Hello friends! We're beginning to wind down with this story and what a chapter (in my mind-I really liked how it turned out). This is a nice long one so enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Fairy Tail—A Diary's Secret 2: A Fateful Journey

Chapter 10

The soft early light of the sun touched the cool stones of the Capital wall, slowly illuminating it. Dew that had accumulated over night sparkled as the rays touched them, making the already impressive structure shine faintly like crystal. The guards that stood atop the wall remained stationary, but blinked as they tried to adjust to the absence of night.

Dawn had come.

And then came the sound of a hissing scream from somewhere inside the wall. The guards alertly turned towards the sound and watched as a trail of smoke and sparks rose high into the air. It was a small magic flare used to send signals across large distances. They watched it for only a moment, knowing they had to return to watching the perimeter for intruders.

However, in that moment the flare had done its job.

Taking the opportunity, a small group of White Wing members poured out of their tunnel and commenced the attack. With magic weapons fully fueled, they fired at the guards, shooting down as many as they could before they could react. Magic bullets pierced the shoulders, legs and backs of several guards. Those that were hit fell to the ground, hands clutching their wounds, while the rest turned and retaliated. Higher ranking guards barked out orders. Guards posted on the wall and on the ground fired bolts of magic from their trident-like weapons.

While the small group of about two dozen White Wing fighters held the attention of the Capital guards, the rest of White Wing and the Dragneels made a break for the west side of the city. Those in the back activated their magic weapons and small hexagonal barriers sprung out to cover them. Alone the barriers were nothing special, but with the number of barriers activated it was as if all of White Wing's rear was being protected by a turtle's shell. Even if the guards locked in combat noticed them, they wouldn't be able to intercept them.

White Wing's last stand had finally begun.

High up in the majestic tower at the very center of the Capital, King Faust sat upon his grand throne. He was stroking his long, white beard and slouching slightly as he listened to the man kneeling before him. "You said they're attacking?" His voice was rough and intimidating, but he didn't sound the least bit concerned to hear that his kingdom was under assault.

The guard kneeling before him looked up with wild eyes. "Yes, my Lordship! It's that rebellious White Wing, sir. They've gotten inside the Capital and have already shot down several guards! According to reports from the main gate, a large group has made their way inside headed west while our main force is being held back by a smaller group. The larger group is running through our inner forces like it's nothing!"

King Faust hummed. "Is that so?"

"What do we do, sir? Please give the order!"

A wicked smile split King Faust's wrinkled face. "I give them credit for finding a way inside. They're more resourceful than I gave them credit for. But it matters not. They'll still be wiped out." The tall king stood and raised his hand. "Tell General Krex to head to the main gate. He will burn those pesky flies to ashes. Also, have General Hela and General Boyart intercept the others."

"But my Lordship, we don't know where the larger group is headed. Where do we send Generals Hela and Boyart?"

"Where else would they be headed?" King Faust said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "They're clearly headed to the dungeons to save their fellow traitors. After all, scum watches out for fellow scum."

The guard shot up and bowed. "Yes sir! I will give the three generals your orders!"

King Faust sat back down as the guard sprinted out of the throne room. He laughed to himself as he imagined how White Wing would meet its end. "I'm glad they've come. They saved me the trouble of hunting them down and killing them."

Finding cover behind a standing stone slab, Lucius took a deep breath. He pressed his back against the hard, cool surface and held his wind cannon against his chest. The drumming of his fast beating heart echoed in his ears, drowning out the sound of magic bolts and bullets whizzing around the air.

Lucius and his wind cannon had been assigned to the distraction unit. His father believed that the weapon would be critical to scattering large groups of guards and he was right. Lucius had only managed to fire two shots so far, but each shot collided with the ground with enough power to push away the unsuspecting guards like they were feathers in a gale wind.

Breathing slowly out of his mouth, Lucius pulled back on the grip. Wind began collecting in the chamber. Once he was satisfied with what he had collected, he peeked from behind his cover. He could see his fellow guild mates locked in combat. A few of his friends were on the ground, holding wounds to their legs or torsos. Fortunately, no one had taken fatal damage yet.

