Ruby was still confused about what had just happened, she was looking around trying to make sense of her surroundings.

"Did… I just win?" she said. She then looked around trying to find everyone else. "Where is everybody?"

She then noticed Arvin lying against the riverbank unconscious, Toothless still trapped within a block of ice and Hiccup who was just floating on top of the water.

"Arvin! Toothless! Hiccup, are you all right?" she yelled.

She then made her way towards Hiccup, but then Valkyrie shot out of the water. There were bruises all over her body and her clothes were torn and her face was that of anger and rage. By her side was Caelum.

"I will—not—loss," she said. Caelum then took on its cannon form and Valkyrie aimed straight at Ruby. "I'm one of the Oración Seis… you never stood a chance."

Caelum began to charge, but the thing Ruby was most focused on was Valkyrie. She couldn't why all her strength was drained or why Valkyrie looked as if she had taken on a tornado head on.

"I'll use the last of my power… to send you to the pile!" she yelled.

Caelum then fired his energy been straight at Ruby, but all of a sudden the curved hitting a nearby log.

"What? You missed," said Valkyrie looking down at Caelum. She then realised that it had done it on purpose. "You filthy trader."

Caelum then vanished as did the last of Valkyrie strength. She looked up into the sky remembering her own prayer, the thing she wanted more than anything, was to vanish into the heavens like the Valkyries.

Ruby then noticed that the current was taking Hiccup away.

"Hang on!" she yelled as she followed him. However, in a weakened state she was unable to keep up with him. "The current too fast. You have to wake up." However, Hiccup remained motionless. "Come on, I know you can do it."

She then finally grabbed his hand, but too late she realise that they had fallen down a small waterfall. And soon found themselves in the rapids and they were too strong for Ruby to pull them out.

"Where did these rapids come from?" she yelled. She then looked ahead and saw massive waterfall coming into the distance. "No way… you've got to be kidding me," she groaned.

And the last thing she remembered, before everything turned black, she was falling with Hiccup in our hands.

Meanwhile, at the Oración Seis hideout, Brain felt a jolt of pain is another tattoo on his face began to vanish.

"This is impossible," he said clutching his face. "Valkyrie has also been defeated." He then looked up at the calm of light that was consuming even more darkness. "Mark my words, I shall avenge you all. Soon, the light of this world will come crashing down."

Meanwhile, in the forest, both Astrid and Theron were heading towards the pillar of light.

"Are you sure you should be moving? You're still recovering from the poison," said Theron.

"I have to do this," said Astrid. She then looked at him. "You're the one without magic, are you sure you should be here?"

"Hiccup, told to me about what had happened and he would want someone to be the site you," said Theron.

Astrid stared at him and knew he was right, Hiccup would want someone by her side if she was to come face-to-face with Jellal once again. She was still having a tough time believing that Jellal had come back and why he showed up here?

She wasn't sure what she was supposed to be feeling, half of her remembered him as an old friend, but the other half remembered him as a psychopath. She wasn't sure what she would do if she finally came face-to-face with him.

Meanwhile, Jura was talking with Hoteye to understand why he had had the sudden change of mood.

"Hold on," he said. "So, what you're telling me is that Nirvana's magic actually alters the personality of those it affects."

"Precisely, right. Oh, yeah." said Hoteye. "Within its area of effect that black light will forcibly change anyone whose heart is teetering on the edge of good and evil to the opposite of the usual nature. Oh, yeah."

"If what you're saying is true, then you are wavering between light and darkness yourself," Jura noted.

"I was never truly evil to begin with and I could no longer convince myself what I was doing was noble. Oh, yeah," said Hoteye.

"I don't see how you could ever justify what you've done," said Jura sceptically.

"When you lost a loved one you can justify anything, wouldn't you agree?" said Hoteye as he crossed his arms and looked up at Jura. Then the two of them began running off towards the calm of light. "My only goal was to find my long lost brother. To do that, I needed heaps and heaps of money. Oh, yeah."

Jura just smiled, understanding his plight.

"When I first saw you all my precious memories came crashing to the surface," said Hoteye.

"Let me guess, I bear a striking resemblance to this long lost brother of yours," said Jura.

"Not quite, you're forgetting that he's a dwarf and he's the exact opposite of you," said Hoteye.

"Point taken," said Jura.

"Now, let's stop Brain and minions together," said Hoteye.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Midnight was battling against Feralan and winning.

"Having trouble?" said Midnight.

"It's like my magic has no effect on you, but I have to keep on trying," said Feralan.

Midnight sniggered.

"Air Magic! Aerial Shot!" Feralan yelled. "You're going down!"

