The Power of One Dream (A One Piece x Fairy Tail Story)

Part 7

Within 2 minutes, the group stood before two massive foreboding doors with black iron fastenings. The Pirate Captain and the Fire Dragon Slayer looked no less eager to tear it down. "So, we got this far without anything trying to kill us. Any ideas how we get through these things?" Laxus observed with grim humour. "I could take a bite out of it." Gajeel replied gruffly with a smirk, looking hungrily at the iron fastenings. "Don't you dare.." Levi piped up anxiously. ".. We may have locked up Avatar but I'm sure there's still Magical counter-measures on the perimeter I haven't discovered yet, not to mention whatever Manticore Sting must have done with the place."

Natsu bumped his knuckles together as small flames appeared, dancing around his body. "How about I just burn the doors down!" he said with a growl. Pantherlily held up a paw of caution. "Tread carefully my fiery friend. It is more than likely that our enemies have prepared numerous traps with you and your Dragon Slayer Magic in mind.", "Well we won't know until we try!" Natsu growled, louder and angrier. Let them try to put up another barrier between him and Lucy.

"WE'RE WASTING TIME!!!" Luffy bellowed suddenly and furiously, having no time to discuss strategy further. "LET'S JUST BREAK THE DAMN DOORS DOWN ALREADY!!!!!!!!" The next second, Luffy began blowing on his right thumb, causing his right arm to inflate to massive proportions. He then flung it over the heads of the astonished guild-mates as it glistened with a Busoshoku (Armourment) Haki-imbued coat, ready for a Gomu-Gomu no Thor Elephant Gun. When the massive doors began to open on their own.

Natsu and Luffy gave each other curious looks as the rest of the gathering looked on bewildered at the apparently easy entry into the foreboding building (his massive fist promptly deflated to its normal size). "The front entrance it is then." Cana spoke off-handedly. "Fine by me." said Zoro, gripping Wado Ichimonji's hilt. "Yeah! Let's go save Lushee and Nami, minna!" cried Happy determined. The two hot-heads at the fore front gave each other a curt nod and then advanced forward, with the rest following after.

The first few of the group made it through the doorway, which on the inside looked more like a handsome Chateau entrance-way. A stark contrast from the rundown appearance of the building from the outside, it being decorated with purple-painted walls, large purple velvet curtains and polished black marble flooring. But the low-lighting of the candles lining the walls made the aesthetic no less gloomy.

Erza turned to Gray. "So, which way next?" she asked. "I don'know." he replied, genuinely perplexed. "The whole set-up looks nothing like when Avatar were here. Even the corridors aren't in the same place..." Gray drifted off as his gaze fell upon a quiet Wendy, who herself was gazing down at her Exceed companion, wearing a spaced-out expression. "Hey Wendy, what's up with Charle?", "I don't know.. (Wendy replied looking genuinely worried).. Charle what's wrong, can you hear me?"

Charle herself wasn't quite sure how to explain her vision, fearful that misinterpreting it might put her friends in dire jeopardy. But some images in her mind rang painfully clear as to what was happening. The door closing. A courtyard. Black-robed corpses. Friends in conflict, two friends in particular who seemed somehow... changed? Cracks in the sky. One friend in tears. Battles with foes new and old, including some she was sure were imprisoned, or dead!?! A man with long-hair glowing with a malicious aura and untold power. Shards of Magical Ice hurtling towards-

"EVERYONE, BACK THROUGH THE DOORWAY! QUICKLY!!" Charle cried frantically. But it was too late. The massive doors rapidly began to shut behind those who had already entered. And try as he might using his Magical Giant Form, Master Makarov could only keep the doors open a few more seconds before they closed completely. This left Natsu, Gray, Erza, Wendy, Juvia, Cana, Gajeel, Laxus, Levi, Gildarts, the Strauss Siblings, Bickslow, the three Exceeds and the nine Mugiwara as the only ones inside the gloomy chamber.