● BLACK ▪ BLUE● ¤Gruvia¤

°10°

No Light,No Light

JOSE'S THRONE ROOM

"Jose." Juvia got into a fighting stance, balancing her arms, spreading her legs slightly, lowering herself close to the ground. "It's been a while."

"It has, it has, my darling girl." He stepped towards her, impressively calm. Jose wore nice black pants, a purple button-up, and was removing his hat and tossing it to the side, away from them. "I've been waiting so long."

"Why, Jose?" Juvia took a step back, unfortunately intimidated. "Why end the world? Juvia doesn't think Jose knows how horrible Tempest really is, she-"

"I've studied your friend my whole life!" Jose smiled. "Since I was a little boy, I've studied her and waited for the right time to come along. And why? Well, for the simple reason that I hate this world." He shrugged. "I hate this world and how it favors the weak over the strong, the Fairies over the Phantoms."

Juvia grit her teeth, shifting her feet, going away from him again. His shadow was flickering towards her. "J-Jose… Destroying the world simply because it doesn't go your way? That's ridiculous."

"Is it? Tell me, beloved one, wouldn't you rip apart the world for your precious Gray Fullbuster." Well, that caught her attention. "I'm simply ripping apart the world so I can see fire and blood and suffering. Like you want love, that is what I want."

"Jose is insane."

"Don't you want to see it, Juvia?" he asked, reaching out a withering hand to her. "Don't you want to see what you, what your family, could be capable of?"

That was it. "The Locksers aren't meant to destroy the world, we're meant to keep this thing hidden away, protect everyone from it!" The ice around Jose rose up as she lifted her arms. "That's why Juvia will stop you, or die trying!"

The columns of ice shot towards him, aiming right for his throat. However, they crumbled with merely a disinterested look from Jose. Surprise overcame her features, then her face contorted in rage.

No.

She kicked out as he approached her, sent a current of boiling water. His aura evaporated it.

It won't end like this.

He tilted slightly to the side and avoided a Water Cane.

Juvia won't let it!

The entire icy ground rose up as she put all her concentration into the spell. It contorted and twisted and wrapped around Jose, spikes forming on the inside. Water flooded into the icy cage, drowning Jose. However, he looked calm, too calm, as the water went to his chest, his throat, his chin, then his eyes-

Why wasn't he yelling?

Suddenly, too suddenly for such a powerful spell, it all exploded outwards, shards of ice scratching up her skin, water sloshing everywhere. The force sent Juvia flying back into a pillar of ice. She coughed and slid to the ground, but got up immediately.

Everyone in the world is depending on Juvia.

Her heart sank as Jose's minions, the dark ghosts that had always made her so afraid, charged her.