Posting later in the day then intended, but Flame's Desire is back! Also, fair warning, this chapter lives up to its rating due to Blood and Violence!

Next Chapter Update: September 15th.

It was quiet around the perimeter. Light winds rustled passed the leaves and barely shook the bushes that carried a slight tang of salt from the sea. It had been the same the days before and should be for the rest of the week. According to Makarov that is, with a nonchalant flick of his hand at Laxus' misgivings.

Laxus had scoffed at the idea, finding his grandfather's irritating optimism not only unrealistic, but almost bordering on senile delusion. The winter may have staved off any dangers laying in wait with its biting winds and rough terrain, but Spring melted away that protection to feed beautiful blooms and fledgling crops. Paths were becoming clear with each fresh trickle of snow that melted into the soil. Summer was not far off, and Laxus knew better than to expect this false peace to continue. Not when the festival was a perfect time to strike at unsuspecting fairies.

He refused to join the festivities. Not this year, despite Mirajane's hopeful insistence. He'd ignored her request to stay for a dance, instead snatching shifts from the other warriors to keep himself roaming the outer reaches of his home well into the night. Dancing could wait. He grumbled aloud, shoving aside the nagging thought he knew deep down. He knew that this was simply a roundabout way to claim 'she' could wait as well.

He'd taken Erza's shift for the night, and Freed's too. Refusing to tire and relax as he trekked through the wild brush, silent and ready for a moment's change. Tension kept his steps light and quick, curling his fingers into fists at his side as he traversed through the foliage. The land was quiet. Stifling even.

The festival, however, was in full swing. Music and laughter danced across the wind to meet his ears no matter what direction he went. It was calming, in a way, but heightened his apprehension.

No one was focusing. After the attack on their trains in the fall, Laxus refused to think they would just stop as if nothing was wrong.

Not with Kage still behind bars, not with…

Laxus scowled. That girl….. There was something off about her that settled in the pit of his stomach, lurching uncomfortably when he pondered it for too long. All thoughts towards her apparent rescue, the mysterious circumstances surrounding Jose and the creep's obsessive want of her pointed towards something he couldn't quite see yet. And he hated not knowing. Perhaps Natsu had been right all along and she was an innocent caught up in something that she was unaware of, but he refused to let down or admit that out loud. (The annoying Draconis would never shut up about it if he had.)

This was better. A safer way to protect his home.

A blast of fire and sparklers crossed the sky from the beaches and the surprised shrieks of the clan tumultuously rose through the thickets. Laxus' answering grin was quick, but disappeared in a blink. He could think nicely of the others enjoying traditions, taking the world off their shoulders for a time, but that entertainment came at a price. Pushing twigs and other brambles aside he pressed on into the night, content with his sacrifice. There was always next year, after all.

"Just what are you planning, you old freak?" He muttered to himself, unable to sense the sludge-like aura that clung to the Dark Mage who had come upon him so many months ago; unwilling to believe he wasn't nearby.

Another blast of fire split the sky, but cheers did not follow it. The silence that came was deafening and gave Laxus pause. Eyes narrowed as his nose scrunched together. Laxus looked towards the sky and realized the blast was too large, too angry.

And not coming from the beach. He cursed and jumped off the path, intending to cross through the village quickly while rushing up the hills towards the now, fading beacon.

He knew it wouldn't last.

Steam rolled off Natsu's body in rolling waves of heat, making the air shimmer and melted the grass to ashen points beneath his feet, crushed to dark gray smears with each purposeful step.

When the shadows first consumed him, he'd guarded himself the best he could until the faint sound of Lucy's panicked escape reached him through the cacophony of shadows ripping through clothes and skin. He could still hear her voice echoing in his mind, shouting in earnest as he was covered, promising to be back as soon as she could.

He wanted to shout; to demand she stay away, to not return, anything to keep her from Kage's clutches, but blood climbed up his throat and threatened to spill past his lips. Just like the heavy flow down his neck that trickled steadily down his chest. He didn't dare speak. The dull roar of blood pounding in his ears focused his attention on surviving. On being the last line of defense between Lucy and-

Kage's laughter came after a malicious promise to come for Lucy once Natsu was taken care of. His condemnation set Natsu's blood to boil. His lip curled over blood-stained teeth in a broken snarl.

"My shadows can strike more than one person, little firefly. Distance won't matter, the night's shadows are mine to command. Wherever she goes I'll get her." his laugh sent a chill of horror up Natsu's spine, "So run as fast as you can Blondie, I'll break that other leg before you get far!"

The shadow roma's threat made power surge through Natsu's veins like lava. It ripped through his body and burst forth with a column of flame that tore the cocoon of shadows surrounding him. It shot into the sky turning night to day as it painted the world in a flash of orange and yellow. Shadows fizzled as adrenaline coursed through Natsu's body, powering his muscles enough to stand steady and strong. Slitted eyes blazed as he focused on the Shadow Mage's stench across the clearing.

