Chapter 16

Natsu faltered as he stood. His legs felt weak. A shiver coursed through his body.

"Ankhseram? M-me?"

Liana nodded. "I believe so. I believe that the prophecy has come true, and that you've returned to us as Ankhseram, just as he prophesied to me all those millennia ago."

Natsu shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't trust this. He trusted Liana… but he was Ankhseram? That sounded so out of the loop his entire trust in Liana shook.

"How… how could that be? I… I am just Natsu. I can't be Ankhseram. No… I… I don't think that's possible."

Liana held his shoulder gently, and squeezed with a comforting force.

"Think about it, Natsu. You're a fire mage. Ankhseram said he would return as a fire mage."

Natsu stepped slightly back. "But… There are so many fire mages in the world. Why… why just me?"

Liana nodded. "Yes. But none of them have lived such a fateful life as yours. Your people were non mage. You were born amongst people that didn't and couldn't use magic. It was definitely a providential gift given to you by the skies. You are Ankhseram reborn. That's why you were born with fire magic to non-mage people."

Natsu listened to her carefully, although his mind was going in loops. It was true that he was born with fire magic to non magic people, and there was never an answer given to this phenomenon. Why was he given this gift of magic when his people had been devoid of it since centuries?

"Maybe… maybe I had come from outside the island. Maybe I am not the son of my parents after all. Maybe I am just a normal fire mage that somehow ended up on that island 700 years ago."

Liana shook her head. She gently slid her hand up Natsu's cheek. "I watched you being born, Natsu. I… I govern the world. I see everything that goes on in it. There was a great storm in the world when you were born. That alone told me that Ankhseram had taken birth again. After that, as I followed your life, it got clearer and clearer in my mind. Why… Why do you think only you received that special blessing from Ankhseram's temple? That arm that you used against Zeref constructed out of Ankhseram's candles… that blessing has never been bestowed upon anyone else in the world. And never will be. You are the first and the last person to receive that blessing. It is because you are Ankhseram that that arm worked so well for you. When Ankhseram died to Acnologia, he was broken into a million billion pieces. Those pieces became those candles. When you attached that arm to yourself, you essentially reattached a part of yourself to your body. You were even able to use his black flames. There is no other answer to this question. I truly believe that you are Ankhseram."

Natsu had calmed down for a moment now, and started to clearly think through all this. He himself had wondered why it was only him that was given the blessing of that arm. Why weren't others in the world bestowed with that? He had thought that the answer would be something simple that he and others missed. But… he could have never guessed this.

He looked down at his open palms, looking at the creases and lines that ran across his skin. He was… Ankhseram? He thought about anything that he could to disarray that idea, but he couldn't think of anything. It all fit in too perfectly.

He looked up at Liana again. "But… why didn't Ankhseram bless me at the temple? I tried so many times to light those candles, but they wouldn't catch fire."

Liana smiled sadly. "Because Ankhseram couldn't bless himself, Natsu. It was an anomaly that I had never foreseen. Ankhseram praying to himself… it was something I had never thought I would get to see. But I did. Through you, Natsu. That's why I hurried to that temple of Ankhseram all those months ago as soon as word reached me that someone had been found that couldn't light the candles there. I had to see it for myself to believe it. It was exactly then that I knew something was different about you. Something greater to you. Something greater than just that war with Zeref that you were preparing for."

Natsu stayed silent. Everything that he heard, everything that he was seeing, everything he was experiencing… it all pointed to the fact that it was him. He was Ankhseram. Liana had all the answers. Was he really? He thought about everything he had yet done. The life he had led, both that he remembered and that he didn't, his fights, his enemies, his friends, his adventures, his battles, his quests… He was the reincarnation of a god all along? That too the greatest of them all? The ruler of the heavens?

Somehow, even after all the facts laid on him by Liana, it still didn't seem real. He had heard of stories of great warriors reincarnating themselves in the world once again to put an end to evil. But he had never thought that he could be one of them. Those stories came to life before his eyes.

Liana looked at him sadly. She could only imagine what he was going through. It must have been getting tiresome for him to go through all these revelations about his life. A life that he didn't know about as much as he must have thought he did. It must be a heavily dissociating feeling. So, it was her duty to get the facts straight to him. To make him really believe that he was the reincarnation of a great old god. To make it easier for him. To really get him to know about his destiny. His fate. His duty in this life. She was sure that he was the one she was looking for. But to get him to believe it, it was a whole different ordeal. Although, looking at him, she knew she was slowly succeeding. He wasn't as nervous and anxious as he was seconds ago. He was on the threshold of even considering the fact that he could be Ankhseram.

