Soundtrack – The Rains of Castamere by Sigur Ros
She breathed out – a low and deep breath that expanded her chest and settled over her mind. She slouched down on the bench, feeling the sagging relief almost immediate to her tired limbs. She wanted to stay here – just in this small hidden away part of the Crocus gardens for a few moments. Just so that she might rest. Not that stone benches in the cold evening air could be considered terribly comfortable, but she would take it.
She supposed that it would probably be better to go out and find an inn; a place with mattresses and pillows; something that seemed so foreign, too long since she'd felt them underneath her body…but it was peaceful here. The very air seemed to glow, warm and cherry; alive with whatever festival was being held. She didn't know…something with mounds of ice, bright colors and the smells of seared food. The lights glittered and twinkled above her head like fairies. She thought it was beautiful.
"Where could Skoll have disappeared to," she wondered aloud to herself, catching the thoughts between her lips. It seemed as if they had just entered Crocus; eyes wide at the brilliance that glimmered around them and then…he was gone. Lost in shuffle and the shoving bodies of celebratory crowds. She hummed a bit – unconcerned at the moment. He would find her in his own time after all. Though…she couldn't seem to come with a reason as to why he would leave her side in the first place. It had never happened before. It felt so odd not to have him near her side.
She leaned back on her palms, head thrown back and thick lashes closing against her checks. The winter air seemed calm and collected; alive with stuffed sounds of crowds that were just hedgerows from her quiet respite. She could make out the laughter – the calls and shouts of friends meeting one another in festival merriment. It made her smile, but the grin soon became laden with a feeling that was completely unwanted – the sinking settle of melancholy right over her memories. Memories of friends, thoughts of home…and of a golden haired boy that had held her hand and seemed to burn brighter than the sun. Shaking her head, she lightly slapped cold fingers to her cheeks, trying to draw her attention to other places. Stop it, she furiously thought to herself. No more.
She breathed again, ready to stand but this time, but this time as her chest rose and fell the outward push of her sigh hit the air and…it shattered. Materializing right in front of her nose, it broke and transformed into puffs of silver wisps, growing and growing. Becoming larger as her heaves grew into a rolling, rising suspicion. Her skin suddenly began crawling with shivers, goosebumps rising on her exposed flesh and the frown between her eyebrows drew sharp and angry. The air was drawing colder…much too cold. Even for winter…here in this flower city, she abruptly knew what was coming.
"Damn," she hissed aloud, standing hurriedly and ignoring the immediate cry of objection in her drained muscles. Her right side flared especially in wacked, sick protest, but she fought to smother it. The curl of her breath into the twilight air shimmering in her vision, but her eyes darted back and forth – around the leafy hedges, the pillars of stone artwork and into the spaces where the lantern lights had turned everything gilded.
Nothing, nothing, nothing…but then she could see it. The growing of ice was emerging on the cobblestones, right at the corner where she had entered the gardens. Delicate, glass like crystals dusted in spidered frost. The warning was unmistakable and she gritted her teeth, jaw rigged tight when she could see it. The form drawing up from a shadow, ice and snow rising with it; while the air dropped and splayed with cold. She breathed again, angry glares at the thing that was smiling at her from the dark. The skeletal mouth glowing winter blue in twilight. She cursed again…the sun was setting behind the castle, the last of its gold veiled light disappearing much too quickly. Her shadows swelling longer, thicker…deeper. Damn.
"What a tricky little witch you are," it sneered. It's long forked tongue curling out its mouth. "To defeat so many of us at the border crossing…but it won't matter now. I know you're injured. I can smell the blood on your skin. Ready to break. I shall fill you with frost – covered in red and silver. I shall take you back to him…"
"I am not afraid of you," she spat back, fisting her fingers tightly together. "And I will die first before I let you bring me anywhere near there again!"
Her magic spread alive, flares of yellow gold curls across her skin and igniting in the air. The thing was not deterred. Instead it lifted a hand, laughing as a weapon made of darkness and ice grew in its palm. The tattered robes and cloak spread out, black as ink hallowed around the towering body. Every time it opened its fanged mouth, the threads of blue ice trailed outwards spreading out like fog. The cackles grew, echoing back to ring inside her ears. She could almost feel it pulse inside her body; aching throbs at her wounded side. She hated it.
