Laxus's POV

I watched as all of her spirits froze, before pure sadness and grief marred their faces, the mermaid creature screaming and throwing herself at the scorpion guy, who held her tightly while silent tears tracked down his tanned cheeks. The cow sank to the floor, staring down at the ground as the maid spirits stood stock still, her body shaking slightly as tears silently poured down her cheeks.

No... I thought, my blood freezing and running cold as my brain came up with a reason for why such grief would occur.

'NO! LUCY!' Erza screamed, throwing herself to the ground and pounding the floor with her fists, before leaping up and grabbing the maid spirit, screaming at her as she shook her.

'VIRGO! TAKE ME BACK TO HER NOW!' The maid blinked and tried to refocus her eyes on Erza's face through her tears.

Suddenly, Loke appeared and grabbed Wendy before disappearing almost immediately.

Oh Mavis no... please God don't let her be hurt... tell me she's alright... I stalked towards Erza and grabbed her, pulling her off the mourning spirit, before talking softly to the pink haired woman.

'Please... take us to her.' She looked up at me, then at the rest of us. Gray was frozen solid, ironic for an ice mage, but he stood unmoving as he stared up to the sky; his hands hanging uselessly at his sides. Natsu was pressing his head into the ground, and started banging it harder and harder on the floor, before Gildarts grabbed him and lifted him into a tight hug which he tried in vain to fight out of before screaming into Gildarts cloaked figure.

Mira was staring down at her hands, shaking her head as she sobbed, sinking to the floor and covering her eyes while muttering to herself.

Freed stood straight, his eyes and face expressing no emotion, but I knew this was what he did to stop his entire world from falling apart and his magic from spiralling out of control. However, Evergreen sat on the floor at Freed's feet, one hand clutching at the bottom of his red coat while the other rested over her heart. She was staring at the floor, her glasses reflection hiding her eyes, but her tears were uncontrollably pouring down her face as she leant her body against Freed's leg for support.

Virgo interrupted my observances and nodded as she turned to the other spirits.

'Hime-sama would wish for us to return her friends, and not cry.' She whispered, her usually strong, solid voice quivering and uncertain. Slowly, the spirits drew themselves out of their grief, the last one to come to her senses being the mermaid, Aquarius.

Flashback

'Who's you're strongest spirit then blondie?' I called out, smirking at her as she glared at me.

'All my spirits are strong! Although, if you're talking magically, Loke, he is the leader of the Zodiac. Then again...' She broke off and shuddered, her face going slightly pale.

'What? You scared of one of your spirits?' I teased, only to receive another deadly glare.

'Of course not! I love Aquarius just as much as all my other spirits! She's more high strung than the others, and does wash me away whenever I summon her... but I love her a lot! She's been with me ever since I was a child, and has never changed. Believe it or not, that's what's helped me hang on during the hardest times. After my Mother died, she was the one who stepped up to get me through it.' Her voice had grown tender, and she smiled to herself gently as she sank into her memories; her face taking on an almost ethereal quality.

'She's like a second Mother to me. She doesn't like to show she likes me, but I know deep down she loves me as much as I love her. I never need to say it, but we both know. I don't know what I would have done without her. I probably wouldn't be here today; she gave me the courage to leave, and supported me in coming to Fairy Tail. Her way of showing it was... peculiar, but I don't care. She always knows what to do to get me moving.' She laughed, her eyes sparkling as the light caught them, and I couldn't help but smile at how much she seemed to love this spirit.

Flashback Ends

'Aquarius baby, Virgo's right. Lucy would want us to be happy, not to cry.' Scorpio smiled sadly down at the blue haired mermaid, who only burst into more tears, shaking her head against his chest as she clutched onto him tightly.

I stepped towards them, waiting for her sobs to quieten for a moment before speaking.

'She really loves you, so quit your crying and go see her with us.' I snapped, watching as she stopped the water works before turning to throw an evil glare at me that rivalled Erza's.

I see where Lucy learned it from... I thought, shuddering internally, but not showing her how she'd affected me.

'Shut it lightning boy.' She scoffed, glaring again before grabbing Erza and Mira and disappearing in a shower of gold.

