It was his least favorite thing to do, but as Master of the guild, the responsibility fell to him. He could feel his heart beating quicker with every second, threatening to burst.
"Levy…" Makarov began with a heavy heart. The blue-haired girl was sitting at a table with the other third of her team, Jet Sarusuke. Makarov could see the anxiety on their faces as they chanced a glance at the as of yet unclaimed seat beside her. Droy had not yet returned.
"That fucking idiot. Why'd he go by himself? DAMN IT!" Jet roared, tearing at his hair.
"Levy," Makarov said again.
"M-Master Makarov! What is it? Have you heard anything? Is Droy alright?" Levy exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Her orange dress was in tatters, the ribbon above it undone and her blue-hair matted across her face. Makarov's heart plunged as he made out the tear stains.
"Sit," he instructed. Levy did so, but Jet remained standing. He looked at the old man with hard eyes, knowing that the news wouldn't be good.
"Just say it," he spat.
"It's about Droy. They found him," Makarov sighed.
"Oh thank goodness," Levy shuddered. She wiped at the stains and managed a small smile, looking at Master Makarov expectantly. "Well, Master? W-where is he? When can we see him? W-w-we can't go on quests without a third of our team, Master. Where's Droy?"
"Levy…" Makarov began.
"JUST SAY IT! STOP STALLING"! Jet screamed at him.
"JET! APOLOGIZE TO MASTER MAKAROV RIGHT NOW! HE'S TRYING TO TELL US WHERE DROY IS!" Levy yelled.
"ARE YOU FUC- LOOK AT HIM, LEVY! DOES HE LOOK LIKE HE'S HAPPY TO YOU?! JUST SAY IT!" Jet screamed again, punching the table - hard. The splinters dug into his fist, but all he could feel was anger and helplessness. The guild went quiet and stared at the scene that was unfolding.
"M-Master Makarov? Where's Droy?" Levy asked, shaking.
"I'm sorry, Levy, Jet. I'm so sorry," Makarov said, looking down. "They found his body near the entrance of the East Forest. He didn't make it."
Levy looked as though she had been struck. Tears began to fall, unhindered. With a banshee-like shriek, she ran out of the guild. Far as she was, they could hear her pained wails for her fallen friend.
"Goddamit, Droy," Jet said, gritting his teeth until they began to crack.
"I sent Laxus to get his body."
Jet nodded and took his leave; he didn't want to look at Makarov, his friends, or anything right now.
"Why didn't you tell them everything, Master?" Mirajane Strauss asked. She wore a flattering red dress, seemingly new. He saw that she was gingerly rubbing her shoulder.
"It would've been too soon, child. In time. Let them mourn the friend they knew, first," Makarov said. Looking around, he saw one particular face missing. "Natsu still hasn't returned?"
"He's doing his rounds again. Looking for other survivors. Last I recall, he was going to Hargeon."
"That foolish boy. What does he think he'll find?" Makarov groaned.
"You know Natsu, Master. Even now, he's only able to think of others," Mira said with a sisterly smile.
"He needs to start thinking about himself. He'll get himself killed one of these days," Makarov said.
"He can take care of himself," Mira reminded Makarov.
"We can't afford to lose anyone at this time. When he gets back, he's not to leave without a partner. Understand?"
"Yes, sir. But what if he doesn't listen?"
"Then make him listen," Makarov growled.
"Yes, Master," Mira said. Looking around the guild, she let out a sad sigh. She saw some members steal away to console themselves; while Droy spent most of his time with Levy and Jet, he was a friend to everyone.
"He's lucky he died," Mira suddenly said coldly.
"Don't speak like that of our fallen," Makarov said, just as cold. Mira said nothing before taking her leave.
-o-
"Is it really this bad?" Natsu asked, aghast. He knew that the town had fallen on hard times, but this was something else. A low, thick fog enshrouded the city; moss and ivy had begun to retake their home, while the buildings were disheveled. Most had a window or door burst in; others had deep claw and teeth marks.
"Look," Happy said with a grimace. His good, right eye was trained on a small heap of bodies. None were whole; the lucky ones were only missing a limb or two. A man's body covered that of a woman and child; all of them had large holes in their chests, seemingly gored together. The blood was still runny, commingling with the dirt and viscera.
"Happy," Natsu said, dumbfounded as he looked up. Two women were crucified on a wooden board, their arms and legs broken in different directions so they couldn't escape or flair. They couldn't have been older than he was; and by the lack of clothes, it seemed as though no one cared much about them either.
"Sacrifices?" Happy asked.
"Looks like it. Damn it," Natsu growled.
"Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come here, Natsu," Happy said.
"Don't say that! We might find someone, Happy! We… we can't abandon them! We can't abandon anyone, especially now!" Natsu exclaimed. Happy sighed but nodded; he didn't have the heart to argue with Natsu on this point.
As they continued through the decrepit city, they saw the situation seemed the same throughout.
"Natsu," Happy suddenly said.
