Magnolia: Fairy Tail Guild Hall
The guild was usually a riot of noise, but recently, a strange tension hung in the air.
Apart from Gildarts and Laxus who was out on an S-Class mission, most of the elite members were present.
Raizel, Ultear, and Erza had been staying at the guild for the past few days, without taking on any quest.
The reason was simple but concerning.
A few days ago, a grave-faced messenger from the Magic Council had arrived.
Makarov read the notice, his expression darkening instantly. He then solemnly informed Ur and the two of them hurriedly departed for Crocus, the capital of Fiore, for an emergency assembly.
They didn't explain why.
Because Ultear and the others were deeply concerned about their Master and Ur, they decided to wait until the two returned before making any moves.
Raizel sat at the bar, spinning a coin.
He wasn't particularly worried. It was only the year X781. In the original timeline, Makarov survived much worse.
'Still,' Raizel thought, 'the plot is shifting. I need to be ready.'
Suddenly, the Long-Range Communication Lacrima placed on the bar counter began to glow.
Hummmmm.
A holographic projection flickered to life. Makarov's small, wrinkled face appeared within the crystal ball.
"Master!" everyone shouted, gathering around.
Makarov looked tired as he scanned the room through the crystal.
"Are you all at the guild right now?" Makarov asked quickly.
He saw the crowd.
"Raizel, Ultear, and Erza," Makarov commanded, his voice serious. "Head to the Underground Library first. I'll explain everything there. This is for S-Class ears only."
He paused, narrowing his eyes at the pink-haired boy in the background.
"Natsu and Gray cannot follow."
Ur was visible in the background of the projection, leaning against a wall with her arms crossed.
She remained silent, but her nod confirmed the severity of the situation.
"WHY?!" Natsu yelled immediately, jumping onto a table. "Gramps! I want to listen too! I'm strong enough!"
WHAM.
Erza moved faster than the eye could follow. Her armored fist connected with the top of Natsu's head.
Natsu collapsed, his head embedded into the solid wood of the bar counter.
Smoke rose from the impact site.
"Sleep," Erza said coldly.
Gray, who had opened his mouth to protest, saw the twitching body of his rival.
He broke out in a cold sweat.
"I... uh... I'll just wait here," Gray whispered, silently taking a few steps back.
"Kagura, Wendy," Ultear said, turning to the girls. "Keep an eye on Natsu. Don't let him wake up and sneak after us."
"Leave it to me!" Wendy smiled and nodded firmly, while Kagura placed a hand on her sword hilt, ready to enforce the order.
....
Fairy Tail Underground Library
The heavy iron door clicked shut as Raizel locked it.
The underground library was cool and smelled of old paper. Raizel, Ultear, and Erza sat cross-legged on the floor around the glowing communication lacrima.
"Alright, Gramps," Raizel said. "We're secure. You can speak now."
Makarov took a deep breath.
"The Fiore Kingdom lies at the westernmost edge of the Ishgar continent," Makarov began, turning into a geography teacher.
"To the west of us, beyond a vast ocean, lies another continent—the Western Continent, Alakitasia."
Raizel nodded. He knew this.
"A few days ago," Makarov continued, his voice dropping, "the Alvarez Empire of Alakitasia dispatched three naval fleets. They launched a surprise attack on the outlying islands belonging to Ishgar."
Erza and Ultear's eyes widened.
"They have already occupied several of them," Makarov finished grimly.
Makarov assumed his "children" might not be aware of the Western Continent's politics, so he explained it carefully—unaware that both Raizel and Ultear had actually been there during their training travels (thanks to August's teleportation).
"Why are they attacking Ishgar?" Erza frowned deeply. "And since we're at the westernmost edge, how come we didn't know anything about it until they took the islands?"
"The ocean is vast, Erza," Ultear answered before Makarov could. "Even with a magic-powered ship, it takes about ten days to cross the sea between the continents. It's a massive blind spot."
