Ice Dragon Slayer/Chapter 7: Mythical Demons

Guild Hall
"No way?! That little princess can actually fight?" Gajeel shouted as he read the runes.
"None of us were expecting that." Drake added.
"She's just a cheerleader!" Gajeel shouted.
"Well, they can be tough!" Natsu shouted back.
"You wish." Drake scoffed.
"Really, you two never heard about the tortoise and the cheerleader!?" Natsu asked.
"It was a hare, moron!" Gajeel shouted back. "And that dumb bunny lost, remember!?"
"Yeah, the first time!" Natsu shouted. "They had hundreds of races and the hare won them all!"
"That's a joke Natsu."
"That's it!" Levy shouted, scaring the Slayers. "I need to look at these two grammar styles like the tortoise and the hare, and decipher them at two different rates. If I go through the text mapping, the characters with corresponding frequencies onto Guile grammar, and then translate that into Louge..." She put her pen down and stood up, holding the papers. "It worked!"
"Alright!" All three cheered as she ran over to the wall.
"Just give me a second, I need to rewrite the enchantment." She explained. "You guys ready to join the battle of Fairy Tail?"
"Yeah, I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted.
"Time to take out the trash." Gajeel chuckled.
"Let's end this." Drake stated with narrowed eyes.
With Elfman
Elfman's eyes slowly opened and looked over as Mirajane and Sarah crouched next to him. "Thank goodness..." His sister said with tears in her eyes.
"Mira..." He groaned in pain.
"Sheesh, she really put you through the ringer." Sarah said as they helped him up.
"You're injured." Mira helped him up.
"I'll be fine." Elfman responded. "I'm glad you're back to normal."
"I'm sorry..." She said, confusing him. "For everything."
"What are you apologizing for?" Sarah questioned back. "I see very little you could have done to help out."
"You're right..." More tears fell from her eyes. "Back then with Phantom, and now this... I couldn't do a thing... so you..."
"She doesn't know anything." Elfman said as he sat up. "She's been here for a few day. We all know what you could do."
"And that is?" 
"It doesn't matter." Elfman said."No one thinks you're useless. You're smile lifts us all up, and makes us think of the good times. Just greet everyone with a smile, that's more than enough."
"You're a lot braver than I gave you credit for." Sarah placed a hand on the back of her neck. "Not a lot of people who would run into a war zone without any weapons or magic."
More tears fell from Mira's eyes as Elfman pulled her close. "Come on now, don't cry..."
----With Cana and Juvia
"Juvia, how long do you think those things are activated?" Cana asked as the two girls ran down the street.
"A half an hour, maybe a little more..." The bluenette guessed.
"What a coward." Cana mumbled. "'Battle of Fairy Tail' my ass! Everyone else fights while Laxus hides in a corner."
"Which begs the question, which corner?" Juvia asked.
"Laxus is saving his magic power." Both girls turned around as Freed formed from runes. "It would be foolish for him to fight Master Makarov at less than full power.
"Freed..." Cana growled.
"So he's the one behind the enchantments?" Juvia asked. His body turned into runes and he disappeared from sight.
"Get back here!" Cana shouted as the two ran out of town. "Damn it, where is he?!" An enchanted square stopped them as runes appeared on the ground. "Oh, great, another one."
Runes appeared on the wall in front of them. "It says 'only the wizard who proves herself to be the strongest will permitted to leave this barrier'." Juvia read as Freed reappeared in front of them.
"The victory will then go on to battle me." He explained with his back to them. "Begin when ready."
"That's dirty, Freed!" Cana slammed against the barrier. "If it's a fight you want, then you don't have to go through all this trouble, because I'll take you on right here and now! Or what, are to scared to take us both on at once? Is that it? Terrified of a couple of girls, that pathetic even for you Freed!"
"Honestly, I'd prefer not to sully my own hands." Freed said as he looked over his shoulder.
