(Edited 29/02/24)
(Edited 14/03/24)
(Edited 20/03/24)
Reuniting With Family, And Yourself
***POTD***
"Alright Igneel, explain all of this to me then," Natsu replied, motioning to the area they found themselves in. "For starters, where are we?"
"To begin, we're inside what is known as a Mindscape. All powerful beings possess one, from Mages to Dragons, Demons to even the Gods," Igneel began. "I don't have the time to explain to you the specifics of how it works right now, but what I will tell you is that up until this moment, I've been preventing you from accessing it."
"Preventing me from accessing it? Why?"
"Because, simply put, your Mindscape is a place where any other entities you possess sealed within yourself will be revealed."
"…Wait a second," Natsu murmured, as he looked back up to the Fire Dragon. "Are you saying that you're sealed within me!?"
"Yes."
"So all this time I spent looking for you, thinking that you'd just up and abandoned me…"
"I was with you the entire time, yes," Igneel sighed, as Natsu clenched his fists, body trembling. "It was a necessary deception, one that I'll explain soon. For now however, we have a major problem ahead of us."
"Yeah! You've got us out there getting killed by that Harbinger guy, and he isn't just your average bad guy," the other Natsu chimed in. "He isn't just strong, he's an 'Oh, look at me, I'm harnessing the powers of Achnologia himself,' type of strong!"
"So who exactly are you," Natsu asked his duplicate. "Igneel just said that the Mindscape is a place that reveals other entities sealed within me, right? So who, or what, are you supposed to be?"
"Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised you don't know who I am, since my existence has been expertly hidden from the world," the copy replied, his erratic mannerisms calming down somewhat. "To put it simply, I am you… Well, I'm a part of you, I guess? I'm the result of experiments Zeref performed on you when you were a kid. When you … well, died."
"Wait… I died!? When did this happen," Natsu snapped, rounding on Igneel. "Is that true!?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so. You died a very long time ago. I'll get into the specifics with you later, since you seem mature enough to know the truth. As for right now however, we have but one thing to discuss.
"Harbinger Famine?"
"Correct."
"Listen Natsu, he isn't Felix anymore. He's nothing but a puppet of Achnologia now," the copy stated bluntly, with Igneel supporting his claims.
"He's a puppet capable of wielding part of Achnologia's own power, I might add."
"So, what should I do? I haven't come here before when I've gone unconscious, so I'm assuming you brought me here for a reason?"
"Well yes, we have a reason for bringing you here, but it's important that we properly explain what we are planning on doing, and why, before you accept."
"But I thought there wasn't any time to waste?"
"You know Igneel Natsu, always trying to settle things as quickly as possible. Take my advice and hear us out before you rush into anything, because this is going to affect the rest of your life as you know it. Okay?"
"Fine," Natsu sighed, as he sat down between the pair. "Tell me what you two have planned?"
"Take a look over to the far right of your Mindscape, and tell me what you see?"
"It's a black tower," Natsu muttered, eyes narrowed. "But I don't feel anything from it like the rest of this place? No Magic, no presence of any kind…?"
"To keep things short, let's just say that the tower over there is sealing away the rest of your power that you're supposed to have," the copy explained. "Power… from me."
"Power from you? So, you're more than just a regular part of me then?"
"Correct. I'm actually something that both saved your life, and condemned it, I suppose. Had I told you who I was without Igneel present, you'd likely attack me on the spot out of principle."
"Okay… I promise I won't attack you, no matter who you are. But tell me, just who are you?"
"That's a bit of a complicated question, so I'll explain it as best I can. I am you, the rest of who you are. I am the greatest piece of Black Arts ever conceived by Zeref… I am his greatest creation… a true Demon Lord."
Natsu froze, looking upon the figure now in a new light. It didn't take a genius to realize what he was referring to, since everyone in any Magic Circle knew of the greatest piece of Magic ever conceived by Zeref. His ultimate creation, his final masterpiece…
The Culmination Of The Ahnkseram Black Arts
The Greatest Of All Of Zeref's Creations
The Most Powerful Demon In Earthland
SSSSS Rank Dark Mage
The Book Of E.N.D
Etherious Natsu Dragneel
Natsu sat stock still, eyes wide, as he absorbed this new information. At first, he immediately denied it. However, as he denied it, he found himself looking back over his life, contemplating certain oddities, certain moments where he should have died, or been affected by something, yet found himself immune.
