The winding dirt path curled around the mountainside, bathed in the golden hues of late afternoon. Up ahead, Natsu and Gray were back at each other's throats—trading quiet, irritated jabs about lost training time—while Wendy and the cats marched forward with the carrier pigeon's letter.
Trailing a few paces behind, Rudra walked in silence, his boots crunching rhythmically against the loose gravel. His head was low, hands jammed deep into his pockets, conversing internally with the System interface hovering at the edge of his consciousness.
'Alright, talk to me,' Rudra thought, his inner voice laced with dry cynicism. 'What's that wannabe god up to this time? Why go out of his way to target Celestial Mages? Keys are flashy, sure, but they aren't exactly world-breaking on their own.'
A cool, mechanical ping resonated within his mind.
"With the upcoming arc revolving around the Eclipse Gate, he likely needs something from it. That requires the power of all twelve Zodiac keys."
Rudra's eyebrows twitched beneath his bangs. 'The Eclipse Gate?'
"Are you alright?"
The sudden, soft voice right beside him broke his concentration, cutting the internal monologue short.
Rudra halted mid-step, blinking as he turned. Lucy was standing next to him, having dropped back from the others. Her golden eyes were fixed on his face, clouded with a genuine, visible worry that caught him off guard.
Tilting his head, Rudra slipped back behind his usual indifferent mask, a brow raised. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
Lucy hesitated, her fingers nervously clutching the leather pouch at her hip. "It's just... you've been trailing us in dead silence this whole time. You had this dark look on your face. It's not like you."
A familiar, teasing smirk broke across Rudra's lips. He leaned in slightly, deflecting with easy banter. "Aww, Lucy. I didn't realize you were watching me so closely. Should I be flattered?"
"Yes," Lucy said softly, without a hint of hesitation or snark. "Of course I'm worried."
Rudra's smirk faltered. He froze, caught entirely off guard by the total sincerity in her voice. The witty retort died in his throat, leaving a rare, awkward beat of silence between them. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a heavy breath as he looked away toward the valley below.
"Don't overthink it, Princess," he muttered, his tone softening despite his best efforts. "I was just... chewing on a few things. That's all."
A few steps ahead, Erza slowed her pace, glancing back over her shoulder. She opened her mouth, intending to press him further—
Snap.
Rudra turned his head sharply away from Lucy, his gaze locking onto a dense thicket of trees several hundred yards off the trail. The lazy, indifferent air around him evaporated in an instant.
Erza's combat instincts flared immediately. Catching the radical shift in his posture, she requipped a steel broadsword in a single, fluid motion. "Did you feel something, Rudra?" she asked, her voice dropping into a low, deadly register. "Are we surrounded?"
Rudra didn't answer.
Noticing Erza's drawn blade, Natsu, Gray, and Wendy snapped around. Within seconds, the group fell into a tight defensive stance—magic flaring, eyes darting wildly through the trees for an incoming ambush.
Five seconds passed in complete, suffocating silence.
Ten seconds. The wind rustled the leaves. Nothing emerged.
"Hey!" Natsu barked, his fists engulfing in roaring orange flames as his patience snapped. "Where are they?! Stop hiding and fight!"
Ignoring the Dragon Slayer entirely, Rudra raised his right hand, weaving a sharp, single-handed seal.
With a soft pop, a shadow clone materialized beside him. It exchanged a silent, grim nod with Rudra before bursting apart into a swirling flock of jet-black crows. The birds cawed loudly, streaking through the sky like a volley of dark arrows directly toward the suspicious treeline.
Erza rushed up to Rudra's side, tracking the crows as they vanished over the canopy. "What did you spot out there?" she demanded sharply. "Is it an enemy?"
Rudra casually turned back to the group, blinking as if he had just noticed they were standing there. He took in their flaring magic, drawn weapons, and intense combat stances with mild, utterly genuine confusion.
"Why are you guys standing around like that?" he asked, his tone completely nonchalant. "A minute ago you were whining about lost time. Shouldn't we be heading up the hill to find out who sent that stupid pigeon?"
Erza stared at him, her jaw slack as a nerve twitched near her temple. She let out a long, deeply frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose before sheathing her sword with a sharp click.
Without another word, Erza turned on her heel and resumed marching up the path, her armor clanking angrily with every step. The rest of the guild exchanged bewildered looks, slowly powering down their magic before reluctantly following behind—leaving Rudra to fall back into the rear, his eyes silently tracking the distant forest one last time.
