Hello everyone!
I am so happy and glad to see how much love and support this story has gotten so quickly! It warms my heart.
I have read and seen some all the reviews and now I will take a moment to talk to you all.
The Mavis in this story is not the real Mavis Vermillion. Mavis Vermillion, the girl that founded Fairy Tail and saved Natsu on Tenrou Island, she died with Zeref during the first chapter of this story. The Mavis we see Natsu talking to in the second chapter is instead the physical manifestation of the voice of the Fairy Heart.
The Fairy Heart wanted to talk to Natsu, so it took on the form of someone who it knew would not scare Natsu. I mean, Natsu is fourteen years old and I do not know about you, but I would be terrified if a giant golden sphere of energy started talking to me. A small petite girl is a much easier being to talk to then a giant ball of energy.
Another thing is the reason why the Fairy Heart didn't train Natsu. The Fairy heart saw Natsu's memories, even those that Natsu himself cannot remember. It saw how like 92% of all of Natsu's problems and heart ache came from Zeref and magic in general. Dying, being reborn as a demon, being reverted back to a child, raised by a dragon and then sent 400 years into the future in order to kill the strongest dragon in history, being lost and alone due to the only parental figure having to go inside of you to create antibodies to make sure you don't change into a dragon. The Tower of Heaven, Acnologia, Tartaros, Alvarez, Grimoire Heart and a lot more of the crap Natsu suffered all steamed from Zeref and magic.
The Fairy Heart saw this and decided it would be best if Natsu never got involved in the supernatural. The Fairy heart wanted Natsu to never know of powers locked within himself as well as the threats that exist around him. However, in it's arrogance and naivety, it underestimated it's ability to shield Natsu and so he was found and we all know what happens next.
The point I am trying to make is that the Fairy Heart only wanted the best for Natsu, but by sheltering him it allowed Natsu to suffer greater then if he had been trained.
The Fairy Heart is not the villain. It did what it thought was best and made a mistake, like we all do.
About the Devils, you will have to wait and see on that one.
For this story, I wanted to show a more morally grey world then what DxD actually showed. In the show it's like this: Heaven and Angels are hypocrites, Fallen Angels are arrogant assholes and Devils are the good guys. Sure there are a few bad apples, but for the most part a lot of the Devils are good people.
Now, that is not say I completely hate this. I thought this made the Devils seem more relatable and less 100% evil beings.
However, what I am going to do, hopefully, is show a more morally grey DxD. Angels and Heaven are not going to sit back and just let the Fallen and Devils kill and take whoever they want, whenever they want. Some Fallen Angels are going to be good people who made mistakes and wish to atone for what they did. And as shown in the first chapter, some Devils are going to be beings of darkness who will kill anyone and anything that stands in their way of gaining more power.
Now, not all characters are going to be the same. I will have characters introduced earlier then in cannon as well as a few arcs either missing entirely or changed to suite my purposes. But some arcs will remain untouched and happen very similarly like they did in cannon.
With that out of the way, onto the chapter!
Chapter Three: Training the Beast.
In a land filled with nothing but smoke, ash and fire, enormous explosions erupted out.
From the smoke a figure emerged, orange balls of fire wrapped around his hands as he charged towards the massive crimson red dragon that stood before him.
The dragon gathered massive amounts of fire in his mouth and then shot them forth, the giant stream of fire scorching the ground beneath them into glass before it shattered.
The figure kept on running, uncaring for the flames as it neared him. As the flames were about to strike the figure, giant pillars of fire erupted from underneath the figures feet, propelling him into the air and out of the way of the stream of fire.
The figure then yelled out, "With the fire on my right hand and with the fire on my left hand, when you put them together you get: Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"
The figure gathered fire onto his right and then his left hands, then cupped them above his head where the fire gathered together for form a large swirling ball of fire, which the figure then threw at the Crimson Dragon.
The ball detonated on the left side of the dragons face and did absolutely nothing as when the smoke cleared, it showed that the Dragon suffered not a single scratch and is perfectly fine.
With incredible speed, the Dragon smashed Natsu with his fist, creating a massive crater when Natsu landed as a large gust of wind blew outwards.
Natsu got back up with some difficulty, breathing heavily as he tries to get some air into his lungs.
"Alright Natsu, that is enough sparing for today. It is time for your lessons on how to use the Boosted Gear." Ddraig said.
Natsu nodded, very glad he no longer had to fight the crazy powerful dragon any longer. He has been "sparing" with Ddraig for the past three hours and his body is very much in pain right now. "Sparing" is a generous term, as it has been more akin to Ddraig kicking the shit out of Natsu for amusement for the past three hours.
Natsu then summoned the Boosted Gear, the Crimson Red Gauntlet appearing on Natsu's arm almost instantaneously.
