I'll apologize immediately for the lacking length of this chapter. Also, there is a list of potential stories at the end of the chapter in AN so do leave a vote. :)

Chapter 72:

''I don't understand why!''

Himmel flinched at the furious voice coming from his High King. Well, he could certainly understand his anger. Himmel's blue eyes moved to the corpse of the dragon prince. It was not normal. It was far from normal.

''He shouldn't look like this! He was a dragon! Why didn't he die like one?!'' Acnologia roared, spreading his wings and folding them in his anguish and from the sides, Igneel watched both the father and son in open sorrow. Acnologia might hide his emotions behind anger but Igneel had no trouble showing just how much the dragon prince meant to him.

Himmel bowed his head, his snout almost touching the marble floor of the mausoleum. ''I can't even begin to express how much grief this brings me and every other dragon on this island, my king. The death of the prince was unexpected and cruel. The gods are cruel to do this to his body. He should've been allowed to –''

Himmel soon found himself underneath Acnologia as the dragon king pinned him to the ground so fast he barely had time to gasp in surprise while Igneel tensed, spreading his own wings slightly and lowering his head, ready to leap onto the king in case he took his anger out on the sky king. ''Acnologia...'' Igneel warned but Acnologia paid him no mind.

''Don't you dare bring gods into this Himmel! The bastards could drop dead on the spot for all I care! This has nothing to do with them – gods don't have power over dragon soul and you know it!''

Himmel swallowed rather loudly, having trouble to reply with Acnologia's paw firmly pressed down on his throat. ''I'm s-sorry'' Himmel voiced in a strained voice, trying to pry Acnologia off of himself without actually provoking the dragon king even further. ''Sorry doesn't change a damn thing! My son is dead and his flesh is still here!''

Igneel grimaced, looking back at the corpse of the black and red dragon carefully placed on the large stone bed. Had it not been like this for three weeks Igneel would think the dragon was just sleeping. That Natsu would wake up and his red eyes would open.

But he knew that wouldn't happen. And truly, the body should be burned, Acnologia knew as much. The smell of rotten flesh was acidic in the air, insulting the body as much as the dragons surrounding it. It pained Igneel to watch as it slowly rotted. It was the first time Igneel actually saw a dragon corpse rotting. Dragons didn't rot. The moment they died their flesh disappeared from their body along with the soul. 'This.. this was the clearest proof that Natsu was not a natural, born dragon but a human twisted into the body of a dragon'

He died and now rotted like a human he should have been. Acnologia knew that. Himmel knew that. But no one really dared to voice that out loud. After all, if that happened to Natsu, who says it won't happen to Acnologia?

And a human can not be the king of all dragons.

Acnologia roared in fury again and stepped off of Himmel, blue eyes turned to the body of his son. Igneel knew the dragon king blamed himself for the death of his son. He was behind him, he should've watched his back. The dragons on the island were restless, wanting to know what exactly happened but the kings and queens swore to keep it quiet and Igneel grew worried because he knew just how reckless Acnologia could get when he was truly angry. How reckless and mad he could get.

His agreement with Zeref all those years ago was a very painful example.

''Acnologia –'' Igneel tried to talk to the High King. Tried to reason with him but it seemed Acnologia would not listen today just like he refused to listen for the past three weeks,

''Leave me''

''My king..'' Himmel spoke, looking worriedly at Acnologia before turning his gaze to Igneel. Igneel respected the Sky King. His skill both as a healer and a fighter were impressive but sometimes he didn't know when to stop. Igneel could practically feel Acnologia's glare on Himmel even though Acnologia's back were turned to him.

''NOW!''

He bellowed so loudly the stained glass of the windows shook. Himmel spread his wings and launched out of the room, a roar of chaos energy following after him. Igneel didn't leave immediately but he did move towards the doors right after Himmel. ''You should calm down, Acnologia. You're not helping anyone like this, Natsu least of all''

Acnologia cursed after him loud enough for half of the Floating island to hear while Igneel rushed out, knowing it would do no one any good to fight the furious king.

He couldn't scream for it felt like no air was entering his lungs. He was suffocating yet he was already dead. The finger on his forehead burned with the power of the sun and the all-consuming darkness and unbearable cold of the White Moon that stood above the Ninth level.

A wheezing sound of someone suffocating left Natsu's wide open mouth but he still did not collapse, paralyzed by memories of another lifetime. Paralyzed by their implication.

**Memory**

''Tell us a story, dad!'' The voice spoke that belonged to the child Natsu shared his eyes with. A man looked down at him from where he sat on the chair with a warm smile and a head full of light pink hair a shade Natsu saw only on himself.

A man. A human. Not Acnologia. Silly how it hadn't crossed his mind to think of his parents from the moment Acnologia took him. But try as he might he couldn't remember how they looked so he had no idea if the man he was staring at from the eyes of a two-year-old was indeed his father. His looks certainly seemed to indicate as much.

''Which story would you like to hear?'' the man asked the child leaning forward in his chair and setting aside the cup filled with steaming tea. The child put a finger to his chin before a beaming smile lit his face. ''The one about the Battle at Mt. Hakobe, you know, the one where you killed the biggest dragon!''

