Luke fell to the ground breathing heavily. His entire form was covered in sweat and his legs burned with the fury of a thousand suns.

  "Why were there… So many stairs?" he complained, rolling onto his back. When the memory of the queen opened up the secret exit, he didn't think he'd be climbing up several miles worth of stairs.

  Just how deep were they? Or was this some kind of magical bs he wasn't privy to?

  "At least we're… out of the cave," Levy said, sitting on the damp grass next to him. Like her friend, she too was feeling the burn. Her dogs were barking loud enough to wake the dead and even her legs and glutes were screaming at her.

  Not like she could help it. She didn't want to travel that way either but there wasn't another option. The only silver lining was how much more toned her legs and backside would be from the experience.

  "True. How far do you think we are from town?" Luke asked, once his breathing was under control. Levy thought about it for a moment, looking at their surroundings. They were somewhere in the mountains, in a nice, wooded area.

  "Around ten miles, give or take. It looks like we're on the other side of the mountain," she said. The ruins themselves were primarily in a rocky area, with some grasslands leading up to it. But the woods were on the opposite side of the mountain range.

  "Great. I was just thinking I could use a good hike after going up all those stairs," Luke snarked. Levy rolled her eyes at his whining.

  "Come one," she said, giving him a little slap on his chest. "Let's get moving."

  She then stood up, letting out a groan as she did so, her legs protesting the motion. She made it several feet away before she noticed a certain someone wasn't following her. Looking back at the man still laying on the ground, he gave her a pitiful look.

  "Yeah, I think my legs went on strike. You're going to have to carry me," Luke told her. Honestly, he had no idea his legs could even experience so much pain. Sure his body was stronger than it used to be, but that was still insane.

  "Not going to happen. There should be a road nearby that will lead us around the mountain. If we can get there you can summon that Spirit and maybe he'll give us a ride," she said.

  "Ugh, fine. Guess I have no choice," he complained before forcing himself to his feet. They felt like a strange combination of Jello and cement. He tried to take a step forward, but his leg simply refused to listen.

  "I knew it… They went on strike," Luke said, trying to lift his foot. But it felt like it weighed a ton. He didn't think he'd be moving them anytime soon.

  "Levy, how far's the road do you think?" he asked, getting an idea. She gave him a confused look but answered all the same.

  "I can't be certain, but it shouldn't be too far. A mile at most. Why?" she asked. He nodded at her words, thinking it over.

  "I see. In that case, there shouldn't be a problem," he said.

  "What are you doing?" she asked as his body started to glow. She could feel the buildup of magic within him. It felt just like…

  Her eyes widened when she realized his plan.

  "Really? You're going to use Take-Over to avoid walking?" she asked, sounding exasperated. His roguish face then twisted into a smirk, and she felt her stomach do a little flip at the sight.

  "What can I say? It's the simple things in life. Take-Over: Seraph Soul!" he shouted, before being enveloped in a blinding light. Levy shielded her eyes until the light died down. Once she opened them, she was graced with some literal heavenly eye candy.

  Luke stood there in all his resplendent glory, the light this form naturally gave off chased away the darkness of the glade. Not only that, but it seemed to take away the chill as well. The cool night air mixed with the sweat coating her body wasn't the most comfortable experience.

  His wings gave a powerful flap, even though it was unnecessary for flight, and he gently floated through the aid before landing in front of the blushing girl.

  "Need a lift?" he asked, holding out a hand. Levy rolled eyes at him again, a small smile on her face.

  "My, what a gentleman," she teased, taking his hand. She gave a loud squeak when he pulled her close and swept her off her feet, carrying her like a princess.

  "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" she asked, embarrassed. She was doing everything in her power to not think of the bare chested man currently holding onto her, no matter how much she wanted to touch his muscles.

  "What do you mean? I'm giving you a ride," he said with another smirk. The red faced girl caught the innuendo, and gave him a little smack for it. Luke laughed at her flustered face.

  If he was honest, he was a bit embarrassed as well. It may not have been the first time he held the beautiful girl in his arms, but he didn't have much time to think of it last time. They were floating above a black lake afterall, with his magic running very low. But now, he could enjoy the sensation to its fullest.

  "Alright, here we go. Hold on tight," he told her before bending his knees slightly. Levy's eyes widened before she threw her arms around his neck. He then shot into the air, leaving the treeline behind in seconds.

  "Now that's what I call a view," Luke said, after giving a whistle of appreciation. Levy, who had closed her eyes as they lifted off, opened them. Her breath hitched slightly at the sight.