"So, I'm E.N.D? I'm a Demon from the Books of Zeref?"
"Technically yes, but also no. You see, whilst we are an Etherious Demon, our power isn't able to be confined to a book like the others, since it is derived directly from Zeref's Hybrid's Aura that he has. Zeref has this process where he can turn a Human into a Demon with regular Black Magic, but with us, he used his Ankhseram Black Magic instead. So, we are far superior."
"But therein lies the problem Natsu. You are E.N.D, which means that your sole purpose should have been to kill Zeref. However, that wasn't the case, and you proceeded to do whatever you pleased. As a result, you've floundered about, as an entire portion of your power has sat idle."
"Basically, you're supposed to be fucking OP as shit, is what Igneel is trying to say."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that," Natsu snorted in response. "Alright. So, I'm E.N.D. What's the game plan here?"
"To start, you're going to have to trust me when I say this, but you'll have to give temporary control of your body over to him until I've managed to explain things in greater detail. Your body as E.N.D will operate far differently to the one you've had up until this point, and we can't risk you being destroyed or captured because you don't know how to effectively use it."
"And don't stress about me doing anything too crazy," E.N.D chimed in helpfully. "I'll just be fighting Harbinger Famine until you're ready."
"Well, I suppose there really isn't any other choice for me but to trust the two of you," Natsu sighed, before steeling his features. "What do I have to do?"
"Just close your eyes, and simply think about me having access, and it should work."
Natsu nodded and a quiet pop was heard. Opening his eyes once again, E.N.D had vanished, leaving just Natsu and Igneel alone within the Mindscape.
"Alright Natsu, now pay attention, because there is much to discuss," the Fire Dragon Monarch grumbled as Natsu turned his attention toward his adoptive Father. "I won't have time to repeat any of this, alright? So, make sure you really pay attention, since even if we survive, you might still get us killed if you don't understand all of it!"
Natsu nodded sternly, as Igneel began informing him of everything he needed to know. In the back of his mind, however, he couldn't help but feel a bit overwhelmed. Though he inevitably brushed those thoughts aside, as this seemed to be his lot in life at this point.
For now, he'd just learn as much as he could, and process it all later.
***POTD***
Outside of Natsu's mind, Harbinger Famine had placed Natsu's body on an altar, clearly preparing to perform some sort of foul ritual upon it.
Before the Harbinger had the chance, however, he paused, noticing that the shadow being cast by Natsu had darkened considerably, before expanding outward. Stepping away from the corpse, the Harbinger was shocked as the shadow wrapped itself around the body, before it suddenly sat up.
"Impossible…"
"Sorry tin can, but you can take your moldy self and kindly fuck off," Natsu's voice replied mockingly, as the shadow shattered revealing Natsu standing there, looking no worse for wear.
Or, at least, that's what the Harbinger initially thought.
He watched as Natsu's long salmon pink hair shortened back to a manageable medium length, before it slowly darkened in coloration to pitch black. His body appeared mostly the same aside from that, though the Harbinger had to admit, seeing his cheeks suddenly split open to reveal row after row of razor sharp teeth was unnerving.
"Your Dark Magic signature feels similar to that of the Black Wizard Zeref," Harbinger Famine stated, as it entered a defensive stance. "You are a Demon of Etherious?"
The strange form of Natsu chuckled darkly, his cheeks resealing themselves as he seemed to be stretching, testing himself out before cracking his neck to relieve some built up pressure.
"I'm not just A Demon, I'm THE Demon," he smirked, body becoming coated in black colored fire as the sickly green flames from Harbinger Famine increased in their density as well. "I'm the Demon Lord E.N.D, and I'm about to wipe up another shitstain of Achnologia from the world!"
"The mightiest of all Zeref's creations cannot even hope to stand against the power of the Dragon King," Harbinger Famine replied firmly, armored fists clenched tightly. "All life, including those of Demon kind, will be purged from these lands!"
"Oh yeah, well just come and fucking try purge me," E.N.D grinned. "I've been waiting hundreds of years for some action, so I'm gonna enjoy plastering your moldy ass across this country!"
"So be it… Your sentence is erasure," Harbinger Famine's voice rumbled, as he began powering up. "Stand ready for the end, for you face the Harbinger Famine! With my flames that spread decay and death across the land, scorching all in the name of the Dragon King!"
