Vivian's P. O. V:
While Gajeel, Levy and I take a break from the walking, Gajeel was complaining something about Natsu having to write him a song because he won some kind of bet they'd made. When Levy insists he writes her a song, Gajeel had immediately stopped, set Laxus against the wall, and strummed an air guitar while singing a horribly made up song that grates against my ears.
I lean against the wall as I squeeze my eyes shut and try to drown out his horrible singing,
I sweat drop as the lyrics float into my ears, and I hear Levy tell Gajeel to stop no doubt because the lyrics made her feel flustered.
Third Person's P. O. V:
Back with Natsu, Gray had shown up just in time to help him, Sting and Rogue defeat Mard Geer. Gray had given Natsu's scarf back which he'd found while hunting for any stray demons. Rogue, Sting and Natsu were stunned by the amount of magic power Gray was emitting and his new Demon Slayer Magic.
Just when Gray seemed he had the upper had over Mard Geer, the Thorns user summoned a figure from Sting's and Rogue's pasts: Jiemma. He'd thrown away his humanity and became a demon for the sake of power.
Leaving the Twin Dragons to face their old guild master, Gray teamed up with Natsu to take out Mard Geer, but he fought back. Except, even in his Etherious form, the Thorns user was still no match for Gray and Natsu. The Dragneel had used his Dragon Force while Gray defeated Mard Geer by unleashing his Demon Slayer magic in one shot.
Gray was grateful the dragons were able to destroy the FACES, and that their magic power was back. He hopes Katsumi is doing alright, considering she was hit with the Bane Particles earlier.
Natsu hits the ground with a thud, tumbling. The pinkette says, grinning, "We did it!"
Mard Geer lies on the ground not too far away, unmoving.
Without looking at Natsu, Gray says, "No, not yet we haven't. This ain't over till I've destroyed E. N. D."
Natsu leans up on his elbows as he gazes around for the book. "Right. I forgot," Says Natsu. "Listen, Gray, I was actually supposed to get ahold of that book for Igneel."
Gray holds up said book without looking back at the Dragneel, as he says, "Sorry, but you're not getting it."
Natsu leans up on his knees, a hand resting on his left knee, as he says, "Stop screwing around. Hand it over!"
"I'm serious, Natsu. I'm not letting go. I've got Tartaros' Master in this thing," Gray replies. "From what they say, he's the most powerful demon out of any of Zeref's books. This might be the only chance we'll ever get to erase him."
Natsu says, "All I know is, I made Igneel a promise. Now, give me the book!"
"I don't think so."
The pinkette glares at him in frustration.
The whole building starts shaking.
Natsu grumbles in annoyance, "What is it now?!"
"Wait..." Gray says. "Could this be... the Faces?!"
"You do realise that this is only the beginning?" Mard Geer murmurs, gaining our attention. "Once all of your beloved magic has been rendered obsolete, the seal that binds my Master will finally break." He turns his head to look at us. "The moment when the mightiest of Etherious has been restored, your species will find itself devoid of both magic and any means of opposing us."
Mard Geer smiles as he closes his eyes.
Natsu screams desperately, "NO, DAMNIT!! NO!!"
Suddenly, there's a crash behind them, and they turn to see Igneel had thrown Acnologia on the ground.
Gray notes, "It's Acnologia!!"
Natsu stares at the body with stunned eyes, as Igneel lands with his front paw on him, and says, "We haven't lost yet, humans! Do not despair!"
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Vivian was on her knees after feeling her magic be drained from her. Gajeel and Levy were in the same state.
"Metallicana is here," Gajeel mutters in disbelief, causing the others to glance at him. A smile tugs at his lips.
All the dragons, except for Igneel, who is holding down Acnologia, were destroying the FACES.
"It's really them," Vivian murmurs, gazing up at the night sky which was filled with the beast's roars.
Gajeel nods his head. "Yeah. If it weren't for them, Tartaros would've won."
The brunette smiles in gratitude as she utters, "They saved us." Vivian was happy for her Dragon Slayer friends who have their parents back.
🗡🗡🗡
Igneel announces, "We've done it! The revival of E. N. D has been stopped! Victory is ours!"
"We were defeated?" Mard Geer asks in disbelief.
Sting asks in confusion, "I don't understand! He was actually alive?!"
Igneel answers, "We all were. Skiadrum, Metallicana, And Grandeeney. We lived within all of you, the Dragon Slayers. We used a very sacred art to allow our spirits and our powers to lie dormant within each one of you."
Rogue asks, "Wait a minute! Is that what those heart palpitations were? Your powers were awakening?"
Natsu says, "Yeah!! You never gave me a straight answer on that. How exactly did you get inside me, anyway? I think I'd remember eating a dragon."
