The season of amber leaves and crisp winds had descended upon the Kingdom of Fiore. It was autumn, and for the city of Magnolia, that meant one thing: The Harvest Festival.
The city was transforming. Garlands of orange and gold were strung between the lampposts lining the canals. The scent of roasted chestnuts, spiced pumpkin ale, and sweet cinnamon pastries wafted through the cobblestone streets, clinging to the clothes of every passerby. It was a celebration of abundance, of life, and of the community that bound the people together.
For the mages of Fairy Tail, however, "preparation" was usually synonymous with "organized chaos."
Inside the guild hall, the noise level was deafening. Natsu was arguing with a pile of timber meant for a float, inevitably setting it on fire. Erza was micromanaging the placement of decorations with the intensity of a military general planning a siege. Lucy was trying to coordinate costumes, while Happy flew overhead, dropping glitter bombs on unsuspecting victims.
In the midst of this bedlam stood Blake Corvus.
He leaned against a pillar, watching the madness with a calm, contented smile. It was a stark contrast to the last few years of his life. Last year, during the festival, he had been a spectator—frail, leaning on a cane, watching from the sidelines with a blanket over his legs while Cana and Mira fussed over his temperature. He had been a ghost haunting his own life.
But not this year.
This year, he was standing tall. His shoulders were broad again, his coat fitted perfectly over a frame that had regained its power. He was 90% back to his prime, and the remaining 10% was just a matter of time.
He was not just watching; he was the main event.
The Harvest Festival Parade was the highlight of the week, and Master Makarov had decided that the finale float—the showstopper—would feature the "Hero of Tenrou" and the two S-Class beauties who had stood by him. Blake, Cana, and Mirajane.
"Hey, Blake!"
Blake snapped out of his reverie and turned to see Gray Fullbuster walking over. The Ice-Make mage was shirtless, naturally, despite the autumn chill.
"Yo, Gray," Blake greeted him. "Put a shirt on. It's a family festival."
"I don't know when it happened!" Gray protested, looking down at his bare chest in confusion before shrugging. "Anyway, Master wants to know if the rig for the float is secure. Natsu nearly melted the axle on his."
Blake looked around to ensure no one was within earshot. He stepped closer to Gray, his demeanor shifting from casual to intensely serious.
"Gray," Blake said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Forget the axle. I need a favor. A big one."
Gray raised an eyebrow, sensing the shift. He leaned in. "What kind of favor? If it involves fighting Natsu, I'm already booked."
Blake took a deep breath. He leaned closer to Gray's ear and whispered few words.
Gray's eyes went wide. His jaw dropped.
"WHAT?!" Gray screamed at the top of his lungs.
WHACK.
Blake's hand moved in a blur, chopping down onto the top of Gray's head with enough force to generate a shockwave.
"Shut up!" Blake hissed, his eyes wide with panic.
The entire guild hall went silent.
Everyone turned.
Natsu stopped eating fire. Erza paused her lecture. Mira looked up from the bar, a towel in her hand. Cana lowered her tankard.
They saw Gray rubbing a growing lump on his head, and Blake standing over him with a strained, innocent smile.
"Is everything alright?" Mira called out, her voice sweet but carrying a hint of concern.
"Everything is fine!" Blake shouted back, waving his hand dismissively. "Just... uh... Gray here was suggesting we make the float entirely out of ice. I told him that would freeze our butts off. Just a creative disagreement! Hahaha!"
Gray, still rubbing his head and looking at Blake with a mixture of pain and awe, quickly caught on.
"Yeah!" Gray yelled, forcing a grin. "My bad! Bad idea! Too cold! Haha!"
The guild stared for a second longer, then collectively shrugged. It was Fairy Tail; people hitting each other was a love language. The noise resumed.
Blake exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. He turned back to Gray, his voice a dangerous whisper.
"You almost blew it, Ice Princess."
"You hit hard for a guy in rehab," Gray grumbled. "But... seriously? You're doing that? In front of the whole town?"
Blake nods hering that.
Gray looked at Blake. He saw the resolve in his eyes—the same resolve that had faced down Acnologia.
Gray smirked and held out a fist.
