Valdeghar panted leaning against the rock behind him, as a powerful hit from Lucados had smashed him through the mansion and back outside.
"You don't look good", Umanor noticed hovering closer to the Absolute Shadow.
"We know", the dark demon grunted standing up heavily.
"You must return if your magic starts to run low", Umanor said. "Don't put Freed in danger."
Valdeghar huffed and took a step, but instantly he fell on his knees.
"You must return", Umanor demanded. "You can't fight that way."
"But the Lord is still standing", Valdeghar growled.
"Yes, but we can handle him. You go rest. There is still four of us fighting. It is easier for Freed this way."
Valdeghar glanced towards Lucados who was now attacking Moranga and he sighed.
"We know", he muttered and with that he disappeared in the air.
"We will take him down", Umanor muttered to himself looking at the Lord of this battered mansion.
'Umanor, can you hear me?'
Umanor got surprised as he heard the familiar voice.
"Freed? Where are you right now?" he asked frowning.
'Good, I was worried I might not be able to reach you. I'm with Bickslow and Evergreen at the forest on the north side of the mansion. I felt that Valdeghar took much damage, is he alright?'
"He's fine after some rest", Umanor assured. "Don't worry. So you are out of the mansion, we will inform Laxus. Now we don't need to be afraid what might happen to you three. Stay in the forest, as far as you can and stay together."
'I guess we don't have a choice... Is Laxus alright?'
"He's fine, still fighting."
'That is good to hear' Freed said his voice sounding relieved. 'Please tell him to be careful.'
"We will, Freed", Umanor promised and he took off.
Laxus growled looking at the ghost like demon who was keeping his distance from them. Jish-Ahrna and Moranga were still standing, but both of them shivered because of pain and they were obviously exhausted.
He grunted and released more lightning hitting the nightmares that were created out of dream sand, but as soon as they were hit they just reformed themselves. It seemed it was almost impossible to destroy them as long as Lucados had this much power.
"Laxus", he heard Umanor's voice and he looked at the demon who came closer. "Valdeghar had to return. But we have also good news: Freed is out of the mansion and with Bickslow and Evergreen."
"He is?" Laxus asked. "That's good to hear. If they stay together, they will be fine. I trust them", he said.
"Oh, so Freed decided to go against my word and left the Chamber", Lucados murmured, his voice deep and echoing because of his demon form. "I shouldn't be surprised. He has always fought against my word and done what he pleases, never caring about his family."
"That is not true", Laxus frowned. "Freed cares deeply about his family and friends. You with your constant ramble about Zaldevils just don't deserve his loyalty."
"No matter what he says, he is Zaldevil and should understand that his place is here", Lucados said.
"His place is in Fairy Tail!" Laxus roared angrily, air crackling sparks around him.
"You still go on with that? I'm starting to grow tired of you fools and your futile attempts to win me. That will never happen!" Lucados declared swishing his arm that was covered by a long blue sleeve.
The dark sand started to swirl around in the air, covering the whole mansion inside a harsh sandstorm. Laxus sneered and squinted his eyes as it felt like the sand was scratching his skin all over, ripping his clothes the more it got power. He heard chuckles and suddenly Lucados was there, giving him a good kick right on his abdomen.
Laxus crashed heavily on the ground, tasting blood and gasping air. He stood up but it was almost impossible for him to open his eyes anymore, leaving him vulnerable for attacks. From somewhere he heard other voices as Lucados attacked them all one after another, who got crashed at the ground or grumbles of the mansion.
Shit! How could he attack Lucados like this?! No matter how much he wanted to hit that son of a bitch he barely saw what happened around him! He growled when he saw enough movement that he managed to rise his hands in time, blocking another kick that was aiming to his head this time. Lucados chuckled, almost gently landing to ground on his hand and landed another kick on Laxus' side sending him fly again by force.
"And here I thought you dragon slayers were something incredible", the old man said straightening himself.
He huffed and jumped aside when roaring lightning burst through the air at the spot where he had been standing. Laxus was quick, but he had been training for years – decades! - and he had mastered how to fully control his magic. And he didn't only rely on his magic, he was an expert at close combats as well.
