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I didn't know Lucy that well, but to me...
I considered her a close friend.
There was also Erza, Mirajane, and Cana that I held so much respect and love for, but for some reason Lucy just really got under my skin, but certainly not in a bad way. There was a lot of things about her that I deeply admired: her determination, her ability to keep her chin up during the darkest times, her caring nature, her adorable clumsiness. What had really effected me the most was her smile. Her smile was almost blinding like the sun, it was full of warmth, and it was radiant, so radiant that it was hard not to return the smile she gave to everyone. But when she was sad, it was almost impossible to fight the urge to do anything to protect her and make her smile again. It was hard turning away Lucy, Gray, and Juvia, but because of how dangerous Jellal was I couldn't take that chance of losing any of them. The hardest thing I had to do in my life thus far, was to push Lucy away and be as harsh as I was to the point where I was the source of her tears. Leaving Fairy Tail was the next thing on that list of my regrets. Even though I was doing it out of passion and love, even though my intentions were nothing but pure, I always ended up hurting someone. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but it was something that was inevitable for me. Out of everyone, Gray was the only one that didn't back down from Erza and I. Gray continued to push us until we were at our limits.
"I don't know, maybe it's just me, for some reason the name Zeref sounds familiar." Gray spoke up first.
"I'm sure. He's a legendary black wizard." I replied.
"Wait a minute...I remember someone saying that the monster that came out of the lullaby was one of Zeref's demons." Lucy recalled.
Lullaby...why was that name so familiar? Did Lucy and the others actually fight that thing? Shit, I'll have to ask them later.
"I never mentioned it, but I suspect that Deliora was a demon from the book of Zeref as well." Erza mentioned.
Gray's eyes widened from the mere mention of the name Deliora, recalling how that monster killed his master Ur. I remembered the second year anniversary of Ur's death when I was a child, and how Gray had avoided any confrontation from anyone that day. Every year, I always made Gray a gift in order to try and make him smile, to convince him that Ur's sacrifice wasn't in vain, that because of her, I got to be friends with Gray.
"If this wizard is as evil as you say, then why would Jellal want to resurrect him?" Juvia asked.
I snapped out of my daze as I glanced over at Juvia, wondering what she was doing here in the first place, and how she somehow bumped into Gray back at the resort. I was curious if it was merely just coincidence, or if she had been following us, but either way, I was going to keep a close eye on her from now on.
"I don't understand his motives either, however, my old friend Sho said something to me about Zeref getting them to heaven. And when that happens, the world will be reborn and they'll become its rulers." Erza answered.
"Okay there's one thing that confuses me about these people that claim to be old friends of yours. Why are they accusing you and Ember of betraying them? Don't they realize Jellal's the bad guy here?" Lucy grew confused.
I watched Erza from the corner of my eye, waiting for her answer. I remembered that day, how Grandpa Rob's death had triggered something in Erza and unlocked her magical abilities. It was like something out of a story, and while it was heartbreaking, it was also incredibly inspiring. I loved that old man like he really was my own flesh and blood, but I wasn't able to dwell on it for long because I had to fight alongside Erza so we could rescue Jellal. To this day, I wanted to know who and what had brainwashed Jellal like this, because I know it wasn't those horrible people at the Tower of Heaven, it had to be something else...
Or someone else.
"It's not their fault. He fed them all sorts of lies about us when we left. That doesn't change the fact that I abandoned them so long ago. In the end, I guess you could say that I did betray them." Erza answered.
"Because he threatened to kill them if you ever came back! You couldn't have saved them!" Lucy argued.
I stared at Erza in surprise as she blamed herself even with Lucy's convincing argument. It made me realize how horrible of a sister I was, not considering how Erza felt about them after all of these years, not once trying to converse with her about this. I felt terrible that Erza thought she was responsible for all of this, and it almost brought tears to my eyes.
"None of that matters anymore. If I can defeat Jellal, it'll all be over. Leave it to me, okay?" Erza said.
When I heard Erza's choice of words, about defeating Jellal, I could tell that she still intended to try and take out Jellal on her own.
And I wasn't going to let that happen.
"You're implying that you're going by yourself." I nearly growled.
"I wanted to give you another chance of leaving with the others. If it's alright with you..." Erza mumbled softly.
She can't...I won't let her get killed! Jellal's ruthless, he's not going to go easy on her just because of our history together!
I was surprised by her tone of voice, but it didn't cease my anger one bit. Erza cut me off before I could even begin to argue with her.
