Aurelius drifted in an endless void. There was no ground beneath him, no sky above, just an infinite sea of darkness that stretched in all directions. Time felt meaningless here, the seconds stretching into hours, the hours into days, though he couldn't be sure how long he'd been here. "This place again..." he muttered to himself, his voice swallowed by the oppressive silence.
It wasn't the first time he had felt this emptiness. He'd always wondered if this was a reflection of his own soul—a hollow expanse where the his failures could torment him. He clenched his fists, or at least, he thought he did. Here, even the sensation of movement was faint and he can't feel what is real and what isn't.
The faces of those he cared for flashed through his mind—Makarov's stern yet kind eyes, Erza's unyielding determination, Mirajane's unwavering courage. Then came the memories of his family. His father, strong and proud, His mother and sister, their laughter replaced by screams as the darkness consumed them.
"How many more will suffer because of me?" he whispered into the void.
His thoughts spiraled deeper until, out of nowhere, a faint light pierced the darkness. Aurelius froze, his eyes widening as the light grew brighter, cutting through the void.
"What is this?" he said as he shielded his eyes.
The light didn't stop. It expanded, consuming the shadows around him, its intensity growing until it was impossible to look at. Panic rose in his chest as the light engulfed him. He tried to move, to fight it, but his body felt weightless, useless against the overwhelming force.
It was blinding now, unbearably bright. He squeezed his eyes shut, his heart pounding in his chest. The light seemed to press against him, invading his senses, until suddenly, it stopped.
He opened his eyes slowly, blinking against the soft light of a room. The endless void was gone, replaced by wooden beams and a ceiling. The air smelled faintly of herbs. He was lying on a bed, the soft pressure of sheets comforting him.
"What...?" Aurelius muttered, his voice hoarse.
He tried to sit up, but the moment he moved, sharp pain spread through his body. He gritted his teeth, sinking back into the bed. His limbs felt like lead, his muscles screaming in protest at even the slightest motion.
"I'm alive... somehow," he thought, confusion swirling in his mind. The battle, Malphas, the overwhelming light—it all came rushing back.
"So, you're finally awake."
Aurelius froze, his eyes darting to the source. Sitting beside the bed was Makarov, his small frame perched on a wooden stool. The guild master's familiar presence was somehow both reassuring and unnerving.
"Master…" Aurelius's voice was hoarse, a weak whisper compared to its usual sharpness.
"You've been asleep for three days," The old man explained. "We're at Porlyusica's house. She's the only one who could tend to the damage that demon left your body in."
Aurelius remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as he absorbed the information. Makarov, undeterred, continued speaking.
"You caused a lot of trouble, you know,,," he said with a sigh, crossing his arms. "But…" His tone softened, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You also made me proud."
Aurelius blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Proud?"
Makarov nodded. "I heard from the guild members how you stepped up before Phantom Lord attacked. They told me about your leadership, the way you took charge of everyone when chaos broke out. Even though things didn't go smoothly, you kept fighting, didn't you?"
The words hung in the air, and for the first time in days, Aurelius felt a flicker of warmth in his chest.
"I… just did what was necessary," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Makarov chuckled. "And that's exactly why I'm proud of you."
The room fell into a brief silence before Aurelius finally asked, "What happened… after the demon took over?"
Makarov's expression darkened, his gaze lowering for a moment before he spoke. "According to Mystogan, you... or rather, that thing... defeated Jose. Then it turned its attention to Laxus, knocking him unconscious like he was nothing. After that…"
Makarov paused, as if reluctant to continue. "It… toyed with everyone. Erza, Mystogan, Natsu, Gray, Elfman, Lucy, and even Mira. You... no, the demon even forced Mira to fight."
Aurelius clenched his fists as guilt and pain washed over him like a tidal wave. "I see…" he whispered, his voice laced with regret.
"When I arrived," Makarov continued, "I took the demon down myself."
