Freed noticed the change in the weather while they were at the garden under the roof, where Lucados was explaining how to call Valdeghar or Umanor with their own bodies. He didn't hear thunders but he could almost feel them in the air. Rain had stopped and the air got tingling. It made him smile immediately.
Laxus!
Of course he was also worried, since he could guess that Laxus was pissed as hell right now. Would he let his dragon side take over? What if he couldn't return back to normal?
"So he really came", Lucados murmured narrowing his eyes. "How foolish."
"This is your last chance to make up things", Freed said looking at his grandfather. "Because when Laxus finds his way here in the mansion, he won't forgive you anymore. He will end things once and for all."
"So will I", Lucados said. "Some young brat who pretends to be a dragon won't surpass me. Zaldevils will never give up."
"You don't know how powerful he is", Freed warned. "He and the others. I'm sure Laxus is not alone."
"Whatever, I don't care if that whole Guild tries to take me down", Lucados huffed. "Moranga and Jish-Ahrna will make sure they have no chance to get to the mansion. Let's go inside."
"You don't understand what kind of a mess you're causing", Freed tried to explain. "Laxus is angry! He has won many powerful mages before!" he said and jolted when strong hand grabbed his collar, pulling him closer.
"I have won many powerful mages before", Lucados grumbled his other eye glowing like it was filled with diamond dust. "Don't you underestimate me, son. You're acting like a scared little brat. They are our enemies and if they attack, we will fight! If you're not going to fight, you will stay inside out of my way."
Freed opened and closed his mouth, not knowing what he should say. He wanted Lucados to understand and give up. But then again he wanted Laxus to make sure he would never again try anything like this. He trusted that Laxus would win this fight.
Lucados grunted something and pulled Freed along with him inside the mansion.
"Keep an eye on him", the Earl said to the guards. "Take him to the Chamber. That is the most secure place in this mansion and not even that dragon what so ever can break in there. Only those who belong to our family can get in."
Freed said nothing, as he followed the guards to the stairs. He should do something. He should study that Chamber how much he could and see if there was anything at all that he could do.
"You should evacuate everyone from this mansion", he told to the guards. "There is going to be a massive fight and nobody is safe here then."
He stopped in front of the huge stone doors and looked at the guards who seemed worried.
"Just make sure the staff will be alright", Freed said. "Grandfather isn't thinking clearly, he doesn't know what kind of a destruction there will be and if he really wants to fight then be it. But you shouldn't get in danger because he's just an old man who can't let things go."
Bickslow and Evergreen flew past the big dark forest and now there were black thunderclouds all around them again.
"Laxus must be here somewhere", Ever said. "If we can't stop him from attacking Lucados, we then have to assist him and that way make sure he won't really kill anyone."
"Yeah", Bickslow said. "But it won't be easy. How can we really attack that man? I mean, he made the whole town fall asleep! And he has demons like Freed! And unlike Freed, he doesn't need to use his own body to draw them out!"
"I know all of that!" Ever hissed looking at the seith mage. "That is not helping! We just... I don't know, we just need to think something when we find Laxus, okay? Freed can't help us so we have to do our best so we can help him now!"
"Yeah, I know", Bickslow nodded. "Sorry. I'm just so god damn frustrated! Why did Laxus just run away like that and didn't wait for us?"
"He wants to get Freed back home and safe just like us", Ever said looking around. "He can't help it. Oh!" she said when she saw something shining between the clouds. "That must be Laxus!"
"We actually found him!" Bickslow grinned. "Okay, now what do we do, baby?"
"I don't know! Maybe we should try to talk to him? He's clearly trying to find that mansion as well."
"You're right", Bickslow nodded and they flew up.
As they got closer they saw someone else as well.
"Isn't that...?" Ever gasped.
"Jish-Ahrna", Bickslow growled when they recognized the demon.
It was hovering in front of Laxus and both of them just stared at each other.
"Laxus!" Ever shouted as they got closer and the dragon slayer turned his head. "We can help!"
Laxus said nothing, looking back at the demon who seemed surprised because of the sudden reinforcement.
