The Contract

Chapter 23

Levy huffs, laying on the ground, the magic circle still glowed, but now it was sucking in her energy.

"Tsk. This is taking longer than anticipating." Moving his arm, two black magic circles appeared. "Takeo, Arnold, stall them."

"Yes, sir." The magic circles, disperse.

"Y-You hit him..."

"Hmm?"

"You hit your own...Brother..." Levy's clenches her fist, her body shaking. She struggled to get up; it felt like gravity was pushing her down.

"To think after losing his eye, he would have learned...But in the end his idiocy helped me." He kneels in front of her, putting his hand on the magic circle.

She looks at him, remarking, "You-you, this is not the right way to protect him."

"Protect him?" He simply laughs. "After he lost his eye, and I gave him mine, I saw everything he was doing. Betraying me, lying to me."

"He...is still your brother."

A smile formed on his face, causing a chill go down her spine.

"I would think about your own life...Let me tell you something about your contract..If it is said backwards, you would be free.."

She just looks at him confused at the subject change, answering, "N-no. That is-"

"It's true. We have witnessed it. The ultimate sacrifice...His life for yours."

NO!

"No!" She grabs his wrist, only to scream in pain.

"Shut up!" The magic circle glows, "You have no say! This is all your fault! If you were never born, if your kind didn't exist-!"

A flash of purple blinded them, and the pressure on her disappeared. Opening her eyes, Larcade was standing beside her now; not Caden. He huffs, his body shaking.

"You think you are able to fight me? To win?" Caden's laugh echoed around them. Suddenly, a continuous explosion sounded behind them, causing the boulder to shake. Everyone, she thought, everyone is fighting.

"Levy, I want you to run. Go by the others."

"What? But-"

"Go."

She gets up, most of her clothing falling off her skin, charred. Her bra was charred, but still covered her while her skirt covered her front.

"My, my. Such a small cute body." Caden commented, making her self conscious.

That's when Larcade stands in front of her, remarking, "Have some respect. Oh wait, mom didn't teach you that."

Caden's expression went dark, before he attacks him. Larcade blocks it with a magic shield, his body getting pushed back a bit.

"You don't fucking think that I knew you would bring up her up?" Caden smirks, right as a magic circle appears behind them, black vines grab onto them both, wrapping around them.

"Raven Claw!" Larcade twists his body, aiming on the main vines, breaking it with his black glowing claws.

"Levy, hang on!" He spins, to hit Caden in the face, but Caden blocks, hitting him in the stomach which made Larcade crash into trees.

"STOP!"

Caden looks at her and tsks, before smiling. "Right on time...Gajeel."

Huh, she thought, turning her head to see Gajeel running toward them.

"LARCADE!"

About to speak, blood spurts from her mouth suddenly. She coughs, her eyes looking down to see a vine stabbed her through the chest.

"Gajeel, you do know about Levy's healing abilities right?" Moving his hand, the vine twists inside. Levy opens her mouth to say something, but words failed her. Her lung was pierced, causing it hard to breath.

"STOP!" Gajeel yells, seeing Levy's expression; it angered him.

"Stop? But it's too fun. Look at this cute face." Caden smiles while vine twists again, but slowly. Levy's expression showed pain, while her body jerked. Blood dripped from her body, pooling onto the ground.

"I will kill you..." Gajeel remarked, getting into stance.

"Gajeel wait." A voice said from behind him only to see Larcade? He looks between the two, confused at first. Caden laughs.

"Shut up. I am going to rip you to shreds, you bastard," said Gajeel.

Caden's expression turned dark, before remarking, "Do you think that is a wise choice?"

After he said that, the vine pulls out of Levy's chest, slowly. The hole in her chest was the size of two fingers, but the blood kept seeping out, non-stop. Caden moves by Levy, smiling cynically. That's when Gajeel saw it; a green slime on her skin.

What, Gajeel thought alarmed.

"I am guessing you just realized, I slipped some of that ointment in her chest. I think you remember it from when you first saw her. It's a miracle worker, I must say. Right, Levy?" Caden looks at her, and touches her cheek. "Ah, that's right, your lung was punctured, my poor girl."

Levy grimaced at his touch, watching him analyze her. Caden remarks, "I don't want you to die yet, you're just mere leverage for now..." Then he turns his head to Gajeel, whose body was rippling of metal and of anger.

"It's time to end this game...Gajeel, I want you unseal the contract. It's Pretty Simple, all you have to do is die."

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you think I would hand her over to you? I will kick your ass."

"...You don't even understand a thing do you? She and her extraterrestrial family caused this war. Caused all of these events...But we can get it all back. We can have our earth back."

"Caden, You can't-"

"SHUT UP LARCADE!"

Levy watches vines attack Larcade, slashing at him. Lacarde blocked most of the attacks, but Levy could see the cuts all over his body. She needed to divert Caden's attention, but most importantly wanted to know what he meant. She gasps, trying to speak.

"...fault?" She manages to ask, between the gasp for air. The hole in her chest, was the size of two fingers, and the blood kept oozing. How long would she last?

"That's right. Your fault. Since the beginning of time, your kind did whatever your owner told you...Even killed innocent people...But I found a way, to bring Earth back."

Once Gajeel heard that, his anger boiled even more. The ground around him shook, and his arms turning into metal. "BULLSHIT! DO YOU EVEN HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT SHE AND HER KIND HAVE BEEN THROUGH?! Hearing your excuse, pisses me off!"

Gajeel runs toward, Caden full speed, surprising him. Gajeel slams his fist against Caden's face, causing him to crash into the ground, a few feet away. Caden looks at him, sneering before a smile hits his lips.

"-Jeel."

Levy's eyes widen, seeing 2 vines tear through Gajeel's stomach. Blood spurted out, as the vines pulled away. In slow motion, she watches his body fall.

"GAJEEL!"