Chapter 21

"Warren, any news?" Erza asked.

He lowered his fingers from his temple and sighed, "Absolutely nothing. Sorry, Erza."

"Damn it!" Gray slammed his fist down on the table he sat at.

"Gray, please," Erza rubbed her eyes. "We need to stay calm."

"How can we stay calm?" he pushed away from the table. "It's been two months! They could be anywhere now! They could be—"

"Don't say it!" Erza whirled towards him. The guild fell silent as everyone turned to stare at the scarlet haired mage. Her eyes were misty as she glowered at Gray. "Don't you dare say it, Gray. Lucy and Natsu are alive. We are going to find them!"

"Erza…"

"She's right, Gray," Macao drew his attention. He leaned against the bar with his arms crossed over his chest. "No matter how long it takes… we'll find those two."

"Yep," Wakaba nodded, cigar hanging out the corner of his mouth. "It took seven years to find you guys when Tenrou Island disappeared. If we have to… we'll wait another seven, even ten years."

"No." A gravelly voice echoed over the guild hall. Everyone turned to see Master Makarov standing on top of the railing of the second floor. He stared down at everyone, hands clasped behind his back. "With how old and frail I am these days, I don't think I'll last another ten years. And I swear to find those brats before I bite the dust. What are all of you doing in here? My children are in danger! You all should be out there searching! No more will we sit around and wait for good news!" He thrust his hand up in the air, index finger pointing towards the ceiling, thumb out. "We are Fairy Tail! AND IF WE HAVE TO, WE'LL TRAVEL TO THE ENDS OF EARTHLAND TO FIND OUR COMRADES AND BRING THEM BACK HOME SAFELY!"

The guild filled with roars of agreement. Mages split into their teams and promptly left on their search. Erza and Gray met with Wendy, Carla, and Happy near the door.

"No more waiting," Erza said. "Natsu and Lucy are our closest friends. If we can't find them, then no one can."

"Aye Sir," Happy said, voice soft.

"Happy," Erza patted his head. "I'm glad you've returned to us. I don't want you to worry another second. We are going to find them. I promise you."

Happy sniffed and cheered slightly, "Aye!"

"Let's go," Gray said. "I think that flame brain has had enough alone time with our Lucy."

"Agreed," Erza said. "He's being quite selfish, don't you think? He really should share his friends more."

"Alright," Wendy clapped, "Let's go find them!"

Azamin had gone eerily silent and still. Natsu's screams faded and the dragon slayer slowly rolled to his knees, panting. Kieran straightened away from the wall he leaned on, lone blue eye going wide. Lucy wiped her mouth with the back of her wrist.

Everyone watched as Azamin slowly, with shaking hands, reached up and wiped the spit from his cheek. He turned his burning green eyes to Lucy.

"You…" he clenched his teeth, "filthy, disgusting animal!" His fist flashed out, making contact with Lucy's chin and sending her stumbling to the floor.

"LUCY!" Natsu yanked on his ropes.

Azamin winded back and sent a crushing kick against her ribs, forcing a sharp cry from her. He pulled back and kicked again and again.

"We could've kept it clean!" he shrieked, face reddening, silver hair tugging from the leather tie at the base of his neck and sticking to the sweat dripping down his throat. "You disgusting trash!" He turned and grabbed the wooden chair. He thrust it to the ground and ripped off a leg. He faced her again, brandishing the blunt weapon. "Now we can never go back!" He struck her with the wooden leg, leaving thick red welts on her back and arms.

"STOP IT!" Natsu frantically fought against his binds. "GOD FUCKING DAMN IT! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU BASTARD!"

Azamin leaned down and grabbed a fistful of Lucy's blonde hair, yanking her up. She let out a cry as he pulled her to her feet and shoved her forward. He pushed her against the glass cage, hand still knotted in her hair as he lifted his weapon and slashed it against the back of her thighs. The splintered wood cut deep into her skin and angry red droplets of blood slid down her pale skin.

"FINE!" Azamin screamed, yanking her head back so he could see into her face. "FINE! You want to get DIRTY? I'll get dirty, you BITCH!"

Kieran took large, swift steps towards them, "Azamin. Stop right there."

"Shut up!" Azamin swung his arm towards the other man and he immediately dropped to his knees. He clutched either side of his head and let loose a terrified bellow.

"K-Kieran…" Lucy stuttered.

"You shut up too!" he ripped at her hair and then released it. He hit her again with the wooden leg and then dropped it. He forced her shoulders forward, pulling her hips back against his groin. He reached around and grabbed her breasts painfully. "Is this what you want? Should I dirty you even further?"

"RAHHHHHH!" Natsu pulled so hard on the ropes that near the floorboards, they started to fray. "BASTAAAAAAAARRRRRRRD!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" Azamin slammed his palm against the glass.

Natsu's eyes rolled back in his head and he choked. He fell onto his chest on the metal floor, letting loose a bloodcurdling scream of fear.

Azamin wiped his fingers against the blood trailing down Lucy's thighs and then smeared it down her stomach. He bit her earlobe and hissed, "There's no saving you now. You'll die the dirty bitch you've lived your entire life as."

