A/N: Episode 246.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: KING OF THE UNDERWORLD

In the mountains, Meredy was leading a blind Jellal while Siegrain was hunched over on her back.

"There are many crevices in this area, so let's walk a little more slowly." Meredy warned.

"Right. Sorry." Jellal apologized.

"Love... yes?" Hot Eye asked.

"No!" Meredy denied.

"What is this?" Racer asked.

"This is tiring." Cobra complained.

"There's no sense of tension here." Angel claimed.

The group soon reached a waterfall. "Meredy, are you okay?" Jellal questioned.

"Hm? I'll be fine if we can rest a bit first, but how could you tell?" Meredy asked, placing Siegrain down on the ground before she sits down on a rock next to him.

"Somewhat, by your footsteps." Jellal answered.

"That is also a skill made possible with love." Hot Eye commented.

"There he goes again." Meredy said.

Racer lets out a sigh. "Hey, are you guys really gonna follow him? I'm not interested." He claimed.

"And he wants to defeat Zeref, huh? He's ambitious." Angel commented.

"Hey, I say we try to take Jellal down one more time." Racer suggested.

"I'm sick of you flapping your gums." Cobra claimed.

"What?! Then you're gonna follow him like some apostle?" Racer questioned.

"Who knows? I haven't decided yet." Cobra answered. "But I can hear something."

"Huh?"

"The voices of countless people... No, not voices. Screams." Cobra said.

"You're scaring me." Angel said.

"Screams? From where?" Racer asked, intrigued.

"I don't know, but if I follow him, I might find out." Cobra responded.

"I wanna confirm what I hear with my own eyes."

Siegrain blinked as his vision was met with a blue sky. He heard water running, so he assumed he was by a waterfall or river of some sort.

"What happened to me?"

As if answering him, his body jolted in pain, causing him to see his bandaged chest. Not to mention, he had lost a limb.

Right. The massacre at Era.

How much time has passed since then?

Siegrain let out a groan of pain, getting Jellal and Meredy's attention.

"Sieg! You're okay!" Meredy exclaimed.

"I sure as hell don't feel and look like it." Siegrain said. He then looked over, seeing the bandages on Jellal's eyes and then spotted the former Oracion Seis members.

"What the hell happened while I was out of commission?" Siegrain questioned.

Jellal chuckled. "A lot." He replied. "What do you remember?"

"Uh... The Magic Council being bombed... me nearly getting killed and then ordering Doranbolt to take me to your location. After that, I blacked out... I think." Siegrain widened his eyes. "Doranbolt! Is he okay?!"

"He's fine." Jellal reassured as Siegrain sighed in relief.

"Damn that Jackal. The next time I get my hands on him, I'm going to kick his ass." Siegrain growled.

"Absolutely not." Jellal denied.

Siegrain scowled at him. "That bastard murdered all of my colleagues, Jellal. They may have been a bunch of annoying old geezers, but I'm going to avenge them." He declared.

"You're in no condition to fight. You've gotta take it easy."

"I got no time to take it easy."

"Sieg, if you go into the gunfire, you'll die."

"So what?!"

SLAP!

Siegrain's head was flung to the side as Meredy had slapped him, shocking the Oracion Seis members who were watching. Meredy looked at Siegrain angrily.

"Well, you haven't given me that look in a while." Siegrain chuckled.

"Don't go trying to commit suicide, Sieg. I won't forgive you. You have to live for me, for Jellal, and for..."

"I know. I'm sorry." Siegrain apologized.

Jellal sighed. "What is it with us Fernandes men and getting slapped by the women we love?" He asked himself.

Cobra, Racer, Angel, and Midnight stood outside of an abandoned building while Jellal, Siegrain, Meredy, and Hot Eye were inside. Jellal was breathing heavily.

"Would you like some water, Jellal?" Meredy offered.

"No, thank you..." Jellal declined.

Hot Eye hummed. "What do you think?" Meredy asked him.

"The wounds to his eyes are not that deep, so I'm sure he'll be able to see again soon." Hot Eye replied. "The damage to his body as a whole is more serious, yes. After all, he fought four members of Oracion Seis. There is no way he could have emerged unscathed, yes."

"Jellal..." Meredy muttered.

