“Baekhyun, do you want to do this job with me?” Chen asks, pointing at a flyer for weather control to spare agricultural crops from being flooded for the season. “It sounds perfect for us.”

 

Baekhyun walks up to read the flyer the lightning mage is pointing to, “For the entire season?”

 

“Well, spring is coming soon, so I’d say we’d be done within two or three weeks and make still make it back for the spring festival.”

 

“500,000 won. Damn, okay let’s do it. It seems easy enough.” Baekhyun suggests.

 

“The weather is a supernatural element that shouldn’t be tampered with too much.” Lay walks past the two with his hot tea.

 

“That’s true, but 500,000 won!” Baekhyun smiles brightly at the prospect of being paid so much for the job, “It even says they’ll provide housing and meals during our stay.”

 

“Alright, let’s grab it.” Chen untacks the flyer from the request board and walks up to Hyoyeon who’s manning the bar. “Hyoyeon noona, sign us up for this job.”

 

“You got it, Jongdae.” She smiles at the boys before taking the paper and picking up the phone on the other side of the bar to contact the number on the flyer. In about five minutes, she hangs up and returns the flyer to the boys with some details about directions and where to go on the back. “You’re set to go.”

 

“Thanks noona.” Chen smiles just as Baekhyun stumbles forward towards the counter from a weight that slams into his back.

 

“Are you guys going on a mission?” A cheery voice asks beside Baekhyun’s ear. Chen turns to see the newest Fairy Tail member clinging onto Baekhyun’s back like a young child getting a piggy back ride from an older sibling. Baekhyun’s hands have instinctively moved to support her legs around his hips to hold her up.

 

“We’re off to save some cabbage patches, baby doll.” Baekhyun hops to adjust the girl’s position on his back.

 

“Mind if I come along?” Tai queries.

 

That was a question Baekhyun hadn’t expected from the girl who had just jumped him. “Uhm, are you sure? We’d be gone for a while. And wouldn’t this be your first job?” he turns his head in attempt to see Tai.

 

“That’s true, but I have to start somewhere, don’t I?”

 

“I’m not sure if this would be a good job for a non-magic user. We’re not catching criminals or anything.” Baekhyun ponders.

 

Tai drops from his back gently, and when Baekhyun turns around, he regrets saying whatever he said because there’s a pout on the Chi blocker’s face, “So you don’t want me to come along?”

 

“That’s not it at all!” Baekhyun protests quickly, taking Tai’s face in his hands gently, “I’d absolutely love to bring you along, cutie. We just don’t know if this is the right job for you.”

 

“I don’t see why not.” Chen chimes in, “I think it’d be a good idea to see what happens on different kinds of jobs. Once you conquer a big one, you’ll be able to take on another one no problem.”

 

“Yay!” Tai crashes into Chen when she hugs him this time, and Baekhyun grumbles about how women shouldn’t switch around men so easily. “I won’t take any of your job money if I don’t do anything, though. Promise.” She closes one eye and makes an OK sign with one hand.

 

“Alright then,” Chen pats the girl on the head quickly, “Let’s meet up tomorrow morning at the train station. 9am.”

 

“Whoo!” Tai jumps excitedly before running off to find D.O to tell him about her first job.

 

 

>/<

 

 

“Hopefully with your help, our corn crops won’t suffer for too much longer during this season.” The head of the resident farmers’ union explains, “The storm’s been centered around the largest corn field for the past month, and it really can’t take any more damage. It’s strange because we usually don’t get storms around this area.”

 

“It looks like a tornado’s actually going to sweep across it soon.” Tai observes as she looks up at the sky.

 

“That’s what our biggest fear has been.” The farmer sighs. “Citizens keep going on about how we’ve become cursed by a spirit of nature. Do you wizards think you can do anything about this?”

 

“We’ll do our best.” Baekhyun answers with a bow, “Let’s head out.”

 

 

 

 

When the three are up on the cliff of a high mountain that’s quite far from the storm gathering sky above the corn field, Tai asks, “Wouldn’t it be more effective to get closer to the storm?”

 

“We need to scope out a source of such a random storm in the middle of such a dry area.” Baekhyun explains, “And maybe we can get a better look if we see it as a whole from farther away.”

 

“Is your light magic natural light, or do you just manipulate artificial lights?” Tai wonders.

