Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy!
Bellona took Zale even further away from Crocus to the point where they were deep in a forest and at a large waterfall.
"This spot should do." Bellona said as she stopped with the same expressionless face she's had since she introduced herself.
"I'm guessing we're here because of my water-based magic?" Zale asked.
"No, now take off your clothes." Bellona said.
"… I see…"
Zale looked down at the ground with his hands on his hips and Bellona blankly stared at him for several minutes.
"… If you 'see', then why are you not naked yet?" Bellona asked.
"The only thing I see is why you took me out here." Zale replied. "But why do you need me to get naked?!"
"To acquire the power to control God's Wrath, your mind will need to enter the Realm of the Gods by meditating, preferably by that waterfall since you are the Water God Slayer. Clothes hinder the transition process."
"How does that even make sense?!"
"If you need proof, I tried it at first with my clothes on. Nothing happened. I figured if I took them off, it would work. Sure enough, it did."
"Okay, but that didn't explain anything."
"It explained that it works."
"But…" Zale just placed his hand over his face for a few seconds. "I'm just going around in circles with you. Could you at least not look at me during this time? I'm very self-conscious."
"I make no promises."
That comment really perplexed Zale as to what she was implying. He had no idea if she was either just trying to keep an eye on him, ogle at him or mess with him.
*Great! Now I have to strip in front of a girl I just met!* He thought. *And it seems like she's going to be looking at me whether I like it or not. Crap! What if she tries to take advantage of me while my body is here?! Even if I'm not in control, I'd still be cheating on Juvia! I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did that!* "I'll have you know that I have a girlfriend!"
"… Okay." She responded with a lack of emotion. "You still have to get naked."
*Dammit! How can I take my clothes off in front of her?! I mean-She's not Juvia-That's it!*
Zale then closed his eyes and imagined that instead of Bellona standing in front of him, it was Juvia. It was a good thing that Bellona remained quiet the whole time or else the illusion Zale had created would have shattered. The more he imagined Juvia being there, the more comfortable he felt and he eventually started taking off all of his clothes until he was completely naked. He then made his way to the waterfall while he was blissfully unaware that Bellona was removing her toga and swam over toward Zale, she also wasn't wearing any undergarments so she was just as naked as Zale. He got up on a rock and sat down to meditate.
"… Any tips on meditating?" Zale asked.
Bellona sat down and took a meditative stance. "Empty your mind of thoughts until you feel as though your body is lifting into the air."
They both took a deep breath and began to clear their heads until they could feel their spirits leave their bodies.
The moment Zale reopened his eyes he was in a strange realm consisting of Olympian architecture sitting on one infinitely large cloud and a clear blue sky above them.
"Welcome to the Realm of the Gods." Bellona's voice spoke from his right.
Zale turned to where he heard the voice and saw Bellona sitting next to him without any clothes on, but all 'details' were missing. He then looked down at his own body to see that it was the same way and he sighed in relief.
"I can't see your parts and vice versa… but this is still weird." Zale said.
Bellona stood up and started walking forward. "Follow me."
Zale and Bellona walked side by side through the surreal landscape.
"So, Bellona, are you in a guild?"
"I am."
"…"
"…"
"… Which one?"
"Mermaid Heel."
"I don't think I've heard of it."
"It's a woman-exclusive guild."
"I didn't know there were guilds like that."
"Mermaid Heel is the only one."
"Is it safe to presume that your guild's here for the Games as well?"
"Yes."
"One more question comes to mind: Do you EVER express?"
"I'm not a vehicle."
"I meant 'show emotion'." Zale slouched from Bellona's statement.
"What do you mean? I express emotions just like anyone else." Bellona said while still retaining her stoic face and voice.
*Is this girl serious?* Zale questioned in his head before speaking. "Forget I asked then."
They arrived at a large temple made out of a mystical blue marble that seemed like there was water flowing through each piece of its design. The best way Zale could describe it was 'dream-like' and beautiful. Bellona began pushing the temple's massive door open to reveal an empty church consisting of only an altar and podium at the other end where a nude old man was meditating, that was until he caught wind of his guests. When he turned around, Zale could make out his full, grey beard.
"How long has it been since I've had visitors?" The old man wondered. "Oh… wait… Not since I was tasked with this temple."
"We are descendants of the six gods of old." Bellona said. "My name is Bellona Wight, the Shadow God Slayer."
"And I'm Zale Aeon, the Water God Slayer." Zale introduced himself.
"Wight… Aeon… Ah!" The old man smiled. "Is this your first visit to the Realm of the Gods?"
"Yes. Are you a god?" Zale asked.
"I'm not a god." The old man chuckled. "I'm just a guru who has achieved spiritual enlightenment and is now tasked with guiding the Aeon line to better utilize their God Slayer Magic."
"Just my family?" Zale inquired. "Does that mean there are temples aside from this one?"
"Yes." Bellona answered. "We won't be visiting them since I've already acquired God's Wrath from the Shadow Temple."
"Then that means this is the Water Temple, where I'm to be taught in God's Wrath?" Zale guessed.
The old man nodded. "I am Jatasya (Age ?) and I will be your mentor."
"And the first part of my training?" Zale asked.
"All I can tell you is to meditate in front of the altar." Jatasya replied. "Whatever trial befalls you beyond that, I do not know."
"Aren't I already meditating?" Zale questioned. "Isn't that like heaving a dream while you're dreaming?"
"Just do it." Bellona said plainly.
Zale walked over to the altar and sat down. It wasn't hard to meditate a second time since he had done so before. After a few seconds, his consciousness began to drift again like it did before until his mind blacked out.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but when Zale opened his eyes again, he was in a cabin that he remembered all too well.
