Would you like some water, Jellal?
No, thank you...
What do you think?
The wounds to his eyes are not that deep, so I'm sure he'll be able to see again soon.
The damage to his body as a whole is more serious, yes.
After all, he fought four members of Oracion Seis.
There is no way he could have emerged unscathed, yes.
Jellal...
We're gonna get some rain.
We can take shelter in that hut.
Ridiculous.
Then why not go to another house?
It's a ghost town. All of the homes are vacated.
That's not it. Hanging out here is a waste of time.
Then where do you suggest we go?
Anywhere but here.
Tartaros Arc: King of the Underworld
Sheesh. There's something wrong with you people.
We finally got out...
So?
So? Listen...
Do you realize that we're free?
I don't understand what we're doing cooling our heels here. Do you?
Don't ask me, man. It's a pain in the ass.
Hey, Midnight.
Hey!
Hey, can you hear me?
Shut the hell up.
We can hear you fine.
You telling me to "shut up"?! In the first place...
I...
...am going to follow Jellal.
You haven't changed.
Follow him? Are you a little kid?
We've been released from the Tower of Heaven and the Council's prison.
We're free.
I've already decided. I'm going to follow him.
You jerks, too? I see...
Well, do what you want. I'm gonna...
I...
I'm done serving people.
I won't let anyone take this freedom away.
Then...
But...
What?! You're not being clear.
What are you laughing at?
Oh, I just heard an unusual voice.
You're still alive?
Oh...
I wondered who was here. Lo and behold, Oracion Seis.
And here I thought you'd spend the rest of your lives in a cage.
So what are you doing here?
You!
One of Grimoire Heart's Seven Kin of Purgatory!
Rusty! Rusty Rose!
Meldy? What are you doing with the Six Demon Generals?
What happened to you?!
If you didn't come here to pursue me, then I've got nothing to say.
See you.
Wait! What happened?!
It's none of your business.
But we were on the same side...
You've bgotten chatty.
Wait. I'm interested in what you have to say, too.
I can hear it. You're terrified.
I can hear it faintly in your voice.
What are you afraid of?
Tell me.
W-Wait!
And what will you do if I don't tell you?
Oh, you'll tell us. Right?
Tartaros.
Tartaros? The Nine Demon Gates?
No...
That's not all.
After Fairy Tail beat us on Tenroujima seven years ago,
we were a bedraggled bunch.
Then Zeref appeared before us.
It all happened in an instant.
Master Hades was killed right in front of me.
The next thing I knew, I was floating in the sea.
I survived somehow, but couldn't find anyone else.
I wandered here and there as my wounds healed...
What about Hikaru?
I have no idea where he is or what he's doing.
No... I don't even know if he's still alive.
I see...
As you know,
the Balam Alliance served as a non-aggression pact between the Dark Guilds.
But then my guild, Grimoire Heart, split up,
and yours, Oracion Seis, was incarcerated,
leaving only Tartaros.
What about it?
I've heard a rumor recently.
That Grimoire's sub-guilds have been being wiped out systematically.
It didn't take me long to find out
Tartaros was behind it.
Enemy raid!
Who are you bastards?!
We're envoys of darkness.
We've come to meet the leaders of Tartaros.
Envoys of darkness, you say?
Enough games! Identify yourselves!
We have no obligation to identify ourselves to a guild that broke the alliance.
Our business isn't with you bottom-feeders.
I think you'd be better off shutting your mouths and stepping aside.
Kill them!
Don't let them through!
You would die to protect a mere gate?
Bleve!
You foot soldiers are getting on my nerves!
Howl of the Flame God!
They were too weak.
That didn't even serve as a decent warm-up.
B-Bastards... Who...
The Dark Guild, Grimoire Heart.
We're coming through.
This is a rather rude visit.
What? We're perfect gentlemen compared to
the guild that secretly attacked our sub-guilds.
Welcome to Tartaros.
I am Kyoka, one of the Nine Demon Gates.
I am Rusty Rose, one of Grimoire Heart's
Seven Kin of Purgatory, Balam Alliance.
Azuma of the same.
Zancrow.
Balam Alliance? Grimoire Heart?
As far as I know, those groups are long gone.
Then maybe you're misinformed.
Then who do you think we are, standing right before you?
Losers, of course.
The only guild that still exists from the Balam Alliance is ours, Tartaros.
Only Tartaros? Don't talk nonsense.
You didn't know?
The Alliance was a non-aggression pact between all the Dark Guilds.
What do you want to say?
You bastards have been attacking our sub-guilds,
murdering some of the members, and abducting others.
Your conduct is outrageous.
To be honest, I don't have time to deal with the likes of you.
If you wish to continue your tirade, leave here at once.
That was just our introduction.
Now let's get down to business.
Just the three of you stormed into Tartaros.
You've got balls, anyway.
But Rusty, that...
If you're bragging about it as a misadventure, it isn't interesting.
Leave the guy alone.
So what happened?
So?
Even children who steal candy from their friends are punished for it.
Oh? Punishment?
You scum violated the Balam Alliance's non-aggression pact.
So you're going to pay the price for it.
The price, eh? What do you have in mind?
We're going to take half of the Dark Guilds that you took over.
Although more accurately, you're going to return them.
After that, we'll do you a favor and leave.
And we'd better never see each other again.
What do you say? That way the Balam Alliance will be reinstated.
It's not a bad deal for you people, is it?
Enough.
You're pathetic.
Excuse me?
