The bright glow of each aura of the original six Dragon Slayers illuminated the area around them all. Each one stood as a beacon against the massive pillar of power between them in form of Acnologia, who'd taken on a whole new level of power.

At last, everything had gone still. Acnologia's nonchalant expression completely vanished in the face of his new enemies, and his newfound realization that he was no longer invincible.

His power ebbed through Kai's body, yearning for the boy to unleash all of it at once as he once may have. But Kai kept it under control.

Maybe a while ago he would have let it all go in a furious rage. But he saw what sort of destruction that wrought on his friends and family, on those people he loved.

Acnologia wanted Kai and the others to show themselves as real dragons, but they knew better than that. Kai observed each of the Dragon Slayers as they stood stoically against Acnologia.

Natsu had learned how to be human, and how to be a leader. Gajeel learned how to be righteous. Wendy learned how to be brave and use her power. Sting and Rogue learned how to be heroes. And Kai had learned how to use his strength.

Acnologia?

Well he was about to get a different lesson entirely.

"You're still outclassed," Acnologia said. "Even in your Dragon Forces, it pales in comparison to my own. With this power I can level an entire continent."

"We'll believe it when we see it," Gajeel said, his iron scales glistening against his aura.

"You won't hurt anyone ever again," Wendy said.

"Your reign ends here," Sting said.

"Like Kai said, it's over for you," Rogue said.

"Let's finish this," Natsu said, and geared up. "Fire Dragon Sword Horn!"

He bolted at Acnologia, fire spewing out all around him. Acnologia spun with inhuman speed toward Natsu and blocked the attack, not at the expense of his own footing.

Gajeel followed Natsu immediately, landing a solid blow across Acnologia's chest but the Dragon did not take the attack lightly and kicked Gajeel away.

Acnologia leapt into the air after suppressing Natsu's attack. Kai and Wendy launched at him together, with Wendy manipulating the winds to propel Kai even faster.

Kai and Acnologia's fists collided and locked up.

"This is the power our dragons saw in us!" Kai shouted. "The power to defeat you!"

"Sky Dragon Wing Attack!"

Kai kicked off of Acnologia but was still leapt up in a bit of Wendy's attack as she flew in and slammed into Acnologia. Her power, unfortunately, still could not meet his own and he blew through it, lurching forward and slamming an attack of his own into Wendy, sending her hurtling down.

Kai flipped end-over-end and dodged more of Acnologia's beam attacks that decimated the battlefield.

Sting and Rogue propelled into the air together to meet Acnologia but he knocked them back down.

"The problem isn't that we can't do damage," Gajeel muttered. "It's just getting a good hit on him."

"That's the plan!" Natsu exclaimed as Acnologia landed, and charged the Apocalypse Dragon. He berated Acnologia with a plume of fire that Gajeel also backed up with two strong iron attacks that seemingly landed against the Apocalypse Dragon.

Gajeel roared in pain, though, as his arms bent. Acnologia had caught both, using his new draconic wing, and twisted them, his power at last peaking.

"So this is it," Kai muttered. "All he's got."

"It won't be enough to take us down!" Natsu roared, sliding away from Acnologia before he moved in for more attacks.

Kai followed, coming at Acnologia from the right as Natsu moved in on the left.

The Fire and Ice Dragon Slayers launched into their own assault against Acnologia, with high-speed punches and kicks that Acnologia either absorbed, blocked, or dodged outright. Fire and ice danced across the battlefield in a magnificent flare, casting steam everywhere.

Acnologia quickly adapted to using his wing as a long-range weapon to consistnyl keep one of the two at bay for a bit, mostly Kai, as Natsu had more long-range spells than Kai. If only Kai had his sword!

Kai stayed close in, watching the frustration grow on Acnologia's face as he could not push Kai away.

Gajeel's scent grew. Kai flipped away and Gajeel got a solid punch in on Acnologia's face. He didn't even bother trying to absorb it and his blood spewed into the air.

"Iron Dragon Roar!"

They at last created some separation with Acnologia as Gajeel's attack forced him back.

Sting and Rogue took advantage, knowing how to work best as a pair. Acnologia flew at them. They powered up just a bit more and cupped their hands together.

"Unison Raid! Holy Shadow Dragon's Flash Fang!"

All the light and shadow in the room momentarily vanished, blinding everyone, before it condensed into a massive orb behind Sting and one behind Rogue. Acnologia did not slow down.

The orbs condensed quickly before turning to one great ball of pure, crackling magic that they blasted point-blank against Acnologia, who could only counter with a last-second Dragon Roar.

