The Bond 3

Chapter 11

      Running to the village nobody said a word. Gray and Erza were afraid of saying anything in the fear it would discourage Lucy and cause her to turn back when she had worked up enough courage to even step out the door. Happy decided he was going to support her no matter what. Even if she did suddenly change her mind, he would be there. "I've got a really bad feeling about this. I hope I am, but my gut is telling me that I'm not wrong about whose at the end of this" thought Gray " I don't know if Lucy will be able to handle this , she looks so brave and determined right now" thought Erza concerned. 

 They ran until they were at the entrance of the village. They slowed to a walk and had made it a few feet when they saw somebody running toward them. Lucy stepped in front to catch them as they fell forward. "You...gotta hhhe..llp u.ppplease"he said incoherently. She was about to ask what happened when she stopped herself having gotten her answer. Right in the middle of his back were long jagged claw marks. The man took a final look at her then died. 

Slowly she lowered herself to the ground to lay him down. Nobody said anything for a moment. Seeing the claw marks gave Erza and Gray a definitive answer but they weren't confirming anything just yet. "Let's go" said Lucy uneasy. "Lucy.." "Don't Gray, let's just find out who did this" she sniped with slight aggression as she and Happy went ahead before anyone could stop her.

They started to hear screaming as they kept going which kept getting louder as they rushed towards the center of the village. Everyone halted to a stop as they saw what was making everyone scream. The demon in the center was slaughtering people left and right. Lucy's eyes focused right on it as it turned around towards them. Her hands started shaking immensely as she brought them to her face with tears stinging her eyes. 

Natsu was covered head to foot in blood and his claws were dripping with it endlessly. They could see bits of blood around the corners of his mouth as his fangs gleamed with red. Lucy's legs gave out from under her causing her to fall. 

 "You bastard!" Erza yelled angrily as she charged for him. Drawing her sword, she jumped and was about to swing at him when he caught the sword in his claws. Surprised but she didn't let that show. "Nice try" said Natsu cocky. Erza grunted in anger as she tried to get him to let go of her sword, but he held right on it. 

"Why did you kill all these people" she said outraged. "Lilyana said I could so I told her I would do it." Swinging her sword, he let go as she held it out defensively. "Lilyanna , is she the one who turned you into this thing!" she yelled taking another swing at him. He easily dodged it and said "yes". Turning herself to face him " Slaughtering all these people...that's something you would never do!!" He dodged and took to the air gathering air, he let out a huge flame heading right for Erza. 

"Black fire!" she thought as Gray came running and grabbed her getting her out of the line of fire. "The hell" thought Gray bewildered as he watched Natsu change direction and land in front of Lucy. She couldn't even bring herself to stand as she attempted to inch her self back on her hands. He inched himself closer than said "how many times do I have to tell you people, your Natsu is dead". Lucy completely paralyzed by fear looked at him as he got ready to throw another flame attack. 

 Gray got up to run to her as she closed her eyes but just as he threw it, Happy jumped in front of her. As if time had suddenly slowed down, Lucy watched as Happy was falling to the ground.

"HAPPY!!! She screamed as she ran over to him and picked him up. She turned him so he was laying face up in her arms. "Happy!, wake up ,please wake up, I am so sorry!" "Hey," he said weakly with one eye open. "I'll be okay" then he went to sleep as she buried her face into his fur crying. "Didn't expect the fur ball to jump in front of her" "Your telling me, you felt nothing! Attacking him, your best friend." Erza said angrily. 

" No , I didn't feel anything" he said coldly. There was no humor or joke in his voice , it was empty and emotionless. He opened his wings and took off leaving the others just standing there. Erza and Gray with depressing looks turned towards Lucy who was still crying deeply into Happy's fur.