A/N: Alright guys, this is the anti-penultimate chapter! Only two more after this. And both are kind of like epilogues.

Thank you to FoxOnPie, Lightmoon54, Shonnyterra, ElodieKumari94, TivaNaluKick4evs, rosella ice, VsfMark and ahaurats-FT for reviewing, favoriting and/or following! :)

Now, I really hope you guys all cry and hate me after this chapter, because that will mean that I have done well as a writer. ^.^ Try not to hold too many grudges, ne? :3 Now that you're all so scared to read this chapter, I'll let you get to it! :D So pull up your favorite sad, emotional song on YouTube and get reading! :D


Chapter Sixteen – Sacrifice

Erza

I sank to my knees in defeat. The whole world seemed to be swallowed up with crippling darkness and despair. I could not find it within myself to even lift my head, so consumed with darkness was I. The townspeople staggered to a halt, looking around in detached confusion. It was as if they were machines and their power chords had been pulled.

They were drawn to our light, the fires burning within us. But now we have none. The darkness is all that remains.

A deep, soul-consuming coldness filled me, leaving me numb. The icy fingers crawled through my body, squeezing my heart in a frozen fist. Dimly, I was aware of eerie, high-pitched singing drifting through the air. The tone was haunting and pierced my mind, though I couldn't comprehend the words just then.

Slowly, numbly, I climbed to my feet and shuffled forward, letting my feet carry me where they would. I felt like a living corpse as I ambled around, passing people I knew. And I knew that I knew them, but I just couldn't seem to summon up any emotion. We were all just…there. All feeling the same weight of despair.

Lucy crumpled to the ground, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she wailed her agony to the sky. Cana was leaning against Gildarts's chest, both of their eyes glazed over with hopelessness. Gray stood off by himself, his head hanging against his chest. On my other side, Wendy and Chelia knelt with silent tears coursing down their blank faces. Even Rogue, at death's door, looked like he had given up the will to live, though with his stomach still bathed in blood, it wasn't that much of a stretch to imagine why.

We've been defeated…without them lifting so much as a finger. This is how it ends, then. The thoughts whispering through my mind were strangely disconnected, as if it were someone else putting them into my head.

As I watched, I saw the townspeople start forward again, renewing their attacks. The sheer force of their despair seemed to be driving them to insanity, for they turned on each other as often as they attacked members of our alliance. A group of them pounced on Lucy while she was still weeping, tearing at her clothes and hair. Everywhere, people were clashing with fists and teeth, no better than animals. The more I watched, the more apparent it became that we couldn't use our magic in this state. Not that I cared; I was too far past feeling. The shrieks and moans of despair rang through the night, a cacophony of agony.

A hand suddenly closed around my wrist, jerking me around to face the blond mage with the white strip of cloth tied across his face. Thin, blood-colored vines roved hungrily over his cheek and neck, their golden thorns glinting as if in anticipation of blood. I blinked when I realized that the vines and the black rose they stemmed from were just tattoos—or were they?—but was unable to muster any revulsion or fear. I could only stare desolately into his murderous crimson eyes as he glared down at me.

"Now that you're not so mighty, Titania," he hissed venomously, "I will pay you back for this." He brought his hand up to the gaping wound in his shoulder, his fingers coming away sticky with the scarlet liquid.

I could only stare at him with hooded eyes, detached from my own life, my own emotions. Nothing mattered, because death and pain were inevitable. We'd already lost.

"Where's your spirit now?" he taunted viciously, leaning in so close that I could feel his breath fanning across my face and see the flecks of gold in his blood-red eyes. "This won't be any fun if you don't put up any resistance. Although, I do have to admit, there's something immeasurably satisfying about seeing you reduced to such a pitiful state. For years, I've heard tales of the determination and strength of the mighty Titania. How she is undefeated in battle. And now look at you." He shoved me onto the ground roughly, looming over me with his foot planted on my stomach. He leaned his weight on me, a scornful look on his face. "You can't do anything to stop me." Straightening, he peered down his covered nose at me. "No matter; I shall enjoy breaking your body to match your broken mind."

Before I could react—not that I would have, in this state—he surged toward me, his teeth snapping hungrily as he palmed a thin blade. A line of fire spread across my shoulder, and I realized that he had driven the knife into the flesh there. He raked it down, opening up a deep gash along my upper arm. I gaped in silent pain as my blood splashed hotly against the ground, crimson rivulets pouring down my arm.