The entire arena blew apart, casting each of the Dragon Slayers back. Wendy actually had to fly back and catch Cobra and Laxus before they could go flying off the edge.

Natsu, Kai, and Gajeel landed separately on different platforms while Sting and Rogue landed, out of their Dragon Force, on what remained. They panted and heaved their chests up and down.

"We—we're not done yet!"

Sting powered up into his White Drive and Rogue followed with his Shadow Drive. Definitely not as powerful as Dragon Force, but better than nothing.

Acnologia had been blasted back against the far wall.

He slammed his fists into the crystals and absorbed more of the magic in the realm.

"You force me to draw upon this bountiful resource, how good of you," Acnologia said. "Now, here is my rebuttal to your attack!"

He blitzed at them, destroying the wall he'd been flung against and ripping through the air at an incredible speed, one that only Rogue was able to get away from as he slithered into shadow. Sting had to leap away, but was caught in the blast of Acnologia's pursuing attack.

Kai, Gajeel, and Natsu all moved in on their assault.

"Ice Dragon Talon!"

"Iron Dragon Sword!"

"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"

They converged fast on Acnologia, who threw up an even faster wall of magic that blocked most of their attacks but the force of the blows still got through and made him slide back just a bit.

Wendy came flying in and clipped him with a Sky Dragon Claw, sending Acnologia spinning.

Still, he caught himself in the air with his wing, and with a strong gust of his wing, send four slices of magic down at them all, each in pursuit of the Dragon Slayer the attack targeted.

"Ice Dragon Tundra!"

Kai swept his hands out and managed to freeze the magic itself, drawing a snarl from Acnologia.

Natsu, with light feet, bounced off of each one to gain footing in the air to attack Acnologia.

Acnologia easily dodged his attack, but could not so easily dodge the followup from Rogue, who consumed Acnologia with a Shadow Dragon Roar that, again, because it wasn't in Dragon Force, did not have the full effect, but did send him higher into the air.

That, ultimately, was rather unfortunate.

"Power of the End!" Acnologia once more cast, this time encompassing the entire area that the Dragon Slayers were on.

Kai balled a fist.

Now or never.

This spell had to work.

Kai jumped toward it, much to Wendy's cry of dismay. Kai adjust himself and summoned all of his magic into his hand.

"Ice Dragon Rage!"

The ice magic exploded out of him in a wide flash, consuming everything it could reach in ice, almost freezing the other Dragon Slayers over had they not all quickly huddled near Natsu, whose Dragon Force flames could melt through the ice.

The beam stopped dead in its tracks and froze all the way up, forming a nice pillar to Acnologia.

"Now get up there!" Kai called as he started to fall back. "Do it, now!"

Sting was down, Rogue was down, and all that remained were Fairy Tail's other three true Dragon Slayers.

At Kai's call, they flew by, Natsu and Gajeel using Kai's runway as a means of getting up there while Wendy was able to actually fly.

Acnologia tried to break it apart but Wendy distracted him with a potent spell, one that knocked him into the sky.

"You're mine!" Gajeel roared, and bounced off the pillar, flinging himself at Acnologia.

Kai landed with a nice bounce on the ground, but found he still had some magic left, even in Dragon Force. His head throbbed. Pushing himself anymore would lead to a serious drop in magic power, and likely kill him.

He balled a fist.

No.

Not today.

Gajeel and Acnologia clashed, a powerful gust of wind forming from their collision, but Acnologia ultimately won over. However, he could not stop the supernova that was Natsu Dragneel, who came flying in with the power of a sun behind him.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!"

Acnologia tried but was not fast enough to dodge the attack that ultimately blasted him back toward the ground Kai was on. His fall created a massive crater in the ground that Kai instantly took advantage of.

He sprinted over while Acnologia tried to recover and landed a flying knee straight to Acnologia's head. Acnologia roared and caught Kai's subsequent punch, the two landing and stopping one another in the ground.

A bubble of magic power formed around them.

Kai's head ached and all of the muscles in his body screamed for him to stop, but the power surged on.

He pushed forward, and Acnologia could do nothing to hold him back. It was all too clear that Acnologia wasn't just hurt and damaged, but he was faded.

"Come on, Acnologia," Kai said. "This is all you've got?"

Acnologia roared and tried to push forward. Kai sensed the other Dragon Slayers nearby. Even Acnologia looked up at them.

All of them, even Laxus and Cobra, had gotten back up.

"No," he muttered.

"Do it, guys!" Kai shouted. "Now!" Kai let got and slammed his fist into his hand. "Ice-Make: Copy!"

"Fire Dragon Roar!"

"Iron Dragon Roar!"

"Thunder Dragon Roar!"

