Chapter 105

True Power

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

The crumbling base fell to the ground as the conscious members of the dark guild held on for dear life. The Celestial King stared down at Mard Geer looked up. "I didn't think there was anyone able to summon the Spirit King." Mard Geer confessed.

"You're still carrying that book like a babe." The spirit replied. "How many years has it been?"

"This is END's soul." The demon explained. "Tartaros itself."

"King of Hades, what are you scheming?" The King ordered.

"Haven't you realized by now?" Mard Geer chuckled back. "We're going to resuscitate END and return to Zeref's side."

"Is it for that reason that my old friend gave up her key to bring me here?" The Spirit questioned. "Is that the reason why her wizard is shedding" tears?"

"Why don't we end our fight, Spirit King?" Mard Geer chuckled back.

"Thanks to my contract with her and her resolve, I will annihilate her enemy." The king declared, holding up his sword. "I won't forgive you!" He swung his blade and slammed it into the ground. Mard Geer jumped to the side and swung hand, causing a series of vines to puncture the King.

"The curse if endlessly growing thorns will destroy you." The King of Hades declared.

The Spirit King swung his blade and severed the vines. Holding up his blade, he swung it downward. The attack carved through the land and created a new canyon. The dust settled and Mard Geer was shown to be standing to the side. "Impressive."

Inside the rubble, Jackal listened to the battle. "What the hell is going on out here?" Crying caught his attention and he turned to see Lucy clutching the broken key. "What did you do!?" She did not reply, still crying. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Throwing an explosion, a dome of water protected the girl. The sphere flowed into her, charging her power. 'A final gift from my old friend.' The Spirit King explained. 'Finish what you both started.'

Standing up, her outfit had changed as another explosion almost hit her. "JUST DIE ALREADY!" Jackal shouted, missing the chant Lucy was reciting.

"Shine! Urano Metria!" 88 spheres of magic power slammed into Jackal, blasting him back into the rubble. Crashing into a stone wall, the rubble crushed him again, finally beating him. Jackal and Lucy fell over in exhaustion as more demons approached the blonde.

Mard Geer jumped off the blade into his face, only for the king to swing the sword and missed. "What's wrong, Spirit King?" Mard Geer mocked. "Your movements have suddenly become rather sluggish. It looks like this is the end of the road for you!"

"Not if I destroy you first!" The spirit declared, holding his sword high. "Let the 88 constellations of the heavens shine now! Infinite starlight!" The blade glowed and the clouds cleared from the sky. "Galaxia Blade!" A blinding light radiated off the sword, blinding the Underworld King.

"A full frontal attack?" He mumbled as the ground was torn apart. "So you're willing to let your summoner become collateral damage!?" A smirk grew on the Spirits face, shocking Mard Geer. "You didn't…" The light faded as the king smiled down. "You dispelled the Alegria?"

"The radiance of the stars is a pure light which erodes away all darkness." The Spirit King chuckled. "I'll leave it to my old friends to take care of your demise."

"Damn you, Celestial Spirit King!" Mard Geer shouted as the giant faded away. His hand turned to stone and slowly started spreading on his body. "Do you actually think you can stop me? This malice… for all humankind… don't forget it… You will see how magic pulse bomb looks." turned completely to stone as the sun began to set. "

Neo Minerva stared at the blinding light in complete confusion. "What in the world was that light?" Footsteps caught her attention to see Erza freed and rushing towards her, anger in her eyes. "Erza! Show me exactly what you're made of, Titania!" She cheered as she rushed into battle.

"What the hell kind of magic did this human just use!?" Torafuzor questioned, looking down at Lucy. "This is exactly why I told them to her immediately!" He swung his fin blade at her neck, only for Gajeel to punch him back. "Impossible! The only human left should be that girl!"

"Looks like you're wrong." He sneered back.

A black mist dived at the Dragon Slayer, only for water to suddenly pool around him. "Water Nebula!" A full spiral of water cut him off as Silver stepped forward.

"How about I put you on ice?" He declared, ice creeping forward.

"Not a chance!" Gray shouted, his ice countering the oncoming wave.

"He countered Silver's ice?" Keyes mumbled, shocking Gray.

Tempester landed next to the stunned Ice Wizard. "WOOSH." Fire shot forward and enveloped the group, only for it spiral downward.

Natsu swallowed the flames and burped with a smile. "I don't really know what's going on, but I feel like we owe you our lives, Lucy." He chuckled, making the blonde smile. "Well, lookie here. Some pretty strong looking dudes lined up for us. That's what I call hospitality." He slammed his fists together, fire blasting outward. "Now I'm getting fired up."

The four demons stared at the humans as Natsu growled at Zero. "You! I remember you. You froze me solid! And Flare's village!"

"Huh… he smells familiar…" Gajeel mumbled. "Kinda like-"

Zero suddenly launched forward and slammed his hand into Gray's chest, dragging him along. "This one's mine." He declared before throwing Gray backwards.

"Gray!" Juvia called out, turning her back on the enemy.

"Ssshhh." Tempester spoke, creating a series of tornados that blew them all back.

A heavy thud caught his attention as Gajeel stomping forward, his body coated in iron. "Try that on iron!" He shouted, pulling his arm back. He launched an iron pillar from his hand, forcing Torafuzar to block for his brethren. Keyes floated over the battlefield before diving.

