Sorry that it has been so long! This chapter was supposed to be 2 chapters, but it flows better as one big chapter so I decided to combine them, which is what took them so long. The moment we all have been waiting for is finally here though! Who is Levy? Well, read on to find out!
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail... which saddens me
Chapter 10: Who She Is
Slowly the bright light the surrounded them subsided and the Underworld unfolded before their eyes. Gajeel took a moment to look around at their surroundings. Where Cana had teleported them was a dark cave that was illuminated by blue torch light. The cave seemed to extend into a hallway in front of them. As far as he knew no other angel had gone to the Underworld and actually made it out alive. His only saving grace was that his wings were tainted so grey they almost seemed like demon wings in the low light. Cecilia beside him was gasping for air, barely able to breath in the toxic stench in the air. Luckily Gajeel's Anti-Angel body didn't respond to the toxic air around them.
"It'll be hard for her to breath for awhile, but once we get to the prison it should actually get easier for her. We should head there quickly though or she will die," Cana informed Gajeel. The news alarmed Gajeel, but he knew he needed to keep that hidden from the she-devil or she would see right through him. His time as an Anti-Angel had made him much better at hiding things, so good that even Cana couldn't see through him anymore. The only one who can is Levy, Gajeel thought.
"Would that really be so bad?" Gajeel asked doing the best to keep his voice level and nonchalant about it.
"Yes it would. I have a feeling Lord Gray will want to kill Levy's mother in front of her, you know, to torture her more. The more we can break Levy's will the more likely we will be able to get the head angel to respond with war. If the war does happen I am sure Lord Gray will lead us to victory, so don't worry about that," Cana informed Gajeel. Cecilia's eyes went wide after hearing Cana explain her plan. Torture her?! What are they doing to my daughter?! I have no doubt Jellal will respond with war if they hurt Levy too much. This could end really badly if Gajeel's plan doesn't work, Cecilia thought worriedly.
"That would probably be better," Gajeel said with a small shrug. Cana shot him a wicked grin that made Gajeel want to shiver, but he stopped himself from shivering and decided to return her grin with a smile of his own. He had a part to play if he wanted to save the love of his afterlife.
"The prison isn't too far from here though. I teleported us to the closest area that I could. Just follow me," Cana told him, leading him down the narrow hallway in front of them. Cana then made Cecilia get in front of them, prodding Cecilia with the tip of her demon tail if she slowed down. "You won't believe how much a demon tail can hurt if you use it right," Cana told Gajeel proudly.
"I am guessing you have used it a lot then," Gajeel guessed. What made the brown haired demon become so sick and twisted was beyond his comprehension. Did I somehow do this to you Cana? Will this happen to Levy to if I love her? Gajeel wondered to himself. Quietly he shook his head to rid himself of the last thought, Levy was much too pure to ever become as twisted as Cana. Even in life Cana had always had some sort of a mischievous side to her.
"Oh yeah, I can't wait to show you my handiwork I did with Levy. It would have been a lot more fun if she would have screamed though," Cana commented. Her comment made Gajeel's blood boil, but he was able to contain himself. However, Cecilia was not.
Cecilia spun around and spat, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER YOU WENCH?!" The Anti-Human's rage surprised both Gajeel and Cana. After Cana got over her shock she smirked at the dark haired mother.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Cana told her with an evil laugh. Hot tears spilled down Cecilia's cheeks as she thought about her sweet innocent daughter getting tortured by the jealous demon.
"H-HOW DARE YOU!" Cecilia roared, readying herself to launch an attack. She could care less about Gajeel's stupid plan, her daughter had been hurt by this disgusting creature and she must pay. Before Cecilia could attack though Gajeel subdued her.
"Calm down, trust me. Levy won't get hurt anymore, but if you attack Cana I cannot assure you of Levy's safety. Just shut up and go to the cell," Gajeel hissed in Cecilia's ear. His words made sense to her, but Cecilia's anger was still hot. Begrudgingly Cecilia stopped trying to attack Cana though.
"Well then, that little Anti-Human has a lot of guts. That really did catch me off guard. Then again, they say a mother's love for her child outweighs all other things," Cana said with a smirk. Cecilia shot Cana one last glare before continuing forward toward the cell. Gajeel is right, I need to just do what Gajeel says so he can save Levy and she won't be hurt anymore. Hopefully Jellal doesn't hear that Cana did in fact torture Levy, Cecilia thought as she walked in front of them.
