XXX
September 22nd, X778
"Luce," muttered a voice Lucy knew well. She grumbled a half-hearted protest as something poked and prodded her into awareness. "Lucy."
It was only when the poking got her in a spot she found ticklish that she jolted awake entirely. "What?" she groaned, eyes snapping open. She irritably glared at Natsu, who hovered over her. At least, she was fairly sure it was Natsu since no one else called her "Luce." She could hardly tell. The fire had died down, simmering quietly enough that it was dark enough that she could hardly see anything more than black shapes. The dark was intimidating, and Lucy considered throttling Natsu as soon as she realized she'd have to try and go back to sleep knowing she couldn't see what might be watching them from the shadows. "Natsu, it is the middle of the goddamn night–"
"Sh!" He slapped a hand over her mouth, whispering, "You're going to wake up Wendy."
Prying his hand away from her mouth, Lucy hissed back, "And why are you waking me up?!"
"C'mon." Natsu ignored her whispered questions as he ushered her out of her warm, safe blanket and into the frigidly cold air. He paused to snag said blanket, throwing it around her shoulders for her as she tightened her coat around her body, still scowling. Not that Natsu could see the look on her face when it was this dark. "Ready?"
"No!" Lucy said crossly. "Where are we going?" Lucy looked over her shoulder in the direction of their young friend. Charle and Happy's rather frightening looking eyes blinked back at them, reflecting what little light there was. "Natsu, we can't just head off into the dark and leave Wendy–"
He shushed her sharply, and Lucy spluttered in outrage when he covered her mouth with his hand again. "Don't wake her up," Natsu said. "We're not going far. I promise." He paused, and then insisted, "Just trust me, would you?" She could feel his exasperation radiating off of him. She gave in rather quickly, though she didn't hesitate to nip the flesh of Natsu's palm to prove a point. He ripped his hand away with a startled curse. "What the hell, Lucy?"
"I don't like being shushed," she retorted. She sighed heavily. "Now. Show me whatever the hell you're trying to show me." She paused, then whispered as he put a hand on the small of her back and gently nudged her forward, "Natsu, can you see in the dark?"
He choked back a startled laugh. She jumped when he leaned close enough to murmur in her ear, "No, but I know how to feel with my feet. And I brought a flashlight." Pointedly, he switched it on, playfully blinding her. Lucy cursed, fighting the urge to kick him as she rubbed her eye. He was in a mood. One that was very quickly becoming more of a problem than it was amusing.
"Seriously, what about Wendy?" Lucy asked, making sure to keep her voice down as she looked back. Their camp had already disappeared into the darkness. She hoped Natsu would be able to find it again, because she certainly wouldn't be able to. "There could be a Vhalis–"
"I made sure the place was clear before I woke you up and put some extra runes down just to make sure." Natsu didn't keep his voice as low as they got further from Wendy.
The promise eased some of the tension from Lucy's body, and she relaxed. Natsu hummed an unfamiliar song cheerfully. Lucy found it soothing and wondered if there might be actual power behind the songs he sometimes sang in that ancient language of his. Surely, if written symbols could possess power, then words could, too.
Lucy opened her mouth to ask just that, but before she could, Natsu stopped suddenly. Mostly unable to see where she was walking since he was the one with the flashlight, Natsu ran into him with a grunt. Pain zinged up her arm, but she didn't say anything about it, simply rubbing the space between two of the wounds to try and lessen it. Not that it mattered that he had the flashlight; Natsu shut it off with a sharp snap of the switch, then grabbed her hand and tugged her forward just a few more paces.
"Look up, Luce," he said proudly.
Lucy did so, not expecting much other than the night sky or dark trees – only to be floored by the sight above her head as light and color exploded to life, realizing what he was showing her.
