Lucy and Happy fought valiantly, their determination driving them forward despite the overwhelming odds. Lyon's followers were relentless, closing in on them from all sides. Happy darted through the air, trying to find an opening while Lucy summoned her Celestial Spirits to hold off the attackers. Cancer, her trusty spirit, appeared in a flash, wielding his scissors to cut down any mage that came too close.
But even with Cancer's strength, they were outnumbered, and it was clear that fatigue was beginning to take its toll. Lucy's movements were slower now, and her magic was stretching thin. Her arms trembled as she summoned another Spirit, but it wasn't enough. The battle was wearing her down.
"Happy, we can't keep this up much longer!" Lucy gasped, her voice strained as she barely managed to block another strike from one of Lyon's mages.
"I know, Lucy! These guys just keep coming!" Happy replied, his wings flapping furiously as he barely dodged an incoming attack.
The space around them seemed to shrink, their enemies pressing in from every direction. Their efforts were starting to seem futile as Lyon's followers closed in on them. Lucy's heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a cold bead of sweat drip down her forehead as she struggled to keep her footing.
Just as it seemed like they were about to be overwhelmed, a sudden flash of movement sliced through the air. A sharp slash cut down their attackers in a single, precise arc. The enemies crumpled to the ground, unconscious or defeated in an instant.
Lucy and Happy froze, their eyes wide in shock. They turned toward the source of the attack and found a figure stepping out from the shadows, the soft glow of magic radiating from him.
Aurelius Nyx.
"Wha…?" Lucy started, her surprise quickly turning into relief. "Aurelius!"
Happy, ever the optimist, cheered. "Hey, look! It's Aurelius! You're here too!"
But the relief was fleeting. As the initial wave of joy washed over them, a realization settled in—a heavy weight in their chests. Aurelius wasn't here just to rescue them.
"I hope you guys had enough fun," Aurelius continued, his voice now quieter, but still resolute. "I came to make sure you get back to the guild safe, after everything's over. But don't think for a second that there won't be consequences for what you've done."
Lucy swallowed hard. She knew the consequences wouldn't be easy, but they had made their choice, and now they had to face it.
Happy, still trying to grasp the situation, asked nervously, "So... what happens now?"
Aurelius didn't answer immediately. He simply turned toward the direction of the ruins, where Natsu and Gray were still facing off with Lyon's forces. "You'll head back to the guild once this is over," he said, his voice unwavering. "But understand this: there's no running from the consequences. You can't just brush it off."
Lucy and Happy exchanged a look, understanding the weight of Aurelius' words. They nodded in quiet acknowledgment, knowing the battle wasn't over yet, and that the real consequences would come later.
With a final glance toward them, Aurelius turned, his steps purposeful as he walked toward the ruins. Lucy and Happy, now fully aware of the responsibility they carried, followed him. They had to make things right, not just for their guild, but for themselves.
...
Gray stood over Lyon, his breathing heavy and his body battered from the fierce battle. Lyon, now on the ground, had been defeated by Gray's final blow—a powerful ice bazooka that had shattered his defenses. His once cocky arrogance had evaporated, replaced by the harsh reality of defeat. He lay sprawled on the cold floor, his ice magic depleted and his pride shattered.
Gray wiped blood from his lip and stood tall, despite the pain. His body screamed for rest, but he forced himself to stand firm, looking down at Lyon with a mixture of exhaustion and frustration.
"I never wanted to be like you, Lyon," Gray said, his voice hoarse. "You're stuck in the past, blaming others for your failures. But that won't bring Ur back."
Lyon's eyes flickered at the mention of Ur, but he remained silent, his expression unreadable. His pride was broken, and he had no words to counter Gray's truth. He simply turned his gaze away, staring into the shadows.
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room. And in the entrance Aurelius, Lucy, and Happy entered. Gray's eyes immediately snapped to Aurelius, and the unease he had been feeling all along deepened. As the group approached, the weight of their presence filled the room, especially Aurelius' cold and steady gaze.
Before anyone could say a word, Aurelius spoke. "Gray, it's time to end this," he said firmly, his eyes sweeping over both mages. Without a second thought, Aurelius motioned for them to follow.
Gray froze. The cold chill of Aurelius' words sank deep into his bones, and the fear that had been lurking in his gut suddenly surged to the surface. His usual bravado faltered as he realized what was happening. He hadn't expected this—didn't expect Aurelius to show up now, and certainly not to stop the battle like this.
