Fairy Tail Guild – Infirmary
The guild was quiet, save for the soft groans of recovery and the hum of healing magic. Regulus light glowed faintly across the wounded, flickering like golden fireflies as Yume worked swiftly from bed to bed. Bandaged bodies rested on stretchers, alive—but far from ready to fight again.
Yume wiped the sweat from his brow, exhaustion creeping in. "Regulus can speed up the healing, but it doesn't bring magic power back. It's like patching holes in a ship, but the sails are still torn."
Nearby, the space where Makarov should have been felt too empty. Too wrong.
Because the master wasn't here… He was with her.
In Porlyusica's Cottage – Edge of Magnolia
Makarov lay unconscious, his breathing shallow, eyes sunken, pale.
SLAP!
Porlyusica stood over him, trembling with fury. "You old fool. Charging into battle like you're still twenty! Have you learned nothing?"
Alzack and Bisca flinched in the corner.
"Why are you two still here?" she snapped.
"We just—" Alzack stammered, "—we want to help. We'll do whatever it takes to—"
"Help?" she scoffed, turning back to Makarov. "His condition is due to a Magic called Drain—Aria's magic. It forcibly extracts the victim's Magic Power until it dissipates into nothing. The more one has, the more they lose. With power like Makarov's, it's devastating. If he doesn't keep fighting, he'll die." She sighed, a rare display of vulnerability. "The stench of worry is poison to the sick. Get out!"
"But is there a way to reverse it?" Bisca asked, nearly whispering.
"If we could gather his lost magic before it scattered entirely, maybe," she admitted. "But it's already vanishing. It'll take time—too much time."
Alzack nodded. "We'll let the guild know."
Porlyusica scowled. "And you're still here? I said OUT!"
"We thought you wanted us to stay and listen!" Alzack yelped, as Porlyusica, with surprising speed, chased them out of her cottage. As the two scrambled from the room, she looked down at Makarov, fingers trembling, muttering to herself about foolish youngsters.
Alone with Makarov, her expression softened, a deep concern etched on her face. If he keeps fighting again so soon… he won't last. Fool.
***
Fairy Tail Guild
Back at the guildhall, the mood was grim. The retreat had been a bitter pill to swallow, but Makarov's critical condition was a crushing blow. The usual boisterous energy was replaced by a heavy silence, broken only by the occasional clink of a tankard or a whispered conversation. Knuckles whitened around emptied mugs, jaws clenched in nervous anticipation. They were planning another attack, but the fire that usually burned so brightly in their eyes seemed banked, choked by a creeping despair.
Yume, his expression uncharacteristically serious, addressed the assembled mages. "Prepare yourselves," he stated, his voice low but clear. "Things are going to get wild, soon."
A collective understanding settled over their faces, grim and resigned. Lucy, her voice barely a whisper, asked, "What's going to happen?"
Yume looked at her, his gaze steady. "Our ace, our Master, is lost. If I were playing on the opposite team, I would attack my enemy when they are at their weakest. Giving us a chance to recover would be stupid. Phantom Lord will be running to crush us."
A wave of grim expressions swept through the guild. Someone, looking nervous, asked, "What are we going to do?"
Yume, without looking away from the ruined entrance, stated the stark truth. "What can we do in this situation? We have two options: either fight or flee. If anyone wants to go, then go. I don't care. But running away is not my style."
Natsu growled, fists igniting. "Same here. We fight!"
Gray nodded. "Let 'em come. We'll push back twice as hard."
"We're Fairy Tail," Cana said firmly. "We don't walk away from each other."
Cana, meanwhile, was frantically attempting to contact Mystogan by Magic Card, but the connection failed.
Across the room, Mirajane spoke into a Communication Lacrima, her voice strained as she pleaded with Laxus. "Laxus, please, we need your help."
Laxus's arrogant voice crackled back, "It doesn't concern me."
Anger flared in Mirajane's eyes. With a sharp cry, she smashed the lacrima, shattering it into glittering fragments. "Then I'll fight too!" she declared, her usual gentle demeanor replaced by a fierce determination.
Cana frowned, her voice tight. "Mira, you haven't fought like this in years. You'll get hurt!" But Mirajane's resolve was set.
Outside the walls, Erza stood in the rain, staring at the sky, her mind racing. It's my fault, she thought bitterly. I should've gone with him—I should've protected the Master. Her thoughts, however, were abruptly cut short by a deep, resonant tremor beneath her feet.
BOOM.
The earth shook. The guild rumbled.
"Something's coming!" someone cried.
The Fairy Tail mages rushed outside—only to stare in horror at the impossible.
Marching directly toward them was the Phantom Lord Guild itself—transformed into a colossal, mobile fortress. No one had foreseen this, towering, wading through the city streets like a beast made of steel and hate.
Inside the fortress, Jose stood tall, arms folded.
"Charge the Magical Convergent Cannon—Jupiter!"
