START OF ARC 3: ICE AND FIRE, LIGHT AND SHADOW

The high-speed train gently settled back onto the tracks, the magnetic lacrima latching back together to lock the train on the rails. Yukino closed her book and set it back in her bag. Sting's assistants helped get him to his feet and off the train first, trying to keep it quiet. Everyone knew Dragon Slayers had their aversions of motion, but nobody needed to see a Captain of the Twilight Empire in such a state.

The station was bustling, as usual. It was built somewhat above ground but mostly below ground, burrowing through the dense earth surrounding Crocus. The high-speed trains took most of their passengers above ground, in the event of emergency, plus it allowed them to connect at stations such as this to others across Fiore. Regular passenger trains moving at good speed within the city were within what was being called subways.

Heat washed off the train from the massive friction caused by the lacrima's exertion of power. The metal was scorching to the touch, and engineers stood at the ready to perform their inspection.

Various magic signs floated around, offering guests recommendations on where to stay or where to go for the duration of their time in Crocus. The high speed train was still, even after a couple of years, a popular attraction. Air travel hadn't made its way to Crocus quite yet, but, Yukino had no doubt that once an airstrip could be properly brought in, the train would falter to becoming a quick method of Imperial travel only.

Businessmen, most former guild officials or those who worked under the Magic Council in some capacity, bustled around the place. Yukino helped Sting rise to his feet with some dignity and the two walked side-by-side toward the terminal's exit. Their bags were being taken care of and brought back to their tower.

Yukino caught the brief glimpse of a woman in a crop top with frilly white lace and a small skirt waving at them. She nudged Sting.

"Oh," Sting said. "I didn't realize we were expected."

Sorano strode toward them, flanked by a slew of reporters and followers not only of hers but who were obsessed with the siblings' status in the Twilight Division. Yukino's was a family that was arguably the most popular among the populace, given she'd married Sting, was married to the drop-dead dame Sorano, and was close with Sting's fraternal brother, Rogue. The four of them were enough to keep the eyes of the public hungry to see more into the Empire off of those like Neinhart, Invel, and August, as well as the horrendous machinations of someone like Zash Caine.

Never mind that Sorano was once a member of one of the most feared Dark Guilds before the Twilight Empire's takeover, what mattered was this intriguing little sect of Imperials.

"Well," Sorano said, hands on her hips. "That was certainly a peculiar series of events, wasn't it? Happy to be home."

"Peculiar is a way of saying it," Yukino said.

"Oh, what's wrong, sour puss? Bored, still?"

Sorano squeezed her sister's face to try and make her smile. Yukino rolled her eyes.

"Come now, dear sister," Sorano said. Her ravenous twinkle shot like a comet across Sorano's eyes. "I know there was something there that captured your attention. A busty blonde bimbo. Libra came to tell me about it."

"It's no longer my interest," Yukino said as Sorano dropped her hand. "Axel took her in, after she relented. I suppose the Fairies are breakable, after all."

"She's always been a bit weak-willed," Sorano said.

Sting raised his eyebrow at that. Everyone knew about Sorano's fall at the hands of Fairy Tail, but nobody talked about it. Until a few weeks ago, nobody had reason to talk about Fairy Tail at all.

"We can finally allow things to get back to normal around here," Yukino said. "That's the long and short of it on our end. But you? Aren't you supposed to be in Alikitasia?"

"Oh, there was a bit of a mess at the Cedar Airfield," Sorano said. She waved it off. "We sent a few smaller ships from that new airstrip in Bosco, they'll perform a few bombing raids and that'll send the message. A little less personal, but it lets me keep my appointments here, and lets me see you."

Yukino tried not to flinch at the thought of thousands being wiped out for a minor transgression. Sorano sighed as she said it, breaking eye contact with Yukino. Perhaps it was not so easy, after all, to utter such horrible things. Yet with the eyes around them, the cameras listening and the public waiting for something dramatic, there was nothing but the veneer of total dominance to put forth. There was no room for sympathy in an Empire with an iron fist.

