The unlikely trio makes their way from Hargeon station toward the port.

"I'm saying this first, if I think this is too dangerous, we are turning back around," Mirajane says. "I'm already getting a bad feeling about this."

"It's fine, it's the island of demons. It's your specialty," Gray says.

"That's exactly why I'm worried!" she says, waving a fist, "I know best how dangerous demons can get! You should've told us about this earlier, we should've brought Cana along."

"Nah, we need someone to stay home," Natsu says. "Laxus said just you and Gray… but it looks like Gray'll be deadweight. Whatever then."

"You picking a fight, bitch?"

"I'm not fighting someone that looks dead on his feet."

"I'm healed, the doctors just insisted I keep the bandages on!"

Mira doesn't go on missions anymore, not really– but chaperoning is something she's still inclined to do, every now and then. Whether it be a newbie needing someone to show them the ropes, or someone needing a more recognizable face to show the world, that kind of thing. There's always someone else available, but sometimes, it would have to be her.

She's only left Magnolia a handful of times in the past two years. Mira can fight– she can, but there was never again the urge to. She was content, being the demon at the mouth of the den that was the guild, and everyone respected that.

And yet here… here she was.

She supposes, if no one else was available, she would feel more at ease if she went with Natsu, too. And in the worst cases… she can fight, too.

She hasn't been a capable S-class mage in ages, but she had experience and a level head. When Laxus had told Natsu to ask Mira to go along with him, Laxus was most likely counting on Mira's ability to judge the threat as it came.

"Why're you so injured, anyways? Tripped on a job or something."

"Oh shut your—!"

"Gray went out with Erza and Cana and Lucy," Mira explains. "Apparently, Eisenwald was planning to use some dark magic called the Lullaby for some nefarious plan, and they thwarted it. Give it a rest, Natsu."

"Lullaby?" Natsu zeroes in on that in particular.

Gray clicks his tongue at that. "It's some sound magic that kills everyone that hears it."

Natsu was silent at that. They didn't connect the last of the dots— but it was clear from there that it had something to do with Zeref. And neither of them wanted to bring that dark wizard up around each other.

So instead, Natsu asks, "I thought the council keeps things like those?"

"About that," Mira says, "Loke mentioned something. About how there was probably an insider in the council that helped Eisenwald get that far."

"What?" Gray turns. He hadn't heard.

But why would they infiltrate the council? Just to cause trouble? Dark magic… the Lullaby, and now, Deliora … it definitely had something to do with Zeref, and this could only mean one thing.

The Zeref Cult was active again.

Ideally, Natsu would not want to go on a job with Gray, but he knew that if he settled this issue without him, it wouldn't be right.

Let them settle their pasts on their own, Master had said.

Natsu feared that if he settled this and it turned out to be something from Gray's past, their relationship would just get even worse than before. It sucked, but Natsu was used to walking on eggshells.

"It's rare to see you out without Happy," Mira says.

Natsu was trying his best not to hurl over the side of the boat. This weird Bobo guy that apparently used to be a native was going to bring them to the island, but Natsu wished they could've just flown instead.

"Well, if Laxus is sick again, then it can't be helped," Gray says. "Cana owes me drinks."

"You're betting on it?"

"On how often it is."

The dragon lacrima ultimately only inflated Laxus' ability to get physically stronger. His constitution and endurance was still hilariously fragile (at least to the kids of the guild, Master agonized over it all the time.) No one would ever believe that a man as bulky as he got sick from the weather at least once a month, and it's an open secret the entirety of the guild tries their hardest to pretend to keep.

"Enough already," Natsu mutters, groggily. "Hey. Tell us the deal about the island already," he pleads, sounding sick, but he manages to lift his head over to Bobo.

"Well… uhm, are you alright?" Bobo asks, and Natsu throws up into the sea. At Mira's assurance that he would be fine, Bobo nods, shifting aside his robe to reveal a demonically morphed arm.

Mira gasps. Gray winces.

"For the last three years, the moon has been purple on Galuna Island," he says. "And all those who are exposed to the light– well, this is how we end up."

"The moon's purple? But…" Gray looks toward the island, which was vaguely in sight. "But magic that alters the body? That's freaky."

Mira's face is steely. "I'm sorry, sir– may I?"

She holds out a hand, prompting to touch the man's arm– and Bobo, though surprised, allows her. Her fingers wrap around the man's wrist– and she closes her eyes.

"No," she says. "You're not taken over. Your body registers to me as that of a demon's."