Scorpio came up to me and clapped me on the shoulder.

'Thanks.' I jerked my head in a nod, before I felt my body seem to drop as he teleported me back to Earthland.

I blinked, adjusting to the light and my eyes zeroed in on the one thing I didn't want to see.

Wendy was frantically healing her as tears streamed down her face, her hands shaking from the huge amount of magic she was pumping into her.

Bix held her in his arms and was stroking at her hair, murmuring to her desperately as his own tears dripped on her face.

'No...' I whispered, not believing what I was seeing.

My body stepped forwards without my consent, and before I knew it I was beside Wendy and was holding her bloody, cold hand in my own, feeling for a pulse in her torn up wrist where the shackles had ripped at her skin; only to find nothing.

'Bix... she's gone.' I whispered, my voice cracking at the word as I slowly lowered her wrist to the ground.

I could feel my heart dying in my chest, and the dragon inside of me wanted to scream and rampage, to tear down the giant stone column that held her captive; to destroy the place that was now her tomb.

'I can save her... she's not fucking dying yet! I need more time, Wendy keep healing her, you hear me? Ignore Laxus, keep going!' Bix spat out, his eyes blazing green as he clutched onto her still form, desperation turning him into a madman.

I reached out, about to try and pull him away, but he turned and snarled at me, pulling her body closer to him before blinking away his anger at me and facing her open, lifelessly dull eyes.

'Her soul's still here... I can save her... I need more time!' He said, staring into her eyes as Wendy slowly healed the holes in her chest.

I could see that this was tearing apart the young girl. I could see in her own chocolate brown eyes the pain and hopelessness that settled there as she sent her healing magic into Lucy's body.

'Please... Bix, it's too late.' I whispered, my voice deep with pain and sadness. I turned to see Erza and Mira, clutching one another on the ground. They'd already seen her body, and were grieving together. Considering the old time rivalry between them, it just went to show how much they both loved Lucy that they were clutching at one another to stay sane.

Natsu appeared along with Gildarts, Gray, Freed and Ever. Gildarts took one look at the blonde on the floor before storming across to punch a wall repeatedly, his fist coming away bloodied as he ground his teeth, his magical pressure spiking with his anger and destroying the ground at his feet.

Gray slowly knelt on the floor, looking down at the ground as his tears dropped into his open hands, while Freed sat beside Ever on the cold stone and hugged her to him, hiding his face in her brown hair as she in turn hid her grief in his green locks.

'NO! Laxus, you don't get it! I can save her. I just need time!' He turned his tear stained face towards me, and I felt as though I'd been kicked in the guts.

His brow was furrowed in pain as his eyes stared up at me, fresh tears lingering at the corners of the green orbs. His lips trembled as he gasped in oxygen, trying to hold back his panic and pain while he held her close to him, one arm supporting her neck and head, while the other caressed her face and bruised and bloodied cheek.

I knew he wasn't insane then, but he was teetering on the edge. If she died, he would die too. There was no getting around it; he'd jump from this mountain before thinking about life without her.

I shut my eyes and took in a deep breath, forcing my own grief to hide beneath the facade I'd perfected since I was a child; the one that turned me into an unfeeling bastard, and opened my eyes as I stared down at him, not expressing the deep rooted fear and pain that wanted to consume me.

'Can you save her?' Loke suddenly shoved past me and bragged Bix by the shoulder, his hand digging into his skin as he stared at him.

Bix nodded his head, staring straight at Loke, who took a deep breath before disappearing.

Moments later, the magical pressure around us increased so much I felt like a slab of concrete had been hoisted onto my shoulders, and I spun around to look around, only to see the snowflakes that had been falling were frozen in the air.

I reached up a hand and brushed through the soft flakes, watching as they moved from the contact, before slowing and stopping in the air.

'Old friends, friends of my friend. My old friend Leo has told me of my friend's plight. I hope my friend's friend can bring her back to us.' I spun and saw a giant man with a huge moustache that towered tall than the mountain. He was looking down at Lucy with sadness, and turned his gaze to Bix, almost pleadingly.

