Private Dokutaa’s return brought worrisome news to bRAIN. They had fought the Earthlander, failed to preserve the giant lacrima, but had mostly defeated the Earthlander, but resorted to negotiation to take them alive and preserve the king. It was sufficiently reasonable, if your goal was to save the king and take the Earthlander alive.

bRAIN had no great desire for the first, and the latter might prove dangerous as well. bRAIN doubted that either goal would be easy. Still it lacked grounds for refusal which would be accepted. Besides, it needed to get the Earthlander to be culpable for the king’s death, and to remove Dokutaa for him.

According to Dokutaa’s reports of his armor’s capability the Dorma Anim version 2 Acnologia was capable of the negation of magical energy, and the harnessing of great amounts of it. It went well beyond its operator’s greatest hopes for the weapon he had thought up. But it should have been impossible; Edolas had lacked the resources to allow for its construction.

While it was possible that bRAIN could trick them into removing the armor and kill them, it was highly probable that once the emergency had passed someone would attempt to free Zero and shut down bRAIN’s operation and the armor would be used for that purpose. It was the better idea to not take that risk and remove them during the emergency. As such bRAIN had decided it would use the Earthlander as its tool.

While a direct battle might succeed at both, an escape attempt was more controllable and easier for it to influence. There was also the fact to be considered that if Dokutaa won a direct battle bRAIN would still lack a means to deal with Dokutaa, and if the Earthlander won it might prove hard to deal with him as well. Easier to set them up in opposition to each other where it could decide the battle itself and be ready to remove the Earthlander at the moment of their victory.

This led bRAIN to argue in favor of Dokutaa’s peace treaty. While sacrificing the captured pieces was unfortunate, they would retain the dragon slayer who was the only vital piece, and possess the resources necessary to continue the anima project with their magical energy, or even if losing them by capturing and harnessing the exceeds. This was made easier as Panther Lily, the only high ranking official to have survived agreed, and of those whose newfound magical tools had offered them the power to unquestionably sit at the table only Urtear disagreed. Lycus Hyberion was in favor of the treaty as was Dokutaa as the one who had initially suggested it. bRAIN’s vote therefore was not necessary, though its decision did cut down on time wasted in argument and speed up the process of beginning essential repairs. If it was to successfully banish the Earthlander this time with its anima weaponry it would need to do it when the Earthlander was vulnerable and it would need to have its relevant systems as operational as possible.

Over three hours had passed before the knight returned. He didn’t use his armor to fly. Instead he rode one of the winged mini-kaijus. There was a whole fleet of them, dozens of the great beasts ready to ferry soldiers to him, but the others were holding back. The armored man’s mount approached alone. He had with him Midnight of the Oracion Seis.

He was initially surprised to not see the man. Then he spotted him, laying on the ground. If he was going in for the kill it’d be easy to kill him now, but with Midnight beside him it’d be impossible to easily capture the man completely unawares. Even if he could have, he had no malice towards these people, and he didn’t want them to die for no reason. Sending the hostages back to Earthland ultimately suited him and his desires. The dragon slayer could provide Edolas with magic until a permanent solution could be found. The others would just fuel the king’s greed.

“Oi! Wake up!” Midnight shouted. “Don’t just sleep when there’s about to be a fight!” The irony of making such a statement when he personally slept through many of his own fights wasn’t lost on Midnight.

Arthur stirred, sitting up groggily and looking towards the voice. The nap had left him feeling much, much better truth be told.

“A sign of my good faith,” The knight said as he climbed from the winged mini-kaiju. “Your confederate can confirm the other legions are carrying the others from Earthland. If you’ll allow them to land, and free Sorano, then you can begin to transport them back to Earthland.”

“Midnight, you’re alright,” Arthur said with a touch of honest relief. “What about the others? Anyone hurt?”

“Racer got burned up pretty badly taking down the fire chick,” Midnight said. “But, he,” Midnight’s head tilted towards the black knight, “let Wendy heal him. He’s not fine, but he’ll survive. Got some bad news about Hyberion, though. He ran into his doppelganger, and their Lycus killed our Lycus.”

Arthur’s jaw dropped a little, his face going white with shame and guilt. He’d been told that they’d be weaker than Serena, he’d expected Draculos to be fine if anyone was. He didn’t like Draculos. Not really. The man had taken advantage of him in a position of weakness. Out of three judges, while all of them seemed convinced at the end that Arthur was the bad guy, he had not been the most sympathetic - or the least. He had, however, been the one supposed to be holding Serena’s leash through it all. The collateral of the battle, and the torture which followed were ultimately on his head as much as Serena’s. But despite that Arthur didn’t hate him, and hadn’t wished him dead. Especially not here and now. He’d have been a good ally to have at his side in a fight. But…

Lycus. Midnight had called him Lycus. It was a message. Some sort of coded secret involved. And Arthur felt he knew what it was.

“I can’t say I’m glad to hear the news, but given our past together I’m not very broken up,” Arthur said.

Midnight grinned and chuckled. “Yeah, I mean who’d have thought our jailor would die fighting to help us get free?”

“Jailor?” The knight said, reminding them that he was listening in. Not that either had ever forgotten that fact.

“Yeah, except for the little girl, we’re all waiting for a tribunal’s verdict. Old Lycus, I mean our Lycus, was one of the men sitting on it, and the big threat keeping us in chains,” Midnight said with a smug, arrogant grin. “With him gone, and the other so-called Wizard God missing without a trace, I’m free as can be now. Shame for you, Arthur. You know what they intend to do with you, right?”

“Use me as a living magical battery?”

“You and the little girl,” Midnight said in a voice of cold anger. “I’d not wish that fate on anyone; not even you.”

“Well I’d not wish it on me either,” Arthur said with a flippancy he didn’t feel. “I could fight, but they have hostages.” He didn’t mention that he had barely been able to stand at the time he made the deal.

Midnight’s face twisted with emotion. Arthur had killed his adoptive father, well ok less adoptive and more ‘recruited him as a child soldier and Midnight self-declared the abusive asshole as his father’, and caused his life to come crashing down. But now Arthur had saved him not once, but twice, maybe thrice depending upon how you counted it, and was sacrificing himself to do it.

“Can I bring the others up now?” The knight said. “Hopefully this won’t take as long with each of them or we’ll be here all day.” Arthur wasn’t sure that’d be a bad thing. The time crunch was gone for him. The lacrima had been turned into people again. He could slowly recover and prepare himself for the next fight. It was probably for that same reason the knight was trying to hurry things along; that is if he had thought about it. Here where magic seemed to be closer to fossil fuel they might not have thought of that tactical factor, but if an idiot like he had he had to expect that others would as well.

“Give us a minute, man,” Midnight said. “I won’t ask what your plan is, not with the little tin plated despot’s metal clad one man goon squad here. But I wish you luck, and I’d like to at least know your actual name, since you winced uncomfortably everytime you got called Lancelot at the trial.”

Arthur sighed. “Arthur. I’m Arthur. Lancelot is just what I called myself one time to hide my name, and then Serena just started using it.” He was pretty sure that someone had called him by his real name at the trial, though given how often Serena had screamed the name Lancelot it was hard for him to say for certain.

“MacBeth,” Midnight said, extending his hand. “This doesn’t mean we’re friends or anything. You wrecked everything, but I’ll hear Angel’s side of the story before deciding whether to kill you.”

Arthur winced a bit at that. “I thought we were through with the ‘trying to kill me’ stuff.”

“No. I just figured I couldn’t do it until you dropped your guard completely. And also that trying to kill you during the first jailbreak was a bad idea I wasn’t going to repeat.”

“Question,” the knight said, raising his hand. “How many of the hostages were actually your enemies?”

“His?” Midnight, or well MacBeth Arthur guessed, “All of them. He’s the reason we were arrested. Then Hyberion arrested him. Far as I can tell he’s a total nutjob, and as unpredictable as a squirrel injected with raw ethernado.”

Arthur had to wonder if that was an actual saying or if Midnight had injected a squirrel with raw ethernado before. The knight didn’t ask but just looked at Arthur. “Why then?”

“Because I don’t recognize them as my enemies,” Arthur said.

“And you do us?” Arthur could feel the knight’s glare.

“Would Faust’s ambitions be satisfied with that lacrima? Look at the capital below you, and look to the other cities of this world. One is an oasis overflowing with resources and energy, where people’s lives are made luxurious things of ease better than anywhere else on this side of paradise. Compared to Earthland it is overflowing with magic, and the magic tools make the citizens below live almost like kings. But you go to a town a hundred miles from the capital and people live by the sweat of their brow, no magic to help them, people laboring with beast and simple tools, people living in a medieval fashion, living like they’re in the dark ages and where they obviously don’t know what they’re doing either because some king took their magic so that his chosen few could live in luxury. And screw it all, that king, this parasitic city that supports him and insulates him from the wrath of the people. That king who hoards it all for himself. He is my enemy. He is everyone’s enemy. Except those paltry few he chooses to reward to keep his position safe.”

