sin & sorcery

2. save yourself, i'll hold them back

Three years ago, Edolas-Gray and Natsu took on a mission to liberate prisoners from the Acropolis, but not everything went according to plan.

TW for violence, death, and graphic description of injuries

__________

so just save yourself
and i'll hold them back tonight
- save yourself, i'll hold them back; my chemical romance

Three Years Ago
Edolas

Natsu felt Gray's foot nudge his own, and he looked up to see Gray giving him a firm look. Right. He had to stop fidgeting. He gave a half-nod, then leaned back in his seat, wrists aching from the heavy anti-magic cuffs linked around them. His face was still stinging from the blow that had taken him down, dried blood caking his chin, but it had to look authentic. The ship droned beneath them, and he could just barely see the edge of the island-city of Imperium out of the window.

"They're asking for landing codes, sir."

A voice came from the front of the ship and the large, heavily armored man who had been silently standing guard over them turned to reply. Natsu rubbed his ankle against Gray's again, a silent plea for reassurance. Gray flashed him a quick smile, then wiggled his hand. The light from the window caught the silver band on his finger, and Gray raised his eyebrows at Natsu as he looked at it.

When this is over, you're gonna marry me, okay? Gray had asked Natsu that morning, springing the question while they were still half-asleep and tangled in the sheets. We're gonna frak these guys up and be heroes, and then we're gonna go find a justice in some little town and promise to be together forever. Natsu tried not to grin at the memory, feeling the weight of a similar ring on his own finger.

"Get up." The large man – Lieutenant Colonel Joekel of the First Antimagic Battalion – returned to them and grabbed Natsu's arm, hoisting him none-too-gently to his feet. Natsu snarled at him and stumbled towards the doors of the craft.

The ship shuddered as it descended, then with a slight bump they were on the ground. The doors hissed open, letting in fresh air, and Natsu was shoved forward into the landing area.

Everything here was flash – carbon and steel and crisp datascreens. None of the junky old dregs they'd had to patch together for their system back at Fairy Tail. Natsu admired it as he and Gray were ushered roughly out of the landing bay and into a hallway. As the doors slid shut behind them, Natsu began to tense up. This was real now. There was no going back.

"Breathe." Gray's voice was in his ear for just a moment before Natsu stumbled forward, turning to glare at the Magehunter who had shoved him. He took Gray's advice and inhaled deeply, running his thumb over the ridge of the ring on his finger. The EMP device was still hidden – he could feel the near-microscopic chip under his thumbnail like an unwanted sliver. Hibiki had been right about it being small enough to pass undetected through the scanners. Natsu made a mental note not to doubt the techmage again.

"Take them to the holding cells," Joekel ordered. They had reached the end of a hallway that forked off in two directions, and directly in front of them was... Natsu swallowed, hearing the thrum of energy even from here. He could barely see through the door past Joekel's massive frame, but even if he couldn't catch glimpses of the enormous Purging Stone, he could feel it. It made his teeth ache. How many mages had that stone destroyed? How much magic had it taken?

"Focus." Gray again, this time managing to touch Natsu's elbow even with his bound hands. Natsu shivered, forcing himself to stand straight and not lean into the touch. The guards behind them nudged them with their weapons, and both Natsu and Gray made a show of being angry before turning left and continuing down the hall. After a moment, a door to their left slid open, and they entered a small, sterile space with another door on the other side.