The journey across the bridge was thankfully an uneventful one. No horrible sea monsters tried to attack them and not a single trap was triggered. The only real issue was getting Levy away from inspecting every inch of it she could.

  Apparently, there were runes carved into the stone, and Levy just had to write down each and every one for later study. Luke himself was fine with letting her indulge in her pastime a bit, but when she started to pull out her books from her Requip space, totally absorbed in her work, he had to put his foot down.

  "But Luuuuke…" she whined, giving him the puppy dog eyes. Normally, that might have been more effective, but Luke wanted out of this damn cave, so he did not give in to the cute and sexy girl in front of him.

  "No. You can write them down, but no trying to decipher them," he said, holding up the book she had been using, making sure it was out of reach. Levy gave a huff, glaring at the man. But when he refused to budge, her shoulders sagged in defeat.

  "Fine… but if I miss something, we're coming back," she stated firmly. Luke rolled his eyes, but handed her the book all the same.

  "Sure, whatever you say," he told her, watching as she returned the book to its rightful place. He wasn't worried about being forced to return, knowing that she was extremely unlikely to miss anything.

  But that left him with little to do for almost an hour. He would have loved to play around with his magic, but considering their situation, that wasn't a very good idea. So instead, he thought to meditate for a bit. Because why not? Maybe it would help him get a better feel for the way his magic traveled in his body.

  So that's what he did. He remembered trying to meditate in his past life, but could never make it past 15 minutes. It was just so boring, being left alone with nothing but your thoughts, especially for someone who felt himself vastly inferior to those around him.

  His thoughts were very mean.

  But here, it was different. Most of those intrusive thoughts had been obliterated with a Kamehameha, so that helped. But also, instead of focusing on his breathing or chi, he focused on the actual magic within him.

  And that was far from boring. Thinking back to DBZ, he remembered Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan's trip to Namek and the way they trained on that small ship using their minds. Maybe he could do something similar?

  So he started picturing his fight with the kraken, if you could even call it that. A fight for survival, maybe, but not much else. It took him several minutes, but eventually he found himself once more on that rocky shore, the black lake before him and a hungry beast staring him down. He could see the large tentacles as they raced towards him clear as day, the hunger held deep within its pearly black eyes.

  He dodged to the left, sending off a ball of light towards it. But the thing was clever, and used one of its appendages to block, taking very little damage. He had to jump over another tentacle that tried to get him from the side, barely managing to avoid it.

  A few more balls of light left his hands, but the monster dived beneath the dark, inky waters. He waited for several seconds, wondering where it would pop up next, until a sound caused his head to swivel to the right.

  There! He could see the displacement of some water. He gathered up the energy in his hands, ready to fire off a pair of beams, when a tentacle shot out of the water and tried to spear him. It was so fast, Luke barely had time to dodge. Unfortunately, this also meant the magic he had been gathering dissipated as well.

  That's when the rest of the monster leapt from the depths with a mighty roar. Luke stood, ready to face off against it, when the beast suddenly shot out a jet of pressurized water.

  Damn, the kraken used Hydro Pump!

  Not expecting this, Luke barely had time to cross his arms in front of his body to try and mitigate the damage. The water struck, sweeping him off his feet and sending him speeding into the wall.

  He gasped in pain as his back felt like it was torn in two. It was even worse than when it slammed him against the ground last time. When the water stopped, he fell to the ground and struggled to get back up.

  He had only made it to his knees when the monster launched its next, and final attack. He had just enough time to glare at the creature before he was turned into paste.

  Awaking with a start, Luke gasped for air, looking all around him with panicked eyes. He was back on the bridge, and he could see Levy a little ways away, happily writing in her journal.

  "Damn… didn't think it would be so vivid…" he mumbled as his heart rate got under control. He had no idea if the kraken could actually shoot water like that, but it still made him glad he didn't think fighting it head on would have been a good idea.

  Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he went over the battle in his head. The kraken was a powerful beast, no doubt about that, but it wasn't unbeatable, not by a long shot. And it seems like Mental Image Training could be a good way to get some experience. Not as good as the real thing, but better than nothing. And seeing that Levy wasn't even halfway across the bridge, he had some time.

