Yes I'm still writing, see? Not much to add, except that I appreciate every add, every review, every view. I would personally like to thank each anonymous reviewer, as I can't thank you any other way than here.
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Disclaimer: I only claim my creations (OCs), the rest is someone else's genius.
~OoOoO~
Cana was at Lucy's side, quickly rifling through her deck of cards, "Holy hell, you've entirely cancelled that spell. My cards are all back. I'll have to thank Fried later for that brilliant idea. Not too happy I owe him one, I guess…."
Cana continued to drone on, but Lucy was preoccupied with the smoldering fighting that was surrounding them as well as her own loss. She politely nodded at her friend, her eyes flickering over to the Wisterians. Judging by their remaining numbers, they were faring well enough, it seemed. A handful had fallen, but that quantity—in comparison to that of the other united mage guilds—made a mockery of the allied forces. Those same forces were now spread out on the field like fleeing ants, and Erza and Jura were barking at those nearby to regain order and regroup. It was mass chaos, but for the moment, it was a welcome calm. Lucy knew that it would only last so long, as history had a way of repeating itself. Her stomach growled as she realized it had been hours since she had eaten.
Despite her hunger pangs, she was distracted by the sight of the Wisterians lovingly enshrouding their deceased; a few wiping tears away—testimony that they were not simply hardened warriors. She saw an older woman—the one with the bow—allowing the tears to run unbridled down her cheeks as she carefully wrapped the young man Lucy had encountered earlier in the day. His skin was as white as limestone and Lucy thought she saw a gaping hole where his neck met his shoulder.
The mayor's son.
She bit back a sob as she saw the portly leader of the small band of fighters wordlessly staring down at the face of his only child; a single tear streaking his face. His hand fell on the woman's shoulder, his own momentarily slumped in defeat.
The older woman raised her eyes and met Lucy's sympathetic gaze. She expected the woman's expression to be filled with anger or hatred—perhaps a sense of blame would be hidden in their depths—but she was met with none of those expected emotions. Instead, those gray eyes were filled with pride. The woman leaned down and kissed her son's forehead, placing a coin over each of his eyes before covering his pallid face. The mayor stood tall as he looked over his people, his red-rimmed eyes already dry. The other bodies were silently taken away, and the Wisterians looked to their leader for guidance. He made a fist with his right hand, and laid it over his chest.
"For the Greater Good," he called out to them, his voice not wavering with the grief Lucy knew was veiled by his words. Her respect for him grew all the more, as she was very nearly an emotional wreck.
Juvia...
Nods and murmurs of ascension broke out, and Lucy's comrades had stopped to watch the spectacle with awe. The Wisterian grace was inspirational, and Lucy couldn't help but feel responsible for their deaths. Her cause was their downfall. Her eyes wandered over the field; she would be the death of them all, wouldn't she?
"Nothing you could do," Cana mumbled under her breath as she followed Lucy's gaze.
"If it wasn't for me..." Lucy shuddered, her lips parting after a moment's contemplation.
"Then someone else," the brunette pointed out. "And whoever brought our loved ones back...they must know us better than I thought." Her jaw shut forcefully as she fought to regain her composure. The dark bruise on her neck rippled as she swallowed distractedly.
A foreign sound caught her attention, and Lucy squinted her eyes at the rubble that was once the bluffs she had commanded Virgo to destroy. Her stomach leaped into her throat as a large dark form rose from behind the collapsed landmark. Her eyes widened as the object flew higher, hovering for a moment before roaring toward the battlefield.
"What is it?" Cana whispered, her fingers deftly finding a card.
Lucy stood, wordless, as she stared at the large moving….aircraft? Her teeth chattered as she thought about how quickly it could decimate their meager forces as it quickly throttled toward them. She fell to her stomach with a screech as it zoomed overhead, roaring past and whipping up particles of earth, stinging Lucy's face. Her eyes watered from the dust and her lungs burned from the hot earth coating her airway. She squinted through bleary lids as the ship flew overhead, propellers churning as it sped toward its target—which was apparently not them. Tears streamed her face and she gasped in more dusty air as she saw the monsters closing in. They never ended.
"Stay down," Cana growled in her ear and Lucy obeyed without question. She yelped as the roar of cannon fire met her ears.
"It's shooting them? It's shooting them!" she breathed excitedly, realizing that the ship was not a foe. The relief was overwhelming.
"'Bout time," Cana mumbled under her breath, her face caked with dirt.
