The mages, dragons and knights stared in utter fear and disbelief as Lucy's dragon form stared them down, her eyes empty but full of hunger for her prey. Lucy didn't speak as many tried to figure out what to do. But whenever someone tried to move, she would growl, as if giving a warning. Usami and Ushin finally jumping down from the destroyed rooftop and standing in front of the golden dragon. Their malice and insanity making themselves known to their opponents.
Natsu stared at his partner and best friend with worry and desperation. There was no way he could fight Lucy, much less slay her like the twins wanted him and the other dragon slayers to do. The dragon before them isn't Acnologia. The dragon before them was a precious friend, a very important piece of their nakama. No one knew if Lucy could fare well against Acnologia, but it was easy to tell that she was far stronger than any of the dragons that came from the Eclipse.
"I can't believe our plan worked, sister!" Ushin said in satisfaction. "It was absolutely tedious but everything went according to plan!"
"What!?" Levy cried. "All this!? All that had happened is how you intended!?"
Usami smirked and simply nodded. "But of course! We knew we couldn't capture the Dragon Empress so easily in our era, so it only made sense to take her when she was much much weaker." The woman explained. "That woman loved her nakama and child so dearly, so it was obvious she would send that brat here as a final resort."
Igneel's eyes widened as he pointed an accusing finger to the twins. "You used Nashi as a pawn! You wanted her and her majesty to bond now so that when the time came for you to kill the child, you would be able to take over her majesty's mind! You wanted her to become so vulnerable that you would be able to use Dragon Supremacy!"
The crowd gasped at the Fire Dragon King's conclusion, the twins clapping as if proud that someone was able to piece their plan together. The dragons growled in anger at the cheap trickery, to think that their empress' greatest strength would be used as her ultimate downfall. They had thought that Fiore's worst threat had been thwarted, but the greater threat was now before them. There was no sign of the great Athena and the powerful Dragon Empress in the golden dragon's eyes.
"Yes... and seeing as we are still here, that means we will most definitely succeed in the future!" Ushin declared, his and Usami's power growing by the second. "Now that we have your precious empress under our control, no one will be able to save Fairy Tail in the coming future! And if you do somehow survive, no one will be able to save Ishgar in the coming war!"
"After we destroy you, we will take Heartfilia and make her slay Acnologia! We will be the ones to destroy Zeref! We will be the ones they will call legend!" Usami cried, raising her hand as she made Lucy roar out in pain.
As everyone gnashed their teeth in anger at the twins' goal, Natsu looked up at Lucy. For some reason, he could feel that something wasn't right in the way she roared and stared at her with worry. She continued to roar loudly and unlike the Eclipse dragons, her roar didn't seem like one of declaration of war or anything like that. In fact, it seemed like a cry for help. The pink haired dragon slayer turned to the dragons to see if they could understand the transformed empress, but to his surprise they had expressions of regret.
"Dad?" Natsu asked as Igneel refused to meet his son's eyes.
Grandeeney turned away in shame as she took hold of Wendy's hand, the blunette turning to her. "Grandeeney, what should we do?"
"Hey old man, what's the look for?" Gajeel added, not used to seeing Metalicana have a regretful look.
Lucy gave out one more roar, this one sounding like it was an absolute order from what Natsu could tell, and the dragons seemed to have gave in to her command as they gave her a slight nod. The golden dragon then looked skyward as she began to gather power to cast her dragon's roar, the mages and knights beginning to freak out about how they were about to be killed. However, they paused in their panic when Celeste and Akira turned into their dragon forms and created a sort of barrier around the crowd.
"What's going on!?" Arcadios demanded as he beckoned Hisui to stay close to him.
The fairies turned to look at the other dragons, who remained in their human forms, with questioning looks. Natsu giving Igneel a begging look for an explanation. But the Fire Dragon King just shook his head. "Forgive her... and us, Natsu."
"Celeste...! Akira...!" Lucy's voice echoed faintly as she roared, the humans watching in shock as Lucy aimed her attack towards the group of mages and dragons. "Get... Get them out... Now!"
The fairies' eyes widened as they gasped, pushing through the crowd as a way to make their way to towards the blonde empress. "Lucy! No! What are you doing!?" They cried.
"How dare you try to resist us!" Usami and Ushin yelled, the silver haired woman strengthening her hold on Lucy's vulnerable mind.
Akira and Celeste, however, didn't allow the fairies a chance to escape their barrier. As Lucy released her roar towards her nakama, Natsu felt time slow as everyone was concerned with the bright light surrounding them. He watched as his friends closed their eyes in fear, the twins manic laughter ringing through the air and then stared at Lucy briefly before the light blinded him. The last thing Natsu could see was a single tear falling down from Lucy's eye before the little life she had left slipped away.
When he finally got his senses in order, he tried to break through the barrier with absolute desperation. Erza, Gray and Happy tried to stop him from leaving the barrier with regretful looks on their faces, but Natsu easily pushed himself away from their hold. His dragon senses roaring crazy throughout his body, mind and soul to bring Lucy back. However, Igneel was the only one who was successful in holding him back which left Natsu to just cry out for his blonde partner.
"No..." He mumbled under his breath as his mind recalled different memories with the blonde woman. "No...! Luce! LUUUCYYYY!"