The Finale of the Dragon King Festival
This was it, the final fight between them. No more running, and no more hiding. For the False Dragon King, Acnologia stood before Natsu. His very presence made Natsu's whole body tremble, not from fear, but from the power of the Dragon of the Apocalypse. The aura of the man, no, monster before him made Natsu's whole body shake to his very core.
The very same monster that almost killed them on Tenrou island, had it not been for Mavis Vermillion, the first master of Fairy Tail, then they would've been six feet underground by now. The very same monster that killed his father, Igneel right in front of him.
Yes, Natsu Dragneel had witnessed what no person should ever go through. Seeing their loved ones lose their life in front of their very eyes. Natsu very much recalls that day, the day Igneel died.
It was when Tartarus, a Dark Guild that's filled with demons from the books of Zeref, and their leader, Mard Geer, a sadistic bastard who toys with human life as if all humans to him are nothing but bugs that are meant to be squashed by a higher being. One problem came after the other, from Erza being tortured for information, to Lucy having to sacrifice Aquarius' Celestial Key, and to Gray finding out that his father, Silver Fullbuster, is a part of the Nine Demon Gates.
It should've been a victory for them like it always had been. Beat the bad guys, and celebrate at the guild hall later. Everything should've been that until the HE arrived. Acnologia.
The Dragon of the Apocalypse must've sensed Zeref's presence, but he was mistaken. It was only his creations, demons that were meant to kill the immortal dark wizard. Acnologia merely let out a growl before he roared, causing each and every one on the battlefield to be paralyzed in fear. Humans and demons alike, no one was safe from the roar of the Black Dragon that brings death.
It was only then that Natsu's body glowed, and it wasn't just him that glowed, but all five of the original Dragonslayers glowed. Natsu Dragneel, Gajeel Redfox, Wendy Marvell, Sting Eucliffe, and Rogue Cheney were soon engulfed with a bright light that covered the battlefield. Soon enough, once the light show was over, five Dragons soon came face to face with Acnologia.
The first Dragon is a light-colored, gigantic, bearded Dragon with feathery, angel-esque wings, and two comparably small antlers protruding from the top of his head. The underbelly is quite smooth, while the majority of his body is rough, save for part of his feathery, windswept face, and his spine which is adorned with a trail of hair that starts from his head is covered with thick scales. This is Weisslogia, the foster father of Sting Eucliffe.
The second Dragon is covered in pitch-black scales; atop his head, has two sharp horns and sports a small, pointed beard of shadows on his chin, the Dragon has no visible pupils. Between his horns and running down his spine, the Dragon has a mane of shadows; his wings are covered in the same material. The Dragon has a constant stream of shadows being emitted from his head, wings, spine, and tail. This is Skiadrum, the foster father of Rogue Cheney.
Both Sting and Rouge had cried out to their respective foster father, who they thought they would never see again. As they remembered the promise the Dragons had requested their sons were to kill them by their sons' hands. It turns out, they had lied about their deaths, as it served as a way for them to grow stronger, to lose the Slayers' attachment to them, so that one day, they would be strong enough to never rely on them ever again.
The third Dragon is a large, four-legged Dragon, whose appearance differs considerably from a traditional Dragon's appearance. She has a white body, which appears to be covered in tissue similar to bird feathers, rather than scales. Her feet resemble bird talons as well. Her head is covered in what appears to be fur and her skull is somewhat broad and flat. The fur extends down the neck and to the upper chest region. This is Grandeeney, the foster mother of Wendy Marvell.
Wendy cried tears of joy when she finally saw her foster mother, Grandeeney merely smiled at the sight of the girl she raised, saying that he had grown strong and was proud of her progress that she attained Dragon Force. But Wendy didn't listen, she soon found herself flying towards her and gave the Dragon a hug, which the Wind Dragon reciprocated with a smile.
The fourth Dragon like the other Dragons appears as a large four-legged beast, however unlike other Dragons, this Dragon in particular has scales themselves giving the Dragon the impression of being covered in armor, from his neck below to his sternum, as well as on his shoulders, forearms, knees, shins, claws and thighs, the scales are plated. In the areas between the underbelly, biceps, and calves the plating disappears and instead gives way to cross-hatched scales that resemble chain mail.
Its head is almost square in shape and its lower jaw has the appearance of being hinged. His eyes are beady and circular with no pupils and black sclera; around his eyes are small black markings that continue around the back of the Dragon's neck. Also unlike other Dragons, its wings do not retract nor fold; instead, they jut out and are also metallic, save for where the feathers or patagium would be, which are instead a black, downy substance that juts out as normal feathers would. This is Metalica, the foster father of Gajeel Redfox.
Unlike Sting, Rouge, and Wendy. Gajeel cursed profanities at his foster father, saying that he's a deadbeat father and a no good scum, to which Metalica replied with the same tone, telling him that he's an arrogant brat and should be thankful that he even took the time to teach him his magic. But despite their bickering with one another, they were happy that they were able to see each other again, with Gajeel having to fight his teary eyes while Metalica gave a nod of respect to his son.