"You stinking rat!" Cana shouted.
"How could you make your friends fight like this?" Juvia asked.
"Let's get one thing clear." He turned and faced them. "I'd rather see Cana emerge the victor. As for you, you still stink of Phantom Lord. You cannot be trusted. There's no telling when you will turn around and attack us."
"What, like you are now!?" Cana asked enraged. "You don't know anything about her!"
Juvia clenched her hand in deep thought. "I suppose, this us leaves no other choice." She turned her body into water, confusing Cana.
"Wait, what are you doing?" The card mage asked.
"Mr. Freed." Juvia spoke. "If one us falls, do you promise to keep your word and fight the one that remains?"
"Dispite what you think, I will honor my word." He nodded, making Juvia smile.
"Are you nuts!" Cana asked as Juvia condensed into a ball. "You're giving this bastard what he wants!" Juvia took off like a rocket towards Cana, only to hit the wall and bounce back and forth between the barrier.
"Go as high as you want!" Freed shout. "There's only one way out of this enchantment, and that's stepping over your fallen opponent!"
Juvia ignored him and kept climbing up, towards a lacrima. "If one of us must fall to break the spell, then it may as well be myself!"
"She wouldn't!?" Freed asked, realizing her plan.
"Stay away from that thing!" Cana shouted.
"I'll never hurt a friend!" Juvia crashed into the orb and broke it. With a roar of pain, lightning stuck her and she fell to the ground as the enchantment faded. "I broke the enchantment..."
"What the hell were you thinking!?" Cana shouted as she reached the downed wizard. "You didn't have to do that!"
"I wanted to prove... that there was no reason to doubt me..." Juvia explained, breathing heavily. "I love all of you... The Fairy Tail guild... will always be my home..."
"I never doubted you..." Cana teared up at the words. "No one did... you're one of us now... we love you just like, family. Same with Sarah and Drake. Fairy Tail is lucky to have a wizard like you..."
"Do you mean that?" She asked as her eyes started to closed. "That makes me so glad..." Her eyes closed and her head fell to the side.
'I can't believe it...' Freed stared in disbelief. 'She chose to sacrifice herself, instead of taking out her friend!?' He gripped his sword as Cana stood up and held three cards in her hand.
With a mighty roar, she turned around, anger in her eyes. "Let's go, Freed!"
With Drake...
"Where are you Laxus." 
With Natsu
"Ugh, too many people..." Natsu complained as he looked out from a chimney. "I can't find Laxus' scent at all."
----With Gajeel
"I wanna settle the score with Salamander so bad, I can taste it..." Gajeel chuckled as he stood on a branch as a paper doll hovered next to him. "And don't even get me started on rock face. But that lightning idiot is getting on my last nerve, so he's my primary target. That okay with you, master Ivan?"
"Of course..." The doll said back. "Right now, earning Makarov's trust is precedent. Don't draw any unwanted attention to yourself. For now, play the part of the loyal Fairy Tail member. Delivering Fairy Tails punishment will come in due time..."
"Roger that..." Gajeel grinned as the doll fell to the ground.
----With Elfman, Mirajane and Sarah
"Come on, you two." Elfman complied as the two helped him walk. "I don't need your help, I can still walk."
"If my little brother needs me, than I'll be there to help." Mira giggled.
"Wait, you're older." Sarah said. "I figured Elfman was due to his size." 
An explosion rocked the bridge before them. "You seem to be forgetting the first rule of combat." Freed taunted.
"Oh, do tell." Cana sarcastically pleaded.
"No matter how powerful the attack is, its meaningless if it doesn't hit the target." He explained. Cana pulled out three cards and summoned lightning that targeted Freed. "Dark Écriture: Reflect!" He summoned some runes and the lightning turned around and hit Cana, destroying the bridge beneath her.
"Cana!" Mira shouted in concern as the drinker forced herself up.
