Chapter Fifty-Three

"Erza? What's wrong?" Gray asked and everyone turned to look at her. She shook her head but he pressed again.

"I feel like something is wrong. Very very wrong. Like Lucy and the others are in trouble." She said and shook her head. "I can't explain it. But I'm worried."

"Just remember that Natsu will always protect Lucy." Gray tried to reassure her, but hearing that she was concerned, he was now beginning to worry too.

"I'm sure that it's probably going to be Lucy protecting Natsu, if we're going to be realistic." Sting muttered and Rouge looked over at him. "What?"

"I thought you looked up to Natsu?" His friend asked and Sting nodded.

"I do. But I also have seen how they interact. I mean, she made his Magi-Hover into a forgette and stayed in the flames with him to pull him out of a mental stasis. She's the one whose more likely to do something foolish."

"Good point." Rouge nodded and Jellal watched in awe as the lantern holding the Flame God swung Flare around until she was facing the Dragis.

"What is this you speak of?" The Flame God's voice, while smaller due to his size; was still strong and loud.

"Oh our friend Natsu is a Flame Dragis and his growlkin, isn't really sure if she is his growlkin, accidentally sent him into a mental stasis and then pulled him out of it."

"Heh…she's denying the truth even as she lives it." The lantern swung Flare back around and she looked over her shoulder in confusion. They watched as the lantern pulled her to continue walking.

"What do you mean by that?" Erza asked, and quickened her steps to keep pace with Flare and the Flame God.

"Only growlkins can pull one another out of a mental stasis. No other way could it happen. If it wasn't a true fated match; then she would have died in the flames of his stasis."

"You mean the forgette? But it was Alfie who controlled those flames." Erza's brow wrinkled as she tried to process what she was being told.

"Nonesense. Once a Fire Dragis is surrounded by fire; they control it. Nothing else can interfere. Especially in a mental stasis. That is when the power of flames is completely instinctual. There is no way for anything to pull the flame from the control of the Fire Dragis' life power. Short of killing that Fire Dragis of course."

"So Lucy really is Natsu's growlkin? We have to tell her!" Sting said and started to reach for a comm but Jellal caught his forearm and Erza spun to look at him; but seeing Jellal having stopped him, started to walk backwards while eying the pair.

"It's still Lucy's choice. She is part human and part Zodiacrian. That means she will not do what she is told just because."

"He's been around Erza only a full day and figured that much out." Rouge chuckled under his breath and Erza rolled her eyes before turning on her heel to walk correctly.

"But they're meant to be together."

"You heard Levy and the others explain it." Rouge flicked his hand out and a shadow smacked Sting in the back of the head. "Most people raised on Earth-Land don't believe in growlkins."

"Don't believe?!" The Flame God sputtered in outrage and Erza actually giggled as the lantern tried to pull away from Flare. Instead it refocused on her.

"On our planet, while most aim for monogamy; there is a lot of infidelity and a lot of people who don't believe in soul mates."

"What utter nonsense. Your planet must be very young."

"We have records of life on our planet for several million years."

"Several million? And you still don't believe in growlkins? Pathetic." He snorted and smoke drifted out of the lantern. Flare giggled softly at that and looked over at Erza.

"I've heard tales of Zodiacrians from the Giants. They said they all died out due to Mard Geer."

"Some survived and are in hiding. Lucy's mother was one. She found her way to our planet and passed as human. Lucy didn't even know she was half alien until we were on the Fairy Tail Guild Station." Sting explained and leapt up onto a fallen tree and held his hand out. Flare's hair expanded to lift her up and onto he tree and Erza took his hand to help him save face. Meredy giggled as Rouge stared at his friend and shook his head in disgust.

"Without a Celestial Mage, the Zodiacrians will all die out." The Flame God said and they slowed down.

"What do you mean?"

"The Celestial Mage is a living well of power for the Zodiacrian people."

"I don't understand…how is a Celestial Mage a living well of power?" Erza asked, panic lacing her words.

