Thanks to MayeLamker, Ash Lite, zrazarud, ephemeralstorm, Candied Snowflakes, Ajerzaaddict for your reviews :)
When you read do you ever listen to music? I think sometimes it really heightens the experience. For this chapter any of the sad Fairy Tail songs would work but maybe you could try Up Soundtrack-The Ellie Badge up until Jellal's flashback? That's what I was listening to when I wrote this :)
Once Upon An Arc Of Time part 3
Warily Jellal bent down, as he inspected the orb without laying a finger on it.
"Maybe we shouldn't touch it again-"
Without hesitating Erza reached out and held it in her armoured hand.
"-or you know, just go ahead and touch it. Why not? I mean-"
"Be quiet!" Erza hushed, punching his arm, just as a single crack split through the centre of the orb and a gust of wind shot out of it causing the pages of every open book to flutter and bits of stray paper to fly around the room like soaring doves.
"Thank you," the wind seemed to whisper softly in their ears. "Stay safe."
More cracks suddenly spread across the orb, until it dissolved completely in Erza's hand. The wind swiftly danced in and caught the pile of dust up into a breathtaking purple whirlwind, that swirled around their heads, assiduously playing with their hair and illuminating the entire apartment with radiant lilac light. Eventually, it all swept out to the balcony, the dust moving like a silky ribbon twirling through the air. Jellal and Erza moved to follow it and they watched as it flew up into the velvet black sky, the stars and the moon the only other witnesses. Erza clasped Jellal's hand as they watched it all float up to the glorious full moon.
"Farewell Ultear…" Jellal breathed.
Erza wrapped her arm around Jellal's waist and rested her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that until every last glimmer of purple had disappeared into the night and then a while after that. Erza wasn't going to ask him if he was alright. She knew he wasn't.
As time passed, a dark cloud came and shrouded over the moon, along with the majority of the gleaming stars.
"I hope she's happier now wherever she is," said Jellal finally putting an end to the silence.
"Well, if that was anything to go by, I'd say she's pretty happy," replied Erza standing up straight and lifting her head from his shoulder. He leaned on the balcony railing with his hands clasped together.
"I forgave her a long time ago, but she never forgave herself. She perpetually tortured herself with the pain of the past instead of looking forward to the future."
Erza wracked her brain for something to say. Something to take his mind of the situation.
"You never did tell me how Ultear and Meredy broke you out of prison," she said triggering a small smile to light up his face.
"No I guess I didn't. I just told the council so that they could make sure nobody else can escape..." he responded with a soft laugh which trailed off.
"I haven't told you because although it has a happy ending, it doesn't particularly have a very happy beginning."
Erza glimmered golden as she reequipped out of her Heart Kreuz armour into a salmon pink dress and leaned on the balcony railing beside him.
"And who in Fairy Tail has a happy beginning?"
Jellal smiled and looked up at the infinite sky.
"I was still in prison when I heard about what happened to everyone on Tenrou Island and I really did just…fade away then. Life had no meaning after that, while I sat with nothing but my own thoughts. I lost my will to live sitting in that cell…"
Jellal had his back to the wall with his head hanging limply when a plate of food was apathetically thrown into his prison of magic sealing stone. He didn't bother to look up. He could hear the guards discussing something just outside but Jellal had learned to block out all their pointless trivia. At the mention of Fairy Tail they suddenly had his full undivided attention.
"Yeah the whole island," the guard snapped his fingers. "Gone just like that."
"The entire island? How could an entire island just be annihilated?"
"They're saying it was a dragon. Took out the whole guild."
"A dragon!?" The second guard recoiled.
"Yeah no survivors. Guess we won't be hearing from Fairy Tail anytime soon," the guard laughed perniciously, and the ugly cackle boiled Jellal's blood.
No survivors, rang in Jellal's ears like a nightmarish echo.
No that couldn't be…Erza…Natsu…Wendy…
Jellal felt it like a knife to the gut.
"Hey, Siegrain-"
"It's Jellal you idiot!" His colleague snapped, correcting him.
"Old habit," he responded with a toothy grin and a shrug of his shoulders. "Weren't you chummy with those troublemakers?"
