CHAOS XVIII

"Here she is, Jellal. A fallen fairy, wings torn and frayed, Titania to die where shadows wade." The voice was all too sweet, but a twisted pleasure was evident in her tone. The woman in the floral kimono dragged Erza's battered form across the cold floor and unceremoniously dumped her at the foot of Jellal's throne before bowing.

"Thank you, Ikaruga," Jellal said, rising from his iron throne. His eyes bore down on Erza, something indecipherable written in them. "You've done well."

"Always a pleasure to break such stubborn spirits," Ikaruga replied, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "But her flame yet burns."

Erza's head hung low, blood trickling from fresh cuts marring her skin. Her breaths were shallow, but her expression remained fierce. "You think you've broken me?" She growled.

"Foolish knight," Ikaruga laughed softly, her tone almost musical. "You stagger beneath a shattered sky, your courage but a feeble cry."

Erza's unsteady arms pressed against the cold floor, forcing herself upward inch by inch. Every movement sent searing pain through her body, she had to grin and bear it. "You've made one fatal mistake," Erza's gaze sharpened as she straightened. "You thought I was done fighting."

Before Ikaruga could react, Erza's body erupted in brilliant light, her damaged armour shifting in a blinding flurry of magic. "Requip! Purgatory Armour."

Ikaruga only laughed, cutting the dark, heavy armour right from Erza's body. She didn't count on it being a front. The moment the armour broke, Erza dashed forward in nothing, diagonally slashing the elegant assassin's body.

Sage eyes widened in hysteria as blood spilt from her chest. She grasped at the wound, body screaming in agony as she desperately charged towards the knight. With one hand on her blade, she struck.

Erza showed no mercy.

She lifted her own blade again and dashed forward, passing by Ikaruga with a single, flawless strike. The clash of steel sparked like lightning. Erza's shoulder was gashed by Empty Flash, but the woman who did it was gone before she even hit the ground.

Erza turned to Jellal, her eyes burning with purpose. "Now... it's just us."

Jellal stood with his arms folded, composed and uninterested, as if nothing of significance had just transpired. His gaze flicked briefly to Ikaruga's fallen body, then back to Erza with all the consideration of someone glancing at a disobedient child. "Well," he drawled, voice smooth and unbothered. "Very impressive, Erza. You're resilient as ever. Ikaruga served her purpose, I suppose. A pity she couldn't hold you off longer, but I can't say I'm surprised."

"I won't allow you to continue this madness." Erza replied firmly, gripping her sword tighter.

With incredible speed, Jellal got into sprinting stance, golden magical energy surging around him. "Meteor!" He moved like a comet, slamming into Erza with overwhelming force.

The knight staggered, quickly regaining her footing. Her armour glowed as she requipped. "Heaven's Wheel!" She shouted, swords multiplying around her and launching toward Jellal in a storm of blades.

Jellal dodged gracefully, weaving effortlessly through the barrage with the enhancement of Meteor. He even countered with refinement, conjuring blades of empyreal light. "Pleiades!"

Erza narrowly evaded the six strikes, her armour transforming in an instant. "Morning Star Armour!" She cried, unleashing a new form. She fired an energy blast towards Jellal. "Photon Slicer!" He dodged with ease, her attack hit the wall, causing it to crumble.

"Seven stars, pass your judgement…" Jellal chanted, hands weaving a dangerous spell in front of him. "Heavenly Body Magic: Grand Chariot!" He raised his arm to the heavens. Seven brilliant beams of destructive power descended toward Erza, stealing a constellation from the sky to rain down on her.

Erza met the onslaught head-on, her sword shining in the light. Their magics collided explosively, shaking the very foundation of the Tower of Heaven. She fell to her knees, exhausted, armour disappearing to normal wear.

"Why are you doing this, Jellal?" Erza panted, desperate to know.

Jellal paused for just a moment, something almost sorrowful crossed his face. "It's too late, Erza. I can't turn back."

"I won't accept that!" Erza roared fiercely, channelling every ounce of her resolve into one final, decisive strike. She charged forward; a single blade set ablaze with unwavering conviction. Her final strike resonated against his heavenly protection, a burst of magic echoed through the hall, determining not just their fate, but perhaps the fate of the world itself.

At that moment, Etherion hit. Both Erza and Jellal didn't even have time to brace as the Tower of Heaven crumbled around them.

