Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 57 - Scarlet Reunion

They flew on the backs of the great blue beasts, the Legion, toward the palace, having been dumped by the portal right in the middle of the Royal City Dozens of guards lined the anima portal. Erza overheard quite a few whispering if this meant the return of magic, and Coco was quick to dispel the rumors.

Still, more unsettling, was the look of familiarity in their eyes. Not the familiarity of the people who'd come through, nor even with magic at all, but with the specific incantation used. Jellal had used the power of the Tower to get to Edolas.

But if the swap worked how it did with Lisanna, it'd be seamless. It wouldn't have torn open so wide a gap.

She stifled her thoughts, keeping them to herself so as to not worry the others. It was a topic for private counsel.

Many of the great floating islands had come crashing down around them. Mountains were born where Erza didn't recall them before. The land was vast, stretching into the great distance as, likely, one block of land. A supercontinent, as it were, not unlike Ishgar.

The royal palace remained untouched, as well as in its pristine state that she recalled it as. A beacon of the future of Edolas, but the city around it prospered as well.

In place of magic, the creatives and intuitive thinkers of Edolas clearly turned their eye toward technology. Steam rose from several machines chugging along the roads or in small apartments. The air wasn't fogged up, but far denser than she remembered. Men and women lumbered in casual working environments.

She was glad, though, that creatures of magic, like the Legion, could exist. Though she supposed they weren't magical creatures at all, they were beings with abilities simply beyond the average beast.

Coco led the group through one of the wide openings of the palace and to the stable where the Legion waited. She patted them all and ordered the stablehands to feed them good, yummy treats. Everyone dismounted. Yukino hesitated by one of them, giving it a trepidatious pat on the head. It sniffed her leg. She blushed and stepped aside, almost bumping into Erza.

"I can gather the other members of the King's council," Coco said. "To help you."

"If you believe such aid is necessary," Erza said from the back of the pack.

"How's that sugar guy doing?" Gray asked.

Coco smiled. "He's quite well. He and I do a lot of the military work that Panther Lily used to help out with. There's not much anymore, but, sometimes the people get restless and we need to help keep the peace."

"And there was that other guy?" Natsu asked.

"Hughes joins us from time to time," Coco said, "but mostly keeps to things going on directly in the city. I don't think he'd be of much help to us today."

They walked through the magnificent castle and were well regarded as such if given a few curious looks.

"They no doubt believe," Erza said to Yukino, "that we are our Edolas counterparts."

"Are they in good standing with Mystogan?"

"I should hope so. They helped him win the throne all those years back."

"And where are they now?"

"I'm not sure."

"You seem to be getting the most looks though, Erza."

Yukino was quite right about that. While the others got passing side glances, Erza received full-on stares, and more than a few gawks. The lingering impact of Nightwalker, then.

But, hadn't Mystogan said that she was of better standing with the people? Perhaps not a full redemption, but she was no longer regarded with such wanton fear or resentment.