Hello, minna~! ♥ Gah, it feels so good to be back! My hand feels so much better, and I was finally able to write after these past few days! c': It makes me really happy, hehe! Anyways, I finally have a break from Volleyball, yay! I do have it on Sunday though, just because we have a game on Monday~ ❤ But that's okay with me! eeee I'm just so happeh! >w< So, I want to dedicate this chapter to fairytailnalu1. c: Thanks for always being my best friend; and for being there when I need someone to talk to. Please fan him; he absolutely deserves it!! His fan fiction is really awesome~! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this update, and remember; feedback is very much apreciated! Until the next chapter, everyone!!
--я y - c н α η ; ❤
❝т н є и α ℓ υ ω я ι т є я❞
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Natsu hadn't left Lucy's bedside since they'd arrived back at Fairy Tail. He had been the one to carry her inside the guild, and the one to be by her when she had been going through healing treatments.
However, she was still unconscious.
When they had arrived at the guild tired and sweaty and with a critically-injured Lucy in Natsu's arms, the guild had been sent into a panic. They were just as anxious as Natsu and the others were to see what had happened, and who had done this to Lucy. When they had brought Lucy in, Wendy had told Natsu and the others that Lucy's magic was incredibly depleted, showing that she had used up all her magic power in defense against her attacker. Not only that, but Lucy's injuries were created by magic, so it had definately been another mage who had attacked Lucy.
Natsu clenched his fists. When he thought of someone harming Lucy a burning fury flamed inside him as bright as a star, and filled with enough energy to burn out the sun. The violent passion seemed to only grow stronger, and Natsu could barely contain his anger. Who would attack Lucy? Was it an old member of Sabertooth getting revenge since it had become a treasuring guild now? Or was it someone entirely different who they hadn't met yet? Who would attack Lucy, and why her in the first place?
Whoever it was, they were strong; the residing sense of magic on Lucy showed it, and that was stale in itself.
However, at the same time, Natsu didn't know how to feel about the situation.
He was furious at the attacker, frustrated with himself, and most of all her felt betrayed by Lucy. Why did she lie to him, when she'd promised nothing was going to happen? He had thought that...
Natsu shook his head, growling lowly in frustration. No, he'd think about that later. Right now, he just wanted Lucy to be okay. If she didn't wake, Natsu wouldn't know what he would do. As he sat there, Natsu wondered when Lucy was going to wake up, and didn't move from his spot as he watch the sleeping-Lucy, and her fearful expression that resided on her face.
"You better wake up, dammit..." Natsu mumbled, clenching and unclenching his fists.
Lucy didn't stir.
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Virel straightened his posture, smirking evily. "Your spirits pack quite the punch, I'll give you that. However..." Virel swung his head back. "They are no match for the new me!"
H-He's too strong! Lucy's eyes contracted in fear and exhaustion, leaving her breathless.
"I think it's time to end this, don't you think?" Virel replied, rotating his wrist mockingly.
As Virel rushed towards Lucy suddenly, Lucy couldn't manage a scream to rise in her throat. She couldn't manage to get up and run; she was too exhausted from the lack of magic and her injuries.
Instead, Lucy closed her eyes tightly and waited for the final blow.
.
.
.
Lucy stirred violently, jerking her eyes open as she heard the calming noises of her surroundings. When she focused in on the area, Lucy instantly recognized the room as to being the guild's infirmary, back in Magnolia.
She was alive.
Despite Lucy's protests, tears pooled in her eyes, relief filling her incredibly. So, Virel really had decided to leave her alone, after--
"..Luce?"
Lucy's body went rigid, and slowly, she turned her head to the left to spot Natsu sitting at the side of the bed in one of the chairs.
Okay, it was certain; Lucy couldn't help as the tears pooled over.
She really had been spared.
"Natsu...!" Lucy exclaimed, clutching her bed sheets with her hands tightly.
Before she knew it, Natsu stood up and jumped for her. Pulling her into a tight embrace, Natsu closed his eyes and tried to keep them from shaking. However, her couldn't help the pain and relief that shined in them as he rested his chin on the crown of Lucy's hair. Lucy, however, was burying her head into Natsu's vest, realizing that the saving she had wanted as Virel attacked was here now. As she took in the familiar smell of Natsu and his clothes, Lucy realized just how frightened she had been when she had been facing Virel.
She had felt hopeless, scared; most of all lonely.
