Broken Fairies

by EnergyMageFrea

Light Magic has won over Dark in the battle to decide the Balance of the world, but shadow has never settled so thickly over the Fairy Tail Guild as it has now, and that darkness does not seem to want to leave. Is it possible, after all the evil and the pain suffered, lived through and triumphed over by the Guild- that Fairy Tail has finally broken? {Fourth Story in Series!}

32. Chapter 32- Prove It

Chapter 32

Prove It

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic, and Ideas

.:+:.

"Frea...!" Moon purred, sprouting wings and taking to the air the instant she noticed the Energy Dragon Slayer in the Throne Room. The blonde was sandwiched slightly between Laxus and Bixlow, with Freed and Evergreen close at hand- and the five of them were nearly already all the way to the stairs by the time the group waiting there noted their arrival. Erza, Mirajane, Lily, Carla and Wendy were quick to follow behind Moon from where they'd been talking quietly amongst themselves, but they drew up not more than a few paces from the stairs- instead waiting for the group of five to reach them on their own.

Moon stopped in front of Frea with a gentle smile, pale blue eyes glittering as she gave the Energy Dragon Slayer a quick once-over. "You're up...! You were gone a long while... Did you sleep okay?" The she-cat hummed and Frea nodded a bit, smiling faintly and softly so- and Moon's eyes gleamed faintly at the sudden appearance of a smile that didn't seem so strained.

Moon's eyes darted toward Laxus for half a second, the large man catching the look for only half a second more- before he looked away rather pointedly, and small hints of amusement flashed across Moon's face, before it was gone.

"That's great." Moon purred softly, her eyes landing on Frea again and tail tip twitching.

"It's good to see you both up." Mirajane piped in, "I hope you got some good sleep as well, Laxus?" The white-haired Mage asked lightly of the blonde, and his eyes narrowed at the all too knowing look on her face, huffing slightly.

"... Yeah..." He grumbled lowly, Mirajane and Erza beside her faltering a bit in surprise at the actual response.

They expected he'd not say anything at all and just stay quiet and stubborn... But he actually said... Yes...?

The surprise on their faces turned to small smiles in no time at all, and their smiles were echoed faintly in the Thunder Legion, though they did not say anything more on the matter.

"It is good to see you, you're looking a bit better, Frea." PantherLily told the Energy Dragon Slayer, oblivious to the little side conversation going on. The tomcat floated at Moon's shoulder in front of Frea, Carla taking up the space on Moon's other side and Wendy with her.

"Quite." Carla murmured coolly,

"How do you feel, Frea?" Wendy asked lightly as she came to a halt in front of the Energy Dragon Slayer, her hands clasping together against her chest. "Granny and Talarr wanted to check up on you earlier, but nobody wanted to wake you up and interrupt your rest." She mumbled quietly and Frea's small smile faded to near nothing, and she looked a bit exasperated for a moment. Wendy, Lily, Carla and Moon all noticed the sudden weary look that crossed over her face, and Erza and Mirajane were quick to take note of it too. Frea cast Laxus a sideways glance for half a second, and a glance that didn't get returned- so she shook her head a little, a small sigh escaping her as she pushed her bangs back a bit from her face.

"... I feel... Mostly fine..." Frea mumbled lowly, her voice way too husky and hoarse, and she swallowed hard when it cracked- again.

Damn it

Everybody else bristled at the sound of it though, Wendy especially. But Frea shook her head one more time and offered up a reassuring smile that only sort of helped dull the concern she felt spark off them all.

"... I've got a pretty bad headache... And apparently... My voice does not wanna... Cooperate right now... But that's not that bad... Though... there is... One thing..." She kept on slowly, her voice dropping a bit to try and lessen how rough it sounded. She swallowed again and shifted, dropping down slowly to sit on the balls of her feet just in front of Wendy, who stiffened. The sudden movement on Frea's part made most everyone immediately wary, and even a little panicked for half a second- but she was steady in the position and smiled still as she lift her left hand and gestured slightly to her neck and shoulders, Wendy's head tilting.

"... Apparently these are pretty warm right now... Though I can't really tell... Much myself..." Frea murmured quietly. Wendy's eyes flashed as she reached forward right away, repeating the same action Laxus had done a bit before- and her little hands came down ever so gently on the bandages covering her skin. Doing so had Wendy frowning right away, worry sparking from the little Dragon Slayer rather sharply.

"Oh no... I hope they're not getting infected..." Wendy breathed, "... They're really warm, and agitated... It's probably not helping with how awful your voice sounds..." She mumbled tensely, her eyes leaving her hands and coming up to meet Frea's silver eyes. "Are they not bothering you, Frea...?" Wendy asked tentatively, and Frea shook her head a bit.

"Mmm... Not really... They sting a little... But that's it..." Frea replied quietly and Wendy seemed to hesitate, before nodding stiffly.

"Okay... Granny is definitely going to want to see you, she's back in the room." Wendy told her softly, "You should probably stop talking for a bit... at least until we can get you something to help with it." She added and Frea smiled a bit,

"I know." She hummed quietly, the words earning quite an audible huff from Laxus- which everyone noticed, Frea included, and she just smiled a bit more at it, her eyes gleaming.

... Heh... He's annoyed... But only a little...

Her expression softened a bit, her eyes trailing sideways to look at the blonde and letting out a small breath, her heart twisting a little despite herself.

... Mostly he's just... Worried...

She looked from him and to Moon, her Exceed Partner dropping down a bit and reaching out to offer her help back up on to her feet, Wendy too. She felt everyone else looking at her warily, and she felt their emotions spark against her clear as a bell too- muddying with everything else and making her headache a bit worse, but what they were wasn't hard to tell.

... They are all worried...

Her hand found Moon's slowly, her eyes on the floor and another silent breath escaping her.

... I wish... They didn't have to be... Not this soon... I wish...

... I wish I was actually okay enough... None of them would have to feel worried at all...

... This sucks... But...

... I do still... Feel better today... Maybe better... Than I have in a long time...

... I... Wanna be... Okay... I don't think I'm ever be completely okay... Of course not, that Darkness is never gonna... Go away...

... But maybe eventually... I might...?

She let out another breath, Moon pulling her to her feet and they all started toward the stairs. She cast a quick glance up at the multicolor glass windows directly overhead, her eyes reflecting the rainbow-hued colors as she bit down on the insides of her cheeks, her stomach curling a little and she swallowed hard at it.

... Damn it... I really hope so...

.:+:.

"Drink that." Porlyusica instructed lowly, handing off a glass of some amber-colored liquid to Frea, who took it slowly with a nod. The Old Lady barely afforded Frea a glance even when she handed the liquid off though, since she was rather busy fuddling with rolls of pale-blue bandages ('Prefrind' apparently) on the Surgical Table where Frea was currently sitting. Porlyusica and Wendy had been, up until a few minutes ago, busy carefully unwinding the bandages around her neck, shoulders, and chest- as to get a better look at them and gauge why they were so hot... Which the thin and wild tracks of electrical burns and injuries over her skin were badly bruised still, and very red now- thus the heat. And of course the burns did nothing to help with the slightly more heavy ache in her chest, and around the still raw flesh where that scar was plastered there- and subsequently had been agitated with all the dealings having to do with her heart... Porlyusica would be doing something to handle it all in a bit, though she didn't elaborate what- and Frea didn't much care. She remained sitting patiently on the table without moving or making a sound, all up until being handed the drink just then.

"It won't taste good." Porlyusica added after a brief pause where she was focusing more on her hands than Frea, and the Energy Dragon Slayer faltered in having been about to take a tentative sniff of the drink. "But regardless of the taste, you need to drink all of it." She instructed flatly and Frea smiled wearily, nodding slowly.

... Great...

Wendy standing close by, and having been until that moment moving her hands slowly over the burns and Healing them as she could- gave Frea a sympathetic smile when she saw the older girl's face fall a bit. The sympathetic look was echoed in Moon and Carla close to her, and even in everyone else standing near the entryway to that little alcove they were in. Erza and Mira were on one side of the entryway, while Laxus and the Thunder Legion had taken up the other, all of them mostly quiet and doing their best not to crowd in and give Porlyusica space to do what she will.

Frea grumbled a bit to herself, but did as she was told and drank the concoction- more or less taking a big swig of it and all at once, as to limit prolonged exposure to whatever bad taste it would have... Which, ugh

She grimaced, holding her breath a moment and doing her best not to gag at the taste in her mouth now- both bitter, and reminiscent of sour milk mixed with filthy water. She pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, a shiver running down her spine as the liquid slid down her throat and hit her stomach in a slick, icy cold way, and she grumbled under her breath. Porlyusica cast her a look when she heard it, huffing.

"I told you it wouldn't taste good." The Old Lady murmured flatly, Frea just grimaced a tad more.

... No kidding...

Wendy set to work again with her Magic after that, the feel of it cool and soothing over the burns and taking away the bulk of their sting, and some of the heat. She wouldn't get rid of them all the way, even for Wendy that would take too long and a bit too much- but it would ease off some of the worst of it. And afterward, the bandages came back and Frea let it be, because honestly she was a bit more concerned with the slightly queasy sensation that had sprouted and remained in the pits of her stomach after drinking whatever that had been before. The queasy feeling was unpleasant, but somehow it did start to lessen the throbbing pressure in her skull from the headache hounding her, and in her shoulder too- which was welcomed, though she wasn't sure any of that made up for the unpleasant taste, or nauseous sort of sensations brought from it.

Porlyusica stopped directly behind Frea, the Energy Dragon Slayer leaning forward a bit and quiet while the Old Lady pressed her ear to her back, listening quietly for a few seconds while Frea bit the inside of her cheek. She saw the worry flit across everyone's faces when the Old Woman did it, though they looked away quickly and tried not to linger on it too long- but she saw it, and felt their unease nonetheless, and she sighed internally. Porlyusica straightened back up after a moment or two and stepped around to face Frea more directly, her red eyes searching and quiet as she matched gazes with the girl. She could tell the Energy Dragon Slayer had been crying, though it wasn't so noticeable unless you were really looking for it- and Porlyusica was. She expected it, after how emotionally frayed the girl had been when they'd been talking two days before, and how Frea had remained so after that even when she'd been up and about, and doing her best to not be so torn apart. And Porlyusica wasn't the only one who could tell, Moon could too- but neither of them said anything of it, or at least not directly.

"... Are you alright?" Porlyusica asked quietly while she busied herself with tightening the knot of the sling holding Frea's right arm in place. Frea blinked at the question, nodding a bit and offering up a small- albeit tired- smile.

... I am alright I think... For now...

Porlyusica paused a moment on the nod, before nodding a little herself and leaving it at that. She was about to head away entirely and stack things on a nearby counter, but Frea caught her attention by lifting her hand a bit in a gesture for Porlyusica to pause. The Energy Dragon Slayer seemed to wilt slightly, looking a little weary as she tilted her head toward the entryway into the room, and toward where Laxus and the Thunder Legion were murmuring quietly to themselves by now.

"... His back is killing him... It's constant..." Frea told the Old Lady quietly, her voice a little rough still, but a bit better now after the potion, and Wendy's Healing Magic. Porlyusica paused slightly at the words, before her eyes shift in that direction and she frowned faintly, nodding.

"Alright." The Old Woman murmured lowly, "It's probably passed time I take another look anyway... Perhaps this time he'll be less stubborn, the foolish human." She muttered a bit crossly as she stepped back from Frea, and the Energy Dragon Slayer let out a breath at the comment.

... Probably not...

Frea pushed herself off from sitting on the table slowly, Moon quick to offer a paw as her feet hit the floor again. Wendy was going to offer a hand too, but Porlyusica motioned her over and the Little Dragon Slayer headed off, leaving Frea to step a few paces away from the table before she let go of Moon's hand entirely, and they paused off to the side. Erza, Lily and Mira broke away from the entrance to move their way. Porlyusica cleaned up what she had been using and then stalked straight up to Laxus, her expression nothing but stern as she pointed at the Surgical Table.

"Sit down." Porlyusica commanded lowly, and Laxus stiffened a little, grimacing and quirking a brow.

"... Heh?"

"You have refused to let me near you since the first night, it is well passed time I take another look at those injuries- so sit down." Porlyusica muttered sternly, and Laxus grimaced further, looking ready to argue the point- but he never got to.

"She is right Laxus, come along." Freed hummed, his hand coming down on the blonde's left shoulder firmly.

"Yeah Boss, take a load off, take a break~!" Bixlow hummed too, his hand coming down on Laxus' right shoulder- and firmly too.

Both Freed and Bixlow pushed Laxus forward in tandem, forcing the larger man ahead of them and their hold on either shoulder never faltering, not even when Laxus immediately resisted the motion.

"Oi, quit pushing me damn it..!" He snapped hotly, but they persisted nonetheless and kept it up all the way passed Porlyusica, and nearly all the way up to the table before Laxus shook their hands off. The blonde shot them a disgruntled glare as he moved forward a few paces on his own, breaking free from their hands and fangs gritting in agitation. "Tch, fine! Quit already!" He snapped at Freed and Bixlow, who only smiled faintly, but they kept their hands to themselves nonetheless, and Evergreen followed Porlyusica up to the table behind them.

Erza and Mirajane smiled in faint amusement at the sight, Moon and Lily looking a little amused too- with Carla and Porlyusica looking not at all pleased, or Evergreen for that matter. But Laxus did do as he was told, and Frea let out a quiet sigh, her eyes dropping closed and her left hand holding to the sling a little tensely. Laxus huffed again before he took a heavy seat on the table as directed, grumbling under his breath all the way through it and annoyance sparking off him like a lightning-storm... But another flash of pain sparked off him when he did it, and heavy enough Frea flinched a little- it dulled down to a throb soon enough, but she swallowed hard against it anyway.

"... Are you hungry at all, Frea?" Moon asked after a moment, catching Frea's attention as Porlyusica and Wendy set to work, and the Energy Dragon Slayer blinked slowly.

"... Mm... I could probably eat, yeah." She hummed softly,

"Great, we can head into the Dinner Hall after we're done here then. Some more of the Guild are probably there already, chowing down." Moon hummed lightly and Frea nodded a bit, but said nothing else.

"Everyone's certainly worked up an appetite." Mirajane hummed, Erza nodding in agreement.

"Natsu's been stuffing his face every chance he gets, even while in the middle of working." The redhead commented lightly,

"Gajeel as well." Lily intoned dryly, Frea's head tilted a bit.

"... Is everyone working still?" She asked softly, and Lily shook his head a bit.

"Mostly things have settled down, and the bulk of the Guild's not got much left to be doing." He murmured, Frea nodded a bit in understanding, before falling quiet again. She listened in silence as Erza, Mira, Moon and Lily started up a conversation about something, or some place called Banore- Frea tried to listen, mostly... But honestly, her attention kept getting snatched away by the pricks of pain and discomfort washing over her from behind, and from where Laxus was. They came in constant rhythm, the sharper bursts- and they were underlined by a constant and contiguous tempo of throbbing that was getting steadily worse. It was the same throbbing she'd been feeling from him all night, and all day- and much of the same bursts of pain too, though of course he'd never let himself react to any of it outwardly. Stubbornness or whatever, but she could feel it all the same, and this time she heard Laxus stifling winces and letting out low grunts as Porlyusica and Wendy got started in on retreating all the many, many wounds.

Frea tried to listen to the conversation everyone in front of her started, and she tried to take her mind off of it- shit

She stiffened, bristling and almost flinching again when pain rammed into her back on a tenfold out of nowhere, shattering her thoughts and her heart skipped a beat. She heard Laxus hiss, his voice shaking and so very very low, and she swallowed hard, her eyes darting off the floor they'd been stuck to and over her shoulder.

