Demonic Ruins
Lucy ducked under a flying body, grinning as she heard swords whistling through the air. She pulled her bowstring taut, aiming her star tipped arrow at the underbelly of a huge, shadowy, serpentine monster, yelling for the man that stood under it, ice blade poised to strike, to duck.
He dropped instantly, and she let her arrow fly, the celestial object finding a home in the monster's underbelly. It froze, about to close it's jaws around her friend, then fell backwards, smoke rising from where her arrow had found true as well as it's gaping maw.
"Nice shot!" The man grinned at her, jogging over. He ruffled her long golden hair, earning a pout and a smack to his shoulder.
"Shush, Iceman, lets just watch the magic happen." She smirked as she pointed towards the red-headed wonder, the fairy barely visible as she hacked and slashed through the mass of shadow creatures that surrounded her, not a single one able to touch her, let alone get near her.
Erza Scarlet was a force of nature, both in and out of battle. Lucy felt her friend go stiff beside her as Erza relieved twelve shadow creatures of their heads, the bodies dropping a second later, the last shadows having fallen. Gray's jaw was dropped, and Lucy took great pleasure in snapping it closed, making the poor mage bite his tongue, earning her a glare.
Her honey coloured eyes widened as she noticed a shadow creature stand, lunging for Erza, whose back was turned. She had her bow ready in an instant, raised and a millisecond from being let loose. A dagger of ice beat her to it, slicing through the air just over the fairy's shoulder and landing in the creature's head, making a satisfying thud sound as it fell limp, just an inch from Erza.
Erza glanced behind her, not the least bit fazed from having the blade come so close, then shrugged. Lucy and Gray met her halfway, grins on their faces, although Erza's was a bit more reserved.
"Good job with the snake you two. We should keep going though, we're only a day's journey from our destination." She sheathed the long sword after brushing the black ichor off, eyes scanning over their area, the predatory glint in them easily telling the mages that she was still thirsting for a fight. They definitely would attempt to avoid anything that would irritate the fairy queen.
She had a tendency to throw people through walls.
Gray was the first one to move, gesturing for them to follow as his mind went to the map that had long since been engraved in his mind. Out of the three of them, he knew the way best, having been there every year as a child, training in the ruins for a month before his teacher moved them.
When his hand moved to pull at the buckle of his belt, Lucy gave him a hard smack across the head, earning her a yelp and a thankful glance. Even after living independently for fourteen years, he still had a habit of stripping himself without thought. A certain water spirit wasn't apposed to it, and in fact encouraged it, but not many Fairytail women held the same attitude.
"Juvia isn't here, so you can at least keep your pants on." She teased. Erza gave a light chuckle while Gray huffed, lengthening his already long strides until the blonde had to jog to keep up with him and Erza, who easily matched him.
Gods, she hated being the shortest of them.
~~~.~~~
The bright sky bled red then black as the day progressed to night. They were only an hour's walk from their destination, the tall spires of the ruins the only sign that they were close. Lucy shivered, cool, autumn wind washing over her as Erza hacked through a few pesky imps that had been following them for the past three hours.
One clung tightly to Gray, and neither female was willing to remove it, the image presented amusing them as the ice mage flailed his leg in an attempt to dislodge the creature.
"Don't be so cruel, it loves you Gray!" Lucy threw a bright smile at her male friend, who just scowled before his entire leg froze over, the ice, and the imp trapped in it, shattering with his next step.
"The feeling wasn't mutual..." was all that was said before they lapsed into silence, the only sound being that of Erza's armour clashing against itself. They moved quicker as time progressed, darting through shadows as they made way for the decrepit, dark grey walls that surrounded the gigantic fallen city.
Lucy shivered when Erza halted them, standing just barely in the tree line, sharp, mahogany eyes darting around the clear expanse that separated the forest from the city. Giving the okay, they darted across to the city, careful to keep from making a noise.
