Rogue's P. O. V:
Sting and I had arrived at Tartaros just in time to save M' Lady, and it was all thanks to the news my mate had brought us earlier that day. Sting holds the dark haired woman bridal style in his arms as we face off against a nasty looking man, who's holding some kind of book in his left arm.
I really don't like the vibes he's giving off. We need to deal with him quick so I can go look for my mate. I know Vivian is an S-class wizard, and she can take care of herself in a fight, but I just can't help but worry about her.
I have to be by her side as soon as possible.
Erza Scarlet stares at us with a stunned expression on her face as she gets to her feet and says in confusion, "I don't understand. What made you come here?"
Sting replies as he sets M' Lady against a pillar, "Vivian told us about M' Lady."
Erza looks even more surprised. "Vivian sent you? Oh, that's right. I've forgotten that she'd offered to go to Sabertooth and tell you herself."
Lector says, "She sure did!"
Frosch chimes, "Viv-chan is the best!"
"In any case, we're just glad she came to us when she did," Says Lector.
"Everyone was so relieved!" Frosch chimes.
"We would've arrived much sooner but we were still trying to figure out Vivian's message," I say.
"She told you everything?" Erza asks, blinking her brown eyes.
"Just that M' Lady needed help."
"Oh."
A worried expression settles on my face at the thought of my mate. Erza seems to notice and understand. She smiles assuringly at me.
"Don't worry, Rogue. Last time I saw her, Vivian was just fine. She can take of herself."
I blink my eyes a couple of times at that, before giving her a grateful nod.
Sting smiles at us, listening to the conversation, before he turns back to Minerva. He says pleadingly, "M' Lady, please come back to the guild with us."
Tears continue to drip down her face. Her right eye is covered with an eyepatch, leaving only her left olive green eye visible, her teeth clenched as she tries to keep in her sobs.
The man before us sneers as he states, "Go wherever you like; Mard Geer shan't stop you. But, no matter where you may flee, you will still be in a world without magic."
"We know that F. A. C. E has been destroyed," Erza says.
"It's true. One was demolished," The Tartaros member points out, startling the Requip Magic user, causing her to gasp softly.
"Hold on," Sting cuts in. "We did see a bunch of creepy looking face statues on our way over here."
I input wearily, "If those are indeed what you're talking about, there are far too many to count."
"What?" Breathes Erza in shock.
"Just 1 hour," Says Mard Geer. "That's approximately how long we have until every last one of them detonates. Thousands of pulse bombs will unleash their power all at once, and thus cleanse the scourge of magic from this world forever. It's exactly as Mard Geer envisioned. You can take comfort in the fact that it isn't your failure; there was simply nothing you could've done to stop it."
Erza says in disbelief, "You mean, there are still thousands of those things left? But, how?! That's insane!"
Sting asks, "You've gotta be joking, right?!"
"1 hour. That's all we have," I murmur.
Her tears having ceased, Minerva scoffs. "Utter nonsense. You couldn't control even one face remotely. So what the hell makes you think you can set off thousands of them at once? You're bluffing."
The Tartaros member smiles as he responds, "En contraire. The former chairman has the ability to operate them. Mard Geer must say, although he would rather avoid humans altogether, he's proved himself rather useful."
"Then, your underling shouldn't have killed him."
"He's dead?!" Erza gasps.
"You seem to have forgotten: Tartaros has a necromancer amongst our ranks," Mard Geer reminds Minerva.
"What's that mean?" Frosch inquires.
"It means someone who can control the dead," Lector explains.
"Through this power, the late chairman is hard at work in the control room, readying the faces for detonation," Mard Geer tells us.
"You're using his corpse?!" Erza mutters.
Minerva mumbles wearily, "Despite all of this destruction, the control room still stands."
Sting straightens as he cracks his knuckles and tells Erza, without glancing back at her, "Alright, Erza, you heard him. Go and shut it down!"
I add, "Sting and I will handle things here."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah! Just take M' Lady and the cats with you," Sting instructs. "Keep them safe."
"We'll meet up after we defeat him," I tell her. "Please, be safe, Viv-chan. I'll be there as soon as I can," I think.
Mard Geer reminds us, "As Mard Geer said, he dislikes humans, but they can be so entertaining. You defeating the Underworld King?" Sting and I glare with dangerously narrowed eyes at him at that insult. "Ridiculous!"
Sting and I charge forward as he yells, "Just watch us!!"
Sting gets in front of Mard Geer with his fists lit up with magic while I meld into a shadow and move along the ground, veering around Mard Geer. Sting throws punches at him but he simply avoids them by jerking his head side to side.
"Honestly, now," Mard Geer mutters.
I appear right beside him and throw my own punch but Mard Geer deflects it easily. I yell to Erza, "Erza! This is your chance!!"
