Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Fairy Tail and Final Fantasy XVI.

Chapter 5 - Threads of the Unknown

She was so tired.

Why?

Her mom was right. She was just a kid. She never asked for this.

"You said it would only take a couple of days," her mother seethed beside her. The words cut through the haze that she was in, but her vision remained blurry and her body was heavy with exhaustion.

She was so tired.

"Madame, you do not understand," a familiar voice replied. It was the same voice she had heard again and again ever since she'd arrived at this place. "We are dealing with an Eikon - a god-like being that holds immense power. You think we can just seal off the power of an Eikon in mere days?"

"And in the meantime, you keep her in this drug-induced state?" her mother's voice rose with fury. "You're hurting her!"

The stranger sighed. "She has to be, lest we accidentally tap into her mind, and God-forbid, seal her own consciousness as well. Do you understand what that would mean? She'd be as good as dead."

The argument continued to swirl around her, their voices becoming distant and distorted. She wanted to reach out, to say something, but the weight of her body and the fog clouding her mind made it impossible.

She just wanted to go home.

She was so tired.

She doesn't even remember a thing.

Why was she here in the first place?

Why would her parents put her here?

"I…I'm…" she croaked, her voice hoarse and broken, barely above a whisper.

Through her blurred vision, she saw the hazy outline of her mother rushing towards her. Gentle fingers brushed through her damp, sweat-matted hair, a touch so familiar that it brought a lump to her throat.

"Hey, Lucy…" her mother's voice was soft, but it carried a tremor of worry in it.

She can feel herself falling into the darkness again.

No.

She wanted to go home. Tears started welling up in her eyes, stinging as they spilled down her cheeks.

"Lucy, honey…" her mother's voice was laced with panic. "What's happening to her? What's wrong?"

"She's probably just falling asleep," the stranger replied, his tone sounding detached. "Her body is exhausted. She needs rest."

Her mother's hand cupped her cheek, warm and reassuring. "Lucy, just a little more, okay?" she pleaded, her words gentle but strained.

Was she leaving again?

Lucy's chest tightened. She didn't want to stay here.

"You've been doing so well, honey," her mother murmured, her voice cracking under the weight of emotion. "After all this, you'll be safe."

Safe?

Why?

What was going on with her?

The warmth of her mother's touch began to fade, and with it, her sense of calm. Panic surged within her. She didn't want to be left alone again.

She wanted to go home.

"..-cy?"

Lucy woke up to the sensation of someone gently shaking her. Groaning softly, she blinked her bleary eyes open to find a fuzzy, indistinct figure hovering over her. As her vision cleared, she recognized Erza's distinctive red hair.

"Lucy," Erza whispered, her voice gentle.

Propping herself up on one shaky elbow, Lucy glanced at the redhead beside her. "Wha-what's wrong, Erza?" she murmured, her words slurred with exhaustion.

"You were sleep-talking," Erza said quietly, her tone laced with concern.

It took Lucy a few moments to process the words. "I-I was what..?" she stammered, her mind still groggy.

"You were talking," Erza repeated, leaning closer and enunciating each word. "In your sleep."

Lucy rubbed her eyes and finally focused on Erza's face, noticing the worry etched into her expression. "Was I talking too loud?" she asked softly, guilt flickering through her features. It wasn't like she could control what she said in her sleep, but still, the thought of disturbing anyone made her feel bad.

Erza hesitated, her voice carrying a tone of uncertainty. "No… it wasn't loud. But… it sounded like you were dreaming about your mom."

Lucy's breath hitched, her eyes widening in realization. Her heart raced as fragments of the dream came flooding back - broken images that felt, again, all too real. She couldn't shake the eerie sensation that it wasn't just a dream. Yet, try as she might, she couldn't tell if it truly happened or if her mind was playing tricks on her again.

"I… I think I was," Lucy admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sensing Lucy's hesitation, Erza gently placed a hand over hers. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly, her tone tender.

Lucy shook her head, her lips curving into a faint smile. She didn't want to burden Erza any further. "I'm okay," she said quietly. "I think I'm just missing her a little more than usual today."

