Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 53 - Return of the King

Before any more Imperials could come to the scene, if only to investigate the train's derailment, Mystogan shuffled them along to the next station. He wasn't able to begin applying any healing magic to the wounded until that point. Erza's injuries weren't quite as bad as the others. She sat in hollow silence while Gray and Mystogan idly chatted.

She was surprised when, as they arrived and moved to the small hideout Mystogan planted near the small station, she found she'd been holding Yukino's hand the entire time. Yukino said nothing of it, as she wore the same distant expression as Erza. No doubt, the root cause was the same: Minerva.

Mystogan's hideout was about what she'd expected from the man: meager, out of the way, and completely hidden to the naked eye. He'd somehow carved out space in a tree that led to a small bunker within the ground. Natsu helped light a few torches and Mystogan carefully set them about to provide everyone's light.

Wendy had come to, and though she had to focus a bit harder on it, she began healing the others. She focused on Juvia, first, while Mystogan applied healing medicine to Happy. He was the best suited for the job, given how well those Edolas knew of Exceeds.

"I was more shocked than anything to find all of you like this," Mystogan said as he stepped by Wendy to reach Erza. Natsu sat next to Happy, rubbing the healing ointment into his friend's fur. "I knew the Empire had powerful wizards among their ranks, but to have completely outdone you all?"

"They jumped us," Gray said.

"Right. Their Hunter's Division." Mystogan offered the healing ointment to Erza, who happily accepted it.

"You'll be okay with this, and Wendy's magic," Mystogan said. "Alright?"

"Yeah," Erza said, softly.

"I just wanna know how the hell they found us," Natsu said. "Think we've got a spy?"

"No," Erza said. "Even if there were a spy, they'd have a damn hard time finding out our precise route. We only just figured it out."

"If anything," Yukino said, "it was a matter of probability. They likely don't know we're headed for the Tower of Heaven, they may have thought we were simply going to Bosco, and the best way to get there is through the Clover Town terminus, or through stations along that track. We may have only encountered one team of Hunters."

"There have been several Imperials along the border," Mystogan said, which caught a nod from Yukino.

"How do you know this?" Erza asked.

"Well, it all makes sense now," Yukino said. "Seeing you here, Mystogan. I didn't know it was you, nobody in the Empire did. But as much of a headache as Hisui was causing in the countryside as the Jade Star, someone would continually make small attacks on Imperial outposts in Stella and Bosco, mostly near Fiore. People called him the Mist Walker since he came and went in a cloud of mist. So, uh, now it all clicks."

"You've been on Earth-land for a while?" Wendy asked. "Why not come find Fairy Tail?"

"Truth be told that's been my intent for some time now," Mystogan said. "For a while, I had to gather myself. I spent months collecting supplies and getting used to my magic again, but when I learned what the Empire had done and what they continued to do nearby, I had to act."

"Nearby?" Erza asked.

Mystogan nodded. "It's how I've come to this place, I believe. One moment I was in the halls of my castle, about to attend another meeting, when at once I was sucked in through an anima portal and found myself on the shores of a ruined tower, one matching the description you gave when you returned from it, Erza."