Jellal struck first. His right eye flashed and he became enveloped in golden light with a shout, "Meteor!"
He flew at Zero with incredible speed, but Zero stepped aside and dodged it effortlessly.
Rogue took a deep breath and yelled, "Shadow Dragon's Roar!"
Zero met the burst of black breath with a grin as he raised his hand up, "Dark Capriccio!"
A stream of darkness collided with the breath attack, piercing it and drilling towards Rogue. The Shadow Dragon leaped to the side and dodged the attack, and as Zero swung the spell back at him like a whip, Jellal got behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. "Heavenly Arrows!"
Several beams of light flew at Zero, who created another stream of darkness from his hand and spun around. The dark beams flailed in the air and destroyed the arrows on contact, but it gave Rogue the opening he needed. Zero finished his spin to find himself face-to-face with the Dragon Slayer.
Rogue buried his fist in shadow and caught Zero in the jaw with a roar, "Shadow Dragon's Slash!"
The Guild Master was sent flying in the opposite direction, and Jellal quickly followed up. He got in the air and created a constellation of seven stars.
"Grand Chariot!" he shouted and the stars released a burst of light that smashed Zero into the ground.
Jellal flew over to Rogue, who murmured, "Did that do it?"
"Not yet." Jellal replied.
Zero stood up from the rubble, looking relatively unscathed. He grinned at them, "Indeed, you are both impressive mages. It's a shame to crush such skilled youths, but I suppose it's time I got serious."
Suddenly the air was thick with magic power, so much so that Rogue gasped from the pressure.
Jellal tensed, "He means it. Get ready!" The Shadow Dragon just nodded, not trusting his voice from the surging magical energy.
Zero held a hand out and bellowed, "Dark Capriccio Scream!"
The beam of dark energy appeared again, but it flew at the two mages much faster this time. Rogue and Jellal just barely managed to jump aside. The Dragon Slayer tch'd as he skidded backwards, "The speed increased?!"
Zero lunged at the two, creating streams of darkness from his hands. He spun in a circle, swinging the magic like a whip, "Zero Slash!"
Jellal grunted as he was caught in the chest by the spell and Rogue screeched as it smashed into his back and pummeled him into the ground.
He got up on his hands and knees, but Zero cackled, "Not yet! You still have form! I'll crush you to nothingness!" He raised his palm at Rogue and shouted, "Dark Delete!"
Many spheres of darkness flew forward and hailed down on the Dragon Slayer, who roared in pain.
Jellal recovered and lunged at him, yelling, "Meteor!"
He punched at Zero, but the Guild Master caught his fist and elbowed him in the jaw. Before Jellal could counter, Zero created a stream of darkness from his free hand and laughed, "Dark Capriccio Scream!"
Jellal howled as the dark magic caught him in the stomach and sent him flying into the wall on the other side of the room.
Zero cackled as Jellal fell to the ground, "I'm disappointed, Jellal! I would have thought a boy with your potential, especially one that I trained myself, would have been able to counter such an obvious attack. Oh, well, it doesn't matter. You are no longer of any interest to me, but you on the other hand..."
He turned around and caught Rogue's fist, who had recovered from the onslaught of dark magic and attacked again. The Dragon Slayer's eyes widened momentarily in surprise before Zero punched him away.
The Guild Master continued, "As I was saying, you Dragon Slayer, you are still a decent prospect. I would prefer to take you alive as the replacement in Oracion Seis for Angel or Cobra, but you're in the way right now."
Zero sighed and shook his head with a smile, "Fortunately for you, I have a way to deal with odd pieces such as yourself. I'll simply remove you from the battle for the time being, and bring you back when I have control again."
The Guild Master grinned and brought his hands around in a circle, dark magic swirling from the tips.
Jellal's eyes widened and he yelled, "Rogue! Get out of the way!"
The Dragon Slayer stood up on shaky feet, but it was too late. The dark mage cackled and roared, "Genesis Zero!"
