Chpt 33
Yaay! Another one is done! I had some slight trouble getting this one started since everything I had planned before was changed from the last chapter being changed around lol but it worked out in the end, I think. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I tried to make the cliffhanger not that bad for you all like I had originally planned on doing. Lol
Dragonfly2311: yass! I am back, for a short minute XD thank you! I had a whole list of characters I wanted to include and write about fighting the enemy, buuut I changed it as I wrote it, so I'm glad you liked who I kinda wrote about ^^; and yay! I'm glad the bouncing around worked too. This one has a little bit of bounce in the beginning, but not as much as the last one lol I really can't wait to get the next chapter posted, but I am unsure when that'll be. If I get a boost in motivation, I might have it up in a week or two, or I'll get distracted by other fics I need to update and it'll be a hot minute XD who knows!
rao hyuga 18: *gasps!* thank you so much for leaving a review! *hands you a cookie* and yay! I'm so happy to hear that you like the story! :D I'm hoping I can get this fic finished by the end of the year so I can work on other stuff, but for now, I hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters I get done! :) oh! And if you are looking for more Gajevy fics, check out my other fic Trials, that is another one that is mainly GaLe, and my good friend Msktk, is far better at writing than myself, she has some pretty awesome Gajevy fics as well! Monster, and Iron Gray are great reads and I highly recommend!
piranha pk: *waves* hiiiii! Aww, thank you so much! Yes! Trying to stay positive, especially now that I feel back in the groove of things! I'm hoping to get Levy more powers using time in some later chapters! And haha I'm sorry! XD I am terrible lol it probably won't break you buuut it'll be upsetting. . I don't want to give away the ending so I'm going to stop myself here!
Please excuse any mistakes I have missed!
Bacchus glanced over his shoulder as he ran, a few of his packmates running alongside him as they fled from Fairy Tail earlier that night. The sun was rising and the indigo wolf had a plan already set in motion for the centaur and satyr that followed. "Good, I was… hoping… those two would… catch up to us."
One of the dark brown coated wolves spoke up beside Bacchus. "Sir, we've been running all night, where are we leading them to?"
The larger wolf grinned. "There are… two clearings… just up ahead… I want… them to follow… us to the… second… one. There… there is a cliff… and just… over that… a raging… river… that does not… let any who fall… into its waters… survive. I will… make sure… to kill them… both… before I… let the river… feast on their… flesh!"
"What then? Are we to return to Fairy Tail and kill of the others?" Another wolf on the other side of Bacchus asked.
"All I want… are those… two humans… returned to me… you all… can do whatever… you please… with the rest." The indigo beast said as they came up on the first clearing. The small group came to a halt in the center, their noses picking up a scent familiar to only Bacchus. Beady red eyes scanned the area. "What… is he… doing here?!" He growled under his breath.
Lily raced alongside Gajeel, hot on the trail of the wolves that attacked their home. "Gajeel! Where do you think they are leading us?!"
The centaur grunted as he leapt into the air, jumping over a fallen tree in their path. "Doesn't matter! I'm not stopping until we find those bastards and take care of them once and for all! I will not let Bacchus escape so he can go back and hurt Levy and everyone else!"
Lily looked on ahead, concern growing in his voice. "I really hope we find them soon… I have a bad feeling about all of this."
Crimson orbs looked over to his satyr. "When don't you have a bad feeling when we are about to get into a fight?!"
The dark satyr clenched his fists tightly. "I'm just saying… I can sense another presence other than Bacchus in the area… I'm sure you can sense it too?"
Gajeel let out a low groan. "Yeah… and I think I know who it might be."
Bacchus looked around at his fallen pack as the electric shock they received finally ceased, their bodies lay limp and unconscious on the ground. The large wolf growled as he looked up to the thunder general as yellow sparks left his body sporadically. "I don't… have time… to deal with… you…"
Laxus scoffed as he held up a hand and cracked his fingers. "Oh really? Because I think you have all the time in the world, traitor."
