Maiden of the Sky, Master of the Tower

By CrimsonStarbird

-Epilogue-

-(One Day, I Know We Will Meet Again)-

October, X784

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."

Lahar's polite, formal statement received no response, not even a grunt of acknowledgement. Under ordinary circumstances, he might have been irritated by it, but he completely understood this hostile reaction. It had been enough of a surprise that Master Roubaul had consented to this meeting in the first place.

After all, they hadn't exactly parted on the best of terms. Lahar had encouraged Wendy to fly to the Tower of Heaven against the express wish of her Guild Master, and though, by all accounts, she was back to her usual lively self by now, she hadn't escaped from that encounter entirely unscathed on the inside, and he knew that Roubaul held him partially responsible for that. He understood all too well why the old man might not be pleased to see him again.

Two months had passed since that incident, and this was the first time since then that Lahar had dared to venture up to Cait Shelter. He sat cross-legged on a rug in the Guild Master's hut, opposite the man himself, who made eye contact with him only rarely and bore a scarily disapproving expression when he did so. There were a few other members of the guild in the room with them – village elders, Lahar supposed – but there was no sign of Wendy. He had been hoping that he might be able to see her, but also dreading it, and it was no small part of him that was glad she wasn't around while he delivered his message.

Master Roubaul clearly wasn't going to say anything – he was glaring at Lahar as if he wished the Knight would just hurry up and leave – so Lahar continued speaking instead, as confidently as his nerves would allow. "In a few days' time, three of the most powerful mage guilds in the kingdom – Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus – will be coming to the Worth Woodsea in order to undertake a vital mission: the elimination of the infamous dark guild Oración Seis.

"The mission is to be a collaborative effort. It… it isn't an official job issued by the Magic Council, as such. As I'm sure you're aware, the Council was dissolved following the… the incident, and it is in no position to be overseeing missions of this scale while it undergoes extensive reform. However, it was a proposal that the Council had been considering for several months before its disbandment, and even though the plans were repeatedly shelved, during that period they gathered a lot of information on their targets, and identified several reliable and risk-minimizing plans of attack. With the recent increase in dark guild activity, some of the Guild Masters have taken it upon themselves to revive those plans. They have put together this union, with the support of the Rune Knights and what remains of the Magic Council, in order to remove the threat that Oración Seis poses to us all."

"And why, exactly, are you telling me this?" That deliberately patronizing tone was a challenge.

Lahar took a deep breath. "I am here on behalf of the Knights and the guilds to request the aid of Cait Shelter in this mission. As I'm sure you are aware, the Worth Woodsea is a highly inhospitable environment. The assistance of a mage guild familiar with the terrain would be invaluable. And…"

The old man glared at him, daring him to continue. Swallowing, the Knight said, "And it would be a good way for certain members of your guild to gain experience doing jobs of this scale, and interacting with mages from other guilds, and… so on."

"In other words, you expect me to send my precious daughter out on an incredibly dangerous mission with a group of total strangers?"

Lahar winced at the scathing words. The worst part was that he completely understood how Roubaul was feeling. After what had happened the last time they had allowed Wendy to go on a mission as a guild mage, the old man's protectiveness was logical; perhaps even admirable. Yet, on the other hand, Lahar had thought long and hard about this job, and he would never have nominated Cait Shelter as a participant to the other Guild Masters if he hadn't come to the conclusion that it was the right thing to do.

"I will not pretend that there won't be risk involved, because against a dark guild like that, there will always be great danger. However, all possible precautions have been taken to ensure the coalition will be successful. The strongest mages of each guild have been put forward for the mission. I have it on good authority that Lamia Scale's Wizard Saint is participating – he's not just a capable combatant, but he's also a responsible leader, and he won't allow any harm to come to the mages under his protection. All I'm saying is that if Wendy does go, she'll be in safe hands. She won't get a better opportunity than this to act as part of a proper coalition."

Roubaul was silent.

"Your assistance in this mission would be of great help to the kingdom. The more guilds we involve in the coalition, the lower the chance of a retaliatory attack from the Balam Alliance. Not to mention, on a job like this, Wendy's healing powers would be invaluable. It's not just that she could gain experience from being with the guild mages, but she could play an active supporting role, and really make a difference. I've seen how impressive her skill is first-hand. Having her as part of this coalition will be beneficial for everyone involved."

At this, Roubaul's eyebrows drew together alarmingly. Bowing his head in submission, Lahar added, "On behalf of the Magic Council, the Rune Knights, and the coalition of mage guilds, I humbly request the aid of Cait Shelter in this mission."