They moved with unsure steps as they delved deep into the city's ruins, Erza leading the way, Lucy guarding their sides, while Gray took up the back. He seemed to drift off at times, most likely being pulled at by his memories, yanking himself back whenever he stumbled.
The surrounding buildings could barely be called that, most just piles of crumbling old stone. Only a handful, maybe two or three, still had a wall or two standing, a haunting reminder that this had once been a land filled with people, before it had been torn to shreds by the king who had fostered its growth into one of the most powerful kingdom's at the time.
Legend said that the king was a monstrous dragon that ruled over everything in a 800 mile radius. It was a kingdom built on war, the most powerful in this realm. The stories said that its people were demons and mages, the magic in their blood so strong that anyone within 50 miles could feel it. It was said that the king, E.N.D, was born of the Fire Dragon king and the Queen of Death, royal blood strengthening him alongside the dragon and demon blood that coursed through him. He'd quickly established his throne with his enforcers, building up an entire kingdom at the age of seventeen.
They believed that such powerful magic and genes had driven the young king mad, in the night, he'd completely destroyed his legacy with one fell swoop, not even his enforcers had survived. After that, some say he killed himself, others said that he went to his birth realm, but most believed he was but a ghost story, told to children that seemed too interested in fairytales.
"Lucy! We need some light over here!" Gray's voice snapped her from her train of thought, and she looked up, realizing that he and Erza were standing in front of a relatively unharmed building, the only damage being a small piece of the wall crumbling, and the stone turned black by flames. Erza had a sword raised, determination on her face as she waited for Lucy.
The blonde clasped her hands together, a bright ball of yellowish light hovering above her open palm when she brought them away from each other. She handed the ball to Gray, who threw it into the building, light exploding out of it as it hit the floor, illuminating the whole building.
It looked to be a library, old tomes, filled with knowledge, sitting on wooden shelves, some weaken from age and sagging, others snapped in half, their contents splayed on the floor. Lucy followed behind her friends as they entered, breaking away when Erza gave the all clear.
Immediately, Lucy dashed to an over-stacked shelf of books, most bound by leather, although there were a few with wooden covers. She picked one of the better looking ones, dusting off the cover to read the title.
-Dragon's and the Dragon-Blooded: A full collection of the dragon race-
Her eyes widened a fraction. She'd never thought that a whole race could have something such as this, there just had to be too many dragons, even if this were from four centuries ago. Letting curiosity get to her, Lucy opened the book, eyes going to the table of contents. Names and families were sorted by their original element and alphabetically, and their page numbers.
'Fire dragon...' she hummed to herself, searching out the element. Finding it, she flipped to the first page, nearly dropping the old book in surprise when a realistic looking picture of a crimson dragon rippled on the page, amber eyes almost following her.
-Sedah. The first fire dragon. Born from the fire goddess. Lived for 3033 years before he was slayed in battle. Father to Fire Dragon King Igneel. Father to Lava Dragoness Magmalra. Father to Typhoon Dragon Thrall. Father to Tectonic Dragoness Garnite. Mated to Water Dragoness Ceana.-
The image on the page shifted, changing to show six dragons, four cubs and two adults, soaring in the sky, again, almost lifelike.
Lucy turned the page, this time prepared for the moving image, eyes going to the fire dragon who looked so similar to Sedah, the only difference being that his reptilian eyes were a shade of startling blue mixed with a calm green.
-Igneel. The second fire dragon. Born from the fire dragon Sedah and the water dragon Ceana. Lived to be 5024 years before he died of sickness. Father to the Dark Fire Dragon Natsu Dragneel(see E.N.D). Father to the Yellow Fire Dragon Zancrow. Father to the Green Fire Dragoness Cosmos. Mated to the Demon Queen of Death Cynthia. Mated to the Bright Sky Dragoness Delara.-
So, E.N.D had siblings... she'd never once heard of them in legends. She was about to flip the next page, wanting to see the Dragon King that had once governed this city, when Ezra called her name.