Erza hissed softly as she pulled herself from the rubble, limbs heavy, blood caked to her forehead. The tower groaned and quaked all around her, once dark walls had disappeared, making way for the crystallised Ethernano formed from the attack.

In front of her, Jellal lay crumpled on the ground, breathing raggedly, his body twitching with the aftershocks of the blast. His eyes fluttered open, a broken, desperate look etched into his face.

"Erza..." He rasped, voice fractured. "It's... over. You've won."

Erza's eyes widened, a flood of emotions crashing through her chest. Looking at him defeated at her feet, she could only see the destroyed form of her childhood friend. Broken and consumed by darkness. "Jellal..."

"I need to tell you," He coughed, blood speckling his lips. His body seemed to curl inward, his shoulders slumping in utter defeat. "I... I see it now. I was under the control of the Black Wizard himself. The spirit of Zeref controls me… but everything I've done, it's unforgivable. I was a fool, trying to resurrect him. Nothing but a delusional puppet, chasing power I never deserved."

Erza hesitated, tightening her grip on her sword, but her stance loosened. The fire of her fury clashed violently with the pity clawing at her heart. Jellal had been her friend. A part of her wanted so desperately to believe that some fragment of the boy she once knew remained.

"I wanted to make things right," Jellal continued feebly. "But it's too late. The R-system has already reached completion. Zeref will awaken, no matter what happens to me."

Erza's eyes narrowed. "No... if we destroy this tower, then—"

"You don't understand!" Jellal's sudden outburst shook her. His eyes glistened with fear, desperation seeping into his words. "Destroying the tower would mean killing everyone here. The magic is already too far gone... but..." His voice cracked, softening to a pleading whisper. "There's still a chance to stop it. A slim one."

Erza swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

Jellal looked away, his expression tortured. "I've studied the R-system relentlessly. The ritual needs a sacrifice, that's how it's always worked. There's only one way to stop it before Zeref's resurrection fully takes hold. A willing sacrifice... one whose pure magic can counteract the darkness."

Erza felt her body still, her sword slipped to the glowing floor. "You're saying... if I give myself to the ritual, it will stop Zeref's awakening?"

Jellal closed his eyes, his expression one of bitter acceptance. "Yes. And only you can do it. Your magic... your heart... it's strong enough to counter the evil festering within this tower."

"But..." Erza's gaze faltered, torn between her survival and the weight of countless lives resting on her decision.

Jellal forced himself to sit up, the effort making him wince. "It's the only way, Erza. Please... if there's anything left of the man you once called a friend, it's me right now. Trust me. This tower, Zeref, everything will be undone if you make the choice to end it."

Erza's chest tightened, her mind spinning wildly with doubt and hope alike. She searched Jellal's eyes for the truth, for something real and genuine behind those haunting teal blue irises.

"Alright," she whispered. "If it means stopping Zeref's revival and saving everyone, then I'll do it."

A slow, predatory smile crept across Jellal's face, unnoticed by Erza as her head hung down. The spark of victory glinted in his eyes, too cruel to be justified.

"Good," he breathed, almost too gently. "You're making the right choice."

Natsu felt the ground tremble. Something big was close. He braced himself, casting Deflection for good measure. In the next moments, the Tower of Heaven was hit by a nuke.

"Those stupid council bastards. This can't be Etherion." He muttered. If it was, he wouldn't be standing here alive right now. That is, unless, Etherion had been sent here for a reason. "Wouldn't that be something?" He mused to himself, crouching to inspect the new magic crystals that bestrewed what remained of the structure. The air thrummed with unstable particles, making it almost intoxicating to breath.

He continued his upward climb, following the winding, broken paths until he reached his target. The man behind it all, Jellal. His face was identical to that of the councilman that had been getting on his last nerves, but Natsu wasn't all that shocked.

The walls of what was once a lavish dome at the top of the tower had crumbled away. Dull light fractured against the surrounding jagged crystals, splintering into the floor. Erza and Jellal kneeled into each other in the centre of the space. The lifeless body of an unfamiliar woman laid in the corner, never to move again- And suddenly, it clicked.

Etherion was not meant to destroy this place. It was a battery.

Jellal held Erza with feigned fondness. His expression twisted into something sinister. Natsu couldn't tell if the man's sincerity was real or another one of his sick mind games. Not that it mattered. He was the enemy.