She approached again with another statement. "Do you remember how Acnologia attacked Tenrou 700 years ago? He killed everyone that lived in the villages. He killed all your people. Burnt everything down. It is because he learnt of the prophecy, and somehow knew exactly where Ankhseram was born. He knew Ankhseram had taken birth again to destroy him, so he sought to destroy Ankhseram before Ankhseram could succeed. But all he did was protect you from the hunters that were looking for you. He succeeded in prolonging the prophecy even further. Unknowingly, he saved your life on that day. Ankhseram's will is unbroken and unfaltering. Just as it is said of me that I am never wrong about my ideas, it is said of Ankhseram that his will always prevails in the end. It's you, Natsu. I believe it wholeheartedly."

Natsu stood silently staring at Liana. His mind tried to wrap around what she had just said. Is that why Acnologia attacked the island? To kill him specifically? Ever since it was revealed to him that Acnologia had descended upon the villages and killed everyone within, he had wondered why he had done so. Until this moment, Natsu had been chalking it up to Acnologia's thirst for destruction and chaos, but now, his actions took on a whole new meaning in his mind. That day… when Zeref, Mavis, Natsu's mother and him ran away from the village and hid away in the forest, Acnologia descended upon the villages to try and kill him specifically. And he failed, furthering the prophecy even further.

Natsu turned around and looked away from Liana. He looked to the skies, wondering what to believe in. His mind was such a shamble of thoughts and images and ideas that he felt confused and lost. Who was he? Was he Natsu? Was he Zeref's brother? Was he Etherious? Was he Ankhseram? Or… by some stroke of fate and the tangled threads of destiny, he was all of them? His head hurt with thoughts, and felt heavy and unimaginably tortuous with ideas and images. He lowered his face and grunted, trying to massage the pain away with his hands.

Liana slowly approached him and sent her gentle arms around his waist from behind, embracing him lovingly and apologetically. She placed her face against his back and basked in his gentle and warm presence.

"I am sorry, Natsu. I am sorry that this all had to be. I… I don't know why Ankhseram chose you. Someone like you didn't deserve this burden. Someone like you always deserves to be happy and healthy, far away from all this. Far away from conflict and combat. Far away from pain and grief. You are caring, kind, and brave to a fault. But… that's all the more reason that I believe that you are Ankhseram. You are everything that he was, but so much more. This is… this is all my fault. If only I had taken better care of Ankhseram and protected him like I was supposed to, you wouldn't have needed to be involved in all this. If you have anyone to blame, blame me first."

Natsu lowered his head. His long salmon hair fell before his eyes and face and obscured his expressions from the rest of the world. He… trusted Liana. He trusted in her words. He trusted in her ideas. She would never lie to him. She would never fling him into something he wasn't ready for. She cared for him. She worried for him. And this was a time when his trust in her would be tested. His respect for her. His belief in her. And he believed her wholeheartedly.

Igneel's words rang in his mind.

'...Destiny… fate… these are fiendish entities, Natsu. No matter how much you try, no matter how much you fight, you can never change them. All you can do is believe that your destiny will stay before you. And you have to walk that path, unfaltering and undertering. No matter what your destiny is, promise me that you'll walk it proudly and happily. And always remember, fight for others, not for yourself. That way, there is no way you'll ever fail. Remember that...'

He looked up again, and opened his eyes. A small smile made his way onto his lips. Remembering Igneel always brought a smile to Natsu's face, no matter what situation or trouble he was in. Igneel was a shining beacon of hope for him, of resolve and determination, of joy and glee, that Natsu knew would never fail him. Maybe Igneel knew that Natsu's destiny was different from the rest, and that is why he gave him that lesson. Maybe… Igneel was watching him right now. Maybe he wanted Natsu to make the right decision. And right now, that's what he had to do.

Natsu turned around and faced Liana with a gentle and warm smile. Liana's soft lips parted when she saw that. That silent smile spoke a thousand words. Words of courage and resolve. Words of acceptance.

"I… I understand. Maybe I am Ankhseram. Maybe I am not. I don't know yet. But… What I know is that this is my destiny. I was destined to be here. I was fated to meet you, and be in this world. And I will accept my destiny, whatever it is. Igneel taught me just that. I will never fail Igneel, no matter what I do. I can lose my trust in everything in this world… but never in Igneel."

Liana found herself smiling brightly at his resolve. She knew that it was difficult for him to get through that revelation, but he had done so, and came out shining brighter on the other side. She was thankful to him for that. She was glad. She was happy.

"Thank you for trusting me, Natsu."

Natsu smiled. "What do I have to do now? Do I have to go back and fight Acnologia?"

Liana's smile slowly dug back from where it had come. She didn't know how she would tell Natsu what came next. But it had to be done.

"Not… Not Acnologia, Natsu. You… you are dead. You died after killing Zeref. You can't go back to the world of the living. Until…"

Natsu narrowed his eyes. "Until?"

Liana exhaled nervously. What she wanted to say next was a difficult proposition. She shuddered even at the thought of it. How would Natsu react to it?