"Nah, she has always been this feisty, I think it is just in her nature," Gajeel commented with a smirk. For as long as Gajeel had known Cecilia she did stupid things like that for the sake of keeping others safe. It was truly something everyone could admire in her.
"Well it'll get her killed if she keeps it up," Cana scoffed and prodding Cecilia once again with the tip of her tail. "You know, being a demon is a lot more freeing than being an angel. I think you will enjoy it more," Cana told Gajeel with a smile. It is sad that she thinks that, Gajeel thought, but smiled back at Cana anyway.
"Probably, after all, being an Anti-Angel has such strict rules. Are we close to the prison though? I don't know how much longer we can keep her walking without attacking us," Gajeel told Cana. Cana shut her eyes momentarily, doing a scan of the area, before opening her eyes and nodding to him. Once a demon got high enough and had been a demon long enough they could do a scan of any area in the Underworld and tell where they were.
"Yeah, it is right up ahead," Cana said simply. After a few more minutes of walking they ended up standing in front of the prison. Cells lined the hallway, most were lesser demons who got in trouble with the higher ups, but Gajeel also saw a few humans who must have ticked off some demons.
"Help me!"
"Get me out of here!"
"Hey! You are an angel! Can't you help me escape?!"
Were only a few of the things Gajeel heard as they walked down the long hallway of cells. It physically hurt him to leave them, but Cana, on the other hand, seemed to be drinking in the pleas with a look of pure ecstasy on her face. The woman I loved truly is dead, Gajeel though sadly as he watched Cana's wicked grin spread across her face.
"Those are what I live for, the screams of the sorrowful. Soon you will learn to love them too," Cana told him happily. How anyone could find their pleas for help to be something to live for was beyond Gajeel's comprehension. Finally they got to the end of the line where there was an open cell that was so tiny you could barely lie down in it. "This is where you can put her. We can tell the lord she is here afterward and then he will decide what to do. Just throw her in and lock it, then follow me," Cana told Gajeel before walking a little ways ahead, talking to a lesser demon guard so he would know about his new inmate.
"Gajeel, what are we going to do? She tortured our Levy! If Jellal finds out he will be furious with us!" Cecilia hissed at Gajeel, "Forget Jellal I am furious with you!" Gajeel flinched a little at the venom in Cecilia's voice, but he knew it was his fault Levy was in this situation.
"I know, I know. Trust me, I am going to get Levy out of this situation and I will NEVER let her be hurt like this," Gajeel tried to assure Cecilia. Sadly his words didn't seem to appease the furious Anti-Human any.
"Trust you?! Gajeel you have dragged me into the Underworld, not told me ANYTHING about you plan, AND you got my daughter to be tortured! How am I supposed to trust you?" Cecilia asked him seriously. Deep down Gajeel knew she had a point, but he didn't want to admit it. More than anything he wanted to hold Levy in his arms and apologize to her a million times. Please just let her forgive me and give me another chance. I was stupid for letting her leave, just let her forgive me, Gajeel pleaded silently before trying to figure out how to appease Levy's mother first.
"I am sorry I didn't tell you my plan, but there really isn't any time for explanations. As far as trusting me, I love you daughter and I am doing everything for her, including talking to my psycho ex. Right now I am not going to lock the door, take this," Gajeel explained as he handed her a small, powerful Anti-Angel gun, "and try looking around for Levy. If you find her before me try finding me so we can find a way out of here, deal?"
Cecilia looked at the gun in her hand before shaking her head and saying, "No, whoever finds Levy first gets her out of here and calls Jellal. The other can find their own way out or someone can come get them if they can't get out. Besides, by my count we can't stay here for more than 5 hours max and that is probably being generous. We have to get back before we become too weak and we can't save Levy anyway." Gajeel knew she had a point, but he couldn't help but hope that they got Levy out of there before then anyway. They weren't the only ones on a clock, Levy was too.
"Okay, agreed. Whoever finds Levy first gets out with her, the other will get out before they get too weak anyway. We will meet up at your house in the real world after calling Jellal, or after just coming back to Earth if we don't find Levy," Gajeel told Cecilia. Cecilia nodded before giving him a teary smile.
"Go get my baby girl and tell her how you feel," Cecilia told him, "I only trust you with her." Gajeel couldn't help but chuckle at that, the fact that the girl he loved's mom was an Anti-Human was strange considering their rivalry. Of course stranger was the fact that Cecilia only trusted an Anti-Angel with her daughter.
