Chapter Thirteen
Clouding of Consciousness
"What happened?! Why did she go back?!"
Natsu buried his face in his hands as Gray's voice echoed around the nearly empty bar, drawing the attention of the brunette waitress at the counter. The salmon haired boy really wasn't in the mood to hear his best friend's chastisement since he'd been internally beating himself up about what had happened all night. It'd been stupid of him to think he could trust law enforcement to take care of the issue, and hadn't Gray warned him about how people with power manipulated things to be in their favor? The cult had to have some sort of connection to the people in the station, he was sure. Otherwise, that shit detective would've heeded the implications of Lucy's story.
Natsu supposed he'd been so confident because things had never gone wrong for him before. He'd always had Zeref to get him out of trouble and clean up things, so failure was a foreign concept.
He was painfully familiar with the feeling of defeat now though, and he absolutely hated it.
He sighed deep in his throat and ran a hand through his salmon locks, his voice heavy as he recounted a small detail of what had happened in the station, "Lucy…she said she already knew that things would turn out like this." He clenched his jaw as he hissed, "That fucking cult even has control over the police."
Gray shoved himself back from the table in frustration, his focus never staying in one place for too long, his mind obviously running wild trying to think of what to do next.
However, Natsu had already had the time to think things over, and he'd resolved to stick to the path he'd chosen, "I'm gonna do whatever I can on my own."
"And what do you think you can do against an entire fucking cult?" the raven haired boy spat back.
"I…" Natsu started hesitantly, already anticipating his rival's unpleasant reaction, "…I asked my brother for help."
Gray chuckled bitterly to himself before he ground out, "I don't trust Zeref. Or anyone else for that matter."
Natsu's brows furrowed in remorse as he thought over the event that was obviously on Gray's mind too, "Look…He's not happy with how I've been acting, so instead of just promising he'd help me like he did with you…he asked me for something in return. We made a deal. One that he can't go back on."
The salmon haired boy thought that his best friend might ask about what he'd sacrificed to earn his brother's aid, but Gray said nothing on the matter, his lips still pressed tightly together in fury.
"I'll do things my own way too, then," the raven haired boy suddenly stood, shoving himself away from the table and charging towards the door of the bar.
"Where are you going?" Natsu called after him, standing from his bench and whipping around to face his best friend, ready to bolt after and tackle him if the raven haired boy didn't stop.
But Gray did, slowly turning back around to face his rival, "We always say that it's best to follow our gut instincts, but I think it's time we start using our heads for once."
The salmon haired boy closed the distance between them, his brows furrowed as he tried to figure out what his rival was thinking. They'd always had a knack for understanding one another without any words having to be said, but now he was finding that their three years apart had rid him of that ability, and Gray's thoughts remained a mystery to him, "What are you thinking of doing, snowflake?"
"Those people…" Gray hissed out, the slightest traces of anticipation in his voice, "…they may know what you, Loke, and Elfman look like, but they've never seen me. I want to check that place out for myself."
"Are you fucking insane?!" Natsu vehemently snapped, his fist flinching at his side as he fought to hold back the instinctive need to punch the raven haired boy for his stupidity. "They're a fucking cult! I ain't letting you go in there on your own!"
"Lucy's in there on her own."
The salmon haired boy's drive deflated at that statement, the grim reminder of his failure to save the blonde settling heavily on his chest once more. The weight had never left entirely, but it'd at least been momentarily forgotten during their short spat. It was back full force now though, and the possibilities of what was happening to Lucy violently tore their way through his head again, the images they left behind haunting his every thought.
"Don't you get it, flamebrain?" Gray glowered, his voice heavy, but still determined. "One of us needs to know that place inside and out in order to help her. They all know your guys' faces now, so I'm the only one that can do it. Whether you want to or not, you have to let me go."
Natsu's focus fell to the floor, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. He felt exactly like he had three years ago when Gray had been taken to prison, the same helplessness and frustration raging in his chest once more. In his mind, it was like he was sending his best friend away to suffer again, and he couldn't do a thing to stop it or lighten the load on his friend's shoulders.
But Gray was right. If they wanted to save Lucy, it was something that had to be done.
Lucy swallowed in a vain attempt to ease the dry soreness of her throat, letting out a whimper as the slight shift in her breathing to perform the action caused a cough to splutter free of her chest. Her bruised back shifted against the wall and she hissed in pain, the abused flesh still tender and aching with even the slightest movements. Leaning back against the wall probably hadn't been the best idea on her part, but laying in any position that didn't put some sort of pressure on her back made it hard to breath, and now, she lacked the energy to move herself from her collapsed state.
She didn't know how long she'd been locked in the prayer room, but it had to have been at least a few days by now. She'd had only the tiniest bit of food and water in that time, her captors refusing to giving her any more than what was absolutely necessary while she continued to be disobedient. They'd told her countless times that if she just memorized the Prayer of Salvation, she'd be allowed to leave. They'd even opened the Zentopia book of scripture to the appropriate page and set it in the corner of the room for her, under the light of the glowing red cross mounted on the wall.
