Morning came quick to the sleeping convoy of mages. And before they knew it Natsu and the other mages were standing outside the gateway of a large castle as the rising sun coated their backs.
Natsu looked in awe at the castle vanguard. It was just like a story book castle from one of Lucy's novels, the stone walls were roughly 30 feet tall with alternating stones dotted along the top giving cover to whatever archers or mages used them for cover against whatever dragons like Igneel must've been attacking. Four large towers were evenly placed at each corner rising high above the walls and overlooking the large courtyard that Natsu guess laid behind. Another stone structure rose from the center of castle, Lucy called it a keep or something, sounds kinda stupid cause what is a 'keep'? Natsu only shrugged to himself guessing it was something you keep things in.
He walked up to the large iron studded wooden doors. "WHOA!" he said in wonder with sparkling eyes as he looked at the giant ancient doors which had giant gashes in it from previous attacks. His wonder however was cut short by a steel fist.
"Hush Natsu we are here to destroy a dark guild, not to alert them of our presence." Erza scolded.
"But if I'm going to destroy this door won't they know we're here?" Natsu asked innocently.
Erza thought for a second "true." She then bowed "please hit me for my over reacting."
Natsu only laughed "you can just make me more of those sandwiches later." He grinned.
"If you two are done I'd like to finish this mission." A very annoyed sounding Jellal said as he and the others were forced the witness the small act that Natsu and Erza we're putting on.
"Of course, my apologies." Erza said with a bow before turning around and drawing her sword. "Natsu!"
"Aye sir!" Natsu said saluting. The others all watched with a sweat drop expression.
Erza gave a confident smile before pointing her sword to the door. "Destroy what blocks our path!"
"Aye sir!" Natsu saluted again with a toothy grin, he turned to the door and drew his dragon fangs. He spaced his feet out shoulder length before taking in a large breath of air "Fire Dragons ROAR!" he yelled shooting a large column of flame from his mouth completely destroying the door. After a few seconds he cut off the stream of fire showing the gapping opening that not only opened the court yard but blew open the gates of the 'keep' or whatever it's called. The wide eyed dark guild members looked out, some comically pouring beer down the front of their cloths as they were caught mid drink.
Erza smiled at the opening that Natsu gave, she looked over to the grinning dragon slayer standing beside her "Nicely done." She said in praise, then in a lower voice that only Natsu could hear she added "My dragon."
Natsu only grinned stepping forward "Anytime!" then like Erza adding in a lower tone "My Warrior princess."
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!" a random member of the dark guild yelled as he finally came to his senses. "HOW DARE YOU ATTACK OUR GUILD? DO YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE?"
"The dark guild "Black Unicorn" if I am not mistaken." Jellal said calmly as the six mages entered through the hole that Natsu conveniently placed into the wall. "As for us, we are the ones who have come to put an end to your evil ways, Crime Sorciere!" he said then activating his heavenly body magic as Ultear held out her crystal ball which multiplied around her and Meredy created several of her luminous swords around her.
"AND WE"RE FAIRY TAIL!" Natsu roared encasing his body in an inferno of red flames. Erza reequipped into her purgatory armor to his side as Lucy summoned Loke and Tarus. "I'm all fired up!" Natsu yelled before using his flames to propel himself forward, diving into a large group of mages and using his dragon fangs to dispatch a multitude of dark mages.
Not wanting to be out done Erza and the rest of the mages fly forward into the fray. Erza sends several different mages flying with a single swing of her spiked mace. Swinging the heavy weapon as if it weighted no more than a feather. "Ahh it Titiana!" was yelled from several of the fleeing mages as they ran form her onslaught.
Lucy was holding her own, Loke and Tarus were making relative ease of the small group of dark mages that had split off of the main group, pinning the young blonde as the weaker one. Taurs's axe and Loke's fist quickly showed them of their miscalculations.
Then with Crime Sorciere the more skilled mages were also falling with relative ease. With a combined attack involving Meredy linking all higher ranking dark mages together and Ultear and Jellal combining their attacks to only one mage they were able to defeated several mages at once without using too much effort.
Natsu dove to his side dodging the jet of water coming from the fist of a dark mage before Natsu back handed the man, his blade leaving a long gash along the man's chest as it sent him flying towards a pillar. He moved his other arm to block his back, a sword comes down meeting his block. Natsu grinned to himself, while the hit probably wouldn't have harmed him the ability to sense it coming only showed how much he had grown since beginning his training with Erza so many months ago. He took a breath turning his head and shooting a jet of fire out of his mouth at the mage at point blank range. After cutting off the attack he stood looking around with a toothy smile plastered across his face. All around him were bodies of charred and unconscious mages.
