40

"This shit is really starting to get old," Natsu growled, as the mutated Commander regenerated the limbs Natsu had just blown off.

Gildarts launched himself at Natsu, firing a raw blast of Magical Power from his Lacrima based eyes, which Natsu promptly dodged. Skidding to the left, he blocked several punches, before spinning around and booting its head clean off its shoulders, only for its body to race after it through the air.

'What the hell did they do to turn this guy into this thing!? A sentient being that can regenerate from almost anything, and is made from Lacrima, and the Magical Cores of an entire race of cat people… And somehow, Faust has this thing following his orders,' Natsu thought to himself, as he pondered what to do.

He knew that conventional attacks simply weren't going to cut it with this thing, since it constantly rebuilt itself. That left only one option… complete and total cellular destruction. It would be a tall order, but he would find a way.

"Right, time to figure this shit out," Natsu hissed, as Gildarts returned, shooting out of the ground beneath him as dozens of Lacrima shards were fired at his position.

Leaping backward to avoid the initial attack, the mutated Commander's Lacrima began to glow, as its mouth opened wide, a bright blue light forming in its throat. Vanishing in a burst of speed, Natsu appeared behind it, his right fist cocked back, as blue fire exploded around his entire arm.

"Fire Gravity Dragon's Zero Graviton Fist!"

Smashing Gildarts in the back of the head, the mutated Commander's entire body flipped upside down, as its head was smashed into the ground. The attack it had been charging up exploded, blowing up its body, as Natsu's own attack began to take full effect.

The impact zone where he'd struck was suddenly hit with a momentary surge of increased gravity, before everything went completely weightless. The body parts of the mutated Commander floated upward, coated in blue fire, before again being smashed back into the ground.

"Let's see how you like that one," Natsu huffed, as the body parts, along with an entire section of the floating island they were on, were hit with ten times the standard gravity. A several meter wide hole was left in the island, with everything in the impact zone being crushed down into the battlefield below.

Jumping down the hole, his descent slowed to a crawl as he manipulated gravity around himself, easily landing just outside the impact crater. Without even waiting for the dust to settle, he raised his right arm, coating it in a deep purple aura, mixed with orange lightning.

"Gravity Dragon's Quaking Repulse!"

From his right hand, Natsu fired a large torrent of gravity at the mutated Commander, with almost everything in front of him being smashed by a sudden and powerful shift in horizontal gravity, blasting it far off into another floating island.

"Right," Natsu sighed, shaking his head. "That should buy me a few minutes to think of something to take this thing out for good…"

***POTD***

As Natsu battled with the abomination that was Commander Gildarts, both Erza, and Edo Erza had managed to reach Elise, Gajeel, Wendy and Gray's position. Ironically, between the four Earthland Mages had torn apart the vast majority of the military, and had actually been heading in their direction.

"Erza, what the Hell is going on," Gray shouted, as explosions rocked the area.

"Natsu is fighting this-this THING that I honestly can't even begin to describe," Erza shouted back. "We need to regroup and find King Faust!"

"I think that should wait," Wendy called out, as she pointed off in the direction of Natsu's battle. "Something powerful is coming…"

"Wendy's right, I think its Natsu," Elise chimed in, as a powerful heatwave washed over the group.

"What the Hell kinda heat is this," Gray panted, as his ice began to melt. "We're like a good mile out from his position, yet he's able to affect the environment like that!?"

"Gihi! That's what happens when you underestimate the power of a Dragon," Gajeel grinned, as both he and Wendy remained wholly unaffected by the heatwave.

"How are you not being affected by this Wendy," Erza asked, sweating profusely, as the Sky Dragon Slayer shrugged in response.

"I'm just used to this kind of heat, I guess? When you train with Natsu, this is the kind of heat you have to deal with, especially up close."

"Oh yeah? So, did he often make you stand in front of stuff like that," Elise asked, clearly amused at Wendy's newfound confidence, as they all looked off into the distance.

A massive fireball was rapidly beginning to form, with it being so large it began to outgrow the size of the floating island it was being formed upon. Edo Erza was completely floored by the display, but the others seemed to just accept what was happening and roll with it.

"We should all probably start running," Wendy suggested, with everyone nodding the instant the fireball turned a dark blue color, and taking off in the opposite direction.

"Wendy, you seem to know what Natsu's doing," Erza noted, as they easily darted past the panicked Edolas Army. "What is that attack?"

