The sky was slowly starting to lighten up when they had finally gotten everything packed up together and they were heading towards the rocks.
"Why do we always have to wake up so early...?" Felix murmured while rubbing his eyes. "The sun is not up yet..."
"It won't kill you", Freed assured holding his son's hand. "When you finally start your own missions, you have to wake up earlier than normally sometimes."
"Where are we going this early?" Felix asked crankily. It would have been fun if they could just stay for a while, sleep well and eat, maybe swim and play with sand.
"We won't be walking too long", Freed said amused because of such whinge. "Once we're at Baluhu's cottage, maybe you can play with Chester outside and built a sandcastle."
"Oh", Felix said and he was instantly a lot happier. "That will be fun!"
They all climbed over the rocks and it took only a few minutes to find Baluhu. He was sleeping, snoring loudly and lying on the sand, hugging tightly his flute and his long white hair was scattered all around. As they got closer, Laxus wasn't sure if he was ready to believe that this old man was the one who called all those spirits.
Somehow... This old man only reminded him of Makarov. It was not impressive.
"Baluhu?" Freed said as they got closer and the old man muttered something in his sleep.
"He snores louder than dad", Felix murmured and Laxus just grunted.
"Hey! We're here!" Bickslow yelled and finally Baluhu shifted, opening his eyes.
He yawned and slowly got up, dusting some sand off his clothes.
"You lot sure didn't rush too much", he said looking at them and then he cleared his throat. "As these two might have told you already, I am Baluhu", he said touching his chest with his hand. "I have heard that you've been looking for me for some time already and I've been waiting for you all here. These two have informed me you have some questions, I am glad that I can help you youngsters so I have decided I will do my best to answer all of your questions -"
"Sure, so what can you tell us about Netherworld Magic?" Laxus asked, not really in a mood for such a dramatic nonsense. It didn't work anyway after they had seen Baluhu dozing away with drool all over his chin.
Baluhu harrumphed looking at Laxus.
"Thank you, now you ruined the whole mood", he said annoyed. "It would sound really stupid now if I tried to continue after that."
"Only after that?" Ever whispered amused and Bickslow almost chortled.
"Oh, I see..." Baluhu murmured leaning against his flute. "It seems that you are not really in need to hear my answers -"
"No, no, please do continue", Evergreen said.
"Whatever, doesn't feel the same anymore", Baluhu said waving his hand and he turned around. "Let's just start walking so I can get home some day."
So they started walking, following the slightly nuts old man.
It didn't take them long to finally arrive at Baluhu's home. It was... an interesting place. It was small but looked really cosy, even if it certainly wasn't pretty to look at. Yet it still had some kind of charm in it, maybe because it was definitely flashy place.
There were colourful pieces of glass dangling from strings outside and lots of rugs all around. The door - there wasn't even really any need for an actual door, but guess it made the place feel more like a house - was open and lots of multicolored bead strings made sure not too much bugs got inside.
"It is... Very colourful", Freed said as they all stared at the small house. There was no chance that they all could stay here, it was a good thing they had tents.
"A little touch of colours will make any place look nicer", Baluhu chuckled as he stepped on the small patio and sat down on the only chair there was. "I know it doesn't look like some mansion, but it's my home and I like it. I'm completely satisfied with my life here", he said and put his flute to lean against the wall. "So let's talk, you kids go play with the sand."
"Can we go?" Felix asked from Freed.
"Sure, if you won't go far", the green haired man said. "And stay away from the water."
"Yeah!" Felix shouted as they ran towards the beach with Chester. Finally they had some time to just play around! The 'babies' giggled as they followed right after them.
Freed and others sat down where they could on the patio, moving around some stuff.
"So where should I start?" Baluhu wondered and scratched his cheek.
"Do you perhaps use Netherworld Magic yourself?" Freed asked.
"Yes. I have mastered Spiritual Netherworld Magic, thus I can call all kinds of spirits as you saw in the festival."
"That was really amazing", Bickslow grinned. "Do you really do that every month?"
"Every month", Baluhu nodded. "I've held that festival every single month for over thirty years already."
"That is really impressive", Roscoe said. "Why do you do it?"
"Do I really need a reason?" Baluhu chuckled. "It's fun and people enjoy it. It also helps to make sure people won't come into this forest. If they believe in spirits, they stay away."
"So what there is that you want to protect so much?" Laxus asked confused.
"The forest", Baluhu said. "Everything inside it. All those creatures big and small. They need this forest so they can survive."
He frowned now.
"But it's not only so that the forest stays the way it is, there are also actual dangers for humans and that is another reason I want people to stay away from there. Since you came to me and need answers from me, I would want you to do a favor for me too. I want some samples from that forest and I need you to collect it for me."
"So we're going to that forest", Evergreen sighed.
"What kind of samples?" Freed asked, not caring about the brunette's mutterings.
