Chapter 22: The Lesser of Two Evils
Looking down upon the burning city in the skies was Rogue Cheney grinning madly at the destruction below. Black plumes of smoke were rising across the streets. Explosions were shattering countless structures. Mages from various guilds fought desperately against the titanic beasts brought from the past. Unlike any other, this was a sight for the sadistic dragon slayer from the future.
"The raw destructive force of the dragons is amazing to behold," Rogue exclaimed in twisted glee. "Their power will make my dreams a reality." He clenched his fist as he thought of his goal now in reach. "Acnologia doesn't have a prayer against us. We will kill him for sure." His eyes darted once more to the chaos below. "Once that black dragon draws his last breath, the world will be mine to rule as I see fit!
"May the land be ripped apart. May the skies burn. And may the light of life be snuffed out!" With arms wide open as if to embrace the world, Rogue laughed and declared the imminent dawn of his iron rule. "I AM THE TRUE KING OF THE DRAGONS! I will claim my crown at the Dragon King Festival. The shadows will be a cleansing light, and the world will be reborn in its divine illumination!"
However, not everyone agrees with the time-traveling slayer's plans.
"WE GOT NO USE FOR YOUR CRAPPY LIGHT!"
Rogue knew whom the voice belonged. He turned around, thinking he'd only be dealing with a minor inconvenience. Instead, he saw one of his dragons charging with Natsu Dragneel on top of it with a hardened look.
"What the…?"
"WE'VE GOT OUR OWN, SHINING BRIGHTLY WITHIN OUR HEARTS!" Natsu yelled with conviction. "AND I'M SURE AS HELL IT'S A MILLION TIMES BRIGHTER THAN WHATEVER IT IS YOU'VE GOT!"
"Motherglare, brace yourself," commanded the Shadow Dragon Slayer.
The two dragons clashed with their heads. The force from the impact caused a shockwave felt by all who fought in the city.
"How can he be riding one of my dragons?" Rogue's surprised expression turned into a scowl directed towards the Fairy Tail's Salamander. "How did you manage to control Atlas Flame?"
"I simply listened to my heart," was the fire dragon's answer which surprised the time traveler. "This boy is the son of Igneel, the king of Fire Dragons. Anyone deemed to be the son of my king and friend is an ally of mine."
Natsu smirked, further angering the befuddled time traveler. He then looked at the fire dragon he was riding on and said, "Thanks for the assist, uncle!"
"Did this boy just call me uncle?" Atlas Flame thought with a sweatdrop.
"This dragon should be under my control," Rogue murmured. His look of confusion changed into one of ire. "What have you done, Natsu!?"
"The magic you have cast on me no longer clouds my mind," answered Atlas Flame.
"Simple," Natsu interjected, "I just became friends with him."
"You and that dragon…are friends?" It sounded preposterous that Rogue couldn't believe it. Was his magic overridden because of that?
"Come on, uncle, let's get him!"
Responding to Natsu's command, Atlas Flame charged at Motherglare. He opened his burning jaws wide and seized the diamond dragon's neck, the bite force shattered the nigh impenetrable diamond scales, and his fiery teeth sank into the enemy lizard's flesh.
An aerial battle filled the night Crocusian sky as Atlas Flame tried to bite off Motherglare's head. Natsu was grinning like a madman with how much damage his dragon was causing.
"Yeah!" Natsu cried in excitement. Seeing an opportunity, he quickly said, "Get behind them!"
Not wanting to be at a disadvantage, Rogue commanded, "No, Motherglare! Don't turn your back on them!"
Said diamond dragon roared in retaliation against the fire dragon. Motherglare blasted a breath attack that tore through the left wing of Atlas Flame until it shot off into the distance and annihilated a valley.
"Hey, are you okay?" Natsu asked the fire dragon in concern.
"My body is made of flames!" Atlas Flame replied confidently. "No breath attack can do damage to me!"
"…And no fire can burn my adamantium scales," Motherglare proclaimed.
"You haven't experienced being burned by hellfire, have you? It burns as intensely as the pits of the Hell!"
Suddenly, a figure emerged from Atlas Flame's back. Natsu's flames gathered into his fist, prepped for one painful, fiery attack. While unnoticeable, the fire dragon was grinning from all the fire he had given the son of Igneel.
"And this boy whom I call my friend had consumed it and have them raging inside his core!"
Rogue couldn't believe it. "He ate the fires of Atlas Flame? How?"
With the fires of Hell swirling in his hand, Natsu delivered a devastating blow to Mothergalre, causing the colossal lizard to reel back in pain; all the while, Atlas Flame was grinning madly.
Down below, the members of Fairy Tail looked at the clash between two equally majestic yet deadly creatures.
"How Natsu managed to pull this miracle is beyond me," Makarov stated while staring at the two dragons fighting in the sky.
"Natsu was always the type of person to do the most unexpected things," Lisanna stated, now gaining the attention of the diminutive elder. "If it's for the people he loves, he'll perform a miracle in the darkest of times."
There was that trust Makarov could see in the young Strauss' eyes, forged through a shared childhood together with Natsu. Despite having such different personalities, they each complimented one another, and it seems that with the appearance of Madeline, that trust strengthened further.
"GO, PAPA!" the child from the future yelled. "KICK HIS ASS!"
"Maddie!" Lisanna quickly turned to her daughter and began reprimanding her. "Where did you learn to use that kind of language, young lady?"
"From you, Mama," Madeline replied innocently, shocking Lisanna. "I heard you say it once, and it sounded cool."
"I– Wha…?"
Seeing Lisanna barely able to say a word made Makarov chuckle. His eyes noticed multiple figures approaching, and he saw Mirajane, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, and Yukino. "Girls!" Makarov called. "It's good to see you all fine!"
"Big sister!"
"Aunt Mira!"
"Lisanna! Madeline!" Mirajane quickly wrapped her arms around her sister and niece. "I'm so glad you two are safe."
"Any news for us, Lucy?" Makarov asked the blonde Celestial mage.
"We managed to close the Eclipse Gate, but seven dragons got through," Lucy replied dejectedly.
"There's no need to feel sad, Lucy," Mavis reassured as she approached the girls. "Complications were bound to happen. There's no need to blame yourselves for it."
"Still," Yukino muttered with her head down, "We could've stopped it altogether if we reached it in time."
"Yukino!"
The silver-haired mage turned around only to find herself embraced by a white-clad woman.
"Thank goodness you're alright," Yuzu said.
"It's good to see you uninjured, Yukino," Karin remarked after suddenly appearing behind her twin.
Seeing her adoptive aunts made Yukino remember the condition Kazui was in. She looked down, her eyes hidden by her bangs while her hands quivered.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" the Quincy asked, concerned for her niece's behavior.
"Something happened to Kazui," the adopted girl answered hesitantly.
The twins looked at each other and knew what the girl was referring to. "It's okay, Yukino," the female Soul Reaper comforted her niece. "You shouldn't be worried about your brother."
"But he turned into something horrifying."
"And so can your father," answered Yuzu which surprised the stellar mage. "Ichigo and Kazui are…special. However, they're still the brother that cares for you and the father that's protective of you." Somehow, those words soothed the worries Yukino was feeling.
Meanwhile, Erza managed to catch up to Karin after the latter suddenly disappeared using Flash Step. Behind her were the Exceeds Happy and Panther Lily. The first thing she noticed was the crew sent to retrieve the Celestial keys and stop the Eclipse gate opening. Wendy conversed with Gray, Juvia, and Cana, while Lucy discussed with the masters. She also saw Yukino being comforted by her two aunts.
"Everyone!" Erza called.
"Erza!"
As the redhead approached her guildmates, Wendy immediately recounted all that occurred at the palace. Suffice to say, the redhead knight didn't like the turn of events. From Kazui's sudden transformation to the havoc of the dragons, save for one whom Natsu befriended, the luck they have right now does not look so good.
"Oh no!" Nab shouted, pointing a finger above them. "Look out!"
Everyone turned their heads only to pale when they saw a green elder dragon descending towards them.
"Take cover!"
Heeding Erza's command, the wizards eluded the swooping dragon, some barely avoiding the sharp claws of the beast.
"Is everybody okay!?" the Requip mage questioned. She darted towards the green beast hovering above them, clearly circling for another attack. "Brace yourselves!"
Suddenly, Wendy ran up in front of them and took a deep breath. "Sky Dragon…"
"Wendy, don't be reckless!" Carla yelled in worry.
"…ROAR!"
The powerful winds of the young slayer riffled through the sky, hitting the flying lizard in the belly. The breath attack managed to stagger the creature, but it didn't cripple the behemoth. Luckily, the Sky Maiden had some help.
"I got you, Wendy!" Laxus stood beside her and sent his own dragon breath. "Lightning Dragon Roar!"
"Don't count me out!" Gajeel stopped beside the blonde dragon slayer and made the same attack. "Iron Dragon Roar!"
The powerful electric current and piercing bits of iron fused with the raging winds, adding some needed power to the attack. It finally managed to inflict some damage on the dragon, causing it to roar in pain.
"That dealt some damage," Cana remarked while seeing smoke billowing from the dragon's side.
"So, dragon slayer magic is somewhat effective against dragons," Gray said. "Go figure."
"…And it looks like both Soul Reaper and Quincy powers can, too," Mavis observed. The gears in her mind turning, the child-like ghost came up with an immediate plan. "Assist Laxus, Gajeel, and Wendy," she commanded and then turned to the twins, "While you two stop it from flying out of their range."
"Way ahead of you!" Karin gleefully stated as she shot into the air.
Yuzu followed suit, manifesting her Heilig Bogen. The Kurosaki siblings now stood above the hovering dragon. They primed their spiritual energy into their weapons and fired at the flying lizard.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
"Heilig Regen!"
A blue arc of energy followed by hundreds of spirit arrows rained down on the dragon. The beast was brought lower due to the force of the two attacks. It didn't get any reprieve when another set of magic blasts pelted it from below.
"Wendy, Laxus, Gajeel, do it now!"
"Lightning Dragon…"
"Sky Dragon…"
"Iron Dragon…"
"…ROAR!"
Wind and lightning unfused with shards of metal shot through the sky. The three breath attacks drew closer until they swirled one another, slowly merging into a potent blast of magic. It struck true, and the jade dragon began descending down.
"Nice!" Fried praised.
"Awesome, boss!" Bixlow added.
The three dragon slayers were grinning. Their magic was effective against the green lizard.
"We can fight them," Wendy stated. "We have a chance of beating them."
"Damn right, we do," Laxus agreed. "We are dragon slayers, after all."
"Bring it on, you overgrown newt!" Gajeel taunted.
"I suggest not getting too confident," Makarov cut in. "Still, let us press this advantage."
"Right!" the three dragon slayers nodded.
"Not having any dragon slayers in our guild makes us look useless," Eve of Blue Pegasus expressed.
"Tell me about it," expressed a tired Hibiki. "We're not even putting up a fight here."
