Here's another chapter!

Hope you guys like it!

Chapter 43

The Darkness Within

Back with Lucy and Hibiki, they were still waiting anxiously for Natsu to return with Wendy and Happy. At this point, the poison had spread all throughout Erza's arm and was now spreading up on her neck almost touching her cheek. Then the was a rustling in the bushes causing Lucy and Hibiki to turn towards the direction towards them. Hibiki immediately was on guard as was Lucy and prepared themselves to fight so they could protect Erza in case it was an enemy. But then someone popped out of the bushes front in front of them. It was Natsu carrying Happy and Carla on one arm and Wendy on the other.

"I finally made it!" Natsu said with a grin. "Hey you guys! Did ya miss me?"

"Natsu!" said Lucy her face immediately lit up with joy.

"Thank goodness," said Hibiki with relief. "We're glad you made it back safely Natsu."

"By the way, how the heck did you do all of that with that map thing anyway?" wondered Natsu. "All of a sudden it just popped into my head.

"I'll explain it to you later," said Hibiki. "Right now, we need Wendy's help to heal Erza. Is she alright?"

"Oh, she's fine," said Natsu. "In fact, I'll wake her up right now." He then set Wendy down and then started to shake her like a rag doll. "Hey! Wendy! It's time for you to wake up! I saved you, now it's your turn to save Erza!"

"Hey! Don't be so rough with her Natsu!" cried Lucy worriedly. "Take it easy already!"

But Natsu ignored Lucy and he continued to shake Wendy. "Come on! Rise and shine! Wakey wakey!" he said.

As Natsu tried waking Wendy up, Happy and Carla were starting to come around as well. Carla stood up while Happy still lied on the ground still feeling Wendy began to stir and then started to regain consciousness. Her eyes fluttered and then they snapped open. She squirmed out of Natsu's arms and then scooted back squealing with surprise and fear before cowering before him.

"I'm so sorry!" she squeaked. "I had to do it! I had no choice! I'm sorry!"

Lucy and Hibiki were confused not sure what Wendy was talking about. Natsu however knew what Wendy meant. She was no doubt still feeling guilty for reviving Jellal. Wendy trembled thinking that Natsu was angry with her, but then he went on his hands and knees and bowed his head to the ground in front of her.

"Never mind that! I'm willing to overlook that right now!" he said. "Right now, you gotta help Erza! She was bitten by a poisonous snake and she's in rough shape! Please! You gotta use your healing powers to save her!"

Wendy now stopped feeling so afraid and looked at Natsu a little surprised. Then she saw Erza in her current state. "She's been poisoned? Really?" she asked.

"Yes, and we need her help to fight the Oración Seis," said Hibiki. "As things stand now, we don't stand a chance in hell against them without her."

"Please Wendy," begged Lucy who also bowed her head. "We need her now more than ever! You're the only one who can help! Save her!"

"We're begging you," said Natsu who hadn't moved since Wendy had woken up.

Wendy looked at Natsu, then Lucy, and then at Erza. Then the look on her face changed filled with determination.

"Alright! I'll do it! I'll try to save her!" she said. "No wait! I will save her!

Natsu, Hibiki, and Lucy's faces lit up with hope as Wendy went over to Erza. She held out her hands just above her chest and they began to glow in a bright green color and the poison circulating on Erza's arm and neck slowly began to disappear. As she continued to cast her healing spell, she began to think about all the things Happy and Brain had told her about Jellal.

"I still can't believe about what I heard about Jellal," she thought. "The idea that he would be responsible for causing Erza so much pain in the past. It just can't be true..."

As confusing as that was, Wendy quickly put those thoughts out of her head as she continued to focus on healing Erza.

Meanwhile in another part of the Woodsea, Jellal was still walking through the forest searching for something. A few feet away following him undetected was Cobra. He had been following Jellal for a while now and he was feeling a little confused about him and all for one reason.

"I don't why, but I feel something's off with this guy," he thought. "I can't hear his inner voice at all. If I could, I wouldn't have to keep following him around spying like this."

