"I don't like this feelin'." Gray voiced his thoughts as the feeling and stench of death continued to fill up the storm-torn chamber.

"Ugh, I'm super manly and it gives me chills." Elfman admitted. Dealana coughed into her hand, much to the others' concern, and chose to hide the fact that a few specks of blood had landed on her gloves. She supposed it's what she got for using such a powerful spell when she didn't have the magical energy to spare. If she hadn't defeated Aria in one blow, she would have cast more spells and probably kill herself in the process. After all, a wizard's magic energy is connected to their life force, and should Dealana go past that limit...she didn't want to think about that.

Mira's voice brought her back to the present, "Whatever it is, it's pure evil."

"Smells horrid too." Dealana muttered before the sound of slow, sarcastic clapping reached their ears.

"Bravo. You are all quite keen. Very impressive, Fairy Tail wizards." Turning, they were met with the disgusting sight of Master Jose of Phantom Lord. A dark purple-black aura of magic power surrounding his body, "I knew this would be fun, but never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be this entertaining. You annihilated the Jupiter cannon, disposed of my elite Element 4, and you even managed to bring my magic giant to its knees."

"Master Jose!" Erza identified the man easily, and Dealana cringed at the man's painted black lips. At least, she assumed they were painted. She really didn't want to think about it.

"This creep?" Elfman exclaimed in surprise looking at the extravagantly dressed man.

"He's Phantom's master?" Gray questioned.

"It's like there's a black cloud hanging over him." Mira commented, a hand of her mouth as her body shook slightly, "I feel sick just being near him."

"Thank you. You've been so kind to entertain me. I simply must return the favor." Jose remarked before Elfman and Gray got into fighting stances, much to Dealana's horror.

"You ready?" the ice mage asked Elfman.

"You bet!"

"I'll return it in full." Jose sneered raising a hand in front of his face, the sky-blunette watching as dark magic began to surround it gradually. Gray, however, also began preparing an ice make spell by bringing a closed to rest on his open palm. Elfman raised his arm in the air, using his take-over magic.

"Ice make saucer."

"Beast Arm!"

"No! Don't do it!" Erza exclaimed in alarm.

"Gray! Elfman!" Dealana matched the scarlet haired mage's volume and worry. It was too late, Gray and Elfman leapt toward Phantom's master only to be met with a large magic circle and purple gastly shades shooting toward them.

"How absurd!" Jose shouted at the boys before Dealana heard them cry out in pain. They were sent flying back and landed harshly on the ground a distance away among the rubble.

"Elfman! Gray!" Mira exclaimed. Erza and Dealana used eachother for support and began to stand up, but Jose had swiped his hand in the air and it was followed by a blast of bright magic tearing across the floor and exploded, once again sending Elfman and Gray flying. Mira was also caught in the blast and went tumbling to the ground.

By now, Erza and Dealana were up and charged at Jose, one with a sword and the other with a storm engulfed fist. The storm dragon slayer swallowed the rising bile in her throat, knowing she was pushing her limits.

Jose shot his palm out in front of him and a large swirling blast of dark magic spiraled toward them like a cyclone. Jumping into the air, Erza requipped into her Black Wing armor and swung for Jose, who dodge both Erza and Dealana's attempts at a stormy punch. Erza gasped when Jose ducked under her blade and grabbed her wrist. He swung her around before kicking Dealana in the gut, eliciting a cry of pain and blood to spurt from her mouth. Erza kicked off the rubble landing a short distance away while Dealana stood up shakily and used her hands to crack the lacrima on one of her fingerless gloves.

A few seconds later, lightning magic crackled and the sky blunette quickly ate it and moved to Erza's side wiping her her mouth as Jose spoke.

"Fascinating. You took a shot from Jupiter at full force, did you not?" He asked Erza, "And yet you're still standing. I have to admit," his withering look focused on Dealana, "I underestimated the strength of such a young dragon slayer. Taking out my strongest Element 4 with one hit in your condition."

"Only because our friends have filled our hearts with strength." Erza replied effectively removing Jose's gaze from Dealana.

"We'll withstand any pain to protect our guild!" Dealana added glaring at Jose.

"Powerful, courageous, and exquisitely beautiful." Jose remarked, sending shivers down Dealana's spine, "Destroying you will bring me unbelievable pleasure!"

