Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters
Author Note: Hello everyone! I am so happy to release the first chapter of my revised version of my story, the Celestial Angel, which I wrote on my other account TheGreatFlame101, unfortunately I was not able to log into this account and I lost all my work that I had already started to it took me a while to find motivation to rewrite it again. I know the whole Lucy leaves Fairy Tail had been done literally hundreds of times but I hope I can make my story unique enough for it to be enjoyable.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the first chapter and if you were a reader of my first version, I hope you see how much I've improved and changed. If you like the story, please leave a review about anything I need to improve on like chapter length, grammar, characters, fight scenes, etc.. and if you want more chapters

Have an amazing day! :)

Promise

On a distant island

On a tropical island in the middle of the ocean hidden from the world, a spirit was resting in a clearing of lush grass and vibrant flowers. The spirit possessed a strong and warm aura that attracted all kind of animals to surround her while she slept.

Suddenly for the first time in many years the spirit opened her brilliant emerald eyes with a quick jolt and gasped. The animals all stood up and sniffed the small spirit who took the form of a little girl with long pale blonde hair that reached her feet. The spirit was wearing a frilly pink dress and wore no shoes.

The spirit started to float up and focused on a terrible energy that she felt awakening. "No this isn't possible, I thought they were dead." Her voice quavered in fear and she closed her eyes, trying to steady herself.

The spirit raised her hand and a golden sphere appeared in front of her, magic text began to circle the globe and she closed her eyes so she could concentrate. Suddenly the globe began to glow and let off a brilliant light as the spirit established a connection with the one person who could help her.

"Celestia, they're back…"

A few weeks later

In the beautiful city of Magnolia, the sun was setting after a long hot summer day but even though the day was coming to an end, the city was still alive with energy. Couples roamed the cities, admiring the blooming flowers, fisherman enjoyed the last few hours of sunlight, children ran up and down the streets playing tag and pretending to be their favorite mages fighting evil, and the town's prized possession, the guild Fairy Tail, was -as always- loud with music, drinking, dancing, laughing, and fighting.

Even though it seemed like a perfect day, a certain blonde celestial spirit mage was anything but happy. The blonde, Lucy, walked to her apartment with her faithful dog spirit, Canis Minor or Plue. She balanced on the river's embankment, head held down so her bangs covered her puffy chocolate covered eyes that were usually full of joy and life.

"Hey Lucy! Good evening!" A familiar fisherman floating down the river called to her and waved.

Lucy looked up and tried to smile while waving back. The fisherman frowned slightly, Lucy's smile was obviously fake and didn't reach her eyes like it usually does. He shrugged and figured that it must have been a stressful day for her at work.

Lucy hopped off the embankment at she neared her apartment building and pulled out Plue's silver celestial key. "Bye Plue." She said warmly and leaned down to hug the "dog." The spirit trembled in her arms and tried to wrap his short stubby arms around Lucy.

Puuun." The snowman-like dog said and tried to comfort the blonde. Lucy smiled slightly and felt tears begin to sting her eyes so she quickly stood up and wiped her eyes before sending her spirit away to the Celestial Spirit Realm.

Lucy entered her homey pink apartment and set her keys on the table where her unfinished book laid along with a few other personal items. She entered her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror as she began to take out the hair ties that kept her hair in pigtails and take off her makeup. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were stained with tears, her whole body was sore and ached when she moved. She grimaced at the new cut on her cheek and lightly touched it and hissed quietly when it stung.

The blonde started to strip and let out a sigh every time she saw a new bruise forming. Once she was fully naked she started filling her bath with steaming hot water and once it was full she stopped the water and sank into her bath, sighing as the water burned her skin and worked at her sore muscles.

'That had to be the worst mission we have ever been on.' Lucy thought and somehow sank deeper into the water as she started to remember the event that she had been trying to avoid.

'It should've been me...'

Flashback

The entirety of Fairy Tail had been partying for the past week which was usual for the rowdy guild but this time it was extra special because Lisanna Strauss was back from Edolas, alive and well! For years Lisanna's friends and family thought that she was dead but really she had been transported to a mirror world, Edolas. After a long and strenuous battle in Edolas, the Fairy Tail members returned to their home, Earth Land with Lisanna and the exceeds.

