Ch. 7

As I twisted and pulled at the chains, I saw a few of the guards standing nearby shifting, making me notice the sounds of explosions in the distance and twisted to see the crowd in front of Ecliar shifting nervously as well.

"My people! Let us celebrate together! I now hold both the Phoenix Stones." I heard Kreem shout out at the people causing them to cheer as Eclair and I struggled against our chains even more.

"You mustn't combine the stones!" Eclair yelled angrily, trying to convince the Prince of the danger, but his only response was to send a cold smile our way. 

"And so, let us begin and bring great power to Veronica!" He yelled, the crowd going wild as fireworks lit the sky in different colored brilliance.

"You must not resurrect the Phoenix!" I faintly heard Eclair yell as I caught sight of someone with familiar blond hair moving towards us.

"Do as you will with me. Just let Ashley go and don't combine those stones!" I heard Eclair yell as I saw a faint blue and red light coming from above us as the blond boy knocked a guard out and rushed towards us.

"Don't!" I heard Eclair scream, her voice desperate as fire suddenly burst under our feet, destroying the soles of my feet as it quickly rose up to tower above us in a span of seconds.

'...'...'...'...'

"That light..." Erza said as a brilliant white light erupted from the castle sending it's rays all throughout the area.

"The light of the Phoenix's revival." The Master said in a deep voice surprising the red head and causing her to turn around to look at him. He seemed still, his usually bright eyes dark with anger for their enemy while Jet leaned over carrying a long box bigger than the master and panting for breath. 

"Master!" She said surprised as she looked at him, relaxing her stance before looking back at the light as the crowd roared and a smaller orange glow grew beneath it. "What's in the box?" She asked looking back before her attention was drawn to the small squad of gaurds running below them. .

"Our trump card," the Master said in a dark tone, as if he is preparing for something mentally.

"So the Council agreed to your proposal?" Erza asked only to receive a frantic shake of the head from Jet.

"I took it anyway." The Master said angrily before opening it to show her the object inside.

'...'...'...'

Natsu, Lucy, Rain, and Happy rushed over to the burning statue hoping to see life as chaos erupted around them.

"They're alive!" I heard Lucy shout before pain erupted along my arms as something latched onto it. I winced at the sound, a small whimper escaping my cracked lips as someone mumbled next to me about my numb legs. 

"Eclair! Ashley!" Lucy yelled and slowly I cracked my eyes open to see Lucy helping Eclair up as Natsu moved in front of me.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked as I tried to get my feet under me, looking down to see the skin up to my knees was black and that they felt numb. The smell of cooked flesh finally registered in my mind and I quickly looked away and at Natsu, noticing for the first time how banged up he was.

"A friend," a voice answered as I stood up and pushed myself completely off my rescuer and Eclair spoke in a weak voice.

"Where's...Momon?" I heard her whisper as Happy sniffled.

"He jumped into the flames to save you." Rain said between sobs, and looked at her to see something in her eyes that made my heart clench. Before any of us could comfort the woman, a loud rumble came from above us. 

"NATSU!" Lucy screamed as I was pushed to the ground, I couldn't process what had happened until I turned over and looked up to see Natsu holding a huge wall over us with effort.

"Take Eclair and Ashley somewhere safe!" He grunted as the blond boy from before lifted me up with a nod and Lucy nodded in determination, pausing only when Eclair jerked around in her arms.

"There is no safe place! If the Phoenix isn't stopped, everyone will die!" Eclair said in a voice tinged with desperation and anger yet her eyes were fierce and focused on Natsu.

"I got it," Natus told her in a tone that made her sag against Lucy in relief. "Let's go!" He told Happy, sucking up the fire as Happy flew over to him and we left.

'...'...'...'...'

"Run this way! Hurry!" A castle guard yelled, waving people towards the outer city as we sat in an alley, Eclair and I wrapped in cloaks the boy had found. Lucy carefully cleaned Eclair's wounds as the blond boy hesitantly did the same for me. He looked ill as he tended to my legs, and I couldn't blame him but with Rain's help and watchful eye, both managed to wrap my legs and feet up in strips of clothe. 

