CHAPTER 28
To say his plans were not going well was an understatement on a huge scale.
Hades sat aboard his Flying Fortress, quietly observing the crystal ball in front of him controlled by his most loyal lieutenant Ultear. The center of her focus was a blue haired man whose voice didn't carry through the magic surface, but appeared to be speaking animatedly with their overall target.
Lucy Heartfilia was well protected in Magnolia. The woman was surrounded by her guild, and there was no denying that it was difficult to lure her out except when she went on jobs. When she did though, it was never alone, always accompanied by others.
On those instances they had ambushed her and her team to... minimal success.
The vampire, her godfather who had been gone for an indiscernible amount of time, had finally returned from his mysterious trip and now seemed even fiercer than before.
Acnologia was angry with the lack of their progress on retrieving the Heartfilia girl. He wanted her life in his claws, and Hades would do as his god demanded.
Their attempts to get into Magnolia were constantly being thwarted though.
Ultimately though, Hades was a patient man.
He smiled and crossed his fingers together, his eyes locking across the table to Ultear.
"Keep her movements under surveillance. I want to know the moment she steps out of Magnolia," he chuckled, "and if she doesn't, I will begin preparations on our battering ram."
"Master," Ultear nodded in acknowledgment, her sad eyes drifting over to Jellal. The bitter sting of his betrayal dug deep, but she would not allow it to destroy her.
She would remain strong as Hades instructed.
She would do it for Gray.
She had to.
Gray was all that was left of her family. And though she was proud of how far he'd come, how well he'd progressed with their family magic, she would not rest until she'd created a world where he could be safe and walk the streets without fear of demons or persecution.
She admitted, to herself if no one else, that Magnolia was becoming an impressive step in the right direction. The abundance of magical creatures that normally hid quietly on the fringes of society had brought the 'secret' there out into the open.
A thing that could've been met with fear and disdain had it not been for their wily master. He'd taken care to get to know everyone in town when he'd arrived, and when the questions and sideways glances had started... he'd assuaged their fears.
It had been a thing of beauty really. Not just information and talks, but demonstrations from the guildmates, dispelling of the rumors around those from shadier backgrounds, and assurances that disturbances would be dealt with swiftly and firmly. A stance everyone had unquestioningly accepted when the old man had promptly backed up his words by breaking up a squabble between two guildmembers.
And all of it had been done quietly, under the radar to escape official notice from the government. Something no one from the outside would notice at a glance, but to Ultear the changes were staggering.
Merchants were more open about the 'special' qualities of their wares, there was a protective and friendly atmosphere that hadn't been there before. And Ultear was quite certain that if the crown stuck it's nose in the townfolk would refuse to talk.
It was almost enough to make her believe perhaps such acceptance could be achievable everywhere.
Such was a pipe dream, however, and she knew it.
So she would stay her course and bide her time until she could make the whole world a Magnolia for her brother.
At least it gave her something interesting to watch while she waited for the Heartfilia girl to be vulnerable again.
—::—
It had been a little over three years since Natsu had left Magnolia, and he could tell deep in his gut... he was ready.
When his last surge had left him, it was almost as if there was something inside his soul that had a knot being tied within it. Topped off with a lovely bow.
It was time to go home. Finally, after so long of traveling and training, hunting down threats and clues to Lucy and her cultists whenever he had a spare moment...
It was time to return to his mistress.
Lucy filled his thoughts, her sweet golden light that filled his soul to all of its dark edges and outshone anything...
It had taken time, distance, and a bit of counseling from both Gajeel and Happy, but Natsu had come to the slow realization on his own how he felt about his mistress.
He loved her.
Natsu hadn't thought it were truly possible for demons to love someone beyond their own species, but it was true. Acnologia had fallen into a deadly and obsessive love with Anna, so Natsu hadn't actually counted it...
But it was true.
Natsu loved Lucy.
And it was only sueffering through the torture of not having her with him for these long years did he realize it.
That aching, empty hole that Lucy made refused to be filled by anyone else.
And Natsu had certainly attempted to push and smother those feelings of love away, for his own sanity if nothing else.
But there was no denying it. She consumed his thoughts when he hunted, and when he fell into bed with his prey, he imagined it was blond hair under his hand, her voice panting in his ear, and her touch clawing at his body.
But at the end, even though he was filled and satiated and his prey was thoroughly pleased, Natsu's heart would be filled with a hollow sensation that consumed his entire chest.
It left a foul taste in his mouth.
He shook the thought off as he finished stuffing the last of his things into his duffel bag. He had more important things to worry about than his distaste with his food.
Something he planned to remedy once he got back anyway.
He knew from Lucy that she was between relationships at the moment. The few times she'd tried once Fairy Tail was founded hadn't lasted long.
