From the Ashes, Part 21
In the castle, Juvia stirred to a late night summons. She was wanted in the throne room. She wasn't sure why, but it couldn't be a good thing. She got into her uniform and made her way there. When she arrived, Gobi was waiting for her outside the doors. "Glad you could make it", he smirked. She nodded, not wanting to talk to him more than she had to. He opened the massive doors and stood aside to let her pass. Once she was within the chamber, he closed the doors and guarded them from the inside. It was dark and Juvia strained her eyes to make her way forward. A single candlelight barely illuminated one side of the throne. She strode forward, ready to bow. "You rang, Highness?", she asked politely, hating the words. "I did", replied the empress. With a snap of her fingers, candles flickered on all over the room. Juvia stared in shock. On what had been the dark side of the throne was Rogue. He hung from a cross, bleeding badly. "I take it you're familiar with the traitor?", asked Fathiyya pointedly. Juvia kneeled low. "What are his crimes, my lady?", she asked innocently. Fathiyya toyed with a lacrima idly, one Juvia recognized. It was Sting's. "He stole something of mine for one thing", stated the empress. "He's also responsible for freeing my prisoners behind my back. After all I've given him, don't you think that's rude?", she inquired, watching Juvia for any minor flaw in her composure. Rogue lifted his head just enough to see Juvia's face. His eyes begged her to remain silent for her own good. The faint clenching of the water mage's fingers was all she needed to see. Her eyes glowed bright gold and Juvia fell to the floor in agony. The lines in her guild mark burned fiercely, sending the sensation through each and every one of her veins. "Do you think me incompetent?", sneered Fathiyya. "I'm fully aware that you knew this and failed to report it. I also knew your little boy toy escaped the castle the very day he left", she said coldly.
Rising from her throne, she strode toward the fallen mage. Stepping down on her fingers, she stared coldly. "You disappoint me." Juvia writhed in pain. Fathiyya's magic was unlike any torment she'd ever felt. "Stop", wheezed Rogue. She immediately turned her focus on him. He thrashed in agony as Juvia struggled to her hands and knees, free of the torture. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably. "Ryos, if you wanted attention, you only had to say so", she taunted, stroking his face as she released her hold over him. He panted, weak and exhausted. She smiled serenely at him as he glared defiantly back at her. Without warning, her fingers pierced deep into his flesh. He cried out as she ripped the lacrima from his body. "I'm impressed you managed to reroute my magic", she said, reflecting the light off her new toy. Blood poured from the torn sinew she'd left behind. Juvia stared in horror, still trying to stand. Fathiyya closed her eyes and absorbed the magic within the orb. Once void of power, it crumbled in her hand.
She returned her gaze to Juvia. "And should I do with my sweet paladin?", she said as if thinking aloud. "You should know that my former night is being exterminated as we speak", she said casually. "You're lying", spat Juvia. "Am I?", asked the empress, amused. Another jolt of her power left the mage quivering in the floor. "He was captured once before. This task will be just as easy", she stated. "I hope you took your chance with him as a lover. He barely gave any effort with me", she taunted. Struggling to her knees, Juvia seethed, "Stop it!" Grinning wickedly, Fathiyya replied, "I know Sahara told you how I broke him. I could give you more details if you like - just between us girls." Tears ran down the mage's face as she fought to out will the agony flowing through her body. "What do you want to know first? How I cut into his flesh and stripped away the last of his clothing?", she asked. "Stop", pleaded Juvia. "Or how he tried to resist me? But anti-magic chains are wonderful things. It was only a matter of time until he gave up and accepted it", said the empress, kneeling to see Juvia's distraught face. "Stop it!", she screamed, reaching toward her enemy. Rising, Fathiyya looked down at her without mercy. "And what can you possibly do? Look at you." She ceased the torment of her power on a whim, just to test the mage's will. Juvia shakily got to her feet. She summoned her magic with all her might, but it only added to her pain. Despite that, she managed to throw a stream of water at her enemy. Gobi stepped in and blocked it easily. "You wretch. You dare raise a hand to the empress?", he sneered, landing a firm kick to her stomach. She slid backward, too weak to hold her ground. Approaching her, he grinned, "I told you I would would be the one to remedy the situation."