"You escaped the lacrima. I didn't expect less from the great Chaos Dragon."

Erza turned around, eyes widening as the dragon slayer stepped forward.

"You being this scared of me is hilarious. Sending me off to Bosco, locking me in a lacrima, all because you know I can fuck your whole system up."

Jellal's lips twitched with faint amusement. "I can't say I have any clue as to what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb. It's insulting." Natsu's tone dripped with disdain. Before he could advance, Erza was in front of him. She had already requipped her sword, pressing the point against his throat with alarming precision. Her glare was fierce but troubled.

"If you know something, say it."

Natsu didn't flinch. "You're being played, Scarlet. He doesn't give a shit about you. I know you can decipher that much."

"Erza, don't listen to him," Jellal interjected, his tone slipping into something warmer, something reassuring. "He's only trying to sow doubt. You can see he's unhinged."

"Unhinged?" Natsu scoffed with exaggerated offense. "Like I'm the one with the split personality here, Siegrain, Jellal—whatever your name is."

Jellal's eyes narrowed. He tilted his head in the guise of confusion. "You may have us mixed-up. I am Jellal. My brother, Siegrain, is a Wizard Saint working for the council."

"Cut the bullshit. Twins have different scents. You're Siegrain through and through. You've been playing everyone from the start."

Jellal's expression faltered, cool façade cracking under Natsu's surety. But it was Erza's reaction that was most telling. Her eyes widened, lips parting in a sick gasp.

"That's... impossible." Erza whispered. "Jellal, is this true?"

His eyes darkened. As if on cue, a new figure emerged at the top of the steps to the ruined dome. Dressed in lighter, more elegant robes, the other Jellal—or rather, Siegrain—strolled into the room with a look of casual interest.

The two identical figures circled each other, eyes locked in a silent contest of wills. Then, with a shuddering distortion of magic, their bodies began to merge into one, the illusion of separation dissolving in an instant.

Erza's legs gave out, her knees hit the ground hard as her brain struggled to process the truth. Everything she had been fighting for, believing in, all wrapped in a web of lies.

Jellal—no, Siegrain—stood alone, his expression curdling into something triumphant and sinister. "Now then, shall we continue Heaven's Game?"

Suddenly, something cold wrapped around Erza's ankles. She looked down in terror as jagged crystals began crawling up her feet, locking her in place with a solid clutch. "What is this?!" She shouted, alarm rising as she tried to wrench herself free. The crystalline structure below her grew rapidly, but the more she struggled, the tighter it clung, embedding itself into her very skin.

Jellal's laughter was deranged. "You've already made yourself the willing sacrifice!" He stated with sickening satisfaction.

"I—" Erza's voice caught in her throat, her gaze shooting wildly between Jellal and the relentless crystals now creeping toward her waist.

"There is no way to stop it. The moment you accepted your role of a sacrificial lamb, you sealed your own fate. This tower will consume you. We will trade your life for his. The greatest mage to ever walk this Earth. Your noble sacrifice will be nothing more than fuel for his rebirth."

Erza struggled harder, but it was futile. The crystals only continued their merciless advance, climbing past her waist, encasing her ribs, tightening around her arms.

Jellal took a leisurely step forward, his hands folded behind his back, eyes gleaming with cruel delight. "Isn't it beautiful, Erza? To give everything you are for a cause so much greater than yourself? You truly are a saviour. Perhaps, this is the only fitting end for someone like you."

"Jellal... you bastard!" Erza cried, torn between rage and distress. She tried to summon something—anything to break the crystals holding her down, but her strength was slipping. Her conscious was fading. Whatever dark power Jellal had infused into the tower was draining her magic.

"Don't you see?" Jellal continued. "You were always meant to be the key. Your chivalry, your strength, all of it was destined to bring about the greatest revival in history. You should be honoured."

Erza's breaths grew shallow, her chest heaving as the crystals crawled to her shoulders, binding her completely. "You lied to me..." She whispered, a tear pricking at her left eye. "You made me believe there was a choice."

"There never was," Jellal whispered. "Now, be a good martyr, and embrace your destiny." He stood still for almost a minute after, staring at the girl now fully frozen. "It really is a pity… that I once loved you."

Natsu could only watch, positioning himself for what was to come. Erza had been completely embedded in the Ethernano. Her life to be slowly drained, fed to the black magic below. Jellal looked up at him with a triumphant grin. Natsu spoke first, questioning the process.

