Shattered Sun Chapter 2

The schedule for the next few chapters is Optimistic, Backseat, my choice, then back to voting. Hopefully, there won't be a long wait between them.

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Edited by: priapus, Marethyu

A sharp headache jolts me awake from a restless sleep, a relentless throb pulsing through my temples. I groan softly, pressing my palms against my forehead in a futile attempt to find relief. As I struggle to open my heavy eyelids, everything swirls around me, intensifying the dizziness and making it feel like the world is spinning wildly out of control. Like last time, my body feels heavy, and I can’t feel my left arm or my right eye.

I take a moment to process my situation, gasping as I recall what happened. I swallow the bile rising in my throat at the sight of my missing arm wrapped in cloth, panting for air. I’m in very bad shape, and I have to keep calm. I can’t panic. Panicking kills.

I pause to reflect on my surroundings. I’m lying on a rough fur mat near a dying campfire in the middle of a thick forest. Another larger fur mat lies on the opposite side of the campfire with a large, brown travel bag next to it.

I shake my head, tracing a hand over my face. I feel the cloth bandage wrapped around my head, obscuring my eye that I’m almost certain I don’t have anymore. How am I still alive? I shouldn’t be. That… thing destroyed my entire village. I stood no chance. Did he want to spare me? Why would he do that? After everything he did?

Tears stream down my good eye, mixing with the cool air as grief engulfs me. The physical pain of my injuries feels insignificant compared to the crushing loss of my entire family in a single night. I dig my fingers into the damp earth, clutching fistfuls of dirt and grass, sobbing uncontrollably as I pray that this overwhelming nightmare will end and I can wake up to a world where they still exist.

How could someone commit such an atrocity? What could he possibly gain from it? I just don’t get it. How could our small, close-knit village of good, decent people — merely trying to live their lives — be so mercilessly wiped out? The fate that bastard dealt them was the last thing they deserved.

Each time I close my eyes, I see it. My home in ruins. Corpses and death littering the destroyed streets. My mother lying lifeless and split in half from that monster’s spell, no doubt suffering in her last moments. My father crying his heart out, begging me with his final words before he took his last breath.

And Iris…

God, Iris. My baby sister. She was only six years old. She hadn’t even gotten a chance to live her life. She must’ve been so scared before it happened.

I couldn’t even find her before that bastard showed up.

“Why, God?” I sob. “Why? What did we do to deserve this?”

As I quietly weep to myself, all I can think and say is, ‘Why’.

Why did they have to die? Why am I still alive? Why couldn’t I just die with them? What did he spare me for?

Why, why, why?

Am I being punished for some crime I committed in a past life? Had I done something that merited a cruel fate like this in my previous life? Or was I simply unlucky? Can I really attribute this to dumb fucking luck? I just don’t get it. Even though I’ve been getting warnings from my visions, I never, ever expected something like this. For a monster to choose to descend upon my village and obliterate everything in an instant.

I should’ve told my father. The clear vision I had before my birthday party— it was ominous enough that maybe he would’ve taken it seriously. Then we could’ve prepared. Asked for protection from guilds. Or at least tried to flee. 

This is my fault. If I had spoken up earlier, maybe none of this would’ve happened.

“Still crying, lad?”

Hearing the deep, raspy voice from last night sends a horrible shiver down my spine. My fight or flight response kicks in, but I’m in too bad of a shape to do either, so I simply freeze like a deer in headlights as the bastard approaches me from the thick bushes, dragging a dead boar with him.

“One would think you’d run out of tears already.” He snorts, dropping the boar near the campfire. “You hungry?”

Why is he here? What the hell does he want from me? Why isn’t he killing me already? Isn’t that what he tried to do when I attacked him last night?

“What?” He raises an eyebrow.

Even though I wanted to know why he’s not killing me right now, what comes out of my mouth is something else.

“Why did you do that?” I ask, my tone pleading and exhausted. “What was it for?”

“Hm?”

“My village. Why did you destroy it?” I ask again. “Why did you kill everyone? What did we do to you?”

He laughs at my question—a resounding, rumbling chuckle followed by a sinister smirk.

“Why? Because I can.” He answers. “Because I felt like it.”

