Fairy Tail: Master of Deceit

As Mystogan's body slammed into the wall from Aurelius' sudden punch, a thunderous crash echoed as Jose was also sent flying into the opposite wall by Laxus' electrifying blow.

Laxus turned his gaze toward Aurelius, momentarily surprised by the unexpected attack on Mystogan. But his surprise quickly morphed into a smirk.

"Well, well," Laxus drawled, cracking his knuckles. "So, shithead… you're turning against Fairy Tail now? You've got guts!"

Aurelius stood silently, his expression unreadable, as Laxus' question hung in the air. The smirk on Laxus' face faltered, irritation flickering in his eyes at the lack of response.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Laxus barked, electricity sparking around him as he prepared to attack.

Just as Laxus was about to charge, Aurelius finally spoke, his voice low and almost amused.

"Little dragon… You've grown up," he said, his tone carrying an unsettling familiarity.

The words hit Laxus like a thunderbolt, and his body froze mid-motion. His smirk vanished, replaced by shock as his wide eyes locked onto Aurelius.

"You..."

Before Laxus could finish, Aurelius moved like a shadow, closing the distance between them in an instant. His fist slamming into Laxus' gut. The force sent Laxus hurtling backward, crashing into the wall and leaving cracks spidering out from where he landed.

As Aurelius straightened from his punch, a streak of light shot toward him—a magic beam aimed directly at his back. With a sidestep, he dodged effortlessly, the beam scorching the ground where he had stood. His gaze then shifted towards the source.

Mystogan stood with one of his staves pointed forward, his expression hidden but his voice sharp. "What are you doing, Aurelius?!"

The figure who had once been Aurelius turned fully toward Mystogan, his lips curling into an unsettling smile. "Aurelius? No. I am Malphas, the Demon of Nightmare."

Mystogan's grip tightened on his staff as confusion flickered across his face. "Malphas? What are you talking about?"

Before he could ask more, a roar cut through the chamber. Laxus, recovered from the earlier strike, surged forward, lightning arcing around him as he threw a powerful punch at Aurelius.

However, Aurelius shifted slightly, dodging the blow with ease. He turned his gaze to Laxus, the smirk never leaving his face. "Still so reckless, little dragon."

After that, another attack came hurtling toward him—a dark beam. But Aurelius spun around just in time, dodging the attack.

"HOW DARE YOU IGNORE ME!" bellowed Jose, his voice filled with rage. His menacing aura surging as he glared at the demon-possessed Aurelius.

Aurelius, or rather, Malphas, tilted his head slightly, his expression twisting into one of amusement. A low, chilling chuckle escaped him as his crimson gaze locked onto Jose. "Ah, the great Jose Porla. So desperate for attention…" Malphas spread his arms mockingly. "Fine, Saint. If you crave my attention so badly, I'll grant you all of it."

Malphas then gazed at his own hands with a twisted grin. "Y'know, this body..." he mused aloud, flexing his fingers as if testing their strength. "It's truly remarkable. And the magic it wields? Even better." His eyes glinted dangerously as he shifted his focus to Jose, sensing the lingering ethernano in the air.

Jose sneered, the surge of ethernano within him growing stronger as he prepared to launch another attack. But before he could make a move, Malphas raised a hand, his voice almost casual in its cruelty. "I wonder..." Malphas began, his tone dripping with malice, "What happens when we substitute a greater energy for ethernano? Imagine the potential... Energy Make magic, fueled by Cursed Power..."

The room seemed to shrink in on itself as the oppressive weight of Malphas's words settled over everyone. Laxus, and Mystogan instinctively took a step back, their hearts racing as their bodies screamed to move. But they found themselves rooted to the spot, paralyzed by the overwhelming presence of the demon.

Jose, however, wasn't so easily deterred. His pride wouldn't allow him to be intimidated. "Enough of your nonsense!" he roared, summoning a massive blast of dark magic. The beam was a swirling mass of shade, filled with immense power, aimed directly at Malphas.

But Malphas didn't flinch. In fact, he barely seemed to notice. Instead, he mirrored Jose's movements, conjuring a black sphere in his hand. 

"There's only one way to find out," Malphas said, his voice cold, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Without warning, he hurled the sphere at Jose with terrifying speed.

Jose, eyes wide with disbelief, fired his own attack in retaliation. The two forces collided in mid-air, a violent explosion of energy that rocked the room. But to Jose's horror, the black sphere didn't shatter or falter—it absorbed his attack. Slowly, as if feeding off the very essence of his magic, the sphere expanded, growing larger, and faster.

