This chapter was originally supposed to be over 15,000 words long, but I figured you might not be in the mood for something this long.
Hey guys, it's been a while. I had a very tough and tiring month, hence the late upload. I am currently fighting the terrible boss known as formalities and documents, other known as insurance I will need for my plans to move out of Poland to Sweden. As it turns out I might have to buy it, which means money. We all know how it likes me.
Either way, we are entering into a new arc, one that is heavily original, so we're back to the good old early days of this story. If you disliked Tenrou, then I'm sure you will like this one.
I'd like to remind you guys, that if you feel like it you can support me and my work on ko-fi. Each donation will be rewarded(if you want it to be) with something in return, be it a short story written just for you, or a colored manga page. This will not influence the status of this story, it will simply make my life easier and less miserable. Thank you for understanding.
I hope you enjoy the chapter. Have fun!
The dark clouds above have finally fulfilled their promise, drops of rain falling down, crashing against the umbrellas and cloaks of people gathered in the square. None of them cared, though. They were too busy cheering or shaking their heads in disapproval.
The man standing on a platform held his arms high in the air, an assuring smile glued to his face, as the people cheered him up. He looked proud of himself, irritating accomplishment written all over his face.
Out of the entire crowd, only two figures remained stoic, not moving an inch. Rain flowed down their hoods, their blue hair peeking out from under it. The younger one simply sobbed quietly, while the older one stared ahead, her eyes wide and empty.
"How did it come to this?" her voice was a whisper, one she could barely hear herself. A whisper of disbelief. Shock, as she watched the people cheer even louder at the sight of another man lighting a flag on fire. Her guild's flag.
The flag of Fairy Tail.
August 17th X791 Christina.
The early sun was just starting to peek through the clouds, filling the ship's interior with pretty, orange light. One of the beams fell on the face of a young, darkskinned man with black hair, who squinted in annoyance. He was wearing a black suit with a white shirt, which was slightly wrinkly, the collar uneven and messy.
"Did we really have to leave so damn early?" moaned Ren Akatsuki from behind the steering wheel.
Next to him stood a young man with dark blonde hair, who gave him a gentle, yet nasty eye.
"Stop complaining, Ren." said Hibiki and swiped a card in his Archive Magic. "If we are to do this, it has to be early."
"Geez, stop talking like that. It's not like we're doing anything secret!" laughed gently a third man, the youngest of the bunch. "After all, we're just going on vacation, are we not?"
Hibiki laughed as well. "Of course, Eve. Vacation." said Hibiki and looked at the nearby wall, a sarcastic smile on his face. "I still can't believe Master Ichiya won those tickets! With his luck!"
Eve laughed out loud. "From what I've heard, he didn't even win them. The person who won them was aiming for the first prize, so when he got the tickets instead, he put them in the hands of the person that was the closest. That would be Master."
"I still consider it an impressive feat, granted who was standing next to that gentleman." said Hibiki.
Ren yawned again, which got him an elbow to the side from Hibiki. "Focus. We still have some way ahead of us."
"I know, I know." Ren yawned again. "Rough night."
"We know." said Even and Hibiki at the same time, making Ren red on the face. "Seriously, why won't she just join our guild? She spends most of the week in our hall anyway." Eve shook his head.
"Her cousin is in Lamia, and she doesn't want to be separated from her." explained Ren, the heat on his face going down. "I support that decision."
"You might consider supporting renting a hotel room for the week as well." said Hibiki and this time it was his turn to be decked in the side, which made him laugh, with Eve joining in.
"I see your moods are high, men."
Ichiya walked into the room. His hair has gotten longer and his chest more hairy, but he remained pretty much the same as 7 years ago.
All three men straightened their back and faced him. "Welcome back, Master! Well fought!" they chanted like soldiers.
Ichiya nodded, as the door to the toilet closed a few meters behind him in the hallway. He stepped further into the room and looked out the front window. "Is our radar working as intended? Are we on the right course?" he asked.
Ren looked down and nodded. "Yeah, we're good."
Suddenly, a grey cloud appeared on the radar, or rather its outlines. The cloud was enormous, nearly covering the radar just with its fraction. This made Ren's eyes widen, and soon he snapped his head to the side, where Hibiki was. He has also picked it up. They were close.
"Master, take a look at this." said Hibiki, trying to keep his voice as casual as possible. "That's an interesting looking cloud!"
Ichiya's eyes narrowed dangerously. He walked up to the steering wheel to confirm it. Upon doing so, he gave his men a nod and walked to the center of the room. He quietly drew a square in the air with his finger and waited for Ren to pass the steering wheel to Hibiki. The man then raised his arms and locked Ichiya in a prison made out of air, its walls solid and not letting the sound escape through.
Ichiya nodded in gratitude and reached into his pocket, pulling out a battered and old lacrima. He swiped it couple times and soon it lit up, connecting to its sister. A minute later someone picked the call up, their figure dark and disfigured due to the damage.
"It's me." said Ichiya. "We've arrived at the place. As we suspected, the Ethernano in the air around the island has increased, drastically. We are about to go down and search the area. Shall we inform you of any progress we may make?"
The man remained silent for a while, before speaking out. "Do what you want.". His voice was hoarse and colorless, defeated even.
Ichiya gripped the lacrima slightly harder. "There's still hope. Please, try to be of good thought."
The man snorted. "Feel free to dig there, I've had my share. I'm glad you have hope. Someone has to. Good luck, I guess."
With that said, the man hung up, leaving concerned Ichiya alone to himself. He looked at Ren and nodded solemnly, his box of air dispelling.
"What do we do, Master?" asked Hibiki. "Shall we fly higher and see it up close? It looks pretty rare."
"Yes, we shall." nodded Ichiya. Hibiki stationed the ship directly above the island and suspended it in mid-air. The men walked out of the room and headed to the emergency room, where their boat was. The Trimens stepped into the boat while Ichiya opened the bottom of the ship and threw down a ladder. He then stepped into the boat and they soon started to go down to the ocean.
Now that they were away from the ship, Hibiki dropped the act. "Do you really think it's them?" he asked Ichiya.
The man nodded. "The Ethernano has grown incredibly strong these past days. This cannot be a coincidence. I can't tell it's the island itself, but it has to be something. We just have to look for it."
"I don't think we'll have to look too long." said Even and pointed with his finger.
The Trimens followed it and felt their eyes widen in shock. There, in the middle of the ocean, with no land whatsoever, stood a young girl with long, pale blonde hair. She was being risen up and down by the waves, a small smile on her face. It looked like she's been expecting them.
"What in the..." gasped Ichiya.
"Who are you?!" asked Hibiki. He kept his tone not hostile, but left a small note of demand in it.
The girl merely smiled wider and raised her hands. All of a sudden the ocean began to shake, waves becoming more aggressive. Water started to pour into their boat, so Ren used his magic to raise them in the air.
"What is she doing?!" yelled Eve.
"An attack?" questioned Hibiki. "No...She is…!"
Once again the Trimens felt their eyes growing big in shock and disbelief, as something started to rise up from the water. Something huge, surrounded in a giant green bubble dosed with the insignia of Fairy Tail. It didn't take them long to figure out what it was.
"Tenrou Island?!" gasped Ichiya. "Where did it come from? Did she hide it with her magic? But that..."
"...Requires magic power bigger than anything imaginable in this world." finished his thought Hibiki. Just who was this girl?
After few more minutes the island settled in, the waves becoming calm once again. There it was, Tenrou Island, just the way it was 7 years ago, with no signs of being attacked by a dragon on it.
Men stared in awe, lost for words. The girl breathed out heavily and smiled again, tilting her head to the side before turning around and walking towards the island.
Ichiya wanted to call out to her, but decided not to. Instead he looked at Ren. "Go back to the ship and land on the island! This boat may be too small! Men, follow me!"
"Yes, sir!" said the men, with Ren already climbing the ladder back to the ship. The rest of the Trimens started to eagerly row towards the island and reached it after a few minutes. They quickly discarded the boat and ran into the wilds, their hearts beating hard. They didn't have to run far.
