Thanks to all who reviewed. Really managed to push me through this chapter. I don't know if you will be happy with it or not but I dedicate this chapter to my reviewers.
NOTICE- 24/09/2019: Due to inadequate support from my readers, further updates won't be coming anytime soon as I do not feel motivated.
Chapter 8: Parabellum: Through War, Peace.
Acnologia
Acnologia's head snapped to the West. Something has happened. He came out of the abandoned building which he occupied in the City of Death. No monsters or beings of otherworld tried to challenge him. But him coming out managed to catch the attention of a few demons hiding in the darkness. Their yellow and red eyes followed his movements. The more intelligent ones remained to watch what caught the dangerous monster's attention. He had remained inside that building for several days now, forgoing the insisting hospitality of the Princess of the Night.
Only yesterday did his objectives seemed to have just gotten complicated with the awakening of something that reeked the power of Zeref's wretched abominations. It seemed very familiar but the possibility of that happening with the Dragon King still playing King in Essos was impossible.
"Is there something the matter?" Barbatos appeared next to him.
"He's dead." There was no emotion in his voice.
The Demon King knew very well who the Doom of Valyria was speaking of. "Well isn't it a joyous occasion then?" He asked confusedly.
The Dragon King remained silent. Was this it? All that power and he fell by the Dragon Bitch? Was he fighting a ghost? But what was his purpose then? Then a faint smile appeared on his lips. Of course it wasn't over. "He was never alive to begin with so it doesn't change a damn single thing." But another thought caught his mind. He cared for the Pinkhead demon. Of course even if it was to kill him, he wanted no one else to do it. And after his long existence of being a Dragon, he finally cared for another being. The thought amused him. "Ha.." The sound caught the attention of all the creatures present there. "Ha...ha...hahahahahaaahahaha!" The demonic laugh rumbled the city and as he walked into his lair once again.
Westeros
*Fire cackling*
"Rhaenys..." A ghostly voice laced her earlobe with a burning sensation. It was oddly feminine and...familiar? The Queen crunched her eyelids before slowly opening them. The silk ceiling of her bed slowly came into her vision. From the darkness she saw from the sides, she deduced it was night but a few tiny red embers flew over her.
"What the hell? Aego-" Rhaenys jumped up but siezed by the sight of her surroundings.
Black charred volcanic floor with red cracks on them that had molten lava flowing through. There were over a dozen volcanoes surrounding her while glancing at the horizon. All of them emitting large dark clouds of ash into the sky, darkening it like a thunderstorm but instead of lightning, there were red glows. Being a Targaryen she knew she was immune to fire but that did not mean she liked to wake up in the middle of a volcanic plane.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Once again that voice.
Her head snapped straight to the foot of her bed. A woman was sitting at her feet with her back facing her. Long silky pink locks that reached till her behind was almost levitating slightly like she was underwater. The woman slowly turned around, leaning on one hand that was placed near Rhaenys' feet inorder to get a better angle.
The Targaryen's breath froze on seeing her face. It was an image of herself. Naked. Barring the hair and red eyes, the woman was a splitting image of herself. "Who are you? Why- Where have you taken me?" The Dragon Queen fiercely demanded.
The doppelganger was all too keen to answer the question. "You managed to reconstruct my entire life which was wiped out from that book. It was one written from another world, where it was already forgotten." There seemed to be a hint of admiration in her eyes as she began.
Rhaenys' eyes narrowed, trying to recall what she was talking about. "Book? What book-" E.N.D. The strange book she found from Essos. She went to talk business with the Valyrian Steel Smith. It was by shear coincidence she saw the book in a market being sold as a Westeros treasure. "You came from the book? What are you? A spirit?" Warning bells went up in her head as the creature began to giggle.
"Dear me, no." She stopped her giggles and looked at her in the eyes as she spoke. "I am not a spirit, I am the imitation of Ankhseram, the God of Life and Death." Rhaenys tried to recall the names of all the Gods she has heard about but none rang a bell. Was it perhaps a God from the World this creature was coming from? It seemed to have read her mind. "Your thought is accurate, he is a God from the World I come from."
Rhaenys felt her throat dry up for some reason. "So you are a God?" She was curious now. Was such an omnipotent entity living among them a reality now?
Her answer came soon enough. "No. Something that was made to undo a single curse Ankhseram bestowed on my creator." The creature answered. And for a moment she thought she saw a streak of disappointment pass through its demonic red eyes.
"What is that?" She quietly asked. Her own mind screamed not to but the curiousity of knowledge from a rare encounter was too attractive. Besides, for all she could be in a nightmare. A vivid and bizzare nightmare. There seemed to be a long pause that made Rhaenys feel as though the question maybe left unanswered. The creature looked into the lava that flowed around them, seemingly lost in thought.
"Immortality." The Dragon Queen slightly jumped, at the sudden word. "He wanted an end for his miserable existence." The creature added.
