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April 11th, X778

It felt much longer than it probably was that they hid there behind the door. Lucy could hear a commotion downstairs for a short while, but it eventually stopped. When Wendy began to doze off, Lucy gently shook her awake. "Stay awake," she murmured, kissing the top of Wendy's head affectionately. "You need to stay awake, okay? I'm sure Yukino's taught you enough that you know what to do with concussions."

Wendy mumbled, "Stay awake."

Lucy counted down another minute when silence fell. She took the coin from Wendy. Its metal surface was cool, so she reached for the door knob.

Heat seared at her palm just as the wood splintered over their heads. Wide awake now, Wendy screamed along with Lucy. They both dropped down, arms thrown over their heads as the Vhalis barreled right through the false wood, tumbling over them into the room. Lucy didn't hesitate to throw the door open entirely and shove Wendy out, slamming it shut behind them. It wouldn't do them any good, but hopefully it would at least slow the Vhalis down.

She came to an abrupt halt when she found Jerome blocking their path. Her eyes hardened as she dragged Wendy beside her, ready to protect the girl from him. The Vhalis tore through the remainder of the door a moment later, and much to Lucy's shock, a sharp whistle from Jerome stopped it dead in its tracks.

She'd known the Vhalis were intelligent, but to see one trained as if it were nothing more than a dog…

Tears pricked her eyes. That Vhalis had been human once.

Jerome grinned, standing in front of the staircase. Lucy could see the hatred and frustration tightening his smile. He was angry that they'd gone around whatever plan he'd so carefully laid out. Lucy narrowed her eyes as she tried to figure out what to do next, even as Jerome spoke. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for, Lucy. But do you even know how to use those?" He gestured to the batons.

She tightened her grip on them. Lucy didn't dare to look away from Jerome, even with the Vhalis behind them. Wendy shook like a leaf; Lucy didn't blame her. They were between a rock and one hell of a hard place, and there wasn't anyone around to help them this time. "Why?" she said finally. "Why Wendy?"

"You got too nosy," he said simply. "You and that bitch with silver hair. Was hoping you'd brought her along, actually."

Lucy almost smiled. Almost. She wished he'd gone after Mirajane first.

"Lucy," whispered Wendy, "what do we do?"

She made herself ignore Wendy for the time being and took a breath to steady herself. She needed to stay focused. The Vhalis was intelligent, she knew, but she doubted it cared for Jerome. The Vhalis simply couldn't. If she could somehow turn the Vhalis on him, there was no way he'd be able to physically fend it off. Teeth and talons or no, the Vhalis was still strong enough. But Wendy…how did she keep Wendy safe in the meantime?

Lucy clenched her jaw and acted on her thoughts before they were even fully formed. She reached behind her and shoved Wendy to the side of the small hallway before bolting forward. She threw her full bodyweight at Jerome, nailing her shoulder square into his chest and sending them both tumbling down the stairs. She prayed that the Vhalis left Wendy alone.

Pain burst to life. Her old dislocation injury flared as she crashed down the stairs in a tangle of limbs with Jerome. She ignored it, wheezing for air, and threw herself to her feet as Jerome whistled. She heard the thunderous sound of the Vhalis heaving its way down the stairs after them. Baring her teeth, Lucy whipped out a baton and caught Jerome in the nose. She scarcely flinched at the crunch. He shouted, cupping a hand over his mouth as the blood began dripping between his fingers.

Lucy swore, lashing out again with her baton when Jerome tried to avoid the Vhalis coming at them. She heard Wendy sobbing at a distance, reassuring her that Wendy was okay. Rather than making contact, Jerome's blood-slicked fingers seized the baton and ripped it out of Lucy's hand, but the delay did the trick.

The Vhalis hit them both. The world spun. A heavy weight pressed on Lucy's back, pinning her. "Stupid creature," bellowed Jerome. "Not me, her – you bitch!" His voice rose to a scream of fury when Lucy managed to take her second baton and strike him in the face a second time.

She could not let him whistle again. The Vhalis would turn on her more than Jerome. Ignoring its heavy weight on her back, Lucy took a deep breath and did her best to echo his whistle. The Vhalis paused to consider the sound, and then began ripping at Jerome with a soundless shriek. Jerome screamed as its blunted fingers slowly began ripping through his flesh. The Vhalis's elbow caught Lucy's face in its frenzy, so hard that she tasted blood where it split her lip.

