Thank you to everyone that has reviewed and favorited this story. It's amazing to see so many people are eager to watch what my imagination and devious mind can come up with.
Also I'm REALLY sorry with how long it's taken me to update. The good news is I"m gonna post several chapters!
She had to admit, it wasn't quite as creepy or evil as she remembered. Walking down the hallways, notebook and pencil in hand, Lucy had to admit that her previous experience on Cube had been terrifying. The decor could use some updating. Spines, much like the ones outside protruding from the ground, also shaped the inside of the building. They formed archways around doors and along the corridors.
Some curved and twisted up the sides of the walls, to hold torches and lacrima lanterns. Others formed massive pillars that held up the ceilings of the cavernous hallways Lucy had found. Each floor followed a simple pattern that she had figured out sometime yesterday morning when she had first began her trek through her new home.
The top floor which housed the stairs to her tower, was mostly empty. A few hallways branched out from her room, forming a loop around what was essentially a barren version of the garden she had on her balcony. In the morning light she had thought of maybe exploring it. It seemed to span the length and breadth of the castle but the eerie statues of marble, the half dead plants, and the few small shrubs lent the place such an eerie feeling she couldn't force herself to venture outside. That and the pin prickle feeling of being watch had come back whenever she neared any of the windows looking out over it.
With a shake she tried to ignore the fact that every time she walked past the massive windows looking out on the space she couldn't help but feel watched. More than once she had run past them with her heartbeating in her throat.
A particularly creepy angel type statues, like the one you found in a graveyard over a newborn or a child's headstone, gave her a particular boding feeling. Well the statue was something reminiscent of a human or an angel. The worst part of it was it faced the particular set of windows she had to walk past to return to her chambers. It was only when she was directly in front of it that she couldn't keep from running past. On more than once occasion, when she had attempted to walk past it and face her fears, she had thought the statue had moved. If she could ever get Natsu back, or hell she'd settle for END at this point, she'd plead with him to tear the thing apart.
With a shudder Lucy readjusted the strap of the satchel she carried slung over her shoulder. At night it was easier to ignore the things existence. She could manage to walk past it with only fleeing steps the last few yards and only when she reached her room did she ever stop running. For not the third time in less than an hour Lucy was thankful her gardens faced the outside curtain wall of the castle and not the creepy garden hidden behind her tower room.
With her satchel at her side though she didn't plan on facing her fears of that angel again until well after night. Choosing instead to eat her lunch in some corner of the castle far from the demonic presence. She had a few lacrima light crystals to help lead her through the dark should she stray out in the halls after the sun set. A half loaf of bread left over from breakfast wrapped up in a piece of silk cloth she had made from a curtain around her bed. A couple apples, an orange and a small wedge of cheese finished the contents of her bag. That and the precious white scaled scarf folded and tucked neatly in the bottom.
Her hand went to it instinctively as thoughts of END filled her mind. In the days she had been here he had never asked for it. Not that he knew she had it. She kept it a secret, hiding the thing between her mattresses at night and carrying it around with her now as she explored. His lack of concern for it always made her wonder though. That nagging irritating voice in the back of her head reminding her that maybe it was all a farce. Maybe END was putting on an elaborate show to gain her trust. Surely if he was really Natsu he would be concerned with his scarfs disappearance.
The thought led to one that maybe Natsu was trapped inside his head. That maybe END needed Natsu to break or give up fighting to take complete control. And what better way to break Natsu then to tear apart his family. The theory always left her shaking and digging the heel of her palm in the flesh between her breasts.
Because as much as she didn't want it to be true, she had come to maybe accept that END and Natsu were the same. It was a tiny part of her. A small sliver compared to the rest of the pie. She just couldn't get it out of her mind, lodged as it was, the seed of doubt and hope firmly rooted somewhere in her heart.
Because to accept that END had taken over Natsu, that the demon entity was a now permanent residence in her best friends head, would mean facing the current state of their relationship. That Natsu wanted her, loved her, cared for her more than he had ever let on before. Those thoughts left her a little more than worse for wear.
It just seemed so hard to wrap her mind around the idea that something had a stronger will than her best friend. Faced with impossible odds dozens of times over Natsu never wavered in his determination or fortitude to beat his enemy. Granted the demons of Zeref were suppose to be impossible to beat single handed she just couldn't grasp at the idea of Natsu losing.
