A soft whisper of bells danced through the silence. It was soft and quiet, but soon grew increasingly louder. They rang like wind chimes, smashing against one another. They grew louder and louder and louder until- suddenly they stopped. And the air was quiet once more. For it was not the bells that awoke him, but the overpowering sound of silence.

He felt alive. Like he was unstoppable and could break down the strongest barrier, but at the same time, he felt as light as a cloud. He observed his surroundings for a few moments, before reality set in.

He was in another magical dimension...

"What. . .is this place?" Sting muttered out loud as he slowly began to take in his surroundings. The air around him was covered in gold and glittered with the flickers of light that passed over his body. He outstretched his hand to catch some of the mist that drifted by, but it evaporated within his fingertips. He was suspended midair . . . almost like he was floating . . . but he could move around on his own will. Then she caught his eye. She was near the bottom of the 'gold river', her body nestled within the golden sands that blew about with his movements.

"Lucy!" Sting shouted out and moved his arms about to propel him against the currents of the sand. She did not respond to his voice. He shouted again to her, without any response. And when he finally reached her, it was only then that he detected that she was not breathing.

"Lucy?" He questioned at first and attempted to shake her awake. But although he could smell her scent, he could not detect her heart beat. "Lucy. . ." He seemed shocked, and then became angry and pressed his hands against her chest in a weak attempt to preform recitation. But he was never taught, and soon gave up. He could find that blue haired girl, but how would he return back through a closed gate? And soon his anger melted into regret and sadness. How had this happened? He mourned for this girl and held her within his arms. He pulled her tight to his body and ran his fingers through her tangled hair. Her face was bruised on the left and her wrists were battered from something. Anger sparked within him, but was quickly quieted as he continued to sorrow for Lucy.

A few tears had slipped from his blue eyes to splash upon her skin as he admired her empty body. But she was still the same Lucy to him. The Lucy that had stood up to him in the library, Lucy that had healed him, and the Lucy that he loved. But it was too late now to tell her. He brushed his fingers against her cheek and smiled lightly as he thought about the spectacular times they had shared although It had been short.

"I love you. . .Lucy. ." He managed to whimper before a choked sob spilt from his lips. He had to cover his face with his forearm to stop his sobbing. His shoulders heaved and he bent his back to lean over her body. He rested his face against her cold hand and let his tears run free from his eyes. "I love you, I love you! Why did this h-have to happen?!" He wailed into the open golden sea that continued to swirl around him. "I need to know what happened to you!" His blonde hair clung to the tracks of tears that spiraled from his reddened eyes as he gazed desperately at her pale face. "tell me Lucy!" He pleaded and then he realized that she could not answer him. Slowly he took a hold of himself and began to back away, like a wounded animal. He had loved something after all this time. . .and once again, it was lost. He gazed at her a little more, before the sound of a ferocious roar sounded somewhere in the distance. The others probably had roped themselves into trouble, yet again. But he was struggling to find the means to care. Slowly he began to rock his body back and forth, stress taking a hold of his mind and he had to look away from Lucy. He backed away more and more and shook with the need to run away and pretend this was a dream.

"The reason.. . . the reason. .. the reason. . ..the reason.. . ." a soft chant coiled somewhere around him in the mist. The sand around him thickened but he could still make out Lucy's figure that was becoming buried with the golden sand.

"Why did she die!" Sting shouted into the dust, he covered his eyes with his sleeve as another fume blew his way. The last thing he needed was the inability to see.

"Tell me!" He shrieked out into the silence, his voice cutting through the wind.

"The reason lies within the stone atop the tower clean, to open the door to take life an exchange must be made." The voice chorused over and over again, becoming louder and louder until it disintegrated into the sand. The storm itself slowly melting away and becoming a simple drift once more.

Sting thought for a moment as he wandered back to Lucy and rested slowly beside her. "An exchange must be made. . ." He mumbled and his vision flickered back to the passage before they were sucked into the doorway. Lucy entered into the door as a sacrifice. The image of her keys breaking into pieces flickered through his mind as he rubbed his fingertips into the sand. The doorway. . the doorway. There was a gem rested on the top of it. Was that the way to shut down the door?

"I know how to save you Lucy. .." He whispered quietly to her and brushed some of the sand off of her shoulders and stomach. He did so with care and was beside himself that he could save her. "I'll save you for sure." He promised and slowly leaned forwards and brushed his lips against hers. His heart fluttered within his chest and he quickly stood up and cleared his throat.

"I um uh. . .I'll be back, or you will. . .whatever happens." He laughed nervously to himself as his cheeks flared red with embarrassment. He smiled lightly as he observed her once more. "I love you."

And with that he began to search for a way out.

"Think, think Sting." He mumbled and retraced his steps within the golden sand and continued to look around. "A small ball of light in the wall or a gate." His eyes searched around curiously, examining every which way for an option to escape.

Then it caught his eye. A small ball of light in the center that mysteriously floated about his height. He hopped through the sand toward it and the sound of roaring began to increase. His heart leaped in his chest with excitement and adrenaline. As he reached out to touch the orb a stinging pain shot through his arm and extended through his body. Sting yelped out in pain as a fire burned under his skin and increased in size as time passed. A jagged line of light spiraled from his tan skin and flared outwards.

"Wh-wha?" He questioned and winced in pain as another spiral lit up. Igniting like a tattoo and sparkling like a firework. A roar gurgled up in the back of his throat and he held himself back from growling out loud. His mouth became painful and his back arched as magic soon encased him.

"The Celestial knights will protect the Erne. . ."

His eyes burned with vengeance and his tattoos glittered with the new found power of his Celestial White Dragon magic. He remembered when Lucy had healed him and her kiss had instilled him as one of the Celestial knights. It was all coming together now, like a puzzle. He braced himself as he extended his arms to the side and released a mighty roar. White magic exploded from his body and he snatched the sphere of light within his hands. And he disappeared from the golden realm full of sand.

"A life for a passage, a life for a passage, a life for a passage"

The voice whispered over and over again like a record player set on repeat. "Shut up!" Lucy screamed and held her ears tightly within her hands. Her arms shook and she pressed her body as far away from the sound as she could within the golden box. She had seen the entire play of Sting and her body from above, and she had shed tears when he had left her body behind. But she was proud that he was able to. But why had he left her here?

"I know I know, a life for a passage!" She shouted and stomped her feet against the ground of her golden box. The sands of the gate whispered below upon the ground. "They'll save me, just you wait!" She threatened and stood to her full height to yell at the outside. "And when I am out, you won't stand a chance!" She hissed and slammed her fist against the clear box. At that, the voice stopped tormenting her. And instead she was left with silence. Silence was better than that. She huffed and stared outside toward the dunes as they changed formation with every wind.

"Oh Lucy." A male voice caught her ear as she turned around. "If only you had let me take you away." Loki smiled behind her. His figure glittering as though he was struggling to form.

She half-smiled at his reply. "What's wrong Loki?" He seemed to not want to tell her and looked away instead of in her eyes. "The keys have been shattered, and our ability to stay here has been compromised."

"Even I am too weak to stay on the earth without a gateway." She smiled lightly and reached out to touch his shoulder as his image flickered again.

"Am I going to die here Loki?" She questioned softly, she looked up to see the glint of his glasses.

"Say Lucy. . .Let's dance?" He suggested and took her other hand within his and stepped outwards in a box formation. Somewhere in the distance, she thought she could hear the whistle of a trumpet and the dance of a guitar in a light swingy mood. But it was the perfect thing she needed. They stepped back and forth and she twirled her body to the light beat. The voice sneaking into the rhythm as Loki spun her around and around again. A laugh creeping from her lips as he slowly disappeared from her hands and faded into the sand color that surrounded her.

"A life for a passage, a life for a passage, a life for a passage. . . ."

"There's too many!" Erza shouted as she held up her shield to deflect another blast of fire from a smaller dragon. She gasped as she noticed the metal had partially melted and dropped it from the heat of the blow. She dove behind a building as the dragon reared its head to breath fire again. Screams of villagers as the flames engulfed them met her ears and she pointed her hand outwards. "FIRE!" She screamed and the mages blasted their magic in unity at just the one dragon. The gate was still wide open and dragons continued pouring out from the wooden doors. They knew no boundaries and deemed Flore as their new playground. "It isn't working Erza!" Rogue shouted out as his black magic was caught in the lips of the dragon and sent spiraling back towards him. He yelped as his cape caught aflame and he tossed it to the ground and stamped upon it.

"What are we going to do?" Levy shirked as she hurried to drag an injured Maryjane from the feet of the dragon as it clobbered toward them. It roared into the darkness as smoke surrounded its powerful body and it's clawed foot smashed through the cobble stoned roads.

"Never lose hope!" Erza shouted into the crowd of injured mages. "If the dragons leave Flore, then the world will be theirs." She re-equipped into armor and allowed the others time to retreat for now as she defended them against the dragon. Swords appeared within the air and she concentrated all her energy into the attack as the dragon raised its head to breath upon her. "FIFTY SWORDS!" She shirked and took cover as the flames penetrated the ground and buildings were lit into explosions.

"are you sure we should leave Erza like this?" Rogue shouted ahead to Levy as they ran. Elfman carried an injured Freed and Marijane in his arms and hobbled from his injuries. "What choice do we have?" He shouted as Rogue turned around to watch Erza battle the dragon unsuccessfully. He began to raise his hands upwards just as a stinging pain crossed his shoulder blade and ran upwards toward his lips. He held his head within his hands and yelped as the pain brought him to his knees. A roar fell from his lips and he bared his fangs as a dark black tattoo spiraled around his arm, neck, and part of his face. He ran his fingertips over his lips where he had kissed Lucy and smirked. He knew it was the right choice at the time. At that moment he noticed the portal had reopened and Sting had appeared. He was furious and white light steamed from his body. Rogue smirked and began running toward him, a dragon separating them. Sting growled furiously and Rogue yelled out loud as their magic combusted from afar and combined to make a powerful attack although apart. The dragon growled in response and reared its head and claws- prepared to exterminate the mages.

Natsu retreated from the dragon, his body battered as the others continued to fight the dragon. He had landed atop of the building and turned his body over to watch the portal and Erza. He needed the energy to stand. To defeat the dragons, but he could not. His eyes turned downwards as he noticed a figure burst through the portal.

"Sting?" He questioned and slowly sat up just as the pain ran through his hands. He fell backwards on his side and shook his hands as though he was trying to extinguish the burn that lay beneath them. Twirling tattoos flew from his fingertips and a red flame emitted from his hands. He was refilled with energy and immediately sat up. Then he heard to roar of the twin dragons below. Their tattoos lit up in sync and Natsu laughed as he jumped from the building top down toward the dragon. He pulled back his fist and together the dragon slayers attacked.

"CELESTIAL DRAGON ROAR!" They screamed in sync, and the dragon reared back in pain toward the doorway. The slayer's eyes were blood thirsty and they howled in success. The score had just been evened.

Lucy gasped as her face burned within her hands, the tattoos relighting upon her face. She pressed her body against the box once, twice, and three times. The glass cracking with her magic as it whelmed within her. With a final scream, she charged the box and the wind rushed around her as she was sent spiraling to the ground!

To be continued. . .