Verani always loved the way the air felt when it slipped through her hair. That was one of the reasons she loved using her magic to go everywhere. That wind around the Christine felt so relaxing even though they were in what was potentially enemy territory.
"You're in an awfully good mood."
The blonde didn't bother to look as her oldest friend stepped up beside her.
"I finally know why Grandpa did what he did." Verani lifted her arms gently as the air current picked up. "I always knew he had his reasons, but it's good to understand."
Amber rested her hand on V's shoulder, "We'll have him and the others home soon."
"Yeah," she nodded, the word trailing off as her gaze got lost in the clouds.
"V?"
"What if we're too late, Amber?" She spoke softly as if saying it outloud might make it real. "He's been gone for almost a year, trying to talk an enemy down."
Amber stepped around, looking Verani straight in the eye, "Master is one of the most stubborn people I have ever met and I grew up in the guild." A faint smirk crossed V's lips as she listened.
"If diplomacy wasn't working, we would have heard about some crazy old wizard waging war on his own."
Verani couldn't help but chuckle, "You're probably right."
"You know how he is."
"See, statements like that don't help my worries."
Amber rolled her eyes, stepping over to stand beside the blonde again, "Okay..."
"What?"
"Nothing," she shook her head.
The two settled, just letting the wind push their hair out of their faces. It sank through their skin, tensing their muscles but relaxing their souls and minds. The ocean was just beginning to recede below them, signaling that they had officially crossed into Alakitasia.
Though they had gone quiet, the rest of their conversation had not gone unnoticed by two of the others that were riding on the upper deck. Gajeel didn't pay much attention as he listened to the different plans that Levy was working out for when they got closer to their destination, but Laxus was a different story.
He was leaning against the corner of the bridge, trying to ignore the ramblings of the man inside driving, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. His enhanced hearing had no problem picking up what the girls had said and he couldn't agree with his sister more, but he knew Amber was right too. However, there was something else that he knew was weighing on the two of them that they couldn't talk about. He was more than likely the only person who knew that truth and he wasn't about to bring it up. They needed to handle one thing at a time.
||~x~||
The sand had grown into a towering wave ready to bear down on the group. Makarov scooped up the rescue team, hunkering down to face the earthen tsunami.
One of the Spriggan 13, Ajeel, cackled as he raised his arms, "You're gonna be a bunch of Fairy mummies in just a second!"
The eight held protectively in Makarov's arms continued yelling, pleading for their Master to run away.
That was when the lightning struck.
The lone bolt of electricity shattered the attacking sand, learning no trace of it.
They all looked up, easily finding the familiar form of the Blue Pegasus' Magic Bomber in the skies. A tall figure stood on the edge of the ship, his signature coat billowing around him in the wind.
"Laxus?" Makarov's eyes widened at the sight of his grandson. "Is that really him?"
Another person stepped up beside him, her hands on her hips as she smirked down from her place next to her brother, "Sorry we're late."
"That sandstorm was completely obliterated with only one shot!" Erza stared out into the now-clear air around them.
Gray half-sighed, "He's always been flashy like that."
Relief crossed Laxus' features, "Hey, old man. You're even older."
Verani rolled her eyes as she elbowed her big brother in the side, "Don't be a brat."
"We're behind enemy lines, so we gotta get out of here ASAP!" Gajeel yelled down before gesturing behind him to Ichiya, "Thank this guy for the ship!"
"Gajeel?"
"I can smell Levy and Lily up there, too." Natsu's tone suddenly shifted, "Hold on just a second! How are you and Laxus not puking your guts out?!"
"Why is that the first thing that he thinks of?" Verani grumbled, but she was drowned out as Juvia started shouting.
"Gray, my darling! Don't worry, I'm here, too!"
Amber sighed, "Please stop flailing before you fall off the ship..."
"Hey, I want to say something manly!"
"How is that gonna help?"
Mirajane appeared to be the only one who was paying attention to the question that was asked, "This ship's been modified so Dragon Slayers can ride on it and not get sick!"
