A/N: Yes. Yes, I'm back. Yes, I finally pulled my shit together and decided on finishing this fic. However, I know so much has passed. And I know most of you had already moved on with this story I once started when I was.. Well, younger. I know the manga itself has gone far enough that I can now consider this story belonging to the Canon-divergence section.

But finally, I'm here. And for all of you who stuck with this story for years.. Years, man. And for those people who became special to me because they kept reminding me of this story and how it was appreciated more than I thought it would, thank you guys.

On the more important note, this story is officially on the Canon-Divergence track. I am disregarding the manga, but I will maintain the original characters and the progress that this story had made. It has been a long time since I stumbled into this fandom, and I may have forgotten a lot of details.

I hope you don't mind.

So, to all you lovely sweethearts who's still reading this admittedly flawed, and annoyingly delayed chapter: I love you, this is for all of you.

As always, I do not own, claim Fairy Tail nor its characters. Mistakes are mine.

Italic- Flashback

Chapter 14: It all starts here

It's Jellal who grounded her back to Earth, to Magnolia, to the current reality of chaos.

The blue-haired man held Erza's shoulders as if to piece her back. He didn't know what happened the whole time they've been separated; didn't even remember properly how he lost sight of her before everything around him literally blew in front of his face.

It's Jellal who called her name, repeating it until said owner finally turns her hazel eyes towards him.

"Are you alright?"

Erza had a lot to say for that. She had ran into that one person who she had longed to talk to after two long years, and the first thing she did was actually punch the guy right in the face. The second thing she did was noticing who it was. Then, the worst part was realizing too late that Oh my God, it's Gray. He is injured and I just almost killed him.

Oh, she wished she could lie and say yes.

She couldn't, for the life of her. Erza did, however gave a small nod, afraid words would stumble our her mouth and make a mess. She brought up her hand to gently touch Jellal's cheeks, feeling warmth there. Erza focused on that for now. Focused on the fact that Jellal was okay and he was not stabbed and thank Mavis for Gray-

It's Jellal's touch on her own hands that interrupted her spiraling thoughts, and Erza could hear the silent words whispered into her palms, I'm okay.

Erza was grateful. Then she looked around, a question showing un his features. Jellal immediately responded, "Somehow we all got separated. But I trust they will head back for the guild as well. We need to get back to Master. We need to know what's happening. And how we can help. Okay?"

The last part was probably meant to have at least two different meanings. She understood both, but also knew the difference of her answers. So she ignored the silent question and nodded, face set into a full-on Titania mode, "I heard explosions from the guild's direction. I have a feeling everything we had accomplished these two years are all for this moment."

If Jellal noticed the avoidance of question, he didn't point it out- another thing Erza was thankful for this man.

They sprinted back to the guild.

Gray patted himself for a job well done. Okay, it was a job fairly well done. Makarov was never going to not notice when his kids are hurt in any way, but at least the old man understood that in this time of chaos the small miracles like having his children alive and home were more important.

"They plan of monopolizing magic in this country." Gray reported in his bland tone that might have been insulting to anyone, but never in Makarov's ever-knowing eyes.

"They?" Makarov hoped not for the worst but then Gray shook his head.

"The corruption has reached far enough. The Magic Council and the Royal Kingdom may still have people against this, but as we already see, the Alliance had planned very well."

"They have other weapons beside these anti-magic artillery?"

"I'm afraid so. They were busy on this project. I didn't have time to dig deeper. But it has to be on that ship, I don't think its size is only for accommodating the army."

"Hmm.. That makes the job quite easier." Makarov rose his brow in suspicion.

"I guess. We'll never know until we capture the ship."

"In that case, I will leave that mission to you and a few others you would want to take. I fear that there more of them coming from the other entrances. I've received news from our friends in the other guilds and had also been fighting their battle, we may be on our own now." Oh, he got the point fine of course: lure out the rats with a big cheese and then strike when their lair is empty.

Gray repeated that statement in his head and realized how the situation ridiculously skyrocketed into a full-blown war. It's them, Fairy Tail against the Council and the Kingdom itself.

"Okay."

If this was any other day, he'd probably raise a good sarcastic remark.

All he could conclude right now was the fact that they were trapped inside the spider web. And by the look on Makarov's face, he's pretty sure they will raise hell if they have to just to kill the spider itself and untangle themselves from this mess.