Malphas's chuckle echoed through the chamber, low and mocking. "Hmm... how did he say it again? Ah, yes... Energy Make: Void—no, Black... Black Hole..."

The air seemed to warp around the sphere as it continued to grow. The very space around it began to distort, as though the laws of nature were being bent to the will of the demon. Jose's breath caught in his throat as he watched in horror, his mind scrambling to comprehend what was happening.

Before he could even attempt to flee, the sphere shot forward, its speed increasing exponentially. In an instant, it slammed into Jose with an unbearable force, sending him crashing into the far wall with bone-crushing impact.

For a moment, the room was eerily silent. The echoes of the collision reverberated through the chamber, and Jose staggered to his feet, his body battered, his breathing ragged and shallow. His legs trembled beneath him, but he refused to fall. He glared at Malphas in Aurelius body, his fists clenched.

Yet Malphas only looked on with an expression of amusement, his twisted smile widening. "Persistent, aren't you?" he observed, his voice tinged with admiration. "Still standing. But frankly, the old man should just... sleep."

With a snap of his fingers, Jose's body suddenly went rigid, his eyes wide in terror as his mind struggled to comprehend what was happening. A strangled mutter escaped his lips: "Not again…"

Before he could even attempt to move, the world around him seemed to slow. His limbs became heavy, his senses dulling, as if an unseen weight was bearing down on him. The defiance in his heart was snuffed out in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

And then, with another snap from Malphas, Jose collapsed to the ground, his body going limp as unconsciousness claimed him. The last thing he heard before everything faded was the mocking sound of Malphas's voice.

"Goodnight, old man," the demon said, his tone almost playful.

And with that, Jose was left on the floor, while the others stood frozen, unsure of how they could possibly contend with the force of Malphas's power.

Malphas grinned darkly, his eyes flicking between Laxus and Mystogan. "You two can finally talk without interruptions," he said, his voice dripping with mockery.

Mystogan immediately got on guard, his staff raised and ready to unleash another wave of magic. Laxus, on the other hand, was already preparing for another attack, his hands crackling with electricity as he launched himself toward the demon once more.

Without breaking a sweat, Malphas dodged Laxus's punch easily, his body moving with a fluidity . Laxus's strike missed by inches, and as he recovered, Malphas chuckled. "You think you can hit me with that? How cute."

Laxus's anger flared, his eyes narrowing as he rushed at the demon again, throwing a series of rapid punches. Each one crackled with more intensity, but Malphas continued to dance out of the way as if he knew exactly where the next blow would land.

"You're pathetic," Malphas mocked, his voice barely above a whisper, but the venom in his words was clear. "A strong individual like me has nothing to prove to a weakling like you."

Laxus's fury only intensified at the insult. He growled, landing back on his feet, and with renewed strength, he lunged at Malphas again, swinging his electrified fists.

Behind him, Mystogan didn't hesitate to join the fray, sending a barrage of magic beams from his staff in an attempt to corner Malphas. But just as with Laxus's attacks, Malphas effortlessly avoided every strike. He seemed to know exactly where the magic was coming from, as if he could predict their every move before it even happened.

"Is that all you've got?" Malphas taunted, stepping aside to dodge another beam from Mystogan. "You can't even land a single hit. How disappointing."

Laxus roared in frustration, throwing punch after punch, each one faster and more powerful than the last. But with every swing, Malphas moved as though he were dancing, narrowly avoiding the attacks, his movements impossibly smooth.

"You're nothing but a child throwing tantrums," Malphas continued, his voice full of disdain. "If you keep going like this, I might actually get bored."

"You think you can keep dodging forever?" Laxus growled, his body crackling with more and more electricity as he charged in again.

Malphas simply smirked, tilting his head to one side. "You'll never land a hit. You're too predictable. I've seen it all before."

Laxus's fists missed again, and Malphas didn't even need to move far to avoid the blows—he just shifted his weight, leaning back in a casual, almost bored motion, while Mystogan's magic beams continued to fly by harmlessly.

Malphas was playing with them, and they both knew it. It was a game of cat and mouse, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't land a single hit. Malphas's movements were too precise, his mind too sharp, as if he could see the future.

Malphas smirked, his eyes glinting with malevolence as he turned his gaze back to Laxus. "Since you're so eager to suffer, little dragon," he sneered, "I'll give you the same fate as the old man."

With a simple snap of his fingers, the room seemed to shift. Laxus froze mid-charge, his eyes widening in shock and confusion. His body trembled for a moment before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

Malphas chuckled darkly, stepping over Laxus's limp form. "And now, he will once again understand why I am called the Demon of Nightmare," he said, his voice cold and taunting.

