Wes Elwin piloted the flying car higher and higher, ascending until he reached the uppermost edge of the violet membrane that covered the entire island of Galuna.
This shimmering barrier not only sealed the island off from the outside world but, under the refracted moonlight, also made the moon itself glow with a strange, purplish hue.
The villagers, unaware of the truth, believed it to be some natural phenomenon—when in fact, it was caused by the magical energy released from the Moon Drip ritual.
At the very top of the barrier, Wes raised his wand and gently touched its surface. A solid resistance pushed back against him.
He nodded slightly, understanding what he was dealing with. As he began to chant, the spell's vibrations rippled outward—the entire barrier started to contract inward, slowly shrinking toward a single point at its peak.
All the energy gathered, condensed, and finally coalesced into a single drop of liquid—a glowing purple essence brimming with pure lunar magic.
Wes carefully collected the precious drop into a specially crafted vial, sealing it securely to prevent any magical leakage.
With his task complete, he looked down one last time at the island below, then started the engine again. The flying car lifted higher, vanishing into the night sky.
---
Upon returning to the mainland, Wes enjoyed a peaceful night's rest and fully recovered his strength.
At dawn, he set off toward Magnolia City, home of the renowned guild—Fairy Tail.
He traveled aboard an old-fashioned steam train powered by modern magic crystals. The design was nostalgic, yet the performance was efficient—smooth, fast, and entirely free of pollution. The journey was quiet and comfortable.
Through the window, Wes watched the ever-changing landscape glide past, each scene more vibrant than the last.
Magnolia—an ancient, bustling city of more than sixty thousand people—was not only a gathering place for skilled wizards but also a hub for master craftsmen, alchemists, potion brewers, and artificers.
The air itself was saturated with magic; one could almost feel it in every breath, every corner of the city.
But when Wes arrived, he immediately noticed something was off.
The streets buzzed with tension—people were talking animatedly, their faces lit with disbelief and worry.
He listened quietly as the conversations around him became clearer.
"Did you hear? The Fairy Tail guild hall was attacked!"
"What? Are you serious?"
"Yeah, it's true! Luckily it happened at night—no one was hurt."
"Who in their right mind would dare to attack Fairy Tail?"
The citizens' tone was filled with sympathy.
Fairy Tail was known for causing all kinds of chaos during their missions, but the townspeople understood them. They knew those mages were, at heart, kind and good people.
"Guess my timing couldn't be worse," Wes muttered.
Before him stood the Fairy Tail guildhall—its grand structure pierced through by several massive iron pillars. Even in such a state, the building refused to fall, standing firm as ever.
After a moment of quiet admiration, Wes didn't head inside. Instead, he decided to find a place to rest first.
He located a small hotel nearby and checked in.
---
Meanwhile, as Wes settled in, Natsu, Gray, Lucy, and Happy returned to the heavily damaged guild, bearing grim news.
"Erza's been captured!!!"
The words struck like a thunderclap.
Fairy Tail's members were stunned—unable to believe what they'd just heard.
Natsu and the others were consumed by guilt for failing to protect her, and Lucy burst into tears, overcome with self-blame.
"I'm sorry... if it weren't for us—" Lucy choked on her words, guilt and sorrow heavy in her voice.
Afterward, the group recounted everything that had happened during the attack in detail. No one could doubt their story any longer.
All eyes turned toward the short, elderly man sitting on the table—Makarov, the master of the Fairy Tail guild.
"Gulp, gulp…" Makarov calmly finished his mug of beer before speaking in a low voice, "Show me the paper that man left behind."
Gray stepped forward and handed him the note. Makarov first used detection magic to ensure there were no traps. Once certain it was safe, he began to study the paper carefully.
Disappointingly, there weren't any visible clues.
"If he's a mage," Makarov murmured, "then we'll handle this the mage's way."
His steady voice broke the silence hanging in the guild hall. He channeled a faint stream of magic into the paper, hoping to draw out any hidden message.
Meanwhile, in a small hotel room across town, Wes Elwin was buried in a mountain of magical tomes, swiftly absorbing knowledge through a pair of peculiar glasses.
These weren't ordinary reading glasses—they were enchanted artifacts capable of directly transmitting the contents of a book into the wearer's mind in a short amount of time.
The process consumed an enormous amount of mental energy, but for Wes, it was an ideal way to study.
A tall stack of finished books already sat beside him. Just as he reached for the next one, the small notebook on his desk began to glow faintly.
"So soon? It seems they really do care about their comrades," he muttered.
Opening the notebook, Wes wrote,
"Hello. Erza is safe for now. Who am I speaking to?"
Inside Fairy Tail's guild hall, Makarov was still channeling magic into the paper, patiently waiting for a response.
Finally, faint words began to appear on the surface. His eyes sharpened as he ordered, "Quick, give me a pen."
Mirajane, who had been standing by with everything prepared, immediately handed one to him. Makarov took it and wrote swiftly:
"Who are you?"
Wes didn't bother hiding his identity. He introduced himself directly, then got to the point:
"If you want Erza back, trade me your collection of magic tomes."
Through that enchanted page, Makarov and Wes established contact and eventually reached an agreement—time, place, and terms were all set.
After placing the pen down, Makarov stood and swept his gaze across the guild hall.
"Don't worry," he said firmly. "I'll bring Erza back safe and sound."
Natsu, Gray, and the others immediately volunteered to join the rescue, but Makarov shook his head.
"For safety reasons, I'll go alone."
Then he turned toward a particular girl with blue hair. "Levy, I'll need your help."
Levy McGarden, one of the "Team Shadow Gear" trio, was not only a bright and studious girl but also deeply knowledgeable about magical texts—exactly the expertise this mission required.
"Yes, Master!" Levy replied, though she looked nervous. To her, every member of Fairy Tail was family.
Seeing her tension, Makarov smiled warmly. "Don't worry. All I need from you is to help me sort through some books."
Then, addressing the guild at large, he issued strict orders:
"No one acts alone. We're facing two separate enemy factions this time, and things are complicated. Stay alert. Once I've brought Erza back safely, we'll deal with whoever attacked the guild."
"Understood!" the guild members shouted in unison.
°°°
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