"You must be tired," Sorano said. She clapped. "Come, Yukino, let me take you to a spa. I can't imagine the amenities in Clover Town were particularly kind."

"Sting?" Yukino asked.

"I'll be fine," Sting said. "I have to debrief with Rogue about a few things, I'll catch up with you at home."

The words I love you stretched thin and unsaid as the two broke away from one another, walking in opposite directions. Sorano took her sister's hand in her own, scowling at the reporters and curious folk. Such a look sent them away. Sorano bumped her sister's hip.

"So I've been wondering," Sorano said. "You're settling in nicely around here, especially with him. I'm sure the thought has crossed your mind a few times."

"What thought?"

"Oh, sister, please. Children!"

Sorano could've stabbed Yukino and her heart wouldn't have stopped as fast. Yukino kept walking, but the look on her face completely betrayed her thoughts.

"Didn't realize it'd be so sensitive," Sorano said.

"It's just never come up," Yukino said. "And we're not—not that old, Sorano. We just turned eighteen."

"Yeah, yeah, but, still," Sorano said. "Figured you two, the perfect little couple, would have kids running around by now."

Yukino could hardly wrap her head around the fact that she had a place to call home, that she had a high-ranking position somewhere before she even turned twenty. Having kids would just throw everything off.

Then, there was the image of children, little blonde-haired kids with great magic potential, stuffed into Imperial uniforms forced to march off somewhere in the city and learn under the heel of dusty, sharp-nosed teachers instructing them on the Twilight Empire's superiority and might.

Of course, people were having babies in the era of the Twilight Empire. Of course, there would be children learning of a world only under the Emperor's watch.

Such babies would only ever know the nightmare, never the promising dream all other wizards once held.

Well, Yukino thought. It may have been a dream, but look how it ended up for everyone.

"I mean I can only imagine how often you two are going at it," Sorano said. "Two hotties like yourselves."

"We haven't had sex in weeks," Yukino said. It was true, and so blunt that it was like hitting Sorano with a shovel. Sorano stopped dead in her tracks, gobsmacked.

"What?" Sorano shrieked. "No wonder you're so stiff! Sister, please, when you get into bed tonight, get on top of your husband. Loosen up a bit. You could use—"

"This is making me uncomfortable," Yukino said. They were out of the terminal and into the public eye once more. "Let's hurry along, now."

Sorano pursed her lips, but ultimately relented and nodded to Sorano, showing her to the magic vehicle she'd taken to get to the train station.

Sting's fist hurled a training crate across the underground sparring arena. It broke and splintered into thousands of pieces immediately upon impact with the other wall.

"I had them all, Rogue," Sting said. His fists were tightly balled, white lightning crackling around them. "The famous Fairies. And then? We got one and couldn't even really defeat the others."

"From what you told me, the Dragon Slayers were down," Rogue said. "Kiyl made it sound as if he had Erza on the ropes, too."

"Kiyl didn't defeat Natsu or Gajeel, not really," Sting said.

Rogue unfolded his arms. He leaned against the wall near Sting, looking about as chipper as ever. Sting had just gotten through relaying all that'd happened in Crocus, Rogue's attention piquing when Sting revealed that Frosch was working alongside Fairy Tail to, apparently, rescue Lector, who'd been turned into a lacrima.

"Your machinations did," Rogue said. "Count it as a win."

"Hardly," Sting said.

"Regardless," Rogue said. "It isn't over with them. If you believe Natsu and Erza will want to see all of this through to the end or have some ridiculous idea that they'll rescue Lucy, we can face them again. And together, we won't lose."

"I know, I know," Sting said. "But it didn't have to come to that!"

He blasted at another training dummy nearby. It had incredible wards put on it by August, of all people, so it wasn't destroyed but was pummeled into the far wall. Power continued to exhume off Sting's fists.

"This was our chance to get out of Tartaros's shadow," Sting said. "To finally not be the guild built with a bunch of legends that every year only ever babysits a meaningless tournament."

"We need to take what happened and learn from it," Rogue said. "Walk me through what you'd have done differently now, with the hindsight you have."

