"Loke!"
Lucy was the first to rush forward, dropping to her knees beside him. Together with Kael, she helped lift the weakened spirit upright.
"Lucy," Kael said softly, his voice steady but urgent, "it's all up to you now."
"Right."
Lucy nodded, meeting the worried eyes of everyone gathered around. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began pouring all her remaining magic into the key in her hand, reaching for the Gate of the Lion.
"This is the law of the Celestial World," Loke said weakly, shaking his head. "It can't be changed, Lucy. Don't waste your strength. I've been waiting for this—for the chance to atone."
He looked up at them with a faint smile. "But right now… I'm happy. Truly happy. To have everyone here with me at the end."
Lucy's eyes filled with tears. "No… I'll save you, Loke! If you can just return to the Celestial World, your life force will recover immediately. I'll make it happen. I won't let you disappear!"
She raised the golden key high, shouting through her tears—
"Open! Gate of the Lion, Leo!"
Nothing happened. The silence felt cruel.
"Why?" Lucy cried out. "Why must he suffer this punishment for something that wasn't even his fault?!"
Beside her, Kael gritted his teeth, forcing his own magic into Loke's fading body to buy him more time. "Damn it… Old man! Hurry and open the damn gate!"
A furious roar burst from him as he unleashed every ounce of power he had, joining Lucy in her struggle to pry open the gate between worlds.
"Lucy, Kael… everyone…" Loke gasped, his form flickering. "You don't have to do this. Please, stop wasting your magic. It's okay…"
"Loke! I don't want you to disappear!" cried Happy, flying into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Open the gate! Please, open the gate of the Lion!"
Happy's tiny body glowed with light as his magic surged, joining Lucy's. A golden beam shot skyward, colliding with the void.
Still—no response.
"Damn it!" Natsu shouted, stepping forward, his fists igniting. "I don't care about your stupid Celestial King or your rules—open the gate!"
He threw his own fiery magic into the sky. Seeing that, the rest of the guild placed their hands on Natsu's back, releasing their energy as well.
Two massive waves of power—one golden, one blazing red—shot into the heavens, tearing through the mist above the waterfall.
"I will save you, Loke!" Lucy screamed. "Even if it's the gate to the Celestial Realm itself, we'll break it open together! Open! Gate of the Lion!"
"Aaaah—!"
The air trembled.
Loke's voice broke through the chaos. "It's useless… Lucy, Kael, everyone—stop! Pull your magic back before it's too late! Your bodies… they're starting to fade too! You'll all vanish!"
He tried to push them away, desperate to sever the magical link before it consumed them all. But Lucy and Kael held onto him tighter, refusing to let go.
"We're not letting go!" Lucy shouted, her tears falling freely. "Even if it costs our lives, we won't stand by and watch a friend fade away! If we can't protect our comrades, then what's the point of magic at all?!"
Her voice cracked—but her resolve didn't.
"So what if it's the Celestial King's law?!" she cried. "Then I'll change it myself!"
Magic erupted from her body in a blinding storm of gold. Around them, the guild members poured everything they had into that light, standing by her side.
Then—
BOOM!
A deep, resonant pulse shattered the air. The waterfall behind them froze mid-flow… and then, impossibly, began flowing upward.
The sky darkened, replaced by an endless sea of stars.
And from the starlight, a vast shadow emerged.
"No way…" Kael whispered, eyes widening. "The Celestial Spirit King!"
The giant figure's voice rumbled like thunder.
"My old friend… according to the pact between the Celestial and Human Realms, no Spirit shall harm their summoner. Though you did not strike her yourself, Leo, your defiance indirectly caused her death. For that, you are forbidden from ever returning to the Celestial World."
"Wait just a minute!" Lucy stepped forward, glaring up at the towering being. "That's way too cruel!"
Natsu clenched his fists, ready to shout as well, but Erza caught him and clamped a hand over his mouth before he could make things worse.
The King's voice softened slightly. "My old friend… young human girl. This rule cannot be undone."
"Old friend, huh?" Lucy shot back. "Listen to me, beard papa! You call yourself his friend, but can't you see what's happening right now?"
The King paused. No one had ever spoken to him like that.
"This was an accident!" Lucy shouted. "What sin did Loke commit? He's not guilty of anything — except caring too much! If you can't see that, then your so-called laws are wrong!"
"Enough, Lucy!" Loke pleaded. "Let me go. This is my atonement. Let me disappear like this."
"I'll never accept that!" Lucy screamed back. "Wanting to protect your friends — that's not a crime!"
Her magic flared one last time, her body shaking from exhaustion.
At her waist, all her Celestial Spirit Keys began to glow. One by one, the Spirits themselves appeared — Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Aries, Gemini, Sagittarius…
They surrounded Lucy, their light merging with hers.
Loke stared, stunned. "All the Spirits… they've all come together? Even Karen could never…"
Lucy slumped weakly into Loke's arms, her voice trembling but clear. "Every Spirit that appeared feels the same. You're one of them, right? Then you should understand Loke and Aries's hearts."
For a long moment, the Celestial King said nothing. Then his massive eyes softened.
"Perhaps… you are right. Perhaps the fault lies not in the Spirit, but in the law itself."
His enormous form shone brighter, filling the sky with golden light.
"For saving Aries… and for the bond that led you all to save Leo… I will honor this friendship between Spirit and human. Leo, you are granted return to the Celestial Realm — and all sins are forgiven."
Lucy's eyes widened as she looked up. The King nodded once, slowly, before fading into the stars.
"If you still wish to atone, Leo," his voice echoed faintly, "then protect your friend with all your strength. That is your true redemption."
The stars dimmed, and the waterfall resumed its natural flow.
Loke wiped his tears, then smiled through them, extending his hand to Lucy. "Thank you, Lucy."
In her palm, a golden key shimmered into existence — the Gate of the Lion restored.
He turned to the others, his smile bright. "And thank you, everyone."
"Loke!" Natsu shouted, grinning. "You'd better come back so I can punch you later!"
Loke laughed. "I'll hold you to that."
Under the light of the returning stars, he vanished — finally at peace — returning home to the Celestial World.
...
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