Yeah I really should have got back to this story sooner but I got caught up in other stories and new chapters of Fairytail, Seven deadly sins and a few new anime I've been watching. I will be incorporating a few things from the manga chapters 465-475 over the next few chapters so if you're not up to date or don't read manga sorry spoilers but they really weren't that different from what I was actually planning, anyway on with the story hate the author later.
Natsu and the remaining demons of Tartaros waited on the surface of the cube for the undeniable arrival of the black dragon of the apocalypse and his supposed army. They stood calmly as a strong magic power approached them from beyond the mountains in front of them.
"Here he comes, be ready for anything and remember this is Acnologia we're dealing with be cautious in how you approach him, his power is beyond that of my current highest level of power and my brothers combined judging from the last time I seen him fight against my father and even then he wasn't taking the fight completely serious so who knows how powerful he actually is" Natsu said in a serious tone while Sayla placed her hand upon his shoulder giving him a look of reassurance.
RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
"Speak of the devil" Mard Geer said sarcastically before he and the other demons shifted to their etherious forms and Franmalth activated the lightning flame soul Natsu gave him. Natsu only stared at the hovering dragon for a moment by the memories of this monster killing his father surfaced making his blood boil.
"ACNOLOGIA!" the dragonslayer shouted before he jumped into the sky and became engulfed in red and black flames which soon dispersed revealing an etherious form similar to Mard Geer's except Natsu was covered in crimson scaled on his legs, forearms and his wings that erupted from his shoulder blades with a sickening cracking sound. The sides of Natsu torso were also covered in crimson scales but his chest and lower abdomen were covered in beige scales with his large X-shaped laceration still visible on his side.
Natsu could have sworn he saw the dragon king smirking as he charged towards it, "Dragon Demon's Hell Blaze!" Natsu redirected himself and flew high above the black dragon before gathering demonic black flames in his left hand and dragon flames in his right and combined them together into one enormous fireball sending towards the dragon king.
There was an explosion upon impact creating large amounts of smoke that covered the entirety of the black dragon, "It would appear that the boy was telling the truth, although I was expecting more from E.N.D son of the flame dragon king" an echoey, eerily calm voice said shocking the demons and Natsu who had never heard the dragon speak before.
"So you can talk" Natsu stated in irritation as the other demons of his guild floated up beside him save for Franmalth and Ezel who were still down on the cube's surface as they were unable to fly. "Yes although I prefer not to talk with insects such as humans" the dragon spat causing Natsu's eyes to narrow, "But you yourself are human, you can't deny that even with the ability to turn into a dragon you are a dragonslayer first and foremost" Natsu said in a neutral tone earning a snort from the dragon king.
"I see your brother hasn't told you everything. Sorry to say but I have other things I have to attend to but don't worry after I destroy the other seven I'll come for you" Acnologia said puzzling them but within a fraction of a second the hulking dragon had flown past them at incredible speeds to carry out the task it had set itself. "You're not going anywhere!" Natsu shouted trying to catch up with the dragon but a laser beam of blue energy stopped him and caused him to turn around and see that they were being surround by much smaller black draconic replicas of Acnologia that seemed to be appearing from light blue magic seals appearing in mid-air.
"What the hell does he mean other seven, no he couldn't there's only seven of us but the way he said it sounds like there's an eighth?" Natsu began panicking as he quickly picked up on what Acnologia was saying and if that was the case everyone was in danger. "Natsu what the hell do we do now my macro won't work on them?" Sayla asked as they quickly regrouped to the cube. "Lamy activate all of the cube's magic canons, everyone else get wide ranged attack ready, physical fighters take care of any that make their way down to us" Natsu called out before Tempesta, Mard Geer and himself took off leaving the other on the surface of their guild.
"Mail Storm!" came the shout of Mard Geer s both his hands were engulfed in a silver energy before he swung his arms in a circular fashion causing the white to disperse into typhoon of arrow head curse blades tearing through a large amount of the summoned draconic creature. "BOOM!" Tempesta was next except that he summoned an enormous torrent of flames which took more of the creatures which continued to charge leaving Natsu who was slowly raising his hands above his head before he clapped them together.
