Chapter 23 : Rising Tensions

The group halted in their tracks, their breaths hitching as they stood before the ruins of Fairy Tail's once-vibrant guild hall. The sight was devastating. Enormous iron beams pierced through the broken walls, the structure barely recognizable under the weight of destruction. The warm, welcoming energy of the guild was now replaced by an oppressive stillness.

"This… this can't be real," Lucy whispered, her voice trembling as her hands gripped her skirt. Happy hovered beside her, his little paws clutching Natsu's scarf for comfort.

Natsu clenched his fists, his jaw tight as he took a step forward. "Gajeel…" he muttered, anger simmering beneath the surface.

Gray placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder, a rare attempt to steady him. "Let's go inside. Standing here isn't helping anyone."

They moved cautiously, stepping through the rubble. Each creak of the floorboards under their feet seemed to echo louder than it should, heightening the eerie atmosphere. The dim interior offered little comfort. Broken furniture, shattered mugs, and tattered banners lay strewn about, evidence of a merciless attack.

"Damn it," Natsu growled, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. "How could they do this?!"

Lucy placed a hand on his arm, trying to calm him. "We'll make this right. Let's see how everyone is doing first."

Following a faint light coming from below, they descended the stairs to the basement. The air was heavy, and a quiet murmur of voices echoed off the wooden walls. When they entered, all eyes turned toward them. The basement was packed with guild members, their faces painted with exhaustion and despair.

In the center of the room stood Mira, her head bowed as she tried to soothe a crying recruit. When she noticed the group, she quickly excused herself and approached them, her eyes red and swollen. "You're back," she said, her voice quivering. "I... I don't even know where to start. This—"

Lucy interrupted softly, her tone empathetic. "Mira, we already know."

Mira blinked in surprise. "You do?"

Gray crossed his arms, stepping forward. "Aurelius had a thought projection here. It saw everything before it was destroyed."

The room fell silent, murmurs spreading among the guild members. All eyes turned to Aurelius, who had remained silent until now.

Mira's expression turned from sadness to surprise. "A projection? Then you saw it all?"

Aurelius gave a small nod, his face unreadable as he explained, "Yes, but it had only the bare minimum ethernano to sustain itself. It wasn't meant to fight—just to act as my eyes while I was away."

A gasp rippled through the room. "That's Aurelius for you..." one member whispered in disbelief.

Mira's lip quivered, but she held herself together. "So that's why it couldn't stop him…"

Lucy glanced at Mira, then at the others, guilt flickering in her eyes. "We should've been here. Maybe we could've helped."

"You couldn't have known," Mira said quietly, though her voice lacked conviction. She looked down, hands trembling slightly. "We've faced tough times before, but… this…"

"We'll fix it," Natsu declared, his voice loud and firm. "We'll take Phantom Lord down for this!"

Aurelius remained silent, his gaze scanning the room as if assessing the damage beyond the physical. Finally, he spoke, his tone low but steady. "For now, we focus on rebuilding. Revenge comes later."

The weight of his words settled over the group as they exchanged somber looks.

The sound of a loud hiccup broke through the tense atmosphere, drawing everyone's attention to the corner of the room. Makarov stumbled out from the shadows, his face flushed from drink, holding a half-empty mug in his hand. His steps were unsteady, but his grin was as wide as ever.

"Well, well, look who's finally back!" Makarov announced, his voice booming. "Welcome home, brats! And you too, Aurelius! Good job getting them back in one piece." He raised his mug in a toast to himself before taking another hearty drink.

Happy, ever the curious one, floated closer to the master, his tiny wings fluttering nervously. "Umm, Master?" he asked cautiously. "What's our punishment?"

The question silenced the room, all eyes now fixed on Makarov. The group braced themselves, expecting the worst. Even Lucy shrank back, biting her lip in worry.

Makarov looked at Happy, blinking slowly as if he were processing the question. Then he laughed heartily, nearly spilling his drink. "Punishment? No punishment!" he declared, waving them off. "Just don't pull something that stupid again."

"What?" Lucy blurted, her voice higher than usual, while Natsu's jaw dropped. Even Gray looked stunned. The group exchanged wide-eyed glances, unable to believe what they were hearing.

