Unwavering Bonds of the Strongest Guild
It was a cool, damp morning due to last night's rain. The streets of Magnolia were wet and full of puddles, only minor obstacles to Link and Romeo. Lined up near the front gate of their house, the boys were busy stretching and getting ready for their morning exercise.
When they heard the front door open, they turned their heads and waved at their father stepping out of the house. "Dad! We'll see you at the guild!" shouted Romeo.
Smiling, Macao nodded and waved back. "See you there, boys. Be careful now. Looks a little slippery."
Romeo rolled his eyes and folded his arms behind his head. "We'll be careful. Hey Link, you ready?"
"Almost," Link replied. He was down on one knee, adjusting the straps of his new pair of dark brown, soft leather boots. A promised birthday gift from both Romeo and Macao, they were lightweight and flexible, suitable for sneaking around in silence and moving quickly in stealth, the latter which Link was still working on. Almost every morning and night for the past month, he trained under Romeo, using their journey to the guild and back as a way to perfect his ninja-running form.
"Okay, I'm ready," said Link as he hopped onto his feet. He pulled up the hood of his cloak and grinned.
Romeo smiled in return and glanced down the street. "All right! Looks like no one's around so let's go!" He dashed ahead and Link chased after him.
Link tried his best to mimic the near-soundless footfalls of his brother as they sprinted down the street, swerving and leaping over puddles. They made their training into a game, running as fast and quietly as possible from one hidden spot to another without being seen. As Romeo loved to say, "The best ninjas are invisible to the naked eye!"
Aside from their footwork, the other important key factors in mastering the technique was to be fully alert, have patience, and dash out in spurts, otherwise they would tire too quickly trying to sprint long distances.
They had scoped out around thirty little hiding spots along six different routes from their house to Fairy Tail. Thick bushes in front yards and gardens; high up in the branches of tall town trees; narrow, shadowy spaces between fences and buildings; under carriages; behind walls; alleyways; rooftops; practically any place they could easily reach without anyone noticing.
From one hiding spot to the next, the brothers made their way through the neighbourhoods, swiftly sneaking past the townsfolk like shadows. They were a few blocks away from the main road when bells started to toll, seemingly hundreds of them coming from every direction.
Both boys stumbled to a halt, eyes scanning the rooftops and sky. Romeo's face brightened with excitement whereas Link was whipping his head around in wild confusion, hands clamped around his ears in fear of going deaf.
"What's going on?!" Link cried.
Romeo shouted something, his grin wide and beaming.
Link slightly removed one hand from his ear. "What?!"
"I said Gildarts is back! Come on!" Romeo grabbed Link by the arm. "We better get off the road before – whoa!"
The ground suddenly began to rumble and shift under their feet from unseen mechanical gears that started to noisily grind. Nearby houses were shaking as if Magnolia was struck by an earthquake. To Link's utter surprise, all the buildings were slowly lifted off their foundations, tearing away from the surrounding earth. Once fully out of the ground, they began to slide in one direction.
"Link! Come on!" Romeo pulled the younger boy off the street, still wearing a smile on his face in spite of the oncoming houses threatening to crush or trap them.
They ran to the closest front yard where a very tall, old pine tree stood. Romeo pointed to the top and proceeded to use his Purple Fire on the soles of his boots to quickly run up the trunk.
In order to follow him, Link dug into his pouch for his handy tool he loved to use when chasing Romeo high up in the forest trees. It was a golden, pointed hook attached to a tightly wound, spring-loaded chain that would release when the trigger was pulled on the gilded handle. The item was one of his original belongings and he was certain it was called a 'Hookshot', the name sounding right on his tongue. He had dreams where he flew to high places and across wide chasms using the Hookshot, pulling him deeper into strange adventures.
For a while, Macao had deemed the Hookshot too dangerous – mainly because Natsu was nearly killed in an accident – but sometime after the events of Crocus, Link was given back all of his belongings. Including his bombs, which Macao had made him promise not to use within any village, town, or city limits.
Hookshot in hand, Link aimed at the highest, thickest branch he could see and pulled the trigger. The sharp hook shot out like an arrow and impaled deep into the wood. He released the trigger and the chain quickly retracted, pulling him upwards at a near neck-breaking speed. He whipped past Romeo, beating the older boy to the top.
Hanging by the handle, Link kicked his legs and swung to the closest branch below, tearing his hook out of the wood in the process. He was down in a crouch to steady himself as the tree swayed from the shaking, moving ground.
Seconds later, Romeo joined him on the same branch. They had a good view over most of the town and together, they watched in awe as all of Magnolia shifted aside, neatly parting down the centre to create a wide, straight path leading from the north gate to Fairy Tail.
There were several bell towers evenly situated throughout the town that Link hadn't noticed before and all continued to ring even after the town had stopped shifting. Although the streets and sidewalks had disappeared, Link spotted some people calmly waiting on lawns and front porches as if a rearranging town was a common occurrence.
Romeo pointed at the north gate at the cloud of dust that was moving quickly down the newly opened path. He furrowed his brow and yelled over the noise, "I think that's him! But why is he in a car? He never comes into town riding anything!"
It was a little hard to see from so far away, but Link could make out a green vehicle heading straight for Fairy Tail. "Is that Erza's car?"
Romeo shrugged. "Could be! Maybe they ran into each other on the way back home!"
When the dust cloud came to a halt at Fairy Tail, Magnolia began to shake again. Row by row, buildings slid back into place, leaving messy lines of debris behind. The bells stopped shortly after, but Link's ears continued to ring.
Romeo was excited all over again. "Come on! Let's hurry!" He hopped down from branch to branch with Link copying the older boy's movements.
Back on the ground, they resumed their training, dashing within the shadows of cover and through empty streets and walkways. They stopped for a breather crouched between hedges and a brick fence, giving Link the chance to quietly ask, "Who's Gildarts again?"
"He's Cana's dad and he's one of the most famous and strongest S-Class Mages in Fiore!" Romeo explained, forgetting to keep his voice down.
Astonished, Link stared. "Really? He's so strong that he can move the whole town?"
Romeo burst out laughing, giving away their hiding spot to whomever happened to be close by. "In a way, yeah! He's that strong! He was supposed to be Fairy Tail's next Guild Master, but he kinda ran off and disappeared and we haven't seen him since. I guess he really didn't want to do it."
"Hey! Is someone there?" croaked an angry old man, soundly approaching from the other side of the hedge.
"We've been found! Link, let's go!" The boys scrambled over the brick fence and ran away without being seen.
They left the residential area and entered the bustling market roads. The large crowds and constantly moving bodies in the marketplace was a good practice ground to hone their stealth. In a slower, steadier pace, the pair sneakily manoeuvred through the maze of buildings and people towards their next closest hiding spot, which was up on top the flat roof of a popular corner cafe. From their high perch, they could see the colourful sign of Fairy Tail a couple of blocks away.
Catching their breaths, the boys watched the people mingle and go about their daily lives.
"Hey, do you remember what Natsu told us about the future?" Romeo asked, giving Link a sideways glance. "He mentioned Gildarts being a master to future-me and he was there at the end, battling against Acnologia."
That was a while ago, but Link nodded nonetheless, recalling some of the details from the grim tale of the future. "Are you going to ask him to be your master?"
Romeo seemed nervous as he hesitated on his answer. "Yes... I think I will. It'll be tough, from what Natsu was saying, but... if I can get stronger, I'll do it. Future-me was a dragon-slaying badass just like you, right?" Grinning, he nudged Link with his elbow. "A little pain won't be stopping me from fighting alongside you."
Link slightly tilted his head. "Are you sure it was 'a little'? Didn't Natsu say your body was always broken or something like that?"
Romeo grimaced and ran an anxious hand through his hair. "Pretty sure it was just broken bones... but that's not any better. But whatever! W-Whatever it takes! I'll survive! Uh, maybe..."
With an encouraging smile, Link patted his brother on the shoulder. "Wendy and Granny are both here to help you recover. If they're not too angry with you getting hurt all the time."
Now that their new and bigger Battle Ring had been built and reinforced with stronger materials and runes, most of the guild used it daily to train together or against each other in violent, spectacular, and often brutal battles.
