As soon as the doors were open White Sea was out, Kaleb let the dragon slayers take the lead, their senses keen and swift.
"Jungle...fucking hot too, shit...this has to be Caelum, no shit like this anywhere else." Gajeel said wrinkling his nose. He and Laxus both shifted their weight a little, they felt the distance from their mates and were working to adjust to it.
Kaleb leaned in, kissed Lucy and nodded toward Laxus and the others while Vander and Gajeel came to flank him.
Take them out, hard, fast, no mercy, they won't give any to us, according to Cobra Joren is planning to try and take Lucy and use her as a lure to get me to come in so they can catch me, I will be FINE, so, all of you, protect her, do NOT let her out of your sight, if one starts to run, DO NOT chase them if it means losing sight of Lucy for even a second am I clear? Kaleb's voice was firm and everyone nodded.
Fucking bullshit strategy, doesn't want an up front fight huh? Has to get leverage, a hostage? Fuck him, Lucy's been a hostage too many times! Laxus responded.
Cobra, you're Lucy's absolute bodyguard you hear me? You and Cristoff stay with her no matter what, they can NOT inflict injuries that could become fatal without triggering retribution spells I can feel all over the area, they'll be disqualified and this will be over if they try banned tactics like threatening hostages with anything more than pain and superficial injuries, so keep that in mind, this is NOT life or death, or it isn't supposed to be, Cobra...you listen carefully, if that changes? You alert the team. Kaleb added.
Yeah, I got it, fake out fucker gets desperate enough to break rules again I blow the whistle and I assume we change tactics? Cobra asked.
Exactly, we go from basic knock outs to crippling the enemies, take them down hard enough even if they get up they won't be a threat but to start? Knock them out, hard and fast, just like Joren told his teams, no mercy, no hesitation, you knock everyone you come across stone cold out and keep moving. Whichever team finds Joren first? Notify us and we all converge on him to take the win, clear? He asked and everyone nodded. With a final wink at Lucy Kaleb looked at Vander and she watched as the shadowquip's shadows swirled around him and all three men vanished.
Lucy narrowed her eyes and looked at Laxus.
Ok Sparky, let's go kick some Emerald ass. Her mental growl had everyone smiling. Cida grinned at her, the woman leaping into the trees as the rest all fell in behind Laxus and Cobra who took the lead and started their hunt.
It was only after they had passed their fifth hour without seeing a damn trace of their opponents that the scale of a 10 square mile playing field really hit Lucy. The jungle was thick, you could be ten FEET away and not be visible and they were dealing with illusion mages, a rock mage, a poison mage (who Cobra dearly wanted a piece of) a fire mage and then Joren who Kaleb had told her was an illusion mage but who also wielded some decent telekinetic strength, so, 4 of the 8 mages he had with him were illusionists but the others had real physical attack strength along with Joren himself. They had an advantage, had one more person than Joren did since his promised was out of it.
It was enough, and Cobra after another hour, finally waved and smirked back.
Got em...two illusionists...no...thr...all four...three of the others….so one is with Joren...shit, Kaleb? Can he shield against….hah! Nope, fucker doesn't know how to shield his soul , just his mind. He's here Kaleb, you guys need to come to us, we're close to the whole team from Emerald Eye. He reported as everyone moved quick and silent to find hiding places. Lucy switched quickly to her Capricorn stardress, it would protect her from mind alteration, Kaleb's magic could still overwhelm her, they'd learned that during practice sessions, but Joren wasn't a Wizard Saint Mindbender, he was an illusion mage who had learned telekinesis magic on a smaller scale than his main magic,
She wouldn't let herself underestimate him, but, she wasn't afraid of him, she just wanted to bring him down. She'd seen the footage of how he humiliated Kaleb, saw Kaleb take merciful actions, give his old mentor opportunities, but he'd not thought his old mentor would do what he'd done, hadn't figured the man would try so hard to just...destroy him.
He hadn't, Kaleb had gotten through it, recovered and come back stronger and with some painfully earned new wisdom. Lucy had no plans to let Joren have so much as an inch, not after what she'd seen the man do.
We're on our way, we're at the farthest point of our search pattern...Kaleb responded
That means 30 minutes before we reach you. Vander added, the edge of humor in his voice carrying even mentally.
Should we start picking them off? Bickslow asked
Try to shadow them, stay out of sight, Cobra, if you have something that might distract them...itchy maybe? Kaleb suggested and Lucy could FEEL the Poison slayer grin.
Their poison mage may or may not detect it but I'll bet her ass won't know what to fucking do with it. He sneered and Lucy watched him silently drop down from the tree they were tucked in and crouch down, pressing his hands to the jungle floor she saw a purple magic circle form them push down into the ground a moment before Cobra was swiftly scaling the tree and scooting onto the branch beside her.
