Haru breathed in the night air deeply as the others celebrated a job well done.
"Oh yeah!" Natsu cheered. "That's right we won!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy agreed.
Haru chuckled at their happiness as even Lucy cheered happily. It was good seeing everyone in such a good mood. Well, nearly everyone. Haru glanced towards Lyon who was off to the side being all moody. She shrugged guessing he'd get over it. Of course, Erza being Erza had to burst their bubble and remind them that the job wasn't done yet, which had Haru frowning at her.
"But I don't understand." Lucy said. "The curse should be lifted now that Deliora's dead."
Haru frowned even more while certain that demon had nothing to do with the villagers' transformation. She didn't have any hard evidence. It was just that their luck is so bad that everything couldn't be over so easily.
"Wrong." Erza said. "This curse you keep talking about had nothing to do with the demon. The villagers have been affected by the intense magic energy released from the Moon Drip spell. In other words, Deliora's death isn't going to change their current situation whatsoever."
Yep, it looked like Haru was right. She knew this couldn't be all over. Now they have to find a way to reserve the effects of the Moon Drip spell.
"Oh, no." Lucy said.
"Well, then we better go change them back." Natsu said as he held his hand up to Happy.
"Aye, sir!" Happy agreed as he gave Natsu a high-five.
Haru smiled at how the two weren't put down at the least, and she supposed there was no reason to be. They'd work things out. They always do.
"Yeah, but we don't know how." Gray said then looked back Lyon who Gray brought with them. "Lyon, do you know?"
Haru turned to look at the silver-haired ice wizard as he sat on the ground with his arms crossed.
"To be quite honest, I don't have a clue." Lyon said.
"You don't know?" Natsu asked looking skeptical.
"What?" Happy added.
Haru tilted her head while getting the feeling that Lyon was being honest. He didn't have a reason to lie after all.
"But they told us the curse started after you guys go here." Lucy said.
"When we first arrived here three years ago, we were aware there was a village somewhere on the island." Lyon said. "But we had absolutely no reason to communicate with the villagers, so we left them alone, and they never came up to the temple to see what we were up to."
Haru frowned at that. That didn't sound right. For three years the villagers never once tried to see what was going on at the temple? They had to notice the magic coming from there.
"In three years…you've never once met?" Erza asked.
She and Haru exchanged a glance with the both of them certain that something was wrong here.
"But I don't understand." Lucy said. "The light from the Moon Drip is so bright that you can practically see it from anywhere on the island. It's kind of weird they saw it every night, and never went to investigate."
"The villagers weren't transformed by the Moon Drip." Lyon said. "It doesn't affect the human body."
Yeah, that was something else that was bothering Haru. Lyon and his flunkies all looked perfectly normal (except for Toby), and they've been under the light of the Moon Drip all this time as well.
"Yeah, right." Natsu said. "You're just saying that so you and your lackeys will be off the hook."
"No, Natsu, he has to be right." Haru said.
Her friends looked at her in confusion as she crossed her arms over her chest while turning to address them.
"Lyon and his goons have been here for three years and under the same purple moonlight as the villagers, and yet they are still perfectly human." Haru said. "And we've been exposed to the moonlight as well even for a shot period. The chief said the side effects happened instantly, but here we are looking no different than usual."
Natsu frowned though he saw what point Haru was making. None of them were different from being in the moonlight.
"She's correct." Lyon said. "Anyway, I wouldn't trust them. Those villagers are hiding something… but I'm sure you guild mages can handle it."
Haru rolled her eyes at Lyon wondering why he just doesn't join a guild himself. What does he have against them anyway? He'd thrive there.
"We're not done with you." Natsu said. "You destroyed the vill—"
Natsu was cut off by Erza as the redheaded mage squished his lips together to keep him from talking.
"That's quite enough, Natsu." Erza said. "They were simply doing what they believed to be right, so there is no need to criticize them for it. Let's go."
Erza started walking away, so Haru followed after the redhead. They might as well get the job done as soon as possible.
"Any idea how to lift the curse?" Haru asked.
"No clue." Erza admitted.
"Oh great." Lucy said sarcastically.
Haru snorted as she patted Lucy in a consoling manner on the shoulder. As Natsu and Happy moved to follow, Haru paused in walking when realizing that Gray wasn't with them. She turned to look back as the others kept walking. She saw Gray speaking with Lyon, so she decided to wait for him as he finished speaking with his old friend. Once he was finished, Gray turned to follow the others, but paused when seeing Haru was watching. She grinned at the two of them teasingly.
"Did you boys get out your heartfelt goodbyes?" She asked teasingly.
"Shut-up." Gray and Lyon grumbled.
She laughed with her smile widening, and Gray felt himself start to grin.
"Come on, Frosty." Haru said. "If we don't hurry, Erza will finish the job for us without us."
"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." Gray said as he went to walk with her after the others.
Lyon watched them go with an unreadable expression on his face. He then looked up at the sky wondering what he should do now.