Hello! Last time you see this message, but I did some editing/ revising of my story of the previous four chapters. The basic/ major plot points are the mostly same, but I realized that after over a hundred pages of writing that I was starting to develop some inconsistencies in the story, specifically from Chapter 18- Chapter 20.
If you're just tuning in for Chapter 21, you might want to go back and glance over the previous chapters because there are some important changes in plot points.
Chapter 21:
Day Five (After Twin Dragons vs Natsu Fight)
Fairy Tail was jubilant after today's matches, but Laxus couldn't shake the dark anger that plagued him. Evergreen and Bickslow carried on a drunk conversation, but Freed sat tersely beside the Dragon Slayer, slowly sipping a tankard of beer. He had been in a foul mood all day, which he overheard multiple guild members whisper about. When Evergreen tried to broach the topic of his attitude earlier today, Laxus snapped: "If I wanted to have this conversation, I'd hire a shrink. Are you a shrink? No. So mind your own damn business." The thunder legion dropped the topic after that, and ever since, Laxus had been the moody elephant in the room.
Freed studied his friend out of the corner of his eye. He had been silently surveying the Dragon Slayer the entire day, going through all the possible scenarios for Laxus's devolution in emotions. The runes mage came to the conclusion that something had occurred between Laxus and the blonde woman Freed put the tracking spell on.
The green haired wizard sipped his glass of bourbon and let the strong taste of alcohol burn as he steeled his nerves. Freed cleared his throat and turned to the dragon slayer. "So… Laxus." The Dragon Slayer grunted and glanced over at his friend. The green haired man brushed his hair behind his ear, "Have you… seen Abi recently?"
Electricity sparked off Laxus's shoulder. He tried to unlock his clenched jaw.
Anger boiled in his veins, yet the Dragon Slayer forced a cool expression as he shrugged with absolute control. "Nope."
The three friends exchanged glances. Bickslow put his tankard of beer and pointed a finger at Laxus, "Dude, don't tell me you're pouting because you and that blonde chick got into a fight! You're better than some pair o' legs!" The seith mage wobbled on his seat a bit and the Dragon Slayer took a long sip of ale to settle his temper. They don't know what happened. Laxus stared at the door in front of him and exhaled slowly.
"If I wanted to talk about it, I would, Bickslow."
All around him, Fairy Tail was alive and well. His guild mates were tonight, bantering, drinking, and throwing soft punches among one another. A year ago (or what felt like a year ago to Laxus), he would have sneered at this behavior and lashed out at the others. All work, no play. For years, he had deprived Bickslow, Freed, and Evergreen of experiencing Fairy Tail like this. Laxus looked down at his tankard and scowled; he didn't want to ruin their festivities because he was in a bad mood.
The Dragon Slayer drained his ale and smiled tersely at his friends, "I need some air." Freed and Evergreen started to stand up. Laxus tried not to glare, but his severe expression made them hesitate. "Alone." He almost growled.
Laxus stood up and walked away from the table before his friends could say anything. He heard Bickslow drunkenly whisper to Evergreen, "I told you they were bangin'!"
A muscle in the blonde man's jaw twitched and he kept walking toward the bar. It wasn't worth the argument. Still, it was frustrating that people kept suggesting he was upset because he was somehow "involved" with Abi. Ridiculous. Laxus was angry because Abi managed to trick him all this time; she knew exactly how to play him. Can't believe she set me up since Edera. The Dragon Slayer put his tankard down on the bar a little too hard. The handle broke off in his hand and the blonde man almost groaned aloud.
A few feet away, the bartender jumped in surprise. Annoyance flashed in the worker's tired eyes. He looked between the broken tankard and Laxus; the bartender settled on glaring at the Dragon Slayer.
Brave move, buddy. Tonight was not a good night to piss Laxus Dreyar off.