The knight visibly flinched back from the rancor that was pouring out of Arthur now, as an almost palpable force of disgust and frustration. He was going to speak when Arthur continued. “And it might be forgivable if he was capable. If he was a wise king that was looking to the future prosperity of the realm. But do you know what he wanted to do with that lacrima? He wanted to use it to kill the exceeds and turn them into one. All in the name of eternal magic. But the thing is the exceeds already provide eternal magic; as long as they’re alive. You kill them, though, and you’re down to a non-renewable resource. You’d have to become reliant on the anima device, continuously stealing more people. Turning them into lacrima again and again, and Earthland’s magic would eventually fade as you slaughtered its people. Oh, the dragon slayers might slow this, turning them into living batteries might stave off the night a little longer. But you know what else could have? The fricking exceeds you’re so quick to kill because they ‘flaunt’ their ability to fly.” Arthur spat heavily on the ground. “If you’re going to be evil, at least be evil smart and not just a blind, destructive fool.”

The knight was stunned into silence by this ranting tirade. He and Midnight both seemed at a loss of words. Arthur looked at them waiting for reactions. Eventually the knight responded. “That’d be more convincing coming from someone who hadn’t blasted away into a building filled with innocent people.”

Arthur looked away. There was a growl in his throat now, an unfamiliar anger rising in his chest. He wanted to lash out, to rip and tear this enemy that dared defy him. “That was… There’s a curse inside of my magic. When the castle tried to turn me into lacrima, it brought out the dragon inside of me instead. And a dragon is destruction personified. I put it back into the box. It was your side that opened that box.” He was trying to absolve himself in his own mind as much if not more than trying to convince the knight.

The knight seemed to hesitate, looking straight at him. “Brain didn’t mention that detail,” the knight’s tone was suspicious.

“Brain?” Arthur asked. He was certain the man had called himself Zero before. The change in name was worrisome given what he knew about Brain and Zero in Earthland.

“The chief engineer in control of the castle,” the knight said.

“I thought his name was Zero.”

The knight shook his head. “No, he called himself Brain. Where’d you hear his name was Zero?”

“Someone over the intercom in the castle claimed to be running it and introduced themselves as Zero.

“Odd.” The knight’s tone said they dismissed it as Arthur misremembering. “Still enough stalling, I’ve bought you the people of Earthland, you promised to release my commanding officer as a show of trust. It can’t be comfortable where you’re keeping her.”

“I’ll give you that,” Arthur said, as he pulled Edolas Sorano out of his personal space. She looked haggard and disheveled.

She started looking around, and the knight put his hand on her shoulder. “You’re safe now, commander,” He said.

“Who are you?” She asked.

“Private first class, Dokutaa,” He said.

She nodded. “What happened?”

“I need to keep my side of the deal for the king’s release. I’ll fill you in soon, lieutenant.”

Sorano glared at him a bit. It was such total insubordination from a private. But given she didn’t understand what was going on here, she was hesitant to interfere. Sorano pulled back as the people of Earthland began to be ferried to the floating island.

There were over four dozen individuals arriving to be sent back to Earthland. Arthur did not recognize most of them. But he recognized some of them. King Toma of Fiore had sat on his tribunal. Gran Domo, another aged mage who had observed the trial. Anastos Romani, the third member of his tribunal, a mage who was in consideration for the new mage’s council. The small, green haired girl was the princess which Serena had given Aries’s key to. Another 8 people had attended his trial in some role or another, but he didn’t have their names; they were functionaries of the court or maybe it was the council. And then there was the other young girl: Minerva Orlando, arguably his apprentice, and along with Wendy one of the two people he couldn’t forgive himself if he failed to save.

Still it was King Toma that Arthur approached. “Your majesty, I’m sorry that you had to experience these events,” He said, doing his best to sound properly respectful.

“Was it your actions which caused these events?” Toma asked.

“No, but I freed you from the lacrima by mistake or else I would have already sent you back with everyone else.”

“I see,” the king answered. “I have learned about a threat to my kingdom, and will now be able to explain to my people what happened to them. I would not have chosen to remain within the lacrima.”

Arthur looked away with a bit of shame on his face. “That is sound, your highness,” Arthur said, stumbling over his words. “I, I had a favor to ask you,” He mumbled. “I, I’m going to return you anyway, regardless. But I wanted you to rethink, that is to consider,” He swallowed softly, “Jellal and the Oracion Seis, give them the chance for redemption. Make them work for it if you have to, but give them the chance to redeem themselves. Angel isn’t a bad person. Jellal was possessed. And the rest of the Seis well I couldn’t have sent the lacrima home without their help. I couldn’t be doing this now without their help. So please, on the basis of their assistance in this crisis, give them a chance. At least think about it?”

“You understand they have stolen, organized assassins, killed people themselves, dealt with the slave trade, and more. The list of crimes each member has committed is massive,” King Toma stated. “But I will consider it, especially in light of their aid here. I will have to discuss things with my advisors.”

Arthur nodded. “As you wish, your majesty. I just wanted to make a case for them first.”

Toma placed a hand on his shoulder. “I will consider it, and you have my thanks, Lancelot.”

“Arthur, my name is Arthur. Why do people assume I used my real name when wearing a mask and infiltrating an illegal fighting ring?” Arthur asked, finally venting some frustration at the constant misuse of that name. “... Sorry, your highness.”

“Understandable, Arthur. And you still have my thanks. And I will try to repay it,” King Toma of Fiore said.

Arthur bit back the desire to point out how Toma could repay him if he was actually serious about that. He wasn’t certain if it was just part of the rage he’d felt since touching the dragon force, or if it was his own natural annoyance at the king’s behavior; he’d be second guessing his every twinge of anger until he forgot to. And then it would just become a natural part of him. The Dragon Force was something to be feared.

Then it dawned on him. “Minerva. Make sure she’s taken care of, and isn’t taken back in by her father. The man’s a monster. He was going to make her fight in the illegal mage fights. She had bruises from his treatment of her at the time. And scars. Do something to protect her.”

“I’ll see to it,” Toma said. “Rest easy there.”

“Well then, if you’ll join the others, I guess I should begin to transport you all, though, I would like to have a word with Minerva Orlando and Midnight first,” Arthur said.

The king nodded, and expressed his thanks again, returning towards the group, and talking to Minerva for a moment. Soon Minerva was approaching

“You wanted to tell me something?” Minerva asked, looking up at him.

“I figured I should tell you good-bye,” Arthur said. “I’m going to try to get back to Earthland soon, but I can’t promise I’ll succeed.”

Minerva stiffened. “I could stay. I could help you,” She began to speak, but Arthur cut her off.

“You have no magic here. Staying won’t help me. Help me by keeping yourself safe, and don’t let your father force you down his twisted path.”

She flinched a little at that statement. “I-I can’t fight him. I’m too weak.”

“Strength isn’t about power or force. Real strength is about the choices you make. Don’t let him use force to make your choices.”

Minerva nodded, and Arthur took her hand, squeezing it softly. “Keep yourself safe. And keep that safe for me too. Secret too if you would.”

She looked down at the large hunk of crystal in her hand, too large for her to hold in one hand. It was really six crystals partially merged into one. The castle could shatter Arthur’s space; he didn’t want to drop the lacrima again. Hopefully Minerva would be able to keep it safe for him until he came back. It was because of this that he’d cleaned it as much as he could with his Territory magic while he was rebuilding his Archive’s physical manifestation.

“I will, sir,” She said. “When you get back would you teach me more about Territory magic.”

Arthur placed his hand on her forehead. “Digest this first,” He said, uploading a mass of information into her mind. His other arm moved to wrap around her and keep her from falling as the sheer concentration of magical data pushed her mind to the point of blacking out.

Then Midnight, no MacBeth, approached. “What’d you do to the girl?” He asked.

Arthur lifted Minerva up. “I telepathically delivered the information of several spells into her brain. If she can master them all she’ll be a legendary mage.” Arthur felt a little guilty. Outside of Territory Armor, every spell included was one that he considered essential to reaching and understanding the final spell. If he had to name it, it would be High Territory - Subspace Bridge Pseudo-Anima. If anything went wrong and he couldn’t escape the fate of being a magical battery, and she could master those spells, maybe, just maybe she could come and save him someday in the future.

MacBeth looked at him. “Huh? Really? So what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I just wanted to ask you to make sure that if I don’t return to give my regards and apologies to Angel, and I wanted to assure you, I will do what I can to rescue Racer and Hoteye.”

“Is that all?” MacBeth said.

Arthur shook his head. “No. You’re a spatial mage, I thought you might enjoy getting to see me work the most complicated piece of magic I know.”

