A Mountain of Mysteries and Half-Truths
"This is going too far, Frederica!" Crepus shouted at the woman.
"Crepus, this will only be a standard interrogation," Frederica said calmly.
Crepus simply scoffed at her response. He knows what she simply said was only a way to ease his worries for the boy. But how can he be reassured when he isn't even allowed to see Natsu and check on his condition?
"Standard interrogation my ass. This is an abuse of power!" The redhead growled at the woman.
"I understand how you feel about Crepus, but please understand that we'll only question the boy and girl for answers. Nothing more and nothing less," Frederica said. Trying to de-escalate the situation.
"Interrogation?" Crepus growled. "What good is an interrogation when the girl who was with Natsu already confessed?!" He screamed at her.
Yes. Ultear had already told her side of the story to them. To say that they were shocked would be the understatement of the century. A war between two continents? Magic? Like she would believe a word the imprisoned Time Mage. If anything, she would rather have her believe that Ulrear is a Shneznayan spy and as far as Frederica knows, nobody in Mondstadt has a last name called Milkovich. It was all hard to believe for Frederica, but Crepus on the other hand was not surprised one bit.
Natsu had already told every bit and piece of his story to him and it was Natsu's choice to share it. While Crepus could tell Natsu's story on the Dragonslayer's behalf, he chose not to, as it was not his story to tell.
The Dragonslayer had asked him not to tell anyone about it, as he couldn't tell who to trust and what would happen if his information was spread, which was understandable. With that he respected his wish and chose to keep quiet, even though a simple confession on his part could potentially lead to Natsu and the woman he's with their freedom, he'll honor his end of the bargain.
"Yes, she did indeed answer some of our questions, but there are still some matters regarding that boy," The Matriarch began. "That boy is still a mystery to us and depending on his answers, we'll also prepare for the worst."
"And I'll tell you again that he isn't a threat!" Crepus once again raised his voice to the woman. If he was angry before then right now he is livid. How dare she say that right in front of him.
"We can never be too sure, Crepus," Frederica said as she crossed her arms.
Crepus let out a growl in frustration at the woman. He had enough of this. Crepus stood up from his seat and made his way to the door, if she can't listen to reason then he'll force his way into Natsu's cell and get him out of there himself.
"And where do you think you're going?" Frederica asks with narrowed eyes.
"Getting Natsu out of his cell. Because if you're not going to listen to reason then I'll get him out myself," Crepus stated firmly, his eyes narrowed too, matching Frederica's.
"No, you're not," Frederica declared with authority.
Crepus neared the distance between them. His eyes glared at the woman who refused to do anything to the savior of his boys. If it were any normal person, his towering presence would've made anyone fear and grovel.
But not Frederica.
She stood her ground to the man before her, matching his glare with her own. Not once had she flinched nor did she give in to the pressure.
"Crepus, I'm telling you this out of respect for our friendship. But if you get in the way of the Knights of Favonius' business, then we'll have no choice but to arrest you,'' Frederica warned. She knows this was an underhanded tactic, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
She knew that there was nothing more important than their friendship. She, Crepus, and Varka had always been there for each other when they were kids, sticking for each other's backs and helping each other through tough times.
She remembered how they'd console the older redhead when his wife had passed due to illness. He was a wreck when they found him, drinking his sorrows away and almost neglecting both his sons. It was fortunate enough that Adilinde was there to care for the poor boys. Had it not been for the head maid, then she wouldn't know what would happen to them.
The only reason why he got back on track was she set him back on the right path. As a parent herself, she knew what he was going through.
The pain she endured the moment she lost her husband. The trials and her and her daughters had to go. It was all too familiar for her. Seeing one of her best friends going down the same road as she did, she couldn't just sit and do nothing as he went on a self-destructive path.
The many times she had to drag him by the collar of his shirt just to stop him from drinking himself to death, hell, it even got to the point that she had to beat him senseless just to get him to stop. Had she not stepped in then those boys of his might've been considered orphans at that point.
Why can't he see that she's trying to protect them? To protect them from the mistake her husband has made, the mistake of trusting a stranger and inviting them into their lives.
At the moment, their argument had gone sour. Both of them refused to talk to one another as they only stared with daggers in their eyes. With Crepus defending Natsu and Frederica finding any faults about the boy. It was safe to say that they hate each other at the moment.
A few more seconds had passed for the both of them. Finally deciding to break the silence, Crepus was about to speak and counter Frederica's argument about the Dragonslayer.
But before he could finally speak, the door busted open with someone entering the room. Their attention turned to the newcomer. It was a knight, he looked as if he ran a mile just to get here.
The poor sap was panting very hard, trying to catch his breath. Looking at both nobles, the man straightened himself and saluted both of them, to which the two acknowledged.
"Lady Frederica and Master Crepus, we'd just received that the prisoners we caught from earlier had escaped," The knight said.
Both nobles widened their eyes at the news. "What?!"
"Explain!" Both the head noble demanded.
The knight gulped down his fears. This wasn't going to be pretty for him, was it? Nonetheless, he came to deliver the message and deliver, he shall.
"I was in charge of inspecting the prisoner and checking on their condition. But the moment I got there, the walls were completely demolished with the woman he was with nowhere insight," The Knight explained with his boots shivering at their presence.
Both looked at him intently waiting for more details regarding their escape. Swallowing once more, he continued.
"He said that they'll be going to Dragonspine to fix a problem, and they'll be back once his problem is been fixed," The Knight said.
"How did they even destroy the wall, did you all even check their belongings before you threw them in their cell?" Frederica demanded an answer.
"W-We did lady Frederica and we found nothing in their pockets that could be described as contraband," The knight answered while stuttering.
Frederica messaged her temples in frustration. This boy and his friend his was becoming a headache by the minute. Ever since the boy came into their lives he'd brought nothing but string of problems.
She'd never believed what most people say, as she was used to people lying to her due to her status as a noble. So, she decided that she'll only trust those who she opened her heart to, which are her friends.
And yet, here she is with Crepus, one of her best friends, arguing with someone about someone's innocence who he'd just known. There has to be an explanation as to why that is, as to why her friend is sticking his neck out for him. And frankly, she too is curious as to what his reasoning is, because her patience is running out and frustration is ever stacking against her.
