A/N: this chapter is honestly just a small tasteof what's about to go down. You'll get to see Natsu's full reaction to Lucy's burned guild mark next chapter, too. Enjoy it, because you getone more chapterof lovey dovey goodness (I call it the reprieve) and then it's straight up E.N.D. vs Lucy. Let's gooooo.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: TOO FAR GONE

I swallow the dark world. What.
When the moon covers the sun.
When the darkness falls after losing the light.
I'll be the star and shine light on you.
Against the darkness; light up, light up, light up.
I'll save you with my light.
When the moon covers the sun.
To fill you up with a bright light,
I'll be the star and shine light on you.

Lucy never thought dying would be so complicated.

She had countless things to worry about, to think about, to plan. She'd never even written a will before. Who would take the items from her apartment? Who would keep her mother's letters? What would happen to her unfinished novel?

She paced the infirmary in circles, floorboards squeaking underfoot. Her legs throbbed from sitting so long. Lucy rubbed her chin. Those things would be irrelevant in death, wouldn't they? She wouldn't need to keep letters anymore.

Lucy turned to Natsu for guidance. He lie unconscious on a made up gurney, his face blotched with sweat. She wore his scarf like a good luck charm, praying it would help him through whatever trauma he might be experiencing. He hadn't moved for days. It could have been the perfect time to end this, but Lucy couldn't do anything until E.N.D.'s powers awakened. She had to release every last drop, and right now, that awful magic was sealed far away. Until all of it passed through her body, she had nothing to expel.

But how would she pull this off? Expunging magic wasn't easy. In fact, it was the total opposite. Like a man strangling himself with his own two hands — eventually, the will to fight persists, and the hands just stop squeezing. And nobody else could do it for her.

Even if her mind was made up, Lucy's body wouldn't give up without a fight. This wouldn't be as easy as just draining herself dry and succumbing to death. As she grew weaker, her body would protest, which usually meant fainting. She couldn't do anything then.

Lucy stopped walking for just a second. When had it become normal to think so casually about death? Was she really giving up just like that? She walked another circle.

Lucy stole another glance in Natsu's direction.

What else could she do? Zeref had made it abundantly clear that Lucy didn't have a choice in the matter. The only way to save Natsu, to give him the life he deserved, was for Lucy to die. And what was one life for literally every other. If Natsu—no, if E.N.D.'s powers awakened—nobody would be safe.

She couldn't risk contracting the same deficiency that killed her mother, either. It was too slow. E.N.D.'s magic might replenish too much in the meantime. She had to expel everything at once to completely erase any trace of E.N.D.'s power.

She would raze a whole garden to burn just one seed.

"Stop pacing. It won't wake him any faster."

Lucy paused, but not because of the intrusion. Natsu stirred on the bed, his fingers offering the slightest of twitches. She grabbed his hand, squeezing, cobwebs crumbling, revealing the abandoned hope in her mind. Nothing. His eyes didn't open. Lucy sighed.

Lucy turned to find Gray shirtless in the doorway. "Are you still angry?"

"I never said I was angry."

"You didn't have to."

He leaned on the frame, his eyes moving past her to the unconscious dragon slayer on the bed. Beneath all his icy rage, Lucy saw Gray's hidden concerns, but she also saw his fight. He'd said his magic was made for this. That Lucy shouldn't take on the burden alone. She couldn't begin to fathom how lucky she'd been to run into him. But that didn't mean she was willing to share her burdens, either.

Destiny was running out of cards to pull from Lucy's deck.

While headed south—avoiding populated areas for fear E.N.D. would stir in Natsu's place—Lucy had stumbled upon Gray travelling from the new council building. He'd escorted Makarov there on his way to visit Lamia Scale. He'd taken one look at Natsu and made their problems his business. With Lamia Scale close by, he'd offered to carry Natsu the rest of the way, relieving Loke as part of the favour. It was a relief on Lucy's magic, too. Opening his gate for three days cost her more energy than she'd have liked. But he'd insisted on being there.

"You shouldn't be doing this alone," Gray said.

Lucy exhaled. "Can this wait? Please. Natsu is..."