His hands came together and the magic released, appearing in the form of thousands of black phantoms which flew out and enveloped Rogue in darkness. The Shadow Dragon struggled against the assault, but was quickly overwhelmed. The phantoms swallowed him up and vanished into thin air.
"Rogue!" Jellal shouted in desperation.
Zero turned to him with a sadistic grin, "Don't worry. I'll let him go when this is over. He'll make a very useful tool, I think. Wouldn't you agree, Jellal?"
Jellal glared at him and stood up, "This time, I won't lose."
Zero smirked and laughed, "Interesting! Come!"
Master and student charged at each other once more.
/
Rogue was falling.
Where am I? What is this place? he wondered.
Wherever he looked, all he saw was cold darkness. There was no sign of an exit.
Rogue cursed, "Dammit…I don't have any strength left."
"Are those the words of a Dragon Slayer?"
The Shadow Dragon froze and his breath caught in his throat. He knew that voice. Rogue turned around to see an image in the darkness.
Skyadrum, the dragon of shadows, was talking to his younger self.
The Dragon Slayer frowned. He remembered complaining once to his mother about being too worn out to keep going, but Skyadrum had berated him for it.
A memory…? he thought.
Rogue watched as his mother scolded his younger self, "You must not show weakness to an enemy, Rogue. A dragon must always be strong, and unbreakable, and he must always move forward. You, being a Dragon Slayer, must do the same."
His younger self stared up at his mother, "But what if I can't move forward anymore?"
Skyadrum clicked her tongue at the boy before she looked up at the sky. "Hmmm…how to explain…?"
The huge black dragon seemed lost in thought. Then she spoke again, "Rogue, do you remember what I told you about human society? How they are all governed by a, 'king?'"
The little boy nodded and Skyadrum continued, "The king is the most important person of all. He keeps the peace, and appears as a symbol of strength for his people. I told you once that in human society, the king is determined by bloodline rather than personality. As a result, many countries are governed by weak, selfish fools who only know the rich comforts in life. He may be the weakest man there is, when the country could be led better by a mere farmhand who knows the difficulties and sorrows in life, and has grown wise from his own experiences."
Little Rogue tilted his head in question, "So why isn't the farmhand the king?"
Skyadrum laughed, a deep, booming sound that shook the air, "In human society, it's never that simple. They go through a blasted political system that seems to enjoy choosing fools over individuals with sense."
The little boy scratched his head, "Do the dragons have a king like that?"
Skyadrum stopped laughing and looked at him carefully. "We…do not have a real king. There was once a dragon that did many terrible things, and he somehow became known as the Dragon King. That,"
She stopped Rogue as he opened his mouth again, "Is a question you will find out more about in time."
The little Dragon Slayer closed his mouth and looked down for a moment. Then he looked up again, "Skyadrum, why are you telling me about the king?"
The black dragon hummed thoughtfully and fixed a gentle gaze on the little boy, "A Dragon Slayer…is everything a king should be. Strong, wise, and gentle for those who need him. No matter the situation, a king must never stop moving forward, he must always stand strong for those who depend on his strength."
Little Rogue tilted his head once more, "But if I'm with you, then who do I need to be strong for?"
Skyadrum bent her giant head down until she was eye level with the boy. Rogue hesitated for a moment before he rested his small hand on the dragon's nose.
His mother spoke softly to him, "Even I will not live forever, my sweet. One day, you will have others you must fight for. The price of power is terrible, Rogue. The king appears strong, but he may always be crying on the inside. Power creates enemies, and in every case, it is those close to you, not yourself, that will be hurt. The reason you must become stronger, and never stop moving forward, is for those precious to you. Remember that, Rogue. No matter how bad the situation, no matter how weak you are, you will always be…"
/
Jellal panted in exhaustion. Zero was tired as well, but he was obviously in better shape that his opponent.
The Guild Master grinned at him, "Well done, my former apprentice. Perhaps you aren't completely devoid of talent after all…" he looked thoughtful for a moment, before he laughed, "There isn't much time left before Nirvana fires again, so I think I'll put you in place with your friend."
