Wow. Three updates in one month. Aren't you guys lucky.
The King of Dragon's magical power was overwhelming. It attacked Natsu's senses, screaming pain, darkness, death, and triumph.
It was crushing. If he hadn't known about Acnologia and expecting it, he would be standing like a statue, too scared to move.
Natsu could only stare at the gargantuan dragon, remembering the first time he learned of its existence.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
It was during the debacle of the Tower of Heaven, just after he had witnessed his own funeral and Erza's depression.
"I refuse to give up so easily!" he roared. "I refuse! I won't accept death with welcoming arms! I haven't beaten Erza yet! Or Gildarts! I haven't told her how I feel! I can't be dead! I AM NOT DEAD!"
"I am glad to hear that, Natsu."
The dragon slayer whirled about, eyes frantically searching the limitless darkness for the owner of the painfully familiar voice. It had been seven years since he last heard that voice, but Natsu would never forget it.
And there he was, larger than he remembered. Dark red scales and tan underbelly. From the X-shaped scar to the numerous sharp black spikes going from his back to the end of his tail. The triangular head with three horns, the third pointing upwards just above his nose. And the warm yellow and black eyes.
There was no mistaking that dragon.
"Igneel!" Natsu unashamedly cried as he hurled himself at his father. He clung to the large dragon's foreleg.
Question after question burst from his lips, irritation evident in his voice. "Where have you been? Why did you disappear? Couldn't you have told me you had to go? There was so much more I could learn. Do you know how long I've spent searching for you? Never giving up the hope that you were out there somewhere? You've been gone for seven years, Igneel. You didn't even finish teaching me my letters. I had to learn from Erza. Do you have any idea how scary she is? She's like a demon. She was always hitting me when I mispronounced something."
A sudden realization hit Natsu like the time the Master had curb stomped him in his giant form. He had just sacrificed himself to save Erza from giving up her life to control the imminent Etherion blast. He had just watched the Master preside over his own funeral.
He was dead. And if this is where you went after death, then. . .
"Are you dead, Igneel? Is that why I couldn't find you? Did that bastard Jellal kill you to build this damn tower?" the pink haired human snarled. He was enraged. If he could he would return from the dead and kill that blue haired bastard for what he had done. How dare he kill a dragon? How dare he use Igneel's death to build this tower of Erza's nightmares?
"I kill him!"
The great red dragon placated him, gently slapping him with his tail. It was a well practiced motion and thus easy to avoid hitting Natsu with the adorning spikes.
"I am not dead, young dragon. And neither are you."
Natsu blinked wildly. Not dead? He wasn't dead?
Igneel lowered his hulking body to the ground, and as he had done countless times before, Natsu settled in between his front legs. Then his father would spin tales of dragons flying freely through the sky, unbothered by humans. They never failed to fascinate the young boy, who liked nothing better than to fly on his dad's back.
"As you know, dragons were once the Kings of the world. Over four hundred years ago we were feared and respected. Dragons soared overhead. Humans were abundant for the picking. We dominated the land and the seas. No one could face a dragon and win.
"And then the war broke out."
Natsu listened intently. He had never heard this story before, had never know that the dragons had gone to war.
"One dragon questioned the reign of dragons. Was it necessary for dragons to terrorize human? Could the two races never get along? Wasserlogia wanted humans and dragons to coexist. And so feeling of contentions started brewing, between those that agreed with Wasserlogia and those that saw no need to change their ways and deny themselves their favorite food.
"And then the war began. Fantastic battles between dragons tore the world apart. Islands were sunken, fields were scorched, and mountains were reduced to rubble. The humans hid terrified of the majestic creatures shook and reshaped the very earth with their ferocious battles.
"Chaos spread. The two opposing factions were at a stalemate. Then one dragon suggested they teach their special magic to humans so they could aide them. Baumrinde was the first dragon to teach a human his magic, and thus, the Dragon Slayers were born."
Natsu was riveted by Igneel's story. Normally he couldn't stand history. It was boring and he'd much rather be causing his own fights than reading about someone else's. If Erza hadn't forced him at sword point the pinkette would have never picked up a history book.
But this was different. It wasn't just some random grudge fight between guilds (which coincidentally was the reason for the law that banned one guild from attacking another). This was his history, his past. It was more than Natsu ever knew about where he came from. He knew nothing of his true parents, having been found and raised by Igneel since he was an infant.
But to be able to know the roots of his magic, which was classified as a lost magic, to know how it came to exist was the coolest thing he had ever learned.
"With the help of the newly created Dragon Slayers, the war quickly shifted to favor those hoping for coexistence. They had gained the upper hand, but were unprepared for the humans' treachery.
"It was a cunning plan and a successful one, but the power corrupted humans. The humans began to slay enemies and allies alike. There was one dragon slayer in particular that took great pleasure in killing dragons. He was ruthless and bloodthirsty, and with the help of the Dark Wizard Zeref, bathed in the blood of the dragons he killed and become one himself. His name was Acnologia."
Natsu shuddered. It was like Igneel was telling a ghost story and this was the part where he revealed in the most dramatic way possible the name of the ghost that was causing people to turn up dead in the well. Goosebumps raised on his flesh.