The old man didn't say anything for a long time, and Lahar wondered if he'd actually managed to convince him. In the silence, Roubaul tapped his finger on the ground, and then glanced at the Knight. "Is that all?"

"…Yes, that is all. Thank you for your time."

Lahar stood up and was almost at the door when a sudden thought struck him. "Actually," he said, "It's not. That's all I have to say as an emissary of the Council. Everything I say from here on out is not as a Knight, but as someone who knows Wendy well."

Defiant in the face of the other's thunderous glare, he continued, "If Wendy wants to go on the mission, then let her."

"How dare you-?"

"No, listen to me. I know that she might not want to take part. After everything that happened to her – being lied to and betrayed and everything that she went through in the Tower of Heaven – I can completely understand why she'd never want to go near another mage again, let alone actually go on a job for the Council with a group of complete strangers. And believe me, no one would think any less of her for that.

"But, the thing is, with Wendy… when she came with us on jobs, it wasn't just because she wanted to spend time with Siegrain, or because she wanted to travel to new and exciting places, or anything like that. It was about helping people too. For her, that was what being a mage was all about – stopping dark guilds or destroying evil magic or saving people who were in danger. She never cared that it was dangerous to herself if it meant she could do some good in the world; that's why she learnt magic and practised so hard! From that point of view, Wendy is the most brilliant, most incredible, most exceptional mage that I have ever met in my life. This is an unprecedented chance for her as a young mage, and you don't have the right to deny her that!

"So don't make the decision for her. That's all I ask. Tell her about the mission, and let her make her own choice about what she wants to do. If she doesn't want to go, then that's fine. But if she does want to, if she really does want to use her abilities to try and make this world just that little bit safer for all the people living in it… then let her go. Please."

It was only then that Lahar realized his heart was pounding in his chest. His hand shifted at his side in a gesture that had clearly become automatic, resting his palm on the hilt of a certain blade tucked into his belt, and he felt an ounce of reassurance return to him. Beneath the old man's stony glare, he couldn't help but give a rueful smile.

Taking the silence as confirmation that he had outstayed his welcome, the Knight bowed his head. "That is all I had to say. I hope that you will consider our proposal."

And with that, he left the guild.

For what seemed like an age, Master Roubaul kept staring after the departed Knight. He gave a world-weary sigh, and his harsh expression relented somewhat. One of the members of his guild ran across to him holding a tankard of ale, which he accepted without a word and downed in one go.

Finally coming to a resolution, he set the tankard down on the ground beside him, and called out, "What do you think, then, Wendy?"

There was no response.

With a slight touch of exasperation, he added, "Come out, Wendy. I know you're there."

There came the distinct sound of rustling material as Wendy drew aside the curtain that she and Carla had been hiding behind and shuffled bashfully into the hut's main room. "Sorry… I didn't mean to spy on you, I just… uh…"

Her Guild Master halted her protests with a firm shake of his head. "Why were you hiding? Didn't you want to see your friend?"

"I did, but… Well, I thought it would be a bit confusing for both of us." She glanced sheepishly down at the ground. After all, both she and Lahar knew by now that it was Siegrain who had killed his brother. Even though Lahar knew exactly what had transpired in the Tower of Heaven, including how and why Siegrain had died – Roubaul had agreed to write to him at Wendy's request once she had fully recovered, in the hope that the impersonal communication would make Lahar understand that he would never be welcome around Cait Shelter again – it would never be an easy thing for the Knight to come to terms with. "I wanted to find out why he was here, before I did something that might just have made things worse."

"You're a kind girl, Wendy," Roubaul remarked, and he said nothing more.

So, after a moment of fidgeting, Wendy spoke up. "Master Roubaul, I… I want to go on the mission."

"Why?" Not an accusation. Just a question.

"Because…" Wendy looked at Carla, and Carla gave her a nod of support. "These past two months have been really fun. It's been great to be back in the guild, resting and relaxing with everyone, and not having to worry about a thing. I've been so happy. But I also had a lot of time to think, and… Not everyone gets to be as happy as me. There are people out there – members of the Council, and mages from other guilds – who are constantly fighting and putting their lives on the line so that we can be safe, and… and I don't think it's right for me to just do nothing. Not when I have the power to do something. I have a gift that I can use to help people, so that's exactly what I'm going to do with it."

"Wendy… I know you have fond memories of going on jobs with your friend, but… who's to say that this mission will be the same? There's no guarantee that the mages you'll be working with will care about you. They might look down on you for being young and inexperienced in combat. They might leave you behind if you can't keep up. Just because they're part of a guild doesn't mean they're good people, or that they'll be friendly towards you."