Lucy watched as a few loud bursts of missiles released from the airship, destroying anything in their paths. The roaring explosions threw earth, ash, and bodies skyward. Nothing else came through the billowing smoke, and Lucy knew that whatever had been approaching was decimated. She could still see fighting on the far end of the battlefield, though it was mostly because she was on higher ground. The wind whipped around Lucy's face, a refreshing change from the stale stench of death surrounding them.
Lucy pushed herself to her feet in time to hear Erza call out, "It's Bob's airship." The redhead crossed her arms over her chest in a move that Lucy would characterize as nonplussed.
The blonde repressed a smile of relief, her eyes on the ship. Cana spoke her thoughts, "I knew it! That ship wouldn't have gone down so easily."
When the firing had ceased, the ship jerkily turned, hovering over them with a stable ease. Lucy studied the contraption—it was larger than the original Christina, and was much faster with less noise. Lucy's lips twitched upward in a smile. She saw Gray jog over to them, his eyes on the ship.
"Erza—" he started, eyes wide with disbelief and perhaps hope. He was skeptical of who was on the ship.
Erza pushed her hair from her face, the length now in long, dirty tangles as it loosened from the single braid down her back. She was missing a large patch of her hair on the crown of her head, the bulk of it cut closely to her scalp. Her armor was scuffed and dinged, and her face was swollen and bruised. Her legs had cuts, and her boots were coated in blood. She had to be exhausted, but yet she fought with unending vigor.
A smirk spread across Erza's lips despite her earlier irritation. "That dirty bastard always has a trick up his sleeve."
As if on cue, a rope ladder was thrown off the side of the ship. A handful of mages quickly leaped over, sliding down the length and landing neatly in front of Erza and, now, Jura. Lucy's heart soared as she recognized the familiar faces, among them Bob, Sherry, and Lyon.
"My my my, what cute boys were have here," came the soft sing-song voice as the flamboyant mage fluttered to the ground, his feet hovering comfortably. "My dear Erza, already lost without us, hmm?"
Erza's face immediately tightened with thinly veiled fury. Lucy knew that, despite her relief, whatever patience she had was wearing thing. "My men and women were down here fighting—risking our lives while you hid like a coward!"
Her hand jumped to the hilt of her sword. If the normally stoic Erza was losing her cool, it was indeed a bad sign, Lucy thought. Natsu grabbed her wrist, murmuring a few words to his friend. Lucy couldn't help but feel some of Erza's rage, as they were far in more danger on the ground rather than aboard an airship. Erza sighed, her eyes squeezing shut as she pursed her lips.
Pain quickly flickered across Bob's face, and Lucy saw a trace of the former Bob she had heard about. His eyes lingered on Erza momentarily, before quickly changing the subject. "As you can see, we had to wait until the right time to strike. I suspected a trap, and I had been correct on that forefront, Titania. Despite our delay, we were able to make some headway in this forsaken battle, no?"
Erza said nothing, her lips pressed so tightly together that Lucy thought they would bleed. She looked pleadingly at Natsu, whose expression nearly mirrored his childhood friend's. Lucy knew that tolerance was wearing thin and fatigue was taking over. They needed food and rest. And fast. She quickly called Aries, and asked her to provide cushions for the weary. Hopefully the Potions Mage would be nearby with….something….
"Sherry, dear, thank you for such a lovely replica of my dear Christina," Bob cooed, regaining his earlier demeanor. Erza said nothing and Jura's face was a blank slate. Sherry graciously blushed at the praise, her eyes darting toward Lyon, where her gaze lingered on his face. He nodded at her encouragingly. Lucy found their relationship odd. Her devotion to the ice mage was obvious, was it not? Yet, he never seemed to pick up on it. Funny how that happens…..
"Lyon!" Gray yelled, quickly striding toward the Lamia Scale mages, his gait belaying his disbelief. "You son of a bitch, I thought you died!"
Lyon grinned, reaching out to shake Gray's hand. He doubled over as Gray pulled him close and punched him in the stomach.
"Watch it, old friend, you'll break my ribs before we fight beside you," Lyon grimaced.
"I'd be pissed if you get killed off by someone other than me," Gray gripped his friend's shoulder.
"So you do care!" Lyon joked, glancing at the others with him. "Christina is too big; it was bound to be brought down. Bob asked Sherry to create a replica, though he hadn't anticipated the toll it'd take on her to keep it animated for so long."
"Lyon, I'm fine," Sherry quickly replied, waving her hand in nonchalance, "It was nothing."
"Nothing? To control an object that large is a big deal. It takes power," Lucy interjected, widening her eyes for emphasis. "You're an amazing asset to the team. I, for one, am glad to have you here."