  "Alright you great big asshole, time for round 2!" he said, determined to land at least one blow before it was time to move on. Levy turned to give the boy a curious look as she felt the slight fluctuations of his magic, but shrugged it off when she saw him just sitting there.

  And thus an hour went by.

  "How did you get so sweaty?" Levy asked, giving him a confused look. Luke looked like he had been in a harrowing life and death struggle again. His face was slightly pale and his hair clung to his forehead from the sweat that had accumulated. But even so, he looked immensely proud of himself.

  "Oh, just meditating," he said with a grin.

  "Mediating?" Levy asked, a disbelieving look on her face. Who gets all sweaty from meditating?

  "Very intense meditating. Anyway, you get everything?" he asked, ignoring the look in her eyes. In the end, he had managed a single decent attack on that damned creature, and he felt good about it.

  His words caused her to forget her confusion over his disheveled state, eyes gleaming with excitement.

  "I think so. The runic array is so interesting, it's hard to make heads or tales of it at times. There seems to be inscriptions for power, as well as durability and movement, which is normal, but why they interlinked it with a rune that makes it taste bad is baffling! Was it a mistake, or was there some purpose I'm not privy to? I'll have to decipher it a bit more and maybe ask Freed whenever he's around," she babbled as the two of them made it to the shore.

  "Maybe it's so the fish wouldn't want to eat it?" he suggested, as they walked up the cobbled path towards their destination. Levy gave him a blank look.

  "Fish don't eat rocks Luke."

  "Are you sure about that? I bet there's some that do."

  "No. There's not a single fish that eats rocks for sustenance."

  "What about for fun then? Or maybe one's part bird and eats it to help with digestion."

  "That's… unlikely," she said, but sounded unsure. Luke gave her a grin at that, making her huff and look away. Looks like he won that round. But before too long, they were right in front of the large temple.

  They could see a pair of double doors barring them entrance, looking as pristine as the day they were placed. The wood had a light golden color to it, and eight squares were carved into each one. Four on the top half and four on the bottom, each perfectly symmetrical.

  "So, should we head inside or do you want to take some more notes first?" Luke asked, giving her a look.

  "Inside. I already got a rough sketch of the temple earlier," she said, but he saw she was writing something down anyway. It looked like the doors.

  "You sure? Once we go in, we might not get the chance to come back," he warned. That made her pause as she considered his words.

  And thus, Luke waited another twenty minutes for her to check the outside of the temple. But it was far better to deal with it now than have to come back later. Once she was finally done, it was time to head inside.

  They walked up the marbled steps and each took a position by one of the doors, ready to open them. They weren't sure what they were going to find, but they were prepared. They shared a look, giving each other a nod, before pushing the doors open.

  They swung free with nary a sound. Nothing immediately popped out to kill them, which was a bonus. Taking slow, cautious steps inside, they surveyed their surroundings.

  The room itself was fairly spacious, being nearly 120 feet in length and close to 60 feet wide. The vaulted ceilings were somewhere in the middle, around 80 feet high, give or take. Everything was a pure, glossy white, without a speck of dust to be found.

  In the center of the room was what they assumed to be the resting place of Anastasia. It was a large, rectangular stone casket, delicately carved. Someone definitely put a lot of care into it.

  "Woah… Luke, look at that," Levy said, making him turn away from the woman's final resting place. What Levy was so enamored with were large paintings hanging up along the wall, each one seemingly depicting a different part of Anastasia's life.

  The first depicted a small girl held in the embrace of a woman, smiling happily. A man stood beside her, wrapping his arm around the older woman's waist. Though neither of their faces could be seen, the two observing could practically feel the warmth the family radiated.

  But the next was a bit of a downer. It showed the little girl, slightly older, standing in front of a pair of gravestones, tears falling down her face. As sad as it was, what really caught their attention was the shadow of someone from behind her. It gave the painting an ominous feel.

  Things didn't seem to get better for the girl, as the next painting depicted her curled up in a ball as rain poured down on her. Her purple dress was tattered and it looked like she hadn't eaten in a long time.

  Then it showed her holding up a bright, silver key. Her eyes displayed wonder as a massive wolf creature stood in front of her. The top part of its fur was a rich amethyst while its belly was white. On top of its head was a spiraling horn.

