Chapter 67:
It was over.
Sting was well aware of that. He was aware of that from the moment he realized he was the sole player left aside from Fairy Tail team. Whole Fairy Tail team.
Gods, they didn't lose even one member.
And here they stood, in front of him, their masks removed and their faces serious.
The five members truly made a frightening picture. Even their varying levels of injury didn't make any of them look any weaker.
Laxus looked the worst but even the blonde lightning mage looked ready to fight a dragon as his piercing gaze locked on Sting. And Sting had little doubt he would lose if he went against the lighting dragon slayer. The Sabertooth master would lose, he knew that for the lighting dragon slayer left Wizard saint leveled with the ground.
Erza sported a twisted ankle and a deep gash on her left side but she didn't lean against Laxus who stood beside her. She defeated fury-fueled Kagura singlehandedly, without even using her strongest armor from what Sting gathered.
Mira stood on the other end, a bruise on her cheek and cuts and scratches along her arms and legs but she still held a take over he did not recognize though it was not the hellhound he caught glimpses of while running through the city. She defeated lady Minerva so easily it seemed like the lady was nothing but a child.
Jellal favored his right arm, broken thanks to Rogue and whatever that shadow was but that seemed to be the biggest injury he had, nothing but several scratches and cuts decorating his body. The blue-haired mage titled his head up, almost dismissing Sting as a threat at all.
Natsu stood in the middle. Not a single fucking scratch on him. And Sting felt himself shiver under the gaze. Sting knew he barely fought, he didn't need to. And that was what truly terrified Sting the most. The strongest member of the team barely needed. It was almost like he was there for safe measure. To assure their victory if something went wrong.
But nothing went wrong. The Fairy Tail proved why they were number one guild. Maybe they weren't considered in the games like number ones for the last several years but general public believed in them.
''You won't fight us?'' Natsu questioned as he stared at the dragon slayer who swallowed thickly. Sabertooth valued honor, they valued it more than anything. But he knew what would happen if he fought.
He knew he would lose.
In retrospect, he had known that since the day one when he saw the pink-haired dragon would participate.
''I... No'' Sting whispered, but it was loud enough.
And just like that Fairy Tail won.
Nothing surprising, some would say.
Hisui E. Fiore would certainly agree as she turned to the knight that stood beside her. ''Princess?''
Hisui pursed her lips in a thin line. ''It is time''
Acnologia sat on the roof of a nearby house, watching the small square where Sting wept on his knees, Fairy Tail team standing in front of him. The father knew his son well enough to notice something was wrong. The dark magic suffocated this city for a long time considering how well it already integrated. Acnologia's eyes traveled back to his son, not all that surprised to see him looking at him.
Red eyes stared at blue for only a second before his son turned back to his joyful friend that already started celebrating the win.
The games were over, thankfully. The dragon king hated to admit it but he did not find anything worth mentioning in his searching. There was simply too many people to get an appropriate sense of what was wrong with this place.
But something was very wrong. Disturbingly wrong.
Natsu spoke to his guildmates but the king was too far to hear what was said. It soon became obvious that he did not need to hear what they were talking about as the group looked at him, even Weisslogia's brat looked up, his face twisting into pure horror as his eyes landed on the king who saw no use in sitting down any more and stood up, letting them have a clear view of his human form.
Natsu looked at his father, silently wondering if the king would be mad at him for revealing his presence but deciding he would worry about it later the prince dropped trough Chaotic void and reappeared a moment later beside his father.
''I see you've finished your search'' Natsu remarked. Acnologia sent him an unimpressed look, well aware his son knew of his success or rather the lack of it. ''I did'' the king responded instead.
''Any sign of dragons?'' Natsu continued.
''Aside from the three from Floating Island, no'' Acnologia said, referring to Igneel, Natsu and himself. ''We didn't have a chance to talk much since you came'' Natsu pointed out and quickly continued as Acnologia nodded in agreement. ''Lilith came to me a few weeks ago. I only recently learned what she was talking about'' Natsu said carefully watching as his father raised an eyebrow, obviously not thrilled he found out about it only now. ''I know I should've said something sooner but I didn't want to alarm you until I was certain everything she said was true''
''Oh?'' Acnologia asked tersely, his tone cold. ''And what did she have to say?''
