Disclaimer: Guess what, not mine.

Chapter Six – Going back and the igmorfus' trap

"Okay, first things first. I need to go back." Natsu was saying, while pacing the small hall before Makarov's great room, Gray was leaning against the wall watching him. The fire mage paused and looked at Gray, a contrite expression fluttering to his lips. "I mean, we need to go. Where do you think we'll find that anchor?"

"I don't know. It has to be nearby. You heard the Elder. If we're stuck here is because of it." The dark haired one crossed his arms and looked ahead, through a small window and to the immense darkness that lay on the outside. "It has to be… What's there beyond the forest?"

Natsu looked a little puzzled. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"The forest," Gray was gesturing absentmindedly. "There has to be something beyond it. We don't… didn't go outside. I mean, I didn't…" he ended his tirade in a mutter, looking at the floor.

"Ah, right. Well, I've only seen the road. There's a village – but it is a bit distant from the forest and near-" his eyes widened in realization. "-near the forest, right on its shore, there's a huge estate. It's of my," Natsu's face scrunched up in a grimace and he choked a little, "-my fiancée's parents." The fire mage shook his head. "But it was… I mean, they probably are just water mages… even if I did feel something strange at their manor…"

"Oh right, of the water threads. But don't you think that might be a plausible place to start?" the dark haired one wondered.

"Maybe… besides, I would have to go there anyway. My parents are there." Replied the pink haired mage.

"I'll go with you. Maybe in that manor we might find some clue as to where the anchor is."

"Or what it might be. We can't forget that." Natsu sighed and scratched his forehead. "I just want to know how we'll be able to identify it…"

"Yeah. We need to find a way for-" a voice cut him off.

"Gray."

Both youths turned and entered the room once again.

"What did you want, Elder?" Gray's skin had never been so pale, in the whole time Natsu had seen him, looking seriously at the thin figure.

"You possess what'll help you to find the anchor. " A skeletal hand rose to point to his chest.

Gray looked down, surprised, one hand coming up absentmindedly to rest over the mark.

"Do you mean…? It's not possible…" he shook his head.

"When you get close to the anchor you'll feel it. When you dispose of it, that symbol shall disappear."

Gray clenched his teeth and bit out. "What? It's going to start glowing or something?" the other youth could see that the other was growing agitated.

"It will come to you in the same way that you were once marked." The Elder replied.

"What do you mean with that? He doesn't have the other person to…" the fire mage interjected, being silenced by Gray.

"Pain. It's going to hurt when we get near it." The dark haired youth closed his mouth tightly.

"And when the curse is lifted. The dark heaviness will probably be too much for your body to take."

'Great,' thought Natsu, 'not only he has to bear all that guilt but he's also going to have to suffer more for it to be lifted. Without his notice he had one hand on Gray's shoulder.

"Don't worry Gray. I'll be there to help you."

Gray nodded but his eyes seemed to be looking at him gratefully, expressing more than Natsu could comprehend.

"Come, we have to start getting ready."

As they were leaving the tower they could hear Makarov's last words.

Be careful for there are unknown dangers lurking. Beware, both of you.

"What do you mean by 'you're going outside'?" Lucy placed her hands in her hips, her voice hinting at some incredulity. "You said you weren't going back out there for- Wait! Where are you going, again?"

Gray looked uncomfortable, backing off slightly and looking at Natsu, asking for some help. The fire mage just seemed to be trying to blend with the wall, staring at the bunch of menacing people – well, the girls were a bit ticked so they were very dangerous – that were in the room.

"I didn't say where I was going to go…" he rolled his eyes, embarrassed. "But you don't have anything to do with-"

"We most certainly do." Erza's voice cut through his tirade, the same way that a hot knife would cut through butter. "It's abnormal for you to leave after so little. And, since you're going with Natsu it can only mean one thing-"

"-you're going to find the way to lift the curse." A number of voices said, at the same time.