"T-tch..." Laxus hissed, bending a bit and his hands clenching around the lip of the table. His back was facing their direction, so she couldn't see his face- but she didn't need to, and Frea froze as soon as she turned to look, her heart skipping another beat.

There were long, deep slices carved across his flesh and over his entire back in three ways by what looked like the paths of a blade. But the slices weren't clean by any means, they were jagged and shredded to bits, marring the skin and still burned and blackened in so many places, as well as raw and probably hot to the touch too. And that wasn't even all of it, his right arm was littered in stab wounds all the way up to his shoulder, and his side had been sliced through too... Those were all bad, but his back?

It was a miracle at all he could even move, let alone breathe under that amount of damage, and Frea swallowed hard again, her eyes flashing and her grip around the bottom of the sling instantly growing rigid. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen him with wounds even half as bad as that, not even after he'd gotten beaten to hell by Jura in the GMG... And she couldn't imagine how he'd managed to stay sitting up for most of the night, or manage to focus on her and anything she said, or did- or that he could have kept on doing all he had for her the whole time. She'd known he was in pain, and she knew he was hurt, badly... But seeing it full on for that first time hit a lot harder than she expected it too, and her throat ran dry.

... F...fucking... Hell...

"... A-ah, I'm sorry Laxus-san I wasn't trying to hurt you..." Wendy apologized quickly, her hands hovering over the large man's back uncertainly. Laxus let out a low grumble, the pain coming from him in waves lessening slowly, and he shook his head a bit.

"... Don't worry about it..."

Frea forced herself to look away again, her eyes dropping closed as she held her breath a few seconds and willed her body to relax from the suddenly very tense posture it had adopted.

... Damn it...

"... Teach..."

Frea's eyes opened quickly, instantly snapping to attention on the familiar voice, and one of which said the nickname quietly, and even a bit uncertainly too. She found Chase standing just outside the entryway into the little room they were in, blue eyes gleaming as she caught his gaze, and his expression so worn. He looked tired as hell, and just about as wound up and tense Frea herself felt- she felt his unease, worry, and even fear spark against her- faintly so since he was doing his best not to let his emotions get out of hand... And hell, he looked exhausted. She saw the wear and tear, and injuries dotting his person just like everybody else in the Guild, and she bit down on the insides of her cheeks rather hard.

... Everybody is hurt... Damn it

This was the first time she had seen her Former Student since waking up though, he had not been among the many who had shuffled in and out yesterday. She'd been told he and Aisha had been busy handling things with the sudden collapse of the government, so she'd not really thought much about him or Aisha not being around... not that she'd really been able to pull herself out of her own mind enough yesterday to really think about anything at all.

But just then, in that instant, she remembered almost right away the note Seyre's wolf had handed to her, before it all went to hell;

'Why did Mordren Fall?'

She wilted slightly, her eyes flashing as she felt her stomach flip at the question echoing on her mind all over again.

Chase must have been terrified the whole time, with the realization and knowledge of what Darkness in her Soul was eating away at her probably hounding him every second. It must have been awful knowing it was trying to consume her the entire time she was up in that Tower... And even before it- to be thrust into the midst of the very thing that made Mordren the terrible monster he had been, and not knowing if she could resist it...? Or if what came down from that Tower was a version of his Old Mentor that one could scarcely imagine, and would chill to the very core...?

Frea grimaced a little, her core churning all anew and in an entirely different way than it was for feeling Laxus' pain behind her. She stepped forward, slowly so and brushing passed Erza and Moon as she did it, leaving the little group behind her and clearing the distance between herself and Chase stiffly.

... He must have been terrified... The whole time...... Rightfully so... Because...

She swallowed hard, drawing up in front of him and eyes flashing.

... I almost did Fall... And give in... Entirely...

"Hey Kid." She murmured softly, and Chase stiffened slightly at it, his shoulders hunching a tad and lips pulling into a tight line. His hands twitched at his sides, reaching up hesitantly and faltering halfway through, like he wasn't sure he should touch her at all and he swallowed hard.

"Are you okay, Teach...?" He asked softly and she nodded, her silver eyes gleaming.

"Mhmm" She hummed softly, offering up a smile that was much more somber than she intended, and he grimaced a bit at it, especially when she let out a sigh and her voice dropped to something just shy of a whisper;

"I'm still me."

Chase sucked in a sharp breath of air and held it, eyes glittering like mad and looking pained and faintly relieved all at once. The ache, distress, and worry that all came off him made her head hurt, and her smile faded a tad too. Chase's hovering hands along with the rest of him moved at last with the words, and he gently hooked his arms around her head and neck, hugging her into him and trembling faintly.

"... T...tch... You scared the hell out of me, Teach..." He hissed, his voice shaking too and his breath washing against her ear. She let out a quiet breath at it, her left hand falling lightly on his back and returning the gesture faintly. Her eyes fell closed when she heard his breath hitch a little.

"... I'm sorry..." She mumbled, and she grit her teeth for just how quickly a stinging sensation pricked at her eyes- and how hard she had to work to keep the moisture that wanted to well up, at bay.

... S... Shit...

"... Please don't cry, Kid..." Frea mumbled quietly, her voice instantly sounding about five times more husky, and her hold on his back got a little tighter as she swallowed hard. "... Y... You're gonna make me do it too... I'm okay... Please relax..." She hissed lowly and Chase stiffened faintly at the words, especially so the first part.

... Did she mean... She was gonna cry too...?

Frea sucked in a breath of air and held it, squashing the sudden surge of emotion in her center, and the stinging sensation in her eyes too. She shook her head a tiny bit, letting the breath back out and she felt Chase adjust, pulling back enough he could catch her gaze again, searching almost. And he saw just then what Moon and Porlyusica had already noticed- she had been crying, and probably more than he could imagine, and his stomach churned a bit for it. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen Frea cry, ever- and the idea of it made him frown.

Frea saw his expression pull and she just gave him another small, weary little smile- weary especially so for the small little tears pricking at the corners of his eyes, even when he seemed to be doing his best to still them before they really got going. "... please..?" She hummed softly, and he swallowed hard, nodding a little as his hands pulled away slowly.

"Yeah... I'll try." He mumbled and she nodded a bit back,

"Thank you." She murmured, "And I'll talk more about it with you later, okay...? For now I just... Need a break." She added quietly, low enough only he heard it still, and he faltered a minute, before nodding again.

"... Yeah alright." He murmured, his eyes dropping from hers and biting his cheek as he gave her another quick once-over and he wilted a bit. "... Your voice sounds awful, Teach... Are you feeling okay, really...?" He mumbled tensely and she nodded again.

"Yeah, I'm good... My voice notwithstanding... I'm just tired." She replied softly, clearing her throat halfway through and his eyes flashed.

"... Right..."

"... Are you okay?" She asked of him and he paused, a small breath escaping him as her eyes wandered to the bandages wrapped about his torso and hands.

"Yeah, I'm good." He assured quietly, and she nodded a bit, though she looked little reassured by the answer. "Don't worry about me, Teach." He sighed and her eyes dropped from him- both Chase as well as his Old Mentor suddenly stiffening in the next instant, though Chase much less noticeably. Frea flinched again, another sharper prick of pain washing over her from behind and pounding on her Senses, and Chase's too.

Chase blinked, his eyes darting from the way Frea's expression twisted and toward the source of the feeling- to where Laxus was sitting at the table and shooting a rather pained and annoyed glare at Porlyusica, who only returned it tenfold. Chase's shoulders fell a little, his face falling too as he glanced back toward Frea, her eyes on the floor and teeth gritted.

"... Everybody else will be fine too, Teach." Chase added softly and she jumped a little at it, casting him a slightly uncertain look, and one he was quick to offer up a sympathetic smile for. She looked away from him when he did it, chewing on the inside of her cheek, but she nodded stiffly, and only once.

... I hope so...... But even then... That doesn't change the fact that... So much of this is my fault... No matter what everyone says...

... Everybody got hurt... Badly... People died..... And I... Tch.

... Damn it...

.:+:.

"... E.. Energess...?"

Frea jumped slightly, her (not even full) attention on Moon talking quietly about the Aiyin in Banore, and her rather listless picking at her food getting cut off completely.

The conversation around her faded to none quite quickly, Frea's head turning toward the soft and shaky voice and finding Talarr standing a few paces from the table, his eyes locked onto his feet and hands wringing together tightly in front of him. Everybody else sitting at the table with her glanced around curiously too- Moon, Lily, Erza, Chase... Everybody who had been with her before, and had headed here after Porlyusica was done with Laxus. Elfman and Lisanna were in the Dining Hall when they had arrived and been joined shortly after by Gray and Juvia, and there were plenty of other people in the rather large space she didn't know, Barren and other people from the city, whatever... They all kept to themselves mostly and left the Fairy Tailers be as they got going on talking, and Frea settled in to just halfway listening- until Talarr stammered something.

The sudden appearance of the Ilaen caught her off guard, her eyes widening a tad as she turned slightly in her seat to face him. She'd not been aware of him coming in the room at all, and she'd not actually seen him since waking up- even despite what Wendy had mentioned about him looking for her earlier. He sort of just popped up out of nowhere now and her head tilted, eyes narrowing at the cuts and scabs running all up his hands and his arms- and that were only covered haphazardly by bandages that were slipping. They'd loosened in all his time spent working trying to help anybody he could, though he didn't give them or the wounds much thought- and he looked tired as hell too.

Though more than that now he looked anxious... He was a nervous person all on his own, as she'd come to find out right away, but this was on a level ten times that. She could feel his nervousness and anxiety sparking against her skin like a lightning storm, heavy and throbbing- it earned a small prick of pain in her temple, a sure sign of the headache that was still lurking would soon get a bit worse.

The conversations died off, all eyes turning toward the Ilaen and Frea twisted a little more in her seat to be facing away from the table entirely. She tilted her head at him, her eyes glinting slightly as he seemed to fidget where he was.

"... Talarr." She mumbled softly and he stiffened at the sound of his name, his hands linking together more tightly.

"... I... I... It's... Good to see you... Up..." He started uncertainly and her head tilted more when he broke off for quite a long time, and the anxiety coming from him got worse, and then quickly got paired with overwhelming guilt.

... Shit...

"... I... I am... I am so sorry... For everything..." He started again, what little drive he had to try and be formal- at least at first- dying almost right away. His voice dropped, turning incredibly shaky in an instant and Frea grimaced at it. "... I... I wish I had never... L...listened to... To Drennios... O...or... Made that Collar... I... I didn't know that it would h-hurt you so... So badly... O-or that... That Drennios planned to drain your Magic entirely... O...or how dangerous that was... F...for you..." Talarr hissed, swallowing hard as he bent his head a little, and everyone in the room frowned slightly, instantly on edge with the topic. Frea felt the anger and unease spark off everyone around her, and quite sharply too- but she didn't pay them any mind, she just kept her eyes on Talarr, silent and unmoving.

"... I am so s..sorry... I... If I had... R... Realized... O... Or even just... L...listened to you... When you... You told me nothing b-but Evil would... C...come from opening... T...that Door... Gods..." He kept on, his voice breaking a little and getting all the shakier- his body followed suit, trembling as he bent his head and his top half even lower. "..I...i.. I'm s... So sorry... I should have... Heeded what you said... I should have... D...done something to... To stop all of t...this... Be...before you... W...were taken there... I... I should have protested... S...should have... Intervened s...sooner... A...and stopped it..."

Frea stiffened, eyes flashing as Talarr bent even further, his entire figure dropping down slowly until he was on his knees and he folded over, palms pressed flat against the floor and his forehead pressing against the cold stone too. Frea bit the inside of her cheek, her shoulders sinking as a small sigh escaped her, and the tense silence in the room got a bit heavier with the Ilaen now trembling and on the floor, completely full of shame and remorse.

"... please... Gods forgive me... a...all of this... a...and I... I don't ask your forgiveness, Energess... I wouldn't... I... I am just... I am so.. d...deeply sorry... for all of it... tch... f...for everything... y... you were put through... Y... you should have never have... b...been forced... t...through... s... so many awful things... a... and hurt... as... you have been...t... to the point... t..tch... you nearly... l... lost your life..." Talarr stammered still, his voice dropping to something scarce of a whisper, and a bit muffled now with his head on the floor.

Frea felt everyone around her flinch that time, their eyes finding either the ground, or darting toward her tensely, and she swallowed at it- and the unease that was filling the air on a constant loop. She was even aware of the sort of intensifying broodiness of Laxus to her left, though he hadn't deigned to turn around, and hardly even cast a glance over his shoulder to give Talarr a look. She sighed silently, her eyes gleaming as Talarr seemed to fold further in on himself... if that was even possible.

... he's probably been getting more and more wound up... with all of this eating at him, the whole time...... just like... everybody else...... and me... I suppose.

"... I... I am.. s...so sorry... f...for all of it... my... inaction... i..it's... unforgivable...." Talarr hissed, his voice hitching and breaking off in a choked half-sob, and Frea wilted further for it.

... damn it... he's crying...

"... I-I'm so... so sorry... Energess..."

Nobody moved for a few heartbeats after that. They all stayed exactly where they were, stiff in their spots and grimacing faintly while Talarr remained still on the floor, whispering 'sorry' and other such apologies under his breath, and the words getting more muffled and broken as the sobs got a little more insistent. Frea swallowed, a heavy sigh escaping her and she shifted, pushing herself around the rest of the way and standing up from the chair slowly. Getting up was a little harder than she liked- having been sitting down for an hour or two and doing nothing other than that had brought to the surface the physical and mental exhaustion still hanging over her head... and she was pretty sure whatever Porlyusica had told her to drink earlier had an effect to make her a bit drowsy on top of it. But it had helped the headache, and her voice didn't sound awful anymore, so it had it's purpose.

She got up despite the heaviness in her body and legs, her left hand using the back of the chair for a bit of leverage as she did it before she took a few steps forward toward him. She stopped directly in front of Talarr, and he stiffened a little as she got near to him, though he didn't dare raise his head or anything at all, and she let out another sigh.

"... There's no need for you to... Apologize so much." Frea murmured softly, his shaky breaths cutting off for a second, startled with the reply. "... There's not really much need at all, honestly... You already apologized before back up in the Tower, yeah..?" She pointed out, and he stiffened, not breathing for a few seconds as his mind stalled too.

The... Tower...?

.:+:.

She felt it still pulling, the Door, the Power, her Magic- she tried to bite back at it, but it kept going... and she couldn't hold on.

... p...please... let... me go... make... make it... stop... b.. before...

I.. can't... control it... fight it... it's... too...

"E-Energess...!"

Her eyes snapped open, her attention snatched up immediately by the sensation of someone's hands landing on her shoulders, and then reaching, grasping at the binds wrapped around her wrists, pulling. She heard them wince, stifling yelps of pain but continuing to pull none the less, dig their fingers into the binds and pull with everything they had.

Everything was a red and black haze, she couldn't make them out, not their faces or their features... nothing but the muddied, almost fragmented flashes of pain and fear coming from them, and the guilt.

W.. who...?

".. I'm... I'm so sorry...! G-Gods... forgive me...!" The voice went on, pained and shaking terribly- terrified, but...

She heard something crack, just faintly, and she had no clue what it was... whoever that voice belonged to, they just kept pulling... even though she could feel their pain getting worse, it breaking through the haze of insane, impossible chaos.

".. I.. I'm so sorry... p-please... I..."

... I... know that voice... this...

There was another crack, another pull at the bonds, and this time the voice broke off in a short, pained yell that came in tandem with a stab of pain she felt more clearly than all the rest. But there was no hesitation, she felt his hands fall back on the chains, still pulling, still struggling... still trying.