"Lucy, would you be able to barricade the door? I'd ask Gray to do it, but his magic will cool the room to an uncomfortable point. We should be able to stay here for the night." The red haired fairy was walking over to her, eyes finding the book in the blonde's hands.
For some reason, she slammed it closed, not wanting anyone but herself to read it. Erza raised a brow but didn't respond. Wanting to apologize for her odd actions, she opened her mouth, only to close it and turn to the door, book tucked under her arm. A hand went the keys tucked safely in her key pouch, plucking the one that she knew she'd need off without even a glance.
Aries star dress wrapped around her in an instant, her normal clothes disappearing into the spirit realm. Holding a palm to the door, she summoned an explosion of pink wool, the fluffy material blocking them in, and adding a bit of insulation to the cool building. She grinned at her work, then made three small beds out of the wool for them to sleep on.
"Thanks Lu!" Gray grinned lopsidedly at her as he face planted on one of the beds, sinking into the soft, comforting wool. She snickered at his childish behaviour while Erza sighed, muttering about childish men that were more irresponsible than an imp. Lucy shrugged when the fairy's mahogany eyes turned on her, dismissing her star dress and making her way to a bed, falling onto it gracefully, book opening for her to read.
She turned back to Igneel's page, scanning over it one last time before going to the page she'd been looking for.
This time, she was startled. It wasn't a dragon that peered back at her, but a man, boy, teenager, whatever you wanted to call him. He didn't look human though. Large, ivory horns grew from by his elf-like ears, reaching past the back of his head. Black swirls covered his skin, only his face was free of them. His chest, bare of a shirt, was a hard plane of muscle, black ink running along his tanned skin. A thin, whiplike tail was curled around his calf, large, black, bat like wings folded neatly at his back. Startling emerald eyes stared back at her, and she could see flecks of gold in them, the gold slowly changing to blue and back. He had a sharp jaw and thin lips, a grin, almost predatory, on his face, baring sharp teeth that made her shiver.
The thing that stood out to her the most though was the shock of salmon pink hair on top of his head, wild looking and unkempt.
What type of dragon had pink hair? Wasn't that a quality that only nymphs had?
-E.N.D. Natsu Dragneel. The first Dark Fire Dragon. Born of the Fire Dragon King Igneel, and the Demon Queen of Death Cynthia. Currently 415 years old. Currently unmated.-
Lucy blinked at the short description, eyes falling back to the picture of E.N.D. It had changed, this time showing a dragon with bright, golden green eyes and scales the colour of rubies. He was captivating, much more than his father and grandfather. Where their bodies were stockier, thicker, powerful looking, he was much more slender. He was still broad chested, and muscle rippled under his scales. He was built, if she were to compare him to an animal, like a cross between a leopard and a cheetah.
She closed the book when the image shifted again, sleep suddenly calling her. Arms feeling heavy, she let her arms drop, book landing on her belly. Her eyes drifted to Erza, who seemed to be just as tired. Something didn't feel right.
There was a light gust of wind swirling through the library, which made no sense. The door was blocked completely, and there wasn't another opening to the outside. Panic set into her as she tried to fight the sleep away, reaching to her keys in an attempt to summon a spirit.
"Erza... G-Gray... wake up guys!" She barely got the words out, a yawn forcing her to pause. She could hear soft snores from her friends, they'd fallen asleep. Her eyelids felt like they were weighed down by lead, body filled with cotton. Unable to stay awake a moment longer, she let her eyes slip closed, praying to the gods that whatever was happening to them wouldn't last long.
~~~.~~~
Wendy watched with narrowed eyes as the three intruders fell asleep, cutting off the wind currents that she used to disperse the sleep spell.
