All Rights to Hiro Mashima

This chapter is for sthokatrina…it might have taken me five days, but I hope this was quick enough! Enjoy.

Chapter 10: Topaz

The name topaz was given to this stone from the Sanskrit word 'tapas' which means 'fire;' One of the stones of the apocalypse to the Ancient Egyptian's, it is the stone of the sun god Ra; aids in sweetness and disposition, a symbol of love.

Lucy was brought back to her training with the Colonel as soon as her spectral golden sword clashed with END's sharp talons. She could almost hear him in her head like it was yesterday, standing in their little clearing trading blows while she tried to knock him off his feet.

"Dodge! Block! Faster Princess…your enemy will not take a break if you need one, they aim to kill, they aim to win quickly. You must be faster, you must be smarter. Again!"

She never knew what happened to her friend.

She never did ask his first name, always referring to him as 'The Colonel' and nothing else.

But, she would make him proud, no matter where he was.

So she quickened her feet, her steps dancing over the ground. The terrain was always a hindrance, but also a gift if you could use it correctly. Could she trip him up with the rocks strewn over the ground? Would END sink into the mud if he stood atop of it? Could he slip on the blood and gore and give her an opening? Was there a corner where she could back him into?

Unfortunately, it seemed as if END knew of her intentions and kept her on her toes, never pausing, never ceasing. Her eyes roamed around trying to take advantage of everything and anything. She could see her allies fighting around her with everything they had.

Block. Erza fending off the advances of the demon Kyoka with a quick slash of her favourite katana.

Duck. Cobra, with deep maroon poison dripping from his fangs trying to find a weakness in Elfman's Lizardman take-over.

Uppercut to his left flank. The she-demon in her Halphas form, and Freed of the Thunder Legion trying to subdue the macro curses of Seilah.

Feint towards his right side. Bixslow and his babies in their baryon formation flying towards a dark tower brought to life by Rusty Rose.

Parry. Gray's everlasting ice frosting over Black Steel Gajeel, his devil slayer tattoos crawling up his right arm and covering half his face.

She had long since sent Leo and Virgo back into the Celestial Plane, she would need all her reserves to maintain her sword. END's claws were sharper than even General Titania's weapons. As it were, Lucy's magically enhanced armour wasn't holding up much anymore. Every swipe of those hands of his brought her closer and closer to being similarly clad to Gray on a good day. The tunic and tight trousers she donned under her armour – while good for manoeuvrability – would only hold up for mere moments under END's assault.

Ducking under his carelessly placed arm, Lucy swept up with the tip of her sword. END only caught the very edge of her attack, his dodge at the last moment pulling him farther away from her sword edge then she calculated.

However, even though she didn't injure him, she did shred his black tunic from hip to shoulder, the now useless garment opened like a vest over his well-toned chest.

Lucy was slightly distracted for only a single second at the sight, in her defence, no one really thinks they will see their enemy with no clothes on unless they regularly fight with the Lieutenant and he strips in front of them.

In the next second, her sword blinks out of existence and her previously full hands dropped limply to her sides.

She was paralysed by the sight.

Hanging around END's neck was the Dragon pendant she had carved lovingly for her best friend in the whole world, sitting snuggly against the demon's collarbone. She still remembered her jitters as she handed Natsu that gift, wondering what he thought of it.

"So…? What do you think?"

"…Amazing Luce."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What's it made out of?"

"Agate. It's said to bring victory and strength."

Pain and white hot fury radiated out of her body. How dare this despicable demon even touch something so precious?

END saw his chance in her dropped guard and slammed an open fist against her solar plexus, winding her completely, shattering her breastplate, and causing her to stumble back onto her ass into the mud and blood covering the dirty ground.

He was upon her in a second, sharp claws reaching towards her soft midsection that was no longer covered by anything but a thin shirt. He was aiming to kill, just as he had been commanded to.

Lucy snapped out of her daze to grapple with his hands that were trying to gut her and end the fight. END may have had an extreme advantage over her with his inhuman strength, but she had adrenaline and pure, unfettered rage pouring through her system, igniting her blood and sending her into a desperate fighting mode she had never felt before.

One of END's stupidly sharp claws caught on the edge of her golden helmet, and it was roughly removed for the first time on the battlefield. None of her enemies had ever seen her face, she even hid it from many of her troops feeling more at ease when they couldn't read her facial features. In the struggle, a sharpened edge caught above her left eye, scoring a decent path through her unmarred skin.

Lucy huffed in annoyance as blood started to drip into her eye and blind her, but not enough to miss the startled expression on END's unusually expressive face. She had only ever seen the lust for destruction and a sneering derision fall upon the Tartarus demons, so the General was truly flabbergasted at the wide range of expressions END could make.

This time, shock radiated out of END as he stilled on top of her, their struggle halting as they looked at each other as passive as statues, while the war raged on around them. A small part of Lucy's brain quipped that maybe Gray's ice had finally done it and gotten away from him freezing them both in place.

They were caught in the eye of the storm. Chaos ran unchecked around them while they sat in relative calmness just…gazing at each other.

Then something made her rage completely dissipate, forgotten for the moment. His voice, soft and full of some type of emotion she couldn't place whispered to her. "Who are you? Why do I feel like I know you? I know we haven't ever met before…"

END looked…lost. His expression was one of pain and utter confusion.

His hands slacked off from around her wrists, and Lucy took this as her golden opportunity to turn the tables on him to gain back the upper hand she had lost. Nimbly, she hooked her leg around his and rolled them over until their positions were reversed. Quicker than the Thunder God's lightning, Lucy pulled her only other weapon and pointed it's still sharp tip at the demon's throat. Brilliant deep red flames crept up the blade as she poured the last of her waning magic into the sword.

Natsu's sword felt at home in her hand, even though she hadn't used it for many years. She was loathe to allow this special weapon do any type of damage towards anyone, even END. But it was her last resort.

Nothing was said. All either party could do for an extended moment was watch the other warily and pant in exhaustion. Lucy glanced at END, who was looking on in fascination, not at her, or her face, but at the pommel of her sword. Towards the gigantic stone that Natsu had chosen for her and placed within her birthday present.

"That's a Fire Opal from my Kingdom. It's supposed to bring the person who wears it good luck or something like that. So what do you think Luce?"

"Thank you so much, Natsu. It's beautiful!"

"Happy Birthday Luce."

Lucy reached forward slowly with shaking fingers and gripped the pendant in one of her gauntleted hands. Her voice shook with the weight of all her pent up emotions, tears gathered in her eyes burning and blinding her even more than blood from the cut on her forehead that had yet to clot. "Why do you have this? It was never meant for you!"

She thought that her voice would be steady and firm, but all she heard was the question asked as if she was still a young child, heartbroken and defeated in the wake of her best friend's death.

"I stole this from the Emperor, years ago. It was hidden in a drawer in his office." END looked down sheepishly as Lucy gawked at him. Who knew that END could have so many emotions? Why was he even snooping around his leader's office? Wasn't he allowed access to everything? He was the head of the Etherious army after all.

"I don't know how…but it gives me…strength. I don't expect you, Nova, one of the leaders of the armies of Domus to understand. You have all the strength in the world."

Oh, did she ever understand the need for strength. Of all the things she thought to come out of END's mouth, that statement was the last.

"What's it made out of?"

"Agate. It's said to bring victory and strength."

Lucy slumped to the ground beside END's prone form as she raised a shaking hand towards her mouth in a failed attempt to keep the desperate sobs she felt welling in her throat down, her sword's burning blade stuck in the blacked earth.

Was the memory of Natsu somehow giving this beast strength? Would END be victorious because of her gift? She wouldn't allow that, but she couldn't make her body move to rip the necklace off END. Her body rebelled against her as she sat shaking like a leaf on the ground.

END opened his mouth to say something, or question her out of character actions. Before he could get a single word out, a horn blew twice, then a pause, then twice more in the distance. Her head snapped up, unease rippling through her as her tears were forgotten.

She knew that code.

There was a massively destructive enemy weapon incoming.

Lucy needed to find the other Generals, having lost them in the fray earlier in the battle with only quick glimpses since. This was a most inopportune moment, END was beside her, his hands twitching with inactivity, his brow furrowed in concentration.

