A/N: Episode 260.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER EIGHTY-ONE: THE GIRL IN THE CRYSTAL
Natsu and Mard Geer stared at one another. "Let's get 'em, Igneel!" Natsu exclaimed as Igneel roared before both his and Natsu's eyes flashed gold.
Natsu sped forward. "I don't really care for overconfidence, human." Mard Geer claimed.
A bright light soon appeared, destroying everything. "I consider the dragons a nuisance. Not you." Mard Geer continued as Natsu appeared engulfed in flames.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!" Natsu shouted, sending a backwards flaming kick towards Mard Geer who caught his foot.
"In the first place, you're not a dragon." Mard Geer said as Natsu got thrown on the ground, falling down the hole.
"Natsu!" Igneel called out before flying out of the way of Acnologia's attack which lit up the sky.
"I'm surprised that a dragon still exists. How disagreeable." Acnologia finally spoke.
"Oh? You finally speak, Acnologia." Igneel stated.
"I acknowledge you as my enemy. And I'm going to destroy you." Acnologia declared as Natsu continued falling down the hole.
"Begone, son of the dragon." Mard Geer said, looking down at the hole. "Thorns."
Thorns surrounded Natsu, making him dodge. One was headed right for him until it was destroyed by a bright light as Sting, Rogue, and Dusk arrived.
"Sting! Rogue! Dusk!" Natsu exclaimed, glad to see the three.
"Long time no see, Natsu-san!" Sting greeted.
Natsu landed on the ground. "So it was you guys!" He said as Sting, Rogue, and Dusk landed in front of him. "Akame and Zack could tell you were here."
"Akame?" Dusk repeated. "Is he okay?"
"He's fine. He and Zack are with Hana, Lucy, Gajeel, Levy, and Juvia." Natsu responded, making Dusk nod. "Why are you guys here?"
"Our lady..." Sting started to say.
"Whatever! No time for explanations right now." Natsu interrupted, making both Rogue and Dusk sigh in unison. "More importantly, where are Lector, Frosch, and Bruno?"
"With Ezekiel. They're heading for the control room to shut Face down. Erza and Happy are with them, too." Dusk explained.
"I see. Well, knowing them, I wasn't worried." Natsu said.
The four Dragon Slayers soon looked up at Mard Geer. "Natsu-san, let's fight him together!" Sting suggested.
"The four of us can beat him." Rogue added.
"That's a great plan..." Natsu started to say. "...but I've gotta turn you down!"
"What?!"
"Igneel asked me to this job. And I'm gonna do it alone." Natsu declared.
"Don't be a dumbass at a time like this!" Rogue scolded, stepping forward but Dusk placed his hand against his chest, preventing him from going further.
"All right, then how about this? The Twin Dragons and Dusk or Natsu? Who can take that guy out first? It's a competition!" Dusk suggested.
"What?!" Natsu exclaimed as lightning bolts went through him. "You're not gonna beat him first!"
Natsu leaped into the air. "I'm not gonna let you!" He shouted as Sting, Rogue, and Dusk leaped into the air as they followed him.
"Nice thinking!" Sting complimented.
Dusk chuckled. "Akame would've reacted the same way. That's how I got the idea." He explained.
"Good grief..." Rogue muttered.
Natsu engulfed his fist in flames, striking down at Mard Geer. He tried to attack him with flames but Mard Geer sent him down. Sting appeared with his fists covered in holy light as Mard Geer struck him.
Rogue appeared from the shadows as flames appeared from below. Natsu sent a flaming kick to his jaw as Rogue punched him with shadows. Dusk leaped into the air, engulfing his right leg in yellow-white light before striking down at Mard Geer, sending him through multiple pillars before he finally crashed into a rock.
"There are two dragons in the sky. There are four sons of dragons in front of me. There may be even more. Running around inside my castle... You make me recall a feeling I'd forgotten long ago." Mard Geer looked up with a crazed look in his eyes. "Anger."
Sting, Rogue, and Dusk immediately got into a fighting stance. "Good for you. Now you've caught up to the humans." Natsu grinned.
Acnologia fired another breath attack at Igneel, who countered it with his own. A huge explosion soon appeared in the sky before it disappeared.
"I've been waiting impatiently for this day, Acnologia." Igneel claimed. "It's time to face retribution for the great misfortune you brought on us long ago."
"I have but one aim. To destroy all dragons!" Acnologia exclaimed as him and Igneel charged forward.
Doranbolt had teleported Wendy and Carla. "We finally made it this far..." Doranbolt announced.
"Look!" Carla exclaimed, pointing at the sky at Igneel and Acnologia fighting.