"He's fine. Three days is nothing for that idiot."

She wanted to believe him. Maybe part of her did. But Lucy couldn't stop worrying. She knew it in her heart, deep within her bones, that something was wrong. Natsu's power no longer sat dormant beneath Lucy's skin. The words traced invisible heat in her veins, the occasional pattern ghosting through her body. The seed was sprouting. Even if Natsu woke up now, he wouldn't be the same. Zeref had told her that. He'd warned her.

And sleepless nights weren't helping.

When she did sleep, Zeref didn't come. And if he did, it was in whispers. She found no comfort at all. No rest, no dreams, no answers. Only abyssal darkness. The seed liked the darkness, fed on it. Whenever she felt a flicker of fear, some magical word passed through Lucy's hands, crawling up her arms and into her face. Gray hadn't left her side much since the first time it happened.

"I know you're worried," he said, "but sitting here all day isn't helping."

He was right. "I know."

Gray's eyes flickered to Lucy's clenched fist. "Did Wendy look at your hand?"

Lucy nodded. Wendy happened to be visiting Lamia Scale just days before Gray visited with Juvia. She was doing her best to reunite Chelia with the magic she'd lost. The three had remained to help Lyon with guild business while Ooba was away. It was almost a Fairy Tail reunion. She only wished it were under better circumstances.

"Nothing?" he pressed.

Lucy stared at her scarred hand and the destroyed remnants of her guild mark. It mocked her in quiet foreboding. "The pain is gone."

"When we get back to Fairy Tail, Mira will give you a new one," he said.

But it wouldn't be this guild mark. She knew it wasn't the crest that made her a Fairy Tail mage. But this mark was special. It was a memory too precious to erase—like an old portrait she couldn't restore but refused to take off her wall. It didn't matter anyway. Not now.

"I'm not going back to Fairy Tail," she said.

Gray stepped into the room. Floorboards creaked as though warning his trespass, begging him not to move any closer. Lucy couldn't take much more of this. Inside, she was breaking.

"What are you planning to do?" he said.

She didn't answer.

Gray's eyes narrowed. He'd been on her side of the fence, rolled in the rotting grass and dead weeds, choked on the fragrance of poisonous doubts. He knew what it felt like to lose hope, to lose people. Lucy didn't have a choice now.

"Lucy." He grabbed her shoulders. "This isn't like you."

She offered him a valiant smile. "It's too dangerous to take Natsu back to the guild. We shouldn't even be here, Gray. When all of this is over, I don't want him to have any regrets. It'l destroy him. The less people he hurts, the better. You understand that, don't you?"

"You're not thinking straight."

"I've made my choice."

"To die?!" Gray shook her harder. "Lucy, did you forget who you're talking to? That look—that self-sacrificing darkness—I invented that look. Do you know how many times Natsu stopped me from casting Iced Shell? What do you think he'd say if he knew you were planning to—"

"To what?"

Juvia peered into the room, carrying a small tray laden with sweets. She placed it on the little cabinet by the door. Lucy shot Gray a pleading look. Nobody could know about this.

"Juvia." Gray cleared his throat. "Any news?"

"It seems Meredy and the others were able to locate and disband two more dark guilds with our information," she said. "If Erza is so worried, why doesn't she communicate with Jellal directly?"

"You know how they are."

Lucy's heart crumbled to dust. Ultear. "Gray, there's something I need to—"

His hands drifted to Lucy's arms. "It wasn't your fault."

Juvia's expression softened. "Meredy wrote letters to Lyon and Gray shortly after Ultear's passing. We were here when Lyon's arrived. It was..." Her face said it all. Shocking. Devastating.

Tears dripped from Lucy's chin. "She saved me, Gray."

"She wanted you to live."

Juvia embraced them both.

Lucy melted against them, clinging to fragile threads of light in the spiraling darkness. How long had she been falling into this loneliness? How long had she been holding onto these thoughts by herself? Always worried about someone else. Always wondering when Natsu would finally break. Wondering if she'd have the strength to end this.

She lived on borrowed time. Limited time.

