Shadows Return: Sequel to The Unbroken Spirit

We're With You

Keira woke up to the sun shining on her face. Keira got up and pulled away the hide covering the opening of her hut, she blinked as the sunlight hit her in the face. She saw Natsu's parents, Lily and Martin, eating breakfast with some of the villagers. Lily glanced over and saw Keira. She got up and walked towards her, her amber eyes soft and inviting.

"Hello," Lily said smiling warmly at Keira who was burning up with guilt. She had watched the life leave this woman's eyes right in front of her and now she was making small talk with her. Keira nodded to Lily not meeting her gaze. Lil stood next to Keira watching the daily life of the village unfold.

"I want you to know my husband and I don't hold a grudge against you. For what you did, the past is the past and without you we wouldn't be here." Lily said softly, Keira scoffed,

"Without me you would be living in your home with Natsu and none of this would have ever happened."

"That may be but think about all that you've learned, the people you've met, and the place's you've gone. It sounds like one big adventure to me." Lily chuckled, Keira rolled her eyes,

"More like a huge nightmare" she said in a condescending tone.

"Yet sitting here and doing nothing won't fix anything." Lily added tentatively, Keira whipped her head around and fixed the older woman in an alarmed stare.

"You've been talking to Natsu I presume?" Her tone was harsh, Keira stiffened and stood taller, "I'm not going back." Keira roughly brushed past her and stormed off towards the valley. She heard quick footsteps behind her, she turned around to see Natsu punch her square in the shoulder.

Keira was flung back and landed hard on her stomach. She pushed herself up and saw Natsu standing protectively between her and Lily.

"Don't you ever! Touch my mother again!" He yelled at her, Keira stood up and looked over to see bright red blood dripping down her arm. The blade that was stuck in her shoulder had popped out a little bit. She pulled it out and watched as Natsu's expression changed from rage to horror.

Keira threw the blade but Natsu ducked, the blade continued in its path and lodged itself into the wood right next to Lily's head. Natsu looked back then at Keira, his mouth hanging open. Keira turned and walked away.

"So you're just going to leave us?! We're a team!" Natsu screamed at her,

"We were" Keira responded coldly.

"We still are! Why are you cowering in the shadows instead of doing your job?" Keira whipped around and bared her teeth,

"Job?! Who are you telling me what my job is?" There was a long pause between the two until Natsu spoke, softly this time,

"because you're a Guardian. You're supposed to protect the country, or have you given up on that dream?" Keira closed her mouth and thought for a long moment.

"No, I haven't given up on that but-" Natsu cut her off,

"You don't have to do it alone, we're always with you, Fairy Tail is with you." The two stared at each other for a long time in silence. Finally Keira spoke,

"If the capitol has the power to kill Guardians, what's stopping them from killing me too?" Natsu chuckled, his eyes bright,

"They can try to kill us, but we've been trained be the best assassin in the whole of Fiore. We're not going down that easy." He smiled at Keira who smiled back, she saw Erza, Kagura, Martin, and Lily nodding in agreement. The next morning Keira walked into Natsu, Erza, Kagura, and Natsu's parent's tent. Dumping a bucket of water on them,

"Rise and shine, there's work to be done!" All morning and afternoon the wizards sparred and trained, getting back into fighting shape. Everyday the villagers watched the outsiders with peaked interest. A few months later the big day came.

"So, we need to first find your sword then go and save the others." Kagura summed up the plan in less than a minute. The rest of the team nodded in agreement.

"Alright, lets go!" Erza said, her armor glinted in the late moonlight. They were to arrive at the Capitol at dawn. Keira flew them almost all the way there but they couldn't be spotted so the last bit had to be on foot. When they entered through the gates they wandered around for a bit trying to figure out where Keira's rapier was.

They came upon a large cemetery as they were walking through it Erza called Keira over. Keira walked over to Erza and looked down at the graves she stood in front of. The plaques read, Alex, Charles, Jessica, and Gale. Keira's breath caught in her throat, her knee's felt weak.

Covering her mouth she whimpered,

"I never though I would outlive them." Keira bent over in a silent sob. Her students, the children she trained herself had been murdered by the army. Keira stood up straight, her sapphire eyes ablaze. "I'm going to kill them" she growled evilly.