Chapter 11

The rain and wind did not bother with the strong-willed Natsu and his desire to find Lucy as his sandals clashed with the ground. The iron rods beside him as he ran, Natsu looked straight ahead reciting the instructions the old man had given him over and over again not wanting to forget them. Turn left at the Crosslight #404 he thought when he approached at the sign #404 turning to the left railroad. He looked at the sky and looked at the position of the sun which was hardly visible because of the caliginous clouds that blocked it Noon... I have to find Lucy soon he thought, his inner sense told that time was valuable.

Over time the scenery changed the sandy brown background changed into a fresh, dark green, the small leafless trees and sandy bare rock were replaced by tall, rich and different shades of green trees. The sand had turned into mud but the rods still prolonged its journey through the thick forest, Natsu was almost certain that Lucy was in trouble, then quite suddenly a rustle in the trees awoke his senses, he stopped and perused his surroundings for a few minutes, seeing no movement he continued his fast pace through the forest.

But there it came again following him, he concentrated while he ran and it seemed to appear from his left side it was not loud enough for an ordinary human to hear but since Natsu is not ordinary he could hear the faint drone swish in the bracken, he didn't not stop this time but instead cracked a malicious grin and released a wave of fire to his left at the right time and the shrubs immediately caught fire and burned to ash which uncovered the figure who had been following him,

The figure stepped from the shadows to see that the figure was a man wearing a pale brown robe speckled with the ashes, a silver shining breastplate and a dagger in his hand his jaws ajar in shock. "How?...-H-how?! could you hear me?!" he sputtered pointing at him, Natsu just stood there cracking his knuckles as if preparing for a fight "You" he started with a low growl "Why were you following me?!" The man was still in slight shock, as you can see his voice grew into a high pitch "Y-you're! trespassing on the bandit's territory! you mongrel!"

Natsu clenched his hands into tight, angry fist "You, the guy who is following me is calling me a mongrel?!" he scoffed trying to calm his boiling rage. The man with the brown robe was getting irritated by the minute This random guy starts walking in our place and starts to act like he own's this place! he thought incredulously Who the hell is this guy?! "You dogs aren't supposed to come wagging their tails to the forest where there's no food" the man sneered "You should stay like good doggies and be home" he cooed sarcastically. Natsu was almost at his breaking point and this guy with a weird set of robes was decreasing his patience meter drastically.

The man then said, "I won't allow dogs to trespass our territory" he taunted, Natsu had it with this strange man and flared saying "Oh yeah?" he jeered "Why don't you try and make me?" and with that, he sprinted through the mass of forests. The bandit gave a sullen howl and also started to run chasing the intruder in their territory, Natsu looked back to see the bandit fresh on his trail he groaned and shook his head cursing his fate Are you serious?! My conscience is already eating me from the inside out then based on the sound of leaves being stomped on he knew that the guy was still running but his pace drastically slowing down, Now this?!

He had run for a few hours now but his sandals and the bandit's boots still crushed on, he looked up once more troubled to see the sky the darken greatly. He wished for the sun to stay still and that time would freeze but he knew it would not be so Please wait he pleaded as the shadows grew, the dark darkening and time devised his decisions.

Lucy was drained of energy and felt as if she was carrying the weight of the whole world, that's what she looked like too, drained. She was laying down, forcefully tied to the plinth her hair was wet with rain water and the bandits did not bother to care about the young maiden who's wrist were burning from the thorny ropes that were nagging at her flesh. Lucy closed her eyes and the man she dreaded to see the most flashed before her eyes Natsu? she opened her eyes Why did his face pop up the minute I closed my eyes? she questioned herself.

The rain had started to fade, it now kissed her cheek rather than struck her like bullets she wished that on that day when Natsu and Lissanna had gone to a mission she hadn't let her anger and unknown feelings rage overcome her, she wished that she hadn't let those emotions blur what was right and what was wrong. If that didn't happen she wouldn't have picked the paper beside her on that table and especially told her to go on that mission alone. Her feeling of betrayal from Natsu hadn't faded, it still was buried deep in her heart.