"Acnologia. The Black Dragon. The Dragon King. The dragon that single handedly destroyed an entire country. The war ended quickly with the human's transformation. The dragons went into hiding, vowing to have no contact with humans ever again, to never teach another the special magic of dragons.
"And so the dragons that survived hid, falling into obscurity, becoming myths and legends. Dragon Slayer magic became one of the Lost Magics.
"For a few decades we hid in peace, living in fear of Acnologia. Some of us broke the vow, once more teaching Dragon Slayer Magics to human."
Here Igneel exhaled heavily, billows of smoke pouring from his nostrils. "Acnologia caught wind of my, and several others, actions. Left with no choice, I fled, to keep you safe from Acnologia's wrath."
The pink haired human grinned widely. Now he had the answer to why Igneel had left so suddenly and proof that his father was alive.
"But I cannot protect you from the Black Dragon anymore." The Flame Dragon King continued. Zeref has reawakened once more, thanks to Jellal's actions. Acnologia will be on the hunt once more."
"Does that mean you need to find a new place to hide? Will I never see you again?" Natsu asked despairingly.
"Relax, young dragon. Our separation won't be forever. Jellal may have revived Zeref and unleashed the most fearsome dragon on the world once more, but he also created the weapon that can destroy them."
Natsu jumped to his feet. "Where is it? I'll go find it. I'll search the world if I have to. I won't rest until I find it."
"That won't be necessary, Natsu. The weapon is you."
His bravado fled. "Me?" He stuttered. "How?"
"A dragon can only be killed by another dragon or a dragon slayer. Dragon Slayer Magic is the only magic that can pierce a dragon's scales. Acnologia's not a normal dragon. Even the two working together could not hope to defeat the King of Dragons. I got this scar going against him." Natsu eyed the defined X-shaped scar. " But one that is just like him."
Igneel trailed off and Natsu started rambling protests. "Woah, I haven't turned into a dragon."
The red dragon gave showed off pointy canines as he laughed. "Not yet, but you can."
Natsu had been about to say that he thought he would know if he could turn into a real dragon, but his father knocked his tail into his legs and knocked him off his feet. "Just now you consumed a shard of the Tower of Heaven infused with Etherion. You already know that it is taboo for a Dragon Slayer to eat the element they produce. They have to replenish their magic by eating external sources. And they also cannot eat another dragon's element.
"Etherion is composed of every element. It is pure Magic. And by eating it and surviving you have the chance to be the first true Dragon Slayer."
"What do you mean true Dragon Slayer?"
"You will be both human and dragon. Fire will always be your strongest element, but now you can use the others as well. Not to mention devastating pure magic attacks. You can enter Dragon Force at will, a devastating state in which you have access to more advanced, powerful attacks, and you can transform into a dragon. If you can merge with your dragon, not just call upon its power, you will have the power to kill Acnologia. I cannot tell you any more. You will have to discover your new powers on your own."
Natsu's head was spinning. True Dragon Slayer? Merging with his inner dragon? Killing a dragon? "I can't kill a dragon!" Magical power aside, he didn't have the fortitude to kill a dragon. Not even one that was preventing the return of the rest of the dragons.
"If you do not I can never return, Natsu."
Igneel fell silent, letting the boy internally debate his options. At long last, Natsu agreed. He didn't wanted to, and wasn't one hundred percent certain that he could, but he was going to try.
"I'll do it." Fires blazed in his black eyes. "I'll kill Acnologia."
The dragon had smiled proudly at him. "Good, son. I'm counting on you." He gave Natsu a shove. "Now go, train. There is no time to waste."
"I'll see you soon, Igneel." Fire flared, lighting up the dark realm. Natsu could smell the scent of the ocean.
"When you do, introduce me to your mate."
"Mate!" Natsu yelped.
xxxNatsuErzaxxx
Igneel had told him as a child all about how every dragon had his or her perfect mate. The one person that complimented and completed them. Natsu had paid no attention at the time. Learning magic was much cooler than thinking about the girl he would be spending the rest of his life with.
Then he joined Fairy Tail and met Erza.
Even at the age of seven Natsu knew she was the one. He hadn't known until Igneel explained it, but on that day his dragon had recognized the Re-Quip mage as his perfect mate.
He had made a promise, when he came to on that isolated island after the whole R-System fiasco, to always be there for Erza. It was a promise the dragon slayer wasn't certain he could keep anymore. He had also promised to do anything to prevent her from crying. If this battle went the way he thought it would, he would break that one too.
The gargantuan black dragon with blue spiraling markings hovered over Tenrou Island, the beating of his massive wings send whipping winds into the trees below.
Just looking at him reaffirmed Natsu's doubt in his abilities. This was the dragon his father couldn't beat. This was the dragon that sent Gildarts home missing pieces. Was he really strong enough to beat the self-proclaimed King of Dragons? He had hidden a lot of his true powers from his mate, practicing them in secret in the cover of the forest behind his cabin.
He only had one that he thought stood any chance of getting past the dragon's defenses. Chances were though, he wouldn't survive either.
Yes, I totally got you all excited for an epic battle between dragon and dragon slayer only to make you wait for the next chapter. But on the plus side, you finally got to see his conversation with Igneel.