The road to Eisenwald stretched out under the afternoon sun, the clattering of the carriage wheels mixing with the restless chatter inside. The atmosphere within the vehicle was far from relaxed—between nerves, irritation, and Keal's constant smirk, it was alive with tension and banter.
Team Scarlet Heal was officially assembled: Erza, their leader (author note: for now) ; Keal, the ever-smirking chaos bringer; Cana, her flask never leaving her hand; and Gray, dragged along against his will.
Gray slumped in his seat, arms crossed, his expression sour. "Tch… I still don't get why I had to come on this mission. You already have a solid team. Wouldn't dragging me along just slow you down?"
Erza turned her sharp gaze on him, her tone carrying the kind of authority that could silence the guild. "Are you saying I made a mistake by choosing you?"
Gray stiffened immediately, sweat beading at the back of his neck. He sat straighter, his voice cracking slightly. "N-No, ma'am! I-I didn't mean it like that!"
From beside him, Cana let out a loud, amused laugh, nearly spilling the liquor in her flask. "Pfft—look at you, gray. One glare from Erza and you're ready to fold faster than a card in my deck."
Gray whipped his head toward her, pointing a finger accusingly. "Shut it, Cana! You'd have caved just as fast if it were you!"
Cana wiggled her flask at him with a teasing grin. "Maybe, but at least I'd look good doing it."
Keal leaned back lazily, his elbow resting on the carriage wall, grin sharp as ever. "Can't deny that, Cana. You always look good. Even when you're giving Ice-boy a hard time." His eyes trailed deliberately over her, lingering just enough to make it clear he wasn't joking.
Cana arched a brow at him but didn't seem offended in the slightest. If anything, her smirk widened, clearly amused. "Smooth. Careful, Keal. You'll make me expect free drinks from you."
"Done," Keal shot back smoothly, grin never faltering. Then, turning his gaze deliberately toward Erza, he added with a glint in his mismatched eyes, "Although, between us… Erza's glare is the one I'd happily pay in full just to see. There's fire under all that steel."
Erza, who had been trying to keep her composure, stiffened. Heat crept up her cheeks before she could stop it, and she coughed sharply, trying to mask the sudden blush. "Keal—focus. This is a mission, not… not one of your games."
Keal leaned forward slightly, voice dropping into a teasingly low tone. "Who said I was playing? I'm focused. Just happens the mission's got two dangerously beautiful women beside me. Hard not to notice."
Cana outright laughed, clearly enjoying Erza's visible discomfort. "Oh, this is going to be fun. That's what I like about you, Keal—you're the only guy in Fairy Tail bold enough to make Erza blush and live to tell about it."
Erza's blush deepened as she turned away, muttering under her breath, "Just ignore him…"
For a few moments, the carriage rocked in silence, only broken by Cana's quiet chuckles and Keal's low hum of amusement.
Finally, Erza spoke again, forcing the conversation back on track. "Enough. Eisenwald is not a guild we can underestimate. What we know so far is that they are connected to a cursed artifact called Lullaby. The exact form of this artifact is unknown. Our mission is to stop it from being unleashed."
The joking faded at her words. Even Cana straightened slightly, her expression sobering.
The hours passed slowly as they traveled. Trees blurred by, the sun dipping lower into the horizon. Then suddenly, Keal stiffened where he sat, his grin fading into something sharper. His mismatched eyes narrowed, scanning the distance.
"Wait."
Erza instantly straightened. "What is it?"
Keal tilted his head, gaze locking onto the faint rumble of a train in the distance. His tone was calm, but edged with tension. "Magic. Heavy, twisted, suffocating. It's coming from there. That train."
Erza's eyes hardened. "Then Lullaby is on board…"
Inside the train, Kageyama jolted violently. His instincts screamed—he had been discovered. And not just by anyone. He saw her. The fairy Queen's presence was locked onto him.
"No… no, not her…!" he muttered under his breath, panic clawing at him.
Without hesitation, he shoved his way into the conductor's cab, brandishing his dagger at the terrified driver. "Full speed! You hear me?! Push this train as fast as it'll go, or you're dead!"
