Requested by RoseObsidian
Sorry about the horrible ending... You mentioned that you wanted the Reader to turn into a dragon right? But I wasn't sure how I would write that, and I completely forgot about it! Sorry! If you're unhappy that I didn't add that part in, I'm willing to change this one up ^^. Just message me or something.
Haha, this one is really really long. I hope it sorta makes up for my inactivity? [also idk if the name fits but I really didn't know what to call this so if you have suggestions then please tell me :)]
Spoiler alert for the manga ^^
Not edited.
『 Tragic Tale 』
The world calls him a vicious and ruthless beast, but they judge too harshly. What will they say when they learn that everything he did was for her?
➳➳➳
[Name] - First Person
When I was younger, I certainly wouldn't have expected my life to turn out like this. I imagined myself as a Healer, one who would save countless lives but my life at one point took a complete 180. I am now one who saves lives by killing others. I am one of the many Dragon Slayers who volunteered to fight this almost war against dragons.
Even if I didn't get what I wanted, one can argue that my goal is still the same. I still wish to save everyone from the terror of these horrible dragons.
Which is how I found myself sitting atop of a hill over looking the golden plains up ahead with my partner's head on my lap.
"Acnologia, now's not the time to rest, we were sent to keep watch over the new ones," I chastised him while attempting to push him off.
"You have eyes, you can do it," the stubborn man scoffed, turning his head away from me to settle down comfortably.
I sighed at his behaviour, relenting and letting him stay there. This always happened when we were given a task that did not directly involve killing dragons. I found that I let the man get away with way too many things. Often, I would let him drag me into dangerous situations that involved sneaking out to kill more dragons than assigned but what's the harm in that? Killing more dragons never hurt anybody, well apart from the times they died in the attempt. But so far, neither of us have died yet.
I looked up at the herd of dragons in the distance, all circling the area and battling with the young Dragon Slayer underneath. This is their test. As dangerous as it may be, it must be done if they wish to be a Dragon Slayer.
This war torn era wasn't safe for anyone. Humanity relies on us, the Dragon Slayers and its mightiest soldiers.
Absent-mindedly, I began to run my fingers through Acnologia's long — and tangled — hair. As soon as I started, he caught my wrist and opened one eye to silently glare at me. I didn't back down this time and instead glared back. It turned into a game of strength; he pushed my wrist towards me while I did the same to him, our hands shaking ever so slightly at our energy. He might be stubborn, but I am the same.
Eventually, he gave up, turning back around with a scoff. I smiled at the slight, happily resuming the action of running my fingers through his hair. Of course I should win this little contest. If he wanted to use my lap as a pillow then he should let me do what I want.
As I started to lose myself in my thoughts, I heard his breathing pattern change and ceased my movements. He always was a light sleeper and often reprimended me when I didn't sleep like him with one eye open. It's unusual for him to fall asleep so easily so I figured that he must be tired from the punishment the captain gave us for sneaking out. He had taken sole responsibility and as a result, was forced to do manual labour throughout the night.
The stubborn man would never let me take the blame. Perhaps that was what made me fall for him in the first place.
I looked ahead to see that the dragons in the sky were falling one by one. They should be finished soon and we'll have to lead them back. I looked back down at Acnologia's sleeping face, not having the heart to wake him when he only just fell asleep.
It'll be fine if I let him sleep a bit longer, there's no harm in that. It's difficult to find such peaceful times in this dangerous era. I enjoyed fighting, especially against dragons, but there were times where I wished these tranquil moments would last forever and the bloodshed would just disappear. I always etched moments like these in my memory and never forgot any of them.
When the last dragon had fallen, I gently nudged him to wake him up. I heard his breathing pattern change once again, but he still feigned sleep. My heart fluttered slightly upon seeing his resting face, but my sense of duty told me what I had to do.
"Come on, we don't have time to play around," I said, flicking his forehead gently. He barely flinched, somehow keeping his eyes closed. "It's time to return to the front lines."
"..."
He didn't reply, making me sigh. It was hard for me as well. As punishment for disobedience, the two of us were placed on separate teams. That was why we resorted to sneaking out to fight together. Ever since we met, we've been an unbeatable team and always had each others backs. I just didn't trust anyone other than him.
"Marry me," his sudden suggestion had my heart pounding heavily in my chest and I looked at him in confusion. "Let's get away from this place and fight by ourselves."
"If only... Even so, I rather not ever fight again. I think that I've had enough fighting for a lifetime," I avoided his proposal with the same answer that I always gave. I held his hand tightly. "But we swore an oath to our kingdom and our dragon will surely come find us."
He growled upon hearing my reasoning, knowing that it was true. He got off my lap, standing on his feet to offer a hand to me. I took it as always, letting him pull me up. I smiled at his messy hair, reaching up to pat it down.