"You have to understand something, Natsu. After Ankhseram died the first time, someone took his place in the heavens. Death. The false god Death. Ankhseram's death gave the false god power over him, and he exploited that chance to take his place as the ruler of the heavens. After that, you were born as Ankhseram, but in your life you died twice again. Once to your mother when she slaughtered you, and once to Zeref when you killed him. It's… it's unfortunate but… death holds special power over you. You cannot reclaim your place in the heavens as Ankhseram until you have defeated Death. Only after you've reclaimed your place in the heavens can you go back to the world of the living."

Natsu clenched his teeth in thought. The false god death? A personification of death itself? He never knew that death was a god. And that he has taken Ankhseram's place in the heavens.

He looked down at his feet and clenched his fists. Erza… the woman that he loved to and beyond death itself, was facing threat from Acnologia. She was in danger. His friends were in danger. And Natsu couldn't leave them alone to fight for themselves. He had to go back to the world and protect them. And this seemed to be the only way to do it.

He nodded. "I understand. Lead me to him. Lead me to death. I'll deal with him."

Natsu and Death clashed against the blaring of the trumpets and drums. Natsu swung fist after fist and kick after kick at the false god, but death managed to evade and parry all of those effortlessly.

Natsu pushed against Death's chest and managed to create distance between the two of them. The fight had come to a short halt as the two opponents stood at a distance and watched each other.

Natsu breathed and planted heavily, looking at his opponent up and down. Death was a tall and slender figure robed in dusty grey clothing, the tattered edges fluttering in the winds. A mask covered his face, but Natsu had seen his face already.

Death was the same figure that Natsu had first seen when he had come to this white world. Natsu had tried to talk to him, but he stood still as a statue, not responding, only breathing silently. So he had been death all along?

Natsu looked at Liana who stood at the edge of the battlefield, her hands clasped before her and a concerned and anxious expression dawning on her beautiful face. The match had barely started yet, but she was already worried for Natsu. Death and him had appeared to have reached a stalemate in battle, but Death had yet to show Natsu his true strength. And on the converse, Natsu had yet to tap into his perfected dragon force. It was going to be a long battle.

Natsu smiled softly at Liana, letting her know that everything was going to be alright. As he looked around again and away from Liana, that smile flew away. He was now looking at the spectators of the match. On one end of the battlefield stood about twenty hooded figures draped in bright white clothing. These were Liana's family. All great Gods and Goddesses of creation and birth. Her parents, her siblings, her cousins, her relatives. They had come to watch Natsu battle, and their intrigue could be explained by the fact that Natsu was supposedly Ankhseram reborn, someone that could tip the balance of the world and the heavens if that was true.

He turned around and looked at the spectators that stood at the opposite end now. Here gathered about twenty hooded figures that were dressed in black clean robes, almost an inverse of Liana's family. Looking at them made Natsu anxious, as they were supposed to be Ankhseram's family–all of them deities of death and destruction. If Natsu was Ankhseram as Liana believed, that would make these dark figures his family. No wonder they had come to watch this battle unfold.

Natsu looked back at Death, and paced his breathing, calming himself down. He was surrounded by some of the greatest and oldest gods of the universe and beyond. Most of these gods were unknown to the rest of the people of the world. Most these gods were so high tiered that the people of Earth didn't even deserve to know that these existed. These gods transcended knowlegde and cognition itself. To fight before them… Natsu didn't know if that was an honour or a curse.

He shut his eyes and breathed out, flames leaving his nostrils. When he opened his eyes again, fire burst out of his being and burnt around his body. He was a glowing silhouette of flames and brightness, and caused a glow and light in that white world that wasn't there before. His steps lighter and his body stronger now, he dashed forward. Nimble as a bird and strong as a rhino, he charged at Death and exchanged blows after blows with the lesser god. Death evaded all of those, but Natsu evaded the ones that death threw at him as well. They seemed evenly matched until Death grabbed a fist from Natsu that Natsu couldn't unhand.

He looked up from his arm at Death, and found a fist rocketing towards him. The first made contact with Natsu's cheek, and sent an unbridled energy and force down into his body. Winds swept out of their position that caused the spectators to look away for a moment. When they looked back, Natsu was rocketing backwards along the battlefield. He slid against the ground and came to a rolling halt.

Silence hung in the air, cut only by the howling of the distant winds. Liana tried to make her way to Natsu but was held back by Five who placed a hand over her shoulder. She looked back at Five, and he shook his head, letting her know that she couldn't approach the combatants as the spectators watched. It went against the protocols of the tourney.

Liana looked back at Natsu, and found him slowly rising back to his feet.

She clasped her hands before her and prayed for him. "Natsu… stay strong. I know you can do this."

Natsu's head felt heavy and a migraine ran course through his brows. His cheek where he had received the punch from death felt numb and warm, and yet it hurt intensely. He tasted blood in his mouth, and coughed relentlessly. When he removed his hands off his mouth after the cough, he found a pool of blood in his hands and a tooth that had dislodged itself.

Natsu watched the blood drip down onto the white floor. The pain soon started to course through his body, and stung with a burning intensity even at places where Death hadn't touched him. He was facing a supernatural foe at the moment. He was facing death itself. It was only natural that sooner or later Natsu would start feeling the supernatural effects of facing such a foe.

Natsu clenched his fists, and growled softly in anger. He dashed at Death again, attacking and assaulting with all his might. But death was faster, quicker and more nimble. He evaded all of those attacks and even managed to occasionally hurt Natsu back in a counter attack. He struck parts of Natsu's body that provided an opening with his open palms, and sent courses of pain and sting running through Natsu's structure. It was obvious that Death was using a form of close combat and martial arts that Natsu had never heard of nor ever seen. Soon, the cumulative effect of the strikes started to take a toll on Natsu's body, and his entire body hurt and convoluted, aching and hurting desperately and irrationally. His limbs lost all their strength, and Natsu stood like a sitting duck before Death, unable to move. Death used that opportunity to merge his knee with Natsu's jaw.

For a moment, Natsu was blinded. The strike was so behemoth that he felt his jaw fracturing. Cracks were heard by him as he tasted more blood in his mouth. He lost almost all of his consciousness. All he knew was that he had turned over and was tumbling through the air at an unmatched speed, flipping and turning rapidly as the insane force that Death had struck Natsu with travelled through his body. He flipped and turned in the air an uncountable number of times and landed on the ground, moaning and twitching in pain and tiredness.

Some of Natsu's blood splattered near Liana's feet, and she looked down at it. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped at whatever she was looking at. Natsu was struggling. If this continued... he would eventually be lost. Just like Ankhseram.

She had to call the match off right now.

She dashed towards Natsu, her eyes leaking tears that streamed behind her in the air. As she ran towards Natsu's unmoving figure, something broke inside of her. She heard the sound of something shattering within her, something cracking. Something being absolutely demolished.

Five tried to hold her back but she evaded him. She entered the battlefield, and stepped in puddles of Natsu's blood that lay unattended all over around him. Before she could reach Natsu, however, Death stepped up right before her.

She halted, looking up at him frightfully and scared. Death smiled, and slowly walked up closer, at which she started to step back. She could still see Natsu's unmoving form behind Death, and tried to duck around him to reach Natsu. Death grabbed her wrist and pushed her back forcibly. She landed on her back against the ground. Her wrist that death had touched burnt with an unforeseeable intensity.

Before death could approach Liana again, however, Five stepped up between the two. He stood straight and unmoving before his sister, like a wall that was ready to dig a grave right now. He growled at Death and ferociously dug his eyes into Death's. Death stopped in his tracks, and glared back at Five.

"She entered the battlefield. That's punishable by death…" Death smiled and regurgitated.

Five's eyes twitched in absolute anger and menace. "Dare approach her. See what happens."

Death scoffed. "You can't defeat me, Five. Only Ankhseram can. And this meat that you've brought me is a sorry excuse. He's pathetic. What even made you think that he's the Lost God?"

Five smiled with as much ferocity as Death was. "I trust in my sister. That's all I will say."

Death laughed at his face. "Fair enough. I'll take my time punishing this… 'Natsu'. But keep in mind, it's your punishment that he will be getting. Your flawed judgement brought him here. And now, you have to pay by watching him suffer."

Liana stood up and approached Death, but Five held her back again.

"Stop. It's… it's my fault that he is here. Please, I beg you. Punish me instead. Let him go. He… he isn't Ankhseram. I… I thought he was… but I was clearly wrong. Don't hurt him anymore. I am sorry that I offended you by bringing him here. Let him go, I beg of you."

Death shook his head. "Unfortunately your brother prevents me from touching you. So I'll have to punish this human instead. I apologise."

Five held Liana and pulled her off the battlefield, all the while she tried her hardest to reach Natsu again.

"No! Please… Let him go! LET HIM GO! He… he doesn't deserve this!"

Death turned Natsu's limp body over to face his head upwards. Natsu's eyes were shut, and blood poured out of his mouth in alarming quantities. He was clearly unconscious.

Death looked at Liana once, enjoying her grieved and struggling form at a distance, before facing Natsu and heavily striking him with his fist across the face. A light moan was heard, and blood splattered all across the floor. Death laughed, and struck the opposite side of Natsu's face, blood spurting in the opposite direction now. The moan wasn't heard this time. The punches continued.

Liana froze in place as she watched what was happening before her. Her heart shattered into such small pieces that she felt she would never be able to recover from it. Her body convulsed internally, her lungs expanding and contracting automatically—as if she had forgotten to breathe.

Natsu… that bright and happy man that she had come to love and adore. His cheerful antics, his laughs, his smiles, his beautiful and gentle eyes, his soft voice… his strong and caring embrace. Right now, he was being tormented and infinitely hurt by an opponent that he could never even dream of conquering. All because of her.

