Natsu of the Dragons
Chapter Fourteen: Two Weary Warriors
Dragons surrounded Natsu and Lucy as the tried to fight their way after Jude and Acnologia. They tried flying with Happy over the hoard of dragons but the riders got in the way by throwing their weapons towards Happy's wings.
"This isn't working!" Natsu yelled. "At this rate we'll be out of magic before we get to Acnologia!"
Natsu, Lucy! DUCK!
Natsu looked back and saw his father getting ready to release fire. Natsu pulled Lucy down to the ground with his body covering hers from the flames. A wave of fire went over the two Slayers and burnt plenty of the dragons and their riders. Natsu got off Lucy and pulled her up and along.
"Thanks Dad!" he yelled.
BE CAREFUL YOU TWO! Igneel yelled as he watched the two Slayers run after the dark dragon.
IGNEEL! BEHIND YOU! he heard someone yell.
The fire dragon turned and saw a dragon with a rider coming towards him. He didn't have time to react and there wasn't space for him to attack them with his tail. Igneel was waiting to take the blow. But it never came. The dragon heard a shrill scream and roar coming from the oncoming attackers. A golden blast blasted the attackers into another feral dragon.
Igneel looked and saw a blue-haired woman in a worn-down dress. Her eyes were blank but Igneel could still see a spark of anger and determination in the brown orbs. Igneel smiled.
There you are Celeste.
The woman smiled. "Missed me Igneel?"
Come to join the party?
Celeste's smile grew larger. A golden light appeared around her as her body grew. Her skin turned into golden scales and her head elongated into a dragon's head. A roar escaped her as her spread out her white wings, making the golden light disperse. Her brown eyes were still dull. Wouldn't miss it for the world.
The other dragons were fighting together as a pair or a team. The Twins were fighting with their combination attacks. Juvia and Gray were performing Unison Raids. Gajeel was next to Levy, watching her back as she fought. Wendy healed dragons in need of medical attention while Mira and Lisanna made sure that no one would interrupt her in their Take-Over forms. Elfman was fighting next to his sisters. Laxus and his father were back-to-back in a group of dragons. Metalicana was swinging his metal tail around, knocking humans down. Ur was freezing the ground the dragons were on before Igneel and Celeste came up behind and blasted them away. Grandeeney used her ability over the air to blow the enemies away.
Erza and Jellal were fighting in a corner together. Erza was out of her dragon form and holding swords in her human one. Jellal was in his golden dragon form. Erza slashed at the dragons in her range while Jellal swung his claws at them and bit at them.
Hey Erza.
"What Jellal?!" Erza yelled, slashing a rider down from its dragon and stabbing the dragon in the process. Jellal flinched; remind him not to piss Erza off whenever she has a sword in reach.
I was thinking about something. After all this is done.
"What could that be? I'm not even sure if we'll make it out alive to be thinking about something that could possibly happen after!"
Marry me?
Erza's brown eyes widened as she looked back to stare to the golden dragon. She couldn't be bothered with the riders incoming. She just replayed the words Jellal just said. Jellal shook his head at the female's obliviousness. He curled his tail around Erza before flicking it. The riders were thrown away to another part of the forest. He turned back to see Erza looking down his an obvious blush on her cheeks before she turned away. Jellal watched her grip tightened on the swords before he saw her scarlet head move up and down.
"Yes."
Jellal smiled before poking his nose on her back. Erza just smiled before going back to fight.
{Line Skip}
Igneel's fire wasn't enough to let Lucy and Natsu get passed the entire hoard of dragons. They didn't realize how many dragons Jude had at his disposal. They managed to defeat the rest of the hoard. But their magic levels were low.
Natsu spat out some spit to the side. He and Lucy were getting tired. And there was no way that fire would just fall from the sky. (He looked up, hoping that prayer would send fire down from the heavens…Nope, nothing.) And the stars weren't out. Lucy wouldn't be able to regain her energy either.
Lucy heaved. She didn't know how many more dragons were out there. And if there were still any, she felt that Natsu and she won't make it. They were running low on magic. Lucy wasn't even sure if she could call on her spirits to help them with the low amount of energy she has left.
