Chapter 55

Three Seconds

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic and my Ideas

.:+:.

Frea immediately became defensive once the man in armor stopped before their group and she narrowed her eyes at him. She was already stressed just being in this cavern, and she hated the fact that she hadn't been able to feel him, or Yukino approaching with all the Negative Energy floating around the cave. It made her nerves rise even more when she saw that stupid smirk on his face.

She also didn't like the fact that he was talking about such dark things, Acnologia, and Zeref alike. No one should sound as sure as this man did when he talked about the Dark side of Magic.

"Who the hell are you?" Gray growled and the man in the armor smirked.

"I'm the head of the Army of the Kingdom of Fiore stationed here in Crocus. My name is Arcadios." The man replied.

"And I'm Yukino Aguria, temporary Sergeant." Yukino murmured.

"Why is the head of the army here?" Gray asked.

"Yukino..." Lucy whispered. "Why are you with the army now?"

"I'll explain." Arcadios said before Yukino had a chance to answer. "We needed the power of a Celestial Wizard for a certain strategy... So we asked Sergeant Yukino to help us."

"A Celestial Wizard...?" Wendy murmured. Frea stepped forward to stand at Chase's shoulder with Natsu on her other side. She didn't like the feeling she was getting from the man.

"Wait! I don't understand, what are you talking about?!" Natsu demanded. Frea could feel Natsu's temper rising and she felt his frustration. Arcadios wasn't explaining anything in detail, just giving them vague answers, and she didn't like it just like Natsu. "Just tell us what you want!" Natsu demanded and Arcadios just smiled a little, looking calm as ever.

"Your Natsu Dragneel right?" He asked. "Your fight was really wonderful."

In an instant Natsu was right in front of the other man, his face inches away from the mans own face. Natsu's eyes were narrowed and his fangs showed as he frowned. Arcadios didn't look at all bothered or surprised that Natsu was suddenly just in front of him, he didn't even flinch or move.

"I couldn't care less." Natsu hissed. "I'm more interested to know why you need a Celestial Wizard. If you've got something to say, say it clearly." Natsu growled.

Silence passed over the group as the two stared each other down. Frea crossed her arms over her chest and watched carefully, always ready just in case Arcadios tried something. She was focusing so much, she was able to ignore her pounding head and her stomach as it started to churn more and more.

"Come with me." All in an instant Arcadios had turned on his heel and started walking away, out of the cavern.

"Hey!" Natsu yelled after him.

"Lucy, I will ask you too." Yukino glanced toward Lucy who looked toward her in surprise. "If this plan is successful we will be able... To defeat Zeref and Acnologia." Yukino told her quietly and every single one of the Fairy Tail Mages stiffened at the thought.

Yukino turned away, and the Fairy Tail Mages hesitated a moment as they glanced at one another, before slowly following Arcadios out of the cave. Frea hesitated a bit longer than the rest of them, she still didn't like Arcadios and she didn't know what he had planned, or where he was leading them...

.:+:.

Frea let out a heavy sigh as she breathed in the fresh air. They had exited the tunnels a few minutes ago, and she was glad for it.

If they had spent any longer in the cavern of bones than they already had, she probably would have gone insane. The feeling of Negative Energy was so strong she could feel it even being in the Arena buildings, but Arcadios was leading them away from the arena.

The pounding in her head lessened and her stomach settled as they grew farther and farther away from the Arena. Beside her, she could tell Chase was also relieved to be heading away from there.

She was suspicious of where Arcadios was taking them. Shocked at hearing the history connected with the cavern of old Dragon Bones. And, most of all, she was a bit worried about why, why she had seemed to know Acnologia wasn't a real Dragon. She had ever realized it before speaking with Zirconis.

So how on earth could she have known it? Even if it was only a hunch before Zirconis confirmed her thoughts?

Frea shook her head a little and cleared her thoughts, her headache was starting to come back just thinking about it. So for the meantime, it would probably just be best to push it to the back of her mind and focus on other things.

