It had been a little while since Kefka taunted Zeref with a potential attack. However, he figured they'd had enough time to stew. It was time to attempt to take Zeref and his guild's powers for himself. After all, a wizard with dominion over death magic would make such a lovely crystal.

The relative peace of the day in Everglade was shattered when a large portal opened up near the Tartarus guild hall. The first through its shimmering ring was a massive Behemoth that announced the attack with a bellowing roar while smaller monsters flooded out around it. Metal Hitmen and Vector Lythos made up the bulk of the attack force, though there were a couple Great Malboro among the number as well.

So, this is what it has come to.

{ Zeref isn't in the Tartaros headquarters. He actually appears to be in downtown Everglade, staring at the sky. The Genessia Tribune is still in his hand, rolled up. }

I didn't want to believe it, but we no longer have a choice. { He sighs, and his muscles suddenly tense. } It's been four hundred years for me, but I am not going to sit idly by while history repeats itself.

{ Black energy began swirling around Zeref, and some ivy hanging on a nearby building conspicuously rots, and dies, the leaves falling the ground behind him. The feed then abruptly ends. }

( Private to Marde Guille, Suigintou, and Sayla )

( Private to Wendy Marvell )

( Private to Fairy Tail )

( Private to Yuna Brasca )

WHO: Marde Guille & OPEN
WHAT: Marde Guille's on his expedition to find information would be useful for him towards getting E.N.D. out and possibly forcing something useful from the resident NPCs. It's not pretty of course, but he disposed of them pretty well.
WHEN 01/05
WHERE: Eerie locations of Everglade & Library

( LIBRARY )

( EVERGLADE SURROUNDINGS )

In Genessia City, what appears to be a new fashion trend is starting to pick up. Many people are ditching their old styles and donning a more conservative look. Simple black robes can be seen everywhere, and those that wear them also bear what appears to be a tattoo on the back of each hand. Three interlocking circles. When questioned, those that wear the robes will eagerly tell of their newfound faith. How they were blessed with a glimpse of their God in person, and that the brand is his mark on their lives. They will also say that the robes are very much optional but that they choose to wear it in deference to their new God.

Those that inquire further will be pointed toward a back alley, where the man that was seen speaking of his own revelation the previous month is standing guard. Only a select few will be allowed past him and into the humble sanctum where Kefka awaits. Are you one of those? At any rate, the 'prophet' will interview any that come to him before that choice is made.

"What can I help you with, my child?"

[OOC: Phase 1 of Kefka's plot is underway! Come banter with the prophet, or come collect your brand and go forth to sow Chaos!]

[If one is out and about in the main city of Genessia, there's a good chance that they will bump into a man standing on a soap box, wearing a white robe and with gold trim. A middle-aged man, with white hair and a short beard. He's shouting at the top of his lungs and a rather large group of people have assembled.]

Gather round children! I have seen something amazing with my own eyes! Our god walks among us and has revealed himself to me! He has shown me the truth of his glory, and it was an experience that changed everything I knew about life!

He can provide us what we all desire the most! The innermost workings of our hearts are laid bare before Him! Soon, he will descend upon this world, and will bless the faithful, and strike down the wicked! Give yourself to the god that walks among us, and you too can share in the glory that is our merciful god!

[Kefka watched on from the shadows, pleased with the performance of the spell. He was worried it wouldn't work on a native of a world free of the Warring Triad's influence. He had to stifle the giggle that would've given his alleyway vantage point.]

[OOC: Replies will most likely come from the preacher unless otherwise specified.]

Return me to my friends. [Erza stands in the middle of the room, body still beaten and bruised from the battle she was just in. Bandages covered her chest; black pants flared out at her ankles, with red flames dripping down the cuffs. She's been beaten severely, black and purple bruises covering her form where the clothes failed to.]

At once. [That's all she has to say on the matter.]

So much has changed.

{ It's been a long time since he's shown his face, hasn't it? He's been keeping himself shut in ever since a certain date with a certain First Master. Maybe it was boredom, maybe it was something else, but now, all of a sudden, he feels like making a post to the network. He's seating in a dark room, lit mostly by candles that seem to be of a magical origin. Tartaros members might recognize it as his and Sayla's (and Suigintou's) bedroom. }

This is not the same world I arrived at so long ago. More people have come, and gone. And we are still no closer to knowing why, exactly, we were brought here.

{ Zeref sighs, and turns the page of a book in his lap. It was a book Sayla recommended to him, and so far, he is indeed enjoying it. }

I suppose it's refreshing to see that a world can change so much in so little time. That's certainly not the case in my own world... but perhaps it's a good sign.

[Here is Silver on the screen. He looks a lot more thoughtful than he has been lately, y'know with new holidays to learn about and all]

I've been hearing a lot about Halloween lately. From what I gather it's suppose to be a holiday that celebrates the dead, or more so is dedicated to honoring the lost souls.

So I'm wondering...where do demons fall under all of this? Or is it even a concern for them at all?

I am curious. If you were told that your world was on the brink of all-out war while you were gone, would you want to go back? Even if you knew that such a war was inevitable?

