Author's Notes: I won't be uploading any new chapters until next week, guys. As always, thanks for reading and don't forget to Rate and Follow my story!

Chapter 10 – Destroy Velder's Gates, Mathilda's Hexes!

After the demon's attack, Lucy and the gang stayed at Honleath for two more days to help the village get back to its feet. Other travelers who also fell in love with Honleath decided to help, too. Nearby villages and towns offered their support as well. The villagers of Honleath thanked them before they left and even gave them a few supplies for their travel north towards Velder.

On the way, Therron came up with a strategy that will get them through Velder the safest and fastest way possible.

"We march straight and destroy their gates." Therron said, not even batting an eyelash.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" It was Erik. "The moment we blow up those gates, demons will rain down upon us. There are thousands of them holed up in that fucking city. How is that a plan, genius?"

"Erik, you didn't let him explain." Lucy looked at Therron apologetically. "Please continue."

"Thank you, Lucy." Therron gave her a curt nod. "As I was saying, breaking through Velder's walls is virtually impossible. It's not just a normal wall. It's full of Ethernano. It will take an attack as powerful as the Etherion just to breach it. It's also as high – or maybe even higher - as the Tower of Heaven itself, so trying to climb over it is useless."

"What about using Aurion's ability?" Lucy looked at Aurion. "You can teleport, right? Why can't you just teleport us on the other side of the wall?"

"Lucy, I can't do that." Aurion answered. "Remember what I told you? I can only teleport as far as my eyes can see. If I can't see what's behind that giant wall, I can't teleport us there."

"Then that gate's our only way in." Lucy concluded.

"Yes," Therron replied. "But don't worry. I have a plan once we're inside Velder."

Tomorrow they will finally break through Velder and Lucy couldn't help but feel scared. The demon they fought at Honleath told them that the Dark King awaits them at Velder. Lucy had no idea about the Dark King's identity or the reason why it wants her. All she knew is that the moment they enter Velder, they're the Dark Kings playthings.

Lucy was so deep in her thoughts, she didn't feel anything when someone walked up behind her.

"Thinking about tomorrow?" Therron sat beside her on the river bank.

"Yeah," Lucy was looking at the water, watching as tiny fishes swim by. "We all know there's a trap waiting for us but we still have to do it. That kind of sucks, don't you think?"

"Of course it does. But we're wizards, Lucy. Our lives will be boring if we don't have these kinds of things to do. Besides, my plan will definitely work. Have a little faith."

"What about Mathilda? She's the heart of your plan. Is she okay with it?"

"Don't worry about her. Mathilda may look fragile but she's more powerful than me and Aurion combined. We actually tried to fight her two-on-one before and she completely destroyed us without even moving an inch. That's how powerful she is."

"Wow," Lucy exclaimed. "I never though she's that powerful."

"You have no idea. Anyway, it's already getting late. You better get some sleep because tomorrow, we fight." Therron stood up and started walking back towards their camp.

"Hey Therron," Lucy called out to him. "Thank you."

Therron didn't turn around. Instead, he waved his hand and continued walking.

Looking at Velder's walls, Lucy couldn't believe how big and tall they were. Her eyes couldn't even see the top because they're already touching the clouds. The gate also looked like something out of a story book. Two gigantic chains connected to the ground adorned the sides of the gate. The gate itself was already old and rusted but Lucy could still feel great power emanating from it.

"You guys ready?" Therron was looking at them. "Once we destroy those gates, there's no turning back. The only way left is forward."

"How about you, Mathilda? Are you ready?" Mathilda gave Lucy a cold stare and just nodded her head in response.

"Can we even destroy that thing?" Erik pointed at the gate. "Even if we combine all our attacks, I doubt we could even scratch that thing, much less destroy it."

"Have some faith, Erik." Therron walked towards the gate and adjusted the glove on his right hand. "My ability gives me physical strength unmatched by anyone. Leave this to me and stick with the plan. Now stand back."

They did as they were told and moved away from Therron and the gate. Lucy saw Therron taking a few deep breaths. He was also clenching and unclenching his fists. Seconds later, red lightning sparks enveloped his right arm. Lucy had never seen anything like it before.

"It's almost time." Aurion whispered beside her, his eyes focused on Therron. "Get ready, everyone."

"Here I go!" Therron bent his right arm, preparing to throw a powerful attack. "Pure Power: Devastating Hook!"

It was as fast as lightning, but the moment Therron's right hook connected with the gate, a powerful explosion followed and completely obliterated Velder's gate. The punch was so powerful, Lucy would've been blown away if not for Erik's help. Dust of the aftermath filled the surrounding and voices could be heard from inside the wall.

"Everyone, now!" Therron's voice signaled the start of their plan. Lucy quickly pulled out a key from her belt and called forth one of her Celestial Spirits.

"I open thee, gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

"Is it time for my weekly punishment, princess?" The Celestial Spirit in maid costume asked.

"Hell, no!" Lucy exclaimed. "Proceed with plan A, Virgo."

"As you wish, princess." Virgo quickly dug a hole underneath them, and the whole group jumped and followed the Celestial Spirit, leaving a bunch of demons flooding out of Velder.

"Using the explosion as a decoy then using Virgo's ability to enter Velder underground was a great idea, Therron." It was Aurion.

Lucy couldn't believe that their plan worked perfectly. When Therron came up with the plan, Lucy was a bit reluctant to agree because it would put Therron too close to the demon's den. However, Therron assured her that he will be fine and that his plans never fail him. Turned out Therron was right and now, the demons are probably scouring outside Velder just as he planned.

Therron also mentioned that Velder's too big for them to continue travelling underground and that they would eventually have to come out and keep travelling above ground. So far, Therron's plan was going smoothly and Lucy took that moment to take a breather.