Because of that, both Wendy and Porlyusica were none too happy with the guild constantly injuring themselves and others. Porlyusica's recovery medicines gradually got more bitter with side-effects that mellowed out or knocked her patients out for days. Wendy eventually learned a new form of healing spell that would put people into a deep, rejuvenating, ten-hour sleep. However, casting it took twice the strain on her so she only used it for emergencies.
Although the two healers never refused to treat the wounded, oftentimes their care was accompanied with vicious scolding and stern lectures, which usually left their patients wallowing in shame or guilt. Link, like the rest of his guild, had been berated more than once for accidentally hurting himself and those around him.
Romeo shrank at the thought, having experienced Porlyusica's and Wendy's wrath several times already. "Whatever it takes..." he uttered with a pitiful whimper.
Back on the ground, the pair were halfway from reaching Fairy Tail when a thick, pale fog came rolling through the area.
"Mystogan's mist," Link whispered, recognizing the tinge of magic in the surrounding veil cast from a magical staff of his master. He tried to pinpoint Jellal's location, assuming the man was close. With the morning sun bright and hot, the mist spewed from Rain Stick didn't spread very far or last very long. It didn't take too much effort to sense Jellal roughly two blocks away, walking towards Fairy Tail at a brisk pace.
"If he's back in town, then that means it really was Erza's car we saw," said Romeo. They had slowed in their steps, treading carefully through the rest of town due to their visibility greatly hindered.
"He's close by," said Link, uselessly pointing at a brick wall in the general direction of Jellal's current position.
"Wanna meet up with him? Maybe he could tell us more about Gildarts before we reach the guild!"
Nodding, Link led the way, taking the next turn down a road that would cross paths with Jellal's. They traversed on higher ground to keep up their stealth game, strolling carefully atop stone fences and railings that overlooked the oblivious townsfolk below. Gradually, the fog grew thicker as they neared the source.
The boys were first to reach the corner and hid in a nearby alleyway to wait for Jellal.
"Think we can sneak up on him?" Romeo remarked, quietly snickering.
Link shook his head, knowing it would be futile. "He already knows we're here."
He was proven right when Jellal was just a few feet away from their hiding spot.
"Boys," the man greeted telepathically, giving them both a start. He appeared into view like a ghost out of the thick, white mist, his light footsteps barely making a sound. He didn't slow in his stride as he passed the alleyway.
Link and Romeo quickly caught up behind him and matched his pace and silent walk. Strapped on the man's back were his five staves with the wooden fish of Rain Stick spewing mist out of its gaping mouth.
"Master, how was your mission?" Link was first to ask.
Jellal let out a tired sigh and muttered, "Successful, to say the least."
Link slightly frowned. "Did something happen?"
"Does it have something to do with Gildarts?" Romeo asked. "He was riding in Erza's car, wasn't he?"
"Yes. Turned out he was our mission," Jellal grumbled. He motioned with a hand for the boys to follow him swiftly across the road to avoid a large group of people loitering in front of merchant stands. Once they were back on track, he continued, "He went missing in the Kingdom of Seven and we were tasked to search for him. Fortunately, we found him in one piece – well, mostly. However, we bring dire news of what we have uncovered in that cursed place. Link, you were right. The Evil King has grown stronger."
Both Link's and Romeo's eyes widened in horror.
"You guys found him in Seven?" exclaimed Romeo, practically shouting in their heads. "Did you see – does he actually have a flying castle?!"
Jellal grunted from the volume of Romeo's voice. He growled irritably, "No, we didn't dare venture far enough to see him. Instead, he sent his strongest dragon to eliminate us, somehow knowing where we were."
"No way! Dreadwing?! H-How'd you guys escape?!"
Link winced while Jellal clutched the side of his head.
"Calm down," Jellal demanded. His sharp tone made Romeo flinch back and meekly whisper an apology. "It wasn't Dreadwing... All will be explained once everyone has gathered. Let's hurry to the guild." With that, Jellal cut off their telepathic connection and quickened his pace.
Link and Romeo exchanged worried looks and jogged after the man's longer strides. Although Jellal didn't elaborate, Link could already guess who this other dragon could be. If the Evil King had not only gained a flying fortress, the thought of him taking control over Acnologia as well made the situation a whole lot worse. Thinking about it made his gut twist with dread.
When they were across the street from the guild, they noticed a huge group of people had crowded in front of the building. They were lined down both sides of the outer gates and standing on the road, completely blocking the entrance as well as traffic. They were loud and full of gossip and Link overheard some of them complaining about the fog.
"Why are there so many people at Fairy Tail?" Link asked as they peered around a corner from an alley.
"Because of Gildarts," Romeo answered. "Told you he's famous. These are all his fans! He rarely comes home so it's an exciting event for the whole town just to catch a glimpse of him in person."
"Wow. If it's this busy, what should we do, Master?" Link looked at Jellal who appeared very annoyed by the crowd.
"Fortunately, they're barred from entry. We'll go around the back." Jellal led them on a wide detour around the block in order to get to the back gate. From there, they slipped into the guild by his secret side entrance.
The storage room and kitchen were empty, but once they entered the hall, Link was welcomed by the chaos that usually occurred during the late hours of the night. Boisterous, drunken laughter, the clink or shattering of glasses, taunts and jeers and battle cries – immediately followed by bodies thrown into furniture. Seeing Natsu suddenly crashing into a row of tables and into a wall lightened Link's mood.
Deafening cheers and clapping erupted from everyone present, enjoying the battle happening before their eyes.
With a yell, Natsu burst from the pile of broken furniture. He wiped the blood from his cut lip, grinning in satisfaction instead of burning mad like usual. Happy flew over and openly mocked his partner, "Even when crippled, Gildarts can still beat you with a single punch!"
Natsu scoffed and punched a fist into the palm of his hand. "The hell you talking 'bout, Happy? I ain't beat yet!"
A large and tall man with orange hair, a short, trimmed beard, and dressed in dark clothes and a black cloak hobbled into view. Link found himself staring when he noticed the man's left leg was a wooden log that heavily stomped with every other step.
"That's Gildarts!" said Romeo, eyes wide and shimmering with admiration.
Gildarts planted his left armoured hand on his hip and scratched the bottom of his scruffy chin with his other, returning Natsu's grin. "Not bad, Natsu. Can tell you've been training hard, but you gotta do better if you think you can get the upper hand on me!" He guffawed heartily, his loud, strong voice reverberating throughout the hall, which was soon joined by laughter coming from the crowd.
"Oh yeah? How 'bout this?!" Natsu lunged forward, his speed boosted by the fire at his heels. He went for a fast-spinning kick where, at the last moment, his flames flashed brighter and hotter, burning intensely like the sun. "Hell-Fire Dragon's Claw!"
Gildarts simply raised his right hand and blocked the explosive, fiery kick aimed for his head without a flinch. Link was in shock, seeing the flames harmlessly roll over Gildarts. But then he noticed the fires dispersing into little squares a second before Natsu's magic was completely extinguished.
Gildarts clamped his hand around the Dragon Slayer's leg and tossed Natsu aside like a weightless ragdoll.
Again, furniture soundly broke into hundreds of pieces as Natsu's body smashed into them. The hall exploded with joyful cries, many in awe of Gildarts' merciless might.
Heaving a big sigh, Gildarts wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his hand. "Phew! Damn, Natsu! Your flames keep getting hotter and hotter every time I see ya! Now I need a couple of cold beers to cool off. Hey, Mirajane, sweetheart! Pour me a few, please!"
"Coming right up!" was Mirajane's cheerful response.
Ignoring Natsu's demand for another round, Gildarts stomped over to the bar where Erza and Cana were having drinks and cheering on the fight.
With the show over, everyone either went back to their seats or helped clean up the mess.
Jellal moved to join Erza at the bar with Link and Romeo tagging along.
Cana was first to notice their approach. Smiling, she waved and said, "Hiya, boys. Look who decided to hitch a ride back home! Bacon bits, meet my pops, the famous, one and only, Gildarts."
The man snorted at the remark just as Mirajane was done pouring him a glass of beer. "Oh, I ain't that famous," he said humbly before taking a big swig of his drink.
