I woke up slowly, my mind groggy. It took me a second to recall what happened.
I passed out. Collapsed from…exhaustion? What happened there? I've never needed to sleep since coming here!
Before I got a chance to look around, I noticed some notifications from the Interface that I need to look at. I pulled them up. Maybe these will have some answers.
You have successfully survived to a new age!
Rank up: Wyrmling
I'm a wyrmling now? So hold on, every time I rank up, or 'grow,' I fall asleep? How long have I been out?
Rare Features Unlocked!
Rare features are traits not all dragons have, but are possible mutations that can manifest in their Genome as they mature, magical or physical. These can be unlocked by the existence of certain traits, perks, or by meeting other prerequisites. They still require you to purchase them in your Skill Trees; prices for arcane or magical related Rare Features are halved due to your Arcane Affinity, as are traits specific to Royal Dragons.
This has potential. And what do we have here?
Racial Features unlocked from natural growth as an Arcane Royal Dragon!
Magic Tier 2
Though almost all contain an internal pool of mana/magic, not all dragons are able to utilize it for spell casting. You, however, are able to use your mana pool to cast spells. Your mana pool is similar to a mid-level spellcaster. Your Spell Skills are able to be brought to tier 2.
Arcane Resistance Tier 2
Your magical resistance as an Arcane dragon is nothing to scoff at. At current level [Wyrmling, 355] You are able to resist weaker to mid-rank status effects, and hostile magic is 50% less effective against you.
Arcane Breath Tier 2
As an arcane dragon, you can breathe raw mana, or arcane energy. As a wyrmling, your breath attack now looks like strange, wispy red flames, leaving mana burns in its wake. For every 1 MP used, you deal 2 magic damage to living targets. It is capable of 'burning' away magic, spells, curses, or enchantments it comes into contact with. It does half damage against non-magical objects.
Senses Tier 1
All five of your senses are equal to the best humanity has ever produced naturally. Your Blindsense has a range of 25 feet.
Brain Tier 1
You learn things twice as fast. Your long term memory is significantly improved.
Scales Tier 1
Your scales are just as hard if not harder than steel; they're highly resistant to slicing and piercing attacks, though less effective against blunt impacts.
This is insane…the Tiers in Magic and Arcane Resistance especially were so expensive…I was actually going to use my Tier Shard on one of them, but now that I know they'll rank up with my age, I'll have to rethink that decision.
And hold up. My Arcane Breath, while technically Tier 2 now, got a bit of a downgrade. I can't use it as a magic laser anymore? What the heck is up with that? Though it's not all bad, really. I can burn away enchantments and spells now.
I pulled up my stats; time to see what these racial perks did for me.
Name: Kilgara
Age: 2 months
Race: Arcane Royal Dragon
Rank: Wyrmling
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Level: 355
Class: Warlock LVL 55/100, 44%
HP: 3,400 [Regens 680 per minute]
MP: 55,200 [Regens 9,180 per minute]
SP: 5,100 [Regens 680 per minute]
STR: 642
END: 170
DEX: 240
INT: 552
WIS: 612
CHA: 160
LUK: 190
Points: 1,160
I'm finally not a hatchling, I clenched my fist, sniffing as joyful tears stung my eyes. My MP count skyrocketed! This is amazing! And wow, I'm turning into a glass cannon! I'll have to do something about that…
I dismissed the notification windows, finally taking stock of where I am. Huh. I'm in Lucy's house, on the floor by her bed, though it seems she gave me cushions to lay down on. Did she bring me here?
Speaking of the floor, it was littered with small black and red…dots? What the heck is that?
Dragon Scales
A legendary component and ingredient, dragon scales are among the rarest and strongest materials, highly sought after by mages and craftsmen alike. These scales shed from the descendant of a Dragon God, are highly resistant to magic, and possess a shred of divinity.
I slapped my snout. Duh! I should've recognized them from the start. Did I shed all of these?
I didn't even think of how dragon parts are used in various magics and powerful items. And mine have divinity in them? I'm a literal walking treasure trove! I'll have to take a look at some crafting classes soon.
Or I could try learning the old fashioned way. Can I do that with this Interface?
I stashed all the scales in my inventory; it took a minute to pick all of them up. When I finished, I noticed movements on the bed.
Lucy was still asleep, though stirring. She wasn't alone either. Natsu and Happy seem to have snuck in again. She was gonna freak out when she woke up. I rolled my eyes, amused at the thought of witnessing Lucy kick Natsu out the window again.
Hold up…I'm able to see on the bed…I looked down at myself, confirming my suspicions.
I'm bigger now. If I had to guess, I'm about the size of…maybe a small wolf? I was big enough for Happy to ride me like a horse.
At last! I'm not a pint sized shrimp anymore! Man, growing up is awesome!
In my excitement I purred a bit, and woah! My voice (or noises) are a lot deeper now!
Frick yeah.
Apparently I was too loud, as a sleeping blonde had woken up without me noticing.
"Natsu Dragneel!"
Oh dear.
Lucy startled awake to a roaring sound, only to see a head of pink hair next to her.
"Natsu Dragneel!" She angrily screeched. Natsu leapt up!
"Whazza matter?" He whirled around, half asleep and in a half-hearted 'sitting stance,' eyes still slightly closed, "Oh, it's just Lucy…" He fell back down onto the bed next to her, instantly falling back asleep.
"Why, you little…!" Lucy's fists clenched before she relaxed, letting out a resigned sigh. Whatever, she thought as she threw the covers off her.
As she slid her legs off the bed, she stepped on the pillows she put on the floor for Kilgara.
Oh yeah, she thought, Where'd Kil- "Holy mother!" She screeched, jerking back in fright.
Sitting a few feet away from her, was Kilgara. At least, she thought it was Kilgara, except he was the size of a mini-horse now!
"Kilgara…?" Lucy tentatively reached out her hand, "Is that you?"
The young dragon snorted, a happy glint in his eye as he placed his snout against her hand. Before he suddenly pounced on her, licking all over her face like a large dog.
