What's up, everyone! This is GKC here bringing you the next chapter of "Spirits of Fairies".
We're finally here at the big rematch between Chris and Charlotte as well as the official reveal of his Saber form.
Now for the disclaimer: I do not own, except my OCs, Fairy Tail or the Fate series. All rights belong to their respective owners.
Now let's get this party started… BEGIN!
Chapter 7: Tower of Heaven Part 4: Chris vs Charlotte! Arise, my Awesome Partner!
The tension in the air was thick enough to suffocate a lesser man.
Heh, so what does that make me?
Just looking into Charlotte's eyes has every nerve in my body screaming to run away. Coupled with the magical drain and my stamina reaching its limit, I'm in no shape for a long-drawn fight. Even my prior injuries from our last encounter hadn't healed fully.
But I'm a member of Fairy Tail. And, like every one of my guildmates, I'm a stubborn bastard when it comes to someone I really want to beat.
Hence why I refused to run.
My feet remained firmly planted on the ground. The only direction I move is forward.
No more words needed to be said between me and my opponent. We had both already drawn our selected Class Card and had them placed in our respective Grail Glove.
"Verto." I said, a bit too calm for myself. I saw Charlotte's lips move and I think she said the same thing I did.
It didn't matter. The crimson light followed up with the magic fueling the spell had already taken over.
All that was left…were the memories.
(3rd POV)
Jellal sighed in disappointment as he moved the silver chalice piece in front of the blue dragon swordsman piece. "And I was looking forward to meeting the fellow that caught Charlotte's eye." He said to himself.
Jellal picked up the knight piece and placed it in front of the king piece. This signified that he and Erza would soon fight. Jellal stood up from his throne when he saw Erza walk into the room.
"Don't tell me the game is over already." Jellal sighed in disappointment.
"You find that much pleasure in toying with the lives of others?" Erza asked, furrowing her brow at the hooded wizard.
"Between the moment of our birth and the moment of our death, there is only that game of emotions we call life." Jellal walked away from his throne, putting his hands in his coat pockets in a casual manner. "What could be drearier than simply existing day after day?" He stopped and turned to Erza with a dark smile. "It's been a long time. Hasn't it?"
"It certainly has." Erza said, glaring hard at him. "Sho and the others are no longer under your influence."
Jellal lightly scoffed. "That's fine with me. Now that the Tower of Heaven has been completed, I have no need for them."
Erza held out her sword and pointed it at Jellal. "You don't seem too worried that it'll soon be destroyed." She noted.
"You mean by the Etherion?" Jellal laughed a little.
"You're so carefree. I can only assume you were bluffing." Erza claimed.
Jellal pulled down his hood, revealing the insane excitement in his wide eyes. "Not so. The Etherion will rain down on us."
"I'm relieved to hear it." Erza countered, holding up her sword as she entered a battle stance. "That means I only have to keep you occupied for the next ten minutes, and then this nightmare will be over at last."
"No!" A black haze began to waft off of Jellal's right hand. "When the beam strikes, your life will be sacrificed to Zeref. This has always been certain. You cannot avoid fate, Erza." When Jellal closed and reopened his eyes, his right eye had a glowing purple symbol in it. "This is your destiny!" He exclaimed with an eerie undertone.
Erza and Jellal stared at one another; the former was glaring daggers while the latter was smiling smugly. The tension between them was palpable.
"When the Etherion strikes the tower in seven minutes, we'll take our final breaths." Jellal stated as an uncanny, onyx haze continued to billow off from Jellal's right hand. "Why don't we simply enjoy these last moments together?"
"You should know that I've cast off all my fears, even of my own death." Erza proclaimed strongly. "I'll relish in it because I'll be taking you down with me."
A ghostly, dark purple blob with red glyphs inside began to grow from Jellal's hand. "Oh really? Is that what you think?" Jellal turned to Erza with a sick, sinister smile on his face. "Well, we'll just see about that!"
Suddenly, a few tendrils extended out from the ethereal blob and went straight for Erza. Titania stood calmly and swiftly sliced the ghostly tentacles to pieces with one swipe, throwing up a cloud of debris.
She went on the offensive and leapt at Jellal, intending to strike him; however, Jellal stopped her attack by grabbing the guard of her sword. Jellal charged his fist with darkness magic and punched Erza, sending her crashing through the walls and hurtling outside.
Erza used a piece of falling debris as a springboard to launch herself back to the tower, surprising Jellal slightly. When she landed back in the room, she crouched low and leapt at the blue haired mage, leaving a dust trail in her wake. She reared back her sword and swiped at the darkness mage, only for him to backpedal and avoid it.
"You would destroy the very thing you worked so hard to complete?!" Erza slashed at him again and missed. He then brought up his right hand and fired a beam of purple energy, forcing Erza to jump back. When her feet touched a crystal spike jutting from the giant lacrima in the center of the room, she used it to propel herself back toward him. "What's the point!?"
Jellal jumped away and narrowly escaped a powerful swipe from Erza, which instead cut the game board on his throne in half.
The blue haired mage chuckled. "So what? Why should I care about a pillar or two? After all, they're nothing but decorations."
"Maybe so but the reason they're here…is because the others spent all those years building them for you!" Erza countered angrily.
The sneer on Jellal's face never faltered. "How is it that you manage to find fault in everything I say?" He mused as a small dark purple energy sphere with red glyphs inside appeared over his right hand. "I didn't force them to work, they chose to. They knew how important the tower was to me. And now at long last…" Jellal clenched his fist and destroyed the dark, ghostly sphere in his hand, "It's been complete!"
All of a sudden, dark purple tendrils sprouted from the ground under Erza's feet and began to wrap around her. Erza's eyes widened in apprehension as she struggled against them, but it was in vain. The tentacles morphed and trapped her inside a sphere of darkness magic.
Jellal ambled toward it nonchalantly. "While it's evident you've honed your skills over the years, you're no match for me." He said arrogantly.
Meanwhile, inside the darkness sphere, Erza struggled to break free. However, she was met with negative results. She then began to recall statements made by her friends.