He seemed to be thinking.

END's head whipped around startling her into bringing up her short sword to protect her defenceless torso. "What is your name?"

"What?" Lucy's brain shorted out at the strange question.

"I said…What is your name?"

Startled, she gave the knee-jerk reaction to whenever someone asked that question of her off the battlefield. "Uhm…Lucy." Internally, there was another war waging within her mind, one side was screaming at her because she gave her adversary her true name, and the other was relieved that someone finally knew her, even if it was END. For some reason, she knew he wouldn't do anything bad per se with the information, it seemed like he truly just wanted to know.

It was an odd sensation.

"Keep this safe…Lucy." His large, deadly hand enclosed over hers for a second, his touch surprisingly gentle, as he unfurled his large wings.

And then he was gone, swallowed up into the chaos.

She looked down to her open palm, her breath stalling in her chest once again. END had placed the pendant on it, the stone warm and welcomed against her skin.

-ooo-

"Report!"

"NOVA! Where were you? Are you alright? What happened? Did you fight END?"

Lucy waved off Erza and Gray's questions looking right at the group of Generals around her, there was no time for stupid questions. She knew what she looked like. Helmet lost, dishevelled, red-eyed and tear streaked, breastplate shattered and useless. She hadn't been injured, thank the deities, but her heart was damaged again.

Lucy brushed more blood out of her eye, again, smearing it down the side of her face. She really needed it bandaged, it was starting to annoy her.

Damn, did head wounds ever cease bleeding?

Laxus looked quizzically at the dragon head hanging on its silver chain around her neck, but she ignored that as well. She didn't know how to tell everyone that she had seen an unknown side of END, or that he left her in a vulnerable state without cutting her down. She just needed the strength this necklace gave her.

"Report! NOW! What was the signal for?"

It was Minerva that answered her with her second in command, Rufus Lore, hovering behind her. "It's Phantom Lord. They brought out their Jupiter Cannon."

"Shit." The magical and physical damage from that thing could determine this battle by itself. She addressed everyone together as she started to pace from side to side. "Any ideas?"

Erza looked annoyed, possibly about the lack of options that they had to decide from. "Only two. But you're not going to like them."

She smiled wryly at her partner. "I never do Titania. Tell me quickly!" All ideas were run past her in the middle of battle if they couldn't get to the Tactician. Lucy just had a knack for out of the ordinary ideas that usually won the skirmish.

"Send in Mystogan."

Lucy scowled. "You're right. That's a terrible plan. I know he works alone, but he will need to make an exception, all our enemies are here. Has anyone actually seen him since the battle began?"

Not a single person had. Evidently, he had found something to occupy his time.

"Alright…the second option?"

"I deflect the blast with my adamantine armour. It's the only thing that will have even the potential to work."

Angry exclamations and surprised noises were heard all around until Lucy held her hand up to silence them all. "Absolutely not. Titania…you are one of the strongest fighters here next to the Thunder God and the Monster. What if your defence didn't hold out? We would lose a valuable fighter! We need another option! Come on peo-"

Out of nowhere, a rumbling explosion was heard from the very centre of the enemy side.

"What the hell?" Everyone on the field turned as a singular unit to watch as the newly revealed Jupiter Cannon broke apart into many smaller pieces, falling uselessly to the ground.

"Well…that was easy…" Laxus voiced their good luck with a healthy dose of scepticism. Lucy looked down to the sword still clutched in her hand, was this Natsu's doing? Was their luck finally turning?

Titania bowed her head in thought. "Was that Mystogan? If it was, it was truly fortuitous."

"We must keep our guard up, things like this are rarely this easy, but we can force them back now without the threat of them blasting us off the ground hanging over our heads! Generals and Lieutenants, have any of the enemy forces fallen?"

Erza ticks off her fingers, as she had already heard this information before Nova had joined them from her fight with END. "I heavily wounded Kyoka. Mira absorbed Seilah's powers and wiped her off the map. Torafuzar, Rusty Rose, and Erigor were all defeated by our hands as well."