"Oh yeah?" Cana snorted, pointing a thumb at the barricaded front doors. The blinds and curtains over all the windows were also drawn, but the noise from outside could still be heard. "Tell that to your fans waiting outside. Bet you half the town is out there, wanting to see the great Gildarts in all his glory."
The man wiped his mouth and smirked. "Is that jealousy I hear, my dear daughter?"
Cana rolled her eyes. "Not even, old man. I don't care too much about the attention. Honestly, I'm happy where I am on the popularity charts. Anyway, sorry, back on track; meet Link, formerly known as Bacon."
Gildarts fully turned around on his stool and grinned down at the boy. "Howdy."
"Hello," said Link, taking off his hood and offering his left hand in greeting. He slightly gasped and shuddered when Gildarts firmly shook his hand in return.
True to Romeo's word, Gildarts was indeed a very powerful mage, his magic aura on par or even greater than Master Makarov and the other S-Class mages. It felt like the smallest squeeze could easily crush every bone in Link's hand, making him understand why Gildarts was regarded as one of the strongest in Fiore.
Link's shock instantly turned into fascination and it seemed like Gildarts felt equally the same as the man pulled away.
"So you're the hero, eh?" said Gildarts, his eyes wide with intrigue. He patted the empty seat next to him. "Why don't you kids relax and have a drink before the gang's all here?"
Link climbed onto the stool next to Gildarts and Romeo took the one next over. Mirajane served them both juice and asked Lisanna to start prepping their breakfast, knowing the boys would be hungry.
"Say, you're a lot smaller than I imagined, hero," said Gildarts, chuckling. "Erza and Mist Gun have told me all about you while we were traveling back to town."
Jellal cleared his throat from his spot next to Erza. "Mystogan."
"Ain't that what I said?" Gildarts cocked an eyebrow at the other man with a humorous smirk.
Grumbling, Jellal didn't bother to argue and dismissed Gildarts with a wave of a hand. By then, Mirajane had set a platter of delectable desserts between Jellal and Erza that was piled with their favourites.
"Don't be fooled by Link's size, Gildarts," warned Erza as she picked a slice of strawberry shortcake for herself.
"Yeah, Bacon bits may be young, but he's got the biggest, bravest heart," Cana chimed in, giving Link a little wink.
"Oh, I've heard all about it," said Gildarts, meeting the boy's curious stare. "Something on your mind, kid? Go ahead and say it. I won't bite."
Link set down his glass and asked, "How come you're not home that much? Is it because you have to keep moving the town around wherever you go?"
Gildarts was a second away from taking a drink from his mug when he stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What did you say? The town moves?"
Link nodded and tilted his head. "Yeah. It's because you're so strong, right?"
"That's part of the reason," said Cana, shaking her head at her father. "Pops can be very absent-minded sometimes. He would smash holes into walls wherever he goes without even realizing it. That's why Magnolia was built to move out of the way when he shows up. You've never really noticed, Dad? Seriously? With all the bells going off and the entire town shifting?"
Chuckling, Gildarts scratched his cheek in embarrassment. "Nope! I don't pay much attention, like ya said!"
Link looked at Romeo, confused. "I thought you said he could move houses with his magic."
Romeo snickered. "I was just kidding and, technically, I wasn't wrong."
Link slightly pouted. He turned back to Gildarts and asked another question; "Why do you have a tree for a leg?"
"Oh? This thing?" Gildarts patted his left knee and kicked out his wooden leg to give the boy a better look. Up close, the outer bark was split and peeling and was held in place by hastily tied rope. "Well, hate to tell you this, my young friend, but when you get as old as me, sometimes one of your legs will shrivel up and fall off. So I planted a seed in my knee and it grew into this branch to replace my missing leg."
Link gasped, absolutely horrified. "Our legs can fall off?"
Almost everyone around him suddenly broke out in laughter, with Cana and Gildarts slapping the top of the counter and sloshing their drinks. It didn't take long for Link to realize he was fooled yet again. He huffed in annoyance.
"I kid! I kid!" said Gildarts, playfully nudging Link with his elbow and almost knocking the boy off with his strength. Gasping, he wiped the corners of his eyes and smacked his knee. "Truth is, my leg got eaten while I was out on my last mission. Best thing I could find was a log so I wasn't entirely helpless getting around."
Link narrowed his eyes skeptically. "Is that really true?"
"Of course! I ain't pulling your leg, haha! See!" Gildarts shifted slightly and pointed at the side of his metal-covered knee that was sharp and broken. "Got a big ol' bite mark here."
"Doesn't it hurt? We should find Wendy to heal it!" Link only turned half-way on his stool when Gildarts grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around.
"Oh, don't worry, kid. Relax. Relax. It doesn't hurt at all! I lost all feeling in it a long time ago." For some reason, he was grinning and Link couldn't figure out why. In fact, no one else seemed concerned about Gildarts' obviously severe injury.
Link could only nod and assume the man was so strong he was immune to pain.
"What managed to make a meal out of your leg anyway?" Cana asked, perking an eyebrow.
Romeo suddenly leaned right into Link's personal space in order to be heard by Gildarts; "W-Was it a dragon?!"
Gildarts crossed his arms and furrowed his brow at the boy. "Why yes, how'd you guess?"
"What? A dragon?" Cana uttered in shock as she straightened in her seat.
"Was it Acnologia?!" Romeo exclaimed, raising his voice and making Link wince; "Mystogan said you guys were attacked by him in Seven!"
All activities in the hall seemed to freeze as everyone's attention suddenly fell on Gildarts.
There was a heavy sigh from Erza. "Jellal, did you already tell them? You were supposed to wait for everyone else."
Jellal grunted. "Mentioned a few things but not everything. They made their own assumptions."
"Wait, so it's true?!" shouted Natsu as he and Happy bounded over. "You went to Seven? Why?! What'd you find there?!"
"Was on a mission for the old man," said Gildarts before waving the Dragon Slayer away. "Settle back down, will ya? I'll tell you all about it later."
"But I want–"
"Later," Gildarts stressed, hardening his expression. "Makarov isn't even here yet. What we gotta say is important for everyone to hear. Relax until then, all right?"
Frustrated, Nastu growled but didn't disobey. He went back to cleaning up the mess in the hall more fervently than before.
No longer was the guild filled with joy and laughter, but murmurs and gossip. The muted atmosphere was like someone had flipped a switch. People were anxious, muttering the names 'Acnologia' and 'Evil King', anticipating and speculating what the truth uncovered in the Kingdom of Seven may be.
Over the course of the morning, more members of the guild trickled in, needing to use the back entrance in order to get inside. None were too surprised to see the hall half-destroyed and only Macao openly complained at the cost of damages. Overall, the late arrivals were excited to see Gildarts back in town, stopping by the bar for a quick chat, their joyous moods balancing out the tension that hung around prior.
Link had finished eating when it was Wendy's and Carla's turn to find their way to the bar.
As they kindly greeted Gildarts, they took noticeable glances at the man's wooden leg, but didn't seem to have the courage to ask about it. Romeo hopped over to the next empty stool and offered his old spot for Wendy.
Breakfast was quickly served for the girls by Mirajane before they were even settled in.
"Quite a commotion outside," said Wendy, smiling in amusement at Link. "It must've been a big surprise when you saw the town moving earlier this morning."
"Certainly gave us a start," said Carla, perched atop the bar beside her partner.
Smiling bashfully, Link nodded. "I thought something really bad was happening."
Wendy giggled. "I did too when it first happened. It was shortly after Carla and I joined Fairy Tail too!"
"So the town really does move?" Gildarts brought up again after overhearing their conversation. His face was a little flushed from the couple of drinks he had.
Cana started to wave a finger at him. In spite of consuming about ten or so beers, she was the least bit tipsy compared to her father. "Ya know, Pops, you should pay attention next time you decide to leave town for another years-long mission."
"Years-long?" Link questioned, eyes wide. "There are missions that take years to complete?"
Chuckling, Gildarts put down his near-empty mug and gave the boy a big, smug grin. "Absolutely. SS-Rank. As you can imagine, they're not that easy even for the strongest mages. Earlier, you wondered why I wasn't home that often? It's because I'm always gone on these long-ass missions. My kind of thing though, so I'm not really complaining. Get to wander the world, explore new regions on land and sea, and meet all the lovely ladies, of course! Say, has anyone ever told you about the One-Hundred-Years Quest?"
