Hey guys! I just finished reading the manga Eden no Ori (cage of Eden) and I'm like . ... I can't even express how shocked and, and… left cliff-hanged and… eeeeehhhh?! I am right now…

The mangaka is a sick-minded genius. I love and hate him at the same time.

Well, anyway, I highly recommend it to you if you like blood and ecchi. And psychology, mystery, adventure, horror and so on. But you are waiting for my story, so I must start writing. Right. Thank you, btw, for your wonderful reviews! *teary* I am so happy every time I receive one!

Lucy once she saw he was entering the room, rose up and looked at him. She had wiped away her tears, trying to look fine and not worry him. The door closed behind him. She watched as his eyes widen as his eyes travelled through her body, probably trying to make sure she was real. His mouth muttered a soft 'Lucy' and she felt her palms sweat at the sound or her name spoken so gently.

He took a shy and hesitating step forward, but stopped immediately. He was starting to sweat. His eyes stared with urgency at her calm face while he didn't know what to do. She stared back at him trying to wash away the images o his execution that kept popping out in her mind. He opened his mouth making a try to speak, but only a poor 'ah' came out. He tried over and over again to say something, until his shock changed into frustration. He didn't know why, but he started angering. All this time…. All those horrible hours in torturing hours… Every single minute when he pulled his hair in desperation… have been in vain. For nothing.

He gritted his teeth and his widened eyes narrowed while his whole face turned into a frown. He glared at his feet instead of her face and hair and he could feel his nails jabbing into his own palm as his fists tightened their grip. His whole body was trembling. And she just stood there with confusion and surprise as if she was innocent for everything that had happened.

The thought of slapping her crossed his mind, but he immediately eliminated it. He must've been crazy if he thought of hurting her after crying so much believing she was dead. And, after all, the queen had warned him about hurting her. Which made him wonder if she had guessed the way he would feel.

He suddenly felt his eyes filling with tears. This frustrated him even more; and he didn't want Lucy to see him cry, either. He turned his back upon her and waited, trembling overwhelmed with all those confusing feelings.

Lucy stared at him confused. She saw the changing emotions inside him, but couldn't understand the meaning of them. Or more like the reason for them.

''You idiot…'' she heard him moan shakily through his gritted teeth and through his tears, making her flinch. This only confused her even more.

''I thought you were dead.'' he added in a crushed whisper.

She couldn't understand why he seemed to angry, but for then, her mind was only occupied by a huge question mark. Dead? Why would she be dead? He has been in prison the whole time, ever since they had met the day before. That could only mean he has heard something that made him understand she was dead in the meantime. An idea struck her. What if rumors had spread that she had died when she actually had fainted? Maybe those rumors reached the prison, so, his ears. This misunderstanding somehow amused her.

She giggled and said:

''Why would I be dead? I am safe here, you know?'' she wanted it to sound more like a joke and to point out the ridiculousness of the idea. But she immediately regretted that she had opened her mouth when she realized how serious Natsu actually was. She lowered her eyes also remembering that it was actually quite logical to think she had chances to be sentenced. Those chances consisted in the queen finding out she had read her 'life journal'. In addition, somebody like Marcus Johnsgate could easily kill her if they would have a moment of losing control. Thus, Natsu had a pretty big bunch of reasons to think she had been dead.

She looked at his big back. His lowered head and trembling body expressed the overwhelming emotions he was confronting t with. She bit her lower lip regretting so much for making him worry. And she also felt the need to comfort him, to show him she was alright.

Natsu closed his eyes tight, trying to wash away all his pain and anger. But then, he flinched at the soft feeling of two thin arms circling his waist and embracing him. He felt a little face burying in his dirty shirt at his back. He felt Lucy hug him.

Even if at first he put forth, his muscles were now relaxing for the first time in so long. He sighed, breathing out all his frustrations. He wanted, at least for this little while, to forget about everything and just chill out.

''I'm sorry.'' he heard Lucy whisper with shaky voice. Was she going to cry?

