Hey. So, after couple weeks, I finally remembered this is a Natsu x Erza story. Therefore, this chapter finally contains scenes some of you must've been dying to see. Personally, I feel like they are a little forced, but you be the judge.
This chapter is slightly less focused on action than previous ones, as this one is mostly around build up to the grand finale, which will be 3 chapters long.
Also, last week we've hit 30,000 hits. You have no idea how happy I am we've come this far. Hopefully we reach the magical 100.000 margin pretty soon. I'll do my best to do it!
Well then, I hope you enjoy your read!
Tower of Heaven, Christina
Wendy stared out the window at the tower, her mind unsettled and her finger tapping the sill in a weird rhythm. She'd lie if she said she wasn't worried, in fact, she wanted to go out there and support her friends. But deep down she knew she'd be a nuisance, and that made her sadness even heavier.
"Trouble calming down?"
Wendy jumped in her seat and turned around, only to find Hibiki right beside her. She slowly nodded in response and got back to looking at the window.
Hibiki looked at the tower as well and smiled a little. "I know the situation may look bad, but there's nothing to worry about. I don't think Fairy Tail could combine a greater team than those seven. Well, eight. Together, they will surely..."
The man stopped talking and looked at the girl, only to realise Wendy wasn't listening to him, and instead squinted her eyes, her face frowning. He also looked out the window and the sight froze his blood.
There was bloodied Gray, with unconscious Gajeel hanged over his shoulders, as he dragged the Dragon Slayer from behind the high, white stairs that led to the tower. Gray's step was slow and unsteady, making it look like he was about to fall at any minute.
Wendy quickly shot from her spot and ran up to the exit.
"Ren, Eve! Open the door!" yelled Hibiki, as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, ready to assist his friends.
As soon as the door lowered, Wendy shot out of the ship, with Hibiki following her just few steps behind. They ran up to Gray, who finally fell onto his knees and immediately grabbed both men, preventing them from falling onto their wounds. The rest of the Trimens caught up with the pair shortly after and lifted Gajeel off the ground, carefully carrying him over to the ship. Gray was supported by Wendy, who struggled to keep him on his feet, but bravely led him onboard. When they finally got to the ship, the Trimens laid Gajeel down onto his back, and Gray fell onto his bottom, his back up against the wall, as he made a sound that resembled a mix between a sigh of relief and a growl.
"Take care of him first." he told Wendy, who nodded and walked up to Gajeel.
She grabbed his vest and forcefully opened it, revealing his naked torso. The sight horrified her.
Gajeel's right shoulder was now decorated with a gasping hole, as wide as Wendy's fist. His torso was covered in multiple cuts, bruises and marks, his right leg pierced, with a big, heavily swollen stab wound placed right in the middle of his thigh. The young Dragon Slayer then looked at Gray. He was also covered in cuts and bruises, but the most noticeable injury on his body was his pierced right side, that was already stained crimson from constant blood loss.
Hibiki also stared at the state both men were in, his eyes widening. "To drive you this far in this short amount of time..." he muttered, terrified. "Unbelievable."
"Don't piss your pants yet." grunted Gray. "I still have to go get Mira. I saw her on my way here, but couldn't grab her. She's in no better shape than us."
Hibiki didn't say anything, his eyes widening even further. Three of Fairy Tail's most powerful wizards one step away from grave in a matter of 20 minutes? The thought was simply unimaginable to him.
Gray sighed once again and looked at Wendy. Catching the girl's eyes, which were still glued to his wounds, Gray slowly shook his head. "Don't worry about me, focus on tincan. He'll die if you don't help him."
Wendy bit her lip in frustration and complied, immediately hovering her hands over Gajeel's shoulder.
"Eve-san." she called out with a scared, but determined voice. "Please apply pressure onto Gajeel-san's right leg. Wrap something around the wound and squeeze tight."
The boy nodded and stood up in search of something clean to stop the bleeding with. In the meantime, Wendy focused on closing Gajeel's shoulder wound, sweat already dripping from her forehead.
Glad that Gajeel was finally in safe hands, Gray started to stand up, using the wall as support.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked Ren with an annoyed voice, as he ran up to the man and grabbed him by the shoulders. "You're not going anywhere."
"The woman we fought is still out there." retorted Gray and tried to get free from Ren's grip. "Mira is just one floor below her. If she finds her, she'll kill her. I have to go back there and finish it."
"You can barely stand, how do you expect to go back there and fight? You'll get killed." said Ren, successfully knocking Gray back onto his ass. The Maker grit his teeth in anger and tried to get up once again.
"You don't understand!" he yelled. "I have to finish this! I have to..."
"Gray-kun."
Ichiya's serious voice suprised the ice mage. He looked at the short man, whose face did not resemble its usual goofy expression. Before him stood the true ace of Blue Pegasus.
"We understand how you feel, but you are in no condition to fight. We will retrieve Mirajane-san on our own, while you stay here and recover from your injuries. We cannot allow you to throw your life in vain." said Ichiya.
The man's words seemed to have hit their mark, with Gray slowly loosening his body up, which allowed Ren to successfully push him back onto the floor.
"Ren, Eve! With me! We shall retrieve Mirajane-san immediately!" called out Ichiya.
"Yes, Boss!" yelled the men. Eve tightly tied a cloth around Gajeel's leg and ran out after his friends.
Gray looked at the trio with a mixed face, before grimacing from pain. With the corner of his eye he noticed Hibiki, who was carrying an orange box. He kneeled beside the Maker and opened it, revealing it to be a giant first aid kit.
"What are you doing?" asked confused Gray, as he watched Hibiki pull out syringes and bandages.
"Patching you up." smiled Hibiki and filled the syringe in with some sort of a liquid. He then used his magic and opened a tab about medicine. "I can't let Wendy-chan do all the work on her own. I know bits and pieces, I've been putting my magic into good use, you know."
