Magnolia

Wendy, Carla, and Romeo arrived at Magnolia fifteen minutes after the epic brawl between Natsu and Kaze began, departing from the train station as fast as they could. As they reached the familiar streets, they looked up to see a large orb glowing with some sort of dark energy, the wind furiously swirling in its depths.

"What is that?" Wendy asked. "Could this be the storm you were talking about?"

"I don't know," Carla replied. "But our friends are still in danger. I'm certain of it."

"Guys! Take a look at this!" Romeo cried out. Interrupted by the suddenly alarm in his voice, Wendy and Carla snapped out of their trance on the giant orb and trotted over to his side. Romeo was staring at a dim landscape in wide-eyed shock. Following his gaze, Wendy and Carla discovered that the town of Magnolia was shattered. The destroyed remains of houses and stores stood bleak against the dark skies. The Kardia Cathedral was reduced to ruin. The forests stood blackened. The river was choked of water. The streets were devoid of life.

"The town... It's..." Wendy whispered.

"Did we come here too late?" Carla wondered.

"Where is everybody?" Romeo questioned.

WHOOSH! Everyone's heads immediately jerked in the direction of that sound. At first, they thought it might have been one of their fellow Fairy Tail wizards, but it wasn't. In fact, it was something bad. Pairs of eyes emerged from the ground, giving a dim illumination, and the wisps made their presence known as Shadows, their antennas wriggling as they scanned their surroundings. Carla and Romeo gasped in shock at the sight of them, and Wendy seemed to be gasping the loudest. She couldn't believe it. The exact same creatures from her dream were here in Magnolia. Only this time, it wasn't a dream. It was real!

"What strange manner of creature is this?!" Carla exclaimed.

"I have no idea what they are, but I know they're not good!" Romeo tensed.

"It can't be!" Wendy exclaimed. "Those are the creatures I saw in my dream! What are they doing here?"

"Wendy? What's going on?" Carla grew puzzled at Wendy's reaction. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'll explain later!" Wendy insisted, stancing herself. "We have to fight them!"

"R-Right," Carla nodded, and she spread her wings. "Be careful, Wendy!"

"You want us, freaks?" Romeo dared the creatures, his fists burning with Yellow Fire. "Come and get us!"

A total of six Shadows jumped and brought down their claws on Wendy. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" She jumped out of the way and breathed a gust that tore the creatures apart with sharp cuts of wind. Wendy gained a hint that the Shadows could also be destroyed by magic aside from weapons. She remembered that in her dream, she was unable to use any magic and was instructed to use a weapon instead. She figured she could use it to her advantage. Wendy turned to Carla and Romeo, "Guys, I think I know a way to beat them! The one thing that can destroy them completely is our magic!"

"Cool!" Romeo smirked. "That makes things a whole lot easier. We'll smash 'em down with fire and wind, and we're in the clear!"

"Be careful, you two!" Carla instructed. "The more you use magic, the more it will drain you. You must reserve your Magic Energy at all times!"

"We know," Romeo nodded. "But we can make our way through, no problem."

"We have to defeat as many as we can and get to the guildhall!" Wendy determined. "Everyone needs our help!"

"Yeah!" Romeo shouted in agreement.

Soon after, an horde of Shadows by the hundreds popped from every corner of Magnolia, blanketing the town into darkness. Driven by instinct, they swarmed around Wendy and Romeo like ants.

"Sky Dragon's Claw!"

"Blue Fire!"

With their respective magical elements, the two began destroying the onslaught of Shadows. There was fire and wind illuminating the blackened town, and countless yellow eyes, and black clouds of dust...

"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"

"Yellow Fire!"

The fire and wind kept spreading. For every Shadow destroyed, two more seemed to take its place.

"Sky Dragon's Claw!"

"Purple Fire!"

More fire, more wind, and more shadow. They were everywhere.

And after ten long minutes, Wendy and Romeo began to show signs of fatigue, their strengths waning with their magic. The Shadows just kept appearing in numbers, and it looked like an invasion.

"There's... too many... of them..." Wendy wheezed. "They just... keep on coming..."

"Okay, so we can't destroy them all," Romeo panted. "We'd better run to the guild."

"Yes, it's the only option we have," Carla agreed. "I'll carry Wendy there. Let's go!" She lifted the Sky Dragon Slayer up, and flew for the guildhall without delay.

"Wait for me!" Romeo gathered his remaining strength to keep up. He ran across the darkened streets, following Wendy and Carla as fast as his legs could carry him. The Shadows were never far behind, as they chased him like a stampede. Soon, the Shadows were out of reach, and Romeo took time to relax in an empty alleyway, whipping the sweat off his forehead. After a few seconds, he continued traversing where the guildhall was.

Romeo finally arrived at the entrance, and happened to catch a glimpse of white standing in front of it. It was none other than Makarov, and Romeo was relieved that the guild master made it unharmed. The same could be said with Wendy and Carla, who landed down and regrouped with the Rainbow Fire wizard. Rather than to say hello, Makarov's eyes were focused on the orb in the sky. He appeared unmoving, as if he was tranced by a great force, and his face bore inner purpose.

"Master Makarov!" Romeo cheered. "Glad that you made it!"

"What's going on here?" Wendy asked. "Where are the others?"

"I thought they were in the guildhall with you!" Carla added.

