QUESTION;

Are my Chapters too long guys? I looked it up and average is supposed to be 4,000 something words.

My average chapter length is like 11,000 something.

And according to overall word length, Balance In Our Lives is Longer than an EPIC

Please be honest!

Chapter 3

Reaching

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

.:+:.

Days of waiting passed to a little over a week... A week with no change, or at least- not a better one. A week where the Guild filtered about in stiff, grim collection, hardly leaving the Hall, hardly eating, hardly sleeping. No one wanted to leave, but many of them were having a hard time convincing themselves to come back when they did... it was just too hard. It broke their hearts more and more every time they walked through that door and saw nothing, nothing better. Everything was just getting worse.

They all knew it wasn't going to end well, they all knew nothing was getting better and they knew time was almost up. As much as it killed them to know... they did, and hushed, broken words and thoughts of goodbye were dared to be uttered in that silent, dark threshold of a room.

Master never left, not for an hour, not for a minute. He spent all his time in the Guild Hall, most of it in that room, or in between it and his solitude upstairs in his office- which was now much more a make-shift room than an office. He didn't talk to the Guild, he didn't hardly even look at them, he couldn't- because seeing his pain reflected in them would just make it worse, and he was falling apart enough already.

Porlyusica was seen in the Guild Hall more often than she ever had been, the Old Woman herself hardly left the hall, ever keeping a watchful eye on the one person that was breaking the Guild apart by the hour... And every minute of it, Porlyusica spent knowing that her condition was deteriorating, quickly, and no healing nor medicine was doing a damn thing. Though for all their sakes, she dearly wished she could do something... anything.

She was forced to try and keep Makarov as healthy as she could, snap at him ever so gently to eat, to rest when he didn't want to. She told the Guild too, cursing them under her breath at how little they seemed concerned with taking care of themselves, but she understood why they weren't.

The filtering in and out of the hall ceased to near non-existence near the middle of the second week. They hunched their backs to that hallway, hiding their faces as they trickled out from that room, for the last time, and then left the Guild- they couldn't take it anymore.

Moon had to be herded away by Lily, who had hardly left her alone. And because the she-cat couldn't find the heart to go back to the empty room at Fairy Hills, he brought her home with him- and Gajeel didn't mind. The Iron Dragon Slayer was hardly ever there, no one seemed to catch sight of him, he had moved himself to some obscure corner in the middle of the rain where not even Levy could find him- though she tried.

The Guild Hall was silent and empty apart from a few who were stumbling out as night settled in, the rain stopped for now though thunder rumbled without end overhead in a sky swathed in dark cloud.

Aisha held to Chase's arm, her purple gaze glinting as she glanced to him, the pair making their way away from the Hall and back home- the silent and dark figure of the Guild fading behind them. Chase didn't look backward, not for an instant, and he didn't stop. He couldn't turn around, he wanted to be far, far away. The Guild Hall had never been this bad, he'd never felt this much pain and grief hanging like a choking cloud all at once, and it was made all the worse every second that light flickered oh so weakly... And today it was barely an ember.

He couldn't stay, couldn't force himself to though he hated himself for that weakness. He knew it was useless, he could have left Magnolia and Fiore far behind, it wouldn't matter where he was, or what distance he put between himself and that silent, sullen building... he'd feel it, no matter where he was, when that light went out, and he'd still fall apart either way.

Aisha's hold on his arm tightened slightly, her eyes falling toward the ground when she gave up trying to meet his eyes, he hardly looked at her this last week, and when he did... She swallowed, her heart fluttering.

She had seen so much pain in those blue eyes, and so many tears... she hated this. She couldn't do anything, all she could do was just, hold on to him, stay close, though she honestly had never fell so far away from him since she had met him.

The Guild was dim, the lamps and the lights mostly shut out with spare few left on. The tables and chairs were empty, the bar abandoned since earlier that week, the kitchen nearly untouched.

Porlyusica stood in stillness, her red eyes watching Makarov traipse his way up the stairs toward his office ever so slowly, his shoulders hunched and hands trembling along the rail as she watched him go- having been ushered out of that room he spent hours in with the most gentle persuasion that his grandson could manage- soft, quiet promise that Makarov would be sent for if something changed, and assurance that she'd have someone to look after her tonight.

That blonde Dragon Slayer turned from the main hall, his eyes leaving the Old Man slowly as he cast one, small fleeting look at Porlyusica, who said nothing as he did.

He had to make the Old Man leave. He was running himself into the ground, and he knew today...

Porlyusica let out a sigh, her eyes falling away from his as she turned from the hall- leaving for the day and completely aware she wasn't of any use anymore.

Laxus felt his heart clench slightly as she did so, biting the inside of his cheek.

The Old Lady knew it too

Damn it... the whole Guild knew it, he knew it.

He'd sent the rest of the Thunder God Tribe home though they had insisted on staying like the Old Man had, but they listened when he asked them too... maybe a bit grudgingly, but they listened.

And now... it was just him.

The silence was almost unbearable. But it wasn't silence. It hadn't ever been complete silence, the minute it was-

He swallowed at the thought, his feet moving him down that dim hallway toward that door that had been left just slightly ajar. He pushed inside that quiet, dark room, his ears training immediately to that harsh, incredibly shallow breathing, her breathing that came in quick, strained gasps broken only by small, weak winces of pain... and breathing that was getting slower by the hour.

He could hear the breaths, her lungs rattling and muffled by what crimson fluid had filled the in a steady stream despite Wendy, Sherria and the Old Woman's attempts to still it. That liquid that replaced itself regardless of how many times they called the Water Mage in to move it out, clear her lungs and allow her breath... What little of it there was left.

The room lit up in a sudden flash of ethereal, purple yellow glow as lightning arced across the sky outside, the light filtering through the window and bathing everything in it. His eyes moved across the room, stopping as he paused, closing the door behind him softly and he swallowed.

Why did it hurt so much? Ache so badly? It had never felt like this before... He had never felt like this before.

His eyes fell closed as he moved forward toward the other end of the room, his nose hit immediately with the sharp tang of blood that remained ever persistent, his ears filled with those weak breaths. He needn't look up to see her chest heaving and falling as she lay in that bed, unmoving beside her body trembling and shaking with what strain had overtaken her. Where wounds were already serious and a situation dire, the amount of blood loss and strain she had experienced had sent her body's immune system into freefall, and sickness settled in quicker than it ever had. He needn't look up to know she was pale, her hair lying about, the long silver and blonde strands dulled.

Her body was covered in wounds, in scratches and bruises running along her skin like dark, wicked marks. Her skin was cut and battered, too many to count and too many at once to heal properly- but those were where her skin was visible at all. Most of her person was wrapped in bandages that had seeped and stained red, the wounds too deep, too serious, they bled still and refused to close.

Laxus drew up by the bed, circling around to the other side as he passed the window by, his eyes still closed as he took in a small, low breath. He looked up, his aqua blue gaze flashing in the dim as his attention found her, and he felt that same painful ache flare brighter in his chest- the same ache that had not gone away for even an instant since it all happened.

His jaw clenched slightly, a small frown pulling at his lips as his eyes narrowed. He sank down into the chair that had been drawn up by the bedside, one foot propped up on the chair as his shoulders hunched, one arm falling across his stomach while the other rest out on the bedside lightly, he could feel the bed shaking with every tremor and shake her broken body endured.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the room again and dancing off her hair, he saw it from the corner of his eye- before he closed them both and his head bowed slightly.

Damn it... It was hard just looking at her.

His fingers twitched, ever so slightly along the sheer white sheet of the bed, feeling her hand shake against his skin as he pressed his arm closer to hers- damn it, he felt the heat prickling off her skin even through his shirt.

His chest tightened, his stomach, already in knots- twisted and knotted more.

