There they are!" Another group of guards charge at the Fairy Tail crew. "The intruders!" Erza easily attacks them, knocking all of them down at once.
"Erza!" The crew is relieved to see Erza safe.
"Cool...!" Juvia commented.
"Why are you here?!" Erza is shocked to see them.
"Why?" Lucy repeated.
Juvia backs up a bit. "Um... Juvia is..."
"Go back!" Erza demanded, yelling at them. "This is not a place you should have come!"
"Don't say that crap, Erza! If we retreat with our tails between our legs, that'll shame the name of Fairy Tail! I'm not gonna let that Blockhead off easy!" Natsu shouted back.
"I said go back." Erza ordered.
"Happy's been kidnapped! You expect me to leave him?!" Natsu yelled.
"As well as Cain. There's no way in hell I'm leaving my partner behind." Aira added.
"Happy and Cain?! Millianna couldn't have..." Erza says to herself.
"Where are they?!" Natsu asked.
"I don't know..." Erza replied.
"Okay, got it!" Natsu wipes his lip.
"What do you get?" Aira asked.
"Happy and Cain are waiting for me!" Natsu sprints out of the room to look for his and Aira's partners.
"That idiot." Aira scoffed.
"We're going too!" Lucy exclaimed.
"No!" Erza holds her sword against them. "Millianna loves cats above all else. I cannot believe she would do harm to Happy and Cain. I will take responsibility for bringing both of them back. You get away from here as quickly as you can."
"No! We can't leave without you!" Lucy refuses to leave the tower.
"This is my problem!" Erza shouted. "I don't wish to drag you into it."
"I'd say it's a bit too late for that." Aira said. "You saw Natsu just now."
"Erza... What is this tower?! Who's Jellal?!" Lucy asked. She doesn't get a response from Erza. "If you don't want to tell us, that's fine. They said they were your old friends, right? But we're your friends now. We'll always have your back, no matter what!"
"There you have it." Aira smiled.
"Leave." Erza demanded.
"This ain't like you, Erza." Aira pointed out. "Just tell us to shut up and come along with you, like you always do. We'll lend you our strength!" They all smile at her. "There's nothing wrong with feeling afraid once in a while. Even for you!" Erza turns around with tears in her left eye. This freaks Aira out the most.
"I'm sorry..." Erza wipes her tear away. "I'm going to vanish from this world, whether I win or lose this battle..." They ask her on what she means. "This is a future I can't fight... As such... As such, I will tell you everything while I still exist..." They listen closely to what she is saying. "This is the Tower of Heaven, also known as the R-System. It happened over ten years ago... A black magic cult began constructing it in order to cast a forbidden spell that can bring the dead to life. It required many human sacrifices, who they also used as slave labor to amplify the amount of magic energy. I was one of the sacrifices here when I was little. One by one, people who tried to escape or resist disappeared. I never felt at ease. I was always afraid. Even so, I made friends I could trust... even if it was for but a brief time. It was around then that I met Jellal."
Past...
Erza's past and information about the Tower of Heaven and her old comrades is revealed.
Present...
"We stood up for our freedom... To save Jellal... Back then, Jellal was our leader... He had a strong sense of justice... I looked up to him. However... At some point, it was as if Jellal had become another person entirely... If you could call a person truly "evil"... then that is what I would call Jellal." Erza said.
Natsu is running through the halls inside the tower to search for Happy and Cain.
"We stood up for our freedom... To save Jellal..." Erza continues to tell them about her past.
Past...
Erza's past and Jellal's goals are revealed, from their friendship as children as slaves in the Tower of Heaven, up until their separation after Jellal becomes "evil".
Present...
"I... will fight Jellal." As Erza finishes telling about her past, she cries.
The Magic Council is cast in favor of using the Etherion. Now, only one more vote is needed. The council also concords that after the Etherion's firing, this Council will cease to exist.
"Hold on, Erza! That Zeref guy you mentioned...!" Aira said.
"Yes. I'm sure you've heard of him." Erza replied, wiping her tear away.
"Th-That monster came out of that Lullaby... They called it one of Zeref's demons!" Lucy said.
"That's not all. Deliora was most likely a demon from the Book of Zeref as well." Erza stated.
