~~~Author's Notes~~~
Many apologies for the repost. I noticed that the story didn't show up on the fanfic main page, plus there were no views on this chapter so I can only assume no one has seen this one yet.
"We refuse." Arya bluntly rejected. She was facing Jellal with her arms crossed. The other Tenhei members were standing behind her, sharing similar expressions of disapproval as she is.
Jellal squints his eyes. "The civilians here deserve to know what's been going on. There's no time to be stubborn."
"You *really* think they'll listen to you chumps?" Argus snarked. "Sorry pal, but normal people don't just change opinions on people that easily." He shrugged.
"Even then, tis is not thou business to know where thee civilians are hiding." Balrus insisted.
"It's beginning to get more unsafe here." Rogue pointed out. "And not just because of our involvement."
Arya lets out a puff of smoke from her pipe. "We still refuse. None of you will lay foot in the refugee's sight."
Gajeel clenches his fist. "You chumps just don't budge huh?" He grumbled.
"I share the same sentiment!" A voice was heard from a distance, which got the attention of everyone. "You land-dwellers had butt in our affairs far too many times already!"
The group witnessed a bruised up Stark alongside an uninjured Sync approaching them, the latter was curiously looking around the area. Loke and Happy were also alongside them, the Exceed greeting the group by waving at them.
"Hey! You're all okay!" Happy beamed.
"Huh? Why are they all together?" Sting scratched the back of his head in confusion.
Juvia places her hands together. "Gray and the rest are still inside right?! How were they?"
Torian spotted the younger angel and flinched. "S-Sync?! Why are you out of the castle?!"
Arya glared at the slender angel. "Stark…"
Stark ignores Arya and briefly glances at the rubble from the tower. "So, she was right on that tower then…" He comments, facing the group again. "I'm impressed it was taken care of so quickly."
Sync stares at the tower rubble and lowers her head. She lets out a quiet whimper.
"We were pretty lucky that we were able to prevent it from crashing down." Argus comments. "But now these punks destroyed the boss' precious garden!" He accuses, pointing at the humans.
"Hey! Sure, our guild is known for breaking shit! But it was on the verge of falling before we got here!" Gajeel argued.
Sync clenched her teeth, facing away from the group.
Jellal steps in between both groups. "We're getting nowhere with these arguments! We should prioritize the civilian's safety right now!"
"That is *none* of your concern." Stark shot. "Take one step towards the refugee spot and I'll shoot you dead."
"STOP IT!" Sync shrieked.
Everyone flinched at the young angel's sudden outburst which caused them to turn their attention at her. She faced the group, clenching her scythe tightly.
"I-it was my fault…" Sync admits. "I caused god's precious garden to get destroyed…"
The Tenhei, minus Stark, widened their eyes in shock. They placed the pieces together immediately. While the humans showed signs of confusion and not understanding what Sync meant.
"Uh…you mean this little girl caused all of *that*?" Gajeel questioned, gesturing to the rubble.
Sync lowers her head, her lips trembling. "Because of that…and what Starky announced earlier…g-god said he'll-"
"The situation has changed." Stark interrupts the girl. "I was just on my way to the refugee site if I can assume that's where they're currently at. The civilians could potentially be in more danger right now." He explains.
Arya approaches Stark and points very close to his face. "Of course the situation changed. What were you even *thinking* allowing them to use their magic?! Were you out of your mind?!"
Stark smacks Arya's hand away from his face. "I'll face the consequences later. Right now, I need to correct that mistake."
Suddenly, Loke stumbles back a couple steps and clenches his forehead. He begins to feel a disturbance which got the attention of the rest.
"This feeling…no it can't-!" Loke realizes, his body shining brightly. "L-Lucy is…ngh!" He grunts before vanishing instantly, leaving a trail of golden mist behind.
"Loke!" Happy exclaimed. "What did he mean by Lucy…?"
As soon as the Exceed asked that, they all witnessed, far in the distance, a large-scale attack. It appeared to be a tornado covered with black winds tearing through the streets not in their direction. It was at that moment where they all realized what just happened.
"That attack…it's supposed to be…Wendy's right?" Juvia recalled.
Jellal takes a few steps forward and gasps. "That presence…no…did they get taken out?!" He frets.
"Wait, you mean Natsu lost?!" Sting exclaimed.
Jellal grits his teeth, activating his Meteor spell. "...Shit! This is bad!"
"Natsu! Lucy!" Happy cried out, taking off towards where the attack landed.
The rest of the human mages quickly followed the Exceed. The angels watch them leave before turning the opposite direction.
"Hmph. Let's go." Stark walks off, the rest of the Tenhei following him.
