Hi everyone, thanks again for your patience. I am so glad you enjoyed the previous chapter and the conclusion to the Order of the Sword arc. Overall, I'd consider it a rousing success and a far cry improvement over the anime filler from Fairy Tail. Now we got the epilogue/prologue chapter to begin the next big arc, the Grand Magic Games, which is probably the largest arc of the entire series and I have BIG plans for it. With all that said, let's get this chapter started.

Toward the Future

The crisis of the Infinity Clock has come to an end; the Savior destroyed, and the masterminds responsible for the ordeal were either arrested or killed in battle. About a week had already passed, and most of the legal guilds around Fiore, along with the Magic Council forces and even royal military all assisted in rebuilding the land and cleaning up any mess that resulted from the Infinity Clock's reality distorting effects. Casualties were minimal in the crisis, and it seemed like an overall victory.

However, the mood at Kardia Cathedral in Magnolia was anything but. The entire Fairy Tail guild, including Kianna, Morrison, and Patty had all gathered together, even Laxus and Porlyusica had come to pay his respects, along with the defectors from the Order of the Sword including Byro, Nero, Kyrie, Coco, Mary, Sugarboy, Dan and Samuel. Jean-Luc Neville and his colleagues in the Archeological Society were also present, as well as those from other guilds such as Lyon and Sho from Lamia Scale, Wally from Quatro Cerberus, and Milliana from Mermaid Heel alongside her guildmaster and number one Wizard Saint, Kurenai.

All these people had come together for the cremation of Sparda's body that had been recovered from the Order's laboratory. Many people thought he should receive a proper burial, but it was Dante who suggested a cremation was for the best, just to ensure that nobody could ever use his body for such heinous methods ever again, everyone else agreed that was for the best.

Currently, the body of the Dark Knight was laid on a pedestal that was already set ablaze by a special multi-colored flame that would burn away even his demonic flesh. But as everyone sat in silent mourning, it was not just Sparda they were paying their respects toward. For his cremation took place in front of a large statue of Sparda in his demonic form, standing tall and holding the handle of a sword pointing down. The pedestal of the statue was large and round on the sides; and engraved on the pedestal were the names of all those who lost their lives in this crisis. These names included Credo out of respect for his service and redemption, Katja and the other Celestial Wizards that were hunted down by the Neo Oracion Seis so that their life-long sacrifice would not be forgotten, and even the name Michelle Heartfilia for the poor girl that had only wanted to be with her family and lost her way but found redemption in the end.

All across Fiore, exact replicas of the statue were erected at the sight of all the churches, the ones being rebuilt from the attacks and even those that weren't. This would forever honor and respect not only Sparda, but all those who sacrificed everything to ensure this world and those who lived in it had a bright future.

The service soon came to an end, the ashes of the Dark Knight spread to the winds and several people began to walk away. Among those that remained were Dante and Lucy who stood at the base of the statue, gazing up with remorseful expressions. They were soon joined by those closest to them, including Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, Lisanna, Wendy, Carla, Modeus, Trish, and Lady. Both said nothing but smiled to their friends, grateful for their support.

"Young Dante… Miss Lucy Heartfilia…" The group turned around to see Kurenai approach them with a sympathetic look on her face. "You have my condolences."

"Thank you." Lucy said, wiping a tear from her face, as even Dante gave a nod.

"Sorry, but who are you?" Dante asked, causing Kurenai to chuckle, expecting this.

"She is Lady Kurenai, the guildmaster of Mermaid Heel, as well as the number one ranked Wizard Saint." Erza explained.

"It's been quite some time, Lady Kurenai." Modeus took a step closer to her with a small smile.

"You as well, young Modeus." She nodded back. "I've heard how much you have contributed to the battle, you've grown quite strong. Your mentor would be proud of you."

"I would hope so." Modeus replied.

"I take it you knew Sparda?" Carla asked Kurenai.

"Yes, I did know him." She confirmed. "We were close friends."

"Shouldn't be that surprising. Pretty much everyone knows Sparda." Gray commented.

However, Natsu walked toward Kurenai with a suspicious look on her face. "Hey, you a demon?" He asked bluntly, causing everyone to look in comic shock at his blunt tone. "I've been around a lot of them, so I can tell by the smell. You might look human, but you're definitely not."

"Natsu!" Lisanna scolded as she pulled him back. "You don't just say something like that!"

"Now's not the time to be an idiot!" Happy also scolded.

"Besides, she's a guildmaster and the number one Wizard Saint." Trish added. "I really doubt she's…"

"Actually…" Wendy interrupted them. "I think Natsu's right… she does smell like a demon."

"Wendy?" Carla was quite surprised, along with everyone else, except for Modeus; but they were even more shocked by Kurenai's laugh, as if she had been told a joke.

"I see there's no hiding from a Dragon Slayer." Kurenai said as her laughter died down, but she still smiled. "Yes, I am indeed a demon from the Underworld."

"Saywhat?!" Gray questioned as most of the group were completely taken by surprise, even Dante was caught off guard.

"Wait… are you serious?!" Lady questioned.

"You're a demon!?" Happy exclaimed with white circular eyes.

"It's true, she is." Modeus confirmed. "A rather high-ranking and powerful demon at that. She is a capable warrior and was a commanding leader alongside Sparda in the Underworld."

"And much like Sparda, I defected from Mundus' forces upon seeing the beauty of this world." Kurenai continued. "In fact, Sparda and I were sworn siblings." That got Dante and Lucy's attention.

"You're Sparda's sister?!" Natsu shouted.

"A sworn brother or sworn sister is a term that refers to a friend that is considered especially close and loyal." Erza explained to Natsu. "It's not too different from how our guild sees each other as family."

"Sparda and I weren't related by blood, but we did share a strong bond." Kurenai continued. "And it was not just him, I worked alongside and befriended the dragons as well."

"Does that mean you knew Igneel?" Natsu asked.

"I did." Kurenai confirmed with a nod. "But while I would consider him a friend, the dragon I was closest toward was the Sky Dragon, Grandeeney." That caused Wendy to gasp slightly. "Unfortunately, I do not know of her whereabouts, nor of Igneel or the other dragons that vanished. I'm sorry." She said to the two Dragon Slayers, causing them to look down slightly before being comforted by their respective Exceed companions. "However, I will say that given your great efforts, they'd be proud of you. And Sparda would be proud of all of you." She said that to the entire group.

"So, you knew Sparda formed Fairy Tail." Lady pointed out.

"I did." Kurenai nodded. "In fact, that inspired me to form my own guild of Mermaid Heel. But unlike him, I was not quite as famous or infamous with the Underworld, so I was able to make a new identity for myself here in Earthland to ensure that none of the Underworld's forces would target Mermaid Heel."

Dante then walked toward Kurenai. "So, if you were so close with my old man, why…"

"Why didn't I help you or your family before?" She finished for him, with Dante narrowing his eyes, hoping for an answer.

"Dante… I'm sure that she…" Lucy tried to talk to him, but Kurenai held up her hand.

"It's alright, he deserves an answer." Kurenai said before facing Dante directly. "I am so sorry for what you've had to endure your whole life. I wanted to help, but Sparda was insistent that his family be kept away from most public matters, including the guilds, just so that their identities would be safe. By the time I learned of his passing, it was already too late. I tried to make it to your house, but it was already destroyed. I tried to use my connections with Mermaid Heel to find you and your brother, I learned you were taken in by Nell Goldstein and she seemed capable of protecting you. As for Vergil, I couldn't find him at all. He completely vanished…" She stopped herself for a moment. "After years I… I had to assume that… he passed on as well. But obviously that wasn't the case… he just got real good at hiding." She looked toward Dante one last time. "I know it's probably not what you want to hear, but I am truly sorry."

For a moment, Dante didn't say anything. He simply took the time to breathe, with everyone, particularly Lucy, looking at him with concern before he finally spoke.

"What's done is done. We can't change the past." Dante began. "I won't lie, the literal demons of my past tried to make my life a living hell. But… I'm fine with it. Because I've got a new family now… a place that I feel like I really belong. I've made peace with my past, so there's no need to dwell on it. But thanks anyway."

All his friends smiled toward Dante at how mature and acceptant he had been, with Kurenai being initially surprised at first before a proud smile formed on her face. "Your parents would be proud of you, and you as well Lucy. You've both done your family proud, both your blood family and Fairy Tail."

"Thanks. We'll keep doing our best." Lucy smiled brightly.

"Hey guys!" They all turned around to see Milliana waving toward them, with Lyon, Sho, and Wally beside them. "Sorry to leave, but we gotta go!"

"Oh, you're all leaving already?" Erza asked.

"I'm afraid so." Kurenai confirmed. "There is still much cleaning up we need to do. It's not just collateral damage from the crisis; because of the state we're in, several criminals, including a few small dark guilds, are trying to take advantage of the aftermath to seize what they can."

"No rest for the wicked, I see." Lady commented.

"Indeed." Lyon nodded. "We only came to pay our respects, but we have to go."

"Sorry to cut and run, especially with a funeral, but we got a job to do." Wally said.

"It's cool. You guys do what you gotta do." Natsu said in understanding.

"But we thank you for your support by coming here, especially you Lady Kurenai." Modeus added.

"I owed it to him." She said, looking up toward the statue of Sparda with a reminiscent smile before looking back toward the Fairy Tail members. "You take care." She turned around and proceeded to leave with the others.

"Bye-bye, Erza!" Milliana waved again.

"See ya later, Sis!" Sho waved as well.

"You folks keep being dandy!" Wally also waved.

"Don't get too soft now, Gray." Lyon said with a smirk.

As their friends left, Lucy looked toward the rest of her friends. "We should head back too. Everyone's waiting for us."

"Yeah, let's go." Dante agreed as they left the cathedral's grounds, but not before Dante took one last look at the statue of his old man. He gave a smile and a finger salute before walking away.


Meanwhile, the city of Fortuna also appeared to be undergoing repairs as well, having arguably received the most damage from the battle. However, contrary to the city's damaged state, the people seemed to be in high spirits as they all gathered together, surrounding a stage that was built near the construction site of the new cathedral. Standing at the center of the stage was the Archbishop of Zentopia, and several of his Cardinals.

