Five Little Sacrifices

Chapter 9

"So could it then be that maybe your father uses soul magic or that living dead magic or whatever?" Laxus asked snatching few peanuts from the bowl that was nearby.

"Might be", Roscoe nodded. "I know that mom didn't use either of those magics. Though, I have no idea what kind of a magic she did use..."

"We should ask from Granny", Bickslow said. "I bet she knows."

"Juvia is still slightly confused", Juvia said worried. "Since your father is looking for Bickslow and Roscoe, does that mean that he will attack again?"

That was certainly a good question and they all thought about the possibilities for a moment.

"I'd say that is more than likely", Erza finally said outloud what they all were thinking. "If they want to start business, whatever it is, and they need Bickslow and Roscoe for it then they will do something again so they can lure them out."

"That bastard also mentioned some book", Roscoe said and Bickslow sneered when Freed, Laxus and Makarov jolted. He had hoped Roscoe had forgotten that book.

"Book?" Gray asked frowning. "If they were looking for it, it was really stupid from them to destroy the library."

"Obviously they already knew that book wasn't there, so they didn't care what would happen to other books. But Ichabod said it was also important for their plans", Roscoe said and Freed and Laxus looked at each other and then Makarov.

"What was that look?" Erza noticed suspiciously. "Do you know more about this than us?"

"Yeah", Laxus grunted crossing his arms. "We know where that book is."

"You do?"

"It's here in our Guild House", Freed explained.

"What?!" others shouted surprised.

"What book is it?" Max asked confused. "If they want it so badly that they would destroy the whole town, what are they going to do when they learn it's in here?"

"They will most probably attack here", Gray said. "Isn't that obvious? So how long has that book been here?"

"Four years", Freed said.

"And you didn't consider telling us something about it?" Erza asked.

"It was my orders then", Makarov said. "Don't blame them. I thought it would be better the less people knew about it."

"So what is that book?" Lisanna asked worried.

"Well, considering they need Bickslow and Roscoe, it contains some kind of a dark magic that they will use for their business", Freed said frowning as he thought about it.

"And since they are ready to go that far as to destroy a whole town, it can't be anything really good business", Wakaba murmured huffing out a cloud of smoke. "Those who do things like this don't plan on starting businessess that would help people. They even hurt poor sweet Mirajane..."

"I'm gonna make sure that whatever they are planning, it won't work!" Elfman yelled angrily. "Because that's what men do when there are enemies who hurt innocent people!"

"Calm down, Elfman", Lisanna smiled. "Mira will be fine after some rest."

"I haven't yet done much research and I have passed only one of the spells that protects the contents of the book", Freed said. "There are still two more to go and even after that I need to come up with how to read those runes. I've never seen them before anywhere."

"Could it be some kind of a demon thing?"

"No, I already asked about it from Umanor and others", Freed said shaking his head. "They don't recognize those runes either and there is no marks of demon magic. But I'm sure I will learn to read those runes after I study them some more."