Everybody was running up the stairs on the outside of heaven. Mortis looked at the clouds and tried to work out the time. She reckoned they had an hour before sunset. Once it was dark she had no idea how long it would be before the canon shot the tower. "Hey Simon!" She shouted. He turned his head to look at her as they ran. "Do you know where Natsu is?" She asked.
He turned his head back in front of him and said "I don't." Mortis glared at him as she shouted "how can you not?! You're the one who took him when you attacked us!" "I was under special orders to send him straight to Jellal once we arrived back to the tower of heaven. I have not idea where he is keeping him."
Just as she thought. Jellal had him. But why? If he wanted to enjoy his game, Natsu was a vital part of that. Was it because of her? Was there a plan for her, he had in store for his game? He was an intelligent wizard. He could tell when a wizard has huge potential. But did she have potential? Possibly. The biggest change now was Natsu was with Jellal. He desperately wants to fight him, so is he saving him for last? Or was Natsu the bait for Erza. She wouldn't ever let anything happen to him. Whatever happens now, it isn't going to be the same as she remembered it being in her universe. She was no purely relying on her own knowledge and skills to win this game.
"Hey Mortis" Gray said. She looked at him as he asked "do you think we can trust this guy? After everything that's already happened?" Simon shouted "you have the right to be suspicious, but I promise you can trust me. I've been lying to him all this time, so I can take him down once and for all!"
Mortis looked at grey, nodding as she said "we can trust him, ok." She smiled. He smiled too. "Urgh love rival!" Juvia spat. Mortis turned her head forward and tried to stop laughing. She looked at Sho and saw the emotional battle he was having. She felt sorry for him. He had been lied to for so long and to hear the truth would kill anybody.
She ran alongside him and said "you alright?" He looked at her and admitted "I don't know anymore. Even if we win this, what do I do now?" She smiled and said "that's easy." He looked shocked at her as she said "you're an amazing wizard Sho. Join a guild, makes friends, go on adventures, and live life to full."
"Is that what you do in Fairy Tail?" He asked. "Everyday" she smiled. He smiled too. They reached the corridor entrance. They ran down the dark corridor on their way to Jellal. Mortis stopped. Things were different this time. Everything had changed. Without Natsu here, she had to take action.
Gray stopped and turned back to see her with her fists clenched and staring at the floor. He ran back to her as he asked "are you ok?" She looked up and said "I'm fine. But I'm going to find Happy and then I'm going to find Natsu." Gray grabbed her shoulder and said "I'll come with you." Mortis shook her head as she said "not this time. Sorry Gray. This is something I've just got to do."
"Come on don't be like that! You know we're always here to help" he pleaded. She grabbed his wrists and pleaded to him "have you ever felt there is something you have just got to do, because you know when something isn't right? Something so strong that it's pulling you and you can't resist it any longer?" Gray saw it in her eyes. "I've got to find Natsu and Happy and then we can re-group. You know Jellal wants him for something and it isn't good. For us or him. I've got to do this Gray, on my own."
He let go of her shoulder, took a deep breath and said "you better make it out alive Draglilth." She smirked and said "you can count on me Fullbuster." He hugged her tightly, before she ran off in a different direction, following Happy's scent. The urge to run after her was strong. He now saw what she was talking about during their dinner date. He didn't want to protect her more during battles. But he knew he had to have faith in her.
Mortis smelled Happy close. She turned the corner to see Millianna's room. She held her nose as it smelled of nothing but kitty litters. "Oh my god!" She coughed. She walked in. "Happy!" She called. Something hit her behind and she fell to the floor to see the blue cat clung to her crying. "Oh Mortis! Man am I so glad to see you. She's crazy. She keeps stroking me and wouldn't let me go!" Mortis sat up and asked "who?"
"Meow!" She looked around to find Millianna. "That's my kitty!" She hissed. Wally was suddenly by the doorway. She stood up with Happy clinging to her shoulders. "I don't want to fight any of you" she said. "That will make capturing you a lot easier!" Wally laughed. "You don't see what Jellal is up to here? He's been lying to you about getting into heaven. He's a manipulator. He's been lying to you all, to get exactly what he wants!"
Wally shot at her. She dodge the bullets and Millianna and stopped him shouting "you'll hurt the kitty!" "The names HAPPY lady!" He screeched. "Stop it!" Wally shouted. "You really think the whole world is enslaved?! It's not. There is so much freedom everywhere. You must have seen how happy everyone was in the casino. Having fun, smiles on their faces. You're telling me you guys weren't jealous at all, or wished you could have been a part of that?" She shouted. Wally stopped, struggling against Millianna and listened. "You're not being free here. You're being tricked by Jellal and you guys know it deep down inside!"