The indigo wolf began to take steps to the right, his beady red eyes searching for an escape route. "I only… took… what was… mine…"
The blond-haired general lit up quickly, preparing to attack the wolf at any second. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BRING THE GIRL BACK TO THE CASTLE! BECAUSE OF YOUR IDIODIC BEHAVOUR, I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE PRINCESS'S WRATH!" Laxus clenched his fists as he glanced down at his scared arms. "On top of being humiliated by some bookworm and that damned satyr… I've had to endure punishment from the princess because I had failed her."
Bacchus bared his pearly white fangs as he smiled, his voice teasing the large man a few feet away from him. "Sounds like… a personal… problem to me…"
Dark grey eyes shot up to the wolf. "No… it was because of YOU!" Lightning shot from the generals' body, flying through the air and just barely missing the indigo wolf by the hairs on his back.
Before Bacchus could respond, his nose was picking up the scent of a certain centaur and satyr getting closer to where he had been forced to stay at temporarily. "They're… here…" He said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.
Laxus raised a brow. "What do you mean? Who's here?"
The hair on the back of the wolfs neck stood up as he growled, his red eyes watching as the large centaur and satyr entered the open area the general and himself shared. Gajeel and Pantherlily skidded to a halt, their eyes wide at the sight of the blond-haired general facing off with the indigo coated wolf.
"What the hell…?" Gajeel started.
Pantherlily held up his fists defensively, keeping his eyes on both wolf and human in front of him. "This must have been the bad feeling from earlier."
The dark centaur held up his arms defensively as well, his left arm turning into an iron spiked club. "Let's just end this quickly!" Both creatures charged forward, their minds intent on getting rid of both nuisances at once.
Bacchus had no other choice but to turn and face the over-sized satyr coming right at him. He let out a snarl and a ferocious bark as a warning, but the satyr did not care. His Large fist came into contact with the wolfs fangs in one single motion. Bacchus bit down onto the satyrs flesh as hard as he could, his head moved from side to side so his teeth could scissor their way deeper into Lily's hand. The satyr grunted but brought his free arm up and thrust it forward into the wolfs stomach, causing the wolf to release his bite on the larger creatures' hand.
Gajeel watched as Laxus drew his sword at the last second, his iron clashing with the silver metal, creating sparks as they slid against one another's. Gajeel smirked as he held his ground against the large human. "Surprised you're still alive, bolts."
Laxus held his fighting stance as he spoke back with a taunting tone. "Same goes for you, Black Steel. I'm surprised you made it after what the princess had done to you. Did that little bitch of a bookworm end up making it too?"
Gajeel growled in anger as he pushed off from Laxus's sword. He reverted his arm back to normal before thrusting it out, transforming it into a spear. "Don't you dare talk about Levy!" His attack barely missed Laxus as he shifted his body at the last second.
"Please… don't tell me you've fallen for that girl?" Laxus mocked.
The dark coated centaur swung his spear-like arm in the thunder mages' direction. "I should have killed you when I had the chance long ago! Then I wouldn't have to deal with you now, you bastard!"
The general once again dodged and swiftly took his long sword and shoved it straight through Gajeels' iron arm. The centaur let out a loud, painful yell as he watched his iron magic start to crack where the blade had struck him. Thick red blood leaked from the wound and down the silver sword. Laxus smiled as he saw the pained confusion over Gajeels' face. "Confused? You see, after our last incident in the castle, I had Freed enchant my weapon in case I stumbled upon a centaur by myself and had to attack. And now that you're stuck here… you can have a taste of my lightning!"
Crimson orbs rounded as he watched the yellow sparks shoot out from the thunder mages form, the lightning moving straight to the long iron spear and down to the centaurs' body where it had started from. Gajeel threw his head back as he shouted in pain. 'Even his lightning attacks feel stronger since last time he trapped me!' The dark-haired centaur clenched his jaw as he forced his head to move forward, his red eyes wincing as the attack didn't let up. He could feel his knees beginning to shake, wanting to buckle beneath him. 'God damn it!'
