Ice and snowy mist exploded around Jellal and Kai as Kai's first attack made contact with Jellal's open fist.
"Even as a Dragon Slayer, you're still so weak," Jellal said.
Black power erupted between them and shot Kai back. He managed to just barely catch himself and then sprinted back toward Jellal, coating the entire floor with ice along the way. He swung once at Jellal, who blocked the punch quite easily and then elbowed Kai right in the chest and slapped him away.
Kai spun out of the slap and summoned forth more magic. More power. Kai roared, trying to summon the might of the sleeping dragon within. Jellal just laughed. The room shook, some of the walls cracking a bit from the pressure Kai exerted.
"Yes, show me everything you can do!" Jellal exclaimed. "So I can show you how futile your efforts are!"
"Ice Dragon Roar!"
The power surged from within to without Kai as a blast of frozen magic shot right at Jellal, who supercharged his fist and punched it down, but a frozen spectacle still burst around them. Kai used the momentary cover to hurtle toward Jellal and connected a spinning kick to his side, knocking Jellal aside. Kai then punched down at Jellal, using the ethereal power around him as a power source to strengthen the blow.
Jellal tried to catch it but Kai powered through and actually connected with Jellal's chest. Jellal bounced on the ground and caught himself, then shoved his hand forward. Fifteen black rays of magic lanced across the sky toward Kai.
"Ice Dragon Shield!"
A thin layer of ice, and a thick ice shield, appeared on his arm. Kai ducked and tried to absorb the blows but the shield barely held up. Jellal finished it off with another attack, one that knocked Kai away into the wall.
He gritted his teeth, ignoring the blood pooling in his mouth, while Jellal summoned up some dark specters and sent them at Kai. Kai swung his blade out from its sheathe and easily cut them down, then launched two powerful spells at Jellal who just used his aura to break them apart. Kai sighed but didn't relent.
"Ice Dragon Cold Blade!"
The blade glowed a brilliant blue as it sliced through the air. Jellal actually had to dodge it, and Kai used the power of the spell to launch a beam of ice at Jellal, catching him in the shoulder. Jellal grunted, finally showing an ounce of pain. Kai spun around with the blade and almost cut Jellal's head clean off if it weren't for Jellal blocking Kai's arm with his own. In response, Kai blasted Jellal with the remaining magic in the blade.
Jellal cocked his head back. Kai kicked Jellal in the chest.
"Ice Dragon Roar!"
The attack hit this time, shooting Jellal in the wall. Kai flicked his blade and lowered himself into a proper stance.
Two massive shadow hands appeared from nowhere near Kai, reaching down at him to grab him. He sliced through both but was hit square in the chest by a magic blast that turned into the shadow hands again.
Kai summoned his strength and managed to stop them from pushing further. But he couldn't resist. They'd reached a stalemate.
"Give up, Kai," Jellal said. "You won't be able to hold that back for long. Once your little muscles finally give out I will literally crush you."
"Not a chance!" Kai exclaimed.
The hand increased its pressure against Kai and the ground beneath Kai cracked, but he held firm. He didn't move.
"You'll give in. They always do. Just look at Sho, Milliana, Wally, and Simon. They cracked once to listen to me. They'll do it again."
"Shut up!" Kai said. "Just...shut up! They're free of you! We're all free of you and this tower!"
Kai surged his magic and the hand exploded. Kai dropped forward, but onto his knees, and found little strength left to pick himself up. He glanced up at Jellal, who could only smile.
"Perfect," Jellal said. "On your knees like the rest of the world will be soon."
Darkness swirled in his hand and it shot at Kai. Kai braced himself but a flash of silver sparked the ember of hope in his heart.
A single sword sliced through the darkness and sent it careening all around. Jellal grimaced.
"You're insane for taking on Jellal all by yourself." Erza Scarlet looked down to Kai and held out her hand for him. "Truly a Fairy Tail wizard."
