Emotionless
Chapter 71, No Gain - More Vain
A/N: I'm a little bit pissed because the site had deleted my work for this chapter so if there's a bunch of errors its because I was too frustrated at this site to do it all again. However before I let the story go to you I believe I need to answer some questions.
1) Lucy is not dead. If I killed her off I wouldn't exactly have a story to continue now would I? Plus, I said she was unconscious. And lastly at the very end I had said something along the lines 'and that only meant one thing in Gray's mind - Lucy was dead' after all, in what universe would someone believe Lucy or anybody really could defeat a dragon?
2) Lucy is Lucy in this universe. She woke up in the body of Lucy H. in this dimension which is why I had her in Hargeon in Lucy's scar-less, fan-clothing, with only a few of her keys. I'm sorry for not being more specific but I didn't think I needed to.
3) I'm not a spoiler so please don't ask me questions like that. On the other hand however you may ask me any other question you want referring to this story. If you're confused tell me and I'll explain. There are no holes in this story, it's not like I'm randomly skipping around even though it could seem so. Talk to me, leave a comment in the reviews and I'll PM you or you can PM yourself to save time. It's up to you, I'm here for you 'cause I'm not deleting this story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail
"It was so risky and so scary, and yet at the same time, so beautiful. Maybe the truth was, it shouldn't be easy to be amazing. Then everything would be. It's the things you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something's difficult to come by, you'll do that much more to make sure it's even harder -if not impossible- to lose." - Sarah Dessen
Normal Pov
"Do you know what it means to fight, Lucy?" Kei asked, walking up beside her as she stood in the graveyard once again.
"To protect our loved ones?" Lucy replied glancing back at the wolf before resuming her trail around the endless graveyard.
"Yes and no, is that your reason for fighting?"
"No," Lucy sighed.
"Then what is it?" Kei asked softly.
"I fight so others don't have to," She replied, resting her hand on Natsu Dragneel's grave marker.
"Is that not selfish though, Lucy?" He questioned her causing the blonde's head to snap up.
"Everyone faces challenges in their life in order to reach their destination. They will face pain and sadness as they struggle however the reward is everlasting. Do you wish to take that from them Lucy? After everything you have gone through, you should understand what it feels like for others to fight your battles."
Lucy sighed and nodded. Kei began to walk away and said, "Follow me. You have something to see."
It wasn't long until they reached the black pond once again but this time a light reflected off the water and suddenly her memories were displayed before her revealing her pain and suffering, agony and rage followed by... joy and happiness, comfort and playfulness. Lucy sat down at the edge and watched the memories mesmerized by the emotion displayed and pondered what this meant to her.
Kei sat down beside her and spoke as they watched the memory of a normal day at the guild in her original world.
"You goal is to destroy the eclipse gate, that is your destination. It is a cause but not a drive meaning it is not your reason for fighting..." Kei said to her, watching as Natsu took out countless opponents in protecting her as he fought in their guild's honor.
"You're right. I fight so that others can feel the joy and the content even though they will face pain along the way in their lives they will not feel true hatred and fear as it destroys their worlds. I will carry that burden and leave the peace within the borders of their minds."
The memory of Rogue having his heart ripped out by Kira appeared before her and Lucy closed her eyes bringing a hand up to her chest were her heart thumped below.
"You are ready," Kei told her as she stood. Lucy gazed at him thoughtfully and stood before asking, "I am?"
He nodded and began to walk away silently asking her to follow him. As they walked away a memory of future Rogue appeared in the pond before the light ended and the memories disappeared leaving a pond of darkness in its place once again.
"What is it I am ready for, Kei?" Lucy asked as they journeyed through her inner world.
"Your training. Previously you had not been ready before because of your intent. If you were to wield this power with the wrong intent the consequences would be severe; corrupting your magic and destroying everything you have ever fought for, Lucy."
"Is that the taboo of Lost Soul magic," Lucy questioned.
"No, this is the power the dragon king had gifted to you. He had given you the power but the knowledge in how to wield it remained locked away deep inside until you were ready," Kei said.
They resumed their walk in silence until they came to a stop in a clearing in front of a waterfall. Upon entering it Lucy was met with a space that seemed unnatural big. A type of beautiful rock coated the cave and Lucy had a feeling it was to protect the cave from magic.
"Kei, this magic that Grahkrindrog gave me... what is it?" Lucy asked thinking back to her duel with Erigor.
"It is the essence of the dragon's themselves. Grahkrindrog had essentially given you a piece of his soul along with the knowledge that bears with it. This knowledge you have yet to learn which now resides inside of me. I will be the one to teach you what it means to fight as a dragon. You have the intent of a man, along with the intent of a dragon however you have yet to learn how to shape it into a power. This power is what brings the strength to your voice, your dragon magic. You must be patient and wise with this. Dragons are immortal in lifespan and have had centuries to master their power on their own, you are somewhat like them however you must not rush this. The magic of the dragon is not to be used as power alone - power for personal gain. That is the intent which leads to your annihilation. Be patient and only train with me."
"I understand," Lucy replied before adding, "Kei how does time pass here?"
"Patience," Kei said sensing her unconscious worry for the battle she in currently outside of. "You will find that you have plenty of time when you return."
"That wasn't an answer," Lucy grumbled.
"Focus." Kei said causing Lucy to sigh but did so nonetheless.
"To begin, find the source of all your magics." Kei commanded, pacing around Lucy. She closed her eyes in response and focused on channeling her magic to the inside. She felt a flick of warm light and saw a golden flame in her mind which she grabbed without using her hands before catching a flash green and light red. Every time she tried to grab one of them though they easily slipped out of her grasp. Wanting to grunt in frustration she breathed in and out deeply before she grasped the two strands tightly before hurriedly tied the two strands together. With the three ribbons in place she looked for more and moved around in her mind of darkness before a red sphere came into her vision which seemed to highlight a shadow of another orb she couldn't see.
Reaching towards the two she grabbed both orbs that did little to fight her and carried them back to the ribbons before placing them aside from the others before opening her eyes finding herself back in the cave.
"Done," she told him.
"Good, now try to name them."
"How?" Lucy asked confused.
"Call out to them, and see how they react."
Closing her eyes again she found herself back in the darkness with the ribbons and spheres. "Celestial Key!" No movement. "Celestial!" Nothing. "Key magic!" Grunting she opened her eyes meeting Kei's expectant ones.
"They're not responding."
"Hmm, that's interesting." Kei responded, sitting in front of her a dozen or so feet away.
"How?"
"I believe it means that you have been using the aura for the wrong magic uses. And perhaps you have created auras that have no use," Kei replied, looking thoughtful.
"All this time? How did you not know this? You know everything!"
"I know only what you have not acknowledged and learned. I am what you are, and you are what I will be," He responded.
"That makes no sense," she sounded frustrated dearly wishing she could feel it.
"Calm down, breathe in... breathe out. There, now allow me to explain," Kei began.
"Before you had passed through the gate of eclipse your caster magic - Celestial Key - had been fueled by blue aura which at the time was your only aura. When you traveled through the gate and stumbled unto the next dimension the blue aura was lost and in its place were auras red and green. I can only assume your conscious had rejected who you were and had essentially erased or possibly storied away your blue aura and created the green and red aura to maintain your life and your magic.
However by doing this it had weakened the use of your magic and broke the balance of your reserves since the auras serve different purposes than what they should be. In other words, with the wrong source of power you have a weaker result. Have you noticed a decline in you celestial spirits since traveling through the Eclipse for the first time?"
Slowly Lucy nodded and said, "That's why I haven't been calling them out recently. They may be powerful but they are of no contrast to my handler magics."
Kei nodded with a sigh. "When it comes to caster magic or in your case summoning magic, those you summon do not remain the same strength as you grow stronger. As you grow stronger they are meant to have double of your strength since they are fighting for you in a sense. The fact that they don't even reach their potential half way would mean that it is not their fault for they have a faulty aura keeping them open."
"Then what do I do?"
"You destroy the auras that are not meant to be. Find your true magics and power, not the one's you believe you have."
Lucy didn't really get it but closed her eyes and focused once more.
Immediately she grasped the red and green strands knotted together before she closed her eyes and whispered "disappear" while imagining them to be no longer there. Suddenly she felt empty, like a part of her was stolen and opened her eyes knowing the red and green auras had been destroyed.
"Why do I feel so empty after destroying them?"
"It would be because you have had them in your body for so long you believe they are a part of you as your own eyes and ears. Losing them makes you feel like you've lost a limb without the pain of course, just the consciousness. In truth, this is the way it should be. Continue."
Closing her eyes again she found herself in front of the two spheres and remaining gold ribbon. "Lost Soul," she whispered and watched as the black sphere suddenly stretched at the top forming what only reminded her of a soul before it flew towards her and sunk in her chest. She snapped her eyes open to find a black aura shooting out of her chest and landed beside Kei. Slowly the black waves of magic shifted and transformed into a large black snake.
Kei looked at Lost Soul then back at Lucy and said, "This is Cian, your instructor for Lost Soul magic training."
Lucy nodded and closed her eyes appearing in front of the remaining golden aura and red sphere. "Caster magic," referring to her keys. She watched as the red sphere to her surprise followed the other black spheres movement and opened her eyes to see three bursts of red auras launch from her body taking their places amongst the other instructors.
"This is Radana, your instructor for Celestial Key magic training." Kei explained referring to the golden lion. "This is Hikaru, your instructor for Mythical Key magic training," Key said motioning to the Phoenix before turning to the phantom and said, "This is Amund, your instructor for Hell Key magic training."
Lucy closed her eyes a final time and looked at the golden ribbon but before she could say anything it darted at her causing her to snap her eyes open in time to see the ribbon float over to Kei and disappear inside of him.
"That would be me, your trainer in understanding your life and magical power as a whole. Continue," He said but Lucy faltered.
"That was all," She told him.
He shook his head. "No, there is another - I can sense it. Keep searching."
Lucy sighed and looked further after closing her eyes.
The darkness embraced her once more as she searched and searched far and wide but none could be seen or heard. Lucy didn't know she had another magic aside from her soul magic and caster... she paused in her search as her mind flashed back to her fight with Erigor. That final attack that ended the battle - was that not the lost soul magic?
She thought back to the Eclipse Gate and then to Kei who said she was here, ready to learn the magic Grahkrindrog gave her. The magic she thought she had to create herself... but doesn't she need to have the power to do so on the first place?
"Dragon," she heard herself whisper through the darkness. Suddenly her world of darkness lit on fire! Flames licking towards her, coated not red or orange but a brilliant blue. Blue like Grahkrindrog's name. The flames slowly moved away from her to form the head of a dragon - of Grahkrindrog. Then it opened it's mouth and roared at her forcing her from her mind and on the ground.
Looking up she watched as the gigantic form of Grahkrindrog stand before her in all his glory despite his transparency and the blue flames that made up him she knew him. She knew this was him, a piece of his soul was within her after all.
"Now that everyone is here, let's begin."