Hi everyone! I decided to publish this week's chapter in advance because tomorrow, I've again a packed Monday (I have an exam and a good friend of mine is going to graduate, so I won't be able to get close to the PC until late at night!) In a certain way I'm looking forward to tomorrow evening because I cannot wait to read the new manga chapter about Erza's past. I want to understand how far my intuition had foreseen the future when I wrote Figli di Drago. Did you read it? Take a look!

And about today's chapter! You will know a lot about the spirits of the stars and about Lucy's origins. I tried to imagine the appearance and the powers of the spirits that Mavis controlled, I don't know about you but I'm terribly curious and would love to know more about the spirit world, I would like to see more spirits in the original series!

Mavis' keys

Lucy forgot about everything else while listening to Warrod's story. At first she was uncertain whether to believe or not to the tree man, but in his words there was so much passion that it was virtually impossible to doubt him.

It gave her a strange feeling to hear the story of Natsu and Mavis. She felt a pang of jealousy thinking how much the dragon had loved the first master of Fairy Tail. Even if she had no reason to be angry, that story still stung her. How it was possible that the legendary Mavis was really her great-grandmother? Was for this reason that Natsu was so attracted to her? Did he want to use her as a replacement? Why he hid everything from her? But among Lucy's thoughts there was also a little voice that whispered: "Are you sure you can believe everything that this Warrod tells to you?"

- Still you don't believe me. - He said at the end: the look on Lucy's face was more than evident.
- But I have something that will convince you for sure. -

Warrod could not tell her what it was. A violent explosion shook the east side of the mansion, threatening to throw Lucy and Happy off the chair. All the windows shook and some glass fell with a crash in the central courtyard. When the girl raised her head, that she had covered with her arms, she saw that a thick cloud of black smoke was rising where the wall of the villa had been hit.

- Ohoho! That's a kind of a way of knocking! - The tree man laughed even if his guests were in panic. - I think that our dragon friend has just found us. -

- LUCY !? - Natsu's roar of echoed throughout the villa, just as expected. The spell that had destroyed the barrier around the building, was not the attack of a ferocious enemy but that of a dragon in love, willing to do anything to find his better half.

- I'm here! - The girl immediately rushed near the parapet, forgetting all the anger she had felt until a moment ago. The only thing that mattered was the fact that the dragon and her friends were all right.
- Everything is fine! We are here! - Lucy began to wave her arms to get noticed and the group saw her right away; they had already reached the courtyard.

- Don't move from there! - Ordered Natsu as he rushed up the stairs. He arrived before all the others and immediately grabbed Lucy, squeezing her into a tight embrace. - You made me worry. - The dragon gave her a kiss on the head, holding the girl close to his chest - You don't know how you had me worried! I've already told you to not go out alone! Why don't you listen to me? -

- But she was not alone. - Happy protested, outraged by the fact that Natsu had not even hugged him.
- I saved her! - Explained the Exceed - Even though we had an extra hand ... -

Natsu looked up and finally met the tree man's gaze who was smiling at them. The dragon was forced to think long and hard before I could recognize who stood before him.

- It's really you ... - Natsu's eyes widened when he finally realized the truth. The other wizards reached the roof just in time to hear him whisper the name of his old comrade - Warrod ... -

- Yup! This is precisely the infamous Warrod Sequen! Directly for you in bark and leaves! Ohoho! - The old man laughed - And I'm so honored to meet you all! Erza Scarlett our new master! And you must be Gray! The one who strips if it's cold! -

- What?! - Exclaimed the boy but Warrod did not replie, chuckling - And there's Crime Sorcire too! How many young wizards! Magnolia's future is all here! -

- Warrod Sequen of the founding fathers? What does it mean? - Erza did not understand anything anymore. Firts the mysterious Twelve Spriggan and then the tree man. SHe had never met that strange character, how did he knew her name and that of others?

- It's really him! - Reassured her Lucy - He is the real one! He helped us against that mad woman! -
- I had the feeling that spell was familiar but ... What kind of curse did this to you? - All the wizards turned to Natsu's voice. The dragon was staring at his old comrade as if it were a monster. He had recognized him but at the same time he could not believe that that was Warrod.