"Blade of E.N.D" both Natsu's hands were alight in black flames which travelled skyward for about twenty metres before he swiftly brought both his hands down to a ninety degree halt causing a wave of the black flames to travel towards the creatures destroying an equally large if not larger amount of the creature than Mard Geer but there were still many more appearing and some had gotten down to the surface of the cube and others were being shot down by the cubes canons. "This isn't going to plan" Natsu gritted out through his teeth before bringing a scaled fist down upon the skull of one of the creatures and looking in the fading figure of Acnologia.
Back at Fairy
The guild was celebrating that they had survived but it wasn't too joyous as they had learned that the Machina that infiltrated the city self-destructed gravely injuring the Thunder Legion which raised Laxus' anger to heights unexperienced before. However, said lightning dragonslayer had made his way skilfully into the back of the guild without anyone bar Mavis noticing. "God damn this body" Laxus cursed to himself unaware of Mavis' presence.
"You're still sick from the fight from Tartaros aren't you? That's why I can't sense your full potential because you don't know it yourself" Mavis stated rather than asked surprising the slayer, "Master Mavis! It's nothing it just acts up every now and then, just don't tell the others" Laxus said while facing away from her. "I swear you're just as stubborn as Yury, that cure Porlyusica gave you barely did anything, the damage caused by the particles was already done the moment you decided to fight Tempesta. You'll die if you fight like that against one of the twelve you know?" the first said worry evident in her voice.
"Ah…but I ain't dying until this war is over, I swear I'm gonna protect everyone, the guild and all of Magnolia just you watch even if I have to fight Zeref himself then I'll do it" Laxus said in a determined voice as strands of Lightning arced around him, this caused Mavis to smile as it reminded her so much of Yury from so long ago. "Knowing you're so much like Yury it's pointless to try a change your mind, but Laxus…don't try and be a hero this guild needs you more than you know" Mavis said before returning to the main hall leaving Laxus to himself. Removing his shirt slightly he looked down at the pulsating black mark over where his heart and left lung were.
"I don't have long left, if I can't dispel them soon then I won't see the end of tomorrow" Laxus thought as he gritted his teeth in annoyance, he may want to see this war through to the end but the way things are looking it doesn't look too promising, "Well the least I can do is take one of 12 out before I go kaput" Laxus said with a smirk as a new fire burned within him.
Back in the main hall Mavis had gathered all the members of the guild that were available, "Please listen carefully, this is what I want we're going to do, Erza, Gray, Juvia, Wendy and Laxus will form a team that will head to south to defend Hargeon" "That's where that robot bastard's real body is isn't it?" Laxus said as he entered the main hall standing beside the other mentioned wizards with gritted teeth. "Gajeel, Levy, Mirajane, Lisanna Happy and Elfman will head to the north to assist Sabretooth and Blue Pegasus" Continued on as all the mentioned mages got into decided teams. "This will decide the fate of Earthland as we know it please you cannot fail to bring down the enemy!" the black magic mage said as both teams raced out of the guild towards their destinations.
To the West
"Unbelievable he's power is just too vast" coughed out Warrod as he, Hyberion, Wolfheim and Jura lay defeated at the hands of the one who betrayed, at the hands of one man no, monster would seem like a more adequate term for the one who stood mere feet away from them the former ranked no.1 wizard saint and Heavenly King God Serena.
"come now Warrod let me put you out of your misery, God Bye" God Serena said in a serious tone accompanied by one of his terrible puns as he stretched his palm out which was coated in a golden glow, "Mavis I'm sorry, I just wanted to see you smile one last time. Yury, Precht looks like I'll be joining you soon my friends…BUT FIRST I'LL TAKE YOU WITH ME HHHHAAAAAHHHHHH!" in one last act of defiance Warrod slammed his right fist into the ground causing a massive tree to erupt from the ground entangling God Serena as it did.
"Oh you still have some fight in you?" Serena said in mock excitement before Wolfheim jumped up transforming into his beast mode a slugged Serena with his strongest punch which was then followed up by Jura causing large boulders to fly and crash into the former Wizard saint, finally as Serena remained airborne Hyberion activated his Ultimate Vampire Magic hitting the traitor with the full brunt of the attack causing him to slam into the ground.
The four Wizard saints were panting in exhaustion, they couldn't believe that it took this much to defeat God Serena and not only that but there were two more who hadn't moved an inch or sustained any damage. But then suddenly to their horror the heard a chuckle "That actually hurt a little but if that all you can do then this is over" Serena said darkly before the whites of his eyes turned black and his pupils became more slitted.
