Hello, minna! ♥ Here is the next chapter, woohoo~! This one is really long, and took me awhile to write. c: I added more detail to this one, and it took me awhile to make sure the fighting scene was okay, so I guess that's what made it take so long. Oh well, I'm really content with this chapter.♥ I have Volleyball today, so I have to go to that from 2:00 to 4:00. owo I'll be back later, and maybe I'll be able to update again~
The multimedia is a song that goes with this chapter; I'm really obessed with it right now, and I kept repeating it over while writing this chapter! cx Please enjoy it!
I dedicate this chapter to NightfallVP. c: Thanks for all the complements, including the story adds and being a fan of mine~! It really means a lot to me; if you haven't fanned her, go for it! She's great! ♥ I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and remember; feedback is very much appreciated! c; Until the next chapter, ne?
--я y - c н α η ;;
❝ т н є и α ℓ υ ω я ι т є я ❞ ♦ღ♦ღ♦ღ
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Natsu turned his intense gaze on Lucy, and it seemed to slacken slightly from the fury Natsu was keeping back. "Lucy, get out of here."
Lucy was temporarily stunned, but then she snapped back to her senses and made a face of nervousness. "You can't, Natsu! Virel's not like he was months ago, he's--"
Natsu and Lucy both flinched when Virel spoke.
Virel smirked. "Ah, so Lucy understands my power now? I'm not surprised; after all, I beat it into her."
Natsu's eyes widened.
As fast as light, Natsu suddenly surged forward, slamming his right fist straight into Virel's face. Natsu's eyes were ferocious, and they were strained with a burning fury easily recognized in his eyes. Virel was sent flying back through the open space in the wall, and through other walls of the guild until he emerged outside. Skidding across the ground, Virel clenched his teeth as he kneeled on his feet, coming to a slow but controlled stop.
Natsu slammed his fist into his left palm, and twisted it threateningly as his expression was wild. "Strong my ass! Unless you want to get beat yourself, I suggest you shut the hell up!"
"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed, protesting.
Virel sneered, lifting himself up to his feet. "That was quite unexpected. However, you should have heeded your friends' warning."
A few people in the area scattered, leaving the guild to themselves. Mira, Elfman, Jet, Freed, and everyone else in the guild pulled themselves from the part of the building that was destroyed, sitting atop the rubble and watching Natsu with determination. Erza, Gray, Wendy, and Charle and Happy were behind Lucy, and they had all emerged from the ruined part of the infirmary.
"Lu-shee, come on!" Happy exclaimed, floating up to her shoulder.
"No!" Lucy exclaimed, stubborn. "I'm not going to run away..!"
Looking around, Lucy remembered her keys, which had been set on the bedside table in the infirmary. Jogging over there, Lucy picked up her keys and started to head on back out.
"I want to--" Lucy started, but she suddenly halted and her eyes jerked wide.
"Lucy?!" Wendy exclaimed.
Lucy's eyes started to relax, but it was because of the fact that the pain from her injuries had registered. Dropping to a crouch, Lucy clutched the side of her stomach, her body slightly shaking in agony. Lucy chsked in result, clutching one eye shut as the bandages on her face, head, arms, torso, and legs seemed to become less helpful.
"Lucy!" Happy exclaimed.
"Let me in on this, Flame Brain!" Gray exclaimed, taking a few steps forward as he yelled across the premisis.
Natsu didn't pay much attention to him. "Stay outta my way."
Gray flinched in surprise. Before he could yell back a retort, Erza planted a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
Erza shook her head. "This is Natsu's fight right now. We'll join in when we need to."
Virel smirked, overhearing their conversation. "I think you'll need more than just one person to finish me. I actually welcome you to the fight, Titania. And you too, Ice-Maker."
"Why you..." Gray mumbled, and Erza removed her hand from his shoulder.
Stepping forward, Natsu, Erza, and Gray were now standing side by side, all looking angered. They were the line that seperated Virel from Lucy; and they were determined to keep it that way.
"You'll have to go through us, then." Erza replied lowly, and Natsu and Gray agreed with their expressions hardening.
"Lucy, are you okay?" Happy asked, standing beside Wendy who had dropped to lightly touch Lucy's shoulder cautiously.
Charle looked at Happy annoyedly. "Obviously not, Happy. We gotta get her somewhere safe."
"I...won't leave..." Lucy murmured, her eyes clenched shut.
"It's no use..." Wendy replied, slightly frustrated but more worried for Lucy's personal health. "...she won't budge!"
Deciding to ease some of Lucy's pain, Wendy started to take Lucy's hands away from her stomach injury. Setting her own hand above it, Wendy's hand lit up and started shining blue, starting to take affect. Lucy's expression relaxed slightly as the seconds ticked by, but Wendy's magic only eased the pain.
Virel smirked at the sight, and then turned back to his three opponents. "Well, if we want it to be just us, how about I get rid of the audience?"
"What're you...?!" Natsu growled, but hesitated as Virel suddenly chopped his hand horizontally through the air.
It was like a giant sword of air chopped across the ground; a wall of debris exploded from the ground, seperating the rest of the guild from Natsu and the others.