A few moments later she could see purple start threading through the veins of the leaves and vines, grasses and ferns.
"Makes poison ivy feel like the tasty snack it is." He whispered to her and she smiled at him.
It wasn't long, maybe a few minutes and they heard it, the shifting, then a few muffled complaints, followed by some real whines.
"Shit...what the fuck...Hammond...fuck...you know what this is? My skin feels like there are ants waltzing around under it!" Someone hissed.
"Knock it off, deal with it and shut the fuck up." A firm deep voice demanded.
"Sorry Master."
"They're close Master...I can sense it…" Someone said and they all hushed.
"Give me a few and I'll figure out what toxin is in these plants and get an antidote going…" the Poison mage, who was apparently Hammond, said quietly. Lucy saw her then, she was maybe a little taller than Levy with purple hair cut in a bob and wore Emerald Eyes colors on a snug body suit there was a belt low on her hips with a skull and crossed bones buckle and she had a headband in her hair with the same symbol.
Walkin damned cliche...I am so fucking with this bitch… Cobras growl ran through the whole teams minds and Lucy pressed her lips together to avoid a snicker.
You fuck anyone I damn well better be invited at least….Vander responded and Lucy saw Cobra smirk beside her.
I'd use your dick to do it and keep mine in your fine ass but I like it too much to stick it in something so pitiful…...Cobra returned and Lucy bit into her lower lip.
Ok enough you two, no foreplay till AFTER Joren's captured….Kaleb growled
But Moooooommmm I wanna play with Cobras..
VANDER Kaleb cut him off and everyone was either rolling their eyes or stifling snickers.
Hammond was drawing the poison from the plants below them and compulsively scratching at her arms frowning.
Vander, Gajeel, start picking them off, drag them into shadows as silently as possible, knock them out and hide them. Kaleb said and they watched Hammond vanish just as she was reaching out to touch a fern, her green eyes flying wide and only a brief gasp escaping her before she was just gone.
The jungle provided both Vander and Gajeel ample shadows to work with, some thick and black and those were the ones Gajeel stuck to, he wasn't close to Vanders mastery of shadows since for him it was a secondary magic, but he was fast, strong, and knew exactly how to rob people of consciousness before they could scream.
By the third mage Joren caught on "They're on us!" He shouted and the field suddenly changed, or seemed to, Lucy braced herself and was going to jump down and take out the female illusion mage she saw within reach but suddenly it wasn't her, it was her mother, leaning on a tree, looking sick and pale like she'd been right before the end.
"Lucy...what...what am I doing here? I...and I'm in this sick body again…" She groaned and Lucy slipped, falling from the tree instead of jumping down like she'd planned. She landed hard and felt a crunch in her shoulder as it collided with the base of the tree and took the brunt of her 30 or so foot fall.
She KNEW this wasn't her damn mother, KNEW it but the sight had taken the wind right out of her and blanked her mind out in a wash of sad and painful memories.
Fighting had erupted, and magic was zinging everywhere, a bolt of Laxus' lightning burned a hole through the tree right in front of Lucy as she lay dazed for a few moments grappling with a combination of pain and a mental backwash she had to struggle to contain.
Before she could get up a boot came down hard on her shoulder and she tried to scream but no sound came out.
Wow, nice of you to cripple yourself for us there, seems all the research we did paid off." a smooth female voice purred and Lucy grit her teeth.
Her stardress had vanished with the bone breaking fall but she reached anyway, Virgo appeared behind the woman and she gasped as the pink haired maid took a fistful of her hair on the back of her head and ripped her backwards, slamming her into the tree Laxus had blasted a hole in.
"Knock her out Virgo...all the way unconscious." Lucy managed as she shifted trying to sit up.
The maid nodded and stalked after the woman groaning on the ground, a moment later the jingle of chain barely preceded the sickening thunk of Virgo slamming the womans head against the trunk of the tree and knocking her out. The maid turned back to come to Lucy's aid but was grabbed by her hair and before she could even get her hands up, a long bladed dagger was rammed right in her ear and Lucy screamed, watching the maid vanish in a shower of gold, leaving the smiling master of Emerald Eye standing looking down at her.
"Not technically a living thing, nor a person, so I can "kill" your spirits girl just like you and that shadow shit killed my beautiful promised ones chance at standing on a field of victory over White Sea and it's pretty whelp of a master." He said smoothly, moving toward her.
Lucy tried to shift again and realized painfully more than her shoulder had broken in her fall, her left leg refused to move.
"He won't go easy on you again." She snarled and Joren stopped, laughing.
