Chapter 14
"What do you mean, I have to take her place?" Natsu asked, outraged. Damon shrugged.
"Exactly that."
"Is there no other way?" Erza asked. Damon said nothing. Erza walked in front of him.
"Is there no other way?" She asked again, a dangerous glow in her eyes. Damon smiled.
"Yes, there is. But there is no guarantee that she will come back the way she was, if she comes back at all." He said, staring Erza down.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Well, she's in coma, through a magic potion. Most coma induced by magic puts the victim in limbo, between death, and life. You simply have to go into limbo, and retrieve her. But you might not make it out alive, let alone Lucy." He said, an edge of anger showing through his cool façade.
"How?"
"Some type of magic. I don't know. It could take years. And by then, she will have died. She is on a timer. The only way to get her fast is to take her place. And only the one she loves could do that." He said. Natsu's nose twitched.
"You're lying." Natsu said, pushing Erza to the side. Damon looked shocked.
"What? No I'm not." Damon said, his cool façade back.
"I can smell a vial on you." Natsu said, reaching for a chain around Damon's neck, and pulling it off. Damon made a slight scramble for it, before glaring at Natsu.
"Give that back." He growled.
"What is it? Tell me, and I'll give it back." Natsu said, looking at the pink formula inside the vial.
"It's nothing. Just a formula that me and Lucy created. Nothing important."
"What does it do?"
"I told you, nothing important."
"It smells like Lucy. You have thirty seconds." Natsu growled. Damon sighed.
"It's just a formula that cancels out the effects of the Green Poison. Lucy gave it to me after we created it so that if I ever fall prisoner, I could be saved."
"And what is the Green Poison?"
"Green Poison. Poison. Kills you, slowly. Puts you in a coma, then slowly moves you through limbo to the doors of death."
"Like what you did to Lucy."
"Not entirely. She has the Green Poison in her, but also a powerful magic."
"What powerful magic?" Erza snapped.
"A magic from the book of Zeref, a rare magic that a castor can only use once." Damon said. Suddenly, Lucy's back arched off the coffin, a wheeze escaping her lips, a residue of pink dotting them. Damon looked at Natsu, horrified.
"What did you do?" He asked. Natsu shrugged, tossing Damon the empty vial.
"I gave her the cure for the Green Poison, or whatever it was." He said. Damon narrowed his eyes.
"You demon." Damon spat out.
"Nat-su?" A small voice said behind them. They turned, to see the half lidded brown eyes of Lucy.