(Edited 28/02/24)
(Edited 14/03/24)
(Edited 20/03/24)
I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.
The Next Level
***POTD***
High atop the tallest mountain in the region, a fierce battle was taking place. It was not a battle between two ordinary Mages, but rather, a battle between two opposing primal forces. Two ancient concepts that had butted proverbial heads since Earthland's history was first put to parchment.
On one side, was Natsu, currently being piloted by his alter-ego, E.N.D. The greatest Demon Zeref ever created is what he was proclaimed to be, one that at full power, allegedly possessed the power to rival Gods and Devils.
On the other side, was Famine. Known as one of the four Harbingers of the Final Apocalypse, and servant to the Dragon King Achnologia. The Black Dragon King being an entity that defied all the known laws of Magic within the Earthland realm.
The two were locked in vicious combat against one another, tearing apart the mountain range around them, as they tossed around devastating attacks with ease.
E.N.D was currently flying along at high speed, eyeing his arms with almost childlike wonder.
"Wow I can shift these black scales that's so cool," E.N.D gasped in awe, watching as he moved the chitinous scales around his arms in the exact direction he wanted them to go. "All of the possibilities-!"
Halting in place, he avoided Harbinger Famine who had attempted to strike him with an attack from above, sickly green flames exploding in the place he would have been.
"Foolish Demon! You dare act like a child during battle with one of the Four-!?"
"Yeah yeah, I heard you the first time! Didn't give a shit then either," E.N.D replied with a smirk, as his arms shifted into chitinous blades. "Alright! Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!"
E.N.D charged Famine, the pair almost immediately clashing, with Famine managing to redirect or block E.N.D's serrated strikes. The pair zipped around one of the mountains, with Famine snarling and clawing at the air, firing off a sickly green colored claw-like attack.
E.N.D managed to slip under the attack, both arms becoming coated in black flames as his bladed arms reshaped themselves into long spears. Smirking, he cocked back his arms, clearly intending to impale the Harbinger with them.
"Let's see how you handle this Tin Can!? Etherious Aura: Demonic Dragon's Purgatory Spears!"
"Foolish Demon, it will take a lot more than that to defeat me," Harbinger Famine snarled, as he crossed both armored arms out in front of him. Famine Dragon King's Withering Shield!"
Harbinger Famine's arms seemed to melt, forming into a single large armored wall in front of him. E.N.D refused to hesitate despite this, and struck it full force, sending Harbinger Famine flying back into the mountain behind him.
Retracting his spear-like arms and returning them to normal, E.N.D conjured multiple black spheres of flame from his hands, juggling them like a clown, before suddenly throwing them in Famine's direction.
"Etherious Aura: Demonic Dragon's Black Flame Pellets!"
Bombarding Famine's impact zone, E.N.D cackled sadistically as the entire area was blasted apart, rather enjoying himself, despite the situation. He knew this wouldn't be enough to take the Harbinger down, but he reveled in the sheer explosiveness of his power nonetheless.
And, sure enough, Harbinger Famine suddenly shot out of the inferno that now covered what remained of the mountain he'd smashed into, looking no worse for wear. Eyes narrowed, the Harbinger clenched his fists, pointing at the Demon, who merely smirked in kind.
"Struggle all you wish, Demonic filth! All shall be brought to a final end within the maw of the Dragon King! Not even you shall be exempt from the final destruction!"
"Again with the doom and gloom threats," E.N.D sighed, shaking his head sadly. "Come on man, surely you can do better than that?"
"Perhaps a quick death would be too merciful for the likes of you? Perhaps a nice slow death is what you seek, as your body slowly succumbs to all the diseases known to your kind? Yes, I do believe that will be far more fitting!"
"Nah I'll pass," E.N.D replied with a cheeky smirk, as the pair vanished, clashing once again, with E.N.D managing to land a surprise scratch to the Harbinger's helmet. "Either you're getting slower, or I'm getting faster? Either way, you're gonna die soon tin can!"
"You fool, I cannot be killed," the Harbinger snarled in response. "If my form is destroyed, I merely return to Achnologia, inevitably reforming elsewhere!"
"Same shit, different smell," E.N.D scoffed in response. "Honestly, if I beat you here, then you're trash and I'm better than you. Simple."
The Demon smirked as he seemed to truly have struck a nerve in the entity now, as it charged him with renewed fury. Despite the rather serious fight he was in, E.N.D couldn't help but have fun with it.
After all, he had been trapped for a very long time, and finally had an opportunity to cut loose and have fun…
He'd take what he could get.
***POTD***
As the battle against Harbinger Famine raged on, within Natsu's Mindscape, the real Natsu and Igneel had moved to stand before the giant black tower that stuck out like a sore thumb within his mind.
The entrance to the tower was blocked with a Magic Barrier, a strange seal Natsu didn't recognize emblazoned at the center of it. Turning toward Igneel, he waited for his adoptive Father to explain what he was currently looking at.
"I suppose this has been a long time coming, hasn't it," the Dragon grumbled. "No sense in putting off returning you to normal, is there?"
"Look, enough with the stalling Igneel. Both you and E.N.D said that this tower was sealing away the rest of my power, right?"
"Correct."
"So, once I step through here, what's going to happen?"
"Well, basically, behind these doors, you'll be able to gain access to the power of E.N.D."
