Start of Something Beautiful

Mad Sleeper
Amon walked home through town, holding a bag of groceries in his arms "Man! It feels great getting some nice fresh air!" He said, waving happily to every pedestrian, waving back at him, recognizing him "I should make something nice today...maybe some soup! Hehe, I know Lily loves my soup." Amon walked up the hill to the hotel, reaching the door. He coughed, before barging into the house "I'm hoooome~!" He shouted gleefully "Hm? Where is everyone? Hey! Lamia? Aph?" Amon put the grocieres down, walking into the hotel, closing the door shut behind him "Did she leave...? No, she wouldn't leave it unguarded like this. Maybe Frank and Hera are here?".

He walked around the house, looking in every nook and cranny, but couldn't find anyone. He eventually returned to square one, in the living room, the hotel's lobby "Hmm..." Amon then noticed the entrance to Lamia's basement had markings on it, and kneeling closer, they seemed like scratch marks "...? What the hell?" Amon quickly teleported down to the basement, looking for the light switch "Dammit, Lamia, what the he-...?!" Upon opening the lights, Amon went silent at the sight his eyes gazed upon. His entire family and friends, all on the ground in a large puddle of blood. The sound of flies buzzing about, and the splashing sound of blood as he stepped in it, all of them were simply dead, torn to shreds. Everyone. "...L-...?".

"You fucking moron." Gram said, waking Amon up from his nightmare. However, Amon didn't spring out of bed, instead he lied down on his back, weakly staring around, hearing faint voices around him, while Gram's was clear as day. He felt weak, broken, with no will to stand anymore, just rest down and do nothing.

"Who...is calling...?" Amon thought to himself, looking around, above him feeling something drip on his forehead "Wet...Is it raining...? No...I'm inside..." He tried getting a better look, turning his head to the side, seeing all of his students, Kiva included, standing outside the door, staring in horror "Oh...kids. What...are you looking at? What happened...?" He felt something cold on his chest, and fluff on his arms and leg, trying to look over, he saw he was attached to a life support machine, his arms and leg in casts, and a mask on his mouth, attached to a tube that supposedly stabilized his breathing, and lying down on a hotel room bed, modified to be fitting for an injured patient.

"You honestly don't remember?" Gram called out to Amon "You were reckless again. You lost control so easily. Now look where it brought you.".

"I don't...remember..." Amon said, hearing the door slam shut, as a figure was approaching him, sitting down next to him "...Lamia...".

Lamia placed her hand on Amon's chest, feeling his breathing "Good, your breathing stabilized." She said, standing up, sighing in relief "I don't know if you can hear me right now but...please, don't do that ever again. I almost had a heart attack. Infact, almost everyone did. Sans Juvia, of course. Damn lil' blue headed bitch." Lamia muttered under her breath, looking over Amon, not noticing his eye barely open and staring at her "You've been out of comission for three days...The Grand Magic Games are almost over now...We're not in the top three, but...eh, we're still higher than Ken and her goons. So, that's great, right?".

"Lamia..." Amon tried speaking, but he could barely move a finger, as if his entire body became numb "La...mia...I'm here...I...hear you...".

"Ah well. The final event of the day is soon. I came to check up on ya again. Your students are worried about you too. It was hard explaining it to them...I had to resort to some minor amnesia drugs to make them believe everything I say. After all, I don't want you losing your job." Lamia said, rubbing the back of her head, stretching her arms "Well, time to get back to buisness. Wake up soon, honey." Lamia exited the room, locking the door shut. It was the hotel room, so the only ones to come in were the staff. Somehow, she managed to convince the entire hotel staff to turn her room into a hospital bay, and it only took a couple of drugs to do so.

"..." Amon was left alone in the room. He felt his mind drift off, his eyelids slowly closing shut.

"We're not done talking." Amon openned his eyes, finding himself in a completely different plane of existence. A white plane, the floor, skies everything was simple white.

"Where am I?" Amon stood up, lacking any of the medical equipment on him, even the cast was gone, and he could move around fine.

