Here we are with chapter 8 of the story. Also I decided to change Zeref from being Natsu's father in this story to his brother as said in the recent manga! I've already made the changes to the last two chapters though Natsu being brought back to life 1,000 years ago will remain the same since I want some originality from my theory to remain. Anyway, read, review and enjoy!
(Magnolia, Hospital)
The pressure being released from Natsu was so overwhelming, that Mirajane wondered how the hospital was still standing. In fact, she had no idea how she was still standing with being in the same room as him. The force was filled with ill intent for anyone that Natsu thought as an enemy is what Mirajane felt. And at the same time she felt a familiar essence within it too, one that was dark and…inhuman.
It was the same feeling she felt when she had used her Satan Soul.
"Non, non, non!" Sol declared, trying to look strong despite the fear building up inside of him. "Failure is not an option, with three nons. I do not know how you woke up so quickly, but I will have you relinquish this sword so I may deliver this to Master Jose, along with mademoiselle Lucy!"
At the mention of Lucy's name, the pressure from Natsu increased even more, if that was even possible. Crimson eyes that promised a whole new level of pain for the unfortunate one, and all it took was a glance to finally make Sol realize that this was not an opponent he could defeat. And so following the instincts that were screaming at him, yelling one word, Sol did the only logical choice: He ran.
Glass shards filled the room as Sol broke through the room's sole window. As he did, the earth that had bounded Happy and Mirajane disappeared, freeing them. The two rushed towards the window, watching as Sol quickly did a dive into a magic seal, disappearing into the ground.
"What in Mavis' name…" Mira muttered before remembering the Dragon Slayer. "Natsu?" The white-haired beauty asked as she cautiously. Said person still had his back facing her and Happy, his arm holding Dyrnwyn slowly lowering. After what felt like an eternity, Natsu turned around to face the two. The black flame-markings were gone, along with the crimson eyes. Now he just looked like regularly old Natsu to them.
"Oh, Happy, Mira, didn't see ya there." Natsu said cheerfully, showing his trademark grin.
And like that the tension was broken in less than a second. "Natsu!" Happy cried happily as he latched onto Natsu's chest, nearly making the Dragon Slayer lose his balance. The blue cat sobbed. "Wah! I was so worried! I thought you were never going to wake up! Waah!"
Natsu smiled softly at the crying cat. He immediately began rubbing Happy's head, trying to comfort his distress friend. But he knew that this was not the time for happy reunions, if the sight of three Fairy Tail mages in comatose was any indication.
"Mira" Said barmaid made a small noise of surprise, knocked out of her stupor. Natsu fixed her a gaze that held such seriousness and concentration that Mirajane did not think the Dragon Slayer possessed. "What happened? And where is Lucy?"
A few minutes later Mira had finished filling Natsu in on what has happened so far. How Phantom Lord had wrecked the guild, followed by the brutal beating of Team Shadow Gear, and how the rest of Fairy Tail had gone off to return the favor. Only Lucy, Mirajane and Happy stayed behind, due to not really being fighters and wanting to keep an eye on Shadow Gear and the now awaken Natsu.
"Lucy left a while ago…but that Sol person said they kidnapped her!" Mirajane exclaimed, remembering what the odd man mentioned not to long ago.
Natsu also recalled Sol saying that too. So without wasting time Natsu closed his eyes and began focusing his senses on finding Lucy's location or some clue of where she might have gone. With his ears he could pick up any wavelength, whether it be physical or magical. Natsu kept searching until he finally homed in on what he was looking for. Said target was emitting the familiar magical signature that Natsu recognized, but it was immobile and not too far away.
