Hey there everyone! It is I once more with another chapter for you all to either enjoy or hate. Whatever feeling you get is up to you.
Anyway, enjoy, or not, I don't care you all have your opinions.
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Chapter Sixty Four: A moment of rest and sorrow
It was completely quiet as everyone camped around the large bonfire in the forest.
It was now night as everyone tried to recover from what transpired earlier. Those who were injured had bandages wrapped around them, as Rose tried to heal Sting's shoulder with her Magic earlier to prevent more blood loss from loosing his arm. But the biggest thing that still plagued them was the sight of Wendy's dragon, Grandeeney not only appearing from seemly out of nowhere, but also taken and corrupted by Akumu before flying off with the giant creature. Wendy, unable to handle what she saw, fainted, and was now being watched over by Carla, and Chelia to make sure nothing happens to her, as well as the still unconscious Romeo, until she awakens.
The silence that filled the air around the large group of heroes was eventually broken by Yuge, who clearly looked distressed due to the events from earlier.
"…Why does life always try to screw with us?" The blue haired future son of Natsu and Juvia questioned with a quiet tone. He didn't understand why when things go well for them; something then happened that makes them miserable.
"How should we know the answer to that?" Hara responded with an annoyed tone, not at all happy still at the moment. The future daughter of Natsu and Mira was still wrapped in some bandages due to her injuries during the fight with Osmoas's forces from earlier.
No one answered the white haired woman as many of them couldn't help but feel anger at themselves for failing to save the innocent people from Akumu in time. It didn't take long though before Lucy spoke up.
"Where did the dragon even come from?" The blonde couldn't help but ask. It was no secret that Wendy's dragon, as well as the other Dragon Slayer's dragon parents, were missing for years, yet one of them suddenly appeared from nowhere and got corrupted by the servant of the Burning Legion. Thus, there were questions that those not from the future had and wanted answers to.
"The dragon clearly came from that weird orb that Akumu had on him. But how did he get that and summon the dragon, who knows." Brandish spoke up, putting her own thoughts on the whole matter.
Natsu, who remained awfully silent through this, then spoke up, getting everyone's attention to look at the unhappy Fire Dragon Slayer.
"Do you guys know?" The pink haired demon asked his future children, who merely looked at one another as Natsu went on, "You all came from the future. I can't believe I never even bothered to ask, but did we ever see our dragons again in the future?" He asked them; hoping that if they did, then they could have an answer as to how Wendy's dragon suddenly appeared before their eyes.
A loud sigh came from Marcel got everyone's attention, as they all now stared at the future son of Natsu and Kamika.
"Yes, you all did," The black haired male started to say, getting the Dragon Slayers who were awake to widen their eyes a little from his answers, "From what I remember you and mom telling us, they appeared to help destroy Face, the same weapon we stopped the Legion from using to wipe out all life on Ishgar."
"So then they are around in the future then?" Natsu asked with a hopeful tone. If Igneel did come back to him in the future, then reuniting with him here in the current time didn't seem too hopeless any more.
However, that hope then faded away as Sans then shook his head slowly with a sad expression on the red haired male's face.
"No, from what you told us, the dragons didn't have that much life in them afterwards. You told us that they were already in a half dead state thanks to the dragon known as Acnologia. Because of this, they then moved on to the afterlife, leaving the world behind." Sans finished explaining to his father, his mothers, and to the others.
That got Natsu and everyone else to feel down from hearing that. Natsu himself had to stop himself from clenching his fists or shake in sorrow from what he just heard. Igneel, the other dragons, they managed to come back… only to loose them?
Before anyone else could respond, Daron then stood up abruptly, getting everyone to put their eyes on the armored future son of Natsu and Lisanna.
"I'm going for a walk." The Death Knight muttered, but loud enough for everyone to hear him.
And with that, the armored male then walked away from the others and the bonfire before heading into the trees.
Natsu however, knew that Daron was probably feeling angry with himself due to unable to prevent the innocent people from dying as well as seeing the injuries they all sustained, both physical and mental. The pink haired male couldn't blame him, as he too felt the same. But, he knew that his future son shouldn't be force to go through this alone. None of them do.
"I'll go after him." Natsu then spoke, before he too stood up and went after the armored male into the woods around them.
Lisanna, seeing how her son from the future was clearly angered due to what happened earlier, figured she would follow Natsu's lead and see if she could help her son out.
"I will go with him." The white haired woman told the others, as she stood up before following the pink haired male she loved after their future son.
That left everyone else behind around the bonfire at the moment. No one else said anything else before Rebecca then spoke up.
"When I get my hands on that man," The light green haired woman started to say with a look of anger, which was pretty surprising since she was usually so cheerful and optimistic, as she went on about Akumu, "I'll make him pay for what he did. I will shrink him and crush him underfoot."
