Erik may have won his duel, but he didn't win fast enough. The sun went down and there was still one tower active. Not long after the sun went down, a pillar of light shot into the sky and another one of marks appeared in the sky and it looked like another dragon.
"That looks like one of those marks Hades and those other guys had." Natsu said.
"Yes and it seems to be near the guildhall." Erza said. Before any of them could figure out what to do, the land began to shake again and this time it was a cloudy dark pillar that shot into the air.
"That's coming from Hades' hideout!" Wendy said.
"Oh no. That king must be coming here." Lucy said. However, something strange happened. The dragon mark in the sky glowed brighter and the dark pillar bent away from the city. None of them understood what was going.
"Look! Something's coming out of it and out of the city!" Gray said as they saw a giant claw come out of it. A giant dark monster came out of that cloud with it on all fours and had giant wings. It unleashed a roar that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
"What is that thing?" Meldy said.
"That must be the king of the underworld." Erza said.
"Hey!" All of them looked and saw Gajeel and Laxus riding their way towards them.
"Gajeel and Laxus!" Lucy said.
"What the heck is going on?" Gajeel said. "What's that dragon mark in the sky and what is that monster that just came out of the dark cloud?"
"There's no time to explain." Natsu said as he had his eyes on the king and it started moving. "It's starting to head towards the city. We've got to figure out how to stop that thing." All of them tried to figure out how, but another strange thing was happening as all the dragon marks were glowing. "Now what's going on?"
"Look!" Wendy said as she pointed up in the sky. Clouds formed and swirled together and coming down in a bright light was the rainbow dragon, Quataru. All of them were amazed to see it returned
"It's Quataru!" Ultear said.
"What's it doing here?" Erik said. Quataru used its power and lifted all of them into the air. Quataru was taking them towards the dragon mark that was in the sky. "Is it taking us to that other dark mark?"
"It must be trying to tell us something." Laxus said. Quataru carried all of them over there and they soon found themselves at the Fairy Tail guild and standing in front of it was every member and there was also the Dragon Stairway.
"Gramps!" Natsu called out. All of them looked and saw Quataru dropped Natsu and the others off before it vanished.
"You all came back!" Makarov said.
"Yeah and it looks like everyone has returned." Lucy said as they were all happy to see their friends again.
"My darling Gray!" Juvia cried out as she ran to him. "You've returned!" She was about to hug him, but Gray stepped out of the way.
"Juvia, now is not the time for your crazy. We're in a dire situation here." Gray said. "What exactly is going on?"
"We were hoping you could tell us." Cana said.
"Why is the Dragon Stairway here?" Erza questioned.
"I brought it here." All of them looked up and saw Jellal was at the top and he was making his way down the stairs.
"Jellal?" Ulltear questioned as to why he was here.
"What's going on? How come the Dragon Stairway is in front of our guild?" Natsu said. "I thought that thing was underground."
"It was, but with my new found powers, I brought it here." Jellal said. "I thought it would be fitting for everything to end here since this is where it all seemed to have began."
"What are you talking about?" Erza said as Jellal made all the way to the bottom. "What powers are you talking about? Jellal, do you know what's going on or not?"
"Yes. Everything is coming in place for the ceremony to commence." Jellal said as he held up his arm and showed that the dragon mark was on his arm. It was a surprise to all of them.
"No way! You're a servant of darkness now?" Erza said.
"That's right. Everything now is necessary for the ceremony." Jellal said.
"What ceremony?! What are you doing?" Natsu said.
"You see, I was planning all of this from the very beginning." Jellal said. "The king of the underworld is approaching here so that I can reshape the entire world."
"You better give us a straight answer because you're sounding crazy." Natsu said.
"Hang on. Does this have something to do with why you were in Hades' hideout?" Gray said.
"That's right. Before you arrive, I took on Hades myself and I lost." Jellal said. "I did that so I can acquire the dark power that I have right now. You see, my ultimate goal is to harness the powers of both light and dark. I was simply using all of you to lead me to this moment."
