Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 140 - Arcane

Not only was it pissing off Laxus that he was down, on the sidelines, waiting for his chance to jump back in while Gajeel, Wendy, Sting, and Rogue fought Acnologia up in the sky, but it was clear that Acnologia was having to slow down just a bit.

Laxus was probably the only one who could see it. Acnologia's moves were less instinctual and more calculated. While Erik couldn't see as fast as Laxus, he had better hearing and seemed to catch onto the same intuition. Laxus leaned over and helped Sonya up from the rubble of a crater she'd formed after failing to land a hit on Acnologia.

"I'm awake, I'm good," Sonya said. Her body swayed. Laxus caught her forehead and steadied her. Erik sauntered over just as a blast of Gajeel's fire almost took out the spot he'd been at.

"I want to say that if we hadn't wasted our time with August, we'd still have a chance in this fight," Erik said.

"I've got more to give," Laxus said. Lightning crackled around his fist. "But those four are fighting for more than something we can understand."

"They're fighting for their mentors and parents," Sonya said. She let out a huff. "They were trained for this specific battle. Their lives are forfeit without it."

Erik grimaced at Sonya. "Quit thinking Salamander would've made the difference. Hardly anything's getting through Acnologia; that knucklehead would probably just be getting in everyone's way."

Laxus nodded. "Natsu would want to avenge Igneel, wouldn't he?"

"I'm sure Natsu is busy with Zeref, or possibly Larcade," Sonya said. "Family business. Maybe you're right, Erik, and Natsu wouldn't make a difference. But we need something else to give just the edge, here."

The four Dragon Slayers continued to dance around and throw attacks at Acnologia, who continually batted them down until none were standing around him, and he trained his focus on the three that were the most winded. Sonya tensed. Erik glowered at the beast.

"Well, shit," Erik muttered.

Laxus pounded his two fists together. "Wendy! How much time do you need to get those other three up and running again?"

Wendy climbed out of her rut, blood running down her arm. Her Dragon Force was barely clinging to her.

"I—I don't..." Wendy steeled herself and stood all the way up. "Give me a few minutes! We'll be fine!"

"You'll be dead," Acnologia said with a snarl.

"Hey!" Laxus shouted. "Right here, Dragon King. You keep your eyes off the others."

Acnologia grinned. "What're you gonna do, hatchling? You hardly have the scent of a dragon on you. You'll be easy to kill, you and the other runt."

"This guy," Erik said.

Gajeel stood up, shrugging away the debris trying to bury him. Sting and Rogue both struggled to their feet. Wendy danced across the way to them, casting them both in small healing bubbles. Acnologia moved.

Laxus darted at Acnologia, intercepting him, blocking his strike with his own fist, and then slamming his shoulders into Acnologia, forcing him back.

"You're getting tired," Laxus said. "By the time I'm done with you, they'll rip you apart."

"You think I'm tired, and not just bored?"

Acnologia's power shot out of him in an all-consuming aura that made even Laxus shiver. The world seemed to bend around him; all magic was incomparable to the raw power he held. Maybe he was only at half-power, or maybe he was adapting. Maybe he was getting tired, or maybe he was just bored. None of it seemed to matter. He was still a freak of nature, an anomaly.