Previously on Time of Man

"How pathetic," Lyon said arrogantly, "You still use two hands when casting your ice make spells," he said with a sneer.

"Yeah because that's what Ur taught us," Silvia said with a frown, "Single-hand casting is incomplete and unbalanced," she said.

"Well I'm the exception to that rule," Lyon said, "I surpassed Ur's skill level a long time ago," he said.

"Someone's cocky," said a male voice.

Silvia looked behind her to see Y/N, standing with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. He had his usual outfit, a black bomber jacket with red trousers.

"How about this? You beat that, and we'll see just how strong you are," Y/N said.

"Beat what? You? That's gonna be easy," Lyon said arrogantly.

"Oh! I don't mean me, you won't last a second against me, I mean that" Y/N pointed behind him.

Silvia and Lyon turned their heads to see what it was. Lyon and Silvia's eyes were wide open, after all, it was Silvia's worst nightmare.

Present Time

~Third Person POV~

"Listen up!" exclaimed Erza, who was standing in the village, surrounded by the village folk. "The people who have caused the curse on you are planning to attack the village," she continued.

With Lucy and Happy standing next to her.

One of the villagers asked, "They're gonna come down here to fight us?"

"Yes," Erza said.

"But I have gotta a plan, we'll capture them and lock them up until they tell us how to change you back," Lucy said.

The villagers gathered around each other and began discussing.

"I dunno do you think it will work?" one of them asked.

"Doesn't hurt to try," another said.

"I'm feeling scared," another said.

"Only thing is, I'm pretty sure the three of them are wizards," Happy said to Lucy and Erza, "They're gonna be hard to catch," he continued.

"You're right, one of them seemed to be an Anti-Mage User," Erza said while deep in thought.

"Anti-Mage User?" Lucy asked.

"Yes, or more specifically, Wave Magic, it's pretty rare, but it gives him the ability to dispel other Magic, hence, making him an 'Anti-Mage', since Wave manifests itself in the form of massive masses of transparent energy, which nullifies any spell on contact, making it an extremely effective form of defense against all Mages, but also possesses remarkable destructive power when directed at foes," Happy said, putting his paw on his cheek as if he was recollecting something.

"You're right, you're the only one we have got right now," Lucy said with a deadpan tone, "Well good luck."

"Last time I checked you're a wizard too!" Happy exclaimed.

Lucy gasped, with a small blush on her face, she clapped her hands together, "I just had a brilliant idea!" she said excitedly.

"Nothing good can come of this," Happy whined.

"What are all of you doing here?" asked a gruff voice.

They turned around the see the chief walking up to them.

"Cheif!" One of the villagers said.

"We don't have much time sir," Erza said, "The enemy will be attacking soon, we need to be prepared," she said with a serious tone.

"Enemy?" Chief asked.

"The ones responsible for the curse that transformed your people!" Lucy exclaimed, "They've been hiding in an old temple in the jungle," she said.

"I DON'T CARE WHO'S RESPONSIBLE! WHY HAVEN'T YOU DESTROYED THE MOON?!" He asked.

'He's clearly lost his mind,' Happy thought, as he facepawlmed himself.

"Well...you see..." Lucy said softly, taken back by his tone, "It wasn't the moon that did this to you exactly but now we know who did," she said with a nervous tone.

"YOU LIE! DO WHAT I ASKED OF YOU!" the chief screamed, two villagers came and held down the chief, as he struggled to control himself.

"Chief, please, you have to calm down," the villager holding the chief's left arm said.

"Come on, let's go," said the one that was holding his right arm.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! DON'T LISTEN TO HER! SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT!" the chief screamed as he struggled against the grips of the two villagers.

Lucy, Erza and Happy sweatdropped as they watched.

"He doesn't need any of that, he's just upset," said a villager from Erza's left, "He's been like this since Bogo died," he said.

"Oh man," Lucy said, "We know how to track the enemy," she said in a serious tone.

"We'll be happy to help if you need us," the villager said.

"It's alright I think we have got this, so you don't have to worry," said Erza.

~Timeskip brought to you by Happy popping out of the ground saying "Here's what happened next"~

Erza having left to scout out the area, waiting for the mages to attack the village.

While Lucy and Happy were back at the village.

"Princess I've completed the task," said a female Celestial Spirit, Virgo.

"Good work, Virgo, my plan is gonna work perfectly," Lucy said with confidence.

"I'm not so sure," Virgo said with a deadpan voice.

"What did you just say?!" Lucy asked Virgo with a frown.

"Hey, Lucy?" Happy asked with a serious voice.

"Yeah, what is it?" Lucy asked looking down at her left at Happy.

