A/N: I'm starting a new story despite not having finished my others, but I've been working on this a bit at a time for a while and decided that I'd finally start to publish it as it comes. I apologize in advance for any heartbreak I may cause and errors that are in my writing. Please have patience with me, I'm not very good at grammar.
All rights to Hiro Mashima.
Chapter One: Oath
Lucy stared at the sky, tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. She turned her head to glance at the empty spot beside her. In mind's eye a boy with pink hair and a white, scaly scarf glanced over at her and an infectious grin spread across his face as he turned back towards the setting sun. Lucy followed the imaginary boy's eyes and looked back at the sunset. It had become a brilliant scarlet colour. The same colour as the flaming hair of a girl missing from her spot behind Lucy.
On a whim Lucy turned to look behind her. There stood the girl forever clad in armour with flaming scarlet hair. The girl looked down at Lucy and her stoic features softened slightly as a slow, steady smile spread across her face. Lucy turned back to the sunset.
The chill in the twilight air brought Lucy's attention to a third empty space on her other side. When she looked, a shirtless boy with a sword necklace stood there, but only in memory. He looked at her with a warm smile that contrasted with the ice coating his heart and his frozen features melted slightly.
The final blank space filled itself when Lucy felt the wind stir her hair. A blue cat landed on her shoulder and wrapped his tail around her neck. White wings popped out of existence as the cat snuggled into the junction of her shoulder and neck. Lucy tilted her head so that her cheek rested on the soft blue fur of his coat. A deep pur emanated from the cat's throat and vibrated through Lucy's head right to her soul. When it faded, the cat, two boys, and girl were all gone and Lucy stood alone once more.
It was inevitable. She knew this and yet, Lucy couldn't help but wish things had turned out differently. Lucy knew she should have been the one to die. The one to disappear instead of them. Instead of her team. Her family. Her loved ones. Instead they had all died in hopes that Lucy might live. And Lucy would live.
She had held Natsu as he passed on, comforted Gray as the world faded from his view, and lent Erza enough magic to re-equip one final time to the clothes she wanted to die in and destroy the last enemy that stood before her, her mother. A first and final Unison Raid with her older sister. It had been hard help her family move from this world to the next, but necessary. Lucy had assisted many more people to the heavens over the week. Juvia and Jellal had passed on comforted by Lucy's words, as well as Sorano, Richard, Sawyer, Sho, Wally, Millianna, Wakaba, Macao, Laxus, Bickslow, Evergreen, Elfman, Mira, Gildarts, Makarov, Alzack, Bob, Porlyusica, Vijeeter, Nab, Jet, Droy, Max, Reedus, Warren, Levy, Kinana, Bisca, Asuka, Laki, Risley, Minerva, Yukino, Beth, Arana, Sting, Orga, Rufus, Lector, Dobengal, Eve, Hibiki, Ren, Ichiya, Bacchus, Chelia, Yuka, Toby, Sherri, and Jenny.
Lucy wasn't sure she'd ever forget all those who had died that she knew. Lucy could no longer separate in her mind the people who had been a part of Fairy Tail and those who had not because all had helped her live. In her mind that made them part of her family and her family was Fairy Tail. She was thankful that some of her family were still living. Lucy was thankful that she still had a reason to live and a reason to create more reasons to live. Wendy was still alive. So were Freed, Romeo, Lisanna, Carla, Gajeel, Panther Lily, Mest, Cana, Meredy, Kagura, Rogue, Macbeth, Erik, Frosch, and Lyon. As Lucy stared at the sunset she could no longer suppress the tears that had been building in her eyes. Lucy blinked once and the dam fell away, letting her tears to flow freely.
