The doors of the Fairy Tail guildhall creaked open more quietly these days. Gone was the constant brawling, the boisterous laughter, the sound of furniture being smashed during impromptu fights. The hall that had once been the liveliest in all of Fiore now echoed with whispers and half-hearted conversations.
Macao sat heavily in the master's chair - not Makarov's ornate one, which remained untouched, but a simple wooden seat that felt too big for him despite its size. Seven years as the Fourth Master had done nothing to make the role feel natural. The wrinkles around his eyes had deepened, not just from age but from countless nights scanning the horizon, hoping for impossible news.
"Master," Romeo, now a teenager, approached with a stack of papers. "More bills from the council."
Macao nodded wearily. Without their strongest members, the high-paying jobs had dried up. The guildhall had been downgraded to a smaller building on the outskirts of Magnolia - a far cry from their former prominence. The few remaining members took what work they could, but Fairy Tail had fallen from its position as Fiore's strongest guild to barely hanging on at the bottom ranks.
Wakaba, his pipe unlit, stared at the request board - now barely covered with simple tasks and low-reward missions. "Remember when Natsu would complain these weren't exciting enough?" His attempt at humor fell flat, the words carrying too much weight of memory.
In the corner, Kinana wiped down tables that were already clean, maintaining the guild's dignity even with so few members to serve. The quiet was still strange to her, even after all these years. Sometimes, late at night, she could swear she heard phantom echoes of the old days - Natsu and Gray's arguments, Lucy's laughter, Erza's commanding voice restoring order.
"They're alive." Romeo's voice was firm, cutting through the melancholy atmosphere. "Odyn protected them from Acnologia. They're out there somewhere with First Master Mavis watching over them." His faith had never wavered, even as others had begun to lose hope.
Alzack and Bisca, now married with a young daughter, exchanged glances. They'd stayed strong for the guild, taking on leadership roles they never expected to hold. Their daughter, Asuka, grew up hearing stories of the guild's greatest members - tales of Natsu's fiery spirit, Lucy's unwavering friendship, Erza's strength, and Wendy's kindness. Stories of how a dark elf named Odyn had stood against a dragon to protect them all.
"Seven years..." Max murmured, running a hand through his hair. "Sometimes it feels like yesterday, and sometimes..."
"Like a lifetime," Laki finished softly.
The guild mark on each member seemed to shine a little duller these days, but none had ever considered removing it or joining another guild. They were Fairy Tail, even if the world had started to forget what that truly meant.
Warren maintained his telepathic searches, reaching out daily despite the strain. Nab still stood by the request board, though now it seemed more like a vigil than his old indecision. Even Reedus had changed, his paintings of the missing members hanging on the walls like windows into the past.
"They'll return," Macao said, his voice carrying the weight of seven years of leadership and worry. "And when they do, they'll find that we kept their home waiting for them. It won't be the same guild hall, and we're not the same people, but we're still Fairy Tail."
The remaining members nodded, their guild marks seeming to glow just a bit brighter with renewed determination. They were the guardians of Fairy Tail's legacy, keeping its spirit alive until the day their family returned - changed by time, perhaps, but unchanged in the ways that truly mattered.
The transformation of Fairy Tail's remaining members was as profound as it was painful. Macao, thrust into leadership, spent countless nights poring over guild documents, trying to keep their dwindling finances afloat. His son Romeo watched his father age years in mere months, the stress of maintaining the guild's existence etching deep lines in his face. The young boy stopped smiling as often, throwing himself into training with an intensity that worried the adults - as if believing that if he became strong enough, he could somehow bring them all back.
Alzack and Bisca found solace in each other, their wedding a rare bright moment in those dark early days. Yet even that joy was tinged with sadness - the empty seats at their ceremony speaking volumes. They'd always imagined a raucous Fairy Tail wedding, with Natsu accidentally setting something on fire and Erza keeping order with stern glares. Instead, it had been a quiet affair, though they left places of honor empty for their missing family.
"We'll have another celebration," Bisca would say, cradling their newborn Asuka. "When they return, we'll do it all again."
The changes rippled through Fiore's magical community like aftershocks from an earthquake. Blue Pegasus, through the charming but concerned Hibiki, regularly sent support and resources, remembering how Fairy Tail had always been there when needed. Yet even their aid couldn't stop the whispers and changing dynamics.
