For a moment, the massive light from Acnologia's breath attack shined like the bright sun, and then a warm feeling was felt around them the Fairy Tail guildmember felt this warmth as well. The very next moment, it all went dark. 'Did we die? No, no, it... it doesn't feel like death, but... sleep...' Mana thought as she tried to force her eyes open. Mana groggily rose up rubbing her head as she felt like she had just woken up from a long deep slumber.
"Wh-What happened...?" Mana uttered to herself looking around and seeing that everything was fine, as if Acnologia's attack had done nothing. Although the woods around them that the dragon had destroyed with his mighty roar, had grown back. She looked around to see if she could find anyone else, she then spotted the silver-haired barmaid, Mirajane. She then looked to her left to see a red-haired armored girl whom she considered her older sister to be also sleeping in some bushes. "We're all alive...? But how...? I'm certain Acnologia blasted us with his breath attack, and yet... everything seems fine like nothing was destroyed..."
"Hey! I found Mana! Oh, and Mirajane and Erza as well!" She heard a familiar voice shout from the top of a hill, she looked up as the light blinded his sight and all she saw was a shadowy figure. It looked familiar yet so different. "J-Jet? Jet, is that you?" Mana questioned as the blinding light faded and indeed it was the speedster mage from his guild, only that he looked, older. His clothing was different, his hair was tied up into a high ponytail and he didn't have his hat anymore.
"Oh! Hey guys!" Another familiar voice was heard and Mana looked slightly to the side and saw something that made her raise her brows in surprise, it was a fatter older version of Droy, he looked almost as fat, as Reedus.
"D-Droy?" Mana uttered and blinked a few times before her eyes widened as she looked around in panic.
"Mm, what happened?" Erza got up rubbed her eyes and let out a small yawn.
"Wh-What's going on?" Mirajane got up as well and let out a small yawn as well.
"Huh? W-Wait... Are you two..." Erza was shaking slightly while pointing at Jet and Droy with a look of shock as to how much they had changed.
"Jet? Droy?" Mirajane questioned with a look of surprise seeing how much they had changed, but she recognized them none the less.
"Wh-What happened? Why do you two look so different?! And what about Acnologia?!" Erza questioned looking confused same as Mira.
"It's a long story." Two more people arrived and they looked like older versions of Alzack and Bisca, Alzack's hairstyle was different it was shorter and going more upward. While Bisca only looked more mature and wore a different outfit.
"Bisca? And, Alzack? Why do you guys look so different?" Mira questioned.
"Like I said it's a long story." Alzack said and began explaining how seven years have passed since Acnologia attacked Tenrou island. They all looked surprised to hear it and they had a lot of questions as to what happened to them, but neither of them knew either.
"Mm, is it morning? Is there any fish for me?" Happy popped up from the ground looking groggy.
""Happy!"" Bisca and Alzack cried in unison.
"You guys are so annoyin'!" Natsu got up from under a pile of dirt and then more figures arrived, an older looking Max and Warren, and then they along with Jet and Droy jumped Natsu with joy. "What's going on?! Why are you guys here?! Wait, why do you all look so different? Droy, you're so... fat!" Natsu looked stunned.
"Where are the others?" Erza questioned looking around and seeing if she could spot anyone else.
"They are over here." The voice of a little girl was heard and they all looked to the source and looked at the girl in confusion.
"I am Fairy Tail's first master, Mavis Vermilion." Mavis introduced herself.
""Ehhhh?!""
Mavis then began moving in a direction while the others hesitated to follow her, after a bit they decided to follow her. But Mana doesn't seem to be moving until Erza picks her up and walks with the others. "Is something matter, Mana?" Erza asked but Mana didn't respond. This confused her but she decided to ask later.
As they went around they found member after member, comrade after comrade. And once they were all gathered in one spot except for one person. "When it happened, I converted the bond and mutual trust everyone shared into magic power. Their feelings activated Fairy Sphere, one of the Three Grand Fairy Spells. This absolute defense spell protects the guild from all manners of evil. But everyone remained frozen inside, and it took seven years for the seal to lift." Mavis explained to them how they survived, and why they don't look any different despite seven years having passed.