"The door has opened..." Makarov whispered, titling his head slightly.

"What?" All three were confused of what their guild master said.

"The door to this world has opened," Makarov repeated, and he turned to face Wendy and company. "The storm above is the sign of the darkness creeping into our world. A rather troubling sight, wouldn't you agree, kids?"

"What are you talking about?!" Romeo snapped. "We gotta find the others! We gotta find my dad!"

"Calm down, Romeo!" Makarov eased. "Your father is fine! Everyone else is. My children are too strong to let a storm like this one wear them down. As a family, we stay together, even through the darkest times."

"Master, what do you know about all this?" Wendy interjected. "Does it have something to with those strange creatures, and the door to this world?" She paused, and remembered the words of Halloween and the hooded figure. "I think the 'door to this world' is called a—"

"No time to explain. We're running out of time," Makarov cut her off. "It won't be long before this world is completely swallowed in darkness." He added with fierce determination, "We must not let them touch the heart of our world!" He knelt down to Wendy and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Listen to me, Wendy. I need you, Carla, and Romeo to get to Tenrou Island. Once you get there, search for a door in the caves. All will be explained once you find it. A boat is ready to take you there."

"What about you?" Romeo asked. "When will you be joining us?"

"Don't worry about me," Makarov assured. "I'll be there sooner than you think. There's no turning back now." He lips formed a proud smile, "This is an opportunity for the young generation to shine, to make a difference for all. Even the smallest souls can shape the course of the future. It takes bravery, determination, and a strong heart." He saw the confused looks on Wendy and Romeo's faces, and his words became encouraging, "You can't let doubt stop you, my children. The only way to move is forward."

Touched by Makarov's speech, Wendy replied in agreement, "You're right, Master. It's up to us now. We'll find a way to save everyone. I'm sure of it."

Carla joined in, "You won't be alone."

Makarov grinned, "I know I can count on you."

Romeo repeated his question, "When will you come with us?"

Makarov replied, "It's as I said, I'll be there sooner than you think. I'll be there when you least expect it." He paused to let it sink in, "It's only fitting that I remain in the dark."

"You mean..." Romeo grew alarmed. "You're staying here? Why?"

"I have no desire to abandon Earth-land in its final hour," Makarov answered. "I must see it through to the end."

"No..." Romeo was on the verge of breaking down. "No! You don't mean that! You can't stay!"

"There's no use wallowing in remorse!" Makarov urged. "You must go! Now!"

"We can't!" Romeo yelled, feeling himself tearing up. "We can't leave you! We can't go without you!"

"My mind is set," Makarov shook his head in refusal. "I must go alone and venture in the darkness. I'm not afraid of it, and you shouldn't be either!" Another pause, and his voice brimmed with as much comfort as he could muster, "You have to trust me."

"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" Romeo kept on screaming. He fell to his knees, clutching the ground with one hand and his face with the other.

"Romeo, come on..." Makarov tried to reason with him.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Romeo's desperate pleas gave way to sobs, the anguish flooding his heart like a river. He didn't want to believe that the guild master of Fairy Tail, a role model, a father figure, would stay behind in a world destined to fall. To Romeo, Makarov was like a grandfather, as Natsu was a big brother. It was like missing Natsu on Tenrou Island seven years ago, all over again. As for Wendy, she went over to the weeping Romeo, knelt down, and hugged his trembling body, with Carla observing the drama in silence. If what Makarov said was true, that would mean the start of uncertain events set in motion. At the same time, they felt worry and concern for the strange occurrences and how their guild master was reacting to the darkness creeping into Earth-land. If they left for Tenrou Island right now, they'd leave him behind. Were they willing to take that risk? Abandon one life for the needs of the many? Someone had to tell Makarov their feelings now.

"Master..." Wendy looked up and spoke with sincerity in her eyes.

Before she could continue, a pool of darkness suddenly formed below, its tendrils licking at where Makarov stood, wrapping around his body. Wendy gasped at the thought of seeing her guild master in trouble, and it wasn't long before Carla and Romeo joined in, the boy staring with eyes stained with tears.

"MASTER!" they all cried.

"They're here!" Makarov looked down at the strands of darkness restraining him. "Hurry! Get to Tenrou Island! Go, before it's too late!"

"NO!" Romeo got to his feet before Wendy could help him. His eyes still watered, but his face had more anger than sorrow. "I WON'T LET YOU GO!" He ran to Makarov, desperate to set him free.

"No!" Makarov protested. "Stay back!"

But that plea fell on deaf ears, and another dark pool trapped Romeo's body before it could reach Makarov. Despite that minor setback, his determination never wavered. "I WON'T LET YOU!"

"Master! Romeo!" Wendy screamed. She and Carla rushed forward to save them, but soon stopped as another pool of darkness came around and trapped their bodies simultaneously. "Please, come back! Don't go!"

"You can't just leave us!" Carla argued. "We're going to save you!"

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! YOU MUST GO!" Makarov's voice rose to a yell. "Get to Tenrou Island! Find the door! The rest is up to you!"

"Master...!" Wendy tried to extend her hand, but the weight of the darkness was pulling her down, and the tendrils proved too much for her. She watched with horror, tears running down her cheeks, at Makarov and Romeo's bodies wrapped in black and beyond her reach. There was Makarov, his face turning from anger to a confident, unchanging flair. Romeo, whose face was still marked with tears. Carla, who put up a valiant effort to break the bonds.