Eventually Jellal with Cobra close behind him came to a part of the forest that was unknown to anyone. The area seemed to be closed off and was filled with strange rock formations with vines wrapped around everywhere. In the middle of it all was a large and strange tree. It was glowing in an eerie violet-blue color and had chains coming out of it like it was being restrained. Cobra was surprised to see this strange place.

"What is this place?" he asked himself. "I know the Woodsea like the back of my hand, but I've never seen this place before."

Then Jellal walked right up to the large tree and stopped right in front also looking up right at it. At first Cobra wondered why he would stop, but then his face brightened from realization.

"Wait... could this place be it?! Was Brain right all along?! Is this the place where Nirvana was sealed?!" he said to himself excitedly.

Jelall then walked up to the tree and placed his hand on the tree in the middle of its trunk. Then the tree suddenly began to glow and then exploded in a bright white and black light enveloping him and the area surrounding him. The whole area even began to tremble and shake. Then a strange ruin of a building of sorts began to rise up from the ground in the pillar of light growing higher and higher. Cobra looked at this sight with his eyes wide with awe and wore a grin that practically spread from ear to ear.

"At last! We've found it, our future!" he cried with glee. "After all of our hard work... it's finally paid off! We finally did it! Nirvana belongs to us!"

After a while, Wendy had finished the healing spelling getting rid of every trace of poison that was in Erza.

"There we go. I'm all done," she said wiping the sweat from her brow. "I managed to get all of the venom out of Erza. Now all we have to do is wait for her to wake up."

"Really?!" asked Natsu, Lucy, and Happy.

The three of them then looked at Erza who was now looking much better than before. Her face that was once twisted with pain was now calm and peaceful as she slept. Then the three of them all burst out cheering relieved that Erza was going to be alright.

"Hey Lucy! Give me five me!" whooped Natsu as Lucy high-fived him with earnest.

"Thank goodness! I was so worried" cried Lucy as she began to sob with joy.

"Come on Carla! Don't leave me hanging!" grinned Happy holding up his paw.

Carla was reluctant, but she gave Happy a high-five anyway. Natsu then turned to Wendy and gave her a high-five too.

"Thanks a lot Wendy!" he said grinning his toothy smile. "We owe you big time for this!"

"She'll probably not wake up for quite a while," said Wendy. "But when she wakes up, she should be back to normal."

"This is incredible," said Hibiki whose face was now just inches away from Erza's "She already looks so much better. So, this is the power of Sky Dragon Magic..."

"Back off pervert!" snapped Lucy. "You're way too close!"

Carla then cleared her throat getting everyone's attention. "Excuse me, but I need you all to listen to me," said Carla. "Now that your friend is healed, please don't make Wendy use her Sky Dragon Magic again. Using a healing spell like that takes up a lot of her magic power. She'll say that she's fine, but I can tell from the look on her face that she's exhausted."

"Carla. You've got it wrong. I'm fine," insisted Wendy. "I'm... just worried that's all."

"There's no reason to worry Wendy," reassured Hibiki. "All we have to do now is wait till Erza wakes up. Once she does, it'll be our opportunity to strike back."

"Yeah! You better watch out Oración Seis!" said Lucy brimming with confidence. "Cuz we're coming to give you the beating of a lifetime!"

"Aye! That's right!" chimed in Happy. "There's no way that we're going let you get Nirvana!"

Then suddenly a bright light shone through the trees and then with a mighty boom, a large pillar of black light erupted forth in the distance causing the five of them to look up in shock.

"What is that?!" cried Lucy.

"A giant pillar of black light..." murmured Wendy fearfully.

"No way!" cried Carla who had Happy cowering behind her. "What's going on here!?"

"It can't be...!" cried Hibiki who was staring at the pillar of light with horror. "That's Nirvana! Nirvana's been unsealed!"

"What!? You're kidding me?!" cried Happy. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I know that it's it," said Hibiki grimly. "It has to be it. What else could it be?"

"But how did it happen?!" wondered Lucy.

"What is that?!" cried Lucy.

"A giant pillar of black light..." murmured Wendy fearfully.

"No way!" cried Carla who had Happy cowering behind her. "What's going on here!?"

"It can't be...!" cried Hibiki who was staring at the pillar of light with horror. "That's Nirvana! Nirvana's been unsealed!"

