The Thirteenth Key
===Chapter 4===
Trapped
"He seems nice," Levy said. After their brief meeting with Alexander, they'd gone to get dinner. After a brief look at the average restaurant price, they'd ended up at a noodle stand. Two large bowls of steaming noodles sat before them as they chatted.
"I dunno, I never quite trust someone who just walks up like that," Lucy replied cautiously, frowning slightly. Her expression betrayed her unease. "I always wonder what their ulterior motive is."
"Maybe he just wants to help?"
"Levy-chan, you're not that naïve."
"Okay, maybe he's just lonely. He said that he spends a lot of time at the library. He's just glad to find people who share an interest of his." The talking stopped briefly as noodles slurped their way from bowls to mouths. "But, I think we'll be okay anyway. We are mages, after all!"
"I hope so. There was just something creepy about him," Lucy said thoughtfully. Hopefully, it was just her imagination.
===][===
"Are you sure this is the right address?" Levy gawked.
"I-I think so," Levy stammered, staring up at the mansion in amazement. It had to be bigger than Fairy Tail! She'd never seen a residence so opulent since she'd moved out of the Heartphilia Estate. Where did this wealth come from?
They walked up the garden path to the main door. Levy had felt quite so out of place, as if the clothes she was wearing weren't expensive enough for such a place. She noticed that Lucy seemed much more at home here, which she supposed made sense for a Heartphilia. Lucy slammed the huge knocker against the door three times.
"Lu-chan, wait," Levy hissed. "This entire building is ringed by runes."
"What?" Levy knelt and pressed her hand to the floor. In response, magical runes flared to life from invisibility. Lucy watched as Levy's eyes flickered, reading the words as well as the flow magic.
"These are anti-magic runes. Once inside, we'll be unable to cast magic. We'll be helpless." Lucy couldn't help but agree with Levy's assessment. As physical fighters, they were useless. If this man was even of medium build, he could easily overpower them, ignoring the fact that he probably had a multitude of servants. Levy's hands glowed with a rose aura. "Give me a moment."
"What are you doing!?" Lucy gasped, as suddenly a butler answered the door. Levy sprang upright with not a moment to spare to cover her subterfuge. Lucy's mind was thinking quickly. What did the runes mean? It wasn't uncommon for rich men to have security, was it? After all, the Heartphilias had similar defences. But to apply a null zone to a building of this size would require a master runesmith.
"Ah, you must be the pair that Master encountered at the Librariam. Please, do come in, he's waiting for you in his study." The butler led them along grandiose corridors and up several flights of stairs until he paused outside of a large oaken door to rap his knuckles against it. Having taken their names earlier, he called in. "A young Miss Lucy Heartphilia and Levy McGarden to see you, sir."
"Ah! Please show them in!" Alexander's voice floated out of the room and the butler opened the door to allow them in. Inside, the study was magnificent. A two floored room with a mezzanine. The two floors were crammed with bookshelves, while the open area included a series of desks with various books spread out on them.
In the middle of it all was Alexander, beaming happily from behind a desk. He hurriedly stood, making to shake the girl's hands with warm greetings. He looked at Lucy directly.
"Lucy Heartphilia. Yes, I should have made the connection earlier. A powerful celestial mage of Fairy Tail and daughter of Jude Heartphilia. I must pass on my condolences. He was a good man."
"You knew him?" Lucy asked, surprised.
"I'm a rather large merchant. I couldn't have not heard of him! No, we had more than a few dealings, him and I. But, that is the past and I don't wish to tread on old memories. Would you like a drink, or should we get straight to business?"
Lucy began to explain the events that had led them here, of the small information she had surrounding the snake spirit.
"Ophiuchus. Hmm, yes, you'd be hard pressed to find any information on him at all. I possess a great many books on the subject, and few go beyond noting the fact that there is a rumoured thirteenth key. Only a few of those know that it is supposedly a serpent."
"So, you don't have any information at all?" Lucy asked, disappointment clear on her face.
