Kon'nichiwa, mina!  I hope you didn't wait long!  I made this chapter a little longer for all of you, hehe~! ♡  I really like the names I came up with for Zeke's, Adamantalia's, and Red's magic. c:  I hope you do too!  My spring break just started, so I'll be able to write a little more despite me having to go to track practice!  I dedicate this chapter to SherisseMykaSy; thanks soo much for the follow!♥ I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and feedback is very much appreciated!! Until next time,

「Ry-chan」

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Adamantalia stepped forward, leaning into Zeke to whisper something into his ear.

"You're...after Lucy?" Erza murmured, her eyes shocked.

Natsu growled. "You ain't layin' a finger on her!"

Recognition flashed through Zeke's eyes as Adamantalia spoke to him, and as she whispered it turned into vexation.

He turned back to Natsu, feroscity in his eyes. "Then we'll just have to take her, then."

At those words, Zeke's followers Adamantalia and Red stormed forward, rushing at the grouped-Fairy Tail. Red slammed into Erza, while Adamantalia rushed at Gray and the others.

Without warning, Zeke punched Natsu square in the jaw, send him flying through the air and into the trees.

"Natsu!" Wendy yelled, still healing Lucy.

She gasped as Zeke dropped to his feet in front of her, smirking vilely.

"Get away from Lucy!  Sky Dragon's..." Wendy exclaimed, warning him as she filled her mouth with air. "...Roar!"

Wendy's attack hit Zeke with full-on momentum, but...he didn't move.  A weird field blocked Wendy's attack from colliding with Zeke's body, and all Zeke did was lift a hand into the air in front of him.

"Oh no, Wendy!" Carla yelled, seeing how Wendy's attack hadn't worked.

The air magic dispersed, leaving nothing but a fading breeze as it evaporated into Zeke's palm.  "What the-?!" Wendy muttered, stuttering.

Zeke laughed lowly in victory. "Is that all you got, little dragon slayer?"

Wendy's eyes went slightly wider, but she put her small body over Lucy's unconscious one. "How did he-?!"

Zeke raised his hand, his palm outstretched as he prepared to strike at Wendy.

Suddenly a battle cry was heard, and Zeke stopped abruptly and turned to his left to see Natsu rushing towards him. Natsu slammed into his gut, wrapping his arms around Zeke's torso and lighting his body on fire. In turn, Zeke caught on fire, and he grunted in pain as they sailed into the wall, causing more debris to collapse.

Lucy stirred, hearing the familiar call of Natsu and the sudden loud crash.

"Lucy!" Wendy exclaimed, relief evident in her voice. "Be careful; I'm not done healing your arm.."

"What...happened?" Lucy asked, blinking a few times.

"We were attacked by a guild called Darkauroral.  Natsu and the others are fighting them now."

"Natsu?" Lucy asked, still seeming a little dazed from pain and the earlier event.

Wendy nodded. "Lucy, I just finished fixing your arm. You can move now." She sounded heavily drained, and sweat dripped down her brow lightly.

Lucy didn't remember anything after the hooded-man choking her, but she realized he must have thrown her if she was all the way over here. Had she broken her arm? Was that why she needed healing?

"You need to get out of here." Carla replied, keeping one eye on the fight that was unfolding. "For some reason they're after you, Lucy."

"M-Me?" Lucy replied, confused. "But why would they-"

"Run, Lucy!" Natsu suddenly exclaimed, ducking to avoid a kick in the face. "I don't know why, but these guys are after you, so escape while I wipe the floor wih them!"

"But..." Lucy started, hesitating.

"Run, Lucy!" Erza barked, stopping temporarily to yell over at her.

After another moment's hesitation, Lucy nodded, standing and running over the reckage. Suddenly, Zeke started to follow.

"Oh no you don't!" Natsu exclaimed, jumping in front of Zeke's path and blocking his view of the now-retreating Lucy Heartfilia. "You're battling me!"

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What in the world is going on here?!  Lucy exclaimed through her mind, jumping over a pile of fallen boards from the guild.  She turned, taking one last look at her guild members with worry before disappearing through the trees.  What's up with that guild, Darkauroral?  And why--

She gasped, coming to a sudden stop.