"For an entire people?" Ultear added and Gray had stopped and was staring at the lantern with concern. Flare turned and held the lantern out and they all heard the Flame God sigh.

"The old stories aren't passed along it seems." He coughed and started to speak again. "The first Celestial Mage had great power; she was born at a time when her people were few and in danger of dying out. It is said that her parents made a pact with the great Celestial King; that if they gave him their daughter as sacrifice; he would help their people to survive and flourish. At first he was outraged; but then their child offered the same thing; on her own; even though she was very young. She wanted a better life for those she cared about. So he granted them magic."

"So they weren't magic before?" Meredy asked and the lantern swung side to side.

"No. Magic is rare. There were only four original magic welders in all the universes. The Celestial King; Mavis the Light, Zeref the Dark, and Acnologia the Foul. They chose to share their magic with others. Several times of millennials they chose specific vessels to be wells of power for the people they left behind as they didn't have time to always travel and ensure the next generation had magic as well. For the Zodiacrian people; their well was the Celestial Mage. She was trained at the hand of the Celestial King himself. As long as a Celestial Mage lives; the Zodiacrian people will never truly perish. They may return to star dust until an appropriate time to form a new life somewhere safe; but they will not die out."

"Does being this well hurt the Celestial Mage? Like shorten their lifespans?" Erza asked and Flare thought she looked pale and pained at the same time. All of them did to be honest.

"No." The Flame God chuckled. "If anything it will prolong their life. If they're a worthy Celestial Mage. Some didn't last long in the role because the power abandoned them. But the good ones…they lived a long time. The first Celestial Mage lived the longest of all of them. She used to visit me before my body died and all that was left was my fire and magic."

"That's a relief." Jellal mutters and Erza nodded.

"Why is that?"

"Because Lucy is the Celestial Mage." Gray said and the lantern spun to look at him.

"And the Celestial Mage is the growlkin to a Fire Dragis? By the sparks of Igneel…that is unheard of."

"Why?" Meredy asked. Shew had seen videos of Natsu and Lucy and couldn't picture why they wouldn't be together.

"Because Fire Dragis and Zodiacrian have been at war since the fourth Celestial Mage's reign. Igneel himself tried to end the war but Acnologia himself antagonized the Celestial Mage until their bloods both ran rampant across the planets near Edolas."

"Well peace has been made." Sting said and grinned. "Or it will if Lucy stops fighting it."

"Trust Lucy to be part of a star crossed love affair." Erza shook her head.

"What now?" Jellal asked and Erza scrunched up her face.

"It's a term used on our planet. To explain people from two different life styles or families falling in love. Star crossed…because if two stars cross the same path they explode. Fire, chaos, damage, drama."

"Fitting description" The Flame God snorted. "Who fell first?"

"Natsu, obviously." Gray rolled his eyes.

"Hmmm. Who is this Natsu? What clan does he come from?"

"Clan Dragneel." Sting answered and the lantern erupted as the Flame God rose high into the air, feeding off of the dried trees around them. The flames curved down to face them, the shadows within the flames looking like eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth.

"Did you say this Fire Dragis you know is a Dragneel?"

"Yes? Why?" Jellal asked and pushed everyone behind him, but Erza was already in her Fire Empress armor and standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Flare stared in awe; she hadn't even seen her move to call on the armor.

"Dragneels are direct descendants of Igneel son of Acnologia and the well of power for all Dragis."

"Whoa. Hold up." Gray held his hands up and pushed past Jellal and Erza and pointed at the flames. "You mean my life and the lives of all the remaining Dragis depends on Natsu not dying?"

"Yes. If he is the last Dragneel heir."

"Oh shit. Holo…Holar…What's his name? I need to get back to Earth-Land and keep that moron alive!"

"Gray calm down!" Erza ordered and he looked like he wanted to argue but held his tongue. But it was probably more because Jellal had raised an eyebrow in a way that was a challenge and Gray wasn't feeling like dying any sooner than he had to.

