Silence, that's all I could hear at the moment. The beatings had stopped for the time being. Gajeel had run off to do something but promised to make haste in his return. I lay upon the cold, hard ground of this cell, the last thing I'll see before I die. Times like this made one wonder about death and what comes next. Is there a second life? Does heaven really exist? Or does the soul just become nothing? My body is too weak to move at this point, too weak to resist. How long have I been down here? Days, weeks, months? Even though it's unlikely for it to have been more than a few days, it feels like it's been so much longer.
The abuse, the torture, I don't know how much more I can take. A part of me just wants it all to end. For the man to just finish me off, let me die. I'll never give in, but one can only take so much pain before shutting down. And I'm close to breaking. I don't eat anything they give me, it just sits there at the front of the cell rotting worse than it already was until someone finally comes to get it. If I can hold on for a few more days of pain, then I might just die of starvation. I wonder if in another life, would I find my way back to Fairy Tail again. Who ever really knows these things? We could have had dozens of past lives without even knowing. Things like that you aren't supposed to remember. But then again, they say that's the reason why we have deja vu.
Being in a place like this really brings into perspective of just how much I took for granted. Simple everyday things that we grow so used to having. I can't even begin to explain just how badly a hot bath sounded right now. Even a cold one. A freezing river would even do me just fine at the moment. I often dream about what I'd do if I were to ever escape this prison. Obviously, I'd find a place to bathe, but after that, I'd love a nice warm meal and to be surrounded by those amazing people at the guild. I'd let Mirajane dream all she wants, I'd try to actually get along better with everyone, be more open with them. Maybe I would borrow some of those books from Erza that she keeps telling me to read. Maybe I'd train with Gray or have a drink with Cana. But mostly, I'd apologize to Natsu.
I've been pretty rough on him, even though I don't truly know why. Something about the man gets to me, but not exactly in a bad way. Maybe that's why I acted like that. It was an attempt to protect myself. I remember when I was younger, all the dreams I used to have. Dreams of becoming a great mage, a mage of Fairy Tail and being known for me and not for my families name. For one day finding someone to love and grow old with. Of having a family of my own and friends who care about me and not about my last name. Other than becoming a member of Fairy Tail, I didn't manage much else. I'm not even strong enough to get myself out of a situation like this.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sounds of footsteps echoed from the stone hall that led to the cells and they were growing nearer. It wasn't the heavy clomping sound of combat boots, much like the ones Gajeel wears. More like highly expensive dress shoes. The person walked at a leisurely pace, acting as if they had all the time in the world. I didn't move, not even when the sound stopped just outside the entrance to my cell. I didn't even have any energy to move even if I wanted to. I just laid there, waiting for who ever it was to speak up or enter. I wasn't scared though, maybe this would be the end to everything. Maybe they would finally finish me off.
"Lucy," the voice paused for a moment and there was no denying who the voice belonged to. But, even if they hadn't spoke, I was already certain of who it was as they approached. "I'm giving you one last chance to sign this paper. If you do not cooperate then I will let Phantom Lord do as they wish with your little guild back in Magnolia. Fairy Tail will feel their power to it's fullest extent and be destroyed in the process. Your precious team members, what were their names again?" I could hear the smirk on his lips as he spoke. Grinding my teeth, I turned my head as best I could to gaze over at the man I had grown to loath over these past several years. "That's right, Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster And Natsu Dragneel. Yes, Gajeel is quite anxious to meet that Natsu kid. They would love to have some fun with them. We will capture them and torture them right in front of you. We will even make them believe you're in on it. What ever it takes to get what I want. Now, sign the papers or your friends will pay the price."
My eyes were wide as I stared over at him. There was barely any light to see by, but enough to make out his silhouette. He stood there, back and shoulders straight, the same perfect posture that had been pushed onto me growing up. He stood proud while I laid here, beaten, bloodied and bruised almost to the brink of death. But, I was proud anyway. I had held off, refused all the way to this point but now how could I continue? What was I to do when they threaten the one thing that I cared about? They can do as they wish with me but to go to such lengths as to drag people into this who had nothing to do with it. I never imagined that my father would stoop so low. That he'd be willing to hurt the innocent just to get what he wants. I'm ashamed to have ever called this man my father.
Why? Why is he doing this? Why is he doing this to me? What did I ever do to deserve such treatment? And Fairy Tail, they have nothing to do with this, they know nothing about who I am or where I came from. I'm ashamed to say that I never trusted them with the truth. Did I ever truly believe that they would turn me in? Did I believe that if they knew who I was, that they'd kick me from the guild or use me for money that I don't have? No. I never thought such a way. So, why didn't I tell them? Because I'm ashamed of my father. Ashamed of the name and blood that I share with such a man. I want to ask him why he's doing this to his own daughter, but the words are stuck in my throat. In a way, I already knew why. This greedy man would do anything to increase his wealth, his power. He was so hungry for it that it became an obsession.
Jude didn't speak, he gave me time to think over my response. Though, I already knew what I had to do, I was still hard to accept. It was difficult to say that one small word which, in this case, meant so much. That one word, it will completely destroy my life, yet in the process, it will save the entire guild. And really, that's all that matters. What is my happiness when compared to that of the members of the guild? My happiness means nothing, I mean nothing. The choice is clear. I lick my parched lips but my mouth is too dry to moisten them, tears fall from my eyes and onto the concrete floor beneath me. "Yes." The words are soft, my dry throat unable to manage speaking such a word. Or any, for that matter.
A chuckle, that was Jude's response to my answer. He was clearly elated from hearing my choice. But, he should have known it would happen. There was no way that I'd let him hurt anyone from Fairy Tail. They are one of the few things good in my life that I managed to find since my mothers death. "Good, good." He said, the sound of metal against metal clicking slightly filled the cell. Keys. Inserting the key into the door, he slid it open and entered inside, stopping just when he was directly above me and staring down with disgust clear in his eyes yet a smirk still remained on his thin lips. "Now, it's time for you to get up. The wedding will be tomorrow morning, you need to be cleaned up and presentable for it and all the guests that will be here."
So, this is it. I'm going to sell my soul in order to ensure Fairy Tail's safety. But, it's worth it. There is no denying that. But still, I can't help the ever growing emptiness that has taken residence in my heart. The swelling despair of what was to come of my future, of my life. I should have realized that it would come to this. I shouldn't have held on for so long. Maybe, just maybe, if I had pushed Gajeel a bit more then he might have actually finished me off. If that were to happen, then there wouldn't be any reason for them to have ever gone after Fairy Tail. I can still finish this though. I will do everything in my power to prevent them from using Fairy Tail against me ever again. Resigning to my fate, I did my best to climb up onto my feet as the greedy man watched my impatiently. As I stood up, the smiling images of my team flashed before my eyes. Erza, with such warm brown eyes and an embrace that was rough yet comforting at the same time. Her strength is admirable, her heart filled with love and kindness.
Gray, his eyes are dark and cold yet soft at the same time. He's quiet, for the most part, and always seems to be deep in thought yet it's him that I have to thank for me ever joining Fairy Tail. It's because of him that I ever meet any of them. I could never thank him enough for that. His habits may be a bit odd, but he's a great guy who has learned to love instead of hate. All of them are that way. With their past, the shadows that linger in their hearts, they still managed to become something great. I can only hope that they remain that way. That no more pain should ever come their way and that they find happiness in their future. I wish that for everyone in the guild, I truly do. I got too caught up in acting like I didn't care in order to protect myself to even notice that I actually did. That I cared more about these people than I ever thought possible. No matter how annoying they could be.
But, there's one person who stands out above the rest. The most annoying, moronic man I've ever met! But, he's also incredibly strong and selfless. He'll risk his life for the sake of his friends and won't even give it a second thought. His eyes are so intense, I always felt exposed under his scrutiny. His hair, such a light shade of pink that it's almost comical. Yet, at the same time, it's adorable. And of course he managed to pull it off so well. It just suits him for some reason. There is so much to him that I never had the chance to learn about, things that I sincerely wished that I had taken the time to learn. But, that can be said about all of them. There is so much that I never said or asked. So much that could have been done or experiences that we could have had. So much wasted time. But, I'm doing this for them. I'd rather die than to let something happen to them once more.
"It's this way...I think." The man scratched at the balding spot on top of his head, his brown eyes gazing around the thick forest with a bit of confusion shining in them. Standing behind him was Team Natsu, and they definitely weren't happy. Natsu stood, his eyes glaring over at the man from Phantom Lord and if looks could kill, this man would have been dead long ago. Erza's booted foot tapped against the ground, her eyes closed as her arms remained crossed over her metal clad chest. On her right, stood Gray as he leaned against a tree, his shirt long gone as sweat glistened upon his exposed chest. His hands sat in his pockets, a hint of irritation could be spotted in his eyes but it was clear that he was trying to keep calm about the situation.
But, on the inside, he was going berserk. Lucy was missing, taken by her own father and that crazy Phantom Lord guild. Who knows just what they are doing to her right now, and just why they wanted her in the first place. And this man, all he was doing is luring them further and further into this jungle and it was clear that he had no clue as to where he was going. "You think? You think?!" Erza's brown eyes popped open, her boots stomping against the ground as she closed in on him. Her hand reached forward and grasped the man by the collar of his shirt, raising him off the ground as a fire blazed within her eyes. "That's what you've been saying this entire time! Do you even know where you're going?!"
Natsu let a small grin appear upon his lips, if there was any time for Erza to get mad, now was that moment. They were wasting time going around in circles, not even sure if they were anywhere close to their destination. Anywhere close to Lucy. Natsu was anxious, he would have ran off on his own long ago but he couldn't pick up any scent out here. The forest was too thick, it's own smell covering the scent of anyone else who might have been through here. A cold hand clasped down onto Erza's shoulder, and she turned to met the stare of Gray. "Calm down Erza, this isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to keep him thinking straight if we are going to rely on him getting us there and getting upset isn't going to help that."
Erza stared at Gray for a moment, thinking over his words before she let the man drop from her hands. Said man fell to the ground, landing with an "oomph" onto his rear. He picked himself up, rubbing the sore spot before sending a quick glare at Erza then tromping on. Branches snapped as they walked, leaves rustled in the light breeze that was too high up for any of them to actually feel it. The forest was smoldering, the heat was driving Gray and the balding man insane. The only ones who seemed unaffected was Natsu and Erza. But even Erza was clearly hot by the sweat that formed on her brow and the fact that her chest plate had went missing some time ago. Apparently she had put it away in order to keep cool.
A warm, callused hand reached up and scratched the little blue head of Happy that sat upon Natsu's shoulder. The exceed was panting slightly, it was clear that he too was greatly effected by the heat. "How are you doing, Happy?" Natsu asked, turning his head just a bit and gazing at the blue cat in the corner of his eyes. Happy made a feeble attempt as saying something, but with his tongue so dry, nothing came out. In the end, he just resulted in shaking his head before laying it against Natsu's shoulder once more. Team Natsu followed closely behind the Phantom Lord member, watching him carefully as they went. But this time, Natsu had begun to leave marks as they went. A scratch on this tree, a branch set up a certain way right there. Just so that they know if they truly are walking in circles. At this rate, they'll never make it to Lucy in time.
A/N: Hello again, it took my a few days of constant stopping and starting but I finally managed to finish this. Hope you like it, especially those who have been asking me about when I'm going to update this. All I can really say right now is that I'm sorry for any mistakes, it's a bit tough right now to edit and all I really want to do is lay down. But, please let me know what you think. Thanks, Angel.