Lucy dissolved into fits of tears. "I'm so sorry," she gasped. "It's all my fault."

Juvia patted Lucy's back. "Juvia doesn't believe that for a second. And neither would Ultear."

Gray removed himself from their arms. "She gave you a future. Don't waste it."

Words he must recite daily, Lucy realised. Ultear had saved them all once before, given them all a second chance. Lucy was lucky enough to receive a third.

And Gray had grown so much. He wasn't letting this setback defeat him either. He'd lost so many people, surrounded himself with ice so thick nobody could break it. But now he was looking beyond his shield to the sunlight.

"They say if you wish for something hard enough, you can make it a reality," Juvia said. She touched Lucy's shoulder. "Juvia will never stop wishing for Natsu's health."

Lucy threw her arms around Juvia's neck.

Gray stifled a laugh. "Enough with the mush. You're a Fairy Tail wizard. Or did you forget that?" His tone was accusing, but oddly gentle, as only Gray could be.

"Wendy has been asking about you," Juvia said. "She just got finished with Chelia's lessons. Why don't we go see her? Happy is keeping her company with Charle right now."

Lucy stole a quick glance at Natsu's sleeping face. "Okay," she acquiesced. "But can we bring the sweets?"

Juvia's laughter rang like soft bells announcing a beautiful new day. "Of course. Juvia made them just for you."

"I've got it!"

Natsu stared as Lucy clapped her hands, delighted with whatever she'd conjured up this time. He never thought he'd say this, but her company was driving him insane. It's like Zeref had summoned her just to drive a wedge between them. The fragment of Lucy in his mind did not share the real Lucy's inhibitions. She was very much Lucy in her dedication, her loyalty, and her strength, but she was so chatty. He was starting to wish she'd remained invisible, untraceable. Just a piece of him.

And yet, being here alone didn't sound so good, either.

"What? You don't want to hear it?" she pestered.

Natsu crossed his legs and propped his chin in both hands. "What is it this time? Heartneel?"

"No, silly. But that's a good one! I was thinking, what about Lucy. H. Dragneel?" she said. "It's common practice for suitors to take the Heartfilia name in marriage, but, you know I've never been one for custom."

Natsu blinked. He'd seen Lucy's home before Jude lost his wealth. She was every bit as spoiled as the next rich kid—with a vast wealth of kindness to replace the inheritance she'd lost. Just because she was nice didn't erase the fact that she was, to put it mildly, a little vain and bratty. Of course, Natsu loved Lucy. No matter what.

"It's a shame you're stuck here," she said. "You must miss her terribly."

It was weird when she did that—talked about Lucy as though they weren't the same person. The same soul.

Natsu sighed. "I do."

"Do you want to touch me?"

He glared at her. "No. Thanks."

"Really? But my body is—"

"Perfect. Yeah."

"You're no fun," she pouted. "But it's romantic how loyal you are. Even though I'm technically..." She shrugged. "Are you worried Zeref will show up in the middle of it?"

Zeref had vanished at some point during Natsu's fight with Lucy. They'd brawled hard, and ever since then, Natsu had felt strangely weakened.

"Lucy." His gaze slid to hers. "That's enough."

She'd been teasing him for what felt like an eternity. It was her way of trying to keep him calm, she'd said, but all it did was aggravate him further. Or maybe that was the plan all along. Zeref had said Lucy was waiting for E.N.D.'s power to awaken. For Natsu to break.

But if she had a plan, why didn't she tell him?

"What about the future you saw?" she asked him. "That baby won't make itself."

Natsu stared at her. "How do you know about that?"

"Hello." She gestured to the burning village all around him. "I'm inside your head. I see everything you do."

His skin prickled. "You're pretty weird, Lucy."

"That's why I fell in love with you," she jibed.

Natsu rolled his eyes, but the faintest of smiles betrayed his lips.

"Natsu, I know you're scared, but fear doesn't defeat demons. Action does."

"What're you talking about? I'm not scared."