"You're freaking me out 'cause this isn't like you at all…" Gray's voice rang through her mind. "…We wanna stay and help you out. Master taught us that even the strongest warriors need a little backup every once in a while."
"You're not alone, Erza. We're here for you. We will help you put this dark chapter of your history to a close." Chris's voice rang through her mind as well. Erza blushed when she remembered the gentle hand on her cheek.
"I've always believed in you, Erza, and there's nothing that can change that." Simon said softly.
"You are not broken. You have friends that are willing to fight for your sake." Chris's voice echoed in her ears as she remembered what he said to her before he transformed. "And I shall stand with you."
Erza blushed lightly at that statement Chris had made, which would be forever etched into her memory. She then closed her eyes and remembered Sho, Wally, Millianna, Simon, and Grandpa Rob when they were in the tower ten years ago.
'I'll miss them…' She thought sadly.
"I WANT A REMATCH WHEN WE GET BACK TO FAIRY TAIL!" Natsu's loud, obnoxious voice rang through her mind.
After a moment, a small smile grew on Erza's lips.
Outside the sphere, Jellal was about to walk away until an X-shaped slash appeared in the darkness sphere. He turned back and his eyes widened in shock when he saw Erza on one knee, a dark haze billowing away from her.
"I told you," She returned to her feet, "I've cast off all of my fears, including you."
In the blue crystal chamber, two streaks of light flew around and clashed violently against one another.
A close-up reveals Chris as Archer as he slashed his yin-yang blades against the glowing sword of Charlotte currently in the form of Sigurd. Both fighters glaring viciously at one another before they separated.
Landing on the crystal wall, Archer dismissed his swords and summoned his bow, projecting a blade that had already reformed into an arrow which he fired at his foe.
Sigurd immediately brought up his sword, slapping the projectile aside before dashing in the air after his prey. Archer projected several more sword-arrows and fired them rapidly at the Saber before summoning Kanshou and Bakuya. Sigurd slashed the arrows away before slamming his blade against Archer's yin-yang swords.
"Grr!" Archer gritted his teeth, fighting against the strain of the Warrior King using his superior strength against him before his swords began to crack.
"Weak!" Sigurd roared, lashing out with a kick that sent Archer flying into a wall, causing a cloud of dust to erupt.
From within the dust cloud, a brief flash of blue appeared before a cerulean blue blur shot out of the cloud and rammed into Sigurd. The King of Warriors grunted before realizing that his foe had managed to change form. More specifically, his Lancer form.
"Payback time!" Cu snarled, putting his feet on Sigurd's chest before kicking him back while also landing on the wall before he kicked off and dashed after the Saber.
"It's useless to change forms against me!" Sigurd retorted before the daggers on his blade broke off and flew towards the blue Lancer.
The pupils in Cu's eyes narrowed and his arms moved of their own accord, easily deflecting the daggers and sending them back. The action surprised Sigurd for a bit before he was forced to narrowly avoid the crimson spear tip that nearly skewered his face. However, he did not escape unmarred as evident by the blood-gushing cut forming on his left cheek.
"Wide open!" Cu roared, swinging around to kick at the Saber's face only for the Warrior King to block it with just his forearm.
"You can't win." Sigurd spoke menacingly before grabbing the Lancer's leg and throwing him straight to the floor.
The moment Cu's body made contact with the crystal ground; he released a grunt of pain. Fighting through the pain, he instinctively produced the Caster card and used it.
"Another change? Are you so desperate to beat me?" Sigurd scowled as he landed on the floor and approached his transforming target.
"Violet Twister!" A new voice declared from the red-light engulfing Cu, which shattered away to reveal Merlin, Chris's chosen Caster form, who had used his staff to summon his trademark flowers to attack. The force from the twister of violet petals slammed into Sigurd, sending the Saber flying into a crystal wall. The resulting crash sent shards of blue crystal scattering on the ground. "I'm sorry, did that hurt?" The Caster taunted.
"Hmph… your tricks won't work on me…" Sigurd spat out blood from their lips.
"I have a lot more where that came from." Merlin smirked.
"You will not have the chance." Sigurd narrowed their eyes before speaking in ancient Scandinavian and suddenly, runes began to appear in front of him.
The Caster's eyebrows rose, "Primordial Runes?"
"Uruz." Sigurd said coldly. The moment he said that his muscles seemed to momentarily bulge, and his eyes had a sense of clarity that unnerved the Magus of Flowers.
"Oh boy…" Merlin winced. "So, you jacked yourself up. Big whoop… I'll still kick your ass."
"Will you now?" Sigurd said…from behind?!
"SHIT!" Merlin jumped away a second late as a glowing blade managed to cut his arm. "That rune you used…it did more than just power you up. It also increases your body's natural speed."
"My Saber is my most powerful transformation. No warrior you possess can best him." Sigurd taunted.
"And here I thought using Merlin would give me an advantage." The Fairy Tail mage grimaced. "Gotta change forms before-"
"Too slow." The Warrior King said, suddenly in front of the Caster and burying his fist into the man's gut.
"GRRHAAAK!" Merlin gagged, pupils dilated as the force and power sent him flying into a crystal wall.
"Pathetic." Sigurd spat.
"R-Rider…" Merlin forced out as he swapped to his next available Hero. In a flash of red, the Magus of Flowers is now replaced by the Invincible Greek Legend, Achilles. "Okay, let's try this again." In a split second, he kicks out of the wall crater he made and dashed towards the Saber, spear poised to pierce the warrior's head.
"I told you, whatever warrior you possess, you can't hope to surpass the likes of me!" Sigurd said, as he appeared behind Rider.
*SLASH!*
"Gahhhhhhhh!" Achilles cried out in pain… as blood erupted from a large slash mark on his back. "How-!" How could he break through his skin!? Achilles had impervious skin! His weak spot hadn't even been struck!
"You haven't noticed yet?" Sigurd raised a mocking brow.
"Noticed what?!" The Rider growled, a hand on his bleeding wound as sweat dripped down his face.
"Every time you change form, your magical energy starts to fluctuate erratically. Your body was already weakened and drained. Hence why your attacks lacked any form of serious damage. You had drained it to the point that you should be dead." The Saber explained, examining his sword which dripped with demigod blood. "It's amazing that you can remain standing. A testament to your tenacity as a Fairy Tail wizard. But you've reached your limit. This next strike will finish you off."
