Disclaimer: Fairy Tail is owned by the Legendary Hiro Mashima.
Ascalon: The Legendary Dragon Slayer
Chapter 3:
Battles of Yesterday; Scars of Today
Hatred.
It boiled inside him, clouding his judgement, confusing his thoughts and overpowering his emotions. He could feel it coursing in his veins, for it was the only thing which was on his mind. Power came from within, circling his being, strengthening his body, and warming his soul.
Yes, power. Tremendous strength flowed within him, filling every nook, cranny and crevice in his body. He no longer felt his wounds, or his pains. The cuts which severed different pieces of skin were burned shut by the heat his body radiated.
However, this was a different kind of warmth, a different kind strength,
And the fire which erupted from his body was a different kind of fire, flames far more sinister than his own.
"Ignis Odius." He heard himself mumble, though the words which came out sounded different.
"Flames of Hatred." His mind voiced out. He was bewildered.
A sharp pang crossed his chest, and pain emerged from his heart, but, as soon as it came, it disappeared without a trace.
For some reason, he felt his anger explode like never before. He gazed towards his opponent. His eyes grew as his mind registered the things he saw. A blonde man was writhing, his whole body covered with fire.
He was shouting and screaming in pain. Blood red flames surrounded him, but they were not his.
"No!" he thought. He tried to make the flames disappear, but it was to no avail.
His whole body was no longer his. His hands wouldn't obey his command. His feet disobeyed his movements. The only thing which seemed to listen to him was his mind.
Lightning flashed. He saw his opponent finally getting away from his fiery cage. He was relieved for a moment; however, his sense of relief disappeared as soon as his arms started moving against his will.
"What the hell are you doing?!" His rival screamed, burns covering his muscular frame.
"Get away from me!" He tried to shout back, but his voice betrayed him. He tried to run, but his body refused to listen.
He shivered, as if his spine had been frozen. His body forced him to wave a hand. Fire came out of nowhere, and burned the battlefield.
"Why am I like this?!" He asked himself. He had only been able to create flames from his body; he had never been able to summon flames from afar.
The sound of laughter broke out from everywhere. A cold and sinister voice, akin to his, spoke.
"What you feel is my hatred." The flames continued to ravage the battlefield. He watched as the plants it had touched were reduced to smoldering ashes, and the ground was burned black by the heat it encompassed.
"What you wield are my flames." He could see the ashes starting to spread. His rival looked dumbfounded for a moment, but soon, he charged, his entire body enveloped in electricity. Thunder rumbled, and a streak of lightning ran across the grey skies.
The voice spoke yet again, this time with an emotionless tone.
"And what you command is my flesh." It finished.
"NoI! Who- what are you?! Give me back my body!" He thought aloud.
"Did you not awaken me in exchange for power? Did you not break the seal, in order to defeat that Dragonslayer?" It asked coldly. His rival was still coming towards him, his fists prepared for an attack.
"I did not want this! Give me back my body!" He commanded. He forced himself to focus, to regain control. A large fist came towards his face; however, the area around him suddenly burst with flames, the same blood red ones which had appeared earlier. He watched in horror as the attacker clutched his right hand, the flames refusing to be put out as it encased his entire arm. The man hissed in pain, but he could only look on.
He focused harder, trying to get rid of the voice in his mind, and the flames with it.
His body shuddered. The flames slowly dissipated with another wave of his hand, which he had commanded out of sheer will. He was starting to regain control of his own body, but his sight slowly dimmed, his consciousness started to fade. It took all of his willpower to move a single hand, and he was drained from the action.
"Why do you fight?! Why do you refuse my power?! Let me kill that bastard for you!" The voice insisted angrily.
"No! Who the hell are you?!" He retorted. He could see shadows dancing in the corners of his eyes.
"Please, not now!" He pleaded, hoping someone would hear him.
"Eram quod es, eris quod sum."The voice spoke in a different tongue, but somehow, he understood.
"I was what you are; you will be what I am." His brain processed. How did he manage to understand that? Too many things were starting to confuse him. The force had managed to resume control over him.
He watched as his own body brutally assaulted the opponent in front of him. He grabbed the blonde haired man by his left shoulder, and as he did so, the man hissed once again. Steam billowed from the flesh he held onto. He tried to get away, but there was nowhere to escape to, no sanctuary to recover, in sight. Flames erupted from the ground, surrounding the battlefield once again.
The blood red flames were incinerating everything they touched: the ground, the trees, the plants, the rivers, and even the air itself started to blacken due to the intense temperature. The sky was filled with thick smoke, but he was completely unharmed by the tongues of fire which were licking his skin.
His mind started to go numb. His whole consciousness was on the verge of slipping away.
His sight had given up on him. His senses started to shut down. Before the darkness had consumed the last of his vision, and the silence had blocked the remnants of the cries he was hearing, the voice spoke one last time.
"The sixth seal has been broken. I will show you who you are!" Shadows covered his sight, blocking the light which he yearned for. The warmth suddenly died down, and he felt himself being pulled down into a bottomless hole.
T'was the first time he experienced it.
Falling down into the darkness,
With his heart devoid of the hope of ever seeing the light again.
Laxus held back his scream. His entire right arm was covered by red flames, but they were far more powerful than the ones the pink haired Dragonslayer usually used.
He cursed under his breath. The pinkette slowly walked towards him, his whole body shrouded in a coat of flames as red as blood. He summoned a spear of lightning, and pointed it towards the fire mage.
"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!" He called at the top of his lungs, the flames still searing his flesh. He ignored the pain, and threw the spear. It cackled with dangerous electricity as it soared towards the rose haired mage.
The man made no effort to dodge the upcoming attack. He simply continued his stroll as he leisurely closed the wide gap between them. The spear was going to hit him soon.
However, the rival mage's body suddenly flared, as if becoming fire itself. The spear passed through the seemingly intangible body of fire, and as soon as it was out of his range, his body rematerialized; flesh and all. The lightning pierced the ground behind him, and let out a small explosion.
"No way.." Laxus whispered.
He looked closely at Natsu. His face wore an emotionless mask, and his eyes carried a hue akin to the fire he wielded. His rival looked back.
This time, his eyes gave off a steely glint. Fire burned inside those red orbs as he stared down his opponent.
Laxus was unnerved. Though he did not show it, he was trembling with both fear and excitement inside. Ever since the fire Dragonslayer had released his Second Origin, the said mage had begun to act in a very weird manner. He had turned off his lightning flame mode and opted for a more aggressive fire play. Ever since his flames turned blood red, he had been spouting indiscernible words. This, however, wouldn't stop him from beating the hell out of the brat.
"Hraahh!" Laxus shouted as he ran towards Natsu, his arm still ablaze from the flames. His body slowly adapted to the heat, but the burns still hurt a lot. He stretched the burning arm towards his rival.
