"Flame Deluge of the Fire God Dragon!"
Like waves of water, fire burst forward from the body of the almighty dragon in violent flashes. They swallowed everything in their wake and were indeed like a flood. A flood of pure fire, which brings nothing else but death, destruction and demise. Ignis's flames were so hot that even the air inside the volcano melted and stones were vaporised instantaneously. The corpses of the dragon's slain kin were set ablaze and burned to ashes while the atmosphere was impregnated by the stench of burning flesh. An attack that is indeed worthy of the monster that bears the title Fire God Dragon. Ignis was arrogant but he had all right to do so. His strength couldn't be compared to the maggots the pink-haired man had killed beforehand. Yet, the supposed victim of the destruction showed no attempt of trying to evade the strong magic and calmly watched as the wildfire rapidly crept closer and closer to him.
The arcane mage had waited long for this moment to come. In fact, he had waited long enough that he lived separated from the concept of time now. Hours, weeks, centuries. They were of no importance to him anymore as he had become immune to the tooth of time. For two hundred years, his life was prolonged by the magic of dragons and when he finally broke free from his chains he continued to live. But no longer by the curse-like restrains dragons put on him but by his own magic. He dived deep into the unknown mysteries of Ethernano and unravelled them all. He bent them as he deemed most fitting for his plans until the secrets of magic were useable for him in order to achieve his goals. He collected and accumulated wisdom and strength alike and before long he was unmatched beneath the heavens of humanity's history. Yet this astonishing achievement was only the first step for him because he aimed to pull down the dragons from the skies. This humiliation would be his revenge and taking their lives would be his last spit into their faces.
But when the first dragon blood was shed by his hands he was not satisfied. His thirst for revenge shrank with every dragon he slaughtered and when his tormentor would lay dead at his feet, he knew his wish for vengeance would be quelled. So he should've felt the fulfilment he longed for, but the sense continued to allude him. He had made so many preparations while countless centuries passed by and when he thought the time was ripe for him to take action, he was disappointed. Utterly and completely disappointed at how weak and pathetic the dragons were. Had they always been so fragile, like mere ants beneath his feet? Or had he simply grown too strong? Were all his preparations and the endeavours he took on himself in order to get them done for nought?
What would all the strength and knowledge help if neither can be used to its maximum? They would simply lay dormant inside him and slowly but surely, rot away until nothing of their glory was left behind. And with them, all of his efforts would vanish as well from the face of the world. It caused him distraught, and his soul trembled beneath the fear until all of it was burned away. Ignis's flood-like spell consumed his entire being and set the mage ablaze. Pain invaded his body from every pore it possessed but it was bearable, nothing more than small stings all over his body. He had been continuously charred for one hundred years by the Fire God Dragon's wrath, so he could endure agony way worse.
So instead of screaming in suffering, the pink-haired magus began to laugh. His mad cackling drowned out the raging fire around him and echoed through the entire volcano as he greeted the uncomfortable sensation of Ignis's fire with open arms. His actions had not been in vain and his strength and wisdom could still be used to their full capacity. He never thought he would ever feel grateful for his oppressor from long ago but right now he was. He would take everything Ignis could muster and shatter it alongside the dragon's body. His revenge would be so much sweeter by doing this.
While his laughter still prevailed inside the pool of hot purgatory, he conjured his prized blades of fire effortlessly inside Ignis's magic. The pink-haired man circled them around his body and negated all flames of the dragon in the small corridor of protection he had created. The rest of the flames were stopped by the rotating blur that was created by the wild movements of his swords. At first glance, blades could only be used to attack, but depending on who used them, a sword could also be turned into a shield. The pink-haired man was one of those few beings who have mastered this art and he was the one who stood at the top.
Fire. By nature, was destructive and uncontrollable. Underestimate it and you would be burned out of existence. Such was the hot mixture of red and orange. Yet, the mighty sorcerer managed to tame it and enforce his will over the unpredictable element. Despite its rebellious instinct, the element of the end happily obeyed its master's will, for he and he alone knew and understood the true essence of magic. At his command, fire condensed and would take in every shape he wished for. There are other types of magic using the same principle, but the difference couldn't be larger. These other forms of magic use solid matter such as wood and ice as a foundation, whilst he ruled over one of the fundamental elements. The strength resting within this magic he created was so much fiercer than normal that only he was able to cast it. And that was why he was the one who dubbed the spell with its name.
Fire Moulding Magic: Imperial Swords of Burning Demise
Following the natural laws that applied to everything in existence, this type of moulding magic couldn't exist because fire couldn't be formed into anything solid. But against all odds, the mage succeeded and created a magic that reigned supreme above many others. Therefore, Ignis's fire was unable to penetrate the protective wall crafted from these swords and couldn't reach its aim anymore, but the man nevertheless felt the heat on his skin. He had obtained strength many couldn't even dream of because it was beyond their imagination, but the same applied to the enemy opposing him.
Hence the time was due to cease the passive posture he had sustained so far and go on the offensive. It was time to stop fooling around and start this battle of revenge for real. Ignis's would reap what he had sowed.
With his blades still circling around him and hence protecting him from the deadly waves of Ignis's blazing hellfire, the swords' caster jumped straight into the flood of fire without a hint of fright. He had the utmost faith in his abilities he achieved by nothing else but extraordinary hard work. As arrogant as it may sound, his trust was rightfully placed. Even other dragons would have burned to ashes by the relentless attack Ignis had summoned, yet the magus was almost entirely unbothered. Instead, he cut through the relentless stream of flames with his swords as he ran forward until he was close enough to the dragon. He jumped upward while he clenched his fist and set it ablaze with his raging fire magic. He raised his arm to deliver the strike, but the dragon was following his motions after he had stopped his futile attack. The fists of beast and man met in a sickening sound of bones grinding on each other and flames burning each other. They glared at each other as neither of them had any intention of giving up in their collision of pure muscle strength. Waves of destruction fanned outward and extinguished the fire around them, as Mt Hakobe shook yet again by the unimaginable strength both opponents called their own.
Due to Ignis's long residence inside the volcano, the melting stone it was built from had absorbed large amounts of magic from all the dragons calling this place their home - including the Fire God Dragon himself. Therefore, the fiery mountain could endure much more than other mountains. Despite this, the current events inside its belly threatened to tear it apart since the fight became only more violent with every passing second. And maybe Mt Hakobe would have ceased to exist, but the pink-haired man had other plans.