He lowers himself to my level, his golden irises shimmering against dark scleras, revealing not a hint of remorse. His piercing gaze delves deep into my soul, nearly overwhelming me with fear. Though he claims otherwise— despite his indifferent facade, I can feel his relentless hatred for me.

A deep wrath and hatred I should have been feeling had I not been paralyzed with terror.

“Because I’m powerful.” He adds. “Because who could stop me?”

I don’t respond, making his almost manic grin widen as he pats me on the head.

“But don’t sweat the small stuff, laddie.” He tells me, standing back up and approaching the campfire. “I’m starving, and I’m sure you are too.”

With a snap of his fingers, the dying embers in the campfire roar into a giant flame. The large man picks up the boar and butchers it using a sharp knife he took from his bag. He quickly roasts each part separately over the fire.

As he waits for the meat to cook thoroughly, the stranger goes through his brown traveling bag and takes out an old ceramic bottle with a design I’ve never seen before, which he takes a big swig from as he sits in front of the fire.

“Ah…” He sighs in satisfaction. “So what’s your name, lad?”

The entire time, I’m watching this in silence. What is he doing? What’s he planning? I don’t get it. I understand he’s the one who tried to nurse me back to health, but I don’t understand why. He tried to kill me just last night— he obliterated my fucking village, and now he’s fine with me?

What the hell is his problem?

Gradually, as the confusion begins to clear, the fear that has haunted me since the moment I woke up transforms into a simmering anger. I don’t answer him, content with glaring daggers at him.

“Not in a mood to talk, eh?” He sips from his drink.

“You killed my family.” I scowl. “Why should I ever humor a monster like you?”

“What else can you do?” He points out. “Stare at me until I drop dead? Please. You can’t be that boring, can you?”

Each and every word he utters gets on my nerves, and the only thing stopping me from blasting him with a light spell is my current lack of Ethernano and survival instincts.

“I’m sure you’re dying to know why I haven’t killed you.” He says with a smirk, making me clench my fist. “Or am I wrong?”

I bite down a snarky response because, as much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. I want to— need to know why he didn’t kill me. When he let me go the first time, it was almost a guarantee that I’d die from my injuries before I made it to another town. But then he changed his mind, knocked me out, and took me with him.

“…Cyrus,” I mutter my answer. “Cyrus Marigold.”

“Cyrus, eh?” He hums. “Well, Cyrus, you should be honored. You’re in the presence of Solaris the Profound, Great God of the Sun.”

I pause at his sudden revelation.

“Once a beacon of glory and reverence, adored by both kings seated on thrones and humble peasants toiling in the fields,” His smirk twitches. “Now a mere whisper of the past, trapped in the relentless confines of this mortal existence for all eternity.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snarl at him. “What kind of god would slaughter innocent people just because he could? Who are you to proclaim divinity?”

Instead of a verbal response, Solaris’ smirk widens as he raises his free hand. Within it, a miniature sun forms in an instant— a spell so powerful that I can feel the heat radiating off it from where I’m sitting. I quickly shield my eyes and look away as the light’s too strong for me to handle.

But beyond the heat and light, The energy I sense from that tiny spell is mind-boggling, a force so vast that it makes all my prior experiences with magic feel insignificant. Its intensity envelops me as if reality itself is shifting from its power and trembling before his might. This spell would’ve wiped my village out a million times over.

I grunt in pain, the overwhelming heat starting to get to me. Suddenly, it stops, and I slowly open my eye and look back at Solaris. I blink a few times and notice that the grass underneath the self-proclaimed god has burned to ashes, and a few trees behind him have turned into charcoal. Curiously, the meat over the fire, his fur rug, and his bag are all left untouched.

I don’t know what kind of magic this is. I’ve never felt something this heavy.

“Convinced yet?” Solaris says. “Or maybe a bigger show will do?”

Anxious, I swallow after witnessing what’s probably the most impressive display of power I’ll ever see for the next few decades. So, instead of arguing with him, I decide to move on with the conversation.

“…And what does a god want from me?” I ask after gathering the courage. “What’s so special about me that you’d wipe out my town for?”

“Special? Please, lad.” He snorts. “Knowing a few spells doesn’t make you anything special.”

I wait for him to finish.

“But I can sense latent power within you.” He continues. “No kid can do what you did back there. Makes me think maybe you have what it takes to be my champion.”

