Fairy Boy Forgotten

by Icy Cake

While out on a mission, Wendy and her teammates discover an ancient temple where they find a mysterious, injured boy. Much to their disappointment, the child suffers from severe amnesia and is devoid of any memories. It's up to Wendy and her friends to help him remember who he really is. Many thanks to The Epic Legion for the fantastic cover!

31. Black Wings of Despair

Black Wings of Despair

---

The sky was darkening. Nightfall was approaching so soon yet again. Days were annoyingly short; each one gradually getting shorter than the last. Thick black clouds covered the world above, stretching as far as his eyes could see. Endless darkness with no break in sight for several more days to come. It was going to be nothing but bitter, icy winds and blinding snow.

He had tried blasting it all away with a single breath before, but winter was too stubborn a force to be erased. The clear skies he created lasted only mere hours before he encountered more of the same dreary weather later on. Not wanting to waste more of his energy, he grudgingly continued on, soaring into the hearts of relentless blizzards, some lasting days on end.

He loathed the northern climate; despised the ice and snow with a fiery passion! However, he refused to retreat to familiar grounds. He was on a hunt, one that had reinvigorated his lust for blood and carnage, a blissful feeling he hadn't felt in centuries!

The winds reeked of live dragons, the scent growing stronger with each passing day. They had left a trail of destruction for him to easily follow; numerous isolated villages reduced to ruins where the beasts had stopped to feast on human flesh and livestock. He had thought he had slain every last dragon in Ishgar, but it appeared a few had managed to elude him all these years. He could only suspect something was helping them. He could smell it; an unnatural stench that was neither man nor beast. A foul creature.

Whatever it was, it would die alongside the rest of his prey.

Almost nonstop he had flown, seeing the landscape below pass by as a blur. Glacial rocky shores, desolate fields of white, dense forests capped with snow; they were there and gone and back again, seemingly in a blink of an eye. When the winter storms were fierce, he was forced to land several times, his wings too stiff and heavy with accumulated ice to properly fly. A few huffs of his scorching breath usually melted it all away.

Forest and fields had eventually turned into steep valleys and mountains and nothing more. Peaks gradually grew taller the deeper he went until there were enormous mountains with tops so high, they disappeared into the clouds.

With night falling and a snow storm blowing strong, he had to slow significantly to avoid smashing into the sides of mountains that would suddenly appear in front of him. He navigated the bottomless valleys that howled from the chilling winds, his wings flapping hard to fight against the merciless gusts that threatened to throw him off course.

When he nearly slammed into another surprise mountain, he got frustrated and decided to destroy all the annoying obstacles in his way.

Hovering before a great, unyielding wall of natural rock, he drew a deep breath to gather his power. His chest burned with a blazing heat and the markings on his body began to shine bright, casting an icy-blue glow over the shadows. The fire rose to the back of his throat, a searing energy that flared from his fanged mouth like frozen flames. Stronger and brighter the energy grew until he could barely contain it within his jaws.

He was about to unleash a deadly roar attack on the mountain in front of him when he noticed something flash in the corner of his eye. At the last instance, he sharply turned his head and fired his beam of destruction. The clouds and earth were alight with his icy-blue breath as it shot through the sky, vaporizing the surrounding atmosphere to nothing, and easily overpowering the magical attack that was heading his way.

His target was far enough to act swiftly, fully evading his beam a short second before it would hit. The attack shot past and struck the side of a distant mountain, exploding in a huge and blinding blast of pale aether that sundered both heaven and earth. More than a single mountain was decimated; the entire range situated around the first peak had been reduced to a sunken, molten white-blue crater surrounded by piles of half-melted rock.

In the light of the explosion, he had caught the silhouette of his attacker before it disappeared from his sight, its form unmistakable.

A dragon!

He sneered wickedly in delight for the hunt had now begun! There was no escaping him for he was Acnologia, the fearsome King of Dragons!

The black dragon roared at the top of his lungs to announce his presence to all who could hear, blasting away the falling snow and stilling the air around him. It took seconds before he felt the wind pick back up again, the clouds quickly returning with their arctic wrath.

Brimming with glee, he folded his wings and dove, beginning his pursuit. He swerved into the valley where his target had fled and immediately picked up its scent in the wind. Following his nose, he weaved through narrow gaps and yawning valleys, his path lighted by his own power.

Something flashed in the clouds above.

Acnologia veered aside when an enormous ray of golden light shot down, striking where he was a second ago. Blinding and hot like the sun, the magical ray burned away the clouds it touched and turned night into day for only a moment.

Acnologia was momentarily blinded, needing to blink away the remnants of light from his vision. He sensed more of the same magic coming his way. Growling, he pushed forward, increasing his speed to fly past the multiple rays of concentrated sunlight wanting to smite him down.

He scowled, recognizing the spell. There was only one dragon he had fought who possessed the power of the sun as great as this. Needing to confirm his suspicions, he sharply turned around, cloaked his body in flickering aether, and swooped upwards, shooting through the solar ray coming straight down on him.

Eyes clenched shut, he pierced the light like an arrow, unaffected by the intense heat that would have incinerated a weaker foe to ashes in an instant. Bathed in the magic, he opened his mouth and consumed some of the invigorating energy before the spell came to an abrupt end. The power of the sun pleasantly warmed his body, warding off the bitter cold brought by the winter winds.

He reached the same altitude as his foe up above the turbulent clouds where the air was dangerously thin. The starry night sky was visible above with the half-moon glowing bright. With its body radiating both the light and warmth akin to the rising sun, it wasn't difficult to spot the other dragon.

One would have mistaken the beast for a mythical phoenix upon first sight with its broad, feathery wings of orange, black, and yellow and the long, elegant quills of gold sprouting from its feather-crowned head and fanned tail. Its slender face ended in a sharp, black beak and its four legs were covered in thick scales and feathers, similar to a bird's.

Acnologia glared at the dragon, growing more furious the moment he recognized her. She was the Sun Dragon who had claimed to be Queen and whose name he didn't care to remember. She was supposed to be dead; slain by his hands! He had scorched her pretty feathers and left her lying in a pool of her own blood, her neck torn and broken.

"How?!" he roared at her, making the clouds beneath shudder from his voice, "How are you still alive?!"

She didn't answer, only glared as she hovered in place.

It was then Acnologia noticed something odd about her; her eyes were not the same piercing gold as he remembered, but red with a sinister glow.

Another power was at play. She was under the will of another.

Necromancy?

No, she still breathed with life and did not reek of death. However, she stank of the foul creature... a vile evil.

Could it be the same evil that had made the world tremble however long ago? If so, then it was no mere coincidence that the dragons appeared around the same time...

Acnologia was about to demand another answer when the Sun Dragon vanquished her light and dove into the clouds, fleeing yet again.

Snarling, Acnologia folded his wings to give chase only to pull back out of his dive the instant the clouds started to unnaturally twist.

Powerful magic belonging to another dragon had charged the sky, turning the spiralling clouds thick, black, and dangerous with lightning. Thunder cracked the heavens at an ungodly volume, making Acnologia hiss at the pain in his ears.

From the eye of the cyclone, a humongous shadow rose from the stormy clouds, appearing like a winged phantom shrouded in dark mist. A single red eye pierced through the darkness before the winds swept the mist away, showing the dragon's true form. Six massive, webbed wings combined with a long slender body armoured in dark and spiny, gold-tipped scales; the enormous beast overshadowed Acnologia by at least five-fold.

"You..." Acnologia snarled vehemently, remembering the enormous dragon all too clearly despite the hundreds of years that had long since passed. Valvarion, the Dragon Emperor of Storms. He, too, was supposed to be dead! Each of those dreadful wings ripped to shreds and his heart torn apart by Acnologia's claws!

For countless weeks, Acnologia had battled against the Emperor and his army across the continent, wreaking havoc and permanently altering the landscape in the process. Arduous, exhausting, and seemingly eternal, the battle had finally come to an end when Acnologia was able to bring the Storm Dragon down and wipe out his remaining forces soon after.

Plumes of aether escaped Acnologia's mouth as he seethed at yet another suddenly revived dragon. An old scar began to itch where one of Valvarion's golden horns had gouged his left side.

Valvarion in the distant past had a full set of horns, this Valvarion however, was missing one horn and one eye, left with a hideous scar down the right side of his face, wounds something other than Acnologia was capable of inflicting. The dragon's remaining eye was red with the same malevolent light as the Sun Dragon, he, too, under the command of a greater power.

What was happening? How were the dead alive and what accursed spell controlled them?

Valvarion bared his huge fangs in a wide sneer and spoke, his deep and thunderous voice so loud it was almost painful; "So kind of you to come to me, Black Dragon. I no longer have to hunt you down."

Acnologia growled irritably and snapped, "It is I who is hunting you! I don't know how you've been resurrected, but I will take pleasure in ripping off each and every one of your precious wings once again! Again and again! No matter how many times you're brought back to life, I will slay you!"

Laughter rumbled deep within the Emperor's throat, the sound like rolling thunder. His one eye narrowed, the crimson glow shining more intently.

