Chapter 25
The Gate Has Been Opened
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic, and Ideas
She was floating in a pitch black ocean, falling down into the deep nothingness. Her breath was gone, her lungs were screaming for air... Everything went cold, her body was frozen in the ice-cold waters wrapping around her unmoving body...
The water is swirling endlessly, currents that pound against her body and battered her over and over until she began to bruise... The currents of raw and foreign Magic Power radiating all around... A power that choked her, rammed into her body, went straight through her and shook her bones. A power both evil and good at the same time, light and dark... Ancient... A power unlike anything she had ever felt, it was too powerful, to different, too diverse...
She couldn't move, everything was numb... What happened...?
Malunafrey... Salengoreath... Nivndorr... I... Was controlled... I opened the gate... I let loose this power... And now...
Its consuming me...
What of everyone else? They were all there when I spoke those damn words... What happened after I said them? Is everyone alright...?
Damn it... This is exactly why I didn't want anyone to come looking for me...
... Who wanted this...? ... Who... Controlled me...?
She could feel the Power tearing out at her body, engulfing her being in its grip, slowly eating away at her... She couldn't feel the pain it caused, she was too numb, and slightly thankful for it. She could feel the power tearing away at the flesh on her arms and legs slowly, starting at her hands and feet while slowly making its way up her body.
What was she supposed to do? There wasn't any way to stop this... 'Salengoreath' from consuming her, it was too powerful... Perhaps it was for the best...
If it consumed her, maybe everyone else would be spared... If they were still alive..
She wanted to laugh, how pathetic was this? She had let herself walk into this, she had let herself be controlled, let herself be forced to open a gate to an ancient power she had instinctively known was dangerous, and now... She was so ready to give up...
When have I ever given up this easily...? After all of this... Being consumed by this massive power would be the end of her...
She wouldn't have any chance to reverse the process, to try and consume the Power herself... There was too much, her body wouldn't be able to handle it all, she would be torn apart...
Not that that wasn't already happening now though.
She wasn't afraid to die... Not after all this time... She just wished she knew that everyone else was alright...
'Frea!' A voice called out, catching her attention in the silence. Now she knew that voice... She had heard the same voice call her name just before she opened the door...
Earlier-
Everything fell apart.
The ground split open under their feet, just as the cliff-face they were facing opened wide to reveal a tunnel spilling red and black Magic, the flames of the power licking at their faces as they fell into the hole under their feet.
The earth and air were shaking violently, everything was falling around them, the stone pillars and statues had exploded just before the ground split open.
Everyone let out yells of surprise once they began to fall, the Exceeds tried to fly and catch a few, but their Magic imploded upon entering the chasm swallowing them up, sending them down into the depths of black.
Several others tried to prevent them and the others from falling, but they suddenly found their Magic wasn't working, and they were unable to grab onto anything either.
They were falling for a very long time, down down into ever darkening darkness. They fell in silence, all sound had faded from the world, and everyone of their minds began to ebb away as they were constantly bathed in the waves of the immense power that had exploded around them when Frea spoke the words;
Giteh, Tegal uf de Hilarrn.
The last thing they saw before they fell, was Frea being consumed by the Magic she had unleashed, disappearing into the tunnel of darkness that had opened up in the cliff-face.
They never hit the bottom.
'Frea!' The voice called again. It wasn't the only one in the darkness, there were others...
Cold laughter made her slowly beating heart speed up, her blood run cold, and her body fill with an unwanted, pure fear she couldn't stop... A fear that made her tremble slightly. She recognized that laugh, she hated that she knew it... But none-the-less, it scared her...
"Frea! Don't you ever learn, you stupid girl?" The cold voice laughed, getting closer. "You're a monster whether or not you have those demons inside of you, don't you see you've killed your friends?"
Out of the darkness, the world lit up with dark golden and red light, before her manifested the shadowy form of the one thing she never wanted to see again.
"K-Kasumi..." Frea stammered, eyes growing wide and instinctively trying to back away, only to find she was stuck in place.