"I know," she said solemnly. "I've been so lucky all my life. My mother, or Jellal, or everyone in Cait Shelter – I've always been surrounded by people who cared about me; good people. And then, when Siegrain took me out into the world beyond this guild, I learnt a lot of things. I met people who were trying to kill me, just because I was in the way. There were cults who wanted to destroy the whole world and everything in it – for no reason, not really; they just wanted to make people suffer! People are cruel, and not just to their enemies, but to their friends as well. People lie. They betray those who love them, and… people get hurt."

She clasped her hands together in front of her and turned her sorrowful gaze towards the ground, and it was clear to everyone who knew her what was running through her mind at that moment: the friend who had died, the Knight who had lost the will to live, and, more than anything else, the man who had given his life for hers as the Tower had fallen. "I don't ever want to feel pain like that again…"

And then, just as suddenly, she broke out into a radiant smile. "But there's so much happiness in the world too. There are so many wonderful people, and so many fantastic things to see and do, and there's so much love and kindness and… and being alive, getting to see all that, is the best thing in the world. For every bad thing that's happened to me, there are a hundred times someone made me smile, and those memories won't ever leave me. Yes, there's hatred as well as kindness, sorrow as well as joy, and evil as well as good, but it doesn't make the world a bad place… I think the fact that we have the freedom to choose is what's important. I'm not afraid to go out there and live."

Roubaul shifted uncomfortably. "I understand your feelings, Wendy, but that doesn't change how dangerous this mission right here and now is going to be."

"I know it'll be dangerous-"

He couldn't help sighing. "I'm not so sure that you do. Going on a mission with normal guild mages won't be like doing Council jobs with Siegrain. He may have been an incredibly irresponsible guardian, but he was very good at what he did. Exceptional, even."

For all that he disliked the man, he couldn't help feeling a grudging respect for his abilities. It was one thing to be a powerful combatant, but working out the truth about his guild so quickly had required a completely different kind of skill, and the speed with which he had picked up the magic Roubaul had taught him, despite having such poor compatibility with it, was nothing short of astounding. Roubaul supposed it was difficult to hate a man who was long gone.

Reluctantly, he continued, "These other guild mages won't be able to fight and protect you as well as he could, and they certainly won't have the knowledge to deal with certain dangerous situations as calmly and effectively."

"I know, but I don't want to depend on other people for my entire life either. It doesn't matter if the people I'm with can't protect me, because I'm going to learn to protect myself. I'm going to go on all sorts of jobs, and I'll learn how to deal with dark magic just as well as Siegrain could. One day, I'll be able to stand on my own as a proper mage. I'll make him proud."

As the silence dragged on, Wendy mustered her courage and bowed in a respectful plea. "This world is beautiful, and I want to protect it. So please, Master Roubaul! Let me go on the mission!"

"Wendy…"

"Can I? Please?"

Slowly, the old man got to his feet and walked over to her. Expecting him to berate her for her actions, she closed her eyes tightly – only to find herself drawn into a hug instead. "Of course you can. If you really wanted to go, I was never going to stop you."

"Really?" she checked, and in complete contrast to her earlier sincerity, the word came out as an excitable, childish squeak. Roubaul had to fight the sudden urge to laugh.

"Yes, really. Your friend the Knight made a very convincing point, and you just confirmed it for me. I just need to make sure that you understand the weight of what you are committing to before you agree to go… but I think you do, don't you?" Without waiting for a response, he turned to the cat who hovered, as always, by her side. "And do you agree with her, Carla?"

"Wendy, going up against one of the most powerful dark guilds in the kingdom? It's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard in my life." She folded her arms and glanced away. "So I guess I'd best go with her and keep her out of trouble."

"Thank you, Carla!" the girl beamed. "And thank you, Master Roubaul."

"You've become a fine young mage, Wendy. I think it's about time that you left this guild and went out into the world."

She gazed at him for a moment. "Well, I'll come back! It's not like I'm leaving forever! Cait Shelter is my home, and I'll be back as soon as the mission is over."

"I know," he said, and he gave a soft smile. "But for the time being, don't you think you should go and catch up with your friend the Knight and tell him your decision?"

"Ah! You're right!"

With that, she jumped into action and sprinted out of the hut, shouting Lahar's name at the top of her voice. Carla rolled her eyes but followed anyway, as she always did, looking out for her friend. Roubaul watched them both go with the pride of a father, and even as he wiped a tear away from his eye, there was peace in his heart.

And thus Wendy's first proper mission as a guild mage began.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

"Why?"

Until now, everything had been going as expected. It hadn't been a perfect mission, just like Master Roubaul had warned her. The coalition's plan had been torn to pieces almost instantly. There had been trouble; had been unforeseen danger. Even now, she and Carla were at the mercy of their enemies, hostages in a dark place with no way of knowing if anyone was coming to rescue them – or if anyone was still alive to try and do so.