But still she sat unmoving, her resilience in her defiance costing her dearly. She'd never felt so weak, so helpless. Her physical strength was completely gone, her resolve the only thing remaining.
The door slowly creaked open, and her head lulled against the wall as she turned to see who had come to insistently plead with her this time, expecting Ultear or her father since they were her usual tormentors.
But whoever it was didn't come in right away, remaining just beyond the cracked door.
The blonde's eyes started at their feet, her focus slowly dragging up their frame, confusion wracking her brain when she realized that they were wearing the boys' version of her old high school's uniform, her heart nearly stopping when her focus reached their face. Their features undeniably resembled her own, and their blonde hair was a perfect match.
It was Sting.
She jolted against the wall, wanting to shoot to her feet and tackle her twin, but finding that her body was far too weak to do so at the moment. So instead, she simply stared up at with wide, watery eyes, her voice hoarse from disuse and dehydration as she breathed, "…Sting?"
He gazed back down at her with pain in a gaze, but a comforting smile still upon his features, his voice light as he called in return, "Lucy."
"Is…is that really you?" she choked out, a few tears sliding down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry, Lucy," he quietly quivered out.
Lucy swallowed heavily and fought to put some life and strength back into her expression despite the tears still running down her cheeks as she insisted, "I'm fine."
Her words only seemed to make him more pained, his brows furrowed and expression scrunched as he finally slipped through the door to crouch in front of her collapsed frame. He gently took one of her limp hands from her side, the one Natsu had rewrapped for her, cradling it softly between his own, "Lucy...I know that you can get through this. You're stronger. Stronger than I could've ever hoped to be. I know you can do it, so please, don't stop fighting."
Her eyes stung with even more tears, and they cascaded down her cheeks as she nodded her head with all of the enthusiasm she could muster, her voice choked, "Okay. I won't stop fighting…I…I promise I'll get out of here, Sting. I promise."
He nodded his head, his own eyes glassy, "Good."
He tightened his grip on her hand, and she did the same, hanging onto her twin like her life depended on it.
Lucy startled from her place against the wall, inhaling sharply as her brain shot her consciousness out of her dream and back into reality. Her tired eyes slowly peeled open and exhaustedly swiveled about the room, landing first on her own hand, which was stretched into the empty space before her, to where her twin had been standing.
But now, there was no one before her, her figure the only one illuminated by the red cross on the wall.
Her tears seemed to follow her into the waking world, sliding down her cheeks as she curled her fingers in and pulled her fist tight to her chest, her twin's name slipping from her lips as she cradled the hand he'd held.
Gray cleared his throat as he slid a pair of Loke's glasses onto his face, hitching his backpack up further onto his shoulders and gripping the part of the straps that ran just under his collarbone as he strode forward into the plaza. He'd swapped out his usually dark apparel for more colorful, but till rather neutral tones in an attempt to look more approachable. He also forced his usually cold features to soften and even look somewhat cheerful, even though the feeling that came along with the act kind of made him want to vomit.
Natsu, Loke, and Elfman were watching him through the window of the second floor of the billiard hall where they'd wasted many hours of their youth, and the salmon haired boy had been the one to alert him that they were here.
He and his friends were incredibly lucky that those from Zentopia had returned to the plaza to advertise their church once more, and so soon as well. It'd only been two days since Lucy had been taken back to the church, and given the blonde's importance to them and her sudden disappearance and unexpected return, the group of four had figured that it would be quite some time before the church was back to business as usual.
They were wrong, but Natsu and Gray were grateful for it, because the sooner the raven haired boy could get into the cult the sooner they could get Lucy out. Of course, the salmon haired boy was still entirely unhappy with letting his best friend venture into Zentopia, but he was begrudgingly doing all he could to help nevertheless, knowing there was no way he could change his rival's mind.
Gray struggled to find the right pace as he strolled through the plaza, wanting to look natural but also trying to go slow so as to get noticed by one of the women wandering around the plaza, each in knee-length or longer skirts and carting around a clipboard as they politely stopped random passerby to converse with them.
The raven haired boy grew anxious as he neared the end of the plaza and still it didn't seem like any of them had so much as even glanced his way.
Thinking fast, he crouched down to fiddle with the laces of his sneaker, placing himself in a stagnant position near one of the cultists, a dark haired woman with lips painted a shade of crimson that shone like blood in contrast with her pale skin. He could just barely hear her conversation over the bustle of the plaza, and he knew his chance had come when the man she'd been talking to politely declined her message.
"Excuse me."
Still kneeling on one knee, he glanced over his shoulder at the call, noting with satisfaction that luck seemed to be on his side for once and his act of tying his shoe had worked.
The dark haired woman was standing just behind him, a shorter girl with vibrant blue hair that looked to be somewhat around his age standing at her side with a stack of papers cradled in her grasp.
Gray fought to keep his surprise from showing in his expression as he looked over the pair, particularly the younger girl. The woman was someone he could easily picture amongst the members of a cult despite her pleasant façade, but the blue haired girl was a different story entirely. Someone that radiated such genuine kindness like she did certainly didn't seem to belong to a place as horrid and disturbing as Lucy had described to him four days prior.
