Chapter 29

A Dragons Wrath

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

Kain looked down at the blonde before raising his leg high. Lucy cracked her eyes open and screamed awake as she rolled out of the way. "What's going on? Who are you?" Lucy asked in a panic. 'Could he be one of the Seven Kin?' She quickly glanced around but found no sign of her partner. "What happened to Cana?"

"I have no idea." The large man answered.

"What happened to her?" Lucy demanded.

"I'm telling you I really don't know, but it doesn't really matter because you're going to die right here." He told her.

'When did I get separated from Cana? Wait a second... was I sleeping?' The blonde asked herself. 'What do I do... I have no idea what's going on...' She stood up as Kain did some kind of weird stretch. 'I don't know what's happening, but for now I've got to do something about this guy.'

She stared at Kain and he jumped back behind a tree. 'G-glaring at me like that isn't going to get you anywhere! I-I'm one of the Nine Kin of Grimoire Heat, Kain Hikaru. I'm really strong!"

"The strength of my opponent doesn't matter." The blonde declared. "If anyone dares fight against our guild, I'll take them on as my opponent! Bring it on!"

"P...Please Wait a sec..." Kain mumbled as he stepped out from the tree. "I just got really itchy right here..."

"That's your own hair, isn't it?" She asked, making Kain smile and point. "That's really obnoxious..."

"All right! Are we gonna do this?" Kain asked, reaching into his cape. "I'll show you the powers of my Ushi no Koku Mairi!" He pulled his hand out and it was holding a strange doll. "Okay then, give me some of your hair."

Lucy cocked her head to the side. "Ushi no Koku Mairi needs some of your hair to work."

"No way!" Lucy cried out.

"If I put some of your hair on this doll just as you'd expect, I'd be able to manipulate your movements. This is my super-powerful deadly curse magic."

"Hearing that doesn't make me want to give you my hair!" Lucy shouted, making Kain gasp. "Did you just realize that? Besides, I've never heard of that kind of magic. I think you're bluffing."

Kain started scratching his head before pulling out a strand of his hair. "If you think that, I'll demonstrate for you. I'll use my own hair... stick it on Mr. Cursey like so... go ahead and try it." He offered the doll and she took it before studying it the doll. She then slammed it down in the ground, making Kain do the same.

She then played with the doll and stuck him in all kind of painful holds. "Give that back!" He launched forward and pulled the doll away from the blonde. "Now I'm pissed! You are about to see how cruel and merciless I can be!" He launched forward and slammed through any trees in his way.

"This isn't the time for me to play around either!" Lucy said as she ran away and fiddled with her keys. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull - Taurus!" The cow spirit appeared and was immediately taken out with a palm strike. "No way!" She shouted in shock before running even faster.

Kain wasted no time and followed her. "What the heck is with this guy?! He's stronger when's he's not using his magic!" She reached on to her key ring and pulled out another. "Open, Gate of the Archer - Sagittarius!" The costumed man appeared and fired his bow, only for the arrows to be kicked back at them.

The spirit took the shot for his master before fading back to his world. Lucy was knocked to the ground and pushed herself up. "Open, Gate of the Scorpion - Scorpio!" The dark skinned spirit appeared and pointed his tail at Kain.

"Sand Buster!" Sand shot out of the extra limb and Kain blocked it with his palm before palm striking the two into the air.

"What's up with this guy!?" Lucy asked after Scorpio faded.

"That doll has my own hair in it right now." Kain explained. "If he were to change the material the doll was made out of, what would happen?"

"Impossible..." Lucy said as she fell. "It's strengthening him..."

"Doll Change!" Kain chanted. "Turn from iron to a light source! Shining Dodosuku!" He delivered a glowing palm strike that sent Lucy back into the air. "I may look like this, but I am one of the Nine Kin." He bragged as Lucy bounced off the ground. "Doll Change! Into cotton!" The doll floated through the air and so did he. "Now for the finisher! Iron! Get smashed!"

With Natsu

Natsu slid back along the ground as he stopped at Happy. "You okay, Natsu?" The cat asked.

"I'll be fine." The pinkette replied. "Her attacks aren't even hurting me."

