AN: Enjoy the chapter folks! Be sure to leave a review when you finish!
Edited 3/17/18
Berserk
Chapter Ten
{i'll ask of the Berserks, you tasters of blood}
Five miles. That's how far away from Jorah they are. Lucy can finally see the forest disappear into the Jernnas, they're so close. The mountain range is finally within sight, the only familiar landmark Lucy has seen in weeks. Everything in Pergrande is so unfamiliar to her. She's been a stranger here, wandering and unwelcome.
If she squints, she thinks she can see Ilthrymon, the Red Peak of the mountains. The highest point in all of Pergrande and the site of the last battle of Mannon between Pergrande and the icelands. She hadn't noticed it on her way through, too engrossed in the viper eggs and her deal with Loke, but even so far away it's quite the sight to behold.
Her grandfather has told her stories of Ilthrymon, how it snowed for three days and nights before the last battle—a whiteout blizzard that nearly froze his fingers and would have buried his legion if not for the Herne that saved them. It's where her grandfather, Makarov, was born. Anna may have run to Fiore during the Civil War, but that was a hundred years ago. Her family has traveled many places sine then, always running. It was only after the battle of Mannon that Makarov left for Fiore, tired of the war.
Mithriel was his home for many years though, the land of snow referred to as Iceberg by most nations, a means of belittling the country. According to Makarov, the entire Jernnas mountain range belongs to Mithriel, though Pergrande claims the territory for itself, the resources of the Iron Mountains precious. The border between the nations is widely debated, blurred for nearly one hundred miles. Mithriel claims everything west of the river Awen, but Pergrande has been carving deeper into the mountains with every passing year.
And now they're only five miles from where that border dispute begins.
A smile pulls at Lucy's lips at the thought, but she steels her expression, her stomach twisting almost painfully as her arm throbs. Close, but not there yet—not safe yet. A lot can happen in only five miles. Trouble could easily find them on their way. Her teeth close around her lower lip, worrying the flesh as dark thoughts plague her. Close, but not close enough.
Something knocks against her shoulder briefly, so light she almost doesn't notice. "So who are you going back to?" Her head snaps up at the question, and she meets Natsu's eyes only briefly before he turns away from her, stooping beside a creek to fill the canteens she brought with her.
For a moment, she merely watches him fiddle with her bag, her lips twitching as he frowns at the sack, curious as to how it can hold so much, yet still be so small and relatively light. Lucy hadn't told him, but the bag was blessed by her mother long ago, magicked to store many more things than a normal bag could hold, but only revealing things that one is looking for. She thinks Natsu may have guessed that part, judging by how nothing she pulls out can faze him anymore. However, Lucy won't tell him the bag's other secrets, enjoying the surprised expressions he makes whenever the bag reveals something new—how his lips curl down and his nose wrinkles in something between awe and confusion.
She likes those looks, they remind her that the things she was told about the Berserkers are more story than anything. She may not trust him entirely yet, but she's grown used to his presence, her strength reassuring.
She tries not to think about the blood debt when she looks at him.
His question comes back to her suddenly, startling her for a second time. She knows exactly who she's going back to, and she can't wait to see their faces again after so long.
Natsu glances back at her as he fills the canteens, his head cocking to the side as he watches her become swallowed in her thoughts. She pulls herself out of them, smiling slightly.
She doesn't hesitate when she answers him. "My brothers and my grandfather," Lucy tells him quietly, directing her gaze back to the ankle she's been trying to wrap correctly for nearly five minutes now. Her fingers just won't cooperate, and she isn't sure if it's nerves or excitement at being so close to the border, Natsu's concerns still ringing in her ears from two days earlier.
It won't be easy for them to leave.
"You have brothers?" Natsu hums in thought, capping the metal containers and sliding them back into the bag. His gaze drifts down to her leg, his lips twisting up in amusement at the disastrous wrapping job she's done. She's almost offended—almost—but then he reaches out and bats her hands away, replacing them with his own. A calloused thumb brushes against her skin, and Lucy watches as he rights the brace, hands gentle as he wraps her ankle with the same red fabric as he used the first time.
Lucy thinks about her siblings, smiling at Natsu when he peeks up at her. "Two," she tells him. She snorts suddenly, shaking her head slightly. "Well, they aren't technically my brothers, but they might as well be." Something bitter creeps across her tongue, but she swallows it back. They're her brothers in all senses but by genetics, but she never has cared much about that. They're her brothers, and that's all that really matters.