Igneel explains, "We chose those course of action for two reasons. First of all, we wanted to keep you Dragon Slayers from ever physically transforming into a dragon. And therefore, suffering the same fate as Acnologia."
Natsu utters, "Oh, yeah. I remember Zirconous telling us about that. He mentioned something about Acnologia being human once."
"Yes," Igneel says seriously. "And now for the second reason... Hm?"
At that moment, Acnologia rises up from underneath Igneel, pushing him off with a roar. Then, the Black Dragon launches into the sky, quickly followed by Igneel."
Natsu calls as we throw our arms up to protect ourselves from the wind, "Hey, wait!!"
Igneel calls back, "We'll finish this discussion later! You just worry about getting that book!"
Natsu shouts, "DAD!! COME BACK!!"
Natsu scowls in frustration.
Rogue asks, "What does he want? A book?"
Sting asks, "Which one?"
"This is what he wants, isn't it?" Gray asks as he holds up the book of E. N. D, his other hand on his hip. "The book of E. N. D."
Natsu says firmly, "Hand it over."
Gray glares back at the Dragneel as he says, "I made a promise, too. That I would do whatever it took to defeat E. N. D."
Natsu snaps, "This ain't about you!"
Sting snaps at us in annoyance, "Come on!! Cut it out, you guys! Quit fooling around!"
Rogue adds, "These are the kinds of fights that hold Fairy Tail back."
The boys continue glaring at each other. Suddenly, the book vanishes from his hand all of a sudden, startling him.
"It's gone!!" Gray shouts.
Natsu glares daggers at the Fullbuster as he yells, "Way to go, idiot!"
They turn when a male voice says from behind them, "Thank you for taking care of my book. But I think it's best that I keep it." Natsu slowly turns his head to see a black haired, black eyed man standing there, smiling back at them. "It's rather important, you see."
"I should've known!" Gray says, mentally slapping himself.
"Zeref...?!" Natsu says in shock.
"Wait! Is that Zeref?!" Sting exclaims, while Rogue just gapes at him in shock.
Zeref starts approaching the defeated Mard Geer, who is gaping at the Black Wizard before him, as he says, "Well, Mard Geer, that was a valiant effort. You came so very close to reviving E. N. D." Zeref stops beside the demon and smiles at him as he adds, "You've earned the time to rest in peace."
Mard Geer reaches a hand toward Zeref as he says, "M-Master...! Mard Geer only wanted to fulfill the promise he made to you—!"
Zeref cuts him off as he says, "It saddens me, but you failed." He snaps his fingers.
Natsu and Gray gasp as Mard Geer suddenly vanishes into smoke, before the smoke is sucked into a book. The book bursts into fire before the fire dies, and the book crumbles into ashes.
Gray yells, anger in his voice, "What the hell?! He was one of your creations, wasn't he?!"
Zeref replies as he turns toward the Fairy Tail wizards, an unbelieving smile on his face, "That's true, but, you see... what I create, I destroy. When all this began, I was only interested in dealing with you." This last part was directed at Natsu.
"What?" He hisses.
"But then Acnologia had to come along and ruin my plan," Zeref continues. "I can't help but wonder, will he change history once again? Or will there be a miracle? Not even I hold the answer to that."
Natsu demands, "What are you trying to say?"
"I'm just very interested to see how you survive this new era of darkness," Says Zeref. "If you can, that is."
Natsu glares right back at Zeref.
Zeref murmurs, a promise in his voice as his eyes flash red, "I'll show you despair unlike anything you've ever imagined."
And, on that gloomy note, Zeref turns and walks away, teleporting away from the demolished dark guild.
Gray demands in a flustered tone, clenching a fist, "Well, now what'll we do?! That book could destroy everything!"
Natsu growls, glaring, "Not if I have it! We need to get that book back!"
After a few moments of standing around, Natsu suddenly gasps, looking around. Gray murmurs as he glances at him, "Natsu?"
"Dad! Where are you?!" Natsu asks frantically, but Gray couldn't hear anyone.
Gray whirls around as the Fire Dragon Slayer starts running off, to where Igneel and Acnologia are battling.
"Where are you going?!" The ravenette calls, watching him leave. He figures Natsu must be heading for his father.
Natsu completely ignores the ice wizard and keeps running, not liking the tone his father is using as he speaks to Natsu using Telepathy Magic. It sounded like he was saying goodbye and Natsu didn't like it one bit.
Natsu makes it to Igneel and Acnologia just as the two dragons swipe their talons at each other, which appears to be the finishing blow. Natsu freezes in place, his heart stopping in his chest as his stomach churns at the sight.
Igneel rips off Acnologia's arm but his entire left side was ripped through.
Natsu watches with a pained expression as Acnologia ends the red dragon's life with his Dragon Roar attack, causing the pink haired Dragon Slayer to scream out his father's name in agony.