Kai clasped Erza's hand and she hefted him up. Happiness quickly faded in place of utter determination as she turned to face Jellal, who held his hands up with a wide grin on his face.
"What a nice reunion," Jellal said.
"He's been using darkness magic this entire time," Kai said. "But I wouldn't be surprised if he starts pulling out other tricks against you."
"Looks like you got a few hits in."
"Took everything I had."
"Are you ready to give even more?"
"Absolutely."
Erza Requipped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor as Kai recalled his sword back into his hand and filled it with Ice magic.
"So Sho finally let you out of his little pocket dimension?" Jellal asked. "Where is that little coward, anyway?"
"He's not your concern, Jellal," Erza said. "We're taking you down, and you'll pay for your crimes."
"Yes, please keep on blathering away, Erza," Jellal said. "Just let our little Etherion timer tick on down."
A chill shot down Kai's back. Etherion. He'd nearly forgotten. Without a watch or clock of some kind he had no idea how long it'd been since Jellal announced Etherion, but, they had to be running out of time, right? Unless it was all a bluff and Jellal just wanted to push Fairy Tail forward.
Erza held both of her hands out and the swords around her started to spin.
"We'll beat you before Etherion, then," Erza said. "Ready, Kai?"
"Always ready to fight with you," Kai said.
A pit formed in his stomach. Enough with the love chatter. She doesn't need that right now.
"Me too," Erza muttered.
Kai gripped his sword, unable to hide the smile that came to his lips despite the massive swarm of shadows Jellal sent at them.
The Fairy Tail wizards sprung into action, Erza launching several swords at Jellal while Kai sprinted beneath them. Each of the ghosts took the brunt of the hits while Kai attacked Jellal, who beat Kai back.
"Photon Slicer!"
The beam hit Jellal square in the chest. Kai brushed off the hit he took and blasted into the air after Jellal.
"Frozen Sword Formation: Frozen Fist Layer!"
The single-layer magic circle shot a blast at Jellal, who swiped it aside but was slammed by an incoming Black-Wing Armor Erza. She grabbed him by the chest and flung him to the ground. Kai dropped and slammed his knee into Jellal's gut.
Jellal caught Kai's throat and had to leap away to avoid Erza's next attack, allowing Kai to kick out of the grab.
Erza shot from beneath Kai, as the three were still airborne, and attacked Jellal, who blocked Erza's blade with a dark spell.
"Erza!" Kai shouted and flung his sword at Erza, who caught it while Requipping into her Ice Empress Armor, supercharging the blade with ice magic.
"What?" Jellal roared and was slammed with all the power of Kai and Erza's magic right back into the tower.
Kai slid to a halt as did Erza, who had a knee pressed down on his chest, keeping Jellal pinned in such a way that he couldn't move.
Just then, the ground erupted beneath them, and spires of flame shot up and around the room, obliterating everything they touched.
Erza didn't let it distract her from keeping the sword in her hand while also having Jellal pinned. It was Kai's sword, so he couldn't recall it from her.
Kai took a knee to conserve his strength.
Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, damn, we missed the fight?"
"Erza and Kai defeated Jellal?" Simon asked.
Kai leered his eyes. Jellal laid out completely, arms to the side, his body fully splayed out. But he didn't breathe all that heavily. He had sustained damage, but, not like Kai. Erza's quick and overbearing strength may have been too much for him.
"I'm not sure," Kai muttered.
"Do it, Erza!" Jellal barked. "Finish me off. Get your revenge. You'll stop Etherion, you'll save all the people in the tower. You'll have earned back your childhood."
"That's not true," Erza said. "Killing you is justice. It won't take back the torture you inflicted on all the others! It won't save anyone you've already killed!"
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Yes, Erza, what the hell are you waiting for? Kai pushed himself to his feet, his legs trembling beneath his weight.
"I...I...."
"You have to," Jellal said.
"Do you want to die so badly?" Erza roared. "It's an escape, then! I can't let you run from your past! I can't let you hide from all the people you've killed, from the sins you've committed. Besides, Jellal...your work isn't even done."