The Targaryen clenched the sheets. "Wanted? So you managed to...?" She trailed off.
"In a way I suppose." It shrugged.
"If what you are telling me is true, you did the impossible already." She saw the creature look towards her. "So what do you want of me?"
She stared at the mortal for a bit before standing up. "It is a bit complicated. My existence was ended before you found me. Then I was remade. I am not the same force that existed in the previous body. I suppose you changed my roots when you rewrote the book." She answered with sincerity.
And then she asked the question that had been eating away from the moment she saw this creature. "Why do you look like me?"
Once again the creature let out a non-feminine shrug. "I thought it would be more comfortable for you to see a naked woman than a male, who was my previous form of existence." She answered as she walked around the bed.
Pulling the sheets away, Rhaenys swung her legs out of the bed and onto the charred lava rocks. Her feet felt warm but they weren't burnt. "Do you intend to harm me or anyone?" She asked, coming to stand behind the creature.
There was a pause from the demonic entity. "I cannot promise you that I will be a beacon for your cause. I may not even surface in your life. But please don't think I am a benevolent spirit."
Rhaenys wanted to lash out but stopped. The entity has been somewhat truthful. She didn't promise to be a good Samaritan, neither did she out rightly be hostile. "I suppose I will take your word of neutrality for now." She sighed. "What should I call you?" She asked.
It seemed to think for a moment. The answer being a conflicted one after the events of the Great War. "I am the only Etherious Demon to copy Ankhseram's power. My previous name is no longer mine to hold." She turned around to look her in the eye.
Rhaenys curiously asked. "What was it?"
"E.N.D" The letters rolled out in a weird fashion.
The Dragon Queen confusedly pronounced it. "End?"
She shook her head. "No, it is a bigger name with each letter being the initials."
Rhaenys placed a finger on her cheek in thought. "So E is for Etherious and D for...Demon? What is N then?" She tried but the Demon only smiled.
"I am unable to reveal that." She sadly smiled.
Rhaenys huffed and folded her arms. "Well I will have to address you by a name..." She looked at the supernatural appearance of the Demon. "How about Eurus?"
The Demon raised a brow in interest. "Hm?"
Rhaenys smiled. "It means the East Wind. I brought you from the East." She stated.
"I suppose that is adequate for now." The newly named Eurus gave a nod. "Although our contact will be very minimal, it would still be nice to be called by an actual name."
Natsu
Voices. Thousands of voices rushed into into his ears. Cries. He couldn't even comprehend what was being said. He opened his eyes to stare into a mass of faceless human figures of all age, size and races. They were grabbing onto him as if trying to anchor themselves to the world of the living. Were they the people Irene slaughtered? Or was it those she converted to her demon army? Or from somewhere in his past that he couldn't recollect?
He tried to call his flames but his senses seemed to have gone paralysed when he heard the voices of his Family. Erza, Happy, Lucy, Gray, Gramps, Wendy...they were all crying out for help. Pleading him not to burn them. To save them. His consciousness left once again.
He felt weightless when he opened his eyes and tried to see but it did little good as he was covered in darkness. There was nothing beneath nor above him. His body was floating... He tried to ignite his fists but nothing came. He tried to ignite his body, his feet but the result were all the same. 'Where am I?' Even his voice didn't make it past his throat.
He continued to float and at times he wondered if he even had a body as he lost the sensation of touch for sometime now. Was it hours? Days? Weeks? Years? He didn't know and he was slowly starting to stop caring too. But he held on. 'They are counting on me!' He reassured himself but then pondered. 'Who are they? I know them. That I know. A tree, horse people, some language...what language am I speaking?'
As his mind slowly decayed into the infinite abyss, a question plagued his mind. Was he dead? Faces appeared in the darkness that slowly faded away. A beautiful redhead, a blue cat, a blonde, a half-naked man and many more but they were all gone now. The very memory of his existence seemed to be withering away.
"Boy...are you fucking kidding me? I did this gig a while ago already..." A deep voice grumbled all around him.
Then something caught his eye. A silver spec in the ocean of darkness. 'What...?' A bright light came through the darkness he was encased in. He was in a village. It wasn't one he recognised not that it would matter with his own name being forgotten. But it felt in a vague way...familiar? A fruit vendor speaking in the side caught his attention. He was selling oranges to someone. Two persons. They were little boys, a raven haired one and a pink haired shorter one who held on to the other's arm.
"Zereffff..." The pinkhead whined. "Let's go already! So many strangers are around us." He and the older boy chuckled. The village was very small with only about fifty people living in it and they were all on a first name basis. And right as those words slipped from the boy the village Healer Matilda came over to scold him-
Shocked, he stepped back or atleast that was what he felt like he did. He knew that old lady. Infact he knew the fruit vendor, his wife, his children, the merchants...each of the fifty residents, he knew them. How? Was he a resident here? Where was he then?