"Poison", Baluhu said. "There lives certain creatures called kalma-mounds. Without poison, I can't make the antidote for those who are misfortunate enough to happen to encounter one of them. Sometimes some youngsters want to prove how courageous they are and sometimes there is a kalma-mound that is wandering too close to the town."
"You want us to go in there and fetch some poison?" Laxus huffed. "From those... Whatever they were. Why don't you just do it yourself?"
"I'm starting to get too old for doing that. Collecting that poison can be a little bit tricky, as you need to get it but without killing the kalma-mound."
"How nasty creatures are we talking about here?" Roscoe asked. "How hard is it to catch them?"
"Finding one might take some time as noticing them in that forest is challenging, but catching them? That's easy", Baluhu chuckled. "After all, they move as slow as snails."
They were all surprised.
"Sounds too easy, what's the catch?" Laxus asked narrowing his eyes.
"Well, they won't produce the poison if they don't feel themselves being threatened. Once they do, there will be lots of that poison and getting it is dangerous. I'm sure you will come up with something."
"What kind of animals are they then?" Freed asked. "How can we find one?"
"They're not exactly animals", Baluhu said and they were all confused. "Actually they are fungi."
"How can a fungus feel itself being threatened?" the rune mage asked as he almost dropped his jaw.
"It's not like I know everything about them, why they work as they work but that's just how things are", Baluhu huffed. "They are actually quite harmless if you just ignore them, it's just that people usually get a little bit too curious when they see one."
"How big are they?" Bickslow asked. "Are they hard to find because they are so tiny?"
"No, but the size depends on how old the fungus is. Some might be a few feet tall, some even taller than my cottage. What makes them hard to spot is how slowly they move. As you know, usually fungi won't move at all. These ones have evolved to use old branches, fallen tree trunks, bark and everything like that to cover itself and use them as tools so they can walk around the forest. It helps them to find new places where to find food. They move slowly, they use what they can find from woods so they blend to their background almost perfectly. Some people won't notice they are near even if they walk right next to them."
"That sounds... I honestly don't know if I'm impressed or what", Freed said, trying to imagine how those creatures might look like.
"Well, that is what I'm asking as a return", Baluhu said and he shrugged. "Take it or leave it."
"We can do it!" Bickslow grinned.
"We have to discuss about this first!" Evergreen yelled slapping the seith mage.
"What's there to talk about, baby? I'm sure we can find them", Bickslow cackled. "And we need answers so it's not like we have a choice here?"
"But why are you so interested about Netherworld Magic?" Baluhu asked and now he looked confused. "I assumed you already knew about it."
"We don't really", Roscoe said.
"So those little spirit souls, who is commanding them?" Baluhu asked and he pointed towards the tiki dolls that were chasing after Felix and Chester.
"They're my babies", Bickslow smirked. "We've been friends since forever."
"Bickslow uses Soul Magic", Freed explained to the old man. "He controls souls."
"Those five are not just any kind of souls", Baluhu said. "They are souls of spirits directly from Netherworld, not just mere ghosts or reflections, brought here by magic and something has chained them here. I know how that spell works since I have done it as well", he said and pulled up his sleeve, showing them a simple tattoo of a serpent. "This is my friend Ozih, the one you saw earlier at the festival."
"Wow", Bickslow said. "The big white serpent that was flying through the air?" he asked and Evergreen jolted against Freed, away from the old man who chuckled.
"That very same", he said. "But how can you use this seal if you don't use Netherworld Magic?"
"Oh, well, must be because of Yuidose then", Bickslow supposed and they nodded.
Baluhu frowned.
"I know him very well", he muttered now looking angry. "What is the connetion between you lot and him?" he asked grabbing his flute and stood up, suddenly looking ready to chase them all out at once from his cottage.
"Please calm down, we will explain", Roscoe assured quickly. "It's not like we are working with him."
"Yeah, we're trying to stop him", Bickslow nodded.
"That bastard is Bickslow's and Roscoe's father", Laxus said and Baluhu was surprised. "They have never really interacted with him, but now Yuidose is trying to find them so he can start bringing back dead people or something like that."
There was a brief silence, until Baluhu sighed deeply and he flopped back onto his seat.
"I was afraid that would really happen some day", he muttered. "How I wish I had known something like this would happen, I would have never taught him Netherworld Magic."
"You're the one who taught him?" Bickslow asked.
"Yes, I taught him everything I know about Spiritual Netherworld Magic", Baluhu nodded and he looked at the roof of his little patio. "It was decades ago, I was still wandering around Fiore as I was a young mage. I found Yuidose while travelling and he was very eager to learn, so I taught him. But as he grew older, I realised I had made a mistake. We valued certain things of life in very different ways."
"So you were our father's teacher", Bickslow said amazed. "Wow, that's pretty cool. What happened?"
"He left as he understood I would never approve his crazy plans. I have never heard a word about him ever since."
