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Souls Betwixt (Dark Souls / Fairy Tail) (Complete)

Reader mode
Lucy, did you forget about your Mirror magic? If it can work on Laxus, it should have an interesting effect on incoming Grand Chariot projectiles.

So! Was it Laxus' fault the group was discovered? Laxus did not make contact with Wendy and Charla on screen, but he could have drawn attention to them while blitzing around the forest. I don't think Laxus is at fault here, though his solo trip feels kind of foolish now.

I had forgotten a lot about this guild and this arc... I think there is definitely room for improvement with the events, so changes like "Oracean Seis uses Unison Raid" are a step in the right direction. Ultimately this arc could be quite strange for everyone involved rather than an action/horror storyline.
Example-
What kind of guild has TWO secret members? https://fairytail.fandom.com/wiki/Klodoa

We obviously didn't get to see Wendy fight in the recent tournament, so this is her chance to get some time in the spotlight. She is a dragonslayer and a pyromancer though here, not the special type of mage she has become in Fairy Tail's sequel.
 
5.3 Nirvana
  • Threadmarks
    • "Telepathy is one of the most difficult, yet also most potent disciplines known to date. There are several different subtypes, but the discipline's core consists of linking the minds of several people together. This allows for fast, generally unnoticeable communication; even over long distances. A creative mind can win the information war with no more than this. Due to its computable nature, Telepathy became more common with the recent advent of Archive magic, which can simulate it."

    -excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"
    The rush of adrenaline revitalised Solano; aloft upon her wings, she surveyed the woods far below. A flash beneath was answered by cutting off Aera's magical flow; she dropped like a rock, evading the lightning strike before catching herself. Oracion Seis' Angel dove lower to taunt them. She slipped between continuous streams of deadly gold like a dancer, displaying effortless grace.

    While her body worked however, Solano was busy shooting messages back and forth. "Laxus is still focussed on me, but the rest broke off. I can't hold him for long. Status?" She quietly grumbled about the Heartfilia woman, too; that was a good counter she let them put together. "We really should've buried them under our minions."

    "There is no sense crying over spilt milk," Brain admonished; his voice rang a little louder, seeing that he sustained the telepathic link between them. "MacBeth and I are free at the moment. He does not seem like waking up anytime soon, either." Meaning it was the four of them against the rest. Solano's sigh was pulled from her mouth by another drop. Her hair stood on end from how close the lightning brushed past her.

    "It would be prudent of him to change his mind," Richard commented without any heat. "I have a Dragonslayer on my heels."

    "Same here," Sawyer added.

    She still failed to understand where they went wrong. Solano knew the only wildcard they allowed was Wendy Marvell; they had intel on literally every other member of the coalition guilds. And even for Wendy, Gemini learned a lot from impersonating her pet. Yet somehow, no one expected a taciturn and abrasive person like Laxus Dreyar to be sent here. Solano would have taken Mirajane over him any day, too.

    Just as she thought that, a lightning lance grazed the tip of her wing; Solano separated it from her back and went into free fall before the current could travel. A new wing grew out under her will, steadying her.

    "Can you lose Laxus?" Sawyer asked as she began to ascend. Solano even found time and energy to roll her eyes.

    "Don't you think if I could-" another lightning strike, "-I already would have? I'm not you, speedy. If I fly a predictable pattern, like say, away, I get fried. If I slow down, I get fried. I don't have the reserves to use Meteor and keep Aera active afterward. If I could drop Serma on his head, I already would've done it!"

    "Alright, alright! Sheesh, girl. Calm down."

    "Enough of that," Brain interrupted their mental squabble. Solano was prevented from snapping at him by yet another attempt to tear her from the sky. She could smell nothing but ozone anymore, so thick with it was the air. "You can not win by just dodging. Take the risk and cast Meteor. Meet up with Richard and go to ground. They have Erik, so our fallback points are compromised anyway. Shake or defeat your pursuers and move to the central mountain. From what the locals tell, Nirvana is there. MacBeth and I will go ahead to secure it." A pause followed his orders while Solano began to focus; the link gave her an idea which way Richard was. "Or do you need the help?"

    She considered calling their leader and his adoptive son back, but decided against it. Nothing they could do here. "I'll be fine, go. Richard, dig down. We're picking up Sawyer afterward."

    "Understood," Richard confirmed at once; just like his physical voice, the mental one never wavered. "I shall create a suitable landing spot."

    Solano forewent a response in favour of dodging more lightning by swooping down. She could spy Laxus even in the descending dark, a beacon of might to her frayed nerves. Even the elation of flight and adrenaline of battle could barely carry her now. Before he got to see her flagging, she forced her body to align. Then Solano threw her smirking pursuer a wink and a wave. "While playtime was nice, it's about time mommy takes care of some business. Later~"

    The ruse worked well enough; he stopped attacking her while she talked. That gave Solano enough time to put Meteor's circle together. Laxus reacted instantly when it activated, but it was too late; Solano felt her perception speed up far beyond its physical limits. She idly floated backward to escape the wave of lightning. "Meteor!" she shouted, and dashed away. The combined speed of Aera and Meteor sent her two kilometres in less than a minute, right toward where she felt Richard wait.

    Meteor gave out first, flickering away as her perception snapped back to normal. Solano was near ground level by then, rushing toward Richard's blocky form. He waved, then braced and caught her in a bear hug. Solano's wings dissolved. "I'm done," she groaned, cuddling into the embrace. Richard obliged her request and carried her into the hole he dug. The earth shifted closed behind them.

    A soft chuckle rumbled through his broad chest; the thumping steps felt almost soothing in how rhythmically they came, too. He carried Solano a few minutes before setting her down on the soft dirt. She shuffled away from a wiggling worm with a sigh. Then she leaned against Richard's leg, allowing a headpat by virtue of being too tired to complain.

    "They certainly got us good, did they not?"

    "Don't act like you used up most of your juice on a failed ambush."

    "That is a fair point. Can you stand?"

    "I'll live." As much as she wanted to sit here for eternity or make Richard carry her, Solano held herself in higher esteem. She forced her aching body up after another minute. Her friend steadied her as they began to trot along; his magic continously shifted the earth, creating a tunnel around them that closed up as they passed. Whatever Richard did to refresh the air, she was glad for it. Tunneling was such an effective strategy; they got away with it more often than anyone would believe.

    While Solano suffered silently, Richard took it upon himself to call back over Brain mail: "Solano and I are together. We escaped pursuit underground. Status?"

    "No changes," Brain retorted at once; meaning he was fine.

    Sawyer's response was disheartening, though: "Don't come my way, they caught up. I need to lose them first."

    "Who is after you?" Richard inquired, prompting a sigh; Sawyer never told them how he managed to send sounds like these.

    "Jura Nekis, Lyon Bastia, Lucy Heartfilia, and Wendy Marvell."

    "That's too much for you alone," Solano chimed in. She wanted to come to his aid, but that was impossible with an Ethernano reserve of 'No'.

    "I know, so...."

    Solano already feared the worst when he trailed off just like that. No further comment, no nothing. "Sawyer? Everything okay?" she prompted with carefully hidden worry.

    His answer was delayed and almost reverent: "So beautiful. She runs with the wind."

    Richard tensed up even before Solano did. They both knew Sawyer's love for speed and the wind. His passion got in the way of survival. "Don't do it!" she shouted into the aether. "You can't fight all of them!"

    "We'll see about that. I just have to know!"

    He fell silent afterward. The tunneling wizards could not help but slump. Solano buried her head in her hands with a groan. "Oh, that idiot."

    She received a jovial pat. "I agree, but then again, none of us are free of idiocy."

    "Can you stop being so zen just once?"

    "Afraid not."

    Solano weakly batted Richard's shoulder, but left it at that. Worrying helped distract her from the mess they were in.

    Quite a distance away, Wendy was alternating between visceral anger and worry. Laxus just informed them that Angel ran for the hills; Gajeel's group lost track of Hoteye as well. "Bastard went underground," her fellow Dragonslayer complained, then paused. "Good news is, there's a whiff of Angel around here. They're together now."

    Wendy sniffed the air to catch Racer's trail again, directing her allies along. The memory of seeing Carla in a blackguard's hands drove her forward; Wendy had never been this mad at anyone before. She wanted to hurt them. But with the trio from Blue Pegasus having stayed behind to secure Cobra, the only group still in pursuit was her own.

    The planning continued around her. Lucy was calling back in that moment: "I can send Virgo your way, she is an expert digger."

    "No," Ren chimed in. "Secure Racer first and check the ground beneath him. They might try to free him. Actually, Hibiki, you scan the earth around us, too."

    Whatever response the other suit gave, it was not transmitted. Lucy's actual voice reached Wendy's ears, though: "Easier said than done, he is so fast!"

    The scent grew stronger in that moment; as if on cue, Racer appeared between the trees and came straight at Wendy. Her eyes widened momentarily, only to narrow as she wrapped her hand in streamers of air. "Claw of the Sky-" A fist rammed into her stomach, but Wendy bit through the pain. "-Dragon!" she shouted and lashed out. The winds exploded from her fingertips like a hundred tiny claws, tearing at her enemy's metallic suit. He weaved past the follow-up kick, grabbed Wendy's leg, and threw her backward.

    A rock broke from the earth between them while Lucy caught her. Wendy just growled as she was set down. Jura and Lyon rushed ahead to trade blows with Racer next, but he danced between them. He was no more than a blur every time he moved.

    While the men took hit after hit however, Wendy began to dance. Her soul sung as she twirled around herself, attuning to the winds she coveted. A Sky dragon commanded the very air and it obeyed. She spread her awareness, felt every fibre of her being thrum with power; green leaves danced along with her, torn from their homes as the majestic trees bent under her will. Wendy was the eye of a miniature storm.

    "Anchor yourselves," she sent. Lucy called for her maid again and vanished underground in response; Jura grabbed Lyon before stomping his foot into the ground and encasing it in bedrock. Racer failed to realise, staring at the two warily. Only when another gust tugged at his body did his attention turn back to Wendy.

    Were she not so angry, his sheer awe at the sight of her dance may have made her reconsider. As it were, Wendy let her essence bleed out into the air, made it shine aquamarine as she ceased moving. The moment her body became still, the storm was unshackled; it roared around her, picking up rocks and logs as well as Racer. Smaller trees were uprooted, larger ones defoliated. A mass of wood and leaves churned along the twister Wendy upheld by force of will. Her very core throbbed under the strain, but she kept staring at the tiny body thrown about amidst nature's wrath.

    Into her single-minded focus however, Lyon's mental voice echoed: "Stop it, Wendy! Jura's losing his hold!"

    She wanted to refuse and hurt Racer more, but she was also growing tired. Wendy reluctantly stopped squeezing her soul to provide power; her storm weakened gradually. First the trees thundered to the ground, then boulders and logs followed. Racer was next, battered but still concious. He vanished in a cloud of fluttering leaves the moment he hit the ground.

    Wendy followed his path by the tunnel he left, which was when she realised. "The leaves slow down around him. This is not speed magic at all!"

    "Wait, what?" Lyon's gasp was followed by a crunch as Jura dislodged both of them from the ground. He switched to telepathy after: "So he's slowing us down! How do we work against that?"

    "We need to catch him physically," Jura commented while Wendy trailed her target's path around the area. He was coming her way, first clearly visible and suddenly a blur. Then he became visible again, just as Wendy felt herself lose contact with the ground. A sudden force pulled her up. She wriggled in its grasp, only to drop back down a few seconds later; Racer kept rising, though. He struggled against the invisible force.

    "Got you," Lucy cheered as she emerged, another spirit in tow. Libra, Wendy remembered. The gravity controller kept Racer in the air, impotent for now.

    The four of them regrouped while Lucy's maid dress dissolved back into her normal clothes. All four were panting, but Wendy felt spent; she still had some reserves left, but that storm took more out of her than she thought. A glance around revealed devastation within several hundred metres; she suddenly felt bad.

    Jura's mental message cut through her distraction: "We got Racer, but he is not beaten yet."

    "Yet." Lyon responded cheekily; when her gaze flicked to the confident ice wizard, he was thrumming with Ethernano. A bright blue spell circle appeared over his hand. "Ice Make Eagles!" he chanted, then pushed himself forward to point at their enemy.

    Meanwhile, Racer kept up his futile struggles against the invisible cage. "No no no no NO! I won't have it! You, you won't run faster than I, I won't-" his shouting devolved into a screan of pain; Lyon's swarm of glacial birds hammered into him for several seconds. It only cut off when he deemed it enough. Libra dropped Racer's motionless form moments later. He was in bad shape now, to the point Wendy felt a little bad. Jura caught the falling wizard, one hand already grabbing the magic-suppressing handcuffs from his pockets.

    Beep.

    Wendy perked up, looking this way and that. "What was that sound?" Something nudged at her senses.

    Beep.

    "What sound?" Lyon glanced her way in confusion, which only agitated Wendy more. "I didn't hear anything. Jura?"

    "I-" Beep.

    Jura's head snapped back to the man he held onto; the man who was somehow still brimming with Ethernano. A moment later, everything became fire and noise. Already disturbed tranquility was utterly shattered. Thunder followed the explosion, echoing over miles of forest. Spooked birds took flight, the wildlife fled.

    And Lucy stared in shock, waiting for pain that never came. A wooden casket manifested around her in the nick of time, weathering the firestorm. She absently felt Libra's Gate close while Horologium manifested fully. Lucy stared dumbfounded at the mayhem from inside her friend; the forest around them was gone for at least a hundred metres, replaced by a giant crater. Small fires burned merrily; most died as they had only ashes to feed on, but some licked on the edge of no-man's land.

    The epicenter was worst, inevitably drawing her gaze: a single, charred body lay motionless. Jura's clothes were burned almost completely, all his skin and flesh cooked off. Of Racer, there was nothing left at all. The gruesome sight made naked horror bubble up in Lucy's gut; her gaze was glued to the dead man. Bile rose up her throat, only barely swallowed.

    Jura was dead. Dead.

    Then her field of view shifted. Horologium toddled around on his stubby legs, freeing Lucy from the grizzly sight out of his glass front. The clock spirit's voice echoed through his inside: "I wish you did not have to see this." His slow, accented way of speaking calmed Lucy a fraction. "Please, as hard as it is, center yourself, young mistress. Others need your aid now."

    The clock vanished, but she did not fall. Loke appeared to catch her, Gate opened of his own power. He hugged her close to his chest, hiding Jura's remains from view.

    A groan from next to them dragged their attention to Lyon. His entire body was red from burns, but none severe at first glance; Lucy shily averted her gaze when she realised the explosion left him bare, much like she was. Not that he cared, if he even noticed.

    "Damn it, why did he have a bomb?"

    Coughing from their other side drew attention to Wendy, equally naked but barely singed. The younger girl's sight triggered something in Lucy, however. She leapt out of Loke's hold and grabbed the disoriented Dragonslayer, smushing her head into her chest. Any consideration for their nudity was forgotten; she had to protect her from this. "Don't look!"

    A slurred question was all she received in response. Wendy stayed where she was while Lucy cuddled her, both for the younger woman's protection and the older one's comfort.

    After cursing under his breath, Loke took stock of the situation. "Alright, you do that. Virgo, get over here and help me put out those fires!" Again Lucy felt a Gate open nearby, but it did not draw on her. Just like with Horologium and Loke, the spirits came of their own power. Virgo dashed away. Lucy heard the ash crunch under her shoes.

    "Okay, I heard the girls," Lyon groaned as he picked himself up. "What shouldn't... oh. Shit."

    Silence reigned between them afterward. Lucy kept her eyes closed, clutching Wendy as tight as she could. She faintly wondered where her own clothes went, but decided it did not matter. Horologium probably could not save them.

    "-going on?!" Hibiki's voice penetrated the haze lying over her thoughts. "Please respond! What happened? We saw the explosion from here. Please, answer me!" He grew increasingly desperate in his calls.

    When Lyon did not respond at first, Lucy slowly forced herself to focus and do it instead. She was shaking now. "He, he had a bomb. R-Racer, he...."

    "Oh gods, how bad was it?"

    Lucy wanted to tell him, but she could not find the words. She just held onto Wendy, suddenly aware that all her friends could have died just then.

    "Jura is gone," Lyon answered slowly. A shocked "What?!" followed, but no one knew who sent it. He did not respond to it either, talking as if in a daze: "I think, I think he saved us. Stood between the bomb and us, and it got him the worst. I'm out of juice and still got some burns. Nothing too bad," he added a moment later. "I've had worse frostbite. Lucy looks fine, too. Wendy?"

    "I am fine," the blunette sent in response; she was squirming in Lucy's grasp by now. "Prithee cease thine attempts at suffocating me."

    "Promise you won't look?"

    "Okay."

    Lucy let go. Then she quickly turned Wendy around so she definitely could not see; both of them were still shaking. Then Virgo appeared by their side with a faint curtsy. "Fires suppressed, Princess. May I suggest a change in wardrobe? It appears we are overdressed for the occasion."

    Despite it all, her deadpan drew a snort from Lucy. At the same time, it made Wendy glance down and squeak; she quickly covered herself with newfound energy. This did nothing to hide her full-body blush in the firelight. Lyon just patted her head with a chuckle. "Don't think too much of it," he reassured her, "it's all natural."

    "...right," Lucy deadpanned, "you and Gray had the same teacher."

    "You make that sound so negative. Besides, this isn't the first time I lost some clothes on a mission. Better those than my skin, I'd say." He had a point, but Lucy still felt herself grow embarassed, now that the initial shock died down. She forced deep breaths.

    Meanwhile, Wendy began to shudder and hugged herself. "Tis cold," she murmured, then sent to Hibiki: "Dost thou possess spare clothing?" Likewise, Lucy began to realise that the only protection she still had from the cold was her magical shell; Wendy must have run out as well. She absently received her keyring from Loke.

    "W-Well," Eve responded after a moment. "We do have some spares on the Christina, but she will need some time to reach the area. That much noise will draw in the other dark guilds in the area, too. And I think we need Lucy to probe for Angel and Hoteye? So if she escorts you back, that could give them a chance to slip the net."

    "What about Brain and Midnight?" Lucy sent back, suddenly worried.

    "We lost track of them for now."

    It was at this point that Levy chimed in, voice steady: "Let's meet up and switch teams. Sherry and I can bring Wendy and Lyon back. Lu, Gajeel, and... no. Those two can look for Angel and Hoteye." Lucy grimaced at the reminder they were one man down, trying hard not to look back at the cooling body behind her.

    A faint crackle announced Laxus' arrival; all three wizards turned his way, the spirits long since gone. His expression was inscrutable under the faint moon- and firelight. After a moment, he shook off his heavy coat and wrapped it around Wendy. She thanked him meekly, but received no response. Lucy did not feel like saying anything either, but she mustered a grateful smile that was likewise ignored.

    Lyon sighed. "Alright. And... ugh, I hate I even have to say it. Did anyone bring body bags?"

    The silence that followed was deafening.

    It was no different for Oracion Seis, either. Even Brain, who kept himself the most detached of the group, found no words to speak. Ever since the night lit up in the distance, their link was silent. MacBeth strode by his side by now, yet neither exchanged a single word; his adoptive son's countenance was stormy. By himself, Brain wondered what he could have done different; they picked the plan most likely to succeed as a group. Everything worked perfectly until their trap was sniffed out. That had never happened before. And now Sawyer was dead.

    Before them rose the mountain they once spied from a distance. It towered above even the impressive woodland. Brain led the way into a nearby cave filled with various plants; life flourished, but his only thoughts were on the glowmoss illuminating their path. This was nothing like any mountain they ever scaled.

    To distract himself from his brooding, he uttered a soft sigh and finally sent at Richard: "How is Solano?"

    His response came dully: "Inconsolable still. We dug deeper to rest. I can sustain us for a few hours if we do not have to move."

    "This is probably for the best," Brain agreed. "We reached Nirvana's position, but have not found it yet." A sideway glance to MacBeth brought his attention to the unusual ascent again. They traversed thick bands of not stone, but wood. This was when he realised why this place felt off. "This is not a mountain, it is a tree with bark so thick and sturdy it may as well be stone."

    The megaflora took no notice of his realisation; small animals skittered away from the soft clacking of their footsteps. Wherever he looked, Brain found natural pathways the wildlife created over centuries. "And it is partly hollow. There is an entire ecosystem in here."

    He could not help but ramble a little; not only did it distract him from the reality of Sawyer's demise, but this place also intrigued Brain. MacBeth idly pushed up a thick leaf with the back of his hand, studying it.

    Unfortunately, Solano chose that moment to enter the conversation: "Why did we give him the bomb?" she asked, painfully reminding Brain that he made that decision. He heaved another sigh.

    "I did not expect him to do... that with it."

    "He never struck me as the type," Richard agreed morosely. "And we did discuss smuggling the bomb under the coalition base. In retrospect, we should have done so. I should have held onto the bomb."

    "You could not know," MacBeth responded this time. He said nothing else and gave no physical indication of the words he spoke. Brain had to agree.

    "He is right, none of us could have predicted this. If anything, the blame lies on me for trying to save on our assets. Even if it takes a month to make one of these, we should just have used it." That was what he got for keeping an emergency measure; it only created the emergency to begin with. Now they lost someone who could not be replaced.

    Just as he thought that, the ascending branch ran out into almost even ground. Stars glittered far above and Brain realised they reached the top; the tree opened to the open sky like a goblet, wood-stone walls reaching several dozen metres higher. All around the two men spread a glade of tall grass, easily the size of a village; it took him a moment to recognise what his senses told him, the sheer abundance of Ethernano driving all weariness from his body. Wounded animals rested this way and that, from predator to prey in harmony.

    Brain blinked, unable to form words at the peaceful image. He needed a while to push back against the sense of awe. "We found it," he sent, then fell silent to study the place more. Now that he focussed, it felt like a bright light to his sense for Ethernano; the magical energy surrounded them in a thick band. It covered the entire glade.

