Chapter 33- To freely love her back
"Erza, please," begged Jellal,
Erza simply smirked and strode over to him. Their eyes met, for a second he saw the Erza he once knew. The *whack* the purgatory weapon plunged square into his stomach. Jellal's chest started caving in upon impact, the hit winding him harshly. Blood spluttered onto the floor coughed up from his mouth.
"You're weak Jellal," she chortled,
Jellal fell to his hands and knees taking in heavy breaths.
"I remember, it wasn't too long ago that we were in the same position in the Tower of Heaven, only it was the other way round. You could consider this revenge if you like on my part, getting back at you. You know, the darkness is the route of power… And the reason why everyone seems so much more powerful when they are bad is because they are." she smiled,
Jellal raised his head, Erza's face was so twisted and disgusting it was heart breaking, and Nirvana's rotten face looked on from a slight distance.
"Erza, you were strong regardless of good or bad. Because really, in this world there isn't good or bad, only wrong and right. And it doesn't matter whether you are doing is wrong or right or for whatever It is… as long as your heart is in it, it can be as strong as you desire. You don't have to be like this, Erza I know you aren't this person…. I was going to use you as a human sacrifice for the R-system and yet you still fought for me, to save me… you gave me another chance… You have only righteousness inside your heart… Please…" he stared up into her cold brown eyes hoping to see something warm, and he almost thought he did for less than a moment.
This was not supported by the sharp kick the head from Erza quickly after his mini speech.
"You're pathetic Jellal. Mercy is for the weak, those afraid of regrets and consequences." Erza hissed,
"I'm not weak Erza, after all I'm not the one who gave into Nirvana." Jellal replied bitterly wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Then stand up and prove it. And may I remind you, Jellal, that you also let Ultear capture your mind for several years and forced you to construct a tower enslaving everyone in it. You could have stopped it Jellal! But you were weak and gave in! You could have set everyone free! UNCLE ROB DIDN'T NEED TO DIE IN VAIN! SIMON DIDN'T NEED TO DIE IN VAIN! KAGURA DIDN'T HAVE TO LOSE HER BROTHER! WE COULD HAVE ESCAPED TOGETHER JELLAL! ALL YOU EVER DID WAS CAUSE THEM PAIN! YOU CAUSED ME PAIN! AND NOW, you will feel the same!" Erza growled in a harsh state of rage.
The hatred in her heart has surfaced….. I can tell this isn't someone else…. It is definitely Erza…. But she has lost sight of all the positive and light emotions to counter the dark ones…. I know what she says is true though, and that's how she really feels. That is what really breaks my heart. But the fact that still found it in her heart to forgive me, bury all the hurt and remember who I used to be before I hurt her… makes me appreciate who she is more than ever… I guess I never truly recognised just how much I hurt her…. Not only did I betray her, but everything she stood for as well… she never stopped trying for me… and then I kicked her out and showered her in the blame… After everything she did for me…. And then I denied her the right to love me… Which I did because she shouldn't have to forgive and love someone like me…. But by rejecting her I suppose I probably put her through more pain yet again… I never stopped hurting her… Even in recent times, it's always a kiss and run… and each time it breaks her heart under her armour she wears to guard it… thought Jellal. Erza raised her purgatory weapon over her head ready to strike downward upon him. Jellal didn't even move, he had no right to. In his mind Erza deserved to get her revenge, and then maybe, just maybe, he would be able to forgive himself and find it in his heart to freely love her back. Jellal cast his eyes to the unconscious Levy, she lay on her side with blood gushing out the ear where she had been hit. I'm sorry Levy. Erza's swing was about to crack down upon Jellal's head,
"I love you, Erza."
*smash*
"Goodnight Jellal." whispered Erza.
o0o
Yukino rushed over to the girl. No wonder she had passed out, she could sense hardly any magic from the young girl. Yukino assumed as much as either she was kidnapping Natsu, or saving him?
o0o
Cosmos was a cunning mage with beautiful magic. Kamika was a god at using paper magic. Uosuke was a great fisherman. (If you didn't get that, it is a referral to each of their personalities). Cosmos leapt forward,
"Plant magic, Flytrap." she said slyly,
Whilst the fairies ran full charge toward the executioners, several flytraps burst from the ground the size of a human with four giant petals and bearing sharp sets of teeth. A flytrap snapped at Gildarts, it neared him but with one swift hand movement toward the plant his crash magic blew the flytrap apart like he'd fed it a grenade. Elfman continued to charge even with the appearance of the deadly flytrap,
"Backing down is not man! Take-over: Beast soul!"
