Chapter 18
Igneel had been prepared for many things as he flew toward the meeting. But he'd never once considered Deliora would betray them all just for the sake of revenge.
What did he possibly think he would gain from this treachery? Any truce he might have negotiated with Acnologia was obviously doomed to fail. The renegade dragon slayer had lost his mind a long time ago, but the one thing he'd always been clear on was his hatred of all dragons.
Acnologia wouldn't be satisfied until there were no more dragons left on Earthland. He'd said so many times. If he killed them, Igneel knew Acnologia would turn on Deliora. There was no other outcome.
Then again, Deliora had always been incredibly short-sighted. Like most hellfire dragons, he'd always let his emotions control him. They fed his flames and his magic, but kept him from being able to devise elaborate plans.
Atlas had been the exception. His interest in magic from an early age had forced him to gain control of his emotions, allowing him to cast ever more complicated spells.
Atlas' eyes widened in what Igneel easily recognized as horror before propelling himself towards Acnologia with almost deranged determination. And suddenly, it was as if everything were moving in slow motion.
Atlas' hellfire blazed with his fury, his snout distorted with a hatred that seemed wholly out of character for him. He roared at the renegade dragon slayer that had been responsible for so many dragon deaths, and for once, those feelings resounded deeply inside of Igneel.
Ever since Porlyusica had died, Igneel had felt detached from the world. He went through the motions as best he could, trying to fulfill his duties. But outside of the longing for someone that was just outside of his reach, Igneel could only seem to muster feelings for Atlas and Natsu.
Even though he'd defeated Deliora all those years ago, his efforts had been halfhearted at best. He should have killed Deliora then, as Dragon Law demanded, but he'd been merciful instead, hoping that Deliora would come to see the error of his ways.
He hadn't stopped to consider the consequences of that action, and that one choice had led them here. Now, as he watched Deliora let their greatest enemy attack his brother, the dragon he'd once considered his best friend, it was more than Igneel could stand.
He thought back to the reports they'd received of the large numbers of dragons killed by the renegades of late, and he knew without a doubt that had been Deliora's doing. He'd willingly sacrificed his own brethren to further his lust for power, and that was something Igneel could never forgive.
The Fire Dragon King was suddenly filled with intense rage. It brought him back as nothing else before had done. He hadn't been exaggerating when he'd told Natsu he'd been a great fighter a few hundred years ago. And now, as he felt that familiar battle lust claim him, he could once again see clearly.
Everything around him seemed sharper, brighter, full of vibrant colors that had been absent for far too long, and he welcomed them. The sights, the smells, the clarity. Igneel knew what he had to do.
He covered himself in his flames and prepared to join his brother, ignoring Deliora for the moment. It had been a while since he and Atlas had fought together, but the rhythm was not something easily forgotten. This would end today.
Acnologia must be destroyed at all costs.
Igneel crouched, his wings flaring slightly, his tail whipping in agitation as he watched Atlas leap back and up, out of the reach of Acnologia's maw. As the slayer rose to his hind legs, unfurling his wings to take to the air after Atlas, Igneel suddenly launched forward. His massive form was a blur as he closed the 100 meters in the blink of an eye.
He wasted no effort on magic or fire, knowing Acnologia would be unfazed by either. Instead, Igneel rammed his shoulder into Acnologia's chest, launching the startled beast backward and attempting to snake his head around and bite at one of Acnologia's wings.
The two tumbled, gouging furrows in the ground as they snapped and clawed at each other in a frenzy. Igneel ended up on his back, and Acnologia attempted to clamp his jaws on Igneel's exposed throat while pinning the red dragon's forelegs to the ground. His eyes gleamed with malevolent glee as he saw the opportunity for a quick end to the battle.
Unfortunately for Acnologia, in his narrow focus, he'd forgotten to account for the other participant in this brawl. Igneel suddenly thrust his hind legs upward, momentarily lifting Acnologia's haunches into the air, well above the black dragon's head. Acnologia's tail flailed high in the air to prevent him from tipping over.
