AN: Two chapters coming today, so stay tuned!
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[X784, Edolas, Royal City]
— Dannis Martell —
"What do we do now?" Mirajane asked the moment Hades and his ilk disappeared.
Dannis lowered his sword before looking back at Wraith Jellal, who remained kneeling beside his original body. The spectral figure looked strangely still, almost contemplative. With a mental command, Wraith Racer appeared beside the corpse.
The speedster wraith nodded once, then lifted Jellal's body onto his shoulder.
"We end this," Dannis replied simply.
Nearby, Makarov nodded approvingly.
"With Laxus in the castle, King Faust should be apprehended sooner rather than later," the old master said as magical power gathered around him.
Makarov crossed his arms. While his expression was grim, there was still a bit of hope as the tide of the battle had finally shifted.
Despite Grimoire Heart's sudden appearance complicating things, Dannis couldn't deny that they were a major help in subduing the Edolas siege weapons.
A moment later his feet left the ground as the tiny old man slowly rose into the air.
"I'm going to delay the royal army reinforcements. Dannis, Mira; the both of you find Mystogan and find a way to rescue the others. Lucy, go with Happy and Carla and find the other Exceeds that were captured."
"Aye sir!" Happy replied, with the others giving their own affirmations. Makarov smiled faintly, then he shot into the sky with surprising speed, becoming a rapidly shrinking figure amidst the smoke-filled horizon.
Lucy and the cats joined a second later as they took off into the sky.
"How are we going to find Mystogan?" Mirajane asked. "He has no magic for us to sense."
Closing his eyes, Dannis took stock of the situation in Edolas.
His vision fragmented as hundreds of perspectives flooded his mind. He had spread his wraiths across the entire city at the beginning of this, and Dannis had long since learned how to filter the overwhelming sensation.
Instead of drowning within the information, he calmly sorted through it.
To the north by the bay, Juvia was still hard at work as she singlehandedly took on an entire battalion of Edolas soldiers.
Massive waves towered over the docks as dozens of overturned warships floated uselessly in the harbor. The Edolas royal army had to abandon their advance after being repeatedly swept into the river.
Behind her, the docks had been turned into a safe haven by the residents of New Magnolia. Those that had followed Edo Dannis to the battlefield to establish a makeshift refugee camp.
Tents and supply stations were prepared for the wounded or innocent civilians who wanted to get away from the war.
Dannis immediately directed nearly half his remaining Wraiths toward the district to help Juvia cover the refugee camp. If anything slipped past her, the Wraiths would intervene.
That was when he suddenly paused.
'Is that…?'
Among the camp, he saw a pair of familiar faces. Dannis' breath hitched, for he saw the faces of his parents rushing to and fro within the camp.
Both wore scrubs over their clothing, not unlike the ones Porlyusica usually had.
His mother knelt beside a crying child, carefully wrapping a bandage around a scraped knee. Nearby, his father barked instructions while carrying crates of medical supplies as several healers and alchemists followed behind him.
'So that's what they'd look like at that age.' He thought with a bittersweet smile. 'They would have loved to meet Mira.'
Despite the similarities, Dannis also noted the clear differences. The Edolas version of Paisha Martell had her hair cut short by the shoulder, while Edo Ellias Martell had a much thicker beard with grey already prevalent in the roots.
For just a moment, he allowed himself to imagine the what ifs, before he shook his head and dispersed it from his mind. In the end, his parents were dead and no amount of wishing would change that.
Juvia had everything under control here and the harbor was secure. Which meant he could turn his focus elsewhere.
He settled his awareness to the Wraith he attached to Laxus' shadow, and the moment he did—BOOM.
Lightning exploded across the battlefield.
Dannis nearly flinched.
The clearing surrounding the royal castle looked as though a hurricane had passed through. The ground was scorched black with entire trenches carved through the earth .
Laxus flew around the clearing, a blast of lightning erupting from his hands towards an enemy.
'Is that a mechanized dragon?'
The thing was a true monstrosity, probably a third the size of Phantom Lord's guild building. The body consisted of steel plates formed to the shape of a dragon, massive arms ending in large claws.
The construct roared, Faust' voice eminent from within as it let out a distinct metallic scream.
Then Laxus answered with a roar of his own.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!"
A colossal beam of lightning slammed directly into the machine's chest.
Simultaneously, Natsu and Wendy let out their own roars, fire and wind blasting as a large explosion consumed that part of the battlefield.
Dannis mentally whistled. It looked like the three Dragon Slayers had that handled.
Pulling back from the wraith's perspective, Dannis continued his search.
Dozens of visions passed. Fighting amongst the streets between rebellion forces and the royal army, Gajeel battling a large Exceed, Levy assisting civilians and directing them to the harbor.
Then, he found them. One of his Wraiths saw Mystogan and his Edolas counterpart, moving rapidly through the city as they headed toward the castle.