  "Wait, so she was a Celestial Spirit Wizard?" Luke asked, giving the painting a curious look. He could have sworn that they were fairly rare, but then again, it seemed like every arc had someone using that magic. Hell, even that freak Everlue was one so maybe it wasn't as unique as he believed.

  "Looks like it," Levy mumbled, barely even paying attention to him, too absorbed in the story unfolding in front of her. It was so different from the history she knew, she needed to take in every last detail.

  If only she could speak to her.

  From there the paintings showed her training with the canine, fighting monsters together, saving people, and one where she even stood facing down a dragon. Talk about hardcore!

  Eventually, the little girl was all grown up and seemed to be attending a ball. She was beautiful, there was no other way to put it. She was wearing an elegant, form fitting dress that clung to her every curve.

  And boy did she have some curves.

  Apparently, this is where she would meet the king and gain his attention. After that, things seemed to go well, and it seems like they even got married. Until one day, she found a baby Vulcan.

  Now Luke knew there were various types of Vulcans, and some the anime probably never showed. This seemed to be one of them. It was black and gray with a pure white star on its chest. It looked admittedly cute as a baby, but both of the observers knew what it would grow into.

  Anastasia took pity on the creature, deciding to raise it as a pet. But once it grew up, it became jealous of the king. Whoever drew this certainly captured the hatred dwelling within its eyes quite well.

  It then showed it battling the king, using Light Magic of all things. The king was overwhelmed, and the Vulcan took him over, going so far as to copy the man's appearance.

  The next painting showed the beast attempting to seduce Anastasia, but it was clear she knew something was wrong. After that, she used her magic to reveal his true identity, her face the picture of horror.

  The next painting was of the castle on fire.

  Then it showed her obtaining a red orb of some kind, though not the same as the one used for the Waystone. Luke didn't think it was a Lacrima, and Levy confirmed it.

  She did battle against the Vulcan, the painting depicting her and her trusty companion riding towards it. It was pretty cool, Luke had to admit. But it seems like she was unable to defeat it.

  The next image showed her holding the fuzzy face of her longest friend and ally, a look of deep mourning on her face. Luke had a sinking feeling in his gut about where this was going.

  After that, Anastasia appeared on her knees, tears of suffering streaming down her face. Behind her was a massive form, clad in resplendent armor and wielding a massive sword. But the weirdest thing about him was the massive mustache he sported.

  "Holy shit… She summoned the Celestial Spirit King? That Vulcan's about to get cooked," Luke thought, though he couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman. To summon him required the greatest sacrifice a Celestial Spirit Wizard could make, severing the bond between contractor and contractee.

  "Who is that?" Levy wondered. Luke wanted to answer, but how was he supposed to explain that knowledge? Best to let that sleeping dog lie.

  "Probably a spirit of some kind. And a pretty powerful one at that," Luke mentioned, gesturing to the next painting, one where the Celestial Spirit King swung his blade and cleaved the land in two. Seeing this, Levy couldn't help but agree.

  The Vulcan was defeated and placed in chains. Anastasia then held aloft the red orb, a look of regret on her face as she sealed him away in a tapestry. A temple was then erected to keep it at bay.

  Fat lot of good that did.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  But the sealing took its toll on the weakened woman, and she soon died. The people mourned, and erected this temple in her honor. Seems like none of them blamed her for the tragedy that unfolded.

  The last painting wasn't part of the story but one that merely depicted the woman. It looked remarkably similar to the tapestry in the ruins. Beneath the painting was an altar with a single, red lacquered chest resting on top. It wasn't very big, and looked more like a jewelry box than anything.

  "Well, I guess we know what happened to the ancient city now, don't we? And we know how to beat that thing. But where the heck is the orb?" he asked. He looked at each puzzle, but it only seemed like the orb and the tapestry were placed in separate locations, but it didn't show where.

  "I don't know. But I feel like I've seen it before…" Levy muttered, staring at the paintings deep in thought. He was about to question her about it, maybe to try and jog her memory a bit, when a flash of light distracted him.

  He immediately placed himself between it and Levy, just in case it was hostile. The blue haired girl let out a gasp at the sudden movement, staring from around him as the light slowly formed into a human shape.

  Both of their eyes went wide as they recognized the figure. How could they not, when they just spent the last several minutes watching her life unfold through the paintings?

