Natsu stirred as voices filtered in through the layer of film that resided over his senses. He was bleary and sleepy in a way that he had never been, even before Zeref had turned him into such a monster that he could go for months without sleep. His senses were dulled, his body sluggish and heavy.

The only thing that was intact was the bond that connected him to his Marked One. He latched onto it immediately, inspecting it to ensure that nothing had changed. It had, of course, changed in the last few hours, but not in any concerning way - excluding Lucy's sorrow and fear and determination. Something had changed with how she was feeling, what she was experiencing,

But the connection between them remained untouched, and the second he was sure of it, he swept it into sharp talons and curled himself around it, a possessive nasty feeling bubbling up in his chest as he realized that someone had tried to rip it to shreds. Maybe not the bond itself, but they'd certainly tried to push themselves between he and Lucy, the one person who'd never judged or hated him or lied to him.

Bit by bit, he became more aware of the world, and the second the pain of a broken bone and sheer terror filtered through, he exploded.

Flames, black as the night around them slithered across the ground, snarling and hissing as they licked at anything and everything. An echoing growl spilled from his chest as he shoved himself over, dumping the weight on his chest. A yowl of surprise filled the air near his ear, but he ignored it in favor of digging his fingers into the ground and purring when it splintered and burned beneath him, those black flames slithering in every direction.

First, they went to the source of light closest to him. It vanished before it even got close, and he nearly pouted as his flames surrounded the figures left behind. Their screams filled his ears. They woke him a little more and he blinked blearily before drawing in his magic, shifting it until those black flames flickered the red and orange he preferred.

Natsu groaned softly as his arms buckled beneath him when he tried to lift himself. Lucy. She was the only thing on his mind as he felt her pain slam through him like a cannonball. His teeth bared, he slowly twisted his head, searching for her.

There. Lucy was stuck, her body pinned beneath a heavier one that had buried its teeth in her fingers. Lucy was shouting, kicking desperately, whip dumped on the ground uselessly beside her. A flash of light blinded him as Loke appeared, light exploding around the spirit. The figure atop of Lucy was hurled away, screaming, and Natsu struck like a vicious adder, snarling. Flames sprang to life, burning whatever it was to cinders.

A heavy weight suddenly slammed down onto his back, and Natsu grunted, snarling again. Pain tore through his shoulder where something bit into it, and he winced as hot black blood - his own blood - struck his throat and cheek. He whipped around and spewed flames. The creature ripped away with a scream of agony, nimble fingers clutching its face.

Natsu gritted his teeth and manipulated the flames around him until they turned it, too, to cinders.

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted, and his head snapped around as quickly as his sluggish body would allow to check on her. She was back on her feet, heaving for air and clutching her shoulder with wide eyes. Loke was crouched at her side, looking rather similar to the Leo that they'd initially thought him to be, with a cold expression and lethal gaze. Natsu rumbled warningly in response to that look; the last time Loke had worn it, people had been hurt and Lucy had been in danger.

A soothing purr in his ear dragged his mind from such a thing and he blinked blearily to try and clear his mind. Right. They weren't in the Pergrande Kingdom; they were only half-a-day from Kunugi, and it wasn't Loke attacking them, it was a bunch of what smelled like ghouls.

Carefully, Natsu forced himself to sit up, gaze darting around. There were other ghouls hovering in the trees, ready to pounce. The entire party had been made up of them, thought Natsu as Happy leaped lightly onto his shoulder. He settled there, tail curled around Natsu's throat and eyes glowing with simmering flames.

Natsu didn't bother to respond to Lucy's fear aloud. He soothed it with a gentle brush of his soul against hers. He was a little unprepared for the searing heat of her response as she latched onto that brush, worried. He found he liked it though as he counted the remaining number of ghouls. He leaned forward with care, yawning, and sank his fingers deep into the earth, burning it where it was too hard to do so easily. When he'd done so up to his knuckles, he bared his teeth and unleashed flames upon the ghouls gathered around them, waiting for them to make a mistake.