Zero moved his hands in a circle again and Jellal tensed, ready to dodge. Then he saw the air between Zero's hands tremble. It took a moment for that to register, but he realized what it meant.
Rogue's fighting to get out…If he get's free of Genesis Zero, we can win this, but how do I…! That..that could work…
Jellal thought about it for another moment or two before he decided. He brought his hands above his head in a cross, and the shadows began to bend towards the sphere of darkness he created.
Zero cackled, "Altairis, eh?! Interesting! Let's see what breaks first, your spell, or mine!"
Jellal glared at him with determination. This better work!
Then he flung the mass of shadows with a yell, "Altairis!"
Zero laughed and bellowed, "Genesis Zero!"
The phantoms appeared out of his hands and enveloped the spell, dragging it into the other dimension before it closed again.
Zero smirked, "There goes your last trump card. It seems you haven't learned your lesson, so I'll beat you down a little more before I try again."
He charged Jellal again, who got back into a fighting stance.
Hurry up, Rogue!
/
Rogue saw a crack in the air and suddenly a mass of shadow flew into the space. The Shadow Dragon frowned for a moment before he realized it was an Altairis spell.
Jellal? he wondered.
The mass of darkness approached him, and he stopped it with his hands. Surprisingly, it did not push against him, simply stopped, and he felt massive magic power emanating from it. Rogue frowned again before it dawned on him.
This…Can I EAT this?
He had been too busy earlier during his fight with Jellal to try, but…The Dragon Slayer's mind flew at a million miles an hour, If I can, I might get enough power to break out of this place…Is that why Jellal…?
He was still for a moment more before he began to devour the Altairis. There was so much magic power, he started to think he wouldn't be able to eat all of it, but he remembered Skyadrum's words, and starting swallowing the shadows even faster. When it was all gone, he felt a new power welling up in his body, one he recognized.
This is…!
Rogue decided to use it, and he released a burst of shadow from his body. He felt more power than he had ever felt before, and he felt it rise even more as the dimension was torn apart by the strength of his magic. The Dragon Slayer roared with new strength as the air itself was twisted by the force of his power, "I…"
/
Jellal watched the space behind Zero splinter and crack as the Guild Master held him up in the air by the throat. Zero must have realized it, because he released Jellal and spun around to see shadows leaking out of the hole in the air.
He spluttered, "Wh-what the-?!"
Suddenly, the shadows burst free of the air and Rogue was there. The Dragon Slayer's power emanated from his body in the form of darkness, and black scales appeared all over his body. He caught Zero's eye, red eyes reduced to glowing slits against the shadows covering him. His fangs were incredibly long, and he released a primal roar.
"I am the King!"
Zero actually took a step back in fear. That is…Dragon Force?!
His thoughts were cut off as Rogue flew forward with a new speed, spinning as he went and kicking Zero in the jaw with enough power to completely decimate the ground around them. Zero was smashed into the wall and started to fall as Rogue glared at him from the other side of the room.
"Secret Dragon Slayer Art, Form of the Black Sword…"
He unsheathed his Tetsuei katana and held it with both hands and held it to the left and down. Zero's eyes widened in disbelief.
A Secret Dragon Slayer Art with the sword?!
Steel Shadow was buried in darkness, so much so, it appeared that Rogue was holding a hilt with shadows emanating from it.
The Dragon Slayer roared as he swung diagonally up and to the right, "Darkness Wave: King Dragon Claw!"
Steel Shadow released a blade of darkness that engulfed the entire space in front of Rogue. The lacrima between him and Zero was erased. It didn't crack, or shatter, it simply vanished. Zero was unable to speak or move as the shadow blade slashed his body to ribbons.
Jellal smiled from the side as the battle ended. Rogue's final attack had destroyed the lacrima right on time, and Zero was defeated. In addition, the slash attack had completely severed the top half of the mechanical leg that was attached to the walking city, and now broke off completely from the main body.
Jellal flew over to Rogue as he collapsed from using so much magic power, "Time to go. Let's get out of here."
The Dragon Slayer just nodded weakly, the scales on his body disappearing as he did so. Jellal used Meteor, and the flew out of the hole Rogue had created with his sword. The Shadow Dragon was barely conscious, but before he drifted off, he smiled slightly.