"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!" Lightning surged from his arm, its force blowing away the settling flames. A large yellowish magic seal appeared in front of the outstretched fist, and an enlarged version of Laxus' punch came out of it. The attack happened so fast, but then, the fire mage was consumed by his flames, and he vanished, smoke being the only remnant of his previous existence in the area. Laxus' attack sailed past the lingering smoke, crushing a nearby boulder in the process.
He narrowed his eyes, and started tracking down his prey.
"He's using the same movement spell as me, however, instead of lightning; he uses fire to channel his energy."Laxus thought. Despite the burns which littered his body, he still managed to show a cocky grin.
"Which means.." He searched for the nearest source of fire in the area, and found a small patch of flames directly behind him. As he watched, the flames flared and expanded, and a dark shadow seemed to force its way out from the heat. Natsu came out of the blaze, his fist ready. He was shouting words which Laxus couldn't decode.
"Iuppiter te perdat!"
Laxus avoided a jab which was coming towards his right. As the punch sailed past him, the heat singed his right cheek. He charged his left hand with electricity, and brought it upward in the form of an uppercut. Natsu managed to tilt his head back, but Laxus brought his other hand towards the pinkette's stomach. Natsu flew back, but once again, fire covered him, and he disappeared, only to appear at the blonde's unguarded back, a low kick prepared.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!" Those were the first understandable words from Natsu, however, the tone on his voice was lower than usual. Laxus felt himself flying from the attack, but he was adamant to bring the opponent down, even if he didn't quite understand the situation yet. He forced himself to face Natsu, his spell ready.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" Natsu didn't have time to morph into flames, and he received the full force of the attack. He crashed as the ground below him exploded with electricity.
Laxus had managed to flip in midair, and landed with both his feet on the ground. When the dust settled, he expected to see Natsu lying on the dirt, but he what saw was only a huge crater. He heard the sound of flames bursting from above him. He looked up to see a flaming kick coming towards him.
He dashed back as the kick destroyed the ground he had been standing on. Natsu gazed towards him, and he disappeared again. Laxus searched frantically, his lightning ready in case of an attack. He saw the mage reappear from the patch of flames twenty feet in front of him. He focused on his target.
"Lightning Dragon's Majestic Thunderbolt!" He shouted at the top of his voice. The grey clouds rumbled, and lightning flickered across the sky. A large bolt of lightning came from above, and struck the fire mage.
Natsu screamed from the pain it brought. His hair stood on one end, his body tingled from the electrocution he had received. He glared angrily towards the blonde.
His body once again turned into flames, and vanished. Laxus searched for the nearest source of heat. He looked to his right, just in time for the pinkette to appear, but he disappeared once again, right when Laxus rushed towards his fading image.
"Shit! It was a feint!" He was caught off balance. He heard the roar of fire from his left.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu blew a torrent of crimson flames, burning Laxus all over again. The force of his roar sent him flying away.
Laxus crashed against two large stones, rolling and tumbling as he passed through them, and finally landed on a cliff face. He fell down as his momentum was stopped. He forced himself to stand up.
"You've done it now punk. I'm officially pissed." He spoke through a mouthful of dirt. Lightning cackled from his body. A bright yellowish seal appeared below him, and below it, was another seal, slightly lighter than the previous one.
"Second Origin: Release!" Light illuminated the area as countess thunderbolts struck the battlefield. The roar of lightning blew the waves of the sea which surrounded the island. Natsu stood firm, as the flames he had summoned to surround the area were blown away by the force of the thunder.
The light disappeared, and the figure of a now standing Laxus could be seen. His fatigue seemed to have disappeared along with his smirk.
"I don't know what's going on Natsu, but you're going to pay. I'm not gonna hold back anymore." He declared, and disappeared in a flash.
"Brutum Fulmen.." Natsu scoffed, his face still devoid of any emotion.
"Where am I?" Natsu thought. He opened his eyes, but he saw nothing, except for the vast sea of darkness which lay before him. The wind was rustling in his ears, and the force of the breeze blew his hair and scarf from the back. He felt his body being pulled down. His arms wouldn't move, and he tried to shout out loud, but no words came from his mouth.
The only thing he knew was the fact that he was falling into a bottomless hole.
"What the hell is happening?" He asked mentally. Then, a thought hit him.
"Am I dying?" He incredulously asked himself. It was the only conclusion he could come up with. How the heck was that even possible? A few moments ago, he had beaten Mirajane, the demon, using a cheap trick. After that, he was squaring it off against Laxus with Erza's help, and the last thing he remembered before he fainted was him releasing his second container, and unleashing flames which he had never seen before. He thought of the blood-chilling voice he had heard, and he shivered. He tried to look closer towards the darkness in front of him.
He could make out a faint glow. He stared at the tiny light for a few seconds. He thought it would grow smaller as he fell deeper, but he was wrong. The light slowly grew wider, and wider, seemingly chasing him.
A hand reached out to grab him. Another voice spoke from nowhere.
"Hold out thy hand." It asked gently. Natsu felt his worries melting and his exhaustion going away. He wanted to put his trust in this foreign voice. But,
"I can't move." He tried to say, but his voice failed him. However, the speaker seemed to understand what he was thinking.
"Do thou not believe? Hold out thy hand, so I can save thee." It spoke kindly, the serene tone not fading even the slightest.
Natsu willed his body to move. He felt himself sweating bullets, but soon, he had managed to move an arm. It took all of his concentration and strength to just move it, and he grabbed the outstretched arm, not minding the fact that it was floating in midair, and suspended in the light which was still trying to reach him.
He held the hand, which was smaller than his. Only one thought entered his mind.
"Warm." His body felt the warmth of the hand, and the voice chuckled in a feminine way. Natsu only found out now that the voice actually belonged to a girl's.
"Why are you laughing?" he asked.
"It hath been a while since I held thy hand, Natsu." She answered gently. Natsu was surprised.
"Who are you? Why do know my name?" Natsu inquired. The voice laughed in a friendly manner.
"Those are not the right words. The question is, who art thee?" She asked Natsu. He was starting to get really confused.
"Follow me. I shalt make thee remember." The light flashed dangerously, temporarily blinding Natsu. He covered his eyes,
And when he opened them again, he was no longer falling.
He was standing on the edge of a cliff. The breeze was blowing gently, and he could smell the sea.
He looked in front of him, and saw the setting sun in the distance. The clear sky exploded with colors, and the sea reflected the hue of the giant ball of flame. It was perfect, Natsu thought.
"Beautiful, is it not?" The girl took the words out of his mouth. He looked at his side, and found a woman clad in white robes. She was close to being as tall as Natsu. Her face was shadowed due to the white hood she wore over her head, and she was gazing at the sinking sun, her bangs covering her eyes. She had a rather pale complexion, and the white dress she wore was quite similar to what a priestess would wear. Natsu looked down, and saw that she was standing barefoot. The girl looked at her left hand.
