BROKEN AND BRUISED
CHAPTER 31
As the horn that started the game sounded, every team quickly fled their locations and tried to get a better vantage point that will help them win the fight and ultimately, the tournament.
Every team except one. The fairy tail team stood in their place with their eyes closed.
"HUH? What are they doing?" Makarov exclaimed as he looked at the scene before him.
Mavis swung her legs off the balcony as she hummed.
Members and members from other teams started to get eliminated, and the fairy tail members had yet to move. Once Sabertooth took the lead, panic settled in the fairy tail guild.
"What's going on?" Lisanna questioned.
"YOU FOOLS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? MOVE!" Makarov shouted as he slammed his fists on the balcony railing.
Mavis giggled from beside him causing him to turn towards her.
He raised his eyebrows and she laughed. "It's all part of my plan."
Makarov's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "HUH?"
Mavis continued to laugh as she explained. "I have been watching the opponents' tactics and movements these past few days, and I have noticed a lot of things. Because of that, I was able to concoct a plan that will help our team members win the fight." She raised her arm. "So, let the Fairy Tail Star Strategy, commence!" and swung down her arm.
At that exact moment, the unmoving members of the fairy tail team opened their eyes and ran to different directions.
"And Fairy Tail regains life as their members finally move!" the commentator exclaimed.
Following Mavis' plan, the team managed to gather point after point as they took down members quickly bringing them to the lead.
Makarov looked at Mavis who was shouting orders, and the fairy tail members, who as if they were hearing her, enacted her orders perfectly. 'That's the Fairy Tactician in act.' He thought to himself.
When Ichiya saw that his Trimen were defeated, he looked at the screen and with a valiant voice announced to the world that he would avenge his teammates, only to get knocked out by Jura from behind.
"Very noble goal. Pity it stood in the way of mine," Jura casually said, garnering the cheer of the crowd about how cool the words he said were.
Mavis frowned once Sherria beat Risley, putting Lamia Scale in tie with Fairy Tail and Sabertooth for first place.
"What are you planning to do for Jura?" Makarov asked her.
She shook her head. "I don't have anything in mind yet. However, I don't think he'll be a problem for us."
"Hmm, what do you mean?"
He followed her line of vision to Laxus who was following the route that they planned on.
"He is a fine man Makarov. He'll do whatever it takes to erase what had been done in the past. He is nothing like him. That's why, come Jura or whatever you put in front of him, winning the championship is what will bring Lucy back won't it? He won't lose, none will. I trust them all with my entire heart," Mavis whispered gently as she gazed lovingly at the team that was advancing forward, towards victory.
Makarov looked at her them back at the screen lacrima. "You are right. They won't lose. Neither team will."
Back in the city, Gray walked towards the building with purpose. He already knew who he was meeting in there. He rolled his shoulders and fist bumped himself. "Time to freeze that fucker."
He kicked the door down and entered the library.
"My, is that anyway to enter a place of knowledge, you dimwitted fool?" Rufus questioned in a haughty tone as he gazed down at Gray from the top of the stairs.
Gray shrugged. "It won't be long before this place becomes your place of defeat, so it's better to leave the door open. That way, everyone will be able to see you sprawled out on these books you love so much."
Rufus let out a snort. "Such big words coming from someone who I do not even remember."
Gray fisted his hands. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you remember my name very clearly."
Rufus smirked and their fight began. Rufus copying all of Gray's attacks as Gray dodged and attacked again and again.
"Will he beat him?" asked Romeo as he looked at Mavis.
"Gray knows how important it is to take Rufus out of the picture. So, no matter what it might look like now, I have faith that he will." Answered Mavis.
When Gray went flying into a bookshelf, he merely smirked.
"What's amusing you scoundrel?" asked Rufus as he descended the stairs.
"How so unoriginal you are, copying other people's spells instead of having some your own. Ha, no matter. Let's see if you keep up."
Gray jumped up and started using spell after spell to the point where Rufus couldn't keep up with him anymore. Frustrated by what's happening, he started firing spells that he memorized from before. As he conjured a fireball and blasted Gray with it, dust flew off the library shelves. Once the dust settled, Rufus stood shocked when he saw Gray grinning at him with his arms charred.
