Guild Secrets

9 ~ dark & light

"Natsu you idiot! You scared the life outta me!" Lucy yelped as she scrambled to pick up her whips handle that was now on the floor.

He simply grunted in reply as he focused his attention on untangling himself from rounds of rope that somehow managed to entwined around him literally everywhere.

"This is some crazy magic you've got here Luce..." He mumbled as be slipped a wrist through a couple of loops of the whip; feet doing the same.

"Well some would say it's a hard-earned skill." Lucy said, a smug smile planted on her face as she watched him struggle. The boy met her eyes as he let out a short and blunt laugh at her words - in obvious mockery at her self approving.

"You're the one who got tangled in it..." she mumbled to herself as she turned on a heel to take another scan of the surroundings. "You got any idea where we are, in here?"

Natsu - free at long last - met her steps to face one of the three exits to the large open space room.

"I have no clue." He pondered. "I just heard your voice, the kitchen disappeared and then I ran right here."

"The... what disappeared?"

"The kitchen." He blinked at her - a look on his face like she should know exactly what he was talking about. Until it finally dawned on him, Lucy's unforgiving look on her face - god he was so dumb sometimes - must have helped him realise. "Oh wait yeah you weren't there!"

With a roll of her eyes, Lucy turned to him, studying his face as it calculated whatever he was thinking.

"Yeah thats right... you just up and left didn't you? Where the hell did you go?"

"Where did I go? One minute we were walking together and then you totally disappeared!" She fought back.

"Hmm." Natsu's brows furrowed in confusion and he scratched his head dumbfounded. "Weird."

"Definitley weird." Lucy said in reply. "You gonna elaborate on that kitchen?"

"Oh yeah!" Natsu sparked, pointing a finger on the air as if he'd just remembered something critical. "Well, I was walking and all of a sudden there was just this kitchen."

As he spoke the pair began to walke into direction of one of the exits to the room, absently covering more ground of this huge, endless building.

"So obviously I had to go and check it out." He continued. "And right there in front of me was a hot steaming plate of fajitas." The blonde turned to see a droopy smile on his face as his stomach began to grumble in hunger. He looked at her, eyes half lidded. "Lucy you should've seen it, it was exactly what I was craving."

The blonde listened quietly to every detail as he went on to describe the way the food looked and how it almost seemed to have a glowing spotlight around it like it was just for him. She didnt dare interrupt him - not yet anyway - afterall, his goofiness seemed to put a smile on her face.

"But then something weird happened when I went to pick it up," he looked forward again as he gestured out his hand in a swiping motion. "It was like nothing was really there, and my hand just when through it." He continued.

"Oh, like a hologram or something!" He clicked his fingers. "But then I heard you calling me and the whole place disappeared. It was just the dark corridor in front of me again."

"That really is weird." Lucy spoke, glancing at the confused expression on Natsu's face. They continued walking down the corridor - seeming to be just like all the rest, neverending.

"Did you  sense anyone nearby you?" Lucy asked as she had more time to ponder of Natsu's story. "I mean, it sounds a little like illusion magic to me." She suggested, thinking perhaps another wizard had casted a spell on him. A trap perhaps?

"Hmm, that's exactly what I thought." He replied, Lucy could tell he was thinking hard, especially when he lifted a hand to grasp his chin in thought. "Now that you mention it, I think I definitely did feel some magic at one point, but I was too hungry to notice." He admitted and the grumble of his stomach that followed proved his point.

"Interesting." Lucy spoke, "could've been a member of the dark guild."

In an instant, Natsus face darkened, and Lucy paid special attention as his smiley grin faltered - his head snapped in the direction they were walking with new focus and wide eyes.

"The dark guild." He stated quietly, eyes planted ahead of him into the darkness of the continuing tunnel. "They've found us again."

"W-what do you mean?." Lucy spoke in reply. A shiver ran down her spine as she let the thought sink in. "Did you hear someth-"

She stopped, because all of a sudden it felt like hundreds of eyes were focused on her. Goosebumps trailed across her skin, like it had randomly gotten a lot colder.

In an attempt of some kind of reassurance, she slowly moved her hand towards Natsu who was walking beside her - him too seeming to get the uncomfortable sense of being surrounded. Her hand grazed his, and she quickly wrapped her fingers through and squeezed his hand.

Natsu ignored his redenning face as he looked to Lucy; a look of determination showed she was ready to fight.

"Aaaaahahahahaha!" A screeching cackle filled the air and the pairs hands parted in  flash; The horrifying sound echoed around the long corridor as the two stood back to back, readying themselves.

Light filled the tunnel as Natsu summoned fire in the palm of his hand, and Lucy scrambled for her keys, holding out her choice in await to attack.

"You cant trick us anymore!" Lucy shouted out into the darkness to her enemies, "Illusion magic's weakness is awareness. You can't cast it if we know you're doing it."

"Yeah, and now I'm all fired up!" Natsu yelled, as if to reinforce Lucy's point. She felt his back pressed against hers as they both stared out in either direction of the tunnel. "You ready Luce?" He whispered, his chin tilted over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of her face looking back. She felt a feeling of calmness wash over her. She was safer than ever with Natsu by her side. "Yep, more than ever." She replied.

In a flash, Natsu sent out a furious blast of fire down both directions of the tunnel. Dead vines and cobwebs that clung to the ceilings and walls were set aflame, casting a perfect light down their pathways.

Lucy took in her deep breath at the sight of her opponents. A small crowd,  a lot smaller than the ones they had encountered earlier, but by the sights of it, a lot stronger too. They were magic users no doubt, and considering they were a dark guild, must be strong.

In Natsu's direction stood only one opponent. Echo.

Her dark black hair almost blended into the darkness of the tunnel, but thanks to the ever-burning shrubs a faint outline of her was clear to Natsu - and a grin fell upon his face.

"Fancy seeing you again." He chuckled, smiling in juxtaposition to her womans stern scowl.

"I told you I'd find you." She replied, her voice seeming even darker than the first time. "And kill you."

-♡-
DUN DUN DUUUUN.... Natsu gon die

...

Hi hello

New chapter finally!
Hope ya'll are enjoying this book despite the slow updates!

I appreciate your comments and feedback all the time so thanks for leaving them!

New chapter soon hopefully!