Hello, minna!  Here is the next chapter, as promised~!  This one is a long one (I think) so I hope you are all happy! ♥  It's been a long day...I think I might update one more time, either tonight or tomorrow. c:  So be looking forward to that, then~♡  Now..I dedicate this chapter to MidnightBlaze7!  Thanks for everything you've said to me about my stories, and being such a nice friend!  Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter minna!  Feedback is, as always, very much appreciated!!

♥ ♡ яу-¢нαи ♡ ♥

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Now here Lucy was, walking through the forest.  It had been three days since then, and Lucy was now deep inside the Caballeen Forest.  Once she had found out the location, she remembered, she had taken a train to a small city and walked into the wilderness from there.  Luckily, Lucy hadn't run into any monsters yet, which surprised her.  However, Lucy still hadn't found the monument yet, but she somehow knew that she was getting closer the more and more she walked.  Like..she was experiencing a strange tug and it was getting stronger the more she went on.  That destroyed structure with the picture of Daronyt on it held so many answers, and Lucy was determined to find it.

But where exactly was it?

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"Have you found the Junsuina?"  Coven asked, his eyes narrowed.

He was residing in his office, which was located in his small mansion in the mountains.  The room was dark, but you could make out the expensive furniture that resided in the room around him.  Gold flashed through the preferal vision, but Coven paid no mind.  He had more important things to worry about.

Zeke was looking at him through a mirror-like image; the same one Zeke used to try and fool Fairy Tail.

He was in a very familiar forest, one leg pulled up to rest his elbow against.  He was sitting on a fallen tree trunk, looking to be slightly frustrated.

"No, my lord."  He replied.  "It seems the Star Mist Obtainer has gone further into the Caballeen Forest than I."

Coven growled.  "It's been a week since you've set out to find her, Zeke.  That disgusting guild is also looking for her, don't forget."

Zeke nodded once.  "I know.  But I've been able to throw them off a few times.  They should be far behind."

For the first time in awhile, Coven smirked.  "Good.  That should buy us some time."  His expression went hard again.  "The Junsuina doesn't know how to unlock the Star Mist, so we will be fine even if that happens.  That is because even after you unlock the Star Mist, you have to go through a whole other process in order to obtain the knowledge of how to defeat Daronyt and how to help the resurrection."

"Yes sir."

"I have also been shaping my skills in summoning.  All should go as planned."

Zeke nodded, smirking evily.  "Yes."

"Zeke, find her."

The image closed, and Coven huffed with frustration.

But then he turned, excitement and darkness reverberating through his eyes.  "Are you ready, my girl?"

Someone stepped from the shadows, wearing a long cloak with abnormal clothes residing underneath.  Just her aura looked extremely threatening.

The female stranger nodded.  "Yes, Lord Coven."

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Lucy stopped.

Just out of the corner of her eyes she had spotted something shiny, so it had easily catched her eye in this bland background.  Turning to her left, Lucy looked off the high platform she was on and looked carefully.  She spotted the same object twinkle again off in the distance through the trees.

Is that it?  Lucy wondered, narrowing her eyes to try and focus on it better.

Deciding to check it out, Lucy jumped from the giant root that petruded from the ground fifty feet up and dropped through the air.  She used her Etoile Flueve to help swing to the ground, but when she landed on the ground she collapsed slightly, landing on her ankle wrong.  Hissing through her teeth, Lucy flinched as fire raked through her ankle and up her leg when she put pressure on it.  It was painful, but bearable.

For now.

Let's hope I didn't break it...  She thought, starting to limp on.

Pushing through the over-grown brush, Lucy saw a peak of a broken white brick structure through the vines of the forest.  Her excitement beginning, Lucy hurried on through the trees.  Yelping when she tripped, Lucy caught herself as she burst from the woods and into a large clearing.  Gasping loudly, Lucy's eyes widened as she took in the scene before her.  It was the same building; everything in her dream was the same as what she saw now.

"This is it.."  She murmured, awe coating her voice.  "I'm finally here..."  She breathed out with relief, walking towards it.

As she got closer, Lucy recognized what had glinted in the sun; it was a golden statue of a griffin.  It layed - half broken from the centuries - on top of one of the columns of the once-flourished building.  Lifting herself over one of the broken walls, Lucy flinched when she landed on her left ankle, which was the one that was injured.

However, all the pain was forgotten when she spotted the picture.

Walking up to it slowly, Lucy rested her hand against it, finally able to touch it in reality.

Lucy stared at the picture for a few moments.  

"Tell me!"  She exclaimed under her breath.  "Rater, if I contain the Star Mist, tell me everything!  Please!"

The runes that ran in a circle around the drawing of Daronyt shimmered like water, and Lucy's eyes flooded with white light as she was sucked away.

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"Lucy."

Lucy snapped her eyes open.

She was floating in space.

"W-Where am I?"  Lucy called out, her voice echoing throughout the blanket of stars.  "Hello?"

"You called me?"

Turning around (which was kind of difficult when she was floating) Lucy saw a grown man in front of her.

Lucy took a wild guess.  "R-Rater?"

He nodded.

Rater had short brown hair, and had an incredibly fair and handsome face.  He had sharp green eyes, and was wearing a white battle uniform with one sleeve cut off while the other was long and past his hand.  It was trimmed with dark blue, and it reminded Lucy somewhat of what Gray usually wore.