"Sky Dragon Roar!"

"Poison Dragon Roar!"

"White Dragon Roar!"

"Shadow Dragon Roar!"

The Ice-Make copy of Kai shattered as Kai managed to get into the air and dodge the seven beams of light that battered Acnologia. Kai couldn't even see his body move. Had he just been obliterated or something?

Kai landed behind the other Dragon Slayers, doing everything in his power just to stand.

Everyone else, especially Laxus and Cobra, dropped.

The Twin Dragon Slayers were equally spent. Everyone fell out of Dragon Force.

The dust cleared ahead of them. Kai glowered as Acnologia remained there, unmoving, but his aura was gone, and his Dragon Force had also faded.

"Impossible," he muttered.

The smoke completely faded away. Acnologia was back to his original form, without his left arm, and his head was bowed.

"Even in this place of my own domain, you…"

Kai stepped forward, hobbling.

"We beat you."

Acnologia's eyes flared. "No. And with no magic to help you, you will not escape me any longer!"

He slammed his hand on the ground and the entire dimension shook before it began to collapse in on itself. Acnologia stood straight.

"You have defeated this form," Acnologia acknowledged. "But I still have my physical form, and none of your allies can absorb my magic! I shall obliterate you all!"

Kai and the others fell back as the dimension continued to close in around them.

"Perish with them," Acnologia said, and the entire realm flared before Kai's vision faded, and at once, he knew he was falling.

But he was with the others, and they all dropped toward what appeared to be the remains of a town in complete ruin.

Magnolia.

Kai and the others braced themselves as they careened into the ground, tumbling through ruin before at last coming to a stop.

This realm definitely had a different scent and overall sense of it. He clasped some ruin and pulled himself to his feet. His shirt tore away, revealing the little bulb of Everice he held around his neck.

A shadow flew by overhead.

The skies remained red as before, but now several pillars of smoke and huge plumes of fire shot up everywhere.

Indeed, this looked like the Apocalypse.

Still, the dragon flinched as someone struck it in the side and Acnologia flicked that person away.

Gildarts, still fighting.

The other Dragon Slayers remained down, save for Natsu, Gajeel, and Wendy.

"We have to get over there," Kai said. He held his hand out and his sword appeared in hand. He smiled and absorbed some of the Ice Magic within it.

"Wendy, do you have any magic left?" Natsu asked.

"Maybe enough for a small Enchantment," she muttered. "But I'm…I can barely stand, Natsu."

Gajeel patted her head and sighed. "What the hell can we do? Half of us are done for already."

Kai braced himself against some rubble. "We just…we need to carry on somehow."

"Maybe I can Enchant someone with our magic," Wendy said. "Someone that can have Acnologia's magic, then, and they can hurt him."

"No…it has to be one of us," Natsu said, struggling to stay standing. "It has to be a Dragon Slayer."

Acnologia roared in the distance and more smoke and fire exploded into the red sky. People screamed in the distance.

Everyone had to be safe.

"We're the only ones left," Kai said.

The air shimmered next to him, and several scents, at once, came to him before their respective persons appeared, with Ultear at the front: Erza, Lucy, Gray, Levy, and Carla.

Tears streamed down Wendy's face as Carla sprinted into her arms. Natsu and Gajeel fell against Lucy and Levy respectively, while Erza helped Kai stay standing.

Each of the Fairy Tail wizards appeared not only beaten up but quite defeated, save for Erza, who remained tall.

"Acnologia's destroyed everything," Gray said. "Gildarts, Jellal, and Iggy are doing their best to hold him off. Some of the Wizard Saints are helping out, too, but, that's mostly to keep people safe. We're getting everyone we can into the tunnels where the Fairy Heart used to be."

Kai nodded. Ultear stepped forward.

"We were hoping that you all returning would be a good sign, but…it looks like you're basically in the same state as the rest of us."

"Not necessarily," Kai said.

"We managed to absorb Acnologia's magic into our own," Wendy said. "Our magic hurts him."

"But…" Gajeel shook his head. "What the hell can we do?"

Levy squeezed Gajeel tight. "I'm sorry. I would conjure you guys up some magic but…I'm spent, too. After all the fighting against Alvarez and helping people escape, I have no magic."

"None of us do," Carla muttered.

Erza bowed her head against Kai. "We won't give up."

Kai nodded, and felt something cold touch his chest.

The Everice.

He squeezed it with his hand, and something pulsed from within. A cold, a sheer cold, that Kai only ever sensed from Kairi. It was a powerful cold, too.

Kairi's words echoed in Kai's mind: "It is my final gift to you, Kai. May you use it well, and when the time is right."

