Sanctuary

Chapter 5: Loss

"Laxus, I need you to know.." Freed was choking on his own blood while confessing, "... I love you."

He gave Laxus a small laugh, while watching Laxus' eyes widen. Laxus' tears were now falling onto Freed's face.

"Always have, always will."

Before Laxus could open his mouth to respond Freed circled the scripture on his forehead and whispered, "Sanctuary."

A bright white light was circling around Laxus. He felt a force start to pull him downward. His grip on Freed started to loosen no matter how hard he tried to hold on. The light now engulfed his entire body. His hand ran through Freed's before completely letting it slip through his fingers. Freed collapsed back down, letting out one final breath.

A dagger came flying out behind Laxus as his body disappeared into the light, landing into a wooden pillar nearby.

"Dammit! He got away!" Isaiah shouted.

"It's fine. We have what we came for." Marissa said as she ripped the dagger out of the pillar. She scanned over Freed's lifeless body.

****

The white portal sent Laxus downwards onto a grassy hill. He pushed himself up weakly and looked over it. He spotted Magnolia from a distance. Freed's sanctuary spell probably meant to teleport him back to Fairy Tail, but due to his weakened state it didn't reach its proper destination.

His idea of sanctuary was the guild, Laxus thought.

The harsh wind hit his face, pushing his tears further across it. Laxus was shaking. His body was completely battered. He felt his eyes sting as he blinked. He looked down onto his palms and saw red. Freed's blood was stained all over them. He touched the back of his hands against his forehead to feel the bloody scripture and his cheek, the last place Freed held his face. Images of Freed's lifeless body were flashing through Laxus' vision. The realization of what just happened was coming at him in full force.

Thunder clouds were forming over the entire town. Laxus threw his head back, the back of his hands resting on his thighs, and wailed. The sound of his sobs were blending with the thunder and lightning spreading throughout the night sky.

****

In the guild hall, the sounds of thunder, lightning, and the distant cries were heard by one Natsu Dragneel. Chills ran down his spine. He was frozen.

"Natsu?" he heard Lucy call out from a distance. "Everything okay?"

He looked all over the guild. He saw Wendy who had dropped her glass onto the floor, spilling all its contents. Then looked in the opposite direction to find Gajeel standing still. They all had the same expression on their faces.

I've never heard anything like it, but it's definitely him.

"Natsu" Erza says in a stern voice.

"Something's wrong," Natsu finally spat out. He climbed out of the booth where he, Lucy, Erza, Gray, and Happy were sitting to meet Wendy and Gajeel in the center of the guild.

"Did you hear that?" Gajeel asked.

"Hear it? Did you guys feel it!?" Wendy cried out.

"It has to be him. It has to be Laxus." Natsu said in response to both questions.

"What has to be Laxus?" Bickslow called out as he slowly approached the three dragon slayers. Evergreen, Elfman, Lisanna, and the rest of Natsu's team were catching up with them.

"We heard someone crying. It was between the thunder claps. It has to be Laxus. It sounded just like him." Natsu explained.

"I- I felt pain. So much pain." Wendy winced as she grabbed her chest.