"You "used us"?" Natsu said and he was starting to sound angry.
"Jellal, why did you do this?" Erza asked. "What are you planning?"
"You see, I plan on changing the entire world." Jellal said. "The world we currently live in is a depraved one. One where we humans hold no true freedom in this life. We're all bound by those who hold superior power to us. There are those who use their power and bring torment to others. I intend to change all that! I will create a world of true freedom! One where people are free to do as they please to acquire true peace and happiness. The endless battle between light and dark continues and it affects us all. I intend to break the cycle once and for all."
"Anyone understanding what he's talking about?" Lucy asked.
"All I'm getting is that he's sounding insane." Gajeel said.
"To me, it sounds like he intends to destroy everything in the world and recreate the way he wants." Erik said.
"I suppose that's one way of looking at it." Jellal said. "The dark power from the underworld will help me achieve that power and as soon the king arrives here, I shall completely harness the dark power to make it so!" Jellal used his power and shot a pillar of light around him.
"Jellal, stop!" Erza called out as she raced to him.
"Erza!" Natsu called out as he went after her and they both got caught in the light. The dragon mark in the sky turned so that it was flat with Natsu, Erza, and Jellal standing on it.
"Are we standing on the dark dragon mark?" Erza questioned.
"Sure are. Just look." Jellal said as he pointed behind them. Both of them looked back and saw the king was getting closer and closer to the city. "It's only a matter of time until he shows up."
"Jellal, stop this. This is nonsense." Erza said.
"It's not." Jellal said. "All I'm doing is giving the world true freedom. We are all condemned to some greater power. Much like how Dr. Precht was condemned to where he was when he acquired his dark power. He wasn't given a choice just like none of us are. The world will become a better place and I will guide people there. However, we must start again and that means everything must be destroyed."
"No way!" Natsu said. "Jellal….I'm not going to let you do this. I don't understand what you're up to, but I'm not letting it happen. You lied to us. You used us. I thought you wanted to protect the world, but you plot this from the start."
"Let me guess, you're going to stop me. You want payback." Jellal said. "Well, there's only one way you're getting that." He used his powers and formed a duel disk and his deck. "You see, in order for my plans to come to fruition, I need the powers of light as well. I need the power of the dragons. Both the light and the dark are needed which is why I pushed the opening of the underworld portal away, to buy some time while I take the light. Once I beat you, Natsu, I shall have that power. I would also hurry if I were you before gruesome shows up here." Natsu looked back and saw that thing was getting closer and closer. Natsu didn't get what was going on really, but he figured that if that monster makes it where they are, it will be nothing, but disaster.
"Sure, if beating you means that thing goes bye-bye." Natsu said as he activated his duel disk and was ready to fight.
"Duel!" Both of them said as the final showdown has begun.
'Jellal, what happened to you?' Erza wondered. With the two being old childhood friends, she never once saw him like this. 'Natsu, you need to win. Not just to save all of us, but to save Jellal from himself.'
"Hold on. I'm a little confused." Elfman said.
"What's all this about?" Lisanna asked.
"Basically, from what I got, either Natsu wins or we're all doomed." Mirajane said.
"He can do it. I know he can." Lucy said.
"You're right." Makarov said. "We all have to put our faith in Natsu." All of them were hoping for Natsu to win even when they don't know what's going on. All they knew was that it sounded bad and Natsu had to win.
"I'm going first!" Natsu said as he drew his first card. "I summon Fire Dragon Talon in attack mode!" Talon jumped up to the field with 1500atk points. "I place one card facedown and that's the end."
"My turn!" Jellal said as he drew his next card. "I summon Heavenly Angel in attack mode." An angel dressed in black with gold designs around and had golden wings. It also had 1400atk points. "Next, I'm activating Sky's the Limit. This gives all monsters an additional 1000atk points." His angel was surrounded by a white aura and his angel's attack points went up to 2400. "Now strike down his Fire Dragon Talon. Go, Feather Star Sling!" His angel's wings sparkled and shot energy blasts with each flaps.