Her beliefs turned inside of her. They shattered and broke. And the pieces dripped out of her in the form of tears that wouldn't stop leaving her eyes. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe Natsu wasn't Ankhseram. Maybe he wasn't the one she was looking for. Maybe she had flung an entirely innocent man into this chaos and disarray.

The sound of Death's fists bashing against Natsu's face continued.

Four… five… six… seven… eight…

The hits went on and on. Blood splattered over the floor. Bones cracked. Death laughed as he violated Natsu's being. There was a stinging silence in the air.

Liana knelt on the floor, her arms and legs weak and limp. Her eyes blurred with tears… and she could see anything anymore. And why would she want to see anything? The world was a dark and horrid place. Where only darkness prevailed, and the light had no place to be. Where nightmares ran rampant, and dreams went to die. Such was the world. Such was its existence. Such was her life.

Death continued smashing Natsu's face. Natsu right now was like a doll being unbelievably contorted by a spoiled kid that was playing with it. Natsu's life was in Death's fists now. And it was quickly leaving his body.

Liana took in a deep breath, and when she released it, it came out in the form of a heart wrenching cry. The cry tore through eardrums, shook bodies and beings… and cemented a deep set grief and pain and heartbreak in the hearts of the listeners.

Five slowly approached Liana's kneeling figure, and pulled her into an embrace. Her body shook violently and restlessly as she sobbed. She dug into Five's chest and cried unhindered over the crease of his clothing. Was this really the world that she had created? Pained… grieved… lost and battered?

Death heaved, and stopped striking Natsu after what seemed like the 50th punch. The floor beside Natsu lay stained and wrecked with blood. His hair stained red with his blood marred over his face, hiding the damage away from Death's eyes. Death found himself internally exploding with joy at the sight of what he had done.

"When your friends die… they will come to me. I will have control over their spirits. Erza… Gray… Mirajane… Laxus… Wendy… Juvia… Cana. You have a lot of friends, don't you? They will all be mine one day. And I will subject them to so much pain and grief that day that their souls will beg to leave their bodies. But the dead can't die again. They will be mine for eternities to come. And I will enjoy my time with them. I just hope that they last longer than you did here."

Death heaved and rose up off Natsu's body. He had exerted himself today, but the return gift of that exertion was this unbridled sadistic pleasure running courses through his body. He hadn't had this much exhilaration in a long time. Heaven was too peaceful. He had been looking forward to this battle for a very long time. Punishing mortals was a hobby of his. A corrupted and a dark hobby.

He walked backwards into the battlefield. He raised his hands up in a show of victory and dominance. This was it. He had won. He had won against Ankhseram, or whoever it was that was thought to be Ankhseram. It didn't feel like this man was the great Lost God. Death had known other humans stronger than Natsu.

Liana slowly raised her head off Five's chest and looked over at Natsu's still and limp figure over the ground, lying in a pool of his own blood. She didn't wipe the tears off her eyes. She let them flow. She didn't want to look at Natsu clearly now. That state of his… that sorry and broken state that he was in… it was sure to bring her more pain than she was ready for.

She slowly made her way to Natsu, stumbling and staggering, stepping in his blood. She knelt by his blurry figure before her eyes, and gently yet desperately gave him a shake.

"N-Natsu…" she whispered, her voice cracking. "Get… get up. Natsu… it's… it's okay. I… I will heal you. Please get up. Try to move…"

He wouldn't move. Why wasn't he listening to her? Was he… upset with her? She honestly wouldn't blame him. She was responsible for all of this. All of his pain… all of his torment… she was the cause behind it.

She sobbed and cried, and buried her face over his chest. She could hear his heartbeat… but it was soft and silent. Almost vanishing… almost extinguishing. Gone.

The guildhall doors flew open.

"I am back!"

Natsu cried. A wide smile garnered his lips. He entered through the doors and stood in the middle of the hall.

His friends raised their heads up and looked at him.

"About time, dumbass." Gray scoffed. "Thought you were going to be late for the New year's."

Gray saw something that caused his smile to fly off.

"Natsu…?" He stood up and slowly walked to his friend.

Natsu looked… different. His hair was longer and shabbier, a stubble had manifested around his sharp jawline, and his skin looked paler and sicker. Something… was wrong with him. He was in different clothes than his usual attire, and….

"Natsu… what happened?" Mirajane asked concernedly. She slowly walked up to him and inspected his abdomen. She gasped.

A large white cloth wrapped around Natsu's waist, seeping with an alarming amount of blood. Red and crimson. The wound had been dirtily closed up with a muddy and dirty bandage, sure to cause infections.

Mirajane narrowed her eyes as her heart beat with anxiety and worry. She looked at Natsu.

"What… What happened?"