The Ice Dragon Slayer snapped the Everice off his necklace and squeezed his hand around it.

An aura exploded around him, one crackling with light. Kai's dragon scales appeared around him once more, activating Dragon Force as his power replenished.

Kai's sword even glowed a bright blue color.

"Wendy, can you use Erza's magic to enchant the sword with her Ice Empress Armor?"

"I—I think so."

Erza stepped back, holding out her hand, only having enough magic to Requip a single weapon. Kai held his sword out. Wendy gripped both and her pink aura appeared over both.

"Is Irene safe?" Kai asked.

"She's still unconscious and down below," Erza said.

"Good. He'll be looking for her if he thinks we're out of the game."

"We're not, though, are we?" Gray asked, a small smirk creeping up on his lips.

Kai shook his head. "Not as long as I draw breath."

"Kai, you can't seriously think you're going to fight him alone." Lucy stepped forward. "You—you know where that road goes."

"The Dragon Slayers together managed to beat Acnologia in one round," Kai said, and held out a hand. Icy scales grew along his arm. He glanced down at the sword, the very one infused now with Erza's power. "Now it's my turn, but I'm holding the power of everyone I love in my heart. How the hell am I going to lose?"

"Kai…" Erza caught his gaze. Her soft brown eyes gave him pause. She nodded. "Finish this."

Kai smiled. "Be right back, everyone."

Acnologia's shadow passed by overhead once more. Kai's aura flashed before he blasted into the sky, two Dragon Wings forming on his back.

He gusted them and caught more speed. Acnologia spun around, still barreling forward. He batted an attack from below aside.

"What's this? Still drawing breath, nephew? Have you come for a more personal—"

"Ice Dragon Storm!"

Kai flashed his blade forward and the blizzard consumed the sky, turning the clouds from red to gray, as the storm hit Acnologia, freezing his wings for a moment.

The monstrous dragon form broke free and changed trajectory toward Kai, who flew away from civilians, able to outrun Acnologia.

"I can sense it. You bear Kairi's magic now, don't you? And you think that will be enough?"

"Not just her magic!" Kai shouted, and cut himself off, spinning around to face Acnologia, who dwarfed him. Acnologia bore down on Kai, who remained still, patient.

Calm.

Just as Kairi taught him.

"I carry the hope of everyone who has fallen to you, who has faced you, and how never has to fear you ever again!" Kai shouted. "I carry the power of the one who is going to defeat you! Frozen Sword Formation: Fifth Layer Furios Frost!"

The magic circles that formed before Kai, and in between he and Acnologia, were far larger than any that Kai had ever seen before, and carried with them odd markings and inscriptions in them: those of an era long gone.

Those that Kairi would have used.

Kai smiled as the beam launched from Kai's sword and blasted Acnologia back even further. Still, it was not without consequence, as Acnologia managed to swipe Kai down, shattering his wings.

Kai spun around and regrew his wings.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Ice Dragon Takeover!"

Ice completely coated his body as gales of icy wind flew away form him. His wings expanded, as did the talons on his body, and a draconic skull came over him.

Acnologia's eyes flared. "No. What are…what are you doing?"

His power surged as he flew down at Kai, who matched him in speed…and power.

Kai punched up and their fists collided, then did so again, then both launched powerful Dragon Roars at one another that canceled out and sent the other flying away.

Kai swooped around, blasting across the sky in the form of an Ice Dragon right at Acnologia, who recovered just as fast and blasted at Kai, who dodged over the spell, freezing it over, and clawed Acnologia across the face.

Acnologia spun around with his tail and crushed Kai into the ground before following it up with a hard Dragon Roar that burrowed Kai even more.

Still, Kai did not give up, shooting out of the crater, still with his wings but a smaller body.

He spiralled around Acnologia, holding his blade aloft, prepared to cast a spell but Acnologia blasted magic around him, sending several purple beams at Kai that could finish him.

Kai swung at one, deflecting it into the path of another, and the third came right for him.

"Ice Dragon Twister!"

The sword swipe and ensuing spell blocked the magic.

Acnologia's massive maw came right at Kai, the body casting shadow and darkness over the sky itself, but Kai did not back down.

Instead, he propelled up, delivering a hard uppercut beneath Acnologia's jaw, sending the dragon higher into the air. Kai flipped around and kicked Acnologia hard in the face, then, cast,

"Ice Dragon Tundra!"

Acnologia just managed to dodge it, though one of his wings did freeze.

Kai's heart beat, his head throbbed, but with every fiber of his being, he did not relent or give up or slow down. He had to finish this hear.

He heard the cries of everyone behind him. They were not of fear or sadness, but of joy, and hope that Kai would defend them.

