A chaotic clatter of footsteps echoed from the distance. Lucy looked up to see a horde of demons in all shapes and sizes charging toward them—some with crimson skin and curved horns, others covered in shimmering blue scales.
"Oh no!!" Lucy clutched her head, her voice laced with panic. "The village chief's gonna be furious when he sees all the wrecked houses!!"
Before she could finish, a red-skinned demon with twisted horns rushed up to her, his amber eyes scanning the group with worry. "Are you all okay?!"
"Huh?" Lucy blinked, pointing at herself. "Us? Yeah, we're fine."
"Thank goodness!" The demon let out a relieved sigh. "When the purple moon in the sky vanished and that giant fireball crashed down, we thought it was backlash from breaking the curse."
He turned to the other villagers behind him and shouted, "The Fairy Tail mages are all unharmed!"
Then he faced Lucy again with a warm, honest grin. "We were so worried you'd gotten hurt, we rushed over to check."
"Not a single injury—impressive work from Fairy Tail mages!"
"Haha," Lucy let out an awkward chuckle, her face a mix of embarrassment and relief. "Y-yeah, I guess."
She hesitated, then asked cautiously, "So, uh… about the houses…?"
The red demon waved a hand dismissively, completely unbothered. "As long as everyone's safe, houses can be rebuilt! Compared to you breaking our curse, a few buildings are nothing."
Lucy patted her chest, letting out a long breath as her worries melted away. "Phew, that's a relief."
Then her eyes lit up as a thought struck her. "Oh! Have your memories come back?"
A blue-skinned female demon with a beaded necklace stepped forward, smiling. "Yes, thanks to you mages."
She touched her forehead lightly. "We never realized we were demons all along. The curse in the sky scrambled our memories, making us think we were human."
"We're preparing a celebration feast tonight," she added. "You all have to join us!"
"A feast!" Natsu's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Sweet! I'm starving!"
Lucy gave him a deadpan look. "Seriously, what's your stomach made of? Didn't you just scarf down a ton of barbecue?"
The female demon giggled. "Breaking the curse must've taken a lot out of you."
Her gaze suddenly caught Mirajane approaching from behind, and her expression shifted. "The feast starts in half an hour at the plaza. Someone will come get you. We'll head out now!"
With that, she and the other demons hurried off toward the plaza, practically sprinting.
Lucy couldn't help but laugh at their retreating figures. "Are they that scared of Mirajane?"
Happy waved a paw. "Well, Mirajane's magic lets her absorb demons—or, like, eat them. To them, she's basically a predator."
He shot Lucy a sly glance, adding, "In terms you'd get, it's like a cat and a mouse."
Lucy's forehead twitched with irritation. "You didn't need that last part!!"
Soon, the feast began, and the group headed to the plaza to join the celebration.
The air was filled with laughter and chatter as the demon villagers brought out an array of unique dishes to treat their guests. Natsu devoured everything in sight, grease dripping down his chin. Happy gnawed happily on a specially prepared fish, his tail wagging. Lucy was surrounded by female demons, eagerly listening as they shared how it felt to regain their memories.
Halfway through the feast, Mirajane slipped away from the plaza and wandered into a small forest nearby. Humming a cheerful tune, she strolled to a grassy clearing where she could see the starry sky, the stars twinkling like diamonds scattered across black velvet.
She sat lightly on a large rock, hands propped behind her, and closed her eyes. A breeze carrying the scent of grass and trees brushed her face, her white hair floating gently and glowing softly in the moonlight.
"Still thinking about absorbing them?" A familiar male voice accompanied approaching footsteps.
Without turning, Mirajane tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and said softly, "Well, every demon I've met before was an enemy. This is my first time meeting kind ones."
"It's hard to shake the habit of absorbing demons when I see them," she admitted.
"No wonder they all swarmed over once you left," a female voice chimed in with a hint of amusement. "You were thinking about absorbing them even during dinner, huh?"
Mirajane froze and spun around. "Erza!! What are you doing out here?"
Erza and Roger stepped forward side by side. Erza smiled. "What, Roger's allowed out here, but I'm not?"
