Her Faithful Shadow
Lady Countryrose
Ch. 20
The two girls, who had learned that they were connected in more ways. More than they had ever believed. Were wondering down in the depths of the second temple. Each one of them lost within their own thoughts. But still trying to keep their wits about them.
Once they reached the split in their journey. Hermione asked, "I'm still on the right?"
Lucy nodded, "And I'm still to the left." Before splitting their ways. After a long twisted way into the ancient darkness. "I'm getting tired of these temples…"
At the end of her journey, she saw something that she couldn't believe. "Didn't that belong to Anna Heartfilia," she asked herself. When she remembered seeing paintings of the same armor. "I thought it was lost in time."
As soon as she placed her hand in the center of the chest piece. Causing a glow before her necklace became a necklace again. As the armor fused with her body. Giving her the perfect fit. The arm and leg plates fused with the armor as well.
Lucy glanced down to see some keys. Picking them up. Only to see the missing legendary keys. "I even have the Celestial Dragon? How?"
She pulled herself to stand up again. Only to see if she can find anything else around her.
Hermione grumbled when she reached the end of her hallway. Only to see something that she would rather scream and cry about. Before her was the sword of Gryffindor. Her heart dropped down to her belly, as sorrow took over her.
"If you're here," she cried out. "Then what's protecting Hogwarts?" Tears leaking down her eyes. Before she saw something that nearly pushed her over. "Ravenclaw's crown, Hufflepuff's cup and Slytherin's necklace?"
She fell onto her butt in disbelief. Shaking her head. "Riddle...tarnished them, didn't he?"
"Yes," answered a voice before a body came to being. "But like many things in life," the person shrugged. "Magic seems to correct things in nature…"
"Ravenclaw," Hermione asked in disbelief. "H..how are you here?"
The woman with long flowing black hair smiled. Her blue eyes sparkle in faraway memories. "We don't have keys for you to call us, like Lucy. So, carry our treasures and call our names. We'll fight alongside you…"
"Even Slytherin?"
"Yes, even Salazar will fight for you." Ravenclaw helped Hermione upon her feet, giving her a hug. "The world may seem bleak, my child. But it isn't the end of the world." She reached down into the ground, before handing something into Hermione's hands.
Hermione gave a worried look before looking down. Only to see disbelief. "I…"
"They are not what you believe, Hermione. These aren't the keys that your cousin is looking for, but your own set…" The intelligent Hogwarts founder smiled. "But the copies from our world…"
The only thing Hermione could do was nod. Not really understanding what she was trying to understand. Then again, her other keys were almost like Lucy's. But those from her own world, turned spirits.
Above ground, nearing the hours of midnight.
Each of the mages were hiding within the reaches of the temple. Ever since they had heard that Lucy and Hermione were the missing pieces of the flute. That they had been looking for.
Each one of them had mixed feelings. Ranging from anger, surprise, with thoughts of much darker for the Celestial King and Dragon. The one that stood out more than most, was to protect. Protect the two, so they could live long happy lives.
Midnight the mage, was having a hard time holding back his glee. Since it had been almost forever and a day. Since he had been able to use his darker baser of his magic. Wanting to torture someone with their inner workings of their mind. 'I really need to unleash my power soon…'
Jellal felt a sense of uneasiness. Keeping his eyes on his group of mages. Hoping that none of them would be unhinged. Even though they had found something to use their magic to protect. 'Is it too late to wish to go back to hunting dark guilds on our own?'
Erza sat next to her long heart throb. Trying to ignore him in order to keep her friends safe. Hating that she was unable to protect those that she held dear. Even when they hold the world in their hands. 'Just give me something to use my sword on…'
Gray sat as he leaned his head against his knees. 'After all this is over. I'm kicking Loke's ass, then demand him to talk to me. I never knew he had a life...before Fairy Tail.' He really felt like a really bad friend.
Angel sat near one of the walls. On the other side of the altar. Looking at the pictures with sad eyes. 'I wish I had treated my spirits that I had, better. The world was hell, no matter what era you were in…'
Racer was standing behind a pillar. Holding back his speed magic. Wanting to take a hit of whoever was going to end the world. 'If we couldn't end the world when we tried. No one else should…'
'Love is the greatest thing, OH YA!' Richard chanted to himself, as he tried to hide as best as he could. Which was really hard with his massive height.
Sting still asleep from where Rouge had hit him. 'Blondie…' There wasn't much for him to be thinking about. Other than women, as he slept on. As his mind was slightly waking him for the upcoming threat.
'I really didn't hit him that hard,' Rogue glared at his twin. Shaking his head. As he felt like he would take most of the fight anyway.
Gajeel kept on munching on his raw iron ore. Believing he was going to need it for his upcoming fight. 'I'm working on that debt that I owe Bunny. The debt that I owe Bunny…'
Bickslow stood while he got his babies ready for a fight. Using them to move around the temple. Giving them some kind of added warning. 'Come on...come on. I want to get this over with…' He wanted to get back to Lacy.
Evergreen grumbled from her spot. 'I'm going to give that Man a piece of my mind and kiss. After I get back…'
Laxus leaning his head back. Closing his eyes. Keeping his focus at hand. 'Sounds like they're all around us…'
'Come on Luce...you can't stay in the temple forever.' Natsu was not a big fan of waiting. Even while he couldn't go somewhere. Without being able to help his friend.
Freed standing in the middle of the temple. Not caring that he wasn't hiding. With his sword raised and eyes closed. Looking for all those that witness to believe that he's praying. 'Darkness at my side, darkness within me. Help me protect what is mine…'
Cobra stood before the hidden stairway. That led down into the darkened hallway. Protecting the two within. Him squatting low, prepared to strike at anything that got closer. 'Darling...come back as soon as you can. We're going to need you…'
As each of them were preparing for whatever was coming. They heard a loud cry coming from the hallway of the inner temple. Causing everyone to turn towards the poison slayer. Hearing the anger and despair within the lower temple.
As everyone was about to move. He held out his hand. Making everyone stay where they were. "It's alright...she was in shock."
"Who was that," asked Jellal with worry in his voice.
"Not Luce," replied Natsu. "I would know her screams anywhere…"
"No," Cobra shook his head. "It wasn't her…" He could hear her soul, even with the amount of earth between her and him. He knew that she was being comforted by someone that she knew.
"Is Hermione alright," asked Midnight with worry in his own voice.
"Yeah," he nodded. "She just...had another unexpected surprise." He had told the group about a week ago. When they were waiting on the girls from the first temple. He had been uneasy, when he heard her soul then.
Cobra knew that this time around was different. He felt her soul shattering dispare, before someone came to help her understand. Even though he was unable to rush to her and help. He was only too happy that someone else could.
"What's different this time," asked Jellal, as he had gotten to know how to read Cobra better. Knowing that he wouldn't give all the answers upfront.
He huffed as he glared into the blue-haired man. "She's upset because she thought she was given cursed gifts!" Seeing the understanding in many of their eyes. "But lucky for her...one of her knew spirits is telling her that they're different. Then what she believed them to be…"
As all the slayers had their ears open. Neither of them had heard anything. When they felt a spike of powerful energy that had hit them. "Where is that coming from," asked Angel with a worry in her tone.
"Beneath us," stated Freed. As his eyes opened up. "They just added to their magical power…"
As the group looked out into the night. Sparks of many different colors of light lit up from a distance. "Charge the temple," they heard a voice yell out. Making the mages collect themselves. Readying for the first strike.
After Hermione placed the Ravenclaw's crown on her head. With Slytherin's necklace around her neck. Before placing Hufflepuff's cup at her hip of her belt. Carrying Gryffindor's sword in her hand.
She felt a great magical charge rushing through her body. Causing her to pant from the intensity from the amount of power that she felt. 'Is this what an orgasium feels like,' she wondered. Before heading back to the main hallway.
She met up with Lucy at the intersection. Giving each other a nod. As they rushed towards the entrance to their underground hideaway. As they neared the stairway.
Hermione knew that their time was up. Feeling many people with magical signatures outside of the temple. Once they broke out of the darkened underground. She rushed towards the entryway, with Lucy at her side.
"NO," hissed out their fellow mages loudly. "You don't know what's out there…"
"I do," Hermione turned to the others. "They came from my world. I don't know how they followed me here…"
"Who are they," asked Lucy with worry in her voice.
"Death Eaters," Hermione spoke with uneasiness in her tone. "Call out your spirits Lucy. While you have that armor on. You can call all of them out. And they won't drain any of your magic…"
Lucy nodded, before calling out to her spirits through her connection to them. Without placing her hand on her keys. Once all of her spirits had shown up. Each one of them was ready for a battle.
Hermione smiled, "My turn…" She raised her sword in the air. Calling for each of her own spirits. Only to be surprised to see who had come.
Not just the Marauders, Lily and Severus had shown up. But also Fawkes, Dumbledor's phoenix, Draco as her earth-celestial dragon, but Harry as her hero.
"Harry," she gasped, as the four founders of Hogwarts stood at her side.
"Hi Mione," he smiled at her. Looking like he was the same age as his father, James. But his eyes were the same emerald green. As she had always known him to have. "You wouldn't go to war without me, wouldn't you?"
Sirius barked out a laugh, "Harry!" Before rushing towards the other James and hugged him fiercely. Before the rest of them came and did the same. It was then that Hermione realized that they were all dressed in armor. As they were ready for a battle.
She turned to Draco, who was dressed in silver armor. Looking more surreal than she had ever thought of him being. "Draco?" Nearly looked as old as his father. From the last time she had seen Mr. Malfoy.
"Granger," he replied with a nod.
"Fenir," growled Remus, as he turned towards the temple's massive opening.
"I smell one of my pups!" Growled a voice. "Remus!"
As the dark shadow figures broke out of the treeline. Only to allow the group of mages to see who they were up against. Only to see dark cloak figures with silver like skull masks on their faces.
"Watch it guys, they are aimed to kill," warned Cobra.
Draco turned to the man with maroon hair. He then turned to Hermione with a raised eyebrow in question. "Not now, Draco," she growled at him.
"I didn't say anything," he simply stated.
"Draco," asked a figure. Before they ripped off their mask. Showing the group a similar image of him. Except for his eyes, which were more blue then grey. "What are you doing over there and with a mudblood, at that?!"
All the Dragon Slayers heard the undertone of his voice. Telling them it was a toxic word to be using. Surprised that Hermione hadn't acted on the word. Since it was uttered.
"Why aren't you affected by the word," asked Cobra with a hint of aw.
Hermione turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Don't you remember back when I had gotten my Fairy Tail mark." When he had nodded. "The word that was carved into me. Was the very word that he uttered…"
"Who carved it?"
"His deranged sister-in-law," she pointed to the distant white-blonde in front of them.
"You hear that," asked Gajeel. Looking towards the other slayers.
"On it," stated Natsu. Before rushing off towards the dark figures. "Fire Dragon King's Roar!"
"Iron Dragon's Kunai," yelled Gajeel.
"Dark Écriture: Darkness," Freed summoned onto himself.
Just as many others called out for their magic to attavate. Singling a long awaited battle. Hermione knew from the tencidy. It was going to be a long night.
'Just like the battle on Hogwarts soil…'
