The Black Dragon Slayer of the Apocalypse

Chapter 22

Streets of Crocus

"Hmmm… That was definitely the worst sleep of my life…" Gray lifted his arms only to realise that Lucy wasn't upon him anymore. He shot up from the floor and looked around desperately. His distress was calmed when he saw her 15 metres away next to the river that flowed in the city.

She was gazing up at the baby blue sky, her hair flying with the wind. Gray got his shirt from the floor and put it on then went up to Lucy.

"Hey what's the matter?" His voice brought her back to reality. She looked at him with a somewhat a stressed face.

"Gray? Sorry did I wake you?" Lucy asked.

"No you didn't, but Lucy, tell me what's on your mind." Gray placed his hands on Lucy's shoulders.

"It didn't make sense… why were they holding the grand magic games? Especially after all that's happened? You said yesterday that no one would employ you because you had magic. Then why? So I asked around, apparently the kingdom has forced the remaining guilds to participate, an order straight from the princess herself-"

"THERE! THERE THEY ARE!" A man shouted pointing towards Lucy and Gray. A whole squadron of soldiers came running towards them. However as Lucy began to run away Gray grabbed her wrist. "I know it sounds stupid but don't resist arrest. Didn't you say it was the princess who was behind this? So this will be the fastest way… those soldiers will lead us straight to her." Gray gave her a calm smile.

"You're being serious? Hmph… Ok fine but we do need to make this realistic…" Lucy whispered to Gray.

"Hey! What do you want from us? We didn't do anything wrong!" Gray shouted.

"Orders from above!" Was all the officers said, as they grabbed last remaining members of Fairytail.

Lucy and Gray were kept together for most of the journey until they reached the prison in the castle, they were kept in separate cells.

Lucy went to the cell bars and pressed her face against them trying to get a good look at her surroundings "Gray! Hey Gray can you hear me?"

There was no response.

That was when she realised right now she was truly alone. She climbed upon her rough bed and began to cry, only then did she realise her keys were gone.

Lucy: When did they disappear? Did the guards take them… but I would've noticed I was awake the entire time.

Now not even her spirits could keep her company, Lucy wept on the bed.

In princess Hisui's room

Knock knock.

"Come in." The green haired princess called. She was wearing a white, delicate gown that swayed as if it belonged to an angel.

The door opened "Princess we have brought the ice mage the town's people were complaining about." The guard forced Gray into the room.

"Where's Lucy? Please I don't want to be away from her! She's all I have left!" Struggling, Gray managed to earn the anger of the guard.

"Please calm down. Your friend is currently in the holding cells downstairs, if you behave then I will allow you to meet her after we finish our business."

Gray agreed and sat on the seat placed for him. "You may leave" The princess ordered her guards to leave.

"But-" The guard protested.

"LEAVE" She emphasised, they guards obeyed and left her quarters.

Sometime later- the castle's prison

The cell door unlocking awoke Lucy from her slumber. She gazed upon the bars to see Gray enter the cells and immediately jumped on him. Tears streaming from her face.

"Sorry for leaving you alone…" Gray apologised.

"Where were you?" Lucy asked.

"I can't tell you everything, but I have a few answers. I was with the princess she told me your 10 gold keys are currently in her procession, she also has the other 2 from a girl called Yukino, who belonged to the guild Saber tooth. Yukino is dead however, she was one of Natsu's victims." Gray looked down, sorrow filled his face then continued "The Eclipse is a portal to the past, the kingdom have it in their procession to kill Zeref. And the reason they are holding the grand magic games is because they take small amounts of magic from the participants in order to power the machine. The gate keys will unlock the portal allowing time travel-"

Gray stopped upon looking at Lucy's blank face. "Was that too much in one go?"

She nodded her head "So you're telling me time travel is possible."

"Apparently so"

Lucy: He said that he couldn't tell me everything yet he's already told me so much… important information too. What can't he tell me?

"I've actually pretty much told you all I can. Come with me, they only put you in a cell temporarily, the princess has given us our own quarters in the castle." Gray took Lucy's hand and led her out the cell, there the guards escorted them to their rooms.

Gray: I'm sorry Lucy… but soon everything will be up to you. I don't want to do this but… it's the only way.

The guards opened the door to reveal a huge room with a king-sized bed. A chandelier hung from the roof and the window was the size of half the wall. There was a dressing table on one side, next to the door was a wardrobe with a mirror on top. "Miss this will be your room"

"But what about Gray?" Lucy inquired

"He will be in the room down the hall"

"but-"

"Lucy it'll be fine, I'll come down here as much as possible ok?" Gray reassured her.

Gray lightly pushed Lucy into the room and closed the door with a smile to keep her calm.

Gray: its better this way… for I'll be gone most of the time.

Around an hour later

The princess summoned Lucy and Gray to the main hall. "I'll now show you the eclipse project" She said then walked down the corridor guiding the rest of them. "I'll tell you now do not use any kind of magic near the eclipse, or every single magic particle in your body will be sucked and, if not treated properly, you will die." She warned.

She led them to a giant black door. "As you can see there are twelve keyholes in the door. I have already unlocked the door so here" She gave Lucy's gate keys back. "I won't be needing them anymore also you might as well take Yukino's too. They won't do her any good seeing as she now dead." The princess handed the key of the heavenly scales, Libra and the paired fish, Pisces.

Lucy took the two keys and stared at them.

Lucy: should I really take these keys? Do I deserve them seeing it was my best friend who killed their owner? No, I don't. I can't keep them.

Hey erm... thanks to everyone who had liked followed and reviewed... oh and R&R that would really be appreciated and yeah