"Aggression," Sting said.

"Despite Invel's warnings?"

"Invel isn't a member of the Dragon Division and certainly isn't a Captain, he can't overrule me." Sting joined Rogue along the wall. "I wouldn't have let Kagura just get away. I would've razed the full city if I had to in order to get her. Then, I would've dealt with Fairy Tail right away, rigged the tournament so that Kiyl was allowed in, and had him join Axel. Maybe called in backup."

"Yukino didn't help?"

"She was a part of stealing Lucy's keys, something I would have had done at once. Yukino could destroy Lucy if it's a fight between the two of them."

"Then we know what we have to do," Rogue said. "If Fairy Tail gets through the gates, we throw everything we have at them. If it's just Erza and Natsu, I think we have enough firepower for that."

Rogue took his turn to step off the wall, his brow furrowed. "Now tell me about Natsu's power. He had his arm broken by Jiemma but was able to burn through Axel's diamonds?"

"That's right," Sting said. "Easily beat Axel, I'd say. I don't think there's a single Second Generation Dragon Slayer we've got that could take Natsu, or Gajeel for that matter."

"They must be left for us," Rogue said. "Or overwhelmed."

Sting was reluctant to admit the modicum of respect he'd gained for the Fairies, but did have to at least give it to them that they were certainly not pushovers after seven years. No wizards the Dragon Division went after resisted as much as Fairy Tail did, and they were known for only coming back stronger after being pushed around. But they hadn't seen the Twin Dragons in action together.

"There's another wizard to watch out for," Sting said.

"Who?" Rogue asked. "Erza."

"No," Sting said. "Gray Fullbuster."

Rogue stooped down and picked up a plank that'd flown all the way over to them from its initial destruction. "If memory serves, he's an Ice-Make wizard.'

"He pushed me into Dragon Force," Sting said.

Rogue's head snapped toward Sting's direction. "What?"

"Leave him to me," Sting said. "I'll kill him the first chance I get. No hesitation."

That, in all of its totality, was the crux of their next move. Rogue was right—if Fairy Tail stepped through the gates, it was on sight. It was over for them. Ten dragons would descend on them and wipe them out where they stood—or, rather, nine. Zash Caine was on assignment elsewhere, probably terrorizing Stella as he was wont to do.

Even if, somehow, they were able to push through the Dragon Division, how could they expect to face down even the Crystal Division, let alone the demonic freaks of the Tartaros Division? Sting expected the Twilight Division to keep their hands off the situation. One word from August would obliterate them all, but he couldn't be bothered with that, he had the Emperor to appease and attend to of late, and quite often.

Fairy Tail would be destroyed in Crocus, simple as that. Sting would see it done.

"Tell me about Frosch," Rogue said.

"They looked fine," Sting said. "The Fairies had three other Exceeds with them."

"And Lector?"

"Hardly got a look at the lacrima, but, looked undamaged." It was Sting's turn to fold his arms. "I don't understand it, Rogue. Why do this to Lector? What do they have to gain from it?"

"They?"

Sting's eyes widened. "Sorry. We. Lector as a lacrima, I don't get it. Also, why Lector? Are there really no other Exceeds to take from?"

"Did you consider that it was on purpose?" Rogue asked. "That it was to deliberately keep you focused on finding and chasing Fairy Tail if you knew they had his lacrima?"

"That," Sting said. "Or they just didn't care and needed a high-value item."

Sting hadn't gotten any rest on the train primarily because of his motion sickness, but whenever he did come to, his thoughts were fraught with replaying his fight with Gray as well as catching that fleeting glimpse of Lector in Frosch's hands. The little green one would've been next, no doubt, and it was clear that Rogue understood that much.

He'd brush it off, try and pretend like he wasn't all that bothered by it. He couldn't afford to be, not in his position. But the shadows could only hide so much, and the quick swipe of his arm over his eyes was enough.

"We'll get them back," Sting said.

"Do you think they'd let us have them?" Rogue asked.

"It doesn't matter. We'll see them again, Rogue."

Even if, Sting thought, Fairy Tail was the best place for those two now.