"I don't want you to face Jellal again. His drastic change...it hurt you so much- -"
While Erza's words were true, it wasn't going to change anything, I knew that I had to fight Jellal. Jellal and Erza might have had a connection and even loved each other, but I saw him as my brother, and it was my duty to protect him at all costs, even if it meant protecting Jellal from himself. Jellal wasn't who he used to be, and I knew that, but I wanted to put an end to this. I wanted to remember Jellal for the amazing person he was before he was brainwashed with all of this Zeref bullshit. The man he became and the man he was currently wasn't the real Jellal, and I refused to believe that.
"Well that's not your decision to make. I said we're going together and that's final. I...I need some closure too, Erza. I promise I'll have your back, no matter what. How I used to feel for Jellal before won't cloud my judgement I assure you." I told her.
Before any of us had realized what was happening, Sho had arrived, tears in his eyes as he stared at all of us in anger and betrayal, mainly at Erza and I. I could tell that he was genuinely hurt by the both of us, and not just because we had attacked him earlier, but because he truly felt that we had broken his heart, and that we were disloyal to him. It made me wonder what Jellal had told Sho and the others about Erza and I after we had been forced to leave so abruptly.
"Sisters, that's not true. Why? Why are you lying to them?" Sho questioned us.
"Sho." I muttered.
"You think that by making yourself the martyr, that you'll get sympathy from your friends? Tell them the truth! That's not how it happened and you know it! You blew up the boats we were going to use to escape and then you left on your own! You both would have ended up at the bottom of the sea if it hadn't have been for Jellal! He saved us! He warned us not to trust wizards like you who had not learned to use their magic properly! He said that you had been drugged with magical power! And that you didn't want anything to do with the past and the people you left behind!" Sho exploded.
My body shook from Sho's words, and I had realized how horrible of a person I was. I should have fought harder to come back for Sho and the others, I should have faced my fears, but I was afraid that if I returned, Jellal would go through with his threats and kill them. Then I realized something, if I was almost an emotional wreck because of Sho, I couldn't even begin to imagine how it would be once I face Jellal.
I have to stop being so afraid...I have to be brave...I can't...I can't let them down.
"Did you think that he might be lying?" Gray glared at him.
"If you truly knew Erza and Ember, you'd know they'd never do anything so horrible." Lucy added.
Sho looked conflicted and hurt, almost like he didn't know what to believe anymore yet he still continued on.
"You only think you know them! But you weren't there back then! You don't know anything about us! After you left, Jellal's words were my only salvation! And that's why I spent all of my years finishing the tower for him! I did it for his sake! Now you're trying to tell me it was all a lie?! You really expect me to believe that you're telling the truth and that Jellal's been lying to me this whole time?!" He cried.
"That's right."
Simon.
I glanced over at Simon and tried to ignore the lump in my throat as I recalled what happened the last time we had met. Gray grew defensive almost instantly, ready to fight my old friend.
"Why you- -"
"Wait. He doesn't pose a threat, my beloved." Juvia stopped Gray. "He never meant you any harm. At the resort, he knew he was attacking your ice decoy."
"But how?" Gray asked.
"Since it was he who cast the darkness spell, it had no effect on him." Juvia replied calmly. "I came along in the hopes of discovering why he decided to spare you."
"I expect no less from a Phantom's Element Four." Simon stared at Juvia.
I recalled Gajeel once telling me that he was now a member of Fairy Tail, and that Juvia was considering it, I think, mostly because of her newly found love for Gray.
"I don't understand." Sho muttered.
We all turned to look at Sho, who seemed defeated, broken even. Instantly, I felt protective and wanted to hold Sho in my arms and tell him everything would be alright, but I couldn't say that with certainty. Everything Sho knew from whatever Jellal told him was all a sham, and it was one hell of a wake up call for him.
"I had to fool you and the others into thinking I killed him. I hoped our attack would lure them here." Simon explained.
"So you were lying too?" Sho stared at him in disbelief. "How could you do that to me?!"
Simon put his hand on Sho's shoulder, giving him an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry. Jellal had you under a spell and I couldn't convince you otherwise, so I played along until the time was right." Simon told him.
"So you knew all along." Erza said.
Simon turned around, looking at both Erza and I with a look that was hard to decipher.
"I've always believed in you Erza. You as well Ember. And there's nothing that could change that."
Simon's eyes held much warmth as he continued to stare at us and it nearly brought me to tears that we finally had one of our old friends back. I missed Simon and the others so much that it hurt my heart. I was reminded of losing them nearly everyday since Erza and I left, the hole in my heart still remaining after all of those years. Simon grabbed my hand, almost like he knew what was on my mind and also gave me an apologetic look, probably because of hurting me earlier.