The red-eyed mage—Sitri, if I recalled correctly—leaned closer and flicked his tongue out against my throat, leaving a wet trail along my skin. "Does that hurt?" he whispered into my ear. His nose brushed my temple, almost like a lover's caress. "That's nothing on the pain you will be feeling after I'm done with you. And then I'm going to let you scream for a while, until you're begging me for death. Only then will I grant your request." An anticipatory gleam entered his eyes as he pulled back to gaze into my face intensely. "How will your magic taste, I wonder?"

My head lolled limply to the side, my eyes staring straight ahead. I could feel the pain as he turned my other palm up and opened up a gash across the inside of my forearm, but it seemed to be disconnected from my body. Sitri pulled back with a frown on his face. He absentmindedly licked the blood off his knife, an irritated look creasing his forehead.

"Well, this won't be any fun, if you're in this state." Sighing, he stood and turned to gaze at something over his shoulder. I remained kneeling on the ground, having no will to move. "Milady Darkbringer, if you would…?"

An overwhelming presence swept over me, and I looked up to see the young blonde girl standing before me. Her face was perfectly calm and sweet, but her eyes were cold and calculating. She tapped her index finger against her bottom lip, nibbling on the nail. I couldn't move beneath her gaze, couldn't even take my eyes from her. At last, still not breaking our eye contact, she turned to Sitri. "Very well. I will lift my influence from her mind."

Sitri smirked at me and bowed to the girl. "Thank you, my—"

"However," she interrupted in a cold voice that immediately silenced the man, "I will render her incapacitated first, so as not to waste this chance. And you must kill her swiftly before she has a chance to retaliate."

The other mage's smirk faded, replaced by an almost pouting look. But there was something darker in his eyes. "Understood, my lady. As you wish."

The girl took a step closer to me, until her white boots were inches from my knees. Her pastel pink dress brushed against my thighs as she crouched and gripped my chin with her small, pale fingers. She tilted my face up so she could stare into it fully. The cold appraisal in her eyes was frightening. Tilting her head, she regarded me as one might a bug under a microscope.

"Such fiery passion," she murmured to herself. "Such a strong will to protect her friends. It will truly be a pleasure to douse it forever."

In the next instant, I was lying on my side, curled up in the fetal position and rocking back and forth on the ground while agonizing screams ripped from my throat. The despair was just so strong now…I was drowning in it, unable to draw a life-saving breath. I clawed desperately at my aching throat, tears streaming down my cheeks to mix with the dust on the ground. And still the screams continued, wracking my whole body. I wanted to disappear, to escape from the agony of the crushing misery. It was too much to bear. My body was cold, and yet I was on fire. My mind was wracked with the most excruciating pain I'd ever felt; the pain of complete and utter desolation. Please! Just let me die! The words echoed in my numb mind until I realized I was screaming them aloud.

After what seemed like an eternity, the anguish finally ceased, leaving me cold and shaking on the ground. I was unable to move for the weight of the despair in my mind. Just as suddenly though, my mind was once again returned to normal. I gasped as emotion finally came rushing back to me, emotion other than despair. Fury for what these people were doing, fear for my friends, the aching need to just leap up and fight for them. But my body was unable to respond to the nudges from my mind to get up. I could only lie there, shaking.

Sitri let out a gleeful purr, bending close again. Behind him, the blonde girl stepped back, a disinterested look on her youthful face. He once again raised the stiletto, the tip poised above my heart. My pulse pounded thickly in my ears, drowning out all other noise. Sitri leaned close and pressed his lips to my neck. I could feel two sharp points pressing against the skin, about to pierce it. With a final, desperate attempt, I managed to get my body to work again. However, I was too late. With a ferocious cry and a gleeful smile, Sitri raised the blade and struck.

My eyes clenched tightly as I waited for the pain to erupt through my body, for the splitting agony of the blade embedding in my heart. It never came. My eyes shot open, my mind racing at a thousand miles a minute. What had happened? Why wasn't I dead? Where was the pain?

Something warm landed on my bare knee, and I spied a small splash of red against the creamy skin there. Time slowed as I raised my eyes to the figure kneeling in front of me. There was another person between Sitri and me. Familiar golden-brown eyes met mine, a deep sorrow glinting in their depths. And yet the handsome, beloved face before me displayed only serenity and a simple happiness as the man I loved looked down into my face.

"Jellal," I whispered hoarsely. "What…?"

"Erza…I…." Before he could finish, his eyelids flickered and he collapsed forward into my arms. I cried out as I saw the black hilt of the dagger embedded in his back. A pool of crimson was already spreading across his back, soaking his tattered coat. My eyes widened with horror and denial.