His glare was chilling, unlike the Valvarion Acnologia had battled long ago. Whatever had taken control of the Emperor was a powerful being that Acnologia was starting to be wary of.

"You will slay none," the Storm Dragon retorted, his tone calm and annoyingly confident, "for you shall be joining me."

Acnologia couldn't believe what he was hearing. His body flared with aether as he shook with rage. "Join you?! How dare you mock me! I have slaughtered your kind, burned down your kingdoms, slain your kings! Never will I ever side with you wretched creatures!"

"You have no choice, Black Dragon–"

"I am Acnologia! And I am the King of Dragons! My choice is to kill every last one of you!"

"Is it not clear?" Valvarion spat, ignoring Acnologia's outburst, "You are staring at your own fate. I will make you join me. Any dragon can be brought under my control, including the King of them all."

Acnologia narrowed his gaze. "Who are you?! The one who speaks is not the Storm Dragon, but another... Where are you hiding, coward?!"

Valvarion's mouth curled into a terrifying grin. "You will know soon enough."

At that moment, more shadows emerged from the spinning clouds to hover behind the great Valvarion. Four smaller dragons including the Sun Dragon Queen. The other three were weak and insignificant, none Acnologia could recall ever encountering, likely massacred without even a glance. He suspected that they were also brought back from their graves.

One was a female smaller than the rest, her scales green and colourful like the petals of vibrant flowers and her wings, soft and rustling like the leaves of plants. She was nearly half the size of the monstrous male next to her who was a chimera of all sorts of beasts. Feathers, spotted and striped fur, quills, and scales, the dragon had two pairs of different wings, webbed and feathered, and all types of horns on its head. The third dragon was also a male, stout and bulky with shortened limbs, a huge protruding lower jaw with enormous tusks, and protected with coarse, rocky scales and tall spiky ridges along its broad back.

They all had the same red eyes, the same wickedness; fools who no longer had a will of their own. They were nothing but slaves. Puppets. Pets. And now they wished to make Acnologia one of them.

Never!

"Do not resist," Valvarion growled the instant Acnologia's power surged from anger, "or else you will regret it!"

Acnologia had heard enough. He drew a quick, deep breath, concentrating his power at the back of his throat, and let out a roar attack, wanting to take Valvarion by surprise.

However, the other dragons were prepared. They screamed as one, each firing their own different coloured breaths with Valvarion being the loudest and brightest. Their beams combined in the end, shortly before colliding against Acnologia's blazing blue aether.

The energies exploded in a massive, blinding, deafening blast that sent them all flying back from the ensuing shockwave.

Stunned in most of his senses, Acnologia tumbled through the air, unable to determine which direction was up or down as the world spun before his eyes. He snapped out of it just in time to see a snowy mountain rushing to meet him. He twisted his body and shifted his wings to catch air, pulling out of his free-fall before he could crash headfirst. The bottoms of his feet and tail scraped along snow and rock as he glided over the mountaintop and swooped back up.

The blast had stilled the air and cleared the sky, the moon and stars visible from every angle. However, the calm moment didn't last for long. Magic summoned back the dark, twisting clouds to hide away the natural light. Strong winds howled through the valleys once more, reunited with the booming thunder and blowing snow.

Within the epicentre of the growing storm in the distance, a single red eye shone through the darkness, its true form illuminated with every flash of yellow lightning. As expected, the Emperor was the first among the five to recover and was already stirring up trouble.

Acnologia glowered at his powerful foe as he circled around, trying to stay near the edge of the blizzard. Taking the behemoth out was his top priority, however getting close enough to deal significant damage was going to be a problem when he was at the mercy of the winds.

Valvarion could call forth a hurricane strong enough to sink an island in a matter of seconds if he desired, but it appeared the dragon was holding back. It was creating only a thundering snowstorm with tempests capable of knocking out most dragons. Not wanting to harm his weaker allies? Or was it because the vile being was somewhere within the vicinity, observing the battle from down below?

Acnologia assumed it was likely both.

Not using his full power was going to be the Emperor's biggest mistake!

Eyes locked on the giant, winged shadow, Acnologia shot forward, his wings beating hard against the turbulent weather.

Valvarion turned when he sensed the other dragon's approach, his one eye glaring. Lightning crackled around his jaws. He roared, his cry like a painful crack of thunder that threatened to split the sky, and fired an electrified beam that was greater in both size and power than before.

Acnologia veered sharply aside to avoid the flash of gold, feeling the Emperor's magic charge the surrounding air with high volts of electricity. Acnologia snarled, his body feeling numb and tingling despite not getting hit directly. Behind him, the sky was lit up with blinding yellow and the earth rocked by a massive, lightning-infused explosion where Valvarion's breath had struck.

Acnologia didn't care to look back at the damage as he continued forward. A tall, sharp mountain peak suddenly appeared right in front of him, forcing him to twist out of its path. His right wing clipped into it, causing him to stagger, but he was quick to regain his balance. Another mountain suddenly sprang up to block his way and he soon realized it was created by dragon magic. No doubt it was the rocky beast.

Furious, Acnologia had just enough time to enshroud his claws with searing aether. He slashed at the mountain, his magic flaring like flames upon impact, tearing through the solid rock as if it were only made of water. Another mountain rose before him and again, he slashed through the peak with ease.

Crimson eyes glinted within the gaping valley below him. They vanished when the enormous mountains grew and shifted, hiding the cowardly rock dragon from sight.

Acnologia wanted to annihilate the entire mountain range with his breath to rid the beast, but a deafening crack of thunder made him pause. Lightning flashed, coming from Valvarion's direction. Acnologia dove within the valley to take cover behind the mountains.

Valvarion's crackling breath shot past overhead and soundly struck the earth once more in the distance, casting the world above in blinding yellow.

With a new target on his mind, Acnologia soared through the deep valley to hunt the pesky rock dragon. He had caught the beast's scent and was now hot on its trail. The dragon tried to obstruct his path by closing the valley walls and making rocky protrusions jut out of the mountainsides, none of which could stop Acnologia's blazing claws.

It wasn't long until he caught up with the heavy, bulky dragon flying low in the darkest chasm. Too slow and cumbersome to evade, the beast couldn't escape Acnologia as he raked his claws across its back, his magic tearing through rock and scales and deep into flesh and bone.

The dragon's howl of agony echoed throughout the valleys – a wondrous sound that Acnologia had dearly missed! He laughed maliciously as the crippled and injured dragon plummeted to its death in the black abyss below. If the fall didn't kill the beast, it would eventually bleed out and die.

His moment of joy was cut short when the clouds flashed with warm light. A sunbeam.

He twisted away from the hot, blinding ray that chased away the night. For a brief second, the true depths of the endless valleys were revealed, thousands of metres deep.

There was another flash. Acnologia cloaked his body in protective aether and didn't bother to dodge the scathing ray as it shot straight down from the heavens. Eyes closed, he basked in the radiance and welcomed its warmth, taunting the Sun Dragon and her inferior power. He began to devour the energy to replenish some of his magic, managing to swallow only a mouthful before he was interrupted by an ear-piercing shriek. The Sun Dragon, hidden within her own spell, slammed into the base of his left wing and knocked him out of flight.

He spiraled downwards with his attacker now clinging onto his wing and back, her shrill cry of anger becoming a horrible scream of pain as her limbs were seared by his aura of magic. And yet she held on, forcing him to dive into the black void headfirst.

He twisted his body, trying to throw her off as well as reach around to grab her. He was flailing blindly, the light from her body too bright to look at. When he was unsuccessful at his attempts, he roared in anger and released his aura in a short, explosive burst of aether that outshone her light.

The Sun Dragon was blasted away with a pained shriek, however it resulted in her tearing off a handful of Acnologia's large wing feathers. Even though he was free of her burden, it was too late to pull out of his dive. He collided against the side of a sloped cliff and tumbled several times before he could sink his claws into solid rock. Sparks flew as he scraped down the mountainside to slow his fall, producing a terrible screech in the process.

He hadn't come to a full stop when he sensed another dragon nearby, coming fast from behind. He tore his claws free and launched off the wall. When he spun around, he came face-to-face with the chimera dragon. The dragon morphed into another form in an instant: a horned and bearded serpent that was thrice its normal size in length and with a body double the width of Acnologia's legs. It was armoured in white, prickly scales marked with crimson and sharp, black-webbed spines that ran down its back.

The serpent snapped its long body as fast as lightning and coiled around Acnologia, binding his wings and limbs, making him fall once again.

The serpent's head wrapped around to stare down at its prisoner with its large, round eyes unblinking and burning red. "It isssss futile!" the serpent hissed as they plummeted into the abyss together.

Acnologia laughed in its face out of sheer mockery. "You think you can restrain me as a pathetic snake?! It is your efforts that are futile!" With a shout, he released another explosive burst of aether from his body, scorching the serpent's scales and flesh. It jerked its head back and gasped in pain, however it was too obedient to let go. It wound tighter instead, further constricting the black dragon as if desperate to squeeze the life out of him.