He then fired a powerful gust of wind that picked up some loose stones and they headed straight towards Midnight. However, Midnight just remained completely still and the stones just avoided him.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Feralan.

Suddenly something powerful hit him and he began to collapse.

"No," he said as he fell. "Why couldn't—I—hit you?"

He then collapsed.

"Two down. These guys are so pitiful," said Midnight. "Come on, this is the best they got."

It was sunset and both Merrill and Stormfly were sitting on a mountain ledge overlooking the forest and the setting sun.

"Maybe… I shouldn't have joined the Alliance," said Merrill.

"Child, stop beating yourself up, it wasn't your fault," said Stormfly.

"Yes it was," said Merrill hugging her knees.

"You're playing with fire, Merrill," Stormfly sighed. "Nirvana could change your heart at any moment."

"I'm a coward, I left Ruby and the others instead of staying to fight with them," Merrill pointed out.

"You know as well as I do that if you had stayed you would only be in the way," said Stormfly.

Merrill sighed. "See, I shouldn't have come."

"Don't you dare say that? Remember, if you hadn't been here they would have lost Astrid."

"Yeah, but the Oración Seis found Nirvana because of me," said Merrill sadly.

"Is it all that bad, child?" Stormfly sighed. She then looked at her curiously. "I sense part of you is glad to see that Jellal fellow again. Though I'm not sure why." Merrill sank her head in shame. "And while we're on that subject would like to care and explain who he is? You said something about owing him your life, but I'm confused. If he so important why have you never told me about him?"

Merrill looked at her with a small smile on her face. "It's nothing personal, it just never came up," she said. "I met him seven years ago, I had somehow got separated from my clan, and he somehow found me scared and alone and wondering aimlessly."

Merrill began to remember when she was very young. Back then she was just a child, who had no comprehension of magic and had just lost the only family she ever knew.

"Mama! Papa! Where did you go?" said the young Merrill. "Please come back!"

Merrill looked up into the sky and began to cry. Then out of nowhere a mysterious boy appeared, he looks several years older than her and was carrying a large backpack on his back. The boy started when I saw her.

"Why you crying?" he asked.

"I lost my clan," Merrill cried and then rushed over to the boy, hugging him. She then began crying into his shirt. "I'm all alone!"

The boy couldn't do anything except places arms around her.

"That's how we met," said the present day Merrill. "He said he was on his own to and asked if I could join him on his journey. We travelled together from that day forward… we didn't know where we were going, but I don't think we really cared."

Merrill was sitting against a tree as rain poured heavily. She was waiting for Jellal, who had went to gather food, but she feared that he would not return.

However, her fears were ill founded as Jellal emerged out of the bushes with a bundle of fruit in his arms.

"You came back," she said.

"I normally don't like rainy days, but for some reason this doesn't bother me at all," he said. He then lowered his arms. "Hungry?"

"Whoa," said Merrill staring at the fruit in his arms. "How were you able to find so much food?"

"Don't worry about it," he said as he knelt down. "You ready to chow down?"

A few days later they were wondering once again, but the sun was getting to Merrill and she felt she was going to pass out.

"Hold on a second," said Jellal pulling at a large leaf.

He then waved it above Merrill and its shadow cover her whole body, protecting her from the raise.

"That's way better," she said.

Jellal just smiled.

Then they arrived at a large canyon and beyond that was just a pure wasteland.

Merrill looked at Jellal. "Which way do you think we should go?" she asked.

"I don't know," said Jellal in a carefree way. "There's tons of places we could go."

Merrill then grabbed his hand and he looked down at her.

"I'm fine going anywhere as long as it's with you," she said.

"Sounds good to me," he smiled.

Merrill smiled back.

They continued on their journey and they soon reached a large countryside.

"Then… one day, he started acting strange," said the present day Merrill.

Jellal suddenly came to a stop and looked up at the sky. "Anima," he said horror stricken.

"What? What did you say?" said Merrill puzzled.

Jellal didn't answer, but remained silent.

Later that day during a rainstorm Jellal told Merrill to leave.

"But why?" she asked. "I want to stay with you."

"You can't," he said firmly. "It's too dangerous, all right."

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked. "I'll fix it. Please, Jellal, don't leave me."

Jellal just looked at her and said, "There's a guild right across the forest where you'll be safe. We'll stop there, but we'll have to part ways."

"No!" Merrill cried wrapping her arms around Jellal.

"Merrill, come on," Jellal sighed.

But Merrill wouldn't listen, she kept on crying.

The present day Merrill looked towards the sunset. "When we got beyond the forest, he left me with the Alfheim Shelter Guild. I've been there ever since, except when Grandeeney began training me in Sea Dragon Slayers Magic. But then she left me, two years ago."