"What!? You're kidding me?!" cried Happy. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I know that it's it," said Hibiki grimly. "It has to be it. What else could it be?"

"But how did it happen?!" wondered Lucy. "Don't tell me that the Oración Seis beat us to the punch!"

No one answered her. Natsu stared at the black light and his look of shock slowly started to turn to anger. He knew where the light was coming and he knew who was the cause of it and it wasn't the Oración Seis.

"That pillar of light... it's gotta be caused by Jellal!" he growled. "I know it is!"

The moment he said heard that name, Lucy couldn't help but flinch with shock and fear. She snapped her head towards Natsu and was just about to speak, but then Natsu bolted and took off running disappearing in the bushes heading towards the light.

"Natsu! Wait! Come back here!" she cried. "Don't just run off without telling anyone what's going on?! What are you talking about?! And what does Jellal have to do with this?!"

But it was no use. Natsu was gone.

"Come on! Don't just stand there!" said Hibiki. "We have to go have him!"

"But what was he talking about before with Jellal?!" asked Lucy. "Just what the heck is going on?!"

"I can explain everything to you later," said Happy. "Right now, we gotta hurry and go after him!

Then suddenly, Carla let out a startled shriek which caused everyone to look at her. Then they saw the reason why. Where they had placed Erza, they were shocked to find that Erza was gone.

"I don't believe this! Erza's gone!" cried Carla indignantly. "Of all the nerve! She could have at least thanked Wendy for saving her life!"

"Oh no! I think she might have overheard us talking about Jellal!" cried Happy worriedly. "If she did, then she must have gone after him!"

Wendy now looked horror stricken as she held the sides of her face and her eyes began filling with tears. "No... what have I done? This is my fault!" she wept. "I never should have healed him! It's because of me that Nirvana was found, Erza being gone, and Natsu running off! How could I have been so stupid?"

Hibiki then saw Wendy in her state and then did the unthinkable. He waved his hand and three screens of his Archive Magic appeared in front of Wendy. Then before Wendy could react, the screens blasted her sending her high into the air and knocking her out cold. Lucy, Happy, and Carla gaped at Hibiki in shock for what he had just did.

"Hibiki! What are you doing?!" cried Lucy.

"Who do you think you are striking a girl like that!?" demanded Carla.

"There's no time for that!" said Hibiki. "Let's move!"

He rushed over to Wendy lifted her up on his back piggyback style and then took off running towards the light with Lucy following close behind with Carla and Happy using their wings to follow them.

"I'm sorry if I scared you all like that," said Hibiki. "But don't worry, she's going to be fine. I only knocked her out that's all."

"But why did you do that?!" asked Lucy. "And why are we in such a hurry now?!"

"We have to catch up with Natsu and Erza," said Hibiki. "Just keep running towards that light. That's definitely where they're headed."

"And why should we listen to you?!" demanded Carla. "Especially since your actions were unacceptable! I understand Wendy's a bit of a whiner and quick to worry, but that was no reason to strike her down like that!"

"Yeah! Not cool dude!" added Happy.

Hibiki frowned as he looked to the ground feeling guilty. "I had to do it and there's a good reason for that," he said. "You see... it has to do with Nirvana. I know more about Nirvana than I let on. I just haven't been completely honest about it."

"You do?! Why didn't you tell us?!" asked Happy.

"I couldn't because of the nature of the magic," said Hibiki. "Even just telling you about it now is very risky and might even put us and everyone else in danger. That's why Master Bob only told me about it. Ren, Eve, and even Sir Ichiya don't even know about it."

"So what did he tell you about it?" asked Lucy. "What makes Nirvana so dangerous?"

"It's a very terrifying type of magic," said Hibiki gazing towards the light. "It alone has the ability to switch light and darkness."

"Light... and Darkness?" murmured Happy and Carla together.

"It can switch them?" wondered Lucy.

"Yes," continued Hibiki. "But that can only happen when it reaches its final stage. It starts by emitting that black light you see in front of us when it's unsealed. After that it then goes in search of those who are weak and then it'll switch anyone who is wavering on the brink between light and darkness to their opposite alignment. For example, if someone good is feeling down and out and has a lot of negative emotions will most likely fall to the dark side."

