Chapter 28

Clashing Spirits

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

Ultear pulled Zeref in closer as the sun set before them. "Lord Zeref... at last I have you all to myself. And no one can take you away from me. I'm going to make you the ruler of this world. And you will bring about my salvation."

With Elfman And Evergreen

The Strauss sibling had hoisted his partner over his shoulder and was running as Belcusas chased them. I don't think he's gonna let us go." Evergreen warned. "If he catches us we're through." Elfman came to a sudden stop. "Don't stop, are you trying to kill us!?" She scolded before realizing what the stop meant. "End of the line huh?"

"Look at that view." He mumbled.

"What kind of lame brain moron runs for his life without even looking where he's going!?" She shouted as she climbed down.

"You just love complaining, don't you!?" Elfman asked. "If that's how you feel, you can go the rest of the way on your own."

Evergreen then kicked him in the ribs. "So not are you an idiot, but you'd leave a crippled comrade to fend for herself!?"

"You look healthy as a horse to me!" Elfman shouted before Belcusas stomped on the ground.

"Not good, he's got us cornered." Evergreen said. "And if he goes berserk here, we'll be making craters. I'm so low on magic power I'm not even sure I can fly."

Elfman gasped at the mention of her wings. "I can't believe I didn't think of that before. Those smarty pants spec sure come in handy."

"They have nothing to do with my intelligence." She replied. "I'm smart with or without them, or did you forget you're talking to greatest-" He grabbed onto her shoulders, cutting her off. "What are you doing?"

"No time like the present!" He hurled Evergreen into the air, distracting the monster enough to sneak behind it. "I'm right here! I'm not holding back, so give it your best shot." Belcusas growled and threw a punch. "Take-Over: Beast Soul!" He chanted before his magic transformed his body. He tanked the punch and the cliff broke apart. "He fell for it."

The cliff crumbled and Elfman hung on to the ledge for all his worth. He looked up as Evergreen landed in front of him. "Good work. We totally fooled-"

Evergreen slammed her foot into his face in anger. "Next time you come up with a plan, leave me out of it! I am not bait, do you understand me!?"

"A heat discussion followed by physical contact. Today's lovers have no sense of shame." Rustyrose said from the side.

"Shut up!" Both shouted at the same time.

"I'm impressed." The dark wizard confessed. "Many have met their end by my beast. Surviving Belcusas is a feat worthy of song. It was a shocking turn of events to say the least, claiming victory after such a pitiful display. And I do mean pitiful. My poets soul wept in disgust. Wizards like cannot be permitted. The Grand Magic World will snuff you out and then we will be forever free."

"You're talking about a cowards freedom. A real man doesn't need to destroy the world to be comfortable in it." Elfman said as he climbed up. "Don't you get it. Most of the people in this world don't have magic power. You'd put them through hell and wipe them out just for your freedom?"

"That's right." The dark wizard nodded. "They cannot be allowed to for our dream to be made real."

"I can't let you do that." Elfman replied.

"You honestly think they matter?" Rustyrose asked. "What purpose do they serve? They're like candles that can't be lit, only useful to be thrown away."

"Having magic doesn't make anyone more valuable! All life has meaning!" Elfman shouted.

"Scared to lose your cash crop?" The pompadoured man said. "That's a fine bit of hypocrisy. You call me a coward, but you're scared of being left alone."

"You're wrong." The Strauss man replied as he stood up. "We work to make life easier for each other. In exchange for our services, they give us compensation. That relationship built both our world and the guilds." Rustyrose chuckled as Elfman walked forward. "I won't let you mock what we made. This world belongs to everyone!"

Rustyrose merely pushed his glasses up. "How sad, you're totally unaware that you've lost the war. You've strayed too far from the abyss of sorcery, from which all magic and power comes from. Once you see Zeref's power, the only options will be servitude or death."

"If that's what you think, you're wrong!" Elfman shouted as he ran forward. "If Fairy Tail is headed for the grave, we're taking Grimoire Heart with us!"

"At least you've made your position clear." Rustyrose held up his hand and it turned into the claw before swatting Elfman. "If you wish to act like garbage, then you will be disposed of."