The Archbishop raised his hand and spoke. "May all our transgressions be forgiven, whether they of the Order of the Sword or of Zentopia. Our organizations may have been merged together in order to fulfill a heinous plot, but I promise I have no intention of breaking this union. I will not let the actions of the few who were in power define the image of those who were innocent in the crisis. May the people of Fortuna rest assured, that as the new head of this union, I will devote any and all of Zentopia's resources to mend the damage that has been done to this nation, as well as that done to those who live outside. I will personally see to it that we become a doctrine for good, a new path for Zentopia and the Order! May those who lost their lives rest in peace; and those who continue to live, I humbly ask that you lend me your support in creating this new doctrine for all people of this world to find comfort and joy!"

This resulted in a standing ovation from the people gathered as they clapped and cheered, pledging their full support.

"And I ask that we all give our thanks to those who saved us!" The Archbishop continued. "Men and women who took it upon themselves to right the wrongs committed by those who longed for power! It is the Fairy Tail guild that saved us and the world from unspeakable horrors! Let us give our thanks and support to those brave souls!"

An even grander ovation was sounded; louder cheers and claps as the citizens praised their saviors: the people of the Fairy Tail guild.


Back at the Fairy Tail guildhall, all the members of the guild, including Laxus, had arrived from the service at the cathedral. They looked toward the entranceway where Byro, Sugarboy, Coco, Mary, Samuel, and Dan had all kneeled apologetically toward the guild; while Nero and Kyrie were more to the side, the former feeling a tad uncomfortable.

"As the new supreme general of the Holy Knights of the Order of the Sword…" Byro began. "I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies to the members of Fairy Tail. As well as those who in our ranks who saw our own foolishness sooner than I could and suffered for our actions." He said that last part toward Nero and Kyrie in particular.

Nero honestly felt like he should be apologizing too but given that he initially just wanted to talk things out with Fairy Tail in the beginning, and that he ended up working with them sooner, it was clear to Fairy Tail's point of view that he had already apologized.

"There's no room for remorse, just progress." Makarov said. "Let's move beyond this crisis. We may have been on opposite sides before, but you each came to our aid in our hour of need. So why don't we start anew?"

"You are as gracious as you are wise." Byro accepted as he and Makarov shook hands.

"With that settled and the funeral behind us… LET'S PARTY!" The elderly guildmaster declared, causing everyone to cheer as celebrations began. Everyone sat and began to eat and drink to their hearts content.

"Alright, let's start this off right!" Happy announced. "It's Natsu vs. Dan in a winner-eats-all food-race-athon!"

"Time to give my belly meat!" Natsu grinned as he and Dan sat at a table filled with drumsticks, ribs, and other forms of meat.

"I'm winning this for sure!" Dan declared as he and Natsu proceeded to scarf as much food as they could down their throats. But Dan was quick to poke his lance into one piece of meat on Natsu's plate, causing it to grow to enormous size. "Good luck catching up to me now, Fire breath!"

"Is he going to let him get away with that?" Romeo whispered to Happy.

"I don't think it's against the rules." The blue Exceed whispered back.

"Let's do this, Lady!" Gajeel stated as he and Lady comically glared at each other. "Iron vs. Steel! Time to settle this once and for all!"

"Ready when you are, rivet-head!" Lady replied as they locked their hands together and slammed their elbows on a table, with Patty grabbing both their locked hands.

"Alright, I want this to be a good, clean, arm-wrestling match!" Patty told the pair. "No playing dirty! Ready! Set! GO!" She let go, allowing the Iron Dragon Slayer to arm-wrestle against the Steel Devil Slayer.

"Oh my, is it always like this here?" Kyrie asked as she sat at a table along with Lisanna, Lucy, Wendy, and Carla. "We were at a funeral service about an hour ago, now everyone is celebrating."

"That's how we do things in Fairy Tail." Lisanna said. "What happened to everyone… all the people who died… Sparda and… your brother…" She said her words very carefully, even as Kyrie looked down in grief. "It's really sad… but I know they wouldn't want us to dwell on that. We celebrate to show that in the end, it all worked out."

"Indeed." Carla agreed. "We stopped the Infinity Clock and saved the world… yet again. That is worthy of celebration."

Kyrie, however, still had tears in her eyes. "I'm really sorry Kyrie about Credo." Wendy said to her. "I'm sure…"

"No… it's okay." She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to put on a smile. "You're right. He wouldn't want us to stay sad forever. I'll miss him… but I'll keep on living. I know it's what he would want."

Lucy smiled as she reached to gently grasp Kyrie's hand with hers. The blonde didn't need to say anything for Kyrie to understand her, being almost merged together in the Savior's Core allowed them to bond in some way; this was probably the second or third time interacting with each other, and yet they felt about as close as their other friends and loved ones.

"God I missed this." Wakaba said as he and Macao stood together. "Been seven years since we had a celebration like this."

"Yeah, saving the world, fighting like hell, and partying like hell right afterward." Macao smiled reminiscently. "Feels just like old times."

Gray walked up to join them. "Probably cause we were always there causing trouble." He said , pointing to Natsu's table, which he flipped over as he comically breathed fire at the screaming Dan.

"Yeah probably." Macao agreed.

"Hmm, hmm." Sugarboy sang as he suddenly appeared next to Gray. "You can save my world any time, Ice-boy. Now about a cuddle for all your hard work?" He leaned against Gray, a heart above his head while Gray, Macao, and Wakaba sweated somewhat nervously.

'Don't anything, and maybe he'll go away.' Gray thought to himself. Suddenly, Juvia appeared in-between to push Sugarboy away from Gray.

"If anybody is cuddling with my beloved Gray, it's gonna be me!" Juvia growled.

"Whoa now, there's no need for you to get all spicy, Water-girl!" Sugarboy told her as she continued to push him back.

"I'm sure you both have more than cuddling in mind." Gray winced.

"Welcome back, Laxus!" Mira praised as she and the Thunder Legion had brought a smorgasbord of food for him.

"A meal fit for a king!" Evergreen cheered.

"You've earned it man!" Bickslow stated with his tongue hanging out.

"Hell yeah!" The dolls sang.

"Don't get the wrong idea." Laxus said. "I'm still not a part of the guild."

"True, but you did come to our aid when we needed it most." Freed told him. "You saved not only our lives, but helped to save the entire world. You deserve this as much as anyone else in the guild."

"That's right." Mira smiled. "So please, party with just this once."

Laxus gave a half-smile. "Alright, just this once."

"And you're staying afterwards." Trish said, appearing across the table from him. "Ever since I took down my copy-cat, my lightning's all juiced up!" She held her hand, which sparked with white lightning. "And I need someone to test it out on." She looked to Laxus with a challenging grin.

"Oh, is that a challenge?" Laxus returned the grin with one of his own.

"Maybe it is, hot shot." She smirked back as a friction spark ignited between them.

"Whoa boy, this could get ugly." Bickslow winced.

"I don't think we can survive a storm of that magnitude." Evergreen shivered.

"Perhaps both Trish and Laxus could use this as an opportunity to test themselves." Freed seemed on board with it.

"I say they go for it!" Mira cheered.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!?" Bickslow and Evergreen all shouted.


Magic Council Headquarters

"Understood, carry on." Lahar said to an officer over the communications' lacrima before turning to Doranbolt, who was now clad in a Rune Knight uniform himself. "It seems the worst has passed. Nearly all the collateral damage resulting from the Infinity Clock has been cleaned up or is under control, and any criminals hoping to take advantage of the crisis have been dealt with or are being handled as we speak."

"That's good." Doranbolt said.

"So, what made you change your mind, if you don't mind me asking?" Lahar asked. "When I sought you out, you claimed you had no intentions of rejoining the Magic Council."

Doranbolt gave a slight sigh before replying. "After taking some time to think, I thought it might be the best decision. Even after seven years, the Magic Council seems more interested in maintaining control and improving their own personal reputation, rather than the safety of the people. But rather than just sit and drink, complaining about everything, I decided to do something about it."

"And what do you intend to do?" Lahar asked.

"I decided I'm going to change the Magic Council." Doranbolt revealed, a determined expression forming on his face. "I'll work through the ranks and become a Councilman; I'm even aiming to become the Grand Chairman. Once I have enough power, I'll be able to fix things. I'll make the Magic Council into what it was always meant to be: an organization meant to protect people and uphold the law."

Lahar smiled. "Quite an ambitious goal, and it certainly sounds familiar. I believe that Exceed from the Order of the Sword had the same idea."

"I guess I was inspired." Doranbolt said, rubbing the back of his head. "And it wasn't just him. Seeing everyone from Fairy Tail again… even those who were lost for seven years… seeing them all stand and fight despite the odds…" he chuckled. "It's funny, I infiltrated them to try and disband them… but I guess they rubbed off on me."

"I'm a little surprised you didn't say anything else to them." Lahar said. "Or to that Wendy-girl in particular. You could have taken the time to speak with them after Sanctus and the Neo Oracion Seis were defeated."

"There was nothing much to say." Doranbolt replied. "I don't expect their forgiveness. So long as they are alive and happy, that's enough for me."

Lahar walked toward his friend with a smile. "Well, hopefully this will be too. Your goal to rise through the Council's ranks and change it from within? You have my full support." He offered his hand.

Doranbolt smiled back as he accepted his hand. "Thanks. I think I'm gonna need it."


Fairy Tail guild

Outside the guildhall, while everyone else was partying inside, Lily had been asked by Coco to speak with her.

"Coco, is there something wrong?" Panther-Lily asked. "You said you wanted to speak with me."

"Well, it's just…" She hung her head down in shame. "I said some pretty horrible things to you, and I regret every single one. Like how I said I hate cats, I don't. It's just… I thought we were doing the right thing and…"

"Don't worry about it." Lily assured, holding no grudge. "You don't have to apologize. I'm just glad I got to see you again, even if you're not the same Coco I knew. It's all water under the bridge."

"I appreciate you saying that." Coco smiled.