Natsu's smile never left his face. "Trolls attacked me. But I defeated all of them. It's okay. I have finished the mission."

Mirajane looked cross. "What is the point of finishing the mission if you almost risked your life, Natsu?"

She pinched his cheek, causing him to wince in pain.

Word had reached the guild that a thousand strong horde of mountain trolls were tormenting a village up the mountains. Seeing as Natsu was recently promoted to SS class, and that he was a fire mage, he was dispatched quickly to take care of the situation. He had been gone for two weeks now, and had finally returned. Mountain trolls were some of the vilest and fiercest beasts known to exist, only weak to fire and being able to quickly heal and regenerate any wounds and injuries. It was said that even an army of mages would falter before a handful of them. Natsu—if he had really finished his mission and slain about a thousand of them, it was something of an achievement. It was something that most other SS class mages would falter before. But it definitely didn't come without some sort of a payment.

Gray narrowed his eyes and closely inspected the wound around Natsu's waist. It looked deep even with the bandage on. Deep enough to have spurted a lot of his blood outside. Was that the reason behind his frail and pale looking skin? How much blood did he lose exactly?

Mirajane sighed and let go of Natsu's cheek. "Getting injured while on a mission is a given, Natsu. But something tells me that you got injured because of your carelessness and recklessness, and not because you were actually cornered or in a difficult position. Is it true?"

Natsu smiled sheepishly. "Well… how… how did you know?"

Mirajane shook her head and blew her cheeks out. "It's because I have known you since you were a kid, Natsu. I know what you're like. You probably tried to engage the trolls without any strategy, head on, and got injured."

Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "Hehehe…"

"It's okay, Mirajane. He will have to answer to me."

Erza's voice was heard.

Natsu, Mirajane and Gray all looked around, and found Erza standing at a distance, her arms folded and her eyes shut. Natsu felt shivers run down his spine at her sight. She didn't look particularly pleased by the condition that he was in. She had especially asked him to be careful while on the job, and he had failed. Only gods knew what awaited Natsu now. Maybe more cheek pinching? Ear twisting? A loud earful from Erza? Natsu wasn't looking forward to any of that.

"Hey, Erza…" Mirajane smiled. "Go easy on him. He is fine… after all. It's just a small wound."

Erza opened her eyes and dug them into Natsu's. "I don't think he is ready for my 'easy' as well."

Natsu shuddered.

Erza pointed her thumb backwards towards the medical bay of the guild.

"Inside, now."

Natsu sighed. He dropped his luggage on the floor and lazily walked towards the medical rooms. Erza followed him inside.

She shut the door behind her, a little too forcefully, and Natsu flinched at the sound. She turned around, and examined Natsu head to toe. Her eyes hovered over his wound.

"Clothes off. Now."

Natsu winced as he automatically did what she said. Going against her right now was not good for his health. He unbuttoned his long dirty cloak and let it swivel onto the ground. What was revealed was a toned and heavily muscular visage, slender and yet strong and tough. Erza couldn't help but wander her eyes fleetingly over his well built body.

She approached him and grabbed his hand, and then pulled him before the bed. She sat down over the bed herself, and started to examine the bandages over his body. Natsu looked down at her, her thick crimson locks and bends and curls of her beautiful hair that fluttered in the cold evening winds. She was… breathtaking.

Erza slowly started to undo the bandages. Soon she revealed the wound, and found herself wincing at the sight.

She looked up at Natsu, a sad expression breaking through her stern demeanour.

"Why, Natsu? Why do you do this to yourself?"

Natsu managed a small insincere smile. "The… the trolls had cornered a little boy from the village in their cave. I couldn't strategize. I had to go in with brute force. One of them managed to claw me from the back. That's… that's all."

Erza shook her head as she stood up. She didn't care much for his stories, or why or how it happened. All she cared about was that he was hurt. And… that hurt her for some reason. She walked over to a drawer and got out alcohol spirit and some fresh bandages. She walked over to Natsu and sat him down on the bed.

Natsu watched for the next minute as she cleaned his wound with the spirit and then wrapped the clean bandages around his waist. Not a word was said between the two. After it was done, Natsu felt cleaner and warmer.

Erza grabbed his head and pulled it down over her lap as she sat on the bed. Resting his head over Erza's lap… it was something that the two did a lot. Ever since Natsu had joined the guild. Sometimes when he would be plagued by nightmares due to his feral and wild upbringing, and an absence of Igneel, doing this caused him to immediately calm down. Erza couldn't believe what an effect her simple and friendly caress had on Natsu. Ever since she had found that out, she had started to do that more often… only hoping that Natsu enjoyed her vicinity just as much as she enjoyed his.

"How do you feel now?"

Natsu looked up at her. "Better. Thank you."