He wore an open-collared, long-sleeve red waistcoat with golden trims. Around his waist was matching cloth that went past his knees and was fastened by a brown belt with an oval golden buckle. Underneath the vest was a sleeveless, black muscle shirt. For the lower part he wore black trousers also held by the belt with matching black trench boots covering his feet and nearly reached his knees. The boots were held by three grey bands each and had yellow lines at the bottom of the boots. Wrapped around his neck was Natsu's signature white-scale scarf. Strapped to the back of the vest was Dyrnwyn, still in its scabbard though it soon faded out. It revealed an emblem on the back of the vest that glowed briefly, signifying that the sword was sealed within. Along with that, wrapped around Natsu's wrists were a pair of bracelets, with the right one being black and the left one being white.
Ignoring the gaping looks from Mira and Happy, Natsu headed towards the broken window. Before he left, Natsu said, "Mira, Happy, you two head back to the guild building. I don't think Phantom Lord will try and harm Levy and the others. And I get the feeling that something big is going to happen."
Not waiting for a response, Natsu leapt out the window and landed on the ground gracefully. The moment his feet touched to the ground, he rocketed off so fast that he left a small trail of flames behind him.
Happy and Mirajane watched as the Dragon Slayer sped off at high speed. After a moment of silence, Happy was the one to speak first, "S-so what should we do Mira?" The blue cat asked the barmaid.
Said person did not respond, her mind was racing with questions. Why did Natsu act like that all of a sudden? She had never seen him so serious and focus before. And the power he was giving off, it was similar to the magical energy he gave off before, but now it was darker and hotter, like an inferno so hot that your body would be incinerated before you had the chance to scream in pain. And it felt so much her own magic, when she had used her Satan Soul. That fact was what really scared Mira, of how demonic Natsu felt now. And what he said a moment ago…
"I will not let go of this sword even if I die. This is the one and only thing I can do to atone for my sins!"
What did Natsu mean by that? That and so many more questions were running through Mirajane's head. However they were cut off by the voice of a blue cat.
"Mira!" Happy yelled. By now, the cat had summoned his wings and was now flying directly in front of the barmaid. Mira was jolted out of her thoughts as she looked at the big inquisitive eyes of Happy.
"S-sorry about that Happy." Mira said sheepishly. "We, we should do what Natsu suggested and head back. I'm sure that Levy and the others will be okay here at the hospital. There's no way that Phantom Lord would attack a public place like the hospital. Come one." Mirajane said.
As the two prepared to leave, Mira gave one last look out the window. Her eyes trying to follow Natsu's figure but eventually she gave up and headed out.
(Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord Battle)
The skirmish between the mages of the two guilds was still going on. So far the Fairy Tail mages were prevailing over their rival Phantom Lord, despite the latter's numbers. However the Phantom Mages seemed to keep coming, not that this was a problem for the Fairies. One could say that their desire to avenge their destroyed guild building and their friends who were hospitalized strengthened them against these odds.
"Man, man, man! Being a man…is what a man is all about!" Elfman roared as his right arm transformed into one of a monster. With a single upward swing, he sent several Phantom mages flying into the air.
"What the hell is he saying?" A Phantom Member cried as he watched the large Strauss knocking other mages aside with ease.
"What is with that arm?"
"That's Take Over!"
"The big guy 'took over' a monster in his arm!"
"T-there's actually magic like that?"
"Absorbing the powers of monsters that he defeated into his arm! That must be Beast Arm Elfman!"
"Erza!" Makarov called, getting said person's attention. "I am leaving things here to you! Jose is most likely upstairs, I'm going to tear him a new one!"
"As you wish." Erza replied while Makarov blasted more Phantom Mages to the side.
Gajeel watched as Makarov headed upstairs until he was out of sight before shifting his eyes towards a second person on the standing beside him. This person wore a long brown coat with tattered edges and a hood over their head. Cracking his knuckles, the man said, "Well now that the nuisance is gone, time for me to have some fun!" And with a cackle, the Iron Dragon Slayer descended down to the fight below. His entrance finished with a loud crash, dusting picking up in the process. Before anyone could react Gajeel turned his right arm into an iron club before extending it. He struck down several Fairy Tail mages along with some of his own.
