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Chapter 3: Remnants of Time
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Continent of Ishgar, Pergande Kingdom, Capital of Hercules, 5 Years Ago
"Hold on, hold on, stop. . .stop." Natsu held his chest, blood dripping from his hair down to his chin. "Why are you doing this. . ." He was kicked back onto the ground, chewing some of the dirt that picked up as he tried to regain his breath. His eyes were barely held open by his willpower.
"Piece of shit. Trying to steal from the Herculean Knights. Where are yer' from, outsider. That tann'd skin of yers' ain't from 'ere. I don't take kindly to colored fucks from the West." The man kicked the middle of Natsu's back, holding him on the ground with his foot.
"Please, I just need a small bit of Magic to kickstart my body, otherwise I will die soon. . .I don't know how I'm alive but I don't have much time left. . .please."
"Yer' ain't gett'n shit from me! Die for fuck sakes!" The man donned platinum-plated armor and held a large spear in his hands. In the center of the blade it held a small Lacrima—crystallized Magic used to power tools and weapons.
He readied the spear over his head, the other knights around them blocking what was going on from the view of the citizens that had crowded to see the commotion. Shops made of a combination of steel beams and supports and concrete block structure adorned the area. The floor was all filled in with concrete, save for the flowerbed that was fatally chosen to be Natsu's execution grounds.
"Fuckin' Westerner!" He sunk the blade down with all his might.
"Hear me, O' King of Light, the Morning Star and the Original Sinner. Use my body as a vessel to do Your Majesty's bidding. I call upon thee, Lucifer!" Light flooded the capital square instants before the blade could reach Natsu's skin. The man who had been standing on him only moments before had disappeared. A permanent shadow was left in his place.
Natsu's hair had turned a semi-bleached blonde color. His eyes had also changed color, now two swirling pools of scarlet red. Red, feathered wings sprouted out of his back where the shoulder blades would originally be. The whole of the world around him was lit up as if the sun itself had been moved closer to the Earth. The only things visible were the shadows of things and people. Except these shadows were no longer moving.
Everything around him, the whole capital, had been turned into an array of permanent shadows. There was nothing left standing. Only shadows left as proof that something had existed there in the first place.
"These humans are no better than they were millennia ago. They have unfounded hatred of even each other. All of their withered souls will make a nice memory to add to my palace. All their architecture and marvels now scriptures in my palace. Everything has become mine. I will raze the rest of this nation as well and learn all of their knowledge." He held a large, golden sword in his hands. The same foreign language that was inscribed in Azrael's spear was inscribed on the blade.
He cleaved the sword into the ground, his wings spreading majestically out behind him. Six magical circles appeared under him and in the sky, mirroring each other. They covered the whole of the Pergrande Kingdom. A nation more than twice the size of Fiore. Intricate, blood-red incantations in the same foreign language were inscribed around the edge of each magical circle. A horned animal's head was also inscribed at the epicenter of each circle in the same blood-red color.
"Sixth Circle of Hell: Leviathan!" Gargantuan snakes head made of light came out of each magical circle, their fangs bared at each of their mirrors. They all dashed out at each other, bathing the western side of the world in a golden light for an ephemeral moment. Any awake at the moment could only blame their mind for playing tricks on them after the light illuminated the world around them and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The whole kingdom had been turned into shadows.
Evaporated from existence.
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Erza woke up suddenly. She was sweating. Her mind raced about what she had just dreamt. It seemed so real and graphic. She could feel the foot on her back just like Natsu did in the dream. It didn't waver in her mind like a dream did—it stayed implanted and rocked her emotions like a memory. His memory.
She knew it ever since feeling so overwhelmed a few days ago while seeing Mirajane with Natsu. Those feelings weren't normal. Whatever manipulation magic he had used on her that first time was still in effect. She would get to the bottom of it. It didn't matter if she'd cause a commotion in the middle of the guild hall. He had clearly murdered millions and no one had held him accountable. This memory proved it.
"Damn you, Natsu."
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Mirajane couldn't get enough. Everywhere he touched he left a fire on her skin. Everytime he'd look at her she'd feel a fire raging inside her, thoughts of when he was looking into her eyes at night while he was on top of her resurfacing. Or when she was on top of him.
"Fuuuuuck." She let it out softly, making sure to look around and see if anyone had heard her. She had never gotten her desires satiated so well. No one ever had the drive or energy to meet it. No human could meet the drive of a demon. It would sap away the energy of any human as soon as it started. But with another demon, they would feed off each other and keep each other's energy going for hours and hours.