But oh how terrified he was. Natsu couldn't remember the last time his heart beat at a normal rhythm. Zeref had abandoned him even in dreams, leaving him to fester alongside Lucy, who made a show of counting down the days to Natsu's "transformation." It was like she enjoyed it. But of course this Lucy did. She'd been trapped here because of E.N.D.'s power. If Natsu awakened, her purpose would be over, and she could finally be free.

"You still think of E.N.D. as just a demon," she said.

"He is a demon."

"But he's also you."

Gooseflesh danced across Natsu's arms. "Lucy would never say that. She thinks I'm..."

"She'd never say it. But it's true."

Natsu inflated his cheeks and held the bitter words sitting under his tongue. He expelled a heavy breath and averted his gaze elsewhere. He'd had enough of this.

"How can you ever hope to control the seed's power if you continue to think about it as something other than yourself?" Lucy said. She glanced at the seed suspended behind them like an extra moon. Small vines breached the inky-black shell, just waiting to imprison him again. When the shell opened, E.N.D.'s powers would finally emerge, and Natsu, as Lucy told it, would take his place. His humanity would be sealed away, forced to witness the horrors that E.N.D. committed.

The seed ticked hard like an out of sync clock.

Natsu's gaze flit back to her. "What do you want, Lucy? You want me to admit that I'm a monster?"

"No. I want you to accept that this is part of you. If Zeref hadn't resurrected you, Natsu, then you and I would never have met. Yes, you wouldn't be a demon, but you also wouldn't be here."

She had a point, but nothing about this was romantic, and he loathed her attempting to make it so. Although, maybe that was his own fault. Everything Lucy did seemed romantic these days. He just missed her.

"Zeref said you offered him forgiveness. Is that true?" he asked.

"Well, I didn't offer him anything, but she did. But it's not that simple. And he's dead, Natsu. Your brother is gone now. It's important to forgive the dead their trespasses and grant them peace."

Zeref would never truly be gone.

"Maybe acceptance is the first step towards taking control," Lucy said. "Instead of fighting E.N.D., instead of struggling, maybe you should just..." She shrugged, as if the words that followed weren't a serious gamble, "Wake him up."

"No."

"It might work."

"And it might not."

Lucy smiled at him. "That's fair. You shouldn't take advice from the villain."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

Lucy leaned back on her palms and stared into the starless sky. He followed her gaze towards a full moon, its light eerie in the ebb of kindling flames all around them.

"Because villains often believe what they're doing is right, even if it means being hated. Sometimes we do awful things in the name of love. And sometimes we hurt too many people to be truly forgiven."

"You forgave Zeref," he reminded her.

"But I still hate him."

"Who's ever going to hate you, Lucy?"

She let out a soft sigh, the kind of sigh accompanying first kisses and opened love letters. Lovesick and content. It didn't match the cold expression on her face.

"You will," she said. "Because I'm going to break your heart."

"Lucy could never break my heart."

"I see you haven't lost your overconfidence," she said.

"It's not overconfidence. It's the truth."

Lucy stood. "I'm sorry. Just know, whatever happens, I want you to live a good life. You have to be happy, Natsu."

Natsu grabbed her wrist. He stared at her burned hand, that same horror creeping back into his cold heart.

"How?" he said. "How are you going to break my heart?"

The hand he held vanished as though it were no more than an illusion. Future Lucy stared at him from Lucy's place, her expression shaded beneath a thick black hood.

"The only way I know how."

Natsu wobbled to his feet. "What are you planning?"

He didn't need to ask. It was written in her face, so clear he'd have to be blind not to see it. She was going to die. Lucy was going to forfeit her life to save him. Somehow, someway, it was like he'd always known she was planning to leave him.

She cupped his jaw with her remaining hand. "I'm giving you the future I'll never have."

Rage and despair filled him. The seed cracked behind them, no longer ticking. For all the rambling she'd done about acceptance and power, Lucy could not hide her fear. Her eyes widened. He heard the whip of vines, but Natsu didn't move.

"Natsu!" she yelled.

Vines pierced his heart.

He dropped to one knee, thorns biting inside him, blood spitting and oozing across the floor. He stared into the inky darkness. Was E.N.D. trying to get rid of him? Or to destroy his humanity? Maybe Lucy was wrong, and Natsu wasn't going to be stuck here.