I wish that this could've lasted longer, but our duty calls.
The two of us walked down the hill to meet up with the young members that would soon regret their choice to become Dragon Slayers.
They believe this title to be an honour, but it is far from it.
We lead them back to the Royal Palace with minimal conversation, only giving each other little glances. Just as we arrived, one of the captains ordered for us to head back to the front lines where the most vicious dragons were. The two of us were forced to comply, heading to change out of our casual clothing into our light amour.
We walked back to the courtyard in silence, slightly dreading what was to come. We wouldn't know about the other's condition until it was too late.
"Hey," he suddenly said just as we were heading to our separate teams. He held out his fist to me. "You better come back to me alive."
"Don't I always?" I smiled at him in response, bumping my own fist against his.
We left for our separate teams, ready as ever to fight the dragons. I had a sick feeling in my stomach, but I ignored it as always. I clenched my fists as I heard the fighting in the not so far distance.
The screams of war echoed throughout the grounds. They'll haunt me until the end of time.
Battle crys everywhere... Wails everywhere... And the smell of death lingered.
I just wish that I was back to those peaceful times...
My eyes widened when I saw a comrade in danger and I found that my own body moved of its own accord. I easily hit the dragon with my roar, pulling the woman away from its claw.
I asked if she was alright, but I didn't get a reply. She only looked at me with wide eyes. I asked her once again and this time received a scream in response.
In that moment of distraction, my own world went black as pain erupted in multiple points in my body.
Ah.. It looks like I broke my promise.
➳➳➳
When I next came to, all I saw was a world of black. I found that I couldn't move and that my body was still throbbing with pain.
It felt almost like a dream, except there was a warmth next to me. It was a familiar warmth that held my hand tightly.
"I knew it. I shouldn't have let you go,"
It was Acnologia's voice, I would recognise him anywhere. But here I was lying in bed without a way to reply and tell him that it wasn't his fault.
"You shouldn't have saved that ungrateful Dragon Slayer. Why can't you focus on yourself?"
I wanted to tell him that it was alright, that I did it because I couldn't just someone die in front of my eyes again. But my body refused to move and I found myself listening to him in silence.
"I'm getting you out of here tomorrow. To hell with the oath. Won't matter when they're all dead," he growled and clenched my hand tightly. So tightly that it would've hurt me terribly had the pain from my injuries not existed.
With that, I heard a creaking noise as the door opened only to be slammed shut once again. I wanted to call out to him and tell him that there was no need for bloodshed on my behalf, but I knew that he wouldn't have listened.
And so, I laid there in the silence. I wasn't sure how much time passed and nor was I saw if I was truly awake or not.
But the next time I was conscious, the pain in my body had disappeared and I was able to finally open my eyes.
Before my eyes had properly adjusted to the light, my nose told me that I was no longer in the room. Acnologia's scent was surrounding me and I was in a cave or something like that. But it wasn't only his scent that my nose picked up on.
Our surroundings reeked the all too familiar smell of death. My heart started beating faster and faster as I clutched onto the material that covered me. My mine was still hazy and the confusion made me terrified.
"You're awake," the sudden voice made cold sweat run down my back.
"W-Where... Where are we?" my voice was rough and small, making me wince. Instinctively, I tried to reach for his hand in the dim light but ultimately failed when I realised that I could barely move.
"Away from the hell," he replied, helping me sit up. Just as I wanted to ask him how and why, I felt something being pressed against my lips as a cool liquid slipped past them.
I drank the water, my throat feeling much better. My eyes finally adjusted and I was fianlly able to see him. I wanted to smile, but my heart froze upon seeing his cold and almost emotionless eyes.
My question died at my lips after seeing them.
What have you done?
Still in that state of shock, I shakily forced my hand to reach up to touch his cheek, stroking it ever so carefully.
But... Why do you look so sad?
I started to cough and my hand covered my mouth. My head started spinning. When I removed it, my heart started beating faster at the sight of blood. It hurts... Just what exactly happened to me?
Acnologia disappeared from my side for a little bit before coming back and pushing a herb into my mouth. It smothered my pain for a second but the burning sensation came back again soon enough, making me cry out.
"What... What's wrong with me?" I asked, terrified of the answer.
He didn't answer me and only pulled me towards him carefully in a hug. "I'll kill them all... I promise that I'll make every single one of them pay."
Somehow, just somehow, from that it dawned on me that whatever was wrong with me can't be fixed. I held onto him tightly, wishing that this was all a dream.
➳➳➳
Years passed in the blink of eye and I
soon found that this sickness I held prevented me from using my magic. The more magic I used, the closer I came to turning into a dragon. But the more time that passed, the closer I came to the doors of death from the prolonged pain.
