A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back! I'm going to be frank will you all; this was a tough chapter to write. Not because I was suffering a bit of writers block (well…sort of) but I can't believe this is the second to last chapter. I mean…DAMN; I never thought we'd make it this far but here were are.
I am just speechless…in a good way.
Anyway; this is the chapter you've been waiting for.
The final battle between Igneel and Aya.
Who will live? Who will die? And will the future be saved? Read on to find out!
Believe it or not, I was listening to music while writing this and one of the songs happened to be "Don't Lose Your Way" from Kill la Kill (that song seems to go with everything now a days doesn't it?). I only realized it half way through the song what it was from so I wouldn't be surprised if you see some sort of influence from the music on my writing for this chapter.
Not much to say for this author's note. I'm trying to keep it short so you can get right into the chapter but I think I should warn you that this will be a brutal and sad chapter, so please don't hate me for anything that happens.
So, before we continue onto the much-anticipated slug fest, here is a shout out to you wonderful readers who have stuck with this story to the end.
Mistwing: Hello and welcome back! Glad to know I made Igneel badass enough for you. If you thought that was impressive wait until you read what's coming. Yeah, I guess Mavis would know those kinds of things considering she is a ghost and all that jazz.
Kazenoseiren: Hello, how are you!? Yes, sadly, the end is upon us. Good to know you like the fight scenes, those are actually hard for me to write considering all that stuff that goes into it. I hope this chapter will live up to your expectations and in regards to who will live and die…well…you'll have to read to find out.
Darkhope: Welcome back. Yes, the next-final-chapter will have some serious feels so I hope you like it when it comes. Though, there are some slight feels towards the end of this chapter so hopeful that will suffice for now…I hope/think. But, yeah, the final fight for Igneel is here and he is well aware that the future is at stake if he fails.
The-Unnamed-Artist: Hello, how are you!? Glad to know you got my PM (I sent you another one but I don't know if you've seen it yet). Yes, after this chapter there will be one final chapter and I am sad that this story is coming to an end too. It was a fun ride though and I'm glad I've made it this far. Will the future be saved…read to find out! (I'm such a tease, aren't I?) You're compliments to this story….are just simply heartwarming. From the bottom of my heart, thank you…I'm…I'm at a loss for words. (BTW, I don't know if I asked you this or not, but who are your OTP's for this story, if you don't mind me asking.)
Bea: Hello, welcome back! Glad to know you liked the Sting and Yukino scenes. I know I update late but I do my best to not take forever with them, lol.
Ichihime4: Hello, welcome back! Yes, the much-anticipated fight is here and I hope you enjoy it. Aww, thank you for the compliment. My stories are awesome? That's nice to know, thank you. Yes, after this story, I'll edit the other one I have before I post the new chapter for it. Still, I hope you take some time here and there to read it; I think you may like it.
Dani: Hello and welcome back! Seriously, your previous review meant so much to me…I just can't put it into words. Aww, you're too kind, this review-like the others-means a lot to me. Thank you for being understanding with my update pace but I am sorry to hear that your own writing was hampered by life. Unfortunately, things like that happen and it makes me feel sad that you couldn't do anything about it. I do take consolation in the fact that this story makes you happy…and if my readers are happy; I'm happy. You think those deaths had a personal touch? Hmmm…I never thought of it like that. I do hope this chapter was worth the wait because if you liked the last chapter, you'll (possibly) be thrilled with this one. I also hope that when this story is wrapped up, you'll stick around for the next story (stories) I'm working on. Of course I take time to read my reviews, what kind of author would I be if I didn't? X).
So, I think I've put this off long enough so…ready…set…FIGHT!
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CHAPTER 22: Endgame
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"One shall stand, one shall fall."- Optimus Prime
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"So…you've come after all, boy." Aya Higurashi said as she materialized from a pool of shadow that formed from behind the sarcophagus. Aya walked forward at a languid pace as she gently caressed the polished stone of the coffin.
"You are stronger than before…you are standing here after all." Aya said as pulled her hand up sharply, clasping her fingers shut.
"But I wonder how strong?"
Aya's sharp blue eyes met Igneel's determined green.
"The final barrier has been destroyed. The Keeper's power is mine to command. Can't you see? You've lost."
Aya's eyes began to glow as cruel smile formed on her lips.
"But still, you stand here, determined to fight against the inevitable."
"I haven't lost yet Higurashi. So long as I breathe, I still have a chance of taking you down."
Aya chuckled darkly.
"You make it sound like you were destined to do this…when in reality you were destined to die."
Igneel created a hard light sword in his hand, his fingers drumming along the grip.
"The future is not set in stone Higurashi." Igneel said, "The future is ours to make. If I have to die to make my future possible…then so be it."
Igneel pointed his sword at Aya.
"But even if I die…I'll be taking you down with me."
Aya smirked as she formed two hard shadow swords in her hands.
"Confident aren't we? Very well…come Igneel Dragneel." Aya said as she flexed her wrists back, swords pointed behind her.
"Come and show me…WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!" Aya said in a tone of absolute delight as she and Igneel charged one another.
The final battle for the future had begun…
…But only one would stand tall.
Aya and Igneel's swords clashed in a shower of white and black colored sparks as the blades locked together. The two mages pushed against one another, each holding their ground against the other. Igneel's mouth had drawn into a thin line as he gritted his teeth together, his eye's hardened in a mixture of determination and anger while Aya's lips were still curved in a self-confident smirk.
Igneel broke contact by pushing forward and leaping back. Aya ran forward as Igneel landed on his feet and the two rapidly brought their blades together in a series of blows, parry's and strikes. Igneel dodged a strike from Aya's one sword, parried the other before ducking low and sweeping his foot out in an attempt to knock Aya's legs out from under her.
Aya dodged leapt over Igneel's leg only for Igneel to roll back slightly on his back, knees pulled up to his chest before snapping them back and hitting Aya square in her chest as she came down from her jump. Aya was knocked back with a slight grunt, causing her back flip back and land low to the ground.
Igneel seized his opportunity to strike and fired a burst of light magic from his feet and launched himself into the air. Flipping his sword into a reverse grip, Igneel pulled his blade back and aimed at Aya. Igneel rapidly descended back to the floor but Aya leapt away from her spot right as Igneel brought his blade down…but Igneel had anticipated this move from her.
As soon as his sword pierced the stone of the floor, Igneel's attack sent forth a blast of energy from the blade and directed it straight for Aya. The wave of energy caused the stone to splinter and crack as it rapidly raced to Aya who had recovered from her evasion. Aya, still holding her shadow swords, joined them together into a single blade and plunged it into the ground in the same way Igneel had. When the energy wave hit Aya's sword, it was spilt in two and directed away from her like a stone splitting water.
Igneel and Aya pried their weapons from the floor stood back on their feet, the two mages glaring at each other. Igneel was slightly aware that the floor had begun to repair itself as the cracks and splinters began to merge back together.
"That was a nice move boy, but you'll have to do better than that." Aya taunted.
Igneel didn't respond.
He instead brought his sword up into a vertical, angled hold in front of him while taking an "L" stance. Aya put one foot forward and leaned slightly, sword held low.
Neither moved for what seemed an eternity.
Aya struck first again by rapidly charging Igneel and bringing her sword up. Igneel deflected the blade, spun into the movement, and brought his sword across in a slashing motion which Aya dodged only for Igneel to snap his left hand out and deliver a snap punch to Aya's chest. Momentarily stunned, Igneel was able to bring his sword back up and cut Aya's upper arm.
Hissing in pain, Aya rapidly back peddled away from Igneel before firing a blast of shadow energy from her hand. Igneel held up his left arm as an inverted pentagon hard light shield instantly formed to block the attack. The shadow met the light with enough force, that Igneel was forced back a few feet, the soles of his boots sliding on the polished stone floor.