  "You're… but how?" Levy said, awe in her voice. The translucent form of the departed queen gave a soft, gentle smile.

  "Magic," stated the queen, a small, teasing smile on her face. Levy pouted at the non answer, and the ghost let out a chuckle.

  "I take it you're the queen?" Luke asked, relaxing only a small bit. For all he knew, this was an elaborate ruse to lure them into a false sense of security.

  "Indeed, in a manner of speaking," she said, a gentle smile on her face. At this point, Levy walked out from behind Luke to stand next to him.

  "And what's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

  "I am but the memory of the queen, recorded and stored inside the Lacrima outside. It was the last desire of Anastasia, so she could offer aid should the need ever arise. And it seems like her prophecy held true," said the apparition.

  Luke and Levy shared a look. Both had a look of doubt and suspicion in their eyes.

  "Seems pretty convenient, wouldn't you say?" Luke whispered to his friend.

  "True. But if she's telling the truth, this could be our best bet at getting the information we need to defeat the Vulcan," she whispered back. Luke still had a look of apprehension on his face, but gave a nod all the same.

  "I suppose… Guess we'll just need to be careful then."

  The memory watched this all with an amused look on her face. She could hear every word the two of them said. Not much escaped her notice while inside this sanctuary. But it was good they were cautious. Had they been too trusting and naive, defeating the monster would have been nearly impossible.

  "What a cute couple you two are," Anastasia cooed, her grin threatening to split her face as she watched the girl start spluttering denials.

  "Couple! What!? We are not a couple!" Levy shouted, face about as red as it could be. Luke, however, didn't look embarrassed at all. Hell, he actually looked proud of the compliment.

  "Thanks," Luke said, a cheery look on his face. Levy turned to look at him, disbelief raging in her eyes.

  "What are you thanking her for!?"

  "It's the polite thing to do once you've been complimented, isn't it?" he asked her, confused. He didn't see what the big deal was. To him, it was just further assurance that they would make a good couple. Really boosted one's confidence.

  "How is that a compliment?" Levy asked.

  "She's saying we would make a good couple. I, for one, am flattered she thinks I could be in a relationship with such a beautiful woman," Luke said, giving her a confident grin.

  "How can he say that with such a straight face? Damn him and that stupid, sexy smile of his," Levy complained in her head. But rather than say this out loud, she merely huffed and turned away, not wanting him to see the pleased smile she had.

  But their romantic comedy routine would be interrupted by a certain apparition, who floated there, giggling at their antics.

  "My, it has been some time since I've been able to enjoy a good laugh. But as much fun as this is, we should discuss what has happened. I can only manifest myself for so long. Once the magic within the great Lacrima deplets, I will no longer be able to project myself thus," Anastasia stated, her face shifting to a more serious one.

  "Then what was the point of that?" Levy asked, exasperated.

  "I have been here for centuries. You can't blame me for wanting to have a little fun, can you?"

  Hearing her response, Levy mumbled something under her breath. Luke could have sworn he heard the word "exorcism" but chose not to poke the bear.

  "Now, tell me what has happened. What brings you to my temple?"

  Levy sighed, decided to let go of her irritation and focus on the matter at hand. "Fine. I suppose I should start at the beginning. My name is Levy, I am a Fairy Tail wizard hired by the mayor to translate some ancient writing discovered recently. Things were going about as well as they could be until we were attacked…"

  Levy then took a few minutes to explain the situation. Anastasia's face grew more and more harsh as the story went on. By the time it was finished, she looked decidedly grim.

  "I see. Tis ill tidings indeed. It seems as if someone has discovered the Red Orb and used it to unseal Pickles. How very troubling…" she muttered, seemingly deep in thought. But Luke was far too distracted by what she said to care about her worry.

  "I'm sorry, did you say the Vulcan's name is Pickles?" he asked, snapping the floating woman out of her thoughts.

  "Yes, that was his name. All pets need a name, do they not?" she asked, somewhat defensively. Luke had to concede that point, but he still looked unnerved.

  Their great enemy, the cause for the downfall of an entire civilisation, was named Pickles?

  "I mean… yeah. But why Pickles?"

  "Because he likes pickles," she replied, giving a shrug. Luke opened his mouth to say something before snapping it shut once more. He supposed it was as good a reason as any to give something a name.