But now she desperately wished to be at her cozy complex snug in her bed eating the expensive steak that she had been given from her last mission. She then laughed at her stupid thought, Why am I thinking of steak when I'm about to die? then while she was lost in her thoughts she heard the Bandit Lord say the words she dreaded to hear but kind of expected them to happen anyway "The moon has arrived at its high point" and then he looked at the sky "Let's begin"

12 bandits encircled around Lucy holding a lamp in their hands they chanted including the Bandit King a strange recitation or perhaps a spell, the light of the lamp shone brightly on her cold and frigid skin. The Bandit Lord then came out of his trance from the tap of a near bandit, he summoned 2 bandits that were outside of the circle to enter in. She saw that they were carrying strange bottles filled with liquid, goosebumps pricked her skin with fear.

One of the bandits came forward and removed the cap the bottle that smelled like oil and a tinge of something else, He poured the substance all over her clothes, body, and hair. Lucy's teeth rattled with fear and disgust but managed to ask "What... What is this stuff?!" To this, the bandit replied "It is Myrrh mixed with a small amount of rosemary" "But, Why?" she asked The bandit simply replied "To cleanse you"

The low mumbles of the bandit's chants echoed through her ears, Lucy turned her head her cheek pressed the cold stone she noticed through the small gap of the chanting bandits that the Bandit Lord had left to another circle that was also burning with light she squinted to see that the bandits were also pouring the liquid on Kimora. The chants were getting louder and louder she felt as if that the plants that were beside her were giving off low hums.

The air buzzed with... something she couldn't describe, the air was heavy and thick she found it hard to breathe, She closed her eyes shut as the invisible force lunged forward to grab her soul and unknowingly, unconsciously she pleaded Please... Natsu... sa..ve me and all was black as she was conscious no more.

The sound of feet stepping on the ground could be heard not far from where Lucy was held captive, Natsu felt he was close now and the sound of footsteps had stopped he had run a few meters when suddenly his legs could not move anymore What's going on? he thought then slowly his hands and body and come to a halt. It was like he was a fly and had been caught in a spider's web.

His body was glued to the invisible net and he frantically tried to escape, Then two bodies appeared from the thickets, one he supposed was the bandit the other from the evil aura it possessed he concluded was a strong sorcerer. They came out into the moonlight and the thing that was holding him back was appearing into view, it was indeed a large sticky web-like net.

"Hello there," the bandit's companion said "Seems like you hadn't listened to my friend over here and decided to break into our territory?" he asked, "I did, so what?!" Natsu replied fiercely "Oh my, that temper of your's is quite... unneeded don't you think?" the sorcerer cooly said "Don't you boss me around you idiot!" snapped Natsu but the sorcerer still remained calm and said "Why don't we begin with names? My name is Henry Kelin from the great Kelin family"

"Look, I have important things to do rather than listen to your jibber jabber," he said, "So let me out of here!" "Oh, you mean that blonde haired girl?" the sorcerer questioned "I'm sorry but I think you're too late to save her now" "What?!" "You heard him!" the bandit said, "Your lass is going to the gods!" Natsu was very irritated he clenched his jaws tight and literally burst into flames.

The web melted like hot candle wax and the fire grew larger, The bandit felt terrified and ran out leaving the wizard, Natsu and roaring fire alone. "I'm going to turn you into popcorn if you don't move out of the way!" Natsu said the wizard stood with his arms crossed and eyes closed, then the wizard opened his eyes Natsu saw the old man's eyes fill with a hue of dark purple his aura getting intense every second

"Let's get started, Shall we?"

A/N: Sorry for the late update, I had to go to my grandma's funeral and stay for two weeks then I had a writer's block so it took me some time to finish this chapter to make it up i made the chapter longer, and don't forget to read and review I love reading you guys reviews

Thnx for reading! c: