*Cliff overlooking Magnolia Town - Afternoon of the second day*
The ancient cliff face that overlooked Magnolia had become Prince Damian's unofficial command post, hidden among the weathered rocks and scrub brush where he could observe the unfolding battle without being detected. His communication lacrima sat on a flat stone beside him, its soft glow connecting him to Levy back at headquarters, while a more sophisticated scrying crystal allowed him to monitor the conflict in detail.
"The mobile guild hall is massive," he reported quietly into the lacrima, watching the iron fortress that housed Phantom Lord's main force. "It's easily three times the size of Fairy Tail's building, bristling with magical cannons and protected by barrier shields. But something's changed—Fairy Tail members are actually boarding it."
Levy's voice crackled through the crystal, tight with worry despite the improved rest she'd been getting. "They're attacking directly? That's incredibly dangerous!"
"Tactically sound, though," Damian replied, adjusting the scrying crystal to get a better view of the mobile fortress. "Instead of trying to breach it from the outside, they're taking the fight to Phantom Lord's stronghold. I can see several of your guild members infiltrating different sections."
Through his enhanced vision, he could see the individual battles playing out within the massive mobile guild hall. The internal structure was like a multi-leveled fortress, with Fairy Tail members engaging Phantom Lord's elite forces throughout its corridors and chambers.
"Natsu's fighting someone on what appears to be an upper deck," Damian continued his commentary. "A man with strange colored flames—not normal fire magic. The flames are changing colors, each one seeming to have different properties."
"That's Totomaru," Levy said, relief evident in her voice despite the danger. "He's one of their Element 4—he can control different types of fire with various effects. Purple flames that have a physical form, rainbow flames that create illusions. But if anyone can handle unusual fire magic, it's Natsu."
As Damian watched, he saw Natsu adapting to his opponent's varied flame attacks with typical Dragon Slayer instinct, consuming some of the magical fire while avoiding the more dangerous variants.
"Erza's engaged with another Element 4 member in what looks like the fortress's central chamber," Damian reported. "A big man who seems to be using wind magic—but not normal wind. It's draining something from the air itself."
"Aria the Heavy Wind," Levy said grimly. "His magic doesn't just control wind—it can drain the air itself, creating magical vacuums. Erza will need to be careful not to get caught in his range."
Through the scrying crystal, Damian could see Erza rapidly switching between different armors, using her requip magic to adapt to Aria's suffocating wind attacks while pressing her own assault.
"Gray's found another opponent," Damian continued, focusing on a different section of the mobile fortress. "A woman with blue hair who appears to be using water magic. The entire corridor they're fighting in is flooded."
"Juvia of the Great Sea," Levy identified. "She's one of their strongest members—her water magic is incredibly versatile. But Gray's ice magic should be effective against her techniques."
The battle between ice and water was mesmerizing to watch, steam filling the corridors as Gray's freezing attacks met Juvia's flowing water techniques in a display of elemental combat mastery.
"There's another fight in the lower levels," Damian observed, shifting his scrying focus. "That large guild member of yours—Elfman—is facing what appears to be someone who can manipulate the earth itself."
"Sol of the Great Earth," Levy said. "Elfman's strong, but Sol's magic can be tricky. He treats everything like a dance, but his earth magic is devastatingly powerful."
For hours, Damian provided running commentary on the battles, watching as Fairy Tail's members fought with desperate determination throughout the mobile fortress. But as impressive as their individual performances were, he began to notice signs of strain.
"Something's wrong," Damian said suddenly, his voice growing tense. "I can see Natsu moving through the fortress, but he looks frantic. He's not just fighting anymore—he's searching for something."
Through the crystal, he watched as Natsu burst into what appeared to be a prison area of the mobile fortress, engaging Gajeel in fierce combat while someone else—a blonde girl—cowered in a nearby cell.
"Lucy," Levy breathed, understanding immediately. "They must have captured Lucy. Natsu's trying to rescue her."
"He's succeeding," Damian reported, watching as Natsu's fury over his friend's capture gave him the strength to overwhelm Gajeel despite the Iron Dragon Slayer's formidable abilities. "The iron mage is down, and Natsu's freeing the blonde girl."
But even as the individual battles turned in Fairy Tail's favor, Damian could see a larger threat building. At the top of the mobile fortress, José Porla himself had appeared, dark magical energy swirling around him like a living storm.
"José's preparing something massive," Damian reported, his voice tight with concern. "The magical energy building around him... it's enormous. And I can see Master Makarov confronting him directly."
"The Master went himself?" Levy asked, worry clear in her voice.
