Hey!
I know it's been a while, but since it has been, hope you enjoy the longest chapter yet.
I really need to go back to my 5k word limit XD
Chapter title taken from the song of the same name by Three Days Grace
KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 32- A SCAR IS BORN
Lucy darted through the ruins of the Magic Council Headquarters, her Cancer star dress boosting her speed, while Happy flew above her in frantic zigzags. They were only barely staying ahead of Brandish, who was manipulating the rubble's mass at an alarming rate. She flicked tiny pebbles at Lucy and Happy only for them to balloon into massive boulders that attempted to crush them with devastating force.
So far, the two Fairy Tail mages had been able to dodge every attack, but the assault was wearing on them. Lucy's breath came in sharp gasps and Happy's wingbeats grew more sluggish. Brandish halted her attacks after several minutes, realizing neither of them had gained the upper hand. She looked unfazed while Lucy and Happy both struggled to catch their breath.
Brandish scowled at the Celestial mage. "God, that pitiful face of yours pisses me off. I want nothing more than to squash you like the bug you are... but my orders prevent me from killing anyone here. What a hassle."
Lucy swallowed hard, trying not to let the sheer weight of Brandish's magic crush her resolve. "What is your deal with me? Back on Caracole and now here, you act like we have some kinda history. But we don't. I know we don't!"
"Aye!" Happy added for good measure.
Brandish scoffed. "Of course you'd have no idea. Must be nice, living in your little oblivious world, blind to what others have had to suffer while you go about your perfect little life." Her expression darkened. "Well, allow me to educate you."
Her body tensed. "My mother, Grammi, was from Fiore. She worked at the Heartfilia estate as an attendant for Layla Heartfilia."
Lucy's eyes widened. "Your mom... worked for my mom?!" The shock hit her like a punch to the gut
"She moved to Alvarez before you were born." Brandish continued, her voice tight. "But she always talked about how great her friend Layla was. As proof of their friendship, Layla gave my mother a parting gift when she left. A golden celestial key... for the gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius."
Lucy froze. "Wh-what? But my mother gave-"
"Shut up. We're getting there." Brandish snapped, eyes flashing with anger. "About a decade ago, Mom got a letter from Layla. Said she 'urgently needed her' back in Fiore for something. So she left," Brandish clenched her fists, "and never came back." .
"A month later, my dad and I got a notice from the Fiorian government. They found her body, a few miles from the Heartfilia Estate." Brandish's voice wavered before sharpening into a blade of fury. "But when we got her belongings back... Aquarius's key was missing."
The air around them pulsed as Brandish's magic spiked. The rubble at their feet trembled. "And once I joined the Twelve, I found out exactly where Aquarius's key ended up. In the hands of one Lucy Heartfilia."
Lucy's breath hitched.
"So, I think it's pretty clear what happened." Brandish's glare cut through Lucy like a knife. "I don't know the exact details, but it's obvious your mom killed mine to get Aquarius's key back. Which she then gave to you."
Lucy recoiled. "What?! No! My mother would never do something like that! She was kind and gentle and-"
"To you, sure." Brandish sneered. "You were her daughter. But you gotta know high society types like your parents are brutal. Hell, with the kind of money your family had, they probably just hired someone to do it so they wouldn't sully their own hands."
Lucy grit her teeth, forcing herself to meet Brandish's furious gaze. "No. You're wrong." Her voice was firm, unwavering. "My mother wasn't like that. She treated everyone- regardless of their status- with kindness and respect! There is absolutely no way she killed your mother, especially if they were friends!"
Brandish's expression twisted into a snarl. "Oh really?! Then explain how you had Aquarius's key all those years! Aquarius was like a second mother to me! Your family couldn't be satisfied just taking my actual mother- they had to take her from me too!"
With a roar, Brandish slammed her palms into the earth. The cracks in the ground widened into chasms beneath Lucy's feet. She barely had time to react before she found herself falling.
"Lucy!"
A blue blur shot after her. Happy shot into the newly formed chasm, grabbing her just in time. Straining his wings, he quickly hauled her back to the surface.
Lucy exhaled shakily, clinging to the exceed for a moment before she managed a small smile. "Thanks, Happy."
However, Brandish's eyes narrowed further upon witnessing Lucy's recovery. "You are the absolute biggest hassle I have ever encountered in my life. If it weren't for my orders... I'd kill you without hesitation."
Lucy's breath caught. "Are you seriously telling me you're not supposed to be killing anyone? That-that makes no sense! You're here invading-"
"I'm here to ensure Lady Irene succeeds in her mission." Brandish interrupted coldly. "That's all. I've been explicitly instructed by my superiors to avoid killing unless my own life is at risk."
Happy bristled. "Why would Zeref care if any of us died or not?" He told Master Makarov he wanted a one-sided annihilation!"
Brandish smirked. "You know... there's more to the imperial family than just His Majesty. His younger brother, the prince... is a lot more compassionate."
Zeref has a brother?
Lucy's mind reeled at the thought. She glanced over at Happy, whose wide-eyed expression mirrored her own. But before they could process the revelation further, Brandish continued.
"And you just have to be in my way when it comes to him, too." She spat.
Lucy shook her head, confusion evident. "What? You're not making any sense! I don't-"
"You really have no idea?" Brandish let out a humorless chuckle. "Oh, how unbelievably naive. I'd be more amused...but right now, it just pisses me off, further highlighting how you take things that don't belong to you. You stand beside people you shouldn't. And on top of it all, you fail to hold on to either."
The last sentence hit Lucy harder than she expected it to.
It wasn't just about Aquarius- she knew that much. It was about something else- something that had been gnawing at her since the war began. She was painfully aware that despite helping reunite the guild, the person she had wanted to find the most was nowhere to be found.
Natsu's face flashed through her mind.
Somehow, Zeref had gotten to her closest friend and stolen him away before she had any idea.
Something burned in Lucy's chest. Her fists clenched. "You're right." She admitted. "I have failed. But those failures... they're only fuel for me to succeed now! I won't let any of my friends who're counting on me down! That's why I know we'll beat you here today!"
Her magic flared. "I'm sorry about your mother, Brandish. But for Aquarius's sake- and Natsu's sake- I'll take you down!"
