Atop the highest peak of Saint Topia stood an ancient temple.
At the grand entrance stood two towering figures, each well over three meters tall. Their eyes gleamed with a predatory sharpness, as if they could pierce through the swirling clouds and mist that blanketed the mountain.
One of them had a massive cobra coiled around his body. His left arm supported the snake's heavy length, while his right hand rested casually at the seven-inch mark of its neck. The serpent hissed softly, its tongue flicking out to taste the air.
The other figure stood barefoot, his hands folded around a wooden staff. The staff's shape was uneven, thick at the top and thin at the bottom, crudely crafted and seemingly ordinary. Yet the cracked patterns etched across the stone floor beneath its tip hinted at the strength hidden behind that simple appearance.
Past the outer gate stood two more guards at the inner entrance. One was bare-chested, muscles rippling beneath his skin, his expression fierce and animalistic. The other wore light armor marked with a cross upon the chestplate, his face calm and gentle, exuding an aura of compassion.
Beyond them lay the temple's inner sanctum. The hall was vast and sparsely decorated, majestic in its simplicity. Apart from a few towering stone pillars, the only object that drew the eye was a massive throne set upon a raised platform at the far northern wall.
Upon that throne sat a being whose physique resembled that of the Celestial Spirit King himself. His eyes were closed, his posture relaxed, as though deep in thought.
A dazzling, jewel-encrusted golden crown rested upon his head. His attire was regal to the point of blinding, an ebony noble's robe lined with gold, a bright belt clasped at his waist, and a crimson cape cascading behind him. Beside the throne leaned a magnificent scepter, its surface embedded with glowing gems that pulsed faintly with magic.
Compared to him, even the Celestial Spirit King's attire seemed plain, less like that of a monarch and more that of a battle-hardened ruler.
A moment later, the silence was broken by approaching footsteps.
A young man entered. His beauty was striking, beyond that of most men, even surpassing that of many women. His features were so finely crafted that even those with no inclination toward men might find themselves caught off guard by his face alone.
He approached with graceful composure, bowing low before the throne. His voice was clear and musical, smooth as birdsong.
"Your Majesty, though not all Celestial Spirit Mages have gathered yet, the two Magicians who possess all twelve Zodiac keys have arrived."
The man on the throne slowly opened his eyes. "You are certain it is those two?"
"Reflex Telescope's sight is beyond doubt," the young man replied. "And Northern Cross's report aligns with the intelligence provided by our informant. There can be no mistake."
The ruler leaned slightly forward. "And the progress of the purge?"
The young man bowed again. "In the last two days, Comet Hunter and his partner have cooperated efficiently, driving mountain beasts to hunt down fifty-one Celestial Spirit Mages and numerous companions. They have recovered one hundred and ninety-four Celestial Spirit keys.
"Tiger and Vulture led their units in ambushes, killing twenty-one Celestial Spirit Mages and retrieving sixty more keys.
"As for Charles Oak, he ambushed three Magicians on his own but, regrettably, recovered none. In total, the purge operation is already nearing its halfway point."
The figure on the throne nodded, satisfied. "You have done well. It seems appointing you as my assistant was indeed the correct decision, Antinous."
The beautiful youth smiled faintly, lowering his head. "Your Majesty flatters me."
Antinous's origins were far from glorious, and so being valued for his abilities rather than his appearance filled him with genuine pride. It was that recognition, more than anything else, that bound him to serve the being he now called King.
"Your Majesty," Antinous continued, his tone turning cautious, "the plan proceeds perfectly, yet I must report one potential complication. A troublesome human has also entered Saint Topia."
The King's golden eyes narrowed slightly. "The same one the informant warned us about?"
"Yes," Antinous said solemnly. "By human standards, he is considered one of the ten most formidable Magicians alive. He is called the Beast Tamer, the Monster, the Fairy Strategist of the New Era, Rhodes."