She was forced to learn simple repairing Magic to fix her house after every bout. Natsu helped too, as he learned it with her.
"Here, I brought you the piña colada you wanted." He extended his hand out to her with the drink which he had just finessed from Cana before she took down the last one left.
"And what's that you have in your other hand?"
"This is a Dragon's Delight. It comes with the fire meant to burn your mouth a little and make the alcohol really sting on the way down."
"What kind of masochistic dream is that?"
"No idea. But fire doesn't have an effect on me so I'll be able to just enjoy the illusion of a burning sensation." He took a large gulp of the drink with the part that was on fire first. He snorted a little and made a shrewd face before smiling at the glass.
"It's great!" He went to gulp down the rest. "Hold on, hold on, let me try it." Mirajane took it out of his hand and sipped it more discretely, savoring the flavors and letting the alcohol wash her throat.
"I'll taste your colada then." He took another large gulp, this time of Mirajane's.
"Don't take so much Natsu! Have some restraint." She pointed a finger at him as she swiped her drink back and gave him the Dragon's Delight again.
"For what? I can just buy more if you want more."
"That's not the point. Just learn to enjoy your food."
"You're acting like a mom Mira."
"Well I'm the guild mom so get used to it."
"If you're my mom that would make what we do back home a little. . .taboo don't you think? Even by demon standards." He smirked at her, bringing a hand to her hip and grabbing gently.
"Now now, Natsu. I told you I don't want people getting the wrong impression or knowing what we're up to. Hands off." She went to pry his hand off but he resisted. His grip on her thigh now tightened.
"I think you're getting off on the thought of people not knowing. . .you might even like if I do things here without people noticing. I'm gonna go to the bathroom right now. You're free to join me after 5 minutes if you'd like." He got up and walked over with swagger, dropping his shoulders and weight on each step he took.
The doors to the guild hall opened suddenly. "Natsu! I need to talk to you. I believe Mira should be there too." From across the guild came Erza's booming voice. All eyes turned to them and all commotion died down. They all respected and feared her at times. Titania, Queen of the Fairies was her epitaph for a reason.
Natsu's previous cool demeanor died altogether and he walked over to the entrance to the training grounds quickly. Mirajane walked over slower, her eyes fixated on Erza's. She kept shaking her head in a questioning manner at her before sighing as Erza didn't move in response.
All three walked over a little a ways from the entrance, away from prying ears.
"I know what you did in Pergrande." She coughed out the accusation and Natsu looked at her blankly.
"What?" She narrowed her eyes and a sword materialized with its blade near his neck.
"Erza—" Mirajane stepped in and put her hand on the blade between it and Natsu.
"Pergrande Kingdom. I had a dream—no, a memory—of you being there. Being kicked down to the ground before doing another of your Takeovers. This time you had red wings and white hair. I don't know if it's a side-effect of the manipulation magic you used on us but I'm sick of brushing aside your crimes. So tell me, what the hell happened in Pergrande?!"
Mirajane's grip on the blade softened, she stepped back as well. They both looked at him for an answer.
"That was where I first awoke after being possessed by the demons inside of me. I was being beaten down. I'm sure my body was awake before but that was when I finally had enough Magic inside me that my consciousness woke. Before I knew it, I was saved from the brink of death by another demon that's inside of me—Lucifer. That's who you saw." He sighed, detesting that memory.
You don't like to think about this, I can feel it when I look at you and when you talk about it. You murdered millions of people in the blink of an eye. Turned them into shadows on the ground unlike anything I've ever seen before. You can't even control yourself. How the hell can we still trust you enough to keep you here?"
"That was Lucifer saving my life. Millions of lives weren't lost that day—well they were but very little souls were. The kingdom's people had been robbed of their life forces long before I got there. He knew this. He doesn't kill indiscriminately and without a care. I wouldn't have let him." Erza whipped her wrist and the sword disappeared.
"What do you mean their life forces were robbed? A whole kingdom?"
"Yes. I don't know by who or what but I've been trying to look for the answers these past 5 years. Not just any human or lowly demon that possessed a human can do something like that on such a grand scale. Even with all their memories recorded to Lucifer's mind, I had no recollection of who did it. Only the day it occurred: July 7th x777."
"July 7th x777?!" Both Mirajane and Erza gasped.