  "But back to the problem at hand. If you wish to defeat Pickles, you will need the Red Orb. He is simply too powerful to defeat without it. Even the Celestial Spirit King, as mighty as he was, could only weaken him enough to be sealed away," Anastasia stated.

  The news made Luke gulp. He remembered when Lucy summoned the dude and he carved a new canyon into the world with a single swing of his sword and it looked like he did the same thing in the painting. How could a Vulcan, of all things, gain enough power to rival him?

  "But wait, shouldn't he be weakened after being sealed away for so long?" Levy asked. Anastasia nodded, but she didn't appear confident in the assessment.

  "In theory, yes. But tell me, has anyone gone missing in the town you are in as of late?" she asked. That made their eyes widen, but Luke was the first one to answer.

  "The whoppers!" he exclaimed. Levy turned to him with an annoyed expression on her face.

  "Seriously? Again with those things?" she asked, giving him the stink eye. Luke appeared to be sheepish, rubbing the back of his head.

  "What? It's not like I know her name or anything. And those were her most defining features," he claimed, trying to justify his seeming fixation on the other woman's chest.

  "I'm sorry, what are these whoppers you speak of?" the ghost questioned.

  "Not important. But to answer your earlier question, yes, people have been going missing. Mostly tourists though," Levy stated, turning away from Luke, much to his relief. He did not like being on the receiving end of her ire. For someone so small, she sure could be scary.

  "I see. Then it is as I feared. Pickles is likely absorbing people into the tapestry to regain his power. Soon, he will likely return to his former strength. If you wish to have any hope of defeating him, you must act quickly."

  "But how? Without knowing who has the orb, there's not much we can do," Levy stated.

  "Then you must find him. Think, is there anyone who seems suspicious, even if only a little bit," Anastasia urged. Her words caused them to go silent as they pondered over the problem.

  After about a minute of this, they started to grow frustrated. Especially Levy, who prided herself on her ability to solve puzzles.

  "Ugh, this is hopeless! How are we supposed to figure out who has the orb? It could be anyone!" she yelled. It was all she could do to prevent herself from pulling her hair out. She was supposed to be the smart one! Without that, what was she good for?

  Before her thoughts could spiral further down the drain a hand on her shoulder snapped her out of it.

  "Hey, calm down. We'll figure this out," Luke said. She turned to look at him and his reassuring smile did make her feel a bit better. At least enough to refocus on the task at hand rather than her self destructive thoughts.

  "Thanks," she stated, giving him a smile.

  "No problem. Too bad we don't have a local with us. They would probably know if anyone in town had been acting strange," Luke said, removing his hand from her shoulder.

  "Yeah, that's too-wait…" Levy said, his words shifting the cogs in her brain onto the right position.

  "What, you figure something out?" Luke asked, as he and the spectral woman stared at her. Levy's eyes were glazed over and unfocused as she processed her thoughts. Several seconds went by before they cleared, and she had a look of triumph on her face.

  "That's it! We're tourists!" she shouted, much to the confusion of the other two.

  "Um, are you ok? You didn't hit your head or something when I wasn't looking, did you?" he asked. Levy rolled her eyes at his snark, but the grin never left her face.

  "Nope! I just figured out who's behind this. It's so obvious when I think about it, I feel stupid for not realizing it sooner," she said, sighing.

  "Right, so are you going to share it with the rest of the class, or…" Luke said. But instead of just telling them outright, she had to let them know about her deductive reasoning.

  "Think of it. The only people who have gone missing are tourists who stop by to receive the luck of the so-called tapestry, right? As far as I'm aware, not a single local has gone missing. And what happens when people go missing?" she asked.

  "Um, they call the cops?" Luke asked, confused. It seems his answer was more or less correct, and Levy gave an excited nod.

  "Correct! Normally, that's exactly what someone would do. But in a small, tight knit community such as this, they're far more likely to try and figure it out themselves. Especially if it threatens their livelihood."

  "I suppose that makes sense. But wouldn't they be worried about one of their own going missing eventually?" Luke asked.

  "Yes, and if they couldn't figure it out soon enough, that's when they would call for help. But they wouldn't just say it's to find missing people. Instead, they would lure them here under a false pretense, like say…"

  "Translating ancient writing," Luke finished.

