Yes, it's an update! I can't believe it myself, though please read my little note at the end for a great over view on what's going on, please and thank you. Now go on, read what you really came here for. I'll stop my little rambling.
Lucy shaking, Natsu rushing back to her side to wrap his arms securely around her waist and kissing her forehead. Erza patting her shoulder in a comforting manor to help ease the terror that has taken over Lucy's expression. Loki vanishing back to the Spirit World while Artemis looks out the window towards the sky, muttering to herself "Dark skies, a bad omen to those of old."
Lucy dragging a stubborn Natsu out to the small boat that already held a battle ready Artemis and a calm Erza. Natsu groaning and dragging his feet, whimpers "Do we have to take a boat? Won't it be faster to swim out there?"
"Natsu, get in the boat this instance or else I will knock you out again!" growls Erza helping Lucy on board.
Artemis nodding in agreement adds "This is the fast way Natsu. It will already be a two day journey, why would you want to make it longer?"
"Fine…Luce did you bring that potion Wendy made?" groans Natsu as he slides in beside Erza and across from Lucy.
Lucy sighing as she pulls out a small blue bottle with a silver cap to hand over to the shivering male. Natsu groaning as he drinks the bitter tasting liquid, making a face to show his discussed. Erza laughing at it along with Artemis who giggles
softly. Lucy smiling as Natsu's vision swims before he falls fast asleep for the whole journey.
Arriving on the small island the next evening, Erza carries Natsu to the cleared spot where they planned on making camp. Lucy sitting beside Natsu, waiting for him to wake up so they can begin searching the island for a mysterious cave entrance. Erza setting up her tent while Artemis starts a fire to dry out her tents.
"How is it possible that only my tent was dumped into the ocean?" growls Artemis after her tent was completely dry and set up.
Lucy giggling "Maybe because you tried to wake up Natsu to get the map that was laying under him. I mean it wasn't the best idea to do that but did you want to listen to me."
"How else were we to find this island if not checking the only map with it" offers Artemis.
Erza snickering behind a hand as Natsu groans. Slowly sitting up he looks around, spotting the blonde spirit princess giving him a glare that made him glad looks cannot kill. Lucy placing a gentle hand on his upper arm, drawing his attention from the murderous woman. Artemis scowling at them as she begins setting up her now dry tent. Natsu gulping as they join his mate and him a little way from the fire "Did something happen on our journey?"
"Other than you throwing my tent over board! And successfully almost causing us to lose our way here. Then no. Nothing happened" growls Artemis.
Holding up her hands, Lucy diffuses the situation "Calm down Artemis. We made it here safe and now that we are here we can open the portal and find the second platinum key."
"You are right Lucy. Now that the dragon slayer is awake, he and Erza can watch over the camp while you and I find the portal" answers Artemis while walking towards the woods.
Lucy looking between the retreating form of her spirit and her team, calling back as she rushes out "I'm sorry, if we aren't back in three hours. Come find us, we may need your help."
"I can't believe them! Does she think just because she is the oldest Princess that doesn't give her the right to boss us around! Right Erza?" growls Natsu.
Erza sitting down by the fire, glancing up at the moving clouds. Natsu stomping around till Erza shots an evil glance at him. Sheepishly he flops down across from her. Erza throwing another log on the fire before speaking "Artemis is the oldest Princess you said, does that mean that the other Platinum keys are the other royal family?"
"I don't know, Loki would be the one to ask about that" replies Natsu while thinking "Though he did mention that there was only three of them, so maybe that's why we never really heard of them."
Snorting, Erza rebuttals "Only a fool hasn't heard the stories of the Platinum Keys Natsu."
"Really?" asks Natsu excitedly. Nodding Erza explains "Yes, the stories all differ about what the spirits look like and the powers they may hold, but the one theme they all hold it is that only the strongest Celestial Mages can even possess all of them. I never thought our Lucy would be the strongest of the Celestial Mages, but I truly believe that she will be able to handle and join them."
Nodding and sighing Natsu groaning "I just hope they hurry back…how long as it been since they left?"
~Woods~
"Wait up Artemis, I can't move as fast as you throw these woods!" yelps Lucy as she trips over another tree root.
Artemis stopping, yet again, to wait for Lucy, answering "Then hold my hand, I can sense the portal close by. I just hope we will be able to help my poor pets before anything horrible happens to them."
"I know, and we will. I just hope Erza and Natsu are all right. Was it the best idea to leave them behind?" asks Lucy as she grabs on to Artemis' open hand.
Glancing back towards the beach, Artemis answers "I can only pray that nothing bad will befall any of us. If what you and that lion said was true, we will be in for a world of pain."
"Pain?! But you said that this would be easy, just a simple portal opening and retrieval of another key…. Artemis…" whines Lucy as they enter a dark damp cave.
Holding Lucy back, Artemis steps forward towards the sound of rushing water. Lucy groaning and looking around to see if there was any light. Artemis pulling out her bow and a single arrow, aiming towards where she believes the ceiling is and shoots. Lucy screaming as the arrow hits the top of a waterfall and lightening the whole lake that they stood at. Artemis smiling brightly "It seems that we have reached the trails beginning"
"Alright, what should we do?" asks Lucy, looking around.