The sound of rumbling, quaking, and overall destruction reached the two girls facing off against Jose. Dealana stumbled a bit before catching herself wearily with a proud smirk. Only one person could make such a mess, Natsu. Her smirk grew wider as rocks began caving in from the ceiling around them.

"My, what an unruly dragon you have. Are they both like this?" Jose commented. Dealana's fist were clenched even harder.

"You have no idea." she uttered under her breath.

"They may be unruly, but their also an extremely powerful wizards. In fact, I'd say that they're just as strong as I am," Erza stated causing Dealana to glance at her in shock, "if not stronger."

"Heh. There's no need to be so modest, Titania Erza. Your magic is just as spectacular as Salamander's, and what do they call you, Tempest?" he spoke referencing Dealana's rumor-created title, "You're the first wizard who's ever been able to last this long against me in battle. I guess some credit can be given to the little girl too. Truth be told, we'd be more equally matched in power if you hadn't taken a direct hit from the Jupiter cannon earlier today." Erza grit her teeth as she and Dealana listened to Jose's words, "You know what really irks me about Fairy Tail? The fact that there are so many powerful wizards like yourself who are aligned with Makarov." Jose raised a fist in their direction and flicked a single finger forward, sending them both back into the wall with a loud crash.

"Since you can't be tempted to join Phantom, there's only one way to change that." Dealana heard Jose say firing magic energy into the cloud of smoke they were rising from. "Kill you!" he aimed his hand in the direction as both Erza and Dealana leapt into the air. His blasts continued to miss as Erza and Dealana continued to nimbly leap away as best they could. Dealana could feel her strength itching to be unleashed, but even with the small boost from the miniature lightning lacrima, she wouldn't last a minute against Jose.

It was like a game to Jose and Phantom's master continued to monologue, "That'll send the old coot into a deep despair. Imagine how he'll feel when he awakens to find his dear guild hall destroyed and his "children" dead and gone. He'd be lost. Completely consumed by sorrow." Dealana paused to listen while bristling in anger, "Once he's been reduced to that miserable state, I can swoop in and kill him, but first I'll make him suffer. I'll torture him until he has no choice but to wither and die."

In a burst of anger, Erza launched herself at Jose with her sword only for Jose to disappear and reappear somewhere else in the blink of an eye, still speaking as he did so. "As long as I can remember, Phantom Lord has always been at the top. We have the most powerful wizards with the strongest spells. We also have more capital and more members than any other guild. However, recently, Fairy tail has begun to catch up and our position as leader is in jeopardy. The names Erza, Laxus, and Mystogan became widely known, and stories of Salamander and Tempest spread across the land like wildfire. Now Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail are considered equals. The top two guilds representing this kingdom. The thought disgusts me." Jose sneered, "I refuse to be equated to such a feeble guild!"

"Shut up!" Dealana roared charging forward with a crackling storm dragon fury claw. She swung again and again despite Jose continuing to dodge. The dragon slayer stopped beside Erza, breathing heavily allowing Erza to point her sword at Phantom's master.

"So we're fighting for our lives just because you've had a fit of jealousy?" Erza questioned.

"Jealousy? That's absurd. We simply wanted to prove to the kingdom that we are the dominant guild."

"That sounds an awful lot like jealousy to me..." Dealana said in between breaths before she collapsed to her knees in a violent coughing fit. Erza and Jose caught sight of the scarlet liquid spattering on the stone but had different reactions. Erza was increasingly worried for the girl and Jose smirked.

"Seems like the Tempest has lost her storm." He stated mockingly.

"...Er..Erza..." With that Dealana allowed the black spots to cloud her vision and she settled with a quiet thump on the floor, feeling Erza's wrath building as the last thing before unconscious swept over her exhausted body.

➵

Erza closed her eyes, constricted by Jose's life draining magic. Just before her sword pierced her back, thunder rumbled in the sky, her sword stopped and her armor even began to mend. It wasn't like Dealana's thunder –her's was created with her anger– this one was created from warmth, the desire to protect.

Her brown eyes opened with gasp and a certain heteorchromiac began to shift, feeling safe despite her vulnerable state. "But how?" she wondered as Jose's magic faded and she was gently set to her feet where she fell to her knees beside Dealana. One hand on the girl's slowly awakening shoulder, Erza continued to let the feeling of security and light wash over her.

