"Your Highness," started the goat Spirit as he entered the throne room. "Has Leo returned?" The King turned his head towards the Spirit, now standing in front of him in the middle of the room.
"Indeed he has. He managed to reach Earthland without much of a hindrance after he passed through the physical gates and find Lady Lucy."
"Very well. Where is Leo now? Is he still by her side?"
"No," Capricorn shook his head slightly, "he called all Zodiacs together. Right now, except myself, they're all in the Royal Library."
"The Royal Library? Why did he, out of all places choose to call you all there? He hates having to be there…" The king trailed off lost in his own thoughts for a moment. Yes, Leo hated having to spend time there. It wasn't that he hated to learn or read, he just hold a great dislike for that place, even though he used to spend a lot of time there as a child…
"It's out of necessity. Sir Leo learned, during his last travel to earthland, that the Eclipse Gate had been open."
"They're trying to find something about the Gate…", the king mused.
This Gate…it was the work of evil, only of use for those with ill intent. At least that was what he full-heartedly believed. It was what his father taught him and what he learned all those centuries ago, as that man, aided by one of their owns created it. That it now reappeared, that they were forced into contact with it… He sincerely hoped it wouldn't work. Wouldn't be used. Just destroyed. 'The Gate beyond time beholds the path to magic demise.' That was, what his wife used to say, what her mother once taught her.
While he doubted that whatever could be found through the path that the gate opened, would truly lead to magic demise. He didn't doubt that it perfectly described the evil of it.
That now the Zodiacs were trying to find something out about it. It did not sit well with him. It made his stomach clench, twist with worry and fear. He wanted to run to the library, crap the eleven golden spirits and force them out of the library, force them to let it rest. Force them before their parents, their family and lock them up until this was over. Until he could be sure that they wouldn't be in contact with that cured Gate anymore.
But…
He couldn't do it. He knew he couldn't, he shouldn't.
To protect the spirit world was the duty of the zodiacs.
To honour and hold up the contract between spirits and humans a most scarred duty for every spirit.
No matter what, they were involved with the gate either way already. As King, he could do nothing and as… no, he, they would be even less willing to listen to such orders then, as when he ordered it as king…
"Oh Vesimies, how I wished you were here right now… those two would undoubtedly have listened to you" 'and the rest would have followed their example', he thought silently.
-Line Break-
The shadows swallowed him. They were pulling him down. Down into their endless darkness.
How…?
How did he…?
How could he have let this happen?
How did this happen?
How did he let this happen?
He lost.
No, worse…
He broke his promise.
He promised to protect her. To keep her safe.
He promised her… He promised her, her future.
He failed.
The shadows drew on him. His magic was leaving. He could feel it bleed out of him like the red substance pumping through his veins. He could feel his magic leaving him, to be consumed by the shadows.
He lost.
He failed.
He couldn't fight anymore.
He couldn't even free himself.
"Luce…"
This… was this his end?
-Line Break-
"You know who I am. You know how just mentioning my name strikes fear into one's heart. You know of the things I did. Still… what makes you think I'm willing to help?" He was at a lost, as he looked at the other hooded person in front of him. "You used it too… Does the world mean so much to you, that you were willing to use the curse I created to travel through time just to save it?"
"I'm no fool. I live in this world. Of course, I'd do everything I can to save it. It's mere self-preservation, nothing else."
He looked at her. The dark cloak kept her covered, and it's hood her identity secret. Neither meant much to him though. He was once called a prodigy, a genius. He had studied magic, for longer than any other human alive. Four centuries-long he studied and learned and reviewed everything he could get his hands on.
To make his parents proud, to be able to live up to his brother's image of him, for fun… for a way to bring his brother back… a way to find a cure for his curse.
His knowledge of magic was supreme. He doubted that any other human possessed such knowledge as he did. And with knowledge came power, making him even more dangerous… and making him even more in tune with magic.
A piece of cloths was not enough to keep her identity from him. The feel of her magic he recognised, even if he had never before been face to face with her. The mark the gate had left on her…
"Only a fool would come to me for help."
"If it weren't needed, if…" He could easily feel her glare on him. No surprise there. No, what surprised him was the defeated sigh she gave after a moment. "Listen, I am not here because I believe there's anything good in you, or that you would ever be willing to help… But someone… someone I dare say cared about – even if he was the most annoying fool I ever met – thought for whatever reason that there's something in you, that you would help."
He raised an eyebrow. Someone was naive enough to think that he would help? That he would care? No…. he couldn't care. He had to leave before he started to care. His magic, should he care… No, just no. He couldn't.
"He was mistaken then," was his cold remark. Yes, he would not help. He'd only make it worse. Like he made everything worse.
"He also said, I should give you this in case you'd refuse. He said, you would reconsider your answer if you're reminded of what once was."
That… that was…
The amulet with the clear azure blue stone. That was…
He ripped the old jewellery out of the gloved hand.
"You have no idea what a dangerous game you are playing – I am a ticking timebomb of mass destruction."
-Line Break-
A flash of light. An explosion. Fire.
The city was burning. Overrun by the power of seven dragons. How could…
The Eclipse Gate was supposed to save them from these monsters, not be the reason why they were here.
Her whole plan all she did for the past seven years. It was all for nothing. Kneeling broken on the ground before the very gate that had been supposed to save them and now lead them on the path towards their own doom… Hisui could feel the crystal clear watery substance run down her face, daring to leave her eyes.
The gate had been opened. Dragons came through.
Lucy and Yukino desperately tried to close it again, but it was useless…
And she? What was she doing? Sitting on the floor, crying. Her limbs were numb, she couldn't even move to help them… Just how useless was she?
"I-I-"
"Stop acting as if it's over already! We can still stop this – Help us princess Hisui!"
Lucy's voice cut through Hisui's desperate and with self-hatred filled thoughts. Even now, even as everything seemed lost, the two celestial mages fought, tried to stop it. Just like every other mage in the city.
Her hands clenched into fists.
With everyone fighting how could she? How could she the crown princess of this land just sit on the sidelines barling her eyes out while her people fought?
She had to fight. She had to. She had at least to try.
Hisui stumbled to her feet, her mind set on what she decided to do – what she had to do.
She'd fight. To the very end, she'd fight. By those mages, by her people's side. She had to. She owned it to her people.
-Line Break-
"Ice Make: Panzer! – Juvia! You're alright?" Lyon hurried to the blue-haired water-woman, shield from one of the dragon's offsprings by his Ice magic. "Juvia's fine. Thank-"
"Ice Make: Lance!" Dozens of ice lances rained down onto the two monsters coming up behind the Lamina Scale mage.
"We don't have time for chit-chat now! We're being run over by dragons!"
"Gray-sama!"
"What? You're jealous of Juvia and me?" With a teasing grin, Lyon looked at his former fellow student with a mocking glint in his eyes. The white-haired ice mage waved his hands to create a bunch of snow-white ice birds, that shoot down on the dragons, exploding on contact.
The dragons stayed unharmed. Choosing to ignore the white-haired's taunting, Gray, in turn, created an ice bazooka, shooting at the incoming enemies, trying to make them back off at least…
It was fruitless.
