The night on Galuna Island was eerily quiet, the purple moon veiled behind thick drifting clouds. The shadows of the trees stretched unnaturally long under the faint light, and the cries of distant animals echoed through the mist. Inside the small wooden house that the villagers had lent them, Team Natsu — joined by Team Scarlet Heal — discussed what they'd seen beneath the moonlight.
The curse that turned the villagers into demons wasn't just a simple spell; it carried the feeling of something ancient, powerful, and dark.
Lucy leaned back on the chair, watching the purple glow filter faintly through the window. "So the villagers said this all started when the moon changed color, right? That's… creepy."
Cana poured herself another cup of ale, shrugging. "Creepy doesn't even begin to cover it. I've seen curses before, but this one feels off — like it's alive."
Erza crossed her arms, her armor clinking softly as she spoke. "We'll investigate the ruins tomorrow. Destroying the moon is not an option; we need to find the true source of the curse and seal it properly."
Kael, sitting beside her, leaned closer with a teasing smirk. "I like when you talk like that, Erza. So serious, commanding… makes me want to follow your every order."
Cana chuckled, sipping from her cup. "You mean that literally or just another one of your smooth lines?"
Kael shot her a playful grin. "Why not both?"
Erza's eyes widened slightly as a faint blush crept across her cheeks. "Kael… focus."
"Don't worry," Kael said, leaning back lazily, his tone confident. "I can focus and flirt at the same time."
Cana rolled her eyes but smiled, swirling her drink. "You're impossible."
"Yet you're still sitting here, listening to me," Kael teased, his gaze sharp but warm.
Cana smirked back, crossing her legs. "Maybe I like impossible things."
Erza quickly stood up, clearing her throat, trying to regain her composure as her teammates shared amused looks. "Enough. We rest for tonight. Tomorrow, we move at dawn."
Natsu yawned, sprawled across the floor with a blanket half covering him. "Finally, sleep… I hate boats."
Gray, shirtless as always, leaned against the wall. "You always hate boats. You'll never change."
Happy, curled up near Lucy, mumbled, "Aye, sir…" before falling asleep mid-sentence.
Kael glanced once more at Erza and Cana, his smirk softening into a faint smile before closing his eyes.
---
The Next Morning
Sunlight broke through the clouds, turning the mist gold. Lucy was the first to wake, stretching and yawning before noticing the others preparing.
"Alright, Lucy," Erza said firmly. "You'll stay here and protect the villagers with Happy. The rest of us will go to the ruins and investigate the source of the curse."
Lucy blinked, surprised. "Wait—just me?!"
"You wanted a safe job, didn't you?" Cana teased, giving her a wink.
Lucy sighed. "I didn't mean that safe! But fine… I'll make sure nothing happens here."
Happy saluted her dramatically. "Aye, ma'am!"
---
Journey to the Ruins
The five — Erza, Kael, Natsu, Gray, and Cana — made their way through the dense jungle. Strange glowing plants lined the trail, and the faint echo of waves breaking against the cliffs filled the air.
Kael walked beside Cana, his arm brushing hers occasionally, his tone low and teasing. "So, you think you can keep up with me today?"
Cana raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I can do more than keep up. Don't underestimate me, Kael."
"Oh, I never do," he said, his voice dropping slightly. "If anything, I'd say you've been holding back."
Cana chuckled softly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. "Maybe I have. Guess you'll have to find out, won't you?"
"Looking forward to it," Kael said smoothly, earning a quiet amused sigh from Erza ahead, who was trying to stay focused but couldn't help catching snippets of their exchange.
---
Hours later, they reached an ancient stone structure — a temple half-buried in earth and vines. Its walls were covered with strange runes that shimmered faintly under the purple light.
"This must be it," Erza said. "Be careful. The curse could be concentrated here."
They entered the temple, their footsteps echoing through the dark corridor. Natsu sniffed the air. "It smells weird… like something dead, but not really."
Cana grimaced. "Thanks for the image, Natsu."