"You think~huff~that's the last of them?" she asked him.
Natsu made a motion that looked like a shrug. "Don't know Luce. We have to keep going though," he said, looking forward. "Everyone else is counting on us."
"I know, but…" Lucy stopped and stared to the ground. Natsu looked back to Lucy. She was trembling; he could hear her teeth chattering against each other. He walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"What is it Luce?"
"What if it's not enough Natsu? What if we're not enough?"
Natsu chuckled at the girl's insecurities. It was very much like Lucy to doubt herself in the heat of a battle. She's done it plenty of times when she trained with him and the dragons over the two weeks she's been with them. It turned out okay in the end though.
"We will be enough Lucy," Natsu said, moving on of his hands to her head and bringing her forehead to rest against his. "I'm sure of it."
"How can you be sure?"
Lucy snapped her head away from Natsu and looked to where the voice was coming from. She smelled the air; death and blood. The dark dragon emerged from the shadows with Jude not far behind. Natsu went into protective mode, pushing Lucy behind him and growling.
"Let's make this quick, shall we?" Jude asked. "I wish to concur this island by night. If possible Acnologia."
Acnologia smirked before nodding. "Let's play Chosen Slayers."
A black aura appeared around Acnologia's feet. It covered him and grew into a form of a dragon. When Acnologia spread his wings out, the black aura dispersed. The scales on its body were black like shadows. The wings had small burnt holes on the edges. There were scars on his grey underbelly. His red eyes seemed to pierce through Lucy's soul.
She backed away, remembering that night eight years ago. When a black ferocious dragon attacked her mother. The memory flashed through her teary eyes…
The skies were dark.
Like they are at that moment.
Lucy's mother, Layla, had Lucy hide behind trees.
Lucy was against a tree that moment.
Blood, Layla's blood, Lucy's MOTHER'S, blood was spilt.
Blood was going to be soon.
Layla looked back to Lucy with a heart warming smile on her beautiful face.
Natsu looked back at Lucy with worry in his onyx eyes.
Layla said 'Everything's going to be alright, I promise Love.'
Natsu said 'I'm right here for you. I promise Luce.'
That's when the black dragon slammed its tail into Layla's side…Killing her.
Lucy's brown eyes widened as Natsu turned around.
"Lucy, don't worry," Natsu said. "I'm here for you."
Acnologia lifted his lips, revealing his sharp teeth. The dark dragon lifted his tail up behind the male Slayer. He started speaking in the forgotten dragon speech that Lucy could understand: You remember this, don't you?
"NO!" Lucy screamed as she ran to Natsu.
"LUCY?!"
The girl pushed Natsu out of Acnologia's tail. She collided with it instead, reliving her mother's last moment as she slammed into a tree.
Will I die? Lucy thought.
"LUCY!" Natsu yelled as he ran over to her. She had cuts on her arms and legs and a small gash on her head. But nothing too much. Considering that hit.
Lucy looked up slowly to Natsu's eyes. "Natsu…" she whispered. "I thought…you were going to die when he hit you with his tail…Just like Mama."
"You idiot Luce," he mumbled, helping her sit up. "And you're the smart one." Lucy smiled. "I'm not gonna leave you just yet. Now, let's go kick some dragon ass!"
Lucy nodded s she smiled. "Yeah!"
{Line Skip}
"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!" Natsu yelled as he slammed his fiery fist against Acnologia's skull. But it did no damage. "DAMMIT! LUCY!"
Lucy was on the ground, kneeling on her good leg. She spat out some blood before getting to her feet. "Got it!" She grabbed her keys. No or never you guys! She grabbed one before putting it up into the air. A blue magic circle appeared at her feet.
"Open, Gate to the Lion, Leo!" she yelled. A beam of light appeared on the magic circle. A man in a tidy suit took the beam's place. He had orange hair and his eyes were behind a pair of square glasses. "Loke!"
"You called Princess?" Loke asked.
The celestial Dragon Slayer pointed to where Natsu was. "Help Natsu please!"
Loke pushed his glasses back. "Of course."
"I'll put more support on the ground for you two!"
"Understood." Loke jumped into the air, where Natsu was. "Hey there Stranger."
