Chapter 354: The River of Stars
The brilliant fireworks display lit up the night sky continuously for about three minutes before gradually fading away.
As the initial barrage came to an end, a sudden streak of fire shot up into the heavens right from the front entrance of the Fairy Tail guildhall.
The fiery streak detonated in midair, expanding into a massive, burning-red Fairy Tail emblem. Immediately following it, several more streaks of light raced up just below the emblem, exploding to spell out the word "FAIRYTAIL" in a radiant patterns of flame.
The crowd's attention was instantly drawn by the sudden burst of light and the thunderous booms.
A dazzling strip of golden light materialized from the guild entrance, stretching along the entire parade route until the entire street was paved in a glowing, golden road.
At that moment, a parade float featuring a massive replica of Happy appeared at the guild entrance, gliding smoothly on top of the golden strip of light to the beat of cheerful festival music.
Natsu and Happy stood proudly on either side of the replica. Natsu took a deep breath and exhaled a massive fireball toward the sky.
The fireball exploded overhead, transforming into a giant, blazing Fairy Tail emblem.
With that cue, the parade float began its advance down the glowing road. On both sides of the float, guild members dressed in elaborate performance outfits and holding musical instruments gradually materialized.
Using specially crafted magical instruments, they played their upbeat festive melodies clearly into the ears of every spectator, their music cutting right through the roaring fireworks and the cheering crowds.
Once the first float had moved down the street, the next one made its appearance at the guild entrance.
This float featured a wide, elevated platform where Lucy, Levy, Bisca, Cana, and Kagura stood together. Dressed in perfectly coordinated outfits, they waved colorful ribbons and launched into their well-rehearsed dance routine. The bright smiles on their faces were infectious, instantly spreading to the surrounding spectators.
The third float carried members whose magic wasn't quite flashy enough for individual performances, including Jet, Droy, Max, and Simon.
Dressed in an assortment of comical costumes, they put on a series of hilarious antics and funny poses on the deck, drawing continuous roars of laughter from the crowd. Marching alongside the vehicle were two separate troupes of dancers, each dressed in their own preferred outfits, grooving to the rhythm of the music with simple yet joyful steps.
The next float featured Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, and Edolas Lisanna.
Elfman activated his full-body Take Over, channeling the Beast Soul. He let out a massive roar, unleashing the raw, intimidating majesty of the Beast King. The spectators knew it was all part of the show, and rather than being frightened, the overwhelming presence of the Beast King only fired them up, making them cheer with even greater excitement.
Lisanna also utilized her full-body Take Over, transforming into a giant pink rabbit. She playfully waved her front paws, greeting the spectators lining both sides of the street.
Meanwhile, Mirajane stood at the highest point of the float wearing a beautiful evening gown, waving to the crowd with a radiant smile.
Instead of performing a full-body Take Over like her siblings, she opted to cast Transformation Magic. In an instant, a massive purple serpent manifested atop the vehicle. Elfman, who was still maintaining his Beast Soul form, was completely startled by his older sister's sudden transformation.
The crowd, who had just been cheering enthusiastically for the beautiful Mirajane, was similarly caught off guard and jumped in surprise at the sight of the giant snake.
As for Edolas Lisanna, who couldn't use magic, she had put on a cute monster costume early on and was busy making playful growling faces to scare the crowd. However, given her pretty face, the menacing gestures only came across as incredibly adorable, making the audience burst into laughter.
On the next float stood Sorano, wearing a light blue gown. Floating in the air around her were five beautiful angels, performing perfectly synchronized movements as if they were dancing in the sky.
Crisp white feathers drifted down through the air, dissolving into shimmering points of white light that made the space around Sorano look absolutely breathtaking.
Following close behind was Erza's float. She wore a suit of armor specially forged for the festival. Sixteen swords, also custom-made for the celebration, hovered gracefully behind her. The blades spun and danced in harmony with her elegant movements, showcasing a perfect blend of beauty and martial prowess.
"That's Titania, the Fairy Queen!" a Magnolia resident proudly boasted to an amazed tourist.
Once Erza's float passed, the next one arrived, carrying Ur, Ultear, Gray, Lyon, and Juvia.
All of them were dressed in highly ornate attire. Gray and Juvia shared a glance, and with seamless cooperation, a magnificent castle made of solid ice rose up behind them.
Immediately afterward, a flock of ice-sculpted white doves flew out from the castle gates—a creation of Lyon's dynamic Ice-Make Magic.
The mother-daughter duo, Ur and Ultear, held hands and channeled their magic simultaneously. The ice castle fired a massive frost orb high into the sky, which detonated overhead and rained down countless delicate snowflakes.
Several spectators reached out to catch them, only to find that the snowflakes were actually tiny, intricately crafted ice sculptures of the Fairy Tail emblem, each completely translucent and beautifully detailed.
At the same time, Juvia summoned streams of water to weave and flow gracefully in front of the castle, forming a massive aquatic ring.