"Yeah?"
"We should probably do that job as well," Happy said. Natsu looked uncomfortable; he pulled out the scrap of paper he had grabbed from the guild.
Cremation of the dead in Hargeon
As you may know, Hargeon Town recently suffered a grisly attack by Ankh Beasts. The few survivors indicated that there were six beasts, one of which was an Alpha. Scouts indicate that the city is now abandoned, but the smell has begun to reach other cities. We fear that this may also result in scavengers trekking to get to a plausible food source. We request a wizard to cremate the dead of Hargeon. Only Fire Wizards should apply. Mark your cremation spots on a map and return it to an outpost.
Reward: 5,000 jewels; three Ethernano Concoctions
"You should only take jobs that you know you can finish, Natsu," Happy chided him.
"I thought…" Natsu trailed off.
"I know. Still, we need to finish it. I'll start marking the locations. You start burning them," Happy said.
"Alright," Natsu said. He had taken the job after all; regardless of how he felt, he had to finish it.
He approached the first heap that he had created. At the bottom was a little boy and girl. Their hair was fair, but matted with so much grime it may have been dark. She seemed older than him, her arms protectively holding him as a sister would. Her body had been burst into his as they were undoubtedly impaled. Bloody tears strained her face; but he, to Natsu's surprise, was smiling serenely.
'Why was he so happy?' Natsu thought, frowning.
He set kindling around the heap before setting it ablaze. Happy poured some untended fuel he had found over the various fires that Natsu had begun to light. The two retreated a fair distance and watched as the bodies began to burn. Natsu wrapped his scarf around his face to deflect the horrible smell of burning flesh. He listened closely; he wanted to be ready to spring in case anyone was just unconscious. To his dismay, they were all indeed dead.
"We'll turn in the job at the outpost before heading home," Happy said.
"Right," Natsu said solemnly. "Let's stay a while longer, Happy. Just in case."
"Alright," Happy agreed. He landed on Natsu's head and watched the bodies burn.
-o-
"I finished this job," Natsu said despondently. He turned in a map marking the spots of the burned bodies and the job offer to the receptionist at the outpost. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, bluish eyes, and a look was as sharp as the scar that ran symmetrically down her face, disappearing under the clothes she war.
"You will be given the reward now. We'll send someone to Hargeon to confirm the locations you marked on the map. If anything is amiss, we will send some Wizards to your guild to reclaim the reward and administer proper punishment. Do you agree to these terms?"
"Yeah," Natsu said, slumping. "No survivors."
"We didn't expect there to be any remaining in the city," she said unaffectedly. "Ankh Beasts almost never leave survivors when they attack. The only lucky ones are those that manage to escape in the early stages."
"He knows," Happy said softly. The woman, however, didn't seem to empathize.
"Your reward. 5,000 jewels and three Ethernano Concoctions. Use them wisely. This was an important job that was limited to just a few Wizards, which is why you're getting so much."
"If the boy wants to be a hero, maybe he can save the dumb broad that went into the forest," one of the adventurers laughed. He wore light, leathery armor to allow for quick movement and some defense. At his side was a devastating looking whip; every several inches had a protruding spike, like a row of thorns. Natsu could easily make out the dried blood on it, as well his armor; whoever he was knew his way around the world.
"Don't give the boy a death wish," another patron shouted.
"I'm just saying," the adventurer shrugged. "Some stupid blonde bimbo went into the forest to look for something. And last I heard, there were a couple of Ankhs prowling around. Better hurry, hero."
"Is he serious?" Natsu asked the receptionist.
"We've no way to verify."
"Bullshit! We're right on the edge of the forest!" Natsu growled.
"What of it? You think we can afford to send people to that place? We can barely keep up defending this outpost so they don't make it to far west. We won't go searching for trouble when it can easily find us. If you want to play at being a hero, that's your problem," she said coldly. Natsu bit his tongue; he took his reward and made a beeline for the exit.
-o-
"Are you sure about this, Natsu?" Happy asked, holding onto his friend's pink hair as they ran through the East Forest.
"Of course I am, Happy! There might be a girl in trouble in there! Mira would kill me if I didn't help her!"
"That guy might've just been lying," Happy offered.
"What if he wasn't? Happy, if I don't do this, I'll regret it for the rest of my life!" Natsu shouted. Happy sighed but didn't protest further; he buckled down and kept his eyes peeled for movement.
Suddenly, Natsu stopped and began sniffing the air. The East Forest was dimly lit. Unchecked growth had overtaken it long ago and management fell into disarray when the Ankh Beasts appeared. It was known to house a few at any given time. While it was still crossable, it was an endeavor only the brave, bold, or foolish would attempt; going around the forest entirely was the only reasonable choice.
The trees had grown taller than they had used to, surprising the surrounding towns. Their color had darkened considerably. Only a few brown oaks, yews, and maple trees were left; they were replaced with blacker, foreboding trunks.
