Chapter 7

A silent snarl crossing his face, Loke punched the man who'd intercepted him with probably much more force than was really necessary, sending him flying. When he landed, almost thirty feet away, he was already unconscious from the heavy blow - but that fact didn't soothe the lion's frustration in any way whatsoever.

He could smell the bastard wizard responsible for this whole mess somewhere nearby, but there was so much dust in the air from the fighting that he couldn't get a scent lock on the man. And since he was indeed staying rather close to Lucy at this point, it wasn't going to get any easier. At the moment it was looking like the only way he was going to find the cur was sheer luck, and that possibility didn't improve his deteriorating temper at all. He was running out of time and needed to take the wizard down soon, for Lucy's sake.

After a few minutes of once more trying to scent out Delenn and listening for any sounds in the immediate vicinity, he slunk further along his predetermined path before coming to a halt again. This time he looked up, and golden cat eyes blinked lazily as he took in the avenue of ancient trees spiraling out to encompass quite a large area.

That does look promising...

With a smirk he dashed towards the nearest one, and with a surprisingly high leap landed on a thick branch halfway up the tall tree. Lean form nimbly darting higher through a tangle of branches, Loke finally alighted near the top of the aged topiary and began scanning the grounds within eyesight of his perch. Not seeing anything from there after a few minutes, he once more began springing from limb to limb until he was in another tree a little further out, and again overlooked the area.

It took about half an hour and eleven more trees before he finally found what he was looking for. A menacing grin took his face, and the dark look in his eyes only made him seem all the more dangerous, the inherent bloodlust of the predator evident in him now in a way it had never been before.

So much for sheer luck. You're mine now, you wretched coward - you aren't getting the chance to run away again.

Creeping silently but fairly swiftly through the canopy, he got as close to his target as possible before jumping down onto feet so light that the dark mage hiding almost directly in front of him didn't hear a thing.

By the time he did it was too late, and Loke was upon him.

Taking Delenn down violently, the lion began pummeling the hell out of him, not giving him any chance to escape or even fight back through the endless rain of terrifying blows.

All his pent up frustration and aggression poured out, and he continued pounding the man into the ground without even using his power, just wanting to get as much pain from the piece of shit as he could before putting him out of his misery.

"You should never have dared to lay your hands on my mistress, you damned bloody bastard," he growled with savage pleasure as he heard a cracking sound from the mage's neck, and Delenn cried out in pain. "You would have lived a lot longer that way than you're going to now. And you're just lucky I'm not dragging this out more – but Lucy comes first and I need you out of the way, so your death will be a lot quicker than I'd originally planned."

Little more than half-conscious, and only awake at all because Loke had made sure he would be, the man managed to get a hand up and wrap it in his shirt. "D-don't... pat... yourself on the... back too... soon," the dark mage managed to rasp defiantly. His hand clenched spasmodically, tightening down on the spirit's shirt and tie and he grinned, blood dripping from his mouth.

Not sure what the fool was trying to do at first, a vicious snarl crossed the lion's face when he felt Delenn's darkness start to manifest, and without any thought he reacted.

He smashed his fist into the other man's throat and snarled, "Regulus Rising!" Light poured from his balled fist and a brilliantly glowing magic circle opened beneath them, and the ginger-haired spirit's luminescent power began burning its way through the other man's flesh from the front and back. He convulsed, his eyes wide with shock, before disappearing into the blazing golden light with a tortured scream.

Loke didn't move for some minutes after, just crouched there as he panted and pulled himself back from the brink. Finally, though, he regained enough of himself to stand. He absently readjusted his tie where it had been wrenched askew by Delenn's grip, despite the fact that his clothes were already entirely ruined, and then headed back towards Lucy and their friends.

He could no longer hear sounds of magic-based combat, but that wasn't so surprising. Since the one controlling her was now dead, Lucy would have collapsed. The thought that she would seem like little better than a dead body, laying in the dirt like a child's doll that had been dropped with no care, made him sick. He picked up his pace. The sooner they could get her out of here and back to the guild, where he could then begin trying to figure out how to safely erase the dark magic from within her, the better.