"If you think this is my maximum strength then you're dumber than you look." Ultear spoke up. "I want you dead, but first you have to pay for Galuna Island."

"Like your threats scare me." Natsu said back. "You're not any stronger now then you were then."

"If that's what you want to believe, fine." The woman's said, her orb floating.

Natsu raced forward and threw his leg only to crash into Kain as he fell from the sky. "Lucy! What the heck are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here Natsu?" She asked back. "Although thanks for saving me."

"Lucy was sent in over here from over there rather ungracefully..." Happy chuckled.

"Is there a cool way to get sent flying!?" Lucy asked.

"Kain... what are you doing here?" Ultear asked.

"Ultear!" Kain cheered. "I chased that girl here."

"You in the middle of a fight, Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"That's my opponent!" He said back. "Don't take her!"

"I wasn't playing on it." She replied.

"She's really strong." Happy confessed. "It's going to be a close fight even for Natsu."

"Like hell it is!" Natsu protested. "I'm gonna take them out."

"But now there's two opponents." Happy pointed out.

Natsu looked at the odds and turned to Lucy. "Well, in that case it looks like we've added an extra member ourselves. For now, I'll forget about us being trial rivals. Let's form a team."

Lucy looked over and smirked at Natsu. "This teaming up makes me nostalgic." She said as she tied her hair.

"It makes me remember when we all first met." Happy added, fixing his bag.

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu said, pushing a strand of hair up. "Let's go, Lucy!"

"Let's do it, Natsu!" She's added.

Ultear glared at the two as Kain hit his cape in anger. "They're getting all flirty and hot... I won't forgive them for this! Ultear, there's no time for you to involve yourself. I can take care of this myself."

"That's gonna ruin everything!" Natsu shouted. "We had even teams and everything."

"I think we should probably be thanking them..." Lucy said.

"What's this about two?" Happy asked. "Have you all forgotten about me?"

"All right then, I'll leave this to you." The time wizard said. "I've got to take Zeref to Master Hades."

"What? Does that mean you've already found him?" Kain asked in excitement.

"No way!" Lucy shouted. "We can't let them take Zeref! They wanna bring about some grand magic world and kill all non wizards."

"That sorry sack of tears still has to pay for messing with my scarf." Natsu said cracking his knuckles. "He's not going anywhere until I get my revenge." He launched forward as Kain meet him and launched him back with a palm strike.

"Natsu!" Happy cried out in concern.

"Don't let up until they're finished." Ultear told Kain. "Show them the true terror of the Nine Kin."

Natsu launched back to avoid getting crushed by Kain. "Looks like I've got to take care of this guy first."

"Then leave her to me!" Lucy cried out before her body froze. "I... can't move my body... I'm stuck..."

Kain smirked as he held up his doll, now with one of Lucy's strands of hair on it. "When I was chasing you, I plucked a strand of your hair."

"No way..." She mumbled in fear.

"Now with this doll I can control you." Kain said as he pulled on the puppets arms and nearly broke Lucy's. "This is payback for earlier." He grabbed the legs and pulled on those as well.

"What the heck is going on over there?" Natsu asked.

"Lucy's moving exactly according to that doll's movements." Happy pointed out.

Natsu stared at the scene with an open mouth. "That looks really fun!"

"It's not fun at all!" Lucy shouted as she was forced to bunny up.

"How about I make you battle your teammates!?" Kain shouted before sending Lucy at Natsu.

"Natsu, get out of the way!" She screamed as she was forced to throw a punch. Natsu jumped over, using her butt to balance himself. "Don't touch my ass!" She shouted before Kain made her kick him to the side.

"What are you trying to do to me, Lucy!?" Natsu asked in anger.

"It's not me!" She defended herself. "I'm not in control of it!" Her fist went forward and punched Natsu in the face.

"This is getting really annoying..." Natsu complained as Lucy apologized between each punch. He ducked one and moved around the girl, trapping her in a full nelson. "Don't move! Damnit... either you've put on some muscle or that doll is making you stronger."

