We were lost. With the danger we had all been placed in, none of our powers would be able to take it for much longer. We had done nothing wrong, they had. Regardless, we had to get away. Otherwise, death was certain for all of us. All of us except me. With reluctance, we found a way to escape. Darren's telepathy and speed, Vanya's transformation ability, Xavier's healing and inventive hands, Yolric's manipulation of the mind, and my flame and steel fled into the land of Fiore.
"I don't know how we are ever going to find this club you're looking for," Darren huffed under his breath. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"A guild, Darren. It's not just some club," I huffed. Just like his magic, his patience was swift. Darren had been my best friend for at least five years, but his attention span wore my nerves thin.
The fall leaves continued to crunch underneath our feet. The crisp smell in the air took my mind off of not settling down for two months. It was just like the old days back home when the forests were our shelter from the evils outside. I had always thrived in the woods, much like a fire in dry leaves. The others, other than Vanya who had lived in the wilderness her whole life, hated spending excessive time outside. They would never say so to my face, but none of them knew that I never slept that much at night when I was alone. I heard their conversations around the fire. Yolric always tried to stay neutral about it all, but his optimism only took him so far.
"June, should we not set up camp soon? The sun will set in about forty-five minutes," Xavier piped up. He gazed up at the sun as if it were an old friend. His light blue eyes could always withstand the sun's rays without fail. I knew the daytime here was hard for him. It made him miss his father. There was nothing I could do to ever keep his mind from straying away to his far-off family.
"Awh, come on... The next town is just ahead. We can make it!" I sang. To them, that meant "properly" cooked food, clean beds, and steamy showers. I was not usually too happy to reach civilization, but this time was different. This time, our new lives were about to start.
"If you say so. But if it gets dark, we'll have to use your fire," Xavier sighed.
"When do I ever mind doing that?" I smiled, winking at him and clasping my hands behind my head. Yolric's flecked eyes rested on my profile, and I could sense his soft smile graze my body. No matter what, Yolric remained by my side. We had been dating since I met him and the other guys years ago. We had been so attuned to each other since day one. He had proposed to me back home. That was before everything happened. I never had a chance to give my reply, and the traumatic events that followed made my answer low on the priority list.
My group seemed so tame for the exception of Darren or when we were all in danger, so I had no idea how this infamous wild guild will take us. Sure, we can put up a fight and we had never lost a brawl before we fled, but will that be enough to be accepted? This place was rumored to be the best in the business, but what drew me to them more were the guild members.
Suddenly a large flame erupted less than a mile away from where we halted. Normally that would be a sign to turn around. For me, it was a sign to run ahead. I glanced over at Darren and smirked. He took his classic running stance and raised an eyebrow. I flashed a look over at Yolric, he nodded his head, and I tapped the pendant the hung around my neck.
Within seconds, armor sprung around my body. I had nicknamed the suit "Vulcan's Guardian," even though it appeared more like a devil than an angel. Golden, curved horns adorned the head of the suit, one which could swivel down to my mouth so I could communicate with the rest of the crew. When not equipped, my face mask slid to the back of my head and curved down to a point. Battle mode activated cannons that stood promptly at my shoulders, spiked wings stood off my back, and a shield and sword on each wrist. A long tail came down in order to help me balance when traveling at extreme speeds. Spheres on the arches of my feet helped me to achieve these speeds, sometimes making me even faster than Darren.
As soon as I was equipped, Darren and I dashed away, leaving the others to follow us at a human's pace.
Within seconds, Darren and I were on the edge of the clearing where the flames had erupted. Embers continued to float lazily in the air. I felt Darren's eyes on me, probing me to go forward to investigate. As I looked around at the people in the clearing itself, I realized that they were not ordinary people. In fact, they were the ones I had been looking to find in Fairy Tail.
"What are you waiting for?" Darren whispered. "Go for it. What are you, scared?" We looked at each other and his expression went from sarcastic to serious. His hazel eyes looked down my frame and noticed my trembling fists. "Well, that explains why you haven't sheathed your armor yet. Don't be scared, June. We know they are good. More than good, they're genuine. And doesn't the blonde one control the zodiac?"
I briskly nodded.
"Then you have nothing to worry about. You know how Leo is, as well as the others. They'll be so happy to see you." I gave Darren one last look. I saw how tired his eyes were. He was exhausted from following me for so long, hoping we were close to where we needed to be. I had to cast away the nervousness, at least for a minute.
I tapped the charm on my chest plate, making the armor collapse back into the pendant. Without giving Darren a second glance, I walked into the clearing.