Stoneheart and the Woodhome
E1sky

Chapter 3
Let Us Finish this Mission Already?

"Don't you think you have eaten a lot already, huh, Natsu?"

"Gitz vouewer roit gwar desh bood lugy"(It's better to it while there's food, Lucy"

Lucy sighed. Only natsu and Happy were eating in the plain living room where they're at. Beside her sat Wendy and Charle silently as they wait for their host. Lucy had asked the mayor and the captain for further details regarding the situation but Mayor Hamled bid that he needed to go back to his office and so the burden of telling the tale fall on Captain Vegam who, in his terms, invited them to his house so they could talk more properly.

As they arrived in his house, which was near the center of the village, Captain Vegam excused his self for a moment to shove off some trash and misplaced tools in his living room, indication that the man lives alone. He offered them fish crackers which were made of real fish and not just fish-flavored flour while they were waiting. At first Lucy, Wendy, and Charle help themselves with the snack just to taste it, but when Natsu and Happy started devouring everything edible in their front, they didn't bother to be in trouble getting in their way. They'd just eaten late lunch anyway.

"Sorry to keep you waiting", the captain came out of the door that Lucy thinks lead to the kitchen. He was drying his hands with a small towel which he just threw off in a corner before plopping himself down to an empty chair with them. "Now where should I start?"

Natsu swallowed down the last gulp of fish crackers in his mouth and extended his hand with the empty bowl with the captain. "Some more"

"Enough Natsu!" Lucy said in a tone somewhere between plead and anger.

"Please tell us how these attacks started" Charle suggested, ignoring the other males.

"Very well," Captain Vegam took a slow, deep breath, "it just happens. No one anticipated. Our village was generally peaceful. We village guards secure the perimeter but mostly only to shoo away wild animals that stray from the forest. The first we've ever faced was a band of robbers from the town. I was born and live in this city but I've never seen this golem before but this previous nights. I and my men guard at our usual posts, and then we heard terrible thumping as if the ground was trembling. A huge shadowy figure looms out among the trees, so enormous that we don't believed our eyes at first but it kept advancing. We started shooting it with spears and arrows but it does nothing to its solid rock-body. We're helplessly pushed back. Villagers in the proximity started to panicked and run. Our gunmen had positioned when it struck the first house but ordinary projectiles wasn't enough to prevent the giant. It retaliated by ramming us with large chunks of debris and soil. Many of my bravest men got injured but still we. . ." he trailed off. His fist was shut and his jaws were seething in anger.

"How did you manage to stop it then?" Lucy asked once she thought the pause was enough for the captain to recollect himself.

"We didn't. It just stop on its own and went away after dealing us the damage. We hoped it was over but it was repeated last night and at midnight we've reached the decision to send for help to wizard's guilds."

'So tha's how it was spared' Lucy thought. Maybe Mirajane had just posted the request when she arrived.

"But what did the golem do?" Charle asked, "What was the reason it attacked?"

"I don't know! No one knows. I saw it picking up random things like some mattresses, furniture, blankets, but I'm not really sure or what was it all about." The captain said reclining in his chair in exasperation.

"Maybe it was just cold" Natsu suggested.

"I don't think so" Charle answered.

"I agree with Charle," Happy stated, "I would understand if it was taking up fish or fish crackers but blankets…"

"Is fish all your thinking?!" Charle pointed out, disgusted.

Happy moved darkly to Natsu. "Gosh, Charle's jealous of fish Natsu!" he whispered but everyone in the room heard it.

"That's not it!" the white cat blurted out, scandalized.

"Easy Charle, easy" Wendy tried to console her. Lucy smiled oddly. The heavy atmosphere in the room lightened. Even the captain's grim face was suddenly amused, and Lucy chose the moment to slightly alter the topic.

"On the other hand, Captain, will you tell us something about the statue we have seen earlier?"

"Yes of course. That is the statue of Diona Blossomer, the legendary wizard who was said to grow the trees of the Forewood."

"Diona Blossomer…" Lucy repeated wistfully, then focused, "Diona?"

"Exactly, our village was named after her. No, were not descendants or followers but since our village is nearest to the Forewood, the first villagers decided to name the village in honor of her."

"So those incredibly huge trees were actually magically grown."