She didn't hear herself whisper Makarov's or Romeo's names.

She didn't feel the tendrils clambering her deep into the abyss.

She didn't see that it was already too late.

And then there was black.

All seemed lost, until a light twinkled into existence.

It started out small, but soon grew into an incredible brightness, filling Wendy's vision.

Then a familiar, elegant voice.

"Wendy... Wendy..."

"Huh?"

"Don't be afraid. You hold the mightiest weapon of all. You are the one."

"I know that voice..."

"You are indeed destined for great things. The time has finally come."

"What...?"

"Awaken the power inside you. Light your way through the darkness. Let the seal be broken!"

"I... I feel warm... Ahhh..."

At that moment, Wendy felt a new strength in herself.

"Wake up!"

She opened her eyes, nearly stumbling as the light dissipated, to see herself in front of the ruined guildhall. The tendrils grabbing her body had disappeared, but there was just one problem; Romeo and Makarov were gone from where they previously stood. And Carla was no longer by her side.

"Carla? Romeo? Master?" Wendy called out to no response. "Carla! Romeo! Master!" She called again, but the only answer she got were echoes of her voice. "Hello? Somebody? Anybody!"

"I'm over here!" a voice called.

Wendy turned to see Carla emerging from the dimness on wings. She cried in relief, "Carla! You're okay!" She then grew concerned, "Where are Romeo and Master Makarov? And how are we still here? The two of us tried to save them, and then we're suddenly pulled down and everything went black."

Carla replied, "It's difficult to explain, but when you and I were trapped in that black substance, a strange light emanated from where we stood." She folded her arms and looked down to ponder the possibilities, "Have you somehow used a portion of your Sky Dragon Slayer Magic to break us free?"

Wendy tried to make a guess, "Um, I think..."

Just then, a gasp escaped Carla's mouth. She stared at the Sky Dragon Slayer with wide eyes. "Wendy... Look at your hand!"

"Huh?" The answer came to Wendy when her right hand felt some sort of substance around her fingers. When she turned, she was surprised to the core at what she was now holding. The object was large, but it was very light. The blade was made of light blue steel that shone like a sword, the rainguard supporting the metal was dark blue, and the handle was adorned with pure white. Both sides of the hilt were formed in the shape of feathered wings, and the center connected to a vine of white dragon scales reaching the tip of the blade pointed like the teeth of a key, which formed the outline of a miniature dragon. A long silver keychain extended from the hilt, and the symbol of the Fairy Tail guild was on the end of the chain. It couldn't be... Could it?

"Is that..." Wendy recognized the form of the weapon, examining it with awe and curiosity. "...the Keyblade?" That was the name of the relic she observed at the Kingdom Exhibit. She and Carla leaned in to take a closer look at the key-shaped sword obscured by a radiant light.

"The Keyblade, said to be a legendary weapon forged in the age of fairy tales. It has the power to conquer light and darkness," Carla recalled the history lesson in the museum. "I never imagined that such an ancient tool could materialize in your hand, but seeing is definitely believing. Perhaps it is more than just a legend..."

"The power to light the darkness..." Wendy's other hand gave a slight touch around the steel. "I have no idea why it appeared in my hand, but it looks amazing." A brief pause, and the wind stole her whispered voice, "Keyblade..."

"Keyblade... Keyblade..."

All of a sudden, more Shadows popped from the darkness and caught up with Wendy and Carla. They surrounded the two, intent on doing them harm.

"No! Stay back!" Wendy yelled at the creatures. She pointed the Keyblade at them, and they backed away at the sight of the weapon. The Sky Maiden was puzzled. Were the Shadows scared now that she had a weapon? "They... They backed away!"

"If they're afraid of you pointing it at them..." Carla pondered, until an idea struck her. "...that must mean it can be used to fight those creatures without exhausting your Magic Energy! Give it a try!"

"Okay..." Wendy nodded. A Shadow jumped to attack, and she gave a hard thrust of her new weapon. The slash resulted in the creature being torn in half, until it dissipated into dust.

"Wow! You're right! This Keyblade has the power to destroy these things!" Wendy shouted in amazement. She then gained newfound confidence, and got into a fighting stance. "Alright, it's time to show those monsters that if they mess with our friends, they mess with me!"

"Fight as many as you can until you reach the boat!" Carla instructed.

"I'll do my best!" Wendy affirmed.

The amassing Shadows rose from the ground and began their assault, and the Sky Dragon Slayer remembered her training in the dream. Wendy jumped up to avoid a Shadow's claws, and brought the Keyblade down on it, slicing it to bits. She gave a downward strike to one Shadow, a horizontal slash to another, and stuck her blade into a third. And with a wide spin, she slashed all three in a row, destroying them. The impact sent a couple of Shadows backwards, some backing against the concrete enforcing the ruined buildings. Wendy charged and performed a vertical slash, a horizontal slash, and a spin attack, which slashed five Shadows into pieces.

More Shadows scurried down the street, and Wendy readied herself. With Sky Dragon Slayer Magic supporting her speed, she swerved through the horde of Shadows and sliced each and every one of them down the middle. With great flexibility and agility, the darkness was driven away by the might of the blade, like a knife cutting its way through a jungle. Shadows were instantly eradicated, first one by one, then in pairs, then in droves. Any creature who tried to sneak from behind was slashed. With as many as she defeated, more appeared, and Wendy surged forward as she dashed along the streets.