"I'm kind of counting on that, but, once I have you? I get you at my feet and it will hurt him more than anything I could ever do to him, I'm not stupid, I know my ex-student well, I know how his values and loyalties work. All about those who get to him first, Grenlow got in before I did or that pretty thing would have been mine, MY guild would have him and his strength like it always should have, all the Pradesh siblings would have followed him to Emerald Eye but Grenlow….even working as hard as I did with him I couldn't convince Kaleb to leave that bastard and his guild. I gave that boy everything, taught him all I knew, helped him get his magic controlled and he repays all of my love, all of my work and commitment to him and his growth as a mage by leaving me and returning to Grenlow! No….. White Sea has been on top far too long." Joren snarled.
Lucy glared up at him. "You were Grenlows friend! You offered to help! Arman told me you came to them and said you wanted nothing in return, just saw what was happening with Kaleb and knew you could help!" She protested.
"I was never Grenlows friend, we had a shaky truce between our guilds and he took my offer as a peace offering all on his own, I never intended it that way but having them believe that gave me access to White Seas guild hall in Pelerno, I recruited every illusion mage I could talk out of that place while I was there, snatched them right out of White Seas ranks and the guild was so fucking big they barely noticed! No...I always wanted that boy in my guild, his magic is so rare, and now? Thanks to you it seems he possesses magic even more valuable. I know I can't ever have him now, but I can make him regret his choices." He said and started to reach for her.
"Open, Gate of the Lion!" Lucy called and Before Joren could get to her Loke appeared above her between her and Emerald Eyes guildmaster, glowing golden fist colliding with the masters jaw and sending him hurtling back into the same tree his mage still laid unconscious under.
"Bastard! I'll make you pay for what you just did to Virgo...to my Princess…" The Lion Spirit snarled, advancing on Joren as the guildmaster rolled to his feet.
As Loke sent attacks then Lucy called out Aries"Wool wraps, strong ones, get my shoulder bound and help me stand!" She ordered and the spirit nodded, glancing nervously at Loke but moments later Lucy was upright leaning on the tree, shoulder bound and her whip in her good hand.
"Thanks Aries, go back now...Open gate of the Dragon...Draco!" She called but instead of her dragon spirit the shower of gold produced Kaleb.
He put a hand against the tree, the other moving lightly over her shoulder, brow knitting.
"He's wearing a dampener...preventing the mental link from working well...it's an illegal item...but the fight isn't about winning anymore...Cristoff is on his way, you stay right here." He said softly, concern battling with anger on his handsome face.
His pale eyes hardened as he looked to where Loke was fighting with Joren. "You be my support Sunrise...help me beat him." He said and Lucy smiled, leaning heavily on the tree.
"We've got this baby." She replied and he smiled at her, then turned again, eyes igniting, flaring white and Lucy gasped as he pulled in his magic, the pressure field exploding out of him and she knew how it felt to her, knew she was even shielded by their bond and as his magic power washed over her it passed through her and invigorated her but she saw Joren stagger, even Loke did, both gripping trees to stay on their feet as ferns grass even smaller trees were flattened.
Kaleb's wings snapped out, blinding white like his eyes and Lucy was probably the only one that could look at him in the first moments his wings emerged because he radiated light with a searing intensity that could have blinded anyone else.
"Thank you Loke." She whispered and pulled her spirit back, sending him back to the celestial realm as she watched her Archangel advance on his former mentor.
"The prodigal student…" Joren laughed reaching up and gripping a band around his wrist. He pushed magic into whatever it was, Lucy felt it happen and there was something in the air, it intensified, but Kaleb didn't falter and Joren took a step back, eyes narrowing.
"That relic may dampen Mind magic, and I don't know where it came from or what it is but Hestor is already in communication with the Citadel, maybe your Promised knows...the knights will find out, you're disqualified, Emerald Eye is done with these games Joren, and for your actions your whole guild is in danger of being disbanded, you can stop now, show Bosco you didn't mean to go this far with your vendeta." Kaleb said.
"I've done nothing wrong but help you harness your magic! Your strength is wasted on the path you've chosen!...why isn't this...working?!" He held his wrist up again and the band around it finally came into view, it was gold, covered in runes and strange gems and Joren pumped magic into it with new force. As Kaleb advanced though he snarled and stopped, gathering his magic and trees ripped up from the ground and flew at the advancing Guildmaster.
Kaleb's wings sheared through them, sending chunks of wood and vine flying off into the surrounding area and Lucy screamed as a large piece shot past Kaleb toward her, Joren clearly hadn't forgotten she was there.
"Iron Dragons : Sword!" She heard him before he appeared and as Gajeel erupted from the shadows to reduce the hurtling chunk of tree to dust Cristoff tumbled out of shadows landing with a grunt and casting a filthy look behind him as Vander emerged with a sheepish grin and shrug.
"What? You want fast or graceful? Can't have both so fuck off and heal Lucy." He said in a light tone before his deep red eyes turned back to the battle between the Guildmasters.