Aya looked at the cut on her arm and frowned as crimson leaked from the wound.
Igneel lowered his shield and let a small smirk form on his lips.
Aya directed her eyes at Igneel as she exhaled in an irritated manner out her nose.
"That attack should've broken your shield." Aya said, her voice dripping with spite, "That was some quick thinking boy…but that's all you're good at. Quick thinking with fast hands and feet."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Igneel said in false sincerity, "but you'll find that I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
Aya snorted.
"Don't make me laugh Dragneel," Aya snapped, "you may have been given a boost in power but it only got you so far."
Aya smirked.
"Compared to me…you're nothing but an annoyance that doesn't know when to give up."
Aya flared her magical aura and Igneel could feel the darkness creep up his back like a spider. But like a spider, Igneel swatted the feeling away.
"You don't scare me Higurashi," Igneel said, his voice hard as stone, "not anymore."
Igneel countered by flaring his own aura and smirked when he felt the two power signatures push against each other.
Aya's brows quirked together when she felt her aura and Igneel's push against each other's.
"What!?" Aya thought, "His magic is fighting against mine; that shouldn't be possible."
"I don't care how powerful you say you've become Higurashi," Igneel said, his voice catching Aya's attention as he pointed his sword at her, the katana shaped blade morphing into a two handed broadsword, "and I don't care that I might die fighting you. You took two years of my life away from me…you took away my family…my friends…and my home. If I die, I'll die knowing that I've taken your life."
"Confident little bastard aren't we?" Aya hissed.
"Call me what you want, it doesn't matter. Our powers may be different but I have something you don't."
"And what would that be?" Aya said, holding her arms out, "What makes you think you could surpass me in power?"
The glow in Aya's eyes intensified as shadow began to slowly radiate off of her like the flames of a fire.
"I have obtained the power of time; a power equal to that of a gods! Your fellow mages are bogged down in battle with my mannequins-an endless army for me to call on. Soon they will be overwhelmed and crushed. And you…"
Aya pointed her free hand at Igneel.
"…You have yet to see what I am truly capable of."
"That's where you're wrong." Igneel said as he moved his blade from pointing at Aya to tapping the flat side of his sword against his chest where his Guild Mark was.
"You may have power Higurashi but you should know that power isn't everything. What I have is power…from my family; my Guild. I am a mage of Fairy Tail and therefore, I carry the strength and hope of all of those who came here to help me finish this fight. The strength from their belief that I will succeed and not only stop you, but that I will save the future; that I will undo all that you ruined. It is this belief which will help me stop you."
Aya snickered in a cruel manner.
"Seriously? That's your power? The power of some bullshit, sappy beliefs!?"
"It's more than enough to stop you." Igneel countered.
"I don't need physical or magical power Higurashi. At one point I thought I did need something like that…and it is true that I have gained an influx of power recently…but I know now that all the power I need comes right from my heart."
"…Which I will rip out shortly." Aya countered smugly.
Igneel was undaunted, however.
"Go ahead and try." Igneel said as he brought his sword and shield to bear.
"Oh, I intend to." Aya said as a demented grin parted her lips while tendrils of shadow formed off of her.
"Let's see how strong your so called "belief" really is."
Igneel leaned in a slight crouch, before dashing forward-his speed taking Aya by surprise.
"Then let me show you!" Igneel roared as he readied his sword to strike.
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With Fairy Tail…
"Where the hell do these things keep coming from!?" Gray Fullbuster yelled over the sound of battle while cutting down two mannequins with his ice sword.
"For each one we kill another one takes its place." Wendy said before she combined her Sky Dragon's Roar with Romeo's fire spell. Wendy directed the attack to destroy an entire column of mannequins only to watch in shock as another column moved into place while other mannequins crawled down the walls like lizards or simply dropped down from the ceiling.
The mages had broken out of their defensive groups and fought their way to the upper tiers of the cavernous room and had formed two defensive lines; one on the second to last platform and another on the last platform that lead the way Igneel had gone. Porlyusica, despite some choice words and heated grumbling, provided aid to those who were wounded and needed to quickly get back into the fight. She stayed behind the first defensive line where the majority of the fighting was occurring. Frankly she was amazed that no had died yet or had been too seriously injured.
"Hold steady everyone," Makarov called out to the assembled mages, "hold steady!"
"Yo Salamander, you're boy better hurry up or we ain't going to last long!" Gajeel called out as he held Levy in one arm while cutting a Bruiser in half across the middle with his free arm which he had transformed into a chainsaw like blade.
"We have to buy Igneel as much time as we can!" Natsu said as he used his Fire Dragon's Claw to incinerate a group of mannequins and a Bruiser.
"If these things get past us, Igneel won't be able to stop Higurashi; he can't afford to lose!"
Natsu ducked from the swing of a mannequins arm before quickly rising and bolo punching the thing into oblivion.
"We can't afford to lose!" Natsu finished.
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With Igneel…
"AGH! DAMN YOU!" Aya screamed as she recoiled back from the snap punch Igneel had delivered to the corner of her mouth.
With his sword still in hand, Igneel pulled his arm back ready to slash at Aya. But Aya had quickly recovered from the punch and blocked the attack with a shadow gauntlet. She in turn pulled her free arm back and lashed out at Igneel with a shadow enhanced punch which Igneel countered with his shield-which shattered from the force of the punch.
Still in the process of being knocked back, Igneel couldn't counter in time when Aya pounced on him and tackled him to the ground. He quickly dissipated his sword and now used his free hands had grapple with Aya's as she clawed her fingers, grabbing for Igneel's throat.
"I'll rip your throat out!" Aya hissed, the venom ever present in her voice.
Igneel clenched his teeth as his face contorted into a snarl.
The muscles in both his and Aya's arms twitched violently as the two mages pushed against one another. Thinking quickly, Igneel pulled his left leg back and pushed Aya off of him with his boot. Aya back flipped once and then twice into the attack before coming to a stop atop the main landing of the depression.
Aya wiped the side of her face with her hand where Igneel had previously punched her. Looking at the glove, she saw the dark stain of blood on the leather.
Aya dropped her hand and scowled at Igneel while his slowly rose to his feet.
Aya and Igneel held each other's glares before Aya's lips twitched into a small, dark frown.
"It's been a very long time since I've had a fight this good. The first time we fought was one sided. The second felt like child's play. But this…this fight is really getting under my skin."
Aya licked her lips before tossing her hair over her shoulder.
"You should've stayed down when you had the chance boy." Aya said.
"Better yet, you should have given up and died then and there when we last met."
Igneel didn't answer. He merely held her gaze in open defiance.
"Look at you…standing there, mocking me," Aya said through clenched teeth, "it's disgusting. You think that just because you and I are on equal footing means you have a chance of beating me? Of ruining my plans!?"
Aya's hands began to shake.
"How dare you think you're better than me! I have obtained a power far greater than your own and yet here you stand like some sort lone wolf on its last hunt-you're just begging to die."
Igneel still didn't answer which only seemed to anger Aya further.
"You're silence will get you nowhere. If you won't talk then I'll make you…by forcing you to scream for mercy until you choke on your own blood."
"You're insane." Igneel quipped.
Having reigned in her temper to a certain degree, Aya's hands stopped shaking while she took a slow, deep breathe through her nose.
"Maybe I am…maybe I'm not." Aya said before holding out her palm and letting a small flame of shadow flicker in it. The shadow then disappeared to reveal the master key.
"So far…you've come out on top." Aya said as a cylinder like pedestal materialized out of the floor next to her.