"Wh... what the heck are you guys doing?" Kain asked in anger. "Don't you dare start getting all hot and bothered on me! Fine, take this!" The doll moved and Lucy placed Natsu in all manner of submission positions. "No matter what you try, the power of Ushi no Koku Mairi will-" He gasped when he noticed the doll was missing.

"Natsu! I stole the Lucy doll!" Happy cried out before making Lucy smother Natsu.

Kain smacked Happy away before Natsu charged forward and stole the doll. "Fire Dragon Talon!" Kain ducked and then head butted Natsu into the sky. As the pinkette fell, he delivered a palm strike to Natsu that sent him crashing into a cliff. The rocks crumbled from the impact and Natsu was trapped under them.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried out in concern.

"Crap! I can't get free!" He shouted as he tried to pull himself out.

"Hold on! I'll bring out Virgo to help!" Lucy reached for her keys but her body winced in pain. 'It can't be... I'm out of magic power already?'

Kain pushed Lucy to the ground hard before stepping on her back. "Just lay there and watch as I execute her." He told the Dragon Slayer as he tried to break free.

"Run for it Lucy!" Natsu shouted. "He's way stronger than he looks! I'll figure something out! Just get out of here!"

"I won't..." She mumbled as Kain stomped on her before picking her up by her hair. "I don't want to... run away by myself... because no matter what... I'd rather be together with everyone..."

Kain gripped her head and started squeezing in it. "To start with, I'll make it so no one will see that pretty face again. You'll learn how cruel I can be. I'm going to crush your skull like this."

Natsu cried out for her as she screamed in pain before he glanced over to the side. Lucy cried in pain before her legs rose up and kicked Kain in the face. "My body's moving on its own?"

Natsu smirked as he made Lucy punch the large man in the face. Kain then threw a punch of his own and Lucy bent almost ninety degrees. "You're over bending me!" Natsu spun the doll and Lucy unleashed a series of punches on Kain. "Natsu... do you know what joints are?"

"Can't you see that you're winning?" He asked making her smile. "I just thought of an even better idea..." He ignited his fist and held it under the dolls hand. "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" The blonde screamed as she stared at the flaming fist. "Happy!" He tossed the doll to his cat and Happy took off.

The cat flew up and Lucy followed against her will as Kain stared up in fear. "Secret Attack Lucy Fire!" Natsu shouted as Kain took the full force of the attack, knocking him out cold. "We did it! Now, get me out of here!" Lucy grabbed Natsu's head and began pulling. "Come on! Pull harder!"

"I'm pulling as hard as I can!" Lucy said as she and Happy pulled on the Dragon Slayer.

"You can't just break the rock with your flames?" Happy asked.

"Good idea!" Natsu said before melting the rocks off of him. Standing up, the Dragon Slayer raced over to the tree only to find it empty. "He's not here..."

"Was Zeref here?" Lucy asked.

"They must have already taken him away." Happy surmised.

"Whats this smell?" Natsu asked as he sniffed the air. "Somethings getting in the way of my nose. I can't follow him like this."

"I've got to look for Cana too." Lucy said before her leg shot up into the air.

"What are you raising your leg for?" Natsu asked, making her chase after Happy and the doll. "Ah well. Might as well take a nap."

"No!" Lucy said before she bent the doll, now with Happys hair on it. "I'm worried about Cana too, but we've got to follow after Zeref. Just as we heard, they're planning on using Zeref to change the world."

"Change the world, huh?" Natsu asked as he sat down. "That's quite the task... we have to settle this. They beat up gramps. You think I'm gonna let them leave the island now?"

"Leave the island..." Lucy mumbled. "Thats it. Those guys must have come on a ship or something! That woman from earlier said she was going to take Zeref to her master. There's a good chance their ship is anchored somewhere. They must have taken Zeref there! Happy! Look for their ship from the sky."

"It seems I'm all out of magic power." He replied.

"For now, we should go back to Gramps and Wendy." Natsu said. "We'll have Lily, Carla and Slate take care of that."

With Cana

Cana walked through the dark cave focused on her one goal. 'If Lucy was right, then I should find Mavis' grave down here.' She told herself. 'I'm gonna be the first one to find it, be the one who passes the trial this year. I'll finally make S-Class, and then I can look him in the eye and tell him the truth. But I can do it until I become an S-Class wizard.'

