Day had dawned, after a dark night, and the mages were preparing to take over the last day of service. There was a strange atmosphere between them, Lucy had slept with Ryker, hugging him protectively and affectionately for the rest of the night after her nightmare flare-up.

She woke up first and was afraid to get up, thinking she might trigger it all over again. She stayed with him in her arms remembering the night before, not holding back the tears again. The celestial mage could not help but feel pity, but also a special affection, she wanted him to be well and worried about his condition. What could have caused all that reaction? There were doubts she wanted to resolve and she promised to help him get over whatever it was.

Ryker woke up some time later realizing he was being hugged by Lucy. His embarrassment couldn't have been greater when he got up quickly and looked at her in puzzlement and saw her eyes filled with concern. They hadn't said anything since, but the silence needed to be broken somehow, sooner or later.

Lucy was watching him, he was sitting on his bed with his head down and an expressionless look on his face. She couldn't leave that situation like that.

"Ryker!?", she said gently calling the wizard, who looked at her. "Want to talk?"

He sighed and stood up, heading towards the blonde. "Lucy", he said holding her by the shoulders and looking her with pleading eyes. "Promise me you won't tell anyone."

"What!?", she looked surprised, that's not what she expected.

"Promise me, Lucy!", begged.

"But Ryker…" she trailed off looking at the pleading in her mate's eyes. "I…I promise," he sighed in defeat. "But at least tell me what was that," she asked. If she knew more, she could help him in some way.

"It's complicated and I don't know if you would understand, or if anyone would understand," he was uncomfortably.

"Nightmares? That's why you didn't sleep, isn't it?" , she said jumping to the obvious conclusions. "I'm your friend, you can tell me. What happened?", she said affectionately, taking his hands in hers.

He looked away from her, and her face closed. "It's…it's complicated. But I think I can put it like this: Lucy, I'd rather have your life, or anyone else's life in there, being rejected by my father, being an orphan or having some other cruel fate, than living what I did."

The celestial mage can't believe it, she knew her past wasn't the worst compared to other members of the guild, after all she had a family (if one could be called one) and a good life without material suffering. But even so, being rejected by a father who couldn't care less about you and no friends, even joining the guild was far from pleasant. It was almost like she had nothing and nobody, in a way. In fact, she didn't know what a family was until she joined Fairy Tail. And now he said he would rather have gone through what she went through? Worse, would he rather go through what others went through? Those wizards had a difficult past and it was even better than his!? What happened to him? That only made her more worried.

"I…I don't know what to say," said the confused mage. "But as for the nightmares, we can help. Maybe Wendy can cast some spell, or have some potion..."

"I don't think it will work," said the wizard. "It's not something invented by my brain or some disease. They're… memories," he said clenching his fists and teeth, Lucy paled hearing this. What could have happened for him to react that way in his dreams? What kind of memories would he have?

He was surprised when he felt arms wrap around him tightly and very warmly. Lucy hugged him realizing his pain. For seconds he was without reaction, startled by the show of affection.

"Fairy Tail people are really different," he thought, feeling grateful. He hugged her back resting his head on top of her head. "Thank you, Lucy," he whispered.

"You can come talk to me whenever you want", she said and raised her head to face him. "Do your tremors have to do with it too?", at that time there was no reason to dodge or hide anything, so he decided to be frank with her.

"It all has to do. Not only my shaking hand, but other things too"

"What other things?", she asked worriedly.

"I have other problems, regular headaches and more. But, now is not the time for that", he breake away from the hug. "Let's go! We have to go", he warned that they needed to fulfill their obligations.

"Oh yes of course!", the celestial mage said scared with the time. "Are you okay for today?", asked.

"Yes I am, don't worry", he was with a smirk, she was satisfied. He looked like him back.

They decided that the celestial mage should accompany the convoy, he was fine, but he didn't have confidence in his reflexes yet. The night had shaken him a lot, and the stress that carrying jewelry would cause was not something he was willing to go through.

