Lost You

Chapter 9 | Biggest Mistake

Neinhart was proud of his achievement and was grinning like a fool about it.

In conclusion he looked like a huge idiot.

Haven't Monster told him specifically not to bring back legends?
If he did, it didn't seem that Neinhart listened to that important piece of information at all. He ignored it completely.

Now, Lucy was unsure whether she should fight against the dark wizard or just put her hands down and talk it out.

Nobody around—none of her friends, saw or noticed Zeref standing in front of her. Not even Natsu had sniffed his scent yet. They might all be too busy fighting against their opponents to notice the dark wizard in front of Lucy, which didn't make sense to her because he was giving off a powerful aura and presence.

Finally, Lucy decided to choose the latter; after all, Zeref musn't really like the idea of someone taking control over him.
She let her hands drop to her side and took a step forward.

"Lucy," Zeref uttered before the blond could say anything.

Lucy stared at him with her brown eyes, waiting for him to continue whatever he wants to say.

The black haired man nodded his head in Neinhart's direction where the purple headed man was still smiling hysterically.

"Take him down right this instant before he decides to make Acnologia appear." He takes a step aside. "I am certain that you can beat him." He looked at her with his black eyes and Lucy noticed how intently serious he was being. How he really did believe she could do it; as if he knew that she was doubting herself. "Remember that, if he throws you any old enemies your way, you already beated them once and you certainly can do it again."

Lucy walked closer towards Zeref and stopped when she was at a respectful distance from him. "Why are you helping me?" Lucy asked him.

"I hate the feeling of being controlled, and I also hate the fact he bothered me."

Lucy had been partially right.

She nodded, then turned her attention towards Neinhart who hadn't noticed anything amiss with his hold over Zeref.

She started to make her way towards him at the same time a bright golden light surrounded her, blinding her whole body.
Once it disappeared, her clothes and hairstyle had changed.

Her light golden blond hair was tied with a black ribbon into two braids which trailed down her back. She wore black combat boots that reached her thighs, a silver chain was attached to a black collar that was around her neck and made its way around and above her breasts. She also wore a light blue and a purple sleeveless qipao with a short skirt, and there were two black long sleeves on both of her arms secured with a black belt. Shades were on top her head ready to be weared, and two long scissor looking blades were in both of her hands. And finally, on the inside of her left wrist stood a mark of two golden celestial keys intersecting each other: Cancer and Capricorn.

Lucy, not bothering to call out to Neinhart, rushed towards him with amazing speed.

Neinhart only noticed her at the last minute. He wasn't able to react fast enough so the blade of the dagger cut his stomach.

Neinhart let out a choked yell, turning around to meet Lucy's brown eyes with wide eyes. His hands went to his stomach, blood already staining them. He then glanced over his shoulder and saw Zeref at a distance watching the both of them.

"Attack her!" he yelled at him, pointing one bloody finger at Lucy shakily.

Zeref glanced at Lucy then back at Neinhart, raising his chin slightly. "You seem to have forgotten who is the emperor."

The ex-Spriggan member looked at him in terror, but seemed to remember that he was the one who brought Zeref there so that meant he could send him back or put a more powerful hold on him.

Neinhart's hand that was still pointing at Lucy turned towards the dark wizard and the purple haired man balled it into a fist to erase Zeref from existance.

Nothing happened.

He tried again and again, helplessly, but just like before nothing happened.

Neinhart could feel the fear raging inside him and eating at his bones.

Why couldn't be bring Zeref back?

Lucy watched all this with mild interest, she herself was asking questions, but decided to conclude with the answer of how it's because he's the dark wizard and he lived many centuries; she needed to concentrate on Neinhart and not only that... she needed to defeat him before her time is up.

Lucy changed the grip on her blades, making it so the back of her hand faced in front.
She charged at Neinhart and the latter turned around when hearing her soft footsteps.

Jackal appeared in front of him, blocking Lucy from him, but the blond didn't falter and just stabbed Jackal in the stomach with her blade. She didn't even look when she did it, her eyes were solely focused on Neinhart.

Jackal disappeared.

Neinhart took a step back everytime Lucy was getting closer to him.

"How can that be?" he shouted to no one in particular. "How can you be so strong? You were weak! You are weak!" Neinhart was shaking furiously by the time he bumped right into Zeref. When he did he turned around and started to get away from him too.

His wound was absolutely forgotten.

"You two..." he whispered, his eyes going back and forth at Lucy then Zeref. He watched as Zered cocked his head to the side, his black hair falling in front of his right eye, and then watched as Lucy—now close to him—raised her blades in front of her and vanished.

His eyes widened, after he choked, blood spitting out from his mouth.

Blood.

He was bleeding. He was wounded. Injured.

He stared down his stomach and saw two long cuts crossed on his chest and the cut down below where she had cut him earlier.
He glanced over his shoulder at Lucy who was turning back in her orignial clothing afterwards fell to his knees.

He watched silently and motionlessly as Lucy Heartfilia and Zeref Dragneel walked towards them. Both of them stopped in front of him, side-by-side, looking down at him.

What he saw in their eyes was terrifying. "Monsters," he mumbled, barely a whisper, his jaw having a hard time to work.

Neinhart started to feel the tip of his fingertips getting cold.

"Now you will finally realize..." Lucy started.
"That you shouldn't mess with us," Zeref finished.

Suddenly, blackness fell upon him, coldness overcoming his whole body.

He felt nothing anymore.

The enemies that were still there were now disappearing one by one and the mages let out relieved sighs.

Lucy turned towards Zeref. "Will you be going?" she asked him.
Zeref must have noticed the silent plea in her voice because he shook his head. "I have a feeling you want to ask me something."
Lucy noddded, sighing. "Yes I do."
"I will stay as long as I can to respond to everything then."
Lucy gave him a small smile.

She looked around to see if her friends were fine and when she did, she turned back to Zeref.

"Let's take a seat and talk about it."