CHAPTER 15

Far away from Magnolia and much further away from Harjeon, was an isolated island filled with people working to erect a massive tower.

Inside it Jellal paced, from one end of the hall to the other with even steps as he listened to the sultry voice in his head. Promises promises. Promises of scarlet hair and a beautiful smile, of a home restored and violence eradicated.

Of Acnologia's pure truth to bring away a purification of fire to this world. So only the most glorious and deserving of those long gone could return to live in peace.

Jellal dragged a hand along a beam, smiling to himself as the cold touch of ice frosted over his eyes.

"Ultear, report," He spoke up, a lazy smile on his face.

"The tower has nearly reached completion. Soon your magical reach will be amplified and Acnologia's will shall be enacted," Ultear smiled through stinging tears, "what does he tell you Jellal?"

Jellal closed his eyes, hearing the velvet praise of his dark master whisper into his mind.

"He is pleased by this, and soon he says he will be free from my vessel to make his presence felt by all on this planet," Jellal purred, his hand traveling over his heart, "soon. So soon."

"We wouldn't have gotten this far with your genius Jellal," Ultear smirked, "but don't forget you wouldn't have had as much success without me either."

"How could I forget?" Jellal commented, swatting Ultear's hand away as she touched his chin. He tolerated her flirting as they both knew his heart belonged only to Erza even after all these years.

Only to his scarlet Amazon.

Not one day went by where he didn't think of his fiery princess. He ached to see her again, to hold her, and beg forgiveness for not being there with her when she needed him most.

He often tried to imagine how she'd be as an adult. Strong and fierce no doubt. Commanding, and even intimidating, as a future queen should be. Possessing all of her mother's beauty, but also her father's spirit in full force. Direct and forceful had been his Erza, and he couldn't wait to see her again.

No doubt she would scold him thoroughly, but he often thought he couldn't think of anything better. After all, to scold him she had to be alive and for that alone he would do much more than he had already.

"What will you do Ultear?" He asked softly, pausing in his pacing to look out at the view the tower commanded, "When Lord Acnologia remakes the world?"

Ultear smiled softly, "I think I shall hug Gray and never let him go." She replied softly, "Beyond that, I had thoughts of us building a school somewhere."

"To teach devilslayer magic?" Jellal asked in amusement, "Who would you use it upon?"

"There will always be those opposed to peace." Ultear replied with a twist of her lips, "Lord Acnologia is powerful, but not even he can be rid of all fools. And Gray always had a gift for the family style once he learned the basics. I think he might enjoy teaching in the new world."

Jellal nodded, silently acknowledging Ultear's point about fools, "I shall retire to the clergy." He said softly, "And devote myself to my goddess and my queen. Lord Acnologia will no longer require my services and I would very much like to start a family with Erza someday."

"How positively domestic!" Ultear laughed teasingly, "If only your enemies knew..."

"They wouldn't believe you." Jellal smirked, "Speaking of enemies, it's come to my attention that Lucy Heartfilia is coming into her powers. I would like to arrange a meeting with the young lady, and see if she can be coaxed into joining our side."

"Heartfilia?" Ultear asked, "The necromancer line? But aren't they universally light aligned?"

Jellal snorted and shook his head, "Hardly. It's more accurate to say that they are universally neutral. At least according to the stories I've heard." He flashed her a wry smirk, "I think perhaps she would be interested in the possibility of a new world where she would not be reviled for her magic."

"Indeed." Ultear murmured, "I shall make arrangements to invite her to a meeting then."

Jellal nodded and Ultear slipped away. He stared out over the vast ocean, as always straining to catch a glimpse of his beloved Tenrou even though he knew very well it was too far away to see. That had never stopped him from trying.

"Soon Erza." He promised, "We'll go home together soon. And all will be right with the world."

—::—

Lucy was annoyed. Or rather she was still mad at the demon who was placed several seats behind her and giving her eyes of a rejected puppy.

She was sitting in class, and per Gajeel's trickery and mind manipulation, he had convinced Natsu's advisor to adjust his schedule in the middle of the school year. Now she shared all of her classes with him, and it was getting on her nerves.

At the time she had yelled and shouted at Gajeel, upset that he was forcing the two of them to be in the same space as one another. Especially when Lucy was still so mad at Natsu, but she couldn't deny Gajeel's reasoning was sound.

An imp had gotten close to her. Too close. And he had gotten in through classes where neither Natsu or Gajeel could vet them properly.