Natsu writhed and turned his head towards them, panting heavily, "L…Lu… Lucy…"

"If I do…" Lucy whispered, brown eyes hardening, "then so be it." She jerked her head back, cracking it against his forehead. He called out and straightened away from her. Lucy whipped her left elbow back, smashing it into his nose, breaking it with a resounding crack. He stumbled back, blood dripping down over his gaping mouth. Lucy turned slowly, back straight, shoulders out, eyes dead.

"I'll gladly die," she said. "But you're coming with me." She ripped the rope connecting her hands and kicked out. Her foot swung across his cheek, sending him stumbling even further back.

Azamin waved his hand at her, "I'll cast you into hell before you can touch me!"

Lucy ignored him and advanced. She kicked him again, heel crushing into his chest and knocking him onto his back on the floor.

"Wh-what's going on?" he waved his hand again. "Why isn't my magic working?"

She smashed her foot against his face. "I refuse to be scared of you another second!"

"H-how—"

Brilliant light filled the room and an explosion sent glass soaring.

Azamin jerked his head to the side.

Loke stepped down from the now shattered cage. He grinned, "You called, Lucy?"

"How—" Azamin's eyes were giant, bugging out of his bloody face as he stared at the massacred cage.

"Loke," Lucy's voice quivered slightly. "I'll leave Natsu's escape to you."

"Understood," he said. He went to the larger cage and unleashed Regulus on the glass.

Lucy's knees knocked together and she inhaled shakily. No… not now. Just keep it up for a few more minutes. The exhaustion was taking over. She had forced all of her magic energy into Loke's arrival, resulting in the magic explosion at the cage's base. She breathed a sigh of relief that it had actually worked… but now she was in trouble. Her head was swimming. Her vision was going blurry. If Azamin found out how weak she had become, he would instantly pounce. It was a battle just keeping Loke's gate open.

Loke was having no luck with the cage.

"Lucy," he called over his shoulder. "Regulus isn't powerful enough. There has to be another way."

"The ropes…"

Loke turned to Kieran. He pulled himself up onto his elbows. "There's a room next door where the ropes lead. If you sever them—" He fell back to the floor, screaming.

Loke didn't waste a second. He ran from the room.

Lucy glowered down at Azamin, who pointed a finger in Kieran's direction, rage etched into his face.

"Leave him alone!" Lucy pulled her leg back and delivered a swift kick to his throat.

Azamin caught her foot. She gasped as he shoved her back and, unable to keep her balance, she tumbled to the floor. Her exhaustion won over and she felt Loke's gate close.

"No," she panted.

Azamin towered over her. He knelt between her legs and held her throat in one of his hands, cutting off her oxygen. "Too late," he laughed. "You were too late! Now I have you…" he moaned excitedly. "Now I have you and your friend will watch you die from inside that cage…"

"Think again," Lucy growled.

"What?" Azamin tightened his hand around her throat.

"Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhh—"

Azamin jerked his head up, eyes wide.

Natsu stood in the center of the cage, engulfed in flames. His skin had taken on a scaly texture and his onyx eyes glowed in fiery rage. Azamin released Lucy and climbed unsteadily to his feet. He stumbled backwards.

"N-no…" He held his hand up shakily, casting his fear magic on the dragon slayer, but it was too late for him.

"FIRE DRAGON'S…" Natsu held his flaming hands out wide. "BRILLIANT FLAME!" He brought his hands together in tremendous clap, causing an explosion that instantly shattered all four walls of the glass cage. Lucy rolled to her stomach and covered her head as shards rained down around her.

"No!" Azamin shielded his face and then turned as if to flee the room.

But Natsu was on him in an instant. The dragon slayer flew from confinement and grabbed the back of his shirt, yanking him back.

Natsu turned the writhing fear mage to face him and promptly gripped his throat in a flaming hand. Azamin's screams intensified as the fire licked at his skin. His screams faded as he stared into the eyes of his captor.

Tears were streaming down Natsu's face. His teeth were bared, breath heaving in and out as he squeezed the man's throat.

"St-stop…" he pleaded. "I won't touch her again—"

"DAMN RIGHT YOU WON'T!" Natsu lifted him higher until his toes just barely scraped the floor. "For months you've laughed as she screamed…" he squeezed tighter and Azamin choked. He scrabbled at his arm, digging his nails in, kicking his feet back and forth.

"P-please…" his eyes rolled back in his head.

"WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR MERCY?" Natsu threw him to the floor. "Did you grant Lucy mercy when she begged?"

He knelt over him and punched him in the face. "WHY SHOULD I FORGIVE YOU?" His fists pounded again and again. He hesitated, "I know in the past I've had a hard time keeping my promises. And it's led to some trouble with me and my friends…"

Lucy hid her face in her arms as the tears started flowing.

"But I've made a vow," Natsu ignited his hand and held it over Azamin's face, casting shadows over his features. "I'm never gonna break a promise again. And I've promised you every day these past two months that I was going to kill you."

Azamin struggled against his tight grip, "No! Stop! I didn't do anything wrong!"

Natsu's face flashed with fury, "This is for Lucy. Are you prepared?"