She sat next to Mirajane, her tone softening. "Lucy and the others were worried about you too and wanted to follow, but I stopped them. Told them to stay and keep the party going."
"After all, the star of this mission can't just disappear."
"True," Mirajane said, a warm smile spreading across her face.
She turned back to the starry sky, her brown-blue eyes reflecting the twinkling lights. "It's been a while since we've all sat together like this, just looking at the stars."
Her words caught both Erza and Roger off guard. Erza's gaze softened, and Roger nodded slightly.
After a moment, Roger said quietly, "Yeah, ever since we became S-Class, we haven't really had a chance to just sit like this."
Mirajane grinned, scooting left and patting the spot beside her. "Wanna join me and stargaze?" Her eyes shone brightly under the stars.
"Don't mind if we do," Roger said, and he and Erza sat down.
Roger took the middle, with Erza on his other side. Their shoulders brushed lightly, sharing a comforting warmth. The silver moonlight bathed them in a gentle glow, wrapping them in a soft, silvery veil.
The chirping of forest insects mingled with the distant laughter from the feast, weaving a serene nocturnal melody. The scent of grass and trees lingered in the air, and the three of them savored the rare moment of peace, their minds and bodies completely at ease.
After a while, Roger flicked his right hand, and a purple magic circle briefly appeared in his palm before vanishing, leaving three slender handheld sparklers.
"Wanna play with these? Handheld sparklers," he said with a smile, passing them to the two women.
"Handheld sparklers?" Erza and Mirajane each took one, curious. Erza ran her fingers gently over the sparkler's surface. "Like the ones in manga?"
Roger nodded and pointed his index finger. Three small red flames leapt from his fingertip like lively sprites, dancing to the tops of the sparklers.
The moment the flames touched the powder, a soft pop sounded, and brilliant golden sparks burst forth. They cascaded like tiny waterfalls, bathing their faces in a warm golden glow, their eyes reflecting flecks of light.
"Gorgeous," Erza murmured, as if afraid speaking too loudly would ruin the moment. "I've never seen sparklers you can hold before."
"Me neither," Mirajane said, watching the golden sparks bloom in her hand, her lips curving into a gentle smile. "They're really beautiful~"
The three lingered in the forest until the sparklers fizzled out. Feeling the feast was wrapping up, they returned to the village.
---
The next evening, after bidding farewell to the villagers, the group re-entered a hidden passage in the Moon Temple.
Lucy looked around in awe, the murals on the walls leaving her stunned. "I can't believe there's a place for worshipping gods here. It's incredible!"
She turned to Roger, her voice full of admiration. "By the way, Roger, it's amazing that you could read the text on those outer murals!"
Roger led the way, explaining, "That's thanks to Levy. She loves studying ancient languages and always leaves notes in tough spots, which makes the books way easier to read."
"With a quick skim, you can pick up most ancient scripts."
"You should give it a try, Lucy. It might come in handy on a mission someday."
Lucy nodded earnestly, her golden ponytail bouncing. "Good point. Learning more never hurts."
They entered the chamber for worshipping the gods, and Roger approached a massive pit behind a goddess statue. He raised his right hand, and a blue magic circle spun above his palm. Clear water poured from it, steadily filling the pit.
Soon, the pit was full, the water level flush with the edges. A low rumble echoed as the domed ceiling above split down the middle, the stone panels retracting to either side.
The ceiling vanished, revealing a massive full moon glowing silver in the night sky. Its light poured down like liquid mercury.
As the moonlight flooded the room, the plants on the ground swayed rhythmically, as if breathing. The moon patterns carved into the walls began to glow silver, the light spreading upward like a living thing, illuminating the chamber as bright as day.
When all the patterns were lit, countless silver-white motes of light drifted from them, dancing like fireflies in summer. They converged on the central goddess statue.
"It's so beautiful," Lucy said, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Is this what a divine ritual looks like? It feels so sacred."
The white motes gradually merged into the statue, its rough stone surface becoming smooth and lifelike. The crude carved garments softened, looking like real fabric. The moon in the statue's arms began to glow softly, mirroring the full moon in the sky, forming a radiant bridge of light.