Grunting, Acnologia pushed back, his strength greater than the serpent's. He released another burst of searing energy and broke free from its coils, its body now badly burnt and bleeding. By then, they had reached the very bottom.

With no time to recover, Acnologia braced for impact. A thin layer of snow did little to soften his fall as he struck the rocky ground headfirst. He heard and felt rock shatter upon impact as he bounced, tumbled, and rolled several times before coming to a dizzying stop. A moment later, he found himself lying on his side, dazed, but otherwise unharmed. He shook his head to regain his bearings and quickly rose onto his hands and feet, his tail whipping side to side. He tuned his keen senses to the surrounding darkness, prepared for the next ambush.

He could hear the pitiful moans of the chimera dragon coming from somewhere nearby and could smell its blood. But the dying beast was the least of Acnologia's concern. There was something else he could smell, the foul stench of the unholy being and it was growing stronger by the second.

Footsteps echoed from within the shadows, soundly crunching and dragging on snow as they approached the black dragon's position in a slow, but steady broken gait. A puny creature that walked on two legs and wearing armour that clanged with every limping step.

Acnologia fully turned to face the unseen foe, purposely stomping his hands and feet, cracking the earth beneath him to demonstrate his might. Wisps of aether escaped his mouth as he bared his fangs and glared at the shadows. It was then he realized the chasm had gone awfully still, the winds no longer howling through. Valvarion's storm had suddenly come to a halt.

The wounded creature brought along a strange, unnatural cold with its presence; a sensation that cut deeper than the winter winds ever could.

Unnerving chills ran through Acnologia's body, something he had never felt before. Greatly disturbed, he gathered his power until the markings on his body began to shine, chasing away the shadows with his icy-blue glow.

His light revealed a lone man hobbling towards him.

The man was nearly a shadow himself, draped in a thick, black fur cloak and his skin as dark as ash. His hair stood out against the darkness, short and red like fire, but it did little to detract from his unsightly face. He was marred by gruesome scars and his right eye was gone, clawed away by some ferocious beast. His ugliness added to his daunting appearance as his remaining eye was fierce, seemingly glowing like red embers when he met Acnologia's glower, unfazed.

The man was not truly human, but a wretched demon wearing their skin. Compared to Acnologia, the fiend looked hardly a threat – only a weak little insect on its last legs!

But Acnologia knew not to underestimate the creature daring to approach him. The bad feeling in his gut could not be ignored and neither could he shrug away the awful chills that plagued his body.

"So it's you?" Acnologia demanded, his words reverberating all around. He scoffed, puffing out steam and aether. "I expected something more."

"Disappointed, are you?" the man retorted, his voice strong, deep, and resonating. He stopped in his advance a few steps into Acnologia's light and formed a hideous sneer with his scarred lips. "It matters not what you think of me. If you do not submit, then you shall have to find out the hard way what you are truly up against."

Claws sank deeper into rock as Acnologia seethed with rage. He slammed his tail on the ground, smashing stone with a loud bam and making the earth tremble."You somehow revived the dead just to get to me? Is that it?! You are foolish to think you can enslave me as easily as those weaklings, vile demon! I will kill you and every one of your pets before this night is through!"

The man visibly tensed, his sneer slowly morphing into a displeased frown. There was a dangerous glint in his eye as he narrowed his gaze that – for only a second – seemed to flash with a wicked red light.

Acnologia couldn't stop his body from shuddering.

What is this?!

The awful cold that made him shiver… was it fear? It couldn't be… He was the strongest dragon! There was nothing he feared! Especially not the puny little creature standing before him! Muscles taut, he growled and shifted in his stance, wanting to defy the demon's evil cursing the valley.

"Interesting," said the man, "That is not the first I have heard such a threat. I see it now… that same hatred in your eyes, that same power you wield. It could only mean one thing…"

Acnologia was irked by the man's rambling, not quite sure what he was getting at, nor did he care. Tired of hearing the demon's voice, the dragon rose onto his feet to his full height with his wings spread wide, towering over the other. He could easily stomp the man flat like a measly little ant! Crush every bone to dust!

The man dared to smirk. "You wish to fight? Then I suppose I will have to teach you a valuable lesson as your new master."

It was all it took to provoke Acnologia into attacking first.

Without warning, the dragon expelled his breath in the form of fiery aether from his mouth. It was like a huge wave of ice-blue fire, so bright it lit up the wide chasm, and so hot, it melted the rocky ground and mountainsides, turning them into molten pools of white and blue. It spread so far and fast, swallowing the man up in the blazing energy in only a blink.

Acnologia did not relent, spewing his magic until the last of his breath. He gasped when he needed to draw air and grinned at the damage before him, seeing the bottom of the chasm consumed entirely by burning aether.

He started to laugh only to stop short when his tall icy fires were suddenly blasted away. There stood the man in the middle of the glowing, molten river, both he and the ground beneath him unscathed.

What?! Impossible!

How could the fiend withstand the heat?! There was no barrier or any other sort of magic that Acnologia could detect.

The man's smirk widened into a sneer and his eye burned bright and crimson, the very same light as his enslaved beasts. The true look of a demon. "Let's make this quick. I am in no mood to play around," he said, parting his cloak to raise a black armoured gauntlet before him. Dark purple fire engulfed his hand, an evil power like none other.

Acnologia flinched back as four purplish rifts suddenly tore open in front of him. Rattling, black chains shot out of each, large, heavy, and barbed.

The dragon ducked under one and made the mistake of backhanding another; it snapped around his wrist and wrapped tight around his arm, slithering like a living snake. The other chains snagged each of his legs while the first whipped back around to encircle his neck.

Acnologia roared and yanked back, using his brute strength to try and snap the links. However, the chains were unyielding; his efforts were in vain. They wound tighter, the barbs cutting deep, ripping into his tough scales as if they were only paper. He choked at the bind cutting into his neck and moved to grab it, only to have his free arm caught in more sets of chains. They wrapped around his torso, tail, and jaws, immobilizing him and keeping his mouth shut.

Unwilling to be defeated so easily, Acnologia snarled through his clenched teeth and quickly gathered his power, making his markings flash bright. He unleashed an explosive burst of aether all around that soundly shattered the nearby cliff. Unfortunately, his magic did nothing against the accursed chains.

A cold, black fire began to burn down on the binds, rushing towards him. Unable to break free, he was left with no other choice. He transformed before the dark fires could touch him.

His body rapidly shrunk, allowing him to escape his shadowy binds. Hard black scales softened into human skin, tail and wings receded, long dark blue hair sprouted from his head to flow down his back. His clothing magically appeared when he fully became a man; a loose, worn black cloak around his bare upper body and faded, dark blue pants that were torn and frayed up to his knees.

He landed on the ground on his bare feet and leapt backwards several times to put some distance between him and the whipping chains. Hundreds of cuts adorned his body, making every movement sting, and leaving a trail of blood behind.

The chains reeled back into their rifts and disappeared, leaving the demon to stand alone, eyeing the Dragon Slayer with great interest. The fiend began to limp forward, stepping over the molten rock that instantly solidified right under his plated boots. "A human?" he questioned, his tone low and mocking, "Are you not the King of Dragons? Or was it all a lie?"

Acnologia glowered vehemently, the markings on his skin glowing with power. "I had slain every dragon in Ishgar and reigned over this land long before you showed up with your little pets! I am still the strongest dragon, making me the true King!"

"How utterly sad and pitiful," the demon scoffed, riling Acnologia to no end, "You are a King of your own creation with no one around to acknowledge you. You rule over nothing."

That was the final straw. Acnologia was completely enraged. Aether engulfed his body like fire, icy-blue fringed with darkness. An incredible power corrupted with madness.

"Dark Aether Cataclysm!" he bellowed, clawing his hands across the ground before his feet. His magic flared out, tearing under the earth only to violently burst with shadowy aether from beneath in massive, consecutive explosions, making the chasm run a hundred times deeper and wider. The earth where the demon stood and every mountain beyond was decimated by the dark, icy blasts that reached far into the sky.

As he watched the world crumble before him, he sensed a sudden, bitter chill that seemed to pierce his soul. There was a glint as something shot out of the blazing wall of dark aether.

Acnologia twisted aside, but the object was faster than his eyes could follow. It struck his right shoulder as hard as a full-powered swipe from another dragon, knocking him off his feet where he landed flat on his back. Sharp pain shot through his right side, but it was quickly numbed by his rage. He snarled, seeing a large lance made of black metal impaled right through his shoulder.

Black shadows quickly gathered around the shaft of the weapon. An armoured hand with a shining, golden triangular mark emerged from the darkness, followed by the rest of the towering demon. The fiend's red eye bore down at the Dragon Slayer as he thrust his lance deeper, piercing the tip into the ground.

Feeling nothing but pure hatred, Acnologia yelled and lashed out his free arm in retaliation only to have the demon stomp a heavy armoured boot right on his chest. The Dragon Slayer choked, hearing bones break and feeling the ground cave right under him.

