Date: X791, July 7
Location: Crocus – Burning Streets Below the Valkyrie
Smoke flowed through the streets in slow, rolling waves, curling around fallen beams and jagged piles of rubble. Sparks hissed in the air, caught in the pull of a pale moon that hung over the city like a silent witness. The sound of war—screams, crashing stone, and the low bellow of dragons—blended into a single, endless roar.
Romeo staggered out from the wreckage of a collapsed shop. He coughed hard, tasting grit and ash, his purple-flamed sword clutched in both hands. Sweat ran into his eyes, mixing with the black streaks on his face. At his feet, the charred remains of Motherglare's spawn twitched once, then went still.
Above the haze, a faint glow pulsed—Teresa's pale wings stretching wide as she hovered, silver eyes moving slowly over the streets. She didn't call out, didn't dive immediately. She watched.
Romeo spat blood and pushed forward. Just ahead, behind an overturned cart, a small knot of civilians huddled together—a woman holding a baby tight to her chest, and a boy frozen in place, eyes locked on the flames.
The ground trembled beneath new movement. From the jagged gaps between rooftops and the shadows of broken sewer grates, another wave of creatures poured out—twisted, reptilian beasts with clawed limbs and eyes glowing a sickly, burning red.
Romeo planted his feet.
"I won't let you through!"
The first line lunged. Romeo swung in a wide arc, his purple fire bursting outward in a circle, incinerating the closest attackers. He pivoted, sidestepped, and drove the blade forward into the chest of another. His movements were fueled not just by strength, but by the stubborn refusal to give ground.
One beast leaped from above, claws spread wide. Romeo ducked low and thrust upward, his blade punching through its ribcage. Black ichor splashed across his arm. He shoved it aside and turned, voice rising over the noise.
"Behind me! Run!"
The mother hesitated only long enough to meet his eyes, then nodded and bolted down the street with her child. The boy followed, but glanced back just in time to see Romeo's sword blaze again.
From her perch in the air, Teresa's gaze never wavered. She tilted her head slightly, the light from her wings flickering against the smoke.
"Echoes," she murmured, voice lost to the wind. "Fragile… but he holds them tightly."
Below, Romeo's breathing grew ragged. His sword felt heavier. The beasts didn't tire—they crept closer in a slow, hungry circle. His knees wanted to buckle, but he thought of Macao's steady voice, of Kinana's encouragement. And somewhere behind all of it, he thought of her.
His grip tightened.
"I won't stop… I'll protect them all!"
A deeper roar rumbled from the ruins ahead. More spawn poured from the shell of a leaning tower, spilling into the street like a living flood. Romeo's teeth clenched. He took a step forward, ready to burn through the last of his strength—
—when a streak of pale light swept across the cobblestones. The front rank of beasts crumbled into ash mid-leap, their momentum erased in a flash.
The ground shook as Teresa landed behind him. Her wings folded with a whisper of feathers and steel. Her Claymore rested at her side, silver edge humming faintly, its tip dripping black ichor. She scanned the rooftops with the sharp stillness of a predator.
Romeo dropped to one knee, gasping for air.
"Teresa…"
She looked down at him, and for the smallest instant, her eyes softened.
"You are not dead yet," she said calmly. "Good."
Her wings spread again. Without another word, she launched back into the air, leaving only a rush of wind and a trail of drifting embers.
Romeo pushed himself upright, leaning on his sword. A faint smile tugged at his mouth.
"She came back… even if only to clear the path. That's enough."
Above, Atlas Flame collided with Motherglare in a clash of fire and scale that lit up the sky. Natsu clung to Atlas's back, each punch into Motherglare's hide bursting in sparks.
On the streets below, Gajeel and Rogue fought shoulder to shoulder against another dragon, the sound of steel and magic clashing loud enough to rattle the remaining windows.
The city seemed to shake with every blow—but in the middle of it all, Romeo's stubborn stand burned like a small, defiant ember.
From a nearby alley, Gray caught sight of the streak of purple flame.
"That kid…" he muttered, a crooked smile appearing. "He's stronger than most adults I know."
Lucy, still unsteady on her feet, clasped her hands. Her eyes were wet. Erza kept one arm around her, though her gaze stayed fixed upward toward Teresa's silhouette.
"She doesn't fight to protect," Erza said softly. "She destroys everything in her way. But she still cleared the way for him."
Lucy swallowed.
"She's terrifying… but she's on our side. Right?"
Erza didn't answer. Her grip tightened on her sword.
High above, Teresa's mind was still. The chaos below did not pull her in—it sharpened her focus.
"The echoes cling to him like ivy to stone," she thought, picturing Romeo's back against the swarm. "Perhaps… warmth is not always weakness. But it is still not my way."
She rotated her Claymore. The silver runes along its surface flared faintly as hairline cracks sealed, yoki energy crawling along the blade like liquid lightning. The low hum in the air was a sound no one else seemed to hear.
Below, Romeo kept moving. Street by street, he guided survivors toward safer ground, pausing only to cut down stragglers. Every few turns, he looked up—not expecting her help, but knowing she was there. That knowledge alone was enough to keep him moving.
When he finally reached the city center, trembling and drenched in sweat, he stopped for a moment and glanced skyward.
"Thank you… Teresa…"
Far above, her wings curved in against the night. Moonlight caught in her silver eyes. For just a breath, her lips curved into the faintest smile—then vanished into steel stillness once again.