After the deafening blast from the heavens, the shockwave rippled through the entire mountain range. The blinding light faded, and Aquarius suddenly felt all the pain and stiffness drain from her body.
The lingering purple-black glow that had corroded her form vanished completely, replaced by the soft warmth of starlight. Wendy and the Ocean Dragon's healing spells, now unobstructed, flowed through her like a calm tide, mending wounds and restoring strength.
"Aquarius! Are you okay now?" Lucy asked, her voice full of joy and relief.
"Yes." Aquarius nodded, her expression gentle once again. Then, remembering Lucy's earlier cry of "Old Man!", she added with a small sigh, "You should really show the King more respect."
Lucy smiled brightly. "I always respect Old Man!"
Aquarius chuckled helplessly and shook her head. Typical Lucy.
But the brief warmth between them stood in stark contrast to what was happening above.
The Celestial Spirit King and Phatret were now facing each other head-on, their immense forms looming high over the mountain, radiating power so great that even the air itself trembled.
Phatret's colossal frame, nearly equal in size to the Celestial Spirit King, rose slowly into the air until the two stood eye to eye. His voice was thunderous.
"You dare to leave the Star Spirit Realm," he said coldly.
The Celestial Spirit King's deep voice was calm, but carried the weight of the stars.
"Overstepping into the Human World is a violation of the ancient accords. To harm contractors without cause is unforgivable. Return with me and accept your judgment."
Phatret scoffed, his expression curling into disdain.
"Judgment? Foolish words. A true King transcends rules. A King never sins, never needs forgiveness. A King does not bow to anyone."
Rhodes, watching from afar, rubbed his chin. 'Quite the imposing speech,' he thought, eyes narrowing. 'But someone that confident usually has a big weak spot.'
Still, with this much magical pressure, ambushing him head-on was unrealistic. Better to prepare a coordinated strike, when the time came.
The Celestial Spirit King's tone hardened. "You are beyond reason. Then by the light of the stars, I shall pass judgment upon you!"
The stars above flared brilliantly. Constellations glimmered into view, their ancient shapes shining with divine clarity. The King's greatsword shimmered, its blade now sheathed in radiance.
Phatret raised his scepter in turn. "And I, by the same stars, shall make you vanish into eternal sleep!"
A second starfield appeared above his head. But unlike the King's serene white constellations, Phatret's chart was chaotic, shifting lines of crimson and violet, pulsing like wounds in the sky.
Two skies. Two worlds of stars, colliding above the same mountain.
The heavens seemed to warp as both Kings gathered their power. The wind howled wildly, lifting dust and stones into the air. The Ocean Dragon's wings trembled as she fought to stay steady.
Antinous, standing far below, raised one hand and gestured for his soldiers to fall back. The temple guards obeyed without a sound, shadows disappearing into the misty ruins.
Aquarius turned to Lucy. "Lucy, we have to leave. Now."
"What? But aren't we going to help Old man?!"
Aquarius shook her head gravely. "This is a battle between Kings. It's not something we can interfere in."
Just then, Rhodes lifted his head sharply, his eyes glinting. He raised one hand and pointed into the distance. "Good timing. Sister Ocean, head that way. Quickly."
The Ocean Dragon didn't hesitate for even a second. She adored clear, simple commands, and this one was perfect. Her wings beat once, and the massive Dragon turned and dove in the indicated direction.
"Huh? Wait, what's going on?!" Lucy barely had time to react before the entire sky erupted.
A thunderous BOOM split the air, the sound of the two Kings clashing.
The Celestial Spirit King's radiant sword met Phatret's dark scepter. The two starfields collided like galaxies at war, their light bursting into spirals of gold and crimson.
At the exact point of contact, space warped and folded inward, creating a pulsing black void.
The void trembled, then exploded outward.
A shockwave of raw power surged across the sky, sending both colossal figures flying backward dozens of meters before they steadied themselves.
Below, the mountain groaned in agony. The clouds were completely obliterated, revealing the fractured temple clinging to the peak. A massive crack ran down the slope where the Ocean Dragon had once blasted her way through.
The Dragon herself staggered in midair, struggling against the fierce winds. The gusts were so strong they seemed to push her along, doubling her speed whether she wanted it or not.
The three unconscious Magicians nearly got blown off her back, but Natsu, Gray, and Yukino each grabbed one in time.
