Chapter V
In a few moments, Zeref's magic would swallow her, feet first. Then it would work its way up until she suffocated.
Lucy turned, desperately searching for another ledge. There has to be something! She heard Natsu's wingbeats behind her. She looked over her shoulder just as the phoenix lifted her up into the air.
For a heartbeat, the blonde thought he would drop her, but he seemed to be much stronger than Lucy had guessed. He rose up higher in the sky, looking down at Zeref with an expression Lucy couldn't read.
"Running away?" a new voice said, a thorny vine whipping past the airborne pair.
Natsu and Lucy looked at the ground in unison. Standing there was a dark-haired demon, holding a book. He had a practiced smirk on his face as he calmly gazed back at them.
"Mard Geer," Zeref greeted with both surprise to see him and disgust that he had interrupted the battle.
"Forgive me," the demon said. "But I would like to lessen your to-do list." When Zeref only replied with a scowl, Mard Geer continued. "Of course, I will leave the phoenix in your dark path of destruction. I will simply dispose of the girl."
Zeref nodded after a pause. "Very well."
"Get those two apart!" Mard Geer ordered, and suddenly a group of demons dropped down from the sky. Lucy had no idea where they came from, but she was panicking.
Natsu bellowed again, his flame swallowing the demons that flew at them. However, they all came out unscathed. They slashed claws and tails at Natsu and Lucy, kicking the phoenix's side on occasion.
Natsu winced at the attacks, but he did his best to defend Lucy and protect her from harm. Lucy felt a few stings of pain, but she wasn't as badly injured as Natsu was. The phoenix was bleeding from several deep cuts, and he was bruised badly.
Deciding not to be a damsel in distress any longer, Lucy pulled out a whip that she had attached to her belt. She swung it back, then swiftly yanked forward, making hard contact with one of the demons. It narrowed its eyes, looking at the cut, then darted towards her.
While Natsu was distracted with the others, the demon hit Lucy on the head, backing away quickly. It was only a moment later that the girl felt the explosion, and her vision failed her.