Happy clenched his paws, nodding firmly.
If Lucy weren't so consumed by her own emotions, she might have noticed the flicker of jealousy flash in Brandish's eyes at the mention of Natsu.
"We'll see about that." Brandish muttered, her own magic flaring. The sheer force of it dwarfed Lucy's, the ground trembling beneath her show of force.
But Lucy didn't waver. "Star dress, Vir-"
"Stop!"
A familiar voice rang out, one that caused Lucy to freeze and cancel her star dress mid transformation.
Brandish's head snapped in the direction of the voice, her own magic faltering when she saw the source of the voice. "A... goat man?" She mumbled, bewildered.
"Capricorn?" Lucy said, eyes wide. "But I didn't-"
"I know, Lady Lucy. I summoned myself." His gaze shifted between Lucy and Brandish. "I have a message for both you and Lady Brandish... from Lady Aquarius."
Macbeth extended a hand down to Jenny, his usual stoicism tinged with urgency. "Looks like we made it just in time."
Jenny, still quite winded, glanced up at him in surprise before taking his hand. "Thanks. I hate to admit it but this guy had me on the ropes."
Macbeth nodded, his gaze briefly accessing their surroundings. "You did well holding out against a member of the Twelve for so long." He noticed the curious look Jenny was giving him, and quickly added, "We're from Fairy Tail. They sent us since Master Makarov had to pull some of their mages to assist with the assault on Era." He silently prayed she'd leave it at that.
To his relief, Jenny just nodded. "Fairy Tail sure doesn't let down in a pinch."
Meanwhile, Sawyer smirked at the man... no machine standing before him. Sparks flickered from severed wires and broken metal jutted out awkwardly from where his arm should have been. "Well, for a couple of cockroaches, I'd like to think we do alright, considering we just got the drop on a member of the Spriggan Twelve." Macbeth approached, nodding in agreement.
Wall's scowl curled back into a confident smirk, an eerie look settling into his eyes. "A temporary setback." He reached down, grabbing his dismembered arm. "I've accounted for your magic now." With a surge of energy, the severed limb seamlessly reattached itself, making it seem as though it had never been severed at all.
The three enemy mages stared in disbelief.
"I've built my dolls to adapt to any scenario." Wall continued, flexing the fingers on his reattached arm. "Do you really think you have what it takes to overcome that?"
Sawyer growled, his magic surging. "Adapt to this, asshole!" Magic power permeated the air around them as the old factory was bathed in a crimson hue. "Gear Change- Red Zone!"
To Macbeth and Jenny, Sawyer vanished in a blur-
CLANG.
Wall reached out, and casually intercepted Sawyer's oncoming fist.
While Sawyer's eyes weren't visible under his goggles, they knew his eyes were wide. "Wha-"
"Fascinating." Wall mused, smirk unchanging as his eyes shifted to where he was holding Sawyer's fist back. "Your aesthetic suggests speed-based magic, but your abilities actually slow time itself. Clever, I admit, but useless now that I understand it."
Sawyer jumped back and grit his teeth.
"You both seem like fairly competent mages, but once I understand status effect spells, I can easily adapt to where they are unable to affect me. Your pairing of illusion and time magic is quite a poor counter against me. I estimate a 92% probability of your defeat."
Macbeth narrowed his eyes, a smirk tugging at his lips. He thinks all I can do is illusion magic.
"Sawyer." The other mage turned to him. "Let's try again. I'll cover you with an illusion."
Sawyer shot him a wary glance. "Macbeth, you just heard him, that's not gonna wor-"
"Just trust me," Macbeth insisted. "He won't see this one coming."
Sawyer hesitated, then exhaled sharply. "Fine. But if this backfires, I'm blaming you."
Turning to Wall, he activated his magic once more- "Take this! Motor!"
Sawyer blurred forward, launching a whirlwind of strikes and spinning kicks. Wall intercepted every single one, his movements precise, clinical, and unimpressed.
While Sawyer continued his assault, Macbeth charged. "Nightmare!"
His form warped, expanding into a monstrous, hulking beast. Wall's sensors immediately identified it as an illusion, and he smirked in disdain.
"Pathetic." He stood his ground, making no attempt to dodge as Macbeth's attack came crashing down on his arm. "I already told you-"
"Reflector!"
In the blink of an eye, Wall's arm twisted in itself, with a sickening crunch of metal. The machias's eyes widened. "What?!"
But before he could react further-
"Dead Grand Prix!"
A fleet of motorcycles roared into existence, hurtling towards Wall. Tires screeched against the factory floor as they slammed into the Spriggan one after another, slowing his retreat.
Impossible! My calculations were wrong?! Wall internally fumed. Adjusting speed output to 85%.
With a deafening explosion of magic, Wall blasted himself backward, finally escaping their assault. He skidded to a stop, glaring at the enemy mages with a new intensity.
Macbeth smirked. "Guess your calculations need some work."
While the enemy hadn't taken him down, Wall was in bad shape. Most of the right side of his body had fallen away, now nothing more than twisted metal strewed across the battlefield. His remaining limbs sparked with erratic bursts of electricity, servos grinding uselessly. Worse still, his doll's magic core was now exposed, flickering like a dying heart and he didn't have enough of his body left to transmute into an adequate defense for his core while also launching an effective counterattack.
Macbeth and Sawyer stood before him, smirking like wolves circling wounded prey. "Who's a cockroach now?" Sawyer taunted.
Behind them, Jenny struggled to keep her eyes open, but the sight of Wall's panicked state gave her an idea. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to stand. Hopefully these mystery Fairy Tail mages could distract him a bit longer…
Wall stumbled back, his processors scrambling to calculate a viable path to victory. No... impossible! Victory probability plummeting- 45%... 40%... 30%? Unacceptable! I am the elite of the machias race! I can't be bested by these meatbags! I need to repair myself...
He scanned the room, finding, unfortunately, that the machine takeover mage had assimilated most of the high output machines earlier... leaving him nothing but scraps.
No matter. Beggars can't be choosers , he supposed. He transmuted his exposed wires, attempting to reach some nearby power tools, hoping to siphon enough energy to-
"High Side Rush!"