The last week had been nothing less than torture, for everyone... and today it was so much worse. The Guild was falling apart, every single one of them- regardless of how hard they tried to keep it together. He understood the feeling, though even he managed to keep himself in check, but he was slowly losing the will to. But he had to, he couldn't let himself break apart like they did... Not for pride, not out of stubbornness... But because at this point, he was the only left who could keep himself together, and the Old Man needed that.

He'd kept it up, helping and ushering the Guild out when he needed, keeping an eye out for the Old Man and everyone else. He'd made sure to keep an eye out for the Council, though not a single member has set foot in the town since Aisha called her 'Druhma' into place. He kept up his neutral, collected self even as everyone fell to pieces around him, he forced himself a clear head despite what he was feeling himself... For the last week and a half he had kept it together- kept it together because he had to. For all the world and all the Guild, he didn't come undone, he kept himself so calm and so resolute no one would have a clue what terrible ache had never ceased to go away in his heart. But at this moment, he found that he couldn't look at her, because she wasn't... she just looked so broken, more broken than he could ever fathom, and he hated it. He hated every sound of every breath, he hated how she was shaking, hated how still she was and how much pain worked it's way into her features regardless of what deep chasm her mind must have fallen into. He hated hearing her heart flutter like that, her lungs rattle, he hated the small, faint hisses of pain that managed it through the gasps for air- he hated that lingering scent of blood, her blood... he hated how it had mixed with her scent to the point he couldn't even pick out her usual smell of mountain air, tinged with that sweet, so faint scent he had grown so used to.

He hated it all, it hurt worse than any wound, hurt worse than even Ivan ripping that Lacrima right out of his chest... But he wouldn't dare be anywhere else.

... maybe he could chock it up to owing her, that he was simply doing the same as she had for him after Ivan... But this was much different, he knew that.

He'd let the Old Man sleep, as much as he could manage anyway. He hardly left this room the last week and he didn't blame him, but Makarov couldn't keep on like that. And with how torn up the Guild was, and how badly the rest of them were handling this, he figured he was the only one who could manage to sit here tonight. Keep an eye on her, sit with her... it was going to be a very, very long night, and one he was sure that would hurt all the worse as he listened to those breaths grow slower and shallower.

... He didn't really want anyone else in the Guild to be around right now, not like this. He didn't want any of them, not the Old Man, not even her annoying brat of a Student, or her cat... He might have come off as cold and distant, or like he didn't care what everyone else thought or felt... but even he didn't want them to sit here in silent torture, like he planned to.

His head bowed slightly, his fists clenching around the sheet lightly as he bit the inside of his cheek.

Lightning flashed outside in dozens of arcing, splintering tendrils across the black sky.

"... damn it... Frea..."

"This... This isn't right." The words made it past Rified's lips in a low hiss, his eyes glinting as he peered down into the water under his feet- the same water he stood atop like it was nothing less than earth, and the same water that was slowly pulling her under, further and further by the minute.

And he couldn't do a damn thing about it

"Like it or not Kala, it is nothing you can change."

Rified scowled slightly, rounding in agitation toward the owner of the voice. He faced that huge, monstrous form of Naraka, his eyes flashing in the dim around them.

"This isn't fair, Naraka. You know that! After everything she had to contend with? After she saved everything, and everyone? She doesn't deserve this... She doesn't deserve any of it!" Rified hissed under his breath, sweatdropping slightly and ever aware of the lingering image not far from him, listening closely, his gray eyes fixed and silent.

It was a rare occurrence for what time he had spent in the Reach... A ghost, the last, lingering impression, the last lingering memory of someone who had fallen to the bottom of those deep, black waters. Where that person now, dead... Still lingered in some form regardless, and for how powerful, and old this one had been? Maybe it wasn't a surprise he was still around, but he didn't care, nor did Mordren, Energy God Slayer, say a thing to him. He would cease to exist... all images of those dead eventually faded away, it wasn't worth his time. There was nothing tangible left of Mordren anymore, he was weightless, formless, and he would eventually fade into nothing... And besides, he had heard and seen all he needed of that conversation between him and the Energy Dragon Slayer.

"Mortal's rarely deserve to die." Naraka replied lowly, unflinching and utterly stony. "And life certainly isn't fair. Deserving or not, it is your duty to extinguish lives when their time has come, not to save them because it is unfair or unjust. You cannot change what you are, Kala." Rified's jaw clenched,

"That... that's such bullshit!" Rified snapped back, "... we don't have to just... Just kill everything... All the time!" He was stumbling for words though, because he knew the truth of it and arguing was pointless.

"... is it not kinder, to end this?" Naraka murmured lowly, dipping a claw into the water and making it ripple all around. "... she has struggled so long, she has been suffocating for weeks now, and still has not reached the bottom. Is it not a kindness to end her waiting now, where you can?" Rified shuddered slightly, Naraka's green eyes flashed a blood red for but a moment. "... You have held off, hesitated. Let the water drag her down, end this useless waiting, Kala."

"... useless?" Rified growled lowly, taking a small step toward the huge, immense Dragon. "You think I've been holding off because I wanted to? I know what it's doing to her, being under that water so long, Naraka! I wouldn't wish that on anyone! But it... it's not useless!"

"She has used her chance, Kala. She has no way of coming back, not from this." Naraka replied lowly, "That one chance all mortals have to choose to swim to the top and save themselves, just once- that chance was used so she could defeat the Black God. Struggle if she may, she won't break the surface... and already she has no strength left to try and delay the inevitable, she is spent." Naraka's head lowered slightly, coming level with Rified who by now had faltered, he knew that was truth... but maybe had hadn't wanted it to be said aloud.

"... and you cannot give her another Chance, Kala. You don't have that right, not with who you are." Naraka's voice lowered slightly, losing what gruff tone he had been holding since the start, as suddenly... Something wispy made it into that Dragon's voice just then, and maybe something... sad. "We keep the balance... and death is not something that can be cheated, nor altered. Not even for those we care for, or who may truly not deserve what pain they have suffered."

Rified's eyes fell to his feet, his fists clenching at his sides as she hissed under his breath, his shoulders hunching slightly.

"... damn... it..." He hissed lowly, he'd never liked his Magic, he'd never liked the Reach... Nor had he ever enjoyed sending those who called him to the Reach, to the bottom of that ocean... killing them, strangers, the lot... But human, living creatures like he was. He'd known what this place was, even the first time he'd been called here. He knew what his Magic was and what he had to do while he was here, awful as it was. Because there was a natural balance to things, and everything eventually did die, there was no changing that. He had accepted that, all these years- and this was the first time he hesitated.

"... Why... Why are you making me do it?" Rified hissed, his eyes trailing up to meet Naraka. "... I have been here so many times... But never enough to swallow the sheer number of people that die everyday. I have only ever taken a few of them, I have never taken them all... You took those I did not. So why... why are you making me take her?"

"... Is it so wrong to think I do not wish to extinguish the life of the girl who is, by technical terms- my niece?" Naraka murmured softly, Rified blinked. "... I was forced to take the one I called daughter once... And I do not wish to end the one I would call niece."

"... so you'd make me, because you care too much?" Rified grumbled,

"You are hardly friends, are you not?" Naraka replied easily, Rified swallowed, sweatdropping slightly. "She's nothing but an acquaintance to you, at best."

"... She means much more to me than that." Rified replied lowly, his eyes flashing. "... Much more... She gave me my life back, my mind. Without her I would still be that monster that my Magic turned me into...that you turned me into. She's the reason I can think clearly, feel, love... Care. She gave me back... well, myself. She gave me what no one else could. Her Magic, it set me free again. Brought me back. There's not a person I owe more than her."

Naraka shifted, lifting his head back up but not before Rified swore... there was some small flash of a smile across Naraka's lips, but it was so faint he thought maybe he imagined it.

"And what do you intend to do, Kala?" Naraka asked, his tone falling neutral again as the Dragon simply peered down at Rified with those glinting green eyes. Rified blinked, his eyes narrowed as he sweatdropped slightly.