Looking at Crepus' worried expression at the announcement, she finally made her decision.
"Have Alchemist Albedo operate a search within Dragonspine, he'll have full authority over the operation. Remember, search and arrest and bring them to me, I want to have a word with them," Frederica ordered to which the knight carried the message to the Alchemist.
"That boy of yours better have a good explanation for all of this," Frederica said to the older redhead as she walked out of the room leaving Crepus behind.
"Yes, I hope he does," Crepus said in silence as he watched his fellow noble leave.
Dragonspine. The treacherous snowy mountain is located in the southern region of Mondstadt, far from any cities or towns. It is a desolate and inhospitable place, characterized by its icy winds, deep snowdrifts, and jagged peaks. The mountain is known to be extremely dangerous, with treacherous cliffs, hidden crevices, and sudden blizzards that can strike without warning.
A complete frozen wasteland where nothing can survive the harsh winter. No signs of civilization and no signs of life. If anything, this place would be a great place for hiding and he can attest to that as the treasure hoarders he encountered a while back used this as their base of operations.
Natsu watched the mountain from a distance along with Ultear by his sides.
"Well, we're here," Natsu said as he looked over to Ultear.
Ultear looked over the towering mountain right in front of her. The size of it wasn't that impressive as she had climbed taller mountains before, but she could very much tell that Dragonspine was dangerous enough to a normal person.
She wonders what kind of secrets this place holds as she wants to know some information before they trek the dangerous path of the mountain. Watching over to Natsu, she fished for information regarding the place, luckily, he was kind enough to give it.
"Hmm, so what you're saying is that this place was originally just a mountain," Ultear began as she recounted the things that Natsu said. "Then a battle between two dragons occurred and those dragons are called Dvalin and Durin yes?"
Natsu nodded as those were what Crepus had told him during Diluc and Kaeya's rescue. Though he wished Crepus could say more, he's rather interested in Draconic history.
Ultear closed her eyes for a second. Yes, this will do. Though the information regarding Dragonspine was scarce, it was better than nothing. Still, Ultear wished she could know more so that they could better prepare. Well, maybe next time.
"Well, at least we got a bit of information regarding this place," Ultear said looking over the mountain, she soon turned her attention to the Dragonslayer.
"But this place is pretty big, how are we going to find what we're looking for?" Ultear asks.
"You don't have to worry about that Ultear," Natsu replied along with his signature toothy grin. "I already sensed it when we got here, so you'll just have to follow me like a compass."
Ah, right. Dragonslayers have heightened senses. How could she have forgotten? Still, though, that's one problem going down the drain out of the many problems they have.
"Well, that's one problem gone," Ultear replied with a sigh, she soon turned his attention to Natsu. "Now then, let's go, I want this thing to be over as soon as possible cause I want to take a long rest after this."
The two began walking the treacherous path together. They weren't silent for most of the journey as they conversed and traded information along the way, telling stories of their experiences. Although they're not close in any sense, they both deem each other trustworthy enough to tell their past to each other.
"You know Ultear, this certainly brings back memories," Natsu said getting the Arc of Time user's attention.
"What makes you say that?" Ultear asks without looking at Natsu as both continue to walk the snowy terrain.
"It just reminded me of the time when I took Lucy to Mt. Hakobe," Natsu said with a smile on his face.
"It was during that time after her first mission, that's when I heard that Romeo's father, never returned after his mission. Naturally, I stepped in to help to find his father and I even forced Lucy to come with me," Natsu explained to the Time Mage who rolled her eyes.
Why doesn't she even sound surprised? That sounds like what Natsu would do. His eagerness is one of the factors that made the Dragonslayer quite endearing. She silently chuckled at the thought.
Looking closely at Natsu's form, she noticed that there was a nasty scar on Natsu's right side. She frowned at the sight. Why did it take this long for her to notice it? Well, seeing as it took her this long to notice the scar, she might as well bite the bullet and ask.
"By the way Natsu," Ultear began causing Natsu to turn his attention to the woman, but that didn't stop them from moving.
"Yeah?" Natsu replied.
"Why do you have a scar?" Ultear simply asked. This caused Natsu to stop in his tracks. His once joyful face quickly turned into a frown and that made Ultear a bit uncomfortable with how Natsu's sudden mood changed.
"Zeref," Natsu simply said, causing Ultear to look at the Dragonslayer with widened eyes. "Does that answer your question?"
"Not really," Ultear shrugged. "More like raises a bunch more questions for me."
Despite her being surprised, she composed herself after the revelation. Still though, to fight and survive against the strongest dark wizard was something unheard of. Only Natsu Dragneel, she thought.
"Well whatever it is, you can ask later," Natsu said as he turned back to the direction he was originally facing. "Because there's also another problem aside from my magic container."
Ultear looked at Natsu with confusion. What could be so problematic that it requires her help? She's already stressed with the Dragonslayer's container and now he tells her another problem arises. Why now and why didn't he tell her earlier?
Whatever the case, she'll chew it out of him later.
"What is it now?" Ultear scowled at Natsu.
"I've also felt something here Ultear. Something dark," Natsu said with all seriousness.
If Ultear was confused before, she's now confused tenfold. Something dark? What could he have possibly felt that made the Dragonslayer's carefree personality turn into a no-nonsense kind?
"And I'm assuming that this presence has made your senses tingle quite a bit?" Ultear said as her face adopted a more serious demeanor.
Natsu nodded.
"Then tell me, what kind of feeling do you get whenever you sense it?" Ultear asks.
"The feeling that I get, it's all too similar to Zeref, but at the same time, it's not," Natsu said with signs of frustration in his voice.
Ultear narrowed her eyes when she heard Zeref's name. For the past seven or so eight years Crime Sorciere had been dealing with dark guilds that involved themselves in the name of the dark wizard. Many of those were zealots who held blind faith in the man, but some were forced to be one of them due to their uncontrollable situations. Something that Ultear knows all too well.
She'd vow to ensure that none of those things ever happen again to innocent people. That's her way of repentance, to make sure that no one ever goes through what she did. She knows that it won't erase the mistakes and evil deeds she did in the past, but if it can save people from suffering, even if they push her away, then she'll gladly do it.
"I see," Ultear said as she closed her eyes to think.
