WARNING: This story may contain spoilers!

This story takes place five years after the Tartarus Arc, Fairy Tail has been reformed and all is right with the world, at-least for the time being it is... Anyway this story will be similar in nature to my other one and I hope you will enjoy it...

If you like this story then please let me know by reviewing, following and favouring it. COOL!

- Remember, this is only a story and a fictitious one at that. So keep an open mind while reading it... And please excuse my spelling and grammatical errors, its been a few years since I was last in school. - LOL

Disclaimer... I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does! Thank you!

- The Phoenix Queen -

By The bay Man

Chapter 1 - The Phoenix Gate!

A Long, Long Time Ago...

AN POV

"HURRY UP!" Sasha yelled as she rounded a bend in the cave, unaware of the cruel fate her lover would suffer in that brief moment when he'd slipped from her sight!. Her best friend!... Her lover had fallen behind and their enemy had finally caught up to him and much to her chagrin, several weeks of successfully eluding 'that monster' all went to hell in that one instant.

Sasha stopped and waited for Ezel to catch up but there was no sign of him. She swallowed hard while she listened for his reply; the sound of his voice, a footstep, anything that she could latch onto to give her hope that he was still behind her but she knew he wasn't... She could feel it in her bones that her best friend, her mate was no more.

As fear got the better of her, Sasha started to tremble as she slowly turned on her heels and inched closer to the bend in the cave... The very same bend that she had just rounded only a moment ago! 'Just a quick look!' She thought as she nervously peeked around the corner. Her hand flew to her mouth as a small gasp escaped her lips all the while her eyes registered the horror that was in front of her... Towering above a blood soaked form stood Ravage, the seven foot monster sent by its master to retrieve the 'Gate' and at his feet, the dismembered body of Sasha's lover, Ezel... And all this pain and suffering for a small insignificant box, known as the Phoenix Gate... The very one that Sasha was now protecting with her life...

The 'Gate' was a small unassuming box that her sect had coveted and protected for generations and now she was the last survivor of that sect. Some weeks before, the task had fallen to her and Ezel to bring it to the one place on Earthland where no being could reach it... The pit of the Fire Dragon, Igneel, a place where no being would dare enter without fear of being instantly destroyed.

The king of the Dragons was known for his hatred of all beings; Dragon, human, mage, they all meant nothing to him! He had no love for either but after today he would slowly change and see the error of his ways... The Great Dragon would come to understand the value of loyalty and most importantly, the value of life itself.

Standing over her lover, Ravage laughed as he stretched out his arm and flung the contents of his hand towards a petrified Sasha. As she slowly forced her eyes open, there at her feet was the head of her lover Ezel. She wanted to scream or cry or perhaps just deny Ravage's existence altogether but she knew she had a higher purpose that day and it was a vow that she and Ezel made in good fate, something that they both would complete at all costs... Even as her sect fought off Ravage's minions, they knew that the safety of the 'Gate' was paramount and all else was secondary... Even family took a back seat to its protection!

"I know you're there LITTLE girl!" Growled the behemoth as he kicked the body that laid before him to the side and confidently walked forward. His red eyes glowed as he revealed his razor sharp teeth. Ravage was, to put it mildly, a demon!... His large black frame, horns and bat-like wings struck fear into those that laid eyes upon him. As he continued to moved forward, the sound of metal grinding echoed as he dragged two large battle-axes behind him... They made an eerie sound; one that reverberated throughout the cave, forcing Sasha to cover her ears as the sound was all but deafening. Her ears rang as pain shot through her skull... Then she heard it!... Something that even made Ravage stop and cower in fear... A loud bone-chilling 'ROAR'!

Sasha was now slumped down with her back against the wall, her legs pulled tightly up to her chest as she tightly guarded the box in her arms. Every fibre of her being cowered! She wanted to look up but she was stricken with fear... A demon was to her left and now she heard the footsteps of another demon approaching from the right. She knew this was it and her life would end here, after-all she was but a mere human and they... They were monsters!

As Igneel rounded the last bend, he could smell humans and the foul stench of a demon... He could also smell the sweet aroma of death as a gentle breeze carried the wonderful odor pass his sensitive snout. 'How dare such filth enter his domain!' He thought as he quickly noticed a cowering human curled up against the wall. It was terrified and he could tell she was not long for this world... 'The smell of death was upon her,' he thought. He could hear her heart pound harder and harder in her chest, he knew this human was just moments away from meeting her maker... He'd smelt fear before but Igneel never thought that he would see it to this extent!

"What are you vile creatures doing in my domain?" Igneel roared as he bared his fangs and snarled at his victims. "Leave now or perish this instant!"

"I have no quarrel with you Dragon!... I've only come for what is now, rightfully mine!... The Phoenix Gate!" Ravage grinned as he swung his battle-axes at his sides causing two small wind vortexes to form. "Don't make me harm you!"

"HAHAHAHAHA..." Laughed the large red Dragon as it inched closer to the little human who was now struggling to catch her breath. "YOU!... You'll do nothing of the sort!... You will however, perish here today!" Igneel laughed.

