Chapter 19:  Threads of Fate

 Lucy's days in Alvarez were a blend of peace and quiet joy as she spent most of her time with Luna. It had been two years since Luna's birth, and she was now known as the Princess of Alvarez. The kingdom had been stirred when Ajeel announced Luna's existence, with some speculating about her lineage—whether she was Ajeel's daughter or, as he said, his niece. Despite the rumors, the people of Alvarez embraced their new princess with open arms, celebrating her birthday each year as if it were a grand festival.

Yet, as promised by Ajeel, Luna's face remained a mystery to most. The citizens were not allowed to see her or Lucy, and only a few close to the palace knew the truth. Ajeel, Yajeel, and some of the former members of the Spriggan 12—Jacob, Dimaria, and Brandish—had kept the secret, while also helping him manage the kingdom's affairs. Despite her notorious temperament, Dimaria had taken a surprising liking to Luna, often spending hours babysitting and playing with the child. To the palace staff's astonishment, Dimaria had become Luna's favorite playmate, and the two were inseparable.

With Luna's third birthday approaching, the palace buzzed with preparations for the upcoming banquet. For the first time, Luna would officially show her face to the kingdom. As the palace hummed with activity, Lucy found a moment of solace watching her daughter play in the gardens. Luna's laughter echoed as she chased butterflies, her eyes filled with innocent wonder. In those moments, Lucy felt at peace.

Yet, peace was fleeting.

Every night, Lucy's dreams were haunted by darkness. A growing sense of dread coiled around her as visions of a shadowy figure—the Titan King—became more vivid. His presence loomed larger, and his menacing voice echoed in her mind, threatening both her and Luna. It was as if the Titan King was drawing closer with every passing night, and Lucy knew that whatever he sought, it would soon be upon them.

One night, after tucking Luna into bed, Lucy felt a chill wash over her. The air grew heavy, almost suffocating, as her heart pounded in her chest. She closed her eyes and found herself standing in the presence of the Titan King once again. His massive form sat upon a throne of stone, his eyes gleaming with a cruel, knowing hunger.

["Your fate is sealed, child of the stars,"] his voice echoed through the void. ["You will bow before me... as will youe child."]

Lucy gasped, her eyes snapping open as she woke drenched in sweat, her body trembling uncontrollably. Frantically, she turned toward Luna, who was still peacefully asleep beside her. Despite the calm in the room, Lucy's mind reeled with the terror of the vision. The Titan King was coming for them.

The next morning, Lucy sought out Brandish, the one person she trusted with the truth. Her voice trembled as she recounted the nightmare, her eyes pleading for answers. Brandish listened carefully, her brow furrowed in concern. After a long pause, she finally spoke.

["Lucy… I'll look into this. There might be something in the palace archives about this Titan King."]

Days passed as Brandish poured through ancient scrolls and forgotten texts, searching for anything that might explain the ominous figure haunting Lucy's dreams. Finally, she found a fragment of an ancient myth.

["Lucy,"] she said, her voice heavy with the weight of the discovery. ["There's something you need to know."]

Lucy's heart raced. ["What is it?"]

["There's a prophecy… about a celestial mage who holds the power to bridge the heavens and the underworld. If the myth is true, you and Luna might be connected to something far greater than anything we've ever faced."]

A shiver ran down Lucy's spine. ["What does the Titan King want from me?"]

Brandish shook her head. ["I'm not sure yet, but it's worse than we thought. He might not just be after you for power… he could be looking for something only you and Luna possess."]

Lucy's thoughts spun in a whirlwind of fear and confusion. ["I need to protect her, Brandish. Whatever it takes."]

Brandish nodded, her gaze unwavering. ["We'll figure it out. But we need to be careful. The Titan King is getting closer."]

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Meanwhile, in Magnolia…

The Fairy Tail guild had settled into a new rhythm, but it was a broken one. Two years had passed since Lucy's departure, and though life carried on, the absence of their former teammate left an ache in the hearts of those who knew her best. Natsu, now calmer, spent most of his time with the guild's children—Georgie, Simon, Irene, Emma, and Asuka. Their laughter filled the guildhall, but despite the joy, a shadow lingered.

The once inseparable team of Fairy Tail's strongest—Natsu, Gray, Erza—had scattered. Natsu remained close to home, often staying with the children, while Gray and Erza, now parents, took on smaller jobs. But the one thing that connected them all was the lingering memory of Lucy, who had vanished from their lives.

