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[FT: O King of the Fairies] Chapter 76
🕑 Added 2025-04-21 11:04:34 +0000 UTCTime flew faster than I’d ever expected. The guild had become this odd, yet strangely predictable chaos—missions, fights, laughter, and Natsu challenging anyone with a pulse. And honestly, it was starting to wear thin.
When Natsu first showed up, he was like a force of nature—loud, brash, and always stirring up trouble. But somehow, over time, his energy rubbed off on everyone. Gray? Natsu's rival. Erza? His punching bag... figuratively, of course. And Jellal? Poor guy probably has a mental script ready for his “I didn’t sign up for this” speech. You could see it in his eyes—he was probably thinking, How did I end up here? Wasn’t I just minding my business?
And then there was Makarov. I swear, every time Natsu got into a fight—whether with Gray, Erza, or some unlucky guild member—Makarov aged a decade. His hair was turning whiter by the day, his patience thinner than ever.
The old man would sigh dramatically, rub his temples, and I’m sure he was seriously considering a vacation far, far away from Natsu's chaos.
I had to admit, though, Natsu was a big part of what kept Fairy Tail... alive. It was a nonstop whirlwind of absurd challenges and constant bickering, but somehow, it was also an adventure.
I’d just returned from a mission—a lazy one, the kind where you didn’t have to do much except show up and flex. What I was really craving was some quiet time—y’know, the kind where you could just sit and do nothing without being bombarded by noise and chaos.
Of course, the universe had other plans.
Before I even stepped inside the guild hall, I heard it. That unmistakable, ear-splitting laughter of Natsu, echoing down the hall.
I groaned inwardly. Here we go again.
“Let me guess, Natsu… You’re about to challenge me to a fight again?” I didn’t even need to look up; I already knew the answer. It was always the same song and dance with him.
Sure enough, seconds later, his footsteps pounded toward me. “Aiden!” His voice boomed like an over-caffeinated battle cry. “You’re about to see the new, improved Natsu Dragneel in action! I’ve been training, and this time, I’m gonna beat you!”
I didn’t flinch. Instead, I rubbed my temples, already feeling the migraine forming. This wasn’t the first time he’d said this. Heck, it wasn’t even the fiftieth. Natsu had been challenging everyone—me, Laxus, Gray, Erza, even Jellal. If it had a pulse, it was a target.
“Really? Again, Natsu?” I stretched, cracking my neck for dramatic effect. “Every time you challenge me, it ends the same way. You get cocky, I get bored, and then you end up looking like a burnt marshmallow.”
He pouted, making an exaggerated face like he was holding back tears—or maybe prepping for some dramatic speech. “This time’s different, I swear! I’ve got a new technique—check it out!”
Before I could respond, he flared up into a ball of flames and struck a ridiculous fighting stance. It was a show, and we both knew it.
I raised an eyebrow and leaned back, arms crossed. “Natsu, you’ve said that every single time. Every. Single. Time. You’re starting to sound like a broken record.”
He growled, flames licking at his arms as he bounced on his heels. “It’s true this time! You won’t know what hit you!”
I sighed and flicked my wrist, making a sword appear from my Celestial Inventory. “Alright, Natsu. You want to go? Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Without another word, he charged at me like a flaming wrecking ball, his punches leaving fiery trails behind. I dodged his first swing effortlessly, and without missing a beat, I blocked his second with my sword.
He tried again, this time launching a barrage of fireballs at me, but they were so slow and predictable, I barely had to move to deflect them with a flick of my wrist.
His flames crashed to the ground around me, and for a brief moment, I considered letting him land a hit just so he could feel a little accomplishment. But then I remembered the constant cycle of this nonsense, and I decided against it. He didn’t need a hollow victory.
I caught his fist mid-punch with a swift, practiced movement, using my enhanced strength to push him back. He flew several meters before landing flat on his back.
“Is that really all you’ve got, Natsu?” I asked, giving him a bored look as he groaned from the ground.
“I’m not done yet!” he shouted, still trying to get to his feet, but his flames were flickering, his stance wobbly.