The timing of this maneuver was perfect for Atlas, who leveled out from the steep dive he'd been in, clamping his jaws onto the middle of the black dragon's tail. He tucked into a roll and, with a twist of his body, hit the ground just past Igneel's head, facing the opposite direction.
He took the significant speed and momentum of his dive and transferred it onto Acnologia. Hauling the tail around and flipping the slayer completely about, ripping him off his perch atop Igneel, and sending the black dragon careening wildly into an outcropping of rocks, reducing them to rubble and a cloud of dust.
Atlas turned to watch his foe right and extricate himself rather gracelessly from the rubble. Igneel rolled to his feet and stood beside his brother. Both of them shared a fierce grin at the thrill of battling together. They launched themselves at the black dragon, this time with Igneel going high, and Atlas charging along the ground.
Acnologia crouched and tracked Igneel's path through the air, but as Atlas leaped in what was intended to be an interception of Acnologia's launch into the air, the black dragon dove to the ground instead. He twisted at the same time and thrust his claws up to rake deeply across the bared underbelly of Atlas as he sailed overhead.
Atlas roared in anguish as he took his own spill into the pile of rocks Acnologia had just left. Crimson blood splashed across the boulders from the furrows in Atlas' chest, but he quickly rose and prepared to re-engage.
0-0
The smell of blood filled the air, pushing Natsu and Belserion to reach the meeting spot at full speed, each desperate to reach Igneel and Atlas. They hadn't been sure what to expect, but they both stopped, admiring the rare sight of Igneel and Atlas fighting together. Natsu, in particular, was in awe, having never seen his father fight before.
He was so transfixed that he didn't notice Acnologia studying him even as he fought.
"Who's this?" Acnologia asked, not even sounding winded as he continued to battle against the two fire dragons.
Natsu remained silent, knowing there was no point in answering. If Acnologia could smell him, he would figure out his identity soon enough. He heard Belserion roar out a warning next to him and noticed Deliora trying to slink away while the attention of the red dragons was on Acnologia.
As much as Natsu wanted to deal with Acnologia, the second he saw Deliora, his dragon instincts took over. It happened so quickly he almost didn't notice it. Images of Gray played through his mind as a bloodlust consumed him stronger than any he'd ever experienced before.
His fault!
It was Deliora's fault that Gray had lost his parents at such a young age. That Gray hated dragons, and Natsu couldn't tell his mate the truth about himself. His fault the war continued long after everyone wanted to go home.
And now, he had committed the worst sin of all, the one for which Natsu could never forgive him. Deliora had betrayed all dragons by allying himself with Acnologia.
Deliora had to die, that was all there was to it.
Natsu tried to fight through the haze. To take control back from the instincts that were screaming at him to kill Deliora. He was terrified of what it could mean if he let them consume him, but they were too strong for him to overpower. Natsu surrendered, reminding himself he'd long ago decided to go after Deliora if he ever got the chance.
I will avenge Gray's family, and I will correct my father's mistake. Deliora will never hurt anyone ever again.
His body and soul vibrated in anticipation, and Natsu could feel all reluctance fading away until there was nothing but a flicker of apprehension left inside him. Soon, even that was gone.
"I will destroy you!" Natsu roared, leaving Belserion to waver between aiding his father and uncle in their battle or going after Natsu.
Natsu coated himself in his hottest flames as he veered towards Deliora, who seemed honestly surprised to see the hatred on his face.
"Igneel, you've been holding out on me," Acnologia leered at the King of the Fire Dragons as he sniffed the air. His eyes narrowed in interest as he peered at Natsu.
"There was another one," Acnologia's muzzle widened into a sickly grin, "I wonder. Will he be a challenge?"
Those words decided Belserion, and he joined Igneel and Atlas in their fight.
Natsu chased after Deliora, knowing the dragon would be immune to his breath attacks. That didn't mean his fire was completely useless against him, he could still use it to power up his other attacks. He roared as loudly as he could, giving voice to the rage and loathing he felt.
Acnologia's vile laugh rang out as he watched Natsu close in on Deliora while the traitor darted back and forth, looking for a way to evade Natsu's approach.
"You shouldn't be so quick to dismiss us, Acnologia," Igneel advised, taking advantage of his distraction to slash Acnologia across the chest with his claws, barely earning a grunt from the Black Dragon in response.
Deliora determined there was no way to evade Natsu, and he braced himself for the young dragon's attack. However, Natsu hit the ground just in front of Deliora and dug his front claws into the ground, wheeling about.
His hindquarters and tail lashed out, the narrower end of his tail moving faster than could be seen. It struck Deliora across the jaw, and the force of the blow spun the overbalanced dragon around, sending him reeling and seeing stars.
Natsu immediately leaped into the air again, looping and diving from directly above Deliora, who had just cleared his head and was looking from side to side to spot his foe. A moment later, Natsu crashed into the huge dragon's back with enough force to make the ground shudder as Deliora's legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground, frantically squirming to shake Natsu off as the young dragon raked his claws at Deliora's wings and bit at his neck.
Acnologia laughed once again, this time with a mirth that sickened everyone present, "That's a fine son you have there, Igneel. Deliora is clearly outmatched," he paused for a moment, thinking as he continued to fight with the three dragons.
"While I wouldn't mind seeing him kill Deliora, I think I'd rather challenge him at full strength."
Acnologia made a disconcerting noise, and three additional renegade dragon slayers exited a nearby cave, instantly transforming into their dragon forms and taking to the air. The Black Dragon laughed at the dismay on the faces of the red dragons.
"Come now, you didn't actually think you were the only ones clever enough to think of bringing backup, did you?"
As soon as his dragons were close enough, he disengaged, leaving them to fight in his stead as he took off toward Deliora and Natsu. All three dragons converged on Igneel, attacking him from all sides as Atlas and Belserion tried to figure out the best way to help him.
Igneel whirled and leaped frantically, avoiding leaving his back turned to any of the three enemies for more than the briefest of moments. The slayers darted in and out constantly, trying to bite or claw exposed flesh as it was presented to them and keeping a healthy distance from Igneel's deadly teeth and flames. Even with his considerable skill and ferocity, Igneel was quickly accumulating more and more small wounds, slowly soaking the ground below him with blood.
The maneuvering dance broke up as both Atlas and Belserion entered the fray. Dragons and slayers took to the sky as they squared off in pairs. The dragons seemed to have a slight advantage in flight, but the slayers were still formidable, and it took several minutes before there was any noticeable shift in the battle.
Atlas peeled away from the slayer he'd been engaged with and suddenly dropped just above one that had been trying to bite Igneel's wing. Atlas exploded in a nova of hellfire, scorching and stunning his target who fell limply out of the sky, trailing smoke from all over his body. Atlas wheeled and re-engaged with his previous foe, who looked much warier at getting as close to the fire dragon.
In unspoken accord, Atlas and Belserion took advantage of the momentary reprieve as a chance to get Igneel away to safety.
The King of the Fire Dragons was leaking blood from several wounds, but Atlas knew there was no time to cast any healing spells. They had to get back to the cave so Grandine and Wendy could work on him.
Atlas heard the uncertainty in Natsu's battle roar as he was suddenly faced with Acnologia. He forced himself to drown him out, even as he felt terrible about it. He had faith in Natsu's abilities as a fighter and his determination to protect his father at all costs. He knew Natsu could hold his own long enough for them to get Igneel out.
Any other course of action at this point would only lead to their destruction, and that would be disastrous to all the dragons who were counting on them to restore the peace.
He could see Igneel respond to it as well, instinctively trying to move towards his son.
"Not this time," Atlas murmured sadly, casting a spell on his brother that made him nearly weightless.
He grabbed on to him, using his magic again to speed himself up. Atlas needed to get Igneel to safety no matter what. He couldn't let him die, not before that blasted abomination.
"Belserion," Atlas yelled, but the dragon was already trying to keep the renegades from following them. Two of them got away from him, promptly giving chase.
