Chapter 10

So Long, Magonlia

I didn't leave Magnolia straight away. I couldn't. Perhaps I was procrastinating, unable to commit to leaving. Perhaps I was scared, using this prolonged goodbye as a way to deal with my inner terror. I didn't know. All I did know was that I couldn't leave. Not yet, anyway. My apartment was packed up entirely by now. I sold was little furniture I had that didn't come with the apartment. All my clothes were packed tightly within a small suitcase with a temporary requip spell attached. Reflecting on it, I didn't have much at all, it was quite sad really. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, though. I came to Magnolia with little more than a suitcase and the clothes on my back. I accumulated a few things over the years, but nothing substantial. I really didn't have that much attachment to this place at all really. Or anything. The only thing irreplaceable that I had…

My keys.

I shuddered. I refused to let myself fall into that downward spiral again. I was on my way to rescue the spirits, I only had to keep on trying. I sighed. One step at a time.

Placing The Stars of Origin within the small pink backpack containing little else, I grasped onto my suitcase and prepared to leave my apartment for the last time. I tiny bit of me would miss this place, but it was necessary.

"Hm," I heard someone harrumph from behind me.

Impossible.

I turned around with confusion. No one should be in my apartment. The only people who wouldn't come through the door, namely Erza, Gray, Natsu and Happy, were given strict instructions to thump. Shaken, I raced back into the apartment. Equally annoyed, angry and scared. The empty kitchen and bathroom were both in the exact spaces that I had left them; undisturbed. That left one place. The bedroom. I crept hesitantly towards the room, on high alert. I readied my whip, my only defence. I jumped in front of the doorway, fully prepared to attack the intruder. On the bed, lay an observant Dusk, taking in my now former apartment.

"Dusk!?" I screamed.

He looked at me with equal shock.

"Lucy?" Dusk smiled cockily. "Well, I'm glad this is your apartment. You can imagine how embarrassed I was when I broke into the past two apartments only to realise it wasn't even yours." Dusk chuckled heartily.

My mouth dropped open in shock. I was dumbfounded. I didn't think I'd run into this man ever again. The entire idea was preposterous; I'd thought I'd left them far behind after they both left Sigem Manor.

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here," I asked angrily.

Dusk held up his hands in defence, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Relax, relax. I'm simply here to join you," Dusk answered smirking.

Now, that truly left me confused. How did he know I was going anywhere? I hadn't told anyone but the guild, and I'm sure they'd never associate with someone like him.

"H-how?" I stuttered awkwardly.

Dusk shrugged. "I simply guessed. After what you experienced in the manor, it's only natural that you'd want to investigate it. I also anticipated that you wouldn't want to get your guildmates involved due to the potential danger. Looks like I'm right, judging from the empty apartment."

I sighed. Was I really that easy to read?

"So what if I am?" I challenged.

Dusk raised his eyebrows at this response.

"You actually expect to do this entire thing yourself…" Dusk realised.

I nodded stubbornly. There was no way in hell I'd let anyone get hurt because of what I'm about to do. As selfish as it was, this was my journey, I needed to do this.

"Oh my god, you're not only ignorant, but you're also stupid. Incredible," Dusk breathed.

I flinched at the insult, taking great offence to his mockery of my intelligence. Despite my weakness in several areas, mainly physical, one thing I did take pride in was my keen intellect.

"I'm not stupid!" I yelled in rage.

"Obviously you are. You honestly think you can do this by yourself? You have only the most basic knowledge of the celestial world, and it's history. You barely know what the hell you're doing magically. I bet you don't even know how to work the book, do you?" Dusk asked rudely.

Despite his rhetoric, I answered him, "Of course I know how to work a book! You open it and read it!"

Dusk rolled his eyes. "You haven't even read it yet, have you?"

"Of course, I have!" I retorted angrily.

"Oh yeah? What's the first chapter about, then," questioned Dusk, brow furrowed.

I began to talk, but then suddenly realised I actually didn't know. I racked my brain for the answer, but couldn't find one. I did read it. I remember strictly.

The Decay is watching.