''She warned me that someone was messing with the time. Or at least is trying to'' Natsu replied, remembering his discussion with Arcadios. The man was definitely not working alone, it was only a question did the royal family know. More likely than not they did.
''What?'' Acnologia hissed, voice dangerously low. His eyes flickered to the side for a bare moment and he turned back to Natsu grabbing his arm suddenly and pulling them through the Chaotic void of his own making before Natsu could react.
Acnologia landed on his feet as the Chaotic void he produced opened again, the scenery much different than that of the Blooming Capital. Natsu stumbled forward, too surprised by the sudden passing through the void to actually get a sure grip on the land beneath his feet. His eyes were trained on Acnologia, a mixture of annoyance and disbelief flickering in red orbs for a moment before it was hidden and the dragon prince took a quick glance at their surroundings, the fields that surrounded Capital encircled them, flowers with their petals closed under the brilliant shine of silver coming from the full moon.
Natsu did not have much time to dwell on it because Acnologia was not happy and the king made a point to show it as he lashed out, fist a mere inch from Natsu's jaw as the prince leaned back, barely avoiding it. Acnologia spun around and caught him in the stomach with his heel, sending Natsu flying through the field.
''You idiot'' Acnologia growled. ''Telling me that only now?! Are you brain-dead?!''
Natsu grunted as he stood up, one hand pressed against his stomach where a nasty bruise was bound to form. ''In my defense, I wasn't sure what Lilith told me was true until recently... and you don't exactly have communication lacrima on Floating Island'' the dragon prince responded dryly.
''Do not respond to me in that tone, brat. You are half millennia too young for that'' Acnologia sighed after a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. ''And did she tell you how they are planning to do it?''
''I assume you're familiar with Eclipse project'' Natsu said after a moment.
Acnologia's breath caught in his throat and his eyes snapped to his son, icy blue burning into the red.
Ultear did not like the sight of her future self. It was too unexpected, something she couldn't calculate, couldn't imagine. It was too wrong and left her with too many wild factors.
''Is there a reason why you are here or have you come just to see the sights?'' Ultear asked dryly, knowing that that was not the case but her brain was unable to and outright refused to cooperate with her at the sight of herself, older and scarred.
Future-Ultear snorted. ''Do you really think I would use Eclipse just to 'see the sights'?''
''...Eclipse?'' Arthur asked carefully, his position awkward. The teen was unsure if he should be on guard or relaxed around this version of his mother and it left him half-rigid, one hand twitching at the side as if preparing to cast the spell while the other gripped the inside fabric of his pant's pocket.
Yukino looked startled as well as did Arcadios, ''Ultear'' Arcadios addressed the future version but couldn't quite be surprised when both looked at him. ''You used Eclipse project?''
Ultear-from-the-future nodded carefully, head cocked to the side, almost as if wondering why they were asking something like that. ''I came here to warn you-''
She stopped suddenly, sounding like she had more to say, so much more, and looked around the cavern they still stood in, golden gates of their freedom behind her.
''But we can not talk about it here. We have to find him before it starts. We have to get out of the castle and find him''
''Find who?'' Gajeel demanded. ''Look, Ultear or whatever your name is, I'm not following you anywhere until I know what is going on''
Ultear looked at Gajeel, half-annoyed he didn't trust what was essentially her but also half-grateful since she wanted an answer as well.
''Since I can see it might cause some problems might as well call me Oracle''
Ultear raised a delicate eyebrow at her counterpart. ''Oracle? Really?''
Oracle shrugged. ''It wasn't my choice or idea. Dragons tend to be unimaginative about naming their enemies. 'Name it as I see it' is their logic if I'm not mistaken''
The silence once again threatened to suffocate them but Annie decided to speak, worry evident in her large eyes. ''Who are you trying to find? I assume it has something to do with dragons becoming our enemies''
Oracle looked confused for a moment. ''Becoming our enemies? Dragons always south out to destroy humanity. I am trying to find Son of Igneel before it is too late''
Ultear tensed and so did the rest. ''What are you talking about?''