"Yeah. . .is that date notable to you?"
"It's the day a few Dragon Slayers appeared and said their dragon parents disappeared."
"There's still Dragon Slayers around? That's awesome! I remember this one guy named Acnologia. Great guy, he loved helping people and was at the forefront of the side of the Dragon War that strove for peace between dragons and humans." They both jolted at his words.
"Do not speak that name!"
"Acnologia?" He took a step back.
"That is no man. Maybe once, but now that thing is known as the Black Dragon recorded in the Book of Apocalypse. Him and the Black Wizard Zeref are both written about and said to one day lead to the downfall of mankind across all of Earthland." Natsu felt a small pulse inside of him when she said the name Zeref.
"A Black Wizard? It's been centuries already. Wouldn't he be dead? I can understand Acnologia if he turned into a dragon but humans don't live so long."
"That's what some people think, but his cultist guilds, called Dark Guilds, believe him to be immortal and still somewhere out there in the world plotting his return. The same goes for Acnologia. I don't know why you're so surprised Natsu, being immortal yourself." Mirajane chuckled at him.
"I feel like I should really remember this too. . .I would've known this so-called Zeref. The only other human immortal to exist that I'd know of."
"Why is your memory so spotty, Natsu. Are these side effects of your revival? We know someone that can perform Mind Magic and look back through memories, his name is Mest he works for the Magic Counc—"
"Evil Beam!"In a flash, Mirajane interrupted Erza and let loose a torrent of darkness from between Natsu and Erza. The beam cut through a massive plant root that had sprouted of the ground and was barreling towards them.
"Re-Quip: Flame Empress Armor!"Erza was covered in a blinding light once again, revealing red and black-painted armor that covered her upper body but left her thighs and arms exposed. A flaming sword stood clasped between her hands, the same color as the armor. Her hair was done up into two ponytails.
"I don't want you getting involved in this fight, Natsu. You may cause harm to all of our guild members and this town if you lose control again." She took off as soon as the last sound waves left her voice, cratering the ground where she stood.
Natsu could only nod in agreement. Those two were extremely powerful in their own right, and together almost unmatched.
Natsu, there are more of them. There are 3 magical signatures in total. Your companions won't be able to deal with all of them.
Lucifer spoke in his mind.
A huge wave of flames enveloped his visage.
She's impressive. However. . .
His eyes widened as Erza suddenly dropped to the ground, seemingly unable to hold herself up.
"Argh! My insides. . .what is this?!"
"Stand down, Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail! We are here for the criminal Natsu Dragneel. The Magic Council has found his magic here and deemed him dangerous enough to send the Four Gods of Ishgar to take him in personally. I am Draculos Hyberion, the 2nd strongest of the Ten Wizard Saints." A pale man in a suit with his hair slicked back stood in front of Erza now, bowing his head. A blood-red cross was tattooed on his forehead.
A giant wolf standing on two legs like a human suddenly landed next to him.
"This Wolfheim, the 3rd strongest of the Ten Wizard Saints." The wolf only sniffed loudly in response, its eyes trained on Natsu.
From the ground sprouted a giant root once more on the other side of Draculos, revealing a man made of wood with Mirajane holding on to his shoulder.
"And I'm Warrod Sequen, the 4th strongest of the Ten Wizard Saints. At ease, young ones. We are simply here for this criminal you've been keeping. We don't care that you've kept him here, as I'm sure he's played the victim in need, but it is time to realize you are dealing with a criminal with a 30,000,000 Jewel price on his head and a threat so big the Council would send all three of us at once to deal with him." Draculos lifted his hand and Erza's body finally stopped tensing. Her breathing slowed instantly and she stood up slowly.
"We can't protect you now, Natsu. The truth's out." She looked back at him stone-faced. Mirajane looked at him wordlessly as well.
"What the hell's going on in my backyard?!" Makarov's voice boomed across the forest. A giant-sized version of the old man smashed through the walls of the guild hall. Magic Power poured out of him in copious amounts.
His eyes focused on Warrod and Draculos and he instantly reduced his size again. The man dropped down and kneeled before the three men.
"The Four Gods of Ishgar. . .you are here for the boy, aren't you?" He looked back up at them.
"Did you know what kind of criminal he was when you decided to harbor him, Makarov?" Draculos spoke first, leaving Warrod's words to die at the back of his throat.
