At the guild, Laxus and Gajeel were still hard to convince that everything they were told about the dragons is true. Laxus just helped himself to some drinks and Gajeel was just sitting around.

"Laxus, are you alright?" Bickslow asked.

"You have been pretty quiet the past few days." Evergreen said. "Did you ever find out what that mark on your arm means?"

"It's nothing you guys need to worry about." Laxus said.

"Laxus, you know you can share your problems with us." Freed said. "We are the Thunder Legion. We're here to help you in your times of need."

"I appreciate it, but I don't need a shoulder to cry on or anything." Laxus said. Meanwhile, Gajeel has been thinking about Levy. She hasn't shown herself lately and he was actually starting to get worried.

'Levy, where are you?' Gajeel thought.

"Gajeel! Laxus!" Both of them looked to the door and saw Natsu and his friends and Cobra was with them.

"Gray!" Juvia called out as she raced to the door before anyone. "You've return. Don't tell me you've been spending time with that blonde bozo and the others." While Lucy was offended, Gray just simply stepped out of the way.

"We're not here for you, Juvia." Gray said.

"Who's that behind you? Is he a new member?" Mirajane asked.

"No, I'm not joining any dumb dueling guild." Cobra said. "I'm just hanging with these guys because they say they can help me with something."

"We're heading over to Jellal's place. You guys want to come?" Wendy asked.

"Don't tell me you're going over there to hear more fantasies." Gajeel said. Erza saw that people were wondering what they were talking about. To try and keep it discreet, she walked over to the both of them.

"You two must know what Jellal told us is true. You saw the staircase and all that other stuff." Erza said. "How can you just say it's not real? What if it is?"

"So he showed us some stairs and told us some story." Laxus said. "That doesn't mean we have to believe it."

"What if there's the off chance that Jellal was telling the truth?" Erza said. "You two should really consider it." She walked back over to the others. They saw the two weren't coming and decided to just leave things there, but Gajeel and Laxus wondered about what Erza said.

"What was that about? Laxus, Gajeel, do either of you two know?" Cana asked.

"Leave it alone. A real man shoves their problems inside them and only shares when they want to." Elfman said. Natsu and the others were on their way to Jellal's place and Cobra was wondering if this was all for real.

"You swear this Jellal guy will give me some answers?" Cobra said.

"He did tell us everything. I think it's a safe bet, Cobra." Natsu said. For some reason, that name was starting to bother him.

"Erik. You can call me Erik."

Very well….Erik." Erza said. "I think he's starting to warm up to us.

"Maybe, but I don't completely trust him. I'll be keeping an eye on him." Gray said.

"Erik!" Erik looked behind him and saw Kinana was there. She looked like she's been running all over the place.

"Kinana? How did you find me?" Erik asked.

"I didn't have a way. I've just been running all around until I tried to find you." Kinana said. "I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine." Erik said as he turned his back to her. "Natsu told me it was because of you that he was even there at the museum. He also mentioned that you cared about me." Kinana was getting anxious as she believed Erik thought he was about to admit his feelings. "Just do yourself a favor and forget that you even know me." That was a shock to her.

"What?" Kinana said.

"I just don't feel the same. I appreciate it, but there's no way you and I are going to happen. I'm sorry." Erik said and just walked off. Kinana didn't know what to think. All she knew to do was run off in tears.

"That was harsh." Lucy said.

"It's for the best." Erik said. He didn't really mean it, but that's how he saw it. "She deserves better than a punk like me."

…

Jellal

Jellal was already contacted about their arrival. He even sent a car for them. He along with Meldy and Ultear were waiting at his front door. They saw the gates open up and the car pulled up to them with Natsu and the others coming out.

"Welcome. You must be Erik." Jellal said.

"Yeah and you must be the guy who can tell me what the heck is going on." Erik said. "Erza just gave the basic idea about how I was chosen by my dragon and I want to see all this myself."

"Understandable." Jellal said. Meldy looked around and saw a couple people missing.

"Where are Laxus and Gajeel?" Meldy asked.

"They're both too stubborn to believe any of what you're telling us is actually true." Lucy said.

"We'll just have to hope they come around." Ultear said.

"Yes. In the meantime, I believe it's time you all learned about what we're up against." Jellal said. All of them were about to step inside, but they all heard some sort of motor. All of them looked to the gates and saw Laxus and Gajeel ride on motorcycles and pulled up right to them.

"What are you two doing here? I thought you didn't believe in all this." Gray said.

"It's not that we do believe." Laxus said.

"It's just that we don't like to take chances." Gajeel said.

"Say whatever you like." Jellal said. "Come on in. You all should know what you're up against. Ultear and Meldy, wait up here." Both of them understood as the rest continued on. With the five dragons together, all of them went inside. Jellal lead them back down underground and to the Dragon Stairway.

"Whoa! How do you keep something like this down here?" Erik asked.

"Let me explain to those who didn't quite understand what I was telling the first time." Jellal said. "Thousands of years ago, there was a great battle between the light and the darkness. The dragons fought for light and beings from the underworld fought for darkness. The dragons won the battle and the darkness was sealed away."

"We already know about that." Gray said.

"Hang on for a minute. There is something I like to know and that's why were given these marks in the first place." Erik said.