Harbinger Famine (Docile Host, Achnologia's Will, Full Power) – 77.2 Million MPI
Etherious Natsu Dragneel (Base Form + Recently Awakened + Adapting) – 70.2 Million MPI
"His will be done, your form… UNDONE," Harbinger Famine roared, as the pair took one step forward, crossing fists, and splitting the entire mountain clean down the middle from the sheer force of their blows.
Fatal Battle
Four Harbingers, Cult Of The Black Dragon
Harbinger Famine
"You will only find death here, Demon," Harbinger Famine muttered, raising his free hand right as the pair broke off their clash. "Famine Dragon King's Sickly Flame!"
"Heh. I'll play…"
The flames that Harbinger Famine fired directly at E.N.D struck the Demon full force, blowing away everything behind him. The Harbinger knew the attack made contact, knowing full well its secondary effect would then activate.
"It was foolish of you to try and endure my Famine Dragon Slayer Magic. These flames possess the power of Famine itself, which will infect all life with disease and eventual death," the Harbinger murmured, as a strong wind blew the smoke away, revealing E.N.D to be completely unharmed. "This is … illogical?"
"You know, you really talk quite a lot, considering the fact that Achnologia barely ever speaks," E.N.D smirked. "Still, my turn!"
E.N.D charged forward, striking Harbinger Famine directly in the stomach. The being simply skidded backward, not showing any visible sign of damage from the attack, although, this appeared to be within E.N.D's plans.
"You get to be the first victim of this new power of mine," the Demon smirked, as his right arm became coated in a blackish hue. "Etherious Aura: Demonic Dragon's Malicious Claw!"
Surging forward, the Demon slashed Harbinger Famine across his breastplate, slicing through it like butter, as the being was shot straight off the ruined mountaintop, and into the one directly across from them, blowing away its peak in the process.
"You… You actually broke through my Armor," Harbinger Famine murmured, prying himself out of the rubble as E.N.D vanished from his previous position, reappearing above him as he floated several meters off of the ground. "This power to defy that of Lord Achnologia's own is completely illogical."
"I hate to be the one to burst your bubble tin can, but I'm literally the antithesis of logical," E.N.D smirked in response. "How could a being who hasn't even been touched by the power of Gods or Devils even hope to compete against one that has been engineered for their very destruction?"
"I do not follow your logic, Demon?"
"I was designed specifically to slay the Black Wizard Zeref, who wields the power of both a God, and a Devil, in a truly unholy union! Basically, what that means is, I'm better than you, bitch!"
"Ignoring your irrelevant insult, what you are saying is that you possess traits similar to those of the Gods," Harbinger Famine replied calmly. "Such a revelation matters little, as both Gods and Devils alike fear the power of the Dragon King, which is why they cower in Terminus and Tartarus. They fear confronting him head on, too afraid to come down and face him, knowing that they would be torn from their thrones and consumed by the everlasting Apocalypse…"
"Even if that were true, it doesn't matter," E.N.D replied as the fingers on his right hand wriggled, before rapidly extending outward, forming into large black chitinous looking blades. "Because today, I'm killing me a Harbinger! Etherious Aura: Demonic Dragon's Speedy Staccato!"
Harbinger Famine was forced on the defensive, as E.N.D brought his tendril like fingers down upon him like whips, the blades at the end ripping apart entire sections of the mountain, slicing them cleanly off, cackling with glee every time he tagged the being.
'Hopefully those two hurry up inside us, or this might get ugly a bit later…'
***POTD***
Elise had just arrived back at their camp, and was shocked at what she saw. Gildarts was struggling to hold back a large Demonic looking creature, whilst Erza, Wendy, and Solomon, all attacked it from its vulnerable sides to little effect.
"Damn! What the Hell is this thing made out of," Gildarts growled, as the Demon roared, and beginning to thrash about in his grip once more.
"None of our attacks have any effect on it, so what should we do," Erza shouted, as the Demon suddenly locked eyes with Elise, and stopped all movement.
"No way," Elise murmured. "You can't be-?"
"FAULKNER," the Demon roared, the entire area shaking violently as it easily freed itself from Gildarts' grip, before charging in her direction. "DIE!"
As the Demon approached, Elise got a better look at it, and it became abundantly clear that this was Dimaria Yesta. Now standing at fifteen feet tall, she had no clothes, but instead solid chitinous Armor around her body that made her look more beast than man. Her golden hair was swept back, running down her back, passing through her two five-meter-long wings, which flared up the closer she got.
