So, I'm trying my hand at Fairy Tail again. I got inspired by a little knickknack in my room to write something like this and my mind-my ever so helpful little pain in the arse-was kicking into "Write this shit right now" drive. So I present to you The Red Eye
The smoke was billowing toward the heavens. The stench of burning flesh permeated the air and screams pierced to the heavens.
It was the most horrific thing she's ever seen.
The swish of a cloak was heard and her hand was in the tight grip of her brother as he pulled her through the halls of their palace. "Brother, what's going on?" she gasped, feeling the smoke seep into her throat and her body was wracked with coughs. The grip on her hand tightened as they made it outside.
"Listen to me, Anika!" Her brother's voice shook with urgency and had the faintest trace of fear as he withdrew a small pouch from the folds of his cloak. "They've no doubt unleashed it—that damnable creature our family kept guarded for centuries." He pressed the pouch into her small palm, closing her fingers over it. "They must not get their hands on this, lest they gain control of the creature."
Confusion ate away at her mind as her grip tightened on the small pouch. "Brother, what's happening?" she asked, hysteria tingeing her tone. Another swish reached her ears as the heavy material fell upon her shoulders.
"The task of Keeper now falls to you, sister," he whispered.
In that instant, the ground began to quake as a piercing cry shattered the air. A strong wind picked up as rubble crashed to the earth. She felt a pressure on her shoulder and the ground met her back. Another wave of debris burst into the air and crashed to the earth—a brutal crack reached her ears as her brother fell to the ground, blood pooling from the fracture of his skull.
"Brother-" she gasped before looking up to the crumbling remains of her family home.
A large shadow, obscured by flames and smoke, unleashed a shriek that pierced her ears.
She let out a cry of pain, feeling a cold, thick liquid seeping from her ears before—
Nothing. She could hear nothing…
"This job was way too easy." Natsu grinned, hands against his hips. Happy hovered beside the rosette Dragon Slayer. Lucy sighed at the male's antics, though she was far used to it. "You overdid it and nearly destroyed the town," she murmured before laughing softly. The duo were returning back to Fairy Tail by cutting through the forest. Lucy considered it had been a while she since and Natsu went on a job without the others, but Erza had gone on a solo mission, whereas Wendy and Gray opted to stay at the guild.
"I want some fish," Happy moaned before perking up. "Hey, what's that?"
"What's what, stupid cat?" Lucy asked, looking at the blue Exceed curiously. Happy pointed with his paw. "Over there!" he chirped.
Against the trunk of a tree, a hooded figure sat, unmoving. "Who is that?" Natsu wondered aloud before jogging over to the figure, Lucy and Happy behind him. Lucy knelt down. "Uh, hello?" she asked softly, reaching a hand out to touch the figure's shoulder, surprised that the cloth—a deep, blood red—was soft to the touch. The figure didn't stir at Lucy's touch, made no sign of heeding the blonde's words. Lucy moved her hand toward the opening hiding the figure's face to check to see if they were breathing. A light gust of breath, slow and uneven, caressed the back of her hand before she looked up to give Natsu a panicked look. "Natsu, I think this person needs help!" she exclaimed.
His expression serious, Natsu swept the figure up in his arms and the hood had fallen back. A wavy tumble of deep crimson hair—the same, blood color as her cloak-had fallen over his right arm. Her left eye was closed, yet her right eye was swathed with bandages stained with red. The extremely pallor skin of her cheeks were tinted with fever flush. Dried blood coated her ears. "Should we take her to the hospital when we reach Magnolia, Natsu?" asked Happy, flying on Natsu's left side.
"Let's get her to Wendy," Natsu said. "Maybe she has a spell that could help this person."
"We should hurry, she could be getting worse," Lucy told the Dragon Slayer. Exchanging nods, they took off running.
The doors of Fairy Tail burst open, jolting the members to attention at who had come through the door.
"Is Wendy here?" Natsu called, holding the unconscious female as gently as he could. The fever flush on her cheeks seemed to have gotten worse during his and Lucy's trek back to Magnolia.
"I'm here!" The Sky Dragon Slayer hurried to the front, blue hair flying behind her in her rush as Carla flew behind her. "What's wrong, Natsu?" she asked.
Lucy looked toward the girl Natsu held. "We found her on the way back. She's been unconscious the entire time, I think she's sick!" she answered Wendy, worry tingeing her voice. Wendy nodded and a table was quickly vacated so that Natsu could set the blood-haired girl upon the tabletop. Her hair fanned out like a halo, as her breaths became ragged. Her hand rested over her chest, clutching at something that hung loosely around her neck in her state of unconsciousness.
"Who is she?" asked Wendy softly, looking between Natsu and Lucy.
"Dunno," answered Natsu, looking at the girl with a frown. "But she reeks of fire and blood. Something might have happened to her before we found her."
"Why is her eye covered like that?" Gray had come over, accompanied by Erza and Juvia (who was silently seething that an unconscious girl was getting her beloved Gray's attention).
"Maybe another injury? Where's the master?" Lucy looked to Erza as Wendy began to heal the scorch marks that riddled the girl's body.
"Master is at the council at the moment," answered Erza.
"Think you can try cooling that fever of hers, Ice Princess?" Natsu asked Gray, crossing his arms over his chest. Gray glared at the Dragon Slayer. "Is that your way of saying you need my help?" he replied sarcastically before approaching the table. He raised a hand, coating it in a thin layer of ice, before pressing it to the girl's forehead.
A soft sound escaped the girl's lips at the contact, her eye fluttering slightly before opening slowly. A dulled, dazed onyx iris surveyed the guildhall, to each face, before slowly pushing herself upright. Her hand tightened at the item around her neck. Her expression was equally dazed.
"You're awake," Erza told her, reaching a hand to touch the girl's shoulder. She jolted at the contact, her eye widening. It was though she was aware of her surroundings and terror seemed to radiate from her body as she trembled slightly.
"Hey, hey! We won't hurt you!" Natsu exclaimed, a sudden burst of frustration at the girl's lack of attitude.
"Hold on a second," Gray told the Dragon Slayer. The Ice Mage had noticed the blood caking the girl's ears—and that it seemed to have come from her ear canal—before moving into the girl's line of sight. The onyx eye that wasn't swaddled by bandages stared back at him before he spoke. "What's your name?"
When she didn't respond, Gray ventured in another try. "Can you hear anything?" he asked. The girl stared at him before frowning and shaking her head slowly. The surprise that went through them all, though unwarranted, was enough to convey the shock.
"That poor girl..." Lucy whispered, her hand rising to rest on her chest. "...She's deaf."