"How dare you speak of a Dragneel in such a way. They are the…"

"The ones who bred until Natsu was the only choice to keep my race alive. He's a moron. Always running into battles without a plan, eating anything he can get his hands on even at the risk of hurting himself. Hell, I once watched him pick a fight with a Gragnig."

"Oh…was he dropped on his head as a hatchling?" The Flame God shrank a bit and his tone had Erza choking on a snort.

"There is no telling. He had an older brother, I can't remember his name but we found his body with the others when we got back after the invasion of Edolas. I don't think he had any other Clan members."

"He didn't." Sting shook his head. "He came to stay with us Light Dragis immediately afterwards. As we had the most elders out of the other fractions of Dragis."

"His brother's name was also Zeref." Rouge mentioned. He eyed the fire. "Why would his parents have named him after one of the Magic Givers?"

"They probably saw the name written in a clan scroll but didn't understand the importance of the narrative. It has been ages since the Dragons flew unhindered through the vastness of space."

"My head hurts." Meredy said and titled her head to the side and looked at Ultear. "Dragons can travel through space?"

"Apparently." She said and looked up at the Flame God.

"Are you going to try and break them up?"

"Break up the Prince of Dragis and the Celestial Mage? Never! Their offspring would no doubt be so powerful that they alone could defeat empires."

"Lucy and Natsu can't have kids." Gray shook his head.

"Then we all die." Rouge pointed out and Gray face palmed and shook his head, his hands going to his hips as he contemplated what he had just learned.

"Shit."

"Well for all we know Lucy may return the scalut and hook up with Loke." Romeo's voice piped up and Erza spun around and everyone stared at the young male as he moved through the reeds without making a sound.

"What are you doing here?" Erza demanded and Romeo's face scrunched up. "What?"

"The ship is just on the other side of those trees." He said and pointed and they stared.

"We're back where we started?" Jellal took out a pad and stared at the information on it. Sure enough; they were back at the start of their adventure.

"Why are we here?"

"This is the main Giant stronghold." Flare said and looked at them. "I thought that is why you all landed here."

"No…we just through it had the best clearing." Erza said and looked at the other girl as the armor faded. "But I guess that explains the giant axe we saw when we first came out of the ship."

"Lets return to the mission at hand. Later I can share more information." The Flame God said and looked around. He sneered at the mountains of ice around them. He looked down at Gray who was staring back at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

"I will need you and the female's help who freed me."

"What you can't do this on your own?"

"I was entrapped in moon drip ice. We are lucky I didn't die." He sneered and looked at them as Ultear walked up to Gray and removed her cloak. "Glad one of you is ready to go without grumbling."

"Shut up old timer and just tell us what we need to do!"

"Old timer? Old timer did you call me?" The Flame God thundered in indignation as Jellal and Erza sweat dropped and looked away from what they were sure was going to be a murder scene.

"Stop running you little pest!" Seilah sounded bored as she trailed after Levy. She hated to admit it; even begrudgingly, but the female word magic wielder had tricks she hadn't expected. And she had a knack of knowing which street and alley to take to disappear quickly and leave Seilah in her dust.

"It's better to run to fight another day; then stand and die today!" Levy shouted but her voice bounced off of buildings making it impossible to identify which direction she was hiding in. Lamy had been lost along the way; not that Seilah was concerned. She knew that Lamy was useful only to an extent; and that it was her Macro magic that was more important to Lord Mard Geer. She waited; listening to the world around her.

She turned slightly to the left as balls of fire flew by. She heard Levy lament missing and she smirked. Suddenly Levy leapt out of the shadows as Lamy appeared; looking confused even as she reached for her.

"Seilah, stop controlling me!" Lamy lamented but her co-conspirator didn't pay her any mind.

"Controlling you?" Levy asked looking confused and Seilah rolled her eyes.

"Honestly Lamy can't you just keep your mouth shut?" She asked and the other demon was jerked around like a rag doll for a second before she stopped resisting and nodded. "Good girl. Now help me kill this little bitch so we can get back to trying to find the Celestial Mage."

"You aren't getting past me." Levy vowed and took a stance. She had no idea why she felt compelled to fight this woman but she knew she had to do something. She couldn't let them get to Lucy.