He picked up one of the twitching mages "OI WHERE ARE THE STRONG MAGES!" he yelled causing the hurt man to jump with shock.
"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I don't know! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" the man wailed as Natsu dropped him.
"Sheesh I thought Jellal said he needed help, these guys weren't that tough." Natsu said in a disappointed tone. His eyes scanning over the knocked out dark mages and over at Jellal, Ultear, Meredy, and Lucy who were easily beating the rest of the dark guild members.
"It's not that they were weak it's that you got stronger." A soft tone said from behind him.
Natsu turned to see Erza walking toward him, a mountain of beaten mages were piled up behind her several groans and moans were heard from its occupants.
Natsu grinned and sheathed his swords "well I did train with you after all Erza." He said with a toothy grin, he looked around "I wonder where their master is though."
Erza stopped right in front of Natsu, reequipping out of her armor into her usual attire minus her breast plate, which was her usual around Natsu for the past few weeks. "Thank you for the praise." She said with a smile before continuing "I wouldn't worry too much about the master, according to several of the dark guild members I defeated he isn't even a mage, he only uses the guild as a front to get rich form raiding convoys and stealing from the people who live nearby."
"Well in that case I still want to beat his ass." Natsu said pumping a fist getting a small giggle from the scarlet mage. He looked over at her for a second before his face split into another grin "Your laugh is really cute." He laughed. A sharp chop from a blushing women cut off his laughter.
"D-don't just say stuff like that idiot." Erza said turning to the side blushing.
Natsu just grinned "Well I meant it. And Happy was right."
Erza looked at Natsu with a raised eyebrow. "What was Happy right about?" she questioned.
Natsu just looked at her with the same toothy smile "Your magic is really pretty and it's amazing to watch you fight." His smile shrunk to a smirk "It's really amazing watching you fight, you look like you're dancing almost. It's beautiful."
Erza looked to her side blushing and hiding her head into Natsu's scarf that was still around her neck, her hair hiding her eyes "Shut up…" she said flustered casing Natsu to laugh seeing the normally headstrong Erza so flustered over a simple compliment.
"You know for someone so aggressive you have a girly side. I like it, it fits your warrior princess personality." He laughed.
"And for someone who only ever thinks of fighting and eating you can be surprisingly sweet for a fierce dragon." She smiled making the dragon slayer blush in turn.
Natsu scratched his neck nervously "Yea, yeah, just don't tell Gray that! So when the job is over are you making make me more sandwiches? I figure we can go to the sakura grove and have another picnic." He ginned his usually toothy grin.
"That'd be nice Natsu." Erza said lowering her head into the scarf closing her eyes and taking in this alien moment that just felt so natural with Natsu. Even at this distance she could feel the faint warmth that he expelled from his body. Her mind pulled up picture of them back home from the mission, just the two of them laying in the sakura grove. Her being held by that warm arms that made her smile and only think about how the days ahead could only get better. Then a picture of her and Natsu sometime in the future, two small red and pink haired children running around Natsu's legs while the same toothy grin was placed across his face. She blushed at the thought but allowed the picture to stay in her mind.
*THUNK*
Erza's eyes instantly snapped open at the sound of the meaty blow. She looked up at Natsu who only had a confused and surprised look across his face, his eyes dilating. Erza tilted her head slightly curious as to the face Natsu was making.
"Natsu?" she asked confused.
Natsu's eyes shook slightly as his eyes moved down and his head tilted forwards slightly. Then in a hushed voice a single word laced with utter surprise and confusion came out.
"Huh?"
Erza followed his eyes, tracing down his neck and onto his chest.
Her eyes grew wide in shock.
Sticking out of Natsu's chest roughly four inches was the tip of an arrow, crimson blood dripped from the tip as more blood flowed from the wound and rushed down his abs.
"N-natsu?" her voice shook as she slowly brought her arm up to reach out to the pink haired mage.
Natsu looked up as he heard her voice, his eyes locking with her shaky pupils "Erza?" he said breathlessly. He then teetered back falling with a lifeless boom on his back, the arrow still standing out of his chest with a brilliant crimson light.
"N-natsu. "Erza said again in a shaky voice as she looked forward with a hand still extend, her eyes finally moving to where the dragon slayer lay on the ground, a pool of crimson starting to pool around his midsection.
"NATSU!" she screamed as she finally snapped from her shocked state. She rushed to his side lifting his head into her lap "NATSU! NATSU!" she yelled gripping his vest tightly and holding his face so that he was facing her.