"So that's it! That's why you knocked out Wendy!" said Carla. "You did it so you could protect her from being switched!"

"Exactly. She was at high risk to becoming a target because of the guilt she was feeling," said Hibiki. "If I hadn't knocked her out when I did, she would have switched over to the dark side and turned against us."

Then Lucy realized something which made her worried. "Wait a second! Does anger count as a negative emotion? If it does... then does that mean Natsu's in danger of switching too?!"

"That's a tough call to make," said Hibiki. "It normally would be, but Natsu's anger is for Erza's sake so I don't know if you could classify it that way."

Happy was now feeling utterly confused. "Oh man! I don't understand any of this! What does this all mean?" he groaned.

"You're such an idiot," sighed Carla. "Let me put it in a way that even you would understand: Now that Nirvana's been activated, it has the power to those that are good to evil and those that are evil to good."

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you all of this sooner," said Hibiki. "But I didn't want to put anyone at risk with the knowledge I had. That act of thinking about good and evil alone is enough to well up negative emotions and then before you know it, they've taken hold of you. 'If only that person didn't exist...' 'Who's to blame for this pain?' 'Why me?' These kinds of pessimistic thoughts are what attract Nirvana and allow it to take control of you."

"So if Nirvana fully activates all of us turn evil," said Lucy. "Including everyone else in the alliance."

"But hold on a minute. I've got a question," puzzled Happy. "If Nirvana has the power to good guys evil, doesn't it also mean that it has the power to turn evil guys good including the Oración Seis?"

"It is possible, but there's really no way to tell," said Hibiki. "And there's more. What really makes Nirvana so scary is that it can be controlled to do whatever its caster sees fit."

"What do you mean?" asked Lucy.

"For example, say that the caster used Nirvana against a guild," explained Hibiki. "They could immediately have the members start killing each other or make them go to war with another guild for no reason at all and they could do it effortlessly without having to lift a finger."

Lucy stared at Hibiki with her face paled slightly. "Seriously?!"

"Oh no! What if Natsu suddenly turns evil!?" cried Happy. Then as he imagined what Natsu would look like being evil, he sighed flatly. "Then again... I guess Natsu being evil wouldn't be any much different with how he normally acts."

"I guess good and evil are pointless when it comes to that buffoon," muttered Carla. "

"Never mind that now. We have hurry and catch up with Natsu and Erza. We're going to need them if we want to stop Nirvana," said Hibiki. "If we don't find them nor do we stop Nirvana, all the light guilds will be in danger of being wiped out!"

Meanwhile Gray and Sherry were still at the wreckage from the recent explosion with Gray search through the wreckage for Lyon. When the pillar of light appeared, the light was so bright that Gray had to shield his eyes as it erupted in the distance.

"What the hell is that!?" he cried. "That beam of light just came out of nowhere! Damn it all! Don't tell me that the Oración Seis has already found Nirvana!"

Gray then went back to looking for Lyon by hefting a large limb of a tree out of the way.

"I don't know what the heck is going on and that might be Nirvana, but I gotta find Lyon," he said to himself. "I know that he's around here somewhere."

Sherry didn't respond nor did she acknowledge the light. She was still in grief about what had happened to Lyon and contemplating about who was to blame for what had happened to Lyon.

"Someone's has to pay for what had happened to Lyon," she thought to herself. "But who? Whose fault is it that Lyon is gone?"

"Hey Lyon! Where are you!?" yelled Gray. "Say something! Anything! Can you hear me?! Lyon!"

No one replied. As Gray continued to search for Lyon, Sherry then for the first time in a while looked at Gray. As soon as she saw him, her eyes widened with realization.

"It's him..." she thought. "It's his fault. He's the one."

It was then that new feelings had begun to bubble inside her chest. Feelings of hatred and revenge. As she stared at Gray's back enough to bore holes to it, she then used her Marionette Attack: Wood Doll made of a fallen tree and some vines. The Wood Doll seemed to be even more demonic in appearance and Sherry's eyes were now filled with emotionless malice and she was then surrounded by the vines from her Wood Doll as they slowly crept towards the unsuspecting Gray. They crept closer and closer until they snapped forward and wrapped all over Gray's body.

"What the hell?!" cried Gray. "What's going on?!"