For a moment, Natsu's hands still, but then he goes back to his task, not looking up at her. "What are their names?" Lucy hisses as the wrap is pulled tightly around her ankle, cringing at the feeling, but tries to muffle the sound before he can hear. She'll never be used to the tightness that's necessary, but that isn't his fault. She should have known better than to hide the sound, Natsu's hearing is better than most. He murmurs a quiet apology, pulling away from her immediately, but not going far.
"There's Laxus," Lucy starts, gaining his attention once again, "he's technically my cousin on my mother's side." Laxus' father abandoned him years ago, but Lucy doesn't tell Natsu this, not wanting to share her cousin's secrets. She wasn't sad to see Ivan leave. not after everything he put Laxus through, though she wishes Laxus hadn't been alone for so long afterwards.
Natsu gazes down at her, his lips pressing into a thin line as he takes in her words. "Faeborne?" It's barely above a whisper, and Natsu glances around the little area they've settled in for the moment, mindful of what could be listening.
Stopping for a moment was a risky gamble, but they needed water, and though Natsu hadn't protested after their last discussion, Lucy knows he's still uncomfortable about passing through Jorah. The city unnerves him, that much is clear. But their options are few, and Jorah seems better than the mountains, at least in theory.
She sighs, folding her knees to her chest and staring passed him at the creek. "Yeah." A smile pulls at the corner of her lips and Natsu gaze weighs heavy against her, though not unpleasantly so. "A lightning user." A laughs bubbles in her throat, and she bites her lip as she meets his eyes, watching his own gaze flicker in amusement. "Mostly he just shocks people though." It was an unfortunate few months for the lot of them when Laxus first discovered his magic, Laxus having decided to make a game out of shocking them.
Poor Makarov had his mustache fried clean off during an exceptionally powerful jolt of energy from Laxus, and her cousin ended up spending a week cleaning out the old wine cellar beneath Makarov's home, forced to wade through dust and grim to clean out the old room.
When Lucy came into her powers, she made sure to repay the gesture.
He'd been getting stronger with his magic before she left, a lot stronger. A shiver wracks her when she thinks about it, a phantom sensation trailing along her back. He needed training, the power too much for him to control, too dangerous.
A snort of laughter comes from Natsu, and when Lucy meets his eyes she sees amusement, though he tries to swallow it. "And the other one?"
Her smile slips only the slightest bit at the mention of her younger brother, if only because of the unfortunate circumstances leading to his arrival in her life. "Romeo." Lucy wets her lips, staring down at her lap in silence for a long moment. "His father, Macao, was a friend of my grandfather's. He died about thirteen years ago." A Berserker attack, actually, but she doesn't tell him this either. She can only hope that Romeo doesn't react badly to Natsu's appearance.
Natsu merely nods in understanding, something in his gaze making Lucy think he understands the situation far more than she could ever know. "And what are they like?" he asks her a moment later, humming to himself lightly as he continues casting glances around them.
Lucy knows that their time here is short—knows that he's grown restless and that they have so little time. She nudges him with her leg, gesturing for him to stand as she slips her boot back over her ankle. He does, pulling her up with him as soon as she's finished.
"Laxus is prickly." She scoops up her bag, looping it across her shoulders before reaching for her bow. "About as friendly as an Eastern Demigor," she jokes, gaining a chuckle from Natsu at the comparison. Demigors are a bit like porcupines, though they're roughly the size of a large bear and about twice as likely to kill you. "Romeo is sweet, he always wants to help out. He sees the best in people."
They walk in silence for several moments, and Lucy's shoulder gives a sore ache, reminding Lucy that she needs to tell him. She thought she could wait until they made it to Jorah, but the dark veins have begun to spread further and further, and she'd rather tell him when they're alone out here, rather than trying to find a quite place in the city.
Beside her, Natsu slows, and Lucy sucks in a sharp breath as she turns to face him, the words already spilling from her mouth before she can stop them. "Natsu—"
He cuts her off sharply, going rigid beside her. "Lucy, run," he snarls suddenly, turning back the way they came. His lips curve back over his teeth, a low rumble spilling from somewhere deep in his chest. For a moment, she's startled by the demanding tone, not used to the harshness coming from him.
For a moment, she can't find her voice. "What?" she asks after several seconds too long, the question sounding strangled as it leaves her. All of a sudden, her mind goes utterly blank. The command baffles her for several seconds until it suddenly clicks in her mind that their time has been slowly winding down all too quickly.