Erza studied her for a moment, her gaze warm with understanding. Then, with a small nod, she withdrew her hand. "You know we're here for you, Lucy," she said, her smile reassuring.

Lucy returned the smile, a soft warmth spreading through her chest. "I know, Erza. Thank you."

With that, both women settled back into their spots, the room falling silent once more. Lucy closed her eyes, silently praying for a peaceful, dreamless sleep this time. Erza remained awake for a few moments longer, glancing at Lucy to make sure she was comfortable, before finally letting herself drift off as well.

Erza's scowl was very clear, her presence alone making everyone in the room shrink back in fear. The last thing anyone wanted was to provoke the wrath of Titania.

"This mission doesn't sound like it warrants the involvement of S-class mages," Erza said, her voice cutting through the tense air.

"P-please, hear me out!" the client, Eric - a balding, stout man - visibly sweating under Erza's intense gaze. "I know it sounds like it's just a matter of dealing with bandits, but there's more to it. We specifically requested S-class mages for a reason."

Eric took a deep breath, wiping his forehead nervously. "There are rumors… that this group is in talks with mage assassins." His voice trembled in fear, but continued on. "We only have one piece of evidence, and while it doesn't prove anything, we believe it's enough to warrant an investigation."

The rest of the team - Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and Gray - exchanged uneasy glances. Meanwhile, Erza's unwavering gaze remained fixed on the man. "And when did these rumors begin?" Erza asked.

Eric hesitated, his expression darkening. "About a month ago, a family of five in our village disappeared. They were found later… in a cave, just a few miles away from the village. They were…" he swallowed hard, his voice faltering. "Their bodies were wrapped in black plastic bags."

Lucy and Wendy instinctively covered their mouths, stifling horrified gasps. Natsu clenched his fists, his jaw tightening, while Gray's icy glare grew colder.

"You have to understand, Miss Erza," Eric pleaded, desperation clear in his voice at this point. "Our village is small. We all know each other here. None of us are capable of such crimes. Have you seen the majority of our population? Elders and young children - of which none are even capable of magic."

He reached into a drawer and retrieved a small plastic bag containing a crumpled piece of paper, holding it out with shaking hands. "When we recovered their bodies, we found this lodged in one of their mouths."

Erza took the bag with a steady hand, but the moment her eyes landed on the paper inside, her expression shifted. Her eyes widened ever so slightly - a sign of an unsettling reaction to anyone who knew her.

Lucy, noticing the change in Erza's demeanor, stepped forward. "What's on it?" she asked softly, her curiosity piqued.

Erza didn't answer immediately. Her fingers trembled slightly as she turned the bag, allowing the others to see its contents. Inside was a drawing of two axes, its handles forming an X in the middle and its blades facing away from each other.

Lucy's head throbbed suddenly, a sharp ache blooming behind her temples. She winced and raised a hand to massage her forehead, trying to ward off the discomfort.

"Lucy?" Gray's voice was low and concerned as he placed a hand on her shoulder. He leaned in closer. "Are you okay?"

Lucy forced a smile even though her head felt slightly heavy. "Yeah," she whispered. "Just a kink in my neck, that's all."

Eric, unaware of the group's unease, continued speaking. "Thankfully, there haven't been any more deaths since then, but…" he hesitated a bit, his voice laced with fear and weariness. "We keep finding animal carcasses around the village. Sometimes in the forest, sometimes near our homes. We don't know if it's that group of mages or something else, but it's terrifying the children."

Erza straightened, her expression shifted into one with determination. "We'll get to the bottom of this," she said firmly as she kept the plastic bag.

Eric let out a shaky breath of relief and nodded. "Please let us know if there's anything you need. I've already informed everyone of your arrival today. And… thank you. We hope this nightmare ends soon."

The group exited the hut silently. They made their way to the small inn in the heart of the village where they were staying for the duration of their mission. Once inside their room, they settled into their futons, each lost in thought as they tried to process everything that they had just learned.

