Chapter fourteen
He ignored the wind trying to extinguish the flames that had long since overtaken his figure, taking comfort in the gentle hissing near his ear and the pulsing warmth, and found that the fire's persistence to survive only irritated the ivorette before him further. Natsu could still see the slightest sheen of blood gracing the scythe's curved blade, something that reminded him of the cat resting behind him. He was suddenly reluctant to move forward- Happy had used all of his magic power and needed to rest, so if Natsu wasn't guarding him, he was vulnerable for another attack- and refusing to stay put- Erigor would either take off towards Clover again, or the rest of his ragtag team would show up. He certainly couldn't allow that, though he had to admit that having brought someone else would have been a good idea- Gray, maybe, as he seemed to be bleeding the least- but he really didn't have the time to be thinking about that. "C'mon, ya sick freak. I'mma burn ya and that dangerous flute"
Erigor, for his part, was feeling quite intimidated. He could still feel the steady thrum of his magic traveling through the air, telling him that he was still powering the Wind Wall, and he wasn't too sure on any of the other Eisenwald members, but it seemed impossible to have the rosette in front of him. He was so close to his revenge- he had seen Clover!- and now there was this obviously battered man snarling at him like a demon, and the only answer was that the fire mage has forced his way past the cutting winds and come after him. He made quick work of muttering a spell, afraid to be inactive for too long and being caught unaware by the legal mage. "You Fairy Tail mages are such bothersome flies!" he shouted, his fingers ending pointed at the rosette. "Die, you puny fly."
Natsu held his arms in front of his face, feeling sharp bursts of wind slice deep into his skin and leave blood dribbling from several lacerations. He felt something sweep his legs from under his body, sending him careening over the side of the rails, and he looked up, entranced for a moment by the droplets of blood that the wind carried away from him before reminding himself of the danger not only he was in, but everyone he held dear to himself. "Haps!" The feline stirred slightly, but otherwise remained unconscious. The dragon slayer let out a low growl- he was an S-class mage, like hell he was going to let some guy known as the Grim REaper do him in- and shot his hand up towards the bridge, watching a low toned fire shoot out and secure itself to the bridge- something Macao had once taught him- before pushing fire out of his feet, propelling him back in between the feline and the dark mage.
"What? Fire that clings to the bridge?" Erigor shouted, backing away slightly as the other man landed on the ground, crimson splatters lining the gravel and wooden planks beneath him. "What was that? Who are you?"
"Ain't ya cold, being half dressed?" the dragon slayer gritted out. "Why don't I heat things up a little?" The flames coating his body were practically crackling in twisted delight, their sinful dance moving more quickly as they began to grow around his feet. Without a moment to spare, he lunged forward, using the fire to propel him into the dark mage and move the pair back several meters, Erigor gasping for breath as Natsu's fist settled into his diaphragm. The wind mage hadn't realized he had bit his tongue until blood began to drip down his chin, the Fairy Tail mage tossing him away and preparing his free hand for a hard, flaming punch, and Erigor found himself marveling over how quick the rosette was. "Fire dragon's claw!" A foot crashed down on him, sending him skidding along the gravel and splintering wood as his ribs popped uncomfortably, and he barely had time to jump up to avoid the next fire infused attack sent his way.
"Don't become over confident!" the silver haired man snarled, enjoying his perch in the air where the snarling dragon slayer couldn't reach him. "Storm wave!" His gloved hands flicked around for a moment before sending a tornado of cutting air towards Natsu, only being able to make out the faintest shape of the man through the high speed winds and the gravel being spit around carelessly. When the dragon slayer was kicked out again, he definitely looked worse for wear- blood decorating his tanned skin, dark bruises already forming, clothes ripped up to the point that his harem pants were missing the majority of one leg. "This is it!" Erigor rushed towards him, scythe raised and ready to kill as the dragon slayer worked to regain his bearings after being thrown around in a tight circle for so long. The blade cut deeply into the man's forearm, though the pain and the gushing blood hardly seemed to bother him as he found his footing, glaring dangerously at the dark mage. "You stopped it with your arm?"