"What's up Fairy saps?" Gajeel asked mockingly.
"No way! He just hit his own comrades! What the hell is wrong with him?" Wakaba exclaimed as he helped up Macao, who had gotten hit by Gajeel.
"Gajeel!" Erza roared as she charged at the Dragon Slayer, sword raised. Gajeel smirked as he brought up his iron club to block the blow. The man noticed the angered look on the woman's face.
"Why so pissed Titania? Is it because I beat the crap out of those three weaklings?" Gajeel asked tauntingly.
"Bastard!" Erza roared as she disengaged with Gajeel and jumped back a few feet. Summoning a second sword into her other hand, the redhead charged forward again, reengaging Gajeel. Said person managed to block the strikes before inhaling.
"Iron Dragon's Roar!" He said as he let loose a blast of iron shards from his mouth. Erza managed to perform a leap and dodge the attack, but several Phantom Mages were not so lucky, as they got sent flying from the impact.
"You fiend! Don't you care about your own nakama?" Erza scowled.
"Hey not my fault they were in the way." Gajeel said, shrugging it off easily.
Erza growled as she requipped into her Black Wing Armor. In each hand was an axe. Spreading the wings on her armor, Erza took to the sky. Gajeel responded by turning both his arms into iron clubs before expanding them towards Erza. Once she was high up enough, Gajeel brought his clubs together, hoping to smash her between them. But at the last second, Erza managed to go up just an inch above the clubs. Then she did a dive towards Gajeel, axes at the ready. The Iron Dragon Slayer growled and tried to counter, but he would not be able to make it time.
However, just as Erza was a few inches from Gajeel's face, she stopped, right in midair. "W-what?" Erza said as she tried to move but to no avail. Suddenly she hit right in the cheek by Gajeel, sending Erza flying, crashing into the wall.
"Erza!" Gray shouted. He was going to go help her but he soon found himself unable to move. This left him opened for a punch to the back from a Phantom Mage.
"What the hell is going on?" Elfman asked before he too was soon immobilized, leaving him open to a magical blast.
"Something's not right here…" Cana muttered as she felt her legs being held back by some invisible force.
"Is this some kind of spell of Phantom's?" Macao wondered as he helped Wakaba up, who had just gotten hit by a Phantom Mage.
"Gihihi! Looks like you Fairy Fuckers aren't having much luck!" Gajeel roared as he launched another blow at Erza.
Back up in the railings, the hooded man watched the scene below. His right hand was outstretched from the coat, the fingers moving about as if pulling on something invisible.
(With Makarov)
"Jose!" The small Guild Master roared. His rage was causing his magical powers to shoot out like bolts of light, destroying everything in its path. The small man's footsteps shook the floors as he neared the place of the man whom he was ultimately going to kill for hurting his children. As he neared the door where his prey resided behind, Makarov released one huge concentrated burst of magical energy. The force completely vaporized the door and even destroyed much of the room's interior near it. On the other side of the room, seated in a chair, was Jose Porla, Guild Master of Phantom Lord. The man had a calm yet smug look on his face, infuriating Makarov even more. "What the hell do you think you are doing, huh Jose?!" Makarov demanded with a roar.
"That was a very expensive door you just smashed. A simple knock would have sufficed." Jose said in a casual manner, clearly not intimidated by the magical pressure being released from the short Guild Master, nor the look of rage on Makarov's face. "I guess all those times you've complained about your mages at the meetings is a bit hypocritical. Now that I think about it the last time we met was during the meeting six years ago…boy I was really out of it, clearly overdid it with the drinking."
Makarov responded by enlarging his right arm to great proportions, before punching it into Jose. The chair the man sat in, along with the wall behind it, was completely destroyed. "I am not here for small talk, Jose!" Makarov snarled.
"Ho, ho, ho, what temper." Jose's voice said through the smoke.