"If we survive, we're recruiting one," Ren remarked.
Besides the Trimens, Jenny Realight held her shoulder, having dislocated it earlier when facing off the dragon. "I don't know if I can keep up."
"Do not falter, my brethren!" Ichiya said in his usual awkward pose. "If we perish, we perish knowing we did our best!"
Having their spirits lifted, the mages of Blue Pegasus braced for another round of fighting. This only made the black dragon cackle in delight.
"You humans are foolish as always!" the raven-scaled lizard said, amazed and eager to finish the pests. "It's good that some things never change!"
But before the dragon could make his move, he was struck in the back by a powerful blast of magic.
"ARGH!" the beast growled in pain. "Who dares!?"
"I can hear it," the figure said as the energies dispersed, revealing a face Ichiya and the Trimens know all too well.
"It's Cobra," Hibiki said with hardened eyes.
"What the Hell is he doing here?" questioned Ren.
The abovementioned dragon slayer delivered another poison punch to the dragon's back. "The voices of confusion and despair are clear. It's such a sweet melody." He then looked to the mages below and commanded, "Now, get lost, sideliners!"
Clearly insulted, Ichiya huffed in annoyance and replied, "How dare you call us sideliners!?"
Hibiki had other questions in mind. "What's the deal, Cobra? You don't owe us any special favors."
"Aren't you supposed to be in jail?" probed a cautious Eve.
"Considering the trouble you and your friends caused us, I'd say I don't need your help," Ren adamantly stated.
Annoyed, Cobra stared at the wizards with a glare. "Unless you want to die, I suggest getting the hell out of my way!" He then proceeded on punding the dragon from behind.
"Well, he certainly didn't change," the redheaded midget remarked. The presence of the former Oración Seis member got him thinking. "If Cobra was supposed to be behind lock and key, who freed him?"
The people responsible for that were watching the battle from a nearby cliff. Doranbolt and Lahar managed to assemble a contingent of Rune Knights to assist in defeating the invading dragons.
"Prisoner #100977, codenamed 'Cobra.' I'm sure this is the dumbest decision we've made by a long shot," the scarred enforcer commented. "Let's hope the only thing we lose is our jobs."
"Let's worry about the future later," the bespectacled partner replied. "That is…until we've managed to reshape it." His attention then shifted to the gathered knights behind him and Doranbolt. "Alright, boys, let's join the fray! Oh, and do try to avoid the mouth area."
Doranbolt snickered. "Making jokes now, Lahar? What's next, a song?"
"Rogue, go check on the other guilds," Sting ordered. "We need to pick up the slack for those who don't have a dragon slayer."
"I'm on my way," the present Shadow Dragon Slayer replied and quickly left in search of any guild fighting a dragon.
"You think your pathetic dragon slayer magic can harm me!?" the dragon roared. "No measly human can harm me, Scissor Runner!"
"We'll see about that!" Sting retaliated by gathering his light magic and letting it fire at the finned dragon. He smirked when his attack managed to injure the beast.
"GARGH!" The dragon howled. It furiously gazed at the slayer who caused his pain. "You will pay for that, mongrel!"
However, the threat didn't deter the White Dragon Slayer. "I'd like to see you try." He held his hands up, both glowing in an ethereal light. The rest of his guildmates did the same, all ready to face the beast to the end.
The green dragon settled in front of the mages. His sudden descent picked up dust and rubble that the wizards had to cover their eyes. They could see its body was littered with gashes, smoke from the two attacks still coming from its wounds. Wendy got a good look at the beast, and her eyes grew wide. She knew who this dragon was.
"Zirconis?"
Responding to his name, the dragon turned its attention to the tiny human. "You seem to know my name, young one."
"You know this dragon, Wendy?" Laxus questioned.
"I do," the bluenette slayer replied. "He was the dragon whose spirit I summoned a few days ago."
"So, this is him in the flesh," Gajeel muttered while staring at the ancient dragon.
"Is it just me, or is he bigger than his spirit form?" Gray asked.
"Interesting," the dragon commented. He stroked his chin as if in thought. "There's an abundance of tasty morsels I could feast on. Well, hello, ladies. Don't you look tender and savory," he said, eyeing the women of Fairy Tail. His attention then went to the three Exceeds. "Heh, the cats would make a great appetizer before the main course."
Wendy was about to start a conversation with the dragon until Carla stopped her. "I know what you're planning, child," the white cat began, "However, this isn't the same Zirconis you talked with. He was dead for centuries. He was a ghost when you met." The Exceed then stared intently at the imposing dragon. "This isn't the one you met."
Zirconis' demeanor abruptly changed. He now had a menacing grin while staring at the mages. "I've decided," he yelled in excitement, "I will eat all of you at once!"
"Say what!?" Lucy shrieked.
"Well, shit," Elfman muttered. He got in front of his sisters and niece just in case.
The dragon opened his jaws wide, and purplish magical energy began gathering into the base of his mouth.
"Crap," Laxus cursed. "Brace yourselves!"
"Oh no, you don't!"
The wizards saw Karin and Yuzu land between them and the dragon. The reaper stretched her hands forwards and erected one of her barriers.
"Bakudō #81: Danku!"
A transparent barrier quickly formed between her and the dragon. As the magic power stopped gathering, it fired, hitting the transparent wall instead of its intended targets. The two opposing forces clashed until the dragon breath subsided, the binding spell performing its job perfectly.
Zirconis was flabbergasted. No ordinary barrier can block a dragon's breath attack. He looked among the wizards until his eyes landed on two figures that stood out the most.