The whistle shrieked, and the train jolted forward, picking up terrifying speed as it thundered down the tracks.
On the road, Erza's eyes locked on the streaking train. Without a word, she vaulted into the driver's seat of a Magic Four-Wheeler parked nearby.
"On!" she barked, already firing up the engine.
Cana was the first to jump on behind her, grinning like she'd been waiting for this all day. "Now this—this is my kind of ride!"
Gray clambered on reluctantly, clinging tightly to the back seat, his face pale. "This better not kill us—"
Keal swung into place smoothly, leaning close to Erza as the vehicle roared to life. His lips curled into a dangerous smirk, voice dripping with mischief. "Gotta say, Erza… seeing you in the driver's seat? Doing dangerous things to me."
Erza nearly fumbled the accelerator, her cheeks blazing scarlet. "Wh-what?!"
"Eyes on the road, Erza," Cana teased from behind, laughing. "If you crash because you're blushing, no one will save us."
Gray's knuckles turned white as the Four-Wheeler shot forward with a burst of magic power. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?!"
The engine screamed, wheels spitting dust and sparks as Erza pushed the vehicle to its limits. The wind tore at their hair, the roar of the machine almost drowning out Gray's panicked shouting. Ahead, the train thundered, its shadow cutting across the glowing twilight.
Erza's eyes narrowed, determination blazing within them. "We won't let Eisenwald escape."
Inside the train, Kageyama's nerves finally settled as the countryside blurred by. "Heh… so much for the fairy Queen. Let's see her keep up now—"
Then he froze at the sound of a roaring engine.
He turned, glancing through the window—only for his eyes to widen in horror. A Magic Four-Wheeler blazed down the tracks chasing the train, dust and sparks flying in its wake.
And on it—Erza Scarlet, her scarlet hair streaming, her eyes locked directly on him.
Kageyama's blood turned cold. "Impossible…"
The train screeched as it barreled into Kunugi Station, its wheels sparking violently against the tracks. The whistle wailed, echoing across the platforms.
Passengers screamed as Eisenwald guild members swarmed the station, flooding the platforms with cruel laughter and weapons raised.
"This train belongs to Eisenwald!" one barked, shoving panicked civilians aside. "Get off! All of you!"
Fear-stricken, the passengers scattered, rushing for the exits under the watchful eyes of the dark guild.
At the front of the train, Kageyama stumbled out, clutching tightly to the cursed object in his hands. The flute pulsed with ominous energy, a sinister aura radiating from its carved surface.
From the shadows, the Eisenwald members parted reverently as their ace finally appeared.
Erigor stepped forward, tall and imposing, his scythe strapped to his back. Wind curled around him, whispering like the promise of death. His smirk was cruel, his presence chilling.
"You've done well, Kageyama," Erigor drawled, his voice carrying easily over the platform. His gaze dropped to the flute, eyes gleaming. "With this… Eisenwald's operation truly begins."
The cursed aura thickened, the Lullaby's malice seeping into the very air.
Erza's team arrived just in time to see it. Scarlet hair flashing under the lamplight, Erza's eyes narrowed dangerously. "So this is Lullaby…" She tightened her grip on her sword, "And you intend to unleash it upon innocents. Unforgivable."
Erigor chuckled coldly, raising his scythe just slightly. The winds whipped across the platform, scattering papers and dust. "Unforgivable? No, Titania. This… is destiny. The requiem of Eisenwald."
Keal cracked his knuckles, his grin sharp as ever, mismatched eyes gleaming with a mix of anticipation and sadistic thrill. "Finally. A fight worth my time."
Cana slid her flask back into her belt, shuffling her cards with a grin. "Looks like this party's about to get lively."
Gray's lips curved into a grin of his own, the tension in his body shifting into eager energy. "Heh… good. Been itching for a real fight."
Erza took a single step forward, armor gleaming. Her voice rang clear, unyielding. "Team Scarlet Heal will not allow this."
The air grew heavier, the cursed flute thrumming with dark promise as the storm of battle gathered over Kunugi Station.
The fight was about to begin.