"Keep it up, Freya! You're doing a great job!"

I glanced back at where Laxus stood, watching me. I turned my gaze to the remaining hodras in front of me. There were about five left from the herd.

"Shadow Kitsune!"

I summoned a group of the large foxes and had them attack. They jumped on top of the pig-like creatures and bit and clawed up their backs.

With a couple of the pigs being taken down, I jumped in, using my Shadow Claws to take out two more. With only one hodra left, I readied myself to finish it off.

"Hey, Freya, I'd like to see that monster taming spell, if you don't mind!"

I froze momentarily upon hearing Laxus. I allowed my foxes to go back into the shadows and watched the last spotted beast as it fixed its gaze on me.

I patiently waited as the creature charged toward me. Once it was right in front of me, I jumped up, avoiding the pig monster. With it passing under me, I reached down and locked my claws into its thick hide.

The hodra quickly skidded to a halt with a grunt. With me now seated on its back, I let my claws disperse.

"Shadow Bind!"

The thin shadows rose up and wrapped around the beast. The large pig let out a few squeals as it thrashed around in an attempt to free itself. It soon succumbed to the bind and the shadows imprinted themselves across its body.

With the hodra now under my command, I took a moment to catch my breath. I panted and watched Laxus come over with a huge grin.

"Amazing! You have quite the talent, Freya! Consider me impressed!"

I managed a tired smile and replied, "Thanks."

Laxus climbed onto the beast's back and sat down behind me. I let the hodra carry us across the rough, rocky ground. And to think, just yesterday we were in Magnolia, and now here we are, near the base of a mountain.

Most of yesterday was spent just walking and talking. We even camped out near a small stream. But now this morning has been nothing but action packed.

First, Laxus had me fight off a young wyvern that was establishing its territory. Then I had to take down an entire herd of hodras. Boy, am I tired.

"You did an excellent job, Freya. Now I know just how strong you are. I can truly consider you a member of the Thunder Legion."

I glanced back at the blond man and smiled. "Thanks, that means a lot. I'm happy to have my skills approved by an S-class wizard."

"We can head on back if you like. I'm sure you must be tired."

I nodded. "I am. I could use a nap or even a nice, warm bath."

"Now there's just the matter of you and Bixlow."

I kept my head forward to hide my now red face. "W-What matter?"

"Oh, come on, don't play dumb," Laxus said with a laugh. "I've seen the way you two act around each other."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," I stuttered out.

The hodra suddenly stopped with a grunt. Laxus and I both looked ahead to see a bald man. He stood silently in our path.

I frowned and called out, "Hey, you! Get out of our way!"

The man bent down and punched the ground, yelling, "Acid Pillar!"

Pillars of a purple liquid spouted up from the ground. The hodra reared up with a frightful squeal, knocking us off its back and running away. After I stood back up, I glared at the man, noticing his guild mark imprinted on the side of his bald head.

"Laxus, I'll handle this. He's from Fallen Angel."

"Freya, you shouldn't. You haven't recovered your magic energy."

Feeling him touch my shoulder, I jerked away and told him, "This is my fight, Laxus. I have to do this."

I stepped forward, ready to fight. Everything was quiet and still for a moment before the opposing mage finally decided to move.

"Multi-Angle Acid!"

"Guard Shadow!"

My shadows rose up to defend me, but the acid seemed to slowly burn them up. With my opponent repeating the attack, I ducked into the shadows and moved around him.

I quickly rose up behind him. "Shadow Sphere!"

I threw multiple orbs at him, but the man quickly turned around and made another pillar of acid that blocked and dissolved my spheres. With all my earlier battles catching up with me, I could feel my energy being sapped away.

I need to end this quickly before I run out of steam. I quickly charged toward him, readying my next attack.

"Multi-Angle Acid!"

Unwilling to back down, I continued onward, dodging around the acid bubbles. But I pushed my luck, and in my tired state, I slipped up. One of the orbs hit my arm.

The sudden burning sensation distracted me and I got hit in the leg, side, and even across my right eye. I almost instantly dropped to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain.

"Freya!" Laxus' voice called out.

I caught a glimpse of a lightning bolt hitting the acid mage and knocking him out. I could then see Laxus rushing over to me.

"Freya, are you okay?!"