Oracle looked at her counterpart with a strange mixture of surprise and sorrow in her eyes. ''In the future I come from, Son of Igneel is-was.. will be? Nevermind, he is/was/will be the leader of the rebellion against dragons. The last slayer and the last capable of killing Acnologia and Zeref. He was our only hope and he is your only hope. Your only hope to stop the apocalypse''
''Son... of Igneel? Are you talking about Natsu?'' Gajeel questioned carefully.
''Well of course, who else would I be talking about?'' Oracle snorted, her lips twisting into a smirk, pulling the scar on one end.
Annie and Arthur exchange a look before they look at their mother, pretending to ignore Yukino's and Arcadio's surprised gasps.
''How long are you in this time?'' Arthur asked at least.
''Only a few days, haven't had time to actually find anyone more than in passing'' Oracle confirmed and Arcadios frowned. 'That's not right'
''You think she's from another universe's future?'' Arthur turned to Gajeel who shrugged. ''She's definitely not from this, I mean can you imagine Natsu breathing fire?''
Arthur scrunched his face, remembering his father's counterpart from the training trip. The happy-go-lucky idiot who expressed his emotions so fiercely and wore them like a badge of honor. Trying to picture his father like that, long hair cut short and stupid grin on his face... despite the two shared the same face it was definitely something he could hardly picture.
''No'' Arthur agreed at last.
Oracle seemed confused by the conversation in front of her. ''What do you mean imagine?''
Ultear eyed her counterpart before replaying carefully, wondering how she would react. ''I assume the Natsu you are talking about is Natsu Dragneel?''
Oracle nodded without a pause.
''Well you are in the wrong universe, my dear. Here we have Natsu Souleater, son of Acnologia. Fairy Tail's dragon''
Oracle's eyes widened in horror before she hissed. ''Shit'' her lips twisted in an ugly snarl, pulling at the scar that decorated the side of her lips.
''But everything else was pretty similar to what happened in my past'' Oracle muttered. ''With that in mind, I would dare to say the same faith awaits this... Universe'' she grimaced at the word, ''I was there, the day dragons came''
The group looked at her quizzically. ''Eclipse was built and it should've been used as a cannon but the gates were open too late and the dragons razed the Crocus in a matter of hours.''
''How many dragons are we talking about?'' Arthur asked after a moment. He was sure Natsu would tell them if dragons decided to suddenly attack humans.
Oracle bit the inside of her cheek for a moment as if contemplating whatever to actually tell them. ''Ten''
''Only ten?''
''Ten thousand''
Hisui E. Fiore strolled through the corridors of the castle, her face twisted in worry. Ser Arcadios was still in the pit, probably dead by now and all because of her. She couldn't mourn him, she wasn't even allowed to because what would the kingdom think if they saw their princes crying and mourning over the death of a knight who no longer that. A knight who had fallen out of her father's grace.
She had informed her father of what her friend from the future had told her. It took some convincing but ultimately her father was a smart man and knew she would make jokes about a matter as important as this.
She could hardly believe her luck when she had seen the power of dragon slayers in the tournament. Even He wasn't aware of their strength. And that gave her more hope than anything. Her father promised to talk to the guilds and get them on the front lines, to defend their kingdom. If everything went according to plan then they wouldn't be needed but if worst came to worst and Eclipse failed to kill all the dragons than those dragon slayers and Fairy Tail's dragon would be of more than enough help. She was sure in that. She had to be for if she started doubting their ability to win all would be lost.
Hope is a powerful weapon. He said as much. That was one of the reasons he returned for the hope all but disappeared in his time.
She walked out of the castle and into the yard, just in time to see the Eclipse gate rising from the ground on the platform with the help of machinery her best engineers spent months designing.
Everything will be alright. Hisui let herself smile for a moment. Yes. Everything would be fine. He promised.
Makarov wondered how was he even still alive in his old age. Considering everything that happened in the last year (seven if he counted those he and his children spent asleep) his heart should've stopped a long time ago.
With a grim face and a heavy sigh, he truly wondered was it too much to hope he would soon wake up and find himself back in Magnolia.
