Chapter 61 - Decade Quest.

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[Adam C. POV]

I woke up to the dawn of the morning shining through my window with a soft breeze blowing through the curtains caressing my face. It was the perfect way to start the day.

Yawning, I stretched my limbs and got out of bed, making my way to the kitchen to start the coffee maker. As the aroma of fresh coffee filled the air, I decided to take a walk outside and enjoy the beauty of the morning.

I walked down the street, admiring the colorful flowers blooming on the sides of the road. The sun was now finally up, its warm embrace comforting me as I walked.

I took a deep breath and felt my lungs fill with the fresh air of the morning.

"Morning," Mavis greeted me, floating above me lightly, a smile on her face.

"Morning," I replied with a smile.

Without a word, I continued on my walk with Mavis by my side, enjoying the peacefulness of the morning. I had to say, today was a perfect day for a hike, and because of that, I decided to venture into the nearby woods.

As we walked deeper into the woods, I felt a sense of sense of peace, and happiness wash over me. The rustling of leaves and the sound of birds chirping surrounded us, making me feel invigorated by the serenity of nature.

As we walked, chatting along the away, we stumbled upon a small creek where I decided to take a break, dipping my feet into the cool water.

Mavis joined me, or pretended to, giggling as she splashed around in the water.

"It's nice out here," I muttered.

Mavis's bright green eyes twinkled as she tilted her head to the side and quirked an eyebrow at me. Her lips were curled in a mischievous smile, and I knew she was up to something. "What are you planning?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, not entirely sure what she was asking.

"What are your plans for today, dummy," Mavis giggled.

"I might take a mission today, and I was thinking on taking a long one this time," I replied.

These past few years I had been taking short missions, and while they had provided me with more than challenge in the occasion, it was time to up my game a bit.

Before I had my reasons to avoid anything that could force me to stay out of home for longer than necessary.

But that wasn't the case anymore.

Mavis raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing across her lips. "Oh, a long mission, huh? Any particular reason for that?"

I shrugged. "More money?"

Mavis rolled her eyes. "Money, that's no fun."

"Tell that to my bills," I chuckled.

Mavis laughed, splashing water in my direction, which brought up the question… how was she doing that? "Is that all?"

I took a deep breath, the weight of my thoughts weighing heavy on me. "Partially, but more than that, I think need to get away for a while. Clear my head."

Mavis nodded, her expression softening. "I understand. Sometimes we all need some space to figure things out."

"Yeah," I said, staring out at the water. "I just need to figure out what's next for me."

There was a lot that was coming my way. Demons, Zeref, Acnalogia, Dragons…

I wasn't prepared to face all of that, not by a long shot.

I needed to get stronger if I wanted to protect my family, a lot stronger.

And time was already against me.

Mavis placed a hand on my shoulder, a reassuring smile on her lips. "You'll figure it out. You always do."

I took a deep breath and smiled, feeling grateful for Mavis's presence in my life. "Thanks, Mavis. You always know how to make me feel better."

"That's what I'm here for," Mavis replied, grinning at me. "Now, let's get going. You have a long day ahead of you."

I was truly glad I had her in my life.

She was the best friend nobody else could see that I never knew I wanted.

I nodded, standing up and shaking the water off my feet.

I might not be ready to face the threats of tomorrow right now, but I would be, I would protect those I have come to love no matter the cost.

Dragons.

Demons.

Gods.

And anything in between, whoever tried to hurt them, would have to face me.

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As I pushed open the creaky doors to the guild hall, I was greeted by the familiar sound of chaos that usually haunted our guild. Shouts and grunts mix with the clanging of metal and the shattering of glass. A smile spreads across my face as I glance around the room, taking in the rowdy scene before me.

As usual, there's a brawl taking place.

I can't help but chuckle at the sight of it. Fairy Tail is always lively, and there's never a dull moment.

Chairs fly through the air, splintering into pieces as they collide with the walls. Beer mugs sail overhead, their contents spraying in all directions. Members of the guild duck and weave, some laughing and others shouting curses.

Chuckling, I weave my way through the chaos, dodging their attacks.

Finally, after a few moments of dodging I make it to the mission hall, which was relatively calm in comparison.

I scan the board, looking for something that catches my eye, until finally, I see it. A quest to retrieve a rare artifact from a treacherous mountain range, an artifact that had been lost for over two decades.

An artifact mages have failed to recover for more than a decade.

A S-Class Decade Quest.

I grin to myself.

This is going to be fun. I grab the mission scroll and tuck it into my pouch, before heading into the master's office, after all, every quest beyond S-Class Normal - was to be approved by him.

As I turn to his office, a particularly loud crash catches my attention. I glance over to see a group of rowdy guild members slamming each other into tables and walls.

I shake my head and chuckle again. This guild is definitely not for the faint of heart. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

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Master Makarov's office was as chaotic and cluttered as usual, with piles of papers and books covering every surface. The old man himself was hunched over his desk, scratching away with a quill pen.

I cleared my throat, causing him to look up with a surprised expression.

"Oh, it's you," he said gruffly, peering at me over his spectacles. "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to request approval for a mission," I said, handing him the scroll. "It's an S-Class Decade Quest."

Makarov's eyes widened as he read the scroll, and he gave a low whistle. "Are you sure you feel ready for this?"

I nodded, my determination evident in my gaze. "I am, old man. Besides, if things get tough I can always call for backup."

Makarov studied me for a moment before nodding. "Very well, son. I trust your judgement. You have my approval."

I smiled in gratitude, feeling a clear surge of excitement at the thought of taking on such a challenging mission. "Thank you, old man. I won't let you down."

Makarov chuckled. "I have no doubt about that. Just be careful out there, alright? And come back in one piece, and don't destroy anything that you don't have to."

I gave him a mock salute. "Yes sir, you got it!"

As I turned to leave, Makarov called out to me. "It wasn't a joke! Don't destroy anything! You are the reason we have a profit margin! Don't ruin that for this old man!"

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Mission at hand, I bid my goodbyes to everyone I cared enough to do so.

Cana.

Gildarts, who tried to capture me for my latest stunt.

Lilia, who begged me to take her with me, but I refused. As much as she had improved, there was a big chance she would be more of a liability than anything else.

Laxus, who said next time I saw him, he would beat me up.

"Are you ready?" Mavis asked, appearing out of nowhere as usual.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, centering myself for the journey ahead. I was excited for this. Adventure, danger, and the thrill of the unknown, that was part of what I lived for nowadays.

"I am, and I take it you're coming?" I asked, smiling at her.

Mavis grinned back. "Of course I am. Baby's first decade quest? Ha! I wouldn't miss this for the world."

I chuckled.

I was really glad she was part of my life.

There were so many secrets between us, and we both knew it, but our friendship still worked despite our lacked of clarity between one another.

I was truly glad.

"Let's go then, we have a lot of ground to cover," I replied, leading the way out of the town.

Embarking into our journey to the treacherous mountain range of the Acarus mountains, the path according to the maps was long and grueling, but I had lived worse, and I was determined to see it through.

I would be ready for what was to come.

I would protect them from those who wanted to hurt them.

And in order to do that, I would need to push the boundaries of my comfort zone.