  "Bingo!" Levy said.

  Luke wasn't totally convinced, but everything seemed logical enough. Luke knew people would happily throw just about anything under the rug if it meant they wouldn't be inconvenienced.

  "Alright, but if that's the case, why didn't anybody in town seem more nervous? It all looked pretty normal to me," he said. That made Levy start to think again, but it was Anastasia who answered this question.

  "It's likely due to the influence of Pickles," she stated. Luke had to remind himself that the ancient evil was named Pickles, otherwise that would have been an absurd statement.

  "What do you mean?" Levy asked. However, instead of answering immediately, she floated over to a painting, the one where she was crying in front of a pair of graves.

  "After my parents died, I was under the care of my uncle, a man who was remarkably untalented save for one thing, Charm Magic. It allowed him to amass an extraordinary amount of influence in a short amount of time. I managed to escape his control and fled, leading to a life on the streets. As miserable as it was, it was far better than being beneath his thumb."

  "However, once I became queen, he wished to use our familial ties to gain audience with the king. Knowing who he was, I convinced my beloved to turn him away. But my uncle was not so easily denied. He managed to come before the king and take control of his mind. It wasn't long before I too was under his dominion once more. However, it was at this point that Pickles decided to use his magic and possess him. Doing so freed me and everyone else under his control, but I've always wondered if doing so is what led to Pickles becoming the way he is."

  The two listed intently as she spoke of the past, and Levy was furiously writing in her journal. If she wasn't careful, a future of carpal tunnel and arthritis awaited her.

  "So you're saying that Pickles has the ability to control people, is that it?" Luke asked, seeing that Levy was incapable of doing so.

  "To some extent, yes, though not nearly as powerful as my uncle. If he was, I would have fallen prey to him all those years ago. But I fear he has used it to make the townsfolk believe nothing is wrong," she said. Luke nodded at that and gave Levy a little nudge, breaking her out of her hyper focused state.

  "Well that explains the town, but not who has the orb," Luke said.

  "Think about it. Who was the one who placed the request? If the whole town believes nothing is wrong, why would he still send it out?" Levy asked. Luke thought it over for a minute before his eyes widened.

  "So you're saying the mayor is behind this?"

  "Almost certainly," Levy responded.

  "But couldn't he have issued the quest before being charmed by the Vulcan?" he asked.

  "He could have, yes. But if that was the case, he would have simply cancelled the request if the Vulcan didn't want any Wizards interfering with his plans," Levy said, without even the slightest hint of doubt in her eyes.

  "Pickles likely wanted wizards to come looking as they are far more valuable to Take Over. Once he had regained enough strength from regular people, he probably wished to increase the rate of his recovery by luring in some Wizards," Anastasia said.

  "Not to mention, I'm almost positive I saw the Red Orb in his office. It was over on the right hand wall on a small pedestal. I didn't think much of it at the time, but I'm certain that's what we're looking for," Levy mentioned.

  "Well in that case, what are we waiting for? Let's kick this guy's ass and return Pickles to where he belongs!" Luke cheered. Levy gave him a determined grin, excited to get a little payback for what she was put through. It was time to show this jerk what happens when you mess with Fairy Tail.

  Of course, a certain Light Wizard just had to put a damper on things.

  "Um, but first… How do we get out of here?" he asked, suddenly sheepish. Levy almost face-faulted. All that hype, for nothing. But before she could lay into him, Anastasia gave another chuckle.

  "Have no fear, I can show you the way out," she said, waving her hand. As she did, the stone coffin began to move, letting out a loud grinding sound as it did so. The two watched with surprise as a secret staircase was revealed.

  "There. That leads to a staircase that should guide you out. But before you go, allow me to give you a few gifts," she said. This caught their attention, as they once more gave the spirit their undivided attention.

  "First, at the bottom of the stairs resides my private collection of books, including the history of Phnom Nonh and even my personal diary. You will have to translate them, but I doubt that is any great burden for you," she said, looking right at Levy.

  "Looks like she's got you figured out," Luke teased, getting a punch in the arm for his efforts.

  "Shut up," Levy said, a small dusting of pink on her cheeks. It wasn't her fault she liked books and enjoyed translating ancient languages. Anastasia once more chuckled at their behavior before turning to Luke.