Lucy had partied just as hard as everyone else even though she didn't know Lisanna as well but it was the end of the month and no amount of partying could make her forget that her rent was due soon. So in the morning she put on a royal blue v-neck, white shorts that ended at her mid-thigh, brown gladiator sandals, and attached her key chain to her shorts and marched to the guild, determined to find a mission that paid a lot.

It was early in the morning so not many people had come to the guild yet other than a few drunks who passes out last night. Lucy stepped over Cana's limp body passed out on the floor and walked up to the job board.

Magicians needed!

Magnolia Cafe

Please help us Fairy Tail, we need performers to increase buisness. Just for one night, we need you to do preform magic tricks that draw in a crowd

10,000 Jewels

Lucy shook her head and thought to herself 'Definitely not, knowing Team Natsu either all the food would be eaten or the entire cafe would be blown up...most likely both.' Lucy sighed and scanned over the other jobs.

Treasure Hunt!

Mages needed to protect our group while we explore the ancient ruins in Desierto, rumored to be hiding great treasure

Split the treasure between us

The blonde cocked her head to the side and considered the request for a minute but ultimately decided against it, 'It sounds interesting but its too far away, I need my rent money as soon as possible.'

Finally after searching and reading requests for another minute, one caught Lucy's eye.

Suspicious Activity

Rosewood

Recently, there has been multiple disappearances of villagers for the past weeks and a body has been found, completely maimed. We have no idea what is doing this but please help us before more of our friends and family turn up dead

200,000 Jewels

Lucy ripped the paper from the board and smiled "This one is perfect! Its close, enough money and Natsu and the others can beat stuff up!" Lucy walked over to the bar where Mira was cleaning up and laid down the request.

"Hey Mira, Good morning."

"Good morning Lucy!" Mira chirped happily and started to make Lucy's favorite drink, a strawberry smoothie. The two friends started to make small talk and chatter as more and more people started to filter into the guild hall. Finally, Natsu, Gray, Erza, Happy, and Lisanna walked into the guild, laughing and joking about something and went to sit down at a table.

Lucy hopped off her stool and finished the last of her smoothie "Can you sign off on this request? Team Natsu will handle it."

Mira nodded and stamped the sheet for Lucy. The blonde quickly thanked her and jogged over to the table where Team Natsu and Lisanna were sitting. "Guys, I signed us up for a job in a town called Rosewood." Lucy handed the paper to Erza and continued "Some sort of animal or monster is taking and attacking the townspeople, it should be an easy job for us once we find it."

Lucy expected Natsu to already be out the door and packed but instead he looked hesitant. Lucy frowned and little 'Natsu?! Not wanting to do a mission where he gets to destroy things?!' Lucy thought incredulously and quickly smiled brightly "Please you guys! I really need my rent money for this month and it could be fun." Lucy begged and put on a fake pout face that made Erza and Gray smile.

Erza got up and handed the paper back to Lucy "Yeah lets go, it has been a while since we've gone on a mission."

Gray nodded in agreement and started to take off his shirt "You heard her, get your lazy ass going Natsu!" The raven haired mage smirked at Natsu who was still sitting down.

"But guys, what about Lisanna? We just got her back and we shouldn't just leave." Natsu said and smiled at Lisanna. The white haired takeover mage smiled back and Lucy eyes widened slightly in surprise and wondered if there was something going on between those two. She shook her head and dispelled those thoughts, she was probably just reading too much into it.

"Hey I know what to do!" Happy exclaimed and stood up on the table "Why doesn't Lisanna come with us? She's part of Team Natsu right?"

Natsu grinned brightly and jumped up "You're so right Happy! Lisanna come with us, it will be so much fun with you!" Natsu didn't wait for an answer from Lisanna, he grabbed her hand and ran out of the guild with her "Meet us at the train!" He yelled back and the rest of Team Natsu sighed.

"I can't let Pinky beat me! Lets go you guys!" Gray roared and started to run towards the train station after Natsu and Lisanna.

"Gray wear your damn clothes!" Erza screamed at him and chased after the ice mage with his clothes.