The next moment, she tightened her grip around him as her eyes filled with tears again.

''I'm sorry. I didn't want to make you worry. I just fainted, but I'm all right now.''

He found himself melting in the presence of her. He had missed her.

After a really long break of silence in which neither of them moved a muscle, Lucy bit her lower lip, deciding it was probably the best the tell Natsu about the events of the evening. She had to tell him the story she had made up. After all, it was 'their' story. Also, she wanted to tell him about her vision. This could've been a warning from Lollipop or something like that. Maybe she wanted to show them what would happen if they failed to accomplish their task in that place. She retrieved her arms from her hug while saying:

''Natsu… listen, I-''

He cut her short by turning around and facing her. He then caught her in his own tight hug, burying his face in her neck, loving the touch of her skin.

''Don't say anything for now. Just let me enjoy these precious moments of freedom as I can .''

She felt the smile in his voice and kept quiet like he told her to. She closed her eyes as well and found herself relaxing in his arms. Resting her face on his shoulder, she felt him flinch at her touch. His pulse gathered speed, making him want to hold her tighter. She felt his sudden change of spirit and wondered what the reason for it could be.

His lips kissed her neck gently and she felt a wave of heat filling her body as she flinched. She started trying to widen the gap between them, but he held her too tight.

''Natsu…'' she whimpered as she tried harder to push him away.

''I've missed you…'' he whispered in response.

She was getting more and more conscious of his hot breath under her ear, which made her whole body heat up and her cheeks blush like crazy. She has missed him, too, but not so much not to let go of him! She was squeezed by his tighter grip while his left hand moved on her back up to the scruff of her neck. She felt his face get away from her neck and saw him looking down in her eyes. His mouth was partly opened and there was a soft look in his eyes. She was, not for the first time in her life, amazed by how perfect the features of his face were. Not that type of doll features, but the type with makes one unique. He was so beautiful; no wonder the girls were dying for him back in high-school!

''I've missed you like I've never missed anybody in my whole life.'' he approached his face to hers making her blush a deeper shade of pinkish-red. She looked down at the floor wondering if it was really true what he had said. If yes, then she felt really happy. She looked back at him and flinched and then froze. Suddenly, instead of the soft look in his eyes, she spotted in a glimpse of a second hunger. The next moment, Natsu lowered his head stealing a kiss from her. Another one. Taken by surprise, she had no time to react. She wanted to back up, but he still held her back with one hand and her head with the other, keeping her a prisoner to his own passion. Realizing her arms were still somehow hugging him, she retrieved them fast and put them on his chest, trying to push him away. She squeezed her eyes in pain. He was hurting her, stealing her breath and pushing his lips against hers with strength and the frustration of being kept in prison like a dog all those hours. The thought of him trying to get revenge by hurting her crossed her mind.

She whimpered, trying with all he might to get away from his kiss and grip. When he finally decided it was time he would breathe a little, he let go of her head. They both were panting. Lucy pushed him harder, talking advantage of this moment of freedom.

''What are you doing, you idiot!'' she screamed trying to sound more angry than as scared as she was. Natsu let go of his desire for her a moment, long enough to remember the queen's warning and start worrying that Lucy could be heard. He took his finger to lips, exasperatingly hissing a ''Shhhhhhh!'', but Lucy continued screaming:

''Let go of me!''

''Stop screaming, they'll th-''

She continued struggling and shouting at him to free her, but he kept holding her for the reason of trying to make her understand the situation. She took an unsecure step back and tripped on her long dress. Natsu, as he was still holding her, kept her from falling, but it seemed that he had made a little 'miscalculation' and the next moment, they both fell on the floor, bumping into a little table that had an antique vase on it. This vase ended up in pieces fast enough, fortunately not cutting either of them, but instead making an alarming noise for the three guards outside the room. They knocked at the door, screaming ''Princess, are you alright?'', but they were almost sure something was up. Luce opened her eyes one a time, like checking if the danger had passed. She saw Natsu standing on top of her; his reflexes had made him land of his elbows and knees saving her from a disastrous squash. She was about to yell over to them she wasn't! This crazy dude almost kissed her to death! But she first looked at Natsu and noticed the begging and worried took in his eyes. She frowned and gave him the 'You deserve it, sexual harasser!' look, but he bit his lower lip and gave her the 'I'm sorry, but don't tell them!' look. She sighed and gave him a last look. 'You owe me.'

''I'm alright. I just tripped and bumped into a… table.'' She said looking at what she actually bumped into. ''I hope Her Majesty isn't going to get mad…'' she added to make them rest easily. They replied something like ''good'' and minded their own business.

''What was that all about?''

''The Queen warned me not to harm you. I would really get in trouble if they think I actually did.''

''Well you didn't really toe the line, now did you?'' she said angrily.

''What do you mean? I didn't hurt you.''

She couldn't believe what he just said. Tears of anger appeared in her eyes as her gritted teeth were about to part and allow her to scream.

''OH REALLY?!''

Natsu alarmed again and widened his eyes. What did he do now? How in the world had he hurt her? She opened her mouth to scream again, but he wouldn't let her again. He hesitated, but in the end, the fastest method to shut her mouth was…

She widened her eyes as she found her mouth covered with his once again. She forgot everything about what she was about to scream and felt her heart beat ten times faster. This was much more intimate than the last time since both their mouths were opened. Her whole face turned as red as the queen's hair. She put her hand on his shoulder with the intention of pushing him away from their embarrassing position, but she was surprised to feel Natsu's pulse accelerate.

Needless to tell, both of them forgot everything about the guards outside. Natsu was starting to want more of her again while Lucy was again scared. She wasn't scared of Natsu, though. She was scared of the feelings he was awakening inside of her. Something new and something that, for some reason, she felt like it was forbidden.

She wanted to believe that it was because she knew it was useless to push him away, but she soon gave up opposing his kiss; but deep inside, she knew something was weird. She wasn't horrified of his kisses anymore.

Natsu backed away, catching his breath and staring at the girl. Lucy, as well, looked at him feeling numb. She widened her eyes and processed what just had happened. By the time she realized she had just made out with Natsu Draganeel, her oh-so-disliked neighbor and enemy for life, she was already turning into a tomato because of the exaggerated blushing. As for Natsu, the girl he has been giving him a sensation of sickness his whole life looked now more beautiful than he ever thought any woman could ever be. He studied with his big eyes her own embarrassed, beautiful eyes. Her red face was so cute! How long had passed since he had seen a girl blushing?

He watched her getting little under his stare and made fun of her a little more, remaining in the same position. He could see her soundless begs for him to give her some space, but he ignored them with an amused smirk on his face. After a little while he lowered his face and watched her flinch and close her eyes tight. But he wasn't going to force a kiss on her anymore. He kissed her forehead gently and whispered:

''Sorry if I hurt you.''

He then got up and took a deep breath trying to control the beatings of his heart. Lucy followed his example and got up from the ground. She sat on the edge of the bed, fixing her hands with her nervous look and trying to wash away the feeling of Natsu. She shook the embarrassing thoughts out of her mind and tried to concentrate on what she had to tell Natsu. But how in the world could she concentrate after what happened?! And how could she tell him their 'love story' now, after what they had done?! The story would have a completely different perspective now and it wouldn't be so funny anymore! She bit her lower lip.

She pictured herself and Natsu back in their own world, before being sucked here, in Fairy Tale. If they would have heard this ridiculous story, they would both burst into laughing. 'Yeah, like that would ever happen!' she could hear herself say in that situation. Natsu would probably comment something about that being 'overly gross' and they would probably even high-five if they were in a good mood.

But now things were different. Natsu had strong feelings for her and she… she was starting to forget that Jason guy she has been liking and was thinking about Natsu more and more each day.

''So what did you want to tell me?'' he interrupted her thoughts.

She hesitated.

''I've made up a story about us… I already told the queen… about it.''

He looked at her since she wasn't continuing.