"A Soul Reaper and a Quincy?" the dragon gasped. "What is a death god and a destroyer monk doing in this realm?"
"We're not interested in talking to you, dragon," Karin spat. "Anyone who tries to harm my guildmates will have their souls extinguished."
Yuzu added to the intimidation by pulling the string of her sacred bow and priming her weapon for launch. "I'd reconsider fighting us, jade dragon. You know what a Quincy's arrows could do to souls?"
Zirconis backed up a bit. Although they were just tales from millennia ago, he knew what these beings were capable of. While the Soul Reaper was indeed a threat, it was the Quincy whom he should be careful of. A shot from those arrows doesn't just kill; they erase you from the cycle of life and death, denying you the chance to live once more. The dragon may have heard it from mere myths from his past; he knew enough to not earn the ire of those who have command over life, death, and reincarnation.
"Look!" Evergreen yelled, pointing in the air. "Up in the sky!"
The jade dragon gazed up and saw some…things falling from the sky. Knowing the objects, he smirked now that the advantage was on his end.
Two dragons, one covered in adamantium while the other in hellfire, clashed in the skies of a ruined Crocus. With Atlas Flame now on the side of humanity, it would seem that the tides may as well be turning for the good. However, the sinister Rogue Cheney from the future still had other aces hidden away.
The adult time traveler looked down and saw that the dragon slayers of this timeline had banded together to fight his minions. Even his younger self was rushing to aid those guilds with no dragon slayer in their ranks.
"It looks like a spark of hope has been ignited below," Rogue commented.
Natsu smirked. "Of course!" he cried. "There will always be hope. We will stand side by side and fight with everything we have against the darkness you will bring!"
Future Rogue stared at Salamander for a few moments. In truth, he was both impressed and annoyed by his tenacity and unbending spirit. The Shadow Dragon Slayer needed to break it. "Is that so?" he asked with a grin, making Natsu shiver. "Why don't we snuff out that spark and see if you're still willing to go against me." He then addressed his dragon. "Motherglare."
"Yes?"
"Why don't you lay some eggs for me."
It was unnoticeable, but the dragon had a sadistic grin. "My pleasure." The diamond dragon turned around and flew off in a different direction.
"Hey!" Natsu shouted at them. "Come back!"
The adamantine lizard flew over the city, not escaping the battle it had just participated in but circling over the chaos-ridden city. From its underbelly, several pods emerged. These pods were large enough to fit anything the size of a human. As Rogue called them, hundreds of these "eggs" fell to the ground. Some landed harmlessly into a vacant area while others smashed through houses, obliterated establishments, and nearly crushed some mages.
Natsu managed to catch up to Rogue and Motherglare. He was fuming that the dragon slayer suddenly left their battle. "Why the hell did you just leave!?"
Atlas Flame saw those pods, and his eyes grew wide. "Those pods!"
"Huh?" the son of Igneel muttered in confusion.
"Those are eggs!" the flame dragon said in alarm. "Those eggs must be destroyed before they're allowed to hatch!"
"What are those things?" Macao asked while eyeing the strange pod.
"Don't know," Wakaba answered.
"Well," Zirconis suddenly spoke. "It seems that the tides have turned to my favor. Maybe I can munch on you puny humans now that you'll be busy with something other than me."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Fried questioned the dragon.
While the staredown was happening, Madeline couldn't help but look at the unusual pods. They seemed so familiar. She observed one and saw it slightly twitch. Using her spiritual senses, the young Dragneel tried to sense if there was any presence within it. She detected something and immediately knew what it was. The memory of those things quickly flooded her mind.
"DESTROY THOSE EGGS BEFORE THEY HATCH!" Madeline yelled in desperation.
"Maddie?" Lisanna asked, surprised by her daughter's sudden outburst.
"Quickly!" the girl repeated. "We need to destroy those things before…." The sound of the shells cracking made her eyes widen. "…Oh no."
The pods finally shattered, and eyeless human-sized bipedal draconic beasts emerged. These were covered in the same adamantium scales as Motherglare while baring highly sharp claws and teeth.
One of these draconic creatures pounced on Elfman. The middle Strauss quickly transformed into a Take-Over with the best defense. However, it wasn't enough when one claw swipe cut through his scales.
"GARGH!"
"Elfman!" Mira yelled and promptly fired a magic blast that sent the beast away. To her surprise, it stood up with barely a scratch. "What!?"
"Their scales are made of hardened adamantium!" Madeline warned. "They're nigh-impenetrable!"
"You're kidding me!?" Cana exclaimed after throwing a lightning card on one of the miniature dragons. "How are we supposed to deal some damage!?"
"It doesn't matter!" Bixlow ducked under a claw swipe and then ordered his dolls to fire. He hissed when it didn't do anything. "Just keep fighting!"
"Easy for you to say!"
Erza charged at one of the creatures and swung her sword, the weapon shattering upon contact. "Damn it! Their skin is too hard."
"I have an idea! Ice-Make, Super Freeze Arrow!" Gray fired a quick-freezing arrow at Erza's enemy. It quickly froze the target after a direct hit. "This is your chance!" he yelled. "Cut that thing down!"
"HA!" Erza called upon a new sword struck the frozen lizard with all her might. The ice splintered into hundreds of pieces, but the beast was barely scathed.
"It didn't do a thing!?"
"This is bad," Romeo stated. "Just when I thought things were looking up for us."