"Okay, okay," Gray lifted his hands, in surrender. "Yes, I am going with Natsu in search of the thing to lift the curse and-"

"Then we're going with you," said Gajeel, a dangerous smile setting on his lips.

"Yes, we are. We also want to help."

Chaos settled on the room, as everybody wanted to help.

"Whoa, calm down – you what?" Gray looked, perplexed, at his friends.

"We're going with you, of course." Said a bright-eyed Wendy.

"But you… there's no… you don't need to…"

"Ahah, don't argue, Gray!" Kana clapped him on the back with such force that he nearly fell. "We're going with you and that's final. Just play along."

Laughs echoed on the room. A good mood had settled overall.

"Wait!" Natsu yelled, making everything freeze to a stop. "We're not going to go there if you're like that."

"What did you think, boy?" Erza asked, wearing a dangerous-looking armour. Strangely, all around her people seemed to be equipping, somehow.

"Huh, nothing, nothing." Before he calmly went to Gray's side. "They seem quite eager to go, don't you think…?" was half-whispered to the other.

Gray's mouth twitched upwards, "Wouldn't you be, had you been stuck here in what feels like forever?"

"Point taken…"

So, they stood in the middle of the room, answering to some questions and saw the organized chaos that settled in.

"Alright, how do we go, now?"

They were all standing on the long, dim main road. Gray was at the front, looking towards the nothingness.

"Now, we walk."

The whole column started heading towards the darkness that lay at the end of the road. Natsu slowed a bit but Gray's hand coming back to catch his soon had him walking beside Gray.

Together they advanced into the nothing and, in no time, Natsu recognized the grey tunnel, filled with a void and crippling coldness that met them. Beside him, Gray was walking normally, not bothered by the cutting waves of cold that crashed against the fire mage. He staggered, slightly but that strong hand remained there, like a pillar, kept him from falling. His magic burst into action, after what seemed like a lifelong day, and filled his body into overflowing with hot, happy flames, ready to erupt. This time it was stronger than the cold from the outside and he kept the pace with Gray without nearly a hitch.

A sudden flash and darkness engulfed them, rushing through them like claws and a searing hot-cold feeling ran through Natsu's spine before he found himself in a familiar place.

It was the clearing where he had stumbled upon Gray. And it even was black from the unexpected fire.

There was some ruckus behind them and the rest of the gang had just arrived and was looking dazedly at the dark green, beaded with raindrops that surrounded the clearing.

"We're here. Natsu, take us to the place." Gray said. A cheer erupted from somewhere in the crowd and soon, most of them were cheering.

Natsu tried to find the path from which he had come from, and soon enough had found it. They started heading to the Lockser estate. Coming to a halt right at the boarder between forest and garden Natsu stared at the immense manor that was outlined against the dark night sky.

Silence settled and the whole column of people stood, expecting.

What was the sign to go?

The wind blew across the grass, creating little waves that beckoned them to the house. Natsu looked at Gray and, side by side they started walking towards the same glass doors Natsu had evaded in what looked like a lifetime ago.

As they entered Natsu's hairs stood on end, he could sense something in the dark (oh, how different this was from before with the whole moldy scent and dark fireplaces), and that something didn't mean good news.

"So… you returned…" a gravely voice cut the heavy silence startling him. The fire mage looked to the sides and noticed two darker blots that moved slightly. "And you found some friends." The voice continued, "How quaint…" he added, mockingly.

The room was lit by a sickly green colour and there, nonchalantly leaning against the heavy table was Mr. Lockser and – much to his surprise – so was Juvia. Her face was pale, blankly looking at them while her father looked smugly at the newcomers.