They merely continued moving forward, unaffected by their magic. A growl escaped the dark-haired ice mage. The dragons were closing in more and more. Their magic was oblivious – painfully obliviously – as useful as a handful of ice cubes against a raging forest fire.
Ineffective. Useless. Fruitless.
From what he could see not even the Dragon Slayers stood no chance – and their magic was made to battle dragons like these!
If things didn't change in their favour soon… With how things looked right now…
Hands balled into angry fists. Gramps… Erza… Natsu… Lucy… Juvia… everyone from the Guild. No, not just from Fairy Tail… Lyon… Sherry… Sherria… Master Bob… Jellal…simply everyone would die. They would all die.
The dragons wouldn't just stop with the mages fighting them, but would also attack the townspeople, the villages, mothers, fathers, children…
"Dammit", Gray dodged and let another shower of ice spears down at those monsters.
"Got anything else?" "Sure more than you!" Lyon gave a short laugh.
At least they would go down with humour and fighting.
"Juvia! Watch out!" At the last possible second Gray jumped forward and pushed the water mage to the ground. Out of the way of the beast's blast.
Just one moment. For only one moment he managed to prolong her life. Giving her a few moments more to live. With how things were as of right now they would die either way, but… "Gray-sama saved Juvia…", just a few moments more which they could spend together.
"Juvia I-" "Gray!" Lyon's panicked shout cut the other ice mage's words short. Gray turned around to see what had his friend in such a panic, too late. One of the beasts had appeared behind the black-haired, and already Gray could see the magical blast racing towards him.
So this was it? He died before he could…? Just when he finally managed to work up the courage. Life really hated him, huh?
A wave of darkness shallowed the light beam, speared over the area towards the dragons. It clothed the dragons in darkness, before retreating back to wherever it came from. The dragons dropped to the ground – dead.
"How – who – what?" Horror and suspicion adored their faces. It wasn't something you saw every day. From the optic the magic resembled Rouge's shadow Dragon Slayer magic, but from the feel. It felt nothing like Rouge's magic. This wave of darkness, the feeling it gave off, it made the three mages tremble in fear and horror.
"...You're friends of Natsu…?" The three swirled around to where the voice came from, to where the magic had retreated. There, getting closer and closer, was a man, covered from head to toe by a dark, hooded cloak. With him coming out of the same direction the magic came from, that would mean…
Gray shallowed. This man gave off the same feeling as the magic. The same ailing feeling that made him feel sick and was able to strike fear into his very being all at once.
"That – Was that just now… Was that you?" A slight tilting of the hooded head – a nod Gray guessed from the movement. So, he helped them by killing of those dragons – those monsters.
Gray could feel his hand tremble from the sheer magical energy rolling off of the man. The closer the man came, the heavier the feeling got. Why didn't they feel such a magical power before? Was the man actual suppressing it? And it still gave off such an immense magical pressure?
"What do you want from Natsu?" Funny his voice sounded a lot more confidence than he was feeling. The hooded figure stopped in his tracks, right beside Gray. Now, closer than ever, Gray could feel the magical pressure clearer than ever. What power.
He stared at the figure with, a frown drawing on his face, his hands balled into fists to stop their shaking. No matter how powerful… If a strange person showed up, killed a bunch of dragons – even if those monster were just the offsprings of one – when their magic was utterly useless against them and asked for one of your friends.
Gray felt justified in being distrustful against this stranger, and he would not allow him to harm any of his friends and Guildmates as long as he was there, no matter how scared and powerless he felt.
"I mean him no harm – I never did nor ever will." And with that the person continued walking down his path, leaving the group of three behind. "Who?" "I have no idea Juvia, I have absolutely no idea." Gray starred after the stranger. He had left into the direction from where the dragons came – the direction of the Eclipse Gate.
Just who was that man and what had he to do with Natsu?
-Line Break-
With a painful gasp, she tumbled to the ground. "Damn." It seemed as if she underestimated her previously received wounds from the last round of the Grand Magic Games.
Her whole body hurt. It felt as if it was on fire. She shouldn't have gone alone.
Mentally she cursed herself for rejecting her Guildmates offers to team up and going alone. How could she have thought that this was a good idea? That they would be able to handle more dragons this way?
Now she laid face down on the streets of a city overrun by dragons.
Three – four, no five dragon offsprings were closing in on her. She really shouldn't have gone alone. She tried to get back onto her feet, tried to ignore the pain shooting through her body, she wouldn't go down without fighting. She didn't want to go down without fighting. Pain shot through her again as she tried to move to get into an easier position to stand up from. Too slow though, way too slow.
The first monster prepared itself to jump. She could see it through half-lidded eyes. So, this was her end? Ripped apart by dragons.
What a pathetic way to end.
If only she had listened to her Guildmates, her friends – her family – if only…
Light flashed before her, shooting down at the beast before it could reach her.
"It looks like you barely have the strength to stand. If I didn't know better, I'd say you overexerted yourself again." The familiar voice reached her ears.
"I hope this doesn't offend you, but let me give you a hand." There, standing, before her stood former member of the council, former ten wizard saint and the man who always held and would always hold a special place in her heart, Jellal Fernandes.
"I fear you are right." She mumbled as she let herself be pulled to her feet by the blue-haired wizard.
"You think?" Jellal gave a frustrated sigh. "Don't do things like that. You make me worry."
"Ha, I'm sorry."
"You'd do it anyway."
"I have to help my friends."
Jellal sighed. But could he really blame her? After all, he was here for the same reason, wasn't he? To help his friends – to support the woman he loved. Wasn't that why he had gone and gotten Cobra here? He couldn't even be frustrated with that woman's inability to think of her own safety.
"Just don't try to do everything on your own. Your friends are there to help you – I am there to help you."
Erza gave a curt nod at Jellal's words. "I-", but she hadn't had the chance to finish.
Hurried footsteps ew closer to them. Lighter and faster than the steps of the dragon paws. So, undoubtedly a human came running towards them. Jellal stiffened slightly at that relation. It wouldn't do for someone to see him being all buddy-buddy with Erza, not with him being wanted criminal on the run and all. He didn't want to harm anyone, but if he had to… to keep Erza from getting in trouble because of him…
It was Erza who saw the black-haired woman, that came running towards them from behind Jellal, first and it was because of the way her eyes lit up in recognization, and her face lost the wary expression she had had, that Jellal could feel himself relax again.
He turned around, t follow Erza's gaze, and saw his black-haired teammate run towards them. "Ultear?" He was confused, didn't she and Meredy go to the palace? His confusion made place for another emotion through as he saw Ultear's worried face. "What happened?"
"Something – something happened with Natsu! As – as he was nearly swallowed by the shadows-"
-Line Break-
Meredy and Ultear kneeled next to the shadow hole that had nearly swallowed the Dragon Slayer whole. They were desperately trying to pull the boy out, while he sunk deeper and deeper into the darkness. His mouth moved slightly – as if he was trying to say something, even in his unconscious state.
"Come on Natsu. You gotta get up." Even though knowing that it would be fruitless – hat he wouldn't be able to hear her in his state – Meredy muttered under her breath for the pink-haired boy to wake up, again and again, and again. They had to get him out of there. Thye couldn't lose him to the shadows. This was a battle where they needed him more than ever. It was a battle against dragons, and for that, they needed every DragonSayer they could get. They needed the fire-breathing boy.
Both women were so desperately trying to pull the boy back up, they didn't notice how things started to chance.
It started with the unconscious boy's heartbeat picking up again. First slowly, ever so slowly. His body temperature raising. Rising, rising, higher and higher, pulse quicking.
More, more, faster and faster, until waves of heat started to pulse from his body.
Their bodies reacted on reflex, letting go of the burning body, as the heat became too much for them to bear.
Heat rolled off of his body, to such a great degree, that they've never seen before.
The heat was rising and rising, his body just so pulsing from the heat. Stange blasting scarlet marks started to appear on his skin, drawing a pattern over his whole body. The shadows that were just about to swallow him completely themselves changed colour, turning red just like iron did under extream heat.
"Lucy." His voice was different. It sounded rough and merciless, so different from usual, not even in anger they ever had heard it sound so monstrous, and it was barely about a whisper – a whisper of his dear friend's name.
He opened his eyes at the same moment as the heat exploded around him, pushing both women back and ripped the shadows apart.
Horrified Ultear couldn't even stand up, just staring at the body, now standing on its feet, with burning debris falling around him. Strings of flames swirled around him, not enough to cover him from view, but enough for a display of power coming off of him. The marks on his skin were dulling slowly, still there though, not entirely disappearing. The heat rolled off of him like never before. The display of power before them was… incredible and horrifying scary.
His eyes. His eyes though were what scarred Ultear the most. Gone were the kind black eyes that she got to know as his friend. They were replaced by the dull scarlet iris, with slitted pupils and – Ultear could have sworn – the white of his eyes had gotten less and darker. Those weren't the kind eyes of Fairy Tail's salamander. That were the eyes of a monster.
"Lucy"
Far away, sitting on his dark throne, the king of the Underworld looked in wonder at the old red leather-bound book in his hand, pulsing with energy. "Master E.N.D. has the time finally come?"
-Line Break-
The three celestial spirit mages tried desperately to pull the lever down to close the Eclipse Gate. But the lever refused to budge, not even with the joined strength of all three. Around them, the battle against the dragons raged. The knights tried to fight them back, to give the three girls more time, a chance to stop this invasion.
Six dragons had already passed the gate, and those were already enough trouble. One of those dragons also had the unfortunate ability to lay eggs that hatched, and those offsprings were also attacking and pushing the humans back into a figurative corner.
With clenched teeth, Lucy threw her whole weight against the stubborn lever. They had to finally close this thing, otherwise… She didn't even want to begin to imagine what would happen if they didn't manage to close the gate.
There would be more dragons coming, and they were already failing against those few already here. The future her future self had talked about would come to pass. The future she had tried to prevent, the future her future self had given her life for to prevent.
She could still see the shadows racing towards her, and her future self throwing herself in front of her to save her. How her future self laid there, dying, begging to see her Guildmark one last time. Lucy remembered how the light vanished from her eyes forever. She had been frozen stiff, if Loke hadn't pulled her away, pulled her out of the palace, she would probably still be kneeling there, starring in horror at what happened to her future self. To see yourself die… That was perhaps the most horrifying thing she had ever, and would ever experience.
But now… if they didn't finally manage to close the gate, her future self's sacrifice would be in vain and useless. Everything her future self had done and had to endure in order to save the future, it would be in vain.
"Come on! I'm begging you, move!" Tears run down Lucy's face. That stupid lever, it had to it just had to finally give in and move, it had to.
She could feel a slight warm coming from her keys, swaying at her hip. Her spirits were trying to lead her some of their strength. Aquarius, Scorpio, Capricorn, Loke, Grandpa Crux, even Plue, she could feel all her spirits trying to strengthen her. Even if they couldn't physically be here right now, all fifteen were trying to help her as good as they could. They were trying to help her in any way they could. Sending her strength, trying to find any information that could help them closing the gate and stopping the dragons.
Even if she would die, even if all of human-kind would die. Her spirits would survive, they could live peacefully in their own realm, they didn't had to do so much to try and help her, and still, they were. That too was why she could just not fail, her spirits her friends, were doing so much for her. She couldn't let them down either, let their hard work be for nothing.
"Princess Hisui!"
Three heads snapped around as they heard the knight shout. Three pairs of eyes widen in horror. No. No. No. There were three of the dragon offsprings closing in on them from the other side. The knights were on the other side of them, trying to fight the offsprings off there. They wouldn't be able to get to the new ones fast enough.
Lucy's hand were shaking. The knights would never make it in time to save them from those too. The offsprings were already charging their attacks. If Yukino and Hisui continued trying to move the lever, she could. No not could, she had to.
Her hands were shaking like never before as she let go of the lever. This was not like the fight against Phantom, or at the Tower of Heaven or even on Tenrou Island. This was nothing like the Grand Magic Games.
She was nervous. She was scared. She wasn't sure that she could even do anything. She only knew that she had to do something.
Her spirits…no. They were busy finding every information they could, and they needed those. She had to do this herself.
She knew she didn't have much experience in fighting without her spirits. The only time she ever used magic in a battle – besides summoning her spirits – was one time, Urano Metria as Hibiki used his magic to give her the knowledge of the spell. She knew that the few things Loke had tried to cram into her brain this morning would not be enough to truly make a difference against those monsters, but still, she had to. She just had to.
Shaking Lucy raised up to her feet and stood between the newly arrived monsters and the two other Celestial Spirit mages.
"Lucy-san!"
"Continue trying to close the gate! I'll make sure that they don't come anywhere near us!" Her voice was filled with fake confidence, and she knew it too, and Yukino and Hisui surely knew it as well. But, if they just needed a few more moments to close the gate. If she was the one that could give them those few more moments.
There was one spell. There was just one spell. That one spell Loke insisted on teaching her no matter what. That one spell that could give them those few more moments.
She hadn't mastered it. She hadn't even come close to mastering it. She hadn't thought that she would need it this soon. She knew though if she wanted to hold them off somehow, she had to use it. She had no other choice.
Raising her hands slightly, her open palms directed at the dragons, she forced herself to breathe steadily. Concentrate, concentrate, just like Loke had shown her earlier, oh so much earlier. It felt like an eternity that they had been down there, Loke trying to teach her what he could in such a short time.
"Alright, hime. That wasn't too shabby." The lion spirit stood in front of her. Arms crossed over his chest. He had taken off his black jacket, and red tie, the sleeves of his white dress shirt were rolled up, and the first two buttons were undone. He had a satisfied expression on his face, a glint of pride shining in his eyes. "That was actually better than I expected – and I had expected a lot." "You, you truly are a slave driver." Panted Lucy. She was on all fours, gasping and panting for air, trying to catch her breath, Her hair was a messy ponytail she had hastily done during the training – it was a failed attempt to cool down – and her clothes, sweaty and sticky, were glued to her body. She didn't have a watch on her, but she was sure that the spirit had her running and jumping and dodging and kicking and punching for years – at least she felt like it. Just why did she agree to let herself be trained by this slave driver?