"You're tough." Freed confessed. "As expected of a guild veteran."
"Take it back..." Cana panted. "Take back what you said about Juvia being a Phantom Girl right now!" Runes appeared on her head causing her to scream in pain.
"What did he do!?" Elfman asked as Cana collapsed. "How dare you!"
Freed looked over at the group and spotted Elfman. "I'm sorry Elfman, but you've been defeated by Evergreen. Therefore, you cannot rejoin the game." He glanced over at Sarah. "You, on the other hand..."
"Shut up!" Elfman shouted.
"We're in the same guild, we shouldn't be fighting like this!" Mira shouted.
"Don't worry about it." Sarah stepped forward. "If he doesn't want to see this is wrong, I'll make him see it."
"You sure about this?" Elfman asked before he clutched his side in pain.
"He's mine." She declared, launching forward. "Dinosaur Arm: T-Rex!"
With one of her arms in flames, she threw a flaming punch at Freed. Freed dodged the flaming punch.
Freed charged her and she used his moment to flip him over and sent him into the soft ground behind him.
Freed stood up and noticed the smirk on her face.
"Why are you smiling?" 
"I got you right where I want you. Dinosaur Soul: Wings!"
She then released a loud screech causing Freed to cover his ears.
'I need to think.' Freed cleared his mind before he vanished into runes.
"Stop hiding and face me." Sarah said. "I'll try not to take your hearing away."
"Come and try." Freed said from behind. She quickly floated over and returned to her normal form. 
Freed ducked and she connected to the tree behind him. "Dark Écriture: Bound!"
Runes appeared on the tree and Sarah couldn't pull her fist out. "What the hell? That's not fair."
"There are no rules in combat." Freed gripped his sword and his right eye turned pure black. "Dark Écriture: Annihilation!" He swung his sword and destroyed the tree, damaging her and sending her sliding along the ground. "Dark Écriture: Bound! Pain!" He swung again, trapping Sarah to the ground as she screamed in agony.
Freed walked over and pointed his sword at her throat. "I'll admit, for a criminal you're tougher than I expected."
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Sarah shouted. "I've never been a criminal."
"Laxus says otherwise." Freed said. "I still can't believe Makarov would let someone like you and your friend into the guild. Pain!" He swung his sword and Sarah cried in pain.
"What, can't think for yourself." She muttered before Freed cast more runes on her.
"Freed, stop!" Mira begged as Elfman struggled to stand. "I'll do whatever you want, just leaver her alone! She can't take this anymore!"
Sarah glared as Freed looked down on her with disdain. "To think we're on the same side."
"So much like their sister..." Freed raised his sword and started to cast runes. "Sweet, but not very good in a fight."
"Go to hell." 
Freed returned to the runes. "This ends now. The final Dark Écriture: Death." That last word echoed in Mirajane's mind and a grave flashed before her. Freed stopped his spell when he sensed increasing magic power. "What is this?"
"I've never felt magic levels like this before." Sarah said.
"Mira, stop!" Elfman shouted.
Mira wept tears as her body was bathed in a golden light. With a massive scream, the ground was ripped out from under her as a dark magic seal appeared above her. Freed stared wide eyed as a crack emerged on her face and the light turned dark. Her arms turned into scales and a tail shot out of her backside. Her outfit melted into a unitard as cracks appeared on chest and legs.
She shot forward and swung at Freed, creating an explosion. "Dark Écriture: Wings!" Freed wrote on his sleeves and a pair black wings emerged on his back. Bat wings shot out of Mira's back and she took of after him, swinging at him when in arms reach. A punch landed and sent Freed crashing into another bridge.
Recovering, he flew as far away as possible, only to turn around and find Mira starring at him. "Die..."
'This is her takeover power...' The Runesmith thought in fear. 'This is the She-Devil... This is Satan-Soul!'
