Chapter 6: Nightmares

"I will not show mercy on someone who is responsible for the deaths of innocent people" Erza says pacing back and forth and requiping back to her heart kreus armor

"I wouldn't want you too" Lyra says wiping her tears.

"That man isn't my brother, he is Marcus a loyal servant to the evil man Perses, so he is our enemy and we will stop him" she finishes now angry.

"Good, we are all on the same page" Erza sighs.

"Well I can kick your brother's ass" Natsu starts punching his fist together.

"Yes, at the right time" Lyra reassures.

"I'm all fired up" he screams scaring the birds in the trees away.

"Calm down flame head, we should make camp it's getting late" Gray says looking at the sun setting and the dark skies.

"No, we shall go to Redwood, my hometown" Lyra smiles thinking about her hometown.

"Alright lead the way" Kira says.

Lyra was spot on with the distance, they walked about 2 miles and they came across a small peaceful village.

"It's good to be home" Lyra gleams.

"This is where you grew up? Everyone seems so nice" Lucy says looking at the villagers smiling and waving at them.

"Yes and I know the perfect place we could spend the night, follow me"

"Natsu I'm hungry" Happy complains.

"Me too, hey Lyra is there going to be food?" Natsu asks rubbing his stomach.

"Yes and we can all bathe and sleep well"

"Yes! A bath!" Lucy cheers.

Lyra laughs "Alright we are here"

The group looks at a small cozy looking inn that has a sign over the door that says Reba and John's inn.

"She never changed it" Lyra shakes her head.

"You know the owners?" Erza asks.

"Yes, let's go meet them" and she walks towards the door.

When everyone got inside they saw Lyra talking to an elderly woman, and she had short white hair and had lines by her mouth which showed she always smiles.

Lyra sees her friends walking towards them.

"Oh Reba these are my friends who will be staying also" Lyra informs.

"Oh yes we have a lot of rooms free" Reba smiles looking at everyone.

"Guys this is Reba the owner of the inn"

"Hello nice to meet you" Lucy smiles.

"You are all so young" Reba says and starts touching Lucy's arm.

"Uh thank you" Lucy says awkwardly.

"Alright Reba can you show us our rooms" Lyra huffs grabbing Reba's hand.

"Yah, Yah, let's see, is it alright if you guys stay together in other rooms?"

"That's fine, Lucy and Erza, then Gray, Natsu, and Happy, then Kira, Kai, and I will be the groups" Lyra instructs.

"Okay so 3 rooms then, let me get your keys" and Reba walks into the backroom.

The group is in a room that is like a diner and there are people eating and talking.

There was an elderly man sitting alone on a table who just finished his meal.

He then gets up from his chair but falls on the floor.

Natsu rushes and helps the old man up.

"Hey are you alright old man?" Natsu asks helping him.

"Oh yes, thank you so much" he replies grabbing Natsu's neck for more support.

Natsu then helps the man up and he says another thank you and is gone.

"Jeez people are rude, no one even got up to help him" Natsu says crossing his arms.

"Well at least you helped him" Lucy smiles.

"Yah" he replies then scratches his neck.

Reba then returns from the backroom with 3 separate keys in her hand.

"Here are your keys and room numbers and help yourself to any food" Reba smiles.

"Thank you" Erza replies grabbing their keys.

The group goes to their rooms and drops off their stuff and goes downstairs to eat dinner.

They later finish their meal and walk to their rooms.

"They had fish!" Happy squeals sitting on Natsu's head.

"Yah there food was delicious. Does Reba make it?" Lucy asks Lyra.

"No she has workers, but before her husband used to cook but he passed away a few years ago" she answers sadly.

"Oh that's so sad, was his name John?"

"Yah he was such a sweet man, they looked after me when my mother started becoming….ill"

"Oh and I'm sorry about your mother"

"It's alright, my mother became a different person, so it didn't bother me much" she says sadly.

"Yah I know the feeling" Lucy mumbles to herself and they keep walking.

"I ate so much" Natsu says rubbing his now full stomach.

"Me too" Gray agrees.

"Well I ate more than you" Natsu challenges.

"No, I did" Gray retorts and butts heads with Natsu.

"Stop it" Erza barks.

They split apart and start mumbling insults.

"Are they always like that?" Kira asks

Lucy sighs, "Pretty much"

"Aye" Happy chimes in.

Lyra and Kira laugh "That must be entertaining"

"You don't even know" Lucy complains.

"Ah my neck is killing me" Natsu cried scratching his neck.

"Why? Do you want me to look?" Lucy asks concerned.

"Nah its okay, it's just itchy" he stops scratching.

"Well goodnight everyone" Lyra says and they all go their separate ways.

When Natsu and Gray got into their rooms they fought over on which beds they would get, but it was decided when Happy fell asleep on one bed, so Natsu slept on that one and Gray on the other. The others where only 2 doors down from each other so if anything were to happen they would be close to each other.