MacBeth huffed a bit. “If you’re lonely you could just say so,” He said. Still he did watch as Arthur began to work the spell. The winds began to whirl and rage. The world began to shake a little, at least from MacBeth’s point of view. He was fading between realities, when suddenly Arthur extended a gold staff out of nowhere, just seeming to form in his palm.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. This was something I got from Angel. Make sure it gets back to her,” He said.

MacBeth took it immediately, the staff flowing into the dimensional shift that was pulling him away. It was something that surprised him, since he didn’t recognize it, but he took it. “Alright. I will,” He said as he was pulled into a separate world.

And then the Edolas army was converging around him, the black knight Dokutaa at their head. The black knight had lived up to his end of the bargain, and as long as they had Wendy, Racer, and Hotey all trapped in the castle Arthur would keep his side as well. Especially given the two new hopes that he had been given; Hyberion and Erza were free and in the castle. He had allies who were still active, pieces unknown to his opponents and in play. The enemy was going for an all out attack when he still had a trap card on the field. He just had to hope it was a Mirror Force and not something useless.

“Now, release the king so that we can return to the castle,” the black knight said, approaching Arthur. Arthur was noting the number of legions that had approached while he was manipulating the anima. He was surrounded by a vast army of warriors mounted on winged mini-kaiju, and while his magic power was supposedly enough to destroy whole nations, this was an imperial army with reinforcements coming in from across a continent if not an entire world.

He could probably escape. But they still had Racer, Hoteye, and Wendy, and while knowing he had an agent on the inside was useful, he wasn’t certain how to use it. He’d still be calling the bluff if he did something like break away and charge the castle. Draculos would, hopefully, try and save the prisoners, but he couldn’t be sure that the Wizard God could succeed.

“Give me a few moments, that was tiring, and I’d not like to mess up with the booby trap,” Arthur said, making a show of slumping down. It was tiring, but even more he needed time to think. The knight could drain him without touching him. If he decided to just start refueling off of Arthur then wherever the balance of power lay it’d slip towards them. Arthur would be captured, and then it’d be ever worse on Lycus. Or maybe that’d be easier? Would security lapse once they had him in chains? Did he dare risk it?

What was the other option? Make a break for the castle, and attempt to free them before Zero could execute them? As long as that Brain device controlled the castle they could be killed at will. Arthur might manage to pull Wendy out, it was possible he could locate her magical signature and teleport her, but not Hoteye and Racer.

But going in directly meant risking everything. How much was he willing to gamble on being able to save them? What odds did he require? Arthur knew the odds weren’t good enough. But Wendy was a different story. His Archive couldn’t detect her, at least not in these circumstances. He couldn’t physically manifest it, and it was still damaged, coupled with the distance he couldn’t rely on it to help him save her right now.

And while the odds weren’t good enough to risk it for Hoteye or Racer, Wendy was another story. But Zero wouldn’t dare kill her; she was too useful. And if he did he had to realize it’d be like signing his own death warrant.

Arthur’s archive display flashed as he activated mental overclocking. “What was that?” the knight said.

“Preparations to free the king. I tied him into the trap much more thoroughly than Sorano or Knightwalker,” Arthur stated. It was a lie, but he hoped it was a believable one.

The knight nodded his head, Sorano’s lip twitching a little.

“So you’re ready to free him now?” Sorano asked in an accusatorial tone.

Arthur raised a hand, and his pocket dimension containing the king and Knightwalker spilled open, dumping them both onto the ground in an undignified manner. Sorano and the black knight both moved to help him up, bending to do so.

Arthur still had his black sword. His purchase menu was up considering the Knight. If he had the guts he could have ended the knight right now. Purchase the knight, swap positions with a soldier behind him, and use his skill and the black blade’s own hunger to hit a weak spot in the armor and pierce through it. It would have been easy. But Arthur was not confident in his ability to pull off that maneuver.

The knight rose once more helping Faust to his feet, and the moment had passed. The opportunity to end the single greatest threat to himself in Edolas with ease had been missed.

“Sorano, who is this in the armor? What is that armor?” Faust asked as he looked at the black knight. He knew, though. It was the Dorma Anim Mark 2 which Zero had thought up.

“Private Dokutaa, first class,” the knight reported. “It is a gift from beyond, granted to me to protect the world. I call it Acnologia, the Dragon of the End.”

Faust flinched a little. He had never heard of this private, and his voice spoke of a conviction in something above and beyond man; that was not a good thing behind an ultimate weapon when you were plotting to bring down the god of the world.

“Why is the prisoner unrestrained?” Faust asked, looking at the black knight, and then towards the Earthlander who had captured him.

“A deal had to be made to get you free,” the knight said.

“Restrain him now, private. Or does your deal preclude that?” Faut asked.

“Yes, sir. As you command, your majesty,” Dokutaa moved towards the Earthlander. “Someone get some manacles.”

The Earthlander sighed. “Is it necessary? I’m going peacefully, aren’t I?”

“The king commands,” the black knight said.

“After the space you kept me in are you really complaining?” Faust asked as the manacles were placed around the man’s hands.

Faust led the procession into the castle. The aged king was visibly affected by it. He was aware that his castle had been changed by the bRAIN device at this point, and had seen some of the interior, but he hadn’t really seen it. Arthur too hadn’t really seen the damage done when he had been forced to use the dragon force. It was horrible. He had no idea how many people he had killed during it. Around a third of the castle was in ruins, a swathe torn through it towards the center that only stopped at a visibly reinforced - and torn up - bulkhead of sorts which his Archive magic told him was heavily warded against its abilities, and that was just 3 dragon roars, 2 in the height of the dragon force. Arthur had forgotten Orion had fought well past Sorano escaping him. If he went through dragonification… Arthur didn’t know how much destruction he would cause.

And the thing is, something had changed inside of him. He didn’t feel the guilt he felt he should have over the deaths. He knew he should feel guilty, but the guilt just wasn’t coming naturally. He was still itching to crush the black knight for the insult of beating him. It wasn’t a dominant desire, but he felt it deep beneath his skin. It was the growing dragon seed. He was sure of it. At least Arthur told himself he was.

Arthur, though, had had some idea. While he’d not gotten close to the castle since leaving the underground tunnel, he’d been able to see the ruins and damage from afar. It was also not his home; it was an enemy stronghold and one that he’d been hurt at; he felt a sense of vindictive accomplishment at its destruction, even if it was not without its feelings of guilt over the number of people he probably killed. Unless the black knight had just been messing with his head.

The glares filled with hate, the jeers, and the shouts of recrimination and hatred as he was marched into the castle past the crowd who had gathered to watch the triumphal return told him otherwise. He wasn’t used to being called murderer, and more inventive phrases, in full earnest. Except by Serena.

His stomach twisted. How many people had he killed today? And for a shot at a few hundred choice points. He wasn’t certain it was a sin that he could ever make go away.

The king was in his element. He was taking command of the situation, taking charge, and figuring out the damage done. When he learned of Byro’s death he took his golden scepter and shot Arthur in the chest, the energy burning and cutting at his flesh, bringing him to his knees. Arthur growled with rage, gritting his teeth, and straining his muscles against the manacles.

Despite the pain, Arthur couldn’t hate him for the act. This wasn’t some cold blooded act of torture. This was a man learning that a friend for decades had been brutally slain and lashing out against the culprit. Arthur couldn’t hate him for it, not really, not when he could understand it, but he still felt rage bubbling up into him. He could feel power. Enough power to obliterate the castle. Destroy the king. And…

Arthur tried to push himself to remember through the pain that the dragon force was not something a dragon slayer could safely use. The full power of a dragon would not leave him human. He could bear the pain. After all, they believed the magic sealing manacles would stop him from using magic. And as long as they believed that he would bide his time and see if they showed him Wendy or the Oracion Seis before they started really draining his power.

The castle’s words filled him with dread though. “IT IS TOO RISKY TO LEAVE THE PRISONER FREE, SIRE,” The soulless voice continued. “ALLOW ME TO BEGIN EXTRACTING POWER FROM HIM NOW. WHILE WITHOUT THE GIANT LACRIMA THE DRAGON CHAIN CANNON CANNOT BE USED IN PROJECT EXCEED TOTAL DESTRUCTION I BELIEVE THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF MAGIC HE CAN PROVIDE WE CAN PURSUE OTHER METHODS FOR THEIR EXTERMINATION.”

Panther Lily’s head jerked at those words. The 1st Army Captain, and in theory highest ranking member officer, was after all an exceed himself. “Extermination?”

Arthur had to give Faust a bit of credit for how well he took this in stride. “The exceed have long lorded their superiority over humanity. For mankind to be free the exceed must die. Do not worry, you will not be included in that destruction. You have proven yourself loyal and true, unlike the rest of your dishonest race such as your queen the so-called goddess.”

“You can’t be serious. You would kill them all? Why? They’re no threat to you. Shagotte’s power is a fraud. She is no goddess…”

“Exactly,” Faust said. “And in her hubris she cast herself as one. I shall see her, and her lies, wiped clean from the world. And with them her people. Never again will humanity suffer such domination from another species.”

