Lucy didn't realize how bad she'd been beaten until they were forcing her to walk. Her legs were weak, barely supporting her weight as she was pushed forward, forced ahead. She knew she had a torso wound and her face hurt from multiple punches to it, or at least that's what she assumed. A line of probably 30 demons escorted her back to the forest to retrieve the backpack.
"Get it!" Antoine ordered.
Lucy looked up the tree, wondering if she had the physical strength to do climb the tree anymore. Forcing her body up the tree, it took her a good 10, painful minutes to reach the top. She paused...resting for a moment.
"MOVE IT!" Antoine screeched.
"Back off!" she yelled back, "I'm injured and I'm tired. I'm getting the damned thing, so chill out!"
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
She paused again, resting her head against the tree. That heartbeat again…
Which one? Which friend would she choose? Would he give her another chance to release more of her friends? Were they all doomed to literally rot in hell?
In the treetops level to her, Lucy caught a glint in her eye. She tried to see what was glinting, then stifled a smile when she realized it was Gildarts. She played it as coolly as she could, knowing if she gave away his position, it would be game over for him.
It's all up to you, Lucy," Gildarts' voice sounded in her head.
Telepathy? Since when did Gildarts have telepathy? She glanced around the forest, noticing other glints. Warren. She realized. They were all here...the guild. Hope surged through her.
"You will know what to do when the time comes," Gildarts said that confusing phrase again, "You can do this. You are strong. Time to save the world, Lucy! And we will get the others, so you just worry about your own skin."
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
Lucy nodded, slowly raising her forefinger and thumb above her head. She knew she couldn't look around the forest, but she hoped they saw it. She hoped they saw that she got the message. She would not give up. Not today, not ever. And she knew they were watching. Even if she couldn't see them.
"What the hell are you doing?" Antoine demanded, "That's a long enough rest. Get the backpack and get your ass down here."
No longer afraid for the first time in days, Lucy put the backpack on her back and shimmied down the tree, looking straight ahead so as to not give away her guild members' locations.
"Godspeed, Lucy." She heard in her head, "We'll be right behind you."
Lucy couldn't see the line of mages emerging from their hiding spot as the group of 30 demons and one angel left the forest, proudly displaying their response to her with their forefinger and thumb above their heads.
Antoine pushed Lucy down to her knees in front of the backpack, pain wracking through her body. She ignored it. This was it. Whatever she was supposed to do, it would happen now...in the next few minutes.
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
They were back in the dungeon, which Lucy discovered was not in the pits of hell as she originally thought, but an old abandoned castle. Her friends were displayed on the wall for her to see, keeping her in line in case she got any funny ideas.
"Open the backpack and get out the egg," Antoine ordered.
She opened the backpack slowly, rummaging through the clothes and remaining supplies.
"FASTER!" Antoine demanded, "You're too slow! Do you want your friends to die right now? Cuz I'll fucking show you I mean business!"
He punched Natsu in the gut to prove his point. Natsu was deeply unconscious, but his body shuddered.
Lucy obeyed, pulling the egg out and instantly noting the new shine to it.
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
"Open it," Antoine told her, anticipation dripping from his disgusting mouth.
"I can't open it," Lucy shot back, "I don't know how."
"Yes you do," Gildarts' voice resonated in her head, "I'm proud of you Lucy…You'll save us all."
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
Suddenly, it all became clear to her and she knew what she had to do. She took a deep breath, fingers caressing the precious egg. I understand now, Atria.
She rose to her feet, bangs shading her eyes as she stood. A crooked smile lined her face.
"OPEN IT!" Antoine demanded again, "DO NOT PISS ME OFF!"
New demons poured into the hall, much larger and much more aggressive. Lucy looked back as her friends stormed the guild…everyone giving it their all. Most of Fairy Tail's strongest mages were cuffed to wall, and yet, the guild was still fighting together. Still keeping the faith. There was no doubt now. She knew it would be worth it…to save Fairy Tail.
"Oh, you'll be pissed," Lucy said in a low, feral voice, "You're gonna be real pissed!"
Antoine's face showed utter confusion as Lucy held the egg over her head.
