This is the penultimate chapter! I Hope you enjoy...
Chapter 14
A life for another.
I have waited few minutes before moving. In between the crack of the two rocks, I saw my mother trying to untie herself as Zeref was dragging my unconscious father on the ground. He dragged him until he could face my mother. Quickly, he tied him up; hands and feet. Meanwhile, my mother kept trying to untie herself. Hearing her sighs of aggressiveness, Zeref turned himself toward my mother and, when he saw her struggle, he laughed out loud.
''You can try to escape me, but you won't succeed. You will stay where I want you, my Scarlet pawn. I need you to bring back a message to your dear friends in Fiore.'' He said, as he walked away from my father and placed himself in front of my mother. He took her chin between his fingers.
''But first, let's wait for our dear guest to wake up and then the lesson will begin.'' He said smiling widely as he went to sit between my parents.
While my father was still unconscious, my mother didn't stop trying to free herself; what seemed to entertain Zeref who was constantly smiling at her as if he was witnessing something really funny or totally absurd.
Still hidden behind the rocks, I couldn't act, not yet. I had to wait till my father had woken up. I didn't have to wait very long. Few minutes after, he started to move slowly and he finally opened his eyes.
When he saw Zeref, his eyes widened. Then, he glanced at my mother as if he remembered where he was. Unlike my mother who was still fighting her attachment; he wasn't moving; he seemed resign. I thought he was going to speak, but their keeper spoke first.
''Jellal Fernandez, you finally deign gracing us with your presence.'' Zeref, said smiling, but his smile quickly transformed into a wince. He approached my father, pointing a finger at him.
''You, little human being who thinks he has the right to threaten the life of the strongest magus of the universe, me, the Great Zeref'' he said abruptly as he pushed his finger in my father's chest, above his heart.
''You should have known better and that's why I will punish you; your misjudgement will cost you dearly...'' Zeref said as his wince became a smile again.
Then, without losing sight of his keeper, my father spoke.
''I won't oppose myself to your punishment, but you have to let her go; she's got nothing to do with Crime Sorcerer's pledge to destroy you; let her out of it!'' My father had said the first part of his sentence calmly, but, for the last part, he had spoken with firmness; his message had been unequivocal. However, it didn't seem to make a difference to Zeref who was looking at him, smiling. Then, his smile became vicious. Promptly, he walked to my mother's side of the circle and he kneeled down.
''No! Not, yet... Leading you to me and allowing I to kill you isn't the only purpose I want your dear lover to serve, I want her to be the witness of my supremacy.'' said Zeref as he caressed my mother's cheek.
Promptly, my mother tried to push her head back, but she hit her head on the rock behind which I was hidden. As my mother let out a short and sharp moan of pain, Zeref looked in my direction. I quickly moved. I hoped he hadn't seen me or my plan was doomed. His astonishment was the cornerstone of my plan...
''I surrender! You can kill me!'' said my father clearly worried, looking directly at Zeref.
I am sure that his reply didn't have the reaction he had expected; instead of calming the black magus, his reply seemed to have enrage Zeref even more. Then, he crossed the distance between him and my father. Promptly, he slapped him with strength.
''You don't get to surrender, I get to take your life...'' said Zeref, as he continued to beat him up.
While Zeref was busy beating my father, something caught my attention; my mother had succeeded to free her left hand. She was looking at Zeref as if she wanted to kill him. This, was my cue to act. As she was about to untie her other hand, I placed my hand next to the rock and I quickly caught her wrist.
Feeling my touch, she jumped. Fortunately for us, Zeref was too busy with my father to notice my presence. When she saw me, she looked at me, clearly displeased. As our skins touched, I have sent a spell through her body, but she didn't seem to notice it. That spell was part of my plan and it would be pretty useful; it was a guaranty that my mother wouldn't get in my way... Quickly, I went back behind the rocks, waiting for my time to come. It seemed to ease my mother, but I knew she would soon be pissed...
Staying in front of me, I watched her as she untied her right hand. Then, she placed her right palm above the ground and she whispered words I couldn't understand. Soon, a circle of light appeared. Few seconds after, the handle of a sword started to go out of the ground. But, before the weapon had totally appeared and before she could put a hand on it, I whispered softly: binding snake...
Then, my mother instantly stopped moving as a very long red line covered her body and her mouth. Seeing her fall, I took her sword. Curiously, it fit perfectly into my hand.
Before acting, I have looked at my mother one last time. She was looking at me, eyes wide opened; she seemed angry and terrified at the same time. In only response, I smiled at her; that's how I wanted her to remember me...
Then, without waiting, I screamed to capture Zeref's attention.
''Zeref'' I have screamed abruptly.
I got what I wanted.
Hearing me, the dark magus let go of my father and turned himself toward me. Facing me, he looked surprised; he had clearly thought he would face my mother. In a blink of an eyes, I noticed that my father had seen me as well; he looked utterly petrified.
I took advantage of his surprise. Without waiting, I pointed my mother's sword at him, but before running to him, I silently prayed the stars of the Chariot Constellation. Soon, I felt a yellow aura appearing around me. Ready, I headed to him, sword directly on his chest. In a instant, the blade penetrated his skin. I hoped that my mother's sword added to my father's quickness would be enough.
However, instead of wincing, he smiled at me. The black magus took a step toward me as if the sword stuck in his chest didn't bother him at all. Then, he laid his fingers on my chest. I Immediately felt a strange sensations; as if he had created holes in my skin. Those holes seemed to be draining life out of me. Falling onto the ground, I saw Zeref faded into the wind.
''Emma''. My parents screamed, in unison.
These are the last words I heard...
Not long after, I saw my mother running toward me. She stopped next to me and kneeled down. She was speaking to me, but I couldn't hear her. Lying down, I felt my body getting heavier, like it was turning into stone. Then, my mother left my side. Few seconds after, she came back with my father whose face was tumid. They were looking at me, tears in their eyes.
They were speaking to me, but I couldn't heard them. My body was getting heavier by the second. My senses were abandoning; my eyes closed by themselves. I couldn't see anymore. Quickly, I had trouble breathing. I felt my inside shake, but my body didn't move.
Slowly, this heavy feeling won me over, entirely; my body, my heart and my head. I felt my body stiffen, tighten and exploded in a thousand grain of dust. Then, I felt myself lifting in the air. Through the air, I found my way out of the cave and flew in the sky, among the stars, satisfied and happy... I had succeeded! They would have a future...
Maybe, someone had heard my prayer and I would be able to see them living happily, together, the three of them...