Erza let out a long sigh. "We need to inform the guild about our situation," she said firmly, her tone turning serious as she addressed the group. "This job has escalated. We're no longer dealing with just a small group of mages; we're dealing with potential assassins. We can't afford to take this lightly."

Charle nodded in agreement. "The situation has definitely grown more dangerous."

Gray laced his fingers behind his head and stared at the ceiling. "So, what's the plan?"

Natsu, who was sitting cross-legged on his futon with his arms crossed, scoffed. "Why not just find these guys and beat them up? They'll probably tell us a thing or two," he said, grinning.

Lucy couldn't help but groan and bury her face in her hands. "Natsu," she said in exasperation. "It's because we're possibly dealing with assassins. If they catch wind that we're onto them, they'll probably kill everyone who knows anything. It's not that simple."

"Of course you wouldn't get it, Natsu," Gray said with a smirk on his face.

Natsu's sharp ears caught the insult. A tick appeared on his forehead. "Say that again, Ice Dick!"

Lucy quickly placed her hands over Wendy's ears, shielding her from Natsu's colorful vocabulary. "Natsu!" she hissed, glaring at him. "Watch your mouth!"

Gray sat up, his smirk widening as he met Natsu's glare. "Wanna have a go, Fire Breath?"

"Enough." Erza's icy voice cut through the room like a blade. They knew that voice and everyone froze in place, not wanting to anger the redhead any further.

Silence fell over the group for a few moments. Then, Erza turned to the group with a determined glint in her eyes. "Alright," she declared. "Here's the plan…"

Lucy knocked softly on the door, her knuckles tapping lightly against the wood. She glanced sideways at Gray who stood beside her with an expression of pure boredom. A small smile tugged at her lips.

"Not too thrilled about being stuck with info gathering, huh?" she teased in a low voice.

Gray smirked as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'd rather be here with you than deal with that fire-breathing idiot," he responded casually.

If she were any other girl, she would probably be a blubbering mess and would start thinking that he was flirting. Good thing she was Lucy Heartfilia and knew Gray Fullbuster by heart.

She sighed, turning back to the closed door. "Looks like no one's home," she murmured under her breath.

Gray leaned against the doorframe. "What is this, the third house now?"

Lucy nodded as she knocked on the door one last time. "You really think no one's in?" she whispered, leaning closer to Gray.

Before Gray could answer, a small voice piped up behind them.

"Who are you guys?"

Lucy and Gray spun around to find a young girl standing a few feet away, dressed in a simple white dress and carrying a basket full of fruits. Her wide eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oh! Are you the heroes the village leader hired?" the girl asked as her eyes lit up with excitement.

Lucy and Gray exchanged a glance. 'Heroes…?' they thought in unison.

Lucy crouched slightly to meet the girl's eye level, offering a gentle smile. "I'm not sure about heroes," she said softly, her voice warm and reassuring. "But we're here to help."

She glanced around the almost-empty surroundings. "We were hoping to ask some questions about what's been happening here, but it seems pretty quiet today," Lucy continued.

The little girl looked down in apprehension, her fingers fiddling with the rim of her basket. "Most of the elders are out today," she responded quietly. "The men went fishing to prepare for next week's meals, and the women went to the nearby city to buy fruits and vegetables."

Gray's eyebrows furrowed at this information. "You're not alone, right?"

The little girl shook her head, her black fringe swaying with her movements. "My grandma is out, but she should be back by tomorrow."

Lucy and Gray exchanged glances before Lucy offered a warm smile. "Sorry, we've been asking you so many questions and haven't even introduced ourselves. I'm Lucy, and this is Gray," Gray gave a short nod in acknowledgement. "What's your name?" Lucy asked gently.

"Anabella," the little girl said shyly.

Lucy's eyes softened. "That's such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl like you. It's nice to meet you, Anabella," she said sincerely.

Anabella's cheeks flushed pink at the compliment as she looked down bashfully. "Tha-thank you," she stammered.

Lucy tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Would it be okay if we ask you a few questions?"