“I’m serious, Natsu. You’re not going to win. Not today, not tomorrow, not next week.” I crossed my arms. “You keep challenging everyone, thinking that’s going to make you stronger. But you need to stop fighting with pure rage and start thinking. And I’m not talking about thinking like, ‘How do I burn this guy?’ I mean thinking—using your head for something other than charging in all reckless.”
He slumped, frustration clouding his face, but the fire in his eyes remained. “I’ll get you one day... I swear it!”
I chuckled, shaking my head. “Yeah, good luck with that, kid.”
As Natsu sulked off, muttering something about next time, I couldn’t help but reflect on how this routine had become second nature. He had this relentless fire, no pun intended. Every time he lost, he promised to get stronger. And every time, he lost again. But it never seemed to bother him.
I had to admit, there was something admirable about his tenacity.
With a heavy sigh, I flopped back down onto the couch, finally ready for some peace. Then, of course, my Lacrima buzzed.
It was a message from Alma.
Her words were short, but there was an urgency in the tone that made me sit up straighter:
“Aiden, we need to talk as soon as you get back. It’s important.”
I stared at the message for a moment. Alma wasn’t usually one for drama, so if she said it was important, I knew it was.
I quickly typed back,
"I’m on my way. What’s going on?"
A moment later, another message popped up.
"When you get here, we’ll talk."
Typical Alma. No details, just that cryptic vibe.
I dropped the Lacrima back onto the table, already bracing for whatever this conversation would bring. With a sigh, I made my way home.
As soon as I walked through the door, I saw her standing by the window. There was something different about her today—a quiet tension I couldn’t place. Something in her eyes felt distant, almost sad.
I raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on, Alma?”
She turned slowly, her expression unreadable. When she finally spoke, it was with a kind of heaviness I’d never heard from her before. “Aiden…” she said, her voice softer than usual, “I’ve been thinking a lot. And there’s something I need to tell you. Something I’ve been holding in for a long time.”
My heart skipped. “What’s wrong? You’re making me nervous.”
She took a deep breath and looked at me with eyes that seemed older than usual. “I can’t do this anymore, Aiden.”
I felt like the ground had shifted beneath me. “What do you mean? You’re scaring me.”
Alma’s voice was steady, but the sorrow that tinged it felt like a weight pressing down on me. “I thought I wanted this life—wanted to be by your side, to fight beside you, to share in everything that comes with this power. But the more I think about it, the clearer it becomes. I can’t live like this. I can’t keep pretending.” She paused, her eyes distant, almost lost. “I don’t want immortality. I just want to live… simply.”
The words hit me like a physical blow. I froze, feeling the air leave my lungs. “Alma… no… You don’t mean that.”
Her gaze met mine—steady, but with an undeniable finality that I couldn’t ignore. “I do, Aiden. I can’t be part of this world anymore. Not like this. Not anymore.”
My chest tightened painfully. “But… Alma, I can give you a normal life. We could have peace. You don’t have to carry this burden any longer. I swear to you, I’ll make sure of it.”
Her eyes hardened, and her voice took on a quiet strength, one I wasn’t sure I’d ever hear from her. “You can’t, Aiden. You know you can’t.”
My heart skipped a beat, my mind racing. “What do you mean? Why can’t I? I’d do anything.”
She shook her head slowly, as if she were trying to force the words out, each one heavier than the last. “Aiden, we both know the truth. I’m not like you. I’m not built for this. When you revived the others who died in the battle against that creature, I realized you would do that for me, over and over again. I thought it would be fine, that I’d accept it. But…” She paused, her voice faltering. “But I was wrong.”
The weight of her next words crushed me. “I don’t want that. I don’t want to be brought back. I don’t want to live forever, not like this. I want a life—a normal one. I want to grow old with you, to have children, to die with you when the time comes.”
My heart shattered, and I reached for her, desperation rising in my throat. My voice was a whisper, a plea. “Alma, no. You… you. Please, don’t say that.”
