[Fanfic] [Fairy Tail] Moonbows

Chapter 20: Alvarez (Part II)

When their group returned to the guild in the aftermath, everyone was already there. Lucy ran over and took Erza from Natsu when she caught sight of them limping into the guildhall.

Erza shook her head at the worried look in the blonde's eyes, "I'm fine, Lucy, just exhausted. Wendy already healed most of the injuries. I only need someone's help to wrap the rest of them up." The Celestial mage immediately sat Erza down on a chair nearby and proceeded to clean up the remaining wounds on her body, leaving the redhead to listen to everyone around her reporting their status after the fight.

They had deterred Alvarez's first wave of attacks, which consisted of 50 aircrafts and a horde of soldiers on the ground. Erza and Bisca defeated Ajeel, Lucy and Cana somehow captured Brandish, and another guy whom Master Makarov didn't know was beaten by the Thunder Legion and Ichiya but not before his magic made the Kardia cathedral explode and injure the Thunder Legion in the process. Laxus was quite furious about that.

However, there was another wave of the enemy approaching from Hargeon as well, judging by the massive blast of magic energy aimed at their guild right after the battle had finished. Ichiya managed to send out a message to ask for other guilds' help in the upcoming war before Christina was destroyed as a shield to protect Fairy Tail against the blast.

Erza turned around to the Blue Pegasus man sitting near them, wrapped up in bandages all over his body, "Thank you, Ichiya. You didn't have to do that for us, but you still did anyway. For that, I'm extremely grateful." She didn't know why he was here with all of them, but now was not a time for such trivial matters. They needed to formulate a plan before the next wave of the enemy reached the shore first.

"There is no need to thank me, Erza-san." Ichiya shook his head, "Zeref intends to wage war against all of Fiore. This is not just Fairy Tail's fight anymore." The man had stopped all of his inappropriate comments and behaviors toward Erza right after he learned about her relationship with Lucy, respectful of her personal distance now, and Erza only smiled at that.

They got a few hours' rests through the rest of the night. The next day, everyone woke up to the next enemy wave coming in from all four sides of Magnolia. Fortunately, the other guilds had had enough time to form defense lines against Alvarez on different sides, alleviating the burden for Fairy Tail's shoulder alone. Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus were ready to face the enemy to the North while Lamia Scale and Mermaid Heel would take on the force coming from the South.

First Master Mavis decided they needed to offer their aid to the other guilds as well, so Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Gajeel, Levy, and Lily would head North while Natsu, Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Carla, and Laxus would move South. The East side was being guarded by three of the Four Emperors of Ishgar and Jura, so the First Master surmised there was no need to send cavalry over there yet.

But Natsu, the constant headache he was, went ahead of them to take on Zeref directly in the West. Amidst everyone's bickering, Erza simply shook her head to stop the others from going after the Salamander as well, "We need to stick with Master's plan. Let's leave Zeref in Natsu's hands. He did say he has a secret weapon to defeat Zeref after all."

Gray was the first one to voice out his disagreement, "Are you being serious?! This is Zeref we're talking about! He even has the Book of E.N.D!"

"I know how you feel about the Book of E.N.D." Erza asserted more firmly, "But I'm certain Natsu will succeed. What we can do right now is to believe in him." Natsu had never let them down before, and even though the enemy was much more powerful this time, Erza was sure the Fire Dragon Slayer would keep his word.

Gray was not satisfied with that, his tone was getting more aggressive now, which was highly unusual since he had never used that tone with her before, "You always put too much faith in Natsu, Erza!"