Act 3

42

The War of the Worlds

"I was a battleground of fear and curiosity."
― H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds

For a moment Lucy couldn't hear anything beyond her own frantic heartbeat as Natsu caged her in from above and she was pressed into Leo. It was as if the world was holding its breath and she was holding it with it.

Then, the sound of a beam shifting brought the world back into sharp focus and suddenly she was hearing her guildmates groaning and coughing.

"Is everyone alright?" Sting coughed shakily through the dust. There was the sound of creaking wood and she could feel Natsu shifting around above her.

"What happened?" She coughed slightly as the dust began tickling the back of her throat.

She wasn't the only one asking though as the rest of the guild, mostly miraculously unhurt, began dusting off and climbing to their feet. The reason for that state of things was immediately clear though.

Sting and Rogue had transformed into their partial dragon selves and were busy holding the majority of the roof up. Though it was clear it was a strain for them to do, and they wouldn't be able to for much longer.

"Okay! Everyone get outside!" Erza commanded just as a frantic looking Jellal, Levy, and Gajeel arrived at the door, "If anyone's hurt say so! The dragons can't hold the roof for long!"

Gajeel took one look at the situation and moved in to help hold the roof while the others made it outside.

"Dark Unicorn was a distraction." Jellal growled as soon as he was in range, but was prevented from saying more as he dodged a blast of poison from above.

The cause of the roof collapse was none other than a dragon-shaped Cobra, who remained perched on top of the guild hall, glaring down at them all with acidic green eyes.

His claws ripped out a portion of the guild hall as he dropped down next to them, his tail slamming into the side and sending a wall collapsing forward on the occupants still within.

"How fun! Seeing all the fairies squirm!" Cobra laughed cruelly, sinking forward to allow his guild members to climb down from his back.

"And look, you have some new additions to your little guild," Cobra looked quite pleased with himself, his tail flashing from one side to another.

Natsu's expression went dark with rage as he stalked forward, "And you're not touching them!" He snarled at the other dragon.

He didn't know Cobra's history, and he didn't care. Cobra was not a drake and trying to challenge him, and he was going to pound his poison face into the ground for even thinking he could take him on no matter what form he was currently in.

"Aw, how cute! The little bound dragon thinks he can take our dear Cobra out!" Angel mocked laughingly, but it stopped the moment she got a look at Lucy and pure rage crossed her face, "You!"

"I guess she's still sore about losing." Lucy muttered, though not quietly enough.

"As if I would lose to you," Angel snapped back at her, stomping on the crown of Cobra's head, ignoring his grunted 'hey!'

"You needed help to even put up a fight against me!" Angel's eyes narrowed and her hands rose, flipping a coin between her fingers. It rolled lightly across her knuckles before it was plucked delicately into the air.

"I don't need those useless spirits anymore anyway," She sneered, a devilish smirk rising to her face, "Not when I have my angels."

"Fly my angels! Scatter these flies!" She cried out, a whirl of tiny creatures spinning out from her and slamming into the ground outside with devastating force.

It forced everyone to leap to one side to escape the onslaught, Natsu separating from Lucy to avoid getting nailed by a mischievous spirit between the legs.

"You dirty, rotten-!" He shouted, swearing as he was forced to dance further and further away from Lucy until he was face to face with Cobra again.

His eyes narrowed up at the dragon, upper lip curling in disgust, "You again? What makes you think I'd be afraid of someone whose ass I kicked once already?"

Cobra lifted a poison claw and slashed at Natsu's torso, causing him to twist away and jump onto his forearm.

"Because I can hear your wavering heart," Cobra laughed, "You don't have the power to defeat me."

"I got power to spare for the likes of you!" Natsu snarled furiously, becoming more enraged by the moment despite his fear of being away from Lucy.

"Please!" The poison dragon scoffed, "Do you really think I believe that?" He laughed, "I can still hear your heart, and how it's racing in fear! How pathetic. The mighty End reduced to the strength of a helpless hatchling, and worried about the fate of one pitiful woman!"

He peered closely at them and sneered, "A woman he should've killed the moment the bond wore off!"

What?

The thought interrupted Natsu's focus for a moment, rooting his feet into the ground. He stared up at the dragon, his right hand half-curled into a fist.

Cobra's claw took him on his unguarded side, slapping him with the strength of a train and hurtling Natsu deep into the treeline.

Distantly, Natsu heard Lucy scream as he tumbled backwards, his body snapping trees. Gathering magic around himself to cushion his fall, fire erupted around him enough to slow him from being blown to Oaktown.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried urgently, but was forced to duck as another spirit zoomed towards her head. Leo slammed his fist into another angel that came daringly close to Lucy.

"We'll be overwhelmed at this rate Lucy," Leo's eyes narrowed against the the hundreds of tiny angels threatening to pound them into jello, "My light can hit a broad area, but it's also going to hurt your allies."

Something Angel no doubt knew by the evil glint in her eyes.

And also realized it was a risk Lucy couldn't take with so many of her friends nearby.

Glaring at her, she snagged Leo's key on her ring, giving him a steady look. She would just have to beat her this time without him, "Don't worry. I've got this! Close, gate of the lion!"

Leo gave Lucy one last worried look, but obediently left, knowing she needed to conserve her strength for the battle ahead.

"Aw, the cat is gone so soon?" Angel jeered at Lucy, causing her ire to rise to the surface like a swelling inferno. Perhaps some of Natsu's temper had rubbed off on her, because Lucy wanted nothing more than to snag Angel by the curly lock of hair on her forehead and pull.

"Focus Lucy don't let her get under your skin!" Erza called as she summoned her swords and armor, "We'll have to trust Natsu to deal with Cobra himself. We must deal with Angel and the others!"

Lucy hesitated a moment, but then frowned and nodded as she straightened up, "Right." She pulled her keys and prepared to summon only to freeze entirely when a new figure stepped out around Angel with a smirk. Two Oracion Seis at once? That wasn't good.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to see you in front of me." The man purred at her, his smirk stretching into something entirely cruel and chilling, "I have to say, I much preferred you in your nightgown. It was so very flattering to you."

Nightgown? When would he have seen her in that? Lucy stared at him in confusion for a moment as she tried to figure out when she'd even seen or heard of this guy. Though there was something oddly familiar about him. She was sure she would remember seeing someone like him around since the whole goth look didn't seem to be a big thing in this world, so maybe it was something else?

"Aw, no hello for me?" He purred tauntingly, "And we spent an entire evening together! I'm crushed." His lips twisted into a macarbe version of a smile, "Though I suppose I can't blame you. You were awfully distracted at the time."

It was his voice Lucy realized. That was what was familiar. She'd heard it before, and suddenly her eyes widened in horrified realization as she coupled the voice with his words, "You..."

He'd been the one to bring the phantom of her mother back. The one who had manipulated her, and tried to force her to build a gate.

He'd been the one to tear open that old wound and make it bleed again.

"I think she remembers me!" Midnight laughed cruelly, "Look at the fear on her face!"

"Lucy..." Erza half called, worried her friend would lose herself in the remembered horror of that night when suddenly something seemed to visibly snap in Lucy.

She ducked her head, her hair hiding her face and her shoulders shaking, "You... You made me think my mother was alive. You pulled something precious from my mind and used it to hurt me. All so I could open a stupid gate for you."

Midnight snorted derisively, "Am I supposed to care?"

"Maybe you don't. But I do." Lucy's head snapped back up with a look of utter fury on her face, "And you are going to pay for what you've done!"

She slashed both of her prepared keys through the air, not even articulating the summoning as her magic flared in response to her rage. She just wanted him to go down, and she wanted him to go down hard.

"Lucy!" Erza exclaimed, worried about her friend as Taurus appeared before her, ready to lend his strength.