"Let me ask you, do you know how old your spirits are?" Alexander asked.
Levy chipped in, feeling a bit left out. "My understanding is that the spirits are ancient, older than even humanity, but they gained shape due to how humans perceived the stars."
"Yes, that is correct. Take one of your spirits, Taurus for example. He is as old as the stars of that constellation, but the theory goes that he was shapeless, immaterial until humans came into existence and began to worship the stars, name them, give them form."
"So it's our fault he's a lecherous pervert?" Lucy asked flatly.
"I wouldn't say that exactly," Alexander replied, grinning at the joke, "but the bovine elements of his form are because of us. It's quite fascinating, but ultimately so far in the past that little exists in terms of records. But I would suggest that your snake friend committed his crime in eons past. When one considers the history of serpents in fiction-"
"You're thinking of the bible!" Levy blurted suddenly, confusing Lucy utterly.
"Yes. My, you are a bright young thing. The serpent. The betrayer in the Garden of Eden. And what was his crime? Nothing so terrible as wanting to grant knowledge to humanity. These ancient stories, they all twist together, drawing elements from one another – the price of history before writing was invented. So, allow me to make a wild speculation. Your friend, Ophiuchus tried to help us humans in some way. The king didn't like that. Perhaps at the time, humanity was very primitive, very savage. Since then, the king may well have changed his mind, but the order stands."
"That would explain why he was banished, even though Virgo said that he wasn't evil," Lucy said thoughtfully. "But he is alone! Why wouldn't the king let him back in if he changed his mind?"
"I don't know, but we males tend to be stubborn creatures. Perhaps each is happier with shouldering the past and moving forward with it."
"This is all very well and good, but it just speculation," Lucy noted. "We don't have any concrete evidence."
"Can you not forcibly summon Ophiuchus to converse with him directly?" Alexander asked, raising a brow.
"No. I can force a spirit back to the celestial world, but I cannot make one come here without his say so."
"I see. Then I may be able to help you after all." He reached over onto the desk, holding up a book opened to a page displaying a magical seal. "Behold, the seal that can summon a spirit to this world by means of possession."
"Possession?" Lucy asked.
"Yes. Don't worry about how it sounds, it isn't dangerous to the host, but you can essentially use a human as a vessel to bind the spirit to for a temporary period of time. It means that you could speak to Ophiuchus directly."
"I see…," Lucy said doubtfully. Her doubt arose again. Did he want the spirit for himself?
"The problem is, the host cannot be you as the summoner. And before you think that I am trying to swindle you in some way, they must be a mage. So my servants and I cannot be the host either."
There was a pregnant pause.
"Oh crap," Levy swore.
===][===
"So," Wendy said quietly. "Who else has suddenly realised how difficult it will be to find two people in a city of this size?"
"Particularly someone so small," Gajeel growled.
"I can't find their scent at all!" Natsu raged. There were just so many people heading back and forth, even at this late hour. A thousand scents overlaying one another in all directions.
"We know that they're going to the Library," Lily said, ever the voice of wisdom. "You three head there on foot. We Exceeds will fly about and see if we can spot them from the sky."
"Don't get lost, Natsu!" Happy called as the trio began to ascend. Natsu shouted something rude back up, but they had gone by then. They began to scour the wide city roads, heading in the general direction of the Librariam.
At one point, Gajeel called a halt and strode over to a window to look at something.
"Oi, give me a minute Salamander, I wanna buy this."
"Gajeel, hurry up!"
"I'll just be a minute, asshole!" Gajeel walked into the shop and Wendy went over, curious. From outside the shop, she watched the shopkeeper reach into the window display and pick up the sixty four times speed glasses that had been sitting there. She felt all warm and fuzzy; Gajeel hadn't hesitated for a second to drop ten thousand jewels on something he'd thought that Levy would like. Who'd have thought that face hid such a kind personality?
As he came back out carrying the elegant glass case, he noticed Wendy and blushed slightly. "You think she'll like them?"