He was dying.

"Jellal!" I screamed, hot tears sliding down my pale cheeks. "JELLAL!"

"Well, as unexpected as that was, this is rather fitting too, don't you think?" Sitri mused smugly to himself. I raised furious, insane eyes to the mage, my teeth bared in a silent growl of pain and rage. The tears were spilling down my face faster than I could register. Behind his shoulder, the girl looked on in annoyance.

"You monster!" I roared, nearly choking on the words as tears clogged my throat.

"That I am," he said casually. "What I'm wondering, though, is how this scum managed to regain enough of himself to take the strike." His eyes narrowed in thought as he studied Jellal's form with a shrewd interest.

The disgust was plain in the blonde girl's voice as she spoke. "Love. It's always been a hard thing to control, let alone erase." She turned with a final scathing look and walked away, leaving Sitri to smile evilly at us in her wake.

Jellal coughed weakly in my arms, and I turned my gaze to him. Fear gnawed at my insides like a ravenous beast. It turned frantic when I saw the thin rivulet of blood seeping from one corner of his mouth. "Jellal, stay with me!" I cried. With precise movements, I pulled the dagger from his back with a gut-wrenching sucking sound. The metal clattered against the cobblestones at my side, and I quickly pressed a hand to the gaping wound to try to staunch the flow of blood. I could feel the hot liquid streaming through my fingers as Jellal's life steadily leaked from his body.

"Nng," he groaned, his eyes slipping shut. His face was so pale; the blood was flowing swiftly from him, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Tears were blurring my vision as I peered down at his face, cupping his cheeks tenderly in my hands. "Jellal," I said thickly, "please, stay with me! You'll be okay. Just please, please don't leave me." My voice broke on the last syllable, and I felt choked by the anguish rising up within me. I couldn't let him die. He was the person I loved most.

"Erza," he whispered. It was so soft that I thought I might've imagined it. Only the faintest movement of his lips convinced me that he had really spoken. I lowered my face to his so that I could hear him better. He struggled to peel his eyelids back, his pupils constricted to pinpricks in his golden irises. "Erza," he tried again, "I…sorry…couldn't…."

"Shhh," I crooned through the tears sliding thickly down my face. "It's okay. I know, but you're going to be okay."

He raised a shaking hand to my face and pressed his finger against my lips. I nodded silently, indicating that he could continue. More tears coursed down my face, pooling against his finger. I couldn't bear to watch him struggle like this. "You are…my life," he whispered. "Saving you…is saving…m-my life. I don't regret anything…about us. If I could, more time..." His words trailed off as tears slid down his cheeks. My own dripped onto his face, mingling with his tears. I raised a hand to tenderly brush them away from his cheeks. Despite the tears, his face remained accepting, his eyes calm. Aside from the slightest hint of pain visible behind his eyes, he looked as if he could be falling into a peaceful sleep.

A shuddering sob tore through me as I bowed my head and rested it against his chest. His heartbeat was so faint…I could barely even feel it anymore, and the beats were slow and erratic as his heart tried desperately to keep him alive. "I love you, Jellal," I sobbed into his shirt, one arm around his shoulders while the other pulled him closer to me as I cradled him in my lap. "I can't…I can't go on without you this time. It will shatter my heart."

His hand closed around my uninjured shoulder, surprisingly firm. "You will live," he commanded me. "Don't make my sacrifice be for nothing."

I pulled back slightly to stare down through my tears at his intense face. His brow was furrowed with the effort of making me understand. I nodded, despite the agony that tore through me. I would have to live on. Without him.

A small smile tugged at his lips as his eyes slipped shut again. "Good," he sighed. "I…love you…Er…za…."

His head rolled back, his features going slack. The faint thumping of his heart beneath my fingers faded away. One final tear drifted down his cheek, hung on his jaw, and then dropped to the blood-soaked earth.

"Jellal!" I screamed my agony to the sky, clutching his body to my chest as I rocked back and forth. My heart seized up, breaking into a thousand little fragments. There was a physical ache in my chest. Time would never heal it, that I knew.

At last, I lowered his body to the hard ground. I stared down at him through my tear-blurred eyes. His features looked so peaceful. I tenderly leaned down to brush a feather-light kiss across his cold lips. "Why did you leave me?" I whispered brokenly.