She could only watch in horror as Jerome was ripped apart with nothing more than blunt strength. Blood spattered her face, and Lucy flinched violently. Jerome uttered a gurgling sound, weakening attempts to stop the Vhalis giving way to one, final sound: he whistled sharply, throwing the sound somehow. Wendy jerked from where she watched at the top of the stairs, looking over her shoulder. Jerome's eyes glazed over as he stilled, staring at nothing.

The Vhalis wasted no time. It lunged up the stairs, abandoning its prey, and Wendy screamed. She ducked down and threw herself sideways as the Vhalis's momentum carried it past her, then scrambled down the stairs, half-sliding. Lucy wasted no time in snatching up the second baton, tucking them beneath her arm, grabbing Wendy's wrist, and then hauling her through the house. She shoved the key the batons quickly became into the pocket with the coin as they raced down the hall. They were safe from Jerome now; of that, Lucy was sure, for she could have sworn she'd seen a flicker of crimson bending over his body, startled dark eyes briefly locking with hers.

But there was now a very real, entirely new danger in the house. One far more worrisome than Death herself, one that was about to become compounded. Lucy didn't know how long it took a soul to turn into a Vhalis. And she had no idea what cue the Vhalis would use to stop.

Wendy stumbled along as quickly as she could, keeping up. Wendy seemed to have cleared up a little at the very least. She was more lucid, though not nearly as much as Lucy would have liked, when she suddenly dug her heels in and gasped, "Lucy!"

Lucy glanced back in time to see the Vhalis barreling towards them. She hurtled around a corner into the kitchen, hauling Wendy with her. It crashed along, clawing to a halt near the window they'd been trying to get to. Where can we go? The Vhalis was now blocking the only way out that Lucy knew about, and she didn't dare take the time to try and undo a lock. She made a split second decision and prayed it wouldn't trap them worse than they already were.

She tried to replicate the whistle Jerome had thrown, but her split lip prevented her from doing so. "Wendy," she choked out. "Wendy, can you whistle? Like he could that last time?"

"I can try." Wendy sucked in a sharp breath and then whistled.

Somehow, it worked.

Despite her poor attempt, the Vhalis jolted over them and down the hallway. Lucy didn't waste any time, spinning towards the pantry and recalling how heavy it had been and what it had held in its shadows. She ripped it open and shoved Wendy forward. Wendy balked, but Lucy didn't falter. She pushed her in anyways and paused only to rip the scarf from her neck and throw it at the ground beside the door. She closed it hastily and as quietly as she could.

To Lucy's relief, there was a lock that she slid into place before rushing down the steps into the dark basement. She tugged Wendy behind her as she went, flicking on the light at the bottom of the steps. Lucy winced at the old, rancid smell she'd not noticed the first time she'd come down. "Here," said Lucy softly, tucking Wendy into a small section beneath the stairs. "Hide."

Finally having a moment to catch her breath, Lucy slumped, her throat feeling bare. Guilt nearly swallowed her whole. Natsu had trusted her with his beloved, valuable diale, and she'd dumped it by the pantry door like garbage, hoping it might show whoever came looking where they were.

Wendy flinched, choking on a breathless sob when there was a thump above their heads, as if the Vhalis were testing the door. It quickly moved on though. Lucy suspected it didn't want to risk being trapped again. Swallowing thickly, Lucy cupped Wendy's cheeks and brushed away the tears pouring down Wendy's face. "It's alright," she soothed. "We're okay, Wendy. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

She shook her head. "J-just my head," stammered Wendy, sniffling. "You're hurt though."

"A little." Lucy touched her face cautiously, where the Vhalis had caught her with its elbow. A hiss escaped her. Definitely swollen, and would likely bruise. Her lip felt odd and swollen. At least she'd not broken or lost any of her teeth. Her shoulder ached particularly bad, though her whole body was a little sore from her flinging herself down the stairs. She kept all of that to herself though. "I left a note at the townhouse. Mira or Gray will see it when they come back from what they were doing."