A sharp cough caught her attention as Natsu coughed up blood splattering it across his torso. He looked up at Erza, his usual vibrant onyx eyes slowly fading into a dull grey. "Sorry for getting blood on your skirt." He mumbled.
"Shut up, don't speak we'll get you out of here and we'll get you healed." Erza said as she looked along Natsu's body, she adjusted him slightly getting a yell of agony in response before quickly putting the dragon slayer into his original placement.
Natsu looked down at the arrow causing him so much pain, but couldn't help the smirk. "A Dragon scale arrow to take down a dragon slayer, the irony." He said as he tried to hold in another cough spraying a fresh coat of blood into his hand, some landing on Erza's skirt.
"I said shut up idiot!" Erza yelled as she fought to hold back tears which slowly started to fall from her cheeks and land on Natsu's face. She moved her head down resting her forehead against Natsu's. "I'm going to get you out of here and we're going to get Wendy to heal you alright!" she yelled more trying to convince herself. A rough hard hand gently caressed her face whipping away a group of tears. She pulled back looking down at Natsu, her heart skipping a beat at what she saw.
Natsu was giving her one of those patented toothy grins, the usual effect being thrown off as the blood stained his teeth slightly "It's alright Erza." He said calmly before opening his eyes again.
"NO! NO NO NO NO!" Erza yelled frantically as she shook while holding Natsu "You aren't allowed to leave yet! You promised me that you would never leave! WERE YOU LYING TO ME NATSU!" she screamed. As tears pelted Natsu's chest mixing with the blood.
"I'm sorry Erza. Please forgive me."
Those words nearly stopped Erza's heart completely she looked down into Natsu's eyes seeing only one emotion, only one unshielded emotion. True and utter regret. "N-natsu." She said quietly.
"Erza what's going on!" the sound of Lucy's voice were so alien to the women she couldn't help look up.
"E-erza!" the blonde said in shock not expecting to see the women in such a state "What happen-" her voice cut off as she saw Natsu's body lying in her arms, blood pumping slowly form the wound in his chest. Lucy's eyes widened in shock as she took a step back "N-natsu," she breathed out covering her mouth with one of her hands "This- this wasn't supposed to be like this. This wasn't supposed to happen like this. This wasn't part of the plan." The Blonde repeated over and over as she took another step back.
Erza looked up shocked "What do you mean part of the plan Lucy?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. The blonde only shock in shock, her eyes trained on the bleeding dragon slayer. "WHAT PLAN LUCY!" she shrieked causing the blonde to fall backwards in shock. She moved to open her mouth but no words came out.
"HAHAHAHAHA I KILLED THE SALAMANDER!" a shrill gruff voice yelled from overhead.
Erza's eyes looked up in the direction of the voice, a small man was sitting on the upper floor, an empty crossbow dropping form his hand, the Black Unicorn insignia printed on the side of his cloak placing him as the unaccounted master of the dark guild.
Before Erza could even pull out the words to retaliate. A fist with the power of a meteor crashed into the man's face sending him onto the bottom floor. Jellal was instantly in front of the man pulling him from the derby and throwing him against a wall a few feet away.
"YOU IDIOT YOU WERE ONLY SUPPOSE TO WOUND HIM TO EMBARRASS HIM! THAT WAS THE PLAN! WHY DID YOU SHOOT HIM IN THE CHEST?" Jellal roared as at the little man who only smiled in return.
"Why be the man who wounded the Salamander when I Can be the man who KILLED HIM! I will make so much more money and my reputation in prison will give me so much power! I AM THE MAN WHO KILLED THE SALAMANDER! HAHAHAHAHH-"his laughter however was cut off as he looked down, a spear shooting out tiny bolts of electricity was embedded into his sternum. The stupid smile he was wearing still graced his lips as the life faded form his eyes.
"A weakling like you has no right to bare that title." The cold deathly voice of Erza Scarlett pierced through the silence. "Jellal, Lucy." Her voice caused both mages to shiver in fear "Your foolish plan for whatever reason has caused Natsu to get like this." She gritted her teeth reequipping a sword "I WILL NEVER FOR-"she stopped in the middle of her yell as a hand grabbed her right arm that held her sword.
"Erza it's alright." Natsu's surprisingly calm voice said, causing the entire castle to be draped in a deathly silence.
Erza dropped her sword and looked down at Natsu with shaky eyes "But Natsu they-"
Natsu turned his head to face Lucy and Jellal "They would never do something to hurt us on purpose, forgive them like I have already." He said confidently with a blood stained toothy grin. The face caused Lucy to break down immediately into a wailing mess of tears. Jellal fell to his knees looking at Natsu in shock before he fell forward punching the ground in frustration.