"I mean those words from the bottom of my heart."
"Simon." My voice cracked.
Erza and I were pulled in for a hug and I smiled into Simon's embrace, feeling happiness, joy, and hope.
"I never knew, I blindly followed him all of these years. I doubted the both of you. Cause you left me all alone! You have no idea how much that hurt!" Sho shouted.
FLASH!
"Big sister...do you really think we'll make it out of here one day?" Sho asked timidly.
I chuckled softly from Sho's words, even though we were nearly the same age, but I wrapped my arms around him, being careful about my wounds.
"I think that if we all stick together and fight...we'll be free." I answered.
Jellal's optimism and determination had added to my motivation for fighting for my freedom, and part of his personality had begun to rub off on me in some ways.
"Really? You mean that?"
Sho's smile was so full of hope, and I found myself returning his smile.
"Yeah, little brother. I mean that." I giggled.
FLASH!
"I don't know what to do! I'm not even sure which one of you I should believe anymore!"
When Sho finally fell to his knees, something within me finally snapped and I was instantly by his side, embracing him like my life had depended on it.
"I know that it must be difficult to take all of this in at once. But Sho...there's something that you should know. Though it's been many years, I've never forgotten about any of you, and I know for a fact that Erza hasn't either. I'm so sorry I couldn't stand up to him. But I was so weak back then. Please...forgive us...little brother." My voice cracked.
Sho glanced up at me with wide eyes which brimmed with more tears, before he clenched his eyes tightly and held onto me like I was his lifeline.
"But now you're both stronger and ready to face him, isn't that right?" Simon cut in.
Erza and I both nodded in response to Simon's question, more determined than ever before to stop Jellal.
"I've waited all of these years for this very moment. That a group of powerful wizards would gather here." Simon confessed.
"So what do you have planned?" Lucy wiped her eyes before looking over to Simon
"We're going to take down Jellal." Simon spoke with certainty. "We can do it if we work together."
Lucy nodded in response, pleased with Simon's answer. I finally released Sho after kissing his forehead, finally standing up when I wiped my tears away.
"But first, we must keep Salamander and Wally from clashing." Simon added.
Let's fucking do this. I may have cared about Jellal before, but if he continues on like this, I'll have no other choice. I'll kill him myself if it comes down to it. I won't let Erza kill anyone and become a monster like I am.
As all of us were now running together inside the tower, Simon looked troubled.
"Something's interfering with my communication with Wally and Milianna." Simon said. "I can't even tell where they are now!"
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked.
"He's talking about telepathic communication." Juvia told her.
Erza and I stopped when we saw how heartbroken Sho was, and how slowly he was now moving.
"Is something the matter Sho?" Erza asked worriedly.
"I'm fine...everything's fine now that you're both here." Sho smiled sadly at us.
Erza and I both returned the smile as I grasped his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. I pulled Sho along with me until we were caught up with the others, with Erza following us.
"Juvia...are you absolutely certain that we can trust this guy?" Gray muttered. "I understand that he wasn't actually trying to kill us back at the resort, but still..."
Simon perked up after hearing Gray's words, and then responded the only way he possibly could.
"I won't make excuses for my actions!" Simon spoke up.
"I didn't think you could hear me!" Gray grew nervous.
"Any wizard who was incapable of surviving that, would never have a prayer against Jellal. I never doubted that Natsu could handle the attack. I was confident that he would survive." Simon said.
Lucy smiled nervously as she inched away from Simon as we continued to run.
"Yeah, well what about me?!" Lucy whined.
"None of you could comprehend the full extent of Natsu's ability!" Simon told us. "Once he awakens the true dragon powers within, evil will fall in its wake."
You sound certain of this...
"I welcome you into the Tower of Heaven."
We all froze after hearing Jellal's voice ring out throughout the building and we raised our guard up.
"My name is Jellal, and I'm the ruler of this tower. I see the players have been arranged."
"Say what?" Gray muttered.
"So he knows we're here." Simon grew tense. "He could be lurking anywhere in the tower, waiting for us."
"I'm delighted you've come all this way to see me. Shall we play a round of heaven's game? The rules are really quite simple. I wish to use Erza or Ember as a sacrifice for my ceremony to resurrect Lord Zeref. Either way, both Scarlet sisters won't be making it out of here alive..."
Sho's body shook with anger and fear, and he glared up at the ceiling.