Laxus laughed loudly, proud of the increased power he had received from Freed. "Can you feel it, centaur?! Your body is becoming weaker by the second thanks to this new power I possess! And this time, you're not going to be able to escape it!"
Gajeel turned his attention to the sword still stuck in his arm. 'I need to free myself, somehow! Lily is too occupied with Bacchus; I need to end this fight with bolts quick!' The centaur thought to himself as the lightning still didn't let up.
Lily turned his head as he heard Gajeel cry out in pain. His dark eyes rounded as he saw the general's sword had pierced through the tough iron spear that was the centaurs' arm. "Gajeel!" The satyr shouted in concern. Without a second thought, Lily turned and raced to the dark-haired centaurs aid. Before the large beast could make it to his friend, he cried out in agony as he felt sharp fangs pierce through his flesh on his right shoulder. Bacchus had leapt up from behind and buried his teeth into the satyrs' body. Lily fell to a knee as he felt something starting to sting the freshly made wounds, his heart began to pound faster in his chest. "What… the hell?" He could feel a cold sweat starting to form over his face. He growled for a second, his voice becoming louder as he forced his free arm to reach up to his right shoulder and pull the wolf away with all of his might. Lily could feel the fangs imbedded deep in his skin, drag through his tough muscles as he pulled Bacchus away from his body.
The satyr managed to toss the wolf aside a short distance away before his left hand reached up to his right shoulder, clenching the fresh wound tightly. Bacchus started to circle around the large and weak creature, his smirk returning to his lips as he let out a low chortle. "Heheheh… can you feel it, satyr? Can you feel what's rushing through your veins at this very instant?" Beady red eyes watched Pantherlily attempt to stand up straight on his two legs, but the large creature only wobbled and fell right back down to his knee, his left hand falling to the ground as well to help support his own body.
Pantherlily narrowed his dark eyes as he watched Bacchus make a half circle and turn back around to move the other way. "What the hell… did you do to me?!" He said weakly.
The indigo wolf jumped at the satyr, landing on the injured shoulder. He dug his claws deep into the open wounds as he leaned his jaws in close to the large creatures' ear. His voice was no more than a whisper. "Before coming… to Fairy Tail, I had… a spell… put on my lovely… fangs… so that I… could use it… on Black Steel… once I… found him. My plan… was to take him… out and then hunt… down Levy… and bring her… back to my den. I could… only use this… spell once… and it looks… like I have… wasted it… on you." Red eyes looked over to the centaur struggling with the thunder general. "I'll let… that thunder beast… have a bit… of fun… with your… son… before I… end his life… in front of you."
"NOOO!" Pantherlily quickly reached up and grabbed the wolf by its neck, pulling him over his shoulder and to the ground, pinning him down with the last bit of strength he could muster. "I will not let you hurt him anymore!" Lily watched as Bacchus struggled under his large hand, his raspy breathing turning into feared gasps as he twisted his body and clawed the air. The satyr winced as he felt his heartbeat in his chest. He pushed past the growing pain and continued his hold on the wolfs neck, praying Bacchus would breathe his last breath so he could help Gajeel take care of Laxus.
Gajeel could feel the lightning taking effect as his strength was beginning to waver. Crimson orbs shut tight as the centaur thought quickly. 'What can I do? I'm trapped in this position so long as his sword is in my arm!' Red eyes shot open and rounded at a sudden thought. Gajeel gritted his teeth as he braced himself for even more pain he would have to endure. 'If this… is the only way to free myself… then I have to do it!' With a battle cry, Gajeel transformed his right arm into a short iron sword. Raising it high into the air, it distracted Laxus long enough to stop his lightning attack on the centaur. With one swift motion, the black coated creature brought down his right arm, clashing it with his left that was trapped by the enchanted sword, and broke it in half.
Dark grey eyes rounded as Laxus watched Gajeel stubble backwards a few steps after his own attack on his arm. "Impossible! You damaged your own arm to free yourself?! Are you mad?!"
