The amount of support this story has gotten in the past few days is absolutely mind-blowing. The votes and comments roll in seemingly non-stop and the reads are going up so fast that the 69k special will probably be out by the end of the week. It's wild. Thank you so much for your continual support. This is unreal.
This chapter jumps around a lot. It was supposed to be done in two parts but I couldn't find a satisfying place to cut it. According to Wattpad, this will take close to an hour to read. I'm so sorry.
I didn't edit as thoroughly as I usually do, I have a project due by midnight that I have yet to start. So if you notice any mistakes or discrepancies, please let me know.
~~~
The Domus Flau was dead silent. No one dared speak a word as they watched the four dragon slayers make their way out onto the arena floor.
"And now, at long last, we've come to the battle that everyone's been waiting for. One guild that was considered to be the strongest in Fiore seven years ago, and the other that currently holds the title... This is going to be a great match, it's Fairy Tail's Natsu and Gajeel, versus Sabertooths Sting and Rogue. We're about to witness a showdown of epic proportions. These aren't just wizards. These are dragon slayers. The crowd is getting super hyped up and I don't blame them!"
"Get some hits in for us too!"Laxus called down to the two dragons on the arena floor.
Erza cupped her hands over her mouth. "Win this one for Fairy Tail!"
"Beat their sorry asses underground!" Y/n shouted.
"This is it, ladies and gentlemen, the dragon slayers are on the battlefield. The only question is who will be triumphant, the fairies or the tigers?"
***
The battle had indeed been epic. It was full of action, the odds appearing to shift every other second. Sting and Rogue's White and Shadow Drives were truly impressive, as were their abilities to access their dragon force at will. But in the end, it was Natsu who, after knocking Gajeel into a minecart and pushing him away, reigned victorious.
Fairy Tail took first place with forty-five points, bumping Sabertooth down to second with forty-four. Gajeels words from Chariots echoed through y/n's mind, 'one point is nothing to scoff at, kid'.
The crowd went wild. Makarov looked close to tears.
The bar was absolute chaos that night, in the most amazing way. Beer flowed and tables flew. People cheered and laughed, telling stories and singing songs so off-key that it was impossible to know what they were signing. Y/n was pretty sure that they were all singing different songs, but she didn't have the heart to tell them that.
She sat at a table near the door, chatting idly with Lucy as they watched Natsu and Gray roll around on the floor.
"Auntie y/n! Auntie y/n!"
She turned at the sound of her name, smiling at the small girl who approached. "Yes, Asuka?"
"This is for you!" Asuka cheered, dark eyes shining excitedly. She held out a folded piece of paper, the edges worn and bent.
Y/n took it with gentle hands and unfolded it with care. It was a brightly coloured crayon drawing. Various colours and shapes swirled around the page in messy lines and coils, magic if y/n had to guess. A figure with h/c hair was arching through the air, high above a bald man whose face was composed solely of furrowed brows and pointy teeth. The arrow pointing to him read Joor-ah. The arrow pointed towards the airborne figure read, y/n.
"It's you!"
"Yes, I can see that," she laughed, reaching out to lift Asuka's hat and ruffle the young girl's hair. "You're really good,"
Asuka beamed. "Thanks!"
"She's been working on that nonstop since she saw your fight with Jura," Bisca explained as she came over to join them. "She refused to go to sleep tonight unless she could give it to you,"
"Well I'm flattered, thank you. I'll be sure to keep this safe and sound," y/n said. She folded the sheet and slipped it into the pocket of her cloak. She leaned down, looking the little girl in the eye with a small smile. "Now, it's getting late, why don't you get up to bed?"
"But I'm not tired!"
"I know, but your mom sure is," y/n told her. She leaned in closer to whisper in Asuka's ear. "If you go to bed now I'll teach you one of my knife tricks,"
"Really?"
Y/n nodded, humming lightly.
Asuka turned to Bisca with a grin. "I wanna go to bed now!"
Bisca blinked, turning to y/n a brow raised in surprise. "She always puts up a fight before bedtime. What did you say to her?"
"She's always been interested in the tricks I do with my knives, I said I'd teach her one," she raised her hands as if she were surrendering. "Nothing too dangerous or anything! Just a flip or something. I can even get a practice blade so there's no danger of her getting hurt,"
"I'll talk to Alzack about it," The corner of Bisca's lips curled up into the faintest of smiles. She looked down at Asuka. "Now, say your goodnights to everybody so we can go up to bed,"
"Goodnight!"
"Goodnight," Lucy replied with a small wave.
"Sweet dreams small child," y/n said, tapping the tip of the small girl's nose.
"You're weird Auntie y/n," Asuka giggled. She craned her head back to stare up at her mother. "Where's the old man? He owes me a bedtime story!"
"I'm sure we can find him, now come on sweetie,"
A loud bang pulled y/n's attention away from the pair before her. She turned to the door and blinked, a smile slowly making its way across her face.
"If I ever see another minecart again, it'll be too soon," Gajeel declared, scowling as he stomped inside, the door falling shut behind him.
"Oh good, there you are," she said, rising from her seat to wrap him in a hug. "I was starting to worry something had happened,"
"Something did," came his gruff reply.
"Where have you been?" Happy asked, floating around above their heads. "You missed all the fun!"
"Yeah, jerk! Why'd you take off in the middle of our match?" Natsu exclaimed.
Gajeel's eye twitched in annoyance as he turned to the fire dragon with a snarl. "Are you serious? I just spent half a day crawling out of a fucking hole in the ground because the lava-brained tool in front of me put me down there!"
"Oh," Natsu blinked as if it were news to him. "Is that true, Gray?"
"Oh my gods," y/n muttered, dropping her head against Gajeels shoulder. Which was kind of like walking straight into a steel wall.
"I seriously worry about your lack of brain cells," Gray replied, deadpan.
"That must have been really rough for you, huh?" Natsu laughed.
"Oh forget it," Gajeel muttered, tilting his head back to stare above him as if he were asking the gods what he'd done in a past life to deserve such torment. He huffed, rolling his eyes. Y/n figured that meant that the Gods had not answered. Gajeel flicked a lock of hair back over his shoulder before gesturing to Natsu, y/n and Wendy. "You three need to come with me. Now,"
Y/n raised a questioning brow. "Go with you where exactly?"
"I found something, in the mines," he said. He hooked an arm around her shoulders and began to pull her towards the door. "And I think that the three of you need to see it,"
***
The mines were dark and dank. Cold breezes whistled through, playing with clothes and hair. The uneven floor was covered in luminescent moss and the occasional patch of mushrooms. Lichen grew thick on the walls. It was clear they'd been abandoned for quite some time.