Sherry looked at her incredulously. Her voice was a soft, hesitant whisper when she regained it. "Thank you, Lucy, it means a lot."
Lucy couldn't help but notice that Lyon's attention lingered just a moment longer on the woman. She inwardly sniggered that her words had their intended effect. Good. Poor girl deserves recognition!
Bob's sticky sweet smile hadn't left his face as he fluttered over to Erza, his pudgy hand gripping her shoulder. "Sorry for deceiving you, my dear Erza, but I was too busy partaking in espionage. We suspected some trickery on Ultear's part. An easy sacrifice to be proven right."
Erza angled her head cautiously, "Go on."
"The next wave will be upon you in an hour, at least," Bob looked at Sherry, who nodded. A few mages shifted on their feet behind her.
"Well, we've seen the creatures Ultear will summon, so we have an advantage," Erza replied, her voice growing louder to prevent the uncertainty flying through the ranks.
"That is an asset," Bob admitted. "But there will be mages and, I suspect, Spirits. We've staved off the ones you'd be fighting with right now as we speak."
"Ultear..." Lyon repeated after a moment, "Sounds familiar."
"It should," Gray told him through gritted teeth. "She's Master's daughter."
Lyon's eyes grew wide as he paled. Sherry reached out, her fingers encircling his wrist out of concern. His eyes trailed to them before flickering to her face as something silently passed between them. Lucy glanced around for Natsu. At the moment, he was currently too busy swatting Bob's hands away from his backside.
"Quit it, pervert! You're a guy!" His face was red as a fiery fist nearly hit Bob in the nose.
"What a weirdo," Cana whispered. Lucy softly nodded, torn between laughing and being disgusted by the vulgarity.
"Bob, please keep your indiscretions to yourself at the moment, we need morale," Mirajane warned as she moved toward them, crossing her arms as her features darkened menacingly. Even her normally amiable nature was wearing thin. She had far fewer bruises and cuts than any of them.
"No man should behave with such manners," Elfman agreed.
Gray and Lyon continued to talk, though Lucy stopped eavesdropping. She felt herself fade in and out of the goings on around her as she mentally prepared herself for what they would face next. She heard Erza talking quickly. Apparently the second wave had been mostly quashed, and the forces had taken an even greater hit this time. The Healing Squad was working diligently, but even those mages had their limits. Wendy was near exhaustion, more so since she was fighting and healing. Lucy had sent Gemi and Mini as relief, earning a look of appreciation from the Dragon Slayer. One Potions Mage remained, the other—his brother—killed during that last battle. The lone Potions Mage was doing his best to supply enough Rejuvenation Potions for the selfless mages and fighters. Levy had somehow used a rune to hasten the recipe so that he could also make more for anticipated storage.
"Is that...is that Nani?" Lucy's jaw fell open as she stared off into the distance. She instantly recognized the crimson hair. She noticed the nearly bare fighters surrounding her. Rien was at his sister's side, and he looked toward Lucy, his head bowing in recognition. Lucy waved in return.
"Yup," Natsu replied, suddenly beside her. "And she brought her family, too. Turns out that little pipsqueak is now their leader. How the hell?"
"She'd kill you if she heard you call her that; she's as old as us, remember?" Lucy suppressed a smile. She was exhausted, but that didn't stop her from briefly fantasizing about his arms around her...
"And guess what else, Luce?" Natsu was oblivious to her thoughts, his expression sincere. She raised her eyebrows expectantly—it was too much effort to talk or play guessing games. "She's a Sand Dragonslayer!"
He obviously hadn't thought that a possibility, his assumptions purely from physical appearances. Nani did not look like anything more than a wisp of a girl, Lucy would admit. Her mind flickered back to their first encounter with the girl and her brother. Suddenly, Lucy was laughing so hard her stomach hurt. She doubled over, tears streaming down her face.
"What's wrong, Luce? What's so funny?" Natsu looked torn, his hand resting on her back as she sucked deep breaths through her lips.
"I-It's j-j-just that-t..." she huffed, "Your f-face is hi-hi-hilarious! Nothing surprises me...anymore."
Natsu watched her, torn between wanting to smile or be concerned that she was losing her mind. He went with the former. His eyes darted toward Gray and Lyon, then to the Wisterians. "No, I guess not, huh?"
"I'm glad you're still alive," she said, wiping away her tears as she quickly glanced over him. Her hand brushed at his scarf, and she drew back, realizing she had touched a broken crown that was embedded in the fabric.
He looked at her as if in deep thought, his face devoid of his usual playfulness and his words soft. "You, too."
They stood like that for some time: Lucy's hand on his chest as they stared at one another without further words. His brow creased, as if there was something he wanted to say.