The king was clear despite the fact the whole situation reeked of something bound to go wrong. And even though all the guild worked together in hopes of stopping 10 000 dragons he was skeptical.
The lack of three dragons that should be right here was not helping. Acnologia and Natsu disappeared pretty much just as the games ended and Igneel disappeared soon after them, probably going to find them.
As much as he hated the black dragon king he hoped they would be back soon. Acnologia might die tonight but he would not die before killing at least a few.
With a grimace Makarov looked up, feeling disgusted with himself. What had possessed him to keep this from Natsu he truly wasn't sure but he had a feeling he made a giant mistake. The moon was bright above their heads, making the stars less visible but they too decorated the sky in large number.
The Fairy Tail mages were gathered in the town's square, making fruitless attempt to hide nervousness that suffocated the air with light conversation.
Wendy shifted nervously next to him and he looked away from the sky at the girl who was hugging herself, biting her lower lip to the point she almost drew blood and surely would soon enough if she continued.
''Everything's going to be alright'' Makarov assured her with a smile which he hoped looked more real than it felt.
Wendy offered him a smile of her own though it looked more like a grimace. ''I hope so''
''Don't worry'' Jellal told her, resting his arm on girl's shoulder. ''We have three dragons and five dragon slayers on our side along with Eclipse cannon. Those dragons won't know what hit them''
Wendy, for all the effort she put in hiding it, still looked like someone burned her when Jellal addressed her.
Laxus cracked his knuckles, a grin on his scarred face. ''That's right. We're going to send those dragons back to whatever hole they crawled out with their tails between their legs''
The square suddenly started turning darker and one by one, mages looked up, the silence falling over the square as the eclipse started.
Igneel massaged his temples while Acnologia glared at his son with such intensity it was a wonder smoke wasn't rising from pink hair.
Natsu looked somewhere between I-don't-care and I-swallowed-a-snail. It was understandable, though. Igneel was pretty sure his own face betrayed just how much problems – if this could even be called a problem, disaster would probably be more accurate – this bit of information brought.
''So let me get this straight'' Igneel tried again. ''We could be facing any number of dragons because Eclipse is here? This person actually managed to reconstruct it?''
Natsu shrugged slightly awkward. ''From what you told me it looks the same so it is possible the gates were never destroyed''
Acnologia sighed, averting his eyes from his son and nodding in agreement.
''We need to get moving, one of us should get to the Floating Island and make council aware of this development'' Acnologia mused before he added. ''Get the idiots who have lived through Ragnarok before. I hope that will be enough but we can't risk losing even that much''
Even though he didn't say who should go it was quite obvious 'One of us' didn't refer to him and by the way he was looking at Igneel it clearly referred to the fire dragon king.
''Is there enough time?'' Igneel asked carefully, looking up at the sky. ''I can use Fire Drift to get halfway there but wards around the island won't let me get closer and if I need to inform entire council... I won't get back with help for several hours at least''
Acnologia grimaced, aware of that. ''Forget the council, wake up the four and get them moving here at top speed, Demir is the only one who's not capable of inter-dimensional travel so I'm sure one of you will be more than capable of taking him''
Igneel nodded and disappeared in the swirl of flames leaving father and son alone in the field outside the walls of Crocus.
Natsu stayed silent before he turned to his father. He was usually the one to tell the others what to do. With his father here he wondered if that was still the case. Probably not while he was around.
The dragon prince didn't like what was happening. The fact there was an unknown factor in a situation like this was worrying at best.
''Believe me, that's not the worst thing you should worry about''
Natsu didn't respond but he found himself wondering if his father could feel something amiss because as the Voice spoke the High King looked at him.
''Don't be ridiculous. He can't hear me''
''Sense you?''
''Meh... I wouldn't be surprised. Acnologia is powerful''
''Is there something else you decided not to tell me'' Acnologia eyed him critically.
''No'' Natsu replied after a moment. ''You are such a liar''
''Shut up''
''We need to get going towards the gates'' Acnologia said. ''Igneel went to bring reinforcement but that doesn't mean we won't do what we can in order to stop the gates from being open''
Natsu nodded curtly just as the sky started darkening. Acnologia scowled fiercely. ''We have to hurry''
There were not many clouds in the sky but the air smelt of oncoming storm and electricity. But then again it could be the building magic.
