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Chapter Nine – A Fallen Dragon

Wendy

"Natsu-san!" I screamed, watching as his body fell to the earth. He was lying so still, so…lifeless.

"Natsu!" Happy wailed, tears pouring from his wide, disbelieving eyes. He'd come to watch over Carla as Natsu had been battling, and now he looked torn between staying here with us—both for his own safety and in an attempt to protect us—and rushing to Natsu's side.

I felt my world grating to a halt around me. This can't be happening…Natsu…can't be… I couldn't bring myself to even think the word, lest by thinking, make it true. Chelia stood at my side, gaping in disbelief. Those we'd revived—who hadn't gone off to find the other groups—stood as if in a trance. Horror was etched across Juvia's face, and Lyon looked pale and shaky.

For several moments, the only sound was the crackling of the flames. My eyes overflowed with tears, though I couldn't tell if it was from the smoke or what had just happened. I was still so much in shock.

And then the spell was broken. Chelia screamed hysterically, sinking to the ground and wrapping her arms protectively around herself as she rocked back and forth. Eve knelt down at her side, enfolding her in his arms. Even the members of our group who hadn't known Natsu well were visibly shaken, their faces pale and ashen. Juvia's despair made the heavens open, a downpour suddenly raining down on us. Within moments, my hair was plastered to my face, my clothes heavy and saturated with water. Steam rose off the baked earth, creating a surreal haze to everything. I took a staggering step towards the place where Natsu had fallen, but his body was swallowed up in the fog.

"That bastard," a voice from behind me growled. I turned to see Laxus stalking forward, a predatory gleam in his livid eyes. "I will kill him for…hurting one of the members of our guild. If we join together, we can defeat him." Then, in a softer voice, he said, "We will avenge you, Natsu."

Elfman roared his rage and grief. "If you're a man, you will pay for what you've done! Natsu was a real man!"

"I remember his bravery and strength," Rufus said softly, tipping his hat in respect for the fallen Dragon. "It shall not be for nothing."

A rage that I hadn't known I was capable of suddenly filled me. With teary eyes, I clenched my teeth and looked up. Natsu…if you can hear me, I promise we won't fail you. Not again. Then, resolved, I looked over at the shadowy silhouette through the fog. His golden eyes were glowing eerily through the vapor as he watched us, waiting to see what we would do.

"Let's fight!" I cried, running toward him. The others let out a shout of fury as we all charged him as one, determined to avenge our fallen comrade.


Natsu

"Unh…" I groaned, a dull pain thumping behind my eyes. Slowly, I pried my eyelids back away from my eyes. A blindingly white light filled my vision, making my eyes tear up. I quickly shut them again, waiting for another moment before attempting to open them again. After a minute of letting my eyes adjust to the light, I realized that I was staring up at a beautiful azure sky, the sun directly overhead. Delicate white clouds were scattered overhead, their wispy shapes blowing leisurely across the sky.

"Where am I?" I asked myself, turning my head to the side. Something soft tickled my cheek, and I sat up to find that I was lying in a grassy plain. The emerald stalks were blowing gently in the light breeze, creating a rippling effect across the plains. Looking around, I could see nothing except the rolling plains, extending ostensibly forever off into the horizon. Something about this place seemed familiar, as if from a dream. I knew I'd never been here before—wherever here was—so I wondered how I'd come to be here now.

Which begged the question of why I was here, and what I was doing here. What had I been doing before coming here, anyways? I suddenly couldn't remember anything but waking up in this endless field of grass.

Flashes of fire danced across my vision. A thunderous roar filled my ears. A heat unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Despair and disappointment so palpable they left a rancid taste in my mouth, making me gag.

"Natsu!"

I jerked, the visions fading just as abruptly as they'd come. Something dangerously like fear clenched my heart. That's right…the fight. I…lost. The knowledge swept over me like a bitter wave. So this was death, then.

"Everyone…" I whispered, tears springing to my wide, stunned eyes.

Suddenly, a rumble deep in the earth reached me, causing the wind to suddenly change direction. Even the air seemed to be vibrating. I shot to my feet, looking around with a wary eye. Something was coming, of that I was sure. Whatever it was, I would be ready for it. I sank into a crouch, my gaze sweeping the churning sea of grass.