The man's smile widened as he laughed. ''Ah, but I told you of that battle yesterday! Wouldn't you like to hear of some other battle or of another kind of story entirely? What if your brother wanted to hear of something else?''

The child frowned and crossed his tiny hands over his chest. A woman stepped into the kitchen, her ebony hair tied in a loose bun and a cup in her own hand.

Could she be... His... Mother perhaps?

''Are you filling their heads with another one of your war stories, honey? I told you Natsu's too young to hear about such horrors'' her voice was not unkind but she did not sound happy.

The man laughed again and Natsu couldn't help but compare his voice to his own. ''Nonsense! And I make sure to leave out all 'horrors', right son?'' The father looked past the child to another boy and the two-year-old turned around to look at the boy his father addressed.

The time seemed to stop as Natsu stared at the face of the child that should be his brother. He couldn't be older than six but even on the face of a boy so young, it couldn't be mistaken at whose face he was looking at.

''So Zeref, which story would you like to hear?''

The image of a peaceful family afternoon in the warm kitchen lit by the golden rays of summer sun went up in flames as the child Natsu was died screaming for his parents and for his brother to save him. But no one came as the black dragon swallowed it all.

**Reality**

Ankhseram's hand followed Natsu as the dragon prince collapsed to his knees and he pressed his palm, the eyes on his faceless face narrowing in concentration. The skin under his touch began to burn but he paid that no mind. This was a necessary thing and, really, he did not care for the pain the dead prince felt reliving his death on such violent terms.

He was the demon of mind, finding great pleasure in ripping someone's mind apart like he was doing right now. The greatest pain comes by attacking the mind, something Ankhseram knew from the beginning and for a demon that existed since time itself formed The Beginning had a special meaning.

Natsu jerked under his arm every time he relived the point of time when Zeref tried to resurrect him. The glimpses he gained to the mortal realm from the land of the dead ripping his soul more and more and Ankhseram could feel the amusement bubbling underneath his shadowy existence at the irony. Zeref truly believed at the time he was doing what was right. The skin began to peal under Ankhseram's hands and the god of Underworld looked at the body curiously as Natsu convulsed once again.

Maybe Zeref locked far more than just his memories. How... interesting. Truly something to make this utterly boring plane a bit more interesting. Other Supreme watched with interest as well, curiously gazing at the pair. Lilith herself found the event interesting but by no means amusing. It was a rather obvious thing whatever Ankhseram was doing was torturing the dragon prince. The burns that appeared under Ankhseram's palm spread and Lilith had to stop herself from asking what he was doing.

Natsu convulsed one last time and finally he screamed.

Ankhseram laughed at the scream, removing his hand from Natsu's head and any mark of injury that marred Natsu's face disappeared.

''Ah, truly he could never be just a demon'' Ankhseram chuckled again and several Supreme exchanged a knowing look filled with dark amusement that made Lilith shudder. ''He wasn't a human since he was two years old. Don't you find that.. curious, Lilith?''

Lilith blinked in shock, eyes turning to look at Natsu who had fallen silent, still kneeling on the floor, steam rising out of his mouth and nose and his now black eyes rolled back hiding any trace of red.

''Zeref outdid himself with this creation'' Ankhseram continued. ''Well, I guess that was why I.. rewarded him in the first place''

''So how are we going to do this?'' Ultear inquired, her eyes turning to Mirajane even though the question seemed to be addressed to everyone present in the library. Mira pursed her lips for a moment and before she could replay Ultear continued, adding to her own question in an attempt to clarify what she wanted to be answered. ''I mean, doesn't necromancy require the body of the dead person you're trying to resurrect. As far as I know, Natsu's body is gods know where taken by dragons before we could even properly look at him''

Mira shook her head, reaching for one of the books that littered the floor. The heavy tome was as tick as her hand and the faded leather indicated to old age. The she-devil dusted the cover and placed the book on the table next to the box where the once dead rat still ran in circles. ''Here. This is one of the books Z.D. sent me. It is possible to resurrect a person without the body – according to the book it is actually a better way of doing it this way because the grip on the soul is better''

The edge in her voice made the room's occupants tense and uneasy. ''But?'' Laxus' eyes narrowed in suspicion.

''But to get a better grip on the soul one has to go to... retrieve it''

Gray choked on his spit, his eyes ablaze as he looked at Mirajane. ''Retrieve it? Like, go in freaking hell and grab his soul? That.. That's just..'' He fell quiet, unable to find words to describe what he felt on the idea though he certainly made himself clear enough.

''Not to mention we don't even know if he's there in the first place'' Lucy continued. ''He maybe isn't in hell to begin with and even if we somehow actually get there it could all be for nothing''

Jellal nodded in agreement. ''We should try to find out where he is before we decide we're going to raise him from his grave. He could be enjoying himself for all we know''

Pain. Unbearable, cold, cutting, excruciating pain. That was the feeling that overwhelmed him as he slowly regained his consciousness. The fabric that cowered his legs felt like sandpaper against his skin, it felt like his spine was stretched until it snapped and his head and upper body was pressed against the cold smooth floor by something heavy and wet and if he had to guess that were his wings, hurting and screaming just as loudly as the rest of his body.

