The magical world within Fiore is governed by the Magic Council.
This organization is made up of ten powerful wizards and is based in ERA.
This city is unique in that the Council's headquarters sits in a majestic building atop a mountain, right in the center of the city—as if the giant structure wasn't already a clear enough sign of how important it is.
This is where meetings were held to discuss recent significant events. Topics ranged from the activities of dark guilds—especially the "Three Pillars" of the dark guilds, who were often the main focus—to problems caused by wizards and guilds, most notably Fairy Tail, which seemed to be trying to break some kind of record for how much destruction they could cause in every city they visited.
The meeting took place in a circular chamber. Some of the Council's Mages were present, while others were not.
The first to speak was an old man with a gray beard and a large mustache. He had pointy ears and a habit of keeping one eye closed. He wore multiple layers of clothing, just like most Magic Council members. One of his most recognizable features was a small bat-like creature that always perched on his head. This strict elder was named Org.
"Fairy Tail again?! How much longer are we supposed to tolerate that rowdy guild?!" Org spoke, unable to hide his displeasure.
In response to his outburst, another elder stepped in. This one was short with thick light brown eyebrows and a small mustache that reached the middle of his mouth. He wore a brown, long-sleeved shirt with black vertical stripes and a three-cornered black hat.
This was Yamaji who used to side with Fairy Tail due to his former friendship with Makarov and was in fact once a member of Fairy Tail.
"There's no need to get upset, Org... I know Fairy Tail caused some damage, but this time it was justified... They stopped Eisenwald and Lullaby," Yamaji said in a calm, conciliatory voice.
A snort could be heard—this came from another member, a short man with brown hair and a mustache. He had a somewhat feline appearance and his name was Michello.
"Yamaji, defending Makarov again?! This is a crisis! The mages from Fairy Tail are becoming more and more out of control!" Michello spoke with suspicion and distrust. If Eisenwald hadn't been involved in the incident, he probably would have accused Fairy Tail of orchestrating the entire thing.
When his rant ended, Yamaji frowned and Org nodded. While he wasn't as impulsive as Michello, he didn't like Fairy Tail either. But a flirty little giggle interrupted them.
Everyone turned to look at a young woman who stood out in this room full of old wizards. She was Ultear Milkovich, a beautiful and seductive young woman wearing a kimono that reached just above her knees and oriental-style sandals. Her black hair hung loose and straight, both in the bangs and ends. Also she wore striking red lipstick.
"Michello-san, you shouldn't be so distrustful of Fairy Tail. They're not a dark guild—they just cause trouble. And this time, they're the heroes, don't forget~" Ultear said, clearly amused.
"You're ten years too young to contradict me," Michello snapped back.
An older woman sighed. Her name was Belno, an elderly woman with yellow hair tied into a sharp ponytail, with two locks framing her face. She looked like a classic witch, complete with a tall, curved-pointed hat. She wasn't someone who got carried away by bias or emotion—if the evidence were against Fairy Tail, she'd oppose them, but if not, she had no problem defending them.
"I'm neither for nor against Fairy Tail, but this time I agree with Yamaji. They helped stop a demon of Zeref... That's already a major achievement under their belt."
This division of opinions caused the conversation to go nowhere, so someone else spoke up. It was a middle-aged man wearing dark glasses. He wore a white and blue robe typical of the Magic Council, with the hood pulled up. His most distinctive feature was his enormous sideburns, which nearly touched his lips.
"You're all focusing on the wrong thing. What matters is who's going to take responsibility for this. People are angry at the Council for not being able to stop Eisenwald—there were victims, and someone died... We need to calm the public down," said Leiji gravely.
"True," added a young man with blue hair and a tattoo on his face, "But more than that, I'm interested in one particular person... someone all of you have ignored."
Everyone's attention turned to the youngest member of the Council—his name was Siegrain, and his voice carried a strong, persuasive presence.
"Who are you talking about?" Org asked with clear irritation—he wasn't a fan of either Ultear or Siegrain.
"According to the reports, Eisenwald and Lullaby were defeated by Erza Scarlet, Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, and two new members..."
"So what?" Michello said impatiently.
""I know that as soon as you heard Titania's name you ignored the rest of the report, but I probed further and was surprised to discover that the main person responsible for stopping Eisenwald and the demon Lullaby was not any of those three, but one of the new members, a man named Allen Walker..."
"That's true?!" said Org with a serious voice.
"Of course," Siegrain replied with a smile.
"What?!" Michello's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Oh, now that's interesting~" Ultear purred, glancing at Siegrain. "In a battle with Titania and Salamander on the side, did anyone else manage to stand out the most?~"
"Another problem?!" Org groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Why do all the problematic people gather in Fairy Tail?!"
"Shouldn't we investigate this mysterious mage?" Belno suggested thoughtfully.
"The truth is, this time Fairy Tail deserves the glory for the victory. But I also understand why some of you are hesitant to praise them, given all the damage they've caused," Siegrain said with a mysterious smile. "So how about we kill two birds with one stone?"
...
