Welcome back, if people are expecting an action-packed fight between Natsu and Igneel that isn't going to happen. I'm not that type of writer, I enjoy much more the traveling the world and learning about themselves. Don't worry I have some BS way already thought out, just like cannon :P. On with the chapter.
'Thoughts'
"Talking"
Normal
"Spells"
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail all rights go to their respective owners.
Igneel was initially unresponsive as the fist come flying towards his face. He had no intention of dodging, this boy didn't seem to know "Dragon Slayer" magic so there was nothing to fear. Getting ready to swat the boy out the air once he got close enough Igneel was already planning how to the tell the kid he was 100 thousand years too young. He almost laughing at imagining Natsu's face.
This never occurred, the moment after he had lost the ability to even if he wished to dodge his instincts were telling him these flames were nothing like he expected. Not having enough to dodge he instead tries to block with his arm. Covering his arm in a bright scarlet red flame he meets Natsu's own. At seeing the color Natsu's eyes flashed with emotion. He thoughts weren't of danger or fighting. The color seemingly brought him peace, the color for once didn't remind him of death. It reminded him why he was fighting at this moment, he was fighting her, for Erza. This wasn't about himself or his orders but for something else, something he would only dream of.
Natsu's flames may have caused Igneel's instincts to react but he was still unwilling to admit he couldn't teach this boy a lesson. Their fists met to which completely against Igneel's expectations in the first move he was completely equal with Natsu. Igneel's flame dragon king's fire couldn't completely overpower Natsu lightless flames. Both Natsu and Igneel were pushed back an equal distance from one another causing, even more, of a surprise to Igneel. Even if his fire wasn't as strong as the boy's he believed himself to be physically stronger he was a dragon and saying he was equal to a human was a humiliation he would never accept.
Not giving Igneel anytime to think Natsu immediately appears for a second round. Natsu wasn't thinking he was accepting completely on his instincts. His emotions were running wild as his fighting style followed suit. "I will fight! Not for what other order me to do, but for myself! You can't wish for others to change the world for you, you have to do it yourself! Stand up and fight! Stand up and fight the future you dream of! Stand up and fight for the future you will create! Stand up and reshape the world! Do you hear me Erza! You have to stand!" He roared, his voice dark yet filled with passion. His fist once more met Igneel this time, however, Igneel was pushed back twice the distance Natsu had been.
Natsu didn't even touch the ground before continuing, dodging Igneel's outstretched arm he aims a kick at the side of Igneel's head. Igneel was the king of the dragons proud and arrogant beyond words yet he was being completely suppressed by a ten-year-old child. The attacks may have only caused scratches on his scales but a thousand scratches can still take a life. This fight he thought would be a walk in the park was anything but.
As Igneel flew into the air Natsu followed suit. He may not be able to do the same as easily as a dragon but he still knew the basics on propelling himself. Before sucking in a breath, he shouts at Igneel, "I will save her! I don't care about the trials! I won't let her cry! I will not let this happen a second time!" Building the black flames in his mouth he soon releases them, "Demon's Screech"!
Following Natsu's ideas, Igneel builds flames up in his own mouth before releasing them, "Flame Dragon King's Roar"!
Their attacks met in the middle before exploding in yet another field they were equals with one another.
As Natsu and Igneel were fighting Erza was brought back to her cell. Most of her wounds were covered in bandages as she kneeled there motionless. Her eye was blank as nothing seemingly passed through her head. The tears were still evident in her eye and the pain still hurting her mind.
"Nee-san!" Sho shouted his voice filled with sadness and joy at seeing Erza.
"Erza…" Simon said softly relieved at seeing her alive.
"Time for work!" The guard ordered.
"Hey, where's Jellal?" Simon continued,
"Leave her alone," Rob told the kids his voice soft and raspy,
"Just be glad that she returned alive."
"But..." Simon asked,
Sho had tears flowing from his eyes in sadness. He wanted to do something, he wanted this all to be over.
Everyone did, everyone wanted this whole mess to be finished with. They were all filled with sadness as seeing Erza how she was and having no ability to do anything about it. They felt guilt as when they all sat there wanting to do something Jellal actually did.
"They must have taken him as a replacement," Rob explained,
"No more…" Sho started the tears flowing like a pair of rivers.
"I can't stand this anymore!" he continued shouting his voice breaking out into sobs.
