Lucky draw Starting from Fairy tail

Makarov climbed up to his usual seat near the center of the guild hall, groaning a little as he settled in with his tankard and cane. Laughter and chatter filled the air around him, the guild back in its usual rhythm. I exchanged a glance with Erza.

We both nodded.

I turned to Laxus, who was lounging off to the side with his headphones half on. "See you later."

He gave a slight nod, looking at me.

Erza and I walked over to Makarov. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, he beat me to it.

"So? How was the mission, you two?" His tone was light, his eyes sharp.

"Good," I replied.

"Safe," Erza added.

Makarov raised a brow. "No injuries? No damage to the client's goods?"

"None," I said. "The merchant made it without a scratch."

Makarov let out a hearty laugh and patted my shoulder twice. "Good! Good! That's what I like to hear."

Then my smile faded, and I looked at him more seriously. "Master, I'd like to speak with you in private."

He tilted his head. "Private, eh?"

His eyes scanned my expression, then turned to Erza's, catching the tension behind her composed face.

His smile faded. He nodded once.

"Follow me."

We followed him past the guild bar, through a hallway, and into one of the back rooms—a private meeting space, dusty and rarely used.

He shut the door, waved his hand, and a soundproofing enchantment lit up around the room.

"Alright, son. No one can hear us here. Speak freely."

I looked at Erza. Her hands were clenched at her sides, eyes downcast.

"It's not me who needs to talk, Master."

Makarov turned to her. She still hesitated. I stepped beside her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"Everything will be alright," I said with a smile and a thumbs up.

She looked at me, then at Makarov.

Makarov sighed and gave her a small, comforting smile. "Everyone in Fairy Tail is family. You're like my own children. Whatever you say here, I'll carry it with you."

Erza's lip trembled. Her eye glistened.

And then she began.

"I was born in Rosemary Village... but it was destroyed. A cult attacked. A group that worshiped Zeref. They took me. Took other children. Adults too."

The name Zeref hadn't even finished passing her lips when Makarov stood up sharply, magic pressure rolling off him in a thick wave.

The room trembled. The air turned heavy.

Erza flinched. Even I instinctively stepped back.

But she didn't stop.

"They took us to an island. Forced us to work. Build. It was called... the Tower of Heaven. They said it was to resurrect Zeref."

Makarov's fist clenched. His magic pressure exploded again.

This time, I could feel it seeping through the cracks of the walls. The ground beneath us groaned.

"They enslaved us. Chained us. Starved us. Beat us. Most of us were children."

His teeth were grinding. His mustache twitched with fury. But he said nothing, letting her speak.

"I Lost my right eye in the punishment."

She tapped her eyepatch.

"A friend—Jellal—saved me. But... he was taken. And when I led a revolt to save him, I found him... different. Changed. He told me to leave. Told me to never come back. Said he'd kill everyone if I spoke of the tower again."

She broke down.

Her knees hit the floor. Tears streamed down her face.

"I'm scared. Scared for my friends. Scared they're still there. Still suffering. And I couldn't save them. I left them. I—"

I knelt beside her and pulled her into a hug, patting her head gently.

"You didn't abandon them," I whispered. "You survived. That's how you'll save them."

But Makarov...

His power surged like a tidal wave.

Every member in the guild hall felt it.

Cups trembled. Tables rattled.

Macao dropped his drink. "T-The old man's angry... really angry."

Wakaba stood. "I haven't felt this in years."

In the hallway, Laxus turned sharply, eyes narrowing. "Something's wrong."

He burst into motion. Behind him, Cana and Gray followed. Cana carried the Spirit Fox in her arms.

They slammed open the door.

"Old man! What's going on?!" Laxus shouted.

Cana gasped. Erza was crying on the floor. I was beside her. Makarov stood glowing with unrestrained energy.

"What... what happened?" Gray asked.

Cana didn't wait. She rushed to Erza and hugged her tightly.

Erza flinched. Realized they were all watching. She wiped her eyes and tried to sit up, composing herself.

Makarov finally breathed. The magic pressure in the room slowly calmed, though it still pulsed like a restrained storm.

He looked at her with deep sorrow.

Then spoke softly. "We're going to save your friends."

Erza looked up, startled.

"But not now."

Her expression dropped.

"Not because we don't want to. But because we can't. Not yet."

She stared.

"If we tell the Magic Council, they might leak the information. Your friends would be in more danger."

"And if the story's true," I added, "they might just decide the tower is too dangerous and destroy it outright."

"Exactly," Makarov nodded. "And if we go to another guild, the more people know... the more likely it leaks."

"Then we go ourselves," Laxus said firmly. "We're strong."

Makarov looked at him. Shook his head.

"It's not about strength alone. The people behind this? It's no small-time group. There's something bigger. Darker. Coordinated. After all with something of this scale it might be More than just one dark guild"

I stepped forward. "He's right. It's not just slavers. There's a mastermind. Maybe someone tied directly to Zeref's legacy."

Makarov stared at me, surprised.

Then nodded.

"We need... Gildarts, For saftey of the other guild members."

Erza blinked. "Who...?"

Cana lit up. "He's the strongest mage in Fairy Tail! Uses Crush Magic! He's amazing!"

Makarov sighed. "He left a week ago. Right before you two joined."

Erza's eyes sparkled with hope. "So he'll come back soon?"

Makarov looked away.

"Gildarts... doesn't take transport. He walks. He wanders. Could be a month. A year. Maybe more."

Hope shattered. I saw it in her face. Her body sagged.

She was falling again.

I stepped forward and looked her dead in the eye.

"Erza. We're too weak."

Her head dropped.

"But that doesn't mean we'll always be."

She looked up slowly.

"It's simple," I said. "We train. We grow. We get stronger. So strong that we become the vanguard. We lead the charge on the Tower of Heaven."

Her eye widened.

Then hardened.

She nodded. "Yes. We will."

Makarov finally smiled.

"That's the spirit."