"Come on then," it mocked, curling a withered long finger at her. Her breath rose again quickly, the cold trying to clutch tight around her throat. She wouldn't let it. Her magic flared again, the warmth spreading out over her skin and she saw the creature's eyes narrow in response. It hissed violently and with a rasped shout she rushed forward to meet it.
Lucy wished she had at least three more pairs of eyes. She couldn't seem to move her gaze about enough to take it all in. Crocus always seemed to glow alive with both color and excitement, but this snow festival was a shimmering beauty all its own. There was so much about her; food, lights, towering statues of frozen artwork and not to mention – the hundreds of cheerful bodies that pressed and moved about. Air thick with cold and noise.
"Lucy! Lucy! Look what I have!"
She turned at the sound of Wendy's excited shouts, smile growing as the young girl and Carla stopped before her. Lucy blinked when she was suddenly presented with a frosted ice cream, unbroken vanilla and strawberry swirls, but she didn't recognize the crumbles that changed colors between cherry and chocolate, or the fizzy pops that seemed to shower over the cone.
"What kind of ice cream is this?" She wondered as her fingers wrapped around the base of the one presented to her. It looked delicious, if not a little eccentric.
"Ice cream cake with custard toppings! Gray bought it for us," Wendy smiled widely, oblivious to the splotch of hers on her nose. "We better eat it fast – just in case Erza happens to meet up with us again."
Lucy laughed softly. "We might be safe for the time being, especially since I don't think she wants to leave the inn anytime soon. Just in case our sleeping dragon wakes up from his lunch induced nap. Can't let him destroy the furniture after all, that wolf pup too."
Wendy joined in with a giggle of her own, filling her tongue with more of the desert. Lucy gave a small smile as the familiar messy head of Gray leisurely appeared beside them, hands stuffed in pockets and thankfully with all his clothing still on…though she did notice that a few stray buttons had suspiciously come undone between the Golden Iris and their present location.
"Thanks for the ice cream Gray," she said happily. Her breath frosted from her mouth as she swallowed a bite. She was suddenly thankful for the thick pea-coat and woolen scarf that was wrapped tight around her. Between the light snow and the food – it was good to bundle up warmly.
"No problem," Gray replied. "Some of this festival food looks really good. We might have to try and convince Erza to let us stay awhile after our job is completed. Certainly looks like fun. You know…as long as Natsu doesn't break anything and we're not run out of town…"
"Treating ourselves to an extended holiday," Lucy hummed to herself as they continued down the street. "With the reward that Mr. Kimura is promising we wouldn't have to work again for a while and we could certainly enjoy some of it here! It would be so neat to see all the ice sculptures, maybe purchase some souvenirs…I'm sure Erza won't take much convincing. There was a stand that had a few novels I thought Levy might like…"
"You should make something for the celebration Gray," Wendy beamed up at him. "I bet nothing here could compete with an ice maker from Fairy Tail."
"Thanks Wendy," Gray chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. The man rarely blushed, but Lucy could tell he was pleased by the comment. "But I think I might just stick with observing. Even though it's not fighting, there's something to be learned from these sculptures. The level of detail is incredible."
"That's a very mature way of thinking," Carla haughty spoke out. "A realization that there is always something new to learn. Arrogance is the downfall of many a wizard and…"
"Yea, yeah," Gray smirked widely. "Just don't let the fire bastard know. Idiot would never let me hear the end of it."
They continued their slow walk down the wide street; leisurely setting a pace where they could see as much as possible. After their desert had quickly been devoured, Lucy returned Gray's favor and bought them all sesame spattered rice balls; filled with a gooey cream that sparkled an odd glittering blue. It turned out to be a blueberry jam and as such was eaten with the same mouth-watering gusto as the ice cream. Their conversation remained easy and comfortable, Wendy especially, thrilled at the prospect of spending a few more days doing some further sight-seeing; quickly found the best places to return for possible keepsakes.
They were perusing a store front that promised magical oddities, the air instead turning to smell like spices and incense when Gray suddenly turned his head and blinked rapidly. Gaze falling down the street there was a blur of noise and excited exclamations when Lucy glanced up in time to see a young woman, long blue dress and hair to match, wrapping her arms tightly around Gray's chest. Fingers grasping into the folds of his jacket across his back.
"Ju-Juvia?" he stammered and Lucy hid a snicker when she saw the blush very vividly strike across his face. "What…What are you doing here?"