"We need to have Wendy take at look at you two soon." Lucy said with concern, her eyes darting over to look at my legs again as she carefully rubbed a burn over Eclair's eyes.

"It's fine. You should worry about Ashley." Eclair said calmly turning her head to look at me as I winced again.

"I'm fine, let Lucy help you." I mumbled as Lucy nodded reluctantly while moving to dab at her face again only to have Eclair stop her.

"Lucy, I remember everything now. Veronica was built on the ruins of Fire Village, my village." Eclair said causing Lucy to pause in confusion as a strange feeling tugged at me. The tone of her voice had changed. Instead of her usual snappish attitude she seemed almost relieved, if a bit regretful. 

"Huh? But..." Lucy started only to stop when Eclair shook her head and continued, an unblemished hand reaching up to snag Lucy's own.

"I'm immortal, you see, 400 years ago, on that night..." Eclair said and explained what had happened that night. It was like listening to a fairy tale, Eclair had watched her village die, a village she had grown up to serve had been killed for a magic none of them could have dreamed of controlling much less using. 

"But, was it because of the Phoenix's blood? I, who had forgotten everything before that point, took the stone and wandered aimlessly. I did that for a long, long time. All those people I met along the way died before me." Eclair whispered, her eyes lost in her own memories as tears formed in her eyes. "Four hundred years is far too long..." she whispered, breaking down into sobs as we all looked at her in shock. 

"When you said that magic could cause sorrow..." Lucy said, realization dawning on her face as she looked at the woman. A woman, who had managed to survive a fire with nearly no wounds, who swore magic was evil, who was lost and had lost everything to the one thing she had been sworn to protect. 

"Eternal life is the worst thing magic can create. It causes nothing but pain!" Eclair said in tears, her form flinching when Lucy lunged forward, pulling the woman into a hug as she cried. I looked away, my eyes meeting the blond boy's as the Phoenix cried out, sending another wave of destruction towards us. A second scream from the monster send a beam of what looked like pure magic rocketing into a nearby mountain causing it to explode violently.

"Let's go, this place isn't safe either." Lucy said after a minute, pulling Eclair to her feet, waiting for the blond boy to help me to my feet before leading us down the alley. 

"Leave me here, I'll be fine." Eclair said as the Phoenix stepped into our sights and I actually saw it fully. It looked like a metal ball with circles on it as well as two long arms that each had an ever changing colored curtain hanging from it, as well as four claws at the end of each arm. The neck stood high above the body holding the head where three red eyes sat one on top of the other with what vaguely resembled feathers sticking out of its head.

"That's no bird," I mumbled weakly as Lucy suddenly grasped Eclair tighter and picked up her pace, Rain latching onto my back to help pull us along since my legs barely moved. 

"No way! People from my guild don't run away and leave their friends behind!" She said as we began making our way to the outskirts as fast as we could. I knew if we made it there, we'd be safe but right now, with a giant chicken destroying everything around us, I feared we'd soon find ourselves dead or trapped. 

"What's your name?" I asked the blond boy as we stumbled again but kept Lucy and Eclair in our sights, Rain lifting me up and trying to keep pace with the boy as we walked.

"Jeremy...not that you remember me," the boy grunted as we kept moving. "We used to be nieghbors." He told me, his smile tinged with an emotion I couldn't name but knew by heart. 

"Where?" I asked quietly and at first, I don't think he would answer me but after helping me over a pile of rubble, he spoke. 

"A shit town that I hope we never see again." He told me, stumbling as the ground shook and a chasm ripped open beside us. 

"Lucy!" I screamed as she and Eclair stumbled and the ground gave beneath them. I felt Rain let go in that instance, instinctively knowing she was going to save them but stopped as a shirtless man jumped beneath them and transformed into a flat bridge.

