Me again, as promised here's another.
I do not own Fairy Tail.
7.
Gray took his path alone. He walked a ways through the tunnel only to come out into another part of the cave. There was light coming from above, the caves ceiling illuminating his surroundings. He noticed an ice bridge going to the other side where there was another tunnel. He was about to cross when her heard footsteps. Dropping into a fighting stance preparing for whatever it was. To his surprise it was just Erza who was holding Happy in her arms coming out of the opening next to the one he just came out of.
"Erza? Happy?"
"Our paths must have both lead us here, looks like they connect into one." She pointed across the bridge."I guess we will be traveling together."
"Probably for the best more strength in numbers." Gray said, he didn't really like the idea of being alone but he also didn't care. Erza nodded. "Aye" Happy said "I wonder how Natsu and Lucy are doing?"
"I'm sure they are just fine, lets get moving," Erza said.
As they were about to cross the bridge, the ground beneath them started to shake and icicles fell from above. "RUN, GET TO THE OTHER SIDE," Erza yelled.
Gray and Erza started running as Happy flew to the other side. Once they made it across the sight was unbelievable.
"What the hell just happened?" Gray asked in a panic.
The pathways they came out of had been sealed, the bridge completely destroyed.
"I don't like this," Happy said jumping into Erza's arms.
"How odd," Erza perplexed.
"Do you think Natsu did something? We sure as hell didn't" Gray asked
"No, I don't think so." She said looking around. "I have heard legends of enchanted caves, this could be one of them though I don't know anything more then mysterious things happen inside them and you are lucky to find a way out."
Gray and Happy both exchanged a fearful look. "What? Are you serious? So if that's true, are you sure the sword is inside?"
"I had a feeling about this cave and it's stronger than ever now. It would make sense for a sword to be inside an enchanted cave would it not? Makes the adventure even more challenging." Erza said a little too physiqued for Gray and Happy who were not thrilled at the new information.
"Since our old way out is sealed I guess we gotta keep moving forward." Gray suggested.
"YES! That's the spirit Gray."Erza said enthused.
"Oh boy, I should have gone with Natsu and Lucy." Happy said under his breath.
...
Lucy and Natsu walked through the tunnel, Lucy's torch and Natsu's fire lighting the way. They had been walking quiet a ways almost half a mile.
"This tunnel goes on forever," Lucy complained.
"it's not so bad, i'm sure we will reach the end eventually."
"Of course we will but when? There is nothing around." she said. As they walked they checked the ceiling, the walls and the floor, but no clues. They had no leads just the long dark cold tunnel.
They walked in silence for a while both lost in thought. Lucy let out a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Natsu asked.
"It's nothing, this job just turned out to be a lot more work than I thought it would,"
"It's a big job that's for sure, but it wouldn't have been on the job board for everyone if they thought only 'S' class wizards could handle it and we have one on our team." He said trying to cheer up her up.
"That's true, still dangerous nonetheless." she muttered, "I just hope Erza is right about the sword being in this cave. I was actually just wondering how they are doing? I wish we had a way to communicate with them." Lucy said
"I'm sure they are all fine, maybe they already found what we came here for,"
"Or maybe they are in trouble and they need our help?" Lucy added
"I thought you were more optimistic than that Lucy?"
"Hmm, i'm trying to be, maybe this cave is just getting to me. We've been in here for at least an hour or more. I don't know about you but i'm starting to feel claustrophobic." she sighed
"Lucy, look," The dragon slayer said pointing ahead. Lucy looked ahead and didn't see anything. "What are you looking at?" she asked.
"Just up ahead I can smell the exit. There's fresh air coming through." he said
Lucy widened her eyes and could barely make out a dull light ahead of them. "You sure Natsu?"
"Yes, 100 percent, come on lets pick up the pace."
Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and began to tug her along. Lucy was trying not to trip over her own feet as their fast walk turned more into a jog. The floor was icy and they needed to be careful.
"Natsu slow down a bit or we will slip and fall." she said trying to keep up. He slowed until the reached a normal walking speed. "Sorry"
Walking the rest of the way they reached what they thought was the end. "What the hell is this?" Lucy said, Natsu shrugged and the two began to look around. Their exit ended up being a small opening not big enough for either of them to get through.