No shadows would touch Lucy, he'd make sure of that.

Natsu raised a flaming hand to cover the gash, already creating a stain on his vest. Red spilled between steaming fingers, unperturbed by the curling flames licking at the edges of his wound. The scarf he wore had been long forgotten at his feet while he fought back a wet choke that nearly blurred his vision. The pain almost distracted him from his fury, but Kage's words had awoken an untameable anger. The fire bursting from his body became stained in black as it scorched the air.

Kage, still partially hidden amidst the treeline, scoffed shakily, sweat trailing down his brow. "You won't last long losing blood like that. And I can make as many shadows as I need. Time was always on my side from the beginning. I just need to do what I do best and before I can walk away with my prize!"

An attempted retort ended in a hiss, blood gushing beneath his fingers as his eyes glanced about him. The scarf was turning to dust in the heat, his own clothes threatened the same. There was nothing to tie around the wound. And even if there was, he doubted Kage would give him the chance to cover it.

But that didn't matter. His pupils thinned to slits. Ruby scales formed atop his skin, bursting through like tiny daggers to glint in the light.

He didn't have time to think.

Natsu moved in an instant. Closing the distance where he followed Kage's scent, a blaze of flames burst from his heels taking the last remains of his scarf and vest with it. If he hadn't removed his sandals before dancing with Lucy, those would have melted, too in the combustion.

The former prisoner's sharp reflexes reacted to Natsu's charge. His shadows swiftly reformed from his feet, rising up to guard him behind a wall of darkness. Natsu's clawed hands came down hard, slashing against it with lashes of flame burning through a thick layer. He ripped and tore away chunks of the magic, desperate to break through and grasp the man within before his strength failed him.

In a ferocious onslaught, Natsu struck again and again. Relentless in his pursuit to stop Kage in his tracks. He had to buy Lucy enough time. Time to escape, time to…

Escape... Be safe.

That's what mattered. That's what was important. The rest could come later.

Kage's confident boasts became silent as he focused on his barrier. A cascade of his power branched from the wall, intending to circle around and strike the enraged demon before him.

For that's all Natsu was at that moment. A raging beast he had to subdue before his mission could succeed. Wisps of shadows sharpened to daggers, striking true against the Draconis' back, but Natsu didn't falter, didn't stop. Flames surrounded his body like a thin layer of armor, blunting the attack while he continued to tear away with his claws.

With another strike Natsu caught a glimpse of Kage's eyes, shining in nervous terror. It sent a thrill down his spine and he couldn't help the savage grin that split across his face.

Kage's barrier fell and he dove to the side, rolling through the ashen earth to dodge a scorching blow that would've scored his face. Natsu swerved, following Kage's hurried dodge, foot spinning on a dime to keep up.

Like a dance, his fire struck and circled against shadow as the two moved about the once lush clearing.

Natsu recalled their last bout, how it felt to be choked, the air stolen by the shadows Kage had woven into tight ropes. He moved with the experience, keeping his magic blaring to full capacity, holding wandering shadows at bay.

If he couldn't beat Kage in strategy, he'd overwhelm the bastard instead, ignoring the wheezing rattle that came with every breath.

There was a commotion at the beach. Startled shouts and calls for attention filled the air. The festival dances had stopped along with the music. Festival goers flailed to a confused stop as their attention was stolen away by the pillar of flames breaking through the sky. Its illumination was astoundingly bright, lighting up even the darkest alley.

Laxus could see his trajectory easily enough, a swirling mass of orange that chased away the clouds. He sidestepped a few onlookers who ran through the streets in panic. He paid them no mind. They were unimportant, but what finally slowed his steps was the gaping walls of their fort, revealing the shattered floor and fallen debris within.

He caught the sounds of Gray and other hunters amassing further away, it was clear they all had the same idea, but rather than join them, Laxus watched as a shock of familiar, red hair caught his notice. Erza stepped out from the busted hole, her face a grim answer to what transpired.

"He escaped." It wasn't a question.

Erza froze, gaze tilting as she considered his approach. Rather than ask him about his abandoned patrol, she nodded, deftly pointing down the path.

"Freed's magic was stolen." She explained, face paling at the sight of the blaze overhead, "He's resting down the path. Per my order."

He nodded and rushed past her, noting the baffled expression that flashed across her face when he did. Now wasn't the time for questions. Laxus beckoned her to follow with a sharp tilt of his head, his steps gathered speed while sparks fizzled beneath his feet.

"Keep up." The order was quick. Laxus was quicker.

Magic coursed through his veins as static crackled in his hair. The speed boost sent him through the edge of the village and to the next treeline with ease. If he noticed Erza's own rise of magic, buffing her to keep pace with him, he gave no sign. He said to keep up. If she couldn't manage it, that was her problem.