"I will, good luck," Gajeel said before going after Cana, not locking Cecilia's cell like he was supposed to. With any luck Cecilia will be able to destroy the lesser demon in charge of guarding her cell and then go looking for Levy. The gun Gajeel gave her may have been small, it could easily be concealed in a sleeve of someone's hand and even possibly just holding it in their hand, it was still extremely powerful. Neither of them had time to get into any real fights seeing as they both were on a strict time limit.
"She all locked up?" Cana asked Gajeel once he got into speaking distance of the she-devil.
"Yep, now where are we gonna do?" Gajeel lied as he walked forward with Cana. Hopefully Cecilia didn't start trying to break out and find Levy until him and Cecilia were out of hearing distance of her cell. Having Cecilia cause comotion too soon would cause complications in Gajeel's plan. His plan didn't account for the fact that he had no time to go looking for Levy because he would be with Cana the entire time. Cecilia, I guess it is up to you, Gajeel thought.
"Simple, we are going to talk to the lord about you becoming a demon. Chances are he will want to wait until after the war with heaven though, just be on the safe side, you know? I mean, I don't doubt you, but he doesn't know you like I do," Cana stated simply.
"Glad to see you still believe in me," Gajeel said giving her a smile. If Cana still believes in me, then does that mean Levy will too? Gajeel couldn't help but wonder.
"Before we go to the lord though, since I am pretty sure he is just going to brush us off because of war plans, how about you visit someone to tell them about your new demonhood. I am sure they would hate to hear it, but that is just all the better," Cana told him with a wicked grin.
Gajeel blinked before asking, "Who are you talking about?" If his memory was correct he didn't know anyone else who had fallen from grace besides Cana, but someone like that would be happy not sad. If there was someone that they both knew when they were alive then he didn't remember them, but still, why would they hate that he was 'deciding' to fall from grace.
"Levy McGarden the Earth Angel of course," Cana told him with a smirk as she started down the hall. Gajeel stumbled along beside her, dumbfounded that Cana would actually let him see Levy. This is way too easy, Gajeel thought suspiciously, but decided to follow Cana anyway.
"Really? I guess you would know where she is because you tortured her and everything," Gajeel commented, slightly worried. What was Levy going to look like once he got there? Could he really face how Levy would be once he got there?
"Yeah, do whatever you want with her till I come back. I'll just inform the lord about you are going to become a demon like me," Cana told him with a smile. Whatever I want? I am not sure she REALLY wants me to do that, Gajeel thought, but decided against saying anything.
"If you say so," Gajeel said with a shrug. He followed Cana down the rest of the hallway, he could hear his heart pounding in his ears from his excitement and apprehension. Was he really going to get to see Levy again? Finally Cana stopped in front of a closed steel black door. Gajeel sucked in a breath realizing just how close he was to the probably brutally battered Levy.
"Levy McGarden is right past there. I would enjoy her screams and cries once you tell her the news because she won't be around to torture much longer," Cana told him. Yeah, that's what she thinks, Gajeel thought but said nothing. "I will pick you back up later and maybe we can go on a date before the war starts. Well, till then, bye!" Cana said before waving goodbye and walking down the hall. Once she had walked far enough down the hall to not hear what Gajeel did when he saw Levy, Gajeel opened the door. Mentally he had been preparing himself for what he may see, but no amount of preparation could prepare him for what was beyond the cold, black steel door.
The room was pretty small, the walls looked stone and then entire room just seemed dark and damp. Just standing in the room was enough to give anyone chills, but seeing the sight in the middle of the room would make any average being fall to their knees. Luckily Gajeel had been hardened from all the many years of being an Anti-Angel. In the middle of the room was Levy McGarden, her hand were shackled and she was being hung by the shackles from the ceiling, judging by the fact she did not stir when Gajeel had entered the room made it obvious that she was unconscious. The worst part was that her body was naked while she hung there, the marks along her normally smooth, pale skin were deep gashes, the skin that wasn't hurt from the lashings and cuts were covered in thick, dried blood. For a moment Gajeel wanted to throw up from the sight, Levy was hardly recognizable from all the wounds. The only way to be sure it was truly her was her bright blue hair, but even it had blood in it.
"L-Levy," Gajeel said, blushing slightly from the fact that Levy was indeed naked in front of him. This was not exactly how he had imagined seeing her naked for the first time, not that he had ever imagined that in the first place. I can't think about that now, I need to get her down and out of here. Though if they are willing to stip her and torture her to this extent she must be a pretty important figure in heaven before she became an Earth Angel, but who was she? Once I finish this I will get Jellal to tell me once and for all, Gajeel thought determinedly, fighting back both tears and the blush that didn't seem to have any plans on going away anytime soon.