"Come on Natsu, we are done here. And apologize to Ms. Matilda." Zeref politely asked. And although he grumbled, the pinkhead complied and gave a half-hearted apology. As they left the scene, something within, made him follow.
"Zeref, why can't I use magic?" The little Natsu asked annoyed at the prospect of being a normal boy.
The elder sibling looked down with interest. This was the hundredth time his brother was asking him and he was still ready to reply. "Why do you want to use magic?"
"Because you use it and it is soooo coool!" Natsu answered with stars in his eyes.
Zeref laughed. "You don't need Magic to be cool Natsu. You are amazing the way you are, like our Dad."
"You think so?" The disbelief in the boy's eyes were obvious.
The dark haired one nodded. "Yep! And you are the coolest little brother I can ever wish for!" He lead the two Natsus through the village and across the stream that had a quiet picnic spot with two adults enjoying the peace.
"Mom! Dad! We got the oranges!" Little Natsu charged into his parents romantic moment. Laughing the pink haired man caught his son and threw him into the air before catching him in one hand and the oranges on the other
The Dragon Slayer watched the family. "Natsu. That is my name. I am Natsu Dragneel."
There was a ghastly whisper from behind him. "So you remember."
Natsu whipped around. "Zeref?!" True to his deduction, the Black Wizard stood there, leaning on a tree. "Is this a..."
"No." Zeref interrupted him. "Those are all your memories." He reassured him and walked over to the Dragon Slayer who looked back at the happy family enjoying their lunch. "It was one such afternoon when..." The Black Wizard stopped to look away as the world around them began to burn down. "It...I..." He choked on his words. The Dragon Slayer looked on the fleeting image of his family. A life he lost. "My little brother...he died in that attack...but you already knew who you are even before you came here, didn't you?"
Natsu grinned happily. "Duh. I am the Son of Igneel and a Wizard of Fairy Tail, the number one fucking guild in the world!" He proudly declared. He looked at his brother. "I am sorry Zeref...I wish there was any way I could help you..." He added seriously.
Zeref smiled, a true smile. "You already did Natsu. You may not be my Natsu...but you are my brother and I love you no matter what." He hugged his sibling tightly.
Natsu returned the hug fiercely. "Ah cut it out bro. You making it all sappy here and I have a world to save from your minion." Natsu chuckled while a lone tear slipped off his eye.
"I know." Zeref pulled away. "Kick her ass." And gave him a proud smirk.
Natsu turned to look at light that was beginning to envelope the whole area. "You know, that chic's gone bananas in the head because of you." Zeref only shrugged, murmuring as his brother left through the portal.
A sudden movement behind him made the dead wizard turn around with a grin. "I have to thank you Zeref." The deep voice of the Dragon King came as he slowly landed behind him.
With an eyebrow raised, Zeref asked curiously. "Why would that be Igneel?"
Igneel shrugged as he sat down. "I almost thought I would have to do the whole motivation thing...again." He let out a sigh of relief. "Motivating him in that mortal's abyss was pretty boring."
The Black Wizard looked confusedly before realising who the Dragon was referring to. "Oh you mean Zero. That would have been quite interesting to see."
"Pfft. You want something to be epic, do it once." Igneel grumbled.
"But you are amazing at it. I would pay for you to do that with me." They looked back at the pool where the Dragon Slayer was being taken to the shore by the waves. "Hopefully he would fare adequately in this new world.
"Knowing him the way I do...meh." He got up and stretched. "But enough of him. We are dead. And let's leave the living part to our successor."
Natsu
A million thoughts ran through his mind. His memories, his powers, his friends. And through it he rushed. "Mmhhh..." He opened his eyes and had a side way vision of the world. His left cheek was pressed against the cold stone pavement. "How long was I out?"
"Three minutes." Warrod answered as he shielded him from yet another attack. They were jumping from tower to tower.
"Where is she?" Natsu asked as he jumped off the Tree God's back and onto the horde of Demons in the form of a Dragon's open maw. The sound of the explosion rocked the city and a huge dome of fire rouse up.
The war cries of the Dothrakis were all but gone up until that point. Having lost their Khal, it was already accepted as a losing fight, but upon seeing the beacon rise into the storm clouds, they once again charged with their fierce war cries that have shook the bones of all warriors in Essos.
The Tree Gollum landed next to him on the scorched Earth. "Slaughtering your people." His tree done had already taken partial damage to the sides and Irene's own personal attacks were disabling his humanoid forms.
Natsu gritted his teeth in anger but a crack on the floor caught his eye. That was strange, his fire usually melted iron and yet the ground he stood only blackened rather than melt. He raised his feet and slammed on the crack and like a sink hole, the dry mud parted away to give way to an underground passage. He looked down into the dark hole before yelling at the Tree Gollum. "Oldman! The lab's under the city! You need to save these people!"
