He was standing in his sentry place, it was almost the end of his turn and he couldn't help but want it to be over. His body hurt, after being standing still for too many hours – and what was even worse was the blazing heat wave they were under.
It wasn't easy harbouring the ice in his core in this place, so prone to heat.
Worse, he couldn't even call his magic since he was in the sacred place where no magic was allowed. Well, most of it, wasn't.
Steps started sounding and Gray perked up. He even smiled as he saw Macao approaching.
"Finally." Gray drawled. "It's about time, huh?"
"Sorry, was late because of the missus." The other man said with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, yeah. Well, you're not the only one with things planned for the night." Gray said and winked.
"Oi. I don't want to know anything about your weird plans, boy." The other replied, hands rising and flailing a little.
"I'll keep my mouth shut…" Gray replied teasingly, heading out. He went past the various areas, exchanging some quick words with friends. And then, he was nearly home.
Where Natsu was.
He walked down the street, whistling a jaunty tune.
Gray woke up with a gasp, sitting in bed and looking around, wide-eyed. It had been a weird dream but it felt so real. Gray got up and went to the window. Pushing the window open, he was met with a chilly breeze, feeling it cool down his skin, a sharp yet agreeable scent filling his nostrils.
The horizon was beginning to grey, making a lit line split the darkness in two, in the distance.
"The sun hasn't risen yet? You've got to be fucking with me." He said incredulously, running a hand through his hair and slowly walking to the bed, where he flopped onto the mattress. He lay on his back, running both hands through his face. With a grumble, he went to the adjoined bathroom, quickly making his morning ablutions and, as he was getting dressed in his now clean travel clothes, he heard a knock on the door.
"Yes?" he said.
"Gray? Good, you're awake!" Lucy said cheerfully as she stepped into the room. "I didn't expect you to be up so early."
"I had a weird dream, I guess." Gray shrugged as he finished adjusting the myriad of belts and pockets. "But isn't this too early?"
"A dream, you say?" Lucy said pensively, but she perked up. "And no, apparently this is the right time to go to the site. It's not too cold but it's not too hot yet. And we're finally going there! I can't wait to see all the ruins and-!"
"Yes, yes. I want to see them too. But maybe we should get going, then? I think we should eat something before travelling." Gray quickly cut his friend's tirade, knowing how she could ramble for hours on end.
"Ah, you're right." She said with a giggle. "Anyway, come. It's better if we worry." She grabbed his hand and started dragging Gray towards the end of the corridor, where their friends were already waiting.
They didn't have to travel for long, just a few hours, making the chevals walk at a good pace. They were first welcomed by imposing columns sprouting from the sand, some standing tall, others chipped down and having crumbled already. The three dragonslayers led them through the place, by what used to be the main street. They stood in front of the large entranceway to the temple – the one mark that still stood against the test of time. The temple building had disappeared a long time ago, the dragonslayers told them.
The team camped in what used to be the garden. It was a large area. Gray had stood with Lucy and Levy as they talked excitedly about the disposition of the entrances and what might be where. Gray chimed in here and there, he looked around and watched as their friends were sweeping the place, until it was safe, working together with the dragonslayers. Apparently the pink-haired one had ended up being paired with Juvia and Juvia seemed to be emitting some weird vibes. She was too serious, replying in short monosyllables and the other seemed to be barking his replies, looking already annoyed and ready to explode. Gray didn't know how he knew that, but he knew.
"All clear." Erza said, finally deeming everything in good condition for them to camp in the premises.
"Told you." The tall man said in a smug voice.
"Hey, I'm not as comfortable with this place as you." Erza shot back, a barely there smile in her lips.
"Yes, we've been here frequently. This used to be one of our teaching areas." Wendy, the smaller dragonslayer said, swiftly cutting the conversation that seemed to be starting to get too serious. "And one to play too."
"Heck yeah! It's very fun." Natsu said, quickly striding away from Juvia and, seemingly, finding comfort beside his own. His smile had been slightly forced at first but as he relaxed, it became more truthful.
"We can give you a small tour of the place." Wendy said. "At least, of how we know things."
"Yes! Show us all!" Lucy and Levy said in unison. Stopping and giggling before quickly walking towards the smaller girl.
And thus, they were taken through the large area, being told the names, translating some of the scribbles that still marked the stone, telling them about the legends they'd grown up listening to. That led to an exposition of their beliefs which was different yet similar in certain aspects to the one the team had met – and even raised in – in the outside world.
At one point Levy was explaining her hypothesis in regards to a snippet of writing the dragonslayers had just translated, Gajeel interjected and Levy ended up quipping, "You can be quite helpful when you want, huh? Even if you're a grouch…"
That ended up with a flustered dragonslayer and general amusement from everyone.
A week went by, with both groups getting to know each other better. There was also the spectacle of Natsu and Gray butting heads frequently – it was actually quite funny and entertaining.
Slowly the secrets hidden in the temple as well as the mysteries and everyone had something to contribute with their knowledge.
All in all, it was fun.