"What the hell happened to you?!" Natsu exclaimed, pulling her back to arms lengths. "Idiot! Do you realize how scared I was?! Just finding you there on the side of the road all of a sudden was as scary as hell! For a split second I thought you were---" Natsu halted, choking on his words.
Lucy's emotions tumbled. "I'm sorry! I-I didn't..."
"Why did you lie?!" Natsu exclaimed, his pupils contracted.
Lucy stopped, frozen. A silence filled the room, and she looked at him with shock and confusion.
"W-What?" She asked, startled.
Natsu lightly shook her shoulders. "You said that you weren't going to do anything dangerous! Why did you lie about that?!"
"I-I didn't!" Lucy exclaimed. "Me being attacked was a surprise to me too!"
Natsu halted. "R-Really?"
Lucy nodded. "I wouldn't ever lie, Natsu! I thought you knew that!"
Natsu clenched his teeth, looking away.
Lucy watched him, wondering what Natsu was going to do, or what he was going to say.
Natsu expression was strained. "I do. I'm sorry, Luce. I guess I just..."
Before Natsu could continue, the door banged open to show Erza entering.
"What's all the ruckus, Natsu?" She asked. "Has Lucy--?!"
"Erza!" Lucy exclaimed, happily surprised to see her reaction.
"You're alright, Lucy!" Erza exclaimed, relief on her face.
Not looking at Natsu, Lucy stared at Erza intently. "Erza, get everyone in here. I have something important to tell all of you!"
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When Erza, Gray, Wendy, Natsu, and Happy and Carla were assembled, Lucy looked at them all from the bed, her hands shaking. Makarov wasn't there currently; he was at a council meeting. Lucy still couldn't believe what she had found out about Virel; they hadn't defeated him after all. And now, he was back, and much stronger than before.
"I left on my own because...lately, I've been having bad nightmares and weird visions of the past." Lucy started, her voice scratchy.
"Weird dreams?" Happy asked, and everyone stared at her.
Lucy nodded. "About the incident at the Ceremonial Temple."
"You mean when you almost..." Gray started, remembering the incident months ago.
Natsu flinched.
Lucy nodded stiffly. "Yeah. And not only had I been remembering those events, but I was seeing things, too..."
"What kind of things, Lucy?" Wendy asked, intruiged.
Lucy gulped, her pulse racing. "I kept seeing Virel."
The silence in the room instantly activated, and the atmosphere in the room seemed to grow shocked and thick with horror.
"Vi..rel?" Erza pronounced, still in shock.
"That's impossible! We defeated him back all those months ago!" Gray exclaimed under his breath.
Lucy's eyes shook. "That's what I thought. I thought it was just a figure of my imagination; that I was just a little freaked out about what had happened back then. So, I went back to the Ceremonial Temple, where I thought my silly nightmares and day dreams would be laid to rest. Instead..."
The injuries on Lucy's body seemed to re-intensify, and she flinched, putting a hand on her arm to try and comfort herself.
Lucy looked up at her friends. "..Virel really is back..." She whispered, shivering.
"What?!" Everyone exclaimed, shock and anger on their faces.
Lucy continued. "And get this; I was able to find out he's not working by himself just to get revenge. He's...working for Zeref."
"Zeref...?" Charle replied, her voice low and shocked.
"How is that possible...?" Erza asked, her eyes reflectionless.
"I don't know, but...he told me Zeref has given him new power, and that he has to annhilate every single one of us now. It was both of their orders, and...it just so happened..."
Natsu slammed the side of his fist into the wall, his face furious. "That bastard is the one who did this to you, isn't it?!" Natsu exclaimed, snarling. "That's son of a...! When I get my hands on him, I'll defeat Virel this time and that bastard will wish he'd never decided to come back!"
"Natsu..." Happy murmured.
Lucy watched him in fascination, but then shook her head vigorously. "No, Natsu! H-He really is much stronger than before; my spirits didn't even stand a chance!"
"It's serious, then." Erza replied matter-of-factly. "But...if he was trying to kill you, then...how did you survive?"
Lucy swallowed as everyone turned to her, curious as well.
As Lucy was about to tell the story, her expression grew haunted. "It wasn't me who escaped. Virel let me go, and.. I managed to crawl off."
Everyone watched her.
Lucy's expression was forced. "It..." She narrowed her eyes, which had begun to shake. "...was a miracle that I survived."
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.
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Lucy's survival will finally be told! How did she escape Virel's wrath, and what exactly happened during that time?
Find out what happens next in Chapter 11: Recap of Terror!