''And?''

''And what?''

''Are you going to tell me too?''

She gulped and then started telling him everything, felling the entire time overly conscious about each part about the two of them being invented by her. She wondered what Natsu was thinking while listening to her. After she was done, an awkward silence fell in between them.

''I t-think the queen is a little closer to me now…'' she changed the subject.

''Good.'' he smiled and she wondered how could he be so calm. Was he that used to messing with girls? ''Keep it up.''

He kept smiling down at her while she lowered her head letting her hair fall on her face to cover her teary eyes.

''I'm counting on ya'!'' he ginned making her bit her lip. ''The entire time I am in prison, whenever I feel like I can't take it anymore, I immediately think 'it's alright. I am soon going to be out of here because Lucy is working hard for us to escape right now'. So thank you, Lucy.''

While he was talking, he was slowly approaching her. Suddenly, he heard her sob. Wait. Was she crying?! He was trying to encourage her and she was crying?!

''H-Hey! Are you crying?!'' he said alarmed and closed the left distance between them, sitting on his knees and looking at her. She covered her face not allowing him to look at her while crying. He caught her wrists and took her hands away while saying:

''Why are you crying?!''

She trying to stop her tears and swallow her sobs, but she couldn't.

''B-Because…'' she said through her sobs. ''It makes me sad. You are counting on me so much, your life is depending on me and the entire time I feel so useless. I can't do a thing, Natsu! That's the truth! I don't know what happened, but the queen just got attached to me! But I did nothing. I am sorry; I don't want to disappoint you, though. I am trying, but I can't do a thing.''

''Aw, come on, don't say that!'' he laughed. ''Even if you don't know what happened, it happened! And just because you are there and thinking you are doing nothing while you are doing what you can may be the exact reason for making the queen start liking and trusting you!''

''I lie so much! How could I make her trust me?''

He hesitated.

''I don't know. Maybe… maybe to get out of here you will have to continue lying…''

''But I don't want it, Natsu! Lying is not good and I feel so guilty every time I speak another lie!''

To this, he didn't reply. Only after a while, he hugged her gently while sitting beside her on the bed.

''What you're doing right now is fine. Just continue doing what you are doing and sooner or later, we will be out of here.''

''And what if it will be too late? What if whatever I say, I wouldn't make her free you?''

He kept silent a while.

''Then I guess this is it. At least I will die knowing you tried your best for me.'' he whispered.

She stared at him, not understanding how he could be so calm. Maybe that was because he didn't see himself dying.

''It wouldn't be that easy, Natsu.'' she said trying to calm down her sobs. ''Not for me, at least.'' She added in a whisper.

''Maybe, but who knows? Maybe I won't even die. Maybe I will just go back to our own world. Maybe this is even the way to get back!'' he smiled doubtfully.

''That's not true!'' she screamed. His smile slowly vanished and he frowned.

''What do you mean?''

''I saw it, Natsu.''

''You saw what?''

''Your execution.''

He rose his eyebrows.

''My…''

''I saw you dying!'' she screaming, bursting into tears and throwing herself at his chest, tighter in his hug.

The young man was left speechless. He didn't understand what she meant. How could she saw him die?

''I… had a vision…'' she whimpered through her sobs.

''Maybe it was just your imagination.'' he tried to calm her down.

She shook her head.

''It was real. It was as real as you and I are right now.''

She retrieved her hands from his hug and stared at them.

''I was holding your head like this. And there was so much blood!''

He kept silent. If she had really seen him die… this felt pretty creepy. The heavy silence fell in and only Lucy's sobs could be heard until they also faded away. Natsu wetted his lips and said:

''You know, I met somebody in the prison.''

And he started telling her about Peter. They talked a lot until Lucy finally calmed down. After that, another break of silence filled the room. Natsu looked at her. She kept her head low and she was playing with her fingers sadly. She sighed and placed her hands on the bed, squeezing the blanked in her palms. He gently touched the hand on his side and she flinched. The next moment she retrieved it and placed it on her lap. Natsu saddened feeling rejected by her again. He felt her tension and knew it was because he had forced her into something she didn't want to do. He had plenty reasons to regret he did it, but if he were able to go back in time, he would have probably done the same. She was like an addictive candy for him.