Gray was lifted high into the air as the vines tightened everywhere on his body especially around his neck. Gray struggled to get free, but he couldn't. The vines tightened around his neck cutting off the circulation and his oxygen. Unable to take it anymore and due to still being weak from the last fight, Gray then lost consciousness his body going limp. The Wood Doll then let go of him making his body fall helplessly to the ground with a thud. An evil grin crept on Sherry's face as she was feeling quite pleased with herself.

"I have avenged you my dear sweet Lyon," she said evilly. "Now who shall be my next victim? Another one of his friends? Or maybe I should just go after all the Fairy Tail members themselves? Yes... I'll do that. I'll go after every member of the Fairy Tail guild and kill them."

Sherry then walked away on the hunt with an evil intent in her eyes.

Back with Jura and Hoteye, the two were still locked in a battle between their respective Earth Magic. The area was surround by spikes made from the earth sprouting up from the ground due the powers the two had. It was like the earth was water and someone had recently thrown something in it and froze the waves as they formed. Then they saw the large dark pillar of light. Jura was shocked as was Hoteye, but his look of shock quickly changed into one of glee.

"What in the world is that light?!" cried Jura.

"That is Nirvana!" said Hoteye grinning. "It looks like it's finally been unsealed! Oh yeah!"

Jura looked back at Hoteye feeling his heart skip a beat. "No! It can't be...!"

"Come now, there's no need to get so worked up," said Hoteye. "Its main function hasn't been activated yet. All that light means is that the seal has been broken and it now belongs to us! And it also means that we're about to be rolling in dough! Oh yeah!" He then started to giggle madly feeling excited. "Yes! Money! Money! We're about to become incredibly wealthy!"

"Damn it... I don't have time to be playing around with this buffoon," Jura thought to himself as he scowled at Hoteye. "Then again stopping the Oración Seis is the sole purpose of our mission. So what should I do? Stay here and fight till he's defeated? Or go and stop Nirvana?"

Suddenly Hoteye stopped laughing and became still as a statue. His eyes went wide as he stood there beginning to tremble like a leaf. Then he screamed loudly holding his head in agony like something had taken control of his body.

"What the-! What's gotten into him this time?!" wondered Jura. "It's as if he's been possessed!"

Hoteye continued to scream in agony while holding his head. It seemed that he was fighting for control of his sanity.

"Money! Money! Money! Money!" he cried. "MONEY...!"

Jura took a step back in surprise bracing himself for whatever Hoteye was going to do, but then Hoteye stopped screaming. He also instead of having a malicious face with evil, it had changed into one of kindness and good.

"...is the root of all evil," he said sweetly. "Oh yeah."

Jura was so surprised that he nearly fell over just from the shock. "Wait! That wasn't what you were saying just a moment ago!" he exclaimed.

"Please let me explain Jura," said Hoteye. "You see, I've been desperately searching for my long-lost younger brother with whom I got separated from many years ago! I thought that if I accumulated massive amounts of money, I would be able to find him." His eyes then started to overflow with tears of emotion. "However, I now realize how foolish I was for thinking like that! Oh yeah! I had made a foolish mistake and that was wrong of me!"

Hoteye then embraced Jura in a tight hug while the man stood there completely baffled and shock as Hoteye continued to spill his emotions.

"And so Jura! Why don't we bury the hatchet, stop fighting, and become friends? Oh yeah!" continued Hoteye. "The world around us is overflowing with love! In fact, the word alone is filled to the brim with sweetness and compassion! Anything is possible as you have the power of love on your side! Oh yeah! Oh Jura! What do you say we work together to put an end to our former colleagues' plans? We must teach them the wonders as well as power of love, peace, and harmony! Oh yeah!"

Jura was still unsure about this sudden development, but he couldn't say no to someone who was willing to help stop Nirvana. The more help he needed the better, but he was still feeling a bit uncertain about whether he could trust him or not.

"Um... yeah. Sure," said Jura. "But... if you really intend to help me, I want you to tell me everything that you know about Nirvana."

"Wonderful!" said Hoteye as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I will tell you everything I know about Nirvana as my way of tying our friendship! Oh yeah!"

