Chapter 8
Disclaimer: I do not own High school DxD or Fairy Tail they are property of Ichiei Ishibumi and Hiro Masima respectively.
As the sun began to rise the laboured breaths of a few devils could be heard while they ran around the massive castle. As they neared the entrance of the castle they saw their tormentor waiting for them.
"Good it didn't take too long for you to run around the castle. At the end of this month I expect you to be able to do this in half the time. Now for some physical exercises to build up your body strength" Natsu instructed.
The program they were going with was first a run around the castle, then strength training before breakfast. Next was magic training until lunch. After lunch they had more mentally focused training like meditation and studying strategies.
Kiba and Koneko did the best during the physical part of the training while Asia and Wendy struggled the most due to them usually not participating in actual combat with their more supportive magic.
After breakfast Natsu instructed everyone apart from Wendy to pair up however they see fit and spar against one another.
"Follow me Wendy" Natsu said as he started walking away from the field the group was in for their sparing. Natsu led Wendy to a clearing near the lake. It was an open area surrounded by trees on one side and water on the other.
"Now Wendy I will help you with the beginning of your training in magic but after you got the basics covered I will have someone else help you because I am not proficient in the more advanced techniques of your specific element" Natsu informed her.
Wendy just nodded eager to start learning the magic her mother used. The winds started picking up around the two and Natsu's fists were coated in a swirling mass of air.
"This is called Sky Dragon Magic" Natsu said lifting a fist, "It is the magic you possess. The reason why you could not learn offensive magic from the devils is because dragon magic is fundamentally different. Dragons are masters of their elements and they become one with the element itself where devils only harness the power of an element" he continued in his explanation.
For the rest of the session Natsu had Wendy focus her breathing and instructed her on how she should be able to feel the air currents and even detect the slightest disturbance in the air. It was not a surprise to Natsu that Wendy easily picked up on the magic as her mother was a prodigy herself.
When it was time for lunch Wendy was able to form a small sphere of condensed air in her hand.
When Natsu and Wendy joined the rest they were just finishing a match with Akeno paralyzing Issei with a lightning bolt and Koneko knocking Kiba away with a well-placed punch while using her other arm to grab Kiba's sword arm preventing him from retaliating.
"This match goes to Akeno and Koneko" Rias announced. Everyone was visibly tiered and had a few bruises from their fights.
"Well done it seems like you were having fun during the sparring matches" Natsu said with a smile as he approached them.
"Yeah thanks and how was your session with Wendy?" Rias asked.
"She is a natural and if she shows the same progress as today she will join in on the sparring the day after tomorrow" Natsu informed her with a proud look on his face.
"It's only because you are such a good teacher" Wendy said a little embarrassed by the praise she received from Natsu.
After the group ate lunch Natsu instructed them to meditate in the field overlooking the lake. This went well for almost everyone. Issei could not even sit still for more than ten minutes before complaining.
After the third time Issei complained Natsu came up with a solution to the problem… Knocking Issei unconscious. The rest of the meditation session went off without any more interruptions.
The rest of the day they either talked about different situations and how to handle it or getting a bit more familiar with the forest in the Dragon Realm.
After dinner the group had some free time and they could do what they wanted. They decided to just chat about the day because they were all exhausted from all the physical activities they did. After some time went by they noticed that Natsu was nowhere to be seen.
Akeno volunteered to go looking for him. Remembering the previous night she went to the bridge to see if he was there. When she didn't see him she stood where she stood last night remembering what the two talked about. It was then that she saw flashes coming from the clearing near the lake. She decided to go see what was going on.
When she arrived she saw Natsu busy training, punching boulders with flame infused fists and roaring fire like a real dragon. Akeno just stood there admiring the handsome dragon king going through his exercises before starting to daydream.
"You need anything Akeno?" Natsu's asked shaking her shoulder startling her and snapping her out of her daydreaming.
"N-Natsu d-don't scare me like that" Akeno yelled trying to hide her blush.
"I called out a few times and you didn't respond" Natsu explained, "So anything I can do for you?"
Akeno was still a little bit embarrassed and did not look at him.
"Everyone was just wondering where you were" she softly replied.
"Oh I was just out here training, since I'm helping you all I had to move my training to the early hours of the morning before you guys start and then again late at night after you guys are done" Natsu cheerily replied.
"I'm sorry us being here is disturbing your usual schedule" Akeno said a little down trodden.
"Don't worry about it I actually really enjoy the earlier and later training" Natsu replied still smiling.
It was after Natsu said that that Akeno decided to look at him. Her brain completely shut down when she saw his muscular body glistering with sweat. All she could think about was what she would like to do to him.
"Akeno are you sure you are all right?" Natsu asked a bit concerned for the girl.
Regaining a bit of brain function Akeno stuttered something incomprehensible. Natsu placed his forehead against hers trying to feel for a fever. Akeno jumped back due to the close contact she had with the man she now knew she had a crush on.
As Akeno jumped back she stumbled and nearly fell into the lake but before she could fall into the lake Natsu caught her and brought her close to him.
"Thank you" Akeno shyly replied secretly loving the embrace Natsu had her in.
"No problem" Natsu said releasing her. Akeno pouted at the loss of his body heat.
Seeing her pout Natsu could not help but think she looked cute.
"Let's get back to everyone then" Natsu said after the silence stretched out a little too long.
The walk back was a bit awkward due to the silence but when they reached the bridge Natsu decided to break the silence when he remembered the look he saw in her eyes last night.