"... save her." He replied lowly, earning a quirked eyebrow from the Dragon, but Rified turned away slightly. "... Or at least, try... without breaking any rules."

Rified's eyes landed for a moment on the ever watching figure of Mordren, who simply looked back at him with the utmost calm look, intent, interested. Rified frowned slightly, glancing away from Mordren too as he glanced to everything else- the dark, the dim, the water...

"... you still there?" He called lightly, uncertainly almost. Naraka's head tilted slightly, eyes narrowed.

The dim lit up in a small, faint flash of white and gold, the glow rippling over the water as that same figure that had met Rified before appeared among the others, those striking yellow eyes narrowed and emotionless as Rified faced what was becoming a familiar face. There was a small, quick wash of air that streamed over the water, chill and crisp before it faded.

Rified hadn't any clue just how he managed to make it into the Reach, and so effortlessly too... of course this was the same figure who had pulled him into that other... Place, when Naraka cast him out of the Reach a week and a half prior. But for now, he didn't really want to dwell on it, there were so many questions and only a few had been answered, but maybe he understood it more than he thought he did.

"... Trespassing is technically breaking the rules." Naraka's voice was a low, icy rumble behind Rified who swallowed slightly, watching those yellow eyes flick upward toward the Dragon behind him, indifferent but intent.

"... Not those rules, Naraka." Rified replied lowly, casting the words over his shoulder but never letting his eyes leave the other. "... you, you can change things you said? Can't you do something about this? Save her?"

Those yellow eyes fell back on him, so stoic, so indifferent, and yet so keen all at once- Rified felt like he was being looked straight through, and for all he knew, he was.

"... rewind it? Maybe stop her from getting so hurt? Give her a chance?" Rified murmured,

"No." Was the immediate answer. "That was a fixed point in the Current, I cannot meddle in it. To do so would allow the Black God to win, and I cannot allow it." Rified sweatdropped, looking slightly agitated. "... her fall at his hands was the breaking point- the event that lead to the one where she would win. If I change that, alter it if only slightly- the consequences would be dire. This world would fall to chaos, and I cannot- will not- change the course of this world, not even for her."

"You're the one who keeps saying things are 'always in flux'. Is there no alternative where she keeps from ending up like this, and Mordren fails? Not a one in the 'hundreds of possibilities'?" Rified snapped, "Somehow I find that hard to believe-" He broke off though, his eyes narrowing to slits. "... You're not saying... there's no version of all of this, where she actually makes it?" Rified asked lowly, earning a blink from the other. "...you say you watch and look for all the different paths the world takes... is there really no chance she makes it out of this? No path that leads...?"

"... I did not say that." The other replied after a small, brief pause. Rified felt his heart speed up, "... each path lead here, but after this? Hmm... I'm not certain. Nothing is certain until it happens and is passed by by some other fixed event... and at this moment, there are hundreds of ways this leads... and some of them do have what outcome you hope for." Rified's eyes glinted, the other's looked away, letting out a small sigh as he glanced sideways.

"... But what little I am managing to glimpse... I almost wonder if it is not better to simply let the Malurey die." He added softly, nearly to himself and so quietly Rified barely heard a thing he said. The other let out a low sigh, his yellow eyes falling closed. "... This is speculation of course, I am simply meant to watch and wait. I have no business meddling... and frankly, neither do you, Kala." He spoke up, his voice easily reaching Rified this time around.

"You should listen to the Fealorr, Kala. Little as I appreciate the trespassing into my domain, he is right. You are not meant to meddle." Naraka spoke up, his tone low and rumbling as the yellow eyes moved toward the Dragon for a small moment, "None of you are meant to meddle in things beyond your control, you are supposed to keep the balance as best you can. Where would the world be if outcomes could be changed on one's own whim without fear of consequence? Or the dying live where they were not meant to, simply because one wishes them to live? Meddle too much, and the souls of the living may just wander between the Reach and the Clear without hindrance... and then where would we be? Meddling could land you with consequences severe, or less so... depending on what you chance."

"... odd thing to say." The other murmured, his tone low and yellow eyes narrowing. Naraka blinked, his green eyes flashing in the dim as Rified looked between the both of them, sweatdropping slightly as silence passed suddenly over the lot of them. Rified and Mordren alike glanced between both, transfixed in what stillness seemed to fall, it almost seemed like the two were talking to one another with their minds, of course... maybe they were, neither Rified nor Mordren would know.

Naraka broke the stiff silence first, shifting as the water thumped under his weight and he drew himself up, his wings stretching on either side of him, smirking- just slightly, before even that look was gone.

"Is it?" Naraka replied easily, almost too easily and carefree as the Dragon turned away slightly, the water shifting as he moved. His tail waved behind him, purple and black light flashing in the dim for a small second, before the small figure of a girl with red eyes and black hair appeared, standing on the water but only slightly, weightless and floating almost as she looked around the space with sad eyes, her attention fixing to the Dragon but not disturbed by it.

"Hello again, Seleyn. Do you not have a Soul to collect? Or have you been holding off as the Kala has?" Naraka rumbled, his green eyes glinting as Jynx glanced up at him, her expression incredibly somber. She blinked though, looking slightly confused at the question.

"Kala...?" Jynx mumbled,

"Me, apparently." Rified broke in, causing Jynx to turn his way in shock and surprise, her red gaze glinting. "... And you're the Seleyn? Aren't you... You are a ghost, aren't you?" Jynx blinked at him, looking maybe a little stunned at the affirmation so quickly (though maybe not entirely accurate- 'ghost' was easier to handle than the astral form of Jynx's Soul)- but her eyes snapped to the yellow gaze of the other, sweatdropping slightly when she noticed him.

"... Wait a moment..." Jynx mumbled, "... you are... You're one of those who... embody one of the Forces of Creation?" She stammered slightly, her eyes widening a little. She looked shocked, as she probably should- she had never realized who Rified was, even having glimpsed him on occasion, and as it was- she had only become aware of the Mortal Embodiment's of the Forces of Creation that day that Mordren had attacked... she'd been told, by that same voice that had walked in her shadow so long, watching, listening.

Rified nodded slightly, sweatdropping. "Yeah, new concept for me too." He replied, Jynx stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "According to Naraka I'm the 'Mortal Embodiment of Death'... Which would make you the ah- 'Mortal Embodiment of Soul', huh?" Jynx sweatdropped a little more, but nodded none the less.

"... I can understand why you are here... but who are you...?" She asked of the man standing beside Rified,

"The Fealorr, little ghost." The man replied easily, "And you have come for the soul of the Malurey, yes?" He asked evenly, "... or perhaps you are here for what little soul is left of the Energy God?" He gestured toward the ever silent figure of Mordren still watching with the utmost patience and quite. Jynx glanced sideways, her head snapping in that direction as she finally took note of Mordren, her eyes growing wider than ever as she paled slightly, looking lost for words.

"... I hadn't... I thought..." Jynx stammered slightly, "... I watched her destroy you... Tear your soul apart... how is there any left...?" She asked breathlessly, earning a head tilt from Mordren.

"... So he's not just a phantom image." Rified mumbled under his breath, sweatdropping slightly. "... there's still something physical left of him...?" He blinked, "... Wait, what do you mean Frea destroyed his soul? She shouldn't able touch a soul, let alone destroy it."

"... All Magic, remember?" The man broke in before Jynx had chance to come up with an answer. They all glanced to him now, Mordren, Jynx and Rified alike, but there was no flicker of emotion in those yellow eyes, no change in that stoic face or off-handed expression. "For one day and one day only, All Magic bowed to one person, the Malurey- and we all embody one force, one Magic... Soul Magic is no exception. The Malurey tore about the Energy God's Soul, stripped it bare of what corruption had consumed it and destroyed the black... but left one small, untainted part. The only part left of it's kind, but enough." He gestured toward Mordren, who looked astonished, his hand moving up to hold his chest, sweatdropping. "... The Energy God, Mordren... even he will not be erased from existence, he was never going to be. But now he'll remain, as he once was... Or maybe how he should have been." A look of familiarity dawned on Jynx's faces for a minute, her ears ringing with that voice- that voice she had heard so many times, bodiless, ethereal... and now suddenly tangible, right in front of her.