"Now, as you know the Boosted Gear can Boost your power every ten seconds with a maximum limit to the number of Boosts you can take being around 6 right now. Impressive for someone who has only held the Gear for around a three months. However, there are other powers and abilities the gear has beyond simply Boosting. It can also Transfer the number of Boosts you have received to someone else, allowing them a great increase in power. This is very advanced material, so we are going to learn more about those abilities at a later time when you are more prepared for it." Ddraig said to his student who was listening intently to the ancient Dragon teachings.
"What we are gonna learn today is a much more simple, yet helpful ability. How to summon and manipulate your Dragon Aura. Dragons, because we are beings of such incredible power, can manifest our very existence into a source of power for us to use. For example, the Dragon King Tiamat can manifest her chaotic existence which allows her to use different elemental powers at random, hence her name the Chaos Dragon King. Being the Crimson Dragon Emperor, I am no different and could manifest my aura as well. Being the inheritor of my power, you can summon my own Crimson dragon Emperor Aura as well. Dragon Aura is different from magic in the way that Dragon Aura does not rely on precise mathematical equations like magician magic does or the power of imagination like Devil magic, but instead it relies on your emotions, like fear, anger, etc. The stronger your emotions, the stronger your Dragon Aura is." Ddraig continued on, showcasing the ability. he raised his right arm and then covered it in a thick crimson haze of energy that felt drastically different from Dragon Slaying magic any of the other magics Mavis showed Natsu.
"Dragon Aura is very useful. You can use it as a means of protection, manifesting the power to act as a kind of shield against magical attacks, use it as a enhancer to increase your physical abilities, like senses, strength, speed, stamina. Or you can use it as a means of attack, by coating your limbs in it or firing them off as pulse kind of attacks or as a narrowed beam type attack. Aura is a very versatile energy, however the main drawback to Aura is that using it can lead to extreme exhaustion or even the destruction of your very soul if you're not careful. Aura is so powerful because it has such a speed price for misusing it. Everything requires a cost Natsu. Casting a magical spell requires magical energy, surviving requires someone else to be sacrificed, there is a balance that must be maintained Natsu. Remember this lesson. Never overuse your Dragon Aura." Ddraig somonly warned his young student.
Natsu nodded and said, "I understand Ddraig."
Ddraig nodded and said, "I hope you do Natsu. Now, how to summon your Dragon Aura. Unlike your Dragon Slaying magic, which required you to accept your darker, more primordial instincts, Dragon Aura is something that can only be unlocked by a stronger, more powerful Dragon. The elder Dragon will literally forcibly bring out the physical manifestation of your existence. It is a painful endeavour, but one that is well worth the pain."
Natsu nodded and said, "Do it."
"I warn you, once I begin the process I cannot stop. It has to be done in one sitting otherwise your very soul might fracture. So no matter how painful it maybe, I must continue on. Are you sure you wish for me to unlock your Dragon Aura?" Ddraig asked with intense seriousness.
Natsu nodded once more and said, "I am ready."
Ddraig solemnly nodded and said, "Then let us begin."
Ddraig pressed his index and middle claws against Natsu's chest and said, "Small one, listen well. I, Ddraig, he who stole the principal of Domination from God, now unleash your soul. You shall have wings of which to fly in the skies above, scale to defend against all attacks and talons of which to rip your enemies apart."
A bright crimson light erupted outwards, small tendrils of crimson fire coming out of the ball of crimson light on Natsu's chest and then beginning to slowly wrap around Natsu's arms, legs, head and chest.
Natsu screamed out in raw agony as the crimson light tightened around his form, the crimson energy burning lines into his skin that looked akin to molten magma.
"The existence that is Natsu Hyoudou, I command thee! Thou shalt head my words and obey my will! I free thou from the shackles that bind thee of my own volition! Stand tall, young Dragon! For thy journey has only begun!" Ddraig continued onwards.
The crimson energy covered over Natsu, his entire form obscured by the thick haze of crimson line. However, that did not obscure the sounds of his wails of torment, which only increased in volume.
"From now until the end of time, Natsu Hyoudou is the master of his own destiny! Until the stars themselves burn out in the heavens above, he shall remain free! Now, come forth, Dragon!" Ddraig finished as the crimson light finally died down from his talons.
The crimson haze surrounding Natsu then broke apart like glass, the shards flying outwards across the world of fire and brimstone.
Natsu stood at the center, gazing downwards at his arms, which were now covered in a Crimson field of energy that moved and appeared like flowing water, while small flakes of azure light were mixed in with the crimson light as well.
Natsu clenched his right fist, feeling a small layer of resistance against his skin as he did so.
