"Lucy, just tell us why we're going to that hell hole," Gray shouted as we continued to walk towards Felden. I remained silent, Erza was walking by my side, Dux was trotting alongside Romeo.
"Gray, just drop the subject," Erza snapped, clearly annoyed by the ice make wizard.
"Can't believe Erza is just siding with Lucy like this," Romeo muttered. Levy was holding something to her chest, and remained silent.
"I'll tell you if what I suspect is right," I said softly as we continued through the cold.
"And what are expecting to find there," Gray asked. Again I stayed silent, and I could hear Gray huff in annoyance. "We're wasting so much time," he muttered. I let out a sigh and looked ahead to see Felden coming into view.
"Seems like they were able to rebuild after that," I said softly looking at the new building, my voice trailing off. No one commented on what I said, which I took as a good thing. Once we actually arrived in town we just wondered.
"It's like, they were never even here," Gray muttered as we walked though the market. Then Dux let out a low growl as we continued walking.
"What's up with Dux," Erza asked when Dux refused to stop.
"Sorry, must be my fault," a man wearing a cloak said as he emerged from the shadows. Everyone began to tense up but me.
"Aren't you suppose to be in jail," I asked when I recognized the voice.
"Technically yes, but some of your friends at Crime Sorciere were kind enough to get me out if I helped them eradicate evil," the man said, I could make out his smile, and he returned to the alley way he came from. "Forgive me for not wanting to talk about this in public, Lucy Nix Heartfilia, but I am a wanted man after all."
I followed him, much to the dismay of the others. "Word on the street is that your Dragon Slayers have gone missing," he said as we went deeper into the alley, not far behind Dux, and Erza followed.
"You know something about it, don't you," I said sternly as the man turned to face me, and slowly he lowered his hood. The purple eyes, and silver hair that was in a tight pony tail. "Fern."
"As you know, my talent of turning people to monsters is one few have. I might have been approached by your dragon slayer thieves to get revenge for what you did to me."
"But you declined," I asked, only to get a nod in turn.
"As I hope you remember, you taught me I should be fighting for others regardless of what they will remember, so I had no need to get revenge against you or your guild."
"But you know who took them."
"You're not going to like it, and Jellal told me I shouldn't make a move to tell you seeing how many people are at risk, but you are one of the few people who I think can stop them."
"Don't be so sure about that," I said clenching the robotic arm's fist.
"Right now I would say you are right, but once you learn everything they are involved with I believe you will think differently," Fern said with a smile.
"What does that mean," I asked with hints of anger in my voice.
"You'll see," Fern said walking away. "They also gave me a message specifically for you."
"And what would that be."
"A true skeleton roar kills all those in it's wake," Fern added before lifting his hood again as he proceeded to walk away. I felt fear flood over me, and I went to my knees.
"Lucy," Erza cried as she hurried to my side.
"We can't tell the others about this," I said as I gripped my robotic arm. "They can't know, no matter what."
"Why," Erza asked as I began to shiver, my grip on the metal getting tighter. I remained silent.
"Because we were barely able to make it out alive," I said softly. Erza sat down next to me and silently we looked towards where Fern had disappeared.
"This is where the incident happened," Erza said softly, I only nodded my answer, unable to speak again. "And the people who took them, were the people who did that to you," her eyes glanced towards the artificial arm, again I nodded my answer. It didn't take long for us to hear some yelling from the rest of our group.
"Where the hell are they," Gray shouted as he stormed down the alley, his footsteps louder than they should have been. I got to my feet and turned to face the man, Erza got up seconds later.
"Who the hell was that," Gray asked his eyes showing both concern and anger.
"Someone from my past," I answered, "come on we don't have to be here anymore," I said softly walking past him.
"So did you get what you needed, are you going to tell us why you dragged us out here," Gray added as we exited the alley.
"No," I answered. I could hear Gray muttering under his breath about how this wasn't fair. Levy and Romeo were making small talk when we reached them. Silently our group walked through the city, no one bothered speaking to me, seeing how I denied them any piece of knowledge I had.
It didn't take us long to find our ways back into the wilderness and set up camp. Again I took watch first and set a bit away from the camp.
"Once you learn everything they are involved with I believe you will think differently"
Fern's words rang through my head. "What all were they involved with," I asked myself when I saw I didn't have the answer to it myself.
"Maybe I can help with that," a voice rang out through the night. I looked up to see a black suit, and orange hair. "Lucy."