Part 2: Shadows of Magic (Rogue Cheney X OC)

Chapter 22

Third Person's P. O. V:

"You dare intervene?" Endymion seethes, activating his green magical aura that shakes the ground and air.

"I do, because she's my mate! I won't let you take her!" Rogue snaps as his Dragon Force aura flares. The two engage in a fight while Alec, Sting, Happy, Charlele and Wendy race over to the prostrate silver haired girl.

"Hope! Are you okay?" Asks Happy worriedly as Alec pulls his sister's head into his lap.

Wendy checks her with her Healing Magic and informs them, "It looks like she's just stunned. Hope will come around in a few minutes."

That makes them feel relieved.

Alec brushes back his sister's hair as he wills her to come back to them. After about five minutes, she blinks and groans, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Hope-chan! You're okay," Alec breathes as he helps her to sit up.

"Yeah, but I feel like I just got hit by one of Laxus's lightning bolts," She mumbles. "Only stronger. Where's Endymion?"

"Over there, fighting Rogue," Says the blonde Dragon Slayer with a nod to the side, causing the others to follow his gaze.

Hope feels sorry when Endymion punches his gut and knocks him down with a stroke to his shoulder blade from his staff. Hope gets to her feet as Endymion points his green crystal at the Shadow Dragon Slayer.

"Now, die!" Endymion seethes. He's suddenly knocked back by a strong punch to the jaw and was stunned to find Hope there, her face dark.

"Not while I'm still breathing! Arc of Magic: Ether Meal!" She takes on her Ether Form and starts to rapidly absorb the magic power around her, minus from any humans.

Rogue sits up as he watches Hope finish the spell.

"Lifestream Magic: Blast!" Endymion goes to shoot the spell at her but Hope was faster.

"Arc of Magic: Spell Seal!" She meets it with a beam of ethernano and it becomes enveloped in pink ether. When it hits the demigod, he grunts before he's enveloped by the pink aura. Then he's thrown on the ground roughly by Hope. "You'll never get to hurt anyone again! You're going to be put away for a long time."

Natsu, Sting, get ready to grab his arms for me and hole them in front of him," Hope orders coldly. Said boys nod and race over to either side of the demigod.

She releases him and they grab his arms, Natsu chuckling the staff away.

"Arc of Magic: Ether Cuffs," Murmurs the female Foster. With a wave of her hands, a set of cuffs form around Endymion's wrists, preventing him from using his magic.

Hope glares as Sting and Natsu release him, though they keep close.

"You did it, Hope!" Lucy cheers as sue and the others run over. Lucy hugs her friend,

"Thanks," Says Hope sheepishly as Lucy pulls back. "I'm really sorry for attacking you guys."

"Don't worry about it," Says the celestial spirit mage, waving her hand dismissively. "We know you weren't in control."

"Still, could you apologise to Loke for me?" Hope asks.

Lucy smiles, "Sure!"

"I'll call the MagicCouncil to let them know the job is a success," Says Erza and she goes to do just that with her Communication Lacrima.

"What do we do with the magic wand?" Asks Happy as he brings it over.

Hope says as she takes it from him, "I think I'll hang onto this till the Rune Knights arrive."

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It wasn't long before the Rune Knights and Lahar arrive. While they'd waited, Wendy and Hope had healed everyone's injuries. The Knights grab Endymion and Hope helps them swap the cuffs for one of their own before handing his staff over to Lahar.

"Be careful with that. It can turn you into a mindless puppet," The Arc of Magic user says darkly as Lahar takes it.

"Noted," Says the purple eyed man. "You did a good job on capturing the Rune Master. He's been on our radar for months."

"Apparently, he wanted to try to run the world with me because of my magic," Hope says with a roll of her eyes as the Rune Knights lead Endymion into the waiting cart. "But I wasn't going going to go along with it. Any word on the Akatsuki?"

Lahar tells Hope, "No, nothing yet. We've got our men on the job, looking for their base. We'll let you know if anything comes up."

The female Foster nods her head gratefully as she mutters, exhaustion lacing her tone, "Thank you."

Lahar inclines his head to the purple eyed girl before calling to his men to pull out.

Alec and Erza come up beside Hope and the redhead says with a soft smile, a hand on her shoulder, back in her traditional armor, "Let's go home."

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Rogue sits next to Hope in a cart opposite Team Natsu, Alec, Erza and Wendy sitting opposite them, the Arc of Magic user asleep with her head on Rogue's shoulder, his arm around her waist. Frosch is curled in her lap. She'd almost instantly fallen asleep once the train to Magnolia had taken off.

"Is she going to be okay?" Whispers the Sky Dragon Slayer, holding Charlele in her lap as she gazes at the younger Foster in concern.

"She's just tired," Murmurs Alec, gazing at his sister. "A good night's sleep and she'll be back to normal, I'm sure."

Charlele and Erza say nothing as the white Exceed gazes intently at the silverette. After everything she's been through since she was a child, the Akatsuki and now a demigod wanting to make her his queen, it's no wonder she's exhausted.

When they reach Magnolia two hours later, it was around 1: 30 in the morning.

"Hope-chan, we're back," Rogue says quietly as he gently shakes her awake.

Her eyes flutter open and Hope moans slightly as she sits up, rubbing her eyes. "We're back home? Did—Did I sleep the whole way back?" Hope asks in surprise, making Rogue nod his head.

"You did. Don't worry, Wendy used her Troia spell on me whenever I was going to throw up," Rogue tells her with a sheepish smile. Hope smiles back before they all depart the train.

Hope walks beside Rogue, at the front with their hands clasped together, a comfortable silence among the wizards. The streets of Magnolia were quiet as it's the black hours of the morning.

In moments, Team Natsu and Sabertooth enter the quiet guild hall, a single light left on as Makarov remains perched on the bar counter, drinking coffee.

He looks up at the sound of the doors opening and relief swims in his eyes, especially at the sight of Hope.

"You made it back," He says as they stop before him.

"We did," Agrees Erza, stepping forward.

"How did the mission go?" The short old man asks, and Hope recalls what happened, leading up to Endymion's capture. Makarov was shocked when he learned she was being mind controlled by the wizard, but was even more stunned to learn Endymion's a demigod.

"I didn't think they existed," The Dreyar muses when Hope finishes.

"Yeah, well, neither did we," Mutters Sting, shrugging. "No idea where he came from, though."

"Hm, well, at least he's locked up and can no longer hurt anyone—especially Hope," Siggs Makarov, taking the last swig from his coffee.

Rogue says firmly as he frowns, "I refuse to let anyone take away My Hope from me."

He blinks when Hope gently squeezes his hand, causing Rogue to look at her. "I know you won't, Roguey," Hope says appreciatively before kissing his cheek, letting her lips linger for a moment longer.

When she pulls back, there's a blush on the Shadow Dragon's face as he smiles back at his mate, squeezing her hand in return.