"Fire dragon's roar!" Fire nipped at the wind mage's feet, Erigor nearly too faint with the idea of facing someone so physically strong and magically capable to defend himself. He rushed up into the sky, trying to analyze the snarling mage's pattern, though ultimately unable to find any logical explanation for his opponent.
"I underestimated your abilities a bit," he finally admitted, glaring down at the Fairy Tail mage. "Let's fight seriously now." A cocky smirk overcame Erigor's face, though it nearly fell away when Natsu mimicked the expression with more confidence behind it. "You and me." It was silent for a moment, only the splattering of blood hitting wood and gravel sounding from the ground, the dragon slayer shaking out his left arm to rid himself of the crimson liquid falling from his fingers. "Storm mail!" Wind conformed to the dark mage's body, following every movement and leaving him completely covered, and it only reminded Natsu that Lucy- a beginning mage- had been forced to go against him. "Here I come."
If she had to hear one more word from Kageyama's mouth, Lucy was sure she would drown him. He let out another low groan, a telltale that he was about to open his mouth yet again, and she shot Gray a look that begged for him to either gag the dark mage or hold her back from murder. "That flaming brat must be dead by now," he said slowly, taunting her as if he knew she was about to commit homicide.
"Now why would you say that?" she asked, voice dripping with sarcasm and dark intentions in her expressive eyes that made the dark mage shudder for a moment before laughter broke over his features.
"There's no way a fire mage could defeat Erigor-san. Flames would never break through his storm mail. Ever." Gray's unfamiliar arms wrapped around the blonde as she lunged, both of the legal mages satisfied with the terrified yelp that sounded as Kageyama cringed further back into his seat, the blonde even settling back with a twisted smirk on her face.
Natsu ran forward the moment Erigor lowered himself to the track, flames centering on his right hand to fight against the winds pushing back on him. "Fire dragon's iron fist!" He was momentarily stunned when the flames disappeared, hand falling against the wind surrounding Erigor's palm, though he quickly had to pull away and inspect his shredded knuckles.
"It's just as I thought," the silver haired man bit out snarkily. "You can't generate that destructive power unless you're coated with flames." He let out a series of dark laughs. "It's useless now. You see, storm mail blows wind inside out. Flames will never go against headwind! Flames simply cannot defeat wind!" He found himself growing more sure, more confident, despite the crackles even he could hear as flames engulfed the dragon slayer, snarls giving the flames more cool tones. "Your flames won't be able to reach me now. Why don't you just die?" He made a cutting motion with his hand, sending razor like gusts of wind hurtling towards the enraged fairy, and he began cackling as the rosette fought to dodge, small pieces of fabric and a few droplets of blood being picked up on the wind.
Happy was jostled as Natsu spring forward again, flames fighting to stay alive against the headwind, and the feline found a solution forming within his mind, even as he could barely keep his beady eyes open. "It's not just the flames," the cat thought aloud, claws sinking into one of the wooden planks to keep himself from flying away again. "He can't get close with these winds."
"Take this!" Erigor cheered. "Soaring wind magic that cuts up everything! Emera baram!"
"Emera baram?" the feline called out in alarm. "You'll be chopped into bits if you get hit by that, Natsu!" A few leaves, probably having been carried over from Clover by the rapid, deadly, winds, began to dance tauntingly between the pair of enemies.
"Die! Die, cinder brat!" Erigor could hardly see the rosette racing for him when he released the attack, sections of the bridge crumbling away until only thin pathways remained in a few places. Happy found himself choked up with tears, dragging himself for a few seconds towards the limp body of his closest friend with tears in his eyes. "Not bad, boy. Your body's still in one piece." He was vaguely aware of the feline chanting stuff to the rosette, though he couldn't find it within himself to be concerned about the half conscious cat. "You're pretty good for a young mage. Don't worry, though. I'll send those ancient bastards to the other side to meet you soon enough. With Lullaby's melody, of course."
