The bare-chested behemoth with nothing but a tribal patterned loincloth wrapped around his legs sauntered down the darkened dungeon corridor. He slowed down as he reached the end, taking in the tall, steel door with delight. Two bulky guards leapt up from their posts at the sight of him, aiming swords at his heart, grim expressions on their faces. The man paused to let out a bark of laughter.
"Step aside, vermin." He hissed.
Out of thin air, thick wooden vines materialized, covered in long black thorns. The ropes wound around the two soldiers as their master relished in the men's anguished screams. At the tips of each of these monstrous growths, a sharp thorn as long as a man's forearm emerged. In one swift motion, the thorns impaled their struggling captives. As the bodies went limp, the vines disintegrated, and the stranger strode forward, flicking open the lock of the door with a well wielded thorn. He strolled into the dimly lit room, his eyes searching for his prize.
There, at the center of the chamber upon a stone platform, lay his goal. A simple stone safe with an elaborate magical lock - one that not even he, with his immense power and expert skills - could hope to break.
But it would not be for lack of trying.
He flicked a thorn towards the intriguing lock, pouring a considerable amount of magic into his favored weapon of choice. It grazed the surface of the magical lock harmlessly.
He pouted.
"Well, I best do this the traditional way then. Hades is not known for his patience."
With a resigned sigh, he drew out a pouch from within the folds of his clothing, grumpily drawing out the three sparkling keys that lay within. He scowled at the instruments, raising them towards the sparse light of the single torch in the chamber to better study the swirling designs etched on their surface.
"Hand those keys over, and I will spare your life. They do not belong to you."
The behemoth whipped his head to the side, eyeing the shadows from whence the voice issued. From the darkness, the slim figure of a stately young woman emerged, covered head to toe in impressive armor. The man stared at her, a twisted smile creeping up on his face.
"Could it be? Are you the famed Titania? The Lady Knight Erza Scarlett?"
"Yes."
He broke into an evil grin. "Today truly is my lucky day. I've always dreamed of challenging you, my dear. Your fame has spread so far and wide that I am eager to test if the praise showered upon you is deserved, or merely idle gossip…"
Erza glared at him. "I do not fight for glory or amusement, sir. I fight for those who cannot defend themselves, and to protect my friends. Who are you, by the by, who treats a battle as a playground?"
The man let out a low, menacing chuckle. "I am known as Azuma of Grimoire Heart. We are a powerful organization of dark mages in Fiore. In fact, you may know one of our latest joinees. He is also known by the alias Seigrien, I believe?"
Erza paled, her lips pressed into a thin line. She did not deign to reply. Instead, she requipped into her heavenly armor and readied one of her most fearsome attacks. As the heaven's wheel spell wove around her, materializing multiple swords around her floating, shimmering form, she glared at her opponent.
"Attack, my angels!"
The swords whizzed towards her foe, glittering in the dim light, but before they could make contact, a thousand barbed vines arose from around the behemoth's body, arresting each and every sword before it could reach its target.
Undaunted, Erza requipped into her hell's fire armor, raising a flaming sword over her head as she shielded herself with a burning shield. She lunged forward, half cutting, half burning through the thick, thorny foliage her opponent conjured. But try as hard as she might, she could not reach him to land a direct blow. He, on the other hand, had much better luck reaching her through the steel and flames that surrounded her, giving her numerous nicks and bruises all over her torso and legs.
She fell back once more, instantly requipping into her most powerful defensive set yet, her purgatory armor. She approached her foe more slowly, with long determined steps, slicing easily through the thick branches that were whirling and swirling around her and attempting to strangle her. For the first time since the fight had started, her opponent felt a pang of fear - no one had ever withstood his magical attacks this well before - no one had ever survived against him for this long. Had he perhaps met his match? He recalled the punishment that awaited him, were he to fail this mission - even death would not free him from it, for Hades' gruesome magic could surpass even death's forbidden boundaries. With the determination of a man facing death instead of defeat, Azuma unleashed his most powerful scale of magic - he tapped into his second origin.
Erza only had a millisecond of warning in the form of an ominous hiss, before the magic Azuma had been exuding suddenly tripled in force, throwing her backwards with the force of its release. She crashed into the wall, releasing her defensive armor as it had reached its limit - she could use it no more. She desperately needed time to recharge - time she knew she did not have. With a soft, serene sigh, she requipped again.
