Stoneheart and the Woodhome
E1sky
Chapter 6
The Golem Leads the Way!
Senses slowly clearing up to Lucy as she woke up. Morning has come again. Lucy found herself on the sofa where Natsu should be sleeping, and she saw the said dragonslayer sprawled on the floor. Happy was not far from him.
Lucy sat up remembering she was at the central park last night. She gaze at Natsu and a small smile lifted up her face as she thought what he had done for her to end up back in the house. Perhaps she worried him.
She stood up and went to check on Wendy and Charle in the guest room. There they are sleeping soundly. Well, they really needed rest. Lucy was just last to sleep but first to wake up. Maybe she should sleep a little more too? But there's also other things to be done.
How about preparing the meal? Something at that thought make Lucy's heart take a leaped. Her preparing breakfast for Natsu and their little Wendy. It's like they're family. Of course all of Fairy Tail's were family but with just the three of them it's more like… like…. "Preparing for breakfast now" she said aloud to keep herself from thinking.
Lucy went to the kitchen and discovered she was already beaten up in her purpose. "Agatha?"
"Ah Lucy, you're awake" Agatha said smiling at her with the steaming pot she was attending.
"I didn't know you're… um… I…"
"Want to help?"
"Gladly!" Lucy came up to help whatever food that needs to be prepared. "Will the captain be here?"
"Yes. As of now they're having final assessment for what happened last night but he'll be having breakfast with us."
"Oh about last night it's actually… we're ah-"
Agatha waved her hand to cut her off. "You can save the explanation for my brother later. Am only here to serve you breakfast you know."
Lucy laughed shortly. "Thanks Agatha!"
"Lucy", Happy appeared at the door to the kitchen, "What is it I'm smelling? It seems delicious!"
Lucy smiled. "Of course, what else can you expect from me?"
"Spoiling Agatha's recipe"
"Bad cat! Anyway have you slept well Happy?"
"Aye, except that Natsu had to wake me up cause you're not in the house. Lyra was problematic how to get you back when we found you. Of course Natsu carried you back and it's the first time I hear him complain about how heavy a person is."
"What! Don't invent things just to tease me or I'll asked Natsu."
"He'll confirm then"
"I don't believe you!"
"Truth hurts sometimes"
"Enough! No breakfast for Happy."
"You're rude Lucy"
"First you accused me of spoiling Agatha's recipe. Then told me I'm heavy. Now I'm rude?"
"Noisy would be next"
"Stop it already Happy"
An hour later . . .
Natsu was outside the house, vibrant and ready to search the Forewoods. The captain and Happy with him, only waiting for their teammates. "Faster Lucy!" Natsu yelled.
"A minute Natsu" Lucy yelled back from inside the house then turned back to Wendy, "Isn't shower refreshing?" she said drying her hair.
Half an hour later . . .
"Faster Lucy!"
"A minute Natsu! How many times do I need to tell you?"
Inside the house . . .
"Done with my hair!" Wendy declared happily showing herself to Lucy.
"Lovely Wendy!" Lucy remarked and strike a pose herself. "How 'bout me?"
"You're so pretty Lucy-san!"
"Okay! So we're done" Charle managed.
Outside the house . . .
"I'm so hungry Natsu", Happy muttered. "Why they'd keep us waiting?"
"I'll go check it out" Natsu came to open the just repaired door but the door took revenge and banged him flatly on the face. "Ouch!"
"Oh I'm sorry Natsu", Lucy said coming out, "next time don't just stand in front of a door."
"So my door now opens outward," the captain noticed, "Who fixed it?"
"Natsu" Happy proclaimed.
"At least I tried" Natsu said still rubbing his nose.
"You going with us again captain?" Charle asked.
"Yeah, perhaps I can help with the places in the Forewoods."
"You're welcome then, but you know what you're getting in" Lucy smirked.
The captain sighed. "Sure know"
"So much delay, let's go already!" Natsu called out.
"Aye sir!"
The first time they entered the Forewoods they were in a rush and attacked by a mogun. The second time it was night and they're fighting the bandits. This is the only time that they entered the Forewoods peacefully and maybe that's why Wendy was surprised. Stepping into the Forewoods was like stepping into another world. The huge trees make her dramatically smaller. Normally she would trip on sticking out roots, but here there were even roots that were higher than her.
The captain had led them through the regular path that the villagers were using in the Forewoods. All the way he had showed them where they gather resources. The rare plants, herbal medicines, flowers, honeycombs, the wide river where Happy stop by to fetch a fish, and the spring where you can drink. Many things were wonderful but the most things that took Wendy's breath away were the enormous trees themselves. They're just so high that you felt a little dizzy when you looked up. In fact they were hiding the sun that the whole forest was covered in shadow causing the dimness.
"Take a look at this," Captain Vegam stood beside a tree and took out his knife to cut a portion of its skin. "It's a little dark outside but its pure white in the inside and the deeper you goes the whiter you get. The statue of Diona Blossomer in the village is made of this wood."