"While we were training, Natsu always talked about creating an attack that was the embodiment of fire and heat itself. An attack that destroys everything in its path, across a vast area.

"What kind of attack is it exactly," Gray asked, as Wendy began to slow down, stopping near the entrance to the capital.

"An attack that is at temperature so hot, that it will melt and destroy everything. Nothing I've seen him throw it at has survived the experience," Wendy replied, before pondering her statement. "Though, to be fair, he did say that Demons or stronger Mages could probably survive it. Its basically an attack meant for monsters that either can't be beaten through his normal way of fighting, or for large targets in general."

"And by large, do you mean that," Edo Erza asked slowly, as the group looked back at Natsu's attack, only to see the floating island across from it beginning to grow in size.

Large Lacrima began erupting from the surface of the island, as the island itself seemed to start twisting and distorting into a vaguely humanoid appearance.

"Is that the super-weapon you guys were talking about," Elise asked, with Edo Erza nodding stiffly, unable to believe what she was seeing. "The heck is it doing!?"

"Gildarts is capable of bolstering himself with the environment around him to maintain his form. Clearly, whatever drives him has decided to merge with one of the islands orbiting the capital," Edo Erza muttered darkly. "Now that he's grown to the size of a mountain, I don't think even Faust will have control over him…"

"That's gotta be raw Magical Power flowing through that thing, right," Gajeel asked curiously. "Ain't he got an upper limit of some sort?"

"I don't know," Edo Erza replied as it rose to its full height, now almost sixty feet tall. "I just hope Natsu can beat it…"

"Should we still go after Faust or what," Gray asked, clearly unsure of what they should all be doing. "I feel like if we all go over there, we'll just get in Natsu's way?"

"We need to make sure Natsu is alright once he fires his attack at that thing," Erza replied sharply, as the remaining troops started fleeing the battlefield.

"She's right. Without myself, as well as several other Captains, the military will be in a state of crisis," Edo Erza agreed. "They don't know about Faust's other secret weapon, Dorma Anim, so they think that this battle is lost."

"So, this Dorma Anim thing is even more top secret than THAT thing," Elise asked in disbelief. "Surely you're joking?"

"As I said before, Dorma Anim is the Ultimate Weapon that will end it all. That beast was to be sent in if things looked grim, but we still had a sign of victory. Dorma Anim will be for when there is no other choice… It is the true, final solution."

"That is indeed correct, Erza Knightwalker. Dorma Anim will indeed be the harbinger of the final days. However, what many, including King Faust, fail to realize, is that it won't be the end. Instead, it will be the new beginning for Edolas…"

Everyone looked around to see who just spoke, as many of the Fairy Tail members looked shocked.

"Mystogan!? How long have you been here," Erza asked, clearly confused, only for Erza Knightwalker to step up to Mystogan.

"So, that's where you've been… All these years, someone has been preventing the Anima from collecting Magic from Earthland, and we couldn't figure out who, or why? But it was you, wasn't it, Prince Jellal?"

Mystogan took off his hood, and revealed himself, before quickly joining the others, startling the Earthland Fairy Tail members with his appearance. It was a reaction that the man had expected, and he couldn't help but chuckle sadly at it.

"I apologize to all of you for the deception, but my Earthland counterpart isn't a very well-liked person. Therefore, I had to remain shrouded in secrecy."

"The Edolas version of Jellal," Erza muttered under her breath, as Jellal continued to speak.

"But you are right, Erza Knightwalker, it was me sealing the gates. I knew one day I would return to stop this madness, but I didn't expect to see something like this… Commander Gildarts has been turned into that abomination, and Faust has become more deranged than ever. After the genocide of all but one of the Exceed Race, and the murder of tens of thousands, he still lusts for more and more Magic never stopping, until every last sliver is in his grasp!"

"Jellal. You do know what will happen if he activates Dorma Anim, don't you? It'll be the end. Not just us, but everyone will be killed by that old man's foolishness!"

"How I have long waited to hear those words from you, Erza Knightwalker," Jellal smiled sadly in her direction. "My Father is indeed beyond saving at this point. The best we can hope for, is that Natsu destroys the abomination, and we kill my Father, all before he activates Dorma Anim."

"Are you sure you could kill your own Father Jellal!?"