"But let's say I mix things up a bit…level the playing field, so to speak." Aya said as she put the tip of the key in the pedestal and turned it counterclockwise.
The steps of the depression suddenly began to lower and fan out while The Keeper of Time's sarcophagus receded into the floor. The whole area had become flat like an expansive table top. Aya and Igneel were now on level ground.
"You've forced me to call upon all of my power. So for that…I thank you. You're giving me the opportunity to test out some new spells."
"Oh, I'm so glad I could be of help." Igneel said with heavy sarcasm as he rolled his eyes.
Aya chuckled darkly.
"As I said, this is a test run…before I use my new power to slaughter that Guild of yours."
Igneel tensed at this and clenched his fists. His reaction elicited a cruel smile on Aya's lips.
"You know what my Mama said, right before she killed my Daddy? She said, "Sweetie, if you want something done right; you do it yourself.""
Aya cracked her neck.
"I can sense that those guild mates of yours are keeping my mannequins at bay…so when I'm done with you; I'm going to take my time as I slaughter your precious family."
"That's not going to happen." Igneel said, his voice low.
"Prove it." Aya said before she formed multiple tendrils of shadow from her back and sent them at Igneel.
The tendrils leashed out with violent force and struck the ground near and around Igneel as he jumped, duck and spun away from the attacks. Aya shot her hand out, palm up and curled her fingers causing the tendrils to loosen up back to free forming shadow at moved out across the floor and made their way for Igneel. The shadows snapped up from the floor at Igneel, nearly cutting open his stomach, shoulder and neck. Only some fast moves on his feet prevent Igneel from being turned into Swiss cheese. Making a blade of light, Igneel cut the tendrils away like they were bamboo stalks.
But Aya wasn't finished with her attack. Aya closed both her hands into fists brought them up into the air and pulled them down.
"Bombardment!" Aya said as multiple spheres of shadow formed in the air above the two mages. The spheres then dropped down to the floor as they targeted themselves at Igneel.
"Aw shit!" Igneel hissed as the multiple shadow bombs connected with the floor with devastating force.
The cacophony of explosions rocked the floor as Igneel did his best to dodge the bombs but found that it was impossible to escape them all. The young mage found himself knocked back and tossed into the air before landing flat on his back as the assault finished.
Seizing her opportunity, Aya used her shadow magic to quickly glide across the floor towards Igneel. As Igneel stood with a groan, Aya delivered a sucker punch with her elbow to Igneel's abdomen. Igneel let out a surprised gasp before Aya delivered a hammer fist to his chest. Stunned by the attack, Igneel found his feet knocked out from under him and was once again on his back as Aya rose, created a shadow sword in a reverse grip and brought the blade down.
SHRRRRRKKKK
For a moment, the two mages were still.
Neither moved as they held each other's hate filled gazes.
Then a drop of blood, which was shortly followed by another, peppered Igneel's face as his fingers slowly curled in pain from the shadow blade that had cut right through the palm of his hand. He had managed to deflect the blade away at the last moment but at the cost of his hand being pierced. Knowing he held the advantage, Igneel seized it.
Igneel delivered a swift, but powerful, four knuckle strike to the blade-shattering it. Aya's eyes widened in surprise before she got a face full of Igneel's boot.
Letting out a pained grunt, Igneel performed a front curl so that he was back on his feet. As Aya wiped the blood from her nose, Igneel pulled the rest of the shadow blade from his hand and tossed it away. Not caring that it was bleeding, Igneel flexed his hand and gave a satisfied smile when he felt that nothing had been damaged.
He did wince however when he felt a sharp pain in his side where his ribs hand been damaged from earlier.
"Damn," Igneel thought, "the healing spell must be wearing off…I'll have to step things up a bit."
"My turn." Igneel said as he formed a small, rectangular box of light in his hand. The box then levitated slightly before he held up his other hand. The box then separated into thins halves almost as if they were…cards?
Igneel performed a series of unique shuffling tricks with the cards before he held three cards between the fingers of his right hand. He then snapped his wrist and tossed a card with surprising speed at Aya's head. Aya cocked her head to the side but the card was able to cut her cheek before the card flew to the ground and detonated in a small explosion of light.
Aya quickly looked over her shoulder and then back to Igneel who smiled.
"Like that trick? It's something my Aunt Cana taught me…amongst other things."
Igneel tossed his remaining two cards at Aya before slapping the deck onto his left forearm. Aya dodged the cards but shield herself from the accompanying blasts. Aya in turn formed a series of shadow shuriken in her hand and tossed them at Igneel. Igneel snapped his body so that his right side was facing Aya with his hand outstretched.
The cards on his forearm were then launched at Aya with the ferocity of a machine gun.
The cards exploded and Aya dodged, but she found herself in a similar position that Igneel had been.
With his cards gone, Igneel switched to another technique by forming two balls of light in his hands and then squeezed them until they took on the shape of two featureless long-slide handguns.
The pain in his side was becoming more pronounced but Igneel ignored his ribs. All of the movement, flexing and strain on his body was starting to take its toll on the damaged bones but Igneel knew he couldn't stop then and now.
He would just have to persevere through the pain.
Aya looked from Igneel to his guns and then back to Igneel.
"And this is something I picked up from my Uncle Alzack." Igneel said before he snapped his hands up and pulled his pistols triggers. Bolts of energy spewed from the muzzles and blasted and pitted the floor as Aya tried to outrun the hailstorm of light energy.
Aya leapt into the air and created an elongated shadow sword to deflect the gun fire. Igneel tracked her all the way while keeping his fingers jammed on the triggers. Aya landed with a slide and stood once again as she continued to deflect the energy bolts. Igneel knew he was getting nowhere with his current attack. He paused, if only briefly to stop his shooting, before slamming the two guns together and combing them into one single, large frame gun. Steadying his aim with both hands, Igneel squeezed the trigger as the muzzle began to glow with energy. With a high pitched whine, motes of light drifted into the barrel in a vortex like pattern. The gun began to shake in Igneel's hands; it was fully charged.
Igneel steadied his hands once more and aimed at Aya.
"Eat this." Igneel muttered and released the trigger.
The gun recoiled sharply as a large bolt of energy was fired from the gun. Aya created a shadow shield in front of her but it was no match for the supercharged blast of energy. There was a flash of light and a crack of thunder as the bolt detonated on impact with the shield. Aya was blasted backwards out of the cloud of dust that had formed.
Igneel let the gun disappear as he watched Aya's body twitch once and then twice before she began to rise. Her clothing was singed and her shield arm was badly cut and bleeding. Aya raised her head to reveal a deep cut on her left cheek which rapidly trickled blood. She touched her hand to her face and winced when her fingers brushed against the wound. Pulling her hand back, Aya looked at the blood on her fingers. Her eyes grew wide and glowed with fury while her hands and shoulders began to shake.
Slowly looking at Igneel, the young man took a defensive stance when he met Aya's piercing gaze.
Shaking, Aya threw her head back and let out a scream of pure anger. Aya then suddenly bolted forward and charged Igneel, bringing her hands in low.
Igneel and Aya exchanged a series of glancing blows that were blocked by hands and forearms. The two quickly found their arms locked together as they pushed against each other. Just looking into Aya's rage fueled visage told Igneel one simple thing; the woman was deadest on killing him if it was the last thing she did.
Igneel snapped his knee up and hit Aya in her side repeatedly until the woman let go with a pained cry. He then pulled his right fist back and delivered a perfect roundhouse punch which Aya blocked by holding up her forearm. Spinning into the blow, Aya performed a spin kick that connected with Igneel's abdomen. Igneel in turn caught Aya's leg, twisted and flipped Aya over and onto her back. Igneel dropped to the floor on his knee, fist reared back and punched down only to have Aya roll away while his fist left a sizeable hole in the floor.