"Oh my God," I realised suddenly.

I looked at Dusk, who had a self-satisfied smirk plastered to his face.

"You didn't read it, did you," he asked.

I flushed red with embarrassment. "I read the letter... but then forgot to read the rest…" I whispered.

"Exactly. Go get it, and open it now, and you'll see," Dusk laughed knowingly.

Utterly humiliated, I retrieved the book from the backpack. The dull red cover stared at me, menacingly. It seemed to hold a million secrets, yet seemed unwilling to share them. I frowned, not use this sudden feeling, and from a book no less. I looked briefly up at Dusk, who indicated me to continue. I shook my head and sighed. I opened it past the first few blank pages, and then again past the letter from Lyanna. More blank pages followed the letter. I kept on flicking through, only to be met with more blank pages. I frowned harder, determined to find some form of writing. It was then, I realised, apart from the letter, the book was entirely blank.

"There's nothing there…" I breathed, panicking.

"Exactly. That's the primary reason I came back. I remembered a sneaky little detail. This book is much more than a history of the celestial world. It's a guide, a teaching manual. It won't teach you the next spell to learn unless you learn the one previously," Dusk explained.

I looked up at him, mouth gaping open. "But there's no spell there at all! There's only the letter!"

"Yes, I was getting there. The first spell only shows itself in the place it was written," Dusk finished.

My eyes widened. Since Lyanna Sigem wrote the book, that means…

"Yes," Dusk finished my thought.

I sat down on the bed next to him. "That means we have to go back to Sigem Manor doesn't it?" I asked him, half-hoping he would say no.

"Whoa, whoa! Did I just hear, we?" Dusk mocked.

I rolled my eyes at him.

Trust no one.

Lyanna's letter echoed in my mind. I hadn't revealed The Stars of Origin to anyone, but Dusk. The only reason he knew at all, was because he was there. Every rational part of my brain was screaming at me not to trust him. Truthfully, it was the smart thing to do. I knew next to nothing about this strange, strange man who chucked me off a train he blew up. But, despite all this, the man had been there against the Misery Knight. He was the one that led me to the book in the place. Dusk was right, there was no way I could do this by myself. I knew nothing about what I was getting into. It wasn't a matter of if I wanted to trust him anymore, I needed to trust him. For my spirits.

"Yes, Dusk. We." I said to him.

Dusk looked at me sceptically.

"Now, now. Maybe I don't want to anymore," He responded, sticking up his nose.

"I frowned. What? You don't want to!? Then what was the point of coming here at all then?" I asked him annoyed.

"Hm. I could be persuaded, however. With the right incentive," he answered.

I eyed him suspiciously. "What do you want, then?"

He turned his eye towards, which held a boyish sparkle.

"I do love a good grovel and beg," he smirked.

I growled at him. "ABSOLUTELY not."

"Hmph. I guess you do what do this by yourself then?"

I crossed my arms I annoyance. How dare this man break into my apartment insisting on going with me. Then, suddenly, say he doesn't want to!?

"Fine. Please, Lord Dusk, will you assist me in uncovering the secrets of The Stars of Origin," I begged.

Dusk turned to me, a full grin emphasising his features.

"Now, that's more like it!" He laughed.

I rolled my eyes, putting the ancient tome back into my backpack.

"So, to the Sigem Manor, then?" Dusk said to me chucking on his own pack onto his back.

"Yes, let's go save my spirits!" I exclaimed, determination burning my eyes.

We left within the hour, the town of Magnolia now far behind us. It felt weird, being back onto the train to Haven, this willingly in a carriage to Dusk. I looked at the strange man. His scar shone against the afternoon light. I studied it. Dusk glanced me for a slight second, our eyes engaging in a mute conversation.

I didn't miss the absolute terror in his eyes.

(A/N): Ahhhhh, my chapters are getting shorter, sheeeeet. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed this one, it was quite an unmotivated one. BUT FINALLY we have left Magnolia again and i've re-introduced Dusk. But the question reamains... who exactly is he? Only time will tell... Anyways, R&R!
- StingIsNotHere