"Hey!" Lucy was grossed out at first, but ended up laughing, "Stop it! Stop it! That tickles!" She used her legs to push the large lizard off, "Geez, you're in a playful mood…" she wiped the dragon spit off her face.
"Yuck! This better wash out!" Lucy glared at Kilgara, who she swore was smirking at her.
"Lucyyy," Happy drawled out, sitting up to rub his eyes, "Can't you guys be quieter?"
He opened his eyes fully before screaming, "Woah! Natsu, look! Kilgara had a growth spurt!"
"Huh?" Natsu sat up, taking a second to wake up, before he blankly stared at Kilgara for two solid seconds.
"WAGH!" He suddenly sprung up, full of life and energy, "You look awesome bud! You're so much bigger! Even your horns got longer!"
And he was right. Lucy took a closer look at the dragon. Kilgara's horns and talons looked sharper and longer. His wings were more defined, his tail was longer, his scales had a slight sheen to them, and he now had spines growing from the back of his neck to his tail. If she had to guess, he was just under four feet tall and six feet long. If he spread his wings, it wouldn't surprise her if his wingspan was at least twelve feet in length.
"Well, I'm going to take a bath," Lucy walked over to the bathroom, setting Kilgara's rapid growth to the back of her mind; she needed to get this dragon spit off her, "You two better not be here when I get out!" She glared at Natsu and Happy.
"Aye sir!" They both soluted, before rushing out the window.
"Can't you use the door for once?" Lucy sighed.
"C'mon, Kilgara! Let's go get your first job picked out!" Natsu smiled as he jumped down.
Kilgara smiled, bracing his wings. Lucy realized all too late what he was doing.
"No, no, no, wait-!" A flap of his wings made Lucy brace herself as she witnessed Kilgara dive right after Natsu and Happy, papers and other small objects flying everywhere from the resulting turbulence.
"Yep," Lucy sighed again, "He's had way too much influence on that dragon."
"Woah!" Gray shouted as Natsu, Happy and me rushed right by him, "Careful! And holy crap, Kilgara got huge!"
"My, my, someone had a growth spurt!" Mira's eyes widened, "That's a big jump from just one day of sleeping…"
"That it is…" Erza blinked from the bar.
"Is that natural for dragons?" Carla looked at Wendy.
"I honestly have no idea," Wendy responded after looking at me for a few seconds, "Grandeena was fully grown as far as I know…"
People all around were having similar reactions, though I ignored them in favor of the Request Board.
"Now, what have we got here…" Natsu said to himself. There were tons of fliers! Jobs ranging from help with a broken roof, cleaning a mansion, escorting a noble, guarding a museum for a night, or hunting monsters.
"Oh! How about this one!" Natsu snatched up a flier near the top of the board. It was a job for clearing out a newly discovered bandit camp. I read through it more thoroughly; A bandit camp had been discovered in the south east mountains of Fiore…basically, they want someone to clear it out. These bandits have been kidnapping people for ransom.
"Looks good to me! Check out that reward!" Happy started drooling, "Just think of all the fish we can buy!"
"Sweet!" Natsu cheered, "How about it, buddy? Should we go get Lucy?" He asked me.
I nodded.
"Awesome!" Natsu then charged towards the door, "Yo Lucy! We gotta job!" He began screeching. I ran to catch up with him.
Quest Received!
Defeat the Bandits!
Reward:
20,000 XP
200,000 jewel
1 Gacha
So I get jewel from completing job requests? Excellent.
It didn't take long for us to run to Lucy's house, though we had to wait for her to be done in the shower. She came out twenty minutes later in her bathrobe with a towel draped over her neck.
"Natsu, seriously?" Lucy sighed, holding the flier, "Why can't we go on an easier mission for his first job? This could get dangerous real quick!"
"C'mon, Luce," Natsu smiled easily, "It'll be fun! And what better way to brag that Fairy Tail has a dragon now than taking out some thugs?"
Lucy sighed, "Fine, but we're taking Erza and Gray with us at least! They didn't give us much info on the bandits, I'd feel more comfortable knowing we have backup."
"Sounds good to me!" Natsu smiled brightly, "The rewards big enough! Now hurry and get dressed, we gotta go!"
"Then hurry and get out!" Lucy sighed, though as soon as Natsu turned around I saw her smile slightly.
Good golly, just kiss the man already!
A few hours later, Kilgara, Natsu, Lucy, Erza, Happy, Gray, Wendy, and Carla were all clambering out of a carriage. Natsu, the poor guy, wasn't looking too hot. Pun intended. Erza knocked him out halfway through the ride.
"Man, I'm never riding in a carriage again!" Natsu whined, still a little sweaty from the ride.
"You say that every time," Happy hovered close, a sympathetic smile on his face.
"Sorry I couldn't cast Troya, Natsu," Wendy apologized, "I need to save my power for the fighting."
"Which I still don't like," Carla sighed. She didn't want Wendy anywhere near bandits, but she insisted on going for the experience.
"So, any idea how to find our guys?" Gray asked, looking up at the mountains.
"Well, we could-" Erza began, only to be interrupted by Kilgara.
He snarled slightly, getting everyone's attention. His eyes were closed, his nostrils were flaring. His snarls and growls were a lot deeper now.
"Somethin' wrong?" Gray asked, "What's he doing?"
"I'm not sure…" Lucy answered.
Kilgara's eyes suddenly burst open. He roared, pointing in a direction up the mountain.
"I think he found our prey!" Natsu smirked, taking off in the direction Kilgara pointed, "C'mon Happy!"
"Aye sir!" Happy flew after him, followed by everyone else.
"Shouldn't we make a plan of attack?" Lucy asked as she ran to catch up to Natsu.
"We have a plan!" Gray smirked, "Attack!"
"It's good ol' plan T!" Natsu smirked as flames danced from his fists, "Take 'em by storm!" He and Happy rang out.
Kilgara roared in approval, and this roar echoed.
"I've got their scent!" Natsu sniffed the air as they ran, "Kilgara was right! They're over there!" He pointed straight ahead.
