Quite a long chapter I've got here. 3,616 words. No wonder it took me some time to finish it. Sorry for the wait.
Please enjoy!
Lucy was about to lose consciousness when she suddenly heard the desperate cries of her friends. She struggled to get up, but her head ached tremendously, making it difficult for her.
"Lucy!" she shot her head up and saw Kazuki, hurrying towards her with a worried expression. He knelt down beside her and helped her up into a sitting position.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Y-yeah . . . what happened?"
"I'm not really sure myself. It kind of felt like we hit something that made us fall off the ship." Kazuki frowned. "In any case, we better go. The others are searching for us, and their probably worried about you."
Kazuki helped her stand back up, although it was a bit difficult for her to stay that way for a moment because of her headache. But soon, she felt alright once again and they made their way towards the border where the mages of Fiore were running towards her and crying out her name. Once she saw them, Lucy immediately ran towards them as well.
"Everyone!"
"Hold on! Lucy!" Kazuki cried out but it was too late. One second she was running towards them, the next she was sent flying away. Luckily, Kazuki managed to catch her so she wasn't hurt. But the headache she had earlier returned.
"Oi! Are you alright? Lucy!" he shook her a bit, feeling worried.
"What's going on?" Addei suddenly appeared from the bushed, a little scraped but was okay. Next to her was Kiyomi and Hyosuke with his arm wrapped protectively around her.
"I'm not really sure, but . . . I think we're trapped."
"What? But that's impossible!" Addei walked a few steps forward, to the direction where the others were at. She then reached out a hand to feel if there was something there. And sure enough, she felt a sudden pain surge on her fingers, as if they were electrocuted and she quickly retracted her arm.
"What . . ?" she asked in a mixture of shock and confusion. "But why . . ?"
"Guys!" Erza yelled out, running towards them.
"Ah, wait! Erza!" Addei tried to stop her, but she was too late. As Erza ran towards them, she suddenly hit something that made her fall down on her butt and she rubbed her head in pain.
"Well, it looks like nobody can come in or out . . ." Kazuki muttered.
"But . . ! Didn't they managed to get out a while ago?" Lucy asked, still a bit shocked as she tried to cling onto her false hope and deny the possibility that they may not be able to escape this nightmare.
"What's going on . . ?"
"Hyosuke-kun, will we be alright . . ?" Kiyomi asked him, to which he only patted her head in an attempt to comfort her.
"Don't worry, Kiyomi. I'm sure we'll manage."
"Oi! What the hell?" Natsu asked, pressing his hands against the invisible wall that was preventing anyone from getting in or out. Meanwhile, Gray was helping Erza get back up on her feet, not that she needed any. Right now, there were team Natsu along with Yukino, Wendy and Lisanna there while the others had decided to wait in Cristina.
"Th-the curse . . ." Aeschylus said, suddenly appearing with Galan and Mira guiding and helping him through the large trees and bushes of the forest since he was still trembling and his knees seemed so week that he's even having trouble standing up. In fact, once they were with the others , he collapsed down to his knees and was in all fours, staring at the ground since he couldn't bear to look at them.
"What . . ? The curse? The curse of this kingdom?" Addei asked in disbelief. "B-but- ! W-we defeated the royal family! The kingdom of Visna has fallen! So then, why . . ?"
"Just because both the king and the prince were defeated, it doesn't mean the curse will be lifted." Aeschylus told her. "The ceremony was partly completed, and that's the only reason why the others managed to escape this country. But it's also the reason why they can't get back in."
"What?" Erza asked.
"Before, it was plain and simple. Anyone can go in but no one can go out. But then Lucy started the ceremony, and the curse changed. It was supposed to be lifted, but since the ceremony wasn't finished, the curse just changed." Aeschylus explained.
"Judging by the situation, it looks like now, it's preventing anyone from getting in or getting out." Galan added.
"But . . . we were able to leave." Yukino argued.
"That's because you guys weren't cursed to begin with." Aeschylus said, not moving from his position and he even started trembling. "Every single person in this kingdom who lives here is cursed, it doesn't matter if they use magic or not. That's why we can't leave . . . However is born in this country automatically receives the same curse."
"C-curse . . ?" Lisanna asked. She, like everyone else, had a bad feeling about it.
"We're cursed to imprisonment . . ." he added, finally looking up at them. "The moment we were born in this cursed country, we have already been cursed to imprisonment and have been rid of our freedom. And ever since the prince cast that spell on Lucy that gave her powers, she, too, became cursed."