"Urgh!" Makarov grunted after pinning down one that tried to attack Asuka. "If this keeps up, the whole city will be overwhelmed! Wendy, Gajeel, Laxus!" the old man called. "Does your magic affect these creatures?"
To the dragon slayers' relief, their magic was effective against the dragon-like beasts.
"Yeah, gramps!" Laxus replied. He gripped the throat of the nearest dragon creature and electrocuted it to death. He saw Gajeel tear one in half with his iron sword. He then looked at Wendy, who blew away a couple with her winds.
"Don't hesitate!" Yuzu shouted. "It looks like these things don't have intelligence but are driven by a primal instinct. Attack with the intent to kill!"
Karin held her zanpakūto parallel to the ground. Yellow spiritual pressure began concentrating on her weapon's staff. "Hadō #32: Ōkasen!" The offensive Kidō blasted through a small group of the draconic monsters and obliterated them, leaving no trace. The Soul Reaper suddenly noticed a large gathering of energy. She looked to the source and had wide eyes upon seeing Zirconis about to finish a dragon breath. "EVERYBODY, LOOK OUT!"
The jade behemoth fired.
"You bastard!" Natsu hissed as he watched a purple explosion where his guildmates were. The son of Igneel was worried about his family, especially Madeline and Lisanna. His furious gaze was focused on the future Rogue, who was grinning maniacally. "What did you do!?"
"You like them?" Rogue asked condescendingly. "They're miniature dragons born from Motherglare. Although, I like to call them 'drakes' instead."
Multiple explosions rang across the already torn capital. The mages who fought tooth and nail against the dragons were gradually overpowered by the drakes' sudden appearance.
"Do you hear that?" the time-displaced shadow mage asked the irate fire wizard. "Those screams; they're like a sweet melody. The more those pathetic mages cry out in agony, the more I relish the destruction I brought into this timeline."
Having had enough, Natsu set his body ablaze. He and Atlas Flame flew towards Rogue." I'm going to stop you, RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"
"THEN COME, NATSU DRAGNEEL!" Rogue ordered Motherglare to attack.
The dragons collide while their riders meet in the middle. Two fists, one in flames while the other wreathed in shadow, met head-on, causing a shockwave that blew the air away.
The two opposing dragon slayers began exchanging blows. Natsu delivered a series of quick punches that Rogue blocked and evaded with little effort. The Shadow Dragon Slayer answered with a swift kick. Natsu caught the incoming leg, grabbed it firmly, and threw Rogue to the far end of Motherglare's back. The time traveler managed to gain his balance and suddenly phased into his shadow. He appeared behind Natsu and drove an elbow into his spine.
Natsu tumbled but regained his footing. He lit his arms in draconic hellfire and jumped. "Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" He swung his limbs forward, flinging the hellish flames at the shadow mage. What followed was a bright display of intense fire that engulfed Rogue.
The Salamander of Fairy Tail stood waiting for the cruel wizard. He knew that the spell he cast won't be enough. His assumptions were proven true when Rogue unexpectedly burst out of the fire, grabbed him by the shoulders, and kneed him in the sternum. Natsu spat out saliva before getting hit with a shadowy fist.
Future Rogue jumped into the air and summoned his shadow magic into his legs. He then plummeted towards Natsu. "Shadow Dragon Talons!"
Natsu saw the incoming attack and, with his strength, caught Rogue's legs and slammed the time traveler onto Motherglare'd back. A resounding thud, a trickle of blood, and the sound of a few ribs cracking were enough of an indication that Nastu dealt some damage. However, he didn't let up as he pounced on the downed wizard and got in another strike.
"Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"
The fiery punch connected. Natsu got in another, and another, and another. He wasn't going to stop until Rogue was beaten into unconsciousness. The man from the future had other ideas, though. The shadow wizard submerged into his shadow again, not until he grabbed Natsu's face. Once only his hands were on the surface, he abruptly pulled on the pinkette's head, slamming his face onto the diamond dragon's scales. It managed to stagger Natsu, who was now caressing a bloody nose. Rogue used this moment to sneak behind the unsuspecting fire mage, grab his waist, hoist him up, and slam Natsu.
The move didn't lessen Natsu's resolve. The son of Igneel quickly rose up and gathered his magic into his lungs. Future Rogue saw this and imitated the action, only shadow magic concentrated within him this time. Once both wizards had accumulated the desired magic power, they unleashed it at each other in a devastating roar.
"FIRE DRAGON ROAR!"
"SHADOW DRAGON ROAR!"
The two powerful attacks collided, each one trying to overpower the other. Natsu and Rogue put all their energy into their attacks, making the already potent dragon breath more destructive.
Both spells were roughly equal in strength. The energies began swirling, merging into an amalgamation of shadow and fire. Finally, the power output was too much that it grew until exploding, filling the sky with so much red and darkness that it rivaled the bloody moon and the black night. The two battling wizards emerged from the smoke and grappled with each other; one was grinning with sadistic glee while the other was furious.
"Please, struggle more," Rogue goaded. "The more you do, the more it will be satisfying once I crush you."
"Damn you," growled Natsu. "It's because of you that Madeline suffered. My daughter went through Hell because of your doing!"
"That little brat?" Future Rogue spat. "She was this close to stopping me and my plans. Because of that, I'll make sure that she will never be born in my future. That's why I'm going to kill your precious Lisanna Strauss."
Natsu was now enraged. This man had threatened to kill Lisanna and deny Madeline the chance to live. "You monster!" he screamed in rage. "I won't let you have this timeline that Maddie fought so hard to save. I won't let you rule this world that she deserved to live in. I won't let you kill Lisanna and deny Madeline a mother's love."
