~~LoLu~~

Chapter 18

~~LoLu~~

There were a few faint calls in the distance, and if Loke didn't know any better he'd think this place was nothing more than what it was posing as – a ranch. From their vantage point just to the left of the main entrance to the property, he could even see a few people out doing chores around the various buildings.

It all seemed so innocent; too innocent, and that made him even more suspicious. Besides, he could feel the keys that Vashton and his cohorts had been collecting just sitting somewhere down there emitting spirit world energy. He glanced at his partner questioningly.

"Can you tell where the keys are?"

Lucy met his gaze for a quick moment and nodded solemnly. "Yeah," she said softly, her eyes going back and tracing the different buildings she could see until she came to the barns. "There," she pointed at one. "They're in there."

He hissed mistrustfully through his teeth. "This is just too easy," he said, noting the simplistic layout and seemingly idyllic nature of the scene before them. "I don't trust it... any of it. Those buildings look normal enough from here, but I'll bet everything I own that at least some of them have more levels beneath the ground. Vashton's been out here for around fifteen years – they've had plenty of time to extend this place in the only way sure to remain invisible to any interested eyes – downward."

"Yeah, and there's no way to tell which ones and how many levels we're talking about, either," the blonde agreed, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. "But at least that barn, where the keys are, does have at least one or two levels below ground, because the spirit energy is emanating up from below." She frowned, and her fingers absently caressed her own keys. "There's quite a few of them down there, too. I mean, between me and Yukino we've got all the golden keys besides Aquarius, but that leaves a hell of a lot of silver keys, and he's stockpiled way too many for comfort. I wonder... are any of those guys celestial mages?"

Loke's gaze was stern as he stared down at the deceptive scene. "I don't know, but there has to be some connection, because I doubt they've been collecting those keys for no reason at all. But I just... I can't see-" he broke off and shook his head in frustration.

"Unless they were simply trying to lock up the only easy way humans would have to defeat Marionette – the seirei."

"No... I don't think that's it, or at least not all of it," he replied after a moment spent thinking it over. "Because if that were the case, it would have been the golden keys he'd have been after. The silvers wouldn't be as much a threat to whatever they're planning as we zodiacs."

"Except that since Yukino and I are the only ones with gold keys after everything that's happened, he might just not have had the chance to come after us for them. I'm guessing that whatever he's after, he wasn't quite ready to move. We wouldn't even be here or know about Marionette if it weren't for Delenn, after all, and like Gaults said, Delenn and Vashton had a falling-out, which is why the other man left. I think he threw a wrench into whatever it is Varrick and his flunkies were planning with what he did."

"Maybe," he conceded after a moment.

"Well," Lucy sighed as she looked over the panorama available from their spot, "at least no one will particularly care if this place gets trashed in the upheaval. I have a bad feeling there's going to be a lot of big magic and explosive encounters down there."

Loke scowled lightly at her words, but unfortunately, he was pretty sure she was right. There was no way this was going to be easy – not with the feel of the power coming from down below.

"Taurus for the distraction factor as we go in?" he asked. "With perhaps Cancer coming from just off to his side?"

The blonde nodded. "I mean, as soon as those two start bellowing and making a mess they're going to know we're coming, but at least they won't know from where, exactly."

"That's sure true," the lion rolled his eyes as he thought of the spirit of the bull especially and his propensity for noise and mayhem. At the very least, he and Cancer would be strong enough opponents to keep some of the renegade mages busy for a bit while he and Lucy went looking for their boss. "We should have them attack from say-" he squinted and then pointed at a spot about two-thirds of the way around the property from where they were, "-there, maybe. It would be a little too obvious if they were exactly opposite us."

"The problem is that we don't know where Varrick is," she breathed after a moment, frustrated. "He could be anywhere down there. And we only have partial stats on those other mages, too. So we aren't sure what all of them are even capable of."

"That can't be helped," Loke replied, his eyes carefully cataloging everything in sight. "It's possible Taurus' and Cancer's noise might draw him out, though I wouldn't count on it. But something about that place is really bothering me," he added, an unsettled expression on his face. When Lucy shot him a look, he sighed heavily. "I mean for more than what we already know. There's something else..."

"There's an awful lot of spirit energy coming from down there, maybe that's it," she said doubtfully, wondering just what it was that Loke was sensing. Was there something that she wasn't noticing? The possibility made her distinctly uneasy. "More than should be, even with the silver keys – and not including Virgo. The closer we get, the more I mistrust this whole thing."