"I was aware he was a criminal but he had shown mercy and the qualities unlike a criminal to my two students, Erza and Mirajane. That is why they so-vehemently protected him just now. My apologies on their behalf, I am aware it also reflects on me."
"You're a good man Makarov, we all know this, so why the hell did you harbor him or believe a word he said?"
"I am a good man and I and all of Fairy Tail believe in second chances. We wanted to keep a close eye on him and prevent any further destruction he might cause and eventually try to clear his name as he said these century-old charges are from a different Magic Council than the one we have today trying to keep him on as a mercenary. That's what we were told."
"You simply can't be so naive, old man! Are you starting to go with the old age? We should take you with him and your two students back to the Council as well so you can explain that to them!"
"Draculos, if I may. . .Fairy Tail was founded on second chances and believing in others. It's the reason they are the most prominent guild in all of Fiore to date. I'm sure this criminal who's been around for a century now would be more than capable of noticing and taking advantage of that, given that he's avoided the Council for 100 years. It would be unsightly to see the country's most-beloved guild tarnished in such a way. We can take the boy and let them figure the rest out for themselves."
"That's just your soft-spot for the guild you helped create. We must be unbiased and dogmatic, Warrod. This is not just any offense! I ought to make his blood boil as of now to start off with." Draculos turned to Natsu, raising two fingers as his Magic took effect.
"Argh! Fuck. . ." He dropped to the floor like Erza had done before. His breath raced and his whole body felt searingly hot as his blood pushed around inside his arteries. The man appeared next to Natsu, putting his foot on Natsu's back and pushing him down the ground.
"Have you used Mind Magic on them? Is that what has happened? I refuse to believe they'd just believe anyone so easily. Speak, criminal." The pain lessened to a quarter of what it was previously, but Natsu could still feel the Magic affecting his body.
"I-I didn't do anything. . .I am innocent. I'm only a byproduct of an ego-filled council that refused to let me air out their dirty laundry. I was. . .targeted." He spat out blood, clutching the grass under him.
"We shall see then. You're coming back with us to the Council and your fate shall be decided. . .whether your word or old Council records are true. The truth shall come to light." He narrowed his eyes at Natsu.
"No. I'm not going back to that small cell. I've suffered enough loss because of your shitty fucking government. I am done." His voice rose as he pushed himself off the ground, even with Draculos foot on his back.
"You will do no such thing. Now fall." Draculos raised his fingers again and the same pain racked Natsu's body. He dropped to one knee and spat out blood again. His eyes were red as the vessels in them popped.
"Stop! You'll trigger his Magic!" Erza rushed forward, tackling Draculos over.
"Erza, stop this at once!"
"We'll all be in danger, Master. I'm sorry but we're going to have to stand against the Council and these men." Mirajane pushed off Warrod and flew in next to Erza, both standing in front of Natsu.
"I can't stop them and neither can you. Step down at once, my children! You will all go to jail as well!" His voice boomed again, Magic desperately leaving his body as sweat poured down his forehead.
"Wolfheim, Warrod, take care of them." The giant wolf lept forward and the ground under them erupted in giant roots. Natsu was thrown back by the column of plant-root that appeared in front of him.
"I'm getting you all out of this, old man. I won't be going back on my word. This time I won't lose damned control." Makarov nodded at Natsu. He looked over at Warrod in that same instant. The two locked eyes and nodded equally in that instant.
Draculos spread his palm out in front of him, bringing Natsu back down to the ground.
"I'm tired. . .of being in this position. Of being the Council's. . .or anyone's. . .little puppet. Of getting stepped on. . .when I am most in need." Bloody tears streamed down his cheeks as the Wizard Saint's Magic ripped apart his body.
He clutched the grass beneath him tightly. His consciousness faded. The blood no longer let him see. His lungs were filled with blood and no air could even enter them anymore.
"You will die here." Draculos' words instigated the gaping hole that formed as soon as Natsu's Magic was unleashed.
"Hear me, O' King of Fate, the Beginning and the End, the Weaver of Tales. Use my body to do Your Majesty's bidding. I call upon thee, Samael!" His hair was now white, and two commanding dark-blue wings sprouted out from his back. His voice was raspier, older.
He opened his eyes to reveal two bleached-blue irises.
A blue haze filled the atmosphere. There was no more noise from the fight, nor blades of wind rustling the trees, nor the pain he was previously experiencing or the blood that covered his body inside and out.
The world around him had completely stopped.
I think I'm spoiling you guys with two more Angel reveals in one chapter.
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