Natsu's senses were ringing – something was going to happen and any time now! – but for a long time everything stood, at the knife's edge until…

Gray gasped. A sudden flare of pain had hit him square on his chest, making his breath whoosh out of his lungs. Instinctually his right hand grabbed at his shirt, fisting the fabric and twisting it slightly. The dark haired's eyes squeezed shut and he tried to think beyond that pain. This… this pain probably meant something. His eyes opened unseeingly. 'That's it! Maybe this is the sign that the Elder had talked about… which means…' the small window of clear thought was quickly shut but the pain that clouded his mind and senses. Gray felt himself starting to wobble but was held by something – someone, provided a voice in the back of his mind, helpfully – and something flowed through his skin, a warmth started heating and cracking large chunks of ice that had him freezing inside. It gave him the time to steady himself and straighten himself, slowly. The pain still burst through his whole body but it was starting to be manageable, his mind clearing again.

Gray took in his surroundings once again. The pair by the table still stood there, each of them giving off different, weird and familiar vibes; on his back his companions and on his side, extending his arm so that his hand touched Gray's forearm, stood Natsu. The fire mage looked fierce, utterly focused on the pair before them, his whole posture becoming predatory and aggressive yet his hand remained on his arm, comforting and strong and Gray felt something… different…

'Maybe the others were right. He did bring some change.' He thought.

"None of that matters to you." Natsu ground out, temper rising. "Tell me where my parents are." He demanded.

The man scoffed, "As if it were going to be that simple… my boy, they did say that you were a bit slow but I wasn't really expecting anything." The man straightened and took one step forwards.

Natsu growled. He was nearly on the last straw. He just wanted to jump forward and pulverize the other man but Gray was worrying him, he was breathing heavily and showing signals of pain – and that had been all of a sudden. He had only managed to hold his arm when Gray swayed. He couldn't attack and leave him defenseless.

Then, there was a deafening sound, and all the portraits on the walls opened forward and let dark, small creatures come forward. They had green skin, and ugly features. And let a chilling war cry.

That's when all hell broke loose.

Natsu let go of Gray who was held by someone and he jumped at the man, beckoning his magic and expecting it to be enhanced even further due to his fury. Though what happened was precisely the opposite. The fire came but it was weak – almost as if his magic had been muted. The punch he expected to throw at the other's face was quick and efficiently dodged by a current of water that materialized there. But! The water magic hadn't come from the man. Natsu had felt the current coming from another – he instantly locked eyes with Juvia. So that meant that he didn't have water magic and she had?

Pushing these questions to the back of his mind, Natsu focused on his so called bride. She looked at him, apathetically. Eyes staring blankly at him. Then, her mouth twitched downward slightly, as if in disgust, and in the next moment Natsu was fighting for his life against a dangerous water mage and with his powers failing.

Gray had gotten himself back together after Natsu had jumped forward. Erza had caught his arm and steadied him, so he threw a grateful look at her. Quickly, his eyes turned to search for Natsu, to see him fighting the woman that was with the man. Was that his bride? Gray didn't have time to keep wondering, though, the snotty man was charging towards him and Erza. Hands extending into talons.

With a disbelieving look, Gray jumped out of the way, falling near where Gajeel was creating destruction. Absently he noticed how the other looked happy.

Turning back to the matter at hand, Gray threw himself towards the man's legs, trying to unbalance him. Erza had one of her swords at hand already and was advancing menacingly towards him and thrust forward. The man wasn't phased but Gray's pain increased momentarily.

He clenched his teeth and something happened. It was a thing that he never thought he would feel again but it felt as if some icy barrier had melted and he could access to his core now…

Magic.

His ice magic was coming back. With each breath he took he could feel the familiar feeling of it coursing through his veins, lending him the power.

Before he knew it, their opponent had his legs frozen, making him stand in place. His face morphed into the appalling face of an igmorfus and he snarled at them. Then, with what looked like a huge effort, he got free of the ice on his legs.

"Thought you would get me that easily, did you?" the beast laughed at them, a gurgling sound filling the huge, chaotic room.

"I don't care about that. Tell me where the anchor is." Gray demanded coldly.

The laughter increased. The man was making so much fun of them.