He sighed and washed away his dirty thoughts. Pointing the ceiling with his stare, his thoughts started travelling back in time. Back to the good old days when he either fought with Lucy, either played with Lucy. This is how little kids usually are. Even though they fight with somebody, they still want to play with them. But years had passed and their relationship came to a head. They had started only fighting and then, with time, they were barely even fighting anymore. They just got out of each other's way. If this change in their relationship took years to happen, then how could his whole perspective of her take a sudden turn in barely three weeks?

''Do you remember the first time we saw each other?'' Natsu asked her with a faint smile.

''…No.'' she said after thinking a little.

''Me neither.'' He said while both of them smiled amused.

''Probably when we were babies. Our mothers have known each other since they were pregnant.'' Lucy replied silently.

''Yeah… Then… remember when we first had a fight?''

She looked at him.

''Was it when you found an earthworm and put it into my hat because you wanted to keep it but you had no pocket?''

''No, that was out second fight. The first one was when you came over to our house and we had to sleep in my bed. You wanted to sleep at the 'edge' and not at the wall, but so did I.''

She frowned.

''I'm pretty sure that was out second fight.''

''No, you are wrong, that was our first one.''

''Look, I don't want to start a new fight with you over this. Just leave it be.''

''Whatever… But I'm telling you I'm right.''

She ignored him and thought at the memory he had just reminded her.

''That was our first time sleeping together?''

She blushed because it somehow sounded awkward.

''No, we first slept together in that camp we had with our families, remember?''

She smiled and her eyes started glowing.

''Yeah! How old were we back then, like four?''

He also smiled.

''Yeah, I can barely remember it. It was so long ago, it feels like it never even happened.''

''In our first four years we had no fight…''

''… And now we fight over almost every little thing.'' he continued her idea. ''Say… before being sucked inside this world… back in your room, I saw that pink bunny of yours. I didn't know you still keep it.''

He also knew it was in the basket with her 'treasures', but he didn't mention it.

''Oh, that old 'Mr. Punk'? Yeah, I still keep it. I have no reason to throw it away, after all. I have plenty memories with it.''

''You even named it?'' he rose an eyebrow. Even though its name wasn't so wonderful.

''Yeah. But why are you so interested in it?''

''Well it's natural I would be interested in it. You have it from me, after all.''

She eyes him surprised.

''Really? Oh, yeah, now that you say, I'm starting to remember. I first didn't like it, but I got really attached to it in time.''

''And it all started when your mother forced you to sleep with it instead of your turtle.''

''How do you know?''

''I read your diary, remember?''

''You read my what?!'' she glared at him, but immediately remembered why. ''Oh, right. 'My most important thing'…''

They filled their chests with air and sighed in unison. They looked at each other and started to laugh.

''Good, you got your smile back.'' Natsu grinned making her flush. She looked away smiling and changed the topic:

''Hey, hey, remember that time when both our families went to the amusement park and we got lost?''

He fell into thinking while frowning. After some time, he replied:

''No… Amusement park? I don't remember anything.''

''Well you see, we wanted so bad to go to the Ferris wheel to see the view of the city at night, but out parents were caught at the Water Show.'' She giggled. ''So we sneaked out and went to the place ourselves. It had been your idea. You had money of your own, so you paid for both of us. The man with the tickets told us kids under 8 aren't allowed on their own, so you lied we had 8.''

''How much did we really have?''

''6 or 7, I'm not sure. Anyway we got in and we really enjoyed it. I remember that I felt it had taken forever till it made a whole spin. So after we got off, we got lost. I wanted to go and look for the parents, but you still had money on you, so we went to see the Haunted House. You can imagine how much I cried after we finished the tour. You told me I was a 'sissy' and we started fighting again.''