 

“Both. I can bend the rays of light in the air and intensify or reduce the brightness of it. Even without light, I can conjure it up from my magic energy instead.” Baekhyun clarifies. “Light is energy. It comes from a lot of places; the sun, the moon, the stars. It’s all a bit romantic, don’t you think?” he winks at Tai.

 

“You’d go well with a celestial magic wizard.” Tai suggests with a bright smile.

 

“Oh. Uhm, yeah. I suppose.” Baekhyun pouts, slightly disappointed.

 

“Guys, are you seeing that?” Chen suddenly asks.

 

And they are seeing it. The storm is gathering and growing and it’s going to start raining soon. Raining hard. Baekhyun jumps down to a lower rock on the mountain cliff to get a better stance away from the others, he pulls his hands back and lifts his knee up, as if he’s about to throw a baseball, “Light magic…” he whispers and pauses for several seconds, gathering up more energy into his hands. “Beam!” he throws his hands forward and a bright white beam shoots out of his palms into the eye of the storm at the speed of light.

 

A hole erupts in the middle of the clouds, and as Baekhyun’s beam of light disperses out in a large ring in the sky, the clouds disappear. Although the storm clouds are gone, the sky is still grayish from high above. The three stare up at the sky for a few more minutes, as if waiting for something to come out, or for another storm cloud to start forming.

 

When nothing moves, Tai asks, “Is that it for today then?”

 

“I suppose…” Chen mutters, as if he were talking to himself, “There’s nothing else we can do anyways.”

 

As the three head off, Tai suggests doing some sight-seeing while they’re here and Chen casts a last glance over his shoulder at the gray sky above the corn field.

 

 

 

 

“The corn soup here is actually really good. I can see what the fuss is about.” Baekhyun mentions as the trio strolls down the road of the village market near the farm where the cornfields are.

 

“Eggs are really fresh too. If I could make the commute, I’d come here for groceries more often.” Chen agrees.

 

“What do you guys say we bring back some fresh produce to Fairy Tail and share with the others when we’re done then?” Tai suggests as she scans the many farmers’ markets along the paved road. “I think Dyo oppa would love to try these nice tomatoes.” She stops in front some juicy, ripe tomatoes ready for sale in a random produce market.

 

“You’ve grown a huge soft spot for Kyungsoo, haven’t you?” Baekhyun asks.

 

“He’s taken more care of me than anyone else in my life ever has for a while. I owe him a lot more than just my gratitude.” Tai smiles thoughtfully before continuing on down the road with the two boys. “Kai is great too, but he’s still young like me. I can tell why he sticks around Dyo oppa so much.”

 

“It’s true.” Chen nods in agreement, “Kid’s stuck on Kyungsoo like he’s the older brother he’s always wanted.”

 

“More like mom.” Baekhyun scoffs, “Kyungsoo is so much like a mom that I’m surprised he isn’t pregnant with his second child already.”

 

“Well he’s a mom that you would want, isn’t he?” Tai smiles teasingly at Baekhyun, blinking rapidly.

 

Baekhyun only replies by flicking Tai’s chin with his fingers, and attempting to tickle her before she can retaliate. Instinctively, the girl bursts out in laughter until Chen shushes the two, “Guys, hold on—“

 

“—I swear I’m not lying. My uncle told me he felt a terrible aura wandering about in the skies near the farms. He’s scared to get any nearer to it. It’s so bad that he’s even thinking of moving somewhere else for a while if not permanently.”

 

Tai and Baekhyun’s gazes follow Chen’s over to the girls chatting over outside of a fruit store while their mothers are picking ripe apples to buy.

 

“That’s so creepy. I mean, I would believe him because the storm looks pretty creepy lately, but I don’t get how spirits or whatever play into this.” One of the two girls replies.

 

“He’s always told me there’s been some sort of forest or nature spirit looking over this area because it used to be some sort of sacred land or something before we started using it to plant crops. Like, he would just travel about the area through the mist or something. That’s why we get chilly vibes in the cold weather.”

 

“Okay, you’re giving me goose bumps now. I’m sure it’ll blow over.” Her friend shakes her head.

 

“I sure hope so…” the girl telling the story her head before walking into the shop to follow her mom.

 

The three Fairy Tail members exchange looks with each other before continuing down the road. But they can’t help casting glances down towards the direction of the fields and the still grayish sky.