Warrod jumped into the passage in a blinding green light, followed by a few more of the tree creatures. "On it! You go after the witch!"
Irene gritted her teeth. She knew her mistake of being cocky had brought back the younger Dragneel back. She shouldn't have ruled out the possibility of a revival. Instead she wanted to see the hopelessness in those who trusted him. And after seeing the dome of fires, these human soldiers have once again began to attack her more furiously, not that it would matter
"YOU CRAZY FUCKING HAG!" Her head snapped up to see the Dragon Slayer shoot down from the storm covered in flames that took on the shape of the Fallen Dragon King. Irene spun her staff around and slammed it into the ground, erecting a barrier just moments before a fiery claw slammed on the magical energy.
*Crack*
Large cracks began to appear on the air from the points where the claw made contact with the barrier and Irene gritted her teeth as her feet dug into the pavement. "Damn you!" She shouted before vanishing and reappearing behind the flaming dragon image. Natsu whipped around to block whatever Irene had in store but when he saw a very familiar magic circle appear in front of her, his mind momentarily froze. It was a dull red version of what he usually does. White lightning like energy pooled in the magic circle and shot to the sides in a few dozen lines before curving and converging on him.
"What the fuck!" Natsu shouted as he ignited his feet and launched out of the incoming beams that continued to follow him. In mid air, he turned and saw the magical arrow like beams continue to come from all sides. He ignited both his fists before slamming them together. The Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flames, consumed all the attacks in it's fiery sphere. 'She knows Dragon Slayer Magic... damnit!' He launched at the woman through the remnants of his fire and slammed his flaming foot, aiming for her head, but the False Queen blocked it with her staff and threw him off balance while attempting a close quarter roar. As she was about to discharge the signature Dragon attack, she felt a weight on her staff.
'What?!' Irene's eyes widened when she saw that the Dragon Slayer wasn't launched away as she thought and managed to grab her staff to be in place. And with her roar charged, she tried to attack but the pinkhead swung his body using the staff and kicked her with a flaming knee to the side of her face. Part of the massive Dragon's roar was shot into the sky, air and Earth.
Natsu spun in the air and hard landed on a pyramid before using it to launch at Irene once again. "How the fuck do you know Dragon Slaying Magic?!" Natsu reigned down a barrage of flaming fists.
Although she was having trouble keeping up with his speed, she kept a poker face and gave a smug grin. "Oh that's because I am the Mother of all Dragon Slayers!" She took his moment of shock to gain some distance between them and kicked him away with Dragon Magic. It was her luck that the demon didn't know how to fly or his retaliations would've been faster. She saw him land on top of the pyramid that housed her palace. "I was the first human to be bestowed with the power of a Dragon." She stalled him. "Even though you were born far earlier than I, you possessed Demonic rather than Draconic powers." She watched him stare at her with wide eyes.
"Mama?" He looked at her with shiny eyes that threw her off-guard and before she knew it, a fist had embedded in her abdomen. "Can't believe you fell for that!"
"Gah!" She coughed out blood. 'He tricked me!' She didn't know what hurt more. That punch or the fact that someone she considered beneath her surprise her. She tried to focus back on the Dragon and she found his clamped fists being brought down on to her head. With a sonic boom she was buried into a building.
The follow up was rapid as dragon fire came down spiralling. The witch managed to erect a barrier at the last second and launch herself to the side and saw the fire rip into her city's underground. When she looked into the darkness of the underground tunnels, the ceilings of her lab fell apart, she found green roots swirling through it. Her plans were going bad and she needed to stop the tree wizard before he reverses everything she had worked for decades.
"Damn you bastards-" She charged up a roar but was interrupted abruptly.
"Knock knock!" The Fire Dragon Slayer was right infront of her as he took her in a brutal headbutt. "Dragon's Secret Arts! Hidden Fire Form!" Natsu chanted as a burst of fire while continuing to have Irene by his head as he shot through the air and into the storm clouds. "Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!" Like missile heading down and Irene still attached to his head, he flew straight down into the ground.
BOOM!
The impact rocked the city and a cloud of dust rippled away. The Witch tried to move claw the Dragon Slayer but he was already up in the sky again. With her "Fire Dragon King's..." Natsu had his fist cocked back as he came down like a rocket. Irene once again saw the Dragon, but this time, it was Igneel himself behind the boy with glowing golden eyes, fire leaking from his mouth and similar to his son, his fist was cocked back. "Demolition Fist!"
The attack crushed her down further into the ground. Her clothes disintegrated and her body burned. The sand melted around her to form glass and encased her in it. The sudden confinement flooded memories into her mind. One that of bondage, rape, humiliation and torture. Her eyes glowed red. "YOU MOTHERFUCKER!" Irene screamed like a banshee as scarlet light emerged from her body. Natsu's fire itself began to get eaten away by it. "DIE! DIE! DIE!"