Link stared. "One-hundred? That's a long time!"
Gildarts guffawed at the boy's reaction. "It's not actually a quest that takes a hundred years to complete, but a quest no one has ever been able to do for a hundred years! It's hella dangerous and would probably take a good number of years for anyone wanting to take it on. Gotta be prepared and devote everything you've got into it or else things could go sideways before you know it."
Sighing longingly, he lifted his left arm, eyeing the tarnished, armoured gauntlet that was scratched, dented, and squeaky with almost every movement. "Sad to say, I wasn't ready for it. Got hurt bad during that quest and lost my real left arm and leg. What you see here are fake limbs. That's why my leg doesn't hurt no more."
"Really?" Link reached over and tapped the man's gauntlet. It sounded hollow, making him frown. "How did that happen?"
Gildarts turned and faced the boy, his brow deeply furrowed. "Dunno if it was just bad luck, but one day, a black dragon suddenly showed up – and you guessed it – it was none other than our 'buddy' Acnologia. Came to bring ruin and rain hell on a lone mage just for fun, I suppose. Damn, heartless bastard, don't you agree? But you know," he patted Link on the back and gave him a compassionate grin, "for a big, mean, powerful dragon guy, he failed to kill us both when he had the chance. He may have left us scarred, but we survived. Being able to keep on living means we can grow stronger to overcome what we've lost. And I heard you've already achieved that and so much more, young hero."
"You've grown a lot stronger too?" Link asked, astonished.
"Me? Heh, can't say my fate turned out the same as yours. All I got out of it so far is this rusty old arm and a shoddy log for a leg. Oh, but hey! Heard from Erza I can get something new made from a dragon horn. Is that right?"
Link nodded with an eager smile. "Yeah, ask Master Lucy! She has Lupus who can make you anything with the right materials. Oh, but you have to give him something very important in order to make your stuff really strong though. And lots of steaks because he gets hungry."
Gildarts raised his brow and scratched the bottom of his chin. "Hm? Something important? Like what?"
"Something precious you hold close to your heart," answered Cana, her tone quiet and unlike her usual, rowdy self. She had one elbow atop the bar with her chin resting in the palm of her hand. Downcast, she was staring at her foamy mug that had just been refilled for her by Mirajane. "Pops, do you remember the wedding ring you gave Mom?"
"Of course," said Gildarts, leaning forward to copy her posture, his expression seemingly sad. However, he wore a fond smile soon after. "Had it custom made, you know. Prettiest silver in the store. Two rubies and a diamond. 'Love you always' engraved on the inside... Did she keep it?"
Cana nodded. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and glanced at him sideways. "Kept it in a little jewellry box and gave it to me when I was five. It became my most cherished treasure when she passed away. But then... I'm sorry. I wanted to give it back to you someday, but with–"
"Hey, it's all right," Gildarts interrupted, slowly shaking his head. His smile grew and his eyes seemed to shimmer. "Knowing the ring meant something to you makes me happy. Was it worth it? Giving it away to this Lupus fella?"
"You bet." From the pouch attached to her belt, Cana pulled out her special deck of golden cards Lupus had crafted for her. Made of Dreadwing's horn, they were thin, solid plates unlike her normal paper magic cards. It was a set of five and each was beautifully etched and hand-painted with images of the six-winged dragon performing a different storm-related spell. Lightning, tornadoes, monsoons, hail, and snow; Cana could easily call forth either or combine the spells of more than one card together to create deadly storms.
"I like to think Mom's ring is not entirely gone," said Cana as she spread the five shiny cards over the bar for her father to see. She placed her hand atop one of them and her other hand over her heart. "Lupus uses your most precious item to soulbind his creations to their owners. In a way, they still exist with us."
"The strong attachment is what makes our new equipment incredibly strong and resilient," added Erza, smiling in pleasure at both the sentiment as well as her enjoyment of her cake.
Cana slapped her father on the back and grinned, back to her old self. "Exactly! You should see the power behind the cool stuff we got!"
Gildarts picked up a card, seemingly admiring both the handiwork and power contained within. He chuckled and glanced between the people sitting around him. "So everyone sacrificed what they cherished most and got something much cooler and stronger in return? A fair enough deal! Gonna miss it with all my heart, but I know just what to give."
He didn't say what he was going to trade, leaving Link to wonder what Gildarts' special item could be.
Within the next hour, all members of Fairy Tail were accounted for and the hall was mostly cleaned up and restored with extra furniture pulled from storage.
Makarov had managed to convince the noisy crowd outside to come back in the evening to meet Gildarts in person for autographs and photos, with a fee, of course. He had a row of tables already set up by the entrance with stacks of portrait photos with a younger-looking Gildarts flashing a charming smile.
"You serious, old man? Where the hell did you dig up this picture?" Gildarts demanded as he looked repulsed at his own photo.
Cana snatched the picture out of his hands and showed Erza and Mirajane. The women shared a laugh, with Cana being the loudest and most hysterical.
Gildarts groaned and rubbed his face. "You really have to go and profit from my fame like this?"
Makarov put on a big greedy smile. "Doesn't hurt to earn a little extra cash to help out the guild!"
"Master," said Erza, giving Makarov, who sat at the nearest table, a stern glower, "I hope that money is put towards what you promised me and Mystogan."
Makarov flinched and glanced away, nervously pressing his fingers together. "Oh! Uh, yes... right. About that..."
"What about it, Master?" Erza's tone held a very dangerous edge as her glower intensified.
Sweat began to trickle down Makarov's forehead as he anxiously tugged the front collar of his shirt. "N-Nothing! A promise is a promise! Your debt will be paid, but not all at once, which I'm sure you'll understand? But if you feel like contributing every once and a while..."
"We'll pass," was Erza's quick response, smirking in satisfaction as she exchanged a subtle nod with Jellal. "A promise is a promise, as you've said."
Sighing in defeat, Makarov wiped his brow. A grateful smile found its way on his lips as he looked between Erza and Jellal. "You both have my sincere thanks for pulling through on such short notice. I knew I could rely on you two to succeed in bringing Gildarts back safely."
"I owe it to them for finding me all the way out there," said Gildarts, gesturing in their direction. "Probably would've been eaten or incinerated into nothingness by a dragon if they hadn't come save my ass."
Murmurs of disbelief and shock broke out in the hall from those who have yet to hear the news.
Makarov raised a hand to quickly silence the guild. Once it was relatively quiet, his expression turned serious as he nodded at Gildarts. "Please tell us what happened. What did you uncover in Seven?"
Gildarts crossed his arms as his eyes swept across the room, meeting everyone's gazes. "Every rumour you may have heard about that kingdom is true," he began, his voice loud and resonating. "Seven is cursed and dead. And we all know who's behind it all."
He went on, describing the state of the country. Every village, town, city, and settlement he had come across were nothing but ruins, forever trapped under the frigid snow and ice of never-ending winter. It was a desolate wasteland touched by the ever-present evil that haunted the kingdom.
No one was left to be seen, the people of Seven long gone; all met with a terrible fate. Gildarts had thought there was absolutely nothing to find until he ran into monsters that roamed the empty land. He brought out a large, strange-looking sword from his travel sack. "These monsters were big and strong and carried weapons like this. Looked like a cross between a horse, a man, and a lion and, worst of all, they can breathe fireballs that explode."
"Formidable sounding creatures," remarked Makarov, creasing his brow.
Natsu snorted. "Pshh, they don't sound that tough."
"Nothing I couldn't take care of," admitted Gildarts with a cocky, lopsided grin, "but they could be a problem for the average mage when they attack in groups."
"Link, do these monsters sound familiar to you?" asked Makarov, kindly.
Link frowned as he thought for a moment. He was certain he had fought some monsters before, in battles that felt so real in his dreams. Lively skeletons with wicked grins; walking lizard soldiers and crawling, fire-breathing reptiles; lantern-carrying ghosts that haunted the night; poison-spitting plants with huge snapping jaws; giant spiders with creepy skulls on their backs; those were some of a few he had written in his dream journal. However, he couldn't remember ever facing a horse-man-lion beast.
