The Elemental Dragonslayer

Chapter 40: Spreading the disease

Laxus' POV

We've been running around Crocus after the judges gave an evacuation call, I was looking for Gajeel, Lucy, and Juvia but there was still no sign of them. We stopped on top of one of the high buildings in the park of Crocus.

"Laxus, look!" Mira, who was with me, pointed. There was a particular area in the distance between buildings that had huge explosions, three lightning strikes were also spotted in that vicinity. I could also see that something blue, like ice, was racing towards the arena as it covered the ground making it solid ice. I sniffed the air and realized that they were all there.

"I can smell them." I told her. She looked at me and looked worried. "Lucy and Juvia are there. I can also smell Gray and Natsu....and an unfamiliar scent."

"It looks like they're in a fight." Mira said as another explosion swept the wind. Damn, is this it?

"Let's go." Before we could jump off the building a huge force pushed us down and we crashed to the ground. "Shit." I cursed. When I looked up a man with an evil smirk on his face was approaching us and he stopped in front of where Mira fell.

"Oh my is she dead?" He grinned and he must've done something because Mira started spazzing and coughing out blood.

"Mira!" I tried getting up but I was pushed back down on the ground, like I had no control over my own body. But as I saw the state Mira was in I continued to try and stand up again. The man looked at me amused and chuckled. "You've got amazing blood."

"What?!" I asked angrily, I could feel my veins pulse from the struggle of getting up and I thought I was able to endure it when I felt something pop, like literally burst inside me. I held a hand to my left bicep and fell to the ground.

"What the hell?!" I cringed in pain, I was bleeding, internally! "I can hear it." The man sighed. "I can hear your veins popping."

"It's a beautiful symphony." He smirked. I grunted and tried to make my face look at him. "A symphony of death." He chuckled.

As he was about to head in the other direction, he smiled. "Zed's the name, by the way. Thought you needed to know, because I'll be the man who finishes your pathetic life." Then everything was black and it hurt. Dammnit....Mira!

Normal POV

Everybody in the city has already been evacuated before the final game started, since Crocus was the battle zone, but now even the audience inside the arena was not safe anymore.

People were filling up inside the arena one at a time and the wizard guilds were the ones supervising it all. "Let's go people, don't push please!" Cana yelled as she beckoned for people to get in. As the wizards in every guild were ordering the crowd, the participants were outside the dome shaped arena. Watching the catastrophes unfold.

"We must set up ourselves as a barrier." Erza stated as she folded her arms. Jura agreed and so did the few who were there. Wendy on the other hand was worried sick and realized something.

"Erza-san, where is Lisanna?" She asked. Erza looked around and just noticed she was not there. "Don't worry, she must be with Natsu or Gray. I'm sure their going to come back just fine." Erza assured Wendy, but Wendy felt anything but assured. A dozen more lightning strikes were seen hitting Crocus and everyone watched, wondering what the hell is going on.

Lucy's POV

We left and ran. Sting and Rogue are taking care of Alec. I explained to them as quickly as I could that if he was here then there must be other's like him, so we need to spread out and find them. The mages in the arena don't know about this threat, they think it's just the weather, but we're under attack and need everyone's help.

"Juvia, Gray. You two should go to the arena and tell everybody about what's going on. We need back-up." I told them. Juvia nodded but Gray looked at me unsure, eventually he agreed.

As I continued hopping through buildings I could feel Natsu's tiny lizard body sway on top. "How am I supposed to get back to normal?!" He yelled and I sighed.

"The effects of that magic will just wear out eventually." I told him and we continued searching Crocus in silence.

"Lucy, why didn't you tell us?" Natsu asked and I came to an abrupt halt on one building. "What?" I questioned.

"We know already Lucy. When we got sucked into that black portal, those guys showed us what was to come. They said you knew. So why didn't you tell us about this." Natsu nodded his lizard head to the sky and I sighed. Guess they found me out.

"I didn't tell you guys, to protect you. So you wouldn't get too involved in this." I sighed and Natsu hissed.

"Well that plan didn't seem to work." I nodded. "Yeah, I guess it didn't." I guess I failed them.

BOOM

The impact of the explosion blew me off the building and onto the cobbled stone cement. Another crash was heard and the building collapsed completely as two figures flew into it. Once the smoke cleared I saw that it was Gajeel.

"Gajeel! Where have you been?!" I shouted but stopped when I took a closer look and saw that he was being strangled by someone I hopped I never saw again.

"Hey Heartfillia. Missed me?" I growled. "Noir." He snapped his fingers and darkness started pouring out off the alleys around us, like literal black smoke was encircling us. "Natsu. Keep quiet." I whispered and quietly as I could. I could feel his lizard body shake with anticipation but he seemed to get the idea and crawl in deeper into my hair.

"Let him go." I told Noir. He smiled at me and shoved Gajeel onto the ground, near my feet. I lunged for Gajeel and tried shaking him awake but he was out cold for the time being.

"He's not dead. But I assure you he'll be out for a while." He smirked and I scoffed. He snapped his fingers again and the dark smoke started spreading in opposite directions. "Stop that!" Noir looked at me and smiled evilly, his red eyes gleaming. "No can do Lucy, master's orders."

I tried to run to him but he moved his palm forward and I had to stop because his darkness was slowly crawling up to us. All of a sudden Gajeel started to stir and I was relieved. He got up next to me and I supported his side.

"You alright?" I asked him. He nodded and scratched his head. "What is in that black stuff?" I glared at it then at a mildly surprised Noir, who must've been wondering how Gajeel recovered quick.

"Once you inhale Noir's darkness it damages your magic system and helps him immobilize you and takes your magic for the time being." Lightning flashed once again and struck different parts of Crocus, one of it being a block away from our spot.

"If he's here, then Zed is too." I mumbled. He must of hear me because he smirked. "He's with one of your friends right now, the blonde man with the scar and the white haired model." Mira and Laxus!

"They're probably dead by now though. You know how Zed is like, right Lucy?" He taunted and I shivered. "Master has sent Alec, Zed, and me already. I'm sure you know what will happen next." Noir made a step forward and instantly Gajeel took a step in front of me.

"Gajeel?"

"Go. I have a bone to pick with this guy." He growled and I looked at him worriedly.

"Look, Lucy. I don't know the whole story yet but I know that there will be more to this than this bastard. This master of theirs. I'm sure you've got beef with him. So, go." I nodded at Gajeel and jumped on a building, to avoid the black smoke.

"You better win this Stud face or I'll never forgive you." I told him and he have his famous geehee.

"Don't worry bunny girl, he won't be a problem."

With that being said, I left.