Chapter XXXII: Everything

Just as he had promised Darakina told his son everything he wanted to know. He answered every question without leaving any detail out. He owed Zane that much.

"So you were inside of me this whole time, huh? Preventing me from becoming a dragon," Zane said.

"Yes," the dragon replied.

"So you were watching as I went berserk and wrecked Magnolia?" He asked.

"Yes."

"You were watching as I spent a century walking this world by myself?"

"Yes."

"And you were there, just watching as Acnologia blasted me into certain death?"

"Yes."

With every yes Zane could hear the guild in his father's words. It was a heavy guilt, and a regret that weighed heavily on his shoulders. That what he wanted to see, for he was angry at his father for leaving him.

Or at least that's what he thought he wanted. But seeing the egret in Darakina's eyes made him realize he didn't care for that. He wasn't angry anymore. Hasn't been so for a long time.

Nor could he blame his father for what he did. After all the decision to fight Fairy Tail and confront Acnologia were made of his own volition. He couldn't blame his father for them, especially when in more than one occasion he had tried to convince him to abandon his quest for revenge.

The only thing he wanted now was to spend some time with he father he had lost long ago. However long that may be.

"You've always been human?"

"At one point I was, son. And before you ask no I was never a Dragon Slayer," Darakina said. "Just someone chosen to take the place of a fallen Dragon more than eight centuries ago."

Wow. And the Dragon Slayer thought he was old. "What happened to you? You feel weaker than I remember."

"I was never as strong as you thought. Almost four centuries ago I fought Acnologia. Disobeying Igneel's order not to challenge him. I lost, barely escaping had it not been for my king." Despite the passing of so many years the shame still lingered within him. "Not long after that I was tasked with destroying the demon Zear. But I never recovered from my battle against Acnologia. So I sealed the demon thinking it would last."

"Well that was a big mistake from your part." Not even a second later and Zane already felt guilty for saying that. He looked at his father and said, "Sorry."

The Dragon looked at his son back and chuckled. "Don't be. You are right," he released a sigh of regret. "The reason why you see me in this form is because I spent the last of my strength preventing that so called dragon king from killing you."

Zane felt a terrible guilt in the center of his stomach. He wanted to fall off the cliff they were sitting on so he wouldn't have to look at his father.

"This wasn't your fault, son. I failed you and I am paying for it."

"You told me so many times to forget about revenge. I didn't list and I paid for it." He tried to grab his left arm only to be met with emptiness.

Darakina wrapped his arm around his small boy. "Be proud, Zane. Few can say they fought Acnologia, stood up to him and survived. You have proven to be more dragon than I am."

Hearing praise from his father made everything feel so right. But he knew the truth. "How long do you have?"

So he could sense it, then. "Not long. Enough for me to tell you a few truths."

"Who or what is E.N.D?"

"You should be familiar with him. You fought him not long ago," the dragon responded.

"What are you talking about?" Zane couldn't recall fighting that demon. If it was as powerful as they claimed he would have remembered.

Unless. His dad had mentioned stopping Zear had been a mission given to him by Igneel. The dragon that raised… "It can't be…"

"It is."

"Does he know?"

"No. But do not worry, he will have the strength to stop survive this."

Zane would have to trust his old man. "Rin. Where you the one that gave him the lacrima?"

"I did. Its power belonged to an old friend of mine. A dragon I once loved before she was taken from me." He knew he didn't have to tell Zane who killed her. "Though I did not expect her magic would put him on a state of stasis."

He believed him. There was really nothing more he wanted to know. Except for one thing. "Do you have to go?"

At that moment Darakina couldn't keep his tears in check. "I'm sorry this has to happen just as you said your goodbyes to your brother." When he turned to face his son and beg him for forgiveness he was met with a smile.

Zane gave him a wide smile. He stood up and jumped to hug his father one last time. "There's nothing for me to forgive. On the contrary I can never thank you enough. Thank you for raising me. For training me. For the power that allowed me to defend myself. And thank you for being there with me after losing everything."

Darakina's tears of regret were replaced with tears of joys as he tightly hugged his son. There is no greater joy to a parent than a child expressing gratitude for everything. "The era of the dragons is over. But we can die happy knowing we are leaving this world in hands like yours."

Just like Igneel and the other dragons Darakina began to vanish. "Before I go let me give you one last gift. All the years I spend in you I did so trying to remove that curse. And I succeeded."

Zane lifted his head. "You mean?"