"Why…?"

But that was understandable. That was a consequence of the risks involved in this collaborative mission – a proper mission, against truly scary opponents, with fellow guild mages rather than with a Wizard Saint who generally knew what he was doing.

A mission without Siegrain.

Without…

"Siegrain…"

It might have been a dream, except she remembered everything that had happened up to this point with perfect clarity.

Meeting the representatives of the other mage guilds. Being overwhelmed with shyness at having to go into a room full of strangers who all seemed to know each other already, with no mutual acquaintance around who could introduce her to them. Greeting these experienced mages, all of whom were much older than her, not as the friend of a Wizard Saint who was just tagging along for the company, but as an equal; a comrade. Having her trepidation eased by the friendliness of everyone that she met, and feeling warm nostalgia and a sense of belonging amongst their optimistic, adventurous spirits.

Excitement as the mission had begun. Exasperation at how quickly the plan had broken down and mages had started dashing off on their own, in total contrast to the discipline of the Rune Knights under Lahar's command. Panic, when Oración Seis had appeared from nowhere, far before they were ready to fight. Comprehension, when Roubaul's words about Siegrain being truly exceptional at what he did hit home in the midst of the deadly battle. Guilt, that she could only hide, unable to help, too overwhelmed by the chaos and the madness of the confrontation to even invoke any support magic. And terror, when the enemy leader, Brain, had spotted her, and kidnapped her.

She had grabbed Carla's paw at the last moment, and the two of them had been taken to a cave somewhere deep in the forest. She had been certain they were going to die. But Brain hadn't killed them. He had kept them waiting in the darkness for an hour without explanation. And then he had brought them to a room lit with sacrificial candles; a place resonating with prayers lost to time, where priestesses had once sung requiems for the ghosts who passed through; and there, in a coffin, had been-

-dead but not dead, gone but somehow not gone, a farewell that had not quite lasted forever-

-We'll meet again-

-him.

"Why…?"

Yes, it might have been a dream, only she was older now, and wiser; she knew all too well the difference between dream and memory and the world through which she did not walk alone.

"Siegrain…"

The fear had gone from her demeanour; her eyes shone with baffled wonder. She no longer saw the dark mages circling them like sharks, or the shadows that danced in this ancient place of death. She saw only him. She stood up, slowly, and walked towards him, reaching out her hand to him but stopping at the last minute – as if she wanted to touch him and prove that he was real; as if she were afraid that doing so would break this spell of memory and return her to a world where he was not.

Brain was examining her every move with a clinical curiosity. "This man was once a member of the Magic Council, and hence he knows the location of Nirvana, and all the details of its binding. You will heal him, and then he will reveal them to us."

"Nirvana," Wendy murmured, as if she hadn't heard anything else the dark mage had said. "Yes… That was where we met." And there was a wondrous brilliance to her voice.

"But he died!" Carla shouted suddenly. The members of Oración Seis glanced immediately to the little cat; Wendy did not, for she was no longer perceiving anything from the world around her. "He died!" she repeated, a demand for an explanation. "In the Tower of Heaven! I saw him die!"

Brain gave a chuckle. "He did not die. How he survived channelling that much raw magic through his body I do not know, but he is not dead. Then again, it would be just as wrong to say he is alive. He has not woken since we pulled his body from the wreckage of the Tower."

As if to illustrate his point, he reached over Wendy's head and brushed the cheek of the bound man with his fingers, possessively; mockingly. "See? He does not breathe and his heart does not beat, but there is still magic within him. A tiny little fragment of life."

A shiver ran through Carla's fur as she watched. She remembered how Wendy had been upon their return from the Tower, and she had only been inside the crystal for a few seconds. Was this what would have become of her if he had not pulled her out in time? Stripped of her senses and her self; cut off completely from the real world; not truly dead, but not alive either, trapped between both and utterly alone?

Now Brain rested his hand on Wendy's shoulder. Even that was not enough to remind her that there were other people in the room, though Brain did not seem to notice. "You are the Maiden of the Sky. You possess the gift of true healing magic, once thought lost to time. You will bring this man back to us."

"Siegrain…" she whispered. "How…? I don't understand…"

Mistaking her confusion for reluctance, Brain tightened his grip. The pain caused Wendy to jump; she looked up at him with startled eyes. "You will heal Jellal. You owe him. He once saved your life, didn't he?"

Far from being intimidated, a sad smile spread across her face. "We saved each other, so many times, back and forth… Neither of us owes the other anything."

