Sovereign: Hey guys! Surprised? Guess I'll be giving this story an update after all. I would like to thank Erza Scarlet Titania, michaluna, Black-Waltz and Lightmoon54 for reviewing. Thanks guys!

Chapter 4: Going inside the Temple

For the next ten days, the expedition team worked non-stop to help dig up and uncover the burial site of the Chalice of Zeref. Natsu, Gray and Jellal managed to go back to Cairo and help hire an entire construction crew to help them with the digging.

Eventually, after ten straight days of digging non-stop, the expedition team finally uncovers the burial site's main entrance. Upon staring at the entrance, Erza and Jellal can both tell it's a temple and apparently after thousands of years, this forgotten temple has been completely buried beneath the sand, hiding the Chalice of many centuries, until now. The entrance was huge and made of thick cemented walls and there are two huge statues placed at each side of the entrance. Both of the statues' appearances have been corroded over the centuries but they are still standing tall.

"It looks beautiful, doesn't it?" Jellal asked Erza as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Sure is, Jellal." Erza smiled. Jellal then turns his head to the construction workers whom are all sitting on the ground.

"Well guys, your work is done. Your payments will be transferred to your accounts." Jellal said to them.

The workers cheered happily before getting up and walking their way to their pickup truck and drive their way back to Cairo.

Levy, Millianna and Mirajane then walk over to the two. "What should we do now?" Millianna asked.

"Well, now we'll just have to blow up the entrance." Erza said.

"Then that's our cue!" Gray smirked as he, Natsu and Gajeel walk over to the entrance, each of them carrying loads of dynamite.

"We would like you all to leave this area while we set them up." Gajeel said.

Erza, Jellal, Levy, Mirajane, Lucy, Yukino, Millianna, Juvia, Eve, Arcadios, Darren and Judith then stayed far away from the entrance while Gray, Natsu and Gajeel set up their dynamites on the entrance. Once they're done, the three quickly run away.

"Get ready for the fireworks!" Natsu shouted as the three run over to the others.

Thirty seconds later, there was a huge boom and the entrance to the temple was blown up, sending some debris flying into the air. When the smoke fades away, everyone sees a huge hole at where the entrance originally was.

"Great work guys!" Lucy said to Natsu and his team.

"Thanks." Natsu nods his head.

"Now the Chalice is ready to be uncovered!" Eve said.

"Awesome!" Millianna yelled, pumping her fists into the air.

"Judith and I shall stay here and keep an eye out while you guys go into the temple." Darren said to Erza and the others.

"Good luck and be careful." Judith added.

"Thank you." Lucy smiled and gave a nod to the two.

"Alright everybody, get your torch lights ready and stick together at all times. We don't know what could be inside." Arcadios said. Everybody quickly take out their torch lights and prepare themselves. Juvia is shaking a bit.

"You okay, Juvia?" Gray asked.

"Yeah well…Juvia is kinda afraid of the dark…" Juvia replied.

"It's okay Juvia. Pretend we are going inside an amusement park." Mirajane said. Everybody except Arcadios sweatdropped. "Okay, that sounds a bit stupid."

"Whatever." Yukino deadpanned as she rolls her eyes.

"Alright guys, stay close together." Arcadios said as everybody now cautiously walk into the temple. Upon entering the temple, Lucy shines her torch on the wall and sees some hieroglyphs printed on it.

"Guys, look." Lucy said to everyone. Everybody turn to Lucy and they all shine their torches on the hieroglyphs.

"What does it say?" Erza asked Lucy.

"It's a warning. It says 'Be prepared. A curse awaits you.'" Lucy said.

Gajeel snorted and said, "Who the hell believes in curses?"

Arcadios turns to everyone. "What a cliché warning. Let's keep moving everyone." As everybody else leaves, Erza places her hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"C'mon, let's go." Erza said to her.

Lucy narrows her eyes. She looks uneasy. What if this temple does have a curse? But eventually, she turns to Erza and nods her head, "Alright." She said.

"Hey, relax Lucy." Erza assured with a smile. "Why would a mere temple be cursed?" With that, the two followed the others and continue walking deeper into the temple.

As the expedition team continues walking deeper into the temple, most of the members are starting to feel hot as they walk through the never-ending long corridors.

"Gee, these corridors sure are long…" Levy said as she uses her handkerchief to wipe off her sweat.

"Yeah, will we find the Chalice eventually?" Jellal asked, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Erza looks and turns her head around as she shines her torchlight at the walls, seeing more hieroglyphs and pictures. One of the pictures she sees shows a huge group men doing with a ritual with the said Chalice placed in the middle of it all.