He grimaced, unfortunately agreeing with her. "There is, isn't there? He and his followers must have gathered quite a few of the silver keys. Maybe even all of them. But there's nothing doing just standing here; we'd better get on with it," he finished reluctantly. He really hated having to drag her into danger like this, but there was no other choice, this was something that they had to do.

"So where do we start our search?"

Loke let his eyes wander the buildings laid out before them, then looked back at the barns. Normally he wouldn't even bother with such a place, but with the keys being stockpiled in the one on the right, he doubted very much that it was really used as a barn. Not to mention which, it was far too pristine and quiet. There was a good chance that was where their man was hiding. He shared his thoughts with his partner.

"What do you think?"

She nodded immediately as she eyed the building in question. "And it's definitely big enough to be used as a training area for the mages, as well," she added, at which observation Loke grunted.

"Alright, I say we make for that building. You agree?"

"Seems as good a starting point as any." Then her brows knitted together and her lips pursed. "You know, it's odd. Yesterday, in Garnet I told you that something felt familiar, and I never was able to figure it out. I don't like it – I'm strangely certain it's important."

"It was the spirit energy from the keys prodding at you... wasn't it?" he asked. "Once everything settled down and I was able to really pay attention, I could faintly feel their energy myself and thought that's what you'd been sensing."

Her frown deepened contemplatively, and she looked troubled. "No. I feel the keys, I don't hear them. And I'm not hearing the same thing out here."

Loke blinked. "Hearing?" he questioned, a little confused. What was she talking about? He hadn't noticed any strange noises in town.

"Well... that's the best word I can come up with," she replied. "It was like something whispering to my subconscious."

"Whispering... what?"

"I don't know... except that it seemed to be repeating itself. Ugh!" she gave an adorable little frustrated pout that made the lion want to kiss her. "There just aren't any words to really describe it."

Brushing aside the affectionate urge for the moment, he stared at the buildings down below blankly for a few quiet breaths before looking back at her. "Unfortunately, we can't do anything about that now," he finally decided. "We're already out here, so the best thing we can do is just go in and get this over with. We can figure Garnet itself out later."

She was forced to reluctantly agree. There wasn't anything they could do about it now, so it would have to be put aside for the time being. Despite that, she still couldn't help but think it was somehow important, and that she'd come to regret not having looked into whatever it was that had been bothering her in Garnet. She sighed and nodded.

"You're right. We should just do this thing."

He caught her gaze. "You ready, then?" he asked, dread once more almost swallowing him at the thought of dragging her into such dangerous circumstances.

Lucy stood from her crouch, her look just chalk full of determination. "Yeah, I'm ready."

"Then you should summon Taurus and Cancer and get them started, beautiful."

She gave no answer, simply calling her power and allowing it to flow gently from her. Loke once again noted that she was becoming stronger by leaps and bounds; she was using less of her magic in the summoning now and in a more efficient manner than ever before, which was a very good thing. Even calling for both Taurus and Cancer at once, she was able to keep the flare of power smaller than she'd used to be able to when summoning just one.

He was impressed.

"Miss Lu-" Taurus started to bellow as soon as he was in sight.

"Quiet!" Loke snapped before he could get any bottom under his voice. "We don't need you giving us away!"

The bull closed his mouth so hard his teeth hurt and gulped; it seemed the lion was far more tense than usual and he wasn't about to push his buttons and make it any worse.

Lucy shot her partner a grateful glance, then outlined what she needed both spirits to do. With a leering grin from Taurus and a wink from Cancer, the two vanished as soon as they were filled in on the situation and what was needed from them.

Loke motioned to the blonde to remain hidden yet and stared tensely down onto the property as they waited for the sounds of shouting and combat to begin their infiltration.

It wasn't long in coming. Mere moments after the two zodiac spirits had headed off a loud roar of challenge from Taurus could be heard clearly even from their position, and they noted more than a few people running from other parts of the compound towards the ruckus the two spirits were kicking up.

Looked like the distraction tactic was working quite well.

The copper-haired spirit waited until they couldn't see anymore people heading in that direction, and hoping that most of those near their point of entry had been drawn away, he beckoned his mistress forward.

"It's time," he said in a low tone. "Follow me, and stay close." Their eyes caught and held, and without giving himself any time to think about it, he darted his head forward and pressed a rather desperate kiss to her lips. He only allowed himself to linger for a second, but it was enough to startle a bright flush out of his princess. He grinned tightly at her as he pulled away, and grabbed her hand. "Come on. In we go."