Sting adds, "Take the others and go!!"
With one of Minerva's arms over her shoulders, Erza warns us, "Please be careful! He's dangerous!"
Sting responds, fist lit with magic, "This clown?! He's got nothing on Natsu!!"
Shadows wrapped around my fist, I shout at Erza, "Go, and destroy F. A. C. E!!"
"Yes, Sir!" Erza replies, smiling.
Minerva murmurs, "They're fools—brave fools."
Lector drags Frosch away from the battle by his tail, despite Frosch protesting to stay and help. In a few moments, both women and cats were gone.
Sting and I attack, only to be thrown back by a blast of white energy from Mard Geer, our feet skidding along the ground.
"WHITE DRAGON ROAR!!" Sting yells, emitting a beam of white light from his mouth.
It heads straight for Mard Geer but he somehow deflects it like it's nothing.
I say as I appear behind Mard Geer, my hand wreathed in shadows, "SHADOW DRAGON: SLASH!" I slash from behind Mard Geer with shadows, but he catches my fist without even looking at me. He then throws me over his shoulder and I crash head-first into Sting, sending us both tumbling with a cry.
Mard Geer moves two of his fingers while pointing them upward, the rest folded down, and Sting and I are hit with another blast of strong energy, making us cry out again.
Mard Geer says, "This Dragon Slayer Magic... it's such an offensive concept. Humans are not worthy of that power."
I feel anger boiling in my veins at his words. Sting and I straighten and glare daggers at Mard Geer, our teeth clenched.
"Yeah? Well, you wanna know what I think's offensive?!" Sting shouts angrily. "It's anybody that tries to hurt our friends!"
Vivian's P. O. V:
"Valkyrie Sword Magic: Parallel Sting!" I chant as I aim my rapier at Keyes, the sword glowing pink. His body just turns to must as he remains unfazed by my attack.
He chuckles and disappears, purple mist floating around me.
"It went right through him. The only ones I've ever fought with the same ability as him is Juvia," I murmur, my blue eyes hardening.
"Your stories," Keyes murmurs.
"What?" I murmur.
Keyes chuckles. "Seilah claims humans are only capable of weaving uninteresting and dreary tales, but I find the stories of your particular group of humans to be quite fascinating. And extremely amusing!"
My left eye twitches as I hear Natsu and Gajeel beginning to argue behind me. "Stop arguing with each other, and focus on the enemy instead, you morons!!" I snap in annoyance without looking at them as I continue to fire energy from my Oblique spell at the enemy in front of me.
I shoot another big blast of energy at Keyes as I say this.
I sigh as Natsu and Gajeel were knocked away by Tempester and Torafuzer.
"In what captivating way will your story unfold?" Keyes muses once the dust clears. "I can't wait to find out!"
"I need to concentrate on winning this fight. But I can't stop worrying about Gray. I just hope he won't do anything stupid," I think.
Natsu flips back just in time to avoid an attack from Tempester.
We charge forward and attack. I thrust my rapier at Keyes as I use Linear in quick succession, but he somehow manages to dodge it.
I go to attack Keyes again but a purple aura bursts from his staff, and I get the same feeling of dread from before. "Something's very wrong! There's no doubt in my mind! Gray's in real danger!" I think as I skid back, arms thrown up to protect my face.
Lucy begs, "Hey, guys! Let me help! I promise I can still fight."
"You've been a lot of help," Natsu replies. "Leave the rest of the fight to us."
"He's right! Plus, I just caught this scent," Gajeel says, smirking.
"Me, too!" Natsu agrees.
"It's real familiar. It smells like backup!" Gajeel states mysteriously.
I understand who they're talking about in a heartbeat and a smile tugs at my lips. Sting and Rogue-kun were here!
They must've come because I told them about Minerva! As soon as I've finished here and helped Gray-kun, I'll go help my mate!
"That feeling of dread is not going away. I'm even more afraid than before. I know he needs my help!" I think fearfully, snapping back into focus.
I murmur aloud, "Let's end this so I can go help Gray." I add, "And then go help my mate."
"Gray," The skeletal man muses aloud. "How exciting! It's just as I supposed! That young man and you have an intermingled story, do you not?"
"What?!"
"But all stories that begin must one day end," He says. "Gray's story truly began when Deliora took everything away from him. That was his rebirth."
"What are you talking about?" I question.
"That grisly reaper harvested the lives of his family. Rendered his entire village to a burning pile of embers. That horrific event marked the beginning of his tale. What delicious irony, for on this day, we shall see that tale come to its tragic end!"
My eyes dilate as I gasp in disbelief, "No! It can't be. He'll die?!"
"It's far richer than that. The boy will face despair in a form so sweet and familiar. Even so, his tale will conclude the same way his Master's did!"