All Rights to Hiro Mashima
Dedicated to Leomae2.0 who politely reminded my stupid ass to get you guys some more content. But seriously. Thank her for me? Yeah? Got to have someone to keep me in line.
CoLu week prompt 6 is kicking my poor tushy, so I thought I would get back into Stolen to get the ol' mind juice flowing again. Enjoy my precious cupcakes…love you all to the ends of the Earth and back. :3
Chapter 37: Tiger's Eye
Revered as an 'all-seeing-all-knowing eye' this stone was used by the Egyptians in the statues of their Gods to represent divine vision, the stone a talisman that used the protection of the Sun God Ra, and the Growling Land God Geb together, used by the Roman soldiers to be brave in battle; known as the balance between extremes, opposites.
"Be careful."
Natsu snorted, smoke leaking out his nostrils. "You know I don't have that luxury. This next part is going to be painful and disorienting. I think the fact that it's been delayed all these years is going to make it worse somehow. I can feel it in my bones…and my skin and scales and everything. It's like I'm wearing clothes too tight for my body."
Lucy clasped her hand over his, wishing that she could feel his heat through her gauntlets, but she was suited for war and it was time to leave. She must separate from Natsu for the first time since she had shot down all those Wyverns. It terrified her a little as if when she woke up away from him for the first time in weeks…she would realise it was all an elaborate dream that she conjured up in her unconscious mind. "Do what you must, and I will as well. Meet me on the battlefield."
He smiled rakishly and bumped their foreheads together gently. "I will. Fight well…Nova."
And then he was gone from her, shooting off the ground in a spray of dust and small stones with Sting, Rogue, and Gajeel following close behind, off to find a place big enough to allow fully grown Dragons to make a mess of things.
For once she was glad that there was no goodbye between them. As she nodded at her partner, and Titania smirked back slyly…she knew she would strike down Lullaby with Erza as fast as possible. It was time to show the Black Wizard just who she was and why they called her Nova in the first place.
-ooo-
As they marched forward to meet the Dead Demons and Tartaros – if Ultear's intel was reliable at all, something in Lucy's gut told her it was – there wasn't much to do but think or chat the day away with her family as Makarov lead them towards the battle, his cape ruffling with the breeze.
Natsu had explained as much as he knew about nests – or as much as he remembered from when he was a child and was only half listening to Igneel – and was surprised that she was labelled as a 'Queen' or the centre of it at all. It seemed surreal to her that she was the focus of so much attention after labelling herself as a rogue and fighting either alongside Titania or Laxus on the battlefield, or working by herself by infiltrating and extracting information from the Alvarez Army.
Sting, she had found was just about as clingy as Sparky was when it was just the two of them. Either right by her side or near to her when Natsu wasn't around. She had smacked him upside the head when he kept getting underfoot over the last few days – not harshly but with enough force that it stung, she knew he was only following his instincts or so Natsu said – and he had backed off a bit on his overprotective brother act. The actual term was 'Right-hand' and after they had danced around a bit trying to find something that worked, both her and Sting realised that it was natural to fall into a familiar rhythm.
Not to mention the fact that he was an invaluable ally to have at her side due to the fact that his magic could be fueled by hers. As long as she had magic power, he could keep getting back up and fight. She had conjured balls of golden light for practice on the second day of waiting before marching off to war and watched amused as he sucked them down and purred at the taste of raspberries.
The other Slayers were just as protective of her, but from afar, and she watched as the same curtesy was extended – slowly of course – to both Freed and Levy…even if the mages in question didn't see it themselves. Lucy had a good feeling that Levy's involvement in their growing nest-family-thing had something to do with those iron studs she wore proudly and the Slayer that created them from his own element.
