No More Running (NaLu)

Chapter 11: Powerless

Lucy's P.O.V.

It's probably been months since I've left Magnolia. I'd bet nobody cares that I'm gone anymore. It's been about a day or two since I met Maddi and Nia.

The only times we are allowed to see more light than the dim ceiling lamp, is when we are fed. The men merely open the door and set the food trays on the ground. All we are fed is a small amount of stale bread and some water.

I sat on the cold ground with Nia sleeping on my lap, Maddi next to me. The poor girl was covered in cuts and bruises and tear stains. She was only 14.

Maddi hated me at first. She didn't consider me as her mother at all. But now, she's warming up to me a bit. I decided that when I get out of here, they will come with me.

They're like my daughters now. I love them. I want to protect them.

Just like I wanted to protect Natsu....

A cold breeze drifts through the dark room and I felt Nia shiver slightly and Maddi snuggle up to me for warmth. I smiled at both of them.

Then, something caught my eye. Maddi's arms. I stared at the deep cuts and burns and scars on the poor girl's arms and couldn't help but wonder what happened to her.

As if someone was reading my mind, the door of the dark room was kicked open, rapidly spilling a waterfall of bright light into the small room.

Before I could react, Maddi disappeared from my side and reappeared on one of the men's shoulders, pulling at his hair and screaming for him to let them go. Surprised, I stared at her, holding a now awake and terrified Nia close.

"Maddison get off of him right now!!" A voice ordered. A tiny clicking sound was heard, followed by Maddi screaming at the top of her lungs and hitting the ground with a loud thump.

"M-Maddi!!" Nia cried at the same time as I did. I quickly ran to her, scooping her up in my arms and holding her close, glaring at the men.

"You leave my girls alone!!"

Another clicking noise.

Maddi cried out in agony and pulled at the piece of metal around her neck desperately.

"G-Get it off!! P-Please!!" She screams, sobbing in pain.

"Stop hurting my baby!!!" I screamed. The words just flowed out of my mouth without intention. It sounded so overly dramatic of me to call her my baby. But she really was. I held her close and gently stroked her hair as she gripped my shirt, sobbing and shaking.

"She's so innocent!! She's only thirteen!! Stop hurting her!!!" I cried.

They just laughed hysterically.

"Your baby??" A man laughed. Nia ran to my side and pushed her way under my other arm. I glared at the men as they laughed. I was quick to observe their guild marks.

A shape of a fierce dragon chasing down and devouring its prey, the color of pitch black. There was no doubt about it. They were the black dragon guild. One of the darkest of all guilds.

One of the men approached me and grabbed my arm, pulling me to my feet. I kept stubborn hold to Maddi who was now screaming and sobbing, begging the men not to take me.

"You're what we really need anyway. Come on, useless trash." The man grunted as he began to drag me away.

Maddi lost grip of me and before she slipped from my arms I whispered to her that I would be alright. That was a lie.

When the men dragged me out of the room, they quickly slammed the heavy metal door and locked it. I glared at them.

"What do you want with me?? At least leave my daughters alone!!" I growled.

"They aren't your daughters. You just met them. Now come, our master needs your power."

That scared me,

needs your power

What did that mean??

The next thing I know, I'm strapped down in a big metal chair. I struggle hard, trying to enable my magic so I can make these restraints turn to ash.

"Don't bother, dear. Those compress your magic all to one part of your body, therefore, making it easy for us to drain it."

A man's voice echoed throughout the room as he walked closed to me. He was holding a knife in his hand and wearing a huge smirk on his face. I scoffed.

"What's wrong? Are you scared?" He laughed.

"I want you to let me go! And the girls in that room too! Now!" I demanded.

"Oh, don't worry, none of you will be here much longer."

I glare at him, "what is that supposed to mean?"

"Well what do you think those lovely restraints are for, dear?" He smirked, "those act like a magnet for your dark magic." He said in his raspy voice as he got closer to me. "It will gather all magic to your wrists, where I will then slit open, causing the black magic to pour out and be absorbed by me."

I began to contemplate what he told me. If he drains my powers, I won't have any magic left. My celestial spirit magic had gotten a little rusty but I could probably start that again. But besides that, I would be able to go home! See Natsu and the others without hurting them or putting them in danger!

I quickly made the conclusion that I would not protest to this. Not that I had a choice. I knew it would hurt very badly, but I also knew that I would survive somehow. I wanted to go home. I was confident with my answer, that is, until he spoke again.

"But of course, with your magic gone, your life will simply fade away in a matter of years. Rather painful years, mind you." He laughs.

My eyes widened as I processed his words. My magic would be gone, but I'll die..tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't get out of this...I was going to die..

"Of course you don't have much choice." He shrugged and unlocked one of the metal cuffs, grabbing my wrist and shoving the blade I to my arm.

Red hot pain shot through my entire body and I couldn't help but let out a blood curling scream. I couldn't breathe, I just watched as a cloud of darkness flowed out of my cut arm and was absorbed by the man.

Tears were streaming down my face as he locked the cuff back onto that arm and did the same to my other arm.

I screamed again when the blade dug into my skin. All I could think about was the pain. The pain I felt now, and the act that I was going to die. I was never going to see my family again..Maddi, Nia, Erza, Levy, Gray, Juvia, Mira, Wendy, Happy, Natsu...nobody.

I was going to die. And I was going to die alone...

Tears were streaming down my face as he ripped the restraints off of me and dragged me back to the room where my girls were. The three me to the ground, I heard Nia scream my name. I saw Maddi sitting in front of me almost immediately, sobbing and wrapping up my arms.

My eyes began to close, everything was spinning. Maddi kept telling me to stay awake but I couldn't.

"Maddi....I w-won't die j-just yet...its o-okay.." I managed to whisper as everything slowly faded into darkness.

Natsu...help me..