The entire beach was littered with unconscious Fairy Tail members, some of them buried in the sand. Hibiki almost tripped over Gray, the back of his head and his legs being the only body parts that were out in the open. The Maker started to stir, senses coming back to him. He moved and soon snapped his head out of the sand, his breathing hard. He panted heavily and looked around with disbelief and confusion written all over his face. As would have anyone who was just about to die by the hand of a dragon, only to wake up somewhere else.
Hibiki beamed at the sight of Gray and stood up to his legs, before kneeling down next to him. "Gray! It's so good to see you!"
Gray looked at Hibiki, his eyes still shocked. He frowned and looked up and down, measuring him up. "Hibiki, is that you? Why do you look...older?"
Hibiki's face dropped. As Gray continued to look at him, confused, he soon started to realise something himself – he has not changed. None of them have.
Ichiya and Eve, who have tended to Lucy, Levy, Gajeel, Strauss siblings and Wendy, expressed the same worry. None of them changed, at all. As if time stopped for them seven years ago. Some of them pushed the Trimens aside and looked into the sky in search of Acnologia, still convinced the beast was lurking around and missed its initial attack.
Hibiki and Eve looked at each other in horror. To Fairy Tail, the seven year long gap was a second. As long as snapping your fingers would take.
After realising the monster was nowhere to be found, Fairy Tail collapsed and started to celebrate their survival. Elfman simply grabbed his sisters with each arm and hugged them so hard their ribs started to crack. Wendy and Levy sat down on the sand, their backs against each other, both of them crying from relief. The Thunder Legion exchanged smirks and focused on giving aid to the injured. Laxus quickly ran away from the rest, straight to a giant crater placed several meters away. He grabbed Wendy by the collar on his way and pulled her with him.
Natsu and Erza have just now started to wake up, their hands still joined. They dumbly looked around, just as confused as everyone else. Erza was quicker to deduce the situation and simply sighed through her nose in relief. The memory of what went down between her and Natsu just before the crash came back to her with full force and her face matched the color of her hair. She quickly took her hand away from his, puzzled and conflicted. Natsu simply looked at her with tired eyes and smiled under his nose.
Lucy walked up to the Trimens, still shaken and confused. "Hibiki? Eve, Mister Ichiya? What are you all doing here?" she asked them. "What happened here? Didn't we get attacked by Acnologia? When did you get here and...why are you all older?"
"Father..."
As if on cue, everyone turned around in the voice's direction, which belonged to Cana, who was still by her dying father's side, his hands in hers. Cana's voice was dead, colorless. It was also a reminder to everyone. A reminder of a tragedy they were lucky enough to forget about for those few minutes of happiness upon finding out they survived.
The sand underneath Gildarts' body was already soaking with his blood, his eyes barely open, his breathing irregular, weak and wheezy. The ripped remains of his organs and skin hanged off the hole in his torso, drops of blood dripping onto the ground from their ends.
Lucy, as well as everyone else ran up to the pair in panic. Erza helped Natsu get up and soon they joined with the others, a circle forming around Cana and her father. They could only watch as she clutched his hand in hers, tears flowing down her face like waterfalls. They didn't know what to do.
"Stop the bleeding!" yelled Mira and ripped a part of her shirt off, turning it into a rag. "We must make sure he doesn't bleed out! Damn it, where's Wendy?!"
"Laxus took her with him, he went to Master Makarov." said Erza.
"We shall tend to Master Makarov in her stead. Ren, Eve, follow me! Hibiki, stay here and try to help!" said Ichiya and ran off, already out of breath.
"The Tenrou Tree is back to normal, he's still under its protection!" declared Freed. "No one bearing our guild's mark can die here!"
"They can."
Everyone turned around, with Hibiki recognizing the girl from earlier. She stared blindly at Gildarts, sadness written all over her face.
"Tenrou Tree does not provide complete protection. If the damage is greater than the Tree's magic, death can occur." explained the girl. "Right now he is being kept alive by the Tree. His wounds are too grievous. As soon as he leaves the island, he will die. It cannot be avoided."
Although they didn't know who she was, or if she could even be trusted, her words cut deep. They all cut back to Gildarts, who merely chuckled best to his ability, blood flowing down his chin.
"Damn..." he wheezed out. "And here I thought…I still had a...chance...Looks like that...dragon...finished what he...started."
Gray and Mira dropped to their knees by his side, their eyes becoming misty.
"Seriously, old man?" asked Mira, her voice starting to break. "You're throwing jokes at your death's bed?
"Don't you dare give up." hissed Gray, tears forming in his eyes as well. "You're stronger than this!"
"Gildarts!" called Elfman, with the others doing the same soon after. His name has started to echo, his younger guildmates pleading him to keep on fighting. Instead, he smiled sadly.
"Even you brats...must be old enough to know...that it's...pointless." he whispered. "I'm a goner...and I know...it. So...let me just say my…goodbyes…and go further."
Gildarts' words cut like a sword. What little hope they had has now been extinguished, tears now openly flowing down their faces, but none of them dared to look away. They all wished to watch him until the very end, the strongest mage in Fairy Tail. Their father figure.
Wendy, who was replaced by the Trimens, cam running to Gildarts' side and threw herself to her knees, immediately putting her hands over his wound.
"Master Makarov is safe! We stopped his bleeding, his life is no longer in danger!" she exclaimed to the guild and started to heal Gildarts.
The man smiled at her attempt and sighed gently through his nose. "Oh, that feels nice. Won't do anything...though."
Wendy bit her lip in frustration. He was right, right now she was simply wasting her magic. Not that she cared, though – she wasn't planning on stopping.
Gildarts slowly turned to the side, his barely open eyes now on Mirajane. "Mira...stop being so...stubborn. Difficult. Not everyone who...looks at you is...your enemy…."
Mira sniffed and grunted under her breath, but nodded nonetheless. The man then turned to Gray.
"Don't hate...that dragon...for this." he whispered. "You let hate get...to you...easily...Burn it and...mold it into motivation...to become better, as both a mage...and a man."
Gray clenched his fists, but nodded as well. None of them dared to argue with him .He knew them all too well. Gildarts then turned to Erza, his smile widening.
"I don't know what happened these past few years...but I'm glad to see you back. Keep it up...protect the rest. You'll have more responsibility from now on."
Erza did not cry. She fought them off. Instead, she looked him in the eye and nodded as eagerly as she could, letting him know she would take the responsibility onto her back, much to his pleasure. He gently shifted his eyes at Natsu and spoke out.
"I knew you could do it. I'm proud of you. The guild is in your hands, now."
Natsu's eyes widened in shock. For as long as he remembered he never considered himself as someone who could make another human being proud. He hated what he's done, what he's become. He never expected to hear these words, and yet...he just did. The man who exposed him for the immature brat he was has just praised him, as well as burdened him with more weight than he could carry. And he didn't really know how to feel about it.
Although in pain and barely conscious, Natsu swallowed some spit with his dry throat and said with a hoarse voice. "Thanks.". This was all he could muster with his tired brain. He didn't know what to say, how to react. And thankfully, no one gave him a nasty eye for it.
"You're all responsible for the guild now. I'm proud of all of you. I truly...am. I couldn't have asked for...a better bunch of...brats. I-"
Everyone called out his name in despair, as Gildarts coughed up blood, some of it landing on Cana, who didn't even move. She continued to hold his hand, her eyes stuck on his face. He moved his and their gaze met, and at the same time, Wendy's face dropped. "He's going colder..." she muttered in shock.
Gildarts squeezed Cana's hand best to his ability. "Talk about,,,cruel...just when I found out...I have a daughter...I must leave her...I don't want to..." Tears started to flow down his face, his grip increasing. "I'm sorry I made you wait for so long...I'm sorry I never realised on my own...I wish we could spend some time together...Travel…Visit some taverns...Although that may not be a good father-daughter activity..."
Cana laughed. "I don't think I'm like most daughters. It would be a perfect activity for us."
He smiled. "That would be nice..."