Panther Lily’s heart was visibly breaking. And Arthur could only think that Zero had to have known that such a blatant discussion was a bad idea. Was Zero just that socially inept now that he had changed with the castle? Or had he done it by intent and if so why?

“My lord, please, tell me you don’t really intend to go through with it. Let me make the case for my people,” Panther Lily said.

“Your people? You are a fallen exceed. I thought that they had disowned you and you them. Is that not so? Are they not your enemy and are we not your people?” Faust asked.

Panther Lily’s head dropped. “Yes, my liege,” He choked out after a few moments.

Faust looked at him for a little bit, the lingering suspicion about his loyalty palpable even to a social dunce like Arthur. “In that case I believe it is in fact time to attach the dragon slayer to one of the ethernado extraction devices. The grand lacrima may have been lost, but we can still use him for our purposes, and to power the anima device to find more.”

“My liege, your son has been recovered as well,” Panther Lily said. “He was badly burned, would you like to see him?”

“I have no son,” Faust said grimly, his eyes returning to Panther Lily. “If someone has been badly burned he is nothing more than a rebel to be detained until I can question him.”

“... As you wish, sire,” Panther Lily said with a bow. “I will see to it.”

Guards moved forward to seize Arthur and take him towards where he needed to go; after all Wendy would be where they had set up to drain dragon slayers. There was no reason to resist yet.

The black knight personally joined Arthur’s escort. Arthur had hoped otherwise, though really he had no reason to expect that he wouldn’t. “Why do you serve the king?” Arthur asked as he was being walked down the halls of the castle.

“He is the king,” the armored man called Private Dokutaa said.

“That’s not a reason,” Arthur spat back. “A king is a king because people serve him, if the people refused to serve him he’d not be a king at all.”

“The king was born a king,” the private said.

“Not of this entire world, and not of Earthland.”

That gave the private a bit of a pause. Eventually he said, “The king brought peace to Edolas, unifying it.”

“Peace? With this sort of army? Looks more like he’s gearing up for war.”

“The king plans to bring magic to Edolas.”

“At what cost?”

“...”

“You don’t really want to see him murder entire cities in cold blood, do you?”

“Better they die than we do. Without magic the people are suffering,” Dokutaa responded.

“So that’s why he’s spending it extravagantly in the capital and leaving everywhere else with none,” Arthur responded.

“PERHAPS WE SHOULD GAG THE PRISONER,” Zero suggested from the intercom.

“The king isn’t perfect, but his plan is the best one Edolas has,” Dokutaa said in a growl.

“Elentear,” Arthur stated. “It’s got a lot more magic than Earthland. Too much even. You might could get the magic without the cost of lives. Freaking damnation you could just not kill the exceeds. His plan isn’t the best Edolas has. It’s a madman’s genocidal dreams.”

“YOU KNOW OF ELENTEAR?” Zero asked over the intercom.

“Another parallel world, one which suffers due to excess magic beyond what it can naturally handle threatening to destroy it,” Arthur answered.

“Elentear?” Dokutaa asked in a confused tone.

“DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY IT WAS DISMISSED FROM CONSIDERATION FOR THE ANIMA PLAN?” Zero asked.

“Can’t say I know why you assholes do anything,” Arthur responded, shrugging lightly.

“THERE IS A DRAGON THERE CAPABLE OF TRAVERSING DIMENSIONS AND WIELDING IMMENSE POWER.”

“So bring them here where they’ll be powerless.”

“THAT WOULD NOT BE ASSURED. YOU STILL WIELD YOUR POWER.”

“Because I took a drug that restored it.”

Stolen novel; please report.

“AND HOW CAN WE VERIFY THAT?”

“No clue.”

“EARTHLAND IS THE SAFER OPTION.”

“But not the more moral. Besides, it has monsters like me. And Acnologia, as well as the dragon gods.”

“BUT THEY DO NOT TRAVEL BETWEEN WORLDS. ABDUCTING YOU SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A MISTAKE. WE SHOULD HAVE SIMPLY AVOIDED DRAGON SLAYERS.”

“But you can’t use them as reusable batteries, and if you keep using them Earthland will run dry too.” Arthur didn’t know if that was true, but he did remember that Selene had threatened to fix Elentear’s problem by wholesale slaughter.

“THAT WILL GIVE US TIME TO PREPARE FOR Elentear.”

“And if Elentear pops due to too much magic?”

“YOU HAVE GIVEN ME MUCH TO THINK ABOUT. BUT IT IS NOT RELEVANT TO YOUR OWN FATE.”

Dokutaa was opening a door, and Arthur could see Weny. Now was the moment of truth. How did he rescue Wendy, and preferably the Oracion Seis? Could he teleport her to him, and both of them out of the castle? He couldn’t be sure, until he tried, how well it could jam him here and now; the damage had reduced it earlier but he was really in the heart of the castle now. Or did he instead wait and accept being drained until Dokutaa lowered his guard or Hyberion made his move? Could he put his trust into Hyberion that way?

The black knight was marching him towards one of the devices. Wendy was attached to one, arms and legs spread and chained to its mostly flat, almost circular front end, the cylinder stretching back perhaps 8 ft before merging into the castle wall. The knight was bringing him to the second of these devices. Arthur knew he was running out of time. He could put his faith in Hyberion, Racer, and Hoteye, trusting he’d be saved, or he could act now.

He’d never seen Hyberion fight. If Midnight was still here the Oracion Seis might be able to tip things in their favor, but he was the most dangerous of them and he was back in Earthland.

Arthur had more than 300 choice points. It was enough for a major purchase. And with the black knight breathing down his neck he would make one.

Outwardly nothing changed. He had selected the 600 points - discounted to 300 - perk: Pure Magic. Immediately he began to act. The new power did two things of note for this situation; it gave his spatial magic superiority over other spatial magic allowing him to completely ignore the castle’s jamming field, and it increased its power by 50%. The latter wasn’t as cost effective as, say, buying greater magic power, but the former was precisely what he needed.

In an instant Wendy and him were gone from the chamber, returning to the royal hall the king had had him dragged from.

Faust’s eyes went wide with shock, and the guards began to panic. Arthur was still wearing shackles, his feet and hands bound by magic sealing stone which should have stopped him from using any magic.

“EARTHLANDER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHOOSE WHICH OF OUR TWO HOSTAGES DIE AS PUNISHMENT FOR THIS ATTEMPTED ESCAPE?” Zero began.

Arthur warped the king into his hand. “Kill them and the king dies,” He stated, darkness forming a draconic claw around his hand which grasped Faust’s throat.

“ETERNAL MAGIC IS OF A HIGHER PRIORITY THAN THE LIFE OF ANY INDIVIDUAL.”

Faust’s face turned pale, but his heart did not bend to his own fear of death. “Zero is right. Eternal magic is worth more than even my own life. Do your worst Earthlander, we will not yield our dreams for my life. Men, seize him now!”

Arthur could have cursed aloud. Instead he warped himself, the king, and Wendy away from the chamber. He had neither the time nor the desire to fight a room full of armed guards while trying to handle a hostage and protect Wendy.

They appeared outside of the castle, on the floating island which had held the lacrima. “Wendy, can you take care of yourself for a bit? I have to go back for the Oracion Seis and Draculos.”

The blue haired preteen looked at him with a surprising fire in her eyes. “Let me help you.”

bRAIN had to reassess. It had believed that its jamming should at least prevent the Earthlander from acting with ease. It had had all its jamming power, at least all that could be focused at a point, focused on him. While bRAIN had not been confident that in such a clash it could completely stop his teleportation, it had been confident that Dokutaa would have the time to drain his magic and stop him.

His flight had abandoned two prisoners. bRAIN could kill them. But there were difficulties there as well. First, they were mages. Killing them would be a waste of energy bRAIN might need to prolong its functional lifespan. It wasn’t truly an option, not when they could be turned into lacrima. But to do so invited reprisal from the Earthlander.

Dokutaa must be mobilized with the other forces, and sent to crush the Earthlander. But with the speed of his teleportation it was impossible for them to contain him. They would have to catch him by surprise and perform a single, devastating alpha strike. This meant Dokutaa would remain on the board. But with the reassessment of the Earthlander’s threat that was no longer such a feared option. bRAIN needed such a defender if monsters like this one existed in Earthland.

In fact the danger of Earthland vs Elentear had to be reassessed entirely. Or more the danger of a single attempt to skim magic from Elentear without the notice of Selene against the threat that the Earthlander presented.

Still bRAIN had only two paths present for him. Surrender, and hope for mercy from the Earthlander, or bait a trap and try and kill him in a single go.

No, bRAIN realized he had a third option. bRAIN’s functions turned primarily to the task of analyzing the risk and reward for each of these three options. bRAIN was not allowed to fully process these decisions however. Its attention was required in too many places.