"Ah ha! There you are!" They turned to see Samuel approaching them, who quickly transformed into his battle mode. "I was promised a rematch! I believe your exact words were 'if you challenge me again in the future, I would be happy to oblige you'?"

"Very well, then!" Lily transformed into his own battle form.

"Since you've proven capable of wielding a sword, brother. Let us see how you well you manage yourself with hand-to-hand, combat." Samuel said as he drew his swords and drove them into the ground, raising his fists.

"Sounds good to me." Lily set down Baskerville before engaging his fellow warrior Exceed with his fists alone.

"You guys are fighting right now?!" Coco comically exclaimed.


Back inside, while most of the guild continued to celebrate in their own rambunctious way, Erza and Modeus both sat at their own table, and continued to observe with smiles.

"I can never tire of this." Modeus said. "Despite all the hardships we faced, and the sacrifices made to ensure we have a future, they are still as bright as ever."

"It's important for us to learn and grow from our experiences." Erza replied. "We won't forget what we've endured because in the end, it will make us stronger, both physically and as people."

Modeus smiled and nodded with content. "I only hope that those who have passed, can find peace in knowing their sacrifice was not in vain."

"Here you go!" Kinana brought the pair a strawberry cake and strawberry sundae. "Your two favorite deserts!" She beamed.

"Thank you, Kinana." Modeus smiled.

"You seem to be in high spirits." Erza observed. "Is it true that your memories have been restored?"

"Yes, but more importantly…" A warm smile fell upon Kinana's face. "I finally found him…"


Flashback - Fortuna

Just seconds after the Savior was destroyed, Kinana arrived at the crater that was made when Cobra impacted the ground and she immediately tried to help him up.

"You've been badly injured… Don't worry, it's over now." She assured him.

"Get your hands off me…" Cobra growled, barley having the strength to move.

"Erik… don't you recognize me?" Kinana asked pleadingly. "Can't you hear my thoughts?"

His eye widened. "How did you…?" He looked into her thoughts, but he couldn't believe it. He saw her memories and knew exactly who she was. "I… I can hear it… it's you… Cubellios!" He pushed himself up, grabbing her by the shoulders as he looked at him with shaky hands and eyes. "H-How… how are you… You're human… but…"

"I was always human." She explained it to him. "But… just like you and everyone else, when I was a little girl, I was taken from my family, forced to work on the Tower of Heaven. When I refused to work for them… they put a curse on me… turned me into that snake you saw me as."

Erik's eye widened before he scowled hatefully. "Those damn bastards…!"

"But… you found me." A small smile formed on her face. "When everyone else feared me, you showed me kindness. My mind was a mess, but whenever I was near you… I felt comfort because I knew you would take care of me. After what happened with Nirvana, I wondered around the land, not knowing where I'd go next… and I'd happen to stumble upon Fairy Tail. Their master removed the curse and changed me back… but I lost my memories because of the curse. I only just now got them back…"

Erik looked away. "So you're with them, huh?"

"Look, I know how you feel but please… they're not bad people!" Kinana told him. "They were so kind and…"

"I know." Erik muttered, surprising her. "I already know…"

Before either of them could say anything else, Lahar and Doranbolt appeared at the edge of the crater via Doranbolt's Direct Line.

"You're Cobra of the Neo Oracion Seis?" Lahar addressed.

"The survivors of your group are already in our custody; we ask that you surrender peacefully." Doranbolt told him.

"And what if I don't?" Erik scowled at them.

"No! Wait! He's not a bad guy! He's not!" Kinana tried to plead with them, but her arms began to glow dark purple and radiate some kind of magic, much to Erik's surprise.

"What the…?" Doranbolt noticed it to.

"Are you resisting arrest?" Lahar questioned. 'That's odd, the girl doesn't appear to be a wizard.'

'That's Kinana from Fairy Tail.' Doranbolt recognized her from his time undercover. 'If she's an accomplice to the Neo Oracion Seis, we may have to bring her in too. The Council might even use this as an excuse to put more dirt on them as well.'

Erik heard all their thoughts, while he couldn't care less about Fairy Tail, the last thing he wanted was for Kinana to be put in another prison. Just this one time in his miserable life, he would do the right thing, for the only person he genuinely cared for.

"Relax, I'm coming!" He told them as he stood up. "Get out of here." He told Kinana before walking out of the crater.

"What…? Erik…! You don't have to do this! Please!" Kinana tried to stop him.

He stopped for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about!" He said, his back turned toward her, causing her to gasp slightly before he resumed his walk and met up with Lahar and Doranbolt.

"What about the girl?" Lahar questioned.

"Is she an accomplice of yours?" Doranbolt also questioned.

"Nope. Just some random chick who tried to help a stranger." Erik lied.

"Very well then." Lahar seemed to accept the explanation. "Let's go."

"You're giving up a lot easier than I thought you would." Doranbolt observed.

"Guess I got no more fight left in me. So we're going, or what?" They then walked away.

Despite that he was leaving her just after they found each other again, she didn't feel sad at all. To the contrary, she was happy. 'Erik… I know you have to do this, but it's okay. I promise, when you're a free man, I'll be waiting for you. I don't care how long it takes, I'll wait and never. Leave your side again.'

Naturally, he heard her thoughts and it made him feel warm inside, something he hadn't felt in a long time. 'I finally got to hear it, the sound of your voice.' Erik thought with a smile.

End Flashback


As Dante looked around at the guildhall, he noticed Nero was nowhere to be seen. Having a pretty good idea what was on his mind, he was about to head out before passing the bar where Gildarts and Byro were at.

"A moment, Dante." Byro got his attention, causing him to stop. "I know I've said it before, but everything you said was the truth. I was nothing more than a blind servant, obeying the doctrine and orders given to me without question. I thought questioning it was a question of my loyalty, but I understand that no matter how loyal you are, some questions must be asked."

"Got that right." Dante confirmed.

"Though I wasn't originally part of the Order, Zentopia still held Sparda in great respect, and so did I." Byro said, with Gildarts also paying attention. "I thought we were serving his will in our mission, but all we did was bring about a crisis he worked to prevent. Once more…" he clenched his mug in anger. "I participated in a ceremony that all but desecrated him! His stolen power flows through my veins now, and it can never be undone! So long as I live, I doubt I'll ever find peace with that!"

"You finished?" Dante asked, causing Byro to look at him in surprise as the young Devil Hunter turned to glance at him. "Yeah, extracting power from my old man's corpse is all kinds of messed up, but it's not like you're the one who dug his body up and stuck tubes in it, right?"

"W-Well… no. You are correct in that regard." Byro admitted, but still didn't seem to follow.

"Like you said, there's no going back. So rather than just sit and moan about it, why not use that power for good?" Dante suggested.

Byro did not expect Dante to say those words, but Gildarts did as he merely smirked and allowed Dante to continue.

"When you make a mistake, the only real thing you can do is try to find a way to set things right. I used to hate my old man, and his power inside me, mostly because of how much trouble it brought me and my family. But, after at least accepting there was no changing what I am, I decided to use my power to help people so they wouldn't go through the same kind of shit I did. And now, you got that same kind of power and you seem a bit more open-minded than before. So why not decide to actually follow in my old man's footsteps and use that power to help others?"

"He's not wrong about that." Gildarts said, patting Byro on the back. "Power is power, at its core it's not good or evil, it's up to the person who uses it."

Byro looked down toward his drink. "How can someone so young and arrogant also be so wise and forgiving?"

"One of the great mysteries of the universe I guess." Dante said in a joking shrug before walking away. "That power inside you is yours to use how you want. But if you decide to go the tyrant route, I'll be there waiting. No pressure or anything."

Byro could tell that Dante was joking and yet he was also quite serious. Hearing those words made him think back to the words of the Archbishop told him a few days ago.


Flashback - Fortuna

"You wish to appoint me as the supreme general of the Holy Knights?" Byro questioned as he and Guttman kneeled before the Archbishop.

"Yes, and my mind is made up." The Archbishop confirmed. "It is sad to hear of Credo's passing and I will pray for his salvation and rest, but now the Order will need somebody to fill the void he left to lead the Holy Knights."

"All due respect your holiness, but I think you may be looking in the wrong direction." Byro told him, still keeping his head bowed. "How can I, a man who almost brought about the complete destruction of this world, endangered countless innocent lives, and now wields a stolen power, possibly be put into such a position?"

"I insist my friend, you are not the only one at fault." The Archbishop insisted. "Although I was being manipulated, it was my own weakness of heart that allowed such a calamity to be unleashed. We both have much to repent for. So I ask, will you take this burden alongside me? Will you help me in making the Order of the Sword into the force for light and hope that it was always intended for?"

Though hesitant at first, Byro nodded his head in acceptance. "I will. You are far to kind, your grace."

"Does that mean little old Guttman is gonna go back in prison Mr. Archbishop?" Guttman asked. "I've been a very bad boy."

"Yes, you have made mistakes just like everyone else here." The Archbishop said to him. "However, I believe that you can also do some good for the world. Would you be willing to use your great power to help us in rebuilding the damage unleashed by the Savior? And once your taks is complete, I hope that you would be willing to join the Order's Holy Knights."

Guttman did not expect to hear that. "Really?! You want an ugly demon like me on your side?!"

"Well the Order was originally founded by a demon, so I guess it's only fair that we have one in our ranks, correct?" The Archbishop replied.

The green, cube-like demon was brought to tears. After being bullied in the Underworld and feared in Earthland, he had finally found a chance to do some good. He bowed humbly to the Archbishop. "Yes! I promise to do my very best and make everybody smile! I'll protect the world just like the great Sparda!"

End Flashback


As everyone else continued to party in the guildhall, Dante had just walked out the front door, with the only person even noticing it appearing to be Lucy.

"Hey, I haven't seen Nero around." Wendy said as she continued to sit at the table with Lucy, Kyrie, Lisanna and Carla. "And it looks like Mary isn't here either."

"I think I know where they are." Kyrie said as she stood up from the table.

"Wait, let me come too." Lucy also stood up. "If it's about what I think it is, I have something I'd like to say something."

"Thank you, Lucy. I appreciate that." Kyrie smiled.

"You want us to come too?" Lisanna asked.