Now almost everyone was sobbing. Erza stopped fighting and let the tears flow, Natsu still hung over her shoulder, his eyes glued to the ground with a scowl. All of the girls, even Mira, were openly sobbing, their voices choked. Wendy was fighting a hickup, her tears falling onto Gildarts' wound, but he was already past the point of feeling pain. His skin has become pale, almost as pale as snow.
"Looks like I'll get to see your mother in a moment...I hope she holds back her slaps for all the things I've done..." he whispered and tried to grip Cana's hand tighter, but he was too weak to do that. Instead, his fingers opened, which made Cana tighten her grip.
"I love you." she choked out, one step away from breaking. Gildarts looked at her one last time, a shadow of a smile on his white face.
"I love you...too..." he whispered, before the light in his eyes extinguished. His head tilted gently to his right, his empty eyes staring ahead. It has happened. The flame of the strongest mage of Fairy Tail has gone out.
Gildarts Clive has died.
Cana stared at her father, reality falling down at her like a giant boulder dropped onto her head. She began to hyperventilate, tears flowing down like rivers down her cheeks.
A terrifying scream escaped her throat, one that cut through the air like a sword. Her voice was hoarse, bleeding, stained with despair and grief. The guild let her let it all out, mourning in silence each to their own. Gray and Mirajane, both beyond broken, have respectfully walked away from the body to let Cana be the only person by his side, her hand now caressing his face. She leaned down and pressed her forehead against his, like a child trying to wake up their parent in the morning.
Natsu clenched his teeth and snapped his arm away from Erza, dropping to the ground onto his butt. He put his hands against his forehead, his eyes covered. Taking it as his own way of coping, Erza didn't react, or say a word to this. Instead, she wiped her eyes and walked over to Hibiki, who stood on the sidelines out of respect.
"Tell us what happened." she demanded. Her voice was dry and colorless, strained by her attempts to stay strong. "How did you find us? Why are we not dead?"
The man looked at her and was about to say he didn't know, but was interrupted.
"Allow me to explain." said a young voice.
Everyone looked at its owner, the girl from before now standing in front of them. She was smiling, but it was sad. Much sadder than her previous one, forced even.
"Who the hell are you?" snarled Mira and wiped her eyes.
"My name is Mavis Vermillion. I am Fairy Tail's First Master." answered the girl, much to the guild's shock.
"Mavis?" repeated Gray with a scowl. "As in the Mavis? The one whose grave we were supposed to find?"
The girl nodded.
"Key word being dead." threw in Gajeel. "You sure as hell don't look like a dead woman."
"This is my astral form. I am a ghost." said Mavis. "I was born on this island. By being buried here, I could connect my spiritual energy with the island and become its guardian, to watch over it even after death. As well as future generations of Fairy Tail."
Gray growled. He pushed aside Lucy and Levy to make way, almost knocking the girls over, and walked up to the spirit, aggressively grabbing her by the collar. He lifted her in the air, his furious eyes glued to hers.
"Watch over Fairy Tail?" he hissed into her face, his voice poisonous. "Where the fuck have you been when Grimoire attacked the island? Where have you been when we were being taken down one by one? Where have you been when we were one step away from death, multiple times?! Huh?! Tell me, Lady First?! Why didn't you do anything to help us?!" he roared into her face, shaking her violently. No one was brave enough to stop him, even though they wanted to. Deep in their hearts they agreed with him, to some degree.
"She did."
Gray snapped his head back to Cana and so did everyone else.
"She gave me a spell to use against Grimoire." continued the brunette, her voice almost robotic and quiet. Her eyes were focused on Gildarts' wound, its dark red color reflected on her dead pupils. "But I was too weak to use it. I failed."
This shocked Gray. He put the spirit down on the ground and scoffed before walking away, slightly ashamed of his words. Mavis, however, did not hold a grudge.
"Although I am your guardian, my protection is limited." she admitted sadly. "My magic is connected to the Tenrou Tree, and it has been cut down before I could act. Grimoire Heart's Master, Hades...was a man I once knew. He was one of the founders of Fairy Tail. He knew of the island's secret, and he knew about my astral form. I tried to reach him many times in the past, to lead him away from the dark path...but he refused to listen. He destroyed the tree to prevent me from helping you. All I could do was give Cana some of my magic to use. Until the tree was restored, that is."
Lucy's eyes widened in shock. "Wait...the reason we survived Acnologia's attack was because of..."
"...You?" finished Levy.
Mavis nodded. "Fairy Sphere. One of Fairy Tail's Three Grand Magics. I cast it at the last second before impact."
If he wasn't feeling like shit before, now he did. Gray took his eyes off Mavis and looked away, ashamed of his outburst.
"What exactly did you do?" asked Freed with a frown. "Even if it was a seal or runes, casting something this powerful must have a tremendous price. What exactly did you do, First?"
She hesitated, but replied anyway. "I have suspended the entire island in time and put it somewhere else."
Everyone looked at her in shock.
"Suspended in time?" repeated Lucy under ner snapped her head, realisation hitting her like a truck. "Hibiki!" she called. "What year is it?!"
Sweat ran down his temple. "X791." he replied.
Lucy took a step back. "Seven years?!"
Mavis nodded. "It took me seven years to undo the spell. As you said," she said to Freed. "casting this spell reaps a heavy toll. In order to save you from Acnologia, I was forced to use Tenrou Tree's magic...as well as mine."
As soon as she said that, her left hand started to disintegrate. Lucy and Levy covered their mouths in shock.
Mavis watched her disappearing hand like she was looking at a weather forecast, not even a glimpse of concern or distress on her pale face. She shifted her eyes back to Fairy Tail and continued her explanations.
"Yes, it is true that I am connected to the Tree and share its magic. But I do have magic of my own. I've completely used up the Tree's magic potential, so in order to keep the spell active I had to pour my own magic back into it at once, as well as use even more magic to try and undo it. If I undid it too soon, you would have all been crushed by the dimension of time, where you spent the last seven years. Revealing the island and undoing the spell today have both used up my last bits of magic power. All that is left are the barely alive sparks of magic still residing in the tree, necessary to keep your injured alive. Once my astral body vanishes, so will the magic of Tenrou Island. It will become yet another ordinary island on the ocean."
Levy clenched her fists. "So not only have we lost Gildarts, we are losing the sacred grounds of our guild?" she whispered, bangs covering her eyes. "This is simply cruel."
"We've been away for seven years?" questioned Lisanna. "Is that really true?" she asked Mavis, receiving a nod in response.
"Yes. I'm sorry, but that's how much time it took to undo the spell properly." she said, her voice sad and full of guilt.
Erza breathed in through her nose and shifted her head in the ghost's direction. "It is not your fault, First. We are in no position to blame you. It is only thanks to you we are alive right now." she said and bowed to Mavis as low as she could. "Thank you for watching over us. We will not bring dishonor to the guild and your name."
Mavis' eyes widened in surprise, as other members of the guild wiped their eyes from tears and copied Erza, each of them giving the spirit their own version of a bow. In Gajeel's case it was a gentle, slow nod. This caused the girl to tear up, weight lifted off her chest. She feared they would despise her, blame her...but they didn't. Their eyes, although broken and sad, were genuine. None of them gave her even a glimpse of a nasty eye.
As more of her body has started to disintegrate, Mavis let the tears flow. She used the remains of her right hand to wipe them, a small smile forming on her lips. "Thank you. Thank you all. I'm glad this is what has become of Fairy Tail. Despite the passage of time, the guild is still the same as it was a hundred years ago. I'm glad I got to meet you."
Erza raised her head and smiled. "The pleasure is ours. It's an honor to meet someone who founded the guild so many of us call home."
Mavis sniffed and gave them one last smile, before turning into multiple green balls of light, that flew high into the air, disappearing soon after. Mavis Vermillion's spirit crossed to the other side after decades of watching over the guild, her flame extinguished by her sacrifice to protect the guild's future. A future they were now responsible for.