A whirlwind of spinning tires intercepted Walls' outstretched wires, absorbing his charged magic. No!
"Spiral Pain!
A vicious vortex of distorted air engulfed Wall, tearing more of his body away. He barely managed to cover his exposed core with his remaining hand, but its synthetic skin was ripped away, leaving a skeletal metal frame and sparking, frayed wires.
Wall's anger flared. "No more screwing around! I'm gonna show you what it means to be the elite of the machias race!" His voice modulator cracked as he stretched out his remaining hand, pouring every once of his remaining energy into a final, desperate attack. A blinding sphere of condensed magic formed in his palm, distorting the air around it. Macbeth and Sawyer instinctively backed away, their confident expressions shifting to alarm.
Wall's smirk returned. "Vortex Assua-"
A sudden glitch in his voice modulator cut him off. His vision flickered. His control over the energy sphere wavered, the destructive power beginning to destabilize. Wha-
Then, he felt it.
Two cold, mechanical armor coated hands locking around his frame.
His eyes widened in horror. His systems screamed warnings of an unauthorized override, red flashing alerts flooding his vision.
Jenny's smirk was of pure satisfaction. "Say goodnight, tin man!"
Wall's processors surged in desperation. No, she's touching me! She's overwriting my code-
The last thing Wall saw before his vision cut out was his own arm, forced to turn the Vortex Assault directly against his own face.
Onboard the newly christened Alvarez command ship, Wyvern, Wall's consciousness violently snapped back into his main body. He lurched forward in the navigator's chair, as if waking from a nightmare.
"Lord Wall, are you alright?" One of the bridge officers asked, concern evident in his voice.
Wall blinked rapidly and looked around, finding most of the crew present were staring at him with shocked expressions. He was back in his real body, unharmed. But the battle in Morgate Town…
"Uh, yeah...I'm fine." Wall muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "My doll in Morgate Town just got destroyed. It was kinda... shocking, is all."
A ripple of unease spread across the bridge as the officers exchanged nervous glances. Some exchanged panicked whispers among themselves.
"It's fine!" Wall snapped, exasperated. "Someone get ahold of Bloodman and tell him he needs to bail though. I doubt even he can take all those mages by himself."
"But sir, what about the invasion?"
"Oh, the invasion's practically wrapped up. The prince and his team secured the package- one of my dolls is flying them back now. His Majesty is set to rendezvous with us within the hour. All that's left is Irene's team, and Ajeel's squad can extract them no problem."
He sank back down into the navigator's chair. "Continue on our present course. Keep an eye out for His Majesty's flagship."
"Understood, Lord Wall."
As the crew returned to their stations, Wall rested his elbow on the armrest, rubbing his temple. His mind on the battle that had just occurred.
Or more specifically, that machine takeover mage.
Even now, the memory of her magic sent a strange sensation through his circuits. He had never encountered a human with such a profound understanding of machines—who wielded magic in perfect synthesis with technology. The precision with which she had overridden his systems… It was incredible.
Despite his defeat, an unfamiliar feeling swelled in him.
Admiration?
…No. This is something else.
A warmth spread through his body, with an odd tingling sensation burning in his face.
What is this feeling?
"So, you're the reason these kids are moving around in my world?" Dimaria sneered, her sharp gaze locked onto Ultear.
Ultear scoffed. "Your world? It doesn't surprise me Zeref's token time mage would be so presumptuous.
Dimaria's agitated expression twisted into a wide, toothy grin. "Presumptuous? No, no. You misunderstand. This is my world. I am its god, after all."
The air around Dimaria trembled as her magic power spiked to terrifying levels. Wendy, Sherria, and even Ultear instinctively took a step back, eyes growing wide with alarm. It was as if something within Dimaria had awakened… something far more powerful than they had ever faced before. Its foreign power seemed to descend onto the battlefield, its darkness swallowing the Spriggan.
When the darkness lifted, Dimaria had transformed. Shadows cloaked her body, her hair stood on end, and her eyes glowed an ominous gold, bearing the weight of something ancient and inhuman. When she spoke, it was no longer her voice'- it was deeper, older. Timeless.
"I am Chronos, god of time. You have trespassed in my domain. That is blasphemy. And blasphemers will be punished."
A sphere of condensed energy formed in her palm- then she fired it, aiming toward Wendy.
"WENDY, LOOK OUT!"
It was too fast for her to react. Carla, however, acted on instinct, and flew as fast as she could to intercept the blow. When it struck, an agonized scream tore from the exceed's throat, and she collapsed, unmoving.
"Carla! Wendy screamed, racing toward her fallen friend.
But Chronos was too fast. With barely a flicker of movement, the god- possessed Spriggan struck Wendy with bone shattering force, hurling her across the battlefield.
Wendy coughed, forcing herself back up despite the intense pain. Judging by the power that had radiated from the attack, Carla would not be getting back up soon, and would likely need medical attention. Wendy clenched her fists. "What do we do? How can we fight a literal god?"
Ultear's ethereal form flickered and cracked, Chronos' divine power unraveling her projection and overriding her power. She grit her teeth. "We'll have to move fast. I have a one time spell I can use- you remember when I unlocked your second origin, right Wendy? Well, this one is your third origin."
"Third origin?" Sherria echoed.
Ultear nodded. "It's the pinnacle of a mage's power, granting you all the strength you will ever achieve in your lifetime- but there's a cost. For being able to wield this incredible power, it's a one-time deal- and afterwards, you lose your ability to use magic forever."
The two girls regarded Ultear with wide eyes. "F-f-forever?" Wendy's voice trembled.
Ultear nodded. "Choose wisely. We don't have much time." She said as Chronos came closer.
Wendy stepped up immediately. "Miss Ultear, let me! Please, I know I can-"
"No." Came Sherria's voice, calm and resolute. "Use it on me. This is what my magic is for. I'm ready."
Wendy's heart clenched. "No, Sherria, you can't! You can't sacrifice your magic!"
Sherria smiled softly. "It's alright. I have a feeling you're going to need your magic for something much more important very soon. But me? This is exactly the kind of battle my magic was meant for! A Sky God Slayer, taking down a god? That's a pretty awesome way to go out, don't you think?"