Natsu found out that he was holding the girl's hand. Warmth filled his whole body. He could feel some kind nostalgia surfacing from the bottom of his being. However, these feelings were unknown to Natsu.
The girl reluctantly let go. Natsu scratched his head with his free hand, and looked around him.
"Where are we?" He asked. The girl refused to look at his face.
"We art in thy memories." She answered sadly.
The next thing Natsu knew, the girl had disappeared. The sun was gone, and the earth had started to tremble.
Natsu tried to balance himself, but it was hard. He tried creating fire to bring himself into the air, but he couldn't.
"Okay, this is seriously fucked up. What the hell is wrong with me?" The ground started to crumble, and eventually, the cliff he was standing on broke off. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, the cracks starting to get to him. Finally, he jumped as the last of the cliff crumbled. He had managed to hold on to the newly formed cliff edge, his feet dangling in the air.
However, this patch of ground was unstable, and it broke off, sending Natsu plummeting into the bottom of the deep, blue sea.
Natsu closed his eyes and waited for the depths to swallow him.
He thought he'd get wet, but he didn't. He could've sworn that he fell into the sea moments ago, but he felt completely dry. Natsu wasn't very smart, but he knew for a fact that if one threw a red stone into the blue sea, the stone would obviously get wet, and so would his body if it ever entered a body of water, which it did. Things were getting messed up.
Another thing, he could breathe. Yes, breathe underwater, a feat he was never able to do in his entire life. Sure, he could hold his breath for a long time, but he had never been able to breathe air under the sea. Yes, things were seriously getting fucked up.
He slowly opened his eyes, and saw, to his surprise that he was lying on a clean patch of grass. The gentle breeze was blowing from the west, and the grass blades danced as it met the wind. He looked around, and he saw that the sun was now rising above the valley formed by two large mountains, when he saw it setting just moments ago.
"Okay, I'm starting to get really freaked out now. What the hell is going on here?" Natsu asked himself. He looked to his right, and saw three cloaked men huddled around a large oak tree. He approached them cautiously, and stopped right in front of the man closest to him. He couldn't see his face, but Natsu felt tremendous power overflowing out of the trio.
"Um, excuse me. I'm kinda lost, do you guys know where this place is?" He asked.
The man didn't reply. Natsu looked towards the other two, but neither of them answered his question. He scratched his head, and asked again, seriously hoping that the three had hearing problems, cause if they had ignored him, he would seriously hand them their asses.
"You see, I don't know where exactly I am, so if you guys could guide me towards Tenrou island, I'd be really grateful, yeah? I still have an unfinished match to settle." He stated. Dead air filled the area, and the awkwardness of the situation grew when the men still refused to acknowledge the presence of the Fire Dragonslayer.
It was as if he had become invisible.
Natsu was starting to get pissed.
"Answer me, dammit!" He moved his hands toward the closest man, and tried to grab his cloak by the neck, but his hands failed to catch the cloth. He tried again, but his hands merely passed the man. He looked at his own hands, and he saw that they were transparent.
Natsu had become intangible, like a ghost. He was like a phantom, which could phase into objects. Like a shadow which could never be caught.
He had become like a memory, a mere figment of one's mind.
"Memory, huh?" He pondered deeply.
He remembered the girl saying that she'd show him his memories, but what did she mean by that? What kind of memories would be shown to him? Natsu's mind was on the verge of crashing due to the vast amounts of things his (puny) brain could not comprehend.
Was this the memory she had spoken of? Natsu couldn't remember a scene similar to this in his entire life. As far as he could remember, he had never been to this place, and he had never met any of these people. He looked around, searching for more clues, when suddenly, the men started talking.
"The sword should be near." The man on the left started to say. He looked straight at Natsu, but he didn't notice the presence of the pink haired boy. Natsu noted that the man was actually carrying a large flat object on his back, probably a sword, which was wrapped in a white, leathery material. He grasped what looked like a handle, and swung the sword over his head. He slashed the air with it a few times, and once he was satisfied, brought it towards his shoulder, carrying it in a somewhat lazy manner.
"I'm really tired of searching for this item, Ace. Is the trouble really worth it? Besides, that weapon you have would already suffice for us to defeat the guards and storm the castle." The man in the middle spoke as he gestured towards the bandaged blade. Natsu could've sworn that he had heard that voice before.
"You're not getting the point here. We need to save the priestess, and that fortress is filled with enchantments even myCurtana couldn't break. We need every available arsenal we can get, and lucky for us, Sephy here managed to decode the runes which would lead us towards our second Legendary weapon." The man called Ace replied. He tapped his right foot as he spoke, clearly indicating his impatience.
The man on the rightmost coughed loudly, gaining the attention of both.
"I told you to stop giving me that nickname, Ace! And I agree; we should start our plan to rescue the priestess already. I fear the things the sentinels have done to her. Besides, both of you are already strong enough to stand against them, and withCurtana in your possession, we already have a chance to succeed." The man in the middle nodded his head in agreement.
"What are you implying then? We should just leave and let our search go to waste?! No! Can you imagine the things we could do with two of the Legends in our possession? Quit being a coward, Seraphos!" Ace shouted.
"So what if you're a Dragonslayer?! That doesn't mean you can boss me around! And I told you already; use my other name, you bastard!" Seraphos bit back. He took off his hood, and Natsu caught a glimpse of his face.
His skin had a pale complexion, and the black hair which grew on his head covered both of his eyes. Natsu recognized the man; it was the same man who had tried to pick a fight with him seven years ago on Tenrou. Natsu clenched his fists as he remembered the man's name.
"Zeref. What the hell is the meaning of all this?!" He asked aloud, though nobody answered him. He continued to eavesdrop on the conversation.
"Are you trying to pick a fight with me, buddy? I'll teach you to learn your place!" Ace pointed the sword towards Seraphos, who Natsu knew as the black mage Zeref. He pulled off his hood, revealing his spiky, white hair. A scar ran from his right cheek towards his left, stopping as it reached the bridge of his nose. A grin was plastered on his handsome face. Natsu didn't recognize who this man was.
The black haired man looked from the sword, then to the man who held it. He proceeded to look at the man at the middle, seemingly asking for help. The man sighed, and patted Ace's back.
"Hey, quit brandishing that thing around. You know how dangerous that sword is, Ace." He stated. Seraphos relaxed as he saw Ace putting the sword down.
"Hmph. You're lucky the boss is on your side this time, punk." He said smugly. Zeref pulled a quick punch towards his face, but he managed to block it with his free hand.
"You think I can't take you on?! Fight me then! I may only be able to perform healing magic, but I can kick your ass just fine!" He declared angrily. Ace slightly raised his sword again. Before the two could duke it out, the man in the middle shouted.
