Xen was crawling. Literally crawling as he made his narrow escape from immediate death from Chelia's hands. He was gasping for air, struggling to remain conscious. Chelia's final attack nearly killed him on the spot, but he managed to escape at the last second before he was completely erased from existence…but really he was just delaying the inevitable. He was already erased…he was a god with no supporters. "Must…return…to…ship…and…recover…."

"My, my…" Brax stood over Xen with his hands on his hips, peering down at his comrade. "That girl gave you quite the beating didn't she? I saw the whole thing…and I have to admit, I was just as surprised as you were. Her power for those brief moments most certainly rivaled even one of the four Generals. You tried to use your full power to shut her down but you hardly managed to scratch her, didn't you? And you knew that…you knew you lost after that first punch, didn't you? You're a smart man, after all, Xen. The most brilliant mind in Pergrande save for our King."

"Help…me…" Xen pleaded.

"To think…" Brax kept talking. "She took you out in a few mere moves…you are aware that the triple mode thing was just overkill…oh, I'm sure you are since you felt it. Any other attack would've done the same thing…it's a miracle you escaped and survived this long. Tell me, Xen…how does it feel to have been defeated?" Xen couldn't even give Brax a response, which made this all the greater for the lower ranking Commandant. "Now let me tell you something that makes this great." A smirk curled onto the lips of Brax. "I've got all the evidence I need to turn you in for treason."

Xen's eyes widened, knowing exactly what it was Brax was referring to. So this plan of theirs was doomed from the very beginning. That was the worst thing he could possibly hear. "N-No…W-Wait…I can…explain…"

"You can explain? Oh, I know some people who would love to hear your explanation." Brax grabbed Xen's arm and began dragging him in the direction he came. "This will be incredibly worthwhile."

.

.

Time until Etherion Fires: 50 Minutes.

"Are all the holdups done…?" Gajeel asked in an irritated tone. "We're losing time now!"

"He's right, that little detour wasted ten minutes of our time…" Rogue replied.

"The handsome reinforcements have arrived!" Ichiya shouted from above. He, and the remaining members Quatro Cerberus successfully repaired the Christina and were flying just above the city.

"We aren't missing the action! It's gonna be WILD!" Bacchus shouted while pumping a fist into the air.

"FOUR!" The members of Quatro Cerberus exclaimed in unison.

"There's something else approaching…" Cobra's ears perked while looking up into the sky. "I think we have more reinforcements coming."

"Friends?" Yukino asked, only to have it answered quickly. Gaia landed in her full dragon form with several others on her back: the other members of Cosmic Star: Alex, Daryan, Yakuza, Magnus, and Shadowlore. They hopped off her back and she returned to normal. "Oh..!" There was even one more: Romeo!

"Romeo?" Wendy was surprised to see him.

"I...didn't want to stand on the sidelines! So I asked them if I could come with!" Romeo said. "I wanted to help! You guys have been fighting hard, so I want to, too!"

"Thanks..." Chelia said with a slight smile. Romeo just missed the action, but even he could see that something was different about Chelia. "I'm glad you're here."

"Helloooooooo ladies!" Daryan said whilst giving a bow. "It has been far, FAR too long! But Cosmic Star has returned to give assistance!"

"It's only been like, a few weeks since we last saw you, though." Happy pointed out. Daryan was making this a lot more dramatic than it really needed to be.

"Great, just what we need…" Minerva huffed silently while crossing her arms. "Incompetence at the end…"

"Hey now, I take offense to that!" Shadowlore said with a faux frown. 'I'll have you know I can be very reliable…" His eyes then found Milliana. "Oh, there she is~" He took one step forward, but Melody stood in front of him with her eyes narrowed. "No. I don't want another silver bullet…killjoy."

"Glad we're on the same page!" Melody beamed.

"Wait, aren't we missing some people…namely a certain beautiful mermaid?" Daryan's eyes scoped out for Kagura, but he found nothing. Honestly, he was looking forward to seeing her!

"She's right here." Cana pulled out Kagura's card before stuffing it back in her pocket.

"She looks hurt..." Daryan's expression soured. "Whoever wounded her is gonna pay! Where is he!?"

"You don't need to worry about her so much. She'll be alright." Cana said with a faint smile. Daryan's concern for her was real, at least.

"Maybe I should hold onto it for safe keeping?" Daryan suggested. But when Cana pulled the card away, he realized that was a long shot.

"Even I know you're the last person she'd want to be in possession of this." Cana scoffed. "But you guys look rough. Did something happen?"

"We were held up in Bosco with something." Gaia replied with a sigh. "But we're here to help now. Sorry it took us so long to get here."

This was the first time that Alex laid eyes on Cynthia. Despite the fact Alex had some bandages around her body, she was far more concerned about her sister. "Cynthia...! Are you okay? What happened to you!?"

"She was bitten by Drake." Gaia scowled. "I thought Wendy was able to stop it. I had no idea it had progressed this much..."

"I...I'm okay..." Cynthia said with a weary smile.

"She most certainly isn't..." Yakuza replied quietly.

"All the more reason to wrap this up quickly." Magnus said.