Her opponent cackled openly - he had sensed her drain in magical power, and knew she had reached the end of her line - she could not use a set more powerful than the one she had been using until then. He watched eagerly as the glow from her transformation faded away.
He frowned in suspicion and dissatisfaction.
For unlike the glamorous and imposing armor sets she had dazzled him with before, she was now clad in a simple pair of red harem pants with a thick, tightly wrapped length of white muslin cloth protecting the modesty of her chest. In each hand she held a sleek and thin katana, the razor sharp blades glinting in the low light of the chamber they battled in.
"Surely you do not expect to defeat me in that? I do not even see how you expect to buy yourself time to escape when you are so poorly armed."
Erza's eyes flashed with fury.
"I have no intention of 'escaping'. I fully intend to defeat you and retrieve those keys - as is my duty."
Azuma burst into laughter. "My, my Milady. Either you have a wicked sense of humor, or the rumors forgot to mention that your mind gets addled during a fight. Surely you have sensed that my power has intensified, whereas yours has obviously weakened. When you could barely keep up with me before, how do you expect to defeat me in my current state?"
Erza's eyes narrowed.
"I will, because I must. Only an arrogant fool underestimates the power of heartfelt emotions on one's magical abilities."
"Hah. The theory of emotions! I do know it, Lady Knight. I am using it, in fact. For this very fight I am now engaging in against you is backed with my own strong desire to save my life…"
Erza smirked, a glint of victory in her eyes.
"Well, I fight with a desire far stronger than one to just to save my own insignificant life - I fight with the yearning to safeguard those whom I love. My friends, my foster father, my chosen sister, and…"
Seigrien.
She lunged again - but this time she was simply a blur. She reached him in less than a millisecond, earning a deep gash in his forearm for her efforts. She darted back so swiftly, that his massive twisting branches could not reach her in time. He scowled, transforming the hulking trunks into slender, sleek and deadly vines, attempting to wrap them around her once more.
To his horror, she sliced through them all. The blades she wielded were as fast as lightning strikes, deadly and precise as they slaughtered every attack he threw at her. He could feel the drain on his own magic - whilst Erza's magic, although significantly less powerful than his, remained at exactly the same level. Moreover, the very magic that ensconced her exhibited a warmth, a tenderness that was reminiscent of pure joy. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a very very long time…
He sent out a powerful burst of strength, creating a forest of trees, branches and vines, all aimed at smothering, piercing and tearing his opponent apart.
She spun, becoming light itself, as she whirled in place, slicing and dicing every stray foliage that came within a foot of her until nothing but leaves and twigs lay strewn on the floor of the chamber.
Azuma let his hand drop as he fell to his knees, his entire form trembling.
"Kill me."
The prayer fell from his lips before he could stop himself, his own eyes wide with surprise at his plea.
Erza paled. "You are powerless. You are no longer a threat. I see no reason to take your life."
Azuma closed his eyes, gulping a few times before opening them and fixing the woman before him with a pleading look.
"Then kill him. Hades. He has the power to punish us in life… Or death. If you truly are the angel of mercy you seem to be… Then please, please, rid the world of him…"
With that, he fainted, falling into a heap on the floor.
Erza blinked. She relaxed, allowing the exhaustion threatening her body to momentarily overwhelm her. With a sigh she sunk to her knees, regarding the prone form of her foe curiously.
He had mentioned the name 'Hades' with such dread and venom. It was the same name she had come across in Seigrien's letter. It was probably safe to assume that they both referred to the same being. But if a man as fearsome as Azuma could fear this Hades, then was it safe to assume that Seigrien was wary of him as well? Perhaps he had been coerced into taking the keys out of fear of this terrifying dark mage? Hope blossomed in Erza's heart, despite her desperation not to let it take root. She shuffled forward, gingerly plucking the keys out of her opponent's slack grasp. As she struggled to her feet, she sighed in relief and fatigue. It was time to return to her chamber for a well earned rest…
"Impressive, Erza Scarlett. Now, hand over those keys peacefully, else I will be forced to make you."