However, the journey was smooth, with no presence to denounce any attempted robbery, it was like other days. Ryker was in the big house waiting for the convoy to arrive and when they did he helped ensure local security. As usual, he had prowled the house and its surroundings, but nothing unusual. Maybe nothing happens after all, it would just be a false alarm, or the bandits realized their plan had been discovered and aborted the mission. Who knows? Anyway, if everything was calm, better.

The morning was a success, and now it was just a short time before the final event started and guests arrived.

"How are we?" Lucy asked the security guards in front of the house safe, where the jewelry was kept.

"Hey Lucy," greeted one of the security guards. "It's all right around here. And your friend up there? Will he handle the business? Yesterday he almost let the whole world down." She didn't like how he referred to his friend, but she couldn't blame him. They didn't know what he was going through, and neither did she, if she was going to be honest.

"He is fine. He's a very strong mage, it won't be any little thing that will shake him", she replied dryly.

"If you're saying so," the security guard replied. "Are you going to stay here or are you going to look around?"

"I think both. But for now I was staying here, just before I start I'll take a look around", she said smiling.

In the auction room Ryker was watching, checking chairs and other equipment. Making sure nothing was out of order, he looked out the window to see if there was any suspicious movement, but nothing.

"Are you going to pass out again today, wizard?", a smug voice mocked him. The mage looked in the direction of the voice with a murderous look that would make even Gajeel afraid.

"S... sorry!", said the smug security guard scared to death of those eyes.

The mage walked past him and he lowered his head, trembling in fear at the presence, now menacing, of the other. Ryker decided to do one last search of the big house, making sure everything was in place and that there were no security breaches. Wherever he passed looks of distrust were changed to fear as his presence made itself felt and his eyes showed. Despite everything, there was nothing to worry about. Everything was in order.

It was time and the guests were arriving. There were always new people, some people came more than a day, but most were strangers. That in itself didn't get anyone's attention, but some figures got more of Ryker's attention. For some reason these people were out of line with the others, no more than three of them. To untrained eyes they were normal, but not to him. The mage felt a slight energy emanating from them and their behavior was slightly different from the others, barely noticeable but notable.

They were three men of medium height and strong, you could see on their very chic clothes. One had short red hair and yellow eyes, one had green hair and the same color eyes and the last one had short brown hair and the same color eyes. It was clear to the mage, something was going to happen.

"Hey," called the mage next to another bouncer. "Don't look now, but you see those three guys over there," he said, discreetly pointing at the men, the security guard looked at them discreetly. "We have to keep an eye on them, let the others know to be ready", the security guard immediately obeyed.

"OK! Understood!", said a security guard near the safe.

"What is it ?" asked Lucy.

"Your friend said he spotted three guys who might be suspicious. He told us to be on standby," he replied. "Now, should we trust him? He was embarrassed yesterday, I don't know..."

Lucy interrupted her boring speech with a slap to the face. "Listen here! You don't know him, you don't know what he went through. I won't let anyone talk bad about my friends, understand!?" she yelled. "If he said he saw someone suspicious, it's good to trust him."

"Yes ma'am!", said the security guards trembling with the attitude of the mage and were attentive to any movement.

"Excuse me, Lucy," said another guard. "But it's not good for you to help out up there. Since the suspects are there?"

"They came for the jewelry, if they're the bad guys. So they will come here. If they're wizards, you don't have a chance. I'm staying here," she said with conviction. The guard weighed his statement and nodded.

It was almost time to start. Barret went to the safe to see what was going on.

"I hear suspicious people have been identified. Is it true?", he asked.

"That's what it looks like sir"

"Who identified?"

"Ryker, sir"

"And can we trust him? Yesterday he was not well"

"If he did, I totally trust him," Lucy said with conviction and very serious. Barret looked her in the eye for a while and nodded.

