A Skywing's Archive

The next morning came early, with Natsu's enthusiastic voice echoing through the guild hall before the sun had fully risen.

"Kazuki! Astra! You guys ready for your first real job?" he called out, his energy already at maximum despite the early hour.

"As ready as we'll ever be." I replied, adjusting the small pack I'd prepared for the mission. Astra was perched on my shoulder, looking both excited and nervous about our first real combat situation.

"This is gonna be awesome!" Happy chimed in, floating beside Natsu with his usual cheerful expression. "Nothing like a good monster hunt to start the day!"

Mira handed us our official job request document and a small pouch of supplies. "The merchant caravan should be waiting at the eastern checkpoint. They've been having trouble with wyverns attacking their cargo shipments along the mountain pass route."

"Wyverns, huh?" I mused, thinking about the aerial combat implications. "That should be interesting."

"Perfect for testing out those fancy wind abilities of yours!" Natsu grinned. "Let's get going!"

The walk to the eastern checkpoint took about an hour, during which Natsu regaled us with stories of previous jobs while Happy added his own embellished commentary. I found myself genuinely enjoying their company—their enthusiasm was infectious, and it felt good to be part of a team.

[Notice: Team dynamics appear favorable. I recommend observing their combat styles for future reference]

"There's our client." Happy pointed out as we approached a small cluster of wagons and nervous-looking merchants.

A middle-aged man with graying hair and worry lines hurried over to greet us. "Fairy Tail mages! Thank goodness you're here. I'm Marcus, the caravan leader. These wyvern attacks have been getting worse every day."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it!" Natsu said confidently. "How many wyverns are we talking about?"

"At least five, maybe more. They've been coordinating their attacks, hitting us from different angles. Very intelligent behavior for beasts." Marcus wiped sweat from his brow despite the cool morning air. "They seem particularly interested in our cargo of magical crystals."

"Magical crystals?" I asked, immediately alert. That seemed like more than a coincidence.

"Raw ethernano crystals, bound for the magical research facility in Clover Town. Very valuable, very pure." Marcus gestured toward the heavily loaded wagons. "We've lost two shipments already."

[Notice: Ethernano crystals would be valuable to dark mages. Recommend increased vigilance for potential human threats in addition to wyverns]

"We'll scout ahead and clear the route." I told Marcus. "You stay here until we give the all-clear."

As we made our way into the mountain pass, the terrain became increasingly rocky and treacherous. Perfect ambush territory for flying predators.

"So," Natsu said as we climbed a particularly steep section. "what's your strategy for fighting flying enemies? You can fly too, right?"

"A little," I said, spreading my wings experimentally. "though I'm still getting used to it. Astra, how are you feeling about aerial combat?"

"Nervous but excited." she admitted. "I want to test my gravity magic properly."

We'd been walking for about twenty minutes when Happy suddenly stopped mid-flight, his ears twitching.

"Do you guys hear that?" he asked, looking around nervously.

I strained my ears and caught it—a low, rumbling growl echoing off the canyon walls, followed by the distinctive sound of large wings beating against the air.

"Incoming!" I shouted, just as three massive wyverns crested the ridge above us.

These weren't the relatively small dragons I'd expected. Each wyvern was easily twenty feet long with wickedly sharp claws and intelligence gleaming in their reptilian eyes. Their scales were a mottled brown and green that blended perfectly with the rocky terrain.

"Finally, some action!" Natsu grinned, flames already dancing around his fists. "[Fire Dragon's Roar]!"

A torrent of flame shot toward the lead wyvern, but the creature banked sharply, avoiding the worst of the attack while its companions dove toward us from different angles.

"They're coordinating!" I called out, taking to the air with my wings. "Watch the flanks!"

The leftmost wyvern came at me with talons extended, but I was ready for it. Drawing on my Sky Primal Magic knowledge, I traced a quick rune in the air.

"[Fulminis]!"