Erza's blood ran cold at the silky smooth yet deadly voice that rang in her ears. Her senses returned to high alert, aware that a threat even worse than the one she had just faced had now surfaced. She turned around slowly to face the speaker. The man who had spoken was tall, swathed in black garments and a billowing black cloak wrapped around his towering, beefy form. An eye patch covered his left eye, the keen, piercing glare from the remaining organ strong enough to cause even the fearless Erza to shiver.
"W-who are you? Why are you here?"
The man shot the quaking woman an evil sneer.
"I am known as Hades, my dear. And you know why I am here - those keys in your hand were retrieved by a colleague of mine, in order to obtain the primordial source. This useless pawn of mine has failed his mission, and the rest of my subordinates are busy handling an… unexpected complication - therefore I have come here in person to take what I deserve…"
Erza rallied herself, standing straighter as she returned his glare full force.
"I cannot allow you to do so. This magical source belongs to the Princess of Pergrande, and I have been charged with protecting it - and I am prepared to give my life to fulfill my duty."
"As I would give my life to protect hers."
A familiar voice and form materialized from the shadows, the tall outline of Erza's lover becoming visible as he stepped forward, taking a defensive stance in front of her.
Hades glared at the new addition.
"So… you've overcome all my subordinates then?"
"And released the Oracian Seis from your control. You are now outnumbered, Hades. Best you surrender before I am forced to hurt you…"
Hades barked out a laugh. "Hurt me? You stupid, arrogant, traitor…" The older man hissed. "And all for the sake of a woman? You're a fool - so much potential, and you've thrown it all away…"
The man sneered, his eyes taking on a reddish tint as he fully faced the younger man.
"I will destroy you."
The powerful mages clashed in a whirlwind of dark magic, their moves so swift and focused that they were indecipherable to the naked eye. Erza tried desperately to follow the form of her beloved, praying for his safety, as the very walls of the chamber around her began to quake from the ferocious battle commencing within. She glanced at the trembling walls with terror, forcing herself to rise as her gaze darted around frantically determining how much time they had before the dungeon would collapse.
She had no choice. She had to protect the source. And she, in her current state could never hope to move the entire heavy safe herself. Her only option was to take whatever lay within it directly to her Princess. And quietly receive whatever punishment such insubordination would earn.
Her determination set, she cautiously made her way towards the safe, one eye carefully keeping track of the fierce battle still raging between her lover and the older, terrifying dark mage. With trembling hands she fumbled with the keys, finally succeeding in opening the locks after much cursing and wincing. Taking in a deep breath, she flung open the door of the safe.
It was empty.
An enraged roar from behind startled her, causing her to fling herself away from the safe, the keys still clutched in her white knuckled grasp. She gasped in shock and terror as she watched Hades deliver a lethal looking blow to Seigrien. As the blue haired man's limp body dropped to the ground, Erza's feet drew her to his prone form even before her mind could form coherent thoughts. She barely noticed Hades marching past them, stalking towards the open safe with an expression of fuming rage on his face.
"NO! WHERE IS IT?!"
He grabbed the stone container, shaking it in desperation, his eyes glazed over with the intensity of his fury.
"No… It can't be… Unless…" The sinister mage took a deep breath, willing a modicum of calmness into his mood. His gaze frantically searched the room, at last coming to rest on Erza's slumped figure, shaking with sobs as she cradled her lover's head in her lap and whispered his name along with desperate pleas for him to awaken. Hades' eyes narrowed as he stalked forward.
"Hand over the keys, girl."
Erza did not even spare him a glance, her intense gaze still fixed on her beloved's face. "W-what for? T-the source has already been moved, you have no more reason to be here!"
"Foolish girl!" Hades hissed, his eyes becoming red with anger. "Don't you get it?! The true primordial source is in fact…"
But he never completed his sentence. For a spear of dark magic pierced him at that exact instant, skewering him through his dark heart and ending his life in one swift strike. Erza gazed in shock between the dead man and the figure of her beloved, halfway up from her lap and pointing straight at Hades, his arm malformed into a twisted black spear. He dropped back into her lap with a huff, the arm spear disintegrating to reveal his human arm once more.
He glanced up at the woman cradling his face.
"Aren't you frightened of me?"
