Fairy Tail: I will protect you ❂ Nalu

[13] Fate

"I'm a..?" Lucy's gaze met Dartins.

"Don't repeat it, it's not like you will get to live long." Dartin interrupted. "Also, don't tell Austin, he doesn't need to know."

Lucy was silent. Her mind was racing with questions and concerns. Before she could ask anything else there was a loud explosion from what seemed to be the entrance. Dartin quickly ran out of the room forgetting to lock the door.

Dartin quickly ran up the stairs and to the entrance of the cave. Before he could react all he could see was red, it burned, it was fire. When the flames cleared a pink haired Mage was seen giving a dead expression to the evil Mage. Dartin smirked. "Just you?"

Natsu gritted his teeth. "Where is she?"

"You'll have to get through me before you can get to her." Dartin replied getting ready to fight. Natsu sprinted straight for Dartin with both of his fists. They collided sending the evil Mage into the wall. Rocks fell on top of him one by one. Suddenly dark mist surrounded the rocks and blew up into a million pieces. Natsu quickly fell back trying to get a sense of his next attack. "Foolish boy..." Dartin whispered holding his hand out. Suddenly a layer of black mist passed Natsu and formed a wall behind him sealing both off from the outside. It had gotten darker without the moonlight.

"What the?!" Natsu exclaimed trying to figure out what the fog was.

"It's poison, if you try and escape it will kill you." Dartin replied smiling.

Natsu was enraged. He slowly put his two hands together. Dartin couldn't sense his next attack pattern.

"Crimson lotus, exploding flame blade!" Natsu yelled spiraling his hands and running for Dartin. The evil Mage fearfully felt the fires heat and tried to think of a powerful spell to counterattack. Before he knew it the fire was inches away. He closed his eyes ready to take the hit when suddenly, all the fire went out.

Natsu was sent flying backwards. He quickly tried to get balance but his foot touched the black fog releasing a tremendous amount of pain. When he looked up he saw a second Mage standing by Dartin.

It was Austin.

"Austin!" Natsu yelled panting heavily. The pain in his leg started to be unbearable.

"Powerful spell but, it's not that powerful." Austin remarked stepping in front of his dad.

"Bastard! Where is Lucy?!" Natsu demanded trying to stand.

"That's none of your business." Austin replied holding out his hand. "Let me show you a powerful attack."

Dark red mist appeared from his hands and slowly started for Natsu. When it reached him he instantly fell to the ground choking. "W-What is this?"

"It's one of my less powerful spells, it destroys the ethernano in the air and renders the enemy powerless until they die." Austin frowned.

Natsu choked and held his throat in pain. His vision was blurry and getting lighter and lighter. When he saw a bright light, he heard someone call.

"Stop!" The voice rang. This voice sounded familiar. "Stop please! Don't kill him!" He knew this voice... He took the last of his strength and managed to look in the voices direction.

It was Lucy.

But this Lucy was bruised and beaten. Her hair was down and strands covered her face. A huge bruise appeared at her stomach and cuts on her arms and legs. She was panting, and tears filled her eyes.

Dartin and Austin looked back to see the Mage.

"Open gate of the first planet, Mercury!" Lucy yelled sending the key in the air. The spirit appeared furious.

"I'll take care of this." Mercury assured looking at the two men. "Purify!" She shouted and the bright light surrounded all of them. When it cleared the red mist choking Natsu was gone along with the black mist that kept them trapped. The moonlight was bright and beautiful.

"How did she get one of her keys?!" Dartin exclaimed serious.

"I thought I took them all?!" Austin replied looking shocked.

Lucy smirked in a way that read, suck on that.

Natsu got up and turned around. "Fire dragon roar!" Fire bursted from his mouth and out of the cave creating a huge light.

"Damn! People could have seen that from miles!" Austin exclaimed running for Natsu trying to stop him. His fist turned a dark read and directed towards the fire Mage. Natsu easily dodged it and hit him back a couple of feet.

Dartin turned to Lucy with a enraged face; Lucy froze in fear. He quickly grabbed her and dragged her farther into the cave. She was screaming, trying to get Natsu attention. He quickly realized this and tried to run past Austin but He was flown back farther.

"You can go face my father after you face me." Austin exclaimed trying to block Natsu's punch.

Austin suddenly felt a pain in his arm. It was a slash from a sword. A split second later Erza appeared behind him kneeling her sword. Well Austin was distracted a huge gust of wind was blown towards him knocking him off his feet. A second later Boulders of ice fell on top of him. Natsu made a smile of relief.

"Wendy and Natsu go find Lucy!" Erza commanded with the two mages agreeing. They quickly descended into the cave following the remains of Lucy's scent.
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Lucy had forgotten how long she had been dragged. Dartin's grip hadn't loosened and seemed to only get worse. She tried to remember her surrounding but it seemed he was going faster then light.

When he suddenly stopped Lucy struggled to get free. A bruise started to form where he had grabbed her.

"Let go of me!" Lucy screamed trying to run. Dartin grabbed her by the hair and back into his view.

"Shut up before I kill all of your friends." Dartin warned standing in front of the staircase. The black mist melted into a staircase that went farther down into the mountain.

When Dartin turned to her she gave him a death stare. He frowned and started walking towards her with a evil stare. Without warning Dartin was kicked in his private part... by the blonde Mage. He fell to the ground in pain and his pride hurt more then the physical pain. She turned around and ran as fast as she could up the stairs.

The portal was about to close, it slowly started to disappear.

"Natsu?!" Lucy called trying to relieve the stressful moment.

She saw something, she saw a hand. Reaching out to her from the other side. Lucy looked back to see Dartin slowly trying to walk up the stairs. She grabbed the hand, and it swiftly lifted her out of the portal; leaving Dartin behind.
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Who's mysterious hand reached out to save Lucy?
Will Dartin be ok after that... Incident... LOL

Find out next chapter in [14] reunited