    What was more, a guardian of sorts sat to its center: hewn of rough, black stone, the dragon was depicted at rest. Its vaguely triangular head rested on thick legs. Brain could tell intricate details from a distance, even more so as he approached. The stone was warm to the touch, every nook and cranny filled with blossoming flowers and plants that made their home on the colossus.

    Even at rest it towered over him and MacBeth. Brain felt like the mighty beast could come alive and lunge at him any moment, but there was no actual flow of Ethernano. It was not a magical construct of any sort. He shuddered, then shook off the faint sense of dread. The only potential danger was the old, black bear slumbering next to a wounded deer. And if this one woke, it had a meal right there.

    "What a curious sculpture," MacBeth muttered as he ran a hand over the obsidian. "I wonder who built it?"

    Brain shrugged, well aware the younger man did not see the gesture. "I don't know. Right now I'm more interested in where the source of this Ethernano is." It blanketed the entire area, but there was no fountain. No leyline sprout. No hive or generator. "I'm starting to understand why generations of scholars were stumped by this place."

    "It could be a property of the soil, or tied to the area?"

    "Hopefully not. We lost too much trying to get this in our hands already." Brain's fist clenched, but he kept his mind on track.

    MacBeth scowled and finally left the statue alone. He skulked away, stopping only to level his usual piercing stare at his father. "And what if it is? What if we come out of this empty-handed?"

    With Erik captured and Sawyer dead... Brain scowled back. "This is unacceptable," he snapped before schooling his features. Not that the outburst upset MacBeth. "If all else fails, we can just uproot this entire glade and take it along. Or build an actual base here. If this bountiful source of Ethernano keeps refreshing itself, we can use it to power high-grade magical cannons, shields, and perhaps even an Etherion of our own." Seeing that the Magic Council's Etherion was destroyed, theirs would be the only one on Ishgar's southern end. They could hold all of the surrounding countries hostage. Make themselves immune to all retribution. The more he thought about it, the more Brain liked the idea.

    While he mused however, he became oblivious to his surroundings. Beneath the starry sky he stood, staring out at a territory he now dreamt to make his. Were he more aware, he may have noticed the minute shift behind him. The change in lighting as empyrean orange began to shroud his silhouette. A colour so familiar yet wrong, alien. Greater. It shone from the statue's forehead and fully came into focus.

    Brain lacked the ability to sense the change before it affected him. The minute push of singular atoms that struck others in a growing cascade; the faint switch of quantum states across all existence. Primordial might grasped for reality's state of being and rent it asunder.

    In the sprawling forests below, Sherry Bendy suddenly collapsed with a scream. Just like every other fortuneteller across the planet, the realignment struck her with a terrible migraine. Worse for her, she was near its origin; a single, bloody tear ran down Sherry's cheek as the subliminal force ran its course.

    The moment Brain noticed, it was too late. A searing pain struck his chest, drawing a wheeze. His heart stopped and no attempt to shock it into restarting was successful. He futilely clawed at his chest in what few seconds he had. The pain overtook his concious mind and paralysed him; a moment later, his awareness faded. The founder and leader of Oracion Seis collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.

    The heavy thud drew MacBeth's, or Midnight's, attention. His head snapped back to the collapsed form, suddenly alert. "Father?" he queried, but received no response. "Father!"

    He wanted to call for help, but with Brain's fall the telepathy was also cut off. He shook the man who adopted him and gave him purpose, tried to will him to wake. There was no pulse and no human force of will could overcome that which they opposed. When next the glow grew to encase MacBeth, his fate was already sealed. He leapt to his feet to strike at the active statue, but his heart gave out before he could. His shout became a wheeze and he, too, fell.

    The glow faded entirely this time. Its final flickers illuminated the two still bodies, one draped over the other. Beneath the shallow hole in its head that emitted the light, scaled lids slid over two slitted eyes. Flakes of dust and soil rained from their neck and head as the primal being adjusted its posture.

    Then it fell still and the Sea of Serenity lay tranquil once more. As if its halcyon days had never been disturbed.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Damn, was NOT expecting Jura to bite the dust like that, nor for Angel to know Heavenly Body. Also, surprising to see such comradeship between the Seis, nice touch.
     
    Yeah, I don't think anyone is getting a sword from THIS everlasting dragon's tail.

    I assume that the dragon is using its very Will to affect reality, just as Priscilla did to clot her wounds.

    MoistWaffle1026 said:
    Woa, what the hell just happened
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Calamity.

    Now this is an entity that could give Acnologia trouble. I wonder if any words or trinkets from the Fairy Tail mages will remind Kalameet of his old home? Or will Wendy's knowledge of her caretaker's history save everyone?

    Edit: If the Calamity link doesn't work, try this one. Link.
     
    Last edited:
    5.4 Broken Spirits
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    • "Fortunetelling is among the most diverse disciplines; merely listing the various methods to focus this magic would be grounds for a separate volume. The general effectiveness depends on how attuned one is with their chosen method and how well-practiced the wizard. While fortunetelling itself truly lacks combat applications and is often treated with some disdain due to various charlatans, supportive applications are quite varied. I will not assume the existence of such a thing as fate, for I can not prove it, but a proper fortuneteller can glimpse the future or learn of past and present. Unfortunately, the future often changes after it was observed. It is recommended to double-check afterward for that exact reason."

    -excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"
    "My apologies," Wendy murmured. "I wish I could mend thy wounds."

    The young woman trudged along with the rest of them. Laxus' heavy, fur-lined coat preserved her modesty, but it could not cover her shame. Lucy felt for her, currently clad in a spirit dress Virgo delivered from her world. She did not dare ask for another garment, what with how far above and beyond their contracts her friends already went tonight.

    Lyon, meanwhile, cared naught for his nudity. He shrugged off the apolgy, too. "I know you'll get to it the moment you can, don't worry." He then proceeded to ruffle Wendy's hair; she let it happen this time, perhaps because his proximity still flustered her. It had done so ever since they started walking, unwilling to wait for a host of dark guilds to converge on them.

    "But doth, erm, does it not hurt?"

    He shrugged again. "Like I said, I had worse. Ul had us stand naked in the middle of snowstorms whenever we had them. The frostbite was nasty before I got used to it."

    "Wendy!"

    The shout announced a ball of fluff all but slamming into the blunette's face. She caught Carla with a happy cry and hugged her tight. Lucy left them to it and turned toward the faint light blinking above; Christina arrived.

    Once human and Exceed finished their reunion, Carla ferried the coalition up one by one. Lucy agreed that keeping the bomber far away from ground level was the right call. She herself stayed on the ground to greet Levy, Gajeel, and a grimacing Sherry. Only the latter joined everyone up above, though. Lucy and her guildmates kept going, with Laxus immediately walking. "You would just slow me down," he grunted without prompting, then zapped away on a lightning strike. His exit was followed by shouts of alarm, then pain. Underlining the distant spectacle were flashes of light as well as loud buzzing, crackling, and the noises of breaking rock and wood.

    Lucy exchanged glances with her friends. Levy shrugged, Gajeel grunted. They unanimously left him to it. Instead, the three continued to search for the remaining Oracion Seis wizards. Virgo followed her call again and searched underground while Gajeel led the way above; his nose twitched every once in a while.

    "Wait," he said at some point. Almost an hour passed by then and Lucy felt her reserves dwindle. Gajeel stepped away from them and took a deep breath. Then he walked this way and that before stopping in direction of the distant mountain. "Brain came through here. Midnight, too. They went that way." He pointed the same direction he faced, almost exactly toward the pillar. It stood visible even against the night sky.

    "So we know where those two are going," Lucy reasoned. She had no idea if they were already there. "Let's get on-board of Christina now." She plucked on her connection to Virgo to call her back. The maid arrived while Levy called their ride over.

    "I found traces of shifted earth, but no indicator which direction our marks went," the pinkette explained. Then she went onto her knees, head bowed without even an ounce of shame. "Will you punish me now?"

    Lucy heaved a sigh. She noticed the hint of eagerness in these requests long ago. She knew Virgo was a brat on purpose. At the same time, she really did not feel comfortable with the thought of actually doing anything to hurt her spirits. Yet especially Virgo did so much today.

    "I need to talk this over with Natsu first. But sure, you can have your punishment."

    "You could both punish me," she suggested without a moment of hesitation. At least she knew how to distract Lucy from her exhaustion, not that being flustered helped much. Lucy wordlessly sent her home.

    Right after, Levy's arm wound around her shoulder. The blunette leaned against Lucy with a teasing grin. "What was this I hear? Are you being mean to your underlings?" She giggled, more so when confronted with an unamused stare. "Alright, alright. So you finally gave in?"

    Lucy just groaned, slumping against her friend. "I want to do something nice for Virgo after tonight. She deserves it. They all do, really. But if she wants... that? Well, fine. I need to read up on how and what and...." she trailed off, sighing again. "And get Natsu on-board first."

    "You think he'd complain?"

    "I have no idea. He never struck me as the type to hit someone outside of a fight. Not like Gajeel," she quipped, only to wince in time with him. "Okay, sorry. Too far."

    "'s fine," he muttered.

    Levy glanced between the two of them. When she rolled her eyes however, Lucy knew something bad was coming. She almost felt sorry for Gajeel when his girlfriend attached herself to him instead. "Don't worry so much," she cooed, "I like it a little rougher."

    "Have some decorum, harlot!"

    And that was Carla, there to bring them onto the airship that once again hung overhead. Levy just stuck out her tongue, which earned her the honour of being last to board. Lucy went first, followed by an embarassed and thoroughly confused Gajeel. She patted his shoulder before slumping on one of the seats. Somehow, the control room had been transformed into an improvised living space; tired wizards were napping everywhere.

    It was already a kind of normal for Wendy, though. The sky dragonslayer toddled around in an oversized dress that swished around her bare feet, seeing to the wounded. She since recovered enough Ethernano to treat Lyon's burns, too. Had she been any less than exhausted, working on his thighs and abdomen would have flustered her again; as it were, Wendy simply did it and decided to have a meltdown about his masculinity later. Much the same happened when Laxus joined them, scuffed but alright beside a few scratches. He arrived on his own power too, riding the lightning up and inside the control room.

    For Sherry, she could do nothing. Wendy made a valiant attempt, but the migraine that kept her ally groaning and squirming was magical in origin. She relegated herself to making as little noise as possible on her rounds around the room, as did everyone else.

    Then Eve handed Sherry a cup of tea. The moment it touched her fingertips, the liquid bubbled over and exploded across the room. The cup itself shattered into dust. Everyone stared at it, Sherry included.

    "What just happened?" Lucy asked into the silence.

    Wendy saw the miniscule grimace, but so did Lyon. He reached over and put a hand on his guildmate's shoulder. "She does fortunetelling with tea leaves," he explained quietly. "Looks like something went wrong there."

    "I wa'nt ev'n try'ng," Sherry objected before groaning again and burying herself in blankets. Wendy fetched a glass of water for her next; the grateful woman gulped it down just fine.

    The desire for sleep faded at this point; Wendy felt her second wind and kept on going. She might have considered at least a nap, but most of her companions were already resting. Not to mention she felt compelled to watch over Sherry.

    Then however, a groan drew Wendy's attention to one of the cabins. It was accompanied by a deep hiss. Peeking inside revealed Cobra, now awake and slowly sitting up. He groaned again, raising both cuffed hands to rub his forehead. "Ugh, has anyone seen the mammoth that trampled me?"

    Despite everything, she could not help but giggle a little. He sounded exactly like how she imagined some of the others waking. The sound made Cobra's head snap up; his serpent followed the motion. Wendy hesitated under their scrutiny, giving them time to react. But Cobra merely sighed. "Right, captive. We starting with the interrogation already?"

    Her head tilted unconciously before she shook it. "Not as such, no." She quickly scampered away to fetch some bread and water from their rations. Cobra was surprised upon her return, but took the food without complaint; Wendy then climbed onto the cot he sat on. His serpent hissed, but she ignored it; they bound the mouth shut, so it could do nothing else. "Let me see the bruise, please."

    Though clearly befuddled, Cobra did as told. His bewilderment only grew when she began to work on his swollen face; half of it was purple and must hurt terribly. Some quick pings of magic to his skull made Wendy sigh in relief. "Yonder is a miniscule fracture, but nothing truly broke. Thou were quite fortunate. The swelling ought to fade soon." She helped it along some, but not completely; he was still a captive after all. "Doth this hurt still?"

    "Little bit," Cobra responded slowly. "But it's fine, I've had worse." He hesitated for a long moment before following up: "Thanks."

    Wendy smiled and let him be; when she peered back inside for a moment, he began to arrange himself on the cot and scratched the snake's head.

    While Christina slowly approached the temporary resting place of Jura's remains for collection and would then make for the distant mountain, two others remained underground.

    Solano listlessly stared at the dirt wall in front of her; tear tracks ran down her face, carrying along smeared makeup. Now she just felt drained despite the errant naps. The angel sat grounded, uncertain if she even wanted to see the sky again. "You think we can grab the others and go far away?" she asked softly. "I don't care about Nirvana anymore. This is too much."

    "I understand your feelings quite well," Richard agreed. His large arms squeezed her more tightly where she settled in his lap. The gesture spent some comfort, but not nearly enough. "Alas, Brain would not agree."

    "Then we clock him out and drag him along."

    A soft chuckle followed her words; it lacked mirth as much as hers lacked heat. Richard idly ran a hand through Solano's silver hair. "Perhaps we should," he conceded. "But for now you should rest some more. We need you claiming the heavens for any kind of success. I recall Christina in particular can remain active for three days without reloading her lacrima batteries."

    "We don't have that kind of time."

    "Agreed. Perhaps I should have spent the money to have them sabotaged after all."

    She snorted weakly; the treasurer was back on his favourite subject. "You already had an aneurysm over Brain's bomb. Did you really want to die young, Jewel-for-brains?"

    "In hindsight, I absolutely should have taken the risk, bird brain."

    She giggled the slightest bit. Nowhere near an actual laugh, but it was enough to center Solano some. She leaned back against Richard and took a deep breath; the subtle flow of Ethernano all around kept tickling her senses. "Dig us out," she decided. "We're wasting your reserves hiding here. Let's get up and walking, maybe we reach Nirvana before them."

    "It is a risk, but the better option right now. I concur." She missed his embrace the moment he let go to stand up, but soldiered through. They soon began to walk while Richard mused: "Certain capture once deprived of Ethernano, or potential capture upon resurfacing."

    "Yeah."

    Not that Solano felt much like talking. Her night was especially awful, even without any alcohol involved. Their usual drunken escapades were at least fun, even if they paid for them the day after. "If we make it out of this, I'm getting blackout drunk. You in?"

    "Absolutely." And that meant a lot, coming from the man who never drank to save on money.

    An uneventful ascent later, they broke through the surface in a small clearing. Pre-dawn brightness announced the sun's approach as they began to wander; the mountainous tree loomed above, clearly visible even in twilight. Their dazed silence held as they walked, avoiding any other clearings. The canopy hid them from the Christina as she passed overhead; Solano felt the bubble of Ethernano clearly.

    "You could catch them by surprise from here," Richard mused; he stopped to gaze upward, where the airship cruised along.

    Solano just gave a noncommittal hum. "I don't have enough to guarantee success. If they catch our trail now, we're done for." He nodded, but folded only when she finished with her strongest argument: "Besides, Erik might be on there."

    "A good point."

    With that idea shot down, the two kept moving; Solano's feet hurt already. She wanted to stretch her wings, feel the wind brush through her greasy hair. By the time dawn broke properly, she felt the itch even stronger than before; sunlight warmed her face as she stopped in another clearing. Richard did too, watching Christina in the distance. The bomber circled their destination in a clear search pattern.

    "Good thing they aren't bombing Nirvana," she muttered. "At least that part of their plan didn't change." Gemini had been a godsend as always.

    However, she also felt refreshed by this point. They ate some of their nutrition bars, drank plenty of water, even found a small creak to wash their faces. Now that she saw Christina's pattern with her own eyes, the desire to fly grew stronger again.

    "I think we can rush past them," Solano ventured with a glance to Richard. Her excuse did not fool him, but he nodded his agreement anyway. This actually coaxed a grateful smile out of her. Magic intimately familiar gathered, forming her favourite spell circle. It attached to her shoulder blades as always. "Aera!" And wings followed, pristine despite her disheveled state. Solano flipped back and clung to her friend; slender arms slid under his armpits and barely came back up over his blocky shoulders. Her legs wound around his waist, making her something of a demented backpack.

    "Now I remember why I hate carrying you," Solano quipped.

    Richard's chuckle was more felt than heard, but she paid it no mind. A surge of Ethernano to her wings sent them off.

    The treeline extended all the way to their destination, forcing Solano to maneuver rapidly; she relished it, the challenge and adrenaline. They flitted through a final clearing just as Christina vanished behind the towering tree. Several gaps in its stony bark were lined with vines, creating a network over its entire lower half. Solano followed them until she found an opening large enough to fit, then dashed inside. But she did not stop there; ascending on foot would take far too long. Rather, she strained her reflexes to the limit and kept going at high speed; an entire ecosystem passed by without any thought spent on it. Solano focussed on dodging overhanging vines trying to entangle her; she danced around lesser trees having set root in their giant cousin. Higher and higher she ascended. Beads of sweat were torn away from her forehead as fast as they percolated, but her dress became sticky on top of being dirty.

    Despite the hours she spent recharging somewhat, their ascent took everything out of Solano again. Her wings gave out just as she reached a wooden ramp. Richard landed on his feet while she slumped against his back. They both felt the sheer amount of power right above; it blotted out everything else to their senses.

    Solano slowly slid down and came to stand. She breathed deeply, the wave of fresh air almost covering her own stink. "I need a bath," she muttered before taking the lead again.

    Her bad mood did not last long, though; the offshoot that greeted them was nothing to how invigorating Nirvana itself felt. "Oh, this is wonderful! I didn't expect it to be like that."

    Richard hummed in response, steadily striding along. "It is magnificent," he agreed. "I wonder the kind of sight we will have from above. We could make a fortune off of this with the correct strategy." He left a short pause. "Yet this is where the others went before they were cut off. Enemies may be nearby."

    "But what enemies? They weren't in this area before. Unless they sent a lot more than the reports said."

    In this very moment, they reached the glade that was Nirvana. The black dragon statue immediately drew Solano's gaze, but the words died in her throat when she saw the pair of bodies in front of it. Her eyes widened as all pleasant thoughts fled her body; she shouted for her friends and ran, only to be overtaken by Richard. He reached them first, sliding to a halt while echoing Solano's call and shaking the men in abject fear. Solano arrived a moment later, dread now clawing at her gut.

    Alas, no amount of prayer or shaking changed their fate; rigor mortis already set in. No signs of battle, no nothing. They both collapsed here for no apparent reason.

    Realisation slowly crawled into her concious mind. After just losing Sawyer, Solano could not keep her emotions contained at all; ugly sobs tore their way out of her throat. She bawled helplessly as her life slipped away from right under her fingertips. The people she cared about all died, one by one, and she was powerless to help them. All she ever wanted, taken away in a manner of hours.

    Thick arms closed around the inconsolable woman, her last remaining friend's tears mixing with her own. They spent warmth and comfort to each other, shaking like leaves in a storm. They grieved together for who knew how long.

    Some time after the tears ran their course and both slumped against each other, a faint buzzing disrupted their vigil. Both stared upward, where Christina crested the treetop. She rose higher in moments while the two survivors stared without truly comprehending. They rose reflexively and Solano reached for her brimming reserves. Then she hesitated.

    "Hey... what do we do?" her tone was softer than she ever wanted it to be. Richard glanced her way and Solano met his gaze, uncertain. "Do we, do we fight?"

    His blocky brow furrowed in consideration while the airship continued its ascent. But in the end, he nodded.

    "I see your point. This is our only chance to offer negotiations. We hold enough cards to be treated fairly. Nirvana is in our hands. You can bring this ship down, but then it will be a battle till the end." His eyes flicked to the dead before snapping back to her. Expression turned resolute, he made his decision: "Offer to parlay."

    She wordlessly slipped Gemini's key from her pouch and opened the gate; the twins arrived without fanfare, each hugging one of her arms. Their attempt of consolation made her lips twitch upward, though it was nowhere near enough. She ruffled their heads anyway. "Take my form and fly up there. No aggression, we're offering parlay."

    "As you say, boss."

    "Sure thing."

    Gemi and Mini touched hands and vanished in a cloud, from which emerged an exact replica of Solano. The original established their mental link moments later. Gemini took off without another word, though she could feel their sympathy.

    Meanwhile, a rapid discussion held the Christina's control room. Everyone watched the singular Angel ascend, but the two factions failed to convince each other.

    "If she gets up here, she can destroy the ship," Lyon argued. He gestured wildly for the approaching enemy. "Stop being difficult about this, we need to shoot her down!" Wendy and Carla both voiced their agreement; Lucy felt they were still mad about the abduction, though.

    Either way, the blonde herself led the other side in this argument: "And I keep telling you, she could have shot us down from down there! She did not! We have a prisoner and the high ground, we can play more cards than just shooting them!" She was entirely too heated, but Lyon was far too stubborn about this; it reminded her of Gray and Natsu, if not in a flattering way.

    "What about you three?" Lyon went next instead of responding. He turned to Eve, Ren, and Hibiki. "This is your ship. Are you fine with risking it like that?"

    Thankfully for Lucy, the hosts shrugged somewhat uncomfortably; they did not want to be dragged into this.

    Laxus stood at the door to the deck with a frown. It was he who broke down the entire discussion, too: "In case you missed it, she just landed."

