Acnologia: Decent From Darkness

I've read a lot of Fairy Tail fanfiction and a lot of the manga in the past. One character in particular that interested me was Acnologia. From what I gather, he was once a human that fell into a blood thirsty madness as he slayed his own kind. I thought about it and wondered what would happen if he had a mental epiphany or something. TVTropes labels what I'm trying to convey as a "Heel Face Turn" where a bad guy turn good and visa versa. So I hope you enjoy this fic. A lot of it will be AU and a lot of the plot will change.

Prologue: Awakening

High in the mountains of Fiore sat a being of immense power in silent contemplation. This being was simply known as Acnologia, the Black Dragon of the Book of Apocalypse. If you seriously asked him what he thought of the title, he would've snorted and then vaporized you. Thats how he was. Four hundred years of destruction and nothing has really changed about him. To the world, he was a being of death and destruction and he was fine with that.

No, wait, scratch that. He wasn't fine with that. It was one of his lucid days were he spent time reminiscing about past kills, past destruction, past massacres...he would chuckle to himself and plan to repeat them in the future. However today was different. His kills...his conquest...just felt...off. His mind was not filled with the usual rage that empowered his conquest to eradicate anyone who stood in his way.

What was left in his mind was the sudden clarity of his actions. And for the first time of his existence, he felt despair.

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His mind stayed cleared for the next couple of days and the guilt just continued to build.

'Why do I feel guilt for the kills I've made?! It makes no sense! Why should I care about the bothersome flies I've swatted?'

"Do you feel that Acnologia?" asked a familiar voice to the giant dragon. "That is the suffering and pain similar to what I've endured." The dragon turned to see a familiar figure sitting on a ledge nearby.

"Zeref...what did you do to me?!" Acnologia growled.

"I've...'killed' the bloodlust within your mind. I did so because I realized something," Zeref said from his perch. "I have become a monster. And they say only a monster can kill another monster."

"So you want me to kill you?"

"Not as you are now...after you realize the power you've had all along within you." Zeref grinned sadly. "It will be an interesting fight, old friend. The first Dragon Slayer versus the first Death Mage."

"..." Acnologia finally took a look into Zeref's eyes and he didn't like what he saw. He saw madness, one that stretched deeper than his own. "Leave me..."

"As you wish, old friend. I'll be expecting you in the future..." With that said, Zeref vanished. Acnologia roared loudly as he for the first time felt...fear.

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Its been sixteen days since Zeref's ultimatum. He knew that no matter what he did, he would have to fight Zeref in the future. And he couldn't do that as he was now, a dragon. Ever since Zeref made him one, he seemly stopped improving. Its not to say that he stopped getting stronger, its just that his current list of abilities was much to be desired. And since Zeref never had that problem, he was sure that if he continued as he was, said man would end him in an instant.

What he needed was to learn new magic, something he haven't done since he became the first Dragon Slayer. Something that would throw Zeref off game long enough to end his madness.

"Black Dragon Acnologia! I've come to end you!" Acnologia blinked as he turned to see a man standing on a cliff to his left. The man had orange hair and a flair about him that screamed confident.

"Not right now, can't you see I'm thinking." Acnologia replied before ignoring the man. Said man was shocked because not only Acnologia acknowledged his presence, but actually spoke to him. Said man fell back on his butt shocked. He stared into the dragon's eye and saw something that confused him. There was no bloodthirstiness within that orb, only calmness that could only be achieved through intense meditation. There was also confusion, worry, and dare he think it, fear within the apocalyptic dragon's eye.

"Something wrong?" the man asked, not realizing it. Acnologia regarded the man once more before sighing.

"Zeref did something to me." he finally replied. "He used his death magic to 'kill' the bloodlust in my mind. And it has left me feeling guilt and shame of my actions, emotions befitting a form I once held and not as I appear now."

"Why did Zeref do that to you?"

"He believes that I have the power to kill him. So he wants me to get stronger." Acnologia sighed in frustration. "Why am I even telling you this, human, its not like you care."

"My name is Gildarts Clive. I am a wizard from Fairy Tail." Gildarts introduced himself.

"Acnologia...well...you know." Acnologia replied.

"You said 'emotions befitting a form I once had'." Gildarts begain with a frown. "Does that mean that you weren't always a dragon?"

"No. I was once a human. The first Dragon Slayer actually." Acnologia answered. "It wasn't until Zeref used his Life Magic on me that I became a dragon though,"

They both fell into a silence as neither man or dragon had anything more to say. Gildarts ruminated over the information given to him. 'Acnologia was the first Dragon Slayer who fell into a bloodlust filled rage. He was then turned into the dragon that was before him now by Zeref. And now Zeref wanted Acnologia to actually kill him. In order to do that, he removed the bloodlust from Acnologia mind, and now said dragon was now suffering from years and years of guilt.' It was then that Gildarts had an idea. It was a horrible idea that was doomed to failure. But if it worked then the payout would be extremely beneficial to the world.

"Acnologia." The Dragon turned to Gildarts. "As you are now, you won't be able to defeat Zeref. Thats because in your current form, you cannot learn any new Magics. However, if you were to go back to being human, you could learn new abilities, gain more experience, and get stronger."

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

"If Zeref used Magic to transform you, I'm pretty sure you can just will the transformation off, since it might have been tied to your bloodlust."

'What do I got to lose?' Acnologia thought before closing his eyes and concentrating. He felt a tingle as his body shrunk. Gildarts eyes widen as he saw how small Acnologia was before he became a dragon. He was expecting a giant man of sorts...not a...not a.

"CHILD?! I'm four hundred years old and yet my human form has not aged?! Sunova bitch!" ranted the child. Said child was naked with silver hair and golden eyes. Watching the child Acnologia throw a temper tantrum over not aging made Gildarts chuckle. "Its not funny, old man! How am I suppose to fight Zeref if I don't even come up to his crotch!"

"Relax. I suggested it, so I'll help you out the best I can. We do need to think of a name though."

"Whats wrong with my name?"

"Everyone knows your name, thats the problem. I suppose the cover story we could go with is that you're my new apprentice. We just need a name."

Acnologia was silent for a moment before he grinned. "Ragna."

"Ragna?"

"Ragna, short for Ragnarok, a word I've heard used to describe 'the end of the world'."

Gildarts grinned. Creative. "Alright then Ranga. From this day forth, you're my apprentice. While I won't be teaching you my brand of magic, I will help you find one that suits you. Now come on, lets get you some clothes."

"Right...human decency...almost forgot about that useless notion..." Ragna muttered as he followed Gildarts down the mountain, changing the fate of the world one step at a time.

End of Prologue