"I must Erza, for all the people of Edolas I failed when I ran away. I must, for all the members of the Exceed Race that Faust captured and used to create the abomination over there. On that day, I knew what needed to be done, but I was a coward. My time with the Earthland Fairy Tail has taught me that there are things worth fighting and dying for, and this is one of those times to fight!"

"You have grown from that dorky kid I used to push around all those years ago, haven't you," Edo Erza smirked, eliciting a small chuckle from Edo Jellal.

"And your lance only got sharper… and deadlier."

"Uh nice touching moment you two, but we've gotta make a decision right now! Do we wait for Salamander, or move on the King!?"

"As if moving on me were necessary!"

"No, you can't be serious!? don't tell me he's already-!?"

"Within moments I will be able to wipe the battlefield clean of your filth and take your Magic for my own," Faust's voice boomed across the capital, as the entire area shook violently.

"This old geezer has got a few screws loose if he thinks I'm goin down that easy," Gajeel grunted in response.

'It seems we're fighting after all I just hope we can beat this thing,' Erza thought, as the ground around them began to split and crack from the violent tremors.

***POTD***

Natsu was beginning to feel slightly concerned as he continued charging his attack. After watching the island he'd blasted the mutant Commander into morph into an equally large version of him, he felt like maybe he was in some trouble.

Fortunately though, it seemed that its size hindered its ability to move, as it slowly started stomping toward him. Its screeching was near deafening, and his enhanced hearing absolutely hated it.

"Okay, its finished," Natsu grinned, as he felt the full weight of the attack suspended just above his head like a giant blue sun. "Right then, time to finish this thing off!"

The massive form of the Commander seemed to sense a shift in the Magic surrounding Natsu's attack, immediately halting in place as its right hand began to glow a bright blue color.

"So, it plans on trying to overpower me, does it," Natsu smirked. "It'll be in for a rude awakening then!"

Slowly thrusting its right palm forward, the giant form of Gildarts fired a beam of raw Magical Energy at Natsu. Little did it know, that this was a severe miscalculation on its part.

"Fire Gravity Dragon King's Seismic Supernova!

The attack deployed by Natsu simply soaked up the attack fired by the mutant Commander, as it reached out to catch the Supernova with its massive hands. And, just as Natsu predicted, its hands crumbled away, well before they even made contact, as his attack quickly engulfed the Commander.

"Let's see you regenerate from this," Natsu muttered darkly, as he watched Gildarts screech and thrash around inside the Supernova.

Searing head, combined with a barrage of powerful gravity-based attacks smashing into it from every direction simultaneously, and a healthy dose of Crash Magic, saw the massive body of the Commander being incinerated and ripped to shreds.

Within minutes, its form was little more than a husk, which was also quickly eradicated, as the attack reduced the weapon to less than dust. Natsu sighed, nodding his head at his handiwork, as the Supernova detonated, destroying the floating island next to it, and setting the ground beneath it ablaze.

Just as he thought his work was done, however, a faint light began to trickle out of the smouldering flames of his attack. He watched curiously, as it flew off toward the capital, quickly realizing what had happened.

"Faust…"

***POTD***

As Natsu finished dealing with the mutated Commander Gildarts, the rest of the Earthland Mages, as well as Erza Knightwalker, watched as the capital city was split clean in two. The city was pushed aside, as a massive machine was pushed up to the surface.

"That's Dorma Anim," Edo Erza gasped, as the machine fully came into view.

It stood around forty feet tall, was made entirely out of a bright metal that shone like the stars themselves, as numerous streams of raw Magic seeped into its surface, the Magical Pressure it exuded skyrocketing.

"No… We have to stop it," Edo Erza gasped, as even more streams shot into the metallic beast. "That's the Magic of the world itself its drawing in!"

"There's no stopping me now, Erza Knightwalker," Faust's voice boomed, shaking the entire capital. "How can you lot hope to stop me when I now possess the power of the Dragons!? These are creatures that defy the laws of nature in our world, and it is MINE TO COMMAND!"

The eyes of the metallic Dragon glowed a deep blue, as the entire thing was surrounded with a powerful Magical Aura, one that had Erza Knightwalker backing away in fear. It was already far too late to try and stop Faust from taking the Magic of Edolas, for he had already done so long ago…

Dorma Anim (Edolas Magic Absorbed + Extalia Core Absorbed) – 1.12 Million MPI

"There is no hope for you Earthland Mages, not whilst I control Dorma Anim," Faust cackled with glee from within the giant machine. "You will all serve ME!"

