Individual commitment to a group effort... that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

—Vince Lombardy

CHAPTER THREE: Eradicated

"You scoundrel!" Makarov shouted as he continued to wrestle with Acnologia. "I don't know what you're after... but you're not gettin' past me! 'Cause my brats are behind me!" Acnologia continued to but into Makarov's injured stomach. Acnologia opened his jaw, and Makarov grunted as he was pushed back. Acnologia roared again, pushing Makarov into the dirt. His claw clutched at Master Makarov's skin, and Makarov roared with pain.

Acnologia climbed on top of Makarov, making Makarov stay down where he lay. Master Makarov smiled. 'For the first time... I acted like a parent,' he thought as he assumed he would die. 'I have no more regrets.' The light shone down on them, and Acnologia opened his mouth. Makarov collapsed, laying his head back down, eyes closed as he continued to grin. He eyes suddenly opened as he heard human footsteps.

Natsu raced past him, running towards Acnologia, whose head turned towards him. Acnologia's tail crashed into the dirt, and Natsu rolled to avoid it. Makarov's eyes widened as Natsu climbed on top of the tail, clutching at the skin. "Gimme back..." Natsu said, "Gramps!" Makarov moved his head so he could look at the fire dragonslayer.

"Natsu?" he questioned to the pinkette, who climbed up higher onto Acnologia's wing. The wing was extended, and Natsu fell. The wing slammed into Makarov—still in giant form—who slammed back into the rocky terrain. "Erza? You too?!" Makarov said as he saw the red-haired mage stand in front of him protectively, much like he had done earlier with Natsu.

"I was against it... but do you think the people in your guild would run away, leaving a senile old fool behind?" Makarov could hear his grandson, imagining him standing over nearby, before turning his head to meet Makarov's eyes. Makarov smiled slightly at the prospect. 'He must've been in hiding, along with Wendy, Charle, and Lucy. Clever children.'

"Bring it!" Erza challenged, pointing her sword at Acnologia. Behind her, the rest of the guild mates present roared with anticipation, each preparing to fight. Makarov's eyes watered as he looked at his 'brats.'

"Idiots," he said.

"Hey, morons! All the power you have!" the Laxus-mirage shouted, and it was almost as if the guild could hear as they charged. "Anybody who says 'I don't have any more than this,' I'll kick your butt! Combine your puny Fairy Tail powers with my lightning attack, and let's knock this good-for-nothing dragon for a loop!" His body crackled with lightning.

"Laxus-san!" everyone present shouted. 'Could they see him too?' Makarov wondered. As he looked around, Gajeel, Lucy, Wendy, and Charle seemed to be preparing to fight. Lucy's hand was clutching a key, while Charle was floating above with Wendy. Gajeel was grimacing as he sized up the dragon.

"Laxus?!" Natsu said, eyes widening as he watched Laxus glow.

"Hey, Natsu! Get outta the way!" Laxus shouted.

"W-W-Wait a second!" he said, not believing his eyes. 'How did Laxus...?'

"Laxus! Now!" Erza ordered, getting over the confusion.

"Hey!" Natsu complained.

"Raging Bolt!" Laxus shouted.

"Heaven's Wheel! Blumenblatt!" Erza.

"Super Freeze Arrow!" Gray.

"Water Nebula!" Juvia.

"Solid Script Fire!" Levy.

"Sagittarius, now!" Lucy.

"Evil Explosion!" Mirajane.

"Been a long time since the Raijinshuu fought together!" Freed. His attack didn't need words.

"Really let 'im have it!" Bickslow. Neither did his. Evergreen silently did hers. Happy flew Natsu out of the way as an explosion of power hit the apocalyptic dragon. It was yellow and white-blue, surrounding the dragon. The dragon roared.

A small girl with dark green eyes, blond hair, and wings on the sides of her head stood on Tenroujima. She wore a mainly white dress, with blue triangles and red lines. A bow was around her neck, with a white half-cloak around her shoulders. She folded her hands near her mouth.

"Damned monster! You took everything we got and you're still grinnin?!" Laxus frowned. "You guys, last chance to take him down! Go, Natsu!"

"Laxus, that idiot! I'm gonna beat the crap outta him later!" Natsu promised. "Yes, later..." He/Happy, Gajeel/Pantherlily, and Wendy/Charle flew towards Acnologia.

"Roar of the Iron Dragon!"

"Roar of the Sky Dragon!"

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!"

Acnologia was sent crashing into the cliffs.

"Did they do it?"

"No."

"Gildarts!" Gray noticed.

"It's not using the power that it did when it fought me," he explained. "It's just playing with us."

"Wha...?!" Natsu shouted. An explosion burst behind them, sending them away and making rocks tumble and turn as they flew up in the air. Acnologia flew up to the sky, wings and tail spread just under their view of the sun.

"It ascended again!" Erza shouted.

"Crap! It's as healthy as ever!" Elfman cried in shock.

"Ugh..." Gajeel groaned.

"Even though we gave it all we had... And we had the power of three dragonslayers... Even with concentrating the entire guild's power together..." Wendy muttered.

"Damn it!" Natsu said, kneeling, putting his arms to the ground in fists. "Some help Dragon Slayer Magic is!" he growled in frustration.

"What does it intend to do?"

"Maybe it'll just go home..." Happy said hopefully, sweating slightly.

"Don't let your guard down!" Charle warned. Acnologia opened his mouth, and wind swirled from it, glowing.

"Breath?" Gajeel questioned.

"Don't tell me it means to wipe out the whole island?!" Cana voiced.

"No way..." Evergreen murmured.

"Oh, no..." Juvia agreed.

"Maybe it's just hopeless..." Natsu's eyes widened as he heard that voice. Lucy had her fists curled up by her eyes, and was sobbing quietly. "Is it gonna end for all of us here?"

"Everyone wh can use defensive magic, go full power!" Erza instructed.

"I don't have time to draw runes!" Freed apprised them.

"There's plenty of other kinds of defensive magic you can do with letter based magic!" Levy encouraged.

"Th-That's right," Bickslow agreed, clenching his fists by his chest.

"That's our Levy!"

"Everyone!" Lisanna called, putting her hands around her mouth and successfully bringing their attention to her. "Focus all your magic power on Freed and Levy!"

"Everyone hold hands!" Mira said, stretching out her bandaged left arm.

"We're not gonna let it end here!" Natsu said, holding his arm out to Lucy. She grabbed it, and Natsu held it tightly.

"Right!" Lucy concurred. "I refuse to give up!"

Gray grabbed Lucy's other hand, saying, "Everyone, join your power together as one! Let's show this creature the bond of our guild!" Juvia nodded, clutching his other hand, blushing.

Laxus smiled, reaching his hand down to Makarov, whose eyes teared up even more. He accepted it, tears trickling down his cheeks as he smiled.

"That's right! Let's all go home together!" Makarov said. Everyone got into a circle.

"To Fairy Tail!" they all screamed. Acnologia let his attack rain down on him as Lahar, Zeref, and Mest/Doranbolt—who was safely on the government's ship—watched.

No one noticed Charle, Happy, Lucy, Gajeel, Laxus, and Wendy all smiled evilly before disappearing in a burst of sparks. A total wave soared up, before letting down, revealing a plain, dark island of rock.

Meanwhile, Ultear and Meredy, on a rowboat nearby, watched it carefully. The water covered the island as Acnologia continued to survey the damage.

"It's over, huh, Natsu?" Zeref mused.

December 16th, X784. Tenroujima. Acnologia annihilated the island.

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Edited: July 3, 2015

Length: 5 pages, 1220 words.

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