Natsu had to rely on his smell in the forest. He had picked up on a sweet smell mingling with the earthy scent of the forest. He ran deeper into the forest, soon coming across a river.
"Where is she? I know I smelled her," Natsu breathed.
"I'll see if I can't find anything," Happy said, flying over the river and taking a sweeping view. He suddenly picked up something in the near distance. "Natsu! North!"
"GOT IT!" Natsu affirmed, running along the river. He soon saw why Happy said that; in a hollowed out brown yew tree was a body. They quickly made their way to the tree.
"The guy wasn't kidding," Natsu whispered.
Her beautiful blonde hair was matted with blood and dirt, as were her clothes - a bloody white top with a black cross on it and black jeans. She wore heavy, leathery boots - seemingly prepared for going into the East Forest. The most unusual thing was a keyring on her right; there were three gold keys and five keys.
"What're those keys for? Do you think she's a Wizard?" Natsu asked.
"I haven't seen a Wizard like her before," Happy said, a bit on edge. There was a reason she was hiding in this place, he thought.
"Hey, lady - are you alright?" Natsu asked. He laid her back down and put an ear to her chest. "She's still alive. I can hear her heart."
"And she's still breathing," Happy said, feeling warm breath on his tail.
"Looks like she's hurt, though," Natsu said. Blood had seeped throughout her shirt. He lifted her shirt up slightly and exposed her stomach; there were period jags and cuts around it, like a belt.
"How bad is it?" Happy asked as Natsu lift her shirt a bit.
"Long, but not deep. I'm going to have to close it, though. Sorry, lady. This might hurt," Natsu said. He took his scarf off and stuffed part of it into her mouth. He rested one hand against her chin, making sure she wouldn't scream; and with the other, he ignited a small fire. He began to run it around her stomach. As the flesh began to sizzle, he thought he was in the clear; suddenly, however, the woman began squirming.
"She's awake!" Happy shouted. The woman's eyes shot open and tears began to fall. As she saw Natsu and smelled the fire, she began squirming.
"Hey! Watch it! I'm trying to help you!" Natsu snarled. She refused to listen, though; her flails grew wilder and wilder until Natsu couldn't keep her down; he quickly pulled his scarf free from her mouth. He couldn't react fast enough to avoid the strong kick she suddenly delivered. He heard a tooth crack but pushed the pain out of his mind as he saw her mouth open. He lunged forward and clasped a hand over it, pushing her against the yew.
"If you scream, you'll get both of us killed! Do you want that?!" Natsu growled. The woman stared fearfully for a while before managing a slight shake of her head.
"I wasn't trying to rob you or rape you. You have a cut on your left. I was burning it shut. Now, I'm gonna take my hand off your mouth. If you want to run, go ahead. But if an Ankh Beast finds you, I'm leaving you behind. Got that?" Natsu asked. The woman eyes widened and she quickly nodded.
"Alright," Natsu said. He took a few steps backward, his hands raised in front just in case. The woman took a deep breath and examined her side.
"T-thanks. S-sorry about that," she said. True to his word, he was closing the wound.
"You're welcome," he said.
"Who… are you?"
"My names Natsu. I'm a Wizard with Fairy Tail," he said.
"Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia," she said. She examined him carefully. He wore a jacket with no undershirt and loose fitting pants; around his neck was a scaly scarf and his wild, pink hair was tousled around. On his head was a blue, flying cat with a scar cutting across its left eye. Its wings and tails were slightly bent and broken.
"Why are you in the East Forest? You know how dangerous it is," Natsu scolded.
"I was looking for something," she said defensively.
"What?"
"That's none of your business," she said coldly.
"How'd you get hurt?"
"I was attacked. I'm not sure how I managed to survive," she said.
"By an Ankh Beast?"
"No. It was a person," she said.
"That's weird. There shouldn't be many people in the forest," Natsu said.
"Why'd you help me?" Lucy suddenly asked.
"What do you mean?" Natsu asked.
"I was unconscious. You could've done anything. You could've robbed me or raped me or whatever. Why'd you help?"
"Because he's an idiot," Happy grunted.
"Hey! You're supposed to be on my side!" Natsu exclaimed.
"I'm not wrong," Happy said. "You try to help too many people for your own good, Natsu."
"I'm not going to stop, Happy," Natsu added, his voice a bit colder.
"I know," Happy said. Lucy saw the ghost of a smile on his face. "Anyways, he helped you because some adventurer at the outpost said you might be here."
"A-an adventurer?" Lucy asked, pale white. She backed away from the two. "I-is he with you?"
"Is who with us?" Natsu asked.
"THE ADVENTURER!" She yelled at him.
"Quiet!" Natsu hissed. "No. I don't even know who he is. He just said you might be!"
"You're lying!" Lucy snarled. "You're with him, aren't you! How else would you know where to find me?!"
"Wha-," was all he got out before she shoved him back and ran out. "Hey! Where are you going?!"