The woman offered him a warm smile as he straightened himself out to face her properly, her tone light as she inquired, "Could you spare us a moment of your time? We'd like you to fill out this survey."
Gray forced himself to sound hesitant, feeding some of his genuine doubt about the surety of his plans to enter the cult into his voice as he gave them a meek grin in order to avoid seeming suspicious for agreeing right away, "I…I'm not so sure. My mom wants me home for dinner, so…"
The blue haired girl gave him a bright grin, "They're really easy questions. I promise, it'll only take a minute."
Gray purposefully shifted his arm as he began filling out the survey, knocking his elbow against the cup of hot chocolate the blue haired girl had set on the table beside him. He fought to restrain a habitual curse when the liquid sprayed across the back of his hand, the drink far hotter than he'd been anticipating.
He'd resolved that the best way to earn the trust of the people of Zentopia was to make them think he was somewhat stupid, clumsy, and incapable. He'd tried to be as endearing as he could manage even though he definitely had no practice in the act, that way, he'd earn their trust fast and they'd never see his inevitable betrayal. It was undoubtedly going to be tough to keep up the act given the persona he'd chosen for himself, but he'd make sure to do everything he could since it was for Lucy's sake, even it meant burning his fingers off.
The blue haired girl practically dove for a handful of napkins before pressing them against the back of his hand to soak up the spilled the liquid.
"It's alright," the raven haired boy stole the bundle of already soaked napkins from her grasp, giving her his best attempt at a flustered smile, "I got it."
The dark haired woman, who'd introduced herself to him as Apostle Milkovich as she'd taken a seat across from him at the umbrella-shaded table on the side of the plaza, gave him a soft smile, "Gray, you seem to have such a pure heart."
He glanced up at her at the comment, genuinely unsure of himself and not just trying to stay in his character as he tentatively responded, "Oh, uh…thanks…I guess."
"Do you think that this world will be eternal?"
Gray stared at her in silence for a moment, both in contemplation and in shock. She sure knew how to get straight to business considering religion had had absolutely nothing to do with their conversation thus far, and if she was always this straight forward about preaching, he had wonder how successful her missionary outings were considering the hard-headedness of the people of today's world.
He didn't see any reason why he shouldn't be truthful in his responses in this case, even if he was pretending to someone that clearly wasn't anything like himself. He made sure to talk a bit higher and a lot less rough than he normally did as he answered, "They say that nothing is eternal."
The apostle's lips quirked a fraction, obviously pleased to note that he didn't seem to be at all put off by her approaches, "Then, what if someone was willing to share the secret of eternal life with you? How would you feel?"
Gray feigned surprise and awe, "Is there such a thing?"
"Of course," she pleasantly affirmed. "Us crossing paths like this wasn't mere coincidence. It was fate, and it means that you are candidate to be one of the chosen."
"'The chosen?'" Gray softly repeated.
The blue haired girl sitting at the apostle's side hummed in agreement, seeming incredibly happy with all that was being said, "The chosen are those who will receive the secret of eternal life. It may not seem like this world is going to end any time soon because people are so preoccupied with the present, but the apocalypse is coming. We're sure of it."
"That's why we need to be prepared," the apostle took over the task of preaching, staring at the raven haired boy earnestly as she professed, "When the end comes, only the chosen will be able to board the Ship of Salvation."
"'Ship of Salvation?' I've never heard of it…"
The dark haired woman's lips quirked once more, "Would you like to see it for yourself, then?"
"Geez, what's taking him so long?"
Natsu rolled his eyes at Loke's grumbling, his focus quickly snapping back to table that rested in the plaza below, his gaze narrowing as he stared at the conversing trio seated there, "That lady probably meets people like this all the time, so she'd be able to tell right away if something was off. Gray's just being careful."
The salmon haired boy tuned his two companions out as they started to bicker about something senseless, folding his arms on top of the window sill and resting his head on them as he continued to stare at best friend and the two females.
He still hated Gray's idea, and watching it be carried out right before his eyes while he couldn't do a thing to stop it was infuriating him to no end. And if it worked, Gray would be whisked away to Zentopia, making the ultimate sacrifice to get the information they needed.
And although such information would be pivotal in their scheming, Natsu still hated every second he spent thinking about Gray in that cult. They'd already taken Lucy away, and while he'd resolved to save her no matter what it took, there was still the startling possibility that he might never see her again. The chances of that happening had already internally torn him up, and risking having the same thing happen with Gray was like pouring salt in the wounds.
Even worse was Natsu's own way of freeing Lucy, and the deal he had made with Zeref had been weighing heavily on his mind for the past two days nonstop.
Upon asking for help, Zeref had told him that he'd see what he could do, and he'd made Natsu vow that as soon as Lucy was free, he'd to go back to Crocus and finish his pre-schooling so he could get into law school. Obeying the details of their deal meant that Natsu would likely never see Magnolia again given his brother's wishes to move to the capital in order to reach greater political heights, and coincidentally, the salmon haired boy would be miles and miles and miles away from his friends, likely to never see them again. He was loath to leave Lucy behind like that after he'd just set her free, but if it meant that she could live a proper life, far away from the people who had captured her, then it didn't matter he had to sacrifice, even if it was a chance at finally seeing what could become of their relationship.
