Chapter 52: Eclipse Gate (2)

Chapter 52: Eclipse Gate (2)

~Third POV~

Era is a large town that serves as the headquarters for the Ishgar Magic Council.

Era is a large town, built around a high, rocky mountain. The mountain nested the headquarters of the highest authority in the world of Magic, the Magic Council.

The rocky mountain is located in the heart of the city, and it features a jagged pathway that encircles the circumference of the mountain as an entrance to the Council headquarters.

The town is surrounded by forestry and snow-peaked mountains, which can be seen from the Magic Council headquarters' meeting room. The Magic Council is the ruling body of the world of Magic, run by a combination of regular people and Mages with different hierarchy branch systems dependent on the continent.

As the main ruling body of the entire Magic world, the Council possesses almost utmost control over it, acting as a leading government of sorts, which divides out into each continent being run by a specific council.

The Council rules all of the legal Guilds scattered throughout Earth Land, overseeing them and keeping them in check, and they are responsible for the events caused by Mages, also possess the right to punish Mages who break the law and to confiscate magical artifacts which could potentially cause large-scale damage.

Among the things prohibited by the Magic Council is the use of Magic for assassination, something which, if perpetrated, could lead the Council to oust the offender's guild. The Council has the right to apprehend Mages charged with crimes anytime, with their messengers being highly respected.

Even if something is white, once a Council member says it's black, then it becomes black, showing that the Council's authority is extremely large in the Magic world.

However, despite this, the Council is known for sometimes displaying its power as a mere formality, finding scapegoat Mages and trying them of recent, calamitous happenings just to subsequently release them without any punishment, something which happened with Erza Scarlet in regards to the Ishgar Council.

Heavy incidents happening in the Magic world might inflict serious damage to the Council's reputation, going as far as to cause the dismissal of one or more of its members.

/////

"Creeee…."

Stopping full site at the Era Train Station and exiting outside the train Mavis and Rou are both wary of the trip to here with Rou stretching his body, "Mannnn… My body feels stiff sitting all day long. But we are almost to Crocus but still…"

Exiting the train station the two see it was nighttime outside with Mavis looking at the current Magic Council expressing fascination in her voice, "Whoa… so that's the Magic Council huh? They certainly changed appearances did they huh?"

Witnessing the new changes of this era Magic Council HQ compared to the old castle in their year of the past.

The original building's appearance was that of an imposing palace, composed of both pure white stone and light blue bricks, with large, elongated windows with arched tops being placed over its walls, some complete with glass, others hollow.

The front part is a large facade, dominated in its center by the entrance, consisting of a double door topped by a pyramid-shaped roof, adorned by a bas-relief portraying a naked male figure taking the hand of a naked female figure, with a large shell being placed behind them. This roof was sustained by two massive, rectangular structures, plus a smaller pair of columns directly at the door's sides.

Leading to the door itself was a staircase, split in two by a concave part in its center. At the entrance's sides, linking it to a pair of simple, rectangular towers, were two colonnades. Towering above the entrance were three balconies, with their lower parts partially hidden by the entrance itself; the central one was topped by a roof similar to the one topping the entrance, similarly adorned by a bas-relief, this one portraying the Council's ankh-like symbol, while the side ones were less imposing, consisting just of large, rectangular windows complete with light blue curtains.

Sitting at the outer balconies' sides were two imposing, rectangular towers covered in hollow windows, with pitched roofs consisting of light blue tiles, and sections protruding outwards in the central part of each of them.

Two more, similar towers were visible on the backsides of the building. In the building's center, surrounded by those four towers, was a round one, with its conical, tiled roof topped by a high, slender, golden decorative structure, extending several meters up in the air, and having curved protrusions jutting outwards from it.

With that, the two began to move ahead finding a hotel to rent for the night with Rou wondering out loud, "I wonder if the food tastes any different far into the future? Want to try some of the cuisine here Mavis?"

She smiles at this followed by a nod agreeing to reply to his words, "Yup! I for one am famished! I need some food right about now. Hehehe…"

The two merely laughed as they began to find something to eat for the night…

/////

Era home city of the Magic Council.

Being the headquarters of the Magic World's rulers, the building seems to possess imposing and majestic interiors: the Council was shown gathering in a large, open-air space, a massive balcony covered by a roof held up by columns and arches, with railing visible on both sides.