Sync flutters by the angels, briefly glancing back. She clenches her scythe even tighter and continues following Stark.
Carla flew back inside Henry's house and grabbed Wendy. She flew right back out and prepared to take off towards the town. Her expression read of fear and urgentness.
Henry reached out to the white Exceed. "Wh-where are you going?!"
"Where else! Back to town!" Carla responded.
Alivia took a brief peek inside her house and took note of another individual who was missing. She growled and kicked the side of the door. "Aagh! That Hahlos is also gone!" She grumbled. "Ah took my eyes off of him for a *second*!"
"I'm sorry, but I have to head back!" Carla insisted, facing away from the ranchers and towards the town. "Chelia…what are you thinking…?!" She mumbled.
The Exceed took off, but quickly felt an aching pain on her head. She abruptly stopped flying and fell on the ground, dropping Wendy's body in the process. She held her aching head and slowly attempted to pull herself back up.
"Nnngh! No! Why now?!" Carla groaned. Her precognition began to activate, and the vision she saw caused her eyes to sink. She felt a chill up her spine.
Exahelm, from far away, covered in a colossal ball of fire. The ball grows and grows at a quick pace. An escape was attempted, but Carla was quickly devoured by the flames. Exahelm itself burns away in the process, but no other noise was heard.
Carla snaps back to reality, frozen in place.
"What…what was…" She stuttered.
Clenching on a small object tightly, Chelia continued running straight ahead. Her pink hair was beginning to get all wavy and messy from the chilling winds blowing at it so much. She appeared exhausted, but showed no sign of faltering. She briefly glanced down at her palm and opened it, revealing a small lacrima. It was a very familiar lacrima, she recalled a conversation from a couple days ago.
"Come on Wendy! Don't look like that, you were amazing out there!"
"B-but…do I *really* have to show them this?! I'm embarrassed enough holding it!"
"Wendy…" Chelia mumbled.
~~~Flashback~~~
Chelia sat in front of Wendy's body, which was lying by the wooden wall inside Henry's house. She stopped attempting to shake the blue haired girl up and simply stared at the ground, breaking down from despair. Carla was behind her, collapsed on the floor.
While hiccuping through her cries, Chelia noticed something glistening by Wendy's body. She gently picked it up and recognized what it was immediately. She could recall the events of the concert two nights ago. It felt like an eternity ago, but does that have to be the last memory between the two?
"Out of the way!" Erza's voice could be heard from outside. Chelia quickly shoved the lacrima in her own pocket before the swordswoman stormed inside.
~~~End Flashback~~
Chelia kept staring at the lacrima while standing at the edge of the clouds. On the other side was the deserted town of Exahelm, it appeared a bit more damaged the last time she was there. She placed the stone back in her pocket and began taking several steps back.
"...I won't stand around and just follow others anymore…" Chelia mumbled to herself, her eyes focused. "I won't stop."
Ever since she offered to tag along for this rescue mission, she had just been following the others. Getting covered by them, being told to stay behind for her own safety. The reliable Fairy Tail wizards that despite everything, they still had not given up. So why should she stay behind? Her best friend is still in trouble. Sure, she was able to land a good blow on the one who took her friend away, but that was all she could do. It wasn't even enough to take him out.
Chelia gained a good distance and bent down, preparing to charge ahead. She took a deep breath, black air slowly wrapping around her body. "I can still move…that's all I need to support the others. Who cares about my low magic and the Ethernano up here!" She declared to herself, boosting herself straight ahead.
Her chest was burning, but the former god slayer did not care. She used the power of air to boost herself and leap over the cloud islands. It was enough to reach the other side, Chelia clumsily landing and rolling on the cloudy floor. She coughed several times while standing back up. It wasn't the smoothest landing, but Chelia was still able to make it across by herself.
"Right! I know I can help the others!" Chelia pumped her fists and proceeded to run into town.
It was empty. She recalled witnessing a bunch of civilians being escorted by soldiers when she and Carla flew through town. It wasn't long until she spotted a path of destroyed buildings to her left. It looked like it led directly towards the castle. As she was wondering what caused this wreckage, she spotted something in the corner of her eye.
Chelia stopped in place, and all sound became mute to her. It was an arm of a woman laying on the ground, the top of her hand bearing the Fairy Tail symbol.
Chelia rubbed her eyes, surely she was seeing things. But once she looked again, it was clear what it was. She felt her heart throbbing so hard it could burst out of her chest. She shakily turned towards that corner, her eyes focused on that arm. She was able to discern the scene more fully.
Lucy, Natsu, Erza and Gray. All beaten up and piled onto each other, knocked out cold.
