Sorry FT fanfic peeps. I lost my muse and then was ridiculously busy but I'm back and ready to keep going now. Hopefully, I'll be back to my twice a week posting until this fic is completed! This will be a shorter chapter than normal since I am still working this part out. Thanks for the reading and reviewing!

Laxus was seeing red. Red hot rage consumed his entire being as he watched some random punk kiss his mate. What was worse was that Lucy seemed shocked at first and now she was just standing there letting this little pissant do whatever he wanted with her. His fingernails were digging into the palms of his hands from how tight they were fisted, no doubt drawing blood. Lightning crackled around his forms in random bursts that had people moving in a wide arc from the blonde man.

"Chill spark plug," Cobra whispered loud enough for him to hear. "Something isn't right with the way he's eating Tink's face. I can't hear the bubby chiming of her soul. Kaleb around to shed some light?"

"No," Bickslow answered before long, "He went to check on Wendy and Cris in the infirmary but we can easily get his attention."

"I wouldn't do that if I was you."

"Hestor! What the fuck are you doing here? Kaleb exiled you from White Sea," Vander yelled in rage fully knowing that this was the man who had tried to kill him not long ago.

"No warm welcome back Vander? Here I thought you would have me bent over a table already."

"Only in your dreams!"

"Too bad," Hestor shrugged as several black portals opened and in flooded dozens of dark mages. "I will take control of White Sea and then I'll see you on your knees before your superior. Mages, capture and incapacitate. No one is to kill unless it's a last resort."

"HESTOR!"

"Ah, Kaleb. Glad you could make it to the party. If you would kindly hand over the guild then no one will get hurt."

"What the hell are you on? As if he'd hand anything over to the likes of you!" Emzadi was fuming flames engulfed her fists while her eyes burned with an intense desire to maim the man before her.

"But there really isn't anything he can do," Hestor pointedly looked at Kaleb, "Is there." Kaleb tried to read Hestor only to find a solid block in place from his mindbending magic. He tried to infiltrate the minds of anyone who wasn't in the guild and was met with the same sturdy wall. "It's pointless you know. Trying to control me or my mages, not as long as we have our bands securely in place. A nice piece of magic from a mage I picked up in Sin several months ago, can block and all mind magic. Now if you'll excuse me I have a guild to take over." Hestor vanished in a puff of black smoke as he left the group of mages staring at the spot he once stood.

"What the fuck now Kaleb?" Bickslow asked his brother, concern written on the seith's face.

"We defend what is ours!" The command was sent throughout the entire guild and to every available mage within Pelerno. "We take back White Sea no matter the cost!"

"Yo, Master!" Cobra called out to the platinum blonde man, "he might have been able to block his mind with that snazzy bracelet but it doesn't block his soul. Seems he doesn't know about Tink and the rest of the fairies joining the guild yet, or maybe he doesn't think much of us, either way, I know what that asshat is planning."

"Has anyone seen Lucy?" Evergreen asked as she turned a random dark mage to stone. She had been watching her kiss some random man before Hestor arrived and then she was so focused on him that she'd lost sight of the two.

"Don't worry Evergreen," Kaleb said with a grin, "Laxus is tracking her scent and if that man survives his wrath I'll be surprised."

"A hundred jewels says he fries him to a crisp?"

"Not now Vander. Go make sure Cristoff and the others are aware of what's going on." Vander disappeared into the shadows as he headed off to fulfill his task, grabbing several unsuspecting dark mages as he went and tossing them to the void shades. Their screams were music to his ears. He arrived to see Cristoff and Xally defending Wendy who had a rather large cut on her forehead that was bleeding more than he liked. He materialized several knives from the shadows and set about helping defend the sky slayer who was still magically exhausted from earlier.

"These guys aren't even trying that hard," Vander yelled out to the other three mages. "It's like we're just a distraction of some . . . awe shit."

"Van?" Xally questioned as she threw a couple mages out a window with a small tidal wave.

"Hestor has some grand plan in the works that involves Kaleb and he's using Lucy somehow. I haven't seen Stella since micro-dick showed up."

"Lucy!" Wendy was instantly off the bed and throwing a right hook to the nearest dark mage, who happened to go through the closest wall.

"Easy little blue, you've got a nasty gash."

"But they have Lucy! We need to save her!"

"Laxus is on it and we should probably regroup to Kaleb to see what else he's found out about this attack," Cristoff spoke with authority and years of experience. "He probably has an idea as to what's going on by now and if not he has at least three plans he'll want to be set in motion."

"Are you sure Lucy will be ok?"

"No sweat little blue," Vander slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. "That big oaf may be dense as fuck when it comes to admitting his feelings to his mate but with the dragon driving him to protect her she's never been safer."

"Speaking of dragons," Wendy eyes Cristoff for a moment before continuing, "How's yours doing right now?" Cristoff eyed the small bluenette warily as her light browns eyes danced with mirth, meaning she knew he'd found his mate too.

"Annoying but otherwise fine," Cristoff answered the slayer before gathering the three of them together and taking off to Kaleb's office. When the three of them arrived they were all shocked to find Kaleb, sword in hand, battling one of Hestor's spirits. A black energy ball bounced off Kaleb's sword, heading straight to Wendy but Vander pushed the two of them out of the way and out the window as the wall exploded from the attack's impact. Cristoff shielded Xally from the debris as he watched with keen interest when Hestor suddenly stood ramrod straight. A large magical source was coming their way and it didn't bode well for him and his plans, plus all of his teleport mages were currently indisposed so he had no way to escape. Panic started to seep in when he realized the magical signature was more powerful than his own. He turned around to see glowing eyes holding his gaze steadily.

"You will regret all that you have done."