Fairy Tail - Twilight Empire

Chapter 9 - Cedar Airfield

Makarov placed a Sleep charm upon Evergreen while they hurried in their travels. She would be awake for some portions of the day, but at the onset of feeling that horrifying power brewing in the back of her mind, she'd inform Makarov who would put her under. Thankfully, the charm had no side effects. She scarfed down food and water to get her necessary nutrients in for the day.

Laxus would scout ahead for miles to let the wandering group know if there were signs of Blue Pegasus or Bob. Makarov was headed for the guild's former base, so that they could, at the very least, have a sense of where they would go if the place was abandoned.

When they had a chance to catch their breath, Makarov and Freed set to work studying Evergreen. Makarov was hesitant to go too in-depth as he was unsure how to properly study magic circuits, though Freed was an expert at noticing tampering.

Naturally, there was quite a bit.

"Master," Freed said while they stood over Evergreen as she slept one night. "I'm beginning to believe that this isn't some sort of all-encompassing corruption."

"No?" Makarov asked. "Her magic is mostly intact, isn't it? Not twisted by any means."

"This is Evergreen's magic," Freed said. "Plain and simple. And that's why I believe it's rooted, in a singular spot." He pointed to her brain, then her chest. "Her mind. Or her soul."

"Broken," Makarov said. "By the Empire."

"It would be bad if it spread," Freed said. "Because my fear is that, however this process works, it is meant to consume body and soul. However, we interrupted the process. I believe it is Evergreen's soul that is corrupted."

"It wants to do harm, it wants to do the Emperor's bidding," Makarov said. "Which is why she is unaware of what's happening when she uses her magic against us."

He rubbed his temple. This was no good. Freed was right—if this corruption, this breaking, spread, it would lead to the end of Evergreen as they knew her.

The way to prevent it came through understanding what'd been done in the first place. Makarov knew of twisted wizards before, wizards that were taken under by the spell of a Dark Wizard. This was different.

Evergreen would live on. She would have her memories and heart, but it would be so completely controlled by Zeref's whim.

"Erza mentioned some sort of black lacrimal," Freed said. "But I've never heard of such a thing."

"Nor have I," Makarov said. "Levy, perhaps, in her infinite wisdom. In times such as this, even Porlyusica may know the secrets of what ails poor Evergreen."

"I wish they were here," Freed said. A howling wind swept the landscape. For miles and miles, there were no signs of civilization. They were truly alone out there.

"My hope is that keeping her mind inactive for some time, at least keeping it away from her magic, may spur whatever is happening to stay rested," Makarov said. "Until such time it is that we may attack it."

What did they do to her? What, in those vile dungeons beneath a once holy spot, did that accursed Empire to do Evergreen? What did she see? What did she hear? What did she feel, writhing beneath the torturous ire of that Ethereal Witch?

Almost unconsciously, Makarov took a seat. He let out a long sigh. Freed stepped around the observation table he and Makarov had created with magic.

"Master?" Freed said. "Bickslow, come here."

"I'm fine, boys," Makarov said. Bickslow rested a hand on Makarov's back. He heaved out another sigh. "It is simply a heavy heart I'm carrying."

He'd cried himself to sleep since the journey began. He thought being around Laxus would cure him of that, given that he would be with the last remaining family the two truly had. Instead, it served as a grim reminder that he'd left much of his family behind to wallow, suffer, and ultimately be crushed beneath the Imperial heel.