Lucy looked at Tenrou Tree and frowned sadly. "The tree's magic...is gone." she stated, her voice flat and defeated.
Tenrou Tree lost its previous glow, now reverting into a regular, not special in any way tree. The rich magic flowing through the island was nowhere to be found. In a matter of five minutes they have lost not only their strongest mage, but also their sacred grounds. A place they could always call home.
Mirajane exhaled through her nose and walked up to Erza. "We need to get back to Magnolia. We...I can't stay here." she admitted with a broken voice.
The redhead nodded and turned to Cana, her eyes softening. She walked up to the brunette and kneeled next to her.
"Cana, we need to bury him." she said as softly as she could. "I think you should choose the place. You have more right than any of us."
Cana squeezed her father's hand. "No, I don't." she said. "He may have been my biological father, but he acted like one to the whole guild. I'm not selfish enough to decide that on my own."
"I still think you should have the final say." Erza pressed gently. "Whatever decision you come up with, we will respect it."
Cana wondered for a moment. "Here, on this island. By the Tree." she choked out. "That way, we will still have a reason to come here."
The knight nodded and soon the preparations took place. Erza summoned blankets they used to cover Gildarts' body with, while Gray created a stretcher they transported it with. Him and Elfman were the ones to carry the body all the way to the base of Tenrou Tree.
On their way, they met up with Laxus and the Trimens, who still tended to Makarov. His right leg was gone, the wound already cauterized thanks to combined effort of Laxus' lightning and Wendy's healing, which helped Makarov's body overcome the shock. Ren and Eve have already stitched up his cuts. He was currently in a coma.
Upon creating another stretcher, the entire guild, as well as Trimens, have given Gildarts a proper burial. They dug the hole without using magic and placed him down, before covering him with the dirt. Each and every single one of them except Makarov and the Trimens made sure to use the shovel at least once.
Levy used her magic to summon stones, which were then cut by Erza and put together into a tombstone. Fairy Tail paid their respects in silence, too tired and beaten down to give any sort of a speech, or a ceremony. Their tears said enough.
After the funeral, the group traveled back to the shore, where Christina was.
"We shall fly you back all the way to Magnolia." said Ichiyajust several meters before the stairs that led onboard. "However, there is something I must ask you to do first."
He turned around to face Fairy Tail and looked at them with a serious face. "I must ask you not to say a single word during our travel. Not to us, not to each other. You mustn't ask any questions. Remain completely silent."
Erza scowled. "What is the meaning of this, Ichiya?"
The man looked at her. "You shall find out soon enough." he said and began to climb the stairs, the Trimens following him in suit.
Fairy Tail looked at one another, completely lost. His tone was commanding and cold, completely not fitting him. He sounded...angry, even. Angry with them.
Without much of a choice they got on board and remained silent, the Trimens being the only ones speaking, their previous conversation resuming. Cana curled up into a ball by the wall furthest from everyone else, not willing to see or speak to anyone. Wendy watched over Makarov, whose state was serious, but stable.
Lucy sat by the window, her eyes looking out aimlessly. There were so many things that felt just wrong. Their losses, Blue Pegasus' distant behavior, the seven years they've lost...What about those, who had families? What about the members they've left behind? Did they remain loyal to the guild, or did they disband it, hopeless to see their friends return?
She thought of her father. True, she may have cut ties with him...but he was still her father. Did he worry about her? Was he even aware of what happened?
Lucy was not the only one worrying about what they were about to come home to. Erza took a short peek at Natsu, who was sitting by himself on the opposite end of the room. Seven years – that's how long they've been away for. The Council's agreement of his release stated to last five years. They were two years late. They could just storm the ship and take him and there wouldn't be a single thing she could do about it.
She bit her lip, his smile flashing before her eyes once again. The last thing she saw before being frozen in time. Those words he said...They confused her. She thought her heart was ready, but that may have been the imminent death coming down at them. Now that the danger was gone, so was her resolve. And it brought her great pain and confusion.
Laxus stared out the front window, his arms crossed on his chest. His face was frozen in a furious scowl. There were many things on his mind, and he had to sort them out. Fast.
The Dragon Slayer turned around and caught Erza's eye. He nodded at her and looked at Mirajane, then at Gray, who replied to his call for attention. Laxus raised his right hand and tapped his temple, giving them all a short, nonverbal message. We have to think of something.
After couple hours of a silent and depressing trip, Magnolia could be seen from the windows. Ren, who was behind the wheel looked at Ichiya, who nodded and pointed with his finger. Soon Christina has started to land on the fields outside of the town, much to Fairy Tail's confusion.
Upon landing Ichiya opened the door and motioned his passengers to exit the ship, which they did. As soon as the last person walked down the stairs, Ichiya exited the ship as well and walked up to them.
"This is as far as we can take you." he told Laxus and Erza. "I am very glad to see you are all well. We will take our leave now. I wish you good luck, and goodbye."
His voice was stoic and distant, robotic even. His eyes, however, were not. His brow was frowned, his eyes focused and glued to Erza's, almost as if he was trying to tell her something.
Gray, who was already long fed up with Pegasus' behavior was about to speak out, but was stopped by Erza, who put her hand on his sternum.
"Thank you very much. We owe you a lot." she smiled, although it was forced. "We hope to see you soon."
Ichiya bowed and walked back to the ship, which took off soon after.
Laxus' eyes narrowed, as he stared at the leaving ship. "You thinking the same?" he asked the redhead.
She nodded. "Yes. Something is definitely wrong here." She then addressed the rest of the guild. "We should be on our way to Magnolia. Let's use this day to see if the guild is okay and gather some light information. We must get used to this bizarre change we've found ourselves in."
Ten minutes later they found themselves just before Magnolia's gates. Their walk was quiet, each of them deep in thoughts. Erza walked in front, her head constantly turning around to take a look at Natsu. He was far behind them, his feet dragging on the road, his head hung low and heavy. His breathing was irregular and his eyes halfopen, with pink bags forming under it. She knew he needed an emergency appointment with Porlyusica – it was definitely his magic container at fault here.
"Look!" called Lisanna and pointed at the gate with her finger. There stood Magnolia's Mayor, alongside city guards and some citizens, curious of what the commotion was about.
"Is that the Mayor?" asked, rays of hope staining her voice Levy. "Did they come to greet us?"
"Well, we have been away for seven years. Even if it doesn't feel like it." pointed out Evergreen.
Laxus scowled. He very much doubted it was a greeting. No one greets others by pointing their spears at them with judging eyes. Especially the Mayor, whose eyes were piercing them for at least a minute now.
"Not a step closer!" called the Mayor.
Laxus stopped walking and raised his hand, causing the group to cease walking. They were around twenty meters away from the gates.
Erza raised her hands and started to slowly walk toward the Mayor. "We wish you no harm, sir. Why are you pointing your weapons at us? What is the meaning of this, Mayor?"
"As you can see, we are denying you entry to the town." replied the man. "You are to turn around and leave at once. If you do not, we shall use force against you. Any form of violence used against me or the guards will result in an immediate intervention from Magic Council. This is your one and only chance. Leave, now."
Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What did you say?"
Fairy Tail looked at him in distress. Lucy frowned and started to look at each and every resident of Magnolia standing behind the guards. Their faces expressed...approval. Disgust even, in some cases. It all greatly confused and hurt her at once.
"Magnolia is our home!" bellowed Wendy. Everything that happened was starting to overwhelm her. "Our guild is in here! You can't just throw us out!"
"Magnolia is no home to killers and outlaws." the Mayor shut her down in an instant. "Your guild is no longer welcome here. We have put too much trust in you and we paid for it far too many times. No more. We will not shelter people of your caliber in our great town. Magnolia is now home to a new guild - Raven Tail. You have no place here."
Gajeel and Laxus scowled. They were both familiar with the name. Mayor's behavior now made much more sense.
"Raven Tail?" repeated Gray. "The hell is that supposed to mean?"
Mirajane spat to the side. "Ivan." she snarled.
"Please give us an explanation." pleaded Erza. "We deserve as much."