Gray was skeptical, was after feeling yet another wave of pain from his wound, complied. "I hope you know what you're doing."
Hibiki smiled in response and injected the fluid into Gray's stomach. "In 10 minutes you'll be as good as new."
Tower of Heaven, Sixth Floor
Jellal stood by the stairs to the last floor, his eyes closed. His back was pressed against the wall, with his hands crossed on his chest. Suddenly, he smirked and opened his eyes, only to lock them onto a familiar figure of Arthur walking up to him.
"Done already?" he asked the elder.
The man did not respond. Instead, he walked up to Jellal and stood right before him, his old eyes glued to his. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice calm but with a small dose of hostility.
Jellal raised his eyebrows and looked around the floor. "Guarding the Master. What else could I be doing?" he asked, slightly confused.
"You were supposed to be downstairs, not here." replied Arthur, his eyes continuing to pierce Jellal.
The man smirked and stood straight, dropping his arms to his sides. "All these years, and you still don't trust me?"
"I don't trust anyone."
"Not even your beloved Master?"
"Even Master Silva can turn out to be an obstacle in the way to our goal."
"So you'd kill him if he turned out to be one?"
"If he ever strayed off his path and threatened us, I would personally see into his death."
Jellal grinned in amusement. "As expected of a former assassin."
Arthur did not share his smile. Jellal picked it up as a sign and snorted lightly. "I assume this rule applies to all Commandments as well?"
"Indeed."
The Heavens walked up to the elder as close as he could and looked into his eyes, his smile fading away.
"Do you really think I'd betray our guild?" he asked quietly. "What have I done to make you distrust me this much?"
"Your background does not match your current occupation." replied the elder. "You've also never cared much about our preparations, nor did you put any effort into getting us closer. You acted on your own accord way too many times."
"I was doing my job in the Council as best as I could. It was my idea to push all the suspicion built up by the Council onto me and start anew on a bigger scale, was it not? Besides, my background is none of your concern, as far as I can tell. We swore not to use it against each other upon joining the guild, have we not?"
"Indeed, we have. That doesn't stop me from trying to prevent a disaster, though. As for your input, we had our suspicions that you plotted behind our back, for your own, personal benefit. You're the least trusted Commandment for a reason, Jellal."
Jellal inhaled through his nose and turned away from Arthur. He walked up the stairs, and stopped at the fifth step. He then turned around to face the elder once again.
"In my darkest hour, Zeref was the one who called out to me. He's the one who showed me the truth of this world, he is the one, who showed me that this world is wrong. I am who I am today because of him. Do you really think I'd try to prevent his resurrection?"
Jellal's short monologue had absolutely no effect on Arthur. He simply stared at him, his face unchanging. After a short while, his eyes squinted and he walked up the stairs to meet Jellal on eye-level.
"Your acting skills are quite possibly the weakest I've ever seen." he whispered.
With that said, Arthur left shocked Jellal alone and walked down the corridor, seemingly heading downstairs.
"Very well. I will leave guarding Master in your hands, Jellal. I doubt anyone will make it here, but if they do, fulfill your duty as one of Seven Commandments. Keep my warning in your mind, let it fuel you."
After a minute, Arthur was gone. Jellal stood in his spot, his teeth slightly clenching themselves. "Way to throw a wrench into my plans, old man." he breathed out, before walking down the stairs and resuming his original position. He then shifted his head towards the ceiling and smiled sarcastically. "I guess all I can do is root for my old friend and her bunch of simpletons."
Tower of Heaven, Fourth Floor
Lucy couldn't help but continue to watch what was happening before her in complete awe.
She watched Luppi, who continued to toy with Loke. The fight has been taken to the ground after the spirit was knocked off to the ground from Luppi's cell. After realising that his magic does not work on Celestial beings, the Commandment decided to take matters into his own hands, albeit much to his annoyance. He was currently effortlessly dodging Loke's punches and kicks, who was growing more and more desperate.
The spirit once again struck at the teenager, only to see him slip his head to the side and trip him, causing him to drop onto the ground.
"How is this possible?" asked Lucy, shocked.
Luppi looked at her through his messy hair before replying. Despite his moves, he did not look good. His face was green, his eyes baggy and sweat was running down his face, as if he was holding something in. "Holder mages are known to be weak without their magic. Even the most invincible magics like mine have their weaknesses. One of them is now lying by my feet." he explained in a weak voice, before nodding to Loke, who glared back at the man and stood up from the ground. "That's why I was forced to train against my will by Jolene. I guess I'll have to thank her for all those hours of torture."
Luppi then turned around to face Lucy with his entire figure and smirked. "Only a moron would not create countermeasures for their weaknesses. It's a shame you're one of them."
All of a sudden, he dashed at the blonde, his hand reaching out towards his back, where his knife was located. He pulled it out and slashed at the girl, only to feel his eyes widen in suprise when his strike was dodged, with Lucy jumping out of the way. She quickly pulled out her whip and waved it in his direction, forcing him to jump back. He landed several meters away in a safe place and sighed heavily.
"Today is just not my day." he whined. "Why didn't you just stab yourself like a good girl? I really don't feel well, yet here you are, forcing me to do stuff I don't want to do. I know your daddy didn't spend too much time with you, but come the hell on princess, know some manners."
Lucy frowned upon hearing his words, unsure whether she heard him right. "What did you say?" she asked, her voice unnaturally sharp.
"Oh, don't be so suprised." Luppi sighed and waved his hand. "All of you always have the exact same reaction. It really gets boring after a while, at least come up with something original, you are a writer after all."
Lucy was now unsettled. Both of these things were personal information she held close to herself, even her team knew barely anything about her hobby.
"Lucy, don't listen to him." threw in Loke and stood before her, blocking her from Luppi's view. "He's trying to mess with your mind."
"I'm afraid I already did that. You know, the whole knife thing and stuff." mocked Luppi and raised his hands to his throat, stabbing himself with an imaginary knife. This only made Loke even angrier.
