A/N: This is a Gray/Erza and Jellal/Erza story and is slightly AU. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Chapter 1: The Ultimate Price

I have to get to Erza before it's too late, before he kills her. I can't let that happen. Not on my watch.

He sprinted up the seemingly never ending staircase and maze that was the Tower of Heaven. After it had suddenly been turned into crystalline Etherion, Gray couldn't keep waiting on the boat for Erza and Natsu to return. He had a feeling that something was going to go wrong if he didn't get there in time. If something happened to her and he didn't do anything, he could never forgive himself.

I'm coming… Erza…

Simon lay dead on the ground and Erza was starting to cry. He had sacrificed himself to protect her against the Altairis spell that Jellal cast. She sat next to him, slowly shaking him, somehow hoping that it would bring him back to life. As Natsu witnessed this, a burning rage lit in him. Jellal made Erza cry, again. He knew that he was dangerously low on magic energy, but he believed that he had to stop this horrid man from Erza's past.

The dragon slayer recalled what the blue haired wizard said earlier. "The magic energy produced from the Etherion Blast was completely absorbed by the Tower, and has now turn into a structure of etherion infused lacrima."

Without giving it a second thought, Natsu began to take chunks of the nearby lacrima tower and began to eat them. As the magic energy entered his body, he felt a surge of power and hit Jellal with all his force. The blow sent the man flying back, however the damage done was not sufficient enough to take him down.

Within seconds of his "boost", the mixed amounts of elements that were in the lacrima he digested were beginning to take their toll on his body. He immediately tried to spit out the lacrima, but much of its energy was already in his bloodstream.

"Natsu! What are you doing? That stuff is full of mixed types of elements! It'll kill you!" Erza tried to stop the dragon slayer, but it was too late. The effects were beginning to show themselves on his body. He fell to the ground, choking. The dangerous elements and chemicals infused within the lacrima were poisoning him, and drained him of what little magic energy he had left.

Before falling completely unconscious, Natsu managed to choke out "I-I'm sorry Erza…". The pink haired mage lay limp on the ground, unable to move.

The scarlet wizard quickly went to the fire mage's side, checking for a heartbeat, signs of breathing, something to show that he was alive. She was relieved to find a slow pulse still within the dragon slayer, but her relief quickly vanished as she heard the voice of her enemy.

Jellal found the entire situation to be quite entertaining, "Ha! Makes my job easier now that he has killed himself! Now, Erza, are you ready for the ceremony to begin?"

There was nothing Titania could do. She had already lost the majority of her magic energy trying to fight Jellal. So this is the end… I should have never let Natsu fight for me. This is all my fault.

The tattooed man walked over to Erza and began to pull her towards the sacrificial liquid lacrima that she was pulled out of by Natsu earlier. But just as he was going to push her in a second time, he was hit by a sharp, piercing blade that cut through his side. He dropped Erza to see who had injured him, it was obviously not the requip wizard, as she didn't have the power to summon a sword.

"I won't let you hurt her." A familiar voice to Erza was heard, and she tiredly looked up to see Gray standing there, challenging Jellal.

"Ah, so you are still here, huh? Well I guess I'll just have to make quick work of you because I don't have time to play around!" The bluenette soared towards the ice wizard at blinding speed and hit him with tremendous force, knocking the wind out of Gray.

"G-Gray… don't do it… leave before he kills you too…" Erza was simply too weak to move and try to stop the ice mage.

Gray was hit with a series of attacks that left him beat down. He was having trouble standing up, but he saw how weak and fragile Erza looked and a fire of determination burned in his eyes.

*Flashback*

"There she is. I won't let her beat me this time." A young black haired boy ran towards a small girl who sat alone facing the riverbank. She heard him approaching, and turned around, only to have the boy see a tear still falling from her left eye. The young Erza stood up and wiped away the water that lingered on her face.

"What's up with you? Don't you learn your lesson? If you want to fight me again, then let's go."

Gray was surprised by what he had just seen. All he could say was "Why were you crying?".

Erza wanted to stay strong and keep her cool, "I wasn't".

The ice wizard knew what he saw. She was crying, and she is always by herself. He couldn't fight her after seeing her like this. He decided to sit down next to her and spend the rest of the day by her side. Gray never told her, but that day, he promised himself that he wouldn't let anyone make her cry again.

*Flashback end*

Gray wasn't going to let anyone hurt Erza. She meant everything to him, and he was willing to do anything to protect her. The emotions and feelings for Erza strengthened the ice wizard's power and he unleashed a fury of ice crystals all around and on top of Jellal, trapping him momentarily. But it was all the time he needed to cast his ultimate spell. He knew it was the only way to save Erza. He couldn't see any other way for him to do it, Jellal was just too powerful.

"What are you doing, you pest?!" The blue haired wizard looked down at his feet to see his legs encapsulated by ice, leaving him immobile temporarily.

"Erza, take care of Natsu and everyone else back at the guild..." Gray smiled at the scarlet mage as he crossed his arms out in front of him. She realized immediately what he was about to cast. "Gray! No! You can't!"

"Erza… I'll protect you…" And with that, Gray threw his arms back and casted the spell that cost the ultimate price.

"Iced Shell!"

A/N:I hope that you guys like it so far! This will be a multi-chapter story, by the way.

Writing a review always helps and I truly appreciate them!

-AP