"Of course!" She thrilled. "But isn't that expensive?"
Gajeel shrugged. "I do high level jobs that make a lot of money. My apartment's pretty shabby, but the rent's low. I don't need much in the way of clothes or food. I can get iron for free from a scrapyard. Money doesn't mean much to me. Shrimp said that her pair was getting kinda old, so…"
"It's the thought that counts!" Wendy assured him. Gajeel never looked so vulnerable. If she had been anyone else, Gajeel might have punched her for inquiring, but he was fond of the little slayer. She was like a little sister to him, and if she'd just grow up a few more inches, he could have endless hilarity comparing her to Levy. Gihihi!
"Are we going or what!?" Natsu shouted impatiently, already a dozen metres up the road.
"Now him, him I'll punch," Gajeel hissed. Natsu just glared and turned to carry on. He couldn't sit still. He could feel it in his bones now. Lucy was close and so was danger. He had to hurry. He could never forgive himself is she was…no! He couldn't even think it. He remembered watching future Lucy die at Rogue's hands. Never again. He had to find her, now!
===][===
"Are you sure about this?" Levy asked nervously. They had moved to a bare sideroom. The room had a secondary set of runes that created a shadow in the first. Basically, this room was the only room one could cast magic in this house. It made Lucy feel better, knowing that if anything bad happened, Taurus or Loke were only a wave of a key away.
"I've read this book a bit. It appears to be completely safe. It won't hurt you and it lasts for an hour at the maximum."
"Jeez, that makes it alright then!" Levy huffed sarcastically. Ophiuchus' key sat on a chain around her neck. Why had she agreed to this? She loved Lucy with all of her heart, but this seemed more than a tad excessive. But at her very core, Levy was an immensely kind individual. Touching the key, she felt bad for the lonely spirit and wanted to help ease his pain. "Okay, I'm ready."
Alexander watched eagerly as Lucy raised her hands, creating the magical seal.
"I invoke the ancient right of the heavens! Gate of the Serpent Bearer, I open thee onto this willing vessel! Ophiuchus, I call thee forth!"
They key began to glow with golden light that passed into Levy, her eyes closed. In the light, Lucy swore that she could see ebon streamers like snakes winding their way around her friend's body. As the light faded, Levy began to scream and scream, collapsing to the floor.
"Levy-chan!" Lucy cried, kneeling down to hold her. She could see her veins turning black, standing out in bold relief to her paling skin. She was insensate, overcome by overwhelming pain. "What's wrong? Alexander, did I do the spell wrong?"
"No," Alexander said, facing contorting into an evil smile. "You did the spell perfectly. Right now, Ophiuchus is sealed within your friend's body. Within an hour, she'll die from the magical power ripping her apart. That gives us a wonderful ticking clock, doesn't it?"
"W-what are you saying?" Lucy cried, confused by how events had changed so suddenly.
"Don't worry. I am not some Neanderthal philistine who hits women. I have no plans to harm you in any way. Put simply, I need you to do something for me."
"You bastard! Why didn't you just ask!?" Lucy screamed. "Why did you hurt Levy!?"
"Because," he replied with a sneer, all veneer of politeness falling away. "The thing I am asking you to do will very possibly kill someone very important to your guild. What's his name? Natsu Dragneel?"
"Natsu!?"
"Yes. I am asking you to kill his father." He scowled, seeing Lucy about to utter another 'what' and talked over it. "Listen, you silly girl. It is quite simple. I need a celestial mage to perform a ritual on me, to attach me to my Earthland self."
"I can't do something like that!" Wait, Earthland?
"Yes, you can. I can show you the ritual. The worlds are joined by the celestial world. All runs through that plane-"
"You, you're Edolas Igneel, aren't you?" Lucy stated boldly, pieces falling into place. She remembered the words of Garren, Metalicana's Edolas counterpart. He'd said that this Igneel was in complete contrast to this world's. "You said that you wanted to attach to your Earthland self and that it would kill Igneel!"