"I think with our percentage of dragon slayer magic, we should have some advantage, no?" Lucy could hear Bob asking Erza—who answered with something incomprehensible. "But you have four..."
Their words broke off to a whisper. She found it odd he knew about Nani when even she hadn't—though she had at least suspected something was amiss with the girl. The rest of her friends' conversations floated over to her in fragments, her ears only half picking it up as she spoke with Natsu.
"...How is Makarov?"
"Hibiki...resting...weak..Eve doing better..."
"..no doubt Ultear will show her face..."
"...I will take care of her..."
"...Lyon, I promised...leave it..."
"So, listen, Lucy," Levy was babbling on. How long had seen been standing there? Lucy wondered. She was doing her best to listen to her friend's words, though her brain was failing her. "I think that Lilith will reach a limit. Or an end to her ability to summon. I found a book..."
Lucy was sluggishly following along, but the gentle vibration below her feet was nearly putting her asleep. Her eyelids were growing heavy. So very heavy. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a moment. Yes, a moment….
She awoke alarmed, Natsu's strong hands gripping her upper arms, easily catching her as she toppled over. Levy stood up, eyes on the horizon as she readjusted her headband to push her hair off her brow. She narrowed her eyes in caution. Happy soared into the air above them with a promise to return. Natsu held her close to his body, his skin smelling of sweat, blood, and earth as he, too, stared ahead. The fuzzy darkness took over her vision again and she succumbed to the pressure to close them. She was suddenly jarred awake as Natsu was shaking her raggedly.
She mumbled incoherent profanities as she was forced awake for the second time. Her eyes felt gritty from fatigue, and her head felt thick as she shook the sleep from her mind. She was unsteady on her feet, and she was feeling slightly nauseous from the earth rumbling below her, making everything sway rhythmically. A murmur of concern was spreading around her, the voices confused and fearful. Erza was furiously gesturing with her hands, carefully awaiting whatever was to befall them with a poised deadliness.
"Earthquake?" Lucy asked, noticing that everyone had formed a line spanning the battlefield. They were nearly a dozen deep, but everyone had gathered at the edge, every pair of eyes ahead or on Erza.
Natsu was sniffing the air. "No….something...else."
"This is it, isn't it?" she looked at him, fear clawing at her insides. His jaw silently clenched. When he didn't respond, she looked at their surrounding company.
Amongst them, people were sharing her same concern, confessing secrets, emotions, and hearts to their comrades. A few sniffles caught her ear. She saw Mirajane hugging Elfman. Levy was staring at the ground, fists clenched as tears streaked her face while she silently ached for Gajeel to prove her heart correct. The mayor of Wisteria nodded his head at her, briefly clapping his hand over his heart respectfully.
What Lucy couldn't see was Wendy impulsively grabbing O'Rien's hand or Rien leaning down to plant a kiss on her lips as he told her: "I would be honored to take you as a mate if we survive, Miss Wendy. You would make…..any man…happy."
Or hear Wendy's flush and stuttering response of: "Then we better….live!"
O'Onani pressed her forehead against her mother in the closest public display of endearment her tribe accepted. Her mother blinked away tears uncharacteristic of a fierce former leader.
Sherry grabbed Lyon's shirt and pulled him into a kiss that he would never forget for the rest of his life—a move much unlike the often timid woman. Lyon responded by returning the gesture and
confessing that he had always loved her as he clapped a hand on Gray's shoulder. The two men swore to uphold Ur's wishes and hugged not as friends, but as brothers.
Happy's wings had nearly lifted him into the air before Charle had tugged on his tail, pulling the male cat into a severe hug. She rubbed her cheek against each side of his face in a sign of devotion that was telltale to only another Eksheed. He bowed and kissed her paw, handing her his scarf as they separated. She wiped her tears away, tying the fabric around her waist.
"Aw hell with it," Cana hissed as she pushed through the crowd. "Macao!"
She spotted him and continued to scream his name. He turned toward her, his face badly burned. She would have winced, but the words were too ready to be spoken. His expression was a mixture of surprise and comfort as she forced her way toward him. She reached him, hands reaching up to cup his face, her palms gentle and caressing.
"I have always wanted to do this," she told him as she stood on her toes and raised her lips to his. His eyes widened, but he quickly followed suit, fisting her hair as his other hand wrapped around her back. A few people clapped, and others whistled in good humor as the two finally pulled away.
Her eyes were moist as she looked at him, her shame absent in the last moments before the battle. He smiled down at her, one hand splayed in her hair, the other on her hip. "I've always wanted you to do that."
