Decay of Agony

Chapter 23

A/N: The two endings! As promised! Took a while since classes started up again and it sorta stressed me out. 

A little spoiler, this is the sad ending. I purposely made the happy ending the last last chapter, you know, to end this story on a good note... sorta. 

Please enjoy??

"I just want to help her."

"What do you think we've been doing?! I've been caring for her and stayed by her side!" Erza slammed her fists angrily on the invisible wall. "She was getting better! What the hell do you think you can do that I can't!?" If anything, she felt powerless. She can't destroy this wall that separates her and Lucy. She can't do anything.

Daphne hummed silently to herself for an answer. "Whether that is true or not, she still came to me because she wanted answers."

"Answers? Answers to what?" Erza asked as she pressed her fists hard on the invisible wall, silently hoping that the constant pressure would at least weaken the barrier.

"She didn't tell you? Hmm, that explains it." Daphne wrinkled her nose in deep thought.

"And I advise you to not anger us any further." Erza scowled.

A soft noise was heard, and the redhead trained her eyes on the sleeping blonde where the sound came from. That gave her relief, that the blonde was still okay.

"See? The girl is doing what she needs to do." Daphne said with a small smile as she looked down at the girl.

"I don't mind that you want to help her, but this isn't the way!" Erza yelled.

Daphne stared at the redhead with a dark expression. "I've tried to help others. I tried different methods. I blame the world for how they ended up. I certainly blame Lucy's father." She tightened her hold on the sword in anger. "I've debated whether or not to break him out of jail or not, but I needed Lucy to at least confront him."

Erza's eyes widened. "You're the one that let him out? You're insane!"

Then, in a blink of an eye, Lucy suddenly gasped and sat up. But in doing so, the sword that Daphne held to her chest had stabbed through, at least 2 inches deep.

"What?" Daphne snapped towards the blond and shakily let go of the sword and stepped back with wide eyes. "You weren't supposed to be up yet. It's too soon!"

Instinctively, Lucy grabbed the blade with one hand and held it tight, wanting to remove it, but strength was rapidly declining.

"Lucy!" The mages on the other barrier yelled in unison. Fear, dread, panic, many different emotions occupied the four mages and the two cats. But Erza felt it the hardest.

The armored mage started to pound on the barrier mercilessly without any regard to her hands. "Get rid of this barrier, NOW!" She demanded. Natsu and Gray joined the redhead and did the same, but with more ferocity to get to their blonde friend. Wendy did what she could and used her powers to boost the other's magic. The cats... well what else can they do but be moral support?

Daphne, however, was visibly shocked. She had never meant to hurt the girl. She didn't want to hurt the girl. She just wanted to help. But the idiot mages wouldn't just listen to her! She took a step back; legs shook with shock and fear as Lucy struggled to stay upright while holding the blade.

"You bitch! Let us go to her now!" Erza roared.

Daphne snapped her head towards the mages and raised her hand and dispelled the barrier.

Once Erza could no longer feel the barrier, she wasted no time and dashed towards Lucy, but not before pushing Daphne harshly, causing her to fall to the ground. Erza slid to the ground, at the blonde's side and one arm supported Lucy's back and her other reached for Lucy's hand that was on the blade. "Lucy!"