"Be careful, Midnight is extremely dangerous. He's not one to take light of," Erza warned. In fact she was tempted to step in herself, to fight off Midnight.

As far as battles went, this would be a difficult one for Lucy to overcome.

However, she was driven backwards by a pelting of angels, plowing through the earth and forming a solid barrier between her and Lucy.

She grit her teeth and gripped her sword at her side.

This was not good.

-::-

Lucy quickly found out Erza's words were very true.

No matter what Lucy attempted, Midnight was able to deflect every one of her attacks.

His magic seemed to make every blow warp around him, never coming anywhere close to touching his skin. It was infuriating, and Lucy had no idea what to do while he stood there gloating.

Midnight blasted her back with a particularly vicious blow after her latest attempt at sneaking up on him, slamming her back with a scattering of bruising across her spine.

She groaned as she saw him lifting a hand to catch Taurus under his chin with his fist, sending her poor spirit away the way he had come.

The shower of golden sparks as his gate closed was a mournful apology, and Lucy held his key, hoping he'd recover well.

It was strange though. Midnight had blasted her away but chose to strike Taurus...

"What's the matter?" Midnight drawled, "Don't tell me you're getting tired already. We're just getting started and you haven't even laid a hit on me yet!"

That was it.

That must have been what his power was.

Reflection. The power to distort and twist images around.

That was how Midnight was able to dip into her head and make her see such a terrible illusion at night.

Unfortunately, it also meant that no direct physical attack from her would ever work. Which meant it was time to resort to the indirect and give him something he couldn't twist.

She snatched another key from her side as she staggered to her feet and slashed it through the air, "Open! Gate of the ram! Aries!"

"I-I'm sorry ma'am, did you call me?" Aries asked timidly as she appeared.

"Aries I need your best wool wall right now!" Lucy replied as she prayed to every god that even might be listening that this would work.

"O-of course ma'am! I'll do my best!" The spirit replied and thrust out her hands at the slightly thrown Midnight, "Wool wall!"

Lucy didn't pause to appreciate the squawk of surprise that came from her opponent as he was engulfed in soft pink wool and shoved back. Instead she dug deeply into her reserves and shifted her stance as a magic circle flared at her feet.

"Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens...

All the stars, far and wide..."

She chanted quickly, but precisely, as her entire focus was turned in towards the spell she'd been learning.

"Oh Tetrabiblos...

I am the ruler of the stars...

Aspect become complete..."

Distantly she could hear Midnight raging against the puffy wool entangling him despite his magic, and swearing violently as he struggled to escape. However, Aries was proving to be tougher than she looked and was holding on a little longer to give her mistress more time.

"Open thy malevolent gate.

Oh 88 Stars of the heaven...

Shine!"

Aries glanced over her shoulder as she felt Lucy's magic struggling to maintain her presence as well as complete the spell, and hastily retreated beyond the gate. Lucy would need every scrap of power she had left to finish what she'd started.

Immediately Midnight tore through the wool that had been holding him, looking absolutely enraged over the indignity.

"I'm going to make you suffer for that!" He hissed furiously as he stalked towards her, unconcerned by the light show appearing around him.

He paused, however, when her eyes snapped open. They glowed brightly with golden light and the circle at her feet was reflected in them.

"Urano Metria!"

Taken off guard by the recent wooly attack, the spell caught Midnight square in the chest, pummeling him with the full weight of the stars.

Lucy had just enough time to thank Jellal for the extensive lessons he gave her in the art of the stars - even if it wasn't a spell he was able to learn himself.

She had just enough time to see Midnight drop, before her knees buckled and she dropped to the ground.

There was just enough sense to her head for her to feel arms catching her, and she opened her eyes to look up into red ones.

Rogue.

"What're... you?" She frowned, uncomprehending on where he had come from, or even why.