Their dragon forms were smaller than both Atlas and Igneel, but they moved swiftly in the air. Both dragon slayers kept up a constant barrage of attacks that Atlas needed to evade as he dragged Igneel along with him.
Just a little longer...
Atlas knew there were other dragons ready for just this eventuality. He just had to get to them, and everything would be fine. He looked down at Igneel worriedly, focusing more magic into his speed spell even as he pushed his wings as hard as he could.
He tried not to think about how he had left Natsu behind, knowing his nephew would have wanted him to save Igneel. He couldn't help but worry, even though Belserion, who was a considerable fighter, had stayed behind to help. Part of him couldn't help but hope that the two of them could take out Acnologia once and for all.
Atlas winced as the dragon slayers pelted him with yet another energy blast. His grip on Igneel loosened in response, but he grabbed him quickly and kept going.
He didn't have to look back to know the third renegade had joined his pursuers. The additional set of attacks alerting him to their presence. He fretted about what that could mean to the other fight that he hoped was still ongoing, but there was nothing he could do to help. Not until he got Igneel to safety.
Natsu, don't give him any openings...
He caught a whiff of blood in the air and wailed upon recognizing it, his instincts screaming at him to turn back and join the fight. But he couldn't, no matter how much he wanted to. If Igneel died as he was now... no, he couldn't think about the consequences. He just had to hurry.
"Leave me," Igneel struggled against him, pleading in a broken voice, "You have to go help him."
"Stop it," Atlas snapped, even as he fought every instinct he possessed not to do precisely what Igneel was demanding, "Natsu will be fine."
He has to be.
0-0
"What the hell is going on?" Gajeel muttered, although everyone around him could hear him, "Someone should have returned by now."
Metalicana grunted his agreement, extending his senses as far as he could. "Something's wrong."
"Skiadrum?" Metalicana glanced over at the dragon that was standing next to him, his dragon slayer on his back.
Without a word, the dragon took off and instantly disappeared from their view as Weisslogia and Sting gazed worriedly at the spot where he'd been.
A large group of dragons and dragon slayers converged at the edge of their territory, waiting for the red dragons to return. There was hope that a truce had been accomplished, but they were ready for a fight. Most of them had been fighting for years now.
They were a ragtag collection of all distinct races of dragons. The only real gain they had managed during this war was that the previously solitary dragons had learned to coexist somewhat peacefully. They relied on each other in combat and had even forged friendships. There were some exceptions, of course, but for the moment, they were all willing to stand together. They had seen enough death.
The minutes dragged on in tense silence as they waited for Skiadrum to return with a report.
"Atlas is coming in fast with Igneel, but they're being pursued by three renegades. There's no sign of Natsu or Belserion. We must hurry, they need our help!" Skiadrum suddenly reappeared, shouting urgently even as Rogue somehow remained impassive, his expression giving nothing away of what he had seen.
Metalicana and Weisslogia had already taken off before Skiadrum had finished speaking, and Irene began belting out orders to the dragon slayers who climbed on their assigned dragons and took off.
"Stay back!" Skiadrum yelled at Weisslogia, "This is no place for you, I told you before."
"And I told you, these are my friends. I will not sit back and do nothing," Weisslogia glared at his mate before flying past him.
He could feel Skiadrum's anger at his defiance flooding him through their bond. It mixed in with the worry and ever-present guilt that were such a large part of their relationship now. He ignored it. He tired of feeling helpless, and of being needlessly treated as an invalid by his mate.
Ssstubborn fool
Weisslogia shook his head at the intrusion and flew on, refusing to answer even as he extended his senses to locate his friends. Soon he could make out a red blur in the distance, and he readied a spell.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Sting asked, keeping his voice steady as he petted his father, knowing how hard it was for him to go against Skiadrum's wishes.
Weisslogia snorted, "You're one to talk."
When he felt his son tense, he relented, "We must do what we feel is right, they will understand eventually."
"Are you up to a fight?"