Finally, the fifth Dragon. It is a gigantic Dragon whose bodily majority is covered with dark, red scales. Its lower body, specifically its stomach, the inner portions of its long tail, and its legs are beige in color. It also has noticeable scars on his stomach and neck, with the largest one, which is X-shaped, located around the center of his body. The back has numerous black spikes, reaching down from the back to the end of his tail. The Dragon has a triangular head with horns, a pair of large, round eyes with yellow sclera which are usually seen as glowing, obscuring his dark, round pupils, and a sharp horn pointing upwards just above his nose. It also sports very sharp canine teeth and has claws with long, sharp, red nails. Its large bony wings resemble a bat's, with rippled tips. This is Igneel, the Fire Dragon King, Former King of Dragons, and the foster father of Natsu Dragneel.
To say that Natsu was glad to see Igneel was the understatement of the century, he was certainly happy to see him again. The Fire Dragon King was the one that raised him, the one that showed them the history of Dragons, and the one that taught him the very magic he holds. Igneel looked at Natsu with a grin saying that he was proud to have a son like him and he was proud he's been utilizing his powers well. Natsu could only sheepishly grin at what the Dragon had said to him and thank Igneel that he was only able to get this far thanks to him. Igneel smiled at his son.
The Dragon had also asked if Natsu had taken in a mate yet, to which Natsu gained with a huge blush on his face. Igneel laughed out loud at his idea, the Dragon soon asked if the girl he liked was in Fairy Tail, and Natsu flushed even harder.
Igneel then began counting the names of the women in the guild. But then the Fire Dragon King even went so far as to name a few women in other guilds that he spent time with.
Natsu was about to die from embarrassment. The Fire Dragon Slayer could only avoid eye contact with his foster father as he scratched his cheek with the bright blush from earlier still remaining.
Igneel's eyes widened. Why hadn't the Fire Dragon King noticed this earlier in the past? The bonds he created with the mentioned females were one of the happiest times of Natsu's life. Every time when he's by their sides is when he's calm and at ease. It was finally then, Igneel realized that his son, Natsu, wasn't just in love with one woman, he was in love with multiple women.
The Fire Dragon King laughed out loud at the idea. To think that his son, the densest person in the world, is in love with not just one, but two! He could hardly believe the idea, hell, Igneel believed that his son would never find the love of his life, but to think it was two that caught his heart, it was all too hard to believe, but it was the reality. The Dragon could only hope to meet the both of them one day but now isn't the day it seems.
Despite the laughter Igneel had let out, it was only short-lived as a roar from Acnologia got his attention. Turning his entire body, the Fire Dragon King bellowed to the Dragon of the Apocalypse.
Igneel ordered Natsu and the rest of the slayers to run, as he and the other Dragons had unfinished business with the enemy in front of them, but Natsu protested, saying that he could help as he too had gotten stronger like the rest of the Dragonslayers.
The foster father of Natsu agreed that he had become strong, strong enough to be on par with the people around the Dragonslayer's life. But Igneel argued that Acnologia is a different situation, as he isn't a man, he's a monster beyond comprehension, a monster that Igneel had failed to kill four hundred years ago.
Natsu could only watch as Igneel soon flapped his wings and took flight to the sky and faced the Dragon of the Apocalypse. The Fire Dragon King soon came face to face with Acnologia, the Black Dragon taunted Igneel, saying that he finally stopped being a coward after years of hiding from him, to which Igneel growled in response.
The battle between the two Dragons soon unfolded, roars clashed, and injuries were inevitable. Both Dragons are evenly matched, and the spectators, both humans and demons alike, could only watch with widened eyes and shock at the amount of power they let out in each of their attacks.
While both Igneel and Acnologia were clashing, the rest of the Dragons evacuated the humans to a safer area, they dared not to interfere with the Fire Dragon King and the Dragon of the Apocalypse in their clash, as much as they want to help Igneel, having their children and their friends get to safety is their priority. The Dragons can only hope that Igneel will pull through.
Natsu however couldn't sit around and watch as his foster father fight alone, he had to do something, anything. That's when Igneel had communicated to him via telepathy, his father had tasked him to find the Book of END from Mard Geer saying that END must not be unleashed, no matter what, as Natsu was the only person left standing on the battlefield between Fairy Tail and Tartarus.
Natsu had begun his search for the Book, he searched high and low but eventually, he found it. Unfortunately, however, Mard Geer held the book tight in his arms, with gritted teeth, he said that with Igneel and Acnologia's sudden interference, his plan had failed to revive his lord. And with the rest of his guild members dead and incapacitated, he's the only one that is left in Tartarus.
The demon knows when he has lost, but that doesn't mean he'll just sit and accept his loss. No, he'll show these humans why they were the superior species and he will never forgive them for destroying his plans.
Now, two fights are happening simultaneously: a battle from the sky, a Dragon against a Dragon, and a battle down the ground, a Human against a Demon.
Natsu clashed with Mard Geer. Cursed thorns and fires shot through the battlefield. Mard Gear commented that he was sure that Natsu wasn't this strong before, but that didn't matter to the Demon, as he began taking the battle seriously.
The Demon's cursed energy began to fluctuate around him, gathering all of his power, he soon transformed into his Etherious form. The power he had emitted would make most of his enemies fall to their knees, but Natsu isn't like most mages.
The Dragonslayer stood to his ground and charged on, with his entire body, set alight with flames. Tapping into his Draconic side, he too powered up, as he unleashed his Dragon Force.
Natsu proceeded to release a number of consecutive attacks toward the demon, ranging from his Fire Dragons Iron Fist to his Fire Dragons Talons.
Mard Gear took all the hits point blank. The power that Natsu gave in to those attacks really made it for the demon to recover his bearings. But still, he was able to push Natsu back with his Thorn Curse, and Mard Geer soon prepared his most powerful spell, Memento Mori.
