5: Isla de Verona: PART 2
Escalus…
A powerful mage who stays inside an abandoned fortress…
Shrouded with mystery,
He is not instantly seen by men…
What secret does he hold?
Lucy:
It can't be…
Lucy could feel her heart beat wildly inside her…
It can't be…
She could feel her hands getting sweaty with anxiety rushing through her veins…
Gray!
The mere sight of him in that state made her cry like crazy inside. It worried her….
…And Erza too?
Lucy cannot believe it.
We must save them!
Before she could even think of a strategy to save them, Natsu was already out of their hiding place walking toward the mysterious woman. Lucy watched as Natsu stood behind the astonishing beauty. The woman did not even dare to turn and acknowledge his presence which made Lucy uncomfortable. Why wouldn't the woman turn and look at him?
"What did you do to Erza and Gray?" Natsu asked.
The woman slowly turned to face him. Her face was calm and mask like, it didn't posses any trace of emotion. "How durst must one like thee step on thy holy grounds? Hast thee no shame?"
"I don't care if this is a holy place, give my friends back!" Natsu told the lady once again.
"I care none…" The lady said "Many a guild were besought to come hither, thou just one of thee…"
Vines then suddenly enveloped Natsu's legs. He tried to move free yet the vines held him fiercely steady on his spot.
"Let me go!" Natsu said.
The lady just gave him a brief look. "Escalus," she said in a soft gentle tone. Lucy noted that her voice was devoid of any emotion, yet it wasn't like that of a robot. Her voice almost sounded delicate and melodious like a drop of water into a pool's smooth surface, or like a faint whisper in the dark. "His will shalt never be defied…"
The vines that encircled Natsu's legs reached up to his waist. The more that Natsu struggled, the more the vines grew. "When water hast nourish thy holy, beloved, sacred tree… Escalus shalt gain power…" The lady eyed Natsu, "Escalus is thy form of thy tree… I, Escalus' spirit, in thy human form, am its protector… thou hast no right to interfere thee…"
She walked towards Natsu. Lucy couldn't understand what made Natsu was so motionless, it isn't so like him. She watched as the lady approached the half-asleep Natsu. The vines that wrapped Natsu's body clung tighter, as the lady approached him; she placed her hand at Natsu's face and gave him a deep kiss in the lips.
Lucy, Happy and Cedric dropped their jaws at the sight of what just have happened.
"Oh my! It's Natsu's first kiss!" Happy exclaimed.
"Escalus has the ability to hypnotize people… that is why Natsu doesn't seem to react so much," Cedric said.
"I think you have a point," Lucy said "however, I don't think it is about being hypnotized; rather, I think she had the ability to calm people… I mean, just listening to her voice… it's so calm and soothing, that it was able to make Natsu sleep…"
Lucy grabbed hold of her keys in her pocket, "We must wake them up from their slumber,"
"Now," The lady said to Natsu "Thou shall be holy sacrifice to Escalus!"
"NO HE WOULDN'T!" Lucy said as she jumped out of her hiding place which made the lady's attention turned towards her.
"A fere I see," The beautiful lady said "Why hast thou tarry? Thy friend hither hath been ready, thy too late already, henceforth, thy young lad shalt be sacrifice to thy holy tree…"
"Since you wouldn't listen to me," Lucy said as she grabbed a golden key "Open the Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"
A few seconds later, Aquarius, a mermaid-like celestial spirit appeared. The spirit possessed a blue tail and hair, and an urn which she uses to wield her power. However like all the times Lucy summoned her, Aquarius seemed to be half-willing to help her.
"How dare you summon me this time when I am having fun with my boyfriend?" Aquarius scolded Lucy.
"I'm sorry Aquarius, but now is not the best time to scold me," Lucy said as she tried to reason with her difficult celestial spirit. All she needs is Aquarius' power to put her plan into action.
"A celestial maiden I see," The lady said "however, no such power would equivalent Escalus' will."
"You summoned me just for this?" an irritated Aquarius said "didn't I tell you to not bother me this week?"
"Aquarius, I need you to make a gigantic tidal wave here," Lucy said. Her purpose was for her friends to wake up from their slumber. "If you do, I promise, I won't bother you for a month."
Aquarius looked around her. "But this is such a lovely place; do you think I'll do what you ask?"
"huh?" Lucy said in annoyance.
The celestial mage and her spirit started arguing. The mysterious lady sighed "I see, a maiden trying to control her spirit… Such a spirit is pathetic for naught following thy master, henceforth thy powerful spirit, shalt be mine and serve me…"
The lady raised her arm and her fingers pointed towards Aquarius, powerful vines threatened to attack Aquarius however the evil tempered spirit howled in anger "I