Lucy, Azazel, Gray, and Star walked deeper and deeper into the forest, ocasionally getting distracted by the lush, bountiful bushes and trees filled with berries and fruit. They had been walking for hours, maybe even days. They couldn't tell; The plentiful leaves blocked out any sunlight. As always, the very thought of Miyuki-Chan was what dragged them on their feet.
They hadn't eaten for who knows how long? They had been ordered specifically not to eat anything here. The luxuriant fruits could be poisonous, or their could be something living in the leaves, just waiting to eat them. Starving, they passed time by talking to each other in hushed voices.
"Ne, Lucy?" Gray asked. He was on the left side of Lucy.
"Hai, Gray?" Lucy asked. She was in the middle. They two guys had decided to keep her in the middle, so they could protect her; "Even though I'm fine without your help." She muttered when they were both bickering on which side they would be on.
"I've had this question for a while. Would you answer it?" He put his arms behing his head and looked away.
Lucy, who kept seeing guys around her do this, assumed that it was what guys always did and payed no mind to it. "Sure; What is it?"
"Well..." Gray trailed off as he realized that Lucy was staring at him, waiting for his question, and Azazel was giving him a glare, warning him not to ask anything funny. "... Well, since you're Dragon Queen and all, and you learned all types of Dragon Slayer magic, how is that possible?"
Lucy looked confused; She had no idea what he was talking about. "Well, what do you mean?" She adjusted Star, who was once again, sleeping on her shoulder.
"Well, didn't you tell us that two of the Dragons were killed by their child, or whatever they were? Weisslogia and Skiadrum, I think you said."
"Oh, that." Lucy waved her hand as a sign of dismissing the question. "My mother, who was the sixth Dragon Queen, was sent to them so that she could bring them back to life, so I could train with them. They're both fine." She gave a smile at the thought of the Dragons.
"Then, how did she bring them back to life?" This time, it was Azazel who asked. He was genuinely curious about Lucy. Lucy, who had trained with him for two, almost three years. She knew a lot about him, but he didn't know as much about her.
Lucy looked at Azazel, oblivious to the fact that Gray was looking a bit annoyed. "Well, as Dragon Queen, she had the power to revive Dragons whose souls haven't gone to Heaven yet. I don't know how she did it, but she just did."
"I see..." Both Azazel and Gray were confused; They had no idea what Lucy had just said.
"So, is there anything else that you two want to ask?" Lucy kept walking, seeing that there was a small patch of sunlight, only just big enough to fit the three mages and the Exceed.
"No, I don't..." Azazel and Gray said in unison. The followed behind Lucy as fast as they could, grateful for the light. Lucy, who was just a few paces in front of them, reached the patch first.
"Oi, you two! Hurry up! We can use this sun- Eeeeeek!?" As soon as she reached the sunlight, she kept taking small steps back, until she fell into a hidden hole in the ground.
"LUCY!!!" Azazel and Gray yelled at the same time. They rushed to the hole, desperate to see if Lucy was okay. "Oi! Azazel, Gray!" They heard a faint echo call their names.
"Lucy! Daijoubu?" Azazel asked, trying to search for her in the dark hole. "Yeah! I'm okay! You two need to come down here! I think-"
She was cut off by Gray falling through the ground, to where she was. Just as he was about to land on her, she stepped out of the way, for him to land on a mushy patch of dirt. "Oi, Azazel! Come down!" She called. A figure, one wearing black clothes fell through, where Lucy caught him with a whiff of air.
"Ah, thanks, Lucy." He thanked her as she set him on the ground.
"Don't worry about it." She said. "Anyway, I think this may be the Oracle's Temple." The trio looked around, seeing crumbled ruins of old buildings. "Either that, or this may be an underground village."
She silently lit up her hand, using Igneel's powers. The fire illuminated in the darkness, showing only a small bit at a time.
A sudden rattle put the three on defensive mode. Through a small crater, a creature, no bigger than Star, stepped out of the ruins. It held a plate, with fruits and juices.
"Konnichiwa." It said. "I am the Oracle Temple's guardian from those who steal from its ruins. State your name and business."
Lucy stepped up. "Hello. I'm Lucy Heartfilia, seventh Dragon Queen. I would like to take the ritual of the Oracle's Temple."
"Ah, Lucy Heartfilia. I see." The creature said in a wheezy voice. "Very well. But I warn you, nobody has ever gone in and come back entirely sane. Actually, nobody has come back before."
"Hai. I know. Porlyusica-San said so before." Lucy replied with grim determination.
"Porlyusica. Porlyusica. Why does that sound so familiar...?" The animal paced back and forth, thinking.
"Um... Temple Gaurdian, does the name 'Grandine' ring a bell?" Lucy asked.
"Ah! Grandine! She was the one who heald the Oracle. Good little Grandine." He gave a smile of fondness.
"I'm a friend of hers. May I do the ritual?" Lucy asked.
"Yes. If it's for Grandine, you can do what you want, Just don't disturb the ruins, please." The gaurdian waved the three to the temple.
"This is where you do the ritual. I wish you good luck." He snapped his fingers and an old door slid open.
Lucy and the rest gulped and walked into the old musty temple.
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"The Oracle's Temple..." Lucy murmured. The walls were sculpted with little markings, showing the history of the ancient battles that were held in the temple. Some of them were comepletely obliterated, others were slowly driven to madness.
"This place gives me the creeps..." Lucy shivered. When the trio reached the first room, a large boulder statue blocked the doorway.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Lucy asked. There must be a way! For Miyuki-Chan to live! She thought. Searching the room, Lucy noticed strange red markings on the wall. She touched a few, tracing the outlines of the strange red marks.
A low rumbling broke out, as she quickly yanked her hand off the walls to see the giant rock move.
"I am the guardian of the first room!" The statue bellowed. "You must pass this test to proceed!"
Lucy grimanced. "Just how I wanted it. Bring the tests on! I'll do anything for my nakama!"
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Author's Note:
Hi guys~ How are all of you~? It's 11-ish right now~ I'm in a good mood~ Hope you like reading this chapter~ It wasn't really needed, but I added it so have you guys understand it more. :D
As always, thanks for reading~!
~AquaStar2013~