With the wind knocked out of him and his ribcage shattered, Acnologia struggled to breathe. He tasted blood in his mouth, his lungs likely punctured from broken bones. He writhed in place, glaring through his torment at the vile demon pinning him to the ground.

"Pathetic. I expected something more from you," the demon muttered in disdain, throwing Acnologia's words right back at him. "You are not a King, but a weak, lowly peasant."

Damn you, cursed wretch! Acnologia wanted to scream, but he could barely draw breath. He hissed instead, sputtering blood and spittle, his body shaking with uncontrollable anger.

He transformed from right under the demon's foot. In an instant, he grew large, throwing the fiend right off. Smooth skin turned black and hardened into thick scales marked with pale blue. Every tooth was a pointed fang, every claw strong and sharp. Feathered wings sprouted from his back and his tail grew out, long and bladed at the end.

The demon's lance was only the size of a toothpick as he plucked it from his shoulder. However, the wound he suffered was still just as great as it heavily bled. His rage masked the pain of his injuries. He was up on his feet right after his transformation was complete, enveloped in blazing dark aether.

He saw the demon standing right in front of him. Just as he was about to unleash his wrath, the demon smiled.

Acnologia heard the chains before he saw them. They snagged every limb and bound his jaws shut, silencing his roar of fury. There were more than before, possibly triple in number. They yanked him down, forcing him to crash onto his front with a resounding boom.

He was restrained to the ground like a helpless animal, the chains unaffected by both his magic and strength. He tried to break free despite knowing it was useless and received more flesh wounds from his efforts.

Footsteps clanged throughout the chasm, making Acnologia freeze. The demon was coming towards him, approaching from the left side of the dragon's head.

As his last resort, Acnologia exhaled his breath between his clenched teeth, scorching the ground around his muzzle.

The demon's cloak snapped back, but he was otherwise immune to the devastating heat.

"It's no use," said the demon, his smile twisting into an ugly grin, "No matter which form you take, you cannot defeat me. Now, submit!" He held up his right fist that was shrouded in darkness, baring his golden emblem at the dragon. The mark flashed and Acnologia suddenly felt a terrible cold overwhelm him. The chains were engulfed in the same darkness the demon wielded. It spread to Acnologia's body, clouding his vision. It was ice-cold and suffocating, feeling as if he was dragged under a frozen lake.

He hissed and squirmed, wanting to thrash about, but he was powerless against the unbreakable binds.

Laughter deafened his ears as it echoed all around like endless thunder. The last thing he saw was the demon's evil eye penetrating the shadows, joined by the crimson eyes of his five enslaved pets.

---

Wendy dusted her hands and sighed, glad to be finally done cleaning up her area on the workbench she shared with Porlyusica. She had made quite a disaster of a mess a little earlier. For only a second, she had turned her eyes away to double-check her instructions when the liquid in her beaker suddenly boiled over and spilled out across the table. It was another failed attempt at making a potion...

For months now, she had been trying her hardest to learn how to make special medicines under Porlyusica's strict tutelage. Her desire to learn was sparked during the first few weeks she had watched over Link while he was in a coma. Wendy had felt completely useless watching from the sidelines as Porlyusica did everything she could to help him with her remedies.

Realizing her magic couldn't heal every disease or ailment, Wendy had begged Porlyusica to train her in the art of medicine. She wanted to help others in any given situation, where her magic was weakened by pollution or sealed away. The torture chamber in Mercurius Castle was a constant reminder that haunted her dreams.

While everyone in the guild was training primarily in their magical skills, Wendy focused on both Dragon Slaying and the study of medicine. In between lessons or when she desperately needed a mental break, she practiced her mother's Secret Arts outside in the forest, gradually learning new spells and improving upon old ones.

Learning to make potions and other forms of medicine was not as easy as Wendy had first thought, especially with Porlyusica as a teacher. Despite having the same scent, the old woman was very much the opposite of Grandeeney in personality by leaps and bounds.

Where Grandeeney had been calm, patient, and encouraging, Porlyusica was stern, demanding, and did not tolerate failure. Not once did the old woman ever give out any praise either.

The first two months were extremely tough. Wendy was always brought to the brink of tears every time she made an error that resulted in either a big mess, broken glassware, a waste of ingredients, or all three. Porlyusica never yelled and rarely did she raise her voice, but her scoffs of disapproval and looks of contempt often cut deeper than any words.

One time, Wendy had eventually broken down crying and Porlyusica had growled at her; "If you would rather waste your time and energy feeling guilty and weeping, then I suggest you go home and never come back. Otherwise, find a way to fix your mess!"

Wendy would be lying if she hadn't felt like giving up right then and there. Even before Porlyusica had said that to her, there were many other instances where Wendy got so upset that she believed herself inadequate in learning the ways of medicine.

The one thing that stopped her from quitting was Link, seeing him smile and laugh everyday was her motivation. He was the main reason why she wanted to study medicine in the first place. She had promised to protect him, just as he promised to protect her. Knowing that he would one day have to face the greatest dangers in the world, Wendy persevered.

It took a while for Wendy to understand what Porlyusica was trying to tell her on that miserable day. It was a harsh lesson in disguise, one that stuck with Wendy since: It was useless to cry when you make a mistake. Find out what went wrong and seek out a solution to prevent it from happening again or just move on.

After that, Wendy had come to realize that Porlyusica had experienced countless failures throughout her entire lifetime as a Medical Advisor as well. All her struggles were logged in her vast collection of journals, scrolls, and notebooks she had kept on the shelves of her home. Even still up to this day, the old woman wasn't always perfect in making her medicines. Wendy had witnessed a spectacular explosion when Porlyusica was experimenting with something new from the notebook Keaton had given her; a large flask filled with a greenish-blue mixture had suddenly burst into a rainbow of flames and black smoke, sending glass shards and smelly liquid everywhere. It took a whole day and a half to clean up the entire mess around the house.

Despite her age and the incredible feats she had already accomplished, Porlyusica continued to strive in her work, never seeming to rest until something was as perfect as it could get. Even in the alternate future, Porlyusica had been constantly working hard until the very end, evident by the notes she left behind in her pages.

Astounded by Porlyusica's knowledge on magic and medicine, Wendy looked up to her with great respect. The old woman had spent decades of her life researching and perfecting her craft. Seeing how much time and effort went into every recipe, Wendy was determined to reproduce them all, hoping to make Porlyusica proud of her one day.

There were several simple medicines Wendy had gotten the hang of making following Porlyusica's notes and verbal instructions. The one recipe Wendy wanted to truly succeed in making was the Magic Recover Potion, the less potent version of the Magic Restore Elixir. Porlyusica had told Wendy that if she could master making the potion, then the elixir would not be as difficult to create. With Link constantly using up his magic while training with Lucy, Bero, and Jellal, he required a steady supply of the elixir, so Wendy wanted to help him out.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be anytime soon since she had yet to succeed in making just the potion. It was a finicky recipe. The amount of ingredients had to be exact and the timing for some of the heating and mixing steps were so precise down to the last second. Any sooner or later and the whole reaction would be botched or the final product would be poor in quality and yield. Wendy, unfortunately, encountered both problems with every past attempt. She had watched Porlyusica make it without flaw more than once, but replicating the process was more complicated than it looked. Porlyusica's talent just seemed so natural.

Someday I'll be just as good, Wendy thought to herself, determined to keep trying no matter how many times it took.

She glanced out the nearest window and noticed it was late in the afternoon. She estimated it was probably less than two hours before it was time for the Christmas party back at the guild. Since there was not enough time to start her potion again, she decided to lend Porlyusica a hand.

The old woman was busy grinding a pile of dry herbs into a fine powder on her side of the table. Without a word, Wendy pulled her chair over, grabbed her own mortar and pestle, and started to crush some herbs.

They both worked in comfortable silence. Having spent so much time together, Wendy had found out that Porlyusica liked working in a quiet environment and would be cranky if she was disturbed while in the middle of something. If she wanted to talk, she would speak first. However, if Wendy ever asked for help or advice, the old woman would still be cranky, but didn't hesitate to give a prompt answer.

While Wendy's hands were busy, her mind had wandered off. She was excited for the upcoming party that she couldn't contain her smile. It was her first Christmas with Fairy Tail. In fact, it was a first for a few other members as well. She couldn't wait to celebrate the special holiday with everyone.

Out of everyone at the guild, Link was likely the most excited of them all, having never experienced the holiday season that happened once every year. Everything about Christmas, the boy loved; the festive lights on trees and houses, the decorations all over town that Fairy Tail had helped put up, the games, the food, the smells, the sounds. It was all so new and wonderful to him.

Wendy was looking forward to his performance tonight. There was going to be a show after dinner with some of the guild members taking turns on stage and Link was one of them. Yesterday, Romeo, more or less, volunteered Link to be a part of the show and the younger boy was actually happy to oblige.

Gifted in playing his ocarina, Link was going to perform alongside his new Celestial Spirit, Lyra.

