Hey guys sorry it's been to long? How is everything? I know your probably upset that I have taken to long to update..I have graduation soon so I am fighting to put up my grades …sorry…but I did promise myself that I will finish this story no matter what…
Erza: You better finish it! Or I will have to take necessary measures. *threatens*
ERZA! *shakes in fear* I am sorry I am sorry! I will I promise *gets on knees crying*
Erza: *ignores* Thanks to whynotwhynot, ReianaA, leoslady4ever, Natsu kiss Lucy, CupcakeGirl633, Sabrinax07, icefox94, and PokemonSky1999 for the great reviews of last chapter. We have read them all and enjoyed them. I am glad you all like this story. Please continue to tell us what you think of the story. And tell us if you would like me to take care of the author personally with her lateness *cracks knuckles*
Please don't agree to that *cries*
Chapter 12: Few hours left
"Where are we going?" Gajeel spoke breaking the silence between the dragonslayers. They've been walking in silence on the road that leads out of Magnolia. They have already been walking for a couple hours in silence following behind the red haired dragonslayer. Natsu and Wendy wondered the same thing as Gajeel as they stared at Cindy. The red head girl turned to look at them with a sullen face.
"The road to the Strigoi's hideout is a hard one. It isn't easy to find or to pass through. Not only that, but once we get there we will face an enemy like no other." Cindy spoke sullenly as she rubbed her arms slowly. Her memories going back to when she encountered them in attempt to save Lucy. "We need a plan and more help."
"What do you mean more help? We can do this on our own!" Natsu retorted almost angered. "We don't have time to get help. We need to save her now before it's too late."
"Natsu! We won't be too late, Trust me! Two more people will meet us on the way and join us." Cindy hissed.
"We don't need more help! We can handle this ourselves!"
"Stop being a stubborn ass, Natsu! They are going to come with us to help whether you like it or not! Remember I can see your future!"
"Who are they?" Wendy let out curiously as her dark eyes searched the red heads. Gajeel stared at the red head also he couldn't help, but feel annoyed by her. Cindy pissed him off for some reason.
"They are dragonslayers like us!" Cindy answered. Truthfully she didn't want to tell them who the two dragonslayer were for she knew they will refuse. Especially Natsu.
"Who are they!" Gajeel growled knowing she is keeping something from them. Cindy stared right at the iron dragonslayer with an annoyed expression. She senses so much of Metallica in him. She knew Gajeel didn't trust her.
"We are almost there!" Cindy mumbled ignoring Gajeel's question. She came to a silent stop once a town came into view. The dragonslayer's looked forwards towards the busy port town in wonder. "We need to get some supplies here, but be on alert!"
"Why?"
"We are near the Strigoi hideout so my guess is that there are a lot of them in town. They are smart and perceptive so they will question why there are so much dragonslayer's here." Cindy sighed out annoyed about all the questions she had to answer. They looked at her understanding as they walked towards the town.
"What do we do then?" Wendy asked in worry as she looked at Cindy with big eyes. Cindy bit her bottom lip in frustration. She knows there are plenty of Strigoi in town for they are preparing for the ceremony.
"Split up? Yeah split up! Natsu , You go with Wendy. And I will go with Gajeel." Cindy spoke shocking the group. Her eyes were trained on the iron dragonslayer hoping this will be a good time they could talk.
"You sure that will work?" Wendy voiced oblivious to the situation between the other dragonslayers.
Gajeel and Natsu just stared in silence the whole time why Cindy spoke to Wendy. Their eyes narrowed with suspicion. The iron dragonslayer then moved closer to the pink haired man to speak.
"Natsu, I don't trust her!" Gajeel let out softly only low enough for him and Natsu to hear. "She is hiding something from us."
"Yeah. I can sense she is hiding something from us, but I do trust her." Natsu responded as he looked at the iron dragonslayer. "She is the only thing we got to save Lucy. She knows more about the Strigoi than we do and she knows where they have Lucy."
"I am not buying the psychic freak act though."
"That's actually true. I don't know how, but it is. Trust me everything is too complicated now."
"Well it better be cleared up soon when we get Lucy or I will seriously beat it out of someone."
"Alright! So we will split up and meet back in the center of the town next to the Falcon Fountain. You won't notice the Strigoi near you for they can shape shift. Don't attract attention to yourselves!" Cindy spoke out looking right at Natsu in the eyes. The pink haired man sighed out as he rolled his eyes at the girl. "If something happens don't fight them. The Strigoi are too strong to take on by yourself so don't be an idiot. Now if anyone were to ask you are on a mission and just stopped by the town to pick up supplies."
"So much shit to just to go into town." Gajeel muttered annoyed.
"Ok! Meet at the fountain in an hour ok!" Cindy spoke signaling for them to split up.