"Congratulations Natsu, your Dragon Aura has been unlocked." Ddraig said with a bit of pride in his voice.
"Thank you Ddraig. Question thought, why is my Aura red?" Natsu asked.
"Due to the fact that you have the Boosted Gear, your Dragon Aura has unconsciously molded itself after my own. However, your Aura will evolve and change as you yourself change as a person. Remember, Aura is the physical manifestation of who you are as a person, and all people change over time. So shall your Aura change as you change as a person." Ddraig explained.
Natsu nodded and then sent his Dragon Slayer magic through his arms, causing his Dragon Slayer Magic to merge with his Dragon Aura, creating a unique power that combines the two powers into one.
His flames shot out of his hands like geysers, giant pillars of fire in the color of crimson near the shade of blood. Natsu was shocked at the shear power of his flames, but it was also more then that. His flames felt different, they felt more complete in a way. They felt as if they were apart of Natsu, herolding who he was to the world.
Natsu had his flames die down until they were only wrapped around his hands as he continued to gaze upon them in wonder.
"Alright, your flames are very pretty, but we got bigger things to talk about." Ddraig said, getting Natsu's attention.
"We now have to work on your control of your Dragon Aura. The way to get control over your Aura is best achieved through meditation. By maintaining a perfectly balanced state of mind for long periods of time, your Aura will grow more and more stable until the point you will not need to meditate at all to maintain your Aura." Ddraig said as Natsu listened intently.
Natsu nodded and got into a lotus position, closing his eyes and focusing on his Aura.
His Dragon Aura felt like a wild forest fire; fierce, destructive, and absolutely powerful. Natsu took that feeling and focused only on it, not caring for anything else happening around him.
His breathing began to calm down as his muscles began to relax a little as he began to calm his Dragon Aura down a little. Not a lot, but it is a start.
However, as he was doing this Ddraig suddenly said, "Natsu, it is time for combat training again."
"Already?" Natsu asked as he got out of his lotus position.
"Indeed." Ddraig said.
Natsu sighed and said, "I guess we will have to continue this another time."
Ddraig nodded and said, "Get going."
Natsu nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating on his real body. A second later, the land of fire and brimstone disappeared around Natsu as he went back to his real body.
Natsu's real body awakened as Natsu's mind returned. Natsu quickly got up and began stretching his body as two large guards came into his cell and quickly slapped a familiar thing that caused Natsu to go stiff and unable to move.
Once Natsu was frozen, he was taken out of his holding cell and towards a familiar arena.
Once in the arena, Natsu was left at the center while the two guards got out of the arena. Once they were gone, the thing on his neck disappeared, allowing Natsu to move once again.
Natsu got up and began stretching once more, preparing himself for whatever these people were going to throw at him today.
For the outer rim of the arena came only five Imps, however these were unlike the Imps that composed the army he and Issei faced.
These Imps were 7 feet tall, much larger then regular Imps. They were also incredibly more heavily built then their counterparts, having thickly builts arms and legs along with broad shoulders. Their green skin was a much darker shade, but the most disturbing thing was their crimson red eyes along with the dark black veins running along their bodies, giving them a much darker and more sinister look to them. They also had a much more menacing aura around them then their smaller counterparts did. Those felt like, weak and arrogant Imps, these had a malevolent and dark feeling about them composed of hatred and anger.
The left most Imp charged forth first, screaming a loud battle cry as he drew his large left fist back.
Natsu got into his fighting stance while igniting his crimson dragon flames, waiting for the Imp to come in close.
Once he was close to him, Natsu ducked underneath the fast left hook the Imp threw and then Natsu delivered a devastating uppercut to the Imp's jaw that caused a large explosion that sent the Imp flying back with a burning fist shape on his face that started melting into the Imps face, causing the Imp to writhe and spasm on the ground.
The other four Imps charged passed their dying comrade and showcased their lack of intelligence by trying to simply punch Natsu instead of coming up with a plan of attack.
Natsu mentally sighed in his head. For all of their brute strength, which was a little stronger then Natsu's own when not using Boost, they had a significant drop in intelligence, reducing them to merely headstrong brutes incapable of anything beyond "charge in and punch everything."
This make them incredible easy to kill and destroy as shown by Natsu as he ducked and dodged the incoming punches with ease due to his smaller and more maneuverable body and then yelled out, "Crimson Fire Dragon's Roar!"
Natsu opened his maw as a large amount of fire accumulated in his mouth as he took a large breath for a second before he exhaled deeply, causing a large jet of crimson fire to engulf one of the Imps entirely, burning away the flesh and destroying the bones quickly before only ash remained of the Imp.
Natsu jumped up into the air to dodge yet another punch from one of the Imps that destroyed the ground Natsu was just on.
