By the time Aelius decided to go find Master Makarov, the sun was beginning to set, its dying light painting the lake in hues of gold and crimson. He made his way over, ignoring the looks the unnamed Fairy Tail members were giving him. Some with fear, others with hatred, but most with disgust as they glanced at his body, forever stuck in the cycle of death and rebirth.
Aelius moved through the debris, his eyes scanning the horizon until he spotted Master Makarov sitting on a pile of rubble from the destroyed guild hall, his small frame dwarfed by the remains of Fairy Tail's once-proud headquarters. The sunset cast long shadows over the broken remains of their home.
As Aelius approached, he noticed Levy sitting nearby, her face pale and her left arm in a sling. When she saw him, her expression turned from pain to anger, her eyes flashing with a mix of fury and defiance.
"McGarden," Aelius called softly, his voice neutral.
"Nu-uh," Levy shot back, her tone sharp. "You know my name, use it."
Levy's eyes narrowed slightly as she held his gaze. "Nope, you don't get to deflect," she replied, her voice suspiciously chipper. "What's this I hear about your attitude towards the others?"
Aelius hesitated, his jaw tightening before he let out a slow breath. "I don't care about them," he admitted, his voice low and steady. "I never have."
Levy hopped off the rock she was sitting on and walked over to Aelius, her shorter stature making it quite the sight to those watching. She stood before him, her expression unwavering despite the pain and exhaustion evident in her eyes.
"Look at me, Aelius," she said, her voice steady. "You don't have to carry everything on your own. You don't have to keep pretending like you're fine."
Aelius pulled away, his expression cold. "I'm not pretending, McGarden," he snapped, cutting himself off at Levy's intense stare. "Levy, I came to talk to Master and that's it. I have no use for you or your worthless guild." His words were harsh, but there was a flicker of something almost vulnerable in his eyes.
Levy's working hand shot up and slapped Aelius across the face, her eyes blazing with a mix of anger and sadness. "Don't you dare talk about your guild like that!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. "You've fought beside them, bled with them, and now you're just going to turn your back on them? After everything they've done for you?"
Aelius's gaze was steady, his expression still unreadable behind the mask. He didn't react to the slap, only continued to look at her with a quiet intensity. "I've already lost everything," he said softly, his tone almost defeated. "What's left to care about?"
Various members around, including the Heartfilia girl, gasped in shock, their whispers and murmurs breaking out into the tense silence. No one expected the kind and gentle Levy to react this way, her voice quivering with emotion. They watched as she stepped back, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, the slap hanging in the air like a silent reproach. But Aelius could not bring himself to care.
"Take the mask off," was Levy's stern reply, her voice unwavering despite the tremor in her hands.
Aelius hesitated for a moment longer, his eyes locking with Levy's as he reached up to his mask. His voice was low and steady, almost apologetic. "You might not like what's under here," he warned softly, his tone laced with reluctance.
Levy's gaze held steady, her expression unyielding. "Take it off, Aelius," she commanded, her voice firm and resolute.
"I can't do that, Levy," Aelius replied, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and desperation. "You don't want to see what's underneath. Trust me, it's not something you can just ignore."
Levy's eyes narrowed, her resolve unwavering. "I don't care what it looks like," she insisted, taking a step closer. "I need to know why you're hiding it. Why aren't you letting anyone in?"
With a sudden burst of anger, Aelius shouted, "You want to know why? Because this mask is me, it's who I am! I was pushed away, and this is the product of your own actions!" As he spoke, a slight amount of his magic began to seep, distorting the air around him. The stone underfoot rotted, cracks spreading like spiderwebs as the surface turned as if it was 100 years older in the blink of an eye. "This is me," he said, his voice a raw, hoarse whisper, "and I can't change it, no matter how much I wish I could."
Levy's gaze held steady, her expression unyielding. "Let us help you, Aelius," she pleaded, her voice gentle yet firm. "We're still your friends."
