Upon Ishgar. about a week has passed in the world as time flies.
By a mountain range, Natsu along with his team are riding their horses and going up a hill that leads to a path towards the inner part of the mountain.
"who would've thought that we will be finishing the mission by our estimated deadline…" Tim spoke out with a small sigh escaping his lips. "I do hope Captain Arcadios will be lenient with us."
"we can just put the blame on Dan here." Said Clay as he glance at his sword wielding teammate while adjusting his glasses. "it was his idea to take that shortcut of a detour to our last mission that resulted in utter catastrophe."
"hey! At least we did arrive to the village double time, didn't we!?" said Dan with an offended look on his face. "we got to save them from the bandits who were about to bomb them, right!?"
"but we still had to help in repairing the damage we caused for doing such rash actions…" Rookie muttered out with an awkward smile.
"enough chattering." Natsu called out to his teammate. "we're close to Crocus, so let's just focus on the last mission and finish it before we go home, understood?"
"yes." "aye, sir." "affirmative." "got it!" Natsu's teammates replied in unison as they whipped their horse's reins once and heads off.
Natsu and his team has been finishing the missions that was tasked to them as they had been doing bandit subjugation, escort, and protection tasks, all of which requires their level of expertise to ensure success.
Currently, they are on the last mission which is to scout an area by the mountains where reports have been showing information about mountain bandits gathering resources from nearby villages.
Natsu and his team got up to the steep part of the hill where they were soon ambushed by rains of spears from the air.
"take cover!" Natsu shouted as he ignites his right fist in flames and soon swings it around to create a swirling fire vortex that burns the falling projectiles.
"Captain! Incoming!" Clay called out as he pointed to the front where mountain bandits came out of disguised pit holes, and are now charging while wielding weapons of many kind.
"Dan, and Tim, you two are with me as the vanguard!" Natsu called out as he got off his horse and wields his revolvers. "Clay, you're our support! Rookie, you guard him! got it!?"
"r-roger/ Roger!" the team replied in unison as they moved upon command.
"charge! Take them down!" one of the mountain bandits who seem to be a leader, led the charge while swinging a sword forward. "show these kingdom dogs who the boss in this mountain!"
His subordinates roared in unison before a few gets shot down by arrows and fireball shot by Natsu and Clay. The salmon haired man is charging towards the enemies with Dan and Tim who is rushing at front, the big man wielding his large shield and is rushing in like an armored tank.
"Rushing Tackle!" Tim exclaimed as he charged in and instantly mows through the enemies who gets run over or blown away when hit by his shield.
"oraaah!" Dan roared out as he swings his sword at a mountain bandit, cutting him down in his place before he turns and blocks an axe strike from his foe's comrade. "heavy!" the knight soon pushes back and kicks the axe wielder in the ground then proceeds to punch his lights out.
Dan get ready to go on the attack again but a mountain bandit sneaks up on him and was about taking him down with a sword, yet was thwarted by a fired shot from Natsu's right Revolver.
"thanks, captain!" Dan called out to Natsu with a grin as the salmon haired man nodded before he turns and begin to fire rapid shots at the mountain bandits.
"b-boss! These guys are strong!" a random mountain bandit cried out to the leader who looks rather taken back. "we should retreat!"
"like hell I'm running away from the kingdom's dogs!" the boss exclaimed before he got taken out with an exploding arrow shot by Clay. "guahh!"
"BOSS!" the mountain bandits cried out while Clay lowers his bow and then adjusted his glasses.
It only took an hour as Natsu and his team finished up their mission against the mountain bandits who are all tied up in groups.
"that should be the last of them." Said Tim as he adjusted the ropes on the mountain bandit's boss and a few of his men. He then looks and smiles to his teammates. "I'd say that we completed our last mission."
"alrighty~!" Dan cheered with a raised fist. "let's go back home and have ourselves a party at the bar~!"
"stupid, we have to report our mission to Captain Arcadios first." Clay told Dan while in the middle of cleaning his glasses that he puts back on and adjusted the next second. "and there is no point of celebrating since you're going to be scolded for making us late in our mission."
"gah!" Dan jaw dropped while Tim chuckles in the background.
Meanwhile, Rookie went to Natsu who is in the middle of looking at the map. Possibly checking the fastest route back to their kingdom.
"captain, we got all of their weapons away." Said Rookie. "should we drop them off at the nearest town and let the authorities handle them?"
