This is the final book of the series. Let's give this a go shall we? Thanks, everyone for being on this emotional roller coaster alongside me.

              Song: Loneliness
      By: Only Piano

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Natsu

"LUCY!" I extended my arm out, frantically trying to grasp for her as she was fading into darkness. She looked up to me, tears staining her face as her dull eyes locked on mine. "Please, Sweetheart you have to reach! Grab my hand!" I cried out before being dragged away, not knowing who or what was trying to rip me away from my Love. Lucy only stared at me, sinking deeper into the unknown shadows. "Lucy! Please, I'm begging you, TAKE MY HAND!"

Lucy closed her eyes before lowering her head. "I'm so sorry..." Lucy whispered. The darkness she was falling into consumed her without warning. Her beauty, her light, it was gone. "NO! LUCY! PLEASE LUCY COME BACK!" With a final push, I managed to escape the unknown hold and struck down to nothing. I stood up, sharply turning to see where I was. This area reminds me of the Abyss. A dark place that only gives you solitude. But this place...it took her.

She was gone.

Without Lucy here I felt torn in half. The weight in my heart ceased away while all the pain I was holding in just withered. I felt lifeless...empty. "Lucy...don't go," I whimpered before falling on my knees. The world became colder without her presence, and I was lost forever. "LUCY~!"

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I cried out of my slumber after tearing the sheets from tossing in my sleep. I was sitting, panting and heaving because of the nightmare I have lived through. This wasn't my first nightmare, however, it was a familiar dream I have suffered through. The darkness, Lucy, and watching her being taken. For almost two months I've been haunted by these terrifying dreams. What makes it even worse was how realistic they are. The scent of blood plunged my scent and the temperature was so cold it brought me chills. I only felt fear until the last moments of feeling nothing. It made me wake up with a cold sweat of how cruel the nightmares were.

"Dammit." I exhaled after rubbing the back of my neck. These two months were supposed to be me and Lucy to finally relax, but it's been the opposite for us both. While I simply can't get sleep, Lucy has been running around Aria nonstop. She hasn't been speaking to me, and we haven't even been spending time together after we came to Aria. The arrival to Aria wasn't as heartwarming as we expected.

We found out the hard way that Adroath is dying.

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After we made it off the train Lucy was ecstatic to see her people and to talk to Adroath once more. The last time I saw the old man was when I left for Starlight to train with Talon. From what I heard after I returned he just left out of nowhere, so it was nice to finally see why he did.

When the people of Aria saw us they were so happy to see their Light Goddess, but there was no party that night for her. While I was lingering behind Lucy, the twins, Natalie and Savannah, approached her without any smiles. "We're so happy to see you, Lady Lucy." Said Savannah taking Lucy's hand. Lucy nodded in return. "I don't understand why I see my people struck with sadness. I've come home once more!" Lucy looked around. "Where's Adroath?"

Natalie let out a weep.

Her sister quickly comforted Natalie before looking back at the blonde. "Oh, Lady Lucy...so much has happened while you were away. We feared you would not be here in time." I moved to Lucy's side. Lucy's dull eyes were wide as her lips were straight. "W-What do you mean? Is he alright?!" Lucy cried while clasping the black-haired girl's shoulders. "Where is he!" Savannah glanced away, tears stinging her eyes. "Lady Lucy you're hurting me."

"Calm down Lucy." I murmured placing my hand on her shoulder. Lucy released the girl before apologizing. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to hurt you!" Savannah rubbed her arms until she shook her head. "It's alright Lady Lucy. I know this is troubling news to hear. Sir Adroath has become ill. From what we don't know, but he's losing time every day. It's unbelievable that he is still breathing after being sick for so long."

"Why didn't I get news?! Someone should have notified me about this!" Natalie hiccuped. "H-He...Sir Adroath didn't want news of his health to reach you. Before Sir Adroath became bedridden he made all of Aria swear that you would not be informed about his situation. He didn't want to worry you is all Lady Lucy." Lucy clenched her fists. "Worry me!? He's my friend I should have been told!" Before Lucy could talk I pulled her into my chest. "It's alright Lucy. Breathe slowly. Don't worry yourself." My soulmate did my orders until she calmed herself. After Lucy inhaled and exhaled one last time, she closed her eyes. "He's still alive right?"