She closed her eyes, as if bracing herself for the impact of what she had to say next. The weight of her words felt like a final nail in a coffin I didn’t want to acknowledge. “I love you, Aiden. But I can’t keep have this life, this future—the burden of it. I'm not that strong.”
The air around me seemed to vanish, leaving only the suffocating silence. “Alma… please…”
Her eyes remained closed, a silent tear slipping down her cheek as she turned away, and in that moment, I realized nothing I said could change her mind.
She stepped back, her gaze resolute. “Love isn’t enough, Aiden. Sometimes you have to let go... because you know it’s the right thing to do. And I need to live for myself, without all of this.”
I stood there in stunned silence, my mind racing to process her words. Alma’s decision—it felt like a punch to the gut. The life I had always envisioned for us was slipping through my fingers, no matter how tightly I held on. The weight of it pressed down on my chest, suffocating me with every breath I took.
I wanted to argue. To tell her that she didn’t have to leave, that we could find a way to make it work. But I knew, deep down, that it wouldn’t change anything. She had already made up her mind, and nothing I said would alter that.
"I don't want to lose you," I whispered again, the words feeling hollow as they left my mouth.
Alma stepped back, her shoulders stiff, her eyes full of a sadness that mirrored mine. She wanted this. She needed this. The idea of immortality was more than she could bear. The world I had chosen, wasn’t something she could fit into—not in the way she wanted.
“I’ll always love you, Aiden,” she said, her voice quiet but resolute.
I wanted to scream, to make her stay, but I couldn’t. Not when I knew she was right. It wasn’t fair to ask her to change. Alma deserved a normal life.
I took a slow, shaky breath, forcing myself to swallow the lump in my throat. “If you need to go, Alma… then go.”
She nodded, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I’ll never forget you. You’ve meant more to me than anyone ever will.”
I reached out, hesitating just for a moment before gently brushing the tear from her cheek. It felt like an eternity as I stood there, locked in a moment I wished I could freeze, wishing things were different. But they weren’t. And neither of us could change that.
Alma gave me one last lingering look before turning and walking away. The distance between us seemed to stretch for miles with every step she took, her figure growing smaller until she disappeared around the corner.
I stood there, staring at the empty space where she had been, the realization of what was happening settling into the pit of my stomach like a stone. The love we shared, the bond we had—it was no longer enough to overcome the chasm between our worlds. And now, I was left to figure out how to live without her.
I let out a shaky breath, my legs threatening to give way beneath me. My chest felt hollow, like something essential had been ripped away.
I wanted to scream. To hit something, to fight back against the overwhelming wave of emotions crashing over me. But there was nothing I could do. Alma had made her choice. And now I had to live with it.
With a heavy heart, I turned and walked toward the door, the weight of the world pressing down on me as I stepped outside. The guild, the people, the world—it all seemed so far away now. I had no idea how to move forward. How could I? My entire life had just been shattered in a single conversation.
And as I walked away, I couldn’t shake the thought that the hardest part wasn’t saying goodbye—it was realizing that sometimes, love just isn’t enough to keep two people together.
—
Author's Note
So yeah… this happened.
Originally, I planned for this moment like 10–20 chapters ago. When I first introduced Alma, I honestly thought she’d only be around until chapter 40. But then she grew on me—hard. I fell in love with her character and really wanted her to be the endgame.
But the more I wrote, the more I realized something important: Alma never wanted anything grand. She wanted a simple one.
And Aiden? He’s on a whole other path. A bigger one. A louder one. The kind of life where “growing old” isn’t even on the table.
So yeah… I couldn’t force it. As much as I wanted it to work, it just wouldn’t be fair to either of them.
Anyway, enjoy the chapter!
Comments
Hunter Hardin
Makes sense. The MC and her are just fundamentally incompatible in terms of goals. You can’t really build a relationship together when that happens. Honestly, it’s refreshing to see. So often in stories the character meets “the one”, falls in love instantly, and they eventually - after many tribulations - get a happy ever after. Which almost never happens in real life
CosmicUniverse
super abrupt so I hope his recovery is just as quick.