"Lullaby," the dragon slayer snarled, pushing himself onto his forearms and knees. He was undeterred when the left arm slid due to the thick layer of blood coating it, merely pressing the palms of his hands to the gravel instead. "If ya want gramps's head, ya gotta fight fair an' square, ya prick." Thick rivulets of blood were flowing from his hairline, staining some of the spiky locks a deep vermillion as his vest practically disintegrated from off of his torso- and Erigor wondered for a quick moment how that damn scale patterned scarf hadn't gotten even a scratch on it.
"You're still alive?" the wind mage choked out instead, Happy's cheering grating on his nerves.
"If ya ain't got the courage ta fight, don't even bother!"
"What a tenacious brat!" All at once, the flames disappeared from around Natsu as the winds controlled by Erigor grew stronger, the Grim Reaper long past being simply annoyed with the legal mage.
"Ya bastard! Ya hurt all a my friends, ya threaten gramps, ya almost kill me, and now your just tossin' me around like some ragdoll!" Natsu shouted, looking more like the flaming end of a torch than human. "How do ya got such strong magic?" Happy felt a knowing smirk cross his features, watching Erigor take a subconscious step away from the blazing dragon slayer.
"You have quite the bizarre magic yourself. Your emotions seem to be directly manifesting into the flames around you." Of course, Natsu hadn't been meant to hear it- and he probably didn't over his own self pitying and internal raging- but the feline did. "Flame of emotion? I recall hearing about an ancient magic like that before, but how can someone so young know such an ancient magic?" The storm armor that the Grim Reaper prided himself on was beginning to desipitate, curling towards the scorching flames instead.
"Hey, Natsu! It's impossible! You can't win, so you should just leave it to Gray!" Happy shouted, well aware of the spiking temperature and the slipping control the wind mage held. "Heck, Erza could probably do a better job, maybe even Lucy! I don't know, it seems like you're the least qualified! I shoulda brought one of them instead!" And it was that, beyond just the thought of the weaker mage Gray or the overzealous Erza coming in and stealing away the person Natsu owed revenge to, that finally broke through the impenetrable wind. The thought of his hoard- both Happy and Lucy- once again facing the sadistic bastard that had snapped her arm without a care and threatened Happy's life all the while cutting his ears made her snarl out darkly as the flames became more white than anything else.
"No way!" Erigor choked out. "Storm mail is being sucked away?"
"His wind armor came off!" the feline cheered enthusiastically.
"Such high temperatures to create a low pressure air zone. It's impossible for a normal mage, right?" the ivorette asked rhetorically. "It's impossible! Dragon slayers can't still exist!"
"Fire dragon's sword horn!" The flaming dragon slayer crashed into Erigor's torso, shattering more than a few ribs and leaving him with nasty burns as he crumpled to the ground, Lullaby hiding just under his leg. The rosette slammed his own foot down on the dark mage's arm, whether to be safe or as payback Happy was unsure, before turning to Happy. "Now what was that 'bout me not being fit for the job, Haps?"
"I don't remember. Us cats have terrible memories," the feline said, deciding that being cheeky would spare him more than anything else for including his hoard into such a petty plan. "Doesn't matter now, though. You won! You really are amazing, Natsu!" They continued to sit in silence for a few minutes, sure that the others would reach them soon enough, and were rewarded by the magic powered vehicle screeching to a stop by them.
"Natsu," Lucy let out in a broken sob, stumbling out of the cab of the vehicle before it even stopped and digging through her bag for the first aid kit at the sight of him so banged up. "What happened to you?" She forced him to sit down once more, not that the dragon slayer was inclined to complain with the blonde fussing over him, and instantly began wiping the blood from his arm to reveal the deep cut in his forearm.