"You break it-,"
"I know." Laxus snapped and allowed his eyes to flare gold with power. The bartender suddenly found the whiskey bottle in his hands particularly interesting. The Dragon Slayer grumbled under his breath and slapped a little more money next to the handle-less cup. Spineless little… Laxus wasn't sure if he was disappointed or relieved a fight didn't present itself. He turned, resting his back against the bar and surveyed the room. The Fairy Tail guild jovially celebrated, guzzling booze and wings like no tomorrow. Laxus looked over Natsu, who cackled maniacally atop a barrel with two tankards in hand. The Lightning Dragon Slayer felt himself burn with a little adrenaline. A fight would take his mind off all this…
Laxus's eyes focused on Gramps and Mavis, laughing a few feet behind Natsu. The anger— or at least bloodlust— crumbled inside the blonde man and he grimaced. A hollow feeling of guilt formed a void in his chest. He couldn't pull that shit anymore, not against Fairy Tail.
Down the bar, Cana spoke boisterously to a few other wizards; Laxus heard them exchange his name more than once. They wanna fight, too? He could feel alcohol muddling his brain, and Laxus grit his teeth. Time to leave before he did something he regretted.
He turned and stalked towards the door. His heavy footsteps thudded loudly on the wood boards, and the Thunder Legion watched him leave with concern in their eyes. The Dragon Slayer marched out of the door of the Bar Sun, ignoring the rambunctious guild and the whispers that followed him.
On the street, Laxus took a deep breath of the cool night air. God, he needed to be home now. Even though his power had fully returned over the day, the Dragon Slayer felt the need to walk the short distance back to the Honey Bee Inn. Fresh air would help him clear his mind, maybe regain some control.
It was an overcast night; the clouds hung low over the city. There was an excitement in the air as the city braced for tomorrow's final event. The scoreboards lit up across the town, ranking the guilds in each place. Laxus knew he and the other Fairy Tail competitors would meet with the First Master to discuss strategy later tonight. The Dragon Slayer turned a corner on the street and walked across the block, towards the city's famous Zirconia Park. It was a large park in western district of Crocus, and the Honey Bee Inn overlooked the opposite end of the park, a couple of blocks down. Zirconia Park was one of the oldest in Crocus, with well maintained cobblestone paths, ancient flower beds, and huge oak trees that provided constant shade. However, the park was currently under maintenance and closed to the public. Or at least, that's what the sign closing off the entrance declared. Laxus didn't remember that the last time he walked back to the Honey Bee…
The street lamps illuminated the street that encircled the park. The lights that normally lit up the park paths were turned off. Probably for construction. The Dragon Slayer didn't pay it much mind and walked towards Zirconia Park street.
A cool breeze carrying the promise of rain gently tufted Laxus's blonde hair and pulled at his jacket. A familiar scent passed the Dragon Slayer's nose as well. Immediately, he bristled and his hands tightened into fists. He tasted the air again, but the faint scent had already passed. Still, Laxus would have recognized that smell anywhere. He stalked towards the "CLOSED" sign and sniffed the air again. Maybe it was just his imagination.
However, a small flash of white on the opposite side of the gate caught his eye. A small paper doll lay on ground. The Dragon Slayer grit his teeth. Dad. Laxus stepped over the barricade demarcating the garden and stalked into the shadows. The dark garden rustled all around him in the night, and Laxus felt his senses go into overdrive as he walked through the shadowy paths. His eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. The Dragon Slayer scanned his surroundings slowly, taking notice of all that could be around him (or when it came to his father, what wasn't around). The main path he walked wound through the park until it came to the center— where the garden's largest tree stood. Laxus sniffed the air.
Another faint scent of his father— Ivan was definitely here. The Dragon Slayer moved forward silently. Was the Raven Tail guild master behind the tree, casting an illusion? Were Ivan's lackeys hiding in the shrubbery? Laxus stalked around the white magnolia, adrenaline pumping in his veins.
He rounded the tree and found nothing. He relaxed slightly and sighed. Maybe he was just going crazy. The Dragon Slayer grumbled under his breath and stuck his hands in his pockets, turning away from the tree. There was a loud rustle overhead, and Laxus looked up just as a dark figure dropped down on top of him.