It was Makarov. And he was pissed.

"You have shed the blood of our children. And that is unforgivable. They have been made to suffer because of the incompetence of their parents. We are both to blame, Jose." Makarov as he stood atop a pile of rubble looking down at Phantom's master without opening his eyes. Erza smiled and blinked away the tears that threatened to fall as he continued to speak, "This war between us has gone on long enough."

"Let's end this here and now." Makarov demanded opening his eyes.

"Master." Erza breathed, looking at the man in awe while Dealana's eyes fluttered open to see the sight of her no longer injured Master. A pained but genuine smile graced her face.

"Beat him good..." she muttered, her body not strong enough to move just yet. A powerful deadly aura began to surround Master Jose as the whites of his eyes darkened.

"If we fight it could create a catastrophe." he stated.

Makarov's hand erupted with a ball of light as he hummed angrily, "In order to save my guild, I will gladly take that risk." The ground shook and the rubble floated upwards. Dealana regained enough strength to sit up with some help from Erza. Her tattered jacket was long gone and only one of her fingerless gloves remained. She glanced at her ankle and smiled as a few frayed threads fixed themselves to look the same as when Lisanna left.

Jose attacked first, but it was futile. Makarov countered each magic blast with magic seals with a familiar emblem in the center.

"You kids need to get out while you can." Makarov told Erza as he moved in front of her and Dealana.

"Gramps!" Dealana sighed in relief hearing Gray's voice and again hearing Elfman's.

"We'll stay with you."

"No," Erza denied, "we have to do as he says." With that, they began to move away from the two guild masters' battle, Dealana shattering the other lacrima from her glove and eating the small portion of lightning contained within. It would be enough to make a cloud large enough to get the group back to safe ground. "Let's go." the redhead ordered.

"But Erza." Gray protested while Elfman helped Mira sit up.

"If we stay here we're only going to get in his way." Erza told him, to which Dealana agreed with a small nod, rubbing the scar on her nose out of subconscious habit. "He can handle this, I have faith." Erza continued while Dealana stumbled forward, consuming the last of the lightning boost and raising her hands in front of Mira and Elfman, who stood at the edge of a gaping hole in the wall leading outside.

A large, white puffy cloud formed in the air. It would be big enough to fit them all. Mira looked at the girl in worry, "Dealana...are you sure you should–?" She was cut off when the dragon slayer gave her a smirk holding up her fingerless glove and the cracked lacrima.

"Whether he likes it or not, Laxus was a little helpful in this war." her expression softened as she addressed Mira's concern, "I'll be fine, Mira." With that, the group jumped aboard the cloud and Dealana began to maneuver it quickly to where the rest of Fairy Tail awaited.

A sphere of translucent light surround the fallen giant that was once Phantom's headquarters and the waves of the lake it stood in violently crashed against it as the wizard saints fought one another. One with the strength of his selfish desires, and the other with the strength of his children. Another blast of energy burst forth and caused gale force winds to threaten the stability of those within miles of its radius.

Dealana maintained control over the cloud's structure as the group descended just as a wave of pure warmth and Makarov's love exploded outwards for all of them to feel. An enormous golden magic seal split the dark clouds as Dealana's ears pricked hearing the most reassuring words in that moment,

"I invoke Fairy Law."

➵

This is the last major chapter for the Phantom Lord arc, the next few will be the aftermath, Loke arc, Tower of heaven, and some filler moments. I apologize if you are looking forward to see Dealana in the Tower of Heaven, but I don't think she'll take part in major focuses. She will however, have the much needed proper encounter with Gajeel as he joins Fairy Tail along with Juvia.

I hope my portrayal of the battles is accurate and pleasing to read, I did my best to balance out Dealana's power with her condition. Had she not had the lacrima gloves, she wouldn't be able to stand, much less face Jose. In my head, she used the lightning to regain magical energy to attempt and hit Jose and again to form the cloud for Elfman, Gray, Mira, and Erza to escape the fortress safely.

What do you all think of the story so far? I put it on hold for so long and I recently began to get back into it. It's my goal to write Dealana's story to the finish. She was my first real character for the Fairy Tail fandom and she has a special place in my heart. I've rambled enough...sorry! I'll be back soon!