It was her turn to be surprised. "Why didn't you say something?"
He held her gaze, "Always thought I was too old."
"You would have died a happy man if you had only given me a sign," she coyly growled as she kissed him again.
"I still will," he whispered into her hair, closing his eyes. My son would have loved having you as a mother. It was something he had always considered when it came to his love life—who would make Romeo happy. Cana always got along well with the boy; had always looked out for him.
Nearby, Evergreen and Fried were holding hands, neither wanting to taint the moment with words. Their breathing was in sync, and both smiled as Bixlow silently put his hands on their shoulders. Evergreen reached up and clasped it as well, pulling it to her cheek in a silent farewell to the man who had been like a brother to her. For once, Bixlow was not smiling. Fried gave a nod of acknowledgement to his brother-in-arms.
Mages in other guilds were exchanging proclamations or giving last words of encouragement in what may very well be the moments before their deaths. The rumbling of approaching forces grew more imminent and all acceptances of fate were flickering through the minds of those dedicated to maintaining freedom and order in the magical world. If they were to die, they would die with those they cared most for.
Lucy grabbed for Natsu's hand as that realization washed over her. This could be their last moments. "Natsu, I—" she began, the words thick in her mouth.
"Don't," he answered, clasping her hand to the left side of his chest, his eyes ahead. "We're going to get through this. There's more to life than losing our lives on this battlefield." His voice was soft and choked, but set his jaw stubbornly.
Lucy captured her lower lip between her teeth, wanting so badly to believe that—to believe that they were not all foolishly fighting a stronger force than themselves. She turned to look at those surrounding her, and her heart swelled with pride. Every face gave her hope. Hope that evil will not prevail that day. Or ever, for that matter.
They were their own saving graces.
"Right," Lucy nodded, her fear waning as she glanced over her comrades' faces. It was washed away as she looked at Natsu, his dark eyes now studying her face. "We are going to live."
He smiled at her—a real, genuine smile. She could feel the gentle squeeze of her fingers as he continued to hold her hand to his heart. "Thank you, Luce."
She raised her eyebrows, hoping for more of an explanation, but fate would not deal her that hand.
"There's something….there!" Happy swooped down, pointing. "Others are close behind."
Lucy's head snapped back to the field, and she could see dust kicked up from the ground from their approaching enemies. She squinted as she spied something else—something entirely unexpected, if that were possible. The earth was slowly separating in a linear fashion—like there was an object...swimming beneath the rocky surface. It was moving toward them, and doing so quickly—displacing the soil upward like a wave of earth. The allied forces were drawn into confusion as they decided which one was more likely to arrive first. Their line was dividing and lumping together, no one wanting to be directly in line with whatever was hiding below.
"Be on guard!" Erza called, her sword drawn. It was crusted with dried blood. She shifted her body to follow the one closing in first
"Doesn't smell right," Natsu informed her loudly.
"Spirit," Lucy whispered, unsure of what made her so convicted. Her head whipped up, "Erza! It's a spirit."
The redhead glanced at her between deciding which monster was closing in the quickest. "Lucy, I know they are important to you, but if it comes to saving a comrade's life or sparing a spirit, you know my choice."
Lucy bit back a plea, as she knew Erza was being rational, and she was expecting too much. Her friend was correct, if they are attacking humans with the intent to kill, the victims would have the right to protect themselves.
"I'll be ready, Lucy," Levy told her, earning a look of appreciation from the spirit mage.
"Any idea what one?" Natsu crouched down, eyes narrowed as his finger trailed the ground.
"None." Her heart was racing as she tried to think of which spirits came in pairs. Gemini. But she already had that key. The possibilities were endless and guessing would get her nowhere, especially when they were so close.
"Lucy-Mistress, you requested me?" the pink-haired spirit suddenly appeared at her side.
"Virgo, any idea what spirit could do that?" Lucy pointed at the separate tunneling entities.
Virgo studied the movement for a few moments, chewing on her bottom lip as her brow creased with thought. "Let me take a look to be sure." With a running start, she dove into the ground with an other-worldly ease.
The rumbling was growing louder, and the quaking more violent. People were diving aside to avoid impact. Lucy knocked into Levy, both women falling to the ground as someone jarred into them. Natsu took off after the larger rock wave, Happy in tow. Lucy quickly scrambled to her feet, tugging Levy up after her.
Suddenly, a sucking sound was heard as the earth opened and two very large creatures darted skyward. They writhed in the air, like fish out of water, their scales glinting in the sun as their bodies descended to the ground. There was a large chain linking them together, explaining the expanse between them that was also disheveled.