Her silver gaze rested on Arcadios back as she saw him leading their group onward, she needed to keep an eye on him, there was no telling whether or not he had good intentions.

Moon had settled herself on Frea's shoulder as the dark grey Exceed kept her gaze fixed firmly on Arcadios. Frea could feel Magic Power coming off of her, and she had to wonder what Moon was searching for, and what she had already found out.

"Moon, find anything?" Frea asked quietly so no one could hear them.

"Actually, not a lot." Moon replied and looked away from Arcadios to glance her way, the feeling of Magic coming from her disappearing as she stopped using it. "There's something blocking me from searching his mind too far." She explained and Frea blinked. "Though its nothing like when I try to read your mind." Moon put in. "I think he's wearing something... A talisman or rune... something like that... Something that won't let me search through his memories too far." Moon finished.

"So you don't know where he's taking us? Or what this 'strategy' of his is?" Frea asked quietly and Moon shook her head.

"No, but I don't think he means to do us any harm." Moon replied with a small shrug. Frea nodded a little and looked away from Moon, eyes focusing on the ground.

She only glanced up when Chase dropped back to walk at her shoulder, and she narrowed her eyes at the serious expression he was wearing. But he didn't say anything, so they just stayed silent as they followed Yukino and Arcadios, until they were eventually surrounded by flora and fauna. The pavement had become cobblestone and the palace could be seen over the tips of the trees and hedges surrounding them, getting ever closer.

Water could be heard dripping and splashing around as it burst and trickled from several fountains all around. The air was tinged sweet with the scent of many flowers, and a few bees buzzed here and there between the brightly colored plants.

"Where are we?" Natsu murmured as he looked around.

"The Castle Gardens." Wendy answered him.

"Really? Are we even allowed to be here?" Lucy asked.

"Don't worry about it." Arcadios answered her curtly and Lucy blinked a few times. Arcadios let out a long sigh, "First of all..." He murmured. "I would like to apologize for trying to kidnap Lucy a few days ago. It was a mistake."

"WHAT?!"

"You did that?!"

"Of course I didn't mean to cause any harm, but I guess I was a little forceful." Arcadios continued without stopping. "At the time, I believed I needed a Celestial Wizard immediately, so I ended up making a hasty decision. I am sorry."

'Sorry' does a whole lot of good... The damage has already been done, idiot...

They headed inside the palace and began walking along empty corridors, Frea glanced right and left constantly, always alert for anything.

She wasn't getting an evil feeling from Arcadios, but she was still edgy from being in the Dragon Graveyard not to long ago.

"The Grand Magic Games was a camouflage to obtain a great amount of Magic from various Wizards." Arcadios continued, Frea stiffened at the news.

"So you've been stealing Magic Power for years?" Frea growled at him.

"That's dirty." Gajeel grunted.

"You can say whatever you wish. It was all for the sake of a certain project." Arcadios replied as they started down a flight of stairs. "Eclipse, the door that can change the world. A large amount of Magic Power was needed to build it."

Frea looked ahead as a very, very large amount of Magic Power began to radiate around them from somewhere up ahead. Chase looked ahead in surprise too, and they both sweatdropped at the feel of it.

Massive, and definitely made up of several different types of Magic Power, to many to even begin to count.

At the end of the corridor they were in, sat a massive, giant door, intricate designs and circles all around it. They came to a sudden halt in front of it as they stared up at it wide-eyed.

Frea and Chase both stood frozen as they felt the waves of power washing over them from the door.

"A door?" Lucy asked.

"What is this?" Natsu asked.

"When the sun and the moon intersect, open the door with the 12 keys." Arcadios said in a low dark tone as he gazed at the door before them. "If you open the door you will be able to travel back 400 years and defeat Zeref before he was immortal."

"This is the Eclipse Project."

"T-travel back in time?!" Lucy gasped.