The Mayor looked at her for a second, as if considering granting her at least this much kindness. He then turned around and started to walk away, but not before he threw few words in farewell.
"I have said what I wanted to say. Turn around and leave, otherwise we'll use force. We do not want anything to do with you."
The redhead stared at his back, her mind getting even closer to the point of breaking. How much more could they possibly endure this day? Gildarts, the island, now their guildhall and the town so many of them called home? All of that, gone. Taken away as easily as candy from a child. Because that's exactly how she felt right now. A helpless child unable to find her way.
Laxus closed his eyes and sighed through his nose. He then turned back and looked at his comatose grandfather. What the hell am I supposed to do, old man? What would you have done?
He knew he had to step into his shoes and be the leader this one time. No one else was in any condition to do it, not even Erza. Right now they were like lost sheep, and they needed a shepherd. A kick in the ass to keep them moving forward.
"You heard the man. Nothing we can do about it." he called to the guild. "Let's get out of here and try to find some shelter in the woods. We can't sit by the gates."
His only reply were defeated mutters and nods. Not that he expected any enthusiasm or anything.
An hour later they found themselves camping by a giant tree on the outskirts of the forest. They had just enough space to sit together in one place, as well as enough protection from rain and wind. The clouds above have started to turn grey, black even, almost as if mirroring their mood.
Erza, unable to sit in one place, has taken Lucy by the arm and dragged her to the river in order to get some food. The blonde didn't really feel like going, but she had no other option.
She was currently sitting against a tree, her arms wrapped around her knees. She pointlessly watched Erza try to stab fishes with one of her spears, her thrusts getting more and more accurate.
The knight stabbed the water and caught yet another fish. This made her smile a little, feeling both proud of herself and nostalgic. She used to do this quite often when she was younger. It was good to know she still hasn't lost her touch.
Erza pulled the fish out and threw it at the pile by the shore. It was starting to look promising – they would not starve tonight.
Lucy looked Erza and then back at her knees. "Do we even have a place in this world anymore?" she asked all of a sudden.
Her question surprised Erza. "What do you mean?"
"To us, it hasn't even been 24 hours since our battle ended, but to everyone else, it's been seven years. Everything except us moved on. Do we even have a place to go to now?" she continued, her voice muffled by her knees.
Erza frowned sadly. True, it was really hard to accept something this sudden and major. Just several hours ago they were celebrating their victory, only to then face what felt like imminent death. They were saved, true, but they've lost so much. Did they even have anything else?
Her eyes widened, a very nostalgic memory resurfacing in her mind. It filled her with hope and made her scold herself for forgetting something so simple.
"The guild is not just a building. It's the bonds you form with other people throughout years that keep it together. As long as the bond survives, so will the guild." she said with a smile.
Lucy looked at her, some light returning to her eyes.
Erza caught her glance and laughed gently. "It's what Master Makarov told me when I was younger. It means that if we stay together, we may be able to push through."
The blonde raised her head, now full of life yet again. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I wish he was awake, though..."
"Me too. He should awaken soon. We ought to await this moment and decide what to do afterwards. For now, we should focus on getting our strength back and staying together. That's all that matters." said the knight and walked out of the water. "Let's get back to the others, I bet they're all hungry="
In a matter of a second she narrowed her eyes into a glare and adjusted her spear into a throwing hold, rising it above her right shoulder. Lucy blinked in confusion and looked to her right, jumping from her spot, her hands going for her holster.
A cloaked, short figure was standing in the bushes right by the tree Lucy sat under just a moment ago. It was an elderly woman, her wrinkled chin and lips peeking from under the hood. She raised her hands in the air and smiled gently.
"No need for this, my dear. I am not your enemy." she screeched to Erza. "I wish to help you."
Erza's grip tightened. "State your name and business with us." she demanded.
The woman laughed and put her hands down. "If you wish to strike an old woman down, so be it. However, if you follow me, you will be glad you didn't. You won't be disappointed." she chuckled and walked back into the woods.
"Wait!" Erza called and ran after her, grabbing her boots on the run, Lucy right behind her.
The lady kept walking further into the woods, not paying attention to their calls. Without any other option they followed her in silence, both of them on guard.
After what felt like ten minutes the lady cut through a thick bush and vanished from their field of vision. Erza stopped Lucy and walked in first in order to scout it. Once she peeked her head through she gave the blonde a thumbs up and they both emerged out of the woods.
They were on a very small plain right in the middle of the forest. The old lady was waiting for them by a rather big wooden house that was in the center of the plain. She was smiling.
Erza looked at the house in disbelief. "What is this?" she asked the woman. "Is this what you wanted to show us?"
The lady smiled and gently grabbed Erza's hand, before putting something in it. It was a key, a key to the house.
"Blue Pegasus sends their regards." she said with a smile and simply walked away, leaving stunned Erza and Lucy to themselves.
The redhead looked at her friend and tilted her head at the house.
"Smells like a trap." noted Lucy.
Erza sighed. "Yes, it does. Only one way to find out if it is indeed a trap. Shall we?" she asked and Requipped a sword. Lucy nodded and pulled out Loke's key in case it was needed.
Soon both girls found themselves in front of the door. Erza put the key in the lock and turned it, the door opening with a loud click. She waited for a few seconds before slowly opening it and setting her foot inside.
The house smelled old, but not rotten, nor dirty. It smelled like old trees combined with dust, which was not that surprising, considering what it looked like. The entrance led straight to the living room that was merged with a kitchen. There was an old couch and a fireplace with some firewood stocked next to it. Before the couch was a table with two chairs placed on each side of it. Behind the couch was the kitchen. It was equipped with a stove, an oven, a small fridge and a cupboard hanging directly above the sink. It was all very dusty, clearly not used in a long time.
In the middle of the kitchen stood a crate that looked way out of place. It looked quite new, no dust on it. It must have been put in here not too long ago.
Erza looked around to see if she overlooked anything and her eyes laid on stairs that led to the upper floor, as well as downstairs. She gave Lucy a small nod and climbed them up. They led to a hallway that spread across the entirety of the floor. She walked from door to door to check the rooms. All five looked relatively the same – rather cramped, with two beds each and small bed tables, each with its own lamp to go with it.
After confirming it was safe, Erza unsummoned her blade and walked down the stairs. She found Lucy in the kitchen, who was standing by the already open crate. She had a small note in her hand.
Erza peeked inside the crate and to her surprise found food and water, all neatly packed and fresh. She looked questionably at the note, which was picked up by Lucy, who read it.
"Our dear friends of Fairy Tail. Please forgive our behavior earlier this day. As you have probably found out by now, the situation is unpleasant, to put it lightly. We are in no room to openly provide you with help, so this is all we can do at this very moment. Soon someone will come to fill you in on the tragic gap in time you have all suffered. Please try to endure until then and do not lose hope." she read and looked at Erza with a frown. "No room to openly help us?" she repeated and passed the note to the redhead..
"This must have something to do with the way we were treated at the gates." deduced Erza and took the note, reading it once again. "Something must have happened during those seven years. Pegasus was afraid to tell us anything in their very own ship. Whoever's behind this must be either very scary or of very big influence."
Lucy paled. "You don't mean...the Council?"
"It's possible."
Lucy sighed tiredly and plopped on the couch, a cloud of dust rising in the air. "What should we do now?" she asked.
"We should get everyone and bring them here. This was Ichiya's handwriting." she shook the note. "It's safe. I'm sure we could use some better place to rest than sleeping under the naked sky, We can eat, put our wounded in beds, and try to sleep tonight. We can worry about our next move tomorrow."
Lucy nodded and the two of them left the house. Soon they met with the rest of the guild and explained the situation to them. Although hesitant, they agreed to come and see for themselves.
Thirty minutes later they were all standing in the living room, their eyes curiously wandering around the room. Makarov was already in his bed upstairs, courtesy of Gray and Elfman, accompanied by Lisanna.