"I mean, obviously," Natsu replied dryly. "But what's the catch? Aren't I already E.N.D?"
"You are, but your powers are dormant due to the existence of the other version of yourself," Igneel replied, with Natsu humming in understanding. "Behind this door, is E.N.D in its truest, purest form. You must enter, and merge with him. Only then will you become who you truly are, Natsu."
"Who I truly am…"
"E.N.D is strong Natsu. Once you acquire this power for yourself, your life will be changed forever. Aside from the obvious immortality all Demons possess, your raw power will rise to heights you never thought possible," Igneel continued, as Natsu soaked up the information. "I could go on all day about the specifics, but what ultimately matters, is that you understand that by gaining access to the power of E.N.D, you could potentially stand against a God, Zeref, and maybe one day, even Achnologia…"
"So, this power will make me that strong," Natsu hummed to himself. "Alright Igneel, let's do this then!"
"All you need to do is channel some of your Magic into the seal, and that should unlock the way forward."
"I see," Natsu replied, moving to place a hand onto the barrier, before looking back to the Dragon with a curious expression. "Do you know who put this seal here?"
"I can only speculate, but I assume it was Zeref who placed the seal there," Igneel replied with a shrug. "Honestly, I don't know much about the design of this elaborate prison that was made to house E.N.D's power, only that it was here before I was sealed within you."
"Speaking of you being sealed within me, I'm definitely going to be wanting an explanation about that after all this is said and done," Natsu replied with narrowed eyes.
"Yes, I know. All will be explained when the time is right, so don't worry about it. For now, hurry up and open that door," Igneel replied, urging him forward. "E.N.D is strong as he is now, but he isn't you, Natsu. He won't last forever against one of the Four Harbingers."
Nodding stiffly in response, Natsu stepped forward and did as Igneel instructed. Channeling his Magic into the barrier, it shimmered slightly, before the entire thing burst into black flames that lasted several seconds, before vanishing.
"Looks like the path is clear," Natsu chuckled, looking back up to Igneel. "Wish me luck?"
Not waiting for a response from the Dragon, Natsu walked inside, coming upon a set of black iron doors. Before he'd even reached them, they slowly swung open to reveal a pitch-black room.
Moving to ignite his right hand in flame, Natsu was surprised to find that it didn't work. He could feel the fire was there, but he couldn't see it.
"Well, it's about time you got here Natsu," a more erratic version of his voice chimed in from all around him. "This guy is being a pain in the ass! He won't shut up about being Achnologia's boyfriend or some shit! SEND! H.E.L.P FOR E.N.D!"
"Shit joke. Also, where even are you," Natsu replied, unable to see even his own form the deeper he walked into the room.
"Can't you see me?"
"I can't see anything," Natsu replied honestly. "I can't even see my own fire for some reason?"
"Oh, right, I forgot that you're still an idiot when it comes to Dark Magic," E.N.D joked in reply. "Today's lesson is, I'm all around you. The darkness that is surrounding you, blocking out any source of light is my real form. Well, calling it a real form isn't really correct, since I don't have a real corporeal form. My existence is based off yours, so this is what I really am."
"So, let me see if I'm getting this correct here? You're basically the Dark Half of myself, right?"
"Pretty much. But one thing you should keep in mind is that the Dark isn't necessarily Evil, just as the Light isn't necessarily Good. Time and again, all beings prove this to be truth. So, don't think that I'm necessarily evil, or yourself for that matter, since you're me too."
"Can you not start doing that, I'll get lost and confused so damn quick…"
"I know, I'm just fucking with you," E.N.D laughed in response.
"Can we move on to the part where I gain access to the Demonic part of myself now, before I have a brain aneurysm or something?"
"Fair enough, we do have bigger problems than your brain blowing a proverbial gasket. So, let's get down to business!"
"What do I have to do?"
"First off, you need to begin by eating the darkness around us, kind of like how you'd eat Fire or Gravity. You know the feeling I'm talking about, right?"
"Yeah, I get it," Natsu replied, as he started chowing down on some of the black void around him, before suddenly feeling a drastic surge in his power. "Blegh! What is this stuff!?"
"In order to become whole once again, you need to consume what was separated, and make it your own once more," E.N.D explained, as Natsu continued to eat. "Not to gross you out, but you're actually eating me."
"Wait, I'm WHAT," Natsu gasped, before suddenly falling unconscious, even as more of the void-like substance flooded his mouth.
Inside the tower, light began to filter through the previously obscured cracks, as the darkness vanished into the bottomless pit that was Natsu's stomach. His body almost immediately fell limp in the now lit room for a few moments, before suddenly bursting back to life with all of his elements circling him.
A Black Magic seal briefly appeared across his forehead, before fading away, as Igneel's roars shook the landscape, the Dragon sensing that Natsu had completed his task.
***POTD***
Slowly, Natsu opened his eyes, finding himself struggling to adjust to the light as he rolled over onto his front, covering his head with his arms to filter some of it out.
He spent the next several minutes laying there, his head spinning. He wasn't quite sure how he knew it, but he knew that he still wasn't in the real world. It was like he just knew this as a fact, despite not even knowing where he was.
"That would be the powers of E.N.D at work Natsu," the voice of E.N.D answered his unasked question, as the Dragon Slayer slowly rose to his feet.