Kasumi smiled sickly, looking to be enjoying herself a little too much. "You've doomed them, Frea." She hissed, inching closer. Frea trembled more at the close contact, she hated her reaction, but her mind wasn't working properly anymore, she couldn't think straight... "They are going to die, and its all your fault." Kasumi snickered, her green eyes lighting up with pleasure unlike anything she had ever seen in the woman, a dark pleasure that chilled her to the core, making her even colder than she already was. "You let this happen... And now the world will be consumed."
Crux's words rung in her mind, 'The only piece of information that may be relevant, is that today is a day that is said, that the border between the planes of existence between those of the living, and those who are dead, becomes thinner than it ever has for one day only... This is only an old cogger's tale, however.'
There was no way... That could actually be true, could it...?!
Kasumi ran her long thin fingers against her cheek, smiling sadistically. "I was hoping to see you again..." She smiled. "... So I could tell you what happened after you took down Shadow, it was really quite something." She laughed, her grin becoming wider, eviler, she looked almost mad.. It made her heart stop when she saw it.
"You didn't kill that Demon, girl." Kasumi hissed. "Shadow lives on in a different form... As do I." She grinned, Frea went deathly still.
No... No there... That couldn't...!
'Enough!' The first voice boomed around them, the shadowy form of Kasumi disappeared in a flash of white and lavender. Frea scrunched her eyes closed and shook her head furiously. That had to be a lie, this Magic is invading my head and playing with me!
'Frea.' The voice said gently, she could feel light shining down on her, she was growing warmer in the presence of it, and the pain was becoming more noticeable with it. She slowly opened her eyes to see a great Dragon floating in the darkness before her, looking sadly at her with her deep purple eyes.
"Chaitanya..." Frea murmured, her body stopped trembling upon seeing her mother in the gloom, her unwanted sudden fear was replaced with sadness. "... That wasn't true.. Was it...?" She asked slowly, that was perhaps her one true fear.. That somehow Kasumi or Shadow had survived that fight as she had...
'Do not believe the ghosts of the past.' That was all Chaitanya had to say on the matter. 'You're stronger than that, you've learned not to dwell on matters of the past, dear one.' Frea let out a low sigh, Chaitany's words calming her even more.
'Frea... Dear one... I'm afraid you've unleashed something terrible.' Chaitanya murmured, looking sadder than ever. 'This power is going to consume you entirely, and when it has done so, it will move on to consume your friends, and eventually the rest of the world.'
"What am I supposed to do?" Frea whispered. "I can't stop it... I..."
'No, you cannot stop this alone. Nor can you consume the power yourself and control it, it will kill you if you try. You're not strong enough as you are now.' Chaitanya said lowly. 'This Magic must be sealed away again, before it has the chance to kill you and everyone else.'
"How am I supposed to do that? I can't move..." She whispered. "... I'm so stupid, I can't believe I let this happen..."
'.. You were controlled, dear one.' Chaitanya murmured sympathetically.
"By who?" Frea muttered. "Whoever it was, I couldn't feel their Energy taking over me, I couldn't resist it... They called me Malunafrey, what the hell is that?" She wanted answers, "Why was I the one able to open the gate? What does any of this have to do with me?!"
'I don't know who controlled you, their presence was hidden from me as well.' Chaitanya admitted. 'All of this... Its connected to you for a reason I do not know.' The Dragon looked away for a moment, her eyes closing as she let out a sigh. '... I've always feared you would be dragged into things to great for you to handle, Frea... I've always feared you would be targeted, hurt... Killed...' Frea stiffened slightly. '.. Everything that has happened is my fault, I should have stayed to protect you, perhaps if I had... All the terrible things that happened to you would never have come to pass...' She swore she saw a.. Tear.. Rolling down her Foster Mother's cheek, and she suddenly felt bad for snapping as she had.
"... Why did you leave... Where did you go...?" Frea asked quietly, head bowing. "... Why did all the Dragon's disappear...?"
'... We... Tried...' Chaitanya murmured, never fully getting the words out. '... Just know Frea, I love you... I am always with you...'
"But," Frea looked up to see the Dragon looking serious and shaking her head.
