"The barrier that separates our two worlds was specifically made to keep away the… people… who live in the Dark Lands," Erza explained, her eyes looking between Gajeel and Levy, "If you try to cross it, Levy, you'll be killed,"

"…but…" she looked down at her feet, "isn't there any way? What about my family? What about you guys?"

"We can always come to visit," Lucy smiled weakly.

Gajeel didn't meet any of their gazes. He felt incredibly guilty, a feeling that he resented. He knew if he'd been stronger he could have saved her without having to turn her. And what about that power? He controlled the blood of the humans that had held them down – a trait he thought had only belonged to the vampires of legend. But looking at Levy's friends, he saw them as they were. He couldn't see their veins nor could he feel the connection to their life force as he had Jose's men. Either way, in the end he hadn't really succeeded in saving Levy. He'd merely trapped her in his world of darkness… a thought that sent a sharp pain to his heart.

"What if she talked to Makarov?" Wendy piped. All eyes suddenly turned to her, "I-I mean… maybe she could explain what happened? Maybe he'd lift the barrier for her,"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to try…" Erza mused.

"So then there's hope?" Levy smiled.

"Of course," Lucy put an arm around her friend.

Gajeel and Pantherlily exchanged looks.

"I'm sorry, that's just something I can't do," the tiny man looked at Levy with remorse.

"B-But…" Levy started but he just solemnly shook his head. Levy's head drooped, "Why?"

Makarov studied her for a moment before he spoke, "My barrier seals away the darkness from the land of Fiore. I know your heart hasn't changed but that doesn't negate the fact that you are now part of the darkness."

Gajeel crossed his arms, not much caring for all the 'darkness' and 'evil' talk. He'd been called evil ever since he'd become a vampire and it had never really bothered him before, but suddenly he hated it, especially since those characteristics now belonged to Levy…

'…and its all your fault…'

He blinked, his lip twitching as he held back a snarl. Did anyone else hear that?

"But Makarov, she's still our Levy. The only thing that's changed is… well… her eating habits," Lucy said, despair in her eyes.

Makarov sighed, obvious deliberating his next words. He took in a deep breath, "Before any of you were born, in a time before me or my father, the world was without barriers or Dark Lands. Vampires and other dark creatures didn't walk the earth, there were only humans toiling about in their day-to-day life. War ravaged the lands, a war that claimed the lives of many people, good and bad alike. Then one day, a king came to power and he claimed to eradicate the world of war for his people…"

"I've heard this story before," Natsu sighed loudly, dropping onto his bum like a child listening to their grandfather's boring storytelling. He immediately got a hard look from Makarov before he continued.

"This king heard of a great source of power and he went in search of it. No one knows where he went or how he found it, it's only said that Zeref himself granted him this great power. He was promised immortality and the ability to destroy armies at a great cost. He was consumed by the darkness that the power brought with it and went on to decimate many innocent people. He conquered many lands and defeated anyone who rose against him. And so, the lands did indeed come together but only in the hopes to destroy the monster he had become. None of them could succeed."

"With all due respect, Makarov," Erza inserted quietly, "that's just a legend,"

"It's far more than a legend," he gazed at Levy, his eyes somber, "vampires are his legacy. Though you are not evil yourself, you are still a part of that darkness that consumed him, as diluted as it is. Until that evil no longer exists in this world, my barrier will stay. Unfortunately, that means you are unable to leave the Dark Lands,"

"Isn't there a way you can make an exception so just Levy can go through?" Lucy pushed. Makarov just shook his head.

Levy's shoulders drooped and she felt overwhelmed. Her heart felt heavy in her chest and her eyes started to tear. She felt regret fill the entirety of her being. If she'd never gone into the mist, none of this would be happening. She should have never come back that first day she had been attacked by the thuggish men Gajeel had killed. She should have heeded Gajeel's warning and never returned… but she hadn't. Her curiosity had gotten the best of her. What was that saying about curiosity killing the cat? Well, it didn't kill her. It had just turned her into a blood-sucking evil monster…

But if she'd never come to this place she would have never met Gajeel…

"Levy," Makarov broke her from her thoughts and she looked at him dismally, "take heart. You're alive and your friends still love you. There could be worse things that could have happened,"

"I suppose you're right," she sighed, brushing her hair from her face.

"Gajeel," Makarov turned to him, making him jump, "Will you walk with me?"

"Yeah…" he grunted, following after the small man. Levy gave him a worried look and he shrugged. The two exited the castle, walking into the fog. After they were a good distance away, Makarov finally spoke.

"So you're who she's been sneaking off to see?" Makarov said idly, shooting Gajeel a wary look.

"I suppose so,"

"She's a delicate girl," he suddenly turned, facing Gajeel, a fierce look in his eyes, "Take care of her,"

'…he hates you.'

"Um… of course," he blinked, his nerves on edge. Having the leader of Fiore threaten you wasn't a laughing matter, not to mention the voice that was constantly invading his thoughts. His hands balled themselves into fists as he stared at the old man in front of him. Even though he towered over him, Gajeel couldn't help but feel terribly small under his gaze; he hated it.

They walked to the edge together in tense silence that neither of them attempted to break. He could tell Makarov was deep in thought and he had no intentions of interrupting him. He'd heard stories about the tiny man, stories that put some of the people in the Dark Lands to shame.

Gajeel suddenly felt his heart seize, a sharp pain shot through him as if he were having a heart attack. His hand grabbed the collar of his shirt, trying to stave of the sudden ripping pain. He looked to Makarov and froze.

He could see Makarov's blueprint, stark and shining against his skin. He could feel the connection suddenly pull at his fingertips and he realized that at that moment, he could dispatch him without a second thought. He could tell that he was powerful, consisting the same ability to master the properties of some sort of element in the same way Natsu could but to a grander scale.

'…you can kill him…'

His hand clutched his shirt tighter as he felt a familiar hunger suddenly grip him. What in the hell is happening to me?

'Kill him…'

Gajeel stopped in his tracks, squeezing his eyes shut against the feelings of rage that had started to climb through his veins. Calm down, calm down, calm down…

'He's going to cross the border. Kill him now!'

As soon as Makarov crossed the border, everything stopped. The voice vanished and the rage faded and he was left feeling completely drained. What in the hell…

As soon as Makarov was out of sight he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself at the sudden chill he felt. His skin was crawling and he had to take deep breaths in order to steady himself. The need to feed had never been so fierce before and resisting left him completely exhausted.

"Damn it… what's happening to me?" he growled, pushing himself up and heading into the fog.