Juvia turned her face upwards, grinning so widely and bright that Gray felt his face heat up further. He could feel every curve of her pressed into his chest, his hands seemed awkward and fumbled; where in Mavis was he supposed to put them? Where could they possibly settle where he wouldn't be full of her? Where he wouldn't feel her skin underneath his own…
Holy shit – he grasped her shoulders and yanked her away. She didn't resist him, and her smile didn't fade completely from her lips – but Gray could see that a flash of something sad hid on the other side of her eyes. He dropped his hands and fumbled with the edge of his sweater instead. He longed to take the damn thing off. Gray met her gaze only briefly before dropping it again. He hated himself for it.
"Juvia, it's so nice to see you," Wendy exclaimed; Gray silently thanking her for the brief moment where he could pull his shit together. "We didn't know you were going to be in Crocus at the same time!"
"Yes," the woman said and gestured behind her. "Gajeel and I received a job near here just this morning. Something about security detail for a party tonight. We're on our way to meet the client right now."
Pantherlily gave a small paw wave and Gajeel was grumbling as he strode up to join them, arms folded and – was that a metal pipe hanging out of his mouth? But he grinned widely down at them all, pulling the iron out like a cigar. "Yo, bunny girl…ice breath…Wendy. Honestly didn't know you guys would be in town too, thought you had some big gig or something, somewhere else. Salamander wouldn't shut up about it. Speaking of…where is the moron?"
"Natsu, Happy and Erza are back at the inn," Wendy replied when Lucy bristled at the question. She didn't know why – Natsu and Gajeel were always edging at each other, a rivalry that seemed equal parts annoyance and mutual respect. She never really cared before; so why did she have the resounding drive to defend him? To open her mouth and…no. She snapped it back shut immediately. Gajeel was looking at her strangely, an eyebrow slightly raised in mild confusion. She suddenly blushed and turned away…not before seeing that the look of perplexity had been replaced by a smirk. One that looked far too knowing for her own good. Lucy turned her attention to Gray and Juvia instead.
"But isn't it wonderful love?" Juvia smiled back at Gray. "We'll be able to spend some time together after all this is done! Maybe the festival…?"
"Uh, yeah…um…maybe," Gray mumbled but it was enough for Juvia. Perhaps she sensed his embarrassment – his sheer stupidity at what the fuck was he doing, because she simply hummed in complete happiness and as her cheeks rounded in pretty color, eyes shining Gray was struck by the look she gave him…a look he felt he didn't deserve.
"We're staying at the Golden Iris," Lucy said, saving his ass this time. "You should join us there after your job tonight."
"Thank you," Pantherlily replied with a nod of his head. "We will certainly take you up on that offer. Should be a late night – a comfy bed would be much looked forward to."
"And I'll get to rub it in Salamander's face when he screws up his job in that spectacular fashion of his," Gajeel smirked widely. Lucy bit her lip against the comment and instead felt her face sag into a sigh, the forlorn feeling of future disaster looming at her. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to house Natsu and Gajeel under the same roof. One hot headed dragon slayer was a massive liability enough – thank you! They didn't need another to tempt the already wavering bands of patience and fate. She sincerely hoped it wasn't a premonition when she imagined the smoking wreckage of the Golden Iris in her mind…or their reward money immediately disappearing for repairs. Oh Mavis, help them…
"Gotta go Juvia," Gajeel interjected yanking her attention away. "We were supposed to meet the client at five. Getting pretty close now."
Juvia nodded slightly, making to turn away from where she stood near Gray. Her fingers had itched – desperately wanting to close that small, briefest of spaces and wrap his into her own…but she didn't. He didn't want her to…and Juvia was selfish. She wanted him happy over anything else.
"Very well," she said and gave her friends a small wave. "See you later Lucy, Wendy, Carla."
Her lashes dipped almost to the crest of her cheeks and her mouth tugged when she gave him her last glance. "Goodbye Gray."
They turned away together and continued off down a side street, disappearing from view quickly in both the evening air and the bobbing of the many heads around them.
"Bye Juvia!" cried Lucy giving a large wave, while Wendy laughed beside her; calling her own farewells to Gajeel and Lily. Lucy couldn't help but glance side long at Gray, who still stood motionless almost like the ice he created. His brow was furrowed and his frown was slight, a sign sure enough for her – having been friends with the young man for so many years now. He was thinking. She could almost see right there in his eyes staring out at the street where their other guild mates had disappeared.