"Pisces?" Lucy whispered, her eyes growing wide with recognition, "PISCES!" She reached for Levy, her fingers encircling her friend's wrist as she jerked the blue-haired mage into action with a squeal.
"Stay back, Mistr—oof, Lucy!" Virgo called from above her. Lucy looked up to see the spirit concentrating heavily as her fingers dug into the gills of the larger of the two fish, her knees tight against the slippery silver scales.
Natsu wasn't as lucky, yowling as he was hit hard with a flailing tail. He was thrown meters backward, his body a mere interference with the spirits' intention. The two fish flopped on the earth, their large bodies capable of decimating anyone in their vicinity. Their dark irises and grey scleras rolled around as their mouths opened and closed, revealing sharp teeth. Lucy shuddered. She hadn't expected this spirit to be that….large.
"Move away, Virgo! I can—" she began, as Levy nodded her understanding, the spell ready on her lips.
Lucy swore under her breath as one fish leaped high and quickly tunneled into the ground, the second following suit as it was shackled. The spirits circled beneath her feet and making her feel as if she were losing control of her limbs. Virgo was disengaged, apologetically looking at Lucy before disappearing. The blonde was somewhat peeved at her quick departure without explanation. Lucy and Levy stood back to back, watching as the spirits circled them like sharks in a tank. Both women called out for the others to stay back. People cast confused looks, weapons drawn as they slowly stepped away at the women's bequest. Lucy's hand found her dagger—the one she had used on Veleda—and pulled it free from her waist.
The fish nearly surfaced, their dorsal-most fins dragging above the ground. Scales were sloughing off at random, and Lucy had no doubt that the rings around their necks were responsible for their poor condition and wild abandon. She grit her teeth, waiting for the creatures to leap into the air again. Sure enough, Pisces did just that, this time with more speed and finesse than before.
"Maybe if we cut the chains, we can take on one at a time," Lucy suggested aloud.
"Don't even think about. That's a stupid idea," Aquarius sternly replied, urn tucked under her arm.
"You!" Lucy gasped, not expecting the water bearing spirit.
The blue-haired celestial being eyed the ground, her expression grim. "Just trust me on that one, will you?" Before Lucy could respond, the two fish leaped from the earth. Aquarius yelled "Father—Nethuns! Brother Eros!"
Lucy's head snapped toward Aquarius, but the shadow cast over her from the two fish distracted her from her initial shock. She hadn't expected that revelation.
"Uh oh," Lucy whispered, eyes wide as the monsters fell much more quickly, hitting the earth and sliding toward her, pushing up dirt and soil as if it were water. The force threw her backward, the dagger still clutched in her hand.
"Gotcha!" Happy grabbed her shirt, pulling her into the air as her limbs dangled. "Natsu!"
"Got it!" the dragon slayer yelled, fiery hands grabbing the chains and smoldering them.
His arms quivered as he fought to pull the chains apart as Lucy shouted her warnings. He paid her no attention, nor did he listen to the screaming Aquarius, who threw her urn at him, succeeding in hitting him in the head and knocking him down. Unfortunately for them all, the heat had been enough to melt the links and the chain separated on its own.
The fish broke apart, and the chaos truly began as they incurred their individual destruction. Levy was not as fortunate to have a handy Eksheed like Lucy, and a wave of earth was heading for her. Jura quickly placed himself between Levy and the fish, his palms outward as he called up a wall of rock. Levy ducked, covering her head with her hands.
"Now, Happy!" Lucy yelled as she swooped down with Happy. As he attempted to avoid one fish tail, a second crashed into them, throwing the duo to the ground. Lucy's dagger skittered out of her grip as she tried to scramble to her feet to continue what she had intended. She tried to take breath, but the sting in her chest told her she had broken a few ribs, at least.
"That was a bad idea," Lucy muttered through grit teeth as she leaped to pick up her weapon and ensure Levy was safe.
"I told you!" Aquarius shrieked. "They are terrors in this form, and to separate them only brings about more destruction! I can't control them like this…."
"They aren't always in that form?" she asked the spirit sheepishly. She truly didn't know anything about Pisces.
"No," she simply replied. "There's an underground water source, confirmed by Virgo. They are much more powerful in that form, and now that you've separated them…." She shook her head, words trailing off in a slur of profanity. Her face was pale as she scanned the ground quickly.
"Oh." That makes sense, she supposed. "They're your family."
Aquarius' jaw locked and she stared at head. "Keep your eyes out, your lover just made this plenty worse."
"He's not—" Lucy began her usual denial.
