Chapter 02

Nobody in the diminutive Twilight Hermit Order could sleep tonight; they were all angels at the bare minimum, and sleep was not something they were accustomed to.

"This is becoming quite boring," stated Amon, the monocle-wearing angel, as he once again pestered a long white-haired angel reading a book.

"Ouroboros, can't you find something funny to do, like, I don't know, trap someone for all eternity inside one of your mazes?"

Ouroboros continued to read his book without caring a bit about the banter of the Angel of Time. Seeing the annoying Ouroboros, Amon looked at Adam.

"Brother, did these little fairies make it toward the ending?" asked the angel as he took a strangely shaped apple and quickly ate it.

"I made sure of it," replied Adam as he continued to write his book. "Their participation is a must for 'it' to happen after all."

"Oh, my zealous brother, another plan, I quite like the sound of it. But I found a trio of people snooping around our lodge after Medici just caved the face of one of Fiore's most famous mages on the pavement of Crocus. Should I dispose of them?" asked Amon as he looked at his brother, his monocle emitting a strange light.

"This will not be necessary," replied Adam calmly as he continued to write. "After all, my writing doesn't include them finding out about us."

"You're no fun at all. Why not make them chase us, and then they find us, and boom, I parasitize one of them? I just want to see their faces if one of them becomes me, the blue-haired one in preference. He seems to be their leader," the Angel of Time continued to speak.

The sound of a book closing violently was heard as Ouroboros glared at Amon.

"You do love hearing yourself speak, Amon," said the Angel of Fate as he stood up to look through the window.

"And you are still so stiff, Ouroboros," retorted Amon.

"What is this banter about?" the voice of Medici appeared in a burst of flame as he came out of a portal of fire that he made before crashing on the couch, burning a part of it.

"Amon was talking too much," said Ouroboros in his monotone voice, earning a chuckle from Amon as he sneered at him but didn't respond as he closed his eyes and retreated into his own world.

For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the pen of Adam writing on the book.

"You are late, Bethel," said Adam as a door opened in the room, and Bethel Abraham, the last member of their 'team' for the Magic game, appeared.

"I was looking at the stars above our heads and how serene they are compared to back home," replied the man with a gentle tone . Bethel Abraham was an Angel of the Door pathways before being sealed by Evernight and Leodero.

"So, Adam, you want us to compete against mortals, degrade ourselves for what exactly?" asked Medici, the priest continuing to write despite Medici talking to him.

"To fulfill the script," replied the priest nonchalantly.

"And what does this give us?" asked the War Angel.

"The right to remain 'invisionned.'"

Medici looked at Adam and nodded his head a bit before smiling.

"Well, that is something to fight for, but I presume that everyone needs to be alive for the script?" asked the red Angel as he tapped his gloved fingers on the couch.

"Yes, so don't go overboard with your powers, just don't lose," said Adam as he closed his book.

"So let's start the play, my friends."

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The next day marked the announcement of all the teams that had made it to the final phase of the tournament.

"And in second place, the last winners of the tournaments, everyone cheers for Sabertooth!" The announcer's voice echoed through the arena as the crowd erupted in a simultaneous roar. The thunderous applause was distinct, far louder than the previous ones, making the ground tremble as everyone cheered for the Sabertooth participants.

"We are only second this time?" Sting questioned with a frown as he eyed the last entrants. "This can't be another team of Fairy Tail, so which guild took our first place?"

"I don't know, but I don't remember seeing any guild capable of opposing us," remarked Rufus Lore, one of Sabertooth's mages dressed in a flamboyant costume.

"Don't worry, they just had luck with the Labyrinth," reassured Orga, the lightning God Slayer of Sabertooth.

As the calm settled in the Domus Flau, the pumpkin-headed announcer seized the microphone.

"And lastly, a totally unknown guild has taken the first place. They arrived at the end in less than a second yesterday. I announce to you the appearance of the Twilight Hermit Guild!"

Five men emerged from the underground entrance, each dressed in a unique manner. One of them, with long white hair, even sported a sleeping mask over his eyes.

There were no cheers as the men entered the arena; everyone seemed to be observing the peculiar group. Medici seized the opportunity to look at Sting with a sly smile.

"So, what do you say, cocky brat? Not so tough, huh?" mocked the red-headed Angel.

Sting's complexion turned red in an instant, veins popping on his head.

"The only advantage that you had was your speed. Pray that I don't find you in a fight," replied the Dragon Slayer as he glared back at Medici.

"Oh," intoned Amon as he looked at Fairy Tail Team B, precisely toward Mirajane. "What a strange amalgamation of souls you have," he said as he readjusted his monocle on his right eye.