"Magic indeed. It has its own unique atmosphere there. No wonder why it became the favorite place of many animals. And apparently the golem likes there too.

"I can see why," Charle began, "if he's that really huge then there's not many places that can accommodate him."

A crisp snapped was suddenly heard and everyone in the room turned to its source, a grinning Natsu, his fist was with his palm at chest level, and his eyes were very much alive. "Alright, now that we know his location let's finish this mission already. Let's go Happy!"

"Aye sir!"

"Wait Natsu!" Lucy threw herself to grabbed Natsu. Wendy grabbed Lucy and Charle grabbed Wendy. They halted Natsu right before the door. The fire dragon slayer finally stopped struggling and regarded them. "What's wrong with you Lucy?"

Lucy released him, and she was released by Wendy. "We can't just go like that Natsu. We still don't- hey Nats- Happ- Wait!"

They were gone. Lucy ran after them. Wendy ran after her. Charle followed suit together with the captain.

"You sure you're going too Captain?" Charle asked.

"I'm afraid you'll get lost in the forest"

"We can use our noses but we'll gladly appreciate your help."

Lucy kept on running. She knows she can't go any faster but still her distance to Natsu was stretching. At some point she wonders why she ran after them. There's no way she could match their speed.

Wendy didn't feel she was gaining any distance even to Lucy. She was still yards and yards away. Charle and the captain easily caught up with her. At some point Charle positioned at her back as if to lift her up if she could only slow down. But no! Lucy was just running. Wendy wants to run now. And run faster.

It seems too sudden for Lucy that she reached the Forewood already. She completely lost sight of Natsu and Happy, and she felt like she even gone slower the moment she entered the forest. No she didn't, her surroundings just got bigger and she seems smaller that her strides felt smaller too.

"Lucy-san!" She heard and looked behind to see Wendy. Charle and captain Vegam were maintaining a distance behind her. Lucy slowed down eventually. If she can't get to Natsu, then at least she should be with the others. And then bump! Lucy hit on something that felt like a furry boulder. Her eyes involuntarily shut in pain. Her feet wobbly stepped back.

"Wendy!" She distinguished Charle's frightened voice somewhere behind. She had barely opened her eyes when she felt Wendy bumped at her back plunging her to the furry boulder the second time before they both fell to the ground scrambling.

"You alright Wendy?" Lucy asked as she sat up more properly.

"I'm sorry Lucy-san" the girl said in almost a cry.

"No.. no..it's alright Wendy" Lucy said in her most consoling tone. Then she froze. She sensed a movement very close and her head slowly turned only to be glared by a pair of big yellow eyes. The furry boulder they had bumped into was actually the back of a huge grayish ape. It turned to fully faced them and Lucy instinctively pulled and hugged Wendy.

The ape was muscular. Its arms that were longer than its legs were as thick as Lucy's body. It has a pair of oversize fangs that stick out from its lower jaw. It stooped down at them, its eyes menacing. They were so close that it could scare Lucy to her core if not for the courage she gets from the will to protect the little dragon slayer in her arms who had just started to shake.

"Don't move!" Lucy heard the captain from a distance. She tried to look at them without taking her eyes from the gaze of the ape. Captain Vegam and Charle have apparently recognized the beast ahead for they halted at considerable distance. Unfortunately they hadn't stopped Wendy. Charle looks stricken in fear. The captain was closed fisted, teeth gritting, and his eyes focused on the ape, apparently thinking anything to help them. "That's a mogun," he continued, "don't move it's. . ." he trailed off as if sensing the extra noise was irritating the ape.

The mogun peered harder at Lucy. It's shoulder broadened as if preparing to make a move, but it just keep staring at them, also waiting. Lucy tried to keep herself intact staring back at the glaring eyes. She knows that to not move was the wise thing to do but she also knows the longer they stay that way the more dangerous the situation become. Her fingers were aching for her keys. She wanted to call Taurus but small movements could trigger the ape, and she's afraid that in that distance the mogun could strike first before the bull could appear.

The waiting game was prolonged until flocks of birds took flight from above. A fallen branch landed close beside the mogun and that's it! The mogun roared like a monster as its arms rose in closed fist. Lucy quickly move to fully shield Wendy with her body, one hand raised with a golden key. It's better to do something than nothing. At least she could save Wendy after she received the initial blow.

