing flips. He placed a foot, that could easily sharpen, on Juvia's back. Two more robots stepped forward as the one holding Lucy slammed her to the ground, and they held her down, too.
"Go on, then, Lucy," Axel said. "Beg."