BlackLynx17: Hey everybody! Five more chapters left, I believe! To tell you all the truth I made a mistake last chapter! I called Mavis the Dragon Master even though I already put Mavis as Laxus's Grandmother, oops, so imagine a different Mavis for me okay? Okay. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!
Elements Of The Heart
Chapter 37
Shadow And Earth
"Whoa!" Levy screamed stumbling on her feet.
Gajeel quickly reached out and caught her, pulling her against his chest right when she was about to fall. She sighed up in relief and looked up at Gajeel, a huge smile plastered on her face. Gajeel looked down back at her and smiled as well.
"Well I don't mean to interrupt the moment, but I don't think this is the safest place to be making kissy faces at each other at the moment." Ryos's voice interrupted.
The two blinked and looked over, seeing Ryos tilt his head and wave right at them.
"Ryos?!" They both called at the same time.
"How many times must I tell you, call me oof-!" Ryos grunted when Levy and Gajeel both engulfed him into a hug.
It's felt like its been hours since they've last seen him, but for Ryos not a single second had passed. His brother and friend were kissing at one second and the next they were in each others arms.
"Ow, guys, a little too rough." Ryos said, a blush creeping up on his face.
"Ryos, I'm so happy that you were able to regain your memories. Just at the right time too, if you didn't come here with me I don't know what would have happened." Levy said, pulling away slightly.
"I owe you the same gratitude for taking care of me when I was a blank slate. You really helped me out Levy, thank you." Ryos bowed.
"Hey, hey, hey! Enough with the gratitude and flirting, she's my girl! Get it!" Gajeel growled pulling Levy into him.
"Gajeel!" Levy blushed.
Ryos chuckled, "of course brother. You have much to make up for though now that I've regained my memories."
"I do, but like you were saying this is not the place. Come on." Gajeel said grabbing both of their hands.
"Where are we going?" Levy asked.
"To the barrier, I need to have a talk with your queen and we need to find Jellal; I sent him there earlier looking for you Ryos." Gajeel explained.
"Jellal?! What is he doing here?" Ryos gasped.
"I unbanished him."
"You unbanished him?!"
"Yeah, turns out I got pretty lonely without you and Jellal really... he really was doing his best with our Element. Love made him weak though," Gajeel said then cleared his voice as he squeezed her hand, "er, well, his love didn't give him the strength he needed for success. I have that power now though to succeed for all of us." Gajeel said.
Levy smiled, but that smile slowly fell when she thought about it, "wait a minute Gajeel. Don't tell me you are going to use our new powers to break the barrier?"
Gajeel didn't say anything and Levy didn't know what to think. Their barrier was still in place, keeping the Shadows in. In order for Gajeel to come across and live with her, they would need to break the barrier since getting Erza's permission would be impossible, but what about everybody else? What was going to happen to her people if the Shadows broke free? There was nothing Levy could do to stop Gajeel from breaking the barrier, and she doesn't think she'd be able to create another one after knowing what she knew now about the Shadow.
"What the hell?" Gajeel asked when he started seeing the barrier up ahead.
Right across from it there was an army of Earth Elements standing there, ready to march at any second. Before Gajeel could walk over to see what that was all about, shadows grabbed him and his friends and pulled them all behind a junk pile.
"What the hell?!" Gajeel roared.
"Calm down, it's just me Gajeel." Jellal said making himself known.
"Jellal?" Ryos asked getting a good look at him.
"Rogue... oh my goodness, Rogue! How much you've grown, you look exactly like your brother." Jellal grinned.
"That's not a compliment." Rogue grinned back and Jellal laughed as he pulled him in for a hug.
Levy awed while Gajeel rolled his eyes.
"Alright, enough of this, what the hell is that army doing outside our walls?!" Gajeel asked.
"The Queen, she's looking for her younger sister. I suspect that is you." Jellal said looking at the Earth Element.
"Oh Erza." Levy sighed covering her face.
"She's demanded to speak with the King to get her sister back or she threatens to burn down our whole Element. And she's not kidding Gajeel, I know her." Jellal shivered.
"It's alright, just let me go talk to her. I'll have this all straightened out in a minute." Levy said getting up.
"Right, sounds like a plan." Gajeel said following after her.
The three of them started walking over to the barrier again, Jellal stayed at his little hiding spot though.
"Jellal? Aren't you coming?" Ryos asked when he noticed him there.
"I can't. It's been years since we've last seen each other and... I don't want to bring up any bad memories. She's probably moved on and gotten new memories, no need to bring up old wounds." Jellal sighed.