"Loke…You should be-"
"Lucy has other spirits. You should be worried about yourself right now," the spirit said.
He was right. Natsu was drenched in blood, his blood and maybe some of Lucy's too. It nearly made her go ballistic on Acnologia but the male Slayer managed to calm her enough to fight rationally. His clothes were ripped. There were cuts and bruises covering his body. He wasn't in good shape, but as he looked down to Lucy on the ground, she was in worst conditions than him.
Blood stained her once bright hair. She had a nasty looking bruise on her neck. Cuts were covering her body more than her clothes were. She was heaving, out of breath and out of magic. Natsu worried about how much longer Lucy could go on. Even with drawing up the last bit of her magic to summon her energy consuming spirits, she was pushing well passed her limit. He was beginning to regret putting her on the ground and leaving Acnologia's balance on his large legs to her.
"Right…"
Lucy grabbed two more keys. She was barely breathing now. Loke, being one of her strongest spirits (the leader of the Zodiacs), had already taken up a large chunk of her magic. But, she had a job to do. She was a Fairy Tail mage; We never leave the job undone.
She held the two keys in the air as two magic circles appeared. "Open, Gate to the Maiden! Open, Gate to the Scorpion!" Beams of light emerged from the magic circles. "Virgo! Scorpio!"
From the first beam of light emerged a young girl with pink hair and bright blue eyes wearing a maid outfit. She had chained on her wrists. From the second beam of light emerged a tall tanned man with half of his hair white with the other red. He has a gun-like tail attached to him. He wore pea beige pea coat. He held up his hands with his middle and ring fingers down.
"Time for punishment, Princess?" the girl asked.
"We are!" the man yelled.
"Virgo, Scorpio, we need to bring that dragon down somehow!" Lucy yelled as she pointed to Acnologia's legs. Virgo, make the ground beneath him unstable with tunnels. Let me know when you do."
"Understood!" the maid said before digging into the ground and disappearing into the dirt.
"Scorpio, use Sand Buster in the tunnels on my signal!"
"Alright! We are!"
"Princess, the tunnels are finished!"
"That was fast," Lucy said. "Scorpio, now!"
"WE ARE! SAND BUSTER!" the scorpion yelled. He placed his tail into the entrance of the tunnels and released the blast of sand.
Lucy looked and saw that the blast was causing the tunnels underneath Acnologia's feet to collapse, making his footing unbalanced. An advantage to Natsu and Loke.
"Good job you two," Lucy praised her spirits.
Virgo bowed; "Is it time for punishment Princess?"
Lucy sighed before she staggered to the ground on her knees. Damn…I'm using too much magic. Natsu… The girl looked up to the sky, watching flames dance with light against the dark dragon. Hurry…I don't think I can hold Loke out much longer.
Natsu watched as Acnologia was thrown off balance. He looked down to watch Lucy. "Good job Luce-" His eyes widened as he watched Acnologia's tail swing out of control. It was about to hit Lucy. "LUCY!"
Lucy heard Natsu call her name and looked around. She watched as Acnologia's black tail was about to hit her. She couldn't move and her spirits were out of range to pull her out of the way. She closed her eyes before calling out another spirit. One of her most faithful ones.
"CAPRICORN!"
A gust of passed her and she opened her eyes. Noticing that the tail was behind her and that she was in someone's arms. She looked up and saw a goat man with pale fur and his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. He wore a twin-tailed butler suit.
"Lucy-sama," the goat man said. "Please be more careful and take more attention to your surroundings, Miss."
"Capricorn, thank you."
Natsu from above sighed. Thanks Capricorn. Natsu noticed another thing. "Loke, Lucy has four spirits out."
The ginger spirit looked down and saw three of his fellow spirits. "Lucy better not bring out any others. She's pushing her limit."
Natsu nodded. Lucy, don't go out on me just yet. I still need you for this.
"Capricorn, help Natsu and Loke."
"Lucy-sama-"
"They need your help more than I do right now. I've got Scorpio and Virgo. I'll be fine," Lucy said with a smile.
Capricorn wouldn't have gone away from his mistress' side. He was one of her most loyal spirits and he wouldn't want her to get hurt in a painful way. But, as ordered to, he left her side to help the other Dragon Slayer.
