Year: X784 (Ryo 17, Mira 16, Erza 15, Cana 15, Gray 13, Natsu 12, Happy newly hatched, Lisanna 11, Elfman 13, Levy 14, Jet & Droy 14)
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Part I – First Mission Alone
The guild hall buzzed louder than usual that morning.
"Unsupervised?" Macao nearly choked on his drink. "Makarov's lettin' the brats out without a leash?"
Wakaba smirked. "Guess the old man thinks they're ready. Or maybe he's just tired of the noise."
At the bar, Mira leaned smugly against the counter. "Told you, we're not kids anymore."
Erza frowned, arms folded. "Readiness is not measured in arrogance."
Gray scoffed, tugging at his shirt. "She's right, Mira. We're only half-trained."
"Shut it, ice boy," Natsu growled, flames licking his fists. "We're more than ready!"
"More like more than stupid," Cana muttered, swirling her drink.
Ryo sat quietly at the edge of the group, shadows faintly stirring at his feet. He didn't argue. He didn't need to. The fire in his chest told him he was ready—or at least, he would be if he had no choice.
Makarov finally cleared his throat, drawing every eye in the hall.
"The town of Bellmare has been overrun by mercenaries. They claim to be hired muscle, but reports suggest dark magic at work. The Council is ignoring it, so Fairy Tail will step in."
Gasps rippled through the guild.
"You'll go as a team," Makarov continued. "No older members. No me. This is your trial by fire." His gaze sharpened. "You are Fairy Tail. Act like it."
A weight settled on the squad's shoulders.
And so it began.
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Part II – Rivalry on the Road
The trip to Bellmare was anything but peaceful.
"Gray, put your clothes back on!" Erza snapped.
"They were hot!" Gray yelled back, now shirtless in the chill morning air.
"Hot? It's freezing, you idiot!" Mira barked, sparks of demonic energy crackling around her.
"Hey, don't yell at him, demon face!" Natsu shouted, flames bursting at his feet.
"Demon face?!" Mira's eyes glowed dangerously. "You little—"
"Both of you, shut up!" Erza cut in, her sword gleaming. "You're acting like children!"
"Because they are children," Cana muttered from the rear, sipping from her flask.
Ryo walked in silence, though his lips twitched faintly. This was chaos, yes, but it was Fairy Tail chaos. Loud, stupid, messy—yet alive.
Still, beneath the laughter and shouting, the curse whispered.
Fools. Weaklings. You could kill them all before they blinked. Why do you walk among them?
Ryo clenched his fists. "Because they're mine," he muttered under his breath.
The curse laughed.
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Part III – Bellmare in Flames
They arrived at Bellmare by dusk.
The town was in ruins. Shops looted. Doors broken. Families hiding in alleys. Smoke rose from the marketplace.
At the center of it all stood the mercenaries—dozens of them, armored and armed, a black banner with a serpent insignia fluttering above.
And their leader—a hulking man cloaked in crimson, runes glowing faintly on his skin. His voice boomed across the square.
"Another town for the Serpent's Coil!"
Erza's grip tightened on her sword. "Not again."
Mira's jaw clenched. "Guess the Ash Serpents weren't the last of them."
Ryo's shadows twitched at the sight of the leader's runes. His curse stirred violently, recognizing the same foul magic.
Kill. Cleave. Dismantle.
Not now. Not here.
The squad fanned out. Erza and Mira at the front, blades and fists ready. Natsu and Gray already bickering about who would hit harder. Cana shuffling her cards, muttering about dying young. Lisanna and Elfman hanging back but resolute. Levy, Jet, and Droy readying support spells.
And Ryo in the middle, the storm in his chest waiting to break.
The mercenaries laughed.
Fairy Tail charged.
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Part IV – Chaos Unleashed
The square exploded into battle.
Erza cut through armored men with fluid precision, her sword flashing like steel lightning. Mira slammed enemies into walls, her demonic aura cracking stone. Gray conjured ice spears, Natsu's flames roared in answer.
Lisanna transformed, her magic glowing. Elfman roared and punched a merc into the dirt. Levy supported with script spells, Jet and Droy covering her flanks.
And in the center, Ryo's shadows surged, wolves ripping through lines, blades parrying cursed steel.
For a while, it worked. For a while, they were winning.
Until the leader stepped into the fray.
With a single stomp, the ground cracked. Dark flames erupted, scattering them. His runes pulsed brighter.
"You children think you can face the Coil?" he bellowed.
Natsu charged, fists blazing. "Hell yeah we can!"
Gray followed instantly, ice blades clashing against fire as they both attacked at once.
Their strikes collided with the leader's guard—and with each other.
The explosion sent all three flying.
"Idiots!" Erza shouted, fury in her voice. "You'll get us all killed!"
The enemy roared, his flames rising. The battle tilted.
And Ryo felt the curse clawing at his chest.
Use me. End this. Cleave him. Dismantle him.
His vision blurred. His hands shook. He almost—almost—let go.
Until he heard Lisanna scream.
She was pinned beneath rubble, a mercenary's blade descending.
And Cana, cornered, her cards too slow, terror in her eyes.
"Damn it—!"
Ryo's shadows erupted, faster than thought. Wolves tore through the mercenary, blades shattered rubble before it crushed Lisanna.
He stood above them, chest heaving, shadows dripping with power—but not Cleave. Not Dismantle.
Just him.
Lisanna's wide eyes locked on his. "Ryo…"
Cana panted, shaken. Then she smirked weakly. "Knew you'd show up, Shadow Freak."
The curse hissed furiously, denied its feast. But Ryo didn't care.
Not this time.
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Part V – Rooftop Bonds
When the dust cleared, Bellmare was theirs again. The Serpent's Coil mercenaries lay defeated, their leader unconscious in chains.
The town cheered. The guild brats staggered back to camp, battered but victorious.
That night, Ryo found himself on a rooftop, watching the stars. His chest still burned, shadows faintly curling. The curse was quiet, but not gone. Never gone.
He sensed her before she spoke. Mira dropped beside him, legs dangling over the edge.
"You scared the hell out of me," she said softly.
He didn't answer.
"You didn't use it, though. Not Cleave. Not Dismantle." She glanced at him, a rare softness in her gaze. "That means something."
Ryo exhaled, a harsh laugh. "Means I'm still me. For now."
Erza's voice came from behind them. She stepped onto the roof, crossing her arms. "For as long as you stand with us, you are not alone. Do not forget that."
The three of them sat in silence, the noise of the guild below like a heartbeat.
Mira nudged his shoulder. "We'll keep you grounded. Whether you like it or not."
Erza nodded firmly. "Every time you fall, we'll drag you back."
For a moment, the curse was silent.
For a moment, Ryo believed them.
And under the stars, fire, steel, and shadow forged their bond.