Chapter 3: Wendy and Carla
"Come on, let's go Wendy!" Sherria called out to her partner. "We gotta get to the guild, we've got work to do!"
"I-I'm coming…" Wendy said, her face redder than the scales of a fire dragon. "But do we have to wear these outfits?"
"I second that," Carla said, hiding behind Wendy. "I would rather wear the ridiculous black unitards that those idiots made you wear."
"Aw, I think they're cute! I picked 'em out myself. I did it out of…love."
The three of them were wearing hot pink tutus with yellow hearts patched all over them.
"And I appreciate the thought, but maybe we should try more…plain outfits."
"Why would we do that?" Sherria asked with a giant grin. "We're not plain, are we? We're the Sky Sisters."
"But why do I have to wear this outfit, too?" Carla asked.
Sherria giggled. "Because you're our adorable sidekick."
"I'll show you adorable, just come here!"
"Carla, calm down…it isn't that bad."
"I am calm, hmph…" Carla turned her nose up.
They made their way from their house to the Lamia Scale guild's building.
"What kind of job do you wanna do today, Wendy?" asked Sherria as they walked up the guild's steps.
"I don't know, how about an easy one today? Let's see if the flower delivery one is still on the board."
"But that sounds like a boring one, and it only offers, like 5,000J."
"I know, I just wanna take it easy today, I'm still recuperating from the past three jobs we've done."
"Fiiiine," Shrria said, immaturely.
As they walked in, they noticed that most of the members weren't there, and the door to the guild was shut.
"What d'ya think's going on in there?" Sherria asked.
"I don't know, but I can hear people talking in there…but it's hard to make out. Someone must have cast an anti-overhear spell."
"Let's sneak in."
"They must have a reason for speaking in private, so we should not interfere," Carla said.
"Don't you wanna know? I'm dying to find out," Sherria said.
"I…I don't know," Wendy said. "Maybe we should—" before she could finish her sentence, Sherria had already broken the sealing spell that was on the windows.
She looked at Wendy and grinned. "They really need to think up more complicated spells to keep people out, you know?"
"B-but Sherria, I don't think—"
Sharria grabbed Wendy's arm and skipped back to the window. "Come on, it'll be fun."
"Hey, don't leave me out here!" Carla yelled.
Sherria put her finger on her lip. "Shh!"
Carla rolled her eyes. "I swear…it's like I'm babysitting a duo of toddlers," she said as she followed Sherria and Wendy through the window.
The three of them hid behind a pillar and peered into the center of the guild's lobby area. Sherry, Lyon, Toby, Yuka and Master Ooba were talking about something.
"What did the message say, Master?" Lyon asked. "If Jura sent it as urgent, it has to be something utterly terrifying."
Sherry held her hands together as if she were praying. "This can't be good. First, all of those strange earthquakes near Infernum Mountain, then the sudden increase in crime…now rumors of more of Zeref's demons and this urgent message from Jura and the rest of the saints? I'm so worried about my Renny-poo."
"There are bigger concerns than your boytoy Sherry," Yuka said.
"I do not need a new toy! I have plenty in my room!" Toby screeched.
"That's not what we're talking about…"
"Shut up before I spin every last one of 'ya!" Master Ooba threatened. "Now, I'll replay the message for you, but this does not leave this room, you got it?"
The four of them agreed.
Master Ooba held the card out, and a miniature projection of Jura appeared over it. "Greetings, my friends…I truly wish this was a happy message. However, we haven't the time for such niceties. The council has picked up on something big, very big. We have picked up extremely powerful magic wavelengths that is reminiscent of Zeref and Acnologia."
"I wonder if they're active again…" Lyon said.
"If you're asking if these wavelengths are from Zeref or Acnologia, the answer is no," said the projection.
"Then, what could it be?" Sherry asked.
"I bet you're wondering what these wavelengths could me…and the answer is that we aren't sure. That's what has us worried. There are seven distinct wavelengths…magical wavelengths that almost goes into curse territory. These wavelengths are immensely powerful, but hard to track, because they pop up one second, and are gone the next. We are putting the Custody Enforcement Unit on point, and are hoping that they will resolve the issue—"
"Custody Enforcement Unit?" Wendy thought with worry. "That means Gajeel and Levy will be thrown into unknown danger!"
Jura continued. "However, if the need arises…I ask that you lend a hand. This is a lot to ask, but I trust that my comrades of Lamia Scale will stand to arms, should the time come. We of the council…the wizard saints…we may only enter the fray if absolutely needed. I really hope we are being paranoid, and these blips on our radar are merely static or something. If not, then you may have to prepare for battle. Hoping all is well, your friend, Jura." With that, the projection vanished.