The beast ripped the flytrap out of its roots and chomped a massive bite out of it…. Someone was hungry… Evergreen didn't back down either,
"Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun! Eat that!"
Evergreen slaughtered that flytrap, and Bickslow called for his babies,
"Baryon Formation!"
A beam of green light shot straight into the mouth of the flytrap leaving behind a gaping irreparable hole.
o0o
Gajeel was beginning to get frustrated with being stuck to a wall and feeling week. How ashamed would he feel if someone like Levy would have to come save him? No. Gajeel is someone who saves himself, and in any case, he was fed up waiting. He couldn't activate any of his magic, he couldn't turn any part of him into iron. That's it! The shackles are made of iron! I'm starving! Gajeel used all his remaining physical strength to work his head over to his right wrist. Gajeel began chomping hungrily through the iron chains that bound him and sure enough, in seconds both sides had be easily consumed. That was just too easy… He landed swiftly on the ground in the stone cell-like room. He stretched his arms and legs finally being able to move after a day or so of hanging up like a product on sale. Gajeel could still feel his magic hadn't restored much, but he'd have to make do. He located the thick oak and iron door and pushed his way through. He was in other cell like room, and he could smell blood. He turned his head to his right.
"F*** JUVIA!"
Gajeel ran to Juvia who was chained up the same way he was. His red eyes depicted horror as he stared down at the silver blades causing the blood to leak from her body… But Juvia's body's made of water!? Gajeel remembered him trying to turn activate his iron fists and scales but it feeling like something was blocking his magic… Gajeel pulled the swords out of her, slashed the chains and caught Juvia in his arms. Juvia coughed slowly lifting her eyelids, her water body filled in the sword stab punctures and the bleeding ceased.
"No Juvia's body is made of water…" she said wearily,
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked,
"Juvia should be okay now." she said weakly,
Juvia began trying to stand on her own, but she felt the stabs all over again when she engaged the muscles of her upper body. She collapsed the ground again and Gajeel grabbed her arms, sweeping her up to carry her bridal style.
"Juvia's wounds are still bad, but Juvia will live… Thank you, Gajeel-kun."
o0o
'"Levy, I forbid you from ever using that spell, it's not a gift it's a curse." Her father had told her when she was fourteen years old.
"Understood, Papa." Levy replied,
"Good girl Levy. Now go onto the guild with your friends."
Levy looked at her bonsai plant withered and dead on the window sill, it was absolutely lifeless. What if that bonsai was someone I cared about deeply…?
Jet asked me out yesterday… what to tell him today? Obviously decline his offer…. we're strictly team mates… not to mention I'd start a war between him and Droy… Team Shadow Gear… the name has a nice ring to it… And here I am today, Team Shadow Gear still together after ten years… well seven years was on Tenroujima Island, but Jet and Droy still remained loyal…
I have so much to live for… Just like everyone in Fairy Tail… So now more than ever I need to stand up and fight despite the odds… Nirvana and Erza…. Jellal could be fighting by himself or even knocked out cold next to me… Erza is a monster… I'm sorry Papa, but I might have to use that spell…'
"What's your relationship with him?" asked Nirvana,
"We were childhood friends, and then he turned against me under possession of Ultear Milkovich and enslaved my old friends. When he came back to his senses he helped the Light team contain the original Nirvana magic and seven years later we kissed once and that's all." answered Erza.
"That's quite a history then, Titania?" Nirvana smirked,
"Indeed." she replied,
"My sister's fighting Ultear Milkovich as we speak." said Nirvana,
o0o
Warren down! Communications down! Everyone's on their own now.
Freed and Ultear vs. Naturi.