"So, um... What exactly did you find down here?" Wendy asked.
Gajeel rolled his eyes and picked up his pace. "Pipe down and keep up,"
"Oh, I get it," y/n said with a solemn nod of her head. "He's brought us down here to kill us where no one can hear our screams and our bodies will never be found,"
"I did not!" he shouted indignantly.
"Did too,"
"Did not,"
"Then why are we here, hmm Gajeel?" she inquired.
He didn't respond.
Y/n shrugged, unbothered by his silence. She pulled a mushroom from the ground a bit off its cap. Natsu, upon seeing this, shoved a handful into his mouth. Y/n slapped the back of his head making him cough them all out onto the ground.
"What the hell?" he demanded.
"They're poisonous, dipshit," she hissed. She turned her attention back to the path that lay ahead of them, gesturing lazily with the stem of the mushroom. "I'm assuming whatever we're here for has something to do with dragon slayer magic, but I have no clue what. Besides you know what they say about assumptions,"
"I was thinking the same thing," Happy said.
"It is quite possible," Pantherlilly remarked.
Carla hummed, unamused by the venture. "So then, why did the gawkers tag along?"
Gray rolled his eyes. "Well, sorry for being gawkers,"
"Yeah, we can't help but be curious," Lucy said.
The tunnel they were in opened up into a wide cavern.
Gajeel took a couple more steps forward before he stopped. "This is it,"
Wendy's fingertips grasped at the edges of y/n's cloak. She pointed off into the darkness with her other hand. "Look, over there,"
A chorus of shocked gasps rippled throughout the cave.
"What are these things?" Gray asked, taking another step forward, dark eyes wide.
"They look like... giant bones," Lucy murmured.
"That's because they are," y/n said. The tip of her nose was curled at the scent of death that still lingered in the air, even after so many years. "This is a dragon graveyard,"
"All of these used to be dragons?" Happy wondered aloud.
"There's so many of them!" Carla breathed in astonishment.
Pantherlily nodded. "If you ever wanted proof that dragons actually existed, here it is,"
"I feel like after our collective run-in with my dear old dad no one here would need proof of the existence of dragons," y/n said as she ran her hand down a skeletal claw. "But this would do wonders to prove the non-believers wrong,"
"What on earth are they all doing here?" Natsu asked.
Gajeel huffed and began leading them further into the cave. "Who the hell knows?"
"Something bad must have happened here, that's for sure," Lucy murmured. She stepped closer to y/n's side, brown eyes flickering warily over the gargantuan bones and murky shadows that encompassed them.
"Who knows," Happy began. "Maybe we'll find Igneel here,"
"Happy!" Carla gasped, turning to him with a fierce glare.
The blue exceeds eyes were wide, paws clamped over his mouth. "My bad!"
"No," Natsu shook his head. "He ain't here,"
"Yeah, it's only been fourteen years since our dragons up and vanished," Gajeel said, kicking away the fractured tip of a horn. "By the look of these bones, I'd say it's been a bit longer than that,"
"No kidding," y/n said, staring at the gaping maw of the skeleton that lay before her. "I'd wager it's been at least a couple hundred years,"
Wendy, who had been silent since they'd entered the cave, gasped. "That might work!"
Y/n looked down at the girl at her side, head cocked. "What might work?"
"The Milky Way spell. It's one of the new dragon slayer secret arts that Grandeena passed down to me," she said. "When I was first learning it I'd assumed it was some kind of attack, but I just had a thought: what if it's something else entirely? It's possible that the spell could allow us to hear the voices of dragons who have passed on,"
"You think?" Gajeel asked.
Gray blinked at the blue-haired girl. "Seriously?"
"If we can somehow commune with the spirits of the dragons, then one of us might be able to tell us what happened here," she said. "And we might finally be able to find out why our dragons vanished,"
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get to it!" Natsu exclaimed, nudging her forward. His eyes glowed, mouth curved up into a wild grin. "Oh man, this is gonna be so cool!"
***
"Just as I thought," said Wendy as she used a rib y/n had broken one of the skeletons to draw on the ground at her feet. "I got these characters wrong before because I'd assumed that they were used for an offensive spell,"
"A magic circle?" Lucy murmured, staring at the lines in the dirt.
"Yeah, what are you trying to pull?" Natsu asked. He stood, his arms crossed over his chest, a bewildered expression on his face.
Y/n turned to him, dumbfounded. "I think you finally did it. You've hit your head so many times that your last brain cell up and died. I'm honestly surprised it took this long,"
"Hey!"
"There we go. I need everyone to step away from the circle," Wendy said as she added the final symbol to her spell.
Y/n took the rib from her hand before stepping back to join the others. She slapped another mushroom from Natsu's hand and fixed him with a fierce glare, silencing any protests. Then she turned her attention back to Wendy, intrigued.
"Oh, wandering spirits of dragons long past, reveal yourselves and share your wisdom with me. Milky Way!"
The magic circle glowed as Wendy threw her arms up into the air. Rays of energy burst from the ground, they waved and flowed like ribbons, sparkling with the light of a thousand stars. Once the beams met the ceiling, they spread out, showering stars down throughout the cavern. The small glowing flecks danced through the air like snowflakes. They chimed and sang a series of twinkling notes as the cave began to rumble.
"I'm trying to contact a dragon spirit but the residual thought energy lingering down here is weak. It's incredibly old, and it's fading..." Wendy murmured. With her eyes closed and her hair flowing in an invisible breeze, she looked almost serene. She gasped, eyes widening. "I've found one!"
The lights glowed brighter as she clasped her hands together, focusing on the spell. She shut her eyes tight her breathing becoming heavy.
The ribbons of energy flowed up to gather far above the blue-haired girl's head, creating a vortex of green-blue light. A deafening roar rang out from its center, loud and monstrous.
Pantherlily took a step back, ears pinned to his head due to the sound. "Are you sure that's a dragon spirit?"
A gigantic clawed hand was the first thing to come through. Then a translucent wing, stretching up to the ceiling of the cave. Then the entire dragon, roaring and spitting fiercely.
Y/n blinked. The others screamed. The dragon laughed.
"Even in death scaring the pants off of humans is hilarious!" it exclaimed. Its voice was deep and sonorous, rolling through the room like a clap of thunder.
"Scared?" y/n asked, leaning in to whisper in Gajeels ear with a teasing smirk.
"I ain't afraid of no ghost," he hissed, crossing his arms with a huff.