He hadn't told any of his friends yet, knowing that they'd immediately demand he break off the deal and set Lucy free by their own means. But with the way things were going, he didn't know if that was possible. They were still only a group of friends who were just barely becoming adults, and Natsu was discovering that all of the methods he'd relied on previously wouldn't work anymore. Now that the safety net of public school had disappeared, he was facing the cruelty of the world, and Zeref was a part of that merciless world. The fact that they were brothers didn't seem to matter to the governor, and he'd treated the salmon haired boy just like any other business associate, claiming that since he was a politician, he gave nothing for free.
Sudden movement at the table snapped Natsu out of his thoughts, his eyes following Gray and the two women as they stood, heading towards the Zentopia van that'd been parked on the side of the plaza. The salmon haired boy's lips pressed into a grim line as the side door slid open, and not sparring a second, Gray followed the small blue haired girl inside.
"He's got guts…" Loke admonished with a sigh. "He got in that van without a moment of hesitation, even though he knows what kind of place he's headed to."
"He's always been like that," Natsu grumbled in discontent, feeling like he was getting left behind as Gray went to fight his battles for him. He'd been the one to find out about where Lucy was and devote their group to saving her, not Gray. And he'd been the one to drag the raven haired boy into the plan's he'd already made, but now, Gray was rushing off to fulfill his own plans, and rather recklessly at that.
"He'll...he'll be okay, right?" the salmon haired boy mumbled, a bit of doubt mixing in with the frustration that was surging through his veins. They hadn't had much time to prepare, but regardless, Natsu wasn't so sure that having more time would've been much help in the first place. They knew nothing about the cult other than what Lucy had told them, which wasn't much given her obvious panic and sorrow at recalling the events she'd endured. None of them had felt the need to pressure her into telling them more during the brief time they'd had with her, though Natsu knew that that decision had cost them now.
"Gray'll be just fine," Elfman heartily professed. "He's man, after all."
Natsu didn't have to look to know that Loke was rolling his eyes, and he had no doubt that their bickering would quickly start again.
But he paid them no more mind, his thoughts back on his rival and the girl he'd allowed to be stolen away, the heavy weight in chest growing stronger.
He hated feeling useless.
Natsu shoved himself away from the window sill in one final act of frustration as the van drove off, his raven haired rival heading into the situation almost completely blind, entirely unaware of what would greet him once he got to the church in the mountains.
Now, all they could do was wait.
Lucy stared blankly at the man seated on the floor across from her as he gently blew on a spoonful of porridge, his white suit glowing especially bright in the candles he'd lit upon entered the room. She didn't have enough energy to glare at him as fiercely as she would've liked, and she could barely muster the will to keep her eyes open.
Precht cupped his hand beneath the spoon as he held it out towards her, his voice low, "Fighting off the demons has weakened your body. You should eat to replenish your strength."
She ignored his first sentence, but the second was reminiscent of the very thoughts that'd been running through her own head since her dream of Sting. She'd thought of her promise with Natsu, her vow that she'd tear Zentopia from the ground herself. Outright defiance was clearly getting her nowhere, her refusal to adhere bringing her more harm than progress. Keeping this up would get her killed before she got anywhere else, and death wasn't the kind of freedom she desired.
She wanted to live, to return to life beyond the walls of Zentopia and flourish in the world she'd been deprived of. She wanted to see her friends again, the four boys who had saved her, and reassure them that all they'd done for her hadn't been for naught. Even if she'd eventually wound up back in the hands of her captors, her brief time with them had reignited her drive and proved to her that were still people out there that cared for her.
In particular, those hours she'd spent with Natsu had given her new motivation, the salmon haired boy's desire to know and understand everything about her a foreign, but not unwelcome feeling. It'd been a long time since anyone had shown any consideration for her feelings, and Natsu hadn't only ventured for her thoughts, but provided her with food, clothes, shelter, and new wrappings for her hand, too. She didn't think she deserved such devotion with the way she'd shoved him away from her after Sting's death all those years ago, but she was eternally grateful for his loyalty, no matter how misplaced it was in her eyes.
Now, she wasn't just fighting to get out for her own sake, but for the sake of the salmon haired boy and his friends, too. They'd fought for her, and that meant they cared, so she wouldn't let them down.
No matter how much it killed her inside, she'd resolved that the only way to escape her forced life of devotion to the preacher was to give in, at least for a little while, and do everything he wanted. That way, she could be rid of this damned room, and able to gather the strength to take down the evil that had enshrouded her.
As Precht held the spoon out towards her more, Lucy slowly leaned forward, not taking her eyes off of the preacher's face as she slowly opened her mouth and closed her lips around the spoon.