"... y... you knew?" Jynx stammered, her fists clenching at her sides as she took a step toward the man. For a minute anger flashed across her features, "You- you're the one I have been talking with for so long! The one who kept telling me of what dangers were coming, but never telling me how to avoid them! Have you known this entire time what would happen? What Frea would do? That what she did- this 'All Magic'- that was what 'limitless Power' she had trapped inside of her?! Have you known the entire time what she would be capable of with it?! Have you known this entire time... w-what it would do to her?!" Jynx swept a hand out in Mordren's direction, who flinched slightly as Rified did the same, a little taken aback by what ferocity suddenly ignited in the girl.

"Mordren may have hurt her in numerous ways, but it is nothing compared with what All Magic did to her body- it tore her apart, made it impossible for her move, or hardly even breathe! That Power was so much, too much for her body to handle, it tore her to shreds, and now she's so hurt and wounded because of it, she's-!" Jynx cut herself off, her eyes flashing in pain and such sheer sadness, before her eyes fell.

"... Have you known this entire time? That she would end up dead?" Jynx hissed the words under her breath, her eyes shining. "... that I'd have to... Have to take her Soul? Carry it to the Crossroads?" The other man simply blinked at her, unmoving and unfazed by what emotion worked its way into her voice so suddenly.

"... I knew she would have to sacrifice some things, for Mordren to be defeated." He replied easily, "I knew she had to die and make her choice, use her Chance, to come back- for All Magic to be unlocked. I knew there was no way for the Malurey to prepare for what consequences came with All Magic, she hadn't enough time to. I knew what fixed points existed in this Current, I only guessed at the true outcome and the ways in which events would come to be."

"..y... you bastard." Jynx growled, a long, drawn out answer to be sure- but she got the gist of it, and she scowled.

"Hehe, this is oddly nostalgic."

Everyone froze, growing slightly rigid as Naraka's voice broke in so suddenly, especially after the Dragon having stayed so utterly silent through the rising debate. They all glanced over toward him, sweatdropping slightly as his lips pulled into an amused smirk, his fangs flashing under his lips.

"Hehe... Soul and Time arguing back and forth, it's happened oh so many times before. Those two never could agree on anything... at least not until they quit the arguing, and realized that their goals were not quite so different than they thought." Naraka chuckled lightly, earning blinks from everyone else at what was truly an odd string of words. "Soul isn't one for riddles, and that's usually all you can get from Time... Vague warnings and non-answers." Naraka paused slightly, smirking. "Of course that's all I'm good at as well, though I have a better sense of humor." Rified balked slightly, his expression falling blank as he simply stared.

How... how in the hell is this Dragon a Force of Nature that supposedly keeps the world in Balance?

"But perhaps you had best quit with the arguing, yes?" Naraka went on without even the slightest bit of pause. "Hold off as long as you wish Kala, but she is about to hit the bottom- and then there will be nothing for you to do."

Rified stiffened slightly, his eyes snapping downward toward the water, sweatdropping when he realized even he couldn't see her faint figure under the water... she was too far down.

"You made it clear you intend to do something, but will you have time before she reaches the bottom?" Naraka murmured, his voice shaking the water as Jynx went rigid, her red eyes glinting.

"... what do you...plan..?" Jynx asked slowly, her eyes trailing toward Rified and pointedly not glancing toward the other man. "... You want to... Save her...?" She asked next, her voice falling slightly.

"... If I can." Rified murmured, "... and since there's this concern over Balance and crap... I gotta do it without breaking any rules. Which... given everything, may leave me with nothing to do." He bit the inside of his cheek, he could feel his heart speeding up though- because Naraka was right, she was almost near the bottom, too far out of reach and he wouldn't be able to do anything once she was there. He suddenly hated the distraction and argument that had sprung up and wasted those few precious minutes... But what was he going to do anyway?

"... If... If I had a choice, a Chance to give her... I would. That isn't against the rules." Rified mumbled, almost half to himself. "... but I'm not allowed, because of who I am..."

"Chance?" Jynx murmured, her head tilted slightly. "... you mentioned that, that Frea had to 'use her Chance'. What do you mean by that?"

"All living things have one Chance to choose to save themselves from falling to the bottom, Seleyn." Naraka murmured, earning Jynx's attention though not her eyes. "Just once, they can ask that I hold off, that the waters do not swallow them whole the minute they arrive- and they go back, but they have to work for it. They have to truly wish to live, and swim to the top to use that Chance." Naraka sighed slightly, his green eyes falling to the water underfoot. "... Most living things do not use their Chance, however... And some wish for it, but do not have the power to swim to the surface, and are dragged under regardless."

Jynx sweatdropped, her eyes wide and glinting as she glance toward Rified, "... that... if... all living things have one Chance, and you wish to give her one if you could..?"

"... It's rare, but Chances can be given to others. Someone can give up their Chance to someone else, give them a second Chance to swim to the top if they have already used theirs... Of course the person giving it up won't have a chance when they end up here in their own time." Rified murmured,

"... if every living thing has a Chance, would that mean that I...?" Jynx asked quickly, Rified frowned slightly.

"... No, once upon a time you might have had a Chance... But you're not physical nor technically living now, so you don't have that choice anymore." He replied softly, Jynx seemed to deflate a little.

"... I do not have one to give either." The other man added in lowly, earning both surprised glances from Rified and Jynx alike. "I used it, a long time ago. I'm sure Death remembers it well."

"Indeed." Naraka grumbled lowly,

"... damn it." Rified grumbled,

"... Would it be impossible to ask someone else?" Jynx murmured,

"Chances are not given lightly, Seleyn." Naraka answered, "... The transfer of a Chance to another is no easy thing either, and the one to receive a second Chance must also be able to utilize it, or the one who gave their Chance away will suffer the fate they are trying to avert." Jynx turned toward Naraka that time, her eyes narrowed and looking a little stunned.

"... Wait, you mean to say... If someone were to give a Chance to Frea... That if Frea fails to... that they may...?" Jynx's voice was shaking slightly,

"It's not enough to simply say 'she can have my Chance'." Naraka answered steadily, "... It's a contract, the minute the decision is made those two lives are linked. The Malurey must be able to pull herself to the top of the water, save herself. If she fails... Who she had linked with will also be dragged under the water. And then two lives are lost, and you will have two souls to carry instead of just one."

"T-that... that's..." Jynx stammered, "That cannot be fair...!"

"Is it not?" Naraka mused, "It is a dangerous thing to allow one person to avert Death not once, but twice. Doing so tips the Balance of the world each time, perhaps not drastically, but enough that the consequences can be quite dire if done enough times. If it were an easy task, and one with no true danger, I imagine history would be littered with stories of those meant to die- only to avoid so, because someone they loved tossed away their own chance. Do you think the Balance of this world would remain stable if every person faced with losing a loved one could simply say 'I give my Chance', and death is avoided everytime? The binding and the link between two lives ensures that Chances are not tossed about so carelessly." Jynx faltered, her eyes falling as she bit the inside of her lip.

"... and with how weak she is right now..." Rified mumbled, "... Anyone willing to give up a Chance would essentially be killing themselves, she doesn't have the strength to make it back to the top of the water... not after everything." He bit the inside of his cheek, his idea to save her was sounding more like a fancy than a reality.

"... shit..."

There was a reason he hated who he was, his Magic... and he shifted, because soon enough he wouldn't have a choice, he'd have to..

"... Three living embodiment's of Three of the Forces of Creation... And we can't manage to save one person...?" Jynx hissed, her fists clenched at her sides and eyes falling shut tightly. "... What's the point of holding such ancient power... If we can't... even manage to just... Find a way to... even just...?" She broke off entirely, the tears making it past her eyes despite her attempt to keep them back.