Once in the air, Natsu ignited his arms, causing two streams of crimson flames to erupt outards like ribbons.
"Crimson Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" Natsu roared out as he dropped to the ground, the two deadly streams of fire smashing into two of the Imps, burning them into ash within seconds as well as causing explosions that hid Natsu from the remaining Imp perfectly.
Under the cover of the debris, Natsu dashed towards the final Imp, his right fist covered in Crimson flames.
The dust disappeared, showing Natsu was right in front of the Imp, his arm already rushing towards the Imp at great speed as Natsu roared out "Crimson Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"
The fist struck the Imp directly in the chest, burning it's way into the Imps flesh as the Imp's body was blown backwards not only by the physical strength of the punch, but by the explosion that erupted just a few moments after the fist struck the Imp.
The Imps body was vaporized, the ashes not even remaining as the giant shockwave from the explosion erupted outwards, destroying a small portion of the training arena in the process.
Natsu breathed out a giant sigh as he relaxed his body a little from the body, his magical powers still very high despite just having come from a fight. Ddraig's training is intense, but it leads to great results.
Suddenly Natsu felt a familiar presence as he turned around and saw a familiar figure that used Natsu to growl in hatred.
Umbra stood at the entrance, his familiar skin tight black combat suit no sporting larger shoulder pads with also knee pads along with slightly bulkier chest armor. Apparently Umbra requested an upgrade to the suit to make it even tougher.
Umbra has become Natsu's hand to hand combat instructor as ordered by Diodora. For what reason neither Natsu nor Umbra knew, the only thing that was known was the fact that they both hate each other with a seething passion and their training sessions often end with the fighting getting out of hand.
However, for all of his flaws Umbra did teach Natsu a lot about how to be a better hand to hand fighter. He was silent, only speaking when necessary, but even so he managed to get Natsu as a better fighter.
However that does not change the fact that both of these men would like the kill each other so very dearly.
Umbra didn't say a word as he crouched down and got into a combat stance. Natsu did the same, ignited his hands once more as the crimson flames responded to his will and came into existence again.
Neither combatant said anything as they simply stood still for a few seconds before they both charged at one another, Natsu ignited his feet in a large explosions that sent him rocketing towards Umbra.
Umbra and Natsu met in a ferocious clash in the middle of the arena, the force of their fists striking one another causing a small shockwave to erupt outwards from the shear force of the to men fighting.
However, Umbra proved to be Natsu's superior as he broke the deadlock in a few seconds, his left fist glowing purple as he smashed a haymaker into Natsu's right cheek so hard another shockwave as formed from the force of the fist striking Natsu's flesh.
Natsu was blasted backwards from the attack, his body flying through the air and spinning head over heels a few times before he landed with a loud thud.
Natsu spat out the blood from his mouth and quickly rolled to the side to avoid a massive right axe kick Umbra had tried to hit him with. The blow was so powerful though that even though Natsu avoided it, the force of it striking the ground caused a massive explosion of dirt and a shockwave so powerful Natsu was flung off his feet and fle backwards once again.
Natsu however managed to land on his feet this time and decided to go all out and summoned the Boosted Gear.
"Boost!" The gauntlet shouted out as Natsu's power doubled instantly.
Using his new found speed, Natsu ignited his feet and blasted away from Umbra who tried to hit Natsu with another ferocious haymaker.
Natsu tried to stay away from Umbra as much as possible, knowing that he cannot be the man head on without all of the Boosts, so he needs to play a waiting game.
Umbra wasn't having any of that and so created a palm sized ball of pure darkness with a outer rim of snow white energy that has dark purple energy crackling around it.
Umbra threw the ball at Natsu, who barely avoided it and was still caught in the explosion that instantly destroyed a quarter of the arena.
Natsu was flung off his feet once again by the shear force of the explosion and tried to steady himself when he sa Ubra charging right for him once again.
"Boost!" His crimson gauntlet shouted out, saing Natsu as he barely managed to duck out of the way of Umbra's next punch.
Using his smaller and nimbler frame, Natsu managed to squeeze his escape from Umbra's reach and then ignited his feet in a massive crimson explosion that sent him flying away from the dark clad monster.
While still in the air, Natsu gathered his crimson flames into two shining crimson balls of energy and then tossed them at Umbra, who took the two energy balls straight to the face.
The two crimson balls of compressed fire exploded with massive eruptions of pure crimson Dragon Aura infused Dragon Slaying magic that tore apart the arena Umbra was standing on.
And yet, when the smoke cleared Umbra didn't even have a scratch on his person. He simply dusted away a few burning embers on his right shoulder and then turned his gaze back to Natsu.
