Nephele | Fairy Tail

Chapter 7

Rei woke up early that morning to Sky - who had been designated as their alarm - loudly telling them how they had to get moving, much to Evelyn's disappointment. The trio left the inn before the sun was even out and they started their journey to the next town. Over the course of the next three days, the group passed through four different towns with few problems. The further they got from Lotus, the more Rei noticed that people didn't seem as on edge with tourists and travelers. When they got to Bryxton, the uneasy air that hung over Lotus and the surrounding area had vanished. No one in Bryxton had real concern about the possibility of dark wizards attacking. It was so unlike Lotus and Lyca that it made Rei almost feel confused.

But that wasn't the only thing in Bryxton that was unlike Lotus. Bryxton was a decently large town with more people than Rei had seen in one place in her life. Lotus and the towns they had stopped in before Bryxton were small, the largest one maybe having 500 people living in it, but Bryxton seemed big enough to hold thousands of people. Maybe even tens of thousands.

For Rei, a young adult who had grown up in the woods with a dragon for a mother and then spent the next seven years in one small town, rarely visiting the other tiny towns near it, Bryxton was like entering a whole new world. Everything about the town was so different from what Rei was used to, the buildings, the stores, the people, everything. In Lotus, most of the buildings were similar, with the expectation of the town hall and a few others. But in Bryxton, every building was different. They had different structures and colors and sizes. Sky had a hard time containing both Rei and Evelyn.

"You two can't just run around a city acting like maniacs," Sky scolded as they walked away from a vendor who had caught Evelyn's eye. She was selling necklaces and Evelyn had seen one that caught her attention and had started asking the poor lady tons of questions. Sky had to usher her away and apologize to the lady, who seemed a bit disoriented by the strange encounter.

"You're so boring," Evelyn said with a pout.

Sky let out a sigh and Rei rolled her eyes, "Sky, you need to relax. You've never been in a city like this, you have to admit it's pretty cool."

"I actually much prefer small towns rather than large cities. Especially after this." Sky said, crossing her arms in the air.

"Well, I do too. It's really loud here. But I still think it's cool." Rei retorted, earning a huff from Sky. Rei lightly shook her head before continuing, "Anyways, why don't we find a place to eat? I'm starving."

"I have a feeling, at this rate, our money's not even going to get us through half of the trip," Sky muttered with an annoyed look.

Rei just ignored her and the trio found a place to eat. Soon after eating, they also found a place to stay, as it was already starting to get dark out when they stepped outside the restaurant. They spent the next bit of time before going to sleep hanging out in the room they were staying in before actually falling asleep.

* * *

The next day, Rei tried to drag out leaving the hotel room. She knew what was coming once they left the room and she dreaded it more than anything. They were heading to the train station. Where they would take an hour-long train ride to a station town called Statio. The last thing Rei wanted to do was be stuck on a death trap for an hour only to go to a town where the only thing to do was get on another death trap. Sky and Evelyn practically had to drag Rei out of their room and all the way to the train station, where a crowd of people had formed outside the station.

"What's going on?" Sky asked a random man who was standing toward the back of the crowd as Rei sat on the floor with a grumpy look on her face.

The man looked at Sky with a confused face, probably surprised a flying cat was talking to him, then glanced at Rei before hesitantly saying, "I think a group of dark wizards took over the station or something. But I don't-"

"Dark wizards?" Rei questioned, suddenly on her feet and in front of the man.

"Uh, yeah, that's what I heard," the man replied, started by her sudden movement.

Rei glanced back at Sky and Evelyn, "We need to get up there. Maybe we can help."

Evelyn and Sky nodded and the three of them pushed their way to the front of the crowd, where they saw some station attendants keeping the crowd from entering the building. Rei pushed her way over to one, Sky hovering above her and Evelyn close behind.

"Hey," Rei called out, gaining the attention of one of the attendants as she stepped a bit in front of the crowd.

"Ma'am, please step back, the station is currently closed," the attendant said with an annoyed tone.

"Are there really dark wizards in there?" Evelyn questioned, staring at the station attendant.

"Yes," he said, glaring at them. "That's why you have to- Hey! Where do you think you think you're going?"

"Don't worry we're wizards!" Rei called back as they ran up the stairs and into the station. She heard the station attendant shout something back, but ignored it as they entered the train station and glanced around the main lobby.

"What do you think, Rei?" Evelyn questioned as they looked around the empty lobby.

"I had expected there to be at least one or two dark wizards here guarding the way in," Sky said, floating in the air and looking around curiously. "You'd think they'd be smart enough to at least guard the entrance."

Rei shushed the two of them, earning an annoyed look from Evelyn, who opened her mouth to retort, but Sky stopped her by shaking her head. The room went quiet and Rei sniffed the air as she listened to hear anything.

"I think they're all grouped up in the next room," Rei said, narrowing her eyes at the wide arch that led to the train platform. "I think they heard us come in. They're all waiting to ambush us from behind that wall."

A smirk appeared on Evelyn's face and she punched her fist into her hand, "Well then let's give them what they want."

Sky flew in front of Evelyn as she took a step forward, "No way, we don't know how many are in there. And no matter how strong you and Rei are, it'll be difficult to take on a huge group of wizards. Both of you are used to one-on-one fights, fighting a group is much different."

"Hey, I've fought groups before," Rei retorted, earning a sigh from Sky. "Besides, what else are we supposed to do, not fight them?"

"I was thinking we find another way in so we don't just walk into a trap," Sky stated in a slightly annoyed voice.

"Or we could skip that step and fight them now," Evelyn replied, putting her hands on her hips.

Sky seemed to play out the scenarios in her head and let out a sigh, "Fine, just be on your guard."

Rei and Evelyn smirked at each other before running into the next room, Sky trailing behind them from what she must've thought was a far enough distance to avoid being attacked.

When they passed the large doorway and to the boarding area, they were immediately surrounded by wizards and their exit was cut off.

"Foolish wizards, you ran right into our trap," one of the dark wizards who seemed to have some sort of leadership over the group sneered with a malicious smirk. "Now you'll die for your foolishness!"