Natsu crossed his arms in front of him to block the magical force. He dug into the ground with his feet and tried to counter the sudden build up. There was a slash that came through the light which ripped three gashes over his abdomen and sent him flying out of the magical sphere. The blow sent him spinning across the city and crash into a courtyard before his body hit a fountain and fell mangled on the floor. He slowly raised himself to his arms and knees and saw the ground beneath him get drenched by his blood. Without a moment's spare, he ignited his palm and pressed against the open wounds, burning them shut.
'Well that went south pretty fast.' He slowly pulled his body up, leaning to the building. His pummeled face grew confused when a wicked tremor hit the ground. It almost sounded as if limbs touched down. The red sphere began to recede and the silhouette of something caught his eyes. Even with fallen buildings and debrief for several hundred metres, he was still able to see the creature that emerged from the light, completely unscathed. A scarlet Red Dragon with cream white underbelly.
"My years as a Dragon Slayer had it's share of consequences..." The Dragon spoke for the first time, it's voice was deep but still held the feminine depth. There was regret in her eyes for a brief moment before looking at him. "But losing the ability to feel...that was what made me lose faith." She shot into the sky as she continued with her words. "But in this life...I was real again. I had a Kingdom. Subjects to be ruled over. I almost forgot about the curse of being a Dragon." Her voice grew darker after that as thousands of red tinted spheres appeared infront of her as she stayed afloat in air. "First Acnologia...wiped my second chance. And now you stand in my way to be the rightful master of this world!" She roared and the spheres shot down in snake like fashion.
"You killed thousands..." Natsu got up and let out a breath, calming his veins and analysing his strategy. "Just so you could make this world your slave? Just so you could be some kind of God by taking away the freedom of others?!"
Irene snorted and watched the Dragon Slayer charge at her. "You speak about freedom so much, but you deny that nearly a million people worshipping you doesn't turn you on." A light red light started to emit from her body as she raised her huge arm and brought it down on the approaching Dragon Slayer in a tight fist.
"You are wrong!" Dark red flames sprouted all over him as he cocked back his own fist. "They don't do the things for me because they fear me! It's because they know I'll always be there for them!" The Dragon King's flames morphed into a giant clawed fist that resembled his father's. The collision sent shockwaves ripping across the city, sending both demon slaves and the Freemen off their feet. Even with the massive form, Irene remained ever so agile and added to that, her Sage Dragon ability enhanced her strength enchantments.
Fists and strikes collided with eachother. "Ha! Always there for them!" Irene mocked. "I lived long enough to realise one thing." She managed to overpower his offence and land a strike with her clawed hand, pummeling him into the ground. "Nothing is forever. Love, freedom, trust, they all wither away. At the first sign of weakness from you, they will abandon you!" She followed with a direct punch, burying his body further only his head out.
"Then you have lived a life without friends!" Natsu pushed against the gargantuan fist. "You don't know the meaning of having people protect your back!" He shouted as he lifted an inch before the Dragon applied more pressure.
Irene laughed sadistically and enchanted her fist. "Oh? Then where are your friends to help?" A series of red explosion went under her fist, trapping the Fire Dragon Slayer at it's epicenter.
Irene hissed and withdrew her fist and stumbled back as black and red flames mixed with lightning burned her scaly armour. "Dumbass! I don't need my friends to fight for me and it goes the same way for them too! Every waking moment they remind me what I am fighting for! To protect the good and trash those who treat others like objects!" The Black and Red fire along with the Lightning swirled around Natsu like a tornado.
The Dragon took flight."Others are always beneath me-aacck!" Irene averted her gaze momentarily to the ground and that was all it took for a furious headbutt to slam into her abdomen and even with Dragon scales protecting her, her innards bled as she coughed blood along with the air in her lungs.
The assault didn't end there as Natsu raised both arms above his head and the new form of energy began to accumulate into a ball above his head. "Lightning Fire Dragon God's Halberd!" He threw the attack which immediately on dispatch, morphed into a roughly made halberd which struck the Dragon again, electrifying and burning her at the same time.
Irene roared in agony while continuing to pushed away by the force of the attack. She clenched her fists and summoned her power to break free. Her scarlet energy dispersed the halberd attack and she spread her wings in full glory. "You wretched man! I will-" Her threat was cut short when she regained her vision and saw where exactly the Dragon Slayer was.
"Surprise!" Natsu was grinning, still encompassed in the oddly mixed elements. "Lightning Fire Dragon God's Claw!" His magically charged foot came down on her snout, painfully dislocating her jaw and blowing of a few fangs
Warrod
The Tree Wizard could feel the tremors and outright earthquakes that hit the city from the two monsters duking it above him. With the help of his Tree Gollums, the soldiers were managing to hold off the demons from escaping in to the world. But that placed a limitation on his tray. His focus was being constantly saturated and was making things difficult in the cursed lab that turned the people into demons.