Natsu had brought her to a small clearing, where the trees stood far enough apart that she could see the sky again. Dancing among the heavens and their stars was a beautiful display Lucy had never seen before, though she'd heard of it. Pinks and teals and greens and golds danced in a stunning array overhead, weaving among the shockingly bright stars. Lucy forgot about her irritation with Natsu's mysterious demands, how cold she was, how dark it was, even the pain in her arms and her perpetual exhaustion.
She could see only the aurora borealis as they shone gently overhead. "How did you even see this through the trees?" she breathed, a smile blooming to life as she clutched his hand tightly.
Natsu grinned. "I didn't," he said, voice filled with mirth. "I'm the sun, remember? I might not be able to keep Vhalis away anymore, but I'm not completely helpless, Luce."
Lucy snapped her gaze towards him, finding that she could see glimpses of him beneath the dancing lights. His eyes shone with delight and pride. "You made this happen?" she demanded.
Natsu didn't answer. Rather, he dropped to sit on the cold, frozen earth without hesitation, pausing to brush some snow away for her. Lucy carefully joined him, wrapping her blanket around her a little more securely. When she was settled, Lucy returned her eyes to the sky, enjoying the shifting magentas and silvery blues.
"Your arms okay?" Natsu suddenly checked.
"As fine as they can be," promised Lucy, flashing him a quick smile. Natsu didn't look as if he believed her entirely, but before he could say more, she cut him off, stretching her legs out and pretending she wasn't as cold as she found herself to be. "This is incredible. I always saw pictures of these lights and wished I could see them. I didn't think I'd ever get to before the Fall, let alone after."
Natsu studied the lights with renewed interest, as if he'd not thought Lucy would like them as much as she did. She wondered if he'd come up with this idea on impulse more so than anything else. "I didn't seem 'em 'til after I was a god. Igneel showed them to me. To show me what kind of things I might be able to do when I was ready to move on."
Lucy's heart swelled. It was so rare that Natsu brought up the times before he was a god. "Did you make them happen?" She repeated her question almost demandingly, wanting to know the answer to her question. He was making it sound like he could, though she was confused by what he meant. How could he be virtually powerless when it came to the Vhalis but do something like this?
"Yes and no." Natsu's lips quirked when Lucy glared at him, exasperated and wanting to know what he meant. "I don't know how to explain it. I could feel it was the right kind of set up, and then I wanted it to happen so it did. That's all I know."
Lucy considered his explanation. It made no sense whatsoever, but at the same time…it made some sense. He'd willed it into existence, but it had only worked because the setup was right. She wondered if that was how the gods did all of their work.
Silence fell, and they sat there peacefully for a while, watching the lights as they danced beautifully overhead. Lucy couldn't help but keep smiling, unable to tear her eyes off of them. It was nice to see that in a world full of terrible things, there was still at least something nice that existed.
Wanting to show him just how much she appreciated what he'd done, Lucy hesitated only a moment before suddenly leaning over and planting a gentle, affectionate kiss against his cheek. She couldn't help the way her smile softened when Natsu practically melted at the touch, a happy hum escaping him. He startled her by twisting to catch her lips with his. Lucy was more than happy to kiss him back, laughing softly against his mouth.
"Thank you for showing me this, Natsu," said Lucy quietly when she pulled back to catch her breath, cradling his face between her hands. "I needed it."
Rather than speaking, Natsu simply pressed his forehead to hers, still humming. Lucy liked to think that his eyes were glowing with adoration – only a little, with the barest pricks of sunlight gleaming where there had once been bright, whole suns.
"If you don't control your damn cat, I'm going to chuck him over the damn cliff, Natsu!"
Natsu cackled as he carefully edged closer to Lucy, cautious of the narrow path they'd taken. It traced the mountainside, with a steep incline on either side. One misstep would send them tumbling – likely to their doom. He managed to snag Happy by the scruff and lifted him into his arms, deciding carrying him would be safer than letting him continue to playfully trip Lucy. Happy yowled his protest, but Natsu soothed him with a quick scratch underneath his chin.