Within three minutes, the streets were polluted with dust. Wendy arrived at the harbor, panting heavily and grasping her legs, the arduous path taking its toll on her. At the same time, she was awash with relief. "I finally made it. Where's the boat?"

"There!" Carla pointed a paw at the boat nearby, the side painted with the Fairy Tail mark. With no time to waste, the two boarded the boat.

The sails were unfurled, and the vessel left the harbor, operated in secret by a lacrima hidden under the deck. The ship sailed, leaving the torn town of Magnolia behind.

Unbeknownst to Wendy and Carla, a large ship also operated by a lacrima, and flown in the air by giant propellers, observed the departure. Standing at the deck were Halloween, a group of fifteen clowns, and the ghost known as Linda the Living Armor.

"Well, boys..." the ringmaster announced. "Shall we begin, then?" The airship steered to pursue the vessel headed for Tenrou Island.

Kaze Viriniam, however, who stood on the roof of an empty building, disagreed. She would like to have a chat with Halloween as soon as she boarded the ship sailing out to sea.


The skies grew darker, and the ship wandered the ocean for its destination. While tending the wounds sustained from the battle in Magnolia, Wendy and Carla conversed on deck, the lamp giving a clear light. Surprisingly, the currents seemed unusually calm, so the storm wasn't that severe, and the ocean provided safe passage for Tenrou Island.

"I must admit, you seem to have an exceptional skill in swordplay," Carla folded her arms. "How is it you are able to effortlessly swing a blade?"

"I haven't used a sword before," Wendy admitted. "But for some reason, I know how to use it. I think it must have something to do with my dream. It's been putting me through a hard test."

"Your dream?" Carla raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with it?"

"Magnolia isn't the first time I fought these creatures," Wendy confessed. "I fought them in my dreams, and this huge black thing is the final one. I told you that morning."

"Wait a second," Carla interrupted. "Are you saying that everything that happened is somehow connected to your dream?"

"I'm not sure," Wendy looked down in sadness. "I sure wish it was a dream, but it wasn't. The voice in my head, the warmth in my skin, and those things..." She stared off into the sky obscured by black, "I can't believe this is really happening." She almost began to tremble, "I... I..."

"We can't do anything about it," Carla comforted her. "Some things can't be undone. The best we can do is move on. Things will be better when we get to Tenrou Island and find that door. We might be able to discover the whereabouts of our fellow Fairy Tail wizards."

"Y-Yeah," Wendy felt reassured. "It's the only way. Let's g—"

Just before she finished her sentence, the sound of cannon fire suddenly rocked the ship. Both Wendy and Carla came to a stop as the ship rumbled, but it soon quieted down. "Uh, what was that?" Wendy asked nervously.

More cannon fire grabbed their attention. They turned their heads to see a ship supported by spinning propellers appearing next to theirs, the masts adorned with a Jack O'Lantern. And they recognized what that symbol belonged to.

"Halloween's Circus Troupe!" they both cried.

Landing on the ship were ten clowns, surrounding the Sky Maiden and the white Exceed with knives.

"Won't these ruffians ever quit?!" Carla gritted her teeth.

"It's no use. We have to fight them!" Wendy gripped the Keyblade. "Carla, carry me!"

The white Exceed promptly went to work, lifting the Sky Dragon Slayer up and flying her to and fro. Swinging the Keyblade, Wendy dispatched the clowns at breakneck speed, throwing them off the ship and into the water. Turning to the airship, she saw Halloween standing on the palm of Linda's metal claw like a platform.

"Halloween!" Wendy exclaimed.

"Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!" Halloween chortled. "You must be Wendy Marvell, the youngest of the strongest team in Fairy Tail, and Maiden of the Sky!" His eyes focused on the key-shaped blade in Wendy's hand, "Hand over that key in your hand. Hand it over, and I'll let you leave here alive."

"The key?" Wendy wondered, as she stared at the aforementioned weapon. "You mean this?"

"Don't do it!"

The mysterious voice returned in Wendy's head, and she froze at the urgent message.

"Well?" Halloween asked impatiently. "What's it going to be?"

"Have you come to a decision?" Carla asked. "The key in your hand is rather priceless and valuable to most."

"You can't give the Keyblade to him. It's the only weapon that can destroy these creatures. You can't handle it over. It's too important."

Bit by bit, Wendy let the information sink in.

"HAND IT OVER!" Halloween demanded. "NOW!"

"No!" Wendy yelled, emblazoned by the voice's words. "I won't!"

"Well, if it's going to be that way..." Halloween smiled coyly, before his voice was laced with fury. "THEN DIE!" He motioned with his cane, and the airship's cannons aimed their barrels.

"Uh-oh!" Wendy tensed.

"Brace yourself!" Carla shouted.

"Prepare to fire!" Halloween ordered. A few shots, and Wendy and Carla would get blown to pieces...

"STOP!"

Without warning, there was the sound of seven explosions that splashed the water, and an angry voice echoed in the wind. A purple blur soared through the sky and landed on top of the boat's mast, leaving behind a flurry of purple flames. Everyone turned to face the newcomer, and Halloween's face broke into a gasp; Kaze Viriniam had come to the scene.