"Is that all you got? I've felt flames way worse than this!" Gray immediately brought his fist to his open palm and yelled as he attacked Rufus. "ICE-MAKE: ICE BRINGER!"
Rufus, with no time to retaliate, went flying towards the staircase where he landed with a thud. Gray stood there with his hands outstretched holding his swords as he panted. His charred arms hurt badly as he stood to his full height. He looked behind him and saw that Rufus was knocked out cold. He let out a laugh before he grimaced from the pain and walked slowly towards Rufus. "I'll take that." He grabbed the hat and walked out of the library. He put the hat on and raised his fist towards the sky, signifying that his mission had been completed, successfully.
The Fairy Tail members cheered so loudly, he was able to hear them all across the city. When Rufus was announced eliminated, the Sabertooth members looked at the screen and continued moving forward, unfazed by the news that they just received. Sting looked ahead as he thought back to what happened with him yesterday.
He dodged a spell and put his arm next to him, as if shielding someone. "Lecto-". He snapped back to reality once he looked to his side and saw no one. He gritted his teeth and continued walking.
'That's right. Lector is not with me now, but he will be. Once we win, he will be.' It was the single thought that ran into his mind as he continued his search of opponents.
Next to arrive against her opponent is Erza. She walked into the arena like clearing and recoiled in shock when she saw Kagura.
"So, you are the one to find me." Kagura commented as she stood firm and tall.
Erza prepared her sword. "Kagura."
Without any other words, the two jumped at each other and their fight began.
Mavis started tearing up when she saw it was Kagura and not Minerva that was in the clearing. "Did I miscalculate something?" she sniffled.
Makarov quickly tried to comfort her, but his attention was brought back to the lacrima screen when he saw a wormhole open and from it emerged Minerva.
He pointed towards her and nodded at Mavis. "See, you were right."
She gave him a light determined nod while biting her lip and focused back on the games.
Minerva joined in on the fight. The three went at it for a while, dodging and attacking. But the attacks were not hitting well and the dodges were well timed.
When Kagura was focused on Minerva, Erza took that chance to tackle her into a wall and going with her. When that happened, Minerva appeared behind Kagura and sent a spell aimed for her back. Kagura quickly pushed Erza off of her and jumped away from the spell while slashing at Minerva, landing in a crouch on the far side of the arena.
Kagura took a deep breath as she rose to her height. She looked at her opponents, each standing in a corner and watching the other intently. When she looked at Erza, she noticed the way her leg was slowly sliding backwards and readied herself for an attack.
Just then, Minerva smirked and her hands started glowing as she moved them in a circle above her head.
"Niel Wielg Mion
Terse Elcantaeus
Yagd Rigola!"
Minerva opened her arms after she shouted the last bit, and a stone god appeared from behind her. Erza and Kagura had little time to react as the god clapped his hands and exploded into a light beam, destroying the arena's roof and walls as they are both pushed backwards.
On another side of the arena, Juvia looked towards the explosion and scowled. It was a massive one. She just hoped that no one was seriously hurt.
"Juvia-san, maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings?" Shelia asked her as she approached her from behind.
"I already knew you were here Shelia-san. I was expecting you." Juvia turned towards her with a smile on her face. "Shall we?"
Shelia smiled and nodded her head. They both got into a fighting stance. After a second of stillness, Shelia attacked first.
Back at the now destroyed arena, Erza and Kagura stood with injuries all over their bodies as they coughed up the dust that settled in.
Minerva looked at them both and sighed, as if annoyed. "I see. You two need more than just this to go down. No matter, I have everything prepared."
Erza looked at her and winced. "What do you mean?"
Minerva smirked and opened her hand. A large sphere formed next to her and Kagura gasped.
"MILLIANA!" both Erza and Kagura yelled.
Kagura turned towards Minerva. "Let her go this instant!"