Lucy clutched at her seat, her eyes wide. She understood now. Aquarius hadn't insisted they leave merely to avoid the battle, it was because the King intended to fight alone.
This was personal.
"Brother Rhode, where are we going?" Wendy called out.
Rhode's eyes glowed faintly as he activated his Void Divination. "We're heading to our next guest. There's someone trying to seize control of my familiars. He's right on this mountain."
The Ocean Dragon banked sharply downward.
They soon spotted him, a scruffy man crouched on a cliff ledge, wearing a dog-skin hat and a rough beast-hide coat, a crooked staff clutched in his hand.
He stared intently at the three magical beasts before him: two massive wolves, and a two-headed one that snarled under its breath.
The man had been given a very simple mission:
Cooperate with the rebellious Star Spirits. Control as many Magical Beasts as possible. Hunt down Celestial Spirit Magicians. Seize their keys. Build an army for the war that had just begun.
He had been quite successful, until now.
But these three wolves before him were proving to be an exception.
Massive, sleek, and wreathed in faint dark mist, their eyes glowed like twin moons in the fog. He frowned, puzzled.
"My taming magic isn't working… How about you try your domination?"
The one he addressed was not a human, but a strange piece of equipment, an ornate saddle with carved eyes, a nose, and a faintly smiling mouth.
The saddle tilted slightly, as if nodding, and three eerie purple lights shot out from its frame.
The lights struck the three Shadow Wolves, instantly transforming into tangible restraints, saddles, reins, and muzzles that adjusted their shape with uncanny precision, locking firmly around the beasts' bodies.
Even the Two-Headed Wolf received twin muzzles, each shimmering faintly with the same purple energy.
The Shadow Wolves growled low, thrashing violently, but the magical gear refused to come loose.
"Grrrrrr…"
Their instincts screamed danger. They had been ordered only to scout and locate any Magicians in need of help, but these two before them were unmistakably enemies.
With a roar, the wolves lunged.
The Two-Headed Wolf was deflected midair by the man's curved staff, while the two smaller Shadow Wolves pinned the sentient saddle to the ground, their claws scraping against its surface.
But the muzzles restricted their jaws, they couldn't bite. Their attacks were reduced to harmless swipes and pushes.
"Tch. I didn't expect to meet Magical Beasts this resistant to control," The curly haired man muttered with a hint of frustration.
Under normal circumstances, he might have relished the challenge. But today, time was short. The rebellion could not wait for experimentation.
He tightened his grip on the staff. The polished wood twisted and lengthened in his hand, reshaping into a primitive spear, a sharpened stone lashed to its tip.
His muscles tensed. He drew back his arm, preparing to throw.
And then a hand clamped down on the back of his head.
"Wha—?!"
Before he could react, his vision spun violently. His body was yanked forward and slammed headfirst into the ground. His forehead collided squarely with the ornate saddle beside him.
Thud!
The impact drove both him and the saddle into the dirt. Dust burst outward in a puff.
Rhode's calm, almost lazy voice followed:
"Who allowed you to touch my husky?"
There was a brief silence, then a faint crack in the air, like space twisting.
When the dust settled, the spot where Comet Hunter and the saddle had been standing was empty. No trace remained.
Aquarius blinked in surprise. "That was fast. From the look of it, those two were the Comet Hunter and Jar, right? The beast-control pair."
Yukino's face turned serious. "Then the Magical Beasts that attacked us earlier..."
"Controlled by them, most likely," Aquarius replied with a faint smile. "But it seems someone just handled that problem for us."
She looked toward Rhode meaningfully. "Thanks to that, the enemy's overall strength should drop sharply."
And indeed, as her words fell, the battlefield reflected the shift.
All across the mountain range, chaos erupted.
In the skies, raptors that had once been harassing the rescuing Star Spirits suddenly faltered midflight, eyes clearing of their red glow. Some screeched and fled into the distance, while others turned their claws against their former allies.
On the ground, lions, serpents, and boars that had been rampaging under control of dark energy froze as if waking from a nightmare. Their attacks ceased. Many bolted into the fog, while a few turned back, roaring in confusion or rage at the rebellious Star Spirits beside them.
The tide of battle had shifted in an instant.
Just then, a confident voice rang out from behind.
"Looks like we're late to the party."
A handsome man with sharp eyes stepped out of the clearing fog, leading a squad.
Natsu grinned, clenching his flaming fist. "Nah, you're just in time!"
...
Stones PLzzz
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