Aya spun on her back and flipped herself up right as Igneel approached her. Letting Igneel get close, the young mage failed to notice the dark glint in Aya's eyes.
It was time to play dirty.
Igneel delivered a left hook followed by a right cross. Aya let Igneel hook her but caught his right arm, dodging the blow. Using her left arm to hold Igneel's right close to her neck while his left continued to punch her in the gut, Aya snapped out her left hand and used a fingertip strike…
…directly on Igneel's left eye.
Igneel was unprepared for the attack.
Screaming in pain and cutting loose with one explicative after another, Igneel stumbled back as his hands covered his damaged eye.
Aya began to cackle as she relished in the feeling of Igneel's blood on her fingertips.
"Not so tough now, are you boy!?" Aya said in sadistic glee.
Aya formed a shadow gauntlet over her right hand and from that, extended a shadow blade. She had an opening to gut the boy who had proven to be severe pain in her ass.
"And now you die!" Aya screamed as she sent her arm forward, blade aimed for Igneel's throat…
…only for the mage to catch her wrist and deflect the blade upwards.
"Nice try." Igneel hissed.
Igneel snapped his free hand out in a short straight punch and nailed Aya right between the eyes. Recoiling back, Igneel remained latched to Aya's arm and pulled her back before delivering another straight punch while releasing Aya. As the woman stumbled back, dazed from the two solid punches, Igneel dashed around and behind Aya before delivering a series of well-placed punches to her kidneys.
Time for the coup de grâce.
Igneel grabbed Aya's shoulder, spun her around and performed a sharp right and left cross before he pivoted on his foot and nailed Aya with text book roundhouse kick.
Aya was sent back a good couple of feet before she collapsed to the floor. Pushing herself up on her hands, Aya found herself on her knees before the Fairy Tail mage.
"H-how?" Aya asked even as she tasted copper in her mouth.
Igneel had closed his left eye but blood still seeped past the eyelids.
"My eye was messed up pretty good in our last fight. I could hardly see out of it-let alone feel it. True, it did hurt like hell when your fingers punctured it, but not as much as it would have had my eye not been hurt."
"…You faked it?" Aya asked.
"More like improvised." Igneel responded, "The pain was real but you had to take your time and marvel at your handiwork."
Igneel cracked his neck.
"I knew you would do something like that and waited for the right moment to trap you and keep you where I wanted you."
Igneel created a light sword in his right hand.
"You must realize that you're beaten Higurashi." Igneel said as he gripped the handle of his sword with his left hand.
"I've waited…I've dreamed…and I've hoped for this moment for a long time you bitch. My only regret is that my friends, sister and the rest of my guild aren't here to see this."
Igneel slowly raised his sword high above his head, his back arching back.
"It's time to pay for your crimes."
Igneel took a steadying breathe.
"Die."
Igneel moved his arms forward, his body flexing inwards as his sword-
SNAP-CRICK-CRUNCH!
-fell from his grip as Igneel cried out in shock and pain.
Aya watched as the boy who had just about been ready to execute her, staggered sideways as he clutched his side in what appeared to be unbridled pain. His hands had snapped to grasp at where his ribs were located.
Igneel had pushed his body too far. His healing spell had finally worn off and two of his already damaged ribs had simply broken now that there was nothing to heal them. It didn't help that Igneel's forward movement had pushed the ribs into his left lung.
A wide, demented smile appeared on Aya's face as she rose to her feet. Forming a shadow knife in her hand, Aya lashed out at Igneel with her blade as she effortlessly delivered deep and ragged cuts to Igneel's arms, shoulders and abdomen-never letting up with brutal efficiency. As Igneel stumbled back, Aya pulled her blade back and then stabbed it deeply into Igneel's right shoulder before forcefully ripping it out as the young mage cried out in pain while gripping the wound with his left hand.
Aya let her knife disappear before she grabbed Igneel by his shoulders and delivered two hooking knee strikes to Igneel's damaged ribs…causing them to break even further…before puncturing the lung.
Igneel coughed in pain as he clutched at his side. He could feel his lung slowly begin to fill with blood as he gasped for air.
Aya quickly reformed her knife-this time making an extended blade, pulled it back and then plunged the blade into Igneel's abdomen. Igneel froze as his eyes widened in shock.
Igneel looked from Aya, who still ginned manically before he looked back down to the knife. Blood slowly leaked past the blade as a dark stain formed around the wound. With shaking hands, Igneel moved to grip the knife but Aya twisted the knife, causing Igneel to cry out before coughing up blood. Aya began to cackle as she let go of her knife's handle and let Igneel stumble back as he gripped at the knife.
Igneel was powerless to stop Aya from walking up to him and roughly pushing him to the floor. Flat on his back, Igneel continued to grip at the knife as he began to violently cough up blood while gasping for air. His lung was still filling with blood-making his breathing become ragged and pained.
Aya stood over Igneel, still laughing at the young mages pain as she slowly raised her right foot.
"Where's your belief now boy?" Aya asked in obvious amusement, "Well!? Where's your power!? Where's you belief!?"
Igneel answered by coughing up a wad of blood.
"Well…where is it!? Nowhere! You are the one who's lost! You are the one who's failed!"
Aya raised her foot just a little bit higher…before stomping it down on the knife. The blade ripped through Igneel's back and into the floor-essentially nailing him to the floor.
Igneel cried out in agony as blood began to bubble past the knife and leak out the cut in his back; pooling underneath him.
As blood leaked past Igneel mouth, Aya leaned down and gently cupped Igneel's chin with her thumb and index finger.
"Stay there…and die." Aya hissed sweetly before releasing Igneel from her grip. She then rose and looked down at Igneel with a mixture of sadistic glee and hate.
"You have interfered for the last time Dragneel. Now, I'm going to make sure you never get the chance to do so again."
Aya turned and walked away from Igneel and approached the pedestal she had used earlier; the Master Key still in place.
Aya turned the key clockwise and a large rectangular beam emerged from the floor. The beam then split in tow and then parted sideways before stopping a few feet away from each other. While this had transpired, The Keeper's sarcophagus rose from the floor as a series of glyphs glowed to life on the lid. A series of corresponding glyphs formed on the beams and glowed a vibrant blue. The air between the beams began to shimmer like a mirage before multiple octagons appeared in an equal shade of blue before combining and solidifying like glass.
Despite his blurred and pain filled vision, Igneel instantly recognized what Aya had created; a time gate.
Aya stepped up to the gate and tapped the glass with her finger, making it ripple like water. She then turned back to Igneel and walked over to the still bleeding mage. Kneeling down, Aya gently caressed Igneel's face in false sincerity.
"I'm going to go forth in time and find you…when you're too young and weak to defend yourself. When I find you, I'm going to break your neck," Aya said as she roughly clasped her hand around Igneel's neck, "like a fucking twig."
Aya released Igneel and rose while the young mage grabbed at Aya's ankle. Aya simply kicked Igneel's hand away as if she were swatting at a fly.
"Then, once you're a broken mess on the floor, I'll do the same that slut you call your sister. And after that, I'll kill your bastard father and whore mother…right after I rip everyone in your precious guild limb from limb."
Aya turned her back to Igneel and walked back to the Time Gate.
"And while all of that happens…you'll be able to do nothing but watch-watch as your precious family is taken from you again. And when I'm done with that…"
Aya looked over her shoulder to Igneel, smiling darkly.
"…I'll come back for you."
Aya tapped her finger against the gate again and this time the rippling glass changed from a blank, blue slate to a moving image. It was of Fairy Tail…but years from the present day. People were packed into the main hall in obvious celebration. There was excited chatter and muffled voices.
