Chapter 9:

The Sword that Binds Us

Crimson.

The living hell had been invoked.

The raging blaze encompassed the large meadow that he was in. Wherever he looked, wherever he turned to, and however he tried to deny it; nothing could change the scene which was painted right in front of his eyes. Fire burned everything in sight; fire reminiscent to that which he had feared, that which he had tried so hard to forget. The glow of vermillion was far from comforting, and though he had kept his fears in check, he couldn't help but feel the restlessness settling inside and unnerving him. As the stray entities stretched to reach and burn his flesh, he couldn't hold back a single tear from falling…

These flames were the same as his; these bloody flames, which had robbed countless people of their lives and futures. The crimson flames which had stained his past with the scent of death; these were the flames which he wished would never surface again.

When the morning light dispelled the darkness which had seemingly lingered for an eternity, he thought that he would finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief. He thought that hope would arise and show itself, just like the sun had over the course of his life. The sun had been his inspiration, and its light had been his refuge. The warmth it brought had a lasting effect on him; but as the new day spread out and covered the forgotten land, he had never wished so hard for night to take over once more.

The day had brought an infernal menace with it. The bloody flames had been tied to its appearance, but he couldn't blame the day, nor the sun itself. His eyes were locked on the one thing which brought about everything, and his anger was aimed at the one person who had caused it all.

A sword told only in stories, a power only explained by Legends, and a man who he knew was somehow connected to his dark and terrible past.

Another obstacle had gotten in his way.

…

Streaks of red and orange clashed under the early morning sky. The night long since driven away, and the hazy visage of crimson flames far from gone; the two bearers of ancient Fire fought in the middle of the burning grassland. What was once a beautiful sight had been reduced to a smoldering battlefield. The grass had been turned into mere soot, the ground was but a solid mass of crisp char, and the ashen trees which stood tall; though they had been burned black, were the only things which remained to be seen in the barren wasteland. The nearby lake was boiling; its waters receding and evaporated steam flying towards nonexistence. Thick black smoke engulfed the sky and despite the day being young, the hellish atmosphere depicted a scene far from it.

An hour had passed since they fought it out, but Natsu knew that he would stand no chance if he took things easy. It had been a while, since he last saw these dreaded flames, since he last felt them surround him and fight against him. Only, this was no dream nor nightmare; this was reality. These flames were real, and in spite of his constitution as a fire mage; in spite of his mastery over the element itself, he knew his body would pay the toll if the dangerous blaze would so much as graze him.

"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"

He ran, preparing his attack. The man swung from afar, and Natsu knew that he had to duck; a single slash from the blade summoned a large streak of crimson flames, and they were coming at him with amazing speed. He rolled forward, feeling the air above him sizzle with intense heat. The man stepped back, enjoying the distance and casually sending out his attacks from long range without care for damage. From the start, the spiky-haired teen knew that he had been constantly toyed with; the brunette kept sending lashing tongues of fire at his direction, and though he was able to dodge them time and time again, he couldn't close the large gap between them.

"What's wrong, Salamander!? Getting weak already?"

A blink of an eye, and the stranger had to sidestep out of the way. A large, claw-like apparition swiped from above him, and in the next moment it broke its form. The pinkette raised his hand, and brought it sideways. Fire obeyed him, and streaks of orange surrounded the brunette. However;

*SLURP*

What did he expect? The enemy was like him; a Dragonslayer to the very core, wielding the same element he used. He watched his magic disappear into the opponent's mouth; as a source of newfound replenishing energy. He watched as the man wiped his mouth and patted his belly; and the irony couldn't hurt better…

That man was acting just like him, mimicking not just his powers, but as well as his most miniscule habits.

"Tasty."

He muttered, before resuming their play of goose-hunt. He swung his sword, splitting apart the earth and sending out molten lava from below. He twirled his weapon, and liquid flames bent to his will. They spun in the air; a pillar of whirling flames, but the pink-haired youth stood his ground. It came towards him, consuming him, ravaging him and burning him until the only thing which could be seen was his mere silhouette.

But Natsu had enough.