Lucy reached up with a gauntleted hand to pull a warm, scaly white scarf over her mouth. She grasped a sword necklace that rested on her chest with the same hand and brushed the other precious objects she carried with the other hand. Lucy wasn't the only one with mementos from people who had given their lives in the war against Zeref and his demons. Lisanna had some, as did Meredy and Wendy. Lyon had gained Gray's Ice Devil Slaying magic, and Rogue, Sting's White Dragon Slaying magic. Wendy had also been granted Chelia's Sky God Slaying magic. For some inexplicable reason, Romeo had gotten Orga's Lightning God Slayer powers as well as Natsu's Fire Lightning Dragon Slayer powers. Lucy herself had gained some pretty cool new powers as well as Yukino's keys and the keys Sorano had collected in hopes of gifting to her younger sister. They hadn't figured out how the magic had been passed on, but it had.
Lucy wasn't sure how long she stood at the top of that hill, staring into the setting sun and even after the sun had set. She only came back to herself when even the too large coat draped over her shoulders that had formerly belonged to Laxus Dreyar, could not keep out the chill of the night air. Lucy turned on her heel and headed back towards town and Fairy Hills, where all the survivors were currently living while they figured out what they wanted to do now.
As she walked back to the building, Lucy began to formulate a plan in her mind. It was insane and might not even come to fruition, but Lucy was determined to try. She would have to call a meeting with everyone to discuss it in the morning. In the meantime, she ought to pick up dinner for everyone. The others had been no better than catatonic at best. At worse they had been corpses for all but the fact that they'd had a heart beat and were breathing. Lucy did not know how she was still functioning. It probably had to do with the fact that she was really good at shutting things out. That and Lucy knew that her family would be furious if she wasted away like the others were.
Lucy clattered noisily through the entrance hall and into the kitchen to see if anyone was moving around yet. One person did wander into the kitchen to check on the source of the noise. It was Cobra, or Erik as he'd reluctantly told them to call him. Midnight had also dropped his codename in favour of his birth name, Macbeth. Lucy glanced at him curiously.
"Can I help you?" Lucy asked in a voice that was slightly rusty from disuse and many fits of sobbing and screaming.
"What are you cooking for dinner?" Erik asked, not answering her question.
"Chicken noodle soup to help soothe our broken hearts," Lucy replied, turning back to the stove to give the soup another stir.
"Homemade," he said in surprise, "that's unusual."
"Well, I like cooking and it's easy to make, so why not," Lucy shrugged as she ladled herself a little taste. The broth was a little weak. Lucy added one more shake of her special spice mix and set the soup to simmer for a little longer before turning to face the second generation poison dragon slayer.
Lucy repeated her question, "Can I help you?"
Erik shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not." Lucy gave him a flat stare and he put his hands up in surrender. Lucy frowned internally at this. Usually the man had much more fire than this.
"I was wondering if, ah, you knew what you were gonna do now that, uhm, everyone's….gone," Erik asked hesitantly, a faint red colour tinging his upper cheeks.
Lucy's eyes softened. Erik had just had everything he knew stripped from him and was lost in the world. Much like everyone else and she had forgotten that underneath his asshole exterior, there was a human being. "I was going to hold a meeting about that very topic tomorrow morning. Should I move it to tonight and give people the night to think it over?" Lucy answered.
"I think tonight would be better," Erik said, "everyone's soul is in chaos from I can hear. They're lost which is why they're acting the way they are. I think that everyone needs someone to provide a path for them to walk on until they can get their lives pieced back together."
Lucy looked at him, then looked out to where she knew everyone was, a sad smile gracing her face. "Of course," Lucy murmured, "how could I not see it. Very well I shall hold the meeting tonight."
"I'll go roust people for dinner then," Erik wandered out of the kitchen, but halted when Lucy called out to him.
"We have some venom in the fridge, I think. Would you like it with your soup?"
Erik turned back, a genuine, but small, smile on his face, "That'd be great, thanks." He disappeared into the halls.
Fifteen minutes later, with the help of Virgo, the table was set for eighteen people. Every bowl was already filled with soup because the pots Lucy had used to cook the soup were too big to put on the dining room table. She snagged the vial of venom from the fridge and slipped it into her pocket before picking up the last tray of drinks. Virgo met her in the dining room and helped to place the rest of the drinks. Place cards were at each place so that people with strange food preferences wouldn't get their food mixed up with the people with normal food preferences. Lucy set the vial of venom at Erik's place and went to the living room to call everyone in for dinner.
