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"What is that!?" The blue exceed screamed loudly once he heard some weird and creepy sound around them and did the first thing came to his mind. He flew to the nearest person and Lucy's forehead twitched when he decided to nuzzle his face on her chest. Quickly the girl slapped him on the head and had him thrown away to Natsu, causing the Fire Dragon Slayer to fall on the ground on his butt.
She covered her chest and Poseidon noticed her shivering because of the night cold air. And the gentleman gave her his trench coat, putting over her shoulders. "Here, Your Highness. You might catch a cold." There's no point in denying the red colour on her cheeks when he was looking at her with that charming smile of his. She could only nod her head and thank him quietly, fastening her steps to walk beside Artemis and Erza.
"Oi, Lucy, what was that for?!" Natsu shouted at her as he rubbed the lump on his head, another hand grabbing his partner to shake his body. Lucy just waved her hand to him. Bella and Carla, both shook their heads at their antics and the little bat turned her head towards the pink haired girl who was walking beside Wendy. Since they started their walking, Haruka hadn't been able to say a word and that worried her.
The bat flew to her and sat on her head, looking down to her face, asking her what's the problem. "I'm alright, Bella. It's nothing." Bella sighed as Haruka just smiled weakly, stating that she was afraid if she's only getting her hopes high to find her mother. She was scared. What if the person Ciel found was not her? What if Rae was really gone? Haruka looked down on the greasy ground and fiddled her fingers on her dress. And, what concerned her more was her recent dream.
She dreamt something weird.
She couldn't understand why everything in her dream was white. The dream was very strange. Should she tell someone about it? Remembering the tragedy occured years ago about Acnologia, she decided to tell someone about it. But who? Haruka looked at the group and pressed her lips together. She didn't want to burden her aunt anymore and certainly she didn't want to trouble Erza. Natsu-san? Gray-san? Probably not because they had been busy these few days. The trio?
"Let's stop here for a while. We are waiting for someone." Erza suddenly spoke up and the group stopped walking, giving her questioning looks. They were just barely reaching the Gate of Mystic Forest. The forest was mysterious and the gate was made to warn everyone because nobody knew what was happening in there though still there were humans going inside especially huntsmen. It was a great luck if they did manage to come out safe and sound.
Gray creased his forehead. "Who are we waiting for? Shouldn't we get faster? It's almost midnight, anyway." Erza shook her head and looked at Ares to ask if they had time to spare. The demon spirit nodded. Gray observed her eyes looking around and he finally realized it. His eyes softened in defeat and he averted his eyes away to hide his frustration, suddenly found interest on the ground. His hands clenched together on his side. Of course, Erza would tell him.
"Do we need to? Rae is in there!" Natsu yelled as he stomped his feet attempted to walk faster to go step inside but Ares grabbed his clothes, making him looked like an idiot swatting his arms and legs meanwhile Happy was trying to give Carla a fish, figuring she would be hungry at the moment. Lucy glared at the Dragon Slayer to shut him up and he shrunk a little in reply. She looked at Erza for an answer but a swift of blue hair showed up suddenly.
Jellal could feel his heart racing as he took a look of the forest. His dark green eyes shifted to the group, landing on his red head friend. "Sorry, I'm late." His hand played with the collar to ease his anxiousness and he offered a small smile to Haruka. The little girl brightened up a little, snapped out of the trance and ran to him to hug the man whom she thought the closest figure of her father. She never thought he would come.
"You're here."
Jellal looked down and placed his palm on her pink hair, slowly stroking her head. "Hey, it's going to be alright. We are going to find your mama. Okay?" Haruka nodded against his stomach and he smiled at her, raising his head to look at Bella. The bat gave him a wave and the trio of demon spirits bowed to him slightly. Erza clasped her hands together and looked at every single of them, asking if they were ready, sneakily glanced at the ice mage who was quiet for the moment.
Lucy wiped her sweating hands on her skirt and nodded. Artemis stepped forward to pass her hand through the gate and she felt the dark sensation. The forest was indeed dangerous. "Once you step inside, don't say a word about anything. Don't comment anything. Even if you hear something weird. Just stay close to us." Natsu tilted his head and dumbly asked her what's wrong with a little question. It's not like they could be dead by the time they opened their mouth.
