The Journey Back – 3 days before the fight
"Geez, there's gotta be a better way of getting back. I'm beat!"
"Indeed, my wings are worn out from a day of flying!"
"Oh hush you two, our leader needs us and we cannot let him down"
The three Thunder Legion members had stopped sometime in the early morning to rest, they'd left Crocus late 2 days ago running and flying until they needed to stop trying to cover as much distance as possible.
They'd had very little problems since leaving Crocus but they were still nowhere near back to Magnolia, whilst they knew that Laxus with his lightning steps were likely already back.
"If we can just keep up this pace then I calculate that we are halfway back to Magnolia so approximately another day and a half, possibly 2 days, however if we could speed up our travel even more – maybe less break stops maybe we could speed it up a day. Yes, yes, let's go, Laxus needs us"
"Freed, I wanna get back and help Laxus too and figure out what cosplayer has to do with it all. But I've gotta stop and let my legs rest. We've only been here 10 minutes and we've not even eaten yet"
"I agree, keeping my wings out that long is starting to make a drain on my magic and it would be best to not let it drop too low in case we run in to trouble wouldn't you say?"
"Oh fine, we can have half an hour but not a second more. We are the Thunder Legion and we're currently letting down our leader – he's been possessed and we did nothing!"
"Yeah, well at least you're not a mage specialising in soul control and didn't notice until it was too late", Bickslow abruptly stood from where he'd been sat on an overturned log, kicking it before walking away muttering about food before walking into the trees.
"Oh, just look what you've done now Freed! You knew he was feeling especially bad about not noticing someone controlling Laxus' soul"
"Yes, I suppose that was rather tactless of me wasn't it. I'll go apologise to him now"
"You'd better. I'll just wait here while you two have your moment", Freed turned and followed in the direction Bickslow had left in to promptly apologise else face the wrath of Evergreen.
Meanwhile Evergreen took the opportunity to put her hands behind her on the tree stump she was perched on, leaning back slightly to enjoy the first few rays of sunshine of the day and closing her eyes to relax for a few minutes. Truth be told holding up her wings had taken more than a little power from her and she was grateful for the rest bite to get some strength back. She was just starting to relax when she heard a rustling to her left, figuring it was Freed and Bickslow she didn't open her eyes.
"Oh good, you boys have made up already. I'm not done resting yet though Freed, so you'll have to wait longer until we leave"
"Get her boys!" a gruff voice had Evergreen promptly opening her eyes and springing up ready to attack.
"Oh, you won't be taking me that easily, I am a member of the Thunder Legion of the Fairy Tail guild!", Evergreen pulled her glasses off and took a breath. "Stone Eyes", promptly the three men who had been coming at her turned into stone, as soon as they had Evergreen swayed and fell to her knees the spell having taken the energy that she had remaining.
Unfortunately, it seemed she hadn't had as much power left as she'd hoped and the stone men began to crack, the stone breaking away and the men quickly descending towards her again.
"Baryon Formation!" From behind her suddenly a beam of light came towards the intruders, they dodged away but it had dispersed them further out.
"Ever, are you ok?" Freed helped her to her feet whilst Bickslow engaged the men in battle.
"I'm fine, my stone eyes just didn't hold them long at all sorry. I believe I used up more magic power in our flight than I thought"
"It would seem so, you really should have said if you were that low Ever", she gave him a very pointed look to say he'd been the reason she hadn't pushed saying she was low on power and he quickly dropped it. "Right…well…until you get some of your power back you should stay back here. I'm going to go and help Bickslow"
And so Freed launched forward to help Bickslow. Evergreen stayed back for the moment, trusting her team had this covered as she couldn't be much help. But, if they started to look like they needed her then she was ready to head into battle with them, magic or no magic.
Whilst Bickslow and Freed held up well against the 3 who had attacked her, Evergreen found it wasn't long at all before she was heading in to help them out, helping to distract one of the attackers long enough for Freed to deliver his attack back at them as her magic came back she started landing her own blows back at her attackers.
The fight wore on for a long time and by the time they'd nullified the threat the Thunder Legion were worse for wear and beyond exhausted. Had they not been travelling almost non-stop they'd no doubt the 3 wouldn't have been much for them to handle, but Freed and Evergreens magic had both taken a dip using their wings and the physical exhaustion was really tolling on them.
And so, the three of them found themselves staring at the sky watching the colours fade as the sunset marked the end of the day for the trio. Those who'd attacked them were tied up, still unconscious and lying not far from them.
"Either of you want to bet they're linked to whatever took Laxus' soul?"
"That, I think is an interesting thought Bickslow, indeed the timing is coincidental. Perhaps we should question them when they awake."
"Yes, I think that would be prudent Freed. But first I really need to rest this time", Evergreen's statement had the other two lightly chuckling at the irony of the start to the day before Freed's stomach growled loud enough to interrupt them, earning another exhausted round of laughter from them.
"Laxus will have to wait a bit longer for us if your stomach is anything to go on Freed. Sides' we have to wait for one of them to wake up to question them and drop them to the nearest town."
"However much I hate it, I think you might be right. We shall rest and have something to eat. But if one of them isn't awake by then make them be by force if needed. I will not let them delay us more than necessary."
After taking a few minutes to rise they made their way to their packs to grab some food eating silently whilst they regained some of their strength. Meanwhile those red eyes were glaring at them from the treeline, unnoticed in the scuffle.
"Master will not be pleased with this, not at all! This does not bode well for me, maybe…maybe I won't tell master…he will only punish me for not stopping them…this won't interfere with his plan too badly…they were delayed after all. Yes, me thinks it will be fine."
Those red eyes turned and raced towards Magnolia to oversee that the next part of the plan went as expected, the one he'd possessed marking the girl of the stars was far more important and he was sure his master would have his head if anything were to go wrong with that section.
Sorry for the massive delay - the festive season swept me away!
I've played with this chapter so much and I'm still not 100% happy with it. But, alas, I need to move on else this story won't go anywhere!
Happy NYE all!
Copperreign12 - I'm psyched you liked the last chapter so much, it was really a lovely chapter to write :)
armiangelimanuel - welcome to reviews! Hope you enjoy the story going forward :)