Signs - a Jerza fanfic

CHAPTER IV

We stalk through the forest carefully. we can hear strange moaning noises. Noises that sound too painful. Noises that sound too similar to the ones from months ago.

I want to curl up in a ball, shut my eyes right and cover my ears. I remember the dead and ravaged bodies from the war after it was all over. Fairy Tail won, but it felt like a devastating loss. The scream that came from Makarov's body as he perished...

I freeze and am stuck, listening to the noises.

"Erza..." Jellal kneels by my side and looks at my face. My eyes are wide with fear and pained memories.

"I'm fine." I say and I shut my eyes and collect myself.

Jellal gives me a hesitant look and then continues on.

I focus on where the monster is and not what the screams sound like. We get really close and through the bushes I can see that it's the kind of monster that imitates screaming to lure in humans. It looks like an ape with gray patchy fur, red eyes, and a body that appears too skinny and bony to sustain life.

Jellal tries to put it asleep, but it only realizes our location and charges.

I re-equip into some defensive armor and block it then I charge at it, but it let's out a howl of a scream that sounds just like Makarov's last dying wail.

I hesitate before I slash it, so it doesn't do much. Jellal attacks it some more and yells for me to finish it off while it's stunned. I barely manage to shut my eyes tight and drive my sword through its chest.

I lean against a tree, sweating and breathing hard, like I've just fought something much bigger.

"Erza, are you alright?"

I nod as I think to myself, "If I show him how weak I am, he won't stick around me anymore..."

Jellal stands really close to me and lifts my chin. "Erza. look at yourself. You aren't okay. It's alright to admit it."

As my heart thumps in my chest I clench my teeth really hard. Almost willingly, I slide to the ground in a messy heap. A bawling heap.

"It is MY fault he is dead! I could've grabbed him, but he used the forbidden magic to save us all, and I could've stopped him! I WAS THE WEAK ONE THE WHOLE TIME! If had fought harder.... he wouldn't have had to..... he wouldn't have had to kill himself with that magic!"

Jellal kneels and hold my shoulders at arms length. "Erza," he said so softly it almost was a whisper, "It's not anyone's fault. He would have chose to do that no matter what. He wanted to die for our sake. For all of his brats' sake. He did it so we could live on, and enjoy life to the fullest like he did."

I don't want to take it in but in the back of my mind I know I should accept it as true. No words could fight the great truth that this was.

I clench my jaw tight. So tight that it hurts. I cover my face with my hands and feel the tears on my face. I want to make myself as small as possible and sink into the tree.

Then I felt suddenly warm.