"Everyone!" Lucy exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Natsu and the others watched in shock as the debris cleared, showing no signs of their guild members.
"W-What..?" Wendy murmured. "Where did everyone go?!"
Natsu's expression of shock registered in his mind, and he turned is angry glare back on Virel. "You bastard, what did you do to the others?!"
Virel smirked, not answering.
"Answer me!" Natsu commanded angrily, charging forward.
"Natsu, you idiot!" Gray exclaimed.
"Wait a moment, Natsu...!" Erza cautioned.
Ignoring them, Natsu's hand sparked to life with bright red flames, and with a look that could kill, Natsu yelled a battle cry and brought his fist forward, swinging it at incredible speed.
However, Virel dodged just as quickly, slipping under Natsu's arm and grabbing onto it by the wrist. Natsu made a noise of surprise as Virel jerked him forward, slamming his knee into Natsu's stomach with a heavy impact. Natsu doubled over, spit flying from his mouth as his face strained incredibly from the fact of the air being knocked from his lungs. Right after, Virel brought Natsu over his shoulder, making him slam into the ground and create a crater in the dirt. Small peices of debris flew from the ground and past Natsu, who's expression was slightly shocked.
"Ice-Make: Lance!"
Virel let go of Natsu's arm and spun to face Gray, who had lances headed straight for Virel. Using the speed Lucy knew he had aquired from Zeref, Virel ran towards Gray, dodging every single one of them until he advanced right over Gray.
"What the--?!" Gray exclaimed, dumbfounded.
Virel smirked, his grin blood-curling. "Too slow."
Virel spinned in mid-air, bringing his leg in the motion of targeting Gray's face. However, Gray had just enough reaction time, and he dropped to the ground, landing on his hands as Virel's leg flew over his head. Using his arms, Gray shoved off the ground with his legs stretched above him, and grabbed onto Virel with his calves and shoved him away.
Erza took action then, sprinting for Virel and changing into her Black Wing Armor. She flew forward with great velocity, flying over Gray and bringing her sword down over her head. As Gray scootched out of the way, Erza's sword headed straight for Virel, but he didn't look very surprised. Instead, Virel didn't move, but just took a quick step out of the way at the last second. As he did so, Virel slammed his palm into the side of Erza's sword, as if in slow motion. It disappeared in an instant, and Erza made a face of surprise.
"What?!" She exclaimed lowly, dropping to the ground in her her black underclothes.
In a split second, Erza had barely enough time to jump out of the way as Virel lunged for her, and she skidded across the ground as she landed a few feet away.
"He's fast...!" Erza commented as Gray and Natsu stood.
Changing into her Flight Armor, Erza decided to wait for an opening, remembering the technique Virel had used those months ago.
Of course, he could be using a different strategy now, since he's been given power by Zeref... Erza contempilated, clenching her teeth slightly.
Virel smirked, straightening his posture as he stared down his three opponents. "What a shame. I thought this was going to be more of a challenge!"
Natsu's eyes shook.
Virel raised his hand into the air. "Oh well. Looks like I should get this done and take what I need."
As Virel had his hand stretched into the air, a ball of black magic appeared above it, fluttering and churning strangely.
Virel's eyes flashed. "Cimmerian Faceet: Shards en' Explosions."
Everyone exclaimed loudly as Virel brought his hand down and shards erupted from the light in his palm, slamming into objects and exploding. Unable to dodge, Gray ducked for cover and was unable to help it as a few skimmed across his skin, cutting it and opening a wound. Strangely, Virel didn't aim for Lucy and Wendy, and they were left watching in horror at their friends.
"Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed desperately. "Erza, Gray!"
Still wobbily, Lucy scootched up to her knees and then made it to her feet. Wendy stood next to her, and they looked at the dust-opaque area in front of them.
When it cleared, the explosions had caused a mound of rocks and dirt to fall onto Gray's legs, so he was stuck underneath them. Lucy and Wendy ran over to him, shocked.
"D-Dammit!" Gray exclaimed, struggling to break free. "This is cheap!"
Erza was uncovered, but she was down, because parts of one of the shards had lodged itself into her thigh. It wasn't deep, but enough to keep Erza from moving at the moment. Because of it, she was leaning on her right side, her left hand hovering over it shakily.
Lucy looked around, and spotted Natsu pinned against the wall of the guild. The shards had lodged into his clothing, keeping him sitting on the ground and his arms raised onto the wall. He was struggling angrily, clenching his teeth as he tried to pull free by kicking with his feet against the ground.
"N-Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed, turning to look at Virel fearfully.
Virel smirked, staring at the sight. "I wished this would have happened sooner."
"Shit..." Natsu muttered, pulling at the shards. "Why don't you fight instead of being a coward??"
Virel didn't take the bait. "Oh?"
Natsu expression was fierce. "Instead of pinning me up here, let's go, head on!"
Virel was silent for a moment, but his smirk didn't leave his face. Finally, when he did speak, it sounded bored and satisfied.
