Chapter 23

The Tree Falls

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic and my Ideas

.:+:.

Frea looked up as the sky started to darken and the wind picked up, chill and bringing the cold scent of rain with it. What were they going to do?

Frea let out a silent sigh as her eyes closed and she crossed her arms over her chest, stifling a wince. There was definitely a few ribs cracked or broken. Her entire body ached from the explosion, and her side stung where she had received a pretty deep slash in her side.

She wasn't in good shape, but she was happy Chase didn't seem too beat up. Her silver eyes opened back up again, and she glanced down at Jynx who was watching her in silence.

"Whose in the worst shape Jynx? Anywhere we can help out?" She asked and Jynx blinked a few times.

"One moment." Jynx replied as she disappeared into a purple haze. Frea sighed when she noticed Chase was casting quick glances back and forth at her,

"Geez kid... Stop worrying already, I'm fine." She sighed and he frowned.

"Your not ok." He argued. "Your beat up more than your letting on, even you can't go on with serious wounds." He protested and she smirked.

"You'd be surprised." She replied and he blinked in confusion. "I can take heavy damage pretty well." She smiled, her fangs flashing at him.

Chase didn't look like he believed her, but Frea shrugged it off. She was used to pain, used to getting hurt, and definitely used to feeling like shit by now. She perked up as Jynx reappeared,

"Lucy is fighting with Happy and Fire Dragon against one of the Seven Kin named Hikaru. Juvia is fighting against another of the Seven Kin named Meredy, and Gray is tracking Ultear. Cana is traveling alone, toward Mavis's grave." Jynx explained. "Erza is traveling alone as well."

"Are they all ok?" Frea asked.

"Everyone is pretty beat up and pretty far away, but they don't seem to be having trouble yet." Jynx replied. Frea nodded in understanding,

"Should we just head to camp, Teach?" Chase asked and Frea took a minute to think about it. Maybe it would be better to regroup...

Frea nodded, "I think its better to regroup, so yeah we'll head to camp." She glanced down at Jynx. "Do you know which way it is? Usually we would search them out with our magic..." Frea trailed off and sighed.

"The Island is messing with our Energy Senses." Chase out in and Jynx switched her gaze back and forth between both.

"I know the way, yes." Jynx replied as she started walking. "And I know why your Magic is being affected." Frea and Chase glanced each other a way as they caught up with Jynx.

"You do?" Chase asked and Jynx nodded.

"The Tenrou Tree standing in the Center of the Island." Jynx began, "It is feeding Magic Energy into the Island, and you two are extremely sensitive, so the extreme amount of power will interfere with your Sensing Abilities." Jynx murmured.

Frea narrowed her eyes, Tenrou Tree... Why did she feel as if there was something about the tree she should know about...? She perked up once she remembered,

"Is that Divine Protection rumor about the Tree, true Jynx?" Frea asked and Jynx nodded. Chase blinked in confusion,

"Divine Protection?" He asked.

"This is Fairy Tail Sacred Ground, as you already know." Jynx told him. "There is a spell cast over the Island connected to the Tenrou Tree. It keeps anyone who bears the Fairy Tail Mark, on this Island, from dying."

"And from what I've heard, it gives Fairy Tail Members a boost while they're here." Frea finished for the ghost. Chase nodded a little, showing he understood and the three fell silent.

Frea let out a grumble when rain started to pour from the sky, and her clothes steadily began to get soaked. She glanced Chase's way when she noticed his mood improved, and his energy brightened a little. She knew very well her mood had been dampened from the rain, and sudden chilly breeze.

She looked away and smiled a little, they were pretty different all right... His Magic was different, his fighting style, preference of weather... They were opposites for a lot of things.

"Like the rain or something, kid?" She asked and he frowned.

"I'm not a kid." He reminded her, before he smiled again. "And yes, I actually enjoy rain." He answered, smirking once he noticed her reaction to the weather. "I can see you don't though." He pointed out and Frea shrugged.

"It's ok... I just prefer, warm and dry weather, that's all." She replied. She glanced down when she noticed Jynx disappeared, and Chase noticed too. She must not have been gone very long, or they would have noticed... Right?

"What happened to her?" He asked and Frea shrugged, as she kept walking. They were heading in the general direction of the camp she was sure, perhaps Jynx was checking on people.

The trees they were traveling under did little to block the rain, and they both glanced down as Jynx reappeared, and kept walking with them.

"Fire Dragon, Lucy and Happy won." Jynx replied. "They have regrouped with Pantherlily, Carla, and Sky Dragon, and have stopped off in a cave with Makarov." Jynx explained, "I beleive Lily and Carla are searching the skies right now." Jynx paused a little. "Mest, or Doranbolt, is there in the cave with the others."

Both Chase and Frea stiffened at the name and their eyes narrowed. "What the hell are they doing with him?" Frea hissed.

"Doranbolt was trying to persuade the group, to evacuate everyone in Fairy Tail from the Island." Jynx murmured. "The Council may decide to fire Etherion at the Island."

Frea's heart quickened at the name, she had never seen the Magic Weapon used herself... But Team Natsu and Juvia had. She knew it was a force to be reckoned with, and the team had been lucky not to be killed the time they had been targeted with it. Was the Magic Council really that desperate to get rid of them that badly? That they would take this as an opportunity to take down Zeref, Grimiore Heart and Fairy Tail at the same time?

Her fists clenched at her sides as her eyes narrowed, cold fury rising up inside of her. She hated the Council... They were always making things worse!

"If they even dare fire on this Island," Frea growled and Jynx glanced toward the Dragon Slayer along with Chase. The other two sweatdropped when they saw her face had darkened, and her silver eyes were burning with cold fire, she looked mad... Really mad. "I will make sure this Island stays standing and go after them myself, and make them pay for their stupidity." Frea hissed.

"Do you really not like the Council that much, Teach?" Chase asked nervously.

"The Council is run by idiots, cowards, and vile and greedy people." Frea told him quietly, words full of hatred. "They do nothing but pretend to protect Fiore, when in reality all they do is make people's lives worse."

The group fell silent at her words, and Chase let them sink in. He was aware his old mentor had a history with the Council, and that she along with Fairy Tail were not on good terms with the lot of them.

Frea let out a low long sigh as she calmed herself down, she didn't like the council, but she had to keep a level head out here, especially with Fairy Tail being at war with Grimoire Heart.

Frea stopped dead when she caught on to the sound of something cracking, and Chase and Jynx kept walking. Frea glanced around, it was loud... How could they have not heard it?

After a few moments the two realized she had stopped, and turned toward her with curious expressions.

"What's up Teach?" Chase asked, but his voice was muffled when another loud crack sounded.

"You don't hear that?" She asked, still searching the area for the source. Chase shook his head,

"No?"

The loudest crack of them all pierced the air and she flinched, whipping around to face inland, eyes sweeping over the tops of the trees.

"The tree..." Jynx whispered, red eyes wide in horror.

The Tenrou tree was tilting, as it fell over. Frea sweatdropped, the tree must have been what was making the noise...

All at once, as the tree was fully uprooted, both Energy Mages felt a sudden shift in the land. It felt like the ground had been swiped from under their feet, though it had not moved.

What the hell?