She gasped in surprise at the scene in front of her. Everyone was gathered in the living room and playing the most intense version of Candy Land that Lucy had ever seen. It seemed to have been combined with Monopoly, Sorry, and Yahtzee. There were five teams of three and one team of two. Lucy smiled at the groups. Lisanna, Macbeth, and Frosch. Lyon, Kagura, and Mavis. Gajeel, Romeo, and Meredy. Rogue, Wendy, and Mest. Freed, Carla, and Erik. Cana and Lily. After a particularly loud scream from Meredy as her team lost nearly all their money, Lucy interrupted.
"It's time for dinner guys," she announced.
Everyone paused mid-movement and looked over at her in surprise. Then helped each other up and migrated to the dining room chatting amongst themselves. Lucy caught Erik's arm as he passed.
"Thank you," she whispered in his ear.
"No problem," he replied and the two of them followed the others to the dining room.
Dinner was a lively affair compared to the way it had been. The energy level was not as high as it had been before the war, but Lucy did not expect it to be. She was just glad that everyone was enjoying dinner, wide awake, and talking. Everyone appreciated Lucy's efforts to cater to their dietary preferences. Rogue and Wendy were baffled as to how she managed to incorporate their element into the soup, but Lucy had explained that she stuck tiny little lacrimas of their element into their bowls of soup.
After dinner was finished, the table cleared, and dishes washed, Lucy asked everyone to reconvene in the living room. They all mingled and sat next to people they had probably never really spoken to or didn't know all too well. Lucy sat alone in a recliner with Mavis perched behind her. She gulped nervously as everyone looked at her expectantly.
"I asked you all to come here because I want to discuss something very important with all of you," Lucy hesitated a moment before continuing, "the future."
Everyone in the room gained a familiar sad gleam to their eyes. Lucy closed her eyes briefly, inhaled, exhaled, and continued.
"I know that it is a painful thing to think about, but it is necessary. The war cost all of us more than we wanted to pay. It cost us our friends, our families, our homes, our visions of our futures. Nevertheless, I have decided to look forward with hope knowing that I am backed by the people who gave their lives to end the war, to save the country, to save me." Lucy paused again and cast a glance around the room, she had everyone's full attention and faces were masks of grief, anger, and, dare she say it, hope.
"I have decided what I want to do. The path I have chosen is one I will walk until the day I die, but it is also a path that is large and long enough for anyone who wants to join me. You can walk alongside me for however long you desire and may leave at any time." Mavis rested a ghostly hand on Lucy's shoulder in support, a knowing smile on her face as Lucy paused to wet her lips. "I will resurrect Fairy Tail."
Gasps ran around the room and everyone stared at her in shock, tears welling their eyes. Wendy had two shaking hands in front of her mouth, tears raining from her eyes. Surprisingly, though, it was Romeo who spoke in a voice so quiet Lucy could barely hear it.
"Why," he asked, head down, fists clenched in his lap and he stared at the lightning bolt tattoo on his forearm, a red dragon encircling it, "why are you doing this? I know Fairy Tail is never supposed to give up, but don't you suppose it's time for us to stop doing this? Isn't it time to end Fairy Tail for good and let the rest of the world take care of itself? Hasn't the universe given you enough clues that Fairy Tail is no longer needed?" Romeo's voice was getting steadily louder until he was on his feet and shouting, "THEY'RE GONE YOU KNOW! NO MIRACLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN THIS TIME! NATSU-NII ISN'T GOING TO KICK DOWN THE DOORS AGAIN! MY FATHER WILL NEVER GET DRUNK AGAIN AND PERVE ON THE GIRLS IN THE GUILD! THERE IS NO MASTER TO LEAD US! EVERYONE IS GONE AND THEY AREN'T COMING BACK THIS TIME!"
Romeo dropped to his knees panting. Lucy half stood to rush to his side along with Wendy, but Romeo wasn't done yet.