"It's you!  I've finally found you!  I can now report to the master after all this time!"

Lucy felt her knees turn to jelly.  L-Lander was part of Darkauroral?  Then...  She turned back to look in the direction fresh battle crashes and roars were being heard.  ...does that mean that Zeke is the 'master' Lander was talking about?

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Lucy disappeared through the trees, and Natsu turned back to Zeke Loris.  "Alright, time for some payback!"

Zeke looked amused, but his eyes looked annoyed.  "You're wasting your time, Natsu Dragneel."

"So you know who I am, huh?"  Natsu exclaimed, slamming his fist into his palm.  "Well, in that case, you'll pay ten times over since you already know I won't lose."

Zeke narrowed his eyes slightly, watching as Natsu lit his palms into an inferno.  "I wouldn't be so sure, Salamander."

Ignoring Zeke's slight comment, Natsu roared as he charged forward, revenge for his fallen guild flaming through his body.

Swinging first with his left, Natsu swiftly missed Zeke's jaw by inches, the flames barely grazing his skin.  He swung again with his right, making Zeke duck for cover smoothly.  Zeke was moving so calmly, and it made the short-tempered Natsu even more angry at seeing his amusement.

Natsu jumped back, filling his entire body with fire.  "Fire Dragon's..."

Zeke narrowed his eyes, bending his knees in order to dodge.

"...Roar!"

Incredibly fast, Natsu's fire roar flew from his mouth, giving a slightly surprised Zeke only seconds to dodge.  He stared as the column of fire flew past him, barely grazing his shoulder.  When it cleared, Zeke straightened his posture, but not right before Natsu was able to slam his fist into his gut, making him stagger back quite a few paces.

Erza switched from her Heart Kreuz into her Heaven's Wheel Armor, staring Red down.

"You'll have to get through me and everyone else if you want Lucy."  She warned, seriousness covering her like a smoke screen.

Red smirked.  "Fine by me, sweetheart."  He slammed his palms together, and strange silver-colored air magic erupted from them, flying straight for Erza.

She tried to dodge, but the silver air curved, flying up from under her.  When they reached her foot, they flew outwards, their movements forming a ball-like object.  When they stopped at mid-waist height, they turned into sharp needle-like points, and rushed into Erza's skin. She hissed in pain, dropping to the ground as more hit her pressure points.  As a blade of air touched a pressure point under her skin, that part of her body went numb.  

So, when one hit her in the shoulder, her arm went limp and she dropped one of her swords.  Another hit her in the knee, and she dropped to the ground, kneeling on one knee.

"T-This is.."  Erza muttered, her eyes widening as her body became temporarily paralyzed.  "Blast Way Magic..."

"Erza!"

Erza thrust her head up, and saw Red with an evil smirk on his face, rushing towards her.  She was barely able to thrust her head back to avoid his heel colliding into her jaw, but Red counter-attacked, hitting his elbow into her stomach and making her slide across the ground.

"Erza!"  Gray yelled again, but cursed under his breath as he saw the tip of Adamantalia's sword barely graze his bare chest.

Adamantalia's movements flowed like a puppet as she swung like a maniac with her steel sword, which was attached to her hip just moments before.  Taking a few steps back, Adamantalia pushed off the ground.  She brought the heel of her sword to her side, the blade pointing straight up in Gray's direction.  Thrusting forward, she flew gracefully through the air and sliding the blade dangerously close to Gray's side.

"Damn it..."  Gray muttered, watching as Adamantalia jumped back a few feet away to a safe distance; as if waiting for an order.

She's fast... Gray looked at her.  Why isn't she using magic?

Natsu spun upside-down through the air, planning to hit Zeke in the face with his flamed-foot; but Zeke ducked.  As he was bent over, Natsu slammed his hand against Zeke's shoulder, spinning in a circle before pushing off and through the air, planning to regain his balance before attacking again.  But Zeke turned around abruptly as Natsu was flying through the air, and brought his palm up to shoulder-height.  

Natsu widened his eyes as purple smoke flowed from his arm, floating and forming into an object in mid-air.  It grew into a large size, and suddenly it shot out from his palm and straight for Natsu.

