Eisenwald arc

The Eisenwald arc (鉄の森(アイゼンヴァルト) Aizenvaruto) is the third story arc of Fairy Tail.

This arc includes the first appearance of Erza Scarlet, as well as hers and Gray Fullbuster's first actions as main characters. The story follows Team Natsu as they attempt to stop a Dark Guild, Eisenwald, from using the Lullaby to assassinate the Guild Masters.

Summary[]

Enter Titania: Erza's Return[]

Lucy begins to search for her next job but has a hard time on deciding which one. Mirajane tells her that she contact her if she finds one she wants due to the Master being off at the annual Guild Master meeting. She then explains to Lucy about the structure of the Magic World government and how the peace is maintained. She also informs her about the Dark Guilds which don't follow the rules of the council. Shortly after, Natsu and Gray begin their usual bickering while Loke flirts and tries to ask Lucy to form a team with him. However, Loke notices Lucy's Celestial Spirit Keys and quickly runs away from her in panic. Nevertheless, he arrives moments later to tell the guild about Erza Scarlet's return, much to everyone's shock. Erza then walks in the guild, carrying a giant monster horn and soon starts to scold everyone for their bad habits as well as the trouble they have caused. She later asks where Natsu and Gray are, and Lucy is surprised to see them afraid of Erza. Mirajane explains how Erza could easily beat up anyone, like Natsu, Gray and Loke, to a pulp, making her a fearsome Mage. Erza then asks Natsu and Gray to form a team with her and help her on her next mission. Due to such act, Mirajane comments that they could be Fairy Tail's strongest team ever.^[1]

Encounter with Eisenwald: Erigor's Evil Plot[]

The next day, everyone arrives at Magnolia Station, waiting for the train's departure. Once there, Natsu and Gray continue their argument while Lucy, asked to watch the two, tags along. Erza then arrives pulling a cart full of luggage bags. Before they leave, Natsu tells Erza that he will come only if they have a match upon return. Erza accepts Natsu's challenge and so the team gets on the train. On the train, Natsu gets motion sick so Erza decides to knock him unconscious to make him feel better.^[2]

After some small talk about Magic, Erza proceeds to explain their mission, having grown suspicious after overhearing some men in a bar talking about a sealed Magic Item called Lullaby. Erza adds that she initially thought they were Mages on an unsealing job, but that thought was erased when she heard the name Erigor, the Shinigami of the Dark Guild Eisenwald, who only takes on assassination requests. She then reveals that she plans to head straight to the guild with them. Upon getting off at the next station, they quickly realize they left Natsu on the train which has just departed without them.^[3]

Natsu, still sick, gets an unexpected visit from Kageyama, a member of Eisenwald.^[4] After Kageyama lightly chats with him, he suddenly kicks Natsu in the face so they begin to fight. Natsu has trouble at first since the train keeps moving. However, the train suddenly stops, thanks to Erza and the others who hit the emergency brake for his sake. Due to the sudden halt, Kageyama drops a strange flute which Natsu catches a glimpse of. Angry Natsu then hits Kageyama in the face with Fire Dragon's Iron Fist. When the train starts to move again, Natsu jumps out of the train window and bumps into Gray, who is at the top of the Magic Four-Wheeler Erza is driving in order to catch up to the train. He tells everyone about the Eisenwald member who attacked him, resulting in him getting a slap in the face from Erza for not stopping the Eisenwald member, even though he was unconscious when Erza told them about Eisenwald.^[5]

When Natsu mentions the flute he saw, Lucy quickly realizes what it is and reveals the mysterious flute to be Lullaby, capable of producing an enchanted, genocidal song that sucks out the souls of anyone who hears its tune. Meanwhile, Kageyama meets up with Erigor at Kunugi Station and gives him the flute. Erza and the gang try to chase after them before they can use the Lullaby.^[6]

