Vol1/Chapter21/Protect

## Summary

Natsu leaves the guild to go for a walk and ends up at the park. He still feels some lingering effects from the soulbinding ritual and worries about how the soulbond is going to affect them.

Gray is able to use their bond to track down Natsu in the park. He thanks Natsu for going through with the ritual for his sake. They talk about Lyon's reaction to their situation as well as how Gray is doing with the fact that they are going to be going after demons. They share a private moment before heading back to the guild to help find Lisanna and Elfman who have yet to return.

They walk back hand in hand happily when Natsu suddenly realizes that Tartaros had to have had an inside man to know so much about Face and the only person who had the information they needed was the man that Erza and Mira had gone to protect. They reach the guild quickly and Natsu gets the Former Chairman's address from Warren. He quickly takes off with Happy leaving a very angry Gray behind to explain things to Makarov.

On his way to his destination Natsu realizes that he can feel Gray's rage through the bond and tries to train himself to move Gray's feelings to the background so it doesn't interfere with his concentration in battle.

Natsu and Happy arrive at the Chairman's house to find that a battle had taken place and Erza and Mira are nowhere to be found. He was able to pick up their scent as well as the smell of an herb that is used as a knockout drug in the tea they had been drinking.

Natsu burns all the herbs in the house as they were interfering with his nose, not so accidentally setting the house on fire. He is able to catch their scent and flies off with Happy to follow it. It takes him to a floating island cube in the sky. With almost no magic left Happy drops Natsu on the only structure on the cube. Natsu manages to crash through the wall and land on Crawford Seam () knocking him out to the great surprise of the metallic creature that had been next to him.

This creature is one of the Nine Demon Gates () of Tartaros, a demon by the name of Franmalth (). Franmalth comments that thay have never had an intruder before. Natsu screams the names of his friends attracting the attention of additional Demon Gates.

Natsu attacks Franmalth when he refuses to tell him where the girls are being kept. Franmalth begins to talk about costs and souls confusing the fire dragon slayer. Franmalth's arms begin to stretch as he tries to land a hit on Natsu. When he finally does Natsu screams in agony as his strength begins to be drained out of his body. Happy bites the arm that is holding Natsu causing Franmalth to let go in pain. Franmalth goes after Happy causing Natsu to defend him with another fire dragon attack. Franmalth is able to withstand Natsu's attacks at point blank range without taking any damage.

Natsu stiffens as a familiar scent enters his nose and is surprised to see a tall man with dark spiky hair walk towards them.

Silver recognizes Natsu as one of Gray's teammates from the Grand Magic Games (). He is not sure of their relationship but is aware that Natsu is important to his son. He decides to take control of the situation away from Franmalth to try to protect Natsu. He orders the metallic demon to take the Former Chairman to the infirmary while he deals with Natsu.

Natsu is surprised to see the demon defer to the man and wonders who he is. He immediately notices the resemblance to Gray on top of his smell and thinks he must be a distant relative that Gray does not know about.

Natsu feels the temperature around him begin to plummet even though Silver does not seem inclined to attack.They discuss the Village of the Sun with Silver thanking Natsu for correcting his mistake. He makes a gesture reminiscent of Gray and Natsu reacts in a way that lets Silver know that he and Gray are lovers. Natsu begins to tell him that he smells like someone he knows and Sivler freezes Natsu before he can say Gray's name out loud. He orders him taken to a cell. Happy cries at Natsu's frozen form and tells him that he is going to go get him some help. He flies back to Fairy Tail with little magic left.

Natsu awakens inside a cell bound and naked. Not able to use his magic he panics as he thinks that he is still with Tiamat and that everything else had been a dream. He is not able to find his scarf or his soul crystal necklace. He also can't feel anything from the soulbond except for a brief feeling of being soothed before it too disappears.

He tries to think of the last thing he can remember when with a sinking heart he hears Lisanna Strauss' voice behind him.

## Magic Used In This Chapter

Natsu:

* Fire Dragon Roar ()
* Fire Dragon Iron Fist ()
* Fire Dragon Grip Strike ()