Erza re-quipped a pair of swords, Gray banged his fist to his palm, and Lucy brandished Taurus' Key.
Wendy and Natsu both activated their respective elements, while Kilgara launched himself into the air. His wingspan was definitely twelve feet at the least now!
Kilgara made it there first, and he roared! Lucy was glad the dragon was on their side, that roar alone was enough to frighten off a grizzly bear! Or a Celestial Wizard. But in this case, it made the nearest bandits piss their pants.
Kilgara pounced on the nearest bandit, crushing his ribcage; Natsu and Wendy both let out their own roars, blowing and burning a group of bandits away. Erza, Gray, and Lucy soon followed suit with their own attacks.
It was an all out brawl! Or an annihilation. The bandits were far outclassed by the Fairy Tail wizards.
The camp itself was cleared out quickly. I didn't need to utilize my breath, or magic. A single, hard whip from my tail was now enough to break bone, evidently. Yowza!
My talons were sharper and longer, the strength of my horns and neck could send a normal human flying, but what really surprised me were my wings.
I barely noticed an archer taking a shot at an unsuspecting Wendy. My instinct took over; I flapped my wings fiercely, causing a powerful gust of wind to knock the arrow out of the sky. And sweep Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla off their feet. Whoops.
"Take it easy there, bud!" Gray yelled out as he turned the floor beneath some bandits to ice, causing them to slide off a nearby ledge.
I roared an apology, before landing. As soon as my feet touched the floor, I felt vibrations beneath us…footsteps. There was a cave system below us. My eyes wandered to some jutting rocks behind the formation of tents. There was the entrance.
"Well, that takes care of that," Erza said after she cut down the last visible bandit, "Let's return to the client-"
I roared from the rocks, bringing everyone's attention to me.
"Ya find something, Kilgara?" Natsu walked over, before his eyes widened, "Yo! There's a cave entrance through here!" Lucy walked over too.
"You sure that's a cave?" She raised an eyebrow, "It looks more like a big crack."
"Yep! I can smell people, food, and fire coming from the inside," Natsu smirked, "Let's get bashing!" He ran forward, squeezing through the entrance.
Inside, there were definitely more bandits. This job was beginning to feel no different from a normal dungeon.
Halfway through the battle, though, we found some of the people they kidnapped. It was mostly children, women, and what looked like noblemen, trapped in a cell made of metal bars and stone.
"Natsu!" Lucy and I were the ones that found them, "C'mere! We found the people they kidnapped!"
"Great work, guys!" Natsu ran over, gripping the bars, "Now stand back."
The bars heated to the point Natsu was able to stretch them apart, after which Gray cooled them off instantly.
"You're safe now," Lucy smiled, "Let's get you all home," She held her arm out to a young girl, who ran up to give her a hug as she softly cried.
My heart broke for them, which was quickly followed by a snarl. The kidnapped people eyed me wearily, but Lucy reassured them all that I was friendly.
I closed my eyes, activating my Seismic Sense spell. We had defeated all the bandits we found, but I wanted to make sure every inch of this place was cleaned out. My rage began to simmer near the surface, but it died down quickly. This wasn't anything worth getting enraged about.
After a few seconds of concentrating, I found a woman quickly stuffing things in a sack, a few tunnels over. This cavern seemed to be hidden behind a false wall.
Unluckily for her, I'm an Earthbender.
I made my way over to another cavern, while the others helped escort the citizens. I didn't want to scare them, these poor people have been through enough.
Once I was out of sight, I thrust my open palms down, using earthbending to push a tunnel straight down to this other lady.
I dove into the tunnel, landing a foot away from her, snarling.
She was holding a sack in one hand and papers in another as she stared at me in shock. She was definitely a bandit, wearing skimpy furs, face covered in dirt, very muscled (for a female), a crude sword at her hip, and she had a resting bitch face to boot.
"Oh, sh-!" I didn't even give her time to finish. I leapt up, ramming into her head with my horns. She was knocked out instantly.
With that done, I was going to drag her to the others, when I read something that was on one of the papers she was holding.
It was a letter of some sort; and it discussed news of an upcoming 'shipment.' I read through all the papers after that. What I was reading pissed me off as much as it made me roll my eyes. Of course, it was way too obvious these guys were slavers. How'd I miss that?
The lady I knocked out was the head honcho of this group, and they were getting ready to 'deliver the goods' to Bosco.
Bosco…I know next to nothing about it as a country. I only remembered that was where Bora was going to take Lucy in the first episode of the anime to sell her and some other girls.
Was slavery legal in Bosco? If it isn't, then there's information on locations in these documents they'll want, and if it is…then maybe I'll burn the kingdom to the ground.
We'll see what happens; I can't exactly destroy a kingdom or their economy without there being major consequences and power struggles. Doesn't mean I can't clean out Fiore though. With that thought, I placed all the documents in my inventory for future reference.
Quest Completed!
Defeat the Bandits!
Reward:
20,000 XP
200,000 jewel
1 Gacha
Quest Received!
Built On The Backs of Slaves
Objectives:
Destroy the illegal slave trade in Fiore
Rewards:
600,000 XP
"Liberator" Perk
1 Gacha for every slaver/slave ring destroyed
I like the sound of this quest.
That night when we returned to Magnolia, Lucy insisted I come home with her again, but Natsu and Happy only agreed because they convinced Lucy to let them sleep on her couch. While everyone slept, I took advantage of the time to make plans.
My Warlock level is 60 now. As I sat next to Lucy's bed, I made a choice to change my class. My MP is nearly on par with Natsu's already, and I've greatly expanded my magical arsenal. END is my lowest stat, and one that I rely on to keep me alive. I need to graduate from this glass cannon status.
Select New Class!
Fighter, Mage, Rogue, Support
It's high time I gain a Fighter Class. My assassin class and skills are great for stealth and quick kills, but against a more powerful opponent in a prolonged battle, I'd be at a disadvantage.
Select a Subclass!