Laxus and Gajeel sniffed the air in search of anything out of the ordinary but found nothing. Mirajane climbed the stairs of the cellar, some bottles in her arms and ham hanging over her shoulder. She walked up to Cana and gave her one bottle of rum. The brunette stared at it for a while, before looking away.
"No thanks." she muttered.
Under normal circumstances she'd be shocked, but now she merely hummed under her nose and took the bottle away, leaving the brunette to herself. Mira put down the bottles and ham on the table and popped one open, chugging some rum down while plopping onto a chair.
Natsu dragged his feet across the room and plopped on the window sill. He looked even worse than before and his breathing was hard, which greatly worried Erza. She wanted to speak to him, to ask how he was, but his eyes were telling her it was not the time.
Lisanna walked down from upstairs and leaned against the door frame. "There are 10 beds upstairs, plus one couch in here. There's 19 of us, 17 humans and 2 Exceeds, so some of us must sleep on the floor." she announced.
"That won't be a problem." said Freed from the kitchen. "We will accompany Laxus on his trip to the Council tomorrow. As an active Master, he should be the one to talk to them. This will give you some space."
"We won't need much room either." said Pantherlily, Carla nodding next to him. "Do not count us."
"You sure about this?" Erza asked the Dragon Slayer. "If things go wrong they could arrest you on spot. This could be dangerous."
"If that was the case the folks from Magnolia wouldn't have greeted us without the Council behind their back." he told her. "We have to learn what the hell is going on here anyway. Might as well do it now."
Feeling that he was right, Erza dropped the subject. She wanted answers, just like he did.
The room fell quiet again, awkward and uncomfortable silence filling the room. Sensing that this couldn't go on, Lisanna walked down the last stairs and rolled up her sleeves.
"I'm going to cook something, we're all starving. Anyone care to help?" she asked, trying to sound as cheerful as she could, which only ended up in her strained, forced to sound happy voice not matching her tired, depressed face in the slightest.
"I shall help you." said Freed and put his sword on the table Mira was sitting by. "I was thinking of doing that myself."
"Count me in, too." threw in Lucy. "The least I can do is cut some vegetables."
Lisanna smiled, this time without forcing it and nodded, accepting their help. Soon the old house was filled with the smell of stew, which made it feel slightly less grey and unpleasant.
Mira, Erza, Gray, Laxus and Wendy all sat by the table on chairs made with Levy's magic, while Levy herself sat on the couch along with Gajeel.
"We need more." spoke out Gray, a bottle of alcohol in his hand. "A trip to the Council is not enough. We must know what's happening in the town, what became of our guild, how did Raven Tail even get there in the first place."
"I agree. That bastard Ivan must have pulled some shit while we were gone." scoffed Mira and sipped from her already half empty bottle.
"Did he tell you anything before the exam?" Laxus asked Gajeel.
The Dragon Slayer shook his head. "Never made it close enough to have him tell me his plans. If he was plottin' something, he did it without tellin' me."
"You sound like you all know him." pointed out Carla from Wendy's lap.
"He's Laxus' father, as well as Master's son." explained Erza. "He was exiled from Fairy Tail for reasons known only by Master Makarov."
Laxus scoffed. "It's not even that secret. Old man wanted power, so he got greedy. Gramps noticed that and kicked him out before he turned the guild into ruins. End of story."
"Didn't he get kicked out after he brought that Dragon lacrima with him?" asked Mirajane. "If he was so greedy for power, why would he give it to you and get kicked afterwards? It doesn't make sense."
"Beats me."
"I see." said Wendy. She then slid her chair back and stood up. "I should check up on Master. Excuse me."
With that said, she left the room and walked upstairs, Carla still in her arms. Laxus watched her as she vanished behind the door frame, an idea forming in his mind.
"Remind me to tell you something after we eat." he said to everyone by the table as Lisanna called them to get their plates of food. "I have an idea how to get in the town."
Darkness of the night pierced through the windows of the hall, the only source of light being torches lit up in the corners of the room. An older man with black hair and a goatee sat by the bar, a glass of whiskey in his hand. A very unpleasant smirk was glued to his face for a few hours now, gentle humming coming from behind his closed lips.
A bald, bulky man behind the counter raised an eye to look at him while polishing a glass. "You appear to be in a good mood, Master. Can't say I'm used to it." he said truthfully.
The man chuckled gently. "I cannot blame you, it has been a while since I felt this good. After all, today is a very lucky day."
"You mean Fairy Tail's return?" asked the bartender. "I thought you hated them, why would their return make you happy?"
"I may hate them, but I do not hate the use I will have for them." explained the man. "Their disappearance, despite the rumors, was not to my advantage. Now that they're back..." he grinned. "So many doors have opened before me! The door of opportunity!"
The bartender's face relaxed. "Oh, you mean that plan of yours you once blabbed out to me when drunk?"
The man's face dropped. "My dear Tom, I thought we both agreed you wouldn't mention that evening ever again. You wound me." he said, feigned pain in his voice.
The bartender looked away, flustered. "Right, sorry. I forgot."
The man returned to drinking, while someone else emerged from the darkness and walked up to the counter, pulling out a chair next to him. The man looked to the side and smiled into his glass.
"Have you heard the news yet?" he asked.
The newcomer, who turned out to be a man, smiled under his nose. He had long and messy red hair that was hanging loosely over his pale, tired, and bony face and messy beard.
"Is there anyone who hasn't?" he asked rhetorically. "It's the main topic on the streets right now. Some commotion could be spotted, too. Apparently some people are still not entirely convinced."
The blackhaired man whistled. "So, there are still people who don't believe us?"
"Looks like it."
The man didn't seem to be concerned. He liked a challenge, and now that they came back, he had a chance to have them see it in person. He put down his glass and tapped the counter with his fingers, his lips curving in a sinister smile. "Say Rorge, I've been thinking. Don't you think it's time for another reminder?"
The man named Rorge took his glass and emptied it in one go, before putting it down and looking at his Master questionably, while Tom refilled his glass.
"Up for a little performance?" asked the man again, this time using words that were easier to read.
Rorge grinned, his crooked, yellow teeth exposed. "You know I'd never say no to them...Master Ivan."
Ivan grinned and raised his glass. "You have my permission to go all out. Make it a good one."
Rorge banged his glass against Ivan's. "I'll do my best."
August 18th, X791
As discussed the day before, in the morning Laxus and the Thunder Legion left for Era, to meet with the Council. No one had any issues with him going there as a substitute Master, given the state Makarov was in. Some of them remembered the way he took the initiative during the conclusive events of their battle on Tenrou Island. He's proved himself to be a worthy leader, one they could trust.
While the Dragon Slayer and his team left to deal with formalities, the rest of Fairy Tail divided into groups assigned to simple life tasks.
Lucy, Lisanna, Carla, Cana, and Erza stayed inside the house, to focus on simple chores such as cleaning, cooking and occasional check up on the wounded. Although Lucy and Lisanna knew they could handle it all by themselves, they let Erza join them. They knew that even if she didn't want to admit, she stayed for Natsu's sake, whose condition kept on worsening. By now all he could do was sit on the couch, his consciousness slipping in and out. Wendy's healing proved to be ineffective, so Lucy talked to Gajeel, who was assigned to chop up some wood, to instead go and find Porlyusica. After groaning and complaining he agreed and took Pantherlily with him.
Cana remained upstairs in her bed, alone to herself. No one had the heart to try and make her do anything, so they let her be.
Mirajane and Gray left the house to hunt. Their food supplies were not small, but not big either. Sooner or later they would run out. Erza knew they both needed some time off, to cope with everything that happened, so she split them apart. They agreed and after making a bet on who will bring more meat back home, they walked into the woods in opposite directions.
Levy and Wendy, on the other hand, were given quite possibly the hardest task to pull off. Laxus came up with the idea of posing them as children and sneaking them into the town to find information. He said that their small build would help them go through with it, which greatly upset and hurt Levy.
After clothing them in cloaks they found in the closet, both girls left for Magnolia. They jumped across the fence with Wendy's magic and quickly ran into the town.