Natsu, thanks to the nature of his own magic and soul sucking had been able to determine what the imp was faster than Gajeel. But demons tended to recognize their own kind faster.

She was not happy about it though and made her opinion on the class change very clear. Natsu had remained very quiet.

He kept his mouth shut, but even he looked a little horrified and scared at the idea of sharing classes with her. More likely because of the air of frost she kept shooting at him.

Natsu feared very little but he certainly feared her wrath. He ate her first boyfriend, and even though he was an imp after her life, it was one thing to kill him. It was another thing entirely to rob him of his soul. They were sacred things to a necromancer.

To have a soul utterly devoured interrupted the balance of life and death. There were few things worse. But she understood, for all Natsu looked like a human most days, he was wholly demon. And Levy sat her down and explained how certain demons grew into their appetites and how certain things that satisfied them when they were younger would no longer. Lucy was going to have to deal with the fact that Natsu ate souls.

And she just didn't know how to handle that.

Everything inside her told Lucy it was wrong, that Natsu needed to just find something else to eat. Or just have more fire. But she knew it was an irrational though spurred by her own stubborn magic.

She didn't want Natsu to suffer either, but she could tell he was. Right now she wasn't talking to him and that was killing her demon.

Lucy just needed time to be mad.

She glanced over her shoulder at Natsu, locking eyes with her demon for a moment who was watching her with such a forlorn expression she thought he might really be a kicked puppy.

He straightened up at his desk, and Lucy saw the Wild hope in his expressive eyes before she turned back around to the front. Lucy practically heard him thump back down, face planting into his desktop with a miserable sounding whine.

He wasn't pushing her to forgive him, and doing his best to stay out of her way in their classes, but it was hard to avoid the questions. Everyone knew they lived together. She was living with her godfather, and Natsu's older 'brother.'

Everyone who knew Lucy knew that Natsu lived with her, and it was clear they were fighting by how openly miserable they both were.

Lucy sighed, knowing Natsu was trying to get better about his hunting. He was just so unapologetic about actually devouring the soul that Lucy was hesitant to forgive him right away.

She was saved from her conflicting thoughts when the teacher brought their attention back to the front of the class and where a new student was standing.

"Good morning class, this is your new classmate Zalty," she spoke up

"Hello." Zalty greeted with a charming smile, and the teacher smiled.

"Why don't you tell us all a little about yourself?" She asked.

Zalty nodded and thought for a moment, "I was born overseas in Bosco, but moved to Fiore when I was younger. Since then I've moved around a lot and work was what brought me to Magnolia." His smile widened, "I like history, myths, and legends and solving puzzles."

"Very good." The teacher praised and glanced around the room, "Why don't you take the seat there beside Lucy? Lucy raise your hand?"

Lucy obediently raised her hand and offered Zalty a smile as he walked over and sat down, "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." Zalty replied pleasantly, "I hope we can be friends?"

Lucy didn't get a chance to answer as the teacher called for their attention, but managed a small nod anyway, and felt some of the tension melt out of her shoulders. This was just what she needed. Something other than Natsu and her anger to think about.

Of course, it could never last long.

Zalty proved a nice distraction during the day, but by the end of it she was stuck thinking about Natsu and his misery again.

He'd kept his distance as they'd walked home and hadn't been particularly enthusiastic when Gajeel had prodded him into going hunting. He'd looked more like he wanted to melt into a puddle of misery and never come out.

Which... bothered her.

She missed her friend and their closeness. She just... couldn't seem to sort her thoughts out. Levy tried to help, but she had other things to think about too. Her fae heritage awakening had made life better, but also more difficult, and Levy was having some trouble trying to adjust to the new perceptions and feelings she was getting.

To say nothing of planning for the wedding.

Lucy absolutely did not want to lay more at her big sister's feet than she already had.

Maybe a truly neutral party would be better?

She reached down and rubbed her hand over the gold key that had become one of her most treasured possessions, and mentally shrugged. Why not? Leo had promised he would always be there for anything she needed. Surely that would include giving some advice?

She smiled a little at the thought and lifted the key without a second thought, "Open! Gate of the Lion! Leo!" She chanted as he'd taught her.

Instantly he appeared in a small shower of gold sparkled and she found herself responding to his smile with a sense of relief.

"Lucy." He beamed, "To what do I owe the pleasure today?"