"Hey woman, you okay there?" Erik asked behind her. "You're thinking too much again."

"I'm fine, Erik." Lucy replied with a smile. "I'm just glad that everything went according to plan."

"Well don't just celebrate yet, we're still not out of Velder." Therron, who was walking in front of them, said.

"We're here princess." Lucy saw light coming down from the hole Virgo dug. They followed the Celestial Spirit above ground and for the first time in her life, Lucy wished she could've remained underground forever.

"Is – Is this Velder?" Lucy couldn't believe what she was seeing. All houses were destroyed, the ground crawling with worms and other insects, human skeletons littered the surrounding area, and the putrid smell of death filled the air. Lucy couldn't even imagine what the people of Velder went through when demons invaded their city. "Demons did this?"

"Yes," Erik answered. "It's even worse than the last time I was here."

"We have no time to waste." Therron said. "We have to get out of here now."

"What's the rush, dearies?"

The group quickly spun around to see what appeared to be an old man wearing some sort of gas mask. He was wearing a simple clothing made of leather and topped with a long lab coat. On his waist was a belt and attached to it were potions of some kind. He also had a cane on his right hand to help him walk.

"Joaquin." Erik uttered behind her.

"Ah, Cobra of the Oracion Seis. I see you've returned. Came to deliver me more poisons?"

"Erik, what is this demon talking about?" She asked him.

"I used to find and deliver poisons for this psycho. But that was before, while I was still a member of Oracion Seis." Erik explained. "This man is dangerous, and strong. We have to run away."

"Run away, you say?" Joaquin shouted across them. "I'm afraid that's impossible, dearies. You see, the Dark King wants all of you dead – except for you blondie. He wants you alive."

"Why? What does he want with me?!" Lucy shouted back.

"I have no time to answer stupid questions. He wants you and he wants you now!"

Behind Joaquin, hoards of demons started appearing. There were hundreds … thousands of them. Each one of them looked like they had been experimented on – their bodies filled with stitches and different body parts attached and replaced one another. They didn't look anything like the demons she fought back when she was still at Fairy Tail.

Seconds later, all hell broke loose as Lucy and her friends were attacked by the demons. Lucy quickly pulled out her Fleuve d'etoiles and managed to fend off few of them. Therron and Aurion kept punching and sending demons flying while Erik's Dragon Slayer Magic kept most of the demons at bay. Still, they were outnumbered thousand-to-one.

"There's too many of them! We have no choice. We have to proceed to plan B!" Therron said as he punched a demon and sent it flying. "Mathilda, now!"

Lucy looked at Mathilda right before she threw her favorite teddy bear towards the sky.

"Hex Magic: Puppeteer's Grasp."

Lucy's eyes widened when she saw what happened to Mathilda's teddy bear. Mathilda's cute bear magically turned into a giant burning bear humanoid, and as soon as its giant feet touched the ground, it started rampaging and decimating all demons around them.

"What the hell is that?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"That's one of Mathilda's powers." Aurion answered, smashing a demon's face on the ground. "She's a Witch and she can do lots of cool stuff with her powers. She once turned Therron into a dog just because he ate the last piece of cookie on her plate."

"That's amazing - and a bit scary." Lucy said as she kept fending off the attacking demons.

On the corner of her eye, Lucy saw Joaquin laughing like a maniac before he pulled out a green potion from his belt and smashed it on the ground. Green smoke slowly filled the air and Lucy saw the remaining demons around them inhaled the smoke like their lives depended on it. Then they changed. The demons grew bigger and became more agitated. Their attacks too, became more aggressive and powerful.

"Now, let's see if you can keep up, wizards. Hahahaha!" Joaquin's laugh reverberated through the air as more and more demons started appearing. Every minute they get stronger, faster, and more dangerous. Lucy was confident it was because of that green potion Joaquin used earlier.

"We can't keep this up!" Erik shouted.

"Mathilda! Plan C!" Therron shouted from the back.

"We have a plan C?!" Lucy never heard anything about a plan C. "Why didn't you tell me we have a plan C?!"

"Hex Magic: Simulacrum."

Under Mathilda's feet, a black Magic Seal appeared. Black smoke poured out of the Magic Seal into the surrounding area. Everything went silent. Lucy couldn't even hear her own heartbeat. What's happening? Lucy thought to herself. Then she heard something. It sounded like … a sheep?

When the black smoke finally dissipated, Lucy's jaw dropped.

"Where did all these sheep come from?!"

Aurion quickly grabbed Lucy by the hand and pulled her away from the weird sight around her. Everywhere Lucy looked, there were sheep. Black sheep, white sheep, there were even pink and blue sheep. Lucy had to pinch herself just to make sure she was not dreaming.

"We'll explain everything once we get out of here, Lucy. I promise." Aurion said, still pulling her by the hand.

"First, we have to get somewhere safe." Therron said, carrying a sleeping Mathilda on his arms.

When the black smoke finally dissipated, the wizards were already gone and Joaquin's army of demons magically turned into herd of sheep.

"That stupid Belial! He never mentioned anything about a Witch!" Joaquin kicked away a sheep when it tried to eat his coat.

"Outsmarted by a Witch, Joaquin?"

Behind Joaquin, four mysterious figures appeared.

"Shut your trap, Chloe. I promise I'm gonna get those brats for the Dark King."

"Why don't you let us help you, Joaquin. I promise we won't get in your way."

"Tch. Fine. But that Witch is mine."

"If that's your wish."

Author's Notes: Ha! You thought there's going to be a major fight scene here, right? You're wrong! Next chapter: Therron vs Megard, A Clash of Pure Power!