"Is it this fun to manipulate people? To hurt them?" he asked, his hands glowing with dangerous light.
"That's the only entertainment I have in this boring life of mine, do go easy on me." smirked weakly Luppi.
Loke dashed at the teenager and threw a quick and swift right straight, only to have it dodged by Luppi. He quickly sidestepped to his left and pulled his knife out, slashing at Loke, successfully catching him on the cheek. The spirit clicked his teeth in annoyance and continued his assault of strikes, all of them dodged by his opponent. Despite the swiftness of his moves, they were relatively sloppier than few minutes ago, as Luppi's face was starting to take a color of solid green.
Finally, after what felt like eternity, Loke connected with a right hook, effectively knocking Luppi off his feet. He slid on the ground, with the spirit chasing him, ready to finish him off. Luppi quickly rolled one the ground to avoid Loke's stomp and got up, throwing a knife at the spirit to buy enough time to get away. Loke simply deflected the weapon away and chased the Commandment, before delivering a powerful punch to his stomach, knocking the wind out of his body. He then followed with another body blow, which sent the teenager flying. He landed on his back and slid on the ground for few feet, before coming to a stop.
"You have no idea how good that felt." smirked Loke, before extinguishing his fists. He then turned around to face Lucy with a smile on his face, who did not respond to it. Instead, she kept staring behind Loke, a frown glued to her face.
The spirit turned back around and felt his eyes widen a little, as he watched Luppi get off the ground and dust his clothes off. Suprised with his durability, Loke once again took a fighting stance, ready to attack.
"I knew fighting in this state was a bad idea." sighed The Mind and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "I really don't learn."
He then shifted his gaze onto his opponents, his lids squinting a little. He did not anticipate to face a Celestial Spirit in the slightest, let alone one with this much power. If it only had been just the girl, he'd have been on his way to the next target. Taking control over her was pointless as of now: even if he forced her to close the gate, the spirit would remain. Retreating was starting to be the only plausible option for now.
Lucy then felt warm sensation on her right hip, much to her suprise. She looked at it, only to see light emitting from her key holster, which signalised Aries' return.
Which also meant...
"Lucy!"
Suddenly, someone called out to the blonde, startling the trio. They all looked in the direction of the voice, where they found Juvia making her way towards them. Instead of joy, Lucy felt fear grasping her chest, as she recalled her recent memories of being controlled by the Commandment. Not willing to let her friend experience it, she reached out her hand in Juvia's direction and yelled. "Stop! Don't come near us! Get away from here!"
Juvia stopped in her tracks and looked at Lucy, her face covered with confusion. She then took a look at Luppi, gears turning in her head.
Loke also looked at the male, his eyes widening in realisation, as he watched his teeth baring themselves in a sinister grin. Without thinking, he dashed at the Commandment, his fists covered in light once again. He pulled his arm back and threw a desperate punch at his opponent, eager to finish him off. However, he failed.
Before his hand could reach Luppi's face, he felt a strong pressure of water blasting him away and painfully crashing him into a nearby wall.
Lucy watched her friend being taken by the current in shock, as she quickly shifted her eyes to Juvia. She was pointing her hands at the spirit and repeatedly struck him with quick, powerful blasts of water, which continued to nail him into the wall, despite his put up guard.
"Juvia, stop!" called desperately Lucy.
"I'm afraid she doesn't hear you." said Luppi with a weak smirk, his face paling even more. "We can change that, though." he added and snapped his fingers, which caused Juvia to stop her assault. She then shifted her gaze onto Lucy and stared at her with blank expression.
Lucy met Juvia's eyes with hers, pain grasping her heart. Her previously warm, kind eyes were now empty, blank, almost lifeless. Feeling tears forming in her eyes, Lucy grit her teeth in anger and looked at Luppi. "Why are you doing this?" she asked him, her voice pretty calm despite her pent up anger.
Luppi stared into her brown eyes for a moment, as if wondering how to answer this question. After a short while, he sighed heavily and replied. "Do you know that story about a kid being born with an unusual, distressing ability, who was then dragged through hell because of it? It's something like that."
He stopped talking and slowly started to walk in a circle, his step heavy and tired. After walking for few meters, he resumed his speech. "When people meet something they don't understand, they start to fear it. They don't want anything to do with it, they want to get rid of it as soon as possible."
Lucy listened to his words, trying to figure out the logic behind them. With the corner of her eye, she noticed Juvia starting to walk in the same fashion as Luppi, both of them heading towards each other.
"You see, I was quite a sweet kid back in the day, believe it or not. But people don't give a shit about your feelings, as long as you seem dangerous to them. Fear is what keeps the weak alive. It makes them do stupid, cruel things, and as long as it guarantees their survival, they don't give a shit about consequences. So, when you have a kid with unnatural, creepy abilities..."
"...and a bunch of brainless farmers, who have always solved their problems with violence, ignorance and cruelty, rather than plain logic..." picked up Juvia, startling Lucy. Her kind, warm voice was now matching that of Luppi's cold, emotionless one, the intonation of the words and her tone the same as his. Seeing and hearing her friend like this filled Lucy with pure terror.
"..and you have those farmers use, take advantage of, and push that special kid far enough, for many months..." continued Luppi.
"...inequitably, may I add..." threw in Juvia.
"...and with absolutely no room for negotiation, compassion or mercy..." added Luppi.
"...what do you think happens?" finished Juvia. She was now standing right before Luppi, both of them facing each other.
They then turned around to face Lucy, both of them standing right beside each other. Their faces twisted with sadistic, terrifying smiles, that filled every fiber of Lucy's being with fear.
"Justice." they hissed in sync.
Lucy took a step back, her breath stuck in her throat. The way he made Juvia copy every one of his moves, the way he made her talk in, the way he made her look like him - it all filled her with pure fear. Never in her years has she seen a magic this terrifying and sinister.
Luppi and Juvia watched the blonde struggle with amusement.