"I'VE GOT YOU NOW," Dimaria roared, cocking back as her right clawed fist became coated in the all too familiar Etherious Aura.
Elise immediately raised both arms and blocked the strike, however, there was much more force behind the blow than she'd anticipated. As a result, she was sent flying through the forest, smashing through trees and boulders until striking the base of one of the mountains, where she was embedded in a large crater.
"Ow," Elise sniffed, ripping herself out of the rock wall. "Wait… Did she just hit me with Time Magic? That doesn't make any sense, the Gods took away all of Chronos' power when we got her back to Terminus!? How did-!?"
"COME AND FACE ME WAR GOD SLAYER," Dimaria's voice boomed, as she sensed the rampaging Spriggan rapidly approaching her position. "YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!"
"I didn't do this to you, I left you with that Brandish woman," Elise snapped back as Dimaria tore through the treeline, skidding to a stop before her. "From there, I have no idea what happ-!?"
"LIES! ALL LIES! YOU'LL DIE FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME! MAYBE THEN, LORD ZEREF MIGHT GIVE ME MY LIFE BACK!"
"Zeref," Elise gasped, quickly putting two and two together. "Zeref did this to you!?"
Elise didn't have much time to ponder her thoughts as Dimaria rushed her once more. This time, however, Elise was ready for her, as she activated her God's Aura, blocking her attack with much more power than last time.
"I don't know what happened to you Dimaria, but you are a threat, and must be eliminated for the sake of my friends! Tell me though, just how are you able to use Time Magic when the Gods stripped you of all your Time Magic!?"
"That's because I'm not using Magic, little Slayer … Once I was turned into this, I ceased being Human, and all those Human limitations no longer applied to me. You want to know my Magic? Then come, have a taste! Etherious Aura: Curse Of Time – Paradoxical Impact!"
Dimaria smashed Elise directly in the face, sending her flying through the forest once again. As she recovered from the blow, she couldn't help but be shocked at the fact that Dimaria's attack had actually done real damage to her, unlike the last time they'd fought.
"What!? This doesn't make any sense," the War God Slayer hissed, as she finally gained her footing, skidding to a stop. "I shouldn't be susceptible to Time related attacks!?"
"Those rules don't apply when two opposites clash," Dimaria spat in response, appearing several meters before her. "Or didn't that War Goddess teach you that? Demons use what are known as Curses rather than regular Magic, which is drawn directly from the realm of the Devils, Tartarus. You just took a hit from my Paradoxical Impact, which will allow you the pleasure of feeling my blow a hundred times over!"
Elise grit her teeth in frustration, knowing that this fight wasn't going to be easy. It appeared that this Dimaria had gained one key advantage from their last battle, and it would no doubt make things tougher than before.
"Fine then, let's do this," Elise snarled, as she began to release her full power, with Dimaria doing the same.
Elise Faulkner (God's Aura, Full Power) – 54 Million MPI
Dimaria Yesta (Etherious Form, Full Power) – 57.2 Million MPI
"Bring it on… FAULKNER," Dimaria roared, as the pair both vanished, reappearing instantly at the center of the space that had been between them, their fists cocked back.
"Etherious Aura: Curse Of Time – Paradoxical Impact!"
"God's Aura: War God's Armageddon Fist!"
The two fists clashed, with every single tree, shrub, rock and strand of grass being immediately blasted away. The earth quickly began to crack, the ground rumbling in protests as large gashes tore open all around them, with the pair sinking into a rapidly forming crater.
"You'll not win this time Slayer, you're outmatched! Just keel over and let me have my revenge!"
"You started all this Dimaria! Joining a madman like Zeref, and agreeing to attack the innocent people of Scarlione on the orders of Emperor Spriggan… You brought this Fate upon yourself!"
This was the scene that the rest of the group arrived to bear witness to. Erza and Wendy were completely blown away at the raw power Elise was putting out. Solomon and Gildarts were surprised, but the latter seemed to understand the gist of why she was so powerful.
"What the Hell is going on," Erza cried out in shock. "Where did Elise get so much power!?"
"Its pretty obvious, isn't it," Gildarts shouted in response, raising his Crash Barrier around them to shield the group from the debris being tossed in their direction. "It looks like she's advanced her abilities with her Godlike powers. Remember that she said she wasn't entirely Human anymore, but a real Demigod?"