"... I'm sorry... but... please...! I... I have to get you out...! I never... Gods please...!"

H.. he...

"... this isn't right... this wasn't supposed to happen... I never wanted this... Energess I am so sorry...!"

She blinked, scrunching her eyes closed, trying her best to clear her vision... just enough to see him, make him out in all the dark, in a world consumed by a never-ending sea of shadow, with creatures and beasts and wicked things moving passed on all sides. Her body felt heavy, and lifting her head enough to turn it was a chore unlike any other, her vision swimming as much as the Power... and in that black-red haze her world had been consumed in, she saw him, just barely... his pale face, his glasses cracking, the fear... the blood and burns on his hands as he pulled at the bonds and didn't dare stop, not even for those strips of jagged red electricity sparking off the collar and ramming into him so fiercely he surely shouldn't have been able to stay standing... but he didn't stop.

T.. Talarr...

Her eyes flashed, dull, hazy, halfway open, and she felt her heart skip a beat as something salty and wet hit her arm. She saw his flesh tearing, his body jolted by Magic non-stop- felt his pain rising with every second, but still he didn't stop, didn't even hesitate, he just...

Talarr hissed, teeth gritting and face twisted, tears falling from his eyes and pulling with all his might against the binds around her arms, in one hand held a small, thin, sharp metal tool of some sort she had no clue what it was, nor the energy to really try and wonder on it. He was using it to chip away at the chains, break and bend links here and there, trying to loosen them, to get her free- even just barely.

He had to try, he had to get her out of that Magic Circle, away from the Siphon quickly draining her life away to nothing, and then away- out of the room, away from the Door... as far, far away as he possibly could. Every single second here, in all this chaos and madness, in this sea of stifling, choking Power- she was dying, and she was trying so hard to just fight, and he knew it.

He nearly choked on a sob and a hiss of pain all at once, his eyes stinging as the tears kept coming and he struck hard at the top of the chains, and another link broke with a metallic shing. The Magic embedded deep within the metal shot up in an instant though, tearing the flesh of his hand and arm in dozens of places more than it already had, deeper and earning more and more of his blood to drop against the floor and mix with the Energess'.

.:+:.

Talarr sucked in a slightly shuddering breath of air, his eyes locked to the floor just under his nose and absolutely reeling.

S...she...?

"... Y... You... Remember... That...?" He stammered out breathlessly and Frea frowned a little at the question.

Truth be told she remembered all of it, and almost painfully clearly- which was sort of understandable, given what had gone on, how close she came to just... Letting go.

Rationally she'd gotten injured so badly during it she really shouldn't have recalled it at all- but no. It would be forever etched into her mind, every second of it, even around the agony and injury she'd sustained during. Forever etched into her mind, heart and soul, because she had come so, so close to losing everything, and herself- forever.

She bit the inside of her cheek, hard, and tossed the thoughts away.

"... Yeah." Frea replied quietly, and Talarr almost flinched at the confirmation. "Everything after that is... Kinda impossible to grasp fully, but... I understand enough of what happened to know that you really don't need to keep being so... Guilty..." She murmured, and he stiffened more.

"... B...but..." He started slowly and Frea shook her head a little, though he certainly didn't see it.

"I'm serious, Talarr." She cut him off firmly. "I get that you feel badly about what went on, and how much you hate everything that happened... I can feel how deep the guilt and the bad goes in you. I feel how sincere you are, when you say you're sorry, I know you mean it." She told him, "I know you regret everything, I get it... But you don't need to apologize anymore, okay?"

"... B...but Energess... Y... You can't simply... I... Ignore the reality that... I... If I had... D... Done anything... T... To stop this... O... Or even protested... Y... You might never have... E... Ended up... L... Like..." Talarr stammered breathlessly and Frea's posture wilted, her head tilting back and eyes dropping closed in weary exasperation at the insistence to argue the point.

"... Murrei..." She sighed lowly, shaking her head to herself. She took in a deep breath, her head dropping again and silver eyes glinting as she looked down at the man still trembling at her feet- waves of guilt, and regret, and whatever else coming off him incessantly, and her headache upped a little more too. She moved again, slowly so, and suddenly settled down into sitting on her heels just in front of him, her left hand falling gently on his head and Talarr went utterly rigid under the contact. His eyes snapped open wide, staring at the floor ahead of him and oh so very aware that she... She was down at his level now...?

A... And her hand...? W... What was she...?

"... It doesn't matter what might have happened, if you'd tried to stop it, or if you did something to intervene." Frea told him softly, "All of this was... Bad... But I know everybody did a lot to help, to fight, and take care of me, even if I don't remember all of it myself... That includes you, Talarr. What matters is what you actually did, alright...?" She mumbled, and he froze, his lungs stalling and still staring downward at the floor. "... You got me out of the Siphon up in the Tower, and you helped treat me, and try to fix all the damage after that, right...? Even when my body was trying to shut down... you helped, and then you kept on helping, and doing everything you could, even after what happened when... We got caught up with Drennios..." She said quietly, her voice breaking off a bit at the memory of the last bit- and he stiffened under her too. But more so he felt his heart skip a beat when he swore he felt... Her hand on his head tremble, ever so faintly.

"... I don't think I would actually be alive at all, if it wasn't for you." Frea told him quietly, and he looked up finally, mind racing and stunned into utter silence as he caught her silver eyes hesitantly. She matched his gaze steadily, her expression nothing but calm even when she saw the tears falling still from his green eyes, and the sheer turmoil and hurt swimming in them. "I'm actually entirely sure I would not have lasted very long after what happened in the Tower, if you hadn't been there to heal me as much as you did, or even tell everyone else what to do." She added softly, her hand on his head rubbing his hair a bit before shifting, and gently pushing up under his chin to get him to sit up a little straighter. He obliged, though his shoulders remained a little hunched, his hands propping him up and lips pulling into a tight line while the tears kept sliding down his cheeks in silence.

"You're not a bad person, I already told you that- and I meant it." Frea murmured softly, "And you proved that with everything you did, for me, for everybody else- you've been bouncing around helping wherever you can, yeah...? And you've hardly slept, I can tell just by looking at you, and I feel how exhausted you are too." She hummed, "You're working hard as hell, and you're doing a lot to fix everything... So don't keep apologizing, you've more than made up for it, in my book anyway... You don't need to apologize to me anymore, Talarr." She assured and he swallowed hard, shaking still as he stared. "And thank you, for everything you did." She told him and his heart almost stopped.

She could not have been so... So fine with it. Not after everything she'd suffered through, not after the hurt he and his Tools had done to her. Not after the agony his inaction and hesitancy had brought about, nor after he wavered even when she promised him things would end badly, and he had known she was right. And still he- tch...

... She could not have felt like that- like it was okay, like he'd made up for it at all, even with what he'd managed to do. She... She was still so hurt, her body a mess, her heart damaged beyond repair- so many times in all of this she'd almost died... She... She could not have been so calm, or so... So gentle... G..Gods...

She can't have seemed so sincere and... She can't have said thank you, not after everything... And she can't have seemed like... Like she might actually have already forgiven him. Not after all of it. He did not deserve that, not from her.

He did not deserve forgiveness, or even kindness, or understanding- not from her

S... So how...?

The tears came faster, his eyes falling shut and breaking the eye contact he'd held with her for way too long, and he stifled a sob, his head hanging and hands curling into fists underneath him.

"... H-How can you... Be so... So quick to s-see passed all the terrible things... A-and how can you... F-Focus on... Anything else...?" He stammered breathlessly and Frea blinked, "... H-How can you be so kind... e-even after... everything...? How... How can you even begin to... Forgive... A-Any of this...? F-Forgive... Me...?"

The Fairy Tailers listening in behind Frea all let out silent breaths at the Ilaen's questions, eyes gleaming and their hearts aching.

How could she still be so kind, under all the bad? See passed it, even when it had by now become nearly the bulk of all her life? How could she forgive so easily, even when she'd been forced through so much...? And seen such terrible things, and been on the receiving end of actions that no normal person could ever forgive, ever...?

They'd all wondered those things themselves before now, or even just recently- after what Mordren had done and how he'd forced them to watch helplessly while he tore Frea to shreds. Then they wondered it again, after the Thunder Legion had learned about what Frea had been through in the Reach. And after knowing she was up in that Tower with her life getting stripped from her, and being ripped apart by such unrelenting Darkness- to which Chase, Aisha and Laxus knew now was constantly eating at her, and putting her through constant pain... How could she find a way to focus on the good in people, even when they had done such awful things to her? How could she ever understand, and get it- what people were going through, or what was really in their hearts- and feel sorry for them, and be gentle, and look passed it all and forgive? Always? Even people who might not deserve it? Or they themselves could never forgive, like she did?

They'd all wondered the same things, so many times, and much more lately- and always they came to the same answer, and it both warmed their hearts, and made them ache all at once. Because how can she?

Because that... Is just who Frea is

An unbelievably, impossibly, kind, loyal, trusting, and forgiving person... Someone who rarely ever fails to find something good in everyone. And in everyone who wasn't completely lost, who wasn't all the way gone- she saw even the tiniest pieces of good, and she latched on, always giving the benefit of the doubt, and even helping to brighten those pieces of good in everyone she met. And she did it even in the people that everyone else, and the entire world, had already given up on.

"... Hmm, I just can...?" Frea replied quietly, a slightly nervous smile flitting across her face and Talarr stared, reeling at so simple an answer. Most everyone behind her smiled in amusement at it though, and a little more so at the incredulous look that passed across Talarr's face... Even Laxus smirked faintly, if a bit wearily- though he still hadn't bothered to glance backward. He just listened, eyes closed and letting out a low, silent sigh.

"Like I said, you're not a bad person, so knowing that... It really isn't hard." Frea added quietly and Talarr stared a little more, just trying to process it, his tears stilling a little and silent... before his eyes dropped from her and into his lap after a few heartbeats, a shaky breath escaping him and swallowing, green eyes glinting behind his glasses. He didn't understand it still, but he took in another, deeper, slower breath to try and steady himself next. His eyes fell closed and his hands moved off the floor, clapping together softly in front of him and head dipping toward her, his forehead brushing against his fingertips lightly.

"... Thank you, Energess... Truly." Talarr murmured, "... I don't... Know that I deserve forgiveness, or your... Thanks... but... Thank you."

Frea's expression softened a bit at the gesture, and the thanks. She didn't really feel herself like a thanks was necessary, or deserved... But she nodded slightly, and let it be. She had no want to continue this topic, or go down that train of thought- she wasn't all that sure how much more apology, awful emotions, tension, and everything else she could take... So better to move on.

"... You're welcome..." She murmured quietly, silver eyes gleaming.

"And thank you again, Talarr.. Really."

.:+:.

"... O... Oh... I see you got your... Ring back..." Talarr stammered quietly to her left, his hand gesturing slightly to her hand and said ring- and pausing a moment in what he'd previously been doing.

Frea blinked, sitting on the Surgical Table in front of the Ilaen and the room fairly well quiet- they headed back here after another hour or so in the Dining Hall, and now it was just herself, and him. Everyone else they had been with had either broken off to reconnect with the rest of the Guild, see what was going on in the city, or were waiting patiently in the other room, quiet as they murmured among themselves. With everyone breaking off and settling a bit Talarr had taken the lull as chance to take a gauge of her injuries for himself, and decide on what to do next- to which at the moment he just finished up with checking over her wrist that had been broken, and was now mostly mended (unlike her shoulder, much to her exasperation)... Which is when the Ilaen registered the ring.

"... That's good, ah... I actually have this to give back to you- Saint Balthan and I tinkered with it a bit..." Talarr mumbled, his hand digging in one of his pockets. He pulled it back out with the Limiter and it's Wizard Saint symbol in his palm, and Frea blinked. "... It's been reinforced, and should be able to hold more of your Magic than it could before... It got a bit damaged when you were... Attached to the Siphon, so... we made some adjustments... ah..." He explained quietly, fiddling with the chain attached to the Limiter almost pensively. "... S... Saint Balthan mentioned that your Senses are overwhelming... a-and I suppose they must be if you can really Sense everything in a city-wide radius, as you mentioned, so... we also implemented a bit of a... well, sort of Dampening Spell to it. It's not enough to block everything out, just keep it less heavy on your Senses, if that makes sense...? The Spell will work as... background noise I suppose... It makes a frequency that disrupts and levels the frequency of the Energy around you, to take the edge off... y-you should still be able to Sense things as far as you like by focusing on it, but this'll just... keep the things you aren't actively trying to pay attention to a minimum... I hope..." He mumbled, and Frea blinked in surprise, nodding slightly as she looked to the Limiter in his hand.

"... Alright..." She mumbled, her left hand raising a bit to let him wrap it abound her wrist and fasten it. "... Thank you." She hummed and Talarr nodded a bit, sidestepping a little to start fiddling with a screen hovering above the table to her left, and things went quiet for a little.

Her eyes traced the metal work and the symbol almost absentmindedly as the silence settled in- putting it on didn't really do anything in terms of Limiting, considering she was still fairly devoid of Magic Energy even now... She supposed she felt some small tug that meant her Magic was getting channeled into it, even as little as it was- but that was about it.

However on the Dampening Energy hampering her Senses?

She felt the new bit of Dampening Magic spark off the bracelet as soon as it was fastened, calm and light, and circling her almost in an invisible sphere around her form. And as soon as it did, the heaviness on her head lessened, and quite a bit- sparks of Energy way too far away to be of any use faded to about nothing, and everything closer to her let up a bit, no longer heavy and prodding and nearly invasive. It didn't intrude so much, the constant throbbing and pounding at her mind eased up and slowed down- and for it the headache she had started to taper off too... it kinda felt like she could breathe easier, and the pressure in her skull slowly got to something much more manageable than it had been in a long time. It wasn't so much a chore to keep her attention from wandering off unintentionally to nowhere and get to a point where it made her dizzy too... though she did try and pick up on a few things that were farther off, actively focusing on them just to make sure they weren't blocked completely like the Cloak on the top of the Tower had managed- and as Talarr 'hoped', she could still find what she wanted if she tried.

Frea let out a small breath, her shoulders sinking as she let out a sigh and she let herself stop focusing on anything at all and settle into the newfound lull brought with the lessening of Energy hounding her. She blinked slowly, her silver eyes gleaming faintly as her attention fixed on the Wizard Saint symbol on the bracelet, and completely missing the sort or nervous looks Talarr kept tossing her way. The Ilaen was fidgeting a little, his eyes darting from the screen, to her, and then toward the entryway and back into the other room. He chewed on the insides of his cheeks, feet shuffling a bit while his fingers twitched over the keys without ever actually touching them- and he stayed that way for a few long moments, before bucking up and starting slowly;

"... Is... Mr. Dreyar... Alright...?" He asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper- as to keep himself from being overhead by said Dragon Slayer waiting in the other room with the Thunder Legion, Moon, and Lily.

The sudden inquiry caught Frea entirely off guard though, since it was sort of out of nowhere, and her eyes snapped from her mindless staring at the bracelet and over toward Talarr. But the Ilaen's eyes didn't meet hers, he just seemed to swallow a little and kept his gaze locked to the screen, though he was very aware she had looked his way.

"... He... Was wounded extensively, but... Wasn't really interested in having anyone look the injuries over." Talarr explained softly, "... I wasn't really intent to... To push it, at the start... Since m-most of my attention was on... Helping you... B...but... Afterwards, when things... Calmed down a little... Ah..." He mumbled, fidgeting a bit more. "... W... Well... Understandably, I don't think he is a-all that fond of me... S...so... Even if I had... Offered... He likely wouldn't have accepted my help... A... And even just asking... I don't think it would have... Been a pleasant e-encounter..." Talarr stammered, swallowing rather hard, his eyes falling closed for a moment. ".. Ah... Forgive me Energess, but... I... h-have been trying to make myself scarce a-around him... T... To avoid any unpleasantness... But... I am... Concerned about his health... n-nonetheless..." Talarr apologized breathlessly, and Frea bit the inside of her cheek a bit.