"What do we do? Cancel the auction?", asked one of the security guards.

"That would be a huge loss. And we don't even know if it's the bad guys, they might just be a bunch of strangers," Barret said thoughtfully with his arms crossed over his chest. "Let's tighten security. I'll tell everyone to keep an eye out and watch for any movement. When the jewels are being taken, I want more people to follow, ok!?", he ordered. "Lucy, stay here and don't let them take the jewels, no matter what !"

"Count on us," she gave him a thumbs up and smiling. Barret smiled back and went back to his business. Now he had to reorganize his security.

The auction went on as normal, two jewels had been auctioned for values Ryker didn't even know were possible. And so far nothing unusual has happened. The strange people were behaving normally, calm, they had even bid.

"I think you were wrong," the bouncer told Ryker.

"I hope so, but it's still early," he replied.

"There were two jewels and nothing, the third is coming and I bet nothing will happen", the security guard said superbly, the magician looked at him askance.

"There's still a lot of jewelry, let's see and stay tuned," he said as the other piece came to be shown to the public.

"Now come on, what can happen? We have an army out there! Nobody would get involved in this...", he was saying when a strong explosion outside shook the big house. The windows were broken and the shock wave knocked many people into the room. The shattered glass hurt many more and the guests began to scream and run desperately in every direction.

"Hey! HEY!" Ryker yelled to the other bouncer. "Get these people out of here!", shouted. The security guard, with some effort, got up and began to guide the people out and into safety. Other guards arrived and helped him.

Ryker looked out and saw the ruined courtyard and a series of guards going outside to check it out. "Are we being attacked?", thought. Looking around he didn't see the three guys. "They must have left with the others," he told himself, but something clicked in his mind. "Shit! It was a distraction!" .

The mage searched but did not find the jewel. If he was going to kick, it would be those three, and they must be heading for the vault. Surely they felt the explosion and sent the security guards to check it out, leaving Lucy alone or with one or two guards, which would be the same as nothing. He left running towards the celestial mage.

"Did you feel that!?", one of the security guards shouted when he felt a strong tremor.

"Yea! What's going on?", said another

"Apparently it was an explosion outside! We're being attacked, they're sending everyone there," another security guard said when told by a communication lacrima.

"But what about the safe? We cannot leave it unprotected," another said.

"I stay!" said Lucy confidently.

"Uh...okay! I want two more with her. You and you", the head of that group pointed to two security guards. "The rest with me," he and they ran out of the house, leaving Lucy and two others to take care of the vault.

"Ahhhh!" , whimpered the celestial mage. "And I thought this job would be easy. What the hell! Now I have to face mages. Has Ryker already finished them? But what if they have more? And if they are strong!?", she began to despair – comically.

"I think the way is to wait," she told herself in defeat.

Tension dominated the room, the men were in a cold sweat, moving and rubbing their hands together, showing a clear sign of nervousness and anxiety.

"Damn hope it's nothing," one of them said nervously.

"Me either. I don't want to face wizards, dammit!" , replied the other.

Lucy, sitting, just listened to the conversation and sighed. No less than suddenly the three were hit by a powerful torrent of water taking them to the ground and knocking them over the wall. The two security guards fell unconscious, but Lucy was in one piece, just disoriented.

"What happened?", she whispered to herself standing up with a hand on her head.

"Look, what do we have here? She looks like a mage who has some intention of challenging us," a soft voice said.

"Don't waste time and get it over with! We have work to do", another, more serious and more aggressive said.

Lucy looked at the people who were talking, three of them, as Ryker said. "Who are you?" asked the mage in combat pose.

"Our names don't matter girl. If you don't want to die, get out of the way," the third one spoke in a cold, deep voice. The celestial mage took a step back with him.

She couldn't back down, she was the only one there and the last line of defense. Nothing would make her give up, she was a Fairy Tail mage and they don't give up.