    All eyes turned to the windows, where Angel in the flesh waved at them coyly; she did nothing else, just stood there and waited. Even Lucy was confused about her behaviour. After observing a moment longer, she gingerly opened the door; Gemini confirmed their identity at once: "Hello again. Can I come in?"

    "Sure."

    The false Angel strode inside once Lucy retreated from the doorframe. She peered up at Laxus' broad form momentarily, which gave Lucy the time to study her. If the original was as disheveled as this one, then her night had not been much better than Lucy's. That was all she managed to conclude before Gemini addressed the room: "My lady wishes to parlay."

    Even though she expected it, Lucy was still struck speechless for a moment. Oracion Seis had a history of decisive action; they never negotiated with their enemies before. The others were equally uncertain what to make of this offer.

    Hibiki found his voice first: "Does this have to do with Brain and Midnight? What happened to them?" A glance to the main screen told Lucy that yes, both of them were still lying on the ground. 'Angel' scowled, then wordlessly tilted her head; she appeared to listen to something. Tension grew somewhat, but no one did anything hasty.

    "Before I answer that," the spirit finally responded, "where is Cobra? And what state is he in?"

    "Over here!" the man himself shouted from the cabin he occupied. Most of them glanced that way, where Cobra leaned out of the doorframe; his pet snake's head poked out right above his. "Not doing so bad beside the cuffs!" Gemini relaxed notably, but no one else responded to the quip. Cobra did not care either way. "So, what was that about the others? I'm kinda out of the loop, and sorry I got taken out so easily."

    Gemini once again tilted their head as if listening. Lucy understood the moment their opponent deflated. "Brain and MacBeth are dead."

    "What?!"

    Cobra's shout almost rocked the room. Lucy winced. At the same time, she filed away Midnight's actual name. Gemini shrugged softly; they paid the general surprise no mind and focussed on their ally: "We don't know how. It wasn't these guys, there is no sign of a fight, no nothing. We lost contact last night and now we find them like this."

    The trace of pain present in even Gemini's voice made her glance to the screen again; the real Angel's eyes were puffy, she realised. What was more, blotchy makeup had clearly been wiped off her face at some point. Some of it was still fine, but it stood out enough in direct sunlight. Hoteye appeared just as haggard, now that she looked for the signs. Neither of them seemed in any way happy as they stared almost straight at the camera. Lucy knew she should not, but she sympathised with them anyway.

    Lyon, however, did not. "You come in here," he started slowly, only to grow louder, "talking about parley after killing Jura and almost blowing us all up? And expect us to just take it and let you off the hook?!" He almost lunged at Gemini, but Levy caught his arm; Gajeel grabbed the other one a moment later. "What the, let go! They killed Jura, we-" "Shut up!"

    It was Gemini who stalked forward, eyes filled with fury. They jabbed a finger into Lyon's chest, screaming back at him: "It's not like we wanted any of this! You're the ones who came after us in the first place! If you just hadn't, then nothing of all this would have happened! They'd be alive! All of them! This is your fault!"

    Lyon's anger flared higher in turn and Lucy saw where they were headed. She quickly interjected, forcing calm: "Lyon." Her voice cut the tension like a knife. "Stop." When he made to snap at her, she sighed. "Gajeel." Her guildmate covered Lyon's mouth before he could keep shouting, though he was struggling against the two wizards holding him. Sherry still suffered too much to be mad at anyone, thankfully. With all attention on her, Lucy sought Gemini's gaze. "Is that you talking, or Angel?"

    The thunderous expression vanished immediately. Lyon fell limp after a few seconds, though he kept glaring daggers at both of them. Gemini hung her head. "Sorry. We adopt the headspace of whoever we turn into. Most of it, at least."

    "Hold on a second," Cobra interjected next. He made his way to join them, hands cuffed in front of him. Laxus subtly positioned himself nearby, just in case. If he noticed, he did not say. "What was that about blowing them up? Did Racer use the bomb? Where is he, anyway?"

    Gemini immediately flipped back into depression. "He lost and decided to play suicide bomber."

    "What the... he's gone, too?" Gemini did not respond, but they did not need to. Cobra could see it in everyone's expressions; he sank to the ground, ashen-faced. "Sawyer, you idiot. What were you thinking?" His pet wound around him as if to offer a hug.

    Lucy winced again. At the same time, she began to understand the situation; they all lost friends this night. Parlay meant nobody else would have to die. Glancing back at the screen and seeing the last two members of Oracion Seis again, she could not help but think of Juvia. Of Gajeel. "We can at least hear them out," she decided. Lyon grumbled and the hosts exchanged worried looks, but no one contradicted her. Lucy turned back to Gemini, expression firming up. "We demand the surrender of Oracion Seis. You will be brought to Fiore to stand trial for your crimes."

    Gemini studied her silently while the Angel on-screen began to discuss with Hoteye. However she communicated with her spirit, Lucy realised it made a decent and versatile strategy. Now that she knew they were in contact, she also understood how Gemini could stay around them to keep up the futile masquerade.

    "We accept." Gemini's agreement tore Lucy out of her considerations. She stared at the spirit, whose expression told her this was not all to it. "But we have several conditions to our surrender." She nodded at Gemini, who listened a moment longer. Hoteye kept talking to Angel while the spirit relayed: "First of all, you will ensure that our fallen members receive proper burials. Second, you guarantee none of the surviving members will be incarcerated or executed."

    "Prison is where you-" "Lyon!"

    Lucy rubbed her twitching brow. Shouting at her allies was not good, but alienating a highly dangerous group of wizards after they agreed to negotiate, to surrender, was even worse. She bid Gemini to wait and turned to the ice wizard with a sweet smile. "I believe Sherry will not be well with this much noise nearby. Would you escort her to one of the cabins and keep her company?"

    He clearly understood why she said this, but also realised Lucy was right; the shouting would not help his friend's migraine or mood any. So after a moment of glaring, he folded and coaxed the groaning woman from her blanky cocoon. Gemini watched the two leave before turning back to Lucy. "Your fake smiles got pretty good."

    "Years of practice," she returned absently and glanced around the room. The immediate acceptance of surrender bled a lot of tension from everyone. No one seemed willing to interrupt; in fact, the majority of Lucy's allies were looking her way for guidance. Even the hosts, who had to have some business knowledge of their own. Lucy addressed them first: "You have the list of confirmed incidents caused by Oracion Seis." Hibiki immediately started up his Archive. "As these crimes were committed by wizards, the Magic Council is responsible for administering punishment. What does the legislature say they would get if they confessed to all of them?"

    Gemini fidgeted ever so slightly in the silence that followed. Hibiki frowned as he scrolled through the list and opened additional panes with law documents and precedents. "Fraud, murder, grand theft," he mused; his mutterings became indecipherable afterward. Then his attention turned back to Lucy. "We don't have any cases this severe, but several people received lifelong prison sentences for a lot less in the last ten years. Surrendering and confessing everything may afford some leniency, but...." he glanced back at the long list of misdemeanors. Lucy got the message.

    "We can not guarantee the second demand," she then told Gemini. "As we are not in charge of the lawmaking."

    "The Magic Council is not even functional," Gemini countered immediately. "They could not pass any judgement."

    "She is correct," Ren added. "Under these circumstances, judgement would fall to the royal court." Whom Lucy could pull some strings with; she had not kept up with the many people she met as a heiress, but even just Hisui had quite some pull. At the same time, she really did not like causing a miscarriage of justice.

    In the end, she settled on a half-truth: "I can still not guarantee anything. No one can. But what I can promise you is that I will try my hardest to meet your second demand."

    Lucy knew the moment the real Angel began to scowl that she gave nothing on such a promise. But then something odd happened; instead of denying her or furiously discussing with Hoteye, she hesitated. Her frown slowly ceased. When she did speak with her companion, they both appeared thoughtful.

    "We're not taking that, right?" Cobra inquired. Gemini shrugged.

    "Your call, I just added my own thoughts before the mistress does something dumb. Lucy is a woman of her word. She is also a woman of Fairy Tail. If she fights for you, then her guild will follow. Right?"

    The question went her way with a sly smile. Lucy could not help but chuckle as she nodded. "Correct."

    "This includes Blue Pegasus," Hibiki added. "Though if I may ask, why do you seem so focussed on dodging prison? Execution I get, but the other one is a tall order." He had a point, though from the grimaces from Cobra and Gemini, it was sore subject.

    "We all have our hangups," Cobra told the room while his friends were still strategising below. "Angel in particular hates being in cramped places. But when we formed Oracion Seis, we swore that no one will ever shackle us ever again." There was a quiet intensity to his short speech that told Lucy all she needed to know. It drew her curiousity as well, though.

    "So you were imprisoned before... all of this?"

    "More enslaved, but yeah." His flippant response did not hide the fact he clearly dreaded these memories. Lucy's chest constricted, even before Cobra continued: "Brain saved us from the tower. Taught us everything we knew. Led us. It's why we call him Brain."

    Had he been her guildmate, Lucy would have hugged him by now. As it were, she felt the gesture would not be appreciated. It took some time to wrestle her aching heart under control. Then Lucy truly registered what he said. "Hold on. You said a tower? The Tower of Heaven?"

    Angel and Hoteye fell silent. Gemini's gaze snapped to Lucy, just like Cobra's focussed on her alone. "The one. How do you know about it?"

    Lucy hesitated. This was an incredibly personal matter she brought up around quite a few new acquaintances. At the same time, she saw a chance. "A friend of mine used to be kept there, too. Erza Scarlet?" They obviously recognised that name and Lucy forged on: "If it is any consolation, the tower is no more. I helped tear it down."

    None of the three gave any indicator of their feelings on that. Lucy would have loved to let them come to terms with it first, but she was pressed for time. "And you said Brain recruited you? How old were you then?"

    "Ten-ish?" Cobra ventured. "We aren't all the same age." He glanced to Gemini, who tilted their head once again.

    "Eleven for the mistress, ten for the sandman."

    "Yeah, sounds about right. We've been doing this for a bit over ten years now."

    "I see." Lucy tapped her chin. Children of their background, coerced into evil long before they could make any independent choices. They were adults now and the legal code was clear in that regard, but still. Instead of seeking Hibiki's gaze, this time she sought Laxus'. "Do you think he would speak in their favour?"

    Her guildmate grunted, almost but not quite hiding his smile. "He will." Levy was smiling also, and even Gajeel understood.

    "Who?"

    "The master," Lucy told Cobra, then corrected herself. "Well, he isn't anymore. Saint Dreyar, now." Then she turned back to Gemini: "Very well. I guarantee we will shield you from the worse outcomes of a trial. We will ensure the dead receive their proper rites. Do you accept these conditions?"

    There was only a moment of hesitation. Gemini received a faint nod from Cobra and Angel got the same from Hoteye. "We accept," the spirit stated.

    "Good. Now we will land so I can shake your hand in person."

    Lucy motioned to Ren, who went for the controls. All leftover tension bled away as the Christina began her descent; the fake Angel dissolved into Gemi and Mini, who both settled in front of the window to watch. Cobra shuffled away to lean against the nearest wall, still pale. Wendy did similarly, though she appeared more thoughtful; Carla was hugged to her chest. Levy and Gajeel were talking quietly in the back.

    Into this moment of respite, Laxus stepped next to Lucy in front of the main screen. "You're not half bad," he drawled. She glanced up at him, but found no trace of the compliment. If anything, her surprise drew a snort from her fellow blond. "Perfect fit for the guild."

    While perplexed, Lucy still had her wits about her. She decided to engage him in his own way: "Right back at you. Good work out there."

    A grunt was all the answer she got. The two of them stood front and center as their ride touched down. Neither Angel nor Hoteye reacted to that, nor to the entire coalition force disembarking. The moment she left the airship however, Lucy had to stop and take a deep breath. Nirvana's soothing aura wiped away her weariness; she felt her internal Ethernano replenish at a ridiculous rate, too. So fast in fact, that she quickly realised they would have had a nasty fight on their hands without a surrender.

    But now was not the time for doubts. Lucy allowed herself to stretch, feeling refreshed after this long, long night. The deaths still weighed on her mind, but she needed to focus. Paying only a token amount of attention to Wendy's exclamations ("Such a fresh breeze!"), she strode toward Angel and Hoteye. Both met her gaze evenly, but were taken aback when Lucy offered her hand like she said she would.

    After a moment, Angel took the proffered limb and shook it firmly. Hoteye did the same a moment later. "I would say 'nice to meet you'," Lucy quipped gently, "but under these circumstances, how about 'Hello'?"

    Angel huffed, just as Gemi and Mini landed on her shoulders. The twin sprites played with her white bangs. "See?" Mini chirped, to be replaced by Gemi: "We told you."

    "Yes, yes. Shut up."

    A doubled "Nope" followed Angel's demand. The twins took to the air and circled her head a few times before flying off to study the dragon statue; Wendy sat in its shadow as well, eyes closed and breathing deeply.

    While Levy and the hosts were busy exploring the glade and its ecosystem, Laxus and Gajeel walked Cobra over to them. He offered an awkward wave, only to be caught in a tight hug from Angel; Hoteye grabbed them both. None of the Fairy Tail wizards commented and let them have their moment. In fact, the men wandered away to secure Brain and Midnight. Lucy almost snorted, well aware they felt awkward with the touchy-feely stuff.

    Once the three surviving members of Oracion Seis were done with their reunion, she spoke up: "So, here is what I am planning. It may be in bad taste, but if we blame everything on Brain, we can probably get you off lightly." She immediately had their undivided attention; Angel and Cobra frowned, but Hoteye contemplated her words more evenly. Lucy went to elaborate: "If I understood it correctly, he recruited you as children. You had no real choice in the matter, either. That will get you a lot of sympathy if we play it right, but we need to explain your situation to the judges. And, well." She almost glanced to where Brain was put in a body bag this very moment. "He already passed away, so even if we shift most of the blame on him, there is no way to actually punish him."

    They mulled it over for a time. "I don't like it," Cobra commented first, to a nod from Angel, "but you make sense there. Lots of folks have kids and can empathise. Think we get let off with a fine?" He glanced to Hoteye, who shuddered for some reason.

    Lucy shrugged. "I am not quite sure. As it is, you will definitely not be able to continue as Oracion Seis. I hope that much was obvious?" Slow nods followed, but she felt she ought to spell it out: "We can get you off that way this time, but if you go and commit more crimes afterward, I doubt there will be any mercy. For now, complying with us without a fuss will probably earn you points, too. Because, well."

    She slowly pulled two sets of magic-suppressing handcuffs. The request went unspoken, but neither wizard hesitated for more than a moment. Hoteye allowed to be cuffed first while Angel called back the twins and rubbed their heads. They faded away a moment later, then the final opponent was officially captured. Lucy smiled gratefully.

    "I was meaning to ask," Lyon interjected with a hint of a growl, "how did you even know we were here?" He strode up to them alongside the hosts and Sherry; his own guildmate massaged her temples, but the pained noises had subsided. Nirvana apparently helped with that, too.

    Angel tried for a dismissive motion before remembering she was handcuffed. "Your masters discuss their plans in the middle of a border town, surrounded by hired help. We buy one of the staff members every year, and rarely the same one. I went there myself as a barmaid when we weren't known yet."

    Lucy raised her finger at that, but had to lower it. "You know, that is a fair point. I need to speak to the master about that."

    "Probably, yeah."

    The women exchanged weak smiles, though Lucy's did not hold long. Putting Angel in cuffs was one matter, but there was something else she had to request. "I know I should not ask this, but... would you allow me to hold onto your keys?"

    The older woman stiffened immediately, growing almost defensive. Lucy held her gaze nonetheless, pleading silently to trust her. Angel thought for long seconds before sighing and offering her hip. "In my pocket."

    "Your dress has pockets?"

    The question had come unbidden, but it at least distracted her. "Yup," Angel chirped, "one of the best purchases I ever made. Should have made it self-cleaning, though."

    "Ah yes," Cobra quipped, "the folly of stinginess." He then nudged Hoteye with his elbow.

    Lucy was no longer paying attention to them by that point. She gingerly extracted a keyring from Angel's pocket and stared at it. Four silver keys clicked against each other, as well as not one but three golden ones. Her mind raced at the implications. "Three zodiacs?" she could not help but ask; Angel was clearly smug. With no response forthcoming, Lucy swallowed her surprise to ask the other question on her mind: "Did you learn any gates without the keys?"

    The smugness vanished as swiftly as it appeared. Angel shook her head decisively. "No. I focussed on Aera most of the time. There's no way I could have spent years studying a gate at the same time." What an odd way to phrase it. Taking a year to study a zodiac gate was about all it took; Lucy knew that as a fact. Before she could comment however, Angel kept going: "And just so you know, no, there is no shortcut to Aera. Either you force yourself through the practice or you don't get good at it."

    This gave her pause until she remembered the conversation that previous evening. Coupled with her earlier display over Gemini, this painted a clear enough picture for Lucy. "And that technique where you connect with a spirit? How does it work?"

    "How does your Star Dress work?" was the counter question. Angel arched an eyebrow at her, making Lucy feel small despite the fact she stood taller.

    After considering for a moment, she decided to offer a compromise: "I based it on Body Enhancement magic." Carefully omitted were the months of study put into her work, as well as the substantial help from Zeref.

    Either way, Angel seemed to accept her offer. "Mine uses Telepathy as a base. I never had a knack for it, but it mixes surprisingly well with Celestial Spirit magic."

    "Oh, that's really smart." Lucy's praise came unbidden, but she truly was impressed. There really was so much wonder still left to be discovered in her beloved discipline. Angel preened, seemingly cheering up a little bit.

    That was, until a hand landed on the keyring Lucy still held. She stiffened, pulling back with an immediate glare for Hibiki; he did not even look at her. No, his eyes were squarely on the keys, face ashen.

    "Is that Aries' key?" he asked quietly.

    The question stopped Lucy from slapping his hand away. She still snapped at him after confirming with a glance: "Yes, now let go of... wait." Her sudden annoyance faded as she remembered the history of that particular key. She still tore the ring out of Hibiki's grasp because one just did not touch a keyring without persmission, but her mind raced. Lucy sought Angel's eyes. "How did you get this key? Aries', I mean?"

    The silence and scowl that followed were answer enough. Hibiki's expression darkened in turn while Lucy began to fear the worst. Then Angel began the downward spiral: "Took it from her last contractor's cold, dead hands. Do you have a problem with that?"

    "That depends," Hibiki ground out. "Did you kill her?" The other hosts had joined them as well, neither of them quite happy. Everyone was around them, really.

    "No."

    Lucy was about to sigh in relief, but Angel was not done: "But I would have if Gemini hadn't been faster. The bitch deserved it."

    Hope had never died faster.

    Hibiki shouldered Cobra aside and grabbed the collar of Angel's dress, pulling her up close to his face. "Say that again," he growled, "say Karen deserved to die one more time."

    "Was that her name?" Angel returned sweetly, all but smirking in his face. The mirth faded right after, though; she drew back and headbutted him. The shock dislodged Hibiki's grip and pushed him back a step, enough for Angel to unbalance him. He fell, staring up at the now bleeding woman; Lucy covered her mouth, reminded of the cuffs cutting off any means of protection. If this escalated...

    "Now listen here, pretty boy: I don't care who she was in general, or who she was to you. What I know is that this waste of skin prostituted Aries."

    Now this, this gave Lucy pause. Hibiki hesitated as well, giving Angel time to push him down with her foot. She leaned down, almost palpable hatred pouring off her entire being. "The sweetest, kindest of the zodiacs, treated like a piece of meat. For money. The only reason I even know is that Gemini took it from her memories. Aries still hasn't recovered even after years. It took me a year to just coax what happened out of her." She paused, suddenly focussing on the guild mark stanced onto his suit's arm. "Right, she was Blue Pegasus too, wasn't she? Just so you know, the only reason I haven't obliterated your entire guild is that Aries begged me not to. She insisted none of you were like this. Despite the fact not one of you stepped up to stop the madness. I killed her, and if you told me she reincarnated, I'd go and strangle the baby in its crib!"

    Lucy stood in shock. She knew it was bad from what Loke told her, but she never thought it was this bad. Her state of mind rivalled that of Angel. In the same position, she would have at least broken every bone in Karen Lilica's body.

    A faint warmth grew around her fingertips. The silence lay heavy after Angel's rant as everyone grew tense; Hibiki stared up at the hate-filled woman while his guildmates stood in indecision. Lucy's gaze turned to the ring in her hands; the golden key in question was wiggling ever so slightly. Even now, it drew a faint smile to her lips; ever so polite. She gently detached the key and focussed.

    "Stars above, listen to my call."

    Her solemn words cut the tension like a knife. All eyes were on Lucy. "I seek audience with the ram. Open the gate to heaven and appear before us, Aries!"

    A flash of light followed, revealing Aries herself. As shapely as Lucy remembered from her dream during the tournament. She was clad in a white one-piece dress made of cotton and pale yellow thigh-highs. Only her bright pink hair displayed actual colour, bunched up around her neck. A pair of tiny horns poked out of her head and curled downward over her ears.

    After a moment of gathering herself, Aries walked forward. "It is true I was not treated well," she murmured while producing a wad of wool. "I do not resent Karen for what she did, even though everyone tells me I should." She then began to wipe Angel's forehead clean, gently dabbing the slowly closing wound. "But at the same time, I never want to go back. Never. I do not like it, but I was happy when our contract broke. I was happy that she died."

    Her words were meek, but no one interrupted. Aries met no one's gaze the entire time. Lucy was just about ready to hug the poor girl, but held back. "And are you happy now?" she asked instead. "With Angel?"

    A bandage was wound around said woman's head; she no longer stepped on Hibiki after Aries maneuvered her a few steps away. When the pinkette turned back to Lucy, she wore a beaming smile. "I know no Angel. We contracted on her actual name and I am as happy as I could ever be." She paused there, growing the tiniest bit mischievous. "Though I would love to play with children again."