Barbarian, Martial Artist, Paladin, Warrior, Earth Monk
Earth Monk is definitely a special class I unlocked for maxing out Geomancer. But do I really need that on top of Earthbending? No, I should branch out. I can't rely on one element too much.
Hm…my talons aren't suited for holding weapons. I can use them as normal hands, and I can stand on two feet, but it would be awkward for prolonged movement. Unless the Interface has a system in place that I don't know about, Barbarian or Martial Artist would be best for me.
I'll go with this one.
Class gained!
Martial Artist
Select main skillset!
(This will determine your Stat gains. Choose wisely.)
Offense, Defence, Velocity, Ascendancy
My stat gain? In that case…offense must increase STR, Defence should be END, Velocity has to increase DEX, and Ascendancy…WIS, if I had to guess. But what about the secondary stat increase? Is it universal? Or does it change with your choice too? Hm…
I'll go with Velocity. I'm doing this primarily to increase my END stat, and for the fighter classes that should be the default increase. If I can get more DEX too, that'll be optimal. Corded Muscle negates the need for any STR based stat gains, and my WIS is already high.
Velocity Selected!
Martial Artist (LVL 0/100, 0%)
Gain 2 DEX and 2 END every level up.
Looks like I was right. Time to level this up. I stood from the foot of the bed, taking time to look Lucy, Natsu, and Happy over.
After a moment, I used the Misty Step spell to teleport out the window, then took flight in midair.
I'm flying back out to the mountains we raided. The carriage ride was about four hours, but with my flight speed I can make it in two. There were some dungeons I discovered from my mini-map that I want to make good use of.
As I flew, my thoughts drifted to Tenrou again. If I went there, and Acnologia discovered me, he might try to obliterate the entire island right off the bat. If I don't go, could I really count on everyone making it back safely, even if they get sealed away for seven years?
My presence in this world hasn't done much to deviate events away from canon so far, but butterfly effects can take time for subtle or major changes. What if my presence altered something that results in someone dying? Or worse…what if Acnologia discovers the scent of a pure dragon on the others and decides to wipe Fairy Tail out completely?
Granted, that's a long shot, but it is possible…dragons on his level are ridiculous in more ways than one.
In the anime, Acnologia was able to tell there were seven "dragons" remaining after he killed God Serena…who's to say he's not already aware of my existence? I didn't exactly make a subtle entrance to this world.
More such thoughts permeated my mind as I flew, and as I took on the dungeons. Around midnight, whilst the moon was at its peak, I found myself exploring the mountains the bandits took refuge in.
I had taken on a few common dungeons, a couple rares, and a super rare at this point. It was getting more and more difficult to find these things. One day, I'll have to explore beyond Fiore.
As I flew, I came across the tallest peak I'd seen in this mountain range. Deciding to get a better view, I flew straight up to the top peak.
I landed on the jagged rocks, poised and ready to take off at a moment's notice. The night sky was littered with stars, and a nice view of the Milky Way could be seen…there was no light pollution here like in my old world. It was a breathtaking view.
I looked back down, and saw, to my pleasant surprise, an orange dungeon portal, floating over an outcropping of rock on the mountain face. A legendary dungeon! The highest I'd seen so far was purple, or an epic one. I dove down, landing right next to it.
Legendary Dungeon: Fey Civilization
The recommended level for these is 200-400. This is right up my alley! I'm level 370!
To further prepare for this, I got these perks from the Martial Arts skill tree.
Kinesthetic Sense
All living creatures possess this sense; Without it, a person is forced to be able to see their limb in order to move it. With this perk, your natural kinesthetic senses are enhanced. This gives you enhanced coordination and the ability to flawlessly keep track of every moving body part on a subconscious level. This leads to enhanced reflexes, and allows your body to move and act without having to think about it.
Counter Mastery
You are a master of countering attacks, able to use an opponent's physical momentum, strength, and size against them. This ability scales with your Martial Arts level and DEX stat.
These perks will make landing a hit on me even harder.
I stepped through the portal.
Quest Received!
Conquer the Fey Civilization Dungeon!
Rewards:
100,000 XP
6 Gacha
2 Info Tokens
It says to 'conquer' the dungeon this time, not 'complete.' Is there a difference? fey creatures…those are things like elves, pixies, and druid creatures, right?
I appeared in a dense forest. Orbs of magical light that resembled fireflies surrounded my immediate vicinity. The magic flowing through this place was…alive! It felt wonderful! It almost felt like it was surrounding me…as if trying to tell me something.
Upon closer inspection (and a use of Observe) I found out the lights were pixies. They flew around me, then a ways in front of me, gesturing to me to follow them.
I did so, and as I walked after them, more followed.
I was entranced by the beauty of this forest. I didn't want to attack anything, but were the pixies what I was supposed to take out? But they aren't attacking me.
It was then that I sensed movement in the trees. I heard a whistling noise, before my talon shot up, catching an arrow aimed for my face. The pixies cried out in fear, flying away and disappearing.
I snapped the arrow in my talon, looking up. Elves were in the trees. Several more arrows were shot at me. I roared, firmly flapping my wings, causing a fierce wind to knock the arrows off course.
I used my breath to take out the closest ones, not giving them a chance to reload.
I used geomancy to launch rock spikes at the remainder as if I was wielding a gatling gun. Soon they all fell from the trees, writhing in pain around me. Some ceased to move at all.
Finding the elves was made all too easy with Seismic Sense. As I fought my way through the forest, I eventually came across an elven city. I'm guessing this is the 'fey Civilization.'
I flew right at their walls, smashing the stone, bending the debris to fire at the surrounding elves as stone projectiles.
I tore through every mage, archer, and fighter that came after me. I was loving this! The thrill of the battle, the dragoon style of fighting, and the sheer exhilaration! They were hitting back too! I was fighting not only to win, but to survive! And I was enjoying it.
Eventually, I came across their city center, an elegant castle. I used earthbending to smash a path straight through their walls, right to the heart of the building.