Sherria, Wendy and Carla snuck back out of the window.
"What're we gonna do, now?" Sherria asked.
Wendy started to tear up. "What if…what if this really is something super powerful, as powerful as Zeref or Acnologia? Gajeel and Levy'll be in trouble."
"Don't worry yourself into a frenzy, child!" Carla said. "Gajeel and Levy are both very capable wizards, and there may not be any danger at all."
"Then let's go find out!" Sherria said.
Wendy looked at her, still teary-eyed. "Wh-what?"
"Yeah, let's go find them and see how their doing!"
"You think we should?"
"Well, yeah. They're your former guildmates, and those bonds never die. So, let's go check up on 'em."
"Thanks, Sherria. You're a true friend."
"If we're going to do this, we must exercise caution," Carla warned. "And do we even know where they're going to be?"
"Sherry said something about Infernum Mountain, maybe we should try there, first?" Wendy said.
"Sounds like fun!" Sherria exclaimed. "That place has a spooky vibe about it, and some say that it's a prison for demons."
Carla put her foot down. "Then we should avoid such a place. I don't know if this is such a good idea."
"We'll be fine, we're the Sky Sisters."
Carla sighed. "Fine. But the second things start to go crazy, we're out of there!"
Sherria and Wendy nodded.
They headed toward the vile mountain. The path to that dark mountain of the damned started beyond Margaret Town, in the lovely Lumaria Forest, the forest with glowing, white leaves. The scenic beauty of the forest gave such a sense of calm, but that sense of calm masked the true feeling of dread that Carla had. Such a bad feeling…a feeling that reminded her of the ferocious battle between Fairy Tail and Tartaros.
The trio of wizards stopped in an open field within the confines of the forest. There was a slow-flowing brook in the middle of the field. Wendy and Sherria marveled at the beauty of the field surrounded by beautiful white-leaved trees.
They ran to the brook and leaped into the water, it seemed that they didn't have a care in the world.
"Don't forget that we're on a mission!" Carla said. "You two were the ones who wanted to find Gajeel and Levy, and now you're splashing around like a bunch of children. We need to get a move on, Infernum Mountain is a three-day journey if we're lucky."
"Sorry, Carla…" said Wendy, who was embarrassed at her childish actions.
"Yeah, me too. This place is just too cool," Sherria said.
Carla smiled a little bit, but not enough for the girl's to notice. "I suppose it was okay to have a little bit of fun…but we need to get a move on."
Wendy and Sherria started to get out of the water, but they stopped in their tracks. Both of them grabbed their chests and started to cry.
"Wh-what's this feeling?" Wendy said. "It's terrible!"
"It feels like the light of the world suddenly vanished…and all that's left is darkness," Sherria cried.
Carla flied over to them. "What's happened to—" she felt it, too. It was a terrible feeling…an inner darkness that wanted desperately to burst out. "What is the meaning of this?"
Wendy looked at her hand. "What's this think on me? It's some kind of symbol."
Sherria looked at her hand, too. "I've got the same symbol."
"Me, too," said Carla.
The symbol on their hands was a pink heart with a circle around it.
"I'm sorry…" said a female's voice.
The girls looked around.
"Who's there?" Carla yelled. "Show yourself at once!"
A young woman walked toward them.
"M-Meredy?" said Wendy.
"Hello, Wendy…"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because, I wanted to show you how I feel…and now that you know," she snapped her fingers, and the sensory-link magic broke. Wendy, Sherria and Carla fell on the ground in relief.
"Why do you feel…like that?" Wendy asked.
"I'll show you, but prepare yourselves." Meredy lifted up her robe to reveal her right leg. Her outer leg and thigh had red lines that seemed to form an image of some kind.
"It looks like…a piggy," Sherria said.
The pig was facing Meredy's torso, its fat body practically covered her whole leg.
Carla looked at it more closely. "Is that…Body Link magic?"
"Or something very similar. Whatever it is, it's very powerful…and what it's linked to is even more so," Meredy said, covering her leg.
"What's it linked to?" Wendy asked.
"A demon. A very powerful demon. One of seven."
"S-seven?" Carla repeated, thinking back to Jura's message.
"Yes…I, along with the rest of Crime Sorcière, accidently freed seven demons, each coming from a lost book of Zeref…and each of us has been linked to one of them."
"How did this happen?" Carla asked.