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Hyosuke asked in anger.
"Oi! Don't be so harsh on him!" Mia scowled.
"That's right, Hyosuke-kun . . ."
"I-I couldn't be sure . . ." Aeschylus muttered before he started trembling once again, tears started forming in his eyes. "I'm sorry!"
"Aeschylus! Man up, will you?!" Artemis yelled at him.
"But, that means . . ." Lucy muttered then looking at all her friends, her eyes filled with a mixture of horror and sadness.
"I-isn't there any way you guys can get out of there?" Gray asked.
"Well . . . we could continue on with the ceremony and just sacrifice a dragon slayer . . ." Galan said, as emotionless as ever.
"Oi! What are you saying, Galan?" Kazuki hissed.
"They asked. It's only natural for us to answer, right?" he replied, his eyes narrowing and Kazuki glared at him.
"Enough, you two!" Addei commanded them before turning her attention to the Envious Soul of the former SSS. "Aeschylus, if I remember correctly, you managed to leave this country along with a lot of other soldiers."
"Ah, that's right! There must be some way, right?" Natsu said. "Tell us how did you guys get out of this place back then!"
"That . . ." he muttered, standing back up but still looking away from them. "We paid a heavy price for that."
"What? What is it?" Mia asked and they all waited in anticipation for his answer.
"The price we had to pay was . . . a life."
Their eyes widened at this.
"Wh-what . . ?" Wendy asked. "No way . . ."
"For every person that will leave this place, a life must be offered before they'll be able to go." Aeschylus said, clenching his fist as they started shaking. "And it's only temporary, too. After a month, we had to return back here or else our bodies will be destroyed . . . that's the curse."
They were all frozen in shock by this and none of the could even bring themselves to speak. So Aeschylus continued on.
"There's no way to truly escape this place . . . no matter what you do, it's absolutely impossible . . . I'm so sorry." he said and Galan patted his shoulder to offer him comfort while the others were still in shock and was still unable to speak. Until finally, Erza fell down to her knees.
"No way . . ." she muttered as tears fell from her eyes. "Do you mean to say that no matter what we do, we can't get you out of there? All of you . . . are going to have to spend the rest of your lives in this place . . ?"
Wendy and Lisanna's tears started to roll down their cheeks, despite their best efforts to keep them from falling. Yukino had a frown on her face as she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth in frustration. And then there were Gray and Natsu who's eyes were still wide in shock as they still tried to process every word Aeschylus just said.
Lucy, herself, was on the verge of crying as Kiyomi comforted and supported her so she won't fall to her knees just like Erza had.
"Lucy . . ." she muttered.
"H-hold on a moment!" Erza yelled, immediately getting back up. "H-how do we know that's the only way? There has to be another!"
"Th-that's right! C-C'mon! There has to be some way to get you guys out of there." Gray nodded.
"Give it up. There's no hope for us." Aeschylus told them.
"Don't give up now. We still have hope!" Natsu added, his voice rising. "If you're giving up right now so easily, then that means that you just don't care!"
"Bastard . . ." Artemis hissed, feeling pissed at what the fire mage had just said. "What the hell did he just say?!"
"If there was another way, then we would have used that instead of killing hundreds of innocent people!" Aeschylus yelled at them, feeling just as angry as Artemis and also shocking most of his team mates.
"Well, how do you know that there isn't another and you guys just didn't know about it?" Natsu asked, his anger increasing as his body started top heat up and it seemed he was about to burst into flames any second.
"Even if there was, how do you plan on finding out such a method?" Aeschylus retorted.
"A-Aeschy . . ." Mia tugged on his sleeve, but he seemed to be so angry right now that he just ignored her.
"Whatever it takes, one way or another, we will find a way!" Natsu said.
"It took the smartest and most skilled people of our kingdom years to finally figure out a way to temporarily be able to escape this place! What the hell do you think you can do?!"
"None of that matters! We're going to get each and every one of you out there no matter what!"
"Like I said, that's impossible!"
"Don't say that!" Erza yelled. "There has to be a way! There has to be!"
"That's enough, Erza!" Mia told her.
"Shut up! Are you just going to accept all of this?!"
"All I'm saying is that we should be reasonable! Just calm down for a second and think things through."
"How the hell can you calm down at a situation like this?!" Gray asked.
"Oi! This isn't the time to be argue." Kiyomi said.