"Easy now," Rogue gently laid her to the ground, "We saw that light show a mile away. Thought you might be in trouble - and if anything happens to his queen, End would lose his mind."

She caught sight of Sting over Rogue's shoulder, and he flashed her a warm, sunny smile that reminded her of Natsu.

Natsu...!

"Looks like you had it well in hand though," Sting made his way over towards the body of Midnight, nudging him with a booted toe, "I see why Natsu likes you so much.

Lucy forced her body upright, even though it felt like lead and her vision was fogging around the corners. She grabbed Rogue by the collar, causing the dragon to squeak a bit in fright.

"Natsu... You have to find-"

Sting knelt beside them and gently caught Lucy's shoulders before she fell over, "You go." He told his brother, "Your shadows would probably be more help against that poison bastard. I'll stay here and make sure she gets to Wendy."

Rogue nodded and gently pried Lucy's hands off his collar before standing up, "Don't worry." He told Lucy softly, "Natsu will be fine."

Lucy smiled in relief and leaned back against Sting before passing out completely.

The two brothers shared a look before Rogue melted into the shadows and sped away. And a good thing he did too as a moment later the wall that had been separating Lucy from Erza blew apart where he'd been standing, and a frantic redhead stepped through it.

"Is Lucy alright?!" She asked worriedly as she took in Lucy's unconscious form.

"She's fine." Sting replied as he picked her up and called up his wings, "She's just magically exhausted. I'm going to take her to Wendy since she won't be fighting again today."

Erza nodded, a proud smile crossing her lips, "If she wakes before I arrive... tell her she did extremely well."

She, Angel, and indeed most of Magnolia, had seen Lucy's spell as it gathered strength and then unleashed. It had been an awesome display of magic for certain, and she was extremely proud of how much the blond had grown.

-::-

Meanwhile, Natsu climbed shakily back to his feet quite the distance away. Heavy pants dragged from his lungs.

Cobra landed in front of him, his dark violet wings open far enough to blot out the sky around the treeline. He was a small, fast dragon, but would still pose a trouble to Natsu in his current shape.

He had been getting better fighting in this body, his success over Motherglare was proof of that. But there was no denying he was profoundly better in his other form.

"What did you mean!" He demanded at Cobra, "Lucy and I are still bound together!"

The poison dragon blinked at Natsu, swinging his head down to peer closely at him.

His triangle-shaped snout reared back in roars of laughter again, his tail thumping down on the hard soil and packing it in tighter, "Oh this is great!"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Cobra sneered at him, "It's a wonder you've been able to survive this long on power alone. But I'll let you in on a secret - Dragon's can't be bound. Not for long anyway."

"Even if someone like Master Hades tried to manipulate a bond to make it more durable, as soon as some other kind of stabilized magic interrupted it once the bond levelled out, poof - it's gone," Cobra smirked.

His mouth spread open wider, needle-sharp fangs forming gleaming rows in front of Natsu's stunned face.

"The bond between you two broke probably after the first couple of weeks. You were just too weak to leave her side," Cobra laughed, "All you needed was a reason to stay and the bond gave you a good one."

Natsu's eyes were wide, his heart flopping in confusion and trepidation crawled down his spine. Fears he hadn't thought to face were beginning to crawl up to the surface, asserting themselves in his mind.

He could leave.

He could have left long ago.

No one had to let him stay anymore.

He shook his head.

"No, but... how is that? I couldn't transform?"

Cobra tried, and failed, to contain his glee, "This just gets better and better!" He cackled, "You really can't figure it out?" He smirked darkly, "You're forgetting something." He purred, "The strength of your own emotions! You can't change because you don't want to!"

He roared with laughter again and took another swipe at Natsu, thoroughly enjoying the game and wondering how much more he would enjoy it in his human form. It was debatable if he would even be able to speak coherently after laughing so hard.

This time, however, Natsu was not taken off guard by the swipe and was able to dodge it, "The hell do you mean I don't want to?!" He demanded, bursting into flame as he ran charging up to the dragon and leaping onto him like a flaming burr, "Tell me!"