 

 

 

 

The next day, the Fairy Tail members return to field, actually walking within the rows of the wet soil. The gray clouds have gathered together again, and the sign of rain has returned. It seems to have gotten stronger since yesterday, despite Baekhyun having cleared up the sky. This time, Chen is the one who stands underneath the center of the storm clouds with his eyes closed and his hands together.

 

Extending his fist into the air, sparks of lightning flash around his hand and they only grow larger and larger until the blue lightning has engulfed his entire body. He gathers all the energy into his hand again and brings his elbow down, kneeling to build up more force, “Lightning magic…” he breathes, and then he throws the trail of lightning into the sky. Once the lightning is out of his hands, he takes a stable horse stance and loudly smacks his hands together above his head, “Thunderclap!”

 

Just like that, the dark clouds are thrown back in the sky, dispersing farther out of the area around the field. Baekhyun takes it upon him to toss his own beam of light into the air, creating a shining sphere of light that seems to scare off all the gray clouds that had just gathered when it disperses in the air.

 

“That was harder than yesterday…” Baekhyun notices, “Why do I feel like it’s only getting worse? And it’s only going to keep getting worse?”

 

Chen’s gaze never leaves the sky as he wonders about whatever’s going up on there in the clouds, “We’ll probably find out soon enough…” he guesses.

 

 

 

>/<

 

 

 

At the motel room that the trio is residing in that evening, Tai jumps onto Baekhyun’s bed as he’s looking through a magazine provided on the outdated rack of them in the room. The light mage looks up to meet his eyes with the cause of the rut in his bed and sits up with a smug smile as he lays the magazine to side, “Hey there, angel face. What can I do for you?”

 

“What’s the most powerful magic that you can use?” Tai asks enthusiastically.

 

“Me?” Baekhyun utters, “Uhm… Ah! I remember. It was just a few months ago. Chen and I were on a mission near the 38^th parallel…”

 

 

A dark voice cackles in the sky. No matter how where everyone turned, they couldn’t identify the source of the voice; its presence was everywhere. The moon was almost in complete alignment with the shadow of the earth, and it was becoming a reddish color. Whoever was able to soak in power from the lunar eclipse was completely utilizing it at this moment. However, instead of just the moon turning its slight red color, the sky itself was being completely absorbed in the crimson.

 

“What is this overwhelming magic…?” Chen looks down at his trembling hands before returning his gaze back into the reddening sky.

 

“It’s Rauthaz! The Red Spirit!” citizens start crying from everywhere.

 

“He’s going to destroy us!!”

 

“I haven’t gotten married yet.” A sob sounds from a maiden near an oak tree.

 

“My baby hasn’t seen the world yet…” Another woman clutching her stomach bursts out in tears.

 

And suddenly groups of people start circling together and holding hands, praying. Endless tears fall to the red shadowed ground as citizens muster up the rest of their strength to pray for a miracle.

 

“Rauthaz…” Baekhyun whispers. “Chen…”

 

“Don’t look at me like that, Baek.” Chen shakes his head with a smile, “I think we both know whose job this is.”

 

Baekhyun looks down into his palms doubtfully before turning to stare at the townspeople all gathered together in perfect faithful unity. Those people would be depending on him.

 

“You’re from Fairy Tail, Baekhyun. I believe in you.” Chen smiles encouragingly. Although it’s shaded in dark red light, Baekhyun can still make out the genuineness of his lightning mage partner. With a last nod, he claps one hand with Chen’s, feeling the surge of power of their clasps hands.

 

“Lend me your strength…”

 

“It’s all you.”

 

Then Chen pulls away, holding his clasped hands out for Baekhyun to step on. When the light mage does so, he’s boosted into the air in a streak of lightning. Baekhyun can feel the power of the lunar eclipse enveloping him as well. What feels like endless energy surges through his veins gives him the power to spin through the air and burst out in a sphere of bright white light, “Ecliptic Burst!!” he screams.

 

Baekhyun catches himself on the ground that’s still red. He’s smoking from his release of so much magical power, but it seems to have done nothing. Nothing… “Nothing…” he gasps through pants, “Nothing… There’s nothing I can do.” He pants as Chen approaches him. “Rauthaz… I can’t… I can’t…”

 

“Don’t you dare.” Chen rolls his eyes before lifting Baekhyun to his feet. “This lunar eclipse is ending. If you don’t utilize it to your full power right now, it’s over.”

 

“I can’t…” he pants again, “I don’t know any stronger magic.”

