Just in case, Rhodes tossed a pill into Gildarts's hand. "Uncle, when you think the time is right..."
Before he could finish, Gildarts had already popped it into his mouth and swallowed it with a gulp.
He blinked twice, then looked at Rhodes with a relaxed smile. "What were you saying?"
Rhodes froze. "Never mind.
"Just don't act too fast. If you blow up the magic crystal by mistake, everything's over."
Gildarts gave a carefree laugh. "Of course I know that much! Don't worry, hahaha!"
Looking at him, Rhodes couldn't help but feel like he was staring at a grown-up version of Natsu. "Is this level of reckless stupidity a tradition in Fairy Tail?"
Maybe he should ask Freed to carve some "Gildarts-specific warding runes" into the town.
Meanwhile, Mira and Erza had taken off with Happy's parents, flying into the sky to scout the source of the incoming presence.
Rhodes, staying grounded, grabbed Warren, who had just recovered. Using Warren's wide-area telepathic magic, he issued a warning to all guild members and townspeople:
"Stay alert. Hold your position and be ready. Enemies could come from any direction."
He also passed word to Natsu, Wendy, and Gajeel to continue restoring the crystal, telling them not to worry about defense, they'd handle it from here.
Soon, Mira and Erza returned with news.
"They're Exceed," Mira said, her expression calm but concerned. She glanced at Carla, who tensed slightly at the mention of her race.
"There's about a hundred of them," Erza added. "Most aren't armed. Some are even helping each other fly. It doesn't look like an attack, it looks like they're fleeing."
"Exceed?" Gildarts asked.
"They're Happy and Carla's kin," Lisanna explained softly.
"Then… aren't they our people too?" Gildarts said with a shrug, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.
Lisanna hesitated. "But… last night, they were our enemies."
That made Gildarts pause. He scratched his head awkwardly and said nothing more.
Rhodes thought for a moment, then nodded. "Let's see how they act first. No need to strike right away."
If Carla's mother really was among them, they couldn't just attack on sight.
A few minutes later, the Exceed group appeared clearly in the sky. Just as Mira and Erza had described, they looked exhausted and frightened. Many flew unsteadily, and those near the front were supporting each other.
Leading the group were two elderly Exceed, flanking a white-furred cat who had only one wing.
Everyone immediately noticed her.
She bore a striking resemblance to Carla.
Rhodes narrowed his eyes. 'That has to be Shagotte, the Queen of the Exceed.'
The Exceed stopped at a distance, hovering cautiously in the air.
Shagotte looked around, confusion on her face. She had seen many possible futures before choosing this direction, but unlike the others, this path had no clear future at all. It was a blind spot. And yet, it was the only direction that didn't end in death or crystallization.
With no other choice, she led everyone here.
But seeing the humans in armor, Kingdom armor, no less, and even Fairy Tail mages fully ready for combat, many of the Exceed in the back began to tremble.
The Exceeds looked terrified. To them, it looked like they'd flown straight into a trap.
But Shagotte couldn't turn back. Behind them, in the far distance, they could already spot airships and Legion soldiers catching up.
As Queen, she couldn't show fear. She had to speak for them all.
"Please…"
"Shagotte!" One of the two elderly Exceed supporting her suddenly cried out, eyes wide with shock. "They... they're not from Edolas!"
The elder was pointing at Natsu and Gajeel, who were still hammering away at the magic crystal mountains, bare-handed and relying purely on their own magic.
There were no mechanical tools, no magic-draining devices. Just raw, explosive power.
It was obvious: these people weren't from Edolas. And they definitely weren't part of the Royal Army.
Rhodes turned to glance at Carla, who was watching with equal uncertainty. Her expression said she didn't know what to do either.
He raised his voice and called out, "Queen Shagotte, is that you? Please come down so we can talk."
Rhodes wasn't worried they'd stir up trouble. According to Nichiya's intel, the Exceed weren't strong fighters to begin with. And with Gemini around, they could easily detect any hostile intentions.
In fact, Gemini could freely mimic anyone from Edolas, the magic levels here were much lower than in Earth Land.
At that moment, Gajeel casually knocked Laki out of her crystal state as well. Rhodes handed her a recovery pill and instructed her to conjure a table and chairs with her wood magic.
