Lucy pushed open the heavy guild doors and stepped inside. The grand hall looked like a disaster zone—tables were overturned, empty barrels littered the floor, and half the members were completely passed out in chaotic heaps after days of relentless celebration.
Ignoring the wreckage, she made a beeline straight for the guild library.
A few paces away, Mirajane paused while sliding a fresh slice of strawberry cake across the counter to Erza. She watched Lucy's hurried form vanish down the hall, her blue eyes narrowing in slight curiosity.
"I've never seen her look that serious before," Mirajane murmured.
Erza glanced up from her plate, tracking the empty space where Lucy had just disappeared before turning her attention back to her cake with a soft hum. "She's probably just searching for new material for her next novel."
Nodding and dismissing the thought with a gentle smile, Mirajane went back to cleaning the bar.
Deep inside the quiet sanctuary of the library, Lucy didn't waste a second. She immediately began hunting for the book Levy had shown them months ago—the one she had barely glanced at back then.
For over an hour, she paced through the dusty aisles, pulling thick volumes off the shelves and scanning title after title until her head throbbed. Still, the book was nowhere to be found. Exhausted and thoroughly annoyed, she rubbed her temples, ready to give up and track down Levy directly.
As she turned to leave, however, a flash of faded leather near the floor caught her eye.
The heavy oak bookcase was wobbling slightly—propped up at the base by a thick, dark book acting as a makeshift doorstop.
Lucy stared at it in sheer disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"
Realizing how impossibly heavy the shelf was, she quickly unclipped a golden key from her belt.
"Open, Gate of the Bull! Taurus!"
With a bright burst of golden light, the towering celestial spirit materialized, snorting softly as he flexed his muscular arms. "Need something lifted, my beautiful Lucy?"
"Just lift this shelf for two seconds, Taurus, hurry!"
"As you wish!" Taurus grunted, easily wedging his shoulder under the massive wooden structure and lifting it an inch off the ground.
With a quick dive, Lucy snatched the book from underneath, cradling it tightly in her arms. "Got it! Thanks, Taurus!"
With a polite bow and a wink, the spirit vanished back into his world in a flash of golden particles.
Lucy blew a thick layer of dust off the leather cover, using her sleeve to wipe away the grime. The embossed gold lettering on the front glinted dimly in the quiet library light:
The Legend of the Dark Knight Sparda
Taking a steadying breath, Lucy pulled out a wooden chair, sat down at an empty table, and flipped open the first page.
Hours flew by in near total silence as Lucy remained glued to the pages. By the time the golden twilight faded through the high stained-glass windows of the library, she finally turned the last page and closed the heavy cover.
Instead of clarity, she was left with a chilling set of questions.
According to the record, the legendary hero who defeated the demon lord was an ancient mage named Sparda—a human. Yet the creature that had emerged from the Eclipse Gate was undeniably, terrifyingly a demon.
Whoever wrote this history wanted to hide the truth, Lucy realized, her heart hammering against her ribs. They erased the fact that a demon saved humanity.
Her mind raced, desperately piecing together the timeline. If Sparda was actually a demon... then what did that make Rudra?
"I would stop that line of thought right there, Lucy."
Lucy gasped, nearly leaping out of her chair as she whirled around, clutching her chest.
Master Makarov stood just behind her, hands tucked calmly into his long sleeves. His usual cheerful demeanor was completely gone, replaced by a grave, heavy solemnity.
"M-Master!" She swallowed hard, trying to slow her frantic pulse. "You startled me... How long have you been standing there?"
Makarov didn't answer right away. He walked up to the table, hopped onto the empty wooden chair across from her, and looked down at the dark leather cover. He let out a long, weary sigh before meeting her gaze.
"You've stumbled onto something meant to stay forgotten," he said quietly.
Lucy's hands tightened on her lap. "Master... is Rudra a demon?"
"No," Makarov answered without hesitation. His voice was soft, laced with a quiet sadness that caught her off guard. "He isn't."
Lucy blinked, confusion clouding her mind. "He isn't? But the book—"
"He is half," Makarov corrected gently. Before she could push further, he raised a calm hand. "And he wasn't born that way. Before his disappearance, he was as human as you or I. Whatever happened to him during those lost years... it changed him. The exact details aren't mine to share, Lucy."
The words hung heavy in the quiet library. Lucy sat frozen, processing the weight of what she had just heard. A human who was altered... cursed... transformed into something else entirely.
Makarov pulled the book off the table, tucking it securely under his arm.
"Now that you know, this stays between us," Makarov said, his tone turning firm and serious. "You know how the Magic Council reacts to anything tied to demonic magic. If the public or the Era finds out, they won't care about his intentions—they will only see a monster."
"I understand," Lucy whispered, her stomach twisting with a mix of dread. "I won't say a word."
"Good child," Makarov said softly, his stern posture relaxing slightly. "Head home for the night. You've had a long evening."
Lucy stood up on stiff legs and began walking toward the archway. Just as her hand touched the doorframe, Makarov spoke one last time.
"That boy has suffered far more than you can possibly imagine, Lucy," Makarov said, his tone laced with a grandfatherly warmth and quiet plea. "Knowing what he is... please do not treat him any differently."
