50 Minutes Until Solar Eclipse
Natsu hated being stationary on a normal day. And today was anything but normal. He needed to find his sister. He needed to stop this crazy ritual that Levy had mentioned.
"Zan," Phari cheered, "let mine go so I can have some fun."
The tone coming from the boy's flute changed. Lucy let out a gasp as she was finally given control over her body again. Immediately turning, she ran to her side, "Natsu!"
"No!" Phari yelled.
The ground in front of Lucy suddenly exploded. She crossed her arms to shield her face from the blast. Skidding backward, she reached for the keyring on her hip. Lucy looked around as the small bit of dust settled, trying to figure out which spirit would be best for her situation. What kind of magic was this girl using?
"You're playing with me!" The emerald-haired girl's tone was somewhere between a demand and a pout as she threw one of her four dolls down at Lucy. The blonde reflexively sidestepped it, bad memories of Mr. Cursey flashing in her head.
She turned to look up at the twins, "I don't have time to play with you! Let Natsu and Happy go!"
Phari smiled widely in a way that both confused and worried all three Fairy Tail members. "Sorry."
Lifting her free hand upward, Phari flicked her wrist. Lucy grabbed for her whip to deflect whatever was coming, but this she hadn't been prepared for. The small ragdoll that Phari had thrown at her, latched onto her arm.
"What?!" Lucy flung her arm back, sending the doll flying just as it shot out another blast. She watched as not only that doll, but the three others around Phari, began to float in the air. Now she was suddenly reminded of her battle with Bixlow during the Battle for Fairy Tail.
'I don't have time to question anything right now.' She quickly pulled free one of her golden keys. "Open, Gate of the Maiden. Virgo!"
A ding sounded with a bright light before the Celestial Spirit appeared before her wizard, "Is it time for punishment, princess?"
Lucy didn't even respond to the usual commentary, "I need you to free Natsu and Happy. Be careful of the dolls and those two up there."
The pink-haired maid rested a hand on her chest with a small half bow, "Yes, princess."
But then Virgo didn't move.
"No fair, your dollies can talk." Lucy looked over to see Phari standing at the bottom of the left staircase. Her dolls danced around her feet, "She isn't allowed."
Lucy clenched her fists, "Virgo isn't a doll!"
Phari smiled, "But she'll make a great puppet."
The blonde didn't get a chance to fully question what was said, before the melody of the music shifted again, but she wasn't sure why. Then Virgo was charging her. A look of panic radiated from the spirit's blue eyes as she found her body moving on its own.
From their frozen positions, Natsu and Happy were forced to watch Lucy jump away from the maid. The two tried to make any part of their bodies move. Flames began licking at Natsu's body, though they didn't get much further.
'I can't just stand here.' He was sure that he would have chewed a hole through his cheek if his mouth could still move. 'Just hang on Lucy.'
"Virgo, I close your gate!"
A shimmer of gold flashed across the room as the Celestial Spirit faded back to her world, her fist disappearing instead of colliding with Lucy's cheek. The blonde sighed, grateful that had worked so easily compared to back when Sherry had used Taurus against her.
'I have to take out her brother and that flute.' Lucy flicked her whip, readying it at her side. 'But there are also her and her four dolls that I have to be careful of. Plus Natsu and Happy are essentially hostages right now.'
"There has to be something," she grumbled under her breath. Her mind whirled as Phari started dancing around with her dolls to Zan's music.
'Just make it up as you go!' Lucy yelled at herself as she charged.
||~x~||
45 Minutes Until Solar Eclipse
"Unhand us this instant!" Carla squirmed, trying to free herself not only from Miriam's magic, but Wendy's hold as well. Once the pair had heard the doors slam closed behind them, it had only taken a few more minutes for the sounds of Zan's playing to fade from their ears and another to fully gain control over their limbs again.
Wendy's eyes darted around the hall as she tried to keep track of where the bubbly blonde was taking them. Her nose wiggled as she took the time to sniff the air, seeing if she could track not only the rest of their rescue team, but also any sign of Amber or Kia. Her mind was already planning through how she was going to get free from the fabric that was wrapped around her and Carla. That part of her plan was set, but she was still working out the rest.
And the bluenette didn't get anymore time to think before she was harshly bumped into a set of doors, knocking them open. Now left sitting in the center of the new room, the pair took in their surroundings. Bolts of fabric were hung along two of the walls as another was lined with mannequins covered in halfway complete dresses. Sewing machines, a few worktables, it was obvious what the purpose of the space was.