Peeking a little further, he could see a cluster of guards trying to advance towards them while firing magic bolts from their weapons. Holding his weapon securely to his body, he performed a tuck and roll out in the open. He stopped in a kneeling position, aimed his wind cannon, and released the grip. An enormous blast of wind rocketed out of the cannon's mouth and destroyed the ground in front of the guards. They all flew backwards with a cry, weapons leaving their flailing hands.

He didn't take any time to admire his weapon's work, for he was already tucking and rolling back to his cover to prepare another shot. As much power as his weapon had, the one drawback was that it took time to load up and he couldn't afford to stand in the open while doing so. He took another peek at the battle before him. 'Going pretty well so far. Best of luck, everyone.'

"Don't let them adva—!"

The guard who spoke was interrupted by a ball of flames colliding with his body. The man sprawled backwards and crashed into a wall.

Natsu snickered, fists ablaze. "Who else wants some, eh?"

The White Wing group tasked with freeing all of the captured wizards charged forward through the Capital. Brac, the one who knew how to navigate the inner workings of the Capital and was supposed to lead the way, could only laugh at seeing Natsu's enthusiasm burst forth in front of him. "Atta boy, Natsu! Don't hold anything back!"

"He's like a kid in a candy store," Happy giggled.

"Just don't break anything," Mira quickly added. The goal was to save their fellow wizards, which would be made difficult if the buildings started collapsing.

"Got it! FIRE DRAGON ARCING FLAME!" Natsu voiced his understanding right before swinging his arm at several guards and knocking them away with a powerful stream of flames. "I won't give these guys any time to put up a barrier!"

Brac nodded before looking over his shoulder. "How's the shield holding up back there?"

"It's taken some hits from magic blasts, but it's still intact!" one of the rear White Wing members replied.

"Excellent!" Brac cheered. He couldn't believe how much simpler this was turning out to be. With the shields crafted by Mrs. Paxon protecting their backs and Natsu's incredible power making quick work of the front, they had yet to be hindered. His men were able to completely focus on the left and right, which allowed them to swiftly react to any attempted attacks. The lack of significant obstacles made him smile. 'You see that, you old bastard? Even with the best magic weapons at your disposal, you're no match for freedom!' Brac looked towards Mira. "I'm surprised you aren't joining your husband, Miss Mira."

Mira smiled at him sweetly. "Oh, believe me. Natsu's capable of bringing about enough chaos without me getting involved. If things get troublesome though, I won't hesitate to assist."

Serafine watched her father make simple work of all the guards he saw. It wasn't anything new to her, but it still amazed her. She only wished to have flames like his so that she could be right beside him, fighting. 'Papa really is incredible.'

To continue their way towards the dungeons, the group had to pass through a short tunnel that connected the outer levels where they currently were to the Capital's center. From there they would have to take a staircase straight down below the surface. Having gone over the plans the day before and with Brac's reminder, Natsu banked a sharp right where the tunnel soon came into view.

"FREEZE ALL THAT LIES BEFORE ME! ARCTIC WASTELAND!"

An incredible wave of icy wind and hail collapsed onto the White Wing members. They were all forced to stop and brace themselves from the sudden attack.

The source of the attack was a saber with a bright sapphire attached to the hilt. Clutching its bejeweled handle was a female knight. Thick, heavy armor bearing the symbol of the Capital covered her entire body. The only part of her that wasn't hidden by silver armor was her head. Short blonde hair whipped about from the force of her own attack. Sharp, icy blue eyes stared down her targets.

"You couldn't even give them a chance, Hela?" a man standing beside her chuckled. Just like her, he was covered almost completely in thick, heavy armor that had the Capital's symbol on the breastplate. He also wore no helmet and his long brown hair snapped back and forth as if it were alive. A look of joy reflected in his hazel eyes. His hand was resting on a golden jewel attached to the hilt of his sheathed sword. "What fun can we possibly have with them if you freeze them to death right off the bat?"

Hela lowered her saber, the icy storm dissipating. The sapphire jewel at the end of her sword's hilt became duller in color. She turned her sharp gaze to her partner. "Our orders are to eliminate the intruders," Hela snapped. "I'm simply doing what King Faust ordered. You would be wise to do the same, General Boyart."

Boyart sighed. "Always so serious! You know, you would be a lot cuter if you loosened up a bit."

Hela gave a soft "hmph" and sheathed her saber. "I have no interest in changing who I am. Anyway, we're finished here."