"Thank you." Lucy huffed, pushing on. Wendy had stopped a few steps ahead to wait for them. Her dark eyes shone with laughter as she ensured they were following her before continuing forward.
It was beyond Lucy's knowledge how they'd ended up on this tiny mountain trail in the middle of a pass. Natsu had been excited about it, claiming that though it was much more worn and smaller now, he thought it might be one he'd walked when he was younger. It meant they were more than likely closing in on Igneel's location, which was a delight to all of them. Lucy was relieved that her theory about Natsu finding his way once they got closer was proving true.
Mostly because she was exhausted, and more so than she ought to have been. She did her best to hide it. She didn't want to worry the others, but she didn't need to tell them, she supposed. Wendy had taken one look at her neck the afternoon before and gone pale as a sheet, distressed by the sight. Grandeeney was no longer someone she wanted to see, she'd declared, but someone they needed to find.
They all knew the reality that was quickly setting in: Lucy's infection was getting worse despite Wendy's best efforts, and without antibiotics or some magical godly ability…Lucy was going to be in serious trouble, and soon.
As if reading her mind, Wendy called a few minutes later, "Lucy, there's a spot ahead where we can rest!"
Lucy considered if it would be worth pushing. She decided it wouldn't be. She needed to rest, and she didn't want to put her friends at risk by slowing them down. "Let's stop for a bit there!" she called back.
Wendy stepped off the path onto a strange section that had been carved into the embankment beside them. Lucy suspected ancient hands had carved it for this very reason. She appreciated it immensely. It wasn't fun edging along a cold, windy mountain path with a sheer drop on the other side. Her aching body was already easing to the ground by the time Natsu joined them, dropping Happy as he did so. Happy sauntered over to investigate Lucy, sniffing lightly at her. She murmured a soft greeting, scratching his ears. For all her threats, he was pretty nice to have around.
A hand touched her forehead, making Lucy jump. "You have a fever," fretted Wendy. She looked up as Natsu came to stand with them, ignoring Lucy's protest that she was fine. Natsu simply looked at Wendy, trusting she'd know what to do. "We should stop here for the night, Natsu."
"I'm fine," grumbled Lucy, knowing fully well that she definitely wasn't fine. She pushed Wendy's hand away and ran her own down her face, frustrated. She ought to have been able to push on for a while longer. "I don't want to stop yet. There's still half a day left before nightfall that we could use to travel–"
Wendy cut her off with a shockingly sharp look that made Lucy clamp her mouth shut. "You have a fever, Lucy. You're going to rest."
Lucy looked at Natsu for help, but he shrugged. "What Wendy says goes," he said.
Sulking, Lucy rubbed Happy's ears and muttered one more time, "I'm fine!" He leaned into her touch. Most of the time, she was happy Natsu had convinced her to let Happy come along.
Lucy hadn't realized Natsu had dropped into a crouch in front of her until he'd gently poked her in the forehead, onyx eyes gleaming with unconcealed concern. "It's okay if you need to stop, Luce. We're not in a rush. Igneel's not moved from Mount Hakobe since he chose it before I was even born. He's not gonna go anywhere now."
"I don't like slowing you down," admitted Lucy aloud.
"We'd rather you slow us down then push yourself too hard." Natsu startled her when he pressed his forehead to hers in a pointed gesture. She could have sworn he uttered a hum of sorts, one that sent a shiver down her spine – and not because it scared her. "I'm gonna go set up the runes for camp. Don't move." His voice sharpened then, and Lucy sputtered at the way it contrasted so harshly with the gentle touch of his fingers to her cheek. He was already up and moving before she could reply, telling Wendy, "Don't let her do anything, Wendy."
"Uh…right." Wendy gawked after him, and then turned a wide-eyed, deer-in-the-headlights look on Lucy as he disappeared back onto the mountain path they'd been following. Happy leaped from Lucy's lap to follow him, and she pouted a little before looking over when Wendy asked in a high-pitched, uncertain voice, "Lucy…are you two–"
Lucy snorted, propping her chin in her hand and her elbow on her folded knee. "Yes." There was no point in pretending otherwise. She let her gaze soften when she glanced in the direction Natsu had gone. Whatever was happening between them was what it was, and she didn't see the need to clarify it or explain it. She was happy with it regardless.