While the Dragon prince agreed completely he did not expect Acnologia to transform. The black magic swirled around his form, Chaos magic exploding towards the rapidly darkening sky. It was in moments like these that Natsu could see the vast difference in experience alone. What took him more than a minute to do accompanied by a rather disgusting sound of tearing, Acnologia finished in an instant, any unpleasantries happening too fast to actually be heard or felt.
The dragon king roared and spread his wings, with few powerful beats lifting him in the air. Natsu understood what his father wanted without even a glance sent his way and the son jumped in the air, aided by magic, and landed on Acnologia's back.
He could feel the powerful muscles moving underneath him and he felt his own muscles tensing. They were in a hurry but he couldn't help but feel like it didn't matter. It felt like they were already late.
He just hoped his family was okay. 'When did I become all mushy on the inside?'
Natsu squeezed his eyes shut. Now was not the time for that.
Acnologia sped towards the town. Crocus was still shining in night lights, the fireworks traditionally fired at the end of GMG only now ending. The night looked beautiful and people seemed happy – until they saw Acnologia soaring through the sky that is. But Natsu couldn't find the beauty in it. His stomach tied in a knot and it had little to do with the break-neck speed Acnologia was using.
He eyed the panicked soldiers in the yard they were closing in. The Lunar Eclipse was not complete yet. They had several more seconds.
Hisui was looking at them in a blind panic and pure horror, her mouth half-opened between giving an order and a scream. Arcadios stood beside her, clad in white armor that in Natsu's opinion was ridiculous. But who was he to judge someone's fashion choice?
''Should I transform?'' Natsu asked his father, not bothering to yell knowing his father would hear him even with the screaming soldiers beneath them and wind around them.
''Not yet'' Acnologia responded and the High King stopped beating his wings, mouth opening to fire. A dragon was the only creature that could probably use magic this close to the gates and that was the reason Natsu stayed where he was, mindful not to fall from the back as Acnologia shifted.
He didn't expect the gates to open before the eclipse was finished, however.
The princess stood her ground even as Arcadios tried to, as gently as possible, drag her away.
''No'' She finally managed to tell Arcadios who gave a pitiful whine. ''I will not run! Eclipse is finished and it is more than enough powerful to kill one dragon even if it is Acnologia!''
The ground shook and Acnologia closed his mouth with a snap, his eyes widening, locked on the gates. The ground shook and Hisui smiled, tears glistening in her eyes. ''See, Arcadios? Even the mighty dragon will shy away from a power of Fiore. I will protect my people''
''Foolish girl. You have no idea what you have done'' Acnologia growled as he landed, his landing shaking the ground and it was quickly followed by another as a shadow appeared in the light framed by the gates.
Hisui stayed silent, not understanding the dragon's words.
''Princess!'' One of the knights cried desperately and it took Hisui a moment to realize their horror was no longer concentrated only on Acnologia but on something behind her.
So against her better judgment, she looked behind.
A paw came crashing down in front of her, giant claws and silver scales, cracking the stone before her. A dragon pulled itself through the doors, with a head too small for its massive body and wings long and sharp. Small eyes blinked at them, shining in the eerie light as the dragon parted his lips, roared and leaped in the air, spreading its wings and circling around them, eyes almost immediately locking on Acnologia as a roar ripped the air.
Acnologia did not pounce on the dragon immediately, his eyes instead locked on the next dragon that came out. The dragon, shorter than him, covered in rock came out.
The rocky dragon moved out, waving its tail as it went, knocking back several soldiers, a sound somewhere between a roar and a laugh leaving its lips.
The rocky dragon didn't even move out of the gates completely when a dragon not even half of his size moved, climbing over him. The dragon was small and it's body slim and snake-like. He lacked front legs though they were replaced by his wings that bent under an angle that allowed him to use them as legs. The dragon's dark green scales glinted as it looked around, it's pointy snout sniffing the air before the dragon gave a wheezing chuckle and spread its wings but instead of flying only jumped and slithered away from the other dragon it climbed over.