"How should I know why you don't want to change?" Cobra yelped indignantly as he tried to shake Natsu off, "Just because I can hear everything about you doesn't mean I understand your problems!"

"Tell me!" Natsu repeated as he crawled higher, fear and anxiety twisting his gut and fueling his desperate need for answers, "TELL ME!"

He punched Cobra hard in a particularly soft spot, making him yelp again, in pain this time, and drop to the ground, "Like I know!" He snarled and turned to try and snap Natsu off, "For all I know you decided you liked it here or something!"

Natsu slid down Cobra's belly, fingers bracing himself on shiny purple scales as he pushed off with his heels and rocketed backwards on a jet of flame. He landed on the balls of his feet, jumping up past a plume of poison gas.

A trickle of sweat ran down his neck and soaked into his scarf, Cobra's beady eyes following every one of his motions.

"Ohhhh, I bet that's it!" Cobra sneered, sinking back on his haunches and looking superior. Natsu suppressed the rising urge to jump up and beat that purple face black and blue.

"You enjoy being around these mortals?" He cocked his head towards Natsu, listening invasively to the other's inner thoughts. It tormented Natsu in the worst way to know Cobra was peeking in on whatever was going on in his head. Violating his thoughts with his piercing magic. Laughter shook his scaled body, "I can hear it!"

"You desperately want to consider yourself a part of their family, but you can't quite shake the niggling doubt that they are just tolerating you," Cobra's words cut Natsu, each one slicing deeper in his doubts, "Tolerating you because of the bond with Lucy. And now without it, they have no reason for wanting you to stay. You started off as their enemy after all!"

"You're right of course," Cobra purred, "The moment they realize you're unbound, they'll push you out like you were before. The great End is too evil to have untethered. Perhaps they will even kill you?"

"Shut up!" Natsu roared, finally losing his temper with the chatty dragon. He was enjoying this too much, breathing out the insecurities Natsu hadn't even actualized yet.

He jettisoned himself forward, headbutting underneath Cobra's jaw to snap the dragon's head backwards.

Claws caged around Natsu's body as Cobra recoiled, dragging him forwards as the dragon rolled onto its back.

"No nest, no friends, no family," Cobra snarled at Natsu, "Soon you'll sink into the darkness, just like me."

His eyes glinted in hard, reptilian slits, "Yes. Even she'll turn against you."

"I can hear the whispers of fear in your heart," Cobra purred while Natsu cried out in pain as the poisoned claws ground his bones together in their grasp, " 'Not Lucy, Lucy wouldn't.' "

"Pathetic. For End to fall this far under the thrall of a human," Cobra purred as he rolled back up onto his hindquarters and slammed Natsu into the ground, "Perhaps I'll kill her first, since you seem resolute in your belief she won't turn from you."

"Maybe that will spark enough of your hatred to allow you to transform again," Cobra released a mocking laugh.

Natsu growled and snarled at Cobra despite the air being squeezed out of his lungs. He couldn't tell if it was from the dragon's weight on him or the poisonous words pouring from his maw, but either way he was having a hard time breathing, and just like before he couldn't shift the dragon's weight off him.

Cobra threw his head back and roared out another laugh, but it was choked off abruptly when a dark blast seemed to appear out of nowhere and nailed him solidly in the neck.

"What the?" Cobra blinked, stunned that he'd been taken by surprise, and that it had been a dragon's roar that hit him. Granted it wasn't strong enough to do more than sting, but it really stung.

He glared around, inhaling for his own attack against whoever had joined their fight, unnerved by his inability to hear their thoughts. What kind of magic could do that? More importantly, what kind of dragon could do that? Nothing had ever been able to even temporarily evade his hearing before.

He listened intently for any kind of tell, and whipped around at the sound of rushing wind just in time for an explosion of sound to slam into him as a ebony dragon materialized out of the shadows and rammed into him.

