A/N: We've finally entered the Tartaros Arc!
Episode 234, Opening 19.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE: THE NINE DEMON GATES
THE MAGIC COUNCIL, ERA...
At Era, The Council members were in a conference, having a meeting.
"So Fairy Tail won the Grand Magic Games..."
"Good grief."
"I expected this would happen when the Tenrou group came home."
"That guild definitely stands out. In the first place, it seems we should discuss the Grand Magic Games tournament."
"Still, if one country sponsors such a thing, it will be difficult dealing with them."
A tall and fit elderly man with long graying hair and a long beard tapped his staff onto the ground to get everyone's attention. He was in a moderately clad in fitted armor; had an ornate cape draped over his shoulders. And he also sported a stereotypical wizards hat.
"Peace, everyone. The subject of today's meeting is Tartaros."
CHAIRMAN OF THE MAGIC COUNCIL / GRAN DOMA.
"As you know, seven dark guilds thought to be affiliated with Tartaros have disappeared over the past several days. We don't know who is behind this, but to us, it is an unwelcome favor. Since if it's the work of a legitimate guild, it's possible there will be retaliation." Gran Doma continued.
"It's probably that, you know... the ones that call themselves an independent guild..."
"Crime Sorciere? Yes, it's possible."
"I would guess it's more Fairy Tail shenanigans."
"They have a psychological need to show how powerful they are."
"I think you have a psychological need to involve Fairy Tail in this."
"Well, you certainly have their backs, Sage Org."
"Listen, if we're talking about possibilities, their parent guild, Tartaros, could have taken over their children guilds, no?" Org suggested.
"To what purpose?"
"I don't know. However, building up their military force and weeding out members comes to mind." Org answered.
The conference room went silent for a moment before the Council members bursted into laughter.
"Cannibalization between dark guilds?"
"Now that's one thing I can't see happening!"
"It's safe to assume Tartaros is already plenty powerful."
"Maybe you're ready for retirement, Sage Org."
Gran Doma was tapping his index finger on the table in thought. "Hold on there. Sage Org's opinion sounds logical." He said.
"Chairman!"
"The Tartaros issue has been on the back-burner, but now is the time to address it. The enemy's identity is unknown. But if we destroy them now, the whole Balam Alliance will fall apart. Now is the time for us, the Magic Council, to wield our great power and fight." Gran Doma said.
All of the Council members had stunned looks while Org just grinned.
Outside, Doranbolt and Lahar were guarding the conference room. "So somebody finally suggested they get off their asses?" Doranbolt questioned.
"It took time, but it was worth waiting for." Lahar responded. "This way, the dark guilds of the Balam Alliance can be mopped up."
A Council worker soon barged in, appearing on the balcony. "We have an emergency!" The worker announced.
"What is it?"
"Fool! We're in the middle of a meeting!"
"Th-This is more important. I-Intruder..." The worker started to say before a bright light appeared behind them.
Sparks flashed around the Magic Council building before finally exploding, getting the attention of the nearby onlookers.
Debris crumbled down to the ground and smoke rose into the air. Doranbolt winced as he saw Lahar's broken glasses. He soon stood up.
"Dammit... What happened? Lahar, wake up!" Doranbolt exclaimed. "Hey! 'Emergency' is an understatement here. Lahar... Hey! No way..."
Doranbolt sets Lahar's lifeless body down, looking at the ruined building. All of the Council members bodies were crushed under the debris.
"It can't be..." Doranbolt began walking around. "Hello? Did anybody else make it?"
He soon trips. "Dammit..." Doranbolt muttered.
"Doranbolt..."
Doranbolt looked up, seeing Org a few feet away. "Sage Org!" He exclaimed in relief.
"You are okay?" Org asked before his head got slammed onto the ground, making Doranbolt's eyes widen.
A man with dark blonde hair, reaching down to his shoulders and covering the left side of his face appeared, his hair perpetually hiding his left eye from sight, juts upwards on top of his head in a pair of prominent protrusions shaped like ears. His nose was small and black like a canine's; he had a furry tail protruding from his lower back, colored the same as his hair, and pointed, triangular fang-like teeth. His one visible eye, complete with a dark slit pupil, bears a thick dark outline, and black spots are present both below it and above its linear eyebrow; his forearms and hands are covered by a larger variety of similarly colored shapes, getting closer and closer in position as they approach his wrists, in correspondence to which they fuse together to leave his hands completely black.