Just like before, neither former hostage nor oppressor could get the upper hand in their contest of power but that wasn't the intention of the man, to begin with. He simply aimed to make sure that Ignis wouldn't move for a moment so he could set his hastily created plan into motion. Fighting inside the rocky confines of Ignis's lair was certainly not in his favour, so he had to relocate this battle elsewhere, preferably outside. A mere flick of his free hand was all it took to transmit his commands to his blazing weapons, and they began to dance through the large cave in unpredictable movements.
The Fire Dragon God noticed them but was unable to fully concentrate on them. He directed his gaze at them for no longer than a second's fraction but that was enough for the dragon's opponent to turn the tides. Immediately Ignis lost ground to the man and could only stop it when he returned his whole attention back to the pink-haired mage in front of him.
'What did he do to obtain such unfathomable strength?!' the mighty father of Igneel wondered. It was unbelievable how a mere human was able to counter every strike Ignis unleashed and that was only the tip of the iceberg. A moment of carelessness could end fatally for the dragon and this realization he hated the most. An insignificant creature like a human shouldn't be able to oppose a dragon. They are barely good enough to be preyed on but seemingly, this one man didn't care about the natural order as he mocked this fact with his existence alone. And if that wasn't enough on its own, he even had the audacity to insult Ignis without remorse - almost as if he was looking down on the God Dragon.
"Lookin' a bit startled over there, oh mighty Lord of Fire. Want me to give you a handicap?" the arcane mage taunted and Ignis swallowed the bait in an enraged roar that shook heaven and earth. In response, the man simply smirked as he witnessed Ignis's suffocating arrogance first-hand once again. Centuries had passed since they had seen each other last, but during this whole time, the fire dragon had not changed in the slightest. It made coaxing him so much more entertaining and so easy, that it was hardly believable. Yet the man could care less and even welcomed this fact because it would serve him far better than an enemy whom he couldn't predict.
Blinded by arrogant wrath, Ignis failed to notice how the dancing swords changed their directions and charged at their master's demand. Each weapon crashed against the dragon's colossal form and caused painful impacts all over Ignis's body. They tried to pierce through, but the dragon's scales and muscles were too resistant. However, it was a close call and Ignis felt that. Each sword's bladed peak was not far away from succeeding to skewer him, but his defences held firm and fended off the attack - for now. In the depths of his consciousness, he was aware that it was only a question of time before his natural sturdiness would give in to the man's thirst for blood. Yet he was too full of himself to accept this, even when he was pushed backwards by the force residing in every weapon of fire. Many rocky walls were broken along the way the attack forced Ignis out of the volcano and into the open space around the fiery mountain. Only then, Ignis was able to put a momentary stop to the fiery spears and swatted them away with his right claw, henceforth negating the "useless" attack directed at him. His feral stare found his enemy who was now hovering in front of Mt Hakobe, levitated by an unknown type of magic that Ignis had never seen before.
The mage's blades tumbled through the air in total disorder and without a target after they had been rejected. He had anticipated as much so it was child's play for him to reconnect the cut threads woven from his magic. Therefore, it took less than a second before his swords were obedient to his will once more. He called for them and they answered instantly. The swords darted to his side and collected above his head, where they adopted a circular motion. In the background, Mt Hakobe erupted now that all pressure had left its insides. Burning debris, thick veils of ash and large columns of smoke turned the still early day back into the night.
Ignis narrowed his eyes when he perceived the cocky expression plastered all over the face of the pink-haired mage. With every passing moment, more and more of his sanity slipped away. Left behind was nothing else but the primal urge to slaughter his former hostage as cruelly as possible for the crimes he had committed against the kin of dragons and first and foremost against the Fire God Dragon himself.
"Foolish human. By pushing me outside in the open you have only fastened your death." the fire dragon rumbled threateningly.
However, the menacing words fell on deaf ears. They were empty at best, yet the receiver could agree with one part. The swords above him changed their alignment until all of them pointed at the Fire God Dragon, thirsty for a new attempt of drinking dragon blood. But this time their master's command was different. Instead of darting forwards, they were linked together by a bond of fire and began to rotate around their own axis. Faster and faster until the new construct of arcane magic they had formed was only a blur. The tension laying in the air became so thick that one could cut it with a knife. The mage's next spell would be one of unparalleled power, one that had not been seen in the books of history until now. And only then, with his next strike almost finished and ready to be unleashed, did the powerful magus give his cheeky retort.
"Hmpf, I wonder where this is coming from so suddenly. In the past, we were never on the same page but now we see each other eye to eye again and again and again. I was just thinking the same about you, filthy lizard."
Ignis's sanity snapped at the new insult. That was it. The one droplet that caused the barrel to overflow, and in his case, it was no water but the flames that could even burn hell to ashes. The God Dragon inhaled deeply, his chest expanded and his wings stretched to their utmost limit. His throat began to lighten up by the massive amount of the fire magic he was collecting, It was another breath attack but it couldn't be compared to the others he had used so far. This was a serious one, the true roar of the Fire God Dragon Ignis. A roar so mighty that its echo would be heard across the world upon release.
Meanwhile, lightning had formed above the man and crackled through the air. The cause was the ever-increasing friction from the rotation of his blazing swords with the atmosphere. In the centre of the blades, a white orb of compressed fire that brimmed with magical power had formed and just like Ignis's throat, it turned brighter and brighter with every passing second.
Both combatants released their attacks with a roar and this time, the world couldn't endure the clash of beast and man. A gigantic explosion annihilated everything nearby the moment both strikes connected. Mountains vanished from the maps in the blink of an eye and were replaced by craters and ravines running deep into the earth. At the same moment, new hills climbing towards the sky were born at their borders, but they wouldn't last because the fight had only begun. Only one thing was certain. No matter who came out victorious in this battle of overpowering beings, the world map would need to be redrawn in the aftermath!
Debris in all forms and sizes flew in every direction. They were drenched in absurd amounts of magical power which turned them into poisonous bombs. If a normal living creature touched them, they would die from the overwhelming magic residing within. Catastrophic winds bellowed across the battlefield and caused havoc wherever they went. They were just as venomous as the falling rocks and turned the world into a toxic hell.