I had broken straight into what I'd call a throne room. There was a very beautiful elf in strangely ethereal white garments standing at an indoor pavilion. Her wavy blonde hair bordered white, and despite her youthful appearance, I could sense immense power from her. She was surrounded by elven archers and mages, all brandishing a weapon or spell at me.
She spoke in a foreign tongue to those around her, causing them all to lower their weapons just a fraction.
Curious, I used Observe on her.
Raea
Race: Elf (Archfey)
Age: 1,145
Level: 400
HP: 15,000
MP: 100,000
SP: 5,000
Oh dear; she's a named character, and her magic dwarfs mine! But her stats were nothing compared to what happened next.
"Greetings, dragon," She smiled at me. Her voice was calm, soothing, and feminine. And she was speaking draconic.
The Archfey smiled at their reptilian intruder. She could sense and feel her people's pain and suffering. They were praying and pleading for mercy.
But Raea knew this was coming for a long time. She had foreseen it decades ago. But try as she might, she couldn't stop her people from dealing with the Nobles of the Kingdom, and with those trades and deals they opened, her people had fallen far from the grace of their gods.
Countless times she warned her fellow elves of the consequences that would come in dealing with the Kingdom, and countless times her pleas fell on deaf ears. The Council of the Fey had passed judgement, and she, despite her power, was helpless to stop it.
Her people had fallen into debauchery, and it pained her heart. Slavery, warlords, prostitution, and forbidden magical practices rose in the younger and older generations of elves. For nearly hundreds of years now, her people, old and young, had fallen far from the graceful beings they once were.
That didn't mean she was going to give up though. Maybe, just maybe, if she could reason with their executioner here, she could prevent the calamity to come. She only hoped the trigger-happy Elven Guard would let her communicate with the beast long enough to do so.
"...You speak?" The black and red dragon responded after a moment's pause. Its voice was surprisingly deep for such a small creature.
"I do," Raea smiled softly, stepping past the guards, closer to the black reptile, "I have had my share of experience communicating with your people."
"My people?" the dragon snorted.
"Indeed," she nodded, "I wonder if you would be so merciful as to indulge me for a moment?"
The dragon tilted its head. Even in her long years, Raea found it difficult to read the facial expressions of dragons. Her last interaction with one took place well over seven hundred years ago.
"Why do you attack us?" She inquired, "Have we done something to incur your wrath?"
"No…" The dragon responded after a second's pause, "But if you are able to speak to me, why did your soldiers immediately attack in the forest…" It seemed genuinely confused, thinking out loud.
"I apologize for this, Milord," Raea bowed her head, using an honorific to show respect, "I am the only one among my people that is fluent in the Draconian tongue. I wonder…is there anything we can do to make peace? On behalf of the elven race, I am prepared to offer any penance you desire." She bowed to one knee before the regal creature, causing her fellow elves to gasp and call out warnings. Some were furious at her show of, what they would call, weakness.
The dragon was silent for a while. As it opened its mouth to speak, one of the younger archers, who was drenched in sweat and nerves, loosed an arrow, which pierced the dragon's armpit.
"No!" Raea called out in elvish.
The dragon roared in pain and fury, flapping its wings and brandishing its talons.
Snarling, the dragon clenched its talon into a fist, causing the surrounding rocks and debris to collapse on the surrounding group of guards. It yanked the arrow out of its limb.
The remainder in the room sprung into action, to Raea's horror.
One after another, she witnessed the elves get cut down. Though several spells from the mages hit the dragon, the creature seemed unbothered by the magic, relentlessly mowing down all who dared approach. Its movements were quick, efficient, and brutal. No movement was wasted.
"Stop…" Raea weakly called out in Elvish.
The strongest mage on the council prepared his strongest spell, his blonde hair billowing with the resounding power, a fierce pressure weighing down the room.
This caught the dragon's attention. It snarled as it eyed the mage.
"No…" Raea realized what he was casting; a necrotic spell of destruction and decay, "If you cast that spell, half the city and the forest will be killed!"
"I'm sorry, Raea!" He called out, "But your plan failed. Only brute force will rid our city of this foul creature!"
"No!" Raea cried out, but it was too late. The mage had launched the necrotic spell, right at the dragon and the elves surrounding it. She could only watch in horror.
The dragon's red scales flared, and it let loose red flames…no, that wasn't fire.
The dragon's red breath collided with the necrotic spell, linking the mage and the dragon's power.
The dragon intensified its breath, while the mage did the same with his own power. While it was clear his power was greater than the dragon's, the red, wispy flames were burning his magic away.
Eventually, the flames caught and consumed the mage.
The remaining elves stood in shock. The dragon turned its glowing red eyes towards them, breaking their horrified stupor. They ran as fast as they could, panicking and trampling over each other to get away.
"No…" Raea collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face. She wept for the loss of life. The loss of honor among her people. The loss of the civilization her ancestors sought to build.
Her tears did not last long, however. She wiped her face, and stood. This was their punishment for their crimes against the gods her people had forsaken for wealth and power. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes to sense the forest around her, as she had countless times before.
The trees and nature around her were…rejoicing. They regarded the dragon as their savior from the corrupt magic the elves began practicing. Did they summon it?
Either way…it didn't matter. Her people had fallen.
I approached the sobbing Raea cautiously. She and I were the only one's left.
I felt bad for attacking the people she loved and desired to protect. I could sense it though. Those spells they were using had horrific intent. My instincts told me to destroy them, so I did. There was something else too…the magic in the forest was compelling me to drive them out. It's almost as if it empowered me to do so.
I watched as Raea stood, wiping her face. She turned to me. I braced myself, ready to pounce at a moments notice; her magic power far exceeded my own, but I have a broader skill set to-
"Thank you," She bowed her head, shocking me.
"I just slaughtered your people, and you thank me?" I am wildly confused.
"My people…" She resigned in remorse, "Were becoming corrupt. With this calamity, maybe the remnants of our now fallen nation will see the error of their ways…so yes, I thank you. You have freed this enchanted forest, and though I am heavy with sorrow, a burden has been lifted from my shoulders." She put her hands to her chest, a sad smile gracing her features.
