Back again guys! For those of you who are reading because of my previous fanfiction, Tainting Innocence, welcome back! I hope you all continue enjoying my work! For any newcomers, welcome to my Mard Geer x Lucy fanfiction! Hope all of you like it!

What is this? What the hell is this?

Mard Geer, king of the demons and the most powerful of Zeref's creations, lay on the shattered remains of his crumbled castle.

How did this happen? I was designed to kill Lord Zeref himself.

Struggling up, he looked down at his hands and body, which were covered in pale flesh. Evidently, the massive defeat made him revert to his human form.

How did some half-baked lizard defeat me?

Making his way to his feet, he held his side and limped away from the ruins. Sharp pain stabbed at his sides and chest.

Those humans will die.

It wasn't long before he reached a thick forest filled with enough trees to cover and allow him to rest. He stumbled into the dense foliage, collapsing on cool, moss-covered ground. A pair or feet stood in his line of vision.

What idiotic amoeba would dare stand before-

His eyes slowly traveled upwards to the stranger's face, the obsidian orbs widening in horror. Lord Zeref stood above him, cruel, scarlet irises glaring down on him. "It appears," he began, his smooth voice ringing out among the trees. "That my creations are less competent than I had anticipated." Before the Demon King could respond, Zeref's hand pulled his face up harshly, sharp pain shooting through his scalp. "Perhaps it's time I truly test your abilities, King of Demons," the black mage said mockingly.

The king's heart suddenly felt like someone had grasped it and clenched tightly, his body feeling weak. "W-what did you do?" Mard Geer choked out. A small smile grew on his master's face. "I've relinquished you of your curse."

My power is… Gone?

"Then why not just kill me?" Mard said. Depression and hopelessness weighed down his heart. Zeref sneered coldly. "Must I repeat myself? I said I was going to test you. Living, weak and alone, is the worst possible situation one can be in. It's time to see how far a demon's perseverance will get you." His head was dropped back to the ground, suddenly lighter after feeling. "We can't have them recognizing you, can we?"

I am nothing…

The cheers of Fairy Tail echoed throughout the ruins of Tartarus. Victory had reached their grasp. Although, not everyone was celebrating.

Lucy Heartfilia sat away from the others, mourning the loss of her oldest friend, Aquarius. Many of her guildmates respected her enough to leave her be, but others were suffering their own losses.

The demon's defeat had been bittersweet, saving humanity from life without magic, but costing too heavy a price. A sudden crash reminded Lucy of her surroundings and she spun to face the source of the sound. Walking over cautiously, she examined the freshly collapsed wall, about to walk away when a groan sounded from the ruins. The blonde ran around the ruins and found an arm and head sticking out from under the rubble.

"How did he get here?" Lucy gasped, frantically pushing rubble off and pulling him out of the dust. The raven-haired man coughed at the sudden irritation and opened his eyes slightly, locking eyes with his savior. "Y-you…?" He coughed again and fell to sleep's spell once again.

That's odd, she thought, quickly pulling the man away and towards the her guildmates. "Wendy!" She yelled as loud as she could, dragging the man to the stunned mages before her. The sky dragon slayer ran up, eyes widening at the appearance. "Can you help him?"

She nodded and went to work. It wasn't long before the bloody wounds disappeared and his shallow breathing steadied. Many asked where he had come from or how he was involved, but Lucy did not have any answers, only leaving more confusion and distrust for the man. His eyes slowly flickered open and he coughed slightly.

"Are you okay sir?" Lucy asked with concern. "I'll live," he responded in a scratchy voice. The celestial mage sighed in relief and frustration. "Can you tell us your name?"

"Mar-" the man started choking again. Wendy immediately went to work on his chest, attempting to clear debris out of his lungs. "Mark," repeated Lucy softly. "I'll take Mark back to my apartment and treat him." Her words greatly surprised her comrades, some yelling out objections or questions. "I… I'd like to get my mind off of things. Don't worry, he'll be okay."

Wendy was hesitant, but agreed, knowing full well the grief that Lucy felt. "I'll give you instructions on how to take care of him," she said softly. "Just be careful." She stepped away to allow Lucy to speak with the man, evidently named Mark. The blonde knelt down next to the dark-eyed man. "It's okay Mark, you're going to be fine," she said soothingly.

"My name is Lucy. I'm here to help you."

Not even twenty-four hours later, Makarov Dreyar disbanded the strongest guild in Fiore for unknown reasons. He disappeared immediately afterwards. Lucy brought Mark to her apartment and left him to sleep quietly in her bed. She looked over the lacrima and document Wendy left for her to use.

Natsu and Gray had slipped away after Tartarus was defeated; no one had been able to contact them. Everyone split in their own separate ways, leaving Lucy alone with her patient. She sighed unhappily and sat on the chair next to his bed. He's so peaceful when he's sleeping, she thought with a small chuckle. She reached out to stroke his raven locks from his face when a pale hand snapped and gripped her hand. "D… Do… you know who I am…?"

"You're Mark. A victim of Tartarus," Lucy said in confusion. The man's grip tightened aggressively. "Do you not remember the man who clashed with your strongest spirit?" Lucy's brown orbs widened. "No…" Their voices spoke in perfect unison, one filled with rejection and denial and the other only confirming her fears.

"Mard Geer."

I realize that this kick-off was probably very boring, but it was the first chapter and I promise it'll get better from here. I sincerely hope that all of you enjoy this one just as much as you enjoyed Tainting Innocence. On November 28th (I'm not sure if this is right, the date is on my wordpress), I will be submitting my first One Piece fanfiction for you fans out there. Otherwise, I'm done with this and don't forget to check out my wordpress, life of a female otaku . wordpress . com, (take out the spaces). I post all my deadline and submit dates for my fanfiction chapters on there and also, once it gets more popular, I'll be starting polls on their for future works. ~Bye!