"WHY? WHY DO YOU FORGIVE ME FOR ALL THE SINS AND PAIN I CAUSE YOU?" Jellal roared.
"Because, you're our friend."
Jellal's eyes snapped up to look at Natsu, the small smile on his face. His eyes nearly devoid of all life. "Just learn from your past so it doesn't happen again." Natsu said with a voice devoid of hate causing Jellal to hang his head in shame, tears starting to fall form his face.
Natsu looked up at Erza and ran his hand along the scarf draped across her shoulders "If you meet Igneel tell him im sorry I couldn't see him." He said, barely above a whisper.
Erza's body was racked with a shiver as she looked down at Natsu, fresh tears pooling in her eyes "You're going to be alright Natsu. You're going to tell him yourself." She said trying to keep her voice even and calm.
"Tell Gray I'll miss our fights. And I'll miss fighting beside him, the stupid ice princess." Natsu said continuing as if Erza didn't speak "Make sure Elfman knows I was manly at the end. "He chuckled casing more blood to spill from his mouth.
"Shut up Natsu, just be quiet." Erza begged as tears fell once more onto the dragon slayer who was now a deathly shade of pale.
"Tell Mira and Lisanna thanks for everything. And tell gramps I'll be waiting on his old ass." He paused "And forgive Lucy and Jellal please Erza."
Hearing their names the two mages raised their heads to look towards the dying mage.
Erza looked down at Natsu, her vision blurring "I-I will Natsu." She stuttered out.
"And Erza, im sorry im breaking my promise, I hope you can forgive me one day. I guess we won't be having that picnic." He said quietly.
"You idiot." Erza whimpered "I'll hold it against you forever until you come back to me." She said pushing her head against his forehead.
"Don't cry Erza, I hate it when you cry." He whispered. "Be strong, and get stronger from me. I'll be watching holding the key to let you in when you come." He smiled "but don't follow me too soon alright?"
"Alright, just please stop talking Natsu." Erza pleaded.
"I l—ov-e yo-u Er- z…" and with that Natsu's head fell back, the blood stopped flowing from his chest and an ungodly silence fell upon the area once again.
"Key."
Erza's eyes shot up as she looked at the blonde that had muttered the word. "What?" she asked her voice traced with venom.
"THAT'S IT! THE KEY!" the blonde yelled quickly pulling out the plain brass key from her hey loop "We can still save Natsu it isn't too late! We can seal him in the key and he can regenerate in the celestial world!" she yelled quickly crawling to Erza.
Erza instantly understood what the blonde was saying "Hurry then we don't have much time!" she yelled.
Lucy shock at the out the brass key holding the key in front of her "I-I-I don't know what to do."
Erza seeing the confusion went off of instant, she reached down and pulled the arrow the rest of the way out of Natsu. She then quickly reached over grabbing Lucy's hand and shoved the Key into the gap that was left in Natsu's chest. "SAVE HIM!" she yelled pushing all of her magic through Lucy into the brass key.
The key started to hum at the large amount of magical power was pushed into it. After a second of fear Lucy understood what was happening and pushed her own magic into the key causing a golden glow to radiate from the key and Natsu's body. The words then began to low from her mouth. She didn't know where they came from but they happened to just appear.
"As a messenger from the spirit world to this world hear my command. Be bounded for time inside of this vessel and may you be stripped of your freedom and set to a contract. Your life will be to serve the holder of this key and you will live each day full filling that need." She said in a deep voice that sounded so unnatural compared to her usual light one.
Suddenly the world stopped.
There was no noise, even the fire in the corner of the room was paused in mid flicker. Lucy looked over and made eye contact with Erza. They both looked around as they were the only ones allowed to move in the pocket of time.
*tap* *Tap* *Tap*
The sound of footsteps caught the two mages attention as they both looked toward the direction of the sound. Lucy's eyes enlarged at who she saw.
The celestial king was making his way to the two mages.
"I am surprised to see that you are the one using this forbidden technique old friend." The voice of the king boomed.
"I-I-im sorry." Lucy squeaked "I didn't know it was forbid-"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S FORBIDDEN OR NOT CAN YOU SAVE NATSU!" Erza yelled her tear stained face looking up in wide eyes.
The king looked down at the body between the two mages. "It is possible to save him but-"
"Then save him please!" Erza pleaded "I will do anything you ask if you only save his life."
Lucy looked across to Erza in shock, the amount that Natsu means to women finally reaching the blonde.
