The Ring Master | Jellal Fernandes [1] ON HOLD

36 | A Man Named Will Nevill

"What happened?" Halay demanded to know as she slammed the guild doors open. A light sweat had formed on her forehead as she stumbled into the room. All the men jumped up and caught her as her legs gave way under her.

"Woah, careful." Reed told her as he placed her gently into a seat near them. "You're still injured, remember?" He reminded her which made her nod in understanding.

"Anybody know what that ringing was?" Halay questioned the three males that were standing over her in curiosity.

Macao looked to Wakaba before reluctantly telling her, "No but we have a feeling it's to do with the clock pieces Lucy went to gather."

"We've got no idea though since they've been taken to Blue Pegasus." Wakaba replied as he watched Halay's face light up slightly at the mention of her old guild.

"They've gone to Blue Pegasus?" Halay questioned the man, not understanding what had happened to her friends. "Why?"

"Master Bob called, he wanted to talk to you but you were gone, he said it was urgent so passed the message onto me." Macao answered as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Ichiya saved them from rubble that was falling on their heads, took them back to their guild hall to let them recover." He could see the worry swell in her eyes and he smiled softly. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and told her, "They'll be back here soon, don't worry."

"They're in safe hands with Bob. I trust him." Halay told them honestly as she felt a stinging sensation in her arm. She brought her hand to cover it and looked up to the men and smiled tensely. "I'm gonna ... go strap up my arm."

She quickly stood up and walked to the stairs. Her hands found the railings and pulled herself up the stairs. She was weak, she knew that but the side effects of the poison was still very prominent. She didn't know how long it would take for her body to go back to normal. She pushed herself into the medical room, trying not to disturb Kinana. Her ringed fingers wrapped around the draw and handle and she pulled only to let out a defeated sigh. There were no bandages.

She looked down at her arm, wondering if the thin shirt would be able to cover her greatest secret. She knew it would but would it be able to cover the scar along her heart. Halay knew that she trusted too easily, maybe it was a side effect of growing up in an extremely toxic environment, deprived of the love a young child needed. She couldn't help but think about a family before the Tower of Heaven. Did she have one? Did they look for her? Did they miss her?

She would have started to cry if she didn't hear the door slam open from downstairs.

"The Oracion Seis." She heard Macao state in disbelief. "I was hoping to never hear that name again."

Wakaba turned to his friend and asked, "You reckon that's why old man Makarov was summoned by the Wizard Saints?" It seemed the most plausible.

"If that's true, why wasn't I summoned?" Halay questioned when she appeared on the landing, looking down at the two men. She felt every pair of eyes turn to her in shock, concern and relief. Seeing Halay alive seemed to calm a lot of the room down.

"You were dying kiddo." Wakaba explained as he watched her walk down the stairs and stand next to him. Her eyes drifted briefly over the group, not seeing her apprentice among the crowd. 

"Halay, you're alive." Keeri smiled as she pulled the brunette into a tight hug. Halay wrapped her arms around the time mage loosely.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Halay stated as she pulled out fo the hug, rubbing her arm uncomfortably. She didn't understand why she felt this way, maybe it was because she didn't want them to find out about anything she had seen.