"Looks like it isn't over yet." Doranbolt stated.
Carla glanced up at Wendy. "Wendy, do you feel all right?" She asked.
"Yes, I'm fine." Wendy replied before looking up at the sky again.
"I never thought we'd see Acnologia again." Carla claimed.
"I wonder what the other dragon is." Doranbolt said.
"I don't know. We haven't seen it before, either." Carla stated.
Wendy looked at Doranbolt. "Let's hurry! I'm worried about Natsu-san and the others!" She informed.
"Right." Doranbolt said, placing a hand on her shoulder and teleporting.
The multiple Lummy's were still crawling around as Lisanna kicked one of them down with her foot. Acnologia flew over them.
"I don't really understand what's going on, but I'm pretty sure it's nothing good." Jet stated, looking up as Igneel flew by, following after Acnologia.
"I hope Natsu, Lucy, and the rest are okay." Lisanna said.
"There's no point in us worrying about it here." Elfman claimed, picking up one of the Lummy's by the hair. "We've just gotta do what we can!"
The multiple Lummy's eyes soon flashed gold.
"First, let's clean up this trash!" Elfman exclaimed, throwing the Lummy in his hand at the others.
"Agreed!" Lisanna said, kicking some more Lummy's away.
"We'll show 'em what we can do!" Jet commented.
"It's just too bad Levy's not here to see it!" Droy added as Jet sped forward.
"High Speed!"
Jet knocked multiple Lummy's down.
"Knuckle Plant!"
The Lummy's were lifted into the air before falling to the ground.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" Lummy said to Warren. "Where're your guild's hot guys?!"
"Introduce us! Introduce us!"
"But secretly, so the others can't horn in!"
"I told you to look right in front of your eyes!" Warren informed.
"In front of my eyes where? Where are they?"
"I don't see any hot guys anywhere!"
"Hot guys! Hot guys! Where are all the hot guys at?"
Warren pointed at himself. "It's me, for crying out loud! I'm right in front of you!" He responded.
"Huh?" All of the Lummy's turned to look at him before they all started laughing.
Warren turned around as tears were streaming down his face. "That hurt my feelings..." He mumbled.
Juvia was lying on the ground as Lucy, Hana, and Levy were at her side. "Juvia, are you all right? Juvia!" Lucy shouted.
"Gray-sama..." Juvia muttered.
Akame touched his hands against her face. "She needs medical treatment, and fast. Laxus, as well." He informed, looking back at Laxus.
"Take them to Porlyusica-san with the medical ingredients. I think she can help them." Lucy told Levy, who nodded before Lucy glanced at Gajeel. "Gajeel!"
"Huh?"
"Please take Laxus and Juvia. We have to escape this building." Lucy stated.
"Don't be an idiot. There are dragons out there, and I'm a Dragon Slayer. I can't leave now!" Gajeel argued.
"Akame-sama and Zack-sama are also Dragon Slayers. We'll be fine." Hana reminded, making Lucy nod in agreement.
"Just the two of 'em won't be enough." Gajeel claimed.
"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence." Akame spoke sarcastically. "Didn't know you were selfish to let your guildmates die, Gajeel."
"Why, you...!"
"It's okay!" Levy interrupted, causing Lucy, Hana, Akame, and Zack to look at her. "You stay here and help Akame and Zack, Gajeel. I'll carry Laxus. Lu-chan and Hana, you two take Juvia."
"But are you gonna be okay?" Lucy questioned.
Levy struggled lifting Laxus up. "I'm fine! I can handle him..." She reassured, stumbling a bit.
"Wait, Levy-chan!" Lucy exclaimed.
"I'm fine! He's actually pretty light!"
Levy looked up and saw Gajeel. "I can't watch this." He claimed.
"Gajeel..." Levy muttered.
Gajeel lifted Laxus off of Levy, making her blush. "You support Juvia. I'll take them to Granny Porlyusica." Gajeel informed as an image of Belno appeared in his mind.
"Gotta protect the people who are right in front of you first, right, Granny?" He thought.
"Also, give Salamander a message." Gajeel told Lucy.
"What is it?" She asked.
"'Don't forget the song that sings my glories.'" Gajeel replied.
"Got it!" Lucy said.
Minerva, Erza, and the Exceeds looked at the timer which was at 19 minutes.
"Hurry, Zeke! She really is speeding up the countdown!" Erza warned.
Ezekiel charged forward with his sword in his hands as Kyoka blocked his attack. "You are powerless before my Etherious form!" Kyoka claimed.