"So once again…thank you, Milord," she bowed once more, "You may take anything you feel would be beneficial to you…I have no need of material things. But if you'll excuse me, I shall take time to grieve our extinction."
With that, she walked down the ruins of the courtyards, eventually fading from my view. I watched her until she was out of sight.
Quest Complete!
Conquer the Fey Civilization Dungeon!
Hidden Objective: Spare the innocents of the Enchanted Grove
Rewards:
100,000 XP
6 Gacha
2 Info Tokens
100 Stat Points
An orange portal appeared before me. I decided to take up Raea on her offer, taking everything I thought to be of value from this apparently cursed citadel. I picked up some very interesting oddities here, but I'd have to take a closer look later.
As I left, I couldn't help but wonder. Where do the dungeons actually send me?
Weeks have passed now, and it's starting to get colder.
I've been going on several jobs with the others since I became a member. On the jobs we'd be away for several days, I used the night time to explore and traverse dungeons. My Martial Artist is level 40 now. My overall level was at an even 400.
I have 76 Gacha tokens. I've been saving for months now; a part of me wants to see what other features I can unlock for the Interface, and the other wants me to snap all of them.
My inventory is stacked with tons of different items and materials. Most were mundane objects, but there was a magical item every now and then. The loot from the Legendary Dungeon was especially fruitful.
I'm certain that if I sold everything in my inventory I'd be just as rich as Lucy's dad.
Speaking of, Lucy, Natsu and the others have leveled quite a bit too, thanks to them being in my party. Though I still think it's ridiculous how high their stats modifiers must be.
Natsu Dragneel
Race: Etherious Demon
Level: 102
HP: 30,260
MP: 45,660
SP: 35,350
Lucy Heartfilia
Race: Human
Level: 85
HP: 7,550
MP: 55,620
SP: 4,030
Happy
Race: Exceed
Level: 51
HP: 3,120
MP: 15,040
SP: 8,040
Gray Fullbuster
Race: Human
Level: 102
HP: 30,120
MP: 45,860
SP: 35,350
Wendy Marvel
Race: Human
HP: 10,550
MP: 30,965
SP: 9,620
I'm extremely curious what their actual stats look like. My stats are nothing to scoff at, but I still dwarf in comparison to these guys. The only exception is my MP.
Name: Kilgara
Age: 3 months
Race: Arcane Royal Dragon
Rank: Wyrmling
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Level: 400
Class: Martial Artist LVL 40/100, 77%
HP: 4,800
MP: 56,200
SP: 7,200
STR: 732
END: 240
DEX: 320
INT: 562
WIS: 612
CHA: 170
LUK: 190
Points: 1,470
I've been stocking up on points for a long while now; I'm mostly saving them for skill trees, but right now, my END needs a boost. I put 400 points in it, bringing it to 640. This put my HP to 12,800 and my SP to 19,200.
I've been doing more than just leveling and dungeon hunting. Luxion and I finalized the schematics for the guild hall, and I've come up with a Runic Guildmark. It's indistinguishable from a normal guild mark, and it shows up in the color of the person's previous mark.
This mark has several protection and enhancement runic enchantments embedded in it. It took weeks for me to get it to work. I replaced everyone's mark on the Tenrou team, and on the marks of those that are left behind in the seven year gap. The truly loyal ones. I had to sneak around at night, or when everyone passed out at the guild hall to put it on them.
So far, everything was in place.
Natsu and the others were stronger now than they were in canon, and I've put together all the fortifications I could without drawing suspicions. Now all I had to do was wait.
And take a bit of a breather, I haven't slept or rested in weeks!
Lucy stretched towards the heavens, sitting up from her desk. She let out a content sigh. It was high time for a bath!
She had spent most of the evening working on her novel. It'd been her first chance to really sit down and work on it in a few weeks, and their recent time in Edolas gave her some inspiration!
She looked over at her bed, where Kilgara was curled up, his tail flickering every now and then as it hung off to the side. He had been staying with Lucy for the last month or so, by her request.
Considering how smart he was, she wanted to see if she could teach him how to speak. If he could write, then it wasn't impossible! And while she had some luck in him understanding her, she was having no such luck making him say a simple "Hi."
Natsu had been over a lot more with Kilgara here, too.
Speaking of, he had grown considerably! Practically overnight! Not just in size either. The amount of power and raw strength he displayed in the mountains a few weeks ago was…well, frightening, to say the least.
And he was only a few months old! How strong must a full grown dragon be? It's no wonder Natsu and Wendy were strong. If their magic is designed to defeat dragons, they'd have to be!
Lucy rose up, waking Kilgara by petting his neck. He let out a yawn as he stirred awake.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," Lucy giggled at the irony of that title, before scrunching her nose, "Geez boy! When was the last time you washed up?" He smelled like fish, and he definitely wasn't clean! Happy must have been feeding him again.
"Has Natsu ever bathed you?" Lucy sighed, "C'mon boy, it's high time you learned personal hygiene. Natsu may not care, but I do!"
She got up, motioning for the large lizard to follow her, "Let's get you cleaned up."
She walked into the bathroom, turning the warm water on. She rolled up her sleeves. Her bathtub may not fit Kilgara if he fully spread his wings, but she could make due.
As soon as the tub was filled, she turned her attention to the skeptical looking black lizard.
"Don't give me that look," Lucy laughed, before her face turned more serious, "Hop in."
Kilgara didn't move at first, but after a few seconds he crawled into the tub.
Lucy began scrubbing his scales. They had gotten considerably firmer! She marveled a little at the raw muscle she felt underneath them; nature was incredible! It was impressive the amount of power a single creature was able to evolve into.
Though she was no biologist, ever since Kilgara hatched she had been a little more curious about the wildlife Fiore had. She had borrowed a couple of books on evolution theories from Levy and found them fascinating. Why couldn't her tutors teach her more about stuff like that when she was a kid?