So maybe it wasn't that Natsu and End are the same person I'm having a hard time coping with. Maybe it's the fact that he's admitted feeling for me.
Woah, where had that come from she asked herself as she stopped mid stride.
Because that theory seems more plausible than anything else she silently admitted to herself. That theory seemed the more likely of the two and it left her with the bitter taste of being wrong in her mouth.
But what if she was wrong? There was still a chance that END and Natsu were two different people. She had to stop letting her mind run away with her ridiculous writing fantasies of romance and hope. Because what happened if she couldn't free Natsu of END? And what happened if she did? Would she falter is presented the opportunity if she allowed these thoughts and hopes to continue.
No, she thought vehemently I won't.
With a shake of her head she continued to prowl the corridors, looking for the door she had only just found yesterday. A door locked and impossible to get past that left her excited and hopeful with the prospects that might lay behind it.
Because it had dawned on her the day after END had vanished for what was going on a five day streak now. Sitting in her bath again despite the chilly memories of that invisible presence the thought had struck her, an obvious idea that she should have thought of sooner had her mind not been so preoccupied. A book. She needed to get ahold of a book. Not just any book of course but the one END had used to destroy Mard Geer.
It was the existence of that book that had made her step out of her room. Forcing her to explore hallways she had previously been scared of. Who knew what lingered in the bowels of this castle. For the first few weeks she had been terrified that more members of Tartarus lurked in the shadows.
It was the idea of finally finding a way to save Natsu that pushed her out the door. Because she couldn't be afraid. Not when a possible solution for saving Natsu lingered so close. She had to be brave. As the last member of the original Team Natsu, she had to be brave. She couldn't rely on Natsu as she had all those other times they had fought alongside each other. She had to find it in herself to motivate her feet, to get her body moving. There would be no Erza, Gray, or Happy for backup. This was solely upon her shoulders.
The memories her train of thought brought up stirred the painful emotions lodged in her chest yet again. She dug her heel into her chest harder, pressing forcibly at the bone as if she could move them, dislodging them from where they centered around her heart. They constricted instead, leaving her gasping for breath as she fought to keep the tears at bay.
She would not dwell in possibilities right now. She would concentrate on progress. To think of what might or might not happen if she failed to find this book, the idea that she might not be able to save Natsu.
With a shake of her head she slammed the side of her fist into the wall. She couldn't afford to get hung up on emotion right now. She needed to find that book. It was the whole reason she was out here, mapping out the castle as she looked for a possible hiding spot. She just hoped that END had kept it within the castle. She shudder to think of having to venture out amongst the landscape of Cube.
Eyes focusing back on the notebook in hand, she followed her map to the massive oak door at the back of the castle. The only door she had come across beside her own.
Each floor had been mapped out in her new book. A blank thing she had found with some pencils in a drawer of the writing desk newly placed in her room just three days ago. Along with a single white lily, roots still intact so that she could replant it in her garden, which she begrudgingly had. Not because she forgave him, but because she couldn't stand to see something wither and die because of the actions of others beyond it's control.
There had also been a small card with the words "I'm sorry." scribbled across in nearly unreadable handwriting. An apology, she assumed, for the outburst of anger END had displayed days ago.
She would have much preferred to see him apologize in person, because despite all the evil he was suppose to be she had also been rather rude and ungrateful. Even if he was the most vilest of the demons born from the book of Zeref, she had no right to treat him with a lack of manners. He might not be Natsu but to think back over the name calling she had done at her best friend.
She especially wanted to thank him now. Giving her access to writing material had served to improve her sanity and allowed her to formulate her plan.
From what she could tell she had successfully mapped out the majority of the castle. She had made notes of each of the rooms she had come across. Check marks had been placed to identify the ones empty or already searched. The top three floors had seemed to be mainly that of guests rooms and servant quarters. A hard thing to imagine one would find in a guildhall of a dark guild.
The rooms on the lower floors beneath the sleeping quarters had increased in size. Most only ever contained furniture for what she had assumed was a drawing room. She had been rather impressed to find an art gallery, but she figured even thieves liked to display their collection of stolen goods. She hadn't dared to peek at anything. Everywhere she went, furniture, pictures, and even lighting fixtures had been covered in white sheets.