Yeah, she had already noticed how broody Laxus had been when Talarr popped up. She'd even caught a few small glares, and seen Talarr ready to scurry off under the looks. But Laxus wasn't the only one shooting Talarr uneasy looks, several others in the Guild had too- unlike Frea herself, they weren't all that ready or able to just mull passed the fact he was the one who had made that Collar. She understood it she supposed, but the wary and half-angry looks didn't really mix well with Talarr's already flighty and nervous disposition... It was probably worse with getting those sorts of looks from Laxus though, since he could be a rather intimidating figure, especially to someone like Talarr. And maybe it was sort of a good thing Talarr had been treading lightly, though she didn't imagine Laxus would do anything other than glare and maybe huff a few scathing words toward the Ilaen.

Talarr was still imagining being under the ire of the blonde's mans ire as well as his fists, if he were to be honest. And he did not dear tread on the Lightning Dragon Slayer's nerves, nor his patience, if he could help it at all. Because it was very clear to Talarr that Laxus' patience was near to none, especially because of what part Talarr had had to play in the Energess getting so hurt... and Talarr wasn't sure the bit he'd had to play in helping her mattered enough to let the blonde man look passed the unpleasantness, or lessen his distaste toward the Ilaen.

"... H-He seems like he f-finally let someone take a... Better look at him... But... H-How is he doing...?" Talarr asked hesitantly, and Frea sighed.

"... He's not feeling great, but he's stubborn as hell... So he won't show it... But... He'll be fine..." She mumbled, her voice dropping and her eyes too. "... Eventually..." She added quietly, and Talarr nodded stiffly, his eyes darting to the side to cast her a little glance, but she wasn't looking at him anymore. Her posture seemed to have wilted a little, and he swallowed at it.

"... I see." Talarr murmured, his hands pulling off the screen and wringing together in front of him a bit. "... I am sorry Energess, for what happened to you... But... Also for what happened to your Guild, and all those you care about..." He mumbled, and Frea's teeth grit at the mention of it- and the ever nagging, pestering, uneasy and terrible feeling that hit her every time she saw everyone in the Guild beaten, and bruised, and bandaged.

... Tch...

"... I hadn't realized you were Bonded with someone, Energess." Talarr told her quietly after a moment, and Frea went absolutely rigid for the comment, and the word: 'Bonded'

W-wha-?!

"... I can't imagine how difficult you getting so hurt is on your Guild, but it must be especially hard for him, and certainly so after having to... Use his Magic on you as he did..." Talarr went on softly, oblivious to the rigidity in the Energess so suddenly. "I can't imagine seeing him so wounded is easy for you either, Energess... I know you said I needn't apologize anymore, but... I am sorry for how hard all of this has to be on you." He murmured and Frea blinked several times, her head snapping his way and face flushing ever so slightly.

W-wait, does he think...?!

Talarr jumped a little when her head snapped his way so quickly, his face falling flat in confusion and green eyes glinting. He saw her heartrate spike via his Scan-Glasses, and the sudden subtle pink on her cheeks had his head tilting a little.

"... Ah... Is something... Wrong...?" He asked slowly,

"B-Bonded...?!" She hissed quietly, her own voice adopting a hushed tenor, just as Talarr's had. He blinked, looking shocked for half a second and head tilting even further.

"... Ah... Maybe I misspoke...? I can't imagine that's a common name in Fiore-" he started uncertainly and Frea shook her head.

"I know what being Bonded means..!" She hissed, cutting him off and he blinked in surprise again. "That's not what I meant, I meant... I-I'm not Bonded with anybody...!" She told him quickly and he faltered.

"... Y-You aren't...?" Talarr echoed breathlessly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "... B...but... You both... I mean... The way he was... With you...? A-and you both... Being together... In the... Gardens...?" He stammered uncertainly, and Frea shook her head stiffly- and Talarr went bright red, looking absolutely mortified.

"O-oh... I ah... Ahh...!" He nearly squeaked, his head and top half bending in a bow in no time at all and absolutely all wound up. "G-Gods I am so sorry, I didn't m-mean to a-assume anything... O-or imply... Oh dear...!" He apologized quickly, bowing a few times and in rapid succession. Frea just watched, her lips pulled into a tight line and letting out a somewhat forced breath.

"N-no it's fine, I know you didn't mean anything by it, I just-" She started quickly, waving her hand at him in what was supposed to be a calming gesture. She broke off halfway through though, her eyes widening a little when it suddenly occurred to her;

"-Wait, is that why you gave him my ring to hold on to..?" Frea asked slowly and Talarr stiffened at the question,

"A-ah... Well... Yes...?" He replied softly, still bent over so she couldn't see his face fully, though Talarr peeked up at her a bit cautiously all the same. But Frea's eyes dropped from Talarr and to her hand, glinting as she spun the ring on her finger a bit and chewed on the inside of her cheek at the same time.

... Bonded... Huh...?

She knew what that was, all too well- it was the same thing Reyan and Mordren had been, so very long ago... Adgnei's equivalent of marriage, or Dragon's equivalent of... but...

... I mean... Maybe... From his perspective... That... Might not be a huge leap... But it's still-

She paused, her eyes flashing and her hand moving up slowly to grab at the fabric of the robe she was wearing, and directly over her chest.

... Well... Actually...?

.:+:.

Frea looked up quickly, her silver gaze flashing as she felt unease sparking off of Laxus like a lightning storm, and a storm so heavy it was almost suffocating.

His shoulders went instantly stiff and rigid- everything about him was that way, and his hands clenched so hard his knuckles turned white... but they were shaking too, and she stared. Her mind derailed suddenly for the sight him, the way he seemed to bend in on himself a bit, and the sudden amount of unease and sheer terror that came from him next and was almost sickening... He... He looks... Like he's...?

She bristled a little, her derailed mind getting quickly taken over in concern and confusion- because Laxus shuddered. A shaky hiss escaped passed his gritted fangs, and he bent over a bit more, almost like he was.. crumbling.

She stiffened, reaching out uncertainly and sluggishly so- her hand never actually got very far at all, she just... she was having a hard time processing any of it, because Laxus never crumbled. Ever. Nor had she ever felt so much awful coming from him either- not that much tension, not that much fear, and not that much heart-wrenching ache.

"... L... Laxus...?" Frea stammered breathlessly, and he swallowed so hard she actually heard it. He took in a big breath of air, still hunched and hands still trembling as he forced his fists to unclench, though it was hard as hell to do so... and then harder still to make them, and the rest of his body, move at all.

He pushed himself closer to her across the bench, adjusting so he was sitting just before her, while his hands reached out and found her sides- hesitantly at first, before he held to her a little tighter, almost like he didn't dare let go at all. Frea froze a little under the hold, the distance between them cut to near nothing and without warning, and she was left reeling slightly still, her silver eyes glittering like mad when he paused for a heartbeat, and then he did what she absolutely did not expect.

Laxus' entire body bent, almost doubling over as he pulled her in closer to him, and his forehead fell against her chest gingerly, directly over her heart.

Frea faltered, eyes wide and her mind derailing again, and Laxus leaned his forehead a tiny bit more into her- but only just, he wouldn't dare press too hard, lest he hurt her for it. He buried his nose into her figure, a low, rumbling sigh escaping him as he seemed to sink into her that little bit, nuzzling against her faintly and the ends of his hair tickling the underside of her chin, the breath he let out warm against her chest.

Frea blinked several times over, her left hand hovering and not entirely sure what to do with the... well, incredibly unexpected, and entirely unusual contact- even a hug would have made more sense than this, and she just... didn't know what to do.

"... I won't ever ask you for anything that you don't want to give, Frea... I said I'd take it all, and I will... I can take it all, everything you tell me, all the bad, all the fights... everything... and nothing is gonna change that... but... tch..." He started lowly, his head still bowed and pressed against her, and his voice quickly growing tenser and more hoarse toward the end. He broke off in a hiss, his hands on her sides tightening a little and she felt him tremble underneath her, and her breath caught in her throat for it. "... but I need one thing from you... whatever you do, whatever insanity you get dragged into after this, whatever happens, just... whatever... When I had to... when I... was... messing with... with your heart... tch... I hated it... every second of it..." Laxus hissed lowly, his voice shaking where she had never heard it do so before and Frea froze, eyes wide. His hands on her sides tightened, trembling and his shoulders following suit, and her core absolutely churned for it, and what he asked next;

"... whatever happens... from now on... just... please don't make me have to do that again..."

Her heart felt like it skipped a beat, her stomach curling tightly and no small amount of distress and guilt all bundled up into one ramming into her. His voice was barely above a whisper that time, husky, and pleading almost- though he tried so hard to keep his voice as steady as he could. The words felt like they hit her like a train, and then hit a million times harder when she realized in an instant just how much him having to use his Magic on her had upset him.

She had never seen him crumble like this before, seen him shaking, or so curled in on himself- none of it. She'd felt fear from him before of course, but he never let himself get overtaken by it, or what was bothering him... but this...?

... this... is what all of that was about...? Him being so... wound up... and panicky... when I moved my shoulder...?

And last night... when he caught me when I fell... he was scared... he asked immediately... if it was my heart that...?

Tch... S... shit...

... I... Didn't... R..realize...

"... tch... damn it... If I have to do it again, to help you... I will... but... please... you can't go running around like an idiot... and get yourself torn up.. and hurt to the point... where it happens again... as much as you can manage it... please don't get hurt like this again... alright...? I know it ain't always on you... but please... " He kept on quietly, his voice utterly tense and so wispy she barely heard it- but she did, and her eyes flashed. "... I can take everything else... I can take you getting hurt, even though I hate it... And I hate everything else that's happened... Everything you have to live with... But I can take it... I can take knowing about it, even if I hate all of the shit that keeps happening to you... But having to do that... I don't want to, not if I don't have to... And you... Dying again..." He hissed, and Frea bit down hard on the insides of her cheeks, her eyes glimmering.

"... Those are the only things I can't live with... I can take everything... ... everything but those... Frea..."

.:+:.

She stiffened the instant she felt his hand fall atop her head lightly, her eyes snapping open from having shut them- her breath hitching in her throat.

Laxus pulled her a little closer, one hand resting lightly on the top of her head while the other trailed faintly across her shoulder and toward her back, pulling her toward him, so softly and destroying what space had always managed to stay in between them. The hand on her head shifted slightly, holding the back of her head softly as he let his chin fall lightly on the top of her head, her forehead brushing against his chest - and her heart jumping in her own and eyes wide at the sudden contact that was almost entirely unbelievable coming from him.

He was... He was hugging her.

"... Seriously woman... Just breathe, alright?" He murmured lowly, she could feel the wash of warmth run against her neck from the breath he left out just then. "... You're freaking yourself out... The more you do that the worse you're gonna feel... So just relax, alright...?" She was still so rigid and so tense, she heard him but honestly the words did nothing for her, and he could tell. Her breathing failed to relax and hitched a little more, rattling and harsh in his ears and his stomach knotted at it.

He pulled her a little closer, just faintly but enough she noticed and her heart fluttered slightly.

"... You hear my heartbeat?" He asked lowly, earning a blink of surprise from her, though he couldn't see it. And he didn't wait for an answer either, "... Just focus on that, keep your focus on listening to it and nothing else, got it?" His voice was so low and so steady she found herself a little taken aback, even more so at the gentle instructions.

.:+:.

"... I mean it, thank you." Frea told him quietly, "I know all of it... Has been a lot, and all the shit that's happened has been... Awful... But I feel a lot better now, just... Having somebody else know... and even talking through it... ... and everything you've said... and done... You've really helped, a lot... Laxus..." She murmured, silver eyes glittering as small specks of moisture poked at the corners of her eyes and he wilted a little at the sudden show of the tears- but she smiled a little more anyway, even when they spilled over, silent and glittering as they fell down her cheeks.

"Thank you, for everything." She told him breathlessly, her voice low and rough and almost wheezy again, and getting a little worse for the well of emotion and the tears.

Laxus wilted a little more, his eyes flashing as he nodded a bit.

"... You got it." He rumbled softly, his hands reaching up for her face and gently wiping the tears away, and she let him do it, entirely unbothered by the gesture. "... You don't gotta cry about it, or thank me, though... I already told you, I'll do whatever I have to, take whatever I have to... just as long as you stay." He told her quietly and she sniffed, letting out a small breath and nodding a little, her heart aching and warming all at once.

".. I know..."

.:+:.

"... Good." He mumbled, his eyes falling closed with a heavy sigh.

He shifted closer to her next, and without warning- his left arm moving to wrap around her neck and put her head in the crook of his elbow. He was careful not to bump her injured shoulder as he did it, and he settled in like that, holding her lightly and setting his cheek down on the pillows with another small breath. Both of their faces were no more than a few inches apart now, the closing of the distance had their sides brushing against one another, and Frea went rigid in shock and surprise at the sudden closeness and contact. Her face heated up, a blush dancing across her cheeks without warning and silver eyes gleaming, while her heart skipped a beat.

This... isn't... all that normal, really...?

... What is he...?

"... You can tell me everything else when you're ready to, Frea... But for now, just give it a rest... You're gonna work yourself up too much, so just quit... go to sleep..." Laxus kept on softly and not at all bothered with the sudden closeness. His breath washed against her face warm and wispy, which did nothing to help with the blushing, and she swallowed slightly, her eyes flashing as Laxus let out a long, deep sigh... and then nothing else.

He was exhausted, she'd already known that- but not a minute after saying those few words, did his breathing slow down to a pace that told her he'd drifted off entirely, or was starting to, and she felt her stomach knot a bit.

... He was tired... But tired enough to fall asleep that fast...?

She grimaced slightly, her eyes darting away from his face half-buried in the pillow, and she bit the inside of her cheek.

Laxus was all wound up and just as knotted as her stomach felt, she could tell. There was no end to the unease and tension coming off him, not even as he started to drift... He was a lot more worked up about it than he would ever admit out loud, or let her know- regardless of what he said about not worrying over how all of it affected him. There was no way not to be affected, but he still assured her he'd listen, that he'd... Take it all... No matter what...

Her eyes glinted at the thought, falling halfway as she moved her left hand up slowly, her fingers curling lightly around his arm over her shoulders, and staying there. She took in a deep breath, her body relaxing out of the slightly stiff posture she'd adopted in her surprise at the gesture to start, and then she sank a little further into the hold as his scent washed over her, familiar, slightly sweet, and prickling on her nose.

Her eyes dropped closed a little more, a small breathe escaping her- the warmth from the Lightning Dragon Slayer's arm, body, and breath washing against her bringing with it a heavy sense of exhaustion, and one that was just as heavy as the tiredness that had taken over him.

... Things were drastically different now than all that time ago, in so many ways- and now forever different after all of that had happened, here in this country, in that Tower, and all that came after it... but this...

... This is... A nice different... A nice change...

... I don't know when... This got to... This point... But...

... I don't know... What would happen if... Things between us... Hadn't... Gotten to be... Like this...

Her eyes dropped all the way at last, her nose nuzzling slightly into the crook of his elbow as her left hand moved up further in order to hold on to his arm a bit more.

"... Thank you... For everything... Laxus..."

.:+:.