"Do not interrupt me again," Alexander said coldly. "Yes, I am the Edolas form of that damned dragon. I am asking you to perform a ritual that will link me to my Earthland counterpart and steal his magic, sealing it within me. I'm sure that it won't kill him. Maybe. It's not really relevant. What is relevant is if you don't do this for me, your friend dies."
"Ten minutes."
Lucy and Alexander were startled. It was Levy who had spoken. It was her voice, but the inflection was wrong. She was sitting up now and though still shaking, had appeared to pass through the worst of the pain. She glared up with eerily golden eyes.
"Give my owner and I ten minutes to discuss this. Then we will give you your decision."
"I didn't think that you would be coherent, snake. Fine, I shall grant you ten minutes. Remember, that body cannot sustain you for long." Alexander left the room, leaving Lucy trembling with the revelation of the last few minutes. She looked at Levy, not sure what to say.
"Levy? Ophiuchus?"
"I am the serpent," the Levy-thing said with an angry snarl, mitigated by the non-scary disposition of his current body. "I don't know why you couldn't just leave well enough alone, but because of you, look at this situation."
Lucy began to cry, overwhelmed by the moment. She'd gone from optimistic to crushed within moments, facing the deaths of Levy, Natsu's father and now the very spirit who she'd tried to help. He was right to be angry with her. She was so stupid to allow this to happen.
"Oi! You don't have time to be crying!" Ophiuchus shouted, twisting Levy's features into an alien expression of anger. "You have two choices; kill me to save your friend or give this man power that will kill a person important to you. Or, I suppose you could let this girl die."
"Never!" Lucy shouted back, full of passion. "I am not the sort of person to allow my nakama to die! Now, you damn snake, I went out of my way to help you and so did Levy! So the first thing you can do is give me the information that I need! Why wouldn't you talk to me? Why were you banished?"
'Levy' winced at the outburst, looking sombre. "Listen, princess. My sins are none of your damn business. I do not want to add this girl's death to the list. What a young girl might not have paid any attention to was that he only gave you the seal for possession, but not the one for unbinding. Without that, I'm trapped in here. However, you can still destroy me utterly. Take the key and I can show you the ritual of unmaking. That will save your friend."
"I refuse!" Lucy replied hotly.
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I die, or your friend does."
"I refuse! I will find another way." Lucy turned back to the book that she had taken the ritual from. Looking at it now, she believed the book to be a fake. The ritual obviously worked, but the consequences were all lies. She couldn't trust anything in there. "If you're going to be useless, is it possible for me to talk to Levy?"
"No. I can feel her mind in here, but I can't let it surface. She's scared, you know." 'Levy' frowned. "But for some reason I don't understand, she trusts you to save us both. She also says 'I told you so'. I like her."
"Then you can be friends once I get you both back to the guild," Lucy replied with a fierce smile. Ophiuchus looked a little stunned at the proclamation. "We've still got five minutes left, and we're in a room where I can cast magic. I'm going to figure something out, you'll see."
Levy's body winced, clutching her head. "Hurry. Your friend doesn't have much time."
===][===
Gajeel staggered, his breath unexpectedly catching in his throat. What was this feeling? He was sweating buckets suddenly. He could feel his dream resurface in his mind's eye. Levy, being swallowed whole by a black serpent.
"Salamander! Wendy! We're getting close, I think!" He shouted. Natsu looked at him and shared an understanding nod.
The Fire Dragon closed his eyes, trying to feel this 'bond' that Wendy had spoken of. Was it true that dragons bonded so deeply with their loved ones that they could sense their danger? Sense their pain? It seemed-
Natsu's eyes snapped open. He could almost see it, like a fine red thread leading him to Lucy. He could feel that she was sad, upset beyond measure, but hopeful and trying to achieve something. There was no feeling of the danger that Igneel had posed in his dream, but he could almost reach out and touch her, wipe her tears away.
"Luce," he whispered. "I'm coming! Hold on!"