"I see. What does the Tactician have to say?"

Gray grinned, his face almost completely obscured by his tattoo, blood and demon ichor. "Total frontal assault without giving them a chance to regroup. Also, Black Steel will be picking ice out of his scales for months, you of all people know how long my ice lasts."

She rolled her eyes. Oh, did she ever. Three years ago, Gray had a confrontation with his demonised father, learning a thing or two about devil slaying magic. He obviously immediately tried his new ice out and froze over half of King Makarov's castle for three months until he was strong enough to reverse the damage. Lucy was sure that his ice would have lasted years, if not more, should he have not removed it.

"Lucy…I mean General Nova. What about END? Can you fight him again without your armour and you magic reserves so low?"

Lucy shook her head at her friend. He always forgot to call her Nova while in enemy territory. She motioned for her aids to bring her another breastplate, this one was regrettably non-magical in origin. "I don't believe END will be a problem any longer in this fight. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. I didn't defeat him…it was more of a stalemate, to be honest. And I still have a weapon, it will do me just fine until this is all over." She brandished the short sword for all to see.

Some people gasped while others only nodded with a sceptical eye. Anyone could see that is wasn't made by a master, but they could all feel the magical aura that seeped from it.

"What –"

"I will debrief everyone later. For now… back into the fray."

-ooo-

Only a scant two hours later, and the battle was decided. The Black Wizard's army decided to retreat back to their base, leaving only minimal reinforcements behind in case Domus tried to follow them back. The loss of their trump card, the Jupiter Cannon, as well as some of their most valuable demons, seemed to be too much for them. END wasn't seen again after his confrontation with Nova. This, if nothing else, seemed to sap their opponents of their drive to win.

By no means was the war over, this was just an interlude until either side had a new and improved strategy to wipe the other out.

Lucy sat in a round table conference in the pavilion that usually only housed Levy McGarden and her calculations regarding combat strategies. Every General and Lieutenant were present as well as the silent Mystogan and King Makarov.

While there was no loss of life for the upper levels of the commanders of the war against Alvarez, there was damage. Most notably was the Gildarts, who went up against a terribly ruthless rogue from the other side that left him without an arm and a leg. He was being treated, healed, and fit for magically enhanced prosthetics by Porlyusica. The aged woman had come out of her forest years ago at the behest of the King of Domus to help them when the battles were becoming too much for his own healers.

She was as feisty as ever.

Erza had broken one of her ankles but refused to be anywhere but the meeting, leaning against her husband, Jellal Fernandes for support. Jellal had only just recently returned from an undercover mission spanning years as he wormed his way into a top spot in the Etherious army working closely with the Oracion Seis, learning all he could and relaying the information to Titania over time. He was a valuable asset that helped them stay ahead of their enemies for so long. It also helped that for some reason, Cobra was unable to hear past the block in his mind that was placed there when he was possessed as a child. He was the perfect double agent.

Lyon and Gray sported identical injuries, it seemed they had teamed up to deal with the Iron Dragon Slayer.

Freed's long hair had been cut unevenly close to his neck. The members of the Thunder Legion had already teased him into pouting about it.

King Makarov – affectionately called Gramps by all those he had taken into his castle from all the other Kingdoms that Emperor Spriggan had decimated – slammed down his goblet of wine onto the makeshift war table, calling the meeting to order. "Now, let's begin. I shall start with the final count of the enemy removed from the playing field."

"Kyoka, Torafuzar, Seilah. Although those three will regenerate given enough time, Mira seems to have Seilah's macro curses in her arsenal now." The she-demon smiled wide, her takeover still in place, until they were back in the safety of Domus sending shivers down most people's backs. "Rusty Rose was taken out by Bixslow and Freed, Erigor was removed by Kagura and her second Millianna. With the removal of 'The Reaper,' his entire contingent surrendered."

Jura bowed his head after his briefing.

The King stroked his beard in thought. "I see. Well, the capture of Eisenwald was an unseen twist. We will have to see if they know anything about the Black Wizard's plans. This could turn the tide of this war." He smiled at all his precious children. "I feel as if we can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel that is this pointless struggle against Alvarez." Everyone knew that it was far from over, but the glimmer of hope on the horizon shot newfound strength into their tired bones. Small conversations broke out among everyone gathered. Lucy was happy to see smiles and hear laughter after such a harrowing day. It melted the tension in her muscles as if she were in her own person hot spring.