... Even if she didn't know how... She... She trusted that he really meant it, even with all her own doubts and fears. She trusted him, and so much more than she trusted anybody- or even ever thought she could trust him... That same person she had once- and what felt like a lifetime ago- been unable to be in the same room with, let alone hold a conversation.

Things were drastically different now than all that time ago when they were so young, and everything had changed in too many ways to count... And not all of them good changes... But this...?

.:+:.

... This scent... it's everywhere... It's almost like...

... it smells... like a mountain trapped in the middle... of a storm...

She pressed a little, trying to bring it closer, drink it in... It smelled good, and soothing almost... familiar, and warm, and... Peaceful. She moved in closer still, burying her face in it, and taking in a long, deep breath... Some small part of her wanted to go further, her mouth watering slightly for the smell and the sweet-tinge buried in it... So much so she found herself lost in it, and something tugged in her chest... something deep down that was stirring where it never had before- something new, and unfamiliar.

.:+:.

"... I know I haven't done anything to let you see it, or even know... But I care about you too, Frea." He murmured, lowly, quietly.

"... I might be bad at showing that, but ... I do care about you, more than I realized I did. I care about you, all of you... You're a freak of nature, you're stubborn as all hell, and have one hell of a bad temper. You're oblivious at times and you make stupid decisions... But you're loyal to a fault, you're kind to everyone you meet, you're incredibly perceptive and honest, and a bit of mystery all at once." His lips twitched slightly, some small flash of a dry smile. "... I care about you, for who you are. Everything about you, every little strength, every little quirk... that's who you are. Even if we fight, or you get on my nerves..."

"... It's enough to just have you."

.:+:.

Her shoulders sank a little, her face falling with them and her heart... Skipped a beat.

She felt it again, that thing she hadn't even given a single thought before- that strange, new, unfamiliar feeling. A feeling somewhere deep down in a part of herself she had never felt before, not even once.

Frea went utterly still, silver eyes gleaming and her mind staggering to a sudden halt as the memories ran through lightning-fast. And then when the last played out, the last words rang again on her ears- it was almost like something sort of... clicked- though she hadn't a clue what clicked, not really. All she knew was there was that something that hit her in that moment, some synapse in her brain that fired without warning, some feeling like somewhere, some part of her had come to a conclusion- but her mind was still lagging.

And what the hell... what clicked? Why couldn't she... put a name to it, or understand it...?

What... is that... new feeling...? I don't recognize it...? How can I not... recognize... it...?

Her hand tightened a bit around the fabric, silver eyes gleaming as her face fell a bit more, a twinge of shock and uncertainty running through her just as quickly as the odd sense of realization had, and the one she still did not get.

... Have I felt this before... from... someone else...? I think... Maybe but... From who...? And why...?

... I can't... Remember... It... But... I had to have felt this somewhere before... Right...?

... Why can't... I place it...?

Her eyes flashed, some other small part she didn't understand feeling like it clicked in her head, and her attention fell on the doorway leading out of the room, quiet, and sort of... Reeling.

... Is it...maybe...?

She meant to finish the thought, she meant to ponder on it more, to make her mind work and try to understand it- because though something clicked, her understanding of that click didn't quite manage it's way into her mind. She wished it had, it sort of infuriated her that it didn't- because she was almost entirely sure whatever that feeling was in her core now... She'd felt it somewhere, from someone else besides herself- but who?

And what was it? And that she couldn't place it? There was never any sort of emotion she hadn't been able to place before, least of all in herself- so what the hell?

She meant to brood about it, and she probably would have for a long time, but her attention on the doorway faltered.

Because suddenly, and out of nowhere, there was someone else in the room. Someone else who was literally right next to her- she saw them out of the corner of her eye. One second there was nothing, and then the next?

Frea went rigid, her blood running cold and utterly aware of the glare of pale violet-grey hair now a few inches to her right, and that belonged to stranger in her eye line. Her head snapped about quickly, Time seeming to slow down on that single instant and her silver eyes locked with the stranger's golden ones- and he stood there, silent, unmoving. Shivers ran down her spine as they matched gazes, the world shuddering to a crawl and noise suddenly dimming to none too- just for an instant. And in that instant, in the back of her mind she could feel the low, distant rumble and rush of water, or wind or... something. She felt power she didn't recognize suddenly invade her Senses, pulsing, pulling, swirling around her in a river invisible to the eye- and it came out of nowhere. Just like that Stranger did, that same man she'd seen just before everything went to hell- and who now she realized who he had to be, where she hadn't come to the conclusion the first time around.

The purple hair, the golden eyes, the sudden feeling of Magic and Power and everything running sluggishly slow- there was no doubt in her mind in that instant, and her heart picked up.

He's the Fealorr, r-right...?

But what is he-?

He was expressionless as their eyes met, motionless too for that single second of being there and her head snapped toward him- before he dipped his head slightly, his hand extending toward her without warning and she instinctively stiffened. And then not a millisecond after she blinked, the whole of the world felt like it rushed passed her feet in terrifying speed, and when she opened her eyes again, everything was different.

The room was gone, the Palace was gone- the walls, the stone- all of it. The table she'd been sitting on just a second before was gone, gravity quick to claim her and she did her best to land on her feet. And she did, but only because of the steady grasp of the Fealorr's hand catching her arm and saving her landing on her ass. He grabbed her, kept her on her feet, and then as soon as she held her balance on her own- his hand was gone from her arm, and so was the rest of him. She blinked again and he was gone, just like the room, and the whole of the goddamn Palace- and she shivered, her eyes snapping every which way and utterly reeling. Fresh air washed into her face, the sky dark and covered in leftover smog from the fires overhead. The bulky shadows of buildings and structures stretched out ahead of her, and behind her sat a huge, old, and utterly familiar figure of Kelen- the place that had once been the hub and college to which the Energy Mages taught, learned, everything.

All of a sudden she was standing in the center of the marble courtyard leading up to Kelen's main entrance, with no light available outside of the moon, and the Salemellion and Lacrima-lamps dotted around the courtyard's edges. In the distance and at the head of the Valley was the Palace of Okeal where she had been only a heartbeat before, and then in the other direction and everywhere else the figure of the Capital City sat.

In one second she'd been moved well over four dozen miles, and she grit her teeth, rigid and tense and not at all pleased with... With any of it...!

How the hell-?!

Her body whipped about, swallowing hard and bristling as she took it all in in rapidity- her eyes flashing when she saw Talarr standing paralyzed beside her, nearly in the same position he had been back into the King's Quarters. His hands were even stalled where they'd been previously hovering over a screen from the Surgical Table, and he shuddered, trembling as his eyes trailed up and he realized where they were too, and with no precedence.

".. G... Gods... What just...?" The Ilaen stammered breathlessly,

Frea looked passed Talarr though, eyes widening and face falling flat in shock when she saw more than just the Ilaen around them. She saw Laxus, Freed, Bixlow, Evergreen, Moon, and Lily not far from where she was- and then she saw Chase, Erza, Mirajane, Elfmann, Lisannna... Corbynn, Shae, Samuel, Carla, Wendy, and Master, and Porlyusica too... And Loke, Lucy, Solana- what the...?!

The entire Guild was scattered about the Courtyard around her, all of them seemingly dropped into the space just like she had been, and all of them reeling just as much. Even the people in the Guild and several others who hadn't been at the Palace at all where there now- all those who had been in the city taking care of things, like Aisha, Gajeel, Levy, Saige, Seyre- hell, even Edryd was there (though to be fair he and a few others were there of their own accord). And Jynx was there too, the look on the Seleyn's face making it instantly clear she'd managed to get pulled to that courtyard like everyone else- which nothing should have been able to bring her there against her will... And it was the same thing with Mavis, the First looking disconcerted from where she stood not far from Master Makarov.

"... W-what the fuck...?"

"... Where... Are we...?"

"... What the hell just happened...?!"

"B-but we were just...?!"

"... How are we here all the sudden...?!"

"How did we move-?!"

"W-what on earth...?"

A wash of startled, incredulous, wary, and entirely uneasy voices rose up in an instant, everyone reeling at the sudden shift in location without warning or precedence. And all of them looked around quickly, seeing everyone else, and many of them instantly on edge- especially when their eyes found Frea there too. Frea who was not really supposed to be out and about too much even in the Palace, and certainly not suddenly whisked away to the center of the city itself.

And what was even worse about the whole thing, even outside of the shock and confusion, and the utterly derailing turn of events- for the Guild? Getting swept up and taken some place with no warning, nor want, and entirely against their will? It was hauntingly familiar to them getting snatched by Mordren and whisked away to Frea's mountain- and the memory of what followed had no small amount of panic, fear, and urgency sparking off everyone in the Guild. They all shifted, closing in on themselves, almost moving to circle Frea slightly, bodies tense and ready for anything- and ready to guard her and everybody else whatever might come.

"Are you alright?" Moon asked quickly, darting forward to float at Frea's shoulder as soon as she regained her own bearings with the sudden insanity- and she was followed quickly by Lily, with Laxus and the Thunder Legion shifting a little closer too, instantly on edge.

Frea hardly cast Moon a glance though, or anyone else that pressed in closer to her, for that matter. Her attention had turned from taking in the sudden new locale, to looking around warily for those golden eyes belonging to the Fealorr that had popped in and popped out way too quickly. She couldn't see him, and she couldn't feel his Energy Signature either- though honestly she had no clue what his Energy Signature was even supposed to feel like, he was never around long enough to gauge it, and the feel of his Magic was... Well, sort of muddy, and overwhelming.

And the feeling of that Magic was still there, though on a somehow larger, more colossal scale- but it wasn't heavy. It was like everything was humming with it, the land, the air, all of it... but it wasn't suffocating. It was overwhelming still, but it was almost tranquil, and calm.

What... The hell...?

"... Frea?" Moon questioned again when it was clear the Energy Dragon Slayer hadn't paid her question any mind. Frea jumped slightly, casting the Exceed a quick glance and shaking her head a bit.

"Ah, sorry... I'm fine..." She mumbled quickly, her eyes darting away from Moon again and biting the inside of her cheek as she glanced behind her and toward the looming figure of Kelen warily.

"Why are you all here all of a sudden?" Aisha huffed, Edryd, Therigist, Seyre and Saige all wondering the same thing. They'd been making their way toward Kelen's entrance when everyone else got suddenly dropped in their path, and their eyes gleamed in the dim as they gave the sudden crowd wary looks.

"And how did you get here, hmm?" Saige murmured curiously, his head tilting at the lot and landing on Frea among the many. She caught his orange gaze for half a second, shaking her head slightly and grimacing.

"... I'm not sure..." She replied lowly,

"... It kind of felt like... What moved us back in Hilshine...?" Chase mumbled aloud, catching Frea's attention along with a few other people's, and the Energy Dragon Slayer froze- because he was right, how could she not have put the two together herself...?!

... Wait... Was it him then...? Who saved us from Mordren's attack...? The Fealorr...?

She chewed on the insides of her cheeks, eyes narrowing to slits and casting the looking figure of Kelen a quick look.

... No, that wasn't him... I talked to whatever it was that did that... And...

.:+:.

"Kill you it may."

Frea's head snapped around at the voice, her eyes trying to train the dark and make anything out. She couldn't see anything- hell she couldn't sense or scent anything either. She didn't recognize the voice either...

"Who the hell are you?" She asked of the black, voice low and eyes narrowed.

"No one you know." Was the simple reply, "... And not even something inherently a 'who'. More a force... A fleeting power." Her heart skipped a moment when a flash of Energy suddenly enveloped her, something faint, something old... Something nagging at the back of her mind, something oddly familiar.. Like Jynx's Magic mixed with her own...

Her eyes widened slightly, just as the Energy faded from all feeling to her, it was too faint and too quick to really pick up on it- just like before.

"You moved us out of the way..." She breathed, the realization clicking in her mind, the quick feeling of the world around her flying past suddenly crowding her memory.

"You woke me up." She blinked. Woke you up? What? When she activated the barrier? She hadn't felt anything other than the Protection Magic flare up around them...

Her mind couldn't work past how she could be speaking with this thing... This person, or whatever sort of power it was.. Without being able to feel the Energy Signature attached to it, like it was there, and yet it wasn't... Like edge thing was moving too fast to even feel it.

.:+:.

... It... It does feel the same I think, but it's so hard to get a bead on...

... It said it wasn't a who, more a... What...

"... Hilshine...? Didn't you guys say that one of the Tombs of the Forces of Creation was there...?"

Frea stalled, her movements ceasing and rigid in place as her mind whirled and clicked together all at once... And she could not fathom it, or the fact that the pressure and humming of Power all around- it doubled, tripled, quadrupled- ten times that and everything was absolutely thrumming, drumming... Moving.

Her head snapped around, wide-eyed and stunned into stillness, her gaze locking on the debris and crumbling figures of buildings all around and stretching out into the city. The city, and everything in it- where suddenly streams and currents of pulsing, white-gold came to life, swirling about the destruction, sweeping through it slowly, overtaking it... The light and what Magic it was born of almost seeming to bleed out of the air, and well up from the flesh of reality itself.

Everybody froze then, eyes riveted to the rivers upon rivers of brilliant golden washing over everything, sweeping up whole buildings and fractured remains of things. Suddenly everything was moving- not just the Magic, but the stone and the city itself. The crumbled walls and structures lift from their tumbled piles and began to reorient themselves, stone stacking again in it's proper place, snapped beams welding together seamlessly once more, lamps melted and shattered whole again, plants withered and torn up now growing and sprouting- everything that had been destroyed or burned to the ground was... Was mending, and without even a hint left of any of the chaos it had endured.

The whole city was being put back together, swept up, rearranged and fixed by those rivers of shimmering gold and white. Even Kelen behind and around them, it's form was being repaired, the walls raising and holes filling, and glass windows rendered whole again and gleaming with the light. The hundreds and thousands of Salmellion scattered about the whole of the city and that had been decimated in the middle of all the mayhem suddenly came back into being, glowing in a million multicolor and so full of life. Lacrima-lamps that had been rendered lifeless, or no longer ther,e came back into being too, though their glow could not even begin to match that of the Salmellion, or the gigantic, ever-flowing golden river of sheer Power running slowly through all of Adgnei.

"... N-no way..." Frea breathed, riveted and wide-eyed as she watched it like everyone else- and yet only she had any clue what it was, and from where.

Or rather, from what it had to be coming from. But there was no way, and even still the Magic kept going- and it wasn't just washing over the buildings. No, it was overtaking everything, the air, the land... The people.

Everyone in the courtyard were jostled out from having been watching the sudden turn off events in a rather shocked stupor, stiffening against the way smaller streams of golden white began to break from the larger whole, and moved directly toward all of them. Those standing at the edges backed up a few paces out of sheer reaction, them and everyone else instantly wary- not that moving or being suspicious had the streams of golden Magic stalling. It just kept forward, winding between everyone and circling them closely, spiraling up around their forms, their bodies accumulating a soft white glow, the Magic ruffling their hair, and clothes. When the movement was done, the Magic spiraled up over their heads and faded to nothing but wisps of yellow and white that got swept up in the dazzling river running passed overhead. And the people it had swept up inside of itself, and continued to do so, moving from the edges and inward, touching every single person...?

Frea went absolutely still, her heart skipping a beat and a shaky breath catching in her throat, silver eyes gleaming with the glow of the Magic and her face fell slack, absolutely breathless.

Every single one of them... As soon as the Magic dispersed from around everybody around her- every bruise, cut, broken bone, wound, everything- was gone. Every single injury, and every shred of hurt, disarray, and indication of all the terrible things that had happened, and they'd had to fight so hard through was... Entirely gone.

