Even with Chiaki's Limit Break protecting him, the raging flaming winds threw Cloud aside and sent him rolling a short distance. As he clambered back to his feet he watched in horror as Chaos made his counter assault. He barely had time to process what happened to Tear and Akane before the others went flying from the arena. He felt a chill in his blood, and flashback to the encounter the Him from the previous cycle had. If he had White Mage maybe he could do something. All he had was Cura thanks to Paladin and-

No

No. Fight first. Win. Hold the line and fight back. End the fight quickly and then everyone could be safe. He had no illusions this would end as genially as the fight against Arthur and his knights had but they had tested them with their strength for this exact reason.

And the others were fighting with him. The Imperial Anthem from Johnny and Levy's call to arms still held strong in his ears. He touched the Fairy Tail mark at his shoulder and then nodded, pulling the rest of his sword off of his back. Returning the gunblade to the main mass he rain forward to attack Chaos again, his footfalls matching the pace of Chiaki's song. This time he let loose with a double Shock