[A/N: I'm so sorry it took so long, loves, ugh, I'm vvvvv busy. ]
~LUCY'S POV~
Next morning. No one had spoken a word. If someone did, it would have had to be a mere mumble or a whisper. We were still drained, even after a full night of sleep.
After checking out of the motel, we took a train to Barcy. The conductor said we'd arrive at around 3PM.
Of course, I sat beside Natsu, and Ria took her seat opposite of me. Not many were on the train, there was only a few men and women on board with us.
I wonder why.
My bruises didn't go away, neither did the others', and my body was still sore. I would stay behind and rest, but I didn't really have a choice, and I've been through worse.
As expected, Natsu was leaning his head against my lap, ridiculously dizzy. Rubbing his back comfortingly, I tried my best to make the trip less painful for him. "We'll get there soon, sweetie."
He simply nodded and groaned in response. I tried to enjoy the trip and ease my mind after what had happened, but I guess I couldn't.
Suddenly, the train came to an abrupt halt. Ria, Luna, Skylar, Natsu and I realized we were the only ones in the train. When had the other people gotten off?
We were all suspicious, and we looked around cautiously. Thankfully, Natsu came back to his senses again because the train had stopped.
"Something's not right here." Solaria was irked, and she had every reason to be.
I craned my neck to look out from one of the windows, and saw that we were in the middle of a bridge. All I could see below was a dark, cryptic canyon that seemingly went on for miles. "What the hell?"
"Lucy!"
I heard Natsu call my name, and whipped my head around. There was a shadowy figure emerging from thin air before our very eyes. It had the frame of a tall, lanky man; it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.
Once I realized, I told the others. "It's a hologram. Created using black magic." They all turned to face me. "Someone's sending us a message."
"Indeed, Miss Heartfilia." A raspy voice resounded in the train as he spoke. "Very intelligent of you."
I took a step forward and my voice took a louder tone. "Who are you?"
"I am a wizard of Shade of Blackness."
I sensed Solaria's immediate change of mood. Her fists were tightly clenched, and the aura was something I've never felt before. I looked at her and shook my head, a way of telling her to leave it to me.
"My comrades and I understand that you are travelling to Barcy in an attempt to eliminate our guild. Well, I'm here to tell you to stop. Turn around and go back home. While you still can."
"We're not going back." I replied firmly, trying my best to keep a calm demeanor. "No matter what you say, or do."
"This is a warning. You do not know what we are capable of."
"Goddamnit, we know exactly what you're capable of!" Ria had burst. She couldn't hold her words back anymore, and they came rushing out of her lips.
"You wiped out an entire city! You killed thousands of soldiers and wizards! You..." Her eyes were filled with fury and hatred as she pointed an accusing finger at the hologram.
Luna was gripping her arm, as if she was afraid Solaria would go unstable. We were just above a canyon of total oblivion, after all. "You murdered Sorenne!"
"That was your own mistake!" The man's voice had gotten louder as well. "If you hadn't played the hero and decided to get in our way, that woman wouldn't have died!"
"You fucking bastard! You don't get to blame this on us! You don't blame this on us!" Solaria was screaming, flailing her arms, thrashing about. The tears were streaming down her cheeks again, and Skylar was restraining her. "You killed Sorenne!"
"Those people of Sapheroth should be proud to have died at the hands of Shade of Blackness! Their lives turned out to be instruments for the greater good of this world!"
"How the fuck does killing innocent people make this world a better place?! You're insane!"
"The more power we gain, the closer we get to taking over this world! We will be the saviors of the poor unfortunate souls that are doomed to walk this earth! We will grant them power beyond their wildest dreams, and we will give them the ability to trample on those oppressors who have mistreated them!"
At this point, I was all but terrified. The man had raised his arms in pride, he was cackling evilly, and his smile gave me chills.
My knees went weak, and I felt Natsu wrap a protective arm around my shoulder.
Solaria's voice sounded like that of a patient at an asylum.
It took every ounce of Skylar and Luna's strength and willpower to restrain her. This was all too much.
She turned to Luna. "Fucking let go! Don't touch me! Let me go, get your goddamn hands off of me!"
Her gaze reverted back at the thin, wiry frame of the man in the hologram. "You're fucking insane! We're coming for you! We're coming for you! Remember my face, you bastard! I'll kill you! I'll kill all of you goddamn lunatics and burn you to ashes! You're not people! You're not wizards! You're fucking demons! You're demons! I'll fucking kill you!"
[A/N: Wow. This chapter was intense. And I'm v guilty about the vulgar language. omg. I'm so sorry, I just had to depict the gravity of the situation. Promise I'll tone down the vulgarity, but I hope you liked the update! Comment your thoughts below!]
