Friendship: The Temple of the Moon
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
Talking to the moon, tryin' to get to you
In hopes you're on the other side talking to me too
Oh, am I a fool who sits alone talking to the moon
(Talking to the Moon ~ Bruno Mars)
They had reached the temple in a matter of hours, since it was located right between Hargeon and Magnolia. They, Natsu was glad about that, did not even have to take the train.
While Natsu sniffed around for any similar scent, the others looked around. Gray went to talk to the old man who took care of the temple.
"A group worshipping Luna? You have to be more precise. There are two groups who worship her and come regularly. There's a vagrant guild who comes once their around to pray and give their sacrifices. And by sacrifices I mean clothes and objects, don't worry. They are called Mooncalf Crescent. Then there are those horrible people from that cult... what're they called again?", the old man scratched his head.
"The brotherhood of moon? Were they here? Did they have a blue haired woman with them?", Gray asked.
"Blue haired women in the brotherhood? No. You'd find some blue haired people in Mooncalf Crescent but, no, not the brotherhood. Thank god they haven't been here for some moons. Usually they come every full-moon to hold their rituals. I mean I haven't seen them bring in human sacrifices or something, but when they're muttering their words in their choir that's really creepy. I break out in cold sweat whenever I see them in their black capes, with their weird symbols.", the old man shook his head.
"In their rituals, what do they say?", he asked
"I dunno they're speaking in a language I do not understand. I'm sorry I can't help you any more.", the old man apologized and went to go on with his work.
Gray returned to his friends and told them what he had found out.
"There is a scent that's kinda like Juvia's. But its not Juvia's. This scent is all over the place, but it's gone as soon as I step out of the temple.", Natsu explained, looking thoroughly confused by this.
"We didn't find a transportation symbol here. But according to the old man they were here at some point. For some reason I think it's unlikely that they just walked in an out.", Gildarts explained and then turned to his daughter "Cana you consulted your cards... what did they say?"
"At the next full moon a convergence will begin. However it is still unclear how that convergence will end. There are, as I can see, right now three possibilities. The first is that it resolves without anything happening. A second one would be the moon turning blue and the third would be a full convergence between the moon and the sun.", she explained.
"What does the sun have to do with this?", Natsu asked.
"What do you mean, Natsu?", Gildarts raised a brow at him.
"I don't know but whatever it was about this whole thing was about the moon and the stars, not one mention of the sun.", he shrugged and Erza looked at him.
"You're right.", she looked around the group in case anyone had an answer. Gray rolled his eyes.
"This doesn't matter right now. We've gotta find Juvia.", he declared. "I'll go ask the old man where these bastards came from.", he turned away from the group, aware of the worried glances his friends exchanged.
"There's a magic entrance to a tunnel system that only opens on full moon. It's right in the middle of the temple. There's a legend that Luna used this tunnel to visit the temple when her power was strongest.", the old man explained.
"Okay, when's the next full moon?", Gray asked, having formed a resolve.
"I think... yes it should be tonight.", the old man answered.
Quickly Gray thanked him and raced back to his friends, telling them about the entrance. Another plan was formed. Team Natsu would go down there to look for the brotherhood, while Gildarts and Cana went back to the guild to inform every one. Hoping they could be back before the entrance closed again they started their journey back.
The old man came by and offered Team Natsu the temple's sleeping quarters to nap until it became night. Reluctantly, even Gray lay down and closed his eyes.
Two hours later, just before the sun would go down, the group was up and ready. Erza had requipped into her favourite battle armour; Lucy had arranged with her spirits that she could call upon them all – she even made a deal with Scorpio to bring Aquarius when she called him; Natsu was all fired up, which Happy commented with Aye, and Gray cracked his knuckles.
They got outside to see the last rays of the sun disappear and went to where the old man had told them the entrance was. He had been right in the middle of the temple there was an entrance that now stood open. There were torches on the wall, which were all miraculously lit, showing them where to go.
The path they wandered was straight, you could not go the wrong way. Natsu and Gray were upfront. Gray because he could not help himself rushing and Natsu since he could pick up the scents of Juvia or the brotherhood.
They must have walked an hour, at least it felt like an hour to Lucy, when they entered a round room. There were doors all around the walls and a riddle on the floor.
"What the- That's bullshit!", Gray raged and hit the wall. Erza told him to calm down while Lucy read out the riddle.
"I am part of none,
yet never alone.
I come and I go
with every shore.
At night I can see
because then I am free.
At day I am blind
even if left behind.
I am like a woman
living roughly the same span.
I am big, I am small
and govern the waters of all.
Who I am you might have guessed,
But this is not my test.
Please tell me now,
before you vow
to never choose wrong
I wait all along
traveller of the night
even I have the right
To bear a name.", she finished an then walked around the room to look at the answers.
"Well obviously most of this is wrong. Uranus, Mercury, there's even an Edolas answer. As far as I can see the only probable answers are moon, stars or sun.", Lucy concluded.
".. govern the waters of all. Doesn't the moon cause tides?", Erza asked and Lucy nodded.
"It also has an effect on Juvia's powers. She told me she's strongest at the peak of a full moon and weakest in the day before new moon.", Gray exclaimed and was about to open the door to 'moon'.
"Wait!", every one was surprised to turn to Natsu.
"The riddle says that finding out who is meant isn't the riddle, right? The last line is a bit weird, isn't it? It stands all alone.", he shrugged and Lucy read the riddle again.
"Natsu, you're a genius!", she exclaimed before throwing her arms around him.
"The moon's name?", Erza asked and Lucy exclaimed
"The moon goddess is called Luna. This is the name the moon itself got hundreds of years ago, when they tried to explain its existence."
They all turned to a door, Lucy had rejected before which had 'Luna' written on it. Lucy looked to her friends, who all nodded at her and opened the door.
Yeah the riddle is by me, I hope it doesn't suck too much. We'll get back to Juvia next chapter don't worry.