"No, Master," Link answered with a shake of his head.
Makarov quietly hummed. "I see. Gildarts, do you suppose they are part of the Evil King's forces?"
"Gotta be," replied Gildarts, sliding the monster's giant sword back in his bag, "because when I killed the first monster, more appeared, teamed up with a damn dragon." The details of his battle was a gripping tale; one man against a monster army and the Beast Dragon –formerly known as the Chimera Dragon.
With the ability to transform into many different powerful creatures, the Beast Dragon had caught Gildarts by surprise, resulting in the loss of his artificial leg. In retaliation, Gildarts took out one of the dragon's fangs, which he held up in the air like a trophy for all to see. Link was among the cheering, adoring crowd who applauded Gildarts for his triumphant feat.
"Unbelievable. You injured a dragon with just your own magic power," commented Macao.
"Hurting it once was all I could do, really," said Gildarts, brushing away the praise. "With my leg gone, I was like a sitting duck. So I hid away until Erza and Misty Gun came to my rescue. The three of us were on our way back to Fiore when another dragon showed up hot on our tails..." His expression darkened and his tone fell grim; "It was Acnologia and he wasn't there on his own free will. Turns out the big bad demon has the infamous Black Dragon under his complete control."
The hall exploded with exclamations of disbelief and colourful words.
Erza stood up and raised her hands in hope of calming her guild mates, but it took well over a minute before everyone settled back down. "It's true," she said, hands on her hips. She gave everyone a firm look. "We saw it ourselves. Acnologia had the same evil red shine in his eyes as the Eclipse Dragons, there was no doubt about it."
It was just as Link had feared. That bad feeling in his gut returned, making him feel ill.
Beside him, Wendy made an audible whimper and he noticed her anxiously biting her lower lip as she clutched her hands up to her chest. She was scared, and so were Carla and Romeo. Looking around, Link noticed half the guild were distraught while the other half were angry and restless.
He took a deep breath and shook away the bad feeling, realizing it was useless to worry. All the time they had spent training was not going to be in vain. They were preparing for the worst and nothing was going to stop them or slow them down.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered to Wendy, gripping her shoulder and giving her an assuring squeeze. He froze for a moment, recalling those exact same words spoken to him once. However, he couldn't remember where.
Wendy met his steadfast gaze and nodded, putting on a braver look. "You're right," she said, placing her hand over his.
She wasn't the only one to snap out of despair.
Natsu shot up and slammed the palms of his hands on top of his table. He scoffed angrily, puffing out smoke and wisps of flame. "So what if he's got Acnologia? We knew it would happen sooner or later! Hell, I'm actually glad it happened sooner so now we know what to expect when that demon bastard shows up!"
"Natsu is right. This was bound to happen..." said Makarov with a weary sigh. He hopped onto his table as gracefully as a cat and sneered, suddenly overcome with determination. Arms crossed, he looked at his guild with pride. "Not the greatest of news, but at least we can continue to prepare ourselves for the hell that will come. Monsters, dragons, Acnologia – no matter what he throws at us, we shall stand ready to protect Fiore!"
His little speech was enough to reinvigorate Fairy Tail. The guild shouted as one, not allowing their fear to get in the way. They were brimming with hope and courage for they knew they were far stronger than on the Night of the Cursed Eclipse. Their future was in their hands, no evil demon was going to take it away.
All that shouting erased their worries away. Natsu, Gray, Elfman, and every battle-loving mage were suddenly fired up for an epic brawl.
Before things could get out of hand – in typical Fairy Tail fashion – Makarov clapped his magically enlarged hands to quickly gather their attention once more. He turned back to Erza, Jellal, and Gildarts, looking quite relieved. "Aside from Gildarts losing a limb, I'm glad the three of you managed to return home safely. After encountering the likes of Acnologia, no less! How did you do it? Were you able to repel him with your dragon gear?"
"No, with just the three of us, we wouldn't have stood a chance," said Erza, crossing her arms and scowling off to the side. "Acnologia didn't suddenly show up for a fight, but to eliminate us in a single breath."
Gildarts leaned forward on his good knee, teeth bared in a snarl. "Took out a good chunk of the earth about triple the size of Crocus. The bastard knew we were hiding but didn't even bother to confirm our exact location before he blasted the entire area. Thought we were goners for sure, but," he grinned at Erza and Jellal, "lucky for us, we managed to pull through together with what we had, but also with the surprise help from Mavis."
Makarov's eyes widened. "Mavis? She was in Seven? Wait," he furrowed his brow in deep thought, one hand rubbing his chin; "Has she been there all this time? Did she follow the Evil King after the events of Crocus, I wonder?"
"We never got the chance to ask her," said Erza, shaking her head with a slight frown. "She didn't have the same power as she did back on Tenrou Island. I suppose that is somewhat fortunate, otherwise we could've been trapped in another seven-year limbo of Fairy Sphere. She had only the strength to give us guidance before she disappeared to rest."
"She hasn't shown up around here, has she?" asked Gildarts, looking around the guild. "Was hoping to give her our thanks."
"No, we haven't seen nor sensed her presence, but I hope she will return one day," said Makarov, lowering his gaze to the floor. He sighed. "Looks like things might get a bit more hectic with training. I advise you all to not break your bodies too much out there. I'm sure Wendy and Porlyusica would appreciate it."
"Yes, please!" Wendy begged, bowing her head with her hands pressed together before her. "I hate seeing everyone getting hurt..."
Link frowned in guilt beside her.
Makarov waved a scolding finger at everyone. "You heard her! Be respectful of their wishes because they're the ones working hard keeping you all on your feet!"
There were no arguments from anyone, only promises that they'd be more careful. Whether or not they would keep that promise was the ultimate test for most members of the guild.
"Hey! Link, get up! Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?"
He opened his eyes and immediately smiled at the ball of light bobbing in front of his face. Before he could say hello to his friend, she flew out the doorway of a tiny room carved entirely out of wood. He chased after her, knowing she would lead him on another adventure.
The moment he stepped through the doorway, the surroundings shifted to a dark forest cast under a starry, moonlit sky. Up ahead was a path, partially lit up by his friend.
He weaved through the trees and clambered over fallen logs and ledges, keeping his friend in his sight. She paused every now and then, waiting for him to catch up, constantly hollering for him to hurry.
They entered a tunnel of a humongous, hollowed log that had glowing blue mushrooms sprouting along the inner walls. Waiting on the other end was another dark forest thick with fog.
His friend stopped before a thicket, her light flashing from white to yellow. "Link, be careful," she warned in a whisper; "I sense a monster nearby."
The boy tensed in caution, his mind racing, wondering which monster could be lurking around.
He slowly came up behind her, his footsteps barely audible. His ears perked at the sound of rustling grass coming from the other side of the overgrowth. He carefully peered through the gaps in the branches and spotted a large, two-legged, hunched beast with shaggy gray fur and glowing green eyes. It had a big head and tail like a wolf and huge, curved claws on the ends of its long, muscular arms.
"A Wolfos," whispered the winged light, fluttering over his shoulder.
The monster's large ears shot straight up. It turned its head sharply in their direction, green eyes blazing with hunger.
"Look out! Here it comes!"
The Wolfos raised its head and howled at the silvery moon peeking through the mist, its cry seemingly echoing throughout the dark forest. It lunged and broke through the thicket, claws swiping at empty air for the boy had already rolled out of the way.
Short sword and wooden shield drawn, the boy fell into his stance while his friend circled the snarling, drooling beast.
"Link! Wait for it to drop its guard and strike its tail!" she shouted. Familiar words. She has told him that once before. Long ago, it felt like.
The boy brought up his shield, knowing what the Wolfos was going to do next, a battle he knew by heart.
Snarling, the monster charged straight at him on all fours only to stop an arm's length away. It quickly reared onto its legs to stand tall and menacing, pulled one arm back, and slashed its deadly claws with all its strength.
The boy back-flipped away, forcing the beast to miss. Its momentum made it twirl around, exposing its backside and very vulnerable tail.
The moment the boy landed, he leapt forward and slashed his blade, severing the Wolfos' tail in one cut. The monster howled in pain and fell forward, collapsing into a motionless heap. Suddenly, the body erupted in black fire.
