Of Angels and Monsters {GaLe}

Chapter 14

{Another for @jediknightchick!}Levy P.O.V

Erza and Natsu took Gajeels body to properly bury it, I couldn't bring myself to go with them. I held the silver thurbil close as I made my way through the stone cathedral to Brimstones shop. My eyes were sore and puffy from crying and I just wanted to be alone. I was nearly to the shop when Lily caught up to me. "What is it Lily?" I wiped a left over year from my eyes. "Thiago has escaped." I felt my blood run cold as I clutched the thurbil. "W-what do we do?!" I asked, terrified.

"For now you just worry about bringing Gajeel back. Lock the door and don't let anyone but Brimstone in. The Warlord has given permission to kill him and put him in a thurbil of necessary." I nodded and quickly ran to the shop, locking myself in. I sighed quietly as I set the thurbil on a clean table. "Just sleep tight Gajeel, I swear I'll bring you back." I whispered. I immediately began digging out teeth, bones and jewels. I picked out diamonds for strength, small bits of iron for his ridiculous piercings, I grabbed the fangs of a lion and arranged them just so on the necklace. Next I grabbed the bones from the wings of a hawk and began arranging them.

I set the necklace on the stone table set in the corner. I went ahead and hung his thurbil carefully above it before sitting on a stole beside it. I closed my eyes and focused. Focused on the pain in my heart, focused on his strong face, focused on his red eyes and black mane of hair. I was exhausted but opened my eyes and smiled softly.

There he was, in the flesh once more. He had the same long black hair, the same piercings in his face and I was sure I would find the same crimson eyes. I made him as close to the original as possible, tall and muscular. I didn't give him hamsas, I left his hands clean, giving him a fresh start. His legs morphed at the thighs to match that of a lions. Instead of golden fur I had used a dark lion, so it was a dark auburn red. He also had a dark tail that had a black tuft of hair at the end. His hand had no fur but they were claw like. Dark tawny wings, as large as his old ones, lay over hanging the table.

I tired to give him as little animal characteristics as possible, knowing he would be uncomfortable and disoriented. I lit the inscent and opened the thurbil. I sat again and patiently waited. I tensed as I heard something in the shop, I wasn't alone. I turned just in time to have the wolf knock me on to the floor, his hand clutched around my throat. I choked, clawing at his hand. He had a crazed look in his eyes, blood list swam in them.

"You and that bastard humiliated me. I'm going to make sure you stay dead, and then I'll send him after you." He growled, squeezing my throat. I choked, trying to kick out at him but he was on my legs. My vision spotted and I clawed at his face, earning a growl from him. I was running low on air and my strength was fading. I was sure this would be it when I saw his eyes go wide. His hand started to loosen from my neck and I gasped for air. Then I felt it, a wetness soaking me.

A clawed hand was sticking out of his chest and his eyes clouded over. The hand shoved him aside and I looked up to see Gajeel standing above me.

Gajeel P.O.V

The darkness was never ended and cold, very cold. I floated in the nothingness, feeling light as air. My one regret was not keeping my promise to Levy, we wouldn't be getting married. I wouldn't see her again. I already missed her smile, her voice and her laugh.

I suddenly started to her very heavy and I felt as though my chest was tight. It got tighter and tighter till I couldn't take it anymore. I took a deep breath of air I didn't realize I needed and filled my lungs. I'm alive?! But something felt off. My legs felt strange and there was something at my lower back.

All of that left my mind as I heard a thud and the sound of struggling. "You and that bastard humiliated me. I'm going to make sure you stay dead, and then I'll send him after you." A very familiar voice growled. My eyes snapped open and I found myself in a strange room. My eyes shot to the wolf and I was on my feet before I knew it. He was on top of Levy, choking the life right out of her. I didn't even think before I acted, I mearly lashed out, sending my hand through his chest.

Levy gasped for air as the wolfs corpse fell from her. I had torn clean through him and the blood had drenched her, it besides her bruised neck she was unharmed. She got shakily to her feet, and held out a hand to me. I gently took her hand in my non bloody one. She smiled, tears in her eyes. "Oh Gajeel, I'm so glad it worked." she sniffed a little. I raised an eyebrow. "What worked." she frowned a little and walked away. She came back with some clothes in her hand. "Just... Put these on. You'll figure it out." I frowned but took the clothes.

I gasped as I looked down and staggered back slightly. My legs were no longer human, but bent backwards like those of a feline. The fur was a dark burnt red and my feet were large paws. The fur stretched up to my mid thigh. I also notice I had a tail that twitched with my discomfort. I looked behind me and my flaming wings were replaced with dark golden brown wings. The last thing I noticed were my hands. They were human for the most part, but my fingers stretched into claws. And there were no more talli marks, they were clean.

I slowly got dressed before turning to Levy. She was looking down and slowly running her hands over her fluffy black tail. "I couldn't just let you die... And you two siblings wanted you back too..." she whispered. I carefully took my new clawed hand and tilted her chin up. "I thought I'd never see you again," I whispered back. She smiled a little and turned her face into my hand, kissing it. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. She clung to me and cried quietly.

Once she calmed down she went to grab the silver thurbil that hung above the stone table and went to the wolfs body. She opened it and sat quietly while she waited for his soul to go into the silver instrument. Once she was satisfied she took my hand. "Are you ready to go see everyone?" I nodded and smiled down at her. "With you by my side, I'm ready for anything."