The sudden impact sent him flying off of Natsu, the other dragon immediately moving to stand protectively over the wheezing fire drake, "Sorry I'm late Natsu." Rogue growled softly, glaring harshly at Cobra, "It took us a few minutes to regroup."

He bared his fangs at Cobra, more than willing to protect his drake, but ready to move aside at a moment's notice as well. He knew very well how territorial dragons were about fights. He and Sting were rare exceptions to being able to share their battles and kills.

That wouldn't stop him from giving Natsu the moment he needed to recover though.

"Who's late?" Natsu grunted as he sat up, his fist rubbing against his bruised jaw, "I had him on the ropes!"

He sprang to his feet and rolled a shoulder, purposefully ignoring Rogue's dubious look.

"How're the others doing?" He asked, his body flaring with heat. He was concerned with how everything was at the ruined guildhall. His hearing was sharp, but all he could make out from as far as Cobra had smacked him were the sounds of battle.

And the occasional swear word.

But that was Fairy Tail, so he didn't think too much on it.

"We're fine." Rogue reported with a quiet growl, and smirked slightly, "You may be pleased to know your queen faced Midnight and won."

Both Natsu and Cobra swiveled to stare at him in surprise, "Say what?" The poison dragon rumbled in shock, and Rogue's smirk widened.

"You heard me. She defeated Midnight with a powerful celestial spell. All of Magnolia witnessed it." He glanced at Natsu's worried expression, "Don't worry, she's fine. Sting's guarding her, and will take her to Wendy."

Relief coursed through Natsu at the news, and it was followed immediately by a surge of fierce pride. Lucy had beaten that asshole Midnight! All three of his sides purred in dark pleasure at the knowledge she'd gotten her revenge and proved her strength. He'd found a good queen.

"So what if your stupid princess was able to beat down Midnight!" Cobra snarled as he prepared another attack, "That doesn't change anything!"

Natsu rolled out of the way of the dragon's attack, fire licking up off his shoulders and his eyes focused on the dragon in front of him.

"Rogue, go back and give Gajeel a hand. Make sure they don't take Lucy," He didn't pull his gaze from Cobra, "This one is mine."

Rogue hesitantly flicked his tail, unsure if this was a wise plan. Considering how Cobra seemed unable to sense his attacks until they were directly on him, it seemed Rogue assisting in this fight from the shadows was the ideal plan.

However...

There was a strange, warning set to Natsu's shoulders.

"Fine then, but you better shout if you need help," Rogue grumbled and backed off to do as Natsu requested.

Sometimes he didn't understand Natsu, or his thirst to fight. But in the end he really didn't have to get it. He supposed Cobra had made this battle personal.

With Rogue disappearing, Natsu's fingers clenched into the dirt, his lips pulled back in an angry snarl. He waited for his companion to leave, Cobra allowing the departure as well, seemingly preferring his chances of victory when there was just one opponent.

"You said before I was happy? And that was what was stopping me from transforming?" Natsu asked, "My hatred lets me transform?"

"Then let's give it a test why don't we?" Natsu snarled, scales rippling over his cheeks and around his eyes, "Because you pissed me off plenty!"

Cobra's eyes widened in alarm at the sight of scales appearing on Natsu. Shit. That was not good. That was not good at all!

He reared back, his alarm growing as he realized that Natsu's rage had managed to consume him to the point there were no thoughts in his head to give away. He hastily sucked in a breath, "Poison dragon roar!" He bellowed, unleashing lethal poison where the partially transformed Natsu was standing.

The keyword of course being 'was.'

Natsu had dodged the blast the moment before impact.

He hissed a little as a few drops of poison stung his scales a little, but that didn't slow him down any as he leapt up onto Cobra's tail and raced nimbly up it.

There was no way he was going to let this cocky lizard best him!