"Where… are we," Natsu asked slowly, looking around to find that he was laying on the back porch of a rather modest home.
"You need to know some things, important things," E.N.D replied, motioning for him to sit down, which the Dragon Slayer acquiesced to. "First of all, congratulations, you're officially E.N.D now."
"You mean we're E.N.D, right?"
"No, I literally meant you."
"I-I don't follow?"
"Guess I'll get the biggest thing out of the way first then, make the rest easier. The long and short of it is, I'm just an aspect of you, a figment made from a combination of a bunch of memories, and the power of E.N.D. You've taken me back, which means, I'll be vanishing soon."
"Wait, seriously!?"
"Don't be so surprised, it was pretty obvious that was going to happen, wasn't it," E.N.D replied with a casual shrug. "If you're E.N.D, what is my purpose now?"
"…"
"Don't feel bad about it, I'm not too worried. I'm you, remember!? I'm not dying, or fading away, or any other crap. I'm immortal, just like you. I'll just be tucked away deep inside your subconscious, always there watching."
"And you're fine with that?"
"Considering the myriad of other Fates I could have suffered, I'm content with it."
"Damn… Well, I still kind of feel bad about it."
"I know, and I won't knock you for it. Thanks for actually giving a shit about me enough to care," E.N.D smiled, before adopting a more serious demeanor. "Moving onto the next item on my list… Let's talk about memories, okay?"
"You did say that you contained a whole bunch, right?"
"I did, yeah. In fact, I have a bunch of your memories from when you were a kid, before Igneel, I mean."
"Wait… Are you telling me that you have memories of-!?"
"I do, yeah," E.N.D replied, before motioning to the house they were currently located in. "Take this place for example? This was your home with your real family, before you died."
"Then, you can show me them, right? You can show me my parents!?"
"I can, yes. However, there's a problem," E.N.D replied, clearly somewhat frustrated. "When you were reborn as E.N.D, your memories were tampered with. A whole heap got shoved into me, but some were removed."
"Removed!?"
"Yeah. For example, the names of your parents, the name of our home, the memory of the day we died… Things are… missing."
"I-I want to see my family," Natsu whispered, with E.N.D silently complying with his wish, as the area around them became animate.
Almost immediately, the Dragon Slayer was frozen in place, as he saw a man who stood at seven foot seven with short, spiky salmon pink hair walk into view. He wore what appeared to be tribal vestments consisting of a white neck cuff that had a sash that covered the left side of his body, baggy white pants and yellow sandals. His form was buff, but not overly muscular, but Natsu could tell this is where the majority of his features came from.
"Father…"
"Look to the right," E.N.D murmured, as his gaze slowly shifted to the direction E.N.D was pointing, as he felt his heart begin to race, tears welling up in his eyes.
Standing underneath a nearby tree, was a beautiful black haired woman who stood at six foot eight, wore similar tribal clothing to his Father, though her sash barely covered her sizeable bust. She also had golden hoop earrings, and a golden ring on the fourth finger of her right hand.
"Mother…"
It was then that his eyes locked onto something at his Mother's feet. It was a young boy, no older than four, with short salmon pink hair, a carefree grin on his face and a slightly chubby body.
"Is that me?"
"Four-year-old you, yes."
He watched as his Mother lifted him up onto a makeshift swing they had attached to the tree, the woman laughing as he wriggled around excitedly in her grasp. In that moment, the man felt an emotion he couldn't even recall having felt prior to this moment, as he slowly crawled on all fours to get closer to the scene.
"This… This was what my life could-no, what my life should have been," Natsu sniffed, tears streaming down his face as he clenched his fists, his entire body trembling as he watched his Mother push him on the swing. "It's… It's not fair…"
His heart ached, longing to feel what this version of himself was feeling, to return to a time when life was peaceful, when he wasn't stuck in battle every other day.
"Why can't I remember what this felt like," Natsu croaked, now on his knees before the woman as his hand went right through her. "Why can't I remember the warmth of my Mother's love…!?"
"You can't feel them, nor will you ever," E.N.D replied quietly, face contorted into a scowl. "Those feelings… They were removed."
Hearing E.N.D's response, the teary eyed Slayer slowly looked over his shoulder, eyes bloodshot, and as wide as they could possibly go.
"What possible reason could there have been to remove those feelings and memories!?"
"You have to understand what the original goal of E.N.D was. You were meant to be the ultimate killing machine, a weapon. What use was love to something destined only to destroy?"
"So, this is Zeref's fault is it," Natsu asked, as E.N.D surprisingly shook his head.
"There's something you still need to see," E.N.D muttered, motioning for him to look back where his Father was.
Shifting his focus, he looked toward his Father, before noticing someone else was there too. Natsu felt his heart race, as he shakily rose to his feet, stumbling his way over to where his Father was, coming face to face with the absolute last person he could have ever possibly expected.
"What…?"
Standing across from him was a ten-year-old boy with short, shaggy black hair and matching black eyes. He wore an almost identical tribal outfit to their Father, possessing an all too familiar air of calm about him, gently smiling as he helped carry some tools for their Father.
"I take it you recognize him?"
"This can't be real… I don't believe it!?"
"But it is real Natsu, this is a memory from your own past-."