Out of all of Lucy's spirits, Lyra was the one Link had asked to loan the most. The sound of her harp reminded him of someone, the boy had said; a man he had seen in his dreams who played a similar-sounding instrument. Because of his frequent request, Lucy eventually decided to give him Lyra's Key just this morning as his Christmas present.

Both Link and Lyra couldn't be happier. They were a perfect duo. Every night the spirit was available, the pair had played music together at the guild, much to everyone's enjoyment. Songs Link once played solo on his ocarina sounded so magical when accompanied with the lovely strums of the harp.

It was fortunate Christmas was on the third Friday of December this year, which was one of three specific days per month Lyra could be summoned.

"Pour the rest in here when you're done," Porlyusica's voice cut into Wendy's thoughts.

The girl jumped and looked over, seeing the pile of herbs already gone, replaced with small open jars of fine, green powder. Her hands had been moving automatically on their own that she hadn't noticed that they were just about done. Wendy nodded and quickly finished up the last of her herbs.

With an hour and a half to spare, Wendy wanted to make a short visit in the forest before heading back to town. Knowing where she was going, Porlyusica came along with her.

It was a brisk winter day that turned their warm breaths into thick white mist. Together, they walked the familiar path through the quiet sleeping forest, following the trail Wendy had made from her frequent trips. There was a blanket of fresh snow from yesterday's snowfall, but her footpath was still visible underneath. Lacrima lamp in hand, Wendy led the way, her boots crunching on soft, ankle-deep snow.

It was dusk by the time they entered the peaceful meadow. Calm and undisturbed, the tall trees protected the area from the harsh winds of the seasons. They trudged across to stand before the wooden cross in the middle.

With a gloved hand, Wendy gently brushed off the layer of white that had settled on the smiling yellow fox mask. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and offered Keaton a prayer in silence. She came here often, generally keeping the area clean, laying fresh flowers over the summer or stones in the colder months. Sometimes Porlyusica or Carla accompanied her. Sometimes Link and Romeo. Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Meredy, and Jellal also stopped by every now and then.

Wendy took a moment to enjoy the stillness in the crisp winter air, her mouth forming a wistful smile under her scarf. She met the hollow eyes of Keaton's mask and promised she would visit again soon.

The pair headed back to Porlyusica's home to warm up before their trek to Magnolia. They huddled around the Heat Lacrima that hung in the centre of the room. While waiting, Wendy finally mustered the courage to give Porlyusica her present.

From the bottom of her bag, Wendy took out a small box neatly wrapped in shiny silver paper and tied together with a red bow. "M-Merry Christmas, Granny – ow!" Wendy flinched from the broom that suddenly came out of nowhere to lightly smack her atop the head. Thankfully, she was wearing a thick, fuzzy wool hat to soften the blow.

As expected, Porlyusica scoffed at the present in the girl's hands, but took it nonetheless. "What is this nonsense?" she grumbled, staring at the package as if it was a revolting piece of garbage, "You did not have to waste your time or money getting me a gift on this ridiculous holiday."

"I wanted to," said Wendy, smiling and rubbing the top of her head. "It's to thank you for taking me in as your apprentice. I know I still have a long way to go, but over these last couple of months, I was able to learn so much from you. This is to show my appreciation."

Porlyusica grumbled in response, not looking any happier. Sighing, she opened the present and had to dig into the multiple sheets of glittery, colourful tissue paper stuffed inside before finding the actual gift hidden within. She knitted her brow as she pulled out a short silver rod with a round, clear crystal on one end and a tiny Lacrima screen on the other.

"It's a magic thermometer," Wendy began to explain, rubbing her hands bashfully together. "It's to replace the one I broke the other day… It's easy to use! Instead of having to immerse your thermometer right into the liquid, you just have to touch the crystal point to the side of a beaker and it'll show the temperature on the display right away. I've tested it out and it's pretty accurate. Oh! And since it doesn't have to sit in the liquid, you can use it to measure the temperature of multiple things in a row."

Porlyusica did not seem impressed. Without a word, she tapped the crystal end of the thermometer against the Heat Lacrima. The small screen flashed to life, showing the temperature in bright yellow numbers. She narrowed her eyes slightly, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smirk. "I suppose this will be useful," she said, giving the thermometer another quick look over. "Thank you, Wendy. This is… nice."

Wendy was so relieved and happy that Porlyusica actually liked her present.

"Well, since we're doing this, I have something for you," said Porlyusica, walking towards the opposite end of the room. She came back with something dangling in her hand.

It was a thin silver chain necklace with a small, diamond-shaped, onyx pendant. Running down the middle of the gem was a blue lightning-like line that shimmered under the light. Wendy was speechless as Porlyusica stepped behind Wendy to gently clasp it around the girl's neck.

"This is Sleepstone," explained Porlyusica, "It has the opposite effect of Dreamstone. Instead of giving you dreams, it puts you into a deep, dreamless slumber. You are still having nightmares every night, correct?"

Frowning, Wendy nodded. Ever since the Games, her sleep was constantly disrupted by bad dreams that left her waking up screaming or crying. Porlyusica had given her many different teas and remedies to try, but none fully suppressed her nightmares.

"Then try wearing this to help you sleep," Porlyusica continued, moving to stand before the girl, her expression stern. "Once your mind and body are well-rested, perhaps you may finally stop damaging my equipment with your clumsy hands."

Wendy's face burned with embarrassment. "I-I only broke the thermometer… and dropped that flask… and I guess I stained and burnt the table a little too... Okay, I did end up breaking a couple things. I'm sorry!"

Scowling, Porlyusica crossed her arms, but she didn't actually sound angry when she said, "Can't expect you to not break anything. It's part of the learning process, I suppose. I must admit, I have broken more tools than I can remember in my day. But enough of that. Are you warm enough to head out?"

Wendy smiled gratefully at her teacher. "Yes! And thank you for the gift, Granny – ow!"

Night had completely fallen when they were back outside. However, the half-moon shone bright through the bare branches, casting a silvery glow over the quiet forest. Wendy led the way to Magnolia, once again lighting their path forward with a Lacrima lamp.

The moment they stepped out of the forest, they were dazzled by the colourful lights coming from Magnolia in the distance. Decorated in all sorts of Christmas lights, the town was a beautiful sight under the stars, seemingly bursting with activity. However, as they walked through the streets, it was bare and quiet, hearing nothing but their footsteps. All stores, businesses, and guilds were closed on Christmas, allowing family and friends to spend the whole day together.

Wendy grinned when they had finally made it to Fairy Tail, happy at how it currently looked. Almost every inch of the exterior was decked out with all sorts of fancy Christmas decorations. It was a mishmash of different themes due to the decorating contest the guild had held a week earlier. Teams had worked together (or not at all) at sprucing up their assigned section of the building under a time limit. Every team threw on as many ornaments, lights, and whatever Christmas-related object they could get their hands on while, of course, arguing with each other or tampering with rival teams. Had it not been for Erza enforcing everyone to take the decorating seriously, wars would have likely broken out. It was a crazy, hectic, but fun four hours, which ended in a draw between all the teams with Makarov and Bero hard-pressed as the judges.

The day after that, it was a little warmer than usual that everyone had gotten together to make snowmen. Each person had made their own, dressing them up to resemble themselves. An army of them now lined the front area, acting as silent, smiling sentries, a wide range of sizes and shapes and noticeable effort.

Wendy quietly giggled when she walked past her snowman. It stood crooked between Link's equally lopsided snowman and Carla's cute little one complete with cat ears and a red bow on top. That day was perhaps the funnest Wendy ever had, a memory she would cherish forever.

She could already hear the rambunctious noises coming from inside before she even reached the door. She pushed her way inside and was pleasantly greeted by warmth, joyous laughter, the loud buzz of endless chattering, and so many different delicious smells. The Grand Hall was vibrant with colour, elaborately decorated with hanging lights, tinsel, and ornaments that sparkled like stars and gems. An enormous Christmas tree stood in one corner, so tall that the magical twinkling star on top nearly touched the ceiling.

It looked like everyone from Fairy Tail was here, except for Gildarts, wherever he could be. People were dressed appropriately for the holiday, wearing warm knitted sweaters, red and green clothes, and red, floppy hats upon their heads, some adorned with little silver bells jingling on the fluffy end. Crime Sorcière was here too, all three members in their respective disguises that were slightly more festive than usual.

Porlyusica gave Wendy a curt nod before she set out to join Makarov by the bar.

Wendy began to walk through the crowd, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas as she passed. She paused when she heard Link cry out her name.

He was so elated to see her that he was sprinting across the hall to meet her, making the bells in his red hat ring with every step. He had changed into a different set of clothes since Wendy last saw him in the morning. Matching his new hat, he wore a red suit with big black buttons, the ends of his sleeves and the bottoms of his pants puffy and white.

"Link! You look so cute in that outfit!" said Wendy, pulling off her scarf so he could see her smile.

The boy glanced down at his clothes, tugging at the bottom of his suit. "Cute? Are you sure? Master Lucy said I look dashing! She picked it out so Lyra and I would match tonight."

