Chapter Nine

Lucy jumped down from the horse, a noise buzzed in her ear the moment they stepped into view of the camp. Her eyes caught the slight glow that reflected in the air, she reached out.

"Don't touch that!"Nobu pulled her away roughly. "That's a dome made out of Phantom's blood...there! You see that?"

Before Lucy could respond, her horse shrieked in pain. An arrow piercing through its chest.

"Get down!"Nobu yelled at Riley as he finally reached the camp. Lucy ducked low as another arrow flashed through the air. Her horse had long ran away, its shrieks of pain could be heard. Riley jumped down and threw himself deep into the snow. Lucy crawled quickly behind a tree, another arrow hitting bullseye where she had previously been at. Her eyes wide and her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

"I thought you said they were demons! They have pretty smart moves!"Lucy yelled over to Nobu who sat behind a tree, sweat rolled down his forehead even in this cold. How? That was beyond her, she couldn't feel her fingers. She was worried they would snap off at any second.

"Well these demons have pretty rational thoughts when it comes to wanting to inflict violence!"Nobu yelled back and pulled out his sword from the large duffel bag he carried.

Lucy's mind lit up, she closed her eyes. Ignoring Nobu's shouts. If she could channel Sagittarius muscle memory into her body temporarily, she could pull off using a bow at such long range. Until she could practice using bows on her own, she was going to risk this.

Sagittarius key hummed lightly, a dim glow enveloping the key. But she pushed him back into his realm, she wasn't calling onto him. He was calling out to his memories, ones she could use as her weapon. It was like a maze in her own blood, as she focused and searched for their contract in her magic. Through the contract, she could gain access into his brain. Without having to actually use magic. She had never had to use such methods since back in Magnolia it was just fine to open gate keys. This could probably all turn wrong and she'd kill herself in the process. There was that fear creeping back into her, she didn't want to leave this world without a proper goodbye to her family back in Fairy Tail. She was doing all of this for them. She wouldn't allow herself to be killed here. No. She pushed harder, searching through her veins, that thrummed with magic.

A bow. Sagittarius stood in front of her, with his weapon extended out to her. She hesitantly grabbed the bow in her hands.

"Thank you.."Lucy said, her voice too loud in this abyss of cells and ethernano that flowed within her. She could see the blue currents that burned in her skin, they were weak. The pulse of her magic was too weak and thin. She'd work hard for it that pulse to grow impossibly strong.

"Anything for you, Master. Moshi moshi.."He bowed his head.

Her concentration faded as she was shaken awake, Sagittarius fading into a swirl and mix of colors. Satoshi's pale face and magnificent eyes stared at her, his worried facing turning hostile as her eyes fluttered open.

"Took you long enough."He growled. She clenched her fist, testing the strange sensation that bubbled in her.

"Do you have a bow?"Lucy asked him, getting to her feet but still covering herself with the tree.

"A bow? For what? We have not taught you how to use one. This is not the time for training."Satoshi pulled her along as he ran to the left, toward Nobu who was firing shots at the dome.

A movement from the left caught her attention, her gaze was drawn toward the bow Riley carried on his side. A quiver filled with arrows on his back, bouncing with each step he took.

"Riley!"She yelled. "Give me the bow! Toss me the bow!"

Riley looked at her confused for a minute but decided it'd be a weight taken off of him. He tossed her the bow, then the quiver. Some arrows fell to the ground in the process, but there was still enough as she caught the quiver. She slung it over her shoulder, she possibly had a a good ten minutes before she completely lost Sagittarius.

"What are you doing!? We can't waste arrows like that!"Nobu frowned. Arrows kept shooting toward them madly, she could guess the only reason they weren't moving toward them, was because they couldn't. They were stuck holding the shield together with their endless supply of putrid black blood. The stench rose by the minute, they couldn't pass that dome. Not with magic flowing in them, and they couldn't risk Satoshi right now. They'd need him for any other Phantoms left.

"We won't be wasting arrows. Sagittarius has perfect aim."Lucy's lips twisted into a tiny smile as she lifted the bow, the feeling felt so natural. Her eyes were much more clear as they focused on each tall figure. She couldn't look at them in the eyes, or one of them was bound to capture her again. I trust in you. Sagittarius. She breathed out and closed her eyes. She let the arrow go, she didn't stop to see if it had hit her target. She moved again, and aimed, then shot. And again, and again. Again. Again. She swirled around the space as she raised the bow over and over. Other voices drowning away, perspiration gathering at her forehead.

"The dome is down!"Lucy heard Jace shout in the distance.

"Sagittarius huh?"Nobu grinned slightly at her the moment she opened her eyes.

"Who's Sagittarius?"Satoshi questioned. Feeling frustrated at not knowing what they were talking about. "I thought you said you didn't know how to properly handle any weapons."

"I don't."Lucy replied simply. "But my friend Sagittarius does."She jingled the keys by her hip. "We should hurry, there's only a few—."

A scream ripped through the night. Lucy's sentence was cut short as she ran at a speed that had been unknown to her. They wouldn't allow any of these Phantoms any success.

"That sounds like Iris!"Nobu exclaimed as he panted, they ran across the snowy field. "You have to eliminate them, Jace, Alex! We'll go to the mansion!"

"Got it!"Jace and Alex nodded as they separated yet again.

"What do you mean by that!?"Lucy asked, panting as well.

"Phantoms. You must rip their two heart out. You only shot into one heart. They will have around three minutes before they wake up again and heal!"Nobu pulled out his gun. "That was a very nice trick by the way! I hope you can teach me!"

Lucy for the first time, felt like she had leverage over someone. She felt at peace, her footing faltered for a second. But was quickly brought back to her feet by Satoshi. She muttered a quick thanks, her eyes wide. It felt good. She was getting to do things she had never thought of before. Improvising, because the one thing that helped her before. Couldn't help her now.