Guild Hall, Fairy Tail~
The Fairy Tail Guild Hall thrummed with its usual chaos. Plates clattered, spells fizzed, and laughter ricocheted off the rafters. Natsu and Gray's latest brawl erupted in a corner, drawing half-hearted cheers and groans. Lucy, already used to the spectacle, watched with mild exasperation.
Yume stood apart near the request board, arms folded, gaze cool and unreadable. He rarely spoke unless necessary, preferring to observe, his presence like a silent shadow at the edge of the room. Beneath his calm, a faint tension lingered—a quiet readiness, the kind that never needed to announce itself.
The brawl ended abruptly as Gray's ice sent Natsu crashing, unconscious, to the floor. Yume's eyes lingered on Natsu, a flicker of silent judgment passing through them. Reckless. Predictable. He looked away, uninterested in the fallout.
The doors burst open. Romeo Conbolt, small and shaking, stood in the light. "Please… my dad hasn't come back from his mission. He was supposed to be home by now…"
A hush fell. Several guild members glanced over, concern flickering in their eyes. One older mage offered a gentle smile. "Hey, Romeo, your dad's one of the best. He'll be back soon, I'm sure."
Another leaned in, reassuring, "Macao's handled tough jobs before. He probably just got caught up somewhere."
Romeo's voice wavered. "But he promised he'd be back. He's never missed dinner before…"
Wakaba came, kneeling to Romeo's height. "We all know how much your dad loves you, Romeo. He'll come home as soon as he can."
Romeo's gaze darted from face to face, searching for someone to truly believe him. Lucy gave him a gentle, uncertain smile, and Mirajane, who offered a reassuring nod. But neither moved to help.
Makarov finally hopped down from his seat, his tone both gentle and firm. "Now, now, Romeo. There's no need to cry. Your father is a strong wizard—one of Fairy Tail's best. He's handled plenty of tough jobs before. I'm sure he'll be back before you know it."
But Romeo's lower lip trembled, and his eyes filled with tears. He shook his head, voice barely a whisper. "He promised he'd come home…"
His words hung in the air, fragile and desperate. The guild's mood softened, many watching with quiet worry as Romeo, unable to hold back any longer, ran for the door, his sobs echoing in the sudden hush that followed.
Lucy's voice broke the silence. "What happened to Macao?"
Mirajane's cheerful mask slipped. "He took the Cinderwasp extermination on Mount Melia. Dangerous, but his fire magic should've helped. Still… those wasps are relentless."
Yume's eyes narrowed. He remembered the Vulcan job he'd taken—how Macao had switched missions for Romeo's sake. If I hadn't taken that job… The thought twisted in his chest, but he didn't let it show. He glanced once more at Natsu, then moved to the board, scanning the mission details.
He left without a word, steps measured, resolve absolute.
Lucy watched him go. "Who is he? Why is he just leaving like that?"
Behind the bar, someone whispered, "Master, should we let him go alone? This mission's dangerous. If something happens to Macao, it'll crush Romeo. And Yume—he could get hurt. Or worse."
Makarov's eyes were grave but steady. "Let him go. He's made his decision. I trust him. But I'm worried for Macao, too."
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Outside Magnolia
Ash and heat pressed against Yume as he reached the forest's edge. He paused, breathing in the acrid air, the faint taste of sulfur on his tongue. The Cinderwasps would be drawn to fire—his magic would be both weapon and bait.
He drew a shimmering talisman, its surface cool against his fingers. A silent gesture, and the Round Deer materialized in a blaze of light—eleven feet tall, antlers branching like crystal, radiating pure positive energy. The ground beneath its hooves shimmered, grass and flowers blooming even in the ash-laden soil.
His other shikigami recoiled, their forms flickering. Only Rika, bound to Yume like a living shadow, stood firm—her energy a unique blend, not quite curse, not quite spirit.
If Macao isn't back, he's in real danger. No time for hesitation.
He summoned the rest: Rika, Enma (mane blazing with purple fire), the Twin Hounds—Sky and Sea, Great Serpent—Viperion, Nue—Stormwing, Toad—Croakus, Tuskus—the mammoth elephant, and Swiftwing the scout bird.
The Battle with Round Deer
Round Deer didn't wait. It moved with supernatural speed, bounding high and twisting midair, antlers flashing like blades. With a stomp, a wave of positive energy rippled outward, instantly healing its own minor wounds and knocking Sky and Sea off their feet.
Viperion lunged from below, tail-blade slicing, but the deer sensed the attack, leaping aside with impossible agility. Its antlers glowed, and with a flick, it sent a pulse of energy that neutralized the poison seeping from Viperion's fangs, forcing the serpent to retreat.
Croakus let loose a sonic scream, but the deer's ears flicked back, and it countered by channeling positive energy through the ground—flowers and vines erupted, muffling the sound and entangling Croakus's legs. The toad struggled, tongue snapping, but the deer's wisdom showed: it targeted the shikigami's weaknesses, not just their strength.
Stormwing dove, lightning crackling, but the deer's antlers absorbed the electricity, dispersing it harmlessly into the earth. It responded with a blinding flash from its antlers, momentarily disorienting Stormwing and Swiftwing's flock.
Tuskus charged, trunk spraying water, tusks gleaming with energy. The deer met the charge head-on, its crystalline antlers clashing with the mammoth's tusks. For a moment, the two titans pushed against each other, the ground cracking under their combined might. Then the deer twisted, using its agility to slip aside and deliver a powerful kick, sending Tuskus staggering back.