Wendy considered it as she began setting up camp, trying to figure out how to light a fire when there were no trees around to gather wood from. "Lucy," she said after a while, finally sorting out her thoughts, "is it okay for you to do that?" When Lucy narrowed her eyes at her, Wendy added hastily, "Not that I don't like it; I think it's great! I'm happy for you two. I just…all the other gods…and is it going to upset Mavis if Valhalla gets fixed? I don't want something bad to happen to you. Or to Natsu." Her cheeks flushed as she began to fidget with the blanket she'd been intending to spread out, casting her gaze to her feet. "Grandeeney has work to do. She doesn't come around like she used to, and I…I don't want to be alone again, that's all."
Lucy forgot her own emotions and thoughts immediately. She beckoned Wendy over and tugged her down beside her. When Wendy was seated, she wrapped an arm around Wendy's shoulders, hugging her tightly to her side. "You won't be alone again," she promised. Regardless of what happens in the future with Valhalla, Natsu and I'll be around whenever you need us."
Wendy sniffled, wiping what Lucy suspected to be tears from her eyes. It alarmed her. How long had Wendy been sitting on that thought? That they'd leave her for whatever reason, leaving Wendy on her lonesome again? Lucy wished she'd known sooner, if only to promise otherwise.
Wendy leaned into her side, enjoying the comfort of having another pressed against her. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then said after a few minutes of comfortable silence, "I'm excited to meet Igneel. Grandeeney told me a little about him. She said they were close a long time ago, before the spirits began to lose power to the gods. They haven't talked in a long, long time. Do you think he'll remember Grandeeney, Lucy?"
"I don't see how he could forget the literal wind," said Lucy drily. She was admittedly nervous about meeting such a powerful creature, and one Natsu valued dearly at that. She ran a hand through her sweat-dampened blonde hair with a wince. Now that they were sitting, she felt the exhaustion setting in more and more.
Not good, she thought grimly, thinking of that damn spot on her neck.
Not good at all.
As if reading her mind, Wendy reached up and pressed her wrist to Lucy's forehead again. Her eyes narrowed. "Lucy–"
"I know." Lucy gently swatted her hand aside. "You can clean it if you want, but I don't think it's going to help much at this point, Wendy." The last she'd heard, her neck looked worse than it had in the mirror back at the cabin. It had started oozing a little, too, which they all knew to be bad news.
"I should have gotten good antibiotics before we left Hyacinth," said Wendy, biting her lip.
Lucy gave a small, bitter laugh. "We didn't think we'd end up where we did. Maybe we ought to head in that direction, after we visit Igneel. We could see if Yukino might be up to some bartering."
Wendy didn't respond. She merely went to fetch her first-aid kit, and Lucy knew Wendy was thinking the same thing she was: if the infection kept going as it was, they wouldn't be able to make it to the damn port town before Lucy's body gave out.
The vicious oath uttered behind her made Lucy's eyebrows raise as she turned to look over her shoulder. "Wendy?" she checked, catching Natsu's attention. He stopped, too, looking back. Lucy took advantage of the momentary break Wendy had decided to spontaneously take, trying to catch her breath. She couldn't seem to do so, and she couldn't tell if it was because she was sick, or if it was because of the higher elevation they found themselves in.
Wendy ignored them as a sharp wind buffeted them. Lucy staggered and Natsu reached out to make sure she didn't stumble too close to the semi-steep slope on either side of the path they'd chosen. Lucy muttered her gratitude, confused by the fear that suddenly bleached Wendy's face white. "Wendy, what's wrong?"
