Chapter XXV: Earthland Returns
The dimensional transition felt like being carried through layers of folding reality, but the final arrival back in Earthland was pure kinetic chaos.
High above the outskirts of Magnolia, the sky tore open like fabric, unraveling into a massive, swirling vortex of dimensional energy. Dozens of figures spilled from the rift, plummeting at terminal velocity toward the ground below.
Cumber, still burning in his radiant Super Saiyan form, reacted in a heartbeat. Flicking his wrists, his spatial magic created soft gravity-warping rifts beneath the falling mages, catching their momentum and depositing them safely across the grassy hill. His emerald eyes instantly searched the landing zone, locking onto Wendy as she landed gracefully on her feet, her Sky Dragon magic cushioning her descent.
"Everyone accounted for?" Teilanne called out, her crimson aura spreading out like a protective canopy over the scattered guild.
Erza Scarlet pushed herself up, requipping into her familiar Heart Kreuz armor in a flash of light. "Present. And we are definitely home."
Spread out before them were the familiar sights of Magnolia—the grand Fairy Tail guild hall standing proud, the town bustling under the warm afternoon sun, and Earthland's rich magic flowing freely through the air once more.
In a flash of golden Ki, Kizuna appeared beside Mirajane, pulling her tightly into a protective embrace. "Don't ever scare me like that again," he murmured, his voice tight with lingering relief.
Mirajane rested her head against his chest, her Take-Over magic settling as she held him close. "Never again. We're home, Kizuna. Together."
Nearby, Wendy took a deep breath, feeling the ambient magic in the atmosphere. "How long were we gone?"
Cumber stepped beside her, his golden aura softening to match the gentle breeze generated by her wind magic. "Time bends during dimensional travel," he said softly, keeping a protective watch over her. "But it feels as if we never left."
Wendy looked up at him, a warm, genuine smile breaking across her face.
Before anyone could celebrate their return, a second violent tremor shook the atmosphere overhead. The sky tore open once more—and this time, something far larger began descending from the rift.
The Exceed Arrival
The skies above Magnolia parted once more, but this time, hundreds of small, winged silhouettes glided down in disciplined aerial formations. Led by Queen Shagotte, the entire displaced populace of Extalia touched down softly upon the grassy meadows before the gathered guild.
"People of Earthland," Queen Shagotte announced, her voice regal yet heavy with exhaustion. "All stolen magic power has been restored to its natural balance. Your world has suffered no lasting harm."
While relief swept through the mages, Carla flared her white wings, stepping aggressively between the Exceed delegation and her friends. "Leave!" she snapped, her voice trembling with bitterness. "We don't need your reports after how you lied to us, treating us as mere tools for your evacuation plans!"
"Carla, please," Shagotte replied softly. "You have every right to be angry, but allow us to explain."
"We have no home to return to," an Exceed Elder interjected quietly. "When the magic drained from Edolas, Extalia crumbled. Our kingdom, our civilization—everything we built over generations is gone."
The Truth Unveiled
The stark admission silenced the plaza. Shagotte confessed that six years prior, a prophecy foresaw Extalia's destruction. Fearing human Dragon Slayers were the cause, she evacuated one hundred eggs under the guise of an assassination mission to give the children a purpose to survive.
"It was a desperate lie," Shagotte admitted, looking at Carla with deep sorrow. "Except for you. You inherited my precognition, Carla. Your visions blended with the false memories, making the mission feel real to you."
Wendy stepped forward, her wind magic humming softly. "Your vision came true, but not because of malice," the sixteen-year-old Sky Dragon Slayer offered gently, her emotional intelligence shining through. "You only tried to protect your children the only way you knew how."
Cumber watched Wendy with quiet pride, continually impressed by her mature insight. Carla's guarded posture finally collapsed as tears filled her eyes. "I forgive you," she whispered, stepping into Shagotte's tearful embrace.
New Beginnings and Old Roots
With Master Makarov offering Magnolia as a temporary headquarters, the Exceeds pledged to spread out across Earthland to locate the remaining ninety-eight missing children.
Nearby, the Clive family's heightened senses caught a quiet exchange as a young Exceed asked Shagotte why she hadn't revealed her true bloodline to Carla. "Until every single child is found safe," Shagotte whispered, "I don't deserve to call myself anyone's mother."
Lucky chuckled softly, casting a casual glance toward a certain blue cat hovering nearby. "Fair enough. Don't need a child that blue anyway," he muttered, though his eyes shone with undeniable parental pride alongside Marl.
Happy blinked, completely oblivious to the dramatic revelation of his parentage. He tilted his head, holding up a paw. "Fish?" he asked cheerfully. "Does anyone want to get fish?"
The simple request shattered the remaining emotional weight, bringing warm, familiar laughter back to the meadows of Magnolia.
Panther Lily's Transformation
As the main Exceed delegation dispersed to begin their search across Earthland, a final figure stepped out from the residual dimensional mist. Panther Lily materialized in the guild hall courtyard, but his imposing, human-sized frame was gone—replaced by the small, feline form typical of his species.
"My Battle Form was sustained by Edolas's unique magical properties," Lily explained calmly, his stern, disciplined expression completely unchanged despite his reduced stature. "In Earthland, I am restricted to my natural appearance."
Gajeel crossed his arms, a rare smirk tugging at his mouth despite his gruff demeanor. "Size never made the warrior, cat. Welcome to Fairy Tail, partner."
The Lisanna Revelation
Before formal introductions could proceed, Lily's golden eyes sharpened with urgent professional duty. "Before anything else, I must report a suspicious individual I apprehended during the transition."
He gestured toward a figure stepping out from behind him—a young woman with short silver-white hair and tear-filled blue eyes. Mirajane's breath caught in her throat, her hand flying to her mouth. "Lisanna...?"
"I'm not Edolas Lisanna," the girl whispered, tears streaming down her face as the entire courtyard fell into stunned silence. "I'm your Lisanna. Two years ago, I didn't die—an Anima rift absorbed me right as I collapsed. I woke up in Edolas, and when Edolas Mira and Elfman found me... I couldn't bear to break their hearts. But when the Anima reversed, they told me to return where I belong."
Mirajane swayed, her Take-Over magic flaring under emotional shock, but Kizuna stepped up instantly, catching her against his chest. His golden Saiyan Ki hummed with a reassuring warmth, grounding her as Elfman let out a choked cry and threw his arms around their long-lost sister. Mirajane pulled Lisanna tight, sobbing openly into her hair. Kizuna kept a gentle, supportive hand on Mirajane's shoulder, his dark eyes soft. "This is what we fought for," he murmured quietly. "Family coming home."
Watching from the steps, Uruk adjusted his glasses. "Dimensional displacement paired with identity substitution... the odds of such an exact swap occurring naturally are astronomical."
"It wasn't accidental," Sala added, her analytical senses probing the lingering magical trail. "There are subtle enchantments woven into the rift's memory."
Teilanne smiled softly, her crimson aura flaring gently. "Whether by cosmic intervention or raw fate, the outcome is what matters."
Master Makarov stepped forward, his eyes shining as he raised a single finger toward the sky. "Whatever brought you back, you are home! Lisanna, Panther Lily, and every soul seeking refuge—this is what Fairy Tail stands for!"
The New Normal
Later that evening, as the guild celebrated their complete reunion, several conversations unfolded across the hall that would shape the days ahead.
Panther Lily had integrated surprisingly well into Fairy Tail's culture. His serious, tactical demeanor provided a balanced counterweight to Happy's cheerful energy, and the two Exceeds were already coordinating on guild security measures.
Meanwhile, Lisanna's return had lifted a heavy shadow from Mirajane and Elfman. The years of guilt and grief finally dissolved, allowing them to rediscover a sense of joy they had long thought lost. Kizuna watched his girlfriend with quiet satisfaction—the faint sorrow that used to linger in her eyes was completely gone, replaced by a radiant lightness.
Across the hall, Wendy and Cumber—both sixteen—had found themselves drawn into a quiet discussion about the dimensional mechanics of the Anima reversal.
"The spatial distortions during the Anima reversal," Wendy observed, her hands tracing the air as she explained, "followed patterns that seemed almost organic rather than purely magical."
Cumber nodded, his golden Ki creating small, glowing geometric shapes in his palm to illustrate her points. "Like the dimensions themselves were alive and responding to stimuli rather than simply following physical laws. I noticed that too."
Their mutual respect for each other's analytical minds had grown into a comfortable, deepening bond—one that both were content to let develop naturally.
A Wider Calculation
In a quieter corner of the hall, the Clive family gathered to discuss the broader implications of their experiences.
"We should talk about what this means," Kizuna said quietly. "Too many impossible things are happening around us for it to be mere coincidence—dimensional displacement, exact identity swaps, and our own arrival in this world."
"Agreed," Teilanne replied, her crimson aura subdued but alert. "Whatever forces are at work, they seem aligned with protecting the people we've come to care about. Until that changes, we support our guild."
"And if it does change?" Cumber asked, his golden energy flickering in contingency patterns.
"Then we show those forces why Saiyans don't make good pawns in anyone's game," Teilanne answered with quiet conviction.
Shadows Before the Trial
Two days later, life in Magnolia had settled back into its familiar routine. Lucy Heartfilia was enjoying a long, hot bath in her apartment, grateful to wash away the lingering stress of Edolas.
She had just relaxed into the steaming water when someone materialized right inside her bathtub with a massive splash.
"CANA!" Lucy shrieked, grabbing a towel as water spilled over the bathroom floor.
Cana Alberona sat in the tub fully clothed, looking deeply troubled. "Sorry, Lucy," she said quietly, lacking her usual energetic bravado. "I needed to talk to someone, and you've always been good at listening."
Lucy wrapped the towel around herself and sat on the edge of the tub, her annoyance giving way to concern. "What's wrong? You look like you haven't slept in days."
"Lucy... how do you face someone when you're not sure you're worthy of their attention? When you might just disappoint them by existing?"
The raw pain in Cana's voice stunned Lucy. "Cana, what is this really about? You can tell me."
Cana hesitated, then stood up abruptly, water dripping from her clothes. "Maybe I shouldn't burden you. I'm thinking of quitting the guild, Lucy. Leaving Fairy Tail for good."
"You can't be serious!" Lucy gasped. "Fairy Tail is your home!"
"Some family members become liabilities," Cana replied softly before stepping out the door, leaving Lucy alone with a wet bathroom and a heavy heart.
The Guild's Unusual Energy
The next morning, Lucy walked into the guild hall hoping to understand Cana's strange behavior.
"Mira," Lucy asked at the bar, "Cana came by yesterday and said she might quit the guild. What's going on?"
Mirajane offered a sympathetic smile. "Cana gets like this around this time every year. Self-doubt, depression, questioning her place here. Some burdens are heavier than others." Her eyes softened as Kizuna entered the hall, exchanging a warm glance with her across the room. "Sometimes the people we love most are the ones we feel least worthy of."
Before Lucy could ask more, the doors burst open. Natsu and Happy charged straight to the request board.
"This one!" Natsu yelled, tearing a flyer down. "Happy and I are taking it!"
"Move it, Flame-brain!" Gray shouted, shoving his way toward the board. "I need a high-paying mission too!"
Within seconds, the entire guild descended into a wild scramble for high-tier assignments. Even Levy was aggressively competing for requests.
From the back, the Clive family observed the sudden chaos.
"Unusual behavior pattern," Uruk noted, adjusting his glasses. "Cooperation has completely dissolved into desperate individualism."
"They're trying to prove something," Sala added, analyzing the sudden spike in competitive tension.
"This feels like preparation," Teilanne observed. "They're positioning themselves for something important."
Near the perimeter, Cumber expanded his spatial Ki, creating an invisible barrier that kept the surging crowd from jostling Wendy. "Any precognitive insights?" he asked her quietly.
"Nothing specific," Wendy replied, sensing the mounting urgency in the air. "But something big is coming."
Nearby, Carla demonstrated her precognitive magic to Lisanna, while Erza sparred with Panther Lily in his imposing Battle Form, impressed by his tactical discipline.
Lucy turned back to Mirajane, thoroughly bewildered by the frantic energy filling the hall. "Am I going to understand what all of this is about tomorrow?"
Mirajane smiled mischievously. "Oh, you'll definitely understand tomorrow, Lucy. In fact, I think you're going to find it very interesting."
The S-Class Trial Announcement
The next morning proved Mirajane's subtle warning entirely accurate. The guild hall was packed to absolute capacity, filled with an electric tension that vibrated through the floorboards. Every member of Fairy Tail had gathered, sensing that the scramble of the past few days had finally reached its boiling point. Even the Clive family stood near the high arched windows, their presence a quiet, formidable anchor amid the rising excitement. Though not officially guild members, their integration into the Fairy Tail family had earned them front-row seats to one of the guild's most sacred traditions.
Master Makarov stepped onto the wooden bar counter. Small in stature, his presence immediately subdued the deafening roar of the hall into complete, breathless silence. When he spoke, his voice carried the heavy weight of authority and decades of wisdom.
"Children," Makarov declared, his gaze sweeping over the eager faces before him, "it's time for this year's S-Class Mage Promotion Trial."
The room erupted. Cheers, fist-pumps, and frantic discussions exploded across the hall as the full weight of his words sank in.
"The trial will take place on Tenrou Island, our guild's sacred ground," Makarov continued, raising a hand to quiet the storm. "Only eight candidates have been selected, and among you, only one will earn the right to advance to S-Class."
Lucy felt her heart hammering against her ribs. Watching the crowd, she finally understood the frantic desperation of the last two days—everyone had been pushing their limits to prove they belonged on that list.
"The eight candidates are as follows," Makarov announced, his voice echoing into the rafters. "Natsu Dragneel. Gray Fullbuster. Juvia Lockser. Elfman Strauss. Cana Alberona. Fried Justine. Levy McGarden. And Mest Gryder."
A wall of sound tore through the building as friends cheered for the nominees. Yet amidst the overwhelming jubilation, Lucy's eyes gravitated toward the back of the room. Cana stood motionless, entirely detached from the wild celebrations surrounding her. There was no joy, no spark of pride, no competitive fire—only the same hollow, soul-crushing weight Lucy had witnessed in her bath hours prior.
At the same moment, near the center of the hall, Carla's body went completely rigid.
Without warning, her precognitive sight tore open. A terrifying, fragmentary vision flooded her mind: she saw the colossal, ancient branches of the Great Tenrou Tree rotting into ash and crumbling to dust. She saw Natsu and Cana weeping, their faces broken by unbearable despair and loss. She saw a lone, desperate hand reaching upward through an suffocating abyss. And at the epicenter of the catastrophe stood a young man clad in dark, flowing robes—his face agonizingly obscured by flickering shadows.
Carla gasped for air, staggering sideways into Wendy's arms.
"Carla?!" Wendy asked, instantly supporting the white Exceed as her Sky Dragon magic flared with concern. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Carla shook her head violently, trying to purge the horrifying imagery burning in her mind. "Something is wrong, Wendy," she whispered, her voice trembling with rare terror. "The trial... there is a dark, suffocating danger waiting for us."
Unaware of the vision, Makarov laid out the trial's core mechanics. The existing S-Class mages would stand as gatekeepers, creating formidable trials designed to test every candidate to their absolute limits. To survive the gauntlet, each candidate was required to select a single partner within the week to fight alongside them.
The selection process sparked instantly. Fried turned to Bickslow with quiet, absolute trust. Natsu locked arms with Happy, relying on their unbroken bond. Gray approached Loke, aligning his Ice-Make abilities with celestial magic. Juvia surprised the hall by pairing with Lisanna, forging a dynamic combination of elemental and Take-Over magic. Elfman asked Evergreen, the fierce blush on their faces contrasting sharply with their competitive posturing. Levy selected Gajeel, their growing trust overcoming past grudges.
Only Mest and Cana remained unpartnered in the crowd—Mest by tactical design, and Cana by an isolating wall of self-doubt.
Watching the chaotic scene from the perimeter, the Clive family analyzed the underlying stakes with sharp, experienced eyes.
"An intriguing structure," Kizuna observed quietly, his dark eyes following Mirajane as she moved through the room offering encouraging smiles to the chosen mages. "They aren't simply measuring raw magical output or combat efficiency. The true trial here is psychological."
"Indeed," Teilanne agreed, subduing her crimson Saiyan aura so as not to disrupt the delicate balance of the room. "Becoming an S-Class mage isn't just about wielding overwhelming power. It's about demonstrating the resolve to carry the burden of the guild when everything falls apart."
"And whether they're truly ready for what happens when the test becomes real," Cumber added, his golden Ki pulsing with quiet calculation.
The celebration roared on into the afternoon, but beneath the surface of Fairy Tail's greatest tradition, the gears of a much darker fate had already begun to turn.
Carla's Warning
Later that afternoon, the sun dipped behind the jagged rooflines of Magnolia, casting long, violet shadows across the cobblestone streets. Wendy and Carla walked side-by-side in unusual silence, the white Exceed's tail twitching with a nervous, rigid rhythm that betrayed her internal turmoil.