Bobo recoils at her words, and Mira lets go.

"Y- You can tell," he says, discomposed. "Yes, our bodies have been slowly morphing into that of a demon's, over the years. No one's dared to leave the village– except me, because I escaped. We've been asking for help from wizard guilds for years, and…"

"Hold on– you've asked for help from wizard guilds?" Gray says.

Mira pales, "oh no. I should have checked the request board– is this listed as an S-class quest?"

Natsu winces at that. "It's fine, we've got an S-class wizard with us."

"It's not fine!" Mira says, whirling around at him. "That means it's too dangerous, we have to go back and at least take Erza–"

"What the–!!" Gray yells out, catching the attention of the other two.

Bobo was gone.

"A trap," Mira hisses. "A trap!" She yells louder, when the wind picks up and the waves curl dangerously over the edge. Gathering magic at her back she sprouts demon wings, picking up Natsu while kicking off the boat.

"Ice Make–" Gray leaps over the edge of the boat, slamming a hand against the surface of the sea. "Floor!"

It's just in time for the waves to swallow their boat whole, shattering the edge of the ice platform on the way. Mirajane and Natsu land on the ice as well, Mira's wing deactivating as she dropped him.

"Should've noticed earlier," Mirajane says. She's gotten rusty if she didn't pick up on the man's disappearance sooner. But something was strange– why did that man react like he'd been exposed? He was looking for a cure to return human, wasn't he? Was he trying to get more victims out of some petty vengeance?

But it was too late for that guy. His body's biology had been morphed into that of a demon's, and since it wasn't Take Over magic, there was no chance of him ever returning to human form. At least as far as Mira knew.

She couldn't believe that magic to permanently alter biology existed.

Unless it was all a lie? But how much of it?

"Regardless, we don't know about the purple moon thing, but this demon thing's definitely got something to do with Deliora," Natsu says, recovering as he regains his balance on the iceberg. It was shattering, though, the waves being too rough for the thin platform. "We need to hurry."

It's barely evening now– if they made it, they'll be right on time for the moon to rise.

"If this is an S-class mission, then we'll have to use my name," Mirajane says. "I can't help but feel uneasy– Bobo left without telling us more about the situation."

"No choice now. We'll apologize to Master when we get back!" Gray says, gathering magic in his hand again before creating a larger, much broader ice floor that extends about half of the way toward the island. "For now, we gotta go!"

A storm was coming to this part of the seas. They'll have to run.

(Far overhead and hidden between the clouds, Bobo frowned. He didn't expect a demon specialist, but he hoped she would be kind toward the villagers.)

They see the light descend on the temple, and they knew instantly that there was where the root of the problem occurred.

"The moon's really purple," Natsu says.

"How do I say this…" Mirajane shudders, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't feel good. The island– it doesn't feel right."

Natsu frowns at that. He felt the same way– and since Gray was more confused than he was bothered by the discomfort, he didn't know what they were talking about.

This was a demon thing.

"I'm going up the temple," Natsu says.

Mira grabs him, "wait! We need to get a clearer picture of the situation! We're going to the village!"

"Go ahead of me," Natsu says. "That's a temple up there– you're not going to be able to get there easily, Mira. It's better for me to go first and scout them out."

Mira grimaces. She does have difficulty going into holy places— it's worse now, especially because she's not as strong as she was before— but she definitely didn't feel at ease letting him go alone.

"I'm responsible for you!" she says, her voice raised. "You are listening to me, Natsu, or we're all going home–"

"Mira, is this really the fucking time?"

"Yes it is!" Mira snaps, and Natsu sucks in a breath. Mira's eyes are watery, her fists tight. "This is an S-class mission. Neither of you– not even me! We're not qualified to deal with this! I don't care how personal or disturbing you think this is– I'm not letting any of you go out recklessly. If you're not going to be careful, I'm not going to tolerate this!"

And Natsu couldn't even find the words to return.

Gray stayed out of it, biting his lip, evidently annoyed.

Mira knew best the risk of underestimating an S-class mission. On this mission— she was the leader of the team. Finding out this was supposedly an S-class designation was just awful. She wished they'd brought a Call Card along, so Master would follow up— but alas.

"Alright," Natsu relents. He turns away from the purple light descending upon the hilltop, meeting Gray in the eyes with a stern gaze. "Let's go meet the village first."

Mira turns toward the village, leading the way.

Ten steps later, she turns around to find herself alone.