She laughed. "Of course you aren't sweetheart,"
"My name is Zirconis! They called me the Jade Dragon back in my day. I'm impressed you were able to conjure my spirit. Seems like the handiwork of the Sky Dragon, Grandeena. Come on, which one of you was it?" the dragon, Zirconis, cooed. His gaze settled on Wendy and his lips pulled up into a smile that was all fangs. He reached for her with a talon. "Aw, how adorable! So it was this tiny dragon slayer who woke me, eh?"
Natsu sprang forward in the blink of an eye. "Hey, back off creep, don't even think about touching her!"
Y/n heaved a heavy sight, muttering into her hand. "He's dead, Natsu,"
"Then I'll eat her!" Zirconis declared. He stooped down to stare Natsu in the eye, voice rumbling low and dangerous through the cavern. "And she's just the appetizer..."
"I won't let you!"
Zirconis chuckled. "Jeez, lighten up dummy. Did you honestly think I could eat any of you? That'd be pretty hard to pull off when I can't even touch you,"
He poked a translucent claw through Natsu's abdomen for emphasis.
"What did you call me?!"
"All these bones and we get the crazy person," Lucy said, now looking more annoyed than afraid. "Of course,"
"Dragon," Gray corrected. "It's not a person,"
Gajeel scoffed. "I've got another word I could call it,"
"My name is Zirconis-"
"You already said that!" Gray shouted in disbelief.
Carla took a step closer to the spirit. "Can you tell us what happened here?"
"I have no interest in talking with you humans!" Zirconis declared, turning his nose up as if the mere sight of them disgusted him.
"Okay," Happy said, raising a paw. "What about cats?"
"Let's see," he hummed. "Must have been four hundred years ago..."
"Guess he's got no problems talking to cats," Gray muttered.
"Clearly," y/n said. She leaned back to whisper in Lucy's ear. "This dragon's a nut, right?"
The blonde nodded. "Yes. Definitely. Absolutely,"
"Dragon-kind once ruled over every corner of the globe. We soared through the skies. Raced over the land and swam the great oceans. Everything in the world belonged to dragon-kind- including humans! Your race was plentiful... And an excellent source of protein," Zirconis chuckled. The sound stopped suddenly, his tail thrashing along the ground in annoyance. "But, there was one dragon who felt that our reign was injust- what a fool! It zealously spread the idea of a world in which we existed with humans... As with any fanatic idea, there were some who fully agreed, and some who opposed it outright. It wasn't long before war broke out. I, myself, fought against those fanatics,"
Lucy gasped, bringing a hand up to brush at her lips. "So does that mean... you're against humans?"
"True, I'm not fond of you kind. Unless you've been properly cooked, medium-rare, of course,"
Natsu snickered. "Didn't your parents ever teach you not to talk to your food?"
"Hey!" Zirconis snapped. "Show some respect for the dead!"
"Anyway," Carla said, bringing them back on track. "You were starting to tell us about your civil war?"
The spirit made a low rumbling sound. A sigh, cough or growl, y/n couldn't be sure.
"Both sides were fairly well matched. The fighting was so brutal that entire continents were left barren and scarred. Until, finally, the dragons supporting coexistence came up with a plan that would doom us all..." Zirconis bared his teeth and growled as if he were still upset by the idea, even so many centuries later. "They granted humans what would come to be known as dragon slaying magic. And with this new power in hand, mankind joined the war,"
"So the first dragon slayers were some kind of ancient warriors?" Happy asked.
Zirconis nodded. "The dragon slayers' immeasurable power quickly turned the tide of the war. We were so overwhelmed that victory seemed certain for the dragons on the other side... But no one could have foreseen the travesty that would come to pass,"
Y/n's brows furrowed. The story was beginning to sound familiar.
"The dragon slayers became so powerful that they turned on the very dragons that had given them their strength. It was a massacre..." Zirconis trailed off, eyes dazed and unseeing as he relived in the horrors he'd witnessed that night. "There was one man who's power was so terrible that he bathed the countryside in the blood of my kin... The very mention of his name still scares me..."
Wait a second, y/n thought. He's not talking about- wait, no. He definitely is.
"This man slew countless dragons and soaked in their blood. He used his powers so often that his skin turned to scales. His teeth sharpened into fangs and he stopped being human altogether,"
Yep, it's definitely him, y/n rolled her eyes. Unbelievable.
"Are you saying that he... turned into a dragon?" Lucy asked.
"That is the fate that awaits all who practice dragon slayer magic," Zirconis pointed to y/n with a twisted grin. "She's already on the way... Shouldn't be too long now,"
Everyone turned to stare at her, worry, shock, wonder and a hundred more emotions swirling in their eyes.
Y/n stared back at Zirconis, her face blank. "Anything else you'd like to tell us?"
Of course, she already knew the story. Acnologia had recounted it to her countless time. Before bed. Before meals. Before having her wash in the blood of whatever dragon he'd slain that day. Before training... He told it much differently than Zirconis did, but the tale was one and the same. Of that y/n was certain.
But her guildmates didn't know that. They didn't need to know that. And so she was grateful when the spirit began speaking once more and everyone's attention shifted away from her.
"All the bones you see belong to the victims of that monster. Despite his human origins, he became the king of all dragon-kind. And the war that he gave rise to came to be known as the Dragon King Festival. His name..." Zirconis trailed off once more as if the mere utterance of the name was a curse. "His name was Acnologia,"
Everyone gasped and turned to face y/n once more. She did her best to act surprised.
"Once a human being, now a dragon, cloaked in rings of darkness,"
"You're telling me that thing used to be human?" Gray exclaimed.
Gajeel shook his head. "That's impossible!"
Natsu looked to y/n, eyes wide. "Did you know this?"
She shook her head no, her voice but a whisper as she spoke, "I had no idea."
Zirconis turned to her once more, eyes narrowed.
"I knew something was familiar about you. Your magic, your scent... They're his!" A low growl erupted from his throat, slowly crescendoing into a deafening roar as he lunged for her.
Lucy screeched and dove to the side.
Y/n stood still, her arms crossed. Zirconis' jaw snapped shut and she fixed him with an unimpressed glare, her tone cold. "You're dead. Sit down,"
The dragon stepped back, still growling despite the almost sheepish nature of his body language.
"Most of my race now rots in the ground thanks to Acnologia. But you an I..." the tail end of his sentence was garbled as he slowly faded away into a flurry of twinkling green lights. Then they too vanished from sight.
"What the hell?" Natsu demanded. "Where the hell'd he go? What happened?"
Gajeel stomped his foot on the ground and pointed to the spot where the spirit once stood. "Hey! We weren't done with you yet!"