Natsu spares her a glance, shifting from one foot to the other as he stares through the trees, listening intently to something she can't hear. "Run," he tells her again, quieter this time, but no less firm. The growl in his throat echoes through her, rattling straight to her bones.
Lucy blinks up at him in shock, lips parted just the slightest. "Something's coming," she breathes, eyes going wide at the realization. The hairs on the back of her neck stand up, goose bumps prickling at her skin. It's not a question, not really. She can tell by the desperate look in his eyes that they've finally run out of time.
Natsu shakes his head, and the look he sends her makes Lucy's throat constrict, a ghostly palm winding around her neck. He reaches out, fingers grazing against her shoulder only briefly, as if too soothe her panic. His throat bobs as he swallows down the words sticking in his throat. When he finally speaks, it's only to correct her. "Something's here."
She sucks in a shaky breath, her hands clenching into fists when he growls again, taking a half-step forward to place himself between her and whatever has finally found the. "What is it?" she murmurs, half to herself. The question has been rattling in her head all day. Lucy has her guesses, but doesn't want any of them to be right.
"One of my brothers," he responds, so low she can barely hear. There's no warmth in his tone, no sadness at the word "brother," only contempt. He snarls again. "You need to go." He glances back at her, his jaw locked and his gaze hard, and Lucy notices that his hands are trembling, as if he's struggling to contain himself.
Lucy thinks that he may very well be.
Her own hands clench at her sides, bumping against her knives as she stares up at him. "I can fight," she reminds him, though it's unnecessary. She doubts he could ever forget their first meeting, Lucy knows that she never will. Besides, she won't just run and leave him behind. She absolutely refuses to abandon him like that.
He glances back at her, gaze softening just the slightest as he meets her gaze. There's something like pride swimming in his eyes, but also something that speaks of sheer terror. "I know you can," he murmurs back, though his tone says his mind hasn't changed, "but you're hurt."
It's a poor excuse and they both know it.
Lucy's gaze travels to the wound on his chest, still large and covered with paste. She knows that it still bleeds sometimes, when he moves the wrong way. And even though he would never tell her, she also knows that it stings every time he breathes. She can see a slight flicker of pain in his eyes if she watches closely. "So are you," she breathes back, stepping around him to meet his eyes.
He holds her gaze for a long moment, searching her expression. Lucy thinks he must find what he's looking for, because suddenly he sighs, turning his head away from her. His teeth clench and for several seconds he says nothing, only stares passed the trees. "If it gets bad, please run," he murmurs, turning back to her, gaze sharp. Her nails dig into her palms as she nods. Natsu's shoulders relax, if only a little. He sucks in a shaky little breath, facing her fully. There's a heaviness in his eyes that she doesn't like. "If I go after you," he starts slowly, looking almost pained, "you kill me, understand?"
She's already shaking her head before he's finished. "Natsu…" Her voice cracks and she takes a half-step backwards, stumbling. Lucy shakes her head once more, adamantly refusing, though the words have become stuck in her throat.
Warm fingers wrap around her upper arms, holding her steady. Natsu holds her gaze with his, an apology swimming in his eyes. He gives her arms a gentle squeeze, thumb sweeping back and forth along her arm. "Promise me." The desperation in his voice makes her pause, his grip the only think keeping her steady.
"I don't want your life," she reminds him, fingers coming up to wrap around his wrist, holding him loosely.
He smiles then, small and sad and she can see ghosts in his eyes. "And I don't want yours."
Lucy blanches, her hand slipping from him slowly. He gives her another squeeze, waiting for her to speak. "Natsu, I—" She cuts off once more, shaking her head. She couldn't kill him the first time. How could she possibly hurt him now?
Fingers ghost across her skin, his hands rising from her shoulders up to cup her face, his grip on her firm but gentle. Green eyes stare into hers, so many emotions swimming in his gaze that she can't make any of them out. "Promise," he whispers once more, a finger brushing across her cheek. She's about to refuse, but the terror and desperation in his gaze makes her pause. Releasing a shaky breath, Lucy nods, gaining a shaky half-smile from him. "Don't get between us. Okay?"
"Okay." It comes out choked and small, little more than a breath between them.
After another moment, he releases her, taking a large step back. His expression turns serious. "If it gets bad, get to Jorah. I'll try to meet you there." He pauses, not meeting her gaze. "If I can."