Minerva smirked. "I will, once of you wins. You will both fight each other, and the winner gets to fight me." She wasn't going to tell them that she realized she wasn't able to fight them both. So she opted on using Millianna as bait to get what she wanted.
"You coward! You will regret this!" Erza threatened as she clenched her teeth.
"Will I really?" Minerva yawned.
Erza stood to her height and smiled. "You have a lot of attitude for someone who got wiped the floor with only recently."
The smirk on Minerva's face was wiped clean and her eyes darkened. "You dare-" she widened her eyes before she clicked her fingers and changed spots with Erza.
"Wha-" Erza immediately reacted and blocked the sword that was coming for her neck. Although it was sheathed, it would still hurt like hell.
"Tsk. She changed positions with you, huh?" Kagura said as she jumped back. "Fine, I will fight you. I will defeat you and Minerva both!"
Kagura went back in and drew her sheathed sword at Erza who very narrowingly blocked it.
"I am not the enemy here." Erza tried to reason.
"No, but you are standing in the path that reaches the enemy." Kagura countered as she once again moved back and jumped in.
Erza blocked the attack and pushed against Kagura. However, Kagura pushed back stronger. She was overpowering Erza before the redhead swooped into a kick and tackled the gravity mage. Kagura widened her eyes before she used her magic to straighten up, but it was enough time for Erza to move away from her.
"You resent me with a vigor that I have never seen. Why?" Erza asked as she looked at Kagura. She could tell from the way she pushed against Erza, that her power stemmed from nothing but pure hate for her.
"You talk to him, converse with him, so casually that it bothers me. How can you be so casual with a murderer?" Kagura asked as she again attacked Erza. This time, the redhead moved away from her and blocked her attacks more efficiently.
"Who are you talking about?"
"Stop acting like a fool that knows nothing! I saw the way you talked, the way you looked at each other!" the mermaid heel mage was relentless in her attacks.
Finally understanding who she was talking about, Erza realized that the hate that stemmed from Kagura wasn't only directed at her, but at Jellal as well. "What has he done to you?"
"He took him from me. He took my brother!" she slashed at where Erza was standing and the redhead ducked before she brought her leg up and kicked Kagura in the guts, sending her flying to the other side. Kagura flipped in the air and landed on her feet. "How could you possibly love someone that killed my brother, Simon?"
Erza gasped and thought back to her days in the tower. To her days of misery and slavery, to her meeting Jellal, Simon, Millianna and the rest. She equipped her heaven's wheel armor and stared Kagura down. "The blood of Simon stains no one's hands but my own."
Kagura widened her eyes a fraction before she narrowed them. "You are lying."
Erza readied her weapons. "No, I am not."
Kagura's hands shook. "But Millianna told me-"
"Millianna wasn't there when it happened."
Kagura attacked blindly, and Erza tried to deflect her slashes. But when one slash completely destroyed her armor, she opted to change armors and keep her distance. Kagura was not going to let her do that, as she immediately jumped on her and destroyed her other set before she kicked her into a wall.
Kagura walked slowly towards her. She started to unsheathe her sword causing pressure to build up in the arena surrounding them. "My sword, Archenemy, was supposed to be unsealed only to kill Jellal, the murderer of my brother. I see now that it was misguided, as was I. The one that needs to die is none other than you."
"ERZA!" Levy screamed as she saw Kagura draw nearer.
With a new found strength and purpose, Kagura in a flash appeared before Erza with her sword unsheathed and she slashed the redhead. The built up pressure caused a wave of dust to obscure the arena.
Makarov and Mavis looked at the lacrima screen wide eyed.
The dust settled, revealing Erza in her clear heart armor blocking the attack with all her strength while gritting her teeth. There was a cut on her shoulder that was bleeding.
"DIE!" Kagura pushed more onto the sword, causing Erza to drop on one knee.
"I won't die. I am alive because of them. Because of Rob, because of Simon, I am alive. And I won't die because of them. Not now, not ever!" the redhead pushed against Kagura, and stood onto her feet before she kicked Kagura back and jumped up.
Kagura looked up angrily at Erza before she also jumped and slashed with her weapon. "You and him should both die."