Alarmed, the boy jumped back a few times and warily eyed the cold, dark flames. Something felt wrong. This has never happened before...
He looked to his friend for guidance, seeing her still hovering close to the burning body, her light still a bright, warning yellow.
The forest seemed to meld with the shadows around them, the darkness bringing an eerie silence.
He held his breath when he noticed the body of the dead Wolfos twitch. Slowly, it began to rise, its movements jerky and unnerving, joints and wet bones soundly cracking and snapping. The black fire became wispy black smoke and the Wolfos had taken the form of a shadowy, four-legged beast; a wolf with wicked red eyes.
"Link, be careful!" said his friend, her quivering voice seemingly coming from afar. She started to flee towards him only to disappear in the fanged jaws of the shadow wolf.
The boy froze in horror, his body numb. His legs buckled and he dropped to his knees, weapons falling to the ground by his sides.
"I'm Navi the fairy! ... your partner... This time, we fight together!"
"Navi..." the boy choked out, eyes stinging with tears.
The wolf licked its lips and shifted its attention on the boy, its fierce gaze piercing into him like icy daggers. It raised its head towards the night sky and howled at the new moon, one that was larger and angrier with mean red eyes and a mad, toothy grin.
The wolf's cry rang loud and drawn, reverberating all around and instilling a newfound fear. Next thing the boy knew, the wolf was in front of him, towering like a great, hulking beast, fangs bared in a vicious growl. Its sinister red eyes petrified him on the spot. He couldn't do anything when the wolf lunged.
There was no pain. Only pitch-black silence.
"What are you doing, boy?"
An angry voice of a man cut through the darkness.
He blinked and found himself standing in a dark and dreary stone corridor covered in creeping, crackling frost. A bitter chill hung in the air, making every hair on his body stand on end.
A tall shadow stood a little ways down the hall, a large man in black armour coated in shimmering ice. Narrowed eyes with a faint red glow glared at the boy, but the man was no true demon or monster, unlike most of the other creatures that wandered the stronghold.
"Go away. Quit following me," the man demanded in a low, threatening growl. He spun around, snapping his torn and frosty cape behind him, and marched away. His heavy footsteps rang through the empty hall, leaving patches of spiny ice with every step.
The boy followed the man at a safe distance, trotting on all fours, his breath steaming in the freezing air. His thick fur protected him from the worst of the cold, but it wasn't enough against the man's powerful aura up close.
"Annoying, you know that?" the man grumbled. They were somewhere else. A large room. Completely frozen with large icicles hanging from the ceiling. A small, shining crystal softly shone atop an icy table, making the room glisten. The man sat next to the table on a block of ice that may contain a chair encased within. Elbows resting on his knees, he glowered across the room at the boy sitting patiently by the closed, eternally frozen door.
It was much colder in the room than in the corridor. However, no matter where the man went, and no matter what he said, the boy would follow for reasons he didn't quite understand.
"What are you? Did His Evil Highness make you the way you are? Or were you dragged into this goddamn shit too?"
The boy only stared and the man sighed, frustrated. The man sat up, arms crossed over his broad chest. The dim light chased away the shadows over his face, revealing a large scar that ran down his left forehead and brow. Narrowed eyes narrowed even further. Nothing but silence until the man scoffed. "You're not like the rest of them, as far as I can tell..."
"You've got a voice? Say something."
The boy stiffened, his ears and tail twitching upon hearing the man speak in his head. It was the only response he gave.
"Hmph. He took everything away from you, huh?" muttered the man, running a hand over his dark hair. "No mind of your own during these lucid moments. Don't even have a name. Hell, do you even understand a word I'm saying, kid?"
In the next moment, they were back wandering the long, dark hallway that seemed to stretch on forever. The boy followed the man, his footfalls silent compared to the man's heavy, ice-crackling gait. On and on to nowhere.
"Shade," spoke the man, his voice ringing in the boy's head; "If you insist on tailing me like a shadow, that will be your name. No complaints? That's what I like to hear."
They descended into a spiralling realm of darkness, the man's footsteps echoing from the darkest depths.
It took all of Wendy's willpower to hold back her cries of frustration as she watched Natsu boldly march up to Gildarts for another rematch in the Battle Ring.
"Do yourself a favour and just let him suffer this time," Carla muttered from her perch atop the stone post of the ring. She gently patted Wendy on the shoulder out of sympathy.
The girl groaned into her hands and rubbed her weary face.
The promise her guild mates had made to her had only lasted a little over a week. Most had completely forgotten about it when Gildarts wanted to test out his new, magically-crafted dragon arm and leg that Lupus had completed that morning.
One by one, those who were brave and wanting a good challenge foolishly risked their lives against Gildarts in the ring. Repeatedly. Natsu, Gray, Erza, Elfman, Gajeel, and Laxus have already tried more than once, with Natsu in the lead with four losses. Soon, it would be five.
Given how exhausted she felt, Wendy was tempted to follow Carla's advice. However, Gildarts was in the middle of figuring out how to control the powers of his new limbs, so his attacks often hit hard – too hard, in fact – that those on the receiving end would suffer more than just a bruise or bloody nose. Broken bones, internal bleeding, deep gashes, severe burns and frostbite, poison and paralysis, and dislocated joints were some of the injuries she had the pleasure of healing.
Even though she wanted her friends to stop hurting each other, she knew it was impossible; especially when they were having fun. Fairy Tail wouldn't be Fairy Tail without the chaos involved beating each other up. It was a weird and crazy way the guild bonded, which was something Wendy had learned within the first month she had joined.
And there was no better way to help Gildarts get acquainted with his new powers other than to challenge him in the ring. His left arm and leg were designed to look like pieces of ornate, gold-plated armour fit for a king. Short, golden spikes adorned his elbow and knee plates and the fingertips of his gauntlets were armed with retractable claws, each made from the Beast Dragon's fang, granting him the abilities of various ferocious creatures.
"Maybe this time Natsu will land a punch on Gildarts!" remarked Happy, bouncing with excitement next to Carla.
About half the guild had gathered around the new and improved Battle Ring to either watch or partake in the duels against Gildarts. Each round had been a thrilling spectacle of insanely powerful spells and brutal blows. There was nothing to hold the fighters back other than their own abilities now that the Battle Ring was reinforced with stronger runes and magic-resistant and nullifying materials, allowing it to withstand all forms of magic. Pricey, but well worth the expense that the whole guild had chipped in to pay.
Right now, a thunderous storm was contained within the rectangular boundaries of the ring while the weather outside was a bright and sunny spring day. Seeing the oddity reminded Wendy of the blizzard incident, but thankfully, there was no worry about another catastrophic storm breaking free and wreaking havoc on Magnolia.
"I highly doubt it," said Lucy, stifling a yawn next to Wendy. She and Lupus were both leaning against the metal railing, sleep-deprived and exhausted from spending long days and nights crafting Gildarts' equipment. Although the Celestial Spirit appeared rather excited to witness his new creations put to use.
"Oh, that obnoxious fire-brain is going to get his ass handed to him again," said Lupus, smirking. Twirling a small mallet in his hand, he kept his eyes on Gildarts' golden prosthetics, on a lookout for any minor flaws that needed further tweaking. "The big guy hasn't even tapped into his arm's full power!"
Lucy grimaced. "I'm scared to see that... If Gildarts pulls that off, will Natsu be okay?"
The wolf shrugged, though he appeared genuinely impressed. "That idiot has survived each round so far – all thanks to me, I might add," he boasted whilst tapping his mallet to his bare chest, "so there's a slim chance he'll live."
"A slim chance?" Wendy exclaimed, aghast.
"Better than zero, ain't it?" Lupus retorted with a devilish sneer.
Gray snickered from the other side of Wendy. To her shock, he had unknowingly stripped down to his boxers sometime in the past five minutes. Not only that, for some reason Juvia was wearing only her underwear too as she stood very close to him, nearly touching skin.
"You guys shouldn't worry about that moron," Gray assured, arms crossed over the railing, "Natsu's got a thick enough skull to protect him."
Wendy could only hope as round five of Gildarts versus Natsu was about to begin.
Cheers and playful jeers broke out from the crowd.