Lightning crackled from my fingertips, striking the wyvern directly in the chest. The creature shrieked and faltered in its dive, giving me an opening to follow up with wind magic.

"[Wind-Make: Spear]!"

A lance of compressed air formed in my hand, and I hurled it at the stunned wyvern. The construct struck true, sending the beast tumbling toward the ground.

"Nice shot!" Happy called out, dodging a swipe from another wyvern.

Astra had taken position on a high boulder and was concentrating intensely. Suddenly, one of the attacking wyverns found itself pulled sharply downward by an invisible force, crashing into the canyon wall with a thunderous impact.

"[Gravity magic] is so cool!" she said, though I could see the effort was draining her.

"Don't overextend yourself!" I warned, banking hard to avoid another diving attack.

Natsu was in his element, leaping from rock to rock while trading fire blasts with the largest wyvern. But I noticed something troubling—the creatures seemed unusually aggressive and focused, not the random predatory behavior I'd expect.

That's when I spotted them.

"Natsu! We've got company!" I shouted, pointing toward a ledge overlooking the battle.

Three figures in dark robes had appeared, and one of them was holding what looked like a magical control device. The wyverns weren't just hunting randomly—they were being controlled.

[Notice: Dark guild involvement confirmed. I recommend neutralizing the controllers to end wyvern aggression]

"Dark mages?" Natsu's expression grew serious. "This just got a lot more interesting!"

The robed figures began chanting, and I felt magical energy building around them. Whatever they were planning, it wasn't good.

"Astra, can you disrupt their formation with gravity?" I called out.

"I'll try!" she replied, focusing on the ledge where our new enemies stood.

The leftmost dark mage suddenly found himself slammed against the rock wall by a powerful gravitational force, disrupting his spellcasting. But the other two completed their spell.

"Rise, creatures of darkness! [Summon: Shadow Wyverns]!"

Two new wyverns materialized from dark energy, their forms wreathed in shadow and distinctly more menacing than the natural ones we'd been fighting.

"Oh, come on!" Happy complained. "That's just unfair!"

"Nothing we can't handle!" Natsu said, but I could see even he was starting to look concerned about the odds.

I made a quick decision. These shadow creatures might be vulnerable to lightning, and I had just the spell for it.

Drawing on both my [Sky Primal Magic] and Dragon Slayer abilities, I began tracing a more complex runic pattern while channeling wind magic simultaneously.

"[Aspiro Frigis]!"

A blast of freezing wind erupted from my hands, much more powerful than a regular [Aspiro]. The icy gale struck the shadow wyverns directly, and their dark forms began to destabilize and dissolve.

"Whoa!" Natsu stared at the dissipating shadows. "What was that spell?"

"[Ice wind magic]." I said, trying to sound casual while internally celebrating that it had worked. "The cold disrupts shadow-based summoning spells."

[Notice: Excellent adaptation of theoretical knowledge. The combination of Sky Primal Magic and Dragon Slayer abilities created unexpected synergistic effects]

The dark mages, seeing their summoned creatures destroyed, began retreating along the mountain ledges. But I wasn't about to let them escape to terrorize other travelers.

"Happy, can you get Natsu up to that ledge?"

"Aye, sir!" Happy grabbed Natsu and took flight toward the fleeing dark mages.

Meanwhile, the remaining natural wyverns, freed from magical control, seemed confused and disoriented. They were still dangerous, but no longer coordinating their attacks.

"Astra, can you ground that big one?" I asked, pointing to the largest wyvern that was still circling overhead.

"On it!" she replied, extending her paws toward the creature.

The massive wyvern suddenly found itself being pulled inexorably downward, fighting against the gravitational force but unable to maintain altitude.

I took the opportunity to try another combination technique. Focusing my mana, I drew on both Wind-Make and Sky Primal Magic.

"[Wind-Make: Lightning Cage]!"

Bars of compressed air infused with electrical energy formed around the descending wyvern, creating a non-lethal but effective containment system. The creature found itself trapped but unharmed.

