The Last Celestial Mage

Chapter 11 – The Secret Library

NOTE: Please give Weirdo another round of applause for writing this chapter! I'm afraid I still haven't been able to write a single word yet, but I'm trying to catch on. Hopefully, you guys aren't too mad at me. Anyway, on with the chapter!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima does.

"This place is amazing," Gray managed to say. His eyes were travelling from one end of the hollow to the other. "It makes walking in the rain for three hours, going down a creepy secret staircase—"

"—riding a mine cart—"

"Hey, that part was fun, Natsu—!"

"Not for me..."

"—all worth it...!"

Lisanna exclaimed in glee as she was finally able to stretch her wings again. She fluttered about in the hollow, staring at the underground cave's walls.

Lucy, Lisanna, Natsu and Gray had been walking and trying to find Levy McGarden's home since daybreak. It was a stormy day that day and so flying for the pixie and the dragon morphe would have been too hard, so they opted to go on foot.

All the while, the four of them strayed off the path and delved deeper and deeper into the forest to a part so dark it made the rainy day seem like night. They walked for almost four hours until they reached the entrance to Levy's home. It was a peculiar hut with a huge oak tree growing from inside it. The oak tree's branches stuck out from its windows and its huge trunk had destroyed half of the hut's roofing. Although hesitant, the other three followed Lucy inside.

From there, the girl tapped on an insignia on the floor and revealed a secret passage that went deeper into the earth's bowels. They went down the secret marble staircase until they reached a transport system for what seemed like coal. They got on mine carts and followed the tracks to a huge hollow, where they are now.

What seemed like a whole day of travelling was immediately forgotten at the marvelous sight of the secret library.

The whole of the underground cave was lit up by a few hundred lanterns that floated all over the space like fireflies. Numbers upon numbers of books were lined up on every inch, crook and crevice of the walls. There were thick ones, thin ones, leather-bound, paper-bound, old, new, small big. Everyone except Lucy was awestruck; even Natsu, still groggy from the mine cart, was having the time of his life!

She's made quite a few renovations, I see…

"Lucy's friend must be quite a reserved person since she keeps to herself here…" the pinkette said all of a sudden. "What's she like?"

"Levy?" The girl paused. "She's a pretty nice girl. She came from a long line of historians, but she's a capable mage, too. She uses the archive-type magic so she knows a lot of spells and stuff."

"Wow… Is she strong?"

"She's kind of skinny and small… But yeah, I guess…" she explained. "But I don't think she could have made the renovations herself."

"She must be getting some serious help with those heavy stuff," Lisanna commented.

"Come on, then, we didn't come here for just sightseeing," Lucy said and urged them to hurry.

At the very center of the cave was a huge house carved from marble and supported by metal pillars. Lucy stepped casually to its door, followed by her companions, and knocked.

"Levy, it's Lucy! Open up!" she said.

Heavy footsteps came from inside the home like tip-tapping of metal on marble.

Natsu sniffed and cringed.

"Is something wrong, Natsu?" asked Lisanna.

"No, I just... It smells like someone I know..."

Clunk!

The door was opened, revealing a tall boy with long black hair. He scowled with a scary, deadly glare; piercings lined up the bridge of his nose and above his eyebrows; his mouth was in an eternal frown. From his shoulders to his waist, fresh bandages were wrapped; his black pants were covered in metal boots from leg down.

At the sight of Natsu, the boy flushed. "What the—?"

"No way...!" came the dragon morphe's disbelief. "Ga-Gajeel?!"

Six people sat around a circular table having tea and biscuits: Lucy was looking up at Levy asking 'Who?' with her eyes; Natsu and Gajeel were stuck in a staring contest; Lisanna and Gray would occasionally glance at each other, not having anyone to look at.

"S-So, everyone," Lisanna started shyly. "Shall we get down to business?"

"Ah, right... I completely forgot about that..." Lucy said. She got down to take something from her bag and gave it to Levy, who sat across her. It was three sets of scrolls. "Here, you go... Information about fire dragon morphes: measurements, habits, diets, physical characteristics and abilities. You should give me proper credit, okay?"

"Ah, Lu-chan, you shouldn't have!" her friend exclaimed in glee. "I've only gathered information about iron dragon morphes myself so this is very important for me. Thank you!"

"Iron dragon morphes?" the blonde asked, then looked at the boy who opened the door. "Him?"

Levy nodded.

"Everyone, this is Prince Gajeel Redfox from the royal Redfox clan of the Iron dragon morphes."