Wendy giggled. "Did she? Then I have to agree with her, you do look very dashing! How was rehearsal? Are you ready for your show?"

Link grinned and nodded, jingling the bells in his hat. "Yes, we're ready! Anyway, Wendy! Santa is here! He wants to meet you!"

"Oh?" was all Wendy had time to utter before Link grabbed her hand and pulled her along.

The boy led her to the Christmas tree where there was indeed a Santa, albeit shorter and skinnier than Wendy had imagined. Gathered around the jolly old man were Asuka, Bisca, Alzack, Carla, Romeo, and Lucy.

When Wendy was close enough, she got a good look as well as the man's scent, making her quietly giggle. It was only Bero in disguise. He had magically grown a full white beard to match his bushy mustache and replaced his pink cap with a red one trimmed with fluffy white. His red suit was baggy on his thin frame, but he was still able to fool the young and innocent. Beside him was a large brown sack, in which he pulled out gifts to give to the people around him. Dancing and waving near his black boots was Baffie, pretending to be a tiny reindeer with obviously fake antlers on his head and a big, red ball stuck to the end of his pointy, golden nose.

Asuka was crouched in front of Baffie, laughing and clapping along with the spirit's dancing.

Bero's small eyes lit up when he saw Wendy approaching. "Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas, my dear!" he greeted joyously, making his voice sound deeper. He gave the girl a wink. "You are Wendy, yes? I've heard all about your good deeds from my young friend, Link! Here, a present from Santa." From his bag, he pulled out a box wrapped in red paper.

Wendy smiled as she accepted the present. "Thank you, B – err, Santa! You didn't have to!"

"Why 'tis the season to give and there are none who deserve a gift more than those who have the kindest hearts," said Bero with a warm smile, the corners of his eyes twinkling. He perked up as Natsu and Happy stopped by for a visit. "Why, hello there, my friends! Merry Christmas!"

Happy ran up to the old man, his eyes wide and adoring, the tip of his tail wagging. "Santa?! Is it really you?! Natsu! Natsu! It's Santa!" he shouted, pointing a paw.

Natsu narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he leaned towards the old man, his nose sniffing. "Wait a minute... he smells like–"

Lucy rushed over and slapped a hand over the Dragon Slayer's mouth. "Yes! It's really Santa!" she said cheerfully. She shot Natsu a pointed look and nudged him in the ribs discreetly with her elbow, hoping he would get the hint. "Today's a special day for him to visit once a year after all!"

Happy squealed and hopped up and down like a child, making Carla roll her eyes, the corners of her mouth curling into a humorous smile. The blue Exceed was even more ecstatic when Bero handed him and Natsu presents. Seeing Bero's wink, Natsu finally understood and grinned in thanks.

Others began to come over to meet with 'Santa' so Link and Wendy moved to a less crowded spot.

"What did Santa give you?" Link asked Wendy as he eyed the present in her hand.

Curious as well, Wendy unwrapped her present and found a number of little boxes inside the big box, each individually tied with pretty red, green, or white ribbons. She recognized the handiwork immediately when she pulled out one of the cute boxes that were likely filled with treats.

"You got cookies too? You should try one. They taste just as good as Aunt Mira's!"

Wendy couldn't help but laugh. There was no doubt it really was Mirajane's baking.

Unable to resist, Wendy listened to Link and opened the little box she was already holding. Shortbread cookies shaped into snowflakes and sprinkled with white, silvery sugar waited for her. They were so good, Wendy had ended up guiltily eating the entire little box before she forced herself to put the rest away. As she stuffed Bero's gift into her bag, she remembered she had another present to give. She grabbed the small, cloth gift bag and held it out for Link to take.

"I got this for you. Merry Christmas!" she said joyfully.

Link was beaming as he opened her gift. He pulled out a pair of identical keychains that had yellow crystal stars that hung on short silver chains. Glowing inside both stars were tiny blue arrows that pointed directly at one another.

"Do you like it? It's a Locator Charm," said Wendy. She gently took one of the keychains out of Link's hand and dangled it back and forth by its latch. "They work as a pair. See how the arrows follow each other? Since you haven't quite gotten the hang of Sensory Magic yet, I thought this might be useful. If you have one and I have the other, we can always follow the arrows to find each other no matter where we are." It was a gift meant for couples, but Meredy and Juvia had somehow convinced Wendy to get it as a present when she was asking around for ideas. (Juvia had gotten the same type of charm to give to Gray, hers in the shape of crystal raindrops.)

Link was fascinated as he swung his own charm around, watching the arrow smoothly change directions to always point to Wendy's star. He smiled in gratitude. "I like it! Now I won't be too worried if I don't see you around the guild. I have a gift for you too! Wait right here."

He ran off somewhere.

Wendy decided to follow him on her charm, watching the blue arrow wiggle side to side as the boy moved around the guild.

Link was back in less than two minutes with a little square, wooden box topped with a cute purple bow. With only a big happy smile, he handed it to her.

The girl was rendered speechless yet again as she took the gift because it looked so much like a jewelry box. Holding her breath, Wendy unraveled the bow and pulled the lid off. She gasped in surprise at the matching pair of gleaming gold hairpins neatly tucked within a velvet holder. They were shaped like the wings of a bird, each with a familiar blue gemstone at the base. "Are these sapphires your Rupees?"

Link nodded. "Dad helped me get that made for you. Do you like them?"

"Oh Link, I love them!" she cried, giving him a big hug. She started to frown when she wondered how much the hairpins had cost. "They must have been expensive..."

The boy tilted his head. "Expensive? I don't think so. Dad only had to sell a few Rupees and then asked the jewelry man to put those two blue ones in."

Of course, Wendy had forgotten Link had a whole stash of his treasure to spare. She was glad it didn't cost an arm and a leg.

"That's good. I'll put them on right now!" She took off her hat and smoothed out the frizz in her hair before clipping the golden wings on either side of her head, holding her bangs out of her face. "How do I look?"

"Pretty," he said without hesitation, making Wendy smile and her cheeks slightly warm.

It was time to line up for dinner soon after. Bero and Baffie had changed out of their costumes and pretended to be a little late for the party. They feigned shock when Happy and Asuka told them that they had missed Santa and his little reindeer.

"Maybe next year I'll get to meet him," said the old man, chuckling as he joined them for dinner.

It was a gourmet feast set out on the buffet tables, every dish beautifully put together as if they were pieces of art by the Strauss sisters. There was a wide variety of main courses, side dishes, desserts, and drinks to appeal to any palate, no matter how finicky their tastes.

Eating tables had been rearranged, pushed together lengthwise to form four extra long tables so everyone could sit closer together in the hall. They merrily ate, drank, chatted, and laughed amongst themselves like a big happy family, the worries of the world put aside so they could enjoy the moment of peace and kinship.

Every dish was completely devoured by the guild's enormous appetite. After the last morsel of dessert was gone, people volunteered to help clean up while others settled down, talking with friends or grabbing drinks at the bar. Champagne, mulled or dry wine, and spiced eggnog cocktails were the popular drinks for the night.

For those who wished to stay sober or were too young to drink, there was coffee and sweet, non-alcoholic beverages such as hot cocoa with marshmallows on top or hot apple cider with lemon and honey.

Wendy and Carla decided to try out the apple cider while Link, Romeo, and Happy went for the cocoa.

Wendy slowly sipped her hot drink that was pleasantly sweet and tangy and glanced around her table. Seated to her right was Carla, nibbling on her half of 'Santa's' cookie that Happy wanted to share with her. Diagonally across from Wendy was Lucy and Bero, both reminiscing fondly over past Christmases they had spent together back at Heartfilia Manor.

The old man was noticeably shaking as he held his glass of red wine, anxious and wary whenever the guild drank a little too much. On the night of his welcoming party, he had unfortunately experienced one of Fairy Tail's infamous drunken all-out brawls firsthand. The poor old man had been scared to death, believing the guild had gone completely mad until Lucy was able to convince him that spontaneous fights and excessive property damage was a normal occurrence at Fairy Tail. It was nearly two months ago and Bero still wasn't used to the guild's randomly violent parties.

There was laughter coming from Wendy's left. Link sat right next to her and beside him was Romeo. The boys were busy tossing mini marshmallows from a bowl across the table for Plue and Baffie to chase. The acrobatic little spirits performed amazing flips in the air to catch the tasty treats in their mouths. Seeing them having fun, Asuka ran over from the next table over to join the boys in throwing marshmallows.

There was still some time before the entertainment would start so Wendy asked, "Link, when do you get to go on stage?"

"I go last," the boy answered. He copied Romeo in dropping a handful of marshmallows into his cocoa before stuffing a few into his mouth.

"Aww, that's a long time to wait," said Wendy, pouting in disappointment. "I'm excited to hear what you're going to play for us. Which songs did you pick?"

He grinned. "All of them."

Wendy gawked. "All of them?"

"Oh my! You're going to run out of breath before you reach the end!" said Bero, overhearing their conversation.