Sabertooth rose meteorically through the ranks, their master Jiemma openly dismissive of the fallen guild. "This is what happens to weak fairies," he would declare at guild master meetings, while Macao gripped his chair until his knuckles went white. The Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, Sting and Rogue, built their reputation on dismissive comparisons to the now-absent Natsu and Gajeel.
Lamia Scale's Lyon made regular visits, ostensibly for guild business, but really to check on his old friend's guild in Gray's absence. "They're alive," he would say firmly whenever anyone suggested otherwise. "Gray wouldn't fall so easily, and neither would any of them."
In the marketplace, Warren developed migraines from constantly reaching out with his telepathy, searching for any trace of their missing friends. Nab, once teased for his indecision at the request board, now took on any job he could handle, pushing himself to exhaustion trying to help support the guild.
Laki turned her wood-make magic to practical purposes, taking on construction jobs to help pay the guild's mounting debts. Her normally creative phrases became simpler, more direct, as if the weight of loss had stripped away her whimsy.
The Magic Council, while officially maintaining a neutral stance, began gradually excluding Fairy Tail from major decisions and events. The once-mandatory invitations to guild conferences became sporadic, then ceased entirely. Only Yajima, remembering his old friendship with Makarov, continued to advocate for them.
In the darkest hours, when most of Magnolia slept, Reedus would paint. Canvas after canvas filled with images of their missing friends - Natsu's fierce grin, Lucy's bright smile, Erza's commanding presence, Wendy's gentle kindness, and Odyn's quiet strength. Each painting seemed to capture a moment in time, preserving memories that grew more precious with each passing day.
"Your technique has improved," Macao once commented, finding him working late one night.
"They need to see how we've grown," Reedus replied softly. "When they return... they should see that we didn't just wait. We lived. We endured."
Even Twilight Ogre, a newer guild in Magnolia, began throwing their weight around, taking advantage of Fairy Tail's weakened state to establish dominance in the city. Their crude attempts at intimidation met with quiet resistance - Fairy Tail might have fallen from glory, but they hadn't lost their pride.
Max took over managing their minimal public relations, trying to maintain relationships with their remaining clients. Each time he heard someone refer to Fairy Tail in the past tense, he would correct them firmly: "We are Fairy Tail. Not were. Are."
Yet despite everything - the mockery from stronger guilds, the pity from allies, the dwindling jobs and resources - not a single remaining member abandoned the guild. Their hall might have shrunk, their ranks thinned, but the spirit of Fairy Tail burned on in each of them, a quiet flame waiting to roar back to life when their family returned.
Because they would return. It wasn't hope anymore - it was certainty, bone-deep and unshakeable. And when they did, they would find that while the world had changed around them, the heart of Fairy Tail had remained constant, kept alive by those who remembered what it truly meant to be part of this family.
The morning sun cast long shadows across Magnolia as Romeo stood at the harbor, his scarf whipping in the salty breeze. At thirteen, he'd grown into a determined young mage, his eyes carrying a fire that reminded the older members of a certain dragon slayer. Behind him, the diminished Fairy Tail guild hall seemed to loom with seven years of accumulated memories and fading hopes.
"Romeo," Macao called out, his voice carrying the weight of both guild master and concerned father. "Are you sure about this? We've sent dozens of search parties over the years..."
"It's different now," Romeo replied, his fist clenching at his side. A magic flame, multi-colored and bright, danced between his fingers - a testament to years of training in their absence. "I can feel it. Something's changed."
In the bustling port, people whispered and pointed. The Fairy Tail mark on Romeo's shoulder drew stares - not of awe as it once had, but of pity or barely concealed derision. Seven years of Sabertooth's dominance had changed how people viewed the once-mighty guild.
Just yesterday, Sting and Rogue had passed through town, their Sabertooth marks proudly displayed. "The old guard is gone," Sting had proclaimed loudly in the marketplace. "The era of the fairies is over."
Those words still burned in Romeo's ears, fueling his determination.
Blue Pegasus had sent word of unusual magical readings near where Tenrou Island had vanished. Most dismissed it - there had been false hopes before. But Romeo knew. Something in his heart told him this time was different.