"Thank you Capricorn," Lucy whispered.
"Stay safe Lucy-sama."
"Princess, is it punishment time?" Virgo asked.
"It's punishment time for Acnologia Virgo," Lucy said, getting out her whip. "You two ready for some dragon slaying?"
"WE ARE!" Scorpio yelled.
"That's what I like to hear Scorpio."
It lasted for two whole hours. Lucy and Natsu were surprised how long she could keep out the Lion and the Goat for. Virgo and Scorpio eventually vanished back into the Spirit World, not wanting to waste Lucy's magic any further. The last two spirits were worried about Lucy though. She was barely staying conscience and was not only running low on magic, but on life energy as well. Natsu barely had any magic left but Lucy was getting the blunt of it all.
Lucy… Natsu thought.
Lucy staggered on her feet while leaning against a tree for support. She stared at where Natsu's fire, Loke's Regulus, and Capricorn's melee attacks weren't affecting Acnologia. She grinded her teeth together.
This isn't working. She closed her eyes. I can't just sit in the sidelines waiting for Natsu and my spirits to get hurt. This fight with Acnologia isn't going anywhere if I don't go in.
Lucy stood up on her own before limping towards the dragon. Natsu stared down at her when he got a chance.
"What is she doing?!" he yelled.
Capricorn looked down and saw Lucy with a look of determination on her face. "She's joining the fight."
"What?!" Loke yelled. "She can't! She's on the brink of-"
"Loke! Capricorn! Close your gates!"
"Lucy-sama…" the goat man said.
"You can't be serious Lucy!" Loke yelled. "You're in not condition to fight Acnologia!"
"Luce, listen to your spirits. They know what they're talking about," Natsu said.
"Natsu, Loke, Capricorn; the fight won't go anywhere but in Acnologia's favour if I don't fight as a Dragon Slayer, not a celestial mage."
Natsu looked dark; "I don't want you to die Luce."
Lucy smiled; "I won't Natsu." Not as long as you're by my side.
Natsu sighed; no use in fighting her. She was going to protect everyone. Including himself and her spirits, even if they went against her.
"Alright."
"Please stay safe Lucy-sama," Capricorn said as he dissolved into light.
"Lucy…" Loke said as he began to dissolve.
"I'll be fine Loke. I'm a Fairy Tail mage, remember? We never give up."
Loke nodded. "Yeah," he said, before he completely dissolved.
"Let's go Natsu," Lucy said.
"Yeah."
Lucy managed to muster up some of her remaining strength to jump up to Natsu's level. He smiled at her when she reached him. They were ready to attack but they were cornered. Acnologia's teeth were directly in front of them and he roared loudly, causing the two Dragon Slayers to lose their balance in the air. Acnologia gave a chuckled from the back of his throat before taking his tail and slamming it against Lucy.
"LUCY!" Natsu yelled.
She crashed into another tree. This time, unable to move at all. She looked up to Natsu. Blood streamed down her face as tears flooded her brown eyes.
"Natsu…" she said in a bare whisper.
Your turn Boy, Acnologia said with a smirk.
Lucy widened her eyes as she watched Natsu's body collide into Acnologia's tail. Just like her mother.
Blood…
So much blood…
And Lucy couldn't do anything about it…
"NO!" Lucy screamed as Natsu's body crashed into a tree across from her. She tried to move, but couldn't. Her body was aching in pain. "NO!"
Natsu was aching all over. Blood was definitely pouring out of his back. He was missing his jacket and shoes; leaving him in his pants and father's scarf. He looked across from him with his almost blurry vision. A blur of blonde was across from him.
Lucy… Natsu grinned. Even at a time like this. He grinned, because he wanted Lucy to know that he was going to be okay. That they were going to be okay.
"Natsu…" she whispered.
"I'm right here Lucy," he said. The fire Dragon Slayer looked around. "Hey Luce? This is where~ugh~we first met? Remember?"
Lucy looked around. It was the clearing where she fought Gajeel, the Twins, and Natsu. The first time meeting Natsu. Where she would meet up with Natsu and Happy and the others these past two weeks. Where everything began; with a kick to the side. She smiled at the memory of beating Gajeel.