"I said STOP it, you IDIOTS! The still hooded man whacked both on the back of their heads, knocking the bickering duo towards each other's heads. Both looked at him angrily, nursing their heads while doing so.
"Why the hell did you do that?! Zeref was the one who started it!" Ace cried. He was rubbing his sore forehead.
Natsu confirmed that the black haired man really was Zeref. However, he was utterly shocked when he heard what Zeref had said in reply.
"He had it coming, Natsu!" Natsu stared at Zeref, but he was looking at the hooded man, not at him. He blinked, trying to clarify what he had heard. He was sure that the mage had just called his name.
"Whoa! What the hell?!" He looked as the man in the middle took off his hood.
Natsu nearly had a heart attack when he saw the man's features.
He had long, spiky pink hair. The man pulled his pink mane out of the robes he wore, and Natsu saw that the long locks had reached the man's waist. He stared intently at his face, and he saw black eyes boring holes into him. His slightly tanned skin emphasized his hair color. A toothy grin was fixed on his mouth.
Natsu was staring at his own reflection. Though the man looked a bit older and bigger than him, he was sure that this man was somehow held a connection to him. He noticed the absence of a scar on the man's neck, which was the only thing that seemed different between them. Natsu could see that the man didn't wear a scarf similar to his; if he did, the cloak which he wore would've covered it from sight.
"Natsu, look! Something's wrong with the sun!" Ace suddenly cried, gaining his attention. He turned around, and saw that the sun was getting brighter with each passing second, until it blinded him. He closed his eyes to block the light, and as he did so, a piercing scream entered his ears. His sharp hearing amplified the intensity of the voice, and he plugged his ear holes with his fingers to stop the sound from shattering his ear drums.
Silence was all he could hear. He slowly took off both fingers, wiping the earwax off of them. He opened his eyes.
The scenery had changed, and this time, he saw his doppelganger standing in front of something huge. The two men had disappeared, and he looked on as smoke filled the landscape, the area itself had been burned to the ground.
His tears fell one by one as his eyes took in a large, red dragon lying on the burnt ground, with a large sword embedded on its side. Blood was gushing out from where the blade had been stuck, and the pink haired man bathed in the blood of his large victim.
"Igneel."
This was the only residual thought which lingered in his mind.
Natsu was shaking with anger. He saw his likeness shouting and wailing. Then, he heard his own cries, which came from another's mouth.
"Why?! Igneel, why-why must you die?! Come back, Igneel! I b-beg you, don't die!" Natsu heard himself crying. The dragon opened one eye, and spoke in a raspy voice.
"T'is your destiny, Natsu. In order to become stronger, my blood must be spilled. Bathe in my essence, and obtain power you have never dreamt of.." He stated weakly.
"N-no! T'is not written in the prophecy! I already have the sword at hand, yet why must you die?! Don't die on me Igneel! Please, don't leave me again." He wailed.
"Please, father. I have already lost both of my friends, I cannot lose you too." He stated sadly as tears pooled below him. Natsu was frozen in place. His mind could no longer follow what was happening. It was already too much for him to take in.
He felt his tears falling from his eyes, and splashing his cheeks. His mind stopped working, and he felt anger explode within him. He wanted to rush in and make that imposter pay! However, his body was rooted on the spot, unable to move, unable to act.
Suddenly, he felt warmth encase him. Not the heat of the hatred which boiled earlier, but warmth akin to the one he felt when he was with the girl. He heard someone speak.
"Worry not, Natsu. I will save him." Natsu turned around, and so did his other self. He saw light radiating from someone, and for some reason, his worries were washed away as the warmth of the glow touched him. He saw a slender figure walking towards him.
And then, he saw her again. Her hood had been taken off, and though he saw her chocolate brown hair, Natsu couldn't see her face clearly. Her bangs prevented Natsu to get a good glimpse of her face, and the light grew stronger as she came closer. Natsu watched as the girl literally walked past him, and knelt beside his doppelganger.
"Be at ease, I will heal thy wounds." She whispered.
"You shouldn't trouble yourself, milady. I vile creature like myself is not meant to be saved by you. After all, my race has been trying to kill you. Please, just let me die in peace." The dragon muttered. Both Natsus were still shedding tears.
"Hush now, Dragon. Thou art not meant to die yet, Igneel, King of the Flames. Thou shalt play a vital role in the future. The prophecy cannot be fulfilled without thee." She stated. A bright light emanated from her hands, and Natsu thought he saw the girl looking at him as she spoke, but when he looked again, she was staring at the large sword which had pierced the dragon. The girl whispered something in the dragon's ear.
"Somnus!" Natsu understood. He watched as Igneel closed his eyes, and breathed in a relaxed manner.
"Did thou lose control again, Natsu? Did I not tell thee to not use the sword until t'is completed?" She spoke kindly towards his other self.
"I-I'm sorry. It happened again when I fought with Acnologia. Igneel rushed in to save me, but the sword had possessed me. T-the next thing I knew, the sword had pierced Igneel. Can you save him?" The long haired Natsu asked. The girl nodded.
"By piercing an entity of flames, the Blessing of fire has been embedded in thy sword. T'is lucky that thou hath managed to strike the source of his flames, but not kill him immediately. Yes, I am able to save him." The girl replied.
"Thank you,-" Natsu's inhuman hearing didn't manage to hear the girl's name, because the wind suddenly blew so hard, and the air pressure dropped at an alarming rate. The only thing which Natsu could hear as he covered his ears was a sharp, piercing sound.
Then, the scene around Natsu started to spin. The images he saw flickered, and the colors continuously shifted. He felt like he was about to throw up, but soon, the scene had stabilized, just before it dissolved completely, and Natsu was left standing alone, the darkness the only thing which surrounded him yet again.
"Lightning Dragon's Thunder Bullet!" Laxus pointed his open palm towards his opponent. A surge of electricity gathered in its center, and several oversized balls of energy came out and chased the pink haired Dragonslayer, whose body was covered in crimson flames. The said Dragonslayer's body flared, and the lightning orbs passed through him.
Laxus turned his own body into lightning, and quickly maneuvered it past the obstacles which littered the ground, and the holes which broke different surfaces of dirt. As he dashed to find a better attacking position, he took a quick look back, and saw his rival chasing him; his entire body clad in flames. The distance between them slowly disappeared, and the blonde thought of a quick plan to attack his pursuer. Laxus stopped abruptly, and aimed a kick towards the pinkette's temple; however, his kick didn't manage to hit the fire mage, who had already managed to duck. Natsu, in retaliation, spun around and tried to kick both of Laxus' feet, however, the lightning mage simply jumped, and aimed a roar towards Natsu at point-blank range. The pink haired boy willed the flames within him to gather in his own mouth.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" Laxus aimed his own roar towards the blonde.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!" Both spells clashed. For a few moments, the force of both spells pushed both mages back, until an explosion came from the meeting point of both attacks, and the intense shockwave that came sent both mages flying in opposite directions.
