To Any Cost

Chapter 45: Erza vs. the Mistress

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And so it began. Again. Her heart rate sped up twice its normal rate as an almost certain death awaited her. Defeat was not something she could afford. With defeat came Fairy Tail's defeat... and her death... she'd come so close to dying before... what was so different about this time?

"Erza..." he spoke softly in her ear while clutching her shoulder, "It's time."

Him. That's what's different... Him.

"Right..." she smiled grimly, looking back at him, "FOR FAIRY TAIL!" and she lunged forward.

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"N-Natsu?" Lucy's eyes were wide with shock.

The demon slowly withdrew its fist, revealing a limp body crumpled against the ground. Delicately plucking the fallen dragon slayer up in its grasp, it brought him to its mouth... and swallowed.

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There was an odd ringing in her ears. Her vision tunneled to focus on one thing. Natsu... Natsu Dragneel... the one person... she truly loved... was now gone.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. Her heart head an odd, twisted, painful feeling... squirming in small, uncomfortable circles. Her breathing became ragged and irregular. Her knees that had once been able to carry her weight could no longer do even that, and gave out. Her sobs were mere whispers in the air as the demon loomed overhead, slowly reaching its hand down to her.

"Natsu..." she whispered, "Natsu... Natsu..."

Two, long, spindly fingers wrapped around her waist, hoisting her off the ground.

"Why... why did this happen?! Natsu... why..?" then something hit her just as she looked up to see the ugly face of the demon. Glaring, she reached back for the whip at her side. "YOU SON OF A-" with a flick of her wrist, the whip came lashing down on the demon's wrist and she dropped to the ground, "BRING HIM BACK!" she snapped it back again, watching dark, black blood ooze from its fresh wounds, "YOU BRING HIM BACK RIGHT NOW!!!" the whip cracked again and again, until the demon staggered back.

A pool of ink-like blood swirled around her feet, but that didn't matter. In annoyance and pain, the demon swept forward, knocking her whip out of her hands. Grunting in pain as its fingers wrapped around her once more, she forced herself to face it. 'Is this it?' she thought angrily, 'Am I really going to die like this?' Kicking her legs aimlessly, she struggled to free herself, 'I was so close... so close to finishing it... why... is this... the end...' her eyes narrowed in concentration. 'No... it's not over until I say it is...' She stopped moving and became as stiff as a board. "NATSU!" she belted, "I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" she could feel the demon's breath enveloping her, "I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HERE ME, BUT IF YOU DO, REMEMBER!" she squeezed her eyes shut, "YOU'RE A MEMBER OF FAIRY TAIL! AND WE WON'T GIVE UP! NOT ON OUR GUILD, AND NOT ON YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" and with those last words, the light of day was soon masked by darkness...