She stepped forward, breaking out of Brain's grip without even realizing she was doing so. Ever so gently, she raised a hand and placed it over her best friend's heart. Green light, the colour of spring grass, the warmth of new life, radiated from her palm as she closed her eyes and called upon her power. An unearthly breeze filled the chamber, causing the candle flames to flicker but not dousing a single one.

Carla wanted to stop her. She wanted to scream that using her healing magic on a man this close to death – who was, by the definition of most doctors, already technically dead – was far too dangerous. She wanted to protest that this was giving Oración Seis exactly what they wanted. She wanted to warn her that the man in front of her, whatever he may have done in his dying moments, was still the man who had destroyed the Magic Council and come within inches of doing the same thing to the world.

But she did not. She knew better than anyone how much Wendy loved this man, and she would not deny her the chance to see him one more time.

The glow faded from Wendy's hand. The gentle wind died down. She took a step back and looked up at him anxiously. He was still, but not completely so. There were signs of life within him that had not been present before: the slight but steady rise and fall of his chest; the whisper of his breath; the echo of his heartbeat. He opened his eyes, slowly and with great reluctance, as if that single act caused him immense pain. He stared down at her without a word, and she stared back.

And the slightest expression of puzzlement crossed her face.

Before either of them could speak, Brain shoved her roughly away. She hit the wall of the cave and slumped to the floor with a squeak of pain. Carla immediately ran over to her side; the dark mages paid them no heed. They had what they wanted from the girls.

"So, you've returned to us, Jellal," Brain greeted him smoothly. He did not flinch as that silent stare turned towards him. As calmly as ever, he undid the restraints that had been binding his unconscious form inside the coffin and allowed him to step down onto firm ground. "It has been many years since we last spoke. If you recall, we had a certain business agreement-"

Only, Brain chose that moment to lay his hand on the other's shoulder. Maybe it was a physical reminder of who held the power in this situation. Maybe it was simply a friendly gesture of reassurance. What it was supposed to be didn't matter. What it was perceived as was an act of aggression.

He had been passive before; unresponsive, silent and still, slowly stirring from two months spent on the border between life and death. In that instant, the act of awakening seemed to complete all at once. No sooner had Brain touched him than he swept downwards with his hand, a sudden sharp motion, and an enormous pillar of light engulfed Brain. The raw energy punched a hole straight through the solid stone of the cave floor and drove the dark mage down with it.

The other members of Oración Seis let out cries of alarm, springing as one into action. They might have been rushing to help their leader, or they might have been closing in for an attack. Again, their motives made no difference. They were getting too close too quickly and that was all that mattered.

He spun around to face them in between heartbeats; with two slashes of his arm he conducted that immense power bursting out of his body. Twin beams of golden energy tore through his startled opponents, hurling them aside.

At last he turned to Wendy. She froze and so did he, with his hand raised in preparation to strike her. Looking up at her best friend in shock, she suddenly understood what she should have noticed from the start: he was scared. No, that was an understatement. He was terrified. There was panic in his shallow, rapid breathing; in the raw, uncontrolled surge of his magic; in the way he perceived everything as an enemy, even her. And she should have been afraid of him, but what she really felt in that moment was an overwhelming empathetic concern.

"Siegrain…" she whispered, and contained within that one word was all the pain of seeing her strong friend so vulnerable.

He slowly lowered his hand, and the sense of the feral magic snapping around them withdrew somewhat, but the wide-eyed stare he gave her was no less agitated than before. "Who are you?"

Here.

In this very same forest.

Not their first reunion, but their second. Not the first time their reunion had shattered her heart into pieces. Not the first time he had forgotten her. The second.

As if that somehow made it any more bearable. As if.

Someone else whispered a response, in a voice that might have been her own. "Don't you… remember me?"

He said nothing more, and that was answer enough. Wendy did not speak either. She couldn't. She just kept staring at him, as if that earnest, tearful gaze could miraculously implore him to stop this twisted idea of a joke and acknowledge her. Carla glanced between the two of them, unable to comprehend what was happening, for Wendy's sorrow was her sorrow too.

And into the silence there came laughter; a dark, cynical chuckling that rose like a colony of bats from the brand new hole in the floor. "This is an unexpected turn of events," Brain mused, unfazed by the paralysis that had overtaken the three of them. "It seems we will have to change the plan." His next words formed a smirking command. "Seize the girl. She can be our hostage."

"NO!"

At first, Wendy didn't realize who had given that desperate shout. She felt the touch of magic around her – magic so familiar that just perceiving it was painful, and yet at the same time ever so different to how she remembered it: harsher, wilder, unfinished around the edges. He seized her under one arm and Carla under the other and the three of them shot through the darkness. A single bound took them to the cave entrance, and then they were racing across the lake and out into the forest, with the outraged cries of the Oración Seis mages disappearing into the distance.

