Chapter 212: Then, Goodbye
Thinking about it now, she couldn't help but feel her legs go weak.
The residual tremors of the battle still vibrated through the soles of her shoes, traveling up her spine and settling as a heavy knot of dread in her stomach.
It wasn't just fear; it was a primal reaction to witnessing a force of nature that masqueraded as a human mage.
Fortunately, Ren, this monster, was here, and the Kingdom Army hadn't fully gathered in the Royal City. Otherwise, she didn't know if Ren would be fine—though given what she had just seen, he probably would be—but she definitely would have been doomed.
The sheer scale of the magical power that had just evaporated the elite Legion Corps was something that defied common sense in Edolas. It wasn't merely a victory; it was an annihilation so absolute that it left the air tasting of ozone and despair.
Happy, hovering anxiously in the air with his small white wings beating a rapid rhythm, broke the heavy silence. "It's over here. Let's hurry back and see how everyone is doing!"
Wendy Marvell nodded vigorously, her small hands clenched into fists at her chest, her eyes wide with a mixture of lingering adrenaline and hope. "That's right! I wonder how everyone is? Let's hurry back!" Although the time they had been separated wasn't very long—perhaps only a few hours in the chaotic timeline of this world—she had never felt such an urgent, burning desire to see everyone again.
The fear of losing her newfound family, the guild that had taken her in, had been a cold grip on her heart that was only now beginning to loosen.
"Wait! Are you forgetting something?"
Carla crossed her small arms, her white tail twitching with a hint of exasperation and sharp intuition. She floated down to eye level, her gaze piercing.
"Forgetting what?" Happy tilted his head, his face a mask of innocent confusion.
"Nothing!"
Rumble...
Just then, the earth beneath their feet trembled. It wasn't the violent shaking of an earthquake, but the deep, resonant groan of something massive forcing its way to the surface. A vibrant green sapling burst through the cracked cobblestones of the ruined plaza, spiraling upwards with aggressive vitality.
Immediately after, the tree grew rapidly, wood groaning and shifting as it expanded. Roots thick as barrels tore through the pavement, weaving together in a complex, magical dance. Leaves sprouted in an explosion of emerald green, and branches fused to form walls, windows, and roofs. In the blink of an eye, the wild vegetation transformed into a massive, familiar architectural structure, complete with the scent of polished wood and stale ale.
"Fairy Tail?!"
Gajeel Redfox, chewing on a piece of scrap metal he'd found, stopped mid-bite. Beside him, Lucy Heartfilia's jaw dropped. They were startled when they saw the emblem on the Guild building—the stylized bird that represented freedom and family. Why was there another Fairy Tail here? Was this the Edolas version?
At this moment, the heavy wooden doors of the guild hall burst open with a bang that echoed through the silent ruins.
"Charge!!"
A group of people rushed out, weapons drawn, magic flaring, and faces contorted in battle cries.
"We're here!"
"Everyone from Earth Land!"
"We've come to help!"
"Natsu! Happy! We're here!"
Lisanna Strauss shouted towards Natsu and Happy, leading the charge. Her short white hair bobbed as she ran, her eyes scanning the battlefield for familiar pink and blue figures. Behind her came the entire roster of Earth Land's Fairy Tail—Macao brandishing his purple flames, Wakaba biting down on his pipe, and even the usually timid members yelling at the top of their lungs.
"Lisanna!!"
Only then did Natsu and Happy remember; they had completely forgotten about Lisanna just now in the heat of the moment. Their focus had been so entirely on survival and fighting the King that the resurrection of their childhood friend had momentarily slipped their simple minds.
Edolas Lucy, clad in her tight leather outfit and holding a whip, looked at the surrounding scene with wide eyes, confused by the sudden influx of strangers who looked eerily familiar. "Huh? Where is this? Isn't this the Royal Capital?"
The members of the Edolas Fairy Tail were all somewhat stunned after rushing out. They had steeled themselves for a desperate, bloody last stand against the Royal Army. They expected to see legions of soldiers, mechanical dragons, and death. Instead, they were greeted by a desolate, smoking plaza and a few familiar faces standing amidst the rubble.
"It's me!"
Lucy Heartfilia didn't react at first, staring at the woman in leather. The tough, aggressive aura radiating from her doppelgänger was jarring. But then she realized, 'Isn't that me?'