"Shut up! You're the ones who can't get a clue on the gravity of the situation!" the ice mage yelled at her.
"Hey! Don't talk to her like that!" Hyosuke glared at him.
"You guys need to calm down right now!" Kazuki yelled.
"Shut up, you bastard!" Natsu yelled back.
"This isn't the time to be arguing!"
"Well then, what do you suggest we do?"
"You bastards were the one who told us to just give it up!"
"Aeschy was just stating facts!"
"Shut up! It's not like he knows anything!"
"I know more than enough!"
"From what you told us, you don't know anything!"
"Stop this! You guys have got to face the reality of the situation!"
"And what? Are you suggesting that we leave a comrade behind?"
"Well . . ."
"ENOUGH!" Addei yelled, silencing them.
"Everyone . . . calm down." Lucy said, although she was trembling and her eyes were shadowed.
"Look . . . we don't have a choice here . . ." Addei said through gritted teeth as she also started to tremble slightly. "I think that Erza and the other two may have a point. There could be another way."
"Addei! You know that the chances of that happening is next to impossible! Even if there had been a way, how in the world are they supposed to find it?" Aeschylus asked.
"There are a lot of capable and knowledgeable mages back at their country!" she answered, silencing them. Erza and the others felt a sudden ray of hope.
"So then . . . what do we do now?" Erza asked. Addei didn't want to answer that because she was afraid of their reactions and paused for a moment. But in the end, she had to break out the truth to them.
"Erza, you may not like it but . . ." Addei took a deep breath and sighed. "You're gonna have to leave us here and go back to your homeland."
"What?" Erza asked and they soon started glaring at the woman. The rest of the SSS sighed, since they knew from the start that this was the only way. Even Lucy knew, so they all gave her concerned glances.
"D-don't be stupid! There's no way that we could ever do something like that!" Natsu yelled at them.
"Lucy's our comrade! Our friend! There's no way that we could ever leave her behind!" Gray added.
"What choice do you have?!" Addei snapped at them. "Look, I know that it's going to be hard for you to be away from Lucy again! Especially after everything that's happened! But if you guys just stay here, nothing will come of it! There's a bigger chance for you to be able to save her back at Fiore!"
Team Natsu became silent for a moment, realizing that Addei was right. But they just couldn't bring it to themselves to admit it.
"There's another way, isn't there?: Natsu suddenly said, catching their attention. "One that we know of."
"Eh?" Addei asked. "What in the world are you- "
Their eyes suddenly widened as they realized what he meant.
"O-oi . . . you can't possibly mean . . ." Hyosuke trailed off, but Natsu only stayed silent.
"All you need is a dragon slayer's life to complete the ceremony, right? Then afterwards the curse will be lifted. he stated simply, and their suspicions were confirmed.
"N-Natsu-san!" Wendy cried out.
"Don't be stupid, Natsu!" Erza told him.
"Oi! Natsu!" Gray said.
"Everything . . . This all happened because of me to begin with. It was all my fault, anyway." Natsu said, feeling pure determination. "So, I'll take responsibility."
"Hey! Don't you think that we're going to let you do that!" Hyosuke said.
"You're very precious to Lucy! So if you die, then she'll be very sad!" Kiyomi told him.
"There is no way that we'll let Lucy be sad ever again!" Mia yelled. "Just go, okay? There's no need to lose a life so we can save another!"
"Enough of this already." Kazuki dead paned and glared at Natsu after glancing at the now horrified Lucy. "Even if you did sacrifice yourself, it's too late now. Hidenori was an important part of the spell, but now he's dead. Killing yourself, won't do us any good now."
"Well, it's not like we'd have let you give up your life, anyway." Erza scoffed. "Don't you ever say things like that, Natsu! None of us has to die!"
"That's right, Natsu." Lucy finally spoke up. "Guys . . . go back home. Please. I know that you'll be able to figure out a way to save all of us somehow. So . . ."
They were all unable to speak for a moment as tears started to fill their eyes. Of course, the two guys managed to hold them back but it wasn't the same for the girls. Wendy was clutching unto Lisanna tightly while sobbing while the Take Over mage's tears were freely flowing down her cheeks. Yukino's eyes were shadowed but the lone tear that fell down her cheek was still visible. Erza tried her best to keep the tears from falling, but it was to no avail. Lucy only had a forced smile on her face, but the sadness in her eyes was visible.