"Amazing teamwork!" Natsu called out as he and Happy returned from dealing with the dark mages. "Those guys won't be bothering anyone for a while."

With the controllers neutralized, the remaining wyverns quickly lost their aggressive behavior. They seemed more curious than hostile now, and after a few minutes of cautious observation, they flew off toward their natural nesting grounds deeper in the mountains.

"Job well done!" Happy said cheerfully. "Though that was way more exciting than a simple monster clearing mission was supposed to be."

"Dark guilds always complicate things." I said, releasing the wind cage around the last wyvern, which flew away without further incident. "At least we know why the attacks were so coordinated."

As we made our way back to the caravan, Astra looked exhausted but pleased.

"How do you feel about your first real battle?" I asked her.

"Scary but exhilarating." she said honestly. "I never knew my magic could be so useful in combat."

"You did great. Both of us did."

Marcus and his merchants were overjoyed when we returned with news that the route was clear.

"Incredible work!" Marcus said, handing over our payment plus a generous bonus. "We never would have suspected dark guild involvement. You've probably saved countless other travelers."

"Just doing our job." Natsu said with a grin, though I could tell he was pleased with the compliment.

The trip back to Magnolia was much more relaxed, with Natsu and Happy regaling us with stories of other missions while I reflected on how well the combination of different magic types had worked. The synergy between Sky Primal Magic and Dragon Slayer abilities was something I'd need to explore further.

[Notice: Combat performance exceeded expectations. I recommend documenting successful technique combinations for future reference]

"I agree." I thought back to Raphael. "That ice wind spell was more powerful than I expected."

When we arrived back at the guild hall in the late afternoon, the place was buzzing with its usual energy. Mira smiled brightly as we approached the bar.

"Welcome back! How did the job go?"

"Better than expected." I said, setting our completed mission report on the bar. "Though we ran into some unexpected complications."

"Dark guild mages were controlling the wyverns," Natsu explained. "but we took care of them!"

"Dark guild involvement?" Mira's expression grew more serious. "That's concerning. Master Makarov should hear about this."

"Speaking of which," I said, looking around the guild hall, "where is Master Makarov? I haven't met him yet."

"He's up in his office." Mira said, pointing toward the second floor. "I'm sure he'd like to meet our newest member, especially after a report like this. Why don't you go introduce yourself?"

I felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness as I climbed the stairs to the second floor. Meeting Makarov felt like a significant moment—he was, after all, one of the most important characters in the entire series.

I knocked on the office door and heard a gruff voice call out, "Come in!"

The office was exactly as I remembered from the anime—cluttered with papers, books, and magical artifacts. And there, sitting behind a desk that seemed far too large for his diminutive stature, was Makarov Dreyar himself.

He looked up from the paperwork he'd been reviewing, and his sharp eyes immediately focused on me with keen intelligence.

"Ah, you must be Kazuki." he said, his voice carrying surprising authority despite his small size. "I've been hearing interesting things about our newest member."

"Master Makarov," I said, bowing respectfully. "it's an honor to meet you."

"The honor is mine." he replied, gesturing for me to take a seat. "Mira tells me you have some unique magical abilities. [Sky Dragon Slayer Magic], [Archive Magic], and several others?"

"That's correct, sir. I'm still developing most of them."

"And today you encountered dark guild mages using controlled wyverns to attack merchant caravans?" His expression grew more serious.

"Yes, sir. They had some kind of control device and were using shadow summoning magic. We neutralized the threat, but it suggests they might be targeting magical cargo shipments."

Makarov nodded thoughtfully. "This fits with reports we've been receiving from other guilds. There's been an increase in dark guild activity lately. Tell me, what was your impression of their capabilities?"

I thought carefully about how to answer. "They seemed well-organized and equipped, but not exceptionally powerful individually. The real threat was their tactics and the fact that they were working together."

