Gray found a somewhat suitable piece of rubble to sit on, watching Lyon the entire time while he did so. Juvia also kept her eyes on him. Her pose was more defensive—crossed arms, a furrowed brow, and legs split just enough to move in the event of a quick attack. Kip remained in the shadows, maintaining the hold the earth had on Lyon.
"Alright," Gray said, meeting his old friend in the eyes. "Let's talk."
"Ice-Make: Snow Dragon!"
Gray didn't flinch. Juvia braced herself. But as Lyon, suddenly awake and alert, tried to move, the rocks around him clenched up. Even Lyon, with his one-handed Ice-Make magic, was helpless. Gray sighed.
"So what gives, man?" Gray asked. He rubbed his head. "The Twilight Empire, really?"
"The greatest military force the world has ever known, that's what," Lyon said. He snarled. This was even worse than the Moon Drip incident on Galena Island. At that time, the insanity in Lyon's expression was fairly evident. Here?
He was totally lucid.
"Greatest bunch of murderers and psychos is what you mean," Gray said. "But I guess you can't really help it, can you?" Gray leered at Lyon. "After all, you're just another one of their experiments. A Broken Wizard."
"Don't banter that about as if it's an insult, Gray,' Lyon said. "You went away for a long time. Don't presume to know anything about the modern world."
"That's what this is all about?" Gray asked.
"Of course not," Lyon said. "But you Fairy Tail wizards have always thought yourselves so superior to the rest of us." Lyon glowered at Juvia. "Even you. Joining with them, following in their ways. What could I have ever seen in you besides frailty?"
Juvia stood tall. "We're not morally superior, but we do seek to do justice in the world where it's demanded."
"Most of us," Gray said. "I'd like to just kick the Empire's ass up and down the continent." He jabbed a finger at Lyon. "So don'tpresume as if I care about what you have to say, you brainwashed idiot." He curled his hand up, and let it fall to the side. "Besides, we'll get you healed up."
"Healed?" Lyon asked. "You can't heal me."
"Yeah, we'll see about that," Gray said. He approached Lyon, keeping that fist balled up tightly. "By the way. I know you're not in full control, but I don't think Ur would mind if I did this to you."
Before Lyon could make a snarky remark, or say anything poorly about their former master, Gray slugged Lyon across the chin. Lyon's lights went out immediately. Kip sprang into action. He dropped the rocks about Lyon, and Juvia knelt to catch him.
"Out cold," she muttered.
"We do need to help him," Gray said. "Another Maker wizard on our side is a huge plus, trust me."
Plus, thinking of Ur…she'd never let Gray just have Lyon go helpless. Ur's legacy lay in the two of them, given Ultear's passing. She was stalwart against forces of darkness, against the things that tortured the free people of the world. To see Lyon under their control would devastate her, and Gray couldn't ignore that gnawing feeling in his heart that ached similarly. They had to get him out of the city with everyone else.
And yet…
Not too far, an explosion echoed. There was probably only one wizard capable of that. And given the bouncing streak of light headed in the direction of the stadium….
"Juvia," Gray said, watching Sting move along. "Take Lyon out of the city. Natus's in trouble."
"Natsu in trouble?" Kip asked.
"It happens more than you think," Gray said. "Juvia?"
Juvia nodded. "I've got him. Be safe, my love."
She reached out and grabbed his arm. Gray could only nod.
Kip cleared the space around them, then, with a kick toward the ground, a hole opened right before them, with a clear tunnel right there. Juvia hefted up Lyon over her shoulders, and with Kip guiding the way, heading into the tunnel, hopefully out of the city to safety.
Meanwhile, Gray charged. It appeared he and Sting had unfinished business one last time.
Wendy blasted a bit of air down the corridor of soldiers. Her arms sagged at her side, but she still held strong. Gajeel was stalwart and tall next to her.
"Damn," Gajeel muttered. "I can see how these guys took over the entire continent so quickly. There's so many of these chumps."
"The others," Wendy said through her heavy breathing. "Where do you think they are?"
"Have to be on their way soon," Gajeel said. He cracked his knuckles and stretched his muscles.
For the moment, they had a slight breather. Wendy could smell the enemy coming. It was a familiar scent—the Quartum Army. Fourth Generation Dragon Slayers were on their way, no doubt as strong if not stronger than the common capital guardsman.
Overhead, three small figures appeared. Wendy waved to them. Gajeel spat out some blood, then hollered for Lily.
"Thank goodness they're okay," Wendy said.
She was worried after they hadn't seen Carla and Happy for some time. The two had shown Gajeel and Wendy the path to the front gate, then vanished to show their friends out. They seemed a bit haggard, Lily in particular, but flew without issue.
Carla landed in Wendy's arms while Happy touched down and Lily landed in front of Gajeel. The Iron Dragon Slayer knelt and rested a head on Lily's head.
"Doing alright?"
"We got into a scuffle with a group of soldiers," Lily said. "But survived."
"Carla's quick thinking got us out of it!" Happy exclaimed. Carla waved it off.