There was a tiny hut sidled away in a little forest about three miles outside of Clover Town, heading in the opposite direction of Crocus but it was where Natsu had smelled out that the Exceeds flew off to. Erza led the group in hurriedly chasing Natsu after everyone had a chance to rest up.

The hut had a small pillar of smoke rising out of it, and it had quite a few magical traps that'd been disabled not too long ago, allowing Fairy Tail the chance to slip into the area. Once they were at the doors, the forcefield came right back up.

"Alright," Erza said. "Everyone ready?"

They all nodded. Erza stepped in front of Natsu and knocked heavily on the door. They waited a moment before the door creaked open, slowly at first, then quickly as Happy padded up to the door.

"What took you guys so long?" he asked.

Frosch appeared behind Happy. "Frosch thought Fairy Tail was going away!"

The human at the door chuckled. "Oh, come on. I told you they'd find you, they were all quite exhausted from all the fighting."

Erza smiled at Meredy, who was dressed a bit more casually, perhaps having woken up from a nap not too long ago. "May we come in?"

"Of course," Meredy said. She bit her lip. "No news of Kagura?"

"She's on her way," Wendy said with a smile. "I caught her scent not too long ago."

Relief spread over Meredy's expression. "Thank goodness. Okay, come on in, then. We can plan our next move when Kagura gets here."

"Is the rest of Crime Sorciere here with you all?" Erza asked, inspecting the cabin. It was small, maybe fit for one or two people at most, and certainly wouldn't fit someone of Hoteye's stature.

"They've moved on," Meredy said, moving into the room. Carla was in the small kitchen off to the side drinking tea, so Wendy and Juvia went to join her while Gajeel went off in search of Lily, who was stalwartly standing guard in front of the Lector lacrima. "They need to ensure our main safehouse is still secure. However, an old friend sends her regards."

"Oh?" Erza asked.

Natsu and Gray took a seat on the small settee, trying to keep their distance from one another.

"Millianna wanted to say hello and wished she could stay, but unfortunately she's one of our best at detecting magic so we need her constantly on the move," Meredy said.

"That's okay," Erza said. Pride, maybe some relief, blossomed in her heart. "I'm glad she's still out there. And Wally, Sho?"

"Safe and sound, still," Meredy said. "They're refugees with Blue Pegasus, hiding away there."

"Hey, ain't that where Laxus went off to?" Natsu asked.

"They're well protected," Erza said. "Good."

So, there was, perhaps, still some light left in the world after all.

The door opened a few moments later, and a familiar swordswoman stepped through. Meredy gasped and leaped to her feet. Kagura startled for a moment before realizing it was Meredy running toward her, then opened her arms for an embrace, reluctant though it seemed.

Meredy stepped back and gave Kagura a soft kiss on the lips.

"Thank goodness you're back safe, where have you been?" Meredy asked, her voice tender.

"Investigating the perimeter," Kagura said, holding Meredy's hands. "I'm sorry I startled you. You could always use the Sensory Link, Meredy."

"I'm always scared I may not feel anything on the other end," Meredy said.

Kagura blushed, realizing that Fairy Tail was in the room with them, watching. Erza busily reached for something to read or look at while it took Natsu and Gray no time to start arguing and for Elfman to join them.

Erza stepped in before things could get destructive, allowing Kagura and Meredy the chance to not-so-awkwardly join the group in a discussion. Everyone else around the cabin came forward, with Frosch and Lily bringing forth the Lector lacrima.

"I've been able to reach out to Lector's spirit still trapped inside," Meredy said. "Can't talk to him, though. But I have sensed that, despite the confusion, he's happy to see Frosch, and that Frosch is safe."

"Frosch is happy to be with friends, too," Frosch said.

"Now, there's the matter of what to do with Lector," Erza said.

"I say we take him back to whoever did this and make them undo it!" Natsu exclaimed.

"You've such a simple view of the world, it's amazing," Kagura muttered.

"Not possible," Meredy said. "You'll have enough on your hands trying to get Lucy out of Crocus, bringing Lector back is too great of a liability."