“A champion?” I parrot, almost in disbelief. “Me? You want me to serve you?”

“Serve? No, no. I’ve been served enough in my lifetime. Can’t stand the thought of it any longer.” He mutters. “Hrm, perhaps champion isn’t the right word. More so, an apprentice. A student.”

I grind my teeth together, a surge of rage coursing through me as I stare at the sheer audacity of this animal. My muscles tense, and I can feel my energy rising rapidly, threatening to spill over at any moment. First, he goes on to obliterate my town— eradicate my family, then he thinks he can just… do that? Take me as a student?

“You really think I’d accept being your apprentice?”

“Not many are taught by gods, lad.” He tells me. “I imagine it’s an honor for most.”

“I don’t care what you are.” I scowl deeply. “A god, a demon, a dragon— I refuse to work with the one that took everything from me. I refuse to work with evil.”

“Aw, the little laddie thinks he can lecture me about what’s right and wrong.” He shakes his head in amusement. “I’m a god. I’m beyond these frivolous concepts you mortals have set upon yourselves.”

“You’re no god. You’re a delusional madman drunk with power.” I accuse, struggling to get up on my feet. “What does someone like you know about good and evil?”

Solaris watches me with mild confusion, seemingly a little surprised that I can stand up.

“Please. Enlighten me.” He snorts, his tone one of mockery. “Lad narrowly escapes death and believes he's gained wisdom.”

“We don't do good just because we can; we do it because it's the right thing to do. We choose to act virtuously because it aligns with our principles. These values set us apart from those who live thoughtlessly, like mindless common monsters.” I claim, ignoring his ridicule as I walk closer to him, my wobbly legs doing their best to carry my weight. “You don’t have principles or values. You’re not above anything. You’re a slave to your instincts and desires. You’re just like any Vulcan or Demon that deluded himself into thinking he’s something grand.”

Solaris responds with a quiet hum as I stand in front of him. My one good eye narrows, filled with a fierce, seething hatred unlike anything I’ve felt before. The intense emotions make my magic feel like it’s about to explode. If not for my injuries weakening it, I wouldn’t be able to contain it properly.

“And one day, you’ll get what’s coming for you,” I growl. “Either by my hands or someone else’s, you WILL die screaming.”

The air around us feels heavy with tension, and as I lock my eye onto his, every fiber of my being screams at me to flee. Begs me to run away from a fight I can never win as they clash with my overwhelming hatred telling me to hurt him just as he had hurt me. To return the favor a thousandfold.

After a moment, Solaris responds.

“Is that a fact now?” He laughs, not taking me seriously at all. “Well, consider me intrigued, little laddie.”

My right hand balls into a fist as my scowl deepens, but instead of attacking with what little magic I have or resorting to insults, I simply walk away. Not back to the fur mat I slept on, but somewhere else.

“Hm? Where are you going?” The self-proclaimed god asks. “Meat’s just about to be cooked.”

“I’d rather starve than eat anything made by you.” I hiss. “I’m leaving.”

“Walking away from a god’s generous offer, are you?” He chuckles. “I don’t usually take such insolence lying down, lad.”

I say nothing as I leave him alone and limp away, my body flaring in pain with every step. I don’t know where I am, but I can figure it out once I’m out of this forest. I have the means to with my scrying spell.

I need to go back home. There’s something I have to do.

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– Solaris –

As dawn's light spilled over the shattered town, the Profound felt a pang of disappointment. He sighed, acknowledging that this wasn't his finest achievement—far from it. Normally, he wielded his powers with precision, erasing traces of existence so thoroughly that even the rubble seemed to dissolve into nothingness. Yet here, the broken structures remained.

Then again, it wasn’t every day he would wipe out a town like that. More often than not, he’d be satisfied by getting rid of most of the Marigolds and leaving one of them alive. It was a tradition at this point, and he found no reason to involve random bystanders in his personal grudge. Not out of mercy, but he simply found it pointless. Killing townsfolk gave him no pleasure.

However, this time, they were unlucky to be caught in the crossfire. Ah, if only he hadn’t accidentally rolled over his bag in his sleep and shattered the last bottle of Dragnof Wine he’d had. Safe to say that Solaris had woken up very irritated and decided to take his anger out on that family of heretics.