Wendy, still heartbroken, struggled the most. She missed the old days, the adventures with Natsu, Lucy, Gray, Erza, Carla, and Happy. It felt like the team had broken after Lucy left, and it hurt. But during this time, Romeo had quietly stepped up, spending more time with Wendy, comforting her and offering his company when she needed it most. No one spoke about Lucy much anymore, though Laxus refused to give up the search. For the past two years, he had followed every lead, no matter how small, hoping to find her. Leads from Erik and the others often turned out false, but Laxus pressed on, determined to uncover the truth about both Lucy's disappearance and the looming threat of the Titan King.

One day, while the children were playing, Simon and Georgie—Gray's son and Jellal's son—stumbled into the guild library. While hiding from Irene, who was chasing them after they ate her cake, the trio accidentally knocked over a shelf, sending books tumbling to the ground. Among the chaos, they found an old photo album. Intrigued, they brought it back to the guildhall.

The children gathered around the album, flipping through the pages with curiosity and excitement. They pointed at the faces of their parents, marveling at how young they looked.

["Uncle Natsu looks so silly here!"] Georgie giggled, pointing at a wild-faced Natsu in one of the pictures.

The children marveled at the pictures, pointing at the grinning faces of Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Carla, and Happy. The children's laughter filled the guildhall, drawing the attention of the older guild members. Lisanna and Elfman, along with the Thunder Legion, gathered around the children, telling them the stories behind each photo. 

But as they turned more pages, their laughter faded. Irene held up a photo of Natsu, Gray, Erza, and a blonde woman they didn't recognize.

["Who's this?"] Irene asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

The guildhall fell silent as the older members turned their attention to the photograph. Erza, Gray, and Wendy exchanged bittersweet looks. Natsu, hearing the question, approached the children.

["She's Aunt Lucy,"] Natsu said softly, kneeling beside them. "She was part of our team… Fairy Tail's strongest."

The children's eyes widened. ["The strongest? You were all in it?"] Simon asked, wide-eyed.

Natsu smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. ["Yeah. Lucy… she was special. Brave, kind, and always willing to help others. We wouldn't have been the same without her."]

The children listened intently as the older members shared stories about Lucy. Happy chimed in, telling funny anecdotes about how Lucy would scold them for wrecking her apartment or bossing them around. Juvia smiled fondly, remembering how Lucy was the first to truly consider her a friend. As more stories were shared, the guild's laughter echoed through the hall, but a quiet sorrow lingered beneath the surface. 

Asuka, recalling Lucy's warmth, spoke softly. ["She was the sunshine of your team, wasn't she?"] Bisca, standing beside her, smiled bittersweetly, adding, ["Yes, she was stronger than anyone... she never backed down from protecting her friends, and she loved the guild most."]

Emma, looking at her Uncle Natsu's rare display of emotion, asked, ["Where is she now?"]

For a moment, there was silence. Then Gray spoke up, his voice heavy yet hopeful. ["She's not here right now… but one day, she'll come home."]

Georgie smiled brightly. ["I hope she comes back soon! I want to meet her!"]

The guild members shared a bittersweet smile, touched by the child's innocent hope. For a moment, the weight of Lucy's absence hung over them, but there was also a flicker of belief that they might see her again. 

Just as the guild was lost in these memories, a messenger arrived with a letter bearing the royal insignia of Crocus. Laxus opened it, revealing a request from Queen Hisui E. Fiore. The queen requested a Fairy Tail delegation to attend a diplomatic mission to Alvarez, and she gave this mission to them because Alvarez and Fairy Tail have the history together little. She also gave the invitation which came from Alvarez to the Fairy Tail to a special event—the birthday banquet of an Alvarez princess.

The guild exchanged puzzled glances.

["The Princess of Alvarez? Why would they invite us?"] Gajeel asked, his voice gruff with suspicion.

Makarov studied the letter carefully. ["It says that Fairy Tail has history with Alvarez so she is telling us to go…"]

Shockingly, Lissana stated ["It's not like we were on friendly terms. We were arch-enemies. They practically invaded Fiore just because of us and 2 times no less."]

The Guild were agreeing with Lissana in the background but this time Natsu spoke ["It was all in the past and even first master forgave my bro--Zeref. Now there shouldn't be a hotility between us."] 

Laxus, after consulting with Makarov and the others, made his decision. ["We'll send Max, Fried, Romeo, Wendy, and Levy."]

Wendy blinked in surprise. ["Me?"]

Laxus nodded. ["You've been couped up in the guild for too long and maybe this trip can help you in improve you mood. Levy, too—your knowledge of ancient scripts might come in handy."]

Levy, her face thoughtful, added, ["Alvarez… it's been a long time."]

As they prepared for their journey, Wendy couldn't help but wonder—was this just another mission, or would this trip lead them closer to finding Lucy?