"Is there a way to undo this?" Lily asked. "It seemed, on Edolas, the only way to was by removing all magic."

"Leave that to us," Meredy said. "We can move silently enough to catch whispers of anyone capable of undoing this lacrima while preserving the soul within it. As such, it'll be up to you all to protect Frosch."

"Frosch is going to go with Frosch's friend Lector," Frosch said. "To keep Lector safe."

Meredy glanced down at Frosch, confused. Lily stepped forward, too, but Frosch turned toward the rest of Fairy Tail.

"Fairy Tail has shown Frosch what Frosch has to do to protect friends," Frosch said. "Frosch is going to be like Fairy Tail."

"Then," Kagura said and rested a hand on Frosch's head. "I'll protect you, Frosch."

"Sword woman scary," Frosch said with a smile.

"Sword woman will scare away the Twilight Empire," Lily said, nodding to Frosch.

"Sword woman will scare away Lector," Frosch said. Kagura blushed.

"Maybe you can also find out from Lector why he was turned into a lacrima in the first place," Gray said. "Seems an awfully weird thing to do."

"It can't have been random," Meredy said. "So we'll ensure Lector's safety is top priority, as is Frosch's. Don't worry about us, you all need to focus on Lucy for the time being."

"Right," Natsu said and slammed his flaming fists together. "Once we've got her back, we'll check in with the rest of you and see how we can help get Lector back."

"Aye, sir!" Happy exclaimed.

"Reach out if you need anything," Erza said, laying a firm hand on Kagura's shoulder. "None of us need to fight this evil alone, we're all on the same side and together, now, the Empire can't defeat us."

Kagura nodded. "I appreciate that, Erza, truly."

They shared a final smile, and then, Meredy sent them on their way, the quests before them clear. Fairy Tail stepped through the downed magic traps and back into the forest. Beyond that was the path to Crocus, to save Lucy.

To the heart of the Twilight Empire.

Levy and Lisanna had no idea, truly, where they were going. Lahar wanted to think he knew the way forward, but, most mornings, Levy caught him as an anxious mess entirely unsure of where they were, what to do, and how they could survive. Food was scarce, and they'd been following a small stream for some time. Levy wanted to believe they were headed in the relative direction of the village where Tayaka and Romeo were, but couldn't be certain without a map.

Worst yet was Lisanna's spirit slowly dwindling as, with each passing hour, Mirajane still did not return. Levy stopped reassuring Lisanna with words a long time ago. The two walked with conjoined hands most of the time.

They trudged through a long stretch of prairie, the sun bearing down on them and sweat slicked their skin, falling over their eyes like watery curtains. They had to stop several times for the elderly slaves to catch their breath.

Before dusk, they came to a final halt and resolved to prepare camp. Lisanna, drained, couldn't activate her Animal Soul and prowl around for scents, so Lahar stepped away to scout while the refugees laid out the same bundles they'd carried for some time.

Levy started a small fire for people to gather around for warmth.

It was horrible that they had to commit such a pilgrimage, that they reality was some of them may not make it, but they could not stop. There was hope just beyond the horizon—it was reaching said horizon that seemed impossible.

"Hey," Lisanna said, the first words shared between her and Levy in some time. "Who is that?"

She pointed toward where Lahar had walked off moments before. He stood straight, stiff, and was certainly not alone. An old man with long gray hair and a matching beard strode behind him, a fine robe unfurled about him and a staff firmly in his hand.

"I don't—"

The world pulsed and shrunk, and Lahar was in shambles with the rest of the group. Levy spun about, looking to the rest of the world that on all sides looked the same. Despite its openness, Levy had nowhere to run, trapped within a plain that ran ceaselessly or nowhere at all.

Yet one other presence remained with her, so close, yet distant in power like the moon.

"Good evening, Levy McGarden."

The elder with Lahar was there, before her, not even in a blink, but as if he'd simply always been there.

"Who are you?" Levy asked.

"My name is August," the elder said. "And I would like to speak with you about joining the Twilight Empire."