'You must hurry,' Chaitanya warned. 'The Magic will consume you completely soon... You must seal it once more.' She narrowed her eyes at the great dragon,
"How am I supposed to do that?" She asked again, she highly doubted the Sealing Magic she used for the Demon from the Book Of Zeref was going to work. And never the less, she couldn't move, she didn't even feel as if she could use Magic now…
Chaitanya blinked once, before dipping her head slightly and fading away. "Chaitanya!" Frea called quickly, not very enthused with the idea of having to figure it out herself, she didn't know how to-
"Energy Dragon," Jynx materialized before her where Chaitanya had been, floating much as the dragon and herself were in the darkness.
"Jynx." Frea muttered, not particularly thrilled with the presence of the ghost.
"Everyone is starting to become consumed, much as you are." Jynx murmured, gazing at her levelly. Frea's eyes snapped from the ghost to the images of everyone floating in the black, all unconscious, and all beginning to be pulled into the Magic like she was. She blinked, sweatdropping, even if they weren't conscious, she could see the pain in their features, and she growled under her breath.
This was her fault, it didn't matter if she was controlled or not, she had dragged them into this, she couldn't let them be consumed, the world would be next…. How was she supposed to…?
"Let me help you, Energy Dragon." Jynx murmured, "Put your feelings toward me aside for now, should this power remain unchained not only you and your friends will be harmed, the world will be consumed by The Power of the One." How does she….? "You cannot seal the Magic on your own, our Magic together has the ability to do as we wish, but only if you will allow me to take over." Jynx paused, Frea narrowed her eyes.
"Take over?" Frea asked lowly,
"You do not have the luxury to be picky." Jynx reminded seriously. "You will let our Magic's converge freely, and allow me to Seal the Power of the One, while your Magic amplifies my own and creates a means of protection should the Power try to lash back." Jynx gazed at her seriously, sensing the reluctance Frea felt when she had said 'Magic's converge'.
The last time she had allowed their Magic's to come together, the feeling she had gotten was one that felt wrong, but right at the same time. Jynx's magic put her on edge, their magic's felt as if they should go together, but at the same time it felt so wrong to let it happen. They were opposite, and they were not all at once.
Perfect but not so….
Her gaze snapped sideways when she heard someone in the group let out a low moan of pain, and she tensed. She herself was still fairly numb to her own pain, but she could feel the dull agony in her arms and legs, which had already disappeared into the swirling black and red around her.
She didn't have time to sit here and think, but her own misgivings toward Jynx were getting in the way….
Jynx held out a hand, expression neutral and completely calm. "Energy Dragon…. Trust me. Allow me to help you fix this." Frea stared,
Trust…? Never once has Jynx ever asked me to trust her…. But why should I… She closed her eyes, jaw clenching... Because I did this, I'm going to be the reason everyone dies, and if I don't trust Jynx….. the world is going to be destroyed, and everyone I care about will be dead…
"Fine… Jynx…" She murmured, head bowed. "I'll let our Magic's combine… help stop this, help me fix the mess I've made…please….." Her voice lowered at the end,
"As you wish, Energy Dragon." Jynx replied quietly, Frea tensed slightly at the feel of the ghost girl's Magic reaching out toward her, "I apologize… this will be painful.." Jynx murmured, her voice lined with sympathy.
Jynx's Magic began to wrap around her being slowly, mixing in with her own until they were stable. The darker feeling of the ghost's Magic hit her full force, the feeling of a tingling in her body multiplied until it was agonizing pain.
Despite the pain, she let her Magic flow freely into Jynx's own, aiding to the power the ghost needed, and she wrapped it around everyone here, to keep them from getting hurt if the Magic tried to fight back to being sealed. She hadn't a clue as to how Jynx would know how to Seal away a Magic such as this….. but her mind wasn't focused on that for very long.
Once their Magic's had combined and started to radiate out around them, clashing with the red and black of the Power of the One. She stiffened, the combined force of their Magic's beginning to tear away at the Power that had already taken a hold of her, the numbness was fading fast, and she could feel her skin tearing as the Magic tried to keep hold of her.
It increased tenfold, and she couldn't stop the yells of pain from escaping her throat.