Mirajane narrowed her eyes at Amon before flashing a smile.

"Well, thanks for the compliments," she replied to the Angel of Time.

Amon flashed a little smile toward the white-haired woman as he looked back at his brother.

"Well, brother, this is a tough public. We were not even acclaimed by the populace, how unsavory," said Amon, faking a little tear at the end of his tirade.

"If you wanted to be acclaimed, you could have become a circus clown. Perhaps your pranks would have made a few more people laugh, little raven," replied Medici as he smiled at Amon.

"Ah!" exclaimed Amon with a smirk. "Perhaps you could enlighten us on how it must feel to be a bit cramped in a body. Imagine a body for three."

"Perhaps you could enlighten us on how your avatars feel. Imagine baby Amon, father Amon, dog Amon, all adorning a monocle. The family reunion must feel really refreshing," retorted the War Angel.

Ouroboros, seeing the banter between the two, looked at Adam, who, in response, created a pillow and a duvet. Ouroboros simply looked at it and then laid down in the middle of the arena, sleeping.

Bethel brought out a book from nowhere and started to read, as Adam did the same. Meanwhile, the two bantering angels continued to exchange heated words.

"Well, it feels just like the second Epoch once again," whispered Adam as he started to read, reminiscing old memories fondly with a beautiful smile on his face.

Looking at the strange team, everyone in the stadium stood in silence, trying to decipher what just happened, while the two bantering angels started to come to blows. Amon picked up a watch, and Medici drew out a flaming sword.

"The Clock-Hand that Tampers with Time—" started Amon. "The Great Goddess of War—" started Medici, but he widened his eyes, looking at Amon after he failed his own incantation.

Adam closed his book, making the two of them stop for an instant. Medici frowned, while Amon laughed.

"You bastard, you tampered with my thinking to make me say 'Goddess' instead of 'God'!" cried out Medici as flames formed around his feet.

"I didn't do anything, my good mentor. Perhaps this was a revealing slip of the tongue about yourself. Were you a woman before? Oh, the news!" replied Adam with the most obvious shit-eating grin ever.

"Calm yourself; the presenter is waiting for you two to stop your meaningless quarrel," said Adam as he looked back at the two angels. The two angels stopped, not before Medici mouthed something at Amon with literal blazing eyes.

"Cough ,Cough ," started the pumpkin man to gather the attention of everyone. "So the first trial will be 'Hide and Seek.' Each contestant will be dispatched in a city where numerous clones of the participants walk around. Each time someone is hit by an attack, they will lose one point. If they strike a target, they'll gain one point, but if they strike a clone, they'll lose a point, when you are hit by an opponent, you will be teleported randomly in the city to fight again, Now! Please, each team please select a participant for the game."

"How boring, pass! " cried out Medici as he left with Amon trailing behind him "Same" declared the Angel of Time. Bethel disappeared in an instant as Adam looked a bit lost seeing his teammates forfeit instantly, he looked down at Ouroboros that slept but soon nodded in his sleep Adam comprehending the message disappeared at his turn, teleporting inside the lodge that was attributed to the Twilight Hermit Order.

Some time later, the 8 participants were all ready to enter the trial, well Ouroboros was still sleeping on his couch taking the glare of all the participant

"Couldn't we just wake him up ? asked the participant of Blue Pegasus Eve

"Well if the participant is sleeping then it will be a fault for their teams, as it seems that they forfeit even before, a bunch a scaredy cats" said Lyon the mage from Lamia Scale

*Cough*

Once again the pumpkin man coughed to gather attention

"Well, let the first trial start ! " he declared as an entire city materialized from thin air and clones of the participants appeared.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gray Fullbuster POV: 

I represent Fairy Tail, I must win, after all that the members of our Guild went through since our absence during seven years, endless mocking and insults thrown their ways but they still persevered, then I will give a win to Fairy Tail, even if Juvia block my way, I will win.

I looked around to locate any suspicious movement, my two hands ready to use my Ice Make magic, then suddenly, I saw movements to my right.