It didn't take him long to find Team Natsu – the high levels of destruction surrounding them gave them away every time. It was just a good thing that this place was already in ruins and no one would care if someone made it worse. When he arrived in the center of the mess, he found himself in front of what looked to have once been a small cathedral. Inside, the team was standing around the remains of an old altar, where they'd placed Lucy.

He grimaced. At least she's not in the dirt...

Approaching slowly, almost reluctant to see her so inert, Loke had to choke back tears as he took in her state. Bloody and bruised, she lay unmoving save for breathing, and his heart clenched. But even worse for him, he could see the dark energy writhing inside her and practically spilling from her skin. It was a sick, black taint on the purity of her soul. The horrific sight dropped him to his knees at her side.

He started to reach out to touch her, then hesitated. "Lucy," he whispered in anguish. "I should never have left you alone yesterday, I had such a bad feeling about it. This is... my fault. Oh, stars, this is my fault. I'm so sorry. I swore to protect you, and instead I failed you."

"You can't take responsibility for this, Loke," Erza said, moving to stand next to him. She looked down at her golden-haired friend, her mouth a straight, grim line across her face. "Lucy asked you to go back to the spirit world, and you did as she asked. You didn't attack her. Lay the blame where it belongs – on Delenn." She glanced at him. "His brother?"

The celestial spirit shook his head, though his eyes never left his mistress. "Didn't come across him. Or that other mage. But there's no time to worry about them right now," the lion replied, slowly getting to his feet again. "We need to get her back to the guild."

"Actually-" the red-haired mage eyed him speculatively, then continued, "-you're right. There's no time. Master pulled me aside last night while you guys were loading the carriage. He told me that if the dark magic isn't expelled from Lucy as soon as possible, we will lose her. If it's left inside her too long, eventually her soul will withdraw so far trying to escape from it that it won't be able to return. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what will happen then."

Beginning to feel panic grasping at his heart and clenching his lungs, he turned and faced the rest of the group. They all had sympathetic, yet resolute expressions, but they didn't know what they were asking him to do! They didn't understand! Feeling increasingly backed into a corner, he lashed out.

"No! I can't... can't do what you're asking, not to Lucy. Dammit! I can't hurt her!" Loke roared, dropping into a crouch and punching the floor with a glowing fist. He didn't even blink when several of the thick, large stones buckled beneath the heavy blow. "You don't know what you're asking!"

"I believe in you, Loke-san," Wendy said a little timidly from the back of the group. Everyone except the lion turned to look at her as soon as her voice registered on them. "You can do this. I know it. You can save Lucy-san, just like you always do. This time, you're the only one who can."

"Dammit..." the lion choked weakly as a heavy sense of inevitability settled over him. He punched at a section of floor again, though this time there was no real force in his blow, and he just left his fist pressed against the ground as he braced himself there. The others were astonished to see tears begin to roll down his cheeks from the once-more hazel eyes hidden behind his unruly bangs, and his rigidly gritted teeth clenched his jaw so hard it looked painful. After a moment, he managed to relax it just enough to say, "You're asking me to kill her," dully.

"She's already dead, like this," Natsu spoke up softly, not looking at any of them, instead staring at the sunlight outside with far-away eyes. "And if you don't do what Gramps said, she'll be gone forever. At least with your magic to chase away the darkness she has a chance. If you keep chickening out, though, she doesn't. It'll be all over."

His meaning was brutally clear even as the young man delivered the words almost gently, and Loke had never hated speech more than he did in that moment, because he couldn't deny that the pink-haired maniac was right.

The realization was like ashes in his mouth, bitter and cloying.

"Get out."

All of the group stared at him, their mouths hanging open - except Erza, who just looked on him with sad empathy. His manner inadvertently softened, though he turned his head away and refused to meet her understanding gaze. It hurt too much.

"Wait outside. Just... wait outside." He hadn't intended it, but his voice came out pleading rather than forceful, and he winced.

"Why are you freaking out so damn bad, man?" Gray finally asked, staring dubiously at Loke. In all the time he'd known the other mage, he'd never seen him lose his cool to this degree. Not over anything or anyone. He knew his friend cared about Lucy, just as they all did, but this reaction...

