Chapter 95

Dragon or Demon?

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

"Flashback"

"Magic"

Location/Date/Time Change

"But it was a failure." Irene finished her tale to a stunned Wendy and a stoic Erza. "Casting Enchantment Magic on my own child was a fool's errand… it was impossible. And so, I lost all interest in you, and threw you away like the worthless garbage you were. In the back alleys of a small, dirty village."

"And that was Rosemary Village, was it not?" Erza questioned.

"I've long since forgotten." Her mother confessed.

"I suppose I have no choice but to express my thanks to you for bringing me into this world." The armored woman declared, her body begging to glow.

"Please, I need no gratitude from trash." Irene chuckled, angering Wendy.

"I'm equally grateful that you threw me away." Erza finished transforming, twin swords in her hands. "Thanks to that, I was able to meet my true family. You may be my real mother, but anyone who stands in between me and my home will pay the price."

"Interesting..." The older woman replied. "I thought sharing your birth story would spark the smallest bit of love for you, maybe awaken my dormant maternal instincts. But it didn't work." She raised her hand and her palm began glowing. "All I feel for you is hostility." An explosion ripped out of the ground, causing Erza to jump to the side and charge forward.

She swung both her blades only to find Irene block with staff. "I became a queen because of my magic power. You still think you can defeat me?"

"My family gives me power. You threw that away!" Erza replied.

Footsteps caught Irene's attention before a blade of wind hit her side, Wendy flying past her. That momentary distraction let Erza push Irene back before swung both blades, pushing her mother back. "You actually broke my skin…" Irene growled in annoyance.

"I'm sorry for what you went through…" Wendy declared, her hair glowing in Dragon Force. "But you turned your back on your own child. I can't forgive that."

"Do you remember the Dragon Seed I mentioned?" Irene asked. "There's one in you as well."

"Yes." The preteen nodded. "And I also know that my mother stopped if from growing years ago."

Her words stunned Irene as Erza spoke up. "It's the same for Natsu as well…"

"I see…" Irene mumbled. "So the dragons sealed themselves inside your bodies and halted the Dragon Seeds growth… The dragon who granted me my magic, Belserion, died right before my eyes. So I took his name, and sore that I would avenge him. All those centuries of pain… and now, to learn it could have been prevented…"

She snapped up, pure rage in her eyes as she pointed her staff forward. "It was all for NOTHING!" A massive beam of magic shot out of the staff, blasting the two younger women. "I WILL have my life restored to me! I will leave this body and be free!"

"I can put out of your misery!" Erza shouted as she charged forward. "Wendy!"

"Understood! Deus Eques!" Wendy shouted as she enchanted Erza into a glowing aura.

"Not good enough. Deus Zero." Irene countered by canceling the spell, only to be shocked by Wendy doing the same. "She can cast such high level enchantment?" Erza placed both her blades together and they merged into one before she swung downward. Hitting Irene on the head, she cut the hat in half as blood began trickling from her mother's head.

"Now I understand…." Irene chuckled. "I know why the enchantment on you failed… I thought it was because we were related, but that's not it. The key is compatibility. That's the only factor that matters. And now I've found someone who's compatible, a young Dragon Slayer and an Enchanter, with a body who will never succumb to the curse of Dragonification." She raised her glowing hand and Wendy almost toppled over, her Dragon Force state fading away.

"Wendy!" Erza called out as the young girl caught herself.

"Ah… I've waited so long for this day…" 'Wendy' declared. "Her magic is a bit weaker, but I suppose that's fine." She chuckled as she stepped forward towards a scared Erza. "I will have a new life thanks to this body. Irene Belserion has been reborn." Erza stared in shock as Irene inspected her new body. "Injury on the left thigh, and so many injuries on the whole body… but no problem, I can still move…"

"W-Wendy…" Erza mumbled before she turned around, watching her mother's body crumble to the ground.

"Now that body is just a piece of meat." Irene explained.

"WHERE IS WENDY!?" Erza shouted.

"I would say she is nowhere now." The girl chuckled.

"Get out of Wendy!" The redhead shouted as she charged forward.

"You are a brainless girl, aren't you?" Irene chuckled before kicking Erza in the gut. "I became this girl herself! Mommy just got rejuvenated." Erza slid back on the ground as Irene raised her hand. A massive explosion ripped through the earth, blasting Erza as well. "Hmm… her magic power isn't as low as I thought it was. Now the game is over."