"Why Etherion?"

"We needed something with enough mana to power the R-system," Jellal explained, gesturing grandly to the surrounding space. "Of course, I made alterations to the cannon beforehand. Building a structure strong enough to withstand even the limited force of the blast was also a key project."

"And the gang of idiots?" Natsu pressed, eyes blazing with contempt.

Jellal chucked. "Just some entertainment for the ride. Disposable distractions." He paused for a moment. "I have questions for you too. It must have been you as who wiped out the remnants of my cult in Morgate. How did you know?"

"Your guys were just as dumb." Natsu sneered. "Showing off such a distinctive tattoo and trying to poison me? My body rejects dragon's venom. You'd think they'd do better to check."

Jellal's expression darkened with ire. "I should've known sending you away would never have been enough. You were always a threat. And Zeref killed them for failing to eliminate you."

"Why do you blame your failures on Zeref?"

Jellal's eyes gleamed with madness and conviction. "Zeref is the key to a new world. You should understand better than most. Though you hide it, I know who raised you. Head-to-head against the pride of the Black Dragon, I know I wouldn't stand a chance. That's why I'd rather we strike a deal."

"What's your wager?" Natsu grinned, almost sadistically.

"Join me, Chaos. I am using the R-system to revive Zeref. When he returns to this world, powers like Acnologia will no doubt be drawn to his aura. You'll be free to roam again, be the Harbinger of Destruction you were destined to be."

Natsu let out a quiet laugh. "You can't possibly be this dense."

"What do you mean?" Jellal demanded, uncertainty creeping inside.

"You're a smart man, smart enough to infiltrate the Magic Council, but to be this gullible is pitiable." Natsu's fists clenched, crackling with a blinding light as he summoned his power. His body ignited into a defensive flame. "But I'm done talking. Maybe think it over." Before Jellal could react, Natsu slammed his palms together. "Chaos Dragon's: Glory!"

A glaring light burst forth from Natsu's hands, blinding Jellal and sending him staggering backward with a furious yell.

"Damn you! What—" Jellal's vision was a blur of white and shadow, his senses scrambled by the overwhelming flash. Blasts of energy attacked him from all directions. He couldn't see to avoid them.

Behind him, Natsu was already in motion. His flaming fist slammed into the encompassing crystal that held Titania, the force of the strike splintering her Ethernano enclosure in two. "Chaos Dragon's: Flare!" Crimson and cyan tore from beneath the Ethernano crystal, shattering the rest of the barrier into glittering dust.

Erza slumped forward, her unconscious body collapsing into Natsu's arms. Her breathing was shallow but steady. She was alive. Her eyes began to flutter, her mind struggling to pull itself back from the purgatory it had been forced into. Her strength hadn't returned yet, and likely wouldn't for some time. All she could do was try to watch, helplessly, as Natsu locked on Jellal.

The Heavenly Body mage had regained his sight, his body trembled with irritation. "You really think you can stand against me? Against the full power of the Tower of Heaven?"

"Stand against you?" Natsu's mouth curved to a gleeful smile. "I'm about to bury you." Before he could move, someone grabbed his ankle.

"Chaos! Please…" Erza choked out to her guildmate, who tried to shake her off. "H-he's under the influence of the Dark Wizard… Leave this to me. I have… t-to break him free."

"Is that what he told you?" Natsu stifled a grimace before turning to Jellal. "Sorry to break it to you, man, but you're not being controlled by Zeref."

"Of course I'm not. We're working together. Working to build a new-"

"No, you're not associated with him. At all."

"How dare you?" Jellal was in a borderline state of lunacy.

"I don't know what impersonator's got you this fucked up, but Zeref's not a spirit or anything. And he doesn't have the power to possess people."

"What would you know?" Jellal shouted, charging towards the unamused dragon slayer, who sidestepped quickly to avoid a collision.

"You're strong, no mistaking that. It would've been nice to have you as an ally, but I can't work with morons. Zeref works alone. He only coexists with the strongest of beings. Alas, that is not you."

The fury of Jellal only grew. He whipped around, zeroing in on the Chaos Dragon. "I'm one of the Ten Great Wizard Saints—and that's just as one of my clones. You think I'm weak? My power rivals that of gods!"