What is that magic?!
She must've cast some spell!
I enjoy enhancing the senses of you humans.
Lowlife...
Arc of Embodiment... How sad.
Your comrades are all gone.
This ebony sword
comes forth from the Underworld to cut through everything!
W-What's that?!
This is unsightly. Begone.
The age of Zeref is almost upon us.
When it does come, you'll die like a crushed insect.
What's wrong? What are you afraid of?
There is no more value in tormenting you here.
You should return to the nest, along with your imaginary friends.
Tartaros isn't just the Nine Demon Gates.
There's something behind them, something terrifying.
It doesn't have anything to do with us.
The age of Zeref is coming.
Is Tartaros trying to reach Zeref?
Find out for yourself. I have no intention of going back there.
Well, see you. I'll be on my way.
Rusty...
We're going to Tartaros.
Jellal?
You can't go in that condition, right?
I'm going.
No. I have to go.
I'm going.
We're not going to Tartaros.
We're members of the Balam Alliance, even if it has practically collapsed.
We can't break the non-aggression pact.
After all that's happened...
We are who we are. Dark or not, we had pride in our guild.
We can't break a vow now.
I see.
But I must go.
Even if it's on my own.
I'll find you again one day.
I promise.
It's slippery here, so be careful.
Right.
Say, Jellal...
Why are you so concerned about Oracion Seis?
Because you made a promise to Doranbolt?
They were prisoners.
They were held captive in the Tower of Heaven long ago.
In that sense, they're in the same circumstances as me.
That's our beginning. Even if we're set free, it doesn't change anything.
Though the details may differ, we all spent a long time in there.
It's ironic,
but the ghost of Zeref and the Tower of Heaven's spell bind us together as comrades.
Yes. Maybe so...
The prayers of their imprisoned selves...
Even when we were fighting over Nirvana, I sensed that spell.
And even now, they haven't changed.
Prayers...
Richard prays to see his younger brother, who was separated from him
when he was taken prisoner in the Tower of Heaven.
Sawyer prays to become so fast that no one can catch him.
Solano prays to be released from the earth so she can disappear into the sky.
Erik prays to share his unbelievable story with a friend who will believe him.
And Macbeth prays to sleep quietly in this world of resounding screams and whimpers.
Their prayers became powerful magic,
which was used by Master Zero, making them fall into a Dark Guild.
Because I used the Tower, I'm partially to blame.
But that was...
No matter what Ultear says, I'm the one who did it.
The darkness engulfed me because I was weak.
At the time, Natsu said something to me.
I recall it every once in a while.
You can't become free!
There's no freedom for anyone who's bound by ghosts.
Free yourself, Jellal!
I want to release them.
That's one way I can atone.
Atone...
What's wrong, Erik? Did you hear something?
Nothing.
But after all this time, I don't want Jellal calling me by my real name!
Erik's shy is why.
Shut up, Solano.
Watch out!
Th-This is... Dimguil's Tower?!
Yes, that's right.
Created by the Arc of Embodiment.
Rusty... So this was your aim!
Meldy, Grimoire Heart isn't gone yet!
The two of us can rebuild the guild!
What if I say no?
We'll wait until you say yes.
But first he'll die.
And you'll suffer, too.
Come with me, Meldy.
I won't show you any mercy until you agree.
What's wrong with you?! The Meldy I knew would have fought back!
You can use your Sensory Link.
I don't need to use that to know how miserable you are, Rusty.
What?!
You're held captive by the past. You can't call that living.
That's nonsense! I've spent the last seven years searching for my comrades!
That's the only thing I've been living for...
Rusty, face forward.
That's what living really is!
Meldy! I don't want to kill you! Come with me!
There's no other way!
Let's go, Meldy!
Come on, everyone's waiting!
Wrong! That's the past, Rusty!
I live in the present.
I travel around, putting my life on the line to make up for my past crimes.
That's the guild I belong to now, Crimson Sorciere!
Then you leave me no choice.
I'll have to destroy the place you belong first.
Meldy, wait!
With those eyes, what can you do? For Meldy's sake...
...leave this world forever!
Meldy! What happened?!
How long are you going to keep those damn bandages on?
Meldy...
Are you healed? Can you see?
It appears that way.
You guys...
There's no place for us to go, especially.
Whatever. We've decided to kill time by hanging out with you.
We don't want freedom if it's handed to us on a silver platter.
This time for sure, we'll obtain true freedom ourselves.
Okay.
Rusty Rose. You also need to decide for yourself how you're going to live.
But if you don't want to be tormented by solitude anymore...
If you're prepared to keep fighting the sins that you bear...
...then the door is always open for you to join our guild.
We'll welcome you then.
I have to get to the Master fast!
Hang in there, Natsu and Lucy!
Well, Natsu?
No good. I'm not picking up Mira's scent at all.
Dammit!
Let's head west more!
Yeah! We'll find her for sure!
Mira!
Where are you?!
Demon of the Books of Zeref...
Alias Etherious...
A human demon is no match for you.
Right, Master?
It is about to begin.
The darkness will overflow the gates of the Underworld...
...and bury all the light in this world.
Seilah put a Macro on herself to release her power,
and is trampling Mirajane.
During this desperate situation,
Mirajane flashes back on days spent with her family long ago.
The power of a strong, kind bond
calls forth a miracle that removes a demon.
Next time: Tartaros Arc: Allegria.
Tartaros Arc: Allegria
That power is for the sake of her family.