"What now?" she asked
"I have an idea but you probably wont like it," he said
"Whatever it is do it and make it quick,"
He thought about demolishing the wall but instead put his hand next to the opening and engulfed his hand in a giant flame melting the ice to create a passageway. Lucy watched in awe, she thought he was going to create an explosion sending them to their demise.
"After you," he said
Lucy walked through the exit and into another part of the cave, it was a small room. She used the torch to take a look around. She noticed drawings etched into the cave walls.
"Natsu, come look as this," the fire illuminated the walls and they both admired the art.
"Do you think people lived here?" Natsu asked,
"It's possible they could have a long time ago, or they could be people like us searching for treasure?" she answered
"Maybe, do you think it's a clue?"
"I don't think so, there's nothing about these carvings that portray a sword."
"hmm"
Snapping them both out of their thoughts they heard a loud noise, they both looked back, the entrance that Natsu had made was closing up.
"NATSU WHAT'S HAPPENING?" She dropped the torch and the fire went out leaving them in darkness. Natsu lit his hand on fire. They watched as ice grew and there way out was now a wall of ice.
"NO!" Natsu shouted going over to the wall and attempting to burn the ice but it wouldn't work.
"You're fire isn't burning the ice?" Lucy asked in a panic.
"No, I don't understand, Dammit, what is this ice?" Natsu was infuriated
"What is with this cave? Why did it seal up our way out?"she said
"I don't know, look around for another exit."
"There isn't another way out Natsu," Lucy said putting her hand on his shoulder.
She had picked up the torch that had gone out after she dropped it, Natsu relit the flame and leaned against one of the walls.
"What should we do now?" Lucy asked leaning up against the wall next to him.
"I don't know, i've never had something like this happen." he responded "My fire wont melt the ice and there's no other way out from this tiny room."
"Natsu, before when you told me you smelled the exit, you saw that dull light, right?"
"Yeah I saw it, what of it?"
"Where did the light go? If we put the fire out we would be surrounded by complete darkness." they both pondered the question. "I got nothing" Natsu admitted.
Lucy thought about it for a while, maybe she had read something? Maybe they were both going crazy, but they both saw a light and the cave sealed it's self. Then she remembered something that she read.
"We are in Hakobe's enchanted cave." she said
"What? Enchanted cave?" Natsu asked
"I don't know for certain, but many mountains have what they call enchanted caves, meaning its basically alive and has a mind of it's own."
"You lost me" he said confused
"Natsu, if this is an enchanted cave it's possible we could be trapped here forever."
Natsu went wide eyed, at least he was with Lucy and not Gray.
"Researchers don't know why these caves exist or how many are out there but it all makes sense."
"I suppose you're right, so what do we do?"
"I don't know, I am trying to remember all that I read but at this rate we will freeze and starve to death" Natsu's stomach growled just as she was talking about starving to death.
"Are you hungry? How can you be hungry at a time like this?"
"All this information is making me hungry," he admitted
She sighed and took off her backpack, she didn't bring a lot of food but she needed him to ready for anything. She handed him a variety of snacks.
"Thanks Luce,"
"We don't have much so you need to make it last" she said
"Otay" he said with a mouthful of food.
Lucy pulled out the map and looked at it closely, if they did manage to escape and found the sword, how on Earth were they going to find the lacrima? The third clue was the toughest. 'The lacrima will appear before what is pure?' What the hell was that supposed to mean? Did it have something to do with the person seeking it? Would they need the bow and the sword to find it?
Natsu had finished his snack after offering some to Lucy who told him she was good. She wasn't hungry, in fact she was feeling a little sick.
She sat up against the wall still holding onto the torch, if only she had a spirit that could help them, though she wouldn't want to cause any damage to the cave in fear that it would collapse in on them.
Natsu was sitting beside her making sure to use body heat to stay warm. It had been hours and nothing had changed, everything was quiet and still. She could hear her own heart beating. She rested her head against the dragon slayers shoulder, she was growing tired.
"Don't fall asleep Lucy"
"I'm not," she responded, quickly sitting up. She stood, exploring the room they were in once again, maybe they missed something.
