Celestial Fire (Nalu)

Chapter 29 - Lucy

A/N It's a bit short this week but it kind of had to be. You'll see soon enough. 💃

Geeze where on Earthland is Natsu going? I saw Happy go into the air and then Natsu just dived and it took everything I had to not lose him. But something was off. He hasn't turned around to look at me once and just kept going faster. Then it hit me. The way he is swimming was perfect. Like he has been doing it his whole life and not just a couple days. I stopped and he disappeared into the distance. I held up my dragon charm and said my mate's name. "Natsu," It lifted up and pointed considerably further to my left and I swam for all that I was worth.

If I was following a fake then what about him? That was most likely a siren and once they start to sing their song their targets are usually defenseless. I have never heard of a dragon or dragon slayer getting caught in their trap but that doesn't mean it's never happened before.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~" my head snapped towards the eerie music and I redoubled my pace. Then the music turned into a scream and then a hiss and I saw what looked like a blond siren swim passed me her mouth open showing off her needle like teeth.

A shiver ran through me but I followed where my dragon charm led me to find Natsu doing the same.

"Natsu!" I crashed into him wrapping my arms around him before pulling him in for a kiss. I don't know how he escaped a sirens song but he did and I can't be more thankful for it.

"Luce! Are you okay? Did they grab you? Did they try to trick you too?" He pulled away just enough to search me looking for any kind of injury.

"I'm fine, how did you escape their song? I know they started singing before-," I stopped and just hugged him. "Thank Mavis," I sighed letting the question go.

We started to swim back to shore but Natsu stopped and I followed his eyes. There was an undersea cavern just below us and I know for a fact that there isn't supposed to be one here. the only one in the area is supposed to be the one we searched already. I pick up the charm around my neck.

"Happy I think we found the correct cavern, do you think you can find us? Or do you want to just stay there and wait?" I waited for a reply as Natsu and I just stared at the opening.

"I'm almost out of magic, what about you? You've been under way longer than I was," he has a point and I did a mental check and found I was still fairly comfortable. Almost like I hadn't been using any since I used the light of my keys to light up the other cave. I looked at Natsu and he picked up his own charm.

"We're fine little buddy. Go ahead and get some fish for lunch and we'll meet you at the beach when we finish," I could see the ghost of a smile on his lips as we heard Happy giggle playfully that he might have beat us to the punch. We dropped the dragon charms letting them lay as they would around our necks before making our way deeper into the water.

The water in the cave was noticeable colder than outside of it, considering it was already cold was saying something but thanks to Natsu running so hot that wasn't really an issue for either of us. Plus the cloak I nearly always had on helped considerably. Wait... I'm not wearing it.

I summoned Aquarius who brought me the cloak before crossing her arms huffing. She didn't close her gate choosing instead to stay with us. I quickly put the cloak on and realize I can't feel my fingers. When did I stop? When did I lose feeling in the first place?

I shook the thoughts from my head and we swam inside...

It was so dark it would have been like swimming in nothing but Aquarius lit the way her body emitted a low glow as we swam. Even following her soft light it felt like the darkness was closing in, swallowing us whole. I held my whip tight in my hands ready to let it fly...

I heard a very loud pop and the water pulled and tugged us down deeper and without control we were pulled downward. Aquarius' gate was forced closed and nothing but blackness remained...

***

I woke up feeling light headed, the silence was terrifying but that was all the way. Black silence. My keys were still on my hip and I still had a tail instead of legs but I felt dry. I started coughing unable to resist the urge. Why didn't I want to disturb the silence? I feel like I have broken some unwritten law of nature but the fact remains I couldn't stop myself.

I'm so thirsty but I can't see anything, the space around me was so dry but it still didn't feel like air and to make matters worse I couldn't connect to the spirit world. I couldn't call on any help at all.

What about Natsu?

I lift the charm on my neck and even coughing and gagging call out his name. "Natsu?" The charm though instead of lifting up and pointing me in his direction fell back hitting my chest. It was slow so my intuition was correct. I'm not in an air pocket.

I slowly reach out searching the area around me but I find nothing but empty space. Now I'm getting frustrated; Natsu's not answering, I can't call on my spirits, my charm isn't working at all, and somehow I'm underwater but I feel like I'm bone dry. I try to slow my breathing, I need to calm down. Panicking isn't going to help.

What can I tell? What do I know? How do I know it? I can start off with these and work my way out. Deep breath, okay. I have this.

I am not surprised by air but not normal water either. I open my mouth and lick my lips; salt. So much salt. I vaguely remember reading about pockets of dread or lifeless water in the ocean. I don't remember the specifics but if I stay here too long I will die. If I'm right.

It makes sense considering how dry I feel if The concentration of salt is too high. It would also make it to where my voice wouldn't carry so that would explain the silence. Would it explain my magic as well? I take a deep breath. Okay, if I'm right then I just need to get out of the pocket.

The ground felt smooth but there were still ridges so worse case I can try and stay myself out. I get to work. This could take a very long time, after all I have no idea how big of a pocket I could be in. Let alone if I'm correct or not.

I pull on the ground using my fingers to make sure that I was actually moving and make my way out. Of course I could just be making things worse on myself. I could be going deeper instead of out but either way having is better than sitting still. This way I can make some kind of progress. Hopefully Natsu isn't in the same situation as I am. Poor Happy, I wonder how long he has been alone?

When I get back I'm going to hold them both and we can just take the train all the way home. I miss them so much already.