Miriam casually kicked the door closed with her foot as she grinned. "Now why don't we get your measurements?" He raised her free hand, the sleeve stretching to grab two bolts from the wall. "I need to make a new dress to replace the one your friend decided to ruin."
That was when Wendy decided it was time to act. "I call upon thee, the stalwart might to cleave the heavens: Arms." A blue aura erupted behind her as her strength swelled. Careful not to crush Carla, Wendy pushed against the fabric until a satisfying ripping reached her ears.
Miriam gasped, "How dare you?!"
Her tattered sleeve shot out toward the wall, coming back with two more bolts of fabric. Resting her hands over the tops of all four, they each came to life. Cotton and wool in bright colors zipped across the room to reclaim her prize.
Wendy braced for the impact, but instead felt a jerk from behind her.
"Thanks, Carla."
The blonde on the ground stomped her foot as she redirected her attack from its new crater in the floor toward the now flying duo. With more skill then she realized she had, the white Exceed darted between the four projectiles, also keeping an eye out for the lengths of the fabric and not just the ends.
Wendy crossed her arms, "Sky Dragon Wing Attack!"
Lashing out, spirals of wind ripped through the incoming cloth, causing large chunks to flutter toward the floor. Carla took the moment to pause and reassess her movements, but their opponent had other ideas.
"Argh!" Miriam was losing her patience as she set her sleeves and skirt of her dress out, pulling back more and more bolts of fabrics. With them lined up beside her, she looped her sleeves through the bolts so that she could indirectly touch them all. At least two dozen streams of cloth darted through the air for the pair.
"Carla, drop me."
"What?!"
"Please."
Though she questioned the idea, the determination in the Sky Dragon Slayer's voice caused the Exceed to nod just moments before letting go. It wasn't a long way to the floor, but they had a better chance of dodging when Carla was the one moving.
Wendy took in a quick breath as she fell the ten feet, landing firmly. 'I should have enough energy for this without taking in more air.'
Suddenly an air current wrapped around the room, causing the items Miriam wasn't using in her assault to tumble around them. Carla floated higher as she easily recognized the spell and the large circle that appeared underneath her partner.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Shattering Light, Sky Drill!"
Wind and light surged through the room. Miriam cried out as she tried to hold the blast at bay with her fabric magic, but had no idea what she was trying to hold at bay.
As everything began to settle, Carla could see a hole where the doors used to be, the blonde mage slumped against the wall across the hall. A proud expression crossed her features as she looked down at the panting bluenette.
Wendy slid down to the floor, trying to slow her breathing.
"Wendy, are you okay?" Carla landed in front of the young girl's knees.
She nodded, "I'll be fine. That spell just tired me out."
And even though they both knew they needed to find the girls and the rest of their team, they agreed to sit for at least a little while in order for the Sky Dragon Slayer to regain some of her strength.
'I hope everyone else is doing alright.'
||~x~||
30 Minutes Until Solar Eclipse
Lucy knew that she wasn't going to get anywhere by just dodging the young girl's attacks. The blonde rested her back against the column she was currently using for cover. She was gradually making her way around the room, getting closer and closer to her friends.
'When this is all over, I'm taking a nice, long bath and relaxing in a warmth, fluffy towel.'
But she paused at her own thought, her eyes growing wider.
'That's it! Fluff!'
Lucy jumped to the side as Phari's dolls began zipping around her head, shooting rogue blasts in her direction. But she didn't stop. Now that she knew what she had to do, there was no time to waste.
Natsu and Happy hadn't felt this helpless since they were forced to watch Kain from the Seven Kin crush Lucy into the ground. But she wasn't the same wizard she had been during the S-class trials, she was much stronger. Though he had faith in Lucy, Natsu couldn't stop the internal cringing that happened when one of those dolls would manage to graze her with its attack, but she was acting as if nothing had happened.
The dolls continued to dance around each other in the air, taking turns to fire at Lucy's fleeing figure. But she never slowed down, even when she got closer to the boys. They both wondered what she was even thinking, before the blonde dove straight into the blue Exceed. Her momentum caused her to roll, but she tucked her body around Happy to try and avoid hurting the little guy.
Moving behind another one of the columns, Lucy quickly pulled free two keys.
"Open, Gate of the Golden Ram. Ares. Open, Gate of Harp Constellation. Lyra."
"I said your dolls weren't allowed!" Phari yelled from somewhere on the other side of the room. Before the music could shift again, Lucy locked eyes with Ares.
She spoke quickly and firmly, "I need some of your wool now!"
