Another week passed after the events at Schneider's house. To Meliodas's relief, there were no more assassination attempts on Schneider's life.
It was early in the morning, and the sun had not risen yet. The guild hall was empty and the lights were off. Meliodas alone was seated at the bar with dozens of empty bottles of alcohol lying next to him. Despite this, he was not actually drunk. He slumped over the bar and sighed with a dead look in his eye. 'Well, well, well...I have been here for almost 5 months and I barely have any leads…. what to do….'
Several more minutes passed with Meliodas sitting in complete silence and darkness. The doors to the guild entrance swung wide open, letting in some light as Mirajane entered the hall. She turned on the lights and was shocked to see Meliodas slumped over the bar. The area reeked of alcohol.
"Meliodas! What are you doing here?!" Mirajane exclaimed. She rushed over to Meliodas's side and looked at the bottles that were scattered all over the counter. Meliodas looked up at Mirajane and answered wearily.
"I was in here all night doing research... I didn't feel like going home so I stayed here."
Mirajane shook her head. She hastily ran behind the bar and poured Meliodas a cold glass of water. Meliodas gulped it down immediately and let out a refreshing sigh.
"Ahhh! Thanks Mira!" Meliodas said, jumping up from his seat with more energy than earlier.
"You shouldn't push yourself so hard like that." Mirajane replied with a worried smile. "Was this still about the spatial magic?"
"Yeah...I'm a bit stumped on leads."
"Well, I'll clean up here. Go home and get some sleep okay." Mirajane ordered.
Meliodas responded with a small laugh and waved goodbye to Mirajane as he walked out of the guild hall on his way back to the house to wash up.
After getting himself cleaned and resting for a few hours, Meliodas returned to the guild hall at noon. It was lively again but for some reason, everyone was gathered up around the back area. Meliodas walked over and saw, mounted on the wall, a giant board with a chart drawn on it. The chart read "Balam Alliance" with many guilds branching out from three in the middle.
Meliodas looked at the chart curiously as he read the words "Balam Alliance." He remembered a past conversation with Mystogan bringing up the Balam Alliance briefly as one of the dark guilds they took a few members down from, Ghost Pumpkin, was a potential growing part of it. He looked around the crowd and saw Makarov walking up to the front. The guild grew silent as Makarov began speaking.
"We're going to take down the Oracion Seis!" Makarov declared sternly. Everyone's eyes widened with surprise at the revelation. Meliodas tilted his head curiously and continued looking at the chart.
'Oracion Seis?' Meliodas thought as he looked at the chart. In the middle, there were three guilds, bigger than the others that all had branches coming out from them. Meliodas read the names of the guilds. 'Oracion Seis, Grimoire Heart, and Tartaros.'
"What is this about?" Erza asked.
"At a guild meeting a few days ago, the Oracion Seis was brought up. They're up to something and that cannot be ignored. And so I've been informed today that it's been decided that a guild must be sent to eliminate them." Makarov answered.
"And that task was put on only Fairy Tail?" Gray asked.
"Not quite. The enemy is too big a threat for that. If we were to go alone, we would end up as the sole targets for the Balam Alliance. Which is why we are going to be forming an alliance of our own! Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and Cait Shelter. Each guild will select members to join forces and take down the enemy!"
"Fairy Tail can handle those guys alone! Hell I could handle them alone!" Natsu exclaimed.
"No Natsu." Makarov responded. "The Oracion Seis only has six members, but they are incredibly strong, strong enough that six members alone would make up a third of the Balam Alliance."
"A guild with only 6 people!?" Someone blurted out.The room became tense as the guild members who were present began to understand the severity of the situation.
"Master, who will be going?" Erza asked. Makarov looked around at all the faces in the crowd staring at him before answering. He noticed quite a few key members were not present, such as the Thunder God Tribe. He saw Meliodas standing in the group staring at the board. Makarov thought back to the Laxus incident a couple of weeks back. Meliodas's strength would play a key role in the success of this mission.
"Erza, you and Meliodas should go on behalf of Fairy Tail. Makarov glanced over at Meliodas who was still reading the board. Meliodas stopped reading the board and he locked eyes with Makarov.
"If you're not busy with your research, Meliodas." Makarov continued.
"Well well well, fighting six strong people? Sure thing Master! I could use some fresh air." Meliodas replied with a grin.
"Wait!!??! Why just Meliodas and Erza? I want to go as well!" Natsu yelled.
"I'm sending our two strongest mages that we have currently. We no longer have Laxus and Mystogan is nowhere to be found. But Meliodas has proven himself already as someone who is capable."
"This should be fun. I haven't been on a mission with you yet Erza." Meliodas commented.
"I believe we'll make a great team." Erza replied warmly.
"Come on gramps! Let me join them! I'm strong enough!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Shut it flame brain, the decision's already been made!" Gray interjected. Meliodas glanced over at Natsu who was grumbling to himself. After not being able to fight Laxus, Natsu seemed even more eager than ever.
"Why don't we have Natsu come with us?" Meliodas asked, much to Makarov's surprise. "If the Oracion Seis are as tough as you say they are, it wouldn't hurt to have more firepower, right?"
"I second that." Erza added. "Don't worry Master, we can keep Natsu in check."
Makarov looked at both Erza and Meliodas and sighed.
"If you're both requesting it, then very well. Natsu go ahead and join them."
Natsu's expression lit up as he jumped up into the air, with fire spewing from his mouth. "I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted enthusiastically. "But Happy has to join too!"
"Aye Sir!" Happy exclaimed, floating up in the air above Natsu.
"Then it's decided." Makarov said. "You four will leave first thing tomorrow morning and meet at the designated point." Makarov approached Erza and handed her a marked map of the meeting location.
"We won't let you down Master!" Erza responded. Makarov nodded and began walking away as the group looked at the large chart on the board.
"Rest well today everyone, we have a big day tomorrow." Erza said.