A/N | I went back and edited the first 5 chapters of this story when I realized they weren't that great and I was completely inconsistent with tenses. Nothing major changed but if you're rereading and notice some things are different that is why. Also, if there are still tense problems, I apologize, It wasn't easy going through the chapters and translating everything to the correct tense and I probably missed a few. Anyway, please enjoy the story!

Warning: This story will contain very graphic and/or disturbing material such as torture and violence. If that kind of stuff freaks you out then this story probably isn't for you.

"Tick tick tock, our lives are on the clock.

I greatly fear the end was near.

Tick tick tock"

Everything was dark. Even with my enhanced eyesight, I still couldn't see a single thing within the blackness of my surroundings. But what did it really matter? Even if I could somehow see two inches in front of me, I'd only be met with a blank wall. Four blank walls to be exact. Four blank walls that were way too close together for a male my size to fit comfortably in. I had been stuck in this cramped space for Mavis knows how long, and my body and brain were both sick of it. Hell, I was sick of it from day one. I rubbed my wrists against the cuffs that had restrained them since day one. It was a habit that I had learned kept me sane, but also reminded me of why I wore them. They cut off my ability to use magic, which had been fan fucking tastic.

I heard a banging come from my left side, which I presumed to be the door, and heard someone fiddling with keys and a lock. This had happened every day since I was thrown in here. Each day a guard came to my little hole in the wall and lead me out into the most cliché torture chamber I had ever seen. Like those types in scary movies with chains hanging on the walls, a toolkit of various contraptions that sort of looked like they belonged in a dentist's office, and of course, a little cot type bed thing that was in the middle of the room that had huge straps to hold you down.

I called that room the 'MP' or 'Main Pain' room because that was generally where they liked to inflict the most pain upon their subject. There were other rooms that branched off and were used for other methods of torture, and I had been to my fair share of them, but the MP room was the usual destination.

Each day of torture was different, with the next day always being worse than the previous one. In all honesty, it would probably be much easier to just give in. To let the pain consume me and finally just let go. But I couldn't. I made a promise to someone, and I couldn't break that promise, even if my whole body felt like it was going to crumble at any second. It was agonizing, but they hadn't ruined me yet.

My spirit was still there.

The key fiddling finally stopped and my little closet suddenly flooded with light. It took a second for my eyes to adjust, and when they finally did I found myself being dragged - rather forcefully - down a hallway. Soon I would find myself strapped, chained, or hanged to a bed, wall or ceiling, and then spend the next many hours trying not to scream in pain. Yay for routine.

Instead of going straight as the guards always do, they veered me to the right through an archway that led to a different labyrinth of hallways.

I looked around confused before rasping out, "Uhh… where exactly are we going? Like I'm completely cool with skipping the whole torture thing b-"

The guard on my left interrupted me, "Oi shut it Pinky. You'll see where we are taking you very shortly," He said, staring straight ahead the whole time. And I wasn't completely sure, but I swear I could see the faintest hint of a smirk spread across his lips.

After that I shut up, seeing it completely pointless to struggle. With my current state of malnutrition, cuts and bruises, and utter exhaustion, I had no chance of struggling out of their grip and making a miraculous escape. So, I let them continue to drag me until we reached the end of a mysterious new hallway. At the end of the hallway lied a dingy door that looked like it was about to fall off of its hinges at any second. The guards opened the door and shoved me inside, my lack of strength causing me to tumble to the floor. When I craned my neck upwards, I noticed that I was crouched in front of a very large, expensive desk.

"Well, well, well. Look who we have here. I'd like to welcome you Natsu, but the fact that you have been here a little over three months makes me feel as if a welcome would be a tad too late. I certainly hope you've enjoyed your stay here in my little funhouse." The man at the desk said in a surprisingly charming manner. He sounded so at ease as if he gave this speech every day and could recite it in his sleep.

A guard came up behind me and made me stand, all the while restraining me so I wouldn't do anything to the stranger behind the desk.

"I am dearly sorry that I haven't formally introduced myself, although you might have already heard of me, you see I am a very busy man and don't have much time to go around and greet all of my guests." I still couldn't see his whole face, which was concealed in a dark shadow that only covered his eyes and nose. I could see his mouth though, and I did not like how happy he seemed to be talking to me like we were old pals meeting up after years of separation.

I chuckled in the back of my throat and said, "Guests? That's what you consider the people here? I think prisoners are a more appropriate term for what we are."

The man behind the desk stood up and I could finally see all of his features.

Zeref.

I honestly wished I could say I was surprised.

"Well Natsu, that may be true, but things were about to change around here. No more will I torture you. Yes see, I think you've had quite enough of all that physical pain, and I need you strong for what I plan to do with you." Zeref's face had a gleeful childlike expression on it, and I knew that what he was about to say would not be as joyful for me as it was for him.

"What are you gonna do to me?" I tried to keep my voice strong and steady, but I couldn't hide the fear-laced between each word.