Electricity kept him afloat, skipping the beaten path as he zipped through the air above it in a path of sparks and crackling lights. Erza's fast steps pattered behind him over the terrain, rushing through the grass and underbrush as they entered the line of trees heading up the hill. He knew these woods. All of them did, but it had been years since he'd last gone this way.

The underbrush was thick with spring over growth and smelled heavily of fresh blossoms, but it was tainted by the faint scent of sulfur that followed him and mixed with the strong smell of ash and dust that began to billow through the forest and into their eyes.

Whatever Natsu was doing, it was making enough of an impression at least. It created the perfect beacon, filtering through the trees. They could see their path clearly ahead.

Laxus barely caught the second light out the corner of his eye, the soft golden glow almost overtaken by the harsh beacon still glaring overhead. It slowed his movement as it came closer, also catching Erza's gaze. It weaved through the trees closer to the beaten path towards their location.

Whatever it was, Laxus hadn't expected the source to be Lucy barreling through the trees. She was covered in foliage and dirt, her glassy eyes wide in panic. Her cane was missing, but she moved with the barest hint of a limp, gasping for breath as she slowly came to a halt.

Erza took action, moving forward to catch the girl in her arms, revealing the magically altered outfit that glittered atop her skin- a speed increased spell, Laxus noted.

"E-Erza!" Lucy gasped, wheezing for air between words, "Kage is.. He-"

Erza tutted under her breath, awkwardly patting the top of Lucy's head in an attempt to assure her. "We know. We were on our way. Where's Natsu?"

Laxus felt an unwanted shiver run up his spine, making the tall man cringe as Lucy's eyes welled with tears and sparks of .. something, prickled along her fingers. It was then he realized the light was coming from her, almost reflecting the blistering heat above them, and thin golden threads of magic were woven around her knee, holding her up. Had she unlocked her abilities then? Catching the way she coughed, face sweating in exertion, it seemed not. Not fully at least.

"I couldn't.. I tried," Her words were too jumbled to make sense, whining in frustration, Lucy pinched the skin of her arm hard enough to bruise, wincing as tears trailed down her face.

"I can't control it.. Th-the magic. I… have it, but it's not.. " the light fluctuated, almost dimming as she focused to keep it intact. "Natsu told me to get help. He's still up there, but-"

"But…? Erza prompted, coaxing Lucy to continue, eyes flickering down to the magic swirling at Lucy's feet before meeting her gaze again. "Is he in danger?"

"Kage slit his throat-!" The panic began to rise in her voice, "I'm sorry I-.. help him, please!"

That was enough.

"Get her under control." He ordered, willing the electrical current to run through his veins again, "we don't have time for this shit!"

"Wait, Laxus, don't leave without-" Erza's words faded when his magic came to life, dispersing his body in a hazy flash to join with the electrical currents in the air, sending him through the thickets with ease. He'd heard all he needed to know to act and trusted Erza to handle the rest, but despite his speed, even he was unaware of what he'd see once he reached the grove.

Erza frowned in consternation, understanding the rush, but irritated by Laxus' lack of patience. There wasn't enough information and rushing in could be disastrous to everyone involved. She held fast to Lucy, feeling the celestial Romni quiver beneath her fingers. It was a wonder she had made it so far with her injury, but there wasn't time to marvel at the golden magic still swirling about the injured knee. Lucy had the information Erza needed and until the girl was calm enough to give it, she'd have to think of something else.

"Others are on the way," She attempted to assure Lucy, whose gasping inhales were choked with panicked sobs, "quickly now. Let's get back to the village where you'll be safe-"

"No!" Erza frowned. How many times was she going to be interrupted?

Ignoring her reprimanding stare, Lucy returned the hold, squeezing Erza's shoulders with an iron tight grip. "I can't just LEAVE him. I already.. Oh god," She froze, glancing back the way she came, "I already... He could be- no, no, we have to-"

This was getting them nowhere, "Lucy please, calm down and think logically here-"

"I won't!" Slapping Erza's hands from her, the blonde spied the trail of sparks in the air and took off, dashing through the bushes with the same urgency she had crossed them with. Tatters of her clothes clung to thorns and vines while a glittering aura of soft light trailed behind her, bright with her wild determination.

It didn't take but another second of stunned silence for Erza to spring into action, following after with a roar of frustration, "I have had enough of this!"

She would have to pray that nothing happened once they all came together again. And then, she'd give them a piece of her mind. For now, safety was top priority. Erza swore under her breath and hoped to the stars that she'd make it in time and that nothing else could go wrong would go up in smoke.

The clearing was in ruins, the earth broken in gashes and mini craters filled with ash and flickering shadows. What little grass remained was charred, burning red with the embers and smoke of Natsu's fire trailed across the green, consuming all in its path.

Remnants of broken shadows ebbed and flowed with the flickering flames, almost mocking in its mirrored motions. The remaining mass clawed at Natsu, grasping his ankles and wrists with spindly fingers, weighing him down in an attempt to slow the force of his magic that overran their make-shift arena.