One hand on his hip, Gildarts beckoned Natsu to make the first move. "Fifth time's the charm, huh? If you're not giving up, then come at me with everything ya got, Natsu! Stop holding back!"
Sporting a cocky grin, Natsu cracked his knuckles within his palms, his golden, runed Storm Dragon Bracers gleaming on his wrists. "Was saving my strongest move for last. Get ready for this, Gildarts! Storm-Hell-Fire Dragon Mode!"
Natsu's bracers crackled and sparked as he yelled towards the sky. His entire body exploded in roaring flames twice his height, sending waves of scorching heat to every corner of the ring. The air seemed to burn and shimmer from the extreme temperature that was thankfully contained within the magic barrier.
Gildarts was noticeably panting and sweating within seconds, but he stood his ground, grinning at the blazing inferno that was Natsu. The man raised his golden arm in a defensive pose, flexing his large claws that steamed and glistened like ice; the frosty fangs of an arctic beast.
Lightning crackled around Natsu's burning form and a strong tempest blew, creating fiery, electrified twisters around him. His true body was like a shadow with shining white eyes, while his flames took on a draconic appearance; majestic fiery wings flared from his back, a great mane of flame burned atop his head, and a long, thick lash of fire behind him resembled a tail.
Natsu had converted his half of the arena into a terrifying, flaming hellscape. With a beastly roar, he blasted forward like a rocket, closing the gap within a blink and leaving a blazing trail.
Wendy had to shut her eyes and cover her ears from the blinding, ear-shattering explosion that ensued when Natsu collided with Gildarts. She felt the ground violently shake and heard her friends cry out. When she snapped her eyes open, she saw the inside of the ring shrouded in a thick haze of black smoke.
Winds from the overhead storm dispersed the smoke. Wendy first spotted Gildarts standing in the middle, drenched in sweat, his hair singed and frazzled, his clothes full of burnt holes, and his normal body armour partially melted. Other than that, he appeared mostly unharmed and overheating, busy fanning himself with his icy claws to cool off from the intense heat.
He was surrounded by patches of dwindling fire and melting ice. Natsu was nowhere to be seen.
"Ah! Where's Natsu?! Gildarts, did you completely obliterate him?!" Happy shrieked, clutching the sides of his face in horror.
Lucy's face was pale as she looked around the arena for Natsu. "Did Gildarts use his ultimate attack on him?!"
"Did he? Damn! I missed it!" Lupus growled, pounding a fist atop the railing.
"Oh! Whoops!" Gildarts exclaimed breathlessly and broke into a wheezy laugh. He brought a hand over his eyes to peer into the distance outside the ring. "He came at me so fast that I acted on instinct. Looks like I sent him flying off the hill!"
"What?!" everyone cried in shock.
"Carla! Let's hurry and find him!" said Wendy, gesturing frantically.
Carla, however, flicked her tail and gave her partner a sideways look. "Are you sure you don't want to wait a little while?"
"Carla! Please! He could be seriously hurt!"
"Honestly, it's what he deserves..." the Exceed grumbled under her breath. Sighing, she sprouted her wings and swooped Wendy up.
Happy flew alongside the pair as they zipped over the roof of the Training Building and left the hill. Down in the area a little ways past the hill, there was a trail of dust and smoke leading to a newly made trench that had torn deep into the earth. It was at least fifty feet long, leaving a trail of broken, uprooted trees and smashed boulders.
At the end of the mess was a huge, smoking pile of raised dirt.
They dropped down on the grass next to the mound.
Happy stayed in the air and circled around, all the while shouting, "Natsu! Are you in there?! Say something!"
Wendy cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Are you okay?! Natsu?!"
She heard a muffled response coming from the dirt. She was about to start digging when an arm burst out from the very bottom, reaching around blindly.
"Natsu!" Happy exclaimed in relief. He grabbed Natsu's hand and, with a laboured grunt, dragged the Dragon Slayer out of the dirt and onto the grass next to Wendy.
Writhing on his back, Natsu moaned in pain, one hand clutching his bloody, broken face.
Wendy didn't need to see the extent of his injury to know it was bad. "I'm here, Natsu!" she assured, moving to kneel next to his head. Eyes shut tight, she swallowed a few mouthfuls of air, and started to cast her healing – only to be suddenly interrupted by a strong, tingly gust that nearly knocked her over sideways.
She let out a startled yelp and snapped her head to the side, finding Link and Romeo standing right next to her with their backs turned.
"Hey!" she hollered angrily at their sudden intrusion, giving the boys a start.
"Hey – oh! What happened?!" Romeo was first to ask, dropping down beside Natsu who continued to moan in agony. "We were just coming around the hill when we heard a loud noise and saw you guys rushing over here!"
"It was totally awesome!" said Happy, giddy as a child. "You missed Natsu getting beat by Gildarts! This was his fifth loss in the ring!"
"That's nothing to be excited about when Natsu keeps getting injured! You two better not be thinking of challenging Gildarts!" Wendy scolded as she wagged a finger at the boys, making them both flinch away. Drawing a deep breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated on healing.
She heard Romeo nervously chuckle. "Erza was bad enough. No way would I ever want to go up against Gildarts!"
"But you still want to ask him to be your master, don't you?" said Link.
"Y-Yeah, eventually..." Romeo replied in a dubious tone.
"Are you sure you want to constantly end up looking like Natsu here?" questioned Carla, a hint of a smirk in her voice. "The future has changed. You don't need to push yourself to the extreme when everyone is still alive and capable of fighting."
Romeo groaned. "I know, I know! That's exactly what my dad said, but I really want to do it! It's like my goal, you know? To become strong and reliable like everyone else! I-I just have to work up the courage to ask Gildarts and hope he'll accept me..."
"I can ask him for you," Link offered.
"Thanks, but I should be the one to do it. Anyway, I can't believe we missed all the battles this morning!"
"Sorry... my fault for sleeping in," Link apologized meekly.
"Didn't sleep well?" Carla inquired.
"He had a bad dream," answered Romeo.
Wendy opened her eyes and saw Link's frown. While maintaining her spell, she asked gently, "Was it a nightmare?"
Link glanced towards the sky in thought. "It was... strange? And sad..." Before he could say more, Natsu loudly groaned and started to move.
Slowly, Natsu sat up and touched the blood left on his face, wincing when he saw red on his fingers. "The hell happened?" he mumbled. He took a quick glance around his new surroundings, confused. "How'd I get here? Where are we?"
"Gildarts really smacked you hard if you can't remember a thing," said Happy, snickering into his paws.
Natsu raised an eyebrow and blinked for a moment. His face lit up when it all came back to him. He grinned and punched a fist into his hand. "Oh yeah! Yeah! That was great! Damn, he's good! Didn't see that coming. Next round I'll–"
"No!" Wendy shrieked, jumping to her feet and pointing a stern finger at the tip of his nose. "Natsu, that was your last battle! I am not healing you after this, understand?! If you are going to get yourself recklessly hurt, then I will drag you to Porlyusica and she will have to take care of you!" Near the end of her outburst, every screaming word became a powerful gust that almost sent Natsu rolling backwards into the dirt pile.
Wendy was huffing to catch her breath. She froze when she saw the stunned looks on everyone's faces. Cheeks burning, she slapped her hands over her mouth, shocked at losing her temper. She had been angry and frustrated before, but never had she shouted to the point of blowing people literally away. "S-Sorry... I didn't mean to yell like that... I'm just tired."
"Wendy, you shouldn't be the one to apologize," said Carla as she shot Natsu a pointed look.
Natsu grimaced as he rubbed his ears that were likely ringing from Wendy's voice, his dirty hair and clothes dishevelled by her breath. "Err, sorry, Wendy. I guess I got carried away and didn't realize how much trouble I was causing you. You know what? I'm beat. That transformation took all I had. Guess I'm done fighting for today. And besides, I really don't want to deal with Granny..."
Seeing he really meant his word, Wendy let out a big sigh and smiled.
The group trekked back towards the hill. As they climbed the winding path, Happy and Natsu were telling Romeo every battle the boy had missed that morning. Meanwhile, Link, Carla, and Wendy followed behind.
Link was quiet as he walked beside Wendy, not appearing to be listening to Natsu. Normally he would be just as excited as Romeo to hear all about the battles.