"Oh yeah, well get in line." Sting spoke up with anger, before looking at his shoulder where his left arm was no longer attach too. Akumu was his to deal with when they find him again, no one else!
"He was only a servant, following the Legion's orders to do what he did," Nagura spoke up, a look of hate visible on her face as she pulled out her sword from her side before looking at it, "Even if we struck him down, that won't avenged those who've died so far. Until we defeat and drive the Legion from our world, only then will all who fell to them will be avenged." The future daughter of Natsu and Kagura finished saying.
Her siblings couldn't help but frown sadly when they saw her angered face, knowing that she understood more about what it was like when someone of their world joined and served the Legion during their invasions upon Earthland.
"I need a moment." Tiron then spoke up without warning as he stood up from his seat.
Before anyone could say anything or stop him, the future son of Natsu and Tiron then headed into the woods himself, although in a different direction from where Daron took off too.
"Tiron wait!" Hisui exclaimed, as the green haired Princess followed the green haired male into the woods.
No one followed after them, knowing that they would be alright on their own despite Hisui's lack of Magic.
Silence once again followed right after that, before Layla begun to speak.
"We'll make them pay…" The pink haired female muttered. Some of the others who managed to hear her nodded in agreement or in silence.
The Burning Legion will pay dearly for all that they did.
'WITH TIRON AND HISUI'
The green haired male merely continued on in silence as he walked through the trees. His thoughts were the only thing he focused on at the moment.
'What am I going to do?' Tiron thought to himself, a look of distress visible on his face. The pale skin future son of Natsu and Hisui didn't know what to do. Everyone was in sorrow at the moment. They all fought tooth and nail to save those innocent people from the Legion's attack, and for what? Only for a servant of the Legion to appear and murdered them all, as he was unable to save them.
There will be a time where one day, either he or one of his other siblings, will ascend to the throne that his father, mother, and the other mothers of his brothers and sisters currently hold over to not only their nation, but to the united force of the other nations of the world back in the future they came from. But a King is supposed to help lift the people's spirits up and believed in himself to do the right thing to protect and do what's best for them all. How can he ever hope to be like that if he can't even believe in himself?
The green haired young man then stopped walking as he looked up to the night sky, filled with stars that showed the night sky's beauty despite the thickness of the leaves of the trees.
All of those stars, all of those worlds that they don't know about or have yet reach, they are all in danger by the Legion's wrath. How many worlds have already fallen to the demonic war machine? They managed to push the demons back from their world twice already, but the more they beat them back from their world, the more it fuels their determination to bring their home to an end. How can he ever hope to lead one day to do what his parents have done if he can't even help those around him?
He was too into his thoughts to notice or sense Hisui watching him from behind the trees behind him.
The princess didn't know what to say to him. What could she even say? She tried to help him back after the attack on Era when the demons tried to unleash Face upon the continent. While the Princess managed to cheer her future son up back then, she didn't know how to do that right now, especially with everything that keeps happening to them all.
She was brought out of her musings when she heard Tiron begun to speak. However, he was starting to speak in a melodic yet sad voice.
"….Oh… God… give… us… Your… protection…" Tiron started to say with pauses in between the words, all while saying all of that in a melodic manner.
Tiron would admit he never really had any beliefs of a higher being, or at least one that didn't fall to the demons. He would never say that he was religious in any form like some people were, yet with everything happening to him and his family, with everything that had happened to his world, back in his future and in the present, he was willing to try to see if any high being that was out there and still alive would hear him.
"…If… Your… high… praise… is… all… we… have…"
Memories had begun to flash through his mind. From when he was but a small child to who he was now today, all the horrors he was forced to see even as a kid because of these demons. He had lost friends, allies, and even family that weren't of his parents and siblings. Those who they have lost or have turned against him and the others and have joined the Legion all for the sake of power, he would admit that sadly those they have trusted that turned on them all to serve the demons to sate their lust for power was far too great.
A few tears started to form in his eyes from what he was remembering. His world, even after pushing back against the demon's full invasion twice, even then the remnant demons that remained on their world caused so much pain and destruction to them all.
Maybe one day, Earthland will know peace once more, both in the future and in the present. But right now, Tiron needed all the help and hope he can get from anything, no matter how desperate he may seem to be.
"…Let… us… not… be… without… You…"
And with that, the future son of Natsu and Hisui finished his lone melody, as he then simply remained silent; his thoughts were the only thing that he now focused on.
Hisui couldn't help but shed a tear at how sorrowful her son sounded, yet still there was nothing she could say or do to help him. She didn't even know how to help herself at the moment.
All that the Princess could do at the moment was simply stay in her spot, watching over the silent green haired male.
Well… that seemed a bit sad, at least I think, you all might think it was dumb.
Can any of you guess what the lyrics Tiron just somewhat sang out were from? See if you guys can figure out where those lyrics he sang are from.
So what did you all think? Good? Bad? Let me know.
See you all next time, whenever that will be.