Jellal opened his eyes to find himself in a dark deserted room. Groaning he sat up rubbing the back of his head. Damn he was really getting tired of being sucked into those portals. God now where the hell am I? Just then a small groan sounded behind him, quickly turning around Jellal noticed that Erza had been taken with him. He hurried over to check her for injuries. She didn't look injured but he noticed that her hands were bound with a peculiar type of fabric. Jellal grabbed her wrists to try and remove it, but as soon as his hands touched the rope he felt his magic energy begin to drain away. "Shit!" He cursed as he yanked his hand back in surprise. "I see you noticed that neat little toy. Father figured given Titania's reputation not any normal binds would do." Jellal tensed with fury at the sound of Maggart's voice. Without taking his eyes off Erza's face Jellal summoned his magic to try and break the bindings. The air around the binds began to spark and glow. Grinding his teeth in frustration he released the magic. "You see not just any magic will release those binds. There is only one way to do that. You have to defeat me first! Better do it quick too, those binds do more than suck magic away they also feed on the victim's life force." Jellal whipped around to face Maggart, magic sparks flying from his clenched fists. "Tick tock, tick tock!" Maggart taunted. Then he launched himself at Jellal's throat.

Natsu had never felt so furious or so desperate in his entire life. Normally he loved to fight, looked forward to it even. But all he wanted now was to gather Lucy up in his arms and hold her tight and never let her go again. "Come now Natsu can't you see this fight is pointless now. Look she barely lives!" Thorne said as he pointed at Lucy. Natsu glanced over at the blonde. Her chest rose and fell laboriously as blood continued to stain her dress. "Our fight no longer matters my wife is as good as dead. The girl you loved was lost to you long ago. We no longer have a reason to fight!" "No! You are wrong there is no way I would let you get off that easy! I will punish you for all the pain you caused, you hurt Lucy, and you made her cry! You took her away from her home, family, and friends! You have to pay!" Natsu screamed as he rushed Thorne. Trying to block his blows Thorne summoned his vines. Screaming in rage Natsu grasped the vines and burned them. Thorne stared in shock as his indestructible vines crumbled to ash and dust. This shouldn't be possible! No fire should be able to burn my vines. Struggling to hold off his attacker Thorne thrust his vines out trying to grasp one of the dragon slayers limbs. Each time the vines wrapped around him the pink haired demon burned right through them. I don't understand this they were able to hold him before! Natsu continued to scream in rage as he finally broke through the last of Thorne's vines. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu smiled in satisfaction as his fist met Thorne's face giving a satisfying crunch! Before he went far Natsu spun around and kicked the dark prince mid air towards the wall. Thorne flew across the room slamming through the wall. He laid on the floor dazed and shocked. No one had been able to beat him before. His father had always taught him that he was invincible, indestructible. Thorne watched as Salamander rushed back over to the broken blonde. That's it! His love and grief for that woman fueled his power. I guess what they say is true, love is the greatest power of all. With that finally thought Thorne smiled as he let himself sink into unconsciousness.

Without bothering to look back at Thorne Natsu rushed back to Lucy. What met his eyes made his heart stop. Lucy laid on the floor her dress and his scarf soaked in blood. Bending down Natsu gently picked up her head and laid it in his lap. "Lucy please talk to me!" Lucy's eyes fluttered open at the sound of the voice that always made her heart feel warm and full. "Natsu! I knew you would come back. You always come for me so I was never afraid!" Natsu gave a watery laugh as he gripped her hand. "It's amazing how you never lose faith in me Luce, no matter how much I screw up." Lucy's soft laughter was soon turned to heavy coughing. Clutching her closer Natsu tried to comfort her, his heart filling with fear. "It's funny I thought this would last forever. But honestly I'm glad if I had to die it was here with you. I couldn't think of anything that would make me happier. Because I will spend my last minutes here with the man that took me to my home. The man that I fell in love with!" Lucy felt something wet hit her cheek looking up she was surprised to see tears streaming down Natsu's cheeks, "Please Lucy don't talk that way. I can't bear the thought of you dying! I promised to save you, you can't just leave me not after everything we have been through! Please don't go, I love you!" Lucy felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. With what strength she had left she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pulling him down she touched her lips to his. This defiantly wasn't how she imagined their first kiss would be but she was just happy she could make her last true desire come true. He tasted exactly as she imagined. He tasted like heaven, pure life and freedom. Gripping him tighter she deepened the kiss. She wanted to taste as much as she could before it was too late. Lucy wanted to stay like that forever but the pain in her chest forced her to release him. I can feel it my time is almost up. "Please Natsu will you promise me something? Will you promise me that no matter what you will find happiness?" Natsu shook his head as panic began to fill his heart. "Lucy you are my happiness, how can I make that promise when you are leaving me?" Lucy smiled as her eyes began to dim and her breath started to come in short gasps "That's simple, because I will never leave you! Even if you can't see me I will always be there, forever!"

On the last word Lucy's hand dropped from his face as she released her last breath. Natsu screamed in rage and grief as he clutched her body to his chest. He had failed! He had failed on the only thing that really mattered. Now the one person that he loved with all his heart was gone. Lucy would never smile at him again. Natsu cried as he rocked her back and forth. What do I have to live for now? Through his tears Natsu noticed a small light glowing from the wound in Lucy's chest. As he watched the wound glowed brighter and brighter. As the light began to move its way out of the wound a dark mist followed it. As Natsu continued to watch another light caught his attention. Brushing Lucy's hair back Natsu looked closer. A symbol of a rose behind her right ear glowed bright red. Suddenly the rose symbol began to disintegrate before his eyes. As soon as the rose was completely gone the wound in her chest closed. The dark mist that had come out of her body slowly disappeared into the air. A loud voice echoed through the room. "The winner by knockout is Natsu Dragneel! Congratulations!" "Hey what about Lucy? What was that light show that just happened?" Natsu asked anxiously as he stared at Lucy with desperate eyes, not caring about his victory. "She will be with you forever just as she said." The voice answered as it faded away.