"No I won't let you!" Sho growled.
"If I succeed, the gates of heaven will open, crowning my victory. However, if you can manage to find a way to stop me, you'll be the winners of the game. To make things a little more interesting, I've enlisted three knights to battle on my behalf."
"Three knights?" Simon questioned. "Who could they be?"
"The only way you'll be able to get to me is if you can defeat them. In other words, three on eight battle royal. And there's one more surprise. The Magic Council has the satellite square focused directly on this tower. And it's highly likely that they'll attack. At this very moment, they're in the midst of voting on whether an Etherion Blast. There's no telling how much time is left. Should the Etherion strike, complete annihilation is eminent. No players left to win. Game over."
"What kind of messed up game is this?!" Lucy cried.
"That doesn't make any sense to me!" Erza shouted. "Why would the Magic Council resort to such drastic measures?!"
Someone must have told them about Jellal's plans of resurrecting Zeref. The Magic Council wouldn't do something like this for no reason...but who told them about the R-System and the Tower of Heaven?
I quickly caught on to what Sho was up to and moved out of the way. Sho's eyes widened as his body shook, and in no time at all, he used his magic on Erza, putting her into a playing card with his magic.
"Erza!" I shouted worriedly.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Simon glared at Sho.
"Now then...let the game begin." Jellal finished.
"I won't let him lay a finger on her!" Sho yelled.
"Let me out of here!" Erza demanded.
"I'll beat Jellal all by myself if I have to!" Sho told us.
"NO! You can't do it alone!" Simon hollered at him.
Simon began chasing after Sho as all of us stood there in shock, trying to process what just happened and also figure out what to do next.
I can't...I can't believe Jellal thinks of this as a game. That...that bastard!
What felt like hours were only mere minutes from when everyone had split up. Juvia, Lucy, Gray, and I were floored with surprise when Sho took Erza so suddenly. I knew that Sho had good intentions, but as long as Erza was trapped in that playing card, she was helpless.
Especially since Sho is hellbent on finding Jellal and ending this on his own. It won't end well, I have to beat him there first.
Soon enough, we all snapped out of it once Gray had spoken up, and decided to aid Simon with catching Sho and freeing Erza. That's when I was struck with an idea. The idea of going after Jellal on my own and taking care of all of this myself. Since Erza was out of harms way for now, there was nothing holding me back. I could unleash all of my magic energy at Jellal, who had no idea what I was capable of.
"Where are you going?" Lucy asked worriedly.
I turned around giving Lucy a warm smile and went over to her and gave her a hug.
"I'm leaving. Listen...if you see the others, tell them I'm sorry." I replied.
"Ember...you sound like you're- -"
"I know. But the fact of the matter is that I might not come back alive. There's so many things that I want to tell you and the others, but there's no time. If that Etherion Blast is being sent to the tower...you guys have to get out of here as soon as you can. I'm going to make sure Jellal doesn't make it out of here alive."
"But Ember you can't just do this on your own! Let us help you!" Lucy cried.
"You already help me enough. You're doing it right now just by...being my friend." I blinked away tears.
I turned to look over at Juvia after releasing Lucy and put my hand on her shoulder.
"Juvia...whatever your choice may be, just know that you'll always be welcome at Fairy Tail. You're not a bad person, in fact, you're actually rather amazing. Fairy Tail would be lucky to have you. The same goes for Gajeel as well." I confessed.
Juvia looked stunned that I was being so kind to her, but I simply gave her a smile that put her at ease.
"Good luck, guys. You're capable of so much. You give Fairy Tail a good name."
"Ember..." Lucy's voice cracked.
I almost turned around one last time, but I was afraid that the look of sadness on Lucy's face would convince me not to leave. I decided against it, and left without another word, not daring to look back no matter how much I wanted to.
I moved forward, catching my breath from all of the running I had done just moments ago. Even though I still had an objective to end Jellal's plans, I kept trying to piece everything together. Jellal's ulterior motives were still a mystery. Sho had claimed that they finished building the Tower of Heaven, and while the building looked finished, I could tell that the R-System wasn't completed. From my research, it needed to be containing a lot of magic energy, which I was certain Jellal didn't have just yet. It was the key to activating the R-System.
But where does he plan on getting all of that energy?
"Don't tell me the game's over already." Jellal spoke up.
What does that mean? Did everyone defeat those assassin guys already? It's only been thirty minutes...I'm impressed with everyone.
I froze after hearing the bored and amused tone in Jellal's voice, but stood tall as I glared at him.