"Actually, I think I'll go ahead and kill you all." Virel's eyes flashed. "And I'll start with you, Natsu Dragneel."
Natsu flinched, but the intensity didn't leave his gaze.
As Virel lifted his hand again, Lucy felt a familiar chill run down her spine, and she began to panic. This was the same attack that had given her that stomach injury; she had been impaled. And now that the attack was going to be directed to Natsu, Lucy was sure it was going to be much more fierce.
Lucy started jogging towards him despite her injuries, but Wendy was unable to continue as she started pulling off the debris on Gray and resulted in getting stuck herself.
Lucy kept jogging slowly. "Natsu, be careful!"
"Lucy..?!" Natsu exclaimed, looking in her direction and then back at Virel.
"You have to be--" Lucy started, but was interrupted by Virel.
"Cimmerian Faceet: Slashing of the Faceet!"
Lucy wasn't going to make it in time. She still couldn't summon her spirits because of Virel depleting her magic, and she felt panic rise in her throat.
At the same instant, Virel shoved his hand forward, and one large slash came soaring through the air, like the swipe of a sword. Natsu's expression went strained as it sailed towards him, and Lucy knew that that attack would surely cause Natsu's life to be in jeopardy.
So, she did the first thing that popped into her head.
She shielded Natsu to the best of her abilities, skidding to a stop and kneeling to the ground where she then wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her head into the crook of his shoulder.
"L-Lucy?! What're--" Natsu started, but then realized what she had in mind just a little too late.
Lucy felt the pain swipe at her a second later, and felt a burning sensation down from her right shoulder to the left side of her hip. Because of the impact, Lucy looked up slightly, her eyes going reflectionless and her mouth slightly parting as the pain intensified, leaving Lucy breathless.
Natsu's eyes widened in horror, his eyes becoming small dots in surprise. Everyone watched in shock as Lucy slowly fell back forward, letting her forehead land on Natsu's shoulder.
"Lucy..." Natsu started, his voice barely a murmur.
Beads of sweat fell down Lucy's forehead, and her eyes shook with an intense pain she had never felt before.
As Natsu smelled the blood, his eyes started to shake, and defiance spread across his face as reality set in.
"Lucy!!!"
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Virel dropped his hand, his eyes slightly narrowed in suspicion and puzzlement.
"Lucy! Lucy!" Natsu continued to exclaim, staring at her hair fearfully.
Virel was slightly puzzled. Why would Lucy Heartfilia do something as foolish as that?
Lucy stirred slightly, and Natsu's breath caught.
Lucy swallowed, more sweat appearing on her brow. "I'm alright....Natsu..."
"What the hell did you do that for?!" Natsu exclaimed; no one had ever done that for him before. "Stupid!" His voice shattered.
Lucy, without looking at Natsu, clutched onto his scarf, shocking him. "You'd...do the same....right?" She was panting now, the pain about to knock her out.
"Yeah, but...!" Natsu was at a loss for words. "I could've handled it! You didn't have to do something so stupid!!"
Lucy smiled slightly, though her forehead was still pressed against his shoulder. "It...doesn't matter, anymore. It's already done."
"Lucy...!" Natsu scolded.
"Well, this has caused me quite a bit of trouble, I think."
Natsu's expression turned insane with fury, and he looked up at Virel angrily. He was standing about fifty feet away, his hands by his sides.
"You bastard!" Natsu yelled, shaking.
Virel ignored him. "I've been here long enough. It's about time I take what I need."
Lifting his hand slightly, a small whip-like object appeared out of Virel's sleeve, and it sailed towards Natsu and Lucy. Natsu exclaimed in surprise as the rope-like object wrapped around Lucy's torso despite her injury. Suddenly, it stiffened, starting to spring back to Virel.
"No!" Natsu exclaimed, completely forgetting about the shards and trying to reach for Lucy.
However, in result, scratches tore into his skin and cause Natsu's arm to erupt with pain. Natsu's fingertips brushed Lucy's, but he was unable to grab her before she was sent flying to Virel, landing in the evil mage's arms.
"Get your filthy hands 'offa her! Give Lucy back to me!!" Natsu snarled, trying desperately to break free. "Give. Her. Back!"
Virel smirked, and instead, turned around. "This wasn't a proper battle. I expect to see a real one soon."
"Don't you dare walk away with her!" Natsu exclaimed, the shards starting to break. "I'll burn your body to ashes, you bastard!"
Virel turned slightly, staring at them all. Erza and Gray watched along with Wendy, and Natsu glared at Virel, his eyes shaking with a desperate look in them.
Virel glared at them all. "If it's this easy to rid of Fairy Tail, then I expect my project to be easy, especially that I now have Lucy Heartfilia."
Turning around, Virel took a single step forward, and evaporated, taking Lucy with him.
.
.
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Virel surprisingly overpowered Fairy Tail! What will Natsu and the others do, now that Lucy was taken and even worse: critically injured?
What does Vallen mean by his "project", and what does it have to do with Lucy? Does it possibly reflect something that had happened those months ago, at the Ceremonial Temple?
Find out what happens next in Chapter 13: Imprisioned!