"Nah, you guys just make sure the guildhall isn't burnt to the ground." Lucy joked, earning a laugh from Lisanna, Wendy, and even a small smirk from Carla.

"Hey, where are my Lulu and Kyrie-baby heading off too?" Dan asked as he saw them leave.

"Doesn't Kyrie already have a thing with Nero, and I thought you had eyes for Lisanna." Gray said in a joking tone while Juvia continued to comically push Sugarboy away from him.

"Try it and you're dead!" Natsu was already up to Dan's face in comic anger, with Elfman right behind him.

"Yeah! Only a real man is worthy of my sister!" Elfman added.

"I'd prefer not to be tied down to one woman. You gotta have some variety in love." Dan said as a matter-of-factly.

"Did he just say that with a straight face?" Levy asked.

"Can I please kill him?" Cana also questioned.

Juvia had pushed Sugarboy away and glared at Dan. "Then it's not true love, just vulgar infatuation!" Dan then gave his full attention toward Juvia, causing her to look rather uncomfortable.

"Uh oh, she's in for it now." Gray winced.

But, to everyone's surprise, Dan went straight for Lady, burying his face into her chest. "Lady-baby! She's so scary!"

"What the hell do you want me to do about it?!" She questioned.

"He's so dead." Natsu snickered to Elfman.

"Yeah, I'll send flowers." Elfman also snickered evilly.

"From the moment our eyes met, I knew it was destiny." Dan put on his playboy act, but Lady was far from amused. "Now about we go have some fun…"

*SMASH!*

With both fists coated in steel; Lady had smashed Dan's head into the ground. "Can some please kill this idiot?" She questioned as she walked away irritably.

"Should have seen that coming a mile away." Gray joked.

"Winner! First round K-0 by Lady!" Happy announced.

"Apparently her magic is meant to not only battle demons, but also men who get too handsy." Carla said.


Back outside, Coco continued to watch as Panther-Lily and Samuel exchanged blows; Lily slid back on his feet as Samuel leapt toward him to bring down a kick, which Lily blocked and parried before throwing a fist to Samuel's face, but Samuel recovered and delivered a kick to Lily's jaw. However, Panther-Lily moved in to grab Samuel and throw him toward a pile of barrels.

"This is…" Coco didn't know what to think of all this. "They're going at each other full force… yet they're smiling."

It was true, despite throwing the punches and kicks they felt against one another, Lily and Samuel never stopped smiling. It was as if they were having fun with this bout.

"You've improved a great deal, Samuel." Lily noted as the two took a moment to catch their breath. "You've managed to rid yourself of doubt."

"And yet, I'm still no match for you, am I? The most I can manage is a draw" Samuel asked, feeling satisfied despite that. "I suppose I still have much to learn."

"Nobody ever stops learning, that's the point of living." Lily said. "There's a benefit to loosing or making mistakes, even with calculations. You use those losses to learn and improve, that's the true mark of a warrior in my opinion."

"Then I'll be sure to keep an open mind from now on." Samuel said with a nod. "I'm sure this experience has taught all of us that much at least." He spared a glance at Coco, who nodded in silent agreement.


Nero sat on a hillside that overlooked Magnolia, all by himself. Obviously, there was a lot on his mind as he looked to his demonic hand with an unreadable expression. He had saved not only Kyrie and the rest of his friends but also helped save the whole world. While he was happy and satisfied with that, there was still one nagging piece of info that he couldn't quite seem to get out of his head. The fact that he was an artificial being, created from the extracted cells of Sparda.

"Hey." He glanced up to see Mary walking toward him. "Guess you're out here by yourself, too?"

"Yeah." Nero nodded.

The two descended into awkward silence for a moment before Mary spoke. "I'm sorry Nero… f-for everything…"

"Yeah." Nero repeated, it was pretty much all he could say.

"I thought you'd be out here too, Mary." Approaching from behind was the trio consisting of Dante, Lucy, and Kyrie, with the later speaking. "You know you can talk to us about anything, both of you." She said to Mary as well as Nero.

"I-I don't get you Fairy Tail guys at all…" Mary began to confess. "After all the shit I did… hurting all of you… and it wasn't just you guys… I hurt my own friends too. How can any of you be so forgiving?"

"You fought you we're doing the right thing, we did too." Lucy said. "You were being manipulated, it was outside your control."

"No, it wasn't!" Mary exclaimed, surprising Lucy. "All you guys knew something was up, even you guys!" She exclaimed toward Kyrie and Nero, tears forming in her eyes. "But I didn't listen to any one of you! Not even you, Kyrie! I-I couldn't believe it… But maybe if I did… then you wouldn't have gotten taken, Kyrie and maybe Credo would still be here!"

"M-Mary… you don't know…" Kyrie tried to console her.

"There's nothing that can be done." Dante said, getting Mary's attention. "I got a newsflash for ya, we've all got shit like that we gotta deal with. Everyone in the world's always thinking 'maybe I should have done it differently', or 'I shouldn't have done that', coulda, shoulda, woulda, it's all the same. It's all part of a pile of regrets that just keeps on piling up. We all deal with that, but what's important is what we do with it. You can either dwell on it, or learn from it."

"Dante, you don't have to be so…" Lucy didn't exactly like how straight forward he was acting.

"No, he's right." Mary confessed. "Regrets… I sure got plenty of those." She took out her wand. "When I was little, I was enslaved by a dark guild. They made me do all kinds of bad things, I was used pretty much my whole life. But the Order found me and took me in, Sanctus gave me power and told me I could use that power to help others, and that I was serving the will of Sparda. I thought as long as I did what Sanctus told me, I was doing right by Sparda too, I was willing to do anything for them. Finally, it was my turn to control people. As soon as I did, I felt like I was getting back on those bastards who were using me; but I was still just a puppet in the end. I was a toy being used by Sanctus, who really didn't give a rat's ass about me."

"That makes two of us." Nero said, still sitting and staring out into the city. "I'm a literal puppet that was made by Sanctus. The whole reason for my existence was just to help some whack job take over the world. Now all that is gone and… I don't know what's next for me."

"Maybe that's a good thing." Lucy said, getting both their attention. "You both now have a clean slate, you can do what you want and you don't have to worry about somebody else making your choices for you."

"Listen… Lucy I… I'm sorry." Nero began. "Back when this whole mess started… I took the clock hand… and you were crying… begging me not to. It was the last piece of your old man… but I took it anyway."

"You thought you were trying to secure a dangerous weapon." She replied. "And right after, we ended up talking like you wanted and agreed to work together."

"For all the good that did." Nero grunted. "Sanctus and the Neo Oracion Seis got what they wanted, and it all went to shit."

"Maybe, but we still kicked their assess, and saved the world. We won." Dante said. "Even though it came at a price."

Kyrie, Mary, and Nero looked down at that, more tears stinging their eyes; the memory of Credo and his final moments passing through their minds.

"Credo was used just like the rest of us." Mary stuttered. "And you guys were tricked by Michelle, who was also being used…" Dante and Lucy's expressions dimmed at that as Mary continued. "So many people being used… so many of the people we cared about being hurt… by my hand or somebody else's… but I never wanted my friends to get hurt… Kyrie…I.. I'm so sorry!" She was sobbing. "You getting kidnapped, your brother, all of it… that was the last thing I wanted… to you especially! I'm so sorry!"

Kyrie wasted no time in pulling Mary into a hug, much to her surprise, even as Kyrie cried as well. "It wasn't your fault, Mary. Please don't blame yourself."

Mary embraced her back. "I-I've always loved you, Kyrie… but I knew you didn't feel that way about me… B-But I couldn't… I couldn't accept…I…"

"Sshh, it's okay." Kyrie consoled. "I knew how you felt, but I should have said something. I thought that I'd just end up hurting you if I did… I'm the one who should be saying sorry."

Nero gave a slight sigh as he pushed himself up. "Hey." He got Dante and Lucy's attention. "Right after we took down Sanctus, I did a little digging on my end. I heard from your friends about you finding the real Michelle Lobster, so I worked with your friend Morrison to put the pieces together. Turns out, Sanctus only kept her alive and close because he thought her family's fortune could be a fall back to help jumpstart something new if the Order of the Sword failed. And, those documents that say the Lobsters and Heartfilias are related…?"

"They're fakes, aren't they?" Dante assumed.

"Yeah." Nero confirmed. "I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Lucy said, surprising him. "To be honest, we had a feeling that was the case and now we know for sure. We can put it behind us."

"You're… taking it better than I thought…" Nero noted.

"Yeah, it's sad… but we still got all our friends… just like you, Nero." Lucy told him with a smile.

"Look kid, you were made in a petri-dish from my old man's body, there's no sugar coating it." Dante began. "But whatever 'purpose' you were made for doesn't matter. You live, breath, and think of your own will, that gives you the right to choose what kind of life you want to live. I may not have known you your whole life, but I've seen enough to know you're not a copy of my old man, you're not his 'clone', you're his son. Yeah, you got some similarities, but more than a few differences though. You don't have his subtlety, for instance." He joked that part before smiling genuinely. "You do have his heart though. You were willing to go to hell and back for your girl and the other people you care for, even going out of the way to help complete strangers. So, you wanna live a life that's different from my old man's, or one that you can call your own: take care of the people you love, or don't. It's your choice, your life."

Those words seemed to have quite an impact on Nero, looking out toward the city with a thoughtful expression once again. That is until he felt his hand, his demonic one, being gently grabbed. He looked to see Kyrie smiling at him with emotional eyes, one look in those eyes told him that she would always be by his side no matter what, she would love him no matter what, and she would follow whatever path he chose. Nero pulled her into a grateful embrace.

Dante smirked as Lucy smiled emotionally, and even Mary smiled. As they pulled away, Mary got his attention. "Nero, I'm sorry I was such a jealous bitch to you. But if you're the one who makes Kyrie happy, then I'm happy. So… maybe we could… start over?" She offered her hand.

Nero smiled. "Sounds like a plan." He accepted her hand.

"Oh, not just with her though." Lucy also stepped forward. "Don't forget, you helped save my life to, so let me thank you as well Nero." She smiled brightly.

