A/N: Hey guys, remember me? Probably not, since I haven't updated in so long, but here I am! I had the BEST time of my entire life at Japan camp, and I got hooked on so many new animes, so those have been occupying all of my free time. :3 But I am so sorry that it took me so long to get around to updating. T.T Gomenasai, please forgive me, everyone! I kept meaning to, but I just kept getting distracted (by anime), or I never felt like writing. :( Anyways, I'm back, and hopefully I'll update more frequently now! Even though school has started again, so I have a ton of homework. D':
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Thank you all for your patience, and your constant support is what finally gave me the push I needed to sit down and chug this one out. :3 So I hope you all enjoy this chapter! :O
Chapter Seven – The Pit
"Heartless day…Bottom of the abyss." ~the GazettE, "The Suicide Circus"
The air seemed unusually cold as I silently made my way out of the tent. A string of curses echoed through my mind as I looked around, squinting through the darkness.
I'd had to quickly wrap up my performance when I'd seen the cloaked man slipping back out into the night, leaving the cleanup of the stage to Lucy and Cana. Thankfully, I'd been at the end of my routine anyways.
Still, I silently cursed at the man for showing up so soon. Hopefully he hasn't gone too far…tracking has never been my forte. I clenched my fists as I slinked through the night, my eyes darting into every darkened crevice to search him out. Where could he have gone?
Just as my frustration was reaching a peak, my eyes snagged on a slight movement in the shadows behind a red-and-white striped tent on my left. I stopped in my tracks as my eyes narrowed in concentration. Sure enough, I was able to discern a familiar black cloak disappearing into the night. Determined not to lose sight of him again, I took off after him, slowing only once I reached the spot in which he'd disappeared. Looking around, I finally caught sight of him slipping behind another tent. My boots slapped against the cold ground as I jogged after him yet again.
For ten minutes, we continued in this manner. I would catch a glimpse of him disappearing around a corner, and every time I caught up to where I'd seen him last, he would already be disappearing farther up ahead. How does he move so fast? I thought irritably, growing winded from constantly jogging in my attempts to keep up. If I hadn't been resolved beforehand, I certainly was now. I was now ready to kill him simply so he would stay put.
Finally, as I jogged past the last row of tents, there was nothing but open darkness before me. A ring of torches was set up around the perimeter of the circus, and I stopped in the circle of light beneath one as I paused to get my bearings. The wind whistled eerily through the tall, dead grass, causing the flames in the torch to flicker and then go out. Goosebumps rose on my bare skin as I looked around uneasily. I could spot no movement besides the rustling grass, and I wondered where the man could have gone.
A chill went down my spine as I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. My senses went on high alert as I peered even closer at the darkness before me. Suddenly, a dark figure materialized out of the night, the moonlight reflecting softly off of the black hood covering his head. Ghostly tendrils of mist swirled around his still form, and I took several slow, halting steps forward, my gaze fixed on him lest he disappear again. After a moment, seeing that he was still standing still, I began to walk swiftly towards him, my feet crunching through the dried stalks of grass.
As the distance between us rapidly dwindled, I felt the familiar tingling in my palms as my swords eagerly awaited their release. My heart was pounding faster with every step, every nerve in my body on fire with adrenaline. With less than five meters to go, I summoned my sword. Its silver blade glowed in the pale moonlight, showing off its wicked edges.
My blood was rushing in my ears as I came to a stop in front of him, holding my sword aloft. Its sharp tip pressed against his throat, swallowed up by the shadows in his hood. I could still see nothing of his face, so I had no idea what emotion—if any—was displayed on his face. Why doesn't he make a move to defend himself?
"Are you going to kill me?" His voice was low and deep, sliding against my skin like velvet.
A shiver traveled through my body as I realized that this was the first time I'd heard his voice. It was…really nice.
I mentally slapped myself as I realized what I was thinking. This is not the time to be making that kind of observation!
Readjusting my grip on the hilt of my sword, I schooled my face into a steely mask. "Yes." My voice was cold and unwavering.
Neither of us made a move. My blade continued to press lightly against his throat, ready to press deeper if he made a move. However, he remained perfectly still, his cloak blowing silently in the breeze.
After a moment, I asked, "Why do you keep coming to this circus?" My voice was still hard, but I could hear the hint of genuine curiosity that leaked through.
"Why do you keep working at this circus?" he shot back, his voice soft.
My gaze hardened. We are not playing this game. "That," I said icily, "is none of your business."
"Then kill me."
My eyes widened in shock. That was not the response I'd been expecting. I blinked to make sure I wasn't imagining things.
"I've seen how easily you kill. You don't hesitate to take lives—a true predator. So why are you hesitating now?"
Fire spread through my veins as I bristled. Before I could think better of it, I flicked my sword up, pushing his hood off of his head in one swift move. A shock of ragged, dark blue hair was revealed, framing a stunningly handsome face with golden eyes. A strange red tattoo extended above and below his right eye, partially obscured by his hair. My lips parted slightly in shock as I drank in his appearance. He was nothing like what I'd pictured, from the few times that I'd actually indulged in imagining.