However, both mages were adamant in bringing the opponent down. When the dust cleared, both combatants were still dishing out their most powerful techniques.
Natsu flipped in midair, and landed on both feet. He used the ground as a springboard, and used his flames to propel himself towards his opponent. Laxus did the same, his body once again clad in electricity. Both came towards each other, their techniques ready.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" The temperature around Natsu increased at an alarming rate. He came towards the opponent at a fast pace, with a head butt prepared. Laxus stopped, and he waited,
And waited. When the pinkette was now very close to him, he crossed both arms in front of him, and attempted to block the attack, which was aimed at his stomach. Laxus was pushed back as Natsu came, headfirst, and drove him away. The heat was still not to his liking, and he shouted as the crimson flames burned him yet again.
"Lightning Dragon's Thunder Eruption!" The ground below them exploded, and lightning came from below, striking Natsu and launching him a few feet into the air. Laxus aimed lightning powered punches at the stunned boy; each hit that connected came harder than the one before. Natsu wasn't able to block a single punch in his state, but the flames which surrounded him still managed to burn his assailant. Laxus suppressed the torment he felt, and continued raining attacks at his enemy.
He cocked his fist farther, and a large surge of electricity covered his entire arm.
"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!" Natsu was sent flying as a large, lightning clad fist connected with his stomach. Laxus' image flickered, and he was gone not a moment too soon. As Natsu flew higher, lightning flashed, and Laxus reappeared at his unguarded back, another punch aimed at him.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Roaring Thunder!" He charged forward, and struck his rival with a lightning imbued punch.
Natsu's spine would've snapped if not for his body's incredible durability. The flames didn't disappear even as he fell, and he crashed like a meteor towards the hard ground. Dust came as the impact created a large crater the size of a house. Laxus charged another lightning beam towards Natsu.
"It ends here, Natsu!" He shouted.
"Stercum.."Natsu muttered. He needed more time to recover his momentum; the last attack definitely hurt, and the next would definitely hit him if he didn't do something soon.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" A wide blast erupted from Laxus. Natsu's red eyes lit up dangerously as a shadow appeared in front of him.
"Requip: Lightning Empress Armor!" A bright light engulfed the person who stood in front, just as the blast came and hit smirked triumphantly, but his smile vanished when he saw the red haired beauty standing in front of his prey. He tried to shout something to her, but he had to duck in order to avoid the large spear which was thrown in his direction.
Erza turned around and held out her hand. The pink haired boy stared at her, confusion and disbelief in his eyes. His body started shaking.
"It cannot be. You're supposed to be dead." He spoke in whispers. Erza smiled sarcastically.
"Do you seriously hate me that much, Natsu?! I'm not dying until you finally manage to beat me, you idiot." She declared.
"I saw you die! Did you come back to haunt me, Priestess?! Get away from me!" Natsu screamed, and tried to scurry away. Erza had an inquisitive look on her face, and she froze when she gazed at his eyes.
His onyx colored eyes, which were always full of warmth, was replaced by cold, blood-red orbs. Her mind instantly yelled for her to get away as soon as possible.
A shout came from above her.
"Get away from him, Erza! That man is not the Natsu you know!" Laxus called at the top of his lungs. Erza looked as the pinkette crawled closer, and stroked her scarlet hair.
"Your hair. It's the same color as my flames." He spoke, and his emotionless face morphed into an angry one.
"You are not her. How dare you fool me, you imposter!" He launched a quick jab towards her stomach, but she managed to get away before it hit her. She dashed a few feet back, away from the Dragonslayer.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! Answer me, Natsu!" She yelled. She felt the air intensify, as crimson flames burst from the ground.
"Tace atque abi!"Erza heard what he said, but she failed to understand him. She steeled herself for the worst possible outcome which could happen. The flames danced in the wind, and a large red seal appeared below Natsu, covering the entire battlefield. He spoke in a blood chilling tone, and the words which came out this time were understood by her.
"All of you will die! I will burn the earth until my fury is gone!" He shouted, the red seal glowing eerily as he spoke.
"What happened while I was unconscious?." She thought as she prepared herself to fight against her partner.
He was all alone, yet again.
He looked around, but the darkness covered everything in sight. He relaxed, trying to recall the images he had seen.
If these images really were his memories, then that would mean that he was supposed to be right there when it happened.
"But you were there, weren't you?" his mind spoke for him. He remembered the man who looked exactly like him; even his name was similar. That man can't be him, can it?
He recalled Lucy saying something about putting yourself in place of someone you're trying to understand. For the first time in his life, he tried to take her advice seriously; after all, Lucy was smart. Well, at least she was smarter than him.
He tried placing himself in the man's shoes. He pictured himself clad in black clothing, a bit older than his current self, with his pink hair worn long and messy. For once, he started thinking seriously, and tried to get some facts straight. If only Gray was here, he would seriously be reprimanded for trying to act like a genius. He immediately tried to clear the thought of a naked Gray teasing him for acting smart.
He focused, and the images appeared in his mind. He remembered the sun, rising in the valley. He recalled three friends, searching for something.
He had known the two men: one was the black mage Zeref, who, if he remembered correctly, orchestrated the destruction and fall of humanity. However, he had found out that Zeref, or Seraphos, was his companion, and the only magic he knew was healing magic, contrary to the belief that he used death magic.
The other man was named Ace, a white haired teen who carried a large sword whose name he could not remember. He did remember, however, that the man was a Dragonslayer, but his element was unknown. He was speaking something about gathering the Legends, or whatever those were.
The three were searching for another sword, an object which would help them rescue a priestess imprisoned in a fortress, or something like that.
Natsu's mind started to hurt from all the information he was trying to take in. Never in his life had he used his brain to this extent.
Then, he pictured the next scene. He saw a dragon with red scales in front of him. A sword was lodged in its side, and Natsu felt his eyes tearing up again.
He had seen Igneel, his father and mentor, for the first time in 14 years (counting the time he spent frozen in Tenrou). Natsu had been desperately searching for him ever since his disappearance, and here he was, laying half-dead, in front of him.
However, he didn't expect their meeting to be in his memories. He tried to focus on what had happened.
He had fought Acnologia, the black dragon, according to his past self. Igneel had come to help him, but the sword he wielded had somehow possessed him, and the next thing he saw was Igneel lying in the ground, a sword impaled in him, and the dragon Acnologia gone. He discussed about a prophecy, or something of the sort, with Igneel. Then, a girl appeared, and spoke of something about the future. She had promised to heal Igneel, and when he tried to catch her name, the vision vanished, and he was left in the mercy of the darkness.
A thought occurred to Natsu. Just who was that girl? If only Natsu could see her face, then he might be able to remember her.