"They'll be back," Levi interjected, brushing soil from her hair and thanking Jura, who appeared to be at the end of his patience with spirit or enemy alike. "I'll hit 'em with the spell individually, then. Besides…..it'll actually be easier that way."
"What spell, girl?" the water bearer eyed her suspiciously, tucking her urn under her arm, water sloshed out of it. Lucy wondered if she had drained this underwater source so that her brother and father would run out of stamina and revert to their more normal forms.
"Levy knows a spell to break those ugly rings around their necks. It's what's keeping them here and not in your world," Lucy explained, the ground softly vibrating under her feet.
"But what happens after that?" the spirit's eyes narrowed warily.
The rumbling grew more violent, this time the spirits coming from two separate directions. Natsu was unsteady on his feet, his face puce from the motion. Lucy yelled at Happy, who quickly lifted the dragon slayer into the air. One spirit ventured to attack from underground, the swell of earth casting the troops further away. Aquarius was leaning over, hand on the ground and eyes closed in concentration.
"There." She pointed at the ground and Lucy and Levy dove to the side as the massive fish dove skyward.
Levy deftly voiced the foreign incantation, and Lucy watched in awe as the swirling script encased the fish's head, glowing gold before dissolving it completely. Within moments, a more human form took the creature's place, arms flailing as his body fell.
"Aries!" Lucy called.
"I'll take care of it!" the spirit replied, a mound of fluffy…something….cushioning the spirit's fall.
The man laid there for a moment, in obvious shock. Lucy could see the bluish silver sheen to his skin and his dark blue hair. His ears were oddly shaped, somewhat bifurcate at the helices. His torso was bare and thin—ribs showing over the scant skirt of metal scales he was wearing. His thighs were bare and atrophied, and the metal anklets were loose on his legs.
"Eros!" Aquarius breathed in relief, quickly at her brother's side, hands on her hips as she surveyed him. He looked around, confused, his face weakly registering the woman's presence.
"Where's father?" he asked, his voice musical. Aquarius swung her urn a second time, hitting him upon the head.
"How dare you scare me like that! What were you two thinking, you idiots?" she screamed, ignoring the other spirit that was approaching at a quick pace.
"We had no choice—would you just….wait!" he yelled, dodging a well-aimed swing.
"Levy, the second!" Lucy screamed as the earth tore apart once again. Levy repeated her earlier incantation, a second man falling from the sky, hands gripping at his neck. Aries once again provided a cushion to the fall, staring in awe at the two men—one of which was being assaulted by Aquarius. She quickly disappeared after a look around the field.
The second spirit appeared to be much older, though the resemblance to the other was definitely present. Lucy looked between them. Now the pair was complete. And completely confused. The older man continued to finger his neck, his skin sunken and bruised where the hideous choker had restrained him. He was sitting at Lucy's feet, looking up at her curiously before his gaze flickered to Levy. She wondered if he was purposely ignoring Aquarius' assault on Eros.
"Are you…..the Stellar Spirit Mage?" he inquired of Levy, his voice deep and thick with an unfamiliar accent. It lacked the lustrous musical quality that his son's held, but there was an oh-so-familiar air of haughtiness to his words, though his expression did not relay it.
Her face reddened as she shook her head. "No—that's Lucy you're looking for. Her!"
"Oh no." Lucy groaned, quickly kneeling, eyes wide as she spied the large wound in the man's side. Dark purple blood was slowly covering his hands as he attempted to hide his injury. He must have been hurt during one of the falls, Lucy suspected. And that's a lot of blood!
"You saved us," the elder refusing to look at his bleeding wound.
"Father!" Aquarius and Eros said in unison, the urn above the latter's head as they both looked at the older spirit.
"Delilah," Nethuns replied quietly, hand outstretched and bloody fingers extended. The spirit bowed, pressing her forehead to his fingers in acknowledgement—or so Lucy thought. When she rose, there were bloodied imprints on her head.
"What happened? What's going on? Go home, so you can heal!" the water bearer frantically tried to staunch the bleeding with her hands, eyes side with fear. It was the first time Lucy had seen her lack her usual composure.
Eros shook his head, "Our keys….we're still prisoners, my sister."
"Screw that, you're being abused!" Aquarius suddenly screamed, eyes wide as the fluid covered her hands. "Why are you bleeding so much?"
"Daughter," the older man replied weakly. "It's no good."
"No," Aquarius recoiled, looking extremely weak and sick.
Lucy quickly looked for her knife. She saw the hilt protruding from the earth nearby, and she strode over and quickly tugged it free. With sure steps, she stood in front of the older man her shadow falling over Aquarius. She saw the approaching enemies over the spirit's head, and she knew what she needed to do. The older man looked at the weapon, raising a blue brow skeptically.