"Nice complex." Chaos mocked. His power suddenly surged as scales crept down his face and his nails sharpened to claws. Jellal watched in horror as the slayer's features began to morph into those of a dragon itself.

"What is this?" Jellal snarled, trembling with rancour. He watched as the Chaos Dragon picked up a crystallised chunk of the Ethernano bomb that had crashed into the tower... and bit it. His power surged again. Jellal had to brace himself as wild magic power spiked, strengthened enough to knock him off his feet. Erza eyelids fluttered weakly to see the source of energy.

"Apocalypse..." she murmured before sinking back into unconsciousness.

The orange of Natsu's fire was gone, replaced with a storm of swirling crimson and cyan—the tint of chaos. Until that energy darkened into an unsettling, pitch-black. And suddenly the air felt thin.

"You can't eat that! It's not an element! What are you?!" Jellal snarled, desperation edging into his tone. He charged at Chaos with golden fists raised.

"Apocalypse Dragon's: Tranquillity." Chaos spoke. The whites of his eyes turned black. Jellal froze mid-step, utterly paralysed. A pitch-black magic circle expanded rapidly from the dragon slayer's feet, stretching beyond the edge of the tower and even further. The seal wide enough for the navy ships in the vicinity to see and feel the power.

Suddenly, Jellal regained feeling in his muscles, and he didn't waste the moment he was given to jump out of the way of an oncoming strike of black energy. His body glowed gold as he summoned the power of a meteor. "Grand Chariot!"

Chaos dodged the large attack, letting the black energy consume him again as he skilfully bounced between the falling beams. Jellal landed hard on the ground, nearly stumbling over. That was not the full power of Grand Chariot. What happened? He studied the magic circle Chaos had summoned. Realising what it did, he couldn't help but laugh. "A debuff? That's your all-powerful magic?" He cackled.

"All powerful?" Chaos grinned.

Jellal lifted his arms, channelling immense heavenly power into his next attack. "Sema!" The sky itself trembled, darkening as an enormous meteorite began its deadly descent toward the tower. Jellal panted, grinning maniacally as the sky rained down on top of them. This would take him out. It had never failed in destroying an enemy.

Only Chaos remained unfazed. "Apocalypse Dragon's: Decay." He raised a hand towards the heavens Jellal controlled, another pitch-black magic circle taking over the sky, perfectly parallel to the one below their feet. The last of Jellal's humour was wiped in an instant along with his one elite spell, which dissipated into nothing as it touched Chaos's seal.

Jellal gritted his teeth. He had to play something big. He racked his brain for spells, coming across one that was sure to make him falter. "Altairis!" He shouted. The spell condensed and grew, the manipulation of gravity causing the remnants of the tower to quake. Surely, this could be it. Nothing could withstand this. Not materials, people, even light.

Again, the attack disappeared. Jellal stared at the magic seal above, mouth agape.

"Wh- what is this magic?!" Panic ran through his veins as he casted Pleiades. Going around the magic seal above, Jellal's spell was precision and fury. Beams of destructive magic rained down upon Chaos from every angle. But he was relentless. Pleiades was nothing to him. His attacks were fuelled by something darker, something far more primal than mere hatred. His aura glowed with unyielding intensity as he drove Jellal back, step by step.

"You think you can destroy everything I've built?" Jellal roared, his voice echoing like thunder. "You are nothing compared to me!" He fired off Grand Chariot again. red to me!" He fired off Grand Chariot again. It never made contact, once again falling useless in the presence of Decay.

Jellal leapt forward, launching a last-ditch punch at the stronger mage, who caught his fist effortlessly. As Jellal came face to face with Chaos, he noticed his eyes. Completely empty of light, or anything human at all, consumed by whatever darkness he had released. The energy around Chaos spiked again. Jellal threw punch after punch-none landed a scratch.

"Still got fight in you? Your resilience is commendable." Chaos shoved him back with a heavy push to the chest. Jellal crashed violently into a wall, rubble crumbling over his head.

For a few moments, things were silent. Jellal laid still against the pile of stone, breathing heavily. Then, in a rapid motion, his arms spread out wide, magic circles formed around him, glowing so brightly, painting the sky shades of violent red and sickly green. Natsu knew this spell.