"Because I love her, you oblivious bastard! I don't want to lose her!" the lion roared, tears still on his cheeks as he tilted his head just enough to glare at the now-definitely stunned wizard through one redly-enraged eye. "And this is a one-in-a-hundred chance."

A low growl ripped from his throat as everything that could go wrong played out in full color behind his eyes, and he clenched them closed in reaction, trying to chase the hellish visions away.

"If Lucy... if she... you'd better all run as fast as you can and get the hell away from this place, because I'll go supernova, and there won't be much but a several-mile wide crater left behind when I do. I don't want to be responsible for your deaths." He opened his eyes again and stood up from his crouch, taking his cracked sunglasses off. Clenching his fist, he crushed them into tiny pieces before letting them fall, then wiped the tears from his face. His eyes were flat, cold, and hard – the gaze of a dangerous and very angry predator. "Remember what I told you and keep it firmly in mind. Now get out."

"How are we supposed to know if that happens if we're outside?" Natsu challenged, though he eyed the lion warily the whole time.

Loke didn't even bat an eyelash at the question. "Oh, you'll know," he said in an ominous tone. "You'll know."

"But-"

He never got past that one word, Titania grabbing him by his ever-present scarf and cutting off whatever it was he'd been about to say. Then she motioned to the others, and they all began to head out of the ruined edifice obediently.

Loke couldn't have been more grateful, because he was right on the edge of losing it, and he didn't want them to see that – especially Wendy. He met the weighing gaze the redhead turned on him this time, and she nodded after a moment. She didn't say anything, simply following the others out with Natsu still in tow. Graceful Erza. Always so clear-sighted and insightful into other people's pain. I'll have to find a way to thank her after this is over... if I survive.

If Lucy survives.

Once the others were out of sight, he turned back and looked at his mistress. The beast inside prowled anxiously just under his skin, and his eyes changed again in reaction as he stared at her. Beautiful celestial maiden, he thought after a moment. There's nothing in any realm that even begins to compare. Your heart is so big and loving... it would be a crime to let you fade away.

"I hope you can forgive me someday for what I'm about to do," he rasped softly. "But just know that if you don't... don't survive, I'll be right behind you, even in death. We're a team, right? Partners... nakama. And if you decide you hate me when we get to the other side, then I'll accept that as just punishment for failing to save you. Even if it breaks my heart-" he choked himself off as tears welled up again in forlorn golden eyes.

Unable to speak anymore through the sheer emotion clogging his throat, Loke stepped forward and scooped the small blonde woman into his arms. Then he turned and sat on the ground with his back to the altar, and settled her gently in his lap as comfortably as possible. Once he had her where he wanted her, he looked at her still face, and tenderly brushed a lock of soft hair back over her shoulder.

He inhaled deeply to steady himself, beginning to gather in his power. It was now or never.

Clenching his eyes shut, he let his head fall forward and whispered, "Regulus:Lionheart."

Immediately beneath them a magic circle opened up; though it was small, it was glowing a bright crimson like fresh blood, and it pulsed as if it were itself a beating heart. Ever so slowly it grew in size, the pulsing getting stronger as it did, until it was an actual forceful presence in the broken remains of the once-cathedral.

"I hope this will help protect you at least somewhat," he said as the red light grew around them, then gritted his teeth as he forced a spell that he wouldn't normally be using – she would. It took a few, but eventually the light got so bright that they were completely obscured by it for several seconds. When it faded, Lucy was wearing her Leo stardress, and he'd broken into a cold sweat from the effort.

But he'd do it a million times over if it meant saving her. He hoped the stardress would work to assist him in protecting her even while he purged the darkness from her. If it could fine tune his control just that little bit more and link them more strongly together for this, it might mean the difference between life and death for his mistress. He couldn't ask for anything more.

He opened his eyes again and stared down at her, devouring her face desperately. He'd run out of time, and he was terrified. He couldn't even breathe.

I can't let myself panic, that way only lies disaster. I have to concentrate. Nothing can be allowed to get in the way of saving Lucy. Not even my fear.

But...