She then let out a tired sigh, she just couldn't get a bit of rest, could she? Turning over to Natsu, she gave him a look of resolve.
"Come on, the sooner we finish this, the fewer people will get hurt," Ultear said as she walked past the Dragonslayer who soon followed.
The rest of the trip was quiet, to say the least. Not once had they let out a single word to each other as they just kept on walking toward their destinations. Not even a whisper.
As the both of them kept on walking, Ultear noticed something strange besides the road. It was an oddly shaped rock. The way it stood upward with a pointed tip curling to the right side.
"This…" Ultear began "It is rather an oddly shaped rock." She said as she touched the said structure with her gloved hand.
Even with the glove on her, the sensation felt like it was too smooth to be one.
As Ultear got a feel out of the strange structure, Natsu looked around his surroundings. He began to look around the area.
Sniffing the air, his senses tingled.
Frantically looking around, he was soon answered by what his draconic senses found.
"Uhh, Ultear?" Natsu called out which got the Time Mage's attention.
"I don't think that's a rock," Natsu said as he pointed his finger.
Turning her attention to what the Dragonslayer was pointing, what she saw almost shook her to her very core.
It was a dragon, or rather, what was left out of it. The skull of the dragon was not too far from where they stood, looking closely at it, the spine was still connected. However, the bones are scattered everywhere, bits and pieces of it were buried beneath thick snow.
Looking back at the rock Ultear had touched earlier, it was beginning to look like a sharp claw.
"Well, I guess now we know why this place is called Dragonspine," Ultear joked but Natsu could tell she was just as shocked as he was.
Natsu stared at the remains for a few more seconds. He was in awe at the sheer size and could only imagine what the creature was like when it was alive. Although this deceased dragon was big, Igneel was bigger, but that didn't stop the Dragonslayer from admiring the scale of this one.
The Dragonslayer then began to feel something. A pulsating feeling crept up toward him.
So this was the reason why his draconic instinct was going haywire. The reason for it all was so that he would come here. And come he did, albeit with the help of a certain Time Mage.
"Ultear, I think we should investigate this place," Natsu said as he was still transfixed in the dragon's remains.
"You took the words right off my mouth," She replied.
And so they went further, towards the belly of the beast.
The both of them were highly on their guard. With them potentially finding what they could be looking for, they needed to be on high alert. They could never know what could pounce on them at any given moment. After all, the whole mountain is a mystery to them.
Just before they could continue further, both of them stopped in their tracks. Natsu ignited his fist and his eyes scanned the surroundings as he let out a feral growl at the hidden enemy. Ultear on the other hand had summoned a handful of her spheres, she soon sent them out to act as her eyes in the skies.
"There!" Ultear shouted as the sphere from her right side erupted with a beam of ice, indicating that the enemy had been spotted.
"Let's not waste any more time, we know that you're there," Ultear said calmly with narrowed eyes.
The culprit did not answer for a few seconds as he was silent, but eventually, the culprit soon made himself known much to the delight of the two. However, it didn't prepare them for what their now-known assailant looked like.
Their clothing may include elaborate, ethereal designs or symbolism. Their robes may cascade with elegance as they move, giving them an air of ethereality. The icy gleam of Cryo is their chosen elemental strength.
The next ones are the strangest creatures they've seen. Their bodies are svelte and nimble, their iridescent scales shimmering in the low light, giving them an amazing look. Their eyes have an unearthly brightness that conveys a profound comprehension of the secrets they are tasked with keeping safe. If they could be compared to an animal, then it'd be a wolf as they have a similar structure.
"So, we got enemies right in front of us," Natsu said as he turned in Ultear's direction. "Should I take care of it?"
Ultear stared at the Dragonslayer like a mother disappointed in her child. The look she gave made Natsu a bit uncomfortable with how silent she was, but eventually, she gave her answer.
"No," Ultear simply replied. "With your container being damaged, we can't risk destroying it now, can we?"
"Oh come on Ultear, it's not like I'll destroy the whole mountain!" Natsu whined.
"Tell that to the people of Mondstadt," Ultear said to the whining Dragonslayer, and his credit, had the decency to slump down. "And besides, I also want to let loose for a bit."
Natsu quirked a brow at what she said but soon gained a grin. The look on Ultear's face was enough to have him step to the sidelines.
She wants to fight and unleash hell.
The Dragonslayer never really saw Ultear in a battle to her full capacity, not even back at Tenrou Island. But now, he has the opportunity to see what she's capable of. He knows that she's powerful, no way Hades would put her in the Seven Kin of Purgatory if she were weak. While he had the chance to fight her back then, she merely taunted him and disappeared without a trace leaving him confused and having to deal with Zancrow afterward.
"Try not to kill them, Ultear," Natsu said as he made his way to the side, excited to see the battle unfold.
"I'll try," Ultear replied, casting off her cloak off of her person and stretching her arms for a bit.
The Cryo Abyss Mage growled at how they were toying with his threat. Was it arrogance that they made light of their situation? It has to be arrogance. But regardless of how they can keep their bravado, it matters not once he puts them all in an iced tomb. The Abyssal Mage let out a dark chuckle, oh he will thoroughly enjoy this.
Signaling with its hand, the rifthound began slowly circling Ultear. The hound let out a feral growl at the Time Mage, getting ready to strike. She however merely looked at the beast with a glare of her own.
"I see that you're not going to cooperate," Ultear began as a surge of magic energy fluctuated around her. "Don't worry, I can fix that."
"Ice-Make: Rose Garden."
Just as the rifthound was about to pounce on Ultear, a wave of purple ice that was the size of a three-story building was summoned right in front of her. Like a tide, it was fast, so fast that the hound wasn't even able to react, not even a second.
The rifthound could only let out a scream before finally being consumed by the icicle wave. Its frozen body was inside the ice. She noticed that despite the lack of human facial features she could very much tell that the Rifthound looked quite shocked.
Turning her attention to the one who commanded the creature, Ultear lifted her right arm and pointed the palm of her hands to the Abyss Mage.
"Ice-Make: Rose Crown," Ultear cast her spell, as large vines of thorns and roses made out of ice erupted from the ground covering the area. Her spell soon started slithering toward the Abyss Mage who looked shell-shocked at the power.