"You're a liar!" He screamed. He kept shooting at her. Mortis hide behind everything she could fit behind, destroying all of Millianna's stuff. "NO" Millianna cried. She used her binding magic to restrain Mortis. Mortis created to sharp icicles stuck to the sides of her arms, just in time so she could break away.
"This is your last warning!" She shouted. "What are you going to do?" Happy asked. Mortis took a deep breath and shouted "fire dragon RAOR!" Everything in the room burned to a crisp. When the flames died down, both Wally and Millianna were hurt on the floor. She took a deep breath and said "I didn't want to do that." She walked over and covered their burn wounds in ice. "Why are you helping us, if we're the enemy?" Wally asked. "Because you're not the enemy here. You're the victims and this isn't your fault."
Wally's eyes widened. He had never received such kindness before. It was touching. Once Mortis was finished she stood up. "Hey Happy, any idea where Natsu is?" She asked. He shook his head. "Not a clue."
"Damn" she breathed. "I can just about pick up his scent, but it's so faint right now. I wouldn't even know which direction to go." It would make sense to go straight to the top of the tower, but is that too easy to assume? Mortis and Happy walked down the corridor. She kept sniffing. His scent wasn't getting stronger, but it wasn't weaker either. It wasn't making sense.
"Welcome to the tower of heaven!" Jellal's voice stormed the tower. Mortis froze. His voice sending a sharp chill up her spine. "I see the players are in place, ready to start the game." All the art on the wall suddenly all their eyes went red. "Let's play heaven's game!" he shouted. "We're not here to play games!" She heard Gray's voice. "The rules are quite simple, so I would shut up and listen closely!"
Mortis gritted her teeth as he said "I want to sacrifice Erza Scarlett to revive Zeref. I know you all wish to stop me. Work your way up the tower and you'll have the chance to stop me. But I must warn you at this very moment the magic council are voting on if they are going to fire the inferior canon on the tower. Time is of the stance, so I would choose you to hurry quickly and not keep me waiting." Mortis had already had enough. "Shut up!" She roared. "Where is Natsu!" She screamed. "Oh miss Draglilth. I'm so excited to hear your voice!" He laughed.
Gray was with the others on the other side of the tower. He gritted his teeth as a vein appeared on his forehead. He listened to the conversation. "What is this all about? This isn't just a game to you. You've captured Natsu for a reason! What is it? Bait for Erza? To get him out of the way?! I know you're dying to do battle with him, so why take him out of the picture so easily?!" Erza listened carefully. "I aren't we overthinking this!" he laughed. "I ain't overthinking crap! You and I both know, you want to fight him, so why take him out of the frame!"
Erza's eyes widened with shock. "She knows him?" She asked. "Wait you mean she knows Jellal?" Gray asked, looking at her. "She never told you?" Simon asked, surprised. "Told us what?" Erza snarled. "She stumbled here nearly a year ago now. She must have been travelling, but Jellal tried to capture her, but she got away" he explained.
"She fought against him?" Erza asked shocked. "He tried to do what to her?!" Gray raged. "Please don't angry over her my love?" Juvia begged. "If you want to find your brother Mortis, I guess you should come to me first" Jellal laughed. Mortis clenched her fists harder. I knew it" she hissed. She looked at Happy and said "you ready to go get him?" He nodded and said "Aye." However, Gary started to worry. "Mortis don't do it. You must know he is baiting you" he whispered.
Mortis jumped out of the window as happy caught her and started to fly up towards the top of the tower. "Oh dear" Jellal laughed. "She left before I could finish explaining the rules." Gray looked up as Jellal explained "to make things a little more interesting, I've enlisted three knights to battle on my behalf. In other words, a three on eight battle Royale will commence!" "Oh god" Simon gasped. "What is it Simon?" Erza asked. "They only take death jobs. They work for guild who only accept assassination jobs!" He explained. "They what?" Gray gasped.
He started to worry. Mortis was on her own. He wasn't too sure she could take them on all on her own. "If there are no players left to win, it's game over" Jellal snarled. "You coward!" Gray shouted.
Sho started to cry and suddenly trapped Erza in a card. "I won't let him get her!" He screamed. "Sho what are you doing?" Simon asked. "I won't let him do this to us anymore!" He cried. "I'll take him on myself" he ran off with her. "No Sho let me out of here!" Erza demanded. "It's the only way to keep you safe sister!" He cried. "Now, then. Let the game begin!"