Igneel reared back and felt his magic swirl inside. It felt warm, almost comforting to him but he knew what was about to spring forward was anything but warm and comforting... It was destructive!... And that little pest of a Demon was going to pay the ultimate price for entering his domain... DEATH!... Death would be his payment!

"Dragon's Roar!" Igneel roared as a column of fire burst from his mouth striking the Demon with its full force. Ravage tried to negate the Dragons breath but even with his power at maximum this would be a test he was sure to lose.

Two loud bangs echoed and Igneel grinned as he poured even more magic into his attack... The sound of metal hitting stone roused his senses but it was all over now, for his roar exploded past its victim, scorched the walls and then burst out the end of his cave. When the smoke cleared all that remained of Ravage were two severed arms dangling from each of his battle-axes which he had embedded into the wall to support himself against the Mighty Dragon's Roar!... Ravage was gone and so too was the body of Ezel, the second human, both vaporized by his attack!

Turning his attention to the human below him, he growled but she made no attempt to move as her fear at this point had all but rendered her paralyzed. "Why are you here human?" Igneel said as he lowered his head till he was only inches from the girl. He could smell her fear and for the first time in his existence he could sense she was not afraid of him but something else! 'Perhaps she could sense her own end!' He thought.

"S-Sorry!... Lord Igneel!... T-This!" She said as her trembling hands showed him a small box... It was something precious to her and because of that she was cautiously guarding it!

Igneel reared back as he recognized what she was holding... He had seen this before and knew exactly what it was! 'This was the legendary 'Phoenix Gate',' He thought as he moved in for a closer look. It was real and it was right in front of him. "This can't be!... That is protected by the Phoenix Sect!... How is this here!?" He growled.

"All d-dead!" Sasha wheezed as she struggled to speak, every word weighing heavily upon her chest. "I-I'm the last one..."

"Child, did you carry that all the way here?" Igneel's eyes lite up once he realized what this weak little girl had done for her brethren.

She nodded as she struggled to keep her eyes open, all the while her body was slowly loosing its grip on life. "M-Master wanted m-me to hand this t-to you!" She said as she laid the box gently to her side. "P-Protect its po-ower..." She trailed off as every word she now spoke burned at her throat.

"Child do you even know what this is?" Igneel said in a soft fatherly voice... A voice he thought he'd never hear himself use, at least not in this life!

"T-The power of the P-Phoenix!" She proudly stuttered as she propped herself up with a free hand. Her heavy eyes showed her determination as she tried to muster a smile but it was too forced, more like an awkward grin, to which Igneel couldn't help but chuckle.

"No child!" He laughed at this humans foolish misinterpretation. "This does not contain the power of the Phoenix!... The Phoenix is not a single being anymore, but a race of beings, much like humans or Dragons are now! Phoenixes harbour a unique power, one of birth, death and rebirth and they live among us hidden throughout society! To them it's a never ending cycle of life and death!... To some it is a curse and to others it is a gift but over the millennium there have been some, a small few mind you, who have sacrificed their birthright for a glimpse of the Phoenix's true power. Its a fleeting power that they achieve but it's nothing that would compare to that of a Dragon... But what you have there is different! That is only meant for one being, to everyone else it is only a box... All-be-it a pretty box but a box just the same!"

"But!... B-But our t-teachings s-say..." She paused to catch her breath... The strain on her small frame was evident as she battled for every last second of life, a life that her determination would see prolonged just long enough to complete her task. "...I_It will one d-day g-give unimaginable p-power to it's h-holderrr!" Sasha said as a tear fell from her eye and gently landed on the box. The box glowed for a moment as if it reacted to her determination and then quickly went dark again.

"Yes it will child but only to its owner and that owner must be a descendant of the Phoenix race!... It's owner could show up today, tomorrow or perhaps hundreds of years from now but the contents of this box is only meant for her... The new Queen of the Phoenixes! That 'Gate' will give her the power of the first Phoenix; the true Phoenix, the bird of legend who's power rivalled that of the first Dragons!... That is the true power of the Phoenix and that's what that box holds for its future Queen! That power will also allow her to someday save a nation... At-least that is what I was told by my predecessor!..." Igneel sighed. "Foolish humans!... Such a waste of resources protecting something so useless to your kind!"

He watched as the girl struggled to breath. Blood slowly trickled down her chin as she coughed, her heartbeat became louder and more strained. She reached out and pushed the box towards Igneel and forced a smile...

"Please protec..." Sasha said as she took her last breath and slumped over, falling to the cave floor... She was gone and with her, the last of the Phoenix Sect was no more!...

"Foolish human!" Igneel shook his head and sighed. He stared at the box for awhile trying to determine what he should do with such a useless thing. He took a deep breath and released it. "Well!... She did travel all this way here, I suppose I can do something to honour that effort!"

As Igneel raised himself up on his hind legs and freed his front claw infusing it with his magic... As he pushed his claw deep into the cave wall and ripped at the stone, he paused for a brief moment to stare down at the small unassuming box below him. Sighing he reached down and picked it up with the tips of his claws and gently placed it into the small opening he had just created. Igneel covered the opening with rock and when he was done he turned his attention back to his next task.