Memento Mori is able to produce a dark paralytic mist around the target that envelopes them, creating a massive beam of dark spirits that reaches toward the sky. Known as the ultimate Curse and the Memory of Death, this Curse was created to destroy the immortal being Zeref as the victims of this Curse are no longer alive nor dead, but are simply erased, becoming nothing for eternity.
The beam soon hit Natsu, his entire being engulfed in Memento Mori. Mard Geer could only grin evilly as he had finally slayed the pest that is Natsu, but once the attack from Mard Geer ended, he could only widen his eyes at what came after.
It was Natsu. Who is uninjured, not even a scratch to his clothes and person.
Mard Geer questions Natsu on how was he able to save himself from Memento Mori, but the Dragonslayer could only shrug in response. This angered Mard Geer even more as he unleashed more and more of his Thorn Curse onto Natsu.
Natsu dodged a series of attacks from Mard Geer, Thorns after Thorns came after him, but it's either the Dragonslayer dodged it or burn it.
As Natsu kept charging on, Mard Geer was in deep thought. He was confused, angry, and as much as he hates to admit it, in despair too. Confused as to how was this human able to shrug off his most powerful attack, angry that this human won't die, and in despair that he would face the possibility that he will lose to this stubborn human.
But his thoughts soon came to a stop as his face was soon met with a fiery fist. Courtesy of Natsu Dragneel. He found himself flying and dropping down to the ground, the Book of END, dropping from his hand and soon the ground.
As soon as Mard Geer regained his bearings, he began to rage, unleashing his full power on the battlefield.
"You insignificant piece of shit!" Mard Geer yelled in anger at the Dragonslayer, finally losing his cool. Natsu replied by readying himself.
But just as he was about to attack the Dragonslayer, an attack came from behind him. Mard Geer gasped at the power of the attack, turning behind to see his assailant, he saw none other than his creator, the strongest Dark Wizard, Zeref.
Zeref began to explain that he had outlived his usefulness and without warning, the Dark Wizard ended the Demon's life. His attention soon turned to Natsu, who looks like he was about to collapse from exhaustion.
Natsu expected that Zeref was going to attack him, he prepared his body for any incoming attack, but to his surprise, he hadn't. Zeref just looked at him and smiled.
The Dark Wizard said that he was glad to see Natsu once more, but unfortunately, he couldn't spend more time with him as he was on a tight schedule. But before he can leave, Zeref picks up the Book of END and teleported away.
Natsu cursed Zeref's existence. He was close to getting the book, but an intervention from Zeref caused him to fail in getting his hands on the book. Natsu doesn't know what the Dark Wizard will do, but from what the pages of history say about the man, it's not going to be pretty.
The Dragonslayer gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in frustration. He'd failed Igneel, he'd failed to retrieve the book and now he doesn't know what to do.
Looking to the skies, Natsu watched as the battle continued between both Dragons.
Igneel had gained the upper hand at Acnologia, to the point that he was able to completely rip the Dragon off the Apocalype's arm, mortally wounding him. To which, Acnologia responded with an ear-piercing roar.
Acnologia who once soared the skies soon began plummeting down before finally crashing down to the ground. The Dragon of the Apocalypse bellowed at Igneel as he charged and attacked the Fire Dragon King with the intent to kill.
Igneel too charged at Acnologia. Igneel knows that he himself is getting weaker and this would likely be his last attack and so does Acnologia. The Fire Dragon King soon let out a devastating flaming breath at Acnologia, while the breath was strong in its own right, there was just one problem that Igneel had forgotten.
While both of them are physically matched in terms of raw strength, Acnologia has one trump card that many do not know.
He is immune to all magic.
The Dragon of the Apocalypse charged through the breath attack with ease, before finally, he reached Igneel. Using his attached dragon claw, he pierced the skin of the Fire Dragon King until it was deep enough to pierce Igneel's insides. Acnologia retracted his claw, causing Igneel to draw blood from the wound on his chest.
He soon spat out his own blood, he clutched his wound, his vision getting blurry, before finally, he fell down from the sky and crashed down to the ground.
Natsu screamed for Igneel's name, hoping that his foster father survived. Without another word, he immediately rushed to his side, hoping that he was fine.
Arriving at the scene, Igneel looked at Natsu and gave a weak grin. The Fire Dragon King told Natsu that the times he spent with him were the happiest times of his life and that he was proud that he was able to raise such a kind-hearted son.
"Natsu, it's a shame that it had to end this way," Igneel said weakly.
"Igneel don't you dare fucking say that!" Natsu screamed, his eyes shedding tears.
"Sorry kid… looks like it's the end… of the road for me…" Igneel gasped the words out of his mouth, his son begging that all of this isn't true.
"Heh… you're such a crybaby even to this day…" Igneel chuckled as his vision was getting a bit blurry.
"Natsu… listen to me…" Igneel called out for his son. "When the time comes… I want you to remember… who you are as a person… and when it comes… you will have to choose."
Natsu looked confused at what his words were implying. Remember who he is as a person? Choose when the time comes. What does his father mean by that?
"Heh… my only regret… is that I won't be able to meet… the many women that caught your… heart," Igneel said, before finally the life in the Dragon's eye was finally snuffed out.
Natsu was at a loss for words, he felt that his world had started to fall apart. His knees gave out, and the life in his eyes started to go dull as his whole body fell down to his knees.