"Be quiet!" Rob shouted, pulling Sho into his arms
"Calm down, Sho!" Simon clamored,
"It'll be fine. I'm here for you." Rob said soothing him,
"Prepare yourself!" The guard order,
"No!" Sho bellowed,
'Fight…' The word passed through Erza's mind as her vision saw the fight between Natsu and Igneel. She heard Natsu cries, she heard him fighting for her. Natsu wasn't the only one fight for her Jellal had done the same. They both were trying their bests to protect her.
With her eyes widening she shouted in her head, 'Now it is my turn to fight for you!'
Acting immediately, she grabs a shovel from the bin of equipment and swings it at the guards not all hearing their stuttering words of confusion. It was now her time to fight, she no longer cared about the consequences this was their moment and they would have to take it. They would all escape the tower together, everyone.
"A rebellion!" A guard bellowed out his voice growing hoarse.
"Erza, you…" Simon questioned,
Having already turned to face them she yells, "Take their weapons! Even if we obey them, or run away from them, we will never be free! We have no choice but to fight! For our freedom! Stand out and fight!"
The words seemed to flow from her mouth as she took the words Natsu told her and told them to everyone else. They can't wish for change in the world, they have to make the world change themselves.
At hearing her words everyone in the cell was surprised out everyone they expected to act in such a way it wasn't Erza. She was always so timid and never the first to act out. See her like this now made them question what happened after she was taken away. What did she have to go through to have such a rapid change?
Her words brought inspiration, the whole tower was filled with shouts of joy as everyone followed her lead. She had brought change to the ways of the tower, she had brought chaos.
Natsu didn't hear Erza's shouts he was too enthralled with his fight with Igneel. Nothing at this moment mattered no words so much as passed through his mind. Didn't matter the pain that came from either him or Erza as it was completely ignored. He had gone into a berserk state his emotions having taken over. He would save her, he would find some way to save her. If there was one things Igneel couldn't compete with Natsu in it was speed. He could soar through the air much faster than Natsu but in the end, most of their altercations were on the ground. Igneel would at points soar into the air but Natsu would be right behind him. They would fire flames at one another but neither side could find an advantage.
As the fight continued on for a longer amount of time than either Natsu or Igneel knew. Neither side saw themselves stopping anytime soon. Neither side had been panting nor had side come close to their max. In such a state Natsu didn't know his limits anymore, he didn't know how these actions may affect him in the future.
As Igneel was fending Natsu off while sending in his own attacks when able, he thought back to the fact had yet to learn the boy's name. He only knew the boy's reason to fight, to save some girl. Besides that, he knew nothing about the kid.
Every so often the kid would make mistakes most of which didn't come from Igneel. His face would flash in pain for split second in such Igneel would take advantage of that to counterattack. To where such pain came from Igneel had no clue, because he noticed his own attacks didn't seem to get that same flash of pain.
This boy was an anomaly there were too many questions surrounding him and had no intention of even answering any of them when asked. Seeing it going nowhere Igneel focuses back on the fight and against what he liked doing was patiently waiting for an opening. Natsu really was much better than he ever expected him to be. Even without "Dragon Slayer" magic he was able to contend with the king of fire dragons. He shuddered at the idea of this crazy lad actually knowing "Dragon Slayer" magic. Igneel dares to admit that he would have had to become serious long before now if that was true.
He was glad he had sought out Zeref because if not he wouldn't get to enjoy this fight. If one thing would forever remain true it would that Igneel lived to fight above everything else.
The tower of heaven had been thrown into chaos, explosions and smoke were blocking the view as deaths piled up by the second. No person was safe on either side both sides fighting under the rays of noon ocean sun, their life almost taken at any moment. The guards had lost control of the prisoners and the prisoners young or old were willing to fight for their freedom.
Maybe it was a losing battle from start to finish but none of them cared this was their dream, their dreams of freedom, their dreams of a better future.
"Don't you dare underestimate 'Mad Dog' Wally!" Wally shouted knocking two guards out with his shovel.
"We're this strong thanks to all the daily work you forced on us" Explain Simon, none of them were good fights or even had the basic ideas on how to fight. They were all brawls in a ring using their pure strength to overpower their opponents.
With a sword in hand Erza continuously swings at her opponents with the moment one falls she goes off to the next. She much like Natsu didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. The pain from injuries may quickly but unlikely Natsu she was unable to completely ignore them causing Natsu weaknesses in his fight. Erza had taken note of this but was unable to put any thought into currently fixing it.
Everyone was fighting their hardest, ever able body was fighting for their freedom. This was their moment this was the day they could almost taste freedom. They all felt hope, the hope, the dream, the goal, the wish, the existence of a day outside of the tower.