"You can call me garbage, but you won't get away with trash talking my friends!" Elfman shouted. "As a real man, I won't allow it!" Rustyrose swung again, only to find his limb caught. "I've got you now. To overcome an opponent you gotta learn them inside and out. Right, sis?"

He groaned in pain before looking up at the dark wizard. "Thanks, I need an arm." He raised his arm and it turned into the claw. "You ready to die!"

"In my hand appears a kite shield which through no attack shall ever pass!" Rustyrose chanted as his hand turned into a shield that blocked the claw. "You're tactic has failed. Now what?"

Elfman reached forward and grabbed the glasses. "What's wrong? Don't feel secure without your specs? Ever!"

She reached up and pulled her glasses off. "I only let Laxus and the Thunder Legion call me that name, but I'm in a good mood so I'll forget it." She looked the dark wizard in the eye and activated her magic. "Turning this drama club reject into a pigeon perch will be the highlight of my day!"

He flailed around for a bit before stopping. "Drama club reject?" He chuckled before whacking them both to the ground. "Such a shame, my poets soul didn't even shiver. But I did enjoy the show."

"Your glasses. How?" Elfman asked.

"My magic is imagination, the arc of embodiment." The dark wizard explained as he summoned an arch of glasses. "If I can envision it, I can give it form." He walked forward, explaining and bragging about his powers. "Come forth, my dark tower of Dingir!" He turned and a tower ripped out of the ground, trapping the two.

"I can't move!" Elfman complained as he tried to free himself.

"Elfman..." Evergreen mumbled out. "I'm sorry. If only I hadn't been your partner. You might have become an S-Class wizard. And you would have lost or been held back."

"...You idiot." He mumbled back. "I made it this far because you were my partner."

"Wane to the ends of darkness." Rustyrose snapped his fingers and the tower exploded.

With Natsu

Natsu twitched before he snapped up. "Natsu!/Natsu!" Wendy and happy shouted at the same time.

"Where's Gramps!?" He asked.

"Right here." Pantherlily said next to Makarov.

"He still hasn't woken up from before." Carla explained.

Natsu glanced down and noticed his scarf was white again. "My scarf?"

"Wendy used her sky magic to bring it back to normal." Happy explained. "She also fixed your clothes."

"Thanks Wendy." He told the other Dragon Slayer.

"It's fine." She mumbled before he leaned in and sniffed, creeping her out.

"This smell!" Natsu shouted as he stood up. "I remember that smell.. why is he here?"

"Who?" Pantherlily asked.

"Wendy, do you smell the same thing?" Carla asked her friends.

"I don't know... this place is so filled with everyone's smells that I can't figure things out." She replied.

"Natsu, who do you smell?" Happy asked.

"That guy I met on Galuna Island." Natsu explained. "He's close!" He turned and raced into the woods.

"What happened on Galuna Island?" Wendy asked.

"The usual." Happy replied. "Stuff happened and then he fought someone in a magical brawl."

"I think we'd should focus on this lost magic stuff." Slate said.

"I'm a little jealous of Natsu's nose." Pantherlily spoke up.

Council Warships

"Look alive, everyone!" Lahar shouted as he directed everyone. "Move the wounded to the tents at once! Once we secure the island, we can begin the repairs. We're going to launch an assault on the island. Anyone who can hold a weapon-" Doranbolt appeared behind him, cutting him off. "Doranbolt, what happened? You look like you went through a meat grinder."

"Don't worry about me." The spy replied. "How is the crew?"

"They're fine." The captain replied. "They're were a few injuries, but nothing serious."

"What about the communication lacrima?" Doranbolt asked.

"It survived." Lahar answered. "Now can you tell me what just happened?"

"I was making progress when a three way war between Fairy Tail, Grimoire Heart and Zeref explodes in my face." The spy explained. "The attack on the ships was Grimoire Hearts dirty work. Where's the communication lacrima? The council needs to know what's happening here."

"This can't be a coincidence..." Lahar mumbled. "The biggest thorns in our side all wind up in the same place? The chairman won't hesitate, you know how he is. As rigid as steel and swift to deliver justice. With an opportunity like this in front of him, he won't hesitate to wipe them all out."

