Chapter 35; Starlight

Song; Sky full of stars

Lucy and E.N.D stopped on the battlefield as the keys surrounding Lucy's waist broke off the belt, and gliding up into the air, floating above her head. She scowled up at them, angry that they had left her, while E.N.D hissed at the amount of light magic that flowed in the ash filled sky. What was happening?

The keys began to spark one by one.

Then they began to rotate around one another-faster and faster they went  until they could no longer be seen by the human eye. Lucy took a step back when they began to spiral down close to her, over her head, and rushing around her body, trapping her while E.N.D stared on with growing unease.

Lucy got her whip out, screaming at them to release her as she whipped at them, the keys going too fast for her to hit them correctly. Suddenly they stopped-golden light overcame Lucy and she was taken from sight, the demon forced to cover his eyes with his wing, the other slumped beside him.

The pulsing light kept Lucy from sight for several moments...then released her at last, the keys still dancing around her in a perfect circle. Her eyes were aglow, a light brown with no pupils, hair flowing around her head like a halo. She stared down at E.N.D with a blank face. Lucy raised her hand and six of the keys shot forward to wrap around the demon's body; trapping him.

"You have failed, E.N.D." Lucy's voice echoed with what sounded like hundreds of different voices. "And that is your greatest sin."

E.N.D let out a hiss, a smirk curling his lips up crookedly-fire sprang up around them both, and Lucy gasped from the sudden heat that was the demon's last resort. Burn her alive. Turn her and everything into ash. Even the magic and keys she wielded.

"Scared?" E.N.D hissed through the wall of fire.

"Yes, I am." Lucy replied with a smooth, hard voice. "I am terrified." The Demon Lord grinned. "However, the fear that I feel is not for I. I am not afraid of losing my life to you, Demon of Zeref, who has cruelly taken the boy who should be here instead of you." Lucy pointed her finger at E.N.D with a sneer. "I am not afraid of dying here. I am afraid for these pure souls before you. Who have done nothing to you. All they wish is for you to return the life that you have locked away." Lucy's golden light flared with her words. "I am afraid-terrified-for Natsu, the Fire Dragon Slayer, son of the great Fire Dragon, Igneel. The soul that you now hide from us. Do what you must to me. You can break my bones with your talons. You can crush me with your tail. You can rip me to shreds with your fangs. You can grab me and take me up into the sky that is crying ash, and drop me back to Earth..."

Lucy took a breath to roar, You can do all these things, yet, I would not be afraid. I would not allow it. And, as I struggled, as I fought for one last breath, as I watched the end with dying eyes, I would die with nothing but disappointment in my heart. For I would have failed."

Lucy's eyes glittered like a thousand diamonds that had been dug up in the dirt. "Failed; to save the one person that made me glow as bright as the stars."

Lucy had not realized this, but tears had begun to slide down her cheeks as she let her strong words hit the air.

"Remember what you said? You were so shocked that you said, 'humans are are so fragile.' You're breaking me, Natsu! You. Are. Breaking. Me!"

Something stirred in E.N.D. Something that should be kept down. Locked away. Something that roared fire and was reaching out for Lucy. The demon was knocked back by the force of it.

Stars and galaxies exploded around Lucy. Merging with her, accepting her, becoming one with her.

The golden throwing knives spun and danced around her in a deadly circle.

With her blood soaked face twisted into a growl, Lucy snarled, "This doesn't hurt." The fire that ate at her. That wanted to see her turn to ashes. With trembling movements she lifted her arm and screamed, "Give him back!"

Come back...

Come back...

Come back!

"Come back to me!"

Lucy's shriek echoed in her ears as golden light exploded around them and enclosed them within itself. They were lost from view. Then...

"One Magic; Celestial Fire!"
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To be continued...

What will Lucy's magic bring?