Fairy Tail : The Eminence in the shadows

In the quiet stillness of the morning, the sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the small garden. Shadow sat cross-legged on a simple wooden bench, a subtle breeze playing with his hair. Ultear stood nearby, her arms folded, looking at him with curiosity.

He gestured for her to sit, and she complied, lowering herself onto the grass opposite him.

"Alpha," Shadow began, his voice calm and measured, "You were sent to that magic institute because your magic power, when it awakened, was far greater than your body could handle. But despite their experiments to increase it even further, you didn't die—you recovered. Do you know why?"

Ultear tilted her head slightly. "I don't know." She lowered her gaze, her voice soft. "They just used me as an experiment. They never talked to me beyond that. I was just… a lab rat."

"That's okay," Shadow replied with a soft smile. "Let me explain."

He straightened, his tone becoming instructive. "Everyone has a magic container inside their body. But this container isn't physical. If you dissect a human being, you'll find the heart, lungs, and other organs, but you won't find this so-called magic container. It exists on a non-physical level. That's why not everyone can become a mage. To awaken it requires a certain perception, often triggered by strong emotions."

Ultear nodded slowly, absorbing his words.

"Here's where it gets interesting. Because the magic container isn't bound to the physical plane, it means it has no inherent limits. Your magic power is potentially infinite. How much you can wield depends on your body's ability to handle it. That, in turn, is influenced by your talent, effort, and ability to control magic. Dragons and demons have a far greater starting point than humans because their bodies are naturally stronger and more attuned to magic. They can handle much more power from birth."

Ultear's eyes widened slightly in realization. "So… that's why…"

Shadow continued. "Limits are a part of physical nature. Without boundaries, there would be no distinction between your body and the outside world—no 'you.' The reason we don't have infinite magic power is that nature protects us. Even within our physical bodies, there are limits. For example, humans can only use 30 to 40% of their muscle potential. Any more than that, and the strain could cause severe harm, even death."

Ultear nodded, now pulling out a notebook from nowhere and scribbling furiously.

"Your condition was an example of this. When your magic awakened, your exceptional talent caused you to draw in too much ethernano, expanding your magic container beyond what your body could handle. That's why your body began to collapse."

"I understand…But why didn't I die when they pushed me even further?" Ultear asked, perplexed.

"Because their experiments forced your body to adapt. By overloading you with magic power, they placed your body under extreme stress, stimulating it to evolve. I doubt you had more than a 1% chance of survival, but you made it. That's admirable, Alpha."

Ultear blushed, lowering her head at his praise.

"Ku-hum. I'm thirsty. I need some water" exclaimed Shadow looking at Ultear from the corner of his eye

Startled, Ultear scrambled to fetch a glass of water, bringing it back quickly. Shadow sipped it with relish. "Ah, that's the perk of being an eminence in the shadows! I can see it now—I'm starting to embody it!"

"What did you say, Shadow-sama?"

"Nothing at all. Let's continue."

Ultear tilted her head in doubt but stayed silent, her attention once again on him.

"This era we live in is the most abundant in ethernano in 400 years. That abundance increases the chances of mages being born and creates opportunities for geniuses like you to emerge. Even our parents, having lived in the early days of this rich era, benefitted from it, passing those advantages down to us."

Ultear's admiration for Shadow's knowledge grew, her notebook filling quickly with notes.

"Now," Shadow said, his tone growing serious, "I'll tell you the ultimate secret of the shadow. Why can someone like me, at my age, wield magic strong enough to destroy the world?"

Ultear's excitement was palpable. She sat upright, her full attention on him.

"It comes down to three things. First, as I mentioned, the era we live in. It's incredibly rich in ethernano, creating the perfect environment for powerful mages. Second, training. I've trained my magic since the moment I was born : for ten whole focused years. I've trained more than 99,99% of the adults in this world, and I trained efficiently. Lastly—and most importantly—it's magic control."

"Magic control?" Ultear echoed.

"Yes. Nearly all the mages skip over the fundamentals, jumping straight into learning spells once they've awakened their magic power. They grow their magic and control slowly through casting. It's an inefficient and foolish approach. Magic power itself is the source of all magic. Mastering it should be the first priority. If you can control your magic power, you can control any magic in existence with ease. Most mages can't even walk on water, step on air, or fly. How tragic to waste such extraordinary potential."

He sighed. "At least, that's the case on the Ishgar continent. In the Alvarez Empire, mages receive systematic training under Zeref's guidance. They're far more disciplined. But even Zeref, for all his genius and centuries of life, has glaring gaps in his magic control. He can't even turn back a dragon slayer turning into a dragon back into human form"

Ultear blinked in surprise. "Zeref can't?" She was surprised that there was something that Zeref could not do with magic.

Shadow smirked, leaning back slightly. "He can't. And that, Alpha, is why magic control matters."

"Anyway," Shadow said, his voice shifting to a more lighthearted tone. "That's about it for the first lesson. Now comes the application."

He bent down and picked up a small leaf that had fallen onto the grass. Holding it between his fingers, he inspected it briefly before placing it gently on his forehead. To Ultear's surprise, the leaf stuck perfectly in place, defying gravity as if by magic—or, more accurately, through magic power.

Ultear's eyes widened in astonishment. "How...?"

Shadow smiled at her reaction. "This is the first step of magic control: the ability to influence something delicate using your magic power. It's deceptively simple but requires precision. Too much magic power, and you'll destroy the leaf. Too little, and it won't stick at all."

He removed the leaf from his forehead and handed it to her. "Now, give it a try."

Ultear took the leaf hesitantly, studying it as if it held the secrets of the universe. She placed it on her forehead and concentrated, channeling her magic power into it. For a moment, the leaf hovered in place, but then it crumbled into ash as her magic surged uncontrollably.

Shadow chuckled softly. "You're using too much magic, Alpha. Control is the key. This exercise isn't about strength; it's about finesse. You need to feel the leaf, understand its fragility, and channel just enough magic to support it without overwhelming it. Think of it as holding a butterfly on your finger."

Ultear frowned, her competitive nature kicking in. She took another leaf and tried again, this time using less magic. But it fell to the ground, and she groaned in frustration.

Shadow nodded approvingly. "Better. You're starting to understand. This is the foundation of everything you'll learn about magic control. Once you master this, we'll move on to more advanced techniques. For now, your task is to stick the leaf to your forehead and keep it there without destroying it. Once you can do that consistently, I'll teach you the next steps."

Ultear clenched her fists in determination, picking up another leaf and setting her focus.

Shadow leaned back on the bench, watching her with an amused yet proud expression. "You've got this, Alpha. Remember, precision over power."