Even as Wendy felt a burst of happiness within her chest – her best friend had saved her, just like he always used to; just like he promised he always would – she could not shake the feeling of wrongness that had settled over her. She remembered the feel of his magic as well as she knew her own, and there was something off about it. He was using it wrong. He was fast, yes, but he was using it to increase the speed at which he bounded along the ground – he had reverted back to how he used to use his power before he learnt to fly with it. For reasons she couldn't quite put her finger on, that understanding caused her heart to twist painfully, and she felt no small measure of relief when he came to a stop in an isolated forest clearing.

No sooner had he set her and Carla down on the ground than he placed his hands on her shoulders and gazed at her intently. The desperation in his eyes gave her heart another merciless wrench. "You're the one who brought me back, aren't you?" When she nodded, he insisted, "Can you restore my memories too?"

Eyes widening, she shook her head. "I can't… my magic can't do that… I'm sorry…"

An expression of dismay crossed his face. "Oh. I see."

With that quiet lament, he let go of her, turned away, and took a few steps towards the forest – before coming to a sudden stop once again. He stared up at the sky in silence as an unfriendly breeze rustled through his hair.

Carla folded her arms. "Don't tell me he only saved us because he thought you could-"

"Carla, shush." Though she spoke firmly, Wendy wasn't cross. She knew that Carla was only talking like that because she was still struggling to make sense of the situation. She was doing the same, wasn't she?

She stared up at her friend's silhouette, unable to guess what might have been going through his mind. Another wave of sadness swept through her. To have come so close to being reunited with the best friend she had thought dead, and for him to have forgotten her… the pain was too much to bear. She wanted nothing more than to run away and curl up into a ball and cry until someone came along to wake her from this nightmare.

But… if that was what it was like for her, how must he be feeling? At least she had the memories of all the times they had spent together. What did he have? A vision of his face when he had looked at her; of the incredible pain in his eyes when she had asked if he remembered her; of that terrified, haunted shadow hiding beneath his every word – all those things flashed through her mind, and though each one gave her heart another agonizing twist, far more than that, she felt an unending compassion.

Before she knew what she was doing, she had run over and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He tensed reflexively, and she felt his unstable magic spiking again at the unexpected threat, but she didn't let go. "It's okay," she whispered to him. "Please, don't be afraid. It's okay." Not knowing what else to say, she just kept clinging on to him, refusing to let him be swept away.

He began to shake, and when he spoke, he sounded like he was on the verge of tears. "I don't remember anything." Desperate, scared, lost. "I don't know who I am. Help me. Please. I don't…"

"It's okay," she repeated, because even if it wasn't, what else could she do to help? "You're not alone. There's no need to be afraid."

"Do you… do you know who I am?"

"I do." She let go of him and he turned slowly to face her. Trying to be reassuring, trying to be strong, she smiled at him, even though it was breaking her heart. "When I knew you, you were called Siegrain… but I think your real name is Jellal."

"Jellal…?" he echoed.

"Do you remember anything?" she prompted, only to have him shake his head again. "That's okay. It's not your fault."

"Why am I here? Who were those people?"

"They were the dark guild, Oración Seis. They're the enemy. I'm here as part of a coalition of legal guilds on a mission to stop their evil schemes."

"A dark guild…"

Noticing his slight frown, Wendy explained, "You used to work for the Magic Council, hunting down dark guilds and other mages who broke the law. We did a few jobs together…"

"Why was I with a dark guild?"

The sharp edge of panic had returned to his tone. She heard it, and reached out to him, taking his hand in her own. It was nothing more than a reassurance that he was not alone, but that one simple gesture meant so much to a man who had nothing.

"Oración Seis are looking for an ancient, sealed magic called Nirvana. They seem to think you know where it is, and they were going to make you tell them." After a pause, she took the plunge, and continued, "We went to Nirvana together once. I showed you where it was. Though it was a long time ago and I don't remember the way, and I can't sense it as well as I used to be able to, not unless I get a lot closer first-"

"Nirvana," he repeated. He glanced out across the forest. "I might… know where that is…"

Her grip tightened around his hand. "I'm glad. Even if you don't remember that I was there with you, you do remember that you were there, and that… that makes me happy."

"I'm sorry," he said, and it was sincere and honest, for he had forgotten how to lie. "I'm sorry I don't remember you. I wish I could… but I don't know anyone… I don't even know who I am…"

"Oh, I know!" Wendy exclaimed suddenly. "Do you remember Natsu? I only met him properly today, but I think he was there in the Tower of Heaven too when you died, or lost your memory… So you might remember him…" As before, he repeated the name, only to shake his head in disappointment. Undaunted, she tried, "Well, what about Erza?"