Gray had been the one to explain how badly they'd gone though.
"It's like the only luck she's had with men has been me!" The demon hunter had exclaimed in frustration, "And we devolved into siblings! Seriously Pyro... I don't know how she does it. The secret cultist was bad enough, but the others... it's like they don't understand they're dating a necromancer! Even I can see they're not taking care of her! She almost animated a doll the other day..."
Natsu shivered at the memory. As much as he detested the thought of anyone other than himself pleasing Lucy, the thought of her power getting out of control like that was a little terrifying. Though it would make things a bit easier for him in the long run.
Once he figured out how he was going to get her attention in that way at least.
"Are you ready to go Natsu?" Happy asked, jostling Natsu out of his thoughts.
"Yeah just about buddy." He grinned at the feline and gave his friend a scratch behind the ears, "You'll finally get to meet Lucy properly!"
"Do you think she'll give me a fish?" Happy asked hopefully as he rolled over onto his back, "And belly rubs?"
"You know it!" Natsu grinned as he gave the soft fur a couple of strokes and hefted his bag over his shoulder, "Let's go!"
"Aye!" Happy meowed and hopped up onto Natsu's shoulders to curl himself around his neck.
Natsu took one last look around the cabin that had been home for the past four months and turned firmly to leave it behind forever. He only managed two steps out into the crunchy snow beyond, however, when he felt a sharp, desperate, tug.
"What?" He gasped in surprise, having almost forgotten what it felt like to have Lucy call him, only for it to happen again with more urgency as the bond between him and his mistress exploded with terror and panic.
"Hold on tight buddy!" He growled, "Lucy's in trouble and we're taking the short way back!"
He didn't fight the pull when Lucy yanked hard on the bond, causing his knees to buckle. He had enough foresight to grasp a protective hand against Happy's head as the world shifted and he was gated back through the air in a nauseating shift of colors.
The world melted away, shifting into darkness before bright sparks of light exploded into sight.
And then before he could understand truly what was happening, the sky solidified above him, tinged with heavy smoke and the embers of flames.
And he was suspended about twenty feet in the air, Lucy's math critically off.
Natsu let out a shriek that was echoed by Happy, whose claws dug into Natsu's shoulder as they plummeted to the earth and right on top of a tall, thin man.
Groaning, Natsu released his hold on Happy, who he had attempted to curl protectively into his arms and stop him from getting smushed by their descent.
Natsu's ears were ringing and he grunted, rolling up off the person he had landed on top of and planting his palm flat on the earth.
"The hell?" He craned his head up, spinning it to the left and right as he took in his broken and smoking surroundings, "Lucy? Lucy!" He shouted.
His eyebrows rose as the smoke cleared enough for Erza to come into focus. She looked injured, but her eyes glittered with joy. Natsu could hear the voices of others with her, but from his position there was too much debris.
"Clever job summoning him there Lucy, you bought us a few critical seconds!" Erza stalked towards him and Natsu blinked when the Amazon grasped him, yanked him upright with one hand and righted him
"What the hell is going on!" Natsu snapped, smoke practically puffing from his ears, "And where the hell is Lucy!" He demanded, pushing around Erza in his desperate need to find Lucy.
She had been utterly terrified. Scared enough to call him. Which meant something bad had happened. Enough that he was scared.
But all thought fell out of his mind when his eyes fell on her, just around the bend of debris.
His mouth went dry, his heart racing, and eyes going saucer like.
For the first time in three years, he clapped eyes on Lucy. Beautiful, perfect Lucy and his memory did absolutely nothing for her justice.
Her hair was longer now, her stance regal and elegant, like a proper queen. Her brown eyes were like the warmest depths of chocolate and her lips petal soft. Natsu breathed out, wanting to lean in and gentle bite at those plump lips until they were kissed red.
His brain could hardly register everything at once, trying to marry the teenager he had seen last with the woman who stood before him now.
She held heavy and perfect curves in all the right places, the very real urge to close the distance between them and fill his hands with her, forced Natsu to mentally slap himself into motion.
"Lucy!" He gasped and rushed towards her, dragging her towards him in a hug.
"Natsu!" She squealed happily and hugged him back just as tightly for a moment before his hand shifted against her side and she pulled away with a hiss of pain.
"Lucy are you hurt?" He asked anxiously as he pulled away, his stomach dropping as he realized she was covered in bruises and scrapes, "Who did this?"
"The guy you landed on and his minions." She responded, offering him a smile, "Sorry about calling you in the air like that, but I was a little busy dodging an attack."
"You called him?" A new voice, elderly and cultured but for the undercurrent of fury, "You mean to tell me your familiar hasn't been with you all this time?!"