Igneel's eyes caught something dangling from the rafters. It was a banner that read, in big, bold, multicolor letters: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
The crowd moved aside just enough for Igneel to see…to see…
"…No." Igneel whispered.
…To see himself and his twin sister Lilly, sitting at the end of a table with a birthday cake in front of them with a large candle in the shape of a "5" decorating the top of the cake; it was their fifth birthday. Sitting next to them were Natsu and Lucy. They were older, at least twenty six or twenty seven years old, but they were still the way Igneel remembered them.
"No…" Igneel said as he began to cough up blood while he stretched out his hand in desperation, "NO!"
Aya let out a dark chuckle.
"Enjoy the show." Aya said enthusiastically before she stepped through the Time Gate and ventured into the future.
XXXX
The Future-9 years from now; October X800…
"Happy birthday Igneel and Lilly!" Came the jovial chorus of voices belonging to the men and women of Fairy Tail.
The aforementioned children smiled brightly as they did their best to control their excited giggling. Lucy gave her son and daughter a kiss on the tops of their heads before Natsu pulled them into a single armed hug.
"Happy birthday my little dragons." Natsu said as Lucy went over to her husband and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you daddy!" Igneel and Lilly said in unison.
"Alright you two," Mirajane said sweetly as she gently moved the cake closer to the birthday boy and girl, "blow out the candles and make a wish."
Igneel and Lilly looked at each other before nodding vigorously as they leaned up to the cake and the candles. Closing their eyes, the two made their wishes; Lilly wished to one day be a princess like her mother had been once upon a time and Igneel wished to be as strong as his Grandpa Igneel when he grew up.
They then opened their eyes, took in a deep breath of air and blew out the candles.
It was at that moment that the air near the front door began to shimmer as if it were a mirage before a single mote of light appeared in the center of the phenomenon. The light began to pulse as a crackle of energy was emitted like little sparks of electricity.
It wasn't long before the light was noticed and the Guild turned to see what was happening at the entrance of their building. It was unnerving to say the least.
"What is that mommy?" Lilly asked as Lucy gently pulled her daughter close to her.
"I…I don't know." Lucy answered as she also pulled Igneel to her. Natsu had risen from his seat and stood in a defensive stance to protect his family.
The light stopped pulsing before it flared like a star. Once the blinding light had receded, the mages were treated to the sight of what appeared to be a large, blue pane of glass. The glass then rippled once, then twice like water before it cleared up to reveal a woman stepping out of the glass or portal as it would now seem. The glass rippled, taking the woman's shape before parting when her boots met the hardwood floor of the Guild.
Watching all of this was Makarov Dreyar, former Guild Master of Fairy Tail. He had relinquished his position as Master four years earlier and had cast the responsibility to his grandson, Laxus. Laxus had accepted the burden given to them with pride, eagerness and responsibility.
But now, the aging former Guild Master couldn't help but feel on edge when observed the woman who was bruised and bloodied from what appeared to be a vicious fight. There was something…wrong with her.
Clearing his throat, Makarov spoke.
"Excuse me but…can we help you?" Makarov asked as the various mages took defensive and combative stances.
"This is a private event and you are not only intruding but trespassing as well."
The woman didn't answer as her cold blue eyes scanned every face in the Guild.
"State your business or leave. If you refuse to do either, we make you leave by force." Erza spoke up in her authoritative tone as she summoned two swords to her hands. Her husband Jellal, stood in a combat ready stance as their daughter Senna hid behind her father's leg.
Finally, the woman's eyes stopped their roving as, slowly, a dark grin split her face. It took Makarov, Erza and the other mages a second to realize she had focused her attention on one single person…Igneel Dragneel.
Said child squirmed slightly in his seat.
"There you are, boy." Aya hissed in sadistic glee.
Before any of the mages could react, Aya raised her foot and then stomped in on the floor, causing a shockwave of shadow to be sent forth from her foot. The concussive blast blew the front door off its hinges, blasted the glass from the window panes and knocked over tables, chairs and people.
Igneel and Lilly let out surprised screams as their table was blasted apart while being knocked down by the shadow.
Taking advantage of the havoc she had caused, Aya stormed forth, her sights set on Igneel.
"YOU BITCH!" Gajeel roared as he rose from covering Levy and Saito, his dragon skin activated. He formed an enhanced Iron Dragon's Sword on his arm as the reciprocating spikes began to rev up while charging Aya from behind.
Elfman let out an enraged battle cry as he transformed into his Beast Soul, joining Gajeel in his attack.
Once in range, Gajeel slashed at Aya with his arm only for the dark mage to duck under the attack, sidestep to the right and brought her foot up in a spin kick. Although surprised by the attack, Gajeel barely felt any pain as he spun into that attack, ready to attack once again, only to be blasted in the face when Aya fired a concentrated beam of shadow energy into the iron mage.
Gajeel let out a surprised cry as he was sent failing back into a nearby wall.
"Let's see how you handle a real man!" Elfman yelled as he brought back both his fists high over his head and smashed them down onto the floor where Aya stood. Aya back flipped into a crouch before pouncing forward with her palm open for a strike as she charged up a ball of shadow magic in her hand.
Aya then snapped her hand forward and hit Elfman directly in his chest-the shadow magic creating a micro blast of energy that sent Elfman crashing through a support beam and landing on his side.
Aya scowled as she saw the mages of Fairy Tail begin to recover from their initial and prepared to counter attack.
"I don't have time for this." Aya said as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye.
The movement was from kicking a table top off of him, Lucy and their children. The fire mage glared at Aya as he stretched his hand out protectively over his family.
"Lucy, take Igneel and Lilly and get out of here." Natsu said as sparks flickered from his open mouth.
"What about you?" Lucy asked in concern as she pulled her children up. Igneel and Lilly clung desperately to their mother as they whimpered in fear.
"Don't worry about me, we'll handle this creep while-" Natsu said before he was cut off when Aya appeared before Natsu.
"Want to bet!?" Aya said as she slammed her fist into Natsu's jaw, her magic enhanced punch sending Natsu end over end until he crashed into the bar.
"NATSU/DADDY!" Lucy, Lilly and Igneel screamed in terror.
Aya spun around back to Lucy, who desperately grabbed at her spirit keys. Aya snapped her hand out and caught Lucy's wrist just as she grabbed Loke's key.
"Not this time princess." Aya said as she sharply pulled Lucy up and kneed her in the stomach-hard. Lucy let out a surprised and pained gasp before Aya delivered a follow up attack with a solid gut punch. Aya let Lucy go as the spirit mage collapsed to the floor.
"MOMMY!" Igneel and Lilly cried out.
"R-run…" Lucy said weakly.
"Get her!" Gray yelled as he formed an ice spear in his hands while the other mages joined him.
"Protect the kids!" Laxus called out.
Aya responded by turning around and curved her hands around a pulsating sphere of shadow magic that was the size of a soccer ball. Aya then tossed her hands out and sent the shadow bomb forth, lobbing it at the attacking mages. The bomb didn't go far, but when it connected with the floor, the results were devastating. The explosion, although small, blasted the mages of Fairy Tail back and blew a sizeable hole in the floor and damaged the ceiling.
With the threat dealt with, Aya turned back to her prime target as another grin split her face.
"Now boy, where were we?" Aya said as Lilly and Igneel began to back away in fear.
Lilly swallowed hard before standing in front of her twin, stretching her arms out at her sides in a protective manner.
"L-leave my brother alone you big meanie!" Lilly yelled.
Aya smirked cruelly.
"How cute." Aya sneered before backhanded Lilly away from Igneel, causing the little girl to cry out in pain.