"Forgive me for this, Energy Dragon." Jynx's voice reached her from the darkness. "You must continue to lend me your power… I can't do this without your help…" Jynx sounded pained, like she panting, and it hurt her to do this…. Damn its hurt me too!
So she continued to let Jynx use as much of her power as she needed, she was stretching her thin. She had a lot of Magic Energy, but Jynx began to use just as much as she had when fixing the Balance… and then more….
Her body was on fire, her legs and arms felt like they were being torn apart, her yelling grew louder against her will.
"Let it not matter,
How the chains were broken,
The runes destroyed,
The cage unlocked,
Nor the strength of the evil we wish to suppress."
Her throat was hurting, and the pain only continued to grow as Jynx started to recite her Spell. This was on a level equal with when Shadow and Winter were stuffed inside of her, and then ripped out again…
"A seal must be placed,
A cage made,
For this Power cannot remain as is,
Or the world shall fall,
And lives shall be lost.
Here two Magic's will cross,
To hide away one that threatens the balance..."
Jynx sounded like she was struggling, her voice was strained, and even the feel of her Magic was wavering with the effort. The Magic continued to try and grab at Frea, only making the pain increase… and then the Power of The One tried to lash out at Jynx in an attempt to make her stop,
Frea's Magic formed a strong barrier between Jynx and the onslaught of power trying to reach her, the effort and pain making Frea's mind began to fade to black…
"Seal of Spirit Mastery; Magic Lock and tomb repair," Jynx was coming to a close, but the pain wasn't. "Power of the One…Sealed NOW!" She could feel her Magic being directed to enclose the Power of the One, by Jynx's doing or instinct, it didn't matter….. this was the part she needed to act, unconsciously both she and Jynx began to push against the Magic and drive it back into a 'cage' made to keep it locked away. The strain was unbearable to both of them,
"Spirit-Energy Seal activate! Release those you seek to consume, and be thrust back into your cage!" Jynx was yelling now, "Cage; LOCK!"
There was one last thrust, and she felt the Magic ripped away from her, bringing on a new onslaught of pain. But she was too tired, Jynx had spent every last bit of her Magic she had to give, and the pain had weakened her considerably, everything was falling dark again…
"Forgive me.."
Jynx had used every last bit of Magic Frea had in her body to strengthen her own, just to be able to stand against the Power of The One. A power unlike any they had felt before, something that couldn't be controlled by a single master, something that needed to be kept locked away. A force so strong and wild the world would have been at stake, and not even Frea alone, a Mage who had done the impossible many times over, could have done this herself.
Jynx and Frea's Magic combined was a force the world had yet to see before, a force so great, they would have never thought it possible that they would go hand in hand so perfectly, as to allow the two of them to seal away and ancient power such as this.
Unbeknownst to Frea, there was a reason Jynx's Magic worked so well with her own, why they were so strong together, and why it felt utterly wrong to begin with.
Jynx knew the Spell needed to Seal Salengoreath again, but knowledge alone would have done her no good, it was Frea's amazing supply of Magic Power that had made sealing it possible. Without both of them, it would have never worked….. Now the gate was closed again, things should go back to normal within Nvindorr, and now the protection around the 'tomb' would be even greater than it once was, Jynx had changed the means in which it could be unsealed once again, a means by which she hoped would never be discovered.
Frea's mark would be left upon the wall, as would Jynx's for all the years to come, even after they had gone away from time and space, and absolute barrier between the rest of the world and Salengoreath.
Jynx remained in the dark long after the Spell had been finished, head bowed and eyes closed. Her mind lingered on what had transpired, of what could have been… and what would happen after this.
This was the marking of something terrible, Frea had been controlled by something, something that had wanted this power for itself, something that felt it was able to control the Power of the One….. something that had known Frea could open the gate to it…. Something that had easily taken control of her….
But what…?
Moon's ears twitched, and she scrunched her eyes closed a little before blinking them open. Her head ached and her body tingled slightly, she blinked a few times to see the dark outlines of trees above her, everything was wrapped in a sheet of black that must have meant night was beginning to fall, she could also see faint red and purple glow bathing them in soft light…. Where was she..?