  "As for you, I wish for you to take the key that resides on the altar. It is a Celestial Spirit Key, one that summons my most erstwhile companion," she said with a smile. Luke's eyes widened at that, not expecting it contained something like that. Since she had to break the key to summon the king, he didn't think she would still be in possession of it. Someone must have found it and brought it here.

  "I refuse!"

  Surprised by the sudden shout, the three of them looked towards the altar. There, they saw a bright light emanating from the chest. Luke and Levy were surprised by this, but Anastasia merely gave an exasperated sigh. A magic circle appeared on the floor in front of the altar and from it leapt a great wolf.

  The exact same one from the painting.

  "Same as always," Anastasia said, a fond smile on her face. The other two occupants of the room were far more wary of the new creature, staring at it, ready for an attack.

  "Your friend I take it?" Luke asked.

  "Indeed, this is Tyrian, my oldest and dearest friend," claimed Anastasia. "Now Tyrian, we've talked about this. You can't stay here forever," she chided, as the enormous canine swiftly made his way towards her.

  "I swore I would stand by your side forever. I will not forsake my oath. What would happen should Pickles venture to his place?"

  "Oh Tyrian, I am long dead. Even should he do so, nothing will happen to the woman you once knew. I am merely a memory after all. I do not wish to see you rotting here for all eternity. I wish for you to make some new friends, experience new things, not wallow in the past," Anastasia said, attempting to pet the large animal, only for her hands to go through him.

  "But my lady, surely you don't mean for me to call that man master. He is unworthy of such an honor!"

  Luke grabbed his chest like he was having a heart attack while Levy consoled him by rubbing his back. Her attempts were somewhat diminished by her snickering at him though.

  "If not him then someone of your own choosing. Go and see the world and perhaps someday you can tell me the stories of your adventures," she said, making the massive dog whine. It was clear he didn't wish to go, but he also hated disappointing the woman in front of him.

  "Very well… But if I cannot find a worthy master I will return here."

  His tone left no room for argument but Anastasia smiled nonetheless. "So be it. But I have a feeling you'll find someone deserving of your loyalty."

  Tyrian gave her a doubtful look but didn't argue the point. Instead, turned towards Luke.

  "Boy!"

  "Yes!" Luke yelled, standing at attention. Tyrian used the same exact tone of a drill sergeant and Luke couldn't help himself.

  "You and I will form a temporary contract until Pickles is vanquished once more. Once that is done, I will accompany you until such a time as a worthy master is found. Understand?"

  Luke stared at him for a moment, briefly glancing towards Anastasia who gave him an encouraging nod. With a sigh, Luke nodded.

  "Fine, whatever. Damn pushy wolf," he muttered, making Levy give a nervous chuckle. She couldn't help but wonder if they were going to be ok.

  "Wonderful. Then it is decided. My time grows short, so let me give you one last piece of advice. Once Pickles is on the verge of defeat, he will say anything to save his own skin. It is what ultimately led to my own death. Whatever you do, do not show him any mercy," she warned, even as her form started to flicker. The two humans nodded, though they didn't intend to show any mercy in the first place.

  Seeing their determined faces, Anastasia gave them one last smile. She felt confident they would succeed.

  "Then it is time for us to say goodbye. Perhaps we shall meet again someday. But until then, farewell."

  With that said, she disappeared back into the giant Lacrima. Tyrian stared at the space where the memory of his former mistress once floated.

  "Goodbye for now, my lady. I shall see you again, I promise," he vowed before turning to face the others in the room.

  "Once you have left this place, summon me, and I shall take us to where Pickles awaits. Until then."

  Having said his piece, the Celestial Spirit vanished, returning to the Spirit World. Luke and Levy were now left alone in the quiet temple.

  "Well… I didn't expect all that to happen, but at least we know what to do now. Why don't you go and retrieve the key while I make sure our way forward is safe?" Levy suggested. Though her words sounded perfectly reasonable, the glint in her eyes told a different story.

  "You just want to check the books out, don't you?" Luke asked with a deadpan.

  "What was that!? Can't hear you!" Levy shouted, already making her way down the newly revealed stairs. Luke rolled his eyes at her antics before making his way towards the key.

  At least they were almost out of this damned cave. But of course, that's when the real challenge would finally begin.