A chill ran down his spine as screams filled the air. He hated ghouls; too dead to be alive, but too alive to be dead. He'd never felt quite right about eliminating them. But their nasty intentions were too dangerous to leave them unchecked. As it had before, the ground cracked where his flame sprang from its surface, the ground shuddering beneath them as he let the black feelings in his chest creep back out into a world that didn't want them.

Natsu wasn't sure why he was so eager to let the demon out to play, but he didn't bother to try and think too hard about it. He knew he'd regret it later, when the guilt crept it, but right now...Lucy was at risk. Ghouls were hard to deal with, harder to kill. He didn't like the idea of her having to put up with them when she was already hurt-

It barreled into him with such force, he didn't have the chance to react. Lucy shrieked, already running towards him, when something nailed him in the spine so hard, pain shot up and down his neck and back. He hit the ground hard on his face, swearing as Happy was thrown and tore his skin in the process. "Hap-"

The ghoul that had attacked was lighter than the last and buried her teeth in the back of his neck. Natsu bellowed in pain, writhing to try and squirm out from beneath her, flames exploding. She only bit down harder. Fury and desperation raced through his veins as he snarled, trying to pry them off, dragging up flames hotter than those he'd been using.

It took a moment to realize that the rage wasn't his.

Within a matter of seconds, he heard the whistle of a blade in the air, and then the weight was less, the bite not nearly as hard, and his back was sickeningly wet. He reached back and pried the sharp teeth from his neck, pressing a hand over the wounds as he rocked back to look. He fully expected to find Loke there, or another celestial spirit.

But it was Lucy who stood there, panting, her injured hand cradled to her chest and her other gripping the knife he'd given her. Blood had spattered her skin in a pattern that told him it wasn't hers. Loke hovered nearby, startled-looking, and when Natsu glanced back, he was shocked by what he found.

The ghoul had been the girl, the youngest of them, the one that Lucy had seemed so very fond of.

And for him, Lucy had sliced her head clean off.

"Lucy?" rasped Natsu as she lowered her blade, face ashen. She looked stunned, as if she'd not realized what she was doing until it had been done. Her hands trembled as she knelt beside him, feeling numb, and Natsu curled himself around that numbness, worried.

Lucy had done a lot of things since she'd come to his time. She'd saved people, she'd survived an island of dragons after falling from a ship full of people who wouldn't hesitate to kill her, and she'd even stepped in where he had failed.

But never had she downright killed someone.

She'd never taken it upon herself to bring the death blow, had never been able to.

And yet...for him…

Natsu felt a bubble of uncertainty creep up, choking him. He knew it was his own, even as Lucy's dark eyes flooded with a mixture of confusing emotions he couldn't even begin to understand. That kind of thing wasn't something someone did lightly. Especially someone as filled with light and warmth as Lucy, someone who loved the world around her and had even found something good to care for in the Demon King.

He felt sick with himself. It was his fault she'd been forced into it. His fault Lucy was staring at him with a lost look on her face, unsure of what to do with the realization that she'd taken another life, regardless of the fact that she'd done it for him or that the girl had been intent on killing them.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, as he waited for Lucy to sort through those emotions, crumpling before him, he took note of the fact that Loke was watching them all. No, not just watching.

Judging, with a disappointed look.

As if he deemed them unworthy.


There was only silence as Natsu washed the blood from his hands in the bubbling creek, making sure to keep a very close eye on his partner. Lucy had been silent ever since they'd finished with the ghouls - there had been a few lingering in the general area, and Natsu had forced himself to take care of them before allowing them to relax and deal with what was quickly developing into a very stressful situation. Natsu had left Loke to protect his partner and help her with her injuries as he tracked the rest of them down, and by the time he'd come back, she'd been cleaned up and less shaken, quietly speaking with the celestial spirit with an exhausted look on her face. Natsu had made note of that; it was Lucy that Loke drew his power from. Loke would need to leave soon, so he'd need to be quick about cleaning up.

Natsu stood and turned to head back, wincing as he stumbled heavily. He grumbled as he took a moment to gather his feet back under him. They were barely cooperating, and he was glad that he wasn't like Elfman or Lisanna, who drew on physical maneuvers to deal with enemies in addition to the magic that transformed those bodies. He'd never have been able to do as he had done in the last hour.