"There's actually no fucking way!? You can't be serious!?"
"Dead serious Natsu."
"But that's impossible! That's-!"
"You being alive right now and speaking to me should be impossible too, yet here we are," E.N.D countered plainly. "All of this, thanks to one name … Zeref."
"But that's…"
"There's a piece of the puzzle missing Natsu, one that only Zeref likely has," E.N.D sighed. "Zeref is your older Brother, and he must have saved you after you died? Why he did so, we can only speculate?"
"The most powerful Dark Mage of all Time… is my Brother," Natsu muttered in response, pondering what all he'd learned could possibly mean. "I'm so confused…"
"You'll likely have more than enough time to dwell on it later Natsu," E.N.D replied, as the image of the memory began to distort. "I've managed to hold back Famine for a good while now, but things are starting to get a bit rough…"
"Shit! I totally forgot about all of that," Natsu gasped. "So sorry-!"
"Don't worry about it, you needed to know these things and acquire the power properly," E.N.D replied with a wave of his hand. "Besides, you should be able to beat Famine easily once you figure out how to use your new powers in conjunction with your already broken arsenal!"
"How long do you have left until you fade into my subconscious?"
"I have no idea? If I had to guess, I'd say it'll be once the last of your old memories are restored… Why?"
"Well, I'll probably need some pointers to start with, since I'm going up against a high tier foe right from the start?"
"I won't really be able to do much more than show you images of what you can do, since I don't really exist and can't mentally speak with you after this. But I'll do what I can."
"Thanks," Natsu smiled, feeling his body growing heavier. "Guess I'm waking up…"
"One last thing. Remember that Irene Belserion is still watching the fight," E.N.D reminded him, garnering a stiff nod in response. "Though she's supposed to be our enemy, I can't help but feel like she's not…"
Natsu narrowed his eyes at E.N.D's words, but before he could ask the entity to explain himself, he passed out, vanishing from the place within his mind, as he prepared to wake up in the real world.
***POTD***
In the real world, Famine stood over the downed form of his opponent, the landscape completely devastated. Arching its arm backward slightly, sickly green flames forming around his straightened, armored fingers.
"So, this is the extent of your power, E.N.D? You were an interesting foe, but nothing compared to the might of Achnologia," the Harbinger muttered to itself, before moving to strike. "Famine Dragon King's Piercing Claw!"
Famine went to cleave Natsu's head off, only for a hand to shoot out, grabbing him by the wrist, holding the attack inches from his face.
"What-!?"
"I'd be careful tossing around a dangerous attack like that…"
"Impossible… You caught my Piercing Claw!?"
"Yeah, well, it kind of helps when you know how the attack works," Natsu groaned, vanishing from his place beneath the Harbinger, and reappearing nearby.
Standing upright, Natsu held his arms outward, examining his hands contemplatively. His skin vibrated, his arms morphing into blades, to tentacles, to a frying pan, then back to normal.
Reaching up, his hair lengthened at the front, allowing him to examine it, noticing it was pitch black like Zeref's hair. With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair, feeling it return to its usual shaggy medium length, before looking over his shoulder at Harbinger Famine.
"So, it looks like this is the real me, eh?"
"Something within you is… different," Famine noted, adopting a defensive stance. "Have you evolved?"
"Evolved? Hell if I know," Natsu replied with a shrug. "All I know is that you're going to pay for what you've done to the body of my friend."
"You're Natsu Dragneel, but with the power of E.N.D," Famine replied, ignoring Natsu's threat. "Why is it that you feel stronger than when E.N.D was in control?"
"I can feel power within me, power the likes of which exceeds any I've felt before. Even when I did that dodgy Unison Pact with Eliza, we didn't have this level of power," Natsu replied, as a black colored Aura exploded around his form. "This power, its almost intoxicating!"
Natsu's Magical pressure began to crack the ground around him, as Famine subconsciously took a step back, eliciting a slight smirk from the reborn Dragon Slayer.
"This is impossible… E.N.D was fabled to be powerful, but this defies all logic!?"
"Time to test out this new form of mine," Natsu smirked, black fire exploding around his wrists as he prepared to fight.
"You may have gained considerable power, but it still pales in comparison to Lord Achnologia's own," the Harbinger roared in response, as sickly flames burst to life around him. "You truly think you can stand against the might of a thousand Dragons!?"
"You talk about how great Achnologia is, and I'll admit, he's definitely the strongest being I know of," Natsu began, crouching down in preparation to strike. "But guess what Famine? Achnologia's not here!"
Natsu vanished, with Harbinger Famine doing the same moments later. The pair reappeared, having closed the distance between one another, their fists colliding with enough force to shake the mountain they were on to its core, a massive crater forming around them.
Natsu Dragneel (Base Form, Demonic Form Reacquired, Adapting) – 82.2 Million MPI
Harbinger Famine (Docile Host, Achnologia's Will, Enraged) – 81.84 Million MPI
The pair separated, vanishing from place immediately and reappearing sliding down the mountainside. Natsu found himself dodging a barrage of sickly green orbs of flame being fired from Famine's right hand.
Holding his own right hand out as he continued to dodge, he pondered his options for a moment, before making a sudden realization.
"Hold on, I can fly now, right!?"
"That's right," Igneel's voice rumbled, causing him to nearly trip on a rock that was jutting out of the side of the mountain. "Watch where you're going brat!"