"An Etherion blast!?" Doranbolt asked in shock.

"If he does resort to that, we have no choice but to obey." The captain mumbled.

"Out of the question!" Doranbolt shouted back. "I know the council has had it in for Fairy Tail for a long time, but they don't deserve the same fate as Grimoire Heart or Zeref!"

"If I'm ordered to execute them, that's what I'll do." Lahar replied. Doranbolt gasped before his mind flashed with his time with Wendy. "So, are you going to tell HQ or should I?"

With Natsu

"He has to be around here somewhere." Natsu said as he ran through the forest. "The only question is why is he here?"

"How do you know what he smells like?" Happy asked as he flew along side his partner.

"Becsuse I fought him before." Natsu explained. "He must have gone this way."

"Natsu, wait!" Happy cried out before the Dragon Slayer slipped and fell onto a leaf. He tumbled down the hill in his sickness before falling off a cliff.

Natsu forced himself up and stared directly at Zeref resting against a tree. "It's him..."

"Natsu, the ground!" Happy called out. Natsu jumped back and a tree rose out of the ground in front of him.

"There was a little sprout there." Natsu looked up and saw Ultear sitting on a branch. "I just led it into the future with the arc of time. Where will your future go, Natsu Dragneel?"

"I can smell it... you're that guy!" Natsu shouted at her.

" The one who used Lyons group on Galuna Island?" Happy asked.

"So you're a cross dresser!" Natsu shouted.

"This is my true form." She explained. "I'm the leader of the Nine Kin of Purgatory, Ultear Milkovich. Don't tell me you're also after Zeref?"

"Zeref?" Both Natsu and Happy asked before the Dragon Slayer turned to the sleeping man. "That guy is Zeref?"

"No way!" Happy shouted. "Zeref lived a long time ago!""

"I'm not going to let you have him, though." She said from her branch. "He's mine now."

"I don't need him!" Natsu shouted up. "He hurt my friends! I'm never going to forgive you all!"

"Oh, really?" Ultear asked, summoning her orb. "Then I need to return what I owe you. This time I'm serious."

"If you hadn't shown up, I could be an S-Class wizard now!" Natsu shouted as he climbed up the tree.

"Is that your future?" Ultear asked as her orb flew at him. Natsu jumped out of the way and the orb curved back up and hit him. In response, he punched the orb to pieces only for it to reform itself and multiply. "These orbs all represent future possibilities. Parallel worlds. I can imagine an infinite number of futures, compress them, and point you towards only one."

The orbs surrounded Natsu and began glowing. "Flash Forward!" The crystals bombarded Natsu and he was launched back. "But the fun has just begun."

With Lucy and Co.

The four stared up at Caprico as he finished explaining the plan of the dark guild. "What you're talking about is genocide..." Loke mumbled.

"Only ten percent of the population will be allowed to live?" Cana asked in shock.

"You really think that will work!?" Lucy asked. "People will fight until there's nothing left."

"Perhaps." Caprico confessed. "Then again Hades has yet reveal all the details of his plans. He dreams for a heaven for those attuned with the abyss of sorcery. The black wizard will be ours, and once the fire and ash have settled the world will be reborn."

"You talk too much!" Gray shouted as he placed his hands in the maker position. "All I care about is making you pay dearly for coming into our house and thinking you own the place."

"My comrades and I have two missions; find and deliver Zeref to master Hades, and to wipe Fairy Tail from existence." Caprico replied as he dropped into a fighting stance.

"Wait." Loke got in between his partner and Caprico. "I'll cover your retreat. If he's just one of the Nine Kin, that means there are eight more nasties out there. I'll hold him off while you hunt down the rest of his crew."

is "Do you have a screw loose?" Gray asked. "The four of us combined couldn't take him and you wanna go solo on him?"

"Thats because his magic was sapping your strength." Loke explained. "Human Enslavement Magic, it's ancient and powerful stuff."

"Human Enslavement?" Cana asked.

