Celestial Stars

The Broken Bind!

Lucy was completely out of breath. Her powers were drained, and her legs felt heavy. She had been here too long, even though it had only been two hours she determined to press on. The blonde was teaching Wendy Holder Magic, just like she'd promised. She couldn't really summon anyone now, so instead the spirit taught her the ropes.

"You're starting to look pale." The blue-haired girl observed, "Are you sure it's alright for you to be out here this long?"

"Oh, it's fine!" She reassured, "A promise is a promise, Wendy. I'm going to teach you how to be a great Celestial wizard."

"That's great and all, but I really think you should go back in the Celestial World. You need your rest, you're not strong as the others."

The blonde scoffed, "You don't have to rub it in like that! Just because I'm not as powerful doesn't mean I can't help you!" She shouted, causing the younger girl to yelp in fright. Carla shook her head and frowned up at the spirit, "The child is right you know. We appreciate your assistance, but you do need your rest."

"But I promised--"

"And you kept it. Just go back home, Lucy. Face it, you're exhausted." The exceed spat, "Neither of us want anything happening to you." She whispered the last part.

The blonde smiled and nodded, waving goodbye to her friends before closing her own gate.

"You really care about Lucy, huh?" Wendy asked, making her flying cat friend shake her head in refusal, "No. No, why would I? She's just as annoying as that blue tomcat."

The blue-haired girl just smiled and went to her room, exhausted herself. She kicked off her shoes and snuggled deep down under the covers, "I think I'll take a little nap." She sighed, falling asleep on the spot.

"There's something wrong here." Lucy muttered to herself as she sat by herself in her small house, inside her gate, "I feel funny."

She fooled herself by saying it was nothing and continued lounging around her house, but she still couldn't shake that feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Lucy couldn't have been righter.

When Wendy was asleep, a Celestial mage from another guild snuck into the girl's room at night on the run from the Rune Knights. He was one of the most wanted wizards out there, and there was no way he was going to get caught. Looking around, he smiled down at the shining golden key on the desk. He'd never heard of a key like this before but took it anyway. The mage that worked here must be stupid to leave a Gate Key laying out here in the open like this.

He heard shouting directly behind the building and made a break for it. He ran far away, holding tightly onto the key in his hand. This was the first golden key he had ever seen in his life, and there was no way he'd be letting anyone else have it.

Suddenly, the wizard was surrounded. He could see leader of the Rune Knights, about to raise his hand to cast a spell to trap him inside when he decided it was time to test his new key out.

Lucy couldn't help but scream in agony when she heard a ringing in her ears. What was happening?

"Open, Gate of the Defender! Lucy!"

The blonde was confused. This was not Wendy's voice, but another's.

Don't tell me... she lost her key?

Lucy raised her head upward and continued to scream. This hurt, the summons hurt. The others heard this, and it was Aquarius that first made it inside. She saw the girl going pale, and the tears dripping down her face.