With this chapter we will conclude the Second half of the Olympian arc, and this chapter is going to be very interesting! I can't wait to hear what you guys think!
This is all exposition by the way. Sorry!
Enjoy!
The joyous return of Drake and the others to the Sabertooth guild hall was very short lived. While many of the parents were overjoyed that they had returned, many of the children were too wrapped up in their own thoughts. Drake was as well. As he hugged his mother tightly, his mind drifted to What Zeus had said. What END had said. She had spoke of hard walls, cold chains and pain. So much pain. What had she been referring to, exactly?
They needed answers. Luckily, they had all explained what they were going to do now that the battle had ended.
Seeing Natsu through the crowd with Lucy, Luke and Luna, Drake cast Simon a look. The redhead nodded, so Drake took a deep breath and pressed on. He shoved his way through the crowd, and the elder Dragon Slayer saw him coming.
"Drake," he greeted. "I'm glad that you all made it back. We were worried about you."
"Don't put it off," Drake warned, voice loud enough to catch everyone's attention. Lucy looked confused, but Natsu looked pensive. "You owe us an explanation, and we want it now."
"How much did he tell you?" Natsu asked.
"Enough to piss me off," Drake replied. "You could have mentioned that Zeref is your creator." Drake's words cast a silence over the Sabertooth guild hall, nobody speaking for a while. Lucy looked stunned, but Natsu remained still.
"It wasn't important," he answered simply.
"I disagree," Drake said. "I think it mattered a great deal."
"It shouldn't have." Drake raised an eyebrow at this. "None of that, any of it, should have mattered. Because none of us predicted this would happen."
"What are you talking about?" Luna asked, sounding confused. Every since waking up on the trip home the girl had been full of questions, and the answers didn't seem to satiate her curiosity. "Zeref?"
"It's best we start at the beginning," Natsu said as he sat down on the edge of a bench, everyone still looking at him. "I suppose we start with the false history we fed you."
"That would be best," Ultear advised. Natsu sighed, his breath blowing his bangs up.
"We told Nashi this when we told her about END, but it's time you all know." He said. "My past, the history of our battle with Zeref you know about, it's not totally accurate."
"Obviously," Elise grumbled.
"Zeref was my older brother," Natsu said, ignoring her. "400 years ago, I died. I was never told how, but that's not really relevant. Zeref did some...Unsavoury things to me, in order to resurrect me. In the process, the God Ankhersam cursed him. Didn't stop him, as I'm sure you could guess."
This alone sent a cold chill through the room. Although he had feared the worst, Drake now saw Natsu in a whole different light. A man that literally defied the laws of life and death. If you could even call him a man, that is.
"So..." Damien started. "All those stories about fighting END...Were those lies?"
"Somewhat," Natsu replied, far to calm and casual for what he was saying. "Gray did fight END. And END did indeed defeat Zeref. We just never explained I was that person in those cases. And granted, I wasn't exactly END when I defeated Zeref."
"You actually defeated him?!" Juno demanded.
"Well, I think I did," Natsu replied. "Not really too sure how that really ended, but..." The man shrugged. "Regardless, I am what Zeus told you. I'm a demon from the Books of Zeref, created to kill an immortal man because he wanted to die. In the end, I guess I finished my mission huh?"
"So what does this have to do with Nashi?" Drake demanded. "And Luna?"
"Zeref did a lot whole lot of bad things to bring me back to life." Natsu said, his eyes growing dark. "I obviously don't know the details, but what I've come to find out is that he altered me at a very basic level. When the battle of Alvarez ended, we spent a few years trying to figure out what to do with the book of END, which contained my powers. Keeping it around the guild hall proved useless, as I seem tempted, almost as an instinct, to open it and unleash my strength. So, I left. I took the book with me, and I took it to some random location and spent fifteen some odd years trying to make sure that book never opened again. END was an unnatural evil, something Zeref never should have created. And I was going to made sure we never unleashed him again."
"That's where you were while we were growing up..." Simon hissed under his breath. Natsu nodded gravely.
"Yeah," he said. "The others starting pairing off and getting pregnant. Damien, you were only a few years old when I left." Damien shuffled awkwardly, but Drake had never looked at it that way. Damien was a few years older than him, so he must have been around to see Natsu a few times.