Natsu jumped up and swung a flaming kick, only for the body to act like a powder. "Water Slicer!" Juvia launched a series of water blades, only for them to fly through it as well.

"What is this guy made of?" Gajeel questioned, only to get an elbow in the gut from the fish demon. Juvia was hit by the staff while Natsu was struck by lightning. All three stood back up and charged back into the fight, making Keyes chuckle.

Pantherlily walked through the destroyed base, looking for anyone and everyone. Rounding a corner, he came across Happy and raced forward, only to stop in shock. Growing out of his head was a red and yellow mushroom. "I thought I was safe, but then I saw this…" He mumbled. "What if Carla hates me now?"

"No…, it doesn't look too bad." Lily replied. "I bet I could pull it off." He gripped the head and pulled, but the mushroom stayed firm.

Unbeknownst to both felines, the mushroom gained an eye and a mouth. 'Good thing I can also make people absorb my soul too. Otherwise I'd be dead.' Franmath chuckled to himself. 'Something Mard Geer said is nagging me. The Face project can go as planned… Did I miss something?

Wendy snapped her eyes open and sat up, sitting in a cave. "Wendy!" Carla cheered before hugging the girl.

"We didn't… explode?" She questioned. "What about Face!?"

"Thanks to you, it stopped moving." She glanced over and found Doranbolt sitting against the cave wall.

"He saved us the moment the explosion happened." Carla explained before the two hugged.

"Sorry to tell you this, but nothing's over yet." He said, shocking Wendy. Carla picked up Wendy and flew upwards, shocking the girl.

"It… can't be." She mumbled, looking down at the shear number of Faces sticking out of the ground.

"So far, we've located over 20 Faces." Doranbolt explained as the two landed.

"After all we did to destroy one…" Carla mumbled. "There's so many. It's the e-"

"Don't say it, Carla." Wendy cut her off, air gathering around her hand. "I don't want to lose anymore hope. I decided that I'm going to live with you." She swung her hand and chopped most of her hair off. "I won't whine and cry anymore. I can't give up while everyone else is fighting."

With Erza

Neo Minerva swung her claws and matched Erza's sword before finally shattering the blade. "I am Neo Minerva! I was reborn as the strongest wizard!" She declared before blasting Erza back with magic. The red head rolled along the ground and charged again, only for Minerva to swap their locations and kick her in the face. "Let's have more fun, Er-

A fist cut her off and sent her flying back. Enraged, she charged and swung her claws, only for a wooden shield to block it. "Why are you here!?" Neo Minerva demanded.

Behind the bark shield, Laki helped Erza back to her feet. "I was looking for Natsu, but I won't just let you kill my friend!" Laki declared.

"Yeah, you tell her!" Rose shouted from behind.

The demoness growled and charged in. "I'm the strongest!" She shouted.

Erza jumped over Laki and swung her fist. "What are you fighting against!?" The red head questioned, slamming her into the ground.

"Why are you so weak? Stupid daughter."

Minerva snapped her eye open and roared, pushing herself up. "I must be strong!" She shouted, swinging her claws.

"Wake up!" Erza shouted, punching her again. The fist sent the demon flying backwards, crashing into a broken wall. "I don't agree with everything you did during the Grand Magic Games, but I can understand it. Wasn't it all for the sake of Sabertooth? What is the meaning of this fight!?"

"I know…" Neo Minerva sighed out. "That's why… I want you to kill me…" Both women were shocked at the request. "I'm weak. That's why I fell to the dark side. I can't live with this body anymore. Please…"

Erza was too stunned to move as Laki walked forward and kneeled down, putting her hand on Minerva's shoulder. "I know someone is waiting for you to comeback hone. Never forget that."

Neo Minerva looked up as footsteps caught their attention. "Humans… Do you like talking about life and death so much?" All three turned to see Mard Geer walking forward.

"Who are you?" Laki asked.

'That voice… I've heard it before…' Erza said to herself. 'The king of the underworld, Mard Geer…'

"I thought all the garbage was cleaned up." He mumbled. "Damn Celestial Spirit King. Luckily I still have some time. I'll clean up the garbage myself." He swung his hand and blasted the three back before a beam of curse power spiraling towards Minerva.

"Run away, you two…" She whispered before an explosion filled the field. Mard Geer stared at the blast as the dust settled, a wooden shield protecting Erza and Laki.

"Just in time" Both women gasped at the familiar voice.

"Sorry for being late." The dust settled to show Sting and Rouge standing, the blonde holding Minerva in his arms. "We came to pick you up, m'lady."

"And take you home." Rouge added, the Exceeds agreeing. Mard Geer stared in confusion as tears weld up in her eye.

And it was this point that officially cemented my distaste for Lucy. Why? Because Minerva has the EXACT same backstory as her, but DONE RIGHT! Seriously, Jiemma is about ten times a worse father than Jude ever was, and probably ever would have been. Yet people will readily attack Minerva (and I saw one story where Erza BRUTALLY murders her in the GMG) simply because they're simps for one or the other. Get over yourself.

That aside, this was a wild ride. I bet no one saw the break down from Minerva happening. And a hell of a battle happened between two kings. Probably one of my favorites in the whole show. Why it didn't get more screen time, I don't know. Bye.

Beta read by General Feng Xiang