"Cavern Dragon's….."
"That's Dragonslayer Magic!" Jura stated in fear as the ground bellow them radiated with energy
"Earth Destruction!" as God Serena bellowed out his spell the ground completely exploded from beneath the four wizard saints feet while the former no.1 laughed madly "Purgatory Dragon's…" Serena shouted as dark flames encircled his right hand "Fire as well as earth dragonslayer magic!" Jura said in disbelief at what he was seeing "Blazing Hell!" throwing his hand forward all four of the wizard saints were engulfed in crimson flames, "I'm not done yet Neptune Dragon's Encircling Deluge!" the battle crazed mage called out before a massive wave of water encircled the wizard saints until it crashed down upon them with immense force.
"Hurricane Dragon's…" "That's enough God Serena!" an elderly voice boomed causing said mage to redirect his attention to August the magic king. "Guess I got a bit overzealous" God Serena admitted with a crooked smile, "Hybrid Theory, the man who is adored by the dragon god and has eight dragonslaying lacrima inside him" August explained to his fellow Spriggan Jacob Lessio.
"No in this world there are no dragon gods or dragon kings as all dragons are mere fodder and shall fall before me" God Serena explained as he began walking in the direction of Fairytail, "No someone, anyone we can't let someone like him get to the guild!" Warrod though in desperation suddenly a blast of magic connected with the ground behind the mages gaining their attention and making Warrod think that his prayer had been answered but as the silhouette of the figure drew nearer nearly all the mages were trembling at the sheer magic power his presence alone gave off.
"Smells like a dragon"
"Acnologia…tehe, to think that you'd come all this way just for little old me but now I can accomplish me goal and….ugh!" God Serena started immediately switching to his dragonslayer form but before he could even register what had happened Acnologia was behind him with his arm out stretched and a faint blueish aura fading away around it surprising everyone. But that wasn't what surprised them no it was they hadn't even seen him move and in the process the dragon king's arm completely cleaved through God Serena's abdomen destroying flesh and bone alike in its path ending God Serena's life.
"…." "Don't…he isn't someone you or I can defeat" August said with an outstretched hand to stop Jacob from attacking the retreating form of Acnologia who now seemed uninterested in them, "His majesty could…if he had the fairy heart that is, come we must press onward to Fairytail" the magic king added on as he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief feeling the danger to his life pass.
"One down, only seven dragonslayers are left until they are all destroyed! North?" Acnologia muttered in a disturbing voice before disappearing into the distance leaving a group of very shocked, relieved and confused mages.
On the eastern front
A large army marched towards Magnolia from the east, this was the largest army of the Alveraz empire and was currently under the command of Zeref's second in command and most trusted general, the winter general Invel.
"Lord Invel there's a massive power source heading our way" one of the soldiers spoked up in panic as he looked at their lacrima radar which an object speeding towards them at incredible speeds as well as emanating immense magic power, this didn't faze Invel as he kept his stoic appearance and just readjusted his glasses. "So he's here" he mumbled under his breath before a shockwave a few hundred metres in front of them blasted up a cloud of dust and debris stopping the army in their tracks.
"Flame Dragon Kings ROOOAAARR!" without warning a massive torrent of crimson and gold flames tore through the cloud and a majority of the first legion of the eastern army. Now this got Invel's attention with one attack a vast quantity of his army had been wiped out by his lord Zeref's younger brother.
The next thing that was heard was clapping before a swirling vortex of death magic appeared between Invel and his army and Natsu. "1467 troops in one attack I must say I'm impressed brother, if that is only a part of your power then maybe with your full power you'll be able to defeat me and end my suffering once and for all because I doubt that you found anything to do with my curse" Zeref said in deadpan tone as his eyes shifted to their menacing crimson red state with the faint black circle around his pupils.
"Sorry that isn't why I'm here while it's true if I were to use 'it' then I would easily be able to destroy you that power is reserved for another" Natsu said surprising his older brother who quickly regained his composure "Then why come all this way to me?" Zeref asked curiously with narrowed eyes "Well to correct your earlier statement I did in fact find something that may pertain to the curse of contradiction but I currently don't have a way of fully translating it that job is for Mard Geer and Sayla but the reason I'm really here is to slow your march to Magnolia so this should suffice" Natsu explained before dropping in to a squat with his open palms hovering over the ground while he had his eyes closed in concentration.