There was just no way some brat with some lightning magic could surpass him.
Laxus grunted and swiped his eyes, trying to cover them. The dark sand was twirling around in the air, making everything seem dark. He had no idea where Umanor, Moranga or Jish-Ahrna were. The sand scraped his skin, feeling like someone was scratching it with a cheese grater. From distance he could hear at least Umanor fighting against Lucados.
The lightning dragon slayer roared, letting out more bolts to stop the sand but at the second lightning stopped, it filled the air again like it never left.
"Fuck!" he snarled annoyed. How could he stop that sand? Or at least make it possible for him to open his eyes! It was impossible to stop it by lightning, but he couldn't use anything else that would be effective...
The blonde frowned. No, Freed would think some way to make use for even seemingly useless spells at the situation. What would he do? If two things were useless by themselves, could they be useful when combined?
Laxus grumbled and drew some runes, he had to think a little bit what he needed but finally he managed to create a full set of runes what he needed. He smirked. Yes! This might actually work!
Lucados grabbed the dark horn and smashed the bigger demon roughly through the stonewall at the roof.
"You worthless thrash", he muttered with despise. "I can't believe you managed to talk Moranga and Jish-Ahrna to turn against me. Well, they are going to pay for that, don't you worry."
He turned his eyes as he felt other movement at his left side and jumped out of the lightning's way.
"You still don't get it, do you?" he grumbled looking at Laxus who had managed to get up on the roof as well now. "It is easier for all of you to just give up while you still can move."
"Not gonna happen", Laxus grunted. "I don't care even if you would throw all of your magic and try to torn me into pieces, I would still get up and kick your sorry ass because you're threat to Freed."
Lucados looked at Laxus. He noticed how the younger male wasn't squinting his eyes anymore. The sand didn't seem to affect him at all. Now that he noticed that, he saw how the sand couldn't even reach him like he was inside somekind of a bubble.
"I see", he said. "It seems like Freed has taught you some rune magic."
"Yes", Laxus said.
"I happen to know a thing or two about the rune magic myself, though I don't use that magic. But I have followed Freed's training ever since he was just a little kid. That sphere might cover you from the sand, but it won't help you to cover from my attacks", Lucados said dashing forward, aiming his dark hand with long claws to hit Laxus.
At the second his hand touched the runes, he felt a tingle. Huge amount of electricity run through his body burning him inside. It felt like his hand was glued at the bubble's surface, until the powerful blast finally threw him backwards and he hit the roof.
"Like I didn't know that", Laxus snorted and sparks crackled at the surface of his cover made out of runes.
He got this idea when he remembered those rune cylinders he had made at the time of the Autumn Festival. He just modified them a little bit to be more suitable for this situation. Now he could see again as the wall was keeping out the sand and he could easily use his lightning through it.
Laxus jumped ahead and smashed his foot against Lucados' chest sending the old man crash through the roof inside the building.
"You little shit", Lucados growled angrily, standing up and he looked at Laxus who shattered the marble floor with his electricity covered rune bubble as he entered the beautiful ball room as well. Lucados gathered his dark dream sand covering himself with it as well, attacking towards.
Two spheres with different magic blasted as they collided, sending more marble fractures in the air and breaking those huge windows that once showed the guests a beautiful view to the garden. Lightning torched the walls and sand scraped areas it didn't touch. Rest of the whole roof came down with loud crash but it didn't slow down two fighters who were only focused to take each other down.
Laxus snarled blocking an attack after an attack as Lucados used his claws, legs, anything at all and showing some incredible martial art traits and capability to get through his barriers at the middle of the fight. He had to admit, he wasn't that quick with his own attacks but what he lack in speed, he covered with destructive power. He was starting to notice something. Something he could use as his advantage.
He docked and blocked hits, moved and at the last second dodged dark claws that left scratches on his cheek. He smirked and grabbed tightly by that large collar, charged lightning to his fist and landed a punch right onto that demon face.