"It's also known as Rulers Magic." Loke explained as his body glowed. "It reduces the combat and magical prowes of anyone it comes in contact with." The glow died and he stood in his suit. "Spirits aren't affected by it, so we can fight evenly. You might have figured it out, but he's also a spirit. Capricorn the Sea Goat."

"That's crazy!" Gray shouted.

"You're kidding!" Cana added.

'This is bad.' Lucy thought back to her fight with Angel and stood up. "We'll stay and help."

"I don't think so." Leo replied. "How about it, Sea Goat? Feel like going toe-to-toe with the superior fighter?"

"I accept your challenge." The villainous spirit replied. "To be honest, I was beginning to wonder whether or not you remembered you were a Celestial Spirit."

"Get out of here, I can handle it." Loke told the humans.

Lucy was about to speak up, but Gray grabbed her wrist. "We're just a burden without our full power. Loke knows what he has to do, so give him space to do this."

"I can't leave him here to fight one of his own kind!" Lucy shouted.

"Get out of here now!" Loke shouted, shocking the blonde.

"I get the feeling that there's more here than he's willing to tell us." Cana said.

"There's definitely some bad blood here." Gray pointed out. "Let's get out of here. You've got faith in him, don't you?"

The three turned and ran before Lucy turned back to the spirit. "Loke! Win this! Promise you'll come back safe and sound!" The Lion spirit nodded and she turned to join the others.

Caprico looked up and noticed the blonde. "I know that face." He mumbled.

"You've got more important things to worry about." Loke said before punching the goat in the gut. He charged forward and received a knee in the stomach. "Just how long has it been since you left the spirit world?"

"Seventeen years." The goat replied before jumping back from another kick.

"There's no way you've lasted that long on your own power." Leo said. "Who are you contracted to?"

"No human controls me." Caprico replied. "But I have plenty of servants of my own." He waved his hand and a line of runes appeared. "Come forth, hero of Rubengard! San Jao Shin!" Loke looked up as a man with a glaive appeared and slashed him.

"He's not a Celestial Spirit. What's going on?" He asked, clutching his chest.

"General San Jao Shin lead the anti-government forces to victory during the Rubengard civil war in x779." Caprico explained. "He went missing shortly after, but the truth is he became my slave."

"You've crossed the line!" Loke shouted. "Keeping humans as puppets is barbaric!"

"And being a slave to your master is somehow noble?" Caprico asked. "I wonder, who's holding you leash right now. Might it be that blonde girl you told to flee. She seemed quite fond of you. You never wanted to challenge me, you just wanted a way to get her to safety. A clever tactic for a puppet."

He thought back to her words and gasped. "That girl... she couldn't be..."

'No, he figured it out.' Leo thought in a panic.

"I know exactly what you're trying to do, Leo!" Caprico shouted. "I should have seen it before! The resemblance is uncanny! She is the daughter of Layla Heartfillia! Where did you send her! She can't be allowed to live!"

With Erza and Juvia

"Juvia Lockser, formerly one Phantom Lords element four." Meredy let out. "Along with Erza Scarlet, also known as Titania."

"You've done your research on us. Now who are you and what do you want?" Erza asked.

"Answer has been deemed unnessacery." She replied. "Commencing combat operations."

"Get ready, Juvia." Erza said to the bluenette, who was currently fantasizing about finding Gray. Erza snapped her out of it as the girl held out her hand.

"Maguilty Sodom." Meredy chanted as energy blades appeared around her. "Go." She lowered her hand and the blades flew forward. Juvia turned into what but the blades still hit her. "When my blades strike, they stimulate the enemies pain receptors. One might say they are blades of sensation."

"I see... you're one of the Nine Kin of Purgatory, aren't you?" Erza asked.

"I was not sent here to answer question." The opponent replied. "Eliminate the enemy. That is my mission."

With Loke

The two spirits burst out of the cave and landed on the ground. "Come forth, Hunter of Belparaso! Samagui!" Caprico chanted before a man with a bow and arrow appeared. "Eliminate Layla's daughter!"