Darakina smiled before disappearing forever. "You are free, Zane. Your life is finally yours to live."

"Thank you, dad. With this I can make my brother's wish come true."

"Remember, though I am gone from this world I will always be there for you. And remember I will always love you, my little Dragon Slayer."

"I love you, my dragon dad."

Despite once again losing those he loves Zane wasn't sad. He couldn't. No. He only felt gratitude for being given the chance to speak to those he loves one last time. He could finally live a life without any regrets.

"Thanks again for letting stay here, Shuya. I appreciate it," Zane said.

Shuya put down the spoon he was using to eat his soup. "Dude, it's been five days since you three came back. And for those five days you keep thanking us. Enough. You did us a great favor we can never repay you. As far as my sister and I are concerned you all are family."

Family. The one thing Zane never thought he would ever have back. While he had lost one a long time ago, he had finally made peace with it.

"Thank you."

Shuya swore he saw a tear in Zane's eyes. "Are you crying?"

Zane quickly cleaned his eyes. "No."

Shuya's sister Rei entered their kitchen. "Zane, there is someone waiting for you outside. It's from Fairy Tail."

That startled the Dragon Slayer. Why would Fairy Tail come to him now? "Thanks, Rei." As he walked to the door he pondered who could it be. Then he remember only one person from Fairy Tail knew this location.

He opened the door to be proven right. "Fullbuster?"

"Hey, glad to see you are still alive, Zane," Gray said.

"I could say the same, Fullbuster." Zane had not from anyone in Fairy Tail for weeks. Not since the Alvarez invasion. But he was glad to see Gray and the rest were fine. "What brings you here?"

Gray's tone of voice was calm and serious. "Need to tell you something. Not sure if you already knew but I had to be sure."

Back in the kitchen Shuya, Rei, Atticus and Rin continued having supper.

"I wonder what Gray wants with Zane-kun," Atticus said.

"Beats me. He didn't go fighting them again, right?" Shuya asked.

Rin gasped. "Zane-niichan fought Fairy Tail?"

"N-No. He wouldn't do that again. And that event is a long story, Rin," Atticus said. That was something he'd rather forget. Especially after nearly losing Zane to his dark side.

Rei, seeing the discomfort in Atticus, was about to change the subject when they heard Zane scream. They all dashed to the front door and were met by Zane on his knees, crying his heart out and with Gray kneeling, a hand on the slayer's shoulder.

They thought he had hurt Zane.. "What's wrong?"

"Thanks you. Thanks you. Thanks you. Thanks you." Zane repeated over and over again.

"Hey, man. Calm down. Had I known you would have reacted like this I wouldn't have said anything." But Gray couldn't blame him. He knew well just how much pain Acnologia had caused him.

Zane stood up and wiped away the tears. "Thank you, Fairy Tail. For everything." He turned to face his family to explain himself. But a thought lingered that stopped him.

The words he had longed to hear for so many years had finally reached him. Acnologia had died. Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers had done what he had failed to do.

Yet that didn't bring him any joy. In fact he felt nothing. The monster that had taken everything from him died but he felt nothing? Why?

Simple, my son. The hatred and anger you carried in your heart was released in that last attack against Acnologia. Your guilt and regret vanished together with Zear. You feel no joy because you have finally started to move on.

Zane knew that was something Darakina would say.

Acnologia was gone. He had been able to talk to those he loved the most one last time and said to them how much he loved them. Now he was mortal. And standing in front of him was a new family and a new life.

What was there to be angry about?

Perhaps this was destiny giving him a second chance. Perhaps this was life rewarding him for leaving all of the hatred and anger behind and move on. He didn't know and he didn't care. The only thing he cared for was the fact that he could finally start anew.

I am not alone anymore. I never was.

He gave his new family a big, wide smile. One Atticus had never seen before. "Nothing's wrong. Everything… Everything is just right."

Hello everybody. Wow, 32 chapters! I never once thought I would ever reach 32 chapters. I am pretty happy. And I am happy with the positive reaction this fanfic of mine has gotten. Thank you all for your comments and questions. Thank you for everything!

Now, these two chapters will be the last I add for the rest of the year. I will be going on a long hiatus for a while to focus on my other two Fairy Tail fanfics, Mages of Sin and Earthland Under Siege, and other writing. For how long I will be gone I don't know. However, I can assure you this will not be the last time you hear from the Dark Flame Dragon Slayer, his loyal companion Atticus, and his new family. They will return!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING AND SEE YOU SOON!