"You know, Erza's always been a lonely queen, princess even. I remember there was this one time in her life she was super happy, until something happened that made her depressed. All these years though she's been alone and I think it was because she still loved you. Because she was still waiting for you." Levy said.
Jellal said nothing as he looked away.
"I can understand if you were trying to protect her, Gajeel thought the same thing as well, and I forgave him. I probably think Erza is more mad at you than depressed, because you didn't trust her enough to make her own decision."
"Levy, come on. I don't want to start a war." Gajeel said.
"Um, okay. Just think about what I said, because if it were me... I'd want to see Gajeel no matter how many years had passed."
Levy quickly caught up with Gajeel and Ryos and even ran passed them, over to the barrier where scarlet hair was flapping in the wind as she gave out orders to her men.
"ERZA!" Levy screamed.
The scarlet queen flinched and turned around, complete relief flooding her face when she saw her little book worm.
"LEVY!" She called back running over to the barrier.
Levy ran right past the barrier, her heart being as pure as light, and hugged her dear sister. Few tears were shed, mostly from Erza as she squeezed Levy tighter and tighter.
"I was scared, I was so scared that something might have happened to you in there." She whispered.
"Erza-"
"Why on Earthland did you run off like that?! Why did you run away there of all places?! What were you thinking Levy?!" Erza yelled shaking her.
"Erza, Erza, hold on Erza." Levy gasped.
Gajeel chucked and grabbed a hold of Ryos's shirt collar. Ryos looked over with an eyebrow raised then started yelling as Gajeel flung him over to the other side.
"What the hell Gajeel?!" Ryos yelled, breaking up the touchy reunion.
"I still stand by my decision Ryos, in order to keep you save you need to stay with the Earth Elements." Gajeel said.
"You're my brother though Gajeel! I'm not leaving you alone!" Ryos said as he crossed right back over.
Gajeel growled and threw him right back over. This time when Ryos tried to cross again, the Earth Knights stopped him and held him at knife point. Gajeel froze, as well as Ryos.
"Enough! Now what is this about being the Shadow King's brother?! How could I have allowed you to enter my kingdom!" Erza yelled.
"Erza, it isn't like that. Ryos isn't-"
"Be quiet Levy, he's the one who kidnapped you isn't he?! I don't know how you were able to cross, but you are going to regret kidnapping my sister and holding her hostage." Erza said, her eyes glinting red as she pulled out her sword.
"NO ERZA! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" Levy yelled standing in front of her.
Erza hesitated at the determined look inside of her eyes.
"Levy." She said.
Levy glared at her before running towards Ryos, shooing the guards off of him.
"Ryos, are you okay?" She asked helping him.
"Just fine, I've gone through worse." Ryos said dusting himself off.
"Ryos? Don't tell me this is the Element you have fallen in love with. Did you know all along he was a Shadow Element?! Let alone the brother to the King?!" Erza yelled.
"WHAT?!" Gajeel yelled, completely shocked to hear this news.
"No Erza, you're wrong. I love Ryos, but I love him as a brother. I'm actually in love with the King of Shadows, Gajeel Redfox." Levy blushed looking over.
Gajeel shut up and blushed, scratching the back of his head. Erza dropped her weapon in shock then turned over, spotting said Shadow Element. Her eyes looked like flames as she walked over towards him.
"What mind games did you play on my sister?! What have you done to her?!" Erza screamed.
Her guards all held her back, not wanting their queen to cross the barrier, but she kept trying to come over.
"It is no games or trickery Queen Erza Scarlet of the Earth Elements, she has fallen for me, and I her. I'm in love with you sister." Gajeel told her.
Erza frown while Levy smiled, covering her face to hide her blush.
"But I do not deserve her as a Element and definitely as a man. You see in the beginning when I first met her all I was planning was using her in order to help my people, to get rid of this cursed barrier. I planned on making her want to join me then use her as a hostage so you'll break this thing down." Gajeel explained.
Erza reached for her knight's sword, getting ready to strike.
"But I found myself falling in love with her. I never hoped or even dreamed she could feel the same way in return, but she did." Gajeel smiled.
Erza paused while Ryos chuckled lightly to himself.
"But what could I give her? There's no way we could have been together, I would have not allowed her to come live with me here and there was no way I was going to abandon my people and be saved with her."
Erza flinched, remembering something from her past.