"Yeah, thanks for saving Lucy. She's one of the few family I got left." Dante also thanked him.

"You're welcome." Nero nodded. "Oh, and speaking of family… I know you two are cousins, and since Sparda's my 'dad', I guess that makes Dante and I half-brothers. But what about you and me?" He asked Lucy. "What does that make us?"

Lucy actually tried to think about that. "Well… I'm not really sure. Dante and I are cousins because our mothers were sisters, I don't have any blood relation with his father's side like you. So, biologically speaking, I guess were not related."

Nero rolled his eyes in joking annoyance. "Another one of those third cousins twice removed, crap? Great."

"Yeah, that's hard to keep up with. But, as far as I'm concerned you and I are family, so let's just keep it simple and say we're cousins, okay?"

Nero didn't expect that. Was Lucy really considering him family, just like that? But, the thought didn't feel weird to him at all. If anything, it felt good. He looked past her toward Dante, to see him giving a smile and a nod as well. Nero smiled back at him as well as Lucy.

"Sure, why not?"


The rest of the day was spent celebrating at the guildhall, by the time the sun had begun to set, it was time to say goodbyes. Byro, Nero, Kyrie, Coco, Mary, Sugarboy, Samuel, and Dan were all outside, facing the rest of the Fairy Tail guild to extend their farewells.

"We thank you for your hospitality and forgiveness." Byro told them. "But now it is time we leave."

"So, what do you intend to do now?" Macao asked as he stood with Makarov.

"Going back to Fortuna, I take it?" Makarov asked.

"That is correct." Byro confirmed. "Despite the devious purpose for Zentopia and the Order's merging, the Archbishop has decide that the two will remain merged. Under his leadership, he hopes to reform the Order into the force for good that it was always meant to be, and we intend to give him our full support. So, from this day forward, Fairy Tail can consider the Order to be its ally. Whatever forces of evil that may come our way, be they from the Underworld or this world, we will face them together."

"Sounds good. So, if you wanna reach out, just give us a call." Dante told them.

"But there are some things that we have to say. First off…" Kyrie walked up toward a certain Dragon Slayer. "Your name is Natsu, right?"

"Yep, that's me." Natsu confirmed, and was taken off guard when she bowed her head toward him.

"Thank you! You saved my life… and the lives of all my friends! My home! Thank you so much!" She lifted her head with an emotional smile. "You and the rest of your guild!"

Natsu rubbed the back of his head with a smile. "Ah don't worry about it, helping people is what we do."

"Your guild is truly something special." Kyrie said.

"And it's something we want to be a part of." Nero added as he walked up alongside Kyrie. Those words however took Natsu, Lucy, and many others by surprise.

"Hold on, what are you saying?" Gray asked.

Nero looked toward Kyrie at first, feeling a bit nervous, but she held his hand and simply smiled with a nod. He then turned to face them directly. "If it's alright, let us join Fairy Tail. Me and Kyrie."

Most of the guild wizards looked in surprise. "You want to join Fairy Tail?" Happy questioned.

"But what about your friends?" Lisanna asked.

"We already talked about it with them." Nero gestured behind as each of his friends from the Order had understanding looks on their faces before looking to Dante. "I've been thinking about what you said, about me choosing my own path in life. I spent my entire life on Fortuna, even if I wasn't all that serious about my duty, the Order of the Sword was all I really knew. If I'm going to figure out what kind of person I am… or the kind of person I want to be… I can't stay on that same island anymore. I need to see a bit more of the world."

"And you believe Fairy Tail is the best way to go about it." Erza noted.

"Guilds receive jobs from all over the country, right?" Nero asked rhetorically. "Seems like a good place to start, and earn some money too."

"And wherever Nero goes, I go." Kyrie also stepped up. "Just like him, I lived my whole life on Fortuna, and I want to learn more about the world that Sparda sacrificed so much to protect, the world that my brother gave his life to help save. And, maybe learn a bit more about my own magic. So, if you can find it in your hearts… please accept me and Nero into your ranks. I promise you won't…"

"I'm gonna stop you right there." Trish said with a smile. "You don't have to give a heartfelt speech or anything."

"Yeah, if you wanted to join us, you could have just said so." Lady added. "It's not like we're picky about who joins us."

"This guild has three Dragon Slayers, Exceeds, demons and half-demons, and all sorts of unique individuals." Modeus said. "So, I'm sure the two of you would fit in quite nicely."

"If you are certain this is what you two want, then I promise you will be welcomed into Fairy Tail with open arms." Makarov said with a smile. "Nero, Kyrie, we would be honored to have you join us."

That caused them both to smile.

"However, it's also important that you don't forget the bonds you have already forged with those outside the guild. They are just as important as any other." Makarov said, gesturing to their old friends behind them, who had emotional but understanding smiles.

"Guys… I… we don't…" Nero wasn't quite sure what to say. These people were the friends that he's known since childhood, so saying goodbye wasn't exactly easy.

"Hmm, mmm you don't have to explain it Devil Boy." Sugarboy said. "A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."

"We already talked about it, so there's no need to get all emotional…" Mary said, on the verge of crying again. But Kyrie took both her hands in hers.

"No matter what Mary, I'll always be your friend." She said. "And I'm certain you'll find a girl who will love you back, she's out there."

Mary laughed, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Yeah… thanks for everything."

"Dan, try to be a bit more respectful to girls from now on." Nero told him. "Unless you wanna die alone."

"Ah I'll be fine." Dan assured. "What lady doesn't love a man in armor?"

"The kind that sees the man wearing it." Nero commented.

"Seriously though, gonna miss you buddy." Dan said with a sincere smile.

"You too." Nero replied, both clasping their hands together. Coco then ran up to Nero, hugging and crying into his chest.

"I'll miss you so much, Nero! You'll always be my big brother!" She looked up to him with a happy and teary expression.

Nero chuckled, a small tear in his own right eye as he ruffled her hair. "See ya around, little sis."

"Sammy, try not to be such a know-it-all all the time." Kyrie told the Exceed as she kneeled to his level.

"I make no promises, you can't hold back a mind like this." Samuel boasted, causing Kyrie to giggle. "But I will miss you, that I do promise. And I also promise that should you or Nero need me, I will be there. No matter what."

"I know." Kyrie removed his hat to scratch him behind the ears. "You'll always be that little kitty we hatched from an egg." Samuel leapt into her arms as she held him tight.

Nero walked toward Byro to shake his hand. "You got a big job ahead of you, old man. Can you handle it?" Nero asked.

"I will lead in Credo's stead to the best of my abilities, and I promise to honor his memory." Byro assured. "And if you should need assistance, I will be there."

"We'll be there too if you need help, so don't be afraid to ask." Nero told him.

"Of course." Byro nodded.

As Nero and Kyrie walked back toward the guild that would be there's, those among Fairy Tail began to exchange their goodbyes with the Order's knights as well.

"Coco, thanks again for all your help." Lucy smiled to the girl. "And Mary, I know you'll do good things with your power."

"But if you end up losing yourself, let me know and I'll shock you back to your senses again." Trish joked.

"Once was enough… thanks." Mary winced. "But seriously, I'll tots do the best I can."

"I hope to see you again soon, Lucy! Please take care of Nero and Kyrie for us!" Coco waved.

Panther-Lily and Samuel both flew up to exchange a paw-to-paw fist-bump. "My calculations say I'll win next, bro."

"Challenge me anytime, Sam." Lily accepted. "Good luck."

"Awe, how cute." Happy gushed.

"They even have new nicknames for each other." Carla smiled.

"Hopefully the next time we meet, the fate of the world won't be at stake." Lisanna joked.

"With our luck though, I'd say it's a given. Let us know if you need help." Gray said.

"Focus on honing your strengths, both in combat and as people, I'm sure you'll become stronger than you've ever been before." Erza told them.

"Not strong enough to beat us, though." Lady joked.

Sugarboy gave a finger salute, to Gray in particular. "Well, you can always help me out, spicey-ice boy!"

"See ya next time, Lady! Looking forward to it!" Dan smirked.

'And I'll have my guns loaded.' Lady thought.

"Hey old man." Dante got Byro's attention. "If you get bored and need a good spar, give me a call." A grin formed on the young Devil Hunter's face. "I'm looking forward to round two."

Byro gave a nod. "I will humbly accept any challenge you have to offer, Crimson Knight Dante, Son of Sparda. And I promise to do everything to honor the legacy your father left."

"Oh hey, Octo-Geezer! Got one last thing to say!" Natsu called out to him.

"What is it, Natsu?" Byro asked.

"Don't you get tired of looking serious and grumpy, all the time?" Natsu asked in a friendly fashion. "Try cracking a smile once in a while."

"Him? Smile? Think you might be barking up the wrong tree, fire-breath." Nero joked.

"Nero!" Kyrie scolded before smiling apologetically toward him. "Sorry, but… you know… a smile would be nice."

Byro looked more embarrassed than anything else.

"Oooh." Sugarboy seemed on-board with the concept, just like the rest of their comrades.

"Well, it's true." Mary admitted.

"Yeah, the ladies love a man who rocks a smile!" Dan agreed.

"It certainly wouldn't hurt you to give it a try." Samuel encouraged it.

After a moment, he spoke. "You once suggested I open my heart to them, didn't you Coco?" He asked the young girl, who was surprised that he even remembered that. "It took a while for me to realize it, but I finally realize what you were trying to tell me then."

Byro then tried to give the best smile he could, though to be honest, it seemed rather forced and even caused everyone around him to cringe slightly, or just laugh.

"I'm sorry, but that's like uber creepsvile." Mary winced.

"Yeah, kinda looks like you're taking a shit." Nero criticized and joked at the same time.

"That was scary, Byro! Please don't ever do that again!" Coco almost cried.

"You're the ones who asked for it!" He exclaimed.

"It was a good first try though!" Kyrie told him. "Just keep practicing…!"

After a shared laugh from everyone, the Knights of the Order of the Sword bid farewell to Fairy Tail one last time before heading on their way, leaving Nero and Kyrie to be accepted into the guild with open arms. Already quite literally as many of them were giving the pair friendly noogies, arm embraces, full hugs, and other sorts of affectionate and welcoming gestures.