"Samagui of Belparaso?" Loke asked in shock. "I know who that is. He's a legendary hunter. There are children's books written about him." The hunter took aim and fired but Loke broke the arrow. He then jumped and threw punched the ground, only for the hunter to dodge and fire more arrows. Loke broke all the arrows he hit, but two curved away from him. "A curved shot? I've never seen anything like it."

"Indeed, and that is precisely why I enslaved him." Caprico bragged. "I have no doubt those arrows will hit their target."

"I don't think so!" Loke punched a pillar and the rocks that flew off it destroyed the arrows. "I'll admit that Samagui is an excellent archer, but he's nothing compared to Sagittarius."

"Find the girl and eleminate her!" Caprico shouted and the hunter raced forward. Loke merely backhanded him away. "Get out of the way!" He roared as he summoned even more slaves and sent them at Leo, who defeated them all at once.

"I'm not moving until you start talking." He said. "Crux said twenty years ago you made a contract with Layla Heartfillia. I don't know what it was, but if that's true then since Layla is no longer with us, you should be fighting for her daughter Lucy. I don't understand why she doesn't know anything about you. So, want to tell me what happened Capricorn?"

"...A taboo..." Caprico mumbled. "Every magic in existence has its own set of rules that must never be broken. And I broke one of those rules. Now I'm a goat, isn't that funny?"

"What are you talking about?" Loke asked.

"Its funny, I was just thinking it was time I took on a humanoid body." He raised his hand and a black mist rolled off it. "I'll use my Human Enslavement Magic: Huma Raise!"

"You realize that that magic isn't gonna work on me?" Loke asked. "I'm not a human, I'm a Celestial spirit."

"And that would be the taboo." Caprico stated. "This magic is only supposed to be used on humans. Whoever dares to break that rule completely merges with their target."

"Are you telling me you're actually a human who fused with Capricorn?" Loke asked.

"Im about to make your body my next conquest, Leo!" The possessor said. Loke broke free from the spell and charged Capricorn before punching him in the chest. "I'm afraid your a tad to late."

Loke flexed his hand and smirked before his ribs started hurting. "Oh, that's right. I wounded him in battle. Looks like I finally have a humanoid body again. Leo really knocked you out on your tail, goat man. Not gonna miss being in you. I'm Leo, and my master is Lucy Heartfillia.

"All I have to do is kill her, and I'll be completely human again. That's right, she trusts this body. How should I do it, a surprise attack? No, I'll enslave her and have some fun with her. After all, she's as beautiful as lady Lalya." He gasped in pain as a light shot through his chest. "No, how could you do this!?"

"I believe Regulus has reached its zenith, Zoldeo." Capricorn said.

"No!" Loke shouted as black mass shot out of him. "You know what that name does!" The mass exploded and a man dropped to the ground.

"Thank you, Capricorn." Leo said to his fellow spirit.

"Sorry, sir." The goat said. "I didn't want to use excessive force to separate you two."

Zoldeo landed on the ground and looked up. "How are you even able to move, Capricorn?"

"Moments before you took over Leo, he transferred his power to me." The goat explained.

"That was transferal of magic power?" The dark wizard asked before smirking. "All that matters is that I'm myself again." He stared at his hands and they started fading away. "What's happening to me!? Capricorn, help me!" He faded away, not even leavening a speck.

"So that's what happens to those who break a sacred rule of magic." Leo mumbled in fear.

"It happened twenty years ago." Capricorn explained. "Lady Layla had suddenly fallen ill. She was forced to retire from magic. Since she no longer had any use for use, she gave her three spirits, Aquarius, Cancer and myself to her servants. One of them was Zoldeo, my key was given to him.

"However, before I moved on, Layla and I made one more contract. I promised to watch over her descendants for eternity. Zoldeo agreed to this at first, however it wasn't long before he was forced to leave the manor. He began traveling and was exposed to the dark side of magic."

"And then he broke the rule and merged with you." Loke mumbled. "So tell me, what do you think of Lucy?"

"She's definitely Layla's daughter." The goat replied. "It's clear she loves her spirits, and they love her back."

"Does that mean you'll lend her your strength?" Leo asked.

"I can't." He replied. "I can't offer her my help. I'm only saying that because she already has it. Finally, I can return to my rightful owner."