Of course, once the spell had ended, Solaris felt immediate regret, as none of the Marigolds were left. In his fury, he had extinguished the last of the bloodline. Now, the family he had vowed to haunt until the end of time was free from his wrath, leaving him with the bitter aftermath of his rage.

Truthfully, Solaris had been on the verge of wiping out all of Fiore. If he couldn’t spend the rest of his miserable eternity torturing that accursed bloodline, then there was no point in holding back. He would fight, kill, and destroy until nothing remained. That was until a curious little head popped out of the rubble, calling out for an ‘Iris’.

And Solaris knew it. He could feel it in his bones. That boy was one of them— the only surviving human in this entire town was a Marigold. It was a miracle. How had a mere child survived his attack? It was as if destiny had decided that this was not the way their centuries-old feud would conclude. Solaris was thrilled. That was not how he’d wanted things to end.

Solaris walked through the ruined town, stepping over the rubble. The smell of charcoal and dust filled his nostrils as he searched for the boy. An impudent child like the rest of his blasted bloodline. For him to dare to simply walk away from the Great God of Sun… Truly, nothing could get under his skin better than the Marigolds. Although, admittedly, Solaris had found it equally amusing, he would have torn the boy apart had he not interested Solaris so much.

It hadn’t taken him long to find the boy in a destroyed grass field near his decimated home. With one arm, he rested on a shovel made from his light magic, panting in exhaustion next to three graves. Solaris could quickly tell that the boy had taken all this time to bury his parents and someone else, probably another family member. He honestly found it impressive. He was in no position to walk, much less strain himself that much.

The boy was silently sobbing in between exhausted gasps beside the graves of his family, whispering something to himself. Solaris could barely pick up a few words— primarily the one he’d been desperately crying out after his attack. ‘Iris’.

Although he didn’t particularly care what it meant.

“How tragic.” Solaris mocked as he approached the boy. “For a child to bury his own parents.”

Cyrus quickly wiped his tears with a deep scowl.

“What the hell do you want now?” He growled. “I already told you I have no intent to join you.”

“Of course, of course.” The God of the Sun snorted. “But what are you going to do now, lad?”

“None of your damn business.”

“Is it?” He raised a brow. “Your fate rests in the palm of my hands, lad. I’ve already decided to take you as my champion.”

“Or what?! What are you gonna do if I refuse?! Kill me?!” Cyrus met his relaxed gaze with a furious glare, hot tears rolling down his left cheek. “You think threatening me will make me do what you want?! You think I’m scared of death after what you’ve done?!”

Solaris remained silent.

“By all means, do it! Kill me!” He cried. “If you feel a speck of remorse, then finish the job! The least you can do after taking everything from me is send me to my family!”

“Now, why would you want that…” Solaris squatted down to his level. “When you can have your revenge instead?”

The boy’s words seemed to have gotten caught in his throat as he flinched, not having expected that response at all.

“You want to kill me, lad?” He asked with a smirk, staring deep into Cyrus’ soul. “Then I’ll give you the means to do so.”

“W-what…?” Cyrus stepped back.

“To kill dragons, you use Dragon Slayer Magic. To kill demons, you use Devil Slayer Magic.” Solaris opened his palm, creating a tiny ball of sunlight in it. “And to kill gods, you use God Slayer Magic.”

The sphere of sunlight changed, transforming into a dark orb surrounded by a halo of light radiating brilliance, almost like a miniature eclipse. Not unlike the spell he had used to obliterate this town.

“Of which I can teach you.” He offered, closing his fist and crushing the dark orb. “A force unmatched in our world. The unrivaled power of the stars at your fingertips.”

Offering power to a blasted Marigold… Truly, Solaris never thought the day would come.

Few children possessed such a vast reservoir of Ethernano. Indeed, Solaris had encountered experienced wizards who were far less powerful than the Marigold child. The boy's abilities appeared to be exceptionally rare. When he first came to the town, he hadn’t detected anything significant. It was certainly more than the norm, but when the boy allowed his anger to take over, his power had soared to extraordinary levels.

It had given him an idea. One so absurd that it could very well be what he needed after all these countless years of suffering as a mortal. Perhaps what he truly needed was a champion. One of his own making. One that was part of the bloodline that had committed the most grievous sin against him.

The thought of a savior born from the veins of his adversary, destined to wield the power to free him, filled Solaris with mirth. How ironic.