"People are truly magnificent creatures. They can do a certain activity for years and not notice they're doing it, only to call themselves the victims years later, when the situation suddenly slips out of their control. People are afraid of monsters, but what they fail to realise, is that in some cases they are their creators. Source: me." said Luppi and Juvia simultaneously, both of them making the exact same hand gestures to help them express themselves. "All it takes is one worse day and one poorly timed push, and bam." added Luppi on his own, clapping his hands loudly. "You're a monster."
Both Luppi and Juvia looked at Lucy once again, before resuming their speech.
"I've finally realised I'll never have a place in this world, not with this magic. So I had them kill each other, one by one, their screams giving me the feeling of satisfaction I desperately needed. That's when Master Silva found me. He shared his version of a perfect world with me, he gave me me everything I had ever asked for - hope." monologued Luppi through Juvia's mouth.
Despite the overwhelming feeling of fear, Lucy stood tall and gulped loudly to clear her throat. "So in order to create this perfect world, you make people go through the same pain on purpose?" she asked with a shaky, but loud voice.
"Not exactly." replied Luppi, this time with his own mouth. "We give people a fair choice. They can either die, or help us build it. We're not forcing anyone. By building, they can become a part of it, they can become a stone, on which our world will be placed, making themselves be remembered as those, who made it possible. By refusing to do so, they simply speed up their deaths, as vermin has no place in our paradise."
These words hit Lucy harder than anything she'd encountered in her life. Her previous feeling of fear was now giving in to pure, unfamiliar anger.
"Do you have any idea what these people have been through?" she hissed through her teeth, her grip on her whip tightening. "Do you hold absolutely no regard to human life?! How can you consider people as not worthy of living?!"
"Of course I do." replied casually Luppi, answering her first question and ignoring the others. "I was there, I've seen it happen."
Lucy was now shaking from anger. She closed her eyes, the horrifying sights she witnessed during the past week resurfacing with full strength. She then opened them and glared daggers at the Commandment, slightly unsettling him.
"Then I will do everything I can to stop you, and save those people." said Lucy.
"Oh? Can you bring yourself to fight your dear friend?" asked sarcastically Luppi.
"I won't have to." she replied shortly, suprising the teenager. "Just making her walk has weakened you to the point where you can barely stand. I assume the more people you control, the bigger the strain on your body is. Controlling the Chairman for so long must've been very tiring."
Luppi's eyes widened, as he whistled quietly, seemingly impressed and clapped his hands. "Bravo. I knew you were smart." he said with a smirk. "You're right, I can't control her for much longer. But I have a little trick up my sleeve, that you might find really cool."
Suddenly, Juvia fell to her knees, her head hanging limply in front of her chest. Luppi then breathed out in relief and cracked his neck, before facing Lucy one again.
"A mind is a wonderful thing, you see. All those memories, feelings, connections, paths - it's truly a marvelous and complex thing. It's seemingly unbreakable, unreadable, impossible to fully understand, and yet, it takes just one cut string to cause a disaster."
Juvia stirred in her spot, and started to slowly stand up.
"Funnily enough, memories centered around a specific person are particularly strong. They can take up so much space in someones mind, it's almost sickening. Like here." Luppi pointed at Juvia with his hands. "All those memories, all this strength, and yet, it took just one tiny little alteration to bring this giant mountain down, and throw her into a pit of chaos."
Juvia was now on her feet. She slowly raised her head to look at Lucy, her eyes teary and full of hatred.
"What have you done?" asked unsettled Lucy.
"I really love people as simple as her." sighed Luppi, before patting Juvia on her head, which earned him no reaction from the woman at all, as she continued to glare at Lucy. Luppi creepily played with her blue hair, feeling them in-between his fingers. "I don't even have to control her. All I had to do to make her fulfill my wish and want to kill you, was add a small, fake, but quite graphic memory of you killing someone named Gray Fullbuster into her tiny little mind."
Suddenly, Juvia threw herself at Lucy, a terrifying scream coming out of her mouth. Lucy quickly stepped away from the woman, who continued to chase her in a mad run, her hands turned into water whips.
"Juvia, please, come to your senses!" cried Lucy, before being forced to duck under a stream of water sent in her direction. She then felt Juvia's fist make contact with her stomach, which sent her flying backwards.
"I really am a genius." sighed quietly Luppi, as he watched Juvia mercilessly attack Lucy, who continued to call out to her friend in vain.
Tower of Heaven, Fifth Floor
Erza, Natsu and Laxus continued to make their way through the floor, which this time was a labyrinth of corridors and rooms, making it tricky to leave. Much to the Dragon Slayers' disappointment, Erza forbid them from forcing their way through, in fear of possible traps and hidden enemies.
"I'm getting sick of this place." muttered Laxus.
"You and me both." agreed Natsu.
"Stop whining." scolded them Erza, who was running in the front.
The trio then took yet another turn and found themselves in front of a much wider corridor than before. It was at least 7 meters wide, with the ceiling being hanged much, much higher then previously, which did not fit the floor's structure at all. Sensing trouble, Erza tensed up her senses, ready to react in time to any possible ambush.
They kept running for a while, before Laxus spoke up. "You think they're done down there? The tower's stopped shaking."
"It's been a while since we split up. I wouldn't be suprised if they were all on their way up here by now." replied Erza.
Laxus looked at the knight. She was worried, that was not a secret, but he could tell that her thoughts were focused on the floor directly beneath them.
"They'll manage." he assured her quietly, earning him a suprised look from the redhead. "We need you here, not somewhere else. They're strong, you know they are. They're probably already on the ship, with all those people."
Erza blinked, her face still suprised. Never in her life would she expect Laxus to express worry about her, even if only a little. This made her ease up a little, which allowed her to muster a small smile.
"You're right."
They continued to run for next few minutes in silence. Laxus and Natsu caught up to her, as they were now running right next to her, with Natsu in the middle. Finally, they noticed a familiar, huge, open door that signalised the end of their current location.
