Unaware of the incoming danger, Astro's group finally arrived at the island. Erza retrieved their clothes from her pocket dimension. Astro had to admit, her spatial pocket ability was incredibly convenient. While reaching Erza's level of instant re-equip took extraordinary talent and practice, doing it in a lower scale for everyday use should be extremely convenient.
After putting on their clothes, Astro said, "There are five major magical presences on this island. The strongest two of them seem to be as strong as you, Erza. They're all gathered at the base of that mountain." He pointed to the only mountain rising from the island.
"And then there are about thirty other people in a different area, guarded by two other wizards. They don't seem very strong," he added, indicating another direction.
Levy shuddered. "Wait… five people and two at Erza's level?" She looked nervously back toward the sea. S-class missions were terrifying—just the thought of them made her stomach churn.
Erza's attention, however, remained focused. "We don't know if all of them are enemies. Levy, how many people were on this island before it was locked down?"
"According to the official report, Ventara Island had around 1,400 people," Levy replied, her voice trembling slightly. "If only thirty-seven remain now…." She trailed off, the horror of the situation sinking in.
"Also, most among the other thirty seem to have magical ability, but they're fairly weak, except for one. "Astro added, deliberately changing the subject not letting Levy's anxiety build. It was obvious what had likely happened to the others, but for now, it was better to investigate carefully—determine who were survivors, enemies, or both.
"Is anyone moving in our direction?" Erza asked, realizing just how useful having a magical sensor could be. Most wizards could sense people too, but only if the target actively used very strong magic.
"Nope. None of them have moved at all. So we have the advantage now." Astro replied, finishing the adjustment of his cloak.
Erza nodded, already thinking about their next step. 'First, we need more information. But we can't act like we have all the time in the world. If those strong wizards cast the wind barrier around the island, they clearly don't want intruders.'
"We'll split into two groups," Erza said. "Astro, you head toward the thirty weaker people and gather as much information as possible. Levy and I will investigate the rest of the island to find out what happened with the island. There should still be clues left."
Astro nodded. It was the fastest way to collect intel.
"We'll meet back here in two hours. By then, it should be nighttime," he added. With that, the three of them went their separate ways, each setting off on their respective missions.
Astro covered his mouth as he cautiously approached his destination, the stench hitting him like a physical wave. It was unmistakable—foul, acrid, and deeply sickening. He knew that smell all too well. It took quite a lot of his willpower to keep moving forward.
Twenty minutes later, he finally arrived at what once might have been a village. From his vantage point atop a thick, gnarled tree, Astro surveyed the area. The sight was enough to make anyone's stomach turn.
The village paths were slick with dried blood, turning the dirt into a dark, crusted mess. Walls of houses were streaked and stained; doors hung unevenly on their hinges, some broken entirely. The smell—fermented, metallic, almost alive—was unbearable, especially for Astro's heightened senses. But he took a deep breath as he moved forward.
His gaze sharpened at finally seeing his destination. At the far end of the village, the largest structure—a massive mansion—loomed over the smaller, ruined homes. This was the place where he had sensed the thirty people from earlier.
Are they working here… or are they prisoners? he wondered, narrowing his eyes at the two figures posted at the entrance, moving in slow, casual patrols. They seemed oblivious to their surroundings, focused only on what lay ahead of them.
Astro shifted silently, landing lightly on a branch closer to the mansion. Then, with fluid precision, he leapt into the air. He stepped along invisible footholds, flowing from tree to tree, gaining height as he vaulted toward the mansion. The guards below never looked up. The mountain behind the mansion remained still—no sign of movement, no glint of magical power.
He dropped down with a soft thud onto the roof near the entrance. Shadows lengthened around him as he approached the guards. One of them glanced upward, squinting into the gray sky.
"Huh? Is it going to rain? But this place never ha-" he muttered, tilting his head upwards—but it was already too late.
Astro moved faster than their eye could follow. Palms pressed gently yet firmly against the heads of both guards. Before they could even process what was happening, their bodies went limp, collapsing silently onto the ground.
Astro exhaled slowly, keeping low. The village lay in silence except for the occasional creak of the old mansion or the distant howl of the wind.
He studied the bodies of the unconscious guards for a brief moment, then turned and pushed open the heavy door of the mansion.
The sight that greeted him was something he would likely never forget. Thirty children, tied up and huddled together, filled the room. Their thin frames were clad in ragged clothes, dirt-streaked and torn. Wounds marked their faces, arms, and legs—some fresh, some older—evidence of prolonged abuse. Their eyes were wide with fear, reflecting the harsh reality of their captivity.