"My word! So the founding master protected us!" Makarov cried tears of joy.
"No. I am incorporeal. Converting your power into magic took everything I had. Unwavering conviction can also produce miracles. You've built a wonderful guild, Third Master!" Mavis said looking down with a sad face.
"Hey, where is Faker?" Ask Laxus as everyone starts to look around but no one sees Neos.
"I don't feel it..." Mana said with a shaking voice as everyone turned to her.
"What do you mean, Mana?"
"I don't feel his heartbeat... I don't feel it anymore." She said as her body is shaking, and she brought her hand up to her chest holding on the bracelet with a heart shape. As Erza also widened her eyes as she looked down at her own bracelet also not feeling Neos's heartbeat.
"Fairy Sphere is a spell that protects all the guild from all manners of evil. Neos is my son. Born by me and the Black Wizard Zeref. He might not be evil but his body is chaotic. So the spell didn't protect him." Mavis said as tears began to fall down her face. As she began to levitate while letting out a golden warm glow and giving them a sad smile. "I'm sorry." She said before she vanished into thin air leaving them with a look of shock.
"I don't believe this... He had been dead, while, we've been sleepin' for seven years? I don't believe this... FAKER! COME OUT! I KNOW YOU ARE HIDING OUT THERE!" Laxus yells as everyone turns to him, shocked by his outburst. "DON'T FUCK WITH ME! SOMEONE WHO REFUSES TO STAY DOWN LIKE YOU CAN'T BE DEAD!" He yells before destroying a nearby tree with his bare fist.
"NEOS! WHERE ARE YOU!?" Natsu yells out still not believing that Neos is actually dead.
"The bracelet just broke right!? You are still there right!?" Gray yell also goes to search for Neos.
The others try to stop those three from doing something reckless, doing their best to hold them down.
"I... failed..." Erza uttered as she looked down at her shaking hands before falling to her knees and cry.
Both Mana and Wendy look too stunned to even move the two have been kneeling in the same spot without moving.
In the mountain fall into the sky, The Stardust Dragon Fudo is resting.
"Gathering stars will become a new shining star. The power made from bond and love will create a shining beacon of hope. The purest soul will shine the brightest." Said the dragon. "But that also works both ways, the brighter the light, the darker the shadow. When the light loses its source a much darker form will be born."
'So that's the price of being a Stardust Dragon Slayer.' Neos thought looking into Fudo's memory before he turned to see Mana playing around joyfully with the other children from the church. 'Like hell, I would let her fall into darkness.'
Stardust energy began to flare up around Mana as everyone turned to her, seeing her try to hold in her tears. Neos always taught her to be strong and don't easily lose hope. But now he isn't here with her anymore.
"It's my fault..." Mana uttered.
For the first time, the Fairy Tail Mages see Mana shed a tear. As the single teardrop down her face, its color turns black along with the usually bright sparkling stardust around her.
"I became a dragon slayer... to kill Acnologia." Mana said holding her head as her once sparkling silver wings appeared slowly turning black and losing their color.
"Mana! It isn't your fault!" Erza yells feeling the negative energy coming from the young dragon slayer.
"What is happening!?" Lucy said, she even felt her celestial spirits reacting with Mana's negative energy.
"I can't do a single thing right! I could have done something to help. I could have... I couldn't do anything!" Her black hair began turning white as the ring in her hand began to crack.
"Mana, please calm down! We know you're sad but giving into your darkness won't do us any good!" Makarov called out. Even Makarov wished if one of them had to sacrifice it should have been him and not his kids. Trying to honor the fallen boy's by taking care of his only blood related family left. He refuse to let the innocent girl fall into darkness.
"Kill... Acnologia... Kill... Dragon!" Mana said as her hands turned to sharp claws, her wings slowly turned black, her hair turned to silver white and her eyes became a pure golden color as she looked up glaring at the other dragon slayers. Three white horns spike out from her head all pointing back and a tail glows out behind her.
