Shawn's voice broke the fragile calm of the cabin.
"Do you… do you think there's a chance my sister survived?"
The ship was still drifting across the middle of the sea. Shawn had woken not long ago, just after Levy, and now Astro and Erza were in the cabin as well, making sure the two were recovering well. Both Shawn and Levy had been shocked when they learned the island was destroyed, but after hearing that everyone else was safe, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Astro hesitated for a moment, then chose to answer Shawn's question honestly. He pulled a chair closer to Shawn's bed and said in a low voice,
"I would say so. There is a very little chance that your sister can still be alive."
Shawn lowered his gaze to his clenched hands.
"I see."
The room grew heavy with silence. Nobody spoke. The waves outside seemed louder, as if filling the void.
Then Shawn spoke again, so quietly it nearly vanished into the ocean's rhythm.
"Mom and Dad… they'll be disappointed in me."
The words were calm. Too calm. No tears, no outburst…just a hollow acceptance, as if he had already buried himself alongside them.
Levy and Erza exchanged uncertain glances, neither knowing how to respond. But Astro leaned in, his voice steady, almost firm,
"I don't think so. You tried your best. Knowing how your parents sacrificed themselves for you and your sister… I believe they would be proud that you survived at least. Never be ashamed of the fact of being a survivor. Your life is as important as your sister's. And it's not like you've lost everything. The friends from your island are safe now too, and they're already preparing for a new life."
Levy's lips curved into a small grin, though her eyes were soft.
"Besides, you saved me. So that means I'm your friend too. And soon you'll have plenty of new friends and family to protect. Are you really going to give up on all of us?" she asked, her voice tinged with sadness.
Shawn shook his head quietly. Deep down, he wanted to live on—for his family, for his sister, for the friends he had lost on the island. He would carry their will in his heart and live for them.
Relieved, the Fairy Tail trio left to check on the other children. But not before each gave Shawn a head rub, and Levy wrapped him in a warm, crushing bear hug, whispering thanks again for saving her.
Once outside, Levy asked softly,
"Do you think he'll be okay?"
Erza paused, her mind drifting back to her own past—when she had lost everything, when her heart had been nothing but emptiness and pain. And then she remembered Fairy Tail: Master, Gray, Natsu… so many people who had reached out and pulled her back from despair.
A gentle smile touched her lips.
"Yes. He just needs friends… and time. That kid still has fire left in him."
Astro nodded in agreement. But then, as if something struck him, his expression grew thoughtful.
"Hey, Erza… do you think—"
Erza and Levy turned to him, surprised by his sudden suggestion.
The ship sailed steadily toward Fiore's mainland, the three of them lost in quiet conversation. Whatever Astro had proposed remained unknown to the others, but it was clear that it carried weight.
The rest of the voyage passed in silence, the steady rhythm of waves against wood almost lulling them into calmness. But as Fiore's mainland came into view, Astro suddenly stiffened. His expression hardened, eyes narrowing toward the port.
Erza caught the change instantly.
"What is it, Astro?" she asked, her hand already ready to get her sword from her pocket dimension.
"There's someone at the port," Astro said seriously.. "Strong. Not quite on Master's level… but close enough."
Erza frowned, reaching instinctively into her requip arsenal, a sword flashing into her hand. Levy flared magic at her fingertips.
Suddenly, goosebumps prickled across Astro's arms. He could not feel the magic anymore as if the it never existed. But astro did not believe what he felt was an imagination..
Then, Astro's eyes snapped upward.
"Above us!"
The white clouds tore open like paper, light spilling down as a colossal shadow blotted out the sky. A white bird—massive, three times the size of their ship—circled above them, wings beating storms into the sea. Its gaze was intelligent,, as it peered directly down at the small vessel below.
Erza's grip tightened on her sword.
"Levy… Fiore doesn't have birds this size in the port here, does it?"
Levy's face had gone pale. "No… no, this isn't natural. But this bird… I think I recognize—"
She never finished. The bird folded its wings and descended, shrinking as it touched the ship.. Its feathers melted away, its talons reshaping, until in its place stood an elderly man with a long, flowing beard and robes marked with intricate sigils. His eyes carried the heaviness of decades in power.
He didn't bother acknowledging anyone but Erza. His voice was old, but each word cracked with authority.
"Did you complete the mission?"
Erza immediately lowered her weapon, her tone respectful.
"You're… Master Org. From the Magic Council."
Recognition flashed in Levy's eyes as well. This was the very man who had assigned their S-Class mission.
Without hesitation, Erza delivered the report. She spoke plainly, omitting nothing, and when she was finished, Levy handed over her meticulous notes from the temple ruins that she gathered when she went inside there.
Org's gaze lingered on the parchment, then drifted past them to the cluster of rescued children—the survivors who had lost everything. For a long moment, he said nothing. When he finally spoke, his tone was cold, measured.
"When I assigned your guild this task, I expected at least a fraction of the island to remain. Perhaps that was too generous of me."
Levy bristled instantly, her fists clenching. "It was not our—!"
Before she could lash out, Astro's hand gently pressed down on her head, his silent warning clear. Not here.
Org's eyes narrowed, though he betrayed no irritation. His presence alone was enough to silence any protest.
"But the true failure here lies with the Council," he continued, his voice deepening. "We allowed a nest of dark magicians to thrive unchecked, and because of that, an entire island was lost, and so many people died."
His gaze shifted, sweeping over the young survivors. He did not look at them in a harsh way like he did with fairy tail mages. It was more like a grandfather looking at his grandchildren. He paused when his eyes landed on Shawn. The boy flinched but did not look away.