As they were pulled inside to celebrate once again, Dante stayed out to pay one last glance at the sunset with a satisfied smile. 'Welp, that's another apocalypse averted. How long do you think it'll be to the next one, Michelle?' He opened his jacket slightly, to reveal the Michelle doll was in his inner right pocket. Even though it was just a doll, he could almost feel her smiling. 'Sorry things didn't quite go the way you planed, but I promise we'll live our lives to the fullest and we'll never forget you or the others who sacrificed everything to make all this happen. And yeah, that includes you too, Dad.'

He was soon joined by Lucy, who looked toward the doll before looking up toward Dante with a happy and cheery grin, which he returned with a smirk of his own. With that, the pair turned back around to rejoin the rest of their family in welcoming their two newest members.


The Next Day – Magic Council Headquarters

Doranbolt and Lahar walked through the halls of the council building before crossing paths with one of their superiors and council members.

"Welcome back, Master Org." Doranbolt greeted. "How was the council meeting? Did it go well?" Org only gave a nod in response.

"Has a decision been reached in regard to the Inter-Guild Commers Treaty Revision?" Lahar asked.

"Yes, it has." Org confirmed. "But we all know that's not the reason you've come here today."

"The chief members of Fairy Tail have returned, including Sparda's youngest son Dante. We fought alongside them in Fortuna." Lahar said.

"For political reasons, the Chairman has attempted to pin all the blame for that whole incident on their return." Org said. "And given how Sanctus, his closest followers, and half the Neo Oracion Seis were killed in that battle, it seemed like he would have gotten his way."

"But it didn't go like that?" Doranbolt asked.

"Yes. Multiple eyewitness reports have shown Fairy Tail defending the innocent people of not only Fortuna, but also those in Magnolia alongside the other guilds working to abate the Infinity Clock's powers." Org explained. "Needless to say, word of that spread like wildfire. Already, most of Fiore has seen the returning members of Fairy Tail as their saviors, which has already increased their popularity and reputation. As you can imagine, the Chairman wasn't quite happy about that."

"But due to the Order of the Sword and Neo Oracion Seis attacking Fairy Tail first, he can't disband them due to the Inter-Guild Commers Treaty." Doranbolt said.

"Yes, that is correct." Org confirmed. "But regardless, the matter has been resolved, and the magic world is free to be as unbound by worry as before. Still, I can't shake the feeling that this is an omen for something worse." He turned to look out the window toward the horizon. "It's been seven years since Acnologia and Zeref were last seen on Tenrou Island."

"I apologize, sir." Lahar said. "The lack of progress falls on my shoulders."

"Perhaps we should bolster the observation unit." Org suggested. "These past seven years have been far too quiet. We've managed to keep tabs on Sabertooth's rise to power through Vergil, but Tartaros, the only remaining head of the Baram Alliance has remained silent."

"Vergil? Dante's older brother?" Doranbolt asked. "How can we keep tabs on Sabertooth through him? I thought the Magic Council's laws prohibit any one of our employ from joining a guild."

"You haven't told him, Lahar?" Org asked.

"Told me what?" Doranbolt questioned.

"I'm sorry, but given the crisis we were facing, I couldn't find the appropriate time to tell you." Lahar said. "Vergil is officially a part of Sabertooth, yes. However, much like your previous position with Fairy Tail, he is also reporting directly with the Council."

"So, he's a spy." Doranbolt didn't quite like the idea.

"This is kept off the record, only the Council and a handful of Rune Knights are aware of this." Org told him. "Technically, this is a leak by telling you. However, I can't say I agree with this decision. I've met Vergil and… it's impossible to read him. He doesn't appear to exhibit any emotion, he carries this aura of cold around him, while also holding a powerful presence wherever he goes. Even I find him somewhat intimidating."

"From what I've gathered during my time in Fairy Tail, Vergil isn't on the best of terms with them." Doranbolt said. "Is that the reason the Magic Council recruited him as a spy?"

"One of the reasons, yes. Given Fairy Tail has a Son of Sparda in their ranks, the Council wants one on their side as well." Org answered. "Also, they believe his power could be used against Zeref and Acnologia should we face them again in the future. Even Fiore's royal family feels that way, with Vergil, and by extension, Sabertooth, having gained favor among them."

"Forgive me sir, but I don't like this." Doranbolt said.

"I don't blame you. However, a new dawn may be on the horizon." Org said, gazing up at the sun in the sky. "Perhaps a light that will break through this darkness of uncertainty."

"And you believe to be Fairy Tail?" Lahar asked.

Org laughed as he turned around and proceeded to walk away. "Ironic, isn't it? After all the disdain I've held for them, I'm placing my hopes on that group of troublemakers. I must be getting old."


Fairy Tail guildhall.

"And there you go!" Mira smiled as she placed the Fairy Tail guild emblems on Nero and Kyrie. Nero's was dark blue and on the back of his right shoulder, while Kyrie's was white and on the back of her left hand. "It's official, welcome to Fairy Tail, you two!"

"Thank you, Mira!" Kyrie smiled.

"Yeah, thanks." Nero put his jacket back on, which had also undergone a change. While the emblem of the Order of the Sword remain sewn on the right shoulder of his jacket, the left shoulder now had a red Fairy Tail emblem sewn onto it as well. "And thanks for doing the jacket too."

"No problem, I'm happy to help!" Mira nodded.

"Hey, did you guys read the papers?!" Patty ran into the building, getting everyone's attention as she excitedly slammed a newspaper onto a table. "Everyone knows you guys helped out in Fortuna, and Fairy Tail's popularity gone through the roof!"

"Whoa! Seriously?!" Lucy questioned as everyone was more than shocked by this.

"Looks that way." Gray said, getting a good look at the newspaper himself.

"Well, we did stop an apocalypse, so I guess we were due for some credit." Dante leaned back on his chair causally sporting a grin, putting his feet up on the table with pride.

Natsu laughed. "Yeah! Watch out Fiore! Fairy Tail's gonna be number one in no time!"

"Aye sir!" Happy cheered

"Hold on there, kiddos." Wakaba stopped anyone from getting excited. "We're a long way away from that spot again."

"Yeah, Sabertooth's still the number one guild in Fiore, remember?" Max added.

"Would you care to remind us of Sabertooth? We don't know much about them." Erza confessed. "Other than the fact of Vergil being in their ranks."

Dante, Lucy, Trish, Lady, and even Natsu had serious expressions at the mention of that name, while Nero and Kyrie exchanged confused looks.

"They surpassed Blue Pegasus and Mermaid Heel a while back." Romeo added. "In fact, the only guild that even comes close to rivaling them is Mermaid Heel."

"And those guys got the number one Wizard Saint as their guildmaster." Lady put in. "If these cats can surpass them, then they gotta be serious."

"Think Vergil might have just carried them the whole way?" Gray asked. "We all know strong that guy is."

"Vergil is certainly powerful, but I doubt even he could carry an entire guild by himself all the way to the first spot." Modeus commented.

"You mentioned that guy before." Nero said, recalling their talk in the underground cathedral. "Isn't he your brother or something?" He asked to Dante.

"Yeah, but we don't exactly see eye-to-eye." Dante replied before chuckling. "It's funny, we're actually twin brothers, but given I was frozen for seven years and he lived through that time, I guess I really am the kid brother now."

"How strong is Vergil, exactly?" Kyrie asked.

"If you were to compare Dante to Vergil, I'd say Vergil is the stronger one." Lisanna said.

"Seriously?" Nero asked in surprise. 'Dante managed to take down a juggernaut like Byro one-on-one, and even KOd the head of the Neo Oracion Seis by himself. And there's somebody stronger than him?'

"Yeah, but the last time we saw him was seven years ago." Trish added. "So, without a doubt, he's definitely gotten stronger."

"Modeus is right though, it's not just Vergil." Alzack said, standing next to his wife. "Before he even joined, nobody even heard of Sabertooth before."

"But then their new master came along the same time Vergil did, bringing five incredibly strong wizards joined, combine them with Vergil and there was no stopping them." Bisca added.

"Vergil's one thing, but five other members with him made that much of a difference?" Lucy questioned.

"Sounds like they've got some serious guts." Natsu smirked.

"And you wanna go pick a fight with them, right?" Dante assumed.

"Got that right." Natsu confirmed.

"I've never met them, but I've heard a lot of crazy things about Sabertooth." Patty said. "Like they have people pay them in advance for their jobs, and the missions they take are so dangerous that all the other guilds are so scared, they won't even think about doing them!"

"Now you definitely got me pumped! I can't wait to see what these guys got!" Natsu grinned.

"I know we were dead last when we got back, but since we helped stop the Infinity Clock and the Neo Oracion Seis, that means we gotta move up the ranking, right?" Wendy hoped.

"It's good to be optimistic, but don't let your guard down Wendy." Carla advised. "Remember, these people have had seven years to get ahead of us, so it's not as if we're going to make it back to the number one spot overnight."

"But we gonna get back to the top even if we have to claw our way back up! Man this is gonna be fun! I'm all fired up now!" Natsu cheered.

"I'm cool with it." Dante was also on-board. "The higher the spot, the more the dough we'll rake in."

"Yeah!" Happy cheered as well. "And now we got two Sons of Sparda on our side! With powerhouses like Dante, Nero, Natsu, and Gildarts, we'll be unstoppable!"

"Wow Nero, they're already considering you a powerhouse?" Kyrie giggled as Nero looked in a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

"Well, looks like I found a way to kill my time. Guess I'll give it my all." Nero said.

"Geeze, don't get all excited on us." Lady joked sarcastically.

"Let's do this!" Lisanna cheered. "We'll make Fairy Tail number one again in no time!"

"Yeah! Let's show them what we're made of!" Wendy also cheered.

"Sounds like a party." Trish smirked.

"Looks like their minds are all made up." Mira smiled toward Erza.

"It sure seems that way." The redhead nodded in agreement. "Of course, I'll help to. I find Sabertooth to be rather intriguing."

"In addition, we should be keeping a close eye on them, given Vergil is in their ranks." Modeus commented.

