Nalu A twist in time

Chapter Twenty

Chapter 20 - Galuna Island Part two

Gray raced towards whoever was stupid enough to try and free Deliora. They didn't understand what they were dealing with. That demon was called the Demon of Destruction for a reason. He left a trail of destroyed towns, cities and bodies. There were countless people who had been left homeless and without their families due to him. Deliora was a mindless beast whose only purpose was to bring death.

He had been blinded by vengeance once. He couldn't see past what he had lost to Deliora to the family that he had managed to create out of the ashes of his destruction. Ur was strong, stronger than anyone he had ever met. She had lost her daughter and she still found the strength to move forwards. She gave her life to seal that demon away. Her sacrifice was because of him but he wouldn't let anyone taint what she had done. It was his selfishness and his blindness that led her to make the decision she had taken but he would not let her sacrifice go in vain.

He reached the inside of the temple and saw another purple magic circle inside the temple. It sort of made sense that the ritual would probably be happening higher up. He was about to take off towards the roof of the temple when Juvia grabbed onto his arm.

"Let me go. I have to stop this." He cried out as he pushed Juvia away harshly.

Juvia was stunned for a moment until she remembered Lucy. Her friend had warned her that Gray was still young and searching for himself. He wasn't ready to be with someone because he didn't know who he was as a person yet. Right now, in this moment Juvia understood what Lucy meant because now she was looking at a lost little boy.

A boy who had lost his town, friends and family to a demon that no one could stop. He was just a boy who had been found and taught by a woman that he greatly admired and respected only to lose her as well. She could see the angry little boy who wanted to hurt the monster that had taken everything from him. She could see the boy who went up against something that he could not defeat only to be saved once more by the same woman.

She saw regret and helplessness because he had wanted to die as well. He went after the demon knowing that either he would somehow manage to kill the demon or the demon would kill him. He had once made peace with that decision until someone stepped in front of him and certain death. He blamed himself. Now the man that he had become was losing himself to the same emotions. He was pushing away those who cared for him because he felt unworthy of that love.

Never before had Juvia ever understood another person the way she could see Gray in this moment. It was more than the fact that she saw his past in his eyes. She was able to see every bad thought he ever had in his mind. She was able to see his guilt and remorse but she could also see the man he would become. He was strong because he would bear his sins. He would not crumble in the face of his past because she wouldn't let him face it alone.

Juvia clenched her jaw. She wouldn't let him so she grabbed onto him again. Gray was shouting again and Juvia couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes. Her heart ached for the lost little boy who had lost everything twice. However it was time to grow up, she wouldn't let him throw his life away. Gray gripped her shoulders and shouted again. Juvia raised her hand and slapped him across the face.

"Are you calm now Gray-sama?" questioned Juvia.

Gray looked at the blue haired woman in front of him. He was lost and confused and now his cheek was stinging from the force of her slap but he did realize that he was calm.