"You're doing very well," he purred with a sick look of satisfaction on his features as he gently pulled the spoon from her mouth, praising her like an owner would praise their pet during training. "Now, my dear Lucy, recite the Prayer of Salvation for me."
The blonde's focus swam with tears, though the rest of her expression remained the same, her exhaustion ever apparent in the dark circles hanging beneath her eyes as she began recitation of the holy scripture in a hoarse, breathy voice, "'You are the King of our paradise…our creator…and the absolute true love. I confess all of my sins to you, and give you…my everything…Dear Almighty, allow me to bask in the light of your divinity. With my utmost gratitude, I will serve you…and my Spiritual Father.'" The tears finally slipped free of her eyelids, pouring down her cheeks in two thin streams. She felt like she might vomit and pass out all at once, but still she pressed on, her mental will stronger than that of her body, "I give you my whole heart…my love…and my life.'"
Precht smiled warmly and proudly, humming to himself in pleasure as he rested a palm on her cheek, swiping his thumb across her skin to rid it of her tears.
Lucy swallowed heavily to keep down the bile, disgusted with both feeling of his touch on her skin and herself as she struggled to profess Zentopia's most common line of devotion, her voice choked as she avowed, "'Our wishes…be fulfilled.'"
Gray fisted his hands on top of his knees, his joints aching with how long his legs had been scrunched up beneath his weight. He couldn't understand why the chapel had no pews, nor why everyone was made to kneel before the stand at the front of the room as the apostle he'd met earlier preached, his position making him too uncomfortable to pay much attention to her sermon. He was surrounded by a group of young adults just like him, those that had been recruited by the missionaries in the plaza earlier today. Other than him and the small group of seven, no one seemed to mind kneeling on the floor for as long as they had been, and that made Gray wonder what exactly went on during their worship meetings.
One thing that was clear to him though was that he was most definitely invited back to the service tomorrow. Apostle Milkovich had made that perfectly clear on their way to the church, professing that since they had agreed to come to the church in the first place, they certainly must be a few of 'the chosen.'
During his short time at Zentopia, Gray had realized that their preaching relied heavily on enticement, and the reason why Jude Heartfilia had been drawn to Zentopia became clearer to him.
If the raven haired boy had set up the timeline correctly in his head, then the Heartfilias must have joined the cult shortly after what had happened to their son, and having been through a similar loss, with both his mother and grandmother, he could somewhat understand what drove the family to do such a thing. Zentopia's promises were admittedly alluring, especially to those who were too caught up in their sorrows to see past the deception. Their targeting of those who were suffering made the cult all the more sinister in Gray's eyes, and keeping his true emotions restrained was growing more difficult the longer he stayed.
Everyone here was just so overwhelmingly happy, and their obliviousness to the truth made him want to sock them all in the face.
There was another thing, too, that was driving him a bit crazy. He'd been given a tour of nearly every building on the church's grounds, including their hospital and living quarters, and he hadn't caught even the slightest trace of Lucy, nor caught sight of anyone that even slightly resembled her enough to be her parents.
It was as if they'd never been there to begin with, and for the briefest of moments, he wondered if he'd somehow wound up at the wrong place.
But he trusted the blonde, regardless of how little time he'd known her, and there was just this vibe about the church that sent shivers down his spine. Everyone and everything was overwhelmingly positive, and sickeningly so, too. Not to mention the freaky, illuminant red crosses that were mounted on nearly every wall and door he'd seen. The one that spanned the entirety of the wall behind the stand in the chapel was particularly eerie, its crimson brilliance slightly muted by the sheer white curtains that'd been drawn in front of the structure.
He jolted out of his thoughts when a piano suddenly began to play, and he blearily realized that the members of the congregation were preparing to sing a hymn, one that heartily declared their love for the Almighty.
He fisted his hands even tighter atop his knees as their voice began to sing in unison, his lips pressing into a grim line.
There was a sinister feel about this place, and despite his bravery about plunging into its depths, he wanted out of it now more than anything, not only to tell his friends about what he'd discovered, but for his own sake too, his heart never calming whilst he stood in the church's walls.
A heavy sigh slipped through Gray's lips as he let his backpack slide from his shoulders, the bench of their usual table at the Fairy Tail bar creaking as he plopped himself down beside Elfman.
Natsu wasted no time in getting to the chase, despite his friend's obvious exhaustion, "So, what'd ya find? Did you see Lucy?"
The raven haired boy solemnly shook his head, tiredly rubbing at his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.
"Does that mean she's locked up?" Loke asked tentatively, wary of the short-fused pinkette seated next to him. "Did…did you see anything suspicious?"
"That's the thing," Gray chuckled bitterly, the hand he'd had pressed against his face dropping back to the table, "Everyone there seemed insanely happy." He bit his bottom lip, folding his arms over his chest as he huffed out, "I'm going back tomorrow. I'll see what I can find."
Natsu didn't know what he'd been expecting when Dimaria had called him, notifying him that Zeref wanted to meet in Wendy's hospital room. He figured that maybe his brother wanted to further discuss the details of their deal, and part of the salmon haired boy hoped that something had already been found out about Zentopia.