Erigor later gets furious with Kageyama for having someone else see the flute so he cuts a bit of his ears with his scythe as a punishment. Meanwhile, Team Natsu is still searching for Eisenwald. Happy tries to remember something he had to do something that relates to Lucy. After a while of Erza's speedy driving, they get to the Oshibana Station, only to see the damage done to it. As they rush in, they find the army pulverized by Eisenwald. They soon meet the entire Eisenwald Guild in the innermost parts of the station. Erza asks what Erigor is planning to do, with the latter replying that he plans to use the broadcasting system of the station to play the Lullaby's melody throughout the town. Erigor claims that those people who will die are simply being punished for their sin of not knowing that there are those who have been revoked of the rights they revel in. After hearing Kageyama's voice, Natsu manages to recover and ends up saving Lucy from Kageyama's attack.^[7] As Erigor flies away, he leaves the rest of Eisenwald to fight Team Natsu. With her staying to fight, Erza orders Natsu and Gray to chase after Erigor. They quickly comply while Rayule and Kageyama follow the two.^[8]

The Knight and The Summoner[]

Erza and Lucy engage the lesser members of Eisenwald, with Erza displaying her mastery at Requip. She later shows off the true abilities of her unique Magic, The Knight, by being able to quickly change into different weapons and armors and simultaneously use them against the Eisenwald Mages. Lucy helps her out by summoning the Giant Crab, Cancer, to battle, hoping to leave a good impression on Erza.^[9]

They manage to take out almost all the remaining members in an instant. Karacka realizes that Erza is the famous Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and decides to run away instead of fight. She then orders Lucy and Happy to chase him. Shortly after they leave, she collapses due to fatigue from using up too much power to drive the Magic Four-Wheeler from earlier.^[9][10]

Caged Faires: The Wind Wall Trap[]

Natsu and Gray continue their search. However, the two grumble about it being impossible to work together and decide to part ways when they reach a split path. Gray searches for the broadcasting room, only to find no one there. As he looks around, however, Rayule attacks him but Gray manages to evade the attack.^[11]

Meanwhile, at the Guild Masters' Regular Meeting, Makarov is conversing with the others Guild Masters about Fairy Tail. A bird suddenly arrives with a letter to Makarov from Mirajane informing him of the formation of Team Natsu. After hearing these news, Makarov panics, knowing full well the damage they're capable of doing.^[12]

Back at the station, Erza goes out to the balcony to confront the growing crowd so she yells for them to leave, revealing the Eisenwald's true motives. Upon hearing the news, the crowd immediately disperses. Soon after that, a very strong wind starts blowing all around the station.^[13]

In the midst of the fight, Rayule destroys the broadcasting equipment, much to Gray's confusion. Rayule then reveals that they never intended to play the Lullaby at the station in the first place, as they simply used it as a trap for them. He adds that Erigor's Wind Wall has probably been already set up, preventing them from leaving the station. Outside the balcony, Erza is shocked by the appearance of the wind barrier. Erigor appears before her and pushes her into the barrier. She attempts to exit but fails because of the strength of the wind. Erigor then bids her farewell and flies off.^[14]

Rayule continues to attack Gray while gloating that they'll kill the Guild Masters who are at Clover Town where Erigor's heading. However, this only proves to anger Gray who promptly grabs Rayule's face and freezes it, vowing that they'll stop them and make them regret for trying to mess with the Guild Masters.^[15]

Erza returns to the station and demands that the defeated Eisenwald members dispel the barrier. However, none of them know how. Gray soon regroups with Erza and reveals Erigor's ulterior motives. Erza then remembers that Kageyama is the one who can dispel the Magic and the two decide to capture him. Once the two are out of sight, Byard calls out to Karacka who is hiding in a pillar. Karacka appears and apologizes for his cowardice. When told that the Fairies are after Kageyama, he retorts he can't help him. However, Byard tells him that he has a much easier task for him to do.^[16]