She walked a little further before a night light caught her attention. "Is that it?

With Gray

Gray marched through the forest with a chip on his shoulder. "Splitting up was a brilliant idea. I haven't run into a single person, friend or foe. I've never seen Cana in such a rotten mood. She could probably use a drink." He stopped walking and thought back over the day. "I don't think I've seen her touch of anything this whole time. Maybe she's going cold turkey."

Rustling caught his attention and he hid behind a tree. 'Someone's coming.' He peaked out from the tree and saw a woman with a man slung over her shoulders.

"It won't be long until you're restored to your rightful place as ruler, lord Zeref." Ultear said.

'That's Zeref?' Gray asked himself. 'He looks like he can barely stand.' The woman resumed walking and Gray gasped at her profile. 'No... she's with Grimoire Heart... but she looks just like Ur.' She started walking again and crawl crawled after them. 'Who the hell is she?'

Grimoire Heart Airship

On board the massive ship, Hades laughed as he sat at the table. "This is truly entertaining."

"I'm pleased to find you in high spirits, master." A man said as he walked forward.

Hades reached up and took of his helmet. "Of my elite nine kin, three have already been defeated." He explained as he placed the headwear on the table. "It appears this Makarov has trained his children well."

"When is it my turn?" The man asked.

"I'm afraid this isn't the kind of battle you need to take part in, Bluenote." Hades explained.

"I can't let those beneath me have all the fun." The now named man replied. "I can risk my body going soft." He placed his hand on the table and the whole ship began to shake violently.

"That's enough." Hades ordered, making Bluenote stop.

"Whats the matter?" He asked. "If we submerge the ship, they'll have no hope of finding us."

"Makarov's followers will try to come aboard, unaware of the horrors that await them." The master explained. "Never suspecting that they've ventured into the devils heart until it's to late."

"Why wait for your prey to come to you?" Bluenote asked. "I prefer the thrill of the hunt."

"Another time, perhaps." Hades replied. "I don't want you throwing my plans in disarray. So you'll remain here."

"A third of your prized fighting force is down." Bluenote said. "If more than half of your remaining members fall, you can't stop me from going out there. I'm ready to fly."

Council Warships

"Bluenote Stinger is with them?" Doranbolt asked in shock.

"Legend has it that's during the Gabria War, he singlehandedly wiped out the Blue Dragoon regiment." Lahar added. "It's said his power is so terrifying every blade of grass he treads upon dies."

"They've got someone that strong with them?" The scarred man mumbled. "This is even worse than I thought."

"I'm afraid we have no hope of defeating them on our own." His friend said as he walked forward. "Neither does Fairy Tail. I'll contact HQ about our next move."

Mest reached over and stopped his friend. "Give me some time first." He touched the lacrima and vanished with it.

"Just who's side are you on?" Lahar asked.

With Wendy

"Wendy!" Natsu shouted as he and Lucy raced over. "How's the master doing?"

"He still hasn't said anything." Carla asked.

"Where's Slate?" Happy asked.

"He got worried about Nicholas so he took off to go look for him." Carla explained.

Doranbolt appeared with the lacrima and they turned to him. "You!" Pantherlily glared at him.

"Where'd you go, you bastard?" Natsu complained.

"Mest?" Wendy asked in confusion.

"My real name is Doranbolt." He explained. "And there's no need to worry Wendy. I've come to help you guys out." They all looked at him in confusion. "With my magic, Fairy Tail members will be able to leave this island. All we have to do is figure out where everyone is..."

"I refuse." Natsu said, shocking the council worker.

"Why do we have to accept help from the council?" Carla asked.

"Yeah, our guild takes care of its own problems." Lily asked.

"That's not then point!" Mest shouted. "If headquarters gets wind of the situation here, they're going to attack the island!"

"Are they planning to use Etherion on us!?" Happy asked.

"Then we'll settle thing before that happens." Natsu said.

"Makarovs been beaten too!" The council member said. "They're even more terrifying members in Grimoire Heart. There's no way you can win!"

"So what?" Natsu asked, getting in Doranbolts face. "Does that mean we should just blow up the island!?"