Poseidon ruffled his white hair. "It's not like that, Natsu-sama. The forest is full of astrals of dead people. And you can't question the dead or they will get mad."
"So, we just need to stay quiet?" Ciel crossed his arms to comfort himself, couldn't help but shiver at the sudden creepy air. Ares sent him a stoic nod, glancing around to make sure it was safe for the humans to go inside since the dead can smell their warm blood. Once humans stepped inside, they can smell them and their bloodlust will revive them. Ciel and Natsu made faces at the facts, finding it as an amusement. There's no way, the dead can smell and be brought to life, right?
Wendy hugged Carla to her chest, admitted that she was a little bit scared of what will happen but the others were there with her, thus it put her at ease slightly. The girl thought maybe it's because she was with her family, she grew stronger. Her head turned to Artemis beside her as they finally went inside the gate. "Ano, Artemis-san, could you stay close to me?" Her eyes cautiously looked around with her heart beat fast. Carla let out a sigh and noted that she will protect her.
Artemis popped the bubblegum in her mouth. "Of course, Wendy-sama. It is my duty to protect you. Her Majesty had ordered us to secure you." She crouched down until she reached Wendy's head level and the older girl held both her hands in hers. "Don't fret, Wendy-sama. I'll make sure you are safe." She ruffled her blue hair and Wendy let out small giggles in response and nodded her head. Carla smiled softly as she raised her head to look at her partner.
The Mystic Forest was humming with life all around them and Lucy twirled a little, gazing up at the starry sky with a little bit hope in her heart for her sister's sweet voice and warm touch. The moonlight broke through the cracks, lighting up the dirt path ahead of her, decorated with outgrown roots, wildflowers and fallen leaves that crunched beneath her boots. It was a beautiful sight and it made thinking, how did such beautiful place was dangerous to humans?
"Woah, Happy look at this flower! This is awesome!"
"Natsu-sama, I think it's better if you avoid yourself from touching it. It's not a normal flower–" Poseidon was cut off on his sentence by Natsu screaming in pain as his hand was burning because of the acid. Haruka quickly patted his hand to take away the acid and scolded him for being reckless. Poseidon let out a sigh and slapped his forehead to pray for himself. Certainly, the small journey will take a long time.
Gray coughed against him fist. "Tch, idiot."
"Ha! Whatchu' saying, droopy eyes!?"
"Quite being annoying, flamefreak!"
Erza raised her head and turned around to glare at the boys, instantly making them lowered their heads. "Shut your mouths or do you prefer I do it?" They shook their heads and Ares pulled his hair frustratedly. Looked like their plan to keep quiet was ruined and Ares once again told the group to stay close and they were forbid to touch anything. The forest was dangerous to humans and even the demon spirits didn't know much about it.
Ciel brought them to the spot where he stumbled upon Rae before and Artemis confirmed it. She looked at the sky and saw the Lunar Eclipse. Her guess was right. Rae did go there to find the portal to the Underworld. "We are here. Please step back. Ares, Poseidon." She called those two and Haruka stood behind them, watching them circled around hand-in-hand while chanting some language she wasn't familiar with. The little girl looked at Bella, silently asking the bat if things will work out in the end.
"Thanks for coming, Jellal-san."
"It's nothing, Lucy." Jellal smiled at his little sister figure and his hand patted her blonde hair. The Celestial Spirit Mage replied the smile with a small nod as her eyes shifted to her niece. Truthfully, she can't think straight the whole time. She put her Celestial Keys on the wrong side and then panicked when she couldn't find it this morning. That day, it could change her life. It could change everything. Her hands spread like pale starfish and they were cold too.
Lucy stared at the trio doing their parts with her anxiousness was eating her alive. She didn't understand what they were chanting and she can't deny it was giving her some creepy vibe. It sounded so vicious and dangerous. And or course, Natsu just had to break the tension by saying something stupid. "Oi, how long are you going to take?! Gah! I'm hungry!" And Gray looked at Ciel to ask him if he was up to beat the Fire Dragon Slayer to pulp. The Heat Mage only grinned back.
Wendy and Haruka looked at the grown-ups worriedly as they might hurt Natsu and then, as if there was someone else with them in the forest, the girls heard a child laughing sound. Their faces paled and Bella stopped moving for a second. The girls looked at Erza and the boys in horror and Erza gestured them to keep quiet. Natsu who was pulling Gray's hair and pushing Ciel's face away with his hands, sniffed the air to find the culprit.