"Boost!" Once again, the familiar tone of the Boosted Gear let out it' signature power as Natsu's power doubled once again. With the added power Natsu managed to dodge another ball of compressed darkness from Umbra that tore another massive hole in the arena.
However, Natsu wasn't able to dodge the follow up punch to his chest that Umbra flung into him. Apparently that dark sphere attack as a distraction as Umbra closed the distance with Natsu.
The punch flung Natsu across the arena and into the sides of the arena, where he created a massive crater from the force of his impact with the wall.
Natsu launched an large eruption of power from his person to blast apart the wall and free himself as Umbra came in with another attack.
"Boost!" With not a moment to spare, the Boosted Gear granted Natsu yet another boost, giving him just enough power to dodge Umbra's attack that completely destroyed the wall next to Natsu.
Natsu compressed his powers into his palms and feet as he blew himself away from his crazy strong opponent, giving him some distance.
Umbra apparently had enough of this little spar and decided to end things as he created a gravity well, a large purple magic circle were gravity is much stronger then it usually is.
The gravity well tugged on Natsu, changing the trajectory of his flight path as he was drawn towards the gravity well.
However, Natsu had a plan. He compressed two more balls of his power and threw them at the gravity well. The intense ull of the spell increased the velocity of the sphere, meaning their impact was far greater then it should have been. The magic circle causing the gravity well was destroyed quickly from the two spheres of crimson energy.
"Boost!" The fifth Boost was given to Natsu, who was very close to the limit of Boosts he could be give and then it would be only a matter of time before the Boosts left him.
Umbra knew this and so he didn't waste anymore time. Concentrating his power into his legs and with a large magical circle behind him that glowed, Ubra shot off like a rocket and smashed his right leg don onto Natsu.
Natsu smashed into the arena like a comet, the ground literally vaporizing as the boy hit with immense force.
Natsu struggled back onto his feet as Umbra landed near Natsu and started to slowly walk over to him.
Umbra simply stared at the struggling boy and said in a low voice, "Still weak. Just like your brother."
Natsu grit his teeth and said, "Don't you dare talk about him you bastard."
Umbra raised his palm and leveled it at Natsu's head and said, "He was weak and so he died. It is no fault of mine he was a waste of a human being."
Something inside of Natsu snapped. Months of abuse, both mental and physical, constantly experiencing horrible amounts of pain as these people treated him as something less then a human, only fit to be a tool until they have no further use for him. He has had enough.
Crimson red scales began to form on Natsu's face, sides, hands and legs as his crimson flames exploded around him, the temperature skyrocketing beyond anything they had ever reached before.
"Boost!" With a sudden cry, the final boost activated, doubling the intense amount of power leaking off of Natsu.
"Crimson Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu cried out as he compressed every single scrap of power he could muster into his right fist, the fist covered in an immensely thick red haze.
Before Umbra could react, Natsu slammed the fist into his chest, the strike so strong that the fist actually managed to crack and break through Umbra's armor and directly strike his flesh, right before the fist exploded.
A gigantic mushroom cloud blew through the arena, the ground of the arena melting away instantly as the heat vaporized the dirt into nothing in seconds. The shockwave that blasted through the arena was the largest yet, outclassing even Umbra's dark sphere attacks.
When the dust finally cleared, Natsu was shown, bloodied and battered with a smocking hand covered in dark burn marks still in the same pose he had when he struck Umbra with everything he had.
Speaking of Umbra, the man himself was currently blown all the way to the other side of the arena, a long trench carved from where his body had crashed into as he flew backwards from the force of the strike.
Umbra's armor was completely destroyed, only his lower pants remaining and even then, they were damaged almost beyond repair.
Umbra finally stood up, his smoking chest showing a large burn area that will most definitely leave a scar behind.
Without his helmet, Umbra's face was shown for the first time. Umbra was a 30 looking man of unknown decent, having long dark spikey raven black hair as well as dark sickly green eyes that seemed to bore directly into Natsu's soul.
Before Natsu could react, Umbra reappeared in front of Natsu and smashed his fist into Natsu's face so hard, Natu as unconscious instantly, his body flinging backwards from the force of the blow.
Umbra looked at Natsu bleeding unconscious form and said, "So, the worm has some grown some fangs? Never forget that no matter how great you rise, I will always be ready to bring you right back down where you belong, in the dirt. Damn human."
Umbra turned and left the destroyed arena without another word, leaving it to the shell shocked security guards to get Natsu to the infirmary before he bleeds to death.
A second later, two guards did get over their surprise and ran and got Natsu on a stretcher and ran to get him healed before he died. If he did expire, Astaroth will make sure to make them suffer and they knew this.
Natsu groaned as he saw the land of fire and brimstone surrounding him once more.
