Reluctant Fairytales (Gale Fanfic)

Chapter 15

    "We're here!" Levy announced as the three of them stopped in their tracks, staring at the hut that stood before them. 

    The hut was wooden and rickety, covered in black moss that blended in with the rest of the dark forest surrounding it. It wore a sloping roof on top that was blanketed in loose shingles and more of the moss, and the entire thing looked like it was decades old.

     Levy walked up to the porch, followed by Gajeel and Slick, then stifled a shriek as she saw shrunken heads dangling above the door beneath a sign that read, "Beware he who cometh with evil intent," and she gulped nervously.

     Gajeel knocked on the door hesitantly, glancing back at Levy who was keeping close to him.

     The wind blew, ruffling the three travelers' hair as they stood tensely on the porch in the silence.

     Then one of the shrunken heads let out a laugh, "Ha! What're three losers such as yourselves doing here in such an unfortunate position?"

     Levy shrieked, grabbing Gajeel's arm, and the four shrunken heads cackled in amusement.

     Slick rolled his eyes, seeming undaunted by the talking heads, "We're here to find the witch Zaubera. Is she out?"

     "Of course!" one of the heads chuckled, "She's out alright! Out of her mind!"

     "G-Gajeel," Levy was holding on tightly to him, "Th-they're... talking."

     "She's scared of us!" the one on the far left exclaimed in delight, swinging back and forth on the string that tied it above them, "Shall we make it worse?"

     They all laughed hysterically, then instantly sobered up as their eyes narrowed and they all spoke in unison, "How does it feel to be constantly hunted? How does it feel to be alone and unwanted? How does it feel to be surrounded but alone? How does it feel to be lost without a home? Is it a struggle for mankind to draw breath? Isn't it hard, to know it all ends in death?  Everything you know will soon come to an end... are you ready to face the death of your friends?"

     Levy was staring at them, her eyes wide with worry at the words they spoke. Then she felt warmth as Gajeel rested his hands on her shoulders as he snapped at the heads, "Leave her alone or you'll find yourself sliced into more pieces than your brainless selves can count!"

     "Oooh," one chortled excitedly, "His Majesty speaks! You'll be more brainless than us in a couple of days! Brainless and craving the desire to raze! That's raze with a z, by the way."

     "And you, Brosch," another head cackled, "You're on the losing side! The witch has seen it all! Your secret friends will fail, and so will you."

    "So wait a moment," the third head said, "So we've got a girl who tries and fails to help her bond and keeps secrets from her best friend, a boy who knows less about himself than I do, and a child who's destined to fail? A pretty sorry bunch!"

     The heads' laughter rose up into the air, getting louder and louder until Levy was forced to clasp her hands over her ears. It was a horrid sound, their squeals of delight and hideous laughter rising into the air at an earsplitting volume.

     Suddenly, the porch door banged open and the heads instantly shut up, going still. An old woman with a hunched back, beady eyes, and frizzy white hair that stuck up from her head was illuminated in the doorway. She carried a carved cane, and wore a black robe lined with stitched on herbs of variety.

     "Silence," she hissed at the heads, then surveyed Gajeel, Levy, and Slick, "Hello, children," she rasped with a pleasant smile,"It's been so long since I have seen you," she smiled at Gajeel and Levy, "You two look well. However, if you've come to see me, things on the inside might not be so well. Come in."