Gajeel was leading the group, his shadows ahead of him as they were investigating every nook and cranny. He was eagerly waiting to get back to Pelerno and take up the offer to work with Vander and better learn to control his shadows. Being an iron slayer all of that came quite easy to him but the shadows were something else entirely that he wanted to get locked down so that nothing would ever happen to him like what happened to future Rogue. Hopefully, the twin knuckleheads from Sabertooth had made it into Joya without too much of an issue. With Yukino and Sting mating, Rogue had been cast to the outside recently, but he had a feeling Vander would love to be around the moody slayer even if it was just for his magic abilities.
Wendy was second since she was hoping to pick up Kaleb's scent as they weaved their way through the building. She had been wrestling with her dragon over the powerful mindbender mage ever since he placed the guild mark on her skin. Her dragon was claiming that he as their mate but Wendy was in deep denial over it. How could someone as young and inexperienced, well a little more experienced thanks to her Suddepah lessons, be able to hold the attention of a Wizard Saint who had several degrees and managed to run Ishgar's largest guild? Regardless she'd had to sit the handsome blonde man down and talk to him about this, once they were safe at home and everything was stable.
Lucy was in the middle and had called forth the hunting dogs to go ahead and to see what they could dig up, Thane followed her and Zen was bringing up the rear. Zen was hoping that his brothers and good friend were all alright, that Joya hadn't deeply scared them too much. Granted Kaleb and Cristoff had both put up with Kurino from time to tome so they did have some tolerance for it all. The potions and sexual highs that Cobra had explained to them were what he was worried about. He and Bickslow had had several conversations around whose souls were reaching to who so he was right to be worried about Kaleb and Wendy. He was worried about Lucy because they didn't know how much more hurt her soul could bare after years of abuse.
"They've found Kaleb," Lucy whispered to the group as she stopped, waiting for the rest of the intel to come through. "First hall to the left, fifth door on the right. He's naked and there are three women in there working on him but they're complaining he hasn't come yet. They're getting ready to pump more of that shit into his bloodstream!"
"Over my dead fucking body!" Zen charged forward, following the instructions Lucy had stated and kicked the door down before entering. His eyes narrowed as he saw the magic cancelling cuffs on his brother's wrists and ankles. He heard a hard growl to his right, Wendy's eyes were flashing from brown to pink as she tried to reign in her dragon. One of the women went for the alarm on the wall and Wendy sent a blast of air at it, exploding it before the woman could touch it.
"We need to take these two mages down before Warqueen Zella and Carina arrive. They are the first to breed him and then he'll be kept in the room until after Sydelle is done with the blonde. She wants to breed with him first," the darker haired women whispered to the two lighter-haired women.
"Step away from him, NOW!" Wendy's deep voice left no room for argument, and the Joyan women each took a step back, waiting on the defensive to see what their uninvited company was about to do. They weren't expecting to very large dogs to pass through a golden gate, jaws locking on the closest body parts they could reach. Screams of pain filled the room before a gate opened up on the floor and all five beings were gone.
"Bunny you ok?" Gajeel's red eyes scanned her panting form as she waved him off.
"Gaj," Wendy called from inside the room. "Can you bite through these chains? Zen's wings keep getting repelled due to some kind of spell." Gajeel started munching on the chains, purring over the fact that they were pure iron. Thane entered the room, hovering beside his master's head, appalled by the state he was in. He had at least a dozen puncture wounds on his arms from where they had pumped him full of their drugs, lacerations across his torso since he wasn't able to heal himself, and since he had no way of knowing what mental state he was in currently.
The minute the last chain fell Zen and Wendy were on him, healing hands glowing as they worked together to heal the physical wounds. Lucy had Nix out working, his hands glowing golden as he placed them on either side of Kaleb's head.
"What the hell are you doing in here!" a tall, dark-skinned women demanded as she walked into the room alone. "Queen Sydelle figured you were all within the compound but I didn't think you'd be here already. Such a shame I'll have to kill you all before I take the mindbender's body." Zen and Gajeel turned to face the Warqueen, eyes focusing on her as fire magic danced across her skin.
"Think it's as hot as Natsu's or Emzadi's?" Lucy whispered to Wendy who giggled as she finished healing Kaleb. "How's his mind, Nix?"
"He's buried himself within several well-guarded walls, an attempt to protect his mind and shut down everything that was happening to him," Nix answered, his eyes closed as focused. "Thane, place your hand on his guild mark, so familiarity should help. You've been by his side for years so hopefully, it'll speed things up." Nix wasn't wrong either. Thane had been beside Kaleb for a decade now, after meeting one day on the training field due to being partnered for a spar. Kaleb had won but the two of them had become the best of friends, getting into mischief at the estate more times than he could count. He watched with pride as Kaleb earned the right to be the Master of White Sea, immediately appointing Thane to be his assistant.
Kaleb and Thane had a working relationship and a strong friendship but they had never shared pleasure, neither had felt the need with one another. Kaleb was there when he Promised with his now wife and was in the delivery room minutes after their firstborn came into the world. He would be there as well when his second was born in a few short months. White Sea was everything to him and Kaleb had given him a home, something he'd never had growing up. Thane had bounced from family member to family member after he lost his parents, never staying in one spot for more than three months. When he exhibited magical capabilities he had been put into the young mages housing and left in the care of the guild.
I am glad to have met you that too, my friend. Thane's eyes widened as he waited for Kaleb's eyes to open. I'm going to need a few yet, even with Nix helping me navigate everything I am still sluggish.
"He's alright. He just needs a few moments." Thane's smile was infectious as everyone else started to smile as well. Gajeel and Zen sent their swords through the woman's chest, pinning her to the wall. Lightning cracked through the air, throwing Gajeel and Zen through a wall, as a shorter woman walked into the room, head held high.