Aurelius looked at him, his expression conflicted. "How? Without harming me?"
Makarov's gaze softened as he spoke. "Fairy Law."
The words carried a weight that made Aurelius's breath hitch. As Makarov began to elaborate, Aurelius nodded knowingly. "The white light…" he murmured.
Makarov raised a brow. "You saw that?"
Aurelius closed his eyes briefly, the image of the blinding light flashing in his mind. "It was the last thing I saw before waking up here. That was Fairy Law, wasn't it?"
Makarov smiled faintly. "It's a spell that targets those the user deem as enemy while not affecting those that the user deem as allies... It worked because, even with that demon in control, you were still one of my children, Aurelius."
Aurelius exhaled deeply, a mix of relief and guilt swirling within him as he thought about his guild master's words. "Am I?". Then, he hesitated for a moment before voicing the question that had been on his mind since Malphas took over. "And… everyone? Are they… safe?"
Makarov's expression softened as he spoke. "They're safe," he assured, "There were injuries, of course, but nothing life-threatening. Mystogan, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Mira… even Lucy—everyone pulled through."
Relief washed over Aurelius like a wave, easing the tension that had coiled tightly in his chest. He exhaled shakily, closing his eyes as he muttered, "Thank god..."
Makarov watched him silently for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. "They were worried about you too, you know. Even after all that happened, they wanted to make sure you were okay. Mira, Lucy and Erza, especially... They refused to leave until Polyusica forced them to..."
Aurelius blinked, opening his eyes to glance at Makarov. "They… stayed?"
"They did," Makarov confirmed, a small smile forming. "They didn't care about what the demon made you do. They believed in you."
The words hit harder than Aurelius would have wanted as hee clenched his fists harder, before talking with a low voice. "I… don't deserve that kind of faith. Not after what happened."
Makarov's expression turned stern, as he replied firmly. "Nonsense. You're a part of Fairy Tail, Aurelius. No matter what, we don't turn our backs on family. Remember that."
Aurelius didn't respond immediately, his thoughts swirling with guilt and gratitude. But second later, he nodded, his voice quiet as he spoke. "I'll… keep that in mind..."
And so, with the conversation dying, Makarov leaned forward, his expression growing serious as he spoke once again. "Aurelius," he began, his tone heavy, "while we have solve this problem, we need to talk about that demon. If it took over once, it could happen again. How do you plan to deal with it? Because this can't happen another time... Not to you, not to the guild."
Aurelius remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as if searching for answers in its cracks and shadows. Finally, he sighed, his voice carrying a trace of weariness. "The demon only took over because of my current situation... You should know that master..."
Makarov raised a brow. "Explain."
Aurelius nodded slowly, gathering his thoughts. "It wasn't just a random slip up. My ethernano reserves were running low by the time the fight with Jose started. I was mentally and physically drained, and that was my fault for overextending myself." He paused, his voice gaining a sharper edge. "Think about it, Master. In one week, I had to deal with Natsu's group after they stole an S-class mission."
Makarov winced, already dreading where this was heading.
"I had to drag them back, keep them alive, and I also had to fight one of the council members," Aurelius continued, his voice rising slightly with frustration. "Then you got injured, and someone had to step up and take charge of the guild in your absence."
Makarov's expression during this explanation had some changes as his expression turned into shock before softening, but he stayed quiet, letting Aurelius vent and putting aside the questions in his mind.
"On top of that, Phantom Lord launched an attack. I had to fight off their mages... dozens of them while making sure I have enough ethernano to suppress the eye and stand a chance against Jose... " Aurelius's hands clenched the sheets as he recounted the overwhelming series of events. "I fought Jose while already running on fumes, all while trying to keep control over the eye. It's no wonder the demon found an opening."
Makarov sat back, his gaze steady. "You've been carrying a lot, Aurelius. Too much for one person."
Aurelius gave a short, bitter laugh. "That's an understatement." He glanced at Makarov, his expression hardening. "But let me make one thing clear... I'll deal with Malphas..."