The assailant landed on the Dragon Slayer's shoulders, causing him to lurch forward. His attacker wrapped their legs around Laxus's neck and squeezed. Slender fingertips grabbed at his face and eye. At their skin contact, a cold shock of power went through Laxus. Holy shit, what were they doing to him!? His lightning shaped scar began to glow, and agony ripped through the Dragon Slayer's body. Laxus fell to his knees as the lacrima inside his body seemed to rip from every cell within his body. He could barely let out a noise, the power drain was so sudden and devastating. It was like every ounce of power was trying to escape from the his body— just like the Eclipse Gate.
Just like Abi.
The Dragon Slayer saw red. He should have known. Laxus let out a roar as his canines began to elongate. Gold scales began to emerge on his hands braced against the dirt and a new wave of energy erupted in the Dragon Slayer. Lightning cracked overhead as Laxus surged back up to standing. The attacker grunted and withdrew one hand from his face. A moment later, a dagger smashed against the Dragon Slayer's chest, but the metal crumpled on impact.
Laxus grabbed the attacker's legs wrapped around his neck and threw them off his body. They crashed through a nearby tree with a splintering sound. The Dragon Slayer's nose was filled with a familiar scent. The tree groaned and buckled in half where his attacker slammed through. It toppled to the ground with a devastating crash. A white-gold light illuminated the park on the other side of the tree. The figure pushed aside a broken piece of tree trunk with a groan and sat up.
You.
Abi flipped her thick blonde hair out of her face and blinked the stars out of her eyes. The thief dressed in tight all black clothes, which were ripped from her collision with the trees. Seeing her made emotions swirl in the Dragon Slayer's chest. Most notably: rage. Laxus irradiated with power and electricity— his wild and volatile power jumped off his body, making it seem like the shadows danced around him.
The Dragon Slayer removed his jacket as the Praesidio stood up. She withdrew a second dagger and leveled the blade at Laxus. He tossed his black coat on the ground.
He snarled at her, snapping his canines as the dragon inside him roared to life. "Haven't you had enough?"
Abi scowled and spun her remaining dagger. Her thick lashes lowered and her glowing eyes regarded him coolly, "Just call it unfinished business, Sparkles."
His upper lip curled to show his elongated fangs, "Funny, I was about thinking the same thing." Laxus willed his power to spike. Electricity sizzled and popped off of his skin, and his muscles swelled with power. His shirt split at the seams and disintegrated. Laxus's grey eyes burned bright gold with lightning.
It was time to let loose.
He sent a bolt of lightning through her stomach and the thief began to crumple forward, clutching her torso. Laxus moved before the Praesidio could finish reacting. With a flash of electricity, he knocked the blade out of her hand and delivered a vicious uppercut, which sent her reeling. Abi stumbled back a few steps and tenderly touched her mouth, which busted open from the hit. She sneered at Laxus and spat out a mixture of blood and spit. Her backpack was tethered tightly on her back, but one of the straps were mangled. Abi ripped the bag off and threw it at Laxus, who easily sidestepped. The backpack hit the ground and something clanked inside; the Dragon Slayer glanced back at the noise.
The Praesidio used that as an opportunity to rush him. Abi pivoted and delivered a swift roundhouse kick Laxus' stomach. Her hit was good— the heel of her boot sunk into his torso, just below his solar plexus. It made the Dragon Slayer exhale as pain laced up his core. A solid hit for someone her size, but it wasn't enough. He easily caught her leg, swung her around and slammed the thief to the ground. Laxus erupted in rage as he released a Dragon Slayer Roar at Abi, sending a gargantuan wave of voltage crashing down at her point blank. The Praesidio barely had time to put up her arms to shield her face from the electrical onslaught.
Laxus shook with anger and adrenaline as he came down from their fight. He finally vented a bit of the inner turmoil she caused him. That dark, masochistic side of him felt pleased he finally hurt her. A wake of broken trees and destroyed flowerbeds sizzled around them in the aftermath of their fight. The smell of burning plants and melted clothing filled his nostrils.