Heartbroken, but not surprised— she turned back around, stubbornly deciding she would head to the village on her own.

"She's going to be so mad," Gray mutters, running across the terrain, his shirt lost in the wind. He lunges past a heightened tree root, before clambering up a rock to get to higher ground.

A pace away from him, Natsu leaps out from the trees, Gray's coat in his arms. "If you lose this for the third fucking time I am going to burn it, Gray!"

"Woah, you found it– I mean, hey!" Gray curses, "then do it, you coward!" But he snatches it back and angrily shrugs it on.

They're at the entrance to the temple now.

Natsu grimaces, carefully touching the temple walls. Maybe it's because he's sealed under a layer of human skin– this isn't really affecting him much. He still can't help but feel on edge here, though.

"Hey, Gray," Natsu says warningly, when Gray steps foot in the temple. "Just saying– but whoever's in charge, you can defeat him, right?"

Gray clicks his tongue. His moment of hesitation makes his statement of "of course I can," sound much less convincing, but Natsu simply turned away.

"Then you can handle him on your own," Natsu says.

Gray curses under his breath. "That's what I was planning on doing, I don't need you to tell me the obvious," he says, walking past Natsu with purposeful steps.

Natsu watches his actions warily– but says nothing.

"None of you have been to the temple?"

"Yes. I'm sorry… we just haven't been able to approach it."

"I see, it must be the demonic influence, then."

Mirajane arrives at the village. She gains the information from the village, and she does her best to assure them that they have come to fix the problem.

All things considered, Mirajane knows the smart thing to do is to go home. She's hardly in her prime, she's no longer qualified to handle a quest like this.

But Natsu and Gray ran off, and here she was.

They both knew that Mirajane wanted to fix this for them. She understood, more than anyone, the pain of being cursed by the stigma of demons. Maybe they ran off because they wanted to force Mirajane to accept her own feelings for this.

"Miss Mirajane," Lulu, one of the village girls, approaches her. "It's getting rather late. Would you like to rest?"

"I can't—" Mirajane pauses.

Lulu was just being nice. They're all anxious about the problem, but there's no sense in panicking over a yet-to-be-found solution, was there?

"Could I have some water?" she asks. First, calm down. "Does anyone know what god the temple worships, and their recent activity? Anything about them. I'm rather sure they're the cause… actually, do any of you know about the Moon Drip?"

Of course, things don't happen as planned.

The first thing Gray does is fill the entire space with ice– and because his opponent does the same, Natsu has to hurriedly leap back before all the fractals harshly collide, shattering to fill the entire area with enough frost and magic particles to make even a fire mage feel scarce.

"Well great, now I can't even fucking fight here," Natsu grumbles, but Gray's too far to hear him.

"What the fuck are you planning on doing here, Lyon?!" Gray demands, and his opponent scoffs, removing his mask.

"What a coincidence, Gray," he says, dryly. "But what I do here is none of your business. Leave before I make you, you utter disgrace."

"How is this not my business? What are you planning on using that insane magic for, Lyon?!" Gray demands. "Deliora– do you have something to do with Deliora's apparent disappearance from Isvan?"

"Oh? So you've noticed," Lyon says. "Even though you ran off from Isvan so long ago like a coward, and you've been so vehemently against returning for the past ten years?"

Gray flinches violently.

(The only way Lyon would know for sure that Gray has never returned to Isvan would be if Lyon had been there the entire time.)

Natsu hasn't heard Gray this angry since that day, when Natsu stood up for Zeref's name. It made Natsu shudder, not in a fearful way, but in a worried way.

Because that tone only meant that Gray was near tears.

"Well… if you must know," Lyon begins– and then sighs, turning causally to his companions. "What are you three waiting for? Go deal with the village, I'll handle this brat myself."

"What?!"

Natsu curses loudly as the three subordinates leap down the cliffside, ascending moments later on a giant flying rat. Gray curses louder.

"Hold on, the village has nothing to do with this!" Gray yells, but Lyon dismisses him.

"So?" Lyon asks, condescendingly rhetoric. "They sent you, didn't they? Then there will be more to come. I cannot allow my plan to be tampered with when we're so close to completion."

"Lyon, you b–"

Natsu groans loudly, sliding right by Gray to leap onto a tree nearby. "I'll go after them!" he hollers, and Gray doesn't have a chance to protest.

Gray turns back to Lyon, and he doesn't know what to say.