It took Jellal by surprise, too.
"What?"
"The R-System isn't complete yet. I know it. I can tell from how the Tower looks, how it feels. Something is missing."
Jellal gritted his teeth.
"Erza, what are you talking about?" Natsu asked. "Knock this guy out and let's get out of here!"
"Natsu's right, you can't let Jellal just sit around like this," Simon said. "Finish him! Kill him, Erza!"
Erza adjusted her grip and held the blade aloft over Jellal. Kai approached, slowly. Jellal and Kai made momentary eye contact. Kai balled up his fists.
"She's right," Kai muttered. "Killing him would just be another form of letting him get away. He has to stand some sort of trial, he has to see true justice."
"You'd spare me?"
Erza's grip tightened on the blade. Her hands trembled.
"I would."
Thunder rumbled in the sky above. Some scent, a powerful, unfamiliar one, overwhelmed Kai. And Natsu. They both looked all about the room.
"What is that?" Kai muttered.
"That," Jellal said, "is destiny."
Kai spun back around. Jellal lurched forward, grabbing Erza as a pressure that could've burst Kai open like an apple at once was released, and a blinding light completely engulfed the entire room.
For a moment, there was sheer nothingness.
Then, when Kai gathered himself, when he felt life, and magic, return to him, when he could feel the ground beneath him again, Kai saw the true face of the Tower of Heaven. He saw what his childhood, what those years of torture, had all been built for:
The Tower had transformed into one great lacrima.
Kai lowered his hands from over his head. He glanced toward Simon, who was clearly just as shocked as everyone else...save for Jellal, who'd shoved Erza off.
Erza tried to move but couldn't—she was sealed against a wall with gold rings bound about her arms and legs.
"What's going on?" she shouted.
"How is this a giant lacrima?" Natsu asked.
"It was always a giant lacrima," Jellal said, looking toward the Dragon Slayers and Simon. "The truth of the tower is it is one powerful engine meant to bring back the most powerful wizard who ever lived. And now, with Etherion, with the fools in Era thinking they could actually stop me, we have achieved that power. We just need one, or two, more tools left and Zeref will be back."
He pointed to Erza, who struggled against the chains.
"Erza's magic power will be enough, but if she is insufficient, it's nice to see three other wizards ready to step up and finish the job."
"Jellal, let Erza go!" Kai exclaimed. "You can't kill her. You can't! She spared your life, you have to—"
"Do the same?" Jellal chuckled. "Sure, Kai."
He raised his hand to Kai, but, a searing heat rushed by Kai and punched Jellal across the face, sending him sliding away. Natsu stopped and spun around, leaping toward Erza. Simon rushed next to Kai.
"Kai, this is our opportunity," Simon said. "Come on!"
Kai sprinted toward Jellal, who shook off Natsu's attack and leered at the two attacking wizards. Jellal swung his power out and stunned them, tripping Kai up. Simon also stopped.
Kai sucked in some hard breaths. Between Ikaruga to his initial rounds with Jellal, he was struggling just to keep a hold of his sword. And Jellal looked a little beaten up, but...
He sighed. It was fine. He smiled at the sound of Natsu crushing the lacrima that Erza was trapped in. She was free. Simon stepped forward next to Kai. Erza Requiped into her Lightning Empress Armor.
"Oh my," Jellal said. "Now I'm facing some serious power."
"It's over, Jellal," Erza said. "Nobody's getting sacrificed, nobody's using this tower. Leave. This is your last warning."
"Erza, Erza, Erza, don't you know that warnings are just an empty gesture?"
It was Jellal's voice but he didn't speak. It even came from behind them. Kai glanced over his shoulder and watched as the white-robed Wizard Saint Seigrain walked around the room toward them, his arms folded behind his back.
"Oh, come on," Kai muttered.
"I've been waiting for you," Jellal said. "I was beginning to worry you would be late."
"And I was beginning to worry you'd let Erza kill you," Seigrain said.