The whole wall crashed down in to living room when Lucados was shoved through it. Laxus stepped over the dust of plaster and pieces from the stone wall. He took a sniff of the air and smelled smoke, the fire was spreading over here already. The whole east part of the mansion must be already burning down in ashes.
"You better give up an surrender", the blond dragon slayer growled his big waving wings lightening the gloomy living room. Once big and ominous fireplace had only half of it standing anymore and all the furnitures had been thrown all around the room. Large rug on the floor was tattered and wrinkled, covered now by dust and not at all as majestic as it used to be.
Lucados panted, shivering as he slowly lifted himself on his knees, spitting more blood on the floor. He glared at Laxus with his turquoise eyes, faded green hair messed up and framing his anger filled face.
"You cannot destroy the Chamber", he grunted, coughing more blood.
"I'm here only to bring Freed home, everything else I don't care right now", Laxus growled staring back at those turquoise eyes with his orange ones. There was a lot of same stubbornness in those eyes as Freed had, he noticed.
"That boy... I can't even describe in what all levels he has broken all the rules of this family", Lucados muttered finally standing up, his blue long coat torn and blackened by burns of lightning. "I have no words for how utterly disappointed I am."
"He doesn't need to care about the rules here or what you think."
"He will", Lucados smirked. "I know it. Because he has always been weak that way. He will carry that shame of disappointing his family for the rest of his life, he won't stop thinking about it."
"You're just his grandfather, not some God who rules over his life", Laxus growled. "And after all you have done he won't give a shit about you."
"But he will", Lucados chuckled moving some grey strands from his bruised face. "I know how he is. He won't say it out loud, but I know it that he will never forgive it to himself when he lets someone down, no matter what others think if it is justified or not. Deep down he knows he chose wrong when he turned his back to his family, his own blood and flesh."
Laxus grunted. He couldn't deny it, Freed probably would think about it. Not because he would feel he did something wrong because like hell that would be true, but no matter how insane that old bastard in front of him was he was still Freed's grandfather, his only relative still living.
And he had turned his back for him. It didn't matter if it was the right thing to do, Freed would ponder it for the rest of his life if he could have done something to make things still better.
"Don't you feel any remorse at all?" he muttered. "If those damn rules told you to kill Freed because he chose Fairy Tail before you, would you do it?"
For a moment, just a slight moment there was a silence.
"I would", was the cold, calm respond what made Laxus' blood boil immediately. "From the day he ran away, for me he was not worthy for this family anymore. The problem was that he was my only inheritor. It was so ironic I didn't know should I laugh or cry because at the same time he was nothing but a traitor who should die but still extremely valuable for the family line to continue."
Lucados huffed.
"I thought if I let him run around for a while he would notice that living in a guild is not worth it and he would come to his senses and return home. Then I heard that he went missing... For a brief moment I thought it was all over, the mighty family of Zaldevils was going to die with me but then he appeared again. I knew I had to to make sure he would return. I would have needed to chain his magic and do something to make sure he wouldn't break any rules anymore and would do exactly what I would tell him to do. But it still took time to arrange something like that."
He smirked.
"When I found out about the baby..." he said. "It was like a gift for this family from heavens. Can you believe how happy I was? Freed might be good for nothing but at least I know there will be other heirs."
"Like hell we will let anyone know about this place", Laxus snarled.
"Maybe. But you won't live forever. I know one day there will be someone who understands what it means to be a Zaldevil and they will make that name great again. One way or another."
"I'm tired of your yapping", Laxus growled his mane growing and orange eyes turning even more flaming. "Freed might feel guilty for a while but he understands that this world is better when you're not roaming around in it freely."
Freed was standing at the edge of the woods with Ever and Bickslow. Not too close that there would be danger but Freed refused to go any farther. He wanted to know that Laxus would be alright. He was worried. He had felt a moment ago how Umanor had to return and he had no idea if Moranga and Jish-Ahrna were anymore at the condition to help Laxus.
"It has been quiet for a while", Ever finally broke the silence. "Did Laxus win?"
"We can't know before something happens again", Freed murmured.
"Do you think they might have knocked themselves out?" Bickslow suggested.
