A/N: Episode 262.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN: MEMENTO MORI

Igneel, Atlas Flame, and Acnologia continued fighting in the sky while Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray were standing in front of Mard Geer before the three of them charged forward. Mard Geer crossed his arms and glowed white, sending thorns their way.

"Freeze!"

"Burn!"

Gray, Natsu, and Sebastian combined their Magic, freezing and burning the thorns. Mard Geer soon flew down at them, grabbing onto their heads and bringing them up into the air as Natsu, Gray, and Sebastian struggled under his grip.

"Let go of me, you bastard!" Natsu shouted.

"This is the world on the other side of the underworld gate." Mard Geer claimed as the Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray were dragged onto the ground, the three of them screaming out in agony. "I'm going to scrape away everything. Even your emotions..."

Erza slowly stood up from the ground. "No one can take away the light... that shines on my path!" She claimed, getting the Exceed's attention.

"Sh-She stood up!" Minerva exclaimed. "Even after being stripped of the five senses..."

"Erza!" Happy shouted.

"Impressed but not surprised!" Lily stated.

"Erza-san is incredible!" Lector complimented.

"Fro thinks so, too!"

"Erza..." Minerva muttered.

"That's... impossible..." Kyoka mumbled.

"Even if I can't see anything... Even if I can't hear anything..." Erza requips into her Clear Heart Clothing Armor. "...there's a light inside of me. The path I've walked down with my comrades... is illuminating my tomorrow!"

Erza punches Kyoka in the jaw. "I have nothing to fear! This doesn't even count as pain!" She exclaimed as Kyoka collapsed to the ground.

"Well, we're off to the guild." Lucy informed as she was with Wendy, Doranbolt, and Orion.

"Yeah. Tell Master. Do whatever he has to do with Lumen Histoire to stop Face!" Elfman said.

"I will." Lucy nodded.

'Still, what a hot outfit!' Warren spoke telepathically.

"I told you, your inner voice is leaking out!" Jet scolded.

"To begin with, this isn't the time or place for that kind of thinking!" Droy added.

"I know, but..." Warren sweat drops.

"Well, let's go, everyone." Wendy said as Doranbolt and Orion both nod in agreement.

"Oh, Wendy. Cutting her hair has made her even stronger." Carla thinks to herself with pride.

Lisanna turns to look at Elfman. "Elf-nii-chan..." She muttered worriedly.

"You don't gotta worry about me." Elfman reassured.

"I know. See you later." Lisanna tells him, joining Lucy and the others.

Jiemma charged at Sting and Rogue, who leaped out of the way and landed back down on the ground. "Did you bring our lady into this?" Sting questioned.

"That girl was useless. I thought she would improve slightly if given the power of a demon, but it seems weaklings will always be weaklings." Jiemma responded.

"I am going to leave you here. Abandon your weak heart, your tears, everything. In this forest full of savage beasts, only death awaits the crying weak." Jiemma began to walk away. "You may return home when all your tears have dried up."

"She's your daughter!" Rogue argued.

"My daughter?" Jiemma repeated.

"It can't be! How can you have this much power left?!" Minerva asked.

"You harmed the people I care about too much." Massorao replied as his Byzantium Blaze sword appeared in his hand.

Minerva stepped back a bit. "D-Don't!"

"Suffer the consequences!" Massorao exclaimed.

"Stop! I... I..."

"Great Byzantium Blaze!" Massorao shouted, striking Minerva with flames, sending her flying through the air before she crashed onto the ground.

Minerva sobbed as she laid defeated.

"No!" Jiemma exclaimed, shocking Sting and Rogue. "I only had her to pass down my powerful blood to future generations."

"Shut up!" Sting shouted, pulling his fist back and punching Jiemma, causing him to skid back.

"No effect!" Jiemma claimed before attacking Sting with his Magic.

Rogue appeared behind him using his shadows, but before he could make an attack, Jiemma turned around and struck him in the chest, sending him down on the ground.