After two days Lucy had concluded this place more closely resembled a twisted version of a fairy tale castle. With the spines, eerie quiet, dead gardens, and twisted black furniture it was like walking through a warped nightmare.
What was even more unsettling was that there wasn't a speck of dust anywhere she looked. Every surface was clean and polished, every sheet freshly laundred.
Even the stone floors that seemed to cover every inch of the guild's castle were clean and polished. It was eerie to think that somehow servants were getting around her without her noticing. Her first day back after exploring she had noticed the clean scent of scrubbed floors and fresh linens laid out in her room.
It was a mystery she hoped to solve in her exploration. She had come across stairs leading into the ground underneath the castle. Memories of last time she had been stuck here on Cube though made it hard to want to go down there.
Her train of thought stopped when she was finally faced with the massive oak doors before her. Smiling in triumph she dug through her satchel for the small bag she had found on her bedside table this morning. A black velvet drawstring purse that contained a single, black key.
Fishing out the piece of metal inside she held it up to the light and examined the jagged tumbler lock design. Excitedly she finally slid it into the lock on the door, her teeth chewing her lip as the sound of tumblers moving filled the hallway.
Pushing the door open she was enclosed in a thick layer of dust that blocked her vision. As the air cleared and settled she frowned. The room was pitch black and nearly impossible to see into. She hesitated walking inside, her eyes constantly scanning the pitch black darkness . To her immediate left was a small sitting area. The sheets had been removed, revealing high winged back chairs and couches all gathered around a massive round faced fireplace. Her eyes widened at the sight of all the books lining the walls. The room was massive, at least three stories tall. Balconies jutted out from the higher levels, walkways connecting them. Rolling ladders attached to tracts were everywhere to allow readers to climb to the higher shelves of the bookcases.
The ceiling was doomed, a painting too poorly lit to see sketched across the wood and stone. From The center hung a very massive chandelier, strings of crystal and beads covering every inch to reflect the light once the lacrima and candles were lite.
A pair of curtains had been pulled back to reveal the massive floor to ceiling window. Sunlight streaming forth, illuminating another sitting area she would be able to enjoy. She noted that there were other windows too, some forming small alcoves, others standing between bookcases on upper levels. With a glee of excited she shouted and jumped.
The center of the room had bookshelves to. Though these were the usual height they separated the sitting areas. With a deep breath she inhaled the smell of old books and ink. The prospect that somewhere inside here might be the key to saving Natsu filled her with more hope than she had had since arriving.
Choosing to get to work despite the ache in her feet and the hunger in her belly, Lucy choose a small couch and table to set her things on. She set her notebook and pencil down as she tried to decided where to starts first.
Her hope died a little as the realization of how daunting her project would be. Taking her gale-force reading glasses out she slide them on. Struck with another idea she hastily ran over to the library door. Closing them she turned, taking the familiar silver key off her ring and holding it in the air.
"Open gate of the compass! I summon thee, Pyxis,"
A magic circle glowed on the ground a second later before her red colored penguin spirit turned to greet her.
"Okay Pyxis. Show me where I can find the book of END!"
Pyxis yelled, shouting his name as the compass dial on top of his head began to whirl. It spun and spun and spun until pyxis finally collapsed to the ground on his butt. Lucy frowned, crouching next to the creature and gently stroking his head.
"It's okay. I didn't honestly think it would work. Just thought I'd give the obvious a try." she said as she gave the spirit a small smile. He returned her gesture, smiling back to let her know he was okay. "Okay how about a more realistic search then? Can you show me anything about END himself? Like where he came from?"
Pyxis nodded, jumping to his feet as he held his wings to his head. the dial spun and Lucy crossed her fingers, praying this was actually going to work. When the dial stopped Pyxis began to jump, pointing at a section of books up in the right hand corner of the library.
"Good job Pyxis."
The spirit gave a gleeful shout before disappearing in a flash of light. With a direction now in mind Lucy started towards the stairs leading up to the level Pyxis had pointed at.
The sun had cast its orange glow across the sky. With another frustrated sigh, Lucy added the book to the growing stack of towers surrounding her. Taking her gale force reading glasses off she rubbed the bridge of her nose. She was half tempted to summon the compass spirit back so she could scream at him.