Undeterred, Wendy shook her head. "No, I don't want you to sacrifice your magic! Miss Ultear, please-"
"Age Scratch!"
Magic filled clock hands sped towards them, and as they struck Wendy and Sherria, the girls cried out as immense pain spread throughout their bodies.
"Age Scratch causes its target to feel all of the pain they have ever received to this point in a single moment." Chronos explained. The god stopped advancing. "Surrender. You will not be getting up from this."
Ultear's spectral form cracked and flickered violently. She was running out of time.
I have to act now!
Ultear made her choice and, ignoring Wendy's protests, cast the third origin spell on Sherria.
The young god slayer gasped as a staggering amount of magic power filled her body.
Wendy's eyes burned with tears. "No, Sherria! Ultear, I told you to use it on me!"
Sherria smiled, exhaling slowly as she adjusted to the new power running through her veins. She turned to Wendy, her expression showing no fear or hesitation- only determination. "This is it, Wendy. Our last performance as the Sky Sisters. What do you say?"
Wendy wiped the tears in her eyes away and straightened, her expression hardening. "Of course. Let's show this evil god what we're made of!"
Chronos scoffed. "Evil god. You should not speak of matters you have no idea of young mortal."
Sherria glared at Chronos. "You are an evil god. You hurt innocent people and take pleasure in it. But that's alright, that's why magic like mine exists!"
Magic crackled around her fists, light bursting from her body like a storm. "To slay evil gods like you!" She inhaled, collecting all the power she had just gained. The sky seemed to tremble in response.
"Sky God's Bellow!"
A massive vortex of divine wind surging with crushing force as it barreled toward Chronos.
The god chuckled, making no move to dodge the blow. "Foolish girl, you-"
The attack slammed into Chronos, slammed into a stone wall with a thunderous crack.
Though they recovered quickly, shock was evident on the god's face for the first time since the battle began.
"Wha-"
"Sky God's Boreas!"
Two massive black whirlwinds ripped through the frozen battlefield, hurling Chronos across the timeless void. The sheer force of the blow caused Chronos's power to wane for a moment, and in that moment Dimaria's consciousness came back through.
"What the Hell?! There's no way- this is impossible!" Dimaria raged.
Chronos resurfaced. "Overflow."
The word itself was an execution. Divine power erupted from Chronos, consuming everything in its wake like a collapsing star.
As the attack surged towards them, Wendy reached out and laid her hand on Sherria's shoulder. "Oh, swift wind that dashes through the heavens- VERNIER!"
Sherria felt her body lighten, the world blurring around her as she narrowly avoided Chronos's wrath. Resolve solidified in her chest. She knew her time was limited, so she was gonna make damn sure this last attack did its job.
Extending her arms out, dark winds coiled around her hands, black feathers spiraling around her as raw, god- defying power crackled at her fingertips. The frozen world itself seemed to tremble with the energy she had summoned.
Ultear, watching from nearby, took note of a particular mage lying frozen near them. A plan formed in her mind—one that could ensure Chronos and Dimaria stayed down permanently. She moved toward the other mage, intent to bring her into Chronos and Dimaria's frozen world.
As the blackened winds spread out over Sherria's body, the god slayer declared, "Heavenly Gathering Of Clouds!"
Sherria's final spell erupted outward, the maelstrom of divine wind sweeping Dimaria and Chronos away.
But there was another person riding the air current, speeding toward the god- possessed Spriggan, sword drawn.
Dimaria was able to snap out of her shock of being bested, and just in time.
SHLICK.
She had twisted herself just in time, Kagura's blade nearly going through her neck. Instead, it went through her arm, severing it clean below the elbow.
The timeless world shattered, awoken by Dimaria's blood-curdling scream.
Ajeel awoke to Dimaria's scream, eyes wide and adrenaline coursing through him. His vision snapped into focus, heart hammering.
Where is she?!
Ignoring the pain shooting through his body, he stood, the battlefield spinning around him. The last thing he could remember was fighting that lightning dragon slayer, and then there had been a flash of white, and. someone had gotten the jump on him and knocked him out…
It looked like Larcade had most of the enemy down again, but he was fighting someone- someone wielding light magic. Probably the same person who knocked Ajeel out earlier.
The Desert King couldn't care less, though. His focus was completely on finding Dimaria.
"Sand world!"
Once again, the battlefield was engulfed in sand. Ignoring everyone else, he surged through his storm in the direction he had heard Dimaria's scream.
"Marie!" He tried calling her name.
There was no answer.
The panic in him grew.
When he finally reached her, his blood ran cold.
Dimaria lay sprawled in a pool of crimson, her severed arm lying ten feet from her.
And standing over her- blade pressed to her throat- was the woman responsible.
Ajeel saw red.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER, YOU SWINE! RAML SAYF!"
His body became one with the raging sand, flinging razor sharp blades through the air at Dimaria's attacker. The woman barely managed to retreat, Ajeel's whirlwind forcing her back.
He finally reached Dimaria.
She was still breathing.
Barely.
She had lost a lot of blood. Her complexion was pale too. She really wasn't looking good.
Ajeel didn't waste a second. He tore off his shirt, doing all he could to steady his hands as he made an improvised tourniquet, wrapping it tightly around the ragged stump.
Dimaria flinched, teeth sinking into her lip to suppress a cry. As Ajeel tied the makeshift tourniquet, her golden eyes slowly cracked open, clouded with pain.
But still yet, she managed a smirk.
"Hey babe, looks like I screwed up... glad you were here to look out for me..."
Her voice, barely above a whisper, faded as she lost consciousness
Ajeel clenched his jaw. This was bad. He didn't have the skills to treat a wound like this. They had to withdraw.
Now.
Picking Dimaria up and carrying her bridal style, he noticed Larcade had temporarily shaken off his opponent and made his way over to Ajeel. His eyes were wide with horror when he saw Dimaria. "W-what happened? How-"
"Don't know, don't care! We're getting outta here, she's not gonna last much longer in this state!" Ajeel snapped.