"Aye!" Happy flew off after the rest of Team Natsu.

Lucy rolled her eyes fondly at her team's antics and started to jog after her teammates. Even though she was happy that Team Natsu was back in action and finally going on a mission, there was a tiny nagging feeling at the back of her mind that was getting harder to ignore.

They all met up at the train station and bought tickets to a city near Rosewood. They all boarded the train, Natsu got in first and sat down in the booth and Lucy made a move to sit next to him but Lisanna slipped past her and sat next to Natsu. Lucy fought the urge to roll her eyes and sat in the seat opposite to Natsu along with Gray and Erza and Happy sat on the table. As soon as the train started moving, Natsu succumbed to his motion sickness and his head fell into Lisanna's lap. She giggled softly and began to play with his soft pink locks "There, there Natsu I'm here for you like always."

Lucy frowned 'Like always?! She hasn't been here for years, hasn't fought by his side, been there to support him, been his partner through thick and thin...' Suddenly Lucy had a scary thought that she hadn't thought of 'Maybe their connection is still that strong though...after all these years.' Lucy shook her head, trying to dispel all her negative thoughts and closed her eyes, hoping to get some peace before they arrived.

Eventually they arrived at Rosewood which seemed like a normal town except for the fact that there was no sign of life anywhere. Lucy and the others could see where the town got it's name, practically every garden was covered in roses of different colors, giving off a pleasant aroma that blanketed the whole town. The expanded Team Natsu walked down the deserted street and started to call out to any villagers.

"Hello? We're here to help!"

"We're Fairy Tail mages."

"Is anyone out there?"

Finally, someone came out of a building, a short man dressed in a cotton candy pink suit with striking blue hair and eerily black beady eyes. He let out a cry of relief when he saw the mages and started to float towards them "Thank God you guys are here! I was beginning to think that no one would ever some to help us!"He cried and actually tears started to stream down his face as he got a little too close to Erza.

"You must be Titania, the gorgeous and undefeated queen of the fairies. I'm Asher the mayor of this town." Asher floated down onto the ground and took Erza's hand to kiss it but she quickly pulled it away.

Lucy stepped in before the mayor could make another move on Erza and potentially get hurt. "Hello Mayor, as we've said we're here to help so can you tell us everything you know about this monster."

Asher turned his piercing gaze at Lucy and the blonde tried her hardest to not shiver under his gaze. The blue haired man smiled and started to walk back towards the building he came out of. "Well, it all started three weeks ago, 12 people from Rosewood had been slowly disappearing, men, women...children." The mayor stopped for a second and then continued "A hunter, Chris, found a body a week ago, completely cut up and mutilated. We decided then that we needed help from a guild before we found anymore bodies." The mayor reached the door to the building and opened it, holding it open so the Fairy Tail mages could step through.

The mages were lead into a large building where about 20 villagers were gathered, silently staring at the newcomers. Asher led them to a door in the back of the room that led to a private room with a desk, chairs, and a fireplace. A man and a little boy were sitting on the floor by the fireplace

"Hey Chris, how are you?" Asher asked in a concerned tone and put a comforting hand on Chris' shoulder. Chris was a tall, muscular man with spiky brown hair and hazel eyes. He was obviously exhausted, there were bags under his eyes and he looked like he could fall over at any moment.

Chris sighed "I'm fine, just worried about Meera, she must be so scared, I was supposed to protect her..." Chris became lost in thought and it took a few seconds before he noticed Team Natsu standing in the room with him. "Who are they? Did help finally come?" He asked excitedly and Asher smiled and nodded.

"Yes and these aren't average mages, they're from Fairy Tail, one of the strongest guild in Fiore." Asher gestured to the mages and Erza shook Chris' hand.

"Fairy Tail?!" A high pitch squeak came from the little boy who looked like an exact copy of Chris, except for his eyes that had more green, sitting by the fireplace "Wow! You're Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster and Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia!" The kid's eyes shined with excitement "You guys are so cool! Are you here to help find my mommy?" He asked and looked up at the mages with wide innocent eyes.