The whole time she has been talking, he has been staring at her. He barely paid any attention to her story. She was so adorable when she was talking! She was pretty excited about all those memories and it seemed like she remembered them with delight. He looked at her moving lips and smiled wider. He studied her wonderful eyes he loved so much to stare into. He listened to her giggle and was shocked by how he hadn't been able to be charmed by it before. He loved her habit of playing with her hair. Her flushed cheeks gave her face a funny image of a child. He was glad she didn't need glasses in this world; he liked her eyes a lot more like this because he could look at them as much as wanted.

When she finished telling him about this incident, she said:

''Ah! I just remembered that time when I fell into the river! Do you remember it?'' she said excitedly, grinning.

He shook his head trying to hide his smile. He rested his head on his hand while his elbow was supported by his knee. He started listening to her while she was talking again about this tragic memory. It was obvious he had lied, but she didn't notice anything. He remembered this one as well as he remembered the previous day, but he just wanted to listen to her sweet voice and look at her without her suspecting anything. It was only natural for a listener to stare at this story teller, right? If this would have happened a month ago, he would have told her to shut up because she was annoying. She had a habit to talk a lot when she was excited over something, but he didn't mind it anymore. In fact, he was starting to love it.

''That being said…'' Lucy suddenly frowned, spacing out and making Natsu finally pay attention to her words. ''There had to be a match a month after we had been sucked in here.''

''A match? A match of what?'' Natsu said confused.

''Of swimming, of course. Didn't I just tell you that?''

''Oh, right.'' he said rubbing the back of his head and giving her an innocent laugh.

''I had to be practicing in meanwhile, but now I wonder if we'll ever make it back in time. Wait, if I'm right, it's supposed to be…''

She calculated something in her mind and suddenly turned pale.

''… on the day of your execution…''

She looked at him.

''Hold it, Lucy. We don't even know if time flows the same way here. Maybe in our world not even a minute has passed.''

''But we can't know that, now can we?'' she said still frowning and spacing out.

After a while, she said sadly:

''Do you think our parents are worried? Considering the time flows the same way.''

''If that were the case, then I think everybody is worried about us.'' he replied as sadly as her.

After that, neither of them said anything for a while.

''Well, we'll probably find out after we get out of here.'' Natsu said hopefully.

''Why do you say that?''

''Because we're going to meet with Lollipop and she is probably the reason we're here in the first place. This time I'm going to beat the answers out of her if refuses to speak again.'' He said pissed off.

''I don't think you can do anything against her. She's a witch, after all. But putting that aside, I am sorry, but I have to disagree with you. Once we're out of here, we have to go to the Kingdom of Frozen Roses or something like that.''

''WHAT?!'' Natsu jumped out of his place, glaring at her.

''She said we will meet somebody we already know there. Wait, she didn't tell you this? I thought we both knew.''

''NO, she didn't tell me!'' he looked away with anger. ''Damn that witch! She probably knew I would insist and didn't tell me! And why do we have to do as she tells us?''

But he already knew the answer.

''Because she is our only way out.'' Lucy said out loud what both of them were thinking.

''She's just doing this for fun! She's playing with our lives because she wants to be enterta-''

Natsu was suddenly cut off by a strong earthquake that shook the whole castle, making both of them loose their balance and fall on the floor. They could hear everywhere screams and things falling on the ground, glass breaking and everyone panicking.

''What's happening?'' the wide-eyed Lucy said getting paler.

They rose up from the ground and Natsu slammed the door opened. He was as pale as Lucy. Now, the shouts were getting even louder and somebody was exasperatedly yelling something. They both got full view of the halls filled with maids, butlers, chefs, soldiers and noble people, all in their nightclothes running with panic. He threw Lucy a short look like telling her to follow him. They both exited the room and the sight was getting even more alarming. The three guards that have been at their door were gone. A maid tripped and fell down while screaming right in front of the two. Lucy helped her out fast while shouting to her:

''What's happening?!''

The white maid threw Lucy a horrified look and jumped back from the girl's grip, continuing to run.