"Exactly," Makarov nodded. "We're not entirely clear on their motive either. But looking at the map... it feels like they're targeting the Fiore Kingdom specifically."
Makarov rubbed his temples.
During the Council meeting, they had analyzed the trajectory of the invasion force.
It was a straight line toward Magnolia.
Makarov had a terrifying suspicion.
Lumen Histoire. Fairy Heart.
But he dared not voice this secret, even to his most trusted mages.
"Moreover, this attack was very sudden," Ur chimed in from the background. "The Council didn't receive any prior warning. Our radar networks failed. We only found out when a garrison troop on one of the islands used Take Over Magic to turn into a fish and swim back to the mainland to report."
"A fish?" Raizel blinked. "That's quite a .... dedication."
"What's the current situation?" Raizel asked, pinching his chin.
He recalled the original timeline.
There was a brief skirmish in X781, but it never escalated into the full-blown war of the final arc. In the canon, the Council used Etherion and the threat of Face to force a ceasefire.
'But history is changing', Raizel thought.
"The Council's army has already been dispatched," Makarov sighed. "We're currently in a standoff at sea. But the occupied islands haven't been retaken yet."
"We're on a break from the emergency session right now," Makarov explained. "We are discussing two options: Should the Guilds of Ishgar form a coalition army to repel the West? Or should we adopt another option : Etherion."
"Etherion?" Erza tilted her head.
"It's a type of super-magic," Makarov explained gravely. "It requires the joint approval of the Council members and the Chairman. Its power is great enough to destroy an entire country in a single shot."
Erza gasped.
"That's why many oppose it," Makarov said. "If we fire Etherion at the occupied islands to kill the invaders... we kill our own citizens and destroy our own land. What's the point of saving the kingdom if we burn it down ourselves?"
"Has the leader of the attack been identified?" Raizel suddenly spoke up.
"Is there... a woman among them?"
"Huh?"
Ultear and Erza turned to look at him. They narrowed their eyes in confusion.
Why is he asking about women at a time like this?
Raizel felt sweat prickle on his back. He awkwardly scratched his cheek with his index finger.
'I can't exactly tell them I'm worried about Irene Belserion,' he thought.
'If Irene is there, Etherion won't work. She can just enchant the sky to eat the laser.'
"A woman?" Makarov raised a bushy eyebrow but didn't question Raizel's odd priorities.
He shook his head slowly.
"Unfortunately, we can't confirm that. We haven't seen any leaders so far. We only know there are three banners flying on the flagships."
"Alright," Raizel nodded helplessly.
"So, what do you need us to do?" Ultear asked, getting back to business.
"Nothing for now," Makarov shook his head. "We're just informing you so you aren't blindsided. But prepare yourselves. If the Guilds join the war, Fairy Tail will likely be on the front lines."
"Understood," the three of them nodded simultaneously.
"We'll head back to the meeting now. Don't mention this to Natsu. He'll try to swim across the ocean to fight them!"
"Stay safe, Master. Ur," Erza said softly.
Click.
The crystal went dark.
The silence in the library was heavy.
Raizel sighed and turned to the two women, who were still giving him suspicious looks about the "woman" comment.
"The question I asked earlier..." Raizel began, raising his hands in surrender. "It wasn't because I'm a pervert."
"We didn't say that," Ultear smirked.
"It was because of August," Raizel explained seriously.
The mood shifted instantly.
"August is known as Magic King. But he has a counterpart," Raizel said. "A female Mage known as the Scarlet Despair. If she were to join the battle... Etherion might prove ineffective."
Ultear and Erza's expressions hardened.
They remembered August.
The old man who possessed magic that felt infinite.
And there was a woman equal to him?
"You're right," Erza said, crossing her arms. "The distance between the continents is vast. For August to teleport us back and forth like he did... his power is unimaginable. If his equal is leading this invasion, Ishgar is in grave danger."
"Let's hope," Ultear whispered, "that the Council makes the right choice."
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