And he's glad for now, for the chaos. Not in a sadistic, selfish kind of way just because he had all the right to complain about being beaten up then thrown into a serious battle. But he's glad, because for now he could concentrate with the pain in his flesh and bones.

Could concentrate on how to get through this day and survive.

Could concentrate on freezing the life of all the maniacs behind this chaos.

And not on the sad fragments that was once his heart.

"Hey, earth to Ice Princess." Natsu's annoying voice vibrated in his eardrums.

"What're you thinking about, Gray? Is everything alright?" Came Lucy's concern that followed.

"That itself is very dangerous, Gray. I can see smoke on your head." Cana threw back, apparently being a little shit despite them running around endless corners to reach their target. Natsu was kind enough to laugh at his face. "Shut up, Ash-for-brains. At least I'm using my brain cells." He elbowed the offending man, but exchanged looks that carried a deep conversation.

Natsu elbowed back, nudged at Gray's ribs (thank God for Wendy's thoughtfulness. That girl is a savior) a little too gently.

Gray felt a little more okay, at least for now.

The heavy feeling that sat on Erza's chest was back to torture her as they neared the guild. She had half a mind to find Gray there. She had half a mind to think of all the what-if's and what-do-I-say's. She anticipated for the crushing feeling only to find no silhouette of the ice mage there.

And she thought it felt worse.

"Erza! You guys're fine!" Meredy immediately dashed towards them, Ultear in tow." We were worried. After the blast, we couldn't find any trace of you both, so it had to be a form of magic or something that hit you."

"I am glad you guys are okay. Is everyone else accounted for?"

"Yes," Levi stood with a face of determination and silent rage. It was a face Erza knew too well, of course. Fairy Tail is family, and a family looks after its own.

"Gray, he-" Mira shook her head, as if in an internal struggle to keep things on priority. "He brought back what might be the only way to stop this fight."

Titania's face crumbled for a second, but again it's Jellal's who kept the walls from folding. "Alright, tell me the plan."

The plan was the usual Fairy Tail style of storming the place guns-ablazing. Except that they will have to make sure they're not caught in the line of fire. The resident snipers were given the most important objective: to find the marksmen who kept shooting bullets at every mage on sight and reducing their fighting number.

The bullets were casted with a powerful anti-mage spell that turned every drop of sorcery in their system against them, Polyusca had pointed out first and foremost. So, that was a first concern.

Second was to keep the civilians sheltered under the what sturdy frame the Guild itself provided, adding a strong line of defense.

The rest was easier, with a guild as strong as Fairy Tail's: Destroy everything. And that mother ship. And everyone in the way.

Well, that was kind of a fact until it was clear that these corpses running around stealing other people's identity were going to be a pain. Many powerful dark magic users were on their in their side. And the Kingdom's soldiers were all fighting for the wrong side. So, the whole storm-the-place up became more difficult with a lot of people involved, and less on their side.

There were those problems.

And then Jellal ripped the air where Erza's neck was there seconds ago, while they were running towards the mother ship.

And then, there's this kind of problem.

"E-Erza...I- I swear I didn't do it...he just.."

Jellal's hands were slick with red fluid not his own. His pupils and irises had gone the smallest, almost disappearing, and cold sweat ran buckets from his forehead. "What happened? Tell me what happened here, answer me-Jellal!"

"I don't -I DON'T KNOW! I saw that mark...accidentally..and then I didn't know what happened next. When I came to, the dagger-it's on my hands.. I could've-I didn't- I killed him...!?"

"Jellal?" The only response she got was a magic circle beneath her feet. No, not this again.

"Jellal, what's wrong." Erza could think of a lot of ways to answer the question herself. Except that she didn't have time.

"Release the people, you demons! We will not rest until we reach equilibrium in this world. In the new world order, pathetic people like you will not be allowed to bend magic to your shallow wills!"

All her mind could input was, No, no. They have gone too far.

Erza saw first hand how possession, mind-control once broke the man he loved. And suddenly her emotions spiked up to an outrage. Because suddenly it all made sense, at the same time evolving into a whole lot different crap. Because suddenly, she realized they all ended trapped in this intricate spider web delicately done within those two years.

Of course, the rational part of her mind defended what honor was left of the Council and the Kingdom itself for falling into the web, too. But no. This had gone too far. She will be giving them hell. Whoever they were.

We will not be doing this again, I will not let you go this time.

A/N: I don't know what I'm signing up for again, and it helps me to see if there are still people reading this fic. Well, if none, then at least I tried? Haha.