Silence landed between them once again and they looked at each other. This had really taken an unexpected turn.
"I have one more question", Freed said and he took his bag, pulling it closer. "Have you perhaps never seen this before?"
He pulled out the old book he had wrapped in a blanket and Laxus arched his eyebrows.
"You brought that here?" he asked, maybe a bit angry. If Yuidose wanted that book, he would definitely try to attack them if he heard they were walking around with it!
"I did", Freed nodded. "I thought that if Baluhu knew about Netherworld Magic, he could help us with this book as well", he said and gave the book for Baluhu.
The white haired man gently touched the old cover, turning the book around.
"I haven't seen this since Yuidose left", he murmured with a nostalgic tone. "That ungrateful little thief took it with him. Where did you get it?"
"Our mom stole it from Yuidose", Bickslow snickered. "Our granny kept it safe. Then we took it to Fairy Tail."
"Where are the guarding spells?" Baluhu asked surprised.
"Freed broke them."
"With help", Freed reminded. "But we still don't understand a thing about the content of that book."
"No wonder", Baluhu chuckled while flipping pages of the book. "You need a certain magic to read this. But it's only good that you can't read it, this book has lots of dangerous secrets inside it."
"Are there forbidden spells inside it?" Laxus asked.
"Those too, I'm afraid. With some of the teachings here, you can even open a portal between our world and Netherworld."
"Is that how you call Ozih?" Freed asked curiously. "And how Bickslow's dolls are called here?"
"That is just one way. We call out a spirit and create a contract, then the spirit can travel between worlds when needed", Baluhu said and he whistled a little tune.
His tattoo shined and moved. It slithered on his skin and suddenly a tiny little snake, hardly a few inches long, popped out with almost quiet hiss. Baluhu smiled and let it slither itself around his finger, where it looked at them with its emerald eyes, snuggling against Baluhu's fingers like a cute little ring.
"It reminds me of Celestial Spirit Magic", Bickslow smirked when looking that petite little spirit. It wasn't at all as intimidating like this as it had been in the festival.
"They have lots of same traits, but the spirits in that magic are from a different world entirely. Those spirits", Baluhu said pointing towards the tiki dolls. "Are called here by a different spell than Ozih, though. It's a far more powerful spell and I suppose you do have a tattoo as well?"
"You mean this one?" Bickslow said rising his visor and Baluhu shuddered.
"That is the one", he said. "Sorry, I just... It's like looking at Yuidose again."
"Yeah, we have heard we resemble him a lot", Roscoe grunted crossing his arms.
"Wait a second, you mean my babies are here because Yuidose called them?" Bickslow asked and his eyes widened. "I always thought they were just some souls that wanted to stay with me. So they are here against their own will?"
"Those five are definitely called here because of someone and they are linked to you by that tattoo made by a spell. They can't return even if they wanted to do so", Baluhu said and then he smiled. "But they don't seen unhappy because of it. On the contrary, it seems like they are really enjoying their time with you lot."
"Yeah, they are happy", Bickslow smirked again.
"Can you tell us more about Yuidose?" Freed suggested but Baluhu raised his hand this time.
"We made a deal", the old man reminded and he stood up, stepping inside his little cottage.
Soon he came out and gave three empty vials for them.
"You bring me at least one vial full of poison and I will tell you more", Baluhu said. "I'm tired anyway, I'm mostly awake during nights and now I need sleep. Be careful in the forest and watch where you step. It might help you if you split up in two or three groups. Leave your bags here, they will only slow you down, it's better that you come back here before dark anyway. If I don't see you guys here until the dark, I will sent some spirits to fetch you just in case you're lost."
"We just have to make sure Laxus isn't alone and we should all be fine", Evergreen giggled and Laxus pouted.
"Good! Now I'm going to bed", Baluhu yawned and he stepped back in, closing the door.
They all stepped down from the patio.
"Are we gonna take Felix and Chester as well?" Laxus asked, looking how Felix and Chester were building a big sandcastle.
"Can we really leave them here?" Freed said.
"Shit, you're right. Baluhu doesn't seem like a bad guy but I can't say I trust him yet either."
"Then I suggest that we form two groups."
"What if Laxus goes with Roscoe, he's strong enough to keep anyone and anything away", Evergreen said. "And we the Thunder Legion will go with boys?"
"You can take Pippi with you, they always find their way back to me no matter where we are", Bickslow said. "If something happens, it can deliver the message in no time at all."
"Okay", Roscoe nodded. "You guys better head towards north, we go to south from here."
They nodded and after that they made some quick breakfast and Freed packed some lunch for them all to eat in the forest. The timeline when they would come back was three o'clock, they would go through where all they had already searched, maybe rearrange their groups if needed by any reason and of course they would eat properly.
After making sure they had everything they might need and they were sure both teams could find their ways back, they started their search in the big old forest.