"Here." She looked up to see Loke holding a bottle in front of her face. She hadn't noticed how thirsty she was. "Thanks," greedily she gulped down the purple liquid.
"It looks like we still have some time."
Lucy looked up at Loke. The orange-haired had his gaze directed to the skies above them. She remembered that Capricorn once told her, that celestial spirits could easily tell the exact time when looking at the sky.
"Some time for resting?" "No, no. That wasn't planned for another hour or so." The blonde celestial spirit mage looked at her friend in wonder. What was he planning? She was already exhausted and doubted that she could do much more – even if she were already feeling better now that she had something to drink. "About an hour, that should be… Yeah," the lion was talking to himself, before he nodded and turned his gaze to Lucy, "Alright, hime. Time's over, let's get back to business."
"Eh?! I thought that was all you wanted to teach me for today!" Loke shook his head. "There's one, one last spell I want you – I need you – to know." The desperate glint in his hazel eyes and the seriousness on his face made her sit up properly, directing all her attention away from her hurting muscles and to the lion. "What spell?"
A smirk crossed the lion's face. "I'll show you." Turning on his heel, the lion walked a few meters away. With his back turned to her, Lucy could see a few small stains on the back of his shirt, they came from earlier, as she messed up a spell and he jumped in to protect her from the backlash. Loke came to a halt a few meters away and turned back to face her again. He crossed his arms over his chest, his smirk still in place.
"Throw something at me."
"EH?!"
"Throw something at me," Loke repeated the annoying smirk still on his face.
Lucy looked around. Ah, there were some small rocks. Standing up she walked over to them and picked them up. They were about the size of her fist, and she was sure she could throw them rather well, they weren't that heavy either. She turned to look at Loke again, he was still watching her with that smirk. It really pissed her off, it was as if he thought whatever she threw at him couldn't hurt him. Well, she'd shown him! Sure, he was a friend – and was most likely pissing her off on purpose – but she would show him. Show him that she could get better and that his time wasn't wasted on her. If hitting him with rocks was how she had to go about it, so be it.
She took the first rock, an oval shaped one with moos starting to cover it. She threw her arm back, far behind her head. Taking a moment to look at the lion she took note of how he still had his arms crossed and that smirk. Not taking any longer to think about, she swung her arm forward, releasing the stone and letting it fly at the lion. She was sure, that when it hit it would at least leave a small bruise and wipe that smirk off his face. With a victorious smile, she watched the rock flew – only to miss the lion and flying past his right ear.
"EH?!"
"Again."
He didn't have to tell her that, she was already grabbing another rock and threw it. This time it flew past his left ear, still missing him.
"Try again."
This time she took longer to aim. She wouldn't miss this time. For a moment she held the gaze of the lion, and then, it all went fast. She threw the third rock, this time it flew straight at Loke's face. It would hit him directly in the face, but still, the lion made no indication to move or do anything. She was already sure that she got him this time, but, before the rock reached its goal, it changed direction and flew directly back at her. With a startled scream she jumped aside, only to be missed by a few inches.
She landed in the dirt, not having caught her footing, and the lion was right beside her before she registered what happened and helped her up again.
"You okay? Sorry, I didn't mean for you to get hurt."
"No, I'm fine – really I am fine, Loke. But, what was that? It looked as if you reflected the stone back at me."
"Basically, yes that's what I did." The lion lets go of her after he checked her over to ensure that she really was okay.
"How? I mean, you specialise in light magic and light doesn't reflect by itself."
"I'll show you again, slower this time."
Lucy nodded and grabbed another rock, as the lion returned to his former position. Her eyes fixed on the lion. This time she would see what exactly happened. She threw the rock at the lion and watched in concentration what happened.
The rock flew directly at the lion, before it came to a halt, suspended in the air. Lucy could see something flash shortly in front of the rock before it shot back. This time she was prepared and managed to dodge it.
"You saw it?" Loke asked Lucy after he returned to her side.
"Yeah, I think so." The blonde mage answered, before crossing her arms over her chest. Her eyebrows were drawn together in a frown as she thought about what she had seen.
"You crystalised the light of Regulus in front of you before you were hit. Then, you used the crystallised light like a mirror to reflect it back at me. I didn't know that you could do that with light magic."
Loke chuckled at the blonde-haired. She did catch on, on what he had done quickly. He was proud of her. Not that he expected any different from the intelligent woman he was contracted to.
"You're right. That's what I did. It takes a long time to truly master this, but if you do, it's always a good trump card. No one would expect a Celestial mage to have a trick like this up their sleeve. Afterall, this is a peculiarity of mine – of the celestial – magic."
"So, you're saying with the common light magic found here in earthland, it wouldn't be possible?"
Loke shook his head at his master's question. "No, it isn't. I admit I'm not sure if the Light Dragon Slayer you talked about could do something like this – I'm no expert at that magic – but otherwise, no it isn't."
Lucy nodded in thought. Again a thing in that Celestial magic different slightly from the magic of earthland. The whole morning she learned of smaller things the magic found in earthland and celestial magic different from each other. Silently she wondered why that was so, but then she remembered that Natsu's Dragon Slayer magic too differ from regular fire magic. Perhaps it was because they were developed differently.
"So, if I know this spell, I'd be able to reflect everything thrown at me?" Loke frowned at her question. "Theoretical – yes. But, while I do want you to master this spell – to be able to cast it in your sleep – I do not want you to use it."
"Huh?" She looked at him in wonder. Why teach her something he didn't want her to use. The lion sighed as he directs his eyes to look directly into her eyes. Lucy felt a shiver run down her back – and not the good kind – under her friend's serious gaze. Every trace of his usual easy going self disappeared from his form.
"Listen. This spell, while incredibly useful once mastered is just as dangerous. If done correctly it does reflect the attacks back on your opponent, but if done wrong… Best case and you get the first part done correctly and end up having at least a shield that can take some hits. Worst case… you waste your energy and… you'd have nothing to defend yourself with – even worst you would most likely be hit by a backlash and your opponent's attacks. This is a double-edged sword, Lucy, and I want you to only use it as the very last resort and only when you completely mastered it."
'I'm sorry, Loke' Lucy thought as she concentrated on building up the magic she would need, 'I know I'm nowhere close to having mastered it, but I have no other choice.' She pressed her eyes close to keep them from tearing up. Never before did she broke a promise – as a Celestial Spirit mage it goes completely against her philosophy to break one – and she knew Loke hadn't exactly made her promise it, but still. She felt as if she was betraying her dear friend's trust, no she was sure that she was doing it, but what other choice did she have? Let them get killed by those monsters? Let the future her future self had tried to prevent come to pass?
She couldn't, she just couldn't.
'Please, forgive me.'
