After collecting the recording crystal, Kira listened to his companions discuss their plan of action.
"I remember the Duel of the Goddesses is just a legend passed down through generations, right?" Kana asked, swirling her drink in her flask. "Even if there's some truth to it, where would we even start looking for clues in a place buried in snow?"
Erza, ever analytical, quickly connected the dots. "The story says the duel between the angels caused the snow to fall endlessly in this region. That means it's possible at least one of the goddesses used ice magic, which would explain the snow. If that's true, the White Angel might have been the one to win."
Gray perked up at this thought, memories of his training with Uru coming to mind. "An ice mage so powerful she altered the terrain permanently… I'd love to meet someone like that."
"But wait," Elfman interrupted, punching his fist into his palm. "If the White Goddess used ice magic, then wouldn't the Black Goddess use the opposite—fire?" He paused before adding, "Is there even black fire magic in this world?"
Rocky, lounging with a confident grin, nodded. "It's not impossible. Makao has purple flame magic. If purple flames exist, why not black flames?"
"Don't make assumptions!" Kira interjected, raising his hand like a teacher in front of a noisy class. "Just because the White Goddess may use ice magic doesn't mean the Black Goddess has to use fire. You're thinking too narrowly."
"That's true." Erza nodded firmly, supporting Kira's logic. "There's no rule that says opposites like ice and fire have to define them. If they existed long before even the Age of Dragons, their powers might not even align with our understanding of magic."
Kira continued, his tone thoughtful. "Plus, we need to remember that legends are often exaggerated or misinterpreted over time. The White and Black Goddesses might not even represent magic at all. Maybe it's about their clothing, their tribes, or something symbolic."
Kana blinked, her curiosity piqued. "Wait, so… what do you think the truth of the legend is?"
A small smile tugged at Kira's lips as he leaned back dramatically. "Well, I've done my research, and you're not going to believe this—"
The group leaned in eagerly.
"The legend of the Black and White Goddesses might actually be connected to the gods themselves!"
A collective gasp swept through the airship.
Meanwhile, in the snowy wilderness of Zonia…
Phew!
The golden Clock Spirit, Horologium, disappeared into a flurry of sparkles after safely pulling Lucy, Natsu, and Happy out of the snow.
"Thank you, Horologium!" Lucy gasped, hugging herself for warmth. She was shivering so hard that her teeth chattered.
Horologium gave a polite bow. "I'm only doing my duty, Miss Lucy." With that, the clock vanished into the Celestial Realm.
"Saved!" Happy exclaimed, fluttering his wings as he floated nearby. "Lucy's Star Spirits are amazing!"
Natsu, already back to his usual energetic self, punched the air triumphantly. "All right! Let's keep going!"
Lucy's face turned blue—not from the cold, but from frustration. "Are you insane? We just barely survived an avalanche! Shouldn't we… you know… go back to the guild?"
Natsu crossed his arms stubbornly, steam rising off his body. "No way! We're here to finish this S-rank mission. If we give up now, Gray'll never let me live it down!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy chimed in, nodding fervently.
Lucy smacked her forehead in exasperation. "You two are impossible… And how exactly are we supposed to find this tavern based on your ridiculous map?"
Natsu glanced at the poorly drawn paper again, as if seeing nothing wrong with it. "Simple! We'll just follow our gut instinct!"
"Instinct?! That's not how maps work, Natsu!" Lucy's voice cracked as her patience frayed.
But it was already too late—Natsu and Happy had charged off into the snow, leaving her behind. "Come on, Lucy! Trust me!" Natsu called back with a grin.
Lucy groaned loudly but had no choice but to follow them. "Unbelievable… I'm surrounded by idiots."
Three minutes later, Lucy stood frozen in shock, her mouth hanging open.
In front of them was a tavern.
It looked ancient but well-kept, sitting quietly in the middle of the blizzard like something out of a dream. Snow piled up around the roof, except for a chimney puffing out smoke, a sign of warmth and life.
"How… how is this possible?!" Lucy stammered.
Natsu grinned smugly, crossing his arms. "See? I told you—trust your instincts!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy echoed, spinning in the air.
Lucy could only gape at the sign swaying gently above the door: Forget-Sorrow Tavern.
"Fine… let's get out of the cold."
Inside, the tavern was surprisingly cozy. A fireplace crackled in one corner, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Wooden tables and chairs were scattered around, but the place was empty except for a lone man sitting at the bar.
The man was enormous, with thick arms covered in hair and a rugged, bearded face. Despite his imposing appearance, he smiled warmly as they entered.
"Welcome, travelers," he greeted, his deep voice gentle. "This is the Forget-Sorrow Tavern. Have a drink, warm yourselves up. Here, you can forget all your troubles."
Lucy blinked, surprised at his hospitality. "Um… thank you, but we're not here for drinks."
If Kira were there, he'd surely scold Lucy for being bad at tavern etiquette. You don't walk into a tavern without ordering something!
The man chuckled, seemingly unfazed. "Suit yourself. Sit by the fire. You must've had a rough time out there." He paused, studying them curiously. "You're not ordinary travelers, are you?"
"We're wizards!" Natsu announced proudly, pulling his scarf tighter around his neck. "We're here on a mission to deal with the monsters in the snowstorm!"
At this, the man's expression shifted slightly, his brows raising. "Wizards, huh? You're a bit younger than I expected…"
"Don't judge us by our looks!" Natsu declared, puffing out his chest. "We're strong!"
The man laughed heartily. "I like your spirit, kid." He leaned back in his chair, finally introducing himself. "The name's Poole Ashnew. I'm the one who sent that mission request."
Lucy's eyes widened. "You're our client?"
"That's right," Poole replied, his face becoming serious. "I hope you're ready. The monsters out here aren't like anything you've faced before…"
The room fell silent, save for the crackling fire. Outside, the snowstorm howled ominously against the windows, as if waiting for the storm yet to come.
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