"Aww, already?"

Hela's eyes snapped open in shock. Even Boyart's amused look faded as he peered through the mist of ice created by his partner.

The faint sound of hissing steam echoed on the still air as a figure came into view.

Natsu stood with a delighted look on his face. Thin flames covered his entire body like a veil, immediately melting any ice that came remotely close. He took a step forward. "I thought I had finally found someone worth fighting, but you're already done? That's boring."

"Aye, Natsu never feels satisfied unless he can really go all out," Happy sighed.

Hela took a step backwards reflexively. "I…Impossible! No one has ever withstood my magic before!"

Natsu scratched his cheek. "Well it was definitely really strong. Unfortunately, I've been fighting against way stronger ice magic attacks for years so I know exactly how to handle that kind of stuff."

"But to survive Hela's Arctic Wasteland," Boyart breathed. "You have to be some kind of demon!"

"No, that would be me," Mira chimed in with a smile, stepping up beside her husband.

Boyart gulped as he, too, stepped backwards. The woman before him was beyond beautiful and her smile was sweeter than anything he had ever seen, yet he couldn't shake the feeling of dread that shot up and down his spine. That kind mask she wore couldn't completely erase a dark aura hidden within that had him petrified. "Who are you people?"

"We're people who want freedom for all," Mira replied. "That's why we are offering our help to White Wing. Their mission is a just one."

Boyart gritted his teeth and drew his broad sword. The jovial expression from before had completely vanished and was replaced by a vicious scowl. "You dare to make a mockery of King Faust and his personal Imperial Generals?!"

Hela drew her saber as well. "We have been granted magic power above even the Royal Guard Captains. We will see our orders fulfilled for King Faust!"

"Enough already," Natsu groaned. "I'm seriously sick of hearing about this Faust bastard. Now move out of our way so that we can rip him from his throne." Flames ignited all around Natsu, shaking the very ground. "Or stay and fight. Both work fine with me."

"Sorry Natsu, but we don't have time for a drawn out fight," Mira said. The moment those words left her lips, a dark magic power enveloped her like a cocoon. A set of claws soon tore them away, revealing Mira in her Satan Soul form. She shot a wicked grin at the two Generals. "There are people fighting to give us this opportunity and there are victims of Faust waiting for us up ahead. It would be cruel to make any of them wait longer than they have to, wouldn't you agree?"

Natsu looked at her and nodded with a smile. "Yeah, you're right. Whadya say we make quick work of these clowns?"

Brac and the rest of White Wing stood awestruck. "Such power…," he muttered. "And what kind of magic is Miss Mira using? A kind of transformation magic?"

"It's her Take Over magic," Serafine answered proudly. "My Mama has the power to take control of and use the power of demons."

"Incredible!" Brac bellowed with a laugh. "To think she has such power and we had no idea! Both of your parents are absolutely out of this world, Serafine!"

Serafine's eyes reflected the visages of her parents standing confidently before her with their overwhelming magic power surrounding them. She smiled. "Yeah. They really are amazing. My parents can't ever be beaten."

Hela and Boyart raised their weapons. From Hela's hilt, the sapphire burst with light and ice began to form around the blade. From Boyart's hilt, the topaz ignited and bright light poured from the steel. ""DIE, BLASPHEMOUS TRAITORS!"" they both bellowed before launching their magic attacks. A powerful mixed blast of ice and light shattered the stone of the path and tunnel in its wake as it barreled towards the Dragneels.

"DO IT MAMA! PAPA! BEAT THEM!" Serafine cried over the roar of the magic bomb.

Natsu and Mira looked at each other and in an instant, with but a look, they discussed and agreed upon their next move.

'Can we use our move?'

'Alright, but don't put too much into it. We'll be searching through ruins if we go all out.'

'Right. Let's do this, Mira!'

'Yes, Natsu!'

The two took each other's hand. From Natsu's left, flames quickly burst out. From Mira's right, darkness seeped out and mixed with his flames. They pointed at the incoming attack with their joined hands.

""DEMON DRAGON APOCALYPTIC FLAME!""

A thick beam of dark fire launched forward from their hands. In an instant it ripped apart and destroyed the combined attack from the Generals. The tunnel was charred and began to break. The attack struck the two swordsmen before they could even react. They both screamed as they were launched backwards and into the wall of a building. Their armor smoldering from the heat of the flames, they collapsed to the ground unconscious.