Natsu hacked up a thick glob of blood that splattered to the ground in a mess that dribbled over his ashen feet. His eyes narrowed, seeking out Kage's new location. The Shadow Master was more cunning rogue than warrior. At each opening found, he'd dart away from close-quarters to hide in the thickness of their intertwined magics, leaving Natsu to hunt again and again. He tried to ignore his sharp breaths or the blood trailing down his chest, sticking uncomfortably.

The Roma's time was running out.

His power was with him, blazing ferociously, but his body was failing. Natsu's vision blurred, it warped his view and left his other senses to go wild.

The fresh iron taste in his mouth was sickening.

The chill of Kage's magic cutting into his skin was no longer sharp.

Even the scent of sweat, blood and ash that permeated the air was to grasp, slipping away despite each heavy lungful of oxygen he took.

Kage's wounds were superficial in comparison, but they affected him nonetheless. Fresh burns littered half his face, trailing down his shoulder and arms and beneath bits of his ratty shirt that broke off in cinders with each encounter with Natsu's flames. Purple bruises peppered his pale skin, with more soon to join them as he stood stiffly with arms outstretched, all his attention focused on the shadows holding Natsu at bay.

Natsu noted those wounds with a proud sneer. He had held up his quiet promise to overwhelm him and the two stood facing each other, limbs sore and bodies struggling to answer the call to move.

"This… is useless." Kage grunted, lips curved into a pained smirk, "I might be damaged goods, but you're a dead man walking. If I can just hold out, you won't be in my way for long."

Another guttural cough spit blood trickling down Natsu' mouth. It did nothing to stop him gnashing his teeth in a snarl, as feral as any animal could be. The inhuman sound was weakened by his raw throat but it still rocked Kage with fear and he winced.

Fire flared at the tips of Natsu's fingers and wrapped around his broken claws. He was still a threat despite how the Draconis wobbled, digging his heels into the ground for purchase. Not yet. He wouldn't fall yet. He had to take Kage with him before that happened.

"You can't even speak can you?"

Of course not, asshole, Natsu thought, his mind a mess of fleeting memories and murky visions that almost seemed reality.

Kage felled by a rush of flames wild enough to incinerate the forest, smothered as the heat and smoke wound itself around him. Kage screaming and clawing at the air as he became engulfed in the dark fire Natsu controlled. An intense conflagration that silenced Kage's shrieks and left him nothing more than a blackened corpse, fried beyond recognition. The mental visual pulled at dark dreams that he'd pushed to the far reaches of his mind, of the night when he'd found Lucy fighting beneath the figure of a man whose face he never saw.

A grim reminder of past deeds, but one he felt fitting for the scum before him.

He should focus his attention elsewhere. Not on Kage's chest, not his limbs or his smug face- no matter the temptations- but his neck. Sear the vocal cords to a broken mess under his palm for him to choke and struggle for breath. So he could be robbed of his voice just as Natsu was.

That would wipe the smirk from his face, Natsu was certain. A delicious plan that tantalized the ever mounting desire to maim the enemy before him. The scales that dotted Natsu' skin stood as a testament to his blood right and rage. It fueled his mind with the violence he could enact.

If he could only move.

Move dammit!

"Is that it, little firefly?" Kage tried to appear confident, aloof, despite his injuries, but Natsu didn't miss the relieved drop of his shoulders and the tense air he'd released. He wasn't fooling anyone. "Have I outlasted you after all?"

One step grinded into the dirt, anchoring himself as he took another. Natsu ordered his limbs to move, despite sluggishness threatening to topple him.

Magic lent him strength, it held him up while roaring in his ears, urging him forward. He could do it. His body just hadn't caught up with him yet. Not after their minutes of brawling, or the slow oozing of life spilling from his neck. We're not done yet, not until I say so.

He struggled for the next step. His vision faded, warping the world around him. Natsu barely had the chance to catch himself before the Earth swallowed him up when the fire and shadows clashed in a cascade of lightning tearing through the perimeter.

Static made the hairs on his neck stand on end and a familiar magic sizzled through his own, striking down in a deadly arc. They whizzed over his head, gunning straight for Kage's dumbfounded eyes.

"That better not be the best you can do, Natsu!" Laxus' commanding shout shot through the thicket and Natsu's nerves. Flinging his eyes flew open, he righted himself before he hit the ground, hunched over, but standing. He fell to a knee, hand seeking to hold his open wound again. Kage's surprised squawk pierced the air as he sloppily dragged the shadows to him to block the unexpected attack. Lightning and darkness sizzled against the other as the nearby trees and dirt beneath them chipped and cracked under the abuse.

A good ambush, but it wasn't enough.

Not just yet.

Kage's eyes were panicked when the lightning fizzled out to erratic specks. It overpowered the ashen air with the fresh scent of a crackling storm. His shadows whirled about him like an army of hands, shielding him from the majority of damage as his hair frizzed. Stunned by the aftershocked, he stumbled backward, body wavering from the surprise onslaught.