Gajeel could tell his left arm had been damaged badly as it hung at his side, blood flowing from the open wound from the general's sword. But it didn't matter. He was free to once again fight against this enemy. "I only do… what it takes… to survive. If that meant… injuring my arm further… then so be it." Crimson orbs shifted over slightly to get a glimpse of Pantherlily pinning down Bacchus. 'Good… he's taking care of Bacchus without any issues…' Red eyes shifted back to the general who was furious now. 'Now I just gotta take this guy out.'
The large satyr could feel his magic energy depleting rapidly with each passing second. Steam was staring to come off of Lily's' body as he struggled to keep his grip tight on the wolfs neck. 'No! My powers… they're fading! Which means, I won't be able to hold this form for much longer! Why won't this wolf just give up and die already?! I can feel his own heart beat slowing, which means he's almost there! Come on… come on! Just… hold on… for a little… longer!'
On his last few breaths, the wolfs struggling had stopped as his eyes bulged. He was going to be meeting death any moment now. 'No! This is cannot be! I have yet to get my revenge! Yet this satyr— he's barely clinging to consciousness, and yet he is taking the very air from me! This annoying bastard!' Red beady eyes shifted up to the creature pinning him down as he noticed a slight ease up on the satyrs' grip. A sly grin began to form as the wolf watched the large creature being to shrink back to a normal size, fighting the detransformation all the way. "Heheheheh…" Once he had reverted to his small size, Bacchus immediately bit down on the small hand that was still near his neck and tossed the satyr a few feet away from him. Without a second thought, the wolf ran away, heading for the second clearing.
Gajeel heard a loud thud and turned his attention to see Lily face down in the dirt and the indigo colored wolf escaping. "LILY!" The centaur shouted as he turned his entire body around. A loud crack rung in the centaurs' ears just before he was stopped in place by a lightning whip wrapping tightly around his neck. His right hand came up quickly and gripped the lightning energy that burned into his tanned skin. Gajeel ignored the pain in his hand as it gripped the whip scorching his flesh when he felt someone jump on his back and pull the whip back further. Forcing the centaur to look back at him, Laxus grinned wildly as he shouted at the centaur.
"You fool! How dare you turn your back on me! You say you wanted to kill me, creature?! How the hell are you going to manage that when you can barely keep your eyes on me! Huh?!" The general asked as he yanked back his arms, forcing Gajeel to rear his head back and gag as the lightning whip choked him. The centaur could feel the powerful legs on the human as they gripped his sides tightly and the boot heels that dug into his sides.
Gajeel gathered up his energy and began to buck wildly and run around in tight circles as fast as he could manage to try to unseat this human on his back. Laxus fought back and held on with every thrown attempt made by the creature below him. It only made him pull on his whip harder, digging it deeper into the throat of the centaur. Gajeel reared onto his hind end, praying it would get the general to slide of his back, but to no prevail.
Laxus let out a booming laugh as he used his own lightning whip to help keep himself on the centaurs back. "You idiot! You're practically choking your own self out! Are you truly that desperate to get me off?! Just give up! I've finally got you, you disgusting creature."
Gajeel struggled to keep himself upright and conscious as he forced both of his arms to create a single curved blade on each elbow. "You're wrong! I've got you just where I want you!" Before Laxus had time to think, the dark-haired centaur yelled as he thrust his arms back, his iron blades piercing through the general's sides. Gajeel could hear the human on his back gasp and gag in shock as the blades punctured through his skin. The centaur could feel the large general sliding off his back and he quickly brought his front legs down back to the earth below him. Gajeel was freed from the human, and the magic lightning whip that was once wrapped around his neck. The air stung his burnt skin as he rushed to Lily's side, leaving Laxus to bleed out on the spot where he had fallen.
Pantherlily managed to prop himself up on his arms as his dark eyes looked up to the centaur rushing towards him. His breath was heavy, but he was still conscious. Gajeel dropped his front end down to help Lily up. "Are you ok?! What did that bastard do to you?!" He asked frantically.