"You better get out of here if you don't want to get hurt," she threatened them. The three looked at each other and laughed, mocking the mage in front of them.

"Don't make us laugh. There are three of us and you are only one"

They prepare to attack, demonstrating their magic, fire, water and ice. For some reason Lucy found that curious. She would face the power of three great friends of hers. Something inside her couldn't help but smile at that curious situation.

However, those black magicians, they weren't kidding and attacked her with everything at the same time. They created a powerful blast of combined energy that violently hit Lucy, destroying part of her clothing and exposing parts of her beautiful body. She was thrown back, hitting a wall that cracked on impact.

The blows were surprisingly weak for the mage. She got up just a little sore. The magicians were surprised to see the mage standing. She was supposed to fall for good, they thought. She was stronger than they imagined.

"These mages used their united powers I was supposed to be severely injured, but I'm just sore", the celestial mage thought. "Are they hiding the game? Do they want to play with me?", she began to reason, seeing the countless possibilities. "Anyway, I can't allow them to steal the safe. They are three and I just one. I should delay them until Ryker arrives and we fight together, it's the best option," she came to the conclusion.

She assumed her Sagittarius attire, enveloping her in a bright, golden light in the process, momentarily blinding the other three.

"You're not going anywhere !", she pointed the bow at them.

"What are you going to do, cute?", they said laughing and mocking.

"I'll show you!", she screamed and shot countless arrows in their direction. The three howled in pain as they were hit and fell meters backwards in a faint.

Lucy looked at it and her jaw dropped to the floor and her eyes were wide. "They were weaklings!", she yelled pointing at them.

" Lucy!", someone called her running towards him. The mage looked in the direction and saw that Ryker was coming. He walked past the fallen bodies, looking at them in amazement, and went to meet the mage.

"Is everything okay around here?", he asked.

"Yea. Those fools were weak", she said full of self.

"I see!", he and she laughed at a job well done and easy.

They were heading back to the hotel, their work was over and the bandits were arrested by the council. They received their due reward and just wanted to rest, but something was bothering the mage.

"What is it ?" Lucy asked walking beside him. "Is it because of the nightmare you're like this? You know you can count on me, don't you?", she said sweetly.

The magician looked at her and smiled out of the corner of his mouth. "A little bit," he sighed. "It brought back memories I wanted to forget. But that's not the only reason I'm like this".

"So...", she indicated for him to continue.

"What did that guy say when he was being taken by the council..."

.

"What bloody guild are you guys from?" asked one of the bandits as he was entering the prison carriage. He had an angry face plastered on his face.

"Fairy Tail," Lucy said.

The three began to laugh violently and looked at the two wizards, who saw them without understanding anything, with angry and cold eyes.

"What's so funny?" Ryker said flatly, his eyes cold and dead, a total absence of soul, with only the sad chill of death. His gaze chilled the three of them to the bone. They had never seen a look like that, not even among the worst monsters.

"Your days are numbered Fairies. You will be gone soon, you will be destroyed and no one can stop. It's already started!", one of them said, laughing as they entered the carriage and the door closed.

.

"That threat must be nothing," Lucy tried to calm her friend down. "We've faced the end many times and we always come out winners. If anything happens we will be ready and triumph, as always", she said confidently, the wizard smiled with the corner of his mouth in positive response.

"But I'm worried about you," she said in a weak voice.

"Scared you, didn't it ?" , said Ryker. "What you saw tonight scared you," Lucy agreed and sighed. "Whenever I sleep I have these nightmares, these memories. That's why I don't want to sleep. It's scary, revisiting moments in your life that you wish you'd forgotten," he said, lowering his head, looking at whatever was on the floor.

Lucy took his hand and Ryker looked up to see her smiling, which reassured him a little. "We'll figure it out, don't worry," she smiled. It was nice to have someone with that optimism. Fairy Tail and its members are sure to become a pale light in their endless darkness.

"Thank you, Lucy".