"Hate to burst that bubble of yours, but you've forgotten somethin pretty important," Gajeel grinned, as both he, and Wendy, stepped up to the giant construct. "Right now, you're riding pretty in that tin can you reckon is a Dragon, forgettin what me and the shrimp are…"

"Gajeel's right," Wendy nodded firmly. "We're Dragon Slayers, raised by REAL Dragons, not a fake like that!"

"You are both fools if you think you stand a chance against all the Magic of Edolas!"

"Gihi! Time we showed you just how much you've fucked yourself, old man," Gajeel smirked, as he clenched his fists, a familiar surge of Magic forming which shocked Erza, Elise, and Gray. "Metallic Drive!"

Gajeel's hair flicked upward, his eyes growing more Draconic in appearance, as scales began to form around his arms, legs, and neck. Unlike Natsu's, Gajeel's varied in coloration, but emerged in a rather alluring pattern.

"No way," Gray muttered, completely stunned to see Gajeel use the same technique Natsu possessed. "How!?"

"All Dragon Slayers can do it, I was just too dumb to figure it out on my own," Gajeel replied, not even denying that he had help. "Salamander pointed me in the right direction, but, its still a long way before I get somethin like the Dragon Force."

Gajeel Redfox (Metallic Drive) – 206,328 MPI

"I don't believe it," Erza muttered, floored at Gajeel's level of power. "To think that he's that strong…"

Gajeel simply smirked, preening under the shock of Erza, Gray, and Elise. His moment in the spotlight was short lived, however, as Wendy suddenly opened up her own reserves.

"I might not be on that level yet, but I won't back down," the smallest Slayer cried, as wind exploded around her form like a hurricane. "I'll fight to save Magnolia and Fairy Tail too!"

Wendy Marvell – (Base Form + Full Power) – 122,305 MPI

"Gihi! Natsu said you had potential, but standin right next to ya, I can't help but agree with him," Gajeel smirked, as Wendy looked toward the others.

"Come on, we can beat this thing!"

"Even with impressive power like that, its still not enough to stop Dorma Anim," Edo Erza cut in, clearly fearful for the Fairy Tail Mages. "Please, don't throw your lives away trying to resist him-!?"

"We all trained so that situations such as this wouldn't stop us," Erza cut in, as she moved to stand next to Gajeel. "To run away now, and abandon all our friends, family, and the people of our home… would be as good as handing our Magic over for cowardice!"

"Titania's right, Salamander doesn't have to carry all the slack! When push comes to shove, we've gotta pull our own weight, right shrimp?"

"Yeah, I trained alongside Natsu, so I can't let him down now!"

"Wow, this is getting pretty dramatic," Elise chimed in with an amused shake of her head as she moved to stand next to Erza. "I suppose Mother would be disappointed if I didn't take this opportunity to show off as well…"

"They're going to be slaughtered Jellal, you have to stop them" Edo Erza pleaded, with Edo Jellal merely smiling in response.

"You're about to see something that doesn't happen very often, Erza. When this lot team up, no matter the force they face, it's the enemy who should cower in fear!"

"He's right you know? We all trained because crap like this is nothing new, which usually resulted in Natsu having to deal with threats like this all by himself," Gray added, as half his body became coated in ice once more. "Like Erza said, we fighting for our damn family here, we're not gonna lose!"

"Well said Gray," Erza beamed, nodding in his direction, as her body was engulfed in a bright, white light. "Requip – Armor Of The Scarlet Dragon!"

Emerging from the light, Erza was clad in what once had been her Armor Of The Brilliant Flame, only now it sported several improvements. The gauntlets now resembled true Dragon claws, along with the boots resembling actual talons. The crown was now a proper battle helmet, shaped into the shape of a Dragon skull, exposing only her mouth and eyes.

"Holy shit Titania, what the Hell is that," Gajeel huffed, checking out her form. "Did you-?"

"Eliza helped me gain control over the Lacrima Natsu designed for the Armor," Erza nodded in reply. "Once I gained full control, the Armor changed, shifting into what you see now!"

Erza Scarlett (ASD + Full Power) – 218,097 MPI

"Well, since we're going all in, guess I'd better not disappoint," Elise cut in, as power exploded from her form. "Don't forget that whilst some of you might have the strength of Dragons, you've got a damn Demigod with you too!"

