The month after Zeldris went missing can only be described as a blur for the members of the Fairy Tail guild.
Everyone went back to Hargeon the day after Zeldris's disappearance, and Porlyusica and Chelia tended to the injured, each.
Makarov split the groups, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Gray, and Juvia were sent to look towards Crocus the capital and Era, the home of the magic council. Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen were sent to look towards the north, in the Rose Garden city. Finally, Makarov, Laxus, Romeo, and Terra Mere looked towards Krakatoa, noting Zeldris's enjoyment of the seaside town.
The search dragged on for hours then dragging on for days. The groups then changed locations and spread out across Fiore. Guild members even began suggesting the guy had gone to the neighboring kingdom of Bosco.
After a solid month, almost everyone had given up the search. The only ones keeping up the search were Makarov, Laxus, Erza, Romeo, and Terra Mere. Fairy Tail had even gone so far as to enlist other guilds to help with the search. Ichiya and The Trimens from Blue Pegasus, and members of Lamia Scale, Quattro Cerberus, Saber Tooth, Mermaid Heel, and finally the wizards of Crime Sorciere were called in to help as well.
Once the details of the fight surfaced, the less dedicated members to the search were unwilling to help. Even by the end of the month, in January of 794 the most dedicated were starting to lose faith in finding Zeldris, . A new strategy had been devised, with Lamia Scale taking the south and east of Fiore to search. Saber Tooth combed the northern and western sides of the continent. Blue Pegasus would search from the air across the continent hoping to identify Zeldris by magical readings, in their airship The Christina Advanced Mk2. Finally, the single team of Makarov, Erza, Laxus, Romeo, and Terra Mere would search the south and west of the continent, with Crime Sorciere in the north and east.
The groups spread out across the land, looking for the renegade runaway that was Zeldris Akuna.
Crime Sorciere focused on the Worthwood sea, a massive forest in the central part of the northeast corner of Fiore and home to a failed plot of many of their members. The group stood on a cliff ledge, like they had done nearly 10 years ago, looking at the great swath of trees.
"It's kinda amazing isn't it?" said Sawyer, a man who wore and black and yellow track suit, guarded by a blue cloak that all the members of Crime Sociere wore to conceal their identities.
"What, that this is the scene where our plans for Nirvana nearly came to fruitition and ultimately failed?" said Erik, a darker complexioned man, wearing a white coat, black shirt and pants with burgundy hair who then added, "yeah, it's kind of amazing, hard to believe we were so foolish back then" he finished.
"Indeed" muttered Meredy, a very well figured young woman, with bubble gum pink hair, wearing a red dress with yellow trim then added "back in 784, we were told to let your plans unfold and that would allow us to move unnoticed" she finished, ominously.
All the former members of the Orasion Seis, Erik, Sawyer, Macbeth, Sorano, and Richard looked at each other in shame.
"It's not surprising Grimoire Heart took that approach" Sorano agreed, a well figured woman with short white hair, white feathered dress then said, "part of me wonders what Tartaros did in that time".
Erik shivered slightly, "the less said about them, the better" he said, ominously.
"Thank the fairies for their defeat, each guild had their own plans, goals, and desires, and some speculate that's why everyone failed" a man with blue hair, wearing dark clothing, and had a red tattoo like symbol on the right side of his face said, this was Jellal Fernandes, leader of crime sorciere. Jellal then added, "while I am not one to speculate, one can't help but do so".
The group moved down from the ledge and started walking into the massive dense forest.
"Our loose confederation of power ultimately made the Barrum Alliance weak" Erik said.
"Indeed, plus with everyone having a different goal. You wanting to swap your darkness with light did seem to be different than the others" Jellal countered.
"Yeah, each guild seemed to operate separately and bound themselves only by vague agreements" Meredy added on. The group nodded and continued their search.
"Jellal, I don't mean to seem uncommitted to the guilds principles, but with Zeref gone, and our crimes forgiven, what is the point of Crime Sorciere" Sorano asked.
"Well, I'm glad you asked Sorano, I've been in works with the magic council and the organizers of the games in Crocus. I want us to compete in the Grand Magic Games once, and then each of you can go your separate ways" Jellal finished, a smile was on his face.
The five wizards that had been formerly members of the dark guild Orasion Seis stopped in their tracks, happily taken aback by his words.
"You have served this guild well, and you deserve to be completely free" Jellal added.
"Thank you" they said in unison.
"That being said, we need to get back to the task at hand, Makarov, and Erza are worried sick from what I can tell" Jellal said, as the group continued walking, further and further into the deep forest.
An hour and a half passed before Meredy spoke up as they approached a clearing, "hey, can we stop for a few minutes" she said, fidgeting "I'll be right back" and dashed off into the forest.
The group shrugged and sat down, relaxing in the clearing before Erik muttered, "I'm surprised it took her that long, she seemed ready to burst an hour ago". The group glared at him as he rolled his eyes.
Meanwhile, Meredy relaxed resting against a tree, sighing happily in relief. A voice muttered "water?" from below her that took her out of trance of relief. She looked around but could not see anyone, she returned to her bliss, before the voice muttered again, this time much more clearly heard to Meredy as it muttered "cherries?". Meredy blushed bright red, now regretting her choice in undergarments and was now very nervous, as she again searched both left, right, up, and down, but again she did not see anyone. She tried to relax again, until the voice finally remarked in no uncertain terms, "can the ladies of Fiore not afford razors?". This was it, she knew something was wrong, and that someone was there, so she panicked and tried to conceal herself until her eyes fell on who it was. She nearly screamed in shock and panic when she saw him.
As she concealed herself, and continued the awkward situation, she tried to recognize the dishevled Zeldris.
"So, who are you" Meredy asked, folding her arms, at least wanting to know who was privy to the most secretive of things about her.
"Lady Nerobasta, do you not recognize me, Zeldris of the demon race" he said, confused, not recognizing her, "surely this is goddess realm, that I've died and been sent to here for torment at the supreme diety's hand" he finished, gravely.
"What makes you think that you've died?" Meredy asked, very confused about this. Eirk had picked up on the conversation and was concerned.
"I haven't eaten or drank anything since I killed them, I didn't mean to kill them" he said, head in hands, "if this torture is not a hell then what is it?" he finished.
"Killed who?" Meredy asked, unsure of what to make of his soon to be confession.
"Wendy Marvell, Freed Justine, and Carla the exceed" Zeldris said, grimly, his face full of numb remorse. As if the thought had been grieving him ever since he left that island. A single tear fell across his face from his right eye.
Before Meredy could say anything, Zeldris fainted and fell again, and muttered one single word, "light" and then completely passed out.
Meredy panicked, and shouted, "JELLAL!" not sure of what would happen next.
The other members of Crime Soricere were there in a flash, who were trying to piece together the scene.
"That's him!" shouted Jellal
Meanwhile, Jellal quickly began barking orders, "Sawyer, take him Fiore, particularly the east forest, there's a healer there that can help". Sawyer did as he was told, and he took the man who appeared to be on the brink of death, to the healer of the Fairy Tail guild.