With Lucy and Co.

Lucy stopped as her key glowed. "Hey guys! Loke just told me he won!"

"I knew he could do it." Cana said.

"He doesn't want to go into details right now, but appertnly Capricorn switched over to our side." Lucy explained. "Also, he says the fight really took a lot out of him. So he's going to recover his strength in the spirit world."

"Makes sense." Cana replied. "He has been using his magic to stay in the human world all this time."

"Thats not fair!" Gray shouted. "He promised he'd be my partner! Now he's backing out on me?"

"He said he'd make it up to you." Lucy said.

"Forget him!" He shouted. "Tell the fink I don't need his help to make S-Class!"

Cana gasped at the mention of the goal before holding her arm. 'S-Class...'

"Let's get moving." Lucy spoke up.

"Hold on. I have an idea." Cana said. "If we wanna find the other Nine Kin creeps, it might be easier if we split up."

"Are you crazy?" Lucy asked, shacking in fear. "I don't wanna run into one of those creeps when I'm all by myself."

"Don't worry. I'll be there to protect you, Lucy." Cana said, hugging her partner.

"I see. When you said 'let's split up', you really meant 'let's ditch Gray'." The ice wizard said.

"You just wanna see us compare cup sizes." Cana teased as she groped Lucy.

"That's not true and you know it!" He shouted back. "I just don't think that splitting up is a good idea right now. We're a lot stronger together than we are alone."

"The only reason I suggested we split up was because I want to get back to the S-Class Trial." She retorted, letting the blonde go. "And in order to do that, we have to wipe them out. Bet I know why you're so against it, you're scared."

"...Fine, have it your way." Gray said as he turned around.

"Be careful out there, Gray." Lucy said as the two girls went in the other direction.

Fairy Tail Base Camp

The smoke from the blast had long died down as Levy and Lisanna looked over Gajeel and Mirajane. "Don't worry, they'll be okay." The bluenette told the youngest Strauss. "I just can't believe that Gajeel and Mirajane were so easily defeated."

"It's my fault..." Lisanna said, looking at her sister.

"It's not anybodies fault." Both girls looked over to see Elfman walk out of the forest carrying Evergreen. "As much as I hate to admit it, we don't stand a chance against Grimoire Heart. They're way too strong. I'm a pathetic excuse for a man. I couldn't protect my big sister or my partner..."

Levy looked down at her partner before standing up. "It's tiem for us to come together." She declared. "We were so focused on becoming S-Class that we let the trial drive us apart. I know it was only for a little bit, but everyone was thinking about themselves. We can't afford to do that now... Our enemy may be over whelming, but if we come together then there's no way they can beat us."

With Lucy and Cana

"Mavis' grave?" Lucy repeated as the two girls walked through the forest.

"Yeah, you said you figured out where it is right?" Cana asked. "I want to ask you about it earlier, but then all the crazy stuff started happening."

"Sure I tell you, but I have to warn you I could be totally wrong." The blonde replied. "There's a lot of guess work involved. First, I decided to think of all the words that could be connected to the word grave. Death, sleep, dirt, stone, star, maybe end. Sadly, no word was six letters long."

"Wait, where did you get the idea that there needed to be six letters?" Cana asked.

"From the time limit, silly." The key keeper replied. "He said he was supposed to find it in six hours. That number had to be important. I know it's abit of a stretch but I thought of a word that fits with everything. Demise. Now here's where things get iffy. Notice anything strange about the word?"

Cana thought it over but came up with a blank. "There's one letter that's used twice; E. Remember how all the paths we choose at the start of the trial were marked with a letter? I think it's in route E..." The blonde fell over as Cana held a glowing card.

"You've been a big help, thank you." Cana said before dragging the blonde into the bushes. "Sorry, Lucy." She turned and ran toward the path, unaware that one of the Nine Kin was now staring down at Lucy.

Another chapter done. I was really hoping that Caprico would say that Layla was a cruel master and this was a matter of revenge. Would have added some depth to the blonde mother instead of just making her this beacon of good will and love. Well, see you next chapter.

Beta read by JBallinR12.