"Your head." Gram said, as he appeared before Amon, a shadowy figure matching Amon's physique, with a single glowing red eye "We're here to talk.".

"This is my head? It' so...bland.".

"You can modify it however you want." Lucadra said, snapping her fingers, the entire area changing to a cabin inside a deep forest, surrounding by wild life "This is a place of imagination.".

"That's not why we're here!" Gram shouted, the illusion vanishing, returning the white plane, as he grabbed Amon by his shirt "What the hell is wrong with you?! Have you forgotten what happens when you flip your shit?!" Gram shouted at Amon, scolding him for the fight against Krampus.

"I...don't know what happened." Amon said, rubbing his head "For some reason...when I saw him, the more I looked, I wanted to crush him. I wanted to break him so damn much. The longer he stayed standing, the angrier I got. I couldn't take it! If I had continued, then I...".

"You would've killed everyone." Gram bluntly state, releasing Amon dropping him down on the floor, pointing at his face "You might still be too weak to face your own father, but you've grown strong still. Imagine what would happen if you lost control in such a crowded place? You'd kill everyone there. Your family included." Those words caused Amon to feel great dread and uneasiness. Did he really possess such a dangerous power?

"The point of the matter is~" Lucadra intervened, getting inbetween Gram and Amon "Back off a fight if you see yourself about to go full demon, 'kay?".

"Do you think it's that easy?" Gram berated Lucadra "Wrath can overshadow one's natural senses. He loses all power to reason, and above all...".

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Lucadra blankly stared at Gram, causing him to silence "I know that. Meaning, I can help our little...case here." Lucadra grinned, turning back to Amon, using her telekinesis to help him stand back up on his feet "Amon...whenever you start losing yourself, call me, I'll fix it in a jiffy.".

"Fix it? How?" Amon asked.

"If I don't told you, you'd prepare for it, and it'd be ineffective." Lucadra said, smiling slyly.

"Aren't you the one who showed him an illusion of Nyx when we was trapped?" Gram asked Lucadra.

"And without it, he wouldn't have learned a valuable lesson." Lucadra replied, confidence brimming in her tone.

"Hmph. Whatever." Gram said "Regardless, at this state, neither me nor Lucadra can help out on the field except give you advice. So, I'll give you one." Gram cleared his throat before speaking "This is what Azazel wants. He wants you to become a monster, his...demon. His plan is about finding a demon of enough power to even make him run for his money. Do you understand? Your role in all of this is to just be his guinea pig. Even I was, and so are the other Maken. In short, if you don't want Azazel to succeed in his plans, take some theraphy sessions.".

"Azazel..." Amon shook his head, rubbing his head, as if feeling a headache "...I need to know more." Amon said "Gram, where can I find Azazel?".

"What?! You wanna find Azazel?!" Gram snapped at Amon "No! I refuse! If you so much as go near him, he'll kill you! His power far surpasses anything you've ever seen! Not even your father is of any match to him! So don't go around spouting idiocy!".

"...!" Amon stood shocked, silent at Gram's response.

"Which is why, you need to become stronger." Gram said, surprising both Lucadra and Amon "I myself have a grudge against the bastard, so, I'll lend you my strength as long as it's to kill the fucker. After you get back on your feet, we're training even more! I don't care what excuse you come up with, I'm breaking every bone in your dumb body!" Gram declared, making his intention clear.

"Heh, guess I should pitch in too, eh?" Lucadra said "I mean, without us, you'd a died ages ago. Plus, if we work as a team, there's a guarantee we'll kick major 'mounts a ass.".

"...Thank you. Both of you." Amon said.

"Pfft, thanking us...the only reason we're even here is because we can't freely leave." Gram said, brushing off Amon's gratitude.

Meanwhile, in another part of town, during the Grand Magic Games' final event of the day, of the final day, the crowd was shouting and cheering loudly. However, outside the stadium, Amon's student simply sat outside at a restaurant, dinning from themselves.

"You think sensei is gonna be alright?" Sora asked, sounding concerned.