"No, it was nothing," Carla said. She slumped against Wendy. "Are we almost done here? I'm quite exhausted."
"No sign of Erza or the others?" Wendy asked.
"Erza and Elfman were caught fighting some madwoman," Lily said. "But it was two on one, so, I'm sure they emerged victorious."
"Salamander's sure taking his time getting Lucy," Gajeel said. "And Gray and Juvia are still missing. What's the hold up with these idiots?"
Lily sighed as he turned. Gajeel stood while Wendy tightened her grip around Carla.
Elfman and Erza were sprinting toward the group—only, they were so worn out, so beaten down, that it looked more like quick hobbles. Wendy raised her hands toward them and cast Vernier.
A rush came to their steps and they quickened their pace…away from the lines of marching soldiers. A five-by-six column of black-guard automatons marched down the street, tailing Erza and Elfman. Gajeel's iron scales formed along his arm while Lily drew his sword. Wendy let the winds pick up around her.
Happy and Carla rushed to help them. They managed to just reach the two when a quick flash of light sent all four screaming and flying. Wendy's shriek was fast but cut off as Gajeel knocked her aside, away from a bolt of lightning almost striking her.
"Was that Laxus's magic?" Wendy exclaimed. She rolled back to her feet as the dust settled in front of them.
Between the escaping Fairies and Quartum Army was a woman whose legs appeared far stronger than her upper body. Her short hair hung just below her ears, and her eyes were a deep brown that almost appeared black. Lightning crackled between her fingertips.
"Don't bother surrendering," she said. "You're all at the end of your ropes. I'll make this quick, and the soldiers will clean up the rest. We'll put all of this behind us."
"Like…ugh…hell," Gajeel said.
Erza and Elfman picked themselves up, though were so dazed they could barely find the strength to do so. The Exceeds had to help them up. Wendy glanced at the towering gates behind them. Maybe a strong enough blast would do it, but, she didn't have that kind of time.
Not with someone as fast as this one in front of them.
The woman closed her fist. "So let's go, then."
She vanished in a bolt of lightning. Wendy and Gajeel, still affected by Vernier, dodged. Lily was not her target, so he didn't need to move as a bolt of lightning the size of a human arced between Wendy and Gajeel. Gajeel whipped around, trying to track the bolt. Wendy slid to a halt.
The woman appeared before her as she tried to cast her spell and punched Wendy across the face. It wasn't so powerful as either of the other two, but what mattered was that she followed it up with seven more until she kicked Wendy, and that blow really hurt.
Wendy bounced like a ball across the cobblestone, finally coming to a stop under her own power. Gajeel chased after them. The woman raised her arm and halted Gajeel's attack with one of her own, blasting him back with a force that felt like it could equal Laxus. But…that was impossible. She couldn't be this strong.
They were just so tired.
Her senses overwhelmed her and Wendy turned about, realizing the Quartum Army was marching on. And this woman wasn't stopping, advancing more toward a stubborn Gajeel who called for her to attack. Wendy, horrified, got to her wobbly feet, and prepared the winds around her.
She didn't realize there were tears in her eyes until one slid down her cheeks and tapped her toe. It was then she realized the pit in her stomach that'd formed and swallowed her heart.
The sounds of battle were all around her as her friends desperately tried to ward off the attack of the Dragon Slayer. The Exceeds helplessly banged their hands against the gate while Erza found the strength to draw her sword and get the attention of the woman. Elfman slumped against the wall, then rammed his shoulder against it.
They wouldn't give up.
Even as they were about to die.
Wendy wanted to live. She wanted nothing more than to keep making memories with her friends, to keep seeing their smiles, and to feel their kindly warmth. Yet there before her marched automatons bent on killing her as if it were nothing. There was a woman with unspeakable power ready to destroy them and make it seem as if they were never there at all.
Exhausted, and running low on magic…this was how the Twilight Empire could beat them. Wendy set her jaw.
But they wouldn't stop. They wouldn't give up.
Wendy tried to summon more magic. It just wasn't there yet. She needed a second more. She—
The soldiers' eyes flared, and they charged, as they'd finally come within range to attack.
Wendy roared, just as her mother Grandeeney would've wanted her to.
What the world responded with was a…
Moo?
The soldiers all looked up, and the heavens split as descending upon them was a mass of golden light that broke their rank, exploding in an awesome burst of magic that obliterated too many for Wendy to count. A powerful figure rushed by her, once more mooing, and charged into their ranks, cleaving five in half with a single swing of its axe.
Wendy knew these two.
"Taurus! Loke!"
The tears fell faster. A sob burst out of her mouth, but she didn't drop to her knees in relief. She could've jumped for joy.
Loke spun around as he dodged another attack, giving Taurus the opening to strike.
"Courtesy of a mutual friend, here we are!" Loke exclaimed. "What the hell are you still doing in the capital? Get outta here, Wendy!"
Wendy turned. The Lightning Dragon Slayer punched Gajeel down, who roared as Metallicana would've wanted out of him. He still wasn't done smiling. He still wasn't done fighting.