"Now where are her clothes? Cecilia would kill me if she saw me carrying around her unconscious, naked daughter. Then would tell Jellal that she did it cause I took advantage of Levy while she was knocked out and Jellal seems to trust Cecilia for some weird reason," Gajeel mumbled as he tore his eyes away from Levy's body to find her clothes. After scouring every corner of the room he found one of the stones was loose. Quickly he removed the stone and found Levy's stress, which was quite tattered, but still better than her being naked.
"Now to get you down so we can get you out of here," Gajeel told her unconscious frame. Finding a way to bring Levy down would be a completely different challenge than merely finding Levy's clothes. All of the torture devices, if Cana even used any since she mentioned how she loved using her tail on Levy, were out of the room so he would have to use what he had on him. His guns were useless in a situation like this since he couldn't take the chance of hurting Levy, so he would have to try cutting the chains she was hanging from.
"Just sit tight a little longer," Gajeel told her gently, then took out his knife from out of his boot. Sawing away bit by bit he managed to take her down from the ceiling, making her fall limp into his arms. "I got you, don't worry, you'll be safe now," Gajeel whispered again and again, rocking her gently. Tears that he had been holding back began to stream once he realized she really was safe in his arms. Finally he was able to get himself together and get Levy dressed in the tattered remains of her dress. Once we get to the surface I will make sure that she is properly bathed and dressed, Gajeel swore.
"Okay, now that you are all dressed let's get out of here," Gajeel said before picking Levy up bridal style in his arms. Carrying her bridal style would be the quickest and easiest way to carry her, even if it did make him blush a little. One day Levy would make a beautiful bride, even if it never could be him standing at the alter. Stop thinking about that! We have to get out of here! Gajeel scolded himself, quickly stopping his train of thought before it continued any further. Looking around he tried to figure a way out. The easiest would probably be to find a demon and force them to transport the two of them back to Earth, but he seriously doubted any demon would do it. Many demons were more scared of the prince than getting destroyed by an Anti-Angel.
"Why can't there be an exit?! If I don't hurry and make it out of here Levy will die!" Gajeel said. frustrated by the fact that he couldn't do anything. Typically he could teleport out of areas, but that took a lot of angelic power and most of his was being drained from being stuck in the Underworld. "Guess I should have thought ahead," Gajeel mumbled as he continued walking down hallway after hallway, trying to find a way out.
"Yes, you really should have thought ahead better before walking into the lair of the demons," came a voice from behind him. With breathtaking speed Gajeel spun around to see who was there. Once anyone saw him with Levy trying to get her out he would be done for. Something told him the prince wouldn't take kindly to Anti-Angels storming into the Underworld.
"Who's there?!" Gajeel asked into the darkness. All of the sudden the dark hallway they were in was illuminated by tons tons of fire alighting on the walls of the hallway. The effect reminded him of something like a video game dungeon before you fought the boss monster. Standing a few feet from him was the Underworld Prince with Cana standing by him.
"What are you doing Gajeel? Why do you have Levy in your arms?" Cana asked confused, if Gajeel didn't know better he would have said she looked like she was about to cry. Demons didn't cry, they sure as heck didn't feel emotion like love anymore. More than likely she just wanted to control Gajeel.
"You always have been foolish when it comes to Gajeel Cana. Gajeel oves Levy and tricked you so you would take him down here so he could save her," Gray told Cana, "right Gajeel?" Gajeel gritted his teeth, but said nothing. "But why are you in such a hurry to leave? Don't you want to hear who Levy McGarden REALLY is, why Jellal cares for her so much, why she is so important that he would go to war over her?" Gray asked Gajeel with a smirk, already knowing his answer. It would eat anyone up if they didn't know something so important about the one they loved. "You know Jellal is never going to tell you," Gray told him. While Gajeel knew Gray was right, Gajeel didn't know if he should stay and risk Levy getting hurt worse. But this may be my only chance to actually really know who she is, Gajeel thought with a sigh, making up his mind.
"Yes, I want to know how Levy really is," Gajeel told Gray, holding Levy firmly against his body. Before Gajeel knew what was going on Gray swooped down and snatched Levy from Gajeel's arms. "H-Hey, what are you doing?" Gajeel asked pathetically, worried about what Gray would do to his beloved.