"Ah, it's-it's-it's you! L-L-Lady Viriniam!" Halloween stammered nervously. "W-W-What a nice surprise."

"Haven't you clowned around for one night, Halloween?" Kaze crossed her arms. "Your business in Earth-land is done. You're needed elsewhere. Go with the others and await my orders in the next world."

"But my lady, we've found it!" Halloween reported. "We've found the Keyblade! It's the only thing that would put an stop to our plans! And its chosen wielder might pose a threat! We decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the brat and snatch the key from her corpse."

"They know about the Keyblade, too?" Wendy gasped.

"Just get your flimsy butts out of Earth-land and do as you're told!" Kaze frowned. "Leave the Keyblade and its chosen wielder to me." She looked down at the Sky Dragon Slayer with calculating eyes, "I wanna see if Blueberry here's the one thing standing between the starting point and the finish line."

"But—" Halloween attempted to justify his actions.

"I don't like repeating myself," Kaze swiftly brought up her hand, and it generated a black sphere around her fingertips, aiming for Halloween's heart. Her face was severe, and her voice even more so. It wasn't long before Halloween and his clowns understood the meaning behind the enigmatic mercenary's threat.

"As you wish, ma'am," Halloween finally relented. "Withdraw immediately!" As he hollered the order, the airship was pulled away from the vessel docked at sea. The villainous ringmaster willingly respected Kaze's wishes, but he was torn inside as well. His intention was to destroy the Keyblade bearer and take all the credit, but that chance fluttered out the window. His ship disappeared into the clouds, leaving three souls behind in the ocean.

Kaze watched with satisfaction, "Much better. Now I can have some fun before the geyser erupts." She turned to Wendy and Carla, "Sorry to keep you waiting, guys. A certain salmon jackass wouldn't take no for an answer. It's been a long time coming, huh? I'm so glad I get to meet a key bearer!" She leapt off the mast, and delivered a strong kick that plummeted the two down below deck, the wood suffering a sickening crack as they crashed. Kaze landed as well, and she walked up to her downed targets. She remarked, "I see you and your kitty cat pushed your way through all of those Shadows to get a special front row seat for the big show." She added with disgust, "A show way better than that guild dressed as clowns." Her enthusiasm returned, "That's pretty sweet of you, Keyblade master. I'm Kaze Viriniam. I play the part of the princess who kisses the darkness and wakes it up! And what's yours?"

Wendy groaned, "Kaze Viriniam? That's the name of the Sleepy Hollow leader!" She tried to prop herself on her elbows, only to have her chest forced back down by a foot.

Kaze smiled, "Not so fast, that's where I tell the backstory. I bet you've heard of a band of mercenaries from a country far from yours, and they happened to be my personal army. The gang made quite infamous for robbing towns, stealing goodies, and perusing valuables from museums..." She then chuckled, "When you mentioned the name 'Sleepy Hollow.' you nailed it! You never expected a band of grown-ups following the footsteps of a young girl, like me!"

Carla remarked, "Who would've guessed that a girl is the leader behind the mask?"

Kaze jeered, "Flattery will get you nowhere, pussy cat. And by pussy, I mean a sniveling white cat."

Carla felt offended by that insult, "'Pussy?!' You will call me no such thing-" She was interrupted by a kick to the head that sent her crashing into the side of the deck. She collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Wendy screamed, "Carla!" Again, she was held down.

Kaze crossed her hips, "But you haven't answered my question. What's your name?"

Wendy paused, and she hesitantly replied, "Wendy Marvell."

Kaze remarked, "Wendy, huh? That's not a bad name. I like it."

Wendy asked nervously, "What do you want with us?"

Kaze tapped her chin, "How should I explain this? Hmm..." Her eyes brimmed with an idea, "Oh, that's right. I came here to cause a little bit of trouble for you!" She released her foot from Wendy's chest and backed away with a jump. She dared with her hand, "Now get up, Blueberry. It's not fun when you're down on the ground."

Wendy pressed her hands against the floor, and stood up slowly. Replacing her fear with anger, she demanded, "What are you doing robbing those places and hurting innocent people with those dark guilds?"

Kaze crossed her hips, "That's a silly question. But I guess you deserve to know. I've been on a business trip with some friends of mine, expanding our ranks and preying on worlds. The dark guilds I've gathered throughout Fiore are perfect additions to our army, so we paid them for the use of their talents. Causing chaos in other worlds is way better than fiddling around in their own world with nothing to do. In exchange for their allegiance, we gave them power. Money. Fame. All the attention."

Wendy glared, "So you're the one behind everything!"

Kaze chuckled, "Don't blame it on me, blame it on the one who started it all. We wouldn't have made it to the big leagues if it wasn't for her. Like it or not, she's going to change the universe. You can't stop it, I can't stop it! You know the old saying, if you can't beat 'em..."

She was interrupted by a quick and swift slash of the Keyblade that struck her in the arm. The surprise attack blended with the wind, and it pushed her back. Kaze grasped the injury and glared at Wendy, "Hey! I wasn't finished!"

Lifting the Keyblade, Wendy spat, "I don't care what you say!" She stanced for battle, "I'm going to stop you! I will protect my friends!"