"How are there two Jellals?" Natsu shouted.
"There's not," Erza and Jellal said.
"Jellal what the hell are you talking about?" Kai asked.
Seigrain stopped near Jellal, looking him up and down, and then shrugging.
"It was good while it lasted," Seigrain said.
Kai's chest heaved up and down. He prepared a spell in his sword, charging up what magic he could scrounge up.
Jellal held his hand out over Seigrain and the latter burst into a golden light that Jellal absorbed. A powerful golden aura shot around Jellal. His muscles flexed, his eyes flashed gold, and the pressure in the room increased immensely.
"So...there's not two Jellals," Natsu said.
"Seigrain was, what a Thought Projection?" Erza asked.
"Something like that," Jellal said. "Also a little bit of a safe for me. He held my true power, my real magic."
"Real magic?" Kai asked.
"Indeed." Jellal raised his hand and it glowed a bright gold. "Watch. Altairis!"
He crossed his arms over his head and summoned forth magic from the shadows of the room. Everyone braced themselves, and Jellal quickly turned toward Natsu.
"Natsu, move!" Kai shouted.
The powerful magic attack launched at Natsu, though it would easily consume Erza as well. Kai was too slow, his bones too achy.
But someone else moved, faster, not quite as injured. Simon leaped in the way, his body splayed out, and took the full brunt of the blast from the attack.
At once everything went quiet. Dust settled and crystals dropped but Kai heard nothing. Erza wept while she held the dying Simon in her arms. Natsu's eyes flared from shock into rage. Kai dropped his sword.
Jellal said something, and gestured in some cocky fashion, as Natsu launched into an almighty flurry of attacks. Kai's legs moved without his brain telling them to do so.
Big Simon gave Erza one last smile before his arm fell to his side, limp, and his neck lulled back. Erza buried her head into Simon's chest and held him tight, but still, no tears fell from her eyes.
He'd never even shown Kai or Erza his magic. Everyone else got the chance. He'd worked so hard at it.
And he died here. He died in the Tower. Simon was supposed to be free, with the rest of them.
The Tower shook. Natsu and Jellal's battle shot outside. More lacrima dropped to the ground, clattering and shattering around them, breaking upon the ground easy as...
Teardrops.
Kai's tears eased down his face despite no sobs seizing his throat. Instead of the warmth that spread in his body, a chill eased its way from his spine outward through all of his magic circuits. His muscles sang. Whatever aches and sores he had vanished while wisps of a light blue aura flashed around him.
Ice crawled up his fingers and from the center of his chest, spreading slowly over his body like a virus at last latched onto a host. The Tower shook once more and Natsu crashed to the ground near them while Jellal howled a laugh. Natsu sprang back into action, alive with the flame of a dragon.
"Kai." Erza's voice broke through the silence. "What are you doing?"
Kai's sword was still clattered into the ground. He looked beyond the sheets of ice that covered his body completely. That took him over.
Their immediate proximity shook as well. Erza looked about to the lacrima near them. Kai shut his eyes, and only memories of blood, and visions of pain, met him on the other side. Another flash of cold consumed his body. Kai wanted to curl into a ball and hide from all of it. His aura intensified in the real world. A low roar formed in his core.
That of a dragon.
Natsu and Jellal clashed once more as brilliant gold light matched the great inferno of an enraged Dragon Slayer.
Kai held his hand out and his sword shot right into it. The ice had fully consumed him. Now he needed one last piece.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" he shouted.
"Kai, stop!" Erza screamed.
"Ice Dragon Takeover!"
The light blue aura flashed and exploded around them, unleashing all of Kai's magic at once. Erza and Simon slid back while Kai's body burst into a brilliant shade of blue while the ice absorbed the magic in his body. Natsu slid to a halt and Jellal settled down near them, grinning widely at Kai.
"There it is," he said, and swatted his hand, catching Natsu by surprise and blasting him away. "Your true strength, Kai."