The King stared at Erza for a few seconds before nodding. "Very well, I will allow this contract to be made." He said as Erza let out a sigh of relief "But he will not be the same boy that you remember." He warned.
Erza looked down at Natsu with loving eyes "as long as he is still here it does not matter."
The king looked form Erza to Lucy before nodding. "And so it shall be done."
The area was flooded with a blinding white light.
As the light disappeared Erza looked down at her lap but only saw the floor, a footfall to her right caught her attention as she looked up. There standing before her was no other the Natsu himself. Erza smiled as she nearly threw herself against the pink haired man before the rest of him caught her eye. Unlike the Natsu she knew his face was set in an emotionless mask. Unlike his normal opened vest a crimson breast plate covered his upper body with dragon ornaments decorating his shoulders. Crimson shin plates were wrapped around his shins as a black and crimson cloth was wrapped around his waist, a dragon breathing fire insignia was printed on the front of the cloth. His dragon fangs however were still present on his back but instead of the usual plain leather sheath it was steal and jewel encrusted.
He turned to Lucy before taking a knee "My name is Natsu Dragneel, what are the terms of our contract master?"
/two months later
Lucy walked down on of the many roads of Magnolia, the setting sun casting a depressing glow across the city. She looked down at the keys on her hip. She felt her energy fading slowly as one of her spirits slowly drained away at her magic reserves. She continued down the street until she got to the place she was looking for.
The pink of sakura blooms coated the area as the blooming trees showed their beautiful colors. Lucy continued to walk until she finally was in sight of her main reason to travel all this way. A head of Scarlett could be seen across the park sitting under the branches of a low sakura tree.
Lucy felt the warm glow of a returning spirit as she reached down and grabbed the brass key, its white gem had turned red due to Natsu now preoccupying its space. She looked back up at the form of Erza barely holding back her tears, she watched as the women reequipped into her armored breastplate before she wrapped her arms around herself.
Lucy looked back down at the key in her hand, tears falling from her face to the key 'I will make this up to you Erza, I promise.' She thought quietly as she squeezed the key in a hope that it would fix everything. She then returned the key to her hip and retreated back to her apartment.
As she entered her apartment she finally broke down like she did every time she got home from seeing the shell that was left of Erza. She slid down her wall wailing into her hands. A warm buzz at her hip and a soft glow from in front of her caused her to look up from her fit.
Standing before her was none other than Natsu.
He looked at her with the same emotionless eyes that he always held now. His armor still in its crimson light, a red hand print outlined across his face.
"She slapped me again." he said in an emotionless voice.
Lucy looked up and rubbed some of the tears from her eyes "I-I'm sorry she did, it's just difficult for her that's all." she mumbled
Natsu bowed his head slightly "I understand. But..." he paused causing the women to look up at him "I feel like I'm missing something, every time I see that women shed a tear I feel as if I should comfort her, yet I know not why. You're my master but I have a feeling that I should be protecting her." Natsu said looking into his hand as he held it before him. His eyes widened at his words as he fell to his knee "Forgive me for my words I shall meet with Virgo to ensure I'm punished for such thoughts."
"No, no it's fine!" Lucy said quickly reassuring the pink haired spirit. "She let out a soft sigh just go back and rest for now."
"If you wish master." Natsu answered before being engulfed in life and leaving Lucy alone once again.
"I'm so sorry." Lucy said quietly as she wrapped her arms around herself once again "I'm so sorry Natsu, Erza. I'll find a way to return Natsu to you, I promise." And with that the blonde slowly drifted off to sleep alone in her apparent. Clutched in her hands were Natsu's key along with a blue lacrima that was resting on her counter beside her door. "I'll make it so that you two are together again." She mumbled as sleep finally overcame her.
Lucy's eyes suddenly snapped opened as she looked down at the stone confused before the thought occurred in her mind "THAT'S IT!" she screeched grabbing the stone as well as running to her desk and grabbing a box full of cash before running out of the door.
/
Alright due to the obvious dislike toward my idea of ending the story at this chapter I have decided to continue the story for at least a few more chapters.
The story will continue!
As for any confusion of Jellal's and Lucy's plan, they were only going to embarrass Natsu in front of Erza. Yes I know it's not much compared to how much of a buildup I put in to it but come on, Lucy and Jellal would never mean to hurt Natsu and Erza! The dragon scaled arrow was my idea to counter Natsu's natural tougher skin.
I hope you aren't too disappointed and don't hate me for the feels if I gave any of you them!
Please comment your thoughts! I might be taking a break on this story to work on some of my other ones for a while.