Chapter 34

Of Days Gone By

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

With Erza

The armored female ran through the forest, thinking about a single name. 'Jellal... he's come back to life. How? And why did he show up here of all places?' Her mind flashed between him as a child and an adult. 'How am I suppose to feel? How am I supposed to face him?'

With Jura and Hoteye

"What?" Jura asked. "You're saying Nirvana's magic can actually alter the personality of those affected?"

"Exactly, oh yeah." Hoteye nodded. "Within its first stage, that black light will forcibly change anyone whose heart is wavering on the good or evil side to the other. Oh yeah."

"So I guess that means you wavering between light and dark yourself?" The saint asked.

"I was never truly evil to begin with." Hoteye said back. "But I couldn't convince myself that what I was doing was noble."

"I don't see how you could ever justify what you've done." Jura said back with a glare.

"Once you've lost a loved one, you can justify everything." The former dark wizard said back before the two started running towards Nirvana. "My only goal was to find my brother. To do that, I need as much money as possible. When I first saw you, all kinds of memories came crashing back."

Jura smiled at the stone faced man. "Let me guess, I bear a striking resemblance to this long lost brother?"

"Honestly, you look more like a potato we had to split." Hoteye chuckled, crushing Jura. "Come on, we need to stop Brain and the others! Oh yeah!"

With Ren

Midnight chuckled as dust blew around the two. "Having trouble?"

"Why can't I hit you?" Ren growled before summoning a seal. "Air Magic. Aerial Shot!" Stone fragments shot forward, only to hit the ground around Midnight. "Seriously!?" A wave of magic crashed into him and sent him falling to the ground.

"Two down..." Midnight scoffed. "How pitiful are these wizards? This is the best you got?"

With Wendy and Carla

The two Cait Shelter members sat on a cliff as the sun began to set. Wendy, having woken up from Hibiki's attack, hugged her knees close to her. "Maybe it would have been better if I never came here."

"Why do you say that?" Carla asked. "If this is about Jellal, it wasn't your fault."

The girl hugged her legs tighter. "But-"

"Stop thinking like that." Carla said. "Nirvana can change your heart at any moment."

"I'm a coward." Wendy mumbled. "I left Lucy and the others to fight while we ran."

"It's not like there was much we could do in your condition." Carla said back.

Her words didn't really help Wendy's mentality. "I really am useless."

"Don't you dare say that." Carla said back. "If you hadn't been for you, Erza would be dead."

"Yeah..." Wendy nodded. "But the Oraciōn Seis still found Nirvana because of me."

"Is it really all that bad, child?" Carla asked. "Something tells me you were happy to see this Jellal fellow, but I'm not sure why?" Wendy covered her head in shame. "Who is this Jellal anyway? You said you owed him a debt, but you never told me about him. Why is that?"

Wendy looked over at her friend. "It's nothing personal. It just never came up. I met him seven years ago, not long after Grandeene left me. He found me by the side of the road, crying."

Seven Years Ago

A young crying Wendy stared up at the sky before wiping the tears from her eyes. She looked back up as Jellal, backpack and a staff on his shoulders, walked into view. "Why are you crying?"

"She left me..." The little Wendy said before running over to Jellal. "She left me alone!" She cried into his chest as he held her there.

Present

"That's how we met." Wendy said. "He said he was on his own too, and asked if I wanted to join him. We traveled together from that day forward. We didn't know where we were going, but I don't think we cared. But then one day, he said something strange all of a sudden."

"What did he say?" Carla asked.

"I think he called it 'Anima'." Wendy answered.

"Anima!?" Carla asked back.

Wendy nodded in response. "I still don't know what he meant, but after that he said it was too dangerous for us to stay together. So he left me in the care of a nearby guild... and that guild was Cait Shelter. I've been there ever since."

"So, what happened to Jellal after that?" Carla asked.

"That was the last time I ever saw him." The bluenette answered. "But I did hear rumors. People said there was a council member who looked like him. About how he's been doing all kinds of horrible things. It's silly, he'd never think about doing that. He was incredibly kind. Do you think he remembers me?"

With Erza

Erza soon found herself at Nirvana's resting place. The dust swirled around her until it was blown away as she came face to face with Jellal. The once old friends stared at each other, unaware of the hidden foe.