"Wendy," Carla spoke up suddenly, her voice dropping to a harsh, urgent whisper that stopped the Sky Dragon Slayer in her tracks. "I have a deeply unsettling feeling about this trial. The images in my vision... they weren't just warnings. They were a calamity. Promise me right now that you will not set foot on Tenrou Island."
Wendy blinked in gentle confusion, tilting her head as her blue hair swayed in the evening breeze. "Carla, I wasn't even selected as a candidate. Master Makarov chose the senior members. I doubt anyone would even think to ask me to be their partner."
"Good," Carla declared, folding her arms tight against her chest and letting out a sharp breath. "In this instance, obscurity is a blessing. Sometimes remaining unchosen is the safest outcome."
"You shouldn't diminish your own worth so easily," a quiet, composed voice interjected from the shadows of an adjacent archway.
Mest Gryder stepped into the amber streetlamp light. His posture was poised and deliberate, his dark eyes carrying a calculated calm that always felt slightly detached from the rest of the guild's boisterous energy. Wendy looked up at the older mage with polite curiosity; though Mest had been a member for years, there was an indefinable friction to his presence—a strange, subtle gap in her memories whenever she tried to recall their past interactions.
"Mest-san?" Wendy asked softly.
"Every mage in Fairy Tail possesses unique value," Mest said smoothly, stopping a few paces short of them. "Recognition from a trial doesn't define your capability. In fact... I came looking for you specifically, Wendy. I want to ask if you would stand beside me as my partner for the S-Class trial."
The proposal hung in the air like a sudden frost. Carla's fur stood on end instantly, her instinctual senses screaming that something was fundamentally wrong, though she could pinpoint no tangible malice in Mest's expression.
"Me?" Wendy pressed a hand to her chest, her eyes wide. "But I'm still learning... I'm just—"
"You are a Dragon Slayer whose supportive enchantment magic can turn the tide of any engagement," Mest interrupted, his tone laced with an intensity that bordered on desperate. "Your magic complements mine in ways no one else's can. Your presence on Tenrou Island would be invaluable."
Wendy looked down at her small, calloused hands—hands that had healed wounds and summoned gales. A quiet desire to prove her growth to her guildmates flickered to life inside her. "If... if you truly believe I can help you, Mest-san... then yes. I'll be your partner."
"You are helping more than you could possibly realize," Mest replied. A faint smile touched his lips, though it failed entirely to reach his cold, analytical eyes.
Cana's Crisis
Meanwhile, far on the south side of town, the heavy stench of damp wood and spilled ale hung thick in a narrow alley behind one of Magnolia's rowdiest taverns. Lucy Heartfilia picked her way through the slick cobblestones, her heart sinking as she spotted a slumped figure leaning against a stack of rotting wooden barrels.
"Cana!" Lucy gasped, rushing forward and dropping to her knees in the grime.
Cana Alberona lay passed out among empty glass bottles, her brown hair matted with moisture, looking utterly broken. The fierce, booze-toting powerhouse of Fairy Tail was gone; in her place was a young woman consumed by a quiet, devastating ruin.
It took every ounce of Lucy's strength to haul the semi-conscious card mage out of the alley, throwing Cana's arm over her shoulder and navigating the quiet streets back to her apartment. She laid Cana down on her couch, wiping the dirt from her friend's face with a warm towel and sitting quietly in the dim candlelight while the hours ticked by.
When Cana finally stirred, her eyes opened to meet Lucy's. There was no deflection left in her, no bravado to hide behind. The raw agony in her gaze made Lucy's throat tighten.
"Lucy..." Cana's voice was barely a raspy whisper. "I need to tell you something. Something I've kept locked inside me since the day I walked into this guild."
"You don't have to force it," Lucy said gently, pushing a glass of water into her hands. "But I'm listening."
Cana stared blankly into the clear water, her hands trembling so severely that the glass clinked against her teeth. "I've failed the S-Class trial four times, Lucy. Four years of proving to myself that I'm completely worthless... that I'm just taking up space in a place filled with monsters and heroes."
"That's not true, Cana! You're one of our strongest—"
"If I fail a fifth time," Cana cut her off, her voice cracking under immense emotional pressure, "I am leaving Fairy Tail forever. I'll pack my bags and walk away. Because if I can't even reach S-Class... I don't have the right to look him in the eye. I don't have the right to call him my father."