"Wait, really?" Happy asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Really," Makarov said with a shrug, slumping into a nearby chair. "You're back now, so what's the point? Let bygones be bygones."

As the group processed this unexpected leniency, Aurelius stood silently, his face betraying no emotion.

Just then, the basement door slammed open, and Erza stormed in, her armor gleaming despite the dim light. "Master," she called sharply, her stern gaze fixed on him, "what did I just hear?"

Makarov looked up at her lazily, swirling the contents of his mug. "You heard me, Erza. No punishment for these brats. They've been through enough."

Erza's eyes widened slightly before narrowing into a glare. "Master, they stole an S-rank mission! There are rules—"

"And I'm the one who makes the rules," Makarov interrupted, his tone firm despite his intoxicated state. "They're young. They'll learn. Let it go, Erza."

Erza's mouth opened, ready to argue further, but the sheer authority in Makarov's voice made her pause. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, she backed down. "Understood, Master," she said stiffly, though her displeasure was evident.

Turning her attention to the group, she shot them a deathly glare. Natsu and Gray immediately straightened, while Lucy and Happy shrank behind them, trembling under her fierce gaze.

"Don't ever do something that reckless again…" Erza's voice was cold, sharp as a blade, and filled with unspoken threats.

"Yes, ma'am!" the group chorused, terrified.

Erza's piercing glare softened slightly as she shifted her focus to Aurelius. Her expression became unreadable as she spoke. "When Gajeel attacked, everyone was already out of the guild. I failed to protect it... I didn't even know he attacked..." She took a step closer, lowering her voice. "If you want, you can take it out on me. I'll accept whatever punishment you see fit."

Aurelius tilted his head slightly, his golden eye meeting hers, calm and unwavering. "There's no need for that," he replied simply, his voice steady but firm.

For a moment, Erza stared at him, searching his face for any sign of reproach or judgment. When she found none, she nodded and stepped back. "Thank you," she said softly, her tone laced with relief.

Natsu then stepped forward, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. "Master," he called, his voice laced with frustration, "what are we going to do about the attack? We can't just sit around!"

Makarov looked up from his drink, his expression calm but tired. "What we'll do, Natsu, is rebuild the guild. That's all there is to it," he said dismissively, waving his hand as if brushing away the issue.

Natsu's face contorted with disbelief and anger. "That's it? You're just going to ignore what they did? They wrecked our guild! And you're just gonna let it go?"

Makarov sighed deeply, taking another sip from his mug. "Listen, boy," he said, his tone patient but firm, "we're Fairy Tail. We've been through worse. A little destruction won't break us. We'll rebuild, stronger than ever. That's how we've always done it."

"But Master—"

"No, Natsu," Makarov interrupted, his voice suddenly sharp. "That's final!"

Natsu gritted his teeth, the fire in his belly threatening to burst out. But before he could argue further, Erza stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Enough," she said firmly. "You heard Master."

Frustrated and unable to push further, Natsu growled under his breath and stormed off to a nearby bench, slumping into it with a heavy thud. Lucy and Happy quietly followed, taking seats next to him, while Gray leaned against a pillar close by, crossing his arms. Erza joined them, sitting with her usual composed demeanor. Aurelius, as always, remained in the corner, watching everything with his usual detachment.

Natsu broke the silence with a loud groan, his anger still simmering. "This is ridiculous," he muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Phantom Lord trashes our guild, and we're just supposed to let it slide? What kind of message does that send?!"

"Natsu," Erza began, her tone calm but edged with authority, "Master is as angry as we are. Don't think for a second that he's not."

"Then why won't he do anything about it?" Natsu snapped, glaring at her.

Erza met his gaze with a steady one of her own. "Because Master has to consider the bigger picture. Fighting between guilds is forbidden by the council. If we start a war with Phantom Lord, Fairy Tail will face severe consequences."

"They started it!" Natsu argued, slamming his fist on the bench. "We're just defending ourselves!"

"There are no exceptions, Natsu," Erza countered, her voice unwavering. "Guild wars are not tolerated. If we retaliate without proper justification, we'll face penalties that could destroy us entirely."

Natsu looked away, his frustration evident as he grumbled under his breath. Happy patted his arm gently, trying to comfort him, while Lucy looked between them, unsure of what to say. Gray, as usual, stayed quiet, his expression unreadable.