Alzack and Bisca approached, little Asuka holding their hands. The child looked up at Romeo with wide eyes - she'd grown up on stories of the Tenrou group, of the dark elf who had faced down a dragon, of the family she'd never met but who filled the guild's heart.
"Bring them home, Romeo-nii," she said with a child's simple faith.
Warren stepped forward, placing a hand on Romeo's shoulder. "I'll maintain telepathic contact as long as I can. If you find anything..."
"When," Romeo corrected firmly. "When I find them."
The remaining guild members gathered at the dock, a small group compared to their glory days, but their hearts burned as bright as ever. Each carried the weight of seven years - seven years of mockery, of struggle, of keeping faith when the rest of the world had moved on.
"Sabertooth may be the strongest now," Romeo said, turning to face his guildmates, "but they never understood what really makes a guild strong. Natsu-nii taught me that. They all did." His voice grew stronger, carrying across the harbor. "It's not about power or rankings. It's about family. And it's time for our family to come home."
As Romeo boarded the search vessel, the guild mark on his shoulder seemed to glow brighter, as if responding to his resolve. Seven years of waiting had changed them all, but perhaps that change had forged something stronger - a determination that would not yield, a faith that would not falter.
Macao watched his son's departing figure, remembering the crying child who had refused to believe their family was gone. Now that same boy stood tall, carrying the spirit of Fairy Tail with him across the waves. Perhaps it was fitting that the generation that had grown up in the shadow of loss would be the one to bridge the gap between past and present.
"Be safe," he whispered, then added with a slight smile, "and tell that old man Makarov he still owes me for seven years of paperwork."
The ship grew smaller on the horizon as the sun climbed higher, its rays catching the guild hall's faded banner. For the first time in seven years, the fairy symbol seemed to shine with its old brilliance, as if it too knew that change was coming. Sabertooth's reign at the top, built on the absence of Fairy Tail's strongest, was about to be challenged. The era of the fairies wasn't over - it was about to begin anew.
The search vessel cut through waves that seemed eerily calm, too peaceful for a place that had swallowed an entire island seven years ago. Romeo stood at the bow, his hands gripping the railing as he scanned the endless blue horizon. The coordinates Blue Pegasus had provided led them to this exact spot - where Tenrou Island had once proudly stood.
"There's nothing here," one of the sailors muttered, but Romeo ignored him. His eyes were fixed on something only he seemed to notice - a slight shimmer in the air, like heat waves rising from sun-baked earth.
"Warren," he thought, knowing the telepathic mage would pick up his message back at the guild. "Something's different here. The air feels... heavy with magic."
The sea around them was glass-smooth now, unnaturally so. The wind had died completely, leaving them in a pocket of absolute stillness. Romeo's multi-colored flames danced across his palm, responding to something in the atmosphere.
Suddenly, a golden glow pierced the surface of the water, sending pillars of light shooting skyward. The sailors stumbled back, but Romeo leaned forward, his heart pounding. He recognized that light from Reedus's paintings - the same warm, gentle radiance that surrounded First Master Mavis in the guild's historical records.
"That's..." Romeo's voice caught in his throat as a familiar figure began to materialize above the water's surface. First Master Mavis, floating serenely, her long hair and dress moving in an unfelt breeze. Her green eyes found Romeo's, and she smiled.
"You've grown so much," she said softly, her voice carrying easily across the still air. "Your faith never wavered, even when others doubted."
Romeo's hands trembled on the railing. "Then they're..."
"It's time," Mavis nodded, raising her hands. The golden light intensified, and the sea itself began to part. "The seven years have passed. Odyn's recovery is complete."
The water swirled and rose, forming patterns that seemed to follow some ancient, magical geometry. At the center of it all, something massive began to emerge from the depths - not just water and rock, but an entire island, preserved perfectly in Fairy Sphere's embrace.
"Tenrou Island," Romeo whispered, tears streaming down his face as he recognized the massive tree at its center, its branches reaching toward the sky just as they had in countless guild photos and Reedus's paintings.
As the island settled back into its rightful place, the golden sphere surrounding it began to dissolve like stardust. Romeo could make out figures on the shore - dozens of them, exactly as they had been seven years ago, untouched by time's passage.
"They're all there," Mavis confirmed, her smile widening. "Your family has kept their promise to each other. Not one of them left Odyn's side during his recovery."