"Aurelius… please," Gray's voice faltered, his usual confidence replaced with desperation. "Let us finish the job. We came all this way… please, just let us take care of Lyon and Deliora. It's the only way to end this."
Lucy and Happy, caught off guard by Gray's sudden plea, exchanged confused glances. Happy, always the cheerful one, looked unsure. "Gray, what are you saying? Why are you asking him that?"
But Aurelius stood silent, his eyes not leaving Gray. The air between them was thick, and for a moment, it seemed as though time had stopped. Gray felt his chest tighten, an unsettling feeling spreading through him.
"Follow me," Aurelius said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We have no time for words. It's over. Deliora is coming."
Gray swallowed hard, but his mind was already racing. Despite the fear coursing through him, he knew that, for better or worse, this was the end of this battle. Now, it was time to face the next one.
...
Gray, Lyon, Lucy, and Happy stood at the entrance of the cavern, their breaths heavy from the long trek through the temple. The distant echo of clashing magic and the sharp smell of burning stone filled the air. The tension around them was palpable, and Gray couldn't shake the unease in his gut.
As they moved deeper into the cavern, the sounds grew louder, and it became clear that the battle wasn't over. Far ahead, near where Deliora had been imprisoned, flashes of light and dark magic lit up the cavern walls. The source of the conflict was unmistakable.
Aurelius.
Gray's eyes widened as he saw the figure of Aurelius standing firm against a strange man—someone Gray had never seen before. All this time, it was a clone the fetched them. The unknown mage was also cloaked in shadows, his presence almost ethereal as he fought against Aurelius' invisible and calculated illusions. It was like watching a battle of ghosts in the shadows.
But before they could take another step, Aurelius' gaze flickered toward them. His sharp eyes seemed to cut through the air like a blade, assessing each of them with disinterest.
Then, his voice broke the silence, low and calculating.
"You fools."
The words seemed to hang in the air, causing the group to stiffen, confusion and tension creeping into their expressions. Lucy felt her heart race, the weight of the words sinking in.
Aurelius stepped forward, his posture exuding an almost unsettling calmness as he continued. "I'll show you how powerful you need to be in order to take on an S-class job."
His tone was biting, as if his words were aimed at something much deeper than their current situation. It was clear that this wasn't just about the battle at hand; it was a harsh reminder of the recklessness they had shown when they had taken the S-rank job without fully understanding the consequences.
Aurelius' words hung in the air for a moment, sending a tense silence over the group. His piercing gaze then flicked back to Zalty, who had been watching the group's arrival with curiosity.
Without another word, Aurelius' demeanor shifted. In an instant, he conjured multiple illusions of himself, each one stepping forward, ready to strike at Zalty. The illusions swirled around him like a cloud of shadows, creating a dizzying spectacle of movement.
Zalty, unflinching, smirked. He raised his hand, his eye with sharp focus as he activated his magic sense. His ability to sense magic was powerful, and it allowed him to pinpoint the real Aurelius amidst the illusions.
As the illusions closed in, Zalty's magic shifted. With a wave of his hand, the crystal sphere that Aurelius had previously destroyed regenerated before their eyes. It floated in the air, vibrating with raw power. Zalty then used it to dispel all the illusions at once, the magic rupturing the air and breaking the illusionary forms to pieces.
The real Aurelius, now visible once again, narrowed his eyes, preparing for the next phase of the battle.
He stood confidently, his voice carrying a quiet, almost taunting certainty. "With just that, I've already won."
Zalty's expression faltered for a split second before twisting into a scowl. With a flick of his wrist, the orb surged forward, glowing with a temporal energy that seemed to distort the very air around it. It hurtled toward Aurelius with destructive force.
But just before impact, the orb veered off course, missing Aurelius entirely and slamming into the ground several feet away.
Zalty's smirk faltered as he waved his hand to summon the orb back to him. "Lucky dodge…"
Then he noticed something odd. The orb's movements were sluggish, almost hesitant, as though something unseen was resisting its trajectory.
"What's wrong, Zalty?" Aurelius asked casually, his tone calm and mocking. "Having trouble controlling your own magic?"
Zalty's frown deepened as he tried again, launching the orb with greater force. This time, it shot forward with deadly precision—or so he thought. The moment it reached Aurelius, the orb seemed to slow mid-flight, its glow dimming slightly before it spun wildly off course, crashing harmlessly to the side.