"...Meddle too much, and the souls of the living may just wander between the Reach and the Clear without hindrance..." The other man murmured out of near nowhere, his yellow gaze narrowed to slits as Rified glanced his way, blinking. "... you said you liked to speak in riddles, Death... much like the Riddle I gave the Seleyn... And much like the one you gave me."

"... Riddle...?" Jynx murmured breathlessly,

"Four Pillars meant to hold the base, a Fifth that threatens to break the Form. Balance of Four, the Creation of One. Force of Destruction, the Product of Four." The man replied evenly, earning blinks from Jynx and Rified alike. "... of which, you have yet to find the answer. But I think I might understand the one I was given by Death now," Naraka blinked, looking slightly amused and intrigued all at once.

"Hehe... That would be the; 'Force any fraction of myself, and you will receive something whole, but broken. Ask any fraction, and you will receive something broken and less than a whole- but better than what you had before.' Yes?" Naraka chuckled, the man nodded.

"... and I see why Soul could hate both of you." Rified grumbled under his breath, "What the hell is Riddles gonna help right now?"

"Patience Kala," Naraka laughed lightly, "And perhaps listen to the Fealorr, you may find those Riddles are not the nonsense you wish to write them off as." He smirked, before he waved his tail and faded from view entirely, leaving the small group alone in the dim all around.

".. hurry now though, lest you run out of time." Naraka's voice echoed around the dim, followed by rumbling, low laughter that echoed around the space and shook the water before fading to silence.

"... Alright, I'll bite." Rified grumbled, sweatdropping as he glanced sideways. "... what do Riddles help right now?"

"Meddle too much, and the souls of the living may just wander between the Reach and the Clear without hindrance... and then where would we be? Meddling could land you with consequences severe, or less so... depending on what you chance." The man repeated the words again, as Rified had heard Naraka say them. "... You may be unaware of this, Kala, but I think the Seleyn will understand... When you melded your Magic with that of the Malurey." Those emotionless yellow eyes trailed to Jynx who blinked, looking a bit confused for a moment.

"... understand what?" Jynx murmured,

"What it felt like, to have your Magic and her's to work in tandem with one another, willingly." The man elaborated, only slightly though. "I do not doubt she felt it at the time, but you must have also. Did her Magic mixed with your own not feel wrong? And yet right all at once?" Jynx stiffened slightly, her eyes widening a little at the question.

"... Well... yes, I suppose... I simply thought it was because our Magic's were so different, but even then we managed to work together..." Jynx mumbled, quite unsure where he was going with it, as Rified was.

"... It is the blend of all the Forces of Creation that allow the world, life, soul, everything to even simply exist." He murmured, "There is a fraction of all our Magic in every section and little corner of everything tangible and intangible... without the Forces of Creation, nothing would exist. With all four working together, so much was created, so much is able to happen. It is because the Magics are able to come together that everything exists... So what if only two of the Forces were to blend?" He mused, Jynx and Rified watched him carefully. "... Naturally, they would work together, but they are incomplete without the other two. That is why using your Magic with the Malurey could feel both right and wrong all at once. Both your Magic's together could still accomplish many things, both small and complex, because Soul and Energy naturally mix as they do in everything... the potential is limited, but it is impressive what can be done, as long as both Magics are used together willingly... As long as those who wield the Magic are not forced to mix them, as long as they are 'asked'."

"... 'Ask any fraction, and you will receive something broken and less than a whole- but better than what you had before.'" Rified mumbled lowly, his eyes narrowed. "... So ask Two Forces of Creation to work together, they won't be whole because the other Two are missing, and broken because of that... but if it's willing, it's better than forcing it?" He hummed slightly, "... so I guess I get that part... but... I guess, are you saying that if Soul and Energy could be used together to accomplish 'impressive' things... that...?" Rified's eyes widened, his thoughts clicking together.

"Woah, wait... are you saying that if we, all Three of us, were to combine our Magic, we might-?" He stammered slightly, pulse picking up as the other nodded, just slightly. "B-but... we can't break any rules, so even if we did- what would we do? None of us have any Chance to give, and we can't ask anyone else to give up theirs... that'll just kill them!"

"... Meddle too much, and the souls of the living may just wander between the Reach and the Clear without hindrance..." Jynx mumbled under her breath, her heart picking up it's pace as her thoughts started to whirl. "... if I combined my Magic... With yours... I might.. I could..." Rified looked her way, eyebrow quirked and sweatdropping. Her red eyes moved up to him, glinting in the dim. "... If I were to combine my Magic with yours, I might be able to carry a Soul over to the Reach, from the Cle- from the waking world, the human world." She said, almost breathlessly, Rified blinked. "I can come here only because I collect souls, Human souls do not cross into the Reach unless they are here to die. But you are the Kala... you have domain and power over the Reach, if I were to work together with you... you could allow me the right to carry a Human soul into the Reach, without sending them to drown."

"... and why would I want to let a Human Soul wander around in the Reach..?" Rified mumbled, "That is breaking the rules, wouldn't that mess with the Balance?"

"Our Magics are what define the rules." The man beside him murmured, "Working together the Forces of Creation keep the Balance... I suppose the Seleyn is right to ask; what is the point of Ancient Magic that make up all existence if we are unable to bend the rules we embody and create? It is the willing blend of the Forces that keep the world in flow... if our Magic melds willingly, we would mirror what Balance the world needs... and manage impossible things. If the Balance is mirrored... would the consequences be truly severe? Would bending the laws and not breaking them be worse than doing nothing at all?" Rified stared, sweatdropping slightly as he swallowed.

"... I suppose... she does have a right to move Souls where she wants, if I give permission to... and as long as it's just one Soul..." Rified mumbled, his eyes narrowing in thought. "... But why is that going to help...?" He stiffened though, Naraka's words bouncing in his head now as he felt his heart skip a beat.

The people who came here to die, they were nothing but Souls... Souls of the living until they were gone, and then they were the Souls of the dead and carried away. Souls here were tangible, full images of themselves, ghosts most commonly called, but souls none the less.

"... If... If you brought someone's Soul here, and they were willing to give up their Chance... Being here would let them have the chance to... Pull her up..." Rified mumbled breathlessly, his eyes glinting as it all came together and he felt his blood running hotter. "... They could pull her to the top of the water themselves. And there's no rule that she can't be helped, just that she has to make it. The only reason everyone else has had to do it alone was because there hasn't been an instance of that person's Soul being carried into the Reach, where they could help save the person they are giving their Chance up for." Both Jynx and the other man nodded, a flash of resolution passing across their faces as their hearts sped up, and even the stoic expression of the other man altered, just slightly.

"The willingness of Soul and Death to work together is rare enough, that doing so once... would likely not disturb the Balance anymore than if she were to make it to the surface on her own." The other man affirmed quietly,

"... that... Could this really work?" Jynx was almost afraid to ask the question,

"... It'd be dangerous, to let another Soul dive in after her." Rified murmured quietly, "The water isn't kind, it'd be a hard battle to reach her, and even more so to bring both of them back to the top... But maybe-"

"No." The other man broke in, earning small jumps of surprise from Jynx and Rified alike- shattering what sudden rush had erupted and bringing it crashing to a halt. Those yellow eyes fell closed as he let out a sigh, looking exasperated a moment. "... it won't work, not now that she's hit the bottom. She's out of time."

Rified and Jynx both went utterly still, their hearts falling to their stomach's at the confirmation as what little rush of energy and small tid-bits of hope were suddenly shattered- because they both felt it. Jynx's eyes went wide, her face falling in sheer horror and pain as she felt the water shift, her eyes snapping down to see that small, faint flicker of light appear from the depths of the water- Rified's eyes shut tight, he'd felt the water move in that instant, felt it as her body hit the bottom, the darkness and the black engulfing what little was left and wrenching it apart.

Too late... They were too late...

"n-no.." Jynx whispered, her hands clutched to her chest.