Tears of pain fell down my face as I clutched my right eye. "It stings!"

Laxus helped me up off the ground and said, "Let me see."

I slowly uncovered my eye but still kept it squeezed shut. He made a pained face at me and frowned.

"We need to get you back. Now."

"D-Don't worry about me. I'm o-okay. I can handle a few burns," I said, feeling the pain beginning to subside.

Laxus looked skeptical. "Oh yeah? Well we're still going to take care of it once we get back."

I nodded and pushed past the pain to continue on. It didn't take us very long to make it back to Magnolia. Unfortunately, I spotted Bixlow in front of the guild, as if waiting for us to return.

Oh no, I can't let him see me like this. I don't want to worry him. I quickly pulled my hood up over my head and pulled my cloak closer around me. Bixlow grinned when he saw us approaching.

"Hey, you're back! How'd it go?"

"Great," I quickly replied.

I attempted to walk past him but he quickly stopped me. "Hold up. What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing's wrong," I lied.

He seemed to stare at me momentarily before commanding, "Take off your hood."

"No."

"Freya, let me see your-"

He quickly grabbed at my hood and pushed it off. He froze and I quickly turned away in shame.

"What happened to your eye?!"

With Bixlow holding my shoulders, I once again clutched my eye, feeling the stinging pain come back. Bixlow then seemed to notice the burn on my arm as well as the ones on my side and leg.

"I-It's a long story," I quietly said.

"This isn't good."

We all looked to see Master Makarov approaching us. "Those are acid burns, aren't they?"

I shyly nodded and he explained, "The acid will continue to burn away at your skin. You could even lose your eye if you don't get it treated."

"I bet Porlyusica could heal them," Laxus suddenly said.

Makarov nodded and replied, "I agree. She is best suited for something like this. Quickly, you two, take Freya there."

They both nodded and Bixlow suddenly picked me up. He followed Laxus as they hurriedly left town and entered the East Forest. It didn't take long to make it to a large, hollow tree that seemed to be made into a home.

Laxus knocked on the door. It soon opened to reveal an elderly woman with pink hair. She had an angry expression on her face.

"What do you want?! You know very well that I don't like company!"

Laxus quickly said, "We know. We don't normally bother you, Porlyusica, but it's an emergency."

He glanced at me and the woman followed his gaze. "Alright, bring her in."

The woman led us inside and Bixlow sat me down on a wooden couch. Laxus introduced me to the healer and began explaining what happened while Porlyusica examined my burns.

"Hmm, I believe I have a remedy for this," she quietly muttered.

I remained silent and we all seemed to watch her as she mixed plants and things together to create a thick, green paste. She approached me while dipping two of her fingers into the substance.

"This may sting a bit."

She carefully applied the paste around my eye. I immediately felt a strong stinging sensation and bit my lip to hold in my cries of pain.

Porlyusica applied more of the medicine to my other burns before saying, "There. Now we just wait for the remedy to soak in. Hang in there, Freya. The pain should subside soon."

I clenched the edges of the couch and squeezed my eyes shut. After a short while of enduring the pain, it slowly went away, leaving me to sigh in relief.

Porlyusica wiped away the remaining paste and examined my eye closely. "You're lucky you got here quickly. Looks like I was able to save your eye."

I traced my fingertips over my right eye, no longer feeling pain or any rough, bubbling skin. I smiled up at the woman.

"Thank you so much, Porlyusica. If there's anything I can do to repay you, just name it."

She suddenly grabbed a broom and yelled, "Well for starters, you can get out of my house! You're all better, now scram! I hate humans!"

Bixlow suddenly jumped up, grabbed my wrist, and the three of us rushed out. We quickly left the East Forest and went back to town. That Porlyusica sure is feisty for an older woman.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, wanna head back to the guild, Freya?" Bixlow suddenly asked.

I slowly shook my head. "Nah, it's been a rough day. I think I'll just head back to Fairy Hills for now."

"Oh, okay," Bixlow replied with a frown.

I could hear the disappointment in his voice, but I really needed some time alone to rest. Laxus suddenly patted Bixlow's shoulder and smiled slightly.

"She needs her rest. We'll let gramps and the others know what happened."

With a small nod, Bixlow followed Laxus back toward Fairy Tail. I watched them leave before turning and making my way back to the dorm.