"We may have only known him for a year or so, but I don't think he'll go down that easy," Sol said, eating a steak, using his cybernetic arm to hold it.

"But what kind of thug could be that strong?" Maya asked, going by the story Lamia managed to convince the students about "Must have been someone exceptionally strong...You think it was someone from those Dark Guilds?!".

"It can't be." Mitra immediately rejected Maya's theory "The security that's on them is very heavy. They can't take a piss without being watched. I doubt something like assault would easily go unnoticed." She said, stuffing her face with all kinds of meals, including a salad.

"Unforgivable!" Adrasteia shouted, stomping her foot on the table, causing the food and drinks to shake, and almost spill "For someone to assault our dearest teacher like that...We must find him and make him pay!".

"Adra, please..." Lisa tried calming down her friend, lightly pulling her by her dress, back down to her seat.

"You're all worried for nothing!" Elizabeth said "Clearly, the man assaulted him, but didn't finish the job, because he fought back! Otherwise he would've been dead.".

"How would you know?" Sol asked Elizabeth, who looked worried for a moment.

"It's obvious, you dumbass!".

"Dumbass..." Sol barely seemed bothered by insults anymore.

Kiva sat at the edge of the table, next to Hemera, simply looking down on her plate, having barely touched her food. Not that she could do that so easily. "Are you alright?" Hemera asked Kiva "Want me to feed you?".

"I'm fine." Kiva replied, rather coldly.

"Are you worried about sensei?" Hemera asked Kiva, who simply turned her head to the side, avoiding all eye contact with her "He's your friend, right? Wanna go see 'em?".

"Eh?" Kiva turned back to face Hemera "But, his wife said...".

"Shh..." Hemera hushed Kiva, placing her finger on Kiva's lip "It'll be a secret mission. Like spies or a ninja." Hemera said to Kiva, standing up, grabbing her wheelchair "Kiva needs to go pee, I'll take care of it." Hemera casually said, causing Kiva to blush in embarrassment.

"Don't take too long!" Mitra said to the two girls as they left "Lots a damn pervs out in town these days!".

"Did you have it make that excuse...?" Kiva questioned Hemera, her face still red.

"Yes." Hemera replied "Now, off on our ninja and or spy mission to visit an injured man who you might have a crush on.".

"...What's your hobby?".

"Reading books. Particulary thriller and romance." Hemera replied.

"Don't associate real life with fantasy." Kiva said to Hemera.

"Don't associate a world of magic with a world of machines then. Oh, wait, we live in a world of both." Hemera said, almost sounding as if trying to be sarcastic.

New Gate, New Sky
"Yes..." Krampus stood on top of a building, watching the Grand Magic Games' stadium from afar, looking up at the sky "It's about time...".

"Already? Isn't it a bit early? The eclipse is in another...".

"Diana." Krampus cut off Diana "Things have changed a bit. It will happen in a bit. Call Belial." Krampus ordered Diana, and she did as he ordered, opening up a monitor hologram before him, with Marx being visible "Belial, is everything ready?".

"What? You want it to start now?" Marx asked Krampus, surprised "Azazel, it's still too early. The Eclipse is...".

"I said now!" Krampus, or rather, Azazel snapped at Marx "Things have changed! Someone is there who shouldn't even exist! Events aren't going according to how they're supposed to! As such, we're improvising! Understand?".

"...Very well. One gate to Hell it is." Marx said, as the monitor shut off.

"Azazel...this isn't like you to snap like that." Diana said to Azazel, who turned to face her "What...is going on?".

"...Revolution? Devolution? Evolution? All these are perhaps a clue? Or not..." Azazel said, beginning his famed monologue speech once more, chuckling "Get ready, Diana, for new skies. We'll cover this city in a thick layer of darkness before the day ends." Azazel said, chuckling evily.

At the same time, the Grand Magic Games was nearing its end. The final event of the day, a fight between members from Death's Deal and Grey Skull was still ongoing. At that moment, however, Hisui felt a shiver down her spine, shaking her entire body "...! What...is this bad feeling I have...?".