- It would be nice to be a dragon like you and never grow old. - Admitted the tree man - You haven't changed one bit since the last time! But I'm paying the consequences of what I did as a kid. At the beginning of Fairy Tail we had so much need to conquer power that we were all seduced by the promises of the dark magic. But as everyone knows, the abuse of magic can corrupt the bodies and minds. Yuri and Zera died young, younger than they deserved. Me and Precht, however, earned a long life, if you can call this life. -

- Is Precht still alive? - Asked Natsu, shocked by that revelation.

- His body is still alive but inside there is no longer the man you knew. - Explained Warrod - If you were to meet him, be careful: he's no longer on our side. The demons that he controlled, devoured his own heart, turning him into a monster without scruples. Precht has come to think of magic like a power born in hatred and darkness. After having lead Fairy Tail for years like Mavis' successor, he decided to change his name and founding his own Guild: now they know him as Hades, the Grimoire Heart's master. -

That last revelation hit the group like a knife The man who had hindered them so much was a founder of Fairy Tail? Its second master? How was that possible? Why they didn't know anything about him, just as they knew nothing of Warrod?

- Ohoho, don't make that face Natsu! I bet you never imagined to return in town discover all these things! - Chuckled Warrod - But today I even had a lot of wonderful surprises! I cannot believe of having met Mavis' great-granddaughter! - The old wizard put his arm around Lucy's shoulders, pulling her closer out of the dragon's grip. - Why didn't you tell her, Natsu? Did you want to keep the surprise for yourself? - Warrod gave him a smile that was more ironic than sincere - But don't worry, I explained everything myself. -
Lucy had expected a denial, something to pull her out of that paradoxical situation, but when she looked at Natsu the dragon turned the other side, without answering. He stared at the floor as if it suddenly had become the most interesting thing in the world.

- Is it true? Did you know it? - Lucy asked, but received no answer.

- Find it out yourself if you don't believe me: here is a gift for you! I've wanted to give it to you for a long time but the roots kept me here! Ohoho! - The tree man reached into his in kimono and pulled out a small bunch of keys to present to Lucy - These were Mavis' keys. I kept them even if I couldn't use celestial magic, but you will definitely need them more than me. If you don't believe what I told you just ask them: spirits always tell the truth. -

Lucy accepted the keys, sliding incredulous her fingers on the metal. She did not even need to look at the symbols imprinted on the handle to recognize the two golden keys that were at the beginning of the deck.

- Libra and Pisces ... that's where they were! And there are also Volpina, Centaur, Wolf and Andromeda! - The keys reacted to Lucy's touch, brightening of their own free will and the corresponding spirits appeared one after the other on the terrace. The dancer of Libra, the giant figures of Pisces and the little Shippo, the big Wolf, the slender Andromeda and muscular Centaur.

- It's her! - Exclaimed the spirit of Volpina jumping in the arms - She's back! She's back! - He pressed hisface against her chest weeping, without even realizing that the person who held him was different from what he imagined.

- No, you're wrong. - Libra took Lucy's hand, forcing her to turn - When she touched my key I felt Mavis' magic of but she's not her. -

- But they have the same smell! - Added the Wolf spirit pressing its snout against the sorceress. It was a huge beast with white fur, bright as the moon. Red lines like fire pointed out his eyes and his sides, making him even more impressive. - What's this trick? -

- We feel the same thing! - Exclaimed the Pisces spirits while crawling around Lucy, wrapping their long coils like snakes. To look into their eyes the girl was forced to raise her head up.

- The truth is very simple. She has the blood and magic of Mavis, but she isn't our old friend. - Explained the spirit of the Centaur who was the wisest of the group. He had the torso of a muscular man with dark skin but the body of a zebra, with lots of black and white stripes. He was carrying a bag full of mysterious vials which made noise, beating against each other, every time that he moved.