'Erza!?' Cobra thought in a panic. 'How did she survive? Why couldn't I hear her approaching? I can't let her stop Jellal before Nirvana is full activated!'

"Jellal..." Erza was the first to speak.

"Erza..." Jellal said back.

"Tell me, why are you here!?" She asked.

"I can't tell you that..." He said back. "Erza... who is that?" Erza gasped at the question. "That's the only word I can remember..." He grabbed his head in pain. "I don't know who I am... or where I came from... can you tell me?" He looked up at Erza in hopes she would know. "Just tell me who Erza is! Please, if you know, you have to tell me!"

'Wait, this guy lost all his memories?' Cobra asked himself.

Erza started to walk forward, scaring Jellal. "Stay away!" He held out his hand and blasted her with golden energy. Battered and bruised, she stood still, staring at him

"Then you come to me, because I am Erza." He stared at her before she continued. "Your name is Jellal. You and I were once friends. But that was before you became deranged. You desecrated the dead, hurt my friends, destroyed the magic Council, and killed Simon."

Jellal stared as she listed his own sins to him. "If you even think about forgetting the pain you've cause, I'll strike my sword in your heart, and make you remember! Now come and face me!"

Tears fell from his as Jellal stared at his hands. "I did that? My own friends... Tell me it's not true!"

Erza drop her eyes from her gaze. 'Is this really the same Jellal?'

With Lucy

Lucy groaned as she woke up. She grabbed her arm in pain only to find it in a bandage on it. "Who did this?" She looked down and noticed her new outfit. "And where did this come from?"

"I brought those from the Celestial Spirit world." The blonde looked over at Virgo. "And I changed you and treated your wound."

Natsu groaned as he woke up in a similar style of garments. "Where am I?"

"I also did the same for sir Natsu." Virgo said.

"Totaly unnecessary." Lucy said back.

Natsu shot up and looked around. "Jellal! Wait, where's that light thing?" He turned and all looked at the massive beam of light.

"Were closer, but it looks kinda different." Lucy said.

"Yes, the light changed while you two were unconscious." Virgo explained.

Natsu growled at the light before calming down with a breath before turning to Lucy. "Thanks for helping me back there, Lucy."

"Uh, no problem..." She mumbled back.

"She likes you." Virgo teased.

"You know that's not true!" The annoyed blonde shouted,

"Wait, where's Happy?" Natsu asked before turning to Lucy. "Matter of fact, weren't you suppose to stay with Erza?"

Lucy dropped her head in shame. "I was, but we got split up."

He turned back to the light. "Looks like we're gonna have to head towards the light on our own."

"Goodbye for now, princess." Virgo bowed before fading back to the Spirit world.

"Hold on!" Lucy tried to stop it but couldn't. 'That's right, I don't summon her. She crossed over using her own power. Does that mean I use up all of mine?'

A rustling scared her back into Natsu, making both look over as Sherry walked out of the woods. "Sherry! I'm glad you're okay, but did you have to scare me?"

"You're the Galuna chick right?" Natsu asked.

"All your fault..." Sherry mumbled. "It's all because of Fairy Tail wizards..." Lucy tilted her head in confusion before wooden hands raised up and tried to grab the two.

Before they could grab them, ice shot out of the ground and destroyed them. "I have had it!" Gray locked Sherry in a sleeper hold before both fell to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Lucy asked the ice wizard. "What's wrong with her?"

"I think she might be possessed." Gray said back.

"Get off of me!" Sherry shouted, pinned to the ground. "You'll pay for what you did to Lyon! You won't leave this forest alive!"

"She tried to kill me after that light showed up." Gray explained. "You guys seen anything weird?"

"Well, I owe you a punch for what you did to me." Natsu said back, confusing Gray.

"That wasn't really Gray..." Lucy explained.

"You will pay!" Sherry shouted. "On my life, I will avenge him!"

Footsteps drew their attention to Lyon as he walked out of the forest. "Avenge me for what?" Sherry stared at him with eyes wide. "I thought you had more faith in me than that."

"It's really you..." Sherry mumbled as Gray got off her.

"I told you he wouldn't die that easy." He said to her.