The magic circle dimmed to nothing and Wendy dropped her arms. "I'm sorry. Any thought energy that he had left is gone now... But wherever he is, I'm sure he'll finally get some long needed peace,"
"Looks like we got ourselves into another situation," Gray sighed, exasperated.
Lucy whimpered nervously. "I have an idea: let's pretend we didn't hear anything!"
"I agree," y/n said. "He was clearly off his rocker. Besides, he said it himself; he hates humans. Who's to say any of what he told us is true? How can we know he wasn't just lying through his teeth?"
"There's one thing I wanna know," Natsu said. He turned to the other dragon slayers, looking panicked. "Does this mean that we're gonna turn into dragons too?! And what did he mean y/n's already doing it now?!"
"How the hell should I know?!" Gajeel shouted.
"But I don't wanna be a dragon!" Wendy cried.
"That's not very likely,"
Y/n spun around at the sound of the new voice, lightning crackling up and down her arms. "Finally decided to step out of the shadows and join us, have you?"
"Who're you?" Wendy asked.
"I took the liberty of eavesdropping. It would appear that our research is in line with historical fact after all... Tell me, have you ever heard of the demons of the book of Zeref?" the stranger asked, coming to a stop at the top of a ledge, looking down upon the Fairy Tail wizards. He was tall and muscular, his features sharp and angular. He was clad in armour, a cape flowing behind him. "Acnologia similar to them. For it was Zeref himself who turned the dragon slayer into that creature of death,"
"Really?" Happy breathed.
"That means that if you wish to conquer the Black Dragon, you must first find a way to subdue the Black Wizard Zeref,"
Gajeel growled, shifting into a more defensive stance as he fixed the man with a glare. "Who are you?"
"How do we beat Zeref?" Natsu asked.
Another figure stepped forward to stand at the armoured man's side.
Y/n recognized the white hair and blue flower immediately. She blinked. "Yukino?"
***
Y/n stood off to the side as Yukino and the armoured man, Colonel Arcadios the leader of the Sacred Cherry Blossom Knights, explained what was going on.
Apparently, Arcadios had been working on a big, top-secret project for quite some time. One that required celestial spirit magic to work. The Colonel was being cryptic, often dodging questions and changing subjects, all while maintaining formalities. Natsu was quick to grow annoyed with the man.
"I said skip the formal crap and tell me what you're doing! And while you're at it, tell me why the hell you were trying to get your hands on a celestial wizard!" he growled, getting in Arcadios' face. His voice dropped dangerously as his stare hardened. "And when I ask somebody a question, I expect an answer right away,"
Y/n pulled him back by his scarf and held him firm at her side. "This guy has all the power and authority to throw you in jail for life, Natsu. Not the kind of person you want to provoke,"
Arcadios regarded them for a moment. He hummed and turned on his heel, marching away. "Follow me, please,"
"Hold on a minute!" Natsu shouted, slamming his foot against the ground as he tried to pull free of y/n's grip. "Where the hell do you think you're going? Don't just walk away from me!"
Arcadios kept walking.
"You too, Lucy," Yukino said. "You should come along with us,"
"Well, that sounds very normal and not at all suspicious," y/n muttered. She eyed the white-haired girl warily, something about this didn't sit well with her.
Yukino ignored her. "If our plan is to succeed, both Zeref and Acnologia will be defeated as a result,"
***
"I'd like to offer Miss Lucy my most humble of apologies," Arcadios said as he led them through the palace halls. "My misguided actions put her directly in harm's way,"
Natsu frowned. "What do you mean by that?"
"The kidnappers," y/n said, watching the Colonel with narrowed eyes. "The ones that took Carla, Wendy and Porlyusica from the infirmary,"
"You were the one that was behind that?" Lucy asked.
"My intention was never to put you in any real danger, but I was far too aggressive with my orders. I falsely believed that you were our only hope for the celestial wizard we so desperately needed. It was a lapse of judgement," he bowed his head. "I ask your forgiveness,"
No one offered it to him.
In fact, their glaring had intensified.
He didn't seem bothered.
"In truth, the Grand Magic Games is a ruse. Or, rather, a mechanism from siphoning magic power from the participants,"
"So you've been stealing magic power from wizards for years now?" Gray's voice raised with anger and indignation.
"You're certainly entitled to your opinions on the matter, but I firmly believe that the ends justify the means," Arcadios said.
They came to a halt in front of an immense machine. It stretched from floor to ceiling, covered in metal pistons and pipes. It produced a low hum, the air around it stifling and cold. Y/n couldn't sense any Ethernano anywhere. It unsettled her.
She tilted her head up to stare at the contraption, suspicion and unease gleaming just below the surface of her narrowed e/c eyes.
"What is that?" Wendy breathed.
"The Eclipse," Arcadios declared. "The door that will change the world. Without massive amounts of magic power, it never could have been constructed,"
"It's a door?" Gajeel inquired, his voice gruff from disbelief.
Y/n shifted her stance and turned to stare Arcadios in the eye. She nodded towards the Eclipse, her expression guarded. "A door to where, exactly?"
"When the sun and moon intersect we will use the celestial Zodiac Keys to open the door," he said. His face hardened, eyes burning with an intense yet solemn determination. "What lays beyond is time itself. It will allow us to journey four hundred years into the past and slay Zeref before he gains the power of immortality. His destruction is our ultimate goal,"
Y/n let out a low whistle, her brow raised in surprise. "Well, that's certainly something..."
"But... how is that possible?" Lucy asked.
"It's not," y/n said, rolling back on the balls of her feet. "Even if they make it to the past, there's no saying that it will fix anything. It may just open the gate for something even worse in the future. And that's assuming that they can actually kill Zeref and Acnologia. The chances of which are pretty slim,"
"You know nothing of what you speak. We have been researching this for years. We've run tests, consulted countless works, conferred with the brightest minds in this kingdom and beyond. Yet you, a guild wizard, believe that you know best?"
Natsu raised a hand. "Actually, y/n-"
"No, no, no. He's right," y/n said as she shook her head. "I don't know anything, I was completely out of line. I'm sorry, please, by all means, continue,"
"Tell me something," Yukino said, her gaze focused on Lucy. "Is it true that time flows differently in the celestial world than it does in ours?"
The blonde nodded, a slight frown on her face. "Yeah, it does, actually,"
"We'd like to use the unique dimensional properties their world possesses. Therefore to open up the door we need celestial magic," Yukino explained.
"Since celestial wizards are scarce these days w thought we'd have to resort to a substitute source of power," Arcadios said. "But, now that we've located the two of you and all twelve Zodiac keys, the plan can proceed as intended,"
Y/n stepped closer to Lucy, putting herself between the knight and her guildmate.