Natsu saw Ddraig standing above him with a look of pride on his face.
"Ddraig, what happened?" Natsu asked.
"You managed to finally land a damaging hit against Umbra. I am surprised Natsu. I never would have thought you would awaken Dragon Force so quickly. I guess rage really is the best way for a dragon to grow." Ddraig said.
"Dragon Force?" Natsu asked.
"It is an evolved form of your Dragon Slayer magic. While in Dragon Force, you grow Dragon Scales from increased durability, your magic spikes by three times as much and additionally, your flames grow much stronger and hotter. When fully mastered, Dragon Force shall be one of your greatest tools in your arsenal. Dragon Force can be mastered by going into Dragon Force and then by reducing the power of the form. This is so your body will evolve and eventually Dragon Force will basically become natural for you to be in. This will allow you to use stronger and more powerful spells and yet use less magic while also being capable of holding Dragon Force for longer periods of time." Ddraig said to Natsu.
"Really? Incredible." Natsu said.
"If you think that is powerful, just wait until you manage to unlock Balance Breaker. That is way more powerful then Dragon Force." Ddraig said, a little miffed Natsu was fawning over a power other then his own.
"Cool. Now Ddraig, what has happened to my physical body since I went unconscious?" Natsu asked.
"You have been taken to the infirmary. Currently your body has been mostly healed from the damage done by Umbra. You just need a bit more time and then you will be back to fighting condition. You did take a massive amount of damage during that spar with Umbra. That was the worst one yet. Anymore fighting and you would have started to take permanent damage. You need to take the fights down a notch Natsu." Ddraig said.
"I know, I know." Natsu said with a sigh. "I just can't help myself. When I see Umbra, I get get so angry and I lose all control over myself. I just want to make him suffer for what he has done."
"And he will, when it is time. As you are right now, you stand no chance at victory over Umbra. He was heavily suppressed when you to fought today and only loosened a single of his restraints which was enough to defeat you without you being able to keep up with him. If you two were to fight to the death, Umbra would effortlessly crush you. You need to grow much stronger in order to be capable of killing Umbra." Ddraig said.
Natsu sighed, knowing the crimson dragon was correct. He had grown stronger over the past three weeks, but in no way is he capable of defeating Umbra unless the man screws up in a big way, which is unlikely since he will be watching Natsu closely after he managed to land a damaging hit against the man.
"I guess I screw up huh?" Natsu said.
"Yep. Big time. Umbra will never again underestimate you and he will be watching you at all times. Our ability to escape just got reduced. However, it is not the end of the world. We will find a way to be free, make no mistake about that." Ddraig said.
"You're right. I just wish I could catch a break right now." Natsu said as he sighed.
"Hey, don't worry. We will make our own luck and get out of here. Just keep getting stronger." Ddraig said.
Natsu nodded and then felt a familiar tugging as his physical body began to wake up and said, "Sorry, I got to go."
Ddraig nodded and with a flash, Natsu disappeared.
A few second later a familiar golden sphere appeared near Ddraig, transforming into Mavis.
"What do you want Mavis?" Ddraig asked.
"It's about Natsu's progression. I think I found out why he has been able to advance his power so quickly." Mavis said, getting right to the point.
Ddraig turned to her and said, "Don't wait around, out with it ghost."
Mavis glared and said, "When Natsu was given the Boosted Gear, it damaged a portion of his soul. Diodora is an idiot. The Sacred Gear machine he used to transfer the Boosted Gear did so with all the subtlety and gentleness of a sledgehammer. Personally I am thankful no permanent damage has been done. However, in order to keep his soul intact the Boosted Gear then used a portion of the Dragon essence locked within it to fix Natsu's soul without either of us knowing."
"Spit it out ghost. What does this mean?" Ddraig snarled out, flames starting to lick the sides of his mouth.
"Natsu is now part Heavenly Dragon, more specifically, his soul now has a portion of your own Ddraig. With his Dragon Slaying magic, he was already part dragon, but his soul was still that of a human. Now, his soul is no longer 100% human. This means he will grow stronger at a faster rate, but there will be...complications." Mavis said.
"What kind of complications?" Ddraig asked with a dark and dangerous voice.
"Dragonification has already been taken care of thanks to the Lumen Histoire manufacturing the antibodies. However, Natsu's Dragon soul might cause Natsu to go through Dragonification anyay." Mavis said.
"You just said Dragonfication was taken care of!" Ddraig roared out.
"There are two kinds of Dragonification: One caused by an overuse of Dragon Slaying magic which causes the Dragon Seed to grow and alter the users body into a Dragon. However, there is a second kind. The one where the user takes a piece of a Dragon's soul and merges it with the their own. This causes the user to transform into a near replica of the Dragon whose soul they absorbed. The second kind requires a large amount of care when fixing as any mistake can lead to irreparable harm to the user's soul.