Igneel sighed heavily as he looked down at the lifeless form below him. Her small frame seemed so fragile, almost delicate as he pondered what he should do with such a noble one as her and then he noticed it, a small smile etched permanently across her face! He knew then and there that she deserved better than to be left to rot in some dark and dingy cave. He moved forward and gently picked her up with his mouth, turned around and headed back deep into his cave... He would honour her effort with a place in his home, a place where she could rest peacefully as the years passed her by!...

Fourteen-Hundred Years Later...

Lucy's POV

"Natsu!... SLOW DOWN!" I yelled as I tried to keep up with him... Walking was one thing but climbing a mountain was another thing all together! As I neared the top, I looked up and saw Natsu grinning back down at me as he stood in front of a large cave opening.

"Hurry up Luce!" Natsu smiled as he reached down, took my hand and helped me climb up the last few stones that led to the mountain top and the cave's entrance just behind him.

"What is this place Natsu?" I smiled as I looked at the cave then out over the countryside. Nothing but trees and mountains as far as the eye could see... The view was spectacular! "You said this place was remote but this is ridiculous!... It took two weeks just to get here!" I growled.

"But Luce this is Igneel's first home!" Natsu smiled and stepped behind me. He wrapped his warm arms around my waist and kissed me on the neck which made my legs tremble. "Igneel has been gone for nearly four years now and I figured this is the best place to come and introduce my new mate to him!... Besides, his spirit has to be here!... Right!?"

"Of course it is Natsu!" I smiled as I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck, leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips, "thank you for taking me here!... I'm honoured that you would want me to meet your Father!"

"Y-You're not mad at me for dragging you here on our honeymoon!?" Natsu's relief evident by my smile, which grew larger and larger with each passing moment.

"I-I didn't like the idea at first... But now that I'm here, I'm glad I came!... It was a wonderful idea to honeymoon here and besides Virgo promised she'd make it a special place for us when we call her out later!" I winked as a hint of red crossed my cheeks. 'I can't believe I said that... This is so embarrassing!' I thought as I tried to hide my embarrassment in Natsu's shoulder.

"Good!" Natsu kissed my forehead and placed my hand in his and lead me into the cave.

'It was a large cave! Big enough for a Dragon to move freely through!' I thought as I followed Natsu's lead. As we cautiously walked forward, I could tell Natsu was excited to be here by the way his pace had quickened. At this point he was almost dragging me along and I could tell he was obviously happy to be here.

"Luce!... Luce!... There's something I want to show you around this corner!" Natsu's voice rose with excitement as he dragged me around a bend in the cave. Ahead was a long downward tunnel and at the end of it I could make out something shinny. "There!" Natsu pointed up ahead to two rather large axes stuck in the walls of the cave. "Igneel said that was a Demon he destroyed for barging into his home!" Natsu proudly laughed.

Thoughts of Gray and Avatars popped to mind at the mention of Demons. 'At-least that all worked out in the end!' I sighed to myself. "Gross Natsu!... T-There's still bones attached to them!"

"Ya!... Igneel said he blew him away!" Natsu laughed out loud as he walked over to one of the axes and grabbed the arm that dangled from it. He ripped it off and then proceeded to chased after me with an outstretched bony hand. All I could do was run and yell at his childish behaviour but on the inside I was laughing at the lovable fool chasing behind me.

I ran around the corner and came to a screeching halt as something along the wall caught my attention... Something in the wall was glowing and I could feel it pull at me! It was almost as if it was reaching out to me... The feeling was overwhelming!

"Natsu!... STOP!" I yelled and Natsu immediately came to a halt and stared at me like I was a mad person.

"Oi!... What's wrong Luce!... Why did you stop?" Natsu said as he threw the bony hand aside and moved to my side.

"I wonder what's glowing behind those rocks!" I said as I knelled down and examined the stones before me.

"What glow!?" Natsu said as he knelled down beside me and stared at me and then at the wall. "You're weird Luce!"

"I'm not weird idiot!... There's something behind these rocks and it's glowing!" I growled as I started to remove the rocks one by one until a small opening appeared and there in the back was a small box covered in years of dust. "See!... That's what's glowing!" I huffed as I reached in and pulled the box out.

"What is it?" He said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"No idea Natsu!" I exclaimed as I gave it a quick dusting and examined it closer. It was a small brown wooden-chest with intricate scroll work around its edges. The box was about twelve inches wide by eight inches deep and about five inches high... Along the front and its sides was an ancient scrip, while across the top were by my account twelve keyholes with a symbol marking each hole... I gasped as I remembered something I once saw in an old book. Something that Levy and I had found buried deep in the back of Fairy Tail's old library...

"T-The Phoenix G-Gate!" I stuttered. "I-It was lost eons ago!"

Next chapter the Gate activates and everything changes! (Chapter 2 - Loss!)

Updates should be weekly (Saturday or Sunday) Please be patient and let me know what you think.

Till Next Time...