With the king gone, and Byro deceased, the chain of command ran straight to the 1st Captain of the army’s magic branch. That was Panther Lily. The exceed was having a crisis of loyalty, however, one which bRAIN had induced, when he believed he could use him to get rid of the king, and which would be of little import if not for the arrival of the princess of the exceed demanding to speak to the blue haired dragon slayer she had brought to the castle earlier.

Worse, there had been a spike of magical energy which bRAIN had failed to identify. Its focus was too divided, but the spike had definitely been the internal magic of an exceed or an Earthlander. Unfortunately bRAIN’s sensors had missed the precise location or variety of magic used. It was possible that one of the prisoners had been the source, as it had come from the general area of the dungeons. As such bRAIN had warned Lycus and Ultear that they may have tried something.

bRAIN was being reminded of why it needed a population to serve as assistants. Also to repair and maintain it after damage. Especially as things were proceeding simultaneously on all fronts. An exceed force was arriving through the air. The self-proclaimed princess was one of the fallen; a rebel against the exceed people like Panther Lily.

And then there was an alarm indicating that the Earthlander’s magical communication network had been used. bRAIN’s full attention turned towards it immediately. They were in contact with Lycus Hyberion. The most likely scenario was immediately clear: Lycus was not Lycus. The head of the Earthland Lycus Hyberion had been the head of the Edolas Lycus Hyberion; and the prisoners were being guarded by their own ally.

bRAIN stirred immediately into action, but it was already too late. Even as he electrocuted the trio that dark distortion wrapped around them and they disappeared.

Arthur didn’t have a good reason to send Wendy away, not really. Nothing beyond ‘it’s dangerous’ which the dragon slayer wasn’t buying. She needed to find Carla, and needed to help people. Maybe if he’d been given enough time he would have. But a bat began flying towards his neck. He almost destroyed it, his magic lashing out to wrap around it and prepare to teleport it away, before Wendy screamed for him to stop.

“It’s one of Mr. Hyberion’s bats,” She said.

Arthur paused. It was flying against his Territory Armor, and his instincts said ‘don’t let strange vampire magic bats at your throat’, but Draculos was his ally. He breathed deeply, gathering his trust, and he lowered his armor over his throat. The bat flew up to it, pressing against his throat and biting.

Arthur was scared. It could be a trick. Betrayal. Maybe the castle had figured out a way to replicate the bat. And then he felt a familiar enough sensation. It was an information transfer, not at the level of sophistication as Archive, but the bat was feeding him knowledge. It was mostly what it had seen, but also maps of the castle and the fact that Draculos was watching the Oracion Seis and they were ready to escape on a proper signal.

Most important was that it was in fact Draculos’s magic, and still bore a link with him. While it was far less sophisticated than Archive, and Arthur couldn’t send a message back through it, he could lock onto both Draculos’s magical signature and his location, enabling Arthur to get a contact link established with Archive’s telepathy.

“Draculos. I need to access your vision, and I need you looking at the Oracion Seis.” Arthur’s mental message was curt and brief, but Draculos’s mind relaxed giving him access to Draculos’s sight.

Electricity was pumping through the room, and the red dress, black haired woman was raising her hand to strike. Arthur didn’t hesitate. He knew where they were. He could see them. He could teleport them. In an instant he had all three prisoners and Draculos himself by his side.

Two of the prisoners were burned; Mystogan worse than Racer. Hoteye simply looked worse for wear. Draculos was in a ridiculous leather pants and wolfskin cloak combo that looked like some sort of Hollywood viking. Still they were altogether. They held the enemy’s king - not that he was the most valuable pawn given the enemy were willing to let him die - and suddenly options were open.

bRAIN realized that with the loss of all hostages, its chances for survival had plummeted deeply. It was now left with only two possible courses of action: to beg mercy or to attempt to flee Edolas with its Anima Device. Either Elentear or Earthland could make a suitable home, but there was the possibility that the Earhlander would pursue it and both worlds had a substantial share of threats and dangers should it go to them.

The other soldiers were in a state of frenzy. Panther Lily was still displeased that they were holding a group of exceeds captive. Dokutaa was convinced he could stop the Earthlander, but he was willing, even eager to offer surrender in exchange for the Earthlander going home. Knightwalker and Urtear were more eager for blood.

And Fairy Tail had arrived. The world’s last Mages’ Guild, which had been hunted by Sugarboy and Knightwalker, had decided that it was time to stop running and to fight for their world. bRAIN was beginning to see the writing on the wall. The regime had never been on firm footing; it was a conquest empire left without anything to conquer. Faust had begun hoarding magic in the capital in part to keep the loyalty of the capital’s citizens, who were in the best position to threaten him, but primarily to strip the outlying regions of the means to resist. It’d take something like magic disappearing completely to push everyone into survival mode, or some impossibly grand victory such as creating abundant magic which was dispensed at royal decree, to stop the empire from coming apart at the seams.

Faust had tried for the latter. But that plan was no longer salvageable. Dokutaa, Erza, and Urtear could easily handle Fairy Tail, but the threat of the Earthlanders still loomed. bRAIN began to prepare for plan C.

bRAIN didn’t have proper authorization to mobilize the Dorma Anim. Legally even the king could not without a long process. And Panther Lily was unlikely to waive that requirement due to ‘emergency’. It would not stop bRAIN.

“We can’t go home, Arthur,” Draculos said.

“The anima device is too dangerous. But my X ball is starting to fade. We go back to Earthland, wait a month, and come back with a hand picked team ready for the fight,” Arthur argued. Arthur felt he knew best; he’d gotten this far, he had - recent - experience

“It’s a fine plan, and I’d consider it except that circumstances have changed,” Draculos stated. “My bats tell me that a native resistance force is fighting, and losing, against the royal forces at this moment. We go, we fight, we turn the tide. As long as we’re linked with your archive you can pull us back out, correct?”

“Most likely,” Arthur said. “The black knight might mess things up.”

“That guy,” Racer said with a scowl. “I hate that guy.”

“And that’s why now is the time. While he’s distracted on the front lines, you take yourself and I into the castle as close to its core as you can. My bats haven’t found the anima device, but it’s somewhere near its core. No one was allowed there, and the castle only bothers to shoot my bats if they get close to the core. We go and we end their ability to wage war on Ishgar from another world. Or at least we cripple it.”

“Is your whole plan ‘teleport close and smash stuff’?” Arthur asked sourly.

“No. I’d prefer to obtain the anima device so that countermeasures could be prepared against it, but the plan is that we have the opportunity now and we had better move now,” Draculos said, staring down at the shorter man before him.

There were a few moments of awkwardness. “Fine, just you and me?” Draculos pulled the canister of X-Balls from somewhere in his loincloth, tossing the last two remaining magic restoratives to him.

“I thought we’d give the Seis a chance to prove themselves; that is if Racer is up for it after his burns.”

“Don’t count me out so easily,” Racer said.

“I’m coming,” Mystogan, really Jellal son of Faust and thus prince of Edolas, said standing up.

“Me too,” Wendy said.

“Then everyone ready?” Arthur said as he finished swallowing an X-Ball.

When the affirmation came, Arthur held back no longer, he teleported them all. Faust, the captive king, was left alone on the floating island not even bound. He had become unimportant in this game.

bRAIN’s preparations paused for a moment. The Earthlander’s spatial magic had been sensed, cutting through its own magic like it wasn’t even there. It made its circuitry run cold with fear. bRAIN’s jamming was ultimately its own spatial magic, dedicated to creating a field of subtly altered space. Not all spatial magic was made equal, something like Celestial Spirit summoning punched through it much easier than teleportation magic. Against even a close superior it should have shut down any attempt to teleport multiple people into it, and made even one a challenge. It wasn’t the first time that the Earthlander had cut through it, but bRAIN had hoped for more time before he returned.

Zero was struggling. Attempting to reassert control over his, now thoroughly assimilated, body. The bRAIN device had merged with him, its wires entering his flesh, and its circuitry writing itself through his nerves. It had transformed him into a magical tool, flesh interlaced with lacrima and metal. bRAIN had thought he had been completely deactivated.

Still with the Earthlander’s return bRAIN immediately sounded out a call for help to private Dokutaa, lieutenant Ultear, and even the failures, lieutenant Sorano Agrias, and captains Panther Lily and Knightwalker. It only had faith that Dokutaa might challenge the Earthlander, but the others might slow him down.

The Dorma Anim had been prepared, though. And it rose. It wasn’t attacking the Earthlander, but Fairy Tail, destroying their guild hall in a single roar. Hopefully the Earthlander was hero enough that he would not let a mechanical dragon destroy the last hope of resistance in Edolas.

And of course bRAIN did not neglect the interior defenses.

Teleportation was quick, painless, and easy for Arthur at this point. Not even a moment of disorientation. Still, electricity almost immediately began surging through them as they arrived. Hoteye and Draculos immediately answered, Draculos’s wolf pelt cloak spreading out behind him as he began to float, and Hoteye liquifying the castle’s ground at his and Racer’s feet.

