Hello everyone! ღ I have the next chapter here, hot n' ready! ;) I hope you didn't wait too long, and if you did, I'm sorry! I hope you enjoy this chapter, though. I dedicated this very chapter to Erza_Lucy25 for being a Fairy Tail fan! I hope you enjoy, and feedback is very much appreciated!! ♡ Until next time,
♥Ry-chan
===========================================================================
A thunder clap shook Lucy's ears as she became conscious, hearing booms ricochet through the air.
"...awake yet?" A voice asked worriedly, muffled.
"She's gravely...we have to get her....quickly." Another voice said, fading in and out when the rumble of thunder drowned it out.
"...cy!" The first voice exclaimed. "...ucy! Lucy!"
Lucy slowly pulled her eyes open, and saw Natsu leaning over her on her right, while the others were kneeling over her on her left. Her vision blurred in and out, the world tilting slightly.
"Lucy!" Natsu exclaimed in relief.
"She's awake!" Happy exclaimed, tears on the corners of his eyes from crying; the small cat was afraid Lucy wasn't going to open her eyes. Wendy had her hands over Lucy's stomach, healing her injuries.
"Hang in there, Lucy..." She murmured. "I'm almost done.."
Not thinking, Lucy sat up. "What happe-" She cringed, resting a hand on her head.
Before she could fall over, Natsu caught her. "Lucy!"
"What..happened?" Lucy murmured, her voice raspy as she stared up at the open sky.
Where dragons flew around.
Lucy widened her eyes, gasping as she flew back up to a sitting position. "The dragons! Rose..the spell...Rogue...?!" She looked around frantically.
"Natsu beat him." Happy mewed while Wendy forced Lucy back onto the ground.
"We need to stop the dragons!" Lucy exclaimed, ignoring Wendy's protests as she pulled herself back up again.
"We've been fighting the dragons for awhile, Lucy." Erza replied, and Lucy looked up at them with surprise.
That's when she noticed the drained looks on their faces; and the faint markings of serious injuries Wendy had healed. A few bandages were wrapped either on their heads, arms, or legs. Natsu was the worst; he had bandages all over his body.
Then Lucy noticed where they were.
They looked to be in an enclosure. Most of the ceiling was gone, but it seemed to be a ruined building of some sort. The thunder outside - which Lucy now knew to be the roar of dragons - rolled through the air, and as quick as a flash giant shadows soared over their heads.
"How long have I been out?" Lucy murmured, tears of dismay springing to her eyes.
"You've been out for an hour or two." Natsu murmured, looking at her with worry.
"Have the dragons gone to any of the cities yet?" Lucy asked, looking up at the others.
Erza shook her head. "For some reason, they chose to stay in this area. They won't leave."
Lucy widened her eyes, her breath catching.
You need to use Lux Omnium Stellarum.
"It's because of me!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed.
Everyone looked at her with surprise.
"Because I didn't complete the transformation, they aren't completely free yet!" Lucy clutched her shirt tightly, her hands shaking. "They're still apart of me... Still inside me..."
Natsu was looking at her sadly and worriedly. "Lucy..."
She thrust her head up at all of them, standing despite Wendy and Natsu's hesitant movements. "I need to stop them! Now is the time to use that spell!"
" "Spell?" " Erza requoted. "What do you mean, Lucy?"
Lucy explained everything about her meeting with the real Rose Valentine; from the woman's past to the spell Lux Omnium Stellarum. When she finished, everyone was looking at Lucy was surprise and shock.
After a moment of silence, she looked up from the ground, her face strained. "I know how to use the Light of All Stars now." She turned, heading for the door across the room.
"Hold up!" Natsu exclaimed, grabbing her wrist and forcing her to a stop. "Where are you going, Lucy? You can't go out there by yourself!"
Lucy turned back to Natsu, looking at him before turning to Erza. "How far are we from the Grede Fumir?"
"Lucy!" Natsu protested.
Erza gave her a stern look. "It's too dangerous out there, Lucy. Just look at all four of us."
"Please, Erza!" Lucy exclaimed. "We have to stop them before they break away from me completely!"
"You make it sound like you want them attached to your soul." Gray murmured, his hands in his pockets as he winced from moving too much.
"Of course not!" Lucy exclaimed. "My soul is my soul; dragons belong to themselves! They aren't suposed to be attached to anything or anyone, the need to be let go of!" She clutched her hand over her heart. "And that's exactly how you perform the Light of All Stars."
"What?" Natsu asked, incredulous.
Lucy bent her head, her eyes becoming covered in shadow. "I have to break my soul."
"What?!" Everyone yelled at the same time.
"That was why Rose couldn't tell me how. A soul is a delicate thing, and if one knows the truth before they need it revealed to them, then the power of understanding and fate inside that soul wouldn't be successful! If I break my soul and use Lux Omnium Stellarum, I can save not only all the people, but all the dragons too!"
There was a moment of silence, and Lucy waited for anyone to answer her.
"But, Lucy...how are you planning to save them?" Wendy asked.
"I won't kill them, but I won't let them live either."
There was another moment of silence.
"Well then..." Erza started, crossing her arms with a smirk on her face. Gray and Wendy stood as well, couragous smiles dancing on their expressions. Lucy felt Natsu's hand slip from her wrist. "...we'll just have to go with you." Erza completed.
"Everyone..." Lucy murmured, relief and happiness on her face.
"Of course!" Natsu exclaimed, and Lucy turned to look at him in surprise. "I'm a dragon slayer; I can handle it out there!" He put on hand on her shoulder. "And I'll protect you while we're out there, okay Lucy?"
Lucy smiled, nodding. "Thank you, Natsu..everyone..." She took a step forward, and everyone followed behind.
"Wait, Lucy." Erza suddenly replied, making Lucy halt. "What will happen after you 'break your soul' like you say? You won't..die, will you?"
Everyone froze when they realized Erza was right, and turned to Lucy fearfully.
Lucy's face saddenned. "I don't know." She suddenly remembered something. "Oh, Natsu."
Natsu blinked in surprise. "What's up?"
Lucy gave him a sweet smile. "I was able to focus on something while I was summoning the dragons, even though I didn't have control of my body or actions."
"What do you mean?"
"I know you're wondering if Igneel is in there."
Natsu froze, widening his eyes slightly as he inhaled sharply. "Lucy, you-"
Lucy smiled reasurringly. "He's not here, Natsu. He's somewhere else, I promise." She turned to Wendy. "You don't have to worry either, Wendy. Grandeene isn't out there either."
Wendy's shoulders relaxed, and relieved tears appeared in her eyes. "Thank you, Lucy. I-I feel so much better.."
Lucy nodded, turning back to Natsu. "I tried looking for Igneel anyways." She frowned. "I'm sorry, Natsu. I wasn't able to find anything. I tried, I really did-"
Natsu rested a hand on her head, and she stopped in surprise. "It's alright, Lucy. Knowing Igneel isn't in this group of dragons really relieves me." He grinned at her. "And thanks for trying to look for him. You were thinking of me, weren't you?"
Lucy slowly smiled, nodding. "Yeah."
"Ready?" Erza asked, her armor klinking together as she unfolded her arms.
Lucy nodded. "Yeah."
"Grede Fumir is about half a mile from here." Gray replied. "Think we can make it?"
Natsu slammed his fist into his palm. "Course we can!"
Lucy nodded, happy her friends were with her. "Let's go."