"OPEN - GATE OF THE CELESTIAL QUEEN - ATRIA!"
Thump….thump….thump….thump….
This time the heartbeat was audible to everyone. The room came to an absolute stand still as the doorbell sounded and the walls started to shake. Bright light illuminated the entire hall, blinding the demons and sending them screaming as the light scorched them. Her comrades started to wake up with the bright light.
Lucy wasn't done, "STARDRESS - ATRIA!"
More glowing light appeared, this time surrounding Lucy. Instantly, her injuries disappeared off her body. Her hair turned white-blonde, stretching down to her knees in a single braid down her back. Her clothes disappeared, a white halter top dress appearing in its' place with golden sandals on her feet.
Before her, Atria, Celestrial Queen smiled gently at her. Lucy couldn't get over her beauty. Like Lucy, her long white-blonde hair reached to her knees and she wore a similar dress, but the lady was tall, majestic looking, and completely amazing.
Atria lost no time, sending out wave after wave of light. The demons were dying. Lucy jumped into action, slaying the demons as they made a last-ditch attack on the new duo. Atria's power, it seemed, was light purification. Lucy's whip went from gold to solid light as she flicked it over and over again.
Behind her, she heard the commotion of her attacking guild mates retrieving her friends from the walls and quickly escorting them out.
"Lucy!" Atria called, "We need your Celestial friends!"
"I can't! They're in a block of tar!" Lucy held her keys up for Atria to see. Atria grinned, shooting a light beam her way. Lucy's keys illuminated, the tar melting off of them.
"I'm lending you the strength!" Atria told her, "Call them all!"
Grinning widely, Lucy threw her keys up in the air, "OPEN! GATE OF EVERYONE!" She yelled.
Instantly, all 10 of her Zodiac spirits appeared at her side. They didn't hesitate, instantly jumping into the fight.
Chaos erupted in the giant room. Gildarts was watching the scene out of one eye and he led the Fairy Tail survivors into the castle/hall to collect their imprisoned friends. Nodding to Mira and Elfman, they split up into 7 groups – one group per prisoner. Gildarts had his own lovely daughter and Lisanna with him and they were going for Natsu.
When Lucy called out the Celestial Queen, they used the chaos to run to Natsu's wall. He was really out of it. They'd have to carry him. Using his sword, he cut the chains holding his friend, catching him as he fell into his arms.
"GO!" he whispered to Cana and Lisanna.
The two girls hurried for the exit, when they were blocked by a dozen demons. Instantly, Cana was throwing entrapment cards while Lisanna turned into a hawk, plucking at their dark, foul skins.
"Keep going, Dad!" Cana yelled out, "Get him out of here!"
Gildarts would not normally obey that order as he preferred to be where the action was, but in this case, there was no way Lisanna or Cana would be able to carry Natsu's dead-weight body out. He ran to the rendezvous point, meeting up with Elfman and Evergreen, who had Laxus, and Mira, who had Juvia.
"We've got to get back in there," Gildarts said, "Every able bodied person! The others might have problems moving Gajeel in particular."
But Gajeel wouldn't need to be moved. Gajeel was waking up. He noted the chaos ensuing in front of his eyes, pulling on his chains. As soon as he could maneuver his mouth close enough, he snapped the chains in half, freeing himself.
He broke off the wall, busting demons' heads as they got in his way. He was crossing the hall to Levy, ripping her chains off the wall and catching her motionless body.
"I've got her!" Mira grabbed Levy's body, running back out the way she came.
Nodding to Elman and Gildarts, the three started pounding demons for their revenge. Large monsters were crashing into the hall now.
"Where are they all coming from?" Gildarts yelled.
"It's been like this for days," Gajeel said, "Every attack is worse. Every attack is never ending."
"Warren!" Gildarts caught Warren's arm as he was running by, "The prisoners are all accounted for, right?"
"Except for Lucy," Warren agreed, "Any messages for her?"
"Yeah," Gildarts said, "I want to tell her I'm proud of her."
Suddenly, a large demon appeared overtop of him and the girls.
