CHAPTER 613: DRAGON OF THE APOCALYPSE

"Wendy!"

That was everyone’s first reaction. Gray’s voice was especially frantic, his eyes locked on Ultear’s pale form.

But Wendy was already there, her small hands glowing with gentle light. "I’ll heal her!"

Carla flitted down, concern heavy in her tone. "Wendy, can your magic hold up?"

Wendy nodded firmly, determination shining in her blue eyes. "It’s fine. With Rhodes’ buff, and now that the Tenrou Tree is restored, I feel stronger than ever."

At once, Rhodes summoned a folding cot with a flick of magic. "Lay her here." He guided Meredy to set Ultear down gently, then handed Mira a first-aid kit. "Dress the wound." He placed the buff over Ultear’s chest, its faint glow stabilizing her life force.

Wendy’s healing magic poured into Ultear while Mira, calm but swift, worked to bind and clean the wound. The gash was deep, like she had been struck through with a blade.

Gray crouched close, his fists trembling. He glanced at Wendy’s expression, serious, focused, but steady. Relief loosened his chest, if only slightly. "Meredy... what happened?"

But Merdy couldn’t focus on anything but Ultear. She clutched her hand desperately, eyes wet. "Ultear...how is Ultear?"

Lucy noticed her shaking shoulders and wrapped her arms gently around the girl. "It’s okay. Wendy can heal any wound. Don’t worry. You’re freezing, sit closer to the fire before you catch a chill."

Lucy’s heart clenched at how icy Meredy felt. Even with Tenrou’s summer warmth, dawn carried a bite of cold.

"Natsu," Lucy called, "a fire!"

Natsu didn’t even bother gathering wood. Flames flared from his body, crackling with heat. He planted himself right between Ultear and Meredy, warmth radiating over them both.

Surrounded by Fairy Tail’s concern, the fire, the healing glow, the careful bandaging, Meredy finally found the strength to speak, though her voice trembled and broke.

"When we first came to Tenrou Island... Ultear already had a boat ready. She meant to take Zeref and leave. She gave up on that, but... that’s the boat we used."

Her fingers tightened on Ultear’s arm. "After we left the island, she started... confessing."

Everyone leaned closer. Gray especially.

Meredy’s tears spilled faster. "She said it was her who destroyed my home. That she was the one who killed my family and friends. That no matter how she raised me afterward, nothing could make up for those sins."

Gasps rippled through the group.

"Before, Ultear always thought she could rewrite everything... that it didn’t matter how ugly her choices were." Meredy lips quivered, her voice dropping into despair. "But now, she said all she could feel was guilt. Nothing but guilt."

The girl’s hands trembled violently as she pressed them against Ultear’s. "So she... she said she had to pay for her crimes. She chose to die, to sink into the sea and disappear with her regrets."

Meredy sobbed openly now. "I couldn’t let her! I couldn’t! So when she jumped, I jumped too. I pulled her back up, I couldn’t lose her!"

Meredy clung tighter to Ultear’s hand. Ultear had once been her enemy, her savior, and her only family. If Ultear had sins, then so did she. And if they had to face the weight of those sins, then they would face them together.

She had dragged Ultear out of the sea, pressed rags against her wounds with trembling hands, and rowed desperately back to Tenrou Island for help. She couldn’t, wouldn’t let Ultear slip away.

"Really..." Gray muttered, staring at Ultear. His voice caught. Mother and daughter... they had the same stubborn heart.

The first light of dawn spilled across the sky, the sun blazing red as it rose from the sea. Ultear’s pale face softened under the glow, color slowly returning.

Then, her eyelashes fluttered. Her eyes opened, squinting against the brightness, and she instinctively tried to shield them with her hand.

"Ultear!" Meredy cried out, throwing herself against her, sobbing into her chest. "Don’t ever say things like that again! Please, live! I can feel it, all your sadness, all your regret! Please, don’t leave me alone!"

"Meredy..." Ultear whispered weakly, lifting her hand to stroke the girl’s hair. She couldn’t find a reason to keep living, she didn’t believe she deserved one. But... maybe she could try, for Meredy’s sake.

The two clung to each other, weeping, their tears mixing with the dawn light.

At last, Ultear blinked at her surroundings, seeing Fairy Tail’s mages circled around. "Where... is this?"

"Tenrou Island," Gray said, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "The Guild Master said you can rest here... or come back with us." He hesitated, then added, "Ur would be sad."

’I know.’ Ultear’s gaze lowered. She wanted to say it, when she had sunk into the sea, she had seen Ur, her mother, smiling at her. Maybe it wasn’t just a dream. Maybe when the Absolute Ice melted on Galuna, flowing back to the sea... maybe she’d been there all along.

Around them, Fairy Tail’s camp stirred. Thanks to Wendy’s healing, and Rhodes’ buff, even the gravely wounded could now stand and move. Spirits lifted as people spoke of returning home, of jobs waiting, of exams to come next year.

But then’

"Roar..."

A sound rippled through the air. Deep. Guttural. Ancient.

At first, it was distant, like a storm rumbling over the horizon. But with every heartbeat, it grew louder, closer, pressing against their chests like an invisible weight.

"That sound..." some whispered. "It’s familiar..."

Yes, those who had seen Rhodes’ summoned dragons recognized it. But this roar was older. Wilder. Crueler.

The ground vibrated. The air itself seemed to tremble.

"What’s happening?"

"Is something coming?"

"Don’t tell me... Zeref again?"

Fairy Tail huddled closer, every face taut with unease. Even Ultear and Meredy pulled together, eyes darting skyward.

Then, Gildarts’ expression twisted in horror. His left arm throbbed, the phantom pain of an old wound. Sweat trickled down his cheek.

"No..." he rasped, voice hoarse. "Not this... not it."

"Gildarts, what is it?" Makarov pressed urgently.

The veteran mage clenched his teeth, his voice heavy with dread. "The one who did this to me... That Black Dragon."

Shock cut through the camp like lightning.

"What?!"

They had fought demons, dark guilds, false gods, but the word dragon still froze blood in their veins.

Only Gildarts’ terror made it worse. He wasn’t afraid of anything.

"We need to evacuate," he warned. "Now. Don’t let it notice us."

Laxus’ eyes sharpened, his voice low and grim. "Too late."

Every head tilted back.

Above Tenrou Island, wings as vast as mountains blotted out the rising sun. A dragon circled, scales black as night, eyes burning with ancient fury.

The Black Dragon of the Apocalypse.

Acnologia.

Its presence crushed the island like a suffocating hand.

"It noticed us," Makarov breathed, his heart sinking.

Rhodes felt his pendant burn hot against his chest. His pulse thundered. ’That magic... that power... it was like staring into a storm that could erase everything.’

And yet;

Natsu broke from the crowd, fists blazing, shouting into the sky, "HEY! Do you know where Igneel is?! And Grandeeney, and Metalicana?!"

"Natsu, you fool!" Gildarts roared, grabbing him back. "Don’t provoke it!"

But Acnologia had already heard.

With a sound like the sky itself splitting, it roared once more, and dove.

A mountain of death and wings, crashing toward Tenrou Island.