Natsu Dragneel, captured during the Child Hunt after his foster father disappears, encounters the "ghost of Zeref" while saving his friends. He knows now that there's only one world-Land of Paradise for Zeref. It may be pure coincidence that a certain mage happens to stumble upon the tower...or it may be Fate.
Rated T for some language and possible themes.
Currently unbeta-ed. Apologies for mistakes.
"Jellal! Jellal!"
The boy did not respond. His head simply lolled to the side. Natsu prayed that he was still alive, and set to work on the ropes, rough texture cutting even more into his bloodied fingers. He tried to ignore the pain, focusing on freeing his friend.
The tricky knot finally came undone, and Jellal hit the floor with a soft thud. Natsu scurried over quickly and draped the older boy's arm over his shoulder and dragged him from the dank and rotting cell. The bluenette groaned, and his eyes flickered open slightly, neck twisting slowly as he tried to gain his bearings.
"Natsu?"
His voice was grainy and shaky - Natsu simply gripped his arm tighter in response. He had to save his breath, or else neither of them would make it out. Suddenly stumbling, he tripped over the body of a dead mage - he would never disagree with Erza again - his foot slid on the crumbly dirt and he landed with a yelp of pain on a dented sword.
Jellal, though very weakly, was pulling Natsu back from the blade, stopping him from impaling himself. Quickly righting himself, Natsu took hold of Jellal again, who looked ready to faint. Muttering a quick thanks, Natsu proceeded forward, to the stairs that lead down to the next floor.
Natsu could feel something warm gushing down his leg. Worried that Jellal was hurt, he looked over, the but the boy seemed fine besides his numerous injuries, and he was even walking mostly by himself now, relying less and less on Natsu as the stairs came closer.
Then Natsu noticed - a dark stain on his left pant leg, spreading impossibly fast. It didn't hurt, though. Natsu didn't feel anything except for the pain in his chest from breathing in so much toxic from the workplace.
But the wound seemed to be taking a toll on him - Natsu could feel his breath becoming more and more labored, and his vision began to swim. Jellal must've noticed this too, for he had stopped leaning on the pink-haired boy and was gripping his arm as they moved on and on.
They had no sooner set their feet on the first step when someone shouted, voice loud and screechy. Fear danced clearly in Jellal's eyes as she stared behind them, and when Natsu turned, too, he wanted to scream.
Mages, though battered and bruised, were heading toward them, all holding shackles and a whip. Most had impossibly wide grins, anger and giddiness bringing spring into their step. Some were shouting profanities as they limped, waving their whips like a lasso angrily.
They'd caught up.
"No!"
The word echoed clearly in the large, nearly empty room.
Heavy, labored breathing could be heard clearly, and a figure laid on velvet covers, covered with a sheen of sweat, shaking as his eyes threatened to release tears.
Fear. He'd thought that he'd banished that feeling so long ago. After all, with his god by him, there was nothing to lose or fear - only to gain.
But no matter how many times he laughed at the idea of being reduced to tears about something - there he was, nearly crying because of a simple nightmare.
No matter how long and painfully slow time passed, the dreams were always as vivid and as clear as day - it hurt, to have to feel every drop of pain every time he sank into what was supposed to be a peaceful slumber. No, he would never rest, and he would have to encounter his worst fear every night.
The nightmares never got better, not less frightening - in fact, they seemed to become clearer and more dreadful every time. He would most likely become insane after a while - deprived of sleep and sanity. But if he had to live for the resurrection of his god, then he would suffer through everything.
He didn't want to go back into the dream world. But the last three nights were of staring out the window at the impossibly bright moon, hating how it seemed to stare right back at him.
No, he needed the rest tonight. He needed it to bring him back to life.
With that, he curled up and fell into yet another restless sleep.
"Graaaaay! Heeeeelp! Erzaaaa! Jellaaaaaal! Anyone!"
Lucy Heartfilia felt like crying. Very, very badly.
She was stranded in a boat in who-knows-where, and all of her magic power had been used on the evil mage on the mission. And it was supposed to be successful - beat the guy up, grab the jewels, and get their butts the hell out of there.
So why was she the one who was washed to sea? Either Jellal, Erza, or Gray could've performed some amazing magic that allowed them to run back to the coast. There would be absolutely no problem, and they could go back to Fairy Tail and celebrate.
The worst part was that none of her other teammates knew about her gone. Lucy wanted a walk - and a walk she would get, being stuck in a boat. Really.
Sure, someone might notice, but they would probably assume that Lucy was somewhere on the mainland, not adrift in the wide, far sea.
There was no other thing to do than to lay down and attempt to sleep to pass the night away. Perhaps her magic power would return with sleep, and she could call on Aquarius - oh dear - to help her back to the mainland.
She never noticed the faint, black shape on the horizon, steadily growing bigger as Lucy closed her eyes.
She sank into blissful sleep that welcomed her into its arms, and provided a haven until the next morning. Oh, how she wished that she'd stayed at the hotel with the rest of her team.
But maybe if Lucy had never taken that walk, the world would be dead by now.
Just a little idea that popped up into my head.
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