"Oi, Natsu," Gray mumbled. "Do you know this guy?"

"He's my cousin," the pinkette deadpanned. "Gajeel, you've been missing since forever! Your parents have searched as far as our kingdom!"

"I was being poached, okay?" the iron dragon morphe snapped at his relative. "Was flying about a few months ago when some arrows started shooting and hit my left wing bone."

"I found him and since he can't fly as much yet, he's been living with me in exchange for renovating my home. Do you like it?"

"Not the carts," Natsu said plainly.

"I agree. The carts are a bad idea," Gajeel seconded.

"Dragon morphes aren't good with any moving vehicles, apparently," Levy sweat dropped and whispered to Lucy. "Anyway, I see some new faces! Would you introduce them Lu-chan?"

"Ah, right," the blonde remembered. "This is Lisanna, a pixie who lives in the Deer God's pond. She came with us to help. And this other one is Gray Fullbuster."

"That's it?!" the ice mage complained.

Fullbuster, Levy mused. "I don't think you're just here for a visit. What are you here in my fountain of knowledge for?"

"Information..." Lucy said plainly. "I want to know about hybrid celestial mages—no, everything you have on celestial mages."

Levy's gaze turned to Gray, who was beside Lucy. He felt her piercing eyes start a feeling in his chest, that of want and drive.

"If..." he started, "If, by any chance, you have anything about my family..."

Lucy glanced sideways at him.

"I have everything here," Levy said, standing up. "So, shall we go?"

All six of them abandoned the tea and the biscuits to go back out into the cave full of books. The blue-haired girl pulled up a pair of reading glasses and wore them as she mounted an extremely long ladder with wheels at the bottom. Levy wheeled away expertly to a side of cave

"Yes, yes... Celestial mages... Hm..." she looked down at Lucy, three storeys down, and shouted, "Everything I have?"

"Yes, everything!"

"Okay, then!"

Levy got one book after another and threw it, confident her blonde friend would catch them. Not any longer than a few seconds, the blonde celestial mage had a pile of them.

"Is this everything?" Lucy called out, looking at the ten-or-so books on the floor. She watched as Levy struggled to pull out an extra-huge and extra-thick book from one of the shelves at the top.

"This is..." she started, managing to successfully take out the said book, "...the last one!"

Levy threw it to her friend and Lucy cringed at the thought of catching it. Luckily, instead of her hands, it fell on Gray's head (with a soft crack), bounced off and landed on the book pile she had made on the floor.

"Nice throw, Levy!" she said evilly.

"Hey, that could have caused some serious damage, you know?!" Gray was now nursing a huge lump near the crown of his head.

"You, Fullbuster-kun—"

"Ah, no... 'Gray' is fine... Just call me 'Gray'..."

"Ah, right, Gray... About the Fullbuster clan, am I right?" Levy moved from one side of the cave to another that took about two minutes or so. She, then, reached a group of books directly behind her mansion. "I've only got two... Here!"

The ice mage caught the books perfectly: one book was thin and square with an old red cover; the other was slightly thicker with a tattered black cover and a lock on the side.

"Genealogy and Tradition records, and a diary?" he said. He would understand if he wanted to read the records but the diary seemed to be a bit...intrusive.

"I'm sure you'll want to read it," Levy said and she stepped down from the rickety ladder. "When I read it, I was fairly surprised myself. It's like talking to someone from another time!"

"Anyway, Levy, thanks for all of these," Lucy said. She was managing to balance thirteen books on her hands and head. "I'll return them to you as soon as—"

"No, no, no, no way!" Levy complained and stopped her friend mid-sentence, "Five of those books are suuuuuper rare, Lu-chan. You cannot—absolutely not—take them out of my library!"

She turned to Gray, "And that diary is a special book. You're not even supposed to look at it, if you weren't Lu-chan's friend!"

"What are we supposed to do, then? I can't read this all in one day!"

"You have to stay here until you finish them—or at least the five books I mentioned. The others, I can find replacements if you lose them outside."

Levy crossed her arms and Lucy pouted at her. "Aren't we friends?"

"We are, but those books are my family..." she smiled apologetically, "And blood is thicker than water, you know?"

Lucy sighed. "Fine, fine. If everyone is okay with it, we'll stay here for a while. Anyone who wishes to leave can leave; come back if you can find your way."

"We'll stay, we'll stay," Natsu smiled. "There's so many books here I think I'll read one or two..."

"Same goes for me..." Lisanna agreed, "Do you have any spell books for pixies?"