"Curse. Of course!" A lightbulb went off over his head. This wasn't a magical lab, magic was of no use here. It was something that only came when magic was nullified. It was a complex form of Face but rather than cancel the magic on the world, it rearranged this world's natural order in the humans it corrupted. Warrod finally found his ticket when his roots pulled out a massive glass container with thousands of white and blue glowing orbs inside it. He wrapped it with his power but the glass didn't break. It nulled his magic.
But where will he get enough magic power to over come the cursed machine that can nullify magic? His head snapped up at a familiar sensation. He looked through the eyes of little dessert plants and weeds to reconfirm what he saw and felt was real.
Natsu
As she spiralled uncontrollably down he shot after her. "Fist!" Shockwaves ripped around them as the attack came into contact. With a giant explosion of debrief, the Dragon crashed into the a rocky mountain far away from the city, cratering it's peak. Using a burst of his flames, he launched in her direction and came to a sliding landing on a lesser peak near her. For a moment it seemed as though the fight was over and the Dragon Slayer took that moment to wipe the blood that flowed down from his forehead and lightly blurred his vision. And hitting a Dragon with his head to the point it actually hurt the beast definitely gave him the concussion of his life.
"Two different elements and two different magic... Y-you are the strongest...there is..." Natsu clenched his fists and readied himself to attack again. The voice still belonged to the Dragon Irene but it wasn't as strong as before. It was still every bit menacing and he knew the compliment wasn't the only thing. A clawed hand gripped the rim of the cratered mountain and pulled up the body. "Zeref was sharp enough to point that." She spoke before coughing up some blood. "I knew there would be a greater chance of my defeat...even with..." She stopped to cough out more blood. "That's why...ha...ha..." She chuckled lightly which proved to be painful but still continued in mirth.
Natsu felt something malicious in the air. And for the first time he noticed that it had let it's presence be known from the beginning but he was too angry and focused on Irene, the existence of this power he was feeling now went completely unnoticed till now. Worse, he had felt this power during the Great War but never managed to see it or be the one to stop it as he was out of commission withi his... He shook his head and glared at the defeated Dragon.
"What did you do?!" He growled and his anger flared as Irene laughed harder through the pain.
She calmed he laughter and gave a fangy sadistic smile through her bloodied face. "My daughter didn't tell you, did she? This is my last resort." She stopped in a fit of coughs and raised her body to a sitting position. "Deus Sema." She breathed painfully. "With my Sage Dragon magic, I have enchanted the largest celestial body I could and has it on the way." Natsu's eyes went to the sky where the Scarlet Despair's energy was mirroring far above the clouds. "Unlike before, when Erza managed to turn it into little pieces, this time not only do you not know how to use a sword, but the asteroid is the largest I found, far away from this galaxy. So even if you shatter it to a thousand pieces or more... it's all the same..." His eyes widened in horror and his throat dried up.
"You will kill all of us! Including yourself!" Natsu shouted out as he landed right infront of her.
Once again Irene chuckled. "Not quite..." She fell on her back. "This whole world might perish. This my old friend...is called an Extinction level spell. The Supreme form of my Deus Sema. Let's see if you can save them from this!" She laughed in mania as she looked into the sky and laid.
"SHUT UP!" Natsu roared, flames came to life and shot through the air. His crimson flames grew brighter and brighter, wiping away the storm clounds. "I won't let you destroy anymore lives!" He covered tens of thousands of feet in the air within seconds, meeting the asteroid at entry into the atmosphere. "RRRAAARAGHHH!" He slammed his fist into the asteroid with everything he got, covering half of the enchanted mountain in his flames. For a moment it seemed as though his defence worked but then the Dragon King fire withered away. The asteroid picked up the lost momentum within seconds, forcing the Dragon Slayer to grip into it's redish glowing surface and painfully slid to it's side.
This wasn't over. He had the power to turn mountains into rubble without going full on but this was not a mountain. No, the moon falling onto the Earth would be a better comparison. "Not like this! It can't end like this!" With one arm still buried in the asteroid to keep him from flying away he assaulted it with everything he had but every fragment that was destroyed immediately came back to it. Then he heard a thud a few meters above him. Irene made one last strike with her fist. "I've had it with you, you crazy bitch!" Natsu blocked and held on to the Dragon's fist tighter before pulling her off the asteroid and slamming her over his head to the other side.
"Ha...ha...within two minutes...this world will end...unless you die and I stop this." In a broken voice, the Mad Queen taunted.