  "Wow…" she muttered. The full moon hanging in the sky lit up the world below with a dazzling silver light. Millions of stars twinkled beside it, the clear night sky making for a perfect canvas. It wasn't quite as mesmerizing as the hidden temple within the mountains, but it was rather spectacular.

  From their height, she could see all across the mountain range. There was a nearby lake happily reflecting the image of the moon, its calm waters making for an excellent mirror.

  As she was inspecting the sight, her head subconsciously found perch against Luke's shoulder. He gave the girl a curious glance but didn't bring it up. If she felt comfortable enough with him to do it, who was he to interrupt?

  Looking back out across the world below, Luke spotted the road Levy mentioned earlier. She was right, it wasn't that far, so he began to fly towards it at an almost lazy pace. Even then, it only took a few minutes for him to touch down upon the road.

  He gently placed Levy down before canceling his transformation. He gave a soft sigh as the flood of energy left him. Levy activated her flashlight once the light from his form cast the world around them in shadows. She gave a small shiver as the warmth also left, thankful to still have his jacket wrapped around her shoulders.

  She also noticed the pain in her legs had diminished. It went from feeling like her legs were about to fall off to a dull throb. Thinking about it, didn't he mention his angel form had some healing properties to it? Looking at him, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry.

  "You alright? That didn't take too much magic did it?" Levy asked. Take-Over could be a pretty exhaustive spell, even for those who had excellent control. The more powerful the creature Taken Over, the more draining it was.

  For example, Lisanna was much weaker than her older sister, but she could hold her transformations for much longer. There was simply no comparing the power obtained from Taking Over a bunny compared to a demon, and she doubted angels would be any less tiring.

  "No problems here. I recovered most of my magic while we were in that cavern," he assured her, flexing his arms. Thanks to that Lacrima, which he supposed contained a consciousness of all things, he was in tip top shape.

  "That's good. Wouldn't want you to exhaust yourself before we take on Pickles," Levy said, and Luke had to fight not to snort. She said that name so seriously, but it was just so dumb for an ancient evil to be named Pickles!

  "Fair point. I suppose we should find your friends too. Hopefully they'll be willing to help," Luke said. He wasn't sure they would be, but he doubted they could resist trying to show him up in the battle.

  "If not, I'll just have to teach them a lesson," Levy claimed. There was a certain fire in her eyes as she said this, and Luke had no doubt she would follow through on that promise. And considering she could conjure up just about anything with her magic, she could likely dish out a very creative punishment.

  "For their sake I hope they do. Now, I guess I should try using this key, shouldn't I?" he said, holding up the shiny silver key in his hand. Levy gave it a curious look, having never really seen this kind of magic before. She was actually pretty excited to see him being summoned.

  Would it be any different than when he summoned himself earlier? Actually, how was that even possible? She thought they could only be summoned by someone they forged a contract with.

  She'd have to make sure to ask Tyrian later.

  "I think I would. He might be cross with you if you don't," Levy chimed in.

  "No doubt. Alright, let's do this!" Luke exclaimed, holding the key out. He began to channel his magic into it, and he could feel the key sucking up his magic. It was a strange feeling, but not necessarily unpleasant. Once the key absorbed enough magic to open the gate, Luke gave the key a twist, like he was unlocking a door.

  "Open! Gate of Canis Major! Come forth, Tyrian!"

  From the end of the key appeared a large magic circle. It was deep purple in color and bathed the road in its light. As this happened, they could hear a howl echo out into the night. Once the howl died down, a massive form leapt out from the magic circle.

  Both of the wizards stared at the bulky canine that came shooting out of the circle. He was much bigger than the last time they had seen him. In fact, he more closely resembled the size he had in the paintings. It wasn't something they had really noticed the first time they saw him, but it was quite clear now.

  "Damn, what have they been feeding you in there? Steroids?" Luke asked. Tyrian shook his head before stretching out his body.

  "Don't be foolish. My current form is due to using your magic to enter this world as opposed to my own," he said, glaring at Luke. Luke grumbled something about disrespectful mutts, but Levy was fascinated by his words.

  "So having someone summon you gives you access to more of your power? How did you summon yourself by the way? I've never heard of a Spirit doing that before," Levy said, journal in hand. Luke deadpanned at the eager look in her eyes.

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  "Correct, small one. By using a wizard's magic to open the Celestial Gate, we can enter this world with our true powers. And while certain spirits who are either powerful enough or possess an extremely strong bond with their summoner can open their own gates, it leaves them somewhat diminished," explained the wolf, sitting on his haunches as he spoke with the girl.