"I don't remember you," he said. Natsu hummed.
"I'd expect not, you were little." He said. "The last thing I wanted was for these powers to hurt one of you one day. So I ran to conceal it. But before I did..." Natsu looked over at Lucy, who looked at the ground as if embarrassed. "...I made a grave error."
"Error?" Keita asked. "What kind of error?" Drake was no fool. He knew what the look the couple had shared meant.
"He got Lucy pregnant," he said, hushed whispers going around the room. "And he never knew about it." All eyes were on Lucy now, who shuffled in embarrassment.
"He never left return addresses when he sent letters," she murmured. "I spent fifteen years never knowing where he was, or how to tell him he had a daughter."
"Indeed," Natsu said. "Like I said, Zeref altered my very being. So when I got Lucy pregnant..."
"The child was like you," Nami said, her voice full of astonishment. "Not fully human. A demon born of Zeref's evil."
"Exactly," Natsu said grimly. "But Lucy never mentioned it to anyone, because Nashi was never in any kind of danger. Despite the hardships she had when she was young, she grew up human. No evil, no blasts of dark magic. A normal girl who had trouble with magic. That was all she ever deserved to be. She never deserved to carry on her fathers dark secret."
It was only then, in that moment as he watched Natsu rub a hand through his hair did Drake realise. He was blaming himself. Despite all the pent up anger at being lied to he and the others had accumulated while coming back, Natsu had to have felt worse. Knowing that he'd burdened his daughter with an irrevocable evil. That she was, at her very core, less than human. A monster just waiting to be set free.
"Nothing happened for sixteen years." Natsu said, now sounding irritated. "Despite my massive fuck up, she spent sixteen years never having to worry about that beast growing inside of her. I thought maybe I was wrong, maybe the power hadn't gone to her. It was only when you guys went to Silverridge did I realise who wrong I was."
"I got him."
"Nashi consumed pure magic, magic made for Etherion, at Silverridge. Doing this should have killed her, but it didn't. Instead, the magic burrowed deep into her core and woke up the beast that had laid dormant for sixteen years. I knew it did immediately, because when it happened I collapsed. It was like a hot knife had been driven into my stomach. The book of END, the book tied to my very life, responded to her magic. Like it thought I was trying to awaken the power, and punished me for doing so without opening it. But it was Nashi, not me. I knew then, at that moment, that I had truly fucked everything up."
"What then?" Drake asked weakly.
"What else?" Natsu asked. "I tried to keep it low, figure out a plan. For a while nothing happened, and I tried to relax a little. And then Neptu's little band rolled around." It wasn't hard to see Neptu, The Cross and Gin shift uncomfortably at being mentioned in this light. "When Nashi consumed your fire, Neptu, it nearly killed her. She's part demon after all. But as she lay there, dying on the battlefield, the beast decided otherwise."
"The beast?" Steph asked. Natsu nodded.
"Nashi was the one who should have died out there," Natsu said. "But END said otherwise. Nashi ate that magic, and END spat it out. Where Nashi could have been killed by Neptu, END put him in his place."
"So back then..." Neptu said. "I really was fighting a demon." Natsu nodded.
"You were," Natsu said. "And I asked you and Gin to keep it under wraps for me. You have my thanks for that." Natsu sighed and looked towards Drake and Michael. "And you two were there as well. Saw a whole lot of shit we didn't want you to see. Thankfully Mest is a good memory mage.
It was then Drake felt like his skull had cracked open. His mind flooded with vivid memories of confronting a demonic Nashi, one who broke free of Gray's ice like it was nothing. He remembered how she collapsed in his arms, and how Gray then froze them. Why had they hid that?
"I know what you're thinking," Natsu said as he played with his hands. "That I should have come clean then, but I couldn't. I needed time to think, but I also knew then there was no more avoiding this. Another time was one time too many. I had to tell her. So we did. Under the guise of finding an herb to heal Bella-"
"I always did wonder about that story..." Bella murmured somewhere. Natsu ignored her.
"-We took her to where I hid the book. I have no idea how long it took me to undo enough enchants for us to get inside the chamber with the book. I figured because I collapsed from it when she went Etherious, maybe it could help me. But it didn't. So when she woke up, I did what I should have immediately. I told her what I've told all of you. She knew back then. I apologise if she acted weird and never told you what was wrong. She was very...disturbed by what happened."