"Are you saying Jellal is trying to revive that same Zeref?" Juvia asked.
"I don't understand his motive, but according to Sho, a former friend of mine, they're supposed to become rulers in heaven once Zeref is revived..." Erza responded.
"This "former friend" business doesn't make sense to me..." Lucy thinks about it. "Wasn't Jellal the traitor, not you?"
"He must've fed them false information once I was gone." Erza replied. "But I did leave them here for eight whole years... That still makes me a traitor." She feels guilty about the whole situation.
"But you did it for their sake!" Lucy exclaimed. "Yet...!"
"It doesn't matter now, Lucy." Erza stated. "If I defeat Jellal, it will all be over."
"Is that really the case?" Aira thinks to himself. He remembers about Erza saying that she will vanish if she wins or lose. "Something about those words bothers me..."
"Wh-What's with that story, Sister...?" Sho approaches them. "Are you trying to get your friends' sympathy with that nonsense?! It's a load of crap! The truth was nothing like that!" He recalls a memory. "You blew up our boats and escaped on your own! We all would've ended up on the bottom of the sea if Jellal didn't catch wind of your betrayal! Jellal said this is the fate of those who don't learn to use magic in proper way! He said you got drunk with the power of magic and that now you're trying to cast off everything in your past, us included!"
"Jellal said that?" Aira asked.
"Would the Erza you know really have done something like that?" Lucy added.
"W-What would you know?! You don't know anything about this! Jellal's words were my only salvation! That's why I spent eight long years finishing this tower! For Jellal's sake... You're saying... it was all a lie...? That you're right... and that Jellal was wrong...?!" Sho's voice breaks down.
"That's right." A voice said. Simon appears in front of them.
"You!" Aira growled.
"Wait, Aira-san." Juvia puts his arm in front of him. "This gentleman knew he was attacking your double back then."
"What...?!" Aira said.
"As a dark-spell caster, he surely saw everything clearly." Juvia explained. "Ascertaining the truth was another reason Juvia came here."
"I'd expect no less from a member of Phantom's reowned Element 4." Simon said.
"What does this mean?" Sho asked.
"Sho... I did it to bring everyone to this tower without rousing your suspicions." Simon confronted.
"W-Why? Why would you...?" Sho tears up a bit.
"Sho..." Simon places his hand on his shoulder. "Jellal has everyone fooled. I decided to play along until the time was right."
"Simon... You were..."
Simon turns to Erza. "I always believed in you, Erza. For eight years straight..." Erza tears up a bit as she shakes his hand. "I'm happy to see you again, Erza. From the bottom of my heart."
"Simon..." Erza hugs Simon.
"How...? How can everyone have so much faith in you?" Sho begins to cry. "Why... Why couldn't I believe in you, Sister...?" He slams his fist on the ground. "Damn it!" He cries out loud. "What's real?! What should I believe in?!"
Erza kneels down in front of him. "I realize it's different to accept everything all at once. But I will say this... Over the past eight years, I never once forgot about any of you. I'm sorry that I was helpless... I'm sorry I was so weak..." She hugs Sho for comfort.
"But now you can do something. Isn't that right?" Simon said as Erza nods in agreement. "I've been waiting for this moment. For mighty wizards to gather here..."
"Mighty wizards?" Lucy repeated.
"We're going to fight Jellal..." Simon replied. "...all working together." They agree with Simon. "First, we must prevent the Salamander and the others from clashing."
Later, Natsu enters Millianna's room while searching for Happy and Cain. He finds a cat helmet and puts it on, and then is unable to remove it. Wally appears behind him with his Polygon Rifle.
"Damn it! My transmissions to Wally and Millianna are being intercepted!" Simon and the others are running up the stairs of the outside tower. "Now I don't have an idea where they are!"
"Transmissions?" Lucy questioned in curiousity.
"Telepathic Communication Magic, yes?" Juvia replied.
Erza stops running and turns around to see Sho. "Are you okay, Sho?"
"Yeah." Sho replied. "Since you're here for me..."
"Hey, can we really trust him?" Aira asks Juvia. "I accept that he wasn't trying to kill us, but..."
"I have no intention of making excuses." Simon responded.
"You heard me then?" Aira added.