"If that thing is here, that means the mansion is not far", Bickslow grinned as they flew beside the thundering dragon slayer. "We will get there, baby. And we will get Freed back."
"What about Fairy Tail?" Laxus asked.
"Eh? Uhm... Well... We might have left so quickly that we left Warren take care of telling the others where we went. And... Uh... Since even we didn't know yet where this place was, it is highly possible they have no idea where to come..." Bickslow noticed.
"I see", Laxus grumbled still staring at Jish-Ahrna. "So it is possible they might not come in time."
"Sorry, baby."
"Whatever, can't help it now."
"We will win", Ever smiled confident. "We have been through so much already and every single fight has made us stronger and stronger."
"Yeah! This is the perfect time to see just how much all that training has paid off", Bickslow smirked.
"Can you guys take care of the demons?" Laxus asked.
"Yes!" both Bickslow and Evergreen shouted.
"You just take care of that old goat, Laxus", Ever smiled. "We will handle those guards."
"Alright", Laxus smirked looking at the demon who tilted its head. "I'm counting on you, guys", he said and with flash he disappeared in the clouds.
Evergreen smiled looking at the demon who glanced around confused when the bright yellow one was suddenly missing.
"Let's do this", she said and Bickslow nodded.
They both dashed forward, when suddenly everything around them fluttered and the landscape changed colours from dark red to light blue and completely black and white, repeating that same pattern over and over.
"W-what?" Bickslow stuttered when suddenly it felt like everything was upside down, trees seemed like they ripped themselves off from the earth and floated around. The nearby mountains looked like it was melting, spreading all around in the sky and mixing up with dark clouds.
They heard an eerie howl as trees started to bend and flew around.
"It must be that other demon, Moranga", Ever noticed. "Didn't he use surrealism magic or something like that?"
"Yeah! Valdeghar mentioned him. That's going to be pain in the ass", Bickslow grunted. "I'm not even sure where the ground is anymore!"
Suddenly he felt someone's presence and he saw tall, sheet covered demon with hollow eyes staring at him.
"Oh fu-!" he yelled and in the next second he was already shoved through the air, hitting trees and finally crashing on the ground.
"Bickslow!" Ever gasped, but her vision was suddenly covered by thick fog. She hissed when tingling coldness attacked her limbs and when she opened her eyes, she saw large paw-like hand with its long claws reaching towards her.
She was shoved at the other direction than Bickslow and hit the ground harshly. For a moment her whole left side was numb because of the strong hit, but finally she was able to get up. The forest was like from nightmares, everything was moving around, changing colours, melting into different shapes and so on.
Was Bickslow okay? Yes, of course he was. She must have faith. Bickslow would not give up that easily.
Jish-Ahrna whispered something as it hovered down on the ground and Ever frowned. She would take care of this one. Bickslow would take care of Moranga. They had to do it so Laxus could concentrate fighting with Lucados.
Freed stepped inside the Chamber and looked around. It was really plain chamber actually, but there were some carvings in the stone walls. There were also some texts, mostly about the rituals. This was the first time he was inside the Chamber since he was just a little baby. He was a little bit worried because of Felix, but he was pretty sure demons couldn't enter him since he wasn't born yet. His body was still shielding his son and he was glad about it.
He reached out his hand and touched those walls, but he knew immediately he couldn't break this stone. Everything inside the chamber was strengthened by old demon magic that wasn't easy to break.
Freed frowned when looking at the end of the chamber, where there were a glowing orb. Was it some kind of a lacrima? If so, it was an old one and very powerful. It was attached in the wall and he observed it carefully, not touching its surface. It was slightly bigger than his head and it looked like there were a whole night sky trapped inside it.
The rune mage looked back at the walls. If he could transfer these texts, he might be able to learn more about how the Old Contract was created and maybe how they could nullify it. That would of course mean losing Valdeghar and Umanor, but it would also free Jish-Ahrna and Moranga. Felix wouldn't be in danger as well anymore after that.
Freed opened the big doors and glimpsed in the hallway. He did not see the guards. That was good, they had followed his instructions to evacuate the staff. He stepped in the hallway and quickly headed towards the library. He needed some books if he wanted to translate those texts.