Meanwhile, Natsu continues to rampage around the station and look for Erigor until he gets ambushed by Kageyama and his Shadow Magic. The two have a brief fight, with Natsu overpowering the latter and defeating him. The noise of their fight attracts the others to their location. Upon seeing Kageyama, Erza points her sword at him and demands him to dispel the wind barrier. As Kageyama is about to surrender, he gets stabbed from behind by Karacka,^[17] it being the task Byard gave him. Angered at his lack of respect for his fellow members, Natsu quickly takes Karacka out while Gray and Erza try to heal Kageyama. They manage to patch his wounds but the attack leaves Kageyama unconscious, much to the Fairies' dismay.^[18]

The group heads back to the lobby of the station where Natsu tries to get through the wind wall but fails. Natsu then remembers what happened at Everlue's mansion when he was able to teleport to another location by passing through the Celestial Spirit World. Lucy tells him that it's impossible as there are no Celestial Spirits outside the wind barrier for that plan to happen. Happy then suddenly remembers what he wanted to tell Lucy earlier, revealing the Virgo's Gate Key to her. At first, Lucy thinks Happy stole it but he tells her Virgo herself wanted Lucy to have it since Everlue was arrested after the Daybreak incident. When Lucy puts down the offer, Happy tells her that he thought Virgo's Diver Magic could help them get out of the barrier because she could dig a hole underground for them to escape.^[19]

Lucy quickly accepts the key and summons Virgo, who has now changed into a more petite and feminine form. Lucy tells Virgo to forget the contract for the moment and use her Magic to create an escape route for them. Virgo quickly obliges, creating a path for the Fairy Tail Mages. Natsu also brings along wounded Kageyama, stating he wouldn't feel right if he died after fighting him. Soon after, the team gets outside of the wind barrier but are still miles away from Erigor. Erza then soon realizes that both Natsu and Happy are no longer with them.^[20]

Wind against Flame: Erigor vs Natsu[]

Concurrently, Erigor is using his Wind Magic to fly over a canyon leading to Clover where the Guild Masters are. Just as he sees the town on the horizon, Natsu, flying with Happy's help, slams into him with a kick and knocks him onto the railroad bridge below. Erigor recovers and the two Mages prepare for a showdown while Happy faints, having used up his power to catch up to Erigor.^[21]

The others once again use the Magic Four-Wheeler to cross the bridge, bringing Kageyama along. When asked why they saved him, Gray tells him that life and death aren't always the usual outcomes and that Kageyama as well as the other Eisenwald members should live their lives more positively. The vehicle then nearly swerves off the road due to Erza's low stamina, used up from previous events. She prays for Natsu's success in stopping Erigor.^[22]

Natsu and Erigor begin their fight. Erigor knocks Natsu off the bridge with his Wind Magic but Natsu manages to change the properties of his flames so they can help him pull himself back onto the bridge by molding it into the shape of an arm with a hand. Natsu recalls that this type of flame had been taught to him by Macao Conbolt when he was young due to his specialty in a similar type of Magic. Natsu then rams into Erigor and kicks him before the latter takes the fight to the air and attempts to hit Natsu with multiple attacks. However, when Natsu manages to block and overpower most of Erigor's follow-up attacks, Erigor activates Storm Mail, rendering all of Natsu's flame attacks useless.^[23][24]

Natsu is easily knocked down by Erigor and takes a direct hit from Emera Baram. While Natsu envelops himself in flames and is frustrated with not being able to get close to Erigor, Happy, now fully conscious, notices that the wind is suddenly blowing in an odd direction which is caused by Natsu's growing flames that are sucking in the wind due to the fact that fire sucks up oxygen and wind to flow towards areas with lower pressure. Happy then purposely taunts Natsu, telling him he can't win against Erigor and he should leave it to Gray. This comment angers Natsu even more so he increases his flames, nullifying Erigor's Storm Mail. Being vulnerable now, Natsu slams into Erigor with Fire Dragon's Sword Horn, successfully defeating the Eisenwald leader.^[25]