"My father died right in front of me. He shielded me from a blast of Zeref's magic," Romeo spoke in a normal volume, but his voice wavered. "I didn't think he was ever gonna die after we survived the dragon attack after the GMG. I didn't think anyone from Fairy Tail would die after Tenroujima and the dragon attack after the GMG. I didn't think the universe was cruel enough to take everyone from me a second time."
When Romeo's words trickled to a stop, Lucy was at his side, enveloping him in a hug. Everyone else in the room was frozen, memories running through their heads. Lucy felt tears drip onto her shoulder from Romeo's eyes. She stroked his head soothingly, like a mother.
"It's a dangerous thing to believe," Lucy said eventually, after she gathered her thoughts, "the idea that those around you are invincible. Everyone will have to leave this earth eventually. I had hoped that I would be the only sacrifice in the war." Romeo stiffened in her arms and everyone else in the room turned their attention to her in shock. Lucy pulled back from Romeo, a sad smile on her face.
"Oh yes," Lucy sighed a sad smile on her face, "I had a way to end the war instantaneously, but at the cost of my life and the gold keys. Master would not allow me to perform the spell. I tried, but Evergreen, of all people, interfered. She was the first person to sacrifice herself in order to let me live." Freed stifled a cry and Lucy glanced at him, tears pouring down her face. "I'm so sorry, Freed, your team gave their life to save mine. I was not worthy of the sacrifice. Master should have just let me perform the spell. He knew there was no way we were getting out of this fight unscathed and all living."
"No, Lucy-san," Freed denied her statement fervently, "I just did not know how they had perished. We got separated in the heat of the battle, despite our efforts to stay together. I had no idea how any of them perished. I am glad it was for a worthy reason and they weren't just defeated whilst protecting only themselves in a secluded corner."
"Every single death from that war was in vain," Lucy continued, "I am one person, but hundreds died because of me."
"Because of you?" Wendy asked, eyes wide.
"Zeref wanted his brother, but he also wanted me," Lucy explained. "Most of the people who died in the war, died shielding me from him. Zeref wanted my powers to augment his and he needed me to control Fairy Heart." The non-Fairy Tail mages in the room looked confused at the term, but those from Fairy Tail looked both stunned and horrified.
"Fairy Heart is my true body and a well of infinite magic," Mavis explained, those not in Fairy Tail had been granted the ability to see and hear her during the war to make the best tactical maneuvers possible, "and Zeref knew he could not wield it, or if he could, it would destroy him. A person of pure heart, strong will, and great intelligence is needed to correctly wield that power. Lucy has all the qualities and somehow Zeref knew that."
"Evergreen, Bickslow, Laxus, Orga, Juvia, Levy, Jellal, Sorano, Yukino, Richard, Sawyer, Wally, Sho, Minerva, Millianna, Natsu, Erza, Gray, Happy, and," Lucy paused, looked straight at Cana, her eyes filled with misery, grief, and tears, "Gildarts."
"Old man," Cana breathed meeting Lucy's gaze. In a flurry of movement, Cana flung herself off the couch, straight at Lucy. Lisanna and Wendy cried out in warning, but the blow that all were expecting to land, never came. Instead Cana's arms were wrapped around Lucy's waist, her face buried in the other girl's chest.
"Thank you," Cana whispered in a fervent prayer, "thank you, thank you so much. Oh Mavis, thank you, thank you, thank you."
Lucy blinked in surprise, before wrapping her arms around Cana and gently stroked her hair. "Cana," Lucy asked delicately, "Cana, what's wrong?"
"Thank you old man," Cana whispered, "thank you. I have never loved you so much as I do now. Thank you, dad."
"Cana, sweetie," Lucy said hesitantly, "is everything alright?"
"I love you," Cana responded, hugging Lucy every tighter, "I love you so much."
Lucy's eyes widened in surprise, then her expression softened, tears forgotten. "I love you too." And there was no mistaking the loving expression on her face and in her tone. It was not the love of a lover, but the love of a sister so close, they were practically the same person despite their different personalities.