"I…still have…some fight left in me." Achilles snarled.
"Your fight is over." Sigurd said matter-of-factly. His icy blue eyes glowing as a turquoise aura surrounded his form. "Preparing deployment. Activating Noble Phantasm."
'Shit… is this really it for me?' Achilles thought. 'No… no way! I'm not dying like this! If I die, I won't be able to face Erza and the rest of Fairy Tail!'
"Demonic Blade, complete. Let me show you the manifestation of mysteries. This is a dawn of destruction! Bölverk Gram [Heaven's Wheel of Destruction]!" Sigurd roared as he threw the demonic blade at Achilles, striking him as scattering flames left the blade. Right after that, Sigurd slams his fist into Gram's hilt at full strength.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The Rider screamed in agony as the Warrior King's Noble Phantasm burned into his body.
A massive explosion ripped throughout the chamber. When the smoke cleared, Sigurd stared at the crater which contained Achilles, whose body was slowly beginning to disintegrate into motes of golden light. Once it vanished, it revealed a badly injured Chris who was struggling to move his body.
"I told you. It was useless to fight me." Sigurd stated. Icy blue eyes lingered on the young man's fallen Class Cards. All six with images of Heroic Spirits laid away from the Fairy Tail mage while one blank card remained close to his hand. "And just like before, you lost."
"Ugh… not yet…" Chris growled, fighting through the pain as he felt around for a Class Card. "Not… done-"
*STOMP!*
Sigurd's foot stepped on the arm that tried to reach for a Class Card. "No. You are done. You are going to die. That is a fact." Chris gritted his teeth, glaring into the Saber's eyes with contempt. "Hm, the defiance in your eyes is praiseworthy. I wonder if you'll still make that expression when I cut off your head. Let's test that, shall we?" He raised his glowing sword, an icy stare focused solely on finishing off the brunette.
'This can't be it… I can't die yet. Everyone is still waiting for me! Natsu… Gray… Happy… Erza… Ratha… Lucy…' Chris thought to himself as images of his friends entered his mind. 'I need more power… I need to win! I HAVE TO WIN!'
In an act of defiance, Chris's other hand touched the blank Saber card… which suddenly shined with a golden light that encompassed the entire chamber.
(1st POV)
Mmm…
…
…
Where… am I?
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in some sort of white void. There was… There was nothing. Not another soul in sight.
"Did I…die?"
"Not exactly." A voice spoke.
"Huh? Who said that?"
"I did."
"Who?"
"Me."
"Oh, for fuck's sake. Give me a clear answer!"
"Hey, now. No need to be testy. If you must know, my name is ##$% $%# $&%"
"What? I didn't catch that."
"Hm…seems you're still not ready to learn my True Name." The voice said with a hint of disappointment.
"Okay, where am I? What is this place?"
"Oh, we're inside your head. Your Inner World, so to speak."
"…Rather bleak place."
"Well, you're not exactly thinking of anything useful right now."
"Fuck you."
"Calm down, just take a breather and ease your mind."
"Calm down? Ease my mind? I'm about to fucking die!"
"We're in your mind. Time works differently here than the outside world."
"Wait, you mean-"
"You could say I completely stopped time out there, just so I could talk with you."
"Okay, and what is it that you have to say?"
"Well, I felt your determination to live. As well as your wish for strength."
"And are you going to help me?"
"First, I want to ask… Why do you seek strength?"
"What? Why else? Because I want to be strong enough to beat anyone that threatens me or my friends."
"You don't believe that."
"Excuse me?!"
"Try again. Why did you seek strength?"
…
…
…
"Because I'm afraid…"
"Oh?"
"I'm afraid to die, and I'm afraid for my friends, because they're about to die! And I won't be able to live with myself from the fact that I couldn't save them!"
"Is that all?"
"...I'm also afraid because without the Class Cards, I'm nothing." It was a bitter pill to swallow but I needed to say it. "When I came to this world with access to this power, I felt invulnerable. Like I could take on any threat. Then reality decided to hit me hard when I fought someone with the same abilities as me…and I lost. Charlotte's right, I don't have any killing intent. I never saw any reason to kill. It's why I lost… It's why I'm so pathetic…"
"Wrong. It just means that you have a kind heart. There's nothing wrong with being afraid nor is there a problem with not wanting to take a life. It takes true strength to admit your faults and fears."
"But what am I supposed to do? None of the Servants I have on me can beat her Saber form." I lamented, looking at the void aimlessly.
"Ask yourself this. Do the cards make the man or is it the man behind the cards?"
"Huh?"
"Think of it like this. Every time you used a Class Card, you never wavered on what Hero you would get. You instinctively knew exactly who you needed to assist you." The voice explained. "Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, and Assassin. None of them just showed up on the cards. They came to you because you called out for them specifically."
"So then…"
"You need only to call upon their power if you truly wish for their strength. And right now, I'm certain you need to call upon mine."
"What do you-"
"There's only one Servant class you've yet to call upon."
That's right… I still haven't called upon a Saber. But… who could I choose?
"You already know who. You need only to say my name."
"But how can I say your name when I can't even hear it?!"
"Look inside yourself. You know deep in your heart of the Servant that truly calls out to you."
What do I have to lose…
Focus…
…
…
…
…
…
*Ba-Bump*
…
I feel… a warm light…
…
The smiles… of thousands of people…
…
A sword… radiating all the colors of the rainbow…
…
…
"I know your True Name."
The voice gave me a phantom smile, "Then I ask of you, call out my name!"
"Your name."
…
"Your True Name is-"
*SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!*
A bright light erupted from my body, causing Sigurd to inadvertently back away from me. "What… what is this?!" He demanded as more power surged from within my body. I slowly got up from the ground, my head bowed down as I stood there. "This magical energy… How can he still have so much left!?"
"You want to know how?" I muttered as the blank card that was near suddenly shined and floated towards me, to which I caught. "It's because I found my answer."
"What?" Sigurd spat. "Your answer? Don't make me laugh! What could you possibly do at this juncture?"
