The Tail of the Twin Dragons

33

The next day, Sting and Rogue were sent off to... well... get caught. They met in an open field where Mavis stood, expectantly.

"Are you two ready?" she asked them.

"To die? Why not," Sting shrugged sarcastically.

"Be safe Sting!" Lector called from the camp. Sting gave a half-hearted wave back at the cat and then let out a huge exhale.

Mavis wrote some runes on the ground before standing up and smiling at the two.

"Best of luck," she smiled at them.

Suddenly, a large portal opened up before the two and Mavis gestured for them to walk in.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Rogue muttered.

"What? An insane suicide mission doesn't sound fun to you?" Sting laughed.

"No... no, it doesn't," Rogue sighed.

The two stepped through the portal and the mission to overthrow Acnologia began.

"Bye, bye Rogue!" Frosch waved as the two disappeared into the portal that vanished a few seconds later. Mavis looked at where her spell had been cast and let out a sigh.

"Best of luck you two..." she muttered.

Rogue and Sting found themselves stepping into a small alley between two huge buildings. Sting looked up at the large multi-story buildings in small amazement.

"That's huge," Sting gawked. Rogue slid past him and peeked out of the alley, his eyes widened.

"No... that's huge," Rogue corrected. Sting walked over and peeked out as well, his jaw practically hanging open when he spied what Rogue was looking at.

The city that splayed before them was larger than anything either of them had dreamed of and in the center of it was a grand stone castle whose windows were glimmering in the rising sun.

"Is it too late to go home?" Sting asked in a bit of a whine.

Rogue rolled his eyes and then strode through the streets, "Come on, let's go find the largest group of soldiers we can and do something stupid."

Sting groaned but jogged to catch up to his brother.

The purpose of the celebration may have left a sour taste in Sting and Rogue's mouth but there was no denying the amazing proportions that the townsfolk had gone to in order to create an air of joy. Game tents had been set up and people were laughing as they played the (likely rigged) carnival games. Food stands filled the air with good smells and people sold their homemade wares. It would've been incredible... given different circumstances.

As they grew closer to the castle, Sting's pocket began to grow warm. In confusion, he reached in and pulled out his mother's old key, stopping in the middle of the street.

"Sting?" Rogue asked, turning to look at the blonde who was studying the key in his palm.

"It's... it's warm?" Sting asked himself.

"What?" Rogue asked.

Aquarius's key was thrumming with power, almost glowing.

"Why is it - " Sting began to ask when the key almost flew out of his hand. He stumbled, keeping it in his grip as the key pulled him for a moment down the street.

"WHAT WAS THAT!?" Sting almost screamed.

"I..." Rogue pondered, no answer coming to mind.

The key was still weakly tugging in Sting's hand, much to the mage's confusion.