He was being erased.

Acceptance, huh? Lucy wasn't the villain in this story. It only made sense for a demon to take on that role. He didn't have a choice this time. The thorns released him, vines returning to their wicked shell.

Natsu's eyes opened.

"You look tired, Lucy."

Lucy lifted her head off the table. She couldn't shake the unpleasant feeling in her body, cold and unforgiving, like something awful was about to happen. It made it difficult to shake her fatigue when all she wanted to do was curl up at Natsu's side, warm and wanted.

"I'm okay, Wendy. Don't worry too much."

"Wendy's right," Charle scolded. "You haven't been taking care of yourself. You're no good to Natsu in this state."

"Don't be mean to Lucy," Happy said. "She's sick too."

Charle simmered beside him on the table. "Don't mistake my concerns for cruelty."

"I'm okay," Lucy stressed.

They sat in a small room connected to Lamia Scale's primary guild hall. Formerly used as storage, Lyon was beginning renovations to turn it into a meeting area for official guild business. That made it the perfect place for private conversations. The others were kind enough to give Wendy and Charle a moment alone with Lucy and Happy. The unease had spread, though. Members of Lamia Scale were beginning to question Natsu's presence in the guild, wild rumours spreading as quickly as E.N.D.'s flames would should he awaken.

"You love each other," Wendy said suddenly.

Lucy's cheeks flushed. "Well, that's..."

"When people love each other, they always find their way back to each other," she said. "Natsu will wake up soon, Lucy."

"And when he does, we have to be prepared," Charle said. "We don't know what he'll do when awakens."

"Natsu isn't a monster," Happy snapped. "He's my best friend!"

"She's right, Happy. We have to be prepared for every outcome. Until then, all we can do is watch over him and keep him alive," Lucy said.

Charle touched Lucy's disfigured hand. "You sound as though you're giving up."

Lucy stiffened. "No. Of course not."

"Strength comes from our desire to live, Lucy," she said. "Remember that whenever you're weary."

"Isn't Charle the smartest?" Wendy praised.

Charle visibly flustered.

"You're right." Lucy straightened. "We've faced the impossible before. I shouldn't dismiss—"

"Move out of my way!"

The group flinched as one. Voices echoed from the main hall, muted by the heavy door between rooms.

Warmth radiated from Lucy's chest. The lock on her chain took on the faintest glow, a soft hue of stardust silver shimmering through the crystalline object. She jerked to her feet.

"Natsu's awake!"

Happy leapt for the sky. "Let's go, Lucy!"

"Wait. You have to be prepared," Charle said. "This might not be the Natsu you remember. Are you ready to face him?"

Lucy nodded. "I have to be."

She pushed open the door. They filed into the main hall, groups of mages gathered at the far corners, giving a wide berth to the commotion within. Natsu and Gray faced off in the middle of the hall. Lyon and Juvia stood between them.

"You should be grateful I'm here at all," Gray was saying. "It'd be easy for Juvia and I to walk away right now and leave you to this madness!"

Juvia didn't look so convincing. She glanced between them, clearly torn between supporting Gray and helping Natsu. Lyon placed a comforting hand on her arm.

Lucy stepped out into the open. "Natsu, what are you doing?"

He turned dark eyes on Lucy, his face pallid. He looked exhausted. No, he looked dead, like he'd given up on everything but the faintest trace of power crackling in the air between them.

"Were you going to tell me?" he snapped.

Lucy balked. "Natsu, I..."

"Hey!" Gray stopped Natsu's approach. "Don't talk to her. Talk to me."

"Move, Gray."

"Make me!"

Juvia waved a hand in modest surrender. "Gray, please."

"Natsu, we're trying to help you," Happy called.

Natsu scoffed. "Help me how? By dying?"

Lucy's blood curdled.

"What is he talking about, Lucy?" Happy searched her for answers she didn't dare reveal.

"Natsu, that's enough," she said. "You've been asleep for a long time. We can talk about this later."

"I'm tired of talking," he said.