It sent Wendy to her knees, as well as the still badly injured Mystogan. Arthur’s own magical power reinforced him, allowing him to just hurt and not fall, and his right hand rose. It was time for a touch of his dark dominion magic. Forming darkness in his hand, he pulled down, squeezing and crushing the sphere. It fragmented shooting through tiny portals and exploding out no longer constrained by his pressure. Holes formed in the floor and wall, slashes in the ceiling as darkness magic flared through them each. It was enough structural damage to shut down the electrical bolts.

But not the lacrima cannons which were focusing on the others. They avoided Wendy - thankfully - and had no effect on the magic-less Mystogan. It was Racer’s turn to protect Hoteye, his slow magic slowing the beams and weapons as he pushed his ally from their path. Draculos was left to his own devices, dividing himself into a swarm of bats, only for one to fall as a piece of lacrima. Arthur’s spell has damaged the weapon projectors, but hadn’t destroyed them all. Draculos’s swarm-form did that in an instant, roaring past Arthur’s face with a cacophony of wings.

The lacrima-powered mechanical soldiers were pouring in, however.

As if not wanting to be left out, Wendy acted first. Her sky dragon’s roar tore through one contingent, and even before Arthur could take out the pincering group with his own, Draculos had reformed not into a man but a wolf, launching himself into their midst in a flurry of claws and fangs.

“Arthur, your giant!” Draculos roared out before howling, silver energy forming in his lupine mouth and firing as an expanding moon-like sphere which exploded in a great flashing boom.

Arthur knew what he wanted. Orion had done some real damage here before. And he could do it again. They’d taken his sword but never his keys, and it was time to use his keys once more.

He opened two gates. He didn’t dare use Enif; while the Pure Magic perk and rest had done a lot to help him recover his fighting capabilities, he actually was still running low on energy. Even Orion was going to hurt, but between Orion and Kochab, they might bring down what remained of the castle.

The two spirits appeared, and already Arthur was shouting commands.

Dorma Anim had failed to truly serve its purpose. bRAIN had hoped that the Earthlander and his allies would be distracted by it. Instead it seemed they hadn’t even noticed. bRAIN had begun to notice the bats which held trace amounts of magical energy, it had been certain some were watching the battle. And yet the Earthlanders didn’t come to save Fairy Tail.

It had, however, bought the chance for the elite pawns to move. Urtear had turned on them. Even though she had begun the fight as the most gung ho and dealing unequal devastation to the Fairy Tail forces something had happened on the battlefield. bRAIN suspected it had to do with her adoptive brother’s position in Fairy Tail. Whatever the reason she was not coming to his aid, but was fighting with Fairy Tail against the Dorma Anim. It was a hopeless battle. Only it and Dokutaa’s Dorma Anim Mk 2 stood a chance against the mech.

Panther Lily had also, unsurprisingly, betrayed to fight it. If he still had the Bustermarm Sword perhaps he could have harmed it. But the Rosa Espada he was now wielding could not directly damage it.

bRAIN had modified the ethernado absorption machines. They would not work well for exceeds, lacrima was still unfortunately a better solution. But bRAIN still had placed the exceed prisoners within it. It still doubted that the Earthlanders would kill prisoners to get to it faster, especially when they were screaming in pain. Still it was time to open the anima gate. It was a complicated maneuver. After all bRAIN wasn’t just transferring something. It was attempting to transfer something from Edolas to Earthland, while also drawing in a massive amount from Elentear to Edolas, all while fooling whatever magic-enhanced senses which the Earthlanders and a Dragon God possessed so that they would miss its escape into Earthland.

bRAIN’s calculations needed to be precise, which was unfortunate as it also needed to guess at many variables.

Draculos had noticed the Dorma Anim. He had simply chosen not to distract his allies with the news. Edolas’s imminent civil war was less important than seizing the anima device. “Their commanders are leaving the battle with Fairy Tail,” He informed Arthur and the Oracion Seis; theoretically Wendy and the walking wounded too.

He was still uncomfortable about bringing Mystogan. It wasn’t that he distrusted the prince of Edolas; he knew he had a record of sealing anima events, the magic council wasn’t completely incompetent despite appearances to the contrary. Mystogan was badly wounded, and the risk that he’d die was high, and it meant defending him in combat. Even just against the castle’s automated defenses it was a strain to keep him alive. Unfortunately he was also the foremost expert on anima, and Draculos wasn’t certain he wholly trusted Arthur not to have some ulterior motive; he needed one of them to help him identify and destroy the anima device, and Draculos would prefer to have them double checking each other.

Though with the black knight and Knightwalker being freed up he might have to trust everything to Mystogan. Hoteye and Racer might be of use against Knightwalker, but it was likely going to be him and Arthur against the two knights of Edolas.

Orion refused to let his gate close. “The black knight shattered Horologium’s key. You can’t fight him,” Arthur said.

“Let me,” the giant responded, slamming a fist into the barrier protecting the castle’s core. Arthur had cleared the area of the castle’s weapons with his dark dominion - shadow fragmentation spell, Orion had free rein to smash into the armored shell that had stopped him previously.

“Your spirits can’t fight the knight?” Draculos asked.

“He drains their magic and shatters the gate,” Arthur said. Kochab had acquiesced and allowed his gate to close. He was going to have to force Orion’s shut.

“Sounds like a real challenge,” Orion said with a twisted grin. “Arthur; let me fight him. Win or lose, live or die… I want to fight the strongest foes.” The reinforced crystalline wall of the castle’s core was splintering under his pounding fists. “Arthur, please, let me face him with you.”

“Star dress,” Arthur suggested in a form of compromise. He could feel the telltale spatial shifts of an anima effect. It wasn’t focused on him, this time, but it was building in the area. His archive was giving all sorts of readings, and warnings about it even in its rune bracelet form. It was definitely coming from inside that core.

“No. I want to try my strength against his,” the giant said.

“But I don’t want to lose you.”

“What were the terms of our contract?”

Arthur swallowed hard. There wasn’t time for discussion anyway. Orion’s fist had shattered the outer wall.

“They’re opening an anima. I’ll hold off the commanders; go and stop them,” Arthur said.

“Way ahead of you, bossman,” Racer stated, pulling Wendy onto his summoned bike behind him. Hoteye and Mystogan were on another. Only Draculos was on foot; with his wolf pelt he was faster and more maneuverable than one of the bikes.

They took off, leaving Arthur to face the enemy that was coming.

The black knight’s cannon blasted through the walls of the castle, much like Arthur’s own Dragon’s Roar. But his Kochab Spirit Dress withstood the blast mostly unharmed. Knightwalker was an instant behind it, her spear shifting from its speed form to its magic cutting one. Orion’s reflexes were faster than Arthur’s, his belts had intertwined with the damaged castle’s structure and he brought the roof down. It fell on Arthur as well as Knightwalker but it didn’t matter. His armor made it only a nuisance, and he was able to project part of his archive on the inside of his armor.

Knightwalker had to defend herself, though, and that meant changing the form of her spear. As she blasted the rubble out of her way, Arthur’s archive isolated her weapon and his territory magic yoinked it from her hand.

He’d cashed in two bounties. He’d apparently made something happen different enough from canon, and by agreeing to let Orion stay had earned his allegiance for life. It’d been enough to buy a perk. He’d been loath to do so; it left him with effectively nothing in the bank. But if he was going to beat the Black Knight he needed something.

The Knight gave him Erza Scarlet level fighting skill with melee weapons. And it gave him an intuitive knowledge of how to use their magical properties. His black blade might be lost to him for the moment, but it had magic he didn’t know how to use. There was also the Ten Commandments spear which Knightwalker used; along with the Astra weapon he’d taken from Sorano it was one of the two weapons he’d seen in Edolas which might overcome the black knight’s armor.

Already he could feel the knight draining his magical energy. It wasn’t as fast as after he’d banished the lacrima. The reason was simple, the armor couldn’t focus its drain and drain at maximum output simultaneously, with the lacrima gone Arthur had been the only substantial source of magical energy within range. Now the knight was draining the castle, Ravelt, Arthur, and Orion simultaneously and while Arthur’s superior output meant he was taking the lion’s share of the drain it still wasn’t the same intensity.

Arthur didn’t have time to guess at why at the moment. He turned the spear into its speed form, and launched at Knightwalker. He’d have gone for the Black Knight. Have worked to slay him in a single blow, except he’d promised Orion his chance to face him. And if that promise had earned his allegiance… well he’d already spent the points it’d given him, he didn’t want to know what undoing it would do. Besides, it’d be lying to Orion and he didn’t want to do that.

Knightwalker was still putting up a fight, but unarmed she didn’t stand much of a chance. When it came to sheer skill he was her equal, able to match her in reflex time, and instinct. When it came to strength his superior magical power put him beyond her. His territory armor made her blows meaningless so he didn’t have to worry about openings, and the spear’s speed form simply put him beyond her ability to block or stop.