Erza blinked, shaking her head once to clear her befuddled mind. The smile she graced him with spoke of love, grief and even pain - but no fear.
"Nay. Angry, hurt and confused… But not afraid. I have witnessed far worse demon transformations in my years battling demon guerilla troops attempting to attack Pergrande and Alagesia."
"D-demon?! You know?! When? How long have you known?!"
"Almost from the first moment we met." She replied softly. "I had my doubts, but it only took a couple of our sparring sessions to confirm my suspicions. I never approached you directly about it though, I did not wish to alarm you, and I know how mages with demon blood tend to be ashamed of it…"
"You knew… And yet you still love me? Erza… There is more to me than just that. I did not know until last night but… I am Jellal. From the Tower of Heaven. I barely survived that horrendous explosion, and half of my humanity was the price I paid. I was injected with demon magic in order to help me live, and my memories were tampered with. That is why I did not recognize you when we first met. Last night, when you kissed me… The love you shared with me triggered my memories - I remembered all the times we spent together, all that we meant to each other - everything. That is why I left you last night - to attempt to right a few of the many wrongs I had committed. Milliana stole the keys from us last night. I recognized her faint magic signature when I woke before you. I knew nothing about that plan of theirs, I swear! But when I found the keys missing, I knew why Hades had given his Oracian Seis slave that order. I wanted to stop Hades before he attempted to take the source. But I failed… And he almost hurt you. I'm sorry Erza… For always putting you in danger… For always failing to protect you… For always loving you although I never deserved your love in return…"
His ramblings were halted by soft, plush lips pressed on his own, moving with passion and need - emotions he eagerly responded too before his tired brain intervened.
"E-Erza? W-what?..."
"Stop making excuses to run away from me!" Her harsh yet tender voice arrested his heart and mind as he gazed into her depthless dark brown orbs. "I will always love you, whatever you may do. All I want is the chance to be by your side, why won't you let me stay?!"
Jellal sighed, tearing his gaze away from her beautiful eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I'm sorry. But I'm a criminal, no good would come of being by my side." He struggled to raise himself up, her strong, steady grip aiding him until he could stand reasonably straight. He looked down upon the maiden who had captured his heart and soul, the depth of his ardor and pain conveyed in his look.
"Erza. You must leave, now. Even with my connections in court, I cannot hope to overcome evidence as damning as this - two bodies and an open safe? I shall be executed. The only thing I can hope to do now is to ensure your safety - I will take the sole blame for this. Leave."
Erza stared, momentarily breath taken by the earnest and pleading look in his eyes. And then she burst out into an angry and heartbroken protest.
"Never! My conscience and honor would not allow any being to make such a sacrifice on my behalf - as for you?! Forget about it! Why can't I just close the safe? As for these two, we can hide them in the secret passageway and deal with them later…"
"It won't work." Jellal said, his voice exasperated as his eyes darted frantically between the door and her. "With my demon senses I can detect the soldiers already closing in on us. We wouldn't have time to do it all. And we would not be able to hide the evidence of this battle no matter how hard we try. The only option is for me to take the fall - please, let me Erza. It would be a way to atone for my sins, and if it would help you live in peace, I would gladly die a hundred times over."
"No, dammit! I don't want you to die for me, I want you to live for me! Please…"
"Erza…" He gazed at her with a tender and fond look, leaning down to place a soft, chaste peck on her lips.
"Forgive me…"
He pushed her away roughly, the twisted snarl on his face a mocking contrast to his gentle look from just a second before.
"You bitch! You've ruined my plan! Now I'm going to end you!"
He raised his sword, but before he could take one more step, a booming voice assailed him.
"Drop your sword, sir! And step back from the Lady Knight - you are under arrest."
Sir Brom stepped forward, two of his men by his side. The pair swiftly placed Jellal in magical restraints as Brom turned to Erza, his look apologetic and worried.
"He did not harm you, I hope, Milady? We came as quickly as we could…"
Erza just nodded, unable to form a word under Jellal's murderous glare.
"Her Majesty has requested you accompany the prisoner to the trial we will be holding now. Would you like a few minutes to collect yourself?"
Erza shook her head, taking in a deep, shaky breath.
"I am ready. Let us go."