The mages entered the mountain tunnels hors ago, but they were still lost in the labyrithal complex of it. Gajeel, slightly angry as why he has to walk around in cycles, but having no problem with the darkness of the tunnels at all, as his crimson red yes shined into the tunnel´s darkness, and the water woman, silently following the iron dragon, as she would not see as much as he did, which was probably one of the problems why they were lost.
„Let´s hope that owl guy at the ain´t gonna wake up." Muttered the annoyed iron dragon, as he was marching forward.
„Juvia does not think he will wake up at all…" the water mage remarked
„you…ki…"
„No" came the answer before Gajeel could end his question. It was strange, in their Phantom Lord days, he would not care about her killing anyone, but now...not that she would not have the power, but he just could not see her doing it.
„It seemed he passed out himself, as Juvia took apart the armour."
She remarked to give her companion an explanation.
„wicked" was all the iron mage had to say to that. That guy was more than strange, as well as this whole mountain and this quest, he would probably not be surprised if there wold be dwarves extracting gold. At least it would explain the treasure part from the map.
„can´t ya flow somewhere and find the way outa here?"
came from the frustrated black haired mage after some more time that the duo spend exploring the dark tunnels.
„Juvia could do that, but Juvia might not come back to Redfox then" came from the water woman.
„well, fuck!"
threw Gajeel his arms in anger. He then proceeded to lean to one of the rocky walls and let himself slowly slide to the ground.
„Does the map provide any information about a maze inside the mountain?" asked the water mage, the squeeking of metal teeth came as an answer and she would not dare ask anything else for a while, just standing in one place and looking into the iron dragon´s shining eyes.
„I had enough of this!"
came an angry growl at once and Juvia saw a seal on Gajeel´s hand.
He stood up for a punch and hit the wall of the tunnel just centimeters from where the water woman was standing.
„I ain´t just gonna sit here, damn it!"
she saw his hand burried into the wall and as she stepped back a few steps, the drill, that his arm has transformed into, began to bore a tunnel of itself.
„Redfox, you don´t even know if that´s the right way!" the water mage screamed out of surprise. They could easily track their movement like that, making so much noise, and the whole tunnel could collapse.
„Redfox!"
„ya right…"
the iron mage stoppeg after a few stepps and stepped back. The water woman looked relieved, but the feeling quickly faded away as she cought a glimps of Gajeel taking a deep breath.
„Iron Dragon´s roar!"
The whole place crumbeled and there was rubble everywhere. It happened as the rain woman suspected, the tunnel didn´t hold the power of the roar, and he didn´t even use his whole power, Juvia knew as much.
She opened her eyes and found herself lying in the debris. A normal human might have a few broken bones, but that was not her case, as she could easily change her form and make herself nearly unharmable.
She stood up and looked around, searching for the red shining eyes of the hodheaded wizard. The place was really a mess, but she could swear there was much more light now, although she could not say where exactly it was coming from because of the rocky dust in the air.
„Redfox."
she let out a quite silent calling, not wanting to be noticed even more. But there came no answer.
„Redfox?"
she altered the volume of her calling. He would not be defeated by a simple earthquake, he was iron himself…right?
„Gajeel!"
„Ay!" came an annoyed sight out of a pile nearby. And a few seconds later, the iron mage got up from under the huge amount of rock he released on himself.
„Ain´t no mountin gonna kill me" he grinned, obviously thrilled from this little thing he caused.
„Ha, I got a bit of some light in here."
he got even more excited as he looked around through all the mess he has caused.
„If the guild did not know we were here, then now they know for sure…"
came a cold remarking from the rain woman.
„No shit, better go greet them propperly then?" the iron dragon´s grinn increased as he began to proceed through the tunnel he has created. At least this one was left standing. And it was also the source of all the light, meaning wherever was the labyrinth leading, that was it.
Juvia followed the iron mage without a word.
The darkness of the room was broke only by the light of a lightening. The throne in the middle of this place, the twin´s observation tower, was occupied by a dark entity and only it´s sharp teeth would shine through the night.
„Master…"
there came an iron structured wolf into the room.
„…intruders have been sighted, as you have forseen."
the teeth showed a pleasured grinn.
„Prepare the ceremony."
„What about the intruders?"
„lead the one into the center of the mountain, kill the other."
came the orders and the wolf nodded and left his master´s chambers.
„Oh, how bright is today´s night, and you my jewel , will soon shine too."
and a sharp laughter cut the thunders in the tower and filled the room with shvering atmosphere.
„Ain´t got anything better?"
shouted the iron mage in his battle enhusiasm.
The guardians of this place have, in fact, noticed how they have made their own way into their barracks. As it seemed they all had the same armour as the one at the mountain entry. And all the same loocks, representing owl, luckily they did not shere simply only the designe, but also the level of power, which was quite convenient for the duo, as they would have no problem defeating them.
Well, Gajeel DID do the most of the job, as he was absolutely happy about getting into a fight again. The rain woman did just stand a few steps away from him and was taking care of any owl, that would decide to abandon the fight and fly, or run away.
The fact that the machines could get into the air was quite interesting, but it seemed as they were in fact, made with magic, so it could explain even this.
But now her attention was tuned towards the escaping owls. And while she was taking care of one with her water lock, she noticed another entity entering the room.
„A spider…"
she remrked upon looking over the structure.
Redfox turned his head, just as he had blown the last of the owls to hell. „A new enemy"
his enthusiastic response was and the water mage was truly surprised as how much pleasure this brought him. He must have been aching for a fight in ages, tough she knew he actually wanted a challenge, as he once mentioned it on their way here, but it seemed he didn´t mind taking care of the little fish now.
But, the spider dissapeared as fast as it got to the place and the iron mage began to follow before Juvia could say any warning at all.
This could be a trat, it could be anything…
„Gajeel!" she shouted again and ran quickly after him and the mechanic creature.
Now it was absolute. Juvia was lost. As the hot headed iron dragon ran away to follow the spider, he went directly into another labirinth of tunnels.
These were not as rocky however and there were light, implying she was in an area that was actually used by the mechanic members of this guild.
And off course, she had the bad feeling that whatever trap that mechanic thing was preparing for Gajeel, he would run right into it.
But at least, the things her did not yet know what he was, which still gave them quite an advantage. But first things first…and now, the objective was to get out of this tunnel mace.
„So ya ain´t all just owly crumbs, he!"
has the iron mae been bragging with enthusiasm as he faced the spider in another of the barrack´s halls. As for what good it did him, this one was empty, well, aside of the mechanic spider thing anyway.
It seemed this thing was on a little higher level then the owls, still, he was no match for Gajeel, but as he was now not being watched by the rain woman, he could play a little before crushing the creature´s neck.
As for the water woman itself, he did not have any doubts that she would find him eventually.