"Two stories to go. Since we haven't met them for this long, it must mean they're all-"
Erza's warning was cut off, as someone pounced onto her and pushed her aside with quite alot of strength. Suprised and confused, she felt herself drop onto the floor, with someone landing on top of her. She quickly turned her head around to notice a familiar white scarf right in her face, with Natsu, who covered her body with his own lying on top of her, his head turned towards the staircase.
"Natsu, what are you-" she wanted to ask, before noticing Laxus, who was standing few feet away from them, clad in his lightning cloak. She then looked at the floor, where dozens of giant knives were impaled into the floor where she stood just a moment ago, along with another dozen scattered on the ground, most likely deflected by Laxus. The man was staring at the staircase as well, his face mimicking Natsu's scowl almost perfectly.
Erza also shifted her eyes towards the shadows, where a figure started to appear. It was the elderly man from the first floor. He was heading towards the trio, his hands behind his back, his step gracious and light.
"As expected of Dragon Slayers." said Arthur. He stopped few yards away from the group, and watched Laxus and Natsu with impressed eyes. "As soon as you've heard my knives cut through the air, your bodies reacted on their own. How truly marvelous."
Natsu stood up, freeing Erza from his weight. The girl stared at him, her eyes wide. "If it hadn't been for him, I'd be dead. I heard and felt absolutely nothing."
Erza gulped and also stood up, locking her eyes on the Commandment before her, uneasiness filling her chest. The man in front of her was powerful, she knew that from his magic power alone. However, there was something that screamed danger, something she couldn't quite grasp yet.
"Since you're here, I assume we're getting close, aren't we?" asked Natsu, his attitude from first floor returning, almost as if his personality turned inside out.
"Indeed you are." confirmed Arthur, his voice and face suprisingly kind. "I am here to safely escort you to Master Silva's chambers, alone, I'm afraid. Your cooperation is most welcome."
The elder then looked at Laxus and Erza, his gentle expression disappearing. "As for you two, I'm afraid we have no use of you. You must be eliminated."
The trio tensed up and put up their guards.
"If he's planning on taking the three of us alone, he must be either overconfident or he knows what he's doing." muttered Laxus.
"Overconfident is the last word I'd use to describe him." denied Natsu. "He's the real deal, alright."
Erza breathed through her nose, trying to relax. All of her senses screamed in danger at the sight of the man before her, much to her confusion and annoyance.
"What exactly is your goal?" she asked. She tried to buy as much time as possible in order to come up with a strategy on how to beat this man.
Arthur looked at Erza. "I'm afraid that doesn't concern you, my dear."
"It concerns me." threw in Natsu, suprising both the elder and Erza. "Since you've been trying to hunt me down for so long now, I might as well learn why you need me alive so badly. I doubt it's because I destroyed your inner guilds."
Arthur continued to look at Natsu in slight shock, which made Erza smirk to herself. Despite his anger, he was able to take her hint and momentarily put it aside to look at the bigger picture and pull the elder by his tongue - she'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed, maybe even proud.
Arthur regained his composure and locked his eyes with Natsu. "Very well. You do have that right." he said. "7th Commandment: The Mind, will use the controlled Chairman to hold a vote. Upon succeeding, Etherion will be launched at this tower, which will fuel it with magic power necessary to hold the ceremony. Once we achieve that, you will be sacrificed. To successfully restore a life with R-System, a wizard strong enough to be considered a Wizard Saint is required. Despite bringing quite alot of candidates with yourself, you are still the perfect host. Your body will be given to the tower, which will disintegrate, and then reconstruct it, all in order to successfully resurrect the rightful ruler of this world - Zeref."
Erza's eyes narrowed sorrowfully. All her fears have just been confirmed. She looked at Natsu, who, suprisingly, was completely unfazed by what he'd just heard.
"I see." he said, before grinning like a madman, which earned him a raised eyebrow from Arthur. "You've told me more than you wanted to."
Suddenly, Natsu stomped the floor with his flaming feet, the ground beneath him breaking. He shifted his eyes at Arthur, whose calm demeanour started to change, as the man was clearly distressed after taking Natsu's not so gentle hint.
"I wouldn't piss him off any more if I were you." threw in Laxus.
Natsu looked at him. "Does it even make a difference? The very fact he shared his plans with us means he is not intending on letting us live."
"Even so, by pissing him off, you're robbing us of precious time we could have used on strategizing. You saw what he's capable of, none of us can deal with his magic. We need a plan."
Natsu shifted his eyes back to Arthur, who was still in his spot. After a short while, the man took his arms from behind his back and put them on both of his sides.
"I'm afraid your time has just ran out, Dragon Slayer." said the man, before taking a step towards the trio.
Erza immediately summoned a sword and got in fighting stance, both of her comrades doing the same.
"Natsu, Laxus, stick toge-"
Erza's words were brutally cut off, as she froze in place, along with her companions and everything surrounding them. Her face was stuck in a weird grimace, her mouth wide open. The Dragon Slayers were stuck in fighting poses, their guards put up in their own, individual styles. The only one to maintain his movement was Arthur, who graciously paced towards the trio. He reached out to his inner pocket and pulled out a knife. He then slightly turned to his left and walked up to Erza. He stopped right in front of her and locked his gaze with her frozen, brown eyes, which were wide open. They expressed determination, confusion, but most importantly - a small drop of fear. The man was used to this sight, having seen it hundreds of times by now. Still, it never failed to amuse him, even if just a little.
"All these years, and I still can't get rid of this unpleasant feeling every time I meet a female on the field of battle." sighed the elder. He then put up his knife and pressed it against the knight's throat. "I'm sorry it's come to this, my dear. I wish I could avoid it." he added grimly.
Just when he was about to slice Erza's skin, he felt numb pain taking over the right side of his face. Shocked, he quickly shifted his left eye to see who was the one who attacked him, only to see a yellow lightning crackling on his face.