Monsters vs Monster: Fairies vs Lullaby[]

The rest of the team soon arrives to see the aftermath of the battle. Kageyama is shocked that their leader has been defeated. Natsu and Gray quarrel a bit on the win while Erza congratulates Natsu for saving the Guild Masters. Just as everything seems well, Kageyama suddenly steals the Magic Four-Wheeler and the Lullaby flute and dashes onward to Clover. Nevertheless, Fairy Tail Mages quickly move out to follow him. Night soon falls and by the time Kageyama reaches Clover, he finds that their meeting is still going and proceeds to play the flute. Before he can do such thing, though, Makarov interrupts him as he is leaving from the meeting. Realizing who he is, Kageyama asks Makarov if he'd like to hear him play a song on his flute. Makarov is initially suspicious but agrees do so. Kageyama grins, thinking that he wins, but then after he remembers the words of Team Natsu through the whole ordeal, he finds himself becoming increasingly hesitant. Team Natsu soon arrives on the scene and is about to intervene only to be stopped by Master Bob as well as the other guild masters who insist to just watch.^[26]

Kageyama tries to force himself to play, thinking everything will change once the Guild Masters are gone. However, Makarov retorts that nothing will change and that they'll still be weaklings. Moreover, Makarov points out the importance of the guilds, places to gain friends that help each other in tough times. Ultimately, Makarov tells the latter that one can gain true strength to live strong, by striving and pushing himself every day. These words touch Kageyama so he drops to his knees, admitting his defeat. The rest of the team comes out and congratulates Makarov and everything seems to go well once again. However, the flute suddenly comes to life on its own and transforms into its true, demonic form.^[27]

The Lullaby proceeds to attack and tries to draw everyone's souls. However, Natsu, Gray and Erza easily defeat the Demon by combining their powers, much to the surprise of the Guild Masters. Unfortunately, they accidentally end up knocking the Lullaby monster onto the meeting site, destroying it in the process. This, of course, angers the other Guild Masters. Makarov and Fairies then make a run for it, except for Natsu who misunderstands and unsuccessfully joins the angry mob.^[28]

Tired, Hungry, and Lost[]

Following Team Natsu's and Makarov's escape from the other Guild Masters, Happy decides to lead everyone home. However, instead of reaching Magnolia, he leads them to the Web Valley, filled with numerous canyons and earthquakes so the group becomes lost. Shortly after, everyone starts to feel hungry but then Happy notices a pack of winged fishes, which are supposed to be a legendary delicacy. Everyone then immediately decides to fish for some, which turns out to be extremely difficult as they only manage to catch one which they decide to let Happy have. Happy immediately starts eating it while everyone looks on hungrily, but when he finishes it, he says that the fish tastes gross.^[29]

As they continue deeper into the valley, they stumble into a village but find it deserted. Despite the presence of fresh food, Erza tells everyone not to touch it, saying that they should investigate first because the village is suspicious. While Erza and Makarov are investigating, Natsu and the others try to gather some mushrooms. However, when Happy, Gray, and Natsu each start eating them, they grow a mushroom on top of their heads. Back at the village, Erza and Makarov discover seams on the ground and they hear moaning sounds around the village. The mushrooms on Gray's and Natsu's heads soon fall off and the group heads back to the village. They notice the ground light up along with the buildings that are starting to bend. Makarov then tells everyone to head towards higher grounds. As they do, they observe the buildings turn into strange monsters. Makarov then explains that these monsters are the result of the forbidden magic, Alive, which turns inanimate objects into living things.^[29]

Erza assumes that the village must be a Dark Guild's village because of the amount of evil Magic Tools she found while investigating. They set these facts aside, though, as Makarov emphasizes on the fact that the monsters are alive and therefore can be eaten. Everyone except Lucy then attacks them and uses their Magic to "cook" them to their liking. Everyone, including Lucy, then takes a bite out of the monsters.^[29]