"Any wizard that dies from something like that would be no match for Jellal. And I was confident that Natsu wouldn't die." Simon stated.
"Uh, what about me, then?" Lucy asked.
"You people haven't realized Natsu's true power. When Natsu obtains the true power of the dragon, he will destroy all evil before him!" Simon said.
"True power of the dragon?" Aira thinks to himself. "Could Simon be talking about Dragon Force?"
Natsu is still wearing the cat helmet, and Wally, who stands behind him, is targeting him with his gun. He has a clear shot of Natsu, but Millianna stops him, not allowing him to bully "Kitty-cats." Finally free, Natsu finishes them both off with his Fire Dragon's Wing Attack. He proclaims finishing his revenge on the blockhead. Happy asks him how long he plans on wearing the cat helmet and he replies that he can't get it off.
Jellal decides to let the game begin. He tells Vidaldus to "go", and Vidaldus summons his teammates, Ikaruga and Fukuro.
Happy struggles to take the cat helmet off of Natsu's head. Happy flaps his wings harder as he pulls onto the cat helmet. After pulling hard, it finally comes off. Natsu puts the cat helmet on Wally. Wally quickly takes it off and tells Natsu that all he wants to do is go to heaven.
Jellal makes an announcement. "Welcome, everyone, to the Tower of Heaven. I am Jellal. The ruler of this tower. Both of our pieces are in place."
"It's Jellal. He can be heard throughout the tower." Simon stated.
"Isn't it about time to get things started? Heaven's Game! The rules are simple. I wish to use Erza as the living sacrifice to hold the ceremony to resurrect Zeref." Jellal said.
"Jellal..." Sho grits his teeth.
"In other words, if the door to heaven opens, victory is mine. If you can prevent me from doing that, then you win. However that alone would not be any fun. So I have assembled three warriors."
"Three warriors?! But who?!" Simon asked.
"If you cannot overcome them, then you will not reach me. In other words it is a 3 vs 8 battle royal. Oh, and one final thing. It is possible that the Magic Council will attack this place from Satellite Square. With the ultimate magic that returns everything to nothingness, Etherion!" Jellal explained.
"That wasn't in the deal, Jellal!" Vidaldus stated. "You bastard! We get hit with that, and we're all going to hell!"
"Vidaldus, my dear..." Ikaruga spoke. "Might you be turning tail?"
Vidaldus forms his hand into a rock and roll sign. "No, the total opposite! Reverse! This is the ultimate high! I've been waiting for a dangerous job like this!"
"No one knows how long we have left. But when Etherion is fired, everything will be wiped out. The game will be over, with no players left."
"What is he thinking?!" Lucy asked.
"Etherion?! The Council is doing what?! I don't believe it." Erza said.
Sho understands all of it and imprisons Erza inside his card to keep her safe.
"Erza!" Aira cried out.
"Sho, what are you doing?!" Simon asked.
"Now..." Jellal ordered. "Let's have fun."
"I won't let anyone harm Sister!" Sho stated.
"Hey, Sho!" Erza bangs her fist against the card on the inside.
"I will defeat Jellal myself!" Sho runs away, going after Jellal.
"Stop this! It's impossible alone!" Simon chases after Sho.
Wally, on the other hand, confides Natsu that all they ever wanted was freedom. Natsu tells him that he doesn't know what kind of freedom he is talking about, but that the freedom at Fairy Tail is amazing.
Having said that, Natsu flies toward the top of the tower with Happy while Cain follows behind. Natsu claims that there is always a way to cheat in a game and that they will simply fly to Jellal. Natsu and Simon face off against Fukuro while Lucy and Juvia meet Vidaldus.
Lucy and Juvia's fight against Vidaldus comes to an end with them coming out victorious.
Whilst catching up to Natsu, Happy, Cain, and Simon, Aira thinks to himself. "Erza...!"
Past...
"Do it again!" Aira gets up from the table, complaining. "Why am I suppose to be super lucky today?!"
"The result will be the same every time." Cana claimed. "And wait, why wouldn't you be happy with that?"
"Super lucky my butt! This morning I got into a fight with Cain, lost my wallet... Nothin' good has happened." Aira puts his arms behind his head.
The guild doors open and everyone turns their gaze to see a young girl walk in. She has short scarlet hair and a short light blue dress.