"What else? Kicking your ass." I said, before inserting the card into my Grail Glove. "Verto…"
INSTALL: SABER
A flash of brilliant light engulfed me, and I felt my body gaining new strength. My previous exhaustion and injuries vanished via a rejuvenating aura.
Then came the memories…
(3rd POV)
"Huh? What the-" Natsu got out, as he felt the ground beneath and saw everything around him shaking. "What's this feeling?"
"What is it, Natsu?" Happy asked the Dragon Slayer.
"This magic… it's trembling throughout the entire tower…" Natsu said with wide eyes. "No way… is it, Chris?"
"Chris?" Happy looked confused. "Are you sure it's him?"
"I know it is!" Natsu smirked. "I don't know why but I can just tell that this feeling I'm getting is coming from him!"
"Raaaagh!" Ratha roared out.
"What? What is it, Ratha?" Lucy got out, as the little dragon roared a few more times. "What?" She got out, before she felt her surroundings trembling… "No way… is that… Chris?"
"Juvia is confused. Where is all this magical energy coming from?" The Rain Woman asked no one in particular as she felt the magic in the air.
"It feels…warm…" Lucy said softly.
"Hm?" Gray looked up at the ceiling. "Is that Chris?"
"Chris? You mean the man with the same magic as Charlotte?" Simon inquired.
"Yeah, something happened. I can…feel this warm light." Gray answered.
"Ugh…" Sigurd gritted his teeth as the light forced him to shield his eyes. "That light…"
"Sorry about the light show, I think my partner likes to be a showoff." A new voice spoke, drawing the Warrior King's attention to a young man with black and white hair and blue eyes. His attire consists mainly of a black and white tunic with blue accents, black pants, thigh-high armored boots, and a short white cape with a black edge. Aside from his boots, his left arm has a gauntlet, and he wears a set of faulds at his waist. A sword scabbard hangs at his left side, and red marks coat his right gloved arm. Held in his right hand is a blue and silver longsword.
"Who are you?" Sigurd questioned with a glare.
"Who am I, you ask?" The swordsman asked rhetorically. "My sword should be a dead giveaway."
Sigurd gave the swordsman a dry look, "Why would I know your sword? I asked who you are, idiot."
The newcomer face-faults before recovering, "Seriously!? You don't know who I am?!"
"No."
"Not even-"
"JUST TELL ME YOUR GODDAMN NAME!"
"Geez, testy much?" The newcomer deadpanned. "Actually, you know what? Screw you. You'll never have the pleasure of knowing. You'll have to earn it. Figured out or not, you're gonna be very pissed either way."
"Are all of you Fairy Tail wizards' idiots?" Sigurd scowled.
"Eh, about half the guild, at least." The Saber shrugged. "Anyways, better prepare yourself because my partner and I are going to kick your butt! Here I come!" He said, before bringing up his sword and rushing towards Sigurd.
The King of Warriors grunted as he brought up Gram and clashed with the Saber's sword. Already the duo was trading blows faster than the human eye could see.
"Tch… where are you getting this strength?!" Sigurd demanded. "It's impossible! You were at death's door!"
"I certainly was! I can't explain it but the power of my Saber is what gave me the strength to stand once more." The young Saber answered. "But I can feel it." He placed a hand on the area around his heart. "A warmth that calls out to all that are connected to me."
"Tch… no matter, I'll still kill you either way!" Sigurd spat.
"That's where you're wrong, buddy." He said.
"And how's that?"
The Saber smirked, "Well, my partner has an array of unique abilities. Such as this!" He raised up his sword and it briefly changed into a giant flaming ax. "Eruption!" Then proceeds to slam the ax down in front of Sigurd to send up rocks before shooting a sweeping attack infused with Flame.
Sigurd had no time to dodge as he was hit by the sweeping attack, causing him to skid backwards to a halt.
"That attack just now… you…!" Sigurd seethed in anger.
"Like I said, one of the many unique abilities my partner possesses." The Saber smirked; the ax replaced by his sword once more. "Now let's see if we can contend with the King of Warriors!" He shouted, kicking off the ground and launching himself towards Sigurd.
"Don't mock me!" Sigurd snarled as he swung his sword towards the new Saber. In an amazing show of agility, the blue-white knight turned his body in a way that allowed him to flow right around Sigurd's sword strike.
"Heads up!" The Saber exclaimed, raising his leg to kick the Scandinavian Hero in the chin.
"Grk! You little-!" Sigurd growled as he recovered from the blow before slashing his demonic sword at the swordsman. But the new Saber ducked underneath and countered with his own slash attack which Sigurd promptly blocked.
"What's wrong, Sigurd? Can't comprehend what's happening right now?" He taunted.
"You irritating gnat!" The King of Warriors snarled.
"Ooooooh, an irritating gnat, he says. I'm insul~ted." He mocked.
"Die already!" Sigurd growled. The daggers that were clinging to Gram, shot off and flew towards the other Saber.
"Crap!" The young warrior used his agility to dodge or flip over the daggers, using his sword a few times to parry or deflect them away. "Hey, those are dangerous, you know!"
"Will you just shut up!" The Scandinavian Hero snarled, attacking the swordsman with animalistic swings.
The Saber swiftly blocked or dodged each attack, but he no longer had the same casual attitude as before. 'Something feels off. For some reason, there's this wave of unease around Sigurd and Charlotte.' He thought to himself.
"You noticed as well." His partner answered in his mind.
'Yeah. Throughout the whole fight, not once has she ever swapped to another Heroic Spirit. I know she has them but all she has ever used was Sigurd, her Saber.'
"Time to die!" Sigurd snarled, preparing to end the battle once and for all.
"Wait," The Saber held up a hand, halting the Warrior King in his steps. "I need to ask you something."
"Are you an idiot? We're in the middle of a fight! Why would I-"
"Why are your other Servants ignoring you?" The Fairy Tail mage interjected.
Sigurd paused. His expression was unreadable before his form began to vanish, revealing Charlotte in his place. The woman's hair shadowed her eyes but for some reason, the Saber could feel the dark emotions boiling within his foe.
"Why do you want to know?" She questioned.