"And let you enslave the world? Pfft I'm not letting neither of that happen!" Natsu kneeled down on the surface and placed his palm against it. Irene clawed on to the asteroid, curiously watching what was happening before laughing. "Have you accepted defeat? I thought you never-"
Slurp...Slurp
"!" The Dragon gasped in shock at the scene that began to unfold. The Dragon Slayer was consuming the asteroids magic. Sucking the power out of it in what seemed to be a single endless inhalation. "What are you doing you fool!" Natsu didn't respond and continued to absorb the destructive enchantment magic wrapping the asteroid. "Ha ha...you are going to die if you continue to do that! That is a magic that no Dragon Slayer except me has come to understand. Not even Acnologia could absorb it! You are making an early grave you stupid piece of shit!" She laughed uncontrollably.
Meanwhile the Dragon Slayer kept whatever willpower he had on the task at hand. Glowing cracks began to form over his skin which was the same colour as Irene's magic. His eyes flickered between white and scarlet. He knew what he was doing wasn't the brightest of his ideas. He knew what etherion did to his body and compared to it, this foreign magic he was consuming was a million times toxic. This wasn't even a Slayer spell. Sure, Irene's Dragon magic strengthened this beyond anything he has seen but this had no link to Dragon Slaying magic.
Natsu's mind shifted to a different topic that should be a post-victory one. 'Pretty sure everything's gonna be fine. Although these cracks on my skin hurt pretty bad. Is this going to be permanent? Is the glowing stuff my blood now? Did my blood get replaced by this magic? I seriously need to think through my plans...'
'Natsu!' The vine that was wrapped around his forearm glowed, having survived the battle that took place in an inferno but protected by the Dragon Slayers own control to not burn what he doesn't want even when focused on a dangerous fight.
'Tree Gramps?' Natsu thought out in surprise.
'I can hear your thoughts for now, so no need to speak! I want you to unleash that energy on to this device I am going to throw above the city!' He drilled the words into an already exhausted Dragon mage.
And he was more than ready to snap back. 'What? What device? And where the hell is the city?' He thought.
'You'll know it. Just...uh...just look around when you are done.' and he was gone, leaving a fuming Natsu.
'When I am done?! As if I know when that will be!' Natsu continued to focus on the task at hand.
His lack of response made the Dragon realise one thing. Either he was going to fall dead or he might pull this off. And she wasn't going to sit here and watch the end. She tried to charge up a roar but nothing came. 'Fuck! My magic! I will have to concentrate on a closer attack.' Freeing her grip on one hand she clawed her way closer to the Dragon Slayer's back. As she brought down her claws to strike, the oblivious Dragon Slayers body pulsed with heat and an invisible force that stopped her from touching his back. "What the-" Before she could voice her shock, another pulse, this time more powerful pushed her away while burning her body.
Irene clawed down hundreds of feet away and focused her vision on the back of the Dragon Slayer who continued to pulse. Each successive pulse more force and more heat. Something else caught her powerful eyes through the tears and exposed skin of his neck. Red scales were rapidly covering him. "Dragon Force? No... this isn't...!" Realisation struck her like a train. 'Is he...enchanting his body using my magic to overcome it's own toxicity...?' She thought in shock. 'H-how?'
Even the Dragon Slayer in question didn't have any idea on how he was doing this nor did he notice the Dragon Force taking over. He felt his body coping with some of the heavy streets he had dumped over it. Not enough to make him a healthy horse but enough to focus through the vast amount of magic he was consuming.
Irene tried to make her way towards him but each pulse began to eat through her Dragon Flesh. 'Damnit!' She growled. 'Just...' She stabbed her claw into the surface, pulling her closer. '...need...' Even she didn't know what she was trying to accomplish at this point. 'to...get-!' Suddenly her movements stopped in shock of what happened to her surroundings or more importantly, to her armageddon worthy asteroid. The red glow was gone and the only light that came in the stormy night was of the lightning below and the red glow glowing Dragon Slayer who seemed ready to explode with the way he pulsed. She saw him cock back his red scaly clawed arm and clench it into a fist before bringing it down on the now barren rock.
*Crack*
There was a small crack where the Draconic fist made contact. Nothing happened for a few seconds as the asteroid reached closer to the storm clouds beneath. Then a ripple formed, shattering the rock around the fist before it turned into a massive shockwave that ripped through the gargantuan asteroid and turned it into large boulders which was once again consumed by the next shockwave that ripped it into smaller ones and continued until it was dust. After that it just sprinkled for miles above the stormy clouds, merging with the water.
For those who fought beneath them and the very continent itself, the sky looked as though it was bleeding. The thunderous roars echoed over Essos as the silhouettes of two massive red Dragons appeared for brief moments in various parts of the continent over the dark clouds.
Irene tried to glide her way towards the Dragon Slayer as they passed through the clouds. From the direction he was looking at, she quickly managed to see herself what was their. Above her city, a huge tree that was far high above the city, held her entire lab. And Natsu charging for a roar only confirmed her thoughts.
"Damn you! You bastard son of a bitch!" Irene rushed, at least to body slam him. But another thermal pulse blew her away. And as she spiralled away, she caught a glimpse of the Fire Dragon's roar, now greatly enhanced by her enchantment magic.