"Thi… This was… my home…" Zale mumbled.
He stood up and walked around the wooden house. Every detail was exactly as it should be, even those Zale had long forgotten. In the moment of silence, he suddenly heard something hitting the window outside and his body and mind froze. He struggled to turn his head to the nearest window and when he finally did, his fears were confirmed. It was raining outside.
Jatasya and Bellona were patiently watching Zale, but suddenly the former noticed something strange.
"What… Something's not right…"
"What do you mean?" Bellona asked.
"Whatever trial the gods have laid before him, something dark has come to confront him."
*'Something… dark'?* Bellona thought as she recalled Zale's peculiar words from earlier.
… Does having the powers of these gods have any side effects? Like, maybe a split personality or something?
Zale heard the sound of a door opening, closing and locking and turned toward the source. What he saw looking right at him was another Zale only this one had a cold, emotionless look on his face. Unlike Bellona, this expression gave off a chilling aura that instantly made him want to run from it.
"Who… Are you that…" Zale shuddered.
"… Yes." The other Zale responded. "When it rains, it is I who controls your body."
Zale began to step away.
"Why are you afraid of me?" The other Zale questioned. "Wasn't the sole purpose of my creation so that you could live without fear?"
The other Zale snapped his fingers and a voice echoed throughout the cabin.
I hate the rain! Nothing good can come from the rain! I hate it! Why can't it just go away?!
Zale knew those were his exact thoughts from when he first joined Fairy Tail.
"You were always a paranoid child, but when your parents died you started to fear the rain as well, something completely natural and necessary for life." The other Zale continued. "Afraid of everything and yet you wanted to get past it without having to deal with it."
"… That day… that was when I snapped…" Zale muttered.
"I helped you survive for seven years… Until that damned rain woman showed up. If she weren't our enemy at the time, I would've stuck with her just so I could be in control all of the time… But you… you made the rain stop. I've been stuck in this purgatory for an eternity and all because of that bitch!" The other Zale's expression and tone started to become more hostile. "Now is my chance! I can take control once again!"
The doppelganger rushed at Zale and grabbed him by the throat.
"And when I do, I'm going to kill that rain woman!" The other Zale growled. "I never thought I'd lose my composure like this, but that's what being trapped in limbo did to me! That woman changed both of us!"
Zale was thrown toward the window by his other self and his body bounced off of it and he hit the floor.
"There's no way in or out of this place." The other Zale said as he clasped his hands around Zale's skull and picked him up. "Except for one… One of us must die!"
Zale could feel the other him trying to crush his skull.
"Why not let it be you?" The other Zale asked. "Once I'm in control, it'll be a life of no more fears and no more whining. It's the easiest way out and a win-win. So just die already!"
Suddenly Zale tightly gripped the doppelganger's arms and started to push his hands off of his skull. The other Zale was shocked and watched Zale's face look up to him with an intense, angry glare.
"No more fear or whining?" Zale questioned. "Have you paid attention to anything that happened to me since you've last taken me over? Juvia DID change me. I'm braver and stronger than I've ever been. I have no reason to whine anymore, but fear will always be a part of me, just as it's a part of everyone."
"So you don't need me anymore, is that it?" The other Zale asked.
"You're right, I don't need you, but you're a horrible monster that needs to be put down!" Zale growled. "I'm getting out of here, to become stronger AND have one less fear to worry about!"
The other Zale gritted his teeth, clenched his fists and surrounded them in black water. "NOT IF I KILL YOU FIRST!"
Zale did the same thing and both of them charged at each other.
"WATER GOD HAYMAKER!" The other Zale shouted.
"God Slayer Secret Art…" Zale said before shouting. "GRAND STORM SPOUT!"
From Zale's two fists, massive torrents of black water shot out and pushed the other Zale to the opposite wall and pinned him there. The other Zale couldn't even move with so much force keeping him down. Zale then came charging in with a sword made of black water in his hands.
"Water God… AETHER!"
With one slash, the other Zale was cut diagonally along from left shoulder to right waist and the two halves separated as they were dissolving into particles of light.
"D… damn… it…" The other Zale uttered before completely disappearing.
Zale sighed in relief. "There are still a lot of things I'm afraid of… but from now, I'm going to confront them head on!"
Zale walked toward the door leading outside and was able to open it.
Back in the temple, Zale finally stood up.
"Z… Zale?" Bellona asked.
Zale didn't answer and remained quiet. He simply turned his head toward Bellona and Jatasya, smirking happily.
"You have passed tour trial." Jatasya said. "You are ready to learn how to use God's Wrath. Are you ready?"
Zale nodded. "Actually, I think I know how to do it."
"Hm?" Both Jatasya and Bellona were confused.
Zale closed his eyes for a brief moment, concentrated and when he reopened them, they were glowing white.
"I… I don't believe it! He learned God's Wrath all by himself and in such a short amount of time?!"
"He's… incredible…" Bellona muttered.
A/N: Sorry this took so long, but I've been distracted by a lot of stuff, especially a good chunk of games that came out in May. Over the next few chapters, I'll be introducing a few new characters that also happen to be God Slayers. I have ideas on what to do with them except for one, who should the Sky God Slayer be paired up with. I know he's going to be 14, but I can't decide whether he should be with Wendy or Sherria (Chelia). Yes, Sherria's a Sky God Slayer, too, but I have an idea to work around it. On my profile, I'll be putting up a poll and you can vote who you think he should be paired with. By the way, in August I'll be heading to a con where the voices of Erza, Juvia, Ultear, Loke and Elfman will be at. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Stay tuned for next time!