"Natsu, what is that?" Happy hid his head in Natsu's arms.
Giggles. They heard a child giggling.
"Don't respond to it. They are trying to lure you." Ares spoke up as he was still closing his eyes.
Lucy nodded in fear and her eyes widened once she heard a skin piercing scream. This time, she heard someone asking for a help. She rushed to the group and stayed close with the others. Jellal had his back bumped into Gray and his head nodded as an apology and the Ice Mage only ignored him. Jellal pressed his lips tighter to hold back his frustration and looked around, catching some figure running around in the forest. His eyes closed a little when they gave him a sickening smile to provoke him.
The group stayed quiet like that for five minutes before Poseidon told them that the circle for the ritual was done. Then as if a terrific fire was just put out, the trees and flowers in the forest were burned all of the sudden. "Quick! Get in the circle! Something is blocking us from going to the Underworld!" Ares yelled as his eyes cautiously looked around anxiously as he could feel strong bloodlust there.
Humans! Do you know what you have done?
"Who is that?!" Ciel screamed back at the voice.
"Ciel-sama! Don't talk to them! You're only going to anger them!" Artemis pulled his hand and Ares used his claws to cut his skin to drop his blood on the circle to activate it, telling the others to the same. Haruka stared at her palm nervously, her stomach shifted uneasily and she noticed the hand that was holding the hem of her skirt was pinching into her thigh. With a shaky breath, she took out a dagger she had taken from her mother's collection and sliced her skin.
"We seek a way to the forbidden place. In return, this blood is yours."
Go away!
Humans don't belong here!
"We seek a way to the forbidden place. In return, this blood is yours."
And right after that, the humans were struck by majorly huge migraine. They were blinded with flashing red splashes and craved darkness, quiet and stillness. The pain throbbed so violently around their skulls that they wondered why it didn't just crack open. Every single one of them fell on knees to cry out in pain, pulling their hair acting as if they were getting crazy. Yet, the demon spirits were unaffected.
Poseidon looked at them calmly. "Focus on my voice. Take a deep breath. Remember why are you here. Remember her! Remember Rae King. Trust the Queen of the Underworld! Believe in her! Don't let them take you away! Don't listen to what they are saying! Don't ever give in! Fight them!"
You are a disgrace!
You don't deserve to be forgiven!
You killed people!
You have sinned!
"Shut up." Jellal closed his eyes tightly. His eyes watered on the painful side and his whole body was sweating, like he's on fire. The voices kept getting louder and it's making his head hurt. "Rae. Rae. Rae." The name fell on his lips so beautifully as he was trying to search the image of her smiling at him to make him forget the pain. "Please, Rae." And he saw her, smiling to him as they were in their room, doing nothing but simply enjoying each other's presence. Jellal groaned as the pain worsened.
Artemis hardened her eyes as they were glowing red. They can't go through the portal if the others were in that condition. "I command you to disappear and never come back. This is Her Majesty's words. Those who hurt her family will be punished! Begone, filthy creatures!" A few moments later of screaming, the creatures were gone and the others were able to regain themselves and a blue light of the portal appeared in front of them.
"Haruka, you're alright?" Jellal weakly looked at the girl and noticed her face was drained out of color. Haruka only hummed softly and he helped her up. Natsu and Happy were lying on the ground breathlessly and the trio used their bloods to heal them. Once everyone was ready to continue their little journey, Artemis threw something into the portal. It was a Guardian Spell she learned from Rae to make sure the portal won't be closed until everyone got out but it can only hold it for one hour.
Ares summoned his spear and slammed it on the ground to open the second door in the portal. The door to the Underworld. He turned around to look at the others. "Ready?"
Lucy took a deep breath and nodded with strong and determind eyes. "This time, I will save nee-san." Unaware of evil eyes were looking straight at them with a little devilish smirk on their face. In a snap, the figure disappeared with a shivering laugh as the dress flowed slightly because of the night wind.
31/7/20
sorry for the late update.☹️been busy with online classes and school. fyi, my heart melts every time Jellal concerns about Haruka and Lucy. now I really want to have Haruka calls him papa.