Firefall || Fairy Tail

37 : t h e . u n d e r w o r l d . k i n g

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Natsu and Gray stood side-by-side as they stared Mard Geer down. The Underworld King paid attention to the boys, but also wanted to see the outcome of Jienma's fight against the Twin Dragons.

"Strong, isn't he?" Mard Geer referred to the large figure that had just saved his skin. "Though I'll have to do something about that arrogant streak."

The three remained still.

"This is the end of the line." Gray spoke plainly, "There's nobody left to protect you."

"And you think I require protection?" The aura around the long-haired man grew, wisps of purple came off his entire being. "You're a fool if you believe that little power of yours will have any effect on me. Not after I've taken on my Etherious form."

Natsu watched intently, "He's changing."

"E.N.D. is about to rise from a slumber lasting 400 years. The time has come for me to rise as well." His entire form had shifted. All of his features darkened and changed as he grew taller with bat-like wings sprouting from his back. "Behold. I am Mard Geer Tartaros, Absolute Demon, and King of the Underworld!"

"Natsu-"

"Don't say it, I know." His fists erupting with his fire magic, "We don't care what you call yourself king of. We're gonna take you out!"

"Come." The Etherious challenged back, "Give me your all...for this battle shall be your last."

And his opponents did not wait. Natsu and Gray charged forward. Mard Geer didn't wait either, flapping his wings as he sent a wave of thorns at the Fairy Tail duo. The pair paused, crossing their arms over the other's as their magic froze and burned the attack. But it distracted them from the demon's movements until he had a clawed hand gripped onto each of their heads. Flying up into the air, they tried to squirm in his hold.

"Hey!" Natsu yelled, "You better let go of me right now, you weird gargoyle looking freak!"

Tired of their feeble attempts at freedom, Mard Geer dove for the ground, "At last, the time has come for you to see what lies beyond the Netherworld Gate." He shoved both of their faces into the ground, dragging them through the earth. "I will savor every last moment of tearing your soul to shreds and erasing your existence."

But this did not last long. Maybe the Etherious was momentarily distracted by the sound of Jienma's body falling in defeat, but the two wizards were pulling themselves out of his grip. Their fists glowed with magic before ramming each into the Underworld King's head, making him eat dirt.

It looked good for only a second. The winged creature shot up, grabbing them by their heads again in order to soar up and throw them down with great force. He smirked inside as the dust cloud began to dissipate, to see the two forms pushing back up to their feet.

Gray and Natsu were surprised, but hardly phased by the counter. They both turned to the sky, taking in a breath to attack back. Mard Geer narrowed his eyes to gauge his path to dodge whatever the pitiful mages were planning to throw at him.

But the three were blindsided, even though the winged being was the only one who took any damage as he spiralled through the air. His assailant landed firmly between him and the Fairy Tail wizards, wasting no time in dispelling the fiery wings on her back.

"Sis!" Relief filled Natsu at the sight of his sister, but that soon faltered when a familiar scent hit his nose: Kia's blood. And after the particles in the air from the repeated impacts with the ground had their chance to settle, you didn't need a Dragon Slayer's senses to know what state she was in.