The light flared up before her and crystallised into the form she wanted it to have. She was nowhere as elegant as Loke when using this spell, he had been able to cast it in a moment just before he would be hit and he was able to only let it appear where he needed it, small and delicate, unsee for opponents. Hers, on the other hand, hers was big and bulky, easily spotted. Glowing gold in front of her, nothing like the see throughness the lion managed. Still, comparing her mastery of this spell to that of Loke's who was over a century old and studied it so much longer than she did, would be absolutely stupid.
The first magic beam of the monsters hit her shield.
She could feel the magical energy shaking it, could feel how she and her shield were pushed backwards. Yes, she hadn't mastered the spell, but still, during the training, she at least managed to reflect the lion's attacks somewhat. But, this was nothing as it was in training. This wasn't Loke who hold back while attacking to allow her to slowly built up her mastery of this spell.
This was a battlefield, and those monsters weren't holding back – why should they? She was their enemy. She could feel her arms shake, not just from fear that she tried to suppress, but also from the pressure on her magic to keep this up.
"Come one. Come one, Please", she could herself begging. Begging for this spell to work, to at least shield them. She could feel how slowly, ever so slowly the monsters attacks started to overpower her. She could barely keep it up any longer. If only she could use it properly and reflect the attacks finally.
With all her might she pressed forward, pushing all her magic into this spell. Just once, just once it had to work if she could do it and reflect it back onto those monsters!
But that was utopic thought. She knew she could never reflect it.
She heard herself scream as she pushed her everything into her spell.
The shield in front of her glowed brighter than ever before, and then…
An explosion that flung her off her feet and threw her backwards. Hisui was the one who barely managed to catch her, one hand still on the lever trying to pull it down.
It took her less than a second to realise what happened.
Her spell had broken under the attacks of the dragons, leading to a magic backlash that had thrown her backwards. But… after the dust started to settle down she could see what else happened. Her spell may have been broken, but the attacks had not reached further than where she had started to create it. And, it had reflected the attacks. Well no, reflected was not the right word, while yes one or two of that monster had been hit by their attacks being reflected, it looked more like they had been redirected into every possible direction – just not theirs and for that she was thankful. But now…
The other monsters were still closing in on them. Slowly, as if to scare and mook them, they continued advancing towards them, already a few were preparing their next attacks.
And she? She couldn't cast that spell again, successful or not. Her body was in pain, it felt as if hundreds of small needles were piercing her skin and muscles. And her magic reserves… they were as good as non-existence now. She turned her head slightly, Yukino and Hisui – who still hold onto her wrist – were still trying to close the gate. Knights were running towards them – they wouldn't make it in time for the second wave of attacks.
She pressed her eyes shut. What a failure she was in the end. She couldn't even face her own demise properly.
Rather than seeing it, she felt it. A magic wrapping around them, protecting them from the dragons blasts.
Next to her, she could hear Yukino gasp. "Lady Minerva!"
Slowly she cracked an eye open and looked up. And yes, there standing in front of them was the Queen of Sabertooth herself. Lucy blinked in wonder. Of all the people in the city, Minerva was the last one she would have ever expected to show up to help. Especially not to help her – Lucy was sure that the black-haired woman loathed her. But she still showed up and saved them.
"What's supposed to become of this kingdom if even its princess is this pathetic?" The territory mage threw the three girls a look over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "But do tell me, what are you trying to do here?"
Hisui was the one that answered the Sabertooth queen, ignoring the insult that had been directed her way. "The dragons came through the Eclipse Gate. We need to close it before even more come through!"
Minerva looked at the three girls for a moment with a raised eyebrow. The dragons were still shooting their magic beams at them, but so far they didn't manage to break through the shield she had created with her Territory magic.
"And for that, you want to use this lever?" Hisui nodded at the black-haired's question.
"It's a door." Minerva stated, "ever tried to simply go and push it close instead of using this to activate some mechanisms?"
"That's not-"
Hisui's retort was cut short by an explosion. The dragons had managed to break through Minerva's shield. The Territory mage frowned slightly, the only change in her expression.
This wasn't good. Her shield didn't hold anywhere near as long as she wanted it too. It broke because these ugly beasts managed to overpower it. Overpower her magic. Wasn't it already bad enough that she lost to an overgrown kitten, now she was overpowered by such ugly beasts?
With a wave of her hand, the black-haired created another magic sphere to absorb the next incoming attacks. This was harder than she expected. With another wave of her hand and she created a sphere over the monsters and let their absorbed attacks down on them. She needed a whole lot more of magic to teleport the attacks than she would have liked to admit.
It was a few mere seconds that had passed since her shield broke, but she feared she wouldn't be able to withstand the attacks for that much longer if she continued to absorb and release them again.
"I'd hurry if I were you and close this thing!"
Lucy blinked at Minerva. She was really helping them? Why? She didn't like any of them, well she guessed that she didn't like Yukino because Sabertooth didn't seem like a Guild that helped to build bonds with their comrades.
But, Lucy knew, the black-haired woman was right. They had to hurry. She didn't want to think about how much strength and energy it cost to shield them from the dragon's attacks.
With a nod to each other, the celestial mages returned their attention back to trying to close the gate.
It couldn't have been more than a few moments before a loud roar was heard. Another dragon was starting to come through the gate. A seventh. Her heartbeat started to pick up, a panic pumping in her chest. It was already too much for them now!
She starred at the gate in horror and fear as the scaly head started to appear.
They couldn't deal with another one!
A wave of darkness appeared in the area. Was it summoned by this new dragon? No, it couldn't be, could it? Was it… was it the Rough from the future? Please no.
The darkness moved around, over the dragons, swallowing them whole. All of them, not one dragon was speared. It moved and swallowed them and then… it retreated. The dragons lifeless bodies hit the ground.
A crackling sound that Lucy had come to associate with fire, a sound that she could always pick up no matter the noise around her. A storm of hot flames shot at the dragon that was just passing through the gate. They pushed the monster back, forced it to step back, back into the gate, back into its time.
Just after the dragon had been pushed back, a circle appeared in the air before the gate. Lucy recognised two of the black runes decorating the circle. They meant 'block' and 'hold', Levy had once taught her few, after the Battle of Fairy Tail, where Freed had been using his runes to trap people and forcing them to battle.
This though, while Lucy guessed it was Jutsu Shiki – the same magic Freed used for his barriers – wasn't the work of Freed. The magic alone felt different than that of the green-haired rune mage, and the runes were different ones than those of the Fairy Tail mage.
Silence reigned over the area. Everyone starred wide-eyed at the dark rune circle floating in front of the gate. The circle, entirely made up of runes in different dark colours running along the whole form of the circle, drawing a muster in it. It was hypnotising, the runes shining in front of the gate, throwing dark light over all of them. What was the most hypnotising about the runes though, was the magic power that emitted from them.
Footsteps echoed over the silent place, drawing closer to them, echoing from the palace walls, being swallowed by the trees and bushes.
"That someone had been so foolish to use the Eclipse Gate."
Heads snapped around to the source of the voice. A dark clothed figured walked towards them – towards the three celestial spirit mages. A hood covering his head and hit his face from the world, at least until he stood directly in front of them and looked down at them.
