Early the next morning, Hargeon Port.
"Ah, this brings back memories… This was the city where I first met you and Natsu!"
Lucy stretched as she stepped out of the station with the group, her eyes wandering across the familiar storefronts. A warm smile crossed her face as nostalgia hit — the memory of her first chaotic encounter with Natsu felt like a lifetime ago.
"What's there to be nostalgic about? It hasn't even been that long!" Natsu said, tilting his head in confusion. Before he could finish, Kael swiftly covered his mouth, holding him still despite Natsu's flailing struggle.
Of course, stopping Natsu didn't stop the cat.
"Yeah, you sound like an old lady, Lucy," Happy teased, his tone light and playful.
Lucy froze. Her head turned slowly, eyes narrowing dangerously at the pair.
"You two seriously don't understand girls at all," Cana sighed. She stepped forward, bonked both Natsu and Happy on the head with a flick of her fingers, and hooked her arm around Lucy's. "Come on, Lucy, forget them. Tell me what really happened back then!"
The two women walked ahead, whispering and laughing quietly.
Behind them, Gray smirked. "Natsu, you really are hopeless."
"What was that, you exhibitionist?!" Natsu shot back instantly.
"Oh yeah? When did that become my problem?" Gray snapped.
And just like that, another argument ignited. The two glared at each other, sparks practically flying between them as their bickering echoed down the street.
Lucy glanced back over her shoulder, grinning mischievously. "Natsu, while you two are busy arguing, we'll go find out if there's a ship headed for Galuna Island, okay?"
Her tone was sweet, but the glint in her eye betrayed a playful revenge — a little payback for the teasing earlier. Kael sighed softly. So that's why I stopped him earlier… figures.
"Wait, a ship? No way! I can't— I mean, can't we just use Kael's magic to teleport us there instead?" Natsu stammered, his face pale as he turned to look at Kael for help.
Kael rubbed the back of his neck, caught between amusement and pity. "Well… sure, I could. But taking the ship would let us enjoy the scenery along the way, don't you think?"
He shot a quick glance at Cana — who was already smiling knowingly — and swallowed the rest of his sentence.
Sweat rolled down Natsu's forehead as he covered his mouth, already imagining the dizziness and nausea of another sea voyage. He didn't even notice Kael winking subtly at him.
The group spent the rest of the day wandering Hargeon's streets, bickering and laughing, before Kael finally took pity on Natsu and used his teleportation magic to take everyone straight to Galuna Island.
Lucy had only wanted to tease Natsu — she never actually planned to make him ride a ship. When Natsu realized they'd be teleporting instead, his energy instantly rebounded, and he was back to his usual fiery self in seconds. Lucy couldn't help but stare in disbelief at how fast his mood shifted.
On the beach of Galuna Island.
"Yo, we're here," Kael announced casually as the group appeared in a flash of golden light.
Before anyone could process the teleport, Natsu burst out laughing. "Ha! Kael, your magic's the best! Let's go explore already!"
Kael pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Natsu. First, we need to meet the client and understand the situation. That's how missions work."
Natsu just grinned sheepishly. "Right, right…"
"Come on," Kael said, taking Cana's hand as they led the way toward the mountain path. The others followed — Gray and Happy trailing behind, Lucy walking between them, gazing curiously at the strange landscape.
When they reached the outskirts of the village, the group froze.
A massive wooden barricade loomed ahead, towering several meters high.
"Whoa… that's huge," Lucy murmured.
"Who goes there?" Two guards peeked over the fence, spears at the ready.
Kael raised his voice. "We're wizards from the Fairy Tail guild! You should have received notice about our mission!"
He lifted his hand to show the guild emblem. The others followed suit, proudly displaying their own marks.
After a moment of silence, the guards quickly lowered the gate. "Welcome! Please, come in!"
They were escorted through to a large clearing where a group of villagers stood waiting — all wrapped in thick cloths that hid most of their bodies. The air was heavy with unease.
"Thank you for coming," said an elderly man with a crescent-shaped staff, stepping forward. "I am Moka, the village chief. Before we begin, please… look at this."
At his command, the villagers reluctantly removed their cloaks.
Lucy and Cana gasped. "Oh no… their bodies…"
Each villager bore dark, grotesque markings — parts of their skin twisted and hardened like demonic flesh.
"It's just as the request described," Gray muttered. "They're cursed."
Kael's expression remained calm. He already knew these villagers weren't what they appeared to be — but for now, they needed to deal with the Deliora incident first.
"Yes," the chief said grimly. "We call it a curse. When this began, we summoned every healer we could find. But none could help us. It started when the moon changed… it turned purple, and its light fell upon the island. At first, it was beautiful — the entire island glowed silver. But then…"
Before he could finish, Happy suddenly pointed upward. "Hey! Look! The moon's out! It's turning purple again!"
Everyone looked up. The moonlight shimmered, slowly shifting from silver to a haunting violet.
Kael's eyes narrowed. He could feel it — a strange, heavy magical energy washing over them.
"Ahhh!"
The villagers screamed as their bodies began to twist further, the partial demonic forms now consuming them completely. In seconds, there were no humans left — only demons, howling in pain.
Lucy and Cana stepped back, eyes wide with sorrow. Even Gray clenched his fists, his jaw tight.
"I'm sorry," the village chief rasped through trembling lips. "We didn't mean to frighten you."
Natsu, however, looked more amazed than afraid. "Whoa… that's so cool!"
"Idiot," Kael snapped, punching him lightly on the head. "Show some respect for their suffering. You need to understand your clients' pain before you can help them."
"R-right! Sorry!" Natsu rubbed his head, then turned to the villagers earnestly. "Don't worry. We'll fix this. I promise!"
The chief nodded, tears glimmering in his old eyes. "There's only one way to end this curse… Please, destroy the moon!"
"Destroy the moon?!" Lucy, Gray, and Cana cried out together.
Only Kael stood silent, his gaze fixed on the distant silhouette of the temple at the mountain's peak — his mind already piecing together the truth.