She swallowed hard, eyes glittering like mad as she watched every single person in the Guild get swallowed up, their bodies mended, the wounds fading to none, and even their clothes getting repaired and replaced. With every single one of them the feeling of their pain, ache, and exhaustion got wiped clean, the air lifting a hundred times over, lightening on her shoulders and her Senses, and her heart felt ready to burst, or give out... Or both.

... Everybody...

Erza's wounds went away, then Chase's, Moon, Lily, Gajeel, the Thunder Legion, Lucy... Master and Saige, Seyre, Corbynn, Shae, and Talarr beside her- all the way through the crowd, through every single one of her friends, her Family. The Magic swirled around all of them, and all the way through every person and to Laxus among them- and she swallowed hard when the incessant heavy prick of pain from him vanished.

It wasn't just the Guild, or those in the courtyard either- everyone in Adgnei felt it too. The people in the streets bearing wounds, still exhausted from it all- every scrap of pain, and tiredness got wiped away, all of it suddenly fading to nonexistence and no longer dancing on her head.

The Magic flowing by above their heads slowed after doing what it will, calm and pulsing- and leaving all of Adgnei standing as it once was, healthy, refreshed, alive- and nearly like nothing ever happened.

Frea let out the breath of air she had been holding, only to suck another in right away, and holding that one too. She shut her eyes tight, fighting against the stinging sensation rising suddenly behind her eyes, and threatening to have tears spilling again all too quickly. She trembled a bit, her head bowing and her left hand gripping tightly to the bottom of the sling, hugging herself slightly as so much relief hit her all at once, and it hurt.

T...they're... All...

"...w..woah...!"

"H-hey wait a minute..?"

"... What the...?"

"Hey, I'm... I'm fine...?!"

"... Me too...!"

"Woah, even my clothes are back..?!"

"... How...?"

"... I feel great..!"

Frea sucked in another breath and held it, swallowing hard against the surge of emotion in her core and shaking a little more too. All of their feelings sparked against her, bouncing against her body and oh so blissfully free of pain, exhaustion, strain- all of it. The Negative Energy was gone, all of the damage and the hurt done on their bodies, gone. And even most of the damage done on their souls and all the strain- gone in moments.

Frea bit down hard on the insides of her cheeks, eyes scrunching closed harder and small, minuscule flecks of moisture poking at the corners of them- while a shaky, breathless smile managed it's way onto her lips and her heart fluttered.

... E-Everybody's okay...!

"What is this stuff? Healing Magic..?"

"The City's looks all put back together too...!"

"What's going on...?"

"... This is... Incredible..." Talarr breathed, his eyes darting about the Fairy Tailers and himself, the warnings and flashes of injuries recorded via his Glasses now suddenly gone all the way. "... Everyone's injuries... Have..." He mumbled, his attention moving to his right and stalling when he found the Energess there beside him still, trembling faintly now, and his heart dropped a little. "W-wait... Why aren't...?" The Ilaen mumbled quickly, Moon on Frea's other side bristling a little when her blue eyes darted to Frea too and she saw what Talarr had.

"... Frea, you... You're still hurt...?" Moon mumbled breathlessly, and she was right- despite the sudden seemingly erasure of everyone else's wounds in the whole of the city, the Energy Dragon Slayer was still there, bandaged and broken, and entirely untouched. The Magic had swirled about everyone, including Moon and Talarr beside her without ever even attempting with the Energy Dragon Slayer- and both Moon, Talarr, and quickly several other people around them were realizing that. Their awe and question of what just happened instantly began turning to confusion and worry when their attention found the Energy Dragon Slayer.

"... Wait, why...?"

"... Why is Frea still...?"

"... that's not fair...!"

"... B...but the rest of us...?"

"... What the hell...?"

"... S..shouldn't you have gotten healed like everybody else...?"

"W-why didn't you...?"

Frea shook her head a little, aware of the slight change in attention to herself and the incredulous murmurs that came with it. She sniffed, her left hand moving up from holding to her other arm and rubbing the back of her hand against her face, a shaky sigh escaping her as she shook her head, and a bit more firmly.

"... I don't even care..." She murmured softly, the words making everyone in earshot stiffen. She shook her head again, her hand falling from her face and head lifting after having bowed a bit- and everyone's eyes widened, stunned into stillness and faltering for what utterly relieved smile was on Frea's face just then. "I'm just glad all of you guys are okay now." She breathed, silver eyes flashing and they stared, their lips pulling into tight lines, and shoulders going rigid while their hearts twisted.

She looked so happy at the fact they were okay, even when she was still hurt, and hadn't... she... oh...

It didn't really hit until just then- but they'd all known she must have been upset about what happened, yeah? At all the destruction that had gone on, all the fighting, and all the injuries the Guild and the whole of Adgnei had sustained...? Seeing them hurt at all, even if nobody believed it was her fault- that bothered her, so much more than they really understood until that very moment. She looked genuinely relieved, and happy- like some sort of weight suddenly lifted off her shoulders, and their throats ran dry, eyes glimmering.

... Frea...

The Guild shifted, intent to say something, reassure her maybe, question everything further- but they never got around to it. Frea's smile faded a tad, her attention instantly flitting from all of them and directly passed the heads and people that had turned toward her. And in the second her eyes moved, everyone else felt a sudden burst of wind and sheer Magical Pressure suddenly wash against their backs with a fervor- it was more Magic and Power than they had ever felt before, and it was almost choking. Many of them didn't even dare turn around at first, and those that did froze, eyes going wider than ever and shivers running down their spines when their gazes found something absolutely massive standing behind them, and that not been there but three seconds before.

It was bigger than the Guild Hall twice over, it's heavy, lean body covered in slick, shinning fur of a golden color with speckles of frosty white scales running down the top of it's back and all along it's sickle tail. It dipped it's head a little, piercing green eyes peering down at them from it's long face topped by twisted horns, ears swiveling forward at attention and a long wavy main along it's neck rippled in white and yellow, and almost seemed to spill the same Magic that had taken hold of the entire city. Those closest to it, and it's wickedly sharp hooves not a a few dozen feet from them stumbled back in surprise, the Fairy Tailers all instantly on edge and alert- and reeling honestly, just as much as the Adgneins in the crowd were. They gulped, shivers running down their spines and shuddering under the intensity of the beast's stare, and the heavy sense of Magic coming from it in waves- Chase and Frea especially shivering for it and tense as it hounded their senses relentlessly.

It was... colossal.

"... s... so much Power..."

"... where did that come from...?!"

"What is... that...?"

"It's huge..!"

"... I've never felt this much Magic from anything..."

"... S-seriously, it feels like... everything is vibrating from it...!"

"... it's... an Aiyin...?" Talarr, Aisha and a few of the other Adgnein's mumbled breathlessly.

"... that is way bigger than normal...!" Corbynn stammered, Shae beside him nodding stiffly in agreement, her tail fluffed up.

Frea's smile faded to none now, her eyes narrowing slightly and swallowing a bit as her gaze matched with the creature's green one, and in the back of her mind came a thrumming, low pulsing that matched the feel of the Magic. Something entirely ancient, all-encompassing, and integral to... well, everything.

Of course it feels colossal, and ancient... this is something... that the world itself stands upon the shoulders of, and all of existence too.

Jynx swallowed slightly, her expression falling utterly calm and neutral where she stood, her red eyes reflecting the golden glow and letting out a silent breath. She knew what it was too, though she was just as shocked with it as Frea was... it made little sense it would show itself now, out of nowhere- but there it was.

"... it's not an Aiyin."

Several people jumped, Moon and Talarr included as their eyes snapped around to the voice and the statement out of nowhere. Their attention found Saige Balthan, who had moved forward quietly and now stopped level with Frea, his orange eyes trailing toward the Energess. He didn't catch Frea's attention, her eyes had stayed locked with the beasts and would not move- but she was aware of the look the Saint cast her way, and her expression fell neutral, and almost stony.

"At least, it's not a true Aiyin- is it?" Saige asked quietly and the Energess' eyes flashed,

"No." Frea replied lowly, the answer making everyone stiffen in surprise, while Saige just nodded slightly.

"...H..heh..?"

"Wait, what...?!"

"What do you mean it's not an Aiyin...?"

"What is it then..?"

Frea let out a low sigh, shaking her head slightly and still her eyes did not break from the 'Aiyin', not even at the round of questions.

"Maveel." She mumbled lowly, the sudden name and familiar ring of the Dragon Language on everyone's ears making them pause. Her eyes fell closed, breaking the stare she'd been holding with the beast and her hand finding a rather tight grip on the bottom of the sling around her other arm. "... Time." She reiterated lowly, and this time in terms they understood- and they all went rigid, their minds shuddering to a halt and blood running almost cold.

W-What...?

"That is the Immortal Manifestation of Time, the entirety of the Magic, it's will, drive, all of it... that is the whole of the Magic of one of the Four Forces of Creation... It is Time itself." Frea elaborated softly, the words steady and yet so grim in a way, and everyone bristled, minds whirling and hearts beginning to race.

"W-what...?!"

"S-seriously..?!"

"N-no way..!"

"A... an actual Force of Creation...?"

"Time... like actual Time...?!"

"... this is... so much Power, it... must be... but..."

"Why is it... here...?" Moon mumbled softly, her eyes widening and ears perking. "Wait... so Time is what fixed the whole city, and healed everybody? Did it... undo all the damage...?"

"I did not 'undo' anything, little one."

Everyone froze again, eyes wide and shivering as the voice suddenly rumbled clear and heavy on their ears. The Aiyin- or rather, Time- suddenly voicing something after having appeared without warning, and it's green eyes fell on Moon as the question was posed. The questions and murmurs died out instantly, all of them at instant attention and utterly quiet, Frea's eyes opening again and biting the inside of her cheek when she recognized the voice. It was the same voice of the thing she'd had that conversation with before, about her being fated to die when she finally faced Mordren... which had come true.

... Of course it did... It would know...

"To 'undo' would mean that I reversed the damage done, but I did not. Instead I did the opposite... I pushed everything forward in it's lifetime, accelerating the healing and repairs that were to come, eventually." It rumbled levelly, earning blinks of surprise and awe from everyone below it. "Were I to have rewound all of your time, it would do little good. The Current has a way of staying it's original course, so the damage you all endured would simply come about again... in a different way perhaps, but it would still come. Some things are inevitable, always." It explained, everyone grimacing slightly at that, but it did not pause. Instead it dipped it's head to them in something of a greeting, "Your Energess is correct, I am Time- though I have taken this more physical form to better speak with you now. In past iterations of myself, I have been called several things- Maveel being one of them... though perhaps for now, and for something less foreign on most of your ears- the name Eumeaus will suffice, when addressing me." It hummed quietly, it's head lifting again and green eyes glinting.

"I have pushed your Time forward now, because all those who suffered injuries in this destruction and were fated to perish, have done so. All of you who are left were never going to lose your lives as a result of what happened here, so altering your progression now will do no real harm within the Current." Eumeaus explained softly, "Usually I would not meddle at all, but what has happened here has been quite abnormal- and the intended fate of this country, and all of you has been... rather thrown off course." It murmured lowly, everyone stiffening slightly and looking wary- naturally so. Frea frowned a bit, biting down on the inside of her cheek hard when Eumeaus' eyes found her again, and she swallowed against it.

"To be clear, the fate of this entire country, and all those in it- was complete annihilation."

Everyone went still, eyes widening and heavy cold lumps falling into the pits of their stomachs at the utterly grim words.

".. t.. total annihilation...?"

"... really...?"

"... Gods..."

"... ah, that's... bad..."

"Hmm, either by one way, or another- this place was meant to be destroyed, and this time never to return, or rebuild." Eumeaus went on levelly, it's eyes leaving Frea after lingering there on the Energy Dragon Slayer a little too long for her liking, and her silver eyes dropped to her feet, swallowing. "What happened here was not the original intent, and even what happened during deviated from the most likely path... there were millions of ways for this place to fall, and a million ways for it's existence to be rendered null. There were a million ways in which the lives of everything here were to be snuffed out, their Souls consumed... or otherwise- ways in which all life here would have been decimated and massacred- like it was once before, by the Black God Mordren, so long ago." Eumeaus murmured grimly, the Fairy Tailers nearly flinching at the mention of the Energy God Slayer's name, and Frea grimaced, fangs gritting and grip on the sling getting tighter. Her eyes narrowed at her feet, holding her breath against the words- and what they clearly meant;

'...ways in which all life here would have been decimated and massacred- like it was once before, by the Black God Mordren.'

... ways in which... I would have been the thing to destroy everything... shit...

Chase, Aisha, Saige, and Jynx alike frowned too- all of them instantly aware of what the last bit implied, and their eyes glittering as they cast Frea a look and saw her trembling faintly, her shoulders hunched slightly and absolutely rigid. Laxus' jaw clenched, annoyance and irritation flitting over his face when he realized what the words meant as well, and then he glanced back and saw Frea standing there stiff as stone- which only made him more irritated, and spurred an urge to make Time, or Eumeaus, or whatever the hell it was to shut the hell up.

What did it matter if it could or should have happened, if it didn't?

There ain't any reason to mention it damn it. None of that happened, it's done with-

"-Clearly that fate of destruction has not come to pass. And now with the Corruption born from the Tomb of Soul dealt with, it will not come to pass later on either." Eumeaus murmured, the statement stilling the whirling, worried minds of those listening quite abruptly- and their eyes widened in shock.

It... won't...?

"You have all managed to avoid that fate, through effort and sheer force of will on all of your parts... But certainly so for effort on the part of the Seleyn." It kept on, dipping it's head toward Jynx, who dipped her head slightly back... and then the beast's head tilted toward Frea, who stiffened a little more, aware of the gesture immediately. "... And because of you as well, Energess." Eumeaus rumbled, but Frea kept her eyes on the floor and didn't look up at all. She wouldn't look up, she couldn't... and Eumeaus paused only half a second at it, before lifting it's head again.

"With things being pushed so far from their intended path, I find myself having to take a bit more of an active step to try and settle the discord the altered Currents have brought." It murmured softly, "This is why I have pushed things forward slightly, to make events a bit more stable and calm, after having so much turmoil disrupting everything the last few days, and months... It will take awhile longer for the Current to reorient itself in this unintended direction, and more still for things to settle and the passage of events to not be at risk of fracturing- but for now, this is something of a respite. And one I am willing to instill, for a short time." Eumeaus told them levelly, and they nodded slightly in understanding, though the Aiyin's comment about 'months' had a some questioning looks from a few.

"... we appreciate the intervention, and the chance to catch our breaths a bit." Saige said coolly, dipping his head respectfully to the Force of Creation, and being the first (and really only one comfortable enough) to speak up. "We are honored, and most grateful for your willingness to humor us- even when we have altered your original plans."

"Indeed, thank you." Mavis murmured, bowing slightly to the large beast now.

"... Yes, thank you..." Levy piped in quietly with a shy, and sort of uncertain bow.

"... Truly, you've given us much more than a simple respite..." Erza murmured politely with a small dip of her head, the action quickly followed by nearly everybody else- but none of them were all that... Cheery. They were all rather unsure- just like Levy.

"... you're totally being really chill, ya know. Kinda not what I expected out of... Well, whatever you are..." Natsu commented flatly, only to be smacked on the arm by Lucy.

"Be respectful you idiot...!"

"... This is... Incredible, words cannot describe what this means... For all of us..." Talarr mumbled, his body bending and followed by Edryd, Aisha, Seyre, and every other Adgnein in the courtyard with them.

"... You've saved us months of repairs, and healing for the people here... Thank you." Aisha murmured coolly, for once very polite and formal- and quite rightfully so, given the situation. Her thanks earned solemn nods from Therigest, Seyre and Edryd beside her, all of them bowing a bit further.