"Natsu beat Erigor all by himself," Happy chimed out, before looking smugly towards the trio still in the car and adding on, "You guys are late." The two Fairy Tail mages chimed out the varying forms of congratulations, though Kageyama found himself staring at Erigor's downed form in complete shock for a few moments.
"Erigor-san was actually defeated? No way."
"Look at what happened to you, though," the blonde bit out around a building sob, tears staining her vision as she fished out the supplies needed for stitching, sure that at least his arms would need them despite how hard it would be to give them to the man with a broken arm. Without even turning her head, she seemed to sense Erza removing the magical plug from her arm and disconnecting herself from the vehicle. "Gray, would you make sure Erza doesn't fall? She's used a lot of magic power."
"Lucy, I'm fine. Don't worry about me," the redhead protested, despite gratefully leaning against the dark haired ice mage and holding her forehead when the world began to spin. Gray watched, equal parts amazed and confused, as the celestial mage finally threaded the surgical needle and began to sew the cut closed on the dragon slayer's arm, keeping him still after the initial protest with a single glance.
"You know, when you get a desperate win against such an easy opponent, you're only making Fairy Tail look bad," Gray teased lightly, helping the redhead on his arm sit beside Lucy as the blonde placed a bandage over the neat stitching she did, all things considered.
"How was this desperate? It was an easy win," the dragon slayer argued with a playful lilt to his voice.
"Wearing a scarf while you're naked makes you look abnormal," the ice mage shot back quickly.
"I don't need you tellin' me anythin' like that," the rosy haired man snarled back, much more serious now.
"Both of you, shut up," Lucy hissed out, moving to the large gash on Natsu's hairline, whether to obscure his vision or because it had the most blood under it remained unknown. "I packed a couple outfits for you anyways, Natsu, since you decided to leave your bag at the station. You can change when I'm done patching you up, and then we'll grab your stuff on the way back." He stilled once more, fighting to keep a quick 'yes, ma'am' off his lips.
"Anyways, good job, Natsu. Now the masters are safe," Erza said kindly, watching a bandage be smoothed across the cut before the blonde deemed him fine for the moment. "Since we are already here, we might as well go see Master at the meeting place. We will need to report this incident and ask about what to do with the flute. Clover's only a little bit ahead, anyway."
A moment later, Happy and Lucy were squished under Natsu as Erza tackled Gray to the ground, the group narrowly avoiding being hit by Kageyama as he spurred the vehicle forward, using a shadow hand to pluck Lullaby from the ground and pass it to him. "You careless flies! The flute, Lullaby, is in my hands now! Serves you right!" he cackled out, racing towards Clover.
"That bastard!" Lucy shrieked, sitting up as quickly as she could with one hand and a dragon slayer on top of her. "How could he just steal our transportation and leave? We saved his life!" In the evening sun, it became apparent that the blonde belonged on the team, features contorted into fury as she tried to keep herself from firing unnecessary electric bolts towards the disappearing vehicle. "We're going after him." Natsu only waited a moment before walking alongside her, scooping Happy up and laying him on the mess of rosy hair, and the other two were quick to follow.
It was dark by the time that Kageyama found the building that hosted the regular meeting, and he was relieved to see silhouettes still within the windows, even as his injuries screamed at him for overexertion. He settled down on the hood of the car, sure that the cursed flute in his hand could perform mass murder from the distance he was at currently, though a hand fell on his shoulder almost instantly. He froze up, unsure how the Fairy Tail mages had found him so quickly, though he turned his head to see a tiny old man behind him instead, the elderly master breaking into laughter while prodding his cheek with a single finger. A fit of coughs sobered him up, Makarov chiding himself lightly with near silent words. "No, now is not the time for me to be doing this. I've gotta hurry and find out where those three went. There's only so much damage control I can expect the new girl to do, and a town might disappear." He hopped off of the vehicle, rushing away in a waddle like walk, before calling, "You should go back, too. To the hospital, I mean," over his shoulder.