The heavy, dark clouds hanged above their heads, as if threatening everything beneath them. Mild sounds of thunder would occasionally echo across the town, warning of the imminent storm.
The girls strolled through the town, their choice of clothing not drawing attention whatsoever – many people wore their coats and hoods as well. They both held their breath while passing the first patrol of guards, but could soon relax, unrecognized.
"Search for information...Where are we even supposed to do that?" snapped Levy under her hood.
Wendy didn't listen. Instead, she focused on watching the so familiar town she hasn't been to for so long. Not much has changed. A new building here, some small renovations here. Some stores got closed, new ones placed in their stead. She couldn't help but smile after passing her favorite candy store, glad it was not closed and the same lady stood behind the counter. She had to visit soon.
"For now, let's try to get to the guildhall and see what's become of it. We can learn that much without talking to anyone." proposed Levy.
Wendy looked at her. "Okay." she said. "Maybe we can learn something from the citizen, too."
Bells started to ring all of a sudden, much to their surprise. Wendy clutched her ears, her sensitive hearing working against her. The people on the street looked at one another, some of them standing up from their seats at the cafe and leaving, while others changed the direction they were walking in.
"Is it time for another speaking?" an elderly gentleman asked his wife as they passed the girls.
"It appears so. It has been a while since the last one, after all." she replied.
"Do you think it has something to do with...them?"
"Most definitely. Shall we go find out?"
The man grunted in approval and together they left the alley. Levy and Wendy looked at one another and nodded to each other – they felt that following these two could prove to be helpful.
As they walked behind the pair, more and more people started to pour onto the main street from nearby alleys and crossings, a small crowd now marching towards what Levy recognized as path to the main town square. The bells have long calmed down, much to Wendy's joy.
After couple minutes of walking the crowd took one last turn, before finding itself at the main square. It hasn't changed much, if anything at all. It was exactly as Levy remember. Well, maybe except a quite big, wooden platform that stood at the very center. Behind it was something big, hidden by a giant, green curtain.
Quite a lot of people were gathered around the platform, on which on top of stood a very tall, skinny man. He had long, messy hair and beard, as well as a tired, pale face. He was wearing a blue robe, that was very plain and simple.
"Welcome, welcome my friends!" the man screeched to the newcomers. "We've barely begun, you haven't missed anything!"
The crowd settled in their spots, Wendy and Levy standing in the back, close to way out of the square, if it was needed.
"Now, as I was saying, the time has come for our usual update of what happened since our last meeting!" announced the man. "As always, it will be relayed by Raven Tail's Rorge." he introduced himself and bowed. "At your service."
Levy frowned. "Raven Tail?"
"So they really have replaced us." stated sadly Wendy.
The crowd was silent, awaiting the news. Levy looked around. She didn't spot any fear, nor hatred on their faces, which could imply Raven Tail was holding Magnolia hostage, or blackmailing it.
"Let's start with something simple. There isn't much to talk about, but one of our topics is quite juicy, so I am going to save it for last." said Rorge. He put his hands on the railing of the platform and leaned on it. "I am sure that you will be glad to hear the infamous bandits roaming our forests have been officially dealt with. After discussing the terms with this town's wonderful Mayor..." he pointed to his right, where few men stood on a pedestial lower then Rorge's. One of those men was the Mayor, who gently bowed to his people, accepting their clapping. "...We have come to an agreement and cleared the forest. The criminals have been given to the authorities, where they will await trial. You no longer have to fear sticking your nose out of the town – it is now safe!"
The residents expressed their joy with sighs of relief and clapping. After a minute Rorge raised his hand, silencing them.
"As you all know..." he moved on to the next topic. "Magnolia Hospital was in dire need of new medical equipment. As it happens, one of our members had the means to contact his acquaintance from Alvarez Empire. Upon long and quite tiring negotiations, we have managed to obtain new equipment for the town!"
Another salve of loud clapping took over the square, now combined with cheering. Levy's frown turned into a soft scowl, her fists clenching.
"That's foul." she whispered.
Wendy looked at her with concern and grabbed her hand to console her/ Levy's fist relaxed, her anger subdued. She squeezed Wendy's hand back and went back to watching. She knew Raven Tail was doing it just to buy into people's favor. There was no kindness behind it, only self interest. It was the complete opposite of what they would have done.
"And now..." called Rorge, silencing the crowd once again. "We shall move on to what you all came here for. Fairy Tail."
Mutters and scoffs echoed across the square, which greatly distressed Wendy. She looked around, only to find grimaced and unpleasant faces wherever she looked. And it pained her dearly.
"Those are not just rumors. They have truly come back." said Rorge. "After seven long years they stood by this town's very gates, willing to come in. You should be pleased to hear, that The Mayor, along with the City Watch, have successfully driven them away, denying them entry. They are currently somewhere outside of Magnolia, unable to come in here."
"Isn't that a little too harsh?" spoke out an elderly woman from the crowd. "It's been so long...maybe we should forgive them, and let them be? They have been here for so long...leaving these children without a home is cruel."
Rorge's face dropped a little. Soon more people started to agree with the lady, some of them expressing it out loud. Those against tried to silence them with words, arguments flying back and forth across the square.
Levy smiled a little, although it was sad. They still had some allies, even if they could be counted on the fingers of her hand.
Seeing that more and more people started to stand behind Fairy Tail, Rorge scowled. This was not going the way he wanted it to go. Time to play.
He replaced his scowl with a smile, his yellow teeth exposed. He raised his right hand to silence the crowd and spoke out. "Of course, you're all right. Fairy Tail has been here for much longer than we have. They have been the trademark of this town for decades. You've trusted them for years, supporting and helping them. But ask yourselves this." he raised his right hand, his index finger extended before his nose. "What have they done with your trust?"
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a sheet of paper. "This is only a fraction of crimes and lies committed by Fairy Tail before their disappearance seven years ago. With your consent, I'd like to read it, as a reminder of what Fairy Tail thought of your trust."
Levy and Wendy tensed up, afraid of what was to come. They didn't dare to speak out. All they could do was listen.
Upon hearing no objection, Rorge unwrapped the paper and started to read. "Although the guild has always been rather problematic and chaotic, their truly dangerous activities have begun a little under a year before their disappearance. It all started with the destruction they brought upon this great town – their war with Phantom Lord. A squabble that should have been resolved through the Council turned into a full out battle, with Magnolia becoming its battlefield. Dozens of destroyed buildings, at least seven casualties and eighty wounded – those are the numbers brought by this disaster. Fairy Tail did nothing to prevent it, nor did they held back, either. They fought their battles all over the town, and when everything settled down...they did not even offer a helping hand."
Levy's fist was clenched so hard her knuckles turned white. She wanted to yell that it wasn't true, that the reason they didn't help was because they were forbidden to leave the remains of their guildhall by the Council...but she didn't. She simply stood there and endured. The only thing she could do.
"If that's not all, then prepare yourselves for this one." said Rorge and turned the page. "Makarov Dreyar was a man famous for the trust he put into young people, especially his guild. It was known by many, and he was loved for it. What you didn't know, is that he would bring criminals and outlaws into his guild and hid them under his banner from justice. This information was kept hidden from the public for many years, until today."
The crowd gasped, unsure of what to make of it. Wendy knew where it was going and it terrified her.
"A mere few weeks after their fight with Phantom Lord, Makarov Dreyar invited two mages from Phantom into his guild. People, who should have answered for their crimes and the destruction they helped to cause. The names of these mages are Juvia Lockser and Gajeel Redfox. They were quietly recruited by Makarov, their crimes unpunished, wiped under the rug." continued Rorge, his words enraging Levy even more. "But there are people even more foul than those two. It's yet another pair of mages, one of whom you might know very well. Their names are Erza Scarlet and Natsu Dragneel, other known as Titania and Salamander."