"Know that even if you feel alone or unwanted there will always be someone there for you" Natsu said with a faraway look in his eyes, "I will always be there for you."
Akeno didn't know what she was doing until she's already done it. She kisses Natsu on the lips, a soft quick kiss but the message was clear.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I…" she was cut off from her rant when Natsu gave her a soft kiss lasting a bit longer than the previous one.
"I like you too" Natsu said with a smile. Akeno's heart felt like it would jump out of her chest, the guy she had a crush on just said he liked her.
"So are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?" Akeno asked with a blush on her cheeks.
"Kind of but for dragons it's different compared to people and devils. Dragons have mates, when a dragon finds its mate it will love that one mate and only that one. The exception to that rule is the Dragon King to ensure they get an heir the dragon king can have multiple mates. A mate is not chosen by the dragon rather the dragons instincts. Basically you are one of my mates. I hope you will not mind sharing me with whoever my other mates are. I will love all my mates the same" Natsu explained.
"So you will have a harem" Akeno said with a sly smile, "Don't worry it is normal for high-class devils to have multiple wives so it's not really that strange" she continued.
The two talked while they returned to the rest of the group deciding not to tell them yet about their relationship. The rest of the night everyone just talked about anything from what they wanted to do when they are done with the training and school starts again to how Natsu learned how to bake.
Once Wendy learned enough magic to participate in the sparring matches Natsu started to observe the matches and the give advice to everyone on how they could perform better. At night before going to sleep Natsu and Akeno would spend time together on the bridge just talking and looking out at the lake. Natsu saw that Akeno barely had the look she had the first time they were there and it only really appeared when they talked about her early life. Natsu decided to leave it up to her as to when she would talk about it.
The end of the school break quickly approached and everyone had considerably improved. The morning before they would leave to go back to the human world Natsu told them that their training was over but he had a test for them.
They would go into the forest and search for a trinket he placed in a clearing. There would be wild beasts that will attack them on sight. He told them that he would be looking from the shadows and if the situation called he would intervene.
"This task will test your teamwork and how far you have come as magic users" Natsu said before telling them to get going and that they have till nightfall to complete the task.
"And what happens if we fail" Issei asked.
"You don't want to know" Natsu replied with a demonic grin that sent shivers down the devils' spines. With that Natsu disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.
"I hate it when he does that" commented Issei.
The group decided to form up so that Kiba and Issei were up front Asia, Wendy and Rias in the middle and Akeno and Koneko bringing up the rear. As they searched they came across a few monsters that they easily dealt with.
They saw a clearing with a pedestal in the distance but before they could reach it a large chimera blocked their view. It looked like a lion with a head of a goat coming out of its back and a tail ending in a snake's head. The beast roared as it saw them and started charging.
"Quick Akeno try and paralyze it, Kiba go for the tail and cut if off we don't want the snake biting us, Wendy and Asia hold back for now and Koneko and Issei be prepared to strike once its stunned" Rias gave clear orders before taking her own position ready to attack with Issei and Koneko.
The lightning attack only slowed down the beast but Kiba was able to summon a sword and using his speed cut off its venomous tail. Issei and Koneko was met with more resistance as the beast swiped its massive paw at them knocking both of them back inflicting heavy damage.
Wendy quickly moved to heal Koneko while Asia went to heal Issei. Rias used her power to cover the two healers throwing beams of destruction at the beast. Akeno continued to blast it with lightning ensuring its movements are kept slow. Kiba summoned swords all over the place making a minefield of sorts where if the beast would stumble it would be stabbed by a sword.
Wendy deciding to use her new magic summoned a large tornado lifting the beast in the air. When it fell to the ground it was stunned for long enough to allow Koneko to knock the goat head unconscious while Issei started to boosting Rias' power with his sacred gear.
When she had enough power Rias let loose a devastating attack finally defeating the beast. As they approached the pedestal a gigantic sphinx rose from the ground. The group was already tired out and began to worry about how the next fight would turn out. They were pleasantly surprised when the sphinx did not attack them rather they heard its voice boom.
"To complete the test Lord Dragneel set out for you, you must answer my riddle" the sphinx said.
"Which creature has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed" the sphinx asked.
The group was debating on what the answer might be when they felt a new power rising. Putting the riddle to the back of their mind until they found out whether the source of the power was friendly or not. They soon saw a black haired man dressed in what looked like ancient Greek armour wielding a spear and round shield.
"Would any of you devils know where I can find the Dragon King?" the man inquired.
"Who are you and what do you want with Natsu?" Akeno asked readying for a fight.
"Where are my manners, my name is Oedipus and I have come to deliver a message to the Dragon King" Oedipus answered before looking at the sphinx, "Ah I see you are trying to solve the riddle of the sphinx. An interesting riddle it is challenging whoever wishes to answer it to think in a way they normally wouldn't" he continued implying that he knew the answer.
"You know the answer to the riddle then I presume" Rias stated not really needing an answer, "would you mind giving us a hint that will help us solve it?"
"Hmm, well what would be in it for me?" Oedipus asked striking a thinking pose.
"We could deliver the message you have for the Dragon King" Kiba offered.
"No, no that won't do my master told me to deliver it personally" Oedipus said, "You know what if you can impress me in battle I might just give you the hint" he took a battle stand lowering his spear and raising his shield to eye level.
And on that cliff hanger I will end Chapter 8. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and if anyone knows the answer to the riddle without looking it up you can pat yourself on the back and tell all your friend you solved the famous riddle of the sphinx. Until next time see ya!