Natsu and Mira lowered their hands, but didn't let go. Natsu's flames vanished. Mira returned to her human form in a flash of light.

Serafine ran up to her parents. "That was incredible, Mama! Papa! I didn't know you had such an ace up your sleeves!"

Natsu and Mira looked towards their daughter and smiled.

"Ace? That wasn't our ace, kiddo!" Natsu snickered.

Serafine's eyes widened. She looked away to assess the damage left behind from her parents' combined attack. The ground, the tunnel, and even the far wall were completely black from the power of the flames. The Generals, who were certainly strong, were taken out in one blow, their thick armor even melting in some places as smoke billowed from their bodies. 'How was that not an ace move?'

"I'm absolutely speechless, but it's like Miss Mira said," Brac said as he and the rest of White Wing ran up. "We can't keep everyone waiting. Let's move!"

"Right!"

The underground dungeons of the Capital were cold and dark. Single magic-fueled torches that gave off no heat were spread out across the entire long, narrow hole. Hard, uneven, dull gray stones made up the floors, walls, and even the ceiling. Dirty water dripped through the cracks from leaky sewer systems above. Lining the walls were small, narrow cells that were no larger than tool sheds. The doors were made up crudely formed, bent iron bars. Crammed inside each cell were a couple dozen prisoners.

All of the prisoners seemed lifeless, their eyes staring at nothing. They huddled together, most likely for warmth. Dirty, torn rags sagged on their thin, malnourished bodies. Some didn't even lift their heads upon hearing footsteps enter the hall.

"How awful," Serafine breathed as she took in what was around her. Her hand was covering her nose and mouth, for the air was foul. She could only imagine that it was human waste; these people probably had to relieve themselves in their confinement. "How could they treat human beings like this?"

"They're all wizards who opposed Faust," Brac replied solemnly. He reached out to touch one of the cell bars, but quickly withdrew his hand with a hiss. He looked down at his palm to see a small cut from the rust. "This was their punishment."

"It's disgusting," Mira said, clenching her fists. "It's something no one with a conscious could dream up."

"This group has clearly been imprisoned for a very long time," Brac said.

"We can sit around all day talking about it," Natsu began as he stepped forward. He lit his hands on fire, fully illuminating the dark dungeon. "Or we could get these people out of here as soon as possible!" He swung his right hand at the bars in one swift motion. The heat and power of his flames melted the bars enough that he was able to easily snap off pieces. He continued his effort with alternating swings until there was almost nothing left of the iron cage.

Once Natsu finished, he turned to Brac. "These people are in no condition to help us fight and it would be too risky to bring them anywhere near the fighting. What should we do about that?"

Brac nodded his agreement and replied. "I agree with you, but I'll be damned if I leave these poor people in here any longer. They need to get out of here. My group and I will work on getting these people out of the dungeon and into a safe place to hide for now. You and your family should work on breaking down the rest of the cells and freeing everyone else. Come find us at the dungeon entrance when you've freed everyone."

Natsu looked at Mira and the two nodded. "We'll handle it. Count on us!"

"I always can," Brac said with a smile. "Now get to it!"

Natsu's flames sparked with increased vigor as he went to work breaking down each and every cell door. With each cell door broken, he would move further down the tunnel, making sure to alternate sides to get everyone. Meanwhile, the White Wing members worked to free everyone from their cages.

It was clear that the newer prisoners were kept farther back. As Natsu approached, he started to see people who were more responsive, crawling toward him, scratching at their cells, begging to be set free. While they were dressed the same, they had more fight and strength in them than the first few sets of prisoners. And with every cell door broken, swarms of wizards would poor out and rush towards the exit, tripping as they shrieked gleefully.

Before too long, Natsu, Mira, Serafine, and Happy reached the final occupied cell. It was in the darkest, coldest area of the dungeon since it was so far from any sun or air. However, Natsu's bright flames erased it all as they looked inside.

"Mira? Natsu?"

It was a soft girl's voice that drew their attention and in that moment had both of them frozen. Mira instinctively grabbed hold of Natsu's sleeve, her breaths catching in her throat. It was as if she had forgotten how to breathe. They both stared with wide eyes.