He licked his dry lips and came up with his reasoning, "Throughout the entirety of our conflict with one another, you've never used the other Classes in your possession. All you have used in battle was Sigurd, your Saber. Why not use Archer or Assassin the first time? Take me out before I even notice your presence?"
"..." Charlotte scowled.
The blue-white Saber narrowed his eyes, "...unless they are denying you access to their powers."
This sparked a reaction from Charlotte, "They abandoned me!" She shouted, freezing the knight in place. "When I awoke in this world, I had nothing. All I had were the clothes on my back, this gauntlet, and these bloody cards!" She held up Sigurd's Class Card in emphasis. "Whenever I sleep, I would be visited by the Spirits, and they became my companions in this new world. But when Jellal took me in when I was at my lowest, I finally had a chance to make a semblance of a life here!" Then she glared at the cards hidden within her gauntlet. "But my so-called 'friends', my partners, all but Sigurd had abandoned me. They ignored my summons and refused to speak to me. So, I relied only on Sigurd. The only one who remained by my side. The only Hero I could truly count on, unlike those cowards."
"You're wrong."
…
…
…
"What?!" Charlotte growled.
"I said," The Saber glared at her, an astral image of Chris appearing beside him who had a similar expression on his face. "You're wrong."
"How dare you claim I'm-" Charlotte angrily spouted before she was interrupted.
"I can still feel them. Your Heroic Spirits are still with you." Chris interjected. This shocked Charlotte but her anger would not deter her. "They're trying to call out to you but…" He grimaced. "It's like you're pushing them away."
"Lies!" Charlotte retorted. "I would never push them away!"
"You might not be doing it intentionally, but your heart is subconsciously keeping them back. Because you know you're in the wrong. You know that if they followed a man like Jellal, it would destroy them. So, you locked them away in their own cards, forcing yourself to block out their voices."
"That's not true!" Charlotte denied. "And I will not stand for your drivel anymore!" She took up Sigurd's card once more and immediately transformed before going on the attack.
The astral image of Chris returned to his Saber's body as he prepared his blade for an inevitable fight. "If you won't listen to reason then I'll defeat you here and now."
"Shut up! I will not be belittled by a weakling!" Sigurd declared as he brought up his sword, "Preparing deployment. Ready to initiate." He spoke as Gram glowed ominously.
The blue-white Saber closed his eyes, holding his own sword close as a soft glow emanates from the blade. "Illuminate everything far and wide with holy light!"
"O demonic blade of the sun... unleash ruin." Sigurd growled as the knives on his person had already begun to levitate and circle around the handguard of Gram.
"The holy light that shall never fade, the glowing colors of infinite changing form." Chris's Saber began to float in the air as a pair of astral blue wings formed behind his back. Following that were twelve bladed weapons that curved and floated beside him. "Carve your legends into this blade to prove my Kingly heroics!"
Rage-filled teal glared into determined sky blue.
"Bölverk Gram!" Sigurd roared, throwing out Gram.
"Joyeuse…" The blue-white Saber began as he directed the floating weapons around him to fire a rainbow stream of colors that shot towards Sigurd. Following that was the swordsman himself, flying beside the beams like a shooting star. "...Ordre!"
Both Sabers had unleashed their respective Noble Phantasms at one another. Signs of their kingship. Their legends made manifest.
But which blade will triumph?
The sword wielded by the King of Warriors?
Or the blade radiating the heroics of a king known as the Emperor of Paladins?
The answer to that question results in a powerful explosion that nearly shattered the crystalline walls surrounding them.
When the smoke cleared, only one Saber was left standing…
Meanwhile…
With a mighty war cry, Erza lunged forward and, within a blink of an eye, delivered a slash across Jellal's abdomen. The blue haired wizard was utterly shocked by the unexpected development.
'This is not the weak girl I remember.' Jellal thought as he fell back to the floor.
Erza walked toward and shot him a lethal glare that brought a fearful expression to Jellal's face. She kneeled over him and placed the tip of her sword to his neck, prepared to deliver the final blow. However, there was one thing Erza really wanted to know.
"Why don't you tell me what your real goal is, Jellal?" Erza demanded. Jellal was silent as a few nervous sweat drops raced down his face. "You and I both know that the R-System hasn't been completed. Do you know what I've been doing…since I left this place years ago? Researching it relentlessly. And I know that the tower itself is constructed exactly like the blueprints. There's still one thing you don't have, the final part to its completion."
Jellal's smile returned. "That's not true…cause your sacrifice will complete it."
"No." Erza shook her head. "Something even more basic than that: magic energy."
Jellal was silent as he stared up at Erza with a frown.
"I don't think you realize the amount of magic you'd have to accumulate just to activate the R-System." Erza asserted. "You could gather every single wizard on the continent, and you still wouldn't have enough power to pull it off. This tower doesn't have the capacity to store that much magical power within its walls and you certainly can't do it on your own. I find it highly suspicious that you haven't tried to escape, despite knowing the council's preparing to attack. What are you up to?"
Jellal smiled. "Only three more minutes until the Etherion fires."
"Answer me!" Erza said more firmly. "You know your dream will never come true! So why are you willing to risk your life?" She grabbed Jellal's right leg and squeezed it hard, making him flinch in pain. "Do you want to die?! If that's the case, then we'll go together! I'll stay here to hold you down and I won't let go until the bitter end!" Erza declared, glowering intensely at him.
"To be honest," Jellal said softly with a smile, "that doesn't sound so bad."
Erza's eyes widened slightly from his statement.
"I no longer have control over my own body and soul because I've been possessed by Zeref." Jellal elaborated. "I'm merely a puppet he's been manipulating in order for him to become flesh and blood again."
"You were possessed by him?" Erza repeated, shocked over this new revelation.
Jellal continued smiling. "I wasn't able to save myself, and not even my closest friends were there to come to my rescue. That's when I realized…there is no heaven nor does true freedom really exist." He paused dramatically. "All of creation was finished before it even began."
The throne room began to shake, and bits of the ceiling fell to the floor, due to the damage inflicted by the two's conflict.