Ddraig just looked at her with a murderous expression and said, "So, what do we do?"
"There is only one thing I can think of. I need you to head to Natsu's soul and reabsorb the Dragon essence the Boosted Gear used to fix Natsu's soul. Since it is apart of you, the Dragon essense should be drawn right into you like an opposing magnet. After that, Natsu's transformation into a Heavenly Dragon will be halted. He will still have an slightly increased power incression, but it will be reduced. This is the best thing I can think of. It is less impactful on Natsu's soul then most of the other methods I have available to me. I am hoping for your cooperation."
Ddraig just stared at Mavis long and hard for a minute before he said, "Fine. Show me where I need to go."
Mavis nodded and then transformed into her golden sphere form as she lead Ddraig into Natsu's soul.
Once there, Ddraig saw that on the dark white sphere that represented Natsu's soul, there was a patch of crimson red energy that felt exactly like him.
Ddraig sighed deeply as a slight crimson red shine appeared over his body, followed by the crimson energy leaving Natsu's soul and jumping into Ddraig's chest.
Mavis walked over and waved golden energy over the sphere, making sure the sphere was unharmed.
"It appears the Dragon essenscence did it's job. Natsu's soul has been repaired from the damage done from what Diodora did. Natsu will gain strength slower, but he will not change into a mindless dragon of wrath, so a good trade in my book."
"You do know Natsu will one day unlock the Juggernaut Drive one day. He will turn into a mindless dragon of wrath, just now it will be even worse since he'll have the Longinus Smasher as well as endless Boosts." Ddraig said to her.
"No. Natsu will find a better way to getting stronger then surrendering himself to hate and anger." Mavis said with absolute trust in Natsu.
"It has been the curse of every user of the Boosted Gear to surrender to the temptation of the Juggernaut Drive. Natsu will bo no different. It will happen. Today, tomorrow, a year from now or even a decade or two, Natsu will still eventually use that Forbidden Power for one reason or another. It is inevitable." Ddraig said solemnly to Mavis. He rather liked Natsu and would rather not see him destroyed by that accursed power, but that is the fate of all who wield the Boosted Gear.
"Natsu has something none of the other users ever did and it ill be enough to keep him from ever using the Juggernaut Drive." Mavis said with absolute certainty.
"Oh? And what could that possibly be?" Ddraig asked.
Mavis began to walk away, but before she did she said, "He has me and he has the Fairy Heart. Between these two things, Natsu will never fall into the trap that is Juggernaut Drive."
Mavis then disappeared as she took on her golden sphere form and flew away, leaving Ddraig by himself.
"Hmph. Many have claimed to have found a way to circumnavigate Juggernaut Drive and all have failed. You can pretend it doesn't exist, you can spend a thousand years trying to prevent it and yet, Juggernaut Drive shall activate as always. It is fate that this shall happen and no matter what, fate always has the last say." Ddraig said before he too left Natsu's soul and returned to the realm of fire and brimstone once more, dark thoughts clouding his mind.
Natsu groaned as he awoke, the burning agony of his many wounds still fresh as he slowly got up in the medical bed.
He then saw a medical personal near his bed. She was a normal looking person, having long golden blonde hair that went down to her thighs, emerald green eyes, fair skin and a small snowflake shaped pendant on her neck.
She turned towards Natsu and said, "Oh, you're awake. Good. After the beating Umbra gave you, I thought you would be unconscious for a lot longer."
Natsu said nothing, not willing to talk to anyone unless he had to.
The woman then peered out of the medical room and checked around for something. After looking, she closed the door and then locked it as well.
She then swiftly came back over to Natsu's bed and said, "Okay, we don't have a lot of time. My name is Anna Argento and I need your help."
Natsu was unsure what do to due in this situation, so he simply decided to nod and see where things went.
"I am being held prisoner here. I was kidnapped by Diodora who threatened my sister if I didn't help him. I agreed and he is no forcing me to use my knowledge of magic to heal his guards as well as help make his Imps stronger. For what reason he wants this I do not know, all I know is that I want to get out of here. However, I am much to weak to fight my way out. You however, are strong. You will grow to be very powerful. However, you do not have the ability to get the schematics for the building, nor the security guard patrol patterns. I, however can. If we work together, we can find a way out of this facility." Anna said quietly to make sure none of the guards that might pass by could hear here.
"Why should I trust you?" Natsu asked.
Anna looked hesitant for a minute before she sighed and then pulled out a small piece of paper.
Anna then began to write on the paper with a special looking pen.