That got a response. His eyes opened wide. "Erza!"

"Do you remember something?" Wendy asked eagerly.

"I… no. I don't remember anything." Again, his gaze left hers and turned towards the sky, seeing perhaps something else entirely. "But when I hear that name, I feel…" Without realizing he was doing it, he placed his hand over his heart. "Something from a very long time ago. Is Erza someone I used to know?"

She smiled for him and didn't cry. "I don't know. I only really met her properly today. She's here on the mission as well, like Natsu and a load of others. She's a kind person. Plus, she's a really powerful mage, and she knows a lot more about magic than I do. I don't know how to get your memories back, but she might, or she might know someone who does. Once this mission is over, I'll go round all the guilds in the kingdom until I find someone who knows how to help you."

"You'd… really do that, for me?"

"Of course." She wasn't sure whether it was his doubt that upset her more, or how clearly he hadn't been expecting anyone to show him kindness. She didn't let either show. Instead, she smiled again, and spoke as firmly as she could; the assertiveness that he needed to hear right now was something she had picked up from him. "But, in the meantime, I think it might be worth talking to Erza, if you can. You should go and find her."

He pulled his hand out of her grip and took two strides back into the forest. It was the first time she had seen him act with purpose since they had been reunited – but no sooner had that thought crossed her mind than he froze mid-step. His inexplicable shaking had resumed; once again, she heard the desperation of a hunted animal in his breathing, and it was all she could do not to throw her arms around him again as she ran over to him. "What's wrong? What is it?"

"I… I'm scared," he told her, and the truth of those words brought her to the verge of tears. She had always been the one who was scared, and always it had been his confidence and strength which had reassured her. He had saved her so many times, and given her courage, and she…

He said, "I don't know who I am. I feel… I feel as though I'm a bad person. I'm scared of remembering… I did something terrible, didn't I?"

For a while she said nothing, and then, slowly, she met his gaze. "It's true that you did some bad things, and you hurt a lot of people."

"I…"

But before he could say anything else, a pure radiant smile took over her face and stopped him in his tracks. "But you also helped a lot of people. You did a lot of good things for the Council, and you fought so hard against dark guilds and evil mages. The mission we're on today is only possible because we're following a plan you came up with ages ago. You always protected me, no matter what. And at the end of everything, you died in order to save everyone… you died saving Natsu and Erza and thousands of other people you were never going to meet. You died saving me."

She balled her fists and glared up at him defiantly. "You're a good man, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise!"

Speechless, he stared down at the determined girl.

"So go and find Erza," Wendy ordered him, with her hands on her hips. "She might be able to help you. Just focus on doing that. You don't have to think about anything else right now. Oh, and don't let Oración Seis get near Nirvana. If you run into any dark mages, kick their butts, just like you used to, okay?"

"I…" he managed, but nothing more.

"And don't be afraid of who you were, or of who you are now. You are you, and… and you're not alone. No matter where you are or what you're doing; whether you remember me or not – I'll always be here. You can come and find me at any time. So there's no need to be scared."

There was another long moment of silence. He asked, "Before, were… were we friends?"

"Yeah. Best friends."

And he smiled at her, just like he always used to. "I'm glad. I must have been a good man, to have had a best friend like you."

"Yeah," she smiled back. "You were."

"Thank you," he said, and he truly meant it. "For everything."

In the next moment there was golden light swirling around his body, and then he was gone, bounding through the trees and out of sight.

Wendy stared into the forest after him. She remained silent and unmoving as the minutes ticked by, until Carla, worried that something might have happened to her friend, murmured, "Wendy…?"

"Carla?"

There was a tremor in that word that Wendy hadn't quite managed to hide, and the cat gave her a suspicious look. "Are you crying?"

"I…" Wendy raised her hand and tried self-consciously to wipe away the tears from her eyes. "I'm crying because… because…" she sniffed. "He didn't die, so I think I'm allowed to cry over him, after all…"

"Why didn't you tell him, Wendy? Everything that he did – the Tower of Heaven; betraying the Council; all of that. If you told him, he might have remembered you."

"He might have done. But I think… I think that if he heard about what he'd done, he'd be very upset. And I'd much rather he was able to be happy."

Still, the cat shook her head. "But I don't understand, Wendy. Why would you tell him he is a good man? I know how you feel about him, but it doesn't change the fact that he hurt so many people!"