Anabella nodded. "I don't mind," she said, stepping past them to unlock the front door. "I'll just put this inside first, okay?"

Lucy beamed at her. "We'll wait right here."

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Anabella, Gray exhaled sharply as he ran a hand through his dark hair. "I really hope those assassin rumors aren't true," he muttered, his jaw tightening. A flicker of memory flashed through his mind - Deliora and the destruction that it left - and his hand clenched into a fist in his pocket.

Lucy glanced at him, noticing the tension all over his face. "Gray… you okay?" she asked softly.

He gave a stiff nod, his eyes fixed on the door where they could hear Anabella's muffled footsteps inside. "Yeah… it just doesn't sit right with me that some potential assassins are lurking nearby, and this village has no means of protecting themselves."

Lucy sighed, understanding his concern all too well. The thought didn't sit right with her either. "We'll figure this out," she said reassuringly. "That's why we're here."

The door creaked open and Anabella's small face peeked out. "S-sorry for the wait," she said softly. "You can come in."

Lucy and Gray stepped inside carefully, their footsteps deliberately light against the wooden floor. Anabella pushed the door open wider and gestured towards a modest couch positioned beside a well-worn bookshelf.

"Please, have a seat," she said as she closed the door behind them. "We… we only have water," Anabella added, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Lucy waved the offer off with a reassuring smile. "Oh, that's alright! We won't be here for long."

Anabella sat on the edge of the couch, blinking at them expectantly and her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Lucy returned the little girl's gaze with a warm smile. "We just wanted to ask if you've noticed anything unusual happening in your village lately."

Anabella hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. "W-well… I keep hearing voices… in the middle of the night."

Gray's brows arched, his interest piqued. "Voices?" he asked. "Like… people talking?"

"I-I think so..?" Anabella's voice wavered with uncertainty. "I don't always hear them. But, when I do wake up in the middle of the night, I hear it."

Lucy leaned in slightly. "Do you understand what they're saying?" she prodded, her tone gentle.

Anabella shook her head. "N-no, not really," she said, sounding apologetic. "But… one time, I heard them singing something really creepy."

Gray's jaw tightened as unease settled in his chest. People singing in the dead of night - it sounded suspiciously… cult-like. "Do you recognize the song? Or whatever it is that they're saying when they do that?"

Anabella shook her head again as she looked down. "I… I don't know," she murmured. "I… I get scared, so I just cover my ears when I hear them."

Lucy reached out and gave Anabella's hand a comforting squeeze. "That's okay. You did what was right for you, and that's okay."

"Tha-that's all I have. I-I'm sorry," Anabella looked up to her visitors with hesitation in her eyes. "I-I hope it helps."

Gray rose to his feet and gently ruffled Anabella's hair. "It definitely helps," he said with a small smile. "Don't worry. Like Lucy said, we'll do everything we can to keep your village safe, alright?"

Lucy knelt slightly to meet Anabella's worried gaze. "And in the meantime, try to stay indoors as much as you can, okay?" she said, her voice soft but firm.

Anabella nodded. "That's what Grandma always tells me," she said in a small voice.

Gray crossed his arms and nodded in approval. "She's right. Make sure you keep your doors locked too."

Anabella gave them a tiny, determined nod, and Lucy felt a pang in her chest. No child should have to live in fear like this.

With a final wave, Lucy and Gray turned to leave. They paused at the porch, waiting until they heard the quiet click of the lock before heading down the path.

The pair continued their rounds, visiting several more houses, but just as Anabella had mentioned, many of the villagers were still away. They managed to speak with only three more people before deciding to call it a day and resume their efforts tomorrow. Hopefully, more villagers would have returned by then.

As they walked in silence, Lucy cast a glance at Gray who noticed the pensive expression etched on his face. "You know," she murmured, breaking the silence. "I… have a bad feeling about this."

Gray kept his gaze forward, his thoughts running a mile just from that small conversation. "I'm with you on that," he admitted, his voice low and serious. He had long since learned to trust Lucy's instincts. They were rarely wrong.