"And he calls me the idiot..." Siegrain thinks to himself.

Outside, it was beginning to look like it was about to storm. "We're gonna get some rain." Racer commented.

"We can take shelter in that hut." Angel suggested.

"Ridiculous."

"Then why not go to another house? It's a ghost town. All of the homes are vacated." Angel said.

"That's not it. Hanging out here is a waste of time." Racer claimed.

"Then where do you suggest we go?" Angel questioned.

"Anywhere but here." Racer responded. "Sheesh. There's something wrong with you people. We finally got out..."

"So?"

"So? Listen... Do you realize that we're free? I don't understand what we're doing cooling our heels here. Do you?" Racer asked.

"Don't ask me, man. It's a pain in the ass." Cobra answered.

"Hey, Midnight." Racer called as Midnight didn't answer him. "Hey!"

Midnight thought back to the battle against Jellal. "Hey, can you hear me?" Racer asked.

"Shut the hell up. We can hear you fine." Cobra responded.

"You telling me to 'shut up'?! In the first place..."

"I..." Angel cuts Racer off, getting his attention. "...am going to follow Jellal."

"You haven't changed. Follow him? Are you a little kid? We've been released from the Tower of Heaven and the Council's prison. We're free." Racer argued.

"I've already decided. I'm going to follow him." Angel said.

"You jerks, too? I see..." Racer stated. "Well, do what you want. I'm gonna..."

"I... I'm done serving people. I won't let anyone take this freedom away." Midnight claimed.

"Then..."

"But..."

"What?! You're not being clear." Racer said as Cobra chuckled, angering Racer even more. "What are you laughing at?"

"Oh, I just heard an unusual voice. You're still alive?" Cobra asked as Racer got in a defensive position.

"Oh... I wondered who was here. Lo and behold, Oracion Seis. And here I thought you'd spend the rest of your lives in a cage. So what are you doing here?" An older Rustyrose asked as he appeared from the mist.

"You!" Racer exclaimed.

"One of Grimoire Heart's Seven Kin of Purgatory!" Angel said.

"Rusty! Rustyrose!" Meredy shouted.

"Meredy? What are you doing with the Six Demon Generals?" Rustyrose questioned.

"What happened to you?!" Meredy countered.

"If you didn't come here to pursue me, then I've got nothing to say. See you." Rustyrose said.

"Wait! What happened?!" Meredy asked.

"It's none of your business." Rustyrose answered.

"But we were on the same side..." Meredy said.

A flash of the Seven Kin of Purgatory appeared in Rustyrose's mind, making him chuckle.

"You've bgotten chatty."

"Wait. I'm interested in what you have to say, too. I can hear it. You're terrified." Cobra claimed, causing Rustyrose to stop in his tracks. "I can hear it faintly in your voice. What are you afraid of? Tell me."

Cobra, Racer, and Angel had Rustyrose surrounded. "W-Wait!" Meredy said.

"And what will you do if I don't tell you?" Rustyrose asked.

"Oh, you'll tell us. Right?" Cobra countered.

Rustyrose narrowed his eyes. "Tartaros." He responded.

"Tartaros? The Nine Demon Gates?"

"No... That's not all."

It has soon begun to rain. "After Fairy Tail beat us on Tenroujima seven years ago, we were a bedraggled bunch. Then Zeref appeared before us." Rustyrose explained. "It all happened in an instant. Master Hades was killed right in front of me. The next thing I knew, I was floating in the sea. I survived somehow, but couldn't find anyone else. I wandered here and there as my wounds healed..."

"What about Hikaru?" Meredy questioned.

"I have no idea where he is or what he's doing. No... I don't even know if he's still alive." Rustyrose replied.

"I see..."

"As you know, the Balam Alliance served as a non-aggression pact between the Dark Guilds. But then my guild, Grimoire Heart, split up, and yours, Oracion Seis, was incarcerated, leaving only Tartaros." Rustyrose said.

"What about it?" Racer asked.

"I've heard a rumor recently. That Grimoire's sub-guilds have been being wiped out systematically. It didn't take me long to find out Tartaros was behind it." Rustyrose responded.

The entrance to the Tartaros guild hall blasted open, getting the soldiers attention.

"Enemy raid!"

"Who are you bastards?!"