It was only then, catching a glimpse of the guild mark staining the miniscule man's clothing, that Kageyama realized that he was near the Fairy Tail guild master. "Actually," he called back, hesitantly raising Lullaby to his face and spreading an easy smile across his lips, "will you listen to one song? The hospital won't let me play my flute." Cold sweat broke out across his face, sure that the old man knew everything with a single glance, but he held firm under the disbelieving glare of the master. "I just really want someone to listen to it."
"That's a creepy flute," Makarov hummed out slowly after a moment.
"It may seem so, but it sounds pretty decent," the shadow mage insisted, stepping closer to the tiny man. "It was a gift from my late grandfather, and it's such an honor to have played it at all. I think I'm ready for an audience."
"Fine, but I'm in a hurry. Only one song, okay?" the tiny man negotiated at last, wise eyes watching the easy smile becoming sinister.
"Sure. Please listen carefully." He could hear the laughter back at Eisenwald, the fantasizing over pretty girls and the drunken hoots of either approval or amusement as they all came to the consensus that the only good thing about legal guilds were the girls that joined them, their plots of revenge against the world of magic that cast them into the shadows, the deafening cheers. He pressed the flutes against his mouth, ready to play the fatal note, when another voice chided him in his mind, those stupid flies pestering his mind with thoughts of being good, and he began to tremble under the strain of the decision he had to made.
That was what the quartet walked into, preparing to shout for the master and warn him, only to have a rather round man with stubble and angel wings sewn onto his camisole step in front of them and shush them lightly. "The best part is coming up," he purred out, Natsu understanding why Lucy and Happy sank further towards him as even Erza jumped in shock. "Just watch." The heavily made up face did a double take, looking towards Gray and Natsu and sending them a wink and a kiss. "You guys are pretty cute."
"Why is he?" Lucy whimpered, helping to stabilize Erza as she tried to find her bearings on a gnarled root.
"Master Bob of Blue Pegasus."
Dark eyes turned towards them, a nostalgic smile crossing the master's face as he took in the scarlet haired woman. "My, Erza-chan, you sure have grown!"
"What's going on?" Makarov snapped from up ahead, gaining everyone's attention once more. "Hurry up already." Another man stepped out of the shadows as Erza tried to race forward, intent on stopping the mass murder. "Now!"
"Just stay quiet," the newcomer said. "This should be interesting." Bob shoved Lucy towards Natsu, pleased by how calm the stranger seemed to make the rosette, and then moved his attention to keeping Erza behind him, knowing full well that the tawny haired man could handle Gray.
"Nothing will change," Makarov said decisively. "Those who are weak shall stay weak forever, but weakness is not evil since human being are weak creatures to begin with. Alone, you feel nothing but your insecurities, but that's why we form guilds. That's why we have comrades." Kageyama found himself staring towards the legal guild master in awe, stunned by his insight, by his knowledge on what needed to be said. "We walk together in order to live strong lives. The clumsy ones will run into more obstacles than the others, and so it may take them longer to get there, but if you believe in tomorrow and put yourself out there, you can naturally obtain your strength." By now, even the guild masters within the building were staring at the pair, hoping that Makarov was really as good with troubled youngsters as his guild lead them to believe- perhaps even better. "That's how you'll be able to smile and live a strong life. Without having to depend on such a flute, of course." He was grinning, well aware that the shadow mage was moments from tears by the look in his eye and the tremble to his limbs.
Kageyama dropped Lullaby to the ground, following after and bowing on his hands and knees. "I admit my loss." A moment later, the group from Fairy Tail was thundering over, the guild masters pouring out and shocking the old man.
"What? Why are you three here?" Makarov screeched out, being yanked into a tight hug by a deeply moved Erza.
"Natsu, Kageyama, we're going to the doctors," Lucy said sternly, despite being practically draped over the rosette's shoulder as more excited chatter sounded around the clearing.