"Who of you had been so foolish as to open it tonight?"
Lucy blinked in wonder at the male. Black hair and eyes, pale skin and kind face now visible to her, peeking out from under his hood. His kind and strangely familiar face. The nose, the similar jawline, Lucy was sure she had seen those before. Seen those on someone else before, even his eyes reminded her of someone, but she couldn't put her finger on who.
The black eyes were on the three celestial spirit mages, running them over from head to toe – Lucy felt as if his gaze lingered on her for a second longer than on the others.
His face may have been kind, but a coldness rolled off of him, that even with his familiar features Lucy couldn't help a cold shiver running down her back.
"Who of you three had been this foolish?" He asked again, his voice – like his face – had a kindness to it that was overshadowed by its coldness.
Hisui opened her mouth to answer the unknown man, but her words were lost, the sound being overshadowed by a loud roar coming from the gate. The black haired male turned his head to the gate and titled his head slightly. "I see… you've collected a lot of magic energy. No wonder you are unable to close it now." The rune seal that the man – and it had to have been the man, who else could have created them but him? – vibrated softly, unnoticeable to the naked eye but Lucy could feel the slight vibration of magic. Another roar came from the gate. The man looked at it in what Lucy guessed to be a mild interest before he turned back to them.
"You won't be able to close it this way." Lucy wondered how someone could have such a kind face and still process such an air of coldness and emptiness around him. What could have happened to him that made him resigned like this? That even his aura emitted this emptiness.
"Who are –", started Yukino but stopped as she changed her mind about her question, "No, what do you mean? What do you mean we won't be able to close it this way?"
The black-haired's empty eyes flickered over to Yukino focusing his attention on her. "Because," the male stated in his soft voice, "it has absorbed too much energy. The enormous masses of energy the gate absorbed – that right now are running through the gate – are keeping it open. To close it you would need even more energy."
Horrified expressions drew on the faces of the three celestial spirit mages and the lone territory mage, as they realised just what the man had said – what it meant. If the magic that the gate had already absorbed was what was keeping the gate open, then to close it they would need an even higher amount of magical energy to close it.
And Lucy remembered with a sinking feeling, the gate had been absorbing the magic from the Grand Magic Games for seven years. There was no way that the three of them, even together, would have enough magical energy to surpass the collected mass.
How were they supposed to stop this? If what the man said was the truth they couldn't.
Another roar was heard, coming from the city. Lucy shivered as a horrible thought crossed her mind. No not a thought – a realisation. If they couldn't stop this, the future her future-self had talked about would come to pass – the future where everyone died would come to pass.
The man returned his eyes back to the gate. The magic runes that he – who else could have it been? – had created were still there. Why hadn't the gate absorbed the magic used for them already?
"How long has it been activated?" "Huh?" This time it was Hisui that blinked up to the male confused – the question sounded as if it was directed at her. She was after all the only one that could know it. What confused the green-haired princess was why he would ask something like that now, in a situation like this.
"How long as it been activated? How much time has passed since the zodiac keys had been used to activate it?" It was barely there, barely noticeable but Lucy could hear the urgency that started to appear in his voice. Hisui too seemed to have to notice it, as this time she answered the question – albeit still confused.
"Um five, maybe six hours?" It sounded more like a question than an answer, but it was enough for the man, with a slight tilting of his head he showed that he had heard the princess. "And you too helped her with your keys?"
"No!" Lucy's answer was fast and instinctively. Not because she wanted to deny any involvement with this. She didn't even know why exactly. Perhaps the fact that someone had taken her keys – the physical connection to her otherworldly friends – and used them, without their consent, angered her more than she had thought and made her react so touchy about the subject.
"I see," the man said. This time, Lucy was sure, she could hear some suppressed anger in his voice. Why was he angry? But she couldn't ask him, as he continued mumbling under his breath.
"Then, if we assume it was five hours, since it has been activated – without the Spirits nor the contracted mages cooperation… Half an hour since it has been open, six dragons and it has absorbed magic for seven years…"
The four females starred at the man. What was he mumbling about? Why was he rambling down the facts they already knew?
"Yes," the man stated finally, "that would work." The man turned back to the three celestial mages. "Do you want to close the gate?"
What… Why would he ask such a ridiculous question, Lucy thought. Of course, they wanted to close it! What did he think they were doing here? A picnic?!
But she doubted angering their strange…ally – was he an ally? – would be anything but a foolish idea. Even more so, over such a silly thing. So instead she only confirmed it with a soft nod.
"Very well, then you two", the man directed his attention towards Lucy and Yukino, "get over there and summon the twelve zodiacs."
"That won't work! The gate would absorb the magic we'd use right away, and the spirits also wouldn't be able to come even close to it!" It was Hisui who voiced her disagreement with the man's plan and Lucy had to admit she had to agree.
She had tried to summon Capricorn earlier within the gate's presence before she had been thrown into jail, but it only ended in a failed summon.
On the other hand, Loke had been with her and the others as they came here as Hisui opened the gate. While he did admit to being unable to get closer to it than a few meters and that it would absorb him entirely if he were to be in the gate's presents for much longer he had been close to it.
He had been here using his own magic, so perhaps if she summoned the spirits while they also used their own magic, they would be able to stay? No, that didn't make any sense to her. The gate would still absorb the magic and force the spirits back.
"Would you rather continue wasting your time arguing than actually do something, Princess?" The look the man threw Hisui was sharp and cold.
Hisui bit her bottom lip and directed her eyes down to the ground. Lucy could see some tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. It surprised her – but… Lucy could guess how the princess felt. She was after all one the one who had been the one who executed Future-Rouge's plan. She had been his unwitting pawn. Only through her, the whole plan had worked, because she had let herself be manipulated by the man from the future. Now this city and soon her Kingdome were overrun by dragons. Her subject's lives in danger – and she blamed herself.
Lucy could understand where the princess was coming from, where her guilt was coming from.
The man's cold attitude didn't help – it only felt as if he was blaming her.
"No…" The voice was small and soft, unlike that of the strong woman Lucy had met earlier. Now she sounded more like a broken girl. "No, I want to do something. I want to stop this… But how when magic is useless?"
"Do what I say, and you shall see – magic is never useless."
The three celestial mages looked at each other. They were still unsure. How could this stranger help?
"If you're finished with small talk. Perhaps you'd like to do something?" Minerva's voice – and the slight urgency in it – cut through the girls' thoughts. The sound of more dragon-offsprings approaching drew closer and closer, they would be here soon. They didn't have any time left to over think things. Lucy closed her eyes. They had no other choice but to trust this stranger. For a second time, she let go of the lever with shaking hands and stood up, her determination visible on her face.
Yukino followed suit, rising to her feet and letting go of the lever.
It happened the moment Yukino let go of it.
The whole time there had been a force that had pushed them away. After what the stranger told them, they knew it was the collected magic in the gate, that was keeping it open. It was also that magic that had been pushing them away – the magic they could barely withstand while holding onto the lever. Now that only Hisui was holding onto it, it became oblivious to the naked eye against what force they had been fighting.
