Levy got up to her feet without answering. The day, being so eventful had worn her out. She looked around and noticed that the strange feeling as if they were falling was caused by the ground next to the fountain flipping over and thrusting them into the gaping jaws of the Underworld.
That wasn't where they were, though. She had read many novels on Hades' kingdom but she knew that this was neither the pits of Tartarus nor the ninth circle of Hell. In fact, they were in a large tavern with barrels of alcohol stacked against one wall and tables and chairs organised randomly around the room. The reddish glow was cast by strings of red light lacrima draped across the ceiling.
"I think we found the guild, Gajeel," Levy said in a hushed whisper.
The Iron Mage only nodded his head meekly in response. Despite being an archaeologist guild, they had access to some powerful historical magic that could hide their guild underground and provide an entrance as elaborate as the one both he and Levy had come through.
He got to his feet and began walking around, absent-mindedly letting his fingers graze along the rough surface of the wooden tables.
"Hoy, there! Are you the Fairy Tail mages?" a croaky old voice called out from above.
Gajeel and Levy looked up to the second level of the strange hall to see a tall wizened crone hanging over the bannister like a child would.
"Yes!Yes! It is you!" the man answered himself, before running towards the staircase and descending them. When he reached the bottom, he continued running towards the baffled mages and grasped their hands between his own.
"So good to see you! So, so good." He babbled on shaking their hands wildly. "I am Jopp. Master Archaeologist of this guild. So good to see you!" he repeated.
Gajeel rudely pulled his fingers from the old man's grasp as he shook his head. "Why the hell didn't ye tell us that the entrance was like that? I'd prefer to climb a million stairs than fall through the ground again!"
Through Gajeel's sudden outbreak, Jopp just looked at him solemnly with a glint in his eyes and nodded thoughtfully. "The descent into Hell is easy, my lad. Would you like something to eat?" Jopp merely said confusing Gajeel even further. Levy, however, understood what the old man was implying and finished the quote, smiling, "The rise to Heaven is unyielding."
Jopp's answering grin stretched from ear to ear. "Yes! Yes, my child! I knew you were the smart one when I saw you!" He had glanced over at Gajeel when he spoke.
"Oi! Whaddya mean by that? Huh!" he huffed angrily, chest swelling up in the anticipation of a fight. Gajeel caught himself, though, as he realised who he would be fighting if it came to that, and immediately calmed down. "I'm smart too, ye know," he said sullenly, seeking approval from this paternal figure.
The crone just smiled and patted the taller man's arm, "Yes! Yes! You can be smart, I think." Jopp turned around then, one hand on Gajeel's arm and another looped around Levy's elbow, and proceeded to drag them to a room half-hidden by the shadows.
"I must talk with you. Yes! Yes!" he said, more to himself than the two he was addressing.
After opening the door and shoving them inside, he quickly shut the door behind him, turning a series of brass locks. If Gajeel and Levy were to escape, the door would take a hell of a long time to open up. But that wasn't why Jopp was locking them in, Levy thought. The older man seemed anxious as he pressed an ear against the door. If anyone suspicious was coming, Gajeel would've smelled them already. She reassured herself.
"Now, sit! Sit!" Jopp turned around, content for the moment that nothing dangerous would come their way.
Levy and Gajeel looked around the small study trying to find something to sit on. Not finding any chairs or stools, they both resorted to sitting on the cushions on the ground.
"You are hungry. Yes! Yes!" Jopp chattered happily as he procured some fruit and dried meat from a drawer under his desk. "Here food! Yes!" He nearly threw the food into their laps as he stumbled over a ridge in the carpet, while rushing towards them.
"Ah, thank you," Levy said gratefully. She picked up a red apple, and despite its bruising, she sunk her teeth into the flesh and nearly moaned when the clear juices ran down her chin. She had almost forgotten that she was hungry with all the excitement happening that day. Completely oblivious to everything else, she munched her way through two more apples before noticing that her teammate hadn't touched one thing.
"Oh, that's right!" She mentally smacked herself. Reaching into her pack she brought out her pen and proceeded to write something in the air.
"No! No! Magic is no!" Jopp frantically stood up waving his arms, trying to prevent Levy from casting any spells but he was too late.
"Solid Script: Iron!" Levy had already said, a huge hunk of iron words fell out off thin air falling into Gajeel's lap. He tried not to show his anticipation in eating such delicious metal but he couldn't and began to instantly chow down the metal, wolfing it down his throat.
Jopp's eyes grew wide as he saw the human mage eating solid iron, crunching it with his sharp teeth before swallowing it. He was momentarily distracted by the sight before he remembered something.
"No! No! Magic, no!" he fell onto the floor, knees to his chest and hands to his ears while rocking back and forth.
Levy looked inquiringly at Gajeel. "What does he mean, 'no magic'?"
"I dunno, Shrimp-" Gajeel was cut off from the rest of his sentence as a whoosh surrounded the room. The candles in their holders sputtered and went out.
The room was thrust into complete darkness.