Larcade hesitated. "But what about the mission? Lady Irene-"
"I don't give a damn about the mission! Not if it means losing her!" Ajeel shouted back, his voice cracking with desperation. "Lady Irene can handle herself. If there's fallout from this, I'll take it all. I don't care."
Larcade swallowed hard. The conviction in Ajeel's voice stunned him. He knew the two were a couple... but this was far beyond simple carnal infatuation. In Ajeel's words, he heard his own- and his uncle's- dedication to His Majesty.
This was love.
"I'll order the retreat. Though... we still have our dear friends here to contend with." He noted, turning to where the enemy forces were advancing toward them. The white dragon slayer was at their forefront, eyes burning with defiance.
Ajeel scowled and looked at the etherious intently. "Larcade. That spell you tried to take the prince in your match. Use it."
Larcade's eyes widened. "But- our orders-"
"I. Don't. Give. A. Damn about our orders! You can use it without killing them, right?"
Larcade hesitated. "I don't know if it'll be enough to keep them down..."
"Then make sure it is." Ajeel growled as his grip on Dimaria tightened. "I'd trade every single one of their lives if it meant saving hers."
Larcade exhaled sharply, then nodded. "Understood."
As Ajeel barked orders to the troops to withdraw to their ships at the docks, Larcade turned to face the approaching mages.
Sting smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Leaving so soon? I don't think-"
Larcade didn't waste time with naming his spell or any other type of speech before he released Rest Calm at the max of its capacity... before it would become lethal that is. The enemy mages began falling, one by one. Even Sting began struggling to keep his eyes open.
Larcade watched him struggle, unimpressed. Compared to my uncle, this dragon slayer is nothing.
Not that he'd ever tell Natsu that, of course.
"One of my comrades is grievously wounded. You will not get to our forces. Now, rest. If you refuse to sleep temporarily... you will never awaken again."
Sting forced a breathless chuckle. "You mean to tell us Zeref's empire gets a boo boo and calls it quits? That's fucking pathe-"
WHACK.
The dragon slayer's taunting was cut off as Larcade hit the other man with his iron cross, sending him crashing through a building. He did not get back up.
Larcade smirked. "I just saved your life, you idiot. You're welcome." Given his ability to consume light magic, Larcade wasn't sure he'd be able to keep him down without killing him with his sleep magic. Well, I can't say I didn't try, uncle.
As Larcade turned away, his mind drifted back to his battle with Natsu when he had first come to Vistarion. How he had stared down Larcade with determination in his gaze- intense, but not malevolent. Larcade couldn't see himself back then, but with the distaste he had felt for his uncle at the time, he could imagine how he had looked.
Because it was how the Firoian mages had stared at him before they succumbed to his spell.
"It's ironic, isn't it?" Larcade mused as he walked towards the port. "You call us monsters. Yet it was your hatred- your need to destroy us because we 'serve Zeref', that led to this turn of events."
He stopped, glancing back at the fallen mages. "Meanwhile, our bonds with one another ensures we all survive. You all included."
A chuckle escaped from his lips as he caught up with Ajeel and the retreating soldiers. "I suppose in the end, love trumps hate after all."
"Requip, Heaven's Wheel Armor!" Erza's voice rang out, firm and unyielding, as her magic flared around her, reshaping her attire in a flash of brilliant light. The countless blades that manifested with her new form gleamed ominously. "I'll show you why they call me Titiana, Queen of the Fairies!"
With a single motion, her strike multiplied into a whirlwind of steel. The relentless barrage that had bested countless foes before.
Yet Irene stood unmoved.
Her expression betrayed not even mild strain. She didn't just wield that sword as part of her disguise- no, every movement, every parry, every strike, spoke of years of mastery. No matter how quickly Erza struck, no matter how unpredictable her swings were, Irene was always a step ahead. And loathe as Erza was to admit it… it was wearing her down.
Irene smirked. "Queen of the Fairies, you say? How fitting- my daughter, a queen. Then again, I was a queen, once."
Erza's eyes widened. Once? Does she mean something other than being queen of the empire?
"Let me tell you something, dear daughter." Irene drawled, her words dripping with mockery. "A queen should have poise. Dignity. But here you are, wearing that gaudy armor…" Her smirk deepened. "…and wielding a broken blade."
Erza's grip on her sword tightened, fury flashing in her eyes, but she refused to give Irene the satisfaction of a response. Instead., she launched forward, blade arcing toward her mother's throat…
But she was too slow.
Irene sidestepped the strike effortlessly. Before Erza could react, Irene reached out and tapped the blade lightly with two fingers, illuminated by a faint glow of magic power.
The moment the blade hit the ground, it shattered like glass.
"You have skill with the sword, that much is evident. But skill alone is meaningless when everything you wield is my plaything."
Erza snarled and pushed forward; "Requip, Black Wing Armor!"
The surge of magic filled her limbs with renewed strength. Her strikes carried even more force, every impact shaking the air around them.
And yet Irene still countered each blow as she was merely brushing away a bothersome insect.
Her mother uttered something Erza wasn't able to make out, but once she did, Irene's blade glowed an ominous light purple and then dropped to the earth with a massive thud, the ground cracking beneath its intense weight.
Seizing the opportunity, Erza went in for a strike-
But Irene moved in a blur, effortlessly lifting her immensely heavily blade up with one hand, blocking Erza's strike as if gravity meant nothing to her.
Erza barely had time to be startled before Irene parried, forcing her back. Erza thought she could use the momentum to flip herself back into a better stance, but-
Why… Why can't I move?!
An invisible force yanked her downward, slamming her face first into the ground, a crushing weight bearing down on her entire body. She struggled to stand, gritting her teeth as she looked up at Irene, who stood over her with a bemused smirk.
"You fight with tricks, not skill!" Erza roared.
Irene scoffed. "My dear Erza, when you've mastered all manner of enchantments as I have, tricks become skill!"
Erza pushed past the immense weight and changed tactics. "Requip- Nakagami armor!"
A surge of power exploded through her body as the enchanted armor enveloped her. This would turn the tide. With this armor, she had the power to cut through magic itself.
However, Irene's smirk only widened. "No matter how many outfits you go through, they won't change the outcome of this fight!"