Soon, Rhodes, Mira, and Erza were seated comfortably around the table. Across from them, Queen Shagotte and the two elder Exceed took their seats, hovering slightly above the ground as they floated down.
Gildarts, however, couldn't sit still. He paced around like a giant bear, curiously inspecting the other Exceed.
Carla eventually joined the table too. When she sat down, Shagotte stared at her in a daze. But the moment their eyes met, Shagotte looked away.
That single moment was enough to make the connection obvious.
They were mother and daughter.
Still, Rhodes didn't bring it up. Instead, he leaned forward and asked lightly, "So... what happened? Why are the so-called 'gods' looking so worn out?"
"We were never gods," Shagotte said, smiling bitterly. "We're just a species with some innate magic. That's all. The truth is... the Magic War Division of Edolas attacked us. Exceed was destroyed."
Gasps rippled around the table.
Her voice trembled as she recounted the events: the sudden attack, the terrifying weapon, and the overwhelming destruction. All but a hundred Exceed had been turned into magic crystals, instantly.
It was clear now. The King of Edolas had either seen through her fabricated divinity or simply decided it was no longer necessary. He took a gamble, and won.
Exceed had no power to resist.
Rhodes frowned. A cannon that could turn magical creatures into crystalized energy in a flash... that sounded dangerously effective. If it could affect Exceed, it might even affect Fairy Tail wizards.
But something didn't add up.
Why attack the Exceed now, of all times? Weren't the real troublemakers the ones stealing the magic crystals across the country?
Just then, Gildarts casually stretched his arms and said, "Hey kids... looks like we've got more guests."
Everyone turned.
Ten massive Legions were flying toward them from the horizon, each one carrying two soldiers, armed with shoulder-mounted cannons.
"Oh no!" the Exceed shouted in fear. Panic broke out among the refugees, wings flapping in distress.
But the Fairy Tail mages?
They were fired up.
Erza rose to her feet with a cool, determined expression. Mira gently patted Carla's back and gave her an encouraging nod, motioning toward Shagotte.
Carla bit her lip and bowed her head silently.
Shagotte looked at her daughter for a moment, then turned to Rhodes. "There are far more Legions than that," she warned. "This is just a scouting party. They're here for us. But if they find out you've been tampering with the magic crystals too... you should run while you still can. Before the main force arrives."
She had no intention of acknowledging Carla as her daughter now, not with danger looming so close. If she did, she might hesitate. She might get them both caught. Better to say nothing and let Carla escape freely.
But Rhodes just grinned.
"If that's how it is... then we definitely can't leave you behind," he said. "Besides, they're the ones who should be thinking about running, after all, they've just provoked the most troublesome guild in the world."
"Hahaha!" Gildarts laughed and gave Rhodes a hearty slap on the back. "No wonder the old man likes you. You talk like a true Fairy Tail wizard!"
Mira smirked. "I don't think Master Makarov likes Rhodes just for that."
Warren stepped forward, his hand pressed to his temple. "Rhodes, someone's asking how we're handling the fight."
Rhodes cracked his knuckles and shrugged. "How else? It's first come, first served!"
Just as Rhodes finished speaking, a sudden barrage of gunfire echoed from the eastern edge of the floating island.
Twenty soldiers mounted atop Legion units were hit in an instan, ten of them fell before they could react.
The communication channel exploded with noise as various Fairy Tail members shouted over each other:
"Alzack! Bisca! That was way too sneaky!"
"At least let them get close before you start firing!"
"Come on! I didn't even get a chance to move!"
There was no response from the sharpshooting duo, but another round of shots rang out, quick, sharp, and precise.
Nine more enemies dropped like flies.
Only one soldier managed to raise a magic shield in time. But then came yet another shot. The barrier rippled under the impact, then cracked and shattered like glass.
The final soldier was struck squarely. His body jolted with arcs of electricity, and a faint rumble of thunder followed.
It was Alzack's gun magic, his signature lightning-infused rounds.
At last, his voice came through the channel, casual and apologetic. "Oops, sorry. We'll leave those ten big ones for you guys."
"YOU TWO—!"
Bisca added in a teasing tone, "If you don't want 'em, we'll take care of those too."
"You're impossible!"
The rest of the guild members were left speechless. What could they even say? When the couple could snipe enemies from that far out, the rest didn't stand a chance at grabbing the first blow.