Lucy didn't prod him, she couldn't dare. She knew how he felt…knew the swirling, confusing emotions that were playing out just below the layer of his skin. She was beginning to feel them too. They were growing and rising in her chest like a weed, though she thought that a poor analogy. How could see describe something that seemed so incredibly terrifying and distressing and yet…so elated and…right? It all centered around that salmon haired idiot. That idiot that she just couldn't seem to cut out of her thoughts. He was overwhelming her. Him and his heat, and his smile and his skin against hers.
That's why she merely suggested they return to the Golden Iris for dinner. That's why she smiled widely at her friends and hoped that they might have better luck figuring out this whole mess than she was. That's why, when she had seen Gray's hands twitch when Juvia's turned away – the touch of the mage's skin only breaths from his own…Lucy didn't say a word.
He had seen the way they had been stealing glances at each other…really, they couldn't be any more obvious about the whole thing. Of course, they were trying not to be…but Sting would have to be blind not to notice. Or at least as dumb as Frosch. As he was neither he had turned to his friends and made some poorly constructed excuse about needing to be somewhere else in another part of Crocus.
"Are you sure?" Yukino stammered, face flushed and eyes bright. Sting concealed his smirk and pretended to not notice that too. "I'm sure you don't need to go now…"
"It's Guild Master stuff," he said lazily, stuffing his hands into the folds of his pockets. "Lector can come with and we'll see you guys back at the guild later this evening."
Rogue was eyeing him with a narrow look, but Sting simply shrugged. He knew that the alibi being presented was meager at best, thinly veiled and wobbling at the edges…but Rogue was going to take it. As inadequate as it was. Again, Sting wasn't ignorant. Yukino blushed even further and dropped her gaze to her fidgeting hands when Rogue nodded.
"Very well," he said with a straight voice. "I suppose we shouldn't miss the Rui Watanabe exhibit. His sculptures are rumored to be the prize winning ones this year."
"Oh, totally," continued Sting struggling to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "I'll just leave you too it. The pressures of running a guild and all that…"
"Yes, I'm sure."
Sting waved them off, casually strolling in the opposite direction. Lector was flashing him a confused look, raised eyebrows and paws to the back of his head, but he remained silent at his side. They moved to turn down a side street, but before they disappeared from sight Sting could see Yukino; eyes wide and nervous but a wide smile tugged up on her cheeks. She flashed Sting a grateful grin behind Rogue's back, blush bright and spreading. Sting snorted back a laugh and gave her a wink instead. Seriously…if it meant that he had to go the long way home through the Crocus palace gardens for those two idiots to get some alone time together (he didn't really count Frosch, as the cat would be too oblivious to screw anything up)…well, then the night air would do him good.
Lector didn't seem to care either way; he simply took Sting's cue and walked cheerfully near his feet. He was even more content when they stopped near a fried squid stand and now their hands full of festival food, they slowly made their way back towards the Sabertooth guild hall. Taking the long way around of course.
"Don't think I didn't catch what you did there Sting," Lector smirked up through a mouth full of grilled tentacles. "You weren't exactly being subtle."
"Well they weren't either," Sting chuckled back handing the rest of his food to Lector. The Exceed salivated in anticipation. "It's about time, to tell you the truth. I've been getting sick of Rogue sending her moon eyes for the past year and a half. Maybe something will come out of it now. Or they'll crash and burn – but that won't be my fault for trying at least."
Lector was quiet for a moment, staring down at the seafood that remained in his paws. "Speaking of moon eyes," he began and Sting stopped to peer down at him. "You haven't noticed Minerva giving you the same? Ever since you and Rogue saved her from Tartaros…"
Sting eyebrows shot up into his hairline and a cringe appeared on his mouth. "No way, buddy she has not!"
The Exceed smirked widely in response. "Oh she has, every time you come back to the guild her face gets this weirdo look on it. She's always staring at you when she thinks you're not looking – but then of course, I notice everything so I see her doing it and she always watches when you're training…"
Lector suddenly stopped, staring up at the face of his best friend. Sting's mouth was in a small smile; one that was filled with something else. It was solemn and the curve of his lips were filled with regrets. Revealing the memories that he hadn't spoken of in five years.
"Yeah," Sting mumbled in a quiet, but resolved voice. "I think I'm good. Minerva is nice and all – especially compared to how she was, but…I don't think so buddy. I think it's best if she just give up on that whole notion."