"Damnit!" He cursed, uncertain of Laxus' location, but quickly ordered his shadows to cascade around the clearing in a wash of black; not to attack, Natsu belatedly realized, but to obscure. His vision was stolen by the blanket Kage put over the world, devouring what little light the night sky could provide, finally darkening the brightness of Natsu's blaze. The intention was clear. Keep Laxus from pinpointing his exact location. The bastard was hiding again.

That did nothing to keep the Roma of lightning at bay. Natsu's weakened hearing caught every detail.

Natsu's hearing kept track of everything: The frantic panting of Kage and his erratic heart pumping wildly, The static in the air followed by heavy footsteps as his fellow warrior circled the area, lightning striking through the darkness at intervals searching for its target. He heard all these things over the pounding of his own heart. The exertion to stand still freezing him in place.

If his voice was with him, Natsu would have demanded Laxus watch out. To not miss his target and hit the Draconis instead. Instead his magic began to roar, swirling around his body in a tornado of flame in an attempt to push back against the dark veil. He was on his last leg of strength, and they had no further time to pick and poke through the dark and hope something stuck. Natsu made a split-second decision, driven on by a chaotic desperation that boiled deep inside his ribs.

If neither of them could see, he'd give Laxus a beacon to avoid - or better yet… with Kage stumbling through his own shadows to stealthily avoid the lightning zinging through the tree line, Natsu took the opportunity. With his plan decided, he surged his body forward.

"If I can just get out of here and find the girl, that's all that matters. Find the girl!" Kage's desperate breaths gave Natsu his trajectory and the words incited him to a fury that burst the fire from his feet once again to rocket him forward.

He remembered then. The night they'd come across the slavers. How they had attacked with no clear plan. Only the need to save the captured girls had clung in their minds.

He'd seen Lucy escape when he'd entered the camp. Seen and ignored, figuring her far safer under the cover of trees than tangled up in the heat of battle. It hadn't been until a cold feeling of dread stopped him in his tracks, urging him away from his fellow clan members. A whisper tickled his mind, hypnotic with its warning. It had sent his feet flying through the woods with a rush he never thought he could have for a stranger. It blindly led him along, chasing a scent that was quickly overtaken by one so sour it made him gag.

The sight of the slaver they'd missed, pinning her down with a rock slamming into the back of his head was all Natsu needed to realize he'd made a tragic mistake. He hadn't known her then, but the mere thought of the damage his own inaction had caused broiled in the pit of his stomach and turned his fire against the man in a furious rage. It was a sickening satisfaction he didn't want to think about, but still haunted him each day when his thoughts rested on Lucy's pain.

Not his first kill, but the most charred he'd ever left a man.

It was the same now. Lucy off in the forest, hopefully making her escape. This darkness was his inaction and Kage…

The faceless slaver from last summer flashed inside his mind. He and Kage were the same, slimy men who sought to rob Lucy of her freedom as she struggled to keep it in her grasp.

His angry roar cut through the dark, conjoining with his magic to overpower the wave of darkness surrounding them. He pounced towards the voice, tackling Kage with the force of a boulder, clashing them to the ground. Natsu shoved his arm against his throat, making sure his scales would leave a bruising reminder, ignoring his futile struggle to escape.. It wasn't what he wanted to do, but it would suffice.

He grinned. Kage was tired. His shadows that sliced through Natsu's skin in an attempt to throw him off barely left a mark. He felt nothing. Or perhaps Natsu was too far gone, body already numb.

Natsu closed the distance between them, resting all of his weight on his arm. He felt Kage's terrified gasp stutter out, clawing angry red marks into the Draconis' arm. His shadows continued to drive themselves into his skin. He almost rumbled in satisfaction, seeing himself reflected in the man's shaking eyes.

Turning his head skyward, he pried his jaws open, ignoring how the magic that ballooned in his chest as it clawed its way up his raw throat sent a fresh steam of red from his neck. He screamed his billowing, black and orange fire into the sky. His pain and determination mixed with the flames in a brilliant blaze as a cold darkness crept into his vision.

Another beacon for those already on their way and-

Laxus, NOW.

He hoped his thoughts would reach the other while his voice failed him.

The air around him prickled with the charge of a coming storm, signaling the thundering Roma's understanding. Broken earth shuddered from the impending storm, sending pebbles into fearful jitters. Natsu's lips dragged into a wicked smirk, turning his manic grin to Kage, still writhing beneath him.

He saw the flash of yellow reflected in Kage's black eyes as it came for them. He drank it all in, with a heavy lungful. Ozone and the salt of fear coated his tongue. Natsu savored it with a gurgling chuckle. They'd won. There was no escape from this. Not when Laxus went full throttle and he relished in the victory. Kage would know a deep seated fear, if he managed to survive.