A roar echoed across the vast plain, and a dark shape crested the horizon. As it approached rapidly, I saw that it was massive. And flying on familiar wings.

I froze, my mouth falling open in stunned wonder. For so long I had hoped…I dared not get my hopes up now. But as the figure drew ever closer, I knew that this time, it was true. He was here.

"Igneel!" I yelled, running towards the massive scarlet dragon. He roared in response, gliding down on his thick, leathery wings to land a few hundred feet in front of me. Tears streamed down my face as I closed the distance between us and leapt up against my surrogate father's enormous shoulder. I clung to him with all my strength, sobbing shamelessly as I hugged him. He raised a clawed paw and pressed it to my back in a semblance of a hug.

"Igneel…I've missed you so much! What happened to you? Where are we? It's so good to see you again! So much has happened since you disappeared."

A deep chuckle rumbled through Igneel's armored chest. I slid to the ground and stepped back to peer up at him, beaming as tears trekked silently down my cheeks. Natsu, he said in his growling voice in my mind. It has been a while. I always knew you were destined for greatness. I know I haven't been able to be with you these past fourteen years, but not a day has gone by when I haven't watched over you silently, from up here. I'm so proud of all you have accomplished, and what you've become.

I blinked back more tears as my heart swelled with joy at his praise. But then I remembered where I was. "Igneel…I'm sorry. I failed when it mattered most. I…died." My voice broke on the last word, and I looked down in shame. "I abandoned all my friends and family when they needed me most. And now…I'll never get to see them again. I'll never get to tell them how much they mean to me." My voice grew quiet, and my tears turned bitter. Pain, raw and cruel, stabbed me repeatedly in the heart.

Igneel lifted a claw and tilted my chin up so I was forced to meet his deep, ancient gaze. A softness seemed to settle over him as he regarded me. Natsu. There is no shame in death. We all must face it eventually. That is inevitable. He heaved a great sigh, and it sounded like he'd resigned himself to something.

"So then…that time, when you disappeared…you really did die." Sorrow filled me. Sorrow for the little boy who'd chased after his father for fourteen years, never giving up hope. Would it have been better to have known the truth? Or to endure the painful, sometimes unbearable hope that was never confirmed or denied?

No, Igneel said, dragging out the word as he cocked his head thoughtfully. My head jerked up, and I regarded him with confusion.

"How is that possible? I'm here with you now. If you're not dead, then how is that possible?" A tiny bud of hope grew in my chest, not quite daring to bloom fully.

You could say that we dragons decided that it was our time to leave the earth. The age of dragons was past. We'd trained our human protégés to succeed us, and decided to step back, out of the scene.

I stared up at Igneel, not understanding. Why would they do that? Suddenly, the air around me began to tremble again. I looked up and saw a dark cloud rising up from the horizon. As it rapidly ate up the distance, I was able to distinguish the shapes of individual wings beating in harmony with each other. It was a horde of dragons.

My eyes widened with wonder as they all began to swoop down and land around us, forming a circle with Igneel and me at the center. There were hundreds of them, all staring at us with their wise eyes. Two dragons right behind Igneel seemed strangely familiar, though I knew I'd never seen them in my life. They walked forward until they stood on either side of Igneel.

Natsu, I believe you might recognize these two. Allow me to introduce to you Grandine, the Sky Dragon, and Metalicana, the Iron Dragon. The dragons nodded to me in turn, and I felt a smile crease my face.

"Grandine! Metalicana! You're Wendy and Gajeel's parents!" They nodded back at me, and it seemed as though the Sky Dragon were smiling at me.

Indeed, she said in a deep, smooth voice. It vaguely resembled Porlyusica's voice, though not as harsh. We all know about you, Natsu Dragneel. The mighty Fire Dragon. And I personally would like to thank you for looking after Wendy. She has a gentle soul, and I'm so glad she was able to find you.

And I would like to express my thanks, too, Natsu Dragneel. The Iron Dragon spoke in a gruff voice, somehow reminding me of Gajeel. Gajeel was lost, but you allowed him to find his place. Thank you for helping him.