"Igneel!?"
"No need to shout out loud, just think whatever you want to say to me," the Fire Dragon Monarch huffed in reply. "But yes, you can fly now in your base form. Think back to when you performed a Unison Pact with Eliza, and remember what you felt whenever your combined body took flight!"
Natsu concentrated on the memory, surprised, as the memory was forcibly pushed to the front of his mind. Suddenly, he shot up into the sky, his body quickly adapting to the feeling as he felt something in the back of his head nudging him toward certain actions.
"Flying without wings is so damn weird," Natsu laughed, gasping as he dodges a sickly green fireball tossed his way, courtesy of Harbinger Famine. "Oh, right, he's still a thing…"
Flashing out of the way, of another fireball, Natsu smirked, vanishing and reappearing in front of the Harbinger.
"Etherious Aura: Demonic Fire Dragon's Destabilizing Demolition Fist!"
Smashing the Harbinger in his armored helmet, he was belted through the mountain behind him, striking the nearby forest. From the moment he struck the ground, his trajectory tore up the ground, a massive dust cloud forming several seconds before black fire erupted from the ground, setting the entire area ablaze.
"Damn, that felt pretty good," Natsu laughed. "But let's try something a little different!"
Shooting toward the area Famine had struck, Natsu immediately found himself avoiding a breath attack that had been hastily fired in his direction. It was obvious it was merely a diversionary tactic, as the Harbinger used the precious seconds of time to prepare a follow up attack, his fist cocked back as Natsu flashed into view.
The Harbinger was cocked back, sickly green flames fully primed around his fist, as it moved to strike Natsu's face. At the last possible moment, Natsu veered slightly to the right, avoiding the punch, tackling the Harbinger.
"Curse you Demon, take this! Famine Dragon King's Contagion Fist," the Harbinger snarled, delivering a brutal punch to Natsu's neck, causing the pair to tumble and roll before righting themselves, as Natsu got slugged across the face, delivering a kick to the left side of the Harbinger's face.
The pair skidded backward, with Famine's Armor sporting several noticeable cracks in it from Natsu's blows. As for Natsu, the strike to the side of his face had shaved all the skin clean off, but Famine could only watch in frustration as it grew back in seconds.
"That doesn't make any sense, your flesh should be doomed to decay, not regrow!?"
"I'm a Demon Lord, of course something like that won't work against me," came Natsu's amused response, his face fully regenerated. "I'm a whole new Natsu now!"
"But the power of Achnologia-!"
"Is his, not yours," Natsu replied firmly. "You are nothing but a pawn who holds but a fraction of the power he does, yet boasts as if the power is his own. A pathetic imitation who doesn't even have his own body, and will never hold a candle to the real deal."
"You fool… You know nothing of my existence," Famine hissed, armored fists clenched in a cold fury. "I will not relent until I wipe you from this world!"
"You seriously think you can win? I have basically no idea what the Hell I'm doing with my E.N.D abilities, yet I'm beating the shit out of you!"
"Arrogance-!"
"Is it? Well, let's see what you will do if I do this," Natsu replied, extending his right arm outward as it turned into the wing of a Dragon. "Demonic Gravity Dragon's Distorting Wing Attack!"
Before Famine even had a chance to respond, Natsu vanished, appearing behind him in a flash. Then, the Harbinger felt the blow strike his breastplate, the entire thing instantly being caved in, green blood pouring through his helmet as the Harbinger was blasted past Natsu's position, tearing through the forest.
"Hmm… That was a good attack," the Dragon Slayer hummed to himself, his arm returning to normal. "I'm sure I can refine that to be better though?"
Moving to chase after the Harbinger, he found the being embedded in the side of one of the numerous wrecked mountains. The entity was clearly devastated by his last attack, not having expected it to do as much damage as it had.
"Can I just say, I'm sorely disappointed by how pathetic you turned out to be," Natsu taunted, the Harbinger spewing more sickly green blood from its helmet.
"If my host were stronger… I would have trounced you, Demon," Famine wheezed. "Regardless… You have gained nothing here. I cannot die, but merely return to Achnologia until I can re-manifest… You gain nothing!"
"Wrong. I free the body of my friend from your control, allowing him to at least rest peacefully in death," Natsu replied coldly. "You can reform all you want, but I guarantee you, I will be much stronger the next time we meet."
"Foolish Demon," Famine laughed hollowly, his body bursting into sickly green flames. "You have lost it all… hehe… His will be done, your end… has come."
"What do you mean?"
"He comes," Famine smirked, his helmet falling away to reveal the ablaze skull of Felix. "He hungers for you, E.N.D…"
Natsu didn't speak as the Armor continued to fall away in sickly green fire, the Harbinger continuing to chant.
"The end … begun … His will … be done … Achnologia …. has all but won … The children they run … For him, all but fun … Achnologia's will … all but done…"
Once his strange chant ended, the last of Famine vanished in a puff of sickly green smoke, revealing the long since deceased form of Felix. It was obvious that the man had been dead for years, based on how decayed his body was.
"I did what I could for you, my friend," Natsu murmured, eyes narrowing at the clapping sound coming from behind him.