    Then Aries slowly shook her head to dislodge the thought. Now that she was done with Angel, she helped up Hibiki. "Hello again. Hello, Ren. And hello, Eve. It is our first time meeting, are you a new member of Blue Pegasus?"

    "Ah, y-yes," he murmured, clearly embarassed. "Joined last year. Nice to meet you."

    She offered each of them another smile and stepped back to Lucy, who still held her key. "We can not undo the past, no matter how hard we try. I know you will not agree on right and wrong here, but please, do not fight. Can you do that for me?"

    She sought first Angel's gaze, who looked away. Hibiki did the same a moment later, inadvertently meeting Angel's. Both frowned at each other before nodding tersely.

    Lucy sighed in relief and squeezed Aries' shoulder. She had done what none of them could in that moment. "Thank you," she whispered. Then louder, for everyone to hear, Lucy announced: "I think we all need some time to clear our heads. How about we settle down to rest for two hours, then head back home?"

    No one had any objections.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Naron said:
    Then Eve handed Sherry a cup of tea. The moment it touched her fingertips, the liquid bubbled over and exploded across the room. The cup itself shattered into dust. Everyone stared at it, Sherry included.

    "What just happened?" Lucy asked into the silence.

    Wendy saw the miniscule grimace, but so did Lyon. He reached over and put a hand on his guildmate's shoulder. "She does fortunetelling with tea leaves," he explained quietly. "Looks like something went wrong there."

    "I wa'nt ev'n try'ng," Sherry objected before groaning again and burying herself in blankets. Wendy fetched a glass of water for her next; the grateful woman gulped it down just fine
    Click to expand...
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    None of the events of this chapter explain this, assuming it wasn't Sherry's headache affecting her magical control. So some dire portents caused it...
    I have a theory that Nirvana is going to experience something terrible soon due to the Etherious. If Oracion Seis can infiltrate the headmaster's meeting, then why can't Tartaros do the same? Then they just have to fly to Nirvana after the commotion dies down. Destroying or corrupting Nirvana seems sufficient to cause the fortune-telling flare-up.

    Also, a previous entry from Zeref's books indicated that severe emotional distress can mess with a mage's ability to make circles. Once all of the adrenaline dies down, I wonder if everyone in Oracion Seis will be able to use their magic? I suspect they have additional trials awaiting them...
     
    NightmareWarden said:
    None of the events of this chapter explain this, assuming it wasn't Sherry's headache affecting her magical control. So some dire portents caused it...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    The end of the previous chapter mentioned it. It's a concequence of a 'realignment' and is somehow connected to the scaryiest dragon on Nirvana:

    Naron said:
    In the sprawling forests below, Sherry Bendy suddenly collapsed with a scream. Just like every other fortuneteller across the planet, the realignment struck her with a terrible migraine. Worse for her, she was near its origin; a single, bloody tear ran down Sherry's cheek as the subliminal force ran its course.
    Click to expand...
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    Puncak said:
    The end of the previous chapter mentioned it. It's a concequence of a 'realignment' and is somehow connected to the scaryiest dragon on Nirvana:
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Ah, of course! Thanks; I need to rewatch fairy tail, even a quick wiki search doesn't make everyone's faces stick in my mind. That's why Sherry's powers are still on the fritz from this chapter... And she has her headache. Yikes, I really need things spelled out for me.
     
    The gist of it is best explained if we assume the existence of fate as a tangible force.

    At the end of last week's chapter, our scaled friend told fate to fuck off while he substituted his own vision of the future. Upon which it did as told and went to cry because no one was ever this mean to it, And because fortunetelling relies on reading fate to determine the future, every fortuneteller across the planet will now feel like shit for a few days because what they tap into is in bed crying.


    Note that this is a hypothetical to help explain why Sherry is currently nursing the worst migraine she ever had and will ever have in her life. I specifically do not want to make a definitive statement about the existence or nonexistence of things such as fate in this story.
     
    5.5 The Reckoning
  • Threadmarks
    • "Automation of magical processes is an intriguing concept at the time of writing. Archive has existed for but a year, yet the amount of work this discipline can take off a wizard's mind has never been seen before. With proper development, it will exponentially increase the speed new disciplines and technology are created."

    -excerpt from "The Love of Magic"
    It did not take even an hour to understand why Nirvana was treated as a religious site: Lucy had been tired and aching in various places, but a mere few minutes in this blanket of clean air and Ethernano rejuvenated her. Everyone else felt much the same, most of all Wendy; the Sky Dragonslayer was positively entranced. Gajeel actually had to scoop her up because she fell asleep on the hard ground.

    When everyone filed back onto a fully refuelled Christina, the mood had relaxed considerably. Even Hibiki and Lyon appeared more tired than incensed by now.

    The first person to speak to Lucy was not one she expected, though.

    "You are conflicted," Hoteye stated as he came to stand next to her. She shrugged weakly.

    "I am still thinking about the situation with Aries. On one hand, I perfectly understand why it happened, but on the other hand, murder is...." She trailed off, uncertain how to phrase it properly. Especially because Lucy was uncertain she would not have done the same thing.

    He nodded, then the two of them quietly watched their respective companions enter the airship. When he did speak, his words were measured: "There are countless stories of callous summoners being destroyed, one way or another. Sometimes it is a more sympathetic Celestial Spirit wizard, but most stories I heard have the spirits themselves avenge their fellows. The case of Karen Lilica ends exactly as these stories always do; arguing whether it was just is a moot point. She did bad and had bad done to her in the end. We should leave it at that before tempers boil over again."

    "You have a point there," Lucy agreed. Then she chanced a look at the taller man's blocky form. "But she is not like that, right? Angel, I mean."

    "Not at all. Our Solano may be plagued by arrogance, but she always cared the most. Don't let her know I said that." The two of them shared faint smiles over that and followed their guildmates.

    "Promise I will not. I admit I did not think you would be decent people when I first heard about you."

    "Oh, I'm certain we aren't."

    He chuckled. The ramp was pulled back up behind them, but they still had a moment of privacy. "But you will come to realise that no being in this world is monstrous in all aspects. Tell me, I heard the bonds of Fairy Tail's members are strong. If it were to protect them, would you not do whatever is necessary? Even if it meant to bathe in the blood of your enemies?"

    The question gave Lucy pause. She stared at Hoteye, who offered a final nod and strode off to settle with his remaining friends. Her thoughts quickly became a jumbled mess as she tried to deny it, only to think of Juvia. Of Makarov and Priscilla. Of Mirajane, Laxus, Erza, Natsu. Each and every one of them was ready to take on the world for their guild. And, Lucy found, so was she. She shuddered at the prospect, but if it were, say, Levy's life on the line?

    She did not like the answer she found. Yet that did not change the answer itself.

    Instead of dwelling on it, Lucy decided to chat up Angel about Celestial Spirits. From there, she learned several interesting tidbits: first of all, Angel could barely open two gates as well. Secondly, she bought Gemini's and Scorpio's keys off the black market a few years ago. And lastly, most of the spirits were huge gossips. Especially Aries loved to gush about Lucy whenever she got the opportunity. Most zodiacs constantly talked to each other, too. She did not even know that.

    "So what I hear is that we can stay in contact over our spirits?"

    "Assuming I get to keep my keys? Yes." Angel winced, as did Lucy at the reminder. The older woman transitioned into studying her afterward. "You aren't just taking them?"

    "Why would I do that? All is well as long as you are good to them."

    "Huh. I think Gemini mentioned before that all the zodiac keys were originally yours?"

    "They were," Lucy agreed. "Someone stole them from my family a few years back." She produced her own key ring to show off the seven golden keys. "I spent a lot of time tracking them down before I joined Fairy Tail. With your three, that means only Pisces is unaccounted for."

    "Wait, what about Capricorn?"

    "He, erm, was exiled just like Leo. For the same reason, too. Actually, what happened to Leo's key?" Lucy hesitated there, well aware that this went back into subjects they should probably not expand on. "I mean, the Celestial Spirit King gave it to me. Did you have it before that point?"

    She understood immediately, though her surprise was obvious. "You met the King Unto Heaven? Seriously?"

    "Twice, actually." Lucy held up two fingers for emphasis. Angel's incredulous stare embarassed her a bit. "The first time when I requested to countermand Leo's exile, the second time was weird. I went to their world in a dream and he caught me." The incredulity grew, but Lucy could only shrug. "I think it is a side-effect of fainting while Star Dress is active. I have not tried to replicate it and am not planning to."

    They stared at each other in a frankly uncomfortable silence. After a few seconds, Angel wet her lips and sighed. "Well then. I'm starting to get what it means to be from a long line of wizards. At least you have a good head on your shoulders." She gave no opportunity to react to the praise: "And to answer your question, yes. I had Leo's key until a few months ago. The gate never opened when I tried to use it, then it just vanished one day. I didn't even realise until Aries told me days later."

    There was another pause, though Lucy did not know how to respond. Angel sized her up again. "Anyway, good work there. Leo didn't deserve exile."

    "I know."

    Perhaps it was her resolute tone of voice, but Angel merely nodded and changed the subject. Lucy had to lead the conversation most of the time, though; while the other woman was older, she clearly had less experience talking to strangers. Levy leapt in at some point while Gajeel began talking with Cobra and Hoteye. Even Lyon grudgingly let himself be drawn into conversation.

    Something else that came up once Cobra remembered was a matter Lucy did not expect; apparently, both Hoteye and Angel had younger siblings. He spent a considerable amount of Oracion Seis' fortune on locating his brother, while she said she shied away from searching her sister so as to not drag her into the same life of crime. Lucy wondered, what with how nonchalant Angel was about her various misdeeds so far. She did not actually contest the point, though.

    "We can absolutely ask the master to help with that," Levy noted. Lucy nodded at once while her friend grabbed pen and paper. "We'd need their names, though?"

    And that was how they learned their new acquaintances' actual names. Richard, Erik, and Solano each dropped the codename without much fuss. When Lucy heard who they were looking for however, she had to interrupt: "I met a Wally recently, but I can not remember if it is the same person. I have to ask Erza once we get back."

    "Wally Buchanan and Yukino Agria," Levy murmured as she noted the siblings' names down.

    All three of them were clearly blown away by how helpful the coalition ended up being. Just as Lucy began to hope for an uneventful return trip however, Ren spoke up from the front: "Light signals ahead. They're signalling us to land, by authority of... the Magic Council?"

    Conversation stopped immediately. All eyes turned to him and then to the big screen; Eve swiftly manipulated some interface to enlarge its contents. The repeating light signals came into view, growing bigger until they could see the Rune Knights producing coloured orbs. A man without the tri-tipped headdress stood in front; the final rays of sunlight made his black hair gleam, but Lucy also spotted trails of deep green. Only two long bangs framing his stern expression were free of the tight bun it had been bound into. An emerald was embedded in his cloak's clasp, identifying him as officer.

    "The hell do they want?" Gajeel rumbled. His question was the only one Lucy could make out in the sudden chatter. She wondered as well; just what were the Rune Knights doing this far out, intercepting them in particular?

    She only needed a single glance to their suddenly uncomfortable 'guests' to realise. And for some reason, people started looking to her once the initial confusion subsided. Lucy hesitated, hoped maybe someone else would take charge for once. Laxus apparently knew exactly what was going on, but his grin made it clear he happily pushed all the responsibility on her. So Lucy sighed and motioned for the hosts. "Bring us down," she said, but continued to mutter: "Just great, and now of all times."

    The Rune Knights held position while Christina descended; no threatening motions were made, but everyone knew they kept ready to respond in case of an attack. Lucy pondered who to bring outside for a moment; she quickly settled on everyone. "Except you three," she told the remainder of Oracion Seis. "You are supposed to be prisoners right now, so we need to at least pretend you are locked up."

    "Gotcha," Erik agreed. He then strolled back into the cabin they originally stored him in. The other two followed without much complaint. None of that could deceive Lucy, though; she knew they were nervous. Truthfully, so was she.

    The coalition filed out of their airship in an orderly fashion, Lucy somehow in the lead again. She wiped any trace of annoyance from her face, meeting the captain's gaze head-on. His expression was just as measured; he sized them up for a moment, then strode forward to meet them halfway. Unfortunately, the favourable impression he gave was gone when he opened his mouth: "I am Lahar, Captain of the Magic Council's fourth Custody Enforcement Unit. We have come to accept transfer of Oracion Seis into our custody."

    It was clear this was not a request.

    Lucy inclined her head, offering at least a token greeting despite him not doing the same. "I was unaware the Magic Council finished reconsolidating, Captain?"

    "The final steps to reclaim legitimacy were completed this morning," he informed her curtly, meaning he got his marching orders before that point. At least he was cordial. "Now, the prisoners? I assume your... coalition's... endeavour was successful, at least?" Which said a lot about expectations. His clear distaste of the word 'coalition' gave Lucy precious pieces of information to formulate her response. Her prayers for the others to keep quiet were heard, too.

    "We were, indeed. One member of Oracion Seis fell in battle, two more passed under mysterious circumstances." Lahar's brow arched, the gesture more unimpressed than intrigued, but Lucy was undeterred. "The other three agreed to surrender under a set of conditions we see to fulfill by transporting them to the Magic Council ourselves. I am afraid transferring them into your custody is not possible."

    The Rune Knights shifted, but nobody acted without Lahar's order. His soft frown remained in place as he studied Lucy. "The fact aside that this joint mission clearly violates the law, negotiations made with dangerous individuals such as members of a dark guild, and made by anyone not authorised by the Magic Council, are not acceptable deterrent to enforcing justice."

    "What'd he just say?" Gajeel whispered somewhere behind her.

    "That it doesn't count unless they do it," Hibiki whispered back.

    "Well, fuck 'em then."

    Neither Lucy nor Lahar acknowledged the exchange, but inwardly the blonde was torn between screaming and seething. A faint scent of ozone began to tickle her nose as well; the Rune Knights grew more alert, telling her enough about what went on behind her. Now she knew why this would be difficult: the captain was one of the types who loved the law by its letter. And he was already unhappy that the coalition could not be punished, so he would not budge out of the goodness of his heart. Joy.

    Still, she had to try. "Certainly you understand that-"

    "Delaying official Rune Knight affairs is, as you are likely aware, also a criminal offense."

    Lucy stopped. Her fake smile morphed into a glare momentarily, but Lahar was undisturbed. The people behind her bristled as well, but she threw up a hand to bid them to stop. Back under control, she rather put on a more saccharine smile. Two could play that game.

    "I was aware, Captain. Surely you are in turn aware that obstructing guildwork is a criminal offense?" He hesitated and Lucy cheerfully elaborated: "The subjugation of Oracion Seis was and is a sanctioned mission offered by Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, and the Freelance Wizard League. The Magic Council did not veto it as was its right. Any actions taken were made in pursuit of the mission statement and are thus backed by the Council's authority."

    Or, in short: 'I can talk legalese too, asshole.'

    Lahar's composure cracked halfway through, but he let her finish. She knew he was not happy, but at the same time he was the rare type of professional who accepted when he was in the wrong. His subordinates were quietly whispering about it as well. When no refusal came and the staredown continued, she switched tactics to smooth out ruffled feathers; Laxus thankfully provided exactly what she needed.

    "That aside, I believe there is still work to be done for your unit." She had his attention at once. "As you may be aware, Oracion Seis gave marching orders for Worth Woodsea to all their subordinate guilds. They are all active in the area still. Well, actually, are they?"

    Lucy risked turning her head to Laxus, who offered a thumbs down. She nodded and turned back to Lahar. "Okay, not exactly active, but still free. We focussed our efforts on securing Oracion Seis and lack the manpower to detain that many dark wizards. If your unit could take care of them in our stead, that would be incredibly helpful." And make a good report, she did not add. He was probably thinking it, though.

    The silence stretched while Lahar pondered her proposal. There was no hint of doubt when he did respond: "I will gladly lend my aid to securing a number of dangerous criminals. However, I have my orders." Meaning he could not just let them off the hook.

    "I see. Would it be acceptable to have a detachment of your unit escort us back to Era?"

    "That... is acceptable."

    Lucy carefully did not pump her fist, but her smile grew a tad more honest. She still got it.

    A decisive chop of Lahar's hand had his subcommanders marshal their troops, then he offered it to Lucy. She accepted the peace offering and shook. Soon enough they were alone except for a half dozen Rune Knights; they followed the coalition force on board somewhat stiffly, but behaved themselves well enough. The squad leader made certain to check the prisoners' handcuffs, but that was it. Christina ascended once again and everyone relaxed. Lyon even managed to drag their tagalongs into conversation after a while.

    "Nice one," Levy praised once they all settled together. "I really liked how you talked around the guy."

    "I had no idea you were this adept at negotiation," Wendy added; after napping some more, she seemed concious enough to pick more common words. Gajeel seemed to agree with his fellow Dragonslayer, too.

    Lucy just rolled her eyes at that, then tossed her hair imperiously. "People keep forgetting that I am the daughter of a man who earned a fortune in less than twenty years. I received at least some of his smarts, you know? Not to mention that he raised me to have a silver tongue to go with the golden hair Mama gave me." She dropped the pose under giggles from the two blunettes. "Just because I do not particularly like doing it, does not mean I am bad at it."

    The journey took its course from there on. In the two days they travelled, Hibiki already contacted various people via Archive. It turned out Blue Pegasus began installing experimental Lacrima relays to reach various places across Fiore. Thanks to that and Lucy priming her potential new friends for the ordeal ahead, everyone was confident when they disembarked. She still paused at the sight of Castle Era, rebuilt in all its glory if not greater still.

    Makarov and Erza already expected them, though. Both held faint smiles as they greeted everyone. Masters Bob and Ooba soon joined them as well. The Rune Knight detachment moved out to report.

    Unfortunately for Lucy, this was not the end of it. Seven days full of hearings, taking statements, and gathering evidence followed. The three captives clearly impressed the councillors by complying without so much as a word of complaint.

    At least there was a silver lining to the exhausting legal work; after a conversation with Erza, she could confirm that the Wally she remembered meeting was the same person Hoteye, or Richard, sought to find. He became emotional upon hearing this, happily enclosing Erza in a big hug. The surprised knightess easily agreed to see about contacting Wally.

    Similar matters went for Makarov; his demeanour toward Oracion Seis softened considerably as soon as he heard of their past. He immediately went to work swinging his half century of connections and wisdom into the hearings; she knew for a fact more than a few meetings took place behind closed doors, too. Until on the sixth day, he spoke in his official function as Wizard Saint during the final hearing.

    "Dear Councillors," he said, "we are all wizards. Many of us are parents, or grandparents even. Many of us are and were members of guilds. We shepherd those under our care, our children, so they can become the best they can be. Before you stand three adult wizards today, yes. But as the overwhelming proof we gathered reveals, they were but children when their dark dealings began. Children, who could not tell right from wrong for lack of anyone to teach them the right way. Their misdemeanours are many, yet they were not borne of malice, but of misdirection. It is my honest belief that punishing them harshly would be a disservice to this institution; rather, as their elders, it is our duty to show them the right path. Their willing surrender and collaboration with this Council speak of contritition. So I say let us give them a chance to put their valuable skills, learned in the pursuit of nefarious goals, to a better use."

    He received applause from many members of the audience as he hobbled from the stand. His last line had Lucy cackle on the inside, though. The sly old man somehow managed to appeal to the Council's greed in the same breath that he appealed to its kindness.

    However, the judgement inevitably came. On the seventh day, all three members of the now defunct Oracion Seis stood in the stands. The audience was chock full, with front row seats for the coalition group plus Makarov and the two masters. Lucy could not help but fidget, too nervous despite the many assurances all would be well. Solano, Erik, and Richard were even worse off, but hid it admirably.

    Chairman Org stepped forward to announce the Council's decision. He was a stern old man full of wrinkles, but he still stood tall and proud in his fine robes. Lucy knew he never held much love for Fairy Tail in particular, but so far he acted fairly wherever people could see.

    "After much deliberation," he began, voice echoing around the entire courtroom, "this Council has reached consensus." It was a severe announcement, bereft of emotion. "The individuals known as Cobra, Angel, and Hoteye, real names Erik with no last name given, Solano Agria, and Richard Buchanan, are found guilty of all charges." He left a pause as his words settled. One could have heard a pin drop in the ensuing silence. "However, due to the proven fact all three were groomed into committing their heinous deeds, majority of the blame is put on the individual known as Brain.

    "As such, while the crimes committed are too severe to be forgiven without punishment, leniency shall be granted."

    Lucy released the breath she had been holding and wiped away a tear. Org did not care for any such thing and continued: "We hereby sentence all three of you to ten years of labour on probation, according to your personal abilities."

    This time he left an actual pause for breath, but his stern gaze told everyone he was not quite done. Lucy's tension bled away regardless, she knew she got everything she wanted.

    "Richard Buchanan will be put to work as a member of Fiore's royal exchequer. Erik without a given name shall join this Council's Rune Knights as junior interrogator. And Solano Agria will enlist in officer schooling to become an instructor for Fiore's royal air wing. So it was decreed, and so it shall be."

    The clack of his staff hitting the stone he stood on reverberated around the room. The sentencing was complete.

    Lucy smiled brightly, hands clasping both Levy's to her right and Makarov's to her left. Erik, Richard, and Solano all slumped in relief by now, exchanging faint smiles with each other. Erik made some kind of comment, but the chatter around the room drowned it out.

    They reconvened with the three in the courtyard. Solano and Erik still appeared in shock, but Richard immediately addressed Makarov's group as they arrived: "Thank you, truly. I doubt any of us ever expected, well, any of this a week ago. We greatly appreciate all you did for us." Though he spoke to the erstwhile master, his words were clearly meant for all of them.

    Makarov waved him off immediately. He threw the lot of them a sly smile before whispering conspiratorially: "As it turns out, half the councillors already leaned toward implementing more productive sentences than prison time. Rehabilitating delinquents instead of locking them away is both kinder and more economic. You three are a test run of these proposed changes," he told them kindly. "Don't mess it up, children."