Laxus flexed his shoulder and pushed, finishing his powerful blow to Arthur's right cheekbone. The man crashed into the ground and bounced off of it, his grip on the knife loosening. Laxus then quickly followed up by kicking him in the ribs while he was still on the ground, which sent him flying into a nearby wall, breaking it in the process.
"-ther!" finished Erza.
The woman blinked in confusion, with Natsu parroting her right beside her. She then looked to her left, where she saw Laxus glaring at something, his left fist bloodied and his lightning crackling dangerously. She then looked to her right, only to feel her eyes widen at the sight of Arthur slowly getting out from beneath the rubble.
"What?" was all she managed to muster. "What just happened?"
Arthur clutched his aching cheek and looked at Laxus, his eyes as shocked as Erza's. "Impossible...How did you manage to free yourself from within my time?!"
"No idea what you're talking about, old man." retorted Laxus, before cracking his knuckles.
The man breathed out to regain his composure and stood up, his face returning to its previous calm state.
"I must have gotten distracted, thus slightly losing control. This time, I will not be careless."
The trio was once again frozen in their spots. Arthur pulled out yet another weapon and dashed at Laxus's frozen figure with speed suprising for a man of his age. He pulled his arm back and thrust at the man's face, only to see him dodge the strike at the last possible second by slipping his head to the side.
"What?!" gasped Arthur, before being struck by a right hook, which sent him flying once again, this time crashing him into the opposite wall.
Erza and Natsu were once again free, their confusion increasing even more.
"What the hell is going on?!" asked irritated Natsu, directing the question to Laxus. Much to his suprise, the man was panting heavily, as if something incredibly tiring happened to him in the span of last 20 seconds.
"Listen to me." he whispered in-between his breaths so low only Natsu could pick up his words. "And make sure you get every single word."
Arthur got back up once again. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and observed the bloody stain left on it by his bleeding lip. He then shifted his eyes back onto Laxus, whose mouth was moving just barely, without a doubt relaying a message to his friends.
"There can be only one explanation for this miracle." whispered the Commandment to himself.
He watched as Natsu nodded to Laxus and walked up to Erza, standing very close to her, which seemingly suprised the knight. Anticipating their move, he walked out of his pile of rubble and blocked the staircase with his body, his eyes slowly shifting between each one of his enemies.
"Ready?" whispered Laxus.
"Ready."
It was so fast, that despite his skills, Arthur couldn't help but simply watch. Laxus quickly raised his arm up towards the ceiling and shot a fast, powerful lightning into the surface above him, breaking it in the process, leaving a hole big enough to fit a person or two. In the meantime, Natsu quickly put his hands behind Erza's knees and shoulders and picked her up bridal style, much to her shock. Before the lightning broke through the ceiling, he had already lit his feet on fire and turned them into thrusters, which he used to launch himself towards the hole. Just when Arthur could finally react, the pair was already on the upper floor.
"How uncivilised." sighed Arthur. He then looked at the hole and bent his knees, ready to follow the pair, only to see the hole being welded up, with Natsu melting the floor in order to seal it.
Seeing that it was fruitless, Arthur exhaled through his nose, an unfamiliar feeling of anger building up inside of him.
"Looks like it's just the two of us left, old man." smirked Laxus.
Arthur's eyes bitter taste of failure angered him very much, however chasing after them would only end badly, especially with his current opponent's unique condition. Figuring out that he was going to spend a while with the youngster, Arthur calmed down and decided prepared for battle.
"I presume it's safe to assume your magic had been granted to you by implanting a lacrima inside your body, correct?" he asked, eager to confirm his suspicions.
"Even if it was, what of it?" answered Laxus, slightly suprised the man noticed it.
Arthur sighed. "That would explain this rare and very unthinkable meeting of ours. How utterly bizarre."
Laxus frowned, not getting the hang of the man's words.
"In the entire world, you're quite possibly one of the few people capable of fighting off my ability. How unfortunate...is what I'd have said, if I hadn't been this intrigued and curious."
"I still have no idea what you're talking about." said Laxus, slightly irritated with the man's behavior.
Arthur spread his arms and straightened his back. "Do forgive me, for I've yet to properly introduce myself." he said, before bowing. "2nd Commandment: The Time, at your service."
Laxus' eyes widened in suprise. "Time?"
"Yes." replied shortly Arthur, before straightening back up. "I have an ability, which grants me almost perfect control over time. The only thing I am weak against, are magical tools and lacrimas, such as the one residing in your body." he continued, pointing at Laxus' chest with his finger. "I believe it to be the reason behind your ability to move within my time."
The Dragon Slayer looked at his chest and touched it with his hand. He then squeezed his shirt tight and shifted his eyes back to his opponent. "I guess I should be thankful I'm the one you ran into, not the others."
"That, you indeed should." said Arthur. He then extended his arm towards the blonde and pointed at him with his palm. "I have told you my name, however, I have yet to hear yours."
Laxus clenched his fist, lightning crackling around it. "Laxus Dreyar."
The elder was slightly shocked. "Makarov Dreyar's grandson?"
This question annoyed the youngster more than it was supposed to. If there was one thing he disliked more than anything else, it was disregarding his existence as an individual person, instead describing him just as his grandfather's grandson.
Arthur made a fist and retracted his arm. He then pulled out a pair of white gloves and slid them onto his hands. "I've always wanted to properly test my abilities in battle. I couldn't have asked for a better opponent to help me out with this selfish wish. I hope you do not disappoint me, Laxus Dreyar."
The Dragon Slayer bent his knees and got into a fighting position, his cloak once again covering his entire figure.
"I really don't get you people."
Tower of Heaven, Sixth Floor
Natsu got through the hole as fast as he could and landed on his feet. He then turned around, puffed his cheeks out and treated the floor with his fire, melting it down. Once the hole was closed, he stopped and sighed, his feeling of being chased subduing to relief.