Erza raised her sword and blocked Kagura's. "I won't lose." She turned mid-air and slashed at the gravity mage, causing her to gasp and fall onto the ground with a thud. Erza fell on her feet gracefully and looked back. Kagura was lying on her back wincing from the pain. She slowly started getting back up causing the redhead to take a battle stance. Erza wasn't one to strike when the opponent was this wounded. Just as Kagura was standing up, the ceiling above them started giving out. The redhead noticed it and ran towards Kagura, pushing her out of the way.
"MOVE!"
"WHA-" Kagura was shoved away from the fallen debris, but Erza wasn't as lucky. Dust covered the arena again before it settled and revealed a fairy tail mage with her leg stuck under the rubble.
Kagura watched stunned as Erza tried to get out with no avail. "Why did you push me out of the way after everything I just said to you?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Erza struggled a bit more to free herself before she gave up. "Because I know you. I remember you. Simon, you and I are from the same village, Rosemary village. When we were in the tower, he often spoke about you. I know he was captured while saving you, and he died while trying to save me. Your brother was just like that." Erza sniffled as she let out a laugh. "He was an amazing man, and he always wished for you to be alright. I was just honoring his wish."
Kagura looked at Erza with wide eyes before she fell to her knees, a memory resurfacing in her mind of a redheaded young girl who hid her in a basket when she was being followed by followers of Zeref. "You were the girl, from long ago, who…" she quietened as tears fell down her face.
Erza gave her a half smile with one of her eyes closed in pain. "Yeah. Yeah, that was me."
Kagura stood up onto her feet slowly and started to move the rubble off of Erza. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have- GAH!"
Erza gasped as she stared at the pointy end of her sword coming out of Kagura's body. Minerva chuckled as she slid the sword out of Kagura and kicked her away. "What a shit show." She looked at Erza and smirked. "You are next Scarlet."
"Millianna…" Kagura called out faintly with tears flowing down her eyes.
Minerva snapped her fingers and Millianna fell in front of Erza. Without needing to much inspect the cat girl, she knew she was hurt badly.
"What have you done to her?" Erza asked, seething.
Minerva put her hand on her hip and moved her weight to one leg. "I merely had some fun till you were done with yours."
"You will pay for this!" Erza clenched her fist and tried to stand up.
"How will I Scarlet, when you can barely stand?" Minerva laughed as she used her magic and took ahold of Erza's injured leg, throwing her to the side.
"What's wrong Scarlet? Where did all the big talk go?"
Erza crashed into a wall and slumped down. Minerva chuckled as she opened her arms. "Maybe it's time we end this squabble Scarlet. You no longer amuse me."
The pressure of the magic ball that Minerva created in her hands was growing, fading in colors of green, black and blue.
"Erza…" Levy whispered the scarlet's name as she watched in horror as the blast was released from Minerva's hands and moving fast towards the requip mage's direction.
Erza laid on the ground, the sight of the magic ball coming at her so slowly making something in her move. Something to snap and flow down her veins. Making her glow in gold as without even realizing what she was doing, she muttered. "Requip: Nakagami armor."
The blast landed right on Erza. The Sabertooth fans cheered while the entirety of the Fairy Tail guild gasped in shock.
"Erza-san!" Lisanna screamed at the screen with tears streaming down her face.
The dust cleared, and the lacrima screen revealed Erza standing in an armor that was never seen before. It was a short blue robe with gold lining its edges. It was tied in the middle by a red ribbon. Her arms and legs were donned in gloves and leggings of the same color and design. She barely stood on her feet as she glared at Minerva. She was not going down to the likes of her, Erza thought vehemently to herself. She extended her right arm and summoned in her hand the halberd that belonged to this set and locked her eyes on Minerva's shocked ones.
"If you think… that your wickedness and evil nature would ever bring me down…" she heaved a breath, "Well, you thought wrong. All it did was strengthen my desire to defeat you." She grasped the halberd with her two hands and crouched low. "NAKAGAMI STARLIGHT!"