This isn't happening, this is all just a bad dream, it has to be. There was no way that Igneel was dead, he had just found him, and there were so many things that want to say to him. Those were the things that the Dragonslayer had in his mind.
A feeling of grief, despair, and sadness bubbled inside of him until the feelings soon burst into rage. He couldn't take it anymore, he wanted to kill the Dragon of the Apocalypse right here and there. Looking towards the sky, Acnologia was nowhere to be found, he must've retreated with all the injuries he sustained.
Natsu growled in frustration before finally screaming in rage at the sky, cursing Acnologia.
Those were the events that transpired that day, and a lot of regrets and sadness that day. But it did serve as a lesson to Natsu, that there are always going to be sacrifices when it comes to war, and Igneel's death was proof of that.
Taking a deep breath, Natsu let himself be composed. He needs to remember that his magic depends on his emotions, and he'll very much need to be at his best when he faces Acnologia.
Walking forward, he saw Acnologia right in front of him, an unreadable expression is evident on his face. Natsu eyed the armless side of the Dragon that was ripped away from him. Igneel's lasting damage.
"I see that you're still alive, child of Igneel," Acnologia said with little to no emotion, though Natsu did notice a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"I wouldn't be his child if I died to those guys," Natsu replied coolly, although his inner thoughts are filled with anger and contempt for the Dragon of the Apocalypse.
"Hmph, arrogant till the end," Acnologia scoffed.
"I suppose this is the part where you tell me about your grand plan and why you suddenly brought me and the rest of the Dragonslayers here?" Natsu said sarcastically.
"I suppose I should, but even if I said what my plan is to you, it wouldn't even matter," Acnologia said as he glared and clenched his hand.
"Because once I kill every single one of you, slayers. I will extract every single ounce of your power and I will use your deaths as the very foundation of what I will bring to this world once I absorb the Rift of Space and Time."
Natsu's eyes narrowed at Acnologia. Like hell, he would let that happen. Four hundred years of planning from Igneel and the rest of the Dragons went down the drain when they failed to kill Acnologia. But just because they failed, doesn't mean everything will fall down. Because if there was one thing that the Dragons entrusted their legacies to it was them, the Dragonslayers.
With Igneel dead, the Dragon left his trust in Natsu to finish the job. But Natsu knows it's not going to be easy, it was never going to be easy. He'd be a fool to think that he could take on Acnologia by himself. Many people and dragons have tried in the past and failed, with Igneel being one of them.
Looking at his surroundings, Natsu noticed that the rest of the Dragonslayers were trapped in some sort of crystal prison. Their bodies are unconscious and unmoving, but nevertheless, Natsu can very much tell they're alive and well.
"Like I'll let that happen," Natsu said with narrowed eyes.
"Well, if you're so adamant in stopping me," Acnologia said as he gave a sinister grin at the Dragonslayer. "Then why don't you try and stop me, worm."
No more words were said, as Natsu walked to the Dragon of the Apocalypse, as his fist coated in fire. Soon his whole body and his mind filled with bloodlust as he was finally going to get his revenge for Igneel. His walk turned to a race as he blitzed toward Acnologia, no more delay, no more talk, it was just Natsu and Acnologia.
Dragonslayer vs Dragon.
They reeled their fist before finally having them meet. A shockwave was unleashed by the sheer power of their punch causing the crystals around them to crack and fly. Their eyes meet one another, one is filled with rage and hatred, the other amusement.
Natsu snarled at Acnologia's expression, but it didn't let him down. He continued his attack on the False Dragon King. A barrage of fiery fists met Acnologia's body, staggering him and sending him flying a few feet away.
"You, you're not half bad," Acnologia said as he stretched his arm and neck. No more warm-ups now. "Though I wonder if you can keep up."
Acnologia soon disappeared before Natsu's very eyes. Finally, a blow landed straight directly at Natsu, causing him to fly through some crystals.
The Dragonslayer's eyes widened, he didn't even see Acnologia move yet he disappeared out of his sight. He then felt a surge of pain right in his stomach. Looking below, he saw Acnologia reappearing and gave his stomach a devastating punch.
He was soon sent flying through one of the crystals that held his fellow Dragonslayer, Laxus Dreyar.
"That's one," Natsu muttered as he soon got back up right away.
Natsu wasn't able to recover to collect his thoughts as he was soon sent flying by Acnologia with a fierce kick. Again, crashing into another crystal prison that held another one of the Dragonslayers, Wendy Marvell.
"That's two," Natsu said as he was picked up by the Dragon of the Apocalypse by the head and threw him like a ragdoll.
This caused him to crash again into another crystal, this time, crashing into the one that held the Twin Dragons, Sting Eucliffe, and Rogue Cheney.
"Three… Four," Natsu said as he spat out some of his blood. He clutched his stomach in pain and cursed. "Shit!"
Again, Acnologia gave Natsu another beatdown. Natsu wasn't able to block any of his attacks as his body fell face-first down the ground. Acnologia continued his attack as he stomped the Dragonslayer's body and head, giving Natsu no room to breathe.
But that's not all, the Dragon of the Apocalypse gripped Natsu's head once again and threw him at another crystal prison. This time, the crystal contained the Poison Dragonslayer, Eric, or better known by his alias, Cobra.
"Five…" Natsu grunted in pain.