With a flick of her fingers, an enchantment materialized, magic infused words glowing ominously as they sped toward Erza-
Only for Erza to slice through them, dispelling the enchantment in an instant.
Irene's smirk disappeared. "Well. It would seem you're not entirely hopeless."
Erza didn't waste her breath on a response. She launched herself at Irene once again, her blade clashing against her mother's with an earth-shattering force. The ruins of the Council building trembled at the impact, debris raining down around them.
For a moment, mother and daughter found themselves in a deadlock- even with her Nakagami armor, one of the most powerful sets in her arsenal, with all Erza's magic power poured into her strike- Irene stood firm. Unshaken.
Then, with almost casual speed, Irene released one hand from her sword, and swiftly snatched Erza's wrist, giving it a sharp twist.
Pain laced up Erza's arm, causing her grip to falter and her footing to waver.
Irene took full advantage of this and brutally slammed her knee into Erza's stomach.
The force of the blow drove the air from her lungs. Erza staggered, coughing violently as blood dripped from her lips.
Still, she pushed herself back up, willing her body to keep going.
Irene's expression was indifferent. "Disappointing."
Irene flicked another enchantment at Erza- this one, Erza couldn't dodge in time. The attack struck true, and the Nakagami armor shattered into fragments of steel and fabric.
Irene's eyes narrowed. "To be honest, with a title like 'Queen of the Fairies- I expected more ." She swung her blade, and the sheer force of the slash blew Erza off her shakily regained footing, straight through one of the walls Brandish had made earlier.
Irene stepped through the hole Erza's body had made. She heard the gasps of others and felt their stares, but she ignored them. She stood over Erza's fallen form, who, despite her injuries, was trying to stand.
Irene watched her struggle and then scoffed. "Pathetic. For all your talk of being a queen, you're nothing but a scared little girl playing dress up, hiding behind that armor of yours."
Erza's eyes glistened, a whirlwind of emotions clashing inside her. But before she or Irene could do anything else, the sound of hurried footsteps approached.
"Lady Irene!" Neinhart called out, his voice triumphant. "We have it!"
Irene smirked, turning to Neinhart, where Jackal and Marin stood behind him, their grins dripping with satisfaction. "Finally. I've was growing tired of this place. Let's go." Before she left, Irene looked down at Erza one last time. "Perhaps one day Erza, you will know what it truly means to be strong."
Inside her mind, her thoughts told a different story. In truth, your strength is already incredible. I'm proud to call you my daughter... and I hate we had to be reunited like this... but that should break your spirits enough from following us any further today.
Irene pivoted, her long crimson hair flowing behind her as she strode toward her comrades.
"Hey!" A sharp voice rang through the smoke-filled air.
The group turned, their eyes landing on a furious blonde celestial mage standing amidst the rubble, her exceed companion hovering beside her. Lucy's hands were balled into fists, her eyes blazing with defiance. "You don't get to just walk away after all this!"
"Yeah, we do." Brandish deadpanned.
Lucy grit her teeth, magic surging through her. "Open, gate of-"
"Oh no you don't! Rules of the Area!" Marin yelled. He smirked at Lucy's horrified expression as her spell failed. "You didn't forget, did you?" He drawled, tilting his head mockingly. "As long as I'm here, your magic is useless!
Lucy's fists trembled at her sides.
Irene rolled her eyes. "I'm so tired of this place. Our mission's over." She waved a hand nonchalantly. "Someone make sure we're not followed."
"On it!" Jackal cracked his knuckles, stepping forward with a grin. He raised his arms. "Sorry blondie, nothin' personal, orders n' all that jazz!" Explosion curse circles appeared on the ground between them. Lucy's eyes widened, but she was immediately out of sight as they detonated.
A deafening BOOM tore through the battlefield, sending mud, rubble, and dust skyward in a chaotic storm.
The Spriggans used the cover of destruction to slip away, racing toward their rendezvous point on the outskirts of Era.
But when they arrived, the sight before them was not what they expected.
Instead of Ajeel, Dimaria, Larcade, and their gathered forces, only a single small airship awaited them, alongside one of Wall's dolls, who looked very frustrated.
Irene's expression darkened. "What the Hell is this? Where's Ajeel and-"
"There's been a change of plans. We've had some unexpected setbacks. Be grateful I was able to make it here in time." Wall growled.
"Well thanks and all that Wall, but do you really think this tiny airship is gonna deter all of Fiore's allied forces?" Brandish scoffed.
"Indeed! Even though they were no match for I, the magnificent God Serena and my divine strength, even my Eternal Nightmare spell will not hold the Wizard Saints forever! And once they awaken, well…" God Serena declared, with his usual ridiculous inflection and over the top posing. "They could pose a problem." A massive frown formed on his face.
Irene pinched the bridge of her nose. "Neinhart," She snapped, as she turned to her comrade. "Have you already dispelled your historias?"
Neinhart nodded solemnly. "I had no choice, Lady Irene. Fighting those Fairy Tail mages thoroughly drained me, I'm sorry to say."
"Great. We'll need to come up with a plan to make sure we get out of here unscathed. I can already hear the first of the Firoian mages making their way here." Irene said as her scowl deepened.
However, as the first enemy mage made it through the cloud of dust from Jackal's explosions, the etherious smiled in delight, a brilliant plan hatching in his mind as he saw their first adversary break through the dust cloud. "Hang on guys." A slow predatory grin stretched across his face. "I got an idea."
Natsu's eyes fluttered open, which were instantly assaulted by an intense light. Compared to the dim chamber Fairy Heart has been held in, this place was blinding.
He instinctively tried to sit up but was met with a sharp, aching pain throughout his body. Wincing, he abandoned the attempt.
"Natsu!" A familiar voice thick with relief, called out.
His vision finally adjusted, revealing Zeref standing over him.
"Where am I?"
"You're back on the Wyvern . The infirmary, specifically."
Natsu blinked a few more times before taking a good look at his brother. Something was off. His eyes narrowed.
"I must be dead." He muttered weakly. "You're not wearing the dress."
Zeref's joyful expression dropped instantly. "That's what you focus on?"