Natsu had been unnaturally quiet since they had heard that the Demons were coming for them, their joinings under the cover of night in their bed – it had long since ceased being just Lucy's, seeing as Natsu had basically made a home there as well – had become slow and sultry, something Lucy didn't think was possible from Natsu now that he was more connected to his Dragon. She had expected something like their first night, where their passion was years in the making
When asked, he had only grinned that terribly awful crooked smirk of his and proceeded to take her breath away with a single roll of his hips, his length burning hot and perfect inside her. He was savouring her, he had said, having his fill for when they were separated for days at a time.
He loved her for hours until they were breathlessly clinging to each other soaked in sweat and other…fluids, unable to move from their ecstasy. She wanted so many more nights just like that one.
"Natsu…why aren't you acting all…crazy like the other Slayers. Over protective and like I'm a doll that will break easily? Shouldn't you be since I am your mate?"
He snorted with derision and rolled his eyes. "They just don't know you like I do Luce. You lived and thrived and fought and kicked fucking ass without me there for years, and you will continue to do so without me holding your hand."
"That's probably the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."
Natsu laughed at that, his fangs flashing in the dim light. Of course, she would be weird about it. She had never been made from glass, never been delicate. Not from the first time he had seen her, taken her hand and flown off to places unknown and their paths joined together. She was amazing…so beautiful and he loved her so much. She only had to see what he did.
"It's true. Why do you think the Black Wizard is so afraid of you? Sent END after you? Put a bounty on your head? Wants your keys and your magic? You're strong and dangerous to him, to his people, you almost killed Invel, the Winter General, when you were barely out of training. Even the Demon in me wanted to fight you, to see what you were worth because he was amazed by you and your will. You're filled with determination and strength and have the might of our nest behind you and the Domus Army. This time…we will fight side by side instead of against each other."
She had laughed and kissed him soundly, happy that her chosen knew her better than she knew herself. He truly was her best friend.
Lucy was brought out of her musings when she ran face first into the back of her brother. She scowled up at him when he chuckled. "Get your head out of the clouds Nova."
"Shut up Sparky. I was just…thinking."
"Mhmmm…well…it's time to make camp. These plains will do for a good battlefield. Open ground and no rocks to trip over."
Lucy nodded, taking in her surroundings. Laxus was right – as usual when it came to things like this – and the area they had stopped in was perfect for the coming clash. The dirt was compact and grass short and tough but easily gave way under her boots.
Perfect.
Like she had done so many times in the past, she skated around the side of the bulk of the army, setting up their tents and headed to the outskirts of the little gathering. She preferred it this way, her body remembering all the times she had done this before as a rogue who only really looked out for herself unless told otherwise.
She wasn't a rogue anymore though, and that was shown more than anything as she called out Virgo to her side and asked for her tent to be erected. One that the shackled spirit held in Spirit World for her. The maid was handy to have around and always willing to do more than necessary if there was punishment on the line.
"Ms Lucy…could I…uh…sent up my tent close to yours? I don't have a true contingent so I have nowhere to go." Wendy stood off to the side, wringing her hands nervously.
Lucy melted under the younger girl's fidgeting. There was no way she would say no to Wendy. "Of course Wendy. And just call me Lucy unless we're on the battle field, you know that. Then call me Nova. What could you like to be called when we're fighting?"
She looked up confused as Virgo deftly erected another smaller light blue tent beside her own – which was strangely larger than it used to be and a deep red almost purple colour – and trilled a little. "I should have another name?"
Nova eyed Virgo pointedly looking for answers, but the fuchsia-haired maid only smirked wickedly and dismissed herself in a burst of golden light.
She was a slippery one that was for sure. But handy, so Lucy could put up with her…quirks.
Lucy shook her head in exasperation and offered her hand to the young girl, thankful that Wendy wouldn't be seeing direct conflict this time so that she could ease into fighting for herself as she trained with Titania. She would act as the field medic for the upcoming battle between Domus on the Demons. "Yes, Wendy. Those who are struck down may call for the medic which is you, but they may call you by another name so that there is no confusion. There might be many Lucy's in the Army, but only one Nova...do you understand?"