"Well, wasn't this just…sweet." The sardonic voice stirred something within me. Slowly, I raised my eyes to the demon standing before me. Knowing that he had been watching Jellal's last moments made me feel violated.

He will pay.

My fury rose up within me like an unquenchable wave, a tsunami of vengeance. I lunged at him with a terrible scream, a flame-wreathed sword appearing in my hands. "I will destroy you, you bastard!"

His eyes widened in surprise at the ferocity and speed of my attack. My blade flashed in the moonlight, cutting through the bandage that covered his nose. It drifted down to the ground, revealing an inky black tattoo across his nose that spread out across his cheeks. It was a leering, skeletal mouth with fangs sharper than a sword. As I watched, blood collected at the tips of the fangs, dripping down his face. Real blood.

"Now you've released the monster." His voice was deeper and more animalistic, almost a growl. Before my eyes, a giant shadow rose from him, looming above his figure like a mountain. Twin orbs of bloody red peered down at me from the great height the shadow had risen to. I staggered back a step as the shadow beast literally stepped out of Sitri and onto the ground.

A tremor rocked the ground, nearly causing me to lose my footing. A voice like thunder rumbled through the air, giving me a ferocious headache. "You humans have woken me from my slumber. Now you must all die."

Before I had a chance to react, a massive red shape tore past me and collided with the shadow monster. I blinked and realized that it was Natsu. He's free! I thought in relief. Looking around, I saw that several others had also started to shake off the magic. Lucy was fighting her way out of the horde of insane townspeople, her clothes torn and streaked with blood. Though she still wore the look of hopelessness, it was now matched with determination. That's Fairy Tail for you, I thought affectionately. Even in the face of utter defeat and hopelessness, we still manage to push through with sheer determination and resolve.

A familiar voice echoed in my mind, and I turned in shock to stare at dragon-Natsu. He was…speaking to my mind. If it's love that can beat this, then we will always triumph. I could hear the pride in his voice through my mind, and felt my own stirring of pride.

Yes, we will always triumph. …Even if sacrifices must be made. The thought of…Jellal…brought icy resolution to my heart, and I hoisted my sword to charge Sitri again. I would let Natsu handle the shadow demon. Sitri was mine.

He grinned evilly at me, baring canines as sharp as the Dragonslayers'. My tears had dried on my face, leaving only cold determination. I would end this monster, for Jellal's sake. And for my own.


Lucy

I spared a glance for Natsu's battle with the strange shadow monster that had sprung out of the mage named Sitri. The giant red dragon's scales glinted silver in the moonlight as he wove nimbly through the air around the demon, blasting flames at the thing. I could feel the power emanating from him even from here. But the shadow demon also emanated a powerful magic aura, and seemed to be evenly matched with Natsu.

Not far from that battle, I saw Erza battling with Sitri. Her face was pulled into the most terrifying expression I'd ever seen. It was even more frightening than her usual fiery rage. This was something else entirely. Her eyes were golden chips of ice glinting murderously in a mask of complete and utter icy hatred. It was…terrifying. Her swords were moving so fast I could no longer see anything more than a telltale blur in the air, but still the mage managed to evade somehow.

I struggled free of the horde of townspeople that had ambushed me, heedless of the numerous scratches that covered my body. I could still feel the weight of the despair weighing on me, but something had changed. I was now able to continue fighting, even though I knew in my mind that we had no hope. They were just too powerful. And yet, I was not about to just roll over and accept that. We would die fighting. We would die protecting our friends.

I grew somber as my gaze settled on the motionless figure lying on the ground behind Erza. A familiar patch of blue hair caught my eye, despite the large puddle of scarlet that was spread out beneath him. Jellal, I sighed to myself. Oh, Erza…I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry that your Happily Ever After ends here. I spared a moment to bow my head in silent respect for Jellal. He had helped our guild so much, and as Erza's beloved, we all felt strong feelings toward him.

Movement caught my eye, and I snapped my head up. Beyond the fighting, a small figure was walking away. A pale pink dress swished around her legs as her blonde hair blew gently in the breeze. My eyes narrowed. This was the girl responsible for this mess. She could not be allowed to escape.

My fingers found their way to the key that hung around my neck. Taking it in my hand, I focused all my energy on summoning the one spirit powerful enough to defeat this menace. My magic was still dangerously depleted, though, so I wasn't sure if it would work. I could feel that my magic wouldn't be enough at this point, and despair began to weigh on my mind once more. Suddenly, a cool hand clasped my shoulder, and I turned to see Gray. His eyes were still glazed over, as I suspected mine were, but I could see the same defiance burning within his soul.