Jellal's head snapped up his eyes blazing like double suns. The pair of guards looked at each other and sniggered before the reptile with purple scaly skin called Nadal took a step closer to Jellal's cell, a sneer stretched across his amused features.
"That's what they get for associating with the likes of you," he taunted and his words twisted the knife already lodged in Jellal's gut. Like he had so many times before, Nadal pushed his wooden staff through the transparent blue wall and grinned from ear to ear as he zapped Jellal, laughing manically while he did it.
"N-Nadal! You shouldn't do that!" The other guard cried but Nadal continued to torture Jellal as the power from his staff intensified. However, Jellal would not give him the satisfaction and grit his teeth together.
"I won't stop until I hear him squeal!" He hissed as he enhanced the blast. Jellal eventually yelled as it hit its optimum power. When the torrent of pain ceased Jellal collapsed to his knees breathing raggedly. Satisfied he had done some damage both emotionally and physically, Nadal turned and took his leave; his colleague following close behind.
A deafening silence.
A silence broken only by the sound of Jellal's blood rushing in his ears and the incessant voices murmuring in his head. He gripped his hair with both hands and curled into a ball.
It was the colour of your hair.
Erza.
He could have sworn that he had heard her voice before when she was on the island. Her opponent was strong but she had been victorious he was sure. Maybe he hadn't heard her at all and it was just his frazzled mind playing tricks.
He tried reaching out to her now, but all he could sense was a hollow feeling of emptiness. The fragile walls that Jellal had managed to precariously hold up crumbled. The only thing keeping him grounded was gone.
Jellal slipped into deep despair.
Erza nudged his shoulder and he looked up as the memory dissolved. She was holding two cupcakes in her hands and she held one out to him.
"Sorry to interrupt."
Jellal took it off her and noticed that there was a tear in the corner of her left eye.
"They should never have treated you like-"
"Erza it's fine-"
"It is not! I will be having words with the council!" she shouted.
Jellal balanced the cupcake on the railing and clutched both her arms and looked straight into her fiery eyes.
"Please. Don't. What's done is done and I…don't want them having second thoughts about freeing me," he admitted.
Erza face momentarily softened but then darkened again.
"If they tried to take you away again, they'd have the strongest guild in Fiore to deal with," Erza stated and Jellal hugged her.
"Not to mention Sabertooth and Blue Pegasus and..." Erza continued.
"Okay I get it. Thank you," he smiled and bit into his cupcake that Erza had seemingly pulled from midair.
"Please continue but don't skirt over any details now," she instructed and Jellal nodded.
"I was in there a year after the destruction of Tenrou Island..."
"He's not eating. Should we do something?" asked a guard pointing to the piles of untouched food littered around Jellal's cell.
"No. If he wants to rebel, that's his choice. He'll eat it eventually, just don't let anyone give him more."
The guard nodded and stared at the blue haired man in the cell block.
"He's not what I thought he'd be."
"What are you on about?"
"He's not imposing or cursing at the world or vowing to kill us all. I dunno I just thought he'd be more…well evil."
The other guard folded his arms. "He's being creepy that's what he's doing. He's just in a huff because he's in there rather than out wreaking havoc. Don't go feeling sorry for criminals like him. Especially ones like him," replied the other guard.
"Hey what's that on your wrist?" he asked all of a sudden with a snigger causing the other guard to look down at his arm, only to find a mysterious glowing pink bracelet with a love heart in the middle.
"What the-? Hey you have one too!" he exclaimed. His companion tried to pull it off only to find that it was engraved onto their skin.
"What's the meaning of this?"
Jellal finally lifted his head to see the spectacle before him. Suddenly the guard had his hand on his head while he swayed on his feet.
"Something's not…something's not right," he slurred as he wobbled on his feet. He fell over face first.
"Hey! We need-" the second guard slumped over almost falling off the platform. The criminals up above were all pressed up against the transparent walls of their cells and their reactions ranged from confused to wicked delight. Jellal remained on the floor, looking on with a glaze over his once bright eyes.
Another two mages came hurrying over to inspect what was going on. The guard with scaly green skin knelt down and inspected their arm.
"They have these glowing things on their wrists!" he announced to his partner. "Quickly get-" he was interrupted as Nadal came hovering over.
"What is this?! Sleeping on the job? Ooooh they'll lose their jobs for this!" he charged towards them. The guard with the green skin held up his hands in defence.