“I’ve told you before, lad,” Solaris added. “You have potential. To be the first-ever God Slayer trained by a god.”

“What are you saying?” Cyrus asked. “Why are you telling me this? What do you get out of it?”

The God of the Sun did not answer. Instead, he stood back up and grinned at the kid.

“I won’t force you.” He said, ignoring the boy’s questions. “But this is your last chance.”

He glanced at the rising sun and spoke again.

“If you refuse to follow me, I can promise that you will never see me again.” He stated. “I won’t disturb you. I won’t cause you any harm. It’ll be as though I’ve been a figment of your imagination. However, you would forever miss your opportunity to seek retribution for your town.”

Solaris looked back at the boy.

“But if you come with me, I will train you. Teach you how to utilize ultimate power.” He vowed. “So one day, you could avenge every life I’ve ever taken. Be a hero to countless souls. A true godslayer.”

For once, Cyrus listened. He thought about his words. He considered taking his offer. But of course, he would.

“The offer’s on the table,” He said. “And the choice is yours.”

For a moment, as Solaris walked away from the boy, silence settled between them. The boy stood still next to the graves of his family, still silently grieving as the Profound had left him alone. It almost seemed as if Cyrus had simply lost his will to live.

As he made it past what remained of the town’s southern gate, the God of the Sun grinned. He’d felt the boy’s hesitation. Rather, it was still there as he began walking. But the fear and despair that had nearly crushed him just minutes ago were overpowered by an overwhelming desire for vengeance, burning as bright as the sun itself.

With an opportunity to strike back at the one that had obliterated his beloved family, his despair had turned into loathing. Into unyielding anger. Even if it meant spending years under Solaris’ tutelage, the boy would do anything to get his revenge.

The Profound turned his gaze over his shoulder, observing as Cyrus limped along, his pace uneven and strained. The intensity of the fury in Cyrus's left eye was exceptional, pushing his body to do what should be impossible for someone in his terrible state.

Oh yes. He would do very well as a student.

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– Makarov –

“Seems we’ve beaten the council here.” The S-class mage muttered as he stopped the vehicle. “But…”

“Oh gods above…” Makarov whispered in horror, getting out of the vehicle. “This can’t be…”

As Makarov Dreyar stood before the ruins of what had once been a lively town, he was shocked to his core. The streets were littered with crumbled bricks, twisted metal, shattered glass, and burnt wood. Homes and stores were reduced to charred remnants of what they had once been.

The vile smell of rotten corpses filled the air, and not a single building stood intact; all were either collapsed or teetering on the brink. Makarov's heart ached as he surveyed the scene, unrecognizable from the vibrant place he used to know.

When he’d gotten the news a few days ago, he had hoped that it was mere exaggeration. A mistake. He had prayed that those damning reports were wrong. Makarov was willing to confirm them himself, wishing that he’d be pleasantly surprised when he arrived.

The other Wizard Saints had told him to stand down and let the council’s investigators figure out who could’ve been behind this, but Makarov couldn’t stay put. Many good friends of his lived in this town. He needed to see it with his own two eyes, and a part of him almost regretted it.

“It’s really gone.” His orange-haired guildmate muttered, equally shocked as the master. “I never thought— I could’ve never imagined something like this would happen.”

It was unfathomable. For a town to completely disappear from the surface of Earthland in an instant without anyone being aware for several days. Never before had anything like this occurred—could a powerful monster or something similar have stirred nearby? 

No, it couldn’t be. Otherwise, the capital would’ve already noticed and sent someone to hunt it down. A band of thieves, perhaps? Or maybe the actions of a Dark Guild for some unknown purpose?

But what could motivate someone to commit such an act? Tulip Town held no unique appeal. It lacked the riches that would attract a raid, and as far as Makarov knew, it possessed no magical treasures of worth. 

Even if it did have something valuable, who would choose to annihilate it? It all seemed illogical. None of this made sense, not when this town was positioned between Crocus and Magnolia. Only a fool lacking in self-preservation would do such a thing.

“Master.” Gildarts glanced at Makarov. “Could it be related to that bright light we saw a few nights ago?”

Makarov didn’t know. It had happened so suddenly: As the moon reached its peak, a sudden, blinding light flashed for an instant before quickly disappearing. Had he not left the window open that night, he wouldn’t have noticed anything. In fact, only he, Gildarts, and Ivan had seen it.