"As I told the others, it was fate." Jellal said. "It wasn't by chance that you each ended up with a dragon card."

"That still doesn't explain it." Erik said.

"Fine. The truth of the matter is that the dragons chose each of you for reasons I don't know." Jellal said. "Perhaps it's what's in your hearts, your souls, what makes you who you are."

"Excuse me for a moment, Mr. Jellal." Wendy said. "You told us there were seven dragons. So doesn't that mean there's suppose to seven of us."

"She's right. Where the heck are the last two?" Gajeel said.

"They're identities have yet to be revealed, but there's no time." Jellal said. "Our enemies are about to make their move."

"You said you were going to tell us about what we're up against." Natsu said. "So could you get to it?"

"Of course." Jellal said. "I told you about the light. Now, I will tell you about the dark." He held up his hand and created a bright light with everything disappearing. "You see, just as the dragons have found people to wield their power, the darkness has as well."

"You're saying people are fighting for darkness?" Lucy said.

"That's right." Jellal said. "The darkness feeds on the negative emotions of a person and strengthens them until that person has fallen into darkness and they become servants for the darkness."

…

Kinana

Kinana was completely hurt from Erik's words. She went through so much trouble for him and he just turned her down. She wasn't aware that someone was walking up to her.

"What troubles you, young lady?"

"It's nothing." Kinana said.

"It certainly doesn't seem like nothing." Kinana looked behind her and was met with a man in a dark cloak. "Why don't you come with me and you can share all your problems."

…..

The Dragon Stairway

"The darkness from the underworld is a powerful threat." Jellal said. "Those who are overtaken by darkness have been given marks like the rest of you. Defeating them is the only way."

"Defeat them? How?" Gajeel said.

"In a duel." Jellal said and that was a surprising fact to all of them. "The origin of the game you all play has more power in it than you ever realized. Both the dragons and the underworld saw that and are placing their power in it."

"Wow!" Natsu said. "I didn't have much of an understanding of what was going on, but now I'm thinking this would be an awesome challenge."

"You don't seem to understand." Jellal said. "This isn't some simply game. The fate of the world is at risk and if you lose, we all lose. If you lose this battle, the world as we know it will be no more. Your days of dueling for fun are over."

"Are you serious?" Laxus said.

"This isn't right. Gramps taught us that dueling is suppose to be meant for fun and form bonds." Natsu said.

"I understand that, but this is necessary." Jellal said. "Those who represent the darkness must be defeated, but that won't be easy for they each possess a power like the dragons. They are known as the Underworld Lords." That was when images of giant dark monsters appeared and frightened all of them.

"They have those things fighting for them?" Lucy said.

"The Underworld Lords are the source of their dark power." Jellal said. "Upon entering a duel, the dark ones generate a special energy field that are almost like the Nazca Lines. Once inside the field, all the damage you take will be real and they won't stop until they take each one of you down."

"What does that have to do with those monsters?" Gray said.

"Because the Underworld Lords absorbs souls of those who are in the barrier." Jellal said and that was another strike of fear.

"Absorb their souls? What does that mean?" Gajeel said. Jellal decided to show them as the area changed. They all saw a glowing outline of something like a bat.

"This is what I mean." Jellal said. All of them had a closer look and saw so many people turned into lights and gathered around. "When a person is in the energy field and an Underworld Lord is summoned, their souls will be absorbed and they come into this world." They saw one of the Underworld Lords rose up.

"All those poor people!" Wendy said.

"What happened to them? Are they all gone forever?" Natsu asked.

"I don't believe so. They might all be brought back if you defeat them." Jellal said.

"Hang on. Isn't that what's going to happen to us?" Erik said.

"The five of you should be safe since you have your marks." Jellal said. "You might be able to save a few people if they stay close to you, but you won't be able to save everyone if you lose this fight. I know this is hard for all of you and I can see that some of you want to jump right in and stop this, but going alone is dangerous. Taking them on alone would mean certain defeat."

"You're saying that we need to work together. It's the only way to win." Gajeel said.

"Exactly. If you can't do that, then there's no point in fighting." Jellal said.

"What are you saying? We've lost before we even begun?" Natsu said.

"Only if you refuse to work together." Jellal said. That might be hard for a few them since they never worked as a team before and don't get along all that well.

"What about the people who were chosen to fight for the darkness?" Wendy said. "Isn't there a way to return them to the people they were once were if they were good people?"

"I'm not entirely sure about that." Jellal said. "It is possible, but there's no way of knowing for certain. You must be willing to accept the fact that if you win against the chosen dark ones, they might be lost forever."

"No way!" Natsu said. "We're not going to have that over our heads. If we have to fight, we'll find some way to get them all back."

"I'm not saying this is entirely hopeless, but you must beware of what may or may not happen." Jellal said as the scenery returned to normal.

"Hold on. There's something you're not telling us." Erik said. "How do you even know all this?"

"I promise you that those answers will come when the time arrives." Jellal said. "That's about all I can tell you. What happens here is up to you. I cannot force you to take part in this fight. The decision is yours, but you must decide quickly for we may not have much time." Jellal exited the room and told them everything they needed to know. Knowing the risks, do they all have what it takes to win a battle like this?