He'd just seen Gray off to his second day at the church, and with his best friend back in the presence of the cult and Lucy still in their grasps, he was eager to feel useful and get something done instead of just sitting uselessly on the sidelines like he had yesterday.
But his hopes were crushed the moment he stepped past the small hall at the entrance of the room, his eyes widening and his feet staggering to a halt as an unexplainable rush of uneasiness washed through him upon catching sight of the white-suited man standing by his little sister's bed.
There was something undeniably sinister about the white haired man, his pristine, unblemished suit heavily contrasting with the dark maliciousness the salmon haired boy could see in his eyes.
"Ah, Natsu," Zeref greeted, standing opposite of the man on the other side of their little sister's hospital bed. "We've been waiting for you."
The white-suited man looked up from where he'd been gazing at Wendy's blank face, his lips quirking in a grin that came off as more of a smirk, "Governor, your brother seems to have a very pure soul."
The salmon haired boy's heart dropped as a thought dawned on him at the man's words.
"Say hello, Natsu," Zeref urged, a polite smile on his features as he confirmed his little brother's suspicions, "This is the pastor of Zentopia."
Boiling rage shot through Natsu. This was the fucker. The absolutely disgusting, sick and twisted man that lusted after Lucy. The one that had tricked her father into betraying her and the one that had dragged her back into the hell they'd disguised as paradise.
He was overcome with several primal urges, his impulsive instincts screaming at him to get the man away from his little sister, to deck him in the jaw for what he'd done to Lucy and for all that he was planning on making her do. But at the last second before launching himself at the guy, he held himself back, the tiniest bit of rational thought lingering in his head despite his rage.
One wrong move and he'd lose Zeref's aid, and then they'd be left to their own devices to get Lucy free.
His fury was instead manifested in the form of words rather than actions, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he all but screeched, "He's not a pastor, Zeref! He's the leader of a fucking cult!"
"Watch your mouth, Natsu!" his older brother reprimanded, his red irises alight with disappointment and anger. He rushed to save face, turning back to the man with an amicable grin on his features, though his voice still held a pinch of spite, "You must forgive him. It seems that he still hasn't grown up, even after living on his own for three years."
"It's fine," the preacher lifted a hand to dismiss the concern before turning his gaze to the salmon haired boy, quirking a single brow, "Your name is Natsu, correct? It seems you've misunderstood," he continued, unhindered by the waves of animosity emitting from the younger Dragneel. "I'm just a cleric who preaches salvation. That's all."
"He told me he'd take better care of your friend from now on," Zeref smiled at his younger brother as if he'd done a good job with what Natsu had asked of him,
"That girl is ill, both in her mind and her heart," the preacher claimed, his voice feigning sorrow. "I apologize for any confusion she might have caused you with her nonsense. I can assure you, she will be very well taken care of."
The salmon haired boy's lips quirked in a snarl as a low growl slipped through his lips. Zeref was seemingly pleasantly oblivious to the reality of the situation, but Natsu was horribly aware of what the preacher really meant by 'very well taken care of.' The white haired man might have disguised his lewd desires by claiming it was a spiritual marriage for the sake of salvation, but Natsu knew. The way he talked about the blonde, the tone of voice he used. It gave away his craving for Lucy, and Natsu was disgusted at the thought.
"You see, Natsu?" Zeref hummed. "The situation's been all taken care of, so you should return to Crocus as soon as-"
"You know what?" the salmon haired boy sharply cut him off, his features hardening in calm, controlled rage as he ground out, "Fuck this. After what you did to Gray, I don't know why I ever thought I could come to you for help again. The deal's off, Zeref."
The governor's brows furrowed, "Natsu-"
"When I was a kid, you told me that those with power should help the innocent and weak…But I guess all of that was just senseless bullshit you came up with to make me think you were a good person, right?" the salmon haired boy hissed. "Lucy's not insane. She's smarter and more aware of the world than either of you could ever hope to be. And she's the same age as me, Zeref. Do you really feel nothing when you think about what's she going through? About how she's been trapped in that fucking place since she was just seventeen?" He pointed an accusing finger at the preacher, who was silently watching the brothers fight with a single brow quirked, as his voice bursting with volume and he roared, "Does the thought of that man locking her up just to make a pass at her not sicken you like it does me?!"
"That's enough, Natsu!" Zeref bellowed as he charged forward to stand before his brother. "Don't try to speak on matters that you know nothing of!"
"But Lucy told me everything!" the salmon haired boy spat back, angry and frustrated tears beginning to border his eyes, though he was loathe to display such weakness. "That man's a psychopath! And you're no better for stooping low enough to willingly join hands with him!"
Zeref's hand shot out and Natsu's head whipped to the side as it sharply slapped across his cheek, the salmon haired boy's eyes wide following the impact. He'd been too caught up in his own emotions to be prepared for such a thing, but the fact that Zeref had actually done it was the most surprising. Of course they'd fought just like every other pair of siblings did, but Zeref had never gotten physical in their fights before.