Lucy looked down, her heart seeming to pick up its pace all of a sudden. Something about their job felt wrong and the lack of concrete answers only made it worse. A growing unease settled deep in her stomach and she could only hope and pray that nothing bad happens to any of them and they'll come out of this job safe and sound.

Mira pursed her lips as she studied the broken LacriComm in front of her. She was sitting in the little office right beside the kitchen where she and Kinana work when they do their monthly inventories and other paperwork. Both her and Kinana were always so careful of all the things they purchase for the guild. They knew the guild was at a red when it came to finances, so they try their best to help their Master by keeping everything in place and away from little guild fights.

Mavis knows how much the Master already pays for damages made by the guild members from the jobs that they do.

She sat there, trying to replay the events that happened today. She was out in the bar for most of the morning, serving breakfast and brunch meals while Kinana worked at the kitchen. Her and Kinana were close enough that if something broke, she would've heard it. Their temporary helper, Edda, was cleaning and serving the tables upfront.

So, who broke the LacriComm?

"Mira-san?"

Mira looked up and found Edda peeking through the doorway. "Yes, Edda?" she responded with a small smile.

"I'm sorry if I bothered you," the brunette said in a soft voice. "But Laxus-san is outside looking for a specific beer brand. Kinana-san went out to take the trash. I'm not sure where you keep the branded beers."

Had she been out for that long? She glanced at the LacriComm briefly and decided that she'll figure it out later. For now, she has customers and if she needs to buy a new comms device, she'll need to work hard.

She rose from her seat, her smile unwavering. "I'm sorry, Edda," she said with a bashful smile. "I was trying to figure out why our comms device was broken. But I'll figure it out later. Thank you for telling me. I'll head out now."

Edda took a glance at the device before shifting her gaze back to Mira, her green eyes looking a little worried. "Are… you okay?"

Mira nodded and stood up, straightening down her skirt and putting the comm device back in the drawer. "I'm just worried for everyone who's out on a job right now. What if one of them needs to call for back-up?"

Edda looked down in worry, her hand unconsciously holding her belly. "I'm sure they can call the others, right?"

Mira sighed. "I'll need to purchase one real soon," she said as she closed the door behind her and locked it with a key. She glanced back at Edda who still had that worried look on her face. "Is Laxus still at the bar?"

Edda's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh my gosh… I almost forgot!"

Mira giggled. She had heard that pregnancy hormones could mess up a woman's memory. "It's okay!" Mira reassured the pregnant woman with a smile. "And you, just sit back and relax. Let me and Kinana do the hard work."

Edda nodded gratefully as she stepped out of the kitchen to resume her work. Mira, on the other hand, took Laxus' preferred beer from the bottom fridge and stepped out. Scanning the bar, she found Laxus sitting at the very edge with a scowl on his face.

"Laxus," she called out softly.

Laxus' eyes shifted to glance at Mira who had his beer in hand. He took it with a grunt as 'thanks'.

"Not getting a job today?" Mira asked as she wiped the counter, making sure it was sparkling clean. Now that they have two pregnant women in the guild, she had to make sure everything was clean. Who knows what sort of germs they might get.

Laxus chugged the beer can before letting out a satisfied sigh. "No," he responded gruffly. "Ever's out on a job with Elfman and Gramps is at Clover Town."

Ever since that war with Tartaros, whenever their Master was out, Laxus stayed. And while he openly rejected the role to be Fairy Tail's next guild master, he certainly acted like one. She wasn't the only to notice his efforts though, everyone in the guild saw it and never questioned his actions. He may be seen lounging around with that ever-famous scowl of his, but they all knew better.

She might as well tell him about the lacrima comm. "Laxus," she started, letting go of the dry rag and putting it to the side. "The guild's lacrima comm is broken."

Laxus blinked as he stared at Mira for a moment. "How?"

Mira sighed, feeling a little guilty even though she wholeheartedly knew that she didn't break it. "I… don't know, to be honest. I'll ask Kinana when she comes back, but for now, the guild doesn't have one. And I'm concerned that those out on jobs right now might call for back-up."