Mind shorting out from the surprise contact, Lucy's eyes softened on him in understanding after a few seconds, and she looked at him as though she were committing him to memory, just in case. But she didn't hesitate when he tugged her forward, and they started a low run towards the area they'd chosen for their own entry into the compound.

It was time to face whatever was waiting for them down below.

~~LoLu~~

They made it down and to the perimeter of the ranch itself without being intercepted in any way, and though it certainly made things easier, it also made Loke's instincts scream in warning. Again, like all of it so far, it was too easy. And it made his heart sink with the knowledge – it meant that something bad was going to happen.

He trusted his instincts above anything else, and that had saved him more times than he could count. Now, hiding behind the wall of what seemed to be a small storage building across an open yard from the barn they were heading for, he let out a low curse. There was still no one in sight, and that was all wrong. Surely every person on the compound hadn't run off to where Taurus and Cancer were putting up a good fight, from the sounds of it. So where were the rest at?

Would they find them laying in wait inside one of the buildings?

"What's wrong?" Lucy whispered. "Do you see anyone?"

"No... and that's what's wrong."

Though he didn't say anything else, the blonde found she understood exactly why he would say that. Her own tension was already high, her body on full alert. There was danger waiting for them here, she could literally feel it, feel the eyes on her though no one was attempting to stop them.

She let out an almost silent huff in frustration. "Well, it doesn't really matter, since we don't have a choice. We may as well take the chance and make our run towards the barn now."

Loke cursed under his breath again, but he couldn't do anything but agree. "Yeah," he whispered back. "Let's go. And remember-" his eyes were golden as they pinned her, startling Lucy, "-stay with me. Don't go wandering off. We don't want to get separated here."

The young woman could do little but nod, surprise at the cold golden gaze robbing her of her voice. He looked completely feral in a way she'd never seen from him before.

Grabbing her hand once again, he broke into a run towards the building in question, taking the straightest, most direct path he could despite the danger of being spotted. Truthfully, he'd almost feel better if they were intercepted. This lack of response to their intrusion was making him more and more uneasy the further into the compound they ventured.

Unfortunately for his nerves no one appeared, no voices shouted at them – there was just nothing. It was like the entire compound was empty. Even the noise from the other spirits had disappeared, leaving nothing but a heavy, eerie silence.

"Taurus and Cancer – they've had to go back," Lucy gasped out just as they reached the place they'd been heading and pressed against the exterior wall.

"I figured," he replied shortly.

Still holding tightly to her hand, he pulled her towards a side door, his eyes darting continually to every possible place someone could be hiding. But though there were plenty, there was still no outcry or movement from anywhere. Apprehension increasing by the minute, Loke carefully tested the door, finding it unlocked. With a warning glance over his shoulder at his mistress, he slowly and quietly tugged it open.

Still no objections or sign of any living thing, though he could tell they were being watched – from somewhere.

This is going from bad to worse. I think it's a trap... and we don't have any other choice but to venture in and let it close around us. His eyes, already gold, flashed and went slit-pupiled in response. He was going to absolutely destroy Varrick Vashton for forcing him to bring his princess into such danger.

With no other options, the two slipped inside and carefully closed the door behind them. Faint, nonetheless, the click sounded ominous to Lucy, and her already heavy sense of danger doubled. What kind of hell was waiting for them here?

With her free hand she reached down to her belt and removed her whip. Keeping it coiled tightly in her grasp for now, she let her eyes wander around the large, completely open space, and found she wasn't surprised at what they were telling her.

This was most definitely not a barn.

Polished hardwood covered the entirety of the floors, and the walls were solid, not just wooden planking as it was on the outside. The lighting was bright enough to leave no shadows, but diffused a little, making it soft rather than harsh, and there were no furnishings of any sort.

And Lucy found she knew what this space was used for.

"It's a training area for the mages, like we thought," she said, just loud enough for her partner to hear.

"Mhm. And if you look over there-" Loke pointed towards the back end of the building, on the left, "-stairs."

The large, open space was unnervingly quiet. She looked around, searching for another entrance or exit to the building, but there were none. I don't like that - we're essentially trapped in here. I think... I think they knew we were coming.

She shared her thoughts with her partner in a low tone.

"I'm getting the same feeling," he replied. "But there's nothing we can do about it other than spring said trap."

Unhappy, nonetheless Lucy could do nothing but agree. "Then we might as well head for those stairs. There's nothing up here of any interest, anyway."