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Lucy screamed at him. She didn't get far before letting out an anguished scream. Natsu ran out to see what happened.
The adventurer that told him about her was standing close by, his thorny whip wrapped around one of her legs. It had cut in deep. Any sudden movement would take her leg with it. Lucy was crying, Natsu saw; the sight of it made his heart swell in rage.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"So you made it to her, huh? Just as well. Just run along, boy. You don't want to get caught up in this," the adventurer said.
"LIKE HELL I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE! LET HER GO! NOW!" Natsu roared.
"Shut up!" The man hissed. "You want an Ankh beast to find us?! I barely got away the last time!"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT FINDS US! YOU LE-," Natsu began before dodging to the side. A crossbow bolt had fired directly at him. It was an older, grizzled man. He had a bushy brown beard and beady black eyes. He was well built and carried a heavy, bone-white crossbow. It was still trained at Natsu.
"This ones fast, Remus," the man said.
"No ordinary Wizard this, Rom," the man said.
"What are you, boy?"
"I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer," Natsu said defensively.
"Oh!" Remus laughed. He tugged his whip a bit, eliciting a shriek of pain from Lucy. Her hands were bloody from trying to pry it off, to no avail. "Lost Magic? Well, aren't you special? Shame that you Dragon Slayers are as useless as everyone else."
"What was that?" Natsu snarled.
"Lost Magic. Don't make me laugh. The only special thing about you Wizards was how fast you got killed by those Ankhs," Remus sneered. He tugged the whip again; Lucy screamed her loudest yet.
"Looks like this little lady needs something stuffed in her mouth," Rom said, pointing the crossbow at her.
"We promised to return her to her old man," Remus reminded him.
"Things happen when your child runs away," Rom shrugged. His hand went to his crotch. He looked at Lucy and licked his lips as he started to rub himself.
"Enough. You know how disgusting that is?" Remus said coldly. Rom snorted but stopped, both his hands once again on the crossbow, now aimed at Natsu.
"Still, a Fire Dragon Slayer. Lost Magic. I know some people that'll pay a pretty jewel for your heart," Rom said.
"Leave him," Remus said.
"Bu-," Rom began before a cold look stopped him.
"Boy. Hand over the Ethernano Concoctions and get out of here," Remus said.
"The hell you say?" Natsu asked, his anger growing.
"Ether. Nano. Con. Coc. Tion," Remus mocked. "We'll take those and the girl and get out of your hair. We can part as friends. Rom, get her up."
"You're out of your mind," Natsu said coldly.
"You don't want this fight," Rom said, undoing the whip and roughly pulling her up. Natsu snarled as one of the man's hands wrapped around Lucy's chest, tightly gripping a breast. "Just making sure you don't get away, little lady."
"If you do, tho-," Remus began before a loud roar cut him short.
It was a sound that made the hair on the back of their neck stand. It was incomparable to anything else in the forest; a blood-curdling, fear-inducing, terrifying sound.
Natsu knew how far it was. It wasn't close to them just yet. It was far enough away that if he ran right now, he could be clear of the forest and be none the worse for it. All it would take is his legs obeying his fight-or-flight response. It took all the willpower that he had to resist it; all of it, and then some. He gritted his teeth, cracking one further.
'If I run, she's dead. She's going to die. She's going to be gored or eaten or worse,' he thought.
"We. Have. To. Run," Happy hissed.
"No," was all Natsu said. Happy wanted to protest but knew it was pointless.
Natsu suddenly lunged forward. His right had encapsulated in fire, he punched Rom hard in his face. He spewed some fire at the two; roughly, he grabbed Lucy's hand and made a break for it.
"AFTER HIM!" Remus screamed, putting the fire on his arm out.
"NATSU! WATCH OUT!" Happy shouted as Rom shot a bolt at them. Happy swooped in front and took a shot in the wing, screaming in pain.
"HAPPY!" Natsu roared. He saw nothing but red. "BASTARD! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
Natsu stopped and reared back. Lucy saw his throat burn a bright red before he unleashed a stunning roar of fire. It spiraled and caught Rom in his tracks. The man screamed in pain as he began to roast. He flailed around like a fish caught on a hook. He tossed his weapon aside and ran towards the water, screaming all the way. Remus watched with a look of shock as his partner dove headfirst into a shallow portion of the river. His head split against a protruding rock as smashed it with the weight of his body. Remus saw the blood pour from his head as it caved in, a sickening sound that reverberated through the forest.
Natsu had scooped Happy up and was about to run again when his worst fear was realized.
It came barreling out of the forest, crushing through the yew tree that Lucy was passed out in not long ago. It was around 15 feet top to bottom and close to 30 feet from the tip of its horn to the end of its stubby tail. Stunning green eyes locked in on its prey. It shook its bushy, black mane and bared its red-on-white, sharp teeth. In a single graceful movement, it moved into the river and bit down on Rom. In the first bite, the Ankh Beast ate his bottom half. Organs spilled into the river; Lucy retched, narrowly avoiding hitting Natsu. The second half left only a few things Rom had left behind.
The Ankh Beast looked at Remus, Natsu, Lucy, and Remus again. It lowered its snout and fixed its green eyes on the whip-wielding warrior. Natsu saw it rear on its strong, hind legs. Remus could barely blink when the beast was upon him.
When he looked down, he saw the horn had impaled. He dropped his whip and began tearing at the horn, to no avail. The Ankh Beast raised its head, slowly letting Remus come down to its mouth, sliding down like a piece of meat on a skewer.
"HELP ME! DRAGON SLAYER! PLEASE! PLEASE! HELP ME! DO SOMETHING!" Remus screamed, trying to get away. Every movement only resigned him closer to his fate, though.
"NATSU RUN!" Happy screamed at his friend. Natsu snapped to his sense; holding Happy close, he grabbed Lucy's hand and ran.
"My-," Lucy began.
"DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!" Natsu yelled at her. Lucy went pale; shaking her head, she let him guide her along.
"COME BACK! COME BACK! SAV-," they heard Remus cry before all that was heard was a mans final, anguished scream. It was like nothing they had ever heard before, nor wanted to hear again. They just picked up the pace.
It wasn't fast enough to get them to safety.
The Ankh Beast was on them. It jumped over them and cut off their exit.
'NO! We're too close!' Natsu thought. He pulled Lucy behind him and stared at his foe.
"Hold on to Happy," he told her. Lucy hugged the blue cat close to her chest, her breathing labored and her eyes full of fear.
'What's he going to do? He's too young to fight it!'
The beast was chewing on Remus, blood, and guts falling from its teeth. It was as though it knew the act of eating the man would inspire fear in Natsu; it made a show of it, green eyes boring into black. The horn glistened with blood, as did its mane and snout.
Natsu looked at it carefully, in part to look for a weakness and in part to avoid watching the act of killing. Along its blackish coat, he could identify a few scars, but nothing that would indicate a weak point. Its shoulders and legs were muscular and powerful, capable of crushing or breaking a tree; its horn was sharp and deadly, capable of piercing the flesh of almost any animal; the snout as powerful as a tree itself; and its body, lithe and fast.
There was no weakness, Natsu thought dismally. All he could do was try to fight it head on; or, more reasonably, hold it back just long enough for Lucy and Happy to get clear of the outpost and then try to stay alive long enough to find an escape himself.
"You two are going to have to run. I'm going to try and hold it off," Natsu gulped.
"You've lost your mind if you think I'm gonna listen to that!" Lucy snarled. She didn't know much about Natsu; all she knew was that he had helped her twice now. While she wasn't feeling brave enough to sacrifice herself, she knew that they would fare better in a two-on-one fight than one-on-one two times.
"You think you ca-," Natsu began before she cut him off.
"Did you see how quickly it beat that guy and got here? If I run, and it kills you, I'm next," Lucy said.
"Goddammit," Natsu snarled.
"God won't help us here," Lucy spat, his fingers tracing a Gold key. "I'm going to summon one of my spirits?"
"What?" Natsu asked.
"I - look, I'll explain later. Now's not the time! GATE OF THE GOLDEN BULL - TAURUS!" Lucy yelled. She plunged one of the Gold keys into the air in front of her and turned it. Natsu only got a quick glimpse; the tip was that of a black battle-ax.
To his surprise, a blackish steel-grate gate burst open. Into being came a creature; it stood a solid nine feet tall and wielded a huge battle-ax with a long, slender, brown handle. It looked like a bull; its body was black with significant ugly, red scars. Its face was covered with a metal mask, exposing only two bright red eyes and a great snout with a gold ring. Two large horns protruded from its head, as majestic and stunning as the Ankh Beasts horn. It opened its maw and let out a wild war cry before stomping on the ground and leaning low, ready to attack.
"Taurus! Help Natsu fight the Ankh Beast!" Lucy ordered. Taurus just huffed; without listening, it charged head-on.
"TAURUS! NO!" Lucy screamed at it. Natsu lunged forward as well; while Taurus smashed the beast head-on with its ax, Natsu sidestepped and ignited his hand with a bright, blazing fire. He ran across the side of the beast, peppering it with punches. As he jumped back to assess his damage, he found — to his dismay — it was almost none.
'Damn it! I'm not strong enough!' he thought; knowing that he was powerless against the beast was scarier than the beast itself, Natsu thought. He quickly circled back around to the front, barely avoiding Taurus, who was flung at him like a rag doll. The bull landed on its hind legs and rushed again, this time managing to make a small cut on the beast's snout. However, the Ankh Beast kicked Taurus back again, knocking him out this time. As the body began to dissolve, Natsu launched a Fire Dragon Roar at the beast. It was caught in the blaze and let out a shriek, rushing at trees to put out the fires that caught its mane.
'Its mane isn't fireproof, but the rest of it might as well be. Come on, Natsu! Think, think!'
"You got any more of those things?" Natsu asked Lucy.
"None that'll be helpful here," Lucy said.
"Crap," Natsu groaned. "It's no good. We're going to have to run."
"How? It's in front of us!" Lucy said.
"Hmm…" Natsu thought. Thinking fast, he suddenly spewed more fire at the beast. It narrowly avoided it this time. Natsu kept it up, launching fireball after fireball. The beast managed to avoid them all, but soon, it was surrounded on all sides with fire.
"What're you doing?!" Lucy asked.
"I'M WINGING IT! NONE OF MY ATTACKS WILL HURT IT, SO I'M TRYING THE NEXT BEST THING! WHEN YOU SEE AN OPENING, RUN! I'LL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU!" Natsu said, igniting more of the forest on fire.
The beast seemed to be careful; it watched the fire began to spread around it and soon, anyway it turned would only lead it into the blaze. Its mane was blacked and singed and any foray would only expand it.
Natsu inhaled as much as he could before he suddenly let out his most powerful roar yet. The Ankh Beast had nowhere to go; it was soon caught in the attack. Natsu couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as he heard it roar in pain as its mane likely caught fire again.
"RUN! RUN NOW! NOW!" Natsu ordered, grabbing Lucy's hand and running past the beast. He cleared away some fire and the two soon burst through, leaving the blaze behind.
"I can see the edge!" Lucy shouted after a little while; they were nearly clear of the treeline. They had almost crossed it when Natsu suddenly felt a sharp pain in his left. Looking sideways, he saw the white of a horn graze him; looking back, a black snout wasn't far behind. It happened in a split second; Natsu inhaled all the air he could, grabbed Lucy, jumped, and unleashed one final Fire Dragon Roar, right in the face of the beast. The power from the burst blew Natsu, Lucy, and Happy clear of the edge and into the clear and eliciting a loud howl of pain from the Ankh Beast. It stopped in its tracks and suddenly began hopping from side to side, smashing into the surrounding trees. It made a hard right and ran along the northern edge of the forest.
"TAURUS! I KNOW YOU'RE HURT BUT I NEED YOU! NOW!" Lucy yelled, summoning the bull again.
"Help Natsu! Carry him to the outpost!" Lucy ordered. The bull grunted but obeyed; disregarding its own wounds, it carried both Natsu and Lucy and jogged to the forest. Slowly but surely, the sounds of the Ankh Beast began to fade away.
-o-
"We don't have the facilities to take care of him here," the receptionist told Lucy.
"WHAT?! LOOK AT HIM! WHERE THE FUCK ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TAKE HIM?! WE BARELY ESCAPED THAT ANKH!"
"You ought to be thankful that you did. Not many are able to say the same. The nearest town where he might find proper help would be Magnolia. I suggest you get him there quickly. It's a shallow wound, but we don't know everything about Ankh Beasts. He might have something else."
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked fearfully.
"Poison? Hallucinogenic? Some other toxin? The horn could've been laced with anything, is all I'm saying. We can set broken bones and cauterize wounds, but anything related to an Ankh Beasts horn, claw, spike, tail, or anything like that, he'll need specialized care."
"I have to go ba…" Lucy began before the receptionist cut her off.
"You don't want to do that. It'll be nighttime by then and the forest will be deadlier than it is now. Not to mention, that Ankh is still alive. And it knows your scent. It won't be happy that you came back so quickly after insulting it. I'd suggest you help the boy first," she said. Lucy wanted to protest but knew it was fruitless.
"Where's Magnolia?"
"Go North. You'll reach it by morning if your… thing carries you," the receptionist said, eyeing the bull. "Careful how you use your Magic."
Lucy gave her an odd look before quickly leaving. She held Happy close and instructed Taurus to carry her and Natsu north, to Magnolia.
'I'll be back soon,' Lucy thought. 'I know you're in the forest. I'll find you.'
"Go to Fairy Tail," Happy suddenly said weakly.
"What?" Lucy asked.
"Fairy Tail. Our guild. We have a healer. Fairy Tail. In Magnolia."
"Alright. We'll go there," Lucy nodded. She looked back at Natsu; his face was contorted in pain and he was sweating heavily. She took one of his hands in hers and began to compress it.
"Don't worry. I'll get you to your friends, Natsu. You're gonna be alright," she said gently. "Don't die on me, alright? You have to live. I still haven't properly thanked you for saving me. Or… apologized for doubting you. Please, Natsu. You have to live. Just a little longer!"
-o-
"SOMEBODY! HELP!" Lucy screamed as she burst open the doors to Fairy Tail. The members were on quick alert; she soon had two guns, a few swords, and plenty of fists pointed at her.
"Who are— what happened?!" Mira shrieked as she saw that Lucy was propping up an unconscious Natsu and Happy.
"Natsu! He was hurt trying to help me when he was hurt by an Ankh Beast! Happy said you have a healer here!" Lucy yelled.
"PORLYUSICA!" Makarov roared. Immediately, a stern-looking purple haired woman crossed the threshold.
"Take him to a spare room. We have to hurry. How long ago was this? More or less than 24 hours?"
"Less! Maybe 12 hours!" Lucy said.
"And the Ankh? What did it look like?"
"It had a huge, white horn. This happened in the East Forest," Lucy said.
"Get me these ingredients," Porlyusica said, quickly handing a list to Mira.
"T- you need ground Ankh Horn?" Mira asked, shocked.
"It's in the city," Porlyusica said.
"It costs as much as six months rent on this guild!" Mira snarled.
"If we don't get it, he dies," Porlyusica said coldly. Mira bit her lip hard. She looked at Natsu; the weak less on the Dragon Slayer sent a shiver up her spine.
"I'll get the other things first. I might need a little time to get the Ankh Horn," Mira said.
"Just be as quick as you can," Porlyusica said. With a heavy sigh, Mira took her leave.
"Gray! I need you here!" Porlyusica snapped. Lucy saw a black-haired, topless man jog towards them. He had dark blue eyes and a serious expression; as he saw Natsu, though, he only looked surprised.
"What the hell happened to him?"
"Ankh Beast," Lucy said. Gray turned pale at that.
"What do you need?"
"Carry him upstairs to a free room. Cool the room and make an ice block. Apply some ice to his head. I need to get the full story from the girl."
"Right."
"Makarov — with me."
-o-
"And that's it," Lucy said, recounting the event in excruciating detail.
"I knew this boy would get himself in trouble doing something like this," Makarov sighed.
"Please, don't be mad at him. It's my fault if anything. I don't know what I was thinking, going into the forest," Lucy said.
"I think you're lying about that. But that's neither here nor there. You've told me everything? You've left nothing out?"
"Nothing," Lucy said honestly.
"Very well. Then the ingredient list I gave to Mirajane will be enough. You're lucky you didn't waste time," Porlyusica said before taking her leave.
"Don't mind her. She's always like that," Makarov sighed. "Thank you for bringing our guildmate here."
"It was nothing, Master Makarov. Natsu and Happy did save me, after all. It was the least I could do."
"What do you intend to do next?"
"I'm going to go back to the outpost. There's something I need to finish in the East Forest."
"I see. Not right now, surely?"
"I had," she began before Makarov cut her off.
"You three barely made it out with your lives today. Do you think you'll be alright going back by yourself?"
Lucy struggled to answer the question.
"I have to," she said quietly.
"I've no doubt about that. Whats your business, is your business. I won't try to stop you. But I implore you to rest a while. Don't think Porlyusica or I didn't notice you rubbing your stomach or leg. Does it hurt?"
"Yes," Lucy said after a long pause; she wasn't a very good actress, she found out.
"We'll lay another bed out for you in Natsu's room. Stay there for a little while and rest. If, after you're both healed, you want to go back to the East Forest, you may. Until then, however, please stay. Let us tend to you. It's the least we can do," Makarov said graciously. Lucy wanted to protest, but the throbbing in her stomach and leg said otherwise.
"Thank you," she finally said quietly.
-o-
Lucy had been staring at Natsu's prone, restless body for close to a few hours. Every half an hour, the room would suddenly become hot and stuffy, taking away her breath. Gray kept it in check, cooling it down periodically.
"An Ankh Beast, huh?" Gray finally said after those first few hours.
"What? Oh. Yeah. A horned one. It grazed him while we were near the edge of the forest," Lucy said, finally sparing him a look.
"The hell was he doing in the forest? Last I heard, his job was in Hargeon," Gray said.
"He said he heard about me going in the forest for something, so he came after me to make sure I was alright," Lucy said. She finally smiled; the first she could remember in a long, long time.
"Sounds like him," Gray sighed.
"Are you his friend?"
"We're guildmates," Gray said flatly.
'Touchy subject,' Lucy noted.
The door soon opened. Porlyusica, Makarov, and Mira walked in. Mira looked at Lucy, who was surprised to see that she was wearing a flattering red dress.
"Mira got the ingredients," Porlyusica said. She lathered some of the medicine on a brush and rubbed it along Natsu's side. The Dragon Slayer hissed in his sleep but didn't move too much. Finally, after she had finished applying the medicine, she bandaged him up tightly. Lucy saw that his body grew more and more still until finally, he was in a comfortable, deep sleep. Porlyusica soon moved on to her, giving her a few painkillers and applying some herbs to her stomach and leg to improve the healing.
"Something to help you sleep," she said, giving her drink. Lucy graciously took it and quickly downed it.
"Let's let them rest a bit," Porlyusica said. She, Makarov, and Gray left; Mira stayed behind a bit longer.
"Mirajane Strauss," she said, shaking Lucy's hand.
"Lucy Heartfilia," the blonde said, taking it. "I've heard of you. And the guild, of course. One of Fiore's best."