"Yes, ma'am! Sir Adroath is staying in the castle now since he can't care for himself anymore. The only thing he can do now is sit up in his bed to eat. But there are days that he can't even eat." Lucy put her head on my bicep. "Am I going to lose Adroath as well, Natsu? Haven't I lost enough people in my life?" My hand clasped for her left hand. "Let's just hope that he'll get better now that you're here. I'm sure you can heal him!" Lucy just rubbed her eyes on my sleeve. After wiping away any tears, Lucy glanced back at the twins. "Can you take me to him?"

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The sight of Adroath didn't make me nor Lucy feel better about his condition. The old man seemed to have shrunken into a frail, fragile cripple. His once striking blue eyes were now a hazy grey. His skin became pale, and all of his facial features were sharp from how skinny he became. Even his hair that used to be pristine white was now light grey as well. Yet, when he saw me and Lucy walk through the doors to his chamber, he was joyous of seeing his Light Goddess return. If Lucy hadn't run to his bed he would've gotten up on his feet to greet her.

Even standing right next to Lucy I felt I wasn't even there. Adroath put his attention to Lucy the entire time. As she would talk about what happened the past four months to her experience in Crocus, the old man would sit there and listen. Then Lucy did something strange after finishing the story of Gwen and Solantir. My soulmate asked me to leave the room for her and Adroath to talk privately. I didn't object, but what did Lucy want to tell Adroath and not me made me angry. It wasn't fair how she had more trust in someone she hasn't known in years! But then again, Adroath knew Seraphina. And Lucy is Seraphina's reincarnation. But dammit I'm Talon's reincarnation so it isn't fair!

I didn't see Lucy for the rest of the night, or even the next day either. Since then, I've either been traveling around Aria being recognized as the reincarnation of Talon and exploring the castle inside. I've been pretty lonely, and the desire I have to locate Lucy I've been trying to control. Since she asked me to leave all I felt was the urge to go back to Lucy again. I even wondered if she felt the same way.

The past two months haven't been restful for either of us. I've lost sleep, and I continue to think about Lucy. What she was doing...I don't know. The only thing that kept me sane was to remind myself that I trust her. I would trust Lucy with my life if it came down to that. Maybe she was working on a way to save Adroath? Even after Lucy tried to heal him with her dark powers, it didn't work. Nothing seems to be working on saving the old man.

I wish Happy was here. If my little buddy was sitting beside me we would go fishing together to pass the time. I wonder if he and the guild are doing well. We've been getting letters, and I did my best to write back to them. All of our comrades miss us, and they're excited about seeing us again real soon! With my awful writing, I replied back to every one of them in return and hoped Lucy would help me soon enough with the letters. But, she has been busy to even say a word to me...

"Alright! Today I'm going to see that old man! The last time I saw him was a few days ago, so maybe he'll want to talk to me some more." I pulled myself out of bed to go get dressed. Unlike my usual attire with my one sleeved vest, I decided to go with a white shirt I was given by one of the citizens of Aria. It was a v-neck and short-sleeved as it was also comfy. After putting my shirt on and sandals, I left mine and Lucy's room to go see Adroath.

I always overlooked the fact that Lucy actually has a castle. Though at one point it was Seraphina's, the locals of Aria now call it Lucy's home. Some even said that it was mine and her's to keep. My hand grazed over the chiseled wall that was the color of cream. It was a beautiful color that made the place seem bigger than it already was. It was also a comforting and inviting color as well for anyone staying here. If the guild was here then I would call this place home. I dropped my hand from the wall and continued. After many turns and going up a set of stairs I found the familiar mahogany door. Politely, I knocked to announce my arrival. "Come in!" Adroath's sick voice called before coughing a great storm from speaking so loud. I entered a moment later and ran beside the old man that was hunched over in his bed. Adroath covered his mouth, but he couldn't hide the scent of blood. "Are you alright?" I asked worried about the old man.

"I would say I've been in better situations than I am in now." Adroath used the handkerchief that was in his other hand to wipe away the stream of blood that came out of his mouth. I sat in the chair beside his bed. For a while, I only sat in silence while the old man recuperated himself. He hid his bloodied handkerchief under his pillow, coughed a little more, tried to drink a glass of water and eventually laid back down on his mountains of pillows. "Thank you for being patient with an old man." I shrugged my shoulders in return. Adroath glanced around the room for a minute until he sighed. "You've changed my dear boy. You've seemed to have grown more mature the last time I saw you." I leaned over in the chair while rubbing the back of my neck. "Almost losing the people I love opened my eyes. I couldn't deny my feelings for Lucy anymore. And when I was so close to never being with her again, I found myself acknowledging that I'm not invincible. I try to be unstoppable. I try to be the great Salamander that I'm known to be. But, strength can do nothing in the face of death."