The dust settled to show a battered Erza pushing herself up. "It'd be weird if this cute little girl had a daughter, wouldn't it? Therefore, I have to erase your existence. I have just started my new life!" A blast of magic hit Erza again, knocking her back even further. "So this is Sky Dragon Slayer Magic… not bad." Irene floated into the air before swinging her arms, launching blades of wind at Erza.

"Wendy! Drive her out!" Erza shouted, begging for her friend.

"It's useless! Her ego is already dead!" Irene countered. "From now on, I AM Wendy! Wendy Belserion!"

"I won't hand Wendy over to you!" Erza summoned a blade and charged forward, jumping into the air.

"Do you dare harm this body?" Irene mockingly asked, knowing how Erza would react. That momentary laps of judgement left her open and Irene swatted her back. "This is just too sweet, Erza. Enchant the armor, Explosion."

Erza's armor started glowing before it blew up. As the dust settled, both were surprised to find that Erza was relatively unharmed. "Increase all attribute resistances… Deus Corona…" Irene went wide eyed as she turned to find her old body standing up. "If we're fellow enchanters… maybe I can do it too… took me quite a while… but it's me, Erza."

"Wendy!?" Erza asked in shock.

"Impossible!" Irene was furious she pulled it off. "This kid was able to enchant herself into my body ?"

"Your magic power is incredible, but you'll regret entering my body." Wendy declared, summoning a ball of magic. "Erza, get down!" She hurls the orb forward and the redhead jumped to the side.

Irene was forced to block, but her feet were digging into the ground. "She's pushing me away?"

"Detachment Enchantment." Wendy declared, causing both bodies to glow red.

"Are you trying to pull me out of your body?" Irene realized.

"Exactly, I'm more powerful than you now." Wendy said with a smirk. "Give me back my body!"

"Damn you!" Irene shouted before suddenly stabbing into the side of 'her' body, spraying blood everywhere. "Even now, you want this body back!? I won't give it to you! Not when I finally obtained a human body again! I will never give it back!"

"Wounds on my body are proof I was alive!" Wendy declared. "I don't care how scarred my body will become!"

"Damnit!"

A bright light erupted out of the two before it quickly died. The two women stared down before Wendy fell over. "Can I… leave the rest… to you?" She asked, back in her own body as she hit the ground.

"Of course you can." Erza declared, transforming her armor into her bindings. "I'll make sure to finish this."

"Finish this, you say?" Irene seemed insulted by the comment. "You're in way over your head, Erza." She waved her arm across and an explosion launched Erza into the air. "I've been building up my power for centuries!" Irene swung her arm and a series of magic bullets shot at her daughter, who dodged them all before landing on the ground. "From the moment you were born, you've been nothing but a complete disappointment!"

"I know you've endured much misery!" Erza shouted, rushing forward. "I won't take pity!"

"What the hell do you know of suffering and misery!?" Irene shouted, her very voice enough to push Erza back.

"The village you left me in was attacked by a cult!" Erza declared as she rolled to her feet. "For years, I was forced to labor for their sick desires! It's not four hundred years of pain, but it still scarred me. And it's only because of that, that I am who I am today! My true family gave me strength!" She swung her blade and hit Irene.

"Enough of your nonsense! You were nothing more than a mistake! So die!" The woman shouted as scales started growing on her face. Erza had no time to react as a claw suddenly struck her, forcing her back. Rolling up to her feet, she looked to find her mother had transformed into a dragon. A second claw swipe hit Erza, sending her tumbling to the ground.

'My body… she broke everything with one hit…' Erza realized with one thought before screaming in pain.

"My power has been amplified well beyond your imagination." Irene declared over her beaten daughter. "The land, the sky, the sea, I have command over it all. And with it, I shall turn you into dust, Erza! Deus Sema!"

Erza looked up at the sky as meteorite broke through the clouds, heading straight for her. 'If it hits, everyone here will…' Erza tried to move but only her right hand was listening to her. 'There's no other way!' She was launched into the air by her magic before turning around, screaming to the heavens.

"She's going to take on the meteorite!?" Irene asked in shock. "You can't stop it! You're just a human!"

"You were called the Queen of Dragons!" Erza declared, summoning a katana. "But a true queen is someone who loves and protects her people! Even if my body is torn to pieces, I will protect them all!" Erza screamed as she flew at the space rock, thrusting her sword forward. Irene watched as the rock crumbled and shattered, raining rubble down on the battlefield.