"We try to be," Mira said with a smile. "Thank you for bringing Natsu and Happy back to us. We recently lost another member of our guild. I don't know how we would've done if we lost them as well."
"It was the least I could do. They saved me, after all," Lucy said with a small smile.
"That's Natsu alright," Mira giggled.
"What do you mean?"
"I'll tell you later. Get some rest for now, Lucy," Mira said, laying her down.
"That's a good idea," Lucy said, yawning. The medicine kicked in quickly; soon, she was out cold. With one last smile, Mira turned off the lights and took her leave.
-o-
"At least they're safe," Mira said as she joined Porlyusica and Makarov downstairs.
"I'm thankful for that. We already lost one this week," Makarov said, rubbing his face.
"Has Macao come back from his job yet?"
"Not yet. He's supposed to be hunting some Ankh children near Mount Hakobe. It shouldn't take long," Makarov said.
"I hope he's safe. Romeo keeps coming around every day to ask us to send someone. Can't say I blame him," Mira said.
"Nor can I, but it's not helpful. He has to understand there are risks involved in being a guild Wizard," Makarov said sternly.
"You can tell him that when he comes by again tomorrow," Mira said. Makarov had no response.
"Mira, can I get a drink?"
"Sure, Cana," Mira said. As she joined her friend, Cana raised a brow at the fancy outfit.
"Hot date?"
"Just something to make myself feel a little sexier," Mira said.
"Like you need that," Cana groaned.
"Did you finish the job?" Mira asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Yeah. Wasn't too bad. Fuck that, though. How's Natsu? Bisca told me what happened," Cana said, frowning.
"He'll be alright. Just needs some rest right now. Both he and Happy were injured. I don't think Happy'll be flying for a little while," Mira said.
"Was it really an Ankh?"
"Yeah. That's what Lucy said. She's the girl that brought him here," Mira said.
"Our little Natsu's growing up," Cana giggled.
"Don't let them hear you say that," Mira giggled.
"Besides, it's not really little Natsu anymore," Cana said.
"Ugh. I keep telling him to wear proper clothes. He's just like Gray," Mira sighed.
"At least Natsu wears a top," Cana said.
"True," Mira said.
"I also heard about Droy," Cana said, more serious. Mira nodded.
"Yeah. You should've seen Levy. I think it broke her heart," Mira said.
"I haven't seen her all day," Cana said.
"She's probably back at Fairy Hills. Jet probably went home, too," Mira said.
"Rumor is, though…" Cana began, much quieter.
"I know what you're going to say. Yeah," Mira nodded.
"Damn it," Cana said, her head hanging. "Don't let Levy find out. If she does, I don't think she'll come back from it. Those three have been friends since they were kids."
"I know. Anyways, drink and go check on her, alright?"
"Yeah," Cana said, downing a few glasses.
-o-
"Levy?" Cana asked quietly. She and Bisca opened the door to Levy's room. The bluenette was leaning against the window. As they approached, they almost felt their hearts break. She was leaning against the cold glass, tears staining her cheeks and the floor below. Her eyes were blood red and she was bleeding from her fists, having punched several holes in the wall. Her lips were dry and cracked, her shirt stained with mucus. She almost looked catatonic.
"We'll get you to bed, Levy," Cana said gently, repressing her tears. She and Bisca slowly led her along. They helped her change into a new set of clothes before laying her down and pulling some covers over her. Throughout it, Levy offered no protest and said nothing.
-o-
Jet was shaking with rage and anger as he read a note that was hammered to his room.
'I'm sorry, Jet. I'm sorry. I can't take this anymore. Why are we still here? Why am I still here? What the hell are we doing? The guild, the city, this entire goddamn country! I can't live like this anymore. It's all gone to shit. There's no going back anymore - what the hell would we even go back to?
When you get this, I'll be gone. Don't come looking for me. You or Levy. You won't find me. None of you will find me. I took the 80,000 jewel. I know you're going to hate me after you read this. I don't really care anymore. Just don't let Levy find out.
I know you won't let that happen, Jet. You know what it would do to her if she found out, right? It's not pretty. Don't look for me. Don't tell Levy. If we see each other again, we don't know each other. Leave me alone and I'll leave you two alone.
Droy'
"DAMN IT DROY!" Jet screamed, tossing a bottle across the room. "I HATE YOU, BASTARD!"
It was a long time until he finally settled down; his room was torn to shreds and jet sat in a puddle of his own rage, tears streaming down his face.
"80,000 jewels. Gone," he said, trying to catch his breath. It was the amount the three had saved up on multiple jobs over the years. It was the money they were going to use to start a new life, together, as friends. Now, it was nowhere to be found.
Jet pulled apart a chest that was close to him. In it was every bit of medicine and Ethernano that he had saved over the years for dire occasions. He took everything; every pill, herb, concoction, and other that he had saved. It wasn't long until the effects kicked in. Jet retched and slumped forward, dead.