"Alright. Leave the stage to me. I'll make you something so beautiful everyone will be in wonder."
Blake bumped his fist against Gray's. "Thanks, brother."
---
The sun dipped below the horizon, and Magnolia lit up.
Thousands of magical lanterns floated into the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the city. The streets were packed with people—tourists, locals, merchants, and children sitting on their parents' shoulders. The air buzzed with anticipation. Drums beat a rhythmic pulse, and trumpets flared.
The parade began.
It was a spectacle of magic and color.
First came the Thunder God Tribe. Laxus sat on a throne of lightning (which he looked bored on), while Freed created runes that exploded into fireworks.
Then came Shadow Gear, dancing through the crowd.
Then came "Team Natsu". Natsu was standing on top of a massive papier-mâché dragon that actually breathed fire, while Lucy waved from a celestial spirit chariot pulled by Taurus and Capricorn. Erza was performing a sword dance in her Clear Heart clothing, dazzling the crowd with her speed.
The crowd cheered until their throats were sore. But as the parade wound its way through the main thoroughfare, a hush of anticipation fell.
The finale was coming.
From the darkness of the tunnel leading to the main street, a chariot emerged. It was draped in silk flowers of deep red and midnight blue.
Driving the chariot was Elfman (who claimed driving was "MANLY").
Standing on the elevated platform built onto the back were the stars of the night.
Mirajane Strauss was breathtaking. She wore a gown of shimmering white silk that seemed to glow in the lantern light. Her hair was loose, cascading down her back like a waterfall of silver. She waved to the crowd with the grace of an angel, her smile radiating pure warmth.
Cana Alberona stood beside her, looking equally stunning but in a different way. She wore a deep crimson dress with a high slit, bold and elegant. Her hair was swept to one side, and for once, she didn't have a drink in her hand. She looked fierce, regal, and undeniably beautiful.
And between them stood Blake.
He wore a black formal suit with silver embroidery on the lapels, his long dark hair now cut short neatly.
As the float moved down the street, the cheers were deafening.
"BLAKE!"
"IT'S THE HERO!"
"MIRA! CANA!"
Blake waved, feeling the energy of the city washing over him. He looked to his left. Mira was beaming, her eyes crinkling with happiness. He looked to his right. Cana was laughing, pointing out people she knew in the crowd.
His heart hammered against his ribs—not from fear of a dragon, but from a different kind of terror.
The float turned the final corner, entering the massive Cardia Cathedral Plaza. The square was packed with thousands of people. The cathedral loomed high, its stained glass illuminated from within.
This was it.
Blake looked toward the shadows near the fountain. He saw a familiar figure leaning against a statue.
Gray nodded once.
SCREECH.
The vehicle jerked to a sudden halt right in the center of the plaza.
The music from the band faltered. The crowd murmured in confusion.
"What happened?" Cana asked, grabbing the railing to steady herself. "Elfman, did you stall it?"
"A REAL MAN DOESN'T STALL!" Elfman shouted from the driver's seat, looking panicked. "The wheels are stuck!"
"Is there a problem?" Mira asked, looking around concerned.
Then, the temperature dropped.
It wasn't a biting cold, but a crisp, clean chill that made the air sparkle.
"Look!" someone in the crowd shouted.
From the cobblestones around the vehicle, ice began to bloom.
It didn't look like ice; it looked like diamonds growing from the earth.
Massive, translucent pillars spiraled upwards, twisting into elegant arches. Ethereal vines made of frost climbed the float, weaving between the silk flowers, turning them into glittering crystal sculptures.
Within seconds, the open-air float was enclosed in a magnificent, cathedral-like dome of ice. It was open to the crowd but framed the three mages in a prism of refracted light.
"Ice magic?" Cana frowned, looking at the intricate designs. "This is... Gray?"
Mira touched a pillar. "It's beautiful. But why?"
They looked around for the Ice mage.
"Hey!" Cana shouted. "Gray! What's the big idea? You trying to steal the show?"
"Turn around," Gray says.
Cana and Mira spun around.
Their hands flew to their mouths.
Blake was no longer standing.
He was down on one knee.