"Wait a minute. Something's not right." He spoke, but no one listened to him.
The girl said that those were his memories, right? Even if he did forget, he would've believed her immediately, if not for one missing detail. If he really was the man in those scenes, then
"Why the hell am I all grown up?! If those things had happened in the past, then shouldn't I still be a kid, instead of being an older version of myself?! Aagh! This is all so confusing!" He cried out, pulling his hair in the process.
"What the hell is the meaning of all this?! Why were these shown to me?!" He shouted. He started pacing, even though he couldn't see where he was going.
"Just who the hell am I?!" He asked aloud.
Suddenly, a brilliant light came from nowhere. Natsu covered his eyes, and tried to look for the source of the radiance. The darkness had been shattered by the luminous aura, and he could make out a slender figure walking gently towards him. He knew it was her.
"Who art thee, thou asketh? I am sorry, but I cannot answer thee. Someday, thou shalt find the answers to thy questions." She spoke, using the same serene tone earlier. Her hood had had been taken off, and her brown hair flowed behind her back, but Natsu couldn't still see her face clearly.
"As for the memories of thine, they were shown because the seal hath been broken. T'is the only thing I can offer thee, child of fire. Thou hath a special destiny. Thou may hath forgotten, but thou must fulfill thy prophecy. T'is thy burden to carry." She proclaimed. Natsu still had no idea what she was talking about. She grabbed both of his hands and held them close to her chest. Natsu was blinded by the dazzle her clothes were giving off.
"Thou should go now. The battle is almost over. He will soon relinquish control of your body." He could make out tears dripping from the girl's cheek. He took his right hand, and wiped them off her face. His own eyes started tearing up as he did so.
He felt his body getting lighter, and he started floating up. His body was being pulled upwards, but the girl still held one hand, and it was the only gesture which stopped him from being drawn up. He decided to ask two last things.
"W-who are you? And why are helping me?" He asked, tears still falling from his eyes. He saw the girl smile.
"Serva me, servabo te. Do thou not remember thy promise?" She reluctantly let go of his hand.
"We will meet again, Natsu Dragneel." The light consumed Natsu.
"Vale." He closed his eyes to stop the tears from falling.
Before he could open his eyes, he heard a girl screaming his name. He felt arms wrapped around his waist, and the smell of smoke filled his nose.
He didn't know why, but he was still crying, and the tears from his eyes didn't stop falling.
He opened his eyes, and he saw Laxus Dreyar lying wide eyed on the ground, his right fist close to hitting his face. Reality hit him.
He realized his stance; an arm covered in blood red flames was raised and poised to kill the person in front of him. He could hear someone crying behind him.
"P-please, Natsu. Laxus is already beat. Please, s-stop this. Come back, I beg you." He looked towards her. She was the only thing that prevented him from landing the final blow on his opponent. He lowered his arms. As he did so, the fire died out. He saw the flames which covered the battlefield extinguished themselves as soon as he regained control of his body. He breathed in, and spoke.
"I am back, Erza." Erza noticed the change in his voice, and hugged him tighter. Their reunion was short-lived, however, when Laxus shot a beam of electricity towards the two.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" He shouted, blasting both Natsu and Erza from point-blank range.
Erza's unconscious body fell to Natsu's right. He looked over to see how she was, and found her still breathing. He glared at the blonde, who was making his way to the duo.
"What the hell are you doing, Laxus?!" He snarled. Laxus stopped, and returned the glare with one of his own.
"You may have returned Natsu, but that doesn't mean that the fight is over. I still don't know what the hell's going on, and given the previous situation, both you and Erza are still my enemies. If you want me to stop, you need to beat me here and now." He declared. The skies rumbled, and soon after, the rain started to pour. Natsu decide that he would have to finish this battle once and for all.
Both parties were running out of magic energy. Laxus had suffered major burns given to him by those crimson flames. He was panting, and his breathing grew more ragged with each passing second. He was determined to make the pink haired mage pay after what he had done moments ago. He charged his fists with an ample amount of electricity.
Natsu, on the other hand, was still distracted over the things he had seen. His heart still weighed heavily after his encounter with the girl, and the thought of an unconscious Erza worried him. He suddenly felt the fatigue his whole body had been shouldering since the start of his fight. However, he was going to win this fight no matter what.
Laxus vanished in a flash. The pouring rain started to grow stronger and stronger, but he was undeterred; he willed his senses to search for the enemy amidst the distractions. He forced himself to focus.
He closed his eyes, and listened.
He did not know what prompted him to act like this, but he did. He could feel the drops of rain hitting every surface of his exposed flesh. He could still smell the smoke which came from the doused flames which erupted when he lost control. He could hear the hissing of the burnt ground as the rain washed away the heat it contained.
He heard it, the sounds of sparks buzzing here and there. It was coming closer, and closer. He opened his eyes, a triumphant smirk gracing his face.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Raging Thunder!" Laxus struck from Natsu's unguarded back. However, Natsu had already discerned where the attack would come from. As his fist came crashing down, Natsu spun to his left, effectively avoiding the powerful attack.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art.." Natsu muttered. Laxus couldn't defend himself due to the momentum his attack carried.
"Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon's Fist!"With his hands ablaze, Natsu rapidly puched Laxus, hitting every body part he could reach. With each blow that landed, a fiery explosion was let loose. He finished the spell with a flame powered uppercut, which sent Laxus into the air. A powerful explosion came as the impact brought Laxus flying.
Natsu wasn't done. He gazed at Laxus, who was getting farther and farther. He knew that given ample time, Laxus would somehow recover, so he decided to finish off his opponent. He took notice of the resulting explosions his attack had caused, littering the air.
He pictured himself getting out of the explosion closest to Laxus. He felt his body twitch, and the next thing he knew, he had materialized right in front of his rival. He didn't have enough time to think about what had happened, opting instead to let loose his final spell. Flames covered both of his arms as he called his last move.
"Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!" He spun, swiping his arms in a circular fashion, and in the process, created a barrage of destructive flames which consumed his opponent. The torrents overpowered Laxus' body, until he couldn't take the hits anymore. His body couldn't keep up with the pain, and his endurance finally wore off.
Laxus remembered; this was the same move Natsu had used to defeat him years back. How fitting, since it would be the last spell he had summoned to beat him once again.
Laxus' body hit the ground; his consciousness having slipped away. Natsu landed soon after, a grin fixated on his face.
Natsu casually walked towards his unconscious partner, and took her in his arms. He reached towards her underarms, and gently tickled the exposed flesh beneath the armor she wore.
She didn't react immediately, but soon, he could hear Erza stifling her chuckles. She slowly opened her eyes, and gazed at his onyx eyes, feeling the warmth of his eyes return. Natsu stopped tickling her.
"Did you win?" she asked weakly. Natsu nodded, and helped her up, but Erza only managed a kneeling position.
