The Angel And The Darkness

Chapter 12

Previously

She is silent for a moment, then points at the guild hall's now open doors. Standing there in the doorway, looking around the hall with a scowl on his face was Jellal, Erza gripping his shoulder in an armored hand. Lucy says softly. "Him."...

Chapter 12

Jellal

Jellal locks on to the pointing Lucy and starts to stride over to her. As he is walking towards her, he looks at the man sitting next to her. He had black hair, and is dressed in a white shirt, black jeans and heavy black boots. He Oozes confidence. The man locks eyes with Jellal as Jellal keeps walking toward them. This is the man I have been chasing most of my life? The eyes locked on to his do not appear to be filled with evil. They shine with sorrow and regret. The man sighs and breaks eye contact to look down at Lucy, a soft warm smile crosses his features as Lucy says something to him. The seed of doubt in his beliefs, that Erza planted into his mind last night grows slightly. He could still just be manipulating them. All of them though? He asks himself.

He stops in front of the man and Lucy. The entire guild stops what they are doing. You can feel the tension in the air. He scowls at the man and says "Z..." he is cut off by Lucy.

She steps in front of the black haired man and says to Jellal, "Jellal, this is Zack." Jellal's eyes flick to Lucy then locks back on Zeref's. Zeref reaches his hand out to Jellal a tense smile on his face. "Jellal..." Jellal grabs his hand and continues to glare into Zeref's eyes. Zeref just looks back not in the bit intimidated.

"Z-Zack..." Jellal says catching himself before saying the wrong name. He shakes the offered hand once roughly then lets it go. "I think we have a lot to discuss...Zack..." the other man closes his eyes slowly and sighs.

"Yes, I suppose you are right." Zeref turns his head and looks at Lucy, then behind Jellal and says "Erza, is there some where we can all talk privately?"

"Yes." She says, she squeezes Jellal's shoulder then leads them to a room in the back of the guild. The rest of the guild lets out a ragged breath in relief then turn back to what they were doing. Levy, Gajeel, and Wendy follow the foursome to the back room.

Normal

Gajeel sets himself up in the usual way leaning against the wall next to the closed door. Levy sits in a chair next to him. Lucy and Zeref sit down on the couch. Jellal with his arms across his chest, slight frown on his face stands in front of the pair. Erza stands behind Jellal looking worriedly at him.

Lucy looks up at Jellal and then says in a soft voice. "Let me tell my part in all this first Jellal..." she then tells Jellal everything that happened after tracking down her mission... Jellal's face is now settled into an unemotional mask. He looks over at Zeref. Zeref closes his eyes and sighs sadly.

"First Jellal, I must tell you it was not me that influenced Ultear. She was corrupted by her guild master. He thought that I would teach him my magic if he was to find me. I made him understand his mistake..." Jellal's eyes close half way looking intensely back in Zeref eyes. The silence stretches for a time before Zeref closes his eyes and then tells Jellal his story.

Jellal is about to say something when he freezes and stares at Zeref his eyes growing angry. Wendy rushes up and says urgently. "Zack..." Zeref glances from the now angry man to Wendy. "It's your scent. Zack, it's changed... a lot... I don't think we have much time..." realization hits him about why Jellal's mood changed drastically from almost forgiving to suspicion.

"Jellal, you sense the magic don't you?"

"Yes, so you are just mani..." he starts to growl out.