Makarov nodded, his face showing a mixture of pride and concern. "Good. Just remember, boy. You are never alone... You never were..."
Aurelius's eyes flickered with those words as a thought flashed in his mind. A spark of realization, and his expression shifted subtly. "It should be that time right?" He thought.
Makarov, ever so observant specially with the mysterious and cunning Aurelius noticed the change immediately and leaned forward with curiousity. "You just thought of something, didn't you? What is it?"
Aurelius hesitated, weighing his words carefully. "There's… a chamber in my family's estate. It's designed to weaken Malphas."
Makarov blinked, a touch of surprise breaking through his calm demeanor. "And you're only telling me about this now? Why didn't you mention it before?"
Aurelius sighed, his tone measured. "Because the chamber requires energy to function—a lot of it. It usually takes decades for the mechanisms to recharge, and it's been out of commission even before I was born..." He paused, his voice gaining a hint of resolve. "But it should be ready soon. I've been monitoring its progress. The timing might work out."
Makarov's brows furrowed briefly, then relaxed as he processed the information. "I see. If that's the case, then it might be the best chance we have. Tell me more about this chamber."
Aurelius nodded and shifted slightly in bed, ignoring the discomfort. "The chamber was created by my ancestors as a countermeasure to Malphas. It's a last-resort mechanism for containing his power and, if necessary, neutralizing him if he took control of the body..." He paused for a moment, his voice lowering. "The process is dangerous, though. Once the chamber is activated, the wielder—me—would allow Malphas to take control of my body completely."
Makarov's expression darkened, but he remained silent, allowing Aurelius to continue.
"While Malphas controls my body externally, I'll have to fight him internally... At the same time, others will need to fight him in the real world... They will have to fight my body that is controlled by Malphas..."
Makarov exhaled deeply, as he gave Aurelius a complex glance. "That could work...."
Aurelius nodded. "I might just need some help on that..." He spoke, hesitantly.
Makarov smiled faintly, a rare glimmer of pride in his eyes as he witness a rare scenario... The lone mage Aurelius, asking for help. "You can count on all of us. We'll face this together, just like we always do." Then, the old man's eye's turned serious, "But... if we're going to face this together, I need to understand. You never really talked about you past, and I'm more curious now... Just what is that eye and who is Malphas?"
Aurelius's face darkened at the question, unease crossing his face. He looked down, silent for a moment, debating whether to answer. Makarov noticed the hesitation and leaned back.
"You don't have to tell me if you're not ready," Makarov said, his voice calm as he understand the boy. "Everyone has their secrets, Aurelius. I'll respect yours if this is one of them."
Hearing this, Aurelius exhaled deeply. After a moment, he looked up at Makarov, his expression was... Different as he spoke "No… I think it's time you knew more about me, master..." He shifted uncomfortably in bed, bracing himself for the revelation. "Master, do you know the legend of Eryndor the Dreambane?"
Makarov tilted his head slightly, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Of course. It's a well-known tale. Eryndor, the hero who saved the world from the monster that plagued people with nightmares every time they slept. I use to tell that tale to Laxus..."
Aurelius chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "The legend… it's true, in part. But it's also wrong... Some part of it was changed due to time and retelling."
Makarov frowned, leaning forward slightly. "What do you mean?"
Aurelius sighed again, the weight of centuries of history bearing down on him. "Erygor is my ancestor. He wasn't just a hero. He was the head of my family—a mage of unparalleled skill, known for his mastery over illusions and the mind..."
Makarov's eyes widened slightly, but he stayed quiet, letting Aurelius continue.
"The monster he defeated… it wasn't some nameless plague of nightmares. It was Malphas. A demon created by Zeref himself. A creature born of cursed magic, designed to corrupt the minds of the living and trap them in an endless nightmare."
Bonus Chapters at the end of the week progress:
Power Stones:
15/125
15/250
15/375
15/500