    All three snapped to attention for a moment and voiced their agreement; at least Solano was clearly embarassed once she realised what she did. Lucy hid her smile and was about to comment when another, unfamiliar voice cut into their bubble.

    "Why, what a surprise. Several guild masters, a semi-legal coalition, remnants of a dark guild." The drawl belonged to an imposing, dark-haired man in a fine black suit. Lucy had never seen him before.

    Makarov grimaced. "Ivan," he greeted tersely. The suit inclined his head in turn.

    "Father."

    That... explained quite a bit. He did not look like Makarov at all. Or like Laxus, for that matter. Lucy glanced to her guildmate, who was unimpressed by his father's arrival. The two exchanged nods, then Ivan Dreyar's gaze traced the rest of them; it felt cold, made Lucy shiver for as long as those eyes rested on her. He stopped on their youngest member, though.

    "And young Wendy. I assume you were up to the task?"

    "Ah, yes, sir." The blunette fidgeted under the sudden attention; she forged on bravely to make an inquiry of her own: "I was unaware thou were related to Master, erm, Saint Dreyar."

    Ivan gave a minute shrug. "There was never a need to mention it. Regardless, what I am actually here about." He produced an envelope with documents, freely offered to Makarov. "We do not see eye to eye and never will, but we ought to get along at least, no?" The older man grimaced again while the younger smirked. "A little bird told me you were asking questions about someone. One Yukino Agria, age fifteen, who coincidentally applied with the Freelance Wizard League."

    All animosity was forgotten the moment her name fell. Solano stiffened while Laxus shuffled his feet; Lucy had to shake her head at the games this family played. Ivan was either unaware of all this or did not care. He simply kept monologuing at the group: "I rejected her application because she was not good enough to go solo, then told her to practice and come back next year."

    With Makarov and Solano still speechless, Wendy took the opportunity to interject: "Pardon, but why was she deemed ineligible? Mine own permit, I obtained near five years past after all."

    Ivan turned without hesitation, one brow arched. "You, my dear, are a Dragonslayer. Only a fool would think you unfit, even at such a tender age. Not to mention that you received clear limitations on the types of missions you were allowed on until you were older, as do all our junior freelancers." He paused momentarily to study Wendy. "On that note, have you kept up with your studies?"

    "In a sense, yes?"

    His unamused look had the young woman wilt. She averted her gaze. "Tis not a simple matter to receive or afford tutoring."

    "Which is exactly why the league offers a number of educational tomes for self-study to members like yourself," Ivan drawled. "I expect you to make use of them."

    A mumbled "Yes, sir" was all the response Wendy gave. She absently scratched the back off her head and shook some dust out of her hair. Ivan nodded, mimed an almost mocking bow toward Makarov, and made to leave in the renewed silence. He only stopped once more the moment he stood level with Laxus. "It seems you have a type, son."

    Laxus heaved a sigh while his chuckling father left. Lucy had no idea what kind of in-joke she just missed; right now, with not one but two grumbling Dreyars in her vicinity, she decided she rather not pry.

    "So," Erik ventured carefully, one hand on his serpent Cubelios' head. "Did that really just happen? Just like that?"

    "Yes," Makarov finally muttered. He was clearly as confused as the rest of them. "I suppose it has." He flipped through the documents his son provided. "At least that saves me some work. There is still a bit to do, no?"

    He was right on that. The day after the trial's conclusion, the burials for Jura, Brain, Midnight, and Racer were held. The first one was separated from the other three, but Lucy attended both occasions. In fact, her friends followed her example; only Wendy took a pass, citing that she felt unwell and needed to check up on her caretaker, Quelaan. She was the only one, though; even Lyon let himself be prodded into attending. He became more somber once he realised there was no one but them and the three who lived to mourn the fallen of Oracion Seis.

    They were a close-knit group without doubt. Lucy felt awkward, what with her never having spoken a single word to any of the deceased, but she stayed anyway. If nothing else, Solano, Erik, and Richard all appreciated the gesture. They invited the lot of them to a mostly improvised wake, consisting of stories and copious amounts of alcohol.

    Lucy limited herself to a single drink that evening, mainly because her new friends clearly had no intention to stop before they dropped. Her guildmates and other allies indulged some more, but they kept away from the deep end. The spirits helped loosen some of the tension, though; when dawn broke, everyone had had some interaction with everyone. Be it conversation or a drunken fistfight that ended in another round being poured. In fact, Lucy felt that Lyon and Erik actually ended up as some sort of friends after that point.

    Next morning, only Richard saw them off at the train station, somehow still coherent despite it all. They would soon meet again anyway, but it was a kind gesture. What was at the end of that ride envigorated Lucy, though. The moment she stepped off the train, she was surrounded by about half of her guild; Natsu greeted her with a big hug while Happy flew circles around the pair. Mirajane, Elfman, Cana, Gray, Juvia, everyone had come to welcome them back.

    Lucy was home now, well and truly. But at the same time, even as Natsu's cheer brightened her own spirit and people demanded they tell what happened, she felt oddly melancholic. The image of Jura's charred remains kept flickering before her mind's eye every once in a while; it became less oppressive as the days passed, but Lucy doubted it would fade entirely. She could relax for now, but she also knew she lost something along the way.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • I hope Jura's performance in the field, virtue, and ultimate fate inspires one of the other mages in this group to learn Archive magic. This was a humbling, haunting experience for everyone. And a lot of great Lucy moments, she is NOT a novice anymore.
     
    Question, what is your opinion of the cast from lifespan Angel Summon Magic from Cannon?
     
    Naron said:
    I do not recall which magic that was. Could you remind me?
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    Angel Coins that represent units of 10 "some unit of time" each are used to summon wack statue-like angels that do either heavenly themed magic or just odd anime things for combat.

    showed up in the anime Orcana seis reborn/church arc and Tartarus arc(briefly), but like most magics outside of Dragon Slayer, gets no lore.
     
    I see the problem now. Anime-wise, that magic only showed up in a huge filler-arc I skipped entirely.

    Referencing the wiki...
    However, such Magic suffers from two notable drawbacks: the summoning of angels will shorten the caster's life span and will inflict great pain onto them every time the summoned angel is defeated.
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    I wonder why anyone would even want to learn such a magic. Unless it is an easy way to powerful summons, it makes little sense to risk either of those drawbacks. Even if it were easier to learn than other magic, I question the mental state of anyone who willingly shortens their own lifespan on a regular basis to fight.
     
    5.6 Water of the Womb
  • Threadmarks
    • "Aligned around the Celestial Throne of Stars, the twelve zodiacs stand as follows: Leo, Aries, Aquarius, Pisces, Libra, Taurus, Scorpio, Gemini, Capricorn, Cancer, Sagittarius, and Virgo. The twelve dukes and duchesses form their world's high council, overruled only by his majesty the Celestial Spirit King. Even I know not his name, for he existed since Earthland was yet unformed. His knowledge and wisdom far surpass our own, his thoughts are unfathomable, but he is benign toward humanity.

    To call upon his majesty is possible in two ways; the direct method is to open all twelve zodiac gates at once and request an audience. A feat that most wizards can only ever dream of. The other method is easier but carries a cost: one has to forsake access to a zodiac gate whose owner the caster is contracted with."

    -excerpt from "The Soul of Magic"
    The face looking back at her in the mirror was at rest. All in all, Yukino felt content with herself; her cheeks lost their pudginess, now that she was almost sixteen. She grew out fully, she had nice tits, nice hips, and, if her friends could be believed, a nice ass. Her black tank top contrasted with ever so faintly tanned skin; the best part about it was the white skull motif spanning its entire front, though.

    She tried for a smile, but her reflection just looked unnatural so she dropped it. Instead, Yukino scowled; that fit her much better.

    "Are you done in there, dear?" a kind voice called from behind the door, startling her. "You have visitors today."

    "Just a moment!" she called back. Her white hair was pulled into a simple ponytail, then she slipped into worn and patched shorts, dark blue rather than black. Yukino gave herself one last once-over in the mirror, but shook her head. "And it's not like it matters," she added while opening the door. The matron wore a sad smile, though she encouraged her regardless.

    "Don't be so negative, Yukino. You are a wonderful girl, if a little rough around the edges." Her lips quirked upward and she let herself be led by the arm. "Everything is possible. Those two look like a young couple to me. Good luck, dear."

    'No need for luck', she did not say. Not to the only person worthy of respect in this place. Nonetheless, it really did not matter; no one would adopt her at fifteen, they always wanted the younger children. Yukino made her peace with that and counted the days until she was old enough to leave on her own.

    The first thing she noticed upon entering was that this couple were two women. One a stunning blonde that she absolutely recognised, the other with white hair like her own. Only longer, bound tightly, and hiding most of her face. Not that Yukino would have noticed much about her, she was still busy staring at the reknowned wizard. She blinked several times, rubbed her eyes, but it was still the same person.

    Meanwhile, Lucy Heartfilia studied her with a dazzling smile. Whatever she thought, Yukino could not tell. She was too busy gaping at her anyway.

    In the end, Lucy broke the silence: "Hello, Yukino. Would you sit with us?"

    She did as asked without so much as a thought. Her mind still whirled around the fact a famous wizard came all the way to Crocus to talk to her. But with that also came realisation and a pang of disappointment. "You aren't here to adopt anyone, are you?"

    "Not as such," Lucy admitted, "though I did say as much to the matron." Her momentary confusion turned to understanding as soon as Yukino began to scowl. "Ah, sly old people again. I see."

    "...what?"

    The older woman made to explain, but stopped herself with a glance to the quiet third person in the room. "I will get to that later," she offered instead. Then she nudged whoever she brought. "How about you say something now?"

    "I... alright, fine." The other woman's voice was richer than Lucy's, deeper. Her hesitation finally drew Yukino's attention away, just as the curtain of white shifted. For a moment she felt like staring into a weird sort of mirror again; the person looking back at her could be mistaken for her sister.

    For some reason, her gaze flickered around before focussing on the younger woman properly. "Hello, Yukino," she began haltingly.

    "...hello?"

    Where before it had been confusing, the atmosphere quickly turned awkward. Annoyingly, Yukino did not know why; she did not know this person. She was certain of it, but something niggled at the back of her mind. "Do I know you?"

    For some reason, that made the older woman slump. She heaved a faint sigh and rubbed her face. "Figures you don't remember, you were barely three." She hesitated a moment longer while Yukino stared at her in abject confusion. Then, with another nudge from Lucy, she explained: "I am Solano, your sister."

    "Hah," she deadpanned instinctively. "Very funny."

    When neither of them smirked or laughed, her incredulity only grew. "You're serious? You're actualy serious?" She still waited for the punchline. "I have a sister?" Solano shuffled awkwardly under Yukino's scrutiny; a familiar anger began to well up as the information settled. "Where were you?" she asked quietly.

    Solano made to speak, but faltered. She averted her gaze, displaying all the guilt Yukino needed to see. "Where were you?" she asked again, more forcefully. "I was right here all these years and now you come in here telling me this?" She still had family, but right now it did not make her happy. "Where were you ten years ago, huh?" Only more silence was the answer. "Why now? Is it suddenly convenient to have little Yukino know you exist?!"

    The clearing of a throat made her attention snap back to Lucy. "And you? What the fuck are you doing here, then? What do you have to do with this?!"

    The blonde raised her hands in a placating manner. "Please, at least hear her out. I know this is a lot to take in, but-" "No but," Yukino growled back, almost flipping the table as she stood. "You talk like you get everything, but you don't have any idea at all! Get out, leave me alone!"

    Contrary to her demand, it was Yukino who fled. Her chest constricted as she turned and ran, right back up the stairs and through the first door she found. It turned out to be a closet, dark and dusty; the place fit her mood well enough. Yukino settled against the wall and hid her face in her hands; ugly tears forced their way through, a mixture of emotions bubbling all over at once. She had family, an older sister. A sibling who could have gotten her out of here at any time in the last decade. A sibling who could have gotten her out now, if she had not been so gods damned stupid. She lost her temper and blew the best chance she had all her life, and somehow Yukino did not care that she did. It felt right and wrong at the same time!

    She did not know how much time passed until a soft knock disrupted her pity party. A quiet "Go away" was all she had for the intruder, but they were not deterred. Rather the opposite, seeing that the door opened with a faint creak. Yukino glared, but somehow Lucy was unimpressed. She produced a ball of soft light and approached slowly, then sat down by her side. Once it became clear the other woman would not leave, Yukino hugged herself and ignored her.

    "I am terribly sorry for putting you on the spot like I did," Lucy began. "I honestly do not know what I expected from this approach, but I figured it would be easiest to tear off the band-aid quickly." She left a pause for Yukino to interject, but was left without response. "But despite all of this, I do know how you feel. At least in part." The younger woman could not help but become attentive; now that her anger subsided into a faint simmer, that spark of fascination came back to the forefront. "Being distant to your family, feeling betrayed. I know these feelings."

    She chanced a look, only to find Lucy lost in reminiscence. It did not last long before she shook it off, somehow. Their eyes met momentarily, but Yukino looked away. She immediately felt embarassed about being caught and angry about being embarassed, but the other woman spoke up in that moment: "You wanted to know why I was here? Well, I am acting as Solano's parole officer. She is not allowed anywhere without supervision."

    That gave Yukino pause. Her head rose almost of its own volition. Lucy, knowing she had her attention, continued to explain softly: "Now that I met you, I realise I should have led with this. It is generally not a good idea, I figured we should establish a baseline first. But now, oh well. The only reason Solano even has a chance to take you away from here is that I whispered a few words in the right ears. And her exemplary conduct during her trial... which, erm, I coached her on."

    She did not say it, but Yukino caught her meaning anyway. "My sister is a criminal," she muttered, baffled. Lucy nodded.

    "Do you read the news?"

    "Yeah. But only the Weekly Sorcerer."

    "Ah. And the next issue is tomorrow. You will probably see some mention of it then, though I doubt they will print any names or pictures. She got acquitted two days ago." When Yukino kept hanging on her lips, Lucy went on with her explanation without prompting: "She is, was, a dark wizard. The fact I somehow kept her out of prison or worse still baffles me. It's why she could never come for you, either. She had no idea where you went and once she could start looking, her criminal record was the length of her arm."

    It soothed Yukino somewhat, to know it was not some whimsy that kept her sister away. At the same time, her sister was a criminal. And a bad one at that. A really bad one. Yet a Fairy Tail wizard stuck up for her for some reason? "I don't get it," she muttered. "Aren't you supposed to, y'know, fight dark wizards? Isn't that what Fairy Tail does?"

    Lucy absently rubbed her thumb over the pink guild mark on her other hand. "It is what we do," she confirmed. "What we did. But that particular mission did not go well. We lost good people on both sides and once it was all said and done, well, I ended up talking to them. Solano is maladjusted, she is not a good person, but she wants to be. And if nothing else, the first and only thing she asked of us is to help find you."

    She hesitated there. A hand softly touched Yukino's shoulder and, seeing that she did not shake it off, squeezed gently. "I am not asking you to just forgive her. But could you at least give her a chance to explain?"

    She did not want to. In truth, Yukino wanted to bury herself in her bed for the next day. Or aimlessly run around Crocus. But at the same time, she was intrigued and perhaps even a little hopeful. So she nodded and stood. Lucy followed, then held her back and drew a handkerchief. "Just a moment," the older woman requested as she cleaned Yukino's face. The clucking had her bristle and blush in equal measure, but she allowed it this once. She made a quick stop at the bathroom to wash up, too. It helped, but failed to hide the puffiness around her eyes entirely.

    "Great first impression I'm making," Yukino muttered mostly to herself. By the way Lucy giggled, she was still heard.

    Each step taking her closer to the person she wanted to talk to the least and the most, Yukino grew a smidgen more tense. She wanted to ask more questions about Fairy Tail, but her mouth was dry. Words failed her.

    Solano was where they left her, slumped forward and playing with her hair. Her head turned the moment she heard their steps, expression brightening when she saw Yukino return. She was so expressive, the younger sister realised.

    She slowly bent down to right the chair she pushed over earlier, then sat on it. Lucy held herself in the background while the sisters stared at each other. Both were tongue-tied, but Yukino somehow managed to swallow the lump in her throat. "Why did you even leave?" she asked first. The burning question in her mind. "I don't remember you at all. Why did you go? and where?"

    Solano's first response was a heavy sigh. "I don't like talking about it," she prefaced. "Honestly, I'm happy that the memories of that day are starting to fade. It was cultists of some sort. Zeref cultists, I think. They came for our village in the middle of night. Killed the adults, abducted all the children to use as slave workers in their tower."

    She shook herself and left a long pause during which Yukino had to process what she just heard. She failed. A soft "Huh?" was all she could respond with. Solano grimaced.

    "Once people realised what was happening, most who could fight were already dead. Maybe they bought some of the guards, too. I don't know, I don't care. With Ma and Pa dead just outside the house, I slammed the door in their faces. Then I... yeah, I ran upstairs and hid you in the closet, and ran back down to lead them away. They caught me anyway, but hey, it worked."

    She shrugged weakly while Yukino gaped at her. There was not even a hint of a memory to any of that. How could she have forgotten such a night? How could she believe such a night actually happened?

    A pleading look went to Lucy, who met her evenly. "The timeline fits," she answered the unspoken question. "One of my guildmates was held in the same place."

    Yukino tried to visualise the entire mess without much success. Things like these did not happen to ordinary people like herself. How had she gotten tangled up in such a mess? "And how did you become a dark wizard from that?" her mouth asked instead. Solano threw a scathing look Lucy's way, but the other woman only shrugged.

    "A man came to the tower after it changed hands," she told Yukino in the end. "Brain is what we called him. That was a year or so after I was captured. He was looking for recruits. When I got the offer, I jumped at the chance to get out of there. After that, well." Solano made a vague motion that told Yukino nothing, but she nodded regardless.

    They both stewed in the tale at this point. Solano had grown somewhat tense while Yukino's incredulity kept the awe at bay. "And now you're here," she finished lamely.

    "Yes, now I'm here."

    Solano fidgeted, not that Yukino noticed. "It's," she began, then paused to wet her lips again. "I already got a place of my own. It's not big, but I figured, if you want to...." She trailed off again, leaving the offer standing in the room.

    Yukino wanted to say yes. She wanted it so bad, but at the same time it still hurt. Not even a word for all these years and then this?

    "Maybe," Lucy interjected gently, "we should leave it at that for now and give her time to process."

    "I guess."

    The sudden shift caught Yukino by surprise; she did not want them to leave, she realised. It felt as if Solano would vanish again if she let her walk out that door. "W-Wait," she half-pleaded, half-demanded, "can you, I mean, can we, maybe, talk some more?" She quietly berated herself for being so skittish, but the words were already out.

    Thankfully, Solano was too busy brightening up to notice her state. She agreed readily and so did Lucy. The blonde joined them at the table again while both Agria women relaxed somewhat. With the prospect of immediate decisions off the table, Solano even managed a smile.

    "So, you know that I was busy doing crime the last years." Her gaze ran down Yukino's rough attire, well-worn and comfortable. She suddenly felt underdressed when compared to the elegant, white dress on her sister. Whatever Solano thought though, she did not say it. "How was it for you?"

    "Eh." At least this was familiar ground. Yukino offered a shrug. "Nothing special. Doing some chores every day to help out, school, the works." Her own small list of petty crimes went unmentioned, but only barely.

    Solano nodded slowly. "I see," she murmured. Then her gaze became more analytical. "I heard you're learning magic?"

    "I am, so what?"

    Her confrontational tone made Solano backpedal. "Nothing, just curious." She was almost frantic in her denial. Yukino kept frowning, only to remember that her sister, and that was still weird to think, was also a wizard. The expected skepticism was only in her head. Maybe she should apologise?

    Instead of dwelling on that question, Yukino reluctantly turned to Lucy. "Actually, can I ask you something?" The blonde nodded readily. Yukino felt hopeful for once: "I was thinking I'd like to study Take Over magic, do you know how I'd go about that?" It was a bit of a long shot, but the Mirajane was one of Lucy's guildmates.

    "You shouldn't," was Solano's immediate response. When Yukino's gaze snapped back to her, she completely ignored the forming scowl. "Take Over isn't for beginners. One mistake in its use and you're dead. Stop looking like that, the answer is no."

    Yukino turned away. She was decidedly not pouting, but her sister clearly deserved the cold shoulder for this one. "Mirajane did it as a child," she muttered.

    "Mirajane is an aberration," Solano countered. "She obviously inherited Take Over from one of her parents and even then it absolutely should have killed her."

    Yukino bristled at the insult to her main role model, but limited her response to another scowl. Solano was unimpressed and met her gaze head-on. When it became clear she would not budge on this, Yukino huffed. "What do you do, then?"

    She was studied with suspicion for a moment, but Solano let her change the subject. "My mainstays are Aera, Celestial Spirit magic, and Heavenly Body magic. They synergise well with each other, but each one was hard to learn," she immediately cut off.

    "Then what should I learn?" Yukino countered in annoyance. "If everything is so hard, where do I start?"

    "Well," Lucy interjected kindly, "disciplines like Diver and Solid Script are nice for beginners-" "Nah."

    The blonde fell silent again while Yukino shook her head. "I want to learn real magic, not nerd stuff" she told her. This time she earned herself not one but two unimpressed looks.

    "You know," Lucy mused idly, "Levy would probably punch you for what you just said. I mean, she is a nerd, but she has a mean right hook."

    Both sisters now stared at her. Hearing the name did remind Yukino of the coverage on Fairy Tail's Levy, whose favoured magic was indeed Solid Script. But Lucy was not done; ignoring their looks, she kept going: "And Master Priscilla started with Diver, at that. She gets an incredible mileage out of it."