Igneel fell back and began to push himself away from Aya as tears of fear streamed down his face.
"Don't worry, all I'm going to do is break your neck." Aya said as she reached her hand out for Igneel.
"M-MOMMY, DADDY, HELP!" Igneel cried out, just as Aya's fingers wrapped themselves around his neck and began to squeeze. Aya proceeded to lift Igneel off the ground as the little boy grabbed at Aya's wrist while his feet kicked out.
"But, I never said it wasn't going to hurt." Aya said as she continued to increase her grip.
Igneel's legs stopped kicking as he continued to gasp for air while his eyes slowly began to roll into his head.
"Just a little bit further and then your airway will be cut off…" Aya said before she pulled Igneel closer to whisper in his ear, "…and then all I need to do is squeeze a little more before your neck breaks like a twig."
As Igneel's eyes continued to roll up, he saw something-or more importantly-someone run through the portal directly towards him and the woman who was hurting him.
XXXX
Present Day; Igneel…
Igneel Dragneel continued to claw at the ground, ignoring the splitting pain in his abdomen and shoulder along with the sensation of liquid filling his left lung.
Or…at least he tried to ignore the pain.
Between his labored breathes, the blood bubbling past the shadow blade, his left eye and his lips. As the pins and needles sensation of numbness began taking over his shoulder and upper arm, Igneel found himself in some of the worst pain he had ever experienced.
But none of that really mattered.
What mattered was that Aya Higurashi had gone through the portal to kill him; to once again destroy his family and shatter the future.
Igneel refused to let that come to pass; not again.
Letting out a tired and pained gasp, Igneel let his hand fall flat against the floor. He had to do something. He had to get back on his feet-he had to get back into the fight!
"This isn't over…" Igneel hissed, "Not. Over!"
Igneel heard the muffled sound of an explosion and looked back to the gate to see an explosion blast the mages of Fairy Tail away from Aya. Many of the mages were pinned under rubble or knocked semi unconscious.
He then watched Aya turn around and face his younger self and his sister…before she backhanded Lilly away.
Igneel let out an enraged grunt of pure anger as he watched the sight before him.
He tried to push himself up-tried to turn but to no avail. The knife kept him nailed to the floor.
…The knife.
Igneel craned his neck up and looked at the blade still lodged into his abdomen.
If he could remove the knife, he would be free…provided he didn't bleed to death or kill himself in the process.
Lifting his right arm, Igneel brought his hand over to the handle of the knife and locked it in a death grip. He then began to pull as he sucked in air through clenched teeth while grunting in agony. The knife shook in his hand but didn't budge-all he was doing was increasing the bleeding of his wound.
"C'mon you son of a bitch!" Igneel groaned both to himself and to the knife, "C'mon!"
The knife didn't budge.
Knowing he was running out of time, Igneel grabbed the knife with his left hand and pulled even harder. Slowly, he felt the knife begin to move.
The pain was white hot, but Igneel pushed through it.
"C'mon!" Igneel screamed.
SHRIK
"C'mon!"
SHRIK
The edge of his vision was starting to go black.
SHRIK…SHRIK
"C'MON YOU SON OF A BITCH; PULL!" Igneel screamed.
The blade was halfway out of his abdomen. The black in his eyes suddenly began to change to white and pulse with each pull of his hands. Although Igneel couldn't see it, his eye began to glow a brilliant white-even his now empty left eye socket began to glow where the eye used to be. The scars on the left side of his face also began to glow along with the veins in his neck, wrist and arm. Finally, his heart began to glow through his skin and shirt-the light pulsating with each beat of the muscle.
SHHHHRRRRRIIIKKKK
With a violent outcry, Igneel ripped the knife out of his abdomen as blood surged from the wound. The pain was instantly replaced by a tremendous surge of adrenaline and power.
Power he had never felt…but recognized.
"Rise Igneel Dragneel." A voice whispered in the back of his mind.
"Grandpa…" Igneel whispered as he pushed himself up to his feet.
The power of the Fire King flowed through Igneel's veins. With his eyes, veins and heart still alight, Igneel pushed his body forward as he broke out into full throttle run and broke through the Time Gate. He didn't pay attention to his surroundings-all he was focused on was Aya as she strangled his younger self.
Time seemed to slow as his good eye met his younger self's eyes as they began to roll up into his head. Igneel pulled his fist back, ready to strike.
Aya sensed a presence behind her and looked over her shoulder…just in time for Igneel's fist to connect with her face. The effect was instantaneous: Aya instantly let go of young Igneel and the boy fell to the floor, gasping for air and coughing violently. Aya herself had been knocked to the side and had crashed into a support beam, denting the wood inwards.
Igneel looked down at his younger self for a brief moment to make sure he was okay. When the five year old looked up at him, Igneel briefly thought about how strange it was to see himself so young.
The sound of Aya coughing caught Igneel's attention and the young mage turned to once again face his nemesis. As Aya pushed off from the wood, she quickly found herself in the grip of a rage fueled light caster. Igneel didn't waste any time by jabbing Aya in the gut before delivering a swift left and right hook to Aya's face. Aya then found herself tossed over Igneel's shoulder and onto the floor and before she could recover, Igneel charged a small ball of light in his right hand and delivered an open palm strike to Aya's chest.
"Shock blast." Igneel growled as the magic technique lifted Aya off her feet and blasted her back through the time gate.
Exhaling through his nose, Igneel stormed after her.
Coughing up a wad of blood, Aya looked up to see Igneel exit the portal.
"No!" Aya thought in anger and disbelief. Her victory had been assured; it was literally in the palm of her hand.
"How!?" Aya screamed, "How are you still alive!? You should be dead!"
Aya clenched his hands to the point where the knuckles cracked.
"You should have learned one simple thing by now Aya Higurashi…" Igneel said as he flared his magic aura, "…Do not fuck with Fairy Tail; especially my family."
As Igneel's magic flared out, Aya found her eyes widening in a mixture of shock and fear. The reason being; the ghostly image of a large, red dragon had appeared behind Igneel. Its glowing yellow eyes looked down on Aya with absolute disdain.
Aya knew who this dragon was; it was Igneel the Fire King-The King of the Dragons.
And standing before her, was the boy who bared his name-his glowing white eyes piercing the shadow that had been casted over his face.
"Time to end this!" Igneel yelled as he formed light around his hands and fired concentrated beams of light at Aya.
The attack had been so sudden that Aya didn't have a chance to dodge the attack. The twin beams of light exploded near Aya, knocking her to the floor. As Aya pushed herself up, Igneel came charging in through the smoke, ducking low and upper cutting Aya in the chin. Igneel pivoted on his foot, spun and kicked Aya in the stomach. Aya rolled back and rose, firing of tendrils of shadow from her back that raced towards Igneel. Igneel in turn remade his inverted pentagon shield and charged the tendrils which bounced and cracked off the shield. Igneel closed in on Aya and swiped at her with his shield but she was able to duck under the attack. She made a shadow knife in her hand and shot her arm up. The blade pierced Igneel's left side…right where she had struck and cracked his ribs earlier.
Igneel cried out in pain and anger but rather than double over in pain, Igneel grabbed Aya by her shoulders, pulled her up and smashed his forehead against her. Aya stumbled back as Igneel pulled the knife out from his side, ignoring the blood that spilled from the wound. Aya was unable to stop Igneel from laying into her as he delivered punch after punishing punch. Charging up his magic into his fist, Igneel pulled his arm back and brought his fist up into a powerful uppercut that sent Aya soaring off the floor and into the air.
"I rise…" Igneel said as formed two wings of light on his back and launched himself into to air.
