Summery: Team Natsu had never fought a battle much like this one; the after effects alone were ghastly! Especially for one celestial mage, read as Natsu and Lucy are forced into the newest and largest situation of their lives that could very well end up with the pitter patter of tiny feet.

Lucy's POV

We had never expected this battle to go the way it had, the flyer had seriously underestimated the power of this dark wizard.

Normal POV

Surrounded by lush green grass, in a large clearing that was encompassed by a large emerald forest, team Natsu were facing off a dark wizard that had threatened the forest tribe of robbing them of their sacred trees.

Erza and Gray were already down, they lay unconscious in the swaying blades of grass, while Natsu and Lucy struggle to stay on their feet, both bruised and facing the untarnished dark mage before them. Natsu's fists were ablaze, his brows furrowed; clearly frustrated that such a mage could defeat Erza Scarlet and Gray Fullbuster in one blow. Natsu and Lucy had taken only little damage from the aftermath of that one attack.

Lucy was stood. Barely. Her legs were trembling, threatening to give under her weight. One eye closed as blood tricked from her head, down over her left eye and her cheek. Her clothes were dirty and torn somewhat, her hair… well… lets not even go there. Her face, also scrunched up with frustration, her teeth clenched together and her brows furrowed, her brown eyes never tor away from the target.

Natsu was stood only a few feet from Lucy, but a little closer to the dark mage, subconsciously protecting his one teammate left standing. The echo of his teeth grinding in anger rang throughout the clearing; the only other noise that could be heard was that slight chuckle of their enemy.

The enemy in question was tall and lean, he was hardly dressed, only in, what looked to be, a dark purple toga around his waist that was ripped and ragged. His torso was bear, those not as muscular as Gray or Natsu, though still possessing a little toning and was covered in strange tattoos. These tattoos seemed to be his weapon, the team didn't know how, but he was using some sort or magic or curse to weaponize his ink.

The dark mage had long black hair with a fringe that hid half his tattooed face, his eyes pierced through the last standing couple, they were bright yellow and had a slitted pupil, much like a cat.

Natsu was panting a little, though out of magic depletion or fury, no one could tell. He took a quick and painful glance over his shoulder to the unconscious redhead and ice mage behind him, along with them was a blue smudge hidden away by the tall grass. Unfortunately Happy had also gotten hit by the dark blast and was also knocked unconscious. From what the remaining two could tell, that last attack sucked almost all their magical energy out of them, luckily Lucy was protected by Erza's shield and Natsu, well, he had unlimited energy is seems.

Natsu then glanced at Lucy, he could see she, though protected somewhat, was finding it hard to stand, she obviously didn't have enough energy to summon a spirit… The celestial mage glanced back at Natsu; his face had softened a little from how it had previously looked; now he was looking at her with worry. She could have sworn she could see cogs turning in his head as he so desperately tried to use his brain to come up with a way to beat this guy alone. Natsu wasn't that stupid, he knew a powerful wizard when he saw one, especially when he took out Natsu's rivals in one hit.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy spoke finally after what felt like hours in silence. Natsu cracked a small smile towards her.

"It'll be alright Lucy, I'll protect you, just leave it to me" he said, standing straight and puffing out his chest trying to act brave and manly. However, this only received a blatant glare of death from Lucy, who suddenly seemed perfectly well as she stomped over to her partner.

Natsu blinked and took a step back from the raging celestial mage and put his palms up in defence "H-Hey, come on, the enemy is over th- Ow!" he gripped his pulsating shin after being kicked hard by the female. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, looking away from him in a clear tantrum "Who said I need you to protect me?" Lucy asked, still in a huff, taking his words as an insult for insinuating she was weak.

The dark unnamed mage blinked at the scene unfolding in front of him "Are they seriously bickering like an old married couple right now?" he spoke, loud enough for the couple to hear him apparently, as they both shouted "We're not bickering!" in return.

Of course their reply caught the dark wizards attention 'they focused on the 'bickering' part not the 'marriage' part' he thought to himself raising a brow as the two in front of him were having a raging dispute.

This gave him a cunning idea.

Natsu growled and put his hand over Lucy's mouth to shut her up "Luce! Shhhh!" he sighed heavily, just to get a bit of peace and quiet "I didn't mean that you were weak, I have never thought that of you" he said, causing her to blush lightly and take her face away from his hand. "I just…" He glanced at the two unconscious teammates again before returning his gaze to the one he loves most in this world, other than Happy of course, but this was a different love that he hadn't figured out yet. "I couldn't stand by and watch you get hurt further… I feel like if you get hurt then so do I, If anything happened to you I-…" he trailed off, no longer able to keep eye contact, as Lucy's eyes widened a little at Natsu's words, her cheeks getting increasingly hotter.

"If you lovebirds are done" the dark mage recaptured their attention and the scowl soon returned to the couple's faces. The dark mage clapped to that and laughed criminally. He rubbed his hands together and widened the gap between his feet as he prepared the new spell he had recently put together.