For a few seconds some of the soldiers didn't think anything was happening but Zeref and Invel could detect that Natsu was channelling his magic into the Earth trying to draw something out from it. Then in one fluid motion Natsu raised his hands skyward before pushing them out to the sides, the earth in front of him mimicked him in a sense as it glowed red before a pillar of magma shot of into the air. "ERUTION!" more and more pillars continued to erupt before they eventually cut the eastern attack force, Zeref and Invel off from their root. However, Natsu wasn't done not yet anyway, "Harden!" as the word escaped his lips the magma solidified creating a titanic wall between himself and the enemy.
"For added measures Demon Dragon's Demolition Fist!" Natsu shouted out before cloaking his right fist in demonic black flames and crimson dragon fire and slamming it down a great distance away from the harden wall of magma causing the ground between him and the wall to begin to crack before it completely collapsed leaving a deep and quite wide abyss between the two sides.
Zeref being immortal didn't care about the immense heat the hardened wall was giving off and walked right up to it before placing his hand on it which start to melt almost immediately although the black wizard didn't seem bothered by this and instead closed his eyes and had a serene smile on his face. "I'm sorry brother but I need more time and this just seemed like he best option but I promise I'll save you" Natsu shouted across the gap in a determined voice shocking Zeref's army and his general.
"You always were stubborn Natsu even as a child, but it's too late for me. My mind is made up, either this world accepts me or it will be destroyed and built anew" Zeref said calmly before retracting his badly melted hand which immediately began healing at a rapid rate until it looked like nothing had happened to it. "My lord?" Invel asked with uncertainty, "Our goal is uncharmed, for now we shall meet up with our forces in the north before converging upon Fairytail…move out" Zeref commanded before the army turned around and began their trip north.
Back with Natsu
Natsu quickly shifted into his etherious and took off to meet up with his guild to discuss the plan of action, he knew leaving their safety to Mard Geer was okay because would make sure they all made it through any battle and against the miniature dragons they wouldn't pose much of a threat to the underworld king. It didn't take them long to meet up as the cube shortly came into view with all of his etherious bar Keyes and Jackal who had left to aid in the defences of the North and South.
"Good you guys are okay" the dragonslayer said as he landed on top of the cube shifting back into human form, the worst damage anyone appeared to have were some scuffs but that was the height off it. "Natsu what are we going to do the cube has sustained quite a bit of damage if we take it into a battle like that again we could lose it meaning we'll lose the Hell's core as well" Sayla spoke up as she began taking into account all the possible variables for the different outcomes of continuing to use the cube or not.
"If that's the case then we'll set the cube down and continue on without it. Me, Sayla and Mard will meet up with Keyes in the North, the rest of you go meet up with Jackal in the South, Kyouka when you get there I want you to find and heal Laxus and then tell him that he needs to get back to Fairytail immediately because the first may be in danger we'll just have to hope that 'he'll' be there to protect the guild until Laxus can make it" Natsu said in a completely even tone.
"Natsu why North?" Mard Geer asked, "Because I know for a fact that Acnologia will be there be there if he's going after the dragonslayers like I think he is then he'll go to the north where there will definitely be at least two of them or most likely three depending on who Fairytail sends. It where I'd go first if I were him anyway but I don't intend on letting a single one of the slayers die whether the power I have is enough the seven of us are destined to defeat Acnologia together" said in a deadly serious tone before he shifted into his etherious form along with Mard Geer and Sayla before they flew off in the direction of the north front. Natsu was only partially telling them the reason why he wanted to go north. There was something niggling at him telling him to do so, something he couldn't ignore.
"THIS FEELING IT'S JUST LIKE THAT TIME 10 YEARS AGO!"
Chapter End
Okay there we go how was that? In case some of you are wondering about the 10 years thing I'm counting the time stuck on Tenrou Island as well. Anyway sorry if this chapter felt a bit jumpy like from place to place that's was just the kind of format that suited this chapter best at the time and just like I said I will be using stuff from canon material but also adding my own twist. Anyway hope you enjoyed until next time guys.