'Quatro Cerberus' I thought as I saw the blazon on his back during the choosing phase. I saw him use his plant magic to grow roots to lash at me, then in an instant I froze his plant and modeled a sword to slash at him, earning a grunt then he disappeared in a myriad of light, signifying that I defeated him, then I turned to see Juvia running at me

"Gray-Sama !!!" the blue haired girl ran toward me, with a smile on her face then suddenly a beam of light hit her from afar making her dissipate

"Juvia ! " I cried out as I parried a beam of light that came from behind me, then I heard stomping as I turned back the member of Quatro Cerberus was here again, I saw him use his plant magic to grow roots to lash at me, then in an instant I froze his plant and modeled a sword to slash at him, earning a grunt then he disappeared in a myriad of light, signifying that I defeated him, then I turned to see Juvia running at me

"Gray-Sama !!!" the blue haired girl ran toward me, with a smile on her face then suddenly a beam of light hit her from afar making her dissipate

"Juvia ! " I cried out as I parried a beam of light that came from behind me, then I heard stomping as I turned back the member of Quatro Cerberus was here again, I saw him use his plant magic to grow roots to lash at me, then in an instant I froze his plant and modeled a sword to slash at him, earning a grunt then he disappeared in a myriad of light, signifying that I defeated him, then I turned to see Juvia running at me but my eyes widened as I sensed that something was amiss

"Gray-Sama-" 

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bell, signifying the end of the first trials, rang out as uproar continued to plague the entire venue.

"What is this? They didn't even move from the beginning!" cried out one of the spectators.

"Refund us the ticket! I didn't come here to watch this kind of horseshit!" yelled another spectator.

Inside the Fairy Tail lounge, everybody was looking at the arena, lost about what was happening.

"Gray, Juvia, what are you doing? Move!" cried out Natsu, ready to jump and wake them up.

"Natsu, it's been twenty times that you've said this," said Erza as she hit him on the head. Suddenly, as the bell was about to ring a second time, a white serpent emerged from one of the Twilight Hermit members and bit Rufus from Sabertooth, changing the points of the Twilight Hermit Order to 1, while all the others remained at 0.

A collective booing erupted as the audience comprehended the trick in this trial.

"Well, dear public, it seems that the member of the Twilight Hermit Guild just put everyone into some sort of coma and took advantage of it to increase the points of his team while keeping the others at 0," described the commentator. "What is this magic, Mr. Yakima?"

"Well, Mato, I don't know. Despite my years at the Magic Council, I have never seen a wide hypnosis this effective," Yajima replied, narrowing his eyes toward Ouroboros.

"This is an intriguing development!" exclaimed Mato.

In the Fairy Tail lounge, everyone looked awestruck by such magic.

"This—" hissed Makarov, the current master of Fairy Tail. "First Master, have you ever seen this type of magic?"

The ghost of the young girl looked at this with widened eyes. "No, Third Master. Even for me, this is new. I knew about hypnosis magic, but they are often associated with weak mages. I don't think it was a mere Hypnosis spell. Look at Gray and Juvia, how they look lost and on their guards. It seems that there is something more about it."

"And the winner of this round is the Twilight Hermit Guild with 1 point, and all the other teams are losers and will not earn a single point!" declared Mato, the presenter. and at this declaration a collective booing happened once again toward Ouroboros as he took his duvet and slowly left the arena toward his lounge

"YOU!" cried out Juvia toward Ouroboros, "You let me saw Gray-Sama be defeated so many times !" Ouroboros didn't seem to hear her as he didn't even register her speaking and continued his advance toward the exit.

Juvia seeing this pointed her hand and a blue magic circle appeared

"Wait Juvia !" cried out Gray as everyone in the Fairy Tail lounge cried at her to stop 

"Water Ray" a beam of water was ejected toward the member of the Twilight Hermit Order, then luckily it seemed that the beam missed the walking form of Ouroboros as it hit the ground in a little explosion.

Juvia widened her eyes seeing this.

"Mark my word, Juvia will defeat you after what you just did !!" she screamed as she looked at Ouroboros.

"Well everyone back at your lounge" cried Toma as everyone started to go back toward their lounge as Juvia took the sermont of her life by Makarov for attacking another participant.

All the guild members shared their experiences inside this illusion, while Ouroboros opened the lounge door to observe everyone doing their own things.

"Good job, White Snake!" cried out Medici as he laughed a bit. "Still a terrifying ability that you possess!"

Bethel and Adam acknowledged the White Snake's victory. Amon simply smiled mysteriously as he looked at Ouroboros.

"Well, now that the trial has ended, let's start the three battles of today!" Mato announced, and the screen 'randomly' selected the participants for the one-on-one battles.

"For the first battle, we have Lucy Heartfilia from Fairy Tail Team A versus," the screen stopped on an unknown name on the board, "Bethel Abraham from the Twilight Hermit Guild." Nobody cheered, as one mage was from the worst team, and the other was from a team that stole the show by disabling an entire trial.

Inside the Fairy Tail lounge, everyone looked at Lucy, who took a deep breath.

"Lucy, you can beat this guy!" exclaimed Natsu with a smile.