Laxus narrowed his eyes and looked down at the Praesidio on the ground.
Abi writhed and spasmed on the ground. Her eyes kept lighting up and fading back to normal as she struggled to metabolize his magic. She seized again, and her breath came out in ragged gasps. The Dragon Slayer could hear her faint heartbeat flutter and struggle to keep going. Abi coughed up a mixture of blood and frothy spit. She was overdoing on magic energy. His attack was too much for her to absorb.
The thief reached up a shaking hand to her throat and grasped at her neck. Her black long sleeve was burned to a crisp, and her tanned skin was bright red and blistering. His residual magic energy coursed around her body, and smoke curled out of her mouth. Electricity laced up her arms. Dread rippled through the Dragon Slayer as he watched her contort in pain beneath him. Her heartbeat kept fluttering, and her face drained of its color. I went too far.
Laxus knit his eyebrows together and knelt by her side. He reached a hand underneath her head and tried to prop her up. Her skin was clammy and cold. Abi seized and curled into his chest. Laxus wrapped his other arm around her waist and felt her seize in his arms. Guilt crashed over him and his mouth felt like it had been filled with cement. "I'm sorry," and "I hate you," and "You did this," and "I didn't mean to do this," all got jumbled up on his tongue.
Laxus looked up at the tree tops and cloudy night sky. He didn't know what to do. Do I take her to the Royal Army… or Porlyusica?
Abi shifted in his arms, and Laxus glanced down to see her feebly unwinding the leather cords around her neck. Laxus didn't pay it much attention: breathing wasn't her problem, it was her heart palpitations. He brushed her hair back out her frothy mouth and tucked it behind her ear. He felt the thief's heartbeat begin to stabilize. It took him a moment to realize it was because the more Abi's teal amulet separated from her skin, the steadier her heartbeat grew. The Dragon Slayer processed what removing the necklace entailed a second too late. Fuck— before he throw her from his arms, the leather cord snapped off her neck.
The circular gemstone fell to the ground. At its loss of contact with Abi's skin, dark magic pressure blasted the area. It knocked Laxus back a few feet and the blonde woman's body convulsed with magic energy. The Dragon Slayer bristled at the erratic increase in magic pressure. Abi screamed as she absorbed his magic and the power ripped through her body. Her muscles grew taught as a shockwave of pure evil energy erupted from her. Laxus braced himself against her power and snarled at its hair-raising sensation.
Her body still trembled with energy, but Abi was able to sit up again. The power emanating from her was deafening. The hot springs only offered a taste of her power. Color seemed to drain from life as all the magic air all seemed to be absorbed by her. Rubble began to tremble and lift up in the air. When the Praesidio opened her eyes again, they were completely white.
Laxus grit his teeth and glowered at Abi. So this is what you really are.
"Ow," she groaned, rubbing her head. The pressure of her power suddenly dissipated. Rocks and debris dropped to the ground. Her eyes were still white, but it felt like she was Abi once again. The absence of magic hung heavy in the air like humidity just before a hurricane. The Praesidio casually struggled to her feet and brushed off some dirt from her pants. She looked blankly at Laxus with her white eyes and wiped her mouth the back of her sleeve.
Laxus remembered something else Jellal mentioned about her kind— "the more power they encounter, the greater their capacity for absorption— as long as they don't die from consuming too much at once. With Praesidios, the stronger the magic, the stronger they become." Now, she was supercharged from his previous attacks as well. "This is swell," He grumbled under his breath.
She leveled a hand at him, and cocked her head to the side. "You drove me to this, Laxus." A white magic circle formed on her palm. The world pulsed with her power again. A split second later, Laxus felt gravity shift at his feet, and he looked down to see an identical magic circle glow beneath him. Shit. His instincts reacted before his mind.