"Rest in peace sister Zella," the woman said as she closed her fellow Warqueen's eyes. "I see we have been interrupted, mindbender. I am very glad to see the bluenette with you though, makes thing so much easier when you are both in the same room."
"What are you talking about?" Wendy bristled as the woman was clearly addressing her. She was the one who sent a bounty on your head. Wanted you to be trained here in Joya as one of her lieutenants and breed to her son who is also a talented lightning mage working as the head chef. Kaleb couldn't help the anger in his voice as he spoke to Wendy, who had reached a hand back placing it on his still naked thigh. Wendy, not that I don't adore having you touch me like this but you're not helping the situation.
"Thane," Wendy addressed the mage, "take Kaleb up to his sister so she can purge everything else from his system, please." Wendy don't . . . Kaleb, you need this and I can't protect you as I want too with you in the same room. Once Xally gives you go ahead you can help us finish this but until then . . . shoo. Kaleb laughed in her head as her dragon growled for their mate to go.
Thane helped Kaleb to stand, watching his master's eyes widen as he stared at the young woman before them. She smirked at him, wind picking up around her as her eyes began to glow pink which matched her long wavy hair. Kaleb blinked and found himself in the airship, Arman was hugging him before ushering Xally over to them. They were all talking animatedly around him as Xally's cool magic began to sweep him from head to toe and back again several times. Wendy was his . . . mate? Well, that was shocking as hell. He knew the woman was interested in him and he'd have to be blind to not see that she was an attractive dragoness, but mates . . . that floored him.
"Just focus on resting for now," Arman smiled down at his son. "I'm sure you'll have a lot of time to go over everything." Xally looked back and forth from her dad to her brother, curious about what he was referring too.
"You should be fully flushed here shortly. How's your head doing? The big one?" She smirked as Kaleb's rolled his eyes, smiling slightly.
"I'm good, nothing but a dull headache but I'm sure that has more to do with my own mental safeguards than anything else. Have you heard from anyone else?"
"Vander was the first one they found and Cristoff not too long ago. Not sure if he's been rescued yet or not since Vander was cackling to Angie about a bluenette having a dark streak." Kaleb frowned at that, wondering what story would be there when they had time to meet up. "We were also joined by several other strong mages from the Sabertooth guild in Fiore, thanks to Gajeel asking for assistance. They have made our entrance into the building quite successful."
"Ambassador, Vander would like you to know that promise papers will need to be ready before the full moon tomorrow night. Something about how the moon is going to cause massive waves," Angie was utterly confused but relayed the message anyways. The three Pradesh's starting laugh, leave it up to Vander lighten the mood no matter where they are at.
"Any word from Wendy's team?" Angie reached out to the group of mages. "Zen says that they took out Warqueen Zella and that Wendy is taking on Warqueen Carina. They're evenly matched but Wendy is fighting full dragon force, something about how she was to be the woman's slave tipper little blue over the edge."
"Carina was the one who put a price on Wendy's head and drug her into the human trafficking ring we put an end too," Kaleb explained, hands fisting at his sides wishing he could be down there with her. "Wendy didn't take too kindly to finding that bit out and was about to pick a fight with the woman before she demanded Thane bring me up here."
"Smart woman," Xally whispered as Kaleb smacked her shoulder.
"Zen said that Carina deals in lightning magic and between that and Wendy's sky magic they are tearing the place apart," Angie relayed to the family.
"I'm tapping into the family line," Kaleb announced to those around him. How's everyone doing? There were a course of cheers and Kaleb's throughout the line. Figured it'd be easier to check in with everyone from in the airship and yes I am fine, Xally has made sure of that. Zen, can you show us what's happening? Zen showed them what he was able to see which Wendy slamming a foot into the Warqueen's chest and kicking her through a wall. Damn, lil blue must have been hanging around Cosplayer too much because that kick was deadly.
They watched as Wendy called out her Sky Dragon Secret Art, Shattering Light: Sky Drill. Wendy stood in a wide stance, spreading her arms wide and causing a fast wind barrier to form, which surrounded them, preventing Carina from escaping. She moved her arms in a counter-clockwise direction, causing the wind wall to contract inwards around her enemy, sending them flying upwards into the air and crashing back down to the ground. Wendy jumped, lifting her feet and unleashed large winds the moment her leg swung down at Carina, calling out Sky Dragon's claw, effectively ending the Warqueen's reign.
The Pradesh family was impressed by how much Wendy had grown since her ranking battle. They watched as Wendy's hair turned back to its natural dark shade of blue, she looked back at Zen falling to her knees. Wendy! Kaleb had called through the family line, Thane immediately went down, scooped the slayer up, and brought her aboard the aircraft. Wendy was frowning as she was handed over to Kaleb, eyes still tinged pink.
"My dear girl, what's wrong?" Arman asked as he was listening to Wendy's confused soul.
"Did anyone see Lucy? When I looked back she wasn't in the room with the others," Wendy's eyes started to fill with tears. "You don't think she went after Laxus herself, do you? Sydelle has him! It's a trap for sure!" Kaleb held Wendy close as tears started to run down her cheeks, stinging slightly from the scratches that were on them. Lucy? Has anyone seen Lucy? She's blocked me out I can't get a read on her. Anyone else? Kaleb asked everyone who had recently interacted with the celestial mage, all of which came up with a resounding no. We're on our way to the others, so maybe Vander can feel her though that weird as mark she gave him. It's how she found him in the first place. Cobra suggested as they hustled through the pathways. She's being blocked from me too, so she's either doing it herself or she's in a room where no magic can enter. Either answer didn't bode well for the group who would wait to meet up before figuring out how the hell they were going to find Lucy and Laxus.