Kael touched one of the rune-covered walls, feeling the pulse of energy beneath his palm. "This magic… it's old. It's not like anything I've felt before."
Erza nodded. "It's definitely ancient magic — possibly pre-Era."
Then, suddenly, the floor beneath them cracked.
"Uh-oh." Natsu grinned nervously. "That's not good—"
The ground collapsed, and the team fell through the crumbling stone, landing roughly in a vast underground chamber.
"Everyone okay?" Erza asked, brushing dust off her armor.
"I've been better," Gray muttered.
"Hey! Don't look at me!" Natsu yelled, glaring at him. "You're the one who's always stripping in random places!"
"I don't do it on purpose!"
Their argument echoed through the chamber until Kael's sharp tone cut through the noise. "Quiet. Look."
He pointed ahead.
A massive figure loomed within the frozen depths of the cavern — a Demon sealed in a towering block of ice. Its monstrous shape twisted beneath the frozen surface, claws pressed against the inner wall as if trying to break free.
Everyone froze.
"W-What… is that thing?" Cana whispered.
Gray stepped forward, his expression darkening. "That's… Deliora."
The name itself made the air feel colder.
Gray's fists trembled slightly as he continued, "That Demon… destroyed my home ten years ago. My teacher, Ur, gave her life to seal it in ice."
The group fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.
Erza looked at the enormous icy prison. "So the curse and the purple moon… they might be connected to this thing."
Before anyone could respond, voices echoed through the cavern.
"Spread out! Find whoever hurt Angelica!" a sharp female voice commanded.
They quickly hid behind the ruins as footsteps approached.
Three figures entered the chamber — a muscular man with canine features, a woman with long hair and a cold smile, and a young man with sharp blue hair and thick eyebrows.
The woman frowned. "The intruders must be nearby. They'll pay for hurting Angelica."
"Angelica?" Cana whispered.
"The giant mouse I guess" Kael muttered quietly.
The blue-haired boy, Lyon, glanced at the frozen Deliora with unsettling reverence. "Soon… my dream will be complete."
They turned to leave after hearing a small clatter — courtesy of Happy accidentally knocking over a pebble outside the temple entrance.
As the enemy group vanished into the jungle, Gray clenched his fists. "Lyon… it's really him. My old training partner."
Erza glanced at him. "You know him?"
Gray nodded. "Yeah. He trained under Ur with me. I can't let him do this… not after what she sacrificed."
Kael's tone dropped, calm yet firm. "Then we stop him before he breaks the seal."
Erza nodded. "Agreed. But we'll proceed carefully."
---
Back at the Village
Meanwhile, Lucy was helping the villagers gather food and water. They seemed relieved by her presence, and she felt a bit proud.
"See?" she said to Happy, smiling. "Staying behind wasn't such a bad idea."
Happy looked up from munching on a fish. "Aye! This is kinda nice."
Then the ground trembled. A faint purple light spread across the sky.
Lucy's smile faded. "Oh no… something's happening."
---
Back in the Ruins
The team moved deeper underground, following the faint magical trail left by Lyon's group. The air grew colder, and the walls seemed to hum with life.
Cana glanced sideways at Kael, noticing how his eyes sharpened in the dim light. "You're serious all of a sudden," she said softly.
Kael smiled faintly. "I can be serious when I have to be. But don't worry… I'll protect you if things get bad."
Cana smirked, hiding her fluster. "Who said I need protecting?"
Erza, overhearing, sighed quietly, her lips twitching upward despite herself.
They eventually reached a vast chamber filled with glowing runes and a magic circle on the floor — the center of Lyon's ritual.
"We'll stop them here," Erza declared, drawing her sword.
Kael stepped forward, the air around him pulsing faintly with energy. "Let's make this quick. The longer that thing stays sealed, the better."
Natsu grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Yeah! Let's show them what Fairy Tail's made of!"
Gray stared ahead, determination burning in his eyes. "For Ur… I won't let you defile her name again, Lyon."
The team stepped into the chamber, ready for battle as the faint echo of chanting filled the air.
The ritual had begun.