Natsu again was thrown around the place, not even once was he given the chance to breathe as Acnologia continued to throw him like a rag doll. Acnologia soon let out his roar point blank at Natsu, who was lucky enough to block it but was unlucky enough to send him flying before finally crashing into one of the final crystals that contained another Dragonslayer, Gajeel Redfox.
"And six," Natsu said as he punched the crystal prison with a punch causing it to break into many pieces.
Grabbing Gajeel, he tossed him out of the crystal and fell on his back. He was exhausted, and with the number of attacks he tanked, he wondered if he was reaching his limit. Laying down and taking a rest sounds tempting but he knows he can't let it end here, he has to finish this, for the Dragonslayers, for Igneel, and especially for the world.
Natsu got up slowly and weakly, he knew that Acnologia was powerful but he didn't expect him to be that powerful to the point where he can't even track his movements. But regardless, he's still not going down that easily. Gritting his teeth, a surge of magical energy flowed around him, fires that were his own coated him like a tornado.
The tornado of fire soon exploded as Natsu's entire body transformed. The entire left side of his body was covered in red scales, his left arm transformed into a dragon's claw, and his once human left foot too transformed into draconic, a dragon-like wing sprouted behind his back, and his normal onyx-colored eyes turned like a dragons eyes.
"Oh, turning yourself into a Dragon?" Acnologia questioned Natsu's transformation, he's amused at what the Dragonslayer had achieved. "And here I thought that Dragonslayers were supposed to kill one, not become one."
"Shut your fucking mouth," Natsu growled as he let out a devastating Fire Dragon's Roar at Acnologia.
Acnologia raised the palm of his hand before the attack could reach him. Eventually, the wave of fire finally got to Acnologia and unfortunately for Natsu, it did nothing to the Dragon.
Natsu charged himself at Acnologia and his body ignited with flames. The Dragonslayer soon came face to face with the Dragon, he used his hand-turned claws and slashed to the chest causing Acnologia to finally take damage.
Acnologia clutched his chest. He felt something he thought that he would never feel ever again, pain. It had been a year since he fought Igneel and the damage he did to him was severe, his carelessness cost him his arm and his pride. And now, it seems that it's going to happen again with the Fire Dragon King's child.
Acnologia glared at Natsu, it seems that he was going to have to take Igneel's child seriously now it seems. Natsu also matched the glare with his own, looks like the damage he did to Acnologia made him a bit angry.
The Dragon of the Apocalypse charged at Natsu with great speed. Using his hand, he infused it with his and tried to claw Natsu by swiping his hand downward but Natsu was able to dodge the attack.
"Fire Dragon's Talons!" The Dragonslayer counter-attacked by engulfing his feet with fire as he kicked Acnologia with his blazing feet.
The Dragon of the Apocalypse was sent flying through the air, but he quickly recovered from his stunned expression. Acnologia soon landed down on his feet, raising his hand upward, he cast a spell.
"Eternal Flare," Soon, as if stars crashed down to the earth, beams of light shot down from the sky.
Natsu's eyes widened, it was the same attack that almost killed them eight years ago. But he quickly dismissed his thoughts as he watched the attack come at him. Moving quickly, he took to the skies to dodge Eternal Flare. To Natsu's absolute shock, the attack was quick to follow him, like a predator hunting its prey, as no matter where he went and where he moved, the attack would continue to follow him until it reached the target.
Thinking of a way to shake the attack, he moved towards Acnologia, who readied himself at what Natsu. The Dragon of the Apocalypse reeled his fist and imbued it with magical energy, as Natsu came at him with great speed.
But as Natsu came closer to Acnologia, the Dragonslayer soon redirected his movement. Acnologia's eyes widened at the sudden movement by Natsu, but what came next, shocked him. His attack from earlier crashed down on him, completely redirecting Eternal Flare's attack at him instead of Natsu.
As soon as Eternal Flare had stopped, Acnologia was then greeted by a ferocious strike from Natsu causing him to crash against a couple of crystals until finally he fell down to the ground face first.
Acnologia had laid down on the ground for a second to collect his thoughts. To be honest with himself, he doesn't know whether or not he should be angry or impressed. Angry because of Natsu's tenacity to win or impressed at his quick thinking of redirecting his attack. Probably both.
Getting back up, Acnologia felt his mouth wet. Wiping his mouth, he noticed a trickle of blood running down. He began to chuckle but soon turned to a full-blown laugh. Acnologia then grinned madly at what is happening, oh how he loves it, the thrill of battle, the pounding of his heart, and the taste of his own blood. He loves it all.
The Dragonslayer felt an uneasy feeling surrounding him, like whatever is going to happen next, it is not going to be pretty.
Acnologia then rushed to Natsu, his body filled with bloodlust and it just so happens that Natsu was the prey. Inching closer to the Dragonslayer, he reeled his arm before punching Natsu sideways. Luckily, he was quick enough to block the attack, but that didn't mean he suffered any damage along the way as this caused him to skid a few feet away from Acnologia and collided with crystal spikes.
Natsu groaned, but before he got up, Acnologia stood right in front of him. The Dragon of the Apocalypse picked him up by the head. Natsu struggled to get out of his hand, he tried punching and kicking, but none of them worked as Acnologia held his head with an iron grip. Soon, Acnologia's arm lit up, Natsu struggled more out of the Dragon's arm but it was futile, as Natsu was hit by the attack, point blank.
A few seconds had passed since the attack, and everything was silent, as only the sound of sizzling could be heard. A few more seconds passed and the smoke started to clear out and the outcome was then revealed. Acnologia stood atop Natsu's body with his foot on the Dragonslayer's head, the latter breathing heavily and his body bloody.
