Chapter 3
Long Stories Left Untold

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

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"I apologize that I'm late.." Frea murmured softly, her voice low and slightly weary as she drew to a halt, her boots clicking softly on the polished marble floor.

Her hands moved up to pull her hood from obscuring her features, her silver gaze resting on the man in front of her silently, expression neutral as he looked her over in similar silence, if not slight tenseness.

The grand halls and corridors were silent apart from the occasional shuffle of feet and quite murmurs passed between the few that moved through them. Sunlight shone in through the openness, the pillars spaced apart by large intervals and the floor glinting in its light. 

"I was held up with another Job we finished only this morning, Chairman." Frea grumbled lowly, her tone slightly edgy as the old man gazed at her steadily. It was clear they were tense with one another, and why not? In her earlier years the Council had been an enemy to her, and as still held them in disdain even now.

Not that she had much choice on the matter of being around them, not any more any way.... She was more often in the HQ of the Magic Council than she was at the Guild on most occasions- and for good reason.

Frea took in a small breath, calming herself slightly as she shook her head, her silver eyes glinting as she crossed her arms about her chest.

"... Hmm, you called?" Frea murmured softly, "I assume it's important, otherwise you wouldn't have requested me so quickly." She blinked, noticing the sudden flux of seriousness pricking from the old man. She blinked, eyebrow raised and eyes glittering in question- he sighed and stepped past her.

"Walk with me."

Frea paused, stepping sideways as he moved past her, sweatdropping slightly as she blinked. Slowly, ever so slowly, she started after the man, silver eyes glinting.

"You're being unusually grim, old man..." Frea mumbled lowly,

".... Hmm, well- I thought it best I choose how I present this mission to you as carefully as I can." He replied. Frea blinked in question. "Considering how attached you are to the subject." Her eyes narrowed at him, but he didn't spare a glance her way, not for an instant.

".... I have thought of countless ways to ask you to handle this situation, and countless times I have failed to find a way to request what it is I want of you.... Simply because I know very well how you will react." Frea stiffened slightly, eyes narrowed to slits as she followed him through the building, through archways that opened to the sky, looking out over the Council's main base of operations, the sun starting to sink on the horizon. Those few passerby in the halls shot the both of them looks, before shuffling away quickly.

"... So I think it best I simply take the most direct approach and ask without meandering about the subject in unneeded ways." Frea stiffened, biting the inside of her cheek a bit, a small part of her growing impatient.

".... The Council has recently located the base of operations of operations of those few remaining in Death Bolt."

Frea stopped walking, the old man took a few steps forward before pausing himself, his hands crossed behind his back and eyes falling closed.

"... We know that their numbers and their strength are too much to be left to a battalion of Knights, and with the crimes they have headed over the past year having been increasing in severity, we need them eradicated as quickly as possible." He went on, not turning back toward he silent Dragon Slayer behind him- he knew she was listening.

"With all the work you've been involved in removing and tearing down the pillars that hold up the Triad, the Council thinks it best to leave the destruction of Death Bolt to you. You have the skill and the knowledge required to complete this task, as you have thus far removed both Black Chimera and Pheonix Tear, tearing apart two of the three legs of the Triad. Now we are ordering you to step up to the charge, and finish the last of the Dark Guild Triad once and for all." He paused, his eyes glinting in the light of the sunset.

"... Though of course we know you would take on this challenge, regardless of our ordering you to."

There was a long while of silence that fell over the two of them, the chairman never looked back toward the Energy Dragon Slayer, but he could feel her anger rising- just as he felt her Magical Pressure rise in accordance with her emotion. His head flicked a little, hearing the unmistakable sound of the marble underfoot cracking under Frea's own feet, unable to withstand the sheer pressure radiating from her and her Magic in that instant, though it was clear she was doing her best not to get out of hand.

He felt a chill run up his spine at the thought of her emotions and Magic running wild without check so suddenly, he was sure the floor wouldn't exist if she truly let go of herself. And he doubted this section of Era would still be standing if she lost all semblance of control, assuredly he would not be standing there either. He could feel her Magic regardless of her anger, even Non-Mages could feel the heaviness on the air that her Magic made, radiating around her without end, even when she wasn't using her Magic outwardly. Though he knew well he had never felt the sheer extent of it.... And he hoped he never would. But this, it was like even her own willpower couldn't keep her Magic down.