The tension hung thick in the air, the weight of Erza's words settling over the group. In the corner, Aurelius observed silently, his golden eye gleaming faintly as he contemplated the situation.

As the group dispersed to their own corners of the damaged basement, Mirajane approached Aurelius, who remained leaning against a shadowy wall, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. She hesitated for a moment, unsure how to approach him, but then took a deep breath and stepped closer.

"Aurelius," she called softly, her voice carrying a mix of concern and curiosity.

He glanced at her briefly before shifting his gaze back to the room. "What is it, Mira?"

She fidgeted slightly, clasping her hands together. "I just... wanted to know what you think about everything. About the attack, Phantom Lord, the guild hall being destroyed."

Aurelius exhaled, his tone calm but laced with an edge of caution. "There's nothing we can do right now. One wrong move, and the situation is only going to get worse."

Mirajane tilted her head, her brow furrowing. "What do you mean by that?"

He looked at her directly, his gaze steady. "Phantom Lord isn't going to stop here. If they don't get the reaction they're looking for, they'll escalate. They might target our guild members next, especially those who can't defend themselves."

Mirajane's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of worry crossing her face. "You think they'd attack us directly?"

Aurelius nodded. "It's a possibility we can't ignore. That's why I need you to tell everyone to stay in groups while this situation isn't resolved. No one should be wandering around alone."

Mirajane blinked, surprised by his request. "Why me? Why not just tell everyone yourself? They'd listen to you."

Aurelius sighed, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Because it's a drag," he said simply. "And they'll listen more if it's you saying it. You're the heart of this guild, Mira. People trust you."

Her expression softened, and she gave a small smile, touched by his words. "Alright," she said with a nod. "I'll let everyone know. But you should try to show a little more of that heart you just mentioned, Aurelius. People trust you too, even if you think they don't."

He didn't respond, merely nodding slightly as Mirajane turned to carry out his request. Watching her go, Aurelius let out a quiet breath, his eye glinting faintly in the dim light of the basement.

...

The moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the ruins of the Fairy Tail guild hall. The last of the guild members had left. But, Aurelius stayed behind, his face unreadable as he watched the others depart. He knew the threat wasn't over yet. The attack had been the first of what could easily be many more. And he wasn't about to sit idly by.

In the quiet night, his hands moved methodically, conjuring his thought projections. Ten of them, all sent to different parts of Magnolia, each one tasked with observing any strange movements. As the projections went on their way, Aurelius allowed himself to relax for a moment. But his mind was still working, analyzing everything that had transpired and everything that could potentially happen next.

He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms as he pondered the possibilities. "If this escalates…" he thought to himself, eyes narrowing. "A full-scale war with Phantom Lord is a definite risk. We've already seen how far they'll go to challenge us. They have Gajeel, their S-rank Dragon Slayer...and the Elemental Four. That's a lot of firepower to deal with."

He knew that Fairy Tail wasn't exactly lacking in strength, but most of those will most likely not participate. "How would the guild handle them?" Aurelius chewed on his lower lip, considering the situation carefully. "Master will resist escalating things, but how much longer can we keep things contained? We're dealing with a dangerous enemy. A war of guilds could get… ugly."

...

Meanwhile, down the darkened streets of Magnolia, the Shadow Gear trio—Jet, Droy, and Levy—walked together, still reeling from the destruction they'd witnessed earlier. The weight of the attack on the guild hall still hung heavily in the air, and they were speaking in hushed tones, unsure of what was coming next.

"I can't believe this happened…" Jet muttered, his tone heavy with frustration. "How could they just attack us like that? After all these years, what are they even trying to prove?"

"Yeah, I don't get it either," Droy added, his fists clenched at his sides. "But one thing's for sure... if they try again, Fairy Tail will destroy them. We won't just sit back and let them do whatever they want."

Levy walked beside them, quietly absorbing the conversation. She could feel the anger in the air, but she knew they had to stay focused. The guild was hurt, but they couldn't afford to lose their heads now. "We just have to be ready for whatever happens next," she said softly. "The guild will pull through this. We'll be okay."

Before anyone could reply, a chilling presence filled the air. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the street, growing louder and more menacing by the second. The trio froze, their instincts kicking in.

