The Gate of E.N.D.

Chapter 25: Captured Again

"Icicle boy! Let's go!" Vanessa startled them all by suddenly appearing.

"Go where?" Gray asked as he was tugged out of the cell.

"Icicle boy." Lucy snickered until a look from Erza shut her up.

"Be careful." Wendy said as she watched him disappear.

"I will." He replied.

"I hope she doesn't hurt him." Lucy frowned. "Torturing sucks."

Wendy nodded. "Yeah."

"We're busting out." Erza said suddenly.

"Huh?" Wendy and Lucy asked, bewildered.

"You heard me. We have no time to sit in a prison cell. We'll rescue Gray and go." 

"That's not a plan!" Lucy shouted.

"Let's go!" Erza yelled. Wendy nervously broke the cell door.

"My keys!" Lucy reminded as they sprinted down the hallway.

Erza nodded. "I'll go find them. You and Wendy find Gray." They nodded as they parted ways.

Wendy sniffed the air. "Turn right!"

Lucy halted and quickly turned. "A little more warning would be nice."

"Sorry."

"Look out!" Lucy shoved Wendy to the ground as an arrow barely missed hitting her.

"Thanks." Wendy used her Sky Dragon's Wing Attack to knock out the guard. "Isn't it weird that these guards are significantly weaker than the others?"

"Yeah...for being assassins you'd think they'd have better security." 

"Yeah. Come on, Gray's down this hall." They ran down the long hallway, but stopped short when they heard an agonizing scream.

"Is that Gray?" Lucy whispered.

"I think so." Wendy made a worried face as they approached the door. "Stand back. Sky Dragon's Roar!" The door flew open, hitting Vanessa and sending her tumbling.

"Gray, are you okay?" Lucy asked as she untied him from the chair. She gasped when she saw the knife sticking out of his chest. "Wendy!"

Wendy ran over. "Should we pull it out?" 

"Yes, I'll pull and as soon as it's out, you need to start healing." She grabbed the handle of the knife firmly, causing Gray to groan. "1, 2, 3!" She ripped the knife out of Gray and threw it across the room. He shouted in agony.

Wendy started healing him. "You'll be okay." She pressed the rest of his shirt against the wound. She glanced at Lucy only to scream. "Look out!"

Lucy turned and barely avoided getting stabbed in the head. "What the hell?!"

"You little-" Before Vanessa could finish, Lucy kicked her in the gut, sending her flying across the room.

"Can you handle her?" Wendy asked. Lucy nodded as Vanessa stood.

"I'm not sure how you're going to fight, considering you don't have your keys!" Vanessa spat.

"I don't need them." Lucy said coolly. She attacked Vanessa, throwing punches and kicks. 

Vanessa ducked and dodged, before using her magic. "Ice-Make: Lance!"

Lucy braced herself as the ice flew at her, some stabbing her. "Is that all you got?" She punched Vanessa in the jaw, making her spit blood.

"Why isn't she using her spirits?" Gray asked Wendy. "She can summon them without her keys."

She shrugged. "I'm not sure."