The young woman they saw looking back at them had long, messy, filthy white hair. Her blue dress was torn in many places and seemed like it could fall off of her at any moment. Her body was bruised, scratched, and unwashed. Her large, blue eyes reflected the light of Natsu's flames as she took everything in through long bangs.

Mira opened her mouth, but no words would come. She was still trying to convince herself that what she was seeing was real. It certainly felt like a dream. Her legs felt suddenly weak and without her hold on Natsu she probably would have collapsed to the ground.

With every bit of mental and emotional strength, she pushed one word out of her throat.

"L…Lis…anna?"

Happy fluttered to the ground, large tears leaking out of his eyes. "Is…is it really you, Lisanna?"

The young woman held herself up with thin arms. She seemed shocked at first, but soon her eyes began to tremble and tears began to form. With a weak smile, she crawled on her hands and knees over to the bars of her cage. Once she got there, she let out a weak laugh. "Yes…Happy, it's me. It's Lisanna!"

Happy couldn't hold it back any longer. His sorrow overflowed and he loudly wept with joy. He leapt at the bars, snaking his way through one of the irregular holes. Once he was through he dove for Lisanna's chest, burrowing his face in her breasts like he used to so many years ago whenever he was sad.

Lisanna wrapped her arms around her son and cried. "I never thought I would see you again. I can't believe it! But what are you doing here?"

"We came to find you," Happy said.

Lisanna blinked. "But…how did you—?"

Natsu snapped out of his stupor and refocused on his still burning flames. They roared to life with more intensity than before. "What's it matter? Let's bust you out of here!" He swung his arms and broke the bars completely like they were simple cardboard. The long metal rods fell to the stone floor with a loud clang. Everyone in the cell rose and flocked toward the light of Natsu's flames like moths.

Lisanna rose as well with Happy still in her arms. Slowly she approached the sister she hadn't seen in over ten years. "Mira," she rasped, her voice robbed of her from the whirlwind of emotions raging inside of her.

Mira practically lunged at Lisanna, embracing her tightly. Rivers of tears flowed down her cheeks and onto her sister's shoulder. "Lisanna! My Lisanna! I thought…I thought I would never see you again!"

Lisanna removed one arm from Happy to embrace her sister. She gripped her shirt in her hand. "I know. I still can't believe that you came all the way to Edolas."

Serafine watched everything unfold quietly. "So that's Aunt Lisanna?"

"Yeah," Natsu said softly. He had a smile on his face, his eyes glistening. "That's her."

Serafine smiled. She then gasped. "Umm…Papa?"

Natsu couldn't tear his eyes off of Mira and Lisanna, but he still acknowledged Serafine with a hum.

"L…Look at those people."

Natsu turned his head. What he saw…he couldn't even begin to explain it. Standing before him was a sea of familiar faces; faces from his friends from Fairy Tail.

There was Gray. And Cana. Elfman and Lucy, too. The only ones he didn't see in the cell were Erza, Gajeel, Laxus and Makarov. His eyes darted from face to face, trying desperately to make sense of the situation.

But before he could even hazard a guess, he was thrown for another loop.

He saw himself. And he saw Mira.

"What the hell is going on?" Natsu muttered.

Serafine gripped her father's pants and hid slightly behind him. She was totally freaked out by the sudden appearance of her parents' doppelgangers. "Papa, who are these people?"

Lisanna lifter her head and looked at Natsu. "Did that little girl just call you 'Papa', Natsu?"

Natsu nodded, eyes trained on his double. "Yeah. This is my daughter, Serafine."

Lisanna's eyes widened. "You…you have a daughter? Did you get married? To who?"

Mira lifted her head from Lisanna's shoulder and took a step back. She lifted her hand to show Lisanna the ring on her finger. "We have a lot to catch you up on, but now isn't the time. The short version is that Natsu and I are married and Serafine is our teenage daughter."

Lisanna was speechless.

Natsu forced his eyes closed and scratched his head furiously. "There are a lot of questions that we all have here, especially me, but like Mira said; now's not the time." He opened his eyes. "We need to get moving. Brac and the rest of White Wing are waiting for us outside."

"White Wing? What are they doing here?" Lisanna asked.