"My Queen?" Sirius leaned over to Hisui, seeming concerned "Is everything okay?".

"It...is of no matter. More than likely just a cold shoulder." Hisui replied to Sirius, trying to maintain a firm look.

"..." Sirius took off his cape, placing it on Hisui, making sure to cover her shoulders "You must stay warm. Otherwise, you'll catch a cold." Sirius said to Hisui "It's made of the fur of wolves and bears.".

"...I know, Sirius, you've told me your story many times already." Hisui said to Sirius "But...tha-..." Suddenly, a loud tremor caught everyone's attention, as everyone stopped, looking over to try and see what the source of the tremor was.

Amon's students also felt the loud tremor, causing their plates and glasses to fall of their table and shatter "What the hell?! An earthquake?!" Sol stood up, panicking.

"Someone, get a shield up!" Maya quickly ordered, as Elizabeth did that, creating a barrier of darkness around everyone.

"An earthquake? No, it can't be. I just sensed a powerful surge of magic power..." Mitra said, her face becoming serious "Something's wrong...".

"Huh?" Hemera stopped, being midway near the hotel where Amon is at with Kiva "...An earthquake?".

"Kyaaah! Let's go see if Ira is okay! The building could collapse on him!" Kiva said, pressing on Hemera to move faster.

"Oh, alright." Hemera did as Kiva said, keeping up her stoic expression, rushing towards the hotel faster.

"Hello, people of...What was this place again?" A loud voice was heard all over town, catching everyone's attention "Ah, Carex. Right.".

"That voice..." Lamia recognized this voice.

"The clown...!" Mira gritted her teeth upon hearing Marx's voice "What could he...?".

"You may have felt a tremor just now. Fear not, it's not an attack. It was just me dropping a gift." Marx said, as a large hologram appeared above the entire city, enough for every citizen to see by simply looking up. And it showed the Eclipse Gate.

"No...No!" Hisui stood up from her seat, her heart beating faster "This can't be! They don't have...they don't have all the keys yet! This shouldn't...!".

"With the power of Omni..." Azazel monologued over the panicking of the citizens "It can replicate any type of energy to perfection, and it constantly absorbs magic power from the surrounding, from living creatures, everything.".

"And that's how it can work to open the gate...with only two keys at best?" Diana asked Azazel.

"Exactly. It is a rare power source. Infact, it only exists because some Mage created it during the Dragon Civil War to weaken the Grand Demon and other of the Thirteen Calamities in order to seal them." Azazel explained, rubbing his chin "However...I modified it a bit. So, it has...extra uses, but for now...let's focus on the show.".

"At this very moment, I am about to open the door of the Eclipse Gate." The entire city went silent, everyone looking up, listening to the man in the sky, each having a reaction to it, Kiva and Hemera still rushing to the hotel, the citizens in shock, Hisui and the other survivors in fear, the others simply in awe of the sight "So, I hope you all made amends.".

"No!" Hisui shouted at the top of her lungs, as she saw in horror Marx pulling a crimson sphere at the center of the gate, as it began to open, the monitor vanishing at that very moment "No...No, no, no, no!" Hisui quickly turned to Sirius "Sirius! Arm the men, get everyone, anyone who can fight! Now!".

"...Yes, my Queen. I shall do as you wish! But what of you?" Sirius asked his queen.

"I...have things to do here. Make sure the citizens are evacuated!" Hisui ordered Sirius once more, as he quickly rushed out. Hisui walked to the edge of her balcony, pressing a button, summoning a Lacrima before her, as several monitors surrounded the city of Carex. Hisui took a deep breath, before speaking.

"We are reliving a nightmare today." Hisui said, as everyone listened "Today...I declare this day, the Second Dragon's Attack." The moment Hisui said those words, a loud roar deafened the entire city, as if a loud bomb just struck "..." Hisui gripped her arm, and gritted her lips "But! I refuse to let the same tragedy happen once more!".

"Heh, a brave little Queen..." Azazel commented, hearing Hisui's speech.