He made it back to where Lucy and Loke were. Natsu paused when he saw only Loke, a flicker of concern racing through him. Loke noticed him almost immediately and pointed, indicating where Lucy had gone. Natsu glanced over and relaxed; she was tending to Thanatos and Salutem, ensuring they were unharmed - and cleaning Thanatos's mouth with care. Natsu winced when he saw something hanging from his mouth. Someone had made the mistake of trying to go after their mounts.

Natsu hesitated, wanting to go and talk with his partner, but something heavy in his gut told him to leave her alone for the time being. So, instead, when Loke signaled to him, he went to speak with the spirit instead.

"Lucy," said Loke, and Natsu got the feeling he was speaking with the leader of the celestial spirits instead of a friendly contracted spirit, "does not have the soul of someone who is capable of defending our keys properly. If she is not prepared to take a life in defense of the keys, then she isn't suited for Keeper."

Natsu's jaw dropped and he found himself at a loss. First, a strange woman had thrown herself at him for the last week. Then he'd been drugged - which was insulting, given that the Demon King couldn't ever remember a time in which he'd been successfully drugged like that. Then he'd woken up and found himself being attacked by ghouls. And now - now, the head of the celestial spirits, second-in-command to the Spirit King himself, was telling him that Lucy wasn't suitable for being a Keeper.

Fury bubbled up and Natsu bared his teeth at Loke. But before he could speak, a pair of arms suddenly wound themselves around his neck and a cheek brushed his fondly. Natsu froze, unsure of what to do, as a familiar voice murmured, "Perhaps you are not suitable for your own position, Leo, if you are not capable of protecting two spirits from a demon."

Loke looked stunned. "Mavis," he mumbled, wary.

Natsu stared at him for a moment, and then snapped his head awkwardly to the side to stare at the goddess of knowledge currently attached to him. So he wasn't the only one who could see her then. He felt a flicker of guilt. He'd been complaining all week about being casually touched by someone other than Lucy, yet he found he didn't mind that Mavis was doing so. Then again, Mavis had always been like this, and he was fond enough of her that she was very much like Wendy to him.

Natsu was even more confused when Loke inclined his head in a hint of a bow of respect to Mavis, his shaded eyes a little sad. "It's good to see you again. It's been some time."

Mavis vanished and reappeared before Loke with a wide smile, her own gaze full of sadness. "It has. I'm pleased to see you well, Leo, although I cannot say I remember you being so pessimistic about the Heartfilia line and what they are capable of. Layla's betrayal hurt you immensely."

"Ah, not Layla. She and Igneel betrayed their positions, but it was expected and my own fault." Loke rocked back. "I should not have allowed them to be exempted from my test. I thought Layla would surprise me and come through in the end, but it turns out dragons are too stubborn."

Natsu stared at the pair, not sure of what to think. The celestial spirits had been fairly absent during the Demonic Wars, though he'd never known why. Even the Dullahan had come galloping through a battlefield once, and Natsu, even in his violent, war-hungry mindset, had steered clear at Zeref's command. The spirits had been one of very few species to not be dragged in. Though, if Anna had been killed, he supposed there would have been no reason to participate with the keys scattered around Fiore again.

He'd never expected Loke to know Mavis so well though. It was clear they considered themselves old friends - nearly as good of friends as Natsu and Mavis had been.

"You."

Natsu glanced over his shoulder to find an exhausted Lucy staring at Mavis in surprise. Her face was pale, and she looked inclined to pass out. Loke grimaced, rising, but she didn't take notice of him. She only stared at Mavis, uncertain. Mavis smiled brightly at Lucy.

"It's an honor to meet a descendant of Anna," Mavis hummed, "as well as the one who garnered such trust from Natsu."

Confusion flickered over Lucy's face and Natsu realized she must have been seriously tired to not comprehend that the person she thought had been Mavis had been in another time - a time that wasn't even on the brink of others' thoughts. Natsu sauntered over to her, bumping her gently with his shoulder in a silent offer of support. He was pleased when she merely leaned into him, seeming relieved for it.