  Levy was so excited about the information she didn't even register Tyrian referring to her as little one. As she was doing this, Tyrian gazed up at the moon. There was an odd look on his face, like he was seeing an old friend for the first time.

  "It has been a long time since I've laid eyes on the moon. I had nearly forgotten its beauty. And how fortunate, that tonight of all nights it would be full."

  "Does the full moon hold a special purpose, Tyrian?" Levy asked, having heard the deep rumble of his voice. Beside her, Luke pouted.

  "I was going to ask that…"

  "Indeed. My power is increased during the night of the full moon. Quite fortuitous indeed. But it will not linger in the sky forever. Come, let us make haste," he said, kneeling down.

  Luke and Levy shared a look before slowly approaching the Spirit. As Levy placed her hands on him, she couldn't help but marvel at the feeling.

  "Wow, your fur is so soft," she muttered, running her hands through the silky soft hair. Tyrian gave a noise of appreciation, his tail wagging happily at the attention.

  "Thank you. I take special care to ensure the health and beauty of my fur."

  Luke rolled his eyes at that. Who knew wolves could be so vain? Clambering on top of the large wolf, Luke offered his hand to Levy, who gratefully took it, sitting on top of Tyrian behind Luke.

  "We're not too heavy are we?" she asked, concerned.

  "Have no fear. I can barely feel you. The boy, however, could lose some weight."

  "I'll have you know that it's all muscle pal," Luke claimed, irritated at the creature. Behind him, Levy giggled at the two's interaction. It reminded her a bit of Happy and Natsu.

  "Keep telling yourself that. Now, hold on tight," he ordered.

  "Hold on to what?" Luke asked in panic, looking around for something to grab onto. But all he could see was fur! But as Tyrian stood and crouched, ready to take off, he had no other option than to grab hold of the wolf's thick and shaggy mane.

  That's also when he felt a pair of delicate, slender arms reach around his waist and cling to him tightly. Surprised, he turned around to see Levy's pink face looking off in the distance.

  "Don't get the wrong idea. There's just nothing else to hold onto," she claimed, till refusing to meet his gaze.

  "Damn… Tsundere Levy is just way too adorable," Luke thought. However, before he could respond properly, Tyrian decided that was the best moment to take off.

  Levy screamed at the sudden movement, her grip threatening to squeeze the oxygen right out of Luke's body. Not that he was going to say anything, as he rather enjoyed the feeling of her pressed up against him, no matter how much his lungs suffered for it.

  The world around them blurred at the speed they were going. Luke wasn't sure how fast they were going exactly, but it was much faster than the two of them could have gone without him using Take Over. What would have taken hours for them would likely be accomplished within twenty minutes with Tyrian.

  "So, what can you tell me about this… Pickles!? What should we expect!?" Luke yelled out over the wind as the frigid night air nipped at his skin. As happy as he was to reach town sooner rather than later, that didn't mean the journey was exactly pleasant. Luke did his best to focus on the warmth on his back to distract him from the biting chill of his front.

  "He is a devious creature who will use any means he can to achieve victory. Before taking possession of the king and gaining his Light Magic, he was quite adept at darkness and shadow magic. Besides that, he also managed to acquire Charm Magic, as you know, as well as Fire, Lightning and Wind Magic, stolen from the king's Imperial Guards."

  "That's quite the arsenal," Levy said nervously, somehow gripping onto Luke even tighter.

  "Maybe, but that doesn't mean he knows how to use them," Luke responded. He only hoped the monkey hasn't been able to practice in these last 400 years. Being sealed away should prevent that, but who knows.

  "Let's hope so," she muttered.

  After several minutes of travel, they could see the first sign of the town. Light Lacrimas lit up the night sky. It was a bit strange. The night before, all the lights had gone out by a certain time. The town wasn't so large that people were up at all hours of the day.

  Luke remembered visiting an old mining town for a school field trip once. It was an interesting experience, but Luke decided then and there that he did not want to be a miner. However, that wasn't the point. By about 9 o'clock, the town was dead, practically a ghost town. It freaked him out at first, thinking the townsfolk were part of a satanic cult that intended to sacrifice them.

  But no. Turns out, that's just how those really small, sparsely populated towns are. Nobody was out past a certain time, so there was no reason to waste all the electricity. Sure, some of the lights were on, but they were kept to a minimum, just like Amaranth.