Lector nodded mutely and stuffed the last of his food widely into his mouth. He hated himself for even bringing it up. Sting never talked about it, but he knew that he thought about her. Thought about the memories of her all the time. His dreams were full of her – and even in the deep of the night, when the halls of Sabertooth were bare and serenely quiet, Lector would groggily wake to the sounds of his best friend calling out her name. Pleading for a fate not to come…and yet it would. Over and over again Sting would lose her. Waking up in a cold sweat, hands rubbing across his face and Lector would roll over, further into his pillow and pretend not to notice. Sting wouldn't want him to anyways.
"Let's cut through the Royal Gardens," the dragon slayer began, his easy nature returned. "Should be faster than going around through Violet's Street…"
But he stopped at once because there was suddenly a large booming sound – one that vibrated up across the cobbled streets and shook the nearby stands. A screaming mound of people pushed suddenly around them, crying and calling out as another crash rolled through the air. The panic was immediate and Lector barely had time to grab Sting and take to the air before the crowd swarmed back towards where they had come.
"I wonder what's happening?" Lector questioned. "What are they all running from?"
"Sounds like some kind of battle," Sting answered, eyebrows drawing into a frown. "Let's go check it out."
The Exceed nodded and flew around the corner where Violet Street ran straight into the Royal Gardens. They landed quickly, in a clear courtyard but as soon as Sting's feet touched earth once more he nearly collided with a royal soldier; the man's face wide and shock white.
"What's going on?" Sting shouted glancing back towards the garden's hedgerows where massive mounds of the oddest looking ice he had ever seen now adorned the Iron Gate's entrance. It seemed to be growing everywhere, sharp and twisted like fractured glass, filling the air with a bitterness that stung his mouth.
"There's a…there's a – a – a ghost fighting a wizard in the gardens!" The solider panted out in breaths that frosted over. Sting blinked suddenly, wondering where in the world all this cold had come from. "I need – I need to go get back up! That wizard in there is powerful, but she's injured I don't think she'll last much…!"
The air was suddenly alive with light. Sting watched with a jolt to his very core as a great curl of fire, looking like the rays of the sun itself, lifted up above the hedgerows. He couldn't see its maker, its birth of magical origin – but the brilliance of it lit the air with gold and warmed their faces like a sunrise. Sting waved on his feet, feeling his body go flush into shock.
He knew that magic. He knew that magic.
"Holy shit, you're Sting from Sabertooth!" He vaguely heard the guard sputtering. "You've got to get in and help that girl! That thing she's fighting…it's a demon…it's not natural…"
He couldn't hear anything else. He didn't want to hear anything else. Instead, Sting tore forward, leaving the other man shouting after him. Lector followed, wings alit and frowning, and together they burst into the garden, hurdling over ice filled crevices with the air so incredibly cold it seemed to be wrapping a tight fist around his very chest. It wouldn't do any good though…Sting didn't think his heart could beat any harder – any faster than it did at that moment. He could hear shouting from further inside the leafy confines of this iced over world. It was a hissing grating voice, one that seemed like nails running along on glass…the other – was a woman's.
"There are people fighting over there!" Lector shouted down at Sting. "Just over this hedge!"
Just a little further…only a little further.
The flare of that sun magic lit up the sky again and then finally – finally Sting turned that last corner and skidded to a stop in the open court. The edges were lined with splintered ice and broken winter flowers, while the fountain that had once been so perfectly situated in the middle now lay broken on its side, walls cracked open and frozen water spread out under his feet. Sting's breath turned into great glittering clouds and his throat felt raw and barren…but that didn't matter. All he could focus on was the young woman right in front of him. The one gazing back right back; shock rippling across her face.
Holy fucking shit.
"No…Noel?" He rasped. His eyes were wide and his fingers shook suddenly as he reached forward. It seemed impossible – was he imagining all of it? Staring back at a face he hadn't seen in almost five years. Five long years when she had turned away, fingers woven into his own and they had made those promises…Holy shit.
He had thought she was lost. Broken. He had thought she was dead. His heart slammed against his chest and his mouth dropped open to stare widely. Sting searched her all over with his gaze, refusing to take his eyes off her. If he did…if he did…she would vanish again.
The face was older…gone were the round cheeks of teenage adolescence, along with the reedy body and gangly limbs that she had once possessed. She was a young woman. Still the same…and yet, she wasn't. A woman grown in the flash of his memories. Something he had thought had been ripped apart from him; stolen and torn…never to be seen again.
