Mermaid Tail {A NaLu AU}

Chapter 13: A Fairy Rescue

Lucy was too drained to move, and she laid there on her side, facing the wall. She had tried healing herself of the curse, but it had only made it flare up in agony, so she didn't dare try that again in fear of speeding up the process.

Just then, she heard a loud explosion, and the surprise was so great she shot straight up while ignoring the pain.

What was that? the blond wondered, her eyes widening before she doubled over again.

Natsu and the others had followed Lucy's scent all the way to the large building, and Wendy remembered with a start how she had overheard Lucy questioning about it to Levy.

The structure was huge, the biggest building on the island. Smaller, normal town buildings surrounded it, but this one was made of solid dark storm gray stone. The door was wooden, the structure seeming to resembling that of a fortress, the top of the building going further up the mountain.

"This is it," Natsu growled, his fits lighting on fire.

With a hard kick, the door exploded off its hinges, flying through the enclosure and landing in a heap on the floor. Walking through, Natsu was looking at a room that extended both left and right, the only items within being a torch on the wall.

"Gray, take the left. Wendy and I will take the right."

Gray nodded, running in that direction. "Got it!"

Once he had disappeared behind the door, Natsu turned to the other, slamming his flamed fist into it and knocking the door into oblivion. When the dust had settled, the both of them removed their arms from in front of their face, looking through the opening and seeing a long winding hallway that bent out of their view.

"Can you still smell their scent, Natsu-san?" Wendy asked, Plue beside her.

The fire dragon slayer nodded, and they began to sprint forward, their feet pounding against the stone floor. Rooms lined the hallway, but luckily Lucy's scent was guiding the team, so they didn't have to stop and check those for a sign of the blonde.

"I-It feels like this'll stretch on forever!" the blue-haired girl replied, referring to the hallway as they ran.

Natsu suddenly flinched, slamming to a stop and making a noise of surprise. He spun around and grabbed Wendy, his expression serious and urgent. "Get down!"

Just as they hit the floor--Plue on his haunches--the area in front of them exploded, sending debris over their heads. Wendy covered her head, and Natsu hid most of his face in Igneel's scarf, but Plue covered most of their bodies to protect them from any potential dangerous objects.

"Thanks, Plue," Natsu said after the explosion faded, helping Wendy to her feet.

Looking ahead, they saw the wall was destroyed, leading out into the open air again.

"There must be traps through here," Wendy noticed, her expression worried. "I hope Gray will be alright."

"That Ice Freak will be fine," Natsu replied, and they began their pursuit again.

They finally saw a door up ahead at the end, and when Wendy opened it, there were stairs on the other side. Plue put Wendy on her back and together, they and Natsu climbed up the winding staircase. Once they reached the top, they were in a room that was open and large, holes in the walls that served as glassless windows. There were two ways they could go; through the left or the right door.

"Natsu-san, Plue and I will take the right. You go for the left!"

"Alright, thanks Wendy! Be careful!"