Wendy seemed grateful for that. Her voice shook as she said, "Was…was he the one you were looking for, Lucy?"

Another stab of guilt. "Yes. I'm pretty sure. I'm sorry, Wendy, this is my fault. If I'd not dug so hard into it–"

"No." Wendy took a soft, shaken breath. "No, I'm glad you looked you into it. Those people he hurt…they were people, too. They deserved the help, even if they weren't alive anymore. I'm sure they rest easier knowing that someone fought for their truth."

Lucy fondly pressed her face into Wendy's hair. Such grown words for someone so young. Wendy leaned into her, and they sat in peaceful silence for a while. They winced here and there whenever there was a sound over their heads, but the Vhalis seemed inclined to leave the basement unchecked. Wendy dozed off here and there, exhausted and head hurting; Lucy shook her awake each and every time. She didn't want to risk Wendy falling asleep until Yukino okayed it. Lucy fixed up the keys, too, ensuring the coin had returned to its original form, and that both keys she'd used were reattached.

They froze when there was a sudden sound at the door. The blood drained from Lucy's face when there was a slam on it, as if the Vhalis had decided to go through the door at last. Tears began pouring down Wendy's face again, her body shaking violently when there was another crash. Lucy tucked Wendy close behind her, pressing her underneath the stairs and snagging the Gemini key again. She willed it into the set of batons, finding she quite liked them. They were easier to use than the whip or the knife. These, she couldn't hurt herself with.

In a low, rushed voice, Lucy said, "I'll distract it. You're going to run."

"Lucy, no," protested Wendy, but Lucy wouldn't have it.

She would kill Natsu, Lucy decided, for erasing her sense of self-preservation, but damn it, Wendy was a child. Not even the most selfish person in the world should have been willing to sacrifice a child before themselves.

Lucy had never believed in the gods before the Fall. She did now. She uttered a silent prayer to those gods, hoping one of them would hear it. She wondered if they even could, now that they were stuck among the humans they'd once stood apart from.

She hoped they did as the door broke beneath the Vhalis's force. Lucy winced when pieces flew, scattering down the steps. A moment later, the familiar sound of something scrambling down the staircase filled their ears. Lucy's heart began to race. She felt numb as she lifted the batons again, entirely prepared to throw hands with a Vhalis and fight as fiercely as she could so long as she could give Wendy a chance at survival.

As soon as Lucy saw movement, she struck. She lashed out, putting her full weight behind the blow – only to yelp, scarcely managing to divert the attack when she recognized the face staring wide-eyed back at her. It certainly helped that they ripped backwards to avoid it, leaving Lucy tripping over her own feet. A hand caught her arm to ensure she didn't fall flat on her face, which was already streaked with tears.

"Natsu," she choked out, a sob in her throat. She was more relieved to see him than she'd ever been in her life. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug that he returned with a bewildered, breathless laugh.

"You just tried to kill me with Gemini," he told her, sliding a hand into her golden hair as she buried her face in his shoulder, still holding her batons.

After a moment, she pulled back. "And you're late," rasped Lucy, glaring briefly at him. It faded quickly. She was too happy to see him. "The Vhalis–"

Alarm flickered across his face when he saw her blood-streaked face. His diale was clasped in his white-knuckled hand, Lucy noticed. She winced at the blood staining it. She'd apologize for that later, for there were clearly other things to worry about when he said, "What Vhalis? I saw the note on the door… Luce, your face – Wendy?!"

"Natsu!" sobbed Wendy as she squeezed past Lucy to throw her arms around his waist in a hug. Natsu hugged her back, brow furrowed with concern. He touched the side of her head, spotting her injury, and then looked sharply at Lucy. Anger seared in his eyes, bright and burning. Lucy almost wished he had tried to revisit Valhalla, if only to give him some of that useful power back.

Feeling dizzy, Lucy said, "Please tell me Gray came with you."

"He was with me," said Natsu, blinking once at her. "But he went to go find–" He broke off, eyes darting upwards when something large and heavy struck the floor above their heads, in the doorway, more than likely. Natsu clamped his mouth shut. He ushered the girls back under the steps, pressing them as far back as he could as something shuffled awkwardly overhead. Lucy met his eyes, terrified.

