Chapter 40
Their Coup
I stumbled forward, my knees almost buckling beneath me. Ultear swept forward, catching me as my eyes stayed glued to the horrific image of my father's corpse.
"Ultear, there is someone approaching." I heard Bickslow say but his voice was foggy, barely swimming through the cloud of darkness sweeping through my mind. It was bizarre to see a parent, someone who had a part in your making, who assisted you growing up, slung to the wall like a piece of meat.
I knew my father and I had never seen eye to eye, and he was often a misogynistic, small-minded bigot, but I loved him unconditionally. No matter how many times he put me down.
And no-one, no-onedeserved this.
Ultear pulled me to the side, holding my weight easily, "I'll snap Lucy out of it, can you take care of it?"
I sensed Bickslow was going to give her an affirmative, but a smug voice filled the air.
"Do you like my handiwork?"
I managed to move my eyes from my father's pale, paper-like skin. The man standing there was tall, unnaturally thin with dark bags under his eyes. His lips were stretched into an unnaturally wide grin. Above the, was a dark, long moustache that almost reached down to his chin.
When nobody answered him, he let those crazed eyes wander over to my father, and his eyes twinkledin glee.
"Admittedly, he didn't scream very well. But the stuttered, gurgling breaths at the end are always my favourite."
Tears blurred my vision at how pleased he looked when he spoke about torturing my father to… death.
"Who are you?" Bickslow asked, stepping between us, obscuring my line of sight of the man and his of me.
"My name is Jose Porla. A pleasure to meet you all and welcome you to the Heartfilian Castle."
"Lucy." Ultear whispered to me, and I slowly turned my head to her, trying hard to swim out of the fogginess that bubbled inside my head. She gave my arms a tight squeeze and the pain cleared my head enough, so I could focus on her stern words.
"We need to continue moving. Are you able to do that?"
"My father…"
The fierce look in her eyes softened for a moment, "I know. But the only thing you can do for him now is take revenge. He is already gone. Will you let his death be in vain?"
"But it already was in vain!" Jose laughed a big, crackling laugh, and the noise seemed to shake the floor even more, "He died simply because he was the king of a kingdom, that my lady required to gain her ultimate treasure."
"And that is?" Bickslow asked coolly.
"To break the Heartfilian princess and take her animal soul, of course. With that, my lady V will finally be complete, a god among this earth."
"Bickslow," I breathed out weakly, letting my eyes slide away from Ultear's heated ones to the corpseof my father.
Only the slight tilt of his head in my peripheral vision let me know he was listening. I gulped, licking my dry lips, feeling the sweat on my forehead cool with the soft breeze that passed through the open doors.
Then I sealed another man's fate.
"Kill him."
I noticed the way Jose puffed his chest out, as if he was about to scoff, but he never made it to that point. A green light erupted from his chest, making him stumble and then Bickslow moved. It was nothing like I had expected – a soldier going into battle, reacting to orders like a robot. Bickslow moved like a deadly assassin, here one minute, gone the next.
With Jackal, I could track his movements, but with Bickslow, he moved too quickly for my eyes to follow.
A hand wrapped around Jose's thin neck and Bickslow soundlessly twisted his body, using all that force and a stream of green light from his fingertips. Ultear and I watched motionless, as Bickslow flung that long, tall body straight into one of the castle walls.
Once Jose impacted, and groaned, attempting to straighten his body out, Bickslow spoke.
"Ultear, continue on the journey with Princess Lucy," His hands reached up to his mask, unclipping the metal klatches on either side slowly. My heart pounded with each soft click, that seemed deafening despite the rumble of the wall currently splitting with the force of Bickslow's throw.
"Be careful."
I saw a short, cropped thick tuft of blue hair appear when he finally removed that visor, but he did not turn around to give me that smug grin.
"I will join you as soon as I am done here. Rest assured, the crime he has committed against your blood will be paid in full."
The fight between Bickslow and Jose rattled through the castle walls, as Ultear and I hurried through the long corridor. It was a horrible noise, two creatures fighting to the death, and I was so terribly frightened for Bickslow. The idea that I had just given him an order he could possibly not carry out, was weighing heavily on my mind and heart.
Ultear stopped, shoving me to the side just as a blur hit her front. With two quick movements, Ultear grabbed the zombies' arm and twisted it so far back that it snapped off. That stunned it for a quick second, long enough for Ultear to push her ice through its body and tear it apart.
"Sorry." Ultear didn't sound the least breathless, walking over to the wall I had collided with, wrapping my arm back around her neck, "Didn't mean to totally bowl you over."
"How did you know it was even coming? It appeared out of nowhere."
I limped as quick as I could go, annoyed that I was injured in the first place. I was in the middle of a life or death situation with another handicap, as if one wasn't enough.
Ultear only responded by pulling up her hand. Five tiny orbs hovered from the shadows in front of us, one as far as the third door on the right.
"It's like having little motion-sensors. Good fun for the family."
I breathed out an impressed laugh, shocked that she was still able to make me smile considering we had entered with four, and now it was just us.