Tilting his head down, he whispered into her ear, "I love you, Princess. I had to tell you, just in case. I hope you can hear me, at least on some level," and then, with a deep sigh, he sat back up. After a last moment of staring at her beloved little face, he began slowly sending his heart's red light into her through the stardress.

Warm tendrils of his power began seeping into her body, slowly overtaking the darkness hiding within. It was a measured assault, a gentle incursion that nonetheless did not fail to be as painful as he'd known it would be. His heart cracked just that little bit more as her body arched in agony, though she didn't make a sound, and more tears slipped down his cheeks. In that moment his heart was in his eyes, and the anguish in it at what he was being forced to do was clearly visible. He didn't allow that to stop him, however, continuing to feed the power of all the stars in his constellation through her. That was what Regulus:Lionheart did – gathered power from all the stars in Leo, and then funneled it through his heart system and thus into him.

It was his ultimate power... something he'd almost never used.

His arms tightened around Lucy's body as she writhed in unvoiced torment, and he hoped with all his heart that she wouldn't remember this, even if that meant her not remembering his words of love. He'd rather that, than her have any memory of enduring such pain.

As silent tears began to fall from her closed eyes, his heart fractured even more.

I would take it all for you if I could, mistress. Please just hold on a bit longer, the darkness is almost gone!

He leaned his head against her, his nose brushing hers as his own tears joined hers on her skin, and he lifted a hand to run his fingers over her cheeks in an ethereal caress that still managed to hold all the love and devotion he was capable of. He swept his lips across her cheekbone, only barely grazing her flesh in a wistful attempt to soothe her. Her vivid pain was tearing a hole in his psyche, one that would probably never fully heal. This day would definitely leave scars behind, even if they survived it.

"Just a little more," he managed to say aloud. "Please don't let go, Lucy. Hold onto me and I will guide you through the storm."

More exhausted than he could ever remember being, Loke pushed through it with fierce determination. He couldn't allow his weariness to cause him to lose the woman in his arms, and he gritted his teeth as he forced the flow of power ever tighter, eyes falling closed as both of them faded from sight, completely enveloped in the blinding heat of his celestial radiance.

To the worried group outside, who had all been watching through holes in the tumbled walls, it appeared as though a red sun was rising inside the cathedral. It was probably the most holy event the ancient edifice had ever witnessed, and as the glowing forms of their friends disappeared into its searing brilliance, they were all forced to close their eyes and hide their faces from it.

It was in that moment that they all finally understood just what Loke really was. Sure, they knew he was a celestial spirit, the representation of the zodiac lion, but those were just words... and they had never truly sunk in.

Now, though, the truth was literally blazing right in their faces, and every single one of them were left speechless and overtaken by awe.

And inside the cathedral light continued to bleed outward, only growing in intensity...

~~LoLu~~

There! The end of it!

With a desperate push, Loke flung the last of his strength into one final assault on the dark magic trying to burrow itself deep into Lucy's soul. Within the eye of the storm, crimson and gold light twisted violently together as the lion poured the rest of his heart into the battle. With careful precision, he guided the light after the fleeing darkness, mercilessly chasing and purging it from the stellar mage bit by bit.

The girl held so tightly against him thrashed violently, her body still arched in an agonized, silent scream as the magic seared at her, burning away the encroaching darkness. Loke threw his head back with a roar, and with an explosion of energy so vast it almost seemed as though it were impossible, the entire interior of the cathedral and most of its surroundings was filled with light. It was like the entire Regulus system itself had descended into that ancient place.

Every last bit of darkness still inside the girl in his arms dissipated, scorched away by the incandescence that was the stellar lion. Under that surge she stiffened for endless-seeming seconds, her body battered and weakened. And then she slumped down in his lap, the dark magic gone, and he let his power go.

The blazing red light died down as quickly as he'd called it up, and then darkness overcame Loke and he slumped over Lucy, drained and unconscious.

But even unaware as he was, he didn't let go his protective hold on his mistress, and to the awed and distressed group of friends left to run inside after the magic had dissipated, it was now more than clear that he really did love the celestial mage. He'd given everything he had to give, his very heart's most powerful magic, and then more besides - all to save her. You didn't go so far for anything less than the most sacred of loves.