Panic threatened to seize them, but Erza's voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the fear. "Get down! Everyone, get down!"
She stepped forward, Requipping into her Adamantine Armor in a flash of light, bracing herself in front of the guild as the massive cannon gathered energy.
Wind howled. Dust flew.
BOOM.
Jupiter fired.
Erza crossed her twin shields, standing her ground as the devastating magic beam tore through the air. Her boots dug into the ground, the earth cracking beneath her, her muscles screaming under the weight of the attack.
Yet—she didn't fall.
Just as her Adamantine Armor began to show signs of fracturing,
Suddenly—Yume appeared behind her, placing his palm against her back.
"I've got you," he muttered, as the Pandora Orbs circled them, creating a gleaming barrier.
The barrier caught the attack. The beam howled… but couldn't break through.
The barrier, infused with his unwavering magic, held firm. The beam, a force meant to obliterate, deflected with a hiss of steam, leaving the barrier unscratched.
Erza gasped—but remained firm. Together, they endured the blast. Yume's unexpected power had saved them.
When it passed, Jose's voice, laced with a sneering amusement, echoed darkly through a projection:
"Impressive… but that was just a preview."
"It's just a passing effect, Fairy Tail. And by the way, Lucy, it was actually your father who ordered your kidnapping. The destruction of Fairy Tail is just an added bonus."
Lucy gasped, a choked sound, her hand flying to her mouth. Her face paled, the revelation a devastating blow.
Lucy's breath caught. "No... No, that can't be true…"
Happy, Gray, and Natsu stepped closer.
"Lucy?" Gray asked carefully.
Trembling, she whispered, "I'm sorry… I think if I go back, this could end. My father—he started this. Maybe it all ends if I just…"
"No!" Natsu stepped forward, his voice firm. "You think this is your fault?"
He pointed to the guild, to their friends.
"You're not some prisoner, Lucy. You're a member of this family now—Lucy of Fairy Tail! Your real home is here. Got it?"
His words, echoed by the nods and murmurs of agreement from her friends, touched Lucy deeply.
She broke down, tears streaming down her face, a mix of profound gratitude and crushing guilt.
The others cheered, standing with her.
Yume looked up at the mobile Phantom Lord building, his voice cutting through the emotional moment like a shard of ice. Wind swirled with shadow as Pandora Orbs rotated behind him, morphing into twin gunswords. "It doesn't matter who Lucy is, or who her father is. To me, she's just a guild member, and an annoying, lousy, loud neighbor. That's it."
"And frankly, not to you either, Jose. You fired a weapon that could level a city—and you knew she was here. That means only one thing: that mission for Lucy is just an excuse for you, isn't it? You were never after just Lucy. You wanted Fairy Tail crushed because of your own ego. So fine... come try. I'll bury you and your entire guild."
Jose laughed coldly. "Impressive deduction, boy. But with Makarov out of commission, the Fairy Tail Mages don't stand a chance."
He then presented them with a chilling ultimatum: "You have two options: be blown away by Jupiter in fifteen minutes, or be destroyed by the Shades, my creatures." His voice hardened. "Hand over Lucy."
Every member of Fairy Tail refused, their defiance a unified roar that vibrated with raw conviction. The idea of surrendering a comrade, a family member, was despicable.
Lucy was one of them, and she would not be given up. This unwavering loyalty made Lucy cry once more, tears of profound love mixing with the crushing weight of guilt.
Jose's face contorted in mortified rage, his true face—one of pure, unadulterated evil—now fully revealed.
"Fifteen minutes!" he bellowed, his voice echoing across the devastated land. "That's how much time you've got until Jupiter fires again." The countdown had begun.
"In that time, you can either hand over the girl... or be reduced to rubble."
Lucy's tears spilled over, but when she looked up, every Fairy Tail mage stood beside her.
Jose bared his teeth, deploying his Shades—shadows writhing, hungry for fear.
Natsu's fire flared, and Yume stepped forward, gunswords drawn.
The clock was ticking—But Fairy Tail had never bowed to a deadline.
End Of Chapter.
Author's note :
Hey everyone,
Just a quick heads-up about a little change to our upload schedule! To make sure I can give both stories the attention they deserve and keep the quality high for you all, I'm adjusting how chapters will be dropping.
Starting now, you can expect new chapters of "Shadowbound Dreams: The Sailor's Path – A Fairy Tail Adventure " every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
And for those of you following "The Gale of Becoming " every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
This new rhythm will help me deliver more consistent and polished chapters for both books. Thanks so much for your understanding and continued support – it means the world to me!
Check Out My New Story!
Title:" A Scarlet Blooms in the Rain "
Pairing: Erza x Juvia (Fairy Tail)
Type: Wholesome F/F Fluff One-Shot.
Your thoughts and feedback would mean a lot! Please check it out and let me know what you think.
Happy reading!