The small satyr brushed aside his concerned questions. "I'm fine, just… go get him. Get Bacchus. My larger form couldn't last long enough to do the job. I'll catch up in a minute. Just go."
The dark-haired centaur was hesitant to leave Lily behind, but once he was urged again to leave, Gajeel did as he was told. He stood quickly and made his way into the next clearing. The small satyr forced himself to stand up, and evaluate his wounds. "Damn… that wolf seriously got me good." He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he started to make his way to the next clearing. "But until he's taken care of, I've got to help Gajeel take out Bacchus."
Bacchus peered over the cliffs edge at the raging waters below. 'The Devouring Dragon River. So called that because the river is ever twisting, its current in a constant state of rage. And anyone who is unlucky enough to fall into its waters, will be swept away forever, lost in the rapid current. Add the height of this fall, and surely, no one would be able to survive.' The wolf thought to himself. He turned his large body and started to walk towards the center of the clearing. 'Now with my entire pack taken out… I need to figure out how to get that brute over this cliff… that is… if he survived that lightning nimrod.' Bacchus let out a frustrated growl as he turned and started to pace back towards the cliffs edge. 'That damned asshole… he ruined my plan. It was nothing less than perfect!' The indigo colored wolf turned again, his large paws stomping into the ground with frustration. 'Regardless… I will have to kill whoever survives that fight by myself. My only advantage is that whoever comes here, they will be weak. Exhausted from the previous fight. I will have to strike quickly….'
Gajeel emerged from the first clearing, his chest heaved as he panted heavily. He was tired. Tired from running after a wolf all night, and having to take down a larger foe who gave him enough injuries to slow his movements down. Crimson orbs watched as red beady eyes caught sight of the centaur in the distance. He could see its lips beginning to curl into a grin.
"Well, well, well… this is… unexpected. The great… Black Steel… took down… the thunder general." The indigo wolf said slowly as he slowly started to make a half circle around the centaur. "How did you… manage that… one?"
Gajeel held up his fist in front of his body, ready to transform it into anything he wanted to help take care of the wolf. His hooves started to move on their own as he kept his rear behind him and away from easy access for the wolf to attack. "That's none of your concern now, is it?"
Bacchus chuckled and shook his head. "No. I suppose… it's not." The wolf waited until Gajeel had lined himself up in the center of the path he had been pacing back and forth from. He turned his body and started to advance forward, pushing the centaur backwards slowly. "Tell me… centaur… before you left… your home… did you tell… Levy… that you would… return… to her?"
Gajeel gritted his teeth as he continued to back up slowly. "Shut up."
The large wolf continued. "You did, didn't you? You… lied to her. You gave… her false hope."
"I said shut up!" The black coated centaur shouted.
"That poor… stupid girl… is going to… have no one… there for her… once I… have my way… with you." He let out a long chuckle as he turned his head, his beady eye staring straight at the centaur. "And when I… find her… again… I will… take her. I will… take her… in more ways… than one."
Gajeel could feel his rage building at the wolfs words. He could feel his magic aurora starting to swirl around his body, his darkness, begging to come out and finish off what it had started back at the wolfs den. Bacchus saw this and could sense the power starting to overflow within the centaur.
His jaws opened wide as he shouted. "YES! BRING FORTH YOUR TRUE POWER, BLACK STEEL! SHOW ME ONCE AGAIN, ALL OF YOUR RAGE, YOUR HATRED! BECOME A MONSTER! A MONSTER THAT WILL ONLY HURT EVERYONE YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH!"
The centaur opened his mouth and let out a breath, a dark magical energy escaped his throat as his eyes flashed solid red. His tanned skin started to become steel slowly as Gajeel was giving in to the rage. He gasped as a sudden vision of the blue haired girl holding his face in worry entered his mind. Levy was telling him to come back to her. That he wasn't this monster he was about to become. Red eyes shut tightly as the steel receded from his body, reverting it back to his tanned self.