"Haha! So we meet again!" The man said rolling back on himself and carrying the two back to safety before flipping back to a 3D person. I had to laugh a bit at the massive tattoo on his back, his name in a purple and large characters. 

"Obvious much?" I laughed as I pushed myself off of Jeremy and forced myself to stand, ignoring his movements to stop me while Rain flew over to do the same. 

"Why are you hear?" Lucy asked shock and surprise on her face and in her voice as she gawked at her rescuer. I watched him smirk and nod at the chasm behind her before speaking as we walked up to them.

"Fate is a mysterious thing, isn't it? I may be an incurable thief, but if you had captured me back then, you'd probably be dead right now." Geese said, jumping as the ground shook again sending more rubble down to the ground as the Phoenix screamed.

"Woah, that looks bad. I'm outa here!" He yelled as I turned my head back to look at the creature of destruction as a pillar of fire arched into the air next to it. 

"Natsu...be careful..." I thought as Geese told Lucy something and ran off, leaving us alone once more.

"Umm...Lucy...we need to get moving." Jeremy said shifting a little so he could bare my weight, but I pushed myself off of him and looked up at Rain, who had tears in her eyes as she looked up at the Phoenix.

"Right!" Lucy said determined and helped Eclair up. I shot Rain a look, silently telling her what I wanted to do while she glared at me in reply. 

"Jeremy, go fight with the others. I'll catch up." I told him as I nodded to Rain who sighed and flew behind me, her tail and claws fitting into place after I shrugged off the coat and fit myself into new armor. "Leg braces and a sword. Can you carry me?" I asked Rain as she lifted us off the ground, my discomfort lifting a bit as she did. 

"Ashley! You're too hurt to fight!" Lucy yelled as Jeremy looked at me unsure for a minute before nodding to me and racing off.

"Lucy, get Eclair to safety." I told the older blond as Eclair looked up at me with tired eyes that knew what I planned to do. "Let's fly, Rain." I whispered and ignored Lucy's yells to come back as we shot off towards the battle to help as best as we could.

"Looks like mages are fighting over there. We'll be more useful there." Rain said in my ear as she turned towards an area just as a shot of air hit the Phoenix. "Wendy's there! Perfect." Rain added as I nodded at Rain as we arrowed towards where the fighting was thickest. 

'...'...'...'

"Dammit!" Gray said blasting another round of ice magic at the creature only for it to have no effect. He stepped back as Juvia and Wendy both sent equally powerful attacks of their own at it just as he caught sight of someone flying towards them. "We've got company." He told the other two as the person landed and he realized it was Ashley.

"Ashley!" Wendy yelled running past him and towards the girl as she stood on shaky black legs and gave them a tired smile.

"Juvia is so glad you're alright!" Juvia said running over to her also and hugging her fiercely before stopping as she noticed the burns on her and how much pain she had just caused the small girl. "Wendy! Juvia will fight, you heal." Juvia ordered, quickly lifting Ashley up and setting her on a pile of rubble as she protested. 

"Rain, what happened?" Gray asked, feeling bile form in the back of his throat as Ashley released her summoned leg braces and he got a full view of her burned legs. Wendy also looked ill but forced herself to take a deep breath as her hands glowed a deeper green than usual. 

"Her and Eclair were being burned alive and Momon...Momon helped save them." Rain explained tearfully, Gray nodded in understanding, reaching up to smooth the fur on Rain's head before looking over at Ashley as she let Wendy heal her. 

"She's in a lot of pain." Gray stated, watching Ashley bite her arm to keep from crying out as Wendy forced most of her magic to reverse and heal the charred limbs. The sigh of the black flesh turned red and glistening made Gray want to curl up in a ball. It was hideous but it was also something that happened in battle. "Why didn't her magic protect her?" Gray asked, looking away from the girls and at Rain. Although Gray fought with Natsu a lot and had even suffered a few burns from him, never had he seen or had burns that bad. For a mage to be injuried like that it would mean that their magic had failed which was only possible under three circumstances. 