Minutes later, the crest of the hill opened into a sweeping, grassy plateau overlooking the valley—the path ending precisely where the pigeon's map had indicated.
Erza raised a hand, her posture freezing instantly. "Halt."
The group stopped behind her, their eyes following her gaze. Emerging from the treeline ahead were three tall figures clad in heavy, dark traveling cloaks. They marched forward with deliberate, steady steps, their faces obscured by deep hoods.
Natsu's nose twitched. He sniffed the air, his eyes widening. "Wait a second... I know this smell."
The three figures came to a stop a dozen paces away. Without a word, they pulled back their hoods, revealing Jellal Fernandes, Ultear Milkovich, and Meredy.
"So... you made it," Jellal said, his quiet voice carrying easily across the clearing.
Erza stared, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. "Jellal... it really is you."
A faint, bittersweet smile touched Jellal's lips. "You haven't changed at all, Erza." He paused, his expression growing solemn. "I assume news of my prison break reached you?"
"It did," Erza replied softly, her hand resting motionless on her hilt.
Jellal lowered his head, heavy guilt lacing his voice. "Please understand... I never intended to escape. I was prepared to accept my sentence."
"Oh, please. Just so everyone is clear, Meredy and I didn't give him much of a choice," Ultear interjected smoothly, crossing her arms. "We practically had to drag him out of his cell."
Meredy puffed out her cheeks, shooting Ultear an annoyed glare. "Hey! That was all you, Ultear! Don't lump me in with your crazy criminal behavior!"
"Jellal broke out of prison?!" Lucy muttered under her breath, taking an instinctive step back.
Natsu glared at Ultear, fists clenching. "And you're with Grimoire Heart! What is this?!"
"Chill out, both of you," Gray interrupted, stepping between Natsu and the trio. "They aren't our enemies anymore. Isn't that right?" He looked directly at Ultear.
Ultear met Gray's gaze, a shadow of genuine remorse passing over her features. "Yes. I committed unspeakable acts... so many that a lifetime of regret could never wash them away." She looked up, filled with quiet resolve. "So I dedicated myself to bringing peace to the people I hurt. Starting with Jellal."
"You owe me nothing, Ultear," Jellal said gently. "We were both consumed by darkness. The past is done."
Erza took a step forward, her voice trembling slightly. "Jellal... does this mean... your memories?"
"Every single one," Jellal answered, looking directly into her eyes. "Every memory... and every sin. Erza... I know words can never erase the pain I caused you. I am so sorry."
"Don't put it all on him," Ultear added quietly. "I was the one manipulating him from the shadows back at the Tower of Heaven. He's suffered enough."
"I could have spent the rest of my days in a cell, or let them execute me," Jellal said, his tone resolute. "Either way, my penance must be paid."
"But you're free now," Wendy said gently, stepping forward with a warm smile. "You can use this second chance to find a positive purpose in your life!"
Jellal offered the young Dragon Slayer a subtle nod. "I have found a purpose, Wendy... though I wouldn't call it positive."
"The three of us formed our own guild," Ultear explained. "An independent guild, unsanctioned by the Council. Crime Sorcière."
Gray raised an eyebrow. "I've heard rumors about you guys. You've been dismantling dark guilds across the continent."
"Unfortunately, our ultimate objective continues to elude us," Ultear admitted, her expression darkening.
Jellal finished her sentence, his voice dropping into a cold register. "Zeref."
The name hung in the air like lead. Erza, Natsu, Gray, and the rest of Fairy Tail went completely silent, a heavy, somber atmosphere settling over the entire hill.
Then, a sound completely shattered the moment.
"Pfft... HAHAHAHAHA!"
The tension ruptured instantly. Every head snapped toward the edge of the clearing.
Rudra was leaning against an ancient oak tree, his head thrown back as loud, uncontrollable laughter echoed across the plateau. He clutched his stomach, wiping a tear from his eye, utterly breathless.
"Oh man... you motherfuckers want to hunt down Zeref with your weak-ass magic?!" Rudra wheezed, slumping against the trunk as another wave of laughter hit him. "Holy shit... I swear to God, this is the funniest fucking thing I've heard in my entire life!"