"I think so. Then I will just use the name they gave me in Alvarez, the Sky Maiden, but turn its purpose into something I can be proud of."
Lucy squeezed the little Dragon closer to her, her courage and conviction making Nova's heart light.
They watched the flags for Domus flew at the tops of their tents. It took a moment for Wendy to ask about the second flag, the star that matched the stamp on her helm. Lucy wiled away the afternoon into the evening telling Wendy – and Levy as the Tactician had wandered over when she had finished with her own tent, halfway into a tale of when Natsu had given her the sword on her hip – about all her adventures with Natsu and what Astralis had looked like before its fall.
"Then what about that flag on my tent? What does that one mean?"
It was blood red and printed with a golden ouroboros in the shape of a dragon trying to devour its tail. It was Levy that spoke up this time.
"The flag of Ignis. I've only seen it in books."
Lucy smiled sadly, happy that Virgo had given thought to give Wendy a little piece of her heritage back, even though most of it had been lost to the world.
-ooo-
A resounding crack rents the air after hours upon hours of silent waiting.
Then something shattered.
Finally.
All three mages watched as the purple runes cracked and splintered into sparkling dust around them. Grim satisfaction on their faces at a job completed. They knew they were more than lucky that the one who placed the seal in the first place hadn't come back to stop them. Because if he did, they would be dead before they could think the word 'Dammit.'
Mest had direct-lined the seal breaker Kageyama to where both Gildarts and Laki waited in the Giant's Backbone, in the shadow of the Black Hill.
It had taken the cocky wizard almost three full days to break the seal.
"It's—finished—I—I—just need a –rest…" Kageyama fainted to the ground where Laki looked on quizzically until Gildarts motioned to her.
"Take him back to the camp and keep him healthy. According to Makarov…he's an ally now and obviously magically exhausted."
Instead of arguing, Laki did as he told her. He was the senior officer here, even if he was a horrendous flirt and old enough to be her father.
Gildarts walked forward, shivering involuntarily at the feeling of…wrongness that pervaded this cave. Chaos and evil intentions and black magic swirled in the darkness.
He whipped his head towards a corner of the huge cavern – it was if the entirety of the mountain was hollowed out by magic, the sides smooth as silk, the floor like marble – when whispers and shuffles broke out into excited yells and grumbling.
He stalked forward until he could hear snippets of the conversation.
"—Gods…I can feel it coming back…our magic—I haven't felt this warm in over a decade…I think…"
"…would you stop trampling all over—"
"Stand still would you? Gods, I can't wait to not hear your whining again…you're worse than your little brat…"
"Say that to my face your ungrateful Lightbulb, at least my son has some sense of manners!"
"All your son does is brood! It's almost as bad as Metal Mouth's, but no one could beat Gajeel at his own game."
"—don't you fucking say a damn thing about my son…"
"ENOUGH!"
There was a whooshing sound and suddenly Gildarts could see five figures clearly. He could recognize them even with all the extra hair and scraggly fingernails, tattered clothing and grumpy expressions lit by the familiar light of a single fist covered in Dragon Fire.
They were skinny, but alive and well enough.
He staggered forwards in shock as one King, three Lords and one Lady turned and barred their fangs at the new intruder.
The one with burning red hair was the first to speak up, straightening until he wasn't in a defensive posture any longer. "Gildarts? Is that you? Did you break the seal?"
He laughed, happy to see his old friend again, alive and in the flesh. Gildarts wanted to greet them properly, however, the first thing to come out of his mouth made them all roar with laughter. "You need a damn haircut."
-ooo-
Natsu meditated, something he had never done before today, but he had watched Lucy do it many times to centre herself.
And for what was to come, he would need all the centring he could get. He knew that it would be painful, that his magic would burn him from the inside out and reshape his body as it saw fit. Igneel had once told him that it was the highest praise from the Gods that had bestowed magic in this world, that they deemed him worthy enough to carry such a rare magic in the first place.
