Hot and Cold

Astral Spiritus

~*****~

Apparently, it was nowhere near Magnolia, and it was irritating just walking there. "Are we ever gonna get there?" Natsu complained for the fifth time.

"Eventually, but I'm afraid it's still a ways off," Princess Hisui explained patiently.

"My feet are killing me," Lucy whines.

"I suppose I'd have dressed differently if I knew we'd be climbing mountains today." Yukino mentioned.

"Well, I got no complaints! This is a breeze!" Happy chirped as he flew through the air.

"Me either," Ballad agreed as she poked her head out from my overcoat.

I grunt irritably. "I think I'd like walking more if I didn't hear complaints every five seconds," I mention. Lucy grimaces and utters an apology. "Whoa--" I murmur as we stop walking.

"It's said fog is the doorway to the Astral Spiritus," Princess Hisui panted.

"You mean the fog itself?" Natsu asked.

"That's right." Princess Hisui nodded. "Throughout the course of human history, numerous legends were born form this place. The sacred sight of Astrail Spiritus. Countless souls have journeyed here, seeking the origin of celestial magic. But those who entered the fog were never heard from again. This spot is where all quests for Astral Spiritus have ended."

"So, this is the point of no return, huh?" I comment, scratching at my neck absently.

"No one's made it through alive?" Happy asked.

"So the legends say, but forward is our only option," Princess Hisui explains. Arcadios opens up the case of closure keys. "Now, take your keys." I pluck one of the keys and peer at it curiously. "These will carry us through the rest of our journey. So let's go."

Princess Hisui lifts her arm and juts the key into the fog, which opens the path forward.

~*****~

Natsu charges in without a second thought, leaving us to pick up the slack and find him. "We found them!" Lucy chirps.

"And just in time," Yukino comments.

Loke's brows draw together, and he sends a savage wave of magic at us that Natsu manages to stop. And it didn't look easy to do so.

"Where is the globe!" Levy shouted.

Loke doesn't answer, instead he keeps sending attack after attack at us. "It seems we'll have to locate it ourselves," Arcadios mentioned.

"Please, you have to stop this!" Lucy pleaded. "I know that you don't want to believe me, but even if the Liberam spell does what you want it to, you'll only be free for twelve days! And then it'll all be over."

"We know," Loke retorts bitterly.

"You're aware of the true cost?" Princess Hisui gasps.

"So why are you going through with it?" Yukino asks.

"Twelve days isn't really that much time, you know," Happy comments delicately.

"That's more than enough time for us!" Loke exclaims with a sick sneer. "Whatever the cost for freedom, we will gladly pay it."

"Seriously?" Natsu asks.

"The only birth rite we spirits can claim is our enslavement to humans." Loke spat. "We exceed them in every possible way, but still that is our fate in life! Or should I say that was our fate. What we do here will change that. Even if it costs us our lives!"