"Abyss Break!" He screamed. An explosion of pure, destructive energy erupted from Jellal's outstretched hands, four elemental forces converging into one catastrophic blast. It all blended into a hellish maelstrom, spiralling toward Chaos with the force of an unstoppable hurricane.

His eyes widened for a split second, the raw magnitude of the attack catching him off guard. He raised his hands to block as the blast struck him head-on.

The impact was devastating.

The sheer power of Abyss Break tore into his body, launching him backward with such force that the ground shattered beneath him. His magic flickered and died, his aura failing to hold the weight of the attack. It was a deadly spell, one with enough destructive power to level a city. One he had narrowly avoided by killing Jose.

Chaos slammed into the crystal-laden floor, coughing up blood as the world spun around him. His entire body screamed with agony, nerves on fire from the elemental devastation coursing through him.

Jellal huffed, falling to his knees. He was out of magic by now. He laughed quietly. It grew hysterical with every passing second of silence. "Ha... So much for the great Chaos Dragon!" His cry was victorious.

Only, something was wrong. There was a new sound. One almost familiar. No, it was definitely familiar. The inhale of a slayer. He slowly looked to the crater in the floor where Chaos had fallen. Black magic particles swirled towards the dragon slayer in the centre. He sucked up magic that Jellal could hardly see. What the hell was he eating now?

Jellal's expression faltered. "What...?"

Chaos's eyes snapped open, too feral, more vicious than before. He rose to his feet. His voice was strained but wickedly defiant. "You think... something like that... is enough to put me down?" A low, guttural laugh escaped his throat.

Breathless, Jellal stood too. He raised a shaking hand in one final, desperate attempt to take out the demon in his path. His entire body tremored with resentment as the last of his magic rose to his command. Chaos mirrored the motion, an eerie calmness in his eyes.

"Just… die! Nine stars, pierce the heavens! Orion!" His eyes glowed gold as the sky opened. A constellation fell, driving into the Earth with the force of Heaven itself.

Chaos returned with his own final attack, consuming Jellal's bloodlust filled spell as fuel for his own.

"Apocalypse Dragon's Secret Art…" Chaos started, circling his arms counterclockwise before his hands met in front of his chest. He let a small black sphere form between his palms, slowly expanding as it sucked in the magic from the air like a blackhole. "Fatality."

Jellal froze, his blood ran cold. He knew it was the end. His life flashed before his eyes. Scenes of friendship, betrayal, loss, and pain.

"This kid's no fun. He hasn't made a peep this whole time!"

Jellal gritted his teeth as lightning surged through his body for the fifth time that afternoon. His muscles seized; his bones rattled against the electric agony. Every nerve inside him sparked with pain, but he refused to cry out. He couldn't give them the satisfaction of submission.

"Drop the tough-guy act or we'll go to more extreme measures, like we did to your little girlfriend." The cultist sneered as the electrocution ceased. Jellal slumped forward, struggling to catch his breath. He huffed and kept his head down, refusing to meet their eyes.

"Shut up, you fat pig,"

A heavy fist collided with his face, the force of the blow sending stars dancing across his vision. "What'd you just call me?" The man growled. The lightning struck again. Harsher, more vicious. His spine arched painfully against the metal pole he was tied to as raw power tore through him. Still, he did not scream. When the torture finally stopped, he panted, his entire body trembling violently against the restraints.

"Rest up, kid. We're zappin' you 'til you start begging to our god for mercy." The words were spit like a sick promise as the cultists left.

Jellal was left alone, shivering in the silence of his underground cage. The world warped around him. His mind hovered on the edge of unconsciousness, but he couldn't help but wonder how Erza was doing up there.

"God…" he muttered. "I don't believe in such a thing."

Then, his world changed.

The floor beneath him began to glow, turning crimson. A swirling red mist rose from the ground, coiling around him hungrily, completely consuming him. Then it spoke to him.

"Is that so?"

"I hate it. All of it. I hate them and their god. Everything about this lousy world."

"Embrace those feelings of malice. Share them with me," The voice continued. Jellal looked up, eyes devoid of any more fight. "Take that darkness inside you, turn it into strength."

"Who are you?"

"What amusing creatures," The voice dripped with scorn. "I'm right here within the walls of their precious tower. So close, yet they go through all this trouble to resurrect me. For what? I have no need flesh nor bone."

"Show yourself!" Jellal pulled against his restraints. The crimson mist thickened, swirling until it took the shape of a human. The shadowy being stepped up to the captive boy. Its presence felt like a void, sucking the very life from him.

