"Can we stop for a rest?" Slick asked hopefully as the three travelers half ran through the dark trees as night grew heavily above them, sinking into the trees and blackening them further. The night was cold and thick, and the dense branches above them hid the stars and moonlight from view.

     "No!" Levy said, dragging them onward, "We don't have time to stop!"

     "We're almost there," Gajeel growled, "But I'm with Slick. Can we at least know why we have to hurry?"

    "No, we just have to— there it is!" Levy approached the house at a sprint, then banged on the door, "Gael! Gael, it's us again! Open up, this is important!"

     There was a long pause, then the door creaked open. Gael had one eye closed and was leaning against the door frame, his black hair falling across his eyes, "I'm glad to see you again and all, but is there a reason you're knocking on my door at two in the morning?"

     "Yes, a very good reason," Levy said impatiently, "Can we come in now?"

     Gael blinked, "Sure." he stepped back to!et them in, and paused as he saw Slick, "Who's the new guy?"

       "I'm Slick," Slick told him, "Nice to meet you."

    Once they had all sat down in the ornately decorated living room, Gael clapped his hands together, "So what's the problem?"

     "I actually have no clue," Gajeel gave Levy a curious look, "Care to explain, shrimp?"

     "Okay, so remember when we were talking about how the rule against magic was spreading like a disease through the continent?" Levy asked.

     They nodded, "What's that gotta do with anything?"

     "It has to do with everything. There are a few pieces of the puzzle I'm missing, but I need to know what you know about Julio Gracielle."

     At the mere mention of the name, Gael's eyes blazed, "A bastard if I ever knew one." he growled, "Entirely anti-magic. He's the one who led the group that killed your mother, Gajeel."

     Gajeel's eyes hardened, but he didn't say anything.

     "But this was twelve years ago, correct?" Levy checked.

     "Yeah, what's your point?"

     "How old did he look then?" Levy pressed, leaning slightly forward on the couch with interest.

     "Twenty or so, surprisingly young." Gael frowned, thinking it over carefully, "Not older than twenty five, I'm sure."

     "But I've seen him before," Levy said quietly, "I've literally run into him before in the streets. Messy white blond hair that covers one eye, the other eye's purple. Sound familiar?"

     Gajeel frowned, "You ran into a guy like that back in Hitherdale."

       "Exactly," Levy nodded, "How old would you say he looked?"

      "Twenty or so," Gajeel frowned again, confused, "But he'd look older than that, right?"

       "Originally, yes." Levy nodded, holding up a picture, "This is Julio Gracielle, right?"

     "Yeah, that was definitely him," Gael and Gajeel said at the same time, then exchanged uncertain glances.

     Levy turned her head to look straight at Gael, "There will be a man who stands against time; will rise to power underground,  hanging fate's design."

   Gael's eyes rounded, "A man who stands against time... you're saying he's immortal?"

     "He's rounding up the magical creatures, not just killing them off," Levy said slowly, "Although... I heard it was just unicorns he wanted alive, correct?"

       "Yea—" Gael broke off, stiffening.

       Levy gave a brisk nod, "Just as I suspected. Unicorn blood gives immortality to the drinker if you gain a consistent amount of it per week. But it leaves behind a curse... that could really be anything."

     "So he's using unicorn blood to make him immortal...."

      "Would someone explain what the hell you two are talking about?" Gajeel growled irritably, crossing his arms.

     They ignored him.

     "You said Julio was in charge of what happened in Hitherdale?" Levy asked, leaning forward in her chair.

     Gael nodded, "The entire thing was his idea."

     "And the wanted poster in Rauberia about all those wanted magicalcreatjes had Julio's signature!" Levy exclaimed, sounding excited now, "That confirms it! Julio Gracielle is going from kingdom to kingdom, spreading the anti-magic gig! We just need to find out why and how... but I can figure out how," Levy turned to Gael, "But you have to tell the truth."

     "Okay...." He gave her a long look, as if unsure what to expect.

     "How do you know the king of Carpagia?" Levy asked, watching him closely for any signs of deceit.

      "We were friends, a long time ago," Gael replied slowly with a long, drawn out sigh.

     "Were friends? As in past tense, you're not friends anymore?" Levy asked, her eyes curious but also gleaming with anticipation to see if her theory was actually true.

     "We were great friends. But he changed... just shunned me all of sudden. He was acting really weird too that day." Gael sighed.

     "When did this happen?"

     "I dunno... twelve years ago." Gael frowned at the thought, "He kicked me out of town."

     "Exactly," Levy grinned, "But be honest, Gael, this is the important part. Explain this," she pressed the picture frame Gajeel had stolen earlier into Gael's hands, the picture of Gael and a mystery man when they were teenagers, "The other guy... who is he?"

     Gael sighed, leaning back in his chair, "He's the king. That was taken back when we were friends."

     "Then why does he look so much like you, Gael? Or should I say... Your Majesty?"

     "What?" Gajeel's jaw dropped.

     "You figured it out," Gael gave her a crooked grin, brushing dark hair back from his green eyes, "Yep. I'm the prince of Carpagia."