"Lucy, I heard that time passes differently in the Spirit World than it does in ours." Yukino spoke up as she turned to face Lucy. Lucy's head snapped around to look in the girl's direction.

"That is true, but..." Lucy began but Yukino cut her off.

"We want the help of a Celestial Wizard to use the dimensional boundary line of the Celestial Spirit World to open the door." Yukino told her.

"Originally we were meant to substitute the Celeistial Wizard with pseudo-magic. But with a real Celestial Wizard and the 12 keys, this project will be even more perfect. It's absolutely necessary." Arcadios explained. "When the Sun and the Moon intersect... in other words in 3 days, on July 7th, I would like you to help us Lucy."

All four Dragon Slayer's in the room froze upon hearing the date, and their eyes widened in utter shock.

"July 7th. " Natsu murmured.

"The same day our Dragons disappeared..." Wendy whispered.

"Is it just a coincidence...?" Gajeel murmured.

"An eclipse, the intersection of the Sun and the Moon" Gray murmured under his breath.

Frea stared down at the floor, she was trying to process all of this as best she could. None of it could just be coincidence could it?

"Stop there!"

A voice boomed out behind them, and the corridor filled with the sound of many running feet. The group of Fairy Tail Wizards plus Yukino and Arcadios whipped around to see a large group of Royal Army soldiers running toward them, weapons in hand.

"The kingdom's army?!" Lucy exclaimed in utter shock.

"What?!"

"What is this?!" Arcadios demanded as the group of army soldiers surrounded them, all weapons pointed toward them. Arcadios did not look at all pleased that this was happening, and he did look shocked.

So he didn't plan this then?

"Please be quiet, Colonel Arcadios." A small old man in robes stepped into view from behind the soldiers, arms hooked behind his back and face neutral.

"Minister of Defense, what is the meaning of this?!" Arcadios demanded.

"I should be the one asking you that." The man replied curtly, small frown creasing his lips at the question. "It's absolutely outrageous that you would reveal National Top Secret Information to outsiders!" He snapped back at Arcadios.

Frea took a defensive stance, fists clenching and eyes sweeping over the surrounding soldiers. Chase pressed himself up against her, so they were back to back, both on their guard and ready to defend themselves, and their Guild-Mates.

"They are not outsiders! You already know they will have an important role to play in the plan!" Arcadios hissed back,

"That isn't something you can decide on your own." The man told him.

"You're just against this project! Please stop this nonsense right-" Arcadios growled back but was cut off as the other man seemed to finally snap, his face pulled into an outraged expression, hands swiping down and eyes alight with fury.

"Of course I'm against it! You want to change history! Can you even imagine how dangerous that might be?! BRAT?!" The man's voice rose higher and higher as he yelled furiously at Arcadios, no longer trying to remain level-headed.

Frea narrowed her eyes as she glanced back in forth between the old man, and Arcadios.

Changing the past... One could only imagine what damage could be done if the past was to be changed...

"To change history..." Wendy mumbled.

"That's true.. If you change the past..." Happy whispered.

"The present will change too." Carla finished for him in a calm and even tone.

Frea knew that was true, it was only common sense. If something in the past were to be changed, then certain things in the future would be different too.

"I'm arresting you for treason against the country. And I'm going to arrest Yukino Aguria and Lucy Heartfilia too. Expel the others from here!" The old man ordered sharply of the soldiers around him.

"What!?" Yukino shouted.

"Why me?!" Lucy yelled at him.

"Bastards..." Natsu hissed as he sent a deathly glare toward the soldiers starting to grab on to Lucy, Yukino and Arcadios. "Don't you dare drag Lucy into this...!" Natsu growled furiously as his fists lit up with fire, and Frea let her Magic flow too, ready to fight off these army bastards with him.

"Stop! You mustn't use magic here!"

Frea was only faintly aware of hearing Arcadios yell the words out in the background. She was only faintly aware of Natsu screaming out in pain as his Magic was suddenly drained from him, and he fell to the floor.