This transformation shocked everyone seeing Mana became a half human half dragon. They way Mana become the Stardust Dragon Slayer is through a ritual not by learning from the dragon. Unlike other dragon slayers who either learned it from their dragon and could one day become one. Or having a Lacrima implanted inside them. The ritual mix her body with dragon blood turning her into a half dragon.
She suddenly charges toward Wendy pushing her on the ground. As the two look into each other eyes, Wendy can't help but feel somewhat worried about seeing Mana like this. The smug somewhat teasing girl who liked to push her buttons is gone, now in her place is someone whose heart is filled with sadness.
"Wendy!" Carla calls out seeing Mana pinning Wendy to the ground.
"Mana! Please... snap out of this!" Wendy said trying to get through to her friend.
Trace-fractal
Suddenly Natsu appears behind Mana, holding her from behind her arms and wings freeing Wendy.
"Stop struggling Mana! We don't want to fight!" Natsu yells out making it clear that everyone doesn't want to fight her, but he then feels Mana's hand grabbing each side of his head. "Heh?"
Trace-fractal
Magic circuits appear on Natsu's face before fading away.
Stardust Sky Dragon:
Everyone's eyes widen hearing that as Mana adjured herself.
Whirlwind!
Mana spins her body creating a sizeable whirlwind that throws Natsu in the air.
"Did she just..." Levy uttered.
"Trace fractal... That's Neos's spell." Mirajane said still somewhat shocked.
"I don't get it. Has Mana been secretly eating Wendy's wind?" Gray said.
Mana's fist flares up with flame like energy.
"That's Natsu's flame." Lucy said.
"The kid can copy our magic now!?" Gajeel said as he ready himself.
She charge at them as Laxus intercept his fist cover with lightning.
Stardust Flame Dragon: Shining Flare!
Lightning Dragon: Iron Fist!
Both of their fists collided as Mana was sent flying back before stopping herself with her wings as she floated into the air, while Laxus held his hand grunting in pain, as his fist was badly burned.
"Impossible! Laxus's hand is burned!?" Freed said seeing the nasty burn on Laxus's hand.
"The kid must have focused that spell more for the burn rather than power." Laxus said looking at Mana who is in the air.
"We can't let her touch the other! The only people who could get close and restrain her, are those whose magic that she won't be able to use freely!" Gildarts said as he took a step back, he knew if Mana traced his magic then they would all be done for. 'To think Neos really have this much power yet he didn't use it. Neos if I see you in hell, you owe me a rematch!' Gildarts thought.
"Natsu! Wendy! You two are the only ones able to hold her down! Since she already traced your magic!" Makarov said hiding behind Gildarts, as he just imagined Mana tracing his magic, turning huge, and crushing them all.
Suddenly both Erza in her Heaven Wheel Armor and Mirajane in her Satan Soul form appear on each side grabbing Mana's wrists. And pull the girls into a crushing bearhug restraining Mana from moving as both women press their bodies and huge breasts against the smaller girl.
"Mana! Snap out of this!" Erza yells trying to get through to her.
"Please Mana if you calm down I promise I will give you all the milk you could ever ask for!" Mirajane said trying to reason with her.
They don't want to have to fight, trying their best to reason with her instead.
Trace-fractal
Magic circuits appear on both women's bodies.
"She traced Nee-san Take Over Magic but she doesn't have anything to turn into. And she doesn't have armor to use Erza's Requip Magic." Lisanna said while Elfman smiled both looking up at their sister.
"That's so smart of Nee-san and Erza to restrain her. So manly!" Elfman said as for a moment, everything seemed to be somewhat calm down, before suddenly Mana coughed up blood making both women look at her with horror.
Transform: Mist
Mana's body turns to mist flying past them both before stopping and turning back to her regular form.
"What was that!?" Lucy said just seeing Mana turn to mist and then back to dragon human form.
"Transform Magic, she must have learned that from Mira." Levy said.
"You gonna be kidding me. Just how much range does that spell have?" Laki ask feeling afraid seeing that Mana not only can learn other main magic but also the other magic that they can use too.
