A/N: This chapter was a lot harder to do, and took me a awhile to brainstorm and make it not too hasty or whatnot... If you see anything that seems too fast or OOC, feel free to let me know or PM about it. I'm open to criticism (:

Please enjoy

It wasn't that she was relieved to see that Erza was okay as soon as she came back to the surface. She just felt so blatantly unamused with the situation that she had to sort out. This mission should've been so frustratingly simple.

When Erza found herself back in the world, with actual real sun shining down on her, she was relieved. She thought she would've been a prisoner in that creepy room  forever. "Good riddance," she muttered.

"Good riddance indeed."

Erza immediately sat up and turned to find a blonde standing there. "L-Lucy."

"Seems trouble has a habit of finding you everywhere you go."

Erza stood back to her feet and faced the smaller girl. "Guess we're lucky to have a cute mage like yourself to help us." She said with a slight blush on her cheeks. Maybe she shouldn't had said that. 

"Hmm... where are the others?" Lucy scanned her surroundings, but the other mages was no where to be found.

"Not sure..." Erza said, feeling a little disappointed at the blonde's lack of reaction.

Sighing silently, Lucy summoned one of her spirits that was adept at detecting magic nearby. Thankfully it didn't take her long to have a general idea on exactly where to look. Without saying anything else, she opened a void in front of her. Then she materialized a special cloak for Erza so she'll survive the void.

She handed the cloak to the girl, "Put this on", Lucy spoke with a tone of order. She didn't have time to waste.

Erza hesitantly took the cloak and put it on.

The two mages then stepped into the swirling void and disappeared from sight, leaving behind silence and a devastated battlefield.

...

It didn't come to no surprise as destruction was the evidence that laid in the path of a certain blonde and redhead mage. It didn't even surprised the girls as everything was scorched and iced in every direction possible. However, it was made easy to follow the path of destruction. Like following the bread crumbs to the final destination.

The sounds of explosions and screams of battle cry could faintly be heard from a distance.

The two girls picked up their pace and eventually arrived at the scene of a wild battle scene.

Lucy stood with an unemotional look painted on her face. Nothing had really changed hasn't it? It all seemed like a waste of time, when there was bigger things that needed to be done.

Erza stood still hesitantly as the blonde had yet to move. She was unsure what she should do or say. But before she could take any action, the blonde was gone. 

And Erza knew where the blonde was. She turned her eyes to the scene of battle, and watched the blonde moved elegantly with magic surrounding her. 7 years later, and Lucy had only gotten more beautiful. And her maturity only added to her charm. 

... 

Fighting against Ajeel, the sand wizard of Alcartz, was to say the least, was the battle that Lucy wasn't expecting at all. But it was almost too easy to grab the Fairy Tail mages and leave the battlefield before anymore damage was done.

Before Lucy  could close the void, she swore she heard a dreadful voice reverberating in the air. 

"Destruction is near Lucy. I will kill everyone you hold dear."

Feeling threatened would not be an accurate description of what she felt at that exact moment. Every inch of her body was painted in indigent hue of anger and felt furious. But now was not the time. Not yet.

Back in the safety of their country, Lucy stared in front of her as the mages started chatting as if nothing had happened. Where was their sense of urgency!? No sense in lollygagging. She needed to finish that conservation from earlier. 

Erza was relieved that no one was hurt during the mission... could it really be called a mission? It was such a failure. Nor was it a victory. She turned to Lucy, only to see her disappear in her void, leaving the rest of the mages alone. Erza knew that the blonde was frustrated, but she was unsure on what was the cause of such frustration. And she wanted to help.

No. She needed to help.

... 

Finding the truth was equivalent to finding a needle in a haystack. Truth being averted, avoided from the truthful eye of a mage. The very lullaby of reverberating magic singing in the air seems to bring painful memories of the past. 

The celestial mage stood front of the giant stone once again, intent on finishing her deliberate quest. 

"Lucy, surely there's something else that you can do besides this?" Makarov stood behind the blonde with a determine look to make Lucy change her mind. 

"I can just give up and let humanity die. But we all know that's not an option." 

"But-"

"Lucy is still right Makarov." Mavis chimed in from nowhere, and materialized next to the old man.

"But your body..."

"It'll disappear once I've served my purpose. Magic is the only thing keeping me together." 

Lucy silently sighed and turned to the two mages. "Master, I've figured that you would've taken risks to ensure the safety of your guild."

Makarov was in a difficult dilemma of his own principles. And it challenged him to choose one or the other. Destroy the First Master to ensure the safety of his guild? Or take a risk as an optimist.

"But the First's gift in strategy could really help us in the long run. I think we should think about that."

"I disagree." Mavis said. "Lucy is on equal footing with my strategic skills."

"Combine the two, we'll have a masterplan on winning this war without any casualties."

"Casualties there will be." Lucy muttered in a low tone. "Zeref will die by my hands."

At that very moment, the door opened, revealing a redhead that looked like a lost child. "Didn't know there was a place like this underground."

"Erza?"

"Master? First?.... Lucy?!" Erza was more than surprised to see two Masters, including the blonde that she had been looking for. 

"What you looking for Erza?" Makarov asked.

"I... was looking for Lucy and-" She was cut off as she saw the huge stone, and could make out someone trapped inside of it. "Isn't that the First?"

"And I intend on destroying it." Lucy spoke up, and turned toward the stone. She needed to get rid of any loose ends that could be used against her.

"Eh?"

"Lucy learned that Zeref is after Fairy Heart. The true name of this stone you see. And Lucy wants to destroy it, weakening Zeref's resolve. Or something."

"Is that wise?" The redhead frowned.

"I don't think it's the right move to make. But the First seems to think so."

"There must be another way."