''Where are all of them running?'' Natsu asked nobody in particular.

''They're running towards the stairs!'' Lucy just noticed, pointing to the direction they were all going.

''They're exiting the castle.'' Natsu turned even paler.

The screaming got head and another sound like the glass breaking could be heard.

So this wasn't just an earthquake.

All the candles died down and the only source of light was shut when a powerful wind entered the castle through the broken windows, blowing away the little pieces of glass and sending them flying towards the running people. Natsu's sharp reflexes sensed the danged and he gripped Lucy in no time and pulled her back inside the room. He didn't have time to close the door, but covered her with his own body, throwing them both at the ground. Lucy's scream faded away and as well did some of the people's that were outside. The pieces of glass had stricken the flesh of many and killed a lot of them. Fortunately, neither of Natsu and Lucy was hurt. The next moment, a deafening roar pierced the air, causing the screaming on the halls get louder. They felt the whole building shake until the roar was over. That was when they finally understood what the person who has been yelling was trying to announce:

''It's a Dragon!''

Almost all of the people left alive had managed to exit the building. But why were they running outside if the dragon was outside as well?! Natsu wondered. The next moment, as he glimpsed outside the window, he regretted asking. The answer was just about to crush the castle.

It seemed that Lucy had seem the danger as well and slipped out of Natsu's protective cover, took his hand and dragged him after her.

''Lucy we don't have time!'' he yelled because he knew she was going to run after the rest of the people. It seemed like Natsu had been right. Another strong shake of the building making them fall on the corpses of the ones killed with glass announced the dragon struck the building with its three-feet claws, cutting open the rock of the walls and ruining the left wing of the depressing palace. Lucy didn't lose herself in the ruckus. She rose up still gripping Natsu's hand; and he rose up as well. He threw a last look at the room they just left – it was partly destroyed, giving a big view of the night through the huge hole. But the sight was replaced with a wall when Lucy had turned around the corner, almost reaching the stairs. Natsu looked at them fast. They didn't have time to climb down two floors. He took Lucy in a princess carry in a second while the next one he climbed the balustrade of the stairs. Only a glimpse of a moment hesitation and he jumped down. Lucy screamed, totally taken by surprise. Natsu didn't have time for a gracious landing. Instead, they greeted the ground with a roll and a terrifying yell from Natsu. His gritted teeth couldn't express the explosion of pain he had felt. His left foot was broken. Lucy, who had rolled away from Natsu the moment they touched the floor, wasn't feeling as much pain as him at all. She rose up as fast as she could and ran towards him with panic. She helped him get up as he ignored his foot and continued walking as well as he could, resting on Lucy's shoulder with all his might. They were slowly approaching the big gap in the castle which was the closest exit. Lucy tripped many times, but she managed to get her balance back each time. They almost reached the hole, when somebody passed beside them with confidence, walking fast towards the dragon while muttering an ''Out of my way''

Both Lucy and Natsu stared at the person with shock.

Her red, long hair was flowing in the wind. She was wearing a modest armor while she was holding two huge swords, each in one hand. With each step she seemed more and more confident. She stopped the moment she reached the monster and fixed her feet in the spoiled earth.

The dragon lowered its head and opened its mouth, letting out a roar that made her hair straighten back, parallel to the ground. But she didn't even flinch.

The Bloody Queen was confronting the dragon which was terrifying her people.

That was Lucy saw when she looked at the woman with her mouth wide opened. She suddenly narrowed her eyes and closed her mouth with determination. She couldn't let woman fight it all on her own while her own soldiers were running like rats. She took Natsu to a safe place, placed him on the grass while his back rested on a big rock and straightened her back. Natsu guessed her intentions while looking at her.

''What are you doing?'' he said through his teeth.

''I can't let her fight alone.''

''Be real! What can you do against such a monster?!'' he yelled. He knew he was being harsh, but he knew he couldn't let her lose her rational thinking.

She thought for a second as a little smile bloomed on her face.

''Distract it.''