Cristoff scrambled over to Lucy, giving Vander one last dirty look before his hands lit with his magic and Lucy groaned as she felt the cool magic flow into her body and soothe the pain she was drowning in.
"Shoulders broken in two places and you dislocated your hip, Gajeel, come here I'll need some help." He called and Gajeel frowned as Cobra came out of the foliage to take his place standing between where Lucy leaned on the tree and the battle.
"Fuck I love your magic Cris…" Lucy moaned as the smell of mint covered her and coolness replaced burning pain, bones mended and torn muscle came together, swelling and pressure went down and she could take in whole breaths again.
The slayer smirked "You can thank my mate I could come to you so fast, she's kicking illusionist asses right now with Hestor, Laxus and Bickslow." He said proudly, smiling at her as he worked.
"Grab her here and here and when I say pull, pull until you feel a pop." Cristoff told Gajeel, pulling Lucy so she laid on her side across one of his thick thighs and bracing her.
"Grab my belt Lucy and hold on tight, this is going to hurt but I promise I'll wash the pain away as fast as I can ok?" He said and Lucy nodded, reaching around the big slayer and wrapped her fingers around the thick black belt at his waist.
"Shit...I don't wanna hurt her…" Gajeel growled and Cristoff met his worried red eyes.
"You're going to pull her hip back in place, it will hurt but it will relieve the pain, so just pull until you feel the pop, you'll be using some force, this isn't an easy reset." Cristoff told him and Gajeel nodded, bracing his feet and Cristoff squeezed Lucy's arm.
"Ok, on three. One, two...three!" At the call Gajeel pulled and Cristoff gripped Lucy with one hand while the other guided her hip and pushed magic into it aiding the process. Lucy grit her teeth for as long as she could but a scream of agony was ripped from her when the bones moved and even Cristoffs cool soothing magic couldn't shield her from the pain.
Kaleb heard her, and it cost him, he felt the pain, in ripped through their bond and made him stagger in surprise and he couldn't stop himself from looking toward her, relieved to see Cristoff wrapped around her and Gajeel hovering too, Vander and Cobra in defensive positions protecting the mages behind them from what Joren was randomly lobbing at them in an offhanded attempt to cause harm in some way to Lucy and thus to Kaleb.
When he staggered and looked away it was enough and the same dagger that had pierced Virgo shot right into Kaleb's chest. The pain was astounding, the blade was magical, cursed to cause damage, clearly to celestials because Kaleb's wings drooped as he went down to a knee and felt that part of his magic falter.
Runes were sputtering, he saw them, the suppression band Joren wore had kept them from acting so far but this outright attempt to kill activated all of them and it was proof of how strong the relic the man wore really was that he was only brought to his knees laughing as runes shot up his legs but were unable to get higher than his waist.
"Your own brother helping your fucking mate! I taught you! No distractions, remain focused! You lose focus, you lose everything, boy!" He cackled as Kaleb lifted a shaking hand to grasp the dagger, felt the hilt burning him, he couldn't draw in a breath, rasped and gagged, blood spilling from his lips...his lung...it had pierced at least his lung...his magic was surging, and he felt his whole body tingling.
"NOOOO! Kaleb! FIGHT! Pull it out and FIGHT!" Lucy screamed and he heard her, felt her, in his mind and everywhere, her magic flooding into him from where she was struggling to free herself from Cristoff, her own injuries forgotten as she'd felt him take the dagger.
He grit his teeth, ignoring the haze forming over his vision and blocking out the pain he gripped the dagger again and pulled it out, gasping as blood almost fountained out of his chest for a moment, spattering over a laughing Joren.
Then his magic flared again and the wound was throttled, snarling he regained his feet and his eyes flashed white again, Joren's laughing stopped, his breathing stopped, his own eyes going blank as Kalebs magic flooded through his whole being and the world fell away, and suddenly, the laughing man was trapped in the dark, in a writhing mass of the darkest beings he had only ever had nightmares about. He fell on his side, twitching, foam coming from his mouth as it gaped in silent screams.
Kaleb staggered but Lucy was there, limping up to him and grabbing him as Cristoff rushed forward and clapped a hand over Kaleb's bleeding wound.
"Fuck….Cobra...what the fuck is on that dagger…" He growled and Cobra reached down to pick it up but Vander grabbed his wrist "No...don't touch it...it's cursed Cris, no poisons, damn thing is writhing with some hefty black magic curses." Vander crouched down, looking at the blade carefully without touching it.
Hestor came into the battle cleared area with the others and officials started appearing, knights porting in too.
"Let me see it…" Hestor said, hurrying over to kneel beside Vander and looking over the dagger.