I grinned up at them. "Thank you two for raising them to be such wonderful mages."

Suddenly, a new presence sounded in my mind, coming from behind me. I turned and saw two new dragons approaching me, one black and the other white. Something about these two was also familiar. "Sting and Rogue's parents, the White and Shadow Dragons!" Suddenly, I wished I hadn't mentioned the two Dragonslayers' names. After all, they had killed their dragon parents.

However, instead of getting angry, their expressions turned sad. Indeed, the White Dragon said. Sting and Rogue were troubled and misguided. They allowed the greed in their hearts to consume them. A sorrowful sigh escaped her. But I have sensed a change in Sting's heart of late. I believe that is due to you, Natsu Dragneel. Thank you very much for saving my boy from himself.

I felt unexpectedly touched. Even though he had killed her, Weisslogia still loved Sting and wanted the best for him. The Shadow Dragon Skiadrum was regarding me with a solemn look of agreement, and I felt myself smile at them.

"They were quite messed up," I admitted, remembering a time that felt like eons ago. "But I think they've allowed themselves to remember a simpler time, before they were corrupt. A time when they had love, and family. I think that's starting to come back."

The two dragons gave noises of contentment in my mind, and I felt like I understood the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth a little better.

I turned around again when I heard Igneel's deep voice in my mind again. Natsu. It has been truly good to see you again. A feeling of dread crept over me at his words, and I knew that whatever was coming next would be hard. However, it is not yet your time. This plain is the border between the worlds of the dead and the living. I have resided here for the past fourteen years, but those who have ventured here from the other side must shortly return. At that time, if you so desire, you may remain here or return to your friends.

"What do you mean? This isn't death, then?" I furrowed my brow, feeling a mixture of fear and anticipation curl around my stomach. I'd only just found Igneel after so many years of searching and hoping. Who knew when I would be able to see him again, if ever?

It is not. You will find that the barrier between life and death is thinner than you think, and easily traversed if one knows how. However, before you make your decision, I wish to show you something. He moved back a few steps, as did all the other dragons. I looked around nervously, wondering what he could want to show me.

Suddenly, with a sound like a soft whisper of air, a shimmering orb appeared in front of me. I watched as it expanded, until it gradually stopped when it was as tall as I was and just as wide. I glanced at Igneel, wondering what I was supposed to be seeing. He nodded towards the sphere, and I returned my attention to it. After a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of movement. Taking a step closer, I realized that I was staring at the familiar burning street on which I had died. Although apparently I didn't die as thoroughly as I'd thought. A figure flashed across my view. A little girl with long blue hair tied back in two pigtails. Behind her came a tall, muscular blond man with a jagged scar going through his right eye. They were followed by numerous other mages, and all of them were streaked with soot and blood, their tears making tracks through the grime on their faces. Rage and anguish warred on their faces, and I thought I heard Wendy say, "We will avenge you, Natsu!"

I staggered back from the floating orb of light. They…they think I'm dead. They're going to get themselves killed! Because of me! I clenched my fists. Then the sphere went black and red as an explosion struck them. I cried out, flinging my arm out as if I could grab them and bring them to safety. Grandine looked pained, but she bore it with silence. Tears spilled down my cheeks again, but when the smoke and flames cleared, I saw that I was staring at a different scene. From a bird's-eye view, I looked down on what appeared to be a large arena with stone walls. Sting was viciously attacking a woman with long purple hair and strange silver dot-like markings under her eyes and mouth and along her collarbone, as well as…Rogue? And there was Gray, battling Ultear. Ren and Sherry looked like they were battling for the kill, as well, their faces devoid of emotion and recognition.

A horrified gasp escaped me. "What's going on? What are they doing?"

But then the scene shifted again. Gajeel was roaring in fury, his arms transformed into long metal swords with vicious-looking edges. "Levy!" he yelled. I started, and saw that the waifish blunette was dangling limply from a blond man's arms. A stream of crimson blood was flowing down the side of her neck, matching the trickle of the substance running down from the corner of the man's mouth. He was grinning at the Iron Dragonslayer, a white bandage covering his nose. And a strange tattoo suddenly appeared on the side of his neck; a black rose with crimson vines snaking out from it. Only, the thorny vines had started to move, crawling across his skin towards the little trickle of blood on his chin. As soon as one of the tendrils touched it, the blood absorbed into the vine, and it slowly crawled back to its position on the man's neck, as though it had just fed, and now it was satisfied. I shuddered, noticing how his red eyes seemed to glow.