Just then, there was a small explosion that seems to come from the surface that had alerted most of the mages in the room. But Lucy wasn't worried, as she recognize the ruckus was one of familiarity. 

Couple seconds later, the door opened again, and it revealed a scorched Natsu. "Oi! Been looking everywhere for ya Lucy! Erza!"

"I really need to find a way to make this place more inaccessible." Makarov muttered.

"Oh! Master! First! You're here too?"

Mavis only smiled at the energy the dragon slayer seems to have. It felt refreshing. 

"So... Why are we here?"

"Why are you looking for us Natsu?"

The fire breathing mage turned to the redhead with a grin. "It isn't a party without you or Lucy."

"Be it as it may, we have more pressing matters." Lucy said, silently hoping there's no more interruptions.

"Eh?"

"Lucy wants to kill the First." Erza said as a matter of fact.

"Eh!? You're kidding right?"

"A war in advancing in our direction, a huge country is planning on destroying this country and everyone that lives within it. And you have the balls to kick up and get yourself drunk." Just talking about it only made Lucy more frustrated with her guild. She loves them to bits, but... 

"And you thought killing the First would solve that problem?" Natsu suddenly turned serious, not really understanding the full situation. 

"It'll at least give us the upper hand."

"I won't let you." Natsu took his defense stance. Friends or foe, no one will be killing each other in his presence. 

Mavis and Makarov decided to just stand by and watch the scene unfold. Makarov silently hoped that Natsu would help change the blonde's mind. And Mavis... well she was enjoying the show.

Erza stood there questionably. Surely there must be another way to approach this situation. Maybe they don't have to kill the First. "Let just come with a plan that we all can support."

Lucy inwardly sighed, having enough of this conservation. She turned to Mavis, then to Makarov, then to the Erza and Natsu. Turning back to Mavis, she frowned. "They don't know do they?"

Mavis shook her head. "It was a secret that only the guild masters knew."

"Well it's time they have the right to know exactly how dangerous you are." Lucy gave the petite mage a knowing look.

"You're right. It's time to unveil everything, and tell the truth."

"Truth? Dangerous? Does this have to do with Zeref going after you?" Erza asked.

"When Fairy Tail was founded during the time of war, I had met Zeref wondering in the forest. I quickly befriended him, and he had taught me powerful magical spells. But it came with a price: A never-aging body afflicted with a terrible curse."

"Zeref is also afflicted by the same curse." Lucy added.

Mavis nodded. 

"Then how did you end up in there naked?" Natsu asked.

"I died for caring for Zeref. Then Hades had encased me in lacrima to try and bring me back. But he failed. It wasn't long before it was discovered that I had an unlimited magic reserve."

"Unlimited magic. Sounds too good to be true." Erza muttered.

"And Zeref intends to steal this magic for himself to destroy The black dragon, and destroy all mankind." Lucy said.

"I thought Zeref and that dragon were on the same side." Natsu said.

"Zeref wants to destroy all mankind. Acnologia wants to rule mankind, so he'll definitely get in Zeref's way."

"So Acnologia is on our side now?" Erza frowned at that very thought.

"No. He's on neither side. He'll destroy you if he feels like it. I actually had run into him once couple years back." Lucy said, recalling the time when she had ran into the very dragon that had caused the disappearance of her friends. 

"Really? What happened?" 

"Did Ya'll fight?!~"

"He just told me to be ready for Zeref's army. Then he left with a scowl. But make no mistake, he can destroy mountains if he feels like it. He'll be a difficult enemy to beat."

"I'm getting all fired up! Let's g-"

Erza knocked him out in the back of his head. "Idiot."

"Can't Zeref destroy mankind without stealing the First's magic?" The redhead asked.

"Fortunately, his magic is limited, and can only do so much. But with the First's power combined with his, the destruction will be tenfold and more devastating than what happened with the extinction of the dragons. That's why I intend to destroy that opportunity. It'll give us the odds of defeating Zeref."

"I have an idea." Erza perked up, an idea suddenly in her mind. "Can't the First share her unlimited magic to the mages of Fairy Tail during battle?"

"That could work." Makarov grinned, not having thought of that before. "Will that work First?" 

Mavis only smiled at Erza. "It'll be difficult, but it may work. I would have to create a personal link to all of the mages that'll be on the battlefield."

"Great, it's settled then." Erza turned to Lucy. "Are you still determined to destroy the First?"

Lucy frowned and closed her eyes in exasperation. She couldn't argue with that.  "Fine. Do as you wish."

"Alright, let tell the guild about this." Erza picked Natsu up by his scarf. 

"And that we'll soon be in all-out war with Zeref." Mavis added.

"Yes. And his army... we don't know what or who they are. We'll be at a disadvantage." Erza voiced.

"Not entirely." Lucy said, letting a small rare smile form on her lips. "I happen to know everything about them."

"Really? How?" Makarov asked.

"I'll reveal it in due time. But for now, let's get the rest of the guild involved."

... 

The guild were now informed of the impending war, and surprisingly enough, they were more than ready to defend their home. Lucy really had missed this rowdy aura she had come to enjoy. But there were couple of things that bothered her. 

A certain mother that had defied time. A mother that seems to harbor extreme hatred for her. And possibly her daughter. Should she tell Erza about this or not? It was a dilemma that she struggled with.

Then there's the problem of the last celestial key that she needed to find and capture to complete the mission of finding all 88 keys. She looked everywhere, but it seems the last key did not want to be found. Not yet at least. 

And then, there's the amulet that seemingly would hold the power to shift the tide of the war. Or at least that what Lucy could apprehend from the enormous concentrated power stored in the gem.

The prophecy is almost completed. Lucy could feel it. It'll all end soon. 

But the question remains: At what cost will we have to pay to win this war?

A/N: Any thoughts?