"We joined up with them to take down Faust," Mira explained. "If you're all feeling well enough, we could really use your help in the fight."

"You kidding?" 'Lucy' said while cracking her knuckles. A confident smile split her face. "We'd do anything to get revenge on that old bastard and rip him a new one!"

Natsu was taken aback. "Lucy, what the hell has gotten into you?"

'Lucy' raised an eyebrow at him. "I could say the same to you. 'Course I know you're not the real Natsu since my Natsu's right here." She flung her arm around 'Natsu''s shoulder. The pink haired man stumbled slightly and gave a small embarrassed smile.

Natsu roared at the ceiling. "Stop! This is really hurting my head! Let's just get the hell outside and start fighting!"

"RIGHT!" all of 'Fairy Tail' roared as they made a mad dash for the exit.

Natsu, Mira, Serafine, Happy, and Lisanna were the only ones still in the dungeon as the triumphant roar began to die down.

"Yeah," Natsu said with a sigh as the group began to follow the others. "You've got a lot to explain, Lisanna."

Lisanna looked out of the corner of her eye at Natsu before looking sorrowfully at the ground. "Yeah. You do too, Natsu."

The Dragneels and all of the freed prisoners met up with Brac and his group just outside the dungeon. There were several prisoners who were set up along the wall if they were too weak to stand. Everyone else was given some kind of small magic tool to fight with. Once everyone was equipped and magic cells were replaced for full charges, the mass of fighters took off for the Capital gates to meet up with the distraction unit.

"Man this sucks," Lucy complained, eyeing the magic tool in her hand. "I wish I had something better to fight with."

"Sorry, but we had to make sure we packed small. Otherwise a lot of people would be completely unarmed," Brac explained.

"It makes perfect sense," Cana said sweetly. "Thank you very much for all you've done."

"Think nothing of it, miss," Brac said.

"The front gate is up ahead!" one of the White Wing members announced.

The group entered the southern-most section of the Capital. They could see the distraction unit locked in combat with a small army of guards.

And a second later, there was an explosion.

A massive magic pulse had detonated right in the middle of the White Wing distraction unit. The ground shook violently, spewing up clumps of earth and stone, showering the advancing group. They were forced to stop to shield their bodies from the debris.

And once the dirt cloud settled, they were met with a most terrible sight.

The entire distraction unit had been wiped out. Every single member was lying on the ground, unmoving.

"No way," Natsu breathed. "What the hell just happened?"

Brac stepped forward slowly as if in a trance. "Joby…Milic…Sandra…everyone…" He then sharply inhaled. "Lucius…LUCIUS! WHERE'S MY BOY?!" His voice boomed across the area, eyes frantically scanning the bodies of his friends and fallen guards. He took off running, searching desperately for his son through the destruction.

Serafine felt her chest ache. "I'm going to help look!" she shouted as she took off running, not waiting around for permission or acknowledgement. 'Please, Lucius. Please don't be dead.'

She searched and searched, trying not to vomit at times when she came across a victim of the blast whose skin was charred or limb was missing. Whenever she saw someone like that, her mind would always replace their face with Lucius's face. It was a vision she couldn't bear.

Her search brought her to a small, collapsed wall. And it was there that she saw a familiar head of messy dark hair lying on the ground beneath a stone slab. Her heart felt like it had stopped. "Lucius!" She ran to his side and fell to her knees beside him. His eyes were closed and his face was covered in filth. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. "Hold on! I'll get you out!" she cried. She dug her fingers into the dirt to try and get a grip on the stone. However, the stone was much too large and far too heavy for her to lift. And yet, she wouldn't stop trying. She lifted with all of her might, long grunts escaping her throat. Her fingers rubbed against the stone roughly, cutting her skin, but she refused to stop. She had to save him.

"Serafine…"

A raspy voice made her freeze. She looked down to see Lucius's eyes half open and looking at her. His eyelids were fluttering, struggling to stay open. His breathing was labored. And he was smiling at her.

He blinked slowly. "Why are you crying?" he asked softly.

Serafine was confused. She reached a hand to her cheek and could feel wet warmth beneath her raw fingertips. She was crying. When had she started crying? She shook her head of the thought and leaned down slightly. "How could I not be crying? Look at you. You're hurt!"

Lucius huffed quietly. It was the best he could do to laugh. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Just smile instead."