"What's with the kid?" Wakaba asked.
"Here comes another weirdo, sheesh." Macao commented.
"This is the place Grandpa Rob talked about." The girl muttered. Aira stares at her for a while.
Present...
Aira finally reaches the place where Natsu and Simon are. He finds an injured Simon, Cain, and Happy in front of a large bird man who looks like an owl. "W-What the...?!"
"Aira!" Simon turns around and sees him.
"Thank god you're safe." Cain sighs of relief when he sees his partner unharmed.
"What's going on?!" Aira asked as he watches Fukuro devour Natsu.
"He swallowed him whole?!" Happy exclaimed.
"I digest the magic energy of my prey!" Fukuro stated.
"Give Natsu back!" Happy dashes forward at Fukuro.
Fukuro turns around and hits him directly. "Fire Hoot!"
"Happy!" Aira cried out.
"Did he digest the Salamander's magic and absorb its power?!" Simon questioned.
"How do you like that?!" Fukuro lights his hand on fire just like Natsu would.
"Th-This is the true strength of an assassin guild...?!" Simon thinks to himself.
"This is the end!" Fukuro attacks Happy. The cage breaks down, creating smoke.
"Man, that fire's hot!" Aira saves Happy from the attack.
"A-Aira...!" Happy hugs him tightly.
"Oh? A new arrival?" Fukuro exclaimed.
"Weren't you guys supposed to go after Sho and Erza?!" Aira asked.
"This guy got in the way!" Simon replied.
"We gotta find 'em fast!" Aira jumps down on a cage. "Jellal was talking about sacrificing Erza, you know!" He gently places Happy down. "I really doubt anyone can beat Erza when she's serious... but she's completely defenseless stuck inside that card!"
"I chose the wrong time to reveal the truth to Sho... I never imagined he would go berserk like that..." Simon stated.
"Aira... Help Natsu..." Happy begged as he cries.
Aira gets back up. "We always have to clean up his messes... What the hell do you think you're doing?! Flaming piece of shit!" He angrily shouts at Natsu who is still inside Fukuro.
"Digestion has begun, hoot! In about 10 minutes, Salamander's body shall be liquefied! And when that happens, all of his magic power will belong to me, hoot!" Fukuro stated.
Aira jumps in front of Fukuro. "I'll take care of this guy."
"Don't be so full of yourself, hoot!" Fukuro and Aira face each other off.
"Water Dragon's Roar!" Aira takes the first move.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Fukuro counter attacks it.
"Get away! He possess magic similar to that of Salamander!" Simon warned. The fire breath attack overpowered the water attack, burning Aira as well.
"Sometimes water isn't strong enough to go up against fire." Fukuro continues to spit fire at Aira.
"Aira!" Simon, Cain, and Happy cried out.
"It's futile, hoot! If you're Salamander's friends, then you should know how powerful these flames are, hoot!" Fukuro said. Aira protects himself from the fire, screaming in pain.
Past...
Everybody is having fun at the guild while Erza sits alone, eating her bread.
"That girl, she's always alone, huh?" Cana stated.
"Why don't you try to talk to her, Cana?" Aira suggested.
"She totally ignored me." Cana sighed.
"Well, I don't like it when a newcomer doesn't introduce herself properly to me, the Water Dragon, Aira!" Aira grins to himself.
"Since when did you start being such hot stuff?" Cana asked.
Aira walks over to where Erza is sitting. "Hey, you!" He has his hands on his hips, standing tall. Erza ignores him while she continues eating her bread. Aira gets annoyed and kicked the table, causing everyone to stare at them.
"What do you want?" Erza finally speaks to him.
"This is a wizard's guild. It ain't a place to be wearing armor!" Aira replied.
"Then, is this a guild for you to pick on girls? Learn to be a gentleman." Erza spat back. Aira jumps back in surprise, making everyone laugh at him.
"You heard the lady!" Wakaba laughed.
"Got to give her that one, Aira." Macao said.
"Why, you..." Aira angrily glares at her.
"Don't get too close to me." Erza warned. Aira grits his teeth.
Present...
Aira uses his Water Magic to make the flames disappear. Fukuro stands back in utter shock, surprised to see him make the flames disappear.