"Deep down I knew the R-System couldn't be completed," Jellal said, "but Zeref kept pushing me. He forced me to continue the tower's construction. I wanted to stop but I couldn't…it was like I was a freight train with no brakes." The blue haired mage looked up with a smile. "I surrender. Go ahead and finish me."
Erza clenched her teeth as her composure faltered slightly. Earlier she was ready to kill him; however, now that she'd heard the explanation for why Jellal became evil all those years ago, she wasn't sure she could bring herself to do it.
Jellal easily noticed her hesitation. "Isn't that why you came looking for me?" He asked.
Erza was silent as an image of the young azure haired boy she had once known flashed through her mind: her first friend. A moment passed as the tower continued to shake and ceiling debris fell to the floor. Finally, Erza pulled her sword away from Jellal's neck; much to his surprise.
"There's no need for me to spill your blood with my own hands." Erza said gently. "The Satellite Square is focused and the Etherion will fire any minute now." She laid down her sword (which disappeared) and released her hold on Jellal. "This means this is the end…of you… and me."
Jellal stood back up with closed eyes, standing by Erza but both were looking away from each other. "It is a grim fate we share."
"So, all this time you were really just another of Zeref's victims." Erza said thoughtfully.
"It's my own fault. I let my weakness get the best of me." He berated himself. "The rift between my dream and reality was too deep for my mind to comprehend."
Erza turned to him. "The only people capable of saving you…your flaws and inner weakness…are those you call your friends."
Jellal looked at her with a downcast expression. "That's true."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you back then." Erza smiled at him. "Can you forgive me?"
"Erza," Jellal said softly, opening his eyes. "You have saved me."
The two old friends fell to their knees and embraced each other. They knew that their deaths were quickly approaching. There was nothing they could do but await their fates. As Erza hugged Jellal, she felt a pain in her chest. Though she had had feelings for him in the past, they were now overshadowed by a newer, stronger feeling she presently had.
An image of a smiling Chris flashed through her mind, causing her to shed a single tear of sadness. She wouldn't get to see the young man who, unbeknownst to her, she was steadily becoming enamored with or any of her friends ever again.
'Chris…everyone…I'm sorry…' Erza thought.
Suddenly, the tower began to shake more violently as a bright white light cast down through the openings in the ceiling.
As they awaited their deaths, Jellal placed his hand on the middle of Erza's back while he wore a large, maniacal smile.
In Era, the Magic Council's Headquarters, all the preparations had been made to fire the Etherion. The council was currently standing on a nearby balcony, observing their target through a large, floating lacrima in the center of the massive chamber.
Org raised his staff and chanted, "We pray to the sacred light for forgiveness! Let us fire the Etherion at once!"
Outside the Magic Council building, the four multi-colored lacrimas emitted powerful surges of magic energy which converged on the center lacrima, and then it fired a massive ball of bright, white energy into the sky.
A brilliant white beam of pure magical energy fired from the Satellite Square in space. It pierced the atmosphere and struck the Tower of Heaven, engulfing it in a blinding white light. The wizards who were in the boat hundreds of yards away watched as the Etherion struck the tower.
As a result of the massive outburst of energy, tidal waves were created and threw the wizards out of the boat and into the ocean. Thankfully, Juvia quickly created a water shell around her and the others, allowing them to float above the ocean. Though they were currently safe, the group watched in utter horror as the Etherion continued bearing down on the structure.
The Magic Council's amphibious employees were all scrambling in their floating magical chairs to confirm the destruction of the Tower of Heaven after the Etherion Cannon was fired.
"The Etherion has impacted the target." A council employee notified their bosses.
"Was the target successfully destroyed? I need confirmation!" A second employee demanded.
"The density of the Ethernano fusion is increasing! Extreme weather conditions are expected!" a third employee stated.
Back up on the balconies, the faces of the Magic Council members were rather downcast.
Org covered his mouth with his hand. "Who knows how many innocent people might have been inside that tower…" He dreaded.
"But they were there for the sole purpose of resurrecting Zeref." Michello argued. "Their sacrifice had to be made to save the lives of others."
Org continued staring at the floor. "I understand that Michello, but it's still heartbreaking all the same. I sincerely doubt the victims' families will be comforted by that reasoning."
After the Etherion blast had run its course, a massive smoke cloud was billowing from the island where the Tower of Heaven had once stood. The wizards inside Juvia's water shell looked on in dismay as tears streamed down their faces.
"No," Lucy whispered, "what's happening?"
"Oh no…did we lose them?" Happy asked sadly.
A long, painful moment passed as the smoke cloud began to disperse. Once it did, the group gasped in shock at what they saw. The Tower of Heaven was still standing!
The only difference was instead of being a twisted structure of tubes and gears it was now a massive, jagged crystal lacrima.
Meanwhile, in the throne room, Erza and Jellal continued to hug; however, the former paused when she realized that she was still breathing. She opened her eyes and was shocked to see that the materials that made up the tower had been transformed into crystal. A smoky mist wafted off the newly formed crystals.
"We're still alive." Erza muttered, dumbfounded.
Jellal stood up with a dark smile creeping on his face.
She looked up to him, and asked, "What have you done?"
Jellal chuckled for a second before he threw his head and arms back and let out mad, triumphant laughter. It was then that Erza realized that she had been fooled. The Jellal she had known from childhood had not returned. He was still as evil as ever. Unfortunately, it was a realization made too late.
"Ethernano neutralizers detected at the epicenter!" A council employee notified the council. "No…wait a minute…that's impossible!"
"There's been a sudden drop in fusion density!" Another employee cried.
"Picking up high levels of magic from another source," a third council worker said.
"The counter can't keep up with it!" a fourth employee exclaimed. "What could it be?!"
"Restoring visual feed…"
After a short moment, the lacrima that had been displaying the Tower of Heaven to the council, which had gone dark after the Etherion was fired, was now beginning to show them something…something they had never expected: the Tower of Heaven was still intact. Only now, it was a massive, jagged lacrima crystal.
"The target is still standing!" An employee yelled.
"It's a giant lacrima!"
"I think it actually absorbed the magic energy in the Etherion's blast!" Leiji realized.
Org looked at the image, his left eye as wide as it could be. "Impossible!"