Lyon grins. "Let's talk, Gray. Like old times."

They've never really talked, in old times. Gray was always too moody for that. Lyon was always the one rambling off, cheerfully, while Gray snarks every once in a while, pretending to listen.

Gray has never heard Lyon out on anything. He's never respected Lyon as the senior student. He's never understood Lyon, never tried.

This is the consequence of that.

"What is that?"

"A giant rat?"

Mirajane looks up, alarmed, to find a huge beast flying over, a tub labelled poison held in its paws. It evidently came with malicious intent.

"Mira!" Natsu yells, plunging down from the forests, fire at his feet and twigs and scratches from rushing through the forage..

"Natsu!" she exclaims, "you punk, where did you guys run off to—"

"Yell at me later!" Natsu says, pointing upward, "get me up there!"

Right on cue, the rat upturns the entire bucket of green acid, and it was coming at them with gravity determining their last moments.

Mira curses loudly, wings sprouting from her back. "You better know what you're doing!" she spins toward the crowd. "Villagers! Please gather in the center of town right now!"

The villagers run to action, shouting orders immediately.

Mirajane scoops up Natsu on a way to a running start, and then she jets upward, flying with all her strength.

"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"

"Are all the villagers alright?" she asks.

Mirajane freezes when someone screams. "Chief!" they call, then a horrified gasp, "Lulu! You couldn't have–!"

The Chief had been stubborn, insisting on staying by Bobo's grave as the acid rained down. Lulu, a village girl, had diven in to save him. She didn't get out of the range in time, and now— her back was seared through with horrible, grotesque burns.

The Chief was uninjured, but he was terrified of what he'd done.

Lulu whimpers, her foot melted to nothing. Her back was scored through, exposing bone. She couldn't lay upright, barely held up in the arms of one of the guards.

"Lulu! Shit— stay awake!"

"Medical supplies! That's right— the village stores! We need to get there!"

"Just hold on, Lulu! We'll get you treatment right now! Stay awake!"

Natsu curses loudly. Mirajane stands, petrified. Lulu's eyes are squeezed shut, weakly holding onto the arms of the guard, desperately trying to stay awake.

("Please, Lisanna!" she begged, she sobbed. "Please… talk to me! Stay awake! Please! The medics are coming. The medics are coming, just hold out…")

"Ugh, I'd thought we'd cause more damage than that."

"How upsetting. We spent so long preparing the jelly, too."

The three of them step forward with a sigh, disappointed at the lives unharmed. Yuka kicks through Bobo's melted grave on the way, scoffing at the sight.

Natsu sees red, but Mirajane holds out a hand, stopping him.

And then Natsu meeps, stepping right back.

There were horns growing out of Mirajane's head. She's never gotten that far before, usually only her upper arms and some wings— but then there's a burst of magic power so potent Natsu instinctively gets on his knees. Mirajane's face filled partially with scales, her right arm growing into claws, one of her wings expanding to a greater size.

It's only a transformation on the right side of her body— the other side slowly receded into human form as she transferred her magic over, prioritising minimal power to full extent.

Mirajane approaches Lulu, who looks up at her approach, eyes bleary and tearful. Mirajane gently cradles her face, whispering an apology. Lulu doesn't respond— only closes her eyes, breathing out heavily.

"Villagers, please evacuate," Mira says, and they file away immediately, saluting to the orders. Their internal demon instincts have apparently willed them to obey or die.

Yuka pauses.

And then Yuka pales. "Hold on… I know that," he says, very softly. "White hair." Sherry and Toby look over, confused. Then Yuka backs away. "I… didn't you retire?"

"Natsu," Mirajane speaks.

"I'm sorry we ran away without telling you we were pushing our luck and being inconsiderate bastards please forgive us—!" Natsu responds loudly, eyes closed in fear.

"We'll talk about your attitude later," Mirajane warns, and Natsu nearly whimpers, going immediately quiet. "But for now… deal with the rat."

"Yes, sir!" Natsu shouts resolutely, standing right up.

"Huh?" Sherry turns, confused by their action. "Freak of nature as you are, do you really think the two of you can handle all of…" she trails off when Natsu plunges through Angelica, fire on his back and blazing fist through the horizon, the giant rat whirling through the forest like a shot cannon. "...us?"

The three of them watch as Angelica is sent flying. They stare, in muted horror, as Natsu runs after it in the pretence of finishing it off. And behind them, the demon glares.

"Clench your teeth, you brats," Mirajane warns.

