The Valkyrie (Rogue Cheney Love Story)

Chapter 55

"Yeah. Maybe you're right," Murmurs Gray, gazing back at me in immense relief—relief that he might not have screwed up this mission after all.

Flare asks, looking hopeful at the thought of being able to save her home village, "Is he done beating that monster?"

We turn towards the Fire Dragon Slayer to see him still fighting the one eyed bird. Natsu continues punching the bird with flame. Lucy calls desperately, "Natsu! Hurry!!"

"Yeah, yeah! This shouldn't take too long!" The pinkette shouts back.

The bird flips and sends him flying away. It slams its tail into Natsu. He grunts as he grabs its tail and spins it around him a few times, before throwing it away. Suddenly, a white beam shoots from its eye and hits Natsu head-on, making him cry out.

"Oh, no!" I gasp.

"It got him!" Wendy says.

The bird turns, dragging its beam as it drags through the village. It fires the beam at us, and we take off running to get away from it.

Wendy shouts fearfully, "That beam's going to hit one of the giants!"

Natsu snaps his eyes open and flips around to see that Wendy is right. Natsu unleashes a roar of flames that hits the side of the bird, knocking its beam off course, though the beam narrowly misses the giant.

Natsu spins backwards until he lands on the head of a giant. Natsu says, "I'll be outta your hair in just a sec!" Natsu uses fire to launch himself at the bird again. He slams into it head first and fire engulfs him.

"Fire Dragon: Brilliant Flame!"

Natsu throws it into the bird. It crashes into the Eternal Flame's alter, before his flames slam into it.

Flare shouts, "The Eternal Flame!"

With a war cry, Natsu sends a blast of fire at the alter. He continues throwing small fireballs at the bird. "Get up freak!!" Natsu shouts.

"Called overkill! Ever heard of it?!!!" Lucy shouts, hands covering her head to protect herself from his fiery onslaught.

"Fire Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Flame Lotus Exploding Flame Blade!!" The fire hits the bird and explodes. When the flames vanish, the bird is revealed to be unconscious and burned.

Flare puts her hand to her face in shock as tears drip down her mouth and she sobs in gratitude, "The Eternal Flame... our guardian deity... you brought it back!"

The once tiny flame now burns brighter and is as tall as a building.

Natsu lands next to Happy in a crouched position. The Fire Dragon Slayer looks at his friend as he asks, "Yo, Happy, I wanna get to the top of this thing. Do you mind giving me a lift?"

"Do I have to?! It's scary!" Happy exclaims. He picks Natsu up as I straighten and flies him up to the top of the flame.

"This is where the voice came from," Natsu states.

On her knees, Wendy says in realisation, "The voice and the thought energy are one and the same! That settles it!" She clasps her hands together as a light green aura swirls around her.

"Hey, there Uncle! How've you been?" Natsu greets. The Eternal Flame swirls until it takes on the form of a dragon.

"Well met, son of Igneel," He returns. "Aside from being imprisoned in ice, I've been good."

"It's Atlas Flame," Gray observes.

"Oh, yeah! From the Eclipse Gate. That's the dragon that helped us fight Rogue," Says Lucy.