"No, no. I need you dead. We were after all nine members." Yellow light moved down his arm. "Explode."
Org was engulfed in a bright light. "D-Don't!" Doranbolt pleaded.
"Dornabolt... Escape!" Org ordered.
"I can't!" Doranbolt refused.
"What good is it if you die, too?" Org questioned.
"No one can escape... my explosions."
"Go, Doranbolt!" Org spoke again.
"My name is Jackal. I'm a member of Tartaros, one of the Nine Demon Gates. Remember that in hell. Remember the name of the man who slaughtered the Council."
"L-Live so you can avenge us... Doranbolt!" Org shouted as Doranbolt had tears streaming down his face.
"Sage Org!"
Yellow beams were shown, followed by yet another explosion, causing the townspeople below to scream in terror.
WIZARD GUILD / FAIRY TAIL...
Mugs full of beer were clinked together. "Mira-chan, I'll take a brew over here!" Macao calls out.
"Me, too!" Wakaba added.
"Be right over!" Mira says.
"Pop, it's in the middle of the afternoon!" Romeo informs.
"Bastard! You just ogled Lisanna!" Elfman shouts at Warren.
"Stop it, Elf-nii-chan!" Lisanna scolds her older brother.
Makarov hummed. "Minerva joined a dark guild?" He questioned as Erza was reporting on what had happened in the Sun Village.
"Yes." Erza nods in confirmation.
"What about her father? The former master of Sabertooth..." Makarov asked.
"I don't know where he is at the moment." Erza replied.
"Come to think of it, Sting is the current master of Saber." Laki says.
"A young, handsome master... Samuel's so lucky!" Kinana exclaimed, remembering how her guildmate was dating Sabertooth's master.
"Yeah!" Laki agreed.
"We need to report this to the Council." Makarov said.
"I thought I would inform Sting, too." Erza added.
"Look at this, Gray-sama!" Juvia exclaimed, getting Gray's attention. "Juvia baked buns!"
The buns had Gray's face on it, leaving him stunned. "They're called Gray Buns!" Juvia announced.
"Well, they look good, but I have a thing against eating my own face..." Gray said.
"That makes sense. Juvia will eat the Gray Buns, while you, Gray-sama... please eat my Juvia Buns!" She showed him some buns with her face on them.
"I was tricked!"
"What's this with Gray? Even though he said he was going to flat-out reject her or whatever..." Cana muttered.
Mira smiled sheepishly. "It's always the same with them." She said.
"I think Nii-san needs to just man up and date her already." Samuel groaned.
Elfman takes a bite out of the Juvia Bun. "If you ain't gonna eat it, I will!" This leaves Juvia in shock. "This is the flavor of a Man!"
"Elf-nii-chan, you need to get a clue!" Lisanna tells him.
Juvia turned around in tears. "Another man ate Juvia's buns, and I don't even understand his opinion!"
"Well, you did go through the trouble, so I'll have one." Gray gives in, biting into the bun.
"Gray-sama! That's a Gray Bun." Juvia informed, shocking Gray.
"Well, it's a start." Samuel thinks to himself as he sighs.
Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and Gajeel were gathered around Levy. "Look at this." Everyone glanced down at the book Levy had. "END... This doesn't go into detail, but it seems to be a demon that's in a whole other league than Lullaby and Deliora."
"So it's a really powerful demon from the Books of Zeref?" Lucy questioned.
"That's scary." Wendy commented.
"What is this 'demon from the Books of Zeref' thing?" Lily questioned in confusion.
"Hell if I know." Gajeel responded.
"A demon that Zeref brought forth. It's said the way to summon it is written in one of Zeref's books." Carla explained.
"So if you have that book, you can summon one of Zeref's demons?" Happy asked.
"That's right. There's one demon for every book." Carla replied.
"And Tartaros may have that END demon, right? And Igneel tried to destroy END." Natsu nodded. "Yeah. Now I get it."
"Get what?" Wendy questioned.
"I'm gonna beat the crap out of Tartaros!" Natsu answered.
"Agreed!" Gajeel added.