Slowly images of what had happened began to flow back to her, the forest, the wall, the runes, they had been falling after… Frea! She could remember floating in the darkness, how cold it was…. She remembered seeing Frea there, everyone else too, they were being consumed slowly… and she remembered yells of pain.
She sat up quickly, looking around the gloom wildly to see everyone on the ground as she was, all of them starting to come too. Much as Moon could, they all faintly remembered everything she did, they remembered falling, how they had begun to be consumed by that Power that had showed up out of nowhere, and they remembered seeing everyone in the dark.
"Wha… What the hell happened..?" Natsu mumbled, rubbing his slightly aching head.
"The ground.." Gray mumbled, looking to see the ground was fully intact, as were the pillars and statues, as if nothing had ever happened. Moon counted heads, Lucy, Wendy, Carla, Gajeel, Chase, Erza, Lily, Happy, Natsu, Aisha, Gray, Juvia…. But where-?
All their eyes traveled toward the cliff-face, which was where the red and purple glow was coming from, the runes glowing faintly. Upon the wall, newer runes had been etched into the stone, which was intact much as the ground was, and now two converging symbols rest above the runes, a spiral and a crescent moon. But their eyes didn't land on the runes, instead it found the blood dripping down the stone and on to the grass, coming from the relatively bloody arms and legs of who was leaning against the wall for support. Their ears caught on to the panting,
"Let's…. not… do… that… ag...ai…n….." Frea mumbled in between gasps for air, her words trailing away as she swayed until her knees gave out and she started to fall forward.
"Frea!"
Natsu was the fastest to react, catching her before she could hit the ground and gently easing her onto the grass, sweatdropping and eyes wide. Wendy lunged forward, her hands glowing with the light of her Magic once she began to work.
"What the hell happened..?" Gray muttered,
"Frea..." Moon whispered, standing beside her Partner and Wendy.
"How did she get so hurt..?" Natsu asked,
"I don't really… remember…" Lucy whispered, sitting on the grass with a hand up to cover her mouth. Her eyes were locked on to Frea, thoroughly shocked with the condition the Energy Dragon Slayer was in, and without knowing exactly what happened.
"She opened it…" Aisha muttered under her breath, low enough that only Erza, who stood beside her, heard her say anything. "… She almost killed us, and herself…" The silver-haired Mage sighed, eyes closing.
"It would seem that way.." Erza murmured, her words meant for Aisha, but her eyes moving from the now unconscious Frea, to the wall before her. "… But it also seems, she closed it again…. Even at the price of wounding herself…" Her eyes narrowed, she looked serious. ".. But why..?"
"She was being controlled." Erza's head turned toward the ragged looking Jynx as she materialized in the clearing, her red eyes fixed on Frea. Most everyone looked toward her in surprise, Jynx looked exhausted, much like Frea did, and she looked almost… guilty.
"What..?" Gajeel murmured, eyeing the ghost carefully, not sure if he could believe Frea could have been controlled so easily. Chase turned a disbelieving look on the ghost, eyes going wide.
"Please do not blame Energy Dragon for what has happened," Jynx murmured. "She will no doubt blame herself for having endangered all of you, although this was out of her control. Something was able to take control of her without mine or her noticing until it was too late…" She let out a long sigh. "….. This will take time to fully piece together what has happened…. Energy Dragon will not wake for some time I'm afraid, we used up too much Magic Power sealing that Magic away, I'm afraid the strain was a bit more than she may be able to handle…" Jynx said lowly.
"As for what happened, I will explain it all later," Jynx murmured, catching the questioning looks directed toward her from he confused Mages. "It may be wise to head back toward the Guild, I'll go ahead and tell Makarov what has happened… it is late already." Jynx told them, she turned and paused. "Please, be careful from here on out."
She disappeared, and they were left alone in the clearing.
Another Chappy up soon! I couldn't help myself, I hope you all enjoy this chapter just like the last one! Feedback is always appreciated, and don't worry if you haven't been reviewing (AkaNeko-Chan!) you all have things to do, I understand, I just like to hear you're all still reading!
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