"…This one carries an abnormal level of magic for his age." Org's commented.
Shawn was surprised by the sudden praise but he did not say anything.
Org straightened, his robes whispering against the wind.
"I will petition the Council to place these children in a boarding magic academy. They all seem to have some talents for magic, they will get food, housing, clothing and even be able to learn magic there for free."
Finally, Org turned back to Erza.
"I will send the rewards to your guildmaster directly. As for this so-called devil slayer guild… the council will investigate it. For now, Fairy Tail has done its part."
Erza did not disagree with the idea, as it would be easier for the council to investigate this devil slayer guild.
Org seeing that every matter is sorted exhaled, though even his sigh carried weight.
"Between this, your guild's endless chaos, and Phantom Lord's recent stirrings… why do I find myself with too many fires to put out?"
Erza looked a little ashamed and looked down, Levy looked at the interesting sea waved behind to study. As for Astro, he was interested in something else.
He murmured under his breath, "Phantom Lord."
Astro had read about them before—Fiore's so-called number one guild. Perhaps they truly were, though Fairy Tail was fast on their heels. Give their generation a few more years, Astro thought, and nothing would stop Fairy Tail from rising to the top.
While Erza still spoke with Councilman Org, Astro didn't bother joining in. His thoughts kept circling back to Luthar… and Sylvie. Just how deep did Abyss Hall's roots run? How many monsters like them were out there? If they wished it, Astro had no doubt—they could erase a whole country in one night.
The ship's hull groaned softly as it nudged into Fiore's port.
As promised, Org turned and beckoned the children. "Come along now. You'll be safe under Council care."
The little ones hesitated, glancing toward Erza and Astro. When both nodded, most of them stepped forward, clinging to one another as they followed Org and his staff from council. All except Shawn.
Astro crouched beside him. "Not going?"
Shawn shook his head. His voice was quiet, almost resigned. "I already know magic. A school won't help me."
Org paused at those words. He waved his staff escorts ahead and studied the boy, his sharp eyes softening. "Erza told me you fought alongside Fairy Tail during an S-Class mission. For a child to endure that and live… hm. Yes, perhaps magic school would only waste your time."
His tone had none of the sharpness he showed to Fairy Tail. With Shawn, his voice was measured, almost kind—like a grandfather mulling over what to do with a stubborn grandson. "But you're far too young for Council work. That, I cannot allow either."
"How about you join Fairy Tail?" Erza asked lightly, with a small smile. She, Astro and Levy were talking about it already on the ship.
Org immediately frowned, his beard twitching. "Fairy Tail? Anything but that." His words came quickly, almost anxious. "I've seen what your guild does to children—turning them into monsters, tearing down half of Fiore, I won't throw another child into that chaos."
He caught himself, sighing. "Perhaps I could make an exception… arrange for you to—"
"Can I really join?" Shawn cut in, his voice trembling as he turned to Erza.
She hesitated, then crouched in front of him, smiling softly. "Yes. Fairy Tail has no requirements, no conditions. If you have magic and the will to use it for good reason, that's enough. We'll be your friends. Your family. You'll never be feeling worthless again. I promise."
Shawn looked at her… then at Levy cheering with misty eyes… and finally at Astro, who nodded firmly, smiling as though to say I believe in you.
Memories stabbed at him—his father's rough laughter, his mother's warm embrace, his sister's gentle voice—all torn away in fire and blood. He clenched his fists, his body trembling, but not from weakness this time.
"I'll join," he whispered.
He paused, staring at his shaking hands. Doubt pricked him, fear of the unknown, but his heart burned hotter than that fear.
'It's not the time to back out. I could not protect my family. But I will live for them, for their will.' Shawn hardened his resolve.
"I'll join Fairy Tail. I'll get strong—so strong that no dark guild will ever do again what they did to my island. I swear it."
Astro's hand settled on his head, ruffling his hair gently. "That's the spirit."
Shawn managed a grin through the tears threatening to spill. For the first time, his words didn't feel empty.
Org watched in silence. Then, slowly, he exhaled, his shoulders sagging with the weight of years. "If that's his choice, I won't stand in the way. Just… see to it he learns restraint. Fiore doesn't need another monster." As Org walked away towards the council staff leading the children, he sighed in regret again.
One of Org's higher-ranking escorts cleared his throat nervously. "Sir… if I may. It is suspicious that conveniently some people showed up to destroy the island while the Fairy Tail was there for the mission. Don't you think they were lying?"
Another escort who was of the same rank of him asked as well,
"But what about Chairman Gran Doma wanting to know more about Sky God's Temple? He even asked you to issue a mission to send a guild there to investigate the temple."
Org stroked his beard and answered the second guy first. "I am not sure either but there are some rumors. That one of his disciples showed promise with a Lost Magic. Something he wished to keep buried for now. Perhaps investigating the temple was connected to it somehow."
He shook his head at last, letting the matter drop. "Don't talk about it any more. I trust the chairman. For now, launch an investigation about a guild called Abyss Hall. Fairy tail is a rowdy guild but they won't lie about such things. I want to know why there is not a single bit of information about such strong dark wizards. Also why are devil slayers suddenly popping out of nowhere, we just caught one in the Bosco Kingdom."
As the children were led away, Org lingered a moment longer, not thinking about those things anymore and instead looked behind to see Shawn smile faintly under a new fairy tail wizard's hand. He never heard about this purple eyed boy, but to do a S class mission, he has to be pretty capable. The old man's eyes softened again, his voice dropping low—more to himself than anyone else.
"First, find those pathetic trashes that dare to experiment on helpless children."