Chapter 35
"So that's why Lucy-san said that it is more superior to the other twelve." Wendy remembered that day when Yukino summoned the snake to fight Kagura.
"And it also explains why when you summoned that huge snake, there's a dark aura." Jellal added.
"Dark aura?" Natsu asked.
"Yes, it is for that reason that it can seal the book again. A dark lock requires a dark key. A pair," Jellal looked straight at the white-haired girl's face.
"And when Lucy was controlled, I heard that the thirteenth key has no use to them." Gajeel pointed.
"But if you summon Ophiuchus, your Magic will be sealed by that demon." Erza said to the Celestial Spirit Mage, warning her.
"I don't know what happened but Lucy won't harm me just like that. She might be controlled but right now, she's fighting that beast with something different." Yukino blurted out. Heads turned back at her. "She's not using Magic. I'm sensing it but whatever the case may be, let her use this. I just wanna go back to our guild and…and…Sting…" She sobbed.
"That's alright. I now know the reason why Sting likes you." Erza patted the blushing girl's head.
"Impossible." Lucy backed away. She shot Sael right through the chest so why was he still alive?
"I told you, my power is infinite." He said nonchalantly. "DEMON SHACKLES!" Then again, black mist covered his hands and the energy turned into shackles and wrapped around Lucy's hands and arms, holding her in mid-air.
"Asshole!" She's been fighting him like forever but nothing's coming up. Her energy reserves were wavering quickly but he still continuously regenerates any wound she inflicted. She tried to squirm and pull her arms from the binding but it only managed to scrape her skin.
"DARK RAY!" Black energy shot her in the stomach, the clothing burned. The remaining tatters only covered her chest. The previously long skirt was heavily burned and now only reached above her knee.
"Lucy!" Laxus continuously punched the barrier with lightning-covered fist but it still doesn't do a thing.
"Oh, your boyfriend's really worried now. Too bad, I must continuously annoy him." Sael smirked. "PANDEMONIUM PUNISHMENT!" Orbs of black mist hovered over Lucy then exploded upon contact.
"AHHHHH!" A blood curling scream pierced the air then everything went silent.
"LUCE!" Natsu cried.
"LUCY-SAN!" Juvia and Wendy shouted at the same time.
"LUCY!" Gray tried to search her body among the smoke. It all cleared in a moment. What they saw made their skin crawl. She was badly injured, bruise covered each part of her body and she's barely hanging onto her consciousness. That state…they have seen that before…Yes, her twentieth birthday just as…just as she lay dying on their guild hall. Memories, guilt and sorrow washed their minds. No. NO. NO!
"So, you're still alive after that? Anyway, after this, I guarantee you that you won't see tomorrow." His claws extended in length and glinted in sharpness. "Die, Lucy Heartfilia and may your Keys forever be mine." The demon flapped his wings harder, pushing his body to its limit to gain the momentum and pierce that wench's body. Though events supposed to have moved on a very fast rate, time seemed to have slowed down for all those who watched.
"BUNNY GIRL!" Gajeel called out.
"ENOUGH!" Tears fell from Erza's eyes as her voice broke.
'Die? Lucy will die?' Those thoughts ran rampant in Laxus' mind. "STOP!" An inhuman growl escaped his lips as pressure built around himself. The people beside him were quickly brought down to their knees, hairs on their nape and arms standing.
"W-What's this heavy feeling?" Yukino struggled to stand but every try was pointless, it was like their skulls were crushed to the ground.
"Yukino, what's happening?" Sting and the other Sabertooth members ran towards them but when they neared the kneeling bodies, they felt a heavy force pushing them to the ground.
"No! Don't! Stay where you are!" Erza commanded. "Everyone, go! Crawl if you must!" She gestured for her fellow guild mated to move as far as possible in which they silently complied to.
"Erza-san, what is that?" Juvia asked when they were in a good distance.
"That's his Magical Power. Watch." The pressure then intensified and manifested in a pillar of lightning. The force of the sudden surge cracked the floor he was standing in. The pillar then collided with the dome.
"ARGHHHH!" Laxus exerted more of his Magical Power and the burst of fluctuating energy managed to put a crack on the dome. Breaking sounds continued to be heard as more crack formed and that was when Erza hatched another plan.
"Everyone, when a hole formed from that crack, let's all hurry up and slip past through." Erza instructed them. The crack grew larger and larger until it shattered. "Everyone, let's go!" Laxus turned into his Lightning Body and was followed by the others. Natsu was the last one.
"Hurry Natsu, the dome's closing again." Gray shouted, surprised that the protective Spell regenerates itself.
"Natsu-san, take this!" Yukino threw a golden piece towards Salamander just he jumped towards the crack.
"Thanks!" He grinned.
"LIGHTNING DRAGON'S JAW!" With his enhanced speed from his Lightning Body, Laxus managed to quickly sneak above Sael's head just as his claws could strike Lucy. Using his interlocked hands, he swung his electric-powered fist on the man's head. The impact sent Sael shooting to the ground in a fast rate, sending pieces of rocks in the surroundings.
"What the…?" He was taken aback by the sneak attack. With his focus gone, the shackles around Lucy quickly dissipated. Losing consciousness, she started to fall but was then caught by a breeze of wind.
"IRON DRAGON'S ROAR!" Metallic-gray tornado burst from Gajeel's mouth
"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!" Natsu followed the black-haired man's actions. Both attacks converged in a single tornado.
"Dispel." Sael, regaining his composure, quickly used his powers to erase the attack just before it could reach him.
"Shit!" Both men cursed under their breath.
"Lucy-san, Lucy-san, wake up." Wendy nudged the sleeping blonde. She has healed the girl just as the wind brought her safely to the ground. Lucy groggily sat up. "Thank God, you're alright!"
"Wendy? Jellal?" Lucy took notice of the two blue-haired mages in front of her.
"Lucy, Natsu gave me this." Jellal handed down a golden key in the woman's palm. "Natsu said that I should give this to you. He also said that there's a keyhole at the back cover of that book. Use this to seal it back but first you must take the remaining twelve. No time to argue. Our plan is to distract him long enough for you to close the book. Wendy, come on!" And just like that, both mages ran towards the fight.
'Thank you everyone.' Lucy smiled weakly at the fighting figures then she noticed something. Her Spirit Energy was surging up again. No, it's more like it was spiking and beating. 'What?' She questioned herself but right now, she has to do this. She needs to use her Spirit Energy to summon this Spirit so as to prevent Sael from ruining their final hope. This has to end now. She raised the key into the air and invoked the whole summoning chant.
"OPEN! GATE OF THE SNAKE CHARMER! OPHIUCHUS!"