Realizing that I was staring, I closed my mouth firmly and withdrew my blade. "A life for a life," I said stonily. "Now we're even." I turned to begin walking away, but before I'd even taken a step, I stopped. Without even fully realizing what I was doing, I glanced back over my shoulder. "They're planning on killing you, you know. The other performers. I was assigned to kill you this time, but I've decided to leave you with a warning instead: Leave, and never come back. If you ever show up again, they'll kill you for sure, and it won't be nearly as fast as I would have made it. You're too much of a threat to let live."
"I know. I've been waiting for you to try to kill me."
I turned around in shock, my wide eyes locking on his calm expression. "You've…known that it's been coming? Then why do you keep coming back?"
"Because," he said, taking a step closer to me, "I have my own mission to complete." Before I could process what he meant by that, he took another step closer and leaned in to whisper, "So I thank you for your warning, but I cannot leave just yet." His breath fanned across my cheek, causing even more goosebumps to show up. Slowly, he straightened again, though he didn't take another step back.
Frustration rose up within me as I looked up at him. "They will kill you if you don't leave," I said more forcefully. Why couldn't he understand that?
"What is your name?" he murmured.
I blinked in stunned silence, caught off guard by his abrupt question. "E-Erza Scarlet."
"Erza…" he murmured to himself. "You must leave this circus tonight if you don't want to die."
My eyes narrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
He took a step back, a shadow falling over his face. "My name is Jellal Fernandes, and I am a mercenary for the Council of Magic. I've been keeping tabs on this circus for a while now. And I have orders to wipe out this entire circus by the end of the week. My backup has already arrived and is awaiting my orders. I will be commencing the destruction of this circus before dawn."
I felt my world careening to a halt around me. A mercenary…for the Council of Magic. He must be incredibly powerful to have been given such a position. And to be placed in charge of this mission….
I have to warn my friends!
Staggering back a step, I gasped through numb lips, "My friends!" And then I turned and ran back towards the circus. I could feel his gaze boring into my back the whole way.
I swiftly wove my way through the shadows between tents, my gaze frantically searching out the main tent, where Lucy would most likely still be located. Who knew how long we had before he attacked? A burning sense of urgency drove me forward tirelessly.
It seemed like an eternity before I finally arrived at the back entrance to the main tent. By then, my breath was coming in short pants. I pushed my way through the flap, looking around tensely for Lucy and Cana. After a moment, I spotted Lucy's familiar blonde hair off to the right, standing by the back stage curtain. I hastily made my way over, focused only on telling her of the danger so that we could escape.
"Lucy!" I said breathlessly, clasping her shoulder urgently. She turned around, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Erza! What are you doing here? Have you already…?"
"No. Listen, I have something to t—"
"I assume the reason you're back is because you have already completed your duty, Scarlet?"
My eyes slipped closed in defeat as I slowly turned to face Laxus. When I opened them, I saw the large man standing before me, his muscular arms crossed menacingly over his chest as he looked down at me with his customary scowl.
"Laxus," I began, praying that I could find a way out of this. "I have some urgent news. While I was unable to complete the task, I was able to find out some bad news. This man is more dangerous than we thought; he's a mercenary for the Council of Magic, and he has an army ready to destroy this circus!"
I heard Lucy gasp behind me. "Really? We have to stop them!"
I watched Laxus tensely, watching for the slightest hint of his thoughts. Finally, after several painful moments, he opened his mouth, but not to say the words I was hoping to hear. "Erza Scarlet, you have allowed a dangerous criminal to escape, despite your assurances that you were up to completing this mission."
"Yes, but—"
"Furthermore, you somehow managed to come back without a scratch, but carrying this significant piece of information. Explain to me how this is possible."
My face drained of color as I realized what he was getting at. He knew that I had spoken with the cloaked man—Jellal. It would be useless to try to refute it, and he knew that I knew. And he had already decided my fate.
"Warren," Laxus called behind him, "clear the tent and assemble all of the performers. The Ringmaster has something he'd like to show everyone."
"No!" Lucy cried, dashing in front of me with her arms flung out like a barrier between Laxus and me. "You can't kill Erza! She didn't mean—"
"Lucy," I snapped, jerking her out of the way. "Stand down. Do as you're told." My eyes were wide and crazy with my need to protect Lucy, praying that she hadn't already attracted Laxus's wrath. It was too late for me, but I'd be damned if I let anything happen to my best friend. Watching her wide, teary gaze did nothing to help my nerves though. I was shaking with fear, doing my best to keep on a brave face for Lucy.
Laxus grunted and grabbed my arms from behind, dragging me toward the steps that led up to the stage. I made no struggle until he pushed through the thick velvet curtains, the bright stage lights blinding my eyes. Squinting while I waited for my eyes to adjust, I peered around tensely, praying that the Ringmaster hadn't yet arrived. The last of the audience members were just filing out of the tent, ushered hastily by several performers. Already, several others were starting to trickle in as Warren's message reached them. Seeing that the Ringmaster wasn't there yet, I summoned my strength and desperately jerked to the side in an attempt to free myself from Laxus's grasp.