"So, this is the power of a Demigod," Erza muttered, looking toward Elise in awe, before snapping herself back to her senses. "We still need to help her-!?"
"NO," Elise roared, cutting Erza off as the group looked back toward the fight, seeing the Demigod struggling to hold back Dimaria. "You all need to go help Natsu!"
"Help Natsu? What's-?"
Gildarts was cut off, as the peak of the mountain above their current position exploded, as the group felt two monstrous Magical signatures clash.
"I take it that is what Elise is referring to," Solomon sighed.
"Natsu was confronted by Irene Belserion, you've all got to go help him," Elise shouted, eliciting a curse from Gildarts, and narrowed eyes from Solomon. "All of you, just leave this to me!"
"Natsu's in trouble," Erza hissed. "Come on, we've got to go help him," Erza shouted, only for Gildarts to hold her in place. "What!?"
"You can't help him Erza… None of us can help Natsu."
"W-What!? What are you saying, we can't just abandon him!?"
"We don't have a choice Erza," Gildarts replied sternly. "Irene is leagues above even me! It took Illyandra, who was harnessing the power of the entire country, just to nearly beat her! I'm sorry Erza, but Natsu has to fend for himself!"
"I'm not just going to leave him to die! I'm-!"
"Remember what Natsu and I said when we brought you all here," Gildarts snapped back harshly. "Should a situation ever arise where one of us tells you all to do something, that you would listen to us without question!? Erza, Irene is beyond us all, and the best thing we can do right now is help Elise! After that, then we can figure something out-!?"
"No! All of you just need to run, this fight isn't an ordinary fight! It's a fight between a Demigod and a Demon, and all of you are in great danger," Elise shouted in response, as both she and Dimaria separated from their clash, immediately beginning to trade countless blows in a matter of moments.
"No way was that thing that fast before," Gildarts replied in shock, quickly realizing that Elise was probably right. "Okay, let's fall back and-."
"Mister Gildarts," Wendy called out, pointing above their position.
Gritting his teeth, the Crash Mage looked above them, only to see an entire mountain was hurdling right toward the group. The Crash Mage growled, clenching his fist, as orange sparks shot out of his arm.
"Damn all of this," the Crash Mage hissed. "Crash Arts: Crushing Evil – Empyrean!"
With his one arm, Gildarts punched above his current position, firing a massive surge of Crash Magic towards the mountain sized object, causing it to be diced into small cubes which fell harmlessly around them.
"Where did that come from," Erza asked, clearly struggling to keep up with the sheer ridiculousness of what was going on.
"Why don't you ask her," Gildarts growled, as he motioned ahead of them.
"Brandish Myu," Solomon muttered, with Erza and Wendy freezing in place.
"Three Spriggan, seems like overkill," Gildarts sighed, as Brandish began to speak.
"I promised Natsu I wasn't gonna go fighting you guys, but Irene's ordered me to at the very least make things rough for you lot. So, if you could all just offer yourselves up so I can crush you, that'd be great."
"Damn… This is really bad, I don't know if I can take her with only one arm," Gildarts hissed with a frown, as Solomon summoned a bo staff to his side.
"It has been a few months since I last fought against a Spriggan, but I'll back you up all the same my friend! Erza Scarlett! Take young Wendy, and get back to the mountain base as quickly as you can! Illyandra needs to know what's happening!"
"But-!"
"No buts," Solomon replied sharply, cutting her off as both he and Gildarts began releasing their Magical Power. "You two are the future generation, so let us old fossils like us put it all on the line, so that you might live. And Miss Scarlett … Thank you, for brightening the smile on Natsu's face."
Erza bit her lip at the old man's words, but nodded stiffly as she turned toward Wendy. The young Dragon Slayer seemed rather shaken by all the monstrous Magical signatures, but she was holding together, barely.
"Come on Wendy, we've got to fall back."
"I know… But we're coming back for Natsu," Wendy sniffed, shedding a few tears as she looked up toward the damaged mountains above. "He won't die… He won't!"
Erza smiled as she picked up the young Dragon Slayer, giving one last curt nod toward Gildarts and Solomon, before vanishing in a burst of speed.
"Now it's just the three of us," Gildarts said, as the three Mages all continued to power up.
"I take it we're really doing this," Brandish sighed. "This is so not cool…"
"Solomon," Gildarts sighed, looking toward his friend. "If we make it through this, we're going to get black out drunk."