"We'll find out, won't we?"
With that, there was no more talk as they both readied their magic and focused on helping Atlas and Igneel.
Irene had deployed an assortment of dragons and dragon slayers. They would charge the renegade dragon slayers, freeing the Talos dragons to go after Belserion and Natsu once Igneel was safe.
"That bastard!" Metalicana roared in unbridled anger.
"Listen up!" Metalicana broadcast in his loudest roar, "Igneel says Deliora made some sort of deal with Acnologia. They tried to kill off Atlas and Igneel. Natsu and Belserion are fighting them now. Igneel wants us to take him, so Atlas can lead us back to help them."
"Atlas won't like that," Skiadrum muttered, knowing how protective Atlas was about his brother.
Several dragons cursed in disbelief, but Weisslogia wasn't all that surprised at Deliora's treachery, it was what they had expected after all. Although to ally himself with Acnologia against his own kind was certainly unexpected and unforgivable.
Deliora had just signed his own death sentence. No matter what their particular stance on humans might be, no dragon would ever join him again.
"We can discuss this later. For now, we must focus on the fight that's ahead of us," Irene's yell interrupted Weisslogia's thoughts, and he silently agreed with the dragon slayer.
Weisslogia could hear grunts of agreement and battle cries rise behind him at her words, and he turned his attention back to his mate.
"It's Natsu we're talking about, he's probably torn up as it is. He won't put up a fight. I'll take Igneel and get him back to Grandine. The rest of you follow Atlas back to Natsu and Belserion."
"Weiss, you know—" Skiadrum began, but Weisslogia cut him off immediately.
"I can do this, Skia."
Please believe in me...
Weisslogia could feel the battle raging in Skiadrum's mind, but he could also feel the pride his mate felt, and he vowed not to let him down.
"Be careful."
Weisslogia nodded and waited for Metalicana to use his telepathy to tell Igneel of their plan. A group of dragons zoomed past him, launching an attack on the renegades, and Weisslogia didn't hesitate to head over to Atlas.
As he'd predicted, Atlas didn't look happy, but he also didn't put up a fight, handing Igneel over before whispering in a pleading tone.
"Weiss—."
Weisslogia was already flying back when he shouted, "I will protect him with my life, go bring Natsu home."
He tried to ignore the deep gashes he'd seen on his friend, or the tiredness in his eyes, knowing Atlas would do everything in his power to protect the nephew he loved as a son.
Weisslogia flew back to the cave as fast as he could, knowing every second could mean the difference between life and death. He held on to the bigger dragon tightly, grumbling whenever he heard Igneel grunt in discomfort.
"Is he going to be alright?" Sting asked, his voice sounding tremulous, and Weisslogia could hear his own doubts reflected. He knew his son's question wasn't limited to the dragon they were carrying.
Sting was worried about many things at the moment. Weisslogia wished he could give him some comfort, but he'd never been one for empty words. The fact was, they didn't know what their loved ones would be up against.
"They're all very strong. They'll do their best, just as we are doing now," Weisslogia looked down at Igneel, wanting to reassure himself that the red dragon was still with them. He wished he hadn't, he'd never seen Igneel look so despondent before.
"We're almost there, I can smell Grandine," Weisslogia announced, pushing himself as much as he dared. The strain on his body was tremendous, but he knew he couldn't rest until he got Igneel to the healer. As the cave entrance loomed tantalizingly closer, he called upon the last of his energy to bring Igneel home.
0-0
"Natsu, watch out!"
Natsu stopped mid-attack, heeding the tone of Belserion's shout more than the words themselves. He forced himself to study what was happening around him. His eyes narrowed when he saw Atlas rushing away with Igneel, noticing straight away that Igneel was not flying on his own power.
His dismay intensified when he saw two renegade dragon slayers chase after them, barraging them with attacks. Belserion had his hands full with a third while Acnologia was flying straight towards him.
Natsu made a split-second decision. He let go of Deliora, determined to help protect his father as he had come here to do. Deliora immediately took off away from Natsu, not even bothering to look back.