"The time for action is almost upon us. When the sun and moon intersect. This will occur three days from now on July seventh. We ask for your help, Miss Lucy,"
"The seventh of July?" Natsu echoed.
Wendy's brows furrowed. "That's the same day our dragons disappeared,"
Gajeel glowered, his gaze as steely as his magic. "Pretty major coincidence if you ask me,"
Y/n turned at the sound of rushing footsteps, her shoulders tensing as she prepared herself.
"You there! Stay right where you are!"
The next thing she knew, they had been surrounded by at least fifty royal guards. The circle of soldiers stared at them intensely, their weapons brandished and ready to fight.
"It would be wise of you to surrender quietly before things get messy, Colonel Arcadios," a new voice rang out. It was low and garbled, rough and uneven with age. A short man stepped through the ring of soldiers, hands clasped behind his back.
Arcadios gasped, his expression going from shock to anger in the blink of an eye. "Defense Minister Darton, what is the meaning of this?!"
"It's you who should be answering that question. Why are you here?" Darton demanded. "You are aware that revealing state secrets to outsiders is treason!"
The Colonel took a step forward and set his foot down. "You're making a mistake! These people are not outsiders, they are an essential component to the Eclipse project,"
"You do not have the authority to make such reckless decisions on your own, Colonel,"
"I won't allow you to jeopardize the safety of our entire kingdom," Arcadios took another step and two soldiers crossed their spears before him, blocking his path. He slammed his foot down once more. "Call off your men and end this ridiculous farce immediately!"
"You are way out of line here! This plan of yours will alter history. You do realize that you're putting our entire nation at risk? Now, stand down," Darton ordered. "Colonel Arcadios, you are under arrest for treason against the kingdom of Fiore. Take the celestial wizards into custody as well, they are accessories to this crime. Remove the others at once,"
"Yes sir!" the soldiers chorused.
Y/n growled low in her throat, her fingertips grazing the handle of the dagger at her hips.
"Say what?" Gray demanded.
Lucy's eyes went wide as she watched the ring of soldiers move in. "But I haven't committed any crime!"
"I'm warning you!" Natsu snarled, his fists ablaze. "If you want to get through her you gotta get through me!"
"No, you fool! Stop!" Arcadios shouted. "You can't use magic here!"
A sonorous hum reverberated throughout the room as the Eclipse Gate came to life. A flash of blinding white light.
"I- what?" Natsu exclaimed in shock. The flames on his fists dissipated, flickering away into nothing.
White energy, magic in its purest, truest form, began to pull from him. It moved like echoes, flowing back toward the Eclipse, glowing dimmer with each new wave.
"What the hell is happening to me?"
"Oh, did the Colonel not inform you?" Darton asked. His tone was patronizing, bordering on cruel. "The games are just a way of stealing magic power to feed the Eclipse. It's an extremely effective tool... In fact, if a wizard were to activate a spell this close to the device, the Eclipse would completely drain them of all their magic power,"
With a final stomach-turning scream, the light and energy faded. The humming ceased. Natsu groaned, his eyes rolling back as he went limp and dropped to the ground.
Y/n caught him, holding him with gentle care. She adjusted the scarf around his neck before setting him down on the ground behind her.
"I hope you won't cause any more trouble," Darton said. "After all, a wizard incapable of using magic is hardly a threat for a group of fully trained royal soldiers,"
Y/n stood slowly, turning to glare at the old man from over her shoulder. Her mouth curled up into a dangerous smirk, her eyes dark and dangerous, voice low. "I wouldn't be so sure about that,"
***
The sky was starless that night. A never-ending black void stretching on for all of eternity looming high above their heads. It was only fitting considering the events that had taken place.
Y/n glared as the guard shoved her forward to join the others in the castle courtyard. She bared her teeth at the man, mouth twisted into a feral sneer as she snarled.
She had managed to subdue a number of the guards, more than Darton had expected, that much was certain. But without her magic and with only a dagger in hand, there wasn't much she could do. Especially since she was limited to using non-lethal force.
After a suffering disorienting blow to the head and with the threat of imprisonment for all of them and a potential execution for Lucy, y/n had no choice but to back down.
But that didn't mean she made it easy for them. She continued to thrash, spewing every insult and curse she could think of at Darton as they were escorted out of the palace. The man was either deaf in his old age or could not care less about y/n's opinion of him or his mother.
Even though she'd lost, y/n felt a glimmer of satisfaction as she looked over the guards fanned out before her. The one who had dragged her through the castle was sporting a face full of scratches and even a bitemark from when he'd tried to quell her slander, muffling it with his hand. He'd kept clear of her mouth after that. Other guards' uniforms were askew, even dented in some places. Spears split in two, cloaks torn, ostentations feathers plucked from their helmets. Some were clutching gashes of varying intensity, others cradling broken bones.
Y/n scowled. If they thought that they could keep her out they were dead wrong.
"You bastards," Gajeel growled as he stepped up to stand at y/n's side.
The two of them stood before the rest of their guildmates protectively. Natsu, still unconscious, lay limp. His head rested in Wendy's lap, the young girl running her fingers through his hair. Gray knelt beside them, applying pressure to a wound on his bicep. He glared at Darton, ready to attack if need be.
"Please, you must understand that my intention was never to hurt anyone. But there is simply too much at stake. However, I can offer you an olive branch for your troubles..." Darton said. He sighed and let his eyes fall shut for a moment. He opened them, his expression solemn as he looked up at the Fairy Tail wizards. "His Majesty is extremely fond of the Fairy Tail guild. If you manage to claim victory in the Grand Magic Games I shall grant you a private audience with him. The king is a rather kind-hearted fellow. Who knows? Maybe he'll even be persuaded to pardon your comrade,"
He turned his back to them and began to walk back towards the castle. Y/n had to suppress every instinct in her body, all of them screaming for her to lunge. To attack. To kill. Instead, she curled her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms.
"I wish you the best of luck," Darton said.
Y/n nearly killed him then. If it weren't for the witnesses, she probably would have.
***
"What the hell?"
"Lucy's been taken into custody?"
Makarov huffed, his arms crossed over his chest. "To think she would be involved in some sort of top-secret plot is utterly ridiculous,"
"Wait, let me get this straight," Laxus said, his hands raised as if to say stop. "We take the top spot, we can ask for her back... But that's only if His Majesty allows it?"
"Personally, I have a hard time believing anything that guy told us," Gray stated.
"Personally, I'd like to see his head mounted on my wall," y/n spat. She stood off to the side, further from the others.