After a few minutes had gone by, Lucy was working on Kilgara's neck when she heard a voice.
"Wow, Lucy, I had no idea you bathed him," A feminine voice drawled out.
"EEP!" Lucy screeched, whirling around. It was Cana.
"Cana!" Lucy put a hand over her racing heart, "Don't scare me like that! Geez…And don't sound surprised, people bathe their cats and dogs all the time!"
"Sorry," Cana said as she sat down near the tub.
Kilgara let out an indignant snort at being compared to a dog or house cat.
"What's up?" Lucy blinked at Cana, ignoring the indignant reptile, "Is something bothering you?"
"No," Cana breathed, before asking a question, "So how are things going between you and your dad lately?"
"Uhm, I don't know," Lucy shrugged as she went back to scrubbing Kilgara's scales, "Okay, I guess. I haven't actually heard from him in a while. Why do you ask?"
Cana just sighed, a far away look in her eyes.
"Well…" She sat up, "I've been seriously thinking of quitting the guild lately."
"Huh?" Lucy blinked up at her, processing what she said.
Kilgara snorted skeptically, whipping his tail through the water to cause a large splash to drench Cana.
"Hey!" Cana yelled out, "What the heck was that for?!" She glared at the black dragon.
"Can ya blame him?" Another voice suddenly called out, "You always talk about quitting this time of year. It's ridiculous. Fairy Tail is where you belong!"
Natsu and Happy had entered the bathroom, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
"Does my place look like a public bath to you all?" Lucy sighed in annoyance.
"What the heck are ya doin' Luce?" Natsu tilted his head.
"Yeah, you're gonna make him smell all flowery!" Happy giggled.
"I'm teaching him how to be clean," Lucy narrowed her eyes, "Something you don't seem to care about."
"Speaking of…" Cana wrung out her wet hair, shooting the black dragon a look, "I need to go and get myself cleaned up. See you two love birds later. Bye, Happy."
"Don't get any ideas!" Lucy huffed, shooting Cana a look as she left. She turned to drain the water, "Now what are you two doing here?" She asked Natsu and Happy.
"We're here to hang out before our job tomorrow," Natsu smiled.
"You got us another job?" Lucy perked up.
"Sorry, it's solo-mission season," He smirked.
"Aye!" Happy nodded.
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, confused and a little down trodden. Though Natsu refused to elaborate more than that.
As he climbed out of the now empty tub, Kilgara was perking up. It was time.
The whole guild was gathered together for the announcement. Makarov was finally announcing who would participate in the S class trials.
I sat by Natsu as the contestants were announced. The same people in canon were called to the trial. That much hasn't changed at least. They chose the same partners too. I was with Natsu at the time, but evidently Lucy came across Cana later on, who told her the truth about who she was and who Gildarts is.
That evening, I watched as Natsu and Happy trained in the snowy bluffs in the forest.
As for what I'm going to do…I want to follow them. But can I? Having seven extra years to take time to grow and develop will be immensely beneficial! I'm three months old and level 400! By the time Natsu and the others return, I'll be able to take on Mythical Dungeons!
But at the same time…I don't want them to leave. I've…I've come to love these people.
The loyalty I felt towards everyone was burning in my heart. My recent memories of going on jobs with everyone kept flashing through my mind.
As I watched Natsu knock a log away with his fist as part of Happy's 'training regime,' I sensed footsteps and a powerful magic several yards to my right.
I looked over to see Gildarts off in the distance, a small smile on his face as he watched Natsu prepare for the trial. He walked away a short while later.
I looked back at Natsu. I snarled slightly. My mind is made up. It'll be hard, but I've got to stick to this plan, no matter how tough things get.
"Master," Luxion appeared before me, "My analysis of the Obelisk is complete."
"About time," I blinked. It's been over a month now, "What have you learned?"
"This obelisk is the final form of Proto-ARKs; it runs off of a material known as 'Element.' It is a substance similar to Lacrima, though less potent magically. It contains well over 100 yottabytes of data on DNA of various plants and animals, along with the materials to produce them in adult stages; it is also active. The Obelisk is a seed that, once activated, will expand to release an ARK in it's location, which will activate the ARK's Re-Seed protocol," He reported.
"What?" I asked, a little confused.
"The Obelisk is active; though the science behind it still eludes even my advanced scanners, very basically speaking, it is bigger on the inside," A shine appeared in his lens, "Currently, several ecosystems are inside the obelisk, and all are thriving. Once activated, the obelisk will expand and lower its barriers, exposing the thriving ecosystems and releasing them into the world. It's purpose is to repopulate desolate planets."
"Well..." An idea was forming in my mind. The more Luxion reported his discoveries, the more certain I was.
"Is it possible to enter the ARK from here without activating it?" I asked, looking over at Natsu and Happy now.
"Yes," He answered, surprising me a little, "By allowing me time, I can take over its AI system, and establish complete control over the ARK and its functions."
"Get to work on that," I ordered, "You can scan things in my inventory only while in my soul; can you accomplish this task using the same method?"
"Yes, master," He responded, "I shall get to work right away."
He disappeared back to my soul.
I looked over at Natsu, who was training his heart out, as more ideas formed in my mind.
I'm getting all fired up.
One week later, we find Natsu and the others gathered at the Magnolia train station. Their destination is the port town of Hargeon, where they will board a ship bound for Tenrou Island.
"Ugh," Natsu was pale as they prepared to board, "Man I hate trains..."
"Well, this is it, buddy," Lucy bent down to scratch Kilgara behind his horns, "We'll see you in a few days when we get back."
Kilgara let out a sad grown. This past week he had been especially clingy.
"Don't be sad, pal!" Happy floated nearby, "I'll bring you back some yummy fish!"
"You ready, Lucy?" Cana called out from the train, "We're leaving now!"
"Coming!" She responded, before surprising Kilgara with a hug around his neck, "See you soon, boy." She smiled before turning to catch up with the others.
"Don't burn anything down at home, okay?" Natsu ruffled the dragon's head, "Though I guess I'm one to talk!" He grinned, "See ya, buddy!" He too ran to catch the train.