"By the looks of these pictures, we must be at a central chamber where the Egyptians worshipped Zeref. Isn't that right Lucy?" Erza asked.

"Sure is." Lucy nods her head, looking at the pictures as well.

"Well," Jellal spoke up. "I hope we can find the Cha-"

AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

Everybody turn their heads to the front and see Natsu falling into a hole at the bottom of the floor! Fortunately, Natsu quickly holds onto the ledge before he could fall inside.

"Natsu!" Arcadios shouted as everybody quickly go to the front. Gray and Mirajane quickly grab Natsu's arms and pull him up.

"Are you alright Natsu?" Lucy asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Natsu said, placing his hand on his chest and breathing heavily.

"Is it just me or did Natsu just screamed like a girl?" Gray asked. Gajeel, Millianna, Yukino, Mirajane, Levy and Juvia all chuckled while Natsu turns to Gray and gave a dark glare.

"I'm gonna kill you for saying that." Natsu said through his gritted teeth.

"What?" Gray said to Natsu with a smirk as he shrugs.

"What's inside that hole anyway?" Mirajane asked, turning to the hole. Erza goes over and shines her torchlight at the hole. Everybody widen their eyes in horror as they see spears placed at the bottom.

"Oh my…" Lucy said in awe.

"That's it. Juvia's really scared now…" Juvia whimpered, shaking in fear.

"Gee, if Natsu really has fallen into that hole, he would be joining Zeref inside this temple." Gajeel said. Erza, Levy, Gray, Jellal and Eve gulp and nod their heads in agreement.

"Then from now on, everybody must be extra careful!" Arcadios said. "The traps inside this temple still activate even after a thousand years!"

"How are we going to get across now?" Milianna asked. Erza looks up and smiled.

"Guys, see that beam there?" She said to everyone. Everybody looks up and clearly see a beam above the hole. "I got an idea." Erza took out her bullwhip and swings it over to the beam. The whip wraps around the beam and Erza steps forward to the ledge. She then swings herself over to the other side of the hole and lands safely.

"Everybody, take turns." Erza said before she swings her whip back to the others. Jellal grabs the whip and swings himself over to the other side of the hole, joining Erza.

"Good thinking there, Erza." Jellal smiled at her.

"Thanks." Erza smiled back. Jellal turns to the others and swings the whip over to Juvia, who catches it.

"It's okay Juvia. Whatever you do, don't look down." Lucy said. Juvia, shaking uncontrollably, nods her head and closes her eyes. She then swings herself forward to Jellal and Erza, and at the same time, let out an ear-piercing scream.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

"When Juvia reaches the other side, Jellal and Erza quickly grab Juvia and pulls her over to them, letting her land safely on the other side. Juvia then fell to her knees and sighed heavily, relieved that she is still alive. Erza then swings the whip back to the others and Lucy catches it.

"That sure was the loudest scream I ever heard. Don't you agree?" Lucy asked the others, looking shell-shocked. Everybody else, whom are all looking shocked as well, slowly nod their heads.

"Next time, we should bring a long thick prank with us so that we wouldn't hear that again." Gray said.

After everybody made it to the other side of the hole, they all continue walking through the corridors. They all kept walking until eventually, they all found a huge pair of doors with more hieroglyphs and pictures on it.

Lucy looks at them. She widens her eyes and a huge smile appears on her face. "Amazing! This is it! The main chamber where the Egyptians worship Zeref! The Chalice must be inside!" However, when she takes a step back, she accidentally steps onto something and it sank.

"Whoa!" She said but Erza quickly catches her. Suddenly, the wall start shaking and everybody look around cautiously.

"What's going on?" Yukino yelled.

"Look!" Mirajane shouted and everybody turn their heads to the direction where she is pointing her torch at. A wall has opened up and several snakes come out and slither towards them!

"Snakes!" Gajeel shouted as everybody back away from them.

"Be careful! These are poisonous cobras!" Mirajane said to everyone.

"What should we do?" Levy asked.

"I know!" Natsu yelled as he quickly digs into his backpack and takes out a flare. He slams his flare onto the wall, causing it to light up. He tosses the flare over to the snakes and it's bright light causes the snakes to slither away in fear.

"Great thinking Natsu! Snakes are easily blinded by huge amounts of light!" Erza said to Natsu.

"Thanks again for your help Natsu." Lucy smiled at him.

"No problem." Natsu smirked at her as he scratches the back of his head.

