As promised, the small group composed of Laxus, Mira and Natsu started their journey while the sun could barely be seen on the horizon. Despite his determination of leaving early, Laxus couldn't help but yawn as he initiated his long walk to the wall. As for Mira, she was true to herself, a bright smile on her lips, seeming ready to climb a mountain... or at least true to herself when other people than him were around her. Even if the young man had noticed that she showed a little less of her more... demonic side then when they first met, Laxus had to admit that her capacity of switching between the most beautiful smile and a killer's look was disturbing.

They walked in silence for a little while until Mira engaged the conversation.

"I was wondering, Natsu... If I'm right, it's been a while since you created Fairy Tail".

"A couple of years, yeah" he confirmed.

"If you knew the truth about the DFA, why did you keep it as a secret?"

A pout appeared on Natsu's face.

"Most of the villages are under the DFA's control and a lot of them, just like that stupid Gajeel, don't even know what are the true motives of their organization. But Lucy thinks that it's too dangerous to get closer to the villages because most of us are escaped people from the DFA. I say we should stop overthinking and jump right in!" he added, hitting his fist on the other, a flame burning in his eyes.

"You really aren't a bright one" let out Laxus, talking for the first time since they left.

"Laxus!" Reprimanded Mira, but the young man ignored her. "I'm still surprised, though, I would have thought that you would have got stupidly killed already, acting without a second thought... that blond girl must have a lot of impact on you" he snickered.

The salmon-haired young man crossed his arms, practically pouting.

"That's what Lucy always says to convince me but..."

He almost shivered from fear before resuming.

"She is the one who refuses to let me go..."

"Who's she?"

"The incarnation of Satan" he shivered once more "Erza!"

"The red head girl we saw yesterday?" Asked Mira.

Natsu confirmed with a nod.

"I wonder what is the power of her ring for her to be this powerful..." thought the young woman out loud, her hand on her chin...

"She's not a bearer" clarified Natsu.

"What?" Interrupted this time Laxus. "You're more afraid of her that a whole squad of armed men and she isn't even a bearer?"

"She doesn't need to have powers to be a monster! She only needs a sword and she can fight against a whole army, destroy mountains and..."

Natsu was interrupted in his delirium by a hit on the skull from Laxus.

"Laxus!" Exclaimed Mira once more. 

"He doesn't feel pain... I don't know why I should hold back..."

"Look at him!" Pointed Mira where a bump was already showing on top of his head.

"So fighting is what you want!" Said Natsu, his fist ready, a big grin on his lips.

"Tch." Complained Laxus, ignoring the guy. "That imbecile doesn't deserve your sympathy. 

"He has a healthy imagination" said Mira, taking his defense, a hand on her cheek. "And a lot of energy too!"

Laxus sighed and resume to walking in silence. By some miracle, they finally managed to reach the wall, just before the main basecamp.

"You'll be okay finding your way in there?" Asked Mira to Natsu, a glimpse of worry in her voice. 

"Of course!" He said with his characteristic grin. "We even drew a map based on everyone's information on this place".

"And what do you recommend?"

"Lucy and Levy told me our best chance was to walk through the tunnel Gajeel used to escape with Levy".

Mira nodded. As for Laxus's lack of answer, the young woman interpreted this as an approval. We're so close! She encouraged herself as they continued their progression to where her brother was kept.

***

Elfman blindly wandered down the hallway as fast as he could, Evergreen tight in his arms and Lisanna trying to keep his pace behind him. They had managed to escape the most active section of the wall, but sadly, that implied that no light was there to guide them. 

"Elfman wait!" Lisanna said in the lowest tone she could to not alert the whole wall. 

"We don't have time to wait..." he said, looking uselessly at Evergreen as the darkness around them prevented him from seeing a thing.

"But we don't even know where we're going!"

The young man slowed down, realizing that his efforts were indeed futile. But was could he do instead? He felt a hand on his forearm, bringing back his attention on the girl he was carrying.

"Put me down" she said with a weak voice.

"No way! A real man cannot..."

"And the woman is more than fed up with your men obsession" she complained, with more conviction than her state allowed her to. 

That only made the young man smile.

"Stop stupidly laughing at me" she said despite the practically total darkness of the room". I don't need light to see and I can guide you and... Who are you exactly?" she added, pointing at Lisanna even though she was the only one to see her own gesture. 

"My name's Lisanna" said the girl who easily understood she was talking about her. 

"And, by any chance, would you have an idea of how to get away from here?"

"I simply have strong feelings about situations or places, some kind of sixth sense, but it isn't very precise. I know however that I feel better since we got to this section of the wall, but now, we can't see a thing."

"That's my domain" smiled Evergreen with pride. "I'll guide you."

She slid out of Elfman's arms despite the lather's reticence. But barely had she made a couple of steps that her legs collapsed under her. Only Elfman's hand prevented her from hitting the ground. Without hesitation, he picked her up once more despite her protestations. 

"Neither of you can see at the moment! If we blindly walk in this hell's place, we're as good as dead."

"Then tell me the way" settled Elfman. "If you are my eyes, then as a man, I'll be your legs".

The young woman couldn't help but heavily blush to his comment despite the annoying habit that sack of muscles of saying "man" every two words. Good thing he wasn't seeing her at the moment, she thought.

"Love is such a beautiful thing..." giggled Lisanna behind them.

"It has nothing to do with love!" Exclaimed both Evergreen and Elfman simultaneously, only increasing the white haired girl's laugh. 

"In thirty feet or so we'll reach the end of the hallway and will have to choose between left or right" finally said the brunette, trying to ignore that girl who obviously didn't know a thing about love. "Which way your sixth sense recommends?"

"I don't feel anything at the moment" said Lisanna with regret. "Either there's nothing to worry about in both directions, either the menace is too far away for me to sense it".

"We'll go left" settled Elfman. 

"You heard something?" Asked Lisanna.

"No. But we had to choose a way so that's what I did".

Evergreen rose her eyes to the sky at the randomness of his decision, but she had to admit that, despite his lack of thinking, at least, he did something. So they took the left path and walked to what seemed like an eternity because of their stress, and that even though they probably didn't walk for more than a couple of minutes. 

"Wait!" Lisanna stopped them. 

"You feel something?" Asked Elfman who already saw how her power could be handy. 

"People... very close..."

"We have to get out of here!" Exclaimed Evergreen.

"No, wait! I don't feel the same thing from them as from every DFA member we saw until now. I feel determination, worry... That could be other bearers trying to escape."

"As much as it could be other guards" cut her out Evergreen. "We have to hide and fast!"

"We should go see them" said Elfman.

"Is your brain made out of muscles?" tempered Evergreen. "Walking in their direction is our best way to die!"

"It's Lisanna's gift that made me find you" he said, his eyes locked on her even if he couldn't see her. "She earned my trust".

Evergreen blushed once again before giving up, still not reassured. 

"I can feel them a little further on the right".

"There is a junction a few feet further" confirmed Evergreen, guiding them so they could turn without hitting a wall.

They walked a little more until a flashlight blinded her. The young woman's blood instantly froze. If they were fugitives like them, they wouldn't have flashlights. Her hand tightened on Elfman's arm by reflex. She could almost feel her vital energy leave her again. She heard a voice call out Elfman's name. The lather's body stifened as a response to that call, probably associating the voice to one of those who caused them so much trouble. Then she heard her own name. This time, her heart skipped a beat. This voice, she knew it very well. A voice she thought she'd never hear again. 

"Laxus..." she let out.