"You two whelps think you've taken over Sabertooth at this level?" Jiemma questioned as Rogue stood up.

"We... took Sabertooth back!" Rogue responded. "Back to what a guild is supposed to be..."

"Don't make me laugh!" Jiemma exclaimed, striking Rogue. "Sabertooth is meant to be the strongest! But your weakness has ruined it!"

Sting stood up, a dark shadow being casted over his eyes. "I admit it, we were... weak. But that weakness... isn't the kind of weakness you're talking about." He confessed.

"What?"

"The weakness of thinking of fellow members as less than comrades." Sting said, thinking back to Yukino's banishment and Natsu's words.

"If you call yourselves a guild, take care of your comrades."

Sting then thought back to when Lector was attacked.

"Begone!"

"Sting-kun!" Lector exclaimed before vanishing.

"Lector!" Sting screamed out.

"Lector is... gone..." Frosch teared up.

Tears fell down Sting's face. "Frosch!" Rogue exclaimed, hugging Frosch closer to him.

"Rogue..."

"This is an eyesore. I suppose it's what I get for letting cats bear the crest of my guild." Jiemma claimed.

Sting cried out in pain. "Keep it down, Sting." Jiemma ordered.

"What did you do?! What the hell did you do?!" Sting questioned.

"Silence! Bawling over a stupid cat!" Jiemma responded.

Sting sent him a dark look before striking Jiemma with his Magic, sending him to the ground.

"We want nothing more to do with a guild like that." Sting claimed.

"To become a strong guild in its truest sense... we've started again from zero!" Rogue said.

"That's why it's high time..." Sting started to say.

"...you begone!" Rogue finished.

Sting and Rogue charged forward as Jiemma stopped the two with his arms before he laughed. "A truly strong guild, you say? I've learned that doesn't exist! The strongest is the individual! And that is my individual will!" Jiemma exclaimed.

"You're wrong. It does exist." Sting stated. "Not one, but two strong guilds... and they're both right around the corner. We're lucky... to have met such strong, kind..."

"The ultimate pain is the pain of losing friends!" Erza announced.

"That's the way, Erza!" Happy cheered.

"...honest guilds!" Sting finished.

"Fools!" Jiemma exclaimed, striking Sting and Rogue. "Only one is the strongest! Relying on others is weak! Weak! Weak! Weak! That is the ultimate weakling!"

"Even so, we're living for somebody else's sake! We love someone in order to live! Just like Fairy Tail... Just like Black Sun..." Sting started to say.

"...we're strong!" Rogue finished.

"Nonsense!" Jiemma exclaimed, his eyes glowing red.

"We'll sew up your twisted wound..."

"...with a white and black bond!"

"White Shadow Dragon's Silk!" Sting and Rogue shouted in unison, striking Jiemma.

"It... can't be..." Jiemma managed to get out as both Sting and Rogue were breathing heavily. Jiemma finally collapsed to the ground. Sting and Rogue both fell forward, finally collapsing on the ground in exhaustion.

"The rest..."

"...is up... to you..."

Natsu and Sebastian opened their eyes as did Gray. Natsu and Gray grabbed onto Mard Geer's arms and Sebastian grabbed onto his leg, getting his attention. Natsu and Sebastian both ignite their fists in flames as frost came from Gray's hands, the three of them striking down at Mard Geer in sync.

"Yeah!"

Igneel and Atlas Flame both flew up into the sky as they roared, making Acnologia do the same before the three dragons rammed into each other and crashed to the ground. Igneel and Atlas Flame flew back up into the air as they roared once more and Acnologia roared back. The three dragons continued battling it out.

Acnologia sent a blue blast at Igneel and Atlas Flame in which the two dragons dodged. The Fairy Tail members watched their fight from the ground.

Gajeel and Levy were carrying Laxus and Juvia. "Look out!" Gajeel warned, moving Levy out of the way.

"Th-Thank you." Levy thanked.

"Don't just stand there in a daze!" Gajeel scolded.