"Natsu?"
The Dragon Slayer blinked and looked in the direction of the voice. The sight reminded him and his arms were still wrapped around Erza, keeping her close to his torso. Her face expressed irritation mixed with embarrassment, with slight shade of red painting her cheeks.
"You can put me down now." she said, making it sound more like a command, rather than permission.
"Oh. Right, sorry." mumbled Natsu and put the knight down, his face feeling unnaturally hot. "There was no time to explain it to you, so I just went through without your permission. Sorry." he tried to explain, his voice dry and slightly embarrassed.
"Don't be, I think your decision was right. Even if a little bold."
Natsu cleared his throat and looked around. They were currently in a lobby, very different than the ones they met on their way here. This floor was much more human looking than the ones beneath him. It was clearly designed to be used as living space, with several chambers spread all over the lobby, some of them with open doors. Not sensing anyone in here, the Dragon Slayer then focused on the exit, which most likely led to the rest of the level.
"We should get going." he said to Erza. The woman nodded and they both started to run, this time much slower than previously. Their encounter with Arthur sharpened their senses and made them anxious of any other possible ambushes. Since this floor had no windows, at least not outside of the rooms, the only source of light were half burnt torches, their amount decreasing the further they've gone.
After couple more minutes, they reached an area so dark Natsu had to lit his hand up and use it as a torch. Suddenly, Erza was halted by Natsu's extended arm, as he stopped in his tracks, his nose picking up a new scent. He extended his arm to light the nearby torches up, lighting the floor up in the process. They were right in front of a staircase, which led to the top floor of the tower. Right beside the first step stood a figure, their face covered with a hood. The figure raised their head and smirked under the cloth, their hands beginning to slowly clap mockingly.
"Well, well, well. I did not expect you to pass through Arthur. Color me impressed." the figure said with a male voice.
Erza summoned a sword and glued her eyes to the man. "Who are you?" she asked.
"My dear Erza, you wound me." replied the man with a faked pain in his voice. "It took you only 7 years to forget me. Then again, you've always found it easy to hurt others."
Erza was now getting uneasy. "Who are you?!" she demanded, as she lost her composure.
The man slowly raised his hand and slid his hood off, exposing his azure hair and the tattoo on his right eye.
"Hello, Erza." smiled Jellal. "It's been a while."
Erza's eyes widened in pure shock, her sword dragging her arms down to the ground, until its tip made contact with the ground with a quiet clank. "Jellal...You're alive."
Jellal smirked and planted his back against the wall, his hands crossing themselves over his chest.
"Yes, I am. I bet you didn't expect to ever see me again?"
Erza's eyes narrowed. "I heard rumors about you joining the Council, but could never confirm them. Master Makarov shrugged off all of my questions."
"What a protective parent he is." mocked Jellal.
Erza ignored this remark. "Since you're here, I assume you're a part of Seven Commandments?"
"As observant as ever." Jellal continued to mock her.
Natsu looked at Erza, then back at the man. "You know him?" he asked her.
"She does." Jellal answered for her. "We go way back. We used to live here together."
Natsu frowned and looked back at the redhead, who continued to stare at Jellal with troubled eyes. His words have clearly hurt the girl, possibly awakening something unpleasant. If he meant what the pinkette thought he did, then that would mean...
"Yes, we used to live here, along with many others." continued Jellal, almost as if reading Natsu's mind. "We suffered together, we endured together, we comforted each other, we tried to get the best out of life together. And yet, there was one thing that we did not, in fact, do together. Escape from here."
Erza took a step back. "No, that's not what happened!" she yelled out defensively, suprising Natsu.
"You took advantage of the situation and used it to escape the tower on your own. You abandoned us, Erza. Me, Simon, Millianna, Sho - you left everyone behind to save your own skin." Jellal continued to torture the redhead, his lips curving in a sinister smile.
"No!"
Erza tightly grasped her head with her hands, as she sulked in her spot. She was trembling, the sudden meeting shaking her right to her core. She tightly closed her eyes, almost like a child, who tried to hide away from monsters.
"Erza."
Just before she was hit by her usual wave of memories, she was brought back to the earth by someone's voice. It was kind, soothing and understanding. She opened her eyes and felt someone gently grab her neck and pull it, until her forehead met with something hard.
It turned out to be Natsu, who grabbed Erza's neck with his right hand and pulled it towards himself, meeting her forehead with his. He locked his onyx eyes with hers, his gentle breath gently spreading over her skin.
"Calm down." he said quietly. "Don't let this guy get into your head, he's not worth it."
The knight stared into his eyes with awe, his voice already starting to soothe her troubled mind.
"I don't know what your connection with this guy is, but even an idiot like me can see just how full of shit he is. Don't let yourself be tied down by the likes of him."
Erza was now even more shocked. "What are you..."
"I know it will sound pathetic." continued Natsu. "But right now, you're the closest person I have. I've lived on my own for years, to the point where I actually forgot what emotions feel like. And then, you showed me kindness that I'd have never expected after the rough start we both had. For that, I will never be able to pay you back, but there's something I can do for you. Since you forced me to make you a promise, allow me to return the favor."
He then pressed his forehead against Erza's even harder, actually hurting her a little.
"We're both bound by our demons, and we both showed them to each other. I'm a lost cause, but you can still do it."
Erza blinked in confusion, not entirely following him.
"Promise me that by the time we walk out of this tower, you will no longer be bound by this place. Be it this guy, or this tower itself - tomorrow, you will be a free woman. You're strong enough to do it. Kill this demon, use your strength and cut its head off. Got it?"
After hearing these words, Erza felt wetness on her left cheek, a single tear finding its way out of her eye. Natsu's words , although quite crude, moved her the way she never felt before, filling her with an unusual feeling of safety and courage. Just in this little space around them, she felt safe.
Erza smiled lightly and took a hold of Natsu's hand with her own. She took it off her neck and brought it down, gently holding it in her armored palm.