Mavis's smile brightened further before she turned back to Loke with a frown. "You ought to have more faith in people, Leo. Particularly the girl that Natsu selected. They will pass your test. Perhaps not in the way that you think, but they will."

Loke frowned right back at her and said, "You know something I don't."

"I always do," Mavis replied, spreading her arms before her with a smug look. "I've watched over my followers even in my absence and worked hard to guide them where I could. And I will continue to do so. Just as you should continue to guide Lucy so that she can succeed where Layla failed."

Lucy furrowed her brow and Natsu nudged her to distract her. She didn't need to know what Loke had said. Not when she was already fairly miserable. A flicker of fierce protectiveness swept through him as he studied her closely.

He'd make sure she didn't have to take another life.

Not only was she his partner, Marked One, and so much more, but he was going to be the Guardian alongside her - and he was the Demon King. She was the first to not learn what he was and realize how useful he was. She was the first person to simply look at him and decide that she wanted to be a friend, and eventually more. And he'd go to hell and back to protect her. For the light that Lucy was, the warmth and happiness she offered, he'd stain his hands red and annihilate any threat that came around, human or mythic.

Natsu rubbed his chest lightly, trying to dispel the sudden inferno that had overtaken the already searing fierceness that came with being so fond of her. He still wasn't sure what exactly that feeling was, but it was immense and sometimes overwhelming - as it was at the moment. He knew it sometimes made her uncomfortable, with how intense it could get. Sometimes, she was even saddened by it, though he'd never understood why.

"Natsu."

He blinked, realizing he'd been staring at Lucy and had completely stopped paying attention to what was being said. He glanced over and found Loke scowling at him. Mavis was smiling lightly, green eyes flickering with amusement. And then she was gone, disappearing off to wherever it was she went. He wondered what had happened to her, what she'd become to be able to do so. Even as a goddess, she didn't have the ability to do that.

"What?" muttered Natsu, scowling back at Loke. When Loke only made a sound of disgust, he turned wide eyes on Lucy, suddenly concerned he'd missed something important. "What?"

Lucy just shook her head and murmured, "Don't worry about it. Loke was being rather rude." She took a shaken breath, running her uninjured hand down her face, and Natsu watched her for a moment before making a decision.

He swiftly pushed his forehead to hers, and Lucy looked startled, but didn't seem too shocked or flustered by it. He'd done it before, and he'd likely do it again. "Don't let it stick to you." She looked confused, so he stated it bluntly. "You killed someone who was already half-dead, and who was trying to kill us. It was self-defense, Luce. Not cold-blooded murder. And you can't let it stick with you. You won't forget it - and you shouldn't." He'd certainly never forget the face of anyone who'd perished because of him. "But you can't let it consume you, or others will die, too.

"And I'll make sure you never have to do it again," he added suddenly, that fierceness suddenly sweeping through him. He found himself tearing into it, clutching it and refusing to let go. She winced at the force of the talons that dug in. "You shouldn't have had to in the first place, but I'll have your back so you don't have to."

Lucy blinked, searching his gaze, and then snorted softly. With a heavy, tired sigh, she suddenly slid her fingers over his cheeks and drew him closer. He stiffened, not having expected such a thing, but found he didn't mind at all. He practically purred at the caress of her lips, sparks of delight racing down his spine. When she pulled away, he felt as if he'd combust quite suddenly - and that he wanted a lot more than what he'd been given.

He shoved those desires down and ignored Loke's nearby uttering of disgust as she quietly spoke. "Thank you," she said simply, "but we're partners, Natsu, and I know that means I have to have your back, too." She stroked her fingers fondly over his cheek. "Regardless of what you are and the fact that I know you wouldn't have died...I'd do it again." Her voice trembled a little, guilt wracking through her at the admission, but he felt the sincerity of it.

Once again, he took note of the fact that Loke was watching them with piercing eyes, silently judging. And this time, Natsu detected a hint of approval there.


Whew! Dramatic chapter, and it doesn't end there, my friends. We're heading into some fun territory quite soon~

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