  "Something's not right!" he called out. Tyrian turned his head to look at him, eyes demanding an explanation.

  "What do you mean?" Levy asked, just as confused as the wolf.

  "The lights. They shouldn't be on," he told them. Taking a look back at the town, Levy couldn't help but agree. The people of Amaranth liked to be in bed by a certain time, even those in the bar. Lights basically went out at midnight.

  "Do you think something happened?" she asked.

  "It could be a trap," Tyrian pointed out.

  "Maybe. Either way, I think we should approach with caution."

  The two gave nods of agreement as they anxiously continued their journey. After another ten minutes or so they arrived, stopping just outside the town entrance.

  Luke and Levy hopped off the canine. The blue haired girl turned around and thanked the Spirit for helping them.

  "It was my pleasure, little one. However, we must be cautious. I can smell Pickles all over this town," Tyrian growled, warily gazing towards the eerily empty streets. With the lights on, you would think there would be people around, but all they were met with was silence.

  "Right. We should head for the inn first. See if Jet and Droy are there," Levy suggested, getting a nod of agreement from Luke.

  "In that case, we should take the back roads. Main street looks like one big trap to me," Luke said. He's played enough video games to recognize the signs. The whole thing screamed "Boss Battle." He could practically hear the music already.

  "Good idea. But, um…" Levy said hesitantly, looking nervously towards Tyrian, who tilted his head in confusion. "How are we supposed to sneak around with someone as big as you? No offense."

  "None taken. And it is a valid point. But fear not, I am not some one trick pooch."

  Having said that, Tyrian began to slowly morph his shape, growing smaller and smaller until he resembled a regular sized wolf. Which was still pretty big, mind you, but he was no longer a towering figure that dwarfed them in size.

  "Oh, look at you? Aren't you just the cutest?" Levy cooed, kneeling down to pet the happy dog, whose tail was once more wagging. Luke shook his head, wondering how he was ever intimidated by him in the first place.

  "Nice. With you at that size, it should be easy enough to sneak around. Now come on, let's go see Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum," Luke said, making his way towards the town. Levy stopped petting the wolf, much to his disappointment, and levelled a glare at Luke.

  "You know, they are still my friends. You don't need to insult them like that," she said. The three of them entered an alleyway once they saw the coast was clear.

  "I wouldn't exactly call that an insult. A mild barb at most," Luke responded, as they continued to tiptoe through the empty backways.

  "Tell me, who are these Tweedles?" Tyrian asked, his voice far less deep and menacing than it was in his prior giant form. Hearing his question made Luke almost trip and faceplant. As it was, he could barely contain his laughter, not stymied at all by the look Levy was sending him.

  "They're friends of mine who are part of the same guild as me," she responded with a huff, ignoring Luke's snickering.

  "I see. Are they strong?" Tyrian asked with interest. Levy paused at that, hesitating to answer.

  "Um… Well… I wouldn't say they're weak, per say," she stuttered. Judging by the look the wolf was sending her, he didn't her words did little to convince him.

  "Really, they aren't! Droy uses Plant Magic to grow all kinds of things which comes in handy all the time. And Jet uses High Speed Magic, making him really fast. I know they can help us," Levy said, doing her best to assuage the wolf's misgivings about her friends.

  "If you say so, then I shall give them the benefit of the doubt," Tyrian said, though it was clear from his tone of voice that he still doubted them.

  "This might not mean much to you right now, but Jet and Droy are from Fairy Tail. They have a way of surprising you," Luke stated, getting a look of gratitude from Levy. Just because she doesn't harbor any romantic feelings for them doesn't mean she didn't care.

  At the end of the day, they were still her friends. Just the kind without any benefits.

  "Thanks Luke," she said. He turned and gave her a smile.

  "No problem Levy."

  They continued to stealth their way through town, the continued silence not doing anything to soothe their frayed nerves. Even Tyrian appeared nervous as he constantly sniffed the air, searching for any sign of life. But all he could smell was Pickles.

  It took them about twenty minutes before they were finally near the inn. Luke peeked out from the alley next to the building but of course, there was no one. Looking back at his companions, he waved them forward, signifying the coast was clear.

  The three of them quickly but quietly made their way into the inn, closing the door behind them as they did. Once inside, they took a moment to observe the tavern portion of the building.

  "No one here either," Luke muttered as he slowly walked further into the room. He felt like some horrible abomination was going to jump out and attack him at any moment, and he sincerely hoped it didn't want to hug his face.