"If, and I mean if, you still were my friends," Aelius sneered, his voice thick with bitterness, "you have less than five minutes to 'help' me, so get to helping," he let out a harsh, cynical laugh, disdain written into every word. "Accomplish what I couldn't do in four years, in five minutes." His eyes glinted with a mixture of defiance and desperation as if daring them to prove him wrong.
Erza's voice cut through the tension, sharp and questioning. "What do you mean by 'less than five minutes'?" she demanded, her brow furrowed as she looked at him, her concern clear in her eyes.
Aelius hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with a storm of emotions before they landed on hers. "Dragneel," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "What do I smell like?"
Natsu's brow furrowed, his nose twitching instinctively as he took a step forward. His usual fiery demeanor was replaced by something colder, more somber. "You smell like a corpse," he said bluntly, his voice tinged with both disgust and confusion. "Rotten, like something that's already dead."
"Ding ding ding," Aelius said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he clapped his hands once, the sound echoing unnervingly against the broken landscape. "Give the dragon slayer a prize, he figured it out." His hollow laughter rang out, cutting through the tension like a jagged knife.
Erza's expression hardened, her grip on her sword tightening. "This isn't the time for jokes, Aelius. If what you're saying is true, if your body is truly…rotting, we need to act now."
"Act now?" Aelius repeated mockingly, turning to face her fully. "And do what, Titania? Fix the unfixable? Reverse a curse that's been gnawing at me for years?" His voice grew louder, tinged with both anger and despair. "You think I haven't tried? You think I came back here for fun?"
Levy, her eyes wide with a mix of determination and fear, stepped forward. "Then why did you come back, Aelius? If you knew this was happening, why come back now?"
Aelius's lips curled into a bitter smile, his glowing eyes sweeping over the crowd. "Because I'm out of time," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "And no matter how much I tried to hate this guild, no matter how much I wanted to shove all of you away… I couldn't. I came back because I wanted to see you all one last time."
His gaze landed on Makarov, softening slightly, the weight of years shared between them reflected in his eyes. "I came back because I didn't want you to spend the rest of your lives wondering. Wondering why I left, why I acted the way I did, or what happened to me. You deserve the truth, even if it's the last thing I do."
A tense silence fell over the group, the raw emotion in his voice cutting deeper than anyone expected. Even those who had once glared at him with resentment now looked at him with a mix of sadness and uncertainty. Erza stepped forward, her expression a rare combination of resolve and pain.
"You pushed us away, wanted us to hate you, why?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.
Aelius let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Why do you think?" he said, his tone laced with frustration and sorrow. "I didn't want you to be sad. If you hated me, it would've been easier. You wouldn't mourn me, and wouldn't waste your time crying over someone like me. It was supposed to hurt less."
Levy, tears streaming down her cheeks, took a hesitant step closer. "You idiot," she whispered, her voice cracking. "You think making us hate you would stop us from caring? We're Fairy Tail, family doesn't stop caring."
Natsu clenched his fists, his anger now directed at the situation rather than Aelius. "So what if you're dying?" he shouted. "You don't get to decide for us how we feel! You think we'd just move on because you made us mad?"
Aelius's gaze flickered to Natsu, then back to Makarov, his shoulders sagging as the weight of his actions pressed down on him. "I thought it was for the best," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I didn't want to be a burden. And I didn't want you all to see… this." He gestured to his decaying body, the faint glow of his magic casting unsettling shadows on his worn features.
Makarov stepped forward, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "Aelius, you don't get to make that call," he said firmly. "We would've carried that burden with you if you had let us. That's what family does."
The weight of his words settled over the group like a heavy fog. No one spoke for a moment, the silence broken only by the faint rustle of the wind. Levy's voice finally cut through the stillness, soft but firm. "What you became doesn't erase who you were, Aelius. You're still one of us."
"Yeah," Natsu said, his fists tightening. "You're still our family, no matter what crap you're dealing with. You don't get to decide that for us."
