Hey guys, here is the next chapter in this story.

Enjoy.

Chapter Twenty-One

Crystal Magic

The days passed slowly since Rave had learnt of his mother and brother`s death. He spends his time alone looking at the distance when Igneel leave the cave behind sometimes. The young man was thinking about everything that had happened to him.

He didn`t know what to do with himself. Part of him wished that he could have changed something but he was powerless to do so. Then he felt it, that power that he had flowing within him.

Magic.

He could feel it growing from within him and the young man did his best to squash it down inside him. His father had forbidden him to use it…but, will his father said anything right now because of what he is doing right now?

Then there is that thing that Zeref had told him…

Father is dead, he thought, It`s not like he was going to know what I am going to do…

Then he heard the sound of the dragon`s arrival, causing him to glance toward the sky and sure enough, the large form of the red creature appeared in the sky lowering himself down.

"Is the war still going on?" he asked.

"The tide is turning," Igneel told him, as he landed, "soon enough, this war might finally be over."

"How soon?" Rave asked him as he approached.

"I can`t tell," Igneel told him glancing down at the small Human in front of him, "War is an unpredictable thing. We may think that we have victory, but it can turn on us like a leaf in the wind."

Igneel narrowed his eyes.

"Have you consider my offer yet?" he asked.

Rave tightened his fist a little.

"I…I don`t know about it," he said, "I don't like to use magic."

"Why are you afraid of it?"

Rave looked up at him in anger.

"I am not afraid," he snapped.

Then he turned around leaving the dragon to stare at his back.

"Whatever of what you are afraid of Rave," he said, "The only way to move past it, is to talk about it."

The young man stopped.

"I...,"

"If it`s magic that you fear, you`ll know that magic is only a tool. It can be used either for good or for evil," Igneel continued, "When people can't control it. It acts as a defense mechanism reacting whether when we feel anger and hatred."

Rave turned toward him.

"You fear magic because of what it can do," Igneel told him, "It`s almost as if you are fearing what you are capable of because you have the ability in your blood."

Rave stared down at the ground. He knew that the dragon was right in a way. He can still see that day…the first time that Zeref ever used his magic…

"I…you`re right," he said.

Igneel blinked, but didn`t say anything.

"My father forbids me to use magic," he said, "Ever since my brother first used it. It was over four years ago. He had gotten into a fight with another kid and unconsciously drew on his magic…It all happened so fast…"

Rave closed his eyes. He still remember the look of horror on his father`s face and the screaming that had happened…

"I knew Zeref didn`t means to do it," he said, "But his magic killed the boy…and I have been afraid of it ever since…"

Igneel sighed.

"So that`s what is it," he said, "Magic can be both a sword and a shield. Just as there are magic that can be used to kill and destroy, it can also be used to protect and heal."

Rave looked up at the dragon.

"A…Are you going to teach me Dragon Slayer Magic?" he asked.

Igneel shook his head.

"No, but I can teach you to control that power you have within yourself," he said, "Thought, it won`t do you much since you didn`t have a standard magic style for yourself."

Rave looked at him in confusion.

"Styles?"

"Type of magic," Igneel told him, "They are many different types…much more than you can imagine, and considering how powerful your magic is…I can there is one that is perfectly suited for you to learn."

Rave approached the dragon, his eyes going wide in surprise.

"Which one is it?" he asked.

"It is called, Crystal Magic," Igneel told him, "An ancient sealing magic, probably one of the most powerful magic ever known. It was even known to be used to fight Dragons in the past. They have been many User of the arts in the past hundred years but the line had died out in wars or people that fear their power. There is only a last descendant that survives the entire carnage."

Rave feels a slight shock at this.

"Only one left?" he said softly, "where is he?"

"He lives on the northern part of Fiore," Igneel told him, "and you`re in luck…considering that I know him quite well…but to teach you his magic, that will have to take some convincing. But before that, you might want to learn to control your own magical power first…with me as a teacher, you might learn it quicker than most."

Rave stayed quiet as he looked down. Is he really going to go with this. His father had forbidden him to use his magic…but…

Father isn`t here to tell us what do to anymore Rave, Zeref`s voice echoed in his head.

Rave looked up toward Igneel.

"Alright," he said, "I…I will do it."

Igneel give him a nod.

Then the past three months occurred in Igneel teaching him how to control his magic. At first, it was quite a terrifying concept since he used to be afraid of the ability but Rave learned how control it, and whenever he was using it, it was only a light color appearing around him since he didn`t have any form.

After those three months, Igneel was flying with Rave upon his back heading toward where the Crystal Mage user was living. They reached a large mountain pass.

"Woah," Rave whispered as he noticed the large plains.

"The war hadn`t reached this place," Igneel told him as he started to lower himself from the sky, "Our mutual friend lives in this parts."

He landed upon the ground, letting the young boy slid off from his back. Rave glanced at the large place in front of them. It was mostly a ruin they had landed unto, with broken houses and overgrown weeds everywhere.