Natsu kept scratching his neck, it was really itchy.

So he took a bath and felt better so he fell asleep right when he lied down.


Natsu's P.O.V

It was so hot! I opened my eyes and everything was on fire.

"What the hell is going on? Where am I?" I yelled but it seems I was in the middle of a street but why was everything on fire.

There was screams so I ran towards it.

When I got there my blood ran cold, I know where I am…. Fairy Tail.

I was standing outside the guild, where the banner of our guild was on fire burning away, and it was being attacked.

By Dracones.

They were killing civilians and guild members, and I saw bodies on the ground.

Droy, Jet, Laki, Wakaba…so many were lying there lifeless, my eyes became clouded with tears. I clenched my fist and charged at the attacking Dracones.

I roared at them, they hissed and attacked, I easily defeated them in my angry state.

I saw Gajeel and Levy run away with some civilians from the flames. I'm glad some are getting away.

So many people were fighting, I saw Freed and Elfman fighting off Dracones, then Evergreen and Cana saving civilians, and Juvia was trying to put out the flames.

That's it! I'll eat the flames! I started sucking in but nothing happened.

What? Why can't I suck them in? Well I'll just help everyone else.

"Help!" someone screamed.

I ran towards the voice and saw Lucy being surrounded by Dracones, and Loki was defending her because her leg was caught under a large piece of wood.

"Lucy!" and I ran towards her, but suddenly I was thrown backwards and pinned to the wall by these dark spears.

I screamed out in pain, as one punctured my bicep.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed as she saw me.

Someone laughed, it was a deep laugh "A dragon caught in a trap" and Perses walked out.

"Bastard!" I screamed and tried getting free but I stopped and my eyes widened in horror.

Perses was dragging an unconscious Erza on the ground by her long scarlet hair. She was bloodied and bruised.

"Let her go!" I screamed at him angrily.

He laughed "Sorry it doesn't matter. She's dead anyway" he says darkly and throws her forward on the ground.

"W-What?" I croaked and then I looked at her again and my eyes locked on to her neck.

It had a cut going across of it and blood was still flowing out.

I was speechless; I didn't know what to do, I felt so angry and wanted to kill Perses

I roared at him with my fire but he deflected them.

"Damn it!" I screamed and felt tears as I stared at Erza.

Lucy was crying and Perses was laughing.

"Bastard!" Gray yelled running towards Perses.

He had and ice sword and had a deep gash on his right shoulder but charged Perses.

He jumped, ready to strike, but Perses stopped laughing and pointed at Gray's chest.

A black spear appeared out nowhere and stabbed Gray in the chest.

Gray choked and blood started pouring out of his mouth and wound, he fell on the ground, and didn't get up.

"Gray!" Lucy screamed struggling to get free.

"No!" I roared and tried getting free.

"See when you don't listen Dragon Slayer" Perses shakes his head.

"What are you talking about!" I bark glaring at him.

"You didn't come willingly and this is what happens" and he motions the burning guild.

I look and the Dracones are still tearing everything apart and were killing people.

"Stop it! Let me free bastard" I scream.

He shakes his head again "Sorry I haven't made you suffer enough" and he starts walking towards Lucy.

"No! Stop! Don't touch her" I scream and tried freeing myself again.

Lucy was trembling as he walked towards her, she couldn't move as her leg was still caught.

"Lucy!" Loki yells and charges Perses.

Then I see Marcus coming and he has an unconscious Wendy in one hand and has a blade in the other, he runs towards Loki.

"Loki look out!" I warn. I'm too late.

Marcus runs and stabs Loki in the stomach "Oh no you don't" he whispers in Loki's ear.

"Damn it! No please don't" he cries as his body starts disappearing going back to the spirit world. Then he's gone.

"Stop it Perses!" I scream at him again.

He looks at me then he sends another spear and it stabs my leg.

I scream out.

"Fuck!" I yell as more blood starts pouring out.

"Natsu!" Lucy screams trying to get free.

"Sorry boy you really need to shut up" Perses snarls and walks towards Lucy and stops in front of her.

She is trembling and is wide eyed as Perses clasps his hands together.

"Dark Shroud" he smirks.

"No!" I scream, I know that spell.

A black orb surrounds Lucy lifting her in the air, freeing her but she starts screaming in pain and I could see her body getting hit everywhere by an unseen force.

"N-No! Stop it!" I cry and start struggling, I am shaking.

"Luce!" I cry out as she stops screaming.

"Uh so weak, she couldn't even survive my first spell" Perses says disgusted and waves his hand and the orb disappears. Lucy falls on the ground, she wasn't moving and her eyes were wide open looking at me.

I stare in her eyes and know, she was gone. I'm so sorry Lucy I couldn't protect you.