"I'll try." she said with a cheeky smile, her trembling gone.
Natsu snorted in amusement and grinned as well. "'Touché." He then freed his hand from Erza's and turned around, facing Jellal once again, the smile on his face fading away.
"I'd never expect to see you involved in such a touching moment, Salamander." said Jellal.
Natsu did not reply, and instead started to walk towards the Commandment. Jellal took his hands off his chest and walked away from the wall, anticipating an attack. It never came, however, as Natsu simply passed him and started to make his way up the stairs.
"You really think showing your back to me is a good idea?" asked Jellal, clearly insulted after being ignored, his previously carefree and confident tone replaced by a slightly irritated one.
Natsu stopped on the fourth step and gently turned his head around. "You're free to try."
Erza watched both men, tension between them reaching unbearable levels. After what felt like minutes, Jellal chuckled to himself.
"Well played." was all he said, before shifting his attention back onto Erza.
Natsu waited for few more seconds and started to walk up the stairs, disappearing in the shadows shortly after.
"Well then. Now that the biggest obstacle is out of the way..." began Jellal. "We can finally talk."
Erza glared into his eyes and picked up her sword, pointing it at him. "There's nothing to talk about. You're a part of this, therefore, you're my enemy."
"Am I?" questioned The Heavens. "I just let Salamander pass right by me, allowing him to meet Silva, something all the Commandments below risked their life for, to not let it happen under these circumstances. The way I see it, we're allies."
The knight felt her eyes narrow. "What do you mean?"
"Do you honestly think Silva's goal is just resurrecting Zeref?" asked Jellal. "This man isn't nearly half as clever as he thinks he is."
"What in the world are you talking about?" shot Erza.
"Truthfully, it'd be for the best if Salamander and Silva killed each other, thus removing themselves from my way." continued the man, ignoring the redhead. "Even I wouldn't be able to take them both on my own."
"Jellal!"
Erza's scream finally gained his attention.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice slightly calmer and quieter.
Jellal locked his eyes with her brown irises, a slight feeling of nostalgia filling his heart.
"I guess I might as well tell you." he said. "You're an important piece in my plans, you deserve at least as much."
He then started to walk towards Erza, making slow, but steady steps. He stopped just few feet away from her, his eyes glued to hers.
"Let's start from the beginning, shall we?"
Tower of Heaven, Christina
Wendy wiped the sweat off her forehead, after successfully healing some of Mirajane's minor injuries. The ship was crowded and filled with people, clad in some spare blankets and their injuries patched up by the Trimens. It's been twenty minutes since Juvia brought a group of slaves onto the ship, much to their suprise. Upon hearing her, Gray hid in the other room, afraid of being seen in his current state. He decided to make it his own recovery area, where he rested after being treated by Hibiki.
Wendy shifted her attention at Mira once again, losing herself in the sight. She was lying right next to Gajeel, both of their lives no longer in danger, both of them sleeping peacefully. Gajeel's shoulder was now closed and his leg tightly wrapped in bandages, but not tight enough to cut the flow of blood. Mirajane's hand was much more tricky to heal, as Wendy had to personally cut the burnt, hanging skin with scissors, and then treat it with a mix of special ointment and her magic.
"Take a break, Wendy-chan."
The girl was brought back from her trance by Hibiki, who was currently wrapping an elderly woman's head with bandages. "You've been pushing yourself for a while now. Take a break, we can manage on our own."
Wendy shook her head. "I'm fine, Hibiki-san. I can't sit when everyone else is doing their best."
The man smiled. "I see. In that case, please take a look at Gray-san. I can't help but think I did something wrong while treating him, I'd feel much better if an expert took a look at it."
Wendy mumbled something about not being an expert, but complied to Hibiki's suggestion and made her way through the room. She stepped out and headed directly into Gray's room.
"Gray-san, I'm here to check up on-" she started, before feeling her eyes widen.
"Hibiki-san!"
Wendy's scream scared the man, but he quickly threw what he was doing aside and chased after the voice, quickly catching up to it. He stormed into the room and quickly checked it out.
Gray was done, the blanket he was resting on bloodied and left on the floor. The window was open, the cold, night wind getting into the ship.
"That idiot!" breathed out angry Hibiki, before running out in order to alarm Ichiya.
Wendy picked up the blanket and felt her heart ache at the sight of the blood. She then looked out the window, a fresh, bloody trail spreading up the white stairs.
"Gray-san..."
Tower of Heaven, First Floor
Gray breathed heavily and clutched his aching right side. Despite being able to walk, the pain was still there, not making the journey any less challenging. He passed by the battlefield, walking around the hole in the ground, made by Mirajane not even an hour ago.
His knees bent under his weight, making him drop onto the ground. Panting heavily, he lifted himself off the floor and molded an ice crutch, which he used to support himself. He then glared into the shadows, his thoughts focused on one particular person.
"Just you wait. I'm coming for you."
End of Chapter 11. To be continued in Chapter 12: The Beast's Howling.'
Aaaand cut. Before I got into this author's note, let me clear some things for you good people.
- My Erza is worse at coping with her past than her canon self. I've already made it clear in earlier chapters
- In this story, Erza was not thrown away by Jellal for not joining him. Instead, she was unable to find him after he was taken away, therefore forcing her to get out without him or the others.
- Arthur's magic will be explained in next chapters. It's actually much more complex than it looks like, since I did not want to go for the simple "time stop" seen in many other stories
Right then, back to the usual stuff.
I've probably butchered the meeting between Erza and Jellal, but I decided to save the main thing for later. Unlike other conflicts in this story, this one will be pretty much dialogue driven, so look forward to it.
I hope I did not creep you out with that Luppi and Juvia scene. I really wanted to show you just how terrifying mind control can be.
Well then, I'm off. Expect some spelling fixed tomorrow, cuz as always, I definitely missed something out. Let me know what yuo thought in the reviews and see yuo next time!