Kilgara watched as the train whistled to life, his heart heavy.
He ignored the strange looks people were giving him as he rushed out the door, before he flew up to the roof of the building, watching the train as it drove off into the horizon.
He stayed there for the rest of the night.
The Archmage sighed as he stretched on his horse.
He and his Apprentices were sent by the King to pay a visit to the Elves of the Enchanted Wood. They had been allied with them for several decades now, but they had suddenly withdrawn and become quiet. Worried about their alliance and more than a little offended, the King sent the Archmage to see what was going on.
As they traveled, the Archmage's mind was focused on other things. Namely, the recent attacks on the church, his school, and the Library of the Witch. That library had been protected and passed on through generations of Librarian witches, and now it lay in ruins, attacked and destroyed by the same creature.
The Archmage was baffled that even this ancient place had been destroyed.
The samples of residual power the Archmage found all matched. It was the same creature attacking.
His Eldest apprentice had been studying the power with him fervently, to try and discern what it came from; they were stumped.
His Younger apprentice had been training relentlessly. The Archmage was certain he was enraged about the deaths of his friends. Months have passed since then, but the wounds were still fresh.
They had crossed the threshold for the Enchanted Grove a while ago, and were coming upon the walls of the elven city.
"Oh no…" The Eldest apprentice pointed at the wall.
"What is it?" The Archmage looked to the right where she was pointing, only to stop short himself.
The wall had a massive hole in it.
"That's not a good sign," The Younger apprentice gulped.
They veered their horses to the wall, but they smelled it before they saw it.
There were bodies of elves everywhere on the streets. Bloodied, torn, beaten, and…
Mana burns. Very familiar ones.
"No…" the Younger apprentice slid off his horse, "How is this possible? It can't be true, can it?"
The Archmage and the Eldest apprentice slid off their own horses, running to inspect the bodies.
"This is the same power…" The Eldest spoke, her voice shaking, "This creature…did it massacre the whole of the elven nation?"
"Search for any survivors," The Archmage said, "We need to know what happened here."
As they investigated and searched, they found no elf alive in the city. The black and red mana burns were everywhere.
Eventually, their search took them to the heart of the citadel; the Palace of Courtyards.
In the center, at the main pavilion, they found the bodies of the entire Elven Council of the Fey.
"I had wondered when the King would send you here," A beautiful, soft, feminine voice called out behind them.
They whirled around, and the Archmage sighed in relief. The Archfey, Raea, had survived.
"Greetings to you as well, M'lady," The Archmage bowed, straightening in a hurry, "What happened here?"
"Oh? Such a polite greeting? I was expecting another of your flirty advances, Archmage," A smile graced her beautiful features. And yes, in his youth the Archmage flirted with the Archfey relentlessly. But now wasn't the time, "And surely you see. My people were judged and destroyed. I am all that remains."
"Judged?" The Archmage furrowed his brow, "How do you mean?"
"I had foreseen this calamity long ago," She walked closer to the bodies, gazing at them with sorrow, "I had warned them what would happen if they continued down their dark path."
"Dark path?" He asked.
"Yes," She answered, not elaborating further.
"What attacked this place?" The Archmage inquired, his voice solemn, "From the mana burns and the residual magic, I can say with certainty that we have come across the ilk of this creature before. It attacked the Holy Church, The Wizarding School, and it destroyed the Ancient Archive."
"The Archive was destroyed?" Raea's eyes widened, "Such a shame. I've been friends with the Librarian for decades. Of course, calling our relationship 'friendship' is generous, I must admit." She chuckled before a seriousness in her eyes made even the Archmage internally flinch.
"You have not seen the creature yourself?" The Archfey asked, to which they shook their heads, "I will tell you then."
The Archfey turned, facing the windows of the courtyard. The Archmage sighed internally. She was always elusive and slow to respond properly, but he didn't press. From the looks of it, she had witnessed the destruction of her people.
"They have returned, my old friend," She faced him and his apprentices, "A dragon was the catalyst sent to destroy my people."
The Archmage's eyes widened. "No…" His voice quivered. Dragons were once the ruling force of the world; their power rivaled a lesser god. Internal fighting and dark rituals used by mortal races were the only reason they hadn't wiped mankind from existence centuries ago.
"A dragon…?" The Eldest apprentice asked, "But haven't they been extinct for hundreds of years?"
"I thought so too," Raea smiled, "But it seems not all were wiped out."
"You're certain?" The Younger apprentice asked, a fire in his eyes.
"Do not let your anger lead you to haste, young one," Raea's piercing gaze turned to him, "Though this dragon is young, you would not last against it."
"It's young?" The Archmage raised a brow, hope rising in his chest, "How young?"
"If I had to guess, I'd say it's anywhere from a few months to a few years in age," Raea answered after a moment.
"Then there's still hope," The Archmage affirmed, "M'lady…would you like to come with us to the Kingdom? We can offer you warm food and protection there."
"My thanks, old friend," She smiled, "But I will remain here with my people, and ensure they all receive a proper funeral according to our ancient traditions."
"Very well," He nodded, "Come, my apprentices. We must make haste for the Kingdom."
"A word of warning, before you go," Raea cautioned, "If you intend to fight this dragon, know this. Though it may not be as powerful as you or I, it is the most diversely skilled creature I have seen. And though it is no bigger than a wolf, its strength and intelligence is great."
The Archmage nodded, before leading his Apprentices out.
"Sir," The Younger Apprentice caught his attention, "Why do you seem afraid? You've faced creatures that can flatten cities before, surely a creature as young and small as this is no real challenge for you."
"One would think," The Archmage turned, "But don't forget what we've seen; the outcomes of its actions. The elves were no pushovers. And the last dragon in known history was powerful enough to wipe out nations, not just cities." The Young apprentice gulped a little at that.
They had reached their horses. As they mounted, the Archmage spoke again.
"The Kingdom must be warned and fortified," He called out as they galloped away, "As of now…we must prepare for war."