"Erza!" Jellal supported the shaking mage. "Are you alright?" He asked. She dropped her sword with a distant look in her eyes.
"T-thank you all." She said before collapsing in his arms unconscious.
"Erza!" Jellal brushed her bangs out of her face and behind her ear as he studied her labored breathing. "Hang in there." He whispered before looking up at Mira. "Take me to an infirmary." He said. His demeanor had completely changed. She reverted back to sweet, caring Mira.
"Yea, there's one not too far past the bottom of this mountain." She smiled as she took Erza's other shoulder to help support her. "Wendy," She looked at the blue haired girl on the verge of tears.
"Want me to help?" She walked over.
"Of course, work your magic." Mira smiled.
"I'll do what I can." Wendy said as she began healing Erza.
"Let's go." Jellal said. They started to walk down the mountain.
"Wait. I'll come. Just in case something else comes up." Laxus said nervously followed by Freed.
"Aye! We're coming too!" Evergreen said as her and Bixlow walked up the mountain out of breath.
"When did you get here?" Levy asked.
"We came with Freed, but we had to go back to get something we forgot, and we got back just in time to see you guys heading up the mountain. So we followed." She shrugged.
"The more the better. Let's go." Mira smiled.
"Aye." They said as they caught up with Erza's party. They all sighed in exhaustion and relief, but all too soon an ominous, aggressive air surrounded the area.
"I don't think this is over." Rogue said as he clutched his injured side.
"Hey! Get her down the mountain fast!" Natsu said as he looked over at his fleeing friends, but he saw something he never wanted to see.
"No!" Wendy screamed as Bixlow pushed her out of the way of the black hole swallowing the mages. Carla rushed over and lifted her just in time, but Happy and Pantherlilly were too late to save at least two of the others as the hole closed.
"No!" Natsu screamed as he punched the ground where they used to be.
"M-mira, J-jellal, L-laxus, E-evergreen, F-freed, B-bixlow, a-a-and *sniff* E-erza? Gone?" Lucy cried. Natsu looked at his best friend's crying face and felt something snap within in.
"Whoever's behind this is gonna pay." He said with a new found malice as he clenched his fists. Yukino went over to Lucy to comfort her as she cried. Sting and Rogue walked towards their exceeds, and everyone seemed tense as they waited for the inevitable.
"Wendy! Carla! No!" Happy rushed over to the disappearing duo as a black hole swallowed them, too. He flew into a tree with a bang as the hole closed right in front of him.
"Dammit! How are we supposed to kill this thing?!" Gajeel exclaimed as he pounded the ground with his clutched fist.
"Huh? Ahhhh!" Levy screamed as she felt herself slipping through another hole.
"Levy no!" Lucy exclaimed in tears as Gajeel reached for his favorite blunette. He only managed to grab her arm as it sucked them both into the abiss followed by a struggling Pantherlilly.
"What is this thing?" Gray asked with anger as Juvia clung to him shaking with fear.
"J-juvia will h-help Gray-sama." She stuttered.
"Lucy, Yukino, Cana, Sting, Rogue, Rufus, Gray, Juvia, Lector, Happy, and Frosch," Natsu addressed the remaining mages. "Form a circle back to back. We need to be ready when it comes." He instructed.
"Y-yea. *sniff*" Lucy stood up with the help of Yukino. She took one step forward but stopped when she felt her friend slip from her grasp, and she looked down in horror as Yukino and herself were being swallowed by the abiss. She said no words as time itself slowed but only watched as Natsu and the others tried desperately to catch them before they fell. She held her hand out for Natsu as he neared but to no avail.
Natsu watched as her fingers slipped straight through his, and the hole snapped shut like the jaws of a monster. He stared at the ground in shock.
"L-lucy." He mumbled.
"N-natsu." Gray looked at his dazed friend.
Cana slid down the back of a tree with horror on her face. She just witnessed a majority of her friends, no, her family disappear right in front of her and could do nothing for them. Rufus walked over to her to help her up. She almost wished she could disappear with them. What could she do without her friends? Just as she thought that, she felt a tugging sensation above her and looked up to see the hated void pulling her in. She stood up with determination.
"Cana! What are you doing?" Sting yelled, and Natsu looked at her in a daze.
"See you guys on the other side." She said through clenched teeth and tight fists.
"We'll look for everyone." Rufus said as he floated up towards the hole. It gradually pulled them through and closed leaving no trace of the crime.
"I know if I start moving to join you three the hole will suck me in too, so I'm not coming. I'll see you guys there. Just as Cana said." Gray nodded, and like the hole had listened to his acceptance, it opened up and sucked him and Juvia in.
"Everyone." Natsu clenched his fists in anger. We're coming for you." He said with determination. The three dragon slayers got back to back. They were angry, and they knew they were going to get revenge. They were going to get their friends back.
"Let's go." Natsu narrowed his eyes as they jumped into the opening hole.