Elise's eyes shifted Galaxy Blue, as she activated her God's Aura, her height increasing to around fourteen feet, her black hair gaining slight flecks of white through it, as her ears became more angular and pointed. At a glance, she was half way between her regular appearance, and Eliza's own.

Elise Faulkner (Demigod State + God's Aura + Full Power) – 264,705 MPI

"Well damn, you're getting to be just as intimidating as Eliza," Gray joked, before suddenly looking up at her. "You aren't as strong as she is though, right?"

"No immortality, no ability to influence events or summon almost infinite amounts of power," Elise replied with an amused twinkle in her eye. "But I can sure as Hell try and come close!"

"Well, no fancy transformation for me, sorry to disappoint you all," Gray laughed, as the temperature around him dropped below zero, prompting Elise to immediately step away from him. "That being said, I'm not gonna be letting the team down either!"

Gray Fullbuster (Full Power) – 103,077 MPI

"Wow Gray, I can't believe how much stronger you got," Erza gasped, actually astonished at the absolutely absurd surge in his power. "How did you make so much progress!?"

"Maker Magic is all in the mind, and Ur really dove deep into showing me how to draw out every last drop of potential it has," Gray replied with a grin. "As long as the mind is strong, and I let my imagination run free, my power will be much stronger for it! Besides, you think this is impressive, Ur still completely toyed with me the entire time we were training!"

"Now that we've all had our feelgood moment, let's trash this damn thing and go home," Gajeel huffed, before yawning audibly. "I'm damn tired after fucking up their useless military."

"Agreed, I haven't even been in my own bed for ages," Erza sighed audibly. "After this is all over, I'm taking a nice hot bath before snuggling up in my big bed."

"Keeping it kid friendly are you Erza," Elise snorted in response, with Erza merely flicking her a wink in response, eliciting a giggle from the God Slayer.

"I fail to understand why you all think it is safe to casually converse before me, before the might of Dorma Anim," Faust's voice boomed, as everyone was quickly reminded that he was even there. "I can't see how your situation has improved, Dorma Anim is impervious to all physical and Magical attacks-!"

The group at the front of Dorma Anim couldn't keep a straight face any longer, and burst out laughing, much to the chagrin of the King, as Dorma Anim stomped its left foreleg, shaking the ground to silence them.

"You brats think this is funny," Faust spat venomously, before quickly realizing what they were laughing at. "WHAT-!?"

In the moments that he first began speaking, Gajeel had already gotten behind Dorma Anim, and began eating its tail. His teeth easily tore through the metal like it were the meat from a nice, tender, juicy steak.

"Impervious to physical attacks, huh," he mumbled with a grin, his mouth full of scrap metal.

"What the hell are you," Faust snapped in disbelief, as Dorma Anim fired an energy blast at Gajeel, who easily dodged it, reappearing back with the others.

"Nice job taking my spotlight Blacksteel, I always knew you had it in you," a familiar voice called out from behind them, as the entire group snapped their attention toward the newcomer, finding Natsu casually sitting atop some rubble.

"Welcome to the party Salamander," Gajeel smirked. "I kinda figured you'd be fashionably late, so I got everyone movin to power up."

"Believe me, I could tell," Natsu replied, looking over all his friends with a beaming smile. "You're all so strong now, I'm both impressed, and proud! Together, we can easily trash this pile of scrap, and save everyone."

"Arrogant as ever, Natsu Dragneel," Faust sneered, as Natsu's cheery demeanor faded, as a cold one emerged in its place. "I'll admit, I'm shocked you managed to beat Gildarts, but don't think that means you've got what it takes to stop Dorma Anim!"

"You're a damn fool Faust. I gave you a chance to end all this peacefully, yet you scorned my offer. Now look at the state of things," Natsu scoffed in response. "Your military is completely decimated, your capital is heavily damaged, along with several of the orbiting islands around it! How many lay dead because of your selfishness, Faust!?"

"You dare lay the blame for all of this upon ME, Dragneel!? You aren't of this world, yet you barged in and trashed it as if it was your duty-!"

"Someone was going to do it eventually," Natsu snapped back angrily. "And now, you're going to learn that lesson for yourself, Faust! The time of you abusing Magic ends, along with your reign!"

"I won't allow it! I REFUSE TO ALLOW IT," Faust screeched, as Natsu took his place at the head of the team of Fairy Tail Mages.

"Okay everyone, let's give him Hell," Natsu roared, as everyone immediately sprung into action, with Erza taking command.