Swiftwing's multiplied forms tried to swarm and distract, but the deer's supernatural perception let it track every movement. With a gentle breath, it released a wave of positive energy, disrupting Yume's magical connection to the weaker birds, forcing several to dissipate.
Then Enma entered the fray—eight feet tall, a massive, muscular infernape-like being with a mane of purple fire. He soared on his golden Kinton cloud, wielding a staff that shifted size at will. With a roar, Enma spun his staff to colossal length, smashing it into the deer's antlers, sending shockwaves through the earth. The deer met him with a burst of positive energy, dampening the purple flames around Enma's fists. Enma responded with tree magic, roots bursting from the ground to ensnare the deer's legs. For the first time, the deer was slowed—its healing faltered as venom from Viperion and Croakus's sonic dissonance combined with Enma's binding roots.
Sensing the tide turning, the deer reared, antlers glowing, and unleashed a wave of healing energy that not only closed its wounds but also weakened the negative energy animating Yume's shikigami. Sky and Sea's forms flickered, Croakus's voice faltered, and even Rika felt a momentary drain.
Yume's eyes narrowed. It's adapting. Learning. Testing us.
He gave silent commands: Enma, bind tighter. Viperion, strike now. Stormwing, cover. Croakus, disrupt. Sky, Sea—harass the flanks. Swiftwing, relay every opening.
Enma's staff grew massive, slamming down as roots and purple fire combined, pinning the deer's legs. Viperion struck from below, venom finally biting deep. Stormwing battered the deer's head with wind and lightning, while Croakus's sonic scream, amplified by the roots, finally breached the deer's focus.
With the deer slowed and distracted, Yume summoned his Pandora Orbs—chains of energy binding limbs and neck. He surged forward, Rika beside him, their combined energy unleashing a precise, devastating beam at the deer's core.
The deer's form flickered, energy fracturing. With a final, echoing cry, it collapsed, subdued—its wisdom and power yielding to Yume's relentless teamwork and tactics.
Yume allowed a rare smile. Toughest fight yet. No time to rest.
He placed a talisman on the deer's brow; its aura softened. Healing magic flowed, easing the strain on his shikigami.
But Yume could feel the ache deep in his muscles and the exhaustion weighing down his body—a toll from both the fight and the magic he'd expended.
He summoned Round Deer anew, stepping into the gentle field of positive energy radiating from its form. Warmth and vitality surged through him, knitting torn muscle, closing wounds, and banishing fatigue. Stamina and health returned quickly under the deer's restorative aura, his breath evening out and his steps regaining their steadiness.
But as he reached inward, searching for the familiar well of magic, he found it still depleted—a hollow ache that even the deer's power could not fill.
Even Round Deer can't restore my magic reserves, he noted, lips pressed in a thin line. No healing magic can refill what's already spent.
He knelt, breathing steady but shallow, and began lending new abilities to his shikigami, knowing the cost.
He reached for Swiftwing first. Channeling a surge of energy, Yume imbued the swift bird with Bisca's Gun Magic. Swiftwing's wings shimmered, feathers hardening to metallic sharpness. Now, with a flick, Swiftwing could unleash bursts of magical bullets—short-range rapid fire or precise, long-range shots, perfect for aerial suppression and reconnaissance.
Next, he turned to Croakus. Yume pressed his palm to the toad's armored head, infusing it with Steel Magic. Croakus's skin took on a metallic sheen, its bulk now able to withstand even greater punishment. Yume added a final touch—smoke magic, allowing Croakus to expel thick, choking clouds to obscure the battlefield or cover retreats.
Each transfer left a subtle ache in Yume's bones—a reminder that power always had a price. His stamina and wounds had mended, but his magic reserves remained low, a limit he could not bypass.
Why not give these to my strongest shikigami? he mused, a glint of calculation in his eyes, grinning.
He surveyed his team—Viperion's gleaming scales, Tuskus's steaming tusks, Croakus's armored body, Stormwing's crackling wings, Swiftwing's circling forms, Sky and Sea's sharp eyes, and Enma's fiery stance.
Ready for what's next, he thought, pressing on toward Mount Melia.
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Mount Melia – The Infernal Wilds
Mount Melia, a dormant volcano, loomed ahead, its slopes alive with volcanic heat and treacherous beauty. The ground was cracked and blackened, studded with jagged obsidian outcrops and rare, steaming hot spring ponds—some so hot they could melt flesh in minutes. The air shimmered with volcanic gases and drifting ash, making each breath a challenge.
Yet life clung stubbornly to the mountainside: twisted, fire-resistant trees with metallic leaves, shrubs with waxy coatings, and vines that thrived in ash-laden soil. Strange, ash-colored lizards darted between rocks, and ember-feathered birds circled overhead, all adapted to the mountain's searing winds and toxic fumes.
Yume moved like a shadow, Pandora Orbs forming enchanted armor that covered his body. With a thought, he shaped a full helmet with a mirrored visor, filtering the air so he could breathe safely and see through the swirling ash and glare.
The Twin Hounds and Swiftwing scouted ahead; Swiftwing, now armed, soared above, scanning for any sign of Macao.
After half an hour, Swiftwing circled a dense thicket. Yume followed silently. The hounds led him to a clearing, scorched and cracked beneath a buzzing swarm of obsidian-armored Cinderwasps.
At the center stood a massive humanoid figure—wrapped in volcanic chitin, flickering with internal fire.
Yume's eyes narrowed. Macao…
Magic crackled at his fingertips. The real battle was about to begin.
End of Chapter