'Who the hell is that?' I whispered to myself, but turned as Loke answered.

'He's the spirit king. Lucy saved his life back then, now he wants to return the favour.' Loke turned and stood beside Bix.

'You said you needed time, now you have it. So fix her... please.' Wendy was trembling uncontrollably from exhaustion, and I saw Lucy's spirit Nick rest his hand on her shoulder, telling her to rest before taking his place and pouring all of his magical healing light into her half healed body. Instantly, the bruises across her face healed, and her marred wrists returned to the silken, pale perfection they had been.

I stood behind Bix, and watched as he lightly pressed his lips to hers, whispering quietly to her.

'I'll bring you back to me Lucy.'

Natsu's POV

I watched as the spirit king appeared, somehow taking in what my eyes were seeing but still unable to comprehend it.

My mind was focused only on the unmoving blonde body that Bickslow held in his arms.

Luce couldn't be dead... not even for a moment. She had more life than the entire guild put together and some more on top of that! She was strong, and brave, and she loved everyone like no one had before. She was gentle, and my partner... she couldn't be gone...

I clenched my shaking fists, before ploughing them into the ground to try and stop the sign of my grief from interfering with my thoughts and sanity.

Luce... couldn't be gone... Bix would save her... he just said, didn't he? Wasn't the spirit king immensely strong? Couldn't he save her?

I lifted my eyes and saw a familiar figure stand and start to stagger away.

I growled low in my throat and flew forwards, past Bix and Luce to grab onto the blonde haired man with a flaming fist an ramming him into the wall, winding him severely.

I blinked before his eyes filled with fear as he recognised me.

'You.' I sneered, lifting him higher with one hand clinging to his shirt before throwing him across the open cavern so he bounced along the ground to a stop in front of Erza and Mira, who had stood when they saw me attack. I stalked forwards, my body blazing as I kicked the downed man in the ribs, making him fly into another wall as he cried out.

'Natsu! What are you doing?' Erza called out, grabbing me tightly while wearing her flame empress armour to prevent burns. I snarled and thrashed against her as I shouted out at the cowering mage who now coughed up some blood.

'HE STABBED HER! HE WAS THE ONE WHO BETRAYED HER TRUST! HE'S GOING TO FUCKING DIE!' I screamed, tears streaming down my face as I felt Erza's grip on me tighten momentarily before she punched me on the head, making me fall to the floor and my flames extinguish.

I looked up at her incredulously, but smirked when I saw both her and Mira's evil aura's emerging and making one incredible dark mass behind them. I saw the guys eyes widen before he scrambled upright and tried to cast a spell, only to frown when it didn't work.

'I've already written the runes necessary to stop your spells. You shall pay for hurting Lucy-sama.' Freed's voice spoke from behind Erza and Mira, and he stepped up beside them in his darkness form, looking like a demon; Ever then appeared from behind him, glaring at the man with an aura that rivalled Erza's.

'Nobody hurts Lucy.' She spat out, her small hands clenched in fists as they all stepped forwards. I was about to stand and follow them to get in on the beating, but I felt Gray's cold hand on my shoulder.

'You've had your turn. Let's go get the rest of the bastards who were in on it. There must be more. We need to leave Bix to do his thing.' I looked up at him, and saw my pain and grief reflected in his eyes. I turned to look at her unmoving body, and saw that her head was now resting in Laxus's lap while Bix was chanting at her side, his babies hovering above them in a circle.

'Gildarts! We're going to go find some breathing punch bags, wanna help?' Gray called out, his eyes locked on Luce, his worry evident in his voice and every move of his body.

'Let's go Natsu.' I felt Gildarts large hand rest on my shoulder, and looked up at him before my gaze was magnetically pulled back to her.

'Natsu. We can't help here.' I nodded slowly, standing up and feeling Happy return to my shoulders.

'Natsshuu.' I reached up and rubbed his soft blue furry head, looking into his teary eyes.

'I know Happy. Let's go.' I whispered, throwing a sad glance over my shoulder as we walked out to one of the tunnels to begin the hunt.

Bickslow... save her... please.