"I know. I do know, Carla. Master Roubaul always says that some people are naturally drawn towards light, and others towards darkness. But Siegrain… he was neither black nor white. He had a power with great potential for good, and great potential for evil, but it never pulled him towards either – he always had, and he always will have, the freedom to choose that for himself."

"So… you told him he was a good man in the hope that that's what he'll choose to become?"

Softly, Wendy shook her head, still with that same sad smile. "He already made his choice, back when the Tower fell. He saved me, even if he doesn't remember doing it; he chose to die as a good man rather than live as an evil one. But, the thing is… you and I are the only ones who know the truth about what happened in the Tower of Heaven. To the Council, to the Knights, to the rest of the world – he's just a villain whose plan was foiled. If he's surrounded by people who only see him as an evil man, it could lead him to believe that that's all he is… that he has no choice… that there can be no future for the good man he is trying to become…

"I told him he is a good man because I know that he is deep down, and so that he will know he always has that choice. If Erza really does care about him – if she really does understand him – then she'll do the same, whether or not she can help him remember. And then he'll see that it isn't just me, and that there are two of us who believe in him, and then he might be able to believe in himself, and realize that the choice has always been his to make, no matter what the rest of the world says. And then he might find a reason to live… to keep fighting… he might even be able to find happiness…"

"But what about your happiness, Wendy?" Carla's protest was almost a shout. "Think about yourself, for a change! What if he goes and remembers this Erza woman, but not you? It's not fair!"

"I am happy, Carla," she said, with a trembling smile. "I'm crying because… because I'm happy… that's all…"

"Oh, Wendy. You've become so strong…"

"It doesn't matter how many times he forgets me, Carla. I'll always find him, and I'll always be his friend." She stared resolutely down the path he had taken into the forest. "What do you think, Carla? Third time lucky?"

Tears sprung to Carla's eyes, and she hurriedly glanced away, harrumphing. "I think that we have bigger things to worry about right now. Like being alone in the middle of the forest with all of Oración Seis out looking for us, and you just sent away the one man who could have protected us."

"…I did do that, didn't I? Oops…" The two of them looked at each other and somehow, through their tears, they managed to laugh. "But, I've been protected by other people for as long as I can remember. From now on, I'm going to be the one to protect those I care about in any way I can, and I'm going to make sure that they can always be happy. Siegrain will fight his battle, and we've got our own."

"…You're right," her friend conceded. "I bet the others are really worrying about us right now."

Wendy nodded vigorously. "They might still be hurt from the battle too, and I'm supposed to be their healer. We should meet up with them as soon as possible, and come up with a new plan."

"And if Siegrain helps us, we might still be able to get to Nirvana before our enemies do."

"Yeah, we could put a guard around it!"

"Or lure the dark guild away from it, by pretending to put a guard around it, when we're actually as far from the true location as possible…"

"And lead them into a trap!"

The two girls grinned at each other.

Carla said, softly, "He really would be proud of you, you know. And, Wendy… I'm sure that one day, he'll be able to tell you that himself."

"Thank you, Carla." Wendy smiled up at the brilliant blue sky. "And until that day comes, I'm not going to stop working hard. Right now, we have friends to meet up with and bad guys to take down. So, let's go, Carla!"

"Yeah," agreed the cat, flying up to meet Wendy's enthusiastic high-five. "Let's go."

A/N: And this is it. The end. I suppose it isn't really a happy ending, as such. Yes, I wanted him to remember Wendy as well, but it just couldn't happen. If the previous chapter was about Jellal finally choosing to become a good man, then this one is all about how much Wendy has grown. When they first met at the very start of this story, and Wendy believed he had forgotten her, she fled from him in tears and almost got herself killed. This time, she stays.

Now, even as she is suffering, because Jellal has forgotten her again, she recognizes that he's suffering more. Though it hurts her, she becomes strong for him in the way that he always was for her. She gives him the courage to live and keep fighting, and makes sure he knows his life is worth something, because she believes in him as a good man. If Erza did the same, a lot of grief in canon could have been avoided. And Wendy keeps pressing on as well: goes to find her own friends; to fight her own battles. As Carla says, she's become so strong. More than strong enough to stand as the equal of her Fairy Tail comrades-to-be, despite her age.

And, of course, there's hope. Jellal won't forget her forever. One day, seven years in the future, we know they will meet again.

But that's another story. This one is over. All that remains is for me to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, favourited, or otherwise supported this story over the past thirty-three weeks. To those who have been keeping up from the start, I salute your perseverance. To those who have caught up in the last couple of weeks, I salute your bravery in taking on this project. Knowing that other people are enjoying what I write is the best motivation there is. So, honestly, thank you all. I hope you've enjoyed the story. I hope we meet again, in another writing project in the not-too-distant future. ~CS