"Ah, those would be—"

The rest of the conversation was drowned out in the background as Lucy walked back to Levy's home and made herself comfortable in the blue-haired girl's couch. Normally, thirteen books would be too much for her but now she was absolutely fired up! She propped open the thinnest book and started reading immediately.

History of The First and Second Generation of Celestial Mages—

She stopped. Somehow, it felt that someone was calling her.

Lucy looked around and saw no one. She was just about to start reading again when she saw the largest book of the pile—the one that bumped Gray's head.

She gave a small chuckle before putting down the History of The First and Second Generation of Celestial Mages down, and reached for the book.

The girl held the velvet cover in her hands and felt peace: it was as if the book was telling her to read it first.

Clairvoyance, huh...

The young celestial mage opened the cover and read the front page:

To every Celestial Mage:

To discover our kin is to discover your destiny.

-Adam von Ryid, Historian

Excitement gushed through the girl's veins.

She wasted no time in starting to read the book.

By the end of the second human war, the reign of the First Generation Head Noble ended and it was passed on to Christe Lawrence III, tyrant general of the celestial forces—

"Hey, do you think these books are any good?"

Around this time, the Head Noble had ordered for a purification among all celestial mages. Anyone of impure blood was to be executed in secret to keep the purity and power of celestial mages intact. The nobles who numbered but a few hundred compared to the non-nobles (we will be referring to them as hybrids) obeyed out of fear of the Tyrant and—

"I mean, she gave me two measly books! And one is a diary, too!"

Executions were done either by fire or by poisoning, first to the parents and then, to the seeds who were burned alive—

"Hey, are you even listening to me?!"

"Shut up, okay? Shut up!"

The girl slammed the book shut and glared at Gray. He hasn't read the books given him yet; instead, he was bothering Lucy, of all people, still a long ways to finishing her first book.

"Why can't you just start reading already?" she said, "Or go bother someone else!"

"Natsu is reading on the roof; I didn't even know he could read. Lisanna is practicing some sort of new pixie magic. I don't know Levy or that Gajeel," Gray explained, counting off with his fingers, "And I'd be bored to death if I'm alone..."

"I'm like a last resort, then..." she said. "Fine, read here... But read silently..."

"I don't need you to tell me that!"

The girl sighed and the boy reluctantly started to actually look at the book in his hands. Lucy was watching him at the corner of her eye, waiting when he'll start reading. After a few moments, still nothing happened; Gray was just looking at the book with a pained expression.

Lucy, not knowing what to do, ignored the boy and continued to read.

Around three hundred celestial mages who had intimate relations with non-celestial mages were killed; and exactly 114 hybrid children were executed by burning.

Concerned mages headed by Jullian Heartfilia were against the onslaught that was brought by the rising of Lawrence III's power; it conceived a war among celestial mages on the XXth day of the month of Burim, year XX03 that lasted seven days. Having been cornered by the followers of Heartfilia, Lawrence III took his own life and hung himself on the west wing of the Noble Head Castle.

Upon winning the war, the Heartfilia clan were anointed as Head Family, and Jullian Heartfilia became the third Head Noble. His loving nature and permissiveness to the hybrids made him close to the rest of the Celestial Mage populace, thus earning the title 'The Man with the Heart of Gold'.

"Aren't you… scared?"

"Huh? About what?" Lucy replied, continuing to read. The Celestial Mages under Heartfilia's rule had then lifted the ban of involving with non-Celestial tribes—

"About discovering... who you are... who your family was..."

At this, Lucy turned to Gray with an eyebrow raised. He was still just looking at the book's cover, in deep thought.

"I've never known... any of my family..." he explained. "I was brought up by Ur in the Manor; and although I had questions, I didn't have the courage to ask her...

"She may not have been very good but... Ur is still and will always be my mother figure... I just… I don't know if what I'll find will coincide with what I know…"

"Is that it?!" Lucy hissed. "That's what you were worried about?!"

"What?" he looked up.

"You're scared that what you may have known all along was a lie?"

"Not exactly... But..." he thought long and hard. "It's like I'll be changing who I was up until now."

The blonde watched as Gray's eyes were filled with fear and anxiety. For the first time, he seemed to be authentically remorseful and pained.

She cleared her throat, her cheeks heating up. "So what if you're going to discover some pretty nasty things? Your family was your family; you are who you are. The 'you' you are now… isn't that what's important?