"Gajeel, Gray, lock down its back legs! Elise, you're with me on the front! Wendy, we'll need a boost in speed!"

Erza's orders were immediately put into action, as Natsu's power skyrocketed. Even Faust was shocked, as his entire body shifted and changed, no longer appearing Human.

"Let's see how you handle this Faust," Natsu growled, wings extending out from his back. "Feel the power of the Dragon Force!"

Natsu (Dragon Force + Gravity Seal X4 Inactive + Full Power) – 773,718 MPI

"It doesn't matter what tricks you pull out boy, you're still nothing compared to the might of Dorma Anim," Faust roared, as he began firing out a series of rapid fire energy blasts at him, which Natsu simply took head on.

The blasts struck him, yet, Natsu shrugged them off as he prepared for what he could feel building within the cold confines of Dorma Anim's chest region. The dark blue light that peeked through the semi-sealed maw of the mechanical beast, was all the more proof that he needed to prepare.

"How many blasts can you take, boy!? Once I'm done with you, I'll crush your little friends, taking their Magical Cores for my own!"

"It's one thing to talk big, but another thing to back it up, Faust," Natsu snapped back, as the maw of the mechanical Dragon opened, revealing a fully charged attack.

"Take this Dragneel," Faust roared, as Dorma Anim fired directly at his position.

Fire Gravity Dragon's Zero Graviton Roar!"

"Don't worry Salamander, I've got your back," Gajeel shouted, landing next to him on his right, and taking a deep breath. "Metallic Dragon King's Roar!"

Gajeel's attack merged with Natsu's, increasing it in size, as it clashed with Dorma Anim's attack. The two Dragon Slayers immediately felt the immense resistance, their feet sinking into the earth, as the ground cracked beneath them.

From Natsu's left, he sensed Wendy land next to him, though he dared not look away from Dorma Anim for even a moment.

"Don't worry, I'll help too! Sky Dragon's Roar!"

Though not anywhere close to being as powerful as Natsu or Gajeel's attacks, Wendy's still provided much needed support to their combined effort. The three Dragon Slayers sustained their resistance, as Faust snarled from within the mechanical Dragon, unable to believe what he was witnessing.

It didn't feel like he was facing Humans… No, these felt more like fighting real Dragons!

"Such futile resistance," Faust hissed, as he watched the three Dragon Slayers struggle to hold back the gargantuan attack. "Give up, and surrender your Magic to me-!?"

Alarms started blaring from within Dorma Anim, as Faust looked to his right foreleg, only to see Elise grabbing a hold of it, beginning the process of trying to tear it off.

"Don't worry about the body Natsu, just go for the head," Elise shouted as the metal within her grasp groaned under the immense strength she was gripping it with, whilst Faust attempted to have Dorma Anim shake her off.

"Ice Make – Ice Age!"

Before he could attempt to deal with Elise, however, another set of alarms started blaring, as the left hind leg was suddenly frozen solid in ice so thick, not even the raw strength of the mechanical Dragon could free it.

"Scarlet Claw," Erza cried, as she slashed at the frozen hind leg with her right, claw-like hand, severing it entirely.

"Impossible! There's no way you are all able to penetrate the defenses of Dorma Anim, it is a weapon akin to the Gods themselves!?"

As Dorma Anim was thrown off balance due to the severance of its left hind leg, the attack being deployed from its head veered off course, allowing Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel's own to blast the mechanical Dragon directly.

"No-!"

Faust's cries were cut off, as the mechanical Dragon was blasted all the way through the capital, smashing into the Royal Palace, causing it to collapse on top of it. Once the Dragon Slayer trio finally ceased their attack, there was a colossal explosion, as their combined attacks detonated, obliterating everything around it, as everyone hunkered down.

Once the shaking finally stopped, Natsu was the first to look up, immediately noticing the destroyed head of Dorma Anim. Smirking, he addressed the others.

"Hey, not a bad team effort, all things considered, huh guys?"

"Yeah, that was a bit overkill, huh? We could've just let Gajeel eat the damn thing since he always seems so hungry," Elise teased, eliciting laughs from the entire group.

"We all did great, but there is definitely room for improvement on our teamwork. Once we get back to Earthland, we'll have a day to train together," Erza said as everybody including Natsu groaned.

"I don't wanna train anymore, I did enough of that! I wanna go on some jobs!"

"Salamander's right! I'm not goin to some dumb training camp Titania!"

Erza just glared at the two whilst the others laughed, as Edo Erza and Edo Jellal watched from a distance.

"See, I told you they were good."

"We never stood a chance against any of them… Natsu alone has frightening power, but all of them are absurdly strong," Edo Erza muttered in shock, still struggling to process what she had just seen.

"Come Erza, there's still one thing we have to do," Edo Jellal muttered, as he motioned for Edo Erza to follow him.

"B-But Prince Jellal," Erza asked slowly, as she followed him off in the direction of the destroyed capital. "Don't you want to speak with the Earthlanders?"

"No," Edo Jellal replied quietly, shaking his head. "Its better this way…"

Edo Erza seemed puzzled by Jellal's response, but followed his lead nonetheless. Both of them, however, were unaware that Natsu had watched them go, his arms crossed, a knowing look in his eyes.

***POTD***

Edo Erza and Edo Jellal arrived at the ruins of the palace, with Edo Jellal heading straight to a now exposed underground section of it.

The pair walked down a cracked flight of stairs, before following a dimly lit hallway until they reached a giant machine.

"Anima," Edo Jellal whispered, as he looked toward the controls to see Panther Lily operating it. "Have you started it yet?"

"Not yet," the large Exceed replied, shaking his head, as the duo reached his position. "Are you sure about this?"

"It is for the best. The only way Edolas can move forward, is for all of its Magic to finally vanish," Edo Jellal replied, only to be startled as he heard a loud clanging sound from the entrance to Anima.

The three spun around, shocked, as a mortally wounded King Faust dragged himself into the room, leaving a trail of blood behind him, as his arms somehow found the strength to inch him closer to them.

"You foolish boy," Faust coughed, a sneer on his face. "You would banish all Magic from Edolas!? Are you mad!?"

"No Father, I'm actually quite the opposite. We have done nothing but abuse the wonderful gift our world had given us, harvesting it until there was almost none left," Jellal replied firmly, as he slowly advanced toward the downed King. "Even when pushed to the brink, knowing that we had gone too far with our greed, we continued to find new ways to take! We harvested the last Lacrima in Edolas, building Anima, just so we could steal more from another world!"

"As is our right-!"

"WHAT RIGHT!? How many have died because of your delusional way of thinking," Edo Jellal snapped, clenching his fists. "No one has the right to do what the Kingdom of Edolas has done to the people of Earthland, let alone our own world!?"

"You are making a grave mistake boy," Faust wheezed, as he struggled to keep his eyes open. "Mark my words… You will regret this decision… until your last breath…!"

"No Father, I don't believe I will," Edo Jellal replied coldly, as Faust died right in front of him from his injuries. "All I see before me now is the future of Edolas, one without Magic."

"Prince Jellal, are you-?"

"I'm fine Erza," Edo Jellal replied, running a hand through his hair and taking a deep breath. "Faust has barely been a Father, I don't even know why I refer to him as such…"

"But still…"

"Leave him be Erza, he's already come to terms with it, haven't you," a familiar voice chimed in, as Edo Jellal's eyes met Natsu's, the Dragon Slayer standing at the entrance to Anima.

"You noticed my departure, yet you still chose to see me off regardless?"

"You're a member of Fairy Tail Jellal, even if you think it was only for some sort of ulterior motive," Natsu replied, as he moved to stand before the blue-haired man. "You were a damn good Mage Jellal, and a damn good man. Of course I'm not going to let you just disappear without saying goodbye!"

Edo Jellal didn't respond, though he didn't need to. His face spoke a thousand words to any keen-eyed observer. His eyes twitched, misting up slightly, as his lip quivered for just a fraction of a second, as he swallowed hard.

"Natsu…"

"Be better than what Faust ever was, and show the people of Edolas a brighter future than they ever thought possible!"

The entire area shook violently, as Panther Lily slowly pressed the final button necessary to activate Anima for the final time. Edo Jellal looked back at the Exceed, nodding in respect, before looking back toward Natsu.

"I will, I swear it on the name of our Guild!"

"That's all I can ask," Natsu smiled, extending his hand out for the man to take. "It was an honor… King Jellal."

Edo Jellal gasped lightly, biting his lower lip slightly as he came to grips with the reality of the situation he now found himself in. Grasping his hand firmly, Edo Jellal shook it, as Natsu's body started to glow a bright golden color.

"Man, this feels kinda nice," Natsu laughed, his body gently lifting off of the ground, and floating over toward Anima. "Oi, Panther Lily is glowing too!?"

"Yes, he is," Edo Jellal replied sadly, as he and Edo Erza slowly followed the pair as they floated toward Anima. "Like the Mages of Earthland, his Magic Core is within him, which means he must go too."

"Its for the best," Panther Lily chimed in with a firm nod. "Once all Magic is gone, I'd just be a reminder for them of what once was. The people of Edolas need a fresh start, not reminders of their failures."

"I guess this is it then," Edo Erza said quietly, as she smiled up at the pair. "You came, you saw, and you most certainly conquered, Natsu Dragneel. That being said, I'm sure all of Edolas will one day appreciate what you and the rest of your friends did for us."

"It was nice meeting you, Erza Knightwalker," Natsu smiled, waving as his arm began to vanish. "You could say that our encounter was rather … magical, eh!?"

Natsu and Panther Lily vanished, their bodies reduced into golden light, as Edo Erza burst into laughter.

"What a goofy idiot," Edo Erza giggled, as she turned to look toward Edo Jellal. "I'm glad you managed to find a nice group of people like them, Jellal."

"I couldn't agree more Erza," Edo Jellal murmured, as Anima roared for the final time, blasting away every last trace amount of Magic in the world of Edolas into Earthland.

I couldn't agree more.

***POTD***

Natsu's eyes slowly opened, his body feeling nearly weightless. After his eyes adjusted to the light, he quickly realized he was in the infirmary in the Guild Hall.

"Ngh… How did I get here," Natsu mumbled, slowly sitting up, yawning, before scratching the back of his head.

"Finally up are we?"

Looking to his right, he saw Makarov sitting in a rather comfy looking chair, a small smile on his face. Sighing, Natsu laid back into the bed, looking up at the roof of the infirmary.

"How long?"

"Just two days," the aged Guild Master chuckled. "The main issue was that you didn't appear with the others, so I had to track you down myself."

"I take it you've already been told about what happened?"

"I've known about Edolas for quite some time, but I never truly took Mystogan's words regarding that Faust character seriously. A grave error on my part…"

"It was a rather unbelievable scenario, all things considered," Natsu chuckled lightly, as he looked over at Makarov. "What matters, is that we finally helped Mystogan resolve his past. To me, that's what really matters… Well, aside from saving all of Magnolia, obviously."

"Thank you for seeing him off, Natsu," Makarov said kindly, surprising the Dragon Slayer.

"How do you know…?"

"Panther Lily is a rather interesting being, isn't he?"

"You've met him?"

"He was found next to you, taking care of you whilst you were unconscious. We spoke, he was the first to actually relay what had happened to be in greater detail."

"I feel bad for that cat," Natsu replied, with Makarov humming in agreement. "I can't imagine what it feels like to be the last of your race…"

"I think he's taking it in stride," Makarov replied gently. "I offered for him to join Fairy Tail, once the others corroborated his story, of course…"

"And?"

"He accepted, though, it wasn't like he had many other options," Makarov replied, with Natsu humming in agreement. "Still, everyone has taken quite a liking to him. Gajeel especially, which is a miracle on of itself!"

"Keh! Yeah, somehow, I can actually see why," Natsu laughed. "So, anything else?"

"Just one thing," Makarov replied, pulling a letter out of his coat, and handing it to Natsu.

"Oh joy," Natsu sighed, noticing the Council Seal on the letter, as he opened it up and skimmed the contents. "A solo mission to a small town, just north of Crocus…"

"I assume they want it dealt with as soon as possible?"

"Yep," Natsu sighed, slowly getting out of the bed. "I suppose if I'm going to be in the Crocus area, I'll deal with that other thing while I'm there…"

"The Scarlione Embassy?"

"…Yeah."

"When do you plan on leaving?"

"Tomorrow, obviously," Natsu snorted in response. "Fuck dealing with any of this today, the others would actually try and kill me if I just left like that."

"Fair enough," Makarov chuckled, as he hopped out of his chair, as Natsu rose to his feet. "Everyone is here right now, so you can announce your glorious return, eh?"

"Shut up old man," Natsu replied with an amused smirk, as he pushed open the doors, emerging to see all his friends enjoying themselves like they hadn't just been fighting an entire world two days ago.

"I love this place," Natsu sighed, as he vanished, reappearing under the whiskey tap at the bar, much to the shock of everyone present, and pouring it directly into his mouth.