I start crying, tears were streaming down my face. This was all my fault. Their deaths are my fault I couldn't do anything.

"This was your fault Dragon Slayer, you brought this upon yourself" Perses smirks looking at me.

"Master, I dealt with the demon and the master and have captured the air user" Marcus reports.

He then smiles looking at Erza's body "It seems like you defeated Titania"

"She was powerful, but she got distracted and was defeated when I killed a blue cat"

Happy! No, No, not Happy and they even got Mira and Gramps, how can this be happening, my world is falling apart, my family….is gone.

"Natsu Dragneel you are the last person I need for my plan, so I need you alive" he then releases me and I fall to the ground.

I didn't feel like fighting, I felt so alone, I wanted to avenge them but I couldn't, how could I? I was the one who killed them.

"Not fighting back? I guess I've broken you" he muses.

Yes. I am broken.


Lucy's P.O.V

This inn was wonderful, I was able to take a nice hot bath and sleep in a cozy bed.

I fell asleep almost instantly.

Then my sleep was disturbed when I woke up to someone screaming. I sat up and saw Erza walking towards the door.

Someone was pounding on our door.

Erza opened it and we saw a panicked Gray at the door.

"It's Natsu! Something is wrong!" he pants.

He then runs to get Lyra.

Natsu! What happened! I jump out of bed and run to his room with Erza.

I see him, and I'm horrified.

He was screaming in pain and squirming, he was sweating all over but the worst thing was there was a black markings all over his body and it was spreading.

Happy was crying and trying to hold him.

"Those markings are hurting him we need to do something" I scream grabbing Happy and I start comforting him.

The door opens and Gray brings in Lyra, Kira, and Kai.

"Move" Lyra demands and stands by Natsu.

"What happened" Erza asks trying to hold Natsu's squirming body.

"I just woke up to him screaming, and when I tried waking him up he started screaming more so I panicked and those black markings started showing up" Gray yells.

Lyra was just staring at Natsu, and her eyes widened.

"This is dark magic!" Lyra says horrified.

"H-How does he have dark magic on him?" I demand.

"I don't know, but I have to find the spot that started it."

"Strip him" she says coolly.

"W-What?" I say turning red.

"You heard me! We need to find the spot it should be the darkest spot on his body" she demands and starts taking off his scarf.

I helped take off his clothes except his boxers of course! I couldn't help but stare at his body; I almost wanted to rub his stomach. No! Lucy stop it!

When I look again I see the markings were everywhere now and they were swirling in circles in different spots on his body.

He wasn't screaming anymore, thank goodness. Wait, wasn't he complaining about his neck?

"Check his neck" I say and Lyra looks.

"I found it" Lyra said turning his head to the side.

There was an especially dark spot on his neck and it was pumping out more markings.

Lyra started chanting something and touched the spot and Natsu started screaming again and moving so we had to hold him down, after he stopped but stopped moving completely, the markings started flowing back to the spot and disappeared completely.

"Lyra! He stopped moving!" I panic looking at Natsu.

Then he gasps and sits up, he looks at us and his eyes water then he hugs me.

I blushed and was caught off guard but I hugged him back.

"Natsu are you okay?" I comforted him.

He doesn't answer so I look.

He fell asleep, I sigh then Erza helps me lie him down.

"Is he going to be alright" Gray asks looking at Natsu.

"Yes that was a spell that I was able to counter he will be fine" Lyra replies.

"Call me if anything happens, we will discuss this in the morning." And she walks out with Kira and Kai.

I then heard her explain what happened to a panicked Reba and some concerned guests.

"Who could've done this" Erza snarls angrily.

"I don't know but they'll pay!" Gray yells.

I agree, but poor Natsu, at least he was okay now.

"Well if he is fine, we will go back to bed. Good night" Erza says and starts leaving.

I hug Happy and then follow her back to our room.

I felt restless after what happened but I felt sleep take over and I closed my eyes.

Who did this?


Third Person P.O.V

An elderly man walked down a deserted road by himself.

As he walked his skin started falling off revealing black rough skin, then he sprouted wings and the rest of the skin fell on the ground.

He was a Dracone.

The Dracone shook off the rest of the skin revealing a long scar on its shoulder.

"Did you do it" a voice asks in the darkness.

"Yes, and it was fun tricking them again" it hissed.

"Master will be pleased" and Marcus walks out.

"It was nice of him to catch you when you fell old man" he jokes.

The Dracone laughs "Yes that foolish human, he made it easier for me to plant the spot on his neck"

"What was that thing anyway" it asks.

"A dream marker, Master Perses made it to control what the person dreams about" Marcus answers.

"What will the boy dream about"

"Just him losing all things precious to him" Marcus laughs.

"Maybe he'll get the hint and come to us willingly"

The creature laughs then flies away into the night.

To be continued….