{ He's rather tired of not knowing what has been happening between Fairy Tail and Tartarus, and only having to go on (rather inconsistent) word-of-mouth by the various people brought here. He knows Ezel was defeated, that Sayla was punched in the back of the head by... somebody, that Marde Guille has been fighting Sabertooth, and that several Fairy Tail members fell victim to Alegria. But still, he wants to be caught up. There has to be more going on, there. }

Private to Tartarus, Suigintou & Mavis

( Private )
Private to Fairy Tail

( Private )

Private to Silver
( Private )

I take back my previous request. I have a place to live, now.

{ A slight huff, and then one last message. Oddly enough, Zeref looks like he's sitting in a seedy, dimly-lit tavern, though he's seated in a corner just dark enough to make it difficult to tell which one it is, specifically. }

That's all.

Private to Tartarus Members & Suigintou

( Private )


Private to Virgo

( Private )

( Closed Action under cut )


[Video]

[There is no video when the feed jumps on; rather than that there's a short muffled argument.]

So, is it working yet?

No. Are you a kid? You are too old to ask the same question over and over.

Well, you are taking forever. I thought you said this thing works like a communication lacrima.

'Like' doesn't make it 'same as'. And I'll take less of forever, if you stop breathing down my neck already.

[There's a quiet huff, a shuffling sound and a moment later the video feed activates properly, revealing Rogue sitting on the ground as he sets up the angle and Sting rocking on his heels just a pace or two behind him, glancing into the camera with a faint frown. They both very much look like they've just gotten out of a fight – there's scratches and scrapes and faint tears in their cloths all over them – but all in all neither of them seems actually injured.

A second later, Sting already leans forward to address... well, whoever is willing to listen.]

So, we got the gist of this whole alternate-dimension-mumbo-jumbo from that ever helpful welcoming pamphlet, but humor us anyway. Has anyone here ever heard of Earthland? Or that whatchamacallit-dimension? Edolas?

[That's be something to start with at least. He reaches up to comb his hand through his hair.]

Anyway, whoever's got the controls of this really got their inconvenient timing down. We have this mess we promised to take care of. Any chance we'll get to return to that any time soon?

[Rogue meanwhile frowns thoughtfully at that, noting more quietly – more to himself and Sting than to the general audience.]

Actually, that mess might have followed us.

[Sting blinks as he turns to his partner – for that moment they've both definitely forgotten that they are on live-feed.]

You think?

[Rogue shrugs faintly.]

We are both here, aren't we? If this is the kind of thing that targets areas...

[And they have been spending most of that battle fighting close quarters.]

...Point taken. [Sting turns back to the camera.] If anyone comes across a human-hating jerk that talks in third person and calls himself Marde Guille... uh.

[They share a glance – this sentence may or may not have been suffering from a lack of being thought out to the end and for a second neither of them is actually sure what kind of advice to give on this. It's not like there's a rulebook for how to deal with possibly century old demon bastards, okay?]

Don't engage unless you know you can keep pace with two Dragon Slayers at the same time.

[There is another small moment of pause, just the barest glance passing between them – an unanimous decision made without any need to say a single word.]

Actually, even if you can, we'd prefer if you'd left that guy to us.

We have a score to settle.

[And a guild mate to escort home, but well... that will have to wait.]

[There's almost a deep rumbling sigh from Makarov, a sigh that sounds like it's a little too big to be coming from a man his size. However when he speaks, holding the pamphlets in his hand, there's no sign of that booming rumble from mere moments ago.]

Alright... I won't pretend this isn't a surprise, but I'm not about to run around screaming like a headless chicken.

[Do headless chickens even scream?]

As well as I can see it, I've been dragged to another dimension, by forces beyond immediate comprehension, and I'm certainly not the only one. Knowing my guild, there's probably a dozen of you who got dragged here before I ever did, and caused all sorts of trouble. Rather then hunt each of you down to find out what kind of mischief you've been up to, I'd like a roll call for all Fairy Tail members... and I suppose anyone from Magnolia as well since there's no telling how many other worlds people have been dragged from.

If anyone needs me... I'll be checking to see if any of the local bars need a bartender for the time being.

Edit: Ugh... looks like I've been unanimously voted back into office as Fairy Tail's Guildmaster everyone.

It's time.

{ Guess who has been hit by the AU event? Zeref's eyes are red, surrounded by black circles. Only his face is shown, at the moment, but below his necklace, just about where his heart is, is a black symbol, consisting of two crossed hammers framed by black lines pointing downwards, almost like a heart. Zeref looked away from the camera for a bit, frowning, before turning back. }

We cannot wait any longer. I have chosen Tartarus' Third Master.

{ Private to Silver, Sayla, Marde Guille, and... the surprise Third Master }

{ Zeref moves the camera, enough to show off the surrounding area. Everglade. }

I have decided. It came down to two of you, and I feel that the successor I have chosen will know best how to deal with our most pressing obstacle. We will meet before nightfall. Make a good impression on our Third Master. { A beat. } She is not as forgiving as I am.