Igneel glanced up toward the front a soft growl coming from him as a man walked toward them. He was dressed in a long cloak upon his form and his long gray hair falling all the way down to his chest. Rave looked at the man as he approached. He looked harmless and like an ordinary old man, with a walking stick and leaning upon it as he stood in front of them observing them with his bright green eyes.

"Igneel," he said in greeting.

"Harvens," The Fire Dragon answered, "I am grateful that you have answered my summons."

The old man, chuckled.

"Well, blame it on curiosity, and i have told you to call me Harry" he said, a small grin growing upon his face, "I wanted to see the boy you spoke about….and I must say, you`re not much."

Rave glared at the man.

"Are you sure he is the one that will teach me Crystal Magic?" he said, giving the dragon beside him a glance.

"He is a Master at the Crystal Magic," Igneel told him.

"Doesn`t look like much," Rave said.

Harry raised a hand toward Rave.

"Come closer boy," he said.

The young boy blinked a little at that before stepping forward until he stood at arm lengths from the old man. He can see those green eyes observing him carefully, as if he was seeing right through him making him feel a little uncomfortable.

"Your power is strong," he said, "But…I can tell that you haven`t being using magic for a long time. You only recently started to."

Rave stared at him.

"H…How did you…?"

"I didn`t," Harry told him, "You just did."

Rave narrowed his eyes at him.

"Don't play with me like that old man," he yelled at him.

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Then what are you going to do about it?"

Rave gritted his teeth in anger for a few seconds before he controlled himself. He stared back up toward the old man in front of him and noticed that he had a slight disappointed look upon his face.

"I won`t teach you any magic," Harry said turning away from him.

Rave stared at him in shock.

"W…What?"

"You heard me," the old man said walking away, "Go away brat."

"But you have to teach me," Rave yelled out, "Igneel said that I have the magical ability to learn it."

"You may have it, but I don`t teaches magic to people who don`t take actions," Harry told him, "I can see it all over your face boy. You are a coward and never once fought your own battles. I will be wasting my time to teach you magic that you won`t have the courage to use."

Rave glanced at the dragon wanting to know what he was thinking but Igneel stayed silent as he watched the two of them. Then, he turned his gaze toward where the old man was walking away from him.

What should I do? He thought, What should I do?

"Igneel," he started.

"I can`t decide your own path for you Rave," the dragon told him, "I can only make suggestions, but it`s entirely your decision whether you want to learn magic or not."

The young boy tightens his fist.

Damnit, he thought glancing at the old man figure that was now getting far away from where he stood.

An image of his family appeared in his head and the images of the Dragon attack that happened to his village. He could only think of one thing.

Zeref started to use his magic so that he could protect Mother, in Father`s place. If we had grown strong, we could have protected the village…If only…

He looked up toward the old man and ran after him and his running feet drew the attention of the man as he turned his head toward him again.

"Please teach me the Crystal Magic," he asked.

Harry narrowed his eyes.

"Why should I teach you?" he said, "I told you before, I won`t waste teaching my magic to a coward."

"Then teach me how to be strong," Rave yelled.

Harry glanced toward the sky, observing the endless blue above them.

"I cannot teach you that," he said, "Strength is something that you have to find within yourself, and fueling your feelings. In those feelings, that`s where strength grow."

Harry then turned his gaze toward the young boy. Rave then put himself down on his knees in front of the old man, bowing down to the ground.

"I don`t have any strength," he said, "I don`t have a home, a family nor anything thing else to turn toward. My father had forbidden me to use magic in the past but I know that magic is the only thing that I have left of him. If I can use magic like he did, maybe I can grow strong like he was."

Harry chuckled.

"Well boy," he said, "What would you do if you do grow strong? Will you take revenge for what you have lost?"

Rave closed his eyes, feeling his tears falling down on the ground.

"No," he said, "I…I can`t hate because of war. This war had brought enough suffering to Fiore and to the world. I can`t lose myself like that or I will turn into the very thing my father fought against."

A soft chuckle echoed in front of him causing Rave to look up toward the man in front of him, noticing that he was laughing, leaning upon his staff.

"Well boy," Harry chortled, "It seems there is still a man within you. It`s decided then, you will be my first student, so be ready…But I must warn you, the path of magic is a long one, are you ready to start upon that road."

Rave looked up at him.

"Yes sir," he said.

It was then in that afternoon sunset that the Crystal Mage known as Harry took me in as a student. From those days forward, I started to learn magic under him and as the years passed by, I grew in both mind and body and even my magic started to grow. I thought that if I learned magic, I could actually make a difference in the world…

But what I didn`t know, was that the worse was still to come…

Seven Years later…

A young man walked out of the cave. The red and tan robes were flowing around him and the white toga danced in the high winds that were blowing through it. His black hair danced around him as he approached into the sunlight.

"The dragon Wars have come to an end," the young man said as he stepped into the light.

His face was in his late teens as his eyes glowed red, watching the distance. Zeref turned his eyes toward the sky.

"But a new age…is dawning."

Zeref moves again...

Hope you guys have enjoyed that update.

Next time: The Dragon Slayer

Jacques0 out.

R&R.