The crowd went dead silent. Ten thousand people held their breath. The only sound was the gentle hum of the magical lamps and the distant thrum of the city.
Blake looked up at them. His face was flushed, his eyes shining with an emotion so raw it made Mira's knees weak.
In his hand, he held a small black velvet box. He opened it.
Inside sat two rings.
One was silver, delicate and twisting like a vine, set with a pale blue diamond that matched Mira's aura.
The other was gold, bold and sturdy, set with a deep amethyst.
"Blake?" Cana whispered, her voice trembling. "Is this real..."
Blake took a shaky breath. He had rehearsed this speech a hundred times in the shower, in the gym, in his head while fighting Zangetsu. Now, looking at them, the script vanished. He just spoke from the soul.
"Three years ago," Blake began, his voice amplified by a subtle wind enchantment so the crowd could hear, "I thought my life was over. I stood against a dragon, and I accepted that I was going to die."
He looked at Mira.
"I fell from the sky, broken. A ruin of a man. But you... you caught me. Not just in the air, but every day after that. You washed the blood off my hands. You sat by my bed for two years, whispering to me when I couldn't hear you. You are the kindest soul I have ever known, Mira. You are my light in the dark."
Mira's eyes overflowed. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't wipe them away. She stood frozen, clutching her dress.
Blake turned his gaze to Cana.
"And you." He smiled, a soft, genuine smile. "You, who acts so tough. You sat in that chair next to me and fought the silence. You gave me your strength when I had none. You made me laugh when I wanted to give up. You are my anchor, Cana. You are the fire that keeps me warm."
He looked between them, his expression turning fierce with conviction.
"Gildarts told me once that a man is defined by what he protects. But for two years, you two protected me. You rebuilt me. You gave me a home."
He lifted the box slightly higher.
"I don't want to spend another day without you. I don't want to fight another battle unless it's to come back to you. I love you both. More than magic. More than life."
Blake swallowed hard.
"Mirajane Strauss. Cana Alberona. Will you marry me?"
The silence stretched for a heartbeat—a single, agonizing second where the world stood still.
Then, Cana moved.
"You idiot!" she cried out, her voice cracking.
She didn't wait for him to stand. She dropped to her knees in front of him, tackling him into a hug that nearly knocked the wind out of him.
"Yes! Yes, you stupid, reckless, wonderful idiot! Yes!"
Mira was right behind her. She fell to her knees as well, wrapping her arms around both of them.
"Yes," Mira sobbed, burying her face in Blake's neck. "A thousand times yes."
The crowd erupted.
It wasn't just a cheer; it was a roar. The people of Magnolia, who had watched Fairy Tail through its highs and lows, screamed their approval. Hats were thrown in the air. Confetti cannons (courtesy of a crying Bisca) exploded.
Blake laughed—a pure, unburdened sound. He kissed Cana, tasting salt and joy. He kissed Mira, soft and sweet.
With shaking hands, he took the rings.
He slid the gold ring onto Cana's finger. It fit perfectly.
He slid the silver ring onto Mira's finger. It sparkled under Gray's ice dome.
"I love you," Blake whispered to them, ignoring the thousands of people watching.
"I love you too," they said in unison.
Suddenly, a massive stream of fire shot into the sky in the shape of a heart.
"AYE SIR!" Natsu screamed from a rooftop. "THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED! PARTY AT THE GUILD!"
"Focus, Natsu! You're burning the decorations!" Lucy shrieked.
Master Makarov was openly bawling into a handkerchief, blowing his nose with the sound of a foghorn. "My children! They're growing up so fast!"
Even Gildarts, standing on a balcony overlooking the square, tipped his flask to the trio. A proud, albeit slightly melancholy, smile on his face. "Take care of them, kid," he whispered. "Or I really will crash you."
The ice dome sparkled, reflecting the love of three mages who had found their way back to each other.
The Harvest Festival continued into the night, but for Blake Corvus, the harvest was already in. He had planted seeds of hope in the darkest winter of his life, and now, he was reaping a future brighter than any magic.
He stood up, helping his fiancées to their feet. He raised their hands high in the air.
And as the fireworks exploded above Magnolia, Blake knew that this—this moment right here—was his greatest victory.