Decay of Agony

Chapter 17

A/N: .... Well this chapter was long overdue. Please enjoy?

A week passed and all seemed well. No blood was shed, and no tears streaked down. But being confined with restrictions can only do so much with such finite sanity, and Erza thought that a change of pace would help.

An easy going mission that's both easy and challenging.

Erza searched through the available missions, and weighed down the pros and cons on what would or might transpire during the mission. Finally, she found a perfect mission. Find and capture the bandits that are ambushing the pathway within the emerald forest. Easy peasy no?

And Lucy was more than willing to do the mission. She wanted to get out of her place and go somewhere.

And of course, Natsu, Wendy, and Gray would join the mission. As they say, the more the merrier. Erza would feel more at ease to have more people on board, serving as backup just in case something happens.

Much preparation wasn't needed, as this is a simple catch and grab mission. So they all rode in a carrier to get to their destination faster, while Natsu whined on the floor. Erza sat at the front, driving the carriage, ensuring that the trip would be without trouble.

Some time later, Erza spoke up, "We're almost there, keep your guard up. These bandits are more likely to ambush us."

"Then shouldn't we get out of the carriage, so Natsu will be battle ready when they decide to ambush us?" Lucy asked, nudging the pink blob with her foot.

"That's a good point." Wendy commented

Gray only grunted.

Erza pulled the carriage to the side and everyone but Natsu pooled out of the carriage. Gray had to pull the boy out of the vehicle, "Useless flameass."

Natsu grumbled incoherently. "immhhaaakiillllllllllllllluuuuuuuu"

"Let's go, everyone." Wendy spoke up.

Natsu soon regained his composure and became all fired up, and ran off into the forest, dead set on finding the bandits.

"Gun damn it." Gray sighed. "Seriously?"

"We need to follow him." Erza frowned. She should've seen this coming. She was too focused on Lucy to think that Natsu would behave like an adult.

They all ran into the forest, following the obvious tracks left by the flame mage.

...

The outcome of the mission was the same as every other mission that Lucy had partaken in. However, they all had been separated because a certain pink haired mage and black haired mage didn't follow orders. And Erza had to run off after one of them, and Lucy after the other. Turns out that was a bad plan. A very bad plan.

Now Lucy was being chased by one of the bandits. She was already low on her magic reserves, so all she can do is run.

Passing through every tree and branches, she soon found herself at the cliff near the edge of the forest. "Shit."

"Hehe." The bandit grinned as she had the girl cornered.

Lucy turned toward the bandit, and tried to think of a clever way to beat this man. The man stepped forward, and on instinct, Lucy stepped back to keep the distance from the man. She immediately lost her balance and slipped, falling over the cliff.

The bandit frowned. "Clumsy blonde, eh? Nobody likes those." He shrugged and walked away, like nothing had happened.

At the bottom of the cliff, Lucy laid motionless on the ground. Her forehead had been split open, and her leg was bent unnaturally so. She laid there for about 30 minutes when another figure approached the unconcious girl.