Soaring past Aya Igneel paused and intercepted the dark mage before she could fall back to earth. Time seemed to freeze as the two locked eyes. Igneel extended his left arm forward while drawing his right arm back and high. He closed all but his pointer and middle finger as a single point of light formed at their tips.
"…You fall! Light caster Ultimate Technique: Shock Point!"
Igneel, in one fluid motion, rolled his shoulder and arm forward and his extended fingers met Aya's sternum. A massive shockwave sprung forth from the attack as Aya was blasted back to earth, the attack creating a sonic boom in the process.
Aya impacted the ground with the kinetic energy that rivaled a bunker buster bomb. The explosion was small but it sent debris and smoke across the platform. Igneel slowly descended back to earth and landed near the mouth of Aya's crater.
As his wings disappeared the floor began to repair itself, pushing Aya back up to Igneel. The dark mage lay in a crumpled mess as her body twitched slightly in pain induced spasms. Blood leaked from her mouth and formed a small pool next to her head. Her eyes fluttered open and moved to look up at Igneel who now loomed over her, a light sword now in hand.
"Y-you…you bastard…" Aya said, her voice strained, "you…you goddamn…fucking…kid."
"…You're right," Igneel said, "I am a kid."
"…I…I could have…been a god…with a world of chaos…all to myself…but…you…you just couldn't die could you?"
Igneel raised the blade and aimed at Aya's heart.
"You destroyed the future and ruined countless lives…you took away my family, my friends and the woman I loved. There was no chance in hell that I was going to let you get your way."
A trickle of blood passed the corner of Igneel's mouth causing Aya to smirk.
"At…least I…I can die…knowing I took you with me."
Igneel plunged the blade into Aya's heart. Aya's eyes widened in shock.
"Doesn't matter," Igneel said, "I still win."
Igneel twisted the blade and then pulled it out, letting the blade disappear.
"This was for Fairy Tail, my family and everyone else you killed you bitch." Igneel hissed.
Aya's eyes began to close.
"Stupid…kid…" Aya whispered before her eyes finished closing, and she passed from the world of the living.
XXXX
With Fairy Tail…
"We can't hold them; they're going to break through!" Jellal yelled as he shielded Meredy from a Mannequin before destroying it with a Meteor enhanced punch.
The mannequins were pushing through their defensive lines and any moment now, they would be overrun.
"Damn it Igneel, what the hell are you-" Natsu said only to stop mid-sentence when every single mannequin and Bruiser froze in its tracks, thus becoming a still as the statues they replicated.
"-doing?" Natsu finished…just as the shadow creatures shattered like glass and disappeared into dust.
"The mannequins," Lucy said in awe as she was helped to her feet by Loke and Virgo, "they're gone!"
"Does that mean Igneel…?" Mirajane asked, leaving her question hanging.
Natsu turned to the direction Igneel had gone and smiled a triumphant smile before turning his head back to all of the mages, still amazed that no one had died.
"Yeah," Natsu said, answering Mira's question, "Igneel stopped Higurashi!"
Natsu then motioned his arm forward.
"C'mon, follow me, we have to get to him!" Natsu said as he ran the same path Igneel had taken with Lucy and the other mages close behind.
XXXX
Igneel…
For a long time, Igneel starred at the body of Aya Higurashi-his mind processing what had just transpired.
He had completed his mission…he had saved the future.
He had saved everyone; his mother, his father, Lilly, his guild, his friends…everyone!
The future was saved-the battle was over.
"It's over…" Igneel whispered, "It's finally over."
Tears began to stream down from his good eye.
"I did it…" Igneel said with a smile as he wept tears of joy, "I did it."
But…now that his battle had ended, his power and adrenaline began to fade away.
Only then…did his pain come crashing back down on him.
Igneel let out a sucking gasp as he clutched back at his side and abdomen as the blood continued to spill from his wounds. He could barely feel his right arm and blood had filled half of his lung making in incredibly hard to breathe.
Igneel fell to his knees and began to cough up a stream of blood.
The sound of rippling water caught Igneel's attention and he managed to stand and look back to the time gate; the Master Key was still active.
Igneel stumbled over to the key and the pedestal that held it in place. Grabbing it, Igneel twisted it until it was at the six o'clock position and pulled it out of the pedestal. The time gates portal stopped rippling and hardened like glass.
Igneel looked at the key as he balanced it in his palm. He then looked from the key to the gate, to The Keeper of Time's sarcophagus and then back to the key.
"So much trouble," Igneel said before wincing painfully, "so much loss…death…and chaos, over such a little thing."
Igneel closed his hand into a fist before tossing the key up into the air. Snapping his other hand out, Igneel used the last of his magic to blast the Master Key. The object that had essentially started it all was blasted to pieces in a brilliant flash of light. Igneel watched as the last ethereal glow from the key faded away before he turned to the Time Gate.
Already, the support beams that were holding the portal together were disappearing in a series of pixels. The glass of the portal was starting to crack, meaning the portal was collapsing…albeit slowly.
But what Igneel saw on the other side took him by surprise.
On the other side of the portal, in the future, his mother, father, younger self and his sister was staring at him with wide eyes and mouths slightly agape…along with everyone else in the Guild.
"At least, nobody got killed." Igneel thought as he stumbled up to the portal before collapsing to his knees. He then coughed up a small amount of blood while the red liquid also bubbled out of his open wounds in his abdomen and side.
Igneel made eye contact with his younger self and used his left hand to beckon the boy forward. Young Igneel hesitated while Lucy kept him close.
Igneel made a soft smile and repeated the motion.
Young Igneel's brow quirked in a mixture of confusion…and realization. Slowly, Igneel pulled away from Lucy and walked up to the portal. Lucy made to stop her son but at the same time she was transfixed by the sight of the young man who had saved her son.
There was something…familiar about him.
Igneel watched as his younger half walked up to portal and paused, just a few inches away from it as he saw even more cracks form across the glass.
Igneel placed his right hand up to the glass and pressed it flat against the surface. After a moment, young Igneel did the same, making Igneel smile softly at the difference in hand size.
"Don't worry now…" Igneel said before taking a labored breathe, "No one will hurt you like that again…you're safe now."
"…Promise?" Young Igneel asked his older self.
"I promise." Igneel said…before his right arm went limp, leaving a small smear of blood in its wake.
"Aw, damn." Igneel whispered. He could still move his fingers…but just barely. The wound in his shoulder had caused his arm to lose too much blood.
"Listen to me," Igneel said, "I want you to make me a promise now…okay?"
Young Igneel nodded making Igneel smile softly.
"I…I…I want you to promise me…that you'll take care of your family…and the Guild. They…they are you're family…you're nakama, and that makes them some of the most important people in your life. No matter what happens…you'll always have them."
Igneel coughed up some blood once more and wiped it away with his left hand.
"Do you think you can promise me that?" Igneel asked.
"…I…I promise." Young Igneel answered as he nodded his head.
"Good." Igneel said.
The glass began to crack even further…it wouldn't be long before it collapsed entirely.
Igneel sighed sadly and gave his younger self a small, sad smile.
"I…I have to go now," Igneel said as he looked to Natsu, Lucy and Lilly, "go back to your family…and never forget that promise."
Young Igneel nodded and slowly began to walk away. Igneel watched as his younger self returned to his family-knowing the future would be in good hands.
Lucy and Natsu took their son into a loving embrace before looking back to stranger on the other side of the gate. The more they looked at him…the more he began to look like someone they knew.
He looked like…like…
"Igneel?" Lucy said in a surprised whisper.
"Igneel…" Natsu repeated as he looked from his mate to the portal. It wasn't long before he too began to match the similarities.
His eyes widened in a mixture of surprise, shock and horror. His…his son was grown up…and was a complete mess.