She watched in silence as Natsu and Wendy walked into the lively town leaving her alone with Gajeel. She sighed out loud softly as she walked to get the things she needs to get. Gajeel followed behind her silently studying her. They walked through the lively town silently as they entered a couple magic shops and getting things.
"What the hell is all this for?" Gajeel finally asked as he motioned to the backpack filled with magical things that Cindy is carrying.
"Precaution. I mean it when I say we are going to face an enemy like no other. We might not make it out alive. We are just going in to get my sister then getting out. We will face them another day."
"Why can't we take them now? We can handle it! Why not finish them off now!"
"Because we are to weak now! If we go in now and decided to take matters to our own hands we will all die then they will proceed to go to Lucy and killing her in the most painful way imagine. Then after that they will track down Taiyo and kill him in the same way as his mother. Finally they will go hunt down the dragons so there is no more hope for humanity! " Cindy yelled in his face. Gajeel stood in shock as he stared at her. He knows he doesn't trust her, but he knows she is telling the truth.
"How do you think we get in and out without dying then?" Gajeel asked as he crossed his arms over his chest. They walked towards the fountain since they finished getting what they need to get. People past by them quietly going on with their lives.
"I have some magic amulets that we can use to sneak in and out without being noticed. If something does happen and we are noticed we just need to get Lucy and run out." She let out a tired sigh as she ran her hand through her hair. "I know you don't trust me, but you're gonna have to. It's probably uncomfortable for you to do that now, but we have to trust each other to survive this and save my sister."
"You act like you know so much shit about me. It pisses me off so shut up before I punch you!" Gajeel grumbled annoyed now at her. Cindy just rolled her eyes at him as she kept in her laughter. He is so much like Metallica.
They reached the fountain in silence with still a few minutes to spare. The fountain was beautiful made from white glittering tiles with a falcon at the top. Pure clear water poured out from under the falcon towards the bottom pool. Cindy watched it in fascination before she and Gajeel sat down awkwardly on the bench waiting for Natsu and Wendy. Cindy bit the inside of her mouth getting more nervous by the minute she knows the other two are going to be here any minute. She isn't talking about Wendy and Natsu.
"Cindy! Gajeel!" Natsu yelled as he ran up to them with Wendy behind him. The two dragonslayers looked up from the bench at the fire and sky dragonslayer with a questioning look at the food they were holding.
"I thought you guys would be hungry." Wendy muttered out embarrassed. Her blue hair shined in the sun as it hung down to her waist loosely. Cindy noticed a couple men stared at the blunette as they passed by. Wendy is a beautiful girl why wouldn't they? Cindy and Gajeel muttered a thank you as they dug into the food. "Ne? Cindy-san?"
"Yeah?" Cindy answered with her mouth full of food. Gajeel and Natsu looked at her with a disgusted face. "Don't show me that face! You eat like pigs to!"
"What's the bag for?"
"Some supplies we need to help us on our journey. Now we need to leave before the They take notice that we are together." Cindy spoke in alarm as she stood up. Natsu looked at Gajeel to only have the Iron dragonslayer shrug as if not to ask.
Natsu studied the red head as she walked ahead with Gajeel and Wendy behind her. They walked silently and quickly towards the docks. The dragonslyers couldn't help stare at Cindy's back curiously and with lost looks. She keeps going places and doing things without telling them.
"What are we doing here?" Natsu spoke once they all stopped in front of a small wooden boat. He is starting to get really annoyed with the red head for she isn't saying anything about anything. "And tell us everything! I am getting tired of your games. We are in this together to help Lucy. Now you have to tell us everything"
"Not here! Inside the boat!" Cindy said in alarm as she looked around with panicked eyes. They looked at Cindy unsure as she sighed out. She was fine just a minute ago. Now her honey brown eyes are filled with panic as she frantically pushed them inside the cabin of the boat.
"What the hell is going on? Talk now before I make you!" Gajeel yelled as he grabbed Cindy by the collar of her trench coat slamming her against the cabin door. Cindy let out a gasp up on the impact as her hands flew up to clutch Gajeel's.
"Gajeel! Stop!" Natsu growled as he pushed Gajeel away from Cindy. The pink haired man stood in the middle of them with his arms out to keep them both from launching at each other.
"Why the hell you taking her side? She made us go everywhere today then doesn't tell us shit expect for stupid ass mumbo jumbo! Is she even a dragonslayer? Does she even want to save Lucy?" Gajeel yelled. His dark eyes burning with ferocity at the red head who just stared back with challenging eyes.
"Didn't I tell you that you have to trust me, dumbass! I want to save my sister just as much as all of you because I have seen what they will do to her and it scares me. As for being a dragonslayer I am happy to show you proof." Cindy threatened as her arms seemed to be engulfed in water. Gajeel grinned evilly at the younger girl as he turned his arms into iron.
