Welcome back!
I wanted to post this chapter way sooner, but life is a bitch and between moving to another city and watching newborn puppies I had barely time to sit down and focus on the story. Only yesterday and today I took time for myself and sat down to write.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
"We gotta hurry!" Gray shouted as they ran down the tunnel which was the one Erza and her team took.
"I'm using magic to get there faster! I'll send a light from her lacrima when I found them!" Jellal said rushed before he glowed golden and dashed forward like a meteor. Juvia and Gray continued to run normally.
Gray was worried. Erza and Natsu were very confident in their abilities. They must have been gotten in a really big mess to call for help. They have to hurry.
"Juvia hopes Erza, Natsu and Meredy are ok..." Juvia said more to herself, but Gray caught the very worried tone in her voice. He didn't like the whole situation at all.
The three of them were walking silently for a long time now. Lucy was behind Caster, while Laxus walked next to her. The blonde female was watching the demon. She didn't know that much of him, only that he turned sides, was befriended with Nocturna and that he had taught Nyx her Demon Slaying magic. She didn't trust him yet, she only accepted him for now. Maybe she could find out more about him. Then she wouldn't have to be on guard the whole time.
"Staring at people is rude, you know?" Caster suddenly interrupted her thoughts. He wasn't even looking at her. She thought she was subtle, but apparently he also must have quite good senses. Instead of admitting that she stared, she changed the topic.
"What kind of magic do you use? Or are you using curses?" she asked him. The Tartaros demons all used curses and the demon she fought didn't cast their magics with spells. They also could have been using curses. Not like she left them much time to use them on her.
"Magic, like all the others of my class. Curses are way to restricted to use." he said nonchalant. Laxus eyed him a little bit surprised. He didn't expected for the demon to talk that easily.
"I'm using a sort of shadow magic, but it is more tied with dark and the night, than normal one. It's very hard to explain. Because we were born with it. It's like trying to explain how do you know to breath. It is more of an instinct to us." he explained to her. Lucy got what he told.
"Sorry if it's too personal, but what did you after the war? I guess you couldn't go back to the demon realm." Lucy continued.
"Are we playing twenty question now?" Caster asked sarcastically, while slightly smirking. Laxus growled. But before Lucy could answer, he continued speaking.
"Just kidding. I lived here in this realm. Always traveling, exploring or just killing time. You humans are quite entertaining to watch." he said. Lucy couldn't imagine what it was like to live over hundred years.
"How old are you exactly?" she asked him. Since he could change his appearance, there was no way telling his real age.
"I'm 679 years old." he said like it was nothing special. Apparently for demons it wasn't. Laxus was shocked for a moment. This was a really fucking long time to live.
"And how long is the lifespan of demons?" Lucy was now interested in getting more information.
"Depends on the class and type. The lower classes about 100-200 years and with each higher grade they can get older. The highest one, one class higher than me can get fucking thousand years old. The oldest of my class was 850 when he died. But apart of that there are three demons who are immortal. They are like the founder of my old realm. They're called the three commandments of the Dark. But no one saw them over the last two thousand years. They became more of a legend." Caster told them. Now that he mentioned it, Lucy never thought about how the whole demon realm worked. Was there a leader, a hierarchy? But they had more important matters right now.
"What was Nyx like?" she asked then. Caster's smirk vanished. Apparently a sore topic. He kept silent for a while, and she thought he was never going to answer, but then he did.
"She was the kindest, fairest person I've ever met. I was not really friendly to her at the beginning, but she just accepted me for what I am. She treated me like I was important to her. I often complained about how she wouldn't defend herself against those people who harassed her, but she defended them, said it wasn't normal for human to fear the unknown.
Maybe if I didn't shouted at her, staying with her, I could have helped her to stay on the right way. But my damn pride got a hold of me. I regret what I did and what I said everyday." he said in a low voice. He held his head low, staring at the ground, his eyes unfocused, like he was reliving that specific moment.
"Everyone of us has done something we regret. No one can do everything right. All living beings with feelings make mistakes." Laxus began, while he was looking at the demon. Caster lifted his eyes to meet the ones of the Dragon Slayer. Laxus could see the regret and sadness in them.
"Don't get hung up over it. What really matters is what you do now. Try to make the right choices now." the blonde male said with sympathy. He could understand Caster on many levels. Because he did great mistakes on his own. And mopping about them, stuck in regret, doesn't help anyone. Lucy felt warmth push against her wall, as she was watching and listening to him.