The Thunder Legion joined in the senseless yelling, starting with Bixlow, "Hey, Wendy! You've really grown up since the last time we met."
"She's gone from little girl to little lady."
"Seems like everybody's changed from last year."
"Guys," Amber interjected, "let's get back on track here."
And Cana agreed, "You're down there, too, right, Mest? Teleport onto the ship if you're able!"
"Coming up!"
The group of Fairy Tailers on the ground suddenly vanished as Mest used his Direct Line to move for the ship.
"You can't run from me!" Ajeel lifted his arms and the sand around him began to rise, swirling erratically as it prepared to strike.
Lightning began crackling around the Dreyar siblings as Laxus raised a hand and Verani extended hers.
"No one's running." Laxus spoke firmly, just short of a growl, "We're just flying back home, okay? And I'm gonna get cranky if we miss dinner."
"So butt out, would ya?" Verani did carry the growl in her words as her own lightning began to shift to a bluish hue that almost no one had seen before the two staticy magics intertwined in the air before going streaking down toward the sandman. The point of impact erupted into a large glowing dome that kicked up clouds of dust, giving gave them plenty of cover to fly away.
||~x~||
"Let's have a toast!" Lucy cheered, "Fairy Tail is back in business!"
The guild hall was filled with shouts and choruses of laughter and clanging mugs. Everyone in the guild was thrilled to have their Master home, safe and sound, even if there was some initial confusion over what to call him. However, Erza quickly settled that by stepping down and giving the position back to Makarov.
"I'm confused. Does that make him our eighth master?"
"Can't believe this is his third time! I mean, how does he keep getting revived like that?"
"Uhh, it's not like he died."
Makarov sighed, "Looks like I'll be guild master till I die this time around."
"Now that's a man's dedication!"
Mirajane smiled from between her siblings, "I believe that's what you said the last time this happened."
Verani looked from the table she was sharing with Amber off to the side. The two watched as the others in the guide continued to catch up with each other, hearing the beginning of Gray's conversation with Freed and Bixlow, but the blonde's mind just continued to drift to when her grandfather had pulled them to the side aboard the Christina.
As much as Verani wanted to stay at her grandfather's side, she knew the others in the guild wanted to see him as well. She could hog him all she wanted when they got back to Fiore., though she did worry that he might take her distance as her being mad at him for disappearing. He should know her well enough to understand that wasn't the case.
"Told you we would get him back." Amber leaned against the wall beside the blonde. She didn't bother to look at her friend's reaction, just watching the others as V was.
She sighed, "Do you have to rub it in?"
Amber smirked, turning her head, "I could if you really want me to."
"You know, I'm beginning to think you went on too many missions with that Lyon. You're starting to act like him."
The Blood mage punched her in the arm, "Take that back!"
"Not if it's true!"
Now the two were turned to completely face each other, expressions somewhere between annoyance and amusement.
"Now, now," an old voice cut in. "You girls hardly ever fight like this."
Both of their heads snapped to find that Master had made his way over to the pair as the others were talking amongst themselves. He stood next to them, his arms tucked behind his back like he often had them when he was about to start a more serious conversation.
"Grandpa? Is everything okay?"
He sighed, "Yes. But I think there is some information that the two of you should know before I discuss it with the whole group."
The girls fully faced him, ready to wrap their heads around whatever he thought they needed to know first.
"What is it, Master?"
Though he had never been a hesitant man, Makarov mulled his words over in his head. There really wasn't a delicate way to put this.
"Alakitsia's ruler, this Emperor Spriggan, is Zeref."
Their bodies went rigid.
"Zeref..." Amber's voice trailed off as Verani forced herself to take a few deep breaths to keep herself calm.
"Yes."
"Grandpa, did you see her?"
The old plan was nothing new to the Guild Master. It was something that he and the Phoenix Slayer had discussed years ago, before the Mythics had gone off on that last long mission, before the incident on Tenrou Island.
He sighed, his eyes shifting close, "He still had her with him, yes."