"Don't be stupid! How could I smile seeing you like this?"

"Serafine, I never want to see you look sad. Please smile for me."

"I can't!" she wailed. Her tears were falling from her eyes faster and faster, dripping down onto the stone that covered Lucius's body.

Lucius's eyes were beginning to feel very heavy. "Then can you show me your flame again? I think it'll make me feel better."

Serafine sniffed and raised her hand. She stared at her palm intently, willing her flame to appear. But it would not come. "H…Huh? Wait, where is it?"

His eyes were beginning to close. "Your flame is so beautiful, Serafine."

"No, hold on! I'll get it! Just…just don't close your eyes okay?" she begged.

"It's so much like your smile," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "So bright and it fills me with such warmth."

Serafine's eyes were practically burning a hole in her palm. Suddenly, her flame sprung to life. "Ah! There it is! See, Lucius? Can you see my—?"

She stopped before she could finish. She had looked away from her palm when her flame appeared and looked back at Lucius. But the boy's eyes had closed.

Tears fell from Serafine's eyes and onto Lucius's still face. "No," she rasped. "Wake up! Lucius…wake up!" Her flame danced slightly in her palm, threatening to go out. "You didn't see my flame. You need to open your eyes." Lucius didn't respond. She gripped her shirt above her chest with her free hand and lurched forward. "LUCIUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS!"

Serafine's cries had alerted everyone to where he was.

The first one to arrive was Brac. His normal smile was completely gone and his bright, hopeful eyes had dulled completely. He collapsed to the ground on the other side of his son. He put a large hand gently on his cheek. "My boy…my son…" Large, wet tears streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry," Serafine croaked. She was still hunched over on her knees, eyes still leaking tears, small flame still burning in her palm. "I couldn't…I couldn't do anything for him. I couldn't smile for him like he wanted. I couldn't show him my flame like he wanted. Lucius, I'm sorry!"

"No, Serafine," Brac said softly. "The blame rests solely on my shoulders. I shouldn't have let him get so involved. This is no one's fault but my own."

Serafine didn't answer. She could only vent her sorrow.

Mira knelt beside her and rubbed her back. She didn't say anything. After all, she knew from experience; when someone you care about is taken from you, no words can clear away the pain. So she stayed silent, letting her daughter know that she cared through her presence.

"Well that was just sad."

A rough voice echoed on the silent wind. Stepping forward was a man covered almost completely in thick, heavy armor that had the Capital's symbol on the breastplate. His face was rugged and emotionless, scars from past battles above his right eye and across his jaw. His short, silver gray hair stood almost straight up as if it were electrified. Gripped in his hand was a massive sword. Smoke billowed from the steel as it rested on the man's shoulder.

The man stopped and eyed the intruders with cold, black eyes. "My Lord, King Faust, ordered me to the main gate to dispose of the flies that had gathered, but they were hardly worth my time. One swing was enough to kill them all. Pathetic."

Brac rose to his feet, fury taking over. "YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU TAKE MY SON FROM ME! AND MY FRIENDS! YOU WILL PAY FOR IT ALL!"

The man sighed. "I know you. You're Brac, aren't you? You've gained quite the reputation of being a thorn in my Lord's side." A wicked grin began to crack his façade. "You could actually give me a bit of fun."

Natsu stepped up next to Brac, flames enveloping his fists. Thick veins throbbed in his forehead and neck. "I may not have known them for long, but they were still people I could call friends! I will burn you to ashes!" The rest of White Wing and all of the freed prisoners stepped up behind the two with determination to avenge the others.

Mira stood up as well to join the fight. She wanted to give Serafine the chance to grieve alone. She walked up beside Natsu and took her Satan Soul form. "You think you can take all of us on at once? Laughable."

The man raised his sword. "Please. This many is nothing. I was made a General for my ability to deal with such disadvantage easily!" His blade began to glow bright orange. "Now I, General Krex, will eliminate all of my Lord's enemies!"

But before the fighting could begin, a massive and mighty flame burst to life with a powerful roar…

…from behind the freedom fighters.

It's funny...Lisanna was lost in Chapter 10 of A Diary's Secret and now she has been reunited with her family in Chapter 10 of this story. I really didn't plan for that. I love coincidences!