"She was cuffed, they burned off in the fire but we saw them before they did." Rain admitted, knowing what Gray meant with his question. The man nodded, his face grim before his eyes snapped up at the sound of the Phoenix screaming and changing course. 

"Move!" He yelled, running back into the fight with his arms forming his seal. "Ice make! Hammer!" He yelled, running past Juvia to swing his hammer at the creature's foot. 

'...'...'...'...'

"Are you alright?" Wendy asked as she finished healing the worst of the burns on my legs, the flesh now a deep and raw red as I gasped for breath. I wanted to scream at her about the new pain I had, blame her as I wished for the former numb feeling but I just nodded, releasing my arm and spitting out the blood as she leaned back and fell over in exhaustion. 

"Well is this all the strongest can do?" Cana asked with a laugh as she poked Wendy's cheek and smiled while more Fairies joined her. 

"As the former master, I was able to clear the way a bit." Macao said with a grin as Wazabi smoked his pipe and Mira and Elfman stood on either side of them, Mira in her demon form and Elfman with both his arms transformed. 

"Ready?" Cana asked and a second later everyone shot off into the fight, leaving me breathless as I watched them send wave after wave of attack. Shaking my head I stood up, ignoring the jelly feeling in my legs as my vision sprouted stars at the pain. If they were going to fight, so was I! Quickly eqquipping my leg braces again I looked over at Rain, who was helping Carla move Wendy out of danger.

"Rain! Get me up there!" I shouted pointing my hand up to where a flame darted around. I swallowed my fear as I forced my legs to move, adrenaline now rushing through me as I ran up a slope of rubble and jumped, Rain catching me with ease before flying us straight up.

"You shouldn't be fighting!" I heard Rain shout at me as we flew and I felt an insane smile place itself on my face.

"You kidding? I'm always fighting!" I yelled back at her before slicing at the curtain attached to the arm swinging towards us, creating a long slit in it. "Dodge!" I yelled as Rain flew as fast as she could, doing a barrel roll to avoid the arm as best as she could, barely making it as we skid under it, making me wince as I got an up and close view of its rock hard skin. 

"Ashley!" Rain yelled as we flew up and landed on the arm, my legs giving out and causing me to fall and bite my lip. She quickly ran over to me, her eyes filled with worry as she grabbed my face. "Be more careful," she said just as I caught sight of a familiar white glow.

"Erza..." I thought and just as fast as it appeared it vanished and the arm I was standing on suddenly moved forward and I looked towards its hands as momentum tried to throw me off, Rain being forced to take to the air as she was to small to stay on. 

"What's happening?" I asked as Rain faltered in the air, a feeling of something pulling on my magic making me dizzy. I felt my eyes widen at the sight above us as I looked up. What I could only describe as a small sun, was slowly growing in between the Phoenix's claws. "Rain, do you think you could make it down to the ground?" I asked as a feeling of dread hit me, she gave a tired nod before grabbing me once more. 

"I'm going to have to glide. I can't actually fly. Something's draining me." She mumbled, exhaustion making her voice low as I nodded and stumbled into a run, jumping off the roof and flinging my arms wide. The ground looked a bit sharper from so high up. 

As soon as I launched off though a scream hit our ears, the sudden higher pitch making Rain falter and twist us around in midair, the motion allowed me to see a  the miniature sun shoot up into the dark sky, casting a red glow over all of us. 

"Ashley! My wings!" I heard Rain yell as we plummeted towards the ground. Rain's wings vanishing as she was no longer able to use them and the Phoenix began screaming and thrashing about. 

"Hold on!" I screamed as the creature turned its body towards us, its massive arm seeming to move into our path in slow motion. I crossed my arms, bracing for impact, letting out a cry as it hit us. Myy arms felt like they were broken as we slid down its arm before flying off of it and hitting the air again. I opened my eyes as we fell and saw a pillar of fire shooting out of the top of the Phoenix before I felt myself land on something with Rain falling on top of me.

"Mira!" I gasped as she looked at down at me in her Soul Satan form with a strained smile. 