From the darkness, Gajeel appeared, his large frame looming ominously as he grinned at them. "Well, well, what do we have here?" His voice was low and dangerous, like a growl just before the strike.

Before any of them could react, Gajeel swung his fist with brutal speed. Jet was the first to go down, sent crashing into a nearby wall with enough force to crack the stone. Droy barely had time to raise his guard before Gajeel's punch hit him square in the chest, sending him flying back into the street. Levy cried out as she tried to dodge, but Gajeel's metal arms tore through the air, knocking her off her feet with a sickening thud.

In an instant, all three were on the ground, unconscious and barely moving, their bodies crumpled and battered from the surprise attack. Gajeel smirked down at them, the joy of a brutal victory evident on his face.

"Pathetic," he sneered, stepping toward the fallen group, ready to deal more damage.

But before he could deliver the next blow, a sudden ripple of air filled the street. Gajeel's head snapped up, his smirk faltering as he sensed something—or rather, someone. The shadows seemed to shift around him as a figure materialized, stepping into the dim light.

Aurelius's thought projection appeared, standing confidently before Gajeel, its eyes glowing faintly as it assessed the situation. Gajeel raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the sudden appearance, but he wasn't fazed for long.

He smirked again, cracking his knuckles. "Oh? Is this round two, then?" Gajeel's voice dripped with amusement, clearly seeing this as just another opportunity to crush his opponents.

The thought projection of Aurelius didn't answer with words, instead shifting into a stance. The cold determination in its eyes told Gajeel all he needed to know. This wasn't a fight he could take lightly.

Gajeel chuckled darkly. "You're brave, I'll give you that. But I'm gonna make this quick."

The battle between Gajeel and the thought projection of Aurelius raged on, each blow from Gajeel smashing through the air with a deadly force, but the projection was always just out of reach, moving with quick, graceful precision. It dodged, weaved, and countered, its skill. Yet, despite the projection's finesse, Gajeel's strength and speed were still overwhelming.

With a quick move, Gajeel finally managed to land a solid strike, his metal fist slashing through the air and tearing into the projection's defenses. The image flickered for a moment before shattering into a cascade of light, disintegrating into nothingness as the it vanished.

Gajeel stood there, chest heaving with the effort, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Pathetic," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Is that all you've got?"

Just as he was about to turn back to the fallen Shadow Gear group, preparing to finish what he'd started, a flash of light caught his eye. The air around him seemed to distort as a new presence made itself known. He barely had time to react as a blade, gleaming in the moonlight, appeared in front of him, blocking his outstretched metal fist with a resounding clash.

Gajeel's eyes narrowed, his expression hardening as he looked at the sword. This was no ordinary weapon, and its wielder was no mere illusion. Standing before him, holding the sword with calm determination, was Aurelius—not the thought projection, but the real deal.

"You're a persistent one, aren't you?" Gajeel grinned, looking Aurelius up and down, his voice laced with amusement. "I thought you'd be hiding behind those weak projections."

Aurelius didn't respond immediately. His posture was calm, but his eyes gleamed with a sharp, calculating focus. He held the sword effortlessly, his grip steady, not flinching at Gajeel's intimidating presence.

"You're the one who's out of place here," Aurelius finally spoke, his voice cold but full of certainty. "Attacking my guildmates... that doesn't sit well with me."

Gajeel chuckled, clearly not bothered by the threat. "Oh? You think you can stop me? I just knocked out your little projection. What makes you think you can do any better?"

Aurelius took a slow step forward, his gaze unshaken as he kept his sword between them. "Because I'm not some illusion. And this fight isn't going to be as easy for you as you think."

Gajeel smirked, his metal fists ready to strike. "We'll see about that."

In that moment, the tension between them escalated, the night air thick with anticipation. Aurelius wasn't going to let Gajeel get away with attacking his guild and its members. It was time for this battle to reach its true intensity.

AN: Bonus chapter counter: 

35/100 Power stones= Bonus chapter

963/1000 Collections= Bonus chapter

8/10 Reviews= Bonus Chapter

Chapter Titles(I forget this sometimes):

24: The Price of Restraint

25: Breaking Point

26: Shadows of Desperation