However, everyone soon finds out that the monsters are disgusting to the tongue and cannot be eaten no matter how hungry they are. Moments later, a Magic Circle appears again and triggers a destructive spell. Just as they are falling towards it, Makarov manages to revoke the Magic Circle and reverse the Take Over spell that let the monsters take over the bodies of the villagers. He then tells them he will refrain from reporting them to the Council if they promise to never perform such Magic again. Nobody, however, knows it was Makarov who dispelled the Magic Circle, except for Erza, who wonders how he did such thing. Everyone then leaves to head home but they are still upset since they're starving.^[29]

Erza's Arrest[]

The group finally makes it back to Magnolia. Lucy writes a letter to her mother about the recent events concerning Eisenwald and her being part of Fairy Tail's strongest team. When she finishes, she is surprised when she sees a half-naked Gray sprawled out on her couch. After she chastises him about trespassing and stripping, he reminds her that Natsu and Erza's battle is on that day and takes her out to watch.^[30]

When they arrive at the battlefield, the Mages start discussing about who is strongest member of Fairy Tail. Gray and Elfman mention Mystogan and Laxus Dreyar, but definitely nominate Erza as the strongest female. Moments later, the fight begins, and Erza changes into her Flame Empress Armor. Natsu and Erza begin their fight, but a Council messenger interrupts the fight and arrests Erza.^[31]

The rest of Fairy Tail retreats to the guild and is upset about the recent events, but they conclude they cannot do anything against the council. Natsu, having been transformed into a gecko and trapped inside a glass, insists that they let him out and turn him back to his original form. Mirajane and Makarov don’t let him out, in fear that he could cause trouble the Council.^[32]

Meanwhile, at the Fiore Branch of the National Council, Erza is greeted by a Thought Projection of Siegrain just before she enters the courtroom. They argue shortly and then Siegrain leaves after reminding her to keep quiet about the past for his sake as well as hers. Inside the court, Erza’s prosecution begins.^[33]

Back at Fairy Tail, Lucy is now taking Natsu’s side on the incident, thinking they should leave immediately, but Makarov counters that no matter how fast they go, they won’t reach it in time. At the same time, Natsu is still shouting to be let out but when Makarov asks him if that's what he really wants, the former quiets him down. Makarov then breaks the glass, and the gecko is shown to be Macao Conbolt, who pretended to be Natsu because he owed him a favor. Natsu, however, has already left in order to pursue Erza. The Mages panic but Makarov states that they will patiently wait for the results.^[34]

Erza is found guilty of the charges as witnesses claim that the culprit was an armored female Mage. In those same moments, Natsu, dressed as undertaking Erza, shows up and destroys half the courtroom. They are both escorted to the cells where Erza tells Natsu that the arrest was just a show. She explains that the Council only convicted her in order to make it seem as if they actually enforce the law and that she wouldn't have been punished. She is momentarily mad at him but later shows her appreciation for his thoughtfulness.^[35]

Battles & Events[]

v • d • eEisenwald arc Fights
Stop Eisenwald Fights	Natsu Dragneel vs. Kageyama • Erza Scarlet & Lucy Heartfilia vs. Eisenwald Guild Members • Gray Fullbuster vs. Rayule • Natsu Dragneel vs. Kageyama: Rematch • Natsu Dragneel vs. Erigor
Lullaby's Awakening Fights	Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel & Gray Fullbuster vs. Lullaby
Return to Magnolia Fights	Team Natsu vs. Village Monsters

v • d • eEisenwald arc Events
Events	Erza and Gray Join Team Natsu • Eisenwald Takes Oshibana Town's Station Hostage • Lucy acquires Virgo • Lullaby's Awakening • Guild Master's Meeting Building is Destroyed • The Arrest & Trial of Erza Scarlet

References[]

Arc Navigation[]

Daybreak arc

Eisenwald arc

Sub-Zero Emperor Lyon arc

←	Chapters	→
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23

←	Episodes	→
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10