A Guild for One
"Jellal Fernandes, you are hereby under arrest for crimes against the Kingdom," Lahar stated as two Rune Knight slapped magic inhibiting restraints on Jellal. The allied wizards stood in shock and disbelief. James felt Erza stiffen next to him. He reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her.
"Please don't!" Wendy cried. "It's not far! He doesn't even know what he's done! All his memories have been completely erased."
"Ignorance of one's crimes is no defense," Lahar argued. "Penal Code Section 13 states this explicitly. You remove the barrier now." A nearby knight nodded and the barrier around the wizards dropped.
"Hold on!" Wendy persisted.
"It's alright," Jellal smiled sadly. "I will not resist arrest. Please forgive me. I wish that I could remember you. I'm sorry that I cannot. Truly."
"When she was lost and alone, you found her wandering and saved her life," Carla explained.
"Did I? I am never know the harm I inflicted on you and countless others, but at least I know that at some point I helped one person," Jellal said. "Erza… I won't forget your kindness."
Erza tensed under James grip, her body shaking. The Rune Knights slowly guided Jellal towards the prison wagon. He stopped by Lahar so the captain could whisper some words to him, harsh by the looks of it.
"I will not let him go," Erza muttered under her breath. She started to move forward but Natsu got in the way.
"Hold it right there!" Natsu roared as he attacked the Rune Knights. Complete pandemonium broke out as Natsu tried to reach Jellal. More than a dozen Rune Knights were needed to barely restrain the Dragon Slayer. "He's one of us! That means he comes with us!"
"Subdue him!" Lahar ordered. Rune Knights charged forward but Gray, Jura, Ichiya, and Lucy all got involved in protecting Jellal.
"This is wrong!" Gray snapped.
"You'd punish him for the good deeds he did?" Jura asked.
You can stop this. They take him away and it will hurt Erza the dark voice in James head whispered. You'd do anything to protect Erza,, right? Show them the Twilight. Unleash the darkness within!
"This is your choice," James whispered to Erza. "If you decide to free him, I am behind you all the way. But you need to make a choice."
Lahar became more erratic as the wizards continued to fight, the madness reaching a peak as the several Allied wizards took down scores of Rune Knights.
"What will it be Erza?" James whispered.
Destroy them all!
"That's enough!" Erza snapped. "Stop this at once!" She took a deep breath. "I apologize for this disturbance. It's gone too far. I'm the one to blame. Now please take him away."
Jellal gave a slight smirk.
"Why?" Natsu barked.
"Sit down!" James snapped. Natsu paled and immediately knelt on the ground.
"I remember…," Jellal gasped. "It was the color of your hair." With that he then disappeared into the prison transport. "Farwell old friend."
Erza relaxed next to James with a slight shudder. He held her close, her face buried in his chest as tears managed to escape her eyes.
James slowly made his way up the back of a cliff to find Erza sitting against the crumbling remains of an old wall. Tears poured openly from her eyes as she held herself closer. Without even saying a word, James sat next to her and pulled her into his lap. She gripped him like he was the last solid thing on earth and cried even harder. James ran his fingers through her scarlet hair and just let Erza cry.
The dawn arrived after what had been a long night and lit the sky with the most beautiful crimson color. James gently nudged Erza, her cheeks heavily stained, and her beautiful brown eyes weary. James motioned with his chin and felt her stiffen as she saw the beautiful sunrise.
"See there is still good and beauty in this world," James whispered. "The night is always darkest before the dawn, but if you keep looking you can find a glimmer of light."
Erza nodded and weakly wiped at the tears still in her eyes. James glanced over and saw Wendy spying on them. He gestured for her to come over and she slide right up to them. Together the three watched the sun rise as they shared in their pain.
James groaned as he walked around the Cait Shelter Guild. He was a little listless after the events of Nirvana. He was wearing new black pants and a black leather vest curtesy of the Cait Shelter mages. The others had been given new clothing as well to replace what the clothes that were damaged in battle. His ribs and arms were wrapped up in bandages, though he had come out a little better than some of the others.
He finally found his way to the center of the small village as the members of Cait Shelter and the Allied Coalition gathered for a final meeting, thanks, and celebration.
"Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, not to mention Wendy and Carla, I commend your efforts in not only defeating the Oración Seis, but saving our village from Nirvana's wrath. Speaking as a representative of our regional Guild League, I Roubaul, offer my deepest gratitude. Thank you," Roubaul said solemnly. He stood at the head of the group of Cait Shelter members. He wore a large headdress made of red-tipped purple feathers, a necklace made of large molars, and had a large white beard. In the center of his forehead was a red dot surrounded by two parentheses.