"You were lucky today," Natsu fumed as he called out to the fleeing dragon, "But I promise you this, I will be the last thing you'll ever see."
Natsu steeled himself to face off against Acnologia, hoping in doing so, Belserion would have a chance to defeat the remaining renegade and follow Atlas and Igneel.
Natsu's initial reaction to being one on one with the dragon from his nightmare was terror. The malice Acnologia had exuded in his dream was nothing compared to what it felt like to be in his presence. The fear tried to inject doubts and insecurities into Natsu, urging him to flee, but he fought it off. He couldn't afford to have Acnologia go after his father as well.
He had to fight, even though he knew this renegade dragon slayer was not only incredibly powerful but also completely insane. The madness reflected in his cold blue eyes brought this point home as nothing else could. Acnologia was lethal, and Natsu could not afford to underestimate him, not when he had bested all the dragons that had taught Natsu how to fight.
Rage soon replaced Natsu's terror as he thought of all the dragons that had fallen to Acnologia. Some of which Natsu was sure had not only trusted him, but might have even considered him a friend. His rage boiled through him, heating his blood and bonding with his magic, magnifying it until Natsu felt drunk with it.
He knew well that dying by this creature's hand was a possibility, one he must avoid at all costs. It would destroy Gray to learn a dragon had killed him, and he would do anything to keep that from happening.
Acnologia, however, wasn't interested in fighting him yet, seemingly content to size Natsu up as the sounds of Belserion and the renegade's fighting continued behind them.
"There is something different about you," Acnologia finally spoke, "You smell of Igneel but... also something else," He shook his head in confusion, trying to figure out the puzzle.
For a moment, there was a lucidity to his eyes that hadn't been there before. It disconcerted Natsu, who didn't know what to make of the creature in front of him.
He stared at Acnologia open-mouthed, his breath catching at the Black Dragon's words. How had he been able to tell when no dragon had yet been able to?
The moment was short-lived. Acnologia's eyes quickly lost their lucidity as his maw stretched into a sickening grin. "Kind of small, aren't you?" Acnologia taunted, and the similarity to Gajeel's words snapped Natsu out of his temporary daze.
"I don't need size to kick your ass," Natsu replied with feigned bravado.
Thanks to Atlas' constant experimentation, Natsu had been surrounded by magic his entire life. It didn't take him long to recognize that Acnologia possessed many kinds of magic, including his beloved fire.
Natsu banished all extraneous thoughts and feelings from his mind. He couldn't afford any distractions. His survival would depend on being able to stay a step ahead of Acnologia.
Natsu feinted, but Acnologia didn't flinch in the slightest. He charged, stopping a short distance in front of the slayer, digging his fore claws into the earth and spinning his hindquarters around as he whipped his tail out at the slayer's head.
Natsu's tail moved faster than the eye could follow, but it was as if Acnologia knew precisely what to expect with the move. His jaws lunged forward, biting down right where he predicted the tail would be.
Natsu heard the familiar whip-crack of the tail attack, but instead of a strike against the slayer's head, he felt a jolt like a shock of lightning as the black dragon bit half a meter of his tail off.
He stifled a brief howl of pain as he completed his spin, facing the slayer again. The young dragon struggled to control the pain and keep his composure. He watched Acnologia tilt his head upward and gulp down the piece of tail in his mouth with exaggerated delight and smacking.
Natsu channeled the shock and pain into fury and charged again. He veered to the right, tucking his left wing tight against his side to make it less of a target as he leaped and attempted to rake both of his fore claws down Acnologia's side and back, aiming for the root of his right wing.
The slayer crouched low, dodging the claws, and his jaws snapped at Natsu's hind leg. Natsu sensed the attack, however, and used his tail to smack the top of Acnologia's head, knocking it off target and temporarily blinding the slayer with the blood that continued to well out of the ruined tip of his tail.
Natsu spread his wings and took to the air. He wheeled about and immediately dove, trying to take advantage of the superior position before Acnologia could also get airborne.