Finally, with all his heart and soul, Natsu declared…
"I WON'T ALLOW YOU TO TAKE AWAY HER FUTURE!"
"Ugh, is everybody alright!?" Wendy shouted. After feebly pulling herself up, the dragon slayer noticed that the blast had separated her from her guildmates. "Guys!" she yelled again. "Are you there? If you're alright, say something!"
"I'm alive!" A hand suddenly emerged from the rubble. Gajeel managed to get himself out of the debris and rubbed a sore shoulder. "Damn that conniving lizard!"
"Master Makarov!" Bisca and Alzack screamed, searching for the third master who was protecting their daughter.
"Don't worry, you two," Makarov assured the parents when he arose from the wreckage. In his arms was the scared yet unharmed Asuka. "She's fine. I did promise to watch over her."
"I'm so glad you're safe, baby," the green-haired gunner breathed as she hugged her daughter.
"Are you hurt, darling," questioned Alzack.
The little girl shook her head and answered, "No, Daddy. Grampa made sure to keep those nasty lizardmen away from me."
"Maddie!?"
The third master and the gunner couple turned their eyes to a worried Lisanna. She was taking a glance at every turn to find her daughter.
"Maddie!? Where are you!?"
"I'm right here, Mama!"
Lisanna didn't waste any second and started sprinting towards the voice of the young Fullbringer. Once she saw Madeline, who only had a few scratches, she quickly knelt down and embraced her tightly.
"I was so worried," the youngest Strauss whispered into her daughter's ear. She then began examining Madeline for any injuries. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm alright, Mama," Madeline replied, alleviating Lisanna's motherly distress. Suddenly, something just entered her perception. "Mama, look out!" Pulling herself away from her mother, the time-traveling girl got in front of her guildmates and erected a dense wall of fire just in time before a blast of magic got to them. When she let the firewall subside, those same bipedal mini dragons were hissing at them.
"You're not getting anywhere near my mother!" Willing her reiatsu, a vast fire ring suddenly appeared around the drakes. "HELLBLAZER!"
A pillar of flames soon followed, engulfing the mindless drakes. The intensity of the spiritual fires was so hot that the rocks began melting upon exposure. When it eventually died down, the creatures consumed by it were nothing more but burnt corpses, literally cooking inside their nigh-invincible armor.
"Amazing!" Makarov gasped. "It seems Fullbringer abilities are effective as well."
Though effective, it was done out of a fit of rage. Madeline had unintentionally put too much spiritual energy into that attack, thereby exhausting herself.
"I guess I overdid it a little," the young Fullbringer chuckled with a heavy breath.
"That was one heck of a light show, kid," Karin exclaimed after suddenly appearing. The reaper was impressed by the girl's firepower. However, one glance was all it took to know Madeline had overexerted herself. "It could use a little bit of control, though."
"Heh, I guess my emotions got the better of me."
The middle Kurosaki then turned her attention to the wizened guildmaster.
"Have you seen the others?" Makarov asked the reaper.
Karin shook her head up and down. "I did. When the explosion went off, it separated us from the others. Yuzu and I decided to split up and keep each group company if things go pear-shaped."
"I see." Looking at Karin, Makarov noticed that her clothes were singed but otherwise, she was practically unscathed. "You look well for someone who took a dragon breath head-on."
"A little trick I like to call Hierro. Speaking of dragons, those miniature ones are scattered all over the city, making this already bleak battle all the more difficult." The reaper's eyes narrowed. "If this keeps up, there won't be a city to save by daytime."
"My arm!" Wakaba screamed when he felt a sudden sting of pain in his shoulders. "It's dislocated!"
"Here," Macao came up to the smoke wizard and gently grabbed his arm. "Let's see if I can pop this back." The fire mage managed to pop the dislocated shoulder back into its socket in one motion.
Erza approached the two and asked the smoke mage, "Is your arm alright?"
After feeling his arm, Wakaba answered, "As alright as possible."
"Good. Yuzu just told us that those things are causing mayhem to the rest of the guilds," informed the redhead.
"By how things are going, I don't think we can save the city," Romeo expressed. It was indeed a hopeless situation. "It's over."
"It's too early to call it quits, Romeo."
They followed the voice's source and saw Yuzu's image appear out of thin air. "If push comes to shove, I will have to ask all of you to save yourselves."
"WHAT!?" was the expected reaction.
"You can't be serious!" Erza exclaimed. "I get that you're powerful, but you can't take on an entire army alone."
"It isn't up for debate, Erza," Yuzu replied firmly. "I'm one of the few who has the power to fight the dragons and their offsprings." Something entered her perception, prompting her to ignite her Seele Schneider and summon a reishi broadsword. "Besides, I'm not about to let my new family be in harm's way."
"Yuzu." Those words from the Quincy ignited a fire within Erza and the rest of Fairy Tail. Though Yuzu and her family had only been in the guild for three months, they were willing to take on the impossible for them. "Then I'm not about to let you do this alone."
"What?"
"You called Fairy Tail your family," the redhead answered. "If you're willing to put your life for ours, I should do the same." She stood next to the archer and drew out a sword. "We're in this together," Erza declared. "We're Fairy Tail, and we stand by each other no matter what happens!"
Yuzu could only stare before chuckling. "If that's what you want, I'm glad to stand by all of you."
"These things just keep on coming!"
"And we can't even get a good enough hit on them!"
Gray and Juvia were back to back, fending off a small hoard of drakes. After getting separated from the others, the two mages were ambushed. Now, they found themselves surrounded by the armored reptilians.