Erza caressed his hair gently…. And lovingly. She put every bit of her love in that caress. She… loved this man. More than just as a friend. The fact that he didn't yet know about it was a different matter. She hadn't been able to tell him yet. What would be his response? Would he accept her feelings? Did his wild and unpredictable and erratic and restless life have any space in it for her? She dearly hoped so.

"Be careful next time, Natsu. I… I can't see you like this. It… it hurts me. I… I know when something is wrong with you, no matter how far away you are. I can feel it. I have been extremely anxious and fidgety these past few days. Now… now I know why."

Natsu slowly trailed his eyes down her bright forehead, her intense coal eyes, her handsome nose, and then down to her soft glossy lips. She was beautiful. An angel rained down from the heavens. To do what? He hoped that she had come down especially for him.

"Why… why do you care about me so much?" He asked.

Erza smiled. She caressed Natsu's rough cheeks lovingly. She didn't have an answer to that question yet. Or if she did, she couldn't say it out loud. Not yet. She wasn't ready for it yet, although she hoped that she was.

Liana had calmed down. She sobbed occasionally, resting her head over Natsu's chest, not wanting to leave his side for a single moment. She wanted to keep listening to his heartbeats. She was afraid they would go away the moment she walked away from him. They were steady… slow… soft…

They were erratic. They were pained. They were grieved. But they were there. Natsu was still alive.

Some attendants approached Five. "My lord. Is the fighter done? We need to end this tournament. Do we declare the false god as the victor?"

Five stared at his sister, and her unwavering closeness to Natsu. She wouldn't leave his side, no matter what he did. She wanted to be by him. She still… she still trusted him.

Five shook his head. "Not yet."

The attendants bowed and moved out of the way.

Liana shook Natsu again. She whispered.

"Natsu… I… I love you. I care for you more than I do for myself. I… I have fallen in love with you. At first… I was attracted to you only because I thought you were Ankhseram. Because I thought you were my beloved. But now… I don't care if you are him or not. Through the adventures that we have had together… I… I think I have fallen in love with a human. With my own creation. That's why… please… get up. I can't see you like this. It hurts me just as much as it does you."

He was still. Silent. He wouldn't budge. Was he even listening to her? Was he in any capacity to listen? Or had death robbed that off of him too?

What she had seen today, she knew it would torment her for millenia. She had brought Natsu here, telling him, making him believe that he was Ankhseram, filling him up with hope and trust. And then all that had fallen flat on its back, just like Natsu did. Her heart rang with pain and grief at his condition, and something very akin to bodily pain started to course through her body, even though she wasn't involved in this fight.

Could Ankhseram save her? Could he come to her rescue once again like he always did? Could he… preserve the broken pieces of her heart like he always did? Could he protect her? But he was far away. Far away from her. Never to be seen again. He was broken into infinite pieces all lost throughout the world. He will never merge together again. And she had broken her vows to him to boot. She had vowed to only love him for all eternity. And now, here, as she sat on her knees, her white dress stained with the blood of an innocent, she had fallen in love with someone else. What was in store for her? Punishment? Correction? Damnation? Redemption? Whatever it was, she wholeheartedly welcomed it.

Silence cut through the air like a blade through leaves. The silence stung. The silence pained. The silence hurt. In that silence, the future of the world for eternities to come was destined. And it was dark. Darker than black. Darker than the darkest blotches of the universe and space. In that silence, Natsu moved.

He moaned. Liana opened her eyes. He was moving. He was stirring. She finally wiped her eyes, and placed her ear next to his chest. His heart beats were erratic still, but they were getting steadier by the moment. His bodily heat was increasing. She opened her eyes and found herself looking at a gash over his arm. The gash… seemed to vibrate. Move. Sluggishly, slowly, lazily, but it was moving. Soon, she watched in wonder as the skin flaps around that gash started to appropriate. Soon they merged together, and the wound was sealed.

Natsu's body convulsed. Liana flinched back and sat up, looking at his body as a whole. The wounds over his skin started to close themselves, just like that gash from before. His body started to shake and convulse, and steam started to rise from him.

Liana stood up and stepped back. Something was happening. Natsu was mending himself.

Four, Two and Three stood up off their seats and looked on curiously. As soon as they had thought that the tournament was over and that Death had won effortlessly, this… happening… was still around the corner.

The spectators that had started to leave started to flock back to the battlefield as murmurs and mutterings erupted from them.

"The human is waking."

"Even after all that abuse from the false god?"

"His life energy is filling back up. He is essentially healing himself."

"The tournament isn't over yet."

Five watched in absolute wonder. This human… even after all that beatings he had taken, he still was alive. Death had tried his hardest to consume this man, and he was still breathing. All that abuse could have essentially killed a lesser god long ago. Natsu was…. Who was he? What was he? Was a human even capable of this unforeseen strength and endurance? Was he even human?

Was he really… after all… who Liana thought he was?