Without much thought, Laxus fished something in his pocket and pulled out his own lacrima comm, sliding it over to Mira. "Use mine until you get a new one from Gramps."

This time, it was Mira's turn to blink. "But, what about -"

"I'm fine," he interjected right away, knowing the barmaid's concern. "Bickslow and Freed have their own devices. Ever too. I can just borrow from one of them."

Mira took Laxus' comm device. "Thanks, Laxus," she said with a grateful smile.

"Everyone's data should be in there," Laxus added. "If you have the time today, call everyone and let them know to save my data and call my comm for emergencies in the meantime."

Just as Mira was about to respond, Laxus' comm rang. She slid it over to Laxus who caught it with ease and pushed his magic into the device. Erza's thought-projection popped up, her face serious and arms folded.

"Laxus."

"Erza," Laxus responded in acknowledgement, although a bit surprised. Titania has never called him, ever. He didn't even know that she had his data in the first place. "This is surprising."

Erza's lips tugged in a small smile. "I know. I have everyone's data saved just in case. Are you busy right now?"

Laxus blinked. Seems like he wasn't the only one who had the same idea. "No," he replied. "Did you need something?"

Erza's face scrunched up a little and leaned closer to her LacriComm. "Are you at the guild?"

"Yeah," Laxus responded.

Erza nodded. "Good. I don't wanna take too long, but I need someone in the guild to know that our job has escalated after meeting with the client."

Laxus' brows furrowed at that information. "What do you mean 'escalated'?"

"The client is claiming that this small group of mages we're after is possibly associated with mage assassins." Erza said, her tone serious. "I'll try my best to keep the guild updated. And please tell Mira to pick up the LacriComm next time."

Laxus didn't like the sound of that. "Where are you guys?" he asked, his tone steady.

"At Uyn Village. It's the closest settlement near Bosco's land border."

Laxus nodded, recognizing the village. "Keep us updated," he reminded, his tone firm. "And just a head's up Erza, the guild LacriComm is broken. Call my comm if you need anything."

Erza sighed. "No wonder. Okay, let Mira or Master know. Thanks, Laxus."

Laxus nodded in response and dropped the call, letting out a heavy sigh. He felt nervous all of a sudden and he didn't like it. At all.

"It's always with Team Natsu, huh?" Mira said, cutting through his own train of thought.

He slid his comm device back to Mira. "That team just can't seem to shake off their bad luck," he responded with exasperation as he downed the last contents of his beer.

Mira smiled knowingly. "I'm sure they'll pull through as always."

Right at that moment, Edda closed in on the duo carrying a tray of mugs. "Hey," she greeted softly as she placed the tray on the counter and glanced at the two.

"Are you even supposed to be working?" Laxus said, arching a brow at Edda. He had heard from his Gramps about her situation. He admired her determination to earn honest money, but she was in a very delicate situation herself.

Edda let out a light chuckle. "How am I supposed to go home if I don't earn jewels?"

Laxus sighed. She was right though. "Don't overwork yourself," he reminded her, crushing the can with one hand and throwing it to the closest bin.

Edda brightened at Laxus' gentle reminder. "Yes, Sir!" she chirped.

Laxus turned his attention to MIra who had already begun cleaning the mugs that Edda had brought over. "Take care of my comm, Mira," he said before pushing himself off the stool and heading back up to the second floor.

As he settled into his usual spot on the second floor, Laxus leaned back and closed his eyes as the familiar hum of the guild's rowdy atmosphere filled his senses.

"Boss."

He didn't even have to open his eyes to know who arrived. "Bicks," he responded gruffly.

Bickslow sat right beside Laxus and propped his legs up on the railing, his crimson gaze settling on a pregnant brunette below. "I've got something interesting to tell you," he said.

Laxus opened his eyes this time and glanced at Bickslow. He sounded unusually serious. "What's up?"

Bickslow leaned in closer. "There's something… off about Edda," he whispered.

He arched an eyebrow at his statement. "What do you mean?" he said in a low voice.

"You know that my magic lets me see the souls of people, right?"