She didn't know what he meant by that, but she let the comment slide. He was delirious and angry. She had to help him.

"Natsu, you mustn't cause a scene here," Lyon said. "We're trying to help you."

"Listen to your heart, Natsu," Juvia said. "We've all been waiting for you to come back to us. Please, listen to Juvia's voice."

"I know what it's like to lose people," Gray edged. "I know what you're going through, Natsu. That fear."

"Maybe people die because they can't stand to be near you," Natsu snapped.

Gray faltered. His eyes tilted with clear anguish. Steadily, he regained composure, raising his head with the pride of a king leading his army, ready to face his enemies head on.

And Natsu made himself one.

"I promised Juvia that I'd keep living no matter what. I won't ever make her cry again. So give it your best shot, Flame-breath. I'll knock some sense into you! For Lucy's sake, I'll defeat you here and now!"

"Stop," Lucy begged. "Please, don't fight."

Ice and fire exploded in a clash of impenetrable wills.

The blast shot Juvia into Lyon. They tumbled across the guild floor, helped to their feet by surrounding guild-mates. Nobody intervened. For the longest time, nobody breathed. Even the guild itself seemed to hold its breath, the floorboards silent, the walls echoing nothing but exchanged blows.

Natsu lunged at Gray like a demon breaking out of hell, clawing, punching, kicking. Black marks rippled across Gray's skin, unleashing spells of ice so cold Lucy's teeth chattered and her skin numbed from mere proximity.

"This isn't your guild, idiot!" Gray screamed. "Stop wrecking it!"

"You're the one wrecking it!"

Natsu dropped Gray to his knees. A collective gasp filled the hall. Still, nobody moved. Nobody dared. There was something hypnotic about watching them fight, as though destiny had been diverted off course and found its way back again. It was a clash destined to happen.

Gray conjured a sword in his fist. He stopped it against Natsu's throat. Both remained still as stone, a trickle of blood dribbling across the blade.

"Stand down," Gray said.

"Please..." Lucy's voice failed her.

Natsu grabbed the blade in two hands, blood and flames spilling from cut flesh.

"You think this scares me?" he asked.

Natsu shoved the blade into his own stomach. Lucy's breath caught, the shriek rattling inside her brain. He stepped closer, his body gliding across the blade as easily as he'd slipped into madness. Gray stood frozen.

"Natsu!" Happy yelled.

Lucy covered her mouth. The sword hissed and melted, slow and torturous to watch. He punched Gray clean in the face. Gray returned the blow, a sickening crunch that seemed to echo long after the blood sprayed from Natsu's nose.

"I can go all day, Natsu. So what's it gonna be?"

"You've stood in my way for the last time!" Natsu drew back his fist.

"Stop!" Juvia screamed.

Rain.

Water thundered all around them, dousing Natsu's flames, shattering Gray's ice-make swords. Both flinched when they saw her crying.

"Lucy has been worried for days," she continued. "Natsu, you came to Juvia's aid when I was surrounded by nothing but rain. You reunited me with my beloved when I'd lost all hope, brought the guild back together. This isn't the time to be fighting."

Lucy saw traces of humanity flicker in Natsu's eyes. They didn't last. Whatever light remained had been eclipsed during his long slumber. He turned towards Juvia, a glimmer of relief on her face. But she hadn't reached him. Crimson eyes flared as he moved. He was preparing to attack.

Gray didn't miss a beat. He tackled Natsu to the ground, flames bursting in waves of failed attacks. Their fight exploded in whorls of white and red, so bright Lucy couldn't see what happened within the blazing flames and blistering shards of ice.

Ice splintered between them—a conjuring of Lyon's doing. He pulled Juvia to her feet. "Gray!" he yelled. "You have to lead him outside!"

This was all Lucy's fault. She didn't want anyone else getting hurt by this.

"Natsu is..." Happy visibly trembled. "He's Natsu. Right, Lucy?"

Gravity dropped Lucy to her knees. "No."

"I'll kill you!" Natsu screamed.