"Are you all right?"

Gajeel and Levy both looked up to see Porlyusica.

"Porlyusica-san!"

Gajeel stood up. "Old lady." He said, handing her Laxus's coat. "We brought it."

"The blood of the guy who has the anti-Magic particles?" Porlyusica questioned, examining the coat.

"Yeah. Thanks to this guy." Gajeel responded, referring to Laxus. "Didn't think he'd go that far. He's one tough mother."

Gajeel placed the coat in Porlyusica's hands. "As reckless as always... Sheesh. Who does he remind me of? But now I can make the vaccine." She turned to look at Freed, Bickslow, Evergreen, and Yajima. "I can save all of you."

Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray's combined attack ended up causing a huge explosion. When the dust settled, Mard Geer glanced up, shocking Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray as Mard Geer grabbed the three by their heads and throwing them on the ground.

He then got ready to attack, sending a white blast towards the three as Natsu and Sebastian both landed on their feet.

"Fire Dragon's..."

"Hellfire Dragon's..."

Natsu and Sebastian both puffed up their cheeks.

"...Roar!"

Mard Geer dodged their combined break attack.

"Ice Devil's..." Gray puffed up his cheeks as well. "...Rage!"

Gray released a blast of purple ice from his mouth as Mard Geer dodged that attack as well.

"Dea Yggdrasil!" Mard Geer called out, sending thorns their way. Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray gritted their teeth.

Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray all ignited their fists in their respective elements, striking the thorns in sync before it reached them, breaking it.

"Ice-Make: Gungnir!" Gray shouted as two ice spears headed for Mard Geer, who dodged.

The ice shattered as Natsu and Sebastian appeared. "That's cold!" Natsu exclaimed.

"Inside the ice?!" Mard Geer questioned.

Natsu and Sebastian both place their hands together.

"Fire Dragon's..."

"Hellfire Dragon's..."

"...Brilliant Flame!"

"...Blaze!"

Natsu and Sebastian attacked Mard Geer with the huge balls of flames, sending him crashing to the ground as Natsu and Sebastian landed next to Gray.

Mard Geer remained standing. "What is this guy, invulnerable?" Sebastian asked in irritation.

"Not if my Magic hits him..." Gray replied.

"You showed me a good time... human wizards." Mard Geer claimed as Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray narrowed their eyes. "Long ago, Magic was born as one."

"Huh?"

"Eventually, it developed into a great number of varieties. During that historical time, END discovered a new possibility for Magic. Curse power. The source of that power are curses, grudges, jealousies, hatreds... All of those negative emotions become power. Power based on the essence of life." Mard Geer continued.

"What a load of crap. If that's the case, then Magic will create the future!" Natsu exclaimed, with Sebastian and Gray nodding in agreement at his words.

Mard Geer extended his arm out, causing Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray to be on high alert. Purple mist soon gathered.

"W-What's this?" Natsu questioned.

"Fog? No..." Sebastian muttered.

The purple mist began trailing on Gray. "My body!" He exclaimed.

"Can't move..." Natsu said.

"Magic has no future. Curse power is superior in regards to everything." Mard Geer said as the purple mist engulfed Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray. "Go to purgatory. This is the ultimate Curse power I devised to destroy Zeref!"

Natsu, Sebastian, and Gray let out screams.

"Memory of death." Mard Geer stated as a bright light shined and purple-like figures appeared, eventually turning green. "Memento Mori!"

"To kill the immortal Zeref, the notion of life and death will be destroyed! Anyone hit by this Curse will neither be dead nor alive. They will just vanish."

"The future..." Gray thinks to himself.

"Become nothing... for eternity." Mard Geer said.

A bright beam engulfed the sky before disappearing.

Mard Geer's Etherious form disappeared. "It is done. The ultimate Curse power, Memento Mori. Now I just need to revive END... and I can destroy you... I can destroy Zeref." Mard Geer claimed, narrowing his eyes.

A/N: My apologises for not updating in so long!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.