In an abandoned set of ruins fires were lit around the grounds. Flags bearing the symbol of a dark guild were hung on crumbling walls. A skull with its jaw wide open to let a snake slither out.
Men and women adoring dark cloaks were moving to and fro. A sense of urgency and anticipation high in the air. However, their master was anything but pleased. Within the ruins he sat on top an old thrown. At his feet a loyal servant kneeled before him shaking in fear.
"I'm going to ask you again." The Master warned. "What do you mean that the Fairy is alive?" His voice was sickly sweet, the tone in on itself was a harsh contrast against the dark energy coming off him in waves. "You said that it was clear that he was killed five years ago. Even after a stated that I wanted him alive!" The man's voice was slowly starting to rise in anger.
His servant winced at the menacing tone, trying in vain to think up an excuse that would potentially save his life.
"My lord, we were certain that we killed him after there was no signs of the body. The only traces that he had left was large amounts of blood. One of my men got too carried away sending a strong spell at the Fairy. Having him slam up against a tree and hit his head hard. That man was punished for his mistake."
"That did not answer my question, you idiot!" The Master roared.
The response was something that made the unnamed man shiver in fear.
The Master heard a soft whimper from the kneeled man, making his eyes narrow in disgust.
"One…one of our m- men saw him boarding a train to- toward the town of Magnolia." The servant stuttered in fear as he finally gave the answer his Master.
A moment of silence past where all one could hear was the commotion of the wizards outside.
The master stayed sitting on his throne contemplating the next moves his guild would have to take. Magnolia was a town that would take his entire guild days of travel. Yet, in the man's mind, a few days were mere seconds compared to the five years he had waited for the chance at revenge.
"You're stupidity has cost me years of perpetration." The man said simply.
He arose from his throne slowly, making sure that his dark magic was tangible in the air around both him and his servant.
The man at his feet was close to sobbing. His voice coming out in mere whimpers begging for mercy.
A sadistic smile formed on the master's lips. Seeing a man break down at his feet just because of his sheer presence and power was something that he would never get bored of.
After five years he was ready to exact his revenge. He was no longer going to follow the plan he had wanted to use since the beginning. He was going to go for an attack against his enemies' very hearts. An attack to the guild that ripped everything from him.
"Go and inform the entire guild that we are going to go to war. I am tired of waiting; this is going to be the end of Fairy Tail. Even if that means giving our own lives to see that happen."
The master's voice was booming when he gave the order. Something in his voice shook the walls around them. The commotion outside also was lowered. As if the guild itself was able to sense the orders its master had given.
"When you're done giving the news, come back so I can kill you for not following my orders since the beginning."
That was the last thing the master said before his servant jumped up to his feet, running towards the large double doors at the end of the room.
"Freed!" Laxus called out. His voice rose ever so slightly. Fear clear in the way he began to cling to Freed's now limp body.
"Freed, wake up!" Laxus lastly screamed.
Hs entire body was shaking with desperation, his mind coming forth with the worst case scenarios.
Was Freed alright? Had Laxus done something triggering? What caused Freed to scream and lose consciousness? What the hell was going on? Who was making them go through such hell?
Laxus pulled back to try and get a better look at Freed's face. His heart began to race when he could smell blood that wasn't his own. "Freed, please wake up." He begged.
When Laxus was far enough back, he moved a hand up to push back Freed's long green hair. As his face came to view there was blood slowly falling from his nose. His skin had taken on a sickly pale color. If no one had known better they would have thought that man in Laxus' arms was dead.
The only thing that kept Laxus from fully panicking was the warmth of Freed's skin; the clear rise and fall of his chest.
Yet, that wasn't enough to calm Laxus fully. He was on the verge of breaking down with the more he asked for Freed to wake up.
The sight the rune mage was creating caused a sick feeling to form on the bottom of Laxus' gut.
Slowly, Laxus moved the hand that pushed back Freed's hair to wipe away the blood from his nose.
"I'm not sure what's going on, Freed." He whispered softly. Wrapping his arms once again fully around Freed's body, he got up. "But I'm going to figure out what happen to you."
With one arm under Freed's knee and the other under his shoulders, Laxus was able to carry his Captain down the hallway to his room. Just like he had done the night before, but the difference was that he wasn't filled with joy, hope, and a strange calm. Laxus was filled with dread, desperation, and fear.
Freed was in pain, it was clear in the way he screamed out when Wendy had tried to get into his mind. It was also clear in the way he screamed again when he kissed Laxus.