Did he truly think this was all some sort of game? What the hell is wrong with him? Wait...that's a dumb question.
"You really find that much pleasure in toying with the lives of others?" I played along.
"Between the moment of our birth and the time of our death, there is only that game of emotions we call life. What could be more dreary than simply existing day after day? It's been a long time...hasn't it?" Jellal replied with a grim smile.
"It certainly has." I nodded.
Don't be weak...be like Erza...be strong for her sake. You're putting everything on the line for her and the others. Don't let Jellal get into your head.
"Sho and the others are no longer under your influence." I informed him.
"That's fine with me. Now that the Tower of Heaven has been completed, I have no need for them." Jellal shrugged.
"You don't seem too concerned that it'll soon be destroyed." I pursed my lips.
"You mean by the Etherion?" Jellal chuckled.
What's he up to? He knows about the Etherion Blast, yet he doesn't seem at all concerned.
"You're so carefree that I can only assume that you were bluffing." I folded my arms.
"Not so!"
Jellal took off his hood staring at me with a wild look in his eye.
"The Etherion will rain down on us!" He grinned evilly.
I got into a fighting stance, and tried to assess Jellal, wondering what his next plan of attack would be. I knew that he wouldn't go easy on me, and I had to be ready for anything he threw at me.
"I'm relieved to hear it. That means I just need to keep you occupied for the next ten minutes. And this nightmare will be over at last." I told him.
"No. When the beam strikes, your life, or your sister's life, will be sacrificed to Zeref! This has always been certain! You cannot avoid fate, Ember. This your destiny!" Jellal snapped.
Destiny...no...don't listen to him, he's not the same person you remember him as. He's not your big brother...not anymore.
When I gazed into Jellal's eye, I noticed that it was glowing, and that the pattern of the markings below his right eye were also glowing as well.
"There are only seven minutes left. When the Etherion strikes the tower, we'll take our final breaths. Why don't we simply enjoy these last moments together?"
Jellal outstretched his arm, his hand opened for me as he gave me that gentle smile that I used to remember. He always gave me that smile whenever he wanted to calm me down, and at most times, it worked like a charm.
FLASH!
"How are you feeling, Em?"
I twisted my head to look over at Jellal, being careful not to open my recent wounds.
"Everything hurts, Jellal..." I cried.
"I know it does...but just hang in there, we'll be out of here soon, I promise." He assured me.
"I can't wait anymore...I...want to die."
Jellal gave me a look of shock and surprise that I had even said such a thing, but at this point, I was giving up, my mind and body were too tired to go on much longer. Jellal ran over and hugged me tightly to his chest.
"Don't you dare ever say that again, you hear me? Erza needs you! I need you! We all love you! You can't give up yet...please."
"Okay, big brother..." I sniffled.
"Good...now go to sleep." Jellal gave me a gentle smile.
FLASH!
I blinked away tears as I stared at Jellal's hand, and shook my head as I tried to get rid of all of these thoughts of doubt. I had to stop Jellal no matter what the cost was, I couldn't let him leave this place alive, and I definitely have to stop him from hurting anyone else.
"NO! I've cast away all of my fears, even of my own death! I'll relish in it because I'll be taking you down with me! And you won't hurt Erza or the others ever again!" I shouted.
Jellal snapped and finally made a move to attack.
"Really? Is that what you think? Well we'll just see about that!" He yelled.
I dodged his upcoming attack, moving forward as I transformed my arms into steel blades that resembled a katana. Jellal grew angry and fired another blast of intense magical energy, almost looking surprised when I cut through it this time. I ran forward as fast as I could, but Jellal managed to grip my arm and attack again. I felt myself falling, and moved quickly until I made it safely back inside of the building.
"You destroyed the very thing you worked so hard to complete?! What's the point?!" I snapped.
I used a spell I learned from Laxus and sent a huge bolt of lightning at him.
"Why should I care about a pillar or two? After all, they're nothing but decorations!" He smirked.
"Maybe so, but the reason Sho and the others were here is because they spent their days building it for you, you ungrateful bastard!"
Before I could attack, a flash of red ran past me and struck Jellal so quickly that I didn't have time to react.
Erza!
Jellal was knocked back several feet but laughed when he saw Erza standing before him as well. I glanced at Erza in surprise, not actually expecting her to be here when I thought she was still trapped in Sho's card magic.
She must have gotten free somehow!
"I thought you said we were fighting together." Erza smirked. "Were you lying about that?"
I wiped my eyes as I playfully punched her arm.