"It doesn't change anything, what you discover. It will only give you a glimpse of where you came from. Good… Maybe bad… But you don't have to let it write your story; it's one you write on your own... with your friends by your side."

"That's deep..." he deadpanned.

"Well, that's what I think! You didn't have to be so passive about it!" she hissed. Beet red, the girl went back to her book.

Meanwhile, Gray was still just looking at the cover of his.

"I guess you're right..." he mumbled. "Hey, can I ask a question?"

"What?" she said, not bothering to look up.

"Me, you... Natsu, Lisanna..." he breathed. "We're... friends, right?"

"Of course, n—" the girl stopped, and then looked at Gray, who in turn looked at her full of hope. He isn't evil, just lost. So why was she so against him? Was there a point in hating him?

"Of course, we are..." she finally said. Gray looked surprised at her answer. "If we weren't, we wouldn't have let you come here!"

Gray smiled as he looked at the book. It was such a small and shy smile that one wouldn't have thought it was there. "I guess you're right…"

Watching him smile awakened a feeling in Lucy: a feeling of wanting to protect that smile that was so real and so kind; so unlike his usual sneer.

"You… should smile more…"

"Eh?" he asked.

Crap… Did she just say that out loud?!

"I… I mean…" she stammered, "Get back to your reading!"

Gray snickered. "Oi, oi, don't go falling in love with me, now!"

"What's that?!"

"I knew it... I'm irresistible!"

"Don't let it get to your head!" she said between gritted teeth.

Lucy watched as Gray stood up, took his books and started to walk away.

"Where're you going?" she asked.

"Can't read here... Too noisy..." he said. "I'll be upstairs if you need me..."

Why that ungrateful, narcissistic, selfish, pompous—

"Forget it..." she sighed.

She went back to her book and read the last paragraph of the first chapter, which contained a brief history the First Three Generations of the Celestial Mages. After that, she proceeded to chapter two.

The Nobles

The girl balled her fists as she read the title in big, bold letters. Revelation was coming close to her now. She read and read until she reached a column that struck her so much she shook:

Of all the abilities the Nobles possessed, none was more coveted by the hybrids than the Two Inheritances: clairvoyance (the power to connect with the Spirit World) and telekinesis (the power to control objects with one's own Spiritual power). Though equally powerful, clairvoyance was a trait that was especially hard to master as it required strong will, discipline and commitment (a further discussion of the Two Inheritances can be found on the Eleventh Chapter—)

Lucy's eyes widened. This was what she was most keen to look for!

The girl went ahead and skipped a few chapters, ready to read Chapter Eleven.

Gray closed the door behind him, both books on his hand.

It doesn't change anything, what you discover. It will only give you a glimpse of where you came from.

He took a look at the first book, the Genealogy. He was very worried that his family might indeed be evil; and that more people would hate him for something... something he couldn't possibly remember.

Gray didn't want to be hated. It just was part of what he knew while growing up. He, Lyon and the Milkovich's were feared and hated. They were known as the evil Fullbusters, and he didn't even have a chance to know why or how. That was just the way things were.

If he were given a choice, though...

But you don't have to let it write your story; it's one you write on your own... with your friends by your side.

Friends, huh, he mused.

That's right. He had friends now; and although he didn't really know what dynamics friendship possessed, it was one of the first good things he truly enjoyed in his life.

Gray opened the book, the first page being a lengthy family tree folded in so as to fit the book's size. He must have had a big family for it to reach this long.

He folded it back in and read the dedication:

To the Ice Mage Mediums of the future, be proud of the blood in your veins. You are a Fullbuster, strong and pure as crystals.

Gray smiled. Strong and pure sounded good—very good.

He looked at himself on the mirror and noticed he was bearing an expression he hasn't seen in him before. He was smiling so earnestly; he didn't look like himself.

He felt very peaceful and happy.

You… should smile more…

He flushed at the bIonde's words.

Is this what it feels to have...friends?

A/N: Naww, isn't that just adorable?! Now that she's got that down... I have to work on my chapter, WHICH, I may add, might take a while but I'll try my best! If you've seen any mistakes, please do forgive us for we didn't really have this beta read.

If you, however, liked the chapter, then leave a review and make yourself known :D We're hoping no one has left this story in our absence T.T

"You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can be grateful that thorn bushes have roses."

Bye! -Anne and WeirdoBlabber :D

- Please support/read my other stories: Celebrity Issues, Forgotten Memories, The Devil and the Assassin, Life's Challenges, Queen of Stars, A Love That Lasts Forever, Fragile and Going Against The Current.