This wasn't Natsu anymore. Those words came from a monster so far gone not even Lucy could stand to listen. This was a monster; a demon of Zeref's creation. She'd seen no twinkle of Natsu's soul in those crimson eyes. It was over. The final grains dropped into the bottom half of their hourglass. She had no choice.

Lucy had to stop him.

In a barrage of connecting blows, Gray forced Natsu onto the outside street in a trail of blood and ice. Wendy helped Lucy stand.

"What can we do?" she asked.

"He's too far gone," Lucy said. "I don't know if I can reach him this time."

"You must believe that you can," Charle said.

"We're in this together, Lucy," Happy agreed.

"You guys..."

"You have to help him," Juvia said. "Gray is doing his best to reach him. He needs you, Lucy."

Lucy fisted her hands. They were right. They'd always been right. Lucy didn't want to give in so easily—to accept the fate laid out before her. She was going to fight this. She would fight him until her last breath.

"Wendy, I hope you're well rested," Lucy said. "He's going to need a lot of healing when I'm done kicking some sense into him!"

Lucy rushed out of the guild. Explosions rocked the empty street, shockwaves tipping her off balance. She caught herself on the wall of the guild, barely taking a breath as another explosion dried the air.

Lucy's skin burned. She gasped a breath, Natsu's power shifting like splinters too deep to remove from her skin. The lock on her chain glowed brighter. Pieces of Natsu resonated from the item's hidden powers. She felt it under E.N.D.'s presence. He wanted her to help him. She hadn't lost him just yet.

"Hey!" she yelled. "Leave Gray alone, Natsu! I'm the one you're mad at!"

Gray bounced to his feet, deftly avoiding a kick to the face. Natsu followed through with a flaming fist. Shields of ice blocked the attack, bursting in plumes of white.

They weren't listening.

She searched for an opening, watching the patterns of their fight. Gray drove Natsu backwards with a string of flurrying attacks. He conjured another sword and swung it in an arch, the motion pushing Natsu onto his back. Blood dripped from the gaping wound in his stomach. He flipped himself over. They rushed at each other.

Lucy ran between them. "Stop this!"

They didn't stop. Gray veered off path to avoid her, tripping over himself with a mighty crash of ice and tangled limbs. Natsu didn't stop running. She kicked him hard across the face.

"Stop fighting, you idiot!" she screamed.

He crashed into her at full speed, flames receding from the shock of their bodies colliding. They rolled across the ground. He landed face-down on her chest.

Lucy snaked her fingers through his hair, holding him close. He struggled, but only for a moment.

"You're such a pain!" she yelled.

He didn't struggle again. For the longest moment, Natsu didn't even seem to breathe. He found solace in the scarf around her neck, familiarising himself with the soft material. Lucy didn't move.

"Are you two done fighting now?" she dared to ask.

Lucy shared a long look with Gray, who'd barely now managed to stand on his own two feet. He shuffled towards them slowly, like a new father afraid to wake his newborn babe. He nodded with a silent, You okay?

Lucy nodded that she was.

"Natsu, did you fall asleep again?" she pressed. "You better not."

"I'm hungry," he complained.

Lucy sighed. He pushed himself upright. Crimson flecks decorated the piercing darkness of his eyes like hellfire devouring souls. It was almost time. Lucy didn't have long left with the man she loved.

"I won't let you become the villain, Lucy," he said.

"Villain?" Lucy's gaze slid to Gray's. "What's he talking about?"

Gray shrugged. "I probably hit him too hard."

"You punch like a baby," Natsu scoffed.

Lucy shoved his face against her chest. "Just stop talking. We've heard enough."

He inhaled a long breath. "You smell good."

"I think it's time you apologised to Lyon and the others for the mess you've made." She smacked his head. "Hey, are you listening to me? We need to get you healed up."

Natsu buried his face between her breasts. "One more minute."

"Haven't you slept enough?!"

Gray cleared his throat. "Ya know, you really shouldn't do this sorta thing in the street."

Lucy's face heated. "Then get him off me!"

"Hey, no, it's not my place to—"

"Gray!"

"Okay! Okay!"

Song: Eclipse - Moonbyul.

COMING SOON—–
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: DAY OF RECKONING