"yeah, we should." Natsu replied as he checks the map with his eyes glancing side to side. "the nearest town to our location is about 3-5 miles. We should be able to get to Crocus if we follow the path that leads to it."
As Natsu checks the map, his ears twitches once as he made a noise and looks up to the sky.
"what's wrong, captain?" Dan asked as he and the others sees Natsu's action. "up?"
"that is…" Rookie spoke out as everyone looked up and sees a jade feathered eagle flying above in the air before it came down towards their direction. "an eagle?"
"not just any ordinary eagle." Tim stated with a bit of a serious tone. "that is Jade, Princess Hisui's personal eagle."
"wow, she sure loves the green color." Said Dan with a hand over his eyes. "I mean, that's a Jade eagle for crying out loud."
"be more respectful to our princess, Dan." Clay sternly told his comrade while Jade flew and perched onto Natsu's outstretched arm.
"Captain, what is it?" Rookie asked Natsu who is fiddling with a little round pocket on Jade's right talon, the eagle having served as a messenger.
"a message from either the King or Hisui or Old Ma Arcadios." Said Natsu as he takes out a folded letter and let Jade fly away back to Crocus.
"what does it say?" Tim asked as he along with the others get close to Natsu who is fiddling with the letter and opens the message written within it.
"it says…" Natsu spoke out as he scans the content of the letter before his eyes widen and shakes in a trembling motion while his mouth let out a gasp. "n-no way.."
"Captain? What's wrong?" Clay asked before Natsu suddenly goes through them and runs to his horse. "C-Captain!?"
Natsu got on his horse and whips its reins once, causing the mammal to neigh and then run.
"hey, Captain?! Where are you going!?" Dan called out as he, Clay, and Rookie looks extremely surprised and confused. "just what is going on with him?"
"possibly the content of the letter, I suppose." Said Clay while adjusting his glasses before he turns towards Tim who holds the letter which Natsu discarded and is now reading it. "Tim, what is the content of the message."
Tim didn't reply at first cause he looks very nervous, worried, and tense as he shakingly hold the letter.
"Tim? What's wrong?" Dan asked as he goes near the shield wielder.
"it s-says…." Tim whispered as he looks at his teammates with a sad expression on his face. "it says that…Captain Bash Dash….has been killed in action."
Hearing his words, instantly made the group wide eyes and become in shock.
"w-what!?" they exclaimed in unison.
"hey! Don't joke around!" Dan exclaimed as he grabs the letter and reads the content. "Captain Dash is killed in action?! How?!"
"then the reason why the captain had left in such a hurry is…" Clay spoke out as he looks at where Natsu had run off to. "Crocus."
"Dan and Clay, you two need to go after Captain." Tim told his two teammates. "I and Rookie will stay and get the mountain bandits to the nearest town." He then turns to look at where Natsu is as he sees the man riding his horse that is leaving a dust trail as it runs very fast. "I fear for our captain's well being after hearing such news."
In a forest, Natsu rides his horse that runs pass the trees. The man looking seriously worried, anxious, and frantic after receiving the letter that read.
'to all members of the Fiore's Magic Knight Squadron. It is in our grief to state that Captain Bash Dash, age 41 has been killed in action. A state mourning will be held in 3 days for his passing. With sincere, Toma. .'
'Bash! This got to be a joke, right!?' Natsu screamed in his mind as he had tears dripping away from his eyes. 'you promised me that you'll help me find Igneel, right!? You promised me that you'll be there when I find him, right?! Yet! Yet why does that fucking letter say that you're dead!?'
Natsu's horse neighs as it jumps over a dead log and continues to run, heading straight for Crocus.
'BASH!' Natsu cried out while tearing up.
The day turned to the afternoon as our attention is upon Crocus.
By the border gate, there is Neppa and Uosuke who are with the gate soldiers who are chattering together.
"h-hey, you heard?" "yeah, Captain Bash was killed in action." "but how? He's like one of our most magic knight in the kingdom. For him to have been killed…" "I think it's possibly a dark mage of a dark guild. Those guys do things rottenly and this might have done Captain Bash in." they chattered amongst each other as Neppa and Uosuke heard them.
"you think the news is true, Neppa?" Uosuke asked his big friend while looking down with a small noticeable frown on his weird looking face. "the news about Captain Bash being killed in action-tai?"
"I don't know, Uosuke." Neppa replied with a worried look on his face. "I don't want to believe it, but if it's the King who personally gave the news…" he closed his eyes before taking a chug of his bottle and then place a hand to his waist. "I just hope that Captain Natsu can handle the news."