Mira held out her hand and a black magic seal appeared. "Darkness Stream!" Black claws shot out of the seal and tried to grab Freed, who swatted them away with his sword. He tried to cast a spell only to have Mira break his sword.
He flew over a river to escape and Mira followed him. "I know some forbidden spells myself! Evil against evil!" He waved his hand and runes appeared on his chest. "Dark Écriture: Darkness!" His body morphed and twisted into a demon form as both threw a punch, creating a shockwave.
Punches were traded with blinding speed until Mira slammed her knee into his chin. Freed tried to fly away but Mirajane blasted him into a cavern. "Evil Spark!" She placed her hands on his chest and zapped him, sending him bouncing along the room until he landed on his stomach
"Its true.." Freed forced himself onto his hands and knees as Mira floated in front of him. "Her powers uncanny. I heard tales of her strength, but I never imagined that Mirajane was capable of this..." He stood up defiant as Mira stared at him, unimpressed. "You're strong, but I can't afford to lose!"
He roared with all his might as dark energy surrounded him. "Darkness Breath!" A black tornado shot out of the ground and forced Mira up to the surface. "Dark Flash Bomb!" Freed slammed a ball of dark energy into her chest, sending her crashing down into the river. "Did that do it?"
"Forgetting about me." Freed turned around and was punched in the face.
"How did you get free?!" Freed roared as he threw a punch that Sarah ducked.
"There's a lesser-known aspect of my magic. I can vibrate through objects." 
Both traded punches and kicks until Freed coated his hands in darkness and barraged her with attacks. "All that bravado and you can't beat me."
"I thought you'd be smarter than this." Sarah replied. "I'm just distracting you."
"What?" Freed looked confused before she flew passed him. He looked down as a whirlpool appeared in the river before it erupted into a geyser, with Mira controlling it at the center. "She's controlling the water around her?" Freed asked in shock. 'Just how powerful is she!?'
"Evil Explosion!" Mira stopped spinning and sent the spiral crashing into Freed before head butting him. She summoned a ball of darkness between her hands as a magic seal appeared, sparking with purple lightning. "Soul Extinction." She held out her hands and the ball erupted into a beam of energy. The entire town was bathed in a purple light as people stared in shock and confusion.
"I'm never pissing her off." Sarah said.
Freed, in his normal form, looked up as Mira landed before him in the crater and panicked. She roared as her wings sank into her back before she charged him. 'I can't beat her!' He thought as she forced him to the ground. 'I don't stand a chance against such a force!'
Mirajane roared as she brought her fist down before it stopped, inches from his face. Lisanna's face flashed through her head as her spell faded and she returned to normal. "Why did you stop?"
"This battle is meaningless." She explained.
"Spare me your face pity." Freed spat back. "Just finish me off."
"I won't do that because we're allies." Mira sat next to him as the others walked over and Brianna landed. "Were both members of the same guild. That means we work together, laugh together, and grow together."
"No, you're wrong!" Freed shouted. "Laxus is my only ally!"
"It doesn't have to be that way." She said back. "We've been your friends from the very beginning. It's perfectly fine to have that one person to cling to more than anyone else. But you don't have to shut out the rest of us. We're all part of the same family." She grabbed his hand and clasped it. "If you just reach out, you'll find that there's always someone there for you. Once you see that connection, you'll never be able to forget it.
Tears wield up in Freed's eyes before they fell down his face. "I never wanted... this to happen..."
"Yeah, I know that." Mirajane said with a smile. "What do you say next year we enjoy the harvest festival together?"
"She's amazing, huh?" Cana asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Sarah reverted back to normal as Mira helped Freed up. She launched forward and threw a punch that sent him flying backwards.
"That was for pinning me to a tree."
"Way to kill the moment." Cana said, shaking her head.
----Guildhall
"Freed vs Mirajane." Levy read. "Both wizards forfeit. Now there's just one left."
----Kardia Cathedral
Laxus sat at the altar, seething with anger as electricity covered his body.