Kaze smirked, "Oh, so you wanna play, huh? Alright, then. I'll take you on! Soul Eaters!" She spun around, and her two red and purple twin blades flashed in her hands. "I'm looking forward to this game. The first rule of the game is, there are no rules! Prepare to eat seaweed!"

Wendy and Kaze charged and parried each other's strikes with rapid speed, a flurry of clashing metal resonating with the wind in the quiet night. Carla woke from unconsciousness, and her eyes lifted to see the two aggressively trading blows. The white Exceed's heart prayed that her friend could survive the battle. Three long minutes later, when clashing blades wasn't plausible enough, Wendy eluded a double slash before smacking Kaze's cheeks with a 3-hit swing. "Soul Eaters: Revolver Mode!" Kaze quickly reverted her blades into guns and fired an endless array of crimson bullets, to which Wendy was able to dodge with ease. "Fire Serpent!" The Soul Eaters channeled with energy, and combined into a stream of flame heading for the Sky Dragon Slayer.

"Sky Dragon's Claw!" Wendy jumped up and let her wind-fueled legs take the brunt of the damage, the flames fluttering away as the wind began to break through. With Kaze vulnerable, she unleashed a 7-hit combo that smacked her to the ground. The dark pink-haired girl performed a backflip, sending herself back on her feet.

Wearing a smile that forgot the minor injuries, Kaze rubbed her chin, "You use magic and a weapon simultaneously? How curious." She then grinned viciously, "Now things are starting to get REAL fun! Soul Eaters: Blade Mode!" Her guns turning into blades again, she and Wendy dashed towards each other and started another minute of clashing and parrying. With Wendy missing a slash, the Soul Eaters glowed with navy energy, and Kaze unleashed a 10-hit slash, before knocking her to the ground, and delivering the finishing blow with a stomp from the air.

Wendy counterattacked with Sky Dragon's Roar, blowing her rival up into the air and floating behind the mast. Kaze responded by transforming her Soul Eaters into Revolver Mode. Crimson bullets rained down, and the Sky Dragon Slayer jumped up, swinging her Keyblade to deflect some of the bullets in an attempt to reach her opponent. "Meteor Bullet!" The Soul Eaters generated two giant orbs and fired, blasting her down before she could get close. However, the Sky Maiden focused her magic on her legs and launched herself back, forcing Kaze to unleash Fire Serpent again. Wendy performed Sky Dragon's Claw, and then Sky Dragon's Wing Attack, extinguishing the Fire Serpent and slamming Kaze down to the ground at the same time. She landed and delivered six strikes to the disoriented Sleepy Hollow leader, the last strike hammering the Keyblade's teeth against her chin, flinging her up until she crashed.

Kaze flipped up again, her head bowed until she looked up with another deadly smirk. "Soul Eaters: Blade Mode!" The guns once again shifted into blades. "Shadow Step!" Her body dissipated into petals of darkness, and Wendy was shocked that her adversary was gone. The Sleepy Hollow bandit reappeared again, then vanished into petals again. And again, and again, until the Sky Dragon Slayer was confused. "Spinning Frost!" Kaze emerged behind Wendy, her Soul Eaters generating astral magic, and she performed a spinning strike that smacked her. "Wheel of Pain!" Another Shadow Step, and Kaze jumped for a cartwheel astral slash, but Wendy saw the attack coming and rolled to dodge it. "Cold Cross!" Another Shadow Step, and the Soul Eaters formed a X to unleash a sonic slash, which the Sky Dragon Slayer deflected with a swipe of her Keyblade. After ten more Shadow Steps, Kaze performed another surprise attack. "Frozen Silk!" The Soul Eater on her right charged, and the blade converted into a thin energy beam that spun in multiple directions like a thread, and Wendy's body was pierced a few times. When the Frozen Silk retracted, Kaze approached the injured Wendy, confident of her victory.

But Wendy's determination urged her body not to hit the ground, and she charged with a fierce yell. The two parried with their blades again, the symphony of clangs resuming. Kaze performed a consecutive amount of Shadow Steps, in combination with her special attacks, but with quick analysis and precision, Wendy was able to dodge them all, and countered with Keyblade strikes and Sky Dragon Slayer techniques. During the brawl, the Sky Maiden raised her Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang and scratched Kaze's chest when she appeared from a Shadow Step, then she cast Sky Dragon's Wing Attack, smashing the Sleepy Hollow leader with great force.

Both girls were moderately injured, and the battle was reaching its peak. The smile on Kaze's face never wavered despite the pain, as she had more tricks up her sleeve. "Soul Eaters: Lance Mode!" She hammered her two weapons together, an jolt of energy sparking in contact. The Soul Eaters then morphed and combined into a long lance, a white point popping from the tip. Kaze raised her Soul Eater Lance, and it generated purple thunder around its base. All of a sudden, the storm erupted above and the ocean swirled a barrier around the boat, making the Sky Dragon Slayer stand her ground. "Thundaga!" The Sleepy Hollow leader pointed her lance, and lightning bolts aimed at Wendy, who barely got out of the way in time. Whilst Kaze summoned forth more bolts, the dark blue-haired girl continued to dodge each of them.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy fired a breath of wind.