If he can. Lucy flinches at the wording, but nods, wanting to reply, but not having the faintest idea what to say to him. Around them, the trees begin to rattle, whispering amongst themselves, words growing louder and louder until they're practically shrieking in fright. A moment later she hears the desperate whispers of "run, run, run!"
There's a snapping of branches, a snarl, shrieking from the trees, and then nothing. The forest falls silent—unnaturally quiet, just as it had several days back, when Natsu came after her. She wonders if the forest knows what's happening, if the trees have eyes and are constantly watching out for travelers, doing what they can to protect those walking through the woods. They've certainly been doing that for her.
Natsu growls suddenly, low and warning—threatening. Lucy's skin crawls as the sound reaches her, and she takes a step back without meaning to. She watches as his lips curve back over his teeth, sharp canines glinting in the light. The sound reverberates through her bones, fear coursing through her veins as her heart skips a beat. If Natsu notices her discomfort, he does nothing to stop it, his snarls only growing in volume until Lucy is sure they'll echo through her head for weeks.
A moment later, Natsu's warning is returned, though the sound is different somehow—unnatural. Again, Natsu places himself between her and the trees, shielding her from what's just beyond her sight. Coming to her senses, Lucy pulls her bow from her back, notching an arrow without a second thought.
Another branch snaps, and then a Berserker steps out from behind a tree, his expression twisting in rage as he catches sight of Natsu. A snarl comes from the Berserker, louder than before, but he doesn't move closer, doesn't attack.
Lucy takes a moment to study him, hoping to find anything that could help them in a fight. He's tall, taller than Natsu and twice as broad in the shoulders, built like a wall. Dark hair falls into his equally dark eyes, and when he sees her watching, he smiles. Lucy takes a step to the side, skirting around Natsu, and raises her arms, fingers twitching against her bow as she aims for his chest.
There's no collar around his throat.
The Berserker sees her weapon and laughs, throws his head back an cackles to the sky. Around them, the Ellyra hiss and spit, the words spoken in an old tongue that Lucy can't understand. The Berserker either doesn't hear, or doesn't care, ignoring the temperamental trees as he takes another step towards them.
Lucy glances back at his bare throat, fear churning in her gut as she realizes he's not being controlled. There's no stopping him unless he wants to be stopped, no easy ending or way to avoid blood. Looking at him, she doubts he would ever want to avoid blood. There's something manic about him, his smile too big and his eyes too bright, an excitement rolling off him in waves. She catches sight of the blue mark painted across his chest it's name is lost to her, but from Natsu's short explanation of the runes she knows it to mean destruction. Chaos.
That's what this man has chosen to value above all else.
He takes another step forward, and suddenly Lucy can see a silver scar across the side of his neck, a reflection of the one marring Natsu's skin. The King's brand.
Natsu snarls at him again, but he just smirk, cocking his head to one side as his gaze drifts between Natsu and Lucy curiously. "What do we have here, Brother?" the man drawls, gaze suddenly fixated on Lucy, still half-hidden behind Natsu's shoulder. "What treasure are you hiding?" His teeth flash in the sunlight and his tongue swipes across his lips as he stares at her.
He throws his head back in a laugh, though Lucy isn't sure what's amusing about the situation. While his eyes are closed, Lucy draws back her arm, aiming for his head before releasing.
There's no thump as she hits home. No snarl of pain. Only laughter as he catches the arrow in his palm, the tip only an inch from his skin. His gaze slides back to her, his pupils flickering into thin slits. "That's not very nice," he chides, snarling as he snaps the arrow in two, tossing it aside like nothing.
Her hand falls back to her side in shock, her bow slapping against her thigh almost painfully as the Berserker snarls at her. A hand is placed in front of her, Natsu's fingers splaying across her abdomen, as if the small action might shield her from the other man's sight. However, he says nothing, merely watches the other Berserker take another step, and then another, until he's no more than twenty feet away, close enough for Lucy to count the scars on his chest.
The other Berserker stops suddenly, amused, and rips his gaze away from Lucy, following the arm in front of her up to Natsu's face. His lips curve back in a sneer, his eyes bright, full of mirth and also rage, the emotions flickers too quickly for Lucy to follow. "I'm going to kill you, Brother," the Berserker tells Natsu, wetting his lips slowly. He casts another quick glance Lucy's way. "And the pretty girl."
Natsu growls low in his throat once again, regarding the other man coolly. His fingers press harder into her stomach, forcing Lucy to take a step back, away from the pair or Berserkers. Lucy glances up at Natsu, watching as his own eyes flicker and his teeth grind together in anger. He doesn't look at her once as he forces her a step back. "You can try," he challenges, releasing Lucy in order to take a step forward, prepared to meet the other Berserker halfway.
