ALL NOVEL 40. Without Chains
HAPPY HOLIDAYS YOU FUCKS!
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Fairy Hills, the all-girls apartments exclusively used by Fairy Tail wizards and their families. The anxiety I had up until this point only seemed to increase tenfold, partly because I intended to meet Erza, and partly because of the guild mark on my waist.
The match between Mirajane and I was supposed to be a proxy battle that would end the feud between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail, at least for a while, but all it seemed to do was spark more anger from Jose. So much so, that for the past two years, he hasn’t even bothered attending the annual guild masters’ meeting.
Totomaru has even said he’s seen him pay off some of the more violent members who attacked Fairy Tail wizards, and Mirajane has supported these stories.
Even after removing the Phantom Lord guild mark with transformation magic, I made sure to zip up my jacket just in case. I didn’t want to be forced to leave before I could even talk to her.
Finding the building located in the hills left of the guildhall, I walked into the main lobby located on the left of the whole dorm. It was relatively empty, save for a couch and chair situated around a low coffee table, a small bookshelf, and a counter with a door that likely led to an office. On the other side of the lobby was a flight of stairs going up to the next floor with a door to the right of them, presumably a broom closet. To the left of the office door was a hallway that led to the rooms on the main floor.
After I rang the small bell on the counter I was met by a young woman’s voice coming from behind the office door, “Just a minute!”
When the door opened I was met with a girl, possibly a year younger than me, with dark brown hair and eyes and tan skin dressed in a white sweater and grey skirt. She was trying to pull off tape and wrapping paper that had gotten stuck to her clothes and hair, practically stumbling out of the office door.
“Sorry, tricky shapes to wrap is all,” she said, her eyes looking at me with curiosity, “I don’t recognize you so I doubt you’re part of Fairy Tail. Do you need anything?”
“Ye- *cough* Yeah, I was hoping to see if a girl named Erza was here. Red hair, brown eyes? ”
“Why do you want to know?”
“We grew up in the same village, Rosemary, she was raised in the church and I the orphanage, before it was destroyed. When I heard a wizard with the same name and appearance had joined Fairy Tail, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful.”
For a moment, the girl looked stunned, as if she was trying to digest the information I had given her. I guess Erza didn’t tell anyone about Rosemary, and frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised. The only people who know are Totomaru and Tatsuo, and regardless of how curious Juvia has gotten about my past, I haven’t told her anything beyond my training in Himura.
When she regained her composure, the thirteen-year-old nodded before making her way out from behind the counter. “Okay, umm, can I get a name?”
“Lyssa.”
“Alright, I’ll go get her. Just wait here.”
The girl left up the stairs and left me to sit around in the foyer. I began to read the titles of the books left on the small shelf to pass the time, hoping to find one I may have not read.
‘Discerning the Artistry of the Transmundane. Geoglyphs and Terran Phantasms. Adrenaline Junkying Your Way To More Ethernano. Tarot and Other Magic Cards, a Quick Guide to the Future. Charm Me On Summer’s Dawn…haven’t heard of that one yet. Pretty sure the Magic Council has passed a bill that will outlaw charm magic starting next year, so I guess I should try and read it before it's destroyed.’
Pulling the book on charm magic out, I was mildly surprised by the front cover. It depicted three women, each staring longingly into each other’s eyes as their hair intertwined on the grass field they lay upon.
Guess I shouldn’t be surprised by the cover looking like a romance novel, Charm is a Magic that hypnotizes the target into a state of attraction, allowing victims to be coerced into doing activities that they normally wouldn't participate in. That’s why it's being outlawed, as although the spell can be broken if the victim is aware they’re being charmed, most can’t.
Hearing a set of footsteps making their way down the steps in a hurry, I quickly stored the spell book with a storage spell before anyone could hopefully see, and made my way to stand in the middle of the foyer.
The banging footsteps came to an abrupt stop before their source could come into view, but she did, slowly with obvious nervousness in her movements. First, I saw the ever-recognizable scarlet red hair, the braid it was in previously let down. I could see in those brown eyes a flurry of emotions. Hope. Anxiety. But above them all, one I recognize all too well, is fear…
“Merry Christmas…?” I said, shoving my hands into my pockets to hide the beading sweat, “I guess I should have brought a better present than myself.”