"You've nearly died...haven't you?" The old man asked heaving for air. I looked away, giving him the answer from my sudden silence. "Death can be scary I'll admit. I've been alive for many centuries. I've seen men that were just like you, only they never escaped from the dance with Death. Some did, but they were never the same again." Adroath coughed once more. "However, Death can also teach so much to one that has faced him. Those that survive value life and wish to protect others by laying down their lives once more! Yes, my boy, Death cannot be defeated by strength. But he can by your will to live." My hand stopped rubbing my neck. I closed my hands together still leaning over with a fidget. "That may be true, Adroath. But what if that person doesn't have the will anymore?" My hands tightened in angst. "Though you love that person more than life, what if you know that if they are close to death they wouldn't struggle! You would have to just watch them perish as you sit there desperate without any power to save them! You fight for her but in the end, she only wishes to disappear."

"Something tells me that you fear for Lady Lucy." A cold hand rested on my head. I pulled my face up with Adroath once again sitting in his bed to gaze down at me. "What it is I do not know. But, you need not worry about losing the woman you love. She won't be going anywhere." I frowned with saddened eyes. "How can you say that when you don't even know! I don't need to see Lucy to notice what she's going through right now! It's like I can feel her emotions without even seeing her! Luce, she's...she's still hurting over Gwen. It's even worse now that she has entirely shut me out. It brings me indescribable pain of what she's doing to me!" For a moment, Adroath opened his mouth to say something then shut it closed. In his foggy grey eyes, Adroath seemed anxious and fixated on his own thoughts. Then, Adroath shook his head. "Have no fear over your soulmate, Natsu. My Light Goddess has been working day and night to find a way to save me. She's been traveling through the Five Realms in search for a cure!"

"Lucy can walk through all the Five Realms!? Is that why I haven't seen her in so long?" Adroath nodded. "I tried to tell her it was no use, but she refuses to listen to me. This sickness I have...I've always kept it." I was struck with confusion. Adroath seemed to have noticed. "When I was a boy, one of Zelroath's plagues took hold of my village. I as everyone else was infected. My dear boy, I was meant to die within a year. However, after having the sickness for many months, Lady Seraphina came to my village. I was one of the few she healed and she gave me a piece of her everlastingness to serve her. I've assisted my Light Goddess, and the immortality that has kept the sickness at bay is weakening. I was never cured per se. I was more like trapped in time, but my body continued to age."

"So there isn't a cure. You're now just starting to actually age again. Break free from being frozen in time. But Gwen, she just turned into dust! Why aren't you dust Adroath?" The old man sighed until he just shrugged. "I suppose it's different. Unlike Miss Gwen, my immortality is slowly ceasing away. Gwen gave up her immortality, and Solantir, so Lady Lucy would not be a Half-Soul once more." A dark thought came over me. "D-Do you think..." I shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think Gwen would give Lucy her immortality? Just like what Seraphina did with you?" Adroath went stiff. For what seemed like a minute he didn't speak until he laughed a little too loud. "Nonsense my boy only Lady Seraphina ever held such power! Besides, Lady Lucy has a choice to be immortal or not. I assure you she...she wouldn't make that decision until she was ready."

"Ready?" Adroath coughed once again, but this time it appeared forced. "Gah, my lungs are failing me. Be a lad and hand me my glass of water." After handing Adroath his glass he laid back down. The old man seemed very fatigued and starved. "Have faith in your soulmate. She will do what is best for the ones she loves." I knew it was time to stop talking about such nonsense. Why would Lucy ever choose to be immortal!? If she did then we could never have a life together. Luce would never make that decision without talking to me first.

"Natsu my boy." Adroath pulled his handkerchief out from his pillow to clean his face. "You must tell Lady Lucy the truth. I will die...but I've accepted it. My sickness is inevitable as is my death, nevertheless, she cannot blame herself. The only thing I wish is to have you both at my side when I depart. I want not only you and Lucy, but I also want my old friends with me as well." He meant Seraphina and Talon. Adroath waved for me to come closer. When I stood over his bed the old man placed his blood-stained handkerchief in my palm. "If matters come to worse, show her this. I hope it will make her admit that her search is for naught. I just want my Light Goddess with me..." Tears welled in the sick man's eyes. "Don't let me pass without saying goodbye first." He begged after clasping my hand that held his blood. My throat choked up while I nodded in agreement. "Okay. I'll find her."

These two months were supposed to restful. Turns out I was wrong.

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As always...love you all!❤️