"We're envoys of darkness. We've come to meet the leaders of Tartaros."

"Envoys of darkness, you say?"

"Enough games! Identity yourselves!"

"We have no obligation to identify ourselves to a guild that broke the alliance." Azuma claimed.

"Our business isn't with you bottom-feeders. I think you'd be better off shutting your mouths and stepping aside." Zancrow said.

"Kill them!"

"Don't let them through!"

"You would die to protect a mere gate?" Azuma asked, activating his Magic. "Bleve!"

"You foot soldiers are getting on my nerves! Flame God's Bellow!" Zancrow releases black flames from his mouth.

Rustyrose, Zancrow, and Azuma were walking away as Zancrow cackled.

"They were too weak." He claimed.

"That didn't even serve as a decent warm-up." Azuma complained.

"B-Bastards... Who..."

"The Dark Guild, Grimoire Heart." Rustyrose said. "We're coming through."

Rustyrose, Azuma, and Zancrow stepped in, meeting Kyoka. "This is a rather rude visit." She claimed.

"What? We're perfect gentlemen compared to the guild that secretly attacked our sub-guilds." Rustyrose said.

"Welcome to Tartaros. I am Kyoka, one of the Nine Demon Gates." Kyoka introduced herself.

"I am Rustyrose, one of Grimoire Heart's Seven Kin of Purgatory, Balam Alliance." Rustyrose greeted.

"Azuma of the same."

"Zancrow."

"Balam Alliance? Grimoire Heart? As far as I know, those groups are long gone." Kyoka stated.

"Then maybe you're misinformed." Azuma said.

"Then who do you think we are, standing right before you?" Zancrow questioned.

"Losers, of course." Kyoka answered as Rustyrose furrowed his eyebrows. "The only guild that still exists from the Balam Alliance is ours, Tartaros."

"Only Tartaros? Don't talk nonsense." Zancrow said.

"You didn't know? The Alliance was a non-aggression pact between all the Dark Guilds." Azuma informed.

"What do you want to say?" Kyoka asked.

"You bastards have been attacking our sub-guilds, murdering some of the members, and abducting others. Your conduct is outrageous." Rustyrose replied as Kyoka narrowed her eyes.

"To be honest, I don't have time to deal with the likes of you. If you wish to continue your tirade, leave here at once." She ordered.

Rustyrose chuckled. "That was just our introduction." He lowers his glasses. "Now let's get down to business."

"Just the three of you stormed into Tartaros. You've got balls, anyway." Cobra commented.

"But Rusty, that..." Meredy trailed off.

"If you're bragging about it as a misadventure, it isn't interesting." Angel claimed.

"Leave the guy alone. So what happened?" Racer asked.

Kyoka was now sitting in a chair. "So?" She questioned as Rustyrose, Azuma, and Zancrow were across from her.

"Even children who steal candy from their friends are punished for it." Azuma claimed.

"Oh? Punishment?" Kyoka repeated.

"You scum violated the Balam Alliance's non-aggression pact. So now you're going to pay the price for it." Zancrow said.

"The price, eh? What do you have in mind?" Kyoka asked.

"We're going to take half of the Dark Guilds that you took over. Although more accurately, you're going to return them." Azuma responded.

"After that, we'll do you a favor and leave." Zancrow added. "And we'd better never see each other again."

Kyoka smirked. "What do you say? That way the Balam Alliance will be reinstated. It's not a bad deal for you people, is it?" Rustyrose questioned.

Kyoka opened her eyes. "Enough. You're pathetic." She claimed.

"Excuse me?"

Rustyrose suddenly felt immense pain, clenching onto his head. "What is that Magic?!" Azuma asked.

"She must've cast some spell!" Zancrow added.

"I enjoy enhancing the senses of you humans." Kyoka said as Rustyrose fell to the ground, gripping onto his hand as Azuma and Zancrow were shown to be illusions.

"Lowlife..." Rustyrose insulted.

Kyoka continued attacking Rustyrose. "Arc of Embodiment... How sad. Your comrades are all gone." She said.

"This ebony sword comes forth from the Underworld to cut through everything!" Rustyrose exclaimed as Kyoka deflected his attack.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a black figure. "W-What's that?!" He asked.