"You don't get it!" Lucy shouted, placing a hand on her chin in thought. "There are too many unknowns about Tartaros. How can you beat them up when not even the Council knows where they are? We don't even know anything about their members."
"But it's a clue to Igneel's whereabouts." Natsu stated.
"That's right. Grandeeney, too." Wendy chimes in.
"Metalicana may have somethin' to do with it, too." Gajeel added.
The guild doors suddenly bursted open by Jet and Droy, who were both carrying newspapers. "Emergency! Dire news!" Jet shouted, grabbing everyone's attention immediately.
Rune Knights were covering up bodies of the ruined Council building as Doranbolt walked through the dungeon where they kept the prisoners, finally stopping at Cobra's cell.
"I've been expecting you."
"You could hear what when on upstairs, right?" Doranbolt asked.
"Don't be stupid. I can't use Magic from this cell. All I could hear was an explosion." Cobra replied.
"Tell me everything you know about Tartaros." Doranbolt ordered.
"I've told you before. I won't give anything away for free. My price is the release of all Oracion Seis members." Cobra said.
"I don't have that authority." Doranbolt reminded.
"Then talk to the people upstairs about it." Cobra says in annoyance.
Doranbolt grits his teeth. "The people... All of the members have been murdered." He revealed, actually shocking Cobra for a moment.
Recovering from his composure, Cobra lets out a chuckle. "Then they really made a big splash."
Instantly, Doranbolt was behind him, a knife to his throat. "My friend died, too. I'm not playing games here. If you don't cough up information, I'll kill you." He threatened.
"The release of the Oracion Seis members is non-negotiable. They're my comrades." Cobra claimed as him and Doranbolt stared at one another. "But I'll do you a favor and tell you one thing."
In Tartaros's hallways, a woman wearing an intricate helmet, covering almost the entirety of her face save for her eyes and mouth was walking in front of some soldiers. From the sides of the helmet, two long wing-like pieces of hair protrude, curving out around her face. Her hair falls from the back of the helmet as well, this passing through her hood to fall to her lower back, being wrapped tightly into a thick band. Finishing the helmet is a large gem of sorts, which sits directly over her forehead. She meets with a man wearing armor that had 'Absolute Zero' on the chest plate and Tartaros's guild mark on his shoulder plates.
"It's been a long time, Silver." She greeted the man.
"Kyoka... You're as sexy as ever." The man, now known as Silver, spoke.
"I don't often see you in human form."
"Manly, right? I like it."
"Jackal and Tempesta aren't here?" Kyoka asked.
"They're both off on different missions."
"Then the plan has already begun?" Kyoka questioned as all of the other guild members appeared next to her.
"Good. Let's show the humans the power of the underworld. Let's show them the hell that is Tartaros's Nine Demon Gates."
"None of them are human. They're all demons from the Books of Zeref. The name of their master is END. He's the most powerful demon from all the Books of Zeref." Cobra explained.
"That's our Jackal-san! He knows how to leave an impression!"
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / FRANMALTH THE ARMORED.
"How much are the lives of the nine Council members worth? How much?!" Franmalth asked.
"Franmalth, stop that infernal cackling. It is beneath our dignity."
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / TORAFUZAR THE DARK.
"Like demons have dignity?! Send me out next, Kyoka! I wanna massacre me some humans!"
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / DOJIGIRI EZEL.
"Ezel-san, in stories, there is always an order to the events. This is still the prologue..."
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / GODDESS OF THE CHILL MOON SEILAH.
"No. I suppose it would be the foreward..." Seilah corrects herself.
"She's right. Be patient, Ezel." Kyoka agreed. "You already have a job to do."
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / GODDESS OF THE SLAVE PLANT KYOKA.
"My body... My body aches for action! It's not fair that Jackal and Tempestra have all the fun!" Ezel complained.
"Prayers... Whispers... and the benediction of the underworld..."
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / KEYES THE BLACK ARCHBISHOP.
"Hell has just begun." Kyoka narrowed her eyes.
Silver remained silent.
THE NINE DEMON GATES OF TARTAROS / ABSOLUTE ZERO SILVER.
"It is all for our master, Zeref. Let us deliver a crushing demonic blow to the human race."
A/N: And the Tartaros Arc has finally begun!
I know this is where I stopped with the original, but I promise I'm going to see this Arc through this time as I've planned throughly!
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.