Bacchus stopped smiling as his eyes watched Gajeel calming himself back down from his berserk state. The wolf shook his head as he jumped forward a few steps. "No! Come on, demon! Show me your rage!"
Crimson orbs opened back up and stared at the wolf hard. "No. I refuse to let the darkness take me over ever again. And I refuse to listen to you anymore."
The indigo colored wolf snarled. "I will fuck her! I will tear her soul and body apart whilst I fuck her, Gajeel! You won't be able to stop me once I kill you! I will make her my sex slave, just as I did with Hisui! And when she is no longer useful to me, I will personally devour her head to toe!"
The centaur smirked. "Then I better be sure to end your life for real this time. Right here, right now!" Bacchus let out a bark as he pushed off the ground, racing towards his enemy, his fangs at the ready to pierce through Gajeels' flesh.
Pantherlily had managed to finally make his way to the second clearing where the saw Bacchus attacking Gajeels' legs. He circled around the centaur, nipping at his large legs any chance he got, but was careful to avoid any swift kick or stomp from the massive hooves the centaur had. The satyr had noticed that Gajeel only had one arm transformed into an iron club while the other lay limp at his side. The two were dancing at the cliffs edge, either creature one bad step away from going over at any moment. "Damn it! I've got to get bigger! He needs my help!" Lily gathered himself and forced his body to grow into its larger form. Within a few steps, the satyr fell to the ground, his smaller form becoming visible once more. Dark eyes looked up as he heard a cry from Gajeel.
Bacchus had found an opening and latched his jaws around the centaurs' hand with his transformation ring upon it. The wolfs powerful jaws bit down as hard as they could repeatedly. Lily covered his eyes as Gajeels' body turned into a bright light and within seconds, had made him human. Fear had come over the satyr at the sight as he now watched a human Gajeel holding back the indigo beast as it gnawed on his hand. "Gajeel!" Lily called as he stood back up. He urged his legs to move, to ignore the pain from the wounds Bacchus had given him earlier. He had to help Gajeel in his time of need.
The small satyr felt like his body was moving in slow motion. He had to hurry, he needed to force himself to move faster! With each passing second, the wolf was gaining the upper hand over Gajeel. Lily's body ached and pleaded with the small creature to just stop moving, but he was so close. 'I just need to get in a little bit closer! I can transform when I get close enough and get that beast off of Gajeel!' His dark eyes watched as the large human was holding back the wolf by his forearm, the wolfs jaws snapped the air wildly, attempting to get any part of the now humanized centaur. With just a few steps away, Lily mustered up as much magical energy he had left stored in his body and was about to transform when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.
The satyr gasped in realization as Laxus had come running up from behind him. He watched in horror as the large general grabbed both wolf and Gajeel with his hands, running them both off the cliff side in one swift motion. The two that were once linked in battle, now separated as they felt gravity taking over. Bacchus squirmed in the air as he fell with his back facing the water. The thunder general went face first over the edge, blood still exiting from his stab wounds Gajeel had inflicted upon him.
Pantherlily transformed quickly and reached over the edge, attempting to grab any part of Gajeel that he could. But it was too late. The satyr could hear his heartbeat as he held out his hand over the edge, his voice drowning out as he called out his friends' name. All Gajeel could do, was watch Lily get further and further away from him. His crimson orbs were round in fear and disbelief. This is it. He thought. 'Is this… how I leave this world? How I leave… Levy? And Lily?' Crimson eyes closed halfway as tears began to form at the corners. 'I… I made a promise. A promise to come back to her.' Gajeel closed his eyes completely and all he could see in his mind, was that blue haired girl and the one who he had called father his whole life, smiling back at him. "Levy… Lily… I'm sorry."
The dark-haired human had suddenly hit the water hard, its current sweeping him under the chilling water immediately. Gajeel raced to get to the surface for a breath of air as his was practically knocked out of him the moment his back hit the waters surface. His head came up and gasped frantically before being pulled back under. The rapids were taking him violently downstream. While he struggled and fought madly to get back to the top, the water was just too strong and forced him into the rocks that had formed from below the surface. His large body was getting beaten left and right, and with each second, he was trapped under the water, his lungs screamed at him.