"You mages have no guts," a demented voice cried out, shocking everyone into silence. "I can't hold it in any longer! I'll just eat you all myself." Smoke began to curl away from Lullaby, forming a towering monster that looked to be made out of gnarled trees and dangerous appendages. "Let me consume your pitiful souls!"
"No," Lucy breathed out in horror, right arm hugging Happy to her chest as Natsu dropped her onto the ground. She had, of course, read that each of Zeref's demons had a final 'etherious' form, but to think that a flute would become a monster. "Impossible."
And that's where I end this chapter. So, I feel like the Erigor v. Natsu portion was really hyped up and it wasn't all that great, but I didn't want to make him overpowered any more than he already is and all that stuff, so it just kinda turned out like that. It's currently two in the morning, though, and I finished this chapter for you guys.
Arcadea333, I heck yeah Happy had to hype Natsu up to get him to beat up Erigor! That's my little kitten for you!
SunsFlair, if you want me to include movies and stuff, give me a rough time frame of when they should happen and I'd be more than happy to include them! I'm basically just following the manga right now, but I'm open to suggestions of all kinds- if you have a job suggestion that you want to see a certain team take, you want to see the movies, you want to see a first date chapter- let me know and I'll most likely do it! I just need time frames, really.
TheOGFTfanatic, you're so sweet! I'll be happy to answer all reviews up until it becomes overwhelming, but I don't want to leave anyone hanging. Happy's honestly my dude and I can't wait for this arc to be over- I honestly say that about every arc oh my goodness- and do the filler chapters of Natsu hoarding until Lucy and Happy are healed and, by extension, Lucy and Happy bonding further. It'll be great. I have such great friendships planned for Gray and Lucy- and Levy, love my little bean sprout- and I can't wait for the bonding of Galuna arc!
Silver Light of Dawn, Natsu for sure! I love feral Natsu, too. You don't understand, I couldn't get enough so I wrote my own feral Natsu story. It's dedication to a cause. I feel like Gray would have a deep sense of the equivalent of a Bro Code between him and Natsu, since they've known each other for so long, and he would kinda realize that it wasn't his place to tell anyone about Natsu's hoard, yaknow? I think Happy was a brat cause of jealousy and not knowing how to express it, so I'm going to express that in here.
Naru285, oh my goodness, you are too kind! Thank you so much!
19vanelkc, you don't understand my attraction to angry/possessive Natsu. You're really not the only one, I can count as like five people alone, it's not okay. It's like a sickness, I swear. It's my shit, I can't even cope. You're such a sweetie!
Bibliophilia13, I imagine Nyra as a more Chinese type dragon as opposed to the Eastern dragon, too, so you got it spot on. I feel like Igneel is more offensive, so he needs more bulk, and Nyra is defense, so she's more slender and agile. She's also a spirit, so, if need be, she technically could become a more Eastern styled dragon, but I like the slim Chinese dragon for her. Thank you so much for your compliments, they mean a lot!
Littlest1, yes! Team Valkyrie is accepted and consider it used! Love love love the name! And you already know I'mma make Happy and Lucy best buds- they're going to annoy the shit out of Natsu when he does the hoard healing sessions (locks them up). I totally agree, Lucy is by far one of the strongest in Fairy Tail, even if she doesn't have the same magic power as them. Every Fairy Tail girl is kick ass and I love them! Oh, I love Cana and Lucy being friends more than I love my life. I have all of these aus planned out where they're adopted sisters and it's great. They compliment each other so well. Cana's actually one of the reasons I wanted to make the Team Valkyrie- great name again I love it. And Lucy with the Thunder God Tribe gives me chills all the time. I love overprotective brother Laxus as much as I love overprotective brother Gajeel, and Freed and Bickslow- even Evergreen when she loosens up- will love Lucy. It'll all be great!
As always, you guys are the best of all time and I love you all.
Thanks for almost seven thousand views and almost ninety reviews!