Sting was mute for long moments – and time to seemed to slow to painful inches of passing. His stare was open and honest, layered with a raging disbelief that none of this was real. There was a layer of dirt on her, blood and grime that caked her long calves and shoulders, but – oh – she was so beautiful. His lungs wrenched in half just looking at her. Her long dark brown hair, the ends of it glimmering silver – messy, half fallen out of her poorly constructed bun. Eyes framed by thick, sooty lashes – he knew them. He knew them at once. Gilded in color and wrung with shimmering bursts of yellow. They were colored as rich as gold. Like the breaking of a morning in summer.
"Noel," he said again – though now it whispered over his mouth and he was almost there…He could almost touch her. Just a little further. "I can't believe it…what…what are you…They told me that you were dead!"
She blinked rapidly, and her head started shaking back and forth. The sun flares on her fists crackling out as she wavered on her feet.
"No, no…" she was mumbling to him, hands covering her mouth; eyes wide and refusing to move. "Sting, you can't be here…you have to…leave…" She couldn't look away from his face. She wondered if she was on fire – if everything would burn to ash around her and all that Noel could focus on was this man in front of her.
But it was a mistake. The break of their reunion violently and suddenly…shattered.
Noel screamed, voice raw and coarse as the wraith jammed his iced spear between the hollows of her ribs. Further breaking open her older wound and splattering the cobblestones with frost and blood. Her palms and knees slammed against the ground, hair and sweat sticking to her forehead – but she growled out through her teeth…face furious and blazing at the skeletal grin that was manically inches from her own.
"Get the HELL away from her!"
Sting lurched forward and the air suddenly was alive with light. The wraith jumped back, pulling out his weapon and creeping back into the folds of the shadows. The young dragon slayer was pounding with magic, standing with unmoving resolve in front of Noel; his eyes glowed white hot in unrestrained rage. He couldn't think…couldn't breathe from the ferocity that racked his system. He had never been so angry. Never burned with such wrath as he did in that moment.
"Lector," he ground out through his snarls. "Watch over Noel, okay?"
The Exceed bounded forward at once, giving his best friend a clean salute. She blinked rapidly, trying to see through the haze of pain and snow that was filming over her eyes. She could feel the soft pad of paws on her arm as she struggled to raise herself and reaching out – Noel found the curve of a fuzzy cheek.
"Don't worry Noel," Lector puffed bravely, trying his best to help her up. "I'll make sure that thing doesn't get you!"
"Thanks Lector," her mouth tugged slightly into a smile. "It's nice to see you again," she whispered, but her eyes didn't stay on the anxious cat for long. Her heart was pounding inside her ears – slamming back and forth against the cage of her chest. She couldn't seem to think straight, hold any kind of singular thought – save for the fact that he was here. He was here! She stared at his back, trying to memorize the curve of his shoulders, the look of the snow falling into his mess of hair, the sheen of his muscles…five years and he was still protecting her.
Son of a bitch…she muttered inside her head, grounding out the pain as her jaw smeared together. She never should have come here – she never should have set foot in this kingdom let alone this blighted city. Her heart was threatening to burst from her ribs; any moment now and she would be cut open from all of it.
"I don't know what you are bastard," Sting seethed; sharp teeth flashing in his anger. "But you can be damn sure I won't let you leave here alive! I'm going to wipe your face into the ground – right out of existence! You won't touch her again."
The ice wraith laughed, a cold rattle where it glowed with shimmering blue magic; still hidden in the evening shadows. The trails of it drifted from its mouth, curling around the skull's sharpened teeth. "Such arrogance," it mocked. "Just leave boy – give me the girl and I'll spare your life."
"Fuck you," Sting spat back. He fisted his hands near his sides and ground out through his anger. "White Drive."
Noel blinked and watched in shock as Sting rushed forward, faster than she'd ever seen him move and strike the Shade in the chest. The thing screamed in frustration and swung its weapon; leaving trails of spattered ice as it rushed over the ground. The ice creaked and broke apart, shaking the ground as it did so and Sting dug his heels tight into the dirt – refusing to give this monster the pleasure of even watching him sway on his feet.
"What the hell is this thing?" he shouted back over his shoulder.
"It's an Ice Wraith," came Noel's returned voice. She groaned aloud, but continued earnestly. "Don't let him touch you with that weapon!"