"How did she look?"
Makarov shook his head, "She was wearing a cloak. I only got a glimpse of her hair."
"Master."
The three turned to the dark-haired mage that had walked up behind them. Mest still looked like he needed a rather long nap, but his expression was much heavier.
"I believe I can fill-in those details."
And he explained everything that had happened inside the castle. Mest had thought it was important to let the Master know that he had encountered the Phoenix Slayer as well as how she hadn't seemed to be the enemy's prisoner. But she had helped Mest in locating him before they made their getaway.
It had left the three with no choice but to let him in on what was going on. Makarov had trusted him for years as his informant within the Magic Council before entrusting him with the information about the Lumen Histoire and his plans to try to negotiate with Alakitsia. He knew that Mest would be able to keep this quiet and it was best that he knew so that he understood not to mention running into Kia within the castle walls, especially around a certain Fire Dragon Slayer.
||~x~||
Natsu's forehead had bumped up against Gajeel's as the two squared off to brawl. It had been so long since they were all in the guild hall like this and this finished off that feeling of home that all the members of Fairy Tail had been missing since it was disbanded the year before.
Cana paused in opening her new bottle, "How did that little exchange turn into a fight?"
Lucy rested her cheek in her palm as she leaned her elbow against the table. A faint smile on her lips as she watched the guys going at it like always, "The guild hall's just as noisy as I remember it."
"If you ask me," Cana plopped onto the tabletop in front of her, "it sounds like things are getting back to normal!"
Lucy's smile grew as she watched the brunette tip her head back. The happiness around her was seeping into her very being, but there was still something bugging her. Her eyes wandered back over to a certain Fire Dragon Slayer. She knew that his mind was in two places and it had been since they had left Alakitasia. She knew him well enough to guess that he was worrying about Kia again. Natsu wouldn't say it outloud, but she knew he would worry no matter how much faith he had in his sister.
But he hadn't been the only member of Team Natsu that she had noticed being affected by the information about Zeref. None of them had really had a chance to process the information initially because of Ajeel's sudden appearance. But once they were on the Christina and Master was sharing that information with the other members of Fairy Tail, they were half way back to Magnolia, and there was no way they could do anything about it. Though that didn't stop Natsu from grabbing Happy and racing for the edge of the ship to go look for his sister, he was stopped just in time by one of Amber's blood barriers. It was sadly remencient of the last time they had seen Kia.
As far as Lucy knew, the group that was together at the end of Tartaros were the only ones who knew what had happened to Kia. When Gajeel had asked outside Malba, Natsu had just calmly said that she had left before he did and wasn't sure where she was. That must have been so hard for him, though she also knew he wasn't about to start blabbing about what Gray had assumed. Amber had never confirmed it, but she hadn't denied it either.
Right after that, Erza had gone quiet in the way that she did when she was scanning a situation in order to create a plan of action, and then there was Gray. His eyes had almost seemed to glaze over. It was nothing new to the members of Fairy Tail, especially after everything with Tartaros. Gray wanted to take Zeref and his Etherious down, but Lucy still wasn't sure where he stood when it came to Kia. Honestly, she barely knew how she felt about the whole thing. At first, she had felt hurt from the pinkette's secret, but she understood and none of that changed the person Kia had always been. She was Natsu's sister and Lucy had seen how she interacted with everyone else in the guild. They were her family; Lucy could see that in her eyes.
'But we got Master back. Laxus, Verani, and the Thunder Legion too.' She talked herself through everything in her mind, 'But the Alvarez Empire has wizards more powerful than any we've faced before. The scarier part is that Zeref rules over the empire, though he's known as "Emperor Spriggan" there. And not only that, he's planning on coming to Ishgar to take the Lumen Histoire: our guild's biggest treasure. The crystal that contains the body of our first master.'
