A/N - Let me just apologize that this chapter is so short. If you read the Author Note on the last chapter, you know I was writing both of these today and while still being sick, I ran out of steam towards the end.

Tomorrow should should be better (hopefully) and longer, so please bear with me a little longer.

Dead Stars

By Genavere

Chapter Three - You Deserve This

Spinning the ring of celestial keys around his finger, Abex Trollbeard chuckled leaned back with a chuckle. Even after given them a run for their money, finding their target by the derailed train had been a stroke of luck. There had been no sight of the other person she had carried when they had attacked her the first time, but that mattered little.

What mattered to him sat strapped to the chair in the middle of the room and the keys in his hands. Two more celestial mages to go, and two more golden keys. Once he had them all, everything would fit into his plans.

"Has anyone heard from the Northern team yet?" He looked over his shoulder at the large number of individuals he had consigned to this task. A grand mixture of mages and normal folk that he had managed to convince of the wrong doings of all celestial wizards. Being a rare breed, it had been easy to ostracize and dehumanize them. Three beautiful women, with great assets, and the ability to summon otherworldly creatures.

He smirked, catching the keys easily in his fist. Not difficult at all.

"No, sir," a voice near the back reported. A frown replaced his smirk.

"No? By all reports, that wench should have arrived in the area by now, correct?"

"That's correct, sir," the same voice replied. "But the Northern team has yet to send any news stating they have captured her."

"Imbeciles," he swore. It mattered little that his own team had only collected their target by a stroke of luck. "Someone bring out the healing perfume. I want her awake when we start."

One of his cloaked minions ran over to the chair and pushed a vial of a greenish-blue perfume under her nose before uncorking it. Getting his hands on that vial had cost him more than he would ever admit, but now that he had one of them in his grasp, the lost jewel had been worth it. Coughing filled the room and the figure left the woman as she began to look around.

He noticed her eyes settled on the black, one-armed coat they had thrown onto the floor before shackling her to the chair. The chair looked similar to those their ancient counterparts had used during torture interrogations. Very fitting since his own plans revolved around doing that to all of the celestial mages they found. They would all perish at his hands after experiencing pain unlike anything they had ever experienced. And once they were gone, he would hold all their keys and he would be the strongest.

"W-what's going on?" Her panicked voice brought him a warm sensation of pleasure through him. Now awake, her ample bosoms rose haughtily up into the air with each deep breath she took.

He walked up to her and grinned when her eyes snapped up to his. Behind him, squeaky wheels indicated the carts full of his tools were being brought in. His grin widened as he thought of how loyal his dogs truly were.

"Tell me," his gripped the arms of the chair with her wrists under the palms of his hands. "What brings a young woman like yourself here?"

Oh, the fire in her eyes sparked an interest he sought to chase after. "You attacked the train I was on. Else, I wouldn't be here."

"And you survived that train crash, very impressive, I must say." He hand his fingers up her arm and moved to stand behind her. "Tell me, are you sure you would not have been here? You wouldn't have been going to check on reports of anomalies, would you?"

A stillness in her muscles told him everything he needed to know. Leaning forward, his breath caressed her ear and his fingers dug into her shoulders. "So tense! Are you perhaps hiding something from me?"

"You bastard…do you know how many innocent people you injured? How many you murdered!?"

"Less people in my way," he answered with a shrug. "What is your friend's name?"

The muscles in her jaw clenched in answer.

"Come now, if he won't tell us, and you won't, how will we know what to call him?"

He moved around in time to see her eyes dart to the side again and stare at the jacket on the ground. Whoever it was that had come with her, he would need to send people out to take care of him. Any hiccups in his plan would not be tolerated.

Grabbing an item from the cart, he moved back to her and grabbed one of her hands. Instinctively, she fisted her fingers together and fought as he pried her pointer up and into his fist. The device he held went to her once muddied nail and clenched around it. Thought it did not seem the best time to realize it, someone had cleaned her up. Had it been Natsu? Or had captors? Then where did his coat come from?

"Not going to tell me anything?"

The way his voice purred as if asking what her favorite color sent shivers of disgust through her. It made her wish her legs were free to give him a Lucy Kick.

"Very well."

She cried out, her body spasming as a sharp needle buried itself under her nail and buried itself back to the knuckle. The nerves felt alight with fire and the rod made it near impossible to bend her finger without another round of pain going through her nerves.

"Not what you expected, was it?" He chuckled and prepared the next finger. "Everyone always thinks I am going to tear their nail right off. Makes it so much better when that surprise hits them."

"W-why? Why are you doing this?"

"Why?" Their eyes met and she swore the confusion she saw there added to the growing fear in her gut. "Isn't it obvious? You deserve this. All celestial wizards do. Now be good and let me hear you scream."

A/N - This chapter was going to showcase Natsu, as well, but since I ran out of steam, his part will come tomorrow. Lucy will be suffering, and he will be seeking her out.

Just have to decide if I will go with tomorrow's prompt, or decide to use an alternate one...