Lucy froze, the room falling dead silent as the full weight of Cana's secret settled between them. The missing pieces of the puzzle slammed into place with brutal clarity—the annual despair, the desperate drinking every time the trial approached, the crippling fear of inadequacy. It wasn't about power or status. It was about a daughter standing in the massive, crushing shadow of a legendary man, too terrified of her own mediocrity to claim her bloodline.
Tears spilled over Cana's cheeks, dripping onto her lap. "He doesn't even know I exist. How could I tell him? 'Hey, I'm your daughter, the mage who's been stuck at the bottom for fifteen years'? He deserves a child he can be proud of. Not a mistake."
Lucy felt an overwhelming surge of fierce, protective fury—not at Cana, but at the cruel self-loathing that had trapped her friend in darkness for a decade. She stepped forward, grabbed Cana by the shoulders, and looked directly into her tear-filled eyes.
"I am going to be your partner," Lucy declared, her voice ringing with absolute, unshakeable conviction.
Cana blinked in shock. "Lucy, no... you don't understand how dangerous—"
"I understand completely!" Lucy insisted, gripping Cana's hands tight. "You've been carrying this crushing weight all by yourself for years. Well, you're not doing it anymore. You are going to face him, Cana. But first, we are going to conquer Tenrou Island together. We're going to win."
The sheer force of Lucy's resolve seemed to slice through the cold fog of Cana's despair, illuminating the dark corners of her mind with the very first spark of real hope she had felt in years.
Departure Preparations
A week later, Magnolia's eastern harbor was bathed in the burning gold of a low autumn sunset. The smell of brine and pine wood filled the air as the massive wooden galleon prepared for departure, its sails snapping gently in the offshore wind.
All eight candidates, their chosen partners, and the elite gatekeepers gathered on the wooden docks. The air vibrated with a mixture of intense competitive focus and underlying anxiety. Wendy stood near the gangplank beside Mest, adjusting the straps of her travel pack. At sixteen, her physical growth and refined mastery over her Sky Dragon magic had given her a quiet poise, yet she kept casting uncertain glances toward the horizon.
A short distance away on the upper pier, the Clive family stood watching the departure preparations. Cumber leaned against a wooden pillar, his golden Ki flickering beneath his skin in sharp, subtle geometric patterns as his analytical mind calculated the variables of the room. His bright eyes remained fixed on Mest.
"Something in that man's magical signature is warped," Cumber noted softly to his mother, his spatial sensitivity picking up an unnatural distortion around Mest's aura. "It feels like a displacement... like reality around his identity is constantly trying to correct a fault line."
Teilanne folded her arms, her crimson aura flaring low and warm against the chilly sea breeze. Her maternal gaze lingered on Wendy. "Your perception is sharp, Cumber. His energy carries the distinct friction of memory-altering magic. But Wendy's instincts are keen, and her resolve is tested. She will stand her ground if forced."
"And if he turns out to be a threat to the guild?" Cumber asked, his golden Ki hardening into razor-sharp lattice lines.
"Then he will discover very quickly how small Earthland is when a Saiyan comes looking for him," Teilanne replied with cool, absolute authority.
Near the mooring lines, Carla stood beside Happy, her small white hands clutching her dress as she watched the mages board the ship one by one. Her precognitive sight twitched violently behind her eyes—visions of falling leaves, ash, blood on stone, and the looming shadow of a tragic youth draped in black robes.
"Carla," Happy said quietly, putting a paw on her shoulder, his usual goofy demeanor replaced by solid, reliable warmth. "They're strong. Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lushee... everyone. Whatever happens out there, Fairy Tail doesn't break."
"I know," Carla whispered, though her shivering didn't stop. "I just hope their strength is enough for what's waiting on that island."
The heavy iron anchor was hauled up with a rhythmic clinking of chains. The ship pushed off from the wooden docks, catching the evening tide and gliding out into the vast, darkening sea toward the sacred, mist-shrouded domain of Tenrou Island. Onshore, the guild watched until the vessel became a distant silhouette against the setting sun—unaware that the sacred trial about to begin would shatter the peace of the world forever.
To be continued ...
Next Time: Chapter 26: Who's the Lucky One [Tenrou Island Arc]?