As the blast of lightning struck, Natsu's last visual was of Kage, ghost-stricken and pale with horror. Natsu's blood dripped across his face and he was screaming with fresh tears streaming down his cheeks.

Darkness took over and all things went silent.

The forest exploded when the full force of nature came down. Laxus' strike scattered what little wildlife had dared to remain. Everywhere stank of burnt wood and smoke as the air crackled, charged with static.

Smoke wove itself into a thick fog that covered the area. Kage's shadows had dispersed, dissolved away to nothing by the sudden onslaught of Laxus' storm. And many who had been drawn to Natsu's beacon of fire came upon the scene just as the smog began to settle, allowing a few to blearily make out the figures laying in its epicenter.

Those few who came from the beaches were understandably confused, with Gray, Cana and Wendy at the forefront, pulling themselves out from the thick bushes.

Laxus darted from the perimeter, throwing himself into the smoke after he no longer sensed the movements of either fighter. He moved with purpose, spotting Natsu's still form on the earth, bent forward and quiet, his body still twitching from the electricity coursing through him.

At the same time, Lucy stumbled forth through the brush, tears streaming down her cheeks in shame, searching wildly for the Draconis she'd left behind.

Erza wasn't far behind her, her agitated voice echoing up the hill, unaware of the battle's end, but unwilling to risk Lucy damaging herself in her haste to ensure Natsu's well-being.

None of them saw the remains of Kage. Not a dead husk, no remains, nothing. But Natsu had clearly held something down, his body frozen in place, arm pressed into nothing where the shadow user once was, ignoring the blood that now trickled from his wound. Beneath him now, was empty space, and random splatters of blood that could have been his or Kages, but none could tell in the haze.

"What the hell happened here?" Gray exclaimed, pulling Wendy back before she could rush into the smog. The smaller draconis had her own abilities, ones that could handle the movement in air just fine, but her panic left her senseless, and Gray refused to let her through until she'd calmed down.

"What does it look like?" Cana's snark went without reproach as her rise in tone revealed the true horror she felt.

They watched in tense silence as the silhouette of Laxus knelt in the dirt. Large hands gently rolled Natsu over, stiffened muscles going limp in Laxus' arms as the burly man tried to assess the full scale of the damages done. Most were hesitant to enter the fog until it had thinned, but Lucy charged forward without care, sandals torn from her earlier run and feet blackening from the ash that littered the area.

"Natsu! Natsu! Are you-" The frantic question froze on the tip of her tongue, trailing off as she reached Laxus' large frame, still bent over to examine the other.

Laxus stiffened at her approach. Shifting, he blocked what little of Natsu she could see from her angle. Wide eyes moved wildly about, scanning the area for any signs of life. Natsu's limp hand dangled by Laxus' leg, covered in scrapes and dirt. His skin looked paler than normal, and sparks of static bounced off his skin, "why does he look like that?"

Her voice was full of trepidation, wavering with each syllable, but Laxus didn't move.

He ignored her, pulling the unresponsive body up. Pressing a large hand to the side of Natsu's neck, he tried to staunch the flow of blood. He muttered under his breath something Lucy couldn't quite catch and she hesitantly stepped around the imposing man, feeling a sharp shutter in her heart.

When Lucy's steps brought her closer, he finally rumbled his reply, "Stand back, girl. This isn't something you need to see."

That was not the right thing to say.

The light circling her knee flickered in and out and she stumbled, stepping forward despite his warnings.

"What.. what do you mean by that?" Her voice rang hollow, disbelief ringing through her words. With a stubborn force of will, she ignored the sudden pain in her leg to move around Laxus to stand before them. She almost wished she hadn't.

Natsu's wounds were horrendous. He rested still in Laxus' firm grasp, skin a patchwork of ripped scales and slashes. No part was unmarred or free of injury and they continued to weep beads of scarlet.

But his neck….She'd known from the beginning that the strike on the Draconis' throat would be serious, but the sight of the exposed flesh, barely hidden by Laxus made her choke down a sob. The blood pooled beneath the palm of his hand and forced its way between his fingers, draining Natsu of his life before her very eyes.

"N-Natsu.. He's not.. He can't.. no…!"

Frustrated, Laxus turned his steely gaze on her, "I said stand back! He's still breathing! He ain't dead!"

The yet hung unsaid in the air. It was not lost on Lucy, whose grip against her dirtied dress nearly tore through the fabric, knuckles turning white as she sucked deeply, desperately clinging to the edge in an attempt to mute the rising panic in her heart.

He wasn't dead. He was fine.

For now. But she was no fool. As the smog cleared, she and everyone else could clearly see the damages Natsu sustained. It stained his body and droplets were smattered about the clearing. Every burnt piece of grass, every scorch mark and every gash along the ground told a story she didn't like.

Lucy knew Natsu's life could very well have already bled out among the charred grass.

Time was not on their side, but the magic was fading from her legs and her adrenaline washed away to leave her wobbling in place. Vertigo making her sight dizzy. The world began to slow in her view, all color draining away from what she could see.