"Let's go shortie!" He sneered enjoying her annoyed expression.
"Bring it, Dumpster Trash!" She hissed.
Gajeel growled in annoyance as he charged at her. Cindy immediately pushed Natsu out of the way to finally hit the annoying Iron dragonslayer. Natsu let out a shout for them to stop while Wendy quickly ran to the middle of them. Her patience now gone.
"Stop!" Wendy yelled as she pushed air out of her hands hitting Gajeel and Cindy. They both flew in the air upon the impact slamming against the wall on opposite sides. Gajeel and Cindy let out a pained grunt as their bodies fell to the floor. "Sorry!"
"What the hell! Wendy!" Gajeel yelled once he got up. He rubbed his head in pain preparing himself for the coming headache.
"I just wanted you guys to stop fighting!"
"Wendy is right! You guys need to stop fighting. This lack of trust isn't getting us anywhere!" Natsu spoke up. He moved to help the groaning red head up. Apparently she hit her head roughly against the wood. Cindy gasped in shock while Natsu grabbed both of her hands looking right into her honey brown eyes. "Please! I just want to save Lucy! I am tired of all this. Please help us save Lucy as fast as we can. No more holding stuff in."
"I want to save her to." Cindy sighed. Maybe she was being ridiculous about all this secrecy, but she had to. "Aish!" Cindy yelled frustrated as she rubbed her head. She couldn't help, but feel frustrated with herself. God what is she doing? She is acting like an idiot here while they are doing unspeakable things to Lucy. "Ok! Look! Right now we are going to hijack this ship! The other two dragonslayers are going to use it to go on a mission. Once they get here we will pose as the captain and the crew of the ship then once we are a good distance in the ocean we will reveal ourselves to them."
"Why the hell do we have to do all that shit for them to come?" Gajeel growled. "Bull shit! We don't need them!" Gajeel yelled as he moved towards the door. Before Gajeel even got close to the door a wall of ice appeared in front of him blocking his way. Wendy gasped in shock while Natsu tried to calm the flaming red head.
"I already told you earlier, metal head! We need all the help we can get or we all will die! Now you all want me to tell you everything so I will! But I am not going to do it if you're going to be stubborn ass's and not listen to everything I have to say!" Cindy hissed. Her honey brown eyes glaring right at Gajeel. "I know you don't trust me and you want to kick my ass right now, but you're gonna have to suck it up! I know the way I went about this wasn't smart, but remember I have seen it all. I have a lot in my head from all this. I have to think of a plan on how we can save my sister without any of us dying. Because after we save Lucy we have to go to the dragon's immediately."
"We are going to see them?" Wendy muttered out all of sudden getting nervous and excited to see her dragon mother after so many years.
"That was the plan , Cindy, and I were supposed to come down to take you to them, but…" Natsu said. He couldn't even finish the sentence. He couldn't believe he let her slip out his fingers like that. He should have stayed.
"It was all that stupid kid's fault." Gajeel growled angrily. "When I get my hands on him.."
"Shut the hell up!" Cindy yelled tears coming down her eyes. "Don't you dare blame that child for all already blames himself enough for everything. Do you know that boy cries his heart out when he is by himself. He has Lucy's personality on keeping everything to make other's happy, but now. Now that his mother got taken because of him and he has no magical power in him. Now the pain he feels inside in unimaginable. He worked so hard to try to make his mother happy. Taiyo seriously thought that she was depressed because he was born."
"How do you know all this?" Wendy asked. She couldn't help, but feel worried for the boy. Every time she saw him he was always laughing and smiling. Just like his mother. Natsu looked down in sadness as he took in Cindy's words. Taiyo's face when he ran to him crying haunted his mind. That boy. He holds so much pain in his heart. More pain than a normal boy his age shouldn't hold.
"I caught him trying to kill himself a couple months back. I remembered when I stopped him he just cried out. He yelled that if he was gone then Lucy wouldn't be so sad anymore. That his mom will be happy because she doesn't have to lock her heart." Cindy sadly spoke. She looked down remembered the memory of that day. How the small boy opened up to her telling her everything. The way he held on too her while he cried. "Never blame that child. He already blames himself enough." Cindy spoke softly. Gajeel looked at the girl expressionless not wanting to show her that she got to him.
"Cindy? Who are the dragonslayer's? Why do we have to be away from land to tell them?" Natsu asked going back to the problem at hand.
"We have to be away from land because I know they will start a fight with us. Now we need the boat anyways to go to our destination to save Lucy. You see even though the Strigoi hideout is near it is through a cave. The best way for us to go through is the underwater passage." Cindy explained. The gang sad down on nearby crates and cabin beds listening in. "I don't want to say the rest of the plan until we convince the other dragonslayers. One of them I can easily convince the other one is in your hands because if I try to convince him I will kill him without a doubt."