As soon as the children caught sight of the figure entering, a silhouette darkened by the sunlight streaming in behind him, most flinched instinctively. A few tried to back away, while others lacked even the strength to move. Shadows of despair clung to them, thick and suffocating.
Astro's gaze immediately found the oldest looking child among them. A boy with gray hair, the only one who hadn't looked up yet. His head hung low, chin resting on his knees, a posture of both resignation and suppressed will. Astro could feel the boy's presence—the air around him, brimming with a huge amount of ethernano despite his malnourished frame.
The boy looked no older than twelve, yet his gray eyes held something that many adults lacked: a quiet, simmering fire. As Astro stopped in front of him, the boy finally lifted his gaze. The first moment, his eyes lost focus under the sudden brightness of the doorway, but they quickly locked onto Astro's face.
Gray eyes met purple eyes as neither looked away. Surprisingly, there was no fear—only a piercing, calculating calm. Most of the children cowered, but this boy met Astro's presence head-on. Perhaps it was his age, perhaps it was innate resilience—but either way, the intensity was undeniable.
"What did you do with my sister? Where is she?" The boy's voice was calm, almost monotone, yet Astro could feel the barely contained fury radiating from him. It was the kind of anger that didn't scream—it simply waited, like a storm ready to break.
Astro raised his hands slowly in a gesture of peace, careful not to startle him. "I'm sorry, I haven't met your sister. I'm not with the people who've been keeping you here, " he said, pulling back his sleeve to reveal the familiar mark on his arm.
"I am a wizard from Fairy Tail. The council asked me and my friends to come here and help you. If you follow me, I will take you to a safe place."
Although this was not in the mission, Astro does not mind using the council's name to assure the children.
Astro knelt down, lowering himself to the boy's level so that he didn't tower over him—a subtle way to communicate that he was an ally, not a threat. He softened his tone, letting it carry reassurance without condescension.
"It's okay," he continued, putting both hands up gently to show he meant no harm. "I'm here to save you. I can help you get out of this island."
Astro started with this boy first, as he knows if the older looking boy is not afraid of him, the rest of the children will also start trusting him.
The gray-haired boy studied Astro carefully, his expression guarded and wary. The other children shrank back instinctively, their fear palpable even from a distance. Not a single one of them spoke, but Astro remained patient.
Finally, the gray-haired boy spoke, his voice low but firm. "We will trust you… if you uncuff us now."
Astro gave a small nod. That was exactly what he intended to do anyway. He knelt in front of the boy and began undoing the restraints first. "Are you from this island?" he asked, his hands steady.
"Yes," the boy replied softly. "My father was not from here, but my sister and I were born on this island."
Astro paused briefly, noting the nature of the cuffs. These were not ordinary metal restraints; they were sealed with magic. The cuffs suppressed the children's innate magical abilities, it would make even a wizard of his caliber weaker and more vulnerable.
As soon as the boy was freed, Astro could feel the surge of magic emanating from him. Despite his young age, the boy's magical magical power was astonishing—stronger than a lot of Fairy Tail's skilled wizards.
"How old are you?" Astro asked, still working methodically to free the other children.
"Eleven," the boy replied simply. Without hesitation, he moved to the next child and placed his hand on the cuff. A faint swirl of ash appeared from nowhere, cracking the metal into two. He repeated the process on the leg restraints, then moved to the next child, each time dissolving the bonds with the same effortless precision.
Astro did not pause either. Using a carefully controlled wind blade, he cut through the remaining cuffs, knowing that without keys or magic-nullifying devices, this was the safest and fastest way to get the children free from this room.
But then Astro's eyes narrowed. He sensed something in the distance—two of the five powerful figures approaching. They weren't moving quickly, but they were heading straight for them.
Astro considered the situation carefully. They probably couldn't detect their magic usage from this distance. If they could, Erza would have been compromised the moment she used her Reequip magic on the island.
"Are they coming to do a routine check?" Astro muttered to himself, his mind calculating. This actually worked in their favor. If the five strong enemies were separated, it would be much easier to handle them individually rather than all at once.
He turned to the gray-haired boy. "Someone's going to come here. I'll handle whoever arrives first. Do you know a safe place where you and the others can hide?"
The boy's eyes flicked to the children behind him before he nodded. "There's a cave near the beach, very close to the village. They can hide there."
The other children glanced at one another, conflicted. A smaller boy piped up nervously, "Shawn… you should come with us. You're no match for those people."
