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[X784, Fairy Tail Guild Hall]
— Mirajane Strauss —
"Phantom Lord is attacking!"
"Everyone get out of here!"
"Call the Rune Knights!"
The townspeople of Magnolia called out as they fled from the area. A few stopped by the closest houses to the guild building of Fairy Tail to warn the denizens that didn't know of the current situation before taking off. Cries of fear and panic quickly spread throughout the town. Waves of people rushed towards the train station as well as the surrounding woods and forested hills.
A few members of Fairy Tail ran with them to help in the evacuation, while the rest remained, continuing the cheers after Dannis stopped the Jupiter Cannon.
"You alright there, Master?" Dannis questioned with a raised eyebrow at the titanic man.
"You're late, brat!" Makarov screamed as his body shrunk back down to normal size. "You're supposed to be here days ago!"
"Sorry, Master. To be fair, we were on vacation." Mira said with a small smile.
"Yeah, never expected Phantom to pull shit like this." Dannis idly mentioned as he rested his sword on his shoulder.
"Nee-san!" Lisanna and Elfman exclaimed with happiness at the sight of their oldest sister. The sight of them filled her with relief, especially when she heard that Lisanna was involved in the fight against Black Steel, as well as the attack on Fairy Hills.
A loud voice boomed over the speakers on the mobile speakers. "So you have returned Dannis Martell. Might as well, I would enjoy this a lot more if more of you fairy flies are present to die by my hand."
"Stop this madness, Jose!" Makarov screamed the moment he recognized the voice, a vein throbbing on his forehead. "What do you think the Council will do after you do this?! Are you truly willing to be labeled a Dark Guild after everything you've built for Phantom Lord?!"
A chuckle emanated from the speakers. "Oh, Makarov. Still playing that age old moral dilemma are you? Phantom Lord has long passed such trivial matters. What matters most in this world is power. Who cares what those old farts from the Council think when all they do is sit on their high chairs to command men much much stronger than them?! A Wizard Saint means reaching the pinnacle of all magic! We Saints hold the power to change the world! And yet you're content with playing nice with those fools?!"
Makarov shook his head, disappointed. "If you think the title of Wizard Saint means that you have reached the pinnacle of magic, then you are the fool. There exists men and women in this world who far surpasses us in power."
A loud snort appeared over the speaker. "Delusional as always. In the end, it truly doesn't matter what you think. Once we capture Lucy Heartfilia, we'll have enough monetary power to challenge the King of Fiore himself! You don't stand a chance against the true might of Phantom Lord! Hand her over now!"
"WE'D RATHER DIE THAN SELL OUT OUR COMRADE!" Erza screamed in defiance.
"LUCY'S ONE OF US!" Natsu roared, flames licking from his mouth.
A wave of protests emerged from the Fairy Tail members as they all circled around Lucy, who continued to bawl her eyes out at the easy acceptance and support by everyone. Mirajane smiled at the younger woman.
"If you think Fairy Tail will just roll over and let you do what you want, then you have another coming, Jose." Makarov announced as he started to float a few meters in the air, power visibly cracking in the air around him.
"I see…" Jose replied with a noticeable hint of rage in his deceptively calm voice. "Then we'll handle this personally. You have 15 minutes until Jupiter recharges. Feel free to wallow in pain and suffering till then! Here that boys, the person to bring me Lucy Heartfilia will take Totomaru's place in the Elemental Four!"
A huge roar appeared as the front of the castle opened up and a large bridge lowered that connected to the edge of Lake Sciliora. A massive wave of Mages rushed along the bridge towards Fairy Tail.
"You know, you're speaking so boldly for someone who's been experiencing nothing but defeat." Dannis stepped forward, instantly silencing the field as a dark aura emanated from him. "Didn't your iron attack dog lose to Levy? And he barely even scratched the guild in his attempt during the middle of the night. Your attack on Fairy Hills also did pretty much nothing, and you even lost one of your precious Elemental Four."
He resheathed his blade as his magic continued to grow higher and higher, reaching numbers that boggled everyone in attendance. "Fairy Tail is different from the likes of you. Like Erza said, we never sell out our comrades. It's time someone teaches you that lesson."
Dannis took out his sword as he held it high, which had been cloaked completely by darkness, the tip of the blade pointing straight to the sky. "Thanks for the delicious meal by the way, that Jupiter Cannon filled me up like nothing else. I'd never be able to do this otherwise."
"Darkness Magic, Secret Art— "
Tattoos covered the left side of his face all the way down to his arm, the darkness on the blade intensified.
"—Dimension Slash."