"I would like to know who destroyed the Jupiter Cannon."

When no one came forward, the Thunder God looked towards the corner housing Mystogan. His bandaged limbs and hidden face turned towards Laxus as he shifted in place, magical staves clinking together. "You didn't do it?"

Mystogan's voice was soft and quiet but held a certain amount of strength. It was times like this that everyone could agree that Mystogan would have been a wonderful King, even if no one present knew what he looked like, not even Makarov. Mystogan had said it was for everyone's safety. "No. I was locked in combat during that time. It seems that Mard Geer was thirsty for my blood."

Most people shivered at the mention of the Underworld King. It was a true testament to the former King's power that he had survived a confrontation with Mard and came out relatively unscathed.

"So, no one knows how it exploded? Interesting." And that was the end of that particular line of questioning, as they moved on to more mundane things like weapon stocks and such.

Freed called for order before too long. The new hair style still looked so weird on him, maybe Lucy would ask Cancer to grow it back out later so that he would feel more comfortable. After the confrontations were done of course. She and Erza knew all too well that long hair was a liability in the middle of the fight. Grabby hands seemed to hone in and lock onto her golden locks more often than not. Titania had taken to braiding both of theirs before placing their helmets over it to protect them from being caught off guard.

Laxus' voice boomed over the large table, directed towards Lucy herself who was cleaning dried blood and demon ichor off of her beloved sword. She needed to see it gleam again before putting it away, luckily enough, Natsu had had enough foresight to enhance it magically so that it would never dull. "General Nova…Lucy…we need to know about your confrontation with END."

Tension filled hush fell over the crowd, everyone had wanted to ask well before this moment, but no one but Laxus had the balls to ask.

Lucy only smiled tightly at her pseudo brother as he watched her movements with a critical eye.

"Alright. I met END. He was as terrifying up close as he seemed from a distance. His claws seemed to sap my magical energy right out of me when it met with my sword. It could have been because those black flames of his are made of pure darkness, the complete opposite of my magic being derived by heavenly light." She shrugged. At this point, it was only speculation and unimportant at the moment.

She scrubbed hard at a stubborn spot of black, scraping it off with her nail. "He was different than I would have thought. There was no…blood lust in his eyes, no murderous intent. We had a…conversation."

Everyone looked as confused as she felt, greatly relieving her. Lucy felt she was going to be the only one who thought that END speaking to her was a strange occurrence.

"Let me get this straight…you and the greatest demon ever seen…talked."

"…Yes."

No one moved or even breathed until Laxus shifted in his seat and waved for her to continue.

"He told me he awoke ten years ago lacking all of his previous memories to the Black Wizard telling him that he was a killing machine, made to slaughter the masses. But, he said he doesn't believe his leader anymore, that the war was pointless. He seemed almost…tired. Then we clashed."

"General Nova," Levy's voice rang out inside the silent tent, her eyes flashed as the Tactician jumped onto the new information she was given. Lucy could almost see the calculations swirling around her brain. "…could END be turned?"

Lucy sighed. Leave it to the smartest person here to ask the most difficult question. "I think so. Maybe. I think he wants the war to end almost as much as we all do."

All at once, everyone exploded as they all voiced their own opinions until the King slammed an enlarged fist against the table to call for order again.

Gray refused to be silenced, though. He had lost too much to Emperor Spriggan, almost his entire family in fact. Lyon sat silently brooding at his side. "How foolish are you? END is the most powerful demon we have ever battled! There is no way in hell that he would ever come to our side. He is loyal to the Empire, and he will always be. Stop deluding yourselves!"

Some agreed with him, nodding along with his speech, while others only looked thoughtful at the possibility.

Lucy spoke up again as the noise level raised. "I believe he could be turned! With Gildarts out of commission at the moment, we need a new trump card. END could be that card!" Her voice was raising to a shout as she gripped the pendant around her neck, her knuckles turning white. "None of you were there when we crossed weapons. END is different than we thought. I know we have all lost so much to this war, but I think END has as well."