Dannis reopened his eyes. "I found them. Come on."
Re-summonning his wings as Mira transformed to Satan Soul, they took to the air.
…
[X784, Edolas, Royal City]
— Mystogan —
"There it is…" Mystogan said as he eyed the machine that caused much suffering in Earthland.
Towering pillars of metal and lacrima stretched toward the ceiling. Countless conduits ran throughout the structure, glowing with pale blue energy as magical currents flowed through the machine's inner workings.
His father had built this place. King Faust's 'greatest achievement'.
When they first arrived here, it was filled with scientists and Edolas soldiers, all fiercely loyal to the crown.
All it took was a simple appliance of the sleep spell, now they all lay scattered across the floor, peacefully sleeping through the end of an era.
"The Anima..." Dannis of Edolas said quietly. "And you said you could reverse it?"
"Yes." Mystogan approached the central control console, runes illuminated beneath his fingers as he began manipulating the controls. "With this, the portals between the two dimensions will shut for the last time."
"It can't be that easy." Edo Dannis' said. "What is the catch, Jellal?"
Mystogan paused for half a second before his fingers resumed his work.
"The price…is the eradication of all magic within Edolas."
Behind him, he heard Dannis inhale sharply. The crow leaping from his shoulder in surprise.
"I... see."
Mystogan nodded. "It is the only way."
Edo Dannis remained quiet, one eye narrowed in thought. Despite their differences, it seems the one constant among both Dannis' that transcended dimensions was their intelligence.
After a few moments, Dannis sighed. "That certainly explains why you waited until now."
"Yes." Mystogan inserted another command sequence as runes flashed. The machine hummed in response. "I am fully prepared for the consequences. Edolas was never meant to survive through theft. Not like this."
He looked up toward the immense machine, his gaze hardening.
"With the way things are going, this world would need a hero and a villain." Mystogan said, "You've been fighting the good fight all these years yourself, Dannis. Protecting villages abandoned by the crown, building alliances, earning their trust. You have already done everything that a king should."
Dannis stared at him as Mystogan continued.
"Thus, when this is over, you shall rise as its king."
Edo Dannis raised an eyebrow. "You won't be taking the crown yourself?"
"No. The people would never accept me, the prince who vanished. I've been absent for too long." Mystogan shook his head. The answer came easy, surprisingly enough. "But you? The people outside this city already follow you."
A faint smile appeared on Mystogan's lips. "Besides, we are cousins, however distant. You have a claim to the throne yourself."
"Good, saves me the time from convincing you." A sudden voice had them both turn to see Earthland Dannis and Mirajane entering the chamber.
Mirajane took a double take. "Wow…there really are two of you. And you look just like Jellal, Mystogan."
"I am Jellal–" Mystogan started before being interrupted by Earthland Dannis.
"The plans we made with Master Mavis didn't account for this part yet, so I assumed the worst." He said, "I thought you were going to follow through with the original suicide plan you had."
"Yes, well the plans didn't account for Grimoire Heart either. I assume you took care of them?" Mystogan asked.
"I did, with Mira and the Master. While they're still out and about, they won't bother us at the very least." Dannis then turned to his counterpart. "Nice to see you again, other me. The battle is going well from what I can tell."
"Your…summons certainly helped." Edo Dannis raised a brow, "Is this really what Earthland Mages are capable of?"
"Didn't you see yourself the lightning blast that took down the entire eastern wall?"
"I did. That was ridiculous." Edo Dannis shook his head.
"Knowing it was Laxus, he probably toned down the power slightly to not destroy the city." Mirajane added.
"Knowing that doesn't reassure me, y'know." Edo Dannis replied.
"It wasn't supposed to." Mira answered with a sweet smile.
Mystogan ignored the chatter as he continued moving across the controls. The machine demanded his full attention for what he was about to do next. His father had been brilliant in designing it. But unfortunately for Faust, Mystogan knew the machine almost as well as he did, and the years with Fairy Tail had made him peerless in lacrima programming.
When the final sequence was completed, Mystogan reached into his cloak and carefully pulled out a specially crafted lacrima, one designed specifically for this purpose.
Without hesitation, he removed the original lacrima from the machine and replaced it.
The effect was immediate. Deep mechanical sounds echoed through the structure as the machine whirred. The Anima then activated, a pillar of brilliant light erupting from the machine that shot towards the ceiling and settled into the skies, a large rift forming above Edolas.
"That should do it."
The room then shook as a distant explosion sounded. The castle trembled as dust fell from the ruined ceiling.
Mystogan smiled faintly. "Right on time."
Earthland Dannis glanced outside. "Was that Laxus?"
"Most likely." Mystogan nodded. "He and the other Dragon Slayers must be finished with my father's Dorma Anim."