Drake recalled all those times he caught her staring into space. With a blank, yet worried expression on her face. How she always shrugged him off when he asked if she was okay. It made sense now.
"What then?" Ultear asked. Natsu huffed, almost laughing.
"You know the story from there," he replied. "The Olympians came for her. In retrospect it was obvious they wanted her. That's hindsight for you, though." He then looked over to Drake. "I appreciate if you told me the story Zeus told you. Maybe we can begin to piece this thing together."
Drake did as he was asked. He told everyone of Zeus' story from Pergrande, how he'd heard of a prophecy involving a pink haired girl. He told them how the man had obsessed over it, constantly hearing how a 'King' would rise and that humanity would find salvation. How their Oracle had seen a girl with a checkered scarf and pink hair squaring off against a city ravaged by darkness. He explained how he figured Zeus had been consumed by the prophecy, taking any means necessary to get what he needed to save the world.
"Even destroying Magnolia and killing all those people?" Natsu demanded. "Some people really have no barriers."
"Actually," Drake said, remembering something vital. "It seems that wasn't what we thought."
"What?" Erza asked. "What do you mean?"
Drake told them how they'd pit stopped at Magnolia, or whatever was left of it. How they'd found masses of citizens, having been treated for their injuries, looking to repair their homes.
"Who saved them?" Levy asked.
"I think that's obvious." Elise said.
Silence came over the room once again as the truth settled in. That Zeus and The Olympians had blasted away Magnolia, but saved everyone who could be saved.
"I barely believe it," Gray whispered.
"We didn't," Keita supplied. "But when a whole load of people corroborated the same story about Doctors who served a guild called The Olympians, there's not much that points to another explanation."
"Is there anything else?" Laxus asked.
"Yes," Drake said. "When END defeated Zeus, she said we hadn't saved Nashi yet. That all she could see where dark walls, and cold chains. That Nashi was in pain."
"I don't feel in pain," Luna said, trying to be helpful.
"Are you sure she knew what she was talking about?" Natsu asked.
"She hasn't lied to me yet," Drake said. "I can't think of any reason to doubt her." Natsu nodded, thinking.
"We did reach the conclusion that Nashi's END was a split personality; something that manifested when she had no one to protect her. I see no reason why she would lie about that."
"So what do we do? Any ideas?" Lucy asked.
More silence came over the room. No one said a word, obviously not having any ideas.
And then, so abruptly that more than a dozen people jumped, the door to the guild was kicked open.
"You folks really would be lost without some external guidance," a man said as he strode in. This man was reasonably well built, wearing a very fashionable dark suit and tie. His eyes and hair were as black as midnight, and somehow Drake recognised him.
Damien did though.
"Xisplate?" He asked weakly. The demon ignored Damien completely and walked past him, Damien staring at him in shock.
"I tried to stay out of mortal matters, but it seems I'll have to intervene." He said as he stood in the middle of everyone. "I have little time. I have answers that will lead you to-"
"Hey!" Damien shouted, rage overtaking his features as he stormed forward. "Don't ignore me! Where the hell have you been huh?! You don't get to just disappear after everything that happened! Where were you?!" Damien grabbed the demon by his jacket, but Xisplate just watched him lazily.
"Damien my boy," he said. "How have you been? I've been well. I've recently gotten into yoga to calm myself. You should try it someti-"
"Don't bullshit me!" Damien said. "Answers, now!"
"I was getting to that," Xisplate said. "Now please release me so I can tell you all what I've learned." Damien looked beyond enraged, but he let the demon go anyway. Brushing his suit down, Xisplate continued.
"Hello everyone, nice to see you again," Xisplate said. "Some of you don't know me, so allow me to introduce myself. Demon of Death, Lord Xisplate at your service. You may call me Lord Xisplate, Your Greatness, you just Xisplate is fine."
"Call him Xissy," Damien hissed.
"Call me that and I'll kill you," Xisplate said calmly. "Regardless, recent events have made me realise I am running short on time, so I came to inform you all of what I know. Meridia and Vantros can only stall the council so long."
"Meridia?" Bella asked, coming forward. "What's going on? Is she okay?"