"Yeah…It is, isn't it."
"How touching," Jude said as he rode on Acnologia's back. "Kill them before they regain their strength Acnologia. Without them in the picture, we'll be able to capture the rest of the village."
"The village!" Natsu choked out.
"Damn…" Lucy said. She watched as Natsu tried to get up in vain. He always fell down. "Oh Natsu."
Natsu looked back to Acnologia and watched him prepare an attack. A fatal one for him and Lucy. He looked back to Lucy with wide eyes. She was smiling to him. One of her special, warm smiles. The one he loved the most.
"Lucy…"
"Natsu…"
We'll be okay. We have each other, they thought as they closed their eyes. Accepting that they weren't going to make it alive. The two weary warriors had their fate closed. Nothing was going to change that.
They heard Acnologia's roar, but it never came.
Lucy opened her eyes and saw a worn-out Jellal and Celeste in their golden dragon forms. She looked to Acnologia, a couple of large metallic dragons, a black dragon, and brilliant yellow dragon were pushing against Acnologia with all their might.
"Metalicana! Gajeel!" she yelled. "Sting! Rogue! They came…
"Igneel!" Natsu yelled. He looked up to see the great fire dragon standing before him. "You came!"
Igneel gave his son a throaty chuckle. Of course Natsu. Why would I miss my son's greatest battle yet?
Natsu laughed but stopped because of the pain. Grandeeney, in her human form, went over to him as Wendy went to Lucy.
"We're out of magic Dad," Natsu said. "We can't do much right now."
Igneel looked down before turning to Jellal. He nodded,
Before you go into battle, we have to give you something Lucy, Jellal said.
Celeste and Jellal turned into their human forms before placing their hands in front of their chests. A golden light with stars floating around in it. It was their magic. Igneel turned into a human on the other side of the clearing. He made a fire pop into his hands.
"Celeste…Jellal…"
"Take it Child," Celeste said. "You need it more than my son and I do."
"You need it to finish Acnologia off Lucy," Jellal said. "No one else can do it but you two Dragon Slayers."
"You need to take it Natsu," Igneel said.
"I won't take it Dad. That's your fire," Natsu said stubbornly.
"Natsu…" Igneel sighed. "You need to take it to replenish your lost magic. And you need to do it now before the others lose their grip on Acnologia. Think about the other dragons Son…Think about your family."
Natsu looked back to the others that had gathered in the clearing. Everyone had wounds on them and were essentially covered in blood. Erza was leaning against a sword. Juvia was holding Gray up as he grinned to Natsu. He saw Ur there with her other two kids, Ultear and Lyon. Happy was there with his exceed panther pack. Mira was holding Elfman against her. Laxus held a beaten up Makarov. Lisanna and Levy were leaning against each other. Everyone was there. He couldn't disappoint them and let them get captured if he didn't continue to fight with Acnologia, right?
He looked across the clearing to Lucy. She grinned and nodded. There was a light of determination in her brown eyes again and Natsu couldn't get enough of it. He nodded back before turning to Igneel. Grandeeney moved away from Natsu, finished healing him just as Wendy wished Lucy luck as she backed away from the female Dragon Slayer.
They both reached out to the dragons' magical energy before bring it to their mouths. "It's time to eat!" the two Slayers yelled before devouring the magic.
The two got up and walked over to each other. Powerful auras formed around them. Natsu was still eating his father's fire. Lucy was wiping her mouth clear of golden spots with a grin playing on her lips. Lucy ripped out the ribbon in her hair before letting it go into the wind.
"Why'd ya do that Luce?" Natsu asked with his mouth full of fire.
"It'll get in my way Natsu," Lucy answered as she looked up to him.
Natsu shoved the last part of Igneel's fire into his mouth before burping into his scarf. "Thanks for the meal Old Man."
"Ready Natsu?" Luce asked as her hand lit up with gold light with stars swimming around in it and her other running through her golden locks.
Natsu cracked his fists before they lit on fire. "Oh yeah."
"Let's start some shit up then."
Natsu grinned his all too familiar grin, showing off his sharp canines.
I'm all fired up!