"Last time...Last time was a mistake! But we're stronger, I promise you all, this tragedy of today, will end, and everything will return to normal! So I beg of everyone who is competing in this Grand Magic Games this year, even the criminals...please...! Destroy the Eclipse Gate! Those who do...will gain a reward!" Hisui pleaded from the Mages.

"She completely swallowed her pride..." Levy said "What do you guys think?".

"...Obviously, we can't let this repeat." Gajeel said "Come on! We'll go destroy the gate now!".

"Yeah..." Mirajane said, turning to face the others "We will. Lucy, you come with m-..." Mira turned, but didn't see Lucy around "...Lucy? Lucy?! Where' Lucy?!".

"...Ah, shit! She left! She said she went to get something to eat!" Gajeel said, remembering this crucial point right now.

"...! You two go on ahead! I'll find Lucy!" Mira ordered the two.

"Right! Gajeel, come on!" Levy said, pulling Gajeel by his arm.

"The Second Dragon's Attack...we're gonna see dragon's tonight..." Lancelot said, grinning "This turned out interesting.".

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Chiron said to Lance "These are exceedingly powerful monsters. They can crush us with ease if we underustimate them.".

"I know, I know! Which is why all three of us are gonna fight together! Nothing will beat us then!".

Chiron said "You and your ideas...".

"We have to get Amon and leave!" Nanaya shouted, clearly panicking "This city is gonna be surrounded by Dragons in seconds!".

"We must...indeed." Kiryu said, for some reason sounding weak willed "We will leave the moment we find him then. What do you say, Lamia?...Lamia?" Kiryu looked at Lamia, who didn't reply "...Oh, dear." Kiryu said to himself, walking closer to Lamia "You two go on ahead. We'll catch up." Kiryu said to the two women.

"Is something of the matter?" Juvia asked, tilting her head.

"Just go." Kiryu said, insisting.

And soon enough, dragons exited the gate, various kinds, of various scale colors, and body structures. Four legged, bipedal, two things, four wings, one head, two, all kinds exited, as Marx gleefully watched "Hehe...this might actually turn out to be interesting...Hm?" Marx suddenly noticed other creatures exiting...small, humanoid monsters "...Oho?".

Hordes of demons also exited the gate, arriving in one large army, pouring out along with the dragons "Azazel...how far does this gate stretch?" Diana asked Azazel, noticing an excess of magical power not belonging to dragons emitting from the gate.

"Over 400 years." Azazel stated, as dragons began flying in the skies, roaring furiously "The Dragon Civil War...hehe, some still in the heat of battle, others pulled right out of a moment of death! Hahaha!".

"You...you're going to mess with the timeline this much?" Diana asked Azazel, horrified at his actions.

"This is a test run...Meaning, I haven't even begun to fuck with the timeline yet." Azazel replied to Diana. He stood up, watching over the city, hearing screams, roars, and footsteps quickly overwhelm his ears. His human skin began to peel off, his hair withering away, and his eyes losing all color, going blank. Even his clothing began going completely white, turning into a cloak.

"The symphony of destruction sings to me." Azazel said, extending his arms to the sides, as Hisui's royal army began flooding the streets, and so did the demons, while dragons ruled the skies. "The cries and screams of the commoners calls to me." He raised his arms up like a conductor conducting a melody, as Kiva and Hemera, as well as Nanaya and Juvia, headed towards the hotel to get to Amon "The roar of the beast deafens me." Dark clouds began to cover the skies, rendering it almost night-like, a cause of the massive amount of power gathering around in this single city, as thunder and lightning began producing, and rain falling down "And the rain drops..." Azazel looked down, seeing Lucy standing in the middle of the streets, staring in horror at the large dragonic monsters flying above her, having dropped a bag of groceries on the ground "...soothe me.".

A loud thunder roared, mixed with the actual roars of the dragons, as well as the sudden sound of both the human and demon armies clashing, while citizens screams in panic, evacuating the city as fast as possible. Chaos has begun to spread.

"Hehe..." Azazel chuckled, as if amused "I should be a poet, I get the greatest pieces out when I'm facing such...beauty.".