Hey everyone! I'm debating how to end this book, because it decides if there's a sequel or not. Beware: if there is a sequel, it'll be sad. *sob*
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Mystogan's P.O.V.
I woke up in a dark, cold room chained to a table. Below the chains, magic-ban bracelets. I tugged on the chains, but they would be impossible to be broken without strong magic. Great, just great, what do I do now? "Glad to see your awake.", I heard Ultear from my right. I strained my neck to face her, but instead saw the half-dead form of Mariko, that sent a pang of pain through my heart. Next to her, a communication lacrima. Ultear's face peered out from the lacrima, her already hideous face distorted.
"Bitch.", I snarled, struggling against the ice-cold metal."Let Mariko go!"
"You're worrying about that wench?", She laughed,"You never learn.", She clicked her fingers, and bolts of lightning illuminated the room as they travelled down thin copper wires towards Mariko's chains. Even with magic, the amount of lightning could kill her.
"Leave her alone Ultear!"
"Oh, would you rather suffer yourself?", Ultear smirked.
"Yes.", And the bolts of lightning were quickly re-directed to copper wires near my chains.
"No!", I looked at Mariko, and her face was full of worry. "Don't!"
"Well, what do you know? You're both willing to suffer?", Some lightning was redirected to Mariko, "That's music to my ears.", Ultear cackled as our tortured screams filled the room."I'm enjoying this!", Ultear giggled like a little girl as our skin cracked from the lightning.
My eyes met Mariko's, and I could just make out her injuries. Her once light hair was now red with blood, and there were numerous cuts on her face and arms. "Why?", I whispered, and Mariko let a tear slip.
"For you.", That was her silent reply, "It was all for you."
"You could've died.", I croaked, and Ultear looked at me, confused.
"You would've.", Mariko whispered, more tears falling onto her bloody face.
"You're both going to die anyway, so who actually gives a shit?", Ultear shrugged, and the lightning returned ten-fold. I clenched my teeth, but a small hiss still escaped. "Let it all out, sexy.", Ultear crooned, batting her eyelids. Eww.
"You're sick.", Mariko growled, her foot nudged the lacrima, which rolled off whatever bench it was on and shattered. When the glass broke, the chains disappeared, and the lightning vanished. I sat up and tried to remove the magic-ban bracelets, but it would be impossible to break them without magic. I climbed off the table and crawled over to Mariko, who was curled up in a ball near the wall.
"Mariko, come here.", I gently wrapped my arms around her, and she shuffled closer. "How did you know to do that?"
"I didn't, she was just being perverted.", I chuckled softly at her honesty, Ultear was being creepy, though. "At least we're safe.", She rested her head on my chest, the dried blood flaking off her skin.
I buried my face in her hair,"What did they do to you?"
"Nothing."
"Mariko. Tell. Me. Now."
"They. Did. Nothing."
"You're as stubborn as Lyon, tell me. I need to know."
"Fine, you overprotective bastard. They - KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!", Suddenly, Mariko slipped out of my arms and into a hole in the floor. I quickly grabbed her hand to stop her falling into the dark crevasse.
"Don't let go!", I yelled, my fingers wrapping around her forearm. Her hair whipped at my skin, adding more pain, but it didn't hurt as much as the thought of Mariko dying.
"You idiot! You're going to get yourself killed like this!", She spat. "Let go!"
"Never! I won't let this happen again!", A tear slid down my face as the painful memory re-surfaced.
************************************Flashback Starts****************************
"Mariko! Hang on!", I twisted my feet around the pipe, trying to get more grip.
"Mystogan! I don't want to die!", Mariko sobbed, her tears evaporating almost instantly in the intense heat. "I don't want to!"
"You won't! Just climb on to here!", I pulled to add to my point, but Mariko's hand slipped, and her finger's slid down my arm.
"I'm slipping!", The fear in her voice was unmistakeable, and I held on tighter.
"You can do it! Just a little further.", The fire below her looked dangerously close, the odd tongue brushing her ankle. I held tighter and pulled with all my might, only stopping when Mariko lifted her head above the floor, and her fingers wrapped around a loose stone.
