They had searched everywhere.

With no luck. It was as if she had vanished. When Laxus and the others had walked into Lucy’s house, they had wished they hadn’t. Wendy burst into tears at the mere sight of it, and Laxus stood frozen in shock and cold fear.

The blood...oh god the blood, was everywhere. Smeared down the caved-in walls like memoirs of the hate-filled Lucy they had created. It was disturbing and downright chilling to look at. Jellal couldn’t bear to look at it anymore; he had lived there with Lucy. That place had been their home, his home. Lucy had been his home...She had helped save him from the darkness.

And when he looked around at the destruction surrounding them, he knew how badly they had messed up. He was scared for Lucy, the girl who was a sister to him. He was scared that Lila and Kaden were going to get to her first and that she’d be alone and afraid again. And there would be no Fairy Tail to save her. She’d turn cruel and cold; he knew that would happen. How could it not? She had gone through the sickest, most heart-wrenching betrayal ever.

All her friends were worried. Juvia hadn’t stopped searching, crying that she was sorry. Sorry, she had not been strong enough to help, or strong enough to break through the barrier. She had never felt more useless. Erza was worse, blaming herself completely. She had shut everyone out, feeling like a waste of an S-class wizard.

‘Strongest woman in Fairy Tail huh?’ She thought to herself bitterly.

‘They were right...Lucy deserves that title..., not me…’ Erza turned away from the bloody house, knowing she couldn’t stop searching. Not until Lucy was found and Erza could beg for forgiveness. She had been weak…something that would soon ruin Lucy. Lucy would turn to the darkness, and Erza knew that no matter how much Lucy fought against the evil that threatened to consume her, it would. It would win in the end. And it was all their fault. They had broken her heart, made her succumb to the evil.

Levy had holed herself up in the back of the guild, re-reading the same page in Lucy’s novel over and over. She was on a never-ending loop, like a broken record. Just a girl with an emotionless frown and a dead-eyed stare.

Levy McGarden was my best friend...someone I trusted with my life, and in the present still, do. Through everything, she always had my back. And for that, I love her. She was one of the few people who reminded me why I was alive, why I was still fighting. Someday, I hope I can repay her for her kindness and support.

“Not so trustworthy now, huh….” Levy mumbled, a sick feeling bubbling in her stomach. She hadn’t been there for Lucy when she had needed her most. She had been too feeble; it wasn’t surprising. Levy always knew she was the weak link. But, why did it have to ruin everything now? Lucy was gone. Possibly kidnapped, possibly dead...they didn’t know! And the worst part was it was their fault!

Lisanna clutched her older sister to her chest, rubbing circles along the quivering snow-haired girl’s back. Mira had been hit harder by the loss of Lucy than Lisanna, which left Lisanna to comfort her older sister. Lisanna had never seen Mira so distraught...well, at least not for a long time. Mira’s face was blotchy from tears and stress; Lisanna felt horrible. She wished Lucy would return.

Then there was Natsu; that man was a wreck. He was blistering mad, racing off already to search for her. He barely took breaks, his life now revolving around finding her. Everyone already kind of knew why he was so upset. He had never really ever gotten over Lucy. Deep down, he still loved her, and would never stop.

Gray was with the group of searchers, feeling a sense of hopelessness. Every time he remembered the house Lucy had left behind, he felt like they would be too late. Like they had already broken her beyond repair. He knew they had to save her at any means necessary. But what if it was too late? What if the Lucy they knew and loved was gone for good? Were they supposed to just give up? Gray didn’t want to.

Wendy didn’t want to believe the Lucy she thought of as a big sister was going to turn evil. That the kind smile of a girl tormented by her demons was going to flip like a light switch into a bitter scowl. Wendy sniffled, flashes of the bloodstained walls and cruel words Lucy had written about herself on the walls blasting behind her eyelids.

“Lucy-nee...please be strong…” Wendy whispered quietly, almost beneath her breath. She knew at this point, their tears were worthless. Lucy would have to fight this; she would have to! If she didn’t...Wendy didn’t know what would happen. Would she turn into the villain they said she would? Wendy’s lip quivered, but she just curled up into a ball in the guildhall and squeezed her eyes shut. Maybe, just maybe, if she prayed enough everything would turn out to be a terrible nightmare. Lucy would walk into the guild with her usual bright and irreplaceable grin, asking Wendy how her day was going and if she wanted a milkshake. Of course, she’d say she wanted one, and they’d giggle and chat over a refreshing beverage. Then Laxus would show up, ruffling Wendy’s hair like a big brother before snatching Lucy up, making the blonde laugh like she had never been happier in her life.

But that just wasn’t so. Sometimes, you had to face reality. And Wendy knew better than anyone that life was in utter chaos right now. No matter what anyone said to her, she knew nothing would ever be quite the same. The rift had formed, and Lucy’s life would forever be changed for the worse.

She tugged absentmindedly at one of her loose pigtails. Happy was with Natsu, trying his best to help find Lucy. Wendy envied him. She wished she had such a fierce devotion to protecting her loved ones. If she were stronger, maybe she would be by Natsu’s side. She’d be actively searching for her big sister, not moping around like a useless child. If she had trained harder, focused more on her strength, maybe Lucy wouldn’t have had to go through that. Maybe Wendy was disappointed; disappointed in herself.

Laxus stared at the walls. No movement from him; from anyone at all. No one wanted to disturb the house, the place that now looked as if a monster had torn it apart with its ferocious claws. Laxus’s fingers hovered over the bloody words scrawled in Lucy’s frantic and upset handwriting. His lip quivered, his hands trembling as his eyes raked over the damage done to the once beautiful home. He didn’t know how to fix any of this. How could he? Everything seemed broken beyond repair. It was pointless…

Lucy was gone...and it was his fault. He had broken the barrier, but too late! He had been so close to saving her...but everything he wanted was always just a small wisp from his reach. Laxus couldn’t help but be afraid. He knew he needed to be strong. But...when he remembered Lucy’s broken body, her icy stare, her snarl as she dragged her bloody and bruised body out of the guild...he became terrified. Terrified of what would happen to her, how far she would fall into the darkness.

‘And make no mistake…’ Laxus mused internally. ‘She’ll fall...everyone always does...and I know Lucy better than anyone, and I know she’s broken...we broke her…’