Gray was the first to reach the entwined couple, and he knelt before them, then hesitantly reached out to move Loke's arms so that they could examine the both of them. But the lion fought him, even in his deep sleep. The ice mage sighed.

"Come on, man, you've got to let go so we can take care of her. You did your part, now it's our turn. And we need to help you, too... 'cause you don't look too good, either. Just let go – we've got you guys."

By the time Erza and the others neared, Gray already had Lucy in his arms and was laying her back on the altar so that they could check her over. "Wendy!" he called urgently. "I don't think she's breathing - hurry!"

The young girl ran forward, stepping carefully around Loke, though her attention didn't waver for a second from her new patient.

"Come, Natsu, Happy," Erza began, reaching out with one arm and snagging both shocked and scared males in an iron fist. "You can do nothing to help Lucy right now. Let Wendy do what needs done in peace." Then she reached down and grabbed the lion, heaving him over her shoulder. "We will go over there-" she pointed, "-and lay Loke down. After that, I don't think he's going to be moving on his own anytime in the next few hours. Maybe even days."

Natsu had been silent since telling the celestial spirit to basically get on with it earlier, and he followed Erza, cautiously eyeing the ginger-haired man all the while.

When they got to a distance from Wendy, Gray, and Charle that she felt comfortable with, Erza lowered the sleeping lion to the floor again, straightening him out as she went.

She watched the two working over the blonde for a moment - and the white exceed hovering over them - and then she sighed and sat down next to Loke.

"I didn't know he was so strong," Natsu said after a few minutes, time he'd spent staring at the lion with a new respect.

"He hides much of himself away," Erza agreed. "His facade is well-fitted and polished, but sometimes it crumbles. If you happen to catch those times, you begin to realize that he has depths that have never been plumbed. There's a sadness in him... I've seen it in his eyes. He's seen too much. As old as he has to be," she shuddered, "I can't even imagine it. All the dreams, the losses, the people coming in and out of your life like butterflies flitting aimlessly around a meadow. Blink and they're dead and gone, and new butterflies are surrounding you. No... immortality is not for me."

The dragon-slayer joined her on the ground, looking contemplatively at her as he thought about her words. "Does the brevity of their life mean the butterflies aren't worth enjoying?"

The redhead looked struck; she stared at him as his words tumbled over and over through her mind.

Brevity? I didn't think Natsu would even know a word like that. But he's like Loke in one way, I suppose – there's a lot still hidden inside him. He has those same depths that our celestial friend there has, and we've only just begun to scratch the surface.

"Still," she murmured, looking down at Loke's strained face. He looked exhausted and disheveled, as though he'd just come through a war. "Immortality? I can't imagine it. The burden of such a thing... No... I'm glad I'm human and don't have to worry about that. "

Natsu shrugged. "I'll live as long as I live. I don't think about it. There's no point, right? If my life has proved anything, it's that even time can be manipulated." Then he let out a strange laugh. "I'm four hundred years old, if you want to get technical about it. I guess we dragon slayers are about as immortal as humans get."

"You aren't immortal," Happy snorted. "You cheated - you didn't live through those years."

Erza breathed a silent laugh. "He's got a point."

Gray's voice interrupted the conversation, and they all turned to look at the dark-haired man.

"She's breathing again... You did it, Wendy!"

The interior of the cathedral rang with happy shouts for the first time in hundreds of years as Team Natsu celebrated the victory.

They hadn't forgotten that the battle was only half over. But the rest of it was up to Lucy, and none of them could help her with it. They could only hope she'd find her way back to them. Still, they'd made it this far, and they believed in the blonde woman. They had faith in her, because they knew how tenacious she was inside, where it counted – where this battle would take place.

She would wake up. There was simply no other acceptable outcome.

~~LoLu~~

A/N: This chapter was a little difficult to write – not in words, but in emotion. I wanted to keep them all in character, but yet allow people to see into their thoughts and feelings a little. Especially Loke's. This was a very emotional chapter for him, and I hope I portrayed him believably through the whole thing. This is how I see him, though, and I won't apologize for that. That said, I hope everyone enjoys!