The dragon was his father's trump card, the last weapon and threat to end his father's rule.
He turned towards Edolas Dannis. "With that, your forces should have no problem in taking over the city. I assume you'll have no problem in taking the kingship?"
Edo Dannis shook his head. "Of course not. It'll be difficult moving forward without any magic, but we'll survive. My men are already freeing the Exceeds as we speak, don't forget to take them with you. They'll die if the magic here is gone."
"We will, don't worry." Mira said, "Lucy's already on it."
"Good."
For a few moments silence settled over the chamber, then the Edolas rebel leader looked toward his counterpart.
"Your parents," he asked softly. "They're dead, aren't they?"
The question surprised even Mystogan, but Dannis merely nodded.
"Yeah. It would be fourteen years ago now." He answered easily.
Edo Dannis lowered his gaze. "My condolences. You sure you don't want to say anything to them?"
"There's no need to," Earthland Dannis said and Mystogan immediately understood what he meant. Mirajane silently reached for his hand as their fingers intertwined. "I've already made peace with it."
Edo Dannis' breathed out, closing his eyes in respect before smirking back.
"Well then," he extended his hand, Dannis accepted it immediately. "It's been a pleasure."
The two men shook hands, two versions of the same person who lived entirely different lives. It made Mystogan think of his counterpart. The one who had hurt his friends in the worst possible way back.
Both Laxus and Dannis had killed the Jellal of Earthland. He still didn't really know how to feel about that,
"Good luck with everything, I'm sure you'll be a great king." Earthland Dannis said with a grin.
For the first time since Mystogan could ever remember, the future king of Edolas looked genuinely uncertain, then he laughed. "Let's hope you're right."
Mystogan allowed them a few moments before speaking. "We need to leave, the portal closes in ten minutes."
Both Earthland mages nodded. Together, they left the chamber, leaving the future of Edolas to the man that could lead them to a brighter future.
…
Less than five minutes later, Mystogan stood atop the highest balcony of the castle and watched history unfold.
Up above, the sky churned. Clouds rotated around the massive portal that had formed overhead.
Exceeds by the thousands were taking flight, their white wings an endless sea of feathers as they all rushed to a new home.
Beneath them floated the giant Fairy Tail lacrima, carried by hundreds of Dannis' wraiths as they brought the crystal upward. Mystogan had designed it so that the lacrima would be naturally dispersed the moment it entered the portal, so the others would naturally return to their human states the moment they passed through the threshold. A tidbit that was shared with Grimoire Heart for their airship moved slowly through the air themselves, its anchor chains wrapped around another massive lacrima that was made up of their own people.
Together, the ship and its crew slowly guided the crystal toward the portal.
Mystogan found himself smiling despite it all. Beside him, the rest of Fairy Tail watched quietly. Laxus, Makarov, Dannis, Mira, Gajeel, Levy, Lucy, Natsu, Wendy, and Juvia.
None spoke as they all beheld it all.
Finally, Mystogan looked away from the portal and cast one look toward the city that was his home a long time ago.
Below, people filled the streets. The soldiers lowered their weapons the moment Faust' defeat was widespread, Erza Knightwalker coming out and telling them to stand down. He and Edo Dannis met as the civilians began to emerge from hiding.
For a brief moment, Mystogan wondered what his life might have been like had he stayed, if he had never crossed worlds. Then he shook his head, for there was no point wondering.
Dannis was right in that regard. The life here did not belong to him, this was no longer his home. It was Fairy Tail, always had been.
Without another word, Mystogan stepped forward. Magic gathered around his staff as he rose into the air.
Beside him, the others followed. Mirajane spread her wings as Dannis summoned his own. Happy, Carla, and surprisingly Panther Lily grabbed their dragon slayers and took off into the skies.
Laxus snorted as lightning formed around him, flying while carrying Makarov. Levy formed a platform, with both her and Juvia stepping on.
Together they ascended toward the portal. Towards home. Towards Fairy Tail.
And without looking back again, they passed through the gateway in the sky.
…
AN: Finally, finally, this arc is finally finished. I completely lied in the last chapter when I said there were three or four chapters remaining. Turns out, all I needed was one.
Anywho, I hope you guys enjoyed this arc. It took a while to get here (I blame Skyrim since I didn't expect that fic to completely swallow my attention) but here we are.
It was fun implementing all the changes, and I hope you liked it as well. Mystogan's whole arc of being a king has always been a gripe of mine since he felt so underused in canon, so this was my way of making him stay in Earthland.
Dannis' counterpart becoming king was always the plan, with Erza Knightwalker being his future queen. Will Irene still reincarnate as their child? Who knows.
Coming up next should be the big arc, which is Tenrou Island. That arc should be fun with all the changes I've made. I just hope to do all the things I've planned with justice and not disappoint you guys.
That's all from me, cheers!