A flaming head moved through the doors next and Acnologia could feel himself tensing as Atlas Flame roared at the sky.
Natsu stared at the fire-cowered dragon for a long moment, his jaw falling open. It took him a moment to realize that Hisui still stood in the same spot and with a curse he finally jumped off of Acnologia's back and dashed towards the princess that was too stupid or too frightened to move. He tackled her to the side just as a flaming foot of his first friend slammed into the ground, fire immediately scorching and blackening the centuries-old stone in seconds.
As he landed, the dragon prince pulled the princess in one movement back on her feet and in his arms, jumping further as the green dragon pounced on them. Hisui cried out in terror as acid flew past them and Natsu cursed as he landed, turning on his heels and slamming his foot wrapped in magic in the stone, cracking and lifting the stone that until moments ago created a path. The stone slab rose just in time to stop another ball of acid melting them and with a jerk of his leg, Natsu sent the melting marble towards the green dragon that stumbled back as it hit it – her, now that Natsu got a better look – in the head.
Hisui gripped his shirt, holding for her life as he jumped again, propelling himself in the air and landing next to Arcadios, putting the princess down none too gently and even as the knight yelled at him for 'manhandling' the princess Natsu sprinted back at the green dragon, slamming his fist in the pointed snout.
Acnologia decided he has seen enough and he turned to the princess his son just dropped. ''Close the gates this instant, idiotic female! Can't you see what is happening?!''
''Don't talk to the princess like that, you beast!'' the white knight yelled back. Acnologia narrowed his eyes at the man and with only a few steps he towered directly over them, fangs bared a bere inches away from their faces.
''Close the gates or I will blow this whole town in pieces''
''I can't!'' Hisui cried. ''The gates cannot be closed while Lunar eclipse still lasts!''
Acnologia glanced back at the gates, growling at the sight of the fifth dragon exiting.
''There must be a way! I would destroy it but the fact I might destroy the past is not appealing to me! Now talk or I will rip you to pieces!''
''I don't know!'' Hisui sobbed and as Acnologia was about to lose his patience sixth dragon that walked out of the doors, a purple dragon with growths on his head decided that Acnologia was to be attacked and jumped, spreading his wings and landing on Acnologia's back, stabbing its talons deep in the flash of the king.
Acnologia howled, more in fury than in pain and raised to his hide legs, snapping with his teeth at the dragon that held on his back.
The princess screamed again as the two titans stumbled around almost stomping on them and it was only thanks to a timely arrival of Fairy Tail's time mage. Ultear jumped forward and took the hand of the princess before spinning and sending the girl flying only for the princess to be caught by Arthur who looked at her, grinned before putting her down. ''You should think about finding a shelter, princess''
Hisui nodded dumbly but Arthur didn't wait to see it as he sprinted away towards Gajeel who was in the middle of antagonizing a blue dragon that was exited the gates mere moments before.
Natsu was not overly thrilled to see Ultear appear in the middle of the battle between dragons. Unfortunately, he did not get the chance to inform her of that as he gripped the maw of the green dragon he was fighting. The dragon was small, the size earth dragons usually reached but her physique was only similar in traces, not to mention the acid was the wrong type of attack.
Despite the fact Natsu never faced a dragon capable of spitting acid he knew what dragon type he was facing. 'Acid dragons are extinct in this time. All killed in the last war' he mused bitterly, avoiding another ball that melted the bush behind him and moving to land a kick on the dragon's back. The dragon growled at him as she avoided, baring her double row of teeth, all jagged and sharp.
''You are foolish, little hybrid'' she hissed for the first time since they started their dance. Her accent seemed off, a dragon not raised on this territories or was it because she came from a time 400 years ago. ''Thinking you can defeat a dragon!''
Natsu's eyes narrowed. ''I am no hybrid. I am the dragon prince!'' and as if to prove his point the dragon prince released a roar sending the dragon spinning as the attack nicked at her tail, tearing a part away.
The acid dragon howled in pain as it tail got cut in half. ''Tearing the tail of mighty Khaalida?! You will suffer for this!''