With a flourish of Gray's magic, an icy sign reading "FAIRYTAIL" materialized right above the swirling water, while Lyon used his magic to create small ice animals that ran playfully beneath the lettering.
When that float moved on, it was Laxus and the Thunder Legion's turn.
Laxus was completely enveloped in crackling electricity. He unleashed a massive pillar of lightning that shot straight into the heavens, illuminating the entire night sky. In midair, the yellow lightning reshaped itself into the Fairy Tail emblem and the word "FAIRYTAIL."
Beside him, Bickslow manipulated his five wooden dolls to perform a lively dance, while Freed wrote runes in the air to release various visual effects. Evergreen added to the spectacle by scattering glowing stardust, making their surroundings look incredibly dazzling.
After a few more floats had passed, the vehicle carrying Wendy, Yukino, Meredy, and Carla finally appeared at the guild entrance.
Dressed in adorable outfits, the girls waved non-stop to the crowd. The audience was completely captivated by their sheer cuteness, letting out massive cheers for them.
The final float belonged to Noah. Dressed in a formal suit, he swept both hands upward. Instantly, the golden road along the parade route released countless floating specks of starlight, and small models of various planets materialized along the edges of the street.
The entire parade route looked as though it had been transformed into a literal river of stars, with the float gliding effortlessly over the cosmos.
This was a visual effect Noah had developed by referencing the Super Magic, Grand Chariot. The surrounding spectators erupted into cheers at the breathtaking sight. Many reached out, trying to catch the floating planets, only to laugh out loud when their hands passed right through the illusions.
Then, Noah clapped his hands together. A massive golden magic circle materialized over the sky of Magnolia, with the distinct Fairy Tail symbol at its center catching everyone's eye.
The golden magic circle compressed inward before bursting outward, raining down thousands of golden droplets of light. The cascade covered not just the parade route, but the entirety of Magnolia.
As the golden lights drifted down to the spectators, they realized each droplet contained a miniature golden Fairy Tail emblem. The moment these golden emblems touched the people, they dissolved harmlessly into their bodies.
Curious, the audience began reaching out to catch even more of the falling light. The children were especially excited, running around trying to chase the golden sparks, forcing their parents to quickly hold them back so they wouldn't get lost in the crowd.
Seeing the golden light enter everyone's bodies, Noah couldn't help but smile.
This was a grand spell he had spent a considerable amount of time preparing. Its effect was simple: a mild healing magic designed to revitalize people and boost their health. Noah wanted everyone who attended the Harvest Festival to leave feeling healthier, which was why he had gone to such lengths to prepare it.
Sure enough, as the spectators absorbed the golden light, they felt a sudden surge of vitality, their bodies feeling lighter and refreshed.
With another clap of Noah's hands, streaks of flowing light began to dance around his float, making the vehicle look exceptionally beautiful as it moved forward.
As Noah's float—the very last one in the queue—cleared the guild entrance, Mystogan, who had been maintaining the illusion magic from the sidelines, finally lowered his staves.
His job now shifted to security.
Leaping up to the highest vantage point of a pre-selected building, Mystogan looked down at the moving parade, a warm smile spreading across his masked face. Even though he couldn't actively participate down on the streets, just watching them made him feel like he was truly a part of the family.
Led by Natsu's float, the procession of vehicles moved smoothly along the designated route.
Every single member of the guild was putting their absolute best into their performances, the smiles never leaving their faces. They were showing the world the wonder of magic, as well as the warmth and friendliness of Mages. They were doing everything they could to bring joy to the people, ensuring everyone could immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere and share in the happiness.
This was the true meaning of the Fantasia Parade. This was the true meaning of the Harvest Festival.
"There really are some wonderful kids in that guild. No wonder Makarov is always so happy. Even though he spends every single day worrying about them, he still does everything in his power to guide them," Yajima remarked with a warm smile from the side of the road, watching the Fairy Tail members perform on their floats.
"Compared to them, the youngsters in our own guilds still have a long way to go," Master Goldmine said, crossing his arms and shaking his head with a sigh.
"Well, that's Fairy Tail for you!" Master Bob chimed in with a cheerful chuckle.
"Indeed. That's Fairy Tail for you," Yajima and Goldmine exchanged a glance and laughed in unison.
"Our daughter has really grown up," Layla said with a gentle smile, standing by the roadside next to Jude as they watched Lucy dancing happily with her comrades on the platform.
"Yeah. In the blink of an eye, she's already so big," Jude said, filled with deep emotion. Watching the youthful vibrancy radiating from Lucy on the float, he couldn't help but recall how tiny she used to be as a little girl.
"As long as Lucy is happy and safe, that's all that matters," Layla said, gently squeezing Jude's hand.
"Mm. As long as our daughter is happy," Jude replied, squeezing her hand back with a nod.
The remaining guild members who weren't part of the parade were stationed along the perimeter to handle security. Watching their comrades perform so brilliantly on the floats, bright smiles graced their faces as well.
They felt an overwhelming sense of pride to be a part of this guild.
~~~
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