After a few more seconds of helpless wheezing, Rudra finally managed to rein it in. He let out a long, satisfied sigh and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye with his thumb.
When he looked up, every single eye on the hill was pinned on him. Fairy Tail looked bewildered, Crime Sorcière looked offended, and Erza looked ready to slice him in half.
Rudra immediately held up both hands in a dramatic, mock-surrender gesture. "Hey, hey, hey! Don't let me ruin the vibe! Please, by all means, go back to your dramatic villain-rehabilitation speech. You guys were doing great."
"It's you," Jellal interrupted, his voice dropping into a cold, dangerous register. He stepped slightly in front of Erza, his dark eyes locking onto the rudra with sharp hostility. "What are you doing here?"
Rudra stopped, his hands slowly dropping back into his pockets. His eyes flicked from Jellal's rigid posture down to the way he was instinctively trying to shield Erza.
A slow, razor-sharp smirk spread across Rudra's face.
"Me? Oh, nothing much," Rudra drawled, tilting his head with absolute, infuriating calm. He took a couple of slow, deliberate steps forward, his eyes gleaming with pure malice as he landed his strike. "I was just spending a nice, quiet vacation with my girlfriend, Erza. But then you guys had to ruin the mood with all this melodramatic dark guild nonsense."
The entire plateau went dead silent.
Natsu choked on his own breath, Gray's jaw practically hit the grass, and Lucy gasped, her hands flying over her mouth.
"Your... what?!" Jellal's voice cracked, his stoic, guilt-ridden composure vanishing in an instant. His eyes darted wildly between Rudra and Erza, his chest heaving as his mind completely short-circuited.
Erza's face turned a shade of crimson that put her own hair to absolute shame.
"R-Rudra!" Erza stammered, completely losing her armor of stern authority as she pointed a trembling finger at him. "What absurd lies are you spewing right now?!"
"Hey, don't be shy now, Scarlet," Rudra cooed, tilting his head with an infuriating smirk as he watched Jellal's knuckles turn white. "He's an old friend. It's fine. We don't have to keep it a secret from him."
Jellal snapped his head toward Erza, his dark eyes wide and screaming for a denial—any denial.
Erza opened her mouth to shoot down the absurd lie, but Rudra beat her to it.
"Looks like he doesn't believe us," Rudra purred, stepping directly into her space. "How about we show him?"
Before Erza could react, Rudra leaned in close, wrapping a firm hand around her waist. Erza's eyes widened in sheer panic, her hands flying up to shove his chest away, but her arms felt heavy, paralyzed by the sheer absurdity of the moment. As his face drew inches from hers, her heart hammered against her ribs, her cheeks burning like fire. Trapped under the weight of the moment, she reluctantly let her eyelashes flutter shut, bracing herself for the inevitable—
Nothing happened.
Seconds ticked by in agonizing silence.
Slowly, hesitantly, Erza cracked one eye open. Rudra wasn't kissing her. He was standing right over her shoulder, staring directly past her at Jellal, soaking in the man's utterly shattered expression.
Rudra let go of her waist, stepping back with a lazy, bored shrug. "Just kidding."
Erza let out a gasping breath, stumbling slightly as her legs remembered how to function.
"Man, that's a great look on your face," Rudra chuckled, pointing a finger at Jellal's pale, rigid frame. "Honestly, it's the exact same look you gave me when I kissed Ultear."
The entire clearing shattered into absolute chaos.
"YOU WHAT?!" Natsu, Gray, and Lucy shrieked in unison.
Erza's jaw dropped, her eyes darting toward Crime Sorcière. Ultear immediately whipped her head away, a bright pink flush creeping up her neck as she cleared her throat, suddenly finding a nearby patch of grass utterly fascinating. Meredy stared at Ultear, her mouth hanging wide open.
Before Jellal could even speak, the playful, teasing energy around Rudra evaporated in a heartbeat. His eyes narrowed, turning ice-cold as his gaze locked onto the former Saint.
"Besides," Rudra added, his voice dropping into a razor-sharp register that cut through the noise, "why the hell would I need to explain to a bum like you what I'm doing with my guild?"
Without waiting for a response, Rudra turned his back on the speechless crowd, casually strolling over to his original spot against the tree. He leaned his head back against the bark, closed his eyes, and folded his arms over his chest—leaving everyone on the hill completely stunned into dead silence by what had just transpired.