'That shouldn't… even be possible!' The dragon looked up to see Erza diving at her, rage in her eyes. "Even if you can cut a meteorite, you can't pierce the hide of a dragon, Erza!" The katana started glowing and she turned to Wendy, her arm raised and a gritted smile on her face. 'Did she enchant the sword with her magic?'

A single swing cut Irene from neck to leg, making her scream in pain. Erza landed on the ground as Irene reverted to her human form, the katana landing next to her. Panting in exhaustion, Erza watched as her mother picked up the blade. "You've caused no end of trouble for me… you little brat…" She marched forward and pointed the blade at the fallen swordswoman. "Now you die. Accept your fate."

Erza felt the blade enter her shoulder as she pushed herself up. "I… haven't given up yet!" She launched herself and managed to headbutt Irene before falling over once again.

Irene stumbled back before catching her feet, regaining her balance. "Still too soft… to see things through…" She mumbled before spinning the blade around and stabbing into her own heart, shocking Erza and Wendy. "Pathetic… I'm the strongest woman in the world… and I still can't kill my own daughter…" She fell to her knees and smiled at Erza as she fell over. "Erza… be better…"

A single tear fell from Irene's eye as she died with a smile on her face. "Farewell, mother." Erza solemnly declared.

"Erza!" Wendy rushed over and started healing the redheads wounds.

"Wendy, are you hurt?" The older woman asked.

"I'm more worried about you, and I don't just mean physically." The healer replied.

"It was tough, but I'll be fine." The swordswoman chuckled. "Her life… was full of anger and sorrow. But the only parent I've ever known is our master."

"Actually, I've been wondering about something." Wendy spoke up. "Why can't I smell master's scent on the battlefield anymore? There a lot of other scents mixed together. Maybe I just lost him?

Erza suddenly lurched forward and wrapped her good arm around the girl. "It's okay, Wendy… I'll be here for you." Tears started welling up in her eyes as the two embraced.

"Lisanna!" Natsu shouted, the snowy void completely barren. "Where are you?"

"The Dragon Seed…." A familiar voice echoed from behind, causing Natsu to turn around as 'Igneel' appeared. "That is what has been growing inside of you. It is the curse all Dragon Slayers must bear. Eventually, it would have turned you into a dragon, had we not prevented it ourselves."

"Igneel…" Natsu whispered in hope.

"That seed should be incapable of growing." The dragon continued. "However, there is another seen inside you. Call it a 'Demons' Seed. It is the proof that you are E.N.D.. These seeds are trying to merge together, that is why you're in such turmoil…"

"That's what's going to kill me…" Natsu mumbled.

"Yes. You're going to die." His father replied. "The Dragon Seed and the Demon Seed are merging, which means your human life will be no more."

Natsu let out a defeated sigh as he stared at the molten ground. "But I'm not ready yet… there's still so much I want to do." A punch to the back of the head angered him. "Why'd you do that!? I was already feeling down!"

"I'm not done talking." Igneel declared. "I said that those two seeds combining would seal your death, so don't let that happen. Destroy one. How do you plan to live: as a dragon, or as a demon?"

"Easy, I'm neither of those!" Natsu snapped back. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, a human!"

"I knew you'd reach the right answer." Igneel replied. "You were reborn as a demon, raised by a dragon, but you are a human at heart. It was the doubt over your humanity that caused the seeds to grow." The world around him started to glow as Igneel faded away. "Now you're ready to move on, to walk on your own two feet."

"Yeah." Natsu nodded as he disappeared.

Natsu lurched up and knocked Happy off of him as Lisanna started tearing up. "Natsu!" She cried out as she hugged him close. "Do you have any idea how scared I was?

"Sorry… so what's with the look?" He asked, looking at the naked form of his lover.

"You were as cold as the grave, it was all she could do to keep you warm. You should be thanking her." Porlyusica declared as she walked over. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm all better!" He spoke up. "Fired up and ready to go!"

"But, Natsu… if you beat Zeref, you'll-"

"Happy, you told her!?" He asked the cat who nervously nodded. "Wait, where's Erza and Gray?"

"Gray is in the next room, and I think Erza is still out fighting the enemy." Porlyusica spoke up.

The ground started glowing as the light blinded the group. When they lowered their arms, they found themselves back in Lucy's apartment. "How did we end up in here?"

"Doesn't matter." Natsu chuckled as he stood up. "We're back home now, so we just walk down the street and head to Fairy Tail."