"Oh please. Word magic can't save you against Demons of Tartaros."

"And being a controlling bitch won't save you from getting your ass handed to you by humans." Levy shouted with false bravado. Seilah's eyes narrowed, her horns glinting in the light. Lamy sneered and cracked her knuckles before she started to bounce on her feet.

"I'm going to enjoy taking you apart piece by piece." Lamy crooned and moved quickly. Levy leapt to the side as Lamy hit a rune trap and got stuck as copious amounts of a white sticky material appeared out of the ground. Levy ran towards her and moved her hand, a word spreading from her left hand as her right moved to take hold of the item she'd created. A sword. She had taken fencing 101 for a P.E. credit so she pulled on those lessons now. Seilah snarled and used her magic to give Lamy more power to pull free of the material that held her in place and she narrowly missed being skewered.

Levy gasped as she had to catch her balance. The sword was too large for her frame but she didn't have a choice. She knew if she'd focused more it would have been the right size; but at the moment she'd been thinking that a larger sword might intimidate her opponents but she could now see that had been a mistake as she didn't have the intimidation genes to go with the sword. She looked like a child trying to play pretend. She dropped the sword into the pile of marshmallow and started to run. Running she could do. No problem.

She hoped that Evergreen and Beastman were able to get everyone to safely. And she hoped that wherever Lucy was, she was safe with Natsu. She turned when she heard heaving breathing and grunted as Lamy collided with her and the two rolled over the ground. Lamy managed to get on top of Levy and started to strangle her as Seilah watched on from several feet away.

Levy took as deep of a breath as she could muster; turned her chin into the 'v' formed by Lamy's grasp and brought her arms up under Lamy's and to one side and then swung. The force of her arms hitting Lamy's elbow just right from behind caused her to lose her grip on her throat. She then gathered her hands into Lamy's chest and shoved as hard as she could while shouting "combust".

Lamy went flying off of her and Levy struggled to get to her feet. But before she could Seilah was standing over her. Then she felt the impact as Seilah's right foot made contact with her ribs. She heard something snapped and lost all breath. She whimpered as she skidded along the road until she stopped against the curb.

"How dare you continue to delay and defy us. We are important demons on a mission!"

"Go…to…hell." Levy struggled to breathe as she forced herself to get to her feet.

"Little bugs like you need to stay down when stepped on."

"And you…need to learn…that humans…never…stay down." Levy pointed at her. "Avalanche of books."

A large amount of books just poured out of the sky and landed on Seilah even as the female tried to protect herself. Levy gasped and dropped to her knees. The pain in her rib causing the muscles around her torso to contract painfully. She lifted her head and grunted as Lamy appeared and punched her. Levy felt blood start to fill her mouth. Before she could react, Lamy had her hands tied with material from her own shirt and thrown roughly on the ground. She struggled to move or work the bindings on her wrist off; but the more she tried, the harder it was to draw in air. The broken rib really made it difficult to function.

Lamy however wasn't letting her injuries stop her from digging out her ally and once Seilah was on her feet, she started to giggle and murmur how Levy was going to get it. Levy lifted her head as Seilah leaned over her.

"Torturing you, is going to be gratifying."

"Go to hell." Levy spat and cried out as Seilah kicked her again. She closed her eyes and tried to take her mind off of the pain long enough to pull in a struggling breath.

"Tie her standing to something." Seilah ordered and Lamy jumped to do her bidding. Levy wasn't sure if it was from whatever power Seilah had wielded earlier or if that was just their relationship. But she hated that Lamy was pulling her this way and that trying to get her to her feet because she couldn't find the strength to fight back. She hated that she felt so weak. That in the end she wouldn't be able to protect Lucy or anyone else. She hated that she was starting to cry which made what little air she was sucking into her body harder to hold on to.

"Oh look at the little baby crying." Lamy taunted and Levy didn't think. She just headed butted the female who howled in pain and fell backwards, leaving Levy with one friend hand. She pointed at her and shouted,

"Imprison!" A tight cage surrounded Lamy and Seilah sighed in annoyance and resignation.