"You got it Hades." Lucy smirked around Natsu, "Natsu was a little busy elsewhere."
Hades.
Natsu stiffened at that name. The master of Grimoire Heart was behind him. Him and his dark cultist guild had done this. Looking beyond Lucy now he could see the entire battlefield strewn with bodies, smoking craters, and blood. Blood from both the cultists and the members of Fairy Tail fighting for his mistress.
All thoughts of doubt about these people vanished in an instant as he gently nuzzled Lucy and stepped away, "You might wanna step back." He growled softly at her, "This might get messier than you're used to."
Lucy blinked and smiled widely at him, "You got it." She promised, "Try not to blow up the whole beach?"
Natsu flashed her a fangy grin, "No promises!" He replied, "Happy, go with her! Keep her safe!"
"You got it!" The fae cat called and he leapt lightly over to Lucy's side as he shifted into a much larger form, sprouting a pair of wings as he did, "Climb on!"
Lucy stared for a moment but hastily did as she was told, "Erza! Can you get Laxus?"
"I'm on it!" Erza replied, "You get out of here!"
Lucy nodded and clung tightly onto Happy's fur as the feline surged upwards, expertly dodging as Hades swore violently and launched attack after attack at them to stop them. Attacks that were abruptly cut short as Natsu's flaming fist impacted the old man's jaw.
"You really oughta know by now that attacking an apocalypse dragon's mistress is asking for death." He growled darkly, fire enveloping him as his eyes glowed a furious red gold.
Natsu reached out, his hands closing tight around Hades' wrists and hoisting him upwards, allowing the others behind him to escape. His eyes burned their rage, his fangs baring into a furious snarl.
"I didn't leave my mistress to come back and find her injured," he snarled at Hades, "I'm going to make sure you never haunt my friends again."
He took a deep breath, hellfire boiling into the back of his throat. Hades' eyes widened in shock at the sight of it, his arms yanking back to try and escape the vice-like grip keeping him pinned.
"Even if you destroy me, another will take my place!" Hades shouted at Natsu, who cocked his head at him, fire seeping out across his tongue and spilling against the back of his lips.
"There are two other leaders in the Baram Alliance! You will not defeat all of us by taking out one branch!"
Natsu swallowed his flames back, his eyes glittering with a murderous light.
"Watch us," he hissed.
Then, with a furious roar, Natsu yanked sideways, causing Hades bones to break and flesh to tear. The demon ripped him apart, dropping the arms he held by the wrists on top of Hades' chest.
He flashed a wicked smile at the screaming human who had dared to lay a hand on his mistress. Well Natsu had divested him of his arms as payment.
Now he would never raise a hand against Lucy again. The logic purred itself in his mind and he smirked, dropping his heel on Hades' throat. He applied enough pressure to stop the man's screams.
"Time for quiet now," Natsu hissed, applying the rest of the pressure needed to permanently silence the man.
And then it was quiet.
Unfortunately that didn't last for long.
Hades may have been dead, but the rest of his cultists weren't. And now that his immediate fury was abating the sounds of battle outside were catching his attention. He straightened up and sprinted towards the worst of the sounds.
It didn't matter if they were people he'd never met. They'd fought for his mistress, protected her as best they could. And for that, he would see to it they all got out of this mess in one piece.
He smirked wryly as the heavens darkened further down the beach and suddenly a column of celestial magic slammed into... whatever dumbass was stupid enough to piss Jellal off.
That one he wouldn't have to worry about at least.
He plowed effortlessly through the minions who tried to slow him down as he made his way over to where he could see Mira struggling against a weird looking plant dude practically swimming in and out of trees. Was he part dryad or something?
Whatever it was he would turn the bastard into charcoal.
"Natsu!" Lucy called as Happy soared down and landed into a lope next to him, "Are you alright?"
"Just fine!" Natsu grinned, "Geezer didn't even scratch me! I'm going to help Mira!"
"I'll help!" Lucy replied firmly, a scowl crossing her face, "I may not have been a match for Hades myself, but this I can do!"
"Lucy you can't!" Happy exclaimed, "The cultists are still after you! If one of them grabs you..."
Natsu skidded to a halt and stared up at his angry mistress. A slow smirk spread across his face, "Happy." He growled lowly, "Let her down."
"But Natsu!" Happy protested, "You said to protect her!"
Natsu nodded, "And that hasn't changed." He replied, "But if my mistress wants to fight with us I'm not going to stop her."
Lucy grinned fiercely up at him, "It's better with two right?"
Natsu nodded, "You bet. Now let's go!"
Something in him sang with pride that his queen wanted to fight with him, and as he lunged back into the fray he couldn't help feeding greedily on the energy all around them.
After all, fighting with Lucy at his side was something to be savored. Always.