Lucy hesitated, feeling a little foolish now that she had him here, "I... need your advice."

"Oh?" He asked, unable to keep his feline-interest hidden. He dropped down onto her desk chair and crossed his tailored legs, undoing one of the buttons of his suit jacket as he did so it wouldn't crease.

"It must be something concerning if you couldn't go to one of your guardians or Natsu," Leo observed.

Lucy's face flushed at the reminder of her demon, her eyes falling down to her hands.

"I guess," she mumbled.

Leo's sharp eyes picked up on the motion and he leaned forward, "unless... Natsu is the source of your discomfort?"

Lucy bit her bottom lip, trying to figure out the best way to say what was torturing her before it all just burst free.

"Natsu devoured a soul!" She cried out, arms hugging tight around herself as if she hated to even speak the words aloud.

Leo waited patiently for her to continue, but when she didn't he extended a hand towards her.

She took his quietly, waiting for the lion spirit to say something, anything to soothe the ache in her heart.

"I can't condone what he did Lucy," Leo said after a moment of consideration, but he smiled at her, "I'm a spirit, a soul crafted in the stars, so the idea of him devouring a soul is very similar to him taking a bite out of my leg."

"But Natsu is a demon, a very powerful one in fact, and one that will grow stronger as he ages. He is the opposite of what we spirits under your command are," Leo sighed, "and as such he had different needs to survive and carry on."

"Does he know you're unhappy with him?" Leo asked.

"Yes," Lucy murmured, "he's still hunting after souls though."

"Hunting or devouring?" Leo asked softly, "And is he doing so alone?"

"Well, no." Lucy admitted, mildly confused as to why it mattered, "Gajeel is with him. He said he was going to teach Natsu how to hunt safely." She frowned, "I don't see how that helps though."

"It helps a great deal." Leo chuckled and lightly poked her nose, "Gajeel's teaching him how to take what he needs without killing."

Lucy blinked at him shock, "But... how is that possible?

"How did Gajeel feed before he met Levy?" Leo replied, "Not counting the blood packs. Those are a recent thing."

"I..." Lucy hesitated, "He fed off people, but only a little at a time. Like they were giving blood." She frowned, "Can you do the same thing with a soul?"

"Certainly." Leo replied easily, "I've met more than one apocalypse dragon in my long lifetime, and while some would remorselessly devour every scrap of a person's spirit many others did not."

"But how is that even possible?" Lucy asked, bursting to understand, "The soul is the soul isn't it?"

Leo shook his head, "The soul is far more complex than that Lucy. It's true that the soul contains the essence of your spirit, but more often than not what a demon needs to devour isn't the soul itself but the energy that gives it life." He smiled, "In that respect, Natsu is very much like a vampire."

He leaned back a bit, "More than likely Gajeel is teaching Natsu how to take enough to satisfy without harming. He's always been extremely conscientious about that, and won't tolerate senseless killing." His lips twitched, "Particularly not around necromancers who tend to very quickly take exception to undead not under their direct control."

Lucy didn't rise to the tease and frowned a little, "I suppose that makes sense." She admitted after a moment, "It's just..."

She looked back down at her hands, "He devoured my first date right in front of me." She confessed, "He was an imp trying to eat my soul, but every time I think about it I can feel his soul being torn apart. The pain and fear..." She shivered, "I dream about it."

Leo shifted off the desk to pull her into a warm embrace, "And he doesn't feel remorse for it does he?"

Lucy sniffed a bit and shook her head miserably, "No."

Leo sighed and rubbed her hair, remembering the last time he'd done this for a distraught necromancer, "I know it's hard Lucy." He murmured, "I could list reasons and rationales all day, but it wouldn't change what you experienced." He pulled back, "But consider this, if Natsu was bound to grow into this hunger sooner or later, is it better it happened on the soul of one irredeemably evil or an innocent?"

He met her eyes, "Neither idea is palatable I know, and I agree it would've been better if it could've been averted, but if it had to happen... isn't it better he did it in defense of you and your life?"

Lucy sighed and leaned into Leo, unable to deny the sense in his words.

"I thought he was my friend Leo," she said quietly, her words whispered as some of the raw truth of her pain came up under the surface. Leo held her, knowing she wasn't necessarily talking about Natsu.

"I thought he actually liked me," she confessed, "but now I'll never really know if he was completely bad or not. Or if he was ever even interested in me."

"And I know Natsu saved me, but I'm still so upset at him for doing it," Lucy mumbled.