Edolas Lucy was also stunned to see Lucy. Although she knew there was another version of herself in Earth Land, seeing her with her own eyes—wearing such flimsy, girly clothes and looking so soft—was still surprising. It was like looking into a mirror that showed a completely different life path.
Carla sighed, floating between the two groups to mediate the confusion. "This is the Royal Capital, but the battle has already ended."
"The Royal Capital?!"
Everyone was shocked. They looked around, truly taking in the surroundings. This place, ruined like a wasteland with craters smoking in the plaza and buildings reduced to rubble, was actually the extremely luxurious Royal Capital of Edolas? It looked more like a meteor impact site than the seat of power for the entire world.
"Wait! You said the battle ended?!"
Edolas Lucy focused on Carla's words, her grip on her whip tightening until her knuckles turned white. Her sharp eyes darted around, looking for the enemy.
"Yes! The battle is over. The Edolas Kingdom lost."
"Lost?!"
"How is that possible?!"
"That powerful Edolas Kingdom actually..."
"Did you really defeat the King of Edolas?!"
The members of Fairy Tail couldn't believe it. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. For years, they had lived in the shadows, scattering like mice when facing the powerful Edolas Kingdom Army. The mere sight of a Royal Legionnaire was enough to send them packing. Yet, these people from another world—their counterparts—claimed to have defeated the entire Edolas Kingdom with just a few people? This was simply unbelievable. It sounded like a fairy tale within a fairy tale.
At this point, everyone observed carefully. As the dust settled, they saw the evidence. Countless members of the Edolas Kingdom Army lay fallen around them, their armor dented and scorched. Many Edolas soldiers who were still conscious had already laid down their weapons, sitting on the ground with faces pale from terror, having witnessed Ren's power firsthand. They realized that the Edolas Kingdom might truly have been defeated. The invincible tyrant, King Faust, had fallen.
"This is great!"
"The King of Edolas has been defeated!"
"This is truly wonderful!"
Tears of excitement streamed down the faces of almost everyone in Fairy Tail. It wasn't just relief; it was the breaking of a dam.
For years, they had lived in constant fear, unable to use magic freely, watching countless comrades be hunted down or killed by the Kingdom. Every day was a struggle for survival, every night a prayer that they wouldn't be found. Now that Kingdom was finally destroyed. They no longer had to live the anxious, constantly fleeing life. No one could truly understand how excited they felt at this moment; the weight of oppression that had crushed their spirits for a decade had vanished in an instant.
"Natsu, where is everyone else? Where are my older sister and brother?"
Lisanna asked anxiously, pushing through the celebrating crowd. Her voice trembled. After hearing Ren's words earlier, she had initially suppressed herself, trying to be strong. But realizing that her older sister and brother might turn into Magic Power—and that she, as the younger sister, had caused her older sister to be unable to use magic and her older brother to become a third-rate Mage—she couldn't hold back.
The guilt was a heavy stone in her chest. She wanted to rescue them herself. She couldn't stand by if her older sister and brother were in danger.
But just as she was packing her things to leave the guild earlier, everyone in the Fairy Tail Guild had stopped her, refusing to let her go alone. Even though Ren had displayed tremendous strength earlier, they didn't believe that just a few people could defeat the mighty Edolas Kingdom. After all, countless people had tried to challenge the Edolas Kingdom over the years, all ending in failure. If Lisanna went along, she would only become another corpse.
But how could Lisanna stay behind? After all, her older sister, older brother, and everyone in the Guild were in danger.
In the end, everyone from Fairy Tail came to help. If things continued as they were, Fairy Tail and its members only had death awaiting them as the magic of the world dried up. Dying sooner or later was still death, so they might as well fight the enemy before they died. Thus, everyone came together. They originally expected to face the massive armies of the Edolas Kingdom upon arrival, a tragic last stand, but they never expected it to end so quickly.
"Since you've arrived, let's go back."
Ren said, his voice cutting through the noise like a sharp blade. He stood atop a piece of rubble, looking down at the gathered crowd. Since Lisanna had come here herself, it saved him the trouble of looking for her. The Anima was already reversing; the magic of this world was flowing back to Earth Land, and they needed to ride that tide.
"Full Body Take Over: Ulquiorra!"
Ren's expression shifted into one of absolute focus. Green energy crackled around him, dense and suffocating.
Vwoom!