In a flash, the Dragon Slayer melted into his lightning body and rushed forward with a roar. He raised a fist to punch her, but Abi conjured a magic circle. The Dragon Slayer's fist collided with her spell instead. He shattered the circle, but her magic completely neutralized his lightning body. He tumbled past her in his human form, and rolled onto the ground. He grit his teeth and felt his strength begin to sap from his body. Damn it. He needed to finish this before she grew even stronger.
Abi pivoted and her white eyes pulsed with energy as dark magic engulfed her fists. She bathed the world again in a gut-wrenching sensation of despair. Laxus finally understood why people hunted the Praesidios down: they were evil incarnate.
He needed to overwhelm her before she had time to adapt. Even though they were in a park, the surrounding city was full of electricity. The power grid ran under his feet, and Laxus could feel the pulse of electricity all around him. Outdoor lanterns lined the long the edge of the garden's path, and one was a right next to him. The park's lighting system may have been turned off, but it still contained wiring.
Laxus stamped down on the light, snapping the short metal pole in half. He exposed the copper wires and it sparked angrily. The electrical spark immediately changed course and landed on his leg— the small charge made Laxus shiver slightly. He connected to the outdoor light's circuitry system and its electricity hummed beneath his fingertips. Even though it wasn't turned on, the light was connected to the city's power-grid. I can work with this.
Laxus began to hum with magic energy. He knew what he had to do.
All the garden lights began to turn on and pop with energy. The air grew heavy with ozone, and thunder rolled overhead. Abi fixed her black, hateful glare at Laxus and she pulsed with dark magic in response. The Dragon Slayer felt his magic pull towards her, like a magnetic field. She was like a collapsing star, sucking in everything around them. He wasn't going to give her another opportunity to absorb.
Laxus hit her hard, and he hit her fast. "Lightning Dragon Breakdown Fist!" A magic circle cackled around his feet as electricity formed a glove around his fist. He punched towards Abi, sending a fist of lightning careening towards her. The supercharged attack hit the thief hard. The Praesidio managed to absorb some of it, but she was stunned at the impact. Laxus followed with a powerful explosion of electricity. This attack enveloped Abi and blasted her backwards. The Praesidio careened through trees, breaking branches and trunks as she crashed outside of the garden. When she hit the cobblestone street, the Praesidio did not get back up. Laxus knew the brawl was over. Abi lay sprawled on the charred earth, smoking from electricity. Laxus could hear her heartbeat—faint, but still there.
He wasn't sure if he felt relief or regret at that.
A wake of broken trees and destroyed flowerbeds sizzled in the aftermath of their fight. The Dragon Slayer stood beneath the large magnolia tree and looked at Abi lying on the ground far from him. Electricity coursed through Laxus's veins and he studied to see if she was getting up again. He could hear Abi's ragged breath from where he stood, but her magic power seemed to have given out. So Laxus found her limit.
With his instincts and emotions reeling, the Dragon Slayer suddenly felt compelled to go to Abi. He was raw and tired. The smell of burning plants and melted clothing filled his nostrils, and Laxus grunted in disgust. He stepped onto the charred earth. Almost simultaneously, shouting filled the street. Abi moaned and tried to move her body, but her muscles weren't responding to her mental cues.
"She's here!" Someone called.
Clinking chainmail and heavy footsteps grew louder; within moments, a troop of soldiers flooded the street. The Dragon Slayer watched as a guards ran onto the scene and surrounded Abi. A weak noise, barely intelligible noise escaped from the thief and he heard her heartbeat spike. The Praesidio tried to move, but she couldn't. The guards from grabbed her hands and placed them in magic-suppressing cuffs.
"No…" She managed to mumble, feebly pulling away from the guards, "No… please…" The guards hoisted Abi to her feet and she sway unevenly, her legs buckling beneath her. Two guards both supported and restrained her from either side. The Praesidio wobbled back and forth until her head lolled up. She and Laxus made eye contact. The thief looked more scared than he had ever seen her before. Her glossed-over teal eyes begged Laxus to help, and her lips quivered in fear. She mouthed something that looked like, "Help me."