Acnologia felt the need to kill every Dragon and Dragon Slayer in compensation for my fate.
Upon learning that I would outlive him, he went as far as bathing in the blood of dragons so that he could stay with me. But that transformation misguided him and he ended up being driven to slaughter more people.
What caused him to become the sole winner of what people now know as the Dragon King Festival was all merely an accident.
I learned that my country, its people and all our comrades all died at his hands during this time.
But he could gain as much power as he wanted and he would still never achieve his original goal. For I was cursed that day I was hit by the dragon.
This disease has dragged itself out for centuries, never giving me a moment of peace. I feel the pain everyday as it ever so slowly drains my life away. It hurts so much that I wish I were dead.
"Is it getting any better?"
"I wish," I tried to answer his question with a slight smile. He only nodded at me and I could tell that he was going to leave again.
My instinct told me to stop him. It yelled at me to ask for him to stay with me until the near end.
"Hey... Can you stay with me? Just for today?" I asked quietly.
He stopped near the entrance of the cage before looking back at me. He retraced his steps, stopping near my makeshift bed and bringing me close to him. "I have to find a cure for you. Just wait for me, alright?"
I only nodded my head, moving closer to him to remember his warmth. When we parted, I leaned in once again to kiss him.
"Stay safe?"
"Says the one who ended up like this," he scoffed with a smile, kissing me once more. He then left to go outside, leaving me alone once more.
"I love you..." I whispered one final time, knowing that he would never hear it.
I closed my eyes, wishing that my instincts were wrong. For the first time in a century or so, I wished that my life would be prolonged. No matter how much pain it causes me... I just want to be with him for just a little longer.
But the pain in my body told me that it was inevitable.
My time has passed and my death just on the otherside.
Please, at least let me watch over him.
➳➳➳
Author - Third Person
With [Name]'s passing, Acnologia's entire being once again became swallowed by rage and bitterness. However this time, there was no one to stop his rampage.
He resented the world that forced their situation to happen. He resented his very being for not being able to be there for her or save her.
He turned into the vicious beast that the world made him out to be. He disregarded his emotions, seeking only to get back what the world had taken from him.
And so, he decided ot act upon a legend he heard about. Embarking on a quest to seek the Ravines of Time, he searched for more and more power hoping to somehow bring her back from the dead.
Years passed and it seemed like he was finally going to achieve his goal. He had taken the power of time and was able to bring the last dragon slayers to his time just to destroy them and use their lives as a sacrifice.
But he was defeated when he was so close to reaching his dream, his love.
"Even if I can't lay waste to this whole goddammed world, I'll kill all of you for doing that to her," Acnologia screamed out, somehow managing to conjure a bright ball of magic. "You dragons will pay with your lives for killing her!"
"Open your eyes and see the world properly for once in your life! We ain't the ones who did wrong to you! They're already dead!" Natsu yelled out, conjuring his fire. But despite the side he was on, he felt an unknown pang in his heart at the sight of Acnologia's pained expression.
"He's right, you know,"
A faint voice whispered in the Dragon King's ear. His eyes widened as the magic in his hands disappeared and he searched around desperately for the owner of the voice.
"This world is where we met and shared all of those happy memories... Let's try to not destroy that, please?"
Her name left his lips as his posture immediately relaxed at the sight of the girl who had appeared. She looked no different from the girl in his happiest memories from before all this madness happened.
She stood in front of him and in front of the young dragon slayers who watched in confusion and wonder.
"Your time has long past Acnologia," she offered him a gentle smile, reaching out her hand to him much like she's done so many times before. "You don't need to get revenge anymore, let's leave those feelings of hatred behind. Come with me, I'm tired of all this fighting. How about we finally leave this tragic tale behind us."
"Why... Why are you here?"
"I came for you of course, come on, isn't it lonely by yourself?"
Acnologia found that his body naturally oriented and moved toward her transparent one. Swayed by her words, he reached out to her, surprising all the dragon slayers who watched.
As soon as their hands touched, a warm light filled the space and caused it to shake ever so slightly. The girl pulled him into a hug, caressing his head gently.
"It's alright, we're together now, safe and sound," she whispered. Just listening to her voice made him forget those long years of loniness, rage and despair.
To be able to be with her once again was worth those long years of torment.
"I've finally found you again..." he broke down in her arms, holding on tightly as though she would disappear once again.
That cruel man he was forced to turn into became no more.
He wasn't a Dragon King anymore, he was Acnologia.
Her Acnologia.
And so, the pair disappeared in each others arms, finally able to put an end to their tragic story.
All they left was a legend of how the love between a girl and a boy nearly destroyed the entire world.
『 Tragic Tale - End』