The last of Eisenwald's mages crashed into the floorboards with a dull thud. The barrier that had sealed Kunugi Station shimmered faintly before fracturing apart, scattering into fading shards of wind. Silence fell over the station — the kind that only comes after battle.
Erza lowered her sword, crimson hair swaying as her eyes swept across the unconscious enemies. Her voice, firm and sharp, carried authority even in exhaustion.
"Erigor is still out there—with Lullaby. We cannot waste time."
Gray straightened up, brushing dust from his shoulder and panting lightly. "Yeah, and that psycho's not gonna wait around for us to catch up."
Cana, who hadn't even broken a sweat, tipped her flask and took a casual sip, amber liquid glinting in the dim light. "Then let's move before the trail gets cold. We're burning sunlight here."
Kael rolled his shoulders, his breath steady — calm yet brimming with purpose. The air around him rippled faintly from the lingering force of his magic.
"You three take the vehicle. I'll go through the sky. It's faster."
Cana raised an eyebrow at him, lowering her flask. "You sure about that? Going alone after him isn't exactly a bright idea."
He gave her a lopsided grin. "You worried about me again? People might start thinking you actually like me."
She scoffed and crossed her arms, though the faint blush on her face betrayed her words. "Just don't die, idiot."
Erza stepped forward, voice sharp but softened by familiarity. "Focus. We need to Catch up to him before he reaches Oshibana Station."
Kael nodded once. "Yes, ma'am."
The air beneath his boots began to swirl. Rings of compressed wind spiraled outward, each layer forming with controlled precision.
Then, with a light step, he rose — the ground falling away beneath him as the magic thickened, stabilizing each invisible foothold.
Within seconds, he was gone — a streak of faint silver against the darkening sky.
---
Kael soared upward, the night air biting against his skin.
Each step left behind a soft ripple, like invisible stairs disintegrating the instant he moved on. The countryside below blurred — fields giving way to rivers, rivers cutting through sleeping towns, the scattered lights of homes twinkling like fallen stars.
He wasn't calm — not entirely.
Wind roared past his ears, but his heartbeat was louder.
Gramps is still at that meeting… if Erigor reaches Clover, everyone's in danger. No — he's in danger.
Kael clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing as the moonlight cut across his face.
Grandpa Makarov… you helped me control this power. So I'll use it — not for pride, not for glory, but to protect you. Like family should.
He pressed his heel down on the air — and launched forward.
The air itself rippled in protest. Thin trails of vapor twisted behind him, forming streaks of faint mist from the sheer pressure his body generated as he broke through the atmosphere's resistance.
He'd learned to control his wind magic to a high level — precision, control, stability. He didn't rely only on brute strength like some mages. Every pulse of air, every compression, was deliberate. Balanced.
He exhaled once, feeling the faint ache in his lungs, and smiled to himself.
"Still too slow…"
Then he accelerated again.
Below, the darkened forest shifted into jagged terrain — steep cliffs, stone ridges, and a river carving its path through the heart of Clover Canyon.
He could feel it now.
That familiar pulse of magic — chaotic and wild, saturated with arrogance.
"Found you."
---
Meanwhile, the four-wheeler rattled violently over rocky terrain, its magic engine howling like a beast pushed past its limits.
Gray clung to the side rail, his teeth gritted. "Erza! You're gonna blow the damn engine—and yourself—if you keep pouring magic into it!"
Erza didn't answer. Her eyes were fixed ahead, sharp but weary, the veins around them faintly glowing from overuse of her magic.
"We can't slow down. If Erigor reaches Clover with that flute, hundreds could die."
Cana tightened her seatbelt and leaned forward, shouting over the wind. "And if you burn out before then, we won't even get there! Slow down and I will be the one driving!"
The vehicle hit a jagged bump, and Gray nearly went flying. Cana grabbed his collar with lightning reflexes and yanked him back in.
"For Mavis' sake, woman, watch the road!" Cana barked.
Erza's breathing was uneven now, her knuckles white on the steering handles. The air around her shimmered faintly — her magic power leaking from overexertion.
Too much, too soon… focus, Erza… just hold on…
Her vision blurred for a second before she forced herself to stabilize it. But deep down, she knew her reserves were draining.
Kael's ahead. He'll reach him first.
Cana finally placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "You've done enough, Erza. Let me take it from here."
Erza hesitated. Her pride told her to keep going, but her body refused. Slowly, she exhaled, nodded, and switched with Cana seats.
"Just… don't let him face Erigor alone."
Cana smirked faintly, taking control of the wheel. "Relax. He's too stubborn to die."
The engine roared louder, pushing the vehicle even faster toward Clover Canyon.
---
Up ahead, the train thundered along the canyon bridge, its steel wheels sparking against the tracks.
On top of the lead car stood Erigor, cloak whipping wildly in the wind. His scythe glinted under the moonlight as he stared out into the night.
A cruel smile crept across his lips.
"Fairy Tail wizards should still be sealed away by now. How fitting—their silence will be Lullaby's first note."
Then—he paused.