I managed to break his hold long enough to take two short leaps forward, but before I could move any farther, he seized me from behind again. A cry of pain and fear tore from my throat as I was thrust down onto the stage, his thick-soled boots coming down on my ankles. A terrible cracking sound rose up from my right ankle, followed by a searing pain that shot up my entire leg. I bit my lip to keep from crying out again, tasting blood in my mouth as I quietly laid there in my pain.
A heavy silence suddenly descended on the tent, despite the steady number of performers still flowing in. Lifting my head to see what was happening, I felt my blood run cold. A familiar black coat swirled around the tall figure of the Ringmaster, his jet black hair standing up in every direction. Twin pools of garnet peered down at me from his eyes, cold and emotionless.
Oh shit.
"Erza Scarlet," he began slowly, carefully enunciating my name as if to make sure that everyone heard clearly what was being said. "I was rather hoping that I would never have to see you in this position. You were, after all, one of the more promising specimens. However, my rules bend for no one, and you have clearly broken one of the most severe rules: Consorting with the enemy. Do you deny it?"
I got my arms beneath me and slowly pushed myself to my knees, glaring defiantly up at him even as sweat ran down my brow from fear. "I only had the circus's best interests in mind," I growled, carefully keeping my weight off of my right ankle.
"Did you really?" he asked emotionlessly, his face shrouded in shadow. "Did you think at all about the consequences of openly defying me?"
I couldn't even bring myself to answer him again; I was shaking too badly with fear and rage.
"I'd hoped that I wouldn't have to make such a demonstration again, but she has left me with no choice," the Ringmaster shouted to the assembled performers. "Now, you must all watch as she faces the consequences of her actions."
I felt a pair of hands roughly pick me up off the stage and throw me through the air to land in a heap at the Ringmaster's feet. He planted a foot on the side of my head, signifying his power over me. And then he drew his foot back and drove it into my back. I gasped as shooting pain traveled up my spine and all of the air was forced from my lungs. Another kick landed in the same spot before I could recover, sending me into the fetal position as I tried to make my body as small of a target as I could. I could dimly hear screaming coming from the section where the audience sat, and I looked up to spot Elfman holding Lucy back as she shouted and struggled to rush toward me.
A kick to the back of my head sent black spots scuffling across my vision, and I tasted blood in the back of my throat. Before I could recover, he reached down and grabbed me by my hair to yank me up. I gasped and tears stung my eyes as the Ringmaster brought me up to eyelevel, my scalp feeling like it was peeling off. I just had time to meet his cold red gaze before his fist came up and connected with my jaw. Without loosening his hold on my hair, he continued to punch my face and stomach, until I was coughing up blood and my eyesight had grown dim.
Dull, throbbing pain filled every corner of my body, and it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. I desperately wished I could summon my swords to get me out of this mess, but I knew that they would be of no use to me now. Nothing could help me.
I weakly turned my head to look out at the other performers. Some wore expressions of horror and sympathy, others boredom or excitement, and still others fear. Once again, my eyes sought out the familiar face of my best friend. Tears were streaming down her pale face as she reached helplessly towards me, her desperate fingers grasping at empty air. A sick feeling rose in my stomach as I imagined the pain she must be feeling.
A little ways to her left and behind her, my eyes flickered to another familiar face. Natsu was standing still, a shocked expression frozen on his face. His eyes were wide and disbelieving, horror showing plainly in his gaze. Slowly, as if in a trance, he shook his head back and forth and staggered forward, his mouth silently shaping words that I would never hear. Regret for how we had ended flowed through me, but I turned my head away from my friends and former colleagues to face the eyes of my murderer.
Blood dripped thickly from my lips and various cuts on my face as I labored to suck air into my throbbing lungs. Still, the Ringmaster held me up by my hair so that my toes were only barely brushing the stage. Through my swollen eyes, I watched him nod to Laxus, who was standing by off to the side. Without warning, the floor suddenly dropped out from under me. I screamed, making my raw throat burn. Oh gosh no, not the pit….
"Can you still say that you don't regret your actions?" the Ringmaster whispered into my ear. I didn't have the strength to move anymore, so I could do nothing but clench my bruised jaw and glare at him.
"You…will die," I hissed, spitting blood onto his jacket.
Murderous rage glowed in his bloody eyes. "No. It is you who will die."
And with that, he released my hair, letting me fall down, down, down into the yawning maw of the pit.
Muahahaha! Let me know what you think of this latest development in a review! :3 And by the way, I give you all permission to send me hate mail for taking so long to update. T.T Assuming that anyone even cares enough about this story to be put out about the wait... -.- Anyways.
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So yeah. :3 I would love it if you guys could review, favorite and follow! :D Thank you!