Natsu ignored him, scanning his attire. While Zeref still wore his signature white sash, his robes were gone, replaced by a black tunic with white seams running down the center, paired with fitted black pants, not dissimilar to Natsu's. The sash itself now had gold tassels lining the trim.
"Still couldn't ditch the bed sheet though, huh?" Natsu smirked.
Zeref shook his head, but his scowl slowly shifted into an amused smile. "If you're able to crack jokes, I'd say you're in pretty decent shape- especially considering the hit you just took."
The comment sent a jolt through Natsu's mind. The events before he blacked out came rushing back- infiltrating the guildhall, successfully retrieving Fairy Heart, Gray's surprise attack. His body tensed as the memory of ice piercing through him resurfaced.
Natsu tried to lift himself again, only to feel a dull, tender pressure on his chest. Looking down, he saw a massive, jagged pink scar on his chest, just inches from his heart.
"Well," Natsu muttered, "not exactly the 'welcome back to the guild' present I was hoping for."
"You have my deepest apologies," came a quiet, somber voice from the foot of his bed.
Looking up, Natsu saw August standing there, his face heavy with guilt. Nearby, Jacob and Rusty leaned against the wall, their expressions equally tense. "I was distracted by our success, I didn't react in time-"
"The blame isn't yours alone, August." Jacob interrupted, his arms crossed. "None of us acted fast enough." Rusty gave a silent nod of agreement.
Zeref sighed, looking almost annoyed. "I already told you, August. If not for you, things could have been much worse."
Turning back to Natsu, Zeref explained. "August managed to heal you by channeling Fairy Heart's power into a healing spell. Without his help, you definitely wouldn't be sitting here awake, much less cracking jokes."
Natsu looked back at August, whose face was still stricken with guilt. Probably not how he wanted his first moment reuniting with his mother to go…
"Zeref's right." Natsu said. "I'm happy you were there, August. I don't think I could've walked this one off."
August shoulders relaxed slightly. "Thank you, Natsu. But I couldn't have done it alone. Rusty and Jacob held off the other members of Fairy Tail and Crime Sorciere long enough for me to heal you."
Both men nodded and bowed their heads slightly.
Natsu smiled. "Thanks guys." A thought struck him, and he addressed Rusty. "Hang on, if Crime Sorciere was there…Rusty, does that mean-"
Rusty's composure waved slightly, and his smile slipped a bit. "Yes. I saw Meredy again…I revealed my face to distract them."
Natsu's gaze lowered. "I'm sorry, Rusty. That probably wasn't how you wanted that reunion to go."
Rusty folded his arms. "It wasn't. But…" He inhaled sharply, his voice steadying. "I wasn't about to let the man who took me in and gave me a second chance die because I was uncomfortable. I did swear my loyalty to you, after all."
Natsu smiled again. "Glad to have you on our side... even if we did have to strong arm you at first."
Rusty chuckled. "Of course, Your Highness." He said, bowing slightly. His smile grew a bit, and he added, "I think Jacob had to set some uncomfortable feelings aside as well."
Jacob shook his head. "I did my duty and am pleased to see His Highness is alright now. That said... I hope I don't ever have to see that indecent demon woman again." His face showed his clear distaste.
Natsu's eyebrows shot up. "You mean Mira? What-"
"Respectfully, Your Highness, please do not make me revisit that scene. Between her, your tales of the Jiggle Butt Gang- which I still cannot believe exists- and holding the emperor's beloved while she was nude, I have experienced more than enough indecency today to last a lifetime."
Zeref chuckled. "Having worked with you for so long Jacob, I know that had to be difficult for you. But you have my utmost gratitude." Zeref gave the assassin a nod. "Why don't you go rest for a bit? We still have some time before we reach the Avesta Desert."
Jacob bowed deeply. "Thank you, Your Majesty. Rest well, Your Highness." At that, the assassin swiftly departed.
Natsu furrowed his brow. "Why are we heading to the desert?"
Zeref's lips curled into a knowing smile. "After everything we just went through, don't you think we should see the fruit of our labor?" He titled his head. "Unless you don't want to revive mom after all?"
Natsu's eyes widened, and he sat up ignoring the dull ache in his chest. "Why wouldn't I? We've come too far to stop now- I just didn't think we'd be doing it this soon."
"If we don't do it now, it will only complicate matters further." Zeref's face darkened as he stood, pulling back the curtain to Natsu's right.
Natsu's breath hitched slightly. In a bed beside him lay Mavis, her face peaceful, her small frame hooked to IVs and monitoring sensors, and a respirator over her mouth.
"She's slowly regaining cognitive function," Zeref murmured. "And I have no doubt she'll oppose what we're about to do. Doctor Williams is going to administer an anesthetic that should keep her asleep until after we revive mom. If she tried to fight us mid ritual, things could get… messy."
Natsu noted the sadness in his brother's voice as he spoke of Mavis opposing them. "Guess she'll be the first in the guild to find out... about me, that is." Natsu muttered. Zeref slowly nodded.
But after a moment, Natsu's smile returned. "But we'll worry about that later. This is supposed to be a happy day, right? The day our family starts coming back together!"
Zeref smiled. "Right."
Doctor Williams emerged from behind one of the partitioned curtains, wiping sweat from his brow. "I've done all I can for now." He announced. "Miss Yesta should pull through."
"Excellent news. Thank you, Dr. Williams." August said, voice full of relief.
Natsu furrowed his brow. "Wait... what happened to Dimaria?"
Zeref sighed. "A swordswoman severed her arm during their occupation of Hargeon. I don't have all the details, but it wasn't a pretty sight. Ajeel was understandably distraught."
Guilt settled in Natsu's stomach like a rock. He knew the war was inevitable regardless of what they did with Fairy Heart, but still, to know Dimaria would have a permanent injury the rest of her life...
His eyes widened at the implications. "What about the others? Did we lose anyone else?
Zeref shook his head. "Other than one of Wall's dolls, no. None of the Twelve perished. Even our infantry's casualties were extremely low for an undertaking of this scale."
Relief flooded Natsu. "Thank God." Then, after a tense pause, he asked, "What about... Fairy Tail? And Fiore?"
