Finally… finally, I found you!
Tears welled up instantly in Wendy's eyes as she threw herself straight into Mystogan's arms, crashing into him with all her strength.
"How are you here?" Mystogan staggered back a few steps, completely taken aback. For a moment, he even forgot his original purpose in coming here. His hands hovered awkwardly in the air before finally closing around Wendy.
"I've missed you so much… sob… all this time, all this time…"
Mystogan froze, utterly helpless as Wendy clung to him and wept, letting out everything she had been holding in.
"Looks like it really is him." Erza's lips curved into a small smile. She was genuinely happy for Wendy. That kind of reunion, that kind of relief—she could deeply relate to it herself, especially with her own feelings for Jellal.
But then…
The image of Jellal being taken away by the Council flashed in her mind, dimming her expression.
"Huh? Another cat?!" Happy's eyes popped wide with a comic exclamation mark dangling at the corner, staring in shock at the bandage-wrapped black Exceed standing nearby.
That was Liss. By all rights, when the kingdom of humans had openly declared war on Extalia, he should have been dragged to the execution stage as a captive, nothing more than a sacrifice for war.
And yet… Faust spared him. Not only that, Faust personally revealed secrets about Extalia to him and left him in Mystogan's care.
And then… nothing more.
The whole situation was utterly baffling.
"Tch." Carla cast him a cold, dismissive glance. Another pitiful fool who didn't know the truth. Yet, just as Carla's gaze lingered on Liss, his own eyes locked on hers.
The instant their eyes met, Liss's pupils shrank violently. His body froze, trembling in disbelief.
"Y-you… you are… Sha… Shagotte…"
"It's the same. The same. She looks just like Queen Shagotte. Her bloodline… it really did flow into Aslant. What that human said… was true."
In that instant, Liss felt his worldview shatter into pieces.
The Elders, the Queen—long ago, they had foreseen the world's destruction. They hadn't tried to save anyone else. Instead, they sent their own descendants away to Aslant for refuge, leaving their loyal retainers behind… to die.
"Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Destroy those vile cowards' last hope. Kill her…"
The light in his eyes dimmed. In the darkness of his heart, he felt it—the suffocating grip of some vast, black hand curling around him.
"No. No. No. There's no way those cunning humans could know of the Exceeds' secrets. He's lying—he must be lying! It must've been the Queen herself who foresaw something… and sent her child to Aslant.
I'll take her back. I'll bring her to destroy the humans. That's my mission. That's my mission!!"
Abruptly, all that hatred and despair melted away. Liss darted forward, his heart nearly bursting with reverence. He wanted so badly to cry out, to pledge his loyalty to her. But… not yet. Not while humans were still around.
No one must discover the Princess's true identity.
"Hello. I am Liss, an Exceed from Edolas. My lady, might I trouble you for some of your time?"
From the sidelines, Happy turned to stone.
Where did this guy even come from?!
"Ah… a rival!!"
"No, no, no! Carla would never fall for that." Happy spun away, muttering to himself, shaking his paw confidently.
And indeed, Carla simply gave Liss a frosty look and turned to walk away. Happy's heart soared with relief.
Until…
Liss whispered something, and Carla actually stopped. She hesitated, then followed after him.
Happy shattered into pieces on the spot.
Moments later, a trail of tears marked his sprint to the guild's library, where he wailed to his friends for comfort:
"NAZUUUU!!!"
The pitiful cry also reached Mystogan's ears. He quickly set Wendy down, his expression turning serious. Now wasn't the time to dwell on reunions.
"Erza, where's Natsu?"
"Natsu? …He should be in the library." Erza tilted her head. Mystogan asking for Natsu? Her first thought was that Natsu must've done something to offend him. But after thinking again, she shook it off—it had to be for something more important.
"Good." Mystogan vanished in a swirl of smoke.
Watching the space where he'd been, Wendy clutched her skirt tight, trying not to cry again. Erza frowned slightly. That kind of attitude… he won't win any girl's heart like that.
"I'm sorry, everyone," Coco said with a bow, her voice solemn. "The Prince only acted that way because of urgent matters."
"Prince?" Wendy blinked.
"Urgent matters?" Erza echoed.
"???" The rest of the guild looked utterly lost.
"A great upheaval has struck our world…" And from Coco's lips, the Fairy Tail mages began to learn of the crisis Edolas was currently enduring—secrets the Edolas Fairy Tail guild itself would never have known.
Fairy Tail Guild – Underground Library
Natsu was absorbed in a book when he suddenly felt an unfamiliar presence. He looked up just as Mystogan appeared, his smoke reforming into human shape.
"Mystogan? You're here to look for Gramps, too?" Natsu set his book aside, raising a brow.
"No. I came for you."
"…Me?" Natsu tilted his head, a series of question marks practically floating over it.
"I need to speak with you… and Doragon."
The question marks multiplied. Him… and Doragon?
"Just hear me out first." Mystogan paused, choosing his words carefully.
"A terrible disaster has struck Edolas. Magic there… has begun to revive."
"Revive? Disaster?" Natsu blinked, his brain full of question marks. Was this some new kind of bad joke? Or did the words mean something else?
That couldn't be it. He knew how badly Edolas longed for magic's return. And up until now, their exchanges with Edolas hadn't shown any issues.
"This isn't a joke, Natsu. Magic's revival isn't necessarily a blessing." Mystogan's voice was grave as he explained:
"Nature is balanced. Every species has its place. Fish live in water. Dragons soar through the skies…"
He didn't need to finish. Natsu's eyes widened as the realization hit him.
"The sudden change in magic… It's disrupting the ecosystem. Countless species can't adapt to Edolas's new environment. That's what you mean, isn't it?"
"Exactly." Mystogan nodded, surprised. Natsu had grown—his insight was sharper than before.
"The magic surge is unnatural. If it continues, the devastation will be unprecedented. The kingdom is already falling into civil strife."
"…But there's nothing I can do." Natsu clenched his fists. He felt something stirring inside him, a trembling urgency in his chest. But reason told him the truth: against something this massive, no single mage could stand a chance.
They didn't even know the cause. How could they stop it? What could Mystogan possibly want with him?
"There is someone who claims you and Doragon will be the saviors." Mystogan's face darkened. His voice lowered, heavy with meaning. After a long silence, he finally spoke again.
"And this incident… it may involve one more person."
That inner tremor in Natsu only grew stronger. He swallowed, anxious.
Who?
…Makarov.