Lucy felt her panic start to kick in.  "Rater, I have to know about everything!  I need to figure out how to stop Daronyt by using Star Mist, and--"

"Woah."  Rater replied, holding up a hand.  "Calm down, Junsuina."

"Why did you call me that?"  Lucy asked, urgent.  "What is the Junsuina?  Please, tell me everything!"

Rater studied her for a few minutes.  "I cannot tell you everything, but I can tell you most.  The Junsuina is the person who controls the Star Mist."  His eyes narrowed in puzzlement.  "I don't know how you were given the ability of Star Mist, though..  It was only supposed to be given to me for possession."

"So I really do have it?"  Lucy whimpered, fear causing her to flinch.

"That is certain."

"Then tell me; how do I unlock it?  I want to stop the resurrection before it happens, just like you did!"  Lucy exclaimed, her voice pleading.

Rater shook his head.  "I cannot help you per se, but I will tell you there are two stages of completing the unlocking."

Lucy hesitated.  "Two..stages?"

He nodded.  "Once you unlock Star Mist, you have to have the full composition of the situation in order to figure out both pieces of knowledge."

"What to pieces?  I don't understand..."

"The ability to either stop Daronyt, or help the resurrection even further."

"Oh, that..."  Lucy murmured, understanding.

Rater nodded.  "I will help you unlock the first stage; but you have to complete it yourself."

"What do you---"  Rater pressed his palm against Lucy's forehead, and everything went white.

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Lucy didn't know where she was.  All she knew was that she was in a weird form of Fiore, with people walking around and buildings lined like a village would have.

Wait a minute...  Lucy thought, looking at a sign nearby.

She gasped.  I-I'm in a time period close to four-hundred years ago?!

Turning, Lucy tensed when she saw the town go into chaos, and then she just noticed that the sky was growing darker and darker.  There was a castle off in the distance, and lightning was cracking all around it as if it was the center of the storm.  Strangely, Lucy felt sucked forward, but she was still residing in the middle of the street during the chaos.

"What's going on?!"  Lucy tried to ask someone nearby, but her hand slipped right through them.

Gasping, Lucy stumbled back and landed on her butt, her eyes widening as people ran through her.

I-I'm some sort of hologram?  Lucy wondered.

But before she could dwell on the subject, the most ear-piercing roar echoed through the sky, making all the buildings around Lucy explode like dominos.  Lucy blocked her face by putting her arms in a cross-formation, the wind nearly knocking her off her feet.

And the creature Lucy saw - and never hoped to see again - burst from the top of the castle, crumbling down the walls as it roared again, knocking out Lucy's ear drums.

That's...

Lucy was rushed forward, right in the middle of the chaos.  She was in a dome like structure, where she guessed she was in the top of the castle.  She recognized Rater, who was crouching low on the ground.  He looked like he was recovering from a heavy blow.  There was a vile looking man nearby, craziness in his eyes as he stared up at the appearing Daronyt.

That must be Ikinger.  Lucy thought, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Finally!  I will finally be able to control time!"  Ikinger roared, evil laughter escaping his lips.

"Not on my watch!"  Rater exclaimed.

Before even Lucy could react, Rater rushed forward and jumped into the column of black light, his eyes turning a bright white doing so.  But just before his hand touched the column of black light, Lucy's vision flashed white, and she was all alone in a white void.

"It's time to experience the nightmares, Heartfilia."  Rater's voive rung out.

Lucy was experiencing the visions all over again.

People dying.

Fiore being destroyed.

Her family dying.  The guild disappearing.

And being all alone in the world.

"Stop!!"  Lucy exclaimed, and everything flashed away.

Lucy collapsed to her knees, her eyes filling with tears.  "Why, Rater?  Why?"  Lucy sniffed.  "Why did you make me experience that again?"

Lucy felt tears hit the top of her hands as she leaned on them along with her knees.  

"I..don't want to do this anymore!"  She exclaimed, crying heavily even though she didn't want to be.  "I'm sick of having to deal with it all!"

She slammed her hand onto the brick flooring.  "I don't want to be alone anymore!  I..want my friends!"

"Well well, looks like I made it in time."

Lucy thrust her head up, alarm on her face as she craned her neck high above her.

Dismay took over her.  "Z-Zeke!"

Zeke was residing on top of a thick branch in one of the man gigantic trees, smirking down at her.

Lucy started to scootch back away, since her ankle prevented her from standing.  "H-How'd you..."

Zeke shrugged.  "Took me awhile, I have to admit.  But the good news is.."  He smiled.  "You won't be lonely anymore.  You will come back with me, how's that sound?"

Lucy clenched her teeth.  "No way!  I'm going to stop you; not join you!"

Zeke laughed, amused.  Pushing from the tree, he started to float down to her.  "It wasn't a suggestion."

Lucy gasped and tried to force herself to run away when she realized something was wrong.

Looking down at her wrists and ankles, she realized the black shadows had wrapped around them, just like in her dream.

"H-How did those get there?!"  She exclaimed, stunned.

Zeke dropped to the ground with a soft thud a few feet away, and Lucy flinched as he took a step toward her.

Lucy became cross-eyed as Zeke's hand reached for her forehead, sweat falling from her brow.

Zeke was flung away, flying to the left with incredible momentum and slamming into the wall.  It collapsed, piling on top of him.

"W-What?"  Lucy murmured, bewildered.  "Who...?"

Looking to her right and up the hill, she gasped.

Natsu.

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Stay tuned for the next chapter: Chapter 20: Reunited!

{♥} | яу-¢нαи | {♥}