Recalling what he had mentioned earlier, Wendy asked him quietly, "You said you had a sad dream? What was it about?"
He glanced her way before dropping his gaze to the ground. "I'm not really sure..." he mumbled, tilting his head slightly. "In the dream, I was with my friend. The talking glowbug. The one that always showed me places."
Wendy smiled, remembering the little adventures he would often dream about, back when he used to have his Dreamstone. Dreams that may be fragments of his lost memories. Nowadays, the stories he loved to share were rare. Her smile faltered. "Did something bad happen to you and your friend?"
He knitted his brow and cupped his hands to his chest. "I lost her... A shadow took her away... Wendy," he looked at her, hopeful, "are fairies real?"
Wendy blinked at the sudden question. "I'm not sure... I don't think anyone around here has ever seen one." He seemed disappointed by her answer so she tentatively asked, "Do you think they're real?"
He thought for a moment and bowed his head. "My friend in my dreams, she's... not a glowbug. I think she's actually a fairy."
Wendy's eyes widened as she leaned towards him. "You really think so?"
He gave a small, hesitant nod.
"It's possible they exist somewhere," said Carla, joining their conversation. "We've seen all sorts of oddities and mythical beings. And portals to other worlds, too. A fairy doesn't seem that far fetched. Why else would Fairy Tail be named after them?"
"Why is the guild named 'Fairy Tail'?" Link asked, back to his curious self.
"I think it was Mavis who named it," said Wendy, bringing a finger to her chin. "Although, I don't remember the reason why she chose that name."
"It's because we live in a world full of wonders waiting to be discovered," answered a girl behind the trio.
Wendy, Link, and Carla turned around to find the First Master giggling and waving at them.
"Mavis! You're back!" Wendy exclaimed. She had been a little concerned for Mavis, but now Wendy knew better than to doubt the First Master. Mavis was as cheerful as the day Wendy had last seen her during the Grand Magic Games.
"Hey!" Natsu shouted as he, Happy, and Romeo ran over, relieved and ecstatic to see Mavis again. "Heard you helped our friends in Seven!"
"I'm glad they have returned safe and sound," said Mavis with a grateful smile and nod. "I was worried when I couldn't watch over them for a little while longer."
"So were you there just to keep an eye on Gildarts?" Happy asked.
Mavis shook her head, her childish demeanour replaced with the maturity of a hardened leader. She glanced between them, her steadfast eyes meeting each of their gazes. "No, I had other reasons. I was in pursuit of answers, hoping they would help me predict what ordeals may lie ahead in our future. You may already know that evil is brewing on the horizon. Dangers new and old might soon be upon us..."
"Wait, so you followed the demon? You know what he's planning?" Carla asked, body tense with apprehension.
"I couldn't travel too far into that cursed land to truly see the evils that threaten this world... It was beyond my power. However," Mavis's expression became bold and joyful, "I know there is nothing to fear. You've all been busy since the Games. I've heard stories and seen how much you've all grown in power, as well as friendship. With these strong bonds holding us together, our odds of protecting this world are not as low as I first predicted. Knowing this puts my mind at ease."
Letting out a big yawn, she stretched her arms above her head. "I'm going to need a longer nap! Keep working hard, but have some fun too! Give everyone my regards until I can return."
"Wait!" Link rushed towards Mavis and grabbed her hand. "Before you go, could you show them Yorenthall like that time in Crocus? Please? Can you do it?"
Mavis had a look of surprise that softened into a compassionate smile. "Yorenthall, your dragon friend? Well, I suppose I can. I have just enough energy to spare, little one – no, I shouldn't call you that. You're not so little anymore, brave hero."
Mavis guided him to the centre of the path and motioned for Wendy and the others to gather around. "Come, hold hands and form a circle if you wish to see my illusion."
They followed her instruction, not caring they blocked the hillside path.
Illusion or not, Wendy was very interested to see the Ancient Dragon King and saw the same eagerness on everyone's faces. She stood on the other side of Mavis, holding firmly to the spirit's hand whose touch was warm and ticklish against the Dragon Slayer's skin. Holding Wendy's other hand was Carla, her little paw nice and soft.
"Close your eyes," said Mavis, once they were all physically connected.
Wendy took a slow, deep breath as she shut her eyes, anticipating what was going to happen next. She quietly gasped and slightly shuddered when she felt Mavis's power flow through her, sending an odd tickling sensation up her arm and out the other towards Carla. Wendy imagined it passing through the rest of her friends as she heard their gasps and hushed yelps.
There was a short giggle coming from Mavis. "It's been a while, but I think I got it right. Everyone, open your eyes and don't let go of each other or else it'll break the illusion."
Wendy's breath was taken away the instant she saw the change in scenery. The tall, sunny hill was now a lush, shady forest with abundant, blooming plant life and noisy, singing birds.
Even though it was only an illusion, it was as if they had been transported to an entirely new area. The warm, humid air; the familiar scents of an old forest; the sounds of birds and gently rustling leaves – it all felt so real!
Mavis chuckled at their reactions before she turned and raised her head to the side. "There is your friend, Hero," she said, softly.
Wendy saw Link's sad smile before she followed their gazes.
She was among the few who uttered sounds of awe at the sight of the Ancient Dragon King towering nearby.
Wendy had expected the same silver-scaled, three-eyed dragon that Reedus had once summoned for Link, but the true Yorenthall was noticeably quite different.
He was enormous; twice or maybe even three times larger than Grandeeney, from what Wendy could remember of her mother. If Yorenthall could stand, he would appear so much taller, but the surrounding forest had grown around his body, making him one with nature. Thick roots of giant trees ensnared his limbs and moss covered his silvery scales, giving him a living green mane and beard. His majestic crown of golden horns were tangled with leafy vines, which were also occupied by colourful, flitting songbirds.
A gentle and wise, old dragon, his three blind eyes shone with the same kindness Wendy had seen in Grandeeney.
"Whoa! He's huge!" exclaimed Romeo, needing to twist his upper body around because the dragon was right behind him.
"So he's the Ancient Dragon King," remarked Natsu, eyes wide and shimmering with astonishment. "He's so much bigger than Igneel!"
"He's n-not really here, r-right?" asked Happy, visibly quivering under the great dragon's daunting size.
"Hey, don't be scared of him, Happy! He's Bacon's friend!" said Natsu.
"A harmless illusion," Mavis assured.
Yorenthall lowered his head as if responding to their voices, his blind, unblinking eyes seemingly staring directly at them. The chatty birds suddenly stopped singing and fluttering about in his horns. For an instant, there was dead silence until he spoke, his loud, gravelly voice rumbling through the trees; "Sei nu tivui."
Wendy felt Mavis suddenly stiffen before hearing the spirit mutter under her breath, "What?"
"You can make him talk?" Link asked, looking at Mavis in surprise. "That's his voice! I remember it... How did you know?"
However, Mavis was shaking her head, stunned with disbelief. "No, I'm... I'm not the one doing this..."
"But isn't this your illusion?" asked Carla, glancing between Mavis and the dragon warily.
"Yes, but..."
"Fear not I," said the dragon, the corners of his mouth curling into an amused smile. He lowered his great head further, his snout a few feet away from the group, his nostrils flaring as if taking in their scents. His eyes fell on Link. "Your stars shine bright and strong, Herial Yaarez. The time has nearly come. On the day before the next full moon, I shall be waiting for you and vol tierru."
His eyes shifted to Wendy and she could feel his gaze, his next words seemingly directed towards her; "Star. Sky. Soul. Unite as one to bring forth my light, Nyi Ven sil Natare."
His voice echoed into the distance as he and the forest faded, taking Wendy and the others back on the sunny hillside.
Bewildered, Wendy was about to ask Mavis what had just happened, but the spirit was gone. All that remained of the First Master was the slight ticklish sensation in Wendy's hand, making her wonder if what they saw and heard was true.
A/N: Gildarts would totally be a fun dad making dad jokes and Cana, the ever embarrassed daughter. Sad they never got to experience that kind of bond.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Acnologia wasn't considered one of the dragons to be sealed in the 100-Years Quest, was he? Might have to fix Gildarts' dialogue otherwise...
Thanks for reading!