Fallen Celestial (Fairy Tail fanfic)

Fallen Celestial Part 35

Lucy couldn't help but growl and rub her temple as she examined the lacrima display before her, her nearly depleted magical levels only adding to her migraine. Despite her best efforts, the various displays before her all revealed a single truth, a truth that made Lucy's stomach flip over in panic.

The joint forces of Fiore were losing ground, and if nothing drastic was done then the war would end in their defeat.

Their opening salvo of magical attacks had done more damage than either Lucy or the various guild masters had expected, shooting down more than a third of the opponents forces, but now that they were fighting against the Etherious on equal ground the various curses the world's most famous evil mage had granted them were beginning to turn the tide.

Sure, she had received a few scattered reports that certain squads with particularly powerful mages were pushing the opponents back. But most mages in Fiore didn't come close to the power levels that most false demons had. And for the rank and file troops provided by the kingdom had even a less chance of succeeding against their foes.

"Report! Demons have broken through the twenty third embankments! We require reinforcements!" A panicked voice echoed through her head, the fourth such report Lucy had received in the span of ten minutes.

"Understood, I'll send you a squad from the Slayer Squad. Fall back to point Epsilon to regroup and retake the defenses." Lucy spoke out loud in the most commanding voice she could muster, understanding that whatever mage was speaking to her would hear her words, before she cut the connection and turned to Abaddon with a face filled with both fury and frustration in equal measure. "What the hell happened to Roland?! He was the one who was supposed to handle these connections."

Abaddon shrugged slightly as he gestured offhandedly in order to create a shadowy barrier around them, a few demonic attacks bouncing off his barrier. "I cannot say Milady; perhaps you Hypernova spell damaged his ability to keep the connection intact. Or perhaps an Etherious has attacked him. Regardless, I'm afraid I can only offer you a token amount of aid in your endeavor to keep the connection alive. As mental magic is hardly my strong suit."

"Ya, and I just don't think about things that complicated after all." Lilith added with a giggle, Lucy groaning in annoyance at her joking attitude.

"Lilith...I really can't deal with this right no-." Lucy started to say as yet another mage contacted her.

"Reporting in! T-the our medics have come under attack from an incredibly powerful enemy! They destroyed our guards' seconds with some kind of thorns and are sweeping through the area! Please! We need help! We need..." The voice all but screamed in fear and panic before cutting off suddenly, the mage who initiated the connection either falling unconscious or...falling for the last time.

And while Lucy couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for the loss of the mage, what he revealed sending a chilling sensation through her mind,

"...thorns? Abaddon, do you think...?" Lucy murmured quietly as she turned to her demonic companions, both their faces now serious.

"Based off of how quickly this Etherious moved through our ranks and the description of their curse it is likely who you are thinking. It appears that the de-facto leader of Tartaros has revealed himself... Mard Geer is on the offensive."

"I thought that he was more of a tactician than a fighter. Why would he go to the front lines himself so early in the battle?" Lucy questioned as she looked over a map of the battlefield, trying to pinpoint where exactly the Etherious was.

"Perhaps he simply realized that our forces would overwhelm them in time, or perhaps it was simply to deal with our medical facilities. But it is impossible to know what strange thoughts pass though the mind of such a creature." Abaddon slowly stated with another casual shrug, Lucy sending him an incredulous look.