"Not so fast." Natsu said. "I'm activating Heated Protection. When a fire attribute monster on the field is the target of an attack, this trap prevents it from being destroyed."
"Perhaps, but you're still taking some damage." Jellal said. A shield came up and protected Talon from the attacks, but Natsu still felt the impact from the attack and his life points dropped down to 3100. "I place two cards facedown and that ends my turn."
"My move!" Natsu said and drew his next card. "I'll sacrifice my Fire Dragon Talon to summon my Pyro Maniac." Talon was sacrificed and his Pyro Maniac was summoned to the field with 2000atk points. "Next, I'm equipping Pyro Maniac with Rage of Flames. That will give him an additional 700atk points." Pyro Maniac was surrounded by fiery aura and his power went up to 2700.
'I see what Natsu's trying to do.' Jellal thought. 'Pyro Maniac's ability allows him to destroy one card on the field after he destroys a monster. Rage of Flames has one other affect. For every card that's destroyed, I'll lose 300 points of damage.'
"I'm stopping you right now." Natsu said. "Pyro Maniac, destroy his Heavenly Angel with Insanity Fire!"
"Not so fast, Natsu. I play Heaven's Guidance." Jellal said. "When you attack one of my Heavenly monsters, I take no battle damage." Pyro Maniac unleashed a stream of fire and blasted the angel and knocked it out, but Jellal took no damage.
"You might not have taken battle damage, but Rage of Flames ability activates." Natsu said. "When a card is destroyed, you take three points of damage." Some of the fire burned against Jellal and his life points dropped to 3700. "Next, I use Pyro Maniac's other ability. After he destroys a monster, he can destroy one other card on the field. So I'm taking out your other face-down." His monster set the card on fire and destroyed it. "That means you lose even more life points." The flames flared neared him again and Jellal's life points dropped to 3400.
"Not bad, Natsu." Jellal said.
"I'm just getting warmed up." Natsu said.
"I admit that you do have some skill. However, a simpleton like you can't beat me!" Jellal said with a great smirk on his face. "I activate the trap Altairis!"
"You can't. I just destroyed that card." Natsu said.
"Which is just what I wanted you to do." Jellal said.
"Of course!" Erza said as she knew why it was happening. "His trap activates when it's destroyed."
"That's right and with Altairis, every card on your field is destroyed!" Jellal said. A large black orb looking like the night sky was formed and fell down on Natsu's field with an immense amount of gravity and everything there was destroyed.
"Darn it. I guess I have no choice, but to end my turn." Natsu said.
"And I will end you!" Jellal said as he drew his next card. "I summon Heavenly Chariot." A horse-drawn gold and black chariot came on the field with 1000atk points. "Thanks to my Chariot's ability, I can summon another Heavenly monster. I summon Heavenly Pleiades." A black and gold armored warrior rose to the field and had 1600atk points. "With nothing to protect you, both can strike you down. First, my Chariot!" The Chariot charged right at Natsu and rammed right into him with his life points dropping to 2100. "Next is Pleiades!" His warrior had six stars shot up right under Natsu and knocked him off his feet with him now only having 500LP.
"Natsu!" Erza screamed as Natsu landed on his back.
"I think that's enough for one turn." Jellal said. "So have you had enough?" Natsu was getting back on his feet as he refused to surrender.
"I'm not even close to being finished." Natsu said. Erza looked back and saw the king entered the city.
"This is bad. That thing is getting closer." Erza said.
"It's drawn to the dark power that's here. The time has almost come for this one to end and a new one to being!" Jellal said.
"Jellal! I'm not going to let you destroy everything!" Natsu declared.
"You'll have to stop me….that is, if you can." Jellal said. With a once trusted ally now turned enemy, the fate of the entire world rests on Natsu. With so much on the line of just one duel, can Natsu win?
To Be Continued….