"What the—?" Zalty growled. He reached out to sense the orb's magical energy, only to find… nothing. Or rather, he couldn't find it properly. The threads of magical energy that connected him to the orb seemed tangled and distorted, as though someone had scrambled his ability to perceive them.
Aurelius then stepped forward. "Most mages rely on three senses to fight, their sight, hearing, and the ability to sense magic. However, in this case. I've taken control on all three." He said, as he revealed his actions, earning him a stare from Lucy, and Gray as they thought about how their illusionist is acting different, after all, it is unusual for Aurelius to be revealing his hands..
For a moment, Zalty tried to regain his composure, spreading his magic again, trying to grasp onto anything. But Aurelius was too quick. Zalty's vision shifted, converging on him from all sides in a sudden flash of movement. Meanwhile, the real Aurelius struck his face, and hit his abdomen. Each hit was nothing but a blur, a phantom presence, and for each one, his strength ebbed away.
Then, as the illusions swarmed, Aurelius appeared directly in front of Zalty, as if materializing out of thin air. His eyes glinted with cold amusement. "You should've realized by now, Zalty. In this battle, the strongest mind is the one who controls not just reality, but the very way you experience it."
Zalty's breath hitched. His Arc of Time wasn't just failing—he was being overwhelmed by his own limitations. He couldn't keep up with the tricks, and the strain was starting to take a visible toll. His eyes were wild with panic, unable to make sense of the situation.
"You see, Zalty," Aurelius murmured as he stepped closer. "Time may be your ally, but it's a slave to the mind. And when you're facing someone who's mastered not only the manipulation of illusions but also the very essence of perception, you're no longer in control."
A subtle smile tugged at Aurelius' lips. For just a brief moment, his figure seemed to shimmer and distort, flickering in and out like a glitch in a broken system. A quiet but deliberate aura surrounded him, the sense that he had long since calculated every move Zalty had made. With a swift movement, Aurelius snapped his fingers.
Zalty's panic reached its peak as he screamed in frustration. "I won't lose to tricks!" He raised his orb high, channeling all his power into it. The crystal glowed brightly, its energy pulsating with raw ethernano.
But just as Zalty prepared to release the attack, Aurelius stepped forward, his figure calm and steady amid the chaos. He raised his hand, and the illusions faded for just a moment, leaving only the real Aurelius standing before Zalty.
"You're done," Aurelius said simply.
Zalty hesitated, his magic orb faltering. In that brief moment of doubt, Aurelius made his move. He didn't attack—he didn't need to. Instead, he shifted Zalty's perception once more, this time focusing entirely on his sense of balance. The ground beneath Zalty seemed to tilt and spin, throwing him off-kilter.
Zalty stumbled and fell to his knees, gasping for breath as the illusions tightened around him. His vision blurred, his hearing faded, and his magic sense flickered out entirely.
Aurelius crouched down in front of him, his tone cold and detached. "You never stood a chance, Zalty. This wasn't a battle of power—it was a battle of control. And from the very start, I controlled everything."
Zalty looked up at him, his face pale and sweat-soaked. "You… you didn't even…"
"Fight seriously?" Aurelius finished, standing up and turning away. "Why would I waste my energy on someone already defeated?"
Zalty, beaten and broken, collapsed to the ground. His Arc of Time magic, once a force to be reckoned with, had been outmatched by Aurelius' sheer control over the mind. And as Aurelius turned to face the others, there was a sense of finality in the air—Zalty had played his hand, and it simply hadn't been enough.
As the battle between Aurelius and Zalty concluded, the mages—Gray, Natsu, Lucy, Lyon and Happy—watched in stunned silence. Each of them except Lyon had known Aurelius to be someone who preferred to remain in the shadows, ever elusive, almost enigmatic. But now, seeing him in action, the true weight of his power was impossible to ignore.
With every movement, Aurelius shifted the battle in his favor, his control over the fight absolute. Zalty, once confident and unfazed, was now barely able to keep up, his once-impressive Arc of Time Magic seeming nothing more than a futile gesture in the face of Aurelius' relentless precision. The air shimmered around them, the environment bending and warping under Aurelius' influence, like the very fabric of reality was at his command.