There was only Natsu and the shuddery breaths his unconscious body failed to take. A wind had picked up, mingled with magic that dispersed the smog and freshened the air. It twirled around Wendy, now calm enough to venture through, unshed tears glistening in her wide, brown eyes. Gray and Cana were not far behind, nor was Erza who finally burst through with a mass of twigs and leaves tangled in her hair.

Lucy couldn't attend. She didn't hear Wendy's sudden authoritative cry to lay Natsu back onto the ground, or see the way the wind pulled around her body in a gentle wave. The light of her healing magic glowed dimly against Natsu's frame and all other things faded from Lucy's view.

She couldn't make them out. Couldn't understand where they'd come from or what was happening.

All she knew was in the worst of ways, this was her fault.

I was his target. He came for me. And I left him. I left him and now he's dying-

"Lucy?" She barely registered Erza pulling on her shoulder, quietly urging her to rise to her feet. (When had she fallen? Why did her leg hurt so much?) "Come, let's give them space-"

She grasped Erza's hand with a grip as close to crushing as she could make it, "No- I can't.. Not again.. He.. he's right there and I-"

My fault.. My fault…

"I can't just-"

Erza said something, but Lucy couldn't hear it, the words just wouldn't process. The redhead moved to kneel beside her, fingers shaking against Lucy's all while Wendy floundered, yelping at the sight of Natsu's neck when Laxus gingerly lifted his hand away.

Laxus didn't move, bloody hand poised to cover it once again to apply pressure, but Wendy shook her head, terror fueling her movements.

"It's no use if we can't move him back to Porlyusica," She said, voice echoing through the treeline as tears dripped from her nose and chin, "Your hand is barely stopping the blood! I need something else!"

He began to remove his vest, unquestioning of Wendy's knowledge, but was stopped by Gray, who'd forced his way between them to press his own hands against the gaping wound.

The blood was thick and spilled out. Cold magic flared beneath his fingers as soon as he touched the broken skin.

"His magic's gone down to nothing so he might get frostbite, but will this do the trick?" He asked, not waiting for an answer before his magic solidified into a layer of ice, slowly thickening over the seconds that passed, covering the wound to trap the blood inside. A nervous sweat had begun to drip down his face, his own body matching Erza's shaking.

Cana moved around to join them, trying to console Lucy through her own horror, but still, Lucy didn't attend. Unresponsive, she watched Gray's magic as he moved to cover other marks and electrically charged wounds alike. Wendy directed his movements, a soothing green light of healing following after, sealing what she could and slowing what was beyond her talents.

"It'll have to do. I can numb the pain a little, but we need all the time we can get!"

They worked quickly. Gray's magic had been something Lucy had heard of rather than seen, but now it's blistering cold prickled atop her skin as the air along Natsu's body solidified into cold chunks, making the hairs on her arm stand on end.

She couldn't feel the cold, but she numbly watched the white blue wash over torn and bleeding skin, slowing the flow of blood to leave behind an eerie red hue in the ice itself, already threatening to turn his skin blue with its chill. Her stomach churned at the sight, bile threatening to erupt from her mouth, but she held it in with a thick swallow.

Now wasn't the time to get sick. She'd seen worse. Smelt worse, in fact.

But everything moved in slow motion, every detail clear to Lucy's gaze.

While she didn't respond or process as much as she should, she still noticed the sweat on Gray's brow as he worked to cover the gash on Natsu's neck and soothe the marks along his arms with trembling fingers. She witnessed Laxus' form stiffening, resisting the urge to shudder away from the cold as he hunched over in barely contained rage. She noticed the way the wind seemed to swirl about them, gently guiding Wendy's healing light to the worst of the damages. Wendy's face was shadowed in the bangs of her blue hair, a dark curtain in the night that covered the stray tears dripping down her chin, illuminated by the glow of Gray's magic.

Most of all, Lucy noticed the rise and fall of Natsu's chest. It was shallow and slow, but there.

The one sign of life that kept her grounded to reality. As much as the guilt and worry consumed her inner thoughts, she could still watch him breathe, watch the way his eyes fluttered behind his lids. She watched the details of his brow knit together from the pain in his body, the chapped texture of his lips as air escaped his lungs in a low wet, rattle.

Lucy took in all the details that were important as they were benign, all the while the other three worked to save him.

Cana and Erza spoke beside her in hushed voices. First, they attempted to speak to her, failing to gain her attention to soothe her, but her lack of response soon turned their attention elsewhere. Their voices were a dim echo, both ignored by Lucy, but tucked away to be recalled later.

They turned their attention to Laxus, who'd grown silent in Gray and Wendy's wake, observing the effects of their magic as they worked together. "Where's Kage?"

Cana's voice was low, near accusing, "I knew he thought he was going to escape, but how did he manage it right under our very noses? We fucking dropped the ball on this, it shouldn't have happened!"