"Thankyou.", She smiled, then the stone glazed over and Mariko fell. "Mystogan!", I quickly reached to grab her hand, but our fingertips brushed before she slipped out of reach.
"Mariko!", I watched in horror as my childhood friend, and first love, became another victim to the unforgiving fire. "No!", And that was the first time I really cried, the tears flowing down my face as the red swallowed her whole.
*********************************Flashback Ends*****************************
"Mystogan", Mariko looked at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears."It wasn't your fault. The stone became covered in ice.", Ice, ice!? That gave me the push I needed, and I wrapped my feet around a pole. I won't lose her again.
"One, two, three!" I pulled her up with all my might, and only stopped when Mariko was lying on my chest, my arms wrapped around her tightly. "Thank God you're safe.", I whispered into her hair. "Don't you dare tell me to let go again. I can't lose you."
"Mystogan - "
"Please, let me finish. You're the most important person in my life, more than my parents, more then Jellal, more than myself. I need you more than life itself, so don't ever tell me to let go again.", I felt her hand brush away my tears, and I moved my head to look into her eyes. I gently kissed her forehead, and she blushed.
"Now how do we get out of here?", Mariko asked, climbing off me and helping me up. We walked to the door, and were about to test the handle, hey, you never know, when we heard a scream, and the pounding of iron on steel.
"Leave her alone!", I heard Gajeel yell, and we paled. They had Levy.
"Gajeel!", I gathered all my strength and pounded on the door, hoping to attract someone's attention, and that someone was a black Exceed.
"Mariko, Mystogan!", His eyes widened at our disheveled look, and he changed into battle form, where he was able to tear the door down like butter.
"What's going on? Why's Levy here?", Mariko asked the now normal-sized cat.
"After you two disappeared, Levy's body was found in their room. Everyone thought she was dead, but Gajeel could tell something was up. So he followed her scent here.", He replied, looking back. I looked up to see the burly shape of Gajeel, but I couldn't see Levy. When he came closer, though, I could make out the bluenette's tiny frame in his arms, and her injuries.
There were deep red marks on her wrists, as if she had shackles on. Cuts dotted her face and arms, and the sign of the Sirens was burned into her back, the fabric from her top melted into the wound. Her hair was purple in some places, and she was barely breathing.
"The bitch that did this vanished before I could kill her.", Gajeel's hand brushed a bit of Levy's hair away from her face, and her wounds began to heal, the skin knitting together.
My eyes widened, "How did you-"
"Dragons can heal their mate, Mystogan. I'm surprised you didn't already know that.", Gajeel chuckled wearily. "But the dragon receives the wounds.", Cuts began to form on his face and arms as soon as they faded from Levy, and his hair became matted with blood. The burn formed on his arm, the black standing out in his skin.
"Gajeel? Gajeel!", Levy woke up to find the Iron Dragon Slayer lose consciousness over his injuries. Her hand daintily touched the burn, and she pulled back, her hand coated in dried blood. "Please, help him!", She looked at us, tears falling off her face and onto his arm. "Please!"
"Levy, move.", Mariko knelt beside the burn, and placed her hands over it, and a shell of ice formed. The hint pain from Gajeel's face faded away, and Levy stopped sobbing.
"Thankyou.", She stroked his hair, and I gently picked him up. Pantherlily wrapped his tail around Gajeel and used Aera to help me.
**************************************************Time lapse**************************************
Gray's P.O.V.
Lyon, Aki, Natsu, Metallicana, Ur, Loke, Aurelie, Jellal, Mavis, Zeref and I stood at the base of the Sakura tree, tears freely flowing down our faces.
"Five in two days.", Mavis sobbed into Zeref's arms, and her husband was mirroring how we all felt: empty. We had lost five people, well, four people and an Exceed, we loved in a matter of hours.
Suddenly, Aki's head snapped up, and she wiped away her tears, "How?". A spark appeared in her eyes, and she smiled. "I know that scent anywhere.", She spun around, and her smile widened, "Levy!". The Dragon Slayer ran to the tiny bluenette, and I turned around to come face-to-face with my younger sister.