Chaos dragon snorted. 'Talk about irony. Extinct species yet her name is Deathless'
Khaalida did not catch on the irony of her name as she sneered at the dragon prince. ''And who are you to call yourself a Prince of Dragons, hybrid?''
Natsu straightened his back. Despite her small size, she was still the size of a cottage – thus a lot taller than him.
''My name is Natsu Souleater. Son of Acnologia''
Khaalida cried like she was burned, hissed and wailed. ''Impossible!''
The ground shook once again, the shook stronger than what a dragon's movement could create and both looked towards the gates just as the moon once again started showing.
The gates shook once more and Natsu recognized Yukino and Lucy as they used the keys to closed them just as another shadow appeared on the doors. The shadow did not pass as the doors closed with a might thud, the sound ringing through entire Crocus. How did they get here he was not sure but he would not question it now.
He looked around and at the moon-lit sky.
Thirteen dragons circled around them. Thirteen dragons that were never meant to walk this plane. Not in this time.
Acnologia roared as he threw the purple dragon from his back and flown in the air with quick and precise beats just as a man rose from the shadows in the middle of the yard.
Man's hair was long, around the same length as his in fact, but the coloring was weird, one half black and the other white. The man smiled as the mages that by now gathered in the yard and knights tensed, weapons and hands pointed at him.
He spread his arms as the silver-scaled dragon landed behind him, forcing the knights and mages to take a step back or risk being crushed or hit by the thick tail.
''Hello to you all, mages, knights and royalty'' the man spoke and Natsu took a step back, suddenly feeling dazed as the voice echoed through his head.
''I am sure you are all wondering who I am so I will gladly introduce myself'' the man looked quite a bit like a madman but the red eyes were sharp as the surveyed the crowd.
''My name is Rogue Cheney'' at the shocked gasps the man rolled his eyes. ''The future Rogue Cheney. I am here to crown myself as your new king so be nice and kneel before me or watch as your city burns''
Natsu swallowed down as bile rose in his throat, the deafening laughter of the Voice making it even harder to focus.
''Never!'' one of the mages screamed and charged only for the silver dragon to bent its neck and bite the man in half.
Future Rogue looked disapprovingly at the bloody mess that was left behind as the mage's legs reminded on the ground, guts spilling over the stone.
''Ah, and here I hoped I wouldn't have to kill you all'' the future Rogue glanced behind at the dragon. ''Motherglare. If you would be so kind?''
The dragon only nodded as it rose in the air, Rogue smoothly jumping and landing on dragon's head.
Natsu watched with wide eyes as the dragon obeyed the man and dawning realization came upon him.
The fact the man and the Voice echoed one another a moment later only confirmed what he now knew.
''Kill them all''
''Kill them all''
Natsu's mind spun and his senses blurred as he listened to the man he knew he had to kill. He had to kill him or he will lose himself.
Maybe it was too late already.
End of chapter 67.
Have in mind I've finished this well over midnight.
I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I had quite some fun writing it. Now, some quite important things were revealed. If I was unclear Natsu's been hearing Future Rogue all this time. Some have complained I don't center this on Natsu enough. Well, have no worries, next few chapter should be 90% Natsu. Some other characters need some spotlight as well so while I hope you don't mind too much it is needed. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have and from what I can tell GMG arc will be over in next one or two chapters.
Please review and thanks for reading :)
P.S.
A recommendation, something I realized I forgot to put at the end of several chapters.
The author only started posting and it is their first story but the story shows some real promise.
Only if written by The fairy tail I love
(Summary: Natsu is a demon, human, and dragon hybrid who has been asleep for 400 years. After being instructed to join Fairy Tail to monitor Gajeel and Laxus, what will happen? Where is Zeref in all of this? A/N I change a lot of things, so don't be mad at me)
P.P.S
If there is a volunteer among you, my awesome readers, I would need a person who would look at some chapters of the story I haven't even started publishing yet and that will undergo more changes before I publish it. The volunteer would only need to read the chapters I have written so far and tell me what they think. The story is a Skyrim and Witcher crossover. Don't worry about the story taking my time from writing this since I only write it when I have no idea how to proceed with this story.