The next morning at the Fairy Tail Guild was as noisy as ever.
The reconstruction of the guildhall was in full swing, hammers and laughter echoing together in chaotic harmony.
"Ahh… I can't decide what job to take," Lucy muttered, standing before the request board. She frowned, staring at the many flyers tacked up, her head spinning from indecision.
Meanwhile, Natsu and Happy were goofing around nearby, chasing each other between piles of lumber, and Gray sat at the bar, sipping from his glass with lazy satisfaction.
Every one of them looked like they were enjoying the peace too much to bother helping.
"Lucy, take this one! The reward's really high!" Natsu grinned, waving a flyer in her face.
"But this mission…"
"Hey, Loke—you're here?!" Lucy turned and gasped.
The guild fell silent for a moment as Loke walked in, smiling. He looked healthy again, but it was shocking to see him back so soon. Everyone knew what had happened yesterday — and under normal circumstances, a Celestial Spirit in his condition would need to rest in the Spirit World for quite a while before recovering.
"Yo—!"
Before anyone could react, Natsu burst into flames and charged straight at Loke. "Let's have a rematch!"
He didn't get far. Lucy casually stuck out a leg, tripping him mid-sprint.
"Wha—whoa—!" Natsu slid face-first across the floor, crashing into a stack of supplies beside the bar.
Gray snorted into his drink. "Nice one."
Loke chuckled and brushed his hair back. "I've recovered a little, yeah. But I couldn't stay away—I wanted to see everyone again. Especially you, Lucy."
He looked at her with a soft, charming smile that made her cheeks flush red instantly.
Just as the tension grew unbearable, Happy zipped over, giggling behind his paw. "Hehehe, Lucy~ you've got a thing going on with Loke, huh?"
"Happy! Don't say weird things like that!" Lucy groaned, her face turning crimson. "You've been hanging around Natsu too much!"
"Well, that settles it," Loke said smoothly, scooping Lucy up in a princess carry before she could react. "Let's go plan out our future together somewhere quiet."
"Wha—Loke! Put me down!" she flailed, her voice a mix of outrage and embarrassment.
The rest of the guild cheered them on, laughing and clapping.
"Congrats, Lucy and Loke!"
"Take care, lovebirds!"
Lucy buried her face in her hands, mortified.
"Ahh, I want a Celestial Spirit too," Natsu sighed dreamily, still sprawled on the floor.
"What kind of Spirit would you want, Natsu?" asked Happy, flapping beside him.
"A dragon! Then I could see if my Dragon Slayer magic actually works!" Natsu pumped his fists toward the ceiling, full of fire and dreams.
The guild burst out laughing.
"Hey, Natsu," Gray sighed. "Celestial Spirits aren't for fighting."
"Yeah," Loke added, giving Lucy a teasing look. "Spirits exist to express love, not for battles."
Lucy facepalmed. "Enough already, Loke. I get it, okay? You should still be resting. Back to the Spirit World, now." She pressed a hand between them, keeping him at arm's length.
"Yo, Kael! Cana! You're here," Gray called as the two walked in.
"Morning," Kael said with a lazy yawn. "Man, still sleepy…"
"Morning, everyone," Cana greeted, rubbing her eyes.
Kael made his way to the bar where Lisanna was working as the temporary server. Her siblings, Mira and Elfman, were out on a job, leaving her to handle the guild today.
He ordered two glasses of milk, downed one, and smiled as the morning bustle filled the air.
Natsu, still thinking, suddenly clapped his hands in realization. "Oh! So Spirits are about love between friends, right?"
Kael chuckled and nodded. "Well… that's one way to put it."
Just then, a small flock of sparrows flew overhead, chirping wildly. Kael's eyes flickered for an instant, his expression sharpening—but so subtly that no one around him noticed.
"Kael! Come here for a sec," Loke called, waving him over conspiratorially from the side. He kept himself angled just out of Cana's view.
Kael raised an eyebrow but walked over.
"Originally, I wanted to throw a big party here for everyone," Loke whispered, "but I also wanted to thank you personally. Here—these are for you."
He handed Kael two tickets, grinning.
"What's this?"
"Couples' resort tickets," Loke said in a sly tone. "One of the best vacation spots in Fiore. Premium passes. Consider them my gift to you."
He leaned in close, whispering the last part near Kael's ear.
Kael blinked, then tightened his grip on the tickets. To Loke, that looked like a nervous reaction—exactly the kind of flustered response he'd expected. He grinned smugly, pleased with himself.
But Kael's mind was elsewhere.
Just moments ago, he had received a hidden signal—from Ultear.
The Magic Council had just received a set of photos. Photos of a remote island… one that the Council suspected might be the Tower of Heaven.
That could only mean one thing—Jellal's plan was already in motion.
And the next step would undoubtedly involve targeting Erza… and convincing the Council to activate Etherion—the magic weapon of destruction.
"Thanks, Loke," Kael said quietly, tucking the tickets away.
"No need to thank me, man!" Loke winked, giving him a thumbs-up. "I believe in you!"
Then, jumping onto a table, he announced loudly, "Everyone! Party tonight—on me! Drinks, food, everything! Courtesy of your favorite prince, Loke!"
The guild erupted in cheers.
"Party! Party!"
"Free booze!"
Laughter filled the air as Loke was mobbed by happy guildmates.
But Kael stood a little apart, staring at the tickets in his hand. His thoughts were already elsewhere—on the storm quietly building beyond the horizon.
A small messenger dove fluttered through the window and landed on his shoulder, dropping a sealed letter from the Council.
Kael opened it.
"Three days from now, the Magic Council will convene. You are requested to attend. Task details will be disclosed at that time."
He folded the letter, his eyes darkening slightly.
Meanwhile — Magic Council Headquarters
In a dim chamber, two shadows stood facing the light of a massive crystal.
"Jellal," Ultear said softly. "Your plan is almost complete. All that remains is to make the Council deploy Etherion."
Jellal smiled faintly, eyes cold and bright. "Don't worry, Ultear. It's simple. All we need is to 'leak' the right photos. Those fools at the Council will do exactly what we want."
Ultear's lips curled. "Perfect."
Jellal's smile deepened. "Yes… the game is about to begin."