"... hmmm... I feel I should be scolding myself." Jynx and Rified looked up toward the man, their eyes wide and brimmed in tears, riveted as they watched him take a few steps to the side, his arms lifting as pale gold and white illuminated the dim, bouncing off the water around them softly. "... I am not meant to meddle, it is my Magic that has the highest chance of tipping the scale... but I think I can convince myself to do this, at least." His eyes softened a little, watching not the Seleyn, not the Kala, and not even the still ever so silent figure of the Energy God- who had stood and listened in riveted fascination the entire time.

That stranger was seeing what they couldn't, the air of the Reach bouncing and flowing with all colors and yet no color all at once- grey hues painting everything around him like water moving by in a river, his hand dipping into the current and slowly, easily guiding it to a slow halt, before the tendrils began to alter- and move backward.

Jynx and Rified watched in awe, the gold and white moving to wrap around their person's as the other man worked away. They felt something stir in their core's, some feeling both off and familiar all at once- they felt like they were being swept off their feet, weightless and pushed backward, though they didn't move.

"... do not resist it, our Magic's must work together willingly." He murmured softly, Rified and Jynx nodded stiffly, "... the current flows differently between the Reach and the Clear, so I will have my hands full altering both... But I will give you as much Time as I dare. Reverse things, and send us back with enough time to perhaps... Save the Malurey." Those yellow eyes moved between the both of Rified and Jynx, who's expressions had suddenly fallen serious and firm. "... work together, do what you can. Carry a human soul into the Reach and carry it back out again, and act as the bridge and the gate that will let the Seleyn enter here without hindrance. Hold the water's back as much as you can to allow the Chance to transfer." His eyes flicked between both Jynx and Rified respectfully, before ending on Rified. "... in this place, and with what she's been subjected to being in the Reach, even the Malurey may not be able to discern vision from reality. She may resist any attempt to save her." Rified swallowed slightly, the idea had crossed his mind. "... She may not be willing to come to the surface... it certainly will take no small amount of convincing on her, and no small amount of convincing to persuade the one who would be willing to follow her into the water."

"It will take something extraordinary to even convince either party to go through with this plan, Kala." The man's voice lowered slightly, his yellow eyes flashing as Rified nodded stiffly, "... Is there even a Soul you think willing enough to risk death to bring her back? Or could manage to convince her should she resist?" Rified swallowed, his eyes falling as he watched that faint glow fade away below their feet.

He knew what he was getting at... He had seen what pain she'd been subjected to, what memories and visions (though he wasn't privy to seeing them for himself, he knew she was being forced to see them) had been forced over her head and how much they seemed to tear her up, weaken her, drain her... He'd seen how broken she was when she was talking with what little was left of Mordren. He'd seen the defeat in her eyes, heard it when she was talking... Like she may not want to go back, like she was afraid to. Terrified even, and if she was suddenly faced with the chance- she could, and very well might refuse... she might choose to just fall.

His heart ached slightly at the thought, but he knew it- he'd seen it, and it was painful.

"... Just one, the only one I think... the only one she might listen to."

It had gone completely silent... for the first time in two weeks, it was utter, dead silence. The silence he had been dreading, and now it fell on his ears so heavily it was almost deafening.

What painful, shaking breaths were gone, the sound of lungs fighting to take in air, the shallow, fretful beat of a heart that had been struggling the entire time...all of it gone, fading to nothing as he sat there, unable to stop it, unable to move. His shoulders hunched, his head in his hands and elbows on his knees as he hissed.

... what the hell... What was he supposed to do...? How was he supposed to... Tell the Guild...? Tell Gramps...?

"S-shit..." He hissed, hating it that his voice broke and wavered where it never had before.

... For the second time in two weeks... Gone... just... gone

And he was helpless, so utterly, infuriatingly helpless... like he had been, trapped in that dome, watching Mordren-

Laxus bit the inside of his cheek, hard enough he felt blood hit his tongue- but he hardly felt what flash of pain came with it. He felt numb, so utterly, utterly numb... but it hurt, everything, all of it- how can you feel so cold and hurt so much all at once?

... d...damn it... This... this ...

His eyes shut tight, though he felt the splash of the moisture hit his lap regardless, the drops forcing their way forward despite any effort to keep them at bay.

... why... why did it... Take this...? To realize...?

I... I didn't fucking know... that this... Having this... s-shit...

That large, hunched form of a man was shaking, his shoulders and hands trembling as he remained rigid in his chair, the tears glinting as they fell, illuminated by what wash of thunder and lightning began arcing over all of Magnolia, without pause, in seconds and all in rapidity. It was like the sky tore open, the air shaking as thunder rolled incessantly, shaking the town and anyone awake at this hour to their cores.

He hissed, his breath shaky as he shook his head, cursing himself over in his head- too many times, all for the same reason... But it hurt too much to be angry, hurt too much to even think of getting up though he felt like he wanted to punch something. It took everything he had to stop the tears, to bring himself up, straighten up, though all he wanted to do was fade away into nothing.

His fingers gripped the edge of the chair's armrests, nails digging into the underside as he growled, his body rigid, muscles tight.

I didn't fucking know... That losing her... I didn't fucking... Realize... Damn me...!

He honestly hated himself in that instant, more than he had ever hated what horrible, stupid decisions he had made in the past. He hated what he'd done... How he had treated her, how much they had fought, how many times he had so carelessly thrown that awful name her way, berated her, fought with her. He had been nothing less than an ass... And honestly she never deserved any of it, ever.

And more so... he hated that he'd never realized, never admitted... Until...

He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a huff of irritation that was a desperate ploy at calming himself down. He didn't dare turn his head to the left, he couldn't... Because seeing her, so still, so pale, so thin... Unmoving... He just...

His eyes snapped open, his skin crawling and heart speeding up, he felt like the room, the floor shifted under his feet- and immediately the smell of something old and musty hit his nose, something unfamiliar, someone- some stranger.

He stiffened, ready to jump to his feet as his eyes landed on that new form that seemed to materialize out of nowhere, yellow eyes flashing in the darkness as lightning arced across the sky and illuminated the entire room in it's yellow-white glow. That light illuminated the sudden figure, the yellow eyes, the impassive expression, the pale, dark violet-grey hair, standing near the foot of the bed as those yellow eyes cast a small, careless glance his way.

Laxus never made it to his feet, he stopped, eyes wide and sweatdropping as his attention found those small, faint streams of gold filtering through the air around the room, dancing like sand tumbling down hills, swirling, spinning- and the glow of the lightning outside did not flicker away as it should have, it... It stopped.

Laxus cast a quick glance out the window, his heart jumping slightly to see that the arc of a jagged line stretching across the clouds had halted entirely, fixed in the sky, unmoving... and the rain stopped too. Every drop, every bit of moisture suspended in air, in a world that suddenly seemed to stop moving altogether around him.

"What... the hell...?" He breathed, his mind grinding to a halt as he failed to come up with a rational explanation for what... insanity suddenly started.

He thought maybe for a minute he was dreaming, maybe this wasn't real, maybe it was a nightmare... it certainly seemed something insane and out of a dream as he watched, transfixed, as the line of gold electricity slowly crept back across the sky, retreating backward on itself and the rain... the rain started falling upward, reversing, moving back to the sky in which it had fallen. There was a nauseating feeling in his core, like he was suddenly in freefall, the world moving past him at all to fast a pace as he remained bolted to one spot.

His heart plunged into his feet, his eyes wide and sweatdropping as his ears rung suddenly, hearing... hearing a small, shaky, shallow breath. A small, flicker... A heartbeat.

But... But it sounded... off...but how...?

His eyes snapped back toward that same figure, though the yellow eyes had fallen closed and there was no indication the other man even noticed Laxus was there. He was shaking, his mind, his heart racing, whirling thoughts, questions, disbelief, he couldn't make sense of any of it.

... it sounded crazy... but it was almost like... everything was... going backwards.