Sting growled as the wraith tried to move around him; straight back to where Noel sat with Lector. "I don't think so!" He shouted. "White Dragon's Holy BREATH!"
Everything glowed with the white hot brilliance of his spell, the shadows fleeing as the magic – powerful and massive, drilled forward and struck the ghost clean into the shoulder. It screamed and spat, disappearing in a flurry of shade and ice to reappear in the corner of the courtyard. It clutched at its shoulder and Noel blinked in shock when she saw that Sting's magic had not only left a great hole in the things body, but also she could see the trails of the white spell still eating away at the ghost's flesh.
He didn't wait for it move or even glance up; instead Sting rushed forward, the curls of his white magic trailing from his body and connected his fist with the wraith's skeletal face.
"White Dragon's Claw!"
The spheres of light exploded from his palms – the force of his hatred blinding. Noel saw the ghost's weapon shatter – fractured into hundreds of mirrored pieces before covering her eyes, bringing her arm up to block as the wind rushed over her skin. The billowing flush of snow and ice swarmed at her, the open wound at her side burning as if on fire. Lector clutched at her chest; his shivering body trembling as she wrapped him up against her.
Noel raised her head; while her hair tumbled into a mess all about her. There seemed to be nothing but flashes of light and the rising masses of ice. It was growing darker, dropping into a dimming curtain of shadows and all that Noel could see was the brightness of Sting. He was so close now. Inches from where she sat against the cobblestones; standing over her like a living, blazing shield. But the ghost was gone. Lost and melded into that pit of blackness that bled into the air. She could hear it laughing. Hollow, cruel and bitter. Sting's eyes darted back and forth – pricked in the dark; glowing and scorching, but they landed on nothing. Nothing save shades and shadows.
Noel suddenly cried out – becauseit was hard to breathe; everything so very cold. It wrung at throats and clutched at lungs. She knew what was coming. She had been hunted enough times to see it. The flares of her sun magic burst to life – filled with the last of what she had.
"Solar Summer Force!"
Her spell spiraled forward and struck the hissing ghost, his hidden form returning in sharp moves and lit as if he blazed with fire. Sting growled at the thing – so close to his left and how could he have missed it? He heard Noel drop to the earth again in exhaustion, her breathing labored and echoed in his ears. Lector was shouting; his panicked voice scraping along Stings chest and his veins seared in raging response.
"Fucking bastard!" He snarled. "I already told you – Get the HELL away from her!"
His open palms suddenly snapped together, all his fingers connected to their corresponding partner on his other hand. There was a long moment where everything seemed to still – his exhaled breath the only movement…wisps of unnatural ice curling before his face. Then…
"HOLY RAY!"
Light bred in the hollow parts of his hands, breaking through the empty spaces of his fingers. The great orb of his magic took on a life of its own; and when they overwhelmed the prism of his palms Sting broke them apart to extend on either side. His magic exploded with white color and sound, a barrage of rays that rushed forward and struck the wraith in rapid, unyielding succession. His mercilessness was unmatched; sharp teeth flashing in the midst of his growling shouts. He would destroy it. He would burn away every inch of that iced demon until there was nothing left. Nothing to hurt Noel.
The ghost screamed – the rattling sound bursting along with his frost. It couldn't escape – trapped around all sides by the force of Sting's holy magic and with final piercing shrieks…it was lost to the blindness of light. When his spell disappeared, Sting released another low breath – eyes hard and still glowing with the remnants of his Holy Ray. Done. Finished.
Sting didn't turn back or spare a glance at the fading ice and shadows that had once been the ghost. Instead he ran behind; sliding along the slick stones to kneel in front of her. Lector stepped back at once as Sting pulled her up on her knees, almost begging her to meet his eyes. He could feel her. He could feel her skin underneath his own. She was warm. Warm and solid.
"Noel," Sting began and his fingers found the curve of her chin, taking her face into both his hands. "I…I can't believe it…where…where the fucking hell have you been?"
He seemed angry. Very angry. Of course he would be. She would give him every right, every right to be furious with her – but her vision was swimming before her eyes. The ice was crawling at her, she could feel it like grasping fingers in her side. She needed to burn it away. Before it was too late.
"Sting," she whispered and he stopped at once. "Just…just give me a moment, okay? I need to…I need to take care of something…"
Her magic flared on her fingertips and her eyes snapped close in anticipation. This was going to hurt like hell.