The ice mage erected a barrier just in time before a breath attack hit him. Juvia assisted Gray by encasing the attacking lizard in a water ball and throwing it to the others. Like their previous attempts, the drakes stood up with barely any injuries.
"Damn it!" the stripper cursed. They've been at this for a while now, but nothing worked.
"Don't worry," the water wizard threw water blades at the drakes, deterring their advances. "I'll always have your back!"
"This girl," Gray thought while looking at the blue-haired mage. "She may have some of the craziest fantasies, but I'm grateful that I can count on her." A snicker escaped the ice mage as he faced the reptilian horde. "Thanks, Juvia. Now, let's show these creeps why you don't mess with Fairy Tail!"
The draconic offspring roared at the mages and instinctively charged. Gray and Juvia flared up their magic for the imminent fight; however, the drakes were suddenly grappled by a gigantic gorilla made of teal-colored ice. It was followed by a dozen blades of light that held the lizards back from attacking.
"That ice," Gray muttered.
Juvia shared the same expression, but her attention was focused on the blades of light. There was only one person who could cast that spell.
"Come one, Gray!" the voice yelled, making the two Fairy Tail mages. "You look like shit. Is this really all my rival has got?"
Two familiar faces stood before Juvia and Gray.
"Meredy!" the water mage cried in joy.
"It's nice seeing you too, Juvia," the former dark mage answered. "Although, I think the reunions should come later."
"Is that a way to greet a friend?" the raven-haired ice mage questioned Lyon sarcastically.
"Please," the silver-haired ice wizard waved it off. "You were doing such a piss-poor job that I had to step in. Besides, I'm not about to let you flex in front of the lovely Juvia."
"That's what you're worried about?" Gray thought. "By the way, how'd you manage to find us?"
Pointing towards the Maguilty mage, Lyon answered, "It was thanks to that lady over there. She's an incredible sensor, mind you."
"I know."
"Meredy," Juvia called the pinkette. "Where's the rest of Crime Sorcière?"
After throwing a set of sensory blades at the lizards, Meredy answered, "We split up to assist anyone we could find. Right now, I think Jellal is with Erza's group."
"And Ultear?"
"That's just it." There was some uncertainty in the Maguilty mage's reply. "I don't know where she went. But, I'm sure that she has a good reason."
Their attention shifted toward the mini dragons surrounding them. The two ice wizards emanated coldness while Juvia's waters swirled around her arms and Meredy's hands glowed pink with magic.
"Remember everyone," Gray shouted. "As much as I hate to say this, we need to attack with the intent to kill." This command surprised the others. The Fairy Tail mage then explained, "As Yuzu said earlier, these things only run on instinct. Right now, their instincts are telling them to kill us. So, don't hesitate."
The other three understood what Gray meant. These were animals, and they function on the most basic of mindsets. The dragon offspring will kill them. There was no reasoning with the lizards, so the only way to survive was to show the same intent. To live, they need to put these creatures down…
…Permanently.
Meredy didn't know that her foster mother stumbled upon Lucy and Yukino, dealing with their own group of drakes. Exhausted, it was indeed in the Celestial mages' favor that the Arc of Time wizard came and assisted them. With the beasts restrained and the mages having escaped, Ultear inquired what had transpired. Lucy and Yukino explained everything to the time mage, with the revelation that a future version of Rogue Cheney being the mastermind caught her attention the most.
"So," Ultear began, "You're saying that this version of Rogue, who came from seven years into the future in an alternate timeline different from Natsu and Lisanna's daughter, planned everything, from the Eclipse Gate to the entire Grand Magic Games. Am I right?"
"Yeah," Lucy nodded. "He's already strong now, but he'll be even more powerful in seven years."
"That's true," Ultear agreed. As a wizard specializing in time, she knew of the intricacies involved. There was one glaring advantage that she just noticed. "However, coming from the future betrays a weakness."
"What is it?" Yukino asked, curious.
With a straight face, Ultear answered, "If we were to kill the Rogue from our time, then his future self would cease to exist."
That was not the answer the stellar mages were expecting
"W-What…?" both Lucy and Yukino stuttered.
Ultear continued, "I know it's not the most pleasant solution we have, but it's the only viable one."
"Wait, hold on," Lucy interrupted. "Wouldn't killing this timeline's Rogue cause some sort of temporal paradox?"
"You would be correct, but time isn't flowing as it should be. It is in a state of flux. Too many disturbances in the natural flow of time have occurred because of people crossing over. We can use this to our advantage."
"How?"
"Exactly as I said earlier. We eliminate the present-day version of Rogue, and the future version will vanish completely."
"I'm not so sure," Yukino interjected. "I'm not as knowledgeable about these things, but, if I recall, didn't the future Rogue wreaking havoc right now come from a completely separate timeline where the Kurosaki family didn't exist?"
Ultear didn't show it, but she was surprised that fact slipped passed her.
"Just as mentioned by Karin and Yuzu, the Eclipse Gate wasn't just absorbing magic power but also spiritual energy," Yukino continued.
"I'm sure you're aware of this too, Ultear," Lucy stated, to which the time mage didn't deny. "Add to that were the discrepancies in Future Rogue's story. Though the ten thousand dragons did match with that of Madeline's version, he failed to mention the opening of Hell's Gate and its denizens spreading chaos upon the world."
This information was relayed to Ultear by Jellal when the former councilman had met the time-traveling child. At first, she didn't believe it, but the mention of Ichigo Kurosaki's sacrifice to keep Hell's forces at bay from the other side changed her mind. Taking all these details into mind, the former councilwoman concluded that, although the option to eliminate the current Rogue Cheney was still viable, it didn't exactly mean that his future version would disappear.