Wendy went pale. She knew what he was about to reveal and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Salamander was a known criminal, whose rating was stated to be SS. This is not given to those, who steal apples or mug people on the road. This rank is given to murderers and those, who hold absolutely no regard for human lives. He's guilty of at least a dozen deaths and even more assaults, some of them ending in permanent damage. Makarov Dreyar gained his custody after the events in Tower of Heaven, where Fairy Tail confronted a dark guild willing to use Etherion for their own benefit. Although Makarov's deal was signed by the Council itself, Erza Scarlet's case...was not."
Rorge straightened his paper and began to read. "Erza Scarlet, aka Titania, had quite a past. Former slave, she escaped and found herself in Fairy Tail, where she learned how to use magic. It didn't take her too long before she started to take requests and go on jobs. Since her early days in the guild, however, she'd express unstable behavior. She constantly went overboard during her missions, still traumatised by her past. When she was 14, she stopped coming back to the guild for periods as long as months. She'd wander Fiore, going from work to work, not all of them legal. She had been confirmed to be a very common guest in the Underground, a market stock that simply reeks of black magic and criminals. Surely, none of these jobs could be legal...and yet she took them. We have countless witnesses and testimonies of Erza Scarlet wiping out entire guilds by herself, all of them dark. Still, dark mage or not, taking lives is forbidden by law, especially over a dozen. Makarov Dreyar used her status as an S-Class Mage to keep her away from arrest and hid her true activities from the world, before subduing her in silence, putting her actions to a stop. Still, crimes are crimes, and hers have yet to be answered. By today's standard, she would have been considered to be a criminal with a rating of at least an S."
The crowd was outraged, unable to believe what they've just been told. Some of them expressed their feelings out loud, demanding justice.
Wendy stared at Rorge, her eyes wide from shock. "How did he learn of all this?" she asked under her nose, unable to think clearly.
The man watched over the crowd, a sinister smirk forming on his face. He had this in his pocket. The people were slowly starting to turn against Fairy Tail, even those, who tried to support them five minutes ago. Knowing that it was time for the finale, he threw away his paper and snapped his fingers to let his men know the time has come.
"All of what I just said can be backed up with strong evidence, as well as testimonies." called Rorge, his voice trying to scream over the crowd. "You are free to look for a reason behind their actions, you are free to try and understand them. But tell me this – are you really fine with living in the same town as people, who kept this in their basement for decades?!"
The guild members of Raven Tail cut the ropes, the curtain falling down. Upon revealing what was under it, the crowd went silent, too shocked to speak.
Behind Rorge stood a giant, green emerald, its glow casting light at the now slowly darkening square. Inside of this emerald was a human, a naked human, someone Wendy and Levy have grown to know the day before.
Inside of it was a naked body of Mavis Vermillion, their Founder.
Rorge walked up to the stone and put his hand on it. "This has been kept under this town for at least eighty years. Some of you walked over it, some of you live above it. What you're looking at right now is a dead body. Fairy Tail kept a dead body of their previous Master in its basement, for purposes not yet known." He walked away from the stone and turned to the people. "Ask yourselves this. Do you want to have someone with so many secrets in your town? Do you want to be around someone, who constantly abuses your trust? The choice is yours."
The crowd started to roar.
"They should be disbanded!"
"Put them in cells, where they belong!"
"Disgusting!"
"Who in their right mind would keep something like this?!"
Wendy simply sobbed, unable to take it anymore. She didn't care if people recognized her, she just couldn't resist. Levy stared ahead, unable to mutter a single word. She could hear each and every insult sent in their way, every approval of their arrest. Each of them felt like a knife entering her body, one at a time.
Rorge looked at one of his men and nodded. The man walked up to the platform and gave Rorge a cloth. The redhead unrolled the material, revealing Fairy Tail's flag. At the sight, people started to boo, much to Rorge's hidden amusement.
"We swear, that as long as we are this town's guild, we will not let Fairy Tail harm you in any way!" he said. "We will put an end to their schemes! This marks the end of Fairy Tail!"
The clouds have finally given in, small droplets of rain falling down at the square. They crashed against coats and cloaks, but no one cared. They continued to cheer and express their disapproval, much to Rorge's pleasure, his face slowly twisting into a smug, satisfied smirk. He raised his hands like a preacher, while his man lit the flag on fire.
Soon Fairy Tail's mark burst in flames, which made their way through the material like paper. While people cheered, Wendy sobbed into her hands, unable to look at her mark burning like a match. Levy simply stared at the flag, flames reflected in her empty eyes. Her heart couldn't take any more of this. In just one day they have lost everything. Their home, their island, their friend...all of it, gone. Just like that. Burned just like that flag.
"How did it come to this?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She watched Rorge throw the burning flag away, her eyes watching it fall, and as the remains of the cloth touched the ground, the deafening chanting struck her with all its strength.
"Raven Tail! Raven Tail! Raven Tail!"
Levy closed her eyes, her heart finally accepting it after a tough battle. She had to admit the truth.
Fairy Tail was no more.
Erza put down a crate she brought from the basement and wiped her forehead. It took them a while, but the house was finally clean. Now it was just dinner that had to be taken care of.
"Do we need anything else?" she called to Lisanna, who was washing her hands.
"No, we're good!" announced the girl.
Erza nodded and turned around to undo her apron. She caught something with the corner of her eye, something that triggered her senses in every possible way.
Natsu's breathing was hard and irregular. He was sitting by the window, curled up into a ball. His hand was on his chest, clutching it hard. His skin was pale and he was sweating so much his jacket was wet.
"Natsu?" she called to him. "Are you o-"
Before she could speak out, he collapsed onto the floor like in slow motion, his face meeting the floor first.
"Natsu!" the redhead called out and jumped over the couch to get to him. She gently grabbed him and tried to turn him over, but he wouldn't let her. Instead he pushed her away, his breathing hard, close to hyperventilating. His eyes were wide open and bloodshot, sweat dripping down his nose and chin onto the floor.
"Is he alright?" asked Lucy from the kitchen.
Before Erza could answer, a deafening scream filled her ears, almost rupturing her drums. A horrifying scream escaped from Natsu's mouth, the pain he felt so unbearable tears started to form in his eyes. He turned to his back and started to claw at his chest, his nails leaving marks on his skin even through the clothing, tearing it off. He desperately tried to reach inside his own body to get to the source of this excruciating pain, but he simply couldn't. Not without killing himself.
Erza quickly grabbed his wrists and tried to hold him down, the other girls running to her aid soon after. The three of them tried to hold him down and try to understand what was happening. Suddenly, Lucy snapped her hand away with a shriek, her palm pink and burned.
"His skin….it's burning!" she cried, much to Erza's shock.
"What are you talking about, his hands are cold!" she said.
The floor beneath Natsu caught on fire, which was quickly extinguished by Lisanna. Natsu's magic was all over the place, irregular, and chaotic, as he continued to scream and try to stab his own chest.
Suddenly, realisation hit Erza like a car, cold sweat running down her face, her skin becoming white in horror. She slowly shifted her eyes onto his chest, despair clutching every fiber of her being.
It kept on being postponed, but finally, it has happened. His magic container has broken.
Natsu Dragneel was dying in this very moment.
While Lucy and Lisanna tried to calm him down and try to subdue his pain, his screams continued to tear through the house into the forest, the wildlife running away in fear. Three cloaked figures emerged from the forest, their eyes focused on the house.
Having recognized the voice, the middle figure smiled under his nose, his blue hair flowing under his hood with the evening wind.
"Ah. How nostalgic."
End of Chapter 32. To be continued in Chapter 33: Judgment.
I have retconned the divine protection provided by Tenrou Tree, that's how Gildarts died.
I didn't want to make the same mistake as Mashima and keep him out of the story for dozens of chapters only to make him come back when things get tough, so I killed him off to develop the characters and make Fairy Tail more vulnerable.
I have also implemented many new things into this chapter, things that will be explained later on.
Raven Tail was garbage in the show and they had the potential to be a major villain in the story, so that's what I'm doing. As you can see, FT is thoroughly thrashed. I'm looking forward to what I've got in stock next.
I hope you liked it. Please, do consider supporting me on ko-fi and fiverr, I'd greatly appreciate it. Links can be found on my profile.
See you next time!