In the morning the group set a course up the mountain from Oak Town and began climbing up. Well most of them climbed. Happy, Carla, Lily, and Wendy who flew or in Wendy's case carried by her exceed.
"This is so unfair." Natsu panted as he scaled the side of the mountain that was made of nothing but rock. "We've been climbing for four hours while you four just float up there watching."
"Why don't you cats make yourselves useful and go find us a vine or something?" Gray asked also panting.
"Gray vines aren't typically native to mountain land." Wendy said.
"How about a rope then? Can one of you try to find a rope?"
"And just where would we find rope?" Carla asked.
"Well isn't there anything you could do?!"
Happy why don't you carry me?" Natsu asked.
"Because then Lucy would want me to carry her and I can't hold the both of you." Happy replied.
"She wouldn't mind."
"Yes I would." Lucy argued. "If you get carried up to the top then so do I."
"Enough of your complaints." Erza said. "Just keep climbing."
"But Erza I can't take it anymore." Natsu said.
"Me either." Gray said.
"I don't think any man alive can climb a mountain like this non stop."
"Excuse me ladies." Gajeel said climbing between Natsu and Gray without showing a single sign of exhaustion.
"Show off." Gray mumbled.
"It shouldn't be much further now Gray." Juvia said. "Judging by the moisture in the air we've almost near flat ground."
"I hope so. I've sweat through my entire shirt."
"Maybe we should take a water break. Does anyone need water?"
After taking a fifteen minute break to rest and drink some water the guild mates pressed on and finally reached a flat surface where they could walk. They found a trail and followed it in hopes that it would lead to their destination. As they drew closer to the end of the trail they noticed that skies were becoming very dark and the wind was blowing terribly hard. It wasn't long before they heard thunder and saw an occasional crack of lighting however there wasn't a single drop of rain. Eventually the trail lead them to a village and at the front there stood a sign that read: Stormhold.
The entire village looked to be completely deserted. No lights were on, all doors were shut, the windows were covered, nobody was outside, and it was quiet. Too quiet.
"Where is everybody?" Gajeel asked looking around.
"Are we in the right place?" Happy asked.
"Can't you read? The sign said Stormhold. Of course we're in the right place."
"But why is there literally no one in sight?" Gray asked.
"Let's look around and see if we can find anyone." Erza instructed. "We'll pair up into separate groups. Natsu you, Lucy, and Happy search the Southside, Gajeel and Lily you take the East, Gray and Juvia look North, Wendy, Carla, and myself will go West. If anyone finds somebody give a shout."
The search groups went in their assigned directions to see if they could find one resident in Stormhold. No one answered when they knocked on the doors or called out and Natsu didn't smell any human scent. The exceeds flew up high to see if they could locate anyone from an aerial range but no such luck.
During her search, Juvia suddenly felt very unsettled. As if out of nowhere some dormant fear had been reawakened inside of her. She tried to shake it off but then she started to hear voices. Female voices that sounded very pained and full of misery.
"Don't go any further."
"Leave this place."
"Go back."
"You're not safe here."
"Flee before it's too late."
She instinctively clung to Gray's arm.
"What's wrong?" He asked her.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"I heard voices."
"Well that's not unusual for you." He chuckled.
"That's not funny Gray! I'm serious! Didn't you hear them?"
"No I didn't hear anything. What are you talking about, voices?" He looked around. "Do you think someone is here?"
"I don't know but I swear I heard voices talking to me. They sounded like women and they were trying to tell me something."
"What did they say?"
"I think they were trying to warn me. They kept telling me to leave this place...Gray I'm getting scared."
She was really scared. He could tell because he could feel her trembling.
"Stay close." He told her.
They continued to search while he kept his eyes open for any sign of potential danger. Juvia stayed close to him like he said and she tried to dispel her frightened emotions but it was no use. She couldn't understand why she was so afraid and that's what made it all the more scary. Being afraid of something and not even knowing what it was. Another voice spoke to her but for some reason she felt that this one differed very much from the others.
"My dearest child if you insist on helping those who dwell here then go to the village square and look in the old well. There you will find the one who sent that cry for help."
"Gray wait." Juvia said. "Let's check the village square."
"Why?"
"I just have a hunch."
They went to the square and Juvia saw an old well but she didn't see anyone near by it. She looked down the well but she didn't see any water. It had been completely dried up. Why did that voice tell her she could find someone at this old well?
"Juvia what are you doing?" Gray asked her. "I don't think now is the time to be making wishes."
"Forgive me dear I just thought I'd find something here."
As she moved her head to look up from the well she noticed that some of the stones in the wall had a certain pattern to them. She looked down again to see if she could make out what the pattern was and an instant she realized that it was a stairway.
"Gray look! Stairs!"
"Huh?"
"There are stairs at the bottom of this well."
Gray looked in the direction of where she was pointing and he saw them too.
"What a weird place to put stairs."
"Do we go down there?"
"Let's go find the others and tell them about it first."
At once they went to gather up the other guild mates and inform them of their discovery.