Through his scrying crystal, Damian watched the confrontation between the two guild masters. José's dark magic was impressive, but there was something different about Makarov's magical presence—a depth of power that seemed to dwarf everything else happening in the battle.
"Your master is incredible," Damian murmured, watching as Makarov weathered José's attacks while building up magical energy of his own. "The sheer amount of magical power he's channeling..."
Suddenly, brilliant golden light erupted from Makarov's position, expanding outward in a perfect sphere that encompassed not just the mobile fortress but the entire area around Magnolia. Even from his distant vantage point, Damian could feel the incredible magical pressure as something vast and ancient awakened.
"Fairy Law," Levy whispered, awe clear in her voice even through the communication crystal. "Master Makarov is using Fairy Law."
The golden light passed through everything, and Damian watched in fascination as it seemed to selectively target only those with hostile intent. Throughout the mobile fortress, Phantom Lord members simply collapsed, their consciousness overwhelmed by the ancient magic, while Fairy Tail members remained completely unaffected. José himself crumpled at the top of his fortress, his dark magic utterly overwhelmed by the golden radiance.
"Incredible," Damian breathed. "A targeting spell of that magnitude and precision... The magical theory alone should make it impossible, but I'm watching it happen."
"It's one of the three great Fairy magics," Levy explained, though her voice carried awe.
Even as she spoke, Damian could see through his scrying crystal that Makarov stood at the top of the mobile fortress, his small form standing proud after expending such vast magical power. But the battle was effectively over—Phantom Lord members throughout the fortress were either unconscious or surrendering, their coordinated assault broken by a single, perfectly executed magical technique.
"It's over," Damian reported, relief flooding through him. "Fairy Law worked perfectly. José is unconscious, his guild is defeated, and the mobile fortress is no longer moving."
"And our people? Are they hurt?"
Damian enhanced his scrying crystal, searching the fortress for signs of Fairy Tail members. "I can see Natsu helping the blonde girl—Lucy—down from the fortress. Erza is helping Master Makarov, and the others are regrouping. They look exhausted but victorious."
"What about the Master? Is he...?"
"Fine and proudly victorious," Damian confirmed, focusing on Makarov's small form leading the group in their return. "The magical expenditure from Fairy Law was great, but he's a wizard saint so its no issue for him."
As the Fairy Tail members began evacuating the defeated mobile fortress, Damian found himself marveling at what he'd witnessed. They hadn't won through superior numbers or firepower—they'd won through individual excellence, tactical coordination, and ultimately, the willingness of their master to sacrifice his own magical reserves to protect his family.
"They infiltrated an enemy stronghold, faced their strongest opponents, rescued their captured member, and ended the entire conflict," Damian said into the communication crystal. "Your guild is remarkable, Levy."
"They always find a way," Levy replied, though her voice was thick with emotion. "That's what makes them Fairy Tail."
"And what makes you one of them," Damian added softly. "The same courage, the same loyalty, the same willingness to face impossible odds for family."
"How long will it take Me to recover and return?" Levy asked, concern evident in her voice.
"From what I can see, you'll need extensive rest and magical recovery treatment," Damian replied. "But your guild will be fine during your recovery. We will continue treating you."
As he prepared to pack up his observation equipment, Damian took one last look at the scene below. The mobile fortress sat motionless in the distance, its threat ended, while Fairy Tail members helped each other down from its heights. It was a perfect image of what family meant—not just fighting together, but caring for each other in victory and defeat.
"I'm coming back," he said into the communication crystal. "The battle's over, your family is safe, and you need to hear about their incredible victory in person."
"All of them made it?"
"All of them," Damian confirmed. "Battered, exhausted, probably facing weeks of recovery, but alive and victorious. José and Phantom Lord will face justice for what they've done."
As he began weaving his World Magic for the return journey, Damian reflected on what he'd learned from observing the battle. Fairy Tail's reputation for reckless behavior missed the deeper truth—they were a family willing to infiltrate enemy strongholds and face impossible odds for each other, led by a master who would sacrifice everything to protect those he loved.
"I'm on my way," he said into the communication crystal. "And Levy? What I witnessed today... your guild didn't just win a battle. They proved that some bonds are strong enough to overcome any darkness."
As the Space World opened around him, Prince Damian E. Fiore carried with him the memory of golden light piercing through darkness and the knowledge that he had witnessed something truly extraordinary—a family that would literally move heaven and earth to protect each other.
It was exactly the kind of loyalty he hoped to inspire in the Magic Knights, and exactly the kind of love he was beginning to understand he felt for the remarkable woman waiting for his return.
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*To be continued...*