Erza, Gray, and Happy were eager to find Lucy soon. Gray ran through an alley, following what he thought was a red robed cult member. All he did was run into Orga.
"Ouch!" he shouted. Sabertooth's team had just arrived. Rufus reported, "Gray! We're so sorry for our delay. The path was a bit muddier than we thought. What are you running around for? Have you found the guys yet?" Gray rubbed his chest. He informed, "No problem about the delay. I'm running around, because those assholes in red robes kidnapped Lucy. We're searching for her, but I have a feeling we're going to find her at the same place as the other guys. Come on, let's go to this one pub. Gajeel's there, and I have a feeling everyone else is too."
Gray and Sabertooth's team walked back into the pub. Erza was already there, formulating a plan with the map Ethan provided. Happy flew in, yelling, "I followed them to this cave down in that gorge behind town." Erza praised, "That's great! We need to get there as soon as possible." Erza sat down at the table to talk with Rufus about strategy.
Frosch and Lector sat at a table with Happy. Lector looked at Happy's injuries. He curiously asked, "Did they do that to you?" Happy nodded, sadly admitting, "They got me with a dart. I fell hard onto a pillar in a chasm. If I hadn't fallen on that small pillar, I would have died. What about you guys?" Lector looked stricken. He recounted, "They got both of us. They beat us and left us for dead. I just want to go back and get our friends back." Frosch added, "Fro does too." Happy looked determined, declaring, "We'll get our friends back, no matter what."
Yukino called the Sabertooth exceeds over. She planned, "All right, boys. We're headed to that cave Happy went to. The pub owner, Ethan, has a map of at least some of the caves and caverns." She placed the map labeled The Dragon's Den on the table. She pointed out, "Erza, Orga, and Rufus are heading to the front of the cavern. Gray, Gajeel, and Happy are going to this side cave here. Lector, Frosch, you're going to join me at this back entrance into Dragon's Den. From this map, you can see the tunnels lead to this main corridor here. Let's go!"
Erza, Orga, and Rufus went over to a hill overlooking the cavern entrance. Two guards were outside the entrance. Rufus stealthily used magic to hypnotize each guard into perceiving the other was Natsu or Sting. They both knocked one another out with their own powders. Erza whispered, "I'm impressed. Maybe we don't have to go through a full on assault." Rufus responded, "I hope to avoid that, yes. Stealth is our weapon. We don't want those people hurting our mages." The three of them approached the entrance of the cavern. Unfortunately, their luck had run out. They observed a huge group of guards ready to fight them. Rufus evaded a blast from a guard's magic ring. Orga sighed, "So much for stealth." He placed his hands in front to call forth the Black Lightning Cannon. Black lightning crackled from the cannon and charged forth towards the guards. Rufus was combining magics to easily handle the guards. Erza requipped and immediately went into a full assault.
A mage in a red cloak came out. He sneered, "Wizards shouldn't be treating common folk like that. How about I even the odds?" He blew a powder in Rufus's face. Rufus's eyes went blank behind his mask. Erza screamed, "Rufus!" The enemy wizard whispered something in Rufus's ear. Before Orga or Erza could lay a finger on the enemy mage, he used a teleportation lacrima. Erza's sword clanged onto the cavern wall, where the mage had been. "Damn! I missed!" yelled Erza.
Orga checked on Rufus, as Erza tied up the unconscious guards. Orga asked, "Rufus? Are you okay?" Rufus just looked at him blankly, asserting, "Yes. I'm more than okay. You've just made your biggest mistake. You crossed with the wrong mage! I'll finally be able to get revenge on my enemies: Orga and Erza." Orga was taken aback, saying,"Rufus, that's not funny. What on Earthland could Erza or I have possibly done to suddenly become an enemy?" Rufus shouted, "You will pay for what you did to my mother!" Erza defended, "I've never even met your mother!" Orga reminded Rufus, "Your mother is fine. We saw her last month. Remember? She even brought the guild cookies." Rufus stated, "Lies! Erza and you colluded together to kill my sweet mother, all to get to me." Erza looked bewildered, adding, "Whatever that guy blew in your face, you need to snap out of it." Rufus simply said, "Requip." All of a sudden, he pulled out an enormous sword. Then, he angrily pointed the blade and both Erza and Orga. Rufus hissed, "Prepare to die!"