"I agree-tai." Uosuke nodded in reply.
It was a known fact amongst the magic knights of Crocus of the relationship that Bash and Natsu have. Both were close and the news will without a doubt be hard to be handled by the salmon haired man.
"Neppa-san! Uosuke-san! that!" a random guard called out as Neppa and Uosuke looks at him and to the borderland where they see Natsu coming with his horse. "it's Captain Natsu!"
"he's already back!?" Neppa exclaimed in surprise.
"w-what should we do-tai!?" Uosuke asked. "we haven't prepared ourselves when he comes back-tai!"
Natsu just rushes into the scene as his horse is panting terribly from being forced to run for miles by its rider. And soon enough, the mammal drops and fell to the ground.
"ah! His horse!" a guard exclaimed before he and the others made surprised noises cause Natsu had jumped off his ride when it fell. "he jumped!?"
Natsu flew in the air before he landed behind Neppa and the others then made a rush for the castle.
"Captain Natsu! Wait!" Neppa cried out as he reached a hand towards the man who just runs for Mercurius without listening to anyone.
"What should we do-tai?" Uosuke asked while looking a bit confused.
Neppa looks a bit worried as a bead of sweat slides down the side of his head before he made a noise and turn when he hears clapping hoofs from the front gate. The big man turns around with Uosuke as they see both Dan and Clay arriving on their horses that stops near Natsu's horse that is being tended by a few guards.
"this day is really just bad…" Neppa muttered out.
Upon Mercurius and in the throne room, Toma can be found sitting at his throne as he had a sad frown on his face.
"my liege." Darton, the minister of defense for Fiore went near the king and looks a bit sad. "I feel your pain, but you must stay strong." He bowed his head a bit. "you are the king and you must not show such an expression."
"I know, Darton." Toma replied as he sighs and frowns even more. "it's just…I'm worried for the young boy if he hears this news-kabo."
"Captain Natsu, right?" Darton asked and the small king nodded.
"I've heard of his background from Bash before…" Toma muttered as he closed his eyes. "it'll be like he lost two fathers in this lifetime."
Darton looks at Toma before he looks down and nodded slowly after releasing a heavy sigh.
The door to the throne was swung open as a soldier came running in and then kneels before the king.
"my liege! We have just received report that Captain Natsu and two of his teammates have just arrived at Crocus!" the soldier reported as this made Toma look a bit surprised. "Captain Natsu is currently on his way to Mercurius!"
"He has already arrived-kabo!?" Toma spoke out in surprise.
"it's too early!" Darton stated in shock. "we've just sent the message about 2 hours ago!"
"it would seem that he rushed right home after getting the news..." Said Toma as he looks down with a frown for a moment before he looks at the soldier. "where is Captain Arcadios at the moment?"
"he's with the Captain of the Garou Knights and a few of their members." The soldier replied before looking a bit nervous. "I heard that he's going directly to meet Captain Natsu."
"does he plan to break the news to him directly?" Darton asked Toma. "over the years we have seen that young man and his growth, we know that he is the type to not listen in his current state."
"I do not know." Toma replied while shaking his head as he frowns sadly. "Bash was like his father and losing him after his own past…" he sighs and looks up. "I just hope that he'll stay strong after this."
At the border of the Mercurius castle, Natsu can be found running straight for the entrance gate, but it was closed and he was stopped by the castle's knights.
"move!" Natsu exclaimed. "open this gate! I need to get to the old man!" he angrily glares at the knights. "I'm going to know what this fucking joke is all about! There's no way that Bash is dead!"
"C-Captain Natsu! Please calm down!" "we can't open the gate just yet! It's the king's order!" "please calm down!" the knights cried out as they tried to stop Natsu and get him to calm down, themselves knowing his attitude is what to be expected from such news.
"I said get this gate opened!" Natsu shouted as his fists slowly burns in fire. "open it before I burn it down!"
The knights instantly look scared as they personally know the mighty destructive power of the Fire Dragon Slayer's magic.
"I said open it!" Natsu growls as his eyes glows red.
Having no choice, the knights went and opened the gate to his command as they were sure that they don't want to face his wrath.
As the gate is opening, Natsu was about to rush in but stopped when he sees that Arcadios along with Kama, Cosmos, Puru, and Kamika can be found waiting for him.
"old man!" Natsu shouted as he went and stood in front of Arcadios who looks stoic to the young man. "tell me that this is a joke! Tell me that the news is a fucking joke! There's no way Bash got killed! There's no way he is dead!"