The whole space was built of azure stone, and it was given access to by a battlement, with the stairs leading to it being flanked by a pair of statues portraying hooded women covered in dresses, wielding what seemed to be rudimentary axes or pickaxes; sitting between some of the columns near the entrance were small tables with flowerpots on them.

Among the columns, sitting on a light blue carpet with golden edges, flanked by gray, rhomboidal squares, was the round, azure table which housed the Council's meeting, with each councilor sitting on an armchair, these having white and golden frames and azure stuffing.

Near one of the railings was a small table that seemed to have a buffet sitting on its white tablecloth. The councilors' armchairs were later replaced with chairs with overly long, arched backs, with the stuffing being covered in a rhomb pattern.

Sitting down on one of the armchairs reviewing the current reports of Twilight Lord attacking Fairy Tail guild only to be suddenly defeated in one move is one of the Council Members Siegrain otherwise known as Jellal Fernandes.

Jellal reading the contents of the report raised an eyebrow reading the reports pondering to himself mumbling, "Interesting… I see Fairy Tail must have a talented Magic Card user. And to easily turn the tables… possibly an S-Class Wizard. Maybe that Cana Alberona? She's the daughter of Gildarts."

Reading the reports Jellal did his research about each member of Fairy Tail members if the chance arise that Erza would be in trouble and one of her guildmates caused it he would use any means to make her life difficult.

"Don't be too sure Siegrain."

Stopping himself he tilted towards to see his fellow Council Member Ultear Milkovich a pale-skinned woman with dark purple hair and brown eyes. How she wears her hair varies from time to time. Ultear has a rather voluptuous figure, and she wears a long revealing dress, sporting a striped pattern.

Interrupting Jellal's words Ultear began to explain while she views the contents of the reports reading out loud, "If you thought it was Gildarts brat then no. The reports say it was a male Wizard that done the Twilight Lord guild in. One that no one has seen before which is nothing new but that Fairy Tail has another powerhouse."

Jellal looks over the reports and eyewitness accounts of photos being blared of Rou relaxing on the guild fully restored with a bemused look, "I see… how are the rest of the Council Members taking the news."

Ultear responds being professional to Jellal about the other council members' choice of the matter with Twilight Lord, "Nothing. Twilight Lords were the ones in the wrong attacking the Fairy Tail Guild breaking the Inter-Guild Law. Thus, no issues have been made other than self-defense claims with the eyewitness reports. Even after interviewing each member the Master of Fairy Tail spoke it was revealed to be a new member that helped them from our spy's reports."

Jellal placed his hand over his chin reviewing the information as he tilts his head upward to the ceiling considering the information provided, "I suppose that's possible. Surely Fairy Tail have powerful people in their ranks. But we have to continue onward with our plans for the time being."

Ultear merely nodded her head in agreement reviewing the contents of the Guild War between the two guilds.

/////

The two began to look around a bit seeing a restaurant for the night to eat after they booked a room for the night with Rou pondering the choices, "I wonder what place we should eat for tonight… It's hard just to pick from just one?"

Mavis looks around seemingly interested in the restaurants around the town of Era looking around happily, "Hmm… so many good choices. So many experiences to taste these delicacies such a hard choice…"

"In that case would you like some help?"

Interrupting their thoughts the two turned around to see a short, old man with thick light-brown eyebrows and a small toothbrush mustache that reaches halfway to his mouth, wearing a brown long-sleeve shirt with black vertical stripes and a black three-spiked hat.

The old man introduced himself properly to the two with a gentle smile on his face with brief recognition in his eyes, "My name is Yaijma. One of the members of the Magic Council. I happen to know a good little restaurant for the night. Would you happen to join us for dinner you two fellow seekers of the culinary arts."

Rou merely grinned along with a nod with Mavis doing a small bow to Yaijma for the treat of getting to eat a good meal for the night, "Why thank you very much Council Member. It would be a pleasure to enjoy your company."

The three began to follow Yaijima enjoying their dinner for the night.

As Yaijima takes the two to a restaurant he pays he ponders to himself viewing them with doubt in his mind but shook the idea immediately just trying to enjoy his night, 'I wonder… are these two the same founders as Warrod or Guild Master Precht? But they seem so young… maybe my mind is playing tricks on me of old age. The founders are probably long gone, and these might be their descendants. Heh. If not, then at least I can treat such a couple to the best restaurant in Era.'