"Gate of the Bull-"

"Fire Dragon's iron fist!"

The mogun was sent tumbling in the ground and Salamander landed where it was before in front of Lucy.

"Natsu!"

"Good work there Lucy, finding the golem before I could"

"No… Natsu it's not-"

"Ha look Natsu, it's standing up again!" Happy announced, cutting out Lucy.

"Want some more huh" Natsu charged, "Fire Dragon's claw!" The mogun was sent back to the ground before it could even retaliate.

"You did it Natsu!" Happy cheered.

"You alright Wendy?" Charle asked, already beside them with the captain, and ignoring the action.

"Aye, Lucy-san protected me"

"To… to knock off a mogun with just two blows, amazing!" the captain said, gawking.

"Look Natsu, I thought it should be rocky but why is it furry. It didn't match the description." Happy said, discussing the animal.

"Don't tell me Lucy was wrong"

"I'm not Natsu," Lucy, who was still seating at the ground with Wendy shouted. "I didn't say that was the golem in the first place."

"You mean this is not really it?" Natsu asked, his arm extended to point at the mogun behind him.

Lucy shook her head. Wendy and the captain shook their heads with her. "The captain called it a mogun" Charle informed, hands on hips.

Natsu could only look incredulously at them before turning back at the lying mogun. He grabbed the ape by the mast of fur just below its neck and shook it violently. "Hey you imposter wake up! Tell me where's the golem now. Wake up! Wake up!"

"Um… mogun's don't talk"

"Eh, don't mind him captain" Lucy said.

"But I don't think it's safe staying here either," Charle started. "how many wild animals were here?"

"Many, but they don't usually attack. We just bump at something wrong here."

"Either way," Lucy began, dusting her pants and helping Wendy on her feet, "I think we'd better go back for now" she turned to where Natsu and Happy is, "Natsu let's go back!"

"We should have found the real golem by now Lucy" Natsu sulked. He stopped waking up the mogun and was now sitting at it with Happy. He was slumping disappointedly.

"Natsu the forest extends miles and miles away, we can't easily find anything here." Lucy tried to explain, but the dragon slayer only slumped more. "Besides our mission is not to hunt the golem but to keep it from the village. To do that we need first to know the reason why… I mean captain prepared more fish crackers back at home so we'd better go." She lied.

Natsu started and jumped off the body of the mogun. "Alright, let's eat first before we continue the search. Let's go." He walked passed them and started leading the group back to the village. They have gone few paces when Lucy noticed they were one man short.

"Captain?"

They all halted and looked back. The captain was really left behind. He was standing right before the lying body of the mogun. Only his back was shown to them but his head was bowed, distinctly peering at the mogun, and both his fist was close in his sides.

"Captain come on" Lucy called and his head moved upward as if snapping out from something.

"Yeah, let's go" he said and caught up with them, his face back to its usual hard look.

"By the way Natsu," Lucy started as they wait for the captain, "thanks for earlier."

"For what Lucy?"

"For saving me, again" she said with a shrugged.

"Huh? Were you in danger Lucy? I saw you had the ape all in your hand and if I only knew it's not the golem I wouldn't steal the kill from you."

"I don't know he believes in you that much" Charle whispered to Lucy, smirking.

"I hope he didn't" Lucy replied.

And then Natsu suddenly started and turned. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Lucy asked.

"I didn't hear anything Natsu" Happy said.

"I think I heard a cry, and somewhere deep in the forest" Natsu explained.

"Did you hear it Wendy?" Charle asked.

Wendy shook her head. "Hm..hm.."

"It must be some other animal" the captain suggested.

"Ah! Let's just get out of here Natsu" Lucy said pushing the dragon slayer to move on.

They all came out the Forewood, the lesser forest, and back to the village. What they didn't see was the two human figures that eluded their senses and hid their existence when they came in sight somewhere at the stretch of the lesser forest..

"Did you see what I just saw?" asked one who was perch on a branch, "They bear the fairy mark."

"Looks like we're not the only wizards here" said the other who had just shown up on the same branch from somewhere. "But that doesn't make any changes to the plan."

"No indeed. We get what we came here for."