"A lot has happened in this past year, and I've grown up and learned a lot. I've realized that this barrier isn't a cage, but a means of saving and helping. What your Element is doing for mine is a wondrous thing, and I greatly appreciate it. It's about time I start helping you as well though. Levy, I can't be with you knowing that my people are suffering. This is the decision I have come to. I'm going to stay king here and work my ass off to get all my people saved, to turn them into citizens I can be proud to call my Element and my family. Until every last Element of mine is saved, I am not going to leave any of them before. So I'm sorry Levy, but I want you to stay safe over there with my brother." Gajeel said then directed himself over to the queen.
"I beg you Queen Erza, welcome my people in who deserved it and help me guide them to the right path. I beg that you welcome my brother in your Element and give him a safe haven. In return I will do my best to reunite our two Elements into one great one everyone can be proud to be apart of." Gajeel bowed.
Erza... she was at a lost for words. She didn't notice when Levy ran right past her onto the other side and threw her self at Gajeel, knocking them both over as she squeezed him with everything she had.
"I thought I told you to stop making decisions for me! I am a grown woman and I can make them on my own, thank you very much! If you think for one second that I'm going to be apart from you, you can think again. I love you Gajeel, we're going to be together for the rest of our lives." Levy said.
"But Levy-"
"No butts! Shut up! This is my decision and I've decided to spend the rest of my life by your side. I want to be here Gajeel to help you with your dreams. My dreams are your dreams." Levy smiled.
Gajeel simply sighed out loudly and leaned over to kiss her gently.
"Yes, Princess."
Levy smirked, "more like Queen now that I'm together with the Shadow King."
Gajeel started laughing and Levy quickly joined him. Erza watched this in the background, her men all confused as they stood there and watched.
"Levy... this is what you have chosen?" Erza asked.
Levy turned around and nodded, a grand smile on her face, "Yes Erza. I love him, I love this Element, this is my choice and I love it. I'm happy here."
Erza nodded and took a deep breath, turning around. She started heading over to Ryos and stared down at him, a stone cold face on.
"You... you were that Shadow Element that proposed that plan about my people teaching your people, correct?"
Ryos nodded, "yes your highness. Ryos Redfox, at your service."
"Then we have much to discuss about getting that plan into action. I look forward to working with you and getting this plan started immediately." Erza said.
Levy gasped as she jumped up, "Really Erza?!"
"You've made your decision and I respect that. If you are to live and marry that man over there, I want to make sure it's at a respectable place. You have yourself a treaty Shadow King, I'll want my sister back until I gather enough men to send over to help you protect her though." Erza said.
"I completely agree." Gajeel nodded.
"Gajeel-"
"You've won Levy, you're living here with me and helping me with our dream. At least do this for me, it's not like I'm going anywhere. A few days are nothing compared to a life time." Gajeel said.
Levy frowned, but nodded her head and huffed. "Fine."
"It won't be for long Levy, just for a few days. I'll want to have a couple of days of you for myself, but our people will want to say goodbye too." Erza said.
"Erza, it's not like I won't visit! You won't miss me at all!" Levy said.
"Liar, I'm already missing you." Erza started crying.
"Oh Erza!" Levy started crying next running over.
They met between the barrier and hugged each other tight, crying into each other arms. Ryos walked over to the barrier, Gajeel the same as they stood across from each other.
"This is only temporary, I'll be returning home after everything's settled." Ryos said.
Gajeel sighed, "Fine, but if you turn into an evil shadow master again I'm kicking your ass over the barrier, literally."
"Bite me Gajeel."
"Don't make me-..." Gajeel paused at his insult and looked over.
"Make you wa-" Rogue started, but paused as well when he saw who was coming over.
Jellal spotted Erza crying her with sister and it made his heart go asunder. He gulped and stopped in his path, but quickly shook it off. After hearing Gajeel's speech and Levy's confession, there was no way he could just keep hiding. He needed... he wanted to see her. See her and apologize, say something, even if she would ignore him. Levy saw him walking over and took a step back from Erza, leaving her confused. She smiled lightly and pointed behind her, making Erza look.
She saw a man walking over, a tall man, older. He was lighter than the usual Shadow Element, bright blue hair, but darker than Levy's, with a tattoo on the side of his eye. Erza knew this man, she recognized him. He wasn't looking at her, but on the floor, every once in a while though he'd look up and make eye contact.
Levy quietly started shooing the army of Earth Elements off while Gajeel waved bye to his brother as he walked off. When some solders still lingered, Ryos helped Levy by using his powers of the shadows and started making them march. Levy giggled and looked back at Erza, wishing her good luck as she started walking off. Jellal and Erza were left all alone pretty soon, standing in front of each other between the barrier.
"Hello Miss Scarlet or is it Queen Scarlet now?" Jellal decided to open with a tease. He would always call her by her last name, the color of her hair.