"Of course it is possible, but I still don't think so", Freed shook his head.
"We just have to wait", Ever said. "Laxus will be alright."
So they kept looking at the burning mansion. It was finally starting to rain more so it restricted the fire at least a little bit, starting to subdue it. But it didn't take away the tension that was still lingering in the air.
Suddenly the air tingled.
In a second a huge pillar of lightning bolted down from the storm clouds and its bright flash blinded them. The destructive power ripped off parts of the mansion with ease, incinerating everything it touched. Those parts what survived were blasted all around and the thundering roar was all they could hear even after everything was already over.
Freed moved slightly as they all three had collapsed to the wet ground because of the immense blast caused by that mother of all lightnings. It was so powerful it even diminished the fire that had been eating the mansion earlier.
Now there was only ruins left.
"Holy hell, that was one hell of a bolt", Bickslow said sitting up. "My ears are still ringing and I think my vision was blown away – Freed!" he said when the rune mage was already up and heading towards the ruins.
Freed gritted his teeth and he didn't even think if the ground was wet or slippery, he just had to go to the mansion. That... That lightning was different! He knew Laxus' magic! He could recognize it anywhere! But that... It was different!
Finally he got to the yard and stepped over the stones and rubbish to get to the hallway that had lost half of its roof and wall.
"Laxus!" he yelled looking around.
"Freed, that place might collapse!" Ever warned but the green haired mage only pushed deeper into the broken mansion.
Moving was a challenge, but he kept looking around. At some point he heard how something heavy was moving so he moved towards it, hearing how something scraped the marble floor.
"Laxus?" he said worried when he arrived at the mansion's once biggest living room. There was hardly anything else left than just some parts of the walls.
He did not see Laxus nor Lucados anywhere. But the air was still tingling because of heavy amount of electricity. He knew Laxus had to be alive and still powerful because of that, but in what condition he would be?
Freed stiffened and his heart almost stopped when he heard a low growl. Then rocks and other thrash moved and heavy steps hit the floor as something big and slim moved at the hallway other side of the broken wall.
"Laxus...?" Freed almost whispered as he was fearing what he would see. Was Laxus...?
It was getting brighter right behind the corner and the steps came closer. First thing he saw was a huge snout with bright yellow scales and large teeth shining at the dim light. Next was burning orange lizard eyes that looked directly at Freed who was holding his breath.
Another growl escaped through those teeth and more of the slim body followed after the head. Golden mane swayed slightly and big transparent wings made out of electricity waved in the air. Large claws left big marks on the floor as the lightning dragon came closer, sniffing heavily the air. For a moment the rune mage really was scared what might happen next, but the growling lowered into a gentle purr.
Freed raised his trembling hand and touched the snout that didn't hesitate to come closer, smelling his scent and those eyes studied him close.
"Laxus", Freed said once again, not knowing what else to say. He almost tripped over as the snout snuggled against him and he was relieved. At least Laxus recognized him. There was a sleepy gaze in the dragon's eyes but also warmth and happiness.
Freed smiled running his fingers through the large mane as Laxus coiled himself inside the remains of the living room from the hallway. Scales scraped against each other letting out a small slithering sound that was almost relaxing. Freed turned when the big head circled him, pulling him gently against the warm skin and mane.
Laxus was happy. The threat was beaten and he had his beloved mate against him safe and sound again. Freed was happy too, of course. Laxus was alive and he didn't seem that badly injured. But he was a dragon.
They heard steps again and Laxus tensed glaring at the direction where the steps were coming. Two more mages. Freed could see from Bickslow's and Ever's scare, surprise and sadness filled faces that they too had been fearing this to happen for Laxus.
Laxus let out a small snort, closing his eyes as he seemingly decided that Bickslow and Evergreen were not a threat. Did he recognize them, they didn't know but the tip of the long tail with it's yellow tuft moved slowly in a way that told them they were not welcomed to come closer.
Freed looked at his fiancée, his turquoise eyes filled with sadness now. He had no idea what to do. Could Laxus ever turn back to normal?