If I was going to spend my last moments in this world, I'd rather have Erza at my side. At first, I would have preferred that she stayed out of this, but...family is family. If we die together, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad way to go, as long as we were by each other's side.
"Not at all. I was just keeping him busy for you." I chuckled.
"...how is it you manage to find fault in everything I say, Ember?"
Our attention turned to Jellal once more, getting back into a fighting stance.
"I never forced them to work, they chose to! They knew how important the tower was to me. And now at long last, it's been completed!"
My eyes widened as Erza and I were now trapped, a ball of Jellal's energy consuming us. It almost felt like I was fighting Juvia again, being trapped in some ball of energy, battling for air.
"While it's evident that you honed your skills over the years, you're both no match for me."
Memories of Fairy Tail, the Tower of Heaven, and all of my friends hit me at once. Those that had near death experiences weren't kidding when they said your entire life flashed before your very eyes.
I wish I could back and change everything...
Erza glanced over at me and grabbed my hand after we both got the same idea. I transformed my arm again, and the both of us used our blades to cut through and break free. Jellal looked confused and outraged as we were now free to move.
"I've told you." I spoke up. "I've cast away all of my fears, including you."
Erza struck Jellal with her katana and stood above him, watching the look of utter shock take over his face as she was about to strike him again.
"Why don't you tell us what your real goal is Jellal? You and I both know that the R-System hasn't been completed! Do you know what I've been doing since we left this place years ago? Researching it immensely. And I know that even though the Tower of Heaven was constructed exactly like the blueprints, there's still one thing you don't have! A vital part to its completion!" Erza questioned him.
"That's not true. One of your sacrifices will complete it." He grinned.
"No. Something even more basic than that. Magic energy." I spoke up.
Jellal's smirk faded, not expecting Erza or I to catch on so quickly.
"I don't think you realize how much magic energy you'd have to accumulate just to activate the R-System. You'd have to gather every single wizard on the continent and you still wouldn't have enough power to pull it off. This tower doesn't have the capacity to store that much magic energy within its walls, and you certainly can't do it on your own! I find it highly suspicious that you haven't tried to escape despite knowing the council's preparing to attack! What are you up to?!" Erza finished.
That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks: Jellal wanted to have the Etherion hit the tower. The tower was going to end up absorbing all of that magic energy.
And after that, Erza and I would be free to be his sacrifices.
"Only three more minutes until the Etherion fires." Jellal smiled.
Before I could speak up and tell Erza, she beat me to it and continued to interrogate Jellal.
"Answer me! You know your dream will never come true! So why are you willing to risk your life?! Do you want to die?! If that's the case then we'll go together! I'll stay here to hold you down and won't let go until the bitter end!" Erza tightened her grip on him.
"To be honest...that doesn't sound so bad." Jellal muttered.
Erza finally stopped and stared down at him in surprise. For a moment, I truly believed that the old Jellal we all loved had finally returned to us, but I knew that wasn't the case.
"I no longer have control over my own body and soul. Because I've been possessed by Zeref. I'm merely a puppet he's been manipulating in order to become flesh again."
"You were possessed by him?" Erza gasped.
"I wasn't able to save myself. And not even my closest friends were there to come to my rescue. That's when I realized, there is no heaven, nor does true freedom really exist. All of creation was finished before it really began. Deep down, I knew the R-System couldn't be completed, but Zeref kept pushing me. He forced me to continue the tower's construction. I wanted to stop, but I couldn't. I was like a freight train with no brakes. I surrender. Go ahead and finish me."
Erza's arm trembled and soon enough the entire building was shaking, indicating that the Etherion Blast was only moments away from hitting the tower. I was confused, conflicted, and had trouble believing Jellal's story.
"Isn't that why you came looking for me? The both of you."
Jellal turned to look at me and I felt my arms shift back to normal.
I'm so confused, for once in my life, I don't know what to believe. He's so convincing- -
I wanted more than anything to believe Jellal's words, but something told me that he was lying about this whole thing.
He was trying to lower Erza's guard!
"There's no need for me to spill your blood with my own hands. The satellite square is focused and the Etherion will fire any minute now. That means this is the end...of you...and me...and my sister." Erza lowered her voice.
Erza released Jellal, her sword fading away as she stood up with a grim look on her face.
"It is a grim fate that we share." Jellal frowned.
"So all of this time, you were just another one of Zeref's victims." Erza mumbled.
"It's my own fault. I let my weakness get the best of me. The rift between my dream and reality was too deep for my mind to comprehend."
"The people capable of saving you, from your flaws and your inner weakness...are those who you call your friends." Erza mumbled.