"Her strength is increasing! There's a world of difference from before!" Ezekiel said as Kyoka pushed him back and Ezekiel skidded on the ground.
The timer was now at 18 minutes.
"Ezekiel! Hang in there!" Chii reassured.
"But I don't think she's invulnerable! There must be a way to beat her!" Ezekiel stated, charging forward once again.
The multiple Lummy's eyes continued to glow as they swayed back and forth. Both Elfman and Lisanna got into a fighting stance. Elfman pushed a Lummy out of the way, crashing into the other Lummy's.
Lisanna then kicked some more, crashing into the rest of them.
"We did it!" Lisanna gave Elfman a high five.
"All right!" Droy pushed two of the Lummy's aside.
"High Speed!" Jet sped by a group of Lummy's.
"You've got this, everyone!" Warren encouraged as he was hiding behind a rock.
"Give us a hand, Warren!" Jet shouted in irritation, pulling one of the Lummy's cheeks.
'Yeah, but look, my Magic isn't for fighting.' Warren spoke telepathically.
"I know, so say it out loud!" Jet yelled.
Warren looked away as a light shined on him. 'And my feelings are still hurt...' He spoke in Jet's head.
"Like I care!"
Lisanna attacked one of the Lummy's, making her collapse to the ground.
"This is..." Elfman slammed a Lummy to the ground. "...the last one!"
"If I had to lose, I wanted a hot guy to beat me..." Lummy complained as tears fell down her face.
"I hope that took care of it." Droy said.
"Jeez, she was annoying." Lisanna complained.
Lucy soon arrived with Akame, Zack, and Hana. "What is this?" She asked before glancing up. "Everyone! Lisanna, too! Thank goodness you're safe!"
"Lucy!" Lisanna exclaimed.
'Another sexy outfit!' Warren telepathically said.
"Is it just you guys?" Elfman questioned.
"Your thoughts are leaking out." Droy told Warren.
"I was with everyone, and then we split up..." Lucy answered, recalling how she had to sacrifice Aquarius. Hana sees her look and touches her shoulder in reassurance.
"What's wrong?" Lisanna asked, seeing the look on her face.
"Nothing! I'm fine." Lucy reassured her before placing her hand over Hana's, silently showing her gratitude.
"What happened to the rest of 'em?" Elfman questioned.
"Gajeel and Levy-chan are carrying Juvia and Laxus to Porlyusica-san, along with the medicinal ingredients." Lucy explained.
Levy was carrying Juvia while Gajeel was carrying Laxus.
"Gray-sama..." Juvia mumbled.
"Steady there, Juvia." Levy told her.
"You know the way there?" Gajeel asked.
"Yeah." Levy replied, looking at the markings. "The markings are still here, so it should be this way."
Gray was walking through the corridor when he noticed something on the ground.
"What's this doing here?"
"He said Gray got incredible power somehow. Natsu is, um... How can I explain it?"
Acnologia and Igneel continued battling in the sky.
"The dragons fighting in the sky..." Lisanna started to say.
"One of them is Igneel, the dragon Natsu's been searching for all this time." Lucy explained.
"Where'd it come from?" Elfman asked.
"Um..." Lucy trailed off.
"That's uh... kind of difficult to explain. I don't quite understand it myself." Akame was the one who replied, making Zack nod in agreement.
"Anyway, if it's an ally of Natsu's, it's on our side too, right?" Warren questioned.
"It's evenly matched with Acnologia, isn't it?" Jet asked.
"I think we've got a little bit of hope here!" Droy exclaimed.
Wendy soon arrived with Doranbolt and Carla. "Face is still a danger." Wendy announced.
"Wendy?!"
"Carla! And you, from the Council..."
Jet, Warren, and Droy noticed Wendy's short hair.
"But wait! What happened to your hair?!"
"More importantly, we've got to deal with tons of Face bombs." Carla informed.
"Tons?!"
"There are thousands of them. And if we don't stop them somehow, Magic all over the continent will be eradicated." Doranbolt stated.
"And then the Curse power that Tartaros uses will take over the world." Carla added as the clouds covered the moon.
"Man, he is one heavy bastard." Gajeel complained. "I'm gonna make him come up with a song later that glorifies me, too."
"Hey, what are these songs you're talking about?" Levy questioned.
"Salamander's gonna make a song that praises me. This guy, too. I busted my ass for them, so it's the least they can do in return." Gajeel answered.
"Then maybe I'll have you create a song that glorifies me, Gajeel." Levy claimed as Gajeel turned to her.
"Huh?"