The teen came to a complete stop once again, her eyes sunken deep and mouth hung open with the inability to even gasp. The wind blew harshly, her hair flowing through it. The Fairy Tail wizards weren't even making the slightest movement.
Chelia slowly approached them. "...Hey…"
"I'm not going to cry! Because Fairy Tail is coming back!"
"Why are you just…laying there…?" Chelia questioned. Her arms were limped while she got closer to them. "The mission isn't over yet…Wendy still needs you."
Still no sign of movement. Chelia clenched her teeth, shaking in anger. "You're Fairy Tail wizards…why are you here? All taken out?" She scolded.
She stopped in front of Lucy, staring down at her. Shadows covering her eyes, but still grinding her teeth in anger. She clenched her fists.
"Get up."
Chelia raised both arms in the arm, opening her palms. She lifted her head, the shadows casted away and revealed a sharp glare in her blue eyes.
"GET! UP!"
Letting out a grunt, she slams her palms on the ground and casts a healing spell. A soothing green aura surrounded the knocked out Fairy Tail wizards. Their wounds were already beginning to fade away while Chelia could feel her chest on fire.
"I won't let you all fall like this! If I'm not going to give in…then neither should you all!" Chelia swore.
Izanagi held his face while leaving the front entrance of his castle. He let out a sigh and came to a brief stop. He felt his head ache after the battle against those Fairy Tail wizards. Once his palm slowly slid off his face, the first thing he spotted was his subordinate, Hahlos, standing right in front of him.
"...Master…" Hahlos greets in a flat tone.
The god's expression did not change even the slightest as he focused all around Hahlos' body. "...Your condition appears unchanged since I last saw you." He comments, not even greeting back. "What's going on, Hahlos?"
Hahlos lowers his head. "Forgive me…I let the humans get through me." He admits. The guardian lifts his head back up. "Pardon my interruption…but I would like to discuss something with you, if that's possible?" He requests.
Izanagi doesn't respond. Only squinting his eyes suspiciously at the green haired angel.
Hahlos decided to continue. He turned his head and observed the wrecked town around them. "The condition of Exahelm has been growing worse. A lot has happened ever since I enacted this plan to revive you…" He faces the god. "It may be too dangerous to continue living up here at this rate."
"Are you suggesting we abandon this place and move down below…?" Izanagi predicted, crossing his arms. "Unlike you, we hadn't stepped foot down there in centuries."
Hahlos sighs. "I understand how selfish my request is…after all, it was practically my fault all of this happened in the first place." He admits, placing a palm on his chest. "It was me who had suggested bringing a human here to use her as a vessel. Which triggered this war between us and her associates."
Despite how honest Hahlos had been, Izanagi still hadn't said a word. Only continuing to stare at him. Hahlos prompted himself to continue regardless.
"We can still keep that world peace you'd desire for so much." Hahlos gestured with both his arms. "I saw it…many years ago. Starting with nothing at all, many humans were able to build a new home for themselves within little time at all."
Izanagi was feeling a sense of familiarity with Hahlos' words.
"Community can create the peace we all desire!" Hahlos smiled brightly. "The world is a big place! We can explore it and meet new people! One that could save your fate!" He exulted. "The beauty of the world! It is still-"
"That's impossible." Izanagi interrupts.
Hahlos flinched, lowering his arms and frowning.
Izanagi lifts his left arm and curls his fingers slightly. "Not just anyone can be used as a vessel. If that were the case, then you wouldn't have enacted this plan. You should know this, Hahlos."
Hahlos narrows his eyes away briefly. Deep down he already knew that was the case.
"We both…experienced the true horror of the world…" Izanagi shakes, clenching his left fist tightly. "Even *if* we create a new Exahelm down below, how long do you think it will take until it reaches the same fate as it is here? Or like that village you watched get built all those years ago?"
Hahlos stares back at the god. "The world is constantly changing! We can't know for sure that nothing has changed unless we see for ourselves! Time is never ending, soon enough it would be impossible to continue going on like this!" He tried to convince the god, his tone sounding desperate.
Izanagi swung his arm, letting out a small burst of wind. "I tried! Tried believing in the world!" His voice cracks. "I was born down there after all! I searched high and low all over for any semblance of change and peace for years and years!" He took a shaky breath. "And do you know what I found?!"
Hahlos widened his eyes. This was not a sight he had ever seen from the god before. His shock only grew further, when he spotted tears leaking from his eyes.