"hey, Natsu!" Kama called out as he went and grabs Natsu by the shoulder. "I know how you feel but that is not the way to act to your superior!"
"shut up!" Natsu shouted at his friend while swatting away his hand. "are you saying that you believe in that fucking joke!? You believe that Bash is really dead!?"
"that's…" Kama spoke out before he looks down and frown.
"Natsu." Cosmos called out to her lover as she went near and frowns sadly. "Natsu…the news…it's true..Captain Bash…he's.."
"don't you dare say it!" Natsu shouted as he turns and instantly grabbed Cosmos by the neck. He grips and then pulled her towards him. "don't you dare say it, Cosmos!"
"C-Cosmos!" Kamika cried out.
"hey Natsu!" Kama shouted. "what are you doing!?"
Cosmos grunted in pain as Natsu grips hold of her neck and is suffocating her.
"you think this joke is funny!? Bash ain't dead!" Natsu shouted while glaring angrily at Cosmos. "This must be some stupid joke! This!"
POW!
Natsu was instantly thrown to the ground as he had received a surprise punch from Arcadios whose action surprised everyone around him.
Cosmos fell to her knees as she begins to cough uncontrollably while having her hands to her neck that has a red hand mark from Natsu's grip on her.
"Cosmos!" Kamika went to her as she checks and tends to her before looking at Arcadios who is sternly glaring down at Natsu who got back up while growling angrily.
"what the fuck was that for!?" Natsu growls.
"I return those words to you, Natsu." Said Arcadios in a stern voice. "you caused havoc on your trip to return to Crocus, you show rude behavior to your comrades and superior." he then motions a hand towards Cosmos. "and you assaulted a female officer who is also your lover. It is in my position to ask you on what do you think you are doing?"
"you think I want to say sorry after hearing that joke of a news!?" Natsu shouted angrily. "who made up that fucking joke about Bash being dead!? Who?! I'll beat the crap out of him and then go find Bash and tell him about it! i!"
"Bash is dead!" Arcadios suddenly shouted as he stops Natsu's sentence. The young man looks at his superior who is looking stern at him before he close his eyes and tilts his head down. "just a few days after your departure, Bash didn't return from his trip to Mt Zonia." He opens his eyes a sliver as there is sadness in them. "knowing how Bash always returns on time for years, I've sent a small team to go to his last whereabouts and they soon reported that they found him.." he close his eyes and grips his right fist tight. "…deceased."
Natsu was about to retort angrily but after hearing Arcadios' words, his voice didn't escape his mouth as he just looks down with a frustrated, sad, and angered face.
"w-who?" Natsu muttered out as he looks up and looks very enraged. "who killed him? who killed Bash!?" he steps forward and raise a shaking fist that rages in flames. "I'll find him and I'll make him pay for killing Bash! I'm going to!"
"no, you cannot." Arcadios stated as he looks rather nervous in a way. "for the one who killed Bash wasn't human."
"wasn't…human?" Natsu muttered out. "w-what do you mean by that!?"
"when the team recovered Bash at Mt Zonia, they also collected information from a village nearby.." Arcadios spoke out as he had a fearful face when the image of a monstrous creature with red eyes appeared in the back of his mind. "they say that the mountain was the den of a dragon."
"den….of a dragon…" Natsu muttered out before he looks shocked. "are you saying that it was Igneel!? Bash found Igneel and he was attacked by him?!"
"no" Arcadios shakes his head. "I know for a fact that the dragon you seek is a red fire dragon, but the dragon that is located in the den was a black dragon."
"black dragon?" Natsu spoke out as he began to look confused. "What do you mean a black dragon?"
"the one who killed Bash was a Black Dragon." Arcadios stated as he closed his eyes and imagined a jet black dragon with a white underbelly, and has blue line markings around its feathered wings that are unlike that of a dragon. "the Black Dragon of Death and Chaos, Acnologia."
"Acnologia…" Natsu muttered before he looks rather curious, frustrated, and angered. "how come I never heard of this Acnologia?! I've been taught of the history of the kingdom, the land, everything! I never heard a mention of this Acnologia at all!"
"it was because Bash forbid me from ever letting you learn of this dragon's name." Arcadios replied. "he knew that if you learned about this dragon, you will try to find it and seek information of your own dragon father." He soon closed his eyes. "it was a good decision of his."
"why!? what's wrong about this dragon?!" Natsu exclaimed. "if there is a dragon, then it should know where Igneel would have gone to! It's!"