The governor took a few heavy breaths before he cleared his throat, and Natsu almost let himself believe that his brother was going to apologize. But Zeref seemed to ignore him, turning his back on him entirely as he vouched, "You must forgive me, pastor. My brother was being incredibly foolish just now."
The preacher only nodded his head, his expression making him seem completely unbothered by what he'd just witnessed, and his words followed true, "It's quite alright, Governor. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like a moment alone with him."
Zeref took only a moment to comply, shooting one last cold glance at his brother before he stormed through the hospital room's doors.
Precht finally moved from Wendy's bedside, his hands clasped behind his back as he came to stand before the younger Dragneel, whose head was still turned to the side from the blow he'd received, "Natsu, the Almighty doesn't turn his back on the innocent and weak. That's why he entrusted Lucy to me."
The salmon haired boy only glared at the man as he turned his own words on him, rage shooting through him at the way the preacher had said the blonde's name. He clenched his jaw as he hissed, "I'm warning you. If you so much as lay a finger on Lucy, I'll turn you into a pill of ashes."
The preacher only chuckled mockingly, a knowing look on his features, "You love her, don't you?"
Natsu only let loose another growl from deep in his throat.
"Just like you're unable to hide your feelings for her," Precht hummed, "the Almighty can't hide his love either. Our affection for Lucy is greater than anyone's…even yours."
"I don't think 'affection' is the right word," he seethed. "And regardless of your supposed care for her, Lucy sure as hell doesn't love you or your stupid Almighty."
The preacher only quirked a single brow, letting loose a heavy sigh before his tone shifted to become much lighter, "I hope you'll visit Zentopia soon, once you've overcome the furious demon that resides within you. People these days only believe what they can see, and it seems that you are much the same. But I believe even the hardest of hearts can be swayed when put in the hands of the right person. Lucy serves as a testament of that. She's freed herself of her demons and surrendered her soul to the pull of the Almighty's grace. Already, she has begun her journey to becoming Spiritual Mother."
"What do you mean?" Natsu hissed, his fury spiking once more as the preacher talked of the blonde. "What the hell do are you doing to her?"
"I can assure you that she is traveling down this path of her own free will. She's given up on the outside world, and acknowledged that it is full of deceptive demons. Now, she seeks salvation by my hand. And I urge you to do the same." He suddenly turned sharply on his heel, leaving no room for the salmon haired boy to speak as he stalked out the door, giving one last call over his shoulder, "Lucy and I will be wed, and after the consummation, she will make the ultimate sacrifice to lead our people into our Almighty's arms."
"Sacrifice?" the salmon haired boy repeated, the thought stealing the breath from his lungs.
The preacher made no response to his utterance, only continuing on his trail of thought as he paused before the door, "You will soon realize that this course you've set yourself on will inevitably end in your own doom, and I hope to see you among my congregation on that day of sacrifice, seeking repentance and salvation from the hands of my new bride." His voice took on a tone of anticipation and satisfaction as he tauntingly purred, "How beautiful she will be when her sacred white purity is consumed by the blazing-red fire of the Almighty."
The door slammed shut behind the preacher, the sound echoing throughout the now almost-empty hospital room as if to accent the heavy blow of the words he'd just uttered.
Natsu sunk to his knees, the angry tears that had been stuck in eyes throughout the majority of his time in the room finally slipping free to numbly slide down his blank face, though they lacked their former purpose. They were tears of disbelief, of sorrow, of regret, of fear and possibly thousands of other emotions. His insides were in turmoil, though he felt numb to riot raging in his chest, only one thought on his mind.
They were going to kill Lucy. That bastard preacher was going to rape her and then murder her for a fake God.
And Natsu'd let her go back to him. Sure, he'd fought against those trying to send her back, but in the end he'd let her go, and now not only her innocence, but her life was at stake.
He was so stupid. So fucking stupid. He never should've taken her to the police in the first place. He should've locked her in that apartment or sped off in whatever the hell direction without stopping the second she'd settled behind him on his bike.
His upper body curled forward and he fisted his hands in hair, mercilessly tugging on his own salmon locks as he let lose a scream of frustration.
Had he kept a better grip on his emotions, he would've still been standing, and had he been standing, he might've caught sight of the fingers of the seemingly numb girl in the hospital bed as they twitched.
Gray was sure his knee would've been anxiously bouncing had he been seated in a proper position, but once more, he was kneeling before the stand in Zentopia's chapel, his joints beginning to ache again from returning to the same position that had brought them discomfort the previous night.
In place of the bouncing of his knee, his eyes were shooting every which way, examining the faces of the people around him to gather as much information as he could.
He hadn't found out much of anything new, and the day was already almost over, the current service their last event of the day before he and the other 'new recruits' like him went back to town for the night. He'd heard sermon after sermon throughout the day, and he was about ready to blow with how ridiculous all of their beliefs seemed. They were certainly tailored to a naïve crowd, and although his character might belong to a group characterized as such, he himself wanted to laugh aloud at the absurdity of it all. He'd never had anything against those with religious beliefs, but the values of Zentopia were astronomically absurd.