"He had abilities we weren't aware of, clearly," Erza answered, anger robbing her voice of emotion as she recalled Freed's illness, "Whatever he was doing to the barrier, it robbed Freed of his magic. It was bound to happen while we stayed ignorant" Her voice grew to seething by the end, eyes drilling holes into Laxus' back.

"So," She asked again, "Where is Kage?"

He'd gone ahead to fight, that much she knew, but the area around them showed signs enough of the shadow roma's absence.

No one held back in this fight, that much was clear. She could taste the three different magics on her tongue, thick and piercing, making her nerves tingle. But Laxus was alone, and Natsu…

"... there's nobody." She stated, voice gone flat, "With no remains to speak of. So you can't convince me he's dead, Laxus. Where did he go?"

The rumble of the larger man was hard to catch. When he first replied, Erza thought it was the rustling in the trees, or a nearby owl returning home after it had fled the scene. After further prompting, his raised voice made her heart stutter. Though she couldn't see his face, the visceral rage in his voice was enough to intimidate most people. She was no exception, but her own resolve kept Erza still as stone, refusing to reveal the effect of his anger.

"The bastard was gone as soon as I could see through the smoke." He spat out, voice a fierce growl as he clenched a bloody hand into a tight fist. The stillness he exuded shattered to reveal the shaking of rage suffusing his body. "Natsu gave me a target and the coward ran for it. How, I don't know."

A silent beat passed between them, It was a jarring quiet filled with unsaid questions and the unwanted acceptance to their current plight.

While the battle was hard fought, it was no assured victory. Sighing gravely, Erza examined the clearing, hoping something would be off just enough to point her in the right direction. A stray blood trail, perhaps? The destruction of the clearing was too expansive, giving no clear sign of her objective.

It was then, Lucy finally found her legs, pushing up on Erza and Cana's shoulders, she rose on wobbly feet, tired eyes glazed over in a confused cloud. The gold magic that had glittered along her knee was gone, yet Erza could feel it still simmering under the surface, struggling to break free. The Romni had found a way to access it, and while there was no time to question the change, Lucy was intent on putting it to immediate use.

"I-I can see it. Kage's magic," She whispered, her hollow voice cracking from her earlier sobs, "it's faint, but his magic is different, just enough… it's dark - like tar."

She drew the gazes of everyone to her, speaking as if in a trance. Raising a hand, she pointed with wavering fingers, off to the North, deeper into the woods. There was no beaten path, but Erza knew the direction. It was still in their territory, but heading to the borders of the Magnolia Forests. An escape route from their coastal village.

"That way." Lucy directed, the clouded light leaving her eyes as her legs gave out once again. Sighing, she fell into a heap, gratefully resting in Cana's arms.

The others looked to each other, gaining no answers as they wondered about Lucy's abilities.

Laxus was the first to answer, gazing now at Lucy's exhausted body as if he'd never noticed her before. Suspicion narrowed his eyes. "... can she be trusted?"

"Laxus…" Cana growled, the warning unsaid.

"I meant her abilities." He amended, unperturbed. "It's made her sick before, right? How accurate can it be?"

"Regardless," Erza interjected, standing up to brush the ash and dirt from her skirts, her own magic reforming the fabrics of her clothes back to normal. "We don't have the time to question it. I'll survey the area and return with news as soon as I can. In the meantime, get Natsu to Porlyusica. We can reconvene later."

Lacking a better plan and having no real reason to argue, Laxus nodded, turning his attention back to Wendy.

The Wind Draconis was pale, struggling to keep her magic flowing, but Gray's attempts to stop the blood had been successful, trapping it beneath his ice. With Erza darting off into the trees, the rest knew their current objectives and moved accordingly. Laxus lifted Natsu into his arms carefully as he rose to his feet, with a fretful Wendy and Gray on his heels. Cana pulled Lucy back to her feet, quietly soothing her as they prepared for the long trek down to the village.

Despite her now inactive magic, Lucy shifted her eyes open just enough to whisper one request when Gray hurried to her other side. "... don't keep me away from him, please."

Raising a brow, Gray hefted her arm over his shoulder and clicked his tongue, "Wouldn't you rather a bed to sleep in? You need rest."

"No." Lucy's voice was firm, stubborn in her decision as she sleepily looked to the Draconis resting in Laxus' burly arms, "It's my….." She trailed off, voice heavy with emotion as she struggled not to break into tears again. "... not when he's hurting."

Sharing a look with Cana, the two nodded their assent with a heaviness in their hearts, "Yeah, you got it."

The Romni couldn't voice it at that moment, but her relief was palpable.

The magic was dormant for now, allowing her to rest, but she couldn't ignore the strange buzzing in her veins. A sense that something would go wrong if they were separated. No, it was better she remained close, just in case.

A memory of a dream left a cold chill down her spine. I can't leave him. Not just yet.

Read it? Like it? Review it! See You September 15th!