Through the dissolving magical barrier, Romeo could see them beginning to stir. Natsu's distinctive pink hair. Erza's scarlet banner. Lucy's golden locks. Grey's dark spikes. Wendy's blue tresses as she knelt beside a figure Romeo knew must be Odyn, the dark elf who had saved them all.
"Warren!" Romeo's mental shout was filled with joy and tears. "WARREN! Tell everyone! They're here! They're all here! Tell Dad - tell everyone - FAIRY TAIL IS COMING HOME!"
The ship's crew scrambled to adjust their course toward the newly-emerged island, but Romeo couldn't take his eyes off the shore. Seven years of waiting, of hoping, of keeping faith when others said it was foolish - it had all led to this moment.
Mavis's form began to fade, but her voice lingered on the air. "The long sleep is over. The world has changed much in seven years... but some things remain constant. The spirit of Fairy Tail. The bonds of family. And the power of unwavering faith."
As they drew closer to the island, Romeo could hear familiar voices carrying across the water - confused, surprised, but alive. So very alive. Sabertooth's reign at the top was about to meet its greatest challenge, and Romeo couldn't keep the grin off his face.
Fairy Tail was whole again.
"NATSU-NII!" Romeo's voice cracked with emotion as he leaped from the boat before it had fully docked, his flames propelling him toward the shore where the Tenrou group was still getting their bearings. The pink-haired Dragon Slayer turned just in time to see a teenage boy crash into him with enough force to send them both tumbling onto the sand.
"Romeo?" Natsu blinked in confusion, holding the boy at arm's length. "Wait... you're so big!"
Tears streamed down Romeo's face as he looked at his childhood hero - exactly the same as the day they'd vanished. "Seven years," he managed through his tears. "It's been seven years!"
The revelation rippled through the group. Lucy's hands flew to her mouth. Erza's eyes widened. Gray let out a low whistle. Master Makarov stroked his mustache thoughtfully, though his own eyes glistened with unshed tears at seeing how much the young boy had grown.
"Seven... years?" Wendy's soft voice drew attention to where she still sat in the sand, Odyn's head resting in her lap. Her hands, which had been absently stroking his dark blue hair, stilled as the implications hit her. She looked down at the dark elf's peaceful face, unchanged by time's passage, then back at her own equally unchanged form.
Odyn's orange eyes fluttered open at that moment, meeting Wendy's gaze. For a heartbeat, neither moved, both processing the weight of seven years passed in what had felt like mere moments to them.
"You stayed," Odyn whispered, reaching up to touch her cheek. "All of you... stayed."
Romeo approached them more slowly now, taking in the sight of the dark elf he'd heard so many stories about. "You're the one who saved them from Acnologia," he said with quiet reverence. "The Blazing Arkynorean."
Odyn sat up carefully, supported by Wendy, and gave Romeo a gentle smile. "Your guild saved itself by choosing to stay together. I just gave them the opportunity."
The others had gathered around now, forming a circle of familiar faces that Romeo had only seen in Reedus's paintings for seven years. Each tried to process the news in their own way - Gajeel grumbling about missing seven years of training, Levy rapidly calculating dates in her head, the Thunder Legion standing in stunned silence.
But all eyes kept being drawn back to Wendy and Odyn, who seemed caught in their own moment of realization. Seven years had passed, yet their feelings, preserved in Fairy Sphere's embrace, remained as fresh as the day they'd formed. What had been blossoming between them before was now impossible to ignore.
"I... I didn't want you to wake up alone," Wendy said softly, a blush coloring her cheeks as she realized everyone was watching them.
"None of us did," Lucy added with a warm smile. "But I think some of us had more personal reasons than others."
Odyn's pointed ears tinted slightly pink as he looked around at his guildmates - his family - who had chosen to sleep for seven years rather than leave him behind. His orange eyes returned to Wendy's face, seeing in her expression everything they'd never had time to say before the long sleep.
"Seven years," he mused, taking her hand in his. "The world's changed quite a bit, I imagine."
"Some things haven't changed at all," Wendy replied, squeezing his hand and smiling through happy tears.