"So, killing our version of Rogue might not change the outcome after all," Ultear murmured.
"Not only that," Yukino said, gaining the attention of the other women, "During my time as a member of Sabretooth, I got to see the kind of person Rogue is. He might be aloof and a bit proud, but he would never do such a thing as plunging the world into destruction."
"I'm not following," Ultear said, confused.
"She means that the Rogue from the future is a completely different person from the one in our timeline," Lucy clarified. "I get that feeling, too."
Yukino continued. "Something must've happened for him to become like this. We would be killing a completely innocent person."
"It's wrong, Ultear," Lucy expressed. "Think of our future. What would we be if we committed something like this?"
Ultear paused. She never thought of it that way. While it's true that the future Rogue is the one responsible for all that's happened, it didn't mean that the present Rogue would also bear the same guilt. He was innocent, and the circumstances that led him to become the monster he will be can be avoided now that they know how he will turn out.
The time wizard gave a soft smile. "Good point," she admitted. "You're absolutely right. We cannot harm the present-day Rogue. I promise I won't touch him."
"Thank you, Ultear." Yukino sounded sincere. She might've been kicked out of her former guild, but it didn't mean that she never cared about her former guildmates.
Lucy shared the same sentiment. She held the belief that it is you who determines your future and that it isn't set in stone.
With everything settled, Ultear decided to leave and assist any other guild in need. However, the course of action she had presented still lingered in her mind. She will turn to that alternative as a last resort if all else fails.
The present Rogue's magic power was at its lowest. The Shadow Dragon Slayer's knees finally gave as he panted heavily before an aqua dragon.
"Rogue Cheney," the dragon spoke. "You're much too weak to defeat a dragon. So, why exhaust yourself any further?"
Rogue looked at the dragon in surprise. "How did you know my name!?"
"I've been specifically ordered to spare your life," was the dragon's answer.
Why, though? Why would this dragon spare his life? And above all else, who is this person who wanted him to live through this? Rogue got his answer.
"It's true."
A disembodied voice affirmed the dragon's claim. It came from behind. When the dragon slayer turned around, what he saw frightened. There, on the ground, was his own shadow having a life of its own. The apparition was smiling at him with its singular eye gazing with malicious glee.
"What the?" Rogue asked in shock. "Who…or what are you?"
"I am you," the shadow answered. "At least, another version of your future."
"It can't be!"
"Oh, it is. I am the darkness that always follows you, born from the darkness inside your heart!"
Rogue couldn't believe it. It had to be a lie, right? There was no way such a vile presence existed inside him. The dragon slayer grew furious at the insinuation and stomped on the grinning image of blackness. "SHUT UP!" However, the shadow merely laughed at his attempt to silence him. "Shut up! You're lying! You're lying!"
The aqua dragon laughed as well, getting the attention of the troubled Rogue. "You should stop fighting if you know what's good for you," it said. "You are the only human who will survive this onslaught and become ruler of the world in due time."
"What are you talking about!?" Rogue yelled at the dragon. "I have no desire to rule the world. Who told you to spare me!?"
The colossal lizard laughed at the cluelessness. "Who? Why you did." Seeing the confusion in the dragon slayer's eyes, the dragon explained, "You were the one who summoned us. We dragons will destroy the world while you rule over the wreckage. You will hatch this plan in seven years and travel back in time."
"I don't believe you!" he spat. "How can you even be sure that I will become the person you say I am?"
"You will," the shadow spoke again, causing Rogue to look at him again. "No matter what you do, you will always have me inside you. I am your darkness, and I will eventually consume you."
The shadow finally disappeared, leaving a devastated Rogue to fear for his future. "No," he muttered, gripping his hair tightly. "It can't be. I can't become like him!"
"Do not deny it," the dragon stated. "Your heart has always been stained by darkness…or rather, will be stained by darkness. You have no choice in the matter. You must accept your fate. It is your destiny to live on and conquer this world."
The weight of this revelation finally pushed Rogue to the limit. "It's not true," he whispered, no longer having the will to fight the massive beast. "It can't be true! You're lying!"
Unbeknownst to them, someone was watching the entire ordeal.
"There you are." It was Ultear.
The time wizard witnessed the entire thing happen. It was simply a coincidence that she found the man behind it all…or at least, the present version of him. Though Ultear had promised that she won't harm this version of Rogue, there was simply no other alternative present.
"I made a promise, however," Ultear thought. "I'm sorry, Lucy, Yukino, but there is no other way unless we find a different solution. Rogue may be innocent now, but he will fall from grace. He will become the harbinger of our destruction. We can't just risk letting it happen. If he can't come from the future, he can't open the gate. And the dragons will never attack." Her eyes narrowed. Both red pupils focus on the troubled slayer while hidden within the shadows of her hair. "The only way to save this from this nightmare is to end his life before it's too late."
A/N: ModernRogue11 here, and I've got to say, I've been dragging this wait for Ichigo's appearance for too long. That said, I bear good news. Our favorite substitute Soul Reaper and the Flower Princess will finally enter the fray in the next chapter! And with this involvement will be the downfall of dragons and Future Rogue. So, state tuned for the next chapter since I gave it the title...
"The Horn of Salvation."
As always, all of you be awesome and leave a like if you enjoy the story, comments if you have some opinions, and finally, advice and constructive criticisms to help improve the story.
Until then, see you.