"If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." She murmured and started to walk over to Levy. Levy pointed at her and struggled to think of something to do. Seilah smiled confidently as she got closer and could see the panic rising in Levy's eyes. "Don't worry. You are going to feel every minute of what I'm about to do to you. I won't let you miss any of it."

"Shut…up!" Levy shouted and pointed at the street between them. "Giant crevice!"

The ground shook, sending Seilah a few steps backwards and she snarled as a large hole opened between her and her prize. Levy pointed at the bindings and wrote in the air "untie" and she fell to the ground. She started to crawl away as Seilah started to find a way around the crevice so she could get to Levy before she disappeared. She was tired of this planet and wanted to return to her home to rest before ascending to power at Mard Geer's side.

"Stop making this so difficult. The longer you run and the more you piss me off; the more I'm going to make torturing you last."

"Promises…promises." Levy snickered and pulled herself up on a light pole and pointed over her shoulder. "Oil slick!"

Seilah stared in disgust as a black sludge appeared before her on the road. She tested it with one foot and it instantly slid out from under her. She glared at Levy and snarled. Levy smirked, taunting her and started to hobble away. She didn't know where Lucy was; but she was sure she wasn't in this direction. If she kept going far enough away; Lucy had a chance. At the thought of Lucy, Levy's determination flared up. Her friend had suffered for her and the others for years and never complained. She could do this for her.

Seilah looked around and grabbed a piece of metal and set it on the oil and then grabbed a weird pole out of the ground. She stood on the metal and used the pole to propel herself over the oil. She was surprised that someone so small would cause so much trouble. If she wasn't the enemy she'd almost be impressed. Especially as she knew she was injured.

"Run run as fast as you can…I'll still catch you and torture you all I want."

Levy gasped as she saw that the demoness was almost across the oil. She moved as fast as she could and threw out words behind her. Spikes. Pits. Traps. But she knew in her heart that it probably wouldn't stop her long. The oil slick definitely hadn't. She got to the intersection and looked around. The dust wasn't as thick here and she could make out a building across the way. She started to run for it but grunted as she fell, having tripped over some upturned asphalt she hadn't seen as she hadn't been looking down, just ahead. She rolled onto her back and her mouth fell open. Seilah stood over her grinning evilly.

"Aww….did the little pest fall down?" Before Levy could retort; Seilah's foot came down on Levy's left leg, and she screamed as she felt the bones break. Seilah moved forward quickly, grabbing Levy by the throat and lifting her off of the ground. Levy's face started to turn shades of red and purple as she struggled to breathe, her good leg kicked fruitlessly as her injured one hung at an awkward angle. "Still trying to fight me? Even as you near death's door? That is almost admirable."

"Fu…c…k…you." Levy managed to mutter before she was tossed back on the ground. She moaned in pain and tried to roll to avoid a kick but ending up taking it in her shoulder. Seilah kicked her until she was on her back again and then sat down on her hips and leaned over her, grabbing her right hand and stared at it.

"A word magic user's greatest power sits in their fingers. Do I bite them off one at a time? Or break them one by one?" Levy's eyes widened but she didn't speak. The monster on top of her shifted and grinned a sickly grin.

"Oh, good idea. I break them one by one, and once the pain fades, I will bite them off one by one. Thank you for that idea dear." She said and twisted Levy's pinky. Levy screamed in pain as the small bone snapped under pressure. Sielah giggled manically as she moved onto the next finger and the next. Levy's voice was hoarse as she felt the demon grab her forefinger.

"Not going to beg for mercy?"

"Ne…Nev…Never." Levy bit out and spat at her. Sielah's eyes narrowed and she grabbed the finger. Levy braced for the pain but it never came. Sielah's form was knocked off of her by something large and dark. Levy turned her head, expecting to see Gajeel. But it definitely wasn't him. She blinked, unsure of what it was that was standing over the demon's form. It looked over at her, and her mouth fell open at the face she saw surrounded by dark scales and horns.