Trace On: Nine-lives Blade Works
The massive stone axe blade appears on Mana's hand as she spins around hitting both Mira and Erza with it. Legs, shoulders, thighs, hands, air. With just one swing she used the blade's real power, hitting nine times with just one swing. As both Erza and Mira were sent crashing down to ground, their bodies were in pain.
"Ughh! That power..." Erza uttered trying to get up.
"I remember, back when we first saw Neos summon it. He hit us all with just one swing." Mirajane said as both of her legs were too hurt to get up.
The blade breaks showing that it is just a projection, as she glares down at Gajeel.
"Shoot." Gajeel uttered as Mana charged at him before she was knocked off course by a stream of water.
"Don't worry Gajeel. Juvia can hold her off!" Juvia said as Mana got up now glaring at her.
A bullet was fired at her head but she quickly got back up having the metal bullet in her mouth as she caught it using her teeth.
"Has she been playing us the entire time? Making us think she is weak but secretly she's just as broken as her brother!?" Bisca said seeing Mana just spit out her bullet like it was nothing.
"Mana nature was always somewhat kind to others. She never likes to badly harm someone so she usually holds herself back." Wendy said still thinking of a way to save Mana.
Mana then flies up and she starts moving around them in the air picking up speed.
"What is she up to now!?" Jet said trying to focus on Mana who became a blurr at this point.
"I don't like where this is going!" Alzack said feeling as if they were just prey to her.
Stardust Dragon: Secret Art: Accel: Stardust Mirage!
Her body split into ten different afterimages making their eyes widen as they all charged down.
"EVERYONE TAKE COVER!" Makarov yelled out as the afterimages crashed down like missiles, creating multiple explosions.
Rising from the crash Man got up looking around sensing her surrounding.
Sky/Fire/Iron Dragon: Roar!
Mana turns to face the three breath attack.
She glares at it as her body glows and disappears making the attack miss.
"Did we get her?" Ask Droy now terrified of Mana.
"No. She used Victim Sanctuary." Erza said as she was helped up by Lucy. "She only disappeared for a bit. She will return. Don't let your guard down!"
They all waited after a minutes Mana reappeared her hand seemed like it was reaching out for something, tears streaming down her eyes as they are back to her human eyes.
"Onii...san." Mana said before her eyes turned back to the pure golden color.
Almost everyone in the Tenrou group realized why her eyes just turned back to her human eyes. She saw Neos in the afterlife. Both Natsu and Gildarts look around trying to see if Neos is around.
Mana looks down at her hand seeing that her Contact Ring is almost completely broken. She tries to take it off as the Tenrou group's eyes widen.
"Mana! STOP!" Erza calls out but to no avail as they try to rush to stop her.
As the ring came off a large amount of magical energy could be felt by them, as a white light stuck down from the sky onto where Mana was standing. A hand reaches out holding on to Mana's hand as a Contact Ring appears on her finger, sealing her power once again.
"This power... so this is her real magic." Gildarts said trying to cover his face.
"So what he said was real. Magic like this really does exist." Makarov said as tears dropped down his eyes.
"He... is back." Cana said trying to hold herself from crying but failing to do so.
""Neos!"" They all yell seeing the familiar pale blonde hair mage.
The light finally faded as Mana held on tightly to Neos, who now wearing a cloak, with one eye patch, his hair was now somewhat shorter and slick back. Both his arms are wrapped with bandages.
"Hey, it's good to see you all again." Neos said still holding on to Mana, her black wings began turning back to their silver color as she slowly fell to her knees still gripping onto Neos, not letting go.
He gave them a warm smile as a huge wind blew through them making his cloak float up as their eyes widened in horror. They can see through the large hole in his chest where his heart should be. At that moment the only sound that can be heard is Mana crying.
"Neos my boy... what happens?" Makarov uttered still to shock too make sense of what happened.
"I die." He said with a calm tone, which just shock the Fairy Tail Mage even more.
"So...cold..." Mana uttered before fainting.
"Everyone, I know you have many questions. But let's go back to Fairy Tail first, okay?" Neos said with a smile as everyone teared up.