"It can't be." Natsu said, as he looked from young Igneel to future Igneel, "There's just no way."
Igneel raised his left hand in a fist and gently tapped the glass with it.
"Igneel," Lucy said, her voice a little more firmly, her shock starting to wear off, "Is it you? Is it really you?"
Igneel smiled…and simply winked with his good eye.
The portal began to break apart, the glass shattering and crumbling to the floor.
"Goodbye." Igneel whispered.
"Wait!" Lucy cried out…too late. The portal had fallen to pieces, its support beams gone and with it…her future son.
XXXX
Igneel watched as the remnants of the time gate faded away. For a little bit, he just simply kneeled there, taking in what had just transpired.
His parents were safe…along with his younger self.
Everything had been set back to the way it was-the way it should have always been.
Igneel took in a deep breathe…before collapsing to his side. His skin was almost chalk white now, his emerald green eyes were becoming dull and his breathing had become ragged and shallow. He could feel his blood pool underneath him and in his left lung despite the fact that it had collapsed. His heart beat had started to slow…and Igneel knew he was beyond help now.
He didn't know how long he had been laying there, but the young mage suddenly heard voices calling out to him. They were muffled but he could make out that his name was being called. Igneel suddenly found himself on his back and looking up at the sky-the beautiful star filled sky. It was then that he saw his mother and father.
Their eyes were wide with panic, fear and desperation.
"Mom…dad...?" Igneel whispered.
"Help!" Natsu called out, "Wendy! Porlyusica! Igneel needs help!"
Natsu then turned back to his son as he observed Igneel's wounds.
"Oh…oh god, there's so much blood!" Natsu said as he placed his hands over Igneel's abdomen wound.
When he and the others had boarded the massive lift that took them up to the final level of The Keeper's castle, he had expected to see his son standing victorious over the corpse of Aya Higurashi…but instead, he found his son laying on his side in a rapidly expanding pool of his own blood.
Igneel coughed and blood leaked past Natsu's fingers. His eyes began to flutter close.
"Igneel!" Lucy cried out as she shook her son, making his eyes refocus, "Stay with us, please, help is almost here!"
"Goddamn it," Natsu hissed, "WENDY! PORLYUSICA; WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!"
"I'm here!" Wendy called out as she slid to her knees up to Igneel. She gasped as saw the amount of blood and terrible shape Igneel was in.
"Blood," Wendy whispered, "so much blood."
Shaking her head clear, Wendy moved Natsu's hands out of the way and placed her own over Igneel's abdomen and side, her brow furrowed in concentration as her healing magic began to take effect.
"Hang in there Igneel." Natsu said as he tried to comfort his son. He took Igneel's right hand into his as Igneel's fingers weakly curled over his fathers.
"Wendy's going to fix you up good as new." Lucy said with a comforting smile despite the tears in her eyes while she gently ran her fingers through Igneel's hair.
"…Mom…dad…I…I did it…" Igneel whispered, "Aya's dead…I stopped her…I saved the future."
Igneel took in a pained gasp for air.
"You're…you're all safe."
Natsu and Lucy could only smile past their tears.
"We know Igneel…we know," Lucy said, "don't speak now, save your strength."
"Yeah, we still have to find you a way home." Natsu said, his voice still optimistic.
Igneel was silent for a moment before he began to shake his head slowly.
"Dad…I…I don't think…that's going to happen." Igneel said.
"Don't say that," Lucy said, her voice desperate, "don't say that, you're going to be fine, right Wendy?"
Lucy turned to the blunette, her face that of desperate hope.
"Right Wendy…Wendy? Wendy what's wrong!?" Lucy asked as she saw Wendy clench her teeth as he eyes began to widen in panic.
"I-I can't stop the bleeding…" Wendy said as she increased the flow of her magic, "I can't stop the bleeding!" Wendy cried out.
"What?" Natsu said, a disbelieving smile on his face while his eyes gave away his shock, "What do you mean Wendy, of course you can stop Igneel's bleeding!"
Wendy shook her head.
"I-I can't! No matter how hard I try, the blood won't stop!" Wendy said as she pressed her hands harder against the wounds…only for Igneel to reach up his good hand and push Wendy's hand off his abdomen.
"Wendy…" Igneel said weakly, "Wendy…sweetie…stop."
Wendy remained defiant as she pushed her hands back.
"No! I can save you, I can save you!" Wendy said…only for Igneel to push her hand away again.
"Wendy…nothing can stop that now…you've done enough." Igneel said.
Wendy made to protest but found it impossible to do so as tears spilled from her eyes while she covered her mouth, trying to suppress her sobs.
Lucy lowered her head and began to weep…the realization that her son was dying was starting to set in. Natsu shook his head in disbelief.
"Igneel…you can't give up now…you…you just can't." Natsu said his voice cracking slightly.
Igneel smiled weakly, before he shakily raised his hand to cup Lucy's cheek, making her look at him as he gently used his thumb to brush away her tears.
"Please," Lucy sobbed, "Igneel please, don't go! I beg of you, please don't go!"
"Don't cry…I always hated seeing you…you cry." Igneel said as Lucy cupped Igneel's hand to her face, unable to stop her tears or sobs of anguish.
"Lilly…Lilly said that…right before she died." Lucy sobbed, making Natsu wince, "How can I not!? You're my baby boy-my child!? How can you tell me not to cry when we're about to lose you!?"
"…You're…you're not about to lose me. I'll…I'll always be with you…one way…or another…we'll always be together."
Igneel coughed again as the grip in his hands became weak.
"I…I find it ironic…that now that I've won…I…I don't want to go." Igneel said as tears streamed from his eye, "I want to stay here…with you…I…I don't want to die…I don't want to die…"
Igneel took in a sucking breathe.
"But…but I know it has to be this way." Igneel said, his voice barely managing to whisper.
"I can die…knowing that you're safe…knowing that the future is safe…that I was able to redeem myself."
Igneel's eyes began to dull as his breathing began to become barely audible.
"I…I love you…mom…dad…" Igneel said with a small smile, "and for…what it's worth…I…I don't regret anything…because I got…to see you again."
Igneel's eyes widened slightly before his irises lost their light and the lids closed. Igneel slowly exhaled slowly for the last time. His right hand lost its grip on Natsu's hand while his left hand fell away from Lucy's face and to the floor.
Natsu slowly brought his hand to cover his mouth as he slowly shook his head from side to side. Tears fell from his eyes as his shoulders began to shake.
"Igneel?" Lucy said, her voice cracking while she gently shook Igneel.
Igneel did not move. Lucy's shaking became more desperate as did her tone.
"Igneel!?" Lucy said through her tears, "Igneel, pleas wake up!"
But it was no use.
Igneel…was dead.
XXXX
A/N: So…yeah, that happened.
Igneel…Igneel was able to save his family, the Guild and the future…but at the cost of his own life.
He made the greatest sacrifice anyone could ever make so that the people he cared about would be saved.
So…all that's left is the ending. I assure you, this chapter isn't the end-and before you say anything-there will be a happy ending. How it plays out I will let you guess until the next update.
Speaking of which, next week I'll be going on vacation for about a week and a half. I'm not sure if where I'm heading has internet access so I'll do my best to update in the next few days or while I'm gone. If I don't update, I'll do it when I get back home…so be patient please!
I seriously can't thank you guys enough for helping me make it this far…for giving me and this story such wonderful reviews.
I hope the ending will be to your liking.
Next time; Chapter 23: Epilogue
As per usual, if you guys have any comments or questions, please put it in your review and I'll make sure to respond to you in the next chapter.
Until next time; read, review and most importantly of all, HAPPY READING! ONE MORE CHAPTER TO GO!