"Got that right." Dante nodded with a serious look on his face, one that had Lucy looking with concern.

Cana then walked in. "Hey, sorry to interrupt but… have you seen Gildarts anywhere?"

"What's the matter? Is widdle Cana lonely without her Daddy around?" Gray teased, only to get smacked in the back of the head by Trish. "Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

"For being an idiot!" Trish stated, giving a not-so-subtle gesture towards Lucy, causing Gray to wince, realizing his mistake.

"Sorry Lucy…"

"It's okay." The blonde assured with a smile. "Seriously, don't worry about it."

Behind the job request board, Juvia peeked out with a comically scary look in her eyes. 'Gray never considers my feelings like that!' She clenched the side of the board so hard, it nearly shattered.

"Dad and Master Makarov said they were going with Gildarts to the old guildhall." Romeo answered for Cana. "It was master's idea, and he didn't say what it was about."

"Halle-freaking-luja!" Cana cheered, running out the door with a barrel of beer in her arms. "I'm going out on a job before he realizes I'm gone!"

"Is Cana having a fight with her father?" Kyrie asked Lady. "Why would she be happy about not going on a job with him?"

"No fight or anything, he just acts all lovey-dovey with her and she doesn't take too well to it." Lady explained.

"Here I thought girls love to be spoiled by their dads." Nero joked.

"She's been spoiled enough with how much booze she guzzles down." Trish commented.

Nero shook his head with a chuckle. "Man, I've been here less than twenty-four hours, and I already feel at home here. Fairy Tail is one strange place."


The old Fairy Tail guildhall, what was once the home of the aforementioned guild, and had the appearance of a palace, a symbol of their strength and resolve was now a far cry from how it used to be. It was now abandoned and all boarded up; with the members of the guild unable to maintain the payments needed for it at the time, it had been seized by Magnolia and locked off from the public. It was a real shame.

But that did not stop Makarov from entering and leading Macao and Gildarts inside as well. The short and old Wizard Saint led the pair down a flight of stairs underneath the main building, with small candles barley lighting the way for them.

"Hey Master, are you sure it's okay to be in here?" Gildarts asked. "I mean, the property's been seized. Aren't we trespassing?"

"It'll be ours again soon enough." Makarov replied.

Macao sighed. "I'm sorry Master, this is my fault. If had led the guild better, I…"

"There's no room for that Macao." Makarov told him. "You did the best you could and kept the guild alive for the past seven years, and I'm eternally grateful for it."

"Still feel like I could have done better." Macao looked away in partial shame.

"How long is this staircase?" Gildarts asked as there didn't appear to be an end in sight. "And how come we've never heard of the guildhall having a basement like this?"

"That's because I've never told anyone about it." Makarov answered.

"Why all the secrecy?" Gildarts asked again as they finally came to the end of the stairs and toward a large door.

"Patience, you'll both find out soon enough." Makarov grabbed the door handles, which were covered in so much dust, as if the door hadn't been touched in a very long time. "Here we go." He opened the doors and allowed Gildarts and Macao to enter.

The three of them were now in a large chamber that bore the Fairy Tail emblem on the floor and walls, with a massive sealed gate on the other side. The chamber itself looked large enough to rival the interior of the abandoned guildhall above them.

"Where exactly are we?" Macao asked as he and Gildarts looked around.

"Macao, you have looked out for the guild for seven long years." Makarov began. "Though you weren't officially appointed as master, it is still only right that you see this."

Makarov waved his finger around before a massive golden magic circle appeared on the gate, causing it to open and unleash a bright white light, one that would be considered blinding to the average person. Yet despite the bright light, Gildarts and Macao could both see clearly what the source of that light was.

"Before you is Fairy Tail's greatest secret: the Lumen Histoire!" Makarov revealed.

Both Gildarts and Macao's eyes widened so much, they were almost circular. Their pupils shrunk and shook as their mouths went agape.

"W-Wha… what the hell… am I even looking at…?" Macao stuttered. "This magic power… it's insane!"

"I… What is this overwhelming feeling…?!" Gildarts was also at a loss for words. "H-How could this even exist…?!"

"This is the essence of Fairy Tail." Makarov said. "The true essence Mavis spoke of. And given the recent revelation that Sparda was a founder of our guild, it's safe to say that he likely had a hand in its creation as well."

"I… What is… all this… I don't know what to say…" Macao fell backwards on his rear, not believing what he was seeing.

"I don't blame you for being overwhelmed." Makarov said. "The first time Master Precht brought me to this place, I almost forgot to breathe."

"This has been under our feet the whole time?!" Gildarts questioned before finally taking his eyes off it and looking to Makarov. "Hold on, why are you showing this to us?!"

"Because like Precht before me, it's my job to choose the next guildmaster." Makarov revealed. "Macao, you have done well these past seven years, but it is time for you to step down now. Gildarts, it is now your time. Lead Fairy Tail well."


Meanwhile, two mysterious individuals appeared on the top of a hill surrounded by various old ruins. The one sitting on a large brick was a spikey blonde young man with dark blue eyes, and a scar above his right eye. He wore a blue vest with gold outer edges and gray fur inner edges over a short cream top that exposed his six-pack abdomen. He also had gray pants, held up by suspenders, with dark blue galosh-esque footwear reaching up to his thighs. His arms were covered by dark blue gloves that stretched up to his forearms, and on his left shoulder was the white emblem of the Sabertooth guild, resembling the prehistoric cat of their guild's namesake.

Standing behind him was another young man with long black hair, which almost reached down to his shoulders, covering the right side of his face, leaving only his left red eye visible. He wore an open and long black robe that stretched down to his feet with golden edges and a white ribbon tied around the neck-area. Underneath his robe, he wore a light gray long-sleeved shirt with brown cuffs. He wore black pants underneath a waistguard consisting of four long pieces of cloth reaching below his knees, with the prominent symbol of a dark red cross and fan-shaped arms on each of them. He also had a katana underneath his robe, that had the white Sabertooth emblem stitched onto the left shoulder.

"Hey, did you hear?" The blonde asked his companion. "They're finally back."

"Who? Be more specific." The dark-haired one replied.

"The Fairy Tail members who went missing on Tenrou Island seven years ago." The blonde specified.

"Oh. Yes, I've heard. The ones who supposedly defeated the Order of the Sword and abated the crisis that we and the other guilds worked to clean up."

"What's wrong, Rogue? You feeling jealous? I mean we could have taken care of that mess in five seconds if we were there."

"I couldn't care less about who did it as long as it the crisis was settled; you know that Sting." The dark-haired man apparently named Rogue replied to his comrade, Sting.

"What about you, Vergil? Your kid brother was among those who went missing, right?" Sting asked, referring to a third man who stood atop a broken pillar above them. His white hair may have been styled the same way. His back was turned toward them as he wore a black coat with a long tail on the right side and a collar with a larger left side, the coat also having a dark blue inside. He also wore dark blue dress slacks with black leather shoes. His coat also had dark blue ornate scrollwork sewn onto the left side of the upper back, and on his left arm was a blue strap that had the black Sabertooth emblem onto it. Strapped to his left side was his signature katana.

"I suspected their return was inevitable." The eldest Son of Sparda spoke, his back still turned and not even facing them. "This particular group of wizards, much like my brother, are quite difficult to kill."

"Bet it takes you guys back, doesn't it?" Sting said to both Vergil and Rogue. "Last time we saw any of them, we could reach up to their knees. I used to remember you looking up to Gajeel like crazy, Rogue. But I didn't care for him, he was scary."

"Stop bringing up the past, Sting. We chose to follow a different path than them." Rogue stated.

"Hey Vergil, got an honest question for ya." Sting told him. "Dante was supposed to be your twin brother, right? Well since apparently him and the rest of the Tenrou wizards haven't aged in seven years, aren't you technically older than him now?"

"Perhaps you should focus more on that one dark wizard that you have failed to kill." Vergil said as a man with a bow and arrow came up to them.

"I found you! Take this!" The dark wizard fired a glowing white energy arrow toward Rogue, his back turned toward him. However, Sting caught the energy arrow with his bare hands, much to the dark wizard's shock, and that shock grew even more as he saw Sting bite into it. "H-He's eating… the arrow!? Don't tell me… is he…?"

After eating the whole thing, Sting fired a large and condensed beam of white energy from his mouth toward the dark wizard, which seemed to shoot past the right side of his head and pierce through the stone wall behind him, leaving a gaping hole. Though the dark wizard remained alive, it seemed his right ear and most of his face was burnt off.

"Aw damn it." Sting stood up as he and Rogue faced him directly. "I took off an ear, but his head's still attached."

"I-It is you…!" The dark wizard stuttered. "White Dragon Sting Eucliffe and Shadow Dragon Rogue Cheney! Sabertooth's twin Dragon Slayers!" He then gazed up to the third man, who cast a slight glance in his direction. "A-And… T-t-t-the D-D-Devil Prince, Vergil!"

"You gonna stand there and gawk all day pal?" Sting teased. "Or are you ready to join your friends on the other side?" He gestured behind him at the bottom of the hill where the bodies of over two dozen dark wizards lay dead.

"Surrender now and I can guarantee you'll be brought in alive." Rogue told him. "Refuse, and you will die."

However, rather than piss his pants, attempt to run away, or even surrender, the dark wizard began to chuckle maniacally. "Oh, this is perfect! This is exactly what I wanted! I may die here, but I'll at least be content with the fact I killed a Son of Sparda and two Dragon Slayers!" He quickly drew a knife that appeared to emanate a dark purple aura with a glowing red crystal in the handle, something Vergil noticed.

The man then jammed the knife into his chest, much to Sting and even Rogue's surprise.

"What the hell?!" Sting questioned.

"What is he doing?!" Rogue questioned as well.

"Sting, Rogue, get back now!" Vergil ordered.

The Twin Dragons did as he said as they leapt down the hill with Vergil doing the same as all three came together to see a dark aura emanating from the spot they were at, with black clouds forming above him.

"Oh, dark guardian of the Underworld, I make the offering of my own flesh and that of my deceased comrades to summon you!" The dark wizard chanted as he plunged the demonic knife deeper into his chest. "Come forth and vanquish all my enemies!"