Laxus felt his skin crawl again, his eyes snapping ahead of him when a flash of sickly dark purple and black illuminated the space in front of him, his aqua blue gaze matching with the narrowed red gaze of that same mysterious little ghost that he had never bothered to talk to- and that same ghost that seemed to send the Old Man's teeth chattering whenever she was around.

The same ghost that had not been seen, not once, since it all happened.

He stiffened, his eyes narrowed as she raised a hand toward him, her arm swirling with a mix of sickly black and purple as the sudden sharp tang of... something like rot hit his nose. She reached forward without pausing an instant, her eyes locked not to his, but to his core as her hand pushed inside his chest, weightless, formless- but he shivered as she did so, feeling ice run through his veins and a flash of pain that ignited through every fiber of his being.

"Forgive me Lightning Dragon, this will be unpleasant... but only for a few moments." Jynx's voice was low, serious. But his ears were ringing, her voice echoing off the walls strangely as he suddenly found it hard to focus and keep his eyes open. He felt... Like he was sinking.

The world crashed black over his vision, the Guild, the building... all of it was enclosed in dark emptiness for a few minutes, his body cold, and yet he felt strangely... Weightless for a few, brief moments.

"... we do not have much time."

Laxus stumbled, his breath billowing out in front of him as a cloud on the suddenly chilly, crisp air. The scent of water hit his nose, overwhelming, but he smelled that sickly-sweet scent of decay, under even the scent of the lingering moisture.

He stepped sideways, eyes flashing in the deep dim all around, hearing the sound of water splashing and rippling under him as he moved- he blinked, eyes narrowed to see what solid grounding underfoot wasn't ground at all, it was water- and he stood atop it as if it were as solid as glass.

His heart leapt to his throat, eyes wide and a frown pulling at his lips as he spotted something among the waves of deep, crushing black underneath him. So far down he hardly could see, but he knew it was her instantly.

"... Frea..." He breathed lowly, his eyes flashing.

"... Oi!"

Laxus eyes dared to leave her distant figure under the water, his body growing rigid at the sudden voice- a voice he recognized, and one he did not have any fond memories over.

Laxus's fists clenched at his sides, eyes narrowed to slits and fangs baring slightly as his attention landed on Rified, who had taken a few hurried, straining steps in his direction. Rified huffed slightly, looking out of breath as the water trembled and shook underneath him, not far off Jynx had managed it back into the Reach- though her focus was riveted to keeping her hold on Laxus' soul steady, so he would not slip back into the Clear. Though Laxus didn't seem to notice, there had appeared a black crescent moon symbol on his lower arm courtesy of Jynx- a link between herself and him in order to keep him steady in the Reach, after having snatched him away from the waking world he was meant to be in.

"What the hell is this?" Laxus hissed lowly, his tone dangerous. Rified's eyes flashed, a wary frown pulling at his features as he paused.

"I don't have time to explain it all to you, so listen up." Rified huffed, Laxus's eyes darkened slightly at the sudden order. "... I get you don't like me, but that doesn't matter right now. She's dying, right now, with every second." Laxus stiffened slightly, his eyes flashing downward for a brief instant. "... that's what this place is, people's souls end up here, they fall under the water, hit the bottom, they drown and they end up dead. And she's very close to hitting it- again." Laxus looked up toward Rified again, "Yes, again- for a bit we've got Time to rewind, just enough to bring you here. Crazy as it is, we are trying to save her... But we can't do it ourselves. She's been drowning for weeks and we haven't been able to do anything. We can't get to her, but you can. Every living thing has one Chance to save themselves from dying, they can choose to fight, to have the water hold off from drowning them, so they can have a chance to swim to the top and avoid dying- just once. Frea had a chance but she used it when she was fighting Mordren, she's going to die- but you can save her. You have a Chance, and you can choose to give it to her instead. You're going to have to swim to her, help her to the surface, convince her if you have to... if she makes it to the top, she won't end up dead. You give up your Chance for her, and help her, she doesn't have to die."

Laxus stiffened, his eyes widening for a small, split second as he seemed stunned- and why not? That was a slew of insanity, on nonsensical information that all seemed too crazy to be reality, and sure as hell didn't get any of what was going on. He seemed taken aback and incredibly unsure for a few seconds, before his face fell neutral, his eyes flashing in the dim as he faced Rified.

"Fine." Laxus grumbled lowly, Rified blinked at the stiff, immediate answer.

"... I didn't finish." He mumbled, "... The minute you agree to give up your Chance for her, your life is locked in with hers. If she doesn't make it to the surface, she's dead, and so are you. Same thing if you dive in and can't manage to swim back up, the water will try to drag you down relentlessly. You both have to make it back up, or you both end up dead. There's no backing out once you commit to it."

"Fine." Laxus growled this time, his eyes flashing as Rified flinched slightly- there was absolutely no hesitation, and for a minute he wondered if Laxus even realized the severity of those words... Or even heard him say any of it. "Give her my damn 'Chance', I'll drag her ass back up, I'm not about to lose to some fucking water. I'm not dyin', and neither is she."

Rified found himself staring for a few moments, his mind grinding to a halt at just how little it had taken to convince the blonde man of any of it... or even to convince him to take the chance. He had told the Seleyn to grab this one, simply because of how fiercely protective he had seen him be that day they had all first met- he had seen the rage in that man's eyes when he had gone after the Energy Dragon Slayer, he had seen how much confidence she had had in the Lightning Dragon Slayer in the GMG. He wasn't sure exactly why this was the first person to pop into his head when the question arose- who could manage to bring her back up? Even with the confidence and how angry her being attacked had made him, there was something else. Maybe something he'd noticed but didn't know what it was... and because of it, it was Laxus that first came to mind, and now... well he hadn't expected it to be so easy to convince him.

And he certainly hadn't expected to see such sheer, absolute conviction in those eyes, to hear the resolution in his voice- the unwavering, no hesitation at all even in the prospect of possibly losing his own life.

He was simply focused on her, just her. Nothing else seemed to matter to him, at all. He didn't even pause to question what ridiculous a story and notion all of this was-

"Quit wastin' my time." Laxus snapped lowly, Rified blinked, his thoughts snapping back to the present. "I'm giving her my 'Chance', I don't care about the details, or anything else. Now hurry the hell up!"

Rified let out a low breath, sweatdropping slightly as he waved his hand forward in Laxus' direction.

"... She'll fight you." Rified murmured softly, Laxus blinked at the words, eyes narrowed when he saw the pain flash across Rified's face for a minute- and quite unsure as to why. "... Get her to the surface, you'll save her- for now. After that... You're going to have to convince her, or she'll just end up back here again."

He didn't have any chance to question it, not that he really cared to- before the water under his feet became as fluid as it should have been from the start. Laxus took in a sharp breath of air, the waves crashing over his head as he was forced into the chill, battering, pushing current on all sides, everything dim and murky around him as he felt the water threaten to drag him under with a ferocity- like it was alive and wanted to eat him.

He moved downward, his eyes locked ahead to her still form, floating, sinking slowly under the water that battered him relentlessly, enough to start bruising him. His body felt cold, and was growing steadily numb under the icy temperature of the water- but even despite it battering him on all sides, pushing at him, pulling, even feeling like a ton of weights over his head- he could breathe, almost as if the water wasn't there, though it certainly was.

"Frea!" He snapped, his voice bouncing and nearly muted among the waves, fighting now to move her way as the water tried to drag him away from her. She didn't move, not the slightest hint of having heard him, she remained suspended, unaware.

Laxus' head snapped sideways, eyes narrowed as the water shifted around him, pitch black as sections of it moved, forming into some long, snake-like tendril that suddenly struck out at him, a maw of wicked black teeth and sickly glowing eyes as it rammed into him, sinking it's fangs into his arm as he growled.