  "This is getting really spooky," Levy said from behind him. Before heading upstairs to check for the two Fairy Tail Wizards, Luke made his way towards a table.

  "Shit, the food's still warm," he said, watching bits of steam rise from the freshly made meal. There wasn't a single bite taken out of it, and as hungry as he was, he didn't dare sample it himself.

  "But why would they just up and leave without eating?" Levy questioned from a different table, noting that the food was still warm there as well.

  "It's most likely the work of Pickles," Tyrian growled, observing the room with the others.

  "You think his Charm Magic is that strong?" Luke asked, checking beneath a booth to see if anyone was hiding there. But the three of them were completely alone.

  "Perhaps. His power may be being amplified by something as well," Tyrian responded. Levy bit her lip with worry at seeing no sign of her friends.

  "I'm going to check upstairs," she said, running towards the staircase.

  "Levy, wait! Shit," Luke grumbled, seeing the girl disappear. He let out an agitated sigh, turning to face his canine companion. "Come on, we shouldn't separate."

  "Agreed."

  The two of them quickly ran to the second floor, looking for Levy. Luke knew where her room was, having escorted her to it after their dinner last night. The door was wide open and there she was, staring at her destroyed room aghast.

  Luke and Tyrian cautiously entered, inspecting the room for any sign of the enemy. Levy herself bent down to inspect her suitcase, seeing as her clothes were scattered across the room.

  "The hell happened here?" Luke questioned. It didn't make much sense for Pickles to do this. So then, who was responsible?

  "Levy, is everything ok? You're not missing anything, are you?" he asked as he approached. He watched as her form trembled, and for a moment, he thought she was crying. But as it turns out, she wasn't trembling from sorrow, not at all. Instead, she was trembling from rage.

  "They stole it…" she ground out, sounding like an angry tiger about to pounce. It made the two males glance at each other nervously.

  "Um, stole what?" Luke asked. Levy slowly got up, before she turned to face Luke, fire burning in her eyes.

  "My underwear! Somebody stole my underwear!" she shouted, making Luke take a step back. Tyrian, the coward, was already out of the room, abandoning his summoner to face the wrath of the petite mage all on his lonesome.

  "Ok, I understand you're angry, but please calm down. We don't need you destroying the town in your anger," he said, attempting to placate the angry woman. He knew Fairy Tail's reputation for mass destruction and he doubted Levy was immune to such proclivities, especially when angered.

  "How do you expect me to calm down!? Some pervert has their hands all over my undergarments," she said, taking a step towards him.

  "Are you sure you didn't just misplace them?" Luke asked next, which was all kinds of wrong.

  "Of course I'm sure!"

  "Ok, but why would a Vulcan want your… Ah, nevermind. I almost forgot they're all perverts," he muttered. A Vulcan possessing people to go on a panty raid was a bit much, but he wouldn't put it past the creature.

  "I'm going to kill him. Forget sealing him away, I'm going to skin that filthy ape alive," Levy muttered darkly. Luke took another nervous step back before a sight from the window caught his attention.

  "Hey, what's that?" he asked, moving around the girl to head towards the window. He saw what looked like a flickering light, almost like someone, or something, was moving around.

  His question snapped Levy out of her murderous rage. Or at least, most of it. Enough to bring her back to sanity at least. She moved towards the window with an angry stomp, coming to stand next to Luke.

  Looking down, her eyes widened when she spotted a familiar pair standing in the middle of the street.

  "Jet, Droy. Thank goodness. But why are they just standing there?" she asked.

  "They're likely under the control of Pickles. I'm sorry," Tyrian said, walking up to them as well.

  "No…" Levy muttered in sadness. Not only did that rob them of potential allies, but the thought of her friends being under someone's control, like a pair of puppets, was heart wrenching.

  "Don't worry, we'll save them," Luke comforted, placing a hand on her shoulder. She reached up her own and gave his a squeeze, giving him a watery smile in response.

  "Yeah, thanks," she said, wiping her tears. She would absolutely get her friends back, if it was the last thing she did.

  "Hm? What's that covering their faces? Are they wearing a mask of some kind?" Tyrian asked, his front paws placed on the windowsill. Confused, the two looked at them again, their eyes widening at the sight.

  "Huh, I don't think it suits them," Luke said, trying to bring some levity to the situation. But it seems his efforts had the opposite effect.

  "I'm going to kill them…" Levy snarled. She would still save them, of course, but first she was going to kill them.

  How dare they wear her underwear over their faces!