"I saved you before, right? So in exchange..." Levy trailed off as Gajeel stared at her, making her nervous. "What? Are you mad? I was kidding! Only kidding!"
Gajeel sets Laxus down. "Shoobie-doo-ba! Sha-la-la!" He began, snapping his fingers. "A demon and I were underwater... I was fightin' while blowing air bubbles. The shark bastard's exterior was tough as anything, but hardly a match for me. Sha-la-la! But then I ran out of breath, shoobie-do-ba! Crap! Crap! I thought I was a goner... Doobie-doobie! Fade-in on a little form. That woman gave me air..."
"Y-Y-You really don't need to make one up!" Levy interrupted as her face was bright red.
"What? That could've become a classic." Gajeel commented.
"I mean, Gajeel's sense of music is really..." Levy mumbled to herself.
Gray continued walking down the corridor. "I have a feeling everyone's in danger. Better meet up with them soon." He said to himself.
Sting, Rogue, Dusk, and Natsu were still facing off against Mard Geer as another explosion in the sky erupted from Igneel and Acnologia's fight.
"Emotions only dull one's thinking. I intend to keep mine in check for as long as possible." Mard Geer stated. "Master END, please wait a short while."
Mard Geer sends END down, making Natsu narrow his eyes. "The emotion called anger is especially bad. Sometimes it makes one lose sight of oneself. I wonder what would happen if my 'self' were to change. Just thinking about it fills me with dread." He claimed, sitting down on the throne.
"Mard Geer is Mard Geer. I am called the Underworld King and the master of Tartaros. I must forget this emotion again. Along with your existence..." He finished as he was engulfed in a light and the ground began to tremble.
"W-What the...?!" Natsu said.
"I sense an ominous force." Rogue informed.
The trembling suddenly stopped. "So you've finally gotten serious, huh?" Dusk questioned.
"Here it comes!" Sting warned.
Thorns soon erupted from the ground, surrounding the four Dragon Slayers. "Dammit!" Natsu exclaimed as he climbed up the thorns.
Natsu was engulfed in flames as he charged at Mard Geer. However, Mard Geer sent him flying.
"Natsu-san!" Sting called out.
Roses soon appeared on Sting, Rogue, and Dusk's chests before they exploded, causing the three to get sent back.
"This guy..." Sting started to say.
"...is strong!" Rogue finished.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" Natsu shouted, head butting Mard Geer.
"Doesn't work, does it?" Mard Geer asked.
"And... Roar!" Natsu releases his breath attack.
"Sting! Rogue! Dusk!" Natsu called out.
"Natsu-san wants an assist!" Sting exclaimed.
"So he admits we've got a formidable enemy here." Rogue said.
Sting and Rogue began powering up their attack.
"Holy Shadow Dragon's... Flash Fang!"
"Star Dragon's Roar!"
The three attacks combined and headed for Mard Geer. "Light, darkness, and starlight, eh? It's beautiful. However..." Mard Geer captured the attack in his palms. "...I will extinguish it within me."
"No way!" Sting exclaimed.
"He absorbed it!" Rogue spoke in shock.
Natsu leaped into the air. "Then Lightning Flame Dragon's Firing Hammer!" He shouted.
Natsu struck down at Mard Geer, who smirked and sent Natsu crashing to the ground. Mard Geer soon landed back on his throne and crossed his legs.
"If that's your limit, you might as well give up now." Mard Geer taunted. "I haven't shown you my Etherious form yet."
Natsu, Sting, Rogue, and Dusk all gritted their teeth in frustration.
"In other words, Warren will use telepathy to call on wizards throughout the continent to destroy the Face bombs?" Elfman asked.
"I understand the plan, but it's impossible. My telepathy can't reach any further than 5 km out. Wizards all over the continent? There's just no way." Warren replied.
"Oh no..." Wendy muttered.
"Thousands of Face bombs..." Lisanna muttered.
"They're already turned on. And set to go off any time now." Doranbolt informed.
"If we had the Exceeds, we could set off to tell them." Akame suggested.
"If we're talking about just the wizard guilds, yeah. But there are lots of other rogue wizards on the continent too." Zack pointed out.
Akame sighed. "You're right." He agreed.
"What do we do?!" Elfman questioned.
Warren began sobbing. "Dammit! Dammit! My lame power is just pathetic!" He yelled.
'No. Don't give up so soon.'
A voice soon appeared in everyone's heads. "That voice!" Lucy exclaimed.
'I still have an ace up my sleeve. Fairy Tail's ultimate weapon! Lumen Histoire!'
Makarov appeared in front of a large crystal encasing Mavis's body.
A/N: Another chapter is done!
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.