*FLASH!*

A bolt of dark purple lightning shot down from the clouds, engulfing the man. The dead bodies of all the dark wizards around Vergil, Sting, and Rogue all began to explode with the same kind of electrical power, the bolts shooting up and coming down at the same spot where the dark wizard once stood. As the bolts conjoined together, a demonic seal appeared on the ground, shooting upward with a dark purple light before a giant mass emerged from it, flying above the trio of Sabertooth members and landing behind them.

They turned to face what appeared to be a giant demonic three-headed dog. It's skin was rough and charred, all of its eyes glowed a bright red as its whole body radiated with dark purple lightning, which even appeared to emanate from each of its three mouths. As it roared, the electricity around it surged even brighter.

"Did that guy just sacrifice himself and his entire guild to summon that ugly thing?" Sting questioned with a scoff. "I almost feel insulted."

"What do you expect from a dark guild." Rogue said in disgust before turning to Vergil. "What sort of demonic trash are we dealing with?"

"It is a Cerberus." Vergil explained. "This particular breed of demons act as guardians in the Underworld, they often exhibit elemental abilities as well, this one favoring lightning, obviously."

The Lightning-Cerberus set its sights on the three before snarling. "You three! I know your scents! The two of you bare the stench of two of the accursed dragons, Weisslogia and Skiadrum!" This earned a growl from Sting while Rogue narrowed his eyes before the Lightning Cerberus focused on Vergil. "But you… I smell the blood of Sparda flowing through your veins! His wretched spawn must not be allowed to live!" He roared once again.

"Looks like this doggy has a death wish!" Sting was ready to fight him, but Vergil held out his arm to stop him.

"No. This one is mine." He already began walking toward it.

"What?! Come on man!" Sting complained.

"It's fair." Rogue accepted with crossed arms. "You told him to stay out of our way while we dispatched the dark guild, let him handle this one."

Sting relented, turning away with an unamused scowl. "Fine. Just don't take too long."

Vergil then came less than an inch from the snarling Lightning-Cerberus, not even remotely phased by it. "I will give you one chance to surrender, and your death will be painless."

"Do not mock me! Half-breed garbage!" The Lightning-Cerberus opened all three of its mouth to shoot a conjoined blast of dark purple lightning at him. Sting and Rogue had both managed to leap out of the way as the blast obliterated the entire hill behind them and most of the area behind that. However, when the smoke cleared, there was no sign of Vergil. "What?!"

"Alastor!"

The Lightning-Cerberus cried out in pain as it felt a slash along its top, blood already gushing out as Vergil slid on its right side. In his hand he held a new Devil Arm, a broadsword with the handle being the head of a dragon, the blade coated in dark blue lightning. Before the Lightning-Cerberus could act again, Vergil rushed past him in a blur, slicing at the enormous demon in all angles, moving at such speeds it was nearly impossible to see. He re-appeared above the monster, and while in mid-air, he raised Alastor to call a bolt of lightning from the sky, which he brought down with a swing of the sword, to strike the Lightning-Cerberus in its open wounds before landing in front of it.

"Y-You…!" The beast growled, blood oozing from its wounds and all its mouths, already appearing on its last legs. "You dare… to use my element… against me!?"

It opened its mouths once again to fire another conjoined lightning-blast, but Vergil merely pointed the tip of Alastor forward, which absorbed the opposing lightning, mixing the dark purple with dark blue. Vergil then re-directed all the absorbed lightning, adding it with Alastor's own power, to fire an even larger attack at the shocked Lightning-Cerberus, which completely obliterated it's center head, and most of its upper body, save the two heads on the sides that had lost half of their own faces as the monster fell on its back from the force.

It was just barely alive as Vergil appeared on its chest, standing above the area where its heart would be. He raised Alastor one last time before plunging it into the vital organ, killing the beast in that moment.

"Let the merging begin."

No sooner did those words escape his lips, what was left of the Lightning-Cerberus' body began to glow a bright purple before condensing and dissipating into pure energy, which was absorbed into Alastor itself. The sword then began to glow a mix of purple and blue before it took up a new form.

Gone was the broadsword, now in Vergil's hands was a brand-new weapon. It was a double-bladed spear, the pole appearing to made out of a black metal, while the blades on each end where shaped like lightning bolts made from an indigo colored obsidian.

"Think that was record time." Sting commented with a smirk. "What do you think, Rogue?"

"I honestly don't keep track." His partner replied.

"Hey guys!"

"Ribbit!"

The two Dragon Slayers looked up to see a pair of flying Exceeds heading their way. One had red fur while his face, belly, paws, and the end of his tail were a lighter pink, and he also wore a blue sleeveless jacket. The other had green fur and round eyes, with its body completely covered by a pink frog-like suit.

"Oh hey, it's Lector and Frosch." Sting acknowledged with a smile. "I was wondering where you guys went."

"Oh, you know, just doing some recon stuff." The red Exceed named Lector said as he and Frosch set down. "We fought we'd find the enemy before they ambushed us, but we saw all that lightning and figured you'd already taken care of it."

"I thought there was a scary storm coming." Frosh said.

Sting chuckled. "The only storm that's approaching is that guy." Sting gestured to Vergil, who approached them with his new Devil Arm in hand.

"What happened to Alastor? Did it transform?" Rogue asked.

"As you know, when a powerful demon is defeated, their souls can manifest in the form of Devil Arms." Vergil explained. "However, if a Devil Arm with the same element or weapon-type is used to defeat said demon, they will combine to manifest into a newer, more powerful Devil Arm. Alastor has merged with the essence of that Lightning-Cerberus to become… Zeus." He showed them his newly named Devil Arm.

"Zeus, huh?" Lector noted. "Let's see what it can do."

Vergil thrusted Zeus straight upward, shooting a massive bolt of indigo-colored lightning straight into the sky, which spread out throughout many of the clouds to completely obliterate them and leave nothing but the clear sky left.

"Impressive." Rogue nodded.

"Yeah, but I bet Sting could have taken down that demon in less time." Lector said.

"Come on Lector, you're making me blush." Sting maintained his confident smirk.

"Our task is complete, it's time to return to the guild." Vergil said as Zeus vanished from his hands and he proceeded to walk away with the twin Dragon Slayers and their Exceed partners right behind him.

"That fight's got me in a good mood, barley broke a sweat with those guys." Sting said. "Bet that I can beat Natsu if I had the chance."

"For sure." Lector agreed. "He couldn't hold a candle to ya."

"I'd advise you not to underestimate the Salamander." Vergil told them. "He's a fool, but he is the strongest of the First Generation Dragon Slayers. The fact that he and his friends survived an encounter with the Dragon Butcher should be enough to warrant caution."

"Yeah well, we can always stop by their crappy guildhall and pick a fight, right?" Sting said. "Put those guys in their place."

"No, that would be a waste of time." Rogue replied. "I'm not going out of my way just to kick down those who are weaker than me."

"Yeah, that sounds mean." Frosh agreed.

As they continued to walk, Vergil looked up toward the sky, seemingly deep in thought. 'So, you have returned, brother. You and your friends. I can't say I'm surprised, surviving has always been your specialty, but you'll find things have changed since we last met. I hope you're prepared for what's to come… Dante.'

Done.

And with that, the Grand Magic Games arc has begun. Things are going to get crazy for this arc! We have so much takeaway from this chapter.

First, we learned that Kurenai, the guildmaster of Mermaid Heel (my own OC) and the number one Wizard Saint is not only a demon, but a sworn sister to Sparda who defected with him to protect the human world. If she was strong enough to fight side-by-side with the Dark Knight, along with Igneel and Grandeeney, then I'm sure it's easy to understand why she's the top Wizard Saint. You'll learn more about her throughout the story, including this arc, as we see her power. I've got big plans for her.

Second, Sparda's body has been recovered and cremated. Probably for the best to ensure that nobody would ever desecrate and use it for evil purposes again.

Third, Fairy Tail and the Order of the Sword's Knights appeared to have patch things up as Byro looks to reform the organization as the new supreme general alongside the Arch Bishop. The Order of the Sword will now act as allies to Fairy Tail, and I promise that we will be seeing them again in the future.

Fourth, Nero and Kyrie have now officially joined Fairy Tail, as part of a journey of self-discovery for Nero to explore the world and learn more about the kind of person he wants to be, with Kyrie being right by his side and learning more about her Arc of Seraph magic.

Fifth, Fairy Tail's reputation has perked up bit since pretty much everyone knows they saved the world from the Savior. It's not enough to put them back up on the number one spot, but it is a start.

Sixth, Makarov has shown Gildarts and Macao the Lumen Histoire, with the intent of making Gildarts the next master of Fairy Tail. I felt that it was unfair to Macao that he didn't see it, even though he led Fairy Tail through their seven years of crap of having to deal with everything Twilight Ogre put them through. The man deserved some recognition, and this seemed the best way to do it.

Seventh, and most important of all, Vergil is back, and we've also met Sabertooth's Twin Dragons, Sting and Rogue. And it seems Vergil is stronger than ever, having acquired a new original Devil Arm of my own idea named Zeus, which is even stronger than Alastor from the first game (since Dante has an original Devil Arm named Anubis, it's only fair Vergil get one as well). You'll see more of what other kinds of powers and Devil Arms Vergil has in store later on, and how strong he's become these past seven years.
Note, his new appearance is based off the DMC reboot game. While that particular video game was shitty, I will admit the design for Vergil was pretty cool, so I decided to use that for his new attire since his DMC4 appearance is the same as DMC3. (Don't worry, he'll adapt the DMC5 black outfit later int eh story, I promise).
And not only is Vergil the ace of Sabertooth, he's also unofficially working with the Magic Council because they want a Son of Sparda in their ranks, and it seems he's even gained favor with the Fiore Royal Family. But… why does Vergil even allow this? What exactly does he have planned? You'll just have to wait and find out.

I've got big plans for the Grand Magic Games, and I can't wait to get started on them. Until then, please stay safe and stay healthy. I love you all, and please give our prayers and support to Ukraine through this horrible crisis they're enduring. Peace out.