"Mariko?", Lyon and Ur froze, but I ran and pulled her into a never-do-that-again-I-was-so-worried hug."I thought you were dead."
"Mystogan!", Mavis ran to her son's side, tears streaming down her face as she buried her face into his chest.
"Gajeel.", Metallicana gazed at his beaten son, who grinned. "You're alive?"
"Last time I checked.", I rolled my eyes at Gajeel's cheesy reply, but smiled when the two dragons hugged.
"They're alive!", Juvia yelled, and I looked up to see her running towards us, tears streaming past the smile on her face. "Mariko-sama!"
"Mariko! Levy! Gajeel! Mystogan! Lily!", Everyone else came flooding out of the palace doors, and pulled everyone into a lung-crushing hug.
"Lily!", Chizu's eyes glistened with unshed tears, and Lily blushed. "I thought you were dead!", The orange Exceed sobbed while holding onto her friend. "Never do that again!"
"Lily.", Carla smiled, and Pantherlily grinned back.
"Lilyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!", Happy crash-tackled the pair, and Lola shook her head.
"Idiot.", She muttered, before helping them up and hugging Lily.
"What happened to you?", Metallicana's tone made me look at Gajeel, and only then did I notice the mark of the Sirens burned into his arm.
"I'm sorry, I tried my best, but it's a magical burn, it'll only fade away with time."Mariko apologized, and Metallicana looked at the faint marks on her face and arm.
"You did this? While injured?", The king asked, and Mariko nodded. "Thankyou for looking after my son."
"No probemo.", Mariko smiled, then she yelped when she was pulled out of my arms by Mystogan. "Hey!"
"I need you near me, get used to it.", He smiled, kissing her hard in the lips.
"Get a room guys.", Natsu shielded his eyes, and I glared at him. Bastard.
"Shut up Natsu.", Mariko glared at the Fire Dragon, who took a step back. Sucker. "Gray, wipe that smirk off your face.", My sister's death glare was now aimed at me, and I listened. She may not look it, but she's crazy powerful.
"It's good to see you too, Mariko.", Ur rolled her eyes as she pried my sister away from her boyfriend, who pouted.
"Hello!", Mariko grinned before slipping back to her boyfriend's side.
"That girl.", Ur muttered as she and Mavis walked off. I heard her ask,"How long do you think it'll take until they become official?", And I mentally facepalmed myself. Oh boy.
"Jellal! Where are we going?", I heard Erza shriek as she was pulled away from us.
"You'll see!", He smiled as he led her away from everyone else, a glint of joy in his brown eyes. Poor girl.
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Erza's P.O.V
"Jellal! Put me down!", I squealed as said prince swung me onto his shoulder.
"Never!", He yelled triumphantly.
"Please?", I pulled a puppy dog face, and he laughed.
"Not going to work this time!"
"At least tell me where we're going!"
"Why tell you? We're here.", Jellal carefully set me down on soft grass, and I gazed wide-eyed at the meadow before us.
"It's beautiful.", I mouthed, and waited for Jellal's smart-ass comment, but it never came. "Jellal?", I turned around to find Jellal on one knee, a box for a ring on his open palm."Am I dreaming?"
"No, your not.", Jellal took my hand, "Erza Rosella Scarlet, you perfect me. You're the moon in my night sky, the sun in the day. Will you marry me?", Ohmygodohmygodohmygodohmygod ohmygod. "Erza?"
"Yes, I will marry you.", I smiled as Jellal opened the box and slid the opal-encrusted ring on my finger.
"It was my mother's.", Jellal smiled before he got up, pulled me closer and kissed me.
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DRINKS ALL ROUND! LET'S ALL CELEBRATE THEIR ENGAGEMENT! *party's hard*
Lyon: Stuff their engagement, thank god Mariko's alive!
Gray: I know right!
Jellal: You have ten seconds to apologise.
Gray: He's not Erza.
Erza: Apologise!
Gray/Lyon: I'M SORRY! CONGRATULATIONS JELLAL! AND ERZA! *run*
Me: I am SO enjoying torturing them :P