Kai stood alone on the battlefield, but had everyone supporting him still. He recognized their voices, he used their strength to stand against Acnologia, who prepared yet another attack.

"This is it, everyone," he muttered, and adjusted the grip on his sword before also flying at Acnologia, bellowing a roar heard across Ishgar as Acnologia charged at him as well.

The two collided, black and blue sparks flying everywhere. Kai surged forward, using the power of the Everice in his magic circuits to push him forward, and at last knock Acnologia back. He followed it up with a powerful punch to the gut, one that froze Acnologia's chest.

Acnologia blasted at him with a Dragon Roar that shot Kai back, but did not kill him.

He only had enough for two last spells. And he knew just what they needed to be.

Kai flew into the sky once more, swirling around Acnologia. The dragon tried to catch him, and Kai saw his moment. He swiped around Acnologia and, using his much smaller size, managed to cut back and slice up with his sword, completely cutting off Acnologia's wing. Blood sprayed into the air and raised down below. Acnologia roared.

"Ice Dragon Tundra!"

Acnologia, in too much pain, could not move, and was completely frozen by Kai's attack. Kai kicked him away with all the strength he had left in his legs, then followed after Acnologia as the frozen dragon careened toward the ground.

On his way, as he held his sword aloft, he passed several people: those that had fallen to get him there: Zirconis. Meredy. Master Makarov.

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art!"

Then came his friends. Sting. Rogue. Cobra. Jellal. Ultear.

"Kingslayer!"

His family. Natsu. Gray. Juvia. Lucy. Happy. Iggy. Wendy. Carla. Cana. Elfman. Jet. Droy. Levy. Lily. Gildarts. Laxus.

"Everice!"

He swung his blade, and next to him, he saw those that gave him the strength to at last fly above Acnologia: Erza and Kairi.

Kairi's spirit burst forth from Kai, from the very visage he bore, and surged at Acnologia as the spell propelled forward from the blade and obliterated him, freezing over the entire area.

Acnologia let out one last gasp and slammed into the ground.

Kai tumbled down into the crater after him, crashing against the ice and sliding down just short of what had once been a dragon, but was now reduced to a man.

Acnologia's human form lay defeated and broken against the far frozen dirt. Kai lay face-down against the ice, but with trembling arms, managed to push himself to his knees. His sword, though, had been stabbed into the ground between them, likely from the force of the fall.

Kai sighed and saw his breathe.

He had nothing left in the tank. No more magic. He'd probably suffer a serious bout of magic deficiency disease, if he ever recovered from an attack like that.

Acnologia, though?

He couldn't even more. He could only open his eyes and glare at Kai.

"This…"

"You're done," Kai said, struggling even to get the words out. With his final burst of strength he pushed himself to his feet. "Dragon King no more."

"By you? Kairi's…little pet?"

"I'm not her pet. I was her child. And I did exactly what I set out to do."

Kai summoned his sword to his side and used it as a crutch to stay standing.

"Then I die knowing that you have fulfilled everything, and you will lead a life now of nothing," Acnologia said. "Indeed, all you wanted in the end was vengeance."

"You're wrong." Kai shook his head.

The clouds broke free of the red and gray sky overhead, revealing a brilliant and untarnished blue. It beamed down on both of them, though where Acnologia lay remained cast in shadow.

"I finished what I set out to do for Kairi," Kai said. "But along the way I gained something more than I could've ever imagined: I gained a family. Now? I need to live for them, and protect them. Maybe I don't always need to fight with them, but I need to fight for them."

He gripped the hilt of his sword.

"You are nothing without the power you've used."

"I'm everything because of who gifted me that power. And I'll continue to grow, to learn, and to show the world that your legacy isn't that of destruction, uncle." Kai stared Acnologia right in his fading eyes. "It's that of bonds, and showing what their power can overcome."

Acnologia writhed, still suffering.

"How…pathetic."

"I know. Look at you."

Kai plucked the sword out and watched as Acnologia's eyes closed, his face still in pain, as his body broken apart into tiny bits of ethernano, fading into the void, his essence completely destroyed.

Kai opened his hand and the sword faded away into its own tiny dimension. He smiled as the sun shone down on him.

He raised a single hand, the icy scales no longer there.

"Did you watch, mom?" Kai smiled at the sky. "It's over. I did it."

He shut his eyes and fell back, but could've sworn he felt a familiar talon catch him on his way down, and equally familiar voice mutter,

"Well done."


PHEW!

That's a wrap on the Alvarez Empire arc...and almost the story as a whole!

Just one more chapter to go, and then it's all over. What a crazy ride this has been!