The air was vibrating, wind rushing through their hair and small rocks were picked up. The princess was visible pushed back, slipping over the ground on her knees. Even the three girls on their feet – Lucy, Minerva and Yukino – were pushed backwards by the force, they nearly failed to keep their footing. Hisui was already an arm's length away from the lever, holding onto it with little more than the tips of her fingers.
It were just a few small seconds, not even ten, after Yukino had let go. The man had reached out the same second the white-haired girl had let go. His hand clasped around the metal bar. The moment he got hold of the bar the wind died down, and the force that had been pushing them back was pushed back, like it had been when all three of them had been clinging to the lever, fighting against the opposed magic.
Lucy noted how the man didn't seem to have any trouble, unlike them, to hold onto the lever.
Then, to their astonishment, they saw how the man – and it could only have been because of the man, as even together the three girls hadn't managed it – was able to move the lever into the other direction.
Something that the three of them together had been unable to do. He pulled it until it was about halfway into the other direction before he looked Lucy dead in the eye.
"Now would be the right time for you two."
The man ripped the two girls out of their astonishment, that had them rooted to the ground.
They hurried over to the place the man had told them to go. Lucy looked at Yukino, who looked at her. They were supposed to summon all the zodiacs at once, but how?
Lucy knew she couldn't summon more than two at once and now she was supposed to summon all ten of the Zodiacs she was contracted to? Putting aside that her magical reserves were as close to empty as they got, she wouldn't be able to. She firmly believed that, but, she didn't have a choice in this.
So, putting aside her doubts, she kneeled down on the ground, unfasten her key from their keychain.
She looked down at the ten golden keys in her hands, shimmering slightly in the nightly lights, she trusted them. Trusted them with her life and the lives of her friends and family. She knew they would never let her down. She closed her eyes, tightening her grip on the golden metal and leant forward, placing her forehead against the cool metal. She couldn't summon them on her own, not all of them at once, but perhaps?
'Please, I need your help guys. All of yours. The Eclipse Gate needs to be closed but I can't – we need your help to close it. I know it's dangerous for you – the Gate, but I'm begging you – please.' Tears were running down her face. She knew that what she was asking of them was dangerous, so very dangerous for her friends. The risk of them getting absorbed by the gate, of losing them was so high. She didn't want to lose any of her friends – human and spirit alike –.
She felt how the cold metal turned warm, a soft, soothing warmth.
A gasp from Yukino alerted her that something had happened and a warm hand touched her shoulder.
"Do dry your tears, we're all here."
Lucy's head snapped up, and she swirled around to. It had been Loke, who kneeled beside her and whose hand still rested on her shoulder, who had spoken. And there, there behind the Zodiac leader were the other nine.
Aquarius, urn under her right arm, half turned away from her, levitating next to Scorpio, an annoyed expression fixed on her face. Though Lucy could swear that her eyes seemed to be slightly redder than usual.
Scorpio, next to his girlfriend, a big grin on his face.
Behind him, Taurus, his signature axe strapped to his back.
Cancer with his hairdo and sunglasses, standing beside Taurus.
The twins, Gemini – Gemi and Mini together as always floating between Cancer and Taurus.
Capricorn standing together with Virgo to Taurus's other side.
Sagittarius next to the two in black and white dressed spirits.
Aries was on Aquarius's other side.
"You- you all made it here-" more tears welled up in her eyes. This time from happiness. Time was short, she couldn't dwell on just how they manage to get here, all ten of them, so she didn't.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she gave her spirit a confident smile and rose back to her feet. Her eyes landed on Yukino and her own two zodiacs standing beside her. Libra, the quiet spirit in her exotic dancer outfit and Pisces, the mother and son in their human form.
All twelve zodiacs were there, summoned in one space. In the back of her mind, Lucy wondered if something like this has ever been done before. She saved that thought to ask her otherworldly friends later – they had a gate to close.
The spirits gave a soft nod, showing that they already understood, that they already knew why they were there.
It was a mesmerising sight. Watching the spirits light up in golden light, the familiar golden hue – the same gold as the keys – was a comforting sight.
It filled her with warmth. This familiar golden light. It had always been the light of the stars that comforted her during her lonely childhood.
She watched in fascination how the twelve pushed against the gigantic doors. Slowly but surely it started to move - to close. Lucy turned her eyes to Hisui and their strange ally - both still holding onto the leaver. Hisui's face twisted from exhaustion. The man's face was hidden in his hoods shadow. They were still pulling the lever, with every second the spirits pushed the gate doors to a close, the further the leaver moved into the direction they wanted it to.
It didn't take long - even if it felt like an eternity to Lucy - and finally, with a loud thud, the gate doors closed and with a final pull and push the leaver too hit its final destination.
The gate was finally closed. Lucy couldn't help herself - she jumped up in the air fist pimping. They made it! The gate was finally closed!
Together with Yukino, she hurried over to where Hisui, Minerva and the hooded man. The gate may be closed, and no new dragons pass through, but there were still the dragons left that had already passed through. They needed a plan.
"That was fantastic! You tow really manage to summon all twelve zodiacs!" The excitement was clear on Hisui's face. It wasn't unexpected. Summoning a zodiac was already a big deal for celestial spirit mages, summoning two a highlight, summoning all twelve - the most incredible thing that could ever happen to one. The man looked at Lucy for a moment. "You're from the Heartfilia clan?"
"Eh?" Lucy looked surprised at the man. Why would he be interested in her family? And Clan? She never heard of her family being referred to as a clan. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia if that's what you want to know, but I have no idea about the whole clan thing." "I see."The man looked at her or a moment longer before he turned back to the gate. The doors were closed shut now, and with a movement of his hand – a waving gesture- and the runes disappeared. Lucy wasn't sure what to think of the men. On the one hand, he helped them, without him they wouldn't have been able to close the gate, on the other hand, he had this strange aura of loneliness to him, and that gave her the creeps. "Is this really the time to celebrate already?" Lucy jerked around and came face to face with the zodiacs. All twelve had moved over to them, their expressions still serious. It had been Aquarius who spook. "We may closed the gate, but the dragons are still here." That was true, Lucy had to admit. They had closed the gate and prevented more dragons from passing through it, but the ones that had already passed were still there. Lucy feared they couldn't beat them.
"That is the easiest part now", the hooded man commented off-handly, "we just have to destroy the ate." Again the human girls looked at at the man in confusion. The zodiacs too looked at him, and Lucy could swear she saw something akin to recognition sweep over the faces of Loke and Aquarius before they settled into a neutral expression. "How would that help with the dragons that are already here?" It was Minerva who asked this time. Of course, how could this help? But then Lucy remembered. The dragons were able to come here because future Rouge came into the past using the gat. If they destroyed it now, he would disappear and the dragons too. But would that really work? Future Rouge and the dragons coming through it already happened, after all, didn't it? But the man simply shook his head. "If the gate is closed now, we will cut the connection it has to the future and past, and as neither the dragons, nor the mastermind behind this used the gate properly, and still have their connection to the past, they'll disappear too."What connection? How did he know all this? Lucy didn't know if it was a good idea to trust the stranger even more. He did help them already though, and they didn't have much of another choice, so.