 

“You don’t need to know anything. This is your eclipse. It will tell you.” Chen looks into his partner’s eyes, “You’ll feel it. I know you will.” He smiles.

 

Baekhyun closes his eyes, hoping that his friend’s clueless encouragement towards trying to defeat such a powerful spirit that overtakes the very air they breathe won’t get him killed. But at the same time, he wasn’t so sure he would make it out alive at this point either. The light mage takes out his chain ring of keys and turns on the small flashlight attached to it. Why he ever thought he would need it when he could summon light from his very fingertips, he didn’t remember, but here it was, shining a small yellow beam into the red-filled sky…

 

He follows the yellow trail up towards the sky. His eyes land on the dark red moon that would probably remain that way for the rest of eternity if he didn’t do something about it. A world without light… what would become of him? Baekhyun continues to breathe in the energy of Rauthaz as he stares up at the red moon. It’s as if time has stopped with the rotation of the earth. What could he possibly do to get the spirit of Rauthaz to release the earth?

 

And suddenly, it’s as if there’s a voice calling out to him. It’s coming from the red moon that’s been in its ecliptic phase for far longer than it should have. It’s not a voice, but a light that seems to shine a message into Baekhyun’s very being. It’s a call. A call of encouragement. A call to not give up. A call for help. Baekhyun can’t give up.

 

The energy builds up slowly, and Baekhyun’s breath returns to him and seems to fill his lungs up to a point where it spills over. The lunar power is being absorbed into his body, and even if he wanted to stop it, he couldn’t. This is his destiny. And without even knowing the words are coming out of his mouth, he speaks, “I call upon the light of the great full moon, and all the stars in the sky, lend me your strength…”

 

Soon, Baekhyun’s body is glowing with a white light splashed with yellow – the color of the full moon. “LUNAR ECLIPSE MAGIC: ABSOLUTE LIGHT.” Baekhyun roars in a loud bellow. A large magical disk appears in the sky right above Baekhyun signaling his attack and a blanket of light explodes from the light mage, blinding anyone whose eyes remained open. The brightness is so spectacular that it covers the entire city and even crosses the border. Anyone the light touches can hear Baekhyun’s holler of power.

 

When the light finally disperses and Chen can remove his arm from his eyes, he sees Baekhyun standing right where he had been when he cast the most powerful spell he had ever seen from the light mage. Baekhyun is panting with his fists still clenched by his sides, but when he opens his eyes and looks up into the sky, there is no red that swallows the sky. The overwhelming spiritual power that had been omnipresent earlier is gone, as if it had disappeared in a wisp of the wind.

 

“You did it!” Chen laughs when he runs up to throw his arms around the light mage in a crushing hug. Baekhyun manages a tired, accomplished smile before dropping into Chen’s supportive hold.

 

 

 

“Wow…” Tai sighs as she looks up at Baekhyun with admiring eyes. She’s lying stomach down between the light mage’s legs with chin on top of her hands resting on Baekhyun’s stomach. “Have you gotten any signs from Rauthaz since then?”

 

“Luckily, I haven’t. But powerful eternal spirits like that don’t just disappear forever. Hopefully, he won’t appear for another couple hundred years, at least.” Baekhyun chuckles as he combs his fingers through Tai’s hair. His other hand is behind his head, being used as a pillow against the headboard. The position would look more than cozy to anyone who saw it.

 

Tai turns her head over to see the previously occupied bed empty, “Where did Chen go?”

 

“I don’t know…” Baekhyun sighs tiredly, his eyes starting to close.

 

And just after he says it, the door opens and Chen in his white t-shirt and pajama pants comes back in, “Guys, I think we have a problem.”

 

“What is it?” Tai asks immediately, pushing herself up from her position on top of Baekhyun.

 

Baekhyun grumpily opens his eyes and turns to his lightning mage partner at the loss of heat when Tai jumps out of the bed and cartwheels over Chen’s bed to get to the door. By the time he follows the two outside the door, the sound of thunder has already clapped against his eardrums, slapping him awake.

 

“Whoa…” The storm clouds are swirling at a frighteningly unnatural pace towards the corn field. Streaks of lightning flash across the horizon and it’s clear that this is an unnatural force controlling the storm. “Guys… What do we…”

 

“We have to go in there.” Chen states.

 

“Go in where?” Baekhyun asks.

 

He points right into the center of the gray clouds swirling in an ominous spiral, “The eye of the storm.”