(Web Valley)
Allen's group, along with the Guild Master, had discovered a ghost town in the middle of nowhere, shrouded in mystery. Everyone split up to investigate, and they quickly found clear signs of recent life.
Allen, who stayed in the middle of the street with Lucy, looked around, "Well, well, where did they all go?"
"Allen, this place is creepy…" Lucy was terrified—this felt like something straight out of a horror novel. She gave up on exploring and decided to stick close to Allen.Although her fear seemed more like an excuse to take him by the arm.
Inside one of the houses, Erza stared at a dining table with full plates of food. She touched her chin, thinking.
"Even the food is still fresh, which means it hasn't been that long… I wonder if the Master or Allen found anything."
In another house, Natsu started getting hungry and tried to grab a loaf of bread—but Happy snatched it away.
"Natsu, remember what Allen told us! Don't eat anything!"
"Tsk… I know, but I'm starving…"
Elsewhere, Gray was feeling uneasy in the desolate town. He didn't show it, but hearing the words "Zeref's demon" had shaken him—he'd suffered under the power of a similar demon in the past.
"This is ridiculous… What the hell is Allen even looking for?"
Gray shook his head. He only came because Natsu provoked him, but he didn't like being in this place. Still, the ghost town was strange.
Makarov walked to the center of the village. Looking around at the intact buildings— no signs of conflict—he became more suspicious.
"This must've been caused by a ritual…"
Makarov had lived long enough to recognize the signs. Entire towns didn't just vanish. That only happened when cursed, ancient, or forbidden magic—or some kind of artifact—was involved. He turned around to head back.
...
Allen looked down at the ground using "Auris Arcanum," only to confirm his suspicions—there was a massive buildup of magical energy throughout the area.
"Don't tell me this whole town…" Allen furrowed his brow and pressed two fingers to his temple. "Too bad I don't have telepathy… Oh well. Menscaligo (Mind in the Mist) – Everyone listen. This town is a trap. We need to get out of here…"
Compared to the telepathy Allen usually used, Menscaligo was weak. It could only send short messages without real-time feedback, and the farther the recipient, the longer it took to reach them. Its only advantage was stealth—even an expert mage would need to be fully alert just to sense it.
Upon receiving Allen's message, no one questioned it—they all immediately started running.
...
Three minutes later, the group stood at the edge of a cliff.
Lucy gasped, out of breath. "Did we really have to run?"
"Hey, there was a trap?" Natsu crossed his arms. "Doesn't matter—if it's something I can burn, I'm happy!"
"Idiot!" Gray snapped, glaring at him.
"What'd you say?!" Natsu shouted back, and the two started fighting again.
Allen stood beside Makarov and Erza, overlooking the city.
"I found forbidden magical artifacts everywhere, which means this town belonged to a dark guild. That's why it wasn't on any maps…" Erza said seriously.
Makarov shook his head."Forbidden magic is forbidden for a reason. But there are always those who underestimate the danger and tamper with powers they can't control. This place must've been where a dark guild used some magic that backfired… and turned them into sacrifices."
Allen remained silent, listening without interrupting.
Lucy trembled at the thought. "So… everyone here is dead?"
"That can be confirmed…" Allen stepped forward. "Revelio..."
The buildings warped and twisted into terrifying monsters. Lucy clung to Allen's arm. Erza clicked her tongue, while Natsu and Gray were shocked by this kind of magic.
"I see," Makarov said with a cold smile. "This is the forbidden magic Alive, which grants life to inanimate objects… The dark guild must have been devoured by these creatures..."
As if sensing the threat, the creatures stirred and grew agitated, then turned their attention toward the group and prepared to attack.
'Magic life, huh...' Allen prepared to break the magic, but noticed Makarov watching him in silence, a faint smile on his face, before stepping forward.
"..." Allen lowered his hand and let Makarov do it.
With a single hand gesture, the magic was undone. Not only that—a group of mages appeared on the ground where the town had once been.
"What?!" Lucy shouted in disbelief.
"Old man, that's not fair! Let me fight!" Natsu yelled as he charged, but Makarov slammed him into the ground with his enlarged fist.
"Calm down, Natsu..."
...
Wade – That old man has some good hip moves~
Maeve – What an indecent way to say the old man is strong...
Wade – Thanks, you're making me blush.
Diana – Don't mind him, Maeve. This guy enjoys being insulted...
Wade – I also enjoy being treated like a lady, isn't that right, my best friend, Wolfie? ❤️~
Logan – I hate to comment, only this lunatic could make me do it! And for the record, this bastard is not my friend!
...
Once down on the ground, the group confronted the dark mages—but they didn't resist. They were exhausted, beaten, and completely devoid of will.
"Since there were no casualties and your crimes only affected yourselves, I'll let you go if you promise not to pull something like this again!"
"Is this really okay? They're dark mages..." Allen asked.
"Many times we lose our way, but that doesn't mean we're beyond redemption... wouldn't you agree, Allen?" Makarov replied with a meaningful smile.
Allen shook his head and shrugged. "You're the Guild Master..."