“It is you, isn’t it?” the scarlet-haired girl said, her words so careful and measured it was as if the wrong response would cause her world to crumble around her.
“Y-yeah, its me, Erza.”
“Umm, c-come to my room. We can catch up there.”
Her voice and mine were both strained, the effort we were putting in to keep our composure was immense as the distance between heaven and earth.
When we entered her room, she turned around and placed her hand on the side of my face, her eyes studying my appearance with a distant look.
“You got a new eye,” she said with a hoarse voice.
“You did, too. Porlyusica?” I asked, prompting her to nod, “Is she just like Grandpa Rob’s stories?”
In a voice touched by tremors, she replied, “Exactly like them,” before enveloping me in a tight, crushing hug. In that moment, that solitary question, that shared connection unburdened by shadows, became the lifeline confirming our reality — assurance that we were not mere illusions born of desperate hope. It was then I heard something I never thought I would hear again.
Erza crying.
The echoes of those sobs stirred within me a tumult of anger and regret, emotions I felt powerless to mend. Instinctively, my entire being gravitated towards her, intertwining with hers as tears flowed freely, a mirrored reflection of our shared pain. It was as if my body sought to affirm what my heart had already embraced – this was Erza, not merely a girl with a matching name and hair. Here she was, tangible and real; I could touch her, embrace her, listen to her, and in turn, she could do the same for me.
“I’m so happy,” she choked, “All this time, I thought you there, at the tower with him.”
“I thought you had died!” I cried into her hair, “That you were a corpse drifting in the ocean…”
“But we were both wrong. We were both so wrong…”
We both just stood there, holding each other in fear of the dream ending.
She let go of the hug first, still holding me by the hand as she led me towards the couches by the window. A companionable silence stretched on between us, broken only by sniffling as we dried our eyes.
“Master Makarov knows,” her hoarse voice squeaked out, “Porlyusica, too.”
“Then…we might be able to save everyone, right? Makarov Dreyar is one of the Ten Wizard Saints, and isn’t Yajima on the Magic Council? This is our chance!”
I couldn’t hide my excitement. This was an opportunity for us to help those still trapped in the tower. We could finally, finally give them freedom!
At least, that's what I had hoped, but the pitying look in Erza’s eyes told me that all of my hopes were fruitless.
“What? What is it?”
Instead of giving me an answer, she turned her eyes toward the floor in an attempt to avoid my gaze.
“Erza?”
My voice was tinged with desperation. Why wasn’t she answering me? What could possibly make it that a Wizard Saint and council member weren’t enough to win?
“Jellal,” she began, her eyes never leaving the floor and all hope and happiness that was in them just a minute ago was gone, “He is a Wizard Saint candidate, and has the ears of the Magic Council.”
“What?”
“Fairy Tail’s reputation with the Magic Council isn’t high, in fact, it’s rather negative, and Yajima also doesn’t have many friends in the Council’s seats. But Yajima told the master about a boy named Siegrain who is identical to Jellal. ‘The prodigy that defines a generation’ he said. There…” she shuttered as she took a deep breath before looking up at me with pain in her eyes, “There isn’t a way to convince the Council to turn against Jellal that I doubt he isn’t already prepared for…”
“And whether or not we manage to turn them against him,” I said as I buried my head into my hands, “he’ll know and kill everyone at the tower…”
I couldn’t comprehend what I was hearing. Jellal was the same age as us. He was being considered for a Wizard Saint position at fourteen!? How!? How could he possibly be that strong!? What kind of monsters are backing him!?
Maybe if I can take down his backers, if I can prove to the Council that I’m a more reliable, a more powerful asset, then maybe, just maybe I can still-
A firm squeeze on my thigh drew me from my thoughts. Erza was just sitting shaking her head with a pleading look. “There isn’t anything we can do, Lyssa. So please, don’t try anything foolish. I just got you back. I can’t…if I lost someone close to me again…”
“Hey. Hey hey hey hey, look at me. You won’t alright?” Pulling her into a hug, I buried her head into my shoulder before she could start sniffling again. “I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Promise me you won’t do something reckless.”
“...I promise.”
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The first chapter of the week. Plan to give you lot a new chapter every day for the rest of the week as a gift from me to you as thanks for the support!