Gajeel fought harder and harder, his limbs flailed as he began to panic, but that only forced his body to go deeper into the water. He could feel his energy leaving him, exhaustion from the fights and from battling the strong current that was taking over. Vision was fading in and out as the lack of air entered Gajeels' mind. 'Its useless. I'm never going to survive this. I'm out of air, and the current is too strong in this river. I don't have the power of my centaur form to help me.' Once vibrant and strong looking crimson eyes, now started to dim as all hope was fading from them fast. Gajeel closed his eyes, and accepted his fate, for it was now in the hands of the Dragons River.
Two days later…
Levy wiped the sweat from her brow as they finally finished cleaning up the kitchen area that had been destroyed by the attack a few days ago. She brushed off the wooden table top that she had turned upright and let out a content sigh. Hazel eyes shifted around and saw Elfman carrying in four new tables with Lisanna carrying one. Mira was making her way over to the dappled centaur, a smile across her lips as she stood next to Levy. "Thanks again for helping us get this place cleaned up."
The light blue centaur waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, it's no problem really." A soft half smile graced her lips as she looked back to the light wooden table. "If anything, it's been helping me keep my sanity while Gajeel and Lily are away. I worry since it's been almost three days now since they've been gone…."
The snow-white centaur put a hand to Levy's bare shoulder. "Don't worry. Gajeel and Lily are strong, and I'm sure they took care of that nasty wolf and are just taking their time getting back home. You have to keep in mind that they did go running off in the middle of the night the day of the fight, so I'm sure they are just resting up and will be home soon. So, try not to fret and think about it too much."
Levy nodded and smiled. "I'm sure you're right. Thanks Mira." The dappled mare went over to the next table that was tipped over, but otherwise unharmed and leaned over to pick it up. Her ears heard a commotion coming from the entrance of the guild, causing her hazel eyes to shift up and over to see what was going on. Her heart raced as her mind knew what was going on. "They're back!" Levy left the kitchen area quickly, racing down the path to see Gajeel and Lily's return. Her expression was beaming as she pushed past a few of the centaurs blocking her path as she neared the entrance.
Confusion came over the centaur as she saw only the small satyr kneeling on the ground and waiting for Wendy to arrive. Levy quickly reached up and touched her metal cuff and once human, knelt down to her knees and scooped the satyr up into her arms. "Lily! What happened to you?! Where's Gajeel?!" She asked frantically as her hazel eyes looked up and around for any sign of the larger centaur. "Its been almost three days now, what happened to you guys out there? And is Gajeel ok?! Is he just outside?" She asked again.
Lily pushed the girl away as he stood on his own two hooves. "Levy… we caught up with Bacchus… but he wasn't alone." The small satyr grunted in pain for a second before continuing. "Laxus intercepted us as well. We… we fought as hard as we could…"
The color was slowly draining from Levy's face as Lily told his story. Her head slowly started to turn back and forth as disbelief started to rush into the girls' mind. "No… Lily…" She muttered softly.
The satyr painfully continued. "Levy, there was an accident."
"No." The girl repeated as tears began to form in her eyes. 'Don't say it. Please… don't say those words! I don't want to hear it! It can't be true!' She thought as her chest began to heave.
Pantherlily looked up to hazel eyes, his own dark pupils started to water over as he told the blue haired girl the horrible truth. "Gajeel was taken over a cliff to the Dragons River. Levy, you have to believe me when I say I tried to save him. I tried, but he had been transformed into a human. Bacchus somehow damaged his ring and… Levy… I'm so sorry but…"
The short girl brought her hands over her ears as she shook her head. "Lily don't! don't say it please!"
