Chapter 10 – The Eighteenth Gate

Natsu had long lost track of time on his journey through Hell. But from the moment he learned that he could consume fire, his progress quickened twice-fold. Using his extra energy, Natsu forged through the darkness, capable of lighting entire new areas with his ever-growing powers of fire. The more he used it, the more it grew into something new, something more powerful. The other day he managed to knock out a hellhound with a flaming fist. Even after Lucy had told him they were immune to fire. She didn't appreciate his gloating afterwards.

He was getting excited. For some reason, it felt like he was close.

Lucy, on the other hand, seemed to be losing her cheerfulness the closer they got. Her smile dimmed, and her eyes lost their sparkle. Even her tail seemed to be dragging along the ground. Natsu noticed this as they passed by another flaming geyser. "Lucy? What's wrong?"

Lucy looked like she was shaken out of thoughts. "O-Oh. It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded, shooting him a wide smile. It didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine." Natsu let the conversation slide, since he knew that if Lucy didn't want to talk, he couldn't really get much out of the demon.

A few minutes down the road, Lucy spoke up. "Natsu?"

"Mmm?"

Lucy looked down towards the ground. "What made you think to become a Challenger?"

"Because I don't think that I belong here," Natsu replied honestly.

"Why? Hell is never wrong," Lucy said. "How can you be so sure?"

Natsu smiled softly. "Because I feel it. Down to my very soul."

"But you don't even remember the circumstances around your death. What if you just didn't remember that you committed those crimes?"

"There's no way to describe it Lucy," Natsu replied as he hopped across a lava pit. "I just…know. Haven't you ever felt that way before?"

Lucy shook her head. "I…don't think so." They continued down the rough stone path. "So, you're committed to this then?"

Natsu nodded. "Yep. I need to get back up to Earth to figure out what happened. I can't just leave things like this."

Just then, with the next step he took, Natsu's light illuminated something new.

"Is that?" Natsu stared with awe. In front of them was a towering gate made of black stone. Ancient symbols were carved into the doors, filled with magma. It stood in the middle of the wasteland. Out of place, but perfectly in place at the same time.

Natsu ran towards the gate, eyes bright with excitement and smile wide with happiness. "This is it! The gate! Lucy look, it's the gate!" Natsu's hands trailed along the stone, admiring its structure. He couldn't believe that he made it this far. After an indescribable amount of time across the fiery wasteland, defeating an indescribable number of monsters only to finally arrive here.

The Eighteenth Gate.

Natsu took a step back and turned around. His head looked left and right in hopes of locating someone important. "Where's the guardian? Aren't they supposed to be guarding the gate? How am I supposed to defeat them and move on if they aren't even here?" Natsu spun back towards the gate in hopes of looking for clues as to how to proceed.

Natsu huffed in frustration. "How do I-"

Natsu's words choked in his throat. Pain burst from his heart and rippled throughout his body. His head lowered slightly and his eyes caught the sight of a short blade, gleaming with fresh blood, protruding out of his chest.

A familiar voice whispered softly in his ear, "I told you there were lots of things you could do with a dagger."

Natsu caught stray strands of blonde in his peripheral vision. He felt warmth pressed up against his back, cradling his body and preventing him from falling to the ground.

"L-Lucy…w-why?" Natsu choked, blood filling his throat.

Her words sounded pained, sorrowful. "I can't let you go…Natsu."

Natsu's vision slowly blurred, despite his struggle to stay conscious. As his body began to shut down and surroundings faded to black, all Natsu could process was the gentle scent of vanilla.