"Agreed. A shame the entire crew won't be there for it though, like old times," the Battlemage replied, eliciting a knowing smile from the Crash Mage.
"What do you reckon our odds are? You think we're screwed?"
"I do not know what to think at this point if I'm being honest. The power of the God Slayer has already surprised me. My one hope is that we can at least buy the young ones enough time to get to safety."
"Good point," Gildarts nodded in agreement, as all three of them began to hit their peaks. "There really is no point holding back, is there!?"
Gildarts became surrounded in a pillar of raw Magic Power, the entire area shaking violently. Solomon too became surrounded in a golden pillar of light, as a golden Magic Circle appeared beneath his feet.
"Old people… are so bothersome," Brandish sighed, as she also became coated in a bright green pillar of raw Magic. "This… This is gonna suck."
Gildarts Clive (PTS + Second Origin Sealed, Arm Nerf) – 52.27 Million MPI
Solomon Duvorn (Second Origin Sealed, Full Power) – 55.5 Million MPI
Brandish Myu (Second Origin Sealed, Command T Self Active, Suppressed) – 70.22 Million MPI
"You damn old timers really want to do this? Fine…"
Brandish picked up an ordinary rock and threw it in their direction, holding up her left hand as a bright green colored Magic Circle appeared around her wrist.
"Command T – Expansion!"
The duo watched as the rock rapidly enlarged until it was the size of a small town. Before it could get far, however, the entire thing was ripped into cubes and flung back at her, courtesy of Gildarts' Magic.
"Command T – Reduction!"
The large rocks shrunk down to nothing, leaving Brandish wholly unharmed, as the two Mages ahead of her frowned.
"So, her power really is to enlarge and shrink various objects," Solomon mused. "That will most definitely be trouble…"
"She can enlarge herself as well, trust me," Gildarts replied. "I've been on the receiving end of attacks from her in the past."
"Well then, this certainly is going to be a fun one, isn't it?"
"You could have both made this so much easier on yourselves if you didn't decide to confront me?"
"Hey, you confronted us," Gildarts shot back, only for Brandish to sigh and shake her head.
"I'd much rather be napping on some nice sunny beach somewhere than confront you lot, but my orders were clear. Let's get this over with…"
The three began to flare their Magic once more, before rushing each other in the blink of an eye, vanishing from sight.
***POTD***
The entire area was barren, as shock-waves let loose powerful gusts of wind that tore up all the trees sending them flying off into the distance. At the center of the newly formed wasteland, were Elise and Dimaria, who were trading blows at a frantic pace.
"You continue to resist little Slayer, even after all my polite warnings!"
"Nothing polite about them! All you've done is screech and roar like a rabid beast," Elise shot back, as her sword clashed with Dimaria's scale covered arm.
"You cannot hope to win against me, for I have been touched by Zeref's Magic! There isn't anything in this world more powerful!"
"But you know he's still scared shitless of Achnologia," Elise muttered under her breath, before breaking off the clash. "You probably have no idea what you even are anymore, do you? The power you wield is no longer of this world, similar to mine. Yours is a power that has no place here, and never will."
"And who are you and those foolish Gods to decide such a Fate for people like us!? Like Lord Zeref!? We Demon kind who are scorned for simply existing!"
'Her mind is warping to that of a typical Demon… So, this is the power of Zeref? To rob a Human of their own will, and replace it with one loyal only to him, whilst also granting them the sense that they are real Demons… In reality though, they are nothing but Hybrids, destined to be shunned by both Gods and Demons.'
Elise was drawn out of her inner thoughts, as a golden fist struck her square in the jaw, sending her through several trees.
"I suppose I should put my thoughts to the side for the moment, since I am fighting a Demon of Zeref," Elise sighed, as she blocked another strike from the monstrosity in front of her.
"Fall to Etherious," Dimaria roared, as she prepared her next attack. "Etherious Aura: Curse Of Time – Distortion Grenade!"
Elise blocked the attack, and noticed that Dimaria's fist had left a small bubble on her arm, which began to rapidly expand, quickly enveloping her. Inside the bubble, she was bombarded with hundreds of explosions.
Gritting her teeth, she began to expel her Magical Power, and channeled it to her sword. Slowly, she managed to raise her sword above her head, and she brought it down, slicing through the bubble, and setting off a large explosion.
"To slice through Time … Definitely the work of one with the powers of a God," Dimaria growled, as Elise emerged with some burns and cuts on her body.