The Abyss Mage snapped out and recovered from its shock as it pressed a finger on its forehead. It began saying something foreign before finally blinking away and moving a few feet away from Ultear.
"A teleportation magic?" Ultear thought. She then clicked her tongue with annoyance. That's going to be annoying.
The Abyss Mage let out a sigh of relief, thankful that his incantation saved him in the nick of time. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if he would survive the woman's attack despite having a cryo shield around him. Could it be that the woman's power was so strong it instinctively dodged her attack? Could it be that it's so strong that it could destroy its shield? It doesn't know, but it would rather not face her attack head-on next time.
Ultear had noticed the relief the Abyss Mage had made. It's either that it's glad that it dodged her attack or it survived. But whether it be the former or the latter, it didn't matter, she was still going to keep attacking and it better hope that it survives her next attack.
The Cryo Abyss Mage then began charging its power, as he waved its staff, a couple of ice was summoned all around itself before finally, releasing it in a projectile manner to Ultear's direction.
"Ice-Make: Wall," Ultear stomped on the snowy ground causing a block of ice to appear right in front of her, blocking the icicle attack from the Abyss Mage.
The ice in front of her soon shattered after the attack. She soon followed up with an attack by charging her hands with magic energy and clasping them together. A counter-attack.
"Ice-Make: Bloom," Ultear's previous attack, Rose Crown, then started to bloom, as more roses started to sprout from the vines, thorns that were as sharp as a sword grew rapidly, and the vines started to enlarge as well. She then swiped her hands to where the Abyss Mage stood causing the vines to attack the Mage at an incredible speed.
The Abyss Mage tried to cast his spell again, trying to blink, hoping that he was lucky enough to dodge her attack once more.
Sadly, for the Abyss Mage, it failed.
Ultear's attack soon connected at the Abyss Mage's body, causing its shield to break into many many pieces and sending it flying before finally crashing at a pile of rocks.
The Time Mage soon began walking towards the downed creature, her face calm and serene, yet her intentions in her mind betrayed it.
Picking up the Abyss Mage by the head, Ultear glared at the Abyssal citizen, as if it were nothing but trash in her eyes. But she soon dropped the unconscious Abyss Mage down the snowy ground and sighed.
"Ice-Make: Cage," Ultear then summoned an ice cage out of thin air around the downed abyssal citizen, keeping it in custody. Hopefully, with it being down, it would give them answers as to where they could find the energy source.
Overall, she was glad that she won quite fairly easily against this so-called mage. Being on borrowed time, they need to get Natsu's container fixed as soon as possible before the Knights of Favonius find them. Still, she can't help but feel disappointed with how easily she won. It's not like she doubts her powers, oh no. She at least thought that she might struggle, but it turns out she didn't even need to as the match was completely a one-sided battle.
But then again, a win is a win, so she'll take it. She then turned her attention to the Dragonslayer, who looked quite happy, probably at the outcome of the battle.
"Natsu, come and drag the cage," Ultear ordered to the Dragonslayer.
"And here I thought I was the one who shouldn't over-exert himself," Natsu replied with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.
"You expect a lady to carry that?" Ultear said lifting a brow and crossing her arms.
"Yeah yeah," Natsu replied as he waved his arms lightly. He soon grabbed the cage and began carrying it on his right shoulder.
"So where to now?" Natsu asks Ultear who seems to be in thought but quickly snaps as soon as the Dragonslayer says his question.
"I think I found a cave nearby," Ultear pointed. "We can interrogate this thing there."
"Yeah I think that's for the best," Natsu replied and soon gained a grin. "Wouldn't want your panties to freeze under the weather now don't we?"
Ultear elbowed the Dragonslayer in his sides mid-laugh. Her right eye and hands twitched at his idiotic response to her suggestion earlier, it took a majority of her willpower not to pounce on Natsu and beat him senselessly, but unfortunately for the Time Mage and fortunately for Natsu, she didn't. She huffed with annoyance as she stormed away from Natsu.
"Perv," Ultear said with disdain as she began walking to the cave she suggested, leaving Natsu alone to slowly collect his bearings.
Natsu was able to collect himself after Ultear's sudden strike. The cage almost slipped off his shoulder but luckily, his grip was strong enough to maintain the balance. He grumbled and said something along the lines that it was just a joke and soon followed the Time Mage.
A few minutes had passed since their encounter. Ultear had led them to the cave she mentioned. The Arc of Time leads the Dragonslayer to enter the cave with the Abyss Mage still in its cage.
Natsu begrudgingly drops the poor creature down to the ground. Although the mage was encased in ice and couldn't convey a word, Natsu could very much tell that this thing felt the pain of being dropped hard.
"Right, let's get down to business shall we?" Ultear said as she readied herself with a sphere in hand.
"Would you mind melting the ice, Natsu?" Ultear requested as the Dragonslayer smirked.
"With pleasure," He said as he lifted his ignited left hand and brought it close to the encased Abyss Mage.
The ice started to melt the moment Natsu brought his hands near the iced cage. The water dripping down also evaporated from the heat he held and a few seconds had passed, the cage was completely gone as all that was left was the Abyss Mage, who was beaten and battered. Courtesy of Ultear Milkovich.
The creature's breathing was tired and ragged, Natsu almost felt bad for the poor guy.
Almost.
Cracking his knuckles, Natsu grabbed the Abyss Mage by the throat using his right hand. He lifted the poor Abyss Mage off the ground and pinned him to the wall. An audible cry was all the creature could do as the grip from the Dragonslayer was hard as the shackles of a prisoner, and a prisoner they are.
"All right you masked bastard, you're going to tell me what the hell is going on in this damn mountain," Natsu threatened as his grip held on the Abyss Mage hard.
"Or else," The Mage could only cry out in pain as the Dragonslayer's grip hardened around their windpipe.
Ultear looked at Natsu with utter shock. Never in her life would she ever thought she'd witness a sight like this. The fact that Natsu, who was considered to be one of the kindest mages on the entire continent of Fiore made such a threat.
She didn't know whether to be scared or impressed, but now was not the time to think about that. She'll have to stop this now before he kills the poor bastard.
"Enough!" Ultear boomed as her voice echoed in the cave.
"As much as I'm shocked at seeing this side of yours, I think I'll do the interrogating from here," Ultear said as she placed a hand on Natsu's shoulder.