Before they could agree on a plan though the chaos broke out. Well, no that maybe a bit over the top, but still. Loke reached forward and pulled Lucy harshly back. Lucy stumbled and would probably hit the ground if the Lion hadn't been holding onto her wrist, his back facing her now. A golden shield sprung up before them and shadows crushed into it.
Future Rouge was here, and by the looks of it, Loke managed to pull her out of harm's way at the last second. The shield was different from the barely noticeable, glimmering light shield, which Loke had shown her earlier. This resembled more her own pathetic attempt at it. It was a thick, bulky sphere shaped collection of golden light. Still, the shielding effect was still more than there. The shadows crashed into the shield and dissolved into nothingness. Lucy blinked, and the shield too disappeared.
Probably for the best right now. Rouge wasn't just a Shadow Dragon Slayer anymore but also a light Dragon Slayer. Lucy didn't want to imagine what would happen if Rouge had a chance to consume Loke's Regulus.
She caught her footing again as the shield disappeared if it hadn't been for Loke to still hold her wrist she probably would have landed on the ground.
"You're…Rouge?" Minerva sounded confused and unsure as she saw the future version of her Guildmate. Lucy couldn't hold it against her, it was a human reaction if it were one of her Guildmates she too wouldn't be able to believe it. That Minerva had been able to recognise Rouge right away, Lucy guessed that the two were closer than Minerva would like to admit. The future Rouge did look different from his present counterpart, he even dressed differently, Lucy had not recognised the Dragon Slayer as she first saw him.
"Well, hello Lady Minerva. How unexpected to see you here." Minerva raised an eyebrow at the future Rouge, her only outwardly reaction to the Dragon Slayers mocking tone. Rouge only gave a mocking smile at this before his eyes fixed on Lucy.
Lucy shuddered. This man held no love for her. If anything he held a deep-rooted hater for her.
"As I see, once again, you closed the gate. Not that it matters. There fewer dragons than I planned, but still more than enough." He was right, there had been more than enough dragons that passed through the gate.
Lucy gulped. Her hands balled into shaking fists. Her whole body shook, from anger and fear. Black spots appeared at the edge from her vision.
"I take it that you're the one responsible for this?" The hooded man looked at the man from the future with what Lucy guessed was mild interest. Rouge's eyes flitted over at him. A strange glint appearing in his eyes. "I remember you. Aren't you the fool who tried to protect Natsu and died while doing that?"
The man died trying to protect Natsu? Lucy looked at said man in surprise, but he didn't seem to mind this knowledge. In fact, from what Lucy could see from his face, he smiled at it.
"So, you are the ne who finally managed to kill me? Don't make me laugh. We both know that you aren't capable of such a feat." The man spook with confidence as he looked at the time traveller. Lucy feared what future Rouge would do to him, for mocking him so, for suggesting that he was lying now. "But do tell me, who's the one really behind this?" "What are you talking about?"
Rogue frowned the hooded man. But Lucy could see how his hand twitched. Did they hit appoint there? Was perhaps Rouge not the one who really was behind this but just a marionette too? A soft sight came from the man. "I am no fool, boy, I know that to use the Eclipse Gate you'd need the Zodiac keys and a Celestial Spirit mage. For all this to work, you would need the mage to willingly cooperate with you, or you'd be lost in the steam of time."
Rouge's frown turned into a smirk. "Ah yes, your knowledge is quite impressive, it already impressed me the last time we meet – though you weren't in the mood to give me a name to put to your face."
"I'm not in the mood now either. Answer me, who is the helped you?"
Rouge chuckled a dark, malicious chuckle that sent a chill down Lucy's bones. It was the kind of chuckle that made nails on a chalkboard sound like Lyra's singing voice.
"Are you sure you want to know this?" The glint in Rouge eyes turned madder and more malicious than before "are you sure you could stomach the answer?"
The smirk on Rouge's lips made her stomach twist in an uncomfortable manner. It could mean nothing good. The malicious glint in his eyes, with a shadow of twisted amusement. She didn't want an answer to the hooded man's question, nothing good would come from it – she just knew it.
Rouge gave another dark chuckle, his sick amusement so, so painfully oblivious to her.
"But why," the time traveller started, seemingly barely keeping himself from cracking up, "it was no other than our dearest Miss Lucy Heartfilia."
The reactions were instantaneous. Lucy felt as if someone had poured ice cold water into her veins. Dread settled in her stomach. She misheard him. She had to. Never! Never would she!
His eyes though. His eyes fixed on her face.
The glint of sadistic amusement. He enjoyed it. He enjoyed the effect his word had on her. The others reactions he ignored. Aquarius hurling profanities at him – at least Lucy guessed they were profanities and not compliments. Taurus throwing threats at him. Even Aries, soft-spoken and shy Aries, bleated out insults at the time traveller.
"Be silent." A low hiss, that's how Lucy would have described it, cut through the noises made by the shouting and screaming and roars that filled the place. For a moment she believed it was directed at Rouge – then silence.
Merely the dragons roars still cut through the air.
The Zodiacs had fallen silent on their leader's order.
Lucy could see how Loke's whole form seemed to shake. His left hand twitched, wanting to form into a fist. He was still holding her wrist with the other hand, she could see how it changed. How his usual human hands slowly started to resemble claws. His nails were longer and sharper, if they were just a bit longer they maybe even cut into her skin. Hand they were warm – not Natsu warm – but more as in warm like the sun, and they still grew warmer. His whole body probably executed this warmth.
"You're saying that this all is Lucy's plan. Still, you tried to kill her earlier because you knew she would stop this – you said she had stopped this in your time." Loke's voice was calm and even as he spoke, but Lucy couldn't help but feel that just below the surface an flood of anger waited to break free.
Rouge smirk didn't falter, instead, it grew even bigger, even madder. "Now, now. Perhaps I should have been a tad clear – I should have expected that your tiny cat brain would be incapable of understanding it", he threw a taunting smirk at Loke, "it was Miss Lucy Heartfilia. Or, to be more precise, the new Miss Lucy Heartfilia."
New her? Lucy didn't understand what he meant with that. How could there be a new her? Or did he just mean that she changed so much, that that her could be considered a new her?
She couldn't change that much that she would want THIS to happen, did she? No, she couldn't.
"And I think, I like that Miss Lucy Heartfilia more than this pathetic waste of space. So don't mind me for awaking her." Awaken her? Lucy didn't understand what he meant, and she had no time to think over Rouge's words, as the shadows raised from the ground and attacked.
"For that of course, this pathetic thing has to die first."
So, after some time I'm finally back with a new chapter.
I hope the length makes up for the waiting time - at least a bit.
I also apologise for all mistakes I made. I don't have a Beta right now, so this wasn't checked by anyone but me and my spell-checker.
So, I'd appreciate it, if you call me out on mistakes I made.
Otherwise, I'm always happy if you leave me a fav, start following this or leave me a little Review.
Until next time