"You know, that was pretty low… Then again, you are an abomination, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Elise sighed as her body began to regenerate from the battle damage. "I was preoccupied with my thoughts before, but I won't be making that mistake twice."
"Keep talking yourself up little Slayer! Even with this supposedly mastered form of yours, you've failed to deal any real damage to me!"
"Like I said just before, I was holding back," the God Slayer sighed. "But not anymore..."
Elise's Aura flared up, as the blackish hue of the War God expanded outward, melding perfectly with it, as the War God Slayer readied her blade.
"Time to see if I truly have advanced to the next stage in becoming just like Mother," Elise muttered, as she raised her sword, pointing it directly at Dimaria's position, a faint light glimmering at its tip.
"What are you-!?"
"God's Aura: War God's Fissure Slicer!"
From the tip of the blade, a large blast of pure Magic burst forth, and began to tear up everything in front of it until it reached Dimaria's position.
"What type of attack is that!?"
'She wouldn't know, because she isn't a true Demon, just a mere imitation. Zeref's creations may be able to tap into Etherious, but they will never hold the power of a true Demon from Tartarus...'
Dimaria managed to dodge the attack at the last moment, darting out of the way and narrowly avoiding being blasted apart. Looking to her left, the results spoke for themselves.
"No way…"
From the focal point of deployment, all the way off into the distance, was a massive fissure in the earth. Dimaria couldn't even begin to see the bottom of it, which sent shivers down her spine.
Had she been struck directly by that attack, it would have destroyed her physical form, returning her to her book.
"Do you now understand the difference between us, Dimaria? The one who was playing God, and the one who was actually earning said title?"
"You know nothing," Dimaria roared, extending both arms outward. "Etherious Aura: Curse Of Time – Distortion Dome!"
A large golden dome formed around the pair, and Elise could tell it had the purpose of keeping her in place, as Dimaria began to race around the area at full speed.
"You are nothing compared to his power, to the power of Etherious!"
"Three."
"You will perish here, and fall beneath the might of Zeref!"
"Two."
"Then he will march on Fiore, and tear those fools off of their ivory thrones, plunging it into a thousand year darkness!"
"One."
"The entire world will be consumed by his will, and then it will march onto Terminus, with the Gods themselves bowing before the might that is Lord Zeref-!"
"Zero," Elise muttered, as Dimaria felt something shift. God's Aura: War God's Shatterpoint Strike."
To Dimaria, Elise had moved in slow motion. Her Demonic instincts screamed at her to run, to get away as far as she could, or death would be upon her in moments. Unfortunately for her, it was already too late.
Elise had held her sword next to her, and pivoted her sword backward, until it was next to her body. She then started running forward, again, in what felt like slow motion.
Dimaria watched as she slowly swung the sword out in front of her, with such cold unfeeling eyes, as the entire space within her dome began to shimmer and crack, before being sliced in half.
Then, as if on cue, she slowly felt pain begin to hit her chest, as a thin line began to trace its way around her, until it came full circle. Looking at Elise, who simply stared at her with the same cold, unfeeling eyes… She laughed.
"So, this … This is the power of a God?"
With those words, her body was cleaved in half, blood spraying out of her body. However, the blood splatter was blown back by the force of the attack, following the attack's trajectory, as it began to slice through everything behind it, only stopping close to the mountain.
Elise walked over to the now severed body of Dimaria, who was looking at her with eyes that displayed acceptance.
"You know that this isn't a win, and that I'll simply reform, don't you?"
"Perhaps. But not here. You have lost this battle, Dimaria."
"Maybe the battle, but even so, Lord Zeref will ultimately win the war. Even now, his will is being carried out on top of the mountains nearby…"
"What do you mean?"
"Do you feel it, little Slayer," Dimaria's severed face smirked. "It's him…"
Elise focused her attention on the mountain, and felt two signatures clashing. Two signatures that both horrified her to the core.
"You understand, don't you? One bares the gift of the Dragon of the Apocalypse, whilst the other… is Zeref's greatest triumph!"
At that statement Elise focused her full attention on Dimaria's words, as the Demon began to laugh/
"That's right little Slayer, his final, greatest masterpiece, it has finally awoken! The only Demon he was able to create that was as real as any of the others in Tartarus! E.N.D has returned, and is proving his power by crushing a Herald of Achnologia!"