"Lucy, don't forget that we are here for you," declared Erza, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, everyone. I will come back with points for Fairy Tail!" she declared confidently as she descended into the arena, only to find Gray waiting for her with a hole in the wall where his fist was.

"Lucy, be careful. These guys seem different. This Ouroboros guy's magic was unlike anything I've seen. It was so strange, as if my life was controlled by someone else. It repulsed me," warned Gray as he looked at her with pitiful eyes.

Lucy took another deep breath as she looked at Gray.

"Everyone gave me their support. I can't lose!" she declared with a smile as she entered the arena, full of confidence.

Her opponent seemed to be a middle-aged man with cerulean blue eyes.

They faced each other for a moment before Lucy took her whip from her belt with a golden key.

"I will win for Fairy Tail!" she declared as she prepared herself for the moment when the presenter would announce that the combat started.

The mature voice of Bethel came to her ears like a door opened.

"You should surrender. You have no chance to defeat me," he declared, stating it as if it were a certainty.

Lucy looked at him with a frown as she replied, "Everyone in the guild gave me their support, and I shall not let them down!"

"Then you will lose. Don't worry; I am not Ouroboros. I will not crush you in an instant," he replied to her, and the sound of gunfire was heard.

"Start!" cried Mato.

"Gate of the Bull, Gate of Sagittarius open. Come Taurus and Sagittarius," two golden glows suddenly appeared as two silhouettes emerged in the arena: a bull with a large axe and a man with a horse disguise and a bow.

Bethel arched a brow and uttered a word as the Bull rushed him and Sagittarius' arrows were fired toward him.

"Wind," a gust of wind appeared near him, knocking down the arrows and sending the bull flying back toward Lucy.

Bethel blinked, touched the side of Sagittarius, and uttered another word. In an instant, the spirit became an icicle.

"Sagittarius!" cried out Lucy as she used her whip to target Bethel. Suddenly, he disappeared and reappeared near her.

"Tumble," the ground under Lucy became slippery as she glided on it and fell back first on the ground. Taurus was not any better, but in an instant, Bethel was flying above him.

"Electric Shock," he declared as thunder fell from the sky, electrocuting the ground under him, returning Taurus to the spirit world and leaving Lucy on the ground, unmoving.

"Be content, young girl. I didn't use any of my true magic; you didn't deserve it," he declared as he started to leave the area.

Then suddenly, he heard noises from the Fairy Tail lounge.

"Stand up, Lucy! You can do it!!" cried out Natsu, and soon enough, the whole guild was cheering for her.

She stood up, hardly panting, her body battered by the thunder.

"I can't give up with everyone's support. I'll defeat you!!" she cried out as she took another key from her belt.

"Gemini!" Soon, two strange gray beings appeared.

"Copy me!" she cried out as the two strange entities transformed into versions of Lucy, as if she had just exited the shower. Lucy didn't even register it as an enormous golden magical circle appeared under her, with planets seemingly orbiting around her. Bethel stood there, waiting for the attack, totally immobile.

Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens...

 All the stars, far and wide...

 Show me thy appearance...

 With such shine.

 Oh Tetrabiblos...

 I am the ruler of the stars...

 Aspect become complete...

 Open thy malevolent gate.

 Oh 88 Stars of the heaven...

 Shine!

 Urano Metria!

Bethel looked at the enormous light that seemed to want to devour him. He opened a book that he always carried with him.

"I came, I saw, I recorded," he declared as the book opened and stopped on a page titled "Price of Abolition." One word was uttered by the ancestor of the Abraham Family.

"Distort."

Following the word, the entire world seemed to twist. The laws of reality shuddered as something seemed to play with them. Urano Metria of Lucy seemed to halt in an instant and then suddenly disappeared, as if someone just snuffed out a candle.

Silence reigned in the area as they looked at what just happened. The magic of Lucy was strong, but the magic that Bethel employed was unheard of.

"What did you do?" said Lucy through pained gasps as her mana was depleted.

Bethel looked at her with an impassive expression. "My magic is capable of recording other magics to use. This was one of the magics from an old enemy that I recorded when I was young. Distortion Magic is what you call it," he said as Lucy slumped on the ground, unconscious.

"Lucy!" cried out Natsu as he jumped toward her with Erza, Gray, and Happy. Bethel looked at them before teleporting back to the lounge.

"The victor is Bethel Abraham, 10 more points for Twilight Hermit!" declared Toma as the crowd erupted in applause after witnessing a match that would go down in the annals of this tournament.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That's enough for today as I'm beat, I hope that you liked this one, I pray that I did the powers of Lord of the Mysteries well because it's hard to write them.

See you soon :)