He thought that was a load of bullshit, but didn't say anything as a child. But now…he could go either way. He leant towards the side that said it was just a natural progression, but who knows. Perhaps the Gods were finally smiling down on him for once. They had a lot to make up to him as it was. Turning into a Demon was something that he knew he didn't deserve. And Lucy didn't deserve the hand she was dealt either.
Then again, perhaps he was needed in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps he and Lucy had been pushed along the path of fate because they were the ones that had to stop Zeref. They were the only ones with a chance because of who they were. Natsu, his brother, and Lucy, the woman who held Celestial Light in her veins and could rid the world of his evil.
Finally.
The other Slayers in his nest where spread out on the ground, far away from each other to have more than enough room to manoeuvre, but they were still in each other's line of sight.
One day he would know all the reasons, even though he knew that Zeref was not the same man that he had grown up with. But tonight was not that night.
His back suddenly bowed to an impossible angle, bones popped and tendons shredded. Natsu's eyes flew open and he howled his pain to the full moon. Talons forced themselves through his finger nails and his teeth loosened and fell out of his mouth like seeds to make way for more that ripped their way through his gums. Feral eyes with slit pupils flashed from green to bright yellow and back. Muscles expanded and jumped, scales burst forth and burned their way through his skin.
Four young men hunched over in a large clearing passed out from the pain of transforming into something they should have been many years earlier.
Beasts, animals, hunters.
It was time for them to fly again.
-ooo-
"Tell me everything. How is the Kingdom, my kids? How's everyone? I assume Zeref was crowned King after I left…Acnologia wasn't…forthcoming with information that had anything to do with the outside world other than mumbles and crazy talk."
They were sitting around a camp fire now. Laki hunched over Kageyama, trying to keep his fever down from the loss of extreme magic power. Gildarts hadn't wanted to talk about this here, in the woods, when things were finally coming to a head against Alvarez. All their war efforts and the last decade would finally mean something.
His voice…was…reedy and thin. His anguish came through with every word. After all,…it was his world that had come crashing down around his ears. And it started the day that Igneel and his court had gone missing.
So he spoke. Told all five Dragons everything he knew, but there was more that he didn't really know because he hadn't been there. Gildarts also knew that this would take hours, days most likely if everything was to be done right. They had to get back to Domus as quickly as possible…Mest was coming at first light, they only had two hours at most. Apparently, Direct Lining works better in the day time, when there was less threat of accidentally teleporting into a tree.
"You're right. Zeref was appointed King and Natsu was the Crown Prince only a week after you had gone missing. Natsu left almost immediately and travelled looking for you and everyone else. He came back to Ignis a year later a little wiser and a bit older, with just your ratty old scarf that you used to wear everywhere."
The King rumbled, smoke leaking out between sharp teeth. "I knew there was a chance we weren't coming back, that we might die hunting that—that Monster—" He spat the words like they were poison. "I left my scarf there in the off chance that someone would come looking for us…figures it would be my little brat." Igneel smiled then.
"…Right. So…you were bluffing when you told everyone you were hunting the white stag?"
"Yeah. We were after my bastard of a cousin. Acnologia. You remember him right? Always jealous of me…I always knew he wanted something. I thought he wanted the crown the Kingdom. But I was wrong. He wanted me I believe. Then he disappeared, but he was out there as a threat. We knew he was dangerous, but we underestimated his…abilities to make us disappear. He wanted to see us lose our mind, but he underestimated us this time. Our kids were still out there, and there was no way we were going to succumb to anything. With no magic after we were sealed in that stupid cave, we couldn't transform, couldn't get out."
"About that…the Kingdom…it doesn't exist anymore. The only Kingdom left in free Earthland is Domus. Makarov and his grandson Laxus are the only true royals left that haven't lost the entirety of their people. Everything else belongs…to the Alvarez Empire."
Gasps and growls and exclamations were heard around the fire as it popped and crackled in the centre of their rugged circle. "What do you mean? What the hell is going on out there? What about the kids?"
