The Dragon Queen 3

Call to Arms

I jolted awake when I felt something crawl on top of me. I look to see a tiny human resting his head on my chest. I smiled then looked over to see the rest of my team was gone. Lucy was already awake and coming from the forest. Images of my horrible nightmare came flooding back. Fury is dead and will remain dead, I thought.

"Good morning." Lucy crouched over and kissed me.

"Good morning." I returned the kiss. I sat up, holding onto Phoenix so he wouldn't fall. The dream was still lingering in my thoughts. I wasn't sure if I should talk about it or not. "Lucy?" I gave in.

"What's the matter?" She sensed my unease.

I took a deep breath. Everything still seemed so real. "Have you ever had vivid dreams of Fury since he died?" I asked.

"All the time. Sometimes I feel like I would wake up and he would be right here. Still dating Cana. Why do you ask?" She asked sitting down at my side.

"I had this dream last night. I was in the forest and I heard someone running. I followed the sounds, then I started to smell him. I cut him off before he got to the river that is south of here. When I tackled him to the ground, there he was. He tried to warn me of something, but I can't remember what it was. The he disappeared but not before giving me a necklace." I summarized the dream as best I could. I sat there reliving the dream.

Lucy rubbed my back, comforting me. "It was just a dream. He is gone. We both saw that happen. I know he was like a brother to you."

She kissed my cheek then rose to her feet. She grabbed Phoenix earning a high pitched whine from him. I rested my arms on my knees. "Where is Erza, Gray and Happy?"

"They must have set out early." Lucy replied, giving Phoenix a bottle.

I thought that was strange. Erza would never let anyone sleep in past dawn. Time was too valuable when someone else's life is at stake. I shrugged my shoulders, got up and brushed myself off. I heard something drop. I see the necklace that Fury gave to me in my dream I had.

"Lucy." I called her, my voice trembled as I starred at the necklace. I reached down to pick it up. It was a small locket bound by gold and brown threading. On the outside was a dragon emblem, the same one as our kingdom. When I opened there was a picture of Cana and Fury in it. Was it simply a dream, or was it reality?

"What is it?" I heard Lucy call from behind.

I slowly turned to her. The necklace shook in my trembling hands. I could smell his scent on it. In that moment I realized I wasn't dreaming. The man I saw wasn't a figment of my imagination, but was real; and he was alive.

Reality begun to sink in. Everyone was in danger. I rushed over to Lucy. "You need to get out of here." I looked her in the eyes.

"I don't understand." She replied.

I opened my hand, displaying the beautifully crafted necklace. "It wasn't a dream, Lucy. Fury is alive and he warned me of something. I don't remember exactly what it was but I need you to take our son and leave."

Her eyes widened. "Natsu, he is dead. There is no magic in the universe that can bring someone back from the grave." She was trying to talk sense into me, but I knew I wasn't making this up.

"Smell this," I held the necklace out. "Tell me that this isn't his scent."

She sniffed the air around the necklace. "It's can't be." She whispered.

I put the necklace in her hand and grabbed she shoulders. "There is no point in trying to make sense of this right now. He is somewhere out there; alive and suffering. I will be the one to bring him home." I looked up towards the forest. He had to be alive, he just had to.