***POTD***
Ignoring the approaching figure, Natsu's arm grew in size, as he cleaved out a large patch of dirt. Carefully, he picked up Felix's corpse, gently placing it into the hole, before filling it back up once again.
Once he smoothed out the soil, he finally turned to face the sole observer of his battle with the Harbinger.
"What do you want now Irene?"
"Well, I was going to tell you that I was most impressed with how soundly you trounced Harbinger Famine," the scantily clad Spriggan smirked. "How does it feel to finally be complete once again, E.N.D?"
"Feels great," Natsu replied bluntly. "Now I'll ask again, what do you want?"
"Zeref wants you to return to his side. The time has come for you to rejoin your Master for the final-."
"No."
"Excuse me? I wasn't under the impression you could refuse," Irene replied, blinking in genuine surprise. "You cannot deny the will of Zeref, your creator!"
"I'm not like the other Etherious Demons, I have free will," Natsu replied firmly, crossing his arms. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, S Class Mage of the Fairy Tail Guild, as well as E.N.D!
"You should be careful how you address Lord Zeref you know?"
"Why should I? Zeref isn't going to do anything to me, you and I both know that," Natsu replied with a shake of his head. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and save my friends-."
"I don't think so. I was told to bring you back to Lord Zeref, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."
"I wouldn't be wasting time on me if I were you?"
"Oh? And why is tha-?"
Suddenly, an ear-piercing roar could be heard all across the Scarlione Empire, which had Irene's eyes widening, a primal fear quickly surging within her.
"Did you forget what Famine was saying as he disappeared? He basically said that Achnologia was on his way to devour me, and probably anyone else in his way. Now, I don't know about you, but I'd want to be pretty well hidden if I was a Dragon…?"
"What did you just say-!?"
"You can't fool my nose, I can smell you," Natsu smirked, as another roar shook the country. "I think it would be in our best interests to form a temporary truce, don't you think?"
"…Go on."
"I heard that you have a full Dragon Form," Natsu continued, a furious glare on her face. "How about giving my friends and I a lift to the Fioran/Scarlione border?"
Irene felt a momentary surge of hot fury, before suddenly finding herself amused beyond belief at Natsu's boldness. The two opposing emotions cancelled each other out, leveling her mood to a calm neutral.
"Fine. The threat of Achnologia warrants an immediate retreat on my part," Irene muttered, her form beginning to shimmer. "But know that I will pay you back for this the next time we meet!"
"Fair enough," Natsu replied with a curt nod, as Irene vanished in a bright flash of light. "Wow…"
Natsu couldn't help but marvel at Irene's Dragon Form. She stood at an imposing four thousand feet tall, had wine red coloured scales with a cream-coloured underbelly, along with four horns that protruded from the side and top of her head, mimicking her staff in her Human form.
"Damn, maybe you are cool," Natsu chuckled, surprising the Spriggan, who merely looked away.
"Just shut up and get on my back," the Spriggan huffed, with Natsu complying, his form shifting back to his regular appearance.
"I'm sure you know where Solomon, Gildarts and Brandish are," Natsu called out, as she took flight. "Also, no talking about my E.N.D form either."
"You actually plan on keeping that a secret," Irene asked curiously, the roars of Achnologia shaking the country once again, startling her. "Not that its any of my business! Let's just get everyone and leave!"
"Fine by me," Natsu replied, as they approached Gildarts, Solomon and Brandish's location.
***POTD***
Erza and Wendy finally managed to right themselves, the land finally stabilizing as the pair stumbled out of the forest.
"It's finally over," Wendy sighed, looking toward Erza. "Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine," the Requip Mage replied shakily. "What was-?"
Erza and Wendy both gasped, their forms sucked into the ground and into a small cube-like area. The duo were about to question what had just happened, when none other than Illyandra Scarlione herself appeared.
"I apologize for doing that without any warning, but time is of the essence," the Queen said sharply. "I need to get you back to Gildarts, Solomon and the Spriggan immediately."
"Wait, you know about that!?"
"Of course I know," Illyandra replied, dismissing Erza's shock with a wave of her hand. "Nothing happens in this country without my knowing about it. Regardless, we need to move immediately."
Before Erza could so much as utter a response, both she and Wendy felt a strange sensation, and suddenly popped out of the ground right behind Solomon and Gildarts.
"My Queen!"
"Illyandra!"
"You both know exactly why I've come," Illyandra replied firmly, before looking over toward Brandish. "You'd best listen to what I have to say as well."
"Why?"
"Do you want to be given the chance to survive what is coming," Illyandra replied bluntly, with Brandish huffing and looking away.
"…Fine."
"Good. Now, we're just waiting for two more-."
Illyandra was cut off, as Irene landed nearby, with Natsu leaping off of her back, landing next to Gildarts. Almost immediately, he rushed toward the Queen, a worried look on his face.
"Achnologia's coming, and its my fault-!"
"No. No, its not," Illyandra replied with a slow shake of her head. "I saw your fight against Harbinger Famine… I saw the entire fight."
Natsu stilled, as Illyandra's gaze bored into him, though strangely, he didn't sense any anger or hatred from the Queen for what he truly was. Instead, she smiled briefly, before looking up toward Irene.
"You'll keep your end of your agreement with Natsu?"
"I do not go back on agreements, Queen Illyandra," Irene replied sternly. "Are you trying to imply I'll dishonor the deal?"