"Natsu!" Lucy's shout seemed far away.

As soon as she had let her Magic bubble to the surface, the instant the silver had appeared around her clenched fists, she could feel it all begin to be ripped away.

Her body blazed with sudden pain as her magic began to be ripped away, and she let out her own shout of pain against her will.

What the hell...?!

This wasn't good, and she knew she had to force herself to gain Absolute Control over her Magic Energy. Either that, or...

Frea's eyes closed and fell to her knees,

"Teach!"

"Frea!"

Damn it... Get ahold of yourself...

Frea focused on getting Absolute Control over her Magic Energy, trying to do so was hard, really hard, and was proving even more so by the force of the Eclipse Gate trying to take all of her Magic away from her. But, knowing exactly what was trying to steal her power, and being so close, it was do-able with considerably less difficulty then it had been back on Tenrou, when Asuma had been using the Land's Power to steal all of Fairy Tail's Magic Power.

Frea let out a low hiss, fangs grinding down on each other.

Three seconds, in Three Seconds she had forced her Magic Energy to Resist the Magic from the Gate trying to take her power away, and made sure it stopped being taken away any more.

Three seconds, almost all of her Magic Energy was gone.

Three... seconds...

No One POV

The corridor rang with the sound of Natsu's shout of pain, and everyone stared in utter shock to see him fall to the floor, unconscious.

But Frea's short yell of pain was louder, and they all saw that Frea had ended up doing the exact same thing Natsu had done. They walked right into getting their Magic taken away without even realizing it.

"Didn't you hear? The Festival of the Dragon King/Grand Magic Games is a system to steal small parts of a Wizard Magic to send it to Eclipse. But if you try to use Magic so close, it will be absorbed completely." The old man explained as Natsu fell over, and Frea fell to her knees.

Chase looked terrified for a split second as he appeared at Frea's side in an instant. His deep blue eyes were wide and sparkling with fear at what the Defense Minister had said.

Everybody else was staring worriedly at what had happened to both Frea and Natsu, but none of them really understood the severity of the situation for the Energy Dragon Slayer.

Only Chase, he knew what could, and probably would happen if Frea's Magic was completely stolen as the old man had said it would be.

Chase caught Frea as she fell forward, not even awake anymore. He bit his lip in worry, "Teach..!" He hissed under his breath, sweatdropping. Moon was beside the two Energy Mages in an instant as she hovered over them, pale blue eyes wide in shock.

"Do not cause a ruckus. Wizards unable to use their magic aren't considered enemies by our army." The old man continued, clearly not at all bothered by the fact that two of the Fairy Tail Mages had just gotten their Magic completely taken away.

"Wait! Let me go!" Lucy yelled, she was pinned between several soldiers.

"Aren't you supposed to be Arcadios's subordinates?!" Yukino yelled at the soldiers from where she too, was pinned down.

The rest of them were being herded out, or carried.

"Lucy!" Gray yelled, trying to keep his eyes fixed in the blonde, pushing against the soldiers pushing him out roughly.

"Yukino!" Wendy called out.

"Darton!" Arcadios's enraged shout echoed across the corridor before the rest of the Fairy Tail members were thrown out of the palace doors. The soldiers disappeared back inside, Wendy was on her knees with Natsu's head in her lap. Chase was crouching down with Frea leaning up against him his hands on her shoulders, with Moon hovering nearby. The other three Exceeds stood close by, while Gajeel and Gray stood around them, casting dirty looks at the old man named Darton who had followed them out, and now stood before them.

"I would like you to understand that this is not simply my will, it's all for the sake of the country. However I have some advice for you," Darton told them and turned his back on them. "His Majesty really likes Fairy Tail, if you win the Grand Magic Games, I will let you have an audience with him. His Majesty is a magnanimous person, I am sure he will show consideration towards your friend."

With that, the doors closed behind him, and the Fairy Tail Mages were left alone on the front steps of the palace.