The deep pitch black of the water illuminated in bright gold, his Magic flaring as what strange shadowy creature was wrenched apart in a swing of his lightning-encased fist. He growled under his breath, his blood staining the dark water a dirty crimson color from the wound- he didn't feel the pain though, he wouldn't have cared even if he had.

The black of Jynx's crescent moon symbol plastered to his lower arm cracked, small pieces of it chipping away and falling into the water like fragments of glass.

"Frea!" He snapped again, his eyes flicking back toward her as he tried to move closer, only to stop when another shadow creature formed itself among the water and struck out toward him- gold flashed again as he destroyed it, only to have it replaced by another, now fighting both the pitch creatures and the current of the water trying to drag him further from her.

"Damn it, Frea! Listen to me, woman! Wake up!"

There was something... something light, in all the dark... Something that broke through what shadow had taken hold of her mind and kept her under it's crushing weight.

Something... Gold

Reyan... Maybe...? Another vision forced on her aching, ripped apart mind...?

She couldn't take another one... She couldn't...

She stopped though, the silence broken by something... Something muffled, faroff, so faint she could barely hear it... Voices long since lost running through her head, she didn't care to listen... She just wanted it over.

N-no... No... More...

"...wake up!"

It was a struggle to open her eyes, her mind sluggish as she tried to piece together what the words were and what they meant... She could hardly think, she felt so weak, so faint... Heavy...

But she could breathe again, after so long... She wasn't suffocating. For some reason the water wasn't crushing her lungs like it had been for so very long... But... Why...?

Her nose twitched, achingly bright bits of gold making its way to her though the daze and the dark, she could smell... Blood... Blood and...

... Gold again, but not Reyan's Magic.

Her eyes didn't want to open, not all the way, nor did her vision wish to focus- everything was a wash of blurred black and yellow, her body was heavy, unresponsive, cold. She couldn't think straight, she hadn't a clue where she was or... Wait.

I k-know... That scent...

Am I... Am I imagining it...?

"Frea!"

She felt her her jump, the numbness fading a little, the pain following closely with it.

...no... He can't be...

She could hardly see him, the water was so dark only the light of the electricity broke through... He was there, or at least he looked like he was... He looked... Real

"Listen to me!"

He c-can't be real... Not... Not here...

The blurriness faded, just enough to see him spinning in the water, turning and striking out at what wicked pitch creatures were lunging up from below them, his Magic flaring as he tore them apart, struggling against them and the water as he fought to stay where he was- and not get whisked away by the current.

"... wh... What the... Hell...?" She breathed, eyes glinting. She felt her heart-rate pick up, what numbness she had given into suddenly being torn apart- in terror, anger, confusion.

"What the hell are you doing...?!" She snapped, her voice cracking slightly as she hissed, a flash of pain ran through her core in that next instant. She cringed, her eyes breaking away from him as she winced, her body that had remained so motionless the entire time suddenly started shaking- and moving hurt, a lot.

"Savin' your dumb ass!" He snapped back hotly, his fist slamming into another creature as he lunged forward- making it a few feet her way before being pushed back again, halted.

"You can't be here!" She snapped again, he couldn't! If he was... Damn it, no!

"... You can't, you can't just... No!" She hissed, "Why would you even?! You could die!"

"And you will die!" His voice was stony and cold, so much so she flinched backward at it- maybe a little too harsh of words but her yelling at him was pissing him off. "And hell if I'm lettin' you!"

Not again!

"Y-you..." Frea stammered, her mind was a mess already, and him being here? In that damn water?!

She knew what he was doing.. She knew what would happen if... that... That bastard... How could... Fucking... Damn it...!

Her mouth fell open, ready to snap at him, only when she sucked in the air to do it- her mouth filled with water and she coughed, her body spasming as she hunched, the water was acting like water now, again- and she couldn't breathe. Her hands moved forward to clap over her mouth, but she couldn't move them- pitch creatures had jumped up from the depth below her, lunging forward and sinking their teeth into her arms, pulling back as she did her best not to yell at what pain followed.

The Reach didn't want to let her go so easily, and from the minute her arms were bound... She couldn't break free, her head was spinning, she felt dizzy, faint... And what little strength came back was draining away, threatening to send her mind into a chasm she wouldn't pull herself out of.

Her lungs were begging for air again, panic and terror racing through every inch of her being as she started to suffocate once more. But the water was crushing, the creatures pulling her back, everything getting darker and colder, the numbness was coming back with a vengeance. She was losing sight of him and sense of everything else, losing the will to even fight it.

S...shit... I don't have... The energy... but if... I...I... H-he...

Laxus stiffened, his attention snapping down toward her and away from fending off the creatures when he saw her anger dissipate in an instant- seeing the same creatures lashing out at him suddenly snap down on to her, pulling her further away. He saw her eyes growing dull and unaware by the second, he could see the exhaustion on her face, see her fading away by the second.

He could see the pain too. What little fight she had left was agonizing... And she was losing.

He was losing her.

He growled, electricity sparking around him in a golden wave, tearing apart the new round of creatures as he pushed forward, fighting harder, his heart was pounding in his ears- small inklings of panic working its way into his core.

Fear... And not because of what might happen to him if she hit the bottom. He could care less about himself in that instant, he was afraid of that pain, that sheer, unending ache- the pain he felt when Mordren gunned her down, the pain he felt the last two weeks without end, the agony when he waited those hours this night until she... And it was about to happen all again.

"Frea!" He snapped again, only to end up coughing- the water was suddenly tangible to him, suffocating, crushing, filling his lungs and cutting off all air- and he was still so far away, too far.

She was sinking, faster than he could reach her, too far to grab even though he tried. The creatures were wrapping around him, binding him and forcing him in a direction he didn't want to go. His eyes flashed in the dark, for a split second- his eyes locked with hers, what little sliver of silver he could see as she fought to even keep them open.

Her face twisted, pain flashing across her expression as her eyes snapped shut- trembling as she pulled, struggled to break free from the creatures- managing, just barely- to rip her arm free, blood staining the water as her skin ripped- her hand straining up toward him, her body shaking in protest as all other fight to break free failed entirely.

I... I have...to... it...w...we'll... B..both...

She was trying, as hard as she could- and he could see how much pain it put her in to just try.

He couldn't breathe, his lungs begged for air so much he couldn't stop himself from coughing again, sputtering as more water flooded his lungs, winding him.

Her mind was falling into nothing, she was falling into nothing- feet that stretched to miles between them as Laxus fought, harder, his body on fire and muscles straining. So close and yet too far to make any difference, both of them being pulled relentlessly, their blood welling under bitemarks too many to count, lightning dancing around him as he was surrounded- but his Magic wasn't making a dent anymore.

The Reach was hungry, hungrier than it had ever been- even the water seemed to relish in the struggle, enjoy how hard they were trying.

The symbol placed upon his arm by Jynx was nearly gone, the pieces falling away and swallowed up by the water more quickly by the second.

Light dazzled those dark, deep waters- arcing fragments of gold tearing through the black forms that worked to swallow him whole, a sudden burst of energy driven by panic and anger, the water spinning as a current of it moved, flowing like a dark torrent toward him, threatening to send him spinning away into that dark he could barely see Frea through any longer. She was sinking from view, being consumed in a wash of black that had no end.

...s...shit...

He could see her slipping through his fingers, feel her dead weight as he held her in the rain, smell her blood and feel the sticky warmth against his hands. He saw those silver eyes grow dull and gray, all life and light in her vanishing- unable to do a damn thing about it...

...no... Not another damn time!

The dark shimmered, fractured and broken as lightning danced through the water, the dark lit up from it's shadow.

I am not lettin' you die on me again!

Never Again

His hand struck forward through the water, his fingers reaching toward her and that hand and arm she had ripped apart to try and reach out toward him.

Happy New Year! And Enjoy~! I hope you liked the Chapter guys~! This time It really will be Slain Among Ice and Fire for the next update~! Promise! (I have just yet to finish the Chapter for that one and this one was already done, so...)

Thanks for Reading~!

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