A dark, sinking feeling feeling made the Dragon Slayer turned away from Abi's pleading gaze. He began looking for his jacket in the garden's rubble. She dug her grave: time to lay in it. Laxus tried to ignore the fact that his thought was probably literal. His discarded thick grey coat laid next at the base of the large white magnolia tree. As Laxus bent down to pick it up, a small circular jewel caught his eye. Abi's charm. For some reason, the Dragon Slayer found himself pocketing the necklace as he pulled his jacket back around his shoulders.
Laxus glanced down at his chest with disappointment. I need to get better shirts. Freed often carried a spare shirt for him, but this was getting expensive. However, the night air felt good on his bare skin and cooled his muscles.
In his time of searching for jackets, more guards had arrived and swarmed Abi. Laxus glanced through the trees to look at the developing scene. A royal armored transport arrived at the scene and a perimeter was being set up. A large knight with a pointed nose barked orders at the guards. Arcadios.
"Fan out and find the lacrima!" The large knight roared. A group of soldiers worked to secure Abi, while five or six others began to sweep the area. Laxus glanced down at Abi's mangled backpack a few paces away from him. Probably what they're lookin' for. The Dragon Slayer picked up the bag and looked inside. Gold armor, weaponry, cash, a blueprint, and a gold orb. Bingo. The Morphos Lacrima she stole. It would bolster Fairy Tail's reputation with the Royal Army if he gave the bag to Arcadios and let them know that he helped apprehend Abi. Lord knows his guild needed all the help it could get, especially after his fiasco last night. The blonde man shouldered the bag and trudged out of the ruins of Zirconia park, towards the apparent knight in charge.
"This what you're lookin' for?" His deep voice carried across the street.
Arcadios jumped at the disturbance and grabbed the pommel of his ostentatious sword. Laxus emerged out of the shadows of Zirconia Gardens, holding the orb outstretched. He paused at the sidewalk and surveyed the street. All the guards froze and focused on the gold orb. The pale lacrima gleamed in the lamplight. A surprised, hungry smile spread across the Knight's face.
"Why, yes. Yes it is." The Knight did not remove his hand from the sword's pommel. He narrowed his eyes and looked over Laxus with a guarded expression. He pursed his lips and flicked his hand. "Hand it over, Dragon Slayer."
The blonde man was about to continue walking towards the group of soldiers, when Abi caught his eye.
The defeated Praesidio was doing her best to resist her capture. Without her necklace, the residue of her dark magic felt as though it were slowly leaking everywhere, like an old oil spill. Even magic-suppressing cuffs couldn't completely smother the unnerving power. It made Laxus's hair stand up. Abi groaned and weakly tried to pull away from the two men. Her hair was a mess and full of static and dirt and sticks. A deep bruise blossomed on her cheek and her busted lip looked nasty. Dark blood slowly seeped through what was left of her tattered shirt. Her sports bra was still intact, but her clothes were charred. Her stomach was red and blistering from the lightning's impact.
The thief's teal eyes slowly rose to meet the Dragon Slayer's. Abi looked at him, and then down at the Morphos Lacrima in his hand. When she realized what Laxus was doing, her eyes lit up in terror. She began to violently shake her head. However, guards concealed her from the Dragon Slayer's view, which allowed him to bite back the sinking feeling he made a mistake.
Laxus steeled his resolve and walked casually toward Arcadios.
The knight wore his suit of polished steel armor and bore the royal guard's emblem prominently on his breastplate. He straightened up a couple more inches as Laxus approached. Arcadios jutted out his jaw structured and said, "I assume you're responsible for shorting out the power grid?"
"You're welcome," The Dragon Slayer groused as he tossed Abi's backpack at the knight's feet. Arcadios looked down at the bag, and then back up at Laxus. He raised an impressive eyebrow and held out his palm. Annoyance crept up in Laxus's gut.Yeah, yeah. The Morphos Lacrima is what you really want.