A tremor rippled through the air behind him.
Faint, but unmistakable. Like pressure folding air itself.
He turned sharply, eyes narrowing. A silhouette appeared in the sky — stepping down from the sky, one foot at a time, on air that solidified beneath him.
"…What?"
Kael's voice was steady, cutting through the wind like a blade.
"You picked the wrong train to hijack."
Erigor's smirk twisted into mock amusement. "You again, little fairy? You think you can challenge the grim Reaper?"
Kael landed on the rear car with a heavy clang, the metal beneath him warping slightly from the compressed impact. His gaze locked onto Erigor, calm but burning.
"Name's Kael. And yeah — I'm ending this ride right here."
---
Erigor swung his scythe downward. A blade of razor wind screamed through the air, slicing the train cars like paper.
Kael raised his palm.
Compressed Air — Air Cannon!
A thunderous burst erupted from his hand, slamming into the attack mid-flight. The two forces collided — wind versus wind — exploding into a shockwave that sent sand and rock flying from the canyon walls.
Erigor's grin widened. "You dare use my element against me?"
Kael's expression didn't waver. "Then let's see who really control the wind."
He vaulted upward, using Air Steps, each motion fluid, controlled — each step detonating softly as he rose.
Erigor followed, spinning his scythe in a circle. "Storm Cloak!"
Wind exploded outward from him, forming a swirling barrier of cutting blades that circled like a living storm. Every shift of his scythe reshaped the flow, each gust sharper than steel.
Kael crossed his arms before his chest, condensing air into a defensive sphere. The first wave hit, rattling his barrier but failing to pierce through. The shock echoed through his bones, but his stance didn't break.
"Not bad," Kael muttered. "My turn."
He clenched a fist.
Vacuum Zone.
The oxygen around him vanished in an instant. The air pressure dropped sharply, and the roaring winds around Erigor began to falter, destabilizing his storm barrier.
"What—!?"
Kael blurred forward.
His fist ignited with concentrated air.
Air Fist!
The blow landed clean against Erigor's chest, the compressed energy detonating point-blank. The impact shattered what remained of the storm, hurling Erigor backward through the air. The sound echoed like thunder rolling through the canyon.
Erigor hit the train roof with a loud crack, coughing blood. "You… damn brat!"
He swung his scythe again, the edge catching Kael's shoulder — slicing clean through skin and fabric.
But before he could even smirk, the wound sealed itself instantly, the skin glowing faintly before returning to normal.
Erigor froze. "You—your wound—?!"
Kael rolled his neck, eyes sharp. "Healing's part of the package. You'll need to do better."
---
Erigor screamed in fury, his magic bursting outward in a cyclone that engulfed the entire bridge span. The sky itself seemed to twist in defiance.
"Then die in the sky!"
Kael didn't move. His boots pressed against an invisible surface of air, anchoring himself using Vacuum Zone to counter the gale. His aura flared, bright and sharp, his focus absolute.
He clenched both fists together, the air between them vibrating violently.
"Pressure. Focus. No wasted magic."
The wind howled louder, tearing pieces of the bridge away. Kael's voice rose above it.
"Let's finish this—!"
Compressed Air: Atomic Wave!
The canyon erupted in light.
A massive shockwave exploded, hitting the cyclone destroying it and slamming straight into Erigor. The force sent him crashing into the train roof, tearing through metal like tin foil.
The ground shook. Dust rose like a curtain.
When it cleared, Erigor lay sprawled, cloak shredded, his scythe tumbling off the cliff into the ground below.
Kael stood over him, breathing hard but steady, the faint shimmer of compressed air fading around his body.
"You're finished," he said quietly. "Fairy Tail doesn't lose to cowards."
Erigor's eyes rolled back, and he went limp.
---
Moments later, the four-wheeler screeched to a stop near the tracks. Dust billowed as Cana and Gray jumped out, Erza following shortly after, her magic aura faint but stable again.
Cana's eyes widened as she spotted Kael standing amidst the wreckage. "You actually did it!"
Gray whistled low. "Guess you weren't bluffing after all."
Kael cracked a grin. "Told you I'd handle it."
Erza stepped forward, her gaze softening. "Well done, Kael. That was a masterful display of control."
He tilted his head, smirking. "You really should've trusted me from the start."
Cana flicked his forehead. "Don't get cocky, Kael."
He laughed, rubbing the spot. "You'd miss me if I didn't."
Their laughter echoed through the canyon, soft and genuine, carried by the wind that had just begun to calm.
---
The train wreck lay silent — almost peaceful.
Then, a faint sound stirred beneath the rubble.
The Lullaby flute, vibrated faintly against the dirt. The air around it grew unnaturally still.
Then came the whisper — faint, hollow, almost inaudible.
"…more… souls… sing…"
A low hum began to rise, crawling through the night air. The wind shifted — unnatural, dissonant, filled with something dark.
Kael froze mid-step. His sensory magic flared, his eyes darting toward the source.
"Wait—"
The hum deepened into a pulse, rhythmic and cold, vibrating through the canyon walls.
"The song… has only begun."