"Lucy . . ." the titania muttered before blurting out. "We'll come back for you, okay?! You just wait for us! Don't you ever forget us!"
"We'll get you out of this hellhole somehow! There's no way we're leaving you here!" Gray added.
"Just hang in there, okay?" Natsu cried out. "Just wait for us. Wait just a little bit longer. We promise . . ."
"Lucy-san!" Wendy sobbed.
"Lucy . . . Look at your hand!" Lisanna told her. Once she did, she found herself staring at the back of her hand where her Fairy Tail guild mark used to be. Of course, it had disappeared when she died.
"You're a Fairy Tail mage, and that guild mark was the proof of that! But now that it's not there, anymore . . . We just can't leave things like that!" Lisanna struggled to speak as she started to sob as well.
"We're going to make you a Fairy Tail mage again Lucy!" Erza cried out. "You're going to become our nakama again! We'll make sure of that!"
At this, tears started to fall from the blonde's cheeks.
"Idiots! Even without the guild mark, I'm still a proud mage of Fairy Tail!" she told them, suppressing a sob. "Nothing can ever change that!"
She tried to steady her breath as she continued on. "I'll wait for you guys! No matter how long it takes! I'll wait for you!"
The air around them became silent, and nothing could be heard but their sobs and cries.
"Oh, you bastards!" Gray called out the SSS. "You better take good care of her while we're gone!"
"If anything ever happens to her, I'll never forgive you!" Erza added.
"Shut up! As if we're going to let anything happen to our beloved Adora-chan!" Kiyomi puffed her cheeks.
"Don't worry." Addei told them. "She's in good hands."
"I hope so . . ." Erza muttered.
"Oh, and . . ." Addei trailed off. "I think it's best if you guys don't tell so many people about this. Since . . ."
"Yeah." Erza nodded. "I already know."
Addei smiled at her and the titania smiled back.
"Ah, that's right . . ." Lucy said, getting something from her belt. "Yukino!"
The other celestial mage seemed confused when Lucy threw something at her, but she managed to catch it. It seems like the 'invisible wall' doesn't have any effects on inanimate objects. When she checked to see what it was, she was shocked to see that it was Lucy's keys.
"I hope you don't mind, but . . ." Lucy smiled at her. "Please hang onto those for me a little longer."
"I-I . . ." Yukino stuttered before looking at the celestial keys and tears filled her eyes once again. "They're going to miss you! But I'll make sure to take good care of them until you come back!"
"That's what I'm hoping you'd do." Lucy sighed. "Take care everybody . . . I'll see you again."
They made no move to leave, until Lisanna took Erza's hand, catching her attention.
"Let's go . . ." she told her, and the titania only nodded. They knew that if they stayed there for any longer, they won't be able to leave. So they all started to run back to the ship, tears freely flowing down their cheeks. But Natsu decided to stay a bit longer and stared at Lucy. The blonde celestial mage only watched her friends leave, and she wasn't able to take it. She collapsed to her knees and started to sob as she thought that this may as well be the last time she'd ever be able to see them. But if she told them that, then they would never have left.
The rest of the SSS started comforting her, with Addei embracing her tightly. All except for Kazuki, who's gaze never left Natsu. The fire mage glared back at him for a while before speaking.
"You better treat her good." he hissed. Kazuki's eyes narrowed as he scoffed.
"We'll treat her better than you did, that's for sure."
The guilt Natsu had felt from weeks before returned as he remembered how it all started. He was unable to reply and could only clench his fists in frustration. And after one last look at Lucy, she ran back to the ship with the others as Kazuki kept on glaring at him.
Lucy looked up at her friends once again. She didn't know if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but she swore that she saw each andd every one of her celestial spirits, behind Yukino, looking at her with sadness and tears in their eyes.
Erza wiped the tears from her face like the others did when they finally arrived at the ship. As expected the others were confused as to why Lucy and the SSS weren't with them.
"Natsu . . ?" Happy looked at the fire mage with worried eyes. They were all silent for a moment, until Erza looked at Hibiki.
"Let's go." she said, shocking them.
"B-but- !" Sherry, like everyone else, didn't know what to say.
"Let's go!" Erza yelled in a more commanding tone. And with that, the trimens obeyed and they set off back to Fiore. It was a quiet trip for them, and the only thing that could be heard was the soft sobs of some of Lucy's closest friends.
End is nearing! Prepare yourself for what's going to happen!
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