Dawn of Adventure {Book One of The Paths We've Traveled}

Chapter Four: Arrival

Gray found himself barely able to hold himself up, let alone Wendy. He went to ask Carla or Happy to help, but he noticed how they were drooping, hovering barely a foot above the ground and wings moving at a snail's pace. Now that he noticed it, everyone in their group was starting to sag, Natsu rubbing his head and Lucy her eyes. What the hell...?

"Guys....?" Lucy muttered, eyes beginning to close. "I don't... feel really weird... uhhh..." She crumpled to the ground, passed out before she even hit the wooden floor.

"Luce-" Natsu mumbled weakly, reaching to try and catch her before he too collapsed. One by one, the seven fell to the ground, losing all traces of consciousness. They lay sprawled in the gateway between Coracre and Benos, strangers in an unfamiliar land.

XXX

"Ugh, my head," Natsu groaned, sitting up and forcing an eye slightly open. His nostrils flared as he breathed in the new air. As soon as he understood what scents he was smelling, his eyes flew open the rest of the way and he leapt to his feet. Well, he would have if he hadn't fallen straight to the ground. Groaning again, Natsu finally took in his surroundings. "What the hell?"

He was in a room he had never seen before, but that wasn't the confusing part. If you were in a new country, you would expect to be somewhere you had never seen before. Besides, Natsu never knew where he was. That was why he had Lucy, to keep him straight. No, the part that got him was that he had just been lying on a bed before he had tried to stand up and fallen. That bed was in the middle of the room, and if he didn't know better, he would say he was in a typical inn room. That doesn't make sense. We never made it to an inn, we all...

Natsu suddenly remembered what happened at the train station, and this time he really did leap to his feet. "Lucy?" He called, frantically looking around the room for his friends. "Happy? Wendy? Anyone?" His voice didn't reach any of his companions, but it did bring in new faces from the hall outside.

Stepping through the door was someone Natsu definitely did not recognize, much to his disappointment. He raised his fists in front of him, flames licking his knuckles as he prepared to defend himself. Or, he tried to. Even as he pushed at the very limits of his strength, not even a spark left his body. He swallowed before settling back on his heels. Just like Edolas then. God I really hoped I would never have to do this again. What's up with us and always losing our magic?!

The man who just entered the room lifted his hands in surrender, shutting the door behind him. Before he did, Natsu caught sight of the guard standing outside the room. "Don't fight. Trust me, I have no plans to do anything to you or your friends. Only talk."

"Where are my friends? What the hell is going on?! Why isn't my magic working?!" He tried to step forward and be all threatening, but his strength failed. He stumbled forward, catching himself on the wall before he could fall again.

"Come, let's get some food into you. Losing your magic isn't a very pleasant experience." The strange man held out his hand, offering to help Natsu up from his position against the wall. Instead, he frowned and pushed himself up.

"What do you mean losing my magic?! And I'm not going anywhere or doing anything until I know where my friends are. And who are you?"

The man sighed, lowering his hand only to reach for the door knob. "Your friends are all safe and awake. I'm actually trying to bring you to them, so if you would follow me...?" Natsu reluctantly started to follow the man, all the while trying to force at least a spark out. The man turned back with a smile, glad to see the young mage finally listening. "And my name is Lennox. I believe you seven were sent to find me."