Meredy looked at the brook, but was not comforted by its gentle flow. "We were tricked into entering a dark sanctum at the top of Infernum Mountain. Our presence freed these demons…apparently the seven of us were the key. They needed seven wizards who've been touched by darkness, but who seek redemption from it."
"What a strange requirement," said Sherria. "I wonder why…"
"Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter. We set them free…and we've set out to stop them."
"Can we do something to help?" Wendy asked.
Meredy took a deep breath. "The others seem to think death is the only way."
Carla took a step back. "D-death? You mean to die? What will that accomplish?"
"It would sever the bond, sending those demons back into their hellish tomes,"
"There has to be another way, death can't be the solution…" Wendy said.
"Well, apparently death has become somewhat of an impossibility," Meredy said. "At least by our own hands."
"You don't mean to tell me that…you want us to kill you?"
"That's what the others are seeking. They're seeking out the other members of the former Fairy Tail guild to do the job. They thought it rather poetic, I guess, after everything we put you guys through in the past."
"What about you?" Carla asked. "What are you seeking?"
"I don't seek death. I know Ultear wouldn't have wanted me to consider such a thing. Even as I tried to kill myself and the others, I wept because I knew it wasn't what she would want for me…for us."
"What's your plan, then?" Wendy asked.
"You and Sherria have some serious Wind magic of the cleansing variety between the two of you, correct?"
The two girls nodded.
"I was thinking that you two could try to remove the Body Link. I figured that it's an impurity, a very powerful one. And between the two of you, you could remove the impurity."
"We could give it a try," Wendy said.
"And what of your guildmates?" Carla said. "Did you not tell them of this plan?"
"They wouldn't have listened. They seem set on dying to save the world from these monsters, they think that death is also the only way they can pay for setting them free. But, don't worry…I know it wouldn't be the Fairy Tail way to take the life of someone who seeks redemption. So, no matter how the others beg for death, they'll all get the same answer."
Sherria and Wendy stepped towards Meredy.
"You ready?" Sherria asked Wendy.
Wendy nodded, and they held each other's hands.
A cleansing burst of Sky magic surrounded the field. White and black wind whipped and blew across the forest. Wendy and Sherria touched Meredy's leg.
Both girls began to chant. "Oh great Wind of healing, we call upon you to descend from heaven and cleanse this vessel of the impure!" The white and black waves of wind began to fuse together, combining the two Sky magics into one.
Carla stared in amazement. "A healing unison raid? I didn't know such a thing was possible!"
A radiant glow began to surround Wendy, Sherria and Meredy, and Meredy's leg began to glow a fabulous white.
"I think it's working!" Meredy said.
The red pig symbol on her leg also began to glow, a fowl, angry glow. It started to burn Meredy with an extreme heat.
Wendy and Sherria were blasted several feet back, and the heavenly glow quickly vanish, and the healing winds stopped blowing.
Wendy and Sherria struggled to get up, and Meredy clasped onto her leg which was in searing pain.
A voice echoed from within the forest. "That will not break the bond…" It was a soft, gentle voice.
A figure walked out of the woods, where Wendy, Carla and Sherria had come from. It was a young woman. Her face was pale and young. Her eyes were a deep blue. She wore a silver tiara with a sapphire in the middle. Her long, blue hair was up in a bun that was held up with silver hair sticks. She was wearing a white kimono robe with dark-blue hems. She carried a staff that was almost as tall as she was. The staff had a deep blue sapphire at the top of it, held in place by wooden carvings of large, angelic wings.
Meredy looked at her, fearful. "Is she one of the demons?" The fear soon turned into some…unexplainable peace. "No, I sense no darkness coming from her."
The young woman stopped just at the brook. "I'm afraid even purifying Wind magic powerful enough to resurrect the dead won't be enough to break that Body Link…oh maidens of the sky."
Meredy's head dropped in severed disappointment. "Then…what will."
The young woman smiled. "Worry not, one who has been plagued by Vice. There is a way… that does not require death."
Meredy looked at her and smiled. "Really? What is it? I'll do anything to free my friends and myself."
The young woman looked down and frowned, sadly. "Although death is not required…it may still come for you."
"We'll take the chances…please, tell me!"
The young woman waved her hand over the sapphire at the top of your staff. "Very well, but I'm afraid it will have to wait. For now, three of you must come with me."
The sapphire began to glow bright.
"But there are four of us," Sherria said.
There was a bright flash of light, and Sherria found herself standing alone in the meadow, unsure of what had just transpired.