Natsu turned his attention to Ultear, his eyes narrowing at her as if he were being commanded.
The latter nearly faltered at his glare, but she never let it get to her, as she gave a glare of her own against the Dragonslayer. The two looked at one another, waiting for one to lose their standoff, until finally, Natsu let out a sigh.
"Fine, whatever, just make it quick," Natsu said as he let go of the Abyss Mage's throat, letting it fall to the ground.
The Dragonslayer huffed with annoyance before walking away from the Arc of Time user.
"Where are you going?" Ultear asks the annoyed Dragonslayer.
"Just going to see what I can find in this damn cave," Natsu replied dismissively, as he continued to venture inside the cave.
Ultear could only look at the Dragonslayer's fleeting form as he continued to venture inside the cave. Finally, the darkness consumed his body, leaving her with the Abyss Mage who still has the look of horror at what Natsu did.
"Right," Ultear began. "I assume that you don't need a reminder of what just happened, do you?"
The Abyss Mage stayed silent but still glared at Ultear. The Time Mage concluded that they wouldn't answer. It's okay, she thought, as she can be patient. After all, this isn't her first rodeo when it comes to interrogating people.
After all, she was a former member of Grimoire Heart, one of the most powerful dark guilds to have ever existed. Getting information about the things she wants is one of the strengths she accumulated in her years as a member of the now-disbanded guild.
"I'll take your silence as a yes," Ultear said happily, gaining a cheery smile.
The Abyss Mage looked at her with great disdain. She was toying with them. An Abyss Mage that was personally hand-picked by the princess of the Abyss, was being toyed by a mere woman.
"Now, I assume you have some questions for me regarding why we let you live, no?" Ultear said to the Abyss Mage, who kept its glare at the woman but still nodded at her question.
"Simple questioning really," Ultear replied with a shrug. "I'm just as clueless as Natsu when it comes to this place."
"Now then, let's start with some simple questions," Ultear began. "My first question is, who are you, or better yet, what are you?"
The Abyss Mage let out a feral growl at her, if they could only get out of their cursed restraints then they could make a beeline for their escape. But they couldn't, somehow, the ice was blocking their ability to teleport.
"Are you going to answer my question?" Ultear threatened, her cheerful personality replaced with a more sinister look, which made the Abyss Mage shiver down their spine.
"We're Abyss Mages," The creature began. "We're what's left of the fallen kingdom of Khaenri'ah." They said, albeit in a reluctant manner.
"And what exactly, is Khaenri'ah?" Ultear questioned.
The Abyss Mage could only look at Ultear with confusion. Surely she was joking, right? How did she not know the history of Khaenri'ah? Did the world forget what Celestia did to their home to the point that people wouldn't know their history?
Either she genuinely doesn't know, or she's just playing ignorant with them. They're hoping that it's the latter.
"Are you toying with me?" The Abyss Mage growled at Ultear.
"Does it look like I'm toying with you?" Ultear replied with a glare
Both of them continued to look at each other with daggers in their eyes. Neither dropped their glares at one another. This continued for more than a few more seconds before finally one of them ceased, and it wasn't Ultear. The Abyss Mage could only sigh, looks like she doesn't know the full story.
"Seeing that you're completely clueless as to what we are, I suppose I can enlighten you of our past," The Abyss Mage said.
They then proceeded to speak about the fallen kingdom's past, bit by bit they tell how Celestia attacked the kingdom of Khaenri'ah and how their actions were justified by committing genocide against them. Not only that, they went into great detail as to how the Seven Archons were also there to help with the cataclysm.
Ultear listened to the Abyss Mage with great interest. How fascinating. To think that there was a great civilization lost five hundred years ago, not only that, it feels as though this will have great significance for them. However, it made Ultear uneasy that the Abyss Mage mentioned the Seven Archons. The fact of the matter is that those seven are still alive is a bit concerning and that they were willing to help commit a genocide made her stomach churn.
But despite that, it doesn't explain the fact as to why this mountain known as Dragonspine feels as if there's something more. A pulsating darkness at the heart of it all.
"Next question," Ultear said. "What's the deal with this place, and why are you here?"
The Abyss Mage could only laugh at the question, to which Ultear replied with an ice-cold glare.
"Do find something funny?" Ultear growled as the Abyss Mage continued to laugh.
"Your face," The Abyss Mage said. "The way it morphs into confusion entertains me. Perhaps you should also wear a clown cost-GAH!"
The Abyss Mage couldn't finish his sentence, as the moment they mocked the Time Mage, was the moment she summoned her sword and plunged it into the stomach of the monster. She then twisted her blade ever so slightly, causing the Abyss Mage to scream in pain.
Ultear meanwhile was ever calm and looked at the creature with contempt. She continued to twist and turn her sword onto the stomach of the Mage, blood dripping out of the gut, and blood coughing out of the mouth.
Disgusting. To think that she'll have to get her hands dirty with this damn thing. She'd been patient and now she's at the end of her wits with this creature. She's starting to regret taking the interrogation duty. Well, even if the poor freak is dead, then the faster she can deal with Natsu's problem, so she'll speed up the process.
"Enough! Stop! I'll talk!" The Abyss Mage cried out in pain, causing Ultear to stop with her torture.
"Now. Talk," Ultear commanded as the Mage could only reply with a slight nod.
"This… was supposed base of operations here in Mondstadt," The Abyss Mage began with a bloodied mouth."We planned on taking the mountains for ourselves since your friend dealt with the Treasure Hoarders who made this place their base."
"Natsu came here before me?" Ultear asks as the Abyss Mage coughed up a bit of blood causing the mask to stain with red.
"Yes…" The Abyss Mage replied. "That friend of yours was pretty brutal with his attack. The fact that he was able to burn a quarter of Dragonspine speaks for his combat abilities… and I have this gut feeling that this wasn't even a drop of his power."
"But why was he here in the first place?" Ultear asked as the Abyss Mage could only laugh a little.
"Heh, you humans are so demanding for answers…" The Abyss Mage replied weakly which made Ultear glared. "The reason for his assault was to rescue some children who've been kidnapped."
"What?" Ultear looked at the Abyss Mage with confusion.