"I FOUND NOTHING! THE WORLD REFUSED TO CHANGE…!" Izanagi lashed out. A static memory of the elderly woman reaching out, followed by a barren path faded in his mind again. "A-after…that day! A world where people can only cling to life because of the dangers magic has brought them…is not one worth living in!" He refutes, growling slightly. "That's why…Exahelm exists today…"
The guardian couldn't find the words to respond with. He only stared at the god with an astonished expression.
Izanagi wipes the tears off his eyes with his left arm. "Urrg! Damn it! My emotions have grown more unstable lately!" He admits. He marches past Hahlos, no longer looking at him. "Do as you please. But I will continue to stop at nothing to rid any form of danger to the world peace I created."
Hahlos doesn't look back, only lowers his head. "Izanagi…if this keeps up…even I will not be able to save you."
The god stops in place and glances back at Hahlos one last time. "...So, is that what your eyes witnessed then?" He asks before leaving the green haired angel.
"Nnngh…! *HACK*" Chelia continued healing the wounded mages as she began feeling even more pain from inside her body than before. When the healing mist started to fade away, the girl poured even more magic power to make the healing process continue.
Chelia notices the damage and bruises on their bodies fading away more and more. She pants several times but manages to smile softly that the process is working. However, she abruptly stops for a moment, heaving and coughing out loudly on the spot. The pain in her body has reached excruciating heights. Her 'container' was beginning to crack.
"N-no…I'm not done yet!" Chelia gripped the floor and continued healing the mages.
One of the four began to stir awake, feeling their pain get whisked away. It was Erza Scarlet. Her vision was blurry as she blinked several times until the picture was more clear. She spotted a figure with dark pink hair laying by her. Once Erza's vision became fully clear, she was able to recognize the figure as Chelia.
"Ch…Chelia…?" Erza croaked. The two exchanged eye contact and the swordswoman immediately spotted blood leak from Chelia's lips.
The shock woke Erza up, her eyes widening. She realized that she was being healed by the teen. "Chelia?! What are you doing?!" She exclaimed.
It was at that moment where the remaining Fairy Tail wizards started to also wake up. It was difficult for them to move their bodies at the moment, but the first thing they all saw was Chelia on her knees and casting a healing spell on all of them. They all appeared horrified at Chelia's condition.
Chelia witnessed the group waking up and softly smiled at all of them. "E-everyone…you're going to be…*COUGH*" She was relieved before going into a loud coughing fit. She spits out some blood in the process.
"You idiot! Quit it!" Natsu badgered.
"Please! Don't do this! Chelia!" Lucy cried out.
"If you keep this up…you may not recover!" Gray warned.
"They're right! You'll break apart your magic container!" Erza pointed out.
Chelia took a deep breath. "You think I don't know that?!" She snapped, bags beginning to form under her eyes. "I'm not throwing my life away! There isn't much I can do…but if this is what it takes to support you all, then I'll be happy!"
The Fairy Tail wizards' injuries almost completely fade away as they begin to be able to move again. Chelia makes one more major push, letting out a determined cry.
"I came here for a reason! If…if I'm not putting in all my effort to save my best friend…so I can see her smile again…THEN THAT ISN'T A WORLD WORTH LIVING IN! BECAUSE…THAT'S…LOVE!" Chelia declared, unleashing one last burst of healing magic.
The burst of healing energy spreads out around the whole area before slowly fading away. Green sparkles drifted away high in the air. Chelia's pupils begin to darken, her body about to collapse on the floor. In an instant, Erza felt a surge of energy within her and boosted her body up, catching Chelia before she fell on the floor.
Erza shook the teen. "Chelia! Hang in there!" She panicked.
Natsu, Lucy and Gray all hoisted up and surrounded the girl, all showing signs of concern for her condition.
"Come on! Speak to us!" Gray urged.
Chelia slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry and her head was dizzy, but she was able to discern Wendy's teammates. She smiles weakly, and then immediately starts to form tears under her eyes.
"...Hey…can you all promise me something…?" Chelia requested, tears leaking on her face. "Don't tell Wendy…what I did. She'll…she'll blame herself."
"Chelia…" Lucy lamented, covering her mouth with both palms.
Chelia manages to dig into her pocket and shakily pulls out the lacrima she had. She opens her palm and reveals the stone. "Sh-she…really wanted to show you all this, y-you know?" She trembled and sniffled. "So please…save her! B-bring her back! I…want to see…her smile again…" She pleaded, dropping the stone on the ground.
Erza gasped, seeing Chelia's head limp back. The girl faints in her arms. She stood up, carrying her bridal style.
Natsu bends down and picks up the lacrima. He picks it up and approaches Chelia. He raises the fist that holds the stone and clenches it tightly.
"We will." Natsu promised.