"Ultear, please leave this task to me. I would appreciate if you could recover the building continuously so I don't have to hold back." Freed requested,
"For now." Ultear nodded,
Freed used his Dark Ecriture magic skilfully dashing around Naturi delivering blows whilst Ultear recovered the buildings in his recklessness. The Spirit Witch and Freed engaged in a fast paced fight; Naturi's Regulus magic and Freed's darkness magic clashed severely.
o0o
Cana, Lucy, Lisanna, Laki, Max, Charla and Wendy followed Rena's lead through the tunnel she showed them that would lead them to a safe house. After walking down a pitch black tunnel for several minutes, they found themselves looking up at a door on the ceiling. After a little bit of struggling they finally made it up into the safe house. They could see Natsu and Yukino setting a blue haired girl up against the wood planked walls.
"NATSU!" cried out Lisanna rushing to his side.
Natsu turned around.
"Lisanna?" he said still in shock of seeing her there.
Lisanna ran her hand lightly over the ice that prevented his wound from bleeding.
"Natsu…" she said as tears fell down her face.
"Don't cry Lisanna…" Natsu said wearily,
Lisanna was stunned to see Natsu seem so … well… broken… weak… It made her heart break in half and tears spill from her eyes like an endless waterfall. Natsu wiped away her tears with his thumb. Lisanna crashed her lips into his and he guiltily kissed her back. Natsu pulled away and looked past her. Lucy was in the arms of Max and she was limp and unconscious… she looked so frail… Lucy…. Lisanna, I'm sorry…. Natsu crawled over to Lucy's side and punched the ground…
"They are going to pay." he whispered coldly.
Tears continued to fall down Lisanna's face at this remark. She was heart warmed that he cared so much for his nakama… but for Lucy, he felt something more, she was sure. What about my baby?... no matter who is the father, I still can never be happy… I don't want to burden this child on anyone… I don't want Natsu to be tied to me because of this baby… I don't want Gray to be either…. Why is my life such a mess?
Laki made her way over to Yukino asking whether you she was okay and the two engaged in conversation, recounting recent events.
"Natsu, who is this girl?" asked Laki,
"She saved my life." Natsu replied.
Everyone's jaws were slightly dropped in shock. Natsu got saved? Natsu's always the one doing the saving.
"Her name is Mahalia. She is the niece of Nirvana…. Her mother is Naturi, the Spirit Witch. Her mother created this guild only recently, we were an independent guild at the time, but then Nirvana came along and changed her… We are guessing she is under the influence of the Nirvana curse… But Naturi turned the guild dark and Nirvana cursed anyone who opposed her…. including Mahalia… She is affected by the curse pretty bad…. Although she talks to Nina, or 'Souless' as you may know her and she seems to almost go back to her normal self. Nina is like her big sister in some ways. Nina organised this entire rebellion, if it wasn't for her…. Your comrades would probably be dead…" Rena explained.
"Where is Nina now?" asked Wendy,
"I don't know…" replied Rena, "She should be here by now, she supposed to rescue Juvia."
"I don't understand…" said Lisanna, "I thought she was all about finding Zeref and that was all…"
"She cares deeply about others despite the urge to find her long lost love… and the soul that he holds captive." answered Rena.
Rena walked over to Mahalia and inspected her condition.
"Just out of magic… Natsu-san, what did she dream-make?" she asked,
"….. A dragon." he said,
"Yikes, that would have taken a fair bit out of her…. Anything else?"
"Yeah…. Wendy…. and Gray…" answered Natsu.
"Who else is in on the rebellion?" asked Max whilst frowning at the drunken Cana… weird thing was… she was actually sober…
"Well so far you know myself, Mahalia and Nina. But also Kido or '8', Angello or 'Jester' and Luka or 'Ice master'… Luka and Jester are so wrapped up in darkness though…. I'm not sure they'll make it…" she sighed,
"So Sorano isn't involved in the rebellion?" asked Yukino.
"No." replied Rena observing the sadness in Yukino's eyes. "She's too far in the darkness also…" she sighed… "If we don't save Erza Scarlet soon, she may end up the same…. We just better hope Silence and Nirvana fall before Ace gets here…" she shuddered.
"Ace? You mean Bluenote?" Laki raised an eyebrow,
"No I already took out Bluenote." said Rena,
"YOU TOOK OUT BLUENOTE? NOT EVEN GILDARTS COULD DO THAT!?" everyone shrieked,
"Gonru, is the Ace of Silence." she said,
"What kind of magic does he use?" asked Natsu, "I wanna fight him!"