Their praises for the Almighty aside, their belief in the divinity of the man they called Spiritual Father, the very man who was now preaching on the stand before him and the man he knew was trying to marry Lucy, was appalling. Not only did they seem to revere him with the utmost respect, but they practically worshiped him, bending to his every beck and call.
Gray had somewhat spaced out while members of the congregation offered tribute to the preacher, gifting him envelopes filled with stacks of cash. He'd always known about the concept of tithing, but he'd never seen it done like this; so indiscreetly and seemingly with the intent of earning outright praise from the man they believed was divine.
The people's blind devotion to him was sickening.
The raven haired boy's focus was soon snapping back to the present though, the preacher's words snagging his attention and holding it hostage.
"…the proclamation ceremony of our new Spiritual Mother."
Gray's eyes widened and flurried about the room once more, avidly searching for Lucy. He'd been keeping an eye out for her all day, and still there'd been nothing, not so much as a single strand of her golden hair.
The preacher smiled proudly at the pulpit, sweeping his arm out in a grand gesture in the direction of the door at the side of the stand as he beckoned, "My beloved followers, let us welcome Lucy with a round of applause."
The door opened, and the congregation shot to their feet in enthusiasm as they cheered, and Gray shot to his feet too, not to applaud but to finally catch a glimpse of Lucy.
He'd been expecting her to look like hell, that the torture he knew she must've endured upon her return would be blatantly evident on her features.
But she looked gorgeous.
Her golden hair had been styled into soft, loose curls, the strands smooth and falling to her lower back. She wore a gown of fine black lace, the bodice and long sleeves hugging her frame tightly and the lace climbing up her neck and across the back of her hands a bit too. The dress accented her thin waist before giving way to layers of loose fabric, the skirt of the gown brushing against the floor and swishing with every clank of her heels as she crossed the stand to be near the preacher.
Apostle Milkovich followed the girl inside, a large, flat box balanced in her arms.
Gray watched on numbly as the blonde came to a stop before the preacher, the two of them facing each other, Lucy's features blank and unreadable as the old man smiled proudly, speaking into his mic as he purred, "Lucy, your purity will cleanse us of our filthy, wretched sins. Our wishes will be fulfilled through your innocence."
"Our wishes be fulfilled!"
The raven haired boy's hands clenched into fists as the congregation echoed the cry, their cheers tumultuous in volume as Precht opened the box his apostle had carried inside. He withdrew a crown of blooming, white flowers with bundle of white ribbons cascading down from the back of the loop, a look of utmost pleasure settling on his features as he placed the crown atop the blonde's head.
Lucy's expression didn't even flinch as she stared the preacher directly in the eyes, and Gray began to worry about what they'd put her through for her to look so dead and unaffected by what was going around her. She'd been so defiant and untamable before, and to see her take everything without so much as a word was killing him inside.
"My dear brethren," Precht faced his congregation, his proud, satisfied grin still on his features, "when I receive the Almigty's prompting, I will take Lucy as my wife, and we will become as one. We will attain our salvation and be rid of this evil world once and for all."
A piano began to play, and the chapel was soon filled with sounds of a vigorous hymn.
The preacher and his congregation cheered as Lucy descended from the stand, the crowd in the middle parting to make way for her as she exited the room with Apostle Milkovich on her tail.
Gray watched her go with darkness and fury in expression, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched.
These people were insane. Not a single one of them seemed the least bit disgusted by the prospect of a twenty year old marrying a man who had to be in his sixties, and they were even applauding the idea.
The blonde's eyes numbly glanced this way and that as she walked between those cheering for her, her gaze happening upon the raven haired boy by some miracle. Only when she caught sight of him did her expression finally change, her eyes widening and lingering on him for the briefest of moments before she got her expression back under control, quickly averting her gaze and continuing forward.
Gray's anger got the better of him, and he made to charge after her. He'd carry her himself if that was what it took to get her out of there, because he sure as hell wasn't letting that old man 'become one' with her.
A hand suddenly wrapped around his wrist before he could take so much as a single step in Lucy's direction, the person's grip firmly holding him in place. His gaze shot to the owner, shock spreading through him as he caught sight of the small, blue haired girl that'd been with Apostle Milkovich in the plaza the day before, her features hardened and her gaze determinedly fastened forwards as she pressed, "Don't get involved." Her fingers tightened around his wrist with surprising strength when he tried to tug his arm free, her eyes sliding up to his and her voice loud enough for only him to hear, "You don't want to go back to prison, do you?"
Gray's eyes narrowed, suspicion lacing his voice as he hissed, "Who are you?"
Her lips pressed into a grim line, two words escaping her in a heavy breath, "An ally."
AN
Levy's our new ally! Her ties to the issue will be solidified next chapter, and we'll find out a tiny bit more about who she is!
Also, did anyone foresee Gray joining the cult? I tried to make his absence from the Lucy's rescue and the bit in the police station really prevalent to kind of hint at it~
And also, we know that Precht has other plans for Lucy...and now Natsu knows about them too.
Anyways, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!
See ya next Friday!