A blow to the back of the head brought her down and he hoped it was nonlethally. He thought it should be.

Orion was clashing with the black knight. At a glance it looked almost like he was winning. He was holding the knight back with a constant rain of rubble, belts used like whips to launch one chunk of stonework after another at the knight, hands grasping and crushing pieces to throw them like grapeshot. But Arthur knew better. It might actually be hurting the knight, even through his armor, but it wasn’t doing much, and he was draining the power from Orion; little by little he was focusing that drain purely on Orion.

“Orion, let me close your gate,” Arthur said. “You’ve fought him; no need to get your key shattered.” He didn’t move to intervene. It’d be breaking that promise. And it’d not save the key.

Orion charged forward, one massive hand slamming down onto the knight. A blast of energy shot through his hand, and Arthur felt the drain through his open gate. He began to force it closed, uncertain if it was already too late. Orion wasn’t resisting any longer. It was too late, though. Arthur felt the key explode in his pocket of space, and the black knight rose back to his feet.

Arthur was kicking himself. He should have forced the gate to close sooner. He couldn’t afford self-recrimination, though. The knight was drawing on his territory armor and his star dress. Arthur darted forward with the Ten Commandment spear in its speed form. It bounced off of the black armor to no avail, but it gave Arthur a chance to get on the other side of the rubble.

The black knight spun, one hand rising. A beam of magical energy shot out towards Arthur. He couldn’t rely on his normal defensive spells. So instead he used the spear, shifting it into its rune save form and cutting the magic in two. The armor’s markings were glowing, its magical absorption on full blast.

Arthur didn’t have time to pause and think. He let his instincts carry him. And with the new cheat power of the Knight his instincts pointed him towards using the spear. He couldn’t directly target the black knight with magic, but it didn’t mean it was useless against him. He transformed the spear into its ultimate form, the holy spear Ravelt. It held the most power of any of its forms. It might be able to strike hard enough to pierce that armor.

The anima was in full storm now. It was odd, though. It was drawing things here, it shouldn’t have the level of effect that it did for sending things away; and yet the effect was massive.

Arthur didn’t have time to consider that. He used his Territory magic, creating shaped explosions to launch himself forward one after another, in the form of makeshift jet boots. The black knight absorbed the magic in them, but they’d already launched Arthur forward and he was already making another explosion. His head cannon turning towards Arthur, the knight’s hands moving into a position ready to strike.

The black knight released his attack, but Arthur roared, darkness firing from his mouth, even as shields of Territory magic formed in front of him. They only lasted moments before the knight was draining them to nothing, but it had been long enough.

The spear struck the armor, and though it deflected much of the force of impact, Arthur felt it pierce and sink in. His body burned. The black knight’s blast might have not been a direct hit, but it had scorched his arms and back. He changed the spear’s form, switching from the Holy Spear Ravelt to its gravity core configuration. The armor’s drain was outwardly focused. It couldn’t stop the magic inside.

“I should have killed you then,” the knight said, energy flaring in every one of the armor’s weapons. Arthur’s territory magic surrounded him, a teleportation spell meant to pull him away. Only his magic was a split instant too slow. He felt the knight’s hand. He was dying, but the armor was still functioning. Arthur could feel the energy of its weapon tearing through his flesh where it drained his territory armor with its touch. He teleported. He knew it’d cost him his arm, but he was going to die if he did not. He appeared outside of the castle, his spear left behind, and blood pouring from where his wrist had been severed.

He formed his territory magic into a series of balls, and used a variant of the magic that would have made them explode, exposing his stump to the fiery heat. Maybe Wendy could have saved his arm. But he didn’t have time for that. He was going to die if he did nothing. The ding of a bounty being completed was hollow and empty in the face of his missing hand. He really wasn’t the cool and edgy Elric, but the angsty navel gazing Corum. Well ok, both of Moorcock’s heroes were angsty.

He cradled his arm. The ding had told him something. He’d ‘won’ the fight. And given he’d been forced to retreat, minus a hand, he had to expect that meant the black knight was dead.

He felt numb with shock. He should have been blacking out from the pain of cauterizing his own arm. But he was a hardy sort, and it seemed to come in handy. He was still standing and while it hurt, he could still function.

Arthur teleported back into the castle. Making certain no one got the knight’s armor was his first priority. The blast from the Ten Commandments Spear had knocked a fair sized hole in the back of the armor - it was easier to push the spear through then to pull it out - and had certainly killed the wearer.

Arthur felt a bit of guilt at that. He probably could have found another way to beat him. It might not have cost him his hand if they’d not both been trying to kill each other. It was the same terrible cycle of fear of death which had happened with him and Serena.

“Another Earthlander. What are so many of you doing on Edolas?” A voice came, and with it Arthur noticed the sheer, intense magical pressure of the one who was speaking.

She was an utterly jaw-dropping woman. She had flesh white as snow, plush, naturally pink lips, hair like a yellow moon, and eyes of a striking, inhuman pink. Her body was well-formed, and full-figured, something that her outfit was designed to emphasize, forming a V between its plunging neckline - if one that didn’t even approach the neck could be called that - and the sleeves which started beneath her shoulders. A hood was attached to the back by a thin strip of material - not that Arthur could see it - but it was long in front, reaching to her feet, although it was a robe, tied at the waist and loose in front to bare flashed of her legs almost all the way up them. The sleeves were loose, and the hood bore an ornament of a gem resting in a winged crescent moon. To complete the pseudo-Japanese look she was wearing a pair of geta, though they strangely had large platform heels in back. She was floating, though, as if she didn’t deign to touch the ground of Edolas.

It was dawning on Arthur who she was. He hadn’t read Fairy Tail in years. But he’d been keeping up to date with its sequel series, and the Moon Dragon God had a quite distinctive appearance. It was Selene. One of the Five Dragon Gods.

“What did you do with the others?” He asked.

“Do with them? Why do you immediately assume I,” She was sniffing the air, her gaze becoming more assessing with every moment, “did something with them?” She was narrowing her eyes at him. “And why is a dragon slayer using other magic so freely? It’s not common for such a mage to mix sorceries.”

“Tell me where Wendy and the others are and I’ll tell you why I’m using other magic so freely,” Arthur responded.

“I hardly think that’s equivalent information and why are you so insistent that I did something to them?” She asked.

“They’re gone. And you apparently saw them.” His Archive magic could no longer detect them. They were out of range of the link. Something had happened to them.

“They’re gone?”

“I can’t sense them. Either they’re dead or they’re somewhere far away.”

“Another non-slayer magic. Fine they’re gone. I didn’t kill anyone here, yet. Though you’re tempting me to change that. I simply sent them away.”

“Sent them where?”

“That’s my business,” the woman said, glaring down at him. “And I don’t think you can make me tell you.”

Arthur felt rage burning up into him. It’d been bubbling through him since he’d been forced to use the dragon force, and this woman seemed intent on bringing it to full bear. The fury of a territorial dragon who was being mocked. His hand tightened around his spear without conscious thought. It’d be useful even against her. But it’d not be enough. He’d need to be able to enchant it with his dragon slayer magic.

He sent it away, storing it in a pocket dimension. “It’s in your best interest.”

“Is that supposed to be a threat?” She asked.

“No. It’s a note that you want Acnologia dead,” he responded.

“Oh?”

“The dragon king who has scoured the southlands clean of dragons and now kills the humans he was created to protect, and only the mutual defense pact of the dragon gods have kept them alive as he fears facing them all at once. You can’t enjoy living in such a precarious position.”

“And what is she to the king?”

Arthur’s Archive magic had identified the location of his black sword. But it had not found Wendy or any of his companions. His sword appeared in his hand, only to flicker into his pocket space. “She’s Grandeeney’s child.”

“That’s supposed to mean something to me?”

“Grandeeney, the Sky Dragon, greatest of the air drakes from the time Acnologia was born. You certainly know of her. But do you know of Igneel’s plan?”

“But you’re not one of those five’s children,” Selene said. “You don’t have any of their scents about you. Darkness yes, stronger than I’d have expected from Skiadrum’s brood, but still weak.”

“No. I’d call Wendy a back up plan at best. But those five children are the hope to avoid a second Acnologia.”

“Really now? And just what makes them that?”

“Dragon antibodies which prevent dragonification. Dragon slayer magic is here to stay, there’s a whole guild of dragon slayers in Guiltina, a new generation born from reverse engineering from legends and texts. There’s one in Ishgar too, born from lacrima formed from dragons’ hearts. But a second Acnologia must be prevented for the sake of the entire world and those five children are the key.”

Selene looked at him. Arthur couldn’t read what was on her cruel, fox-like face. He wished he knew what her true persona was. Was she really the fickle creature who caused distortions because they were entertaining? Or had she really just been working towards an end of the age of dragons so that she could retire in peace?