"One a time please," Xisplate said. "I need to start at the beginning." Nobody spoke, and Xisplate paused as if to wait and see if anyone else was impatient. Nobody said anything, so he continued.
"As I'm sure some of you have already guessed, there is a lot at play here." He said as he gestured wildly like some sort of presenter. "So allow me to quell some rumours you have. Starting off strong though! For starters, yes. Nashi Dragneel died a year ago."
What was he getting at?
"Some of you may have had doubts, so I figured I'd let you know. Yes. She did die a year ago atop Mt. Olympus. Sadly, as you can see, the Dragneel family has a bone to pick with the laws of life and death."
"Just explain," Natsu growled. Xisplate just smirked.
"Easy Natsu my boy, I have things to say." He said. "Yes, she was dead. And now she's not. Now, I know you lot aren't well versed in the affairs of the Demon Lords, so allow me to let you in on something. In our realm, where we watch over those who pass onto the next life, there are three rules we must follow. Three laws we must follow. For starters, a living being can never possess my full power. Not only would it consume them, but your world would be in danger. Two, I am not allowed to reveal forbidden knowledge to anyone not of Demon Lord status." It was at this he paused, face growing serious. "I am possible breaking that law as we speak, but events have forced my hand. I will deal with the repercussions later."
"And the third?" Michael asked. Xisplate frowned.
"I can never, under any circumstances, trespass into the 12th Circle and raise a soul back to life."
The guild was so quiet you could have heard a baby sneeze three miles away. Nobody said a word, Xisplate staying silent for effect.
"Did you?" Drake asked weakly. "Did you bring Nashi back to life?"
"Of course I didn't, you fucking moron." Xisplate said. "I may be fond of you lot but I'm no fool. I wouldn't dare oppose that law of any of them. However, one of the Demon Lords brought her back. And once we realised this, we reverted to our own realms. This was when we cut contact with you, Damien. I am sorry to have distressed you." Something about Xisplate's apology actually felt heartfelt, and Damien's rage seemed to subside considerably.
"Go on," he said simply. Xisplate nodded.
"When we realised one of us broke the law, we communed at once." Xisplate said. We have held council every hour since, trying to break the one who did into confessing. As of now, we are nowhere near the truth. But the truth and the perceived reality is different. Other demons, such as Drakhosz and Barrath, see me as the culprit. As I explained, I did not resurrect her. But because I am tied to Damien Dreyar, who is close friends with Nashi, they do not believe me. They are accusing me of breaking the most sacred law. And if I am found guilty, I do not know what will happen. Which is why I am here now, to give you this information. I may soon cease to exist."
"What?" Damien asked weakly.
"If that happens, the last line of defence between her and them will sever," he said. "Myself, Meridia and Vantros oppose the rest in taking her back to our realms until the culprit is caught. But since they assume I am the traitor, things may get messy down the line."
"Anything else?" Drake asked, salivating for more info.
"Yes," Xisplate said. "I know what happened to your friend. I know what END spoke of when she said you had not saved Nashi yet."
"What did she mean?" Xisplate smiled at Drake's questions, pacing back and forth.
"Demon Lords have many abilities," he said. "I am the Demon of Death, while Meridia holds control over mortal sexual desires. There are two Demon Lords who, when paired together, are quite potent." Xisplate stopped pacing and stared at Drake. "They are known as Zoka and Ruli. When they pair their power together, they can create a replica of anything. And I mean anything."
"Wait," Drake said. "Are you saying that...?"
"Zoka and Ruli are the Demon Lords of Ying and Yang." Xisplate explained. "They are two halves of the same whole. In ancient times, Zoka represented humanities purity. It's happiness, growth and love. Ruli represented the darkness, the hatred and evil that everyone is capable of deep down. Even after millennia of research, I haven't been able to fully map out what they are capable of. What I do know, however, is that in their connected strength they are able to separate a human being and replicate them to startling efficiency. They can move any and all things between the numerous replicas. Power, memories, limbs, you name it. The two have grown smitten with the idea of calling this duplicates Shades."
"Shades?" Ultear asked. "Like a shadow on the sidewalk in like us..."
"The Shades are like the original human, yes." Xisplate said.