"Take my power," he murmured in his deep voice.

"And mine." Another hand clapped my other shoulder, and I looked over my shoulder to see Ultear. They both nodded at me, their faces tense. I mustered a weak smile through the despair that still hung over me. With the two of them directing their magic toward me, I felt my own power surge. It crept higher and higher, until I felt the familiar hum of magic from the delicate crystalline key.

"Gate of the Spirit King, I open thee!"

A golden glow radiated out from the key and expanded until it was the size of the Spirit King. In the blink of an eye, he materialized before me. I looked up at his long white mustache, pale blue skin and pupil-less red eyes. He was clad in his usual battle armor, though this time he wielded a large double-handed sword, as well.

"Lucy Heartfilia-san, it is my pleasure to be of service to you. What do you request of me?"

"That girl," I said, pointing towards the retreating figure in the pink dress. "Please stop her. And…defeat her." I couldn't bring myself to say the word 'kill', though I knew the King knew what I meant. He bowed in acceptance and then clapped his large hands.

Everything around me ground to a halt. Everyone froze in the middle of what they were doing, unaware of time being stopped around them. And then I lost track of time, being frozen in time until the Spirit King released everyone. After what could have been two seconds or two hours for all I knew, I was able to move once more. I staggered forward, feeling a sudden magical drain. Gray and Ultear slumped against each other, their hands falling from my shoulders. Pressing a hand to the key around my neck, I noticed that it was no longer active; the Spirit King had returned to the Spirit World. However, as I looked around, I also saw that he had fulfilled his side of the agreement before leaving; a small figure was slumped against the side of a building, not moving. The sight chilled me, for it looked as though she could be sleeping. Not a mark was visible on her body, and yet I knew that she was no longer here.

I fell to the ground, unable to support myself any longer. Looking up through my tangled blonde hair, I watched the other battles unfold.

Natsu roared a blast of fire at the shadow beast, but this time he managed to hit it. As soon as the monster began writhing from the pain of the dragon's flames, Natsu dove in and began clawing and tearing at the shadows, ripping viciously with claws and teeth. A ferocious roar echoed through the night as he sank his fangs into the creature's neck, thrashing it like a dog with a toy. The monster gave its own roar of fury, but was no match for the next powerful blast of magic that Natsu sent at it. With a final roar, the shadow beast exploded into a million tiny pieces that scattered with the wind.

"No!" Sitri yelled, enraged. He screamed his rage, the tattoo across the middle of his face beginning to burn. Thin tendrils of black smoke began to rise up, and he clawed desperately at his face, staggering backwards and dropping his sword. In a moment, his head had burst into flame, his shrieks of pain shrilly filling the night air and blending with the crackle of the flames.

Erza gaped at him in shock for a moment, before shaking herself and lunging towards him. "He's mine!" she shouted, swinging her sword back to strike. With a furious battle cry, the Requip mage plunged her sword straight through his chest until it came out the other side, dripping blood. With a snarl, she twisted the blade and ripped it back out. Sitri lurched forward, his chest a gaping wound with blood staining his tattered shirt. Still not satisfied, Erza drew her sword back for another swing. A moment later, Sitri's flaming head toppled from his shoulders and rolled across the cobblestones.

The only sounds were the hissing flames and the soft currents of wind blowing through the town. Everyone stood still, not sure what to do. I wearily looked around and noticed that everyone else had reverted to their normal selves again. A small smile crept across my lips as I sagged in relief. We had done it. Against all odds, we had come out on top.

There were still a few loose ends that needed tying up, though. Now that everyone had been returned to normal after the death of Malaena Darkbringer, I turned my attention to Levy, hoping that her magic would return with the death of Sitri. Gajeel was holding her anxiously, searching for any sign of change.

After a few moments she still looked just as sick as before. Worry gnawed at my gut as I came closer. "Levy-chan," I said softly, pressing my hand to her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes.

"Lu-chan," she said weakly, meeting my concerned gaze.

"Can you feel any magic now?" I asked anxiously. To my sorrow, she shook her head.

"Oi, shorty!" Gajeel said, peering down at her with a gruff expression. "Hang in there. We're going to get your magic back." Levy smiled gratefully up at Gajeel, though I had to wonder if it was because she believed him or because she just appreciated his effort. And of course, there was still the little problem that no one knew how to go about solving this.

I didn't have any magic, so I didn't have the ability to summon Crux. Just as I was wishing for even a little more magic, I saw a familiar golden shimmer appear in the air before me. A moment later, Loki stepped out with a grim expression.