“Well I didn’t kill her. I really did send her away. You’re right I do want Acnologia dead, and I am well aware of Igneel’s little plan with the humans. But I don’t see why I need you. What are you to Acnologia?”

“The one who will slay him, and then any of the five dragon gods who align themselves against humanity.”

“Really? Is that so?”

Arthur nodded. “I’m not ready yet. But if someone could defeat Acnologia in a straight battle they’d be able to defeat the others. I mean you might give them trouble with your mastery over dimensions.”

She flinched. Arthur’s face must have shown his relief, his whole body having been tensed, his ass and balls clenching as he spoke to the face of a being who could kill him in such a manner. “You know who I am and yet you still speak like that to my face?”

“You are Selene, Moon Dragon God, and creator of distortions. And I am the greatest distortion you will ever find.”

She laughed, cold and cruel, her spatial magic lashing out. Arthur had begun overclocking his mind during the conversation, and his territory contained and deflected her spell, even as the scything crescent moon shaped blades of torn space formed to fly towards him. His new fighting instincts told him the truth, not a single of those blades would have done more than cut the skin. She was playing with him.

Now, though, there was worry on her face. “You struggled against a man in a steel suit, how can you expect to fight Acnologia?”

“Teleport the suit off of the man and maybe you’ll see. It should be much easier now that he’s dead.”

Selene’s right hand twitched. Nothing happened. She tried again. Her feet touched the ground, and her breath grew noticeably heavier, but on the third time she succeeded. And she’d gotten sloppy, leaving pieces of the man inside. It turned Arthur’s stomach. “I’ll admit that’s the strongest suit of anti-magic coating I’ve ever encountered, but it’s nothing to Acnologia. Any dragon resists their element, but they can also eat it.”

“The suit had the power to draw in magic, absorbing it actively through the coating at the wearer’s will, and using it to power a pseudo-dragon roar. The armor was an artificial Acnologia.”

Her lips parted a little. “Who made it?”

“It’s a distortion. Just like me, it never belonged in this world.”

Her curiosity was plain on her face as she looked at him. She was used to being the one in control; to pulling the strings of others. And here there was something she was completely unaware of until now and which seemed to have dangerous amounts of knowledge.

“Where do you belong?” She asked at last. His magic was that of an Earthlander. But she could smell dimensions well enough to know his flesh wasn’t. He’d lived there. He stank of Earthland. But he wasn’t native to it. Or Edolas. Or Elentear. Or any other dimension she was aware of.

“But doesn’t that make me just perfect as one of the distortions you desire?” Selene couldn’t say no. She just looked at him in abject shock for a moment. Shock which turned to a touch of fear as the black armor appeared around his body. It was a bit too big for him. He’d have to see about resizing it. And repairing the back. Still Arthur could feel its systems engage, feel it ready to recharge its energy stores with her magic. “I am the one who will kill Acnologia. And I will slay the dragon gods who stand for humanity’s destruction. But I don’t think you necessarily count among them.”

The battle with Ignia. It had been one where she risked everything to protect her seed of cohabitation. The schemer who played the villain because it was ‘necessary’ was her true face. At least he was betting on it.

“I still don’t know the extent of your strength,” She said.

“It’s insufficient. That’s why I want you to help me.”

“Help you? You’re a dragon slayer sworn to kill the dragon gods and I’m a dragon god.”

“But you’re not really a foe to humanity, are you? Acnologia will eventually reach other dimensions. If not him one of the other dragon gods will. You just want something powerful enough to close the book on the age of dragons permanently so you can live in peace. But to find that power you create distortions. Am I wrong?”

There was silence. She was obviously gauging him. He was wearing a deadman’s armor, the stench of their sweat filling his nose. It was disgusting, and he felt his remorse growing more and more over the death he had inflicted. Overclocking just gave him time to think about it, errant thoughts about how there had to be a better way. How he had to be able to talk him through it popping into his head. And that led to thoughts about the sheer destructive distortion he had created when he’d accepted that deal with the devil that had created the dark knights.

Finally Arthur broke the silence just to stop thinking about his own guilt. “I’m right. And I’m the distortion you’ve been looking for. Teach me your magic. My territory magic can’t hurt Acnologia. He’s a dragon. But if I can learn your magic, I’ll be one step closer to beating him. Cease your tampering with Elentear, let its magic return to natural levels. You’ll destroy it before finding a distortion half as useful as I am. Instead… Look here. You made Elentear have more magic. Couldn’t you do the same to Edolas?”

“You’re insane,” She said. “You think you can dictate terms to a dragon god?”

“No. You can leave any time you want. I am simply offering you a deal. We work together. I slay your enemies, and you make a world prosper.”

“What’s in it for me, human?”

People were beginning to gather. This world’s Fairy Tail, and the survivors of the royal guard. They didn’t dare approach. The black knight had been more dangerous than the Dorma Anim. And even the people of Edolas could feel the magic which radiated off of Selene.

Even Carla, heart breaking over her failure to protect Wendy, didn’t dare approach right now.

“Let’s discuss this somewhere more private,” Selene said. “The humans are gathering.”

“Shouldn’t they gather for their new goddess?” Arthur asked, his tone going somewhat hushed as he stepped closer towards her. He had to be careful. If she assumed her true form it was still very much possible she could crush him like an insect.

“What?”

“The people of Edolas followed a shitstain of a king because he promised them infinite magic. You are that promise made manifest. You want to live in the luxury of a queen, served by all the resources of a world? Grab Mystogan, make him king, while you stay as some sort of senior empress, let him handle the administration of the world, and breathe new magic into it. The people will see you as their benevolent goddess and all that you can survey will be yours.”

Selene smiled a bit. She liked the sound of that. But she wasn’t sure about any of this. The mere human before her dictating terms to her still irked her immensely. It stung her pride. She had to add something. “I’ll think about it,” She said.

“No time to think. If you want to take over this is the time. Declare you stopped the mad machine. Declare you came to end Faust’s tyranny. Start flooding the world with magic and declare your purpose. Hell, pull the hand monster from Elentear here if you don’t have the power to do it on your own.”

“...” She gave Arthur a look that chilled him to the bone. He’d pushed too far. “I am a dragon god,” she reminded him. “I will not be talked to by some mere human this way.”

“I am no mere anything,” Arthur could feel the dragon force. Could feel that draconic power. He could face her. Even in her full power if he was willing to grasp that strength. And it was calling to him. Goading him forward. The Ten Commandments Spear appeared in his hand; its speed form there to heighten his reflexes and movements to escape any surprise attack.

“You’ll be my mere servant,” She said. “You want me to play the role you assign to me. For me to dance to your steps. No. I am a dragon. I have my pride. I’ll teach you. But you won’t just slay the dragon king and the dragon gods. You will serve me.”

Arthur wasn’t sure about this. Agreeing to be her slave was not something he wanted to do. He’d stepped back, his bravado failing him. Selene noticed. A look of disappointment spread on her face.

“Once,” Arthur said as he rallied himself. “I will perform one task as you demand it, unrelated to my sworn duty, anything at all as long as it can be completed within a year.”

“Once?” Selene’s transformation was instant, her claw slamming down where he had been. Where there had been a woman modeled somewhat on a kitsune, now there stood a dragon. Her body was long, a neck almost the length of her torso, and a tail almost the length of either. A pale creamy yellow fur began on her face and covered her throat, similarly sleaving her limbs from wrist and shank up to her shoulders and hips, before fading to scales that covered her body and tail. She didn’t have wings, at least not exactly. Instead she had eight fox-like tails.

And the sheer presence of magic from her had increased at least by an order of magnitude. Arthur felt the urge to drop to his knees. This was strength. This was like the darkness dragon when he had first encountered it. Or… it made him for all his power compare to it almost like he had then. Maybe he was twice as strong in comparison. But he was still a mouse standing before an elephant.

He had dodged her blow, though. It hadn’t been as simple as using the spear’s speed form to move. She had wrapped him in a spatial distortion. But his territory had warped him out of it. And now he was draining her magic to fill the armor he wore. It was too much, though. His magical strength had been enough to threaten to overwhelm it, and now he was realizing he could have not spent two of his discounts on niche abilities, and simply have bought more magical power.

Not that he had time to think about that. The spear was heavy and unwieldy for one arm, but it would have to do. It had switched to Rune Save.

“I don’t want to fight you,” He said.

“Why would you fight me? You are my knight, and I am the goddess of the moon descended to restore magic to Edolas. But I will call on you, my knight, to serve me… thrice.”

Arthur was surprised. The killing intent that had made him warp back was gone. Already Selene was turning to the humans gathered around and speaking loudly for all to hear, declaring her ‘nature’ as Goddess of the Moon, and her intent to restore magic to Edolas.

And Arthur realized that if he didn’t say something now he was tacitly agreeing to serve her three times. And he had a feeling if he pushed for twice she’d call the whole thing off.