Hmm.... How many does she have now I wonder...? I've lost track.

"Where?" Her voice was low, and steely. Org sweatdropped slightly, he imagined it took everything she had to keep her tone as level as it was, and of course she had every right to be angry.

"The Treygr Canyons." He replied levelly. "... We have reports of hundreds of Mages in the Building. As well as notable reports of the Guild Leader and his lieutenants."

He stopped himself, the pressure of her Magic against his back was fading, he could hear her footsteps leading away as she left, quickly and without a word and without care to what warning he had intended to give her... Though maybe it wasn't needed.

She didn't stop, all her mind and thoughts were on one thing. She had somewhere to be, someone to see before she started war.

Org sighed slightly, his eyes falling closed.

He would have warned her, given her what information he had and it wouldn't matter. He would have told her all the political strings and rules that came with the assignment, and he knew she didn't care. In that moment she likely wouldn't have even cared about the pay, regardless of how much money had grown to mean in the last seven years.

That woman..... It seems foolish now the Council ever thought her a Demon who would turn the world to ash.

He swallowed.

Not a Demon, no..... But if she wished it, the world would burn and there would be little to be done to stop her.

.:+:.

"Hey, Chess..."

Frea sighed, settling down on her heels in the soft grass, her hair moving in the wind softly as it spanned out over the grassy glen. She folded her hands in her lap, sunlight dancing off the pendent around her neck, eyes soft and expression gentle as her attention focused to the smooth marble headstone in front of her.

What anger and fire burned in her belly seemed to melt away as she stepped here.... This peaceful place.

"Its been a long while, huh?" She murmured, eyes glinting. "I'm sorry for not coming any sooner, things have been hectic lately.... I've been seriously busy." She smiled slightly, "You always told me I worked too hard, and I guess you were probably right about that...." Her eyes fell closed, her smile fading away as her voice did.

"..... I'm going to finish it, soon. This last job, its the last leg of the Flash Beast Triad. The last Guild is going to be shattered, it's people shut behind bars by the end of the week, they'll all be done in their days of murder and ruin..... They'll have all paid for what they've done, I'll be sure of it."

Frea glanced back up, a sudden serious light coming into her gaze as she faced the headstone. There was something dark in those silver eyes of hers, something dangerous for a split second.

"I'm not going to let them do this ever again, not to anyone." Her voice would have stopped the hearts of men in that instant, low and dangerous, murderous.

She caught herself, her eyes softening as she shook her head and let out a breath- brushing away that side of herself, and silently scolding herself too. She couldn't act like that, not here, not ever..... This place was too sacred for that.

After a moment of silence, of simply sitting in stillness, she felt like the world blurred by again.... It was that same blur, everything moved so slowly around her still, and yet she knew what felt like moments had turned to minutes, and then an hour, and she never moved. So easily she lost track of time... More and more in the years.

She let her eyes close, and let out a small sigh- her lips twitching in a rueful smile.

".... Your little brat of a brother's doing fine, in case you were worried. He's been going on job's with us more and more often, and his training is nearly done. He's a full fledged Mage now, just as good as you, if not better in time." She chuckled softly, "He can be one hell of a pain in the ass sometimes... But you know that better than anyone. Even still.... I'm glad he stuck around, I couldn't imagine not having him by my side, despite his snarky attitude sometimes." Frea's hands clenched in her lap tightly, shoulders hunched slightly as her head fell,

".... He misses you so much.... He's in so much pain all the time, just thinking about you, remembering... Missing you... Some days it's really bad, I can't help but flinch at his emotion.... And I can't say I'm not the same....." She cut herself off, taking in a small, sharp breath as if to calm herself, or maybe hold herself back again.

Sunlight glinted off the few drops of liquid that suddenly fell into her lap, splashing gently off her folded hands.

".... I'm trying, Chess. I promised I'd keep him safe, and I will..... I want him happy, and I'm going to do everything I can to make him that way.... I promise. Whatever it takes.... I won't lose him too."

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Alright guys! That'll be the last update for a week or so! Hopefully this is enough to catch your interest a bit more~

<3