"It has been fun child of Igneel," Acnologia said with a grin but quickly turned into a frown. "But alas, all good things must come to an end."
Acnologia charged up his hand, readying to finish Natsu once and for all with Power of the End.
"Any last words?" The Dragon questioned Natsu, who replied with a hoarse voice. Acnologia queried a brow, he couldn't hear him properly, so he'll ask again. "What was that?"
"I… said,'' Natsu said with bated breath. "Unison Raid."
Acnologia's eyes widened as soon as he heard what Natsu had said. He looked behind his back and saw that the rest of the Dragonslayers who he thought were unconscious were now awake and kicking. But that's not all, he saw two particular Dragonslayers that were already in their Dragon Force mode and were charging up an attack. Acnologia tried to move away to dodge the attack but his foot was held by Natsu who held a grin. Looks like he's not going anywhere.
"Holy Shadow Dragons Flash Fang!" Both Sting and Rogue finished as a beam of light and dark erupted from the palm of their hand. The beam then hit Acnologia who still struggled to get out of Natsu's grip and as for Natsu, he was saved by Laxus who used his living lightning body to quickly get him out of the blast.
With Laxus coming back after retrieving Natsu, Wendy was quick on her feet as she rushed to Natsu and began tending to his wounds with her healing magic. Her hands began to light as she made work of the damage that Natsu sustained throughout the fight.
"Did that get him?" Sting questioned but no reply came as everyone was silent as they watched with bated breaths of Acnologia's outcome. And unfortunately, they got their answer.
Acnologia stood there and took the attack, not even a scratch appeared on his person. The Dragon of the Apocalypse then started to laugh like a madman. Oh, this was just perfect for him, every single Dragonslayer against him.
"This is exactly what I wanted, all of you slayers against me," Acnologia said with glee. "How could you possibly hope to stop me?"
Natsu stood up from the ground, his body removing most of the injuries he had. Although that couldn't be said of his energy. But he didn't mind as he walked in front of the group of Dragonslayers, his eyes had a look of determination and fire, a fire that won't ever be extinguished by despair.
"Isn't it obvious?" Natsu said. "We're going to keep coming until you drop dead. All of us are here and none of us have any intentions of backing down, no more running, and no more hiding. This is where it will end for you Acnologia and this fight will prove to you that we're not pathetic."
As Natsu's speech registered, each of the Dragonslayers stood beside each other, determined and ready for a fight.
"Heh, what Salamander said is right," Gajeel said as he grinned. "We're pretty tenacious when it comes to this stuff and besides. I gotta repay my debt to that bastard Metallica."
"I almost forgot that he's an idiot sometimes," Laxus commented as he shook his head. Despite the insult, he smiled at Natsu's will to continue the fight. He then got rid of his coat and cracked his fist, lightning sparking in between. "But he sure knows how to get everyone determined."
"All of us are here for a reason," Wendy said as she readied herself. The wind around her gathered as she entered her Dragon Force, "And if each and every one of us is here, then I'll help as much as I can."
"I hear it," Cobra began as a snake-like grin appeared and he took off his scaled coat. "Everyone's determination for victory."
"Don't forget about me," Sting said, stretching his arms and neck. "I want to surpass Natsu and surviving this whole ordeal is going to be a step towards it."
"Same goes for me," Rogue added as he eyed Gajeel. "Sting's not the only one who has someone to surpass."
Acnologia merely chuckled, his face soon formed a sinister grin that would make anybody shiver.
"Then come at me," the Dragon taunted. "You pathetic worms."
All of the Dragonslayers aside from Wendy charged into battle. Laxus was the first one to make a move.
Turning his entire body into living lightning, he blitzed, moving fast as the eye can see. The Lightning Dragonslayer turned back to his physical body, coating his right fist with his lighting, he then sent a devastating uppercut at Acnologia sending him flying into the air.
Using his living lightning once more, the blonde's hand started to spark with lightning. Both his fist soon struck like a hammer hitting a nail.
"Jaws of the Lightning Dragon!" Laxus hammered Acnologia by the head causing the Dragon to drop down the ground at great speed. Not only that, a thunder then dropped down from the sky, hitting Acnologia.
Laxus soon dropped down. His guard was raised up and prepared. When the smoke started to die out, Acnologia emerged from it. The Dragon of the Apocalypse rushed at Laxus with a speed that was comparable to light.
Acnologia then grabbed Laxus by the throat and gripped it hard. Laxus could only grunt in pain at what Acnologia is doing, but luckily for the Lightning Dragonslayer, a Cobra saves the day.
"Poison Dragon's Roar!" Cobra let out his venomous roar at Acnologia.
The Dragon merely scoffed at the attack. Dropping Laxus, he raised his arm and blocked the attack. The roar is then split in half, never hitting Acnologia. The Dragon then countered with a roar of his own at Cobra who was unfortunate enough to get hit by it.
Though that wouldn't be said from the oncoming attack from behind him.
"Holy Ray!" Sting, who floated in the air, then unleashed many starlight lights from the sky, simultaneously hitting Acnologia directly. Though, despite how powerful the attack is, Sting was unable to hurt the Dragon.