"It's Lucifer's Feather…" Hestor said, narrowing his eyes and looking harder at the runes on the blade and the strange shape of the it and its hilt. It was pure black, did not shine in the light at all.
"The blade was forged from one of the flight feathers from Lucifer's wings, the most cursed of fallen angels...it was supposed to be in a vault...in ERA was the last location it was known to be at…The Rune knights were supposed to be protecting it...keeping it with other dark cursed relics.." He looked at Kaleb and Cristoff was gritting his teeth.
"Ok...so the ultimate absence of light, I have an idea but we need to fucking hurry…" He growled and looked up at two knights who had stepped up and were removing the band from Joren's wrist.
"Notify the Citadel, I'm teleporting Kaleb to the sacred Lacrima, immersing him in Immaculate light should reverse what that thing did…" He said and Lucy Gripped Kaleb's arm as he wavered on his feet, gasping as she felt him starting to fade farther. Cristoff caught him as he fell forward and got an arm around him and one around her.
"Times up! I'm taking them!" Cristoff shouted and in a flash of his magic they were gone. Caellum was a hefty distance, it took three jumps and when they emerged in the sacred chamber Cristoff almost went down, his magic heavily depleted.
Lucy groaned, bearing more of Kaleb's weight as the Dragon slayer got his feet again and redoubled his efforts.
"Come on Lucy, you're going in with him...you need to help him stand so the lacrima can close around him...fuck I hope I'm right…" The slayer growled and Lucy narrowed her eyes as they dragged Kaleb's weak body to the lacrima.
Together they managed to get the big man into the lacrima and Lucy was finally braced well enough with her arms tight around him Cristoff was able to step back and the moment he did the lacrimas top half started descending on its own unbidden.
"Kaleb...Kaleb please…" Lucy begged, feeling him slipping, her clothes already soaked through with his blood,the acrid stench of the cursed wound making her feel sick as the feel of her love...dying in her arms...was tearing her whole being apart.
"My...Sunrise…" Kaleb breathed "have faith…"
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Cristoff growled, standing again, Cida's Hand touched his hip and he stilled, heaving a breath and tearing his eyes from the still sealed Lacrima to look at his mate, reaching down and caressing her cheek with a weak smile.
A lacrima com went off and all eyes turned to Arman who frowned and pulled his com from his breast pocket. "Yes?" He snapped, not pleased at the disruption to the vigil he and his family were involved in.
"I wanted to let you know sir, they've identified the relic from Joren's wrist, it's from Enca, was stolen from their national museum last year, it's as your son said when he was fighting Joren, it's a cursed relic designed to black out minds. Un-named. The Dagger was reported missing from ERA 4 months ago, 3 rune knights were found dead when that happened sir, it seems Master Joren had been planning this for a while." The woman reported and Arman made a disgusted face.
"Don't call him "master" Cera, he's the master of nothing now, Emerald Eye has been disbanded and it's members are all being interrogated. Thank you though." He said a little softer at the end before cutting off the lacrima and looking back to the massive one in the center of the room.
Two days...Lucy and Kaleb had been within the lacrima for two days and in that time the whole family had gathered and with only one request been allowed to stay in the chamber. The preparation rooms had been converted to sleeping rooms, cots brought in for everyone to sleep on when they could manage to sleep. Arman drew a breath, his eyes on the two little forms curled up on mats right by the massive lacrima.
Not that Kaleb's life threatening injury wasn't heart wrenching enough, or Lucy being so injured and then sealed in the lacrima with her husband, on the ground as close as they could get, were Raiu and Hasu, in fitful sleep on mats wrapped in blankets.
Nobody was celebrating the end of the games this year. Emerald Eye had been disqualified but so had White Sea. Kaleb's final attack on Joren, that had left the man comatose and twitching trapped in an endless nightmare within his own mind, was deemed against the rules and even though Arman and many others had argued it was justified, the officials stood firm in their decision, awarding the games to Windcrest. Their guild master had stood on the podium solemnly and held the trophy up "For White Sea and their Masters!" He had called and the roar of approval had been deafening.
Raiu and Hasu were inconsolable, slept only when Cristoff forced it on them and had to be forced to eat. They loved their parents and had what Arman knew from raising two Dragon Slayer children of his own was typical loyalty and unwavering devotion to what they loved. They accepted, even sought, comforting cuddles with their family, Cristoff, Cobra and Gajeel all getting chosen often for them, but Emzadi, glowing with her pregnancy, was the only one that could get them to eat and nobody could get them to move far from the giant lacrima that held their parents.
The knights brought food up for each meal, and Tesso had made certain there were treats, things that would tempt the children, but it was a futile effort.
Arman's eyes drifted from the boys to where Emzadi was wrapped in Gajeel's arms, asleep on his shoulder while the slayer stared absently at the lacrima lost in thought, his hand on her belly moving in slow gentle patterns.