Gray still had those dreams. He kept sleeping of himself in strange situations, in a life that was different yet familiar. Everything got stronger, the feeling, the scent and touch, sounds, it was as if reality was bleeding into the dreams or if it was the contrary. And Natsu… the dragonslayer featured frequently in the dreams – as a friend, a brother in arms, as someone essential to his life.
Gray couldn't help but feel weirded out in regards to the other but at the same time it was familiar. And, during their brawls, he could see the recognition in the other's eyes too.
One morning, right before sunrise, they suffered another attack.
Everybody fought back – the team's weapons having been upgraded while in their stay in the village, now being able to be effective against magic, as they also had a small gem of magic built in – but the fight between both sides was quite balanced.
The attackers might have an advantage in the number but the brute strength of the dragonslayers as well as the expert tactics of the team, made their strengths equally matched.
It was at that moment that Gray saw Juvia tense. She quickly took in the whole scene, quickly shouting orders for them to be prepared for the next wave of attack – traps and bombs.
Gray nearly escaped being grazed by one, the thing oozing dark magic in such a way that the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He was saved by Natsu who tackled him into what looked like a wall that they could use for protecting before returning to their friends.
The apparent wall caved in, sand slipping from the sides and just about everywhere.
Both Natsu and Gray fell into the hole that appeared so suddenly.
Falling and falling.
Into darkness.
Behind them, in the far distance, Gray was sure that he could hear his name being called in an agonized scream.
Their fall ended abruptly – but thankfully they were cushioned by a pile of sand and fabrics, falling on the hard stone floor and only with minor bruising.
"Shit." Gray heard Natsu say, with what looked like a kick to the sand coming from his side.
Suddenly light broke through the darkness.
A small ball of fire flickered on Natsu's outstretched palm, bathing them in soft yellow light.
"Whoa. That's useful." Gray couldn't help but say in wonder.
"Thanks. It is." Was the gruff reply. "But maybe we should find something to use this on? Instead of me staying here as human candle?"
"Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea…" Gray replied noncommittally. "At least you wouldn't destroy things?"
"Oi!" Was the outraged reply.
"Here! Light this." Gray extended a torch to Natsu. The dragonslayer lit it. "Hey, there are more. Maybe we should light them to have a better look at where we are."
"Let me. Though I think that we might want to save some for later." Natsu cautioned as he lit every other torch that lined the walls.
"That's well thought." Gray nodded. "Okay, now we can see where we are!" He said, placing his hands on his hips and looking around.
"This looks like one of the hidden places." Natsu said, looking up and around.
"It looks like a crypt." Gray added. "Just look at the writing and drawing on the walls, as well as the symbols and all the things piled up on the corner we fell on."
"If it's a crypt why does it have an altar? From what I remember, it shouldn't…?" Natsu said, walking to the centre of the room which, they could now see that was a square. "No. I don't think this is that. It's… we're at the heart of the temple." Natsu said with reverence.
"The heart? Do you mean, the place of the sacrum for this one temple?" Gray repeated, wanting to clear everything up.
"Yes." The word still held a lot of wonder. "I didn't expect to be here… ever."
"Well, me neither." Gray replied, still taking a look around. "But I would like to know what it says here on the walls."
"Yeah, that would be nice." Natsu said airily. He was walking to the altar, approaching the three small pillars – they were probably of the size of a stretched out hand – and the light that came from above them. Exactly above the triangle formed by the pillars was an iridescent blob, in a blue-greenish colour, floating. "Ah, this is the magic that makes the core of the temple live still. Despite being hidden, it still pulses and brings magic into the world." The words were escaping Natsu's mouth as if he were in a trance.
Gray turned around, being positioned well enough to see the dragonslayer's dark eyes reflect the colour of the blob and then, for too long seconds, he stood still as stone. Then he started walking towards the altar in uncoordinated, jerky, movements. Uncontrolled – as what seemed like an outside force was attracting him to the altar, making him get closer and closer to the blob.
Natsu's hand extended to it.
Gray suddenly connected the dots. He knew enough about how weird things could be to know that Natsu couldn't touch the blob. So he tried to stop him.
Gray fails.
The blob comes into contact with Natsu's hand, his palm bursting into flames, a fiery contrast between orangish-red and greenish-blue. Everything stands still for one moment before light bursting violently and encompassing the whole space.
Gray tried to cover his eyes but it was too much light, dissolving everything, so much so that it engulfed Gray's body and then light became sound and, finally, darkness.
Gray felt himself fall on hard stone – a hard body falling on top of him – his breath leaving his lungs in a whoosh.
As the pair pushed and kicked for a few moments before finally getting up, they didn't take in their surroundings. When they did, their breath was taken out of their lungs – but for a whole other reason.
They were in the same place, the temple, but it wasn't the same. Lush green sprouted and counterbalanced the hard stone that, even with its paintings, had an imposing sense.
But what surprised them the most was the fact that people and dragons were roaming the place, calmly and peacefully.
"I-is this the past?" Natsu stuttered, shock in his features.
"I don't know." Gray replied, equally shocked. "I guess?"
"Well, shit!"
A/N: Thanks for reading.