"Yes, I did. Thank you-"He suddenly collapsed due to exhaustion, but Erza managed to catch him. He heard him say one final word before he passed out.
"Erza." It was her name.
She stroked his pink locks as time passed. She looked past him, and saw the Master walking towards them. She watched as Makarov Dreyar replaced the grim expression he was carrying with a weak smile. He stopped in front of the duo, and patted the Dragonslayer's head.
"Congratulations, Natsu Dragneel. You have passed the final test."
Natsu didn't know what happened after, as his mind entered the darkness once again. His thoughts wandered the memory he had dreamed of, and there, he saw his own image, crossing his arms, a seemingly permanent scowl fixated on his face. Natsu looked closer, and he saw that the other man had long, waist length hair, and was a head taller than him. Fear resurfaced in his heart, as he stared at his own reflection.
He thought it was all over, but he was wrong. The malice which had controlled his body appeared in the flesh. Natsu prepared himself for a fight, but his body was still burdened by the fatigue it carried. His knees wobbled, and he fell down kneeling, unable to sustain the strength to stand. The older figure walked, the darkness seemingly parting to let the man pass. He stopped in front of Natsu.
"What the hell is up with that face?! You look as if you've seen a ghost!" He voiced out, and laughed. It was a rather rare sight, seeing a scowling man, with a face similar to his, laughing, without dropping his scowl for even a second.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be, huh?! Are you some kind of evil alter ego who surfaced from my hidden powers?!" Natsu asked incredulously. The man stopped laughing. He spoke in a booming voice.
"What on earth are talking about? Evil alter ego? Are you serious?! You've read too much manga, I reckon…" The man declared, nodding his head at the thought. Natsu was rather surprised at how the situation turned out. He half expected his look alike to give a monologue about how futile it was to refuse his power, or something similar. The way the man talked completely betrayed the seriousness of the situation.
Then, the man's expression suddenly hardened, and his eyes gave off a steely glint. His shoulders tensed, and his scowl deepened. Natsu was lost as he stared at those red eyes, prompting him to remember his "memories".
"Wait a minute. If I remember correctly, his eyes should be the same color as mine." He thought. The man looked at him.
"It seems that you have some questions, young one." He directed his words at Natsu.
"You are me, right?" He asked reluctantly. The man thought for a while, probably thinking of the best answer to relay.
"Yes, I am you, but at the same time, I am not." He answered after a minute. Natsu tried standing, but his legs still didn't have enough strength in them. He remained in his current position. A cold bead of sweat trickled from his cheek to his chin.
He seriously wanted straight answers. He hated riddles, and the answer the man gave him was hurting his mind. The older mage seemed to have read his distress, because he spoke again, but in a clearer manner.
"Eram quod es, eris quod sum."Natsu had heard of this before, and he was shocked when he once again understood the meaning of this foreign words.
"I was what you are; you will be what I am." The man's words coincided with his thoughts.
"I am what you might consider your past." The man explained. Natsu still had no clue what the guy was talking about, but he continued listening.
"And I will become your future."He finished. Natsu didn't like where the conversation was leading to, so he tried to delve into another topic.
"So the images I saw-" He didn't get to finish his sentence, because the man cut him off.
"Yes, they were real. I know that this information is too much to take in, but you must accept the fact that you are so much more than what you think you are." Natsu opened his mouth to speak, but his older self continued.
"I cannot give you all of the answers you seek, for now. The only thing I can offer you is power, the power to defeat everyone you despise and hate." He proclaimed darkly. Natsu confirmed the fact that this man really was the reason for his earlier thrashing, and decided to give the man a piece of his thoughts.
"Yeah, thanks buddy, but I think I'll pass. I don't care how strong you can make me, but I'd rather keep my mind intact, even though it doesn't contain much. Besides, you inflicted pain towards my nakama, and that's one thing I can't easily forgive." Natsu declared. When he remembered how he lost control and burned Laxus, his anger flared.
"Why did you break the seal, then?! Why then did you release me?! Was it not to punish your enemies?! Tell me, Natsu Dragneel, for what reason did you become powerful? For what purpose does your magic serve?!" The man questioned fiercely, and as he did so, blood-red flames burst from his feet, and trailed towards his body, until he was surrounded by it. Natsu could feel the intense heat of the flames; they were probably the hottest he had ever encountered. He took a deep breath, and calmed himself. He would not let himself get affected by the man's pace.
Natsu found the strength to stand as he thought about the people he had bonded with. He pictured his guildmates, his friends, his rivals, and even the enemies he had managed to connect with through the power of his emotions. He faced his older self, unafraid of the flames which could burn him. He stood firm on the ideals he carried, and the beliefs he held onto.
"Magic is not meant to hurt somebody. No, I use my magic for the sake of protecting those I hold dear. It is for that reason that I became strong, so that I would be able to keep my loved ones safe from harm. If you really are me, then perhaps you too would understand." He finished. The man's flames dimmed slowly, and finally died out. For a moment, only silence could be heard. He walked towards the younger mage, and Natsu was shocked when he saw him smile, his scowl gone.
"Yes, I too was like you. I once believed that my magic should be used to protect." He looked towards Natsu. But soon, his smile was replaced by a frown.
Tears started falling from his eyes, and the crimson flames reappeared suddenly, surrounding both men. Natsu screamed from the burns which the fire had given him. It was rather ironic; the fire Dragonslayer was burned by his own element, however, this wasn't a first. Natsu could only count on the fingers of his hands the times he felt pain due to the heat, and honestly, these flames were by far the hottest, and the most painful he had been subjected to. The only thing which enabled him to endure the flames was his nature as a fire Dragonslayer, but this wasn't enough to stop the heat from hurting him.
He could feel the man's feelings through these flames.
Anger? No, Natsu had felt the fury of his anger fuel his fire. These flames were a result of something stronger and darker than anger.
He recalled the very first words he said when he released his Second Origin. The man voiced his thoughts.
"Ignis Odius. Yes, these are the flames of my hatred." He spoke, his face completely devoid of emotion.
"Why?! Why all these bitterness and hate?! What the hell happened?!" Natsu questioned. He grit his teeth as the fire destroyed what remained of his clothes, save for his scarf, which was left untouched by the heat.
The older man grabbed both of Natsu's shoulders, and he screamed further as the heat grew even hotter. He once again fell into a kneeling position, the pain too much for him to bear. He forced himself to look at the man's crimson eyes, and he saw the anguish and fury the man held. He was lost in those red orbs, and he felt images flickering around him, and replacing the black landscape.
"I watched as I lost my friends. I looked on as I sealed someone who would've become my ally. I merely gazed at the body of my father, who I almost killed." He spoke through tears. Natsu started seeing visions.
"I couldn't save the town I was supposed to protect. The hundreds who depended on me died, and I failed them."