"Refleza!" Kaze slammed the end of the Soul Eater Lance to the ground, and an invisible shield covered her whole body, dissolving the attack. "Storm Ring!" She dashed forward and delivered a jumping spin attack that slashed Wendy with steel combined with electricity. "Dark Spark!" Three Shadow Steps, and her lance summoned a jolt which Wendy managed to leap over. The Sky Dragon Slayer slid across the desk and unleashed Sky Dragon's Wing Attack, knocking Kaze back across the face. Pushed to the brink of exhaustion, the two parried, dodged, and missed their attacks, and even kicked each other for their efforts. Kaze performed four Shadow Steps, combined with three Dark Sparks and two Storm Rings, but Wendy cast Vernier on herself and flew from each blow. With Kaze distracted, the Sky Dragon Slayer seized her Keyblade and unleashed a 13-hit combo, ending with a Sky Dragon's Claw and a Sky Dragon's Roar.

And just like that, Kaze was on her hands and knees, her mouth coughing. The storm receded, and the ocean lay calm. Wendy approached her target with the Keyblade gripped in hand, confident that she would end the battle. Carla, who watched from the sidelines, felt pride in her friend's accomplishment. Suddenly, Kaze regained a fair amount of strength and swiped her hand, a dark wave from her hand spreading into a gust that blew Wendy away from her.

"Hmph, I can't believe I lost to a kid..." Kaze chuckled wheezily, looking up with a mouth sustaining a minor bleeding injury. "You're pretty swell, Blueberry. You're as tough as he was."

"Give up..." Wendy's legs collapsed in exhaustion, and she used the Keyblade as a support beam. "You know... You can't beat me..."

"Beat you?" Kaze smiled tiredly. "You only just beat me, and you didn't open your eyes to what's happening around you?" She chuckled again, and was barely able to stand up, "It's been fun playing with you, Wendy. I wish there'd be a next time, if you manage to survive the world screaming its last breath. You seem to be cozying just fine with that fine blue mistral of yours, huh?" She gestured to the Keyblade, and was completely on her feet. "Have fun while you can!" With one last laugh and a wave of her arm, the leader of the Sleepy Hollow scattered into petals, and disappeared into the night. There was only Wendy, Carla, and the boat. The battle was long, but it ended in an instant.

"A blue mistral..." Wendy stared at the Keyblade, the steel brightening with a glow that cleaned all the dents. "That's a good name." She smiled at the idea of the name for her weapon, "Blue Mistral."

The trip to Tenrou Island continued onward.


Tenrou Island

"At last, we made it to Tenrou Island. To think we would ever see our sacred ground like this..."

As Carla spoke her remark, she and Wendy disembarked from the boat to witness the bliss of Fairy Tail's sacred ground, the resting place of the guild's first master Mavis Vermillion, also violated by the curtain of darkness. The geography, down to the very last blade of grass and stone, was made visible against the black, which made most locations of the island quite impossible to traverse. Fortunately, the Great Tenrou Tree was still alive, and it bestowed its nourishing divine light to Wendy. In an instant, her Magic Energy was restored, and her cuts and bruises began to lessen. Should any wizard in Fairy Tail take time to bestow their holy ground desecrated by darkness, it would be most undesirable.

Wendy said, "Master asked us to find the door in the caves, right? Where can we find them? I can't remember where they were since the S-Class Promotion Exam."

Carla suggested, "Try to retrace your steps, Wendy. If we tread carefully, we'll find a possible entrance." She turned her head right, and gasped. "Um, Wendy?"

Wendy responded, "Yes?"

Carla replied, "You might want to take a look." Wendy followed her gaze, and gave a double look to see something strange. It was a door, pure and white and shining a dim light through the shadows, and quite similar to the one she saw in her dream.

Wendy stated, "I don't remember this door being here. All of Tenrou Island is a forest and has ruins."

Carla affirmed, "It's worth a try. We must open it."

The Sky Dragon Slayer approached the door, put both hands on the handles, and pulled the door open. Once inside, she and Carla found themselves in the island caves, where a soft hum hung in the air, and almost all traces of light had been erased. In the middle of the wide area was an oval-shaped door, something that no one in Fairy Tail had ever discovered. There was no knob or handle attached, only the dark brown wood, and its purpose was a mystery to all.

Wendy wondered, "Could this be the door Master talked about?"

Carla tensed, "Let's not make any assumptions, child. We have to take a closer look."

Just then, Wendy sensed a presence nearby. Its scent was attracted by her nose, and she recognized what it belonged to. "That's..."

The answer came in the form of a young man with salmon hair and a scarf adorned from a dragon's scales.

"Natsu!" Wendy cried happily. "There you are! You're here!"

"Thank heavens!" Carla sighed. "Where have you been? Where are the others?"

The two were relieved to find the namesake of Fairy Tail's strongest team alive and unharmed... or so they thought. Standing heavily in front of the door-like wall, Natsu turned around to look at Wendy and Carla, his eyes empty and weak.

"Wen... dy..." That was all he could say.

"Natsu?" Wendy was startled to see her friend like this. "Are you okay?"

The Fire Dragon Slayer struggled to move forward, and lifted a hand.

All of a sudden, the wooden door behind him burst wide open, and a great wind billowed forth. Wendy and Carla stood strong, covering their faces as Natsu lost his grip, flying towards them. Wendy opened her arms to catch her fellow Dragon Slayer, but just as she reached him, he vanished into thin air, and she caught nothing, much to her dismay.

