Crystal, Ice and Fire ✔

CHAPTER 18

The news still hadn't sunk in completely. I was walking on autopilot, unaware of everything around me. When my brain was feeling a little less numb and I realized where I was, I felt even worse than I already did, which wasn't even humanly possible.

I was at Phil's house. I saw her, smiling and laughing in all the pictures around me with James there by her side, always. I saw the reports of their decade quest, with drool still on them.

I was as if they had left for a few minutes and would be back any second.

And I couldn't believe they were gone.

I couldn't believe I would never hear Phil's nasty comments about me losing a fight and then felling her arm around me, patting my back and saying, "it happens".

I couldn't believe I would never see James again, standing quietly in a corner, attentive as a hawk, ready to jump into action at any second to protect us.

I couldn't believe I would never again hear or see them laughing, fighting, yelling, or excited.

Every moment I had spent with them rushed into my head.

All those memories.

I couldn't bear it.

I sunk to my knees as my eyes closed, looking at their smiling faces in an old photo.

***Gray's P.O.V.***

I knew Star needed space. True, I was extremely sad and angry about the news, but I was more worried about Star. She's a Dragon Slayer, and they... destroy, without even realizing it.

And now, with so many emotions...

Just because she had never exploded before didn't mean she couldn't now.

I was done waiting around.

'Natsu,' I snapped, 'come on. We're going to get Star, it's been too long.'

'The rest of you,' Erza commanded, 'we will have time to grieve later. We must get moving now. We need to inform the Magic Council and other official guilds. There is no time to waste, we have a war on our hands.'

The whole guild stirred with a renewed sense of purpose and vengeance.

Natsu and I headed out.

'Where could she be?' Natsu asked. I stopped at a crossway. 'Check at the mansion,' I told him, 'I'll check the river. Meet me back here in five minutes. If I'm not there, you know I found Star.'

Natsu nodded and took off. I took off to, but in the opposite direction. I reached the riverbank and stopped, looking around both ways and even scanning the opposite side. No luck.

I headed back to the crossway to wait for or meet Natsu.

As I jogged up the path, I saw him running up too.

'She's not there?' we both asked the other, together.

A tense few seconds passed.

'Phil's house,' We both said together, again.

***Back to Star's P.O.V.***

I woke up to see a familiar ceiling. Memories of the past few hours came rushing through my head. I sat up slowly on Phil's couch, rubbing my temples. I was pretty sure I blacked out. Everyone was probably worried sick. Yay.

'Hey.'

I whipped my head around (and that did NOT make my migraine better) to see Dragneel leaning against the doorway leading to the kitchen.