Leo rubbed her arm and squeezed her tight, "it sounds like you're upset for a lot of good reasons princess."

"Give yourself some time okay?" Leo murmured to her quietly, "just know it seems that he is trying to make amends for you, and this was an accident. It was an accident that perhaps may happen again one day, but hopefully will not."

Lucy sighed and cuddled more firmly into Leo, feeling a little more at peace with her feelings now that the lion had clarified some information for her.

Perhaps soon she would finally be able to forgive Natsu.

—::—

Gray frowned as he stared at the map in his hands, scowling a little as he tried to make heads or tails of it.

He and Erza had been hunting down the loose ends of where their family was, and the rumors they had picked up on had not been ideal.

Rumors of genocide and murder, of gathering spaces amd brainwashing innocents into his cause. Jellal was said to be the leader of these attacks, moving under his own orders was none other than Ultear, Gray's sister.

The discovery had sickened him. That his sweet sister would become something like that.

He'd had far more sympathy for the nauseated expression on Erza's face whenever she thought about Jellal after that discovery.

"Anything?" The redhead asked as she emerged from a convenience store laden with a paper bag of food and drinks.

He sighed and held the map up, "Not unless you can make sense of this scribble." He retorted, "This isn't a map, it's a two year old's drawing."

Erza snorted a little in amusement and shoved the bag at him to take the map and looked at it, "We should be heading this way." She pronounced after a few moments, trailing her finger up a squiggly line.

"You sure you're not making things up again?" Gray asked skeptically, "Like that time with the..."

He was abruptly cut off as Erza moved to encompass his entire field of vision and she scowled ferociously, "We agreed to never speak of that again Gray."

"Decreed." Gray replied with a smirk, less intimidated by her scowl than perhaps he should've been, "Decreed is the word you're looking for there. I certainly never made any such agreement."

Erza huffed in offense and pulled back a little, "This will be nothing like that." She replied, "That time was an anomaly."

"I sincerely hope so." Gray snickered, "I doubt we could survive another episode like that."

Erza shot him a withering glare he smirked back at, "You're fortunate I like you." She said in her best queenly tone, "And that we work well together."

"Admit it." Gray replied as he moved to climb into their truck, "You love me."

"As the annoying brother I never had perhaps." Erza conceded with a smirk of her own as she climbed into the passenger side.

"Wow I'm surprised you're letting me drive," Gray drawled back, looking wholly unimpressed by her reluctance to admit her fondness. Especially when it came in regards to what they forever dubbed 'The Incident.'

Gray doubted he'd ever recover from that particular adventure of theirs. He shuddered.

"I'm permitting it for the time being, be grateful for my kindness," Erza smirked back at him. She took the 'map' from him and unfolded it smooth on her lap.

Some time ago they had both quit Lamia Scale. When the news of what became of Ultear and Jellal reached them, the guild had been rightfully horrified. But became rather divisive about what to do.

There were those, like the ever cold and pragmatic Lyon who thought what happened to both of them was tragic, but was ultimately out of their reach. It meant they had to put out of their misery.

Chelia was convinced they could be saved, while Toby and Sherry fell on Lyon's side. Jura, the biggest voice in the guild had been unable to fully respond.

He told them it was an impossible choice he didn't know how to handle.

The guild had ultimately decided to support whatever decision they made, even if it meant the two of them had to leave. At least he could say it was done on good terms.

He couldn't say he was overly impressed with what had happened however.

Though if he was honest with himself he hadn't been particularly impressed with guilds for some time. They were so black and white here in Fiore it was aggravating. He didn't really remember much about the guilds back in his homeland, they tended to be fewer and father between. There had simply been too many mountains and remote locations for the kind of organization he saw here. And even where there had been the guilds had been far more pragmatic.

There hadn't been a choice really. Very often there it had been make do with what you had or do without, and that was doubly true with magic.

The rigid structure and regulations here chafed, and he knew they drove his partner up the wall as well.

He shook his head a little and cast around for something else to think about than his disappointment in the Fiore magic system, "So how'd your trip to Galuna go?"

Erza glanced up at him knowingly, but smiled anyway, "It went well." She replied, "The High Priestess is ruling well in my stead, and the demon tribe living there have proved staunch allies."

Gray frowned a little at that, the grip on his steering wheel tightening a fraction, "You sure you wanna trust your people's survivors to demons?" He growled lowly, "After what happened..."