The Fairy Tail mages exchanged glances, each of them feeling a mixture of awe and disbelief. They had been through missions, faced powerful foes, and even fought some of the strong opponents. But watching Aurelius fight now, they realized something that had been slipping under their radar for so long. The difference in strength between him and them—it wasn't just a gap. It was a chasm. They were barely keeping up with the explosive intensity of his power, while Aurelius didn't even seem to be breaking a sweat.
Natsu clenched his fists, his pride stung. He had always considered himself one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail, and yet while he struggled to fight Zalty, here was Aurelius, effortlessly dominating the fight. It was humbling—no, humiliating—to see how far he still had to go.
Gray also looked between Aurelius and the rest of the group, feeling a cold sweat form on his brow. He had fought strong mages, but this... this was on another level entirely. The calm, composed nature with which Aurelius controlled the battle, bending Zalty's senses to his will, was nothing short of terrifying. There was no anger, no rush for victory. Aurelius was methodical, almost detached, as if he were showing them how to truly fight, how to make power look effortless.
Lucy, was also amazed, however, unlike everyone, she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She had known Aurelius was strong, of course. The S-rank had made that clear, and yet, she couldn't help but wonder—why was he showing off now? Even going to the point that he is explaining his tricks. He had never seemed this open before. Why expose himself like this? Why let them see the full extent of his power? Was it just to defeat his opponent, or was it a message?
Then, realization struck them all at once. Aurelius, the cautious genius, the quiet strategist, wasn't just defeating his opponent. He was playing with his opponent while showing them something. He was showing them what it truly meant to be an S-rank .
Then, Gray also seemed to notice the difference in Aurelius' behavior while a thought flash into his mind. "Was this his way of teaching us?"
The quiet, reserved Aurelius—he had never acted like this before. His low-key personality, his secrecy, his reluctance to reveal anything about himself—now, all of that had been thrown aside. It wasn't just about the fight anymore. It was about something deeper, something more profound.
But why now? Why, at this very moment, was he letting them see this side of him? Was this just a glimpse into the true power of an S-rank, or was it something else entirely?
From a distance, Lyon also stood completely focused on Aurelius. His normally composed expression was gone, replaced with a mix of unease and turmoil. He gritted his teeth, his mind racing as he thought about the fight in his head—the overwhelming dominance, the precision, the way Zalty was dismantled without Aurelius even breaking a sweat.
"What if he had intervened at the beginning?" The thought sent a shiver down Lyon's spine. He knew that even himself would struggle against Zalty, but the sheer control Aurelius exhibited was unlike anything he had encountered. It wasn't just strength—it was something far more terrifying. Lyon couldn't help but imagine himself in Zalty's place. "Would I have even lasted a minute?"
His chest tightened as his thoughts spiraled. "No… it's not possible. No one could be stronger than Ur. She was the strongest… wasn't she?" He had spent so much of his life in pursuit of her memory, chasing the strength she embodied. To him, Ur was a force of nature that he dreamed to surpass.
But now, watching Aurelius, cracks formed in that belief. The way Aurelius controlled the battlefield, how he bent Zalty's senses to his will with such ease, made Lyon question everything. "Is he stronger than Ur?"
The possibility shook him to his core. If there were mages like Aurelius out there, what did that mean for him? For his journey? For his understanding of strength itself? "How many more mages like him exist?"
Lyon's fists clenched tightly, his knuckles whitening. He had always thought he knew the scale of power in the world, but now, his confidence felt like it was slipping through his fingers. His goal had been clear before—to surpass Ur, to become the strongest. Now, that goal felt distant, almost insignificant.
He turned away from the group, unable to bear the sight of Aurelius any longer. His mind churned with doubts, each one louder than the last. For the first time in years, Lyon felt not just humbled but genuinely afraid. "Have I been chasing the wrong target all this time?"
His footsteps were slow as he unconsiously took a step back, his usually proud demeanor replaced by a heavy shadow of doubt. The fight he had witnessed was not just a display of power—it was a revelation, one that left him questioning the path he had chosen.
And so, the fairy tail group looked at Aurelius with amazement in their eyes. The battle was over, but the true fight had just begun—for their understanding of what it meant to be S-rank, and for the hidden truths about Aurelius that they were just beginning to scratch the surface of.
Chapter Titles:
Chapter 21: Aftermath
Chapter 22: Under Siege
Chapter 23: Rising Tensions