"Now then, back to the doors." Jellal said. Everybody turn back to the doors and Gray, Arcadios, Gajeel and Jellal walk over to them. The four men use all of their strength to push the doors and they both open up.

Everybody got into the main chamber and widen their eyes in awe. There it is, at the center of the small room, was a coffin.

"This coffin…" Juvia muttered.

"Yes." Erza nods her head. "Definitely Zeref's coffin."

As everybody gather around the coffin, Millianna notice that there were several jars placed in front of it.

"Why would there be jars placed next to Zeref's coffin?" Millianna asked, arching an eyebrow as Levy goes over to her.

"Ah yes. You see Millianna, when a pharaoh was mummified, all his organs are removed and stored in these jars for the afterlife." Levy explained. "They pulled out their brain out through their nose and-"

"Okay Miss McGarden, stop." Millianna holds up her hand in front of her and covers her mouth. Her face is very green right now. "Oh God, I think the eggs and bacons I ate this morning are coming out."

"Don't throw up here, especially at a tomb!" Eve shouted at her.

"Guys, look! More hieroglyphs!" Lucy said, shining her torch on a wall. "The glyphs say that Zeref was a dark wizard who was jealous of his brother for being the next king of Egypt. He tries to use his Chalice, containing all of his dark magic to kill his brother and steal the throne for himself. His followers, whom are all dark magicians, followed him and storm the palace. However, in the end, their attempt was a failure as several of his followers were killed by the light magicians who guard the palace and Zeref was defeated and captured. As punishment for attempted murder of the King, his brother sentenced Zeref to death. Before Zeref was executed, he swore that he will one day rise again, have his revenge and take over all of Egypt."

"So the Egyptians who worship him and his Chalice were actually his followers who are all dark magicians." Jellal said.

"Exactly." Lucy nodded. "That's not all. After Zeref is dead, his coffin was placed right here in this temple and he is buried inside with his Chalice."

"So the Chalice…is inside his coffin?" Arcadios asked.

"Yes, Mr. Arcadios." Lucy said as she and Jellal turn to him.

"Arcadios, do you really want to do this?" Erza asked. Arcadios turned to him.

"Yes." He simply said.

"But you are about to open a coffin. You will be disturbing the dead!" Erza warned.

"Miss Scarlet, we have come this far to retrieve the Chalice and we can't stop now." Arcadios said. "This will be a remake in history!"

Erza turns to everybody else in the room, who all look uncomfortable as well. However, Arcadios is right. They have come this far now and it would be waste if they stop now. Erza turns to Arcadios and nods her head. "Very well."

"Good." Arcadios smiled. "Yukino!"

Yukino walks over to him and takes out a crowbar from her backpack. She hands it to Arcadios.

"Would you like to do the honors, Miss Scarlet?" Arcadios asked, offering Erza the crowbar.

Erza let out a sigh. "Yes." She said. She takes the crowbar and Lucy walks over to her.

"Erza, are you sure about this?" She asked, placing her hand on Erza's shoulder and giving her a concerned look.

"It's alright." Erza gave a small assuring smile to Lucy. She gently push Lucy's hand away and inserts the crowbar into the coffin. Erza then let out a yell as she uses all of her strength to open the coffin.

"Need help?" Jellal asked as he, Natsu and Mirajane walk over to her.

"Thanks." Erza smiled. The three hold onto the crowbar as well and everybody else watched.

"PUSH!" Erza shouted. The four yelled as they push the coffin harder. They kept using all of their strength to push open the coffin until eventually…the lid was opened. Gray, Gajeel, Juvia and Yukino step back as the coffin falls about the ground. Everybody then gather around the coffin and widen their eyes in awe.

"My God…" Jellal uttered. Inside the coffin was a mummified body and on top of it was the Chalice of Zeref.

"At last!" Erza said as she slowly picks up the Chalice. "The Chalice of Zeref…has finally been uncovered!"

"Good…" Arcadios smirked and immediately draws out a rifle from his backpack.

"What?" Mirajane widens her eyes in shock. Everybody else look shock as well.

"What the-" Erza stops when she sees Arcadios directly aiming his rifle at her face.

"Arcadios! What is the meaning of this?" Jellal shouted in horror.

"What's going on?" Eve added, looking horrified as well.

"Silence!" Arcadios yelled at Jellal and Eve. He turns back to Erza. "Hand over the Chalice to me, Miss Scarlet." Erza narrows her eyes and grits her teeth angrily.

"Damn you, Arcadios."

END OF CHAPTER

Sovereign: They have finally retrieved but our main antagonist has been revealed! What's going to happen now? Stay tune and read and review!