Artemis looking in the lake, beyond the now bright glow of silver water, toward the bottom where an opening seems to be shimmering. Pointing down, Artemis answers "We swim down there. That's the portal, I'm sure that we will be able to make it without difficulty."
"Wha?!" screams Lucy "I can't breathe under water Artemis!"
Waving it off, Artemis prepares to jump into the water. Lucy panicking but follows her lead. Both girls exchanging quick glances before jumping. Lucy finding that the water is warm and easy to propel herself down to the gate-like structure. Artemis having landed on her head, watches as Lucy reaches the bottom, slamming her fist down on the solid surface.
Lucy looking back up, spotting that Artemis cannot breach the water. Gasping as she feels claws pulling at her clothing and hair, dragging her threw the portal. Once
on the other side, Lucy begins to cough out water. Trying to gather herself to understand what just happened, she spots another alter with a key resting upon it.
"This is too easy... Where is the trail?" mutters Lucy as she stands and approaches.
About a foot away from reaching her destination, three shadow-like creatures appear in her path. The first one stepping towards her, causing Lucy to stumble back in horror. Reaching for a key, Lucy yells "Stay back, I'm warning you! I just came here to help the sea creatures and release the Spirit World Princess imprisoned in that key!"
The shadow laughing at her distress, begins to morph in to a silhouette of Natsu. Gasping in horror at the site of an all-black version of her best friend and husband coming towards her, Lucy lets out a scream. Moving towards her, the Shadow Natsu reaches out to grab her arm. The other two shadows morphing in to the silhouettes of Erza and Artemis, both now moving to a side of Shadow Natsu. All three reaching and trying to grab a hold of Lucy as she turns to run away from them.
~Camp Site~
Erza now pacing as she watches for the return of her friends. Natsu having given up waiting, has taken to eating the fire in hopes to pass time. Shaking in the woods have both jumping up, Erza having drawn a sword and Natsu his fists covered in fire.
Artemis stumbling back and nearly collapsing upon reaching the edge of the woods. Natsu rushing over and picking up the fallen princess. Erza setting up for medical, begins looking over the passed out female for injuries. Finding nothing but a small bruise on her right hand, Erza looks at Natsu "Go find Lucy, this isn't natural."
Natsu nodding and rushing throw the trees in hopes of meeting up with Lucy soon. Reaching the cave with the silver glowing waterfall and lake, Natsu spots a gate-like thing shimmering and showing Lucy being tortured by shadows of Erza, Artemis and himself. Not thinking, he jumps and swims to the vision of her. Reaching out till he too falls through it and on top of his Shadow self.
Lucy yelling "Stay away! You aren't real. My friends would never do that!"
Growling, Natsu throws Shadow Erza into Shadow Artemis before turning back to Lucy. Shadow Natsu having used the distraction to draw a cut across her abdomen, causing fresh blood to well and soak into her already blood-soaked shorts. Lucy screaming in pain as Natsu throws a flame filled punch into his shadow-self. Shadow Natsu looking down at his soon disappearing body, Natsu then realizing that the only way to defeat these creatures was with light. Giving them a darken smirk, Natsu lights up the hall with his dragon breath.
Once all the shadow people were defeated, Natsu kneelt down beside Lucy and tried to help her up. Lucy still in a state of panic began yelling "Someone please, help me! I don't want to die like this. Please...Natsu save me!"
"Luce, look at me, it's me Natsu. The real Natsu, your Natsu," plead Natsu while trying to hold a screaming and crying Lucy close.
After a few moments, Lucy eventually calmed down enough to see that it was in fact her husband Natsu. Natsu smiling as she is okay to stand and walk with his help to get the key from the alter. Loki and Artemis suddenly appearing on either side of the couple once Lucy was holding onto the key. Artemis smiling brightly at her friend and master, offering "I will open the portal from down here while you all go back up to the camp to rest and relax."
Groaning, Loki adds "I'll stay with her Lucy so you can just go on and not have to worry about anything. I give you my word, just go with Natsu."
"Yeah, everything is okay now Luce. I'll protect you and make sure that there is nothing going to attack us on our way back. Want me to carry you?" offers Natsu, going to gently pick up Lucy before she can answer and moving to exit the crazy trail hall and back onto solid ground outside the cave. Walking with her still in his arms, Natsu makes it back to the camp site. Erza throwing an evil glare to Natsu as she moves to examine Lucy to make sure that none of the damage was to horrible and treating the wounds that seemed to be in the worst condition.
~Down in the Portal~
"Which key do you think that was?" asks Loki watching Artemis finishing opening the portal and releasing all of her once long lost pets.
Artemis thinking back to the short glance she had of the key, offers "It could be either of theirs keys, Lion. But if I were to pick on I believe that would be Aphrodite, there were wings along it."
"Then that means the last one would be.." asks Loki very hopeful.
Rolling her eyes, Artemis coldly answers "Yes the last key would be my youngest sister. But before that there will be another trail, this one seems to be all about physical strength. You said that Lucy and Natsu had mental challenges to get to my key, and this one they had to physically fight against something this one. I fear that the next trail may just be the end of them. I will have to just keep faith that together they can over come it."
"We can just be of help to them, but to get back the Dragons and..." begins Loki.