Makarov's eyes widened as he watched Jose's form blink every few seconds. "A Thought Projection?" Makarov concluded as he returned his arm back to normal size. "You've already left the guild?"
"A battle between two of the Ten Wizard Saints would cause an immense amount of destruction. I prefer a rational victory." Jose said as he tipped his hat with a chuckle.
That only seemed to enrage Makarov. "Where are you?! Come here and face me!" He demanded towards his fellow Guild Master. The response he got was another image appearing in front of Jose and Makarov's eyes widened once more. For on the ground before Jose was the unconscious form of a familiar blonde. "Lucy! W-why is she…?"
"Must I explain it to you Makarov?" Jose asked as he created a purple magical circle and pointed it at Lucy's prone form.
"No! Stop it!" Makarov shouted as he reached out in a desperate attempt to stop Jose. But before he could even move a large shadow fell over him. He only had a second to turn his head around to see Aria, the strongest of the Elemental 4, floating above him. "I didn't even sense his presence until now. Where did he come from?' Makarov thought as Aria held his hands out, the air around them picking up.
"S-so sorrowful!" Aria cried out tearfully as he used his magic to drain Makarov of his powers. Makarov's skin turned green as he was shot into the wall, than through the flooring.
"AAAHHHH!" Makarov cried as he fell all the way down. 'My magic…he drained all of…it…'
Jose chuckled as he stopped his magic circle. "There is no way we would kill this girl, right? At least, not yet." Jose said as he watched Makarov fall down to the lower levels. "Come now Makarov, don't tell me you had Heartiflia-sama all this time, and never even knew who she really was? Though I guess it's none of your business anymore."
"So sorrowful!" Aria cried some more as he vanished into thin air. Jose however remained where he was as he pulled out a book from his cloak. It seemed a bit worn out but at the same time radiated something dark from it in the form of a green aura. But that did not bother Jose at all as he merely chuckled some more. "And with our 'associate' and this." He began as he traced his hand over the book's cover. "Fairy Tail's demise is assured."
(With Natsu)
"Lucy is definitely ahead." Natsu said to himself as he moved through the rocky terrain outside of Oak Town, towards Phantom Lord's headquarters.
A couple of minutes ago, Natsu had located Lucy's last location in Magnolia. There he had discovered her Celestial Spirit Keys, and with them, her scent on said keys helped Natsu locate where Lucy was taken. Thanks to his newly increased speed, Natsu was able to close the distance between Magnolia and Phantom Lord's Headquarters.
As the building came into sight, something caught Natsu's attention. Standing at the edge of the highest tower was Lucy, her back facing Natsu. Bindings could also be seen wrapped around her wrists, and even though Natsu couldn't see, he could tell that someone was talking to the blonde.
Acting quickly Natsu used one of his Purgatory spells. "Ash Storm" He said just as his entire body began to generate ash and smoke around him before eventually his own body broke apart into black smoke. The large mass of ash shot upwards towards Lucy's location. Natsu picked up speed when it looked like Lucy was about to jump off the ledge.
"Lucy!" Natsu cried with his voice distorted through the black smoke.
For a moment, it looked like Lucy had heard him. Her head turned slightly and her eyes widened when she saw the large cloud of black smoke engulf her. A surprise Jose, still clutching his hurting groin, could only watch helplessly as the objective for his war of Fairy Tail being carried away.
"W-what the hell was that?" Jose croaked as he fell to his knees.
"It looks like he's already beginning to regain his powers." A voice from behind said.
Jose turned around and saw the cloaked man approaching him. The person's face, while hidden, was facing towards the retreating form of the black smoke.
"What are you doing here?" Jose snarled as he managed to recover from Lucy's kick. "You should be at the guild building, helping deal with those fairies."