Acnologia responded with an attack of his own against Sting. The Dragon took a deep breath and released his own Dragon's roar to the White Dragonslayer, causing Sting to go flying and tumbling down to the ground. The Dragon of the Apocalypse then turned his attention to the Iron Dragonslayer, his face remained smug at their pitiful attacks.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Arts…" Gajeel's right hand then began to light up. His hand turned into a sword that soon grew bigger and bigger until it was the size comparable to a small building. "Karma Demon: Iron God Sword!"
Gajeel then dropped his sword arm in an attempt to slice Acnologia in half. The Dragon scoffed at the Iron Dragonslayer's attack. Just as the sword was about to hit the Dragon of the Apocalypse, Acnologia caught the blade with his bare hand. Gajeel gritted his teeth and hoisted his sword arm in order to get the Dragon's grip to let go.
Luckily, he did, but unluckily, Acnologia jumped at the sharp edge of the sword and rushed to Gajeel. The Iron Dragonslayer tried to shake off the Dragon of the Apocalypse by letting out an Iron Dragon's Roar and that seemed to do the trick as Acnologia fell down from the giant sword arm.
Crash landing down, Acnologia let out a scowl. He promised himself that once he sinks his teeth to Gajeel, he won't let go until he's dead.
Creeping from the shadows, Rogue manifested from behind the Dragon. Acnologia, who was unaware, was surprised to have been attacked by the Shadow Dragonslayer.
"Shadow Dragon's Waxing Flash!" Rogue soon turned to his body to shadow. Rushing to the Dragon, Rogue encased Acnologia with his shadow form.
Acnologia, who was caught off guard by the sudden transformation soon felt that he was unable to move. The Dragon tried moving out of the restraints but it was clear that Rogue was holding him down with an iron grip.
Wendy, who finished her enhancements on her body then began and made her move. Swift as the wind she is, Wendy moved in the air like a tornado. The Wind Dragonslayer soon found herself face to face with Acnologia whose struggling to get out of his restraints.
Raising her arms to the skies, she gathered the air around her. It started as a soft breeze, then a gust of wind, until finally, it turned into a living tornado. Wendy then aimed herself at Acnologa, she then motioned her hands downward, and the attack slithered to Acnologia.
"Wind Dragon's Wave Wind!" A vortex soon formed around the Dragon of the Apocalypse.
With Rogue's shadow form limiting his movement, Acnologia could only rely on his legs to shake him off. But not anymore it seems, not only did Wendy's attack hurt him, she's even restrained him from using his legs to squirm. Having no other option, he was forced to kneel down, an action he thought he would never take.
"Natsu now!" Rogue and Wendy yelled out and Acnologia could only look at the sky with widened eyes.
Natsu blazed through the skies, like a phoenix flapping its wings in glory. The Dragonslayer then set his eyes on Acnologia and glared, reeling his right fist, it soon ignited and sparked, with fire and lightning combined.
But that's not all, his fire then turned to a crimson red with a dark orange hue. His most powerful flame is Fire Dragon King Mode. This mode was so powerful it was able to defeat a quarter of Zeref's army with just one attack and adding that with his Fire-Lightning Dragon Mode, a power that can destroy a city is a recipe for destruction.
"Fire-Lightning Dragon's King Demolition Fist!" Natsu brought down his devastating attack. Fire and lightning came danced around him destroying anything that came into contact with Acnologia's face. It soon caused the Dragon's face to burn until burn scars appeared, something that Acnologia thought he'd never believe.
Wendy and Rogue immediately moved out of the way of Natsu's attack as they realize that they would die if the attack hit them. They silently thanked the world that Natsu is one of their allies as if he were to be their enemy, they couldn't imagine what he would be like if they were to face him as one and it didn't help that the Natsu they're seeing now radiated bloodlust.
Acnologia's body was sent flying through the air once again, crashing through multiple stalagmites until finally, he fell down in the Ravines of Time and Space and the body of the Dragon of the Apocalypse started to wither.
Natsu stood triumphantly at his victory with panted breathing. He finally did, he avenged Igneel and saved the world. The Dragonslayer couldn't be happier at this feat, he knows that he didn't defeat Acnologia alone, he had help from the rest of his allies but regardless of what the means he used to defeat him, he was still happy that he got his vengeance.
Sighing, he let himself fall down to the ground with his Draconic transformation gone, sitting with relief on his face. The same could be said among the rest of the Dragonslayers too.
Gajeel was grinning and began laughing.
Wendy was tending to Cobra's wounds. But a smile was present on her face, it was safe to say that she was happy with the outcome.
The ever-stoic Laxus couldn't help but smile.
The Twin Dragons, Sting, and Rogue, felt as if they grew stronger after the battle.
While the Cobra or rather Eric could only close his eyes and smile.
As the Dragonslayers talked among themselves, Acnologia's body is still withering away through time. The Dragon was in deep thought, disregarding that his body was withering away, looking at the Dragonslayers, Acnologia all saw them happy at their victory. It honestly angered him to the very core that a bunch of hatchlings were able to put him down.
Gritting his teeth, he used the last of his remaining strength to unleash one more attack. He began aiming his left arm at Wendy, he very much knew she was the weakest one amongst all of the Dragonslayers present, but he'll be damned if he couldn't at least take one of them with him.
His hand charged up until finally, he fired at the unsuspecting Wind Dragonslayer.
Natsu, noticing the Dragon's attack, quickly got up from his feet and bolted to Wendy. As the attack neared, the Fire Dragonslayer blocked the attack by using his body.
The attack then collided as it exploded on impact.