Erza jumped right at Minerva and hit her directly with a spatial attack from the halberd. Minerva went flying in the air before she landed with a thud, smoke rising off of her as she laid unconscious.
Erza looked at her defeated opponent with a grin of victory, before she coughed up blood and fell on her knees, her form glowing before she returned to her normal, battered and shredded clothes. She took a deep breath and was planning on taking another when a weak voice called out for her.
"Erza…"
She looked in the direction of Millianna, to see that the cat mage had crawled towards her teammate and had Kagura held tightly in her embrace. "Are you okay?"
Erza took the breath she was planning on taking before she nodded her head. In truth, she was far from it. She had managed to open her second origin all by herself, then proceeded to use all of the magic power contained there to be rid of Minerva. On top of that, her leg is practically throbbing with pain and she could only hold on much longer. She thought of giving up, and just let the darkness that was tantalizing her vision consume her. But then she remembered that this was no longer just a tournament to win. This was to save her nakama that was trapped inside the palace, held captive by none other than the royal guards.
The redhead gritted her teeth as she pushed away from the floor and rose, with great difficulty, to her height. She took a step forward and winced as her weight was pushed onto her injured foot.
"Erza-" Millianna kept her mouth shut. She saw the determined look on her friend's face and decided against her attempts in coaxing the redhead in taking it slowly. She watched as Erza limped away, in a direction that was set in the redhead's mind, and smiled knowing that no matter what happened, Titania would be alright.
"Ugh, what the heck happened?"
Her tail stood on end at the sound that came from behind her and she swiveled to the direction of it. "How- how did you get here?"
She shook her head and took him in her arms. "Come on, we have somewhere we need to be." She didn't know why, but she knew that this creature was supposed to be with someone, and that someone was not her. So, when the guards came and collected Kagura and Minerva to the infirmary, she got up and walked around the city, looking for a certain blond haired slayer.
XXX
The castle doors opened and in came a guard dragging both Natsu and Wendy tied up. Another guard greeted his partner and asked him about the situation of his captures.
"Oh, these kids were caught trying to break in and save their friend. Off to the prison cells they go." The guard handling them had said and the other one sighed in exasperation.
"Damn these kids and their nosiness. You know where to take them. And come back quickly, the fights are entertaining this time around."
Natsu looked to his left and saw the lacrima screen broadcasting the fights at the grand magic games. He smirked when Gray walked out of the library with a hat on his hand, and his fist to the sky as he claimed his victory.
Before he could see how the others were faring, he was pushed alongside Wendy to the prison cells. When the other guard was out of sight, the guard started deforming before Mirajane stood in his place. She released Natsu and Wendy from their confinements.
"Nice plan, Mira-nee!" Wendy exclaimed as she opened the window next to them to let the exceeds in. Charle, Happy and Panther Lily flew into the castle.
"Come, we don't have much time before he notices that something was amiss," Mira said, urging them towards the prison cells. They already knew where they needed to go because of Crime Sorciere, who had been working here for a long time and knew the castle by heart now.
Back with the guards, his friend came back and sat next to him to watch the games.
"So, did they give you trouble?"
His comrade turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Who?"
The guard rolled his eyes, he hated how his friend acted sometimes. "The rascals you brought in, that were trying to break in. Have they caused you trouble while you were shoving them into the cells?"
His friend looked even more confused. "I was telling the princess by order of Captain Arcadios that she may commence part 2 of the Eclipse plan. What are you on about?"
The guard looked at him, shocked. "Then who the fuck was it that went into the cellars?"
It was a silent moment before both guards stumbled to their feet and ran towards the throne room.
Back with the rescue group, it wasn't long before Natsu found Lucy by following her scent.
"LUCE!" he called sharply.
The blonde turned towards him and saw, in the dim lights, the group that was coming to rescue her.
"You guys!" she smiled so wide, her cheeks almost hurt her.
They melt the cells that were keeping the two celestial mages captive and were about to turn when Lucy stopped them.
"Wait, you guys. Have you seen my keys?" she asked, and just before she got an answer, the floor opened and down they descended. To what they would later find out to be an underground dungeon called, The Abyss Palace.