    "But if you want to follow in my footsteps and make your life harder," Solano quipped, "how about summoning spirits? I can help you with that... if you want," she quickly added. A notable pause followed, but Yukino waited for the sentence to finish. "It's not easy, but not backbreaking like Heavenly Body magic, either. That's what I started with."

    "I do not follow," Lucy interjected again, except this time honestly confused. "Celestial Spirit magic is easy to pick up."

    Solano stared at her for a while, making the blonde fidget awkwardly. When she turned back to Yukino, her expression was resolute. "Do not believe anything she says about Celestial Spirit magic," she declared. "Girl has no idea how hard it is for anyone whose last name isn't Heartfilia."

    "Come now, that is uncalled for."

    Yukino had no idea what this exchange was about, but she did recall reading that Lucy's family had a lot of wizards. Solano was undeterred; once she saw her little sister did not reject the idea, she elaborated: "The basics are simple enough. Opening gates on your own is what takes years, but if you have a key, you can bond your first spirit in two to six months. That's without any previous training. You already know the basic stuff about magic, so it's more like two weeks to two months."

    That did sound tempting. Summoning spirits, fighting together... Yukino liked the idea. There was only one problem. "Except I don't have a key."

    Somehow, this did not affect either woman much. Lucy became thoughtful, but Solano just inclined her head. "True. Even silver keys are expensive and not all that common. But what if, say," she said slowly, producing a ring with seven keys, "I did some creative redistribution of assets?"

    "You shouldn't," Lucy immediately stopped her, before Yukino even knew how to address this. In fact, the blonde seemed positively aggravated. "And you should know that."

    "I do," Solano agreed easily. Nonetheless, she detached two of the golden keys. "Except I asked them before we met up." First she offered one of them to Lucy. "Scorpio rather be with you. We do not get along all that well in the first place."

    "Oh... thank you." The offering was accepted meekly. Lucy stared down at her new key, then back up at Solano. Yukino watched her slowly produce a keyring of her own; it now held eight golden keys and a few silvers. After some musing, the Fairy Tail wizard glanced back at the key Solano still held. "But I have a hard time believing Aries would want to leave anyone."

    "She did not," Solano agreed again, this time with a gentle smile the likes of which Yukino had not seen before. Her traitorous heart immediately wanted to be the recipient. "She said she is happy going with whatever I decide. I was planning to keep her key, but I guess." Solano paused, took a deep breath, and offered it to Yukino. "Regardless of if you want to stay with me, I want you to have this. If Aries is with you, I don't need to worry that you're safe."

    Yukino had half a mind to slap her hand away. Ingratiating oneself to her with presents like this annoyed her to no end. She could go it alone just fine. The words almost slipped out before she realised; this was an olive branch. Then, just as she began to consider it in earnest, Lucy disrupted the moment.

    "I call upon you who rests within the Celestial Spirit world! Heed my call! Pass through the gate! Come forth, Scorpio!"

    A blinding light announced the arrival of a man. And what a man he was; Yukino could not help but stare. Tall, tanned, and with a vicious, metal scorpion's tail. He wore a jovial smile and easily accepted a big hug from Lucy. "Good to be back, little lady," he greeted. Then, one arm around the blonde, he threw the Agrias a wink. "Hey, Sol. That your sis?"

    "Yes, hello Scorpio. Meet Yukino." Said girl waved shily.

    "Nice to meetcha. Now for you, little lady." He put Lucy down to look her over. "Gotta say, it feels good to be back. Quari was nagging me 'bout it for years, y'know?" He left a short pause, then leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "But you didn't hear that from me, got it?"

    "Of course." Lucy retorted with a huff, cocking her hips. "As long as you actually want to be back? Not that I expect you to be a doormat, what with how Cancer and Taurus talk about you."

    "Righto. But I'm wounded, no endorsement from Quari?"

    "None, just endless bullying that she has a boyfriend and I don't."

    "'cept that's no longer true," Scorpio laughed with a nod to Lucy. "Anyway, let's get to business, right?"

    Yukino was transfixed; she could only stare in dumbfounded awe as those two developed a quick back-and-forth. Acceptable days in the week to summon, preferred timeslots, they even covered special circumstances such as permission to summon whenever when in danger. They were done in less than five minutes, perfectly happy.

    "Alright then," Scorpio finished as they shook hands. "I better get my ass back home before Quari gets grumbly. You know how she is." Just as the gate flashed open behind him, he snapped his fingers with a sly grin. "Oh, and Virgo will probably be out for a day or two. Just figured you'd want to know. Bye!"

    He left laughing for some unfathomable reason. Yukino's gaze alternated between the spot he just stood and the flustered Lucy. "What was he talking about?"

    "Nothing," the blonde denied immediately, then sighed under the weight of both sisters' stares. "Let us just say Virgo has weird ideas about what constitutes a reward. And that someone I know has too much fun acting the bad guy."

    She left it at that. Yukino was about to pry when a glint of gold flickered in the corner of her eye; Solano still held the other golden key. It taunted her, almost, with the promise of a companion like Scorpio. Freely offered. Yukino had no idea who Aries was or what they were like, but she was still enticed by the prospect.

    After considering a moment longer, she tentatively reached out and touched her sister's hand. Solano twitched, gaze flicking back to Yukino. Their gazes met, neither being able to read the other. But for now, Yukino accepted the olive branch Solano offered. Her fingers closed around the key, running over warm and calloused skin. Then Solano's hand closed around hers for a moment; whatever words she wanted to speak though, they did not come out. The older sister let go and the younger one studied the key up close. Her key.

    Into the contemplative silence, Solano's voice sounded loud: "Are you sure this is fine with you?"

    "I am," Lucy said immediately. "Maybe I would have minded before I joined Fairy Tail, but by now recollecting these keys is no longer my dream. All of them are with me either way. I just need to get my act together and practice with their gates. Which, come to think of it, might mean you will have to host me for tea every once in a while. We could study together, if you want?"

    "I'll think about it," Solano deflected, though she appeared quite pleased nonetheless.

    "That is all I can ask." So saying, Lucy carefully pushed the chair she sat in back under the table. "And on that note, I believe we should get going." A cold pit opened in Yukino's stomach, unaffected even by that reassuring smile sent her way. "We will be back soon to see if you came to a decision."

    She wanted to say something. Anything, really. But her voice failed her. Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes. She did not want them to leave. Only when her gaze fell on Solano did she manage to speak: "Will you, I mean, will you really come back?" Her voice nearly broke. Fear coursed through Yukino's entire being, to have this opportunity slip away again. Have it all be for nothing.

    Then she was held. Lithe but firm arms closed around her in a tight embrace. She immediately melted into the touch, so starved for it she was. Face hidden behind Solano's shoulder, the older Agria gently petted her head. "I will be back," she declared quietly. "Promise."

    These five words opened in tiny door in Yukino's heart. One that she nailed shut many years ago. She already knew her answer then, but could not bring herself to speak. She wanted to enjoy this for as long as possible. And if it meant letting them leave, to wait a few more days? She already waited a decade. What was a little more? Yukino dared to believe. She believed she could have a family again.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • 5.7 Metamorphosis
  • Threadmarks
    • "I sometimes wonder about divinity. The legends of Godslayer magic imply their existence, as does Ankhseram's curse. Yet what truly makes a god? My personal opinion is that any being of phenomenal powers would be as a god, regardless of whether they actually are. Perception plays into it as well; if we counted the number of cults and other pseudo-religious groups venerating me, one could believe I were a god. I never saw myself in such a manner, but unfortunately I can not stop others from disagreeing. If you do believe me a god, please always remember that my core tenet is to love life, to love magic, to love people, and to love yourself as best as you are able."

    -excerpt from "The Love of Magic"
    Wendy's journey home was uneventful. A train ride to Onibas brought her back into familiar territory; from there she could simply wander east. The breeze soon carried Quelaan's scent, but also a faintly human note. Wendy's brow creased, but her step did not falter; she followed the main road until a dirt path of her own making branched off. It led to a set of hills shadowed by several trees. Golden leaves began to cover the ground, but ever more were caught up in mid-air.

    "Did she expand our demesne once again?" Carla mused idly before landing on Wendy's shoulder. "Such annoyance."

    She may have bantered back at another time. As it were, Wendy was too focussed on passing the nearly invisible traps. Not to mention she had to breathe deeply, almost panting to get enough air. Just as she ducked again, she spotted a silver thread glistening in the afternoon sun.

    Their ordeal did not last long, at least; within a few minutes the threads became more common than uncovered ground. They buffered Wendy's feet as she went, every strand in the air now so thick she could easily see and evade them. She deftly avoided a faintly wiggling cocoon, taking note of the head-sized paw poking out its lower end. Several other cocoons followed, but none were as big as the bear. None smelled like human either, so no harassment from wannabe-adventurers for once. Probably just a lost wanderer, then.

    At the mouth of the cave they dug together, Wendy paused for breath. Then she announced herself with a loud "Quelaan!" Her scent was strongest here, so Wendy knew her caretaker dwelled inside. "We returneth!"

    "So I see," a soft voice answered. "Come hither, my sweet. Rest thine aching feet, tell me of thy journey."

    Carla took wing immediately. Wendy followed her catty friend inside, where Quelaan awaited them; the Exceed produced glowing orbs of light, illuminating a heaven of silk and packed earth. Their caretaker rested against a wall, facing their way with unseeing eyes. Tiny waves of Ethernano raced across the room. Wendy felt them ping off her, the echo giving Quelaan a perfect idea of her surroundings. Arms were spread wide in silent offer and she threw herself the last metres into her embrace. Carla huffed, but joined them a moment later.

    "Welcome home, Wendy. Carla."

    Cuddling like this was so much easier on Wendy. Quelaan eschewed clothing, but somehow she never managed to evoke anything but content when they were close. Ivory skin marked her entire body, white just like her hair. Wendy compared her to Master Priscilla once in her mind, only to realise even the half-dragon was not this pale.

    Once released from Quelaan's embrace, she still settled next to her. One hand absently patted her caretaker's lower half, the chitin cold under her hands. It was such an odd transition from the warmth pulsing through Quelaan's flesh. She never asked if it could even be felt, whether the spider was its own being or part of the woman protruding from its back. Its many eyes fluttered, one thick leg swishing against the bed of silk. Quelaan gave no indication either way, she merely petted Wendy's head in a similar manner. Carla wordlessly pressed against their free hands for pets.

    After recharging for a while, Wendy began to speak of her week. She slowed down once it came to the battles with Oracion Seis, still uncertain of the way she felt. Carla's abduction had since been forgiven, though the girl herself was still a little upset. She returned completely unharmed, after all; and after what happened to Angel otherwise, Wendy simply could not stay mad. Curiously though, the deaths of four people did not bother her much. Lucy overreacted, or so she felt. She did not really know any of them.

    At the same time, Wendy fully realised how close to death she came that night. That was what bothered her the most. Quelaan offered neither judgement nor distaste over the conundrum. She simply praised her tenacity, but also criticised her overuse of the arcane. "This is why moderating one's might is imperative," was her final wisdom.

    Wendy nodded, chest heaving with every breath she took. It evened out from time to time, but ever became laboured again. Soon enough, it happened not just while at rest. No, after a simple meal and some time spent doing chores, Wendy returned to her practice. She was still just mediocre in her dance. Only a year passed since Quelaan deemed her acceptable and she had only been found adequate once. Despite her gentleness, in this one subject she was a harsh taskmistress.

    They both noticed that something was wrong. Halfway through her dance, Wendy's chest constricted for lack of air. She tripped, propelling herself into the reinforced wall.

    Rubbing her stinging forehead, Wendy waited for the rebuke. Quelaan delivered it as softly as ever, but it still stung her pride: "It seems thy mission was more taxing than I assumed. Enough."

    So Wendy crawled back to Quelaan's side; she knew she disappointed her, but her word was law where the art was concerned. Trying again after the teacher ended their session would only disappoint her more.

    Deft fingers soon braided her long hair while she cuddled Carla to her chest. The Exceed was already dozing. Wendy joined her within minutes.

    Then however, she dreamt vividly. Wendy hovered in an endless void. She turned this way and that, finding nothing. She could see even without a single spark of light, could walk the endless plain in any direction. Even up and down. She realised she was dreaming a moment later, but even that did not wake her.

    She blinked at eternity, uncertain what to do now.

    A second may have passed, or a hundred thousand years. She could not tell, for nothing changed. There was not even air, she realised after an indeterminate amount of time. Her chest began to sting as if on cue, the only change in all this static.

    And Wendy jerked awake, panting. Her chest burned as she gasped for air, frantically trying to get anything at all into her lungs. She wheezed, clawed at her numbing chest, tried to call for help, all to no avail. Her struggles woke Quelaan and Carla; she felt hands and paws steadying her, but neither could do anything. Tears ran down Wendy's cheeks as she hyperventilated

    Then it was gone, as sudden as it came. Taking deep gulps of air, Wendy collapsed against Quelaan and cried into her chest. She was soaked in sweat, aching, feeling almost boneless. She truly thought she would suffocate; fear of such an awful death and joy of being still alive kept her wailing for long minutes. Her family comforted her, held her tight until she calmed down. Wendy even managed to fall asleep again.

    The phenomenon did not repeat that night, but she felt groggy and weird in the morning. Wendy began her day with a simple dance, only to trip up in the middle. The moment she recovered and soothed the twang of her soul as it was slung out of rhythm, she made sure nobody saw that. Shaking her head, Wendy tried again. Only to trip up again. And again. And again.

    By the fourth time, she no longer cared for having caught Quelaan's attention. She was growing increasingly agitated about failing a basic dance motion, not to mention annoyed. Wendy knew without a shadow of doubt she could do this. She had done it a thousand times!

    After her tenth failure, she had to take a break; her entire body ached from the strain. The arachnoid woman looming over her never felt so imposing than in these moments. Quelaan must be ashamed of her failure to perform even simple practice.

    Contrary to Wendy's expectations, slender hands gently cradled her tearstained cheeks. "Tis alright, my sweet," Quelaan cooed, shushing all attempts to explain herself. "Thou went through ordeals most curious, tis only natural not to be in tune with thyself."

    Despite her own misgivings, Wendy let herself be comforted. After a few minutes, Quelaan smiled at her. "Present thy soul. If even the basics are to fail, often the mistake is not on the dancer."

    She did as told without hesitation; though Priscilla's rebuke never quite left her, she trusted both Carla and Quelaan with her life. A gentle tug dislodged her essence, long since eased into compact form. From her bosom she drew a constantly shifting, aquamarine matrix. It floated atop her palm, hundreds of tiny blocks that made up herself. Now that she saw it directly, something about it felt off indeed. Wendy squinted.

    Her family examined the familiar sight as well. Quelaan leaned close, blind yet feeling for something only she could perceive. "It feels similar, but ever so slightly different," she judged in the end. "Meaning, Wendy?"

    "That I am not in harmony with mine soul," she answered dutifully. "And so weaving its power into mine motions will always fail." She slumped in relief despite the news; it was not her fault. "But what could have caused such a shift in a scant ten days? Can a single brush with death truly be so, so... so changing?"

    "I find that hard to believe," Carla mused. She slid off of Quelaan's carapace and took some distance. "Behold."

    The Exceed then danced the same basic steps Wendy had failed in; her rhythmic motions soon trailed ivory flame, its conclusion a clean ring of fire scything outward over several metres. Carla bowed as was customary, but her expression was grave. "Mine ordeal was no less than Wendy's, yet I am still in tune."

    "It may still be," Quelaan reasoned thoughtfully, "as thou art an Exceed and not, like Wendy, human."

    "A fair point."

    Even though the two agreed, Wendy could not help but wonder. She did not feel much different after that mission.

    In the end, all she could do was attempt to attune with her soul once more. Alas, it was for naught. Harmony eluded her.

    To make matters worse, every night since that day, she woke at least once from breathing troubles.

    On the seventh day, they came to her during morning chores. Just when Wendy was clearing away dust and dirt from the silken ground, her chest contracted as if empty. She grabbed her throat in fear, felt the flesh expand as she forced heaving gasps. But nothing came in. A strangled wheeze was all the noise she could produce. It alerted Carla in an instant, but the Exceed could do nothing. Panicked shouts for Quelaan barely reached Wendy's ears.

    She marshalled her will and focussed Ethernano. A spell circle she always knew flashed into existence in front of her face; it sent gentle pings of magic through her mouth and throat, searching for the issue. Moments later, Wendy's world broke as the magic told her she was perfectly fine. Her lungs burned, everything became darker as conciousness began to fade.

    By the time it ended, Wendy lay on the ground soaked in sweat, crying helplessly. "W-What is wrong with me?" she sobbed, but neither Carla nor Quelaan had any answers.

    It felt as if there was too little air, as if the air itself was too little, and it kept happening. The time between episodes grew continuously shorter until there was not a moment Wendy could breathe easily. Something was missing, something she needed.

    Realisation came to her a few nights later, just after another attack. Her hand clamped around Quelaan's arm with enough force to bruise. "N-Nirvana," she wheezed at the befuddled woman. "I need Nirvana. The air, tis ambrosia." She remembered vividly now, such unrivalled, clean and magical air. She never once breathed anything so rich. She did not know why she needed it, but it was just not enough here.

    From there on, she turned delirious. Her body began to heat up, then burn; she was constantly flushed and soaked in sweat. What few glimpses of waking she got, food and drink were foisted on her. They moved at some point, into a city despite the general wariness around Quelaan. Carla once reasoned with her that the wood place was weeks away, that they did not have the time. She saw clean ceilings and felt a hard mattress. She saw people in white robes talk to Carla.

    Once, Wendy woke to lips pressing against her own. Quelaan was closer than ever before, holding Wendy tight. Her soul sung as she drew on Wendy's, coaxing hers in a way she did not understand. Her inside exploded in violence, a wrath not her own screeching at the intrusion; primal winds formed in her lungs and struck outward. Quelaan broke contact with a pained scream. Cracks formed over her entire body, the spider lady shuddering on all eight legs. Her lower half screeched in pain while the upper one frantically weaved unknown spells.

    Aghast, Wendy looked around. She was concious at least. The bedroom she found herself in held dark colours and the light blue emblem of Blue Pegasus, a stylised horse head flanked by wings. She recognised it, just like she recognised some of the well-dressed people rushing inside. Frantic questions were asked, but she already heard none of them. Quelaan's attempt to draw out her ailment only delayed it.

    The next time Wendy woke, she could see outside of an airship's window. She saw her reflection, gaunt and dishevelled. Tired as she was however, she could not even feel afraid of what it meant. Was she going to die?

    "Wendy!" A ballistic feline threw her back into the covers. Carla immediately fussed, teary eyed. "You woke!" she exclaimed with such joy that it made Wendy's heart throb. Others quickly followed the call, but the Exceed hissed at them.

    From what Wendy learned, they were on-board of the Christina's sister ship, Lilia. Quelaan and Carla were with her, as were the three nice people from Blue Pegasus she met before. It was an unarmed transport ship, but much faster than her sister. At that point of the conversation, Wendy fell into restless slumber again. She barely managed to breathe enough, weaving the sky's essence into fresher air as long as she could. It helped stave off the worst, but something was still missing.

    For Quelaan of Izalith, it felt like the world ended once again. She felt such anguish only twice before; the first time when her mother was consumed by her own flames and birthed Chaos, the second when Quelaag ceased to come home. Mother and sister lost, she fostered a child regardless and now had to watch her wither away. Her very soul still ached from the attempt to draw out the child's mysterious illness.

    Once Wendy fell asleep again, Quelaan reluctantly left her in peace. The past week clearly demonstrated that remaining at her bedside was futile.

    "My heartfelt thanks, once again," she murmured toward the closest person. Her echolocation identified him as Ren; he was the only one not even subconciously revulsed by her nature. No shivers at all.

    "It's the least we can do," he deflected modestly. "Wendy was a great help on our mission. If something happened to her there, we won't just let her down." He effectively echoed his guild master, Bob, which calmed Quelaan as well. She quickly took a liking to the kindly, stout man over the days they stayed with Blue Pegasus. Ren sighed. "I just hope this works."

    "I concur."

    She paused then, bereft of a subject to follow or any activities to distract herself with. "May I make a request?" Ren nodded, after which Quelaan motioned in the direction they were moving. "Wouldst thou describe our destination? I am quite curious."

    "Huh? Oh, right." He winced, likely because he forgot her blindness for the moment. "Sure."

    The erstwhile Chaos Witch had to admit that his attempts to accomodate her were adorable. He went into great detail about Worth Woodsea, the verdant sea of green that only displayed first signs of gold. Her indulgent smile waned once Ren moved onto the mountainous tree that housed Nirvana, however. Reaching straight toward the heavens, without any outside branches, bark akin to solid stone. Each quality he named made the sudden dread expand further through her body. Every hair on her arachnoid half stood on end, the demon's maw hissing despite her effort to quiet it.

    "Is something wrong?" One of Ren's guildmates inquired, cutting him off at the same time. Hibiki, she thought his name was. "You seem pretty tense, miss."

    Quelaan wordlessly prowled forward. Her magic could not reach their destination; even if she were more than just competent with Earthland's style, it would not. Like so often she willed her eyes to work, to give her just a single glimpse. Alas, it was for naught, but she made the attempt regardless.

    "How tall is yonder tree?"

    They told her about two hundred metres. Tiny in comparison to what she remembered, but gargantuan in comparison to any common tree. Quelaan did not want to believe it, but all of this fit too well to be a coincidence. The air heated up as flame reacted to her fear. "Could it? Would it? But how is it?" she muttered for a little while, only to realise everyone except the comatose Wendy were surrounding her in worry. For their sake at least, she admitted the truth to herself: "Tis an archtree. A juvenile one, but an archtree nonetheless."