"I think its best for all our sake, that I don't answer that question… Anyway, Irene here will ferry all of you to the Fioran/Scarlione border-."
The entire area shook again, the roar of the Dragon King louder than ever before, causing the entire group to shudder.
"My Queen, what about-?"
"Alyssa and Shrikke will meet you at the border. I have Alyssa grabbing some essentials that will be vital for the future."
"I see," Solomon replied grimly, looking away from the Queen as Gildarts stepped up to her.
"Are you sure about this?"
"…I am," she replied solemnly, leaving the Crash Mage appearing as if he'd been physically struck. "It has to be this way…"
Gildarts leapt up onto Irene's back without another word, Solomon following him after placing a gentle hand on Illyandra's shoulder. Erza and Wendy shared a look, before looking toward Natsu, whose eyes hadn't left the Queen since she'd addressed him directly.
"I think we'd better give these two a minute alone," Erza muttered, as she and Wendy joined the others on Irene's back, as Illyandra led Natsu a short distance away.
"Natsu-."
"Are you seriously going to do this?"
"I have no choice," the Queen replied sadly, seeing the frustrated expression on the Dragon Slayer's face. "I have a plan, but you'll have to simply trust me."
"But Illy… If you try and fight Achnologia-!?"
"I'll die, I know," the Queen replied, a gentle smile on her face as she stepped closer to him. "But I'm content with death, if it means my precious friends, and all my subjects, may survive."
"Wait… Illy, did you?"
Holding her hand outward, the Queen conjured a small stone cube, shocking the Dragon Slayer, who dared not even attempt to touch it, despite the clear signs the Queen wanted him to take it.
"I-I can't take that!?"
"You must… I want you to take it and transport it to-."
"Do you even realize what you're asking me to do," Natsu shouted back, his lip quivering as his eyes shifted from the small stone cube, to Illyandra's soft gaze. "I-I can't-!"
"You can," the Queen whispered gently, taking another step toward him with the small cube. "You are the only one I trust to transport this to where it needs to go…"
"But why me," Natsu whispered, clenching his fists as he fought off the inevitable. "If you saw what happened during my fight with Harbinger Famine, then you know the truth about me… So why would you trust me with something this precious!?"
"I know what you are, and it doesn't change anything," the Queen replied softly, taking the final step forward so that she was nearly pressed into him, her hand cupping his cheek. "I still love you all the same…"
"…Love," the Dragon Slayer croaked, as the Queen pressed her forehead against his own.
"Let's not part without regrets, Natsu," Illyandra whispered. "You were a good boy who grew into a great man. Your burdens have grown exponentially, and I'm only adding to them. That being said, there is no other man I'd want to take this from me … than the one I consider to be my Son."
And there it was, the words Natsu knew would set him off, as tears streamed down his face at the Queen's gentle declaration. Illyandra too began to tear up, even as the ground shook again from another roar from the Dragon King, the pair refused to acknowledge it, determined to have their moment.
"You might not be Human anymore, but you are the last hope of my Empire now," Illyandra continued, as Natsu shakily took the cube, sending it to his Requip Space. "Now go, and know that whatever happens from here on out… I'll always be watching."
Natsu sniffled, nodding stiffly as he brought his emotions back under control. The pair remained close for several more seconds, before reluctantly parting.
Natsu slowly walked back toward where Irene remained in a prone position, trying to flatten herself as much as possible to avoid being visually spotted by the Dragon King at a glance. As he reached her side, the Dragon Slayer looked over his shoulder, a watery smile on his face.
"I have no memory of what a Mother's love feels like you know," Natsu replied, fully turning to face her once again. "Yet, if I had to describe what it did feel like… I'd pick all the times we spent together, and how you made me feel… Mother."
Illyandra couldn't help but smile brightly, even as her tears flowed freely after feeling a joy she thought she'd never feel again. She watched as Natsu leapt up onto Irene's back, the Spriggan looking down at her with a confused, yet contemplative look, before taking flight.
"I'd be proud to have you as my Son," Illyandra said to herself, as she watched them go off into the distance, her smile slowly fading as the entire area shook violently from the loudest roar yet, indicating that Achnologia was now within the Scarlione borders. "It's time…"
***POTD***
"We've wasted far too much time," Irene's voice boomed between the powerful, and audible, flaps of her wings. "Achnologia might still catch us at this rate, all because you lot wanted a sentimental farewell!"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Did I strike a nerve-?"
"Shut up," Gildarts growled, stunning Irene into silence, Brandish's eyebrows rising into her hairline, as Solomon turned to look back in the direction they had come from, noticing a small black blur rapidly approaching them.
"You should be grateful," the Battlemage added coldly, as the area shook again from the force of Achnologia's roar. "You will witness the last possible deployment of this Lost Magic, perhaps ever."
"What are you two talking about," the Spriggan asked, clearly confused, with Erza, Wendy and Brandish clearly just as out of the loop. "I know Illyandra possesses a unique power, but it can't be THAT impressive?"
As Achnologia finally came within viewing distance, the Dragon seemed absolutely furious upon seeing another Dragon. Roaring so loud that Irene's Dragon Form vibrated, the Dragon King's speed effectively doubled, as he began charging a breath attack in his maw.
"He's going to attack," Brandish hissed.