"I really hate to break it to you, but I think you might be....stupid," Happy said in a serious voice while raising his right paw.

"Wow, Thanks a lot for the encouragement," said Lucy sarcastically.

"I just don't think anybody is gonna fall for your trap because it's the oldest trick in the book," Happy said while sweatdropping.

"Now don't be silly," Lucy said with an evil grin. "A pitfall trap will get them every time," she said.

Behind her was her 'trap' or her pitfall trap, over it was grass that covered the hole. Virgo having dug the hole using her powers.

"But you can tell what it is by looking at it," Happy said in a 'duh' tone.

"It doesn't matter because there is only one way to get into the village," Lucy said. "So the enemy is gonna have to go over it if they want in," she said proudly.

"Well, I still don't think there is any way they're gonna fall for it," Happy said while sweatdropping.

"Umm...me neither," said a female villager.

"I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to agree with them," said a male villager.

"Yes, I have to concur," Virgo said.

"NOT YOU TOO!" Lucy exclaimed while sweatdropping.

"Go ahead and doubt me, you'll see," Lucy said with a frown while pouting cutely.

"Miss Lucy, it looks like somebody is headed this way!" yelled a villager who was standing on top of the gate.

"That's gotta be them," Lucy said, "Open the gate!" she yelled.

"Right!" the villager yelled back.

The gate was raised up.

"Now come to mama," Lucy said while putting her hands on her hips. Staring into the darkness, waiting for the prey to appear.

They could see a figure approaching, it looked fat and big. Running to them with heavy steps, covered in a shadow.

Once the shadow disappeared, it revealed to be our favorite dragon slayer, Nashi Dragneel, encased in ice.

"Hey, guys! Are you okay?" asked Nashi as she wobbled quickly towards them, 

"AHHHHHHH!" Lucy gasped in panic as she watched Nashi run towards the village.

"NASHI!!!!!!" The Erza, Happy and a few villagers screamed in panic.

"STAY RIGHT THERE! DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!!" Lucy screamed in panic, holding her hands up and waving to Nashi to stop, while also shaking her head.

"What?" Nashi asked.

"NASHI STOP PLEASE!" Lucy screamed.

Suddenly, Nashi stopped running with a screech. Lucy, Happy, Erza and the villagers let out a sigh of relief.

Nashi was standing right next to the pitfall trap.

"What's with the grass?" Nashi asked as her eyes landed on the grass in the middle of the road.

"Huh?" Lucy looked to Nashi with her eyes wide open. She watched as Nashi put her left leg on top of the grass. "NOOOOOOOOOO!" Lucy screamed.

"WAAAAAAH!" Nashi screamed as she fell into the trap.

Everyone was watching with their eyes wide open.

"She actually fell for it," a male villager said.

"Sorry we ever doubted you," said another male villager.

Erza just facepalmed and sighed standing next to Happy who sweatdropped at the scene.

"No, it's alright," Lucy said while sweatdropping.

"Very funny, but we don't have time to play practical jokes at each other," Nashi said as she lay in the trap.

"Don't talk to me, it was Lucy's dumb idea," Happy said with a deadpan look.

"I have should've known!" Nashi exclaimed in annoyance.

"It wasn't a joke, it was a trap!" Lucy said in her defense.

"I'm glad you're okay, I was worried about you," Happy said standing around the trap that Nashi fell in, with a look of worry.

"Yeah, I'm okay, but I think Silvia might be in trouble!" Nashi said.

"The guy in the mask giving her a tough time?" Lucy asked.

Suddenly, Nashi looked down to see the ice that she was encased in, to have disappeared.

"The ice is gone!" Nashi said happily, "Woah! It must've cracked when I fell."

"See! Told you the pitfall would work," Lucy said in a 'duh' tone.

"Excuse me princess, but I believe the spell was actually broken when she left the caster's range of magic," Virgo said in a polite manner standing to the right of Lucy, with her hands clasped in the front. 

"I'M FREE!" Nashi exclaimed in an excited manner.

"Anyways, why aren't they here yet?" asked Nashi, as she jumped out of the hole.

"Come to think of it, they're taking a very long time...They left for the village before you did, and yet you made it before them," Erza said, deep in thought.

"This is our chance! Hurry and hide the hole!" Lucy said brimming with confidence.

"You still wanna use the pitfall?" Nashi asked, looking at Lucy as if she had grown a second head.

"Hey look up there!" said a villager.

"It's a flying rat!" Happy exclaimed.

"It's the rat we encountered before!" Nashi exclaimed.

"Not just the rat, but look that masked figure's friends are on there as well!" Erza said, looking at the three figures standing on the rats back.