"... Yes, thank you for your help with all of this." Master murmured, stepping up slightly and dipping his head, though only just. His expression was mostly calm, but a bit wary too and Eumeus' eyes moved from the murmurs and toward the Fairy Tail Guild Master. "It is nearly impossible to think something like yourself would step in on our behalf, but we do appreciate it, deeply. Please do not think we are not grateful for what you've done already... However-" the Old Man murmured lowly, his head lifting again to look directly toward the creature, and then he got cut off by a rather tense growl from someone else.

"-what about Silver?" Gajeel muttered lowly, his arms crossed about his chest and one of the few who didn't look at all pleased still, even with all the explanations and goings on. And he was also one of the ones who'd not voiced any thanks of any kind. At his question everybody in the Guild frowned a bit, though they nodded quickly- after all, that was why many of their thanks had been rather quiet and muted. Because while they were thankful for the help the city, themselves, and everyone in it had earned- the one person who needed it the most had not been given any help at all, and they were all very aware of it.

Frea stiffened slightly, her eyes trailing sideways toward the Iron Dragon Slayer and biting the inside of her cheek when she saw the look on his face mirrored in Master, and just about everybody else.

"Why didn't you push Frea's time forward like the rest of us...?" Wendy mumbled,

"Yeah, you can't just go around fixing everybody but her." Gray huffed lowly,

"It's not very fair." Mirajane mumbled lowly, hers, Gray's, and Gajeel's comments earning grumbles of agreement among the Guild, Master especially. Eumeaus simply blinked once to the sudden questions and calls, unmoving and quiet while they said what they will, agitation flaring from everyone and getting a bit sharper with each successive word they said... And Frea bit the inside of her cheek harder for it.

"... I was about to get to that issue." The Aiyin rumbled quietly, hushing the last of the murmurs and earning several looks of question. Eumeaus shook it's head a bit, shifting suddenly as it took a step forward toward them all, and the Guild quickly moved to get out of it's path. It's eyes locked on to Frea and the Energy Dragon Slayer looked up finally as the massive creature headed straight for her.

Her eyes narrowed as the Magic flowing from it's mane strengthened, spilling down over the heads of the Guild and sweeping outward, washing over everything as the world around her suddenly became trapped in a river of light, air, and Magic flowing passed and around her on all sides. And as it did so, everything around her became suddenly washed out in excruciating monochrome outside herself, and Eumeaus.

Everything stalled, the Guild suddenly rendered totally frozen, their usual color lost and almost stripped by the constant swirling and swimming all around that flowed passed them in a wash of gray that almost seemed like water, and yet she couldn't feel it. She could feel the Magic moving passed her, and so close it was touching her- but it wasn't solid, or even really all that apparent. It all just kept moving and rushing passed her almost sickeningly, and all at once everything was completely still at the same time, and she swallowed, her eyes darting from the Aiyin and moving among those standing around her, totally unmoving and so very unaware.

"... You froze everybody..." Frea mumbled lowly as Eumeaus drew to a halt just in front of her, looming and head bending to better be at her level.

"Not quite." It replied coolly, and she blinked, eyes narrowing in confusion. "For them, time is moving as it always does- but for you, it's moving a bit differently. I've brought you into the Current, the passage of events while you are here compared to how they unfold in the Clear is... odd, and hard to explain." Eumeaus murmured, "While you are here now, you will not have moved in their eyes, and this conversation will not have happened either, though it is ocurring. For them they will blink, and what we talk about here will occur in it's entirety, within the time their eyes close, and then open again. Even if we were to talk for hours, it will still only appear to those in the Clear as less than a second." Frea blinked slowly, her head tilting a little and glancing to the still and monochrome figure of Moon in air beside her.

"... so... this is the Current...?" The Energy Dragon Slayer mumbled, "... and... it moves slower than... the real world..? The Clear...? That's why we can be here for a long time, but everybody else will perceive it as... faster...?" She murmured uncertainly, and the Aiyin paused.

"... not entirely. In this case, it is moving slower... but it doesn't always move at that pace- sometimes it's faster, or exactly the same- it really depends on what instant you step into it." Was the quiet reply, and she glanced back, head tilting. "For instance, the Fealorr entered the Current in a specific point to which connects the Veil- a place where nothing ages or grows, even while the world goes on in the Clear for centuries around them. One can live forever in the Veil, simply watching the world go by, while they are forever fixed. While the Current always moves, the Veil never does."

Frea's eyes widened slightly, instantly perking at the name and swallowing a bit. She meant to ask about whoever that was, but Eumeaus shook it's head slightly, stalling her question almost like it knew what she meant to ask-

"You will find out more about my Mortal half, eventually." It told her calmly, "He will make himself known to you when he chooses, and I will not reveal him before he wishes, it is not my place... Just as it is not my place to have referred to you as the Malurey before all of those who do not know, and to whom I would not leave in earshot of this conversation I am having with you now." Eumeaus hummed, and Frea bit the inside of her cheek, grimacing faintly.

She didn't like the non-answer, but she didn't like the 'conversation' much either- because she knew where it was gonna go. Clearly so if Eumeaus had decided everyone else should not be privy to it.

"... are you still angry with me, for forcing Mordren's Memories upon you?" Eumeaus asked suddenly, and Frea instantly stiffened at it, her teeth gritting and silver eyes flashing.

"Tch, of course I am damn it!" She snapped back quickly, instantly angry and annoyed. "Do you have any clue what that was like..?! To have all those images and things stuffed in my head, and to have to relive all of it...?! You made me watch him grow, and fall in love and... and murder everything he ever cared about-!" She snapped hoarsely, her voice breaking despite herself and she growled lowly. "... damn it, having to feel everything he did... the hurt and the pain and the torture he went through, and created...? And then having to watch Reyan keep herself... half-alive for months... tch... what kind of stupid question is that...? Of course I'm fucking mad, how dare you-?!"

"-You needed to know." Eumeaus cut her off coolly and she bared her fangs at it, hissing in agitation- but the Aiyin shook it's head rather curtly before she could snap anything further. "Forgive me, I know having all of those years and lives forced upon you were difficult, and terrible- but you did need to know. I would not have forced you through any of that unless it had a purpose, it was not simply to harm you, Malurey, I promise that... but you must understand, any amount of action on my part is entirely unheard of- I do not do this." Eumeaus murmured lowly, "I do not get involved, I do not meddle... in the whole life of this world I have never stepped in as much as I have with you, ever."

Frea stiffened, her sudden surge of rage dying down a bit and she swallowed, wary.

"... But I have no choice in the matter, if I do not step in, what comes will be irreparable." The Aiyin told her gravely, "I knew the Fealorr might make the choice to save your life, long before he did it- that is why I made the choice to show you Mordren's life, and Fall, and all the came after him. Because as soon as the choice was made to try and save you, your being alive would open a million different paths in the Current that should not exist at all- but they do now. And many of them lead to something very awful."

She went utterly still at that, silver eyes flashing and a heavy lump falling in the pits of her stomach- something very awful...? Because... she survived...?

"You must have already thought of this outcome, though no one has told you directly." Eumeaus rumbled, "The Fealorr, the Seleyn and the Kala all knew that saving your life might lead to worse futures than were planned to come about- but they still decided to save you. It is true, you could very well be the cause for this world to Fall into sheer evil- your very existence spells for disaster, and disaster that might very well come to pass now with you alive." It told her and Frea stiffened further, her eyes dropping to her feet and her shoulders hunching- and almost painfully so on her broken shoulder, but she hardly felt it for the sickening cold lump in her core. And the utterly chilling words, and certainties being confirmed now- where she'd only been afraid and speculating before.

S... shit... I really do... destroy everything...?

"... But it does not have to." Eumeaus murmured lowly and Frea jumped slightly at it, her heart skipping a beat. Her head snapped up, silver eyes gleaming and almost on the verge of tears again, even when she really didn't want to be, and the Aiyin seemed to sigh at it. "Many of these new paths created from your survival do end terribly, but not all of them." The Aiyn told her softly, "There are some where you being alive does not lead to anything worse than if you were to have died... and even some where your survival spurs something better than what was originally planned." It told her and she felt like she forgot how to breathe, because what...?

... I... Might not... Make things worse...?

I might even have a chance to... Make things better than they were supposed to go, if I was... Dead...?

... B...but...?

"... What comes about- worse, unchanged, or better- that is up to you, and how well you are able to contend with, and stand against all the awful that is to come... And there is more coming that will be worse than even what you had to go through here." Eumeaus told her grimly, and she swallowed hard.

"... W... Worse...?" She echoed breathlessly, and the Aiyin nodded slightly.

"The Darkness in you will eventually become almost unbearable, you already knew this. Resisting it will be hard, and nearly impossible- you will want to give into it, if only to stop the suffering, Malurey... But you have to decide to either give in, or to keep fighting it, for as long as you have to. You either give in and Fall, or you live and stay who you are... Even if living that way will eventually be worse than death." It murmured, "And that is not all of it either- there are things coming, old things rearing their heads and stirring into motion, and they will come soon. What they bring with them might be worse than even the Fall, or the pain that Darkness causes you... You are alive, and it is possible for you to live this way and refuse Falling- but your life will never be free of pain, never again. From here on, everything will get worse for you, and you will have to endure things no other human has had to." Eumeaus murmured quietly, and Frea swallowed hard, a shiver running down her spine. "You need to understand that, and be prepared. Because if you do intend to fight, and resist all that wants to tear you down- you have to know your life is not going to get easier. You need to understand, and truly know you are making a choice to put yourself through sheer hell, and a worse hell than what Mordren went through."

W-worse... than what... Mordren...?

"That is why I forced his life and memories upon you, and made you live through it. This way, you know the sheer pain that awaits you based on what Mordren experienced- and it will get worse than that... But you also know more than just the pain, you know about all he lost, and what is at stake. Feeling Mordren's loss and knowing what he destroyed, and was never able to have- that is exactly what is at stake for you, and you must do better than he did. If you choose to fight, that means not failing where he did, and not failing where everyone after him did so as well. You know what happened to Mordren and what it cost him- you had to know, so you have a better chance of never ending up as he did. That is why I forced his memories on you, Malurey... I do not wish for you to become him, or set this world down a path that leads to sheer Darkness. I truly do not." Eumeaus told her lowly and she stared, wide-eyed and faltering.

"... Y... You what...?" She asked breathlessly, and the Aiyin let out a sigh.

"The intended path of this world was to be lead into Darkness, and perhaps for a time bend under it, but not indefinitely. And it certainly was not the intention for Darkness of the caliber your survival spurred to come about." It told her, "What comes about comes, and I will not argue it- but as a preference, I would prefer a future where things do not change from what was originally planned... But also on that end, I will not argue or intervene if you manage a better future either. I leave it in your hands, and in your choices, and sheer force of will to decide what comes, Malurey. But it is because of my preference, I am speaking with you now. And I do hope you can live through what comes... Despite what I hope for however, I will not meddle more than I have here, and in telling you this, and showing you Mordren's memories." Eumeaus murmured, "All of this was to try and nudge things in a slightly better direction... And perhaps even, as a bit of a thank you- for settling the Imbalance in my Brother Soul that has festered for so long." Eumeaus told her softly and Frea blinked.

... Thank you...?

"As I said, I do not meddle- but the Balance of the world has been tipped a very long time now and you, and the Seleyn, have fixed that now. I much prefer this turn of events, over the alternative, even if I would never intervene- so my telling you all of this, making it so you know the stakes, and even what I might do after we are done talking... It is the little bit of meddling I will allow myself in response to all the discord. But it is all the nudging I will do- do you understand?" Eumeaus rumbled and Frea swallowed, slow to react, and mind reeling honestly.

This was so much, and all at once- so much bad, and doom, and grim projections of what was to come, what she'd have to suffer through, what evil was going to be rearing its head... Some of it she'd already known, or guessed at, and been afraid of- but the rest of it?

How could there be so much bad, and how could she decide the outcome of all of this? How was it even a possibility for a better, or not worse future, if she'd have to go through hell for it...? How could literal Time want a better future enough to 'nudge', but not assure it...?

This... This is insane...!

No, she didn't understand it- it was all way too crazy, and too much to process. It was too much of a dire warning for worse things to come, and with a sudden, tiny, minuscule, and... And cruel ray of hope that maybe... Maybe I... Tch...

".. I... I don't...know..." She mumbled shakily, and the Aiyin let out a breath.

"Forgive me, I understand this is a lot. You will have chance to mull through it better and let it settle in your mind afterwards, Malurey- for now I just have one question before we go any further, if you will oblige me?" Eumeaus murmured softly and Frea paused, nodding stiffly after a moment, and slowly so. "Very well, my question is this- to you, Malurey, is losing your life and living in pain the worst outcome? Or is Falling worse than even that...?" It asked quietly and she stiffened, sucking in a shaky breath of air and eyes falling. "I've made it clear that choosing to resist the worst outcome of your future will be hell for you, and I mean that. In some ways, what is going to happen will be so much worse than anything you've been through before... But even knowing that, which would you choose? Would you rather live with all the pain, suffering, and grief that awaits you- than Fall, and bring all of that about with your own hands?"

She felt like her blood ran cold at the question, heart skipping a beat again, and one that was almost painful- while her whole body went rigid as can be. Her eyes dropped slowly, her left hand gripping tightly to the strap of the sling and gritting her teeth, hardly daring to breathe.

Is... Living a life that's... Gonna be nothing but hell... Worse than...?

She swallowed, her eyes narrowing to slits and teeth gritting so hard they threatened to crack.

She knew what her answer was right away, she knew what the worst thing was for her, even with the promises of suffering to come... But she wavered, and not because she was changing her mind about it- but because she wasn't sure if what she wanted really counted for much at all.

Her answer to that question had been the same as now, even when she'd been dragged up to the Tower and forced to open the Door. But regardless of what she didn't want, she still got to the point of wanting to give in just a little more. And if things were gonna get worse than even what had happened here? What did it matter what she wanted, or what she thought was the worse alternative now? Later on she might be in too much pain to stay set in her convictions, just like she had wavered on them up in that Tower. Even if she'd wavered for only a few seconds, that didn't matter- a few seconds was more than enough to step over the edge, and then she might never get back... Or want to get back, if it got to a point that bad, like Eumeaus promised it would.

And the most awful part of being promised things would only get worse from here...?

.:+:.

"... I am not wrong." He grumbled lowly, steadily, unflinchingly, and softly all at once. "Everything I said to you that night, and every time after it- I meant it, and I am not wrong about anything I said. You will not Fall, you will get through all of this, and you will be fine, just like you always have. Even after all these years and all the shit you've been through, you have never stopped being you- that is not gonna change, not even even after all of this, I know it won't. You are the one person who is strong enough to take all of it and get through it... It ain't fair, you don't deserve a damn thing that's happened to you- but you can take it. You are the strongest person I have ever met, I know you will be fine, and you won't ever be what Mordren was. Not even with the Magic from the Tomb eating at you, or all the bad shit that's happened, or anything else combined- there is nobody I know who is more good than you, that's never gonna change." He grumbled lowly, his hold around her tightened just a bit further.

"...Tch, you got dragged right up to that damn Door where that Magic you say is corrupting you comes from, right? It was right there, trying everything to get you to give in, and let it take over- all while your Magic was getting stripped from you, right?" He said lowly, "You were right there where it's strongest, and where it has the most pull over you, and you didn't Fall- no matter how hard it was, or how much it hurt. You might have wanted to, even for a little, but you pulled yourself back and you didn't give in. You didn't Fall, even when you were in the one place where it had the most power and influence over you. You didn't give in, you're still you after all of that- even when you got tossed in front of the same thing that turned Mordren into what he was, you didn't break under it. You did not Fall." Laxus growled lowly, "You kept yourself from getting consumed by it even when it was right in front of you. If you can do that, then you can sure as hell keep from getting consumed from here on out. If you can keep yourself from Falling while being forced right into it, then there's no question. You won't Fall."