Romeo couldn't help but grin as he watched them. The stories he'd grown up hearing - about their bonds, their loyalty, their love for each other - were all proving true before his eyes. "Wait until you see the guild," he said, his expression turning more serious. "A lot has changed... but we never lost faith. We knew you'd all return."
As the group began making their way toward the boat, Odyn and Wendy walked hand in hand, no longer hiding what everyone had already known. Seven years might have passed in the blink of an eye for them, but perhaps that time had given them both the courage to acknowledge what had been in their hearts all along.
"So," Natsu grinned, throwing an arm around Romeo's shoulders, "tell us everything we missed! And what's this I hear about some guild called Sabertooth thinking they're the strongest in Fiore?"
Romeo's answering smile was fierce and proud. "Just wait until they see Fairy Tail at full strength again. Just wait until they see what we can all do together."
The sun shone brightly overhead as they boarded the ship, illuminating the guild marks that each of them bore with pride. Seven years had passed, but Fairy Tail was whole again - and now they had some catching up to do.
The stunned silence that fell over the returned Tenrou group as they stood before their new guild hall spoke volumes. Gone was the proud, three-story building that had been their home. In its place stood a run-down windmill on the outskirts of Magnolia, its fairy tail banner faded and patched.
"This is..." Lucy couldn't even finish the sentence.
"Seven years of decline," Macao explained wearily. "Without our strongest members, the high-paying jobs dried up. Twilight Ogre took over our old building..."
"Twilight what now?" Natsu's voice had that dangerous edge to it, the one that usually preceded massive property damage.
Before anyone could answer, the doors burst open and several thuggish-looking men swaggered in, led by a particularly unpleasant fellow swinging a spiked club.
"Oi, payment's due, Fairy..." The lead Twilight Ogre member's voice died in his throat as he registered the crowd of unfamiliar - yet somehow terrifyingly familiar - faces.
"Payment?" Erza's voice could have frozen hell itself. "You've been extorting our family?"
What happened next would be recounted differently depending on who you asked.
According to the more proper citizens of Magnolia, there was simply a brief disturbance followed by several Twilight Ogre members learning to fly without magic.
Lucy would later describe it as "a necessary business negotiation involving property restoration and debt forgiveness."
Happy insisted it was "the funniest thing he'd seen in seven years - though that wasn't saying much since he'd been asleep for most of them."
Wendy tried to be diplomatic about it, though she couldn't quite hide her smile when describing how Odyn had calmly picked up one particularly rude debt collector by the collar and asked him to "reconsider his life choices" while floating several stories above ground.
The Thunder Legion simply nodded in approval as Laxus short-circuited Twilight Ogre's entire electrical system with a bored flick of his wrist.
Natsu, of course, had the most colorful version: "So there was this guy with a club, right? And he's running his mouth about payments, and I'm thinking 'payment for what?' Then Gray freezes his pants - but like, just the back half? And while he's hopping around trying to figure that out, Erza's doing that thing with her swords where she doesn't actually cut anything but makes you think she might..."
But perhaps the most interesting aftermath came when word reached Sabertooth about Fairy Tail's returned members. Their master had sent representatives to "welcome back" the once-great guild - a thinly veiled attempt at intimidation.
The Sabertooth members found Odyn and Wendy sharing tea outside the guild hall, looking for all the world like a peaceful young couple enjoying the afternoon sun.
"So these are the weaklings who went missing for seven years?" one of them sneered.
According to Wendy's very polite retelling, "Odyn simply demonstrated a fraction of the power that had driven away Acnologia. Very gently. With minimal property damage."
Romeo's version was more enthusiastic: "It was AWESOME! The guy from Sabertooth was talking trash one second, and the next second he's apologizing so fast his words are tripping over each other! And Odyn didn't even have to go Blazing Arkynorean - just that thing he does with his eyes where they start glowing and the air gets all heavy..."
Within a week, Twilight Ogre had formally apologized and returned all collected "payments" with interest. Their members developed an interesting habit of crossing the street whenever they saw anyone wearing a Fairy Tail guild mark.
Sabertooth's representatives returned to their guild with a very different report than they'd planned to give, though exactly what happened remained a subject of much speculation - especially since they turned slightly green whenever anyone mentioned tea.
As for the old guild hall? Makarov simply walked in one day, had a brief "chat" with Twilight Ogre's master, and walked out with the deed in hand. The details of this conversation were never disclosed, though several witnesses reported seeing the other guild master looking both terrified and impressed.