I didn't regret my decision to send Jackal to assist those captured in the dungeon, but Bickslow… I had no time to assess exactly how powerful Jose was. I was fueled on emotion, and that could possibly get Bickslow killed.
"Stop worrying about old visor-head back there. I saw the magic quantities he was putting off." Ultear stated, her voice slightly amused, "Almost drool-worthy. Tall, mysterious and packed with power. Something I like in a man."
"Ultear." I complained with a little giggle, pointing to a hallway ahead and she began to move us in that direction.
"I'm serious. The mohawk is a little weird, I'll admit but god damn, for that much power, I'd shave my head in that exact style."
"You're horrible." I stifled my incredulous smile, trying to remember what Natsu had said about the possibly union between Ultear and Bickslow.
Something about it being a curse or a blessing, maybe?
"Another two coming, off to the side Luce, you need to save your strength." Ultear pushed me again, gentler this time. I watched as they both came speeding around the corner, long limbs, awkward movements as if they weren't quite able to catch their feet but so bizarrely fast.
She lifted her right arm and two spears of ice formed out of thin air, slamming right through the first's neck and stomach. Then she flexed her fingers just slightly and spikes of ice erupted through the body, shredding the skin like finely cut lettuce.
The second was finished almost quicker than the first.
"When it's just one or two, they are almost too easy to take down."
"I understand why they work better as a swarm, individually they are quite weak." I replied as we continued on our way, "Dealing with a multitude though, it would be very difficult."
"And seriously creepy. Did you see the way that first one's jaw hung so low? He could have smacked himself in the boob with that thing."
I stifled another laugh, "Would you stop? We need to remain serious."
"If I can't remain witty in the face of unknowable odds, then I wouldn't stick true to my branding."
"Is that branding a lowly witch with nothing but two cent tricks up her sleeve?"
A voice that belonged to neither of us broke our easy comradery, and I finally focused on what waited for us at the end of the hallway, only a few feet from the entrance to the grand hall.
"I know you." I stated, gazing down at the woman who stood there, arms crossed, a deadly smirk on her lips. Her figure was as voluptuous as I remembered, but instead of the red plated armor she wore in the tournament, she wore silver now. There were thin barbs along the sides of her arms, glinting sharply in the light, and her boots had steel tips that did not look very welcoming.
"Minerva of Cattlingdale. I have to say, it's not a surprise we find you in our path. You never quite got over Erza beating you shitless in the Tournament of the Fey." Ultear stated, her voice unimpressed and unwelcoming.
Minerva's body shifted forward in aggression, "The game was rigged in that red-headed harlots favour. I almost had her."
"Almost being the operative word," Ultear shot back, "I heard your mother kicked you out because of the… tantrum you threw once you lost. Adopted yourself a sugar mommy, have you?"
"You'll pay for the disrespect, bitch."
"Bring it, cow."Ultear spat in reply, and I twisted away just in time. Minerva collided with Ultear, the forth being to attack Ultear head on in the last ten minutes.
However, this opponent was very different than the ones previous. Minerva had a brain, however diluted and sociopathic, and she was going to use it.
They were evenly matched, magic flying widely, barely gazing skin, as they dodged and attacked seamlessly, trying to find an opening. Ultear swept Minerva's feet out from under her, then sent three white orbs directly against her skin.
The explosion made the hallway shake, and Minerva screamed in fury and pain. I flinched back, moving further away from the fight. Ultear glanced at me, clearly making sure I was undamaged. I gave her a small smile, touched that she was even checking.
But in that moment of protection, Minerva brought her arms around, breaking through the ice and a tiny black ball appeared between her palms.
"Oblivion." The explosion lifted me right off my feet, and slammed me into a wall, stealing my breath, rattling my head from impact.
But Ultear… Ultear was much worse.
She was flung back against the furthest wall, and I cried out in horror when she slammed directly against a jagged piece of stone.
Minerva huffed as she stood. I tried to get up, to move my legs but she glanced over her shoulder, eyes flaring dangerously.
"Suffocate."
The air zapped from my lungs again, and I helplessly tried to heave in breaths. Ultear moaned in pain, slumping down from the wall, a streak of red smearing from her back against the dark grey stone.
"Delivering the princess to V, that's my job. But killing you, that'll just be a bonus." Minerva sneered, limping over to Ultear's crumpled body. She tried to lift herself up, eyes meeting mine as my heart thudded, desperately trying to get my lungs to work.
Panic flared in me, my eyes watering with tears when she tried to stumble her way up, trying to get to me.
Minerva punched her back down. My heart broke at the cry Ultear made, blood dropping from her nose when she lifted her head back up to find me again. Black spotted my eyes, and I pressed my hands to my throat, feeling numb, and somehow excruciating pain all at the same time.
It was so hard to concentrate, so hard to think, so hard to…
Minerva lifted her hand, a smaller black ball of magic appearing, and through the muffled endings of my hearing I heard.