"So, what happened to him after you parted ways?" Stormfly asked curiously.

"That was the last time I ever saw him," she said sadly. "But I did hear rumours, now and then. First people said that there was a council member that looks like him in the most recent ones were all about how he was doing these incredible evil deeds. So silly, he would never think about doing such horrible things. I wonder, do you think he remembers me anymore?"

Meanwhile, Astrid and Theron had reached the source of the light pillar, but most of this site was blocked by the shroud of dust that was blowing all around the cavern.

Astrid could just see enough to see Jellal standing right in front of the light pillar. She gazed at him in horror and he must have sensed her presence, because he turned to face her.

"So, that's him," said Theron.

Unknown to them Cobra was watching, he was utterly shocked to see Astrid still alive as he had been with Hiccup. Though, he was more surprised that she hasn't lost a limb at all and that he was unable to sense her or Theron's approach. He could allow the two of them to take Jellal down before Nirvana is fully activated.

"Jellal," said Astrid.

"Astrid," said Jellal.

"Now, tell me how did you end up here?" Astrid demanded.

"I can't answer that," said Jellal. "Astrid? Who is… that?"

Astrid and Theron gasped.

"I have no memory and yet I remember that name," Jellal continued and then he began clutching his head as if he was in pain. Everyone, including Cobra, stared at him in bewilderment. "I don't who I am or where I came from." He then looked at Astrid and Theron. "Can you tell me? Do you know? At least tell me who Astrid is? Please, if you know you have to tell me."

"He had been wiped clean," said Theron.

"Oh, Jellal," said Astrid as tears rolled down her cheek.

"You have to tell them," said Theron. "He at least deserves to know who he is."

Astrid stared at Jellal and after a few seconds she slowly made her way towards him.

"Jellal," she said as she advanced.

"Stay back!" Jellal warned and fired a magic blast at her.

However, when the smoke cleared, she did not fazed at all in fact just the opposite.

"All right, then, you come to me," said Astrid. "I'm the person you're looking for, I am Astrid."

Jellal just stared at her.

"And you are Jellal," she continued. "There was a time when we were close friends."

"We were," said Jellal his eyes widening.

"Yes, but hours before you became deranged, desecrated the dead, hurt my friends, destroyed the Viking Council and killed Olaf." Tears appeared on Jellal's face. "If you try… if you even dare to forget the pain you caused I'll take my axe to your throat and cut you to shreds! Now, come to me face you're atonement!"

"I did that," Jellal gasped in horror as rolled down his cheeks. "To my comrade's. What have I done?" He then placed a hand on his face ashamed. "Please, no, tell me it's not true? Tell me… how can I make amends?"

"His battle with Hiccup must have knocked him to his senses," said Theron thoughtfully.

Astrid just stared at Jellal wondering if Theron's theory was true and this was the same Jellal.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the woods, Ruby had just regained consciousness. She then noted a bandage around her arm.

"Who did this?" she said. Then she noticed she was wearing an entirely different outfit. "Question two: who changed my clothes?"

"I thought garments from the Celestial World would suit you as for who changed you that would be me," said a familiar voice.

Ruby turned and saw Virgo standing there. "Virgo?" she gasped.

Hiccup, too, regained consciousness. "Okay, now where am I?" he said.

"I managed to pull the two of you out of the river," said Virgo.

"Thanks, but what happened to Nirvana?" Hiccup asked.

Then the two of them noticed that the corm of light was now bright, with no signs of darkness around it at all.

"Well, we're closer, but it looks different than before," said Ruby.

"Yes, the light chain from black to white while the two of you were unconscious," said Virgo.

Hiccup then looked at Ruby. "Thanks for saving my life," he said.

"What are friends for," said Ruby smiling.

"Hang on, where is Toothless?" said Hiccup looking around.

"I haven't seen him," said Virgo.

"Now that I think about it wasn't a certain redhead supposed to stay with Astrid?" said Hiccup looking at Ruby.

"I was, but we got split up," Ruby moaned.

"Then we shouldn't stand around and head straight towards that light," said Hiccup.

"I was glad to serve you, m'lady," said Virgobowed. "Until next time."

Virgo then vanished.

"Wait!" Ruby yelled.

Then she realised that she hadn't summoned Virgo at all, she must have crossed over using her own power. If that was true and that meant that Ruby had used all hers.

Then they had rushing in the bushes and Ashelin emerged with a dazed look on her face.

"Ashelin?" Ruby gasped. Ashelin didn't say anything. "I'm glad you're all right, but did you have to scare me?"

"Something's not right," said Hiccup reaching for Inferno.