- May I ask you why you haven't told us before that Mavis had heirs? - The Centaur turned towards Warrod. Only then Shippo looked up, staring at Lucy with his big wet eyes - Are you not Mavis? -

The other spirits exclaimed something, mixing all of their voices as they expressed their surprise.
- Stop, stop for a moment! - Cried Lucy, trying to make them listen - I don't know what you're talking about ... I! -

- You look so much like her. - Andromeda did not let her finish the sentence. The spirit looked like a girl with long blue hair and delicate physique. She wore a white tunic but had silver chains wrapped all around the body, even on the arms and the neck. - I have sworn to serve Mavis' family many years ago, even before I met her. - The spirit took Lucy's face in her hands, caressing her nostalgically - Please, make a contract with me. -

This time Lucy fell silent, not knowing what to say. She turned desperately watching her comrades but even they could not help her. They did not understand what was happening and the only one who seemed to know, Natsu, had no intention to intervene. His head was turned stubbornly, refusing to meet the girl's gaze.

It was at that moment that a sudden blow shook the villa. The left wing of the building, the one that Lucy had used to climb onto the roof, vanished as if by magic and she understood immediately that Brandish was back in action. The floor cracked down, threatening to drag them down into a chasm, but fortunately the wizards were able to maintain balance by clinging to one another.

The collapse shook the dragon and Natsu grabbed Lucy by the arm, trying to help but she broke free from the grasp right away - I can stand alone! -

The flower pots, which Warrod had cared for all those years, were the less fortunate and a good portion rolled away, crashing into the courtyard. - And I thought that plants could not walk! - Exclaimed the old man while his collection was destroyed.

- Better go! - Suggested Centaur. He knew that their weights could be fatal for a crumbling structure like that, especially the weight of Pisces.

- Call us if you need help. - All spirits vanished and Lucy hurried to put their keys next to the others, on her belt.
- Well? Do you want to stop playing hide and seek? - Thundered the voice of a woman from the courtyard. Lucy did not need to look down to understand who was calling. Brandish's tone was not bored anymore but a furious snarl . The wizard had got out of the well using her powers to reduce the height. She had lost her cloak, had disheveled hair and a few scratches on the face but she was ready to use her magic to disintegrate the entire villa and all who were in it.

- Leave it to me. - Proposed Warrod.

- No! That woman is frighteningly strong! - But the old wizard ignored Lucy's warnings, approaching the railing - It's the least I can do for the guild and the great-granddaughter of a dear friend. - During the course of his long life, Warrod had seen worst monsters then the Twelve Spriggan and nothing could frighten him.

- Hey, lady! Do you think that's the way to treat the house of an old man? - Cried the wizard with his arms plated on his sides.

- Man? - Repeated Brandish with mocking him

- You're right, maybe I should say an old tree's park. - Warrod nodded, absorbed for a moment in his thoughts - But this doesn't justifies your behavior! That's not polite! -

- You have thrown me in a well! That's polite? - Replied the woman - I was asked to go easy but now I don't have any intention to stop myself! Go to hell! -

- Of course not, Miss! -

Brandish raised her hand to hurl her spell but Warrod was faster: he waved a hand and a pair of gigantic roots emerged from the ground of the courtyard to beat the woman. The plants that infested the well had already weakened her powers and Brandish couldn't do anything to shrink the roots that Warrod had evoked. The spell hit her like a whip, hurling the woman against a wall so hard that they almost broke her in two. The impact left her without breath and she sagged to the ground like a broken doll.

- I hate having to use force, but some people never understand. - Sighed Warrod - But rest assured. - The old man winked at the rest of the group - I'm not the kind who kills his opponents! Why these people are pursuing you? -

- We don't know. - Admitted Erza.

- Can we go down? - Asked Jellal - I want to talk to that woman. -

- Assuming that she can still talk ... - Muttered Gray. He had never seen someone capable to control Green Magic in that way and was shocked by the strength of the guild's founder.