I watched the exchange, knowing that Erza needed closure, but became more tense as the building continued to shake as we all continued waiting for the inevitable.
"That's true." Jellal nodded.
"I apologize for not being able to save you back then. Can you forgive me?" Erza gave him a small smile.
"Erza...you have saved me." Jellal muttered.
Jellal embraced Erza, and looked toward me, holding out his hand once more as a blinding light from above had appeared.
Maybe Jellal wasn't lying...I just can't believe it was too late to realize that...
I blinked away tears as I came over and knelt down beside them. I took Jellal's hand and hugged them close as I shut my eyes, awaiting my death.
I opened my eyes moments later, as Jellal separated from us, Erza and I quickly glancing at each other in surprise.
"We're still alive?" Erza muttered.
Jellal had a faint smile on his face as he chuckled softly, and I knew immediately that Jellal had tricked us, that he meant for all of this to happen.
"What have you done?" I glanced up at Jellal.
Jellal finally burst out into laughter, finding victory that his plans had succeeded. I took a look at our surroundings, realizing that I was right all along, that the Etherion Blast had been absorbed through the Tower of Heaven.
This whole place is a giant lacrima!
"It's here! At long last! My hour of glory has arrived!" Jellal grinned.
"Glory?" Erza asked.
"This is the true form of the Tower of Heaven! A giant magical lacrima crystal! Thanks to the council, it's ready to activate. The Etherion's magic energy provided the missing piece of the puzzle. Which means the R-System is now complete!"
Oh my god...I was right...he was trying to distract Erza...the both of us...he intended for all of this to happen, and now he has his sacrifices.
"So...we were your pawns." I mumbled.
"Your expression is priceless, Ember."
I quickly whirled around after hearing a second voice, seeing Jellal's so called 'twin brother' standing behind us.
"He is incapable of putting forth his full power right now. So he had to manipulate you in order to save himself." Siegrain told us.
"Siegrain." I muttered.
"I don't understand...what are you doing here?" Erza asked.
"This reminds me of when we first met years ago. Do you remember? You accompanied Makarov to the Magic Council to submit a written apology for destruction of property. She attacked me out of nowhere. She must have mistaken me for you." Siegrain enjoyed the look on Erza's face as he turned to face Jellal.
"I hardly blame her since we do look alike." Jellal smirked.
"You refused to let up until I confessed to you that I was his twin. But still, you were hostile towards me from that day forward." Siegrain said.
"What did you expect?! If you truly cared about your brother then you would have tried to stop him instead of helping him cover his tracks! And I know you've been spying on us and reporting back to him!"
"Is that so?" They both raised an eyebrow.
"A mistake on my part. In retrospect, perhaps I should have said something that would have convinced you that I was going to find Jellal and kill him. But my biggest mistake was running into you in the first place. Especially after all of the trouble I went through to become a Magic Council member." Siegrain added.
"How about you cut the bullshit." I finally spoke up. "Jellal never had a brother, so stop trying to toy with us some more."
"What?" Erza looked confused.
Jellal and Siegrain looked surprised before they flat out grinned from my accusation.
"My my...what a bright girl." Jellal and Siegrain spoke in unison.
"What?" Erza muttered.
"Siegrain doesn't exist, Erza. He's just something Jellal created so he could manipulate the Magic Council. He's been planning to fire that Etherion blast for quite some time now...and all to complete the Tower of Heaven." I explained.
"How do you know all of this?" Erza asked.
"Because it's obvious. Suddenly after we left the tower Jellal has a twin brother? I knew it was all a sham, but I couldn't figure out why until this very moment. I couldn't go forward with my accusation to the Magic Council without any proof though. Hell, I didn't figure it out until now that Jellal's been planning this."
Siegrain moved towards Jellal, their bodies morphing together until they were one and the same.
"You're smarter than you look, Em." Jellal chuckled.
I could feel the boost in Jellal's magical energy almost immediately, but I was confident that I would be able to handle it if I went all the way.
"Don't you dare call me that ever again. You lost that privilege a long time ago." I spat out.
"I hope you enjoyed the freedom I granted you both all of those years ago, your release and everything after was all part of my plan to resurrect Zeref." Jellal told us.
"How can you live with yourself knowing that your entire life has been one big lie!" I snapped.
"Magic energy...I can feel it surging through my body."
Before I could blink, Jellal moved fast knocking me back several feet with a surprise attack. I winced at my mistake of letting my guard down and moved quickly to get up. Erza looked outraged and summoned one of her powerful swords with her equip magic, attacking Jellal with whatever strength she had left.