This dark mage in particular wasn't one for killing or outright fighting, he preferred to play and tease his victims, constantly coming up with new spells that would torture them in the long run, even after they'd separated. This spell in particular he came up with when sitting on a roof observing a romantic couple cooing over a baby in a stroller while eating his lunch, 'the best ideas always come when you're doing nothing in particular' he grinned to himself.

"Lucy! Get ready!" Natsu warned, seeing the dark mage begin to resonate a deep red aura. Natsu had his fire on standby and Lucy had uncoiled her whip, ready for the attack, observing it close to try and figure out what kind it would be.

Well…

Lucy was, Natsu had little patience and ran at the enemy, his whole body consumed in red and orange fire, the heat was enough to scorch every step he took. When close to the dark mage Natsu raised his fist "Fire Dragon: Iron Fist!" he yelled before landing his punch on the enemy, or at least he thought he had. His eyes widened when the enemy had comfortably captured Natsu's fist and held it tightly so that the fire dragon couldn't pull away. "T-The hell- Get off me! Let me go you bastard!" he shouted trying to pull away, but the other wasn't phased. Natsu growl and jumped up to kick the lean man on the head but to no avail, the dark mage ducked the talon attack and spun Natsu around so his arm was now securely locked behind his back.

'Shit!' Natsu thought to himself, he was now facing Lucy, her eyes wide and fearful for Natsu's safety "Natsu!" she cried out and began running towards them.

The dark mage leaned in close "I'm going to give you're little girlfriend a gift you'll never be able to run from~" his voice was slippery and poisonous like a snake, it made Natsu's hair stand on end, his fire only increasing at that… threat? Natsu guessed it was a threat, even if it was a weird one.

"You won't touch her!" he yelled, ramping up his magic power to as high as it would go without using dragon force. Unknowing to Natsu and Lucy, this was what the dark mage was aiming for. With Lucy on the way, about 50 yards away, Natsu ramped up to his full capacity, though having no affect, the dark mage began his incantation.

"From one to the other, I bind thee"

Suddenly Natsu screamed painfully, all of his current dragon slayer magic was being torn from his body and into the dark mages free hand, as a magic circle began to form around the suction. Natsu felt like his whole body was tearing itself apart, It burned like freezing ice. What Natsu didn't understand however, was the most excruciating pain surrounded his heart, head and nether regions, not that he had enough time to thing about it. Natsu suddenly saw nothing but blackness fading his vision, the last thing he saw was Lucy reaching to him, running to him, screaming in pure panic for him 'L-Lucy… Run…' Natsu thought before everything went black.

Lucy saw the whole endeavour; Natsu screaming in pain, his flames and magic essence being sucked into the magic circle being cast, and a tattoo slithering down his arm also into the magic circle, expanding it. She felt her heart crunch, she had never seen Natsu in such agony before and it was an understatement to say it scared her. "No! NATSU!" she screamed, using all the remaining energy she could muster, she called upon Leo the Lion, he appeared in a golden light running along side his friend and master, his eyes widening in anger seeing his love rival being sucked of all magic. The two ran towards the dark mage, Leo managed to get in a roundhouse kick to the dark mages face, pushing him back a few feet and dropping Natsu's rag doll of a body to the ground.

The dark wizard's smirk never faltered though, this one attack was all Lucy could grant before Leo disappeared in a gold puff of particles, she extended her celestial whip and struck the tall man, who still possessed the dark red magic ring. Panting heavily Lucy stood in front of Natsu's still form, her back to him, protecting him. Her whip had wrapped around the wrist performing whatever spell this man was casting "W-What did you do to him?!" she demanded, though her words stuttered a little, finding it hard to breathe. The dark mage only held his smirked and looked at her, she could have sworn he was looking into her soul.

"Him? Oh, just took his magic and a bit of his life force~" he spoke proudly "And now for the second half of the spell" Lucy frowned at this, "S-Second half?" she asked, but before she could question further the man disappeared before her eyes. She blinked and frantically looked around "Damn it! Where did he go?!" she cursed, hoping that he wasn't going to use Natsu's magic to destroy the tribe or something.

She was wrong.

"Did you miss me that much?" the dark mage whispered into her ear, appearing behind her. Lucy turned on her heals, finding herself face to face with the yellow-eyed demon of a mage, however, before she even had time to gasp, his hand impaled her, pushing into her lower abdomen.

"With this bond I ignite thee" he whispered the last verse of the incantation for only her to hear, the pain was excruciating, 'is this what Natsu felt?' she thought to herself before a bloodcurdling scream erupted from her mouth.

Then darkness.

(A/N: This was a chapter in the One-shot series but I found that i have been writing too much in to it and it is no longer a one-shot XD so I have made it in to a proper story! Enjoy! ^.^)

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