Laxus blinked. "Yeah."

Bickslow shifted uneasily in his seat, his gaze still fixed on Edda's waddling form at the first floor. He wasn't sure how to approach the subject. The first time he met her, he barely registered anything beyond her swollen belly. Frankly, they just got back from a grueling job and he was too exhausted to even notice anything else.

The second time, she was surrounded by the girls, laughing and chatting, a hand resting on her belly every so often. Again, he paid little attention to her, brushing her off as just another expectant mother in the guild.

But the third time… that's when it hit him.

She had been serving Romeo's lunch, standing by his table and chatting with the young boy. It was then, with the boy's bright face looking up at her, that Bickslow finally saw the stark difference - something so glaringly obvious that he felt like an idiot for not noticing it sooner.

For Seith mages like him, unborn children, babies, and young kids radiated the purest, brightest souls. Romeo's soul burned in a vibrant shade of purple, perfectly reflecting the magic he had inherited from his father.

But Edda… she had nothing.

Not even a flicker of light.

Not a speck of soul in her… or in the unborn child she carried.

He had prided himself on his ability to see what others couldn't, yet he had completely overlooked something so fundamentally wrong. And Bickslow had no idea how this flew by him… and he calls himself a 'soul' wizard.

He even had a talk with his totem babies and asked them why they never said anything to him. But to his surprise, they hadn't noticed it either. That fact alone unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

Based on the books he had read about soul magic, Edda would fall into one category - and a dangerous one at that - she was an undead. But that's the thing… she didn't look like one. She had her own will. She had a bright and bubbly personality. She's obviously alive and breathing.

At this point, he was second-guessing even his own magic.

"Bicks?" he heard Laxus call him out.

Bickslow blinked. This situation with Edda was driving him nuts. "Sorry," he said. "Had a lot on my mind for a sec."

Laxus kept quiet, waiting for his friend to continue.

Bickslow shifted his gaze back to Laxus who had an expectant look on his face. "Edda…" he trailed off, feeling a little unsure of himself. "She doesn't have a soul. Not even her unborn child."

Mest sank onto one of the barstools and ordered a beer, letting out a long, weary sigh as exhaustion caught up. He had spent the entire day running himself ragged, chasing down leads and trying to gather information on a certain pregnant brunette who was temporarily staying at the guild.

But no matter how hard he looked, it was as if the woman didn't even exist.

He was currently in Shirotsume Town, the place she claimed she had gotten married with Gerald. With his magic, finding her records should have been effortless. And yet, there was nothing.

And the worst part? He had found Gerald's death certificate. The man had died four years ago.

So whose child was she carrying?

Before he could dwell too much on the thought, a familiar voice interrupted him.

"A face like that won't get you any women if you keep that up."

Mest didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. He sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Glad you could make it," he muttered, taking a long sip from his mug.

Cobra slid onto the barstool beside him, signaling for a drink with a lazy wave of his hand. "So… you're out running errands for the old man again?"

Mest nodded as he stared at his own reflection in the amber liquid swirling in his mug.

Cobra huffed. "That geezer needs to retire already," he grumbled, but there was no real bite to his words. In all honesty, he couldn't bring himself to refuse anyone from Fairy Tail - especially Makarov. Fairy Tail had taken care of Kinana when he couldn't. He owed them more than he'd ever admit out loud.

"We were planning on stopping by the guild anyway," Cobra added, taking the mug from the passing barmaid. He didn't need to ask what Mest wanted. He could hear it loud and clear.

Mest smirked at the snake charmer, deciding to tease him. He already knew Cobra's answer to his unspoken request. "Finally thinking of joining the chaos?"

Cobra snorted, rolling his eyes as he took a sip of his beer. His fiancée had been nudging him in that direction for months now, but he still wasn't quite ready to take that step. There was still so much left to do, too many people out there like him who needed help. People who were once trapped in darkness and had no way out.

"Not quite there yet," he muttered.

Author's Note:

We're getting there! Hope y'all enjoyed this one! :3

Love lots,
nana