Happy was flying Mortis as fast as he could to the top of the tower. Suddenly, Fukuro hit Mortis to the side of the tower. "Argh!" she screamed. "You ok?" Happy asked. "Yeah I'm fine. We've got company!" They saw him turn around for another hit. "You ok to be back up Happy?" He asked. "Only if you're sure." She nodded and said "I'll handle him." He dropped her as she lit her feet on fire. She flew further up the tower while Fukuro wasn't far behind her. Happy followed. She looked down to see he was catching up.
"Ice make arrows!" She shouted and sent them flying down at him. He dodged the majority but the ones that hit him simply smashed against his thick skin. "Damn!" She spat. "Is that all you have!" He laughed. He grabbed her ankle and started to spin her around. "Mortis!" Happy shouted. The fire on her feet vanished as he sent her flying back into the tower. Happy shot past Fukuro to catch her. He simply smiled for a few seconds before flying in after them.
Mortis crashed into the hanging cages, before finally grabbing the edge of one. She looked down to the darkness that was hungry below her. She climbed up onto the cage as Happy flew in. He saw her clutch her bruised arm. "Hey are you alright?" He asked. "I'm fine. Just stay back ok buddy" she said. "ok" he said.
Fukuro suddenly flew in. "Hooooo what do we have here. A girl?! This will be easy" he mocked. "Hey bastard! Watch your tongue!" She threatened. "Let's see if your bite is as big as your mouth!" He laughed, before her flew down to attack. "Fire dragon wing attack!" She shouted. This had no effect on him. Before he crashed into her, she jumped up to a higher cage. "Running are we?" He asked, hovering over her. She looked up and sent an ice canon at him.
He flew back to stop himself from falling from the impact. "Wow that was cold!" He hissed. "Mortis" she turned around to only see Simon. "Hey, where are the others?" She asked. "Sho has Erza trapped in one of his magic cards. Juvia and Gray have gone looking for him and Natsu" he explained. Her eyes widened. "No" she whispered. Gray knew she was looking for Natsu, so why the hell isn't he just looking for Sho? Did he not trust her? If he's going with Juvia, they're going to stumble into Vidaldus. Could they defeat him? Could Gray do it? Juvia would become his slave. "You have done evil Mortis Draglilth. I will end you!" Fukuro shouted.
Mortis's body raged with fire as she stood tall. She turned around with her eyes glowing red. "I've done evil?!" She growled. "I don't go around killing people for a living! I make my money by helping others. That was a guild is for, no it's more than that! It's for people to come, laugh and live life to the full, but you?" She took a deep breath as she growled "You're the definition of evil!"
Fukuro laughed as he flew around her. "I use my magic to kill the evil in this world!" He then grabbed her by her neck and flew up as he spat "and here will be less evil in this world when I've killed you!"
"Mortis!" Simon shouted. He turned the light around him dark. No one could see. "Wooooo, nice try but I can still see." He threw her into the nearest wall, winding her "Urgh!" She gasped, feeling her lungs being crushed. He then flew down and attacked Simon. "Turn the lights back on, I can't find Mortis!" Happy begged. Mortis was falling, gasping for breath. Simon turns the lights on, just as he was attacked by Fukuro.
Mortis landed on her back on top of a cage. "Argh!" She grunted. "Come on get up!" Happy begged. Mortis rolled onto her stomach and leaned up on her arms. She looked up at see Fukuro flying straight for her. Mortis ran and jumped off of the cage, just before he caught her. She grabbed another cage and used it to swing from cage to cage and the chains. As she swung she would spin to avoid being caught and throw ice and fire attacks at him.
"Happy!" She shouted and she spun out of Fukuro's grasp. "Aye?" He asked flying next to her. "Go to Simon and make sure he's ok!" He nodded and flew back down to him. Mortis swung her legs up to give her a push upwards. She reached out to grab a chain, dangling down. But she was suddenly grabbed and dragged to the walls and slid upwards. She grunted as she felt her back being scrapped by the walls. She glared at him as she spat. "You will not win this fight!"
At the top of the tower, yellow knocked down Simon's chess piece with Furuko's. "Such a shame. I aspected more from you Simon" He said, placing Furuko's piece on the table. He then moved Mortis's chess piece in front of Furuko's. "When the game started I was sure I would know the outcome. Mortis Draglilth I hope you win this fight, but I'm not sure who will win."
Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. Special shout out to for the lovely review. Please leave a review guys they are appreciated. Hope you all are safe and enjoy the weekend!