"Oh, you didn't know? And here I thought the both of you were partners?" The Abyss Mage mocked weakly, to which, Ultear replied by tightening her grip on her blade and then twisting and turning the sword roughly causing the Mage to cry out in pain.
This continued for more than a minute and with each passing second, the Abyss Mage felt as if their life could be slipping away. But before their consciousness faded altogether, Ultear stopped her torture again, making the Abyss Mage gasp out.
"You clearly don't understand your situation, so that was a little reminder," Ultear said glaring at the monster who was fighting for their life. "You know what, let's move on to another question shall we?"
"Who is your leader?" Ultear asks. "With how easily you got yourself caught, I doubt you're the leader. It's someone, isn't it? Someone who holds power against all of you freaks."
The Abyss Mage looked angrily at the Time Mage. How dare she insult them, how dare she insult the princess? They were already wiped off the map by Celestia, and the other nations had helped with the genocide of their kingdom. They'd suffer in silence for five hundred years and they would not allow their vengeance to be stopped.
The princess, who just like them also suffered at the loss of the kingdom, had personally handpicked them for this mission. All they needed to do was investigate the source of the destruction that occurred in the mountain, it took a few days but eventually, they found out that it was caused by an individual with Pink hair.
They'd traced his location back to Mondstadt and had observed his movements, waiting for an opportunity to isolate and kill him. The opportunity presented itself back in the city, but they couldn't risk being spotted by humans, especially the ones who are associated with the Knights of Favonius.
Imagine their surprise when the two had escaped their cell and were heading toward Dragonspine, aka their new base. It could've been perfect for them, they could've trapped them here and killed Natsu and Ultear. But of course, things didn't go as planned. They didn't anticipate the power that Ultear had bought. Her power could be a match to the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya. The fact that she was able to use cryo without the need for a vision was shocking to them.
And it was that, that led to their downfall. Their lack of understanding of her powers was the catalyst for their failure. It was that, that they were in this helpless position right now. Bleeding and gasping for air.
They knew that even if they escaped from Ultear it would already be too late, the sword that was plunged at them was too deep, and their intestine was probably beyond repair at this point. Laughing at themselves, he forced themselves to sit up, having the cavern walls to support them.
Ultear readied herself in case the Abyss Mage attacked, but to her surprise, they didn't. All they did was look at her with a glare full of hatred. Looking at their condition, the Arc of Time user knew that the Abyss Mage was going to die soon.
With their consciousness fading, they could only sigh in defeat. Looking at the woman who had cost them their life, they glared at her with hatred. With every second passing, their vision was starting to go blurry, but before they could take their last breath, they said their last words.
"For the princess… and the abyss…"
And with that, they finally died with their bodies fading, leaving Ultear confused as to what just happened to them. The way that their bodies just disappeared into nothingness was concerning, but still, they gained a bit of information, but at the cost of another dying.
Despite her promise to never kill again, she doesn't regret going too far with this one. Yes, she might've gone too far with the interrogation but they were the ones who pulled the trigger first by attacking them. Still, though, the things that they said. For the princess and the abyss? Was this so-called Princess their leader? A high possibility.
The Time Mage was in deep thought. The possible theories of this organization were endless as she was trying to make sense of it all. Khaenri'ah, the Seven, the Abyss Order, the Princess, and Celestia. She'll make sure to investigate these cases once she fixes Natsu's problem. Speaking of Natsu, she hasn't seen him return yet. What could be possibly taking so long?
Soon a scream could be heard coming deeper from the cave, causing Ultear to turn her attention to it. Guess that was the answer.
That was probably Natsu!
Without delay, she immediately rushed toward the dark, heading in Natsu's direction. She uses her enhanced senses to locate Natsu. It didn't take long for her to reach his location, she found him clutching his chest and breathing uncontrollably. She rushed towards his side to see if there was something she could do.
Magically linking herself to the Dragonslayer, she began to pour a bit of her magic energy onto him, hoping to ease and return his condition to normal. Cause currently, he's suffering from the effects of magic deficiency. A sickness in which a wizard suffers from a lack of magic inside their system.
Luckily for Ultear, his condition stabilized, to which she sighed in relief. Looking closely at the Dragonslayer, he looked like he hadn't slept for weeks.
He must've been over-exerting himself. She should've noticed sooner. The distance they traveled together might've put a toll on his body, and he must've used his reserve to keep himself going. She was lucky she found him sooner rather than later, because if she hadn't, then he would've surely fainted. Worst-case scenario, found him dead.
Honestly, if she knew beforehand that this was going to be the result of their little trip then she would've protested against his plan. She blamed herself that he was in pain, she was careless, and most of all felt stupid at her decision.
Sighing, she looked at Natsu. The Time Mage caressed his face, in worry.
"I'm sorry, Natsu," Ultear said with sadness, tears threatening to leave her eyes. "I should've never left you alone."
The thought of her ally dying made her feel helpless. She doesn't want that, she doesn't want to lose another person in her life. Despite her and Natsu not being close, she considers him as one of her friends along with the rest of his team. He was one of the people to not judge her by her past and was willing to open himself up to her which she also did.
Looking at him once more, she gritted her teeth in frustration. She refuses to have one of her allies die so helplessly.
Gathering her resolve. She soon carried Natsu on her back and continued walking onward. Despite how heavy the Dragonslayer is, she paid no mind to the weight of him, as his life was on hanging by a thread. Never mind how tired she is, never mind how long the destination is. She's going to save him, no matter what.
Her perseverance to save her friend would soon pay off, as the two would soon reach their destination. And the destination she was hoping for shocked her.
The once-dark cave soon began to light up, emanating a warm bright glow of crimson. The cavern walls, cracked as they may, also produced the same light through the cracks, and rocks that are as colored lay in the vicinity. And at the center of the cavern is the source of it all.
It was a heart. A dragon's heart that's covered by stones. The veins are still connected to it as if it still had its body to function, which it did not. Pulsating with an otherworldly red glow, the mere sight of it made Ultear uneasy and sick, it was as if her instinct was telling her to stay away from it, which she was considering but ultimately decided not to.
Calming herself down, she allowed herself to take deep breaths, out of fatigue and fear. Fatigue to due the distance she'd had to carry the Dragonslayer and fear for how its presence made her tremble so easily.