The air around her was charged with magic energy, flowing and ebbing, lashing out at her surroundings on its own accord. It switched between elements rapidly. From air to poison, to fire, to steel, to black lightning... At some point, they'd started to blend together, swirling and clashing with one another. She muttered something incoherent, the stones floating in the air around her surrounded by a toxic purple glow and crackling with electric energy.
"Are we just supposed to put up with this crap from those jerks? Untie me and I'll go and get her right now!" Natsu shouted, thrashing around and struggling in his binds.
They ignored him.
Makarov hummed thoughtfully. "We can't afford to take reckless action against the kingdom. And they surely wouldn't want word to spread that they mistreat innocent civilians..."
"So you're saying we blackmail them?" y/n asked, brow raised. "Because if we're going to do this the underhanded way, just give me fifty minutes. I can have an angry mob armed with pitchforks and torches at the ready. They storm the castle and I can pin the blame on someone else in no time. This isn't my first revolution,"
"No," he shook his head. "It's too risky. We have to consider Lucy a hostage until the Eclipse project is called off,"
Laxus growled. "They've really got us by the you-know-whats, don't they?"
"There's one thing I don't understand," Gajeel stated. He began to pace, red eyes trained on the ground at his feet, studded brows furrowed. "If all of us know about this big secret they're trying to hide, then why'd let us walk away free? Why not arrest the lot of us?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Y/n asked. By the looks her guildmates sent her, it was not. She raked a hand through her hair with a heavy sigh. "We're a part of the first-place team in the games. It would be pretty suspicious if we were all to vanish without a trace before the final match tomorrow,"
Juvia nodded. "I can imagine the kingdom doesn't want to get on the bad side of every guild in the country,"
"So what I'm hearing, is revolution. It's very possible and actually quite easy. Really,"
"No. The Royal Army isn't known for acting rashly and taking citizens for no reason," Erza said, an intense look burning in her eyes. "If we knew what the real justification for her capture was, perhaps we could use that to help her?"
"Hey!" Natsu roared. He tore free of the ropes that held him in place and jumped to his feet. "We all need to quit flapping our gums and do something already!"
"Simmer down!" Makarov ordered, knocking the fire dragon to the ground. He sighed as he looked over the room, his expression grim. "A member of our family has been taken against her will. Believe me, we all want justice right now. That being said, we can't just charge headlong into conflict like we usually do. However, we are not cowards and we will not back down! We will not let them get away with this!"
A low growl rumbled from the depths of y/n's chest. Hell yeah, we won't. I'll tear that castle apart brick by brick if I have to.
Makarov set his foot down firmly on the counter. His voice echoed loudly throughout the bar as he declared, "We are Fairy Tail!"
Y/n set her jaw. It doesn't matter what it takes. I'll kill the whole lot of them if I have to. Whoever dares get in my way. I don't care if it's the king himself.
***
Y/n sighed, her breath coming out in a cloud of white fog as she turned her attention towards the dark sky. The door to the bar fell shut behind her and the noise emanating from within was muffled considerably.
She needed to get out. She needed to walk. She needed to calm down clear her head before she did something she'd regret.
She let her feet carry her down the cobbled streets, with no specific destination in mind.
"Y/n,"
She spun around at the sound of her name, flames roaring to life around her fists. At the sight of Rogue standing behind her, Frosch cradled in his arms, she let her arms drop, the fire dying.
"Rogue," y/n greeted the shadow dragon slayer with a curt nod. She turned her gaze to the exceed and offered them a kind smile. "Hey, Frosch,"
The exceed didn't smile back. Their lower lip quivered, tears pooling in the corner of their eyes. They whimpered before hiding their face in Rogue's chest.
"I know that after what m'lady did to Lucy I have no right to ask anything of you, but please," Rogue's red eyes were pleading as he held the exceed out for her to take. "Please look after Frosch, at least until the games are done,"
"I'm sorry, what?"
Rogue drew in a shaky breath. "Master Jiemma shot Lector-"
"I'm sorry what?" y/n all but spat out the word, her eyes burning intently.
"He was upset that we lost, Lector, he tried to defend us. Master he... he..." Rogue shook his head. "Minerva was able to save him, but she's holding him hostage. She won't give him back unless we win the games,"
His hold on his own exceed tightened and he averted his gaze to the ground. "I don't want to worry about Frosch. I know that we don't know each other well but you're the only other person here that I can trust. So please look after them. I don't know what I'd do if they got hurt,"
"Of course I'll take them," y/n said, taking a step closer to him. "Do you want me to go back to the hotel with you? This kind of thing isn't right, you shouldn't be treated like this. I could-"
"No, this is enough," Rogue said. "Besides, it wouldn't help anything,"
She sighed, her gaze softening. "Alright,"
Rogue hugged Frosch tighter and whispered something y/n couldn't catch into their ear. He let out a stuttering breath before handing them to y/n. His gaze flickered up to meet hers. "Thank you, truly,"
"It's nothing, really. I'll take exceptional care of them,"
He smiled thankfully before turning to leave. "Take care,"
Y/n watched him go, a sinking feeling in her gut. "Yeah, you too,"
"Y/n?" Frosch's voice cracked, wavering uncontrollably as they tried to fight back tears. "What's going to happen to Lector?"
Y/n sighed, holding the exceed closer to her chest as she gazed out at the palace on the horizon. "I don't know, sweetie... I don't know,"
The fate of two lives now depended upon the results of the Grand Magic Games. And since only one team could win, it meant only one of them could be saved.
***
"And now, in first place, the guild that is making a historical comeback after literally falling off the map seven years ago!" Chapati's voice rang loud and clear through the arena. "Let's welcome Fairy Tail!"
The roar of the crowd was deafening. If circumstances were different, y/n may have taken a moment to revel in their cheers. But instead, she found herself wishing that things would get started already. The sooner they won, the sooner they'd get Lucy back.
She didn't need to try to control her expression as she stalked out onto the field, her teammates fanned out beside her. The harsh glower and fierce glare had been present since morning. She doubted they'd go anywhere until Lucy was back and safe in her arms.
"Wait a minute!" Chapati exclaimed, shooting to his feet. He stared, eyes wide and disbelieving as he watched the Fairy Tail Team step out of the fog. "Unbelievable! Team Fairy Tail is keeping us all on our toes with this completely unexpected roster change. The man who single-handedly defeated Sabertooth's Twin Dragons, Sting and Rogue, has been replaced!"
Y/n cast a glance at Gray from the corner of her eye. He met her gaze and they shared an infinitesimal nod.
"After such a strong showing in the last round, this decision is a real head-scratcher. What could be the reason?"