"Simple, she needs to hear this," Gray said with a shrug. Soon his neutral look on his face turned into a twisted grin as he twisted Levy's wrist hard. Levy woke up with a scream of pain, not only from her newly broken wrist but from all the other gashes that covered her body. Gritting her teeth from the pain Levy lifted her head to see where she was, only to see Gajeel standing in front of her, looking horrified. Probably from how I look, Levy thought to herself and tried to make herself smile at Gajeel.
"H-Hey Gajeel, I-I knew y-you would s-save me," Levy said, her voice shaky from the pain. The way her voice quaked and the broken smile that appeared on Levys heart made Gajeel's heart break just a little more.
"Levy," Gajeel whispered, feeling his eyes tearing up. Her pain is my fault, yet she still believes in me, Gajeel thought, guess she really does love me. "Let her go! Stop hurting her! You've hurt her enough! Just let her go!" Gajeel growled, feeling himself snap. This was the last straw, he was not going to lose another girl he loved to the Underworld.
"Gajeel, just forget about her," Cana told him before cupping his face. Cana forced Gajeel to look at her, jealousy was obvious in her eyes. "You belong to me, r-right," Cana said, her voice revealed she was unsure about where they stood at the moment. As much as Gajeel hated to admit it, Cana wasn't the same women he once loved and only Levy owned his heart now.
"W-What? G-Gajeel l-love me n-now!" Levy said, very confused but very hurt. Last time I checked they were fighting and Cana was always trying to kill him! Levy thought confused at the scene in front of her. Gray just rolled his eyes, he really had no interest in the love triangle before him. No matter who Gajeel chose that he loved that most Gray could just have the other one. Both of them the prince found rather disarble. Sure, Cana was much more sexy than Levy, but there was just something about Levy that made you want her.
"Do you want to know who she is or not?" Gray asked, getting bored. To get Gajeel's attention more Gray closed his hand tighter around Levy's broken wrist, causing the Earth Angel to squeak in pain. In a sick and twisted way Gray found Levy's pained squeak to be quite cute.
"Y-Yes," Gajeel stuttered, making Cana let go of his cheek. Cana turned as well to the prince, Gray had not told the she-devil why they wanted Levy and Cana would be lying if she said she wasn't even a little curious as to who the Earth Angel really was. After all, the head angel didn't actually consider going to war for just anyone. Levy also looked up at Gray, half to hear why she was kidnapped and half to pled through a look for Gray to stop hurting her. She looked so pathetic that Gray wanted to laugh, but decided not to.
"Levy is the Jellal's daughter, his own flesh and blood. It's said that Levy wasn't supposed to be an Earth Angel, but someone forced Jellal to make her an Earth Angel. The only way Jellal let her become an Earth Angel was if she was left in the care of the Anti-Human Cecilia McGarden," Gray explained to the room. I-I am Jellal's daughter? So my dad really is dead, he is just the guy I love's boss, Levy thought to herself.
That's why Jellal wants her back so much, why he wants her safe, it is the same reason Cecilia wants her safe. I bet Cecilia has known this whole time too, but why does Jellal trust Cecilia so much? I guess that doesn't matter right now, for now I need to grab Levy and get out of here. At least I know the truth, but Cecilia was right, it doesn't change who Levy is or why I love her, Gajeel thought and then reached to grab Levy away from Gray. In Gajeel's opinion Gray didn't deserve to hold Levy in his arms. Before Gajeel could touch Levy Cana pinned him down to the ground.
"No! You are nobody else's but mine! If I can't have you no one can! I won't let Levy have you!" Cana shrieked as she started to beat up Gajeel.
"Gajeel!" Levy screeched as she tried to break free of Gray's grasp. This is an interesting turn of events, Gray thought lazily as he held Levy firmly. Cana was beating Gajeel brutally, tears falling down her face fast. All Gajeel could think about was that if this was the end he deeply regretted never kissing Levy. "Gajeel you can't die!" Levy screamed, tears welling up in her eyes as she watched for the second time Cana beating Gajeel up, but this time she couldn't save Gajeel from the she-devil's grasp.
"I-I'm sorry Levy," Gajeel apologized. There was no way he could match Cana, most of his angelic power was gone and Cana had him pinned hard to the ground. Just when he thought it was over Cana was shot off him.
Virtual hug for whoever guessed that Levy and Jellal were related! Now can Gajeel, Cecilia, and Levy make it out of the Underworld alive or will escape cost one of them their life? Find out that and more in Chapter 11: Get Out Alive
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