"Okay, Lucy," the timid spirit reached a hand up, only a small ball of wool appearing before she found herself frozen.
Lucy knew she didn't have long. "Listen, I'm going to use your wool to block out that music for everyone, but that means we have to fight without hearing. We need to take care of the girl with her dolls and her brother with the flute. Be careful."
Lucy had already pulled free two clumps of wool and shoved them into the spirit's ears as soon as she had finished her rushed explanation. Ares blinked a few times as she could move her body again. She smiled shyly at her wizard, "I'll try my best, Lucy."
The blonde nodded before shoving two pieces of fluff into Happy's ears. His body immediately relaxed as he began to feel his muscles again, while she finished giving the plan to her other spirit.
"I need you to try and interfere with the music that guy is playing. I know it will be hard without being able to hear, but I believe you can do it." She plugged Lyra's ears. Able to move again, the cheery girl smiled widely as she placed her fingers against the strings of her harp. Lucy hoped that this would help. Stuffing their ears had worked for everyone else, but she wasn't sure if it would be enough to help Natsu since his hearing was so much more acute than theirs.
"Lucy?" Happy's voice came out louder than he intended, but he stopped when the blonde held a finger up to her lips. She placed the rest of the wool in his paws before picking him up and turning him to peek around the column at Natsu. The Exceed looked back at her with determination as he nodded. "Aye, sir."
His wings popped out just as the two darted out from opposite sides of the pillar. Happy shot toward his companion at near full speed as Lucy took in what was happening with the fight. Ares was using her Wool Walls to keep the dolls at bay, though their blasts continued to knock them down as quickly as the spirit could summon them, but that would give her the time she needed.
Lucy cracked her whip toward the platform above. Zan's eyes widened as he was forced to jump to the side, but he didn't miss a note. He turned his gaze to the blonde, taking in a breath to change his tone, but it never happened.
"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"
The flaming fist of a falling Dragon Slayer collided with the boy's cheek, sending him tumbling across the platform and then down the stairs. A wide grin shone across his face as Happy cheered from above where he had dropped Natsu. Lucy couldn't help but smile as well.
"Zan!" Phari screamed as she watched her brother rolling down the stairs. He was still alive, but he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon. But the distraction was all Lucy needed.
"Lucy Kick!"
||~x~||
20 Minutes Until Solar Eclipse
The aching in Kia's shoulders was only growing as Demi drug her along the old tiled corridor. Being constantly stretched had also reopened the slash across her stomach, blobs of red and purple seeped into her clothes, creating a deep maroon stain.
But those tiles soon ended as Kia was dragged into a large courtyard-like space. The sun beamed down through the opening of the crater above. Honestly, the Phoenix Slayer had no way of really knowing how long it had been since they were captured. The only thing she had to go off of was what Izai or one of his lackeys had told her and Amber.
Izai stepped up on the platform, Demi following closely at his side. The stones had been rubbed smooth from years of exposure to the elements. A mixture of different runes and scripts created a complex magic circle that Kia could only catch glimpses of as she was pulled to its center. In that small inner circle stood two pillars that easily stood to twice her height, stretching upward like they were reaching for the opening to the sky above.
The faintest of sounds reached Kia's ears over the clanking of chains that were being used to transport her. There was fighting somewhere else inside the mountain. A spark of hope pressed against the pain that was trying to swell up in her body again.
"I call upon thee,
Chains of time,
Coils of pure magic,
Guide your essence,
Through the guardian
I place before thee."
Izai's voice carried around the open space, even though he spoke plainly. The magic circle glowed faintly for only a moment before the pillars began to hum. Demi removed the cuffs from Kia's wrists and stepped away. Weakly, the Phoenix Slayer rolled over to push herself up, but she didn't get that far.
Magical chains shot out of pillars, slithering up the full length of her arms. A yelp escaped her lips as she was yanked upright in the center of the circle. Her feet landed on the ground as she felt something pulse against her skin. These new chains were gripping at more than her limbs, they were digging into her body. They were diverting the natural flow of her magic and it felt sickening.
Demi's smirk widened as she stepped over to take her place near Izai, but remained outside the circle. Everything was in motion. In minutes, they would have the mythic silver flame that had eluded the pair for all these years. They watched as her head lulled forward slightly. Between the stinging from the poison, the new evasive sensation in her magic, and her lack of sleep, Kia could feel her strength waning.
"Kia!"
||~x~||
And the countdown continues before the solar eclipse. Who do you think yelled Kia's name? See you guys soon!