Fairy Tail: Black Blood [Book 2/2]

Chapter Fifty-Three: Samadhi

[A/N]: *Last Chapter of FT: Black Blood; Epilogue Next*

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     Natsu

     It was bright outside with the sun's gorgeous rays sinking through my closed eyelids, making everything appear reddish and jolting me to my senses. As I slowly came to, I felt a soft breeze brushing through my hair like how Lucy's fingers would, giving off a calming sense of safety and the entire area smelt of new dew and the new wind of autumn. I felt something rough beneath me that tickled my senses. This is a nice bed, I'd like to lay in it longer, but I am already awake. Might as well get up.

     I yawned and stretched out my back and arms before opening my eyes. It took me a moment to adjust to the light, but when I did I was surprised at what I saw: I was in a completely different space than I was before: the skies were a gorgeous baby blue with soft white clouds here and there, the breeze was warm and welcoming, and the plains in which I laid in were as golden as Lucy's hair. I blinked for a moment and rubbed my eyes.

    "What the? Where am I?" I said and scratched my head- then stopped as I realized I did it with the arm I was supposed to have lost. I blinked and looked down at my arms. There wasn't a scar in sight, in fact, as I scanned my body, I saw that all scars I possessed were gone. As if they were never there. I forced myself to my feet and turned in a wide circle around me, I was surrounded by a sea of golden grass on all sides except for what laid behind me, and back there everything was dark. A hole was opened in the air like a portal and in it I saw my own body lying there bleeding out on ashy grounds with rain pouring over me. I wondered for a moment how I saw it there when my own chest was rising and falling with shallow breaths. What is this? Some kind of out-of-body experience?

    "Natsu."

     I turned around and saw my other two souls standing there, looking back at me with a huge portal of warm light behind them, opening to me, beckoning me, calling me. It looked so appealing and lovely that I wanted to go over to it- no, not yet, I still had questions.

    "Hey," Crocus said and mini-me waved enthusiastically.

    "Hey... What's going on here?" I asked.

     Crocus and mini-me exchanged looks that didn't sit well in my stomach. Mini-me laid a hand on Crocus's arm then walked over to me with his dead-fish eyes actually expressing emotion: remorse. "Natsu, we're in Samadhi."

    "Samadhi? What's that?" I asked and little-me fidgeted with his hands.

    "You're in the state of mind between life and death," he said. "This is the place where souls reflect on their actions before moving on to the afterlife. Usually, when you see that light over there," He pointed to the light behind himself and Crocus, "it means you were happy with your life and are ready to move on."

     I froze and looked up from the kid and to the light, then back to where my body lay in the rain. I felt my breath get caught in my throat and I crumpled down to my knees. "So I'm... dead?" I murmured then shook my head. "No, no! That's impossible! See?" I desperately pointed at the vision behind me. "My body's still over there and it's breathing! I can't be dead, not yet, I-"

    "Natsu," the younger version of me interrupted sternly. "I know it's hard to believe, trust me, I know, but you must understand that this happens to all of us at some point. You've fulfilled your purpose, now let's all go. I want the three of us to go in together, and we are still waiting on you."

     Mini-me trotted back over to Crocus and stood dutifully by his leg, and they looked at me with the same look of patience. They were clearly waiting for me, but I couldn't move a muscle. I was still in shock. I- I couldn't die! Not yet! What about my kids? Lucy? Fairy Tail? I didn't want to leave them, not yet! Not ever! I didn't bother trying to retain my tears, I let them flow freely as I cried for my life. I still have so many adventures to go on! I can't-