He breathed a tremendous gout of billowing flames. He knew they couldn't harm the slayer directly, but they did momentarily obscure his sight. Using this to his advantage, Natsu tucked his head, barreling through the flames and straight into his foe.
He pushed the slayer back, immediately slashing out with tooth and claw, trying to draw blood from the less armored underbelly. One claw struck home, but Natsu stayed in motion, attempting to get behind the slayer, biting at his tail and slashing at his wings with claws.
Acnologia leaped away from Natsu, spreading his own wings and gaining altitude. He turned and launched a series of breath attacks at the young dragon, but Natsu evaded them with dexterity, trying to close the distance to the slayer.
As Natsu neared his foe, he suddenly spiraled above the black dragon. Planting all four feet on the slayer's back, he flexed his talons to dig in momentarily, then shoved down hard, launching himself higher and forcing Acnologia to pump his wings to regain control of his flight.
The two dragons flew away from each other for a moment, then wheeled and began speeding toward one another for another clash. This time, the slayer simply overpowered the smaller fire dragon. He pushed Natsu past vertical until he was upside down, slashing Natsu's neck with a claw. The young dragon cried out in pain and fury, losing considerable altitude while he struggled to regain control of his flight.
0-0
Belserion did his best to keep the renegade pinned down, but after hearing yet another howl of pain from Natsu, he knew he had to do something. He knew Atlas would return soon, and for this, he was glad. Natsu would need healing, but right now, more than anything, he needed help.
Even though the young dragon was holding his own, Belserion knew Acnologia was still only feeling him out. Acnologia enjoyed a challenge, and Natsu was a dragon he hadn't come across before, and that was becoming increasingly rare for the renegade.
When Belserion heard Acnologia begin to cast the spell he'd used against all his friends, the one that had the power to reap souls, he panicked.
Oh, no, you don't!
Belserion flew as fast as he could towards Acnologia and Natsu, lunging to place himself in the spell's way.
Acnologia's frustration resounded around them as Belserion thwarted his attack. Belserion felt pride surge in his chest at the thought that he'd protected the dragon he thought of as their future. He was hundreds of years old, strong enough to survive the spell, but he wasn't sure Natsu would have.
There was no denying Natsu's strength or determination, but he was still young and a hybrid. Taking a direct hit from that spell had almost killed Weisslogia, who was much older. Probably would have killed him if he hadn't been mated to Skiadrum.
Belserion was mildly amused at the shock registered on Natsu's face as the hit he'd expected never came. Although it was quickly marred by the sorrow he recognized in Natsu's eyes. Belserion tried to smile for him, even as the pain ripped through his body.
"You need to go, Natsu, this isn't a fight you can win at the moment," Belserion advised, keeping his voice even so as not to cause him any further worry, "I will buy you some time."
"I won't leave you," Natsu protested, "How can you ask that of me?"
"You must."
Belserion had hoped Natsu would have grasped the logic in his plan, but he hadn't really expected him to agree to a retreat. Not when there was so much at stake.
He took stock of his condition as the surrounding air heated to increasingly uncomfortable temperatures until it was almost like having Atlas nearby. For a moment, Belserion hoped the heat signaled the arrival of the other dragons, but it was only Natsu, looking angrier than Belserion had ever seen him before.
Belserion struggled to get up quickly, deciding that if today were his last battle, he would go down giving it his all. He had sworn his allegiance to the Dragneels a long time ago, and he had never regretted it once. He would use whatever power he had left to fight alongside Natsu. He spared a thought to his dragon slayer, a woman both brave and wise, and it filled him with sadness.
Goodbye, Irene, please forgive me...
0-0
Watching Belserion stand beside him, even though it was obvious how much it pained him, fueled Natsu's determination even further. He wasn't sure what that spell had been, but he had the nagging suspicion it was the one that had reaped the souls of his family to varying degrees.
That thought angered him beyond anything he'd ever felt before. Belserion had likely given up his soul to protect him, and Natsu would do his best to see that sacrifice not go to waste.
