The Valley of Fears

INFECTION

The group of fairy tail members walked through magnolia with purpose in every step. The town buzzed with people but to Gajeel the world seemed silent. The markets they passed was colourful, but somehow all the colour drained from Gajeel's vision. However he didn't care, he only cared about getting Porlyusica to Levy so she could be her normal self and things can go back to the good old days. The people in the marketplace crowded around, but as soon as they set eyes on Gajeel, Erza and Porlyusica they parted from intimidation, forming a path for them. They've all heard the stories of Titania Erza, Blacksteel Gajeel and the woman living in the woods that hated other humans.

However, one woman in the market didn't part for them when her eyes moved to them. Instead, she walked to them. They conveniently found Mira on their way to the hospital. She was worried about all of them and also went to Porlyusica's home, but instead, she found them walking back to the hospital so she joined them. Mira led the way to the hospital room Levy rested in once they reached the Magnolia's Hospital since she was the only one who actually knew where the room was.

Mira led the way through the twisting halls of the hospital until she stopped in front of a door, making the rest of the group stop behind her. She gently took the door handle and opened the door to the room, stepping into the door as the door swung open slowly. The group poured into the room after Mira. They all stopped at the foot of the bed and watched the small blue-haired woman in the hospital bed. Silence reigned over the room. Gajeel's eyes studied Levy. He didn't really have time to take in her physical injuries back at the dark guild because he had to fight the dark mages, but he didn't miss the injuries he saw when he saw her for the first time in such a long time.

Her eyes were closed and her body remained still, only her chest moved to signal that she was in fact breathing. A sort of tranquillity set over the hospital room, however, it was a sombre one. Yet she didn't have a face of peace, but she also didn't have a face of terror. Her face was just neutral. No signs of emotion were displayed on it. Her hair was strewn loosely over the pillow her head rested on. Bags were formed under her closed eyes, staining her white skin. It looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. Red irritated skin incircled both her wrist, indicating that she tugged at her handcuffs a lot. It looked like there would be a scar forming on both her wrists.

A blanket was pulled over Levy, but it only went up to her stomach, after all, it was summer in Magnolia. A warmth was spread over the town in the day and in the night it remained as it softly embraced the happy citizens. Levy also wore one of those standard hospital gowns that all the patients in Magnolia's hospital were required to wear. Levy had bandages that covered deep cuts on her arm and multiple scratches. Bruises seeped its way from under the hospital gown to skin that was visible to the eye. The late afternoon light streamed into the room through the open window, colouring the white walls orange while the white curtains gently swayed from the breeze. A metal pole stood next to the hospital bed with a bag of fluids hanging from it. The plastic tube made it all the way down to the needle that was lodged in Levy's arm, giving her the nutrients her body was deprived of.

Gajeel could see all the weight she lost since she was taken by Eisenwald, giving him an indication that they only gave her what she needed in order to stay alive, not healthy. Porlyusica silently walked over to Levy's side while Wendy, Erza, Mira and Gajeel stood where they were. Rooted to their spots as they anxiously awaited for Porlyusica's report on Levy while they watched her every move.

"Did the useless doctors here run any tests on her?" Porlyusica asked while she examined Levy.

"They did, we're expecting to get the results today." Mira answered while Gajeel looked over at Mira questioningly.

"I didn't know they ran tests, what did they run tests for?" Gajeel asked surprised, however his eyebrows still furrowed in worry.

"They wanted to make sure she didn't get infected or picked up a disease while she was imprisoned at Eisenwald." Mira explained while Porlyusica lifted one of Levy's eyelids up. making