Natsu's enchanted Dragon Flames hit the lab. The magic cancelling substance was unable to withstand the attack even for a moment as it consumed it and formed a sphere. The attack was a terrible sight to see as the stormy night sky was illuminated by red flames that ripped through the clouds horizontally towards the lab. For a moment, Essos felt the sun rise again but centred above Mantarys. But Irene knew what the light meant to her. It was the sun setting on her empire. Her gaze shifted back to the Dragon Slayer who turned around in mid air, his body still glowing scarlet but substantially less than before. The light from the roar still illuminated behind him and made her awestruck at the sight.
"It's over..." He said, his voice tired but still firm. Something once again awoke within Irene. Was he pitying her? That broke all senses and she lashed out to strike. Not at all bothered whether she had magic or not.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Arts!" She saw his body flame up again but that did not bother her as she closed in on the distance. All she cared about was wiping the look of pity from his face. "Crimson Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!" The two came into contact for the final time. The enchanted fire magic overcame the Dragon's charge, encasing her in it. She felt her scales dissolve, her eyes began to go blind as it blew her away.
In her final moments before losing sight of the Dragon Slayer, she saw someone else stand there instead of the pink head. A woman who adorned a white cloak. Scarlet Red hair flowed down her shoulder till it reached her back. There was a sword in her hand poised to strike and determination in her eyes to protect what she loved. Behind her stood a colossal red Dragon with white tusks on either side of his mouth and golden eyes that showed rage to all those who opposed the woman. It wasn't her daughter. Maybe in some way as that person used to show the same character of her daughter once. And she was gone.
Natsu looked on as Irene and his flames disappeared from his sight before he fell sharply. His power depleted and his consciousness blinking. The dragon scales and claws receded back into his body as he gained momentum alarmingly. "Come on..." He tried to ignite his feet to reduce the falling speed but only a candle worthy flame flickered and died. 'This is going to hurt...' He thought. 'Good thing I'll survive...right?' He has fallen from tall places before but all those times he was charged up like the sun. Not like...what was he anyway? An egg? No that wasn't right. A vegetable? 'Yep. I'm like a veggie now...'
'Oh Marty's here to pick me!' He thought excitedly at the sound of the familiar neigh. 'Wait...Did I reach the ground already? That wasn't so bad. Who said falling down like a vegetable will kill you? Pfft not me!' He relaxed for a bit before something hit his abdomen or in a more realistic way, he his abdomen fell on something. "Oof!" His opened eyes opened a little and saw the earth was still a good thousand feet away and the sun was only rising, also he was swaying in a rhythmic manner. That's when he noticed the hooves that were covered in red flames similar to his own.
XxxX
Is Irene dead? Will she return? Is it truly over with Irene's lab gone and the souls freed?
Unedited : 21/09/2019
Yes yes...I know. That Cliffhanger was a bitch. But I didn't know how to end it because the actual chapter would end all too quickly and I wouldn't be able to show stuff that's happening outside Natsu's point. So I took the part which I felt made some sense and pasted it.
Some of you are disappointed on bringing Acnologia and others on not letting Irene get a second chance. Well forst I'll go with Irene. She had four hundred years of hate with her. And maybe she had come to terms with it on seeing Erza and getting beat by her. But here in this new world, with power far beyond anyone knows, she could easily be swayed to take less evil but immoral way.
Acnologia. I really felt disappointed on his ending. Ofcourse the last words were heavy. "You are the King." But other than that it wasn't satisfying. Everyone had to use their friendship jargon, then Jellal managed to push him with his magic. It was all too cheesy and less epic than what I had in mind. A titanic clash of strength and strategy between two monsters. Etherious Natsu Dragneel and The Dragon of Apocalypse. Even with all the leaps of powers, Laxus, Erza, Gildarts, Gajeel, Mira, Gray and any other seemed to still beat him. At first it was a comic relief but doing it a hundred times over and saying in those scenes that Natsu had already tried a hundred times already is pretty boring.
PLEASE REVIEW!
Also, you might be wondering how such a large asteroid took this long to reach the ground since it entered the atmosphere. Well it didn't. This was all happening under two minutes. The size will be definitely bigger than the real Deus Sema but not as big as the moon. I just typed it that way to add some effect. I'll go on to say it is about 1/12th the size of the Moon?
Anyway who's keeping up with 100 year quests and feel it still locks a lot of Natsu's potential and brings about unnecessary grinder chapter like the fake Fairy Tail. Igneels quote on doing something epic is in reference to that. Edolas is over and it was fantastic so don't ruin it's legacy through this crap.
Same goes for Game of Thrones. Writers got lazy and just wanted to end it. "Dany forgot about the iron fleet." What sorta explanation is that?
The whole pulsing idea will be credited to Godzilla!