"Lucy, I heard your problem. Since you can't summon Crux, I asked him if there was anything he knew about this."

When he paused for an uncomfortably long amount of time, I took a step closer. "And?"

"And…the only way for her to get her magic back would be for someone to trade in their magic for hers to return."

Gajeel and I exchanged grave looks. I looked down at the delicate girl in Gajeel's arms. She was my best friend. I couldn't let her go on like this. A mage's magic was like their life force. Without any magic left, she would waste away. And I knew what I had to do.

I took a big breath and began to speak the words that would exchange my fate with Levy's. "I will—"

"I will trade my powers for hers."

I blinked in surprise and looked up at Gajeel. His face was solemn, but determined. He really meant it. Loki glanced between us uneasily. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You won't be able to use magic anymore," he cautioned.

Gajeel's Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed. "I'm sure." His voice was hard, as were his eyes. That was enough to convince Loki.

"Alright. The exchange has already begun."

Sure enough, Gajeel's tan face was growing paler and Levy's pallid cheeks were regaining color. My stomach clenched as I watched Gajeel grow sicker. He really does love her. I only hope that his sacrifice will be worth it.

It only took a few minutes for the transfer to be complete. After another moment, Levy's eyes flickered open. She looked down at her body in awe, as if she was just seeing it for the first time. "My…my magic's back!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Lu-chan, Gajeel-kun, my magic's back!" She turned happily to the man holding her, but faltered when she saw his ashen face. He smiled softly at her, but her eyes widened as she realized what had happened. "Gajeel…you…." A tear trekked down her face as she looked up at him.

"No need to cry, shorty," he said gruffly, turning his head so she couldn't see his face straight-on. "I'll be fine. I'm stronger than you anyways, so better me than you." Despite his efforts to make her feel better, she continued to cry.

"Gajeel, you shouldn't have done it! Your magic is far more valuable than mine! You can't just do this without my permission!" Her voice broke and she buried her face in Gajeel's chest. He awkwardly stroked her back, trying to soothe her.

"I couldn't let you suffer," he said simply, pulling her gently away from him so he could look into her hazel eyes.

Immediately, another golden light filled the air. We all gaped in astonishment when the Spirit King stepped forth again. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared imperiously down at us all.

"Well, young human, it looks as though you have proven yourself." Gajeel's eyebrow studs rose at this term of address. "It takes real courage and love to sacrifice yourself for another. And that is what magic is all about. Your magic…is returned."

Gajeel's mouth fell open as he stared up at the Spirit King in astonishment. Levy sobbed in relief and wrapped her arms around his neck. With a final salute, the Spirit King disappeared back into the Spirit Realm. Loki smiled and nodded at me before following his king back into the Spirit World.

Levy tugged Gajeel's head down and pressed her lips against his. My eyes widened in shock. Feeling suddenly very intrusive, I turned around. Natsu was already striding toward me, back in human form now. His face was uncharacteristically serious, and my eyebrows creased in worry as he approached. Before I had a chance to ask what the matter was, he pulled me into his arms and crushed me to his chest.

"Lucy, I'm so glad you're alright," he murmured into my hair. I could only stand there blushing madly. After a moment, I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my chin on his shoulder.

However, over his shoulder, I saw a certain redhead kneeling at the side of a still figure. She collapsed on top of his chest, her body heaving with great, wracking sobs. They were all alone, illuminated by a stray beam of moonlight and the crimson smoke that filled the air. My heart broke for them. This was one sacrifice that could not be reversed. I could only pray that, in time, Erza's heart would heal. If not completely, then at least enough for her to face the world bravely once more.

Goodbye, loyal friend and ally. We will always remember your selfless sacrifice. It saved us all. 'Til we meet again.


Sorry this chapter was so long... Well, in spite of the death of dear Jellal, I hope you all liked this chapter! :) Please leave a review to let me know what you think, guys! And even though the story is almost done, it's not too late to follow or favorite! :)

Also, I happen to have the next chapter already written. ;) Because it was so good I just couldn't wait to write it, as far back as a couple months ago. :) Sooo, if I get...let's shoot for 10 reviews on this chapter, I will post it early.

Oh gosh. I get kind of irritated when authors attempt to bribe readers into reviewing...and now I've gone and done it. o.O Gomenasai! *bows* But it had to be done. *nods grimly*

Anyways, hopefully I'll be able to post the next chapter soon! ;)