"NO!" Lisanna yelled, pushing Gildarts out of the way. The demon foot smacked down on top of her. Elfman appeared out of nowhere, slaying the demon.
"LISANNA!" Mira and Cana both cried out, running to her side. Elfman had made quick work of the large demon and joined them.
Lisanna was covered in blood. She coughed lightly, peering up at her siblings.
"No, Lis! We already lost you once!" Mira begged, tearing streaming down her face, "Don't do this."
Lisanna reached for both her siblings' hands, "I didn't mean what I said to Lucy," she said softly, "I wasn't myself. I don't why I would say anything like that."
"We know," Mira assured her.
Lisanna smiled again, "I'm not sorry that I'm going to die though," she whispered, "I don't think I was meant to stay in this world. It's tried ejecting me more than once. At least I got to spend more time with you. No regrets." Her eyes closed.
"Let me go!" Natsu was shouting, pushing Kinana out of the way, "I've got to go back in there!"
"You're injured! You can't go back in there!" Warren argued, "The rest will be out soon."
Cana grabbed onto Natsu's arm, "Natsu, let Gildarts do his thing..."
"NOT UNTIL LUCY'S AWAY FROM THAT LUNATIC!" Natsu shrugged off the people trying to restrain him, taking off at a full run to go rescue his girl.
"Bitch!" Antoine yelled, "I should've killed you when I had the chance!"
Atria laughed, her blonde hair shining brightly as she prepared her next attack, "Anwick, you fool...you can't kill me. Don't you know? Darkness thinks it can swallow the light, but if there is a single spark, darkness is no more!"
She flung her attack at Antoine, Lucy joining in to fight with her side by side.
"I loved you!" Antoine yelled.
"Well, I didn't love you!" Atria shot back, "And now, you will pay for your transgressions!"
Lucy and Atria attacked together.
"Lucy - do you remember 'that spell'? The one that vanquishes enemies?" Atria asked.
Lucy nodded, backing off to start the incantation.
"Lucy!" Atria caught her attention again, "You have to be sure. Your magic is overextended having all your spirits out, being Star-dressed, and attempting an incantation. This could kill you."
Lucy nodded again, trying not to think about it. She'd known in the back of her mind for days that something bad was going to happen.
Lucy concentrated, building up the spell as Atria fought Antoine. Loke, Aries, Virgo, and Cancer fought side by side. Taurus and Scorpio were tag-teaming some of the larger demons. Gemini and Capricorn fought back to back while Sagittarius sniped demons getting too close to allies. With the addition of the Celestial Zodiacs, Fairy Tail renewed their own fight.
Lucy took a deep breath, closing her eyes to concentrate.
Celestial Light, I beckon thee
Hear my prayer and come to my aide
Vanquish mine enemies and rid them of their transgressions
"GET HER!" Antoine screamed to his minions.
Lucy was unprotected, concentrating all of her magic into this spell
Grant me this wish
And evil shall be ridded from this place
FOREVER!
In slow motion, she saw Natsu yelling for her as he ran for her, "LUUUUCCCCCEEEEE!"
As if time were standing still, she turned to him and blew him a kiss, "I love you," she whispered.
Time sped up again. She released the spell, pulsating Atria's divine light throughout the whole forest. Instantly, every demon including Antoine disintegrated. Lucy looked up, realizing all her friends had been vacated. Every last demon was gone. All her friends were safe.
Her magic completed dissipated. In a blur of light, all the Celestial spirits disappeared. Lucy felt her stomach explode internally, unable to cope with the sudden loss of all her magic.
"We did it!" she said lightly.
Smiling gratefully at Atria, Lucy collapsed. Natsu ran to her side, panicking as he saw her go down. He picked her body up, holding her to his chest.
"You're okay!" he told her, panic in his voice, "We're gonna go home now. You did it…you beat him."
She smiled weakly at him, "Yes. It's going to be okay now," she repeated, stroking his cheek. She was pale.
"Luce," he whispered, "I love you."
She smiled again, kissing him softly on the mouth, "I love you more."
With an illumination of light, her body disappeared. Natsu fell to his knees, stunned.