"You know," Macao said to Wakaba as they watched Natsu and the others helping repair their old building, "maybe we should have just waited seven years before paying any of those debts."
"Nah," Romeo grinned, practicing his fire magic alongside Natsu. "This way was much more fun to watch."
From her spot next to Odyn, Wendy couldn't help but agree. Though she'd never admit it out loud, watching her boyfriend casually demonstrate why messing with Fairy Tail was a terrible idea had been rather satisfying. Even if he had been "excessively gentle" about it, as he claimed.
The message spread quickly through Fiore: Fairy Tail's strongest had returned, and they were not particularly pleased with how their family had been treated in their absence. But they were willing to be reasonable about it.
Mostly.
Depending on who you asked.
The news of Fairy Tail's strongest members returning from Tenrou Island spread through Fiore like wildfire, sending ripples through the magical community. Each guild processed the revelation differently, their reactions as varied as the mages themselves.
Blue Pegasus celebrated enthusiastically, with Ichiya leading his team in an impromptu dance of joy. "Men! Our parfum of friendship shall bloom once again!" he declared, while Jenny Realight smiled knowingly, already planning a welcome-back party that would be the talk of the kingdom.
Lamia Scale's response was more measured. Lyon Vastia stood frozen upon hearing of Gray's return, a complex mix of emotions playing across his face. "Seven years... and you haven't aged a day, have you?" he muttered to himself, a slight smile tugging at his lips.
But it was the rumors of retribution that truly captured the magical community's attention. Whispers spread of how Fairy Tail's returned members had dealt with those who had tormented their guildmates during their absence. The stories grew with each telling, but one name kept surfacing: the dark elf with blazing orange eyes.
In taverns across Fiore, mages spoke in hushed tones about Odyn, Wendy's boyfriend, and how his pointed ears seemed to twitch with barely contained rage when he learned of how their fellow guild members had been treated. Some claimed they saw him move like a shadow through the streets, his long dark blue hair trailing behind him like a vengeful spirit. Others swore they witnessed his orange eyes gleam with an inner fire as he confronted those who had wronged Fairy Tail.
Sabertooth's reaction was particularly noteworthy. The guild hall, usually buzzing with proud declarations of supremacy, had grown unusually quiet. Sting Eucliffe and Rogue Cheney, the Twin Dragons, found themselves deeply intrigued by the tales of Natsu and Gajeel's return. However, it was the stories of Odyn that caused several of their members to shift uncomfortably in their seats.
"I heard he tracked down three guys who used to mock Fairy Tail," a junior member whispered one evening. "They apologized so fast you'd think they were being chased by Acnologia himself."
Minerva Orlando, usually dismissive of such gossip, found herself paying close attention to the dark elf's reputation. There was something about a non-human mage defending Fairy Tail's honor that added an unexpected dimension to the guild's already formidable reputation.
Throughout Fiore, the magical community debated whether Fairy Tail's response was justified. Some praised them for standing up for their own, while others worried about the precedent it set. But one thing was certain: Fairy Tail was back, and they had made it clear that their family bonds were as strong as ever.
The Magic Council, for their part, maintained an official stance of disapproval while privately admitting that they might have done the same in similar circumstances. Gran Doma was heard muttering something about "predictable fairy tail chaos" before burying himself in paperwork, pointedly ignoring the satisfied smirks of several council members who had always had a soft spot for Makarov's guild.
As for Odyn, his reputation only grew. Young mages in training began incorporating pointed ears into their attire, and more than one aspiring wizard was caught practicing making their eyes glow orange. The dark elf had become something of a folk hero among the younger generation, a symbol of loyalty and justice in the face of bullying and persecution.
Back at the newly reinvigorated Fairy Tail guild hall, Odyn seemed oblivious to his growing fame, content to spend his time with Wendy and their guildmates, his orange eyes now twinkling with mirth rather than vengeance. Though occasionally, when someone would mention the years of mockery their guild had endured, those eyes would flare just slightly, reminding everyone that while Fairy Tail believed in friendship and family above all else, they also believed in protecting their own.
To be continued in Chapter 5: Sabertooth's Discovery; Rumors of Fairy Tail's Return