Natsu clenched his fists, and a fire started to surge out of his body. Dragon scales started to cover his skin—red, shiny, gleaming. They crept up his arms… and slowly merged at his chest. His entire body was covered with a thick scaly dragon hide now… unbroken, unrelenting, untarnished. As the scales made contact with the wounds over his body, the wounds started to close.

Soon, Natsu had finished mending himself. He lay silently and still, having recovered from every broken bones and ligaments and tissues and tendons and teeth. He was… good as new. The fire that surged out of him burnt bright and powerful, intending to crush his enemies down into a pile of ashes.

Some words by Polyurischia steamed in his mind.

'Igneel… was a dragon that signified peace and union. A union between humans and dragons. He was the mediator during the signing of Magna Carta. He was the foremost professor of unity and peace. As such, he had a great healing power that worked against violence and smite. His healing was known as being legendary to the rest of the world. His shed scales have always been found throughout the world in the forests and the mountains, and have always been used in medicine and drugs. Igneel… bestowed that power of healing unto you, Natsu. Make sure you use it wisely.'

Natsu's eyes opened. Reptilian. Green. Ferocious.

He quickly got up off the ground. The fire behind him started to take form and produced a thick and muscular tail that started to swing and swerve. Bones erupted out his back and burnt with a blinding intensity, and soon skin started to grow out of them, completing and finishing his dragon wings.

His dragon force was now complete. He had reached a perfect dragon force this time. Crushing all the previous boundaries, crossing all his limits of humanity. He had become a miniature Igneel. No part of his human skin showed. He was complete. A complete dragon.

Five found himself smiling in wonder.

"The dragon force… the primaeval and ancient art wherein a dragon slayer can tap into their instincts and turn into half a dragon. But… he isn't half a dragon anymore. He… he has perfected the Dragon force. He has reached a level never before possible. It's… it's unbelievable."

Liana stepped back as the heat from Natsu started to caress against her skin. It was comforting and healing at first, but soon turned into a powerful menace. Her skin dried up and burnt. She found herself walking away from Natsu's vicinity and standing far away from him.

"Natsu… you…"

Had she chosen the right person after all? Had she… fallen in love with Ankhseram after all?

Natsu could feel his own power. It was something he had never felt before. He had crossed all the previous boundaries and turned into something he had never sought possible.

But there was something more to him. An unseen energy lurked within him. Flashing. Contorting. Convoluting. Willing and tremoring to break out. To break free. An energy that could change the world if willed out. An energy that could destroy the world… or save it. An energy… that had been within him this whole time.

He tapped into it.

The world shook. Severe and strong winds blew out of Natsu's figure. It was akin to a horrible storm. Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Droughts and floods. The floor trembled and the skies shook.

A black cloak surrounded Natsu's draconic figure. It was like a black veil around his skin. Moving and swinging slowly, drafting out into the winds. Waving, flowing… smoothly. That black veil consisted of an unforeseen energy within it. Someone touching it would be reduced to flames almost instantaneously. Enemies would shiver at the sight of it. It was a power that could destroy, protect, preserve and maim, all in the name of preserving order and balance.

Liana watched curiously. She… she knew that black energy. She had seen it before. She had seen it on…

"Ankhseram…" she muttered.

The black veil exploded, and black and terrific flames burst out of Natsu's figure. That was a world ending energy. A world ending fire. Something that could brighten up the universe with one ember for eternities to come. Something that could warm up the world for centuries with one spark.

Liana couldn't believe it. Her body trembled. Her heart beat in exhilaration like she had never known before. Shivers crawled up and down her spine. She had never thought that she would get to see these flames again. She had thought that these had been lost to time. Lost to eternities. Lost the moment their wielder was gone. Shattered. But these flames had returned. In Natsu. Ankhseram's flames had returned.

She slowly, still confused but unimaginably happy and gleeful and excited, got down on her knees at the sight of those flames. They weren't ordinary flames. They were the flames of Ankhseram.

Four, Two, Three and Five were the next to kneel before the flames of The Lost God. The flames of the Dead God. The Broken God.

The spectators soon followed suit and knelt down on the floor. To see these flames reignite out of someone's person… was a dream come true. Their lord had returned. The ruler of the heavens was back. It was Natsu.

Death was the last one to sit on his knees. "I… I submit. It is now clear to me that you have returned, o great Lost God. I willingly give up your position in the heavens back to you. And I shall forever remain your humble servant, always ready to serve and slay in your name. Glory to you, Ankhseram."

Liana smiled. She had kept her vows. She hadn't fallen in love with a human. She had fallen in love with her husband. Her lord. Her benefactor. Her beloved. She had fallen in love with Ankhseram all over again.

Natsu put the black flames out. They were threatening to break free and destroy this white world that Liana had created. There was no need for him to keep himself aflame anymore.

The tournament was won.

This is probably my longest chapter yet. I think, i havent checked. The next chapter is already written. Ill just proofread it and upload that too as soon as possible.