"Whatcha doing?" He asked
"Taking another look around for the tenth time, we have to be missing something" she held the torch close to every inch of wall when she tripped and fell face first into the ground. Natsu was on his feet in seconds and by her side helping her up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah I just tripped over some ice that's al-" she didn't finish her sentence.
The ground started to shake and ice started raining down on them. Natsu covered Lucy with his own body. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?" he said
"It's the cave, hurry look for any sigh of an exit." Natsu was still shielding Lucy as they looked around, but the ground started to shift.
"oh no" Lucy gasped, "NATSU THE FLOOR, IT'S STARTING TO CRUMBLE!''
They looked at each other Natsu held on to her tightly and then they began to fall. Screaming on the way down.
...
"So Gray, what's been up with you today?" Erza asked as they walked down the tunnel.
"What do you mean?" he asked
"Well this morning and this afternoon, you seemed down, is everything alright?"
He thought about it, he knew Lucy was trying to cheer him up earlier and now Erza was prying for answers. He sighed, "Being on this mountain is just bringing up some past memories, I didn't mean to bring any of you down I just needed some time."
"What memories?" she asked
"I don't really want to talk about it, I am fine now, it was all in the past, there's nothing I can do but move forward." He said
"That's admiral of you," Erza complimented
"Yeah, I guess" he shrugged
Erza left it at that. She could tell Gray wasn't in the mood to talk about it and she did find out one thing. His past it bothering him, she would revisit the conversation at another time.
"Hey guys," Happy said.
"What is it?" Erza asked.
"I was just thinking about the others, do you think they felt the earthquake too?" Happy was concerned for Natsu and Lucy. If they felt who knows what they experienced.
"Happy, I am sure they are fine, Natsu is strong and he will protect Lucy, though I am sure she can handle herself." Erza assured him.
"I hope you're right,"
The tunnel had ended and they were in a large area inside the cave, only the light of the torches helped them see.
"What is this place?" Gray asked.
"This cave doesn't cease to amaze me." Erza said.
"We made it this far, where do you suppose we go from here? I don't see another way out other than the way we came, and we all know that going back isn't an option." Gray said
"Yeah, I don't disagree with you, Gray, but I don't see another tunnel for us to explore."
The three wondered around the room. Erza discovered carvings in the ice, but those gave no clues, Happy flew above to check out the high ceilings but came up empty handed. They seemed to be out of luck.
"Does anyone else here that hissing noise?" Gray asked, surveying the area he looked to Erza and Happy.
"Now that you mention it, I do here a low hissing.." Erza said
"What is it?" Happy asked shaking, the hair on his tail was sticking up.
"I don't know, be on guard, it doesn't sound friendly," Erza had already requiped holding her sword and the torch.
They looked around but didn't see anything, the sound of the hissing only grew louder and louder.
"Happy, hold the torch above would you," Erza said urgently.
"Aye" he said shaking as she handed him the torch. He flew up into the air.
In moments there was a loud crash and snow and ice dispersed as the hissing and now growling was echoing inside the cave.
"WATCH OUT!" Erza and Gray both said as they jumped out of the way. Gray had dropped his torch and only Happy was providing the light.
"What is that thing?" Gray said, the air had cleared and before them was a giant ice serpent.
"It looks like a snake," Erza called out, they were both terrified by the beast.
"That is the biggest snake i've ever seen," Happy yelled down to his friends "Be careful"
"Just do your best to provide light while we fight this beast" Erza told the feline.
"AYE SIR"
"You ready, Gray?"
"Ready when you are?"
"Lets take him down!"
They both cried out, Erza requiped into her heavens wheel armor and Gray used his maker magic to forge a cannon. Both sprinted to attack the serpent. The beast lashed out and managed to knock Erza back.
"ICE MAKE SWORD" Gray attacked giving Erza time to get back up and attack herself. She sent her swords at the beast causing it to cry out. "HIISSSSSHHH"
Gray and Erza using what light they had both went at it with one final attack hoping to take it down for good.
"ICE MAKE LANCE"
"BLADES DANCE, CIRCLE SWORD"
Both attacks sent the icy serpent into the wall causing the wall to cave in giving them their exit. They managed to knock the beast out.
"Look, the blast created a hole in the wall," Happy announced
"Let's escape before another attack," Erza said
Gray, Happy and Erza ran out of the room and out of the cave, the hole they created led them outside into the blizzard.
"Wait, we are outside?" Gray asked puzzled.
"I suppose we are.."Erza sounded disappointed. "I thought we would be in that labyrinth of a cave longer."
"Don't tell me you're going back in?" Happy asked
"No, I have a feeling we should wait here, we can't go back the way we came, and I don't know where the entrance is. Happy you should fly around and take a look, in the mean time it's all up to Natsu and Lucy."
...
Tumbling to the ground, Natsu was able to shift his body so he was beneath the blonde mage taking the brunt of the fall. They crashed into the ground sending debris all around them. They had both been knocked out of it for several minutes before Lucy's eyes fluttered open.
Where the heck are we? Did we survive? She was laying on top of Natsu, her head on his chest. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked at him in the faint darkness, his eyes were still shut.
"Natsu" she let his name escape. He didn't move.
"Natsu" She called out again, she saw his eyes twitch and suddenly open. He sat up causing Lucy to sit straddling him. "You alright?" he asked
"Yeah, I'm fine, how about you? You took the fall for me."
"I'm totally fine," he said
"Where are we, it's warm and are we laying in grass?" she finally asked looking around. Natsu provided them with light.
Lucy moved off Natsu and the both helped each other up. "It's like an oasis under the mountain" she said, "I think I even hear a waterfall"
They both stood in the clearing. Looking around the ground was completely grass, there was a pound and a waterfall."What a strange place to fall to" Lucy wondered
"No kidding, it's hot here too," Natsu complained taking off some of his layers. Lucy did the same.
"That's odd,"Natsu said
"What is?" Lucy asked
Her question was answered with Natsu's actions. Using his magic he lit the room. It was no longer dark, there had been torches lined all around the oasis.
"WOW" she said.
Now that they could see it was time to get down to business. "What now?" Lucy asked.
"I think we should explore this place together, it's huge and I have a feeling that we are close to our escape."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Just a feeling and usually i'm pretty spot on." Lucy was putting all her trust into the dragon slayer. They had come this far, no point in giving up now.
"Alright"
Lucy and Natsu checked every inch of the oasis, but they couldn't find an exit. Were they tapped there forever and would their friends come looking for them? That's if they didn't need a rescue themselves.
After what could have been and felt like hours of searching they both fell defeated. "Natsu, i'm so tired, why don't we sleep and try again after a nap?" she asked
Natsu nodded, he found some material to start a small fire by the pond. Lucy laid down on the ground and looked up at the ceiling they had fell from, it had closed up sealing them inside. Even if Happy was with them there was no escape. Natsu laid next to Lucy arms barely touching.
Natsu heard Lucy starting to sob. "Lucy, I promise you, we will make it out of here," she shook her head, she didn't doubt him, they had been through a lot in the past few days.
Lucy rolled onto her side facing him, she smiled trying to assure him that she would be okay. The look she gave him caused his heart to beat faster, he had the sudden urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her.
"Natsu" She scooted closer to him and put her head on his chest. She held onto him tightly for a few minutes then eased up on her grip. Natsu realized that she had fallen asleep. He let her rest and closed his eyes himself. Thinking about how once they were done with job him and Lucy had a date.
...
Happy had circled the mountain and found the entrance to the cave that they had entered. He didn't dare go back in but he did manage to help guide Gray and Erza back down the cliff side and back to the cart. It had been hours and no sigh of Lucy or Natsu. They decided to set up camp to protect themselves against the blizzard that had rolled in.
"I am giving them 24 hours to get out or I am going back in to look for them." Erza said.
"What about the sword and the job?" Gray asked.
"Our friends and their lives are more important than any job." she responded
"Why don't we go look for them now?" Happy asked
"We must have a little faith in them to complete the job." Erza assured
They stayed inside the tent, hoping that Natsu and Lucy would make it out alive and with the sword.
...
Lucy was awoken by a dream which gave her an idea. The fire was still going, she shook Natsu to wake him up so she could tell him about it.
"Wake up" she called out to him "Natsu" she was hovering above him trying to wake him but he didn't move a muscle. She listened to his soft breathing for a few minutes before she moved in close and tickled his face with her hair.
"NATSU, WAKE UP" she yelled hoping that would do it.
He reached out and pulled her into him. "Natsu?" she said but his eyes were still closed. Lucy sighed, not only was she struggling to wake the dragon slayer now she was trapped in his arms.
"Natsu, this isn't funny anymore, please wake up, I think I know how to get out of here."
His embraced tightened and then he opened one eye and then the next. "Lucy?"
"Yeah, hi, good morning, good night and good afternoon sleepy head." she said
"What?"
"I don't know what time of day it is so I gave you all of them"
"What are you doing on top of me?" he asked
"uhh, you kind of pulled me down and wouldn't let go," she said.
"Oh, sorry," he said releasing his grip. "Now, what are you yelling about?"
"I think I have an idea on how to get out of here. The waterfall, lets check behind it?"
"What the waterfall, really?" he said
Natsu let go of Lucy entirely allowing her to sit up straddling him once again. Natsu lay on the ground still pondering her idea. "I suppose it doesn't hurt to check, huh?"
Lucy moved off his lap and stood, she gave him a hand and her took it allowing her to help him up. She grabbed her backpack off the ground and the both walked over to the edge of the water closet to where the water met the waterfall.
"Looks, like we will need to swim to get behind the waterfall," Natsu observed.
"I'll follow your lead" Lucy responded.
They both got into the water and it was surprisingly warm. "The water is a lot warmer then I thought it would be," Lucy commented.
To get behind the waterfall the both had to swim through it. "On the count of 3. 1,2,3," They both swam right through getting completely soaked. "You alright?" Natsu asked.
"Yeah, i'm fine. I can't see anything though."
Lighting their way behind the waterfall, there was another tunnel. "Looks, like you were right" Natsu said.
"Don't say that just yet, we aren't out of the cave."
The followed the tunnel which was formed of rock and dirt, there was no ice or snow. The temperature remained warm like the oasis.
"This is a really odd place, how can something like this be under and ice mountain?" Natsu wondered.
"Enchanted mountain, remember?" Lucy reminded him.
"Right"
Walking side by side through the tunnel, there hands brushed and Natsu entangled his hand into hers, Lucy blushed holding his hand tightly. The gesture gave Lucy butterflies and sent her heart racing.
Natsu felt the same. He acted upon his instincts and he was glad he did. They walked hand in hand through the tunnel beyond the waterfall, hoping to either make their escape or find the sword.
They came across a from in the road "Which path should be take?" Lucy asked, "Can you smell anything?"
Natsu took in a deep breath in and pointed to the left path. "I can smell the fresh air down the left path, hopefully the cave wont play anymore tricks on us."
Trusting him the took the left path which led them to another room, once they entered the room their jaws dropped.
"No way, is that?" Lucy gasped
"It's gotta be,"
In the center of the room was the sword stuck in a giant block of ice. The weird part was the ground was grass and it was still hot, so how did the ice not melt?
"Should we just grab it and take it out?" Lucy asked "You don't think there's any booby traps like the last one? If cave crumbles we're screwed."
"Let me handle it," Natsu said letting go of her hand and walking carefully to the center of the room. He reached out and put both hands on the hilt of the sword and pulled, but the sword wouldn't budge. He used all his strength but nothing.
"That's odd" he said
"Maybe try burning the block of ice?" Lucy suggested
"Good idea"
He tried to melt the block of ice but much like the wall it wouldn't melt. "Damnit, it's not working,"
Lucy walked over to the sword and just for fun she reached out to try herself, if he couldn't do it why would she be strong enough to? She had to try, maybe if they pulled together they would release it?
She gripped the hilt and pulled using all the strength she had. She had pulled the sword right out the ice, stumbling backwards she tried to regiain he balance but fell. Before she hit the ground she was caught by Natsu. He was holding her in his arms the sword in her hands.
"Lucy, you did it?" Natsu cheered
"I did, didnt I?" She looked at the sword and back to him. He was still holding her. It was now or never. He leaned in and kissed her.
Thanks for reading. :)