"If you think that I'm going to say that – if it is what I'm thinking – then you're as stupid as that birdbrained boy. He's so unworthy…" he shook his head, an awful smirk scarring his face.

These words made Gray look back, against his better judgment, towards where Natsu had been not long ago. But it was empty. Neither he nor the woman were there. They were gone.

"Ahah. See, we were expecting you. Now, we can finally finish this off."

Gray frowned.

"What in hells are you talking about?"

"Again, you won't get answers from me. But my little army will finish you off soon and everything will be just a memory. And some prizes…" in less than a second Gray was being lifted by the creature, one hand coming to rest on his hip, the arm banding around his back and making it for him impossible to move, and the other hand came to hold his chin, biting on his skin. "… some prizes are worthy to keep…" and one talon traced his jaw, slid down his neck, piercing the skin and making some blood flow.

Gray mustered all the strength he could and pushed back. A frosty wind raising around him.

"Don't you dare touching me again, you fucker. Do you hear?" he exchanged a quick look with Erza before turning and spitting. "You know what? You're mine."

The next few instants were a blur. He and Erza fought the igmorfus, alternating between attack and defense, trying to minimize it's chances to use the natural attributes.

A cold, deadly rage took over Gray and, before he could really apprehend it, there was a corpse on the floor, yellow blood seeping into the dark carpet but still being very distinguishable. Some bits of ice could be seen melting but for the most, what wasn't cut, was frozen.

He was lifting his eyes to meet his companions' when an overwhelming pain coursed through him. In the same way that his magic had ran through him, now a painful electric current was setting all of his nerves afire, leaving burning pinpricks in its stead.

Gray knelt on the floor, hand tightening over the curse mark. He curled up, such was the pain taking over his body, his forehead coming to rest on the sticky carpet. But not even the stickiness or the acrid scent of the blood managed to make Gray move. He was there, Erza hovering on his side worriedly, gasps escaping his sore throat at the same time that he tried to get his breath back.

After what felt like ages, the pain receded, Gray straightened and opened his shirt with a frustrated yell. What his saw made his eyes widen.

The mark had faded. Instead of the dark blue that he knew so well, a pale, nearly light-grey blue was on his skin. Though the edges were red, looking as if the skin had been burned.

"Gray?" Erza asked.

"It's gone… or, at least part of it…" he looked up at her, "does this mean that he was the anchor?"

"So as it seems," Erza acquiesced gravely. "But now we need to know where the rest is."

"It has to be another igmorfus, I think…" he answered wonderingly.

That was when he noticed the chaos around them. And how dumb was it that he was here with Erza talking calmly while the others were fighting and Natsu was – Natsu was missing! Gray had to find him.

"Natsu! I need to find him."

"Okay, just stay here. Let's see if we can someone to come with us, I doubt things are going to be easy while looking for him." The knight stood up and started walking, quickly getting out of sight.

One of the slimy creatures of the army decided to attack Gray who froze him without second thought. The ice mage was coming to the conclusion that it might be better to secure the room – or, at least overpower the enemies – before going in search of the ice mage.

He just hoped they would be quick as he had a bad feeling…

A/N: An update, after don't know how long! I'm so sorry but I didn't have time to finish this chapter earlier. I had ¾ of it written down but with exams and shit from RL (you wouldn't imagine how shitty it is – for real) I didn't have the chance to finish before. Though now it's only another chapter and we'll be done with the story. I do hope that it has been entertaining so far. ^^ (and yeah, I know that a part of the chapter didn't flow as well as it should but let's hope for the rewrite and/or the beta's comments to improve, okay? ^^')

Anyway, hope you liked, it's late so I'll just say, I dedicate this to everyone that has reviewed.

Your comments really made my days and gave me some hope, as if there was a small light at the end of the tunnel – and that's a difficult thing for me to say at this moment!

The chapter's unbetaed and this one's really prone to some dumb mistakes. Oh well…

As usual, feedback is awesome.