"Noel," he began, watching with a heavy frown. There were so many questions in his eyes. "What are you…?"
But she didn't answer. She simply griped his shoulder with her hand and with the other…shoved her burning spell into the open hollows of her ribs. She screamed, splitting and agonizing out loud as her own magic blistered through her blood. She couldn't see past the haze of pain that had clouded her mind; instead Noel clutched tighter to the firm body underneath her fingertips. The hard muscles of a man she had known since childhood.
He was shouting at her to stop…she could vaguely hear it past the rushing in her ears. She didn't mind though. The breath that he puffed across her skin smelled of something golden…and the sea. All of him smelled like the ocean…It gave her the strength she needed to flare out that last little bit of her magic. To finish what she'd started. She screamed again. Louder this time.
When Sting yanked her hand away; the one that had been pressing such scorching magic into her body, she collapsed against him. Her sweating forehead collided with his shoulder and she wavered between the veil of sleeping and waking. She felt him push back the wet tresses of her hair from her skin, fingers tangling at the damp corners of her temples. His harsh voice didn't fit the gentleness of his actions.
"What the hell was that? Were you trying to kill yourself?"
"You have to…you have to burn it out…" she mumbled, eyes heavy and lashes sooted across her cheeks. "If you don't it will possess you. You'll become…you'll become like…like them."
She heard him grumble something out…felt his breath against the hotness of her flesh once more. She was slipping. Her blood and magic were pooling out around them, but Noel found that this was wonderful. He could hate her if he'd like…but she was feeling something mend inside her chest that had been so utterly broken for the last five years. She felt like she could breathe at last.
His large hands wrapped around her shoulders, his vibrant and piercing blue eyes smeared straight into her core as that dark oblivion rolled right at her. Noel's last thoughts were of his voice – vibrating straight down into the pieces of her chest. She breathed deeply again.
Fairy Tail is copyrighted to Hiro and not me. The only thing I own is a few Fairy Tail shirts and the Gray pillow that's hiding under the bed. Shhhh!
Holy moley! Longest chapter by far! Fifteen pages :) Just for you my dear readers
It's spring break down in the south so the hubby and I escaped off to a cabin for his belated birthday present. While there was no internet to speak of…I did bring along my laptop so that I was FINALLY able to finish this chapter that has been eluding me for some time. There was a lot of writing, rewrites, edits and rewrites again with this piece; especially considering I brought in more characters, along with an OC of my own. It was so important to get that introduction right. You'll have to tell me how successful I was.
With regards to Noel – This story IS and WILL primarily be about Natsu and Lucy's slow burning relationship. It's not a trick so that I can get you in here to read about an OC I created and her relationships. Yuck, no. Not that I don't love Miss Noel…I just want to put everyone's fears at ease. This is Nalu love here folks. With added lovely relationships on the side.
Speaking of lovely relationships – ah, Gray and Juvia. Next to Natsu and Lucy, they are my favorite couple in Fairy Tail. Sometimes they even claim the top spot (gasp! Blasphemy!) So you can expect growing interactions between the two of them as well. I freakin love Juvia, she's so honest and sincere – yet at the same time crazy and bad ass. I know that she is used often as comedic relief in the manga and anime, but you won't find that too much here. Her character is interesting and deep – something I want to explore, along with Gray's own feelings. So much fun!
I wanted to point out a quick few things that I'm sure some readers are wondering about. The first is Juvia's speech patterns. I realize in the manga and Japanese anime Juvia commonly refers to herself in the third person, however in the dubbed versions she does not. I ended up deciding for her to speak in first person simply because I found how she switches back and forth sometimes to be confusing. Just a personal preference. Second, Lucy and Gray's relationship…throughout both the manga and anime Lucy and Gray have shown a rather tight comradery with one another and I wanted to reflect that here. I firmly believe that there is no romantic attachment between the two of them (sorry Gralu shippers), but rather one that seemed more like siblings than anything else. I think it's a wonderful friendship and so I wanted to represent that.
Also, I find Carla to be a pretentious twat most of the time. Therefore Gray interrupts her. Thanks love.
I have had so many reads, follows and favorites – It means the world to this writer. Your encouragement is precious and priceless. However, now if I could make a selfish request? Please, if you get the chance…drop me a review! They are the lifeline to this Texas girl's soul. I feel like Nabooru in Ocarina of Time making promises to young Link…ha-ha! If you give me reviews…I'll do something great for you ;)
Aulani