August took a deep breath. "Irene's team is still enroute, but based on our field reports, Fairy Tail has sustained no fatalities. And though I wanted to kill the devil slayer, I honored our promise. He won't be in fighting shape for a while, however."
The weight on Natsu's chest eased. Everyone in the guild... is safe? "Well, considering the 'gift' he gave me," he muttered, gesturing to the scar on his chest, "I can't say I'm too broken up about that. But…Thanks for sparing him, August."
August inclined his head. "Of course." A smile crossed his face. "Since everyone's alright, I believe I'll return to the bridge. You should rest, Your Highness."
Rusty nodded. "I'll accompany you, Lord August." The two left the infirmary.
Dr. Williams turned to Natsu. "Your Highness. If you'd prefer, you can rest in your own quarters. Lord August did such an exceptional job healing you there's nothing more I can do here. Let me summon an orderly-"
"That won't be necessary." Zeref stood, offering Natsu his hand. "I'll take him myself."
"Your Majesty, you don't have to-"
"I know, doctor. I want to." Zeref's tone was gentle, but firm. Dr. Williams nodded.
Natsu accepted his brother's hand. His legs wobbled slightly as he stood, but with Zeref's arm slung around his shoulders, he regained his footing. After a few minutes, he felt steady enough to walk on his own, but…
"Seriously, you can let go now."
Zeref simply ignored him.
Natsu sighed, not feeling like arguing. "How did your dress get shredded anyway? Who the Hell managed to land a hit on you?"
"Would you believe it was one of your own guildmates?" Zeref said, a flicker of amusement in his voice.
Natsu furrowed his brow for a moment, before asking, "Gildarts?"
Zeref nodded. "Indeed. His strength is… remarkable. I thoroughly enjoyed our fight. I even told him I would have welcomed him among the Twelve."
Natsu snorted. "Yeah, bet that went over well." He paused for a moment. "How'd he get the jump on you?"
Zeref's smile faded. "He got the upper hand because I… lost focus. I felt our connection slipping. And when I did, I panicked. Nothing else mattered at that moment."
Natsu's face fell. "Oh." He paused a moment before quietly saying. "Sorry I worried you."
Zeref shook his head. "It's fine. We knew there were risks and August had the situation under control faster than I could have asked for. That said, Gildarts saw me wearing your scarf."
Natsu exhaled through his nose. "Fantastic. That's definitely gonna come back to bite me. Still, better than everyone around you dying."
Zeref nodded. "Exactly." He then gave Natsu a pointed look. "Now that the invasion is over with, I want you to take some time and really rest. No more reckless missions or unnecessary battles."
They had reached Natsu's quarters. Zeref opened the door and helped Natsu onto the bed.
Natsu rolled his eyes. "Geez, quit worrying so much."
A knowing smile crossed Zeref's face. "If you think I'm bad, just wait until Mom is here."
Natsu huffed but couldn't help smiling. "It'll be worth it."
Zeref nodded before straightening. "I need to go check in with Invel, and make sure everything's in order. Need anything before I go?"
"Nah, I'm just gonna nap til we get back to Alakitasia. Later, bro."
Zeref waved as he left, the door closing behind him.
Natsu lay back, exhaling. His mind replayed everything that had just occurred- breaking into the guildhall, stealing the first master's body, Gray's attack... It still bothered him, the glimpse he caught of Gray's eyes before he blacked out. It wasn't anger. It wasn't hatred.
It was something darker.
This is gonna be a nightmare to explain whenever I get back to the guild. He yawned, sleep about to overtake him. But that's future Natsu's pro-
A sudden knock at the door snapped him awake. "Ugh... come in?" He said, somewhat bewildered.
The door opened, revealing Rustyrose, looking tense. "Your Highness... His Majesty requests your presence on the bridge."
Natsu scowled. "What? But he just brought me here and told me to get some rest?!"
"I understand but... there's been a situation that requires your attention." Rusty hesitated before signing. "I'm sorry, that's the best way I can put it."
Natsu eyed Rusty for a moment before grumbling under his breath as he threw off his covers and slid his boots back on.
"You okay to walk?" Rusty asked.
"Oh yeah, I'm great." Natsu muttered. "Can't wait to tell Zeref that his agitating me with whatever this is has really lit a fire in my belly."
Rusty gulped.
The two stormed through the corridors leading to the bridge, Natsu growing more and more irritated with every unanswered question. "You really not gonna tell me anything about this 'situation'?"
Rusty groaned, rubbing his temple. "I'm sorry Natsu, I swear I don't even know where to begin with this..." His expression sobered a bit before he added, "Except that it had nothing to do with me and it's all Jackal's fault!"
Natsu snorted, amused despite himself.
At last, they reached the bridge doors. Natsu pulled out his badge and held it to the scanner. With a mechanical hiss, the blast doors slid open.
"Alright, whatever this is, it better be good." Natsu grumbled loudly as he stormed onto the bridge. "I was almost asl-"
"Natsu!"
He froze.
His blood ran cold as he registered the voice. That very familiar voice.
That voice had no business being here, not on the bridge of the Alvarez command ship.
But as his gaze snapped to the center of the bridge, sure enough, she was standing there, eyes wide with something between excitement and relief.
His heart clenched.
OOOOOOOOOO what's this? Angst incoming?
I have the next part of the story outlined a bit more so hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter finished in time for next Friday!
Special thanks to my beta reader, Valeska001 for catching my dumb mistakes XD
Also special thanks to Everity36 for suggesting Capricorn break the news to Brandish and Lucy this time around!
And finally, everyone on the Guild Awards server who helped me when I got stuck on some of these fights XD
AND AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT- did you know this story has a spin-off now?
That's right, CoolCarnage, frequent commenter and suggester of good ideas over on A03 has started a spin-off series called 'Keeping More Secrets'. It contains what if scenarios, things that might be happening off screen, and other funny scenarios! Check it out here- archiveofourown . /works/63144430/chapters/161711236 (I still haven't figured out how to link stuff here, just delete the spaces between archiveofourown and the / and the link should work.)
Once again, much obliged, Carnage 😁
I'll see you all next time for chapter 33: Become The Martyr.