Shawn—the gray-haired boy—looked at the boy. "It's okay," he said firmly. "I have to find out what happened to my sister. I refuse to believe she's dead. Now go."
He gently pushed the other children toward the cave's direction. They hesitated, but they knew once Shawn's mind was made up, there was no arguing. Their trust, fragile as it was, now rested entirely in his hands.
Astro looked at Shawn, who stubbornly refused to hide. He opened his mouth to persuade him, but then decided it's ok for him to stay here as he needs to learn more information anyway..
"Alright," Astro said gently, placing a reassuring hand on Shawn's shoulder and looking towards the other children. "Go to the beach and hide in the cave. I'll stay with your friend."
The other children hesitated for only a moment before nodding, finally running toward the cave and disappearing into the shadows. With the immediate safety of the smaller kids ensured, Astro turned back to Shawn, who remained standing, fists clenched, eyes burning with barely contained anger.
Astro crouched slightly to be at Shawn's level. "Tell me… what happened on this island?" he asked softly. He wanted to hear the story from someone who could piece it together—someone older and mature enough to understand. The other children were too frightened, too small to recount the horrors without breaking down completely.
Shawn's eyes flickered toward the path where he knew the enemies might appear, torn between instinct and logic. He wanted to run, to charge toward his sister's captors, but he understood he couldn't take them alone. He needed help, and this wizard—was his only chance.
"I don't know how long it has been," Shawn began, his voice tight, "but it's probably been a few years. One day, an unknown ship docked here. We welcomed them… fed them… trusted them. And those people…" His fists clenched so tightly that a faint swirl of ash hovered around them, a reflexive release of the power he had been forced to suppress for years.
Astro quickly placed a calming hand on Shawn's shoulder, signaling him to hold back his magic for now.
"They said they wanted the ownership of the Temple of the Aetherion," Shawn continued, his gray eyes flashing with pain. "The temple is off-limits, even to us islanders. We've never dared to anger the Aetherion God who watches over us. We tried to stop them… but they didn't even try to talk. They killed every adult—our parents, our neighbors—right in front of us, while laughing as if they were enjoying it.."
The weight of the words pressed down on Astro's chest. He could feel Shawn's magic bubbling beneath the surface, raw and dangerous, fueled by years of grief and rage. He kept his hand steady, grounding the boy but he did not miss what the boy said.
'Aetherion? Do gods actually exist in this world? But if devils exist, then there is no reason gods can't exist.' Astro thought silently but he did not stop listening to the boy.'
"They imprisoned all the children," Shawn said, his voice cracking now. "Every month… they took some of us away. They never came back. And a few months ago… They took my younger sister too."
Shawn's hands shook slightly as tears gathered in his eyes. He refused to let them fall just yet, focusing instead on the memory of that day, the face of his sister and her pink hair fading in his mind.
Astro listened quietly, not interrupting him. Seeing the boy's tears threaten to fall, he gently ruffled Shawn's gray hair. The boy flinched slightly at the touch but didn't pull away.
"Don't worry," Astro said softly. "You're such a strong boy. If your sister is anything like you, she'll be fine too."
"Yeah… if she's—" Shawn's voice faltered. He didn't finish the sentence; he knew the odds were slim, but saying it aloud made it feel even heavier.
Astro stopped ruffling his hair and retrieved his cloak. With a swift motion, he cut the cloak with a sharp edge of wind magic and stepped in front of the boy. Kneeling, he brought himself down to eye level, draping the cloak around Shawn's small shoulders. He looked at his gray eyes.
"I didn't introduce myself properly," Astro said, his voice steady and reassuring. "I am Astro Blackmist, a wizard from Fairy Tail. With this guild mark,"—he tapped the symbol on his arm—"I promise you I will protect you and your friends on this island. I will make sure you all get off safely. If your sister is not here, she could still be out there in the world. Don't assume the worst in everything."
Shawn wiped at his tears and managed a small smile for the first time today.
"Yeah, she's got her quirks, but she's strong at heart. She could make all the children on this island speechless just by how she talks—that's something she picked up from our father, she will be fine" Shawn said smiling a bit.
"She sounds interesting. I hope to meet her one day too," Astro replied, ruffling the boy's hair again, earning a small groan of annoyance from Shawn this time.
Astro smiled, then shifted the subject. "By the way… you didn't introduce yourself yet, did you?"
"Shawn. Shawn Blendy. I don't know how much I can do to help you, but I use ash make magic—I can at least create some distractions for you," Shawn said, his voice firm and resolute as he held the cloak's edge.