Lucy chuckled in agreement. "Yeah! That's a lot of songs!"

"I'll be okay," Link assured with a confident nod.

"It's going to be a medley," said Romeo, "Wait till you guys hear how amazing it sounds altogether! Link and Lyra have only been practicing since yesterday evening!"

Hearing that made Wendy even more excited than ever. She slightly jumped when the lights went dim.

All heads turned to the stage that was now lit up by spotlights that hung above, illuminating the various instruments and standing microphones that had been set up earlier that day.

There were shouts of joy and hollering for it was time for the show to begin! The hall was abuzz with anticipation as people gradually returned to their seats, drinks in hand.

Opening for the evening was Mirajane, which Gajeel was clearly disgruntled about as he visibly sat fuming down the table next to Wendy's.

The hall exploded with cheers, whistling, and clapping as Mirajane strolled across the stage with an acoustic guitar slung over her shoulder. She was breathtaking. Her long silver hair flowed down her back in neatly curled tresses and her face was glowing from the mild touch of make-up that further enhanced her natural beauty.

She stopped in front of the microphone in the centre, waving and blowing kisses, her gorgeous red and white pleated dress sparkling under the light. To calm the crowd, she began to play, filling the hall with the slow, gentle strums of her guitar. And then she sang, her voice angelic, blending perfectly with the rhythm and sound of her playing. It was a relaxing song that was popular around this time of year that could easily put troubled minds at ease.

Near the end, some of the spotlights shifted to shine on two individuals who had unnoticeably joined Mirajane on stage. Lisanna stood in front of a second microphone, wielding another acoustic guitar, and at the back was Elfman, seated behind a set of drums. Mirajane's slow song quickly transformed into an energetic tune with her siblings adding their instruments and voices. Joyful and uplifting, it was another popular holiday song that got the crowd going as they sang and clapped along. After the last note was sung, everyone stood up, clapping and whistling loudly at the trio's amazing performance.

Next up on stage was Gajeel, which Wendy was dreading, having heard him try to sing once before and it was not… pleasant. However, this time he wasn't on stage alone, but with a full band consisting of Jet on electric guitar, Levi on bass, Droy on drums, and a full-grown Pantherlily on keyboard. Seeing them altogether got Wendy curious as well as hopeful.

The song they began to play sounded pleasing at first, the opening to a classic Christmas carol. But then it quickly spiraled into a heavy metal rock version of it. Loud, heart-pounding, and jarring, it was as if someone had cranked the volume on the speakers to max. And with Gajeel as the lead singer, his screaming, grating voice was an additional assault to everyone's eardrums.

Cringing horribly, Wendy had to plug her ears with her fingers so she wouldn't go deaf and saw everyone else around her do the same. Those who were far too drunk to care were cheering wildly, banging their heads with the aggressive beats of the music.

Up on stage, Wendy noticed Gajeel and his band were actually having a good time. Even though it was awfully painful for her to listen to, she was glad others were actually enjoying the noise... that seemed to go on forever. The classic, jolly, less-than-a-minute song was somehow extended into a ten-minute long heavy metal remix. It was a true miracle all the windows and glassware had stayed intact for the entire duration.

When the torture was finally over, there were audible sighs of relief. The extremely drunk hollered and cheered while the rest of the crowd politely clapped as Gajeel and his band took their bows on stage.

"Oh dear, my hearing was bad enough before, but now I think I've truly gone deaf," Wendy overheard Bero moan over the slight ringing in her ears.

Beside Bero, Makarov nodded, looking as if he had just survived a grievous battle. "Aye… I don't think I'll ever recover from that..."

"It's my turn!" said Link, hopping off his chair.

Wendy smiled and gave him a gentle squeeze on the arm. "Good luck!" she said, despite knowing he wouldn't really need it.

There were words of encouragement coming from his family and masters around the table, bringing a bold look on his face as he ran towards the stage. While climbing up the stairs, he passed Gajeel and his band as they left the stage, each member exchanging a kind gesture with him; high-fives from Levi and Droy, a fist-bump from Gajeel, a pat on the shoulder from Jet, and a thumbs-up from Pantherlily.

Wendy now understood why Link was last. After that hardcore deafening performance, the boy's music would surely help soothe the pain in everyone's ears.

The audience was already clapping for Link as he walked across the stage to stand in the bright spotlight in the middle. He smiled, waved, and did a slight bow without a hint of stage fright, which was no surprise when he already enjoyed playing his ocarina in front of the guild. He selected a Silver Celestial Key from his ring and called Lyra to join him, making Plue disappear from the table.

Lyra appeared in a puff of pink smoke, giggling and throwing a handful of colourful confetti in the air upon her entrance. She had changed to match Link's outfit, her blue dress now a lovely red and her pink bonnet replaced with the same red, floppy hat with bells that Link wore on his head. Overly excited – as she always was when summoned – the giddy spirit was full of energy as she looked over the crowd before her, her eyes so wide and happy. She shouted and waved enthusiastically at Lucy before she finally settled down. She placed her harp on the stage and conjured her own personal stool to sit on.

The hall fell quiet as Link brought his ocarina to his lips and closed his eyes.

The pair started a duet with Link taking the lead. He would play his set of notes and Lyra would follow, strumming beautifully on her harp. Both smoothly played their parts before melding into a wonderful harmony together. The end of one song flawlessly transitioned into the beginning of another, neither missing their beat.

Wendy recognized each part of the melody, having heard Link play his songs so many times. The boy was starting to give them names, most of them simply called by their style: Prelude, Minuet, Bolero, Elegy, Bossa Nova, Lullaby, Nocturne, Sonata, Requiem, and Serenade. Other songs were given specific names, such as The Time Song, The Healing Song,and everyone's favourite, The Forest Song.

When Link and Lyra played the first three notes of that happy, upbeat tune, the audience cheered at the top of their lungs and some even started to dance in their seats.

Sadly, the wonderful composition had to come to an end. Their medley finished off with the calm, flowing Serenade, the last note seemingly echoing throughout the hall long after they finished.

Wendy jumped to her feet, clapping and shouting alongside everyone else to celebrate the duo's captivating performance.

Link and Lyra were grinning from ear to ear as they clasped their hands together and took a deep bow on stage. When the boy was back at the table, Wendy gave him a hug to congratulate him on an excellent job well done.

With the show over, the lights went back on and everyone was free to do what they pleased before retiring for the night. Most gathered around the bar for refreshments, while others hung around the tables, tired from the night's events, but still wanting to enjoy the company of friends.

To end the day, Jellal surprised the guild when he dropped a large cardboard box full of fireworks on the table in front of Wendy and her close companions. "Here, do what you want with these," he said nonchalantly.

Natsu and Happy gaped at the huge box in childish wonder. They were the first to peer inside.

Hanging off the side of it, Happy shrieked, "Are these really fireworks?!"

With a big, goofy grin, Natsu pulled out a massive rocket-shaped firework and exclaimed, "Whoa! Look at this! The Sizz-Crackler 4000! This sounds awesome! Where'd you get these?! There's never any fireworks for sale in Magnolia!"

Jellal grunted and slightly shrugged. "It was a complimentary gift after buying two hundred and fifty kegs of volcanonyte. Forgot I had them for a while. All yours now."

"Natsu! Set the Sizz-Crackler off right now!" Happy shouted, hopping up and down.

"Okay!" said Natsu, bringing looks of horror from his fellow guild mates. The only exceptions were Happy, Romeo, and Link who all wore excited smiles. But before the Fire Dragon Slayer could even make a spark with his hand, Erza punched him in the back of his head, sending him crashing partially through the wall across the hall.

"If you're going to set them off, do it outside!" Erza roared. The terrifying anger on her reddened face made people around her slightly back away.

Natsu freed himself from the shattered wall and returned to the table, acting as if nothing had happened despite the big, swollen bump on his head. He grabbed the box and rushed to the front doors while yelling; "Everyone! Fireworks! Outside! Right now!"

There were sounds of awe and excitement. People started to get dressed to wander out into the cold. Those who didn't want to stand outside in the chilly night gathered at the front windows to watch instead.

Link would have bolted out the door without his winter clothes if Wendy hadn't stopped him in time. "It's freezing out!" she told him, handing him his coat and scarf.

Once they were both properly dressed for the weather, Link grabbed Wendy's hand and led her outside.

Most of the guild gathered around at the front of the building, standing a safe distance away from where Natsu, Erza, and Gray had lined up several sets of fireworks. With a quick huff of his fiery breath, Natsu ignited the first row all in one go.

The fireworks hissed and shot high into the sky where they popped or exploded with an echoing bang or kaboom,waking up the town. The night was filled with bursts of colour in the shape of stars, flowers, hearts, and smiley faces. The Sizz-Crackler 4000 didn't disappoint in its name; it was the most impressive in both sound and display, exploding high above Magnolia in a huge rainbow blast that lit up the heavens and certainly shook the entire town. It released sizzling firecrackers upon its explosion that thankfully burnt fully away before hitting the ground.

Thrilled, Natsu immediately ignited the next row, repeating the action after every set was over.