"This is unsightly. Begone." Kyoka responded, striking at Rustyrose again and causing him to scream.

"The age of Zeref is almost upon us. When it does come, you'll die like a crushed insect." Kyoka claimed as Rustyrose widened his eyes. "What's wrong? What are you afraid of? There is no more value in tormenting you here. You should return to the nest, along with your imaginary friends."

"Tartaros isn't just the Nine Demon Gates. There's something behind them, something terrifying." Rustyrose finished.

"It doesn't have anything to do with us." Cobra claimed.

It was silent as Jellal, Siegrain, and Hot Eye arrived. "The age of Zeref is coming. Is Tartaros trying to reach Zeref?" Jellal questioned.

"Find out for yourself. I have no intention of going back there. Well, see you. I'll be on my way." Rustyrose replied.

"Rusty..." Meredy muttered, watching her former guildmate disappear into the mist.

"We're going to Tartaros." Jellal announced.

"Jellal?" Meredy questioned.

"You can't go in that condition, right?" Hot Eye asked.

"I'm going. No. I have to go. I'm going." Jellal responded.

"We're not going to Tartaros." Midnight informed. "We're members of the Balam Alliance, even if it has practically collapsed. We can't break the non-aggression pact."

"After all that's happened..." Meredy started to say.

"We are who we are. Dark or not, we had pride in our guild. We can't break a vow now." Midnight said.

"I see. But I must go. Even if it's on my own." Jellal informed as Meredy and Siegrain followed right behind him. "I'll find you again one day. I promise."

The Oracion Seis members watched as Jellal, Siegrain, and Meredy disappeared into the mist.

The sun has peaked through the clouds as Jellal, Siegrain, and Meredy were walking through an autumn forest. Siegrain was guiding Jellal as Meredy was on his other side.

"It's slippery here, so be careful." Siegrain warned.

"Right." Jellal said. "Sieg, how's your condition?"

"I've recovered enough to move. Though I feel like I've been to hell and back." Siegrain replied, making his twin chuckle.

"Say, Jellal... Why are you so concerned about Oracion Seis? Because you made a promise to Doranbolt?" Meredy asked.

"They were prisoners. They were held captive in the Tower of Heaven long ago. In that sense, they're in the same circumstances as mine and Sieg's. That's our beginning. Even if we're set free, it doesn't change anything." Jellal responded as he sat down on a rock.

"Though the details may differ, we all spent a long time in there. It's ironic, but the ghost of Zeref and the Tower of Heaven's spell bind us together as comrades."

"Yes. Maybe so..." Meredy muttered.

"The prayers of their imprisoned selves... Even when we were fighting over Nirvana, I sensed that spell. And even now, they haven't changed." Jellal said.

"Prayers..." Meredy mumbled in confusion.

"Richard prays to see his younger brother, who was separated from him when he was taken prisoner in the Tower of Heaven. Sawyer prays to become so fast that no one can catch him. Sorano prays to be released from the earth so she can disappear into the sky. Erik prays to share his unbelievable story with a friend who will believe him. And Macbeth prays to sleep quietly in this world of resounding screams and whimpers." Jellal explained.

"Their prayers became powerful Magic, which was used by Master Zero, making them fall into a Dark Guild. Because I used the Tower, I'm partially to blame."

"Are you still punishing yourself for that?" Siegrain questioned.

"No matter what Ultear says, I'm the one who did it. The darkness engulfed me because I was weak." Jellal answered. "At the time, Natsu said something to me. I recall it every once in a while."

"You can't become free! There's no freedom for anyone who's bound by ghosts. Free yourself, Jellal!"

"I want to release them. That's one way I can atone." Jellal claimed.

"Atone..." Meredy muttered.

Cobra huffed, catching Midnight's attention. "What's wrong, Erik? Did you hear something?"

"Nothing. But after all this time, I don't want Jellal calling me by my real name!" Cobra answered.

"Erik's shy is why." Angel teased.

"Shut up, Sorano." Cobra retorted, making Midnight smile slightly.

Jellal, Siegrain, and Meredy resumed walking with Siegrain still guiding Jellal when a bolt of electricity charged at them.

"Watch out!" Meredy warned, shoving both brothers to the side as a tower structure appeared. "Th-This is... Dimguil's Tower?!"