With nothing more to say they darted for the stairs, just in case someone did try to enter the building. As soon as they made it and were out-of-sight of anyone coming in the main door, they relaxed just a little and turned their attention to the stairs - and to the door at the bottom of them.

It was a heavy steel door, an incongruous thing to find in such a place – at least under normal circumstances. It had several strong locks on it, but as they reached the bottom of the stairs and studied it, none of them were actually engaged. Just what was it that Vashton was trying to hide down there?

Taking a deep breath, Loke reached out for the handle and pressed it down as quietly as possible, not surprised to find that it opened almost noiselessly. Tightening his grip on Lucy's hand, he pushed it inward, and slowly poked his head around it. Seeing no one, he stepped inside, his mistress right behind.

Their eyes were met with a long hallway pierced by many doors, all of them closed, though none sported locks like the door they'd just come through. Disgruntled at the thought of having to search every single one, he glanced behind him and met Lucy's gaze.

"Are the keys anywhere on this floor?"

After a moment, she shook her head. "No. They're at least one more floor down, if not two."

"Great," he muttered, "now we just have to find where the next set of stairs are."

The blonde looked around and then pointed down the hall. "Well, I don't think they're inside any of those rooms. The hallway turns down there at the end of it, so maybe we should check that out. If we don't find the stairs in that direction, then I guess we'll have no choice but to check every room."

Left unsaid was her own reluctance to the thought of having to search behind every door.

Without another word Loke started cautiously down the hall, his hand still holding tightly to Lucy's.

But despite the heavy feeling of being watched, everything was still, the only noises their own. However, the closer they got to the sharp right turn at the end of this part of the hallway, the more his senses started snarling.

There was something – or someone – around that corner.

He stopped just before reaching it and looked over his shoulder, about to warn his mistress, but she shook her head with a finger over her lips. "I know," she mouthed, her face set in stern lines that didn't really suit her. She should never look like that, she should only and ever be smiling and happy. Just one more thing the lion was going to make Varrick and his cronies pay for. "I'm ready when you are."

He nodded, but just as he went to step around the corner, a cackling sort of laugh met his ears, and unable to believe what they were telling him, he moved out from behind the corner, tugging Lucy with him.

And then he swore. Well, that explained the heavy, creepy feeling of being watched.

"Corvus," he growled. "So at least one of these bastards is a celestial mage. You here to fight me? You're no match and you know it."

Another cackling laugh met his question, and the raven ruffled his feathers as he alighted on the floor. "I will fight you if I must, but that is not my purpose at this time. No, I'm actually here to encourage you." He stepped aside, gesturing behind him at the stairs they'd been looking for. "Your opponent awaits you, if you but descend a little further." Then he looked directly at a stunned Lucy, eyeing her narrowly before Loke yanked her closer than she had already been and stepped in front of her. "A pretty little bauble, yes, no doubt. You always were a sucker for the ladies, Leo. But you should have kept your eyes on our kind and left the humans to their own pathetic species. It will be your downfall... if you aren't very, very careful."

"You leave Lucy out of this, Corvus. I'm warning you, if you so much as breathe on her..."

"Oh, I won't have to." The raven's flat black eyes flashed for a moment. "No, it isn't I that you should be worrying about."

"Hey! Stop talking about me as if I weren't even here!" Lucy yelled as she yanked her hand out of Loke's and fisted both of them. "I can take care of myself, so if you've got a problem with me, then say it to me, not him."

Corvus sniffed disdainfully, then looked at the lion. "Control your pet, Leo. Your opponent won't be so lenient towards her mouthiness."

Warning bells were going off all through Loke's mind. Why was a celestial spirit that had a human master speaking of them as though they were nothing more than animals?

Just as Lucy went to start shouting at the other spirit again, Loke grabbed her hand and shook his head. "Ignore him, love. He's just a glorified errand boy, it seems. The one we came here after is down below, so that's where we need to go. But something a lot stranger than we thought is going on here, so be doubly on your guard – and like I said earlier, stay with me, okay?"

Growling with anger at the way Corvus had spoken of her, nonetheless, she forced her fury back down and nodded. The mission was more important than her irritation at the other spirit's insults. She met Loke's quick glance and smiled tightly. "Got it."

The lion held her gaze for a few seconds, then looked back at the raven. "Get out of the way, Corvus. I'm not bringing Lucy any closer to those stairs until you're gone."

Clacking his beak, the raven laughed as he vanished, his, "Worried for your little human? You should be," leaving Loke infuriated – and with his heart almost in his throat with fear.

Just what the hell was going on in this place... and what did it have to do with his mistress?