"He made the flames disappear?!" Simon exclaimed.
"You call these Natsu's flames? Give me a break! You're just an imposter!" Aira smirked.
"Hoo-hoot! That's some impressive magical power you got there." Fukuro laughs out loud. "I'll capture you as well!" Fukuro jumps in the air, flying towards Aira so he can devour him. Aira turns his water to boiling as he attacks his mouth. "Boiling hot!" Fukuro lets go of him as Aira jumps back.
"We can't be wasting any more time here! We have to hurry and catch up with Erza!" Aira shouted.
Past...
Aira is all beat up with a ton of bruises on his head. "Did you get beat up by Erza again, Aira?" Macao asked.
"You don't give up, do you? Could it be you're in love?" Wakaba teased.
"Shut up!" Aira shouted.
"She's pretty amazing being able to get Aira like that." Wakaba commented.
"Looks like the future of Fairy Tail will ride on the back of Erza-sama." Macao teased.
"I refuse to accept her as one of us!" Aira argued.
Present...
"I'm going to bring Erza back!" Aira shouted.
Past...
Erza is sitting alone by the river. Aira is standing on top of the hill. "I've found you Erza." He runs down the hill to her. "Erza, it's on! Today, I'm finally going to beat you!" Erza turns around with tears in her eye. Aira notices the tears and stops running, staring at her.
"It's you?" Erza wipes her tear away. "Seriously, you never learn, do you?" She gets up. "Fine. Have at me."
Aira blushes a bit. "Uh... well..."
"What? You surrender already?" Erza asked.
"You... Why are you always by yourself?" Aira asked.
Erza looks down. "I like being by myself. I feel uncomfortable around other people."
Aira blushes more. "Then..." He looks at her. "Then why are you crying all by yourself?" Erza looks up at him. Aira walks next to her and sits down.
Erza smiles at him. "You won't have at me today?"
Aira looks away to hide his blushing cheeks. "It's my choice!" Erza sits down next to him.
Present...
Aira pulls his fist back, charging at Fukuro. "Here I come, hoot!" Their fists collide, Fukuro punches him back.
Aira jumps back onto another cage. "Out of my way!" Water appears from his right fist. "Water Dragon's Wave Fist!" He punches Fukuro's stomach countless times. The water disappears from his fist, defeating Fukuro while he spits out Natsu.
"He did it!" Happy cheered.
"She was always... all alone... Hiding her heart in her armor... Crying by herself..." Aira thinks to himself about Erza.
"Natsu!" Happy hugs Natsu.
"A-Amazing..." Simon complimented.
"Erza belongs to Fairy Tail! So she will no longer have to shed those tears!" Aira claimed.
The Council concludes their meeting. Because of the new information Siegrain revealed, the votes have shifted from 4-5 to 8-1. Etherion is to be fired in an hour. Elder Yajima, the only one who opposed the firing of Etherion, enters Siegrain's room and asks to know if Siegrain will take responsibilty for the event. Siegrain confirms that he will in fact take full responsibilty. Yajima then demands if he will take responsibilty for the lives lost, including his twin brother's. Siegrain responds that he will bear it. In his room, Jellal questions what will now occur, seemingly knowing about the Council's decision and that Etherion will be fired.
"Airavata Mizuki... Tsunami... You are far stronger than the information I gathered would imply..." Simon thinks to himself, amazed at Aira's strength.
Aira is breathing heavily, falling down on one knee. "Aira!" Cain sees that he's out of breath.
"I have to hurry and... find Erza!" Aira collapses back down.
"Aira, hang in there!" Cain yelled.
"Perhaps his feelings are improving for his friends?" Simon wondered.
"Natsu, wake up!" Happy shakes Natsu.
"The world is spinning..." Natsu's eyes are swirling around.
"You joined a splendid guild, Erza..."
While the technicians are working on it, bystanders watch with amazed eyes.
Meanwhile, two battles have ended; Aira has beaten Fukuro and Natsu is safe, while Lucy and Juvia have won against Vidaldus. The girls are then found by Wally and Millianna, but Lucy is just too tired to stand up to them and pretends to be unconscious.
While Etherion is getting ready to fire, Sho and Erza encounter Ikaruga and fight her. Erza comes out victorious.