Kon'nichiwa!♥ Here is the next chapter to my NaLu story! :D  Turns out I was able to update, after all! ^.^  Yayy, haha!  This chapter is one of my favorites, because this is where you find out how Lucy's soul was sealed with dragons! :o  I hope you're all excited~!  I dedicate this chapter to FlamesxKeys!  she's a very talented writer, and very nice! ^.^  I want to say thank you for the follow; it means a lot!  Keep on writing; you're really good!  Go fan her, as well!  Well, feedback is very much appreciated, as usual~  And until next time!

яу-¢нαи,

тнє иαℓυ ωяιтєя ☆

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"How are humans the problem?"  Lucy asked, confused.

"Dragons left because of humans.  They left because of the threat they cause."  Lores replied, his eyes flashing.  "So, we will bring an end to this problem."

"W-Wait a minute!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "D-Do you mean that you're going to get rid of humans?!"  When Lores' lips quirked, horror filled Lucy's body.  "You can't!  Do you realize what you're doing?!  You'll kill everyone!"

"I know very well what I am doing, and so does Loren."  Lores replied, his voice sly.  "We knew you would stand in our way, so we decided to defeat you, then complete our motive."

"How do you even plan to do this..?!"  Lucy replied, not believing what she was hearing.

"We have a weapon."  Lores replied, looking down at her like she was dirt.  "One we've stored magic in for centuries."

"A machine?"  Lucy asked.  "What...?"

"We've gathered magic over the centuries."  Lores explained.  "We've even taken magic from the dragons you let out of yourself all those weeks ago."

"Y-You did?"

"Of course.  Nothing is more powerful than a dragon's magic."  Lores replied, a smirk slowly apearing on his face.  "If we destroy all of Fiore, starting with Magnolia, the dragons will finally come back."

"This is crazy!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "You'll die too!"

"I know that."  Lores replied, and Lucy looked at him with confusion.  "But sacrificing all lives for dragons to rule over the land again must be done.  They deserve the role of the only creatures on this land."

"I won't let you do this!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "And neither will my friends!"

Lores smirked.  "Loren and I thought so.  That is why..."  He took a few warning steps forward, making Lucy press her back against the wall in caution.  "..we will start with you."

Lucy was silent for a moment.  "We've saved Fiore before.  If you think we'll let you do this, you're wrong.  We'll fight you, your sister, and destroy that machine until Fiore is safe again!"

Lores was not so easily angered; he smiled sharply, but backed away.  "There are things you don't know about yourself, so how can you possibly defeat us?"

Lucy froze.  "What?"

Lores turned to Lucy, realizing he'd snatched her.  "Did you ever figure out how you got the dragons sealed on your soul, Lucy?"

Lucy's breath hitched.  "No, I..."  She wandered off.  "D-Do you know?"

Lucy took that as a yes when Lores smirked at her, clearly hiding something.

"You, Lucy Heartfilia, were placed under that spell by your own mother."

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Natsu and the others were now free, and they all stood up to look ahead, past rocky hills.

"Let's go."  Erza commanded, and they all nodded.

As they started running, Wendy thought of something.  "Erza?"

"What is it, Wendy?"  Erza asked.

"Why do...you think they took Lucy specifically?"  Wendy asked.

Erza thought for a moment.  "I'm not sure."

Happy and Carla were flying above their heads.

Carla wondered something.  "Do you think...they had something to tell Lucy?  Something that might do something to her thinking?"

"What do you mean, Carla?"  Wendy asked.

"Well, during the time we were fighting all those dragons, Lucy had to face the problem of finding out how to use that spell, right?"

"Yeah..."  Gray replied, wondering where she was going with this.

"The one question Lucy wanted answered was how she got the dragons sealed on her soul.  What if..those two know?"

Natsu eyes widened, and he quickened his pace in anger.

"What if..."  Carla started.  "They tell her something she doesn't want to hear?"

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"You're lying!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "My mother didn't know how to do something like that!  Plus, she would never do that to me!  She loved me!"

"If she loved you, then why did she seal that spell onto you?"  Lores asked.

"She didn't!"  Lucy denied.  "Quit lying like this!"

"Why would I lie?"  Lores asked.  "You're mother, Layla Heartfilia, had the seal attached to her when she was born."

"What?"  Lucy whispered, shocked.

"But the day never came for her to unleash the dragons.  It simply wasn't her time to fix it.  So, she put the spell on you, so that somedy, she hoped that you would put an end to the dragon's suffering."

"No way..."  Lucy murmured.

"The answer?  It was passed down through generation to generation until it got to you, Lucy Heartfilia."

"No.."  Lucy murmured, but a memory surfaced in her mind.

A small girl with short blonde hair ran through the courtyard, enjoying the day chasing after a butterfly. Her mother sat in a chair a ways away, watching her with tranquil and content, chuckling at her once she tripped and fell flat on her face. The little blonde-haired girl looked up at her mother, tears in her eyes at first but then laughing sweetly, her spirit rejuvinated.

"Mama, read me a story?" She asked, walking up to her and pulling on her mother's dress.

"But what about that butterfly?" Her mother asked, smiling beautifully down at her daughter and laughing. "Don't you want to catch it?"

The small girl looked up at her mother with a cute smile. "I don't want to catch it; everything deserves to be free!"

Her mother smiled tenderly down at her, lifting her onto her lap. "That is absolutely true," She replied, twirling the little girl's blonde hair in her fingers. "Nothing can be caged and forced to do something; for the spirit will always choose it's own path." 

The blonde child giggled, nodding. 

"Let's see..." Her mother murmured. "What story haven't I told you? Ah!" She exclaimed, rubbing her nose against her daughter's, making her laugh and scratch it. "How about one of a free spirit, since you made such an excellent point?"

"Yay!"

Is that what Mama meant when she talked about a "Free Spirit"?  Lucy wondered, filled with dismay.  

"You've got to be lying!"  Lucy exclaimed.  "Why should I believe you?  You weren't there, so how would you know?"

Lores eyes flashed, warning her to watch what she said.  "It's none of your business how I know.  I just do."

Lucy started to tremble.  "Y-You're kidding..."

Lores turned to face her, smirking that showed he indeed wasn't lying.

Lucy stared at Lores with wide eyes, her pupils contracted to black dots in shock and fear.

That's when Loren flashed next to Lores, surprising Lucy.

Loren gave Lucy a glare, but then looked at her brother.  "Loren, the enemies are approaching."

Natsu?!  Lucy wondered, trying to undo her binds.

Lores smirked.  "So the action will start, then.  Go on ahead and slow them down, Loren.  I'll finish up here."

Loren nodded, evaporating into the air and disappearing.

Lores turned back to Lucy, who felt fear rumble in her chest.

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Uh oh!  What's Lores got in plan for Lucy?!  And how will Lucy escape to warn her friends of the two Dragon Slayer's plans?

Find out what happens in the next chapter, Chapter 20: Clash of the Dragon Slayers!