"Wow, I didn't believe something like that would come from you." Caster said, as he smirked again. Laxus was about to growl, but then he saw that that smirk wasn't really honest. Somehow he had the feeling that Caster and himself weren't that different after all. Both of them not the ones to talk about feelings and all that mushy stuff willingly.
The demon punched him slightly in the shoulder, and Laxus understood that gesture. It was his way of thanking him. He just rolled his eyes but he didn't mean it.
There was a long comfortable silence after that. They walked for another twenty minutes. Then the tunnel ended with a wooden door.
"I guess this is it then, right?" Caster said. Lucy examined the door.
"I can't feel any magic of it, so it should be free of traps." she said after she put her hand on it.
"Step behind me." Laxus said and stepped to the door. With one swift kick, the blonde man opened the door. Another room appeared. This one was much larger than the first one, where they entered. The buildings of the wall was the same and it was only lit with blue lacrima crystals, which gave the room and eery, unsettling feeling. In the middle of the room was a podium with a stone table.
Slowly the three stepped toward the table, but Laxus already saw it.
"The Star isn't here." he said surprised.
"You're kidding, right?" Caster asked him unbelieving. Laxus turned to the demon with a annoyed scowl.
"Look for yourself, dumbass. There is no fucking crystal!" he said to Caster. Lucy was meanwhile thinking. Why wasn't the crystal there? Was it in another room? Did someone got here before them? Or is it just another trap? She mused about all possibilities while the Dragon Slayer and the demon were bickering.
Lucy was about to step onto the podium, when a fourth voice stopped her.
"Finally you're here. I'd almost believe you would never find it." a male voice said. The shock was crashing nearly violently against her wall. Laxus got ice cold shivers running down his back and Caster was so tense he would snap at any moment. The blonde woman looked up, and there on the podium, only two meters away, was standing their enemy. Tertius.
Lucy immediately jumped back as well as Laxus and Caster. Laxus and Lucy know of what the fallen angel was capable of, and what great threat he is. Caster didn't know Tertius, but he know how powerful angels were. He fought them a long time ago.
The banished angel looked very calm. He also chuckled as the three jumped back. Lucy just watched him, unsure of what to do. Should she attack him? She was no match for him, but then would he attack them? Did he already got the crystal? But if that's the case, why was he still here?
"I can almost see the smoke, your brain is producing, girly." Tetris joked with an arrogant smirk on his lips while he was stepping in front of the table. Laxus was about to growl, but gulped it down. It wouldn't be wise to provoke him.
"You see, like you, I found this chamber to be empty. But be assured the Star is here." he hold up his index, like he was teaching a class.
"But the problem is, I can't get it. Therefore I need your help." The smirk on his lips turned diabolic.
"Forget it! We would never help you! You will destroy the humankind! Also you're using Nyx as slave!" Caster shouted angrily. Laxus was surprised by this outbreak. He never could imagine the cool and controlled demon to loose it like that. Tertius turned to Caster, examined him, then laughed.
"I see, not only do you little humans dare to meddle with angels magic, but you joining forces with demons. You're more disgusting than I thought." he sneered. Caster growled.
"Well, this conversation is boring. Nyx, could you please bring our new little friend?" he suddenly asked, and with a puff the Night Demon Slayer appeared. But she wasn't alone. She was holding onto the collar of a constrained an unconscious Erza. They all gasped. Laxus started to growl, enraged by the thought that Nyx hurled one of his nakama. Caster was baffled. The last time he saw Nyx was as they parted ways. Not only changed her appearance because of her aging, but her aura and gaze was completely different. There was pure hatred in her eyes while her aura was emitting ways of sinister darkness. Lucy was again thinking how to maneuver them out of this situation.
Nyx then shifted her gaze to Caster. The demon saw the widening of her eyes as she recognized who he was. Quickly she regained her composure. While she still was very sore about the last conversation the two had, she didn't want Tertius to know about the connection they had.
"Oh! How hilarious! You should see your faces!" the mad man cackled, while wiping his eyes. After he calmed down he clapped his hands.
"What did you do to our friends?!" Laxus nearly growled. If they got Erza, they ad encountered Natsu, Meredy and Happy as well. Tertius looked at him, then turned to Lucy. He completely ignored the blonde man.
"So missy, what do you want to do? Help me voluntary, or do I have to hurt your little friend?"