Lucy crouched down and smiled at the him "Of course, we'll find your mom and everyone else." The blonde ruffled his hair and he giggled. Chris smiled tiredly and also crouched down to his kid's height.

"Hey Jared, why don't you let the adults talk for a little bit okay?" Chris winked at Jared and the little boy became straight faced and saluted his dad.

"Sir yes sir!" Jared started to march back into the room but stopped and turned back "Oh and Ms. Lucy, you're even more pretty in life than in the magazines and I bet you're super strong too, please, help my mom."He quickly scurried out of the room before Lucy could reply.

The blonde blushed and smiled sadly "You have a really great kid, I promise we'll do everything in our power to help your wife." Lucy promised and Chris nodded at her, silently thanking her.

"Chris is there anything you know that can help us at all?" Erza asked.

Chris thought for a minute but eventually shook his head "No I cant think of anything sorry, the body was in a clearing a few hundred yards from Rosewood and it was completely cut up, I hope its not too late..."

Erza nodded and clasped a hand on Chris' shoulder "Don't worry we'll go investigate now."

Team Natsu left the building and started to walk towards the large forest.

"So do we have a plan?" Lucy asked after walking around for a while.

"Well we're gonna find this monster, kick it's ass, and free the captives." Erza shrugged and smiled smugly.

Natsu pumped his fist in the air "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" He yelled and started to run farther into the forest. The whole team followed him until it was just Lucy left.

"Not this again! We need a plan you guys!" Lucy tried calling after them but they didn't listen so she sighed and followed them deeper into the forest. 'We're all gonna die...' Lucy thought as fake tears started to pour down her face.

Lucy could see and hear her team ahead of her for awhile but eventually she lost sight of them, she tried yelling their names and getting their attention but she got no response. She stopped jogging and started walking when she heard something walking through the bushes near her and making noise.

"Natsu..." Lucy called and got no response

"Gray...Erza...Happy...?" Lucy cautiously walked closer to where she heard the noise. "Lisanna...anyone?" She waited a few seconds for a response and when she didn't get one again she figured it was just a squirrel or something.

"At least its not the monster." Lucy laughed nervously as a monster leaped out at her, it's claws missing her by inches. Lucy quickly whipped around to see the monster that was attacking and screamed when she saw it. It was a tall gangly beast that was basically just bone with some leathery skin over it. It's face was human but with eerily piercing ice blue eyes and it's mouth was twisted in a wicked smile that showed off it's razor sharp teeth. It crouched on all fours like a beast and it's fingernails were abnormally long and seemed to be made of metal, almost as if they were blades.

It let out an ear piercing screech that snapped Lucy out of her daze soon enough for her to duck out of the way as the monster lunged at her again and landed in a tree this time. Lucy cursed and started to run the opposite direction. Lucy dove to the side, unraveled her whip and quickly struck the beast on the side. The monster howled and thick purple blood began to ooze out of the wound. Lucy tried to whip it again but it reacted in time and with one quick swipe, cut Lucy's whip in half. "Shit!" Lucy cussed and began running though some bushes with the beast right behind her, jumping nimbly from tree to tree.

The blonde quickly grabbed her key chain and found the golden key she was looking for "Open gate of the bull, Taurus!" Lucy swiped the key shaped as an axe in the air and the golden gate that connected to the Celestial Spirit Realm opened up and out came the giant muscular (perverted) cow man.

"Lucy your boo-" Taurus started with his usual sexual greeting but Lucy cut him off.

"Shut up and help me!" Lucy screamed and pointed behind her.

Taurus turned around and as the beast dived towards Lucy with its claws poised to stab her, Taurus swung his giant axe down and cleanly decapitated the monster. Lucy stopped running and walked up to Taurus, "Thank you so much! You're my savior." Lucy smiled and hugged her spirit.

The cow man grinned sheepishly "Well if you're that thankful then I have an idea for a favor you can do for me..." He grinned perversely and Lucy quickly sent him back before he said anymore.

'Some guys never learn...' Lucy shook her head and clipped her key chain back to her belt. She looked down at the decapitated monster and stared in shock and disgust as it dissolved into purple goo that sunk into the ground and disappeared. "Disgusting." Lucy commented aloud without knowing it and quickly began to walk away to search for her teammates and tell them that she found the monster.