The satyr reached up and lightly pulled down the girls' hands away from her ears. He waited until her tearful eyes were looking into his own before he finished. "He's gone, Levy. There's no way he could have survived that kind of fall in his human form. And I failed him. I failed you. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry!" The small creature let his hands fall to his sides as his head hung low. He couldn't stop the tears from escaping. "It's all my fault! I couldn't end Bacchus with my own hands! It's my fault Gajeel was pushed over! I should have pushed myself harder! Gods I'm so sorry Levy!"
All Levy could do was sit there and wrap her arms around the satyr and hold him close to her chest as they both wept for their loss. 'Gajeel… is gone. He's not coming back. He didn't keep his promise to me. He promised he'd be back!' Hazel eyes shut tight as her arms squeezed the satyr harder. 'He lied. And now he's gone… forever.'
Two days earlier…
'Man… where the hell am I? It's so cold in here. And why is the air so dense? It's hard to breathe in here…' Gajeel thought.
"What do you think you're doing right now?" Levy's voice asked.
Crimson orbs cracked open slightly. 'What does it look like? I'm dying. I did it to save you.' He responded softly.
"Well that's stupid! I never asked for you to die for me. I made you promise me the exact opposite, remember?" The blue haired girls voice said.
Confusion was entering his mind. 'A promise? What promise did I make?' Crimson eyes closed lightly as his lips grew warm. 'What the… I can feel warmth… like someone… is kissing me? No. That's impossible… right?'
"I'll be back soon. I love you, Levy."
Gajeels' own words shocked him. 'Wait… I remember now. I made a promise to come back to her… so we could go to Paradise together. I made a promise to come back… alive!'
Crimson orbs shot open as bubbles left Gajeels mouth. In a panic, he scrambled in the darkness to reach the top of the waters surface. The large man pushed through and finally reached the top, his mouth opened wide as he gasped for air. 'How the hell… am I still alive?!' He thought as he pushed his body with one good arm to the bank. The water around him was still and calm, surrounded by nothing but an open road passing it by. The large dark-haired man managed to reach the bank, coughing and gasping for air as he did. His hand clawed the soft ground, pulling all of his body weight up and out of the water with all he could muster.
Gajeel collapsed his body to the ground when just his torso had made it out. He let the water have his lower half, for now. He was exhausted, confused, and still quite out of everything going on in the world. His crimson red orbs closed and reopened slowly. "Please… don't let me die here… I have to get back… to Levy." His vision was fading in and out, but he could tell someone was walking up the path in his direction. His raspy voice was weak as he held out his left hand slightly. "Please… help me… don't let me die… out here. I've got to get back."
Crimson orbs closed and opened again. The blurred being heading towards him was getting closer and closer. As the figure approached, Gajeel could make out a smaller being along side the taller character. He couldn't make out what exactly it was, but all he could do was repeat himself as his consciousness was fading quickly. "I made a promise… and I plan… to keep it."
The tall figure stepped up to the unconscious man a few minutes later. The man turned his head and knelt down to get a better look at the washed-up human on the bank. His black and tanned companion came up to his side and lowered his head, sniffing at the dark hair on the man passed out before them. The smaller creature let out a soft whimper as it looked to its master. The tall man stood up straight and adjusted his pack on his back before speaking. "Yeah. I thought he looked familiar too, bud."
AN: Ok so, fun facts… not really lol but anywhos, in this chapter originally, I was going to have Levy go with Gajeel and Lily to fight Bacchus and instead of Gajeel going over, I was going to have Lily sacrifice himself to save him and basically kill him off at this part of the story. Later on, it was going to be Mystogan joining Gajeel and Lily and have Gajeel end up going over with Mystogan trying to save him buuuut as you can see. That all changed as well thanks to how I wrote the last chapter. XD I think I changed it a second time because after thinking about it, Gajeel basically lost Lily once already, and I don't think I wanted him to lose him again since Lily was his father his whole life so, the satyr lives! yaaay!
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! (I also wasn't going to include that last part there at the end until the beginning of the next, leave a nice cliffy for you all, but I decided to be nice this time around and leave it at a semi cliffhanger XD )