'There's going to be a war for sure. And I'm positive it's going to be the most grueling battle we've been through. I don't even want to think about losing anyone... else.' Lucy's eyes scanned back over her friends, stopping on the one who brought her to the guild all those years ago. 'There has to be a way we can get through this in one piece. I just want the feeling we share here to last forever. To live inside this moment... that's my deepest wish."
||~x~||
A thud echoed throughout the hall, grabbing everyone's attention as they turned to see Makarov standing on the stage.
"Children. Let me apologize. I'm not going to make any excuses for myself. I took your home and your way of life away from you. That was a mistake on my part."
Bixlow called out, "Don't worry, Mest explained it all!"
Freed agreed, "You followed the only course of action you believed you had to protect us."
"We understand your feelings." Evergreen added.
Lisanna spoke up as well, "And anyway, the guild's back together now, so everything's fine."
"That's why I say we should have a little more booze and a little less boo-hoos."
Master didn't initially respond, instead he walked down the front steps of the stage, pausing in front of the first table so that he could climb up onto the bench. His eyes scanned over the map that had been spread out across its surface, "This is serious. Because I wasn't able to negotiate for our safety, there's no doubt Alvarez will invade." He reached his staff over, pulling the wooden piece of Alvarez across the ocean, "They are a true superpower, and they will throw everything they have at us."
"So what? I'm ready!"
The voice came from further back in the crowd as Natsu began walking forward.
"Time and time again, we've put everything on the line for the sake of the guild. No matter how tough our enemies may be, we fight for what's most important to us. That's what makes us so strong. It's not that I'm not scared, but no matter how I feel, I can't let go of my responsibility. Plus, I know I can count on everybody else. What I'm most afraid of..." his mind wondered for a moment as he paused, "..is losing what we all have together." He rested his hand on the map, letting his magic ignite the parchment as it slowly spread outward.
From where they were standing off to the side, Verani and Amber could clearly see the glimmer in the Fire Dragon Slayer's eyes. He meant every word he was saying, but there was another thought running through his head when he had mentioned losing what they had at the guild. There was a way he slightly drug out the word family, even if he didn't even realize it, they did. It was something they had been watching for since he had tried to escape the Christina to see if Kia was still with Zeref. The others on the ship had assumed that it was just him wanting to get a piece of the Black Wizard and thankfully didn't question it.
But it was something that they needed to consider. And as much as she didn't want to bring it up, Verani knew that there was a good possibility that they would have to tell the guild that Zeref had Kia, maybe even that she had more or less gone with him willingly. There was no telling if they would run into her on the battlefield and though she would never hurt any one of them, it wouldn't be wise to allow anyone to be blindsided by that while in the middle of a war.
Natsu hadn't stopped in his speech, "So we can't run away from this. We have to fight! For our family, and for the bond we share. We gotta make a stand! And it's not just about winning! This time, our fight is about living!"
There was a chorus of cheers and agreement behind him as Laxus stepped up beside his grandfather.
"I think everyone's made up their minds, old man."
Makarov's expression hardened, "As have I. Listen up!" He raised his staff into the air as the top began to steadily glow brighter, "We are going to make them rue the day they chose to mess with our family! Let's take them down!"
The morale in the guild was on a high. Everyone had something to say or a response to what someone else had said. Even Happy was ready to go, though Pantherlily was currently getting the brunt from his enthusiasm.
Their attention was pulled back to the stage as Makarov had moved to where he had begun, tapping his staff against the wooden floor once again.
"Before we get too carried away, there's some extremely important information I must share with you."
The two Mythics went a little stiff, but were able to breathe when he continued.
"It's concerning the Lumen Histoire. Or rather, what's formally referred to as the 'Fairy Heart.'"
"I think perhaps I should be the one to explain this to them, Sixth - or excuse me - Eighth Master."
The small man turned to the spectral blonde who had walked out from behind the curtains to stand at his side.
"First Master?"
"It's likely... you've not heard of Fairy Heart. For many years, it's been our guild's most closely guarded secret. For good reason. Because the world must never learn exactly what it holds. However, I believe it's crucial that you know why Zeref would go to such lengths to get it. And also-"
But that was as far as she could get before she was cut off by an explosion outside.