Despite the chaos, the air around the guild remained lighthearted and reassuring.
No one was particularly worried about the ten riderless Legion still drifting in the sky. The people of Magnolia, watching from behind the protective barrier, finally began to relax.
Seeing enemies fall from the sky before they even reached the island was comforting. With Fairy Tail by their side, there was nothing to fear.
"That... that was incredible."
The Exceed stared in disbelief. The speed, the power, these humans were beyond anything they'd ever seen.
If they could just stay close to these people, maybe they'd survive.
For the first time in a while, hope flickered in Shagotte's heart. Perhaps this was the last chance her people had.
Panther Lily, who was still lying on the ground not far away, didn't share that hope, yet.
His body trembled as he listened to the distant thunder. It wasn't fear of the lightning... it was something deeper.
Regret.
He cautiously looked around, trying not to draw attention. But fate had other plans.
He'd gone unnoticed while lying still, but the moment he moved, a familiar voice cried out in shock.
"Lily?!"
Shagotte had spotted him.
Lily opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. So much had happened in just a day, his heart was too heavy to speak.
The capital had been turned upside down by a small group of people. He had been captured. And now the King's Army had turned its weapons on the Exceed, driving even the Queen into exile.
Everything he once believed in had been shattered.
He had been exiled from the Exceed for helping an injured human, declared a traitor.
And yet... hearing that the Exceed homeland had been destroyed didn't make him feel vindicated.
It hurt.
It hurt more than he thought it would.
He'd called them fools countless times... but now, all he felt was sorrow.
Why hadn't he seen the King's intentions earlier? Why hadn't he been able to stop this?
A gentle hand landed on his shoulder.
An old, warm voice spoke beside him:
"Regret is a precious thing. It means you cared. If you didn't, there'd be nothing to regret."
"Remember that pain, but don't let it trap you. Stand back up. Ask yourself: what can I still do for the people I love?"
"Young man, your journey isn't over. Not even close. And if you're feeling lost or alone... try reaching out. You might just find that true companions are already by your side."
Lily lifted his head slowly, eyes widening.
A kind face smiled back at him.
And then, almost in unison, voices rose all around:
"Master!"
"Old man!"
"Master Makarov!"
The shouts came from all directions, some from Fairy Tail members, others from the residents of Magnolia, but every single one was filled with joy and unwavering trust.
Rhodes, Erza, and even Gildarts could bring a sense of strength and protection… but with Makarov, it felt different.
His presence alone washed away everyone's fears. His arrival meant they were truly safe now.
Panther Lily was taken aback by the overwhelming respect this small old man commanded. And for a moment, he thought, 'That voice... it sounds familiar.'
'The King of Edolas? No, that couldn't be it. That man could never speak with such warmth.'
But still… the voice was uncannily similar.
"Yo! Everyone still holding up well?" Makarov greeted with a smile, his mustache curling as he casually raised a hand like it was just another morning.
"Master!" Rhodes ran over immediately with a small bottle of medicine. Mira and Erza naturally followed, standing by Makarov's side with relieved smiles.
Makarov nodded to them, his expression calm but kind. "I've already heard most of what happened. You all did wonderfully. I'm proud of you."
There was deep sincerity in his voice.
Even with so few people left in Magnolia, and their magic suppressed for so long, they had endured. They had fought back. And they had made it this far together.
Makarov couldn't be prouder of his children.
Before arriving, he had gotten a rundown of events from Happy, especially the fact that Rhodes had used the Moon Drip, a rare and powerful spell Makarov had only heard mentioned in old tomes. He also learned how Rhodes coordinated with Lucy's Celestial Spirit Magic, and even cleverly leveraged the environment of Edolas in their favor.
At this point, Makarov was practically itching to find Hibiki and borrow his Archive Magic to transfer the entire Fairy Tail library into Rhodes's brain.
'Just how much more potential does this boy have?' he thought, a bit giddy inside.
Smiles lit up the island. Being praised by their Guild Master was always special, but more than that, seeing him appear at a time like this, as strong and steady as ever, gave everyone renewed hope.
Rhodes held out the pill bottle. There were only a few left.
But Makarov waved him off with a chuckle. "Save those for the others. I won't be needing them."
Everyone blinked in confusion.
Then, in the next moment—flash—a soft golden light shimmered in Makarov's hand.
Makarov could use his magic again.