For the second time that day, the world darkened. Dannis slashed Obsidian downwards, releasing the darkness he had accumulated in one single swing. For a moment, no one knew what happened. It was as if an invisible line appeared that spanned from the heavens to the earth.
A heartbeat later, a gigantic chasm appeared that went all the way to Phantom Lord's guild building. It's entirety split into two neat halves, the Jupiter Cannon having been cut right down the middle.
Everyone gaped at the impossibly powerful display of magic. If anyone looked up, they would see the sky with a massive rift, the clouds parting as if Dannis had split the heavens themselves.
There was only one thing that was present in everyone's minds. To many of the Fairy Tail mages, Dannis Martell was an enigma. A man who rarely if ever shows up in the guild. Rumors of his power had spread all across Fiore, but this was truly the first time anyone had seen it with their own eyes.
This is the power of the Black Blade, the Devil Hunter, and the Dark Swordsman of Fairy Tail.
"Y—You…INSUFFERABLE BRAT! You worthless trash! You think You've bested Phantom Lord just with that?! As if!" Jose's furious voice thundered once more. Another massive surge of magical energy was then felt as shades swarmed out from the Phantom Lord Guild, joining the initial wave of mages that ran towards Fairy Tail.
"Now that's an army." Dannis whistled at this sight. "Hey master, you mind if I take the lead here?"
"No." Makarov replied. "I'm going to take down Jose. If it's a fight he wants, then I'll oblige the arrogant brat. The rest of you look after each other."
Mira watched the Master fly towards the broken castle with a glare on his normally kind face. It worried her a little, but she knew that Master Makarov was really the only one who could contend with Jose's power.
She took a steady breath as the front line of Phantom Lord's army rushed toward them. Despite Dannis' showing, it seems their spirits weren't dampened in the slightest, judging by the war cries that emanated from them. The present smile that she always adopted ever since Lisanna's near death experience faded.
This wasn't the time for pleasantries nor for Mira the barmaid to calm others with her smile. Her boyfriend had just cleaved through an entire guild hall with a single strike. The sheer power that he wielded still awed her to this day.
Her pale blue eyes scanned the field. The approaching army continued to run towards them, a good mix of human mages as well as Jose's shades. There was a bit of distance between them, especially since they were charging across the long bridge over Lake Sciliora. The sight was overwhelming — an army the size of which could flatten a town. But Fairy Tail wouldn't break.
They never broke.
"Master Mavis, what's the plan?" Dannis questioned.
"Alright, listen in everyone." Mavis immediately said as her Fairy Tactician persona took over. "Our priority right now is containment. We have to make sure the fight is focused on us and doesn't spill to Magnolia. We'll leave Jose to Makarov, our job is to defeat the enemy in front of us. Dannis, Erza, Natsu, and Gray; The four of you will go to the guild and engage the remaining of Jose's upper command. The Elemental Four and Black Steel Gajeel. The rest of us will remain on defense, with Mira and Mystogan taking the lead."
Mira glanced to her side, where Mystogan stood with his staff in hand. "I'll lead the charge if you can focus on defense."
Mystogan gave a short nod. "Leave it to me."
As Jose's army charged forth, Mira quietly let out a breath to shake out her nerves. This wasn't the first time an enemy threatened to take and harm a member of Fairy Tail. Last time it happened was when Jacob came to the guild, Mira was powerless to do anything against it then. She wasn't powerless now.
Looking around, she could tell her fellow guildmates all felt the same thing. To protect one of their own, they are ready to fight with their lives on the line. Each one prepared to fight a bloody battle in defense of their comrade.
Dannis took another step forward, power once more coiling around him. Without even looking, Mira could feel the oppressive weight of his magic filling the air.
"Despite everything, we're still surrounded. Let's even the odds a bit shall we." Darkness surrounded him like a pool, as the field around him took a tinge of black. Inky figures began to rise from the ground, humanoid shapes crafted from the souls of the departed, numbering in the hundreds.
The rest of Fairy Tail watched in shock and glee as Dannis doubled their number in a single move. A single pointed finger from Dannis was all it took as the inky humanoids rushed forth to meet Phantom Lord's forces. The battlefield erupted into chaos as the two sides clashed.
Mira's lips curled into a wicked smile. Time to stop holding back.
She inhaled deeply, feeling the shift in her magic, the dark pulse beneath her skin that she had once struggled to control. But not anymore. Now, she embraced it.
She didn't spend all of their vacation time just lounging around. As she had promised to Master Mavis, she and Dannis had spent time training to master her new ability.
As a result, her body shuddered as dark markings etched across her pale skin, and a haunting lullaby seemed to hum in the back of her mind. Her soft white hair flared out as dark magic erupted from her body in waves.