The sun shined down with no obstacles for the first time in an uncountable amount of time. This was their victory the sun was showing them victory, showing them what they would all gain. The sun breaking through the walls was the light at the end of the tunnel for everyone.
"Freedom!' Every prisoner shouted shaking the whole tower their bodies filled with adrenalin as they all fought on.
The fight with Igneel was growing more hectic by the second. Igneel had grown serious as his fire was beginning to slightly suppress Natsu's. His flames had grown bigger and brighter ready to cover the sky in a single breath. Igneel was more power than Natsu could have imagined. He had seen more than his fair share of fights between dragons but if he was in a state to take note of things he could dare say Igneel was the strongest he had witnessed.
The roars were as big as three Natsu's and the flaming fists packed more punch than Natsu on any day. Natsu was pushed into a bad place but he saw no point in stopping. He took advantage of the thing he had over Igneel, mobility. Igneel was too big to constant be going around in circles so Natsu took advantage of this.
Igneel's way of trying to stop this was by covering his tail in flames and using much like he did previously with his arm. Igneel had just found an advantage but in that same moment, the kid had found his own to take advantage of. It didn't matter how powerful one's attacks were if they could never hit their targets and at this moment that was the exact fact Natsu was taking advantage of.
"We need to liberate Section 8 by the end of the day! Everyone keep it up!" Erza explained finally having taken care of the guards. Her mind every so often was drifting to the fight Natsu was having with Igneel if she were to compare the fight she was having here versus his own she would say them both could destroy the whole tower with a wave of their hands.
She wasn't strong enough yet, she wasn't yet strong enough to create a better future. Gripping the sword hard in her hand she promised herself she would be able to stand at Natsu's side, she would be able to fight beside him. She would become strong enough for them both. It didn't matter if the whole world saw him as a monster to her, he was Natsu and that was all that mattered.
"That's impossible! There are too many guards there!"
"But we have to hurry and rescue Jellal…" Her face downcast,
"You don't stand a chance, Simon-san," Wally teased with a smirk,
"Erza! You… Are you in love with Jellal?" Simon blurted out in question,
Erza was thrown for a loop, she had never seen Jellal that way only ever viewing him as a friend. She admired him but had never seen her feelings as love. She thought back to the fight with Natsu, she saw his face when he looked into the river. She heard their conversations as they teased one another. She heard her own laughs as they enjoyed another's companion. She heard his words of inspiration as he told her to fight. She heard his sadness as people called him monsters. She believed him to be human just like everyone else, what right do they have to call him a monster. When the word loved passed through her mind it wasn't Jellal but Natsu that she thought of.
There was so much more to him than she could ever imagine so much she never could understand. Even still they were stuck together no matter what anyone else ever thought about the other they would never be alone. They would always have a shoulder to lean on, always have someone to talk, always have someone to trust.
"Why did you bring that up at a time like this? Now is not the time to…" she stated bashfully a blush evident on her cheeks.
Simon tries to confess, "Actually, I've always…" in both Erza's world and in Natsu's they were both hit a fireball throwing them away. The beauty of the fire never passing through their minds. Now was not the time to gawk at the elegance of a perfect flame.
"Simon!" Wally called out,
"That's…" Millianna pointed out, pointing up in the sky towards…
"Magicians!" Someone screamed,
"Simon!" Wally called out once more,
"Hey, get a hold of yourself!" Millianna stuttered in duress,
Releasing more beams of fire multiple people were knocked way if not killed in that instant. Erza and others were forced to watch bystanders to the whole situation.
"Don't," Erza tried to explain.
Moments before everyone was ready to fight for freedom but in this moment, everyone ran. All it took was a single moment for everyone to lose hope.
"Everyone, don't give up! You've got to fight!" She continued,
In the chaos, Erza was pushed over and following suit Natsu was the same. Erza was trapped under rubble causing both her and Natsu both unable to stand. Igneel was greatly confused at the scene but he wouldn't let Natsu off. Building fire in his mouth he plans to finish this now.
With her arm shaking while reached out she pleads, "Wait… Jellal… Save him…" She watched everyone run in the opposite direction while Natsu had a fireball being made right in front of him.
In the extremely short amount of time, she tries her best to push the rubble off herself. The world seemed to move in slow motion, everything had come down to this exact moment. If she even an instant too slow all this would be for naught. She pushed and pushed with everything she had.
She wanted to save him. She wanted to be of help to him. She was weak, she wasn't strong enough to stand beside him. She had forced him into this dire situation he was facing an almost death because she was weak. 'Please world! Don't let him die because of me!'