"Are we all good to get going then!?" Natsu broke the greetings and pounded his fists together.

"LET'S GO!"

However, before they could actually make the first move... "Wait just a moment~" Brax called out to the group while walking forward, dragging Xen along with him. "I can't let you go just yet, there's a little something you should see!"

"A white coat…" Lucy took a step back, but she had the others to stand in front of her this time. "What's with these guys…"

"That's the same guy who attacked us…" Lisanna mumbled.

"Wait, isn't that the guy Chelia beat!?" Lyon pointed at the dying Xen. "I thought…"

"Who's that guy…?" Yaukuza, the Ice God Slayer, questioned.

"Someone we could've used your help with a few minutes ago…" Diamond groaned.

"Oh, he's dying." Brax said before throwing Xen onto the ground and dusting his hands after. "It's a miracle he's alive, honestly. After all, the power of that girl rivaled one of your strongest…quite the danger if you ask me. It's a good thing she has no magic anymore if you ask me."

"Ngh..." Xen looked up to the group before him. His eyes then landed on Yakuza, and they widened. Their gazes met... "You...!"

"..." Yakuza blinked. "You...?"

Just that comment alone about Chelia caused Wendy to growl. "You…!"

"But enough about that!" Brax changed the subject. "This dying god right here has reached his final graces."

"What does that mean…?" Levy asked.

"He's failed countless times in his mission to retrieve a certain subject…and not only that, to believe that he planned treason against the very kingdom by trying to use this island to overthrow the king!" Brax grinned. The plan the other Commandants discussed was coming to light…to those that planned to take over Pergrande, Brax was the traitor. "And the price for treason is death."

"Y-You…!" Xen's weak eyes widened. "W-Wait…I-I can explain…please…give me another chance…I-I'll do anything!"

"Oh?" Brax quirked a brow. "Beg for your live."

"P-please…d-don't kill me…!" Xen was begging. He didn't want to die.

"Ah, that's a sweet sound…how I've longed to hear a god grovel at my feet and beg for his life. Who would've thought it would be you of all people." Brax let out a chuckle. "But you shouldn't feel so bad. His Majesty has been looking to replace the lot of you for a while, with stronger candidates...and you've finally given him reason to do so."

"A-Are you…" Xen started.

"Wait!" Yakuza's voice suddenly rose, surprising everyone. But he was far too late to stop what was about to happen next.

"Bye bye." Brax snapped his fingers and flames suddenly consumed Xen before anyone could make a move. The Commandant was incinerated to nothing while the others watched. Yakuza wasn't sure why, but his eyes were wider than everyone else's after this cruel and vile act.

"You…!" Immediately Natsu clenched his hand into a tight fist. "Why the hell did you do that!? What's he your comrade!?"

"He was no longer my comrade the second I heard the treasonous words fly from his lips." Brax explained. "Would any of you keep a traitor amongst your ranks? Someone who's either tried to overthrow something you hold dear, or has risked your life for their benefit?"

"Funny you should say that…" Laxus commented.

"There's someone who comes to mind…" Selene shook her head. "But that's beside the point. What prevented you from talking things out at the very least!?"

"Ah, bleeding hearts are ya?" Brax questioned. "Listen here…Pergrande doesn't take bleeding hearts. We crush anything that opposes us, got it memorized?" Dusting his hands off, he turned around and started to walk off. "By the way, one of my comrades has been with your Jade Princess all day since you lot somehow ended up losing her. Though by now I can only wonder how she's been doing.

"Get back here you…!" Natsu started but was held back by Lucy.

"We've wasted enough time out here already." Laxus said while turning to the city cates. "We'll settle everything else once we break down that wall."

"Allow me." Gildarts took a step forward before throwing his fist at the gates. The gate instantly shattered from the Ace's raw strength. He had no issues taking the lead either. "It's about to get hectic…good, it's been a while since I stretched my limbs."

"Finally! It's time to kick some ass!" Natsu exclaimed, everyone letting out a rallying cry behind him.

.

.

"My King, it appears the humans have breached the city gates." Eizen reported with a faint bow. "The endgame is upon us."

"I see…" Dhegensea merely nodded. "The Chosen has been dispatched to deal with the future bump in the road…aside from that, there are no more problems coming our way. We are free to dispose of these humans however we sit fit. Where are my children?"

"Prince Kurthnaga is returning now. As for Ena…I believe her whereabouts are unknown still. After their skirmish in the skies we lost track of her. I apologize." Nasir bowed, but it seemed he didn't have to.

"Time's almost up…" Drake mumbled. "I'll activate that infection's true power when I see them again."

"I still wonder why the King puts so much faith in that floppy Chosen." Edna merely sighed while kicking a pebble. "She's human just like the rest of those flesh bags. If you ask me, it would've been much better if she just stuck with 'em."

"Ah…" Venoma wagged her finger back and forth. "You see, the King has faith in the Chosen not only because Fate demands it…but because of what she truly is. She is not just a mere human, Edna my dear. She is a divine messenger from the heavens. That is why she will not fail us."

.

.

Erza's group ran through a large rocky open field; just up ahead was a cave entrance. Blues pointed forward to signify that was their destination. "There! The Mystic Water has to be up ahead! Through that cave!"