"Natsu...?"

Wendy and Carla finally lost their ground. The dark wind became strong enough to knock them harshly out of the cave as they screamed.


"Ouch!" Wendy cried as she landed on her stomach. "Huh? Where am I?"

"Wendy!" Carla came to her aid. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but where are we?" Wendy wasn't sure where she and her Exceed partner were at first, by the looks of the stretching purple sky, but upon further inspection, they weren't on Tenrou Island anymore, but what was left of it. "Whoa!" they exclaimed. It was a large chunk of the beach high in the sky with scattered rocks and plants from the apparent destruction. They were raised up by the dark orb above, lightning crackling in its dark depths as the wind swirled in the air with debris. Wendy didn't have time to think about what happened to Tenrou Island, because she sensed a presence behind her. As she stood up, she gasped in shock at what she saw. It was Darkside, the same demon from her dream!

Wendy exclaimed, "Oh, no! Not you again!"

Carla questioned, "That giant black thing... Is that the one you fought in your dream?"

Wendy answered, "It's bad enough I had to fight them while I'm asleep, now I have to fight them awake!" She held her head in confusion, "How could this happen? This can't be real!"

Carla insisted, "We have no time for that, child! You need to focus!"

Darkside simply stared at the dark blue-haired girl. The same glowing eyes, the same wavy hair, and the same intent radiating from within. Wendy was now in the same spot she was in her dream, only this time, it was real. She looked to her left and right to see if there was a way out, but there wasn't.

Wendy asked, "Were you the one that trapped us here?"

Darkside slowly moved forward, driven only by one purpose- to destroy. Having no choice in the matter, Wendy got into a fighting stance and drew the Keyblade, which she named Blue Mistral, into her hand.

Wendy said bravely, "I have no choice. I have to fight! I've beaten him before, and I'll beat him again!"

Carla encouraged, "I'm counting on you. I hope you know what you're doing. Your training will serve you well."

The battle was on, this time for real! Wendy charged at Darkside's arm, remembering in her dream that it would take damage by striking the hands. She was ready to swing when the giant monster brought its hand out of reach. Clenching its fist, Darkside gathered a fair amount of darkness and slammed its fist into the ground, spewing a black pool along the sandy floor and summoning a small swarm of Shadows to fight at its behest. Wendy decided to focus on the lesser enemies first, and with quick swings, the Shadows were dissolved. She then focused on Darkside's wrist, and gave fifteen strikes that peeled its dark skin, every hit waning the monster's vitality.

Darkside got on its knees and bent backwards to stick its heart-shaped hole out, and released a series of beams targeting Wendy. With the beams in close proximity, Wendy knocked them away with the Keyblade like a baseball bat while eluding some of them, the deflected projectiles knocked right back into Darkside's body. Afterwards, she reached the giant creature's vulnerable hand and attacked it with strikes.

Wendy thought with confidence that if she repeated the same strategy, Darkside would be defeated easily. But then, the dark monster was on its knees again, and it stuck its left arm deep into the ground, looking like it was reaching for something. When it pulled its arm out, it now had a sphere of darkness pulsating in crimson. Darkside stood back up, slapped the sphere with its free hand, and it got thrown up into the air until it exploded, bringing forth a rain of blobs.

Wendy was distracted looking at the rain of blobs, so one of them was able to sneak up on her, and made her cry in pain. She kneeled over to one knee, and trying to shake off the bad feeling, she looked up to see more blobs coming down towards her. Wendy got up and ran around the fragmented beach, eluding many of the blobs as they came falling around. She even gave swings of the Keyblade that caused a few approaching to disappear.

While surviving this seemingly endless game of raining blobs, Wendy turned to see Darkside collecting more dark energy, ready to slam its fist down. Her eyes flashed with an idea of a better way to bring the monster down. Darkside slammed its fist, and more Shadows spewed forth. While the wrist was stuck in the ground, Wendy slashed through the swarm of Shadows, jumped onto Darkside's arm, and ran up towards its face. That gave her easy access to Darkside's face, and she slashed it multiple times, dark dust and particles tearing off.

And finally, the last blow was through the creature's forehead. The steel of the Keyblade began pulsating with light, and when it exploded, Darkside's face popped into a wide cloud of dust. Wendy dropped to the ground, and smiled at the victory. "I won!"

That victory was cut short when the island crept further towards the orb of energy, and Darkside's headless and dissipating body was whisked away into the abyss above. Wendy and Carla fared no better, as the wind howled its loudest and began whipping at them. Desperate, Carla grabbed onto a wooden board stuck in the sand with one paw, and Wendy's hand in the other, both of them hanging on for dear life.

"HOLD ON TIGHT!" Carla shrieked.

"DON'T LET GO!" Wendy panicked.

Every muscle tensed. The fingers slowly began to lose their grip. Even the Exceed's wings weren't strong enough to break through the turbulence. Finally, they were pulled up by the wind, and they were sucked into the orb, screaming for their lives.

The dark curtain had completely eclipsed Earth-land, swift and sure.


Author's Note:
Hey everyone! Just in case you're asking about Wendy's exclusive Keyblade, I named it Blue Mistral, and it was named after the spin-off manga of the same name, and designed after Grandeeney. I'm interesting in hearing what you think, as long as it's meaningful.