"Extingui-"
She never finished the word because the ceiling caved in. An armored body landed solidly between Ultear and Minerva, a sharp roundhouse kick snapping across Minerva's face. Breath rushed back into me immediately, a lung full of air that felt so sweet and right that I had to breathe out a sob.
But it was also due to the person who had just saved my life and Ultear's.
"Now Minerva, I believe the last time we saw each other, I told you to keep those vapid lips closed or else I'd sew them shut." Erza's voice sung through my ears like a sharp angel cry of "halle-fucking-lujah!".
I scrambled up onto my feet, and over to them, helping Ultear onto her ass instead of her front.
"Erza, that was… a great entrance." Ultear gasped out, eyes shutting as her body worked overtime to heal. I squeezed her hand, tears lingering my eyes at the rebounding horror still inside me.
Erza's husky laugh made me smile, turning to her as she looked down at Ultear fondly.
"I figured you would appreciate it." I reached out to grab Erza's hand, knowing this was no time for a hug or a explosively emotion pow-wow. Erza squeezed it back, her strength and determination flowing through me.
Minerva's low growl made us all look over to the woman who was currently lifting herself off the floor.
"Now Ultear, Lucy, you have better things to be doing than playing with a useless rat.Allow me to handle this."
"Didn't realize you were able to handle pest-control?" Ultear, unable to not make a joke even in a situation such as this, breathed out with a little laugh.
"I don't just handlethem, I specialize in it. Just ask Natsu."
"Is he here?" I asked, my heart racing for an entirely different reason.
Erza shifted into a more combative stance, but glanced down at me with a fond smile, "I left Gajeel with him. Last time I saw them, they were helping Jackal move the prisoners from the dungeons into safety. A very large hoard of zombies out there, but nothing they can't handle."
Relief breathed into me that Natsu was here, Natsu was safe, and that Gajeel had protected Erza. I wanted so badly to see if she still had that shadow of black around her but my power was so testy that I doubted it would work.
"I am very impressed that you sent Jackal down there to assist the innocents. Not exactly the first person I would choose but he seems adequate enough." Erza stated, her voice fond and proud, even as she lifted her sword and sent it flying. It sliced right into Minerva's shoulder, pinning her to the near wall without even a sweat broken.
"Where is Bickslow, if I may ask?"
"He's dealing with Jose Porla. The man who killed…" My voice ran off, and I gazed back down at Ultear who closed her eyes, and straightened a little more, her temperature running hot as she healed.
"I am sure wherever you have placed him is suitable. We can discuss this at another time."
I nodded in agreement, and helped Ultear up, mindful of my own injury and hers. She stumbled a few times before stating, her voice a little more back to normal, "I'm good. Just fine. Let's do this."
I didn't argue, instead we just moved past Erza who was approaching Minerva with a calculating superior look in her eye.
"I will be right in there once I am finished with this."
Once we reached the doors, and I pushed on them, I was surprised and annoyed that it didn't budge. They didn't even move. As if an enormous force was pressing on it from the other side.
I turned to Ultear to give her a watery smile, "You called me Luce earlier, you know that?"
She gave me a wry grin back, "It's cute. It's like I'm part of your little coup."
"You're more than that. You're family."
Even though her eyes misted over, she still gave me a befuddled look, "This is sweet and all, but why now? We could have had this moment earlier."
"Just trying to remind myself who I'm fighting for." I replied softly, before placing my hand on the door.
"Step back." I stated to Ultear who did so, reading the command in my voice. Then I let go of the barrier that held my power locked so tight. And I rode it all the way through my body.
And she's back on time, with another gift for you lovely little ducklings!
So maybe one or two of you mentioned the grammatical errors of the last chapter – I am entirely aware of these as well so don't you worry! I lost my editor (unfortunately, no hard feelings though) and that was a huge hit to my writing as well. I am planning in the future to go back and do some more editing & checking but currently, at the moment, I have literally no time
I am pushing to get these out on time as it is!
So if you will please bare with me on these unedited pieces,, or just you know… not read it? I would be so grateful!
It's great to see my readers still kicking and commenting, you guys really drove me to stick to my promise and get this one out on the right date!
Please leave another comment and tell me what you thought!
also recap for the person who asked for it; lucy died but turns out it was second awakening, acnologia came back to be ultimate dad-mirage, lucy and natsu have grown closer but the ominous fact that she finds his demon hot af and the demon is interested leaves natsu's panties in a wad, big bad banshee V who has poison in her scream (she possesses the snake soul) attacked the castle and acnologia being ultimate DAD material took the shot so natsu could survive, madness between END & Goth-Tattoeed!Lucy ensured, ultimate gang is formed; jackal, bickslow, ultear, erza, natsu and Lucy, these peeps all head to the star kingdom for final showdown, erza and natsu split off from group to put orbs in ground to protect neighbouring towns from lucy's scream, lucy manages to get into the kingdom by sensing a mirage after the gang finds out that evil banshee V turns a large portion of lucy's peoples into mindless, soulless zombies, everyone is gonna die ~ fin
Stay fresh!
xo freshprincess