The scene went foggy as once again the orb revealed a different view. This time it showed a burning building, piles of flaming rubble littering the ground. A sinking feeling settled in my stomach as I wondered who would be revealed inside this site of destruction. Suddenly, a flash of blue caught my eye. A man with dark blue hair was laying face-down amidst the flames, unmoving. But then I saw a flicker of movement beneath him. A woman with long scarlet hair was lying beneath him, tears streaming down her anguished face.

"Jellal!" Erza screamed, pushing up on him until she was able to free herself enough to wriggle out from under him. The back of his coat was on fire, and she frantically patted it out as flames rained down around them.

"Erza! Jellal!" I yelled, rushing up to the orb. Stopping just before it, I ground my teeth in frustration. I couldn't do anything but watch my friends suffer. And then the view was switched to a blank, foggy landscape.

After a moment, a figure materialized in the vapor, looking like a wraith. Her blonde hair framed her pale, nervous face as she looked around. Numerous cuts and bruises adorned her face and bare shoulders, and I could see that her clothes were torn and dirty. My heart clenched as I watched her frantic eyes dart around, trying to discern a shape through the concealing haze.

"Yukino!" she called, her voice strangely muted in the fog. "Where are you?" Suddenly, she stumbled, nearly falling as she peered down at the ground, presumably looking for whatever had tripped her. A horrified gasp escaped her lips as she sank to her knees. I squinted to try to make out whatever she was looking at.

And then I caught the flash of silvery hair as Lucy lifted Yukino's head onto her lap. The girl was unconscious, a trickle of blood coming from her mouth. At least it was her own, I thought with a shudder as I recalled the man with the blood-eating tattoo.

Guilt consumed me as I thought of the two celestial spirit mages all by themselves. I should've been with them. If something happened to their keys, they would be dead in a flash.

Suddenly, a strange rumbling noise pervaded the sphere, and Lucy glanced around in terror, frantically searching for the source of the noise. I heard a faint laughter echoing through the fog, deep and rich. But also undoubtedly evil. Lucy spun around, pulling Yukino closer to her and tightening her hold on the girl.

But the next moment, the ground around them erupted, water spraying everywhere, and the girls plummeted through the open ground, screaming.

"Lucy!" I screamed, ready to jump into the orb to save her. However, the images slowly faded from the sphere, leaving it blank once more. I clenched my jaw and squeezed my fists, flames starting to sprout from my arms.

"Igneel," I said, barely managing to keep my voice at a normal level. All I wanted to do was run until I found my partner, and then destroy the one who dared to attack her. For a moment, I was caught off guard by the ferocity of my protective urges. "I have made my decision. I will return to my friends, to save them. And this time, I won't fail."

The giant red dragon regarded me knowingly. Very well. However, before you go, there is something I must tell you, and one last skill I will teach you.

I looked up at Igneel in anticipation, knowing that I would soon be reunited with my friends, this time with the power to save them. He approached me with a solemn air, and crouched down so that his immense head was on a level with me, not two feet away from my chest. I reached out a hand and laid it on his warm, familiar nose. Images of a young boy with unruly pink hair laughing and playing as he clung to this very snout flashed through my mind. A small smile touched my lips as I realized that I'd come full circle and found my father again. But this time, I would be the one leaving him. My eyes drifted closed as I heard his deep voice rumbling through my mind.

But then they shot open and I stared up at him in horror. "Igneel…."


Lucy

I screamed as I fell through empty air, the mist slithering over my skin. Desperately, I pulled Yukino closer to me so that she wouldn't be sent flying in a different direction. We'd already been separated once, after rendering the townspeople unconscious. And this was the state I'd found the other celestial spirit mage in. I couldn't let it happen again.