He bared his fangs as his fists were engulfed in swirling flame, "Fire dragon wing attack!" He roared, slamming it in point blank into Cobra's back.

The poison dragon roared in agony, and decided he was too big and stationery a target right now. His ability to hear didn't count for anything if Natsu was able to run around on him at will.

"Cubelios!" He roared, knowing his friend would hear and come as fast as she could. In the meantime...

He snapped at Natsu, forcing him to leap away, kind of like a really irritating flea, and began transforming down. This was the more risky option, but it was better than being a sitting target while Natsu took advantage of their size difference.

He smirked as Cubelios flew under him in time to catch him, and gently coiled around him until he had secure footing.

"Let's see how well you do now that our sizes are more equal." He smirked.

Cobra barely had any chance to finish his taunt before Natsu was on him again. Nothing echoed in his head for Cobra to spy on, so all he could do was strike as Cubelios defended, throwing off Natsu's initial strike with her tail.

Flinging out a talon, he swiped at Natsu, who charged on ahead, heedless of the snake. Stars exploded in Cobra's vision as Natsu slammed his head right into the other dragon's.

Thankfully Cubelio's shifted to catch Cobra, but Natsu wasn't stopping, a roar of fire blasting an inch from the poison dragon.

Only the echoing sensation of anger pushed against Cobra's ears as he tried to listen to something anything within Natsu's skull.

Instinctual rage-?

No. Something worse.

Determination.

It wasn't the raw fury End was known for. Sure, there was anger there, but there was something more.

Something Cobra had no way of recognizing.

And something Cobra realized, he had no way of defeating.

The roar that ripped from Natsu made Cobra's ears pop, a tearing pain that lanced up his head and blinded him. In that moment he became aware of Natsu's full status as a drake. The deafening volume of Natsu's roars shook the earth and could be heard from one end of Isghar to the other. The tightly controlled power in his attacks, the sheer immensity of Natsu's magic that bloomed over and smothered Cobra's in his rage. Even in a form locked by Natsu's own hesitations, there was no denying what he was.

A drake.

And while Cobra had his fun earlier, it was clear Natsu was done playing. He tapped into that strength, that wicked fuel that all drakes had simmering under the surface. Natsu's was different, his reservoirs of magic deeper and darker than any other drake Cobra had ever seen before. No longer were his thoughts readable or an open book to Cobra.

Natsu was playing for keeps now.

His eyes widened a split second before Natsu flipped over onto his hands, fingers curled into Cubelio's scales for support and slammed the heel of his foot directly into Cobra's cheek.

What was Natsu?

As his vision began to blacken around the edges, Cubelio's panicking to try and catch him, all he could see was Natsu's flaming figure roaring out to the sky above him.

He was some kind of- "...monster."

Kytrin would like to tell you all THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY WISHES! You all were INCREDIBLE! Your review responses are in your inboxes! :D

Here is your sneak peek guys! You definitely earned it and then some! You guys were so incredible! :'D

Cobra groaned softly as he came to.

What had happened? He remembered fighting End, taunting him, but then it all blurred together. And what was wrong with his hearing? He could hear sounds, but they were all jumbled together like the drone of buzzing bees.

He shook his head a little, and immediately regretted it as his brain howled in protest to the sudden movement. However, it did alert him to the myriad bruises and aches he felt across his body. He recognized the aches and pains of a beating well enough to know he'd received a major one. Which probably explained why he was so disoriented.

Well, that and the fact he hadn't received a beating on this kind of scale since he was a kid. It was unnerving to know that he'd gotten one now.

He cracked open his eyes and blinked confusedly at the very stern looking Erza and Jellal standing over him.

That was when it all came rushing back.

"You're fortunate Natsu didn't kill you." Erza snapped, her anger barely held in check, "And you're equally fortunate Jellal convinced us capturing you would be more beneficial in the long run."

She glared at him sharply, and he caught the stray thought that five more minutes under Natsu's attacks would've seen him dead.