AN: Sorry for the late update, enjoy!

Chapter 12: Whispers

Eventually I reach the end of the hallway. I land on a platform on the outside of the Tower, an interruption in the staircase that goes all the way around it.

I stand there, breathing, my heart beating in my ears.

I think back to that first night I met Gray, and what he said to me then. About how most of the Fairy Tail members had a similar background to mine. Gray had one like that. And I just reminded him of it, made him relive that awful time.

I open my mouth to scream, but what comes out is a roar filled with what I can only describe as pitch black flames. It smells just as awful and delicious as the walls of the Tower I was chomping down earlier.

But I don't have the energy to be amazed.

Slowly but surely, the beating in my ears stops and my breathing calms down. I hear something cracking and just then realize my body is shifting back into its normal, human form. It feels uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt.

I shake and stretch my limbs, as if trying them out for the first time, then sit down, pull my knees up and make myself as small as possible.

This was exactly what the people of Bordertown were afraid of all these years. And all it took was one ball of dark, pulsing, delicious magic from a strange wizard in a tower just a few kilometers away from Akane Beach. They were right to chase me down the streets all those years. Why didn't they finish the job when they had the chance?

Even worse than hurting Gray: I killed people. Humans. They might have been trying to hurt Gray and the others, but that doesn't mean they deserved to die. I am for sure not the person who should be deciding things like that. But I did. And I can't ever take that back.

I press my nose between my knees and hope that somehow chokes me to death. What the hell am I supposed to do now?

It's probably in everyone's best interest if I really do disappear. Or at least make sure I'm unable to hurt anyone else. What if I just go to the Council and ask them to punish me? I could be put away for life.

Obviously, the choking doesn't work. I pull my face up and rest my chin on my knees. The sun is shining onto the sea, reflecting right into my eyes.

Is this really the end of my story?

Just like before, there is a snicker out of nowhere. I don't bother looking over my shoulder. I know who it is.

'Well,' the ruler of the Tower says, as if we have an understanding, 'that was…something.'

I keep on staring at the sea. 'What did you do to me?'

Soft footsteps, a cloak moving in the wind, a shadow next to me. 'What do you think?'

Again, something about him reminds me of Misty. Never a straight answer. I actually really miss him right now.

'I'm not sure,' I say to the sea, 'earlier you said something was asleep. I think you woke it, somehow.'

He doesn't answer right away. I glance in his direction. He still has the hood on, but in the sun I do see his face with the tattoo. Handsome, but in an eerie kind of way. You know something's off about him.

He has his gloved hands folded behind his back and looks calmly towards the horizon. Eventually, he says: 'But only briefly.'

'What?'

'It's not awake now, is it?'

At that moment, a strong wind rolls around, picking up much of the ill smelling Tower. I'm surrounded by it, and something responds. Not just the drool this time. I hear something. Voices.

First I look around, thinking there must be warriors nearby, waiting to attack. But there's no one else here beside me and the ruler. It's not a case of my sharp ears: they sound too close.

It's in my head.

When I don't answer, the ruler moves only his eyes to look at me. 'Is it?'

'No, but…something's different.'

The face of the ruler breaks into a grin. 'Describe it to me.'

I don't know why, but I answer. Somehow it feels safe to talk to this stranger, even though he might be evil. For the time being, he's too interested in me to be my enemy. And he's not judging, which also helps.

'Whispers. There's a slight echo to them,' I tell him, 'as if they're talking from inside a cave. They have a lisp and their words sound like what I can only describe as wet, as if they're constantly drooling. I imagine them having fangs too.'

The corners of his mouth twitch. 'You don't say. What else?'

'Not sure. They're trying to tell me something, but I can't make out any words…'

'I see.' The ruler lets out a high pitch cackle, then shuts his mouth. I can tell he's thinking. Then he says: 'I'm afraid you have to leave.'

'What?'

'Your presence here complicates my plans for today. I think it's best if you leave immediately.'

Right. The others. I forgot about them. 'Is Erza alive? And Happy?'

'They are,' he says absentmindedly, 'were you planning on saving them?'

I open my mouth, but I actually don't know how to answer that. I wasn't before, because I thought I was weak. Now I actually have power, but too much to control, making me a danger to anyone around me. Leaving still seems like the best option.

Even though it feels very wrong.

'If I could, I would,' I say then.

'Of course,' the ruler says. He turns around, ready to go back into the Tower.

'Wait.' I crawl onto my feet. 'Where should I go? I mean, to find answers. You seem to know more about this than I do.'

The ruler doesn't stop, he doesn't even seem to hear me. Even though just now we were talking like equals.

For some reason, that angers me more than it should.

'Hey!' I say, and something strange happens. My voice doesn't sound like my own. Or rather: it does, but it also sounds like a million other voices yell along with me. As if the whispers have turned into screams.

That makes the ruler halt abruptly. The hood of his cloak covers his eyes, all I see is a smirk. 'Ask them.'

Then he disappears into the Tower.

The whispers are going wild. They overrule me, and next thing I know I'm crawling onto the walls of the tower, chomping down at the stone. It feels like that's been decided for me, as if someone drags me along for the ride and I'm not strong enough to pull away.

For a minute or so, all I do is eat. I'm pretty sure I can finish this entire Tower if no one stops me. It's beyond my control.

The whispers become screams and I can't hear myself think. Breathing is hard, when I open my mouth dark flames surround me.

I know it for certain now: I have fangs. I have claws. My skin is covered with scales, glistening in the sunlight. It's not hard to imagine why Natsu thought I was a dragon.

There is a point where it feels I'm not even part of my own body anymore. As if I'm someone else, looking down at myself. The darkness of the dragon body seems more like a coat than anything else. It's moving and pulsing, like the magic of the ruler, and there are points where the old me shines through. That's probably why my clothes remained intact, despite everything.

The old me is trapped inside.

For a minute or so, I do nothing. A hole in the wall appears, that's how much I have eaten. Or it has eaten.

Then I make my first attempt at dragging the darkness away, hoping to change its mind. Nothing happens. It feels like trying to stop a wave hitting the shore with your bare hands.

I try again, just one arm. I imagine my human hands wrapping around the dragon claws, and for a second it seems something's happening. Then, almost like a magnet, the claw pulls back to the wall.

Just by myself, I'm not strong enough. While I'm thinking of new strategies, an opportunity presents itself. A few masked soldiers come running down the stairs, spears drawn. They hesitate when they see the dragon-like form, but only for a moment. Then they charge.

The whispers, or the darkness, are distracted for a short time. That's when I take my chance.

I force myself back into my mind, silence the voices, and take back control. Without further hesitation, I jump off the platform.

I'm falling, head first. I see the ground and the sharp rocks on the beach coming closer.

Now no one has control anymore.

The whispers scream. There is nowhere to turn. If I get hurt, so will they.