She started to jog and call out her friends' name but got like before their was no responses and after a few minutes Lucy noticed some strange things. 'Haven't I passed that tree a few times, and why is the sun still so high in the sky...' Lucy started to walk and observe her surroundings more carefully. She was right, she was passing the same trees, rocks, the clouds didn't move, and nor did the sun. The blonde passed the spot where she first encountered the beast and found her whip that had been cut in half in a bush.

"This is an illusion." Lucy concluded and suddenly the whole world around her cracked and broke around her until she found herself in a cave along with her other teammates whose eyes were closed. 'So they must still be in the illusion.' Lucy assumed and tried to shake them awake but they remained stuck in their trances. She was about to start yelling their names but decided against it, 'If the monster that Taurus killed was fake that means the real one is still alive somewhere.'

Lucy sighed and looked around the cave more for any other clues. A little bit deeper into the cave, there was a huddle of a few people cowering in a corner. 'That must be the villagers.'

The blonde was about to crawl over to them but she heard a noise coming from the entrance of the cave where the light was shining in. Lucy quickly collapsed and pretended to still be in the illusion. Footsteps approached Lucy and she barely opened her eyes so she could see what monster was holding her and her friends captive.

Lucy was pleasantly surprised and shocked with the villain that walked past her, instead of the grotesque beast that she fought in her illusion, it was a handsome middle aged man with pure snow white hair except for one black streak on the side, ruby red eyes, red painted lines that extended from the bottom of his almond shaped eyes to his chiseled jaw, and most strange of all, he had thick white horns sprouting from the side of his head. He was wearing a black cloak with the hood pulled down and walked up to one of the villagers with a bored expression on his face.

He pulled a jagged black dagger from his cloak and pointed at a woman with brown hair and beautiful forest green eyes "You're up next." The man said in an eerily calm and emotionless voice. Lucy's eyes widened and she instantly knew that the woman was Chris' missing wife and Jared's mother.

Meera's eyes widened in terror and she let out a broken sob, trying to curl into a small ball and disappear from the evil man's view. Without thinking about it Lucy quickly got up and in one fluid motion she wrapped her whip around the man's wrist and pulled as hard as she could. The man was caught unaware and the dagger fell from his hand to the floor with a sound that broke the woman out of her stupor. Meera lunged forwards and grabbed the dagger while the horned man turned around to face Lucy.

He observed Lucy with disinterest and looked down at the whip wrapped around his wrist, suddenly it caught on fire and wild flames almost instantaneously traveled up the whip towards Lucy. The blonde couldn't drop her whip and time and she was consumed in flames, she screamed as she felt her body burning up and was sure she was gonna die but just as suddenly as the flames appeared, they disappeared. Lucy was breathing heavily and wildly looked herself over, finding no burn wounds or hints that she was just in an inferno. She looked up and the man was still standing there with Lucy's whip wrapped around him, except now there was a dagger sticking out of his side and sticky red blood soaked into his black cloak.

Meera looked shocked at her action and looked up at the man with a look of pure fear and to both of the girl's surprise, the white haired man began to chuckle quietly "I really have grown weak over the decades. In my prime, both of you would be stuck in illusions that would have become your realities. Oh you're screams of terror would be so delightful." He licked his lips and continued "I should formally introduce myself, I am Barbatos, one of Zeref's demons."

Lucy eyes widened 'Zeref?!' She thought and began to realize that she was way out of her league. Barbatos smiled slightly and grasped the dagger in his side, slowly pulling it out as both girls stared at him, paralyzed.

"There is no need to introduce yourself fairy, you're gonna be dead soon anyways." With a quick flick of his hand, the dagger went sailing though the air and it missed it's mark by centimeters. "Like I said, I'm rusty." Barbatos shrugged and smirked "At least I still hit one of you." Lucy felt her a cut open up on her cheek and slowly turned her head, praying that the demon was joking and that her friends were alright.

Lucy gasped at what she saw, Lisanna's chest was impaled with the dagger and her white tank top was staining with her blood. 'Shit, shit, shit, shit...!' Lucy thought and slowly began to panic. 'What am I going to do?! I'm not strong enough...'