The rat in the sky was the same rat the group had faced a while ago, however, this time it was flying....using its' tail like a propeller, in its hands seemed to be a pail.

"What's with that bucket??" Nashi asked.

"The sky?! That makes the pitfall pointless!" Lucy said in annoyance.

~On the rat~

"It certainly took a while to prepare the Double Poison Jelly," said Sherry, as she stood on top of her pet's back, Angelica.

"Perfect timing, though. Those wizards have gathered in the village too," Yuka said.

"Destroying Deliora is the only way to achieve our desire," Sherry said in a serious manner, "Those who stand in our way must die."

Suddenly a drop of green liquid fell from the pail. The green liquid was headed for the village.

~On the ground~

The group and the villagers looked at the green liquid that was falling with curiosity.

The green liquid was headed for the Lucy.

"Jelly?" Lucy asked, opening her hands.

Suddenly she was tackled by Nashi, "Lucy!" Nashi exclaimed.

The liquid now landed on the stop where Lucy previously stood, a sizzle went through the air, to reveal a hole on that spot, the liquid has gone completely through the ground.

"What is that?! It smells like trouble!" Nashi said, looking at the spot. While Lucy was looking horrified.

"Is that bucket filled with this stuff?!" A female villager asked in panic.

"D-Don't tell me they're going to dump it on us?!" Another asked.

"Hideous," Yuka said from above.

Erza's and Nashi's eyes twitched.

"To think that the Moon Drip causes people to become so hideous..." Yuka said in a deadpan manner.

"They're almost like demons'; like Deliora's children. How unpleasant," Sherry said.

"Nashi do you think you can burn that thing from here?" Erza asked.

"Yeah! Happy can fly! I'll burn them out of the sky!!" Nashi said in an excited manner.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Erza asked with a grin.

"Happy can you fly?" Nashi asked.

"Aye!" Happy said.

Nashi began running, she jumped in the air. Happy catching her by the back. 

"The flames of my right hand," said Nashi, as a ring of fire surrounded her right hand, "and the flames of my left hand!" a ring of fire forming around her left hand. "Put them together, and...!" she brought her two hands together in front of her, a ball of flame formed on her hands, she brought it above her.

"This'll blow you away!" Nashi exclaimed as the ball grew bigger and bigger. "Fire Dragon Brilliant Flame!" she screamed as she hurled the ball of flame towards them.

"Yuka!?" Sherry exclaimed, when she heard no response, she looked to her left to check on Yuka. To her surprise, he wasn't there. 

"YUKA?!" she screamed.

"Where is he?" Tobi asked in shock, looking at the ball of flame coming towards them.

~Meanwhile somewhere in the forest~

A man was running in the forest, his figure covered in darkness. He seemed to be carrying someone on his shoulder. The man stopped abruptly.

He looked around, and then put the person on his shoulder on the ground, against a tree.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they find you once this is over," the man said, he quickly zipped away.

The moonlight that fell on the tree, revealed Yuka to be lying against the tree, unconscious.

~Back at the village~

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sherry, Tobi, and Angelica exclaimed as they were hit with the full force of Nashi's attack.

A round of cheers went around the village.

"YAY! WE SURVIVED!" The villagers exclaimed happily.

"Nicely done, Nashi," Erza said putting her hands on her hips, smiling proudly.

"Aye!" Happy said as Nashi and he came back to the ground.

(A/N: I know, I know, I cut the battle, but honestly, it's kind of a filler. Plus, I can't be bothered by writing a boring one-sided match. So yeah.)

The ground started shook.

"What the?" Nashi asked.

"What was that?!" Lucy asked with her eyes wide open.

"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" came the sound of a demonic roar.

"AHHHHHHH!" Lucy screamed, she quickly hid behind Erza.

"W-What was that?!" asked a female villager.

"Over there!" A male villager pointed towards the mountain, where Silvia and Lyon were battling.

(A/N: Ignore the background that looks like the cave, just imagine it to be the clear sky.)

"Is that...?" Nashi asked with her eyes wide open.

"Deliora...?" Erza asked in shock. Lucy still hiding behind Erza, looking at the demon in shock.

After all, it had escaped.

------

A/N: Right! I was going to finish it in this chapter, but eh. The ending would be very anti-climatic, so I was like best not ruin the atmosphere I would create in this. 

Anyways, I will try my best to get the last chapter for this arc out as soon as possible. But that will be difficult as I have exams this October and November.

Anyways, was that good? Did it suck? What could be improved? Tell me in the comments!

Please do vote as it tells me you're enjoying the story so far!

Peace!

~TheWidowMaker