A little ways from them Xally was in Bacchus' arms, the palm mage kissing her temple and whispering to her "maybe we should go get some food honey." and she nodded to him, letting him help her stand and the couple walked into one of the side rooms where foods and some tables and chairs had been set up for the family. Bacchus had come a long way over the last few months. He bore the White Sea seal now, and both he and Xally wore Promise rings.
He still struggled with nightmares, and still lost his temper and Xally had to bring him back in line, but Arman knew, if anyone could keep such a man together and help him get through all he had been through, it was his sweet but strong Xally. She loved Bacchus, it had been a bumpy road for the couple, they had broken things off more times than Arman could count but no matter what, Bacchus seemed to know the best thing that had ever happened in his life was meeting Xally, and the man always came back, always apologized and Xally always forgave him.
Laxus was laying on a bench, his head in Beck's lap, the beastmaster idly running gentle fingers through the slayer's blonde hair. Yesterday Lucy had missed Laxus finally telling his grandfather he had found his mate. Right there in the chamber with everyone there, Laxus had told Makarov when the old master of Fairy Tail had called Kaleb's com for his monthly check in.
Laxus had explained what had happened to Kaleb and Lucy and what they were all doing and Makarov had looked pained. "I'm glad you're there with them Laxus." He'd finally said.
"They're both strong...I'm sure they'll be ok." He added and Laxus grunted, glancing at Beck who had his bi-colored eyes on the lacrima, not wishing to intrude on his mates conversation with his grandfather, so far, when Laxus talked with Makarov Beck was never mentioned.
"I...I should tell you...I found my mate Gramps." He said and Becks eyes instantly snapped over to him, his mouth falling open for a moment and Laxus smiled fondly at him.
"That's wonderful news Laxus! Who is she? Are you planning children soon?!" Makarov was smiling widely, eyes eager and Laxus drew a breath, smiling and waved to Beck who stood and came to him hesitantly.
Makarovs eyes widened. "This is Beck...my mate Gramps...and before you say a fucking thing...I'm happy and I love him…" He growled and Becks eyes widened, Laxus rarely said tender things, sometimes during sex but so far, never outside their bedroom.
"Beck, it's a pleasure to meet the man who finally caught my grandson's heart and dragon. I hope to get to meet you in person someday, congratulations, to both of you, I'm so happy for you Laxus, and proud you finally started building a life with someone!" He said brightly and Laxus blinked in amazement.
There was no disappointment, no shouting, no telling him he'd let him down, Makarov was genuinely happy for him and asked Beck a few questions before admitting he was out of time and had to go but asked they contact him as soon as anything changed with Lucy and Kaleb.
Arman had bitten back his "I told you so" and just patted Laxus on the back before returning to sit by his grandchildren.
Now the couple was still talking quietly about plans to try and arrange to see Laxus' grandfather as soon as Makarov was available.
Cida had pulled Cristoff back down to sit with her, and was in his lap, head on his shoulder, twirling a thick glossy lock of his black hair around her finger while placing soft kisses on his neck and jaw, soothing him. Cristoff had always taken it hard when his healing and efforts hadn't been enough to save someone. He always took on the full weight of responsibility for what he considered failures. Arman had told him several times over the last two days that he'd done all he could and if this worked, then he'd done the best thing he possibly could have and been brilliant to think to bring Kaleb and Lucy here.
Not far from Cida and Cristoff, Vander sat, on the bench, legs spread, Cobra sitting on the floor in front of him leaning back against Vanders thigh while his youngest son drifted his fingers through Cobras maroon hair, both men sitting with their eyes on the lacrima. Cobra wasn't happy that the Lacrima had sealed him out, he couldn't sense Lucy or Kaleb at all within it and it left him feeling antsy and uncomfortable. Beyond them sat Erza, Natsu, Gray and Levy, the last one beside his son Bickslow,the two leaning against each other while Levy quietly read a book out loud helping to soothe Bickslow and the others who were all so worried for their friends and family.
Arman smiled faintly, watching his son's eyes drift to Levy's face then back to the book she held, something was blooming there, he prayed they all got through this, that the Immaculate light showed its favor to his son again. He knew Farron was with Hestor curled up in a cot in the side room, Hestor had studied everything he could find in the knights libraries about the dagger, and hadn't slept until now, hoping to find answers about what they could expect and had contacted the Academe for extra information.
All they could do was wait, and Arman drew a shaky breath, losing Kaleb would be a crippling blow to the family, nobody knew if Lucy could survive the loss, and if she didn't...he didn't know how they would endure it. His eyes moved again to the two little forms wrapped in blankets at the base of the lacrima and closed his eyes fighting back tears.
"Please Gods…" he prayed.
