This is a setup for a new, short story that might turn into a bigger story if I'm inspired enough. It's pretty dark and will involve some violent themes. Let me know what you think of this start, I'm really curious to hear your thoughts! Thanks for proofreading CJ!
Cana descended the moss-stained steps of the stairs to the cellars beneath the council. They hadn't been in use since the bombing the previous year and their emptiness was emphasised by the echoes that resounded from her footsteps. She touched the wall to keep her balance, but retracted her hand as soon as she felt how slippery it was.
She reached the final step and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. It was hard to make out left and right, as just a few torches were lit in the hall. It was eerily quiet. The sounds of rats gnawing on whatever they could find and water leaking through the ceiling were the only ones breaking the deafening silence.
It had taken days to convince Makarov to let her come here alone. She hadn't seen him since the day of the incident and would never forget the moment Natsu and Lucy returned to the guild with him knocked out. She had refused to believe them until Brandish returned after them, drenched in blood that wasn't hers.
The panic in the guild that had followed was still haunting her. The negotiation with August had been their last hope at preventing this war. Even the bravest were shaking in their boots and their optimism so far was turning into despair.
She shook the memories off and walked down the hall towards the only lit torches. They didn't shed enough light to reach the back of the cell. She could only vaguely make out a shadow against the back wall.
No sign of him realising she was standing right there. Or relief even, of seeing a loved one after days of confinement. There were a million questions that had plagued her mind the last few days, but just one that she wanted to ask first.
"Do you have any idea what you've caused?''
No response.
Her eyes had started to get used to the darkness and could now make out the outlines of his clothing.
Hollow, green eyes met her through the iron bars as he slowly raised his head. His gaze sent shivers down her spine and made her guts clench. This wasn't him at all.
''Caused?'' he hoarsely managed to bring out, ''I've prevented a war and this is what I get?''
Cana felt herself fill with burning rage. ''Do you really think stabbing an enemy to death instead of negotiating was going to prevent it?!'' she screamed at him while grabbing the bars. ''Zeref can let his troops attack at any moment and we're severely outnumbered!''
He ignored her outburst.
''Do you know what they do to me to prevent me from teleporting?'' The shackles clanged together as he turned his arm to show the tubes inserted into his veins which were connected to a lacrima on the ground. ''They deplete me of my ethernano just enough to not be able to use it, but not enough to give me a lethal deficiency.''
Cana was dumbfounded. ''Did you hear me? You didn't prevent anything at all-''
''Do you have the slightest clue how many people I've seen dying on my watch?!'' He suddenly blurted out loud as he leaped forward as far as his shackles let him.
She jumped back. His eyes were bloodshot and his figure had turned slender after days of magic deficiency. Veins on his neck and face were throbbing as the wall kept him in place.
''Seven years,'' he hissed, his teeth gritting in anguish, ''I spent seven years thinking I left you all to die on Tenrou.''
She didn't know how to respond. He was far gone. It was impossible to have a conversation.
''Fourty-seven,'' he continued, almost foaming at the mouth from anger, ''that's how many graves I dug behind the council building to bury my colleagues and my best friend.''
''That wasn't your-''
''Shut up!'' he roared and Cana took another step back in fear. ''No matter what I do, I'm never able to protect the guild or even the people close to me! Makarov was in the wrong to appoint me for that secret mission for ten long years!''
She let her head hang and slowly turned towards the exit. It was no use, she thought, something in his head that had been there for a long time snapped, and nothing could get through to him anymore.
She walked away, covering her ears to ignore his screams echoing loudly through the dark underground. They weren't even sentences anymore, just aimless echoes of pain. Tears welled up in her eyes and, before she even realised it, she let out a sob of despair.
It had only been weeks since he had returned to the guild and revealed he had been part of their lives all along. As soon as everyone had their memory of him back, she came to the shocking conclusion that they had been dating before he left the guild. The days that followed were the happiest in a long time for her.
She had been so blinded by bliss, she had never considered what had happened to him during the time he was gone. Because of the Tenrou incident, three years had passed since he left Fairy Tail for her, but he had lived for seven years longer,
The cold air coming from upstairs felt like glass on her tear-stained skin. She looked downstairs one more time until the realisation kicked in; the cheerful, kind, gentle partner she finally had back, had turned into a cold-blooded murderer.