Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 43 - Shadow

The tide of soldiers wasn't simply infinite but seemed to be amplifying. Their power was, somehow, increasing. Erza wasn't quite so fatigued as to believe it was her own failing strength. They hadn't moved far from their original position. Losing Juvia to the fight against Sting forced them to lose one of their advantages in their wide-ranged assault, but having Elfman alongside Panther Lily helped them have two battering rams alongside Erza's spearheaded attack.

She blew through another column of soldiers as two bestial commanders dove in toward her. She'd been locked in her Black Wing Armor for quite some time, as it served best for making her way around the battlefield. Lily quickly dove into Erza's path as she ducked beneath his attack, obliterating the rank of soldiers behind the commanders while the empowered Exceed took on his opponents.

Elfman roared. He was ahead of them, softening the enemy up quite significantly. Erza twirled her blade and deflected an oncoming beam of magic back at its caster.

"Any sight of Wendy or Gajeel?" Erza asked.

"They may still be going on ahead!" Lily exclaimed.

"Then you scout ahead to see what the path ahead looks like," Erza said. "Make it quick, Lily. We've got incoming."

Something was coming for them, she sensed. Either another great mass of opponents, or one mighty one. Erza Requipped out of her Black Wing armor to her Morning Star Armor. She clasped the twin blades in her hand tightly while the new enemy approached.

Elfman finished off his gaggle of opponents with a heavy swing.

"I'll keep going, Erza!" Elfman exclaimed.

Erza nodded to him and braced herself. The enemy was coming in fast, just as fast as she or Laxus. And the power was...incredible. She prepared magic in her swords, prepared to launch an assault.

Until a gust of wind came, sending debris everywhere, slicing up her face, and she was punched in the gut before she could realize what'd happened.

A blanket of white hair matted with black covered her vision.

"Hey, Erza," a deep, familiar, voice said before Erza was blasted away through two buildings, coming out the other end with two glass shards stuck in her thighs.

That voice...

It couldn't...

Erza rolled out of her little crater as the enemy landed in front of her, then lashed out with talons that sliced across Erza's armor. Erza tried to counter with her swords but her opponent was damn fast, blasting a fireball at Erza that sent her spiraling away.

She, at last, got a chance to recover as she Requipped to her Flame Empress Armor and blocked the next oncoming spell, one that obliterated the area around them in black flames.

Out from it strode a demonic figure, with bat-like wings unfurling to send two gusts of wind out that suffocated the flames. Black tendrils traced all down the demon's figure toward pure black talons and claws that served as hands and feet. A wicked mass of white hair rolled down their shoulders and covered their breasts, though they had a long yet tight black dress to cover themselves. Scarlet and amber eyes, slit, scowled at Erza.

But the face was still there. Still the same.

Elfman charged toward his opponent, throwing a punch they easily blocked with a single raised hand. She turned toward her opponent.

"Hello, brother," Mirajane said. "It's been some time, hasn't it."

"Mirajane?" Elfman asked and was flung away by his sister. She flicked her wrist while Elfman crashed near Erza.