Aelius closed his eyes, his jaw tightening. "You don't understand. The person I was, the one you remember, that's not me anymore. I've done things… things I can't take back. And this, " He gestured to himself once more, his decaying form, his magic subtly corroding the ground beneath him. "This isn't someone you can call family."
Erza stepped forward, her eyes blazing with determination. "We decide who our family is, Aelius. Not you. And no matter how far you've fallen or how much you think you've changed, that doesn't erase the bonds we share."
Makarov's voice, soft yet unyielding, joined hers. "They're right, Aelius. You've made mistakes, yes. But who here hasn't? We don't abandon our own, even when they think they've lost their way."
Aelius looked at him, the mask of detachment he'd tried so hard to maintain cracking slightly. "It's not that simple," he said, his voice breaking. "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you."
Levy took another step forward, her hands clenched at her sides. "Maybe not," she said, her voice trembling. "But you've got us anyway. You don't get to decide to push us away just because it's easier for you. We're here, Aelius, whether you like it or not."
The sincerity in her words struck something deep within him, his rigid posture softening as the fight seemed to drain from him. "You're all fools," he muttered, though the edge in his voice was gone, replaced by something almost like gratitude. "But maybe… that's what I missed the most."
Aelius staggered, his knees buckling as his strength gave way. He collapsed to the ground, his breath ragged and shallow. The air around him seemed to grow heavier, and darker, as if his magic was unraveling, spilling out uncontrollably. His body began to deteriorate rapidly, patches of his skin darkening and crumbling like ash caught in a windless breeze.
"Aelius!" Levy's voice broke through the rising panic as she rushed forward, stopping just short of touching him. Her trembling hands hovered over his decaying form, unsure of what to do.
"Aelius, hold on!" Erza said, dropping to her knees beside him. Her eyes darted frantically, searching for any sign of how to help him, but the sight of his body falling apart left her shaken. Even Mira, normally composed in moments of crisis, covered her mouth in horror as she watched.
"I told you," Aelius rasped, his voice weak yet laced with bitter humor. "I'm out of time." his hand shakily reached up and removed his mask, letting it fall unceremoniously against the stone underneath with a soft clink. Underneath, he was a sight straight out of a horror movie, his lips were non-existent, his face sunken, and much of his skin had deteriorated. Holes were scattered across his skin, exposing the bone in some places, and through the gaps, his teeth were visible. His eyes were sunken in and dull, lifeless as if he was already gone.
"No! Don't say that!" Natsu shouted, his fists clenched so tightly they trembled. "There's gotta be something we can do! We can't just stand here and watch you"
"It's done, Dragneel," Aelius interrupted, his glowing eyes dimming slightly. "This was always how it was going to end."
Makarov stepped forward, his small frame casting a long shadow in the fading light. His face was lined with anguish, but his voice remained steady. "Aelius, let us try. Let us do something."
Aelius coughed a hollow sound that seemed to rattle his entire body. "There's no stopping it," he said, his gaze drifting toward the sky, painted in hues of gold and crimson by the setting sun. "It's just the price I have to pay."
Levy knelt beside him, tears streaming down her face. "You don't have to do this alone," she whispered. "We're here. Let us be here for you."
Aelius's lips curved into a faint, fleeting smile. "Levy… you always stubborn," he murmured. "I thought it had more time, I didn't want you to see this"
His body shuddered violently, the glow in his eyes fading further. The corrosive magic pouring from him seemed to intensify, the ground beneath him cracking and withering. "Get back," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "I don't want to hurt any of you."
But no one moved. Not Levy, not Erza, not Natsu or Mira. They all stayed, resolute despite the danger, their expressions a mix of determination and heartbreak.
"You don't get to push us away anymore, Aelius," Erza said firmly, her voice cracking slightly. "We're staying. No matter what."
The moment Aelius's body went still, the world seemed to pause with it. His final words hung in the air, a bittersweet echo that left a hollow ache in the hearts of everyone present. His still form lay among the rubble, his once powerful magic now a faint flicker, like the dying embers of a once-raging fire.
One.