Long minutes passed before the effects of the collision of spells slowly died down, Ignis could neither see, hear nor feel anything around him since the entire area was blanketed under a large smokescreen. It was like the concept of senses had disappeared alongside the gargantuan explosion, but he felt no worry about it. There was no way that the mage could have withstood such a violent force. The shockwave that hit him a second after their magic had met, felt as if he had been smashed against a wall of diamonds. His entire front throbbed in pain so it was impossible that a meagre mollusc could have possibly survived.
But suddenly, a vibrant light blinded Ignis for a moment, indicating that his senses still worked just fine. Amidst the wall of darkness, a citadel of burning swords had appeared. Some orbited around the holy place whereas others had formed several protective layers around their lord who remained completely unscratched within. Ignis's eyes widened in shock at the sight. This couldn't be possible! How can a lowly human survive an explosion like that, without suffering any damage while he, a god of dragons, suffered in pain?!
"Answer me, you unworthy creature! How can you still stand after all of this?" Ignis demanded but he didn't get a reply. At least not an oral one because the mage simply smirked like a demon before he pointed upwards with one of his fingers. Then he shifted the direction downwards and the heavens fell from the sky. Ignis's entire body was assaulted from above by an unknown force and it hit him in a state of shock, so he was completely unprepared for the sudden assault. Even the smoke in the atmosphere was tightly pressed on the ground as all blackness had vanished instantly the moment the man directed his finger towards the ground. No matter how much Ignis tried to flap his wings in order to regain his position in the sky it was futile. It was clear that this was solely the mage's doing but Ignis was unable to comprehend what exactly was going on. It felt like the all-encompassing power of gravity wa- Ignis haltered his thoughts.
Gravity. Could it be? But his magic was fire so how was this poss-
"Seems like you have figured it out," the magician suddenly said, confirming the fire dragon's suspicions. "It's indeed gravity I currently use against you. Though I admit that I'm a bit surprised by your reaction. Did you really think fire is the only type of magic I have at my disposal?"
Each spoken word was like a dark omen for the struggling Fire God Dragon as his fight had become so much harder. Normally, every living being, no matter how insignificant they may be, have an affinity to one type of magic. But this mage was different and only now did Ignis realise that. He belonged to those who have a connection to several types of magic which made it more difficult to fight them because they had a grand array of spells at their disposal. Without Ignis realising, worry began to build up in the depths of his soul but even though he himself didn't notice, it didn't go by unseen.
Without warning the arcane magus released his spell and Ignis could finally stabilize himself in the air. In the next moment, mad cackling filled the atmosphere as the man laughed to his heart's content while holding his belly. He couldn't suppress it when he saw the slightest hint of panic within his enemy. This was what he had wanted to see. To see how the powerful dragon slowly drowned in the despair offered by none other than him. For this very reason, he had searched for unknown wisdom and obtained insurmountable strength. All in order to execute his sweet revenge for all the suffering he went through only because Ignis had suffered a blow to his worthless pride. Remembering those times stopped his laughing altogether. Instead, it was replaced by a calm rage. Like a volcano on the brink of an eruption. One never knew when it would happen but the one thing certain was it would happen sooner or later. It was simply a question of time. With this kind of strangling wrath drenching every word spilling from his mouth, the magus address Ignis once more.
"And if you think that's all that awaits you, you are sorely mistaken. This is merely the beginning of your end!" he spoke in silent anger before the emotion retreated behind his calm and collected demeanour as fast as it has greeted the world. In its place, a confident smirk once again appeared on his lips.
"By the way, do you think it's a wise choice to stay where you are?" Ignis immediately understood that his opponent was planning something, but he was still mulling the thought inside his head as the man snapped his fingers and the dragon was embraced by countless small explosions seemingly coming out of nowhere. They barely caused any damage, but they startled the dragon nonetheless and opened his defences for another attack. Suddenly Ignis was grabbed by something at his ankles. Reflexively he set his body ablaze to throw off whatever it was but its hold on him didn't subside. On contrary, the grip even fastened and seconds later his other leg, as well as his arms, were caught in a crushing embrace of wood.
From below, thick tree roots had sprouted from the depths of the earth and Ignis sensed how the magic of the spiky-haired mage flowed through them. But that was not all. Inside the living branches, he could also perceive the natural Ethernano dwelling inside nature. By some unholy and sickening means, the mage must have succeeded in creating this repulsive type of magic. It explained why he couldn't easily burn them away because it was a mixture of natural Ethernano and magic originating within the pink-haired man. That didn't give him an answer to the question, which came to his mind when he saw how an entire jungle was growing in his former realm. He was about to put this question into words but a comet-like impact into his stomach stopped him from doing so. It happened so fast but he still saw what happened. In one moment, his enemy was still inside the church of fire that he had crafted himself and in the next moment, he was falling towards Ignis using the power of gravity. It was a heavy blow as the God Dragon was crunched beneath the feet of the magician in the depths of the newly born thicket of endless green.
Ignis's innards were squeezed and before he knew it, he vomited a torrent of blood. His blood. It had been centuries since he has last seen it. In fact, he had already forgotten that his blood was red as well. Yet, it was the blood of a God of Dragons that the man had just spilt. An unforgivable crime that couldn't be pardoned. Every last sanity Ignis held close to him burned as his body and soul were set ablaze by his trashing wrath. Every plant around him was vaporized by the sudden increase in heat and even the mage retreated but it was already too late to escape Ignis.
A blazing fist was aimed at the powerful mage, and he was unable to dodge in time and took the brutal hit with his whole body. Pain invaded his entire being but in the same moment, as he was catapulted skywards, he once again snapped with his fingers, triggering a mighty strike of his own. The jungle trembled as all life was drained from it before a gargantuan gnome-like grimace emerged from the roots of the trees. It was an embodiment of nature's power and the mage's genius and swallowed everything in the designed area including the Fire God Dragon. He tried to escape but the enormous magical force crafting this abnormality paralysed Ignis, so he was unable to prevent getting hit by this dubious spell.
The mage caught his rise after most of the force pushing him upwards had vanished. He watched in wicked delight as Ignis struggled to fight off the spell he had prepared in advance while the dragon was busy thinking that the mage hadn't survived the explosion. The spell now breathing devastating life into the forces of nature was one of an array of spells the mage had created himself. One that reigned supreme, even above the vast number of more basic spells he had developed over the centuries of his life, and this one, in particular, held cataclysmic potential.
