AN: sorry for the delay. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Darkness

The row boat slides onto the beach of the island where the Tower of Heaven resides. The sand is a dark, unnatural grey. There are sharp rocks everywhere I see and a staircase leading to the foot of the Tower.

We hide the boat between some rocks and Juvia drops her spell. Gray walks over to the rocks to assess the situation. There seem to be a lot of lookouts by the stairs, masked men in robes holding spears, or maybe some kind of staffs. Dangerous either way.

'Can't see an easy way in,' Natsu says.

All of a sudden, Juvia's gigantic but pretty head pops up from the water, and she says she's found a way in underwater. And wouldn't you know it: she also has a way to get everyone to breathe underwater.

'Amazing!' Gray says, and for some reason Juvia gives Lucy a dagger shooting glance, although I haven't for a second seen Lucy show any interest in Gray in that way.

'See? I was praised, not you!'

Lucy shrugs it off and instead walks over to me. 'Are you going to be OK?'

I cringe slightly at her worried tone, but nod. 'Yup.'

She smiles and I feel bad for acting cranky at her. It's not like she's done anything to me.

When she turns around to join the others, I stop her. 'Hey, sorry I snapped at you earlier.'

She makes a wave-like gesture, as if wiping something clean. 'That must be the hundredth time. You have to stop that!'

It takes me a second to realize she means the apologizing. 'Oh, right.'

As she walks back to the group, I kind of start to think she's alright. Good call to keep her an ally for now.

I sit down beside the boat, because I'm feeling nauseous again. I've never been hungover, but I imagine this is what that feels like.

My blouse is covered in blood splatters and there are two pieces of fabric hanging from my nose.

Yeah, somebody for sure needs to take care of me.

A little later, I watch with sorrow as one by one the others disappear into the water, covered in Juvia's spell. Juvia herself is last, and she gives me a devious look before she dives in. I'm pretty sure I know what it's implying, but there's also a slight chance she's not trustworthy. I understood she was with Phantom Lord before, the rival guild who destroyed the Fairy Tail guild hall, so who knows? Maybe she's out for revenge after all.

But sadly, going off of how she looks at Gray, I think she has other priorities.

I groan, sit back inside the boat and hold my head in my hands. If I don't leave soon I might be seen by the masked warriors (at least, I think they're warriors, just going off their attire with the spears), but I don't feel like pushing the boat back into the water. Besides, I feel too awful to power up the lacrima, which means I have no choice but to row back to the mainland. Or swim.

I push my palms into my eyes till I see spots. Was it really all worth it? Arguing with Misty, going all the way to Akane Beach for a guy who just thinks I'm in the way? I'm not sure anymore.

I was supposed to turn things around between me and Gray. Or rather: I wanted things to be like just after we'd left the Town Hall. We'd experienced something together and that formed a bond between us. I need an adventure with Gray.

Wait.

I pull my hands away and blink till the spots disappear.

What am I doing?

The quest. The quest is what it's always been about. Gray was supposed to come with. I just now realize I've never thought about what I would do if he said no.

Technically, he didn't say 'no'. He just told me to go home. I was the one who said it could wait. But I said that for his sake, not mine.

If I'm being honest with myself, I don't want the quest to be pushed to the backburner. Sure, I imagined Gray would be with me, but just because he isn't, doesn't mean I shouldn't go.

I jump to my feet and right away fall back down again.

Right, I felt like shit. But I can't let that stop me.

My initial plan (the one where Gray was very excited about my quest and wanted to leave immediately) was to go to the big library in Crocus to do some research. Next, we would head for Oak Town, because that's where Grandpa is from. Then, through the Forgotten Desert into the mountains back to Magnolia, because by that time we deserve a rest. We can stop by Hargeon for a good few days to relax, and then head for Bordertown and Bosco with all the new information we've gathered.

Now that I'm by myself, I think it's best if I just go to Bosco immediately. I'm pretty sure I won't find anything about myself in Crocus, I wouldn't know where to look. And Grandpa wasn't even my real grandfather. He was just some old guy who took me in (for which I am of course eternally grateful) but he's as much a blood relative to me as Misty is. The Forgotten Desert was just a bucket list kind of thing. And Hargeon seemed like a good idea for a date.

Long story short: all of it was just stalling, because even though I want to find out who I am and all that, I just don't look forward to returning to Bordertown. Now, there really is nothing stopping me.

I look out over the water. Having to row all the way back to the mainland will be such a drag. Maybe I should stay and rest a little longer.

Wait.

Here.

This place.

It's making me feel like shit!

I step out of the boat, taking only Grandpa's spellbook with me, and with the little strength I have left pull it further onto the beach, so it's completely hidden between the rocks.

The balls of fabric are still in my nostrils, but they barely block the smell that knocked me out earlier. I take a leap of faith and breathe in.

It still makes me feel like shit!

The question is: why?

If this quest is about me, now is the best time to find out.

I take another breath and nearly vomit, but that's a good thing. I force my feet onward. Following the smell where it is the strongest, I go further onto the island, between the sharp rocks. It takes me away from the area crowded with masked men, all that remains is this overwhelming stank.

The path ends by the entrance of a cave. From the looks of it, it goes on all the way underground, even farther than I can see.

I think Natsu said it best: it smells dangerous.

I hesitate. Nobody knows I'm entering this cave. Anything could be hiding in there. If the others succeed in rescuing Erza and Happy and make it back to the mainland, they'll discover I never came home. No one will know what happened to me. Misty won't know.

Well.

So be it.

I squeeze my hands into fists and take the first step into the darkness.

Soon, the dark surrounds me. Even my eyes have trouble adjusting. My feet feel like stones and I have trouble standing up straight. Leaning against the cold wall, I continue. It must mean I'm getting closer to the source. The ground beneath me descends further, almost as if I'm walking down a hill. For a long time I only hear my own footsteps and ragged breathing.

Then I'm taken by surprise.

A snicker, very close.

I didn't sense anyone nearby. They managed to sneak up on me. I halt.

'I'm hiding, if that's what you're wondering,' a voice says.

For a second I consider turning back.

And the next second I decide to stay. 'Who's there?'

When the voice speaks again, it sounds even closer. 'You took the words right out of my mouth. I did not expect someone like you in my humble quarters.'

'You live here?' I blurt out. The voice laughs.

'I am the ruler of this Tower. So in a way, I do.' A cold wind blows through the cave corridor, and the person reveals himself to me. He was hiding inside the wall and steps out as if he comes from a different room. In the darkness and with weakened senses I can only just make out the expensive looking clothing and a hooded cloak with a golden rim. His voice is unfamiliar to me, but something about him annoys me in a way I find Misty annoying. His hair is blue and there's a tattoo under one of his eyes.

Instead of introducing himself, he says: 'Does the name 'Acnologia' mean anything to you?'