"No sir, there's magic involved! We may have a breach." Nadal pointed to both the guards' wrists as the very same bracelet suddenly appeared on them. The duo shrieked in alarm but Nadal remained perfectly calm.
"Don't fret, we've had this happen before. We almost have the culprit apprehended. Just take this and it'll counterattack the spell," Nadal instructed as he gave them both a pill and without hesitating they swallowed them.
"Thanks Nadal, you're a real-" the guard with the green skin faltered and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head. Nadal steadied him before he fell off the platform. His companion crumpled on top of him. Without batting an eyelid, Nadal stepped over them and moved towards Jellal.
Has Nadal finally snapped? Jellal thought. He decided that Nadal just must finally want to kill him. And Jellal was going to let him.
Just then a second Nadal came up from inspecting the prisoners below.
"Where is everybody-" he flinched upon spotting his doppelganger and stared. Swiftly snapping out of his stupefied stated he fired from his wooden staff. A green orb appeared in front of the imposter and seemed to instantly absorb the attack. Numerous orbs materialised and homed in on Nadal, in a devastating assault, causing him to fall unconscious when they impacted.
The prisoners were cheering but their jovial exalts were muffled due to the magic sealing confinements they were all in.
The doppelganger's image wavered and glistened before giving off a blinding white light. Nadal disappeared and instead a woman with long dark hair with a purple tint stood in his place. He knew her. The Tower of Heaven. Torture. Council.
Ultear.
A young girl with pink hair and a red cloak came skidding in behind her.
"Hurry!" she implored. "I've got your back."
Ultear placed her hand on the transparent wall of Jellal's solitary confinement.
"Be ready to grab him Meredy; I can put this cell back in time but not for long because it's going to resist."
Resist? Thought Jellal. Magic wasn't supposed to work at all on the transparent stone cells.
The stone confining Jellal suddenly vanished and Meredy darted in and grabbed his arm and tugged but Jellal didn't move a muscle.
"No…" he murmured. "What do you want…just leave me…"
Meredy looked stricken. "Ultear!" panicked Meredy.
Ultear began to strain as the stone slowly began reappearing back into existence.
"Ultear! He's not budging!" shrieked Meredy still yanking on his arm.
"You…" he murmured.
"Jellal listen to me! We have to go right now! Explanations can come later, just move or we'll all end up in there with you!" pleaded Ultear as the cell had almost solidified once more.
In that moment he let himself think of a certain scarlet haired mage and what she would say.
Adrenaline shot through Jellal and he moved, causing Meredy to trip over due to his unexpected jolt. Jellal grabbed her and they made it out just as the cell reappeared. Ultear sighed heavily in relief but wasted no time as she turned to face the nearest wall. Lifting her palm, she made a section of the wall suddenly fade to a time before the wall existed. Jellal felt light-headed, his muscles were weak, and he regretted not eating properly. His magic power abruptly came flooding back after it being subdued for so long and the result was utterly draining. He stumbled but Meredy supported him, struggling underneath his weight.
"Ultear! Help!" She squeaked.
Ultear took Jellal's other arm and slung it over her shoulder before they moved to the large hole in the wall.
"Give me strength mother," Ultear muttered as she made a bridge of breathtaking purple ice adorned with roses spread out before them. As they walked across it at the same time Ultear destroyed the path behind them so that no one could follow. The three of them escaped into the night with the moon hanging over them like a watchful protector.
Deep in the mountains Meredy was seeing to their camp fire as Jellal sat across from Ultear giving her a vigilant look. Ultear eventually sighed and with her back to Meredy stood in front of Jellal manipulating the energy in her palm and created a sword, which she placed in the hands of the now incredulous Jellal.
"It was me who destroyed your life. I am the one to blame for every atrocity you have ever committed. I think you have already worked that out though. I understand if you desire revenge. The things I have done…cannot be simply brushed aside with a mere jailbreak. I understand if you wish to end my life, if it will bring you peace, but please find somewhere for Meredy to take refuge," she looked like she wanted to say much more but she cast her eyes downward and took a shaky breath in.
Almost immediately, she heard the sword clatter at her feet and lifted her head to see Jellal who was now standing with his fists clenched by his sides. His eyes seemed to pierce her soul.