"Nabura. We are in your debt."
"We were happy to help, Master Roubaul," Ichiya exclaimed. "It was a hard won victory against a ferocious opponent but from the deepest, darkest depths of despair light shines down on us. It was the bright and warming glow of true friendship. We followed it all the way to victory."
I am going to kill that man. James nursed the headache Ichiya was giving him. He gently held Erza's hand. She was wearing a blue two-piece dress. The skirt hung from her hips with a white sash, while a bikini top with attached long sleeves covered her top. A gold necklace rested atop her breasts and she let her hair fall down naturally.
"Hey we deserve a victory party!" Natsu cried.
"I think we should just go find somewhere quiet to relax," James whispered in Erza's ear. She gave him a sad smile and tightened her grip on his hand.
The celebratory mood was quickly killed by the sad and somber look on the faces of the Cait Shelter Guild members.
"I'm truly sorry. I've neglected my duty to tell you about the Nirvit people. Please accept my sincere apology," Roubaul said. "It is important. I ask that everyone listen very closely to the tale I am about to tell."
An ominous feeling descended upon the group.
"First, let me clear the air about something. The truth is we are not descendants of the Nirvit people. Indeed we are the Nirvits themselves. And many years ago, four hundred to be exact, Nirvana was created, fashioned by my own hands.
"I thought if my dream of Nirvana was made a reality I could end the ghastly wars tearing the world apart. I would do so by reversing the morality of those whose minds were set on the destruction of others. We made our home there and we took great joy in what we'd accomplished through peace. We were a shining beacon of light in a once dark and shadowy world.
"However, despite our best intentions we could not change the fact that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Nirvana had brought light to what was once a terrible darkness not by chasing it away but by absorbing it so to speak. The world yearns for balance and order. The light serves no purpose without the darkness and vice versa. Light is born from darkness and darkness is born from light. The two are forever intertwined."
Remember that when you reject me again. You need the darkness.
Who are you? Get out of my head! James snapped. He was getting sick of this voice. He thought that once Nirvana was destroyed these dark temptations would have gone away.
You'll find out soon enough. The voice left with a sinister laughter.
"All the world's evil taken from those whose hearts were once consumed with it was transferred to the peace-loving Nirvit. It was a nightmare. Engulfed in rage and hatred, we slaughtered each other until no one was left standing.
"That's not quite true. For I am the only survivor. Then again, in this particular situation the word 'survivor' is a little misleading. In truth my body ceased to function many years ago. What you see before you now is a projection of the man I once was. As punishment for my sins, I this powerless spirit, have stood as sentinel over my creation for four hundred years, keeping my weary eyes open for the one who could at last destroy Nirvana and consign it to the pages of history.
"And now, my post can be vacated for that person has been found."
"No! Why didn't you tell me?" Wendy asked barely holding back tears.
Roubaul flashed with light for a second before slowly, one by one, the members of Cait Shelter started to dissolve into light.
"What's happening?" Wendy cried. "Don't go!"
"Everyone's disappearing" Hibiki breathed.
"Why are you doing this? Please stop!" Wendy demanded, tears flowing from her eyes.
"I've deceived you Wendy, for that I am deeply sorry," Roubaul said. "All your fellow Guild Members were specters; they were nothing but illusions."
"That takes powerful creation magic," Jura mused.
"For many years, I lived in this deserted village, alone, always keeping a watchful eye over Nirvana. Until one day, when a boy came to me with a companion needing help. His eyes burned with such intensity and sincerity that I simply had no choice but to take the little girl in. I had rescinded to a solitary existence but there she was. I filled the village with apparitions so she wouldn't be alone."
"So you created an entire guild just for Wendy?" Lucy asked.
"No one I cared for is a real person? How could you do something so cruel to me, Master?" Wendy shrieked.
"Don't fret my dear. Calm down. Neither you nor Carla need those imaginary friends." Roubaul pointed to the people gathered behind Wendy. "You are surrounded by real friends who care for you." He chuckled as he too turned into light. "A bright future awaits you. Embrace it with open arms!"
"Master!" Wendy cried as she ran towards the specter.
"To each and every one of you I owe my deepest gratitude. I know I can leave Wendy and Carla in your hands."
The final blow was Wendy's Guild Mark disappearing from her shoulder. She fell to her knees as agony racked her heart. Slowly James and Erza both went up and knelt beside the poor girl. Taking her into their arms, they let the poor young Dragon Slayer cry herself out.
"We know all too well the pain of losing loved ones," James breathed.
"But you'll heal. We'll help you," Erza added.
Wendy whimpered and looked up at them.
"Come with us," James smiled.
"Be a part of Fairy Tail," Erza finished.