Arcadios instantly grabs Natsu's shoulders and shakes him once to stop him from talking before giving him a very serious face.
"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! THIS IS ACNOLOGIA! THE DRAGON OF DEATH AND CHAOS!" Arcadios shouted in anger. "THIS DRAGON CAUSED DEATH OF THOUSANDS! IT DESTROYED COUNTLESS NATIONS AND KINGDOMS! IT'S THE PERSONIFICATION OF DESTRUCTION AND IT IS A MONSTER!" he grips his hold on Natsu's shoulder while staring straight into his surprised eyes. "IF YOU EVER COME NEAR THAT MONSTER, YOU WILL BE KILLED! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT!?"
Natsu looks a bit shaken from Arcadios' outburst, but he soon retorted.
"you don't know that!" Natsu shouted. "if it's a Dragon, only a Dragon Slayer can face it! that is what my magic is made for! That's why!"
BANG!
Natsu was instantly punched to the ground by Arcadios who looks extremely furious and this caused everyone to let out a surprised gasp from the rough action.
"don't you understand!?" Arcadios shouted. "did you think Bash let himself get killed by such a beast!? He sacrificed himself, you fool!"
Natsu instantly looks at Arcadios in complete confusion from his words.
"Bash…sacrificed himself?" Natsu muttered out before Arcadios grabs him by the collar and lift him up. "ugh!?"
"Captain!" Kama called out as Arcadios grips his hold on Natsu's collar.
"Bash was a strategist, remember!?" Arcadios exclaimed. "I know that he promised to help you find your dragon father, but do you really think he will help you go to your own death!?" he glares straight at Natsu. "he knows that you are not ready to face such a monster! he knows that you'll get killed!"
Natsu looks at Arcadios and made a surprise noise when he sees that the knight is shedding tears that drips furiously down his eyes.
"Bash always knows when it is time to battle or to retreat! He chose to battle against Acnologia knowing that if he retreated, the dragon will one day find him in Crocus and therefore destroy the kingdom!" Arcadios exclaimed as he grits his teeth while dripping endlessly his tears. "he fought against the beast by sacrificing his life so that the kingdom could be safe! So that you could be safe!"
Arcadios glares at Natsu while crying tears of anger and sadness.
"Bash was like a father to you! he was a mentor to you! But he was also my best friend!" Arcadios shouted. "Do you plan to let his sacrifice go in vain by getting yourself killed!? Do you?!"
Natsu looks at Arcadios with wide shocked eyes that soon disappear when a frown forms upon his face, the young man looking down while slowly tearing up.
"he promised…to come back…" Natsu muttered out as he gritted his teeth. "he promised to come back!" he soon grabs Arcadios and pulls it off before he turns and begins running away.
"hey! Natsu!" Kama shouted as he was about to run after the salmon-haired man but was stopped by Arcadios who he turns to look at. "Captain Arcadios, why are you?"
"let him be." Said Arcadios with a stern-looking face as he wipes away his tears. "he still denies that Bash is dead. We have to let him face the truth." He turns and begins walking away in the other direction. "when his team arrives, tell them to come to my office, Kama. Understand?"
"r-roger." Said Kama with a rather awkward look as he turns towards where Natsu had run off.
Cosmos looks at where her boyfriend had run off before she turns to look at Arcadios who stops and stands near her.
"Captain Arcadios?" Cosmos muttered out towards her superior.
"he'll be going to Mt. Zonia." Arcadios stated as he glanced at her. "go and be with him."
Cosmos looks a bit surprised at the tanned captain who nods to her before he walks back to the castle.
Toma along with Darton is by the entrance of the castle as they look at Arcadios who came near and did a quick bow of his head to the king.
"the boy?" Toma spoke out in refereeing Natsu.
"he is…." Arcadios stated in a small voice as he raise his head and had a sincerely sad expression on his face. "he wishes for time off, your majesty."
Toma looks at Arcadios and slowly nods his head then looks at the opened castle's gate.
"take the day off, Arcadios." Said Toma. "tell that to every magic knight squadron in the kingdom." He looks down and closed his eyes. "I believe we all deserve rest for the day-kabo."
"yes, your majesty." Said Arcadios who bowed his head once again before he turns and leaves.
Toma opens his eyes and looks to the gate that is slowly closed by the knights.
"be strong, my boy." Toma spoke out softly. "be strong like your own father."
The gate closes shut as it locks its entrance to the castle with a big slamming thud.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye