Chapter FIFTEEN

Lucy clamped one hand over her mouth and closed her eyes tightly. The trees were flashing past her face and it took everything in her not to throw up. Jellal, on the other hand, seemed to be having a time of his life.

Lucy couldn't see Darque anywhere but she knew the spirit was somewhere close by.

Jellal nimbly weaved through between the trees and Lucy used her free hand to cling onto his cloak for dear life.

Soon, Lucy began to notice Jellal slowing down. He came to a slow stop at the base of a huge tree. He released Lucy placed a finger to his lips, still grinning like crazy.

Darque was standing behind him. She tapped Jellal and mouth 'I win.'

Jellal snorted. "If I had gone any faster, Lucy would have thrown up her dinner." He whispered.

Lucy gently smacked him. "I heard that."

Jellal grinned at her, then jerked his finger around the side of the tree. Lucy leaned over him and peeked through the leaves. The furry creature was curled up at the foot of another tree. It's tail looked like a scorpions, the spike at the tip looking poisoned and deadly. It's breath rustled the fallen leaves littered on the ground around it and Lucy could faintly see that it released a faint puff of purple with each breath. "Poison." She whispered.

"The boy from before." Lucy said. "I wonder who that was."

"I think the boy transformed into the monster." Darque replied. "This monster somewhat looks like a manticore."

Jellal frowned. "Manticore?"

Lucy nodded. "Mythological creature. Poisonous, spiky tail, may or may not have wings. Shoots poison spikes." She said. "But I don't know about boys transforming into them."

Lucy frowned thoughtfully. "I think we can use the trees around the clearing to dodge whatever attack it has." Lucy suggested

"I'll attack it." Jellal said. "You backup."

Lucy hesitated, but nodded. "Okay."

Jellal nodded. "Be careful and try not to get hurt."

Darque hovered over to float by Lucy.

Lucy nodded, then playfully held out her hand, palm facing the ground. Jellal smiled and shook his head before placing his hand on top of her's. Darque placed her's on top. "Let's do this!"

Lucy attached her magic strings to Darque, as Jellal had managed to convince her that he could fend for himself with his own magic.

They were crouched downwind of the monster, so it couldn't smell them.

Jellal nodded at Lucy. Lucy flicked her fingers, forming a mental picture of Darque wielding black fire.

Darque flung the disk of fire towards the monster.

The fire hit the monster on its side and it woke with a deafening roar. It whipped its head around to face Lucy, Jellal and Darque.

"Split!" Jellal ordered, and he leaped to the left.

Lucy jumped to her right and ducked behind a tree. She held up her whip and peeked out from the side. She saw Jellal jump out of the way as the monster opened it's mouth and shot several spikes which were coated in purple towards Jellal.

Jellal jumped once again, the spikes lodging themselves onto the muddy ground where he had been standing a second ago. The ground began to steam, and the earth began to melt.

Lucy made a move to help but Jellal raised his hand, telling her to wait. The monster swung its tail and dug the tip into the ground. The earth shook for a moment, causing Jellal to lose his footing. He grunted in surprise and the raised its tail, ready to shoot more spikes.

Lucy reached into her pouch and yanked out a key. "Open the Gate of the Ram! Aries!" She said. There was a gold flash and Aries appeared, already knowing what to do. The manticore whipped its head around to look at her, momentarily distracted from Jellal.

Aries shot a wool wall in front of Jellal. The spikes were stopped by them, but the poison that had coated the spikes began melting the wool, and Aries quickly made the wool disappear, bringing the spikes with it. That gave Jellal the time to get back to his feet and duck behind a tree, out of the monster's eye range. He nodded at Lucy and mouthed 'thanks'. Lucy smiled back.

She thanked Aries and sent her back, then glanced at Darque, who was calmly standing beside her, waiting for orders from her master. "Help Jellal." She muttered.

Lucy remembered all the words that had swarmed her head when she had first summoned Darque's in her battle form. She didn't hesitate. "Darque, use Glacies Shards!" She ordered, hoping she had pronounced it right.

Darque nodded. During a fight, her contractor's word was law.

Darque raised her hand and summoned a small, black snow storm that danced around her palm. She clapped her hand together and the ice split into multiple spinning shards which surrounded Lucy and Darque. At Darque's silent command, the spheres flew forwards. The spinning movement of the ice shards drilled into the monster. A few seconds later, the shards of ice hardened against its skin, slowing down the monster's movements.

Jellal raised his hands and shot multiple beams towards the monster, which were somehow deflected. Jellal let out a faint 'tch'.

The monster roared again. It swung it's tail sideways and shot a volley of poison spikes towards Lucy. Lucy gasped and was about to raise her whip when Darque appeared in front of her. She raised her hand and a black light appeared, stopping the spikes and making them burst.

The monster opened it's mouth again, but it suddenly froze. Multiple marbles flew through the monster, cutting right through it and leaving a beam like trail behind it due to the speed. They flew towards Darque but a barrier appeared, causing the marbles to disintegrate.

Darque's eye widened. She beckoned urgently towards Jellal and stood in front of her contractors. A boy stepped out of the shadows, his white hair glowing in the moonlight. He held up a marble identical to the one that had killed the monster and threw it casually into the air before catching it.

He had glowing red eyes and was had very pale skin, easily rivaling Darque's. He was wearing a laced white shirt under a black jacket with short black trousers and black and white striped knee high socks. He was wearing a small top hat decorated with a red ribbon.

"Long time no see." The boy lifted his hat and licked his lips, a sadistic grin plastered onto his face.

Hi guy, new chapter. We think most of you know who the newcomer is. Or do you?

Darque: I have an complaint to make today.

Raven: What?

Darque: Will you stop reading porn and other rate M stories then favoriting them through my account? A few of my school friends were going through 'Darquedeth4444's list of favorite stories and asked me about it. It was SO EMBARRASSING.

Raven:... Sorry...But...It's my account too...

Darque: Arg!

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