A/N: I still own nothing :'( However, I hope you like this story and let me know of your thoughts (^-^) Thank you! Also, the poll will be open until Tuesday, that is 7th January 2014. I can't wait to see the results! :D :D

7. The King's Will

"Everyone!" The loud yell of the guild master was greeted with shocked glances and opened mouths. Makarov didn't show his interest in being very strict, but this time, he looked rather serious. "The Magic Council has asked some of our guild members to participate in a multiple guild quest to take down one of the newest, but fast-growing dark guilds Silver Nightingale."

"Who, master?" Erza asked, standing up already prepared to go to the fight. Makarov looked at her appraisingly. They had thought to tell her, but knowing her acting skills, they decided against it.

"Natsu! Gray!" he grabbed the attention of two bickering men. Erza shot them a dark look."Gajeel! Laxus! Wendy!" he looked around, wondering if he'd forgot someone. "I have also heard the twin dragon slayers from Sabertooth will be coming." He had sent a written request to their current guild master and asked them to take part, not telling them the whole thing was a sham. Sabertooth had answered nearly within no time announcing their attendance.

"There's no way I'm going to go on a quest with these guys!" Natsu exclaimed. By "these guys," he mainly meant Gray, but the dark look Laxus was giving them was scary.

"I could do this quest on my own," the lightning dragon slayer said, standing up. "There's no need for the others to come."

"Laxus!" Makarov said warningly, but Gajeel was absentmindedly nodding along. Wendy was the only one, who didn't voice her opinion out loud, but she looked worried enough, knowing she'd hardly be able to support more than two of them.

"Lucy, would you mind joining the team?" Makarov asked loudly, ignoring the growing yells. The guild fell into silence. The bickering dragon slayers all looked at the blond girl who smiled sweetly.

"Sure, why not?" she chirped. Somewhere Laxus gruffed and that settled things. Mira had started spreading stories about those two and ever since Natsu was restless. Gajeel, however, noticed how Levy had clapped her hands over her mouth. This trip would be a dangerous one, if all the dragon slayers were required, and bunny girl would get hurt. Levy would hate that. Wendy sighed out in relief, knowing she won't be the only girl going. Even though Lucy had a bit different scent, she was still a nice companion.

"Well, then, that decides it. You're setting out tomorrow morning!" Makarov declared and the guild resumed to its activities. Levy, however, leaned suspiciously against the wall in shadows and took note of the reactions of the dragon slayers.

1. Wendy was scratching herself, probably due to nervousness.
2. Laxus was staring intently at Lucy, eyes darkly hungry.
3. Natsu was sneaking closer to Lucy in an attempt to surprise her?
4. Gajeel was...

Levy frowned. It seemed that Gajeel was the only one not doing something out of ordinary. In fact, when Levy looked at his table again, he was gone.

"What are you doing, shrimp?" Levy jumped at the voice next to her ear. There he was! And now, he was holding the notebook she had been so carefully writing in!

"What's that?" he asked, frowning. He understood she'd been keeping tabs on the people in the guild for some time, but this was new.

"Give it back!" Levy jumped, but could not reach it. Gajeel laughed, but threw it back at her, in hopes of getting some gratitude out of the girl.

"Well, whatever!" he shrugged and stalked off. Levy stared at his back, wondering, if it had always been that wide.

The team set off early in the morning. Lucy was extraordinarily chirpy, despite her worry about the guild they were about to demolish. Silver Nightingale was really there, somewhere lurking in the shadows, waiting to attack. It was better to actually take them out.

They met Sabertooth's twin dragon slayers at the train station, all of the dragon slayers besides Wendy complaining about their means of going there. Lucy shrugged it off, wondering how bad it could really be. The sky dragon slayer cast Troia over the group members, although it weakened her greatly.

The battle was fierce. Each and every dragon slayer was up to hundreds of magicians. There was barely any difference in their strengths and Lucy, against a number of dark guild members, knew something was not going to change, unless something happened. She sent back her spirits and called out only one – Gemini – in order to wipe out all the enemies she was against.

Then she felt it. A giant hand coming down and hitting her. The battle that took place next to a cliff froze for a moment.

"Lucy!" Natsu screamed, running towards the giant that had swiped Lucy off the arena. At the same, similar yells could be heard from other team members. Lucy felt her consciousness slipping. Everything that happened, had happened like it should have. She was sure of it. Then why...

"I can't let you die right away," Gemini whispered, taking the form of the falling girl, grabbing her arms as they twirled around. Lucy opened her eyes only to see they were frozen in one spot of falling.

"You know, being a wizard is not about being strong!" a voice bellowed. Lucy had never heard it before, but the royalty of it was not a doubt. "I will give you a choice! Choose wisely."

The girl waited, barely able to open her mouth. Her eyes were fixated on the still-raging battle.

"What does being a wizard mean to you?" the voice roared and in Lucy's eyes focused a powerful dragon, lit in flames. He was breathing on her skin, her hair – everything burned. She heard someone cry out, but it could have been she herself.

"Everything," she finally managed to utter. If only she had strength to be equal to them – it had been a mistake to send her on this quest, hadn't it? If only she was able to stop it all.. The voice laughed. Even the sound of it was powerful.

"Very well," it said. In a moment, she was falling again.