None of these books were what she was looking for. With an aggravated sigh she laid back on the floor, her shoulder brushing along the stacks of books surrounding her. They tipped dangerously for a second and she thought briefly, this was how it was all going to end. Not with a bang or epic fight, but being crushed underneath a pile of books.
When they steadied she let loose the breath she had been holding. She eyed the spines of the books her wonderful spirit had sent her towards. Crocus, Magnolia, a History of Fiore, Ancient Migrating patterns of early Fiore inhabitants. When she had asked Pxyis where END had come from she had meant how he had come into existence.
Not where. Though looking back she should have probably chosen her words better. Besides not one of these books on the different cities, town, and villages in Fiore ever mentioned being the birthplace of the world's most vile demon.
With a sigh she glanced out the large window and noted the sinking sun. There wasn't much daylight left and though she preferred walking back to her room in the dark so as not to have to look at that angel, she didn't relish the idea of it either. Just knowing that thing was out there gave her the creeps.
Standing carefully she stretched. Her stomach growled and cramped from the pain of hunger and having sat in one place far too long. Picking her way through the towers she headed to her bag by the fireplace. Her food rations were gone, meaning she had no choice but to return to her room. She just hoped her dinner hadn't been cleared away yet.
Her extensive search of the castle hadn't turned up a kitchen.
With a sigh she began to gather her things, sliding them into her bag as she mentally prepared herself for the long journey back. Her legs ached just at the thought of the looming task of all those stairs, but at least all the exercises kept her in shape.
Swinging her satchel over her shoulder she stilled when the hairs on the back of her neck rose. The room was darkening fast, so she dug out her lacrima light crystals for guidance. peering around into the shadows she looked for the source of her discomfort. Her body shivered, skin crawling, as the familiar eerie presence that had haunted her in the bathroom swept over her yet again.
Her hand fell to the whip at her hip, ready to unleash some serious ass kicking on whatever was lurking in the shadows. Whatever this thing was, she wasn't defenseless this time and she wasn't going to go down without a fight. She grinned into the darkness.
"Hope you're ready for an ass kicking, whatever you are! I'm not in the mood for games tonight!" she screamed into the darkness.
Slowly she backed up to the door. It was like deja vu all over again. Her back pressed to the door, her fingers searching blindly for the doorknob as her eyes darted about the room. Her eyes were playing tricks on her, shadows dancing in the corners of her eyes, moving and shifting.
Her throat began to close in panic.
Swallowing the rising fear, Lucy stiffened her back and gathered her courage.
"Who's there!" she demanded. "Show yourself!."
Silence of course followed the echo of her voice in the room.
Letting out a shaky breath as she glared at the shadows, Lucy managed to find the doorknob and ease open the door. With more dignity this time she fled the room into the sparsely lit hallway. She slammed it shut harder than she had wanted to in her haste to take off down the hallway.
Out here it was barely lit but at least their was more light than just her lacrima. Rounding the corner she pressed herself into the wall to peer back down the hallway. Eyes trained on the library door she waited to see whatever had been watching her appear. Whether it be sliding out under the door or opening it.
After what felt like an hour, nothing emerged. More irritated than before and also slightly relieved, she muttered a curse when she realized she would have to go back down the hallway to head back to her room.
Which meant passing before the library doors. Digging the key to the room out of her satchel she tightly gripped in between her fingers.
You can do this Lucy! Just run to the door, lock it and be on your merry way.
Her attempt at optimism fell short. Yeah, as if a set of doors is going to be able to block out whatever was pursuing me.
A terrified scream echoed down the hallway. Fear filled her belly and made her shake as she turned to stare down the hall she was standing in.
That scream sounded familiar in a horrifyingly sick kind of way. images of a dying red dragon falling from the sky. A young boy on his knees screaming his anguish as tears ran in rivers down his cheeks.
Another one pierced the air. The inhumane cry filled with anguish, terror and pain. The sound was chilling and lonely. As if whoever was on the other end of it was filled with the most desperate kind of loneliness and sorrow. Only one other being occupied this place besides herself.
"Natsu!" she whispered.
Without thinking Lucy turned to follow the sound.