"What the-?!"  Natsu thrust his body into the air, turning in a three-sixty upside-down as the magic skimmed his back, causing slight pain to ricochet up his back.  He stared as if in slow motion, and watched as it sailed past him.  "A sword...made of purple smoke?!"

Zeke appeared in front of him, and Natsu flinched as his face was connected with Zeke's fist.  He slammed into the ground head-first, and shards of earth erupted from the ground up and past the two.  Zeke jumped back a few feet, and watched as Natsu struggled to sit up.  Then, Zeke opened his palms slightly, and more purplish-gel erupted from his fingertips.  They dropped to the ground, sinking into the earth and making the earth go dark.

"What is that?!"  Levy exclaimed, Happy flying above her head.

Erza was starting to regain from her temporary paralysis, and stood, slightly wobbily.  "I know that magic..."  She grunted as Red sailed past her, annoyance flaring in her as she turned to attack him.  

Feeling a spark of victory when her swords collided with Red's body, she turned back to stare at the concentrating Zeke and the tense yet confused Natsu.

The ground suddenly started to steam and rumble, and everyone braced themselves as the ground started to shake violently.  Beings erupted from the ground, roaring and hissing.

They were all made of black magic.

"M-Monsters?!"  Happy exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Natsu clenched his teeth; though his eyes were surprised.

"I'm sure of it now."  Erza murmured, her face strained.  "That's..."  The monsters roared again, some looking very much like dragons.  "...Black Conjuration Magic.  A mage can summon weapons and different beasts made of dark magic; in Zeke's case, purple black magic."

Wendy stared.  "No way.."

Zeke grinned wickedly, bitterness in his expression.  "Try and dodge this, Fairy Tail!"

The monsters surged forward, making the earth erupt in blasts.  Natsu growled, his mouth filling with fire.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Natsu's fire flew into some of the monsters, making them screech and stumble back, melting into the air.  Erza fired swords at some as well, along with Gray using his ice magic to take out a few.

But before they knew it, they were overwhelmed.

The monsters slammed into Natsu and the others; even the leftover part of the guild.  Zeke watched with a triumphant look on his face as explosions erupted, sending everyone flying everywhere.  Some flew into the trees, into the floor boards, and stuff that belonged to the guild before it collapsed.

When the dust and dark mist disappeared, everyone was down.

Erza was back into her Heart Kreuz armor, and Gray was kneeling on one knee, panting heavily.  Everyone else was either panting heavily and laying on the ground, or somewhere in the woods where they crash landed.

But Natsu was still standing.

"Natsu.."  Romeo muttered, leaning on his elbows and knees.

Natsu had his arms slumped in front of him, and dirt caressed his skin heavily along with a few injuries.  He was panting heavily, his head bent so no one could see his face.

Zeke narrowed his eyes.  "It seems you're tougher than I thought, Dragon Slayer."  

Natsu didn't answer; he just kept trying to regain some strength.

Zeke hmfed.  "Adamantalia.  Red."

"Yes sir!"  They exclaimed, appearing by his side in an instant.

"Damn!"  Gray exclaimed, seeing he had forgot about Adamantalia.

Still looking at Natsu, Zeke spoke.  "Adamantalia.  Get to work."

Adamantalia nodded, outstretching her hands.  "Submit."

Natsu thrust his head up in surprise, and everyone widened their eyes as force suddenly slammed into them from above, forcing all of them to the ground.

"I-I can't move!"  Carla exclaimed, one eye clenched shut in strain.

"Occult Curse Magic?!"  Erza exclaimed, disbelief spread across her features.  "Who are these people?!"

Admantalia snickered evily as Zeke and Red smirked.

"We're wasting too much time."  Zeke suddenly replied, even though he looked smug.  "Let's go."

"Don't you go anywhere!"  Natsu exclaimed, trying as hard as he could to push himself up from the ground.  "Cowards!"  He let his head lean low as he tried to force himself up.  "D-Damn it!"

Zeke ignored him, turning away along with Adamantalia and Red.  "Come."

The two followers nodded, walking after him with one look of victory over their shoulders.

"I'm not done with you yet!"  Natsu exclaimed.  

When they disappeared into the trees, Natsu managed to slam his fist into the ground, making the earth crack.  "L-Lucy..!"