After finally calming herself down, she looked at the grotesque heart. The sheer size of it made Ultear imagine the beast that this heart belonged to. That thing must've wreaked havoc in its wake, as the amount of destruction it could unleash could be catastrophic if it were to be alive today.
But thankfully, it's not. So the thought of it quickly faded out of her mind. Now that she was able to focus once again, she looked at Natsu and quickly dragged him near the heart. She then summoned her sphere and prepared a magical link as she was about to begin the process.
The Time Mage read from books that to fix a magic container, they would need a lacrima coming from the same origin as their magic. And in Natsu's case, his magic came from a Dragon. She plans on making a lacrima for Natsu and transplanting it right inside him.
She'd heard that Laxus Dreyar, a Dragonslayer like Natsu, has a lacrima inside of him. She'd heard from her former guild master, Hades, that he was once a weak boy who was considered by many as worthless. Sickly and worthless he was, Laxus still trained and still aimed to be a wizard, to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, Makarov Dreyar.
However, it didn't take long for him to realize the futile of his training. Despite the hard work he puts out, it is all worthless as his body is too weak to even try to cast the most basic of spells. It wasn't until his father, Ivan Dreyar, couldn't take the humiliation of a weakling of a son, as he forcefully implanted a lacrima inside of Laxus that he obtained his powers. The powers of a Lightning Dragon.
His once scrawny physique had evolved into a muscular tone overnight. Not only that, his condition improved to its peak. Not only did it fix his physique, but was also able to fix his condition regarding his health.
The once sickly and weak Laxus was gone and from the metamorphosis emerged a Laxus stronger than he was before.
So with the theories she had read and the confirmation thanks to Laxus, she was honestly confident, and the odds were in her favor with this one. Still, there's always that percentage that things could go wrong in her operation, and it could potentially backfire on Natsu if she's not careful. The best-case scenario would completely fix his magic container and at worst, he'd die.
Inhaling and exhaling, she readied herself. It was do or die, and if she didn't act soon, a person would lose theirs.
Do or die, that's what she said to herself. Closing her eyes in preparation, she then opened them full of determination.
She flared up her magic and connected her sphere to the dragon's heart using the magic link. The object soon began to extract the power of the heart, slowly but surely. The process of extracting the heart should take about a few minutes and all Ultear could do is wait.
Seeing as she couldn't do anything at the moment, she decided to allow herself to be seated near Natsu who was still unconscious. Her fingers had down his face and caressed the nasty scar on his face. Slowly, she felt the rough sensation of it, the stinging sensation he felt every night when the wound was fresh must've been painful. Since she too knows the pain of baring a scar.
The experimentation she endured at the hands of Brain was something she wishes to completely forget. The sadistic smile he gave to her when he announced that he would experiment with her body still made her feel vulnerable. He would cut her, day in and day out, just to unlock her magic. The scars that were put on her in her torturous youth. The stinging sensation she felt whenever she went to sleep.
It was only then that Hades took her from her captor and offered her treatment for her scars but at the price of joining his guild. To which she said yes. It was there that she was able to fully heal the wounds that were inflicted on her, and it was there when she came to a full realization that the world isn't fair.
Still, despite the tensive treatment Hades had given her. It wasn't enough to fully completely heal her. Physically, she's fine as there are no more scars and bruises she had on her person. Mentally is a different story.
Every night, she'd suffer from nightmares about her experiences. The experiments on her, Brain, her tortuer, and her mother, Ur Milkovich. She'd wake up in the dead of night whenever she had those nightmares. It was only thanks to Meredy that she was able to calm her mental state down using her Maguilty Sense to stop the nightmares she'd been having for years.
A few minutes had passed as Ultear was completely lost in her thoughts. Her mind, remembering the good and the bad of her life becoming more and more frequent as of late. Was this perhaps because of how she misses her friends in Crime Sorciere? Possibly. Perhaps he can consult this Natsu, after all, he's the expert when it comes to friendship and companionship.
She chuckled at the thought. He would be the type to give her a lecture about it. Before the Time Mage could speak what was on her mind, she'd noticed that her spheres were glowing crimson, to which she responded appropriately by rushing to it.
The sphere had completely absorbed all of the heart's power. What was once a heart that glowed the color crimson was now a shadow of its former self, as it was drained to its very drop. Its color changed from a pure crimson color to a dull grey.
Carefully, the sphere floated at the palm of Ultear's hand. She then turned in Natsu's direction and walked toward him with the sphere-turned lacrima in her hand. She then knelt down and carefully placed it on the Dragonslayer's chest. Now that the easy part is done, it's time for the hard part.
"Natsu, I'm sorry but this is going to be a bit painful. So please, bear the pain for a while," Ultear apologized in advance to Natsu who was still knocked out.
With that, she began implanting the lacrima inside his body. Touching the lacrima, it glowed and pulsated a bit of its power. With a steady hand and focused gaze, Ultear began to chant, invoking the forces of magic to perform the extraordinary. Slowly, the sphere levitated from the Time Mage's palms, hovering above the person's body. With a surge of power, the sphere gently descended, seamlessly melding into the Dragonslayer's chest.
A brief period of silence fell over the room as the magic began to work, connecting the sphere to the individual's core.
As the lacrima became one with the person's being, a soft glow emanated from their chest, illuminating the room with ethereal light. Ultear watched in anticipation, her eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and concern. She could sense the powerful energy pulsating within the person, intertwining with his essence. The room seemed to hold its breath as the transformation took place.
A surge of vitality coursed through the Natsu's body, causing him to stir. Gradually, his eyes fluttered open, revealing a newfound clarity and strength. Slowly sitting himself up, he looked at Ultear with curiosity.
Ultear couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment, knowing that her magical intervention had brought about a profound change.
"Ultear, what just happened?" Natsu asks in confusion.
Ultear replies by slapping him. Hard. Causing the Dragonslayer to fall to the ground. Natsu took a bit of time to assess what just happened, but eventually, it registered in his mind. He then stood up from the ground and looked at the Time Mage with anger.
"What the hell was that for?!" Natsu yelled at Ultear.
"That was for making me worry," Ultear replied in anger. "Do you have any idea how worried I was when you collapsed?!"
"Well, you don't have to worry 'cause I'm fine now!" Natsu replied, his voice matching the Time Mage.