"If peace can only come through killing someone…then I don't want it," he vowed.
Ultear quickly dispelled the sword. They stood awkwardly before Ultear looked up at the relaxing night sky.
"I have always cursed my own life. The anger, anxiety and hatred I couldn't suppress. However, now whenever I stop and gaze up at the sky... I realise just how small I am in the larger scale of things. There is an endless world spreading before me," Ultear confessed softly.
"Then why don't we rid this endless world of darkness?" Jellal suggested reaching over and offering her his hand. Ultear stared at it in shock for several moments before she took it. Meredy came back with bowls of soup and a huge grin painted on her small face. As they ate their soup Ultear just kept staring up at the moon.
The dark clouds that had temporarily shrouded the moon, moved and its full glory shone through once more.
"Thank you for telling me that," said Erza. "I'm sorry to remind you of all that you went through in prison. I just wanted to know, so now I don't feel as if... we were apart," Erza admitted slightly embarrassed at how mushy that sounded after what he had just finally opened up about.
"No I should have told you sooner. Ultear always blamed herself for ruining my life but she never once dwelled on the fact that she also saved it. She let the bad outweigh the good. She helped me to stop suffering because I looked at her and just thought that…that must be how you saw me Erza. I didn't want to hurt you anymore than I already had," said Jellal and Erza squeezed his hand.
"I want everyone to remember her for the good in her heart," declared Jellal softly. Erza thought for a second before replying.
"And so they shall. Wait right here," she vaulted over the balcony and vanished. Jellal could only imagine what she had up her sleeve. In her absence he looked up at the moon in memory of his dear friend.
In no time at all Erza swiftly returned climbing back up over the balcony and stood next to him...all without saying a word.
"Erza, what are you do-"
She glistened golden as she reequipped, cutting him off mid sentence.
"Farewell Fairy Tail Armour!" Erza announced as she stood in a victorious armour with a billowing maroon cape and a long white skirt, that reached down past Erza's ankles. The upper plates, looked like majestic feathery wings as did the head gear. She reached out and took Jellal's hand and in the other she held a tall spear decorated with the Fairy Tail symbol and a laurel wreath tied by two ribbons that she lifted into the air.
"Farewell Ultear," said Erza. "Even if we walk different paths, one must always live on as strong as you are able! You must never treat your own life as something insignificant! That means to treat everyday like it was going to be your last day in this world! You must never forget the friends you love for as long as you live! Treasure them always," Erza finished her slightly altered Fairy Tail farewell.
"Begin the Fairy Tail Farewell Ceremony!"
"Aye!"
Jellal heard a chorus of voices from below and suddenly fireballs shot into the sky exploding in rapid succession, followed by bursts of turquoise ice and golden beams of light. Jellal quickly looked over the balcony to see Natsu, Gray and Lucy. Behind them stood Wendy, Juvia, Gajeel, Cobra and Kinana. Shadow Gear, the Raijinshu, the Strauss siblings, the exceeds, Cana, Macao, Romeo and Wakaba. Even Makarov. Jellal felt his chest constrict.
Treat everyday like it was going to be your last day in this world. That's exactly what Jellal was going to do with the gift that Ultear had bestowed upon him.
In the mountains Meredy was tending to the fire making some soup as Sting and Rogue sat across from her. She was feeling a little sense of déjà vu. Just then she heard the booming sound of fireworks and looked up to see vibrant bursts of colour: red, blue and gold explode in the sky.
Meredy smiled.
That's enough despair now ^_^
It's not Nadal the tennis player but the Nadal from the episode when Asuma fought Erza XD If you still can't recall who it is definitely look up the scene online. It's the guy that decides to torture Jellal who looks like a lizard.
Thanks for reading *Fairy Tail Salute*
I really do miss Ultear, it would have been great if she could have been saved...but... *sigh* Some of you might be disappointed with Ultear's fate but I'm going with Hiro Mashima's decision.
I wrote a one-shot called "I Believe In You" which was cut from "Free Fernandes" if any of you are interested you could check that out if you get the time it isn't long.
NOW IT'S S-CLASS TRIAL TIME! SEE YOU ALL THEN! ;)
Next Time: "Heavenly Lightning Trials"