Makarov had his own way of doing things. His philosophy might seem naïve—giving bad guys a second chance—but as Erza once said, Allen wasn't the first to arrive at Fairy Tail with a troubled past, and he wouldn't be the last. Of course, Allen had chosen his path on his own. But some had been pushed onto roads they never wanted to walk, and for them, Fairy Tail could be a beacon in the dark.
"We accept!"
"Yeah, we don't ever want to go through that again!"
The dark guild was disbanded. Half of the mages said they would return to their hometowns, while the other half would try joining a legal guild. With that, Allen received the mission completion notice along with the rewards and the advanced-level forbidden magic "Alive."
...
When they were done, Allen offered to take them back using "Apparition". Happy and Lucy trembled instantly, but Allen reassured them, saying they wouldn't feel the effects the second time.
"What's that?!" Natsu got excited immediately. Maybe he'd found a way to get around without getting sick from using conventional transportation.
With that said, Allen placed his hands on Natsu and Gray's shoulders and vanished with them as if swallowed by a black hole. Upon arriving at the guild, both Natsu and Gray immediately threw up. This surprised everyone and angered Laki who had recently mopped the floor.
Allen returned to Web Valley and did the same with Erza and Lucy. Lucy let out a sigh of relief, glad she didn't feel dizzy. She smiled and turned to look at Erza. Lucy had hoped to see Erza suffer a loss, but what she saw made her angry.
"Sorry... I feel a little dizzy," said Erza, leaning against Allen's chest.
"Don't worry. It's just a side effect..." Allen placed his hand on her forehead, and a soft light brought a refreshing breeze to Erza.
"That's ice magic?" Erza asked in surprise. Allen nodded.
"Allen!" Lucy pointed at him in anger. "Why didn't you do that with me?!"
Allen blinked at her. "Because I forgot at the time, and you collapsed to the floor dizzy almost immediately..."
Erza smirked smugly. "Sorry, Lucy."
Lucy nearly exploded but held herself back, walking dramatically toward Allen. "Ah~ the dizziness is affecting me again... maybe because I'm such a delicate girl~"
For some reason, Erza got annoyed. "Oh, I see. Then we should solve that with some intense physical training..."
Lucy trembled, remembering she was picking a fight with Titania. "No need! I'm a Celestial Mage—I don't need that much muscle..."
"Ara Ara~ I'm glad you all returned so quickly," Mirajane approached, radiating a dark aura that scared Lucy and the guild gossipers who had been watching. "I'm also glad Allen-kun is getting along so well with the guild members..."
Allen took a step back. "I should go find Master Makarov. But thanks for the warm welcome."
Allen vanished, leaving the three girls looking at each other. At that moment, Lucy was likely the one with the most honest feelings. Mirajane's interest stemmed more from pride, though it was true she'd never cared this much about a guy. As for Erza, she was clumsy with feelings and probably didn't even understand her own, but she instinctively reacted to Lucy and Mirajane.
Of course, to everyone else, it looked like they were fighting over the same guy. This made more than one girl bleed internally—especially people like Loke, who had been rejected by both Erza and Mirajane in the past and clearly had no shot with Lucy now that the final boss of womanizers was in the picture.
Since Allen wasn't around, the three girls felt it was pointless to argue. Lucy went to sit and rest with Erza while Natsu and Gray were still on the ground. However, ten minutes passed, and Allen, Master Makarov, and Happy still hadn't returned.
"They're not fighting, are they?" Erza asked casually.
"Pfft!" Lucy spat out her drink at the thought. But when she remembered how things had been so far, it was true—Allen ended up fighting stronger and stronger people. Still, Lucy calmed herself, remembering that in the cases of Natsu, Gray, and Erza, they had challenged Allen. He had never acted hostile.
Another ten minutes passed. By this point, both Erza and Lucy couldn't handle the suspense anymore. Gray and Natsu had recovered and now shared the same serious expressions.
"Hey, Natsu, what's wrong?" Wakaba asked, concerned.
"I don't know..." the Dragon Slayer replied, wearing an unusually serious expression.
As the tension in the air thickened, a spatial disturbance made a faint sound—and with it, Makarov, Allen, and Happy appeared.
"Hello kids, I'm back!" Makarov laughed.
Happy flew over to Natsu, who immediately interrogated him. But Happy refused to say anything.
"I'm sorry, Natsu..." said Happy as if he had seen a ghost, "I can't talk..."
"...!" Gray, who was nearby, couldn't believe the loyal Happy would refuse to answer Natsu—after all, they practically grew up together.
Allen scratched the back of his neck and walked over to Lucy and Erza, sitting down in front of them. He looked more exhausted than the last time they saw him.
"What happened?" Lucy asked.
"..." Erza didn't say anything, but her curiosity was just as intense as Lucy's.
Allen thought for a moment before looking at both girls. "Well..."
BAM!
The guild door burst open, and a humanoid frog appeared, accompanied by several guards dressed in blue.
"What are you doing here?!" Makarov growled.
"This doesn't concern you, Makarov Dreyar," the frog said, turning toward Allen's location. "Erza Scarlet and Allen Walker, by order of the Magic Council—you're under arrest!"
===