"They can't do that, this Island is sacred to our guild." Wendy protested. "Our guilds first master is buried here!"

"I don't believe this!" Lucy spoke up. "If they do them it's going to be a disaster."

"We came here to protect our guild." Happy added.

"Are you planning on going after them!?" Mest asked in shock. "You're just some wizard guild!"

"Listen up." Natsu said, getting in the spy's face. "I don't care if it's Grimoire Heart or the council, it makes no difference. Anyone who lays a finger on the guild is an enemy. And I'll destroy them all."

Wendy looked up at the sky and noticed that storm clouds were gathering. 'This air... it's like the sky's going to come down.'

With Brianna and Nicholas

The two Fairy Tail wizards cried out in pain as both were thrown through a pair of trees. "Okay... this is getting really old." Brianna complained as she pushed herself up. "Why can't I hit this guy?"

"Wanna trade?" Nicholas asked. "I've had enough of the plant freak here."

"I did enjoy playing in my mother's garden as a kid." Lucian confessed before slamming hands to the ground. "Flycatcher!" A demonic flytrap shot out of the ground and snapped shut, trapping Brianna inside it. Seconds later, it glowed before she phased out of the plant in her Banshee form. "Wood Make: Wood Cutting Blade!" The dark wizard created a wooden nodachi and charged forward.

Brianna merely triggered her Phasing magic and the blade went through her without any damage. The same could not be said for the plant and trees behind her. "Now this should be an interesting experiment..." He mumbled as he turned around, the trees falling over. "Let's see if you can do better than my mother."

Nicholas charged the redhead and tried delivering some kicks that all missed. He then threw a punch that the dark wizard caught. "I figured out your magic. It's something to do with blood, isn't it?"

"That is correct." Chi nodded before throwing a punch of his own that the Dragon Slayer caught. "Master Hades trained me in Blood Magic, which allows me to control not only my blood but the blood of other." The two forced their heads against each other's and glared at each other. "Of course, it's not without its side effects."

"Let me guess, an appetite for blood?" Nicholas asked.

"And a few other things more useful." Chi smirked before turning into a swarm of bats, making Nicholas stumble forward. He stood his ground before sniffing the air.

Turning around, he activated his pillar spell and managed to turn and hit Chi with an attack. "Too bad for you I can turn my body to stone to attack. Earth Dragon Morning Star!" He pulled his arm back and swung the ball and chain over head.

Chi looked from against the tree and rolled out of the way before holding his hands to his chest. An orb of blood appeared in between them and it grew in size. "Scarlet Bomb!" He chucked the orb and it hit the ground, exploding into chunks of hardened blood.

Nicholas triggered his scale spell and tanked the blast. "Now this is going to be interesting." Chi said. "Let's see who can out match who." He summoned his Crimson Whip and charged.

"Why? Won't? You? Just? Solidify?" Lucian shouted between the swings. Brianna didn't listen and kept phasing through attacks before she flowered away. "That's it! Black Poison!" He slammed the sword into the ground and black mushrooms popped out of the dirt before they exploded, releasing their spores.

The take over mage started coughing before her body glowed and she turned into her Scorpion Woman form. "Nice try, but you're not the only one with poison." Her pincers and tail started glowing as the poisonous spores were absorbed into them. "Stinger Storm!" Her tail fired off waves of poison, forcing the dark wizard to roll out of the way. He stood up and bumped into Chi before both were hit by a roar of stone.

Brianna smirked as she returned to her ghost form and pulled her head back. "Spectral Shriek!" A magical cry came out of her mouth and both dark wizards covered their ears.

"Stop it!" Lucian cried out as his shirt started to bubble. "I. Hate. Sound!" The shirt suddenly grew an eyehole and mouth that cried in pain.

Chi glared at the ghost before his eyes turned blood red. "Crimson Shroud." His body turned into a red mist that flew straight for Brianna. It hit her and hurt before she reverted back to her normal form. "Even phasing attack's can't stop this spell."

The sound stopped and the shirt returned to normal as Lucian stood up, anger in his eyes. "That's it! We're done playing around! Zetsu!" His shirt started spreading out and covering his whole body. The two light wizards watched as his body was encased by the white goop before it took form.