"Satan Soul: Lullaby."
Her transformation was instant. Her usual attire was replaced by a bark-colored leotard, embedded with dark wood streaked with glowing purple veins. A jagged crown adorned her head, centered around a three-eyed skull. Her arms were encased in wooden gauntlets that ended in sharp claws, while thick wooden boots extended up to her knees. She opened her eyes, revealing dark purple orbs that glowed with power.
She didn't have wings in this form, but her strength was enhanced to ridiculous degrees. She had the power of a fifty foot tall demon compacted into her much smaller body. Mira shot forward, blurring through the battlefield. Her clawed hand sliced through the first wave of Phantom Lord mages, sending them flying backward like ragdolls.
A blast of fire erupted behind her as Natsu launched into the sky, being held up by Happy.
"FOR LUUUUCCCYYYY!!!" Natsu screamed, flames licking across his body. He collided with a group of mages in a fiery explosion.
Gray, just below him, slid across the ground, hands pressed against the dirt.
"Ice-Make: Stairs!"
Frozen platforms erupted into existence, creating a direct path toward the Phantom Lord guild building. Gray shot up the stairs without hesitation, a lance of ice already forming in his hand.
Erza, clad in her Black Wing Armor, flew past him, two swords in hand.
"Come on! Don't fall behind!" Erza screamed.
"Oh, don't worry," Dannis replied, his dark wings spreading wide. "I intend to enjoy this."
Mira watched them go with a small smile. She whirled as a long spear hurtled toward her head. Her clawed hand lashed out, catching the tip mid-air. A vicious smile curled her lips as her magic swelled.
She shattered the spear in her grasp.
"Too slow."
A powerful surge of dark magic burst from her hand, a beam of magic that decimated a whole line of the Phantom Lord mages.
To her left, Elfman roared as his body expanded, limbs bulging with muscle and fur sprouting across his body. His takeover exploded outward as he transformed into a massive, nine-foot-tall beast. The same beast that nearly killed him long ago.
"Full Body Takeover, Beast Soul!"
Elfman charged through the enemy lines like a battering ram, ignoring a wave of spells that merely flickered against his massive frame. He roared as his claws lashed out, sending several mages flying.
"I'M A MAN!"
She looked at her little brother with pride. 'He truly has grown strong.'
Just behind him, Levy pressed her hands together, her fingers forming words in front of her.
"Solid Script Combination: CHAIN LIGHTNING!"
Blue light streaked through the air, crackling as it formed into chains of raw lightning. The spell struck five Phantom Lord mages at once, sending them crashing to the ground in spasms.
"Nice shot, Levy!" Cana called out.
Cana's hand shimmered with glowing cards as she spun them into the air.
"Explosion!"
An entire section of the battlefield erupted as her cards detonated, creating a line of fire and smoke between Fairy Tail and the oncoming shades.
Further back, Alzack and Bisca stood side by side, their guns raised. The two of them moved with perfect coordination, covering each other as they fired burst after burst of magical rounds into the enemy forces.
"We've got you covered, Mira!" Bisca called out.
Mira smiled. This was Fairy Tail. They always fought together.
A glimmer of gold flashed on the battlefield as Lucy stood behind the line of mages, tears drying on her cheeks.
"Everyone…THANK YOU!"
Her eyes hardened with resolve as she pulled out a golden key. "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer: Aquarius!"
A massive wave of water erupted as Aquarius materialized, spinning her jar with a dangerous grin. For the first time since Lucy's had the key, no snarky quip came from the Celestial Spirit. Lucy and Aquarius shared a smile as they prepared to fight alongside their new comrades.
"Let's show them what we can do!" Aquarius said with a smirk.
"Yeah!" Lucy replied, her eyes fierce.
Aquarius swung her jar — a massive wave of water smashed into the enemy ranks, hurling dozens of mages back into the lake.
Mira's attention snapped upward as Dannis's dark wings carried him toward the broken Phantom Lord guild building. Erza and Gray followed close behind, while Natsu soared alongside them, flames streaking from his mouth.
Her gaze softened.
"Dannis…"
He glanced down for a brief moment, flashing her a devilish grin before disappearing into the storm above.
Mira's smile turned softer.
"Good luck."
Her claws sharpened as they shimmered with a dark energy. A ripple of power rolled through her veins as she surged back into the fight.
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AN: This chapter was really fun to make. A lot of things will be different with Makarov and Mavis being present. I believe this is the first time Dannis' shades take the actual spotlight, aside from that mission with Mystogan a long time ago.
Mira has a new form, Satan Soul Lullaby will be one of her more powerful forms, especially considering that it possesses a magic designed for killing.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Cheers lads.