Blood dripped from the pair of twin daggers she held, staining tan leather boots. Which was a pity considering she liked this pair. Dark brown eyes surveyed the surrounding area, and Lucy Heartfilia's tongue clicked against her teeth in disdain.

The guildhall was a mess.

Blood was splattered along the floor, the walls, the tables; and it was hard to distinguish a feature between the pile of bodies that littered the guild's floor, whose faces were smashed and throats cut wide. She winced at the sight. Perhaps she should've had Taurus hold back a little.

Lucy wiped her daggers across her shirt, cleaning the blood from the blades before sheathing them at her hips, fingers gently passing over the pouch that also sat along her belt as she did so. Heat radiated from within, warning her of the Spirit's disapproval, and Lucy gave the keys a gentle pat, sending silent apologies.

She never liked using them to kill – avoided it if she could – and the Spirits hated that she wouldn't let them help. She had felt more than one Spirit try to force their way out during the fight, and when she got a knife to the arm, Taurus managed to break through, coming to her defense with his double-sided axe swinging.

Lucy wasn't proud of what they'd done, but she never really got a say in what she did or didn't want to do. It was one of the many downfalls of living in a notorious dark guild. Still, she never faltered when the master gave orders. The celestial mage found it was better to just do as told instead of questioning his authority.

As well as learning it was never smart to fight back if she did.

When he came to her with the mission of eliminating an opposing dark guild, he demanded it be handled as swiftly as possible, no soul to be left alive. After all, it wasn't good to have a lower-rank guild defy the orders of those leading the Balam Alliance. Lucy hadn't been exactly ecstatic over the task, but she couldn't say she wasn't somewhat relieved. It had been a long time since the master allowed her outside, and Lucy was all too eager to leave the suffocating walls of her room.

Even if it meant she'd be committing mass murder.

Stooping low, Lucy dipped her fingers into a large puddle of blood, standing once she gathered enough of the thick liquid, and moved towards one of the walls to begin painting along the wood.

The image of two keys crossing over one another in an x-formation began to take shape with her deliberate movements. A moment later appeared a pair of devil wings on either side of the keys.

It was the emblem of the Black Keys guild. Named after the keys her guildmaster used to summon Demon Spirits.

When she finished, Lucy dropped her hand, and pale bloody fingers caressed the same design that was currently hidden on her thigh.

Hopefully it was enough to make sure the other guilds didn't stray from her master's orders.

With a sigh, Lucy turned to leave the building, closing the door behind her and shutting in the heady scent of blood and death. A lump formed in her throat. It wasn't fair; to die just because one didn't like what was being asked - rather, demanded - of them, and it was something Lucy just couldn't stomach. But the deed was done, just like it always was and will be, and now she'd have to go back to her guild, where she'd be forced back to her room, unable to leave until given another job.

Something had to change. Lucy didn't know how much longer she could live like this.

A breeze ruffled her golden tresses, and Lucy closed her eyes at the fresh air. Maybe she'd take her time getting back to the guild. If she walked instead of taking the train she'd get another four days of freedom. A frown graced her lips at the thought. If she did that, then she'd risk her guildmasters wrath.

And she wasn't willing to do that again. Not after he just started allowing her to leave the premises again.

So, gritting her teeth, Lucy began to head towards the nearest town, where she'd get on the train and return to her guild by morning. Like the good, obedient wizard she was forced to be.