.:+:.

... If... Things will get worse than they were here... That means...

She hunched a little, sucking in a shaky breath of air and holding it when it nearly broke in her throat.

... E...even if I didn't Fall here... That doesn't mean I won't later...s...shit...

She shut her eyes tight, hating the stinging sensation flaring anew, and hating the tears that came back up even when she tried so hard not to let them- but hell... What was she supposed to do...?

That one tiny, minuscule hope he'd managed to give her... It didn't really matter did it...? If things were gonna get worse... Then...

... He... He might actually be wrong...

A few glittering specks of moisture hit the ground at her feet, the Energy Dragon Slayer sucking in a breath of air just as shaky as the last, and holding it again. Eumeaus just watched, silent and unmoving in a world so still, and so full of motion all at once.

... D... Damn it... I... I....

.:+:.

... She wanted to pull together, she really did. She wanted to pick up, settle, buck up and get passed it... She wanted it, so much, even with the lingering doubt, fear and hurt that she wouldn't be able to stop biting at her heels. And more so than her want to stop being like this, and being a mess, and being afraid... She really, really wanted what he said to be true too.

You won't Fall

She wanted him to be right, and maybe even a part of her trusted that he actually was. He seemed so sure of it, she knew and felt just how much he had meant it, and how sincere he'd been while telling it to her. He seemed so sure, and she... Needed him to be right... But she wasn't quite at the point of being able to trust what he believed so much, that that trust overshadowed her fear and doubts entirely. She wasn't there yet... But she wanted to be.

And maybe eventually... She could be.

Please... Let me be... Let me trust and know with everything... He is right

Let him be right... And please... Let me be able to... To prove him right

... I want... To...

.:+:.

"... Damn it... I... I want him to be right..." Frea hissed breathlessly, her voice shaking so, so badly- but she managed to get the words out anyway. She growled, her shoulders hunching a bit more and her grip around the sling going so rigid her knuckles turned white. "... Shit... I... I want him to be right... I want what he believes... A-About me to be right... I don't wanna Fall... That... That is the worst possible thing I can imagine... I don't want to Fall... No matter what... I just... I want him to be right, no matter what... No matter what happens, or whatever hell comes... I just... More than anything I..." She hissed, swallowing hard as her voice cracked a little and she sucked in another breath of air, shaking her head at herself. She forced the tears to stall, stopping any new ones from coming- but she couldn't get rid of the ones already there. It took everything she had to just steady herself even a little bit, her body trembling faintly, silver eyes filled in tears and gleaming as she lift her head to look up at that massive, legendary beast and Force of Creation- and it took so much more to keep her voice as steady as possible for the next part... The next thing, and the one thing she might have wanted more than anything else.

"I want to prove him right." She murmured lowly, a last line of tears spilling again and trailing down her cheeks silently. Her eyes locked with Eumeaus' and so steadily, even despite the tears, and the sheer pain, fear, and worry etched into every inch of her soul.

And Eumeaus didn't move, nor did their gazes break- not for a few moments that seemed to last forever. The Aiyin said nothing, not a wonder on who it was she was talking about, or even what- their eyes just kept steady on one another for that moment that lasted way too long... And when finally the moment ended, it did so with the Aiyin dipping it's head solemnly to her, and so low it's muzzle touched the ground, now all of a sudden almost bowing.

"Then prove it." Eumeaus rumbled lowly, it's voice wispy and calm. "Hold tightly on to that drive and will to prove him correct Malurey... and hold to it, no matter what comes."

Frea's eyes flashed, swallowing hard again as she forced herself a calmer breath, and she nodded firmly. The last of the tears fell from her face to hit the floor as she did it, and they were whisked away as the world around them suddenly shifted. The river of monochrome all around washed passed all at once, and the world gained movement and color once more- pulling them both back out of the Current in the blink of an eye, and dropping them back in the waking world, just as they had been. And with everyone else none the wiser.

Eumeaus shifted forward a bit, it's lowered head moving to be just in front of Frea, and so close they brushed together faintly. The creature's breath washed over, warm and heavy, and she stiffened instinctively, before relaxing a little and her hand moved up slowly to press against the bridge of it's nose. She could feel the heaviness of the Magic getting worse, the wisps of it falling from it's mane getting thicker, and dusting at her feet, coalescing and starting to swirl around them both- slowly for now.

"... I will have to push your Time forward a bit further than that of your comrades, Energess, in order to make enough of a difference... But do be aware, not even all the Time in this world will ever heal what has been done to you completely. Your injuries will follow you the rest of your life, and though they may not always hamper you- they will always be there." Eumeaus rumbled quietly, it's voice vibrating up through her hand on it's muzzle and her eyes dropped halfway. She swallowed slightly at it, instantly aware of the unpleasant ache and troubled flashes of emotion that came from everyone else around them upon hearing the words, and the reality of it- not that Frea was all that surprised, or even anyone else really. Of course what had happened to her would never go away all the way, they'd known that, but they'd still hoped maybe eventually she'd be just fine, even when they knew better... Not that it didn't hurt hearing it said so plainly like that, though.

Frea nodded slightly, her eyes dropping closed, blocking out the awful flashes of emotion as best she could and instead just letting herself get swallowed up in the overwhelming sense of the Magic engulfing her. She leaned in a bit, her forehead bumping against Eumeaus' nose and letting out a small sigh.

"... I understand..."

She lost all sense of the Guild around her then, all she could feel and make out was this odd, and incredibly overpowering sensation of being pushed forward at breakneck speed. Like she was traveling leagues and miles in seconds, the world sweeping passed below her feet- all while she felt rather glued to the ground and utterly stationary.

Gold and white spiraled up around Frea slowly, coiling about her form and sending bits of particles like dust blowing lazily outward, the Energy Dragon Slayer being engulfed in a milky-yellow haze. Her hair shifted with a nonexistent burst of air where the stood, her clothes following suit and everyone else around them swallowed slightly- the sheer pressure coming off the Aiyin now was nothing like before, and it was hard to breathe under. But they stayed where they were, quiet and unmoving as they watched the glow get brighter, and the sling holding Frea's arm in place suddenly began to unravel.

The threads of the fabric pulled, joining the spiraling motion of the Magic surrounding her and turning to dust at the top, continually unwinding until there was nothing left of it- and then the bandages holding the Energy Dragon Slayer's broken body together did the same thing. They pulled away and unspun, fading to nothing but dust, and the glow just kept getting brighter. The dark bruising and burns across her shoulders and neck faded to none, the raw flesh about that scar plastered over her heart remedying itself and leaving the scar a bit bigger, but nothing else. And then unseen to everyone's eyes, the snapped muscle, bone, and layer upon layer of internal damage began to disappear too. The persistent glare of red marring the Energess' body faded to near none in the eyeline of Talarr's glasses, and the Ilean's eyes gleamed, his face pulling in relief, awe, and little bits of heartache too- because it faded, but not all the way.

Never all the way

There was a slightly unpleasant sensation born of the bone in her shoulder fusing together that made it passed the overpowering feel of the Magic, but Frea didn't even flinch at it. She just stood there, leaning into Eumeaus' muzzle a bit more heavily as the Magic brought with it a sense of weightlessness, and sheer relief as the pain faded to none, and the heavy sense of exhaustion hounding her lifted too. Suddenly everything was just... simple bliss, and she couldn't remember the last time she had felt so good. And then there came something else, a pulse in her very center, and one that quickly grew stronger and stronger with every second. Her Magic suddenly made a reappearance, and began amassing it's strength just as quickly as her body lost all the hurt. The pleasant sensation from before stayed, though it dulled slightly as she felt her Magic start to swirl, and creep out through every inch of her, through every limb, vein, nerve and bone. The feel of it was so similar to how it had felt when All Magic had come to the top, but it wasn't paired with the fiery agony of her body getting ripped to shreds.

The Guild lost sight of Frea for a moment as the glare of the golden glow got a bit too much, and the heaviness on the air born from the Aiyin's Magic increased even more, if that was possible... and then they stiffened, because they realized in an instant they weren't feeling just Euemeaus' Magic now- but Frea's too.

Silver suddenly joined the river of gold surrounding the Energy Dragon Slayer, twisting about each other and sweeping outward and upward with a rush of air, making the Guild brace against it slightly and shiver a little as the Magic passed either straight through them, or wove around them rather tightly. It was stifling, and they stared, fixed and hardly daring to breathe as the glow of gold and silver got all the more intense, and the Magic kept growing, stretching up over their heads and toward the sky, hovering over the whole of the courtyard they stood in, and then further into the city beyond that at a distance they could hardly fathom.

As soon as it reached a high, the twisting vines made of silver and gold Magic over their heads burst into a million glittering pieces, wrenching apart what smog had been left in the sky and leaving it clear. The bits of Magic rained down softly over their heads, dusting the city and everything in it in a weightless, glimmering blanket like snow. The river of gold that had been hovering still disappeared, and soon after so did the Magic-made snowfall. And the Guild stared, eyes wide and gleaming as they watched the plants that had been turned to buds by Eumeaus' intervention, all suddenly began to bloom. The plants stretched up, leaves spreading, flowers opening and in a million different colors and kinds- rendering the somewhat refreshed visage of the city into a lively, vibrant version of itself so full of life and growth, and of the likes the people of Adgnei had not seen in far too long a time.

The night sky above them gleamed, a million stars and wisps of trailing light in galaxies so far away painted above their heads. It shone with a light and glow that rivaled the Salmellion, and the Magic put together- glittering tenfold with the Magic suddenly vanishing from around them, and the heavens seemed to just gleam.

The space in which the Aiyin, and Force of Creation Eumeaus, had been standing was empty now- the creature disappearing and seemingly being unwound by it's own Magic just like the bandages on Frea's body had been unraveled moments before. And Frea was standing where she had been, calm as can be, silver eyes following the last wisps of gold that fell to the ground before her, and watching all the way until they disappeared. Her attention fell from the bits of gold and to her hands, quiet for a moment more and letting out a small breath, the feel of her own Magic pulsing beneath her skin fading to the normal sensation of it settled in her core. It was all back now, after days of nothing and having been spent entirely- and it was just as strong as it was before, enough she had to actively focus on keeping it in check... but maybe a little less so. The Limiter on her wrist had already started it's work, and it was doing a better job than before, given the 'tinkering' Talarr had said had been done on it.

Frea bit the inside of her cheek, her fingers curling into fists and eyes flashing, Eumeaus' words still echoing slightly on her mind even with the creature gone now, and the feel of it's Magic fading to absolutely nothing too.

Prove it, hmm...?

She blinked, the thought getting interrupted and perking slightly as her attention shifted from her hands and toward her center, silver eyes gleaming when she registered her clothes had been replaced like everyone else's had. She instantly honed in on the change of clothes- more or less completely skimping over the lack of wounds or anything else- and instead focusing on the fact that she was now wearing that new mission attire she'd put together. It was the same outfit she'd put on in anticipation for going on that job with the Thunder Legion, before getting dragged to Adgnei... it felt like a lifetime ago now, but seeing it again so suddenly had her both surprised- and then sort of, strangely- glad.

A faint little smile appeared on her face for it too- because honestly? These clothes were way better than all the dresses, skirts, and robes she'd been given to wear while here. And wearing her own clothes again now was just... better.

Frea hummed, linking her hands together and raising her arms above her in a big stretch, smiling a little more for how absolutely wonderful it felt to actually be able to move her right arm again. That part was better too, and better still stacked on top of not feeling so damned tired anymore, and not so sore either- generally just better all around, even with the dire warnings and totally unexpected appearance of Time still thrown into the mix.

... my life is gonna be hell from here on out, huh...?

... I can't even say I'm surprised... but... for now-

"... Frea...?"

She glanced around at the sound of her name being murmured rather breathlessly, her silver gaze landing on Moon, who of which had mumbled her name just then, and a few others in the Guild did too at nearly the same time. She paused, seeing most everybody sort of staring at her now, fidgeting slightly in their spots as they took in her appearance, searching for those wounds that had been there moments before and now weren't- but they almost looked like they didn't know if they could believe what they were seeing or not.

Frea blinked, her expression softening slightly as she glanced among them standing there so unsure, and she let out a quiet breath.

- but for now... I don't want to think about any of it anymore.

For now, I need a break from all the crazy, and all the feeling like crap... I need a break, so badly.

She smiled gently toward the lot of them, humming a bit and shaking her head once at all the sort of wary looks, and sort of tense postures.

... And everybody else needs a break too.

"I'm okay." Frea hummed lightly, the words making everybody stiffen, and she smiled a bit more at them. "You guys don't need to stand there staring at me like that, I'm alright now... and honestly, it's starting to get a little creepy, hehe..." She chuckled and they seemed to swell a little, eyes gleaming and she felt the relief and happiness begin to spark off them like electricity.

"F-Frea...!"

She stiffened, recoiling faintly when the Guild shifted suddenly, all of them darting forward and toward her in a rush of breathless smiles and teary eyes. They threw their arms open, pretty much throwing themselves at and on top of her in a rather rushed and overzealous dogpile. Moon rammed into her first, followed by Happy, and then Erza, Wendy, Natsu, Mira, Lucy, Levy, Gajeel, Juvia, Gray- everybody really, and all of them toppling over in a mess of limbs, and not even caring. They just kept smiling, some of them crying openly, others sniffling a little and keeping the tears at bay- but all of them so, so happy. Even those that didn't jump in on the dogpile- like Aisha, Chase, Saige, the Thunder Legion, Laxus, and the Adgneins- they stood back at the edges, not giving into the rush, but they smiled too, and their eyes gleamed at the suddenly lightened mood all around. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off all their shoulders, and they could breathe a little easier for it... well, most everybody.

Frea coughed slightly, the breath getting knocked from her as they fell over and piled on, her person becoming quickly pinned between way too many bodies and limbs to count. For a second she didn't even move, she wasn't sure what to do- before she realized how many of them were grinning, even despite what array of tears there were, and she swallowed at it, silver eyes gleaming.

Please let everybody have some time... To just be okay...... No more scares for awhile, no life-threatening events just around the corner... Just...

She managed to snake her arms around a few, hugging them back as tightly as she could manage with the rather stretched hold, and she buried her nose into the top of Moon and Happy's heads just under her chin.

The last time she had felt the Guild so relieved and happy like this had been that day when they'd all crowded into the Infirmary, despite Porlyusica's orders not to, and her stomach churned a bit for the memory.

Just let them be this happy, for as long as they can

She never wanted to make them so worried again, not after what had happened with Mordren... She hated it happened again, she hated all of it- but she couldn't dwell on it at that moment. All she wanted to do was just take in all the happiness coming from them, enjoy them hugging her, and being the overzealous, way-too hyper Guild she loved so much- and she didn't want this to end, not any time soon.

Damn it, please... let us have more than just a little bit of time, before all that terrible comes. Let this last for... For longer than it did between Mordren, and getting dragged here.

... Please... Let us have Time to just... not be constantly in the middle of so much bad... for awhile just...... let us have some Time to... be happy, like this.

Please

---

Hello everyone!

We have FINALLY reached the end of the Adgnei Arc... and man did so much happen ;w;

I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, despite the length, and all the jumping around!

Thank you so much for sticking with me so long! I promise Frea is gonna have a bit of a break after this, poor girl... and maybe some more Fraxus moments? XD

Anyhoo, tysm for reading!

Please follow, fav, and Review if you can! Thank you!