Wendy looked over her shoulder. "There's a Vhalis trailing us," she said. Lucy peered past her. She couldn't see anything, and Happy and Charle, initially trailing the group, trotted on as if they had no concern for whatever was happening. "Grandeeney says so," Wendy added.
Natsu's face darkened, and he echoed Wendy's crude curse. He squeezed past Lucy on the trail, cautious, and she held her breath until he was safely past Wendy, too. It might not kill him to fall, but Lucy had no desire whatsoever to see him tumble over the side of another cliff because of a Vhalis.
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked him as he crouched, grumbling about the lack of loose rocks. She wondered what had happened to create a Vhalis this deep in the mountains. Perhaps a lot hiker, she guessed, or someone who'd trailed them from the hellish place they'd left behind.
"Runes," he called back. Lucy flinched when rather than wasting time searching for a loose rock he could use to draw with, he simply used a sharp stone jutting from the path to rip open his hand. Golden ichor spattered the stone path they'd walked over. He smeared a rune over the path, eyes narrowed.
"Won't that catch their attention?" fretted Wendy.
"Maybe, but it's better than nothing. Come on." Natsu ushered her forward, ignoring the golden blood dripping steadily from his fingertips. Lucy reluctantly started forward, walking as quickly as she could without putting herself at risk. She hated that she occasionally tripped, too exhausted to remember to lift her feet.
They'd been hurrying for an hour or so when the piercing shriek told them that their time was up. Lucy gritted her teeth, launching into a sprint when Natsu suddenly snarled, "Go, go, go!"
The mountainside they'd been descending to had been split in half. They'd been descending the first half and hoping to stop at the halfway point for the night, where it opened up to a flatter section. The second half had seemed easier going, which was a relief on all of them. The slope wasn't quite as steep, and was studded with sparse trees.
Unfortunately, it appeared they'd be going further than intended. The group bolted right past the halfway point and began descending the second half. Snow was thick in between the dead-looking trees they darted past. Snow was thick and difficult to cross through, nearly up to Lucy's knees. Even Charle and Happy, bustling along with them, seemed to struggle through the thick snow, too.
Noticing, Wendy stopped for just a moment to help Charle.
"Wendy!" Natsu barked in warning.
Wendy screamed when the Vhalis slammed into her, sending them both rolling a few feet down the slope. Lucy didn't hesitate to whirl towards them, shouting Wendy's name. She couldn't see them for a moment in the flurry of thrown snow, but when it settled, she found Wendy pinned beneath the snarling Vhalis. Lucy grabbed the first key her hand touched.
Natsu snagged Taurus's war hammer from Lucy and swung it as hard as he could. The hammer collided with the Vhalis, which screeched its outrage as it was thrown from Wendy. Lucy hauled Wendy to her feet, and the poor girl shook like a leaf, eyes round with shock as she promised, "I'm okay."
"Good. Grab Charle." Lucy snatched up Happy, throwing him over her shoulder like a small, heavy sack. Happy clung to her with sharp claws, fur brushing her already aching neck. Lucy ignored the pain in favor of looking for Natsu, who ushered Wendy towards her. She wasn't sure what their plan was. They stood little to no chance against a Vhalis like this, even with Natsu and the keys he'd given her.
They all stopped at the sound of cracking. Even the Vhalis paused, craning its head to investigate. Lucy, freezing in her tracks, didn't dare take her eyes off the creature. It was an older Vhalis, with no sign of what had killed it. Lucy guessed it had once been a lost hiker who'd fallen to cold or starvation. Regardless of how it had been made, the Vhalis shifted uneasily, faltering before spinning away, abandoning its attempt to kill them.
The cracking became a roar.
"Lucy–"
Natsu's shout was swallowed by the wall of white that swept over them, washing the world away.
AHHHH that bit with the northern lights was completely spontaneous and I love how it turned out. Figured I should give them some cuteness before I destroy them all some more. ;)
Thanks to reviewers (xennia-x, hopelesskar, stranger1999, nerdalertwarning, & SecretSkrill!) as well as those who favorited and followed!