"So what you're saying is-" Elise started
"Yes," Xisplate said. "I have reason to believe the takeover wizards for Zoka and Ruli work for The Olympians. When Nashi died, it is possible one resurrected her, and then they split her into two. One half of that girl resides here with us. The other half..."
"Is still with Hades," Drake said. Xisplate nodded.
"This is why our friend has no recollection of her life prior to waking up several months ago." He said as he crossed his arms. "The memories were kept with the original Nashi, and she was disposed of."
"Wait a second," Simon said, brow furrowed. "Zeus said that they needed Nashi powerful for their plan, and that they put her where she was for a reason. So why-?"
"Hades betrayed them, obviously." Xisplate said. "He had a hand in her resurrection, and he's the mastermind behind the plan in the first place. So obviously he didn't tell them about the Shade."
"What else?" Damien asked. Xisplate shrugged.
"That's all I know." He said. "Why don't you ask END? She seems to know something."
"Huh?" Drake asked, looking over at Luna at the same time as everyone else. "She does?"
"Her knowing what happens to the other half of your friend intrigues me." Xisplate said. "I have a theory. A theory that Hades split up END herself to trick Zeus. If that's correct, it would explain why Zeus seemed to think she was weaker than she was supposed to be. Half of END's being may very well be inside of her, while the other half is trapped inside the other body with Hades."
It was then that Drake's head hurt. His mind recoiled, reminding him of the words END spoke atop the mountain. How the power had been returned to her, how she could see but couldn't help. That seemed to add up!
"W-Wait, hold on!" Luna shouted, garnering attention. "How do we talk to her? She's inside of me, right?" Drake made a face at this. Even with END's dwindled power, there must have been a way right?
"Hey, Luna." He said as he walked up to her. When she looked up at him, she saw her eyes were brimmed with not just tears, but confusion. She was utterly lost. "I have an idea."
"What is it?" She asked. He did his best to smile at her softly.
"Do you think you could try and give her control?" He asked. Luna frowned.
"I don't know how," she said. Drake made a face at this, thinking.
"Just, I don't know, pretend you're falling asleep. If you feel her surfacing, don't fight it. We need to talk to her." Luna looked scared, and she squeezed his hands weakly.
"What if I don't wake up?" She whispered in fear. Drake smiled.
"You will," he said as he squeezed her hands back. "I promise." She still seemed terrified, but finally Luna nodded and straightened up in her chair. With everyone watching, she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.
And proceeded to slump over in the chair, nearly falling over.
Drake watched, stomach dropping as he body began to convulse.
"I-Is she okay?" Lucy asked, eyes full of fear as well.
"I need to help her, she's having a seizure!" Wendy shouted, coming forward from somewhere in the crowd. As the Dragon Slayer knelt down to heal Luna, her hand shot out and grabbed Wendy's wrist. The convulsing stopped, and Luna inhaled sharply.
"That will not be necessary, Wendy Marvel." She said, voice deeper than before. Drake watched as Luna sat up, her right eye a deep pool of red. A horn of fire formed on her head on the same side, but the rest of her remained human.
"Holy shit..." Michael hissed.
"Hello Drake," END said, watching him. "You wanted to speak to me?"
"Yes," Drake said. "DO you know why?"
"I do," END replied as she flexed her arms. "You wish to test Xisplate's theory. There is no need, the demon is correct. I have been fractured, taken from my rightful place."
"How?" Drake pressed, still kneeling right in front of her. "What did Hades do? Do you remember?"
"I don't," END replied. "I know not of what means he used to resurrect Nashi, but he did. I remember being saved, and then...A splitting pain. I felt as thought I was being torn apart. As if my very being was being ripped vertically." Drake swallowed hard.
"And then what?" He asked. Before she spoke. END lifted her hand to her face.
"My right eye sees you," she said her voice cracking angrily. "In the left I see a dark, dank cell. The walls are pitch black, and the chains like ice. She is in pain, I feel it! Hades is hurting her!"
"Can you do anything?" Drake pressed as he began to sweat. END growled angrily, fire fanning out around her.
"She will not listen. Can she hear me? Has she blocked me out, or has he?! He tortures her! Extracts her power for himself! Her mind was been destroyed, she thinks of nothing but this pain!" With this, the right eye of red looked up at Drake, tears brimming on the edge of it.
END was crying.