Rena shot Natsu a scary look,
"Trust me, you don't want to fight that son of a bitch. He is so powerful not even Nirvana dares to stand against him." she explained, "Gonru is known for his destruction spells, dark magic explosions and teleporting skills. His destruct spell perfectly timed with his teleportation, he can create bombs that leave craters the size of whole guilds in his wake with one blow…. but of course, Nirvana just said he'd be on his way to finish things off… we've never actually met him in person… just rumours." she said.
"How long until he gets here?" murmured a voice.
Everyone snapped their heads around to see the bluenette with her quarter moon eye open.
"Eleven minutes." said Rena.
o0o
The fight of the fairies against the Garou knights was disastrous. The former Garou knights had strategized well. Cosmos' deadly spores suffocated them, whilst Uosuke corrupted the terrain and finally Kamika immobilized and poisoned them with her paper magic. By the end Elfman was just standing and Gildarts even showed signs of struggle. Gildarts had beaten Uosuke to a pulp just recently, and Elfman was struggling to keep Kamika and Cosmos at bay…
o0o
Gajeel carried Juvia up the stairs…. He had been drawn this way after hearing a faint scream he recognised to be Levy's. He was worried, worried about both Juvia and Levy to be exact. He reached the top floor where he thought her scream had come from. He rested Juvia with back against the wall below a window and reluctantly left her to reach Levy.
o0o
Cobra, Kinana and Pantherlily found themselves confronted with Hikaru Kain. Perfect.
"I can hear you." said Cobra slyly.
Pantherlily maintained battle form and the fight began. There isn't much to say about this fight but Kain was very predictable and no match for Cobra who could hear everything… But a former member of the 7 kin of purgatory doesn't go down without a fight, and Kinana wasn't in her curvaceous human form to distract him.
o0o
Gajeel burst through the door on the top floor. Unconscious at his feet was Jellal, his gazed scanned across the room firstly spotting Levy beaten against the wall and Nirvana and Erza wearing smirks of triumph standing nearby.
"YOU." growled Gajeel at Nirvana,
"It wasn't me, it was Titania here," she commented 'innocently'.
Erza simply nodded and glared at Gajeel.
"How could you hurt your own nakama… ? Especially someone like Levy, who never did anything to you to start with." he scowled toward Erza,
"Now, now. First you tell me how the birdie escaped his cage?" she asked mockingly,
"Those chains tasted good." he snarled.
"I'm wasting my time, let's just settle this…" growled Erza.
"Wasn't waiting for an invitation." he growled,
and before Titania knew it, an iron pillar had smashed into her face throwing her off balance and onto the ground. After Erza retaliated with hard blows and swipes from her club Gajeel stumbled back near Jellal. Gajeel kicked Jellal repetitively yelling at him to wake and help. Erza continued to beat up Gajeel, and Gajeel held her off as Jellal slowly stirred awake. Jellal's head hurt, Damn that woman can hit hard! and then he took in his surroundings. Nirvana spectating the full-scale fight between Erza and Gajeel, and Levy beaten in the corner. Gajeel found himself tossed to the ground near Jellal again.
"Don't just f***ing lay there, CONTROL YOUR GIRLFRIEND!" he yelled.
"I'll handle Erza, you get Nirvana. She has to die." Jellal commanded.
"Whatever!" growled Gajeel getting to his feet,
"Wait! What do I do with Erza?" asked Jellal,
"I don't know! Just kiss her and tell her to wake the f*** up to her senses!" he scowled in reply with a hint of impatient sarcasm.
Gajeel charged at Nirvana while Jellal ran straight into Erza. While Gajeel fought Nirvana, Jellal contemplated how to help Erza recapture her heart. He was charging straight toward her without even the slightest clue on how to bring her to her senses. She swung an attack toward him, Jellal dodged miraculously and dived on Erza pinning her to the floor.
"Get off me you sick pervert!" she yelled kicking him in the gut off of her.
Jellal actually found himself not having the heart to fight her back properly, and if that made him weak. So be it.
Holy Christ on a bike that was a long chapter! Hope you liked it! Sorry for the late update! I'm sorry I got too lazy to write the fight scenes and such in more detail, it just feels like this particular arc is dragging out far too long and I'm writing more than necessary. But you know, if you agree or disagree with that, just review.
Anyways thanks for reading,
Cheers
~Hermit!