When they made it to Laxus' room, the blonde softly set Freed down on his bed.
Pulling up the blanket just took a few moments and after that Freed was covered. A light red stain on his upper lip was still present even after Laxus wiped off the blood.
Laxus stood over the bed watching Freed for a long time. He didn't know how long, but when he got back to his senses it was well into the afternoon. Even as he walked out of the room to try and find something to eat it was near impossible to pull his eyes away from Freed's resting face.
"Get a hold of yourself man!" He growled at himself.
As he walked out of the room his body began to tingle all over. His hands shook when he tried to rub at his face. With no thought behind it he walked through his living room eyeing a small cabinet against the wall filled with the hardest liquor Laxus could afford.
Opening the small glass doors was a comfort by itself. Just knowing that soon he would find himself with a burning down his throat and an alcohol induced warmth in his stomach was enough to calm his racing heart.
He reached out for the closest bottle there was. Which was a tall slender piece of glass molded to encase vodka. However, the contents of the battle were more than half way done. That was not going to do it for Laxus. Behind the bottle of vodka was another one of whiskey. Laxus knew that the mixture that he was about to drink was something many would recommend against, but his nerves were all over the place. He couldn't calm down if he didn't at least have a shot.
"Laxus you are a drunk. That is what you have been for the past four years. Do you honestly think that this would be the best place to have Freed?"
"Shut the hell up, Bickslow. You and Evergreen don't understand. I'm not a fucking drunk." Laxus growled at the voice in his head.
As if in a complete haze, he swayed on his feet. Everything was starting to have a double in his eyes. Chills were running up and down his spine. Not waiting to be proper, or clean he pulled off the cap of the vodka and began to raise the bottle to his lips.
The moment the mouth of the bottle met his lips he took one large swig of the poison.
"What the hell does he think he's doing?" Evergreen exclaimed.
She walked back and forth in front of the Master's desk. Her cheeks were flushed with anger and her hair was pulled up to keep it out of her face while she ranted on.
"Laxus, knows that Freed shouldn't be staying with him! Especially with what he's dealing with!" She argued.
Bickslow at this point had stopped trying to calm his friend down. After the slap in the face he took the hint that Ever didn't want anyone near her. Even Elfman, who had walked up to her the moment she set foot in the guild, was shot down with a cold glare that would have turned anyone else into stone.
"Evergreen, my dear, please calm down." Makarov asked with a small smile on his face.
Of all the people who was close to Laxus, the old man was one of the few who knew to what extent the "death" of Freed had on his grandson. The poor boy locked himself in his home for weeks afterwards. Never leaving it even when there was nothing but rotten food in his cabinets and refrigerator.
Makarov had faith in his grandson in that he, even under the influence, wouldn't hurt Freed.
"I'm sorry Guild Master, but if I have to fight your grandson just to have Freed safe and away from him then I will!" Evergreen continued. There was something dangerous in her eyes. Bickslow took note of it and shot up from his chair.
He made his way to his friend of many year, taking her by the shoulder and spinning her around so she was facing both him and their master.
"Calm down!" Bickslow all but screamed.
He was in the same state as Evergreen. The last few days were the most stressful of his life. After thinking that his dearest friend had died for five year then coming to know that he had been alive all that time can take a toll on anyone. Not only that, but there was also the fact that Freed remembered nothing. The damage so far gone that even his attitude towards his old teammates was something that was a complete change.
Bickslow was angry, confused, and hurt; he didn't know what to do. Having Evergreen go off and threaten to hurt Laxus was the last straw for him. He was not going to have his friends go against each other.
"If this is what Freed wants then we are going let it be." He said sternly. "Freed wants to be with Laxus for some reason. Maybe it's because he feels something familiar with him. If that's the case then let's hope that it'll bring back his memory quicker."
When he saw the shock cross Ever's eyes, Bickslow knew that he was able to get through to her.
"Stop making this about yourself. Freed needs us more than ever. Laxus too."
Freed was in a strange state of mind. He was just floating there; suspended in air.
Somewhere ahead of him he could hear the soft murmuring of voices.
"That was easier than I thought."
"This was just a waste of time. The hell is this mission anyway."
"Sting, understand that something that we might find easy can be someone else's hardest challenge."
"Freed's right, stop complaining."
"Whatever Rogue, let's get going and collect this reward."
"Wait do you smell that?"
"What is it?"
"Bandits…"
"Bandits?"
"RUN…."