Pushing the shelf she was hiding behind open, she crept towards them, surveying their faces. They seemed relatively normal, and they lacked the sour or bitter scent most ill-hearted people had. Her eyes were drawn to the blonde woman, who seemed restless as she slept. It was unheard of for a human, mage or any other species to resist a sky dragon's sleep spell.
Unless...
Eyes widening, she summoned a strong current of wind, sweeping up the blonde and lifting her into the air. The blonde let out a whine, and Wendy hurried towards the hidden entrance, sweeping away any trace of their being here. She didn't notice the book that was clutched to the blonde's bosom, or the low rumble that emanated from it.
~~~.~~~
Lucy wasn't sure how long she'd been out, but when she woke, she was not where she fell asleep. Panic welled up in her chest as she shot up, hand going to her keys. The fact that they didn't respond had her heart skipping a beat.
She looked around the room she was in, taking in the cool, dry air and the bland, smooth grey walls. Most likely, she was underground, almost able to tell that she was far from the surface. There was a tunnel, yawning mouth just big enough for a fully grown adult to walk through with about a foot of space on their sides and6 two feet of space above their head.
Cautiously, Lucy crept towards the exit, keeping to the shadows. Stepping into the tunnel, she flinched as she set her foot on something smooth, booted foot skidding beneath her. Lifting her foot and crouching she picked the item up, rolling it between her fingers.
It was cool to the touch, and when she put it in the light, her eyes widened as she realized it was a small gold coin, an intricate design on its face.
Pocketing it, wanting to take a closer look at it later, Lucy continued on her way. A few turns left her with absolutely no light, and she did the motions for her light spell, frowning when no orb of yellow light came into existence. Repeating the motion with less patience three more times, she let out a frustrated groan when she failed, letting her hands fall to her sides.
"There's probably an anti-magic spell here..." she mumbled to herself as she resumed walking. It was getting warmer as she continued on her way, never reaching an uncomfortable level though. If she weren't in an unknown place, she'd consider just falling asleep, the heat not too unlike a blanket.
There was a sharp turn ahead of her, a soft light on the wall, showing a fast approaching exit. Hope of escaping urged her to move quicker, Lucy practically ran around the corner, eyes widening with shock as she came up to a ledge, barely able to stop herself from falling into the monstrous cavern ahead of her.
It was full of glittering gold, smaller piles of trinkets against the walls. In the middle was a huge pile of golden items, half as tall as the, probably 130 ft, cavern. Torches decorated the walls, shining light into the warm cave.
A loud crash had her turning her head towards the far right wall, heart stopping as she laid eyes on the sources of the noise.
Two dragons were grappling with each other, one a polished silver colour with cruel looking horns and a feral glint in his red eyes. The other was slightly smaller, ruby red scales covering him and sharp, dark red horns.
She had no idea who the silvery coloured dragon was, but it was clear who the red one was.
E.N.D, the king of Alegria and one of the most powerful creatures in the realms, was alive.
And was crashing into the stone below her, the tremors tripping her, Lucy falling into the cave and barely keeping herself from splattering on the floor, clinging to the end of the dark fire dragon's horn.
"Looks like we've got company." The silver scaled dragon rumbled, plucking her roughly from E.N.D's horn and dropping her unceremoniously in the red dragon's palm. Golden green eyes peered down at her, his long muzzle close enough that she could feel warm air coming off of him with every breath. His lips quicker up, teeth bared in a slightly feral grin, and Lucy swore her heart stopped, frozen in fear that she would be eaten.
"You're a weirdo." The gods probably hated her.
Yea, they definitely hated her.
(First chapter is done! I honestly am so satisfied with this, it's just a lot better than it was before! Leave reviews, tell me what you like and what you didn't! If you decide to offer a few ideas, that's fine too, but most likely, I'll already have it, or i will consider it but not use it. If i get a REALLY good one, I'll try to incorporate it into the story, but no promises! Also, I'm probably going to look in to getting a beta reader too, just to help avoid any mistakes.
See ya next time!)