Child of Magic | jerza

The Druid Curse [2]

Gray opened his eyes and sat up in bed. It was pitch black and quiet in his chambers, but he had an eerie feeling that another person was here.

He reached for the sword sitting on his bedside table and got out of bed.

"Who's there?" Gray whispered.

It was still quiet. Of course it was quiet. All the knights were asleep and no one but the night guards was awake.

Feeling paranoid, he set his sword down and sat back on his bed.

A pink-haired girl stood at the foot of his bed, dripping with water.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

~ ~ ~

"Porlyusica," Gray whispered. "Are cursed spirits real?"

"Scared you got a haunted ghost hiding under your bed?" Macao laughed. "Want some salt to ward them away?" He tossed Gray a bag of salt, while Natsu and Gajeel burst out laughing.

"Cursed spirits are real, alright," the physician said absentmindedly. "But they won't bother you if you don't bother their shrine."

"Oh," Gray said, realization dawning on him. "Okay."

~ ~ ~

"Gray Fullbuster," the girl said the next night.

Gray shot up and ducked under his bed, whimpering.

"Gray...Gray..." she repeated her pale face a sickening blue color. "Gray.."

"G-Go away," Gray cried, reaching for the bag of salt Macao had jokingly given him. He began to pour small amounts of salt on the ground. "P-Please g-go!"

"Gray," she murmured again, her pink pigtails glistening in the moonlight

~ ~ ~

"We're going to be practicing striking the opponent in the stomach," Jellal said, putting his helmet on. "I want-"

"We're doing the same thing again?" I groaned. "I swear, we did this yesterday!"

"Uh, Erza," Gajeel whispered nervously. "When he was the prince, it was fun to joke about him. But now he's the king and-"

"Well, then Erza Scarlet," Jellal said with a smirk. "Would you like to be our...punching bag?"

"Wait, what?" I asked, watching as Jellal strapped my armor on and handed me a shield. "Hey, I never agreed to this!"

"I want you to stand there while Natsu practices his stabbing," Jellal said, handing Natsu a wooden sword. "Simple enough?"

"I shall get my revenge," I murmured.

"Sure you will," the young king laughed. "Go ahead Natsu."

"This is gonna be fun!" Natsu crowed, holding his wooden sword up.

"Three stabs and then it's Gray's turn," Jellal ordered, clapping Gray's back. Gray, for some odd reason, didn't smile.

Natsu stabbed the sword into my shield once. I could feel myself being pushed back by the impact, but I held my ground. Soon enough, it was Gray's turn.

"Your turn, Fullbuster," Jellal said.

Gray slowly reached for the sword and faced me. He was looking extremely pale.

"Are you okay-" I began to say. He jabbed the sword into my shield, catching me off guard.

Okay then..