He stopped, and this time, he roared his last statement.
"I watched as the girl I loved sacrificed herself in front of me, for the sake of the future! I watched as she impaled herself on the blade I held, so that I would gain power. Why?!" He asked angrily. Natsu started tearing up.
"My strength was not enough to protect my friends! It was not enough to bring my enemies into the light! The power I held, though great, was not enough to save the one I love! Power! T'was what I lack! I needed more power in order to cleanse this world with my flames, and bring forth the calm that I yearned for! Hahahaha! Power!" he started laughing all of a sudden, and the flames grew wilder and wilder. Natsu couldn't take the heat anymore.
"I will show you the cause of my Hate! I will show you how ugly this world is!" The flames covered the entire area, prompting Natsu to shut his eyes tightly, so that his sight would not be taken from him by the flames which ravaged his body.
The moment he did so, the scene dissolved. The wind was howling in his ears, and he could hear the roar of a giant creature piercing the air.
When he opened his eyes, he saw both of his hands grasping the handle of a large sword. He realized that he was reliving his past self's memory. He followed its blade, and his heart stopped beating for a second.
He saw her wearing the same white clothes earlier. Her brown hair flew as the wind rustled. The blade he was holding pierced her stomach, and blood was gushing out of the wound he had inflicted. He saw a gigantic black dragon roaring behind them, and the only thing which stood between the creature and the duo was a golden barrier. Natsu stared at the girl in front of him, and he finally managed to get a clear view of her face.
Her brown eyes were losing their light. Her alabaster skin was getting paler with each passing second, and blood was dripping from the corners of her mouth, despite the smile that was glued on her pretty face. She weakly maneuvered her arms, and wrapped them around his neck, seemingly deepening the large wound on her belly.
"N-no! Why?! Why are you doing this?! Answer me!" Natsu felt his mouth move, as these words came out of his mouth. He struggled to break free from the woman's hold, but he couldn't find the strength to move. He saw the dragon flying away from the corner of his eyes.
"One last sacrifice, and the sword will be complete." The girl muttered weakly. Natsu slowly kneeled to the ground, as he delicately laid the girl on his arms. He rested her head on his left shoulder, and placed a hand on her face. Natsu felt tears falling from his eyes.
"W-why? Why must you die?!Why must you sacrifice yourself?! P-please, don't leave me! I've lost too many people, I cannot lose you! Natsu let loose his cries. His roar pierced the heavens, and the sky rumbled, seemingly due to his anguish.
"T'is the only way, Natsu. Thou must not die; the prophecy is yet to be completed." She slowly closed her eyes, as she placed her hands on Natsu's.
"Fuck the prophecy! I do not give a damn about it anymore! I will save you!" he declared, but the girl placed a hand over his mouth to silence him.
"T'is your burden to carry, Natsu. I have played my role; so promise me that thou will fulfill thine." She said.
"N-no! I cannot do this without you!" he shouted, and added
"I love you, Eara…" Natsu heard himself say the woman's name, as a sharp pain crossed his heart. The woman chuckled.
"Did thou not proclaim that thee can only protect me, not love me?" She asked, her life force dwindling. A faint light emanated from her wound.
"It was a mistake! I-I do love you, so please, don't die! Please.." Natsu begged. The pain in his chest throbbed.
"T'is too late, Natsu. I cannot be saved anymore. But, please, do not lose hope, for I will always be with thee."She declared, and the light grew stronger, completely covering her. Natsu shouted at the top of his lungs.
"No! Don't leave me, Eara!" He called, but it was in vain. He felt something soft brushing against his lips, and the warmth which came after eased him for a split second.
"Te Amo, Natsu Dragneel…" The light called out, and Eara's body flashed, before it completely disappeared. Natsu was frozen due to the kiss he had received, and the declaration of the woman. He reached out his hand, struggling to hold the light.
"Nil desperandum ,Non omnis moriar…"The light flowed into the sword, which mysteriously suspended itself in midair. Natsu looked on helplessly, his cries getting hoarser and hoarser.
"Vale…" The light died out, and the sword fell into Natsu's hands. Markings appeared on the sword's blade, which read:
"Interfectum Dracones"
But Natsu failed to notice this. He roared for one last time, his voice reaching the heavens and shaking the earth.
"Earaaa!"
Blood red flames burst from the ground, covering everything in sight.
Natsu was consumed by his flames.
The whole world was shrouded in red, the skies splashed with blood,
Before it dissolved completely, and Natsu was swallowed by the darkness, which had surrounded him once again.
Didn't know where to put this, so I figured translations would go here.
Ignis Odius-flames of hatred
Eram quod es, eris quod sum-I was what you are, you will be what I am. This is actually a grave inscription, which teaches people about the inevitability of death.
Iuppiter te perdat-damn you. A neat Latin cuss word.
Brutum Fulmen-harmless thunderbolt. Usually means an empty threat.
Somnus-dream/sleep. A bit similar to Dormi, but I'm using it separately.
Stercum-shit. Another neat Latin cuss word.
Tace atque abi-shut up and go away.
Serva me, servabo te-save me and I will save you.
Te Amo-I love you. Yeah, right, I know what you're thinking.
Nil desperandum ,Non omnis moriar-never despair, not all of me shall die.
Vale-farewell/goodbye.
Interfectum Dracones-dragon slayer.
'Sup?
I actually managed to finish this before October, so I'm guessing that you guys are sorta pleased. My semi-finals are over, but I'm going to have my finals on the second week of October, so I decided to finish this chapter earlier. Don't worry though, the next one's due in 3-4 week's time. I, at least, need that much time in order to finish long chapters. Another reason why the chapter was released early was due to the nice reviews I've read. So, I've decided: if I ever manage to read nice reviews, updates will most likely happen sooner. Deal?
So yeah, I'm pretty sure that many of you would most likely get confused about some parts of the chapter, and I don't blame you, cause I'm pretty confused myself! Well, not that confused, really. I purposely set up these parts for the sake of future events. Forgive me if you guys are kinda lost, I'll try to give explanations in the future, cause otherwise, I'd be spoiling future events. If you do have questions, feel free to ask, and I'll find time to answer in a spoiler free manner.
Anyway, a sincere thank you to all who spent time reading, reviewing, following, and favoriting (is there such a word?) the story! If I had time, I would've given my thanks individually, but I alas, I don't have all the time in the world. I hope a simple thank you would suffice for me to be able to convey my appreciation towards your support.
Drop by and leave a review! I'm not really looking for quantities and quantities of comments, but rather, quality ones which would help bring inspiration and improvement towards my writing. Comments, corrections, suggestions, maybe even violent reactions (maybe.) are welcomed. I'm pretty sure that my writing isn't error free, so I'm asking you, help me improve! It's for the common good, after all!
..peace..
-Blake-