Lucy swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "Do you guys feel that? It's like… it's coming alive?"
Erza nodded gravely. "Yes. As the moon's magic pours in, it's almost turning into a living being."
Roger spoke up. "Erza, Mirajane, Lucy, follow the plan. Offer the tributes one by one."
"Got it."
Erza stepped forward first, pulling seven white moon fruits—special produce from the center of Galuna Island, steeped in lunar magic—from her bag. She arranged them in a perfect circle before the statue.
The moment the seventh fruit was placed, the statue's white glow flared, and wisps of white mist coiled around it like clouds.
Lucy took a deep breath, steeling herself, and stepped forward stiffly. Avoiding the statue's gaze, she shakily placed a plate of Roger's specially made moon fruit dessert before it.
A blinding white light surged from the statue. Unable to resist, Lucy peeked up and locked eyes with a pair of sapphire-blue pupils.
Those eyes held no emotion, hollow like a lifeless doll's.
A chill shot from Lucy's feet to her head. She ducked back, scurrying behind Erza with a whimper. "W-were its eyes just sapphires? Why do they look like pupils now?! So creepy! QAQ"
Finally, Mirajane stepped forward, holding a bouquet of pristine moonlight flowers that only bloomed on Galuna Island at dusk. With a serene smile, she placed the flowers down. The moment they touched the ground, a dazzling white light erupted from the statue, forcing everyone to shut their eyes.
As the light faded, they gasped—the statue's appearance and clothing were now indistinguishable from a real person's, though its eyes remained hollow and lifeless.
Roger approached, holding a delicate white jade wine jug. He uncorked it, and a rich blend of fruit and wine aromas filled the room.
[Sacrificial Wine]
The floating white motes were drawn into the liquid. The orange wine gradually turned white, then a beautiful white-orange hue, its fruit and wine scents merging into a subtle, sweet fragrance.
Roger placed the jug on the pedestal before the statue. As its base touched the surface, a milky-white mote drifted from the wine. The dessert, fruits, and flowers seemed to respond, each releasing a mote of their own.
The motes merged in the air and, with a whoosh, sank into the statue's forehead. Its eyes blinked, a spark of life flickering within them.
The statue rose into the air, the moon in its arms becoming a perfect full moon, hovering behind her. A beam of solid, milky-white moonlight enveloped her from the sky.
Her hair turned flowing silver, and a creamy-white full moon mark appeared on her forehead.
She looked down at the group below, letting out an ethereal sigh. "The power that remains has fallen so far."
"Fallen power…?" Roger frowned.
The Moon Goddess's gaze swept over the offerings, her lips curving slightly. "This is the strangest ritual I've ever seen."
Her voice held a note of curiosity. "I've never seen anyone offer wine before."
She descended to the ground, picked up the jug, and took a sip. The unique flavor and lunar magic brought a pleased expression to her face.
After finishing the wine, she looked at Roger. "This wine—it's your offering, isn't it?"
"I like it. As a reward, I'll answer your questions."
Roger stepped forward, placing a hand on his chest respectfully. "What did you mean by 'fallen power'?"
"Is it about magic?"
"Magic?" The Moon Goddess lowered her gaze, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. "The Laws have completely vanished."
She raised a hand, a soft moonlight glowing in her palm. "Indeed, I mean magic. What you wield now is merely a derivative of the fragments of those Laws."
The moment the moonlight appeared, everyone felt an overwhelming calm, as if all their worries had been washed away.
"This is a tiny piece of the Laws," she explained softly. "But this body is just a fragment formed by faith. It can only manage this basic purification."
The Laws—a power system never mentioned in the original story. Roger's brow furrowed.
Not a true body or an avatar, but a fragment? The murals showed the Moon Goddess emerging directly from the moon. Why is she manifesting through a statue now?
Before he could dive deeper into thought, the Moon Goddess's ethereal voice cut through. "Because I'm already dead."
Roger's pupils shrank, and he snapped his head up. "A god is dead?!"
"Wait—you can hear my thoughts?!"