Acnologia roared in fury at being deprived of his magic's intended target. He raced forward, aiming at Belserion, but was forced to dodge as Natsu closed on his flank, and the young dragon attempted to bite the slayer's tail.
Natsu struggled to keep Acnologia's full attention. The reaping significantly weakened Belserion. Despite this, he fought on, looking for any opportunity to lunge in and attack while Acnologia was distracted. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before the weakness and exhaustion slowed Belserion enough for Acnologia to take advantage of it.
Belserion lunged to attack the slayer's flank as Acnologia wheeled to chase Natsu after their latest clash. The fire dragon failed to notice that Acnologia's head was curled back, observing Belserion's charge. When he was close enough, Acnologia raised his tail and smashed it down on Belserion's head, stunning the dragon who went limp and plummeted to the ground with a crash.
Natsu wheeled and roared in anguish when he saw Belserion's form crumpled on the ground below. The young dragon channeled his magic into his four legs, each blazing like a comet as the fire pushed him to an incredible speed.
The gap between Natsu and Acnologia closed in moments, and Natsu spiraled, briefly rising above the black dragon as if going for his back again. At the last moment, while Natsu's legs were above him, he fed another pulse of fire magic through them. He pushed himself suddenly lower to pass below the slayer, where he had an open shot at his vulnerable chest.
Natsu stretched his jaws and clamped firmly onto Acnologia's left arm. He used all his momentum and magical thrust to wrench violently at the arm. Natsu felt a jarring shift in their struggle, and he righted himself moments before hitting the ground, flaring his wings to manage a landing instead of a crash.
Natsu's teeth remained clamped onto the arm he'd ripped from Acnologia. Euphoria coursed through him at Acnologia's muffled roar of pain, but curiosity replaced it as he felt a surge of weakness.
Natsu looked down to see a gaping hole in his side, leaking what seemed to be a river of blood. He looked up with confusion, and his vision wavered, his focus stretching out as if he were looking down a tunnel that was rapidly growing longer and darker.
At the far end of the tunnel, he saw Acnologia, definitely missing an arm, but with a huge mouthful of flesh in his jaws, dripping fresh blood that steamed in the cooling air. Natsu's legs lost their strength, and he stumbled but kept his front legs locked upright, sinking into a sitting crouch.
Still, there was fear in Acnologia's eyes, and Natsu reveled in it even as the Black Dragon spit out the chunk of his flesh before glaring down at him. Natsu could hear Belserion yell out his name urgently, but he couldn't seem to focus on anything but how cold he felt.
Natsu laughed. The idea of a fire dragon feeling cold amused him. He called on his magic to warm himself up, and though he still felt plenty of it, it refused to respond to his beckon.
Belserion continued to call out to him, and Natsu closed his eyes for just a moment, trying to think of what to do. He felt himself drift away, but an image of Gray assaulted him almost immediately, refusing to let him give up, his voice pleading with him.
I need you
Natsu's heart ached, and he reached out with his arm, trying to touch the vision of Gray that had appeared before him. Gray looked sad as he begged him....
I can't lose you to them too!
And Natsu repeated the words he'd said before leaving Gray in their field.
You'll never lose me... I'll see you soon, Princess.
Come back to me, Natsu...
Natsu opened his eyes once again. Even as everything continued to fade to utter darkness, he stubbornly called out again, not sure if the call was to his mate or his magic. And as his awareness dimmed, he felt that warm spot he was calling to turn its attention toward him, responding to his call.
A/N: I am terrible at writing fight scenes, so I enlisted the help of my husband once again, since he actually enjoys writing them. He was given the skeleton of the chapter along with "stage directions" of what I wanted to overall have happen. I think he did a great job, even if he surprised even me with how far he was willing to go! Thank you very much, love. :)
I have enjoyed fleshing out the dragons more than I thought I would (I really liked Belserion in this chapter) and while I would love to go more into some things that will happen; I know it's getting to be time to move on. The next chapter should wrap up the war portion (and setup other things) and move us back to Talos.