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Lucy was searching, she was in fields of white, meadows, where the grass, the flowers, the water the trees, everything was various shades of white and she was searching. Something told her she had to find him, Kaleb...the light in her life, the warmth of her heart and the strength of her soul was wrapped up with him,and she had to find him.
"He's near, daughter of the stars, find him...only you can guide him back"... A gentle voice told her.
"Where is he? I...I don't feel him...I always can feel him….I'm...empty…" She cried eyes looking all around and finally, on the far side of the meadow she saw the white trees and beyond...blackness...a darkness that had...substance, it churned among the trees like a mass of something gelatinous and vile.
"There, take your light and go to him, find him and help him come back from the darkness or it will take him and the world will lose another Morning Star so soon after it found him." The voice told her and Lucy hesitated swallowing hard, her light, her innerlight,she knew it meant that, but could her light withstand that darkness?
"Will my light...be enough?" She asked quietly.
"Do not doubt, your light dims with doubt, go, daughter of the stars, go and bring your Morning Star back to the light and back into your life." The voice responded and Lucy steeled herself, she couldn't stop...Kaleb needed her...he was her everything, the love of her life and all she had ever dreamed to find, if she didn't find him and bring him out of that darkness...she'd lose him.
"I'll die without him…" She whispered, moving forward. "I won't let it have him…" She said more firmly and her tentative steps turned into a full blown sprint across the meadow, the strange whispy white dress she wore whipping around her as she ran over the white grass and finally slowed as she came to the edge of the trees.
Drawing a breath she pulled her hands up over her heart and narrowed her eyes as she glared into the blackness before her.
"I am Lucy Pradesh, Wife of Kaleb Suraday Pradesh the Morning Star, I am the Starbringer, the daughter of Layla Heartfillia and you will NOT take Kaleb from me." She said firmly and strode forward right into the blackness.
She felt it wrap around her, icy and evil and whispers flew at her.
"He's already dead."
"He doesn't want you"
"His heart has been pierced and his soul feeds us, begone Starbringer, the Morning Star is food for the darkness now."
"NO! Kaleb isn't dead and you will NOT keep him! KALEB! Kaleb!" She called and pushed forward, swinging her hands ahead of her occasionally reaching withered trees and passing them.
"You don't believe you're strong enough, you don't believe in your light."
"Give up, lay down Starbringer, join the Morning Star here and stay with him to feed us for all eternity."
"Fuck you! KALEB! Kaleb where are you!?" Lucy screamed back.
She kept going, deeper and deeper, the cold starting to bite, if she waved her hands before her now she lost sight of them in the blackness.
Her own light was a weak gray now and she was faltering, she still couldn't feel him, the other end of the bond still vacant, and her heart ached over it, she needed him...she couldn't live without him….
"Lay down, give up, when your light goes out you'll be with him."
"His soul, his light...it feeds us. He suffers because you haven't been strong enough to find him yet, he thinks you've abandoned him."
"NO! NEVER! Kaleb! Kaleb I'm here! I'll never leave you!" She cried into the blackness. Stumbling blindly, almost falling when she would run into trees, her hands were going numb in the cold and she still couldn't feel him at all, all she knew was the terrible darkness, the whispers and the cold.
"Lucy…"
"KALEB!" His call was frail but she felt it, heard it, and stumbled toward it, tears trailing down her face, freezing on her skin.
"Kaleb!" She cried again.
She tried to move faster, tried to go toward the faint barely there feeling she'd had for only a moment when he'd called to her but stumbled over the root of a tree and fell to her hands and knees, looking down wide eyed at nothing but blackness even though she felt icy crunchy grass under her fingers almost cutting her skin it was so frozen.
"You share a light, the seed of the Morning Star within you, you have a part of him inside you Starbringer…" The voice was faint, sweet like before and Lucy gasped as she felt it, within her...warm and alive...she jerked a frozen hand to her belly and more tears fell from her eyes...within her..life had been created...joy flooded her as she embraced it...a baby...she was pregnant...with Kaleb's baby...their child was alive inside her...barely conceived but there was life there, growing within her and the light within Lucy roared into blinding brilliance at the realization.
As her light burned bright the darkness receded and there, a few yards away she saw him, laying in the gray frozen grass. She stumbled to her feet and ran to him, falling to her knees beside him, eyes moving over the gaping black hole in his chest, it seethed, writhed with dark things trying to get within him, she saw them, like leeches, all over the wound, fighting to get inside, sucking at the very essence of Kaleb's life and magic.
With a snarl she attacked them, her nails clawing at black vile skin, they hissed, sharp teeth snapping at her but she didn't relent, instead she screamed back at their hissing maws of teeth and willed all she was to fight them.
Suddenly Loke was there, and Virgo, Aquarius appeared by her shoulder, all of them grappling with the black being and ripping at them to remove them from Kaleb's body.