Although Makarov’s son hadn’t shown any interest in that strange event, thinking it was something stupid the capital was doing, Gildarts seemed to have shared the Guild Master’s bad feeling, as he, too, had felt a trace of magic coming from whatever that was. But neither of them had had the time to investigate, and Makarov had come to sorely regret that decision. He should’ve trusted his gut.

“I mean, it came from this direction, didn’t it?” He added. “We thought it was from the capital at first, but now I’m starting to think otherwise.”

“That could be the case.” Fairy Tail’s Guild Master nodded. “Let’s look for clues.”

“Understood,” Gildarts said, stepping forward with a focused frown.

For a moment, Makarov remained motionless and thoughtful. That light… what could it have been? Where had it come from? Something about how it appeared rang a bell, but he couldn’t put a finger on it.

Quickly growing tired of staying in one place, Makarov navigated the desolate town, where crumbling walls and broken glass spoke of devastation. He searched the wreckage of buildings, looked into abandoned homes, and rummaged through the remnants of stores, using his Giant Magic to enlarge his hands, seeking any clue that might reveal what had happened here.

He didn’t know how long he spent in his investigation, but after a while, he had noticed one thing. Across his examination, one thing remained consistent: the faint traces of magic slightly different from anything he had ever felt before. Some kind of Lost Magic? That was the only thing that could spell total devastation in such a manner.

Eventually, he stumbled on a house where the traces felt much more noticeable. He didn’t know why— it was as if whatever magic was used to destroy this town was concentrated on this spot in particular. How bizarre.

Using his large hands, Makarov carefully carried the debris out of the way, looking for any clues. Amidst his search, a small shiny object reflected the light of the sun in his eyes, making him blink. Spotting the object, he picked it up and examined it up close.

A golden locket with a black gem at the center. The piece of magic jewelry shimmered in his hand, and Makarov could sense a drop of magic from it. This wasn’t the first time he had stumbled on something like this, so as he infused it with a bit of his Ethernano, the gem faded away and showed him a family photo, making his eyes widen in recognition.

This is Arthur’s home. Makarov thought, eyes flickering to the children in the photo. One boy, one girl. So this is what they look like, huh…

While he had never personally met them, he had known about them from Arthur. There hadn’t been a letter that he’d sent to Makarov without gushing about his kids. Rather, most of his letters were praising how cute and talented they were. That one day soon, he’d send his eldest his way so he could join Fairy Tail.

…But he had also sent vague yet foreboding letters, mentioning that his time was approaching. The curse of his bloodline was coming to take him away. He’d never specified when or how, and Makarov felt that Arthur didn’t know either, but the man had sworn by the curse. Once a Marigold had children, his or her life was forfeit. The ‘sun’ would pass judgment for something their ancestors had done.

Was that what happened? Did this curse have some truth to it after all?

“Master!” Gildarts called. “I might’ve found something!”

Makarov stared at where the S-class member was before heading toward him. Near the house in a grass field devastated by whatever had attacked the town, Gildarts was examining three graves that were left strangely untouched.

“These are recently made.” The Crush Mage said, tracing a hand over one of the gravestones. “They have to be.”

“You’re right.” Makarov nodded. “Otherwise, whatever happened here would’ve destroyed these stones.”

“Meaning there’s a survivor,” Gildarts concluded. “And whoever it is can tell us what happened here.”

The Fairy Tail guild master paused as he thought deeply. There were no names on the stones, but Makarov didn’t take long to connect the dots. He looked at the locket again, then at the house, then back at the graves.

“One of the Marigolds is still alive,” Makarov said, pocketing the locket. “Gildarts.”

“Yes, Master?”

“I’m giving you a mission of utmost importance.” He looked at the S-class mage with a resolute frown. “Track them down and bring them to Fairy Tail.”

“Understood.” Gildarts nodded, equally as determined.

Makarov felt a deep sorrow for them, imagining the horror of witnessing their loved ones' deaths. The heavy burden of being the lone survivor of such a terrible tragedy, having to bury their own family. The mere idea of one of their children being the one to do it was enough for the Guild Master to make a vow.

Whoever was responsible for this would pay the price a hundredfold.