Gildarts voice dropped to barely a whisper. "Alvarez invaded. The Black Wizard, the one they called Emperor Spriggan swept in and over the course of months took everything away. Decimated cities and toppled armies. The first place he took…was Ignis. The castle was turned into the centre of the army and was from then on called the Black Fortress. Your twelve advisors? Turned into Demons. Zeref? Disappeared overnight. And Natsu—" Here, his voice choked a little. Even though he knew that Natsu was fine and well…in a manner of speaking.
Igneel had gone white with rage and sorrow. "What happened to my boy? To Natsu? My sons?"
"We were told he had been ripped apart, tortured until he died. His body was never recovered and no one knew for certain. It was a bloody pain filled massacre that was only told in rumours."
Grandeeney spoke up while their King wailed softly for his lost children. "What about Wendy? And the others?"
"Possessed. Used as tools in the Black Wizards army."
"Nix fell next, their King possessed as well and the Queen killed. Gray remains with Fairy Tail, second under General Titania Erza. Lyon belongs to Lamia Scale. Oceanus was next…they opposed strongly to being the site of when the R-system was built…the magical way the Black Wizard thought he could bring back someone to life. He accidentally created Demons, and by far, the worst was his first one. Lord END of the Blackfire. They wield curses and not magic. Although he is a special case I will get back to later. And then…they went after Astralis."
"Astralis? The tiny Kingdom of Stars that hadn't even been in a dispute with anyone before? How is that logical?"
"It was a cover-up for a plan. The decimation and killing of every single person that used to reside there was used as a means to an end. Emperor Spriggan was after twelve Keys, held by the Crown Princess. Lucy Heartfilia."
"…Lucy…" Igneel bowed his head. He had had many thoughts in the years of waiting of his sons and of every good time they had shared. Of all the stories he had heard from Natsu about his forays into the world with his best friend. The old King was almost positive that the Luce of Natsu's tales was the young Princess. But he didn't know for sure.
Now he was positive they were the same.
"—Did she…survive? Is she alright?"
Gildarts was about to answer when Mest shimmered into existence by their camp. "General Crash, sir. It's time."
Igneel's eyed the new mage. "Where are we off to my old friend?"
"To Domus. War is coming, and there is much more to discuss. But first…you and your court need to gather your strength again, eat a good meal and sleep in a bed." He held up his hands when they started to protest. "Forgive me, but seeing as Ignis is gone, you hold no authority here." His demeanour shifted into something…softer. "Igneel, please. I promise this is for the best."
The King…well ex-King apparently, grumbled and huffed. "Fine. We'll listen. Let's get on with it."
They vanished in a flash, the fire's drifting smoke the only thing that was left behind.
-ooo-
It was raining, and with the rain came mud. But nothing would stop their victory, not even a little drizzle.
"Did you feel that Nova?"
"I believe I did Titania."
They clasped hands, metal against metal. Nova clad in her golden armour, swords in hand, whip on her hip and flanked by her most faithful Lion. Titania, resplendent in her Black Wing armour, a gift from her husband all those years ago when they were first married before he was undercover for the Emperor.
The ground was shaking. Quaking and bucking steadily.
Something was coming, and it was big. Larger than they had thought.
As a giant made out of wood and bringing the scent of death with it, strode into view. They knew they had finally glimpsed the previously unknown Demon, Lullaby.
"For Domus then?"
"For Domus. Fight well Titania, let this be the beginning of the end of our enemy. Let us show why he fears us."
It was time.
Woooo.
Hello all~ been nutso crazy bonkers. And I want to say that I totally understand when writers say that life gets in the way of writing. And it does. But…no excuses.
Let's just get back to the story eh? Can't wait for Natsu to bust out his Dragon Force. Gunna be a wild ride. Hang on to your hats kiddies. Its gonna get bumpy.
Stay Crazy,
LoadedEel :3