"A wise assessment." Makarov said approvingly. "Many young mages focus only on raw power, but tactics and teamwork are often more important."

He leaned back in his chair, studying me with those piercing eyes. "Mirajane also mentioned that your exceed partner has manifested gravity magic. That's extraordinarily rare."

"Yes, sir. Astra's abilities seem to be developing rapidly."

"Fairy Tail has always been a place where unique individuals can grow and flourish." Makarov said with a warm smile. "I have a feeling you and your partner will fit in very well here."

"Thank you, Master. That means a lot."

"Now then," he said, pulling out a fresh piece of paper, "I need to file a formal report about this dark guild incident. Can you give me details about their appearance, magical abilities, and any identifying marks?"

I spent the next twenty minutes providing a thorough debrief of our encounter. Makarov asked insightful questions and took detailed notes, clearly taking the threat seriously.

"Excellent work, Kazuki." he said finally. "Both in handling the situation and in providing this intelligence. Keep an eye out for any similar activity, and don't hesitate to report anything suspicious."

"Of course, sir."

"One more thing," Makarov said as I stood to leave. "I understand you've been developing some unconventional magical techniques. Feel free to use the guild's resources for training and research. We have an extensive library and experienced mages who would be happy to help."

"Thank you, Master. I really appreciate that."

As I left his office and headed back downstairs, I felt a warm sense of belonging. Makarov had treated me as a valuable member of the guild, not just a newcomer to be tolerated.

[Notice: Successful integration with guild leadership achieved. Master Makarov appears impressed with your capabilities and judgment]

"That went well." I thought to Raphael. "He seems like everything I expected—wise, perceptive, and genuinely caring about his guild members."

When I reached the main hall, I found Astra sitting at a table with Happy, both of them enthusiastically sharing fish while recounting the day's adventures to anyone who would listen.

"Kazuki!" she called out when she saw me. "How did the meeting go?"

"Very well." I said, settling down next to them. "Master Makarov wanted details about the dark guild encounter. He seemed impressed with how we handled it."

"Of course he was!" Happy said proudly. "You guys did great for your first real mission!"

"Speaking of which," Natsu said, appearing at our table with a plate of food, "want to team up again sometime? You and Astra make a pretty good team."

"I'd like that." I said honestly. "Today was a lot of fun, dark guild complications aside."

As the evening wore on and the guild hall gradually filled with returning members, I found myself reflecting on how much had changed in just a few days. I was becoming a real part of Fairy Tail, developing my magical abilities, and building genuine friendships.

The encounter with the dark guild had been concerning, but it had also proven that Astra and I could handle ourselves in a real fight. Our combination of gravity magic, wind manipulation, and Sky Primal abilities had worked better than I'd hoped.

[Notice: Magical development proceeding ahead of schedule. Recommend continuing to explore technique combinations while maintaining cover story consistency]

"I agree." I thought to Raphael. "Though I'll need to be careful not to reveal too much too quickly."

"Ready to head home?" I asked Astra, who was looking pleasantly tired after her first mission.

"Definitely." she said, stifling a small yawn. "Today was amazing, but I'm exhausted."

As we walked back to our apartment through the peaceful evening streets of Magnolia, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. We'd completed our first mission successfully, made a good impression on Master Makarov, and proven that we could handle unexpected complications.

More importantly, we were building a real life here. In just a few more months, Lucy would arrive and the main storyline would begin. But until then, we had time to grow stronger and establish ourselves as valued members of Fairy Tail.

"Tomorrow we should practice those combination techniques" I said as we climbed the stairs to our apartment. "That ice wind spell worked better than I expected."

"And I want to work on controlling my gravity magic more precisely." Astra agreed. "I think I can do a lot more with it once I get better control."

As we settled in for the night, both of us pleasantly tired from our successful mission, I couldn't help but smile. Life in the Fairy Tail world was turning out to be everything I'd hoped for and more.

Whatever challenges lay ahead, we were ready for them.