Heat crackles around them and the other Berserker rises to the challenge, snarling so loudly that it makes Lucy's ears ring. Natsu answers with his own growl, and then suddenly they both lunge forward.
Lucy notches a second arrow, watching in horror as the men collide, snarling and snapping at the other. Natsu gives the first blow, a fist cracking against the other man's jaw with so much force that Lucy hears something snap, breaking. Neither man reacts to the sound, both too focused on the other to care for what must be broken bones.
There's another crack as the other man's foot lashes out, catching Natsu across the chest and fracturing a rib at the very least. Natsu doubles over in pain, the wound on his chest splitting open as he wrenches himself sideways to avoid being kneed in the face.
She can do nothing but watch as Natsu takes a heavy blow to the face, one that sends his head snapping to the side, blood dripping from a split on his lip. He meets her gaze for the briefest of seconds, then whips back around, tackling the other man around the waist and forcing him to the ground, fingers wrapping around the man's neck, the other clenching into a tight fist. Natsu squeezes, and Lucy's own neck gives a sore ache, the bruises on her throat still visible, though growing faint.
Nails bite into the other Berserker's throat, pinpricks of blood coating Natsu's fingers and slipping down the man's neck as he thrashes beneath Natsu, snarling. A foot is wedged between them, and then Natsu is shoved back, nails raking across his opponent's flesh as he reels back. Natsu hits the ground hard on his back, but rolls with the momentum, landing deftly on his feet and sliding several feet backwards across the grass.
The other Berserker is on him a moment later, swinging wildly in an attempt to catch Natsu with a wayward blow. But where the other Berserker is bigger, broader, Natsu is faster, quicker on his feet. He catches the man's left fist in his own, compelling his fingers apart and open. Lucy can only watch as Natsu forces the man's fingers backwards, bending them so far that they snap, one by one.
The man doesn't even appear to feel his fingers breaking, using his other fist to catch Natsu above the eye, clawing at him.
For several minutes it's a complete bloodbath, bones are broken and Lucy can barely follow the movements with her eyes, her stomach twisting sickly every time she hears a bone snap or listens to one of the Berserkers snarl in rage.
She's knocked another arrow, but the Berserkers are simply too close together, a blur of flesh and gold as they whirl around each other, until Lucy almost can't tell where one ends and the other begins. She could take the shot, she knows. She could get lucky and hit her intended target. She could end this before it really begins.
But she won't—she can't. She can't risk hurting Natsu, can't risk killing him. If that happened, they'd both be dead, and what good would that do either of them?
Natsu blocks a blow to the side, swinging a fist towards the other man's nose. Another crack. Blood drips down the man's face, coating his lips and chin. Droplets splatter down his front smearing against the blue rune on his chest, distorting the symbol until it's unrecognizable.
A foot slams into the man's stomach and he doubles over, Natsu's knee coming up fast, driving straight back into the man's broken nose. There's a gush of blood and Natsu snarls, sending the other Berserker onto his back.
For the briefest moment, Lucy catches Natsu's eyes as the other man hits the ground, watching them flicker back to normal as he stares back at her, some deep rooted horror shinning in his eyes. His lips move, though Lucy can't hear what he's saying between the shrieking trees and the snarling pair of Berserkers, the other man forcing himself back to his feet. Blood trickles from the corner of Natsu's mouth, a cut above his eye leaking blood that drips onto the grass below his feet. His lips move again, and this time Lucy catches the word. "Go," he tells her, voice lost to the sounds of the forest and the fight. She's about to shake her head when his eyes turn pleading, his control wavering as the scent of blood swallows him once more.
The other Berserker regains his footing and sends a vicious blow to one of Natsu's knees, sending him crashing down. His legs buckle beneath him, and Lucy can only watch as Natsu hits the ground with a quiet thud. A second blow catches him across the chest, streaking his skin with fresh blood.
Lucy turns and runs. She doesn't look back.
AN: I was going to have this chapter be longer originally, with more of the fight, but I decided I wanted to have most of it be in Natsu's POV. It's kind of hard to describe a fight coming from someone else's POV, you can't really mention emotions or pain.
Anyway! Huge thanks to anyone who has/will review! You guys are great! As always, reviewers will receive a brief preview of the chapter before it's posted!
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Have a lovely day!