The next few moments flashed by for Lucy, suddenly a bright light filled the cave and Barbatos hissed as a figure in a flowing white cloak appeared. The figure held up it's hand and chains that seemed to be made of pure light appeared from the cave walls and wrapped around the demon. Barbatos cursed and spat at the figure before the ground beneath him started to glow and a golden pillar of light shot through the earth and swallowed him whole. Where the white haired demon used to stand, there was an old leather book with words from some ancient language inscribed on the cover. The mystery mage knelt down and picked it up, whispered something, and the book dissipated into black light.

The cloaked figure turned around and made eyes contact with Lucy and Lucy felt her body fill with a strange calmness, their eyes were gorgeous and seemed to be made from liquid sliver. Lucy saw herself in their eyes, except it wasn't her, it was a stronger version of her, one not afraid of any evil and had the power to protect all her loved ones. Lucy saw them smile and in a flash of light, they were gone.

Lucy shook herself out of her daze and cursed, Lisanna was dying and all she was doing was admiring someone! She looked back and saw that the Fairy Tail mages were starting to wake up so she hurried and fell onto her knees next to Lisanna. With shaking hands she reached for her key chain "Open gate of the maiden, Virgo." The pink haired maid appeared next to Lucy and immediately bent down to pick up Lisanna.

"I'll take her to the village immediately." Virgo said and bowed to Lucy.

Lucy smiled tiredly at her trusty spirit "Thanks Virgo, please be careful with her." Lucy choked out and tears started to sting her eyes. 'This is all my fault...' She thought as Virgo took Lisanna back.

Natsu was the first one to open his eyes, barely a minute later. He was soon followed by Erza and Gray, Happy took a little longer and was still in a daze. Lucy explained that they all had been trapped in Barbatos' illusions somehow and taken to this cave along with the lost villagers but before she could get to the part about her confrontation with Barbatos and the accident Natsu interrupted. "Lucy." He said in a calm voice but Lucy could tell underneath he was furious. "Why do I smell Lisanna's blood?" He asked and glared at Lucy. The blonde shivered, Natsu had never looked at her like that, she had never been scared of him before.

"It was an accident Natsu, I'm sorry..." Before Lucy finished Natsu was storming out of the cave and following the scent of Lisanna's blood back to Rosewood.

The rest of Team Natsu and the villagers followed Natsu back with Lucy at the back, silently crying and wishing Barbatos had hit her instead.

When they got back, all Lucy remembered was the yelling from the person who saved her from her old life, from her partner, from the man she loved. She couldn't even argue back, everything he said was right, it was her fault, she had always been weak and it was only a matter of time before someone got fatally injured because of it. He looked so disappointed in her, Lucy couldn't take it and when he suggested Lucy should take a break from being on Team Natsu, she couldn't disagree.

Luckily Lisanna didn't die though, Erza was able to contact the new sky dragon slayer, Wendy, who specialized in healing magic and she got to Rosewood quick enough to save Lisanna. But it didn't matter to Lucy, something needed to change, and soon.

End of Flashback

By the time Lucy had finished replaying the events of the past few days, the bath water had turned cold, and tears were silently streaming down her face. She lifted herself out of the bath and wrapped a fluffy pink towel around herself and dried herself off before putting on a white t-shirt and pink boy shorts. When she left the bathroom, she let herself hope, for just a second, that it was all just a horrible dream and Natsu would be in her bed with Happy and Gray would be half naked in her kitchen, raiding her fridge and Erza would be invading her privacy and going through her underwear drawer. But as expected, her apartment was empty so she slid into her pink bed, alone.

About a minute later, Lucy saw a flash of light and she wasn't surprised to see her knight in shining armor standing at the foot of her bed. He walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed and held her hand. He didn't say anything and he didn't need to. His warm hand in hers was enough.

Before falling asleep Lucy uttered a promise that would change her life forever "Loke, I promise that I will never be weak again, I will never let other people get hurt because I cant do anything. I'll make everyone proud to call me their friend."

Loke shed a single tear, and kissed the forehead of the woman he pledged his eternal life to "Shh princess, I know."