"We need to open the gate!"
Loke sneered. "Regulus Impact!"
Another column of soldiers was obliterated by the strike, while Taurus mowed down even more of them. They seemed helpless against the powerful Zodiac warriors.
"Don't worry about that," Loke said. "Just go!"
"But how—!"
An explosion, and another ray of light, answered her. This one rocked not just the area, but the entire city, as the gates flung open, hanging daintily off their feeble hinges.
Even Lindara turned around at that. "What are you doing?" she shouted.
"Go! Wendy!" Loke exclaimed.
The winds were back under Wendy's control. Her magic wasn't all back, but she felt it was there. Enough of it, anyway.
"Gajeel!" she shouted. "One more time!"
"Been waitin' on ya, kid!" Gajeel responded.
Wendy let her magic guide her.
The Lightning Dragon Slayer snarled, whirling around to her opponents. Lily, finally grown back to full strength, if only for a moment, caught her off-guard with his sudden attack. He wasn't able to land a direct hit but did send her stumbling.
With the speed of the wind, Wendy shot forward. She kept her hand back, curling her fingers into a…
"Sky Dragon Iron Fist!"
She swung her hand forward, landing an almighty punch right in her opponent's face. The woman's head cocked back, but she was still fresh, still strong, so surely she could—
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Karma Demon Iron God Sword!"
She was fast. She had some strength.
But this woman was still just another opponent they had to get out of their way.
She was crushed beneath the weight of the attack, blasting through the ground as Gajeel pummeled her. He used the momentum of the strike to carry him such that he landed on his belly on the opposite side of the crater. Lily, with what strength he had remaining, picked Gajeel up and hurried him toward the gaping wound that was the capital gate. Wendy followed. Carla and Wendy had to tag-team lifting Elfman up.
A woman passed them by, staring at all the carnage. Her beauty was intoxicating, yet there was a palpability to her sadness, too.
"Poor Lindara," she muttered.
Wendy stopped next to her. "Did you…do that on purpose?"
"Run," the woman said. Her brown eyes were harsh, her tongue was not so sharp. "Go. They'll catch you if you even think about slowing down now."
"W—who are you?" Wendy asked.
The woman strode toward the city. "Someone who is making one hell of a choice right now."
Natsu's sensed Sting's arrival only seconds before the guy could land, and just in time to dodge Rogue's next attack. He flipped end-over-end, spotting Sting out of the corner of his eye. The guy seemed to be coming in innocently until his fists jutted out at the last second.
"Fire Dragon Roar!"
Natsu used the flames to blast back, avoiding Sting's strike that opened a massive hole in the arena floor. Rogue's eyes widened at Sting's sudden arrival. Natsu's nose itched one more time. Man, was this place becoming a party or something?
Natsu landed. He'd dropped the lightning from his magic as he was able to once more catch up to Rogue's cadence, even as the man maintained his Dragon Force form.
Sting pointed to Natsu. He didn't seem tired at all, despite how thoroughly beaten he'd been just minutes ago. Empire must've had a healer going around or something. Damn. Hopefully one of the others could deal with that.
At least Natsu had their two biggest threats in front of him to deal with.Thathe was more than happy to do.
"It's been real, Natsu, but it's over now," Sting said. "You can't keep up with both of us. Not the way we've been trained."
"Yeah? Well, then go ahead and show me what you've got."
"Sting," Rogue muttered. "I don't have much left in the tank."
"That's fine," Sting said. "We don't need much."
"I wouldn't be too sure," Natsu said. The other scent was getting closer, and stronger.
"Let me just show you, then!" Sting exclaimed. "Try this, Natsu!" Sting charged up magic in both hands, then, roared, "Holy Ray!"
A barrage of white magic launched out of him, and, admittedly, it was quite overwhelming. Lightning crackled around Natsu as he braced and quickly thought of a counterspell, but it never came to fruition. A massive wall of ice formed between the attack and Natsu, blocking the rays and subsequently getting destroyed against their tonnage.
Sting let out a groan of total anguish as Gray slid in on a path of ice toward Natsu, landing next to him. He slammed his fist into his hand and created a sword and shield for either hand. Lightning-fire magic engulfed Natsu's fists.
"Glad you could join us," Sting sat through gritted teeth.
"I've got these two if you want to check on the others," Natsu said.
"Yeah, yeah," Gray said. "I saved your ass, don't worry about playing hero."
"I ain't playing hero, snowman!"
"Then what'd you call going two-on-one with these clowns!"
"Put your damn clothes on!"
Sting's magic burst out of him. Similar to Rogue, he easily leaped into Dragon Force, surging his magic out toward the two bickering Fairies. Natsu sighed. Gray pursed his lips. Guess they were done with the fun and games.
"As much as you're a pain in the ass," Gray said, "I've just about had it with these two."
"Agreed," Natsu said. He slammed his fists together, then sprouted a great big grin. "So let's cut the crap and kick their asses."
*cue up Boys Be Ambitious*