Hi everyone! So, I guess this will be the second last chapter for this story. Just want to thank all those who have read my story, and I want to apologise if it is not so interesting or not up to your expectations... This is my first fic and it's the best I can do. Thank you so much :)

The next time I will be updating will be about a week from now, because tomorrow I will be going on a vacation. So, enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail

Chapter Ten

They left very early in the morning.

Without even waiting for the kind lady to wake up, Levy, Jet and Droy crept out of the bakery, careful not to make a sound. They left behind a small heap of dates as a sign of gratitude. The three of them straight away set their way towards the dark guild.

There wasn't anyone in sight when they exited the bakery. The city was still sleeping at the wee hours of dawn. It might be the perfect time to start their journey without anyone seeing them taking off.

Following the magic shop owner's direction, they took a left turn and saw the stream. All of them knelt down to refill their empty bottle and freshen up.

'Do you think we are making the right decision?' asked Jet softly. The other two stared at him in amazement.

'Jet, this is your idea in the first place!'

'I know.'

'Well we've come this far…' said Levy. Jet nodded.

'Yeah, I guess,' said Jet. 'But… maybe I'm just afraid of death in the end.'

He sighed. Levy smiled.

'Don't worry. We'll always be with you.'

He nodded again, still a little unsure, but with more determination.

The walk upstream was tiring as the sloping hill was getting steeper every foot. Levy panted all the way up and Jet kept stopping for a drink from the stream. Droy was sweating madly from the tiredness and heat. However, none of them gave up and continued forward.

As noon crept nearer, they still hadn't spot the town, nor any kind of human life for that matter. Levy was starting to have her doubts on the store owner when Jet pushed her and Droy into a bush.

'What is the matter with you?' hissed Droy. Jet was looking somewhere beyond the trees.

'Look! That's the man who chased me that night!'

Levy and Droy peered to where their friend was pointing. They spotted a large man with strong beefy arms lying under a tree, apparently asleep.

'Are you sure?' asked Droy reluctantly, as he watched the man who could passed as a giant.

'Positive,' Jet replied grimly. His eye were gleaming furiously, all hesitation evaporated. They watched the man for a few minutes without moving or speaking. The man was still asleep, oblivious that three children were watching him.

'We need a plan.'

The three of them approached the sleeping man cautiously, according to their plan. They surrounded him, looking at each other, giving silent signals. Droy held out the vine they had cut from the tree, which they planned to bind him. Levy took out the water bottle, which she would throw the contents into his face, all part of their well-devised plan.

Then impatient Jet kicked him on the shins. 'You!' he yelled.

The man snapped his eyes open. Levy and Droy slapped their foreheads. They should have known, their plans just had been flushed down the drain.

'Well, well. What do we have here?' His lips were spread into a wide grin as he stood up, crossing his arms across the chest.

'Revenge,' said Droy, throwing the vine away and brushing his hands together. The man grinned wider, cackling with laughter.

'Revenge?' he repeated. 'Why don't you just run to your mummies and let your daddies take your revenge for you?'

'Tell us where your guild is! We're looking for the ones who destroyed our homes!' Jet shouted, barely controlling his anger at the man's harsh words. Levy had not said a word. She realized she was shaking.

The man roared with malicious laughter. 'Guild? I don't even think you can pass me, let alone taking on a guild! Go home, you bunch of cowards!'

'We're not cowards, you sick old man!' Jet snarled through his gritted teeth. The man was still laughing with sickening glee. They were starting to get annoyed with the dark mage.

The man looked at Jet closely.

'Yeah… Now I remember you! You're that coward who fled the scene while your parents are being tortured!'

'I am not a coward…' Jet said softly, his voice wavering.

'And when your house burst into flames, you just ran away further, didn't you? Never cross your mind to help, didn't you?'

'No…' he muttered.

Visions flashed before his eyes. A few men were pushing his father around.

The grinning man burst into cruel laughter.

A house caught fire. He saw smoke spiraled its way into the dark sky.

A hand was holding his arm. He couldn't feel it. Everything was numb.

A woman was in tears, telling him to run.