"I can't help her," she breathed weakly, reaching out and grabbing his hand. "Please Drake, you have to help her."
"How?" Drake asked, maintaining her gaze. "How do I help her?" END made a face and shook her head manically.
"I don't know," she said as her voice cracked again. "Please. Nashi trusted you. I trust you. You always saved her when she needed you. I thought I could too, but I can't!" She reached out and wrapped herself around him, shaking.
"END?" He asked weakly.
"Please," she hissed in his ear. "Help me save Nashi!"
With this, END slumped in Drake's arms. As he lowered her to the floor, the horn faded from her head. Soon her eyes snapped open, both chocolate brown again.
"D-Did I faint?" Luna asked. "I'm sorry, I don't think it worked." Drake, despite all he had heard, managed to smile for her.
"It worked, don't worry." he said. "Thank you so much Luna." She seemed confused by his words, but nodded and got up to sit down again. As she did, the guild hall was silent.
"What now?" Bella asked, looking just as stricken as anyone else.
"Isn't it obvious?" Xisplate asked. "You all must embark on a journey. Find where Hades is hiding the other half of Nashi Dragneel, and save her."
"What about you?" Damien asked.
"The knowledge that Zoka and Ruli were involved will stall the others in condemning me. At least until they find out I came to speak with you." He said as he began to fade out of their realm. "I will contact you all again when I can."
With this, Xisplate faded from view.
"Well?" Laxus asked as everyone stood around in confusion. "You heard the demon! Get organised, we have a girl to find!"
All in all Hades was having a pretty good day. His plan had worked to perfection of course. END had killed Zeus and the rest of The Olympians had scattered, but they'd be back. He knew they wouldn't stay away after his betrayal. But he wasn't focused on that right now. Rather, he was overjoyed to be visiting his favourite prisoner.
As the cage door was opened, he relished in the sight of the dishevelled prisoner before him. The woman was tied up in chains attached to her wrists and ankles, though he might have to rethink the sizes. She had shrunk a lot in her malnourished state. She was currently hunched over in the back of the cell, pink hair obscuring her eyes. It hadn't been cut in some time, so it hung down quite a lot. Greasy as well, as she had no washed either.
"Hello my darling!" Hades said as he entered the cell. The woman did not respond. "How are we today? Have you eaten? Or are you starving yourself again to try to get away from me?"
The woman said nothing.
"No matter, my guards now how to get you to eat. I'd really rather not force feed you, though. So barbaric. Ah who am I kidding, who cares. I just wanted to stop by to remind you your family moved on without you. DO you remember your family? Can you tell me you mothers name?"
The woman said nothing.
"Your father?"
Not a word. Hades smirked.
"That's a good girl," he said. "You're nothing, less than dirt. Kill yourself, I'll make sure you come back. I'm not done with you yet. I need more of that creatures strength. She's what I want, not you. I mean really, what kind of Fairy Tail wizard breaks this easily to torture?"
No response.
"Ah, I forgot you don't respond to those words anymore. We've trained you well. Let me ask you a question then. What is your name, prisoner?"
The woman did not move for a long time. At first Hades pondered if she was dead, but soon she took a shaky breath.
"My designation number is 545," she said, voice husky and dehydrated. "Prisoner 545." Hades could barely suppress his smirk.
"Exactly," he said. "And why have I imprisoned you in Tartarus?"
"For being an obstacle for the King's 2nd Coming." Hades chuckled at this, and pat her head a few times.
"Good girl," he said. As he said this, he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I own you. You are nothing. You will rot in this cell, but only after I've finished with you. Do well to remember that the next time you beg me to kill you." With this he stood, turning to leave the room.
"Any orders, sir?" One of the guards asked.
"Not at present," he replied. "Keep her guarded, make sure she doesn't off herself. I need her."
"Yes sir!" Both men saluted, and Hades could only laugh as he walked away. As he did so, he smirked.
"Come and find her, Fairy Tail. If you even still want what I've turned her into."
And with this, I leave you! Word of warning, though. There may not be a chapter next week. I barely have the time or energy these days, so I may not get the next chapter done on time. Maybe a little break, hm? Let me know what you thought of these answers and then questions! I'm curious what you guys think as we switch gears for the next arc!
I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!
Chapter 343: Prisoner 545