"I barely had enough time between throwing the bomb off that idiot and creating a shield from the blast." The other pupil of Ur said. "It took me a while to recover."

"Sounds like you had it as bad as we did." Lucy said.

"Where did you get that get up?" Lyon asked Natsu.

"Just shut up!" Natsu shouted back.

"No need to get upset every time someone says something." Lucy said from the side.

Sherry's eyes watered with tears before she fell over exhausted. "My... love..." A dark mist floated off her body towards the light.

"I told you she was possessed." Gray said.

Lucy nodded as she stared at the mist. "No kidding. We're running out of time."

With Wendy and Carla

"The black light has left the pillar." Carla observed.

"Do you think that's good or bad?" Wendy asked.

With Happy

The cat, having thawed out of the ball of ice, pulled Hibiki out of the water. "I'll be there soon, guys. Just stay safe."

Nirvana's Resting Place

"If you've lost your memories, that would explain why I couldn't hear your thoughts." Erza turned around and stared at Cobra and his snake as they approached the two. "But now I've got a bunch of questions for you."

"I should have know you were being watched." Erza glared back at the dark wizard as his snake wrapped around him.

"What I wanna know is, how did you find Nirvana?" The maroon haired man asked. "And more importantly, how did you break its seal?"

"While I was unconscious, I heard someone's voice." Jellal spoke up. "I must have Nirvana, that's what it said. It was strange, but when I woke up, I knew exactly where to find it. I could also sense how dangerous this magic is. And so, I decided to break Nirvana's seal, so I could destroy it."

"You could what?" Cobra shouted.

"How do you plan to do that?" Erza asked.

"I've cast a Self-Destruction Spell on this monstrosity." Jellal explained as purple magic lines spread across Nirvana. "Nirvana will soon be completely destroyed."

"I won't let you!" Cobra reached the wall and studied the lines before trying to shut it off, only to fail. "If I don't stop this thing, we'll lose everything! Tell me how to disarm this thing or I'll beat it out of you!"

Jellal grabbed his chest in pain. "Erza... every time I hear that name, a calmness washes over me. Kindness, friendliness, a fierce unwavering loyalty... There's not a doubt in my mind you'll continue to hate me. But that's hatred will only rob you of your freedom. If I really am your friend, I can't allow that."

Jellal coughed in pain as Erza stared at him before she noticed the Self-Destruction spell on him. "I'm sorry you've suffered because of me. I'll do what I can to make it right."

"You didn't!" Cobra shouted as Jellal fell back.

"Be free... from your hatred..." Jellal whispered as Erza stared at him. "I'll take it all with me..."

"He cast a destruction spell on himself!?" Cobra asked.

Jellal hit the ground and Erza ran toward him, shouting his name.

Reaching him, she grabbed his collar and lifted his head off the ground. "Listen to me! I won't allow you to die like this! You have to atone for your sins!"

His eyes opened again and he stared up at Erza. "You can't die ignorant of what you've done! You won't ever be forgiven by the people you've hurt! Own your sins and fight! Jellal!" Tears fell from her eyes as Jellal took notice.

"Erza... don't cry..." His words made her look at the water in her hand. "You're a good person..." His head fell back and he closed his eyes again.

"Jellal!" Erza shouted again. "Pull yourself together."

A staff slammed into the ground. "What is the meaning of this foolishness?" Brain asked.

"He's here..." Cobra mumbled. Erza whipped the tears from her eyes and glared at Brian.

The Oraciōn Seis leader looked up and noticed the lines on Nirvana. "A Self-Destructuon Spell?"

"Jellal cast it!" The maroon haired man shouted. "If we don't stop this idiot, all our work will be for nothing!"

Brian merely smirked at the panicking wizard before walking over. "Calm down, Cobra. I don't get the name 'Brian' by chance. Do you know how I came to be called that? I worked at the Bureau of Magical Development and during my time there, I produced hundreds of spells, including ones like this. I hold that knowledge to this day."

He walked passed the friends and looked down at Jellal. "In fact, I was the one who taught you how to use it. Or did you forget that as well?" He finally noticed the seal on Jellal. "So he plans to take the cancellation code with him, does he?"

"Something tells me he's not gonna stroll down memory lane with you." Cobra said, catching Brain's attention. "All that ethernano wiped him clean."