"The Magic Council is nothing more than a pile of rubble by now! I can't tell you what a blessing Ultear has been. I couldn't have done it without her. She has no fear of death, because she believes all of man kind will become one in heaven. In fact, she told me she'd be more than happy to give her life if it meant my dream would come to fruition."
Ultear...holy shit, why does that name ring a bell? Wait...she's Ur's daughter!
"That reminds me. I should thank her for being an ignorant fool whose easy to manipulate."
"CURSE YOU!" Erza hollered at him.
Erza attacked once more, her body getting slower by each second.
"I'm going to take revenge for all of the people you've abused."
Jellal's been holding back, he's toying with Erza! I have to stop this!
"ERZA WAIT!" I yelled.
"THIS IS THE END JELLAL! I'LL KILL YOU!"
I ran forward, but Erza was paralyzed before I was able to stop it from happening. Erza stood there frozen, not being able to move an inch as Jellal moved freely around her.
"What's happening to my arm!" Erza gasped.
"It's just a binding snake. I slipped it onto you during our warming embrace earlier."
SHIT! Does that mean he got me too when I held his hand?!
"Now that I've gotten all of that magic energy needed for the R-System, there's only one more thing to do to resurrect Lord Zeref."
The lacrima was going to absorb and fuse with Erza to resurrect Zeref!
My heart skipped a beat when I saw Jellal push Erza into a lacrima. I watched in shock as the lacrima and Erza were beginning to fuse together.
"You know I really did love you both." Jellal smiled.
"No! STOP!" Erza cried.
FLASH!
As we stood on Tenrou Island, I felt my heart beating fast, but not just from becoming an S-Class wizard, but because I longed to see Erza so much that it practically hurt.
"Gildarts...I have to ask you something..." I mumbled softly.
"What is, sweetheart?" Gildarts grinned.
Gildarts pulled away from our hug, noticing the sad look on Makarov's face before he turned to look at me.
"Will you...will you tell Erza that I love her?" I asked.
Gildarts looked taken back with surprise before his grin returned.
"You can tell her yourself when you get back home. Now that you're S-Class, I don't think there's anything you can't handle when you put your mind to it." Gildarts told me.
"But...Erza hates me now." I blinked away tears. "I don't know if I can face her again."
Makarov watched the exchange silently, but I could see the heartbroken look on his face from the corner of my eye.
"You're her sister. She could never hate you." Gildarts assured me.
"Leaving the way I did...I'd imagine otherwise...I abandoned her..."
"She'll understand, Ember. You only left so that you could protect her...but from what I wonder..."
"Jellal." I immediately answered.
"I see...was he the one from the Tower of Heaven then? That you and Erza loved?" Gildarts asked.
I nodded, not knowing what else to say.
"Ember. Listen to me right now."
I perked up in surprise from the sudden change in Gildarts' tone, and stood still.
"Erza might not be able to forget that you left her...but she will forgive you. You left her to become stronger, you did it out of an act of compassion and love." Gildarts started.
"But- -"
Gildarts put his finger on my lips, almost looking angry that I almost interrupted him.
"Just make sure that when you return home to Fairy Tail that...you'll cherish your moments with your nakama...never let them go again. Show them why you left, show them what you're made of. It can't be for nothing and you'll need to prove that to them. They'll understand, I promise you. Don't underestimate your family." He finished.
"Alright." I nodded.
FLASH!
"JELLAL!" I screamed.
Jellal turned, a look of shock on his face when he glanced over at me. I ran at Jellal at full speed, sending him back several feet as I landed a punch on his face that was laced with fire. The flames vanished from my fist as I glanced over at Erza, and quickly ran over to pull her out of the lacrima.
"Erza!" I cried.
I grabbed onto one of her exposed arms and began pulling her out, watching as she immediately fell after being freed. I quickly caught her body and cradled her in my arms, holding her tightly as I noticed how exhausted she was.
"I'm gonna get us out of here. I promise." I mumbled softly.
"You sound certain of that..."
I turned around, staring at the look of pure evil on Jellal's face.
This isn't going to end well...
Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Man did this take forever to write! I'm kind of happy at how it turned out, but I can't wait until I'm finished with this arc finally! It's been brutal! I'm literally watching every episode to make sure I got most of the dialogue right. Just ignore anything I might have misspelled, I'll go back and change it later, I promise. Anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter, and please be polite with your criticism, that's all I ask. I'll update as soon as I can!
-bellas2silly