Sweet Starry Shadows (Fairy Tail)

Danger & Dragons

Sweet Starry Shadows
Chapter 38: Danger & Dragons

The blonde felt herself suffocating as she gasped, air escaping through her lips as she forced herself to open her eyes to look at the large bubbles floating up to the surface. Not knowing where she was, she slowly looked around where she widened her eyes as she met cold, but mischievous eyes which made her flinch.

He was staring at her. He had actually found her. He was about to use her to make his claim on the crimson.

Looking around, she tried to find an escape route where she felt herself losing her strength. Her eyes landing on the serpent tamer, she tried to swim over to the girl to reach her. As if her actions were obvious, she weakly narrowed her eyes down to the girl that smiled back to her. "I control this water, and I will never allow you to reach any one of us," the girl stated, using her magic where she increased the crushing pressure within the orb holding the blonde captive.

Lucy groaning in pain as she stretched her body to try to withstand the pressure on her, she forced herself to open an eye where she spotted Zeref sadistically smirking to her direction. "W-Why?" she whispered as she tried to fight against the crushing force.

The black-eyed man smirking, he crossed his arms in triumph before snapping his fingers. There, their silence was broken when a loud, booming roar was heard. Its loudness loud enough to make the orb of water vibrate which made her cough and slowly push her head up to only widen her eyes.

It couldn't be it... It could be that every same dragon from last time. Acnologia... That dragon that almost killed them all if it wasn't for Mavis coming in and saving them from its destruction.

"A-Acnologia..." Lucy whispered as she watched the giant black and blue dragon transform into its human form. Her honey-brown eyes meeting with his sharp, intense and observing green eyes, she felt herself shudder to the immense power that was oozing out of him. He was indeed the opposite of Sakura, and the thought of Zeref controlling the two of them scary enough for her to cower underneath their piercing eyes.

"Y-You can't... How?" she whispered once more before the girl holding her captive hissed and increased the pressure on her.

The blonde wincing as she kept her eyes on Acnologia, she then remembered Sakura's experience of seeing her mother being tamed. "Imagine yourself seeing your mother walking around with dull eyes with a chain around her neck -" Sakura's voice boomed where she found his eyes being a suitable example to Sakura's words.

Slowly forcing herself to get closer to him, she pushed her arms out to almost touch the surface of the orb containing her. "You... Can... Fight... Against this..." she said, watching for any facial changes on the dragon's face.
Seeing nothing though, she felt herself slumping forward where suddenly a body wrapped itself around hers. Giving out a bubbly wail as she tried to free herself from the serpent's hold on her, she gritted her teeth when it tightened its coil around her waist.

"Did you honestly think that you'll break him free from my control? Silly blonde, I'm his tamer and he is mine to use freely as I wish," Zeref said as he held his hands behind his back. With a sinister smirk, he placed his elbow on the dark-skinned dragon and looked at her tauntingly. "Now that I think about it, I wonder what I'm going to do to you after I'm done with that crystal heart of yours -" he continued on talking but she could follow him as her vision began to have black spots appearing in her eyesight.

Her body growing heavily as she tried to make herself stay awake, the only thing she could do was whisper that one name that has been on her mind for quite a while. That name that felt just so right through her lips. "Rogue..."
As she fell into a pitch black world, she felt her body now lighter than how it was earlier. Confused at first as she looked around to find nothing other than the darkness, she felt her lips tremble as she sat down on the ground and curled herself into a tight ball. "To think I never got to fully learn my Dragon Slaying magic. I forgot my keys back home and now here I am, in a place that I even know of," she muttered under her breath where suddenly a twinkling noise was heard.

Slowly uncurling herself to look up, she gasped when she saw bright stars shimmering in front of her - That wasn't the only thing though as she quietly pulled herself up to look at the curled up body laying on the ground like she was just seconds ago. "Are you..."She stopped herself as the body began to rise. There in front of her was the same dragon from before when she got her Celestial Dragon Slaying powers.

"Oh, my dear child... So hurt and so much in pain that she cannot withstand her own weakness. Just what happened to you while growing up? Just why are you so damaged?" the dragon asked as it lowered its head to examine the blonde.

Its head rising high, it stretched its wings where Lucy widened her eyes. "I didn't want to meet you during times like these, but I cannot stand watching over you while you're suffering. Just why did they target such a dear child like you? Just why did Acnologia fall under his spell?" the dragon continued before closing its wings as if it wanted to hide its tattered wings in shame. "Don't let the darkness take over you completely my dear... The darkness is our ally. It is an element that helps us celestial beings exist. Control it and don't give up on hope. I'm sure that one day, Sakura will rise to save and protect us all, and you'll be that special gem that will provide her with that determination to do so..." the dragon said.

Before the blonde could say anything, the dragon gave her a toothy grin before resting on the ground again. Its breathing slow as it rested its head on its front legs, it kept its eyes on Lucy for a moment before gently closing its eyes. "We are celestial dragons that rule this space. If there is no darkness, then where will our light shine? Embrace it my dear. Don't run away from your weakness. Like what Igneel once told Elite and I... Embrace the flame and use it as a weapon rather than a source of heat..." the beast whispered.

"W-What happened to your wings?" Lucy whispered as she tried to reach out to its wings.

The dragon slowly opening its eyes, its eyes twinkled before it lost its radiance. Adjusting its body slightly with small tiny shifts here and there, it slumped into the ground further. "I've been trying to protect you... Time is running out and I'm afraid maybe meeting you another time may not happen. My child... My dear child... I'll let you awaken fully without having to learn a single thing - Everything will be natural when you unleash the stars..." it whispered in a strained voice before its body began to fade away. "Even if I'm not here to look after you... Do not forget that Sakura Miyasaki is your dragon to tame. If you tame her, she will come to you within a blink of an eye..."

[Dreame 2019 Edition]
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