Dimaria began cackling madly, even as her body faded into a black mist, as Elise began to run towards the mountain only to fall flat on her face.
"Ow… Well, it looks like that took a lot more out of me than I thought," Elise panted, as she heard footsteps behind her.
"You really do make me proud Elise. Such an expert display of my techniques," Eliza smiled, as she crouched down next to her exhausted Daughter. "You are the best Daughter I could have asked for."
"Mother ….," Elise sighed, before falling into unconsciousness.
"Rest now Elise, for things are about to get rather complicated going forward," Eliza murmured, before looking up toward the mountaintop. "I hope you have some sort of plan, Natsu?"
"Of course he has a good plan, he's the Son of a Dragon!
"Xicor… Excuse my lack of faith, but being the son of a Dragon only makes me more worried. He's discovered E.N.D, and it has taken hold-."
"HAH! Shows how little you really know sometimes Eliza, though you are still a rookie, so mistakes like that are bound to happen."
"So what exactly am I missing here then, if you're so all knowing," Eliza huffed, as the Dragon spoke to her through her mind.
"E.N.D didn't just magically take hold, Natsu willingly allowed it to happen! I don't know how, or why? But they are working together, and Igneel is in on it too!"
"Well now, that is a rather …. interesting development. So, what do you plan to do?"
"Nothing for the moment. After all, Lykyria assured me that he still has a ways to go before he masters his Gravity Dragon Slaying Magic. Combine that with the fact that he should unlock access to Demonic Dragon Slaying Magic through his E.N.D power awakening, he's got a lot of learning to do. So, thrusting another set of powers onto his shoulders on top of that could send him down the same path as-."
"That won't happen. Natsu is nothing like that thing," Eliza replied firmly, as Xicor let out a low rumble.
"Everyone said that about him too, and look at the result … Then again, the boy has proven his worth time and time again, even if we never asked him for it."
"I'm not telling you to do anything Xicor," Eliza sighed tiredly. "Just … Just watch him, okay? Something about him seems to scream legend."
"Is it that ridiculous pink mop of his," Xicor asked jokingly in response, eliciting a mild chuckle from the War Goddess.
"Perhaps … Anyway, there is another battle I am keen to observe. So, if you don't mind, we'll have to cut this conversation short."
Eliza looked over in the distance, as rocks the size of mountains were being hurled at the ground. Each of them appeared to be either torn into perfectly geometrical portions before being hurled back, or just straight up knocked back toward their target.
"Yes, that does look like an interesting fight, doesn't it? But what about the boy?"
"What about him?"
"Well, he's awakened E.N.D, hasn't he? Aren't you at least a little curious as to what he can do?"
"Well, maybe just a little … But I can't risk Elise going near there in her current state."
"Ah yes she was the one who tapped into the God's Aura, wasn't she? Oh boy, that had everyone shocked when she first did it all those years ago, didn't it!? I'm surprised you aren't back here rubbing people's faces in it still?"
"Oh, don't worry Xicor, plans are in place. But for now, I want to make sure that she has somewhere safe to recuperate. She's a true Demigod now, but that won't be enough on its own to prepare her for the might of the Alvarez Empire."
"A fair point," Xicor agreed. "I suppose I'll leave you to it then?"
Eliza felt Xicor recede from her mind, as she picked up Elise, opening a portal to Terminus where she could safely recuperate. Taking one last look up at the mountains, the War Goddess pondered the future, wondering what was in store for both her Daughter, and her friends…
***POTD***
"You know, a kid her age having this much power is pretty terrifying," Gildarts grunted, as he fended off another rock turned mountain.
"What about young Natsu," Solomon replied. "Clearly he now also has power on this scale, no?"
"That's true," the Crash Mage conceded. "But its not the same, is it!?"
"Perhaps not," Solomon replied, as a large fist impacted the area in between them.
"Are you two going senile? This is a battle, not a meeting at the old folks home," Brandish huffed, her form now quadruple the size it had been before, as she retracted her fist.
"Hey, fuck you! I'm only in my late thirties," Gildarts shouted back in response
"Well, she's got me there! I'm in my late fifties," Solomon replied with a laugh.
"You two geezers are so annoying! At first, I didn't really want to fight you because of my promise to Natsu… But now, the two of you are really starting to piss me off!"
The two Mages collectively sighed, as they were forced to endure another barrage of attacks from the Country Demolisher. Both men coming to the realization that they probably should be taking the fight more seriously…
Maybe?