Over on another balcony, separate from the other councilors, Siegrain was watching this phenomenon with his back turned to Yajima, who had now approached him.
"Siegrain, I think it's time you started explaining yourself!" Yajima exclaimed angrily.
Without warning, Siegrain's body began to distort and fade away. He took one last smug, triumphant look back at Yajima before vanishing completely, leaving Yajima shocked and stunned.
"He disappeared…" the councilor trailed off.
Unbeknownst to him, Ultear was watching where Siegrain once stood with a smile on her face.
Erza watched in shock as Jellal continued to laugh like a maniac. "It's here!" Jellal yelled triumphantly with sinister glee in his eyes. "At long last…my moment of glory has arrived."
The re-quipping wizard's eyes went wide from horror. "Glory?" She repeated, her body beginning to lightly tremble.
"This is the true form of the Tower of Heaven, a giant lacrima crystal." Jellal explained. "Thanks to the council it's ready to activate. The Etherion's energy provided the missing piece to the puzzle, which means the R-System is now complete."
Erza stood up and gazed at Jellal in shock. The blue haired mage continued looking away for a moment before he turned back to Erza with a smug, victorious smile adorning his face.
"So…I was your pawn." Erza realized, glaring daggers at the evil wizard.
"Your expression is priceless, Erza." A voice commented.
Erza turned back and gasped in shock. Standing a few meters behind her was Siegrain, who was wearing an exultant smile that matched Jellal's perfectly. "He is incapable of using his full power right now. So, he had to manipulate you in order to save himself."
The redhead wizard locked her eyes on Jellal's twin brother. "Siegrain!" She snarled.
Siegrain ambled forward with his hands tucked away in his white coat pockets.
"I don't understand…what are you doing here?" Erza asked.
Siegrain stopped in front of Erza. "This reminds me of when we first met years ago." He mused. "Do you remember?"
Erza remained silent as she glared hard at the blue haired councilmember. Siegrain walked away and stood on Jellal's right side; both had their hands inside their coat pockets.
"You accompanied Makarov to the Magic Council to submit a written apology for destruction of property." Jellal inputted.
Siegrain looked back at Erza with the exact same smile that Jellal had. "She attacked me out of nowhere. She must've mistaken me for you."
"I can't say I blame her; after all, we do look alike." Jellal complied.
"You refused to let up until I convinced you I was his twin." Siegrain continued. "Still, you were hostile toward me from that day forward."
"What did you expect?!" Erza countered crossly. "If you truly cared about your brother, you would've tried to stop him instead of helping him cover his tracks. And I know you've been spying on me and reporting back to him!"
The confident smile on the twins' faces never left. "Is that so?" Jellal said.
"A mistake on my part." Siegrain admitted. "In retrospect, perhaps I should've said something that would've convinced you that I was going to find Jellal and kill him. But my biggest mistake was running into you in the first place; especially after the trouble I went through to become a council member."
"There's nothing worse than having to come up with excuses on the spot." Jellal added.
Erza glowered at the duo as the pieces began to fall together. "I get it." She murmured. "So, the two of you have been conspiring this whole time."
"Conspiring?" Jellal echoed.
"Not exactly," Siegrain said.
Jellal took a step closer to his twin. "I'm afraid it's more complicated than that."
Siegrain blinked and, much to Erza's shock, his body became distorted and nearly transparent.
"We're not twins, but two faces of the same person." Jellal and Siegrain said in unison. "And we have been from the start."
All of a sudden, Siegrain walked into Jellal and merged with him. A golden light shone off of his body temporarily before it died away. The blue haired wizard opened his eyes and smiled balefully at the redheaded warrior.
Erza took a step back, her eyes still wide from disbelief. "But…how is that possible?" She stuttered. "Was he just a projection?"
"You never expected for a moment that we were one and the same." Jellal taunted as a black haze started to billow off his body.
"So, you're the one responsible for firing the Etherion!" Erza deduced. "Did you worm your way onto the council just for that?!"
Jellal was silent for a short moment as he continued to smile smugly at Erza. "I hope you enjoyed the freedom I granted you all those years ago. Your release and everything after were all part of my plan to resurrect Zeref."
Erza clenched her fist and felt the tremble in rage. "How could you live with yourself knowing that your entire life has been ONE BIG LIE!?"
"Magical energy," Jellal said, ignoring Erza's question. Suddenly, dim purple light began to shine from his body. "I can feel it surging through my body."
"A huge amount of power is building up in the Tower of Heaven!" a council employee reported.
"If too much power is contained in one place, it's sure to explode!" Another employee warned.
Yajima was still on the balcony, completely dumbstruck after having realized what had just taken place.
He placed his hand on the rail. "We've been had..."
Suddenly, the railing Yajima's hand rested on had crumbled to pieces. The floor beneath his feet began to rumble and crack and the ceiling of the chamber they were all in began to crumble away as well.
"What's happening to the building?!" Leiji asked, alarmed. "It's like it's starting to age and collapse!"
Org looked up at the ceiling as dust began to fall from the giant growing cracks. "This has to be the Arc of Time! But that's one of the Lost Magics!"
Large pieces of debris continued to fall from the ceiling as the Magic Council employees began to scream and run for their lives.
Yajima wandered through the collapsing building in somewhat of a daze, looking for the source of this madness, until he spotted Ultear with a white magic circle in her hands and a gleeful smile on her face.
"No! Ultear!" Yajima cried.
"This is all for master Siegrain..." Ultear said. "I suppose I should say master Jellal..." She paused and turned to Yajima. "All of his hard work has finally paid off, and now his life-long dream will become a reality!"
At the top of the Tower of Heaven, Erza was caught off-guard when Jellal sent a blast of darkness magic at her. She cried out as she went tumbling back across the room.
"Looks like someone's a little worse for wear," Jellal commented with a smirk. "Don't tell me you've used up all your strength fighting against Ikaruga."
Erza grabbed the floor and slid back on her hands and knees. When she came to a stop, she punched the floor and summoned a red magical circle, pulling out a large broadsword from her pocket dimension.
"JELLAL!" She jumped forward and reared back her weapon, fury burning in her eyes. "YOU'RE THROUGH!"