"This is a Geass scroll. Basically, it is a written magical agreement between two different parties, you and me. I have written that other parties shall aid one another in the escape of the facility until we are both at least a thousand miles away. Now, the thing about a Geass scroll is that it cannot be broken or it shall kill whoever broke the agreement. I shall sign and then you shall and then we both have assurance that neither one of us shall betray the other since we both don;t want to die. Does that prove my sincerity?" Anna asked as she handed over the Geass scroll.
Natsu read the scroll over and thought, "Mavis, Ddraig, is she telling the truth?"
"Yes Natsu. Geass scrolls are one of the best ways to ensure an agreement is kept. The punishment doesn't always go to death, but this one does. If she signs this, she will have to aid us in escaping this facility." Mavis said, using Natsu's eyes to see the scroll.
"Natsu, I can say with 100% certainty she is telling the truth. Based on her heartbeat, breathing pattern, hormones and afew other factors, I can guarantee you that she isn't lying." Ddraig said, using Natsu's other senses to help make sure Anna is telling the truth.
Natsu stared at the Geass scroll and the words written there for a few minutes while debating whether he should sign this or nor. On one hand, if he escapes by himself he wouldn't have to worry about Anna slowing him down. On the other hand, the odds of escaping with having a map or knowing the guards patrol routes are slim to none, especially with Umbra in the facility. He needs that information if he wishes to live to complete his escape.
After a little bit more thought, Natsu sighed and said, "Fine. Mrs. Anna, we have a deal."
Anna smiled and said, "Good. You won't regret this. Take this pen and simply sign on the line."
Natsu took the pen and signed as best he could onto the line. Once he was done, Anna took the pen and signed her own name as well.
"Okay, the agreement is complete. We are now officially working together to escape." Anna said as she hid the Geass Scroll.
Natsu nodded and said, "So, how will we talk to one another."
"That's simple: continue to get yourself put in the infirmary and I will heal you up and then we can talk to one another." Anna said.
"That sounds like a horrible idea, but I guess we don't have many ways we can talk to each other." Natsu deadpanned.
Anna chuckled nervously and then moved to unlock the door. After she did so, she went back to working as a few minutes later two guards came in and slapped an inhibitor chip into Natsu's neck, preventing him from moving as they took him back to is cell.
Anna felt a bit better, knowing she just secured a valuable ally in getting out of this mess. She can only hope they manage to get out of here alive.
Diodora stared up at the monolithic item being constructed with a critical eye.
It was a large room, shaped much like a nuclear power plant's main reactor, however at the center was a ovular tear in reality where a myriad of dark colors and abstract shapes passed through.
"Sir, the portal to the Underworld is stable and we are continuing to harvest the raw Demonic energy." A scientist said with a almost palpital nervousness to him.
Diadora nodded and said, "Keep up the good work."
He then turned around and left, leaving the scientist to nearly faint in relief.
Diodora walked up a flight of stairs and into his personal chambers, where he went and sat down at his desk as he looked over his plans.
Using raw demonic energies from the Underworld to mutate living organisms was a smashing success. The Imps rose by over 250% in strength just from the first trials. However, there are complications to the process.
The Imps lost all sense of mind due to overload of Demonic energies. That is not what he is looking for. If he wanted mindless brutes, there are easier and more effective methods of producing berserkers.
If he is to accomplish his goals, Diodora will require a more refined version of the Imps.
"More testing is required. Now, what about my other Project?" Diodora thought.
Diadora took up a report from his other project and a sinister smile arose from his lips.
"Fuzing the Evil Pieces together to form Mutated Evil Pieces is a stunning success. First subject's implanted with the Mutated Evil pieces experienced a massive rise in their abilities. Good, very good. Now, all I need to do I get my hands on one of those Evil Pieces and then the real work can begin."
Diadora picked up a picture of a crimson red chess piece, a King's piece to be exact.
"Dear brother of mine, you hide the King Evil Pieces well, but not well enough. I will find them and when I do, I will finally have what I need to bring my plans to the next phase." Diodora said as a few pieces of paper show a King Piece along with all the other pieces of a chest board being fuzed into one singular piece.
The time is drawing near when Diadora's plans, whatever they are, shall come to fruition. What this means for Natsu and Anna is unknown, but one thing is for sure. These plans will not be pleasant for anyone involved.
And that is the end for the third chapter!
I really wanted to get this one out as quickly as I could, I really enjoy typing for this story and I have such big plans for it! Stay tuned for that.
A few things happen here, a few changes made to the canon here and there.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as always, if you have any comments, criticisms or concerns, send me a P.M. or leave a review, always appreciated.
Until next time, this is StrikeFreedom10, signing off.
Farewell for now!
PLUS ULTRA!