"Stop", gasped Rogue weakly. Fathiyya stood before him with a loving smile. Grasping his face with one hand, she said, "See what you've done." He watched Juvia helplessly as Gobi beat her. Leaning in, she whispered into his ear, "Don't worry. It won't last much longer." A split second later, her fingers pierced his heart. He gasped in pain at the sensation of the life literally being squeezed out of him. "Go back to your friends", said the empress coldly with one final crush of her hand. She wiped his blood over his lifeless face. "And you", she said, turning back toward Juvia. The water mage struggled to her feet and glared defiantly. "By now Gray is already dead", she stated as fact. "You're lying", argued Juvia, tears in her eyes. Fathiyya returned to her throne. She watched idly as the muscular man continued his work. Eventually she said, "Enough". He stepped back immediately. Juvia's battered form couldn't move. Blood started to pool around her broken body. Casually coming to her side, Fathiyya kneeled down and whispered to her. With a smirk, she walked away, ordering Gobi to clean up. As she strolled out of the room, Juvia's eyes began to turn gold. She had nothing left to fight for.
Elsewhere, Cana and Bacchus relaxed by their fire, oblivious to their friend's situation. He was healing quickly. He managed to sit up with his own strength now. It still hurt, but his pride was pleased with the progress. After some prodding, he let Cana change his bandages. She sat directly behind him and worked quietly. Setting the unwound wrappings aside, she said, "Looking good back here." Bacchus grinned, glad to hear it. She cleansed away the grime around his wounds. Natsu had done well to seal them, but the inner tissue would take longer to heal. He flinched as she pressed a hot towel to the burns. "Sorry", she said sheepishly. "It's all right. I just wish we had something to drink", he grinned. She laughed, agreeing with the sentiment, but alcohol was not a luxury they had access to in the middle of the woods. She let him get some air while she boiled his bandages clean. Once they were dry, she set back to her work. She stretched her arms around him, carefully wrapping him to get a good seal against the elements. "How's that?", she asked, tying off a knot. "Fine", he replied. She tugged here and there testing the stability. Finding no faults, she leaned into him, hugging him from behind. "You saved my ass", she admitted. "Couldn't let such a nice one go to waste", he smirked. "Like you'd know", she retorted. "I have eyes", he stated, glancing over his shoulder. "Among other things", she taunted, meeting his curiosity with a far more interesting expression. "You're worse than I am", he laughed.
She held him around his waste, supporting some his weight, knowing he was still in pain. After a while, one hand started to wander. "What are you doing?", he asked coyly. "Who knows?", she replied. Her palm rested on his thigh. "You're bad", he teased. He watched closely as her hand slid inward. She grinned to herself, noting the tensing of his muscles as she did so. The two had grown closer during their time hiding out with his guild. She simply acted in the same direction as the ideas she knew they shared. Glancing back, he met her eyes. She showed no sign of backing down. "You really shouldn't look at me like that", he warned. She smiled playfully and said, "And what exactly can you do about it with your back in that condition?". "Touche", he ceded, leaning against her to relax. She tested the waters with a few light strokes from her fingers. Giving her one last chance to back out, he said, "You don't have to do this." She snuggled against his shoulder and said, "I know, but you're only like this because of me...Besides, I want to." He groaned faintly as she took a firm hold. She chuckled at his response as her other hand slid beneath his belt. She watched the various expressions flicker over his face as she did so. Now both hands were on bare skin. Now numb to the pain, his back arched gently as she massaged and squeezed. "I take it back", he said, "You're good." She smiled, glad to do it. She owed him a lot and the fact that he'd saved her life stirred something deep inside of her. For now, she was just glad they were safe and alone.
Somewhere outside the capital, Gray paused in his tracks. He felt sick to his stomach and couldn't shake thoughts of Juvia from his mind. He glanced back toward the castle with concern. "Maybe they found out", he thought. Suddenly his chest hurt. What was happening? Was it the thought of Juvia being harmed? He grit hit teeth, annoyed. He didn't have time to sort out his emotions. She was counting on him. He took off full speed, determined to fulfill his promise. He fought hard to keep his focus solely on his pace, but images of her smiling face kept popping up. He felt horrible inside. He never should have left her.
To be continued...