"Oh my god, Meredy! Natsu!" Juvia shouted. Her, Gray finally found them. They had a hard time by finding the tunnel in which the other group had troubles. Jellal was already kneeling besides Meredy. The pink haired woman had a nasty gash on her forehead. Natsu beside her was in no better condition. He had scratches all over him, while he had bleeding cut on his arm. Happy was laying on the ground exhausted.
"What the heck happened?!" Gray asked them frantically. For a moment he gazed at Jellal who looked ready to murder someone.
"This chick attacked us. You know, the other Demon Slayer who Lucy fought against. She suddenly appeared and took us down." Natsu grimly said, while he clenched his teeth. He was pretty angry about this.
"Where's Erza?" Juvia asked, when she found the redhead to be missing. Jellal still looked to the ground, while clenching his fists even more.
"She knocked her out, and then took her." Meredy said frustrated, that she couldn't protect her newly gained sister.
"Did get anyone a sign from Lucy and her group?" Jellal asked. He was still very angry, but he tried to calm himself down and think of an solution.
"No." They all shook their heads.
"Somehow, I get a very bad feeling about this." Gray said while glaring at the ground.
"I agree. We should head towards their route. I think that Nyx is trying to use Erza against Lucy." Jellal said. With that they all stood up and headed back to the beginning.
Five minutes passed, since Tertius asked for her decision. Lucy and him was staring at each, calculating each other. Lucy's mind was running wild in order to find the best way, to get out of this. She couldn't obviously fight him. She would loose in mere minutes. Also this would probably lead to Tertius harming Erza and the others of her friends. For now she had no other choice, but to agree.
"What are you wanting from me exactly?" Lucy said with a steely voice.
"Lucy! Don't!" Laxus said, and Caster cursed beside him. Tertius started to cackle.
"Easy, girly. All I want from you is to spill some of your blood down on this podium." he said, while pointing to the podium behind him.
"You see, the Spirit King was quite thoughtful when he hid Azurra's star. He cast a spell on this podium, which requires a key to open it." Tertius further explained.
"What kind of key?!" Caster sneered. But the fallen angel never looked at him and ignored the demon while he hold his gaze on Lucy.
"You know it quite fascinates me, that the Spirit King would hold such an high opinion on a human. Not the best decision in my opinion, but it makes it easier for me. Well, your mother and grandmother were Celestial mages too, right?" Tertius said to Lucy. The blonde was confused by that. Why would a fallen mention the magic of her family? But before she could ask, the fallen continued to talk.
"The Heartfillia lineage is the key." And now the whole group was confused.
"What?" Laxus asked no one in particular. He didn't like where this was heading.
"Or rather, the blood." Tertius said. Laxus started to growl, and Caster took a fighting pose. They would never stand aside, while the maniac fallen was spilling Lucy's blood.
"Now, after all this boring talking, could you come here girly?" The angel yawned dramatically. "You wouldn't want your friend to get hurt, right?" he asked smirking, and Nyx gripped Erza tighter to further prove their intentions.
Lucy stared at him again, then she nodded.
"Lucy, no!" Laxus gripped her arm, hindering her from stepping forward. He searched her gaze. She looked up to him, and their locked their gazes. She saw the panic and anger as well as the concern in those green orbs. She pushed all of the emotions that welled up in her down and put a hand over his.
"Trust me." was the only thing she said, before she gripped his hand and pushed it from her arm. Laxus gritted his teeth, but did nothing to stop her. While Lucy walked toward the fallen, Laxus was trying not to rush towards her. Because he did trust her. He didn't like it one bit, but if she's got a plan, he would stay still. Caster next to them, clenched his teeth. He heard their words, and while the time they know each other was short, he trust the blonde woman.
"Good girly." Tertius said smiling diabolically as Lucy stepped in front of the podium. "Now, hold your arm up." he instructed. Lucy held his gaze, but shook her head.
"First, you let my friend go." she countered. Tertius lost a bit of his smile, but shrugged. He flipped his finger, and on command Nyx lowered Erza, before she threw the unconscious body towards Caster and Laxus. Startled, Laxus barely caught her. He grunted on the impact, but he did caught her. The blonde Slayer laid her body down carefully, but never took his gaze from Lucy.
Lucy, seeing her friend was safe, hold her hand up. Tertius hold his up, too, and produced with his magic a dagger. Lucy was preparing herself for the pain a cut on her hand would produce.
But the fallen surprised her. In one swift moment he stabbed Lucy in her abdomen.
"LUCY!"
Sorry for the cliffhanger! Hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! I will try to hurry and bring the next chapter soon, so you don't have to wait too long!
Till next time,
Kitty