We hit the bottom of whatever chasm we'd fallen into, and I gasped with pain. Slowly, I sat up and reached over to Yukino, who was still lying unconscious. However, I saw that we weren't in a chasm at all—not two inches away from Yukino's prone form was empty air and a view of a sparkling blue ocean reflecting the light of the late afternoon sun. Another gasp—this time of shock—slipped past my lips as I looked frantically around. We were on a rocky ledge, a cliff wall immediately to my left stretching up for about twenty feet. High overhead, I saw the craggy edges of an outcropping—or what had been one, as we'd just fallen through it and were lying amidst the pieces of rock that had landed on this ledge with us. Wow, it sure was lucky that this ledge was here to catch us….

Against my better judgment, I leaned over Yukino to peer down to the base of the cliff. White-crested waves broke against the rocky wall, throwing fine sprays of mist into the air. They also crashed against a cluster of sharp rocks standing right off the wall. I gulped and pulled back, suddenly terrified that the ledge would break and send us plummeting to the rough crags below. In an effort to make the weight on the ledge with us less, I began scooping the chunks of rock off the edge. The waves down below were too loud for me to hear the rocks hitting the water, but I imagined that I could hear them striking the waves and rocks, as would our bodies if this ledge broke.

"Unh…Lucy-san…?"

I turned my attention to the silver-haired mage lying at my side. "Yukino-san! How are you feeling?"

She turned her head to look at me as her eyelids fluttered open. "Lucy-san. What happened to me? There was someone…a man, I think, and—wait, are we on a cliff?!" Yukino sat up in a panic, scooting as far away from the edge as she could.

I put my arm around Yukino's shoulders to comfort her and could feel her shaking. She was usually a rather quiet girl, and rarely showed this much emotion.

"I—I'm afraid of the water," she said in a quiet voice, not meeting my gaze.

I gaped at her for a moment. "Afraid of the water?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"I can't swim, see," she explained, looking at me with pleading eyes. "I almost drowned as a child, actually. But Pisces saved me. That's how I got their key, you know." Yukino sniffed fearfully and clutched her hands to her chest as to stop its wild beating.

"Don't worry," I said with a confident smile. "We'll get off of this ledge, without even having to touch the water. You'll see, everything will be just fine. We'll go find Natsu, too, and I'm sure by the time we do, he'll have things all taken care of."

She nodded gratefully, and I helped her to her feet, keeping an arm around her.

"Well, isn't this touching?" a husky voice said from above us.

I tensed and looked up. A figure stood atop the precipice above, looking down at us with a small smile on his face. His black hair was long and ragged, the tips of the bottom layer just brushing his shoulders. A blond streak with a pink streak right next to it cut across the right side of his bangs, which fell across his forehead and almost covered his pale blue eyes. Said eyes were ringed with black eyeliner. He wore a white zip-up vest with black spiral designs, and matching pants tucked into a pair of black combat boots. A thick black belt hung at a slant around his hips, layers of silver chains hanging from it. His wrists were covered with thick black bands, and several necklaces glinted around his neck. A plain black ribbon was tied around his right bicep, and his left hand was covered by a fingerless black glove with metal studs across the knuckles. He looked just like a Visual Kei J-rocker.

"I'm afraid you'd be very disappointed if you could see your friend now. Because you won't be seeing him again. Not alive, anyways. My comrade has already dealt with him, and the rest of your friends are soon to follow." He crouched down, resting his forearms on his knees. "As are you."

A vibration ran through the cliff ledge, and Yukino paled as I gasped and clutched at the wall. A sucking noise seemed to come from down below, immediately followed by a tremendous splash. My mouth fell open as I looked out and saw a colossal serpent rising out of the churning waters. It towered over us, its sleek black coils peeking out of the water as it peered down at us. Glossy, rainbow-hued fins protruded from the sides of its massive head, reminiscent of an oil slick.

And it opened its jaws to reveal rows upon rows of long, razor-sharp fangs, its pink tongue flicking out to taste the air. Yukino and I stood frozen to the spot as the leviathan watched us with hungry black eyes.

Oh…crap.


Haha now you guys can breathe again! Natsu's alive! :D But they're not out of the deep end yet. ;) Please stay tuned for the next chapter and remember to fave, follow and review! :D Thank you for reading!