    She immediately confused the three men. Carla climbed onto her shoulder to peer at the screen she approached earlier. Her brow was scrunched, posture tense. "Thou mentioned archtrees before," she pried cautiously. "They were once a staple of thy home."

    "A staple indeed, yet oh so much more."

    She did not want to say it. Instinct told Quelaan to turn around now. Vacate Worth Woodsea and never return. But Nirvana was here, in this very archtree; she had to choose between confronting the one who grew the tree and forfeiting Wendy's life. Once put in these terms, the decision was easily made. Quelaan had little else of any worth, so she may as well take the risk.

    "Please set us down near the tree and leave at once. Tis not safe."

    "Hold on," Hibiki interjected, "We can't just leave you here. And what's so dangerous about that tree?"

    "Please trust me."

    She pleaded with her head turned his way. Hibiki squirmed for a while before relenting. He did insist on taking them all the way to Nirvana, though; miraculously, no fury made manifest welcomed them on wings of stone. Lilia rose atop the tree and entered its hollow inside, allowing their little family to disembark onto a thick glade.

    Wendy immediately grew animated in her arms. She woke up while Quelaan still thanked the three men who ferried them. The witch held her charge tight, once again insisting they leave now. "It is not certain whether Wendy will recover," she urged while holding onto the squirming child, "or how long her recovery will take. Prithee, if need be, we shall find our way back. Thou already did more than I could ever have demanded."

    "W-Well," Hibiki muttered. "I guess? Alright," he relented at last. "Stay safe then."

    Carla waved until the Lilia rose out of sight. Only then did Quelaan let go of her charge, who immediately began to roll around in the tall grass. The witch herself cast streamers of Ethernano across the entire glade, flinching when the impression at its center became clear. Neither Wendy nor Carla realised it was not a statue; they did not know them like Quelaan did.

    Once the children were done celebrating Wendy's waking, they wandered toward the dragon. Quelaan skittered after them, but Wendy already slumped down against its flank by the time she reached. This gave her pause, for it had still not moved.

    "I do not understand," Carla admitted. "Even should this be an archtree, how is it relevant?"

    "Archtrees art not native to Earthland," Quelaan lectured quietly. "This tree doth not belong. And neither dost thou, dragon."

    She had addressed the statue, which remained firmly in place. For a moment Quelaan thought she may be mistaken. She dearly hoped she was.

    But no.

    Dust began to rain down its flanks, pieces of soil and plant matter dislodged from their homes. The dragon's cyclopean eye was pointed straight at her; his head rose from strong frontlegs as the behemoth stood, almost crushing Wendy underfoot. She squeaked in surprise and rolled aside, but most of her hair was caught under the massive paw and pinned down.

    "Neither doth thou, wretched witch," it hissed back in a growl that ran through the entire glade. Various animals woke and fled the presence of an apex predator to end all apex predators. Only Quelaan stood her ground. She absolutely wanted to join them, but refrained. The dragon growled. "Even in realms betwixt, I can not be free of thy machinations."

    The lack of immediate violence stumped Quelaan. She considered the dragon before her again, easily twice as big and three times as long as her own oversized body. Was he being defensive?

    Giving quiet thanks that Wendy and Carla were too awestruck or terrified to interrupt, she decided to attempt diplomacy: "We seek neither altercation nor affront, dragon. I am Quelaan of Izalith."

    "And I am Kalameet, the Everlasting. Naturally, thou seek not death. Yet, perchance mine slumber was meant to end with the blood of enemy ours spilled?" He shifted in place and Quelaan called upon her soul's flame. Eight sinewy legs evened out her balance.

    "Only if thou will risk the wrath of a witch," she answered. She would protect Wendy and Carla, no matter what.

    To her astonishment, Kalameet actually relented. The dragon huffed out a puff of hot air and made to speak. He then noticed the human girl desperately trying to pull her hair out from under his paw; an absent flick swiped Wendy away. "Curious indeed, that thou hast not already set ablaze mine roost, as witches are wont to do."

    "No less than an Everlasting dragon seeking parlay," she countered. His comments gave her an idea why they were in this unsteady stalemate, but she remained on her guard. "May we agree to cease hostilities, perchance? We arrived for unrelated reasons."

    Another huff followed, but Kalameet remained almost docile. His wings ground against his scales, but did not spread. "Speak, then," he decided. "So that I will be rid of thy presence."

    "Without descending on us after we left thy tree?"

    "I may yet reconsider if thou continue to waste mine time."

    The sentiment was clear enough; Quelaan relented. She already dared far more than she should have and got away with it. A part of her implored not to reveal her relation to Wendy; the dragons were her family's archenemies, they would stop at nothing to inflict suffering. Yet what choice did she have?

    "How can we trust this... this..." Carla kept failing her attempt to find a proper term for the dragon confronting them. Kalameet's head shifted minutely, studying the feline fly buzzing around Quelaan.

    "Shush," she murmured, deftly catching Carla and holding her tight. "Speak not a word more." Wendy pulled herself up at one of Quelaan's hindlegs at this point; the witch nudged her forward from the hiding spot, presenting her to Kalameet. "This child is sick. Her body remains without blemish, yet she can no longer breathe freely. The nature of her ailment eludes us, though it seems to be cured by the superior air in thy demesne." Now that everything was lined up in a short explanation, Quelaan began to wonder: "That which mortals dubbed Nirvana, is it thy doing?"

    Kalameet remained quiet for long seconds. He sized up Wendy; she offered a trembling bow in greeting, to no reaction. His voice lost the growling edge, but continued to rumble darkly: "Tis I who created Nirvana, indeed. Mine experiments with this realm's composition vastly improved its quality. Lesser beings revere the site itself, yet none ever realised my nature." He peered closer at Wendy. "This one, I remember. It walked my domain not long ago."

    "Pardon," Wendy murmured, "but was it thou who took the lives of the two who perished here?"

    Quelaan bristled in worry, but the dragon thankfully did not take offense. His head tilted so he could study Wendy better. The child stepped forward, encouraged by a lack of hostility. Kalameet himself growled.

    "Fools who dared discuss before mine eyes how to exploit mine creation for their worthless ends, who dreamt of claiming mine roost as theirs. Yes, I exterminated these pests. Now step forward and remain still."

    Wendy stopped, fidgeting as she tried to verbalise a complaint. Quelaan, too, wished to know more about what he meant to do. But a single, low growl told her his patience ran thin. She carefully nudged Wendy with her foremost legs; the child took several more steps until she stood right in front of the black-scaled behemoth.

    Kalameet rose on his hindlegs, a glow of dark orange filling his centermost eye. Quelaan's eyes grew wide when she realised she could see it. Through blindness and alien magic, she could see the light. The shock stopped her from doing anything at all when he leaned forward and bent down his neck, aligning his gaze with Wendy. Its glow spread outward, completely covering her like viscous fluid. The child's breath hitched, but she remained perfectly still even as primal power raised her up. A faint humming could be heard, the only sign of otherworldly might at work.

    Seconds turned to minutes as Kalameet did whatever this was. The dragon did not move and Quelaan kept staring at the only colour she saw in centuries. As off and wrong as it may feel, she was mesmerised nonetheless. Even without that, she would not have dared break the silence until the glow faded and her charge dropped back down. Wendy scurried back to hide underneath her massive body, shivering. Quelaan hugged Carla tighter to her chest, trying not to feel upset at the colour's fading.

    "Thy verdict?"

    "...curious."

    Kalameet's gaze never left Wendy, who hugged Quelaan's leg for comfort. "I shall forgive thine attempt to push close one bred to battle dragons." Her brows flew up, she completely forgot. "For Wendy was not meant to ever face an Everlasting dragon. This realm's lesser dragons may be passable, but they are not kin and thus not mine concern."

    "What piqued thy curiousity?" she pried carefully, but also a bit suspicious. "In addition, how didst thou learn her name?"

    The dragon hesitated, sized her up momentarily, and returned to studying Wendy. "All becomes evident before mine gaze. I dissect the very building blocks of existence itself and may rearrange them at will. Within limits, that is. The stronger a being I wish to affect, the more resistance they can offer. The larger the imposed change, the more reality pushes back. But it can never stop me from perceiving and I saw Wendy Marvel in all her aspects. Dragonslayer, healer, human, and not."

    "Pardon?"

    Three voices had spoken as one; the explanation aside, his final words gave them all pause. Kalameet chuckled before addressing Wendy directly: "Thy Dragonslayer magic, it changes thee. Such focus on air and the skies, it allowed thee to imbibe more than just the Ethernano I built here. No, surrounding us is an expression of mine nature, of eternity. Thou breathed eternity, thus thy body and soul began to adapt. Futilely, they struggle to evolve in response to power they can not match in thy current form."

    "Hold," Quelaan interrupted. She felt faint, especially because she understood. "Dost thou mean to imply that Wendy's body... turneth her into a dragon?"

    "Indeed. An Everlasting dragon, at that. Yonder rashes," he addressed Wendy once again, "art not. They art a first attempt to grow scales of stone."

    The girl herself stood thunderstruck, not dissimilar to Quelaan herself. Carla hung in the air as if paralyzed.

    "I?" Wendy ultimately spoke. "A dragon? A true dragon? No, not true. Not like Grandine." She spoke more to herself, musing quietly. Quelaan wanted to embrace her, but did not dare agitate her fragile truce with Kalameet. The black dragon released a weak growl and a puff of hot air.

    "I know not one called Grandine. Tis not an Everlasting name. Dost thou speak of this realm's lesser dragons?"

    "Prithee refrain from insulting my first foster mother. It is of her kindness that I became a Dragonslayer at all."

    Another puff of air blew Quelaan's hair away. Wendy was almost blown over. Kalameet evenly met the human child's glare. "And now thou shalt become more than thy... mother ever imagined. I beheld her design, meant to retain thy mortal self. She left thou before metamorphosis could begin." He settled down again, head resting on his frontlegs.

    Meanwhile, Wendy hung on his lips, or what may count as such. Quelaan suddenly wondered how a dragon could speak human tongues perfectly without them. Kalameet, unaware of and indifferent to reality's opinions, kept speaking: "Tis not the actions of a mere wyvern or drake, indeed. Worthy of appreciation, indeed. Yet not kin and thus lesser. Thou will understand soon."

    She did not like the implication. Before Wendy could try prying further into what Kalameet learned of Grandine, Quelaan dared to step forward. She placed a hand on her charge's head and forced the conversation back on track: "Thou can not undo the process?"

    "Perhaps," was the response. "Tis a conundrum. Can a lesser being ascend to become kin? Should it be allowed to? Can the process be reverted and should it? Doth I seek to elevate new kin, now that I know it possible? Is mere chance worth expending time on reverting? Moreover, can that which tasted eternity remain itself when separated? Thy body seeks to grow beyond its means, which it alone can not achieve. Thou requireth mine creation for sustenance, now and until the day thy metamorphosis finds its end. Thou requireth myself."

    The head rose, gaze now clearly aimed at Quelaan. "And until such a day, the witch can not hunt me for fear of thy life."

    Had he been capable of it, she knew Kalameet would smirk in this moment. Quelaan's brows furrowed in annoyance more than actual anger.

    "But moreover," he ended, "beyond idle curiousity, no reason exists for me to undo what thy own nature wrought. Thou have but two choices, Wendy Marvel: to ascend, or to face oblivion."

    Wendy stood still, shaking. At first Quelaan thought her close to tears, but another echo of Ethernano told of the snarl etched onto her face. "Thou wouldst withhold cure for thy own benefit?" she growled back. Quelaan quickly tried to shush her, but she tore away from her hands. "Play with mine life for curiousity and selfishness?"

    Kalameet's growl shook the entire tree. Quelaan shied away and Carla fell on her butt in fright. But Wendy stood her ground, staring down the dragon. After several tense seconds, Kalameet huffed.

    "Thou ought to listen when a greater being speaks. Tasting eternity leaves a mark upon thyself. The process began, thy soul hath imbibed it freely. Were I to excise it, whatever there was before wouldst not return. Whether thou desire lobotomy or ascension, change is inevitable."

    That was it then. Quelaan slumped, sinking onto her arachnoid bottom. She could not help but cover her eyes, hoping it would all turn out to be a dream; alas, the scenery remained.

    "Can we trust his word?" Carla inquired weakly.

    "Yes," Wendy answered. She still stood in front of them, but the fight left her as well. "Dragons doth not speak lies."

    "Indeed," Quelaan added. "Pride demands they step above the subterfuge of lesser beings. Or so I heard," she ended. "My sister once asked Duke Seath-"

    The sentence was cut off by another thundering growl. Kalameet lunged forward, his snout appearing in her face within a heartbeat. The noise reverberated through Quelaan's body and made her lock up in instinctual fear. "Never. Speak. That. Name." Kalameet growled.

    "V-V-Very well, my a-apologies," she stuttered in response, hoping he would not bite off her head.

    After glaring at her a little longer, Kalameet withdrew and settled once more. "And indeed," he changed the subject, "paltry nuisance such as falsehood lies beneath the Everlasting. Now, thy choice?"

    Wendy fidgeted, now sat on the ground after leaping aside to dodge the dragon's earlier charge. She did not look at any of them, but Quelaan understood without words; she did not want to die. Not when there was still a long life ahead of her. But at the same time, the prospect was suffocating.

    In the end, she firmed up and stood once more. A small surge of air blasted the dirt off her clothes. "There is no choice to be made," she answered tiredly. "The only path I can walk is forward."

    "Then so it shall be."

    Kalameet appeared far too pleased for anyone's liking, but Quelaan did not feel well calling him out on it. Moreover, his head turned back her way. "We shall arrange ourselves, in one way or another. I hate thee, but meditation and experimentation quenched mine wrath."

    Quelaan inclined her head. "I never hated thee, but it matters not. If mine child is to remain here, then so will I."

    "And I as well," Carla added with a huff. She pushed both paws into her hips. "Thou would be ever lost without mine counsel."

    And so it was decided. Quelaan immediately knew this would be a troublesome time, but she was willing to trust a truce. Kalameet spent most of his time still as a statue, sometimes accepting conversation; it took a while for him to acknowledge Carla, but curiousity did what no amount of arguing could.

    From later examinations, they learned that the motion of Wendy's soul gradually slowed down. The assumption was that her ascension would be complete once it gained perfect stillness.

    Moreover, Quelaan managed to exchange the story of her arrival on Earthland against his; as it turned out, they both were torn away into a sudden void. Only that while the witch arrived about eight years prior and met Wendy a few hours later, Kalameet lived here for centuries. His arrival preceded the fall of dragon rule, but he did not care to measure how far. He planted his archtree and kept to himself.

    Ultimately, Quelaan began to relax around him. It was ironic that when her sisters yet lived, they would have shared a merry laugh about the idea of allying with an Everlasting dragon. Yet here she was. And her odd little family apparently grew to four members.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • 5.8 A Dark Soul
  • Threadmarks
    • "I played god, tore the natural order asunder, and violated even the laws of magic in my pursuit of a futile goal. In the end, even after all these sins, I remain as I were, having failed and knowing oh so little. But what little I know, I wish to pass on to others so that they may one day succeed where I have failed. Certainly the path to a kinder world is paved by progress and understanding."

    -excerpt from "The Heart of Magic", foreword
    Time passed, but nothing changed. Kyoka's life was an endless repetition of meaningless days. Her worldview remained shattered as she stumbled through life like a dream. The other Etherious tried to aid her, but none of their efforts could dispell her listlessness.

    She held long conversations with anyone willing to indulge her; Mard Gear, Keyes, Seilah, just about every archdevil made time. Yet none could give a satisfying answer to her greatest question: what use was there for them? In a world where nothing mattered, how could they declare their own purpose?

    Kyoka knew that, once upon a time, she simply believed. They all still did except for her. It was a secret, one she hoped they never even suspected; Kyoka stopped to believe in her own supremacy. Grinding humans to dust under her clawed feet no longer made sense when she was just as worthless as them. But Tartaros would not understand. Rather, they could not understand. Kyoka realised this much over the many conversations with her family. Being Etherious was to stand above humans; it would take sharing her gruesome death to realise.

    Seilah may have guessed, being the closest to Kyoka out of everyone. She spent the most time with her, likely even noticed Kyoka's attempts to evade joining any raid at all. Not that she ever asked. Not that Kyoka ever explained.

    On what few raids she had to participate in, she did nothing beside wander. Devastation did not put her mind at ease. Rather the opposite, if anything. Kyoka impulsively looked the other way whenever she found survivors; whether they hid or fled, she did nothing. It made her feel something again, a slight pang of wonder; would they survive in the wilderness? Carry word of Tartaros' mostly quiet work to their rulers?

    She did not know and ultimately did not care. Over a year passed since her death. Months since she woke. Nothing mattered in the end.

    Then, one day, the monotony broke. Mard Gear called a general conference and greeted everyone with a worried frown.

    "Acnologia is moving," he opened, which earned him the room's rapt attention. "We could evade a direct encounter, but I pulled back our scouts." Two tired Etherious leaning against the wall waved weakly. "But from their reports, he is flying toward Fiore at great speed. Something must have caught his attention there."

    Her mind's eye immediately flickered back to deadly white and a black scythe. She shuddered silently. Then she wondered just who would come out on top: the specter of death or the dragon king? She pitied whoever was caught up between them if that was truly his target.

    "Maybe he kills the Devourer on the way," someone joked from the crowd. Laughter followed and even Mard Gear inclined his head with a faint smile.

    "That would be a wonderful event," he concurred.

    The meeting devolved into meaningless reiteration from there. Kyoka dwelled on her previous feelings; she truly pitied whoever drew Acnologia's attention. Being slaughtered so mercilessly, she realised, was something no one deserved.

    This thought stayed with her until long after they were dismissed. Kyoka failed to find sleep that night, mind in turmoil as she pondered. Yet she reached no conclusion, found no solution to expressing her knot of stray feelings. Her mind felt like a haphazard bird's nest, emotions sticking out at odd angles everywhere while barely fulfilling its actual purpose.

    Sometime after midnight, she rose. Her book was clutched to her chest, never far from the archdevil. She got used to carrying it and so it followed her on yet another nightly stroll. Mind far away, she simply let her feet carry her wherever; no area was forbidden on Plutogrim, neither inside nor out.

    She soon realised she once again visited E.N.D.'s tome. Aimless wandering brought her here at least once every other night. Only this time unresolved feelings weighed more heavy on her; Kyoka stared at the still book as if it held the answer, slowly slumping until her legs barely carried her.

    "What do I do?" she asked weakly. "I am nothing, I can be nothing. I have no purpose and know so precious little. Tell me, please, what is there to my life that makes it worth living?"

    Tears clouded her vision. Kyoka wanted to live, but every day was agony for how pointless it ended up being. She became more and more accepting of seeking a rapid end. Death scared her still, but less each day. She did not expect an answer but she needed it.

    And then, suddenly, warmth enveloped her. For the first time in months, Kyoka's aching soul was soothed. She blinked away the tears, staring at a now gently flaring tome; her hand reached for it unconciously, unafraid. The moment she touched its cover, warmth spread through her arm and into her chest. It drove away the cold, carrying feelings not her own. Safety and comfort flooded her mind, coupled to the mental image of indistinct people. They laughed and a shadowy hand ruffled her hair.

    Kyoka began to relax as the message registered. Life was warm with others.

    "But I already have family," she ventured faintly. The next pulse of heat carried a wave of curiousity. "It is all of you, right here. Why can I not be happy with them?"

    The sensations paused, another pulse stuttering. The book hesitated and she felt warm tendrils dig into her self; Kyoka let it. It was comforting and kind, so she trusted it. From the depths of her memory, it dragged a single image that had been burned there: a dead child, staring at her with wide eyes. Lips unmoving asked just a single question: 'why?' It was accompanied by foreign displeasure. Kyoka shivered.

    "You disagree?"

    Another flare of heat followed, this one almost sweltering. She began to sweat, but at the same time she felt herself a disappointment again. "I see. I'm sorry. I can not stop them." It faded and became soothing once more. Comforting her, even. Kyoka hoped she was forgiven. At the same time she remained uncertain. "But what do I do?"

    There was no response, only warmth. Kyoka accepted the lack of answer, basking in what E.N.D. freely offered. Minutes passed, maybe hours, she could not quite tell.

    Then, suddenly, she understood what to do. It did not come from the tome but from herself. She finally got it, but the mere idea tore her heart apart again.

    Reaching up hesitantly, Kyoka lifted E.N.D.'s book from its pedestal. No surge of indignation followed, no fiery retribution. It allowed her to hold it. Its edge dug into the crook of her left arm as she pressed it to her chest. Tartaros' most valuable possession. In her right hand was her own book, the most valuable to Etherious Kyoka.

    Pressing both to her chest, Kyoka rose and began to walk. Her head was empty, throbbing with a hollow ache E.N.D.'s warmth soothed. Bit by bit her speed increased; soon she did not walk but jog, then run. Dawn was near, but she encountered no one.

    Within minutes, Kyoka reached Plutogrim's edge. She leapt off it without even slowing. The moment her feet lost purchase, she forced her body to mutate; large, leathery wings sprouted from Kyoka's back. She quickly glided groundward on a trail of heated air, to be swallowed by the twilight. She did not know where to go or what to do, but she had a goal now; she wanted to find E.N.D. himself. She wanted to know if he would accept her like she was.

    Kyoka touched down gently, feet digging into the ground. Her wings receded and eyes adjusted to night vision. She nearly uprooted a lonely mushroom and was about to step down on it, but paused. After prodding and poking the solitary fungus for a moment, she carefully stepped around it. A small sense of wonder dug itself from the depths of her broken heart. Kyoka looked at the world around her with new understanding; she wondered what else she might find, now that she knew to look.