"Do you know them?"
"Yeah! I met them when I was young. I occasionally talk to them when I leave the dragon realm."
"Who are they?" Gajeel asked. Cindy sighed as she ran her hands through her hair.
"Rogue and Sting." Cindy let out in a sigh. And almost as if on cue voices and footsteps can be heard on the boat. "They're here!"
*************************************************Protecting Dragons**************************************************************
"Ah!" Lucy gasped out in pain as they threw her worn out body into the dark lifeless rock walled room. Her body slammed against the cold wall then landed on the floor in a loud thud. The blonde breathed out in pain as tears slipped down her eyes. If only she could move.
"All the tests came back positive!" A dark husky breathed out in the darkness behind her. She could see 3 sets of red eyes look at her with excitement. Lucy's heart beating faster in fear.
"Now we can finally do the ceremony. Ah the search is finally over. The master will be pleased with his feast tomorrow of her heart." They laughed darkly. Their laughs echoing through Lucy's ears.
Haven't they done enough torture to her already? Now they are laughing in front of her face. These bastards. Lucy just let the tears go down her eyes knowing she can't do anything. Her fate ends tomorrow. Her body and soul will rest in peace. She won't feel the pain that is currently surging through her body anymore. Today their final test was sticking iron rods through her body to her bones and electrifying her body from the inside out. She doesn't remember how long her voice screamed in agony before she blacked out with her body smoking. Personally she believes they only did that for fun not for the tests.
"What are you doing?" A new voice growled out in rage as a smack echoed the room. The Strigoi's laughs ceasing. The blonde's eyes looked towards the dark opened door to see another set of red eyes looking at her. "The master wants to do the ceremony now. He can't wait any longer." Lucy's eyes widen in fear. No she thought she at least had more time. "Bring the dragon spirit to the master's chamber now!"
Lucy heard the other three Strigoi grunt in agreement. She heard their feet slam against the ground while they came closer. Her tears coming down as her heart continue to beat in fear. She felt their claws lift her up in the air as one of the Strigoi slung her almost lifeless body over his hard scalely shoulder. The monster's laughed at her tears as they walked. This is it. In a couple hours she will be no more, but before she goes she will go through the agony of having her heart ripped out of her chest. Lucy's vision kept going in and out due to her being worn out as flashes of torches along the rock wall went in her mind. She couldn't help, but wonder if she let her body die now she won't have to feel the pain. But knowing these demons they will torture her back to life with the electricity. She wants to cry out, but why should she? No one is coming to save her. No one can. She has to accept her fate in order to save her son. His magical power is in her and once she dies they will go back to him hopefully by they are all safely in the dragon realm.
"Set her body there!" One of the voices yelled echoing loudly through the room. Lucy felt her body slam against a hard cold table. The clinks of metal coming together echoed as they chained her hands to the table. Her arms and legs extended out. She leaned her head down not having the energy to lift it up. "Everyone move away! The master wants to make sure it's her before we start."
A loud roar echoed the room as the stomps of a giant coming closer echoed the blonde's ears. Lucy lifted her head weakly towards the roar to only widen her eyes in horror. She couldn't believe her eyes as she stared right at the giant head and white eyes.
"Acnologia!" She let out in fear. Her voice cracked due to her dry throat.
The large dark dragon let out a roar as if answering to his name. His head came closer looking at her in the eyes. His breathe hitting her face. Lucy breathed heavily in panic as the air around her immediately smelled of death. She knew about this horrible dragon from the books she read over the years about the dragons. About how this terrorizing dragon used to be a man who craved power more than his own humanity. The dragon looks different now from the pictures in the books. The dragon looks as if he is coming down to his last days. It could be the fact due to that he used to be mortal.
Acnologia swung his head from side to side looking at the terrified beat up blonde chained to the table. She looks as if she can die any second now, but she saw the dragon life went into her eyes. The dragon wanted to laugh for he knew it was because she was scared. Acnologia lifted his finger towards her body. He needs to make sure they got the right one. He can't wait anymore. His days are too numbered. The dark dragon punctured his long claw into Lucy's ribs making her scream out in anguish. Her screams echoing around sounding like music to the dragon's ears. He moving his claw deeper making her scream out louder at her torture. Then he felt it from inside her. The pure energy of the dragon spirit flowing through her. Acnologia let out a roar in satisfaction as he pulled out his claw from the blonde's body. Tears went down her eyes as blood poured down her wound down her body. The dragon can't have that. He can't have her dying before the ceremony. He needs to eat her heart while it's still beating by the ceremony.
The caves echoed with the blondes cries of torment as the cave lit up due to the dragon letting out his blue fire to burn her wound shut. The Strigoi let out excited roars while they got ready for the ceremony for their master.
Lucy only has a few hours left now.