Chapter 23: The Song of Death
The next morning dawned quietly over Clover Town, the air still heavy with the echoes of the battle that had ended only hours before.
At the Guild Alliance headquarters, Makarov sat at the long council table, sipping tea as sunlight streamed through stained glass windows. Around him were the leaders of Fiore's most powerful guilds — calm now, though the whispers that passed between them carried unease.
At the far end of the hall, Menma Uzumaki stood silently by a column, his black hair falling neatly over his forehead, the faint outline of his eyepatch just visible under the light. Though his expression was composed, a storm brewed quietly behind those blue and crimson-ringed eyes.
The Rinnegan beneath the patch had been pulsing all night, like a drumbeat in the back of his mind — a reminder of what he had seen through the Mirror Dimension.
That thing... it wasn't just a cursed flute. It was a distortion between worlds.
The Arrival
The great doors of the hall burst open, and a familiar, fiery voice broke the calm.
"We're back!"
Natsu Dragneel strode into the hall, arms stretched wide, grinning as if he hadn't nearly been turned to ash a day before. Happy fluttered above him, carrying a confused but smiling Lucy Heartfilia, while Gray and Erza followed behind, both looking significantly less thrilled.
Makarov almost spat his tea. "You blasted pyromaniac! You destroyed half a train station again, didn't you!?"
Natsu rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well… not half. Maybe a quarter?"
Erza crossed her arms, unimpressed. "That 'quarter' included a ticket hall, several walls, and a section of the rail line."
Lucy sighed. "And the windows. Don't forget the windows."
Happy snorted. "Aye! But we stopped a giant death-flute monster, so that's a win!"
Makarov groaned. "Sweet Mavis preserve me…"
Laughter rippled through the guildmasters. Even Bob from Blue Pegasus clapped a hand to his chest dramatically. "Oh, Makarov, your guild never disappoints."
Menma's Observation
Menma stepped forward from the column, his voice quiet but cutting through the chatter.
"You handled yourselves well."
Natsu blinked. "Oh, hey! Menma! You were here the whole time?"
"Observing," Menma replied simply, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "And preventing Clover Town from turning into ash, in case you failed."
"Hey!" Natsu barked, but Happy was already giggling.
Lucy tilted her head. "So, wait — you were helping us?"
"Indirectly," Menma said. "That creature, Lullaby... it was channeling energy through dimensions. I stabilized the distortion. Without that, the curse would've spread beyond Oshibana — maybe even here."
Gray whistled softly. "Guess we owe you one."
"You owe me nothing," Menma said, turning slightly away. "Just make sure you don't underestimate what you fight next time."
For a moment, his tone carried weight — not scolding, but protective. Lucy noticed it immediately, her smile softening.
"Big Brother Menma's scary when he's serious."
Natsu blinked. "Big brother?"
Lucy flushed. "O-oh! I just… he looks out for everyone, you know?"
Menma raised an eyebrow, amused. "I'll take that as a compliment."
The Council Discussion
Later that day, the Guild Masters convened again. The tension was heavier this time; even Makarov's usual jovial spirit was muted.
On the large table lay the fragments of the Lullaby flute, sealed in a reinforced containment crystal. Dark veins of curse energy pulsed faintly within.
Master Goldmine of Quatro Cerberus leaned forward. "It's dead, right? The curse can't revive?"
Menma spoke before Makarov could answer. "The spirit is sealed, not destroyed. Lullaby's form was bound to a magical resonance — a tune that connects to other realms. Destroying the flute didn't end it. It simply made it sleep."
The other masters exchanged uneasy looks.
Makarov frowned. "You think someone could reawaken it?"
"Someone with enough knowledge of forbidden dimensional magics," Menma said. His voice lowered. "And there are those who do."
He placed a small scroll on the table. "This is what concerns me."
On the parchment was a rough sketch — three interlocking sigils, darkly etched and pulsing with residual energy.
Makarov's expression hardened immediately. "The Balam Alliance."
The room went silent. Even Natsu, who had been quietly poking at Happy's fish lunch, looked up.
"The what-now?"
Menma turned toward him, folding his arms. "Three of the most powerful Dark Guilds in Fiore — Oración Seis, Tartaros, and Grimoire Heart. They operate independently, but together… they form an unholy triad. The Alliance of Shadows."
Gray frowned. "And what do they want with Lullaby?"
"They don't," Menma replied. "But they'll use what it represents — chaos, fear, death — as a message. They want the kingdom to know that light guilds aren't untouchable."
Erza's gaze sharpened. "So this was only the beginning."
Menma nodded. "A warning shot."
Makarov sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fiore's peace grows thinner every year…"
Menma's Reflection
When the meeting finally adjourned, Menma stepped out onto the balcony overlooking Clover Town. The sunset painted the sky in red and gold — warm, yet ominous.
He removed his eyepatch briefly, the six tomoe Rinnegan glimmering in the light. In its depths, the reflection of multiple worlds shimmered — parallel layers of space, time, and possibilities.
"The Dava Path lets me feel every pulse of power in this world," he murmured quietly. "Every lie, every secret, every tear in the fabric of magic."
He looked down at his gloved hand, flexing it slightly. "If I lose control, this eye could erase everything… and yet, I need it to protect them."
The thought lingered — his curse and his weapon intertwined.
Then a soft voice interrupted him.
"You always look so serious."
Menma turned to see Mirajane leaning against the railing, a gentle smile on her lips. She wore her usual white dress, her silver hair glimmering in the orange light.
"Mirajane," he greeted quietly. "You followed me all the way here?"
She giggled. "Of course. You didn't think I'd miss the Guild Masters' banquet, did you? Besides…" — she stepped closer — "someone has to make sure you don't brood yourself into oblivion."
Menma chuckled softly. "You always did have perfect timing."
Mira tilted her head. "So, what are you thinking about?"
"The same thing I always do," Menma replied. "How to stop what's coming."
Mira's smile faded slightly. "Something worse than Eisenwald?"
He nodded. "Much worse."
She placed a hand gently on his arm. "Then we'll face it together. Fairy Tail doesn't run from the dark."
Menma glanced at her, the faintest trace of a real smile appearing. "No… we don't."
Clover Town, Midnight
Later that night, after everyone had gone to rest, Menma stood alone on the balcony again. The wind was cold now, carrying the scent of rain.
His Rinnegan activated once more, glowing faintly beneath the eyepatch. Through its sight, he saw the threads of distortion still lingering where the Lullaby spirit had been destroyed — echoes of dark magic stretching into the horizon.
"Oración Seis… Grimoire Heart… Tartaros…" he murmured. "If you're truly moving again, then it's time I start preparing."
The reflection of the world in his eye trembled — the faint image of a dragon's shadow flickering deep within the distortion.
Menma's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Because next time… Fairy Tail won't just be facing darkness."
He turned and walked back into the dimly lit hall, the sound of the rain beginning to fall softly behind him.
End of
(Next: Chapter 24 – "Echoes of the Balam Alliance")