Anger. That was the second thing his slowly waking mind registered. No, not anger – wrath, as burning and unbearable as the pain. A growl left his black lips, sharp teeth drawing dark ebony liquid from the lips as they pierced the skin. Fury at the pain he felt, maddening anger at his unbeating heart, at his new form, at himself and everything around him what Ankhseram did –

Black wings in a shower of black energy, burning, pain, under the heavy smoke, fire, burning alive, blasted by the Roar, killed, killed by the black-winged beast. Dragon of Apocalypse, Dragon of Death.

Death. Cold. Bright. Fragmented. A state Between.

Alive but not truly.

Awake. Dead. Dead to the world

Killed by his father and resurrected by his brother. Cursed to Castle Hell and Underworld by both of them.

His father Acnologia, his brother Zeref.

Something moved just out of his sight and Natsu leaped, blind by his fury and pain. The sharp, hard bone where his thumb met the wrist connected with someone's chin. The size of his claws didn't allow him to form a fist but he easily worked around that, catching the face with the claws just as their head snapped back, clawing parts of the skin to ribbons before his other hand grabbed the neck and squeezed as the two hit the ground.

PAIN. ANGER.

Natsu kneeled on his opponent, clawed feet digging into someone's thighs and his wings spread wide, allowing him to keep his balance even as the slim form tried to free from his hold. His tail whipped through the air when the struggles of his pray doubled and he howled in his pain and fury, ignoring the black blood pooling around the two as blood trailed down the face of his opponent and dripped down from above.

Pain. ANGER.

His tail was a wicked thing, an ax like and connected to the flesh, the tip long and twisted into a spear that was prepared to sink into the body beneath him, tear it apart and –

His opponent opened their mouth and a golden snake shot from it, striking him in the nose that burst from the impact and he snarled.

Pain. Anger.

Clarity.

Natsu blinked, red eyes looking down at Lilith's bloody face. He blinked again, becoming aware of their surroundings – black obsidian columns lined with glowing purple lines and obsidian smooth floors, his position – still on top of her. He jumped back quickly, almost falling down as his body screamed in pain. He hissed, never taking his eyes off of Lilith as golden snakes circled around the two.

She gave him a bloodstained grin, any sign of mirth non-existant. She slowly stood up, hand grasping the long gash on her shoulder he didn't remember leaving there. She stayed silent, nodding meaningfully toward him. Hesitantly, Natsu reached for his shoulder, retreating his hand quickly when he felt something sticky and wet. Dark red, almost black greeted him as he looked at his hand.

''Sleeping beauty's finally up, I see'' Lilith finally spoke.

Natsu's head snapped up, glaring at her with such intensity Lilith flinched, likely expecting him to pounce on her again. ''What is this?'' He demanded instead, gesturing to the long gash in the same spot and shape like Lilith's. ''Is this your doing?''

Lilith released an annoyed breath from her nose. ''That's all your fault, Souleater''

Natsu growled in answer. Everything hurt. He was not in the mood for her games. ''Speak clearly''

His eyes seemed to glow in the dark of the Eight Circle and a cold knot twisted Lilith's stomach as the word choked in her mouth. ''U-until you learn how to control your emotions until you learn how to fight and hurt without them any soul you hurt in the Underworld you will hurt as well. You hit me – it hurts you as well''

''How do I stop it?'' His eyes still glowed and Lilith gasped as her stomach twisted. ''You can't. You have to stop feeling''

''Better, isn't it?'' Natsu hissed at her, eyes losing their glow and Lilith took a step back, eyes wide as she looked at him. Natsu's eyes moved to his bloody hand and he tried to concentrate on what he felt.

Anger

End of chapter 72.

Okay... so a long time no see? Sorry about the long wait. Life got in the way and all that.. I had a really busy summer.

As far as the chapter goes... I can't say I'm particularly pleased with it but I wanted to publish this sort-of Christmas special. It's not like the ones I wrote before but I figured you would appreciate a real chapter over a filler after waiting this long.

I'd like to hear what you have to say. I know this is terrifyingly short but hopefully, I'll update soon. Won't promise anything because I have a bad habit of not writing anything when I do. Stress and Writer block go hand in hand and I'm under a lot of stress lately.

Anyhow.. PLEASE REVIEW and thanks for reading :)

P.S.

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year if I don't publish anything till then!

P.P.S

I placed a pool at the end of the last chapter of Professor Dragneel, at Hogwarts and I'll give you all a chance to vote as well. When I publish the last chapter of the said story I'll start working on the new story and among the many ideas I have, I would like to hear what you want to read first.

1. Harry Potter (Harry isn't the boy-who-lived, Harry in Slytherin)

2. Avengers and Spider-Man (Loki and Peter the main characters, Peter blinded but still a hero)

3. Skyrim and Witcher Crossover (Dragonborn gets kidnapped and ends up in Tameria where he meets Geralt) – this is actually a story I've been working on for a while and I have 10 chapters finished already.

VOTE