"Finally, we're going to make it!" Juvia exclaimed with a grin. However, just before the group entered the cave, several large bullets impeded their progress from above. "Huh!?" Everyone looked up, spotting Mii standing on a cliff overhead. "M-Mii!?"

"Funny to see you all again," Mii said while twirling Purple Pot in finger. "How've you been?"

"Don't play games with us!" Meredy shouted. "Now where's the Princess! We know you have her!" Unfortunately, they were hours behind on the upkeep since Mii stole their communication card a while back.

"Ah…" Mii shrugged. "Yeah, see, about that…right after you guys took that fall some handsome white coated guy showed up. Haven't you been updated at all!? Oh…right…I took your card and I doubt Cana gave you another one. You guys have been horribly out of the loop, huh? Everyone's been found but Mirajane, and the Princess is with some other enemy, and Kagura's been injured and is with Cana in card form for safe keeping. There, you're all filled in."

"Someone's been around…" Aira muttered.

"I wonder what happened to her arm…" Kuro mumbled.

"I don't think we have time to deal with her, right?" Leon asked and received collective nods.

"Yeah, see, about that…" Mii pointed Purple Pot forward once again with a slight shrug. "You see, I've been given orders not to let you pass at all. Things are so close to the end, it was stink to have the rug pulled from all these plans, you know?"

"Persistently annoying to the end…" Erza grumbled. "Everyone else, go ahead! I'll deal with her."

"Are you sure Erza-san…?" Juvia was worried without saying.

"Go!" Erza demanded with that stern tone of hers, and that was more than enough to get everyone in gear and push forward. Everyone ran into the cave and as soon as they did Mii shot the entrance, causing large boulders to block off the path.

"No one interferes, Erza-/san/," Mii grinned while leaping down a few yards away from Erza.

.

.

"She blocked it off!" Meredy grunted.

"Erza should be fine; we on the other hand, should get our asses in gear and move!" Blues took charge as everyone sprinted down the cave and finally arrived at the Mystic Water Lake. "Whoa…this actually is it! Now we can rescue those dragons!"

"There you are…" Gaius stepped forward with his arms crossed, letting out a heavy sigh. " I was wondering if you were ever going to show up. I've been waiting here bored all damn day."

"G-Gaius…!?" Juvia's eyes widened in surprise. "N-No wonder we didn't hear anything about you beforehand…you've been waiting for us…"

"That's right." Gaius grinned as flames began to flare around his body. "And now that you're here, I can finally get my meal of the day. You're not getting anywhere near that water unless it's to drown."

.

.

Mii fired off several shots at Erza, though the scarlet knight easily deflected them with two blades, closing the distance between them quickly. Once close Erza aimed two back handed slashes at Mii, though the nimble traitor evaded both with ease and landed on her feet with a back flip. "Ah, ah, no touching!"

"Tch!" Erza leapt into the air, entering her Heaven's Wheel armor and summoned a good 50 swords behind her, all of them pointing at Mii. "Give it up, Mii. This is where it ends."

"Oh, I see…" Mii sighed and shook her head. "Going into the air with a fuckton of swords pointed at me trying to get the advantage…well…" The red head giggled. "I've been hiding some pretty deep secrets for two days now; I think it's time to reveal one of them to you." A white aura began to appear around Mii's body; from her back, two angelic rainbow wings sprouted and she took two the air. "See that? You're not the only one who can fly."

.

.

"A messenger…?" Edna was actually clueless about this. "I'm afraid I don't understand what that means."

"The Chosen is a human, but she is also an angel as well. She is the direct descendant of the hero that saved us all, Yggdrasil." Venoma clarified. "Angelic powers were blessed onto her and we have that at our disposal."

"Is that all? She hasn't really been acting like a descendant of our savior. All I'm getting from this is that she could use the Sacred Gem's power. And maybe the Eternal Sword, too. But if she was going to pick it up, she would've by this point. We only needed her to lower the island. She's useless to us now." Edna shrugged. "What a loser."

"There's more to it than that, Edna dear. However I don't expect you to understand…just trust in our King." Venoma nodded. "He knows what's going to happen."

.

.

"You've been hiding your power from us?" Erza questioned while pointing her sword in hand forward.

"Are you really surprised?" Mii giggled. "Everything I say and do is a lie; I'm surprised you haven't picked up on that. Yes, I'm aware I have a very compulsive lying problem. But what can you do? 26 years in and I can't stop now."

"You don't have to keep following their orders, Mii. In fact, WHY are you following their orders?" Erza genuinely wanted an answer to this.

"Honestly?" Like Mii even had the right to use that word in the first place. "I told you before I'm looking for something. They can help…and didn't I tell you before that I side with the winning team? Like a bunch of humans and maybe two dragons are going to win this battle in the long run."

"You sure flip sides a lot…" Erza grumbled.

"Oh, right! Speaking of orders…" Mii pointed her pistol at Erza. "I've been ordered to tear your arms off so you won't be a nuisance. No hard feelings, Erza-san."

.

.

Next Time: Erza vs. Mii!