The air grew heavy, forcing some of the weaker guild members to their knees. A bone-white helmet with majestic horns formed on his head, and a hollow hole appeared in his chest. His clothes transformed into a long, white coat. He quickly transformed into Ulquiorra's form, his spiritual pressure spiking to a level that made the very air vibrate with dread.
Snap!
Ren snapped his fingers.
Buzz—
The sound was like fabric tearing. A black rift appeared in space, which then began to tear vertically, revealing a mysterious opening. It wasn't just a door; it looked like a mouth of the void, jagged teeth of energy holding open a passage into absolute nothingness.
"This is..."
Lucy immediately recognized it. This was the magic Ren had used to send Loki back to the Spirit World. The sheer ominous feeling radiating from it made her shiver.
"What is this?! Whoa!!"
Natsu, driven by his insatiable curiosity and lack of self-preservation, walked inside. But as soon as he entered the black void, gravity seemed to vanish. He flailed, his feet finding no purchase as he started to fall into the abyss.
"Idiot!"
Ren was quick to grab Natsu's scarf, hauling him back with a jerk.
"Inside is the Gap of Time and Space—the Garganta. Up, down, left, and right are all endless space. If you get lost in there, you're dead! There is no oxygen, no direction, and no return."
"What?!"
Natsu was startled, clinging to the edge of the rift, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He never expected the inside to be so dangerous. He looked down into the swirling darkness, gulping audibly.
Ren stepped inside, the spiritual particles coalescing beneath his boots. He quickly formed a shimmering platform of Reishi (Spirit Particles) beneath his feet, extending it into a walkway. "Alright, everyone come in. Don't fall off this platform."
Warned by Natsu's previous mistake, everyone immediately walked onto the platform cautiously. They moved single file, eyes wide as they stepped into the dimension between worlds.
Natsu looked at the Reishi support beneath his feet and grew curious again. He tapped it with his toe, watching the blue light ripple. "This thing looks really thin! It won't break, right?"
Lucy immediately warned him, smacking him on the shoulder. "Don't kick it again! If we fall out of here, we're all finished!"
Last time, inside the ruins on Galuna Island, Natsu stepped recklessly, causing the floor to shatter and everyone to fall. She didn't want a repeat of that in a void where falling meant eternal drift.
"Mira-nee... Elfman-nii..."
Lisanna stopped at the threshold of the Garganta. She turned back, looking at this world's Mira and Elfman standing amidst the ruins. The wind blew through their hair, carrying the scent of a dying magical world.
"Although we knew long ago that you weren't the Lisanna we knew, we never said it aloud. We're sorry."
Edolas Elfman patted Lisanna's head, his voice thick with emotion. He was rougher, tougher than her real brother, but the warmth in his hand was exactly the same.
Edolas Mira couldn't stop her tears. They streamed down her face, washing away the grime of battle. But she smiled, a radiant, heartbreaking smile, as she took Lisanna's hand one last time.
"Go back to your original world, Lisanna. You are just as gentle and considerate as the Lisanna who passed away. You healed our hearts just by being here... so don't make your real older brother and sister sad anymore. They are waiting for you."
"Mira-nee~~! Elfman-nii~~~!"
Tears flowed continuously down Lisanna's face. The dam broke completely. She sobbed, the sound echoing in the silence between the worlds. It was a cry of grief for the family she was leaving and joy for the family she was returning to. She hugged them one last time, feeling their solid reality before reluctantly stepping into the Garganta.
Ren turned back to look at Mystogan, who stood apart from the group, his staves strapped to his back. The Prince looked at his ruined city with a solemn expression.
"Mystogan, aren't you coming with us?"
Mystogan shook his head slowly. "No, this is my homeland. The Kingdom is in turmoil now. The magic is gone, panic will set in, and the people will need guidance. I can't just leave. Someone must rebuild from these ashes."
"The Prince has grown up!"
Panther Lily, standing beside him in his small form, crossed his arms and nodded sagely. He was very relieved to hear Mystogan say this; the boy who had run away was finally ready to be King.
"Say hello to everyone in the Guild for me! Tell them... tell them I'll miss them."
"I see! Then, goodbye!"
Ren nodded, a flicker of respect in his eyes.
Swoosh—
The Garganta closed. The jagged teeth of the dimension snapped shut, sealing the rift and leaving no trace in space, as if the mages of Earth Land had never been there at all.
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