Erza stared at him hard, "I don't want any jokes Jellal. I want the truth."
Jellal looked away.
"I was ready to give up everything for you, risk my whole Element for you, I was going to do anything for you! We were going to be happy! So why did you change your mind?! Why did you make me love you until the last second and then break my heart?!"
Jellal squeezed his hands into fists and exhaled loudly through his nose, "I was going to give it all up for you. I was going to choose you Erza."
"Then why didn't you!?"
"I was heading over, I was walking over to meet you. On my way though... I started noticing all the bad things about my Elements. I didn't see not one happy face while I was walking Erza, I even saw some of them on the brink of death and these two boys... brothers... huddled up under a box to keep warm. I realized what I was about to do. I was their king and I was about to go live my life happily while everyone else here starved and fought to survive. At that moment... I couldn't abandon my people. I didn't want to."
"So why didn't you tell me any of that?! Why did you lie and say you didn't love me anymore?!"
Jellal finally look at Erza's face, noticing the tears of hers falling.
"Because I wanted what was best for you. You were going to become queen, you had such a bright future ahead of you. How could I have asked you to wait?"
"Easily! You must have known I would have waited! All you had to do was ask Jellal and I would have been yours, I would have even helped you!"
"But look! It's been five years and yet I've accomplished nothing! Nothing!"
"And I've been alone everyday believing that you didn't love me! That you were off with another women, starting a family of your own while I suffered!"
Jellal quickly shut his mouth while Erza wiped her tears away. "I wouldn't have cared about the time, I still don't care. All I needed to know was that you loved me, that would have been enough to keep me going."
"Well you don't have to suffer any longer. There hasn't been a single other after I left you, my heart wasn't truly mine to give away so freely." Jellal mumbled lightly.
"Jellal, I still love you." Erza whispered.
Jellal flinched and froze, starting down at her lips as he refused to look in her eyes.
"After all this time, all those years hating you, I still love you. I still feel like that young princess that stumbled across you in that flower garden. My heart still yearns for you." She whimpered.
"You're Queen."
"I know exactly what I am and no one can tell me what I can and cannot do. Jellal, please, be honest with me. What is you choice?"
Was... was it okay for him to be happy? For him to get his happy ending? He had nothing to offer her. No country, no title, no safe place to call home. He still wasn't going to abandon his people, he was going to stay right by Gajeel's side until their people were rescued. She didn't care about any of that though, she never cared. All she needed to know was that she was loved.
"JUST KISS HER YOU FOOL!" Gajeel yelled from the shadows.
Jellal turned around and glared into the darkness, "I DON'T NEED YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU IDIOT!"
"THEN DO IT!"
"I WILL! JUST GIVE ME A MINUTE!"
"YOU'RE LOSING HER JELLAL! YOU LOSER!"
Jellal was about to say a complaint back, but a hand reached over and turned his head. He stared at Erza crossing the barrier before their lips met for the first time. He came back to life after that, returning to the once great king he was when he loved her. Erza felt like singing, flying, all of the above, and gave her all to him.
"ABOUT TIME!"
Jellal parted and turned around, "WILL YOU SHUT UP AND GO ALREADY!"
Erza giggled and leaned her head down against his chest, blushing lightly. Jellal sighed and turned back around, finally running his fingers through that long scarlet hair he's long for.
"Sorry."
"It's alright."
"I raised a damn fool, that's what I did. What were we talking about though?"
Erza looked up with a smile, "I think we were right on the part of you saying I love you."
"Right, of course. I love you Erza Scarlet, would you do me the honors of marrying this old king and making him the happiest Element on Earthland?"
"I was ready to marry you years ago, you idiot. But yes, of course I will."
Jellal smiled and kissed her again, gently pulling her closer. Gajeel gagged seeing the kiss and turned around, ready to continue his Kingly duties without his partner with him. Levy giggled from behind the bushes while Ryos sighed, helping Levy up.
"Gajeel needs to learn to keep his mouth shut." He shook his head.
"I think it was sweet, it was obvious Jellal needed a little push." Levy giggled.
"I guess he did. You know, I'm looking forward to the future of our two Elements." Ryos said.
"Why wouldn't you? It's going to be amazing! Especially when the other Elements start visiting!" Levy cheered.
Ryos raised his eyebrows, "other Elements? What are you talking about?"
Levy grinned as she turned around, "a surprise. We're going to want our Elements at their best though for this surprise, so let's work hard Ryos."
Ryos was still confused, but he shook his head and forgot about it. When the time came he would know, until then though he had other things he had to do.
"Of course Levy, for a bright future for all Elements."