The head was solid grey with only a single golden eye on it. His entire upper half was coated in the same substance as it turned his normal digits into claws. The Grimoire Heart emblem was now emblazoned on his chest in dark gray as the substance flared out at the hips. His pants were now a pair of shorts with a black and white spiral pattern on it. His boots had also turned into a pair of dark grey boots with thick heels.

"Now, you pay!" The fusion spoke with no visible mouth hole before it charged the Dragon Slayer. Nicholas groaned as his gut took the impact from the hit. The new threat then unleashed a flurry of punches that all hit before a final one launched Nicholas backwards.

"What the hell are you?" He asked before crashing into a tree.

"We are SPIRALUS!" The creature shouted before its left hand shifted into a spike and it launched forward. Nicholas barely managed to activate his scale spell to avoid getting run through. "From Zeref we come, and to Zeref we return!" The spike shifted back into a hand before it grabbed the chest and started squeezing. "Now, die!"

Nicholas cried in pain as he stared down at the hand. 'Impossible... my ribs are cracking!?' "Gah!" He felt one break and his scale spell started to crack, threatening to leave him with no protection.

"Leave him alone!" The two turned and saw Brianna charging them in her Minotaur form. If the symbiote could smile, it did as it pulled the hand back and launched both at her. They encased the bipedal cow and then picked it before slamming her down on the ground multiple times. It then looked as Brianna returned to human form before throwing her forward, hoping to impale her on a broken tree branch.

Nicholas gripped his ribs as he stood up and raced over. He managed to grab his friend but the force from the throw still launched them through the tree before they landed next to a small pond of water on the island. "You okay?" He asked.

"I should be asking you that." She replied. "You're the one with the busted chest." They helped each other up as Chi and Spiralus stepped over the broken trees.

"Seems he cares a great deal for her." Spiralus observer before snickering. "We've got an idea..." The merged wizard said before he whispered into Chi's ear.

The vampiric mage went wide eyed before smirking. "You truly are a sick creature, Spiralus." He said before holding out his hand. A magic seal appeared and started glowing. "Imperium!" The seal turned solid red and glowed brightly before it faded, showing nothing.

"That's it?" Brianna asked. "It didn't even do anything."

"Seems like he's run out of magic power. Now's our chance." Nicholas declared as he prepared to fight them.

"Yeah, let's kick their ass." Brianna said before her arm delivered a punch to her partner.

"What was that for?" He asked before dodging another punch and then a kick.

"It-it's not me." She said before she turned into her Minotaur form and punched her friend in the gut. "I-i can't control my body."

Nicholas clutched his ribs before Brianna kicked him to side. He rolled along the ground before looking up at the blood mage. "What did you do to her?"

"I just turned her into my blood puppet, that's all." Chi confessed. "It's one of the more advance spells of Blood Magic." Nicholas rolled out of the way of Brianna's stinger as she crawled forward. "It only works on those whose blood I've ingested, and thanks to my Bloody Needles, I've done just that."

Nicholas forced himself up before rolling out of the way of the stinger Brianna now had. He ducked each sting that followed as Brianna grew closer to her. "I can't stop!" She cried out before her body glowed and she went into her Harpy form. "Knock me out! It's your only chance!" She took to the sky before divebombing her friend.

Nicholas stood his ground and pulled his fist back. "Sorry about this. Earth Dragon Diamond-"

"Life Leech!" Spiralus held up his hand and a seed shot out of his palm. It hit Nicholas and turned into a sproutling that glowed purple.

Nicholas threw his fist forward, but no magic power came from it. "The hell?" That was all he managed to get out before Brianna crashed into him, sending him bouncing into a tree. She landed and turned into her Glaistig form. Holding up her hands, vines shot up and wrapped around his body.

"Now for a slow and painful death." Chi chuckled as he threw Brianna to the side. He glanced over and saw Spiralus staring at the pond.