"Pisces. Father and son," she nodded, her mouth dry. "I am Lucy Heartfilia, and I am a Stellar Spirit mage. I can help you."
Aquarius looked at the knife, fear uncharacteristically washing over her features, "What the hell do you think you are doing, girl?"
"I'm going to send him back to your world," Lucy raised the dagger in explanation. "With this."
Aquarius' hand gripped Lucy's wrist, and her eyes were narrowed dangerously, "Don't even think about it. I'll kill you with my bare hands, do you hear? Code or no code."
"This is how I released Veleda," Lucy held the spirit's gaze, unblinking. "For once…..just trust me."
Aquarius' eyes flickered with recognition of Veleda's name, but she remained mum. Her face momentarily told Lucy all she needed to know, and Lucy wordlessly wrenched her wrist free from the spirit's grip. She quickly knelt by the older Pisces, her voice soft. His face was growing paler, and his eyes were filled with resignation.
"There's no other way. Your keys are in someone else's possession, so unless they are killed or you are released, you will die here if I don't intervene, do you understand?"
The man leaned back, smiling faintly as he registered Lucy's words. "I have heard of your name…..Heartfilia…you are a friend of the Spirits. Layla was….she was very kind to my Delilah. "
Lucy nodded, and fell flat at an attempt to smile. The younger Pisces watched Lucy with a look mirroring his sister's genuine indecisiveness at Lucy's intended actions. "What will happen if it does not work?"
Lucy avoided the younger Pisces' gaze, "He'll surely die."
"Father?"
"Let her do it," the spirit grunted, his blue complexion nearly gray from the mortal injury. "Delilah had a mage with a name similar to this one….she had honor. I'm sure this one does, too. She does not intend to harm me, that much I can tell."
Lucy recognized that he was talking about her mother, and pain filled her heart. She inhaled quickly, her grip tightening on her dagger. "Don't look, it'll be better that way."
"Maybe you should look the other way as well," Nethuns chuckled.
"Remember what I said, girl," Aquarius hissed in her ear.
Lucy froze, saying nothing. She, too, hoped it worked. Was Veleda's case any different? Lucy pushed her reservations away, her clenched her eyes shut, as she exhaled forcefully through her teeth and plunged the dagger into the spirit's chest without further reservations. He gasped, eyes widening from the sensation.
"Y-yes….I can see it…." he whispered as Lucy pulled the weapon free and fell backward.
She heard Aquarius gasp as a faint glow started around the puncture wound, slowly pulsating outward. He leaned his head back and smiled as his form brightened as Leo's had done when Adie released him. The younger Pisces seemed unsure of what to do next, dropping to his knees as Aquarius disappeared with a cry. Lucy silently counted down, awaiting the final verdict as she held her eyes shut. Either it worked or Aquarius would be back for vengeance.
Aquarius reappeared, within moments, her face pale as she swayed on her tail. Her mouth wordlessly opened and closed a few times, eyes rolling toward Lucy.
"Well?" the younger Pisces asked impatiently, hands gripping her upper arms.
Aquarius' gaze flickered upward, her voice soft and disbelieving, "It damned well worked! I didn't know it was possible. What is that blade?" Her eyes darted to the dagger and Lucy let out a sigh of relief.
"Will it work on me, as well?" Eros cut in, his voice breaking with hope. He had been through hell, they all had.
Lucy looked at him, nodding slowly. "You don't have the energy to open the gate yourself do you? I prefer not to use this method if you can…."
The man shook his head. He knelt in front of Lucy, turning his head so that he could look away. Lucy could hear the approaching screams of the enemy. She grit her teeth, sinking the blade into his chest without further hesitation. Within moments, he, too, was gone. She turned to find Aquarius still behind her, staring at Lucy—though her gaze holding something she had never seen in the spirit's eyes before. Trust? Recognition?
"They were right about you," she whispered, her face going blank, the look gone.
"Huh?" Lucy was too tired to piece the cryptic message together.
Aquarius shook her head. "Thank you, I'll never forget this," she cleared her throat, hesitantly. "May I go, daughter of Layla?"
Lucy felt her eyebrows rise in shock, and she quickly tried to temper her expression. She nodded her head slowly. The spirit gave her a quick bow of the head and disappeared.
"Up, up up!" Levy yelled, yanking Lucy's arm, eyes wide as she looked over Lucy's head. "We got trouble, Lucy."
Lucy turned to see the first line engaging the enemy. The final battle had just begun.