"Hold on," was all she said as we flew towards the ground. I held onto Rain as we landed, Mira carefully setting us down as the sky went back to normal and the Pheonix began to vanish

"Look!" I heard someone shout and I looked up just in time to see a real Phoenix made purely of flames fly up into the sky and transform into our guild sign, before slowly fading away leaving us sad but in awe, at the magic battle we had fought.

.Epilouge.

"I still can't believe it's been almost a year since the battle and Natsu and Lucy are getting married!" Wendy said happily as she trained with Romeo, Jeremy, and I behind the guild. 

"Wendy, your stance is to wide." Carla called out from where she was trying to teach Rain how to use her own magic more efficiently. 

"Yeah and only half a year since everyone got together and now Ashley's going to be sister." Jeremy said throwing a kick at Romeo, who dodged it just but barely. "Is it weird that we talk about this a lot?" He asked, letting out a strange sound when Romeo managed to kick him in the stomach and then knock him on the ground. 

"Maybe, but since Erza and Levy got pregnant and everyone walking on eggshells. There wasn't much else to talk about." Romeo said, helping Jeremey to his feet before turning to watch Wendy and I spar. "Still wish I could've been there." He added, making me scoff and miss Wendy's kick to my ankles. 

"Whatever! You got to go on a mission with Gildarts!" Jeremey countered, as the two started to wrestle and Wendy helped me to my feet. 

"No fair!" Romeo screamed as Jeremey used his magic to send him up into the air causing me and Wendy to fall to the ground laughing as Jeremy stopped him upside down an inch from the ground.

"So when do you think they'll get here?" I asked Wendy turning my head to look at the girl I saw as my sister.

"I think they're here!" Wendy said getting up when Gray poked his head out and motioned for us to come in. We all scrambled to comply, shoving each other past one another trying to walk into the softly talking guild. 

"Hey little bit," Erza said when she saw me, Jellal standing in a crowd of men as the women and a few of the younger guild members crowded around her. "Do you want to meet your little sister?" She asked with a smile as someone pushed me forward, making me realize I had frozen in my spot near the infirmary door. 

"I have a sister?" I asked, my voice squeaking as a grin tried to split my face. I didn't even care for the other's laughing as I moved closer to look at the bundle in her arms. 

"Yep!" She told me, moving the blanket a bit to reveal a small infant with a patch of fuzzy red hair sleeping in her arms. "Meet Elizabeth Maria Fernandes." Erza whispered as the baby opened little eyes to look at me. 

"I have a sister!" I whispered, still in shock as I slowly reached out to brush her cheek, ignoring the laughter around me as Elizabeth sighed at my touch. I had a whole family! 

'...'...' 2 years later '...'...'...'...'

"We're here!" Natsu yelled as he and Lucy walked into the guild, each holding a small bundle in their arms as I held Elizabeth in my lap. Erza had told me to watch her while she talked to the Master upstairs, so I had sat with my friends as we tried to figure out our next mission. It had to be a good one since it we were taking it on the anniversary of us forming a team. 

Like a magnet, everyone gathered around the Dragneels, wanting to see the newest bundles of the guild but not wanting to face the duo's wrath. Lucy had been absolutely terrifying during her pregnancy and no one wanted to face it again. 

"So what are their names?" Romeo asked as he and Wendy leaned over Lucy's shoulders to look at the twin babies.

"Well, Natsu is holding Igneel Kyle Dragneel, and I'm holding Layla Eclair Dragneel." Lucy said softly and as if hearing their names both babies opened their eyes and looked around. Igneel looked just like his mother while Layla looked like her father, but both were adorable and I held a very curious Elizabeth up to see them.

"See? They're little like you." I whispered to her, looking at the two curious pairs of eyes that seemed to never stay still just as Rain came up and landed on Romeo's shoulder making Layla, who was closer, make a loud happy sound. 

"I think she likes me!" Rain squealed making everyone laugh as she began playing with the twins.

"I wonder what's going to happen next?" I asked silently as I looked around at the guild I now called family.