"Fall back!"

Gray punched a last demon with all the strength of his despair. "Fall back!" Dammit Acnologia, get your ass in gear and help your people! He called to another flank, and soon the survivors were retreating back into the inner walls of the second keep.

The last defense. If this one falls, they were doomed.

A girl with darkly purple hair and serpentine eyes whirled to stare at him. "Where's the Alpha?" She asked, her voice slightly angry. "Isn't he supposed to lead us?"

"He should be." Gajeel walked by, calmly strangling three demonic creatures at once. "If he won't lead, then let the Dragon Assassins do their thing, snake." "My name is Kinana." She retorted.

"I don't care if your name is Fluffybuns, we need to set up some goddamned perimeters." The steely Assassin turned to stare directly at Gray. Behind him, Sting, Rogue, Laxus and Cobra landed behind him with silent wings. Wendy landed with a fluttering sound, her eyes wide.

"We can't wait for the Alpha anymore." Laxus rumbled. "A leader shouldn't hide when his kingdom is at war."

"If that deadbeat wants to stay in his hole of his office, then let him." Sting clawed at the ground impatiently, eyes flashing.

Rogue and Cobra just nodded, men of action and not words.

Wendy squeaked when they all turned to her. "I'm in!" She planted her feet stubbornly, and they chuckled at her determination. None laughed at the way her boot crunched through four inches of concrete.

From that hour forth, the attacks and defenses were all led by the Dragon Assassins.

Except one.

O.O

Judging by the shocked look on the boy's face, Zeref knew that the next few moments were going to be very dramatic.

"What?" Dragneel asked with a choked voice. "I don't believe you." The cold mask of the Assassin slipped, revealing for a second a broken young man with actual feelings. Like fear.

"Honestly, I arrived when it was all over." Zeref was not even attacking now. Dragneel's arms hung limply at his sides, trembling slightly. "All I saw was the dying form of Igneel sliding from the bloodied grip of the current Alpha."

Those trembling hands curled into fists. "And why should I believe a single damned word that comes from your mouth?"

"Because I fought Acnologia directly after." Zeref jerked his chin, disclosing the long, faded scar at the base of his neck. "He gave me this. In return I gave him something much worse."

Dragneel's eyes were huge empty pools of black. "Which was…"

"Fear." Zeref smiled at his favorite word. "Fear of discovery. Your father was noble man, well-liked by your Dragon People. Acnologia would have never stood a chance against him when the Alpha was to be chosen. Why do you think your Igneel died scant days from the day you were to choose a new leader?"

Dragneel took a shaky step backwards. His mouth opened to utter refutations, but stark fear spoke in his eyes. Fear that his enemy had indeed spoken truth.

Zeref continued, merciless. This psychological form of combat proved to be just as exhilarating as the physical. At the rate it was going, he would inflict just as much pain. "Acnologia thought he killed me. But now…with my current attack, he knows I'm alive. And he fears me for the information I just gave you."

The Hell Beings moaned, and he could hear the battle shouts of the General, the Prince, and the Princess over the din. Damn, Dragneel was getting pale. He was losing in this mind game, and Zeref was victor.

"Now, if you would kindly submit…" Zeref reached out for Dragneel's exposed neck. "…and let me harness you…" His hands tightened, and the unassailable Assassin was choking in the Dark Wizard's merciless grip.

"ZEREF!"

broken leaves a dead girl

A lilting voice he never thought to hear again spoke his name with stern command. Dimly he heard Lucy and Loke call out in unison, "Yukino!"

"Mavis." He replied, old memories leaping unbidden to his mind as he spoke the name that had caused him so much pain before. "Fancy meeting you in the flesh."

"Let the boy go." She ordered, emerald green eyes aflame from within. Gods, she was as beautiful as he remembered. And as foolish. "What makes you think I will do that?" He sneered.

Pain—as well as something akin to wearied fondness—replaced the inward flame. Mavis raised her hands and blinding pain accompanied by blinding light burst in his head, and Zeref fell to his knees, screaming against that relentless barrage of memory, of an anguish relived.

"I'm sorry"

quivering eyelids fading breath

"Mavis talk to me"

joined lips useless caresses

"MAVIS!"

dead beloved

And Zeref's fingernails tore into his cheeks, raw animal sounds clawing out of his throat, as Mavis pounded memory and pain into his head, causing him to release the gasping Assassin, his control on the Hell Beings, on the remaining ogre demon, on his magic.

The Hell Beings swamped the floor, threatening to flood the throne room, swallowing the dead King, and turned hungrily to the human warriors.

"Get out!" Mavis told the stunned onlookers, her eyes impossibly green, tears running down her cheeks. "Get out!"

Jellal was the first to act, running to Erza's side, scooping her into his arms. She hung limp, like a rag doll, and her eyes were closed. She looked like a corpse.

Loke growled and leaped out the open window, followed closely by Yukino. Lucy hesitated, looking back to see Natsu still on the floor braced on his knees, looking sick and shaken. If he didn't move soon, he was going to be submerged in that vicious goo. Already, the liquid lapped at his boots.

"Dragneel!" Lucy yelled. He was still gasping for breath, eyes wide. She tried again. "Natsu!"

"Let him go, Lu!" Loke shouted from below. "He is the enemy of the Starry Kingdom. Don't waste your breath on him!"

Lucy shoved her Keysword back onto the sheath on her back. "This is the only time I'll save your ass, dragon boy." She muttered, sprinting across the floor, dodging the growing puddles that had already consumed the shrieking ogre demon whole.

"Come on, get up." Lucy reached Natsu, and grabbed his arm. "Get ahold of yourself." She slung his arm around her shoulder, and began to run back towards the open window, towards a very disapproving Loke and a concerned Yukino.

Natsu's arm tightened around her shoulders, and she looked impatiently at his face. Immediately all the impatience and the hatred dissolved like mist at the sight of his expression.

He looked stricken, hurt with a pain that went beyond words. He looked at her like a young boy who had just lost everything, an orphan standing in front of a parent's grave.

She recognized that lost look. After all, wasn't that look on her own face just a scant few hours ago?

"Come on." Lucy said more gently. "We need to get out of here, Natsu."

He shook his head hard, his ragged breaths coming in short bursts. "Need to go home." He breathed.

"What was that?" Loke demanded. "I am taking my sisters back to a safe house, in the Starry Kingdom. We don't need to listen to you!"

"Loke." Yukino warned softly, and her brother instantly quieted, but with a glare worthy of the scarlet-haired Captain.

"We are not safe in either kingdom." Jellal spoke from next to them. "But we need immediate medical treatment." His arms tightened around Erza, who was still barely breathing.

"Mavis told me of a location." Yukino confided. "It's safe from demon, dragon, and star."

"Well, where?" Lucy asked shortly. "We need to hurry!" Already the goo was flooding out the windows.

Yukino cocked her head to one side. "She told me of a place called the Fairy Kingdom."

TO BE CONTINUED