"Let's see how deep this is." The symbiote shot its arm down the water and then pulled it back up. "It's deep enough." It then jumped up and kicked a small cliff letting a chunk of rock fall off. "Here, let's use this." Spiralus said as he and the rock landed. Chi smirked as he had Brianna tie her vines to the rock. Effortlessly, he picked up the bolder and tossed it into the water, pulling Nicholas down with it.

"No!" Brianna shouted as her mind wanted to race over but it wouldn't listen to her.

"Don't worry, you'll join him soon enough." Chi chuckled as Spiralus wrapped its hands around her. "But first, a light snack." He licked his canines and walked forward.

Under the water, Nicholas squirmed and writhed as he tried to break free. The vines were always too strong for him to break and this time was no different. 'Let's try something else.' He tried to use his warhammer spell, but the limb remained the same. 'Why can't I use my magic? Was it that weird plant?'

His options run out, Nicholas stared up at the surface of the water. 'So, this is how it ends?' He asked himself, holding his breath. 'A slow painful death alone.' His mind filled with all the time he spent with Brianna, pre and post Fairy Tail. 'I couldn't even keep my promise to her father. How am I gonna face him?' The rock hit the bottom, launching sediment up and the impact caused his pendant to float up. 'How could I face Arnighte?'

July 6 X777

"Boy, come out here." Arnighte said from the outside of the cave. Nicholas raced out of it and stood in front of his new father. He had grown over the years with Arnighte, and his body had developed into a strong physique. "I have something for you."

"What is it?" He asked, brimming with excitement. His new father had never given him anything before.

"First, I just wish to say how proud I am of your progress." The Dragon said. "Most humans could not survive this training and yet you have. You are ready for this." He used his tail to push a small box forward and Nicholas raced for it.

The child ripped the box open and stared at the contents in confusion. Reaching in, he picked up the item and lifted up the pendent. "A broken rock? That's my gift?"

"This is no ordinary rock, boy." Arnighte said. "This will ensure that my power will live on for as long as you do. This is tamahagane. It is extremely viable to enchantment, which is why I sought out an old friend. She managed to enchant it so that you never-" He was cut off when the pendant hit him in the face.

"That's your idea of a gift?" Nicholas asked, tears in his eyes. "Is that all I'm good for, carrying on your power? I've done everything you've asked me too, and you just talk about your power. You don't care about me at all! I'm nothing to you! Just a means for you to prove yourself better! I wish you would just go away!"

Nicholas raced back into his cave and began crying on his grass bed as Arnighte sighed. Gingerly, he picked up the pendant with his claws and placed it in front of the cave. "I know I've been hard on you, boy." The dragon spoke up. "But that is only because I wanted you to be ready. This stone has more than one purpose. When you find someone you care about more than your own life, you will know what to do with it." The Dragon curled up and went to sleep, leaving Nicholas to cry in the cave.

Present

'Why, why did you have to leave?" He asked himself. 'And what did you mean by that?" Brianna's face flashed through his head and he thought back to the kiss in Edolas. His eyes went wide as he finally figured it out.

'Like hell I'm gonna die here!' Nicholas began wriggling his right arm before it broke free. 'I finally found that person, Arnighte.' He reached up and grabbed his heirloom before he brought it to his lips and bit a small chunk off it. 'And I will keep her safe!' He did it again as he felt his magic surging with in him.

Chi gripped Brianna's face and brought his fangs down to feast. The water exploded into a geyser and both men turned around. Brianna looked up and saw Nicholas with scales around his eyes and on his arms, and his hair had hardened into spikes at the tips. "Let. Her. Go. Now." He said his voice dripping with venom.

"Still got some kick in you?" Spiralus chuckled as he let Brianna go. "Let's take him out-" Nicholas launched forward and delivered a hard punch to the eye, launching him back through a dozen trees.

Chi pulled his arm back and used his Crimson Whip spell and hooked the dragon slayers wrist. His smirk didn't last as Nicholas pulled him in and punched him. Chi was launched back before he was pulled back in for another punch. This was the pattern that went on until Nicholas held his hands high.

"Earth Dragon Cavern Crusher!" He encased his fists in stone before slamming them down on Chi's head, sending him crashing into the ground. Seconds later, Nicholas shot out of the ground and sent the blood wizard into the sky before Nicholas smothered him with kicks and punches.