The onlookers forgot their pain when they saw the smile on Lucy's face. It was the most perfect smile they'd ever seen and it encompassed all of them. It made them forget their heartbreak. The love pouring out of it filled the cracks and gaps their souls and stunned everyone, even those who knew that Lucy possessed great amounts of love and forgiveness. The smile on Lucy's face lit up the rooms and the hearts of those in it.
Cana pulled back, took one look at the smile on Lucy's face and knelt, head bowed. It was a very uncharacteristic move for one like Cana and Lucy rose to her feet to try and raise Cana up. Cana ignored Lucy's efforts.
"I," the card mage announced in a strong voice, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
That stunned Lucy into speechlessness. When she finally recovered enough to speak, Freed was there, kneeling before her next to Cana. "I," the rune mage copied Cana's statement, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
"Now guys," Lucy said nervously, backing up a step in astonishment, but she was never to going to get to say what she wanted to because Gajeel was there kneeling beside the other two mages.
"I," the Iron-Shadow Dragon Slayer said in an unusually serious voice, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Rogue was there with Frosch, not giving Lucy a chance to compose herself. "I," the Light-Shadow Dragon Slayer and frog-costumed exceed chorused, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Meredy joined the group kneeling on the floor. "I," the maguilty sense mage said, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
"You're being a bit hasty," Lucy warned, but no one was listening to her.
Lyon made an expression that seemed to, 'oh to hell with it,' before he too kneeled. "I," the new Ice Devil Slayer intoned, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Wendy was not about to be outdone in showing her devotion to her older sister and quickly knelt. "I," the new Sky Dragon-God Slayer announced, sounding both serious and self-satisfied, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Carla wasn't about to let her little charge get away and joined Wendy on the floor. "I," the pure-white exceed sighed, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Lily seemed to finally shake off his shock at seeing his partner willingly kneeling and bowing his head before another knelt in front of Gajeel. "I," the black exceed said, setting his sword on the floor in front of him, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Romeo joined his crush kneeling on the floor. "I," the Fire-Lightning Dragon-God Slayer said in a strong voice, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Mest heaved a sigh, made a face that clearly said, 'Am I'm really about to do this? yup, I am,' and knelt. "I," the direct-line mage announced as if tell the universe to kiss his ass, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Lisanna glanced at everyone on the floor, the three mages still sitting and looking on in shock, bit her lip, shook her head, and nodded to herself. Determination flashed through her eyes as she, too, knelt. "I," the animal soul takeover mage said, her brother and sister's strength coursing through her veins as she spoke, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Kagura seemed to have finally processed whatever it was she was thinking about and took her sheath and sword off her belt, setting it in front of herself as she knelt. "I," the gravity mage and master swordswoman said in a voice that indicated this was the most obvious choice out of all the choices she had, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
Erik and Macbeth were the last mages left. Erik was gaping at the group of people kneeling on the floor in front of him, but facing one awestruck woman. Erik turned his gaze to the woman in front of him. He could, for whatever reason, not get a clear reading on her soul. It sounded like a symphony, with layer after layer of music, not sound like most people's soul, but actual music. No thoughts ran through it disturbing the pure sounds, unlike any other soul he had encountered. Either she was hiding her thoughts, or her mind was completely blank. Either way the noise it made was incredibly soothing and it pulled Erik in. He did not want to leave Lucy and loose the sound of the symphony of love, intelligence, beauty, determination, trust, honesty, and strength that was Lucy's soul.
Erik glanced over at his catatonic best friend of over twenty years and sighed. This was the best option. It was either join Lucy, Fairy Tail, and whatever mission she had planned, or go out into the world on his own, maybe with Macbeth, and find his own path. The odds were better sticking with Lucy, but did he really have to kneel and give that stupid oath? Erik closed his eye and read her soul once more. A new layer had added itself. Understanding. Erik looked at her in shock. A smile, just as big as the one she had given Cana, graced her lips and it was directed towards him and Macbeth. It was full of love, understanding, forgiveness, sympathy, and offerings of a brighter future than he could ever imagine. Yeah, he really did have to kneel and say that stupid oath. Erik did not have what it took to stand equal with this woman, no one did.