Hand still held in Link's, Wendy smiled with him as they watched the fireworks together, pointing at the ones they liked and jumping and wincing at the super loud ones.

Midway through, Wendy felt a little chill brush by her that made her shiver. There was a flash of gold beside her, followed by a sharp gasp from Link. He let her go and fell to his knees, hunching over in pain, his forehead nearly touching the snowy ground.

He was clutching at his left arm, the golden Triforce shining on the back of his left hand, illuminating the darkness around them.

Wendy's stomach dropped. Eyes wide with worry, she dropped beside him and cried, "Link! What's wrong?! What's happening?!"

"Ngh! It's burning!" he snarled through clenched teeth.

Indeed, Wendy could smell something burning and it wasn't the smoke coming from the fireworks. She was horrified when the sleeve of his coat was quickly burned away from a scorching heat coming from within, exposing his bare arm. The magic armlet he had worn was no more, reduced to rivers of molten gold and the emerald crystal shattered to pieces, leaving the black, six-winged dragon visible to all.

Wendy acted quickly. She scooped up some snow and slapped it on the dragon, but it instantly melted and hissed into steam a second later.

Those who had heard her scream rushed over to help.

"Get him inside! Quickly!" Makarov ordered.

Macao was already grabbing Link off the ground before Makarov even finished talking. Link was squirming and crying in pain as Macao ran into the guild with Wendy following right behind. Once inside, Porlyusica needed only a glance before she figured out what was wrong.

"Take him to the infirmary," the old woman directed, pointing at the door. "Gray, your ice will be needed. Someone fetch me towels and a bowl of water!"

"I'll get the towels!" Wendy volunteered. She sprinted towards the women's change room that led to the guild's enormous pool at the back of the building. She grabbed as many towels she could carry off the shelf and hurried to the infirmary.

People had gathered outside the open door, whispering and murmuring in worry.

Wendy shoved her way through to enter the room. Link had gone quiet and still, curled up on his side on the closest bed with Gray and Porlyusica tending over him. Makarov, Jellal, Macao, and Romeo stood nearby, each looking on with concern.

As Wendy dropped the towels at the foot of the bed, she got a closer look. Link's coat had been removed and the remains of his sleeve torn off, allowing Gray to hold his ice-covered hands over the angry black dragon. The mark was so hot, Gray's ice was quickly melting without even touching it. Droplets of water bubbled and hissed away into steam the instant they fell on Link's flushed and bleeding skin.

Porlyusica wordlessly grabbed a small towel off the pile and soaked it in a bowl of water chilled with ice. She motioned for Gray to move his hands and placed the dripping wet towel over the dragon mark. The towel didn't provide relief for very long, it steamed up dry in a matter of seconds and holes began to burn through as if it was thrown right onto a fire.

Swearing under his breath, Gray snatched what was left of the towel off and flung it aside. He quickly brought his frozen hands back over the dragon just as Link was starting to moan and writhe. The boy laid motionless when the burning agony in his arm was suppressed once again by the cold.

Shaking her head, Porlyusica clicked her tongue as she eyed the dragon in disdain. "It's hotter than a forge," she growled before turning to Wendy. "Did the same thing happen the last time?"

Wendy bit her lower lip and nodded. "Yes. Right before Link's dragon power was awakened…" she said, recalling that heart-wrenching moment. She moved to kneel beside the bed in front of Link, reaching out to hold his left hand where the Triforce continued to shine. His warm, sacred power flowed through her, erasing the fear in her heart, but not the thoughts that troubled her mind. "This is exactly like that time..."

Link blinked through his tears to look at her, giving her hand a tight squeeze. "He's using it..." he groaned, drawing everyone's attention, "He's using his Triforce..."

"The demon? Right now?" Jellal inquired, stepping up to the side of the bed. With his bandanna pulled down, his distraught was clear on his face.

Link nodded, his brow knitted in anger as he hardened his gaze at the golden mark on his hand. "I can feel it through mine..."

Makarov hummed in thought, one hand rubbing the bottom of his chin. "So… it seems the Triforces will react to one another upon activation…"

"If the demon is using it, that explains the evil I can sense," Jellal muttered bitterly, glaring off to the side. He was restless and shivering despite the layers he wore. "It's very faint, coming from somewhere afar, but it is unmistakably him. Link," he softened his expression slightly, "do you know where he is or what he is using his power for?"

The boy frowned and shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, Master..."

"No matter what it could be," Makarov began, his expression dark and grim, "it does not bode well for us. He is back and on the move. There is no telling what may happen in the near future... It's best to keep our guard up more so than before."

At that moment, the light of the Triforce vanished from Link's hand, leaving his skin bare. Wendy brushed her thumb over the spot, no longer able to sense his divine power.

"It's gone..." said Gray, blinking in surprise. He slowly pulled back his hands when he noticed his ice no longer melting. "Hey, does it still burn, Link?"

The boy shook his head.

There were a few sighs of relief, the biggest coming from Wendy.

The danger may have passed for now, but there was a chance it could happen again. Gray stayed close by as Porlyusica cleaned and bandaged Link's arm, hiding the dragon from sight.

After waiting a while longer, Porlyusica said, "It may be over. However, Link, I would like you to stay here with me for the night, in case that demon decides to cause trouble again."

"I want to stay too!" shouted Romeo, running up to the bed to give Porlyusica a pleading look. "If the dragon starts to burn, I can cool it off with my Cold Fire. It was effective before."

Porlyusica sighed irritably, but didn't refuse. "If you truly say your fire is cold enough, then very well."

Romeo was grateful. He turned to his father. "It's okay, right, Dad?"

"Of course," said Macao, giving him and Link a nod and a tired, but assuring smile. "I'll head home and grab some things for you boys to stay for the night."

"I will stay and help too," said Wendy.

Hearing that wiped the exhaustion from Link's face as he sat patiently on the bed. He smiled, happy to have Romeo and Wendy join him.

"Wendy," said Erza, stepping into the room, "Would you like me to pick up a couple things from your dorm?"

Wendy smiled in thanks. "Please, if you could. Carla, could you show her what I need?"

"Yes, of course," replied Carla.

Erza, Carla, and Macao promised to be back soon and left the room.

The crowd outside began to take turns entering the room to briefly check on Link, much to Porlyusica's annoyance. When they saw his cheerful expression, they knew he was going to be okay. He may appear young, but he was strong in both mind and body; nothing could ever break his spirit and keep him down. One by one, they wished him well before they left, likely heading home with the festivities truly over.

Porlyusica followed Makarov out of the room, leaving Romeo, Link, and Wendy alone in the infirmary.

Romeo sighed and flopped onto his back on the bed beside Link. It was approaching midnight and the activities of the day, combined with the recent stress, had completely worn him out.

Wendy was just as exhausted as she joined them on the bed, sitting on Link's other side.

"Hey Link," Romeo began, looking up at his brother, "seeing your Triforce made me remember something… One of the golden triangles was a lot brighter than the others. The right one… Is the demon's Triforce the same?"

Intrigued, Wendy tilted her head slightly. Given the circumstances, she hadn't noticed that little detail.

Link straightened and perked up at the thought. He took out his ocarina to look at the silver band around the mouthpiece where the golden Triforce was engraved upon it. He furrowed his brow as he tried to remember. "No… it was the top triangle that was the brightest," he murmured, pointing.

"'Tri' means three," said Romeo, looking thoughtful, "and there are three gold triangles in the Triforce. You have the right one and the demon has the top one…"

"Who has the third one?" Wendy asked anxiously, understanding what Romeo was getting at.

Link stared at the little Triforce on his ocarina intently as if to silently demand an answer from it. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he whispered, "The man..."

Wendy and Romeo exchanged a questionable look. "Who?" they both uttered together.

With a wistful smile, Link held up the ocarina. "The man who played the harp… who taught me my songs. I think… he has the other Triforce..."

Romeo sat up, grinning. "Really?! I wonder who he could be? If it's really him, then we don't have to worry about him being evil. He taught you those songs, so he must be your friend."

Smiling, Wendy nodded in agreement as she gave Link an assuring squeeze on the shoulder. "Maybe… we can find him someday..."

If the Triforces were truly connected, then the man must be affected by what was happening as well. They could only hope.

When Erza, Carla, and Macao returned to the guild, they weren't the only ones to come back. In fact, everyone had decided to pack their things to stay overnight, wanting to watch over and protect their fellow guild mate.

That special Christmas night was the first time everyone had slept under the same roof.

---

A/N: After a bit of research, (looking at the Fairy Tail Wiki), I found out 'Christmas' actually exists in Earthland. I was actually planning to call it the Winter Solstice Festival before looking it up, but alas, 'Christmas' and 'Santa' it is.

Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Did it help cool you down in this hot summer heat?

No cute little short for this chapter since this chapter is already long enough. For sure the first one will be in the next update. The poll to choose your 3 favourite characters will remain open until August 9, so vote now if you're interested! Many thanks to those who already voted.

Thanks for reading and be safe!