Every Fairy Tail mages let out an amazed sighed. Lucy's mind quickly reminisced the sight of the glowing statue she had seen last night and imagine how many statue could she make with this big tree.
"I want to have this tree Natsu" Lucy stated.
"Can we plant it to Magnolia?" Happy asked.
"Imposible Lucy, even I can't carry something this big" said Natsu.
"Of course not, but its seed…"
The captain stoop to the ground and picked up a dry thing. "Theoretically all the trees in the Forewoods were normal that has overgrown. I admit we never succeeded in planting a Forewood tree to another place but… you can always try." He had cut the dried fruit and took out the valid seed tossing it to Lucy.
"Thanks captain!" Lucy said holding the seed in her palm.
It wasn't long after that when they'd heard the familiar loud thuds known as the golem's footstep. It surprised Lucy that they've got a lead that early but Natsu was on it leading them, tracing the source of the sound with his dragon ears. The captain warned them that he never came that deep, and probably no one else, in the Forewoods but on they go.
Natsu finally stopped, successful in his search. He stood behind the golem dangerously close that Lucy and the rest distanced themselves from him. "Hey golem!" Natsu bellowed to gain attention. Lucy and Wendy gasped. Do they really need to approach the golem like this?
The golem turned and regarded Natsu. It was clearly calm. It stooped down as if to look harder and straightened up giving a low growl. It turned around and started to move.
"Where are we going?" Natsu asked and started following. Lucy's group trailed behind keeping their distance.
"Where are we going Natsu?" Lucy inquired.
"He's not telling me. Want to try to ask Lucy?"
"Never mind"
They've come to the part of the Forewood where it was darker, for the leaves and branches up above were more robust. It was then that something suddenly happened. The golem's tremendous body shoots down to the ground till to its short neck as if it fell to a deep pit. But no, there wasn't a hole. The golem was literally eaten by the ground that only its head stuck out. The golem then let out a loud growl.
Natsu instinctively rushed in to help but the ground rose like a wave and plunged him back engaging Lucy and the rest behind him in the process.
"That magic again Natsu" Happy remarked as they scrambled up.
"Yeah, it's them"
"I knew we'll meet again, Fairy Tail" the earth mage came out of the ground between them and the golem's head. The other was right behind the golem, clearly up to something.
"Don't let them interrupt, Rukyu"
"I know that already Zukyu," Rukyu covered his comrade and the sticking out head of the golem with a dome of rock.
"Rukyu and Zukyu, those two wizards are wanted!" Captain Vegam said.
"You… what did you do to the golem?" Natsu asked angrily.
"I won't move if I were you" Rukyu replied.
Natsu charged. The ground moved and started to pull them underground. Happy and Charle managed to fly. Natsu broke the ground on him with his burning feet. "Lucy!" he yelled after freeing himself and turned to see Lucy, Wendy and the captain being drowned. He was about to help when Lucy gave him a smirk with a wink. He saw them completely covered by ground but he knew what Lucy was capable of.
Natsu turned to the enemy and charged, all fired up. The earth mage started arousing boulders from the ground and hailing them to him. Natsu crushed the first wave with his flaming fist. He then caught a boulder with his hands and heated it up before throwing it back to the enemy.
Rukyu saw the incoming boulder and he raised a wall to shield him. He heard the impact that almost crushed the wall and then immediately followed by a second blow that completely obliterated the wall to reveal a grinning Natsu.
"Firedargon's flame elbow!"
Rukyu was knocked t o the ground. He then saw the fire mage set foot toward the dome. He can't allow it. Rukyu managed to move the ground where he and Natsu were away from the dome. Natsu doubled over almost immediately and Rukyu saw the opportunity. He kicked Natsu when he tried to stand up and then he set a pointed stone against him.
Happy took Natsu in the air just before the stone crushed to where he was just seconds ago. His dizziness stopped.
"That guy can use transportation attack, Happy"
"I don't think that was actually meant for attack, Natsu"
"Let's finish him off"
"Aye sir!"
Happy charged. The enemy hurled rocks at them in response. Happy dodged with precision till Natsu got a clear shot.
"Firedargon's roar!"
Fire flooded the view. Rukyu quickly downed himself in underground escape. Natsu landed and looked around.
"He's gone Natsu!"
Suddenly Rukyu gradually came out of the ground with irritated grunts, apparently not his doing. He was being pushed out. Then Natsu and Happy saw the reason when Virgo appeared from underground pushing the enemy out. Lucy, Wendy and a dazed captain Vegam also appeared not far from them.
"I think he wants to be buried alive Natsu" Lucy said smirking.
"Granted" said Natsu, fist on fire.
"I'll hold him tight" Virgo assured, still halfway underground holding the enemy's feet.
"Firedragon's iron fist!" Natsu hit him squarely in the face in downward projection that the back of his head crash on the ground sickeningly.
"Nice finish" the captain commented.
Then they all turned to the dome. It suddenly cracks all over. Then it completely shattered to reveal Zukyu who had written a magic circle at the back of the golem's head. The circle was glowing, apparently complete. They all watch in astonishment when Zukyu stepped right through it and gone.