"They can have all the faith in the world, but it's your hatred that allows you to sense my existence." The figure moved closer, slipping into his mind. "You are a fortunate child, Jellal. For you have met the god they so revere."

Jellal's eyes widened in disbelief. "No…"

"My name is Zeref." The creature's dark red eyes bore into his soul, drowning him. Stealing him. "Hatred is my very existence. And yours shall be the same."

Jellal did not fight back. He allowed the darkness to consume him. The creature's words coiled around his heart, crushing his doubts until only one truth remained. He would become stronger. Strong enough to never be chained again. Strong enough to make the entire world bow before him.

He surrendered his life to the shadow that saved him. The god that blessed him with the strength to rule. Only to…

Jellal closed his eyes and collapsed. He let himself relax as death hovered over him. This was a spell meant to kill, and he was the target. There was no escaping. He wondered... after death. Where would he go?

The sphere expanded rapidly, destroying clusters of indestructible Ethernano as it sped towards him. For one attack to wipe out magic itself, Jellal couldn't imagine what it would do to him. Would he be drained of all his mana like the rocks that crumbled around them? Left to die of magic deficiency? Maybe it would treat a human differently, sealing his fate in this sphere of nothingness.

He wouldn't find out. The spell halted mere centimetres from him, hovering ominously. A vicious grin spread across the Chaos Dragon's face, and the attack, the magic circles, along with his jet-black aura and dragon scales all disappeared. The whites of his eyes returned. He stalked slowly towards the man heaving on the floor. Jellal felt his heart pound harder with each step that approached until he crouched down, leaned in close, and whispered two caustic words.

"Just kidding."

"I-I give." Jellal couldn't breathe. He wondered what his face looked like in that moment. It sure didn't feel normal.

Chaos tilted his head. "Give what? You're not surrendering, I won. You had no chance." He stood up, leaving his crushed victim to writhe. "Fatality was my father's favourite spell. It strikes again and again until it no longer senses a heartbeat. There's no surviving it. I've never been able to use it before, so I thank you for the opportunity to try it."

"Thank…?" Jellal repeated numbly, barely a whisper over the wind.

"Titania would be upset if I killed you. Once, I wouldn't have cared. I'm feeling nicer these days," he provided, stretching all too casually, like all they had done was spar. "Just live peacefully from here on out knowing who holds your life, okay?" Chaos left with a threat, walking over to pick up the unconscious Erza Scarlet before leaping off the tower.

Jellal could do nothing but lay in silence.

Lucy, Gray, and Happy sat stunned in their small, rickety rowboat. From the water, they watched the entire battle unfold at the top of the Tower of Heaven. It was brutal and absolute—one-sided from the very beginning. Even without a close-up view, the difference in magic pressure was undeniable. The crushing weight of whatever Natsu unleashed up there was suffocating. It made Lucy's chest feel heavy with dread.

Juvia had already dived out of the boat to assist with routing Natsu and Erza back to land should they fall from the tower. Gray's eyes followed her for a moment, but his focus kept drifting upward to the terrifying power above.

Erza's surviving childhood friends were extracted by a Navy ship stationed cautiously at the base. The soldiers, wide-eyed and pale, seemed torn between awe and panic as the tower continued to crumble under the force of clashing magic.

The only question left was if Jellal survived that.

"He's not real." Gray mumbled, eyes still locked on the now still, ruined tower. "How can anyone anywhere go against that?"

Lucy gripped the side of the rowboat. "Let's just be happy that he's on our side."

"It's terrifying, Lucy. Is he really on our side when Master kinda forced him into Fairy Tail? Even if he's helping us now, what happens when he decides we're in his way?"

Silence hung heavy over them, thick and oppressive. The gentle slosh of waves against their boat couldn't even break the tension.

Happy's ears drooped, his small, crestfallen voice broke the quiet. "I don't think Natsu's on anyone's side. He doesn't hate anyone in the guild, even Master. He just acts in his best interest to find his dragons. But..." Happy hesitated, eyes shining with a pained sort of hope. "I think if he's fighting for Fairy Tail now, he has a reason."

Lucy looked up to the colourful sky. Decorated by remnants of the battle she witnessed. "A reason…" She repeated, voice hardly a whisper. "Yeah."