Erza swiped at him; however, Jellal narrowly sidestepped the attack and caused her to hit the ground instead. She summoned another magic circle and pulled out a replica of her current sword. She slashed at him once more, but Jellal ducked under the blow.
She then lifted her leg and tried to deliver a hard kick into the right side of his face. Jellal frowned as he backpedaled to elude the kick. Erza swiped at Jellal relentlessly, tearing up the crystal floor with each hit.
"By now, the Magic Council's headquarters is nothing but a pile of rubble." Jellal enlightened his opponent as he flew in the air above Erza. "I can't tell you how much of a blessing Ultear has been. I couldn't have done it without her. She has no fear of death because she believes all of mankind will become one in heaven. In fact, she told me she'd be more than happy to give her life so that my dream would come to fruition.
"That reminds me…" Jellal landed on top of a big crystal jutting from the floor. "…I should thank her for being an ignorant fool who's easy to manipulate."
"CURSE YOU!" Erza hollered as she leapt to Jellal with swords reared back. But again, the blue haired wizard quickly jumped away, causing her to destroy the crystal spike he had previously been standing on.
When he landed on another crystal formation, Erza landed on the floor below him. "I'm taking revenge for all the people you've abused!" The scarlet haired warrior proclaimed with a wrathful expression on her face. "This is the end, Jellal! I'll kill you!"
Suddenly, a hissing sound took Erza by surprise. Without warning, a dark patterned line began to manifest from the middle of Erza's back and slithered across her skin, and then wrapped around her right arm. "What's happening to my arm?" She asked fearfully, feeling her body grow numb.
"It's just a Bind Snake." Jellal answered. "I slipped it on you during our heartwarming embrace earlier."
The Bind Snake grew in length until it wrapped around all of Erza's upper body, causing her to drop her swords. She couldn't suppress an agonizing scream as her body flooded with pain.
"Now that I've collected the precise amount of magic power needed for the R-System," said Jellal, "there's one more thing that must be done before Zeref can be resurrected."
Jellal stepped toward Erza and sneered at her as she clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, trying to keep her painful cries inside of her; however, it was proving to be very challenging.
"This is where you take center stage for your moment in the spotlight. The magical energy in this lacrima must be fused with the body of my sacrifice. Once that happens your flesh will break down and reconstruct itself to create Zeref's body." Jellal said with maniacal glee.
Suddenly, a large twelve-foot-tall lacrima sprouted from the ground directly behind Erza. Jellal sneered as he pushed Erza into the lacrima, which pulled her in like someone falling into water. Titania cried out in pain as she was absorbed into the crystal.
"You know…I really did love you, Erza. But that was then…this is now." Jellal remarked with a jeering smile.
"NO! STOP!" Erza shouted desperately as her torso, thighs, and left arm were sucked inside the crystal while the rest of her body hung out.
Jellal turned away and closed his eyes as he began an incantation. "Oh great and mighty Zeref," He held out his arms, "I call upon you! To offer you this woman's flesh!"
The entire tower began to glow slightly brighter as the crystal continued to pull Erza in.
"Don't do this!" Erza yelled.
Jellal kept his eyes closed and ignored her.
"PLEASE JELLAL!" Erza cried, a tear forming in her left eye.
The azure haired wizard kept his eyes closed for a moment…
*KRACK-BOOOOOOOM!*
…then he reopened them when an explosion ripped through the door behind him.
"Ah…" Jellal said wistfully yet with a tinge of annoyance. "...it seems we have an uninvited guest."
Through the crystal that kept her imprisoned, Erza could make out a silhouette approaching from the debris and minor flames surrounding it.
"Natsu…?" She wondered aloud.
"Not exactly." Someone else cut in, revealing the face of the newcomer to be Chris, battered, bruised, and covered in a myriad of scratches and burns.
"So, you bested my guard dog." Jellal commented. "I was hoping she would be able to defeat you."
"Should've bet on the underdog." The bespectacled young man commented, moving his neck as loud popping sounds echoed in the chamber.
"Evidently, I should have. The tenacity of you Fairy Tail wizards is astonishing." The blue haired mage chuckled then casually waved a hand. "Run along now. I have no interest in garbage when I'm so close to finishing the ritual."
"Not happening, you prick." Chris interjected. "I came here to keep my promise."
"Chris…" Erza said softly yet her eyes grew fearful. "Chris, you need to go! Jellal is too strong for you!"
"Too late for that, Erza." The brown-haired mage stated. "I'm not leaving without you, and I intend to take you back home. If Jellal gets in my way…" He then slammed his left fist into the palm of his right hand. "...I'll beat him within an inch of his life."
Jellal suddenly broke out into maniacal laughter, almost as if he heard the funniest joke in his life. "You seriously think you can beat me?"
"Probably not." Chris admitted. "But I won't know unless I try."
The dark mage scoffed, "Why not. I have some time to play before I continue the ritual to revive Zeref." He said as dark purple energy began to gather around Jellal. "I should warn you; I intend to make your last moments agonizing. You'll beg me for death when I'm done with you."
"Hmph, try it, you second-rate hack." Chris growled, bringing up his fists in what would probably be an all-or-nothing fight to the finish.
A/N: And we will close on that chapter. Really sorry, I was kinda scratching my skull on how to proceed with the battle between Chris and Charlotte. I wanted to present something that showcased futility, determination, and adaptability. Hopefully, that was notable in the story.
Now, as for the whole scenario between Chris and his Saber (who we all know the identity of), I wanted it to represent what the MC was truly feeling on the inside. Something like you would see in Persona.
Also, the little chat between Charlotte and Chris as to why the former only used her Saber provided me with a unique way to expand her character a bit. Hopefully, the submitter of the OC is alright with it.
As for where Natsu might be, he's coming. He's just…having a tough time with finding the throne room. Honestly, it's amazing he actually found it in the first place in the anime/manga (even with Simon's help).
But anyways, the next chapter will be the big boss fight against Jellal. And that one will certainly be the most blood-pumping chapter yet. Stay tuned.
Review and comment on this chapter. Love it, hate it, but just know that you've read it.
Peace out, everyone!