Then Hoteye went on to tell Jura everything he knew about Nirvana including its primary function. As he explained, the two of started to head towards the light.

"So, let me get this straight," said Jura as Hoteye finished explaining. "You're telling me that Nirvana has the power to alter people's personalities to those it affects?"

"This is precisely correct. Oh yeah!" said Hoteye. "During the initial stage within its area of effect, the black light you're seeing right now can forcibly change anyone who is teetering between good and evil to the opposite of their personality. Oh yeah!"

"Then if what you're saying is true," said Jura. "That would mean that you were wavering between good and evil yourself."

"Yes. However, I never was truly evil to begin with," said Hoteye. "While on my quest for money I felt terrible and I could no longer convince myself that what I was doing was right. Oh yeah."

"I still find this a little hard to believe," said Jura a little skeptical. "Not to mention that it doesn't justify what you've done."

"That's understandable my dear Jura," said Hoteye smiling kindly. "However, I may have to disagree with you. When you've lost a loved one, you can justify anything. My one and only goal was to find my brother and for that I had to have heaps and heaps of money. In fact, when I first saw you my precious memories came bubbling to the surface."

Jura couldn't help but chuckle. "I take it that you're going to say that I look just like your long-lost brother?" he asked.

Hoteye smiled. "Actually, you look just like the potato that me and my brother split together."

"What?! A vegetable?!" exclaimed Jura. "Why that in particular?!"

"Never mind that!" said Hoteye. "We can talk more later. Right now, we must make haste towards Nirvana! Let us put an end to Brain and his minions' evil plans for the sake of love! Oh yeah!"

"Um... yeah. Sure," said Jura as he and Hoteye continued heading towards the black pillar of light.

Back with Ren and Eve, they were still searching for Wendy and Happy unaware that they had both been found thanks to Natsu. Then they saw the black pillar of light erupt forth from a distance far away from them.

"Look at that!" cried Eve pointing. "Do you have any idea what that is?"

"I don't know," said Ren. "I have no clue."

Then Ren saw something that caught his attention. A tree next to him was starting to have a strange black aura come out of it. Soon enough, the tree was covered with it.

"Hey Eve. Look at that," said Ren getting Eve's attention. "Some kind stuff is coming out of that tree. It's like that black light is sucking that stuff out of it."

"I know," said Eve. "But what could be causing it?" Then he realized something. "You don't think that it's being caused by Nirvana, do you?"

"It could be, but if that's the case, then that would mean that someone's gotten their hands on it!" said Ren. "The question is who got to it first? The Allied Forces or the Oración Seis?" Ren then put two fingers to his head using telepathy to contact Hibiki. "Hibiki? Do you know what's going on?" No one answered. "Hibiki? Do you read me? Please respond!" Ren tried again, but still no one replied.

"It must be because of that magic power," said Eve. "It has to be blocking our telepathy."

"So what should we do then?" asked Ren.

"I think we should split up," said Eve. "You go ahead towards that light and see what's going on. I'll continue to look for Wendy and Happy."

Ren nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me, but make sure you're careful Eve. There's no telling what to expect now."

Eve answered Ren with a nod and then the two went their separate ways to accomplish their respective missions.

Outside of the cave, Brain, Shark, and Midnight were outside when they saw the pillar of black light in the distance.

"So it's finally happened," said Midnight. "Right Father?"

"Yes... it has. There's no question," said Brain as he stared at the pillar with wonder and shock. "Nirvana... is finally ours."

"Congratulations are in order," said Midnight turning Brain. "I wish I would have time to celebrate with you, however I must go and eliminate those perky wizards now, so don't wait up for me. I'll take care of them before the midnight hour strikes. In the meantime, go to the light Father."

"That I shall," said Brain. He turned to his bodyguard. "Shark. You're with me. We both shall go to Nirvana and take control of it. I have a feeling that I'm going to need your protection."

"Understood Master," said Shark bowing.

He and Brain then walked out of the cave and disappeared into a green mist. Midnight however with his eyes gleaming set off towards the forest to hunt for his first victim.

Nirvana has been unsealed and everyone is heading towards to either claim it or stop it!

Who will be the one to get there first?! Find out in the next chapter!

Until then... Dragoman out!