"Yeah, cause of me!" Ultear said. "Damn it Natsu, do you have any consideration for your ally?!"
Natsu looked at Ultear with confusion once again. What does she mean by that?
"What do you mean by that?" Natsu asks, his tone lowering.
Ultear could only put a palm on her face in frustration. Was he purposely trying to dodge the question? Fine, she'll indulge him a bit.
"I heard you screaming deep in the cave. I rushed to see if you were okay and I found you clutching your chest," Ultear explained. " Not only that, your condition got worse and worse to the point where I had to give some of my magic energy and transfer it to you."
"Then what?"
"I carried you here," Ultear said with crossed arms."I found the source of the thing that attracted you here. Turns out, it was a dragon's heart."
"What?" Natsu said in shock.
"Yeah, I used one of my spheres and converted it into a lacrima and put it inside of you," Ultear explained. "I heard stories that people who had undergone lacrima transplants had their lives changed for the better, so I thought that giving you one you'll turn out fine. Luckily it paid off."
Natsu was at a loss for words. A lacrima transplant was pretty common back home, as he knew a couple of people who'd undergone the same treatment, namely Laxus, Sting, Rogue, and Eric. Still, he couldn't believe that he too would get the same transplant. It was then that he had a moment of realization.
"Wait, if I'd just gotten a lacrima transplant, then that means I can use another element," Natsu thought.
He can already use fire and lightning, and adding whatever element that this dragon had to his arsenal honestly made him excited quite a bit. But whatever that element is, he can find out later. He still needs to deal with a pissed-off Ultear after all.
"Look Ultear, I'm sorry if I worried you. It was pretty stupid of me to just run in without thinking about you." Natsu apologized wholeheartedly.
Ultear looked at him with an unreadable expression. Truth be told, she's still angry at the Dragonslayer for making her worry. He's all that she has at the moment, no Jellal, and especially no Merudy. It was all Natsu, and she'll be damned if anything ever happens to him, even if she has to put a binding spell on him. She almost lost someone close to her, and seeing as he waltzed his way into danger made her angry, so her anger is justifiable.
Still, she can't be mad at him forever. Despite his quirks, it's what makes Natsu, well, Natsu. Eventually, she released a sigh and looked Natsu straight in the eye.
"It's fine Natsu, it's just that… I don't want to lose someone dear to me," Ultear said in a whisper, shocking Natsu.
"Wait, you consider me dear to you?" Natsu asks.
Realizing what she said, she immediately covered her face. Hiding the huge blush on her face. She'd forgotten that Dragonslayer's had enhanced senses. If she could go back a few seconds in time and slap her past self then she would. But seeing as she doesn't have that ability, she'll confront the consequences of her action.
"Yes, I do," Ultear admitted. "Out of all the people I've met, you're one of the only people to ever get to know me. You know my struggles with opening up to other people about my past, and you helped me. And aside from Gray, you're the one who was willing to save me, despite all the bad things I did to you and your guild. So yes Natsu Dragneel, I do consider you dear-."
Ultear never had the chance to finish what she said. As she realized that Natsu came near to her and hugged her. Her eyes widened at his sudden action, despite that she never resisted it. She reciprocated it by hugging him as well.
"I also consider you as dear to me," Natsu replied as he tightened the hug.
The hug would last for more than a few minutes, neither of the two wanted to let go of the other.
Unbeknownst to both of them, someone was watching from the sidelines.
"Ahem," The stranger finally announced his presence which alarmed the two.
Natsu immediately recognized who the person was. It was the ever-stoic alchemist, Albedo. Ultear on the other hand, was exerting a bit of her power in case a fight would break out, but the Dragonslayer reassured her that everything was going to be fine.
"Hello again Natsu, we meet again," Albedo greeted.
"Yeah, I guess so," Natsu said casually. "Also, were you there the whole time?"
"No actually, I just arrived and caught you two doing… business," Albedo said, all smug at the two. To which the two blushed.
"T-That's not what we were doing," Ultear replied, stuttering in the process.
The room fell into silence once again. Both Natsu and Ultear stared at Albedo to see if he was going to do something, but in the end, nothing came. The alchemist, on the other hand, observed them and their surroundings.
How strange. Durin's heart seemed to stop emitting its glow, not only that, its heartbeat stopped. He thought that it would be impossible to stop it. He'd been working on a device for years to stop the infectious abilities that the heart bought in its wake. But these two managed to put a stop to it.
How curious indeed. He wonders if it had something to do with them not being from Teyvat, which is a high possibility. Still, despite wanting to experiment with the surrounding area, he has a job to do, and that's to bring them to Lady Frederica.
"Ah, I've almost forgotten. Lady Frederica tasked me to bring the two of you to her," Albedo said. "She wanted to speak to you two."
"She's not angry at us for destroying our cell is she?" Natsu asks with a nervous tone.
"For the record, he was the one that destroyed our cell," Ultear said, throwing Natsu under the bus.
Albedo watched as the two bicker. It was honestly hilarious in the eyes of the alchemist. Chuckling, he decided to keep his thoughts in his mind.
"Couples," Albedo thought.
Welp, I'm back. Does anybody miss me? No? Well fuck. Jokes aside I'm glad I was finally able to post this before the year ends. I've been doing school work and getting to Emerald in League of Legends, I know shocking. But yeah doing this chapter was pretty much my pass time when I'm not busy.
Now regarding the chapter, what do you think? I think I could've made the interactions between Natsu and Ultear a bit better, to be honest. But yeah I'll let you guys be the judge of that. Also, regarding Durin, what do you guys think about it? I was honestly at the back of my mind trying to come up with a way to have Natsu's broken container fixed when I came to a sudden realization that I could turn him into a lacrima. Since those things are made out of the hearts of a dragon, which Durin currently is in-game, and I couldn't let the opportunity pass.
Also, I made an AO3 account called: OuroborosInfinity. I've already posted the first chapter there and I'll be adding more to it in the future. Speaking of the first chapter, I've also rewritten Chapter 1 of this fic, so go check it out if you're interested. I'll also be rewriting Chapter 2 so don't expect me to make another chapter soon.
I'd also like to thank SentryForge for the help I received in making this chapter, I couldn't do it without him.
Anyways, that's all folks. I'll see you in the next chapter. Whenever that will be.