- At your service! - Warrod nodded and the roots that he had summoned approached the parapet, forming a ladder to allow the wizards to go down. When they reached the yard they discovered that their opponent was still conscious, although struggling to keep her eyes open and breathe. A slight trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth and nose. She smiled as soon as their eyes met - You have come to give me the coup de grace? -

- We have come to ask for clarification. - Explained Jellal - We want to hear everything you know on the killer. -

- And on the Twelve Spriggan and the Festival. - Added Erza.

- What happenes if I don't tell you anything? -

- We could always force you to do it. - The master of Fairy Tail was very serious, she evoked a sword and pointed it in the direction of the prisoner but Brandish laughed again. She did not seem at all frightened by the threats. - It is not my job to tell you the truth. Just one day and then my Lord will finally destroy this senseless world. - Whispered the woman closing her eyes - Nothing makes sense, nothing is really important. It would be better if everything disappeared ... -

Erza and the others were unable to snatch her even another word. Brandish's body dissolved just like that of her companions, was reduced to a fine layer of dust.

- No way! - Jellal ran a hand through his hair - What the hell are these damned Spriggan?

- None of these people were born with the gift of magic that nature gives generously to someone. - Said Warrod, expressing out loud all the suspects that the master of Crime Sorcière had. - They have not even learned their spells through hard years of training. Someone gave them these powers, filling as them like a glass. But a glass filled with acid is intended to melt. -

- I'm afraid we'll have to really wait twenty-four hours to learn the truth. - Even Erza shook her head - Mister Warrod ... -

- I'm sorry but I can't help you further, unfortunately, my time has come to the limit. - The old wizard gave her an apologetic smile and showed Erza his right hand, the one he had used for his last spell. The fingers were already disappeared, transformed into rigid wooden sticks - That speech of black magic is true even for me ... I've already lost my humanity and I used everything I had left just for you ... -

- What does it mean? - Cried Lucy - There are still a lot of things I want to ask you, and ... -

- Hold tight the keys I gave you and use them wisely. - Warrod nodded to Natsu - Will you take care of her, won't you? -

The dragon immediately sensed what was coming and that after those brief moments he would never see again his old friend. That was their last farewell. - At the risk of my life. -

- Sorry Natsu if I rushed things, but as you can see I had not much time left. It was nice seeing you again. - Warrod made one last smile while his whole body followed the same fate of his hand. The bark become thicker, masking his features. His feet and his legs grew longer, sticking in the ground like roots, his arms were reduced to branches and even his clothes were absorbed by the trunk. Within seconds Warrod Sequen, the man who was talking to them, the founding father of the guild, disappeared, turned into a silent tree.
- Goodbye mate. Thanks for everything and rest in peace. - Natsu whispered.

The wizards of Fairy Tail had not even time to say a prayer for the old mage who had sacrificed his last energies and his last drop of humanity to save them.

- Boss, you have to get out of here! - Shouted Racer racing rushing into the courtyard. He was the man that Natsu had seen along the way to the zoo, sitting on his motorcycle. - After the explosions someone alerted 911 and the fire trucks and the police are coming here! -

- Damn! - Jellal did not need to hear any more: they could not be discovered and be brought to the police station to give explanations. They did not have even one. - Out! All out! - The group immediately set in motion and did as it was told, following Racer to the exit. Natsu again took Lucy's hand but she planted her feet on the ground. - Come! - The dragon pulled harder - We'll talk later, I promise! We'll talk about you and me! -

Hoteye was waiting near the exit gate. When they passed he waved, just like when they had crossed him at the bus stop.

- Shall I make everything disappear? -

Jellal made just a nod.

Although Hoteye had the appearance of a Protestant pastor, he had terrible powers like those of a demon. At his command the ground under the foundations of the abandoned villa began to melt like mud. The old house creaked and groaned as it tried to object, but it was too weak to stand up to its fate.

While she was being dragged away Lucy was able to just take a last look at the house that collapsed, leaning on itself like an accordion. That cement tomb would hidden forever all its secrets, those of Fairy Tail and of its founders. Magnolia's residents would think of a structural failure, but she knew that was not true. Lucy silently thanked Warrod for his help and for the keys he had given her and then turned to Natsu who held her hand and ran. He had not answered any of her questions, but he would have to do it very soon.