With this is mind, Erik rose and deliberately walked until he was directly to the left of her left hand, but far enough back as was a respectable distance, with space for another in front of him. Lucy's eyes followed him as he knelt and bowed his head in a show of submission. "I," the Poison Dragon Slayer said in a slow and deliberate voice, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission. No matter what it is you require of me, I shall do it to the best of my ability. I shall try until I succeed no matter the cost."
Lucy's soul trilled a welcome flair with a piccolo. Erik smiled, his head still bowed. Then he tunned into a different soul. The soul of his best friend. It was filled with discordance and confusion, thoughts burbled along its surface. 'Why would you give away your freedom?' Macbeth's soul wondered, 'how will you ever fulfill your prayer, your one wish now?' Erik's smile tightened and his shoulder muscles bunched in grief. Cubellios was gone. She had been one of the Fairy's and was known as Kinana in her human form. And she had died in the war.
A sudden hush in Macbeth's soul drew Erik's attention. All sound beside the normal sound every human's soul makes had died. 'I will fight,' surfaced in Macbeth's soul. A thought laced with some much determination and a rush of such affection that Erik longed to raise his head to see what was going on, but did not dare to. Steps sounded and the air swished as someone knelt next to Erik. Macbeth.
"I," the darkness and reflector mage spoke in a calm, determined voice that Erik had never heard from the man before and he echoed Erik's words, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as we both shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission. No matter what it is you require of me, I shall do it to the best of my ability. I shall try until I succeed no matter the cost."
One person besides Lucy remained standing and slowly, almost ceremoniously, that person knelt directly in front of Lucy in the space Erik had left open. This person was the First Master Mavis Vermilion. "I," the First Master spoke in the voice of a thirteen year-old girl despite being one hundred and nineteen, "shall follow you to the ends of the earth and the high reaches of the heavens. No matter where this path will take us, I shall be at your side, for as long as you shall live, and lend you my strength so that you may complete your mission."
All eighteen mages kneeling in front of Lucy in such a way that they created an arrow led by Mavis and pointing at Lucy, raised their heads. "We make this oath under the heavens," all of them said as one, words they did not recognize filling their heads and flowing out of their mouths unbidden, "we recognize its significance and understand that failure to fulfill this oath whilst still following our pledged will result in immediate and painful death. We shall not falter in our duty. We might stumble and fall whilst following this path, but we will always stand and help others to stand. We recognize that that who stands before us as our pledged, our master, our god and shall not betray this person, lest we be bereft of our powers and our lives. We shall follow you on your path and provide all support necessary for you to achieve your goal. By this oath we shall abide until the time comes when you absolve us from our responsibilities."
"I recognize and accept your oaths. I recognize that my path is not one I can walk by myself, unsupported and unaided by those who kneel before me and offer me fealty," Lucy voiced the words that now filled her mind, arms sweeping wide to encompass all those who knelt before her, "I shall gladly accept your assistance in fulfilling my goal, as hard as it may be and as long as it may take. I vow to absolve you of your responsibilities when I feel as though you have fulfilled your oaths."
Lucy's eyes were wide with surprise as a small portion of each mage's magic seeped out of their pores and condensed into a ball of magic hovering above the group. Once everyone's power was in the ball, it sped towards Lucy, and before the girl could so much as raise her arms to protect herself, it collided with and then entered, her body. It filled her body and Lucy's back arched in pain at the sudden intrusion of foreign magic. Then the oddest thing began to happen, the magic that had entered into her system forced itself into her magic container and seemed to create its own container next to Lucy's Second Origin. A symbol for each person's magic appeared around her wrists in a bracelet of tattoos. A bracelet of stars appeared on the wrists of every mage kneeling before Lucy as their oath was sealed.
When it ended, Lucy collapsed to the ground panting. Much of her magic had disappeared during the process, probably gone into making the eighteen bracelets of stars and forging an unbreakable bond with every mage who knelt before her.
"Oath," Mavis said in tone approaching reverence, "I never thought I'd see the day when there was a leader great enough that the spell would be performed. Much less that I would get to be part of it."