    Like this she wandered away, gently guided by a flaming book. Up above in a nearby a tree, a crow watched her silently before taking flight.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • Okay, I really do not know enough about Fairy Tail to catch the full significance of her taking that book. But her change through this chapter was tremendous. Having recognized the futility of her existence she is struggling with finding a new reason to go on AND also realized that everything want's to live and has a reason for their continued existence. Thus snuffing out even a humble little mushroom is something to be avoided. Bravo!
     
    Naron said:
    Like this she wandered away, gently guided by a flaming book. Up above in a nearby a tree, a crow watched her silently before taking flight.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Crows, oldest companions of our dragon lady... You know, we recently learned how effective telepathy magic could be. I wonder if Priscilla might try to learn it... And if she might try it out on her birds, until she is comfortable using it with the less stable minds of humans. That's one way Priscilla could learn of her failure to truly kill Kyoka:
    A little birdie told her.

    Also,
    Kyoka is going to be invited, by Priscilla, to join Fairy Tail. Not SOON, because joining this family is not supposed to be the end of her arc. She has to become a person first, understand the growth she has to aim for. No one in this realistic version of Fairy Tail is static- joining won't be the end of Kyoka's journey, and it won't be an easy thing for Priscilla to endure, even after swallowong her feelings enough to make the offer.

    Plus? She can probably heal Elfman's arm. Anyway as I said at the start, she might get invited, but she might not actually join. She may pick the harder path.
    :

    Edit: Alternatively, "crows befriending outsiders" is just something Priscilla and Kyoka will have in common, even if it doesn't get acknowledged on screen. They'll each be comforted.
     
    Last edited:
    6.1 Mavis
  • Threadmarks
    • "I dedicate this work to my beloved wife, Mavis. Her smile brought light back into my world when I could see nothing but darkness."

    -excerpt from "The Heart of Magic", foreword
    The airship lay quiet, far more so than it ever had. Their forces were gone, eradicated or scattered.

    Precht Gaebolg was in a daze. Halfway between sleep and waking, he still mused on the events that transpired. He was so certain to find Zeref on Tenrou Island after his agents never encountered him anywhere else. But what he found was not the Black Wizard, no. It was Makarov and his brood, holding their S-Class trials on Fairy Tail's sacred isle. The same place he first met Mavis a hundred years ago.

    He fashioned himself a powerful wizard. Even Makarov and his exceptional talent fell before him, but the boy was getting old. He pushed himself as far as he could. There was no trace of the fourth master he heard about, Priscilla. Had she led the counterattack, Precht may not be alive anymore. Yet where Makarov failed, his brood persevered; not only did they overcome his forces and even the inner circle of Grimoire Heart, they went head to head with Precht himself.

    Then Magic Council forces landed to engage his troops in support of Fairy Tail, making a bad situation worse. And the cherry on top, the reason he had not spoken a word in the last day, was that Acnologia descended upon them all.

    At the black dragon's sight, Grimoire Heart's subordinate guilds fled the isle to drown. The Council ships turned tail before even reaching shore. Precht was too battered to get his airship moving, only Ultear's swift actions saved them. She rested against one of the walls, her adopted daughter slash sister Meredy leaned against her shoulder. The pinkette dozed fitfully. Precht envied her and Ultear's exhaustion; at least they could sleep. He was alone with his thoughts.

    He danced with magic for a hundred years now. He unearthed truths that no other mortal mind knew. Yet in all this time and all his study, he never once witnessed such violence before. All of Tenrou Island, destroyed in a single blast. Because Fairy Tail had dared resist the dragon king; the only ones who had not fled his mere presence. They fought and now they died for it. The Council forces were destroyed by the shockwave, as were his own.

    Yuri's son and great grandson were gone, wiped from the world in an instant. All those promising children, every single spark extinguished. Precht realised their potential far too late.

    Only a handful of people manned this airship on the journey back; he knew their names, but did not process. Mind awhirl with horror and wonder, Precht could not stop thinking: just what was he fighting for? What did he seek when in the end it put him at odds with the guild he once adored? When had he stopped being Precht and become Master Hades of Grimoire Heart?

    He found no real answer, only regret.

    The moment they reached the continent, Precht disembarked. Others shuffled out behind him, quietly waiting for orders he did not have. After staring at his creation, decades ahead of any of its kind, Precht pulled back a single strand of Ethernano. A final spell, included as a fallback no one ever knew about. The airship disintegrated, turning itself into the pure energy he once weaved it from.

    "Master?" Meredy inquired softly. "Why did you do that?"

    He had no answer. Wordlessly, Precht began to walk. He did not think of a destination. Yet within moments, others walked with him. They left the coast behind, entering a fleetingly familiar woodland.

    "Where are we going?" Zancrow asked an hour or two later.

    "I... do not know."

    He almost coughed, throat parched after who knew how long. A few motions of his finger summoned fresh water to drink; several more split some off for those following him. Precht paid no mind to them or the conversation they began.

    Night fell and he stopped to rest for a time.

    By daybreak, only Ultear and Meredy remained with him.

    Precht blinked, head a little more clear. Then he scoffed at his own tardiness. Served him right for getting whimsical like this. Both women watched him with worry, which elicited a faint huff.

    "How ironic," Precht mused. "You two were the least loyal and yet you are the last who stay." Ultear froze, but he waved off her denials. "Of course I knew of your own ambitions, my dear. I was already old when you were born and I always understood people well enough."

    "Why did you never say anything?"

    Her raven hair was matted after their ordeal. Disheveled, far from the neat and tidy lady she often mimed. Funny how this exchange felt more genuine than most they had over the last decade. Precht allowed himself a chuckle, and to forget what happened for a moment. "To alienate you needlessly? Your own designs required finding Zeref as well, so there was not much of an issue."

    She nodded slowly, but he paid no mind and stood. "You are free to leave. I have nothing more to give and nothing you might want. I am just walking where my feet carry me."

    Perhaps it was his wistful tone. Maybe pity for an ancient man confronted with reality. It may just be a trace of genuine care. Whatever the reason, they stayed. When Precht continued to walk, they followed. Meredy held onto Ultear's sleeves, the tender action belying her often expressionless facade. She was still fourteen. Or was it fifteen? He forgot.

    They passed through the forest and beheld a vast city. Precht stared at it momentarily, trying to make sense of where he was. Definitely Fiore, the architecture made that clear. But with how painfully familiar it sat cuddled against the bay, a grand cathedral dominating its skyline, it could only be one.

    His feet carried him forward, through rune-addled streets. Past cheerful townsfolk who knew nothing of what transpired. Precht envied their ignorance at times; his life would have been easier, had he just never known.

    Through the streets and past the streams, he came to stand in front of a gargantuan building. Flanked by Ultear and Meredy, Precht stared up at the sign he so proudly wore for half a century. The building changed, but the sign remained. Crimson like the day Mavis first envisioned it. Fairy Tail.

    After staring at it longingly, Precht shuffled forward. The gate stood open to welcome passersby into a lively taproom; roaring fires warmed the inside, disregarding Autumn's cold. His gaze traversed the area, taking stock of many people lost in conversation. Young and old, men and women interspersed without rhyme or reason. An excited buzz surrounded them all, though the reason behind it escaped him. Nonetheless, he finally understood what Makarov saw in them; he changed the guild from when Precht was Master, but it had become a warmer, kinder place. Not weak like Precht convinced himself it turned out, never weak. It was the exact kind of guild she would love. A home for all those who were lost.

    Gaze still wandering, he sat down at an empty table. Everything around him was large, bright, and welcoming. Precht felt out of place, instinctively hunching forward the slightest bit. His dissociation from reality still persisted by the time a barmaid approached; he absently ordered a drink. Ultear and Meredy requested some food as well; odd how he did not even feel peckish.

    "Haven't seen you around before, old man!" a cheerful voice shattered his funk with the force of a sledgehammer. Precht blinked a few times before focussing; the man who talked to him was middle-aged, sporting navy blue hair and a bright grin. He had his mug raised. "Great place, isn't it?"

    He stared at the jolly man for a long moment before realising an answer was expected. "Yes," Precht murmured. "Yes, it is. It used to be smaller, though." More homely as well.

    "Yeah, we built it bigger after some assholes tore it down. Think it made the news in January?" The man glanced to his brunette companion, whose brow creased. He breathed out a puff of smoke from his pipe that turned into a thumbs up.

    He did hear of that, but paid it little mind at the time.

    "Oh right, name's Macao."

    "Precht."

    Despite his less than stellar mood, he let himself be drawn into conversation. Macao was not even born by the time Precht left the guild to Makarov. He was clearly the result of changing times that left the older man behind long ago. Nonetheless, it was relaxing to talk. To just let himself be regaled with chatter and some gossip. To not think back to the past two days. Precht also sampled the ale the barmaid, Alicia, brought. It ran down his throat with aching familiarity. He could not help but study his mug, muttering: "Even the booze is nostalgic."

    Macao laughed cheerfully. Ultear and Meredy were confused, but also chewing on their food. Into the moment, Alicia returned with another mug. "On the house," she pre-empted him cheerfully. Precht stared down at the cherry red liquid he had not ordered.

    "Ah, that's our own berry wine. Come on, take a sip, it's great!"

    The younger man raised his mug again and many others followed. The merry mood coaxed even a faint smile from Precht himself. He raised the smaller cup in response and sipped while everyone else went bottoms up.

    When the fruity taste hit his tongue, he fell still. Nostalgia was no word to describe the sensation. For a moment, Precht was young again. Vividly, he saw a brighter oaken table. A bubbly blonde peered over it with big eyes, giddily waving her quill. A small stack of parchments lay to her right hand. Mavis eagerly awaited his judgement. Yuri to his right threw back his cup and laughed uproariously. Out the window, he could see Warrod plucking more berries from their small garden.

    Precht shuddered, composure cracking. His free hand came up to cover his eyes as he burst into tears. The entire room halted their beginning party in confusion. He did not notice, too caught up in the past. Quiet sobs almost echoed in the silence, his remaining subordinates staring in shock.

    Just what had he done?

    The sheer magnitude of his failures came crashing down on Precht. He abandoned the guild and consigned so many of its treasured members to oblivion. He abandoned Warrod and Mavis, lost his way, and became a monster. All for a cure he never found. So he wept; for the fourty years he wasted, for the friends he betrayed, for the many sins now weighing on his back.

    When he finally managed to open his eyes, a glint of gold filled his blurry sight. Wiping them clear, what he saw took his breath away; Mavis, as pristine and beautiful as she had always been. She gave him her usual angelic smile.

    "Welcome home, Precht. You were gone for so long."

    The gentle greeting made Meredy flinch; she never even noticed the blonde's arrival. Some exclamations from Fairy Tail's wizards followed, making it clear this was not a delusion. Or rather, it was not something only he saw. Precht reached out to touch his dream come to life, only for his hand to pass right through her cheek. Mavis' smile dimmed.

    "I am still as I was, but at least this much I can do now. I figured it out a few years after you left, but we never found you. Where did you go? How could this happen?"

    She knew.

    Precht slumped further, unable to meet her gaze anymore. "I have no excuse," he began, defeated. The words bubbled out of his heart regardless: "I tried to find a cure, at first. I went to find Zeref and learn what he knew, but along the way... I found the path to a world unlike this one. I went out of curiousity, thinking maybe alien methods may help. It was far more primal, more genuine, greater even. I slowly let myself be consumed by ambition and beheld the darkness from which magic is born. I saw the true origin of Ethernano. I studied with great scholars, was granted audience with kings, and fell to the whispers of a serpent.

    "When I returned here, I forgot what I set out to do. I was so fascinated by the truths I found. I am so sorry."

    He dared a peek. Ultear and Meredy were both flabbergasted. The guild listened attentively, some confused but mostly just interested. And Mavis, she smiled. Ever so faintly. Her small hand covered his, conveying even warmth.

    "I forgive you," she said, and Precht's shame burned even greater. "But that is only me."

    In the silence that followed, a muscular fellow with just one arm spoke: "So, er, who are you two exactly?"

    Precht did not know how to answer, or how to speak at all. Mavis heaved a soft sigh before putting on another smile. This one was fake, though. "I founded this guild," she revealed softly, then motioned for him. "And Precht here succeeded me. He left the position with Makarov over fourty years ago."

    This earned some exclamations and disbelief, but it also gave him something to focus on beside his guilt. "...I was meaning to ask," Precht began hesitantly. "Why did Makarov oversee the trials on Tenrou Island? He is not the master anymore. And why Tenrou to begin with?"

    Mavis shrugged. "Master Priscilla insisted he do it this year because she is too new. I think she wanted more time to work on you-know-what." Which likely meant Mavis' own condition. He nodded and she continued: "And after they had to postpone this year's trials due to the issue with Phantom Lord, we decided to make it special. That also required pushing it forward a bit."

    "How'd you know about the trials?" Wakaba interjected curiously. Macao's drinking buddy appeared genuinely curious, but his question only had Precht slump again. Mavis obviously knew, but they did not. None of them had been told yet.

    "My sins run far deeper than just what I did to strangers. Grimoire Heart is no more, the Baram Alliance has fallen. I brought everything to bear on Tenrou Island, so certain Zeref would be there." The sudden shock and emerging anger, he could deal with. A weak chuckle escaped him regardless: "And yet, the best I could build in fourty years was found wanting. Fairy Tail persevered."

    His reassurance calmed them some, but the agitation remained. Ultear and Meredy were severely uncomfortable now, their half-eaten meals since abandoned. Precht sought Mavis' gaze above all others. "Oh Mavis, how couldn't I realise before it happened? How was I so blinded by my own arrogance?" He made to drink some more berry whine, only to realise the mug was empty. Mavis' smile had vanished entirely. Precht set down the cup with a sigh. "I believe it is time I remove myself.".

    "Stay. It wasn't your fault."

    His gaze snapped back to Mavis, much like those of everyone else in the room. His friend was serious, not to mention solemn: "If anyone, it was mine. Mine for running away so long ago, for not telling you anything when I still could. You spent your life trying to cure me, how could I demand you leave?" They stared at each other. Precht was flabbergasted by this display of trust. He slowly sat again, but found no verbal response.

    "You talk like the world just ended," Macao chimed in with creased brows. "It's all fine if the youngsters beat you up, isn't it?"

    The remnants of Grimoire Heart shuddered as one. Precht could not meet this poor man's gaze. His throat constricted from having to be the bearer. Ultear took this burden off his shoulders, voice quiet: "The world did end. Acnologia came to Tenrou Island."

    Silence followed. Everyone knew this name, much as expected. Even as he lived in obscurity, the dragon king's legacy echoed into the future.

    "No," the one-armed man breathed. "No, no, no!" He grabbed Ultear by her collar, glaring into her eyes with clear panic. "What happened! Where are they?! Answer me!"

    "Safe."

    This single word surprised even Precht. Everyone's attention flickered back to Mavis, who wore a soft smile. Pride shone on her expression, just like it laced her words: "They joined what power they had left in defiance of death and it was enough for me to cast Fairy Sphere. Tenrou Island is gone, but I saved them all."

    Precht stared for a long moment. Then he huffed, breaking into weak chuckles. It felt uncomfortably loud in the quiet, but he did not care. It was just too funny. "Always so full of surprises, you are. When will they return?"

    "I don't know."

    His chuckles cut off. Mavis heaved another soft sigh and explained to the confused crowd: "Fairy Sphere is the ultimate defensive magic, devised by me and Precht. We can call it that because it's no shield. Rather, it hides the shielded object or person in time; they are not there when the attack hits. Unfortunately, I had just enough time and power to cast the spell, not to designate an exit point." She winced, much like Precht did. "Maybe sometime in the next ten years?"

    He could tell Ultear was more than a little interested in this revelation, what with her obsession with time. Before she could ask any questions however, an unfamiliar sort of pressure began to envelop the entire building. People shuddered, just as a shiver ran down Precht's spine; an omen hung over them.

    The only one unaffected was Mavis, although her projection flickered dangerously. Her brows exploded upward.

    "What is she- Precht, stop her!"

    The shout caught his attention; Mavis pointed toward the basement. "She's breaking the seal! Quick, I can't-"

    She vanished, cutting off mid-sentence.

    A beat.

    Precht rose so fast his chair flew backward, racing down the stairs and right toward this foreboding sensation. Shouts followed him, as did the people who called this place home. He paid them no mind, breaking the fake wall he once built with a single punch. Precht did not even slow down, bursting into his old study. Yet once there, he was immediately rooted to the spot.

    Before him stood an avatar of death, accompanied by a bare echo of tormented screams. Settled on her haunches, tail resting on the clean stone floor. Her back was turned, but Precht did not dare approach for fear and fear alone. Large hands cautiously stripped away the purple crystal he encased Mavis in; wisps of malevolent darkness surrounded the far smaller woman.

    "What, what...."

    His voice broke, drowned out by the pressure. Those who came up behind him were just as stunned, beholding the greater being before them.

    Once Mavis was freed, the darkness began to surge forward. A wave of black death, unstoppable in its wake and insatiable in its hunger. It grasped for them all... only to be pulled back. It clung to Master Priscilla's hand, unable to advance. A firm "No" from her had the cloud fall entirely still. It wrapped around one of her fingers while the other hand cradled Mavis against her bosom.

    White light enveloped them both. The draconic being exhaled; on her breath, she carried memories. Precht saw it so clear as if he had been there. A thrashing dragon, wings skewered by a dozen log-sized arrows. Scales of stone were peeled away by lightning bolts as an entire company of silver-clad knights descended on it. The beast snapped and clawed, killing half of the assailants before a thousand cuts of mighty blades and spears brought it low.

    "This is the end," Priscilla proclaimed as the memory faded. "No more. Calm thy malevolent anima."

    More flashes of foreign memory followed. They beheld various people tortured to insanity by eternal life; the satisfaction that came with it almost felt like his own, intoxicating in its intensity. Then anger followed, a primal rage the likes of which Precht never felt before.

    Another "No" from Priscilla extinguished the torrent before it could drown the humans. "Thy fury I empathise with, but not thy choices. To hate the gods, to hate the Lord, to hate the flame. But to hate indiscriminately whoever holds might is unbecoming of kin. Cease, Ankhseram."

    A silent roar shook the building and the dark shroud bubbled, but Priscilla weathered it stoically. Precht could only watch in awe how this being remained completely unaffected by the most devious curse known to history.

    Ankhseram's spirit kept howling fury, but other voices cried out in response. They created a cacophony, screaming against each other. Only the single voice began to quieten, its impact lessening. The curtain of darkness slowly left Mavis and was absorbed by Priscilla. With each viscous shadow she consumed, the choir of hatred became more harmonious. And when nothing was left to take from Mavis, a symphony of wrath reverberated through existence.

    Precht only had a few seconds to appreciate this primal force, though. The screams fell silent as one, extinguished.

    In the ensuing silence, Priscilla slumped forward with an exhausted sigh. A set of clothes rose from a nearby table, wrapping itself around the stirring blonde she still held.

    He could only stare at what just took place. Mavis was lowered to the ground, where she stood on shaky legs. Awake. Her voice was horse from disuse, a croaking question asked: "W-What did you do?"

    "Ankhseram is revered as a deity in these lands," Priscilla led weakly. "And to thou he may as well have been. The first to fall in the First War. I understand now that his malevolent spirit came to Earthland long ago, sustained by his hatred of the beings that cast him down. Ever since, he cursed any powerful human to an eternal life of solitude." She paused there to right herself. Precht could still not see her face, but the words struck a chord within him. Understanding. Yet it all fled when she finished: "His spirit has been quelled. The curse is broken."

    Mavis was speechless, as was Precht. He shuffled forward, barely able to walk in a straight line after what he witnessed. After seconds that felt like years, he knelt before Mavis. Running a hand through her matted hair, feeling the warmth of her skin under his fingers, he could finally believe it was her. She stared back, tears brimming in her eyes. Mavis' smile reemerged moments later. She stood with some difficulty, steadying herself on his shoulders.

    "If it's broken, then I need to go. There is someone I have to find."

    She did not say who, but Precht knew. He nodded weakly. But a large hand barred their exit. Priscilla's expression was a blank mask, her voice without any inflection: "All of you, out." She glanced to the thunderstruck wizards still gaping at what happened. "Now."

    They filed out in an unorderly mob, each trying not to be last through the door. Ultear and Meredy remained, uncertainly shuffling around. A mild glare from Priscilla had them flee as well.

    Only once she was certain everyone was gone did the current master turn back to them. "You need not seek him any longer," she said. Her voice cracked, revealing the anguish underneath: "He is no more."

    Mavis stared up at her with wide eyes, mute as she tried to process this. Precht did not know what to say either. Zeref of all people, gone? Despite his immortality? Even though logic said it made sense, actually accepting the fact Ankhseram's curse ended was a different matter.

    Seeing that neither of them spoke, Priscilla carried on. She was unable to meet their gazes. "When I became Master, I was of the idea I would free you as I freed him, with a swift and lasting death. I did not know then what I know now, and I am so, so sorry."

    Mavis' eyes began to fill with tears. He barely caught his old friend as her legs gave out. Mavis sobbed against his chest; her incoherent babbling was interspersed by desperate "no"s. He wanted to ask why Priscilla veered away from her original course, but Mavis' distress took priority. For the first time in fourty years, Precht eshewed knowledge. It had never felt more right.

    Meanwhile, the giantess crawled away to give them space. She let Mavis air her grief in peace. Precht awkwardly rubbed her back, forcing back his burning curiousity as long as he could.

    Once his friend calmed down some, he addressed Priscilla: "I do not understand. What exactly changed the matter? Was it whatever turned her catatonic?"

    She winced. When an answer was given, her voice was gentle and heavy with guilt. Each sentence made Mavis' sniffles worsen further and by the end Precht felt like Laxus punched him in the gut again: "...Ankhseram's curse worked as it always has. It attempted to kill all life. Mavis fell catatonic whenever it became active because she forced it outward with all her strength. Every bit of her magical prowess and will, aligned to a singular goal. To protect her child."
     
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