-Meanwhile in Ishgar-
"Master Makarov," Carla started, "are you sure this is a good idea?"
He nodded uncertainly. "Child, I'm not sure any of this is a good idea."
"Um, what?!" She cried.
"Don't worry Carla." Mirajane smiled. "We'll be okay."
"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you." Carla sighed. "I don't want you or the others to get killed in your mission."
"Thanks Carla, but I won't be. I can't afford to die, anyways." Mirajane frowned to herself as she left the room.
"There are still a few teams who haven't come back yet from delivering information." Makarov mused. "What's taking them so long?"
"Well, Ishgar is vast, it'll take a while for them to get there and back." Mavis reasoned as she frowned.
"Is something wrong, First Master?"
"I wonder-"
"Master," Mest burst into the room out of breath. "Warrod is here to see you."
"Warrod?" Makarov mumbled. Mavis jumped up in delight.
Carla gasped as the elderly tree-shaped man walked in. He smiled when he saw Makarov and Mavis. "How's it going?"
Makarov bowed. "Well, we're preparing our defenses. We still haven't heard from some of the guilds, though, which worries me."
"I see. Carla, are you planning on returning to Alakitasia?" Warrod asked.
"Master Mavis thought it would be best for me to stay here, sir." She responded politely.
"But then your team won't know if we got the information."
"I know, sir, but they'll just have to have faith in us. I'm leading the aerial attacking forces, and I can't leave them."
"Very well. Makarov, can you lay out your plan in detail for me? I'd like to help if I can." Warrod sighed as he sat in a chair.
"Certainly. While Lamia Scale, Mermaid Heel, and Sabertooth help us with our defenses here, 8 other guilds will be defending Hargeon, and north and east of us. I'm sure Zeref will send troops in all directions. Carla will lead the aerial team to handle the airships. A select group of advanced fighters are tasked with finding Zeref and preventing him from reaching Fairy Tail. That group is Mirajane, Sting, Rogue, Lyon, and Gajeel. Our goal is to prevent attacks to inland Ishgar and take out Zeref." Makarov said determinedly. "First Master actually came up with most of it."
"You give me too much credit." She blushed in embarrassment.
"What about Acnologia?" Warrod asked.
"As far as I know, he hasn't made any moves. I'm hoping he won't interfere with the war." Makarov said.
"The Wizard Saints and I have agreed to help you wherever you need it. This is my guild too, and I can't bear to think of it destroyed." Warrod smiled fondly.
"Thank you." Makarov bowed before staring out the window grimly. "We only have a few days until war. We must make them count."