The Art of Trouble

Chapter 32: The Emergence

Coldness had consumed the atmosphere, and it did not help Lucy's feeling of longingness from her friends at the island. Did she make the right choice of going alone to Arkimedea?
Yet, she believed it was the right choice, as she is the only one who could offer her services to the so-called king. Being the celestial wizard, and having contact with the spirit world, it was only proper if she would do this alone. Lucy had even avoided the thought of guilt for breaking her promise to her partner, the ice-make wizard.
As of the moment, Lucy was on her way to Arkimidea as she travelled through a boat. The familiarity of it was the only thing that managed to give her comfort. It was the same transportation she and Gray used the first time they came to Arakani. Gyna told her it was solely the way that could pass through the walls of Arkimidea, and it would not be coming back any time soon after today. Hence, her instant decision to come aboard on that boat.
Gyna was actually behind Itoria's secret duties. Apparently, Itoria was a resident of Arkimidea, and Gyna's spy. Although, it was Gyna who gave Lucy the idea to pursue Arkin, it was Itoria's story that urged her to instantly proceed on that very evening. The winemaker uttered something about "The emergence of another Lupith."

She was now clinging on the boat's railings as she thought of thousand scenarios at the moment she meets the king. Hours before she left, and after her confrontation with the two women, Itoria brought Lucy to the westside of the Island, which is a three-kilometer walk from the village. When they got there, they climbed up a small cliff, and from that point of view, Itoria showed her a land formation she regarded as the thread mound. The winemaker further told her a story that a thread mound was a 75-kilometer rope-like structure, which represents an ancient astronomical figure. It was also considered as a snake mound, as the land formation looked like a snake with three circling points: one on its head, the other on its middle portion, and the third is on its tail. The three points were believed to mean as directions.
Lucy and Itoria then moved to where the thread mound was engraved.
"We should stand here, Luna." Itoria encouraged the blonde-mage, as they directed themselves towards the tail point of the mound.
"What do you, see, my friend?" Itoria asked Luna, as if they were on a field trip.
Meanwhile, Lucy was using field glasses, which Itoria had provided her in order to see  objects from afar.
"I could see a massive rock-like formation on this side, and another from that area." Lucy meant to point from the left side, and then to the right.
"Those, my friend, are the fortresses of Arkimidea and of Arkinea. Arkimidea is around 7 miles from here, 9 if you past through the eastside." Lucy was now curious where this discussion would come along. "I do not wish to be rude, Itoria, but, where are we going about with this?" Itoria nodded a bit, asking Lucy's permission to let her continue speaking.
"We should now move to the head point before we go to the middle."
As soon as as they reached it, Itoria explained something, while Lucy was observing every detail she could speak off. She perceived upon reaching further to the head point of the mound that both fortresses can just be viewed on the same angle from each circle they set foot.It is as if they did not move from one place to another. Later on, tiredness and thirst became perceivable by Lucy's body, yet her interests with the winemaker's stories made her ignore her current needs. Itoria said that the circles were placed by ancient people in certain location not just for the view of the other Arkinean islands but of some crucial purpose. As she had told her earlier, it was of an astronomical use. Itoria had made themselves to step towards the location that appeared to be around 20 meters in front of the snake's middle point. Then, Itoria asked her another but the same question. "Can you see something, Luna?" The blonde mage instantly brought her field glasses to her eyes and began looking through it. At first, there was not anything to see. The view had only a closer look of the fortress, yet, as she moved the lenses to her left, she perceieved a bright red-orange, she believed to be the sun.

"I could see the sun. It's... weird though, because I think we just saw it on the other side, at the cliff."
With Lucy's response, Itoria's eyes widen.
From her look, the mage could tell that she had confirmed something, and it is not some pleasant news at all. With that, the winemaker stammered.

"Yyyou're right, we just saw the sun from up there..."

-----------------------------
A.N.
(Disclaimer)

I am not an expert of astrology and am not studying it, as well. This story, or part hereof, is merely a product of my imagination. Although, there is a reference on the real-life snake mound (Serpent mound), it is not the same as the one I mentioned in this chapter, and in no way that the the Serpent mound is related to what was being told here. As I've said, what I have here,as being part of the story, are only imaginary details, and hence, NOT factual.
Other than that, I do NOT own Fairy Tail and its characters. I only have the plot, and some of the fictional characters like: Itoria, Gyna, Lameria, and some of the islanders(a.k.a. Arkineans).

P.S.
This chappie is dedicated to:
Sunniestar03
khai_khaii
Nada03423

Thank you so much for your support!☺🤗