Thank you, Skyadrum. I understand now…
/
Jellal flew the exhausted Dragon Slayer away from Nirvana, which was collapsing completely.
I hope Erza and the others are okay…
His concerns were well-founded, but unnecessary as it turned out. Jellal caught sight of the others grouped together on the ground, and he quickly flew towards them.
As he landed, Rogue started to wake up, and the Dragon Slayer stood just in time to be tackled by an overexcited Wendy.
The little girl hugged him and mumbled into his shirt, "You kept your promise!"
Rogue chuckled and ruffled the hair on her head, "Of course I did."
Jura stepped forward with a smile, "Why don't we all head back? I'm sure everyone wants to get home quickly."
Wendy raised her hand up with a cheerful smile, "My guild's really close by, so let's go there!"
/\/\/\/\/\
The group of tired wizards headed off towards the crashed Christina. Once there, they picked up the Trimens from Blue Pegasus, along with Lyon and Sherry, and left from there. Ichiya stayed with the Christina, deciding to repair it as best he could until the other Blue Pegasus members came back to finish the job.
Quite frankly, Erza was relieved about that.
They walked through the forest for the rest of the night, and reached Caitshelter by morning. Master Roubaul was waiting for them, with the rest of Caitshelter guild.
The old man smiled at them, but stopped Wendy before she could run forward to hug him. "You mustn't, my child. I have some things I need to explain."
The little girl frowned and Lyon raised an eyebrow, "Can it wait til' later? We're all really tired, here…"
Roubaul shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I must explain before my strength runs out. I am the one who told the other Guild Masters about Oracion Seis's plot to control Nirvana."
Jura raised an eyebrow, "We were told there was only sparse information about Nirvana. How did you know about it before?"
Roubaul grunted, "What I am going to tell you may seem far-fetched, but it is the truth, so please hear me out. First of all, we are known as the Nirvit, the people who lived in Nirvana in ancient times."
Wendy tilted her head, "Well, you told me once you were the descendants of those people, but-"
The Guild Master stopped her. "We are not their descendants. We are the Nirvit themselves."
Rogue raised an eyebrow in surprise, "What do you mean?"
The old man sighed, "I'm sorry, I should have been honest with you all from the start. Caitshelter isn't a real guild. It was created for a single purpose: Years ago, a boy called Jellal came to this place with a small girl, Wendy, and asked me to care for her. He told me he had promised to take her to a guild, so I used my magic to create an illusionary family for her."
The group froze.
Jellal swallowed hard, "That boy…it was me?"
Lyon was shocked, "That's incredible…to possess enough magic power to give illusions their own personalities…"
Wendy's eyes were wide and filling with tears, "Wh-what are you…"
Roubaul smiled at her, "I'm what you might call an astral body. Quite honestly, however, I'm just an old ghost trying to right the wrongs of his past. And now, I'm at the end."
His form flickered in the air, and the guild members of Caitshelter began to vanish.
Wendy shook her head, tears falling out of her eyes, "You're lying! Stop talking like that!"
She cried as the guild began to simply dissolve, and Roubaul left her with a few, gentle words, "My dear child, you don't need a false family anymore. You've got a real one now, haven't you?"
With that, the old man vanished completely.
Wendy fell to her knees and started sobbing. The others stood by, not really sure what to do or what to say.
Then Rogue stepped forward and knelt down behind her, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. He leaned forward and murmured quietly in her ear, "Bury the pain of losing your loved ones in the arms of your friends..."
Wendy looked at him over her shoulder, tears still flowing down her face. The Shadow Dragon's face was solemn, and his eyes soft.
The little girl sniffed and buried her face in his chest. Rogue gently wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, his back to the rest of the mages.
Lucy looked at Wendy sadly, but she broke the silence that was in the air, "What now?"
Rogue glanced down at Wendy, and then over his shoulder at the group. "We go home. To Fairy Tail."
And there was a wealth of contentment in the way he said those words.