"This isn't good-!"
Right as Achnologia flew past one of the mountains, a fist the size of a city emerged, striking the Dragon King on the left side of his face so hard, he was actually knocked out of the air. Irene watched in shock and disbelief, as the Dragon King crash landed in a nearby forest, rolling several times before launching himself back to his feet.
The girls watched in shock, as the entire mountain suddenly rose upward sharply, as its form seemed to restructure itself. Even the Dragon King seemed surprised as it morphed into a colossal Queen Illyandra, his eyes wide.
"You will go no further, foul beast," Illyandra's voice boomed, as a monstrous Magical Signature flared to life, one that could be felt even across the Scarlione borders.
"What the fuck is that," Brandish gasped, her cool, calm demeanor shattered entirely, as everything started to shake violently.
"Look," Wendy called out, pointing to the ground below. "What's happening!?"
The girls were all completely lost for words, as the land itself seemed to be getting sucked into Illyandra by the hectare. Entire swaths were absorbed in seconds, as the country of the Scarlione Empire appeared to be getting swallowed up by her titanic form.
"This is the greatest secret of the Scarlione Empire," Natsu muttered, as Irene resumed fleeing from the scene, now that Achnologia was fully distracted. "Illyandra Scarlione, the last of the Elemental Race."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY," Irene roared, right as the last of the Scarlione Empire was sucked up by her, the Queen now standing tall, the sea rushing to fill the void left by the absence of an entire country.
"Illyandra is the last of the Elementals," Natsu repeated, the Fioran Border now within sight. "She's going to sacrifice herself so all of us can live."
Irene seemed shocked at the revelation that the Queen was the last of the legendary race. And yet, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Her almost uncanny ability to command the environment, almost like she was the environment itself.
Solomon called out to her, motioning for her to land in a certain area. Sensing the area, she could feel three Magical Signatures, sensing that this was the spot she was supposed to drop the small group.
As she touched down, she knew she would be having words with Zeref about this. The fact that she had not been informed of this crucial detail infuriated her to no end. To be denied such a vital piece of information was unacceptable, especially considering who she was.
As she reverted to her Human Form, all Irene could do was lament the Fate of Queen Illyandra. Despite their differences, she had been a worthy adversary indeed. And the knowledge that she was the last of her race struck a chord with her that she didn't even know she possessed.
She would watch the Queen's last moments… She owed her that much.
***POTD***
Illyandra stood before the massive form of Achnologia, blocking his path to the others, as she felt the full power of Scarlione flowing through her veins. The Dragon King hovered nearby, having recovered from his moment of genuine shock, and was now behaving in a rather cautious manner.
Illyandra Scarlione VII (Elemental Form Active, Scarlione Empire Absorbed + Full Power) – 812 Million MPI
The Dragon King seemed to be waiting for something, almost like a sign, refusing to either back down, or attack. While this did frustrate the Queen, it also bought the others precious time, so she remained equally as still.
Until… the unthinkable happened.
"Elemental… It has been centuries since I last met one of your kind…"
"Y-You can speak," Illyandra gasped, eliciting a hollow chuckle from the Dragon King.
"I speak to those who are worthy of my time," the Dragon King replied, a horrible smirk etching its way onto the Dragon's face. "I remember you from eight years ago… You were there, along with several others. Back then, I had assumed you weak, inconsequential. It appears that I've gotten sloppy at analyzing my opponents…"
"Tell me, why do you do this," Illyandra replied shakily, half asking, half pleading, desperate to hear the truth from the beast directly. "Why do you terrorize Earthland and all living things within it!?"
"Hehehehe… Tell me, Elemental," the Dragon King purred, landing in the ocean where he stood upright, the sea barely reaching past his talons. "When you conquer another country, do you care about the Fate of its inhabitants over your own?"
"W-What kind of question is that!?"
"Heh. One that you'll never know the answer to," the Dragon laughed, power exploding from his form as the water around him was pushed right away, a massive crater forming on the seafloor. "This… This is where the Elemental Race shall finally die!"
Achnologia (A*1* Active, Elemental Core Hungry, Heavily Suppressed) – 1.35 Billion MPI
Within moments, the Dragon King was upon her, and Illyandra knew she would be fighting for every last precious second. As she grabbed the Dragon by the throat, lifting him into the air for a choke-slam, she knew this was where her time would come.
Slamming the Dragon King down as hard as she could, she used a precious moment to look over her shoulder in the direction she knew those she trusted above all else were located. Her mind then wandered toward Natsu, and their final conversation.
'I couldn't save my Daughter… But things will be different this time! This time, you WILL live, Natsu! LIVE MY SON!'
Illyandra felt pain as Achnologia tore a chunk out of her ribs in a single bite, yet she refused to budge, keeping him pinned down.
'Go, my Son… Live!'
Achnologia, seemingly realizing that Illyandra was just going to keep her pinned down, fired a breath attack at point blank range. The attack instantly engulfed her entire upper body, blowing it away.
Her last thoughts as she felt her upper body crumble, was of her family, both of blood and otherwise.
'Live, and avenge us.'
The Dragon King toppled her form, tearing into it with malicious glee, as both of their forms were devoured by the sea, as the Dragon King gleefully claimed another victim.
Illyandra Scarlione… was dead.