Mystogan tensed, gripping his staff tightly. "What did you do to Laxus? And what happened to Aurelius?"

Malphas tilted his head, amused by the question. "Oh, don't worry. Your precious Aurelius is still in here somewhere," he said, tapping his temple with a mocking grin. "As for the little dragon, he's simply reliving his worst fears. A special talent of mine."

Mystogan's expression hardened, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Just who... no... What are you?"

The demon let out a low, sinister laugh. "Hmmm... I'll entertain you," he said, his tone dripping with condescension, "but only if you play along and answer my questions too."

Mystogan hesitated, his mind racing, but he knew that if he wanted any chance of figuring out how to stop this demon, he had to comply. After a moment of thought, he gave a small nod.

Malphas's grin widened. He took a step forward, the tension in the room thickening. "Good. Then let's start with something simple. What should I call you, I wonder? Mystogan? Masked Mage? Or..." He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle. "Mage from Edolas?"

Mystogan's body stiffened, his breath hitching as the words struck him like a thunderbolt. He froze in place, his grip on his staff tightening as shock coursed through him.

"How..." Mystogan began, but the words caught in his throat. For a moment, he stood there, unable to hide the surprise and unease that now filled his entire being.

Malphas interrupted Mystogan's silence, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "How did I know?" he asked mockingly, his tone a maddening mixture of amusement and disdain. Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "If you can't figure it out, well... I'll be terribly disappointed."

Mystogan's grip on his staff tightened. His mind raced, yet he couldn't immediately grasp what the demon meant. He fought to stay calm, but the weight of Malphas's gaze made it difficult. His thoughts swirled in confusion, frustration building as the seconds ticked by.

Malphas's chuckle broke the silence, low and taunting. "Fine. I'll give you a hint. Think about how your dear Aurelius has been acting these past few days."

Mystogan frowned, his brows furrowing. He closed his eyes, shutting out the demon's smirk and the oppressive energy around him, trying to focus. Yet, the memories came in disjointed fragments, none of them offering a clear answer. He clenched his jaw, silently berating himself.

He sifted through his interactions with Aurelius, searching for any sign, any anomaly. But the mage who had always been so mysterious and calculating didn't seem all that different from before. Or did he? Mystogan hesitated, his confidence wavering.

"Could I have missed something?" He thought.

Then, a flicker of memory emerged—Aurelius staying in Magnolia during the initial raid. At the time, Mystogan had thought nothing of it. After all, Aurelius may have just wanted to take a break. But now, with Malphas's words lingering in his mind, it struck him as odd. Someone like Aurelius, who prioritized his family, wouldn't have stayed behind without reason.

Still, the thought wasn't enough to explain everything. Mystogan shook his head, frustrated. "No, that's not it. What am I missing?"

Another memory surfaced: Aurelius during the fight with Jose. He noticed that Aurelius hadn't gone all out, even when the odds demanded it. His spells were precise, but his full power remained untapped. Why would Aurelius hold back in such a critical moment?

The pieces still didn't fit. Mystogan's frustration grew. He dug deeper, his mind replaying the moment Aurelius revealed his left eye. His words returned with startling clarity: "This might backfire." Mystogan's eyes snapped open, his breath catching. "His left eye... What could he have meant by that?" He thought.

But doubt clouded his mind again. "No, it couldn't be..." 

Then came the memory of Aurelius's last words before splitting their roles: "You and Laxus handle Jose. I have something bigger to deal with." Mystogan froze, the pieces beginning to align, albeit imperfectly.

He racked his brain, revisiting every interaction with Aurelius over the past few days. Each moment felt like a puzzle piece falling into place. Aurelius's cryptic actions, his uncharacteristic restraint, his cryptic warnings—all pointed to one conclusion. But even as the truth loomed in his mind, Mystogan hesitated to accept it.

"No... Could it really be that?" He thought. 

The realization finally hit him like a bolt of lightning. His body stiffened as the truth crystallized in his thoughts, undeniable and terrifying. He stared at Malphas, his voice low and laced with a mixture of disbelief and understanding.

"You..." he whispered, barely able to force the word out. "You're inside him... inside his eye."

Malphas's grin widened, satisfied. "Finally," he said with mock applause. "You're not as hopeless as I thought."

Bonus Chapter:

78 more power stones.

Chapter Titles:

37: Shadows of the Mind

38: Final Judgement

39: When the Dust Settles