But Kai knew words no longer. He knew rage. He knew the pure and unbridled heat of anger, one that far surpassed a heat Natsu could create.
Jellal held his hand out. Nine swords glowing, golden swords appeared over his head. Kai tilted his head at them.
"Jiu Leixing!"
Jellal swung his hand down and the swords launched at Kai. Kai merely stepped into it, swiping with his hands to destroy the swords, and in doing so launched a massive wave of ice at Jellal, who blocked it quite easily.
Kai propelled at Jellal, punching him square in the chest. Jellal laughed at it. Kai elbowed him and they slammed into the wall. Jellal punched and missed, so Kai tried to stab him with the blade. Jellal blocked it. Kai swung out with the blade, launching an array of magic blasts at Jellal. The wizard blocked most of them but took one to the leg.
Kai launched across the room and slammed into Jellal's shoulder, roaring with the soul of a dragon while he did so. Kai punched and Jellal blocked with a fist of his own, but his arm trembled. Kai pushed forward, superseding Jellal's strength and overwhelming him, knocking him into the lacrima.
Jellal pushed him away and slammed his hand into his fist, then, with the top hand in a particular formation, shouted, "Grand Chariot!"
Seven lights appeared overhead and seven beams shot down through the tower toward Kai, who leaped up and dodged all of them with relative ease. Kai landed on some broken lacrima and reared his head back, shooting an Ice Dragon Roar toward Jellal.
More.
More pain.
Kai followed up his blast and slammed into the ground nowhere near Jellal, but an itch in the back of his mind told him to keep fighting. He swung out, lashing at anything near him, striking down more of the wall. Kai slammed his hands into the ground, roaring again, and Jellal came from behind.
Kai took the blow and grabbed Jellal's arm, then punched him hard across the face, easily shattering his nose. Jellal blasted back. Kai caught himself and summoned magic in one hand and crushed it in the other, then slid it into his sword and charged Jellal.
Jellal slid to a halt and raised his arms in the same way that killed Simon.
Kai's magic rippled around him before it exploded all at once. He almost had control of it enough to direct it at Jellal and not literally anything around them. Still, Jellal took some of the hit and slammed against the wall. Kai pulled back his sword, magic searing off of him, while Jellal just smiled.
"Got you."
Kai sniffed around him. Something smelled...off. He flinched and a great golden light consumed him, shattering the icy shell around him and slamming him into the ceiling above.
But still, he raged.
Kai flipped and landed on the ground, in complete control of his sword, and not at all of his magic. Sheets of magic started to form over his body once more. Kai pointed the sword at Jellal, who just gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Impressive."
Kai leaped at Jellal, swinging and missing with his blade, before using some of the residual ice to form a pillar and slamming into Jellal.
At last, he formed a word, "Jellal!"
He tried to move forward but someone wrapped their arms around him, a familiar person. The scent overwhelmed him and the magic broke around him. His aura crackled and faded.
"Please, Kai," Erza said. Her voice was close. She pressed against him. "I can see it. If you push yourself anymore you'll die."
"Good, then you'll die together," Jellal said and raised his arms.
"I'd have it no other way!" Erza shouted. "If we die, we'll die not as monsters, but as proud Fairy Tail wizards!"
"You can't die too, Erza," Kai said through tears. "Please, let me go, I can get him away!"
"Sacrifice yourself, Kai, I dare you!"
"Don't you understand, you fool?" Erza exclaimed. "I love you!"
Kai dropped to his knees. Even Jellal paused a moment.
"What?" Kai muttered.
Erza fell with him, her arms still around him. Kai spun around his back to Jellal without a care in the world. He touched Erza's face.
"I've always loved you," Erza said. "I need you to know now, before the end, before we die in this horrible place."
"Erza..."
Another golden light filled the room as Jellal howled a laugh.
"How cute! Tell Simon that you two finally got together in the afterlife for me, will you?" Jellal shouted.