Levy clutched her chest, unable to contain the sobs that wracked her body. "No… no, this isn't fair," she whispered through tears. She tried to crawl closer to him but stopped, her hand trembling just inches from his.
Two.
Mira collapsed to her knees, "Why did it have to end like this?" she asked, her voice muffled and raw. "He didn't deserve this."
Three.
Erza's stoic mask cracked, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She stepped forward, her voice breaking as she muttered, "Aelius… you should have let us help you. You didn't have to face this alone."
Four.
Natsu punched the ground, his fiery temper boiling over into an anguished roar. "Dammit!" he yelled, his fists bleeding from the impact. "You didn't even give us a chance to save you!"
Five.
Gray stood frozen, his usual cool demeanor shattered as he stared at Aelius's lifeless form. "You idiot," he whispered hoarsely, his voice barely audible. "You didn't have to carry this burden on your own."
Six.
Makarov stepped forward, his small frame seeming heavier than ever as he looked down at Aelius's body. His face was a mask of grief, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. He placed a trembling hand on Aelius's shoulder and whispered, "Rest now, my boy. You've carried enough."
Seven
Seven seconds had passed since Aelius's final breath. The world seemed to hold itself still as if waiting for the inevitable. Then, like the cracking of a dam, a pillar of black-green energy erupted from Aelius's corpse, tearing through the air and rising high into the sky. The energy roared with a deafening hum, its presence oppressive and chaotic.
The sheer force of it knocked everyone back, sending them tumbling across the rubble. Natsu skidded to a stop, digging his hands into the ground to keep from being thrown farther. "What the hell is this?!" he shouted, his voice straining over the cacophony.
Gray pushed himself up, his body trembling as he shielded his face from the gale-force winds generated by the energy. "It's his magic… It's out of control!" he yelled.
Lucy clung to Happy, her eyes wide with terror. "Is this… is this what he was carrying all this time?"
The pressure intensified. Stones cracked and shattered under the weight of the energy, the ground itself seeming to groan in protest. Erza gritted her teeth, trying to stand but finding her legs unwilling to cooperate. "What is happening?!" she demanded, her voice filled with both fear and determination.
Mira's hair whipped around her face as she braced herself against a nearby boulder, her hands shaking. "It's… overwhelming," she murmured.
Levy's eyes were glued to the pillar of energy, her heart pounding in her chest. "This… this can't be how it ends," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "It can't."
Makarov, the only one still standing, was visibly struggling. His knees bent under the sheer weight of the magic emanating from the pillar, but he refused to fall. "Aelius…" he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with sorrow and resolve. "What is this…?"
The black-green energy swirled violently, fragments of what seemed like memories, faint images, and voices, flashing within the column of magic. It was as if Aelius's very soul was unraveling before their eyes.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the energy changed. The chaotic roars softened into something more deliberate, a rhythmic pulse like a heartbeat. The pillar of light began to contract, pulling itself inward toward Aelius's lifeless form.
The others watched in stunned silence as the energy spiraled downward, disappearing entirely into Aelius's body. The oppressive weight in the air lifted, leaving behind an eerie calm.
And then, the silence was broken. A low, resonant hum echoed from Aelius's still form. His body, now bathed in an otherworldly glow, began to shift and crack. Blackened veins crawled along his skin, glowing faintly green as they pulsed in time with the hum.
"What… what's happening now?" Lucy asked, her voice shaking.
"I don't know," Erza admitted, her eyes locked on Aelius. "But we need to be ready for anything."
Aelius's body continued to shift and crack, the otherworldly glow intensifying around him. For a moment, it seemed as though he was frozen in place, his eyes closed and his body still.
Then, a voice oozed through the tense silence, its tone sickly sweet yet filled with a twisted, grotesque affection. "Rejoice in my most generous blessing, my cherished grandchild," it gurgled, the words dripping like thick, rotting honey, resonating as though whispered by countless decaying throats.
The light surrounding Aelius began to flicker and fade, revealing a figure standing in his place. The energy that had encased him slowly receded, revealing Aelius, no longer a broken, decaying husk, but something different altogether.