Lucy paused, looking back over her shoulder. She gave him a firm, reassuring nod before stepping out into the main hall.
She walked straight past the chaotic, noisy tables, barely hearing Natsu shouting her name or Gray waving her over. The rest of the guild exchanged puzzled glances as she pushed open the doors and stepped out into the cool, quiet night.
___
Outside, Rudra leaned against the ragged stone entrance of the cave, arms crossed as he took in the cool mountain breeze.
After a quiet moment, he pushed off the wall and stepped into the pitch-black cavern.
The air inside was thick and stale, heavy with the smell of cheap booze and damp earth. As Rudra walked down the winding stone path, he passed dozens of bandits slumping against the walls—every single one beaten unconscious, their weapons scattered across the floor.
Reaching the central chamber, he found a small handful of remaining bandits bound tightly with heavy rope. But there was no sign of his disciple.
Rudra looked around the quiet cavern, let out a slow sigh, and turned toward a pitch-black alcove off to the side.
"I told you before, kid. You can't hide from me."
Romeo stepped slowly out of the shadows. His fists were trembling, his knuckles scraped and stained with soot. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground, a deeply conflicted expression plastered across his face.
Rudra crossed his arms, staring down at him. "What is this, Romeo? I gave you a clear objective."
Romeo swallowed hard, his voice shaking as he finally looked up at the bound men groaning on the dirt floor. "I... I couldn't do it, Rudra," he choked out. "They're already beaten! They can't fight back anymore. I know they're bad people, but... executing them in cold blood? That's not what Fairy Tail stands for. If I just slaughter them like this, how am I any different?"
Rudra watched the boy impassively, letting the words hang in the dark air. He didn't yell or mock him. He simply shifted his weight and pointed toward a reinforced wooden door tucked deep in a dark side tunnel, locked tight with iron chains.
"Go look behind that gate," Rudra said softly. "Then come back and tell me how you feel. If your mind hasn't changed after that, I won't ask you again."
Romeo frowned, confused, but nodded slowly. He stepped past Rudra and made his way toward the locked tunnel.
With a quick burst of magic, he melted the iron lock and pushed the heavy wooden door open.
The moment the gate swung inward, the sickening stench of copper and decay hit him. Romeo stepped inside, igniting a small flame in his palm to light up the dark room.
The firelight illuminated the grim reality.
Bound to the damp stone walls were the lifeless remains of several young women, their skin pale and bruised, faces frozen in silent agony. It took only a single glance to understand the cruelty they had suffered before dying in the dark.
The flame in Romeo's palm flickered out, plunging the room back into shadow. The naive world he knew shattered in an instant, replaced by a cold, sickening weight in his chest. He didn't scream or break down. His face simply went pale, his jaw setting tight as his eyes hardened.
Without a word, he raised his hands. A quiet, controlled stream of fire washed over the room, consuming the remains in a clean, respectful pyre—granting them the peace they had been denied in life.
As the flames subsided into glowing embers, Romeo turned on his heel and walked back into the main chamber. His expression was completely blank, the childhood warmth in his eyes entirely gone.
Seeing the boy step out of the dark hallway, Rudra didn't move. His tone was low, almost conversational.
"Well? What's the verdict, kid? Should we cut their ropes and send them on their way?"
Romeo didn't answer, his gaze locked onto the dirt floor.
"Because if we let them walk," Rudra continued smoothly, "they're not going to change. They'll just move to the next valley, build another hideout, and tear apart someone else's family."
Romeo snapped. A sudden, white-hot fury flushed across his pale face. Roaring flames erupted over his knuckles as he strode toward the bound men, raising a burning hand to incinerate them where they sat.
"They don't deserve to breathe!" Romeo snarled, his voice breaking with raw anger.
Before he could throw the strike, Rudra's voice cut through the dark cave, sharp and absolute.
"Then do it. But remember one thing, Romeo—the only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed."
Romeo's breath hitched. The fire around his fist wavered for a fraction of a second, his jaw clenching as he stared into the terrified eyes of the lead bandit. He gritted his teeth and prepared to plunge his flames forward—
Snap.
Before the strike could land, Rudra snagged Romeo by the back of his collar, yanking him off his feet and hoisting him up effortlessly.
"That's enough for today's lesson," Rudra said calmly, turning on his heel and carrying the stunned boy toward the exit.
"Wait! Rudra, put me down! Let me finish this!" Romeo thrashed, twisting around in his grip—and froze.
In the dim firelight behind them, the bound bandits suddenly stopped groaning. Their eyes bulged in absolute, primal terror, staring at the empty air as if witnessing an unimaginable nightmare.
A collective, blood-curdling scream tore from their throats. Within seconds, thick streams of dark blood began pouring violently from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses, staining their faces red as the sheer pressure of unseen horror crushed their minds.
Then, their heads exploded all at once, instantly silencing the screams.
Romeo went completely rigid, staring blankly at the blood-spattered dirt as a sickening silence settled back over the dark cave.
Stepping out into the crisp mountain air, Rudra let go of the boy's collar, letting him drop onto the loose gravel. Before Romeo could gather his thoughts or speak a word, Rudra placed a quiet, firm hand on his shoulder.
the next second, both of them vanished into thin air, leaving only the cold mountain wind howling against the mouth of the cave.