Great Tree Arc: Terra Clamare
The face committed suicide at its godfather's order and died while causing a disastrous explosion that was even more powerful than the last one since it was fuelled by the bottomless energy dwelling inside nature. In order to minimise the damage, Ignis released the spell he had used inside Mt Hakobe once again but against this magnitude of magical power, even he as a God Dragon struggled greatly. Small wounds opened all over his body as he took the brunt of the morbid spell. It felt like his body was corrupted by the large amount of magic attacking him, but the more it struck the more he burned until he was able to escape the prison of nature.
A moment later, he narrowly dodged a beam of raging magic that was shot at him. Directing his attention to his enemy in the sky he was welcomed by the sight of countless metal pipes hovering in the sky. Each of them was charged to the brim until they released a barrage of magical gunfire on him. Ignis flapped his wings and catapulted himself upwards while he created small, blazing orbs of fire around his body. Whenever a shot would have hit him, he used one of the balls to intercept the attack so he could fully concentrate on the man who crafted these war machines, to begin with. If the mage died all of his spells would as well.
Seeing as the fire dragon was unimpressed by the onslaught directed at him, the pink-haired mage changed his tactic. He set his fist aflame and charged at the dragon. His move was mimicked and both combatants clashed once more high in the sky. Another explosion was born, and it was followed by many more as the fight between the arcane mage and the God of Dragons lasted for hours. Intensity and brutality never let up as both of them wanted to end the other's life.
XXX
Far, far away another battle was taking place, albeit it was not one to death. It even lacked the fundamental cornerstone for a real fight since there was not an ounce of hostility nesting inside the flying fists. Instead, it was nothing else but a pure and simple contest of strength between friends. Atlas Flame and Igneel were facing off against each other high above the ground in the vast skies as they danced around each other in agile movements contradicting their large frames. Their bodies were covered in dirt and small bruises from their friendly banter and punching. For outsiders, it may look rough, maybe even brutal but actually, they couldn't treat each other softer than they already did. Neither of them had spilt any drop of blood in their battle since they were more or less only goofing around with each other.
The sun had long gone past its daily zenith and was already on its downfall beyond the horizon. The heaven was coloured in red and orange hues as the last rays of sunshine rained down on Earthland. It was the signal for every living being that it was time to return home soon and rest for the night until a new dawn would arise in the morning. This is the normal cycle that repeats every day from the very beginning, yet the youthful dragons hadn't the slightest intention of ending their battle as they were having too much fun fighting against each other once again. It had been a few years since they were able to have an open contest without any interruptions, so neither Igneel nor Atlas Flame desired to let it end anytime soon. For both dragons, it was freeing to act on their own wishes since both had some kind of responsibility weighing down on their shoulders during every passing moment they lived. So when the spark inside their hearts was lit the resulting fire burned brighter than ever. It was full of their passion and since their magical reservoirs remained almost untouched, they could continue for days.
They might even have done so, but a sudden flash turned the world around them red. It was accompanied by a shrill sound threatening to rip their eardrums into pieces. Igneel and Atlas Flame had to cover their eyes from the brightness and their ears from the terrible sound ringing in the air. And before either of them had the slightest chance of understanding what was going on, they were captured by a ridiculous strong pressure wave. Even the fact that they were dragons was utterly meaningless because they were tossed around like rag dolls. Both fire dragons were unable to prevent their ungraceful descent from the sky as they collided roughly into the ground. At their respective crash sites, imprints of their bodies were left behind for the future world as they groaned in unison from the pain invading their bodies. Standing up was all but impossible because violent winds hollered above them. It would be safer to stay on the ground for the moment but as fast as the terrific storm had appeared, it vanished from the face of the world and left behind two irritated dragons.
"What the fuck was that just now?!" Atlas Flame asked while standing up. The fire dragon hoped Igneel could give him a plausible response, even if he was certain that wouldn't be the case. After all, the sudden distortion in the climate had washed over both of them equally. Said dragon didn't even hear his friend's question anyway because he was looking into the far distance. Atlas Flame observed how red and orange hues played over Igneel's body, the same that were dancing across his own. With each graceful movement, his scales prickled from the magical sparks resting inside. His primal instincts told Atlas Flame not to look, but he did and regretted it immediately as he looked in the same direction as his friend did.
Igneel had already discovered the reason causing the colourful flashes assaulting both of their bodies in relentless streams. How could he not, when the heaven had messed up its building element and burned brightly? In the far distance, an enormous pillar of fire covered the sky – no! The pillar itself was the sky now and by the magnitude of its size, something terrific must have happened! Under normal circumstances, only a natural-born disaster could create an event such as this, but deep down, Igneel knew that didn't apply to the massive amount of fire replacing the horizon. Furthermore, he instantly realised that the gap between his current location and the place from where the column of flames roared to life must be at least several hundreds of kilometres, an epitome of the column's vastness.
But even then, Igneel was still intimidated by the sheer size. He felt like an insignificant ant challenging a gargantuan, fire-spitting volcano without knowing the true extent of what he was going to face. The result was set in stone before the battle had even begun. Just what in the world could have possibly caused this eruption of hellfire that harboured more than enough strength that it still could affect Atlas Flame and himself? And even more importantly, why did this scenery of demise come from the direction his home was located in? Igneel was scared to follow this path winding through his brain, but no matter how much he tried to resist, it was futile. He followed that road anyway. Too strong was his burning curiosity and maddening worry.
He should have listened to his initial thoughts when he picked up the sudden increase in his father's magical power. It went far beyond everything else, that Igneel had ever sensed from the Fire God Dragon up to this moment. It was the first alarm bell and he ignored it due to his friend's actions. But he didn't blame Atlas Flame for his personal ignorance. If he had honestly cared, Igneel would have not given in to the other fire dragon's antics, but he did - a painful reminder of what the relationship with his father had become over time - and it left him with nothing but regret. Whatever their current emotions may be, they were still father and son and that would never change.
The more Igneel thought, the more regret invaded his mind and dreading despair followed suit. Ignis and he had parted the prior night in enraged screaming because their opinions differed too much once more. It was the very reason why Igneel had fled this morning from his home because he was fed up with Ignis's political scheming. But now he viewed yesterday's conversation in another light. It was funny, how fast one's mind could change if the environment did. Hours earlier, the future Fire Dragon King could have cared less about his father and now he was greatly worried about him, but before Igneel lost himself in ever darker growing imaginations, an all too familiar sensation shook him out of his worried mind. It was the fiery sensation that could solely emit from the Fire God Dragon Ignis. Like a pylon of hope, it came from within the shrinking pillar of fire where his magical force collided with another.