The transformation was startling. His hair, once dark and lifeless, had turned its original dark green, vibrant and wild, now glistening under the fading light of dusk. His eyes, once dull, were now a piercing emerald green, the warmth returning to them as though the Aelius they knew had finally come back. The blackened veins that had marred his skin were gone, replaced by unmarred, healthy-looking skin, his body appearing as it had when he was at his peak.
Levy blinked, her tears spilling over as she shook her head, a shaky laugh escaping her. "I just… I don't understand. Is it really you, Aelius? How are you, how is this even possible?"
Aelius tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into a faint, detached smirk. "Believe me, I'm as confused as you are. One second, I was gone. The next… this." He gestured vaguely to himself, his tone void of enthusiasm. "If you've got answers, I'm all ears."
Natsu stepped closer, squinting at him suspiciously. "You look like Aelius, but… you don't feel the same." His tone was uncharacteristically cautious, his fists clenched. "How do we know it's really you?"
Aelius rolled his eyes, his sharp sarcasm cutting through the moment. "What, you want me to punch you in the face? Would that prove it?"
Gray groaned, stepping up beside Natsu. "For once, I kind of agree with him. This is too weird. First, you're on the brink of death, and now you're… what? Perfectly fine?"
"I wouldn't say 'perfectly,'" Aelius muttered, flexing his fingers as though testing them for the first time. His emerald eyes flickered with an unsettling mix of frustration and detachment. "But yeah, it's a real mystery. Maybe it's my charming personality."
Erza stepped forward, her gaze sharp and penetrating. "Enough deflection. Something happened to you, Aelius. Something significant. If you're not going to explain, at least tell us this, are you still you?"
Aelius held her gaze for a long moment before sighing. "Define 'me,' Titania. Am I still the same bitter, detached guy who had both feet in the grave? Probably. Am I something else entirely? Hell if I know."
The guild fell into uneasy silence, members exchanging wary glances. Lucy stepped closer, her expression a mix of caution and concern. "It's just… this doesn't make sense. You look like you're healed, but that shouldn't even be possible."
Levy stepped forward hesitantly, her voice soft. "Aelius… if this really is you, then we need to know. Are you okay? Do you feel like, like yourself?"
Aelius's gaze flicked to her, something almost vulnerable flashing across his face before he smothered it with his usual sardonic grin. "Okay? maybe. Myself? That's debatable. But I'm here, aren't I? Isn't that enough for now?"
Makarov, who had been watching the exchange intently, finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "It doesn't matter how or why he's standing here with us. What matters is that he is. Aelius is alive, and whether he wants to admit it or not, he's still part of this guild."
Aelius scoffed, shaking his head. "You really know how to spin it, old man. Fine. Think whatever you want. I don't even know what I am right now."
Mira's gentle voice cut through the tension. "Maybe we don't need to know everything right now. Maybe we just need to be here for him. Whatever this is, it's not something he has to face alone."
Natsu frowned, his fists loosening slightly. "Tch. Guess she's got a point. But if you're not Aelius, I'm watching you, got it?"
Aelius smirked faintly. "Oh no, not under the watchful eye of the great Salamander. However, will I survive?"
Gray rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's him. Only Aelius could be this irritating."
Levy stepped closer, her gaze locked on his. "We'll figure this out," she said softly. "Together."
Aelius stared at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally nodding. "Sure. Together. Why not?"
Makarov stepped forward, raising his arms. "Enough questions for now. Tonight, we celebrate. No matter how he's here, Aelius is back with us, and that's all that matters!"
The guild erupted into cautious cheers and murmurs, the unease giving way to tentative relief. Aelius remained still amidst the commotion, his piercing green eyes scanning the members. For all their doubt and confusion, he could feel the weight of their concern and, frustratingly, their hope.
He sighed quietly, brushing a hand through his hair. "Celebrate, huh?" he muttered under his breath. "Guess it's better than mourning."