"After what happened my people need all the friends they can get." Erza replied calmly, "It's a miracle three whole ships managed to survive the slaughter as it is. Galuna is a safe place and the demons there are both weak and friendly."

"You know they're just using you." Gray replied, a little more harshly than he meant to.

"Of course they are." Erza replied, "That's the entire basis of their aid. But it's not for the nefarious purposes you think. Amazonian goods are highly prized and many of our best craftsmen and women survived." She eyed him, "You know that. You've met Bobo."

Gray sighed a little, his shoulders drooping a little, "I know." He relented, "It's just..."

Erza nodded, "I know." She replied softly, "And my people know to be wary after our betrayal, but so far Galuna's demons have been entirely honorable and above board. They're even helping us establish our own trade and contacts on the mainland and helping supply us with materials to rebuild the temple. At some point we must trust the hand of friendship offered us."

"If it yields results then maybe I will," Gray grunted back to her but shook his head. He cast around to come up with a change in topic, rather talking about anything other than demons.

Erza was willing to keep an open mind about things, but Gray did not live in the same fantasy world when it came to demons.

They were evil. Plain and simple.

But now they were getting closer than they had in ages to their targets. And Gray was going to be certain to make every demon who had made them suffer in the past pay for their crimes now.

"Just hang on a little longer Ultear," he whispered under his breath, Ezra's expression softening as their beat up truck tumbled down the road.

—::—

Natsu felt much better than he had in months since he started to feed on human souls. Gajeel had made it a regular habit to have Natsu go out and hunt as often as was possible.

Soon Natsu was capable of removing only part of the soul so it could restore itself. He had an aggressive hunger though and it had taken a bit of time to curb it fully.

Gajeel was heartened by his progress, but Natsu knew it wasn't going to make Lucy happy with him. She hated the idea of him hunting after souls, and knew there wasn't anything he could do to expedite the process or make it so he never to hunt again.

But he enjoyed hunting them.

That was the catch. He enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and the expression in his preys face when he successfully fed without harming them. It was the face of bliss, like he removed a heavy burden from their shoulders.

In others it looked almost like they glowed happily afterwards. Which according to Gajeel was what was supposed to happen.

The soul replenished itself, like drawing water from a well. Given time it would fill again, but if he took too much too quickly then the person would run dry.

Just like with blood, it was a very similar process in feeding which made Gajeel a very reliable source in how to control it.

He wondered how his father had handled it but knew he would never get an answer. Natsu huffed into his pillow, sulking in his room where he would be out of Lucy's way while she had her friends over. Or that weird Zalty guy that smelled like perfume.

Fingers rolled the memory orb Gajeel had given him long ago. He dragged it between his palms as he flopped over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling.

The surface glimmered in the dim light, yielding no new secrets he could divulge for a bit of wisdom. And why would it? These were Gajeel's memories and surely any issue Igneel had with his own Necromancer when it came to soul-feeding had long since been resolved.

He wished, not for the first time, that he could talk to Igneel.

It had been a horrible feeling to get to know the bright and lively man through a film of someone else's memories. To know him and his mother before he ever had the chance to actually know them.

And to witness his death through the veil of Gajeel's memories was the worst.

Natsu huffed, moving towards the window and crawling out, done with feeling sorry for himself for something he couldn't control. He refused to hate himself for something Lucy didn't like.

He was a monster, sure. He accepted that long before he ever met Lucy. But he had hated the way she looked at him that night, like she was seeing what he truly was for the first time.

He plopped down onto the awning, leaning back to enjoy the night air and the stars overhead.

He just hoped that Lucy's realization didn't lead to the one thing he feared above all others. The one thing he'd feared since their first stupid fight as kids.

That she would break their contract and force him back to hell.

It was a fear he hadn't mentioned to anyone. Not even Gajeel. The closest he'd come was his worry that she'd hate him for what he'd done. It was just too horrible to contemplate her breaking their contract, and he worried that if he spoke it aloud it would make it real.

He rubbed his chest as his heart ached and prayed to whatever gods, spirits, or whatever might be watching that he wouldn't lose her over this. Monster or not, she was the greatest thing to ever happen to him and the thought of even the possibility of losing that precious connection broke his heart.

He sighed and tried to put the thought out of his head to just enjoy the beauty of the night sky, but it was difficult. If only she would speak to him again... maybe then he could banish the thought once and for all.