The tower shook again, and another roar came, but it was not from Kai. No, it was across the room, where Natsu was buckled over, seemingly in pain. Chunks of the building were ripped away, some lacrima was still in his hand.
"Natsu?" Erza muttered.
"Nobody else is gonna die here tonight!" Natsu shouted. "Jellal, you...you picked the wrong guild to mess with. You made Erza cry. You killed Simon. You've hurt Fairy Tail!"
A magnificent flame shot out around Natsu, melting some of the lacrima around him and that in his hands. Even Kai felt the heat.
Scales had formed around Natsu's face and on parts of his arm. His eyes seemed narrower. No—they were draconic.
"How is this possible?" Jellal cried. "Is this Dragon Force?"
"I don't care what it is!" Natsu shouted. "I've got a fire in my belly, and I'm going to light you up!" The inferno swirled around Natsu. "Kai, Erza, get Simon out of here."
"With the amount of damage you've done to the tower it doesn't matter where you are, this tower will explode and everyone outside will die unless one of you stabilizes it."
"I don't believe you," Kai said and managed to get to his feet. He could sense there was a disturbance with the tower but had heard enough of Jellal's lies.
"Get out of here anyway!" Natsu shouted.
"I won't abandon you now, Natsu!" Erza exclaimed.
"We can't have Simon's body caught in the crossfire," Kai said. "We have to trust Natsu."
"Trust Natsu to do what?" Jellal exclaimed and formed his hands to perform Grand Chariot. "Die?"
"To do this!"
Natsu blasted across the room faster than Kai had ever seen him move and he punched Jellal square across the face, knocking them both out of the tower. Fire formed beneath Natsu's feet and he shot after Jellal.
"Come on," Kai said and reached for Simon. He closed the big man's eyes and scooped him up. Erza stared out the window, then, with a nod, helped Kai.
They made it to the base of the tower rather quickly, as Erza was able to use one of her armors to help float them down. Happy flew over to them to meet them.
"What about Natsu?" he asked.
"He's fighting Jellal," Kai said. "And winning."
"He's giving us a window to escape," Erza said. "Can you lift Simon to the boat you're all in?"
"With help, for sure."
Iggy zipped over, wearing a grimace despite her cat face. Kai nodded to her, knowing they would talk later.
Kai didn't even realize Erza held his hand until the cats started flying Simon out across the ocean.
"We could go back for Natsu," Erza said.
As if he heard them, Natsu promptly roared and the tower shook again. Shards of lacrima plummeted around the tower.
"He'll be okay," Kai said. "Now, we swim."
"Actually, that won't be necessary."
A woman appeared from the water. Juvia poked her head out. Kai tilted his head at the sight of her.
"Still unsettling that you're here and helping us."
"I can get you two safely to the boat," Juvia said. "Shall we?"
Erza and Kai stole one last look up. A massive burst of fire lit the night's sky before quickly going out. Kai's heart stopped for a moment. Only the cracking sounds of destruction from within the tower met them.
"Yes."
Erza's voice shocked Kai from his stupor. She no longer looked at the tower, but out toward the ocean.
Something lanced across the sky. Something small, blue, and with wings. It snatched Natsu out from the air as he fell, and spun around toward the rest of the world. The tower began to glow.
"Let's go." Kai nodded, and he and Erza leaped into the water. Air bubbles formed around their head, and Juvia pulled them along speedily through the dark waters.
Kai held his hand out and Erza squeezed it. Kai smiled, and light filled the darkness as the magic of the tower spilled into the ocean.
The waves rocked around them. Juvia had them surface near the boat, where Natsu lay unconscious against Lucy's shoulder and Simon lay resting in the boat.
Everyone spun around and watched as, in the distance, the Tower of Heaven, the most powerful magical structure in the world, tumbled to the ground.
Something lifted off of Kai's shoulders as Erza squeezed his hand underwater. He couldn't know what exactly it was, but when they turned back, when they turned to go back to their real home, that warmth he knew could only come from Erza returned to replace the icy grip of his past once more, and maybe, forever.