Erza noticed Lucy's involuntary actions. "Lucy, where did that carving come from? You weren't wearing it before you went out into the fray. And why did you draw that sword." Titania gestured towards the weapon Nova was still religiously cleaning although the grime had been wiped off minutes before.

Lucy looked towards Makarov. If she were going to answer that question, she would have to reveal her whole story to the people gathered here. She knew they wouldn't spread it around if she swore them to secrecy. She was just so tired of keeping her secrets to herself, she wanted the memory of her home to be shared with as many people as possible so that it would never be forgotten should she die.

The King only shrugged, giving her the permission to divulge all the secrets they had held inside them from that fateful day the small, skinny, weary girl begged for his help.

"Fine. But, what I say here must not be repeated until I say it is time. Agreed?"

Assenting nods were seen from every corner. Laxus looked sceptical at her decision to reveal everything. He alone – not including the King – knew of her heritage.

"Alright. I will start at the beginning. It is time for all of you to know me as Lucy Heartfilia, Crown Princess of Astralis and last known survivor of the Kingdom of Stars."

-ooo-

END slammed his flaming fists against the remains of the Jupiter Cannon, questions with no answers swirling around his mind. Why did Nova…Lucy…look so familiar. Why had he asked for her name? How had she gotten under his guard to easily and wormed her way into his heart?

He had destroyed the Jupiter Cannon easily so that the dark army would be forced to retreat back to Alvarez before too long. It also gave Lucy the time she needed to regroup and collect herself. Her broken expression swam before he closed eyes as his heart gave another traitorous lurch. What in the Deities names was going on with him?

The fact that END absolutely loathed the look of pain and sadness that had graced her breathtaking face at the sight of the little Dragon pendant bewildered him to no end. He was a demon, born only to destroy, to kill, to maim and rain destruction down on his enemy's heads. He was told this every day since he was small by the Emperor himself. He was supposed to lust after her blood, he was supposed to rip her to shreds. That was the entire reason he had been made!

But, over the last few years, that mindset had slowly but surely flowed out of him, only to be replaced by a certain amount of defeat and tiredness that had crept down into his bones.

He could see it as clear as day as he stared into Lucy's gigantic brown eyes. She was tired too. Tired of a life of fighting. Tired of the damn war.

End knew that he would never be able to successfully kill Lucy. Even if the Emperor commanded it done, there was something deep within his body that had struggled against the motions of his hands and claws as they had tried to gut her. He felt her magic, that golden light had successfully dimmed his own blackened flames to a point where they were almost useless.

He didn't want her dead. He didn't truly want anyone dead. Nova's words, before knowing her as Lucy, struck a chord deep within him, how every life was precious. It also meant that even though his own soul was so black and charred to the point of being unredeemable, his own life might be precious as well.

He wanted to protect General Nova from harm, not cause her to cry. The sight of her tears earlier had ripped a blazing path of pain straight through his heart. But he didn't know why.

This was the reason he was kicking the shit out of the Jupiter Cannon, long after it was rendered unusable. His frustration over his confusion needed to be vented before he faced the Emperor.

"Shit." He was screwed. The Black Wizard would no doubt punish him for his inability to kill Nova. But he didn't care. For some reason, he would take all the punishment that he doled out if it would spare Lucy from the pain.

Why had he left that stone carving with her? Why had he talked with her at all? Why the hell did he want to see her again? Why did that sword, with that gigantic stone and those glowing flames evoke a feeling of peace inside him?

Too many questions.

His mind threw a plan at him, something so ridiculous that it would just have to work if no one caught him. He needed answers to all of his stupid questions. His head was starting to hurt with all the thinking he was doing.

He groaned, knowing that this was the worst idea he had ever had.

Shaking off his unease, he spread his wings and flew back to the black castle as fast as possible. He wanted to get this debrief with their almighty leader out of the way before he did something so risky.

Gods, help him. He was going to steal General Nova from under the noses of some of the most powerful mages ever seen. He was so screwed.

"Dammit."