Y/n turned her gaze to the palace, just barely visible over the edge of the coliseum. She curled her hands into fists, her stare becoming more intense.
I wish I could be with you guys, but I'm needed here... Good luck, kick some Royal Army ass for us. Get Lucy out of there safe. We're going to make them rue the day they dared to mess with Fairy Tail...
***
"Man, this is getting exhausting," Gray panted, the force of Lyon's attack sending him sliding back to stand at y/n's side.
"Not to mention annoying," she muttered. She waved her arm, dispelling Sherria's attack.
The full-team survival battle was going well, even after Fairy Tail's late start. Y/n figured they had the First Master to thank for that. Despite her young appearance, Master Mavis was an amazing tactician. After helping Gajeel take out the Trimen, a fight that was over far too quickly for her liking, she had made her way to her next position.
Sherria had attacked her just as the First Master had said, jumping down from the rooftop with a yell. Y/n just stood there and took it, swallowing the black winds with a smirk. Sherria had growled, cursing at y/n for stealing Lyon away with her 'wiles' before she lunged.
Their fight had been predominantly physical, Sherria unable to use her magic on y/n and y/n just wanting to have fun. To give the pink-haired girl a fighting chance.
Lyon had appeared and the battle shifted. Even two-on-one y/n was doing well, far better than she would have if Lyon was actually trying. But the ice-make wizard was adamant about not causing her harm.
When Gray showed up after defeating Rufus, the tide of the fight changed once more. It had drawn on far too long and y/n was beginning to bore.
"Y/n, love, please forgive me," Lyon said, his dark eyes pleading.
Sherria stomped her foot in frustration. "Let's finish them off and get our points already! Come on!"
"Hurting girls isn't my thing, Sherria. Especially if it's my beloved," Lyon stated. "If you want points then you can take care of her yourself,"
"Would you quit being so stubborn? You're stronger than both of them and you know it! Just go all out and we'll be done here. And if you get hurt somehow I'll fix you up with healing magic,"
"Oh crap," Gray rolled his eyes. "I forgot that was something she could do,"
"An unfortunate mistake. Your poor memory is another advantage I have over you!" Lyon declared.
"Lyon, quit showing off and finish them off already!"
"I'm not showing off!" he snapped. "And I told you to take care of y/n alone!"
Y/n and Gray shared a look as the pair continued to bicker. Gray smirked and held his hand out for y/n to take. She did so without hesitation.
"We found their weak point and it's fatal," he stated, his voice low and laced with determination. "When it comes to teamwork, they've got nothing on us,"
"That's right they don't," she grinned as she shifted her weight forwards in preparation to attack.
"We're ending this, you with me?"
"Hell yeah, I am,"
They both took a step forward and drew their clasped hands back. Magic began to build up around them, raging auras swirling in stark contrast with one another. Gray's a pale blue, y/n's flickering between colours before it settled on a black so deep that it seemed to drain the light from their surroundings.
Dark clouds rolled in and ice began to cut through the air on a bitter, stinging breeze as their powers combined.
"Black Ice Dragon's Geyser!"
The spell hurtled towards the Lamia Scale wizards with impressive speed. It struck them head-on, launching them through the air.
Lyon's voice could just barely be heard over the roar of the spell. "This is your fault!"
Y/n and Gray lowered their hands. A cold wind blew through the city as the spell died down. The mist cleared. The street before them was a mess. The cobbled path was covered with black ice, littered with shingles and broken glass. Benches and flowerpots had been overturned, laying strewed about the street. Frost covered every available surface and jagged icicles glistened dangerously in the sun.
"Whoopsies," y/n laughed. The sound was cut short as she winced a hand pressing against her side.
With Lyon and Sherria defeated, all that was left were the other Fairy Tail wizards as well as Sabertooth's Minerva and Sting. Y/n wasn't worried about Minerva, last she'd heard Erza was giving the territory mage quite the beating. But Sting hadn't been seen since the very start of the games when he'd taken out Bacchus. Which meant that he was uninjured and his magic store full. Things would not go well if they were to face him as they were. If he succeeded in defeating them, he would earn enough points to claim victory in the games.
"Well, I guess there's no time like the present," y/n said.
She breathed in as her eyes fell shut, calling upon the most unfamiliar of her magics. She felt cold winds engulf her, playing with her hair and clothes as the pain from the various injuries she'd sustained began to fade away. She felt her sprained ankle slowly fixing itself as torn skin pull itself back together and dark bruises began to dissipate until nothing remained.
She opened her eyes and let out a heavy, stuttering sigh, her shoulders dropping. Her magic dropped suddenly and an overwhelming sense of nausea overcame her.
"Woah, are you okay?" Gray asked, placing a hand on her shoulder to steady her as she swayed on her feet.
"Yeah, I'm-" she drew in a sharp breath and shook her head. "I'm fine... Oh boy, is that gonna take some getting used to..."
A white light burst to life in the evening sky. Sting.
Y/n swallowed. She turned to Gray, her hands glowing with faint blue light. "Do you want me to-"
"No, save your strength. I'll be fine," he said, shaking his head with a small smile. He nodded in the direction of the flare. "You ready?"
Y/n chuckled, her lips quirked up into a crooked grin. "Do you even have to ask?"
The two of them made their way towards the lights source. Towards their final obstacle in their way. Before they could right what had been wronged and reclaim Fairy Tail's spot as the strongest guild in Fiore. They walked through the streets, brimming with determination, their fingers still intertwined.
***
"Now there's a sight," Sting said as the Fairy Tail wizards came to a stop before him.
Y/n was blinking heavily, swaying slightly as she and Gray leaned on each other for support. She glanced at her teammates, they all sported their share of injuries, their magic low. While y/n had managed to heal her physical wounds, the act had left her drained and weak. She doubted they'd be much of a fight.
But they had something worth fighting for which meant they'd keep getting up until they couldn't any longer. And then some.
"It's weird, being surrounded by heroes from my childhood really isn't all that grand,"
"Enough chit-chat," Gajeel's voice was rougher than usual, rumbling from the depths of his chest. He glared up at the white dragon, ruby eyes flashing through dark strands of hair. "We didn't come out here to make pals,"
"We'll fight you one on one. Pick somebody," Gray said.
"Why not all at once?" Sting asked. He chuckled, his gaze contemptuous as he smirked. "With those injuries, one on one will be boring,"
Y/n pushed away from Gray and took a few paced forward. She stood straight, her hands turned to fists at her side. "Don't underestimate us, Sting. Just look at what happened to the rest of your guildmates,"
"Wouldn't dream of it. I'm trying to treat you with the respect you deserve. That's why I'll destroy you all together," he declared, taking a matching step. "I've been waiting for this moment, I'll show you how strong I've become. I'll do it for Lector!"