From there, there's only screaming.

Natsu huffs, angry and tired, when he finally makes his way back up the temple.

"All I'm fucking doing today is run around everywhere!" he complains. "I had to haul Laxus home, I had to haul ass over this island, I had to run up here and back and up here again— what do people think I am, a fucking gopher?!"

And then he stops.

Up on the temple, there was no battle. The ice in the atmosphere hung around, slowly dissipating, but the fresh smell of blood wafted between them.

In the centre of the ritual site, Gray lays in a pool of his own blood.

For a long moment, Natsu couldn't breathe. He stood, petrified, as he slowly understood what he was seeing. His chest immediately fills with dread , and he runs, charging forward, so fast he barely started skidding in time to stop, scraping his palm clumsily on the ground as he dropped into a crouch, reaching for him.

"Gray!" he calls, picking him up before carefully looking through to find the wounds— the ice burns, the lacerations, the gash through his side, bleeding through his shirt, and then, the profusely bleeding temple that was starting to look incredibly dangerous.

His hands looked intact, but the stitches around his torso had reopened.

Natsu curses.

"I thought you said you could handle it, you moron!" Natsu hisses, quickly stripping his scarf to press it into Gray's head wound.

"...Natsu?" Gray groans, his eyes barely prying open for a moment, his hand reaching up blearily to find the scarf. "Huh— wait. Shit, isn't this your—?"

"Focus!" Natsu hisses, "what about your side? Want me to burn it or—"

"No, I—" Gray sucks in a sharp breath when he jerks a bit too suddenly. "Ice. I'll. I'll freeze it. You'll fucking kill me."

Immediately, Natsu moves, setting Gray back down, pulling aside the shirt that's soaked through the wound, being careful when Gray winces. Gray's hands fill with magic, and slowly, he sears ice through his side, hissing in pain as the wound seals in forcefully.

Gray finally breathes when he's done, slumping back down and letting out a weak groan.

Natsu sighs, relieved. "Fuck's sake, come on," he lifts Gray's head a little to bind his scarf over his head as a gauze. "We're going back to the village."

"...where's Lyon?"

"Hell if I know, I found you like this."

"...let me go, then," Gray mutters, when Natsu lifts him with surprising ease into his arms, careful not to jostle the injuries, keeping away from his iced side. "I need to fight."

"Fight what , you half-dead assface?" Natsu is immediately met with a faceful of raw ice magic and he yelps , nearly sliding off the stairs but managing to catch himself and Gray in a sitting position, barely avoiding a disaster. "Do you want me to drop you?!"

"Yes!" Gray snaps, cringing immediately when the loud volume pulls at his side.

Swearing indignantly, Natsu drags Gray back up, ignoring as Gray shoves icy hands in his face again. Natsu was determined to get them both away from this temple no matter what.

"Let me go or I'll make you!"

"Keep fucking trying!"

Eventually Gray curses, loud and frustrated, before burying his hands in his face, tears brimming through his eyes. He swears, louder, and Natsu sighs, keeping his eyes forward, pretending not to see.

"You wouldn't fucking understand," Gray whispers. "You're just like them. LIke the fucking cult. You ruined all these lives and you won't ever acknowledge it."

Natsu keeps his face still.

Gray had no idea how right he was, and Natsu was going to keep it that way.

So this was the cult's doing— that means they had a base somewhere on this island, didn't they? They must be trying to awaken Deliora for Zeref then? No, that doesn't sound right. There's no point in bringing Deliora to such a remote location if they wanted it to wreak havoc.

"Don't compare me to the cult," Natsu simply says.

"You're just like that cult!" Gray sneers. "You sympathise with him, don't you? You don't think Zeref's actions were wrong. You don't think anything the cult is doing is Zeref's fault, because you're some brainwashed believer that—"

His voice dies out to a choke. He's still covering his face, but Natsu can smell the burn of tears and the soft, strangled sniffles he's trying his best to suppress.

"—if only Zeref never fucking existed," Gray says. "Then none of this would've happened. My home won't be destroyed, Ur wouldn't be dead, and Lyon wouldn't have gone fucking insane ."

Natsu bites his own tongue. It's not Zeref's fault, he doesn't say . It would only make Gray more upset.

He keeps his face straight, holds Gray firmly, and quickens his steps. He focuses on trying to smell out Mira's location, making their way out of the temple grounds.

It's my fault. I'm the reason. I'm the one that made Zeref a Black Wizard.