"Ah, I am so glad you asked." Zeref said, starting to pace back and forth. "Well, my dear boy what I want is for you to kill me. See I am technically immortal, and what I want more than anything is to die. And you are the only one capable of doing this. However, I don't think you will be able to reach your full power against me unless you despise me with your entire being. Now, that was why I tortured you for three months, so you would have a greater motive to want me dead. However, I just don't think that was enough. So starting today, we are going to try a new," He fumbled a little bit, trying to find the right word, "technique."

It was official. This man was actually insane. He wanted me to kill him? I'd gladly do that; he didn't need to ask me twice. But the only problem was I could barely stand on my own in my current state.

"Now, starting today you will be able to eat like a king, to build up your strength again. You will also be allowed to train in a room I made just for this occasion. No more physical pain will be unleashed upon you, unless necessary." Zeref was smiling at me and nodding his head making sure I was keeping up. Something he said irked me though.

I look him straight in the eyes for the first time, "You keep saying 'physical pain'. What do you mean by that?"

Zeref's mouth twisted into a sinister smile. "You caught that, did you? Well, there will no longer be any pain inflicted on you're body, so basically no more of what has been occurring these past few months. However, I can't quite say the same for your mental being. See, with this new technique of mine, there was one more component that was needed. Since we will no longer be torturing you, that will take away some of your motive. Therefore, we need a new motive." He moved over to a door that was in the back of the room and knocked three times. "Bring her out."

The door creaked open and another guard walked through it, dragging someone behind him. The person seemed to be accepting what was happening, not even trying to struggle away. When they finally came into the light, my heart stopped.

It was Lucy. My Lucy.

Questions started racing through my head a mile a minute.

Why was she here? Is she okay? How long has she been here? Have they done to her what they did to me? Have they done worse?

Lucy looked over in my direction and her eyes widened in terror. "Natsu! What are you doing here?"

I struggled in the guard's grip, wanting so badly to just reach out to her.

She's here. Lucy was here. Mavis, why did she of all people have to be here?

Once I got over the shock of seeing her, I looked over her entire body.

She looked terrible.

She had been here a while. Her body was noticeably thinner, and the bruises and cuts marking her porcelain skin were hard to ignore. It even looked like one of her legs was bent in the wrong direction. And of course, there were two dark cuffs covering both of her wrists.

I hated him. He was the worst scum on this planet. He wanted me to kill him? Fine. I'd do it right now. No one got away with torturing my friend like that. Especially Lucy. Torturing me was one thing, but when you go after someone close to me, begging to die was completely unnecessary.

"Let her go." My voice was shaky but rough, and I know it was loud enough for Zeref to hear me.

"Why would I do that? She has been a guest here just as long as you." I flinched at that statement. So they didn't all get away. I failed. "And I can't get rid of her now that she's needed more than ever." Zeref walked over and caressed Lucy's cheek, looking down at her like he just found a new puppy. Lucy flinched away from his hand in disgust, and I thought to myself that Zeref didn't really need that hand anymore.

"Don't touch her!" I shouted at him, making my voice as threatening as I could. I tried again to worm my way out of the guard's grip so I could strangle Zeref right then and there. Zeref smirked and yanked Lucy off the ground by her arm. She didn't make a sound, but I could see the agony in her eyes from being grabbed. He brought his chair in front of his desk and sat in it, placing Lucy right on his lap. He moved her matted hair to one side and ran his fingertips along the length of her exposed neck. Lucy started to shake, fear evident on her face.

"Let her go! She has nothing to do with this!" I was screaming and using all of my force to wriggle away from the guard. I couldn't stand to just sit back and watch him touch her like that. My attempt at freedom was almost a success, but another guard came in and helped restrain one of my arms. Now with a guard on each arm, I was completely immobile. I looked back to Zeref and tried to plead with my eyes, "Please just let her go. I'll do what you want, gladly, but you don't need her here for that." I sounded pretty pathetic, but I'd do whatever it took to get her out of here safely.

Zeref shook his head and smiled at me once again. "Like I said before Natsu, I can't do that. She's a very important part of my whole plan. Without her, it won't succeed." He set his gaze back to Lucy, and there was something in his eyes that looked almost predatory.

I was scared to ask, but he wouldn't tell me otherwise, "Why do you need her so badly?"

Zeref chuckled and looked up slowly. He reached behind him and grabbed something out from the back of his pants. Lucy gasped and started shaking harder than before. My body went rigid, and my breathing completely stopped.

He pulled out a gun. And he was pointing said gun straight at Lucy's temple.

"Why, I need her for your motivation of course." Zeref smiled sweetly and cocked the gun.

"NO!" I started struggling once again, barely even thinking.

The only response I got was the sound of a gunshot echo through the room.

Alrighty, chapter one done! I have wanted to write this story for a while but I kept procrastinating, and just recently I figured out how I want the story to progress and maybe even end.

This is the first fanfiction that I have ever written and will commit to. I had another one, but I didn't think it out as well so it kind of flunked.

Constructive criticism was welcome and encouraged (as long as you bastards keep it civil) Or if you just like this story please let me know!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters; the only thing that was mine was the story.

XoxoAsh