She stared a moment as the mermaid beside her snarled in the faceless maw of one of the vile creatures.
"Don't' stop fighting now you Brat! Help us get these damn things off your man so we can all get the hell out of here!" Aquarius snapped and Lucy jumped forward, grabbing another one and pulling it out of the wound.
As each was pulled away they crushed it, once detached from Kaleb they couldn't seem to withstand the light radiating from Lucy and withered to dust.
As Aries and Capricorn wrenched the last one from Kaleb's chest the wound closed and his light changed from the dull gray to the silvery white she had always seen.
"Lucy…" He said weakly, opening those lavender eyes she loved so much, looking at her in confusion.
"Move it...you have to get him out of this...back to the light…" Loke called, turning to fight back another slithering black creature.
Lucy pulled Kaleb to his feet, grateful Capricorn was there to help steady the tall mage.
"Kaleb...stay with me...we have to go...this way!" Lucy told him and Kaleb, still barely conscious but strengthening, nodded, fingers lacing with Lucy's as she tugged him forward and he followed her, eyes widening at the radiant light shining from her.
"You...found me...you didn't give up...they...they said you did.." He mumbled and Lucy pulled on his hand.
"I would never give up on you, I love you Kaleb...you're MY Morning Star!" She called back as she led him swiftly through the darkness, her spirits veering off one by one to cover their escape, she could hear them fighting, each one assuring her they would be fine, they would hold off the blackness seeking her and Kaleb until she was back n the light where it could not follow.
"Always...always...yours." He replied, smiling faintly, grateful he was somehow remaining upright even though his chest ached painfully and the darkness around them kept reaching for him.
Finally they left the treeline, running out into the brilliant meadow until they reached its center and Lucy stopped, turning and flinging her arms around Kaleb.
"I love you...Gods I love you" She said as she cried and kissed him between the words.
"My Sunrise…" Kaleb murmured against her frantic kisses. His wings came out, their light brilliant but still dim compared to Lucy's, the long white wings folding in around them and the feel of him changed in her arms.
He'd had an almost wispy feel, like she was holding mist, but he warmed, becoming more and more soldi until she could again feel the hard muscle..the smooth skin, her fingers drifted up and down over his shoulders and upper chest, tracing the large pectoral muscles, the collar bone, finally moving back to fist in silky platinum hair as misty lips became warm and firm slanting over hers and the smell of spice and apples came.
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"There!" Hasu shouted, jumping from his grandfather's lap where he had been getting badly needed cuddles as he felt magic flare, heard the seal of the giant lacrima open.
"Momma! Daddy!" Raiu cried, breaking away from Gajeel to run with his brother to the lacrima as it opened.
At first the light that spilled out over them all forced them to look away or risk being blinded, but when they could blink through it, they saw Kaleb's white wings unfolding, and he and Lucy both looking down as their sons climbed into the lacrima, climbed their parents like trees until the adults drew them in, pulling the crying laughing boys between them and wrapping themselves around each other. Arman, who had bolted to his feet, sagged and dropped back down to sit heavily on the bench, tears streaming down his face as he watched Lucy and Kaleb showered in their sons kisses, both of them smiling, kissing the boys back then leaning in to kiss each other before getting wrenched back into hugging a child again.
They were alive, BOTH of them, and from the feel of the magic...they were well.
He smiled faintly, eyes moving over Lucy, her sungold hair was streaked with platinum, and her eyes were a more milk chocolate and honey golden brown...the light had embraced them both it seemed, and again...it had blessed Kaleb, this time with life and he knew, somehow, Lucy had been a major part of it if seeing her shining eyes looking up at his son were any indication.
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A/N, It's been asked and here is the answer I'm not sure anyone wants to hear. LoTS is ending. There may be some one shot spin offs from this plot AU but I haven't done any. No I am not taking a hiatus, I'm still writing, in fact I have a few things I'm working on right now. I'm not promising any specific pairings though going forward and here's why. I write pretty organic material, I have layouts, an idea of where a story is going, what I want in it, and that usually doesn't revolve around a single character or couple.
I've always seen Fairy Tail as a jumble of many stories inside stories and there's endless potential. When I start writing, the characters come in where they fit as I write, the pairings happen on their own. When LoTS started I wasn't sure who Lucy who end up with, or who anyone would end up with, I just wrote and things came together.
I will continue writing that way. Yes, I want to have a Bixlu happen, but I won't deny Lucy what she wants as a story evolves if the way she develops would make her happier with someone else or even nobody in particular. So, with that said? LoTS is almost done.
I have a LOT of requests for more on the history of the Archangel mages, more on key trials and exploration into the other countries outside of Fiore, so my plans are in those directions but I love hearing what the readers think and would like to see.
DESNA