As the smoke died out, Wendy opened her eyes, looking up he saw Natsu hugging her tightly. She then felt something, something wet, looking down at her clothes, she noticed that it was covered in blood, but not her own.
Looking at Natsu, her eyes widened in horror. There was a hole through his chest.
Falling down to his knees, Wendy laid him down to the ground. She began tending to his injury with teary eyes and gritted teeth. She's not going to let him die after he did so much for her.
Natsu looked at the younger Dragonslayer, his eyes threatening to close. Wendy yelled at him to not close his eyes as with the rest of the Dragonslayers. How touching.
The Fire Dragonslayer reached Wendy's face, caressing her weakly. Wendy looked at Natsu who smiled sadly at her. She knows that look, she knows what's about to happen next, and she doesn't want that.
Every time someone who she holds dear to her heart smiles like that she knows that they're about to die.
The first time was at her first guild, what she thought was a normal childhood was nothing more than an illusion created by the guild master, who was just a ghost of the past.
Regrettably, he had to move on to the afterlife when the deal with Nirvana was all over. But before he could do that, he told her that she should go to Fairy Tail, a place where she can make friends and find a family, and she did. She found a place where she can call home and people to stand by her side.
The second was one year ago. Grandeeney had appeared before her very eyes. It turns out that their Dragons hid in the first and third generations of Dragonslayers. In Grandeeny's last moments, she was proud that she had raised Wendy right and was happy that of the progress that she made. Wendy wished she could spend more time with the Dragon, but sadly she couldn't with how things turned out.
Now, she's about to experience it for the third time. This time, to the one that opened new opportunities for her, the one that gave her a family, and the one she's proud to call brother, Natsu Dragneel.
She held onto his hand, her grip tightening as she saw the life in his eyes slowly starting to fade. She hated it, she hated how she couldn't do anything to save him. If she'd been stronger, then perhaps she could've saved Natsu.
Unable to take it no more, she buried her face in his bleeding chest, crying her heart out.
As the young Dragonslayer cried, the rest of the Dragonslayers could only shed a tear and look down at the ground in respect at their fallen brethren. If only they had noticed Acnologia's attack, if only someone had pushed Natsu and Wendy out of the way then perhaps he would still be alive.
They could only hope that Natsu is now in a better place.
Mondstadt, a realm governed by the principles of autonomy and the pursuit of dreams, embodied a harmonious blend of natural wonders and architectural splendor. Its borders extended far beyond the city walls, encompassing sprawling meadows, dense forests, and soaring cliffs that guarded its borders with an imposing grace. The land was a testament to the wild, untamed spirit that thrived within its heart.
The landscapes of Mondstadt unfurled in a tapestry of breathtaking beauty. Vast plains stretched as far as the eye could see, inviting adventurers to embark on perilous journeys and discover hidden treasures. Towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls provided the backdrop for intrepid explorers, while the dense forests concealed wondrous and dangerous secrets and creatures.
Walking down the road outside of the city of Mondstadt is a self-made man. A man who is respected by many because of his power and status among the people.
He has a tall and well-built frame, exuding an air of authority and confidence. He had a strong jawline and a slightly rugged, yet dignified, countenance. His facial features were sharp, with piercing, intense eyes that seemed to carry the weight of his responsibilities. His dark, wavy hair was neatly styled and fell just below his shoulders. It was often accompanied by a well-groomed mustache and beard, adding to his mature and sophisticated appearance.
This is Crepus Ragnvindyr, a nobleman of Mondstadt, an entrepreneur, and most importantly, a father of two.
He had just finished his daily business of running his tavern, Angel's Share, serving alcohol and other beverages. And by Barbatos' name, today was hectic for him. There were more customers than usual, the Knights of Favonius had finished their task for today and decided to submerge their hard work through his heaviest drinks. Safe to say that he had to stay for a couple of more hours just to make sure his tavern doesn't break down from their roughhousing.
Crepus sighed tirelessly. All he really wants to do now is go home, see his boys, and lay down on his bed.
The man continued to walk down the road. Every minute, the temptation to lay down and sleep on the ground started to not sound like a bad idea but he quickly disregarded it and continued on his way home.
As he continued to walk back to his home he saw something that caught his attention.
It was a man who was on the ground. The man has pink hair, his entire top was exposed as he wore nothing to cover them, and his face has a nasty scar that ran down his right cheek. But what Crepus' eye caught was that the man before him is so wounded to the point that he can be mistaken for a desecrated corpse.
Without any more thought, the nobleman rushed into action. Crepus' hands made work of the wound around the man's body as he covered them up using his expensive coat as a bandage.
Crepus then noticed the pink-haired man's ragged breathing. At least he's still alive, he thought, but for how long was the question? There's nobody around him that can offer any assistance and he lacks the medicine to treat the man. It was a race against time and should he fail, the man before him would surely die.
Thinking quickly, the nobleman soon lifted the man behind his back. If he has to carry him back to his home then so be it.
"Don't worry son, we'll get you to safety," Crepus said as he soon took off with the injured man.
Well, now this is a surprise. Yes, I rewrote Chapter 1 because I wasn't satisfied with the results when rereading it back in April, but looking back at my past writings, I think I improved a bit in that regard. But anyways yeah, give your thoughts and review in the comments.
Also, I'm planning in crossposting this in Ao3. The Account name that I'll be using is OuroborosInfinity if you're wondering. Anyways, with this out of the way, I'll see you again when I update the next Chapter, whenever that will be.