It seemed almost as if Ignis had sensed his son's growing desperation and tried to tell him that there is no need for such a needless emotion. It was a lecture and reassurance at the same time, but the enemy of his father wouldn't allow for such positive feelings to take root inside Igneel's heart. The magical collision above the skies of Igneel's home ended when the last rays of fire vanished from the face of the world. The air was still impregnated with the absurdly high power that had caused this unholy event, the likes of which the world had never seen before. By all means, it should drop instantly, but the charged Ethernano - the building stone of every type of magic - remained where it was, refusing the natural order.
Igneel should feel unnerved by this, but he couldn't because his instincts were overpowering his brain. Deep down he had already come to the conclusion that "normal" was not a term he could use to describe what was happening in front of his eyes. The magnitude of the fight was simply too vast, and it was far away from being over. With every cell of his being, he sensed how someone - most likely Ignis's opponent - attached threads of magic to the Ethernano, calling for its power and it happily obligated. Igneel had never sensed a magical power as rotten and dark as he did at that moment. By the mere sensation alone, he wanted to vomit but he was stopped by the very same sensation.
The magic that washed over his body was so thick and more than anything it was refined. It felt like a well-honed blade, capable of cutting an atom clean in half. And it was deep, so deep that he was swallowed whole and pulled into the dark abyss where the caster of this magic waited in perfect calmness for their new victim. How his father even managed to fight whoever could conjure magic like this, was beyond Igneel's abilities of perception. The one thing he knew was that he wouldn't stand the slightest chance against his father's enemy.
Yet, Igneel was still utterly shocked and terrified by what happened next. The heavens above the battlefield suddenly parted and banished the late afternoon from the face of the world. Even though it was still daytime the nightly sky showed its beauty, but it didn't last. At first, a low rumble descended from the skies and expanded fast. The entirety of the atmosphere and earth began to shake from the rapidly increasing pressure. Next followed the sounds of screaming stones as they were churned alive by the flames embracing them in a deadly hug. The colour of the sky changed from black to red and orange and what happened next went beyond Igneel's understanding of what magic could possibly achieve.
If someone had told him this in form of a tale, he would have laughed the narrator in the face because it was simply unbelievable. Too ridiculous it would have been. Never could anything like that happen in reality. Only the wildest imagination of a madman's fictional writing would be able to carry such an unfathomable event. That's how it was supposed to be, but reality was not only cruel but also fickle. It was an ever-shifting and morphing mass of a billion events happening at the same time and among all of those, one shone brighter than all the others, so bright that in fact, all others lost their meaning.
Burning stones and rocks, each of them as large as mountains, decorated the now illuminated sky. Cloaks of hellfire surrounded every reversed mass of rocks as they raced towards the surface of Earthland, driven further and further into their destructive thirst for death as they set ablaze the heavenly tent. Meteors, real, come-true meteors were falling from the gaping hole connecting Earthland and the rest of the cosmos. Each of them bore unimaginable destructive potential that could annihilate entire landscapes within a fraction of a mere second. Even though Atlas Flame and Igneel were far away, they began to shake from utter fright and fear, overwhelmed by the strong sensation of hopelessness washing over their minds.
What possibly could anyone do against a strike like this? And how was this even possible to begin with? Who - no! What nightmarish creature could cast a spell such as this?! Was it a being that had been sealed aeons ago for its horrendous deeds at that time? Or maybe a fallen god, who had been exiled from the ethereal kingdom of the divine and now, in an act of revenge, was laying waste to the world it has found itself? Neither fire dragon had ever heard of magic or a spell that could summon meteors from the endless vastness of the universe and thus the questions inside their heads were searching for an answer in vain.
Was this what the end of the world looked like? Was this how they were all going to die? Vaporised by the force of the impacts that were about to happen at any moment? Igneel could only wonder as he watched helplessly, how the descending mountains were getting closer and closer to the surface, the distance between life and death melting like ice inside Mt Hakobe.
Suddenly another flash invaded Igneel's peripheral. However, the light didn't emanate from above this time. Instead, it came from the ground and immediately caught the fire dragon's attention. Yet again it seemed like Ignis felt his son's distress even though they were hundreds of kilometres away from each other. A vibrant beam of pure fire, one of the Fire God Dragon's almighty roars, cut through the falling rocks as it embraced them with hellfire incarnated. Many of them were turned into mere ashes instantly, their destructive potential neutralised before any could do any damage to the planet at all. One after another fell victim to the relentless stream of roaring fire until none of the large mountains remained in the air anymore. Ignis had burned them out of existence as if they were not more than mere pebbles. Hence the attack from the unknown enemy was marked by him as a complete failure.
His father was still fighting, and it was one of the few traits Igneel admired about the Fire God Dragon. The will to push forward no matter the circumstances, no matter what kind of barricade was blocking the path lying before him. Being his son, Igneel couldn't let himself grow desperate simply like this. There must be something he can do as well to lessen the burden resting on his father. It was out of the question, that they had more differences than similarities but that didn't mean they hated each other. They were father and son, and nothing would ever change this fact.
Combing through his memories, Igneel found no reminiscence that reminded him of seeing or sensing the magic from the foe of his father before. But being related to a God of Dragons came along with some perks. He had met many other dragons and heard rumours about all different kinds from all over the world. And after seeing the attack from outer space and the magnitude of the ongoing battle, Igneel slowly but surely filtered one person out, who could be the culprit behind all of this mess. He couldn't comprehend the reason why there was any reason to fight each other but still. It couldn't be anyone else but her. A female dragon who bore the same title as his father did and was his equal in terms of power.
The Moon God Dragon Selene, a dragon, who used the power of the cosmos at her whim, it had to be her who was fighting Ignis on equal footing. It couldn't be anyone else, Igneel concluded, because there was no other being than her, which held command over heavenly bodies. And, in fact, they had met in the past already. It had been a normal sunny day countless years ago, during a time when his father had not as much interest in him as he did now. Nothing looked out of the ordinary but suddenly, without warning, the skies above Igneel's head had darkened. Within seconds, all daylight had vanished from the face of the world and the moon was dominating the heavens.
If that was not shocking enough already, then it was the appearance of an all-encompassing, magical force raining down onto his senses. It felt so thick and heavy that Igneel had trouble breathing properly but all thoughts became meaningless, as a vast shadow emerged from the moonlight's embrace. It revealed a majestic form of white scales and fur. They looked so fragile, but Igneel immediately understood that the opposite was true. The young fire dragon could channel all of his strength into a fist strike, but he wouldn't be able to afflict any damage. Most likely his fist would even be crushed by the sturdiness of the moving fortress that the pure scales formed in their entirety. For an unknown reason, his soul trembled with a feeling he had never sensed before when he first saw the Moon God Dragon Selene. Lost in thought as he was, he didn't notice how Selene's gaze lingered on him a second longer nor did Igneel see the smile that graced her face for but a second.
It wouldn't be the last time that Selene visited Mt Hakobe. She was always greeted by Ignis himself until these two withdrew to discuss whatever matters needed to be talked about. So far Igneel had thought Selene and Ignis were on relatively good terms with each other - as good as two God Dragons could tolerate each other - but apparently, he had been wrong about their relationship. However, identifying the enemy didn't make things any easier though. On contrary, the situation was even worse than before. A battle between Gods of Dragons was not an event anyone could stop just like that.
Even being aware of the cruel reality that he was utterly helpless, Igneel would not simply sit around and do nothing. But before he could intercept the battle in order to help his father, the young fire dragon had to be present and the more they were, the more they would be able to achieve. Even the slightest shift in terms of power or a small distraction could change the fight above the ever-burning volcano. Igneel looked to his side, where Atlas Flame was still watching as the battle beyond common sense grew in intensity with every passing second. Sensing the shift of Igneel's attention to him, Atlas Flame turned his head to meet his friend's gaze.
"Atlas" Igneel called out to the other fire dragon, ripping him out of his stupor as he looked bewildered at the future Fire Dragon King. Atlas Flame may have turned his head around, but his thoughts had still been a wild mess. Only when Igneel said his name with unexpected clarity, did his brain manage to regain its focus. Seeing as the glassy look vanished from Atlas Flame's eyes, Igneel knew he was back in the here and now. There was no need for long speeches.
"Are you coming with me?" Igneel asked his best friend, who simply watched him intensively in response. It was easy for Igneel to see, how the gears inside his friend's head worked in tandem in order to make any sense of what he just had asked. It was pure lunacy, both knew that but even then, his reliable friend was not one to leave him hanging in times of need.
Atlas Flame's answer was another question though. "Have I ever told you, that you are completely crazy?"
Igneel smirked. He expected the slight and well-deserved insult and added it to the pile. He couldn't count how many times he had heard this same question from his friend already. "Once or twice, I think."
"Good, because I think this craziness of yours is rubbing on to me. Let's do this." Igneel couldn't wish for a better friend. His request was madness personified, but without hesitation or the slightest discussion, Atlas Flame was on board for the raging storm waiting for them. In all honesty, they were like ants in this fight but even small creatures like them could accomplish wonders from time to time. Igneel poured his hopes into this particular thought but before they would leave, there was one thing he wanted to say.
"Thank yo-"
"Stop right there, Igneel. It will only sound as if we are flying straight into death, but we will make it out of this alive – both of us. Do you hear me?"
Yeah, definitely The Best.
"Of course we will," Igneel confirmed as both sped up, towards the ongoing battle of insanity come true.
XXX
The battle between man and dragon was ongoing without any noticeable decrease in intensity, almost as if no hours had gone by since it had begun. However, as attention-drawing, as it was, the pink-haired mage was not a fool. He had put up barriers in several layers around the battlefield. They reached far, their sole purpose was not to hinder anyone from interrupting his battle but something else instead. This would have been too draining for him to maintain. He didn't lack the magic required to do so, but he figured it would be best to not waste it as long as he wouldn't obtain much of a benefit worth the costs. Thus, they simply informed him when a noticeable amount of magic was passing through them so he wouldn't be unprepared for uninvited guests.
A few times they alarmed him of other dragons coming closer but all of them stopped sooner than later, long before he had to consider taking any measures against them. They were either too afraid to come closer or simply curious to see the mighty Fire Dragon God Ignis in action. But then he was notified about two magical signatures flying at tremendous speed towards the battlefield. They moved faster than all the others united and he immediately understood that they would not stop - at least not voluntarily. Even without taking a closer look at them, he knew who they were. It was Igneel and the other fire dragon, who had followed him this very morning when he flew off beyond the horizon.
'Your courage is admirable lil' Igneel and friend, but sadly, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, either one of you can do here, so do me a favour and stay where you are, would you?' the man thought to himself as he dodged yet another breath attack. It was a lot smaller than others since it merely served as an opening for another strike. Knowing this, Ignis's next attack was just as easy to dodge. The God Dragon slashed his blazing claws through the air and created scythe-like attacks cutting a mountain cleanly into six pieces. Albeit cutting was barely an appropriate term to describe the effects of Ignis's spell. It had more closely resembled vaporising the mountain than anything else.
Both, he and Ignis, had sustained a large amount of damage in their battle so far. Open wounds and swelling bruises covered their bodies, and both were panting heavily as they were drenched in sweat, blood and dirt. The mage's clothes were in tatters, and he had long cast away his cloak and shirt, leaving his upper body free and bare. The prolonged battle took its toll on both of them but neither was going to give in as long as the other side was still breathing.
One of them was going to die and only then this battle would come to an end!
But this battle was a duel, so the powerful magician needed to do something about the incoming support for Ignis. At their current speed, it would take them only roughly an hour before they arrived. Strength wise, there was nothing to fear but they still could distract him enough so that Ignis could deliver a fatal blow. Furthermore, he doubted the battle would have come to a conclusion by then, so he had no other choice to diversify a plan for this matter. In fact, he already had an idea of what he could do about them, but it was a bit risky since it was not a guaranteed success. Should it work, he could concentrate all of his focus solely on his enemy in front of him though. But before he could take steps toward his plan, he needed a window of time large enough. Easier said than done with having a God Dragon as an opponent.
'Seems, like I will have to reach a bit deeper into the abyss...'
Ignis saw, that something was brewing inside the man's head, but he had learned it was near impossible to predict what was going to happen next. The child he once held captive and tortured every day had become an astonishing magician without rival. It was unbelievable, that a mere human could house so much strength without bursting from the relentless force. And this was only the tip of the iceberg. Never had he seen someone, who was able to cast so many different arrays of magic. More unfathomable was that many were previously unknown to him, meaning they had to be the mage's own creations.
Ignis narrowed his eyes as he started to frown. Slowly but surely a realisation had settled in and he despised it with his entire being. He'd never admit it aloud, but when the man had taken a rather particular stance with two fingers pointing to the ground and another two directed to the heavens, prompting the wide cosmos to peel open and unleash a far-reaching expanse of meteors to fall toward him, he'd been rendered completely numb in his shock, even if for only a fleeting moment. A direct hit would have been his end, without a doubt. They had been no mere illusion nor a carefully fabricated product of magic. They had been summoned by the power of Ethernano, but they were the real deal regardless.
As much as he dreaded this action, it had to be done if he wanted to come out as the victor in this battle. The pink-haired mage was powerful, powerful enough to fight Ignis on equal terms, strong enough to kill him. The mighty fire dragon must pay respect where it's due and this human deserved this more than anyone. He deserved to be acknowledged as a worthy foe for the Fire Dragon God Ignis and when the magician dropped dead on the ground, he would remember his enemy's name for as long as he lived!
For a short moment, Ignis was distracted by his own mind, and it was all the man needed. Summoning the bottomless pool of magic, he called forth the powers of nature and let thick and large tree roots sprout from the ground. Within seconds an entire jungle of endless green was growing within the volcanic landscape. Ignis was forcefully ripped out of his stupor when they grabbed one of his legs and hurled him to the ground. The impact was hard and heavy and moments later he was already suspended by the rapidly expanding green. His limbs were chained down and since his head was still dizzy from the last strike, Ignis could not react in time as the entire jungle came down on him. Like spears of wood, the roots assaulted him as they tried to pierce his body. Every thrust forced more air out of his lungs as the morbid sounds of his scales fending off the relentless stream of attacks echoed through the dense jungle.
It was just like the last time. How was this man able to conjure an entire forest out of nowhere? It was an impressive feat, how the forces of nature and life seemingly obeyed his every whim, but this was also the one part, Ignis couldn't comprehend. Why did Ankhseram not intervene? Even among dragons, the god commanding over life and death was well known and avoided as much as possible. He greedily protected his knowledge of the concept of life and how to end it. Anyone foolish enough to enrage him would be afflicted by a cruel curse. Many were at the god's disposal and Ignis had seen how they performed the merciless cruelty in which they worked.
Few in this world were born with magic that could reach into the god's domain but the extent was insignificant, so Ankhseram did not bother to deal with trash such as this. Only those who desired more would feel his unbound wrath. There was but a single exception, someone, who was allowed to step into the realm of life and death, but he had been a special case in too many ways from the very beginning. Asie from the one person, Ignis had never heard of anybody else, who had received the blessing of life and death so what was Ankhseram doing? Creating entire jungles surely went beyond what the god would permit?!
With every whip or thrust of the roots, Ignis came to the conclusion, that Ankhseram would not do anything. Not that he needed help anyway. He's an incarnation of fire, and burning down a forest is easier than breathing for him. He roared and his magic followed suit. Flames emitted from his whole body and burned everything nearby to ashes but the wood did not simply give in as easily, as Ignis had expected. He had the elemental advantage, but he fought against the forces of nature. For every tree that his fire swallowed, three others were born to replace it.
For the mage, Ignis's short distraction was truly a godsend. He had been about to release yet another new type of magic to create the window he needed but he noticed in time, that his foe had lost his focus. He summoned his Great Tree Arc again and imprisoned the Fire God Dragon in a living cage of branches, leaves and roots. Normally, plants would be weak to fire, and this was still the case. However, their regenerative powers had been highly increased so they would keep Ignis at bay as long as he refrained from using a powerful largescale attack. And just as he had anticipated, his enemy underestimated the spell and was overwhelmed by the moving army of endless green.
The pink-haired magus flew higher and higher, so high that he could in fact touch the universe itself. It was here, where he would make his gamble. He looked at the back of his right hand, drenched in blood and sweat. He snickered ever so slightly because he must look truly horrible at the moment. But maybe, just maybe, this would actually work in his favour, considering what he was about to do. He closed his eyes and lost himself in deep focus, concentrating on a specific type of magic whilst he raised his right hand skywards. A brimming star emblem suddenly appeared on the back of his right hand and shone brightly in a golden light as he began to tell his past, letting his magic carry his words into the unending vastness of the cosmos.
"For a long one hundred years, I had been a hostage, tortured on a daily basis for the mere reason of hurt pride. When this madness finally ended and I escaped, I thought I could be free at last but I was foolish to think so. I just stepped right into a new odyssey and was taken prisoner by humankind for another one hundred years. They violated my body for their sick understanding of pleasure, stole away my dignity and virginity along the path. I understand all too well, how it feels if someone forces their will on you but I'm different from them. I will not force you to do as I please. It's wholly up to you, whether you answer my call for help or not." The pink-haired man finished his sad speech just in time because in the next moment a bright flash from below suddenly appeared and in the next moment, Ignis was right in front of him.
"Fire God Dragon's Iron Fist!" He was punched by the mighty attack and sent flying into a mountain, but Ignis was not finished yet and released a breath attack as a follow-up and obliterated the whole mass of rocks in one fell swoop. Being unguarded, both strikes caused terrific damage but in response, he only snapped his fingers whilst he had already called forth his swords in order to deflect the fire from his body. The sound echoed through the air, as Ignis was engulfed by countless tiny explosions causing him to fall to the ground as well.
XXX
Within the seemingly endless domain of the universe, the man's words became a mere whisper among many others, and it was lost soon after. Too wide was the distance separating the hushed syllables from their aim. Their fate was sealed as they ventured without goal further and further into the inviting darkness until they reached a fantasy-like world, crafted from the stars themselves. It was a world of many different spirits living within a pocket of space itself. It had been born aeons ago from the remains of a mighty creature, its magical power so vast that it managed to create a different dimension.
Hidden from any curious eyes, it had been a peaceful world without any specks of evil tainting its beauty. But this cosmos was a cruel place, so the calmness didn't last for eternity. Someone found the hidden realm and used her powers to cause distortion in every corner. She had chosen this world as her new home and therefore it must fit her tastes. The inhabitants could do nothing against the powerful enemy threatening their existence but suddenly a saviour appeared in their world. He repelled the invasion and brought back stability. And now this saviour was calling for their aid and the response would come without fail.
From within the world's centre, a similar golden light to the rays that had emitted from the mage's right hand appeared. It was all-encompassing, brimming with divine power and could only belong to a god, the one who was governing over this realm with unmatched wisdom. It shot forth like an arrow, darting away from its home as it followed the trail the words had left behind, leading it straight towards the planet known as Earthland. The godly spear of holy enlightenment moved faster than light itself, so the watery planet soon came into sight.
On its surface, two fire dragons were flying as fast as their large wings could carry them. Below them, the vast ocean covering most of Earthland beneath its calm and watery waves stretched out as far as the eye could see and went even further beyond the horizon. Igneel and Atlas Flame had managed to cover a good amount of distance already. It wouldn't take them long before they would arrive at the scene of the battlefield. Thick veils of pure Ethernano stormed against their bodies the closer they got. It was unbelievable how living beings could emit such a massive amount of the source for all sorcery in existence and live to tell of their power. But suddenly, everything became meaningless as another magical power washed over their senses.
Above their heads, the heavily clouded sky turned into golden light without warning. Due to the thick barrier of water vapour, the day had been dark so far, an ominous sign of what was happening in close proximity to Mt. Hakobe. However, the brimming source of light vanquished every last shadow haunting the world and banished darkness from the face of the planet without mercy. Igneel and Atlas Flame had to close their eyes in order to protect them from the pure brightness but even then, it was utterly useless. Too strong was the all-encompassing luminescence from the heavens.
So it was another great shock, when all light simply vanished as soon as it had appeared, almost as if had been no more than a dream. In disbelief, both dragons reopened their eyes but realised the mistake they did by doing so. Once more their bodies began to shake from pure fear as they had to witness, what the sky had turned into. A gargantuan, gaping hole had replaced heaven. It was formed like an enormous star and acted as a connector to the outer universe. A scene that was all too familiar for the fire dragons. Not long ago, meteors had fallen from a similar hole, and it was only because of Ignis, that their destructive potential did not end the entirety of Earthland. But now the Fire Dragon God was far away, and it was solely up to them, to put a stop to whatever was following next.
And it came without fail, just as they had anticipated but Igneel and Atlas Flame had messed up the directions. The heavens remained still and calm but therefore the air behind them became restless. Both dragons turned around rapidly when they sensed an enormous presence closing in on them from behind. It was a shiny spark of golden light and since their attention had been directed to the wrong place, they had barely enough time to dodge whatever the foreign presence was. It looked almost like a shooting star and maybe it was the culprit for the current state of the sky.
Shock waves were streaming off the heavenly object as the air was forcibly pushed aside with relentless force. Neither Atlas Flame nor Igneel were able to escape the stormy torrent that hit both of the fire dragons mercilessly. Their balance was lost immediately, and they tumbled towards the waves below. The racing light had pierced through the space between them and had they not reacted even slightly. They would not have been able to catch their falls in time and instead they would now sink into the depths of the ocean where a watery grave would have been waiting for them. Both dragons tried to follow the fast-moving light since it had changed trajectory and was heading upwards towards the centre of the hole in the sky.
It was Atlas Flame, who first snapped out of his stupor and spoke up. "Oi Igneel, we are in serious trouble here!" There was no need to tell Igneel that, because he could sense it as well. The large magical power emitting from the shooting star was unlike everything he had experienced before and without a doubt, it was the source of everything that was happening in front of his eyes. It felt so foreign to his senses, so other-worldly. The sensation was invading his every pore and his mind struggled to keep up with how fast things were developing. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see, that Atlas Flame was sitting in the same boat.
The shooting star never seemed to stop as it rose higher and higher. Only when it was directly in front of the large white orb decorating the nightly sky, did the living ray of light stop. Its golden light danced across the heavens and was reflected on the endless view of thousands of thousands of stars and the full moon in the background. It was a magical sight to behold but neither dragon could admire the beauty offered to them. All of their focus was solely reserved for whoever was hiding behind the brimming veil of golden sparkles. They tried to make sense of the event playing in front of their eyes, but every thought left them when a deep voice boomed over them.
"I do not approve of thine actions, but I approve on thine conviction. So I shall answer thine call for aid without hesitation. Not only to honour the pact we once made but first and foremost for the bond we share." Loud and thunderous yet not threatening - at least for the moment. The source of the voice was easily identified, as the light from the shooting star dispersed and revealed a large figure in its midst.
"And I will not deny that you helped our world greatly and no matter how black thine soul may become... I will not deny the blossoming friendship between you and I. Not now and not in the future."
When the last ray of light had vanished the form of the being standing in their way was visible for them. Never had they seen anything comparable before. It was like a fairy tale had come true. A colossal warrior, taller than both of them united, blocked their path by simply hovering above them. He was clad in heavy armour from head to toe, mostly white but also adorned by aspects of gold and green. The cloak he wore was the universe itself, as countless stars glittered across the fabric. His knees, gloves and helmet were adorned by large star emblems and his eyes looked as if they were made from rubies. His most outstanding feature was the large moustache though.
He had his arms crossed as he continued his speech.
"So listen to me, youthful dragons. You shall not pass. Leave and do not intervene in this battle of repent. It is his and his alone, and in honour of our contract, I shall crush everyone who dares to interrupt."
"That is thine desire and that is how it shall be. Am I false, Old Friend?"
XXXXXXXXX
I suppose nobody of you expected this character would make his entrance right? I've separated Igneel and with him Atlas Flame on purpose from the events at Mt. Hakobe. Otherwise, they would have been simply sitting ducks without reason and that's rather boring. Further, I wanted Ignis and his nemesis to have a duel without interruption, allowing me to fully concentrate only on them. So I was mulling over some ideas about how to keep Igneel and Atlas Flame away and what to do with them until this guy popped up in my head. There is sadly not much about him in FT so this was a good opportunity for me to pull him into the plot. The few scenes we have are all pretty damn cool but his summon during Tartaros was truly the cherry on top.
So in the next chapter, our two fiery dragons will have to deal with a transcendental being. I wonder how this will play out ;)
Don't forget to leave Likes and comments when you like what I'm doing :)
See you next time and thank you for all the support :D