The hooded man said nothing at first, before titling his head towards Jose. Underneath the hood you could make out a pair of green eyes with slits. They stared at the Guild Master with an impassive gaze. "The Fairy Tail mages have already retreated. Makarov's defeat lower their morale and caused them to fall back. I came here to see how things were going on your end. Or did you forget that we're partners?" He asked before walking away.
Jose growled at the figure before staring outside. Suddenly his rage seemed to die down as his magical energy began to seep out of him in waves. A psychotic smile began to form on his face, his eyes wide and filled with malice. "Then I guess its time we took the fight to Fairy Tail…and crush them with the true power of Phantom!" Jose declared to himself as he laughed manically.
(With Natsu and Lucy)
"You okay?" Natsu asked as he placed Lucy down on the ground.
Having gotten a safe distance away from Phantom Lord's headquarters, Natsu dispelled his Ash Storm spell, returning his body to normal. Once reassuring Lucy who it was, the pink haired young man proceeded to release Lucy from her bonds. With a single flick of his finger, flames burned the ropes around Lucy's wrists.
"Yeah, thank you…" Lucy said weakly as she finally looked up at Natsu's form. The blonde blushed a bit as she drank in the Dragon Slayer's new appearance. "How did you manage to find me?" She asked.
"Some Phantom freak tried to rob me and I found out from him that they kidnapped you. I managed to track your scent with these." Natsu explained as he held up Lucy's Celestial Keys. "Brought them with me since I know how much they mean to you."
Lucy nodded a silent a thanks as she gratefully took back her keys. She stared at them with a passionate look, the memories they carried giving her a bit of relief and happiness at the current situation. She then looked back at Natsu. "I'm glad you're awake now. What about Levy-chan and the others?"
"Still in a coma. But they should be safe at the hospital. Phantom Lord wouldn't dare get civilians involved." Natsu explained. "Why was Phantom Lord after you in the first place?" Natsu asked curiously.
At the mention of that, Lucy's body began to tremble. Natsu noticed this and concern crossed his face. "Luce…?"
"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." Lucy began with a wavering voice. Her head was still away from Natsu's but the Dragon Slayer/Demon could tell she was crying. "It's all my fault…my fault for being so weak. My fault the guild building got ruined. And it's my fault that Levy-chan and the others got hurt. Everything is because of me that I should just leave. But as selfish as it is, I don't want to leave because…because I love Fairy Tail so much!" Lucy cried as she turned to face Natsu, tears streaming down her face.
Suddenly a pair of hands rested firmly on her shoulders. Their grip was strong, not enough to hurt, but enough to give her reassurance. Lucy stopped crying as her eyes widened. Before her Natsu got to one knee, his eyes staring back at hers with an intense focus.
"Don't you dare say that," Natsu began fiercely. "You're not weak and none of this is your fault. All of this was because of Phantom Lord. Not you, you hear me?" Lucy's cheeks turned pink as Natsu's face was very close to hers. "And Fairy Tail will always be your home. The place that makes you feels happy and loved. I will not let anyone take that away from you. Because even if I die, I won't let anyone or anything takes away your happiness." Natsu finished as he rested his forehead on Lucy's, a fire burning in his eyes as he said those words.
Lucy couldn't help but stare at Natsu in awe and other emotions that were bottled up. The words and the passion in them moved her to silence. She didn't even have time to react as Natsu helped Lucy onto his back, holding onto her thighs. Lucy could only wrap her arms loosely around his neck as she rested her head against the back of his.
As Natsu began to make his way back to Magnolia, his thoughts shifted back to what he had seen in the past. His past. Even now, the last words that Leandra said 400 years ago, the same words he had just said to Lucy, were still fresh in his mind. It was at that moment that Natsu swore he would never let anything destroy Lucy's happiness again. And that meant Phantom Lord would pay dearly for this.
And here is chapter 8! It's a little short I know but I feel like it works out. I hope you all enjoy it. And don't forget, I changed it so that in this story Zeref is Natsu's older brother, not father. Be sure to review!
Wacko12