'His magic power... it's canceling out my own!?' Chi asked in shock before Nicholas slammed his feet into the dark wizards spine and forced him to the ground. The blood mage gasped in pain before Nicholas picked him up and threw him, impaling him right through the gut. The branch snapped an Chi fell to the ground in defeat.

The symbiote mate pushed himself up and stare at the dust settle to show Chi under Nicholas' boot. "Is-is it too late to say we're sorry?" Spiralus nervously asked, taking a few steps back. The Dragon Slayer matched every step as magic began gathering around his foot.

Nicholas answered by raising his right foot. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Gaia's Revenge - Magma Pulse!" He slammed his foot down and the ground began to crack before it bubbled and shot molten rock aimed at the fused wizard. The liquid and stone combination hit him and pummeled the fused wizard, making him cry in pain. A final shot hit and launched him back as his shirt returned to normal.

The scales on his body faded away as he helped Brianna up. "Thanks, but I could have taken them." She chuckled.

"Brianna, listen to me." He said, grabbing her hand. "When I was drowning I thought back to something Arnighte told me about this." He motioned to the pendent. "He said when I found someone I care for more then myself, I would know what it's for. And then I thought of you. What I'm trying to say is-"

"I love you too." Brianna interrupted. "Now just kiss me already."

"Oh, oka-"

*Squish*

Nicholas coughed up blood and it spattered onto Brianna's face. Both looked down in horror to see a claw sticking through Nicholas. "God, that talk... makes us sick..." Lucian groaned out as he pulled his bloody claw out of Nicholas's gut.

Brianna stared at sight before her father flashed in her head. She stared at the blood on the ground and in her hands before something snapped. "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A massive magic seal appeared over her and her body started glowing. A green tattoo appeared on her cheeks as a crack formed on her face.

Her hair tied itself in a braid as her canine teeth turned into fangs and her ears grew. Her skin turned a sickly pale and her clothing turned into bloodied bones that covered her chest and lower half. Her arms lengthened as her hands turned into three purple claws. Heel claws appeared on her wrist and ankles and a final crack appeared along her side.

Lucian stared in horror of what she had turned into before his face turned into a smirk. "Alright, let's see what you can do in this soul." He slammed his hands together and recreated his sword before delivering an overhand swing. Brianna merely opened her mouth and caught it. Lucian grew curious before she snapped her jaws shut, destroying the blade.

She then delivered a vicious slash to his chest, forcing him back. She then crouched down and pounced on him before slashing again, tearing not only his jacket but also his symbiote to shreds. Brianna then leaned down and bared her fangs at his neck, making him only smirk more. "Yes, show me more!" He begged and Brianna obliged by stabbing her claws into his chest, trying to dig out his heart.

Blood soaked her claws as she tore through the chest and ripped chunks off flesh off. "Brianna..." She looked up and over as Nicholas reached out for her. "Don't... let it win... again..." He groaned out before falling unconscious. Brianna stared him before her body glowed and she returned to normal, her hands still soaked with blood.. Lucian fell unconscious from blood loss as the shirt scraps pulled together and dragged him and Chi away.

"Brianna! Nicholas!" The girl looked up to see Slate flying over to them. "There you guys are. We need to get back to-" He stopped talking the second he saw the state Nicholas was in. "No, what happened to him?"

"He got impaled by this creepy- wait, why are you even here?" Brianna asked. "You were back at the guild hall?"

"Carla had a vision of chaos and we came to help." Slate said as he tried to pick Nicholas up. "Come on, we have to get him to Wendy. They're probably back at Base Camp right now. Follow me."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Brianna said as she threw her oldest friend over her shoulders and began the long trek back to camp. "Please don't die on me."

Yep, that's how my characters get together. And then ripped apart like Nicholas' gut. Little bit of canon to top it off an I think we've got a pretty decent chapter. The new form for Brianna is a Strigoi, an evil vampiric creature that is the basis for Bram stroker Dracula. I'll put both it and Spiralus up on my deviantart page so you guys can get a better look at them. And don't worry, the two villains will appear again later in this story.

Beta read by JballinR12.