"What you mean?" Ruby asked.

"It's all your fault," said Ashelin. "You Dragon Tail members are to blame."

"Excuse me?" said Ruby confused.

Ashelin then laughed maniacally. Suddenly the nearby tree roots came to life.

"She's been taken over," said Hiccup drawing Inferno out.

The tree roots me the way towards them, but only ice spikes to most from the ground telling them apart.

"I've had enough of you!" Ragnar yelled and grabbed Ashelin from behind.

Then the two are then collapsed onto the ground.

"Is she okay?" Ruby asked.

"I think she may be possessed," said Ragnar.

"Get off of me!" Ashelin demanded. "You will pay you did to my love! You'll never leave this forest!"

"She's been acting strangely says that light showed up," Ragnar explained. "Have you seen anything weird?"

"Well, for starters she's been taken over by Nirvana," said Hiccup. "This is what it does to people who on the edge of light and dark."

"What you mean?" said Ragnar puzzled.

"You won't escape me!" Ashelin roared. "I on my life that I'll avenge him."

"Avenge me for what exactly?" said a voice.

They all turned and Ashelin gasped. In front of them stood Lyon, who was dragging Racer alongside him.

"I thought you had more faith in me than that," he said.

Ragnar released Ashelin, who then stared at Lyon in disbelief.

"Is that really you?" she asked.

"Of course, he's a whole lot tougher than he looks," said Ragnar, who didn't look at all surprised.

"It was closer than I care to admit. Even after I put some distance between us and the bomb I spent everything I had to keep the blast at bay," Lyon explained. "It took me awhile to recover."

"Sounds like you had as a rougher time as we did," said Ruby.

Ashelin then collapsed. "Oh, my love," she said and Nirvana's dark influence exited from her.

"Looks like Nirvana's grip over her has lifted," said Hiccup. "If we don't do something soon we may all end up like her."

"No kidding, we're running out of time" said Ruby looking at the pillar of light.

Meanwhile in the cavern both Astrid and Theron were looking at Jellal. Then suddenly they sensed another presence and turn to find Cobra along with Cubellios at his side.

"If you've lost your memory that explains why can hear your thoughts," he said. "But now I have a whole lot slew of questions for you to answer."

"I should have known we were being watched," said Astrid.

Cobra focuses attention on Jellal. "I like to know how you found Nirvana, but even more than that I want to know how you broke it seal," said Cobra.

"While I was unconscious, I heard a voice," Jellal explained. "'I must have Nirvana', it would say. It's strange, but when I woke up I knew where precisely where to find it. Somehow I could also sense how incredibly dangerous and powerful it is. And so… I decided to break Nirvana seal… to obliterate it."

They all stared at him.

"How do you intend to destroy something like that?" Astrid asked.

"I've rigged this monstrosity with a Self-Destruct Magic Circle," said Jellal. Suddenly a magic circle appeared around the pillar, it was so complex that Astrid can make heads or tails of it. "It's only a matter of time before Nirvana crushes itself."

Cobra quickly made his way over to the pillar and attempted to deactivate the Magic Circle. However, disarming it proved to be as complex as the circle itself.

"I've never seen a Magic Circle this kind of complexity," said Cobra as he attempted to break the seal. "If I can't find a way to stop it we'll lose everything."

He then turned to Jellal in the hope that he could threaten him into disarming the Magic Circle.

"Spill it, Jellal, tell me how to disarm or beat it out of you," Cobra threatened.

Jellal then clutched his chest in pain and the three of them just stared at him confused.

"Astrid? Whenever I hear that name a calmness washes over me," he said and began to cough roughly. He then looked at her and smiled. "Cheerfulness, kindness, fearless unwavering loyalty. I have no doubt you continue to despise me, believe me I don't blame you, I would probably feel the same. If I'm truly your friend then I can't allow that hatred… to keep robbing your freedom."

"But… what are you saying?" Astrid asked.

Astrid then noticed that Jellal had only placed a hand on his chest in order to write the same Self-Destruct Magic Circle on him.

"I'm sorry you suffered, because of me," said Jellal at the Magic Circle began to cover his body. "I'll do everything I can to make it right."

"You didn't," said Cobra in horror.

Jellal then began to fell over. "Be free Astrid, from your hatred, escape your past," he said.

"He's serious," said Theron.

"I will take your pain and your sadness, all of it," said Jellal. "They cannot shackle you."

"I can't believe he's going to go through with this," said Cobra in horror. "He's seriously going to sacrifice himself."

Astrid just stared at Jellal in disbelief.

"Farewell… Astrid," he said.

"Jellal!" Astrid yelled as tears rolled down her cheek.