Brain laughed at the statement. "Is that so? How comical." Erza glared at him as Brain reached the wall and touched a section. "We have no further need for him. Even with out the codes, I can nullify this spell." He raised his hand and the spell broke like glass."

Erza and Jellal stared in horror. "You can't..."

"Nice!" Cobra cheered.

Brain chuckled at Jellal's actions. "In trying to make amends, Jellal, you've given Nirvana to my control!"

Erza launched forward and summoned a sword. "I won't let you!"

"Nirvana! Arise!" At Brain's words, the ground shot up, catching Erza and Jellal. "Reveal your true face!"

"This is it!" Cobra shouted. "This is the sound of our future! Light crashing to the ground!" The whole ground exploded as Jellal and Erza reached out for each other. The pillar of light exploded and grew in size.

With The Fairy Tail Group

"It appeares we've failed." Lyon said holding Sherry.

"What the heck is that!?" Natsu asked as they stared at the light.

"I hope that's not as bad as it looks." Gray said.

"No, I think it is." Lucy said.

"And once again, Erza is right in the middle of things." Gray complained.

"This is the most dangerous thing I've ever smelled!" Natsu shouted.

With Jura and Hoteye

"Its changed!" Jura shouted in a panic.

"I'm afraid your right." Hoteye nodded. "It's entering the final stage. It's the resurrection." His eyes flashed as he studied the ground.

"What do you see?" The saint asked.

"Something... incredibly massive..." Hoteye mumbled.

With Laki and Rose

"What's going on?" Laki asked as the two turned around.

"I don't know!" The cat shouted as the ground beneath them started to crack. "Let's go!" She grabbed onto Laki and lifted her into the air.

With The Fairy Tail Group

Giant stone tendrils shot out of the ground, raising the light even higher. "Now what's going on!?" Erik asked.

"I don't know., but it doesn't look good." Gray said.

"Do you think this is Nirvana?" Lucy asked.

"This doesn't seem like magic." Lyon said back. The ground beneath them started to shake before a tendril lifted them into the air. "I hate this!"

With Wendy

Wendy screamed as a tendril shot up beneath her before Carla picked her up. Both looked as the light and dust faded, showing a giant ancient city on leg, covered in moss and plant life.

With Brain

"At last, it is mine!" Brain shouted at the top of his lungs as Cobra stood behind him. "The greatest weapon against light itself! The legendary reversal magic, Nirvana! Those pathetic light guilds strongest weapons, unity and trust, will be useless from now on!"

With Erza

Titania held onto the ledge for dear life in one hand and Jellal in the other. "Cancel that Self-Destruction spell you've put on yourself. Do it now." Jellal just looked up at her. "You have a duty, and that's to stay alive. No matter what you've done, you have to fight for your life!"

Jella just dropped his head in shame. "I failed... I couldn't stop Nirvana..." Summoning her strength, Erza pulled Jellal up onto the ledge. "The world is doomed, and its all my fault."

"It's not doomed yet." Erza looked over to a leg. "Look there." Jellal followed her eyes to a cloud of dust climbing the leg. Natsu, Gray and Lucy were running up leg, roaring their lungs out.

Lyon watched from the ground, still holding Sherry. "Alright Fairy Tail. The rest is up to you."

Wendy and Carla saw the cloud and flew towards it. "That's Natsu." Laki said with Rose holding her. "Let's go."

With Jura and Hoteye

"We should lend him a hand." Jura said, holding on to another leg.

"Start by taking mine." Hoteye extended his hand.

Ledge

The two on the ledge stared at the sight. "As long as we can breath, hope will never die." The redhead said.

"Once we get to the top, I'll smash this thing into a million pieces!" Natsu shouted.

"So, why are you guys wearing matching outfits?" Gray asked Lucy.

"I'll explain later!" The blonde shouted back.

"That hope will never leave your life." Erza turned back to Jellal. "So never give up the bitter end." Jellal nodded as she helped him back to his feet.

Sorry for the lack of change, but you can't do much when the main characters of this fic have minimal dialogue in this section. Next chapter will be much better due to the change I'm planning. Can't give any hints because if I do, it'll spoil the whole thing.

Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.