"No!" A scream erupted from the crowd of guards. Abi threw her bodyweight against the female guard on her right. The white-haired woman grunted and stumbled back at the thief's sudden attack. The Praesidio whirled around and kicked the soldier on her left. He crumpled to the ground. Instead of fleeing the scene as Laxus expected, the Praesidio charged Arcadios to the best of her ability. Unfortunately, her attack was painfully slow and weak. She made it three steps before more soldiers tackled her to the ground. She crumpled underneath their weight and hit the pavement hard.
Laxus winced internally, and then steeled his emotions. She just tried to kill me, he reassured himself. Abi tried to lift her head up, her voice cracking and hoarse. "Laxus! Please don't let them take it! Please!" She struggled against the mens' weight. Tears began to spill down her cheeks. "It's my family, Laxus! It's all I have left."
The Dragon Slayer looked at the lacrima in his hand. He remembered what she told him in the tunnels, how powerful this lacrima was. Did he really want it in the hands of this shady Knight? Laxus scowled. He glanced at Abi, who continued to plead that he keep the lacrima. Better than a murderer and a liar.
"Take it," He grumbled at the knight and tossed the lacrima. Arcadios caught it and cradled it into his chest. He looked at the gold orb with a hungry expression. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest.
"No!" Abi surged forward again. She tried to wriggle underneath the guards holding her down with renewed fervor. The Dragon Slayer turned his head to look at her struggling. Their eyes met again, and the thief's expression was desperate. "I'm sorry, Laxus! I'm so, so sor—"
The guard grabbed the back of the thief's hair and slammed her face into the cobblestone. "Quiet, you!" The man grunted and ground her down. Abi cried out in pain and the smell of blood pricked Laxus's nose. He grit his teeth in distaste and looked away. A moment flashed before Laxus's eyes, a drunken Abi shouting "I need to burn the blood before they find it!" Were these the people she was running from? Arcadios watched Laxus closely. He tucked the Morphos Lacrima underneath his arm and gave a short nod to the Dragon Slayer.
"Laxus of Fairy Tail, you've done a great service to Fiore. Consider all grievances against your guild, as of right now, settled."
"Great," The Dragon Slayer said dryly. He couldn't find any relief in the Knight's words. Arcadios nodded at him once more and took a step back. He waved his hand in a quick circle, signaling to his troops: "Move out! We have everything we need!"
"Laxus!"
The Dragon Slayer turned to look at Abi, who was bleeding from her nose and spitting at the guards as they hauled her upright again. She struggled against them as she cried out to him, her eyes filled with terror and tears. "Please don't let them take me, you know what they'll do to me! Please!"
He was silent for a moment as he watched the soldiers struggle to move her toward the transit. Abi fought for survival. Turmoil bubbled inside him, but his impassive exterior betrayed no emotions. Laxus looked down at the woman coldly. It was necessary to put his guild first. He chose his words carefully, and delivered them coldly. "You did this to yourself, Abi."
Something seemed to break inside the Praesidio at his words. She sunk listlessly to the ground and the guards hauled Abi back to the armored vehicle.
Guards pushed Abi inside the truck. She glanced up, and their eyes met again. Something twisted inside his chest. The thief's teal eyes lit up for second, as though Laxus might change his mind and help her. However, he didn't move a muscle, and utter despair replaced the flicker of hope in her eyes. As the doors swung shut, the shadows closed in on her face. Laxus blinked, her terror seared in his memory. The magic vehicle rumbled to life and pulled away.
THIS was a hefty, but really fun chapter to write. As a rule, I only submit a chapter when I finish the next one, that way if I need to change anything in the chapter I'm currently writing, I can without having to go back and edit/ change previous chapters (Like i had to with the last four). I hope you all enjoyed the fight, we all knew Laxus would win but Abi also had to give him what-for, as best she could. Unfortunately... Laxus may have gone a little bit overboard.
Thank you all for the support, I really enjoy writing this story, and I hope you all enjoy reading it!