Run as fast as you can. And never turn back.

Run.

'A brave man would have turned back,' he whispered dangerously. 'A brave man would have saved his parents, or even tried to. A real man wouldn't have run in the first place.'

Jet didn't know when did he fall onto his knees. The next thing he knew was his face was just inches from the ground. He could still hear the mad man cackling, but the voice seemed so distant. Jet was shaking all over as the man's word slowly made their way into his mind.

'Have you seen some kids running around here?'

'Maybe. Yesterday I guess.'

'Where did they go?'

'I don't know, but I'm guessing Gentry Trading.'

'Hidden Shadow?'

The other man shrugged. The older man slammed his fists against the counter.

'Don't mess with him!'

The man groaned and turned. Levy and Droy were now beside him, trying with all their effort to pull him away from their friend. Jet blinked, watching the man pushed the two of them away. They landed with a thud.

Jet pulled himself together and shook his head, regaining composure of himself. He turned around and started to run. The man laughed again, much to Levy's and Droy's disgust.

'See? He's running again! The boy's not worth anything. A coward! Do you honestly think he- OUCH!'

Levy craned her head and saw Jet standing right behind the man who was clutching his head. Jet was holding a long and thick stick. Despite of everything that just happened, Levy had to swallow back a laugh. Droy was already chuckling to himself, muttering, 'The idiot.'

'Do you think that hurts, silly boy?'

Jet raised the stick higher, preparing to hit him a second time.

'What do you think you're doing?' he shouted, knocking the stick from his hand with ease. Jet grunted and squirmed as the man lifted him up with one hand, clutching the boy's head.

'No!' the other two shouted. The man ignored them, sneering. He brought Jet's right ear to his lips.

'Cowards don't hit others with sticks. Cowards scream with fear. Now scream!' his voice boomed in the boy's ear. His hand was crushing his skull. 'Come on boy! Scream and yell and beg me to stop! Just like your coward father begging us that night. Now beg!'

Levy saw Jet gritting his teeth, fighting his pain, both physically and emotionally. She suddenly had a vision of her burning parents, the people she could not, no, did not save. She thought of them painfully. She thought of Eric. She thought of him painfully.

She thought of Jet and Droy who had always been by her side, and saw one of them helplessly being crushed to death.

'Let… him… GO!' she shrieked, and for the second time of her life, she heard rushing water around her, this time it was boiling water, mirroring her rage.

She forced her eyes open and saw the man cringing. Jet was sprawled at his feet, breathing weakly with his eyes half-opened.

'You're a mage?' the man growled, approaching her menacingly. She tried to send water again, and this time, she saw the word "water" appearing before her. However, the man blocked the water with one swipe of his hand. He extended his other hand, reaching out towards the girl. It was only inches from her head when he stopped.

'What?'

Vines were binding his hand. Droy was glaring at him from behind.

He spun around to see more vines shooting right at him, wrapping his wrists and ankles. He tried to move but to no avail.

'Now Levy!'

'Fire!'

She didn't know what made her say that but she didn't regret it as she saw a ball of fire hit his midriff. The man screamed and tumbled over. Levy wiped away some dirt from her cheek and limped towards the man.

'Scream,' she whispered through her teeth. 'Scream like a coward.'

Jet was trying to get up, but his whole body was aching with pain. He watched helplessly as he saw another man approaching them. He was also one of the men who were at his house last night. This one was younger, at least in his early twenties.

The man was approaching Levy, who was staring at the stirring man on the ground. Droy, who was walking towards Jet, did not notice the other man. The man was about three feet away from Levy when Jet's mind snapped. He leapt up and ran like the wind, grabbing Levy and pulled her far away from the newcomer.

'Jet,' she said, looking at him.

'I'm fine,' he said, smiling at her.

Droy just stared at the two of them before breaking into a wide grin. Then his grin vanished when he finally saw the newcomer, who was standing over his mate who was sprawled on the ground. Without wasting his time, he made his way towards Levy and Jet.

The big man slowly pushed himself up, dusting dirt off his clothes. It was then when the newcomer finally turned to face them. Levy and Droy gasped at the same time.