"Yes, that's right. Created by the Arc of Embodiment." Rustyrose replied.

"Rusty... So this was your aim!" Meredy exclaimed.

"Meredy, Grimoire Heart isn't gone yet! The two of us can rebuild the guild!" Rustyrose exclaimed.

"What if I say no?" Meredy questioned.

"We'll wait until you say yes." Rustyrose countered.

A creation of Azuma stomped on Jellal's back while a creation of Zancrow stomped on Siegrain's.

"But first they'll die." Azuma claimed.

"And you'll suffer, too." Zancrow added as electricity zapped through Meredy, making her scream.

"Mer!" Siegrain called out in worry.

"Come with me, Meredy. I won't show you any mercy until you agree. What's wrong with you?! The Meredy I knew would have fought back! You can use your Sensory Link." Rustyrose said.

"I don't need to use that to know how miserable you are, Rusty." Meredy claimed.

"What?!"

"You're held captive by the past. You can't call that living." Meredy said.

"That's nonsense! I've spent the last seven years searching for my comrades! That's the only thing I've been living for..." Rustyrose claimed.

"Rusty, face forward. That's what living really is!" Meredy told him as she got struck by electricity once more.

"Meredy! I don't want to kill you! Come with me!" Rustyrose said.

"There's no other way!" Azuma exclaimed.

"Let's go, Meredy!" Zancrow added as creations of the Grimoire Heart members appeared, including Meredy's younger self.

"Come on, everyone's waiting!"

"Wrong! That's the past, Rusty! I live in the present. I travel around, putting my life on the line to make up for my past crimes. That's the guild I belong to now, Crime Sorciére!" Meredy exclaimed.

"Then you leave me no choice. I'll have to destroy the place you belong first." Rustyrose said.

"Meredy, wait!" Jellal struggled to get up.

"With those eyes, what can you do? For Meredy's sake..." Rustyrose activated his Magic. "...leave this world forever!"

Rustyrose suddenly crashed to the ground. "Sieg! Meredy! What happened?!" Jellal exclaimed.

"How long are you going to keep those damn bandages on?"

The bandages were removed from Jellal's eyes. "Meredy..." Jellal muttered.

"Are you healed? Can you see?" Meredy questioned.

"It appears that way." Jellal answered.

Siegrain wrapped his arm around the pink-haired woman. "Mer, are the both of you okay? I'm sorry I couldn't—" He trailed off.

"Don't worry about it. We're okay." Meredy reassured.

Someone cleared their throat, causing Jellal, Siegrain, and Meredy to turn to see the former Oracion Seis members.

"You guys..." Jellal mumbled.

"There's no place for us to go, especially." Cobra claimed.

"Whatever. We've decided to kill time by hanging out with you." Racer said, causing Jellal and Meredy to smile.

"We don't want freedom if it's handed to us on a silver platter. This time for sure, we'll obtain true freedom ourselves." Midnight said.

"Okay." Jellal turned to Rustyrose. "Rustyrose. You also need to decide for yourself how you're going to live. But if you don't want to be tormented by solitude anymore... If you're prepared to keep fighting the sins that you bear... then the door is always open for you to join our guild. We'll welcome you then."

Jellal, Siegrain, Meredy, and the former Oracion Seis members walked away. Rustyrose stood up as tears fell from his eyes.

Happy was flying through the air. "I have to get to the Master fast! Hang in there, Natsu and Lucy!" He said.

Natsu and Lucy were running through the corridor before they stopped. "Well, Natsu?" Lucy questioned as Natsu sniffed the air.

"No good. I'm not picking up Mira's scent at all. Dammit!" Natsu responded.

"Let's head west more!" Lucy suggested.

"Yeah! We'll find her for sure!" Natsu agreed.

"Mira!"

"Where are you?!"

Meanwhile, in a darkened hallway, there was a cage and a figure of a man sat down on a throne.

"Demon of the Books of Zeref... Alias Etherious... A human demon is no match for you. Right, Master?"

The Book of END was shown in the man's hand.

"It is about to begin. The darkness will overflow the gates of the Underworld... and bury all the light in this world."

TARTAROS UNDERWORLD KING / MARD GEER.

A/N: Another chapter is done!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.