Fairy Tail: Relic of the Sun

Your head is splitting. Your mouth tastes of yesterday's ale and fried fish. You open your eyes to see the familiar ceiling of the guild—it seems you fell asleep on the sofa after yet another bender. It is quiet around you, which is strange for Fairy Tail. You try to sit up, but a strange weakness washes over your body.

What the... what's happening?

You reach out, trying to summon a spark of magic—and nothing. Your palm remains cold and empty. Panic begins to rise. You try again—only a faint flicker, which dies out in a second.

Natsu is snoring on the adjacent sofa. You shake him by the shoulder.

— Hey, wake up! Something's wrong...

Natsu opens his eyes and immediately winces.

— What do you want? My head hurts... — he yawns and tries to sneeze, but instead of fire, only a thin wisp of smoke escapes his mouth. — What the...?

He stares at his hands in horror.

— My magic... it's almost gone!

Together, you rush to Makarov's room. The Master is sitting in his chair, pale and haggard. Mirajane stands beside him, her face equally wan.

— I knew you would come, — Makarov says quietly. — An ancient relic was brought to the guild last night. I didn't think much of it, but it has awakened. It is absorbing our magic.

Makarov points to a cabinet in the corner of the room, from beneath whose door a dark red glow is seeping.

— It is the "Relic of the Sun." Legend says it was created in the era of the ancient mages to seal away the power of others. Someone activated it, and now it is expanding its radius. First, it will take our magic. Then—it will begin to drain the life force of everyone in the city.

Lucy and Gray burst into the room. Lucy is breathing heavily.

— I can feel it... my spirits are barely responding! What is happening?

Gray looks grimly at his hands, where only a light frost appears instead of ice.

— I can hardly create anything.

Erza enters behind them, already armored, but lacking her usual confidence.

— Master, I can feel my magic running dry. But I am ready to act.

Happy flies in through the window, followed by Wendy and Carla.

— Aye! We found this! — Happy holds out a scroll. — It says the relic can only be stopped at the place of its creation—the Temple of the Setting Sun on the eastern outskirts.

Makarov lifts his head; his voice sounds weak, yet firm:

— I cannot command you to go. Our magic is nearly gone, and the journey will be perilous. But if we do nothing—everyone will perish.

Natsu, already on his feet, clenches his fists, from which only weak sparks of fire barely flicker.

— Even without magic, I'm going. I'll destroy that thing.

Lucy nods, clutching her key belt in her hand:

— If we don't try, I'll never forgive myself.

I can feel myself weakening, too. But I can't abandon my friends. We have to go. And we have to make it before it's too late.

Erza turns to you and places a hand on your shoulder:

— Get ready. We depart in one hour. This will be our most dangerous quest yet.