The King's gaze deepened as he repeated the name. "Rhodes… The human who disrupted our previous plans, was it not?"
Antinous nodded. "Indeed. By the measure of human Magicians, he is exceptionally dangerous, a rare mind that wields both wisdom and power. Rumors claim he maintains a close connection with the Dragon Race."
"Hmph." The man on the throne exhaled sharply through his nose, his voice calm yet filled with disdain. "He is merely a human. At best, he is a grain of sand beneath the wheels of the King's chariot.
"There is no need to wait for the scattered Celestial Spirit Mages to gather. Inform everyone to proceed to the final stage."
"As you command. The glory of the Star Spirits belongs to Emperor Patre!" Antinous bowed deeply, then stepped backward with measured grace before turning and leaving the hall.
It was not, strictly speaking, the ideal moment to advance the plan, but Antinous understood the King's reasoning. Acting before the humans caught wind of their movements was the best course of action.
With the so-called "Fairy Strategist" present, any delay could easily become a risk.
Though the King had dismissed Rhodes with words of contempt, his decision revealed that he was taking the man's involvement seriously.
...
"Open, Gate of Pisces! Pisces!"
When Rhodes and his companions arrived, Yukino had already summoned the mother-and-child pair of Pisces. Together with Libra's gravity magic, they had swiftly subdued three magical beasts, a bear, a wolf, and a tiger, now pinned helplessly to the ground.
As a Celestial Spirit Mage capable of opening two gates at once, the combination of Libra and Pisces was Yukino's signature technique. It had never failed her before, and today was no exception.
The three wolf-fox beastmen who had fallen before her were proof enough of that. Standing over them, Yukino looked every bit the proud, commanding mage she was.
"Yukino!" Lucy called out, waving excitedly.
"Lady Lucy?" Yukino turned, smiling faintly. "As expected, you came too. Lord Rhodes, Lord Natsu, and everyone from Fairy Tail…"
Wendy immediately rushed over to the fallen beastmen, kneeling beside the worst injured and channeling healing magic.
Rhodes extended his hand lazily, invoking both the Crown of Remaining and Ocean's Healing in quick succession to stabilize the rest. Once satisfied, he turned back to Yukino.
He didn't waste time with greetings. "This mission wasn't sent through the royal palace, was it? What are you doing here?"
Yukino nodded slightly. "The Princess has been tracking information from this area. She discovered that many guilds across Fiore and beyond received identical puzzle-solving commissions.
"At first, Her Highness wanted to come investigate personally, but Lord Arcadios forbade it. He wouldn't allow her to take such risks, so I came instead, leading a small team."
There was no need to ask what had happened to that team, their uniforms told the story well enough. The three injured mages lying nearby had clearly been her companions.
Rhodes's voice lowered. "Have you discovered anything so far?"
Yukino shook her head. "Along the way, we found the bodies of other Magicians and encountered several strange magical beasts. It's almost certain this is a deliberate conspiracy.
"But if we want to understand who's behind it, we'll have to reach the temple at the top of the mountain."
Everyone turned their eyes upward. Thick clouds hung over the peak, an opaque wall of white. Not even a hint of the temple could be seen.
Rhodes's expression sharpened. The blue and white dragon scales of the Cloud Dragon shimmered faintly across his arm as he raised his hand.
A gust of wind surged outward. At first it was gentle, brushing past everyone like a soft breeze, but it quickly grew stronger, spiraling upward in a powerful vortex. The mist churned violently, rolling away from the foot of the mountain.
For a brief moment, the air cleared, revealing a winding path that snaked upward toward the summit.
But within seconds, the fog rolled back in, thick and suffocating, swallowing the path once more.
The strange thing was that Rhodes's wind magic was still active, yet the mist regenerated almost instantly each time it was dispersed.
Lucy gasped. "Why is it doing that?"
Gray frowned. "That's not normal fog. Someone's creating it with magic."