Natsu saw this and was pleased with her. He placed his faith in her, "Demons of the flames, fire that lies in hell, lightless flames that burn the light, raging flames that burn that land…" Natsu chants trying to get ready for Erza to get them out of this mess.
The fire was released from Igneel mouth as Erza was still trying to push the rubble off. Her friends shouted towards her as the rushed towards trying to help. If she relied on them alone they wouldn't make it in time. With one final push, she breaks herself free and Natsu finishes his spell, "Demon King's Flames: Raging Screech" A breath of lightless flames are released from Natsu's mouth overpowering Igneel's own. Shooting towards Igneel they overwhelmed him. The battle had finally reached the end.
These flames weren't his own normal. They were a mix of every flame, to describe it as lightless was not doing it justice. To say that it held the magnificence of the rainbow didn't describe it either. To everything, there is an opposite, the flames that are like Natsu's own are the opposite to the flames that light the sun. Flames that rage through lands are unable to match the cold flames that freeze everything. It was everything, yet nothing at the same time. Only those who can be called the kings of flames have the ability to do what Natsu did.
The flame could be described in such way as it existed in every such way. At one moment, it may be the purest white flame one can imagine while another it was void of everything, it turned between hot and cold. It was a beauty no one could ever describe for even all this does it no justice.
Seeing that Natsu was okay Erza released a sigh of relief. She had saved him, she may have been the cause of her problems but in the end, she had saved him.
She got no time to relax as once battle finished another started. The magicians released another beam a fire right at where Erza was laying. Her friends once more shouted out to her but she found herself unable to move. She couldn't believe this to be the end. They had already finished the hardest part how could they die in such a lack luster way. Before she can process the fire is released and upon contact, smoke is released.
In front of her stood Old man Rob. He had shielded her and everyone else from the blast.
"Mage-jiichan" Erza called out in surprise,
"My magical power might be faded, but I'm still capable of protecting my friends! I won't stand by and see young lives get taken away!" His voice was filled with power as if he was a youthful young man. Building the power up, he sends the same flames back at the mages.
Everyone was amazed at the display of power as they watched all the mages be taken down in the blink of an eye.
This was the last thing he could do, this was the old man's end.
Scooting towards him Erza holds on his frail green arm, "What's wrong?" She asks worried,
"My will is strong, but I'm getting too old for this. For a mage, his life energy is the source of his magical power. And once I've used up my magic, I will inevitably die. But Erza, there is no limit to your potential." His voice was now weak and fragile like the wind would break it apart as he spoke.
"Ojii-chan…"
In his dying moments, Erza relived her favorite moment, when she learned of magic.
"It's your heart," Rob explained,
"My heart?" Erza asked confused,
"Yes. Everything starts from the firm belief in your heart. Things such as horoscopes, faith, and religion are various forms of magic. They are miracles that only occur to those who believe." He further explained,
"Those who believe?"
"That's right. That's why only those who believe in magic, and in their own power, while living in harmony with nature are capable of using magic."
As Erza was off in her own world Rob had stood back up and was protecting Erza and the others from the guards and mages. He had forgave his life to protect those that matter to him.
"Magic, huh? That's so wonderful!" She praised her voice full of joy.
"When I grow up, I want to become a witch and ride a broom, flying in the sky," Erza exclaimed in happiness,
"You'll be able to." Rob laughed,
"You'll freely fly the open sky…"
"And I'll let you fly behind me too, Ojii-chan." A smile showing from ear to ear.
Hearing Rob laugh breaks her from her thoughts, "I didn't think I could see a smile like that in such a place."
Erza calls out to him, "Ojii-chan!"
"Freedom is inside your heart. I'm sure that Erza-chan's dream will come true."
"Ojii-Chan! No!"
Erza knelt there unmoving.
"Erza, fall back! Hurry up!" Wally insists,
Both Millianna and Sho follow suit by calling out to her. She doesn't hear them as her eyes close.
When they open a pitch-black magic circle is created underneath her. Her eyes wide with anger, the world reacts as Natsu lightless flames appear out from the magical circle. Her screams echo throughout the tower, the flames hear her plea as they shoot at towards the mages. In an instant they were all dead, all of them had been burned to ash. All those around her were filled with shock but none greater than Natsu. For he knew what she used wasn't magic but his curse.
END
Hope you all enjoyed. We are closing in on the end of Erza's past, thankfully. Don't feel bad to PM me questions I'll happily answer them so long as they don't spoil the plot :P Till next time.