As nice as it was to have Natsu back, he wasn't exactly helpful when it came to overpowering Vhalis now.

The sound stopped. The trio held their breath.

A head slowly slid into view over the side of the staircase, dipping down to eye level. Thick black liquid dripped from heavy wounds on its chest, where another of its kind had ripped it apart with blunted fingers. Its lips curved in a wicked snarl, baring human teeth. Lucy bit her tongue so hard it bled to keep from screaming as she protectively tried to shove Wendy behind her. "Natsu–"

The Vhalis shrieked, hurtling itself over the side of the stairs. It hit the cement floor hard enough to snap something; even Natsu flinched. As it reoriented itself, Natsu shoved Lucy and Wendy towards the start of the stairs. "Go," he barked. "Go now."

They managed to make it to the bottom of the steps before the Vhalis lunged. Lucy made sure Wendy went first, shoving her up the steps. She tripped on her own way up them, batons turning to a key in her hand as she hit the steps hard on her knees. She crawled the rest of the way up, as fast as she could. She stopped in the doorway to look back.

Natsu hadn't followed her. He stood at the bottom of the steps, facing the Vhalis and staring it down, daring it to try and make it past him. Lucy felt her heart sink in her chest. He would be torn apart. "Natsu!"

"Move," barked Gray as he grabbed her and hauled her to her feet. He pushed her aside. At the sound of Gray's voice, Natsu bolted up the stairs, squeezing past him. Lucy could only stand in the doorway and stare as Gray managed to corner the Vhalis. He muttered to himself, frost creeping along the steps and making them slippery.

Natsu managed to make it to the top of the steps somehow and paused to check on Lucy. "You good, Luce?"

"Y-yeah," she stammered. She took a shaken breath, unable to take her eyes off of Gray as he bent to touch a hand to the Vhalis's snarling face. Her heart still raced, adrenaline pumping through her veins. The only thing that took her attention away was a soft, musical hum, so different from Natsu's. She looked over.

Mirajane practically waltzed towards them. Her steps were so light, they'd not heard her until she was nearly atop them. Lucy instinctively flinched as far away from the dark power she seemed to radiate as she stepped past them. Scales flecked her cheekbones, spreading down her neck the closer to the Vhalis she went. A smile that was all sharp fangs appeared on her lips as Gray called up to her, "It's him, Mira, just like the other soul said."

Mirajane had been hunting, recalled Lucy. Now, she was about to make the kill.

Lucy turned to Wendy, who was leaning heavily against the wall nearby. "Let's go," she said quickly and harshly. "Let's get you to Yukino so she can look at your head, Wendy."

Wendy took one look at Mirajane and said without argument, "Okay." Accepting the hand Lucy offered her, she let Lucy lead her towards the front entrance, where the door now stood wide open for them to leave.

Lucy stopped then, suddenly wary about where the second Vhalis had gone. "There was another," she said hoarsely, turning to look at Natsu over her shoulder. He'd been only a step behind her, brow furrowed.

"I took care of it," said Gray as he re-emerged from the basement, kicking what was left of the pantry door shut. He looked anything but pleased about the whole situation. He winced as he looked at Lucy's face, as a scream split the air. He stepped past Lucy to usher Wendy away. Wendy didn't need encouragement; she bolted for the door, and Lucy felt a stab of sympathy for her. She'd been through far more than she ought to have been at her age.

Lucy found the scream didn't bother her. The man the Vhalis had once been had killed other women – had tried to kill her and Wendy, who'd done nothing to him. Maybe this world was destroying bits and pieces of whatever humanity remained in her after the Fall, but she wasn't sure it'd have bothered her before the Fall either.

That was what she tried to tell herself anyways.

Because the guilt that she'd done what she'd done might have crushed her had she not.

CRAZY CHAPTER! And Natsu's back! :D

Ironically, right after I wrote this chapter not too long ago, my dumbass self actually fell down the stairs. I'm good, nothing broken, but the "every part of your body hurting thing" is legitimate, it turns out. I blame my cat.

Thanks to reviewers (marn-marn, TheAngelicPyro, Unnamed One, hopelesskar, CMenard, and InfiniteMiste!) as well as those who favorited and followed!