Y/n felt a pang in her heart at the mention of the maroon exceed.
"You want to fight all of us, by yourself?" Laxus demanded, brow raised in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"Of course I am! I'm more than a match for you... Losing Lector brought me pain, but it also granted me a new power. For Lector, my best friend, I'm gonna beat you and win it all!"
"Very well," Erza said, her makeshift crutch knocking against the ground as she prepared to fight. "If you're so determined to see this to the end, we'll give you the fight you want,"
"Now you're talking," Sting grinned. White energy formed a ring around his feet, ribbons of light floating up from the ground and arching high overhead. It hummed lowly as it swirled, glowing brighter. "Prepare to witness the awakened power of a dragon slayer!"
Y/n drew an arm back, fingers hovering over a pocket of throwing knives. She and her teammates stared Sting down, their expressions fierce and unwavering.
The light died down to nothing. Sting's hands turned to fists at his side. He took a step forward. Then another. He fell to his knees.
Hunched over, head bowed to the ground, he muttered, "I can't do it. I can't beat you. I surrender,"
Y/n, deaf to Chapati's roaring voice and the howling of the crowd as Fairy Tail was declared victorious, rushed forward. She dropped to her knees in front of Sting, her hands coming up to brush the tears from his cheeks. He flinched away with a gasp as if he hadn't noticed her there, before melting into her touch. His hands grasping at her sleeves as he rested his head against her shoulder.
She shushed him gently as he began to weep harder, body trembling as he cried. "Hey, hey, it's going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay,"
"No, it's not! I thought I could win, I needed to win, for Lector... Now he's gone. My best friend is gone and I'm never getting him back," he sniffled as he pulled away from her. He glared at her through tear-filled eyes, his voice laced with venom as he spat, "You have no idea what that's like,"
"Actually, I do," she replied. Her eyes were forlorn as she wiped more tears from his now red-tracked cheeks. A sad, pained, smile graced her lips. "But you don't have too,"
Sting blinked. "W-what?"
Y/n stood and moved to the side as she heard Millianna approach.
Blue eyes widened, welling with relieved tears. Sting gasped.
"Lector!" he shouted as he scrambled to his feet, dashing towards the exceed, his arms extended outwards.
Lector pulled free of Millianna's grasp and hurtled himself towards his friend. The two met in a tight embrace, falling to the ground as they cried. Y/n watched the scene before her with a bittersweet smile before she turned to join the rest of her teammates who were conversing in hushed tones.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's strange not having you know who around, hollering and making a bunch of noise," Laxus said.
Gray shrugged. "Yeah... I don't mind it,"
"He'd be extra annoying after all that," Gajeel huffed. He leaned against y/n's back, resting his head on her shoulder as his arms wrapped around her waist. She raised a hand to play with his hair and he let his eyes fall shut, purring softly.
"That sounds about right," Erza chuckled with a fond smile.
"Hey, did any of you see their signal flare?" y/n asked, looking over each of her teammates in turn.
Laxus shook his head. "No, but I've been keeping an eye out for it this entire time... Well, except for when Jura knocked me flat,"
"I didn't see one either," Gray said.
"I ain't worried," Gajeel declared. The vibrations from his voice rumbling through his chest and into y/n's back. "Knowing our Salamander he probably forgot to shoot the damn thing,"
Y/n snorted. "Probably, yeah,"
"Tell me something-" Sting began.
Gajeel turned to him, a dangerous gleam in his crimson eyes. "Oh, I know you ain't talking to me, punk. Scram!"
"Calm down," y/n muttered, getting between the two and pulling the iron dragon slayer back by the collar of his shirt.
"I'm sorry but... Where's Natsu? Why wasn't he in the fight today?"
No one spoke, their stares were distant.
"What's the deal?" Lector asked. "Is Natsu hurt? Is he going to be okay?"
Y/n turned her gaze to the palace on the horizon and sighed. She just hoped they were doing okay.
***
All the guilds had been gathered in the center of Crocus before His Royal Majesty himself, Toma E. Fiore, the king of Fiore. A short gray-haired man, he did not look much like a ruler at first glance. But he held himself with dignity and pride. With his brows drawn together in concern and expression grim, y/n could only assume they were about to get bad news.
"Thank you all for coming. I hate to spoil the mood after the splendid display of wizardry we've seen here today, but I'm afraid Fiore's heart may soon be in the clutches of a horde of dragons," the king proclaimed, his deep voice carrying through the plaza with ease.
The crowd dissolved into chaos. Shouted questions, whispered confusion, bold statements and panicked exclamations overlapping one another in a nearly unbearable cacophony of noise.
"As we speak a large-scale counter offence is underway at the palace: the Eclipse Canon!" the king declared. "We will use it to wipe out the dragons, all ten thousand of them, at once,"
Somehow, I doubt that'll go according to plan... Y/n mused, her eyes trained on the starlit sky. Besides, ten thousand? I thought Acnologia was the only one left... I thought he'd killed them all...
"I can sense your concern. Regrettably, given the sheer numbers of the dragons' forces, we expect that, at most, a few hundred will survive the attack," The king raised his arms, his voice regal as it boomed through the night. "So, I implore you, guild wizards, please, lend Fiore your assistance in dealing with this crisis! You are the only hope we have for slaying the dragons that the Eclipse cannot!"
The crowd of mages stared at him, stunned into silence.
He bowed his head. "Please, I beg of you, don't let this kingdom fall to ruin,"
The harrowing silence dragged on for a moment longer before the wizards cheered. Their voices blending together into a roar that seemed to shake the heavens.
"Thank you, thank you all," the king murmured, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I mean it... Thank you, pumpkins,"
The plaza fell silent once more as everyone stared at the king, their eyes wide, mouths gaping open in shock. They all knew that voice.
"Well... I certainly wasn't expecting that," y/n muttered, brow raised in surprise.
"I don't think anyone was," Erza chuckled.
The king cleared his throat and resumed speaking in his normal voice. "Our fate is in your hands' wizards!"
"You ready for this, babe?" Bickslow asked, slinging an arm over y/n's shoulder and pulling her into his side with a grin.
"Please," she scoffed, rolling her eyes, lips curled up into a confident smirk. "I'm a dragon slayer. I was born ready,"
~~~
10, 298 words
I'm not sure when the next chapter will be as my focus is now turning to the birthday special. I'm currently about 5k words into it, I'm not sure how long it'll be upon completion.
Thank you so much for reading. Really, I mean it.
Until next time,
Bye! :)