*SLURP*

If the enemy could eat his flames, then why not do the same? Everything was downed in one big gulp; the powerful flames vanished in an instant. His energy replenished, and his vigor doubled; he steeled himself for the umpteenth time. Yes, he was burned. Despite being a Fire Dragonslayer, he was actually burned. He hated to admit it, but he knew his mouth had been seared and his insides had been boiled by the extreme temperature, but he endured. Yet the irony didn't make him laugh. Not one bit.

Anxiety welled up inside him. Those flames; will it appear for him, or will it be sealed like the many of his powers? Will it manifest for him to use, or will it stay hidden inside his body? But he had no time to contemplate; he didn't even notice the tattoo on his back glowing for a moment's time, because right now only one thought filled his mind.

"FIRE DRAGON'S SWORD HORN!"

He recklessly charged, propelled by his magic; the red blaze nonexistent, with his head fronting the assault. Not a moment's hesitation was shown, and though the opposition wasn't compelled by the element of surprise, the pink-haired youth's speed was no mere joke. A trail of orange flames followed his agile movement, and that trail was the only thing his opponent could make out of his rushing form. But like him, the stranger was stubborn. He held his stance; a blade in one hand, and an empty palm on the other. As the gap slowly went to null, crimson flames moved to obstruct the rushing boy, burning and eating away his unguarded flesh. When the barriers failed to do their job, he placed an unarmed hand in front and stopped the full bodied attack against him dead on its tracks.

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

The brunette spewed forth his own attack, but the nimble pinkette quickly turned to the opponent's side to evade it. The man spun, hoping to get a clean hit; but Natsu's swift fist was already en route to his scarred face.

"DRAGONSLAYER SECRET ART—"

In that moment, his black eyes flashed a dull red; whether they came from the reflection of his red flames, or from some other force, the man knew not. The only thing his brain could perceive was that an attack was coming, and he needed to defend. Now.

"CRIMSON LOTUS: IRON DRAGON'S FIST!"

In the nick of time, he threw his large sword to the front, trying to guard against the seemingly endless barrage of flame powered punches. But despite his attempts, not everything could be blocked, and not everything could be guarded. He saw it himself; a large, gauntlet-clad arm-like apparition swinging together with the spiky haired boy. He felt solid fire digging deep into his already burnt flesh, bruising his body and bending his bones. Though his face was saved due to the protection from his weapon, every other part he had failed to cover hurt. A lot.

The man held his guard, and Natsu's impatience got the better of him. He needed something large; something which would be able to break the man's defense. His already enhanced attacks weren't enough. He needed something which would hurt more. As he tirelessly swung his burning fists on every part of the enemy he could reach, he realized;

With his magic, he could do so much more.

"The imagination of one's mind can make your ability to create limitless…" He recalled the Salamander's words, and unusual as it seemed, he actually reflected on them.

Something large. Something powerful. Something which would hurt more. Why didn't he think of it before?

"PROTEUS' BLAZE: TITAN'S FIRING HAMMER!"

What he needed wasn't a large fist. It was an extremely large fist.

*BAAAAAAAAANG!*

When the man noticed the magic seal forming below the both of them, it was too late. His body was already sent high above into the smoky skies, and he looked in time to see the colossal apparition of a crudely shaped solid fist break form and turn once more into swirling flames. He saw his pink-haired counterpart staring straight into his air borne being, awaiting his fall.

"…"

…There was a difference. When he paused to think about it, Natsu knew that these crimson flames were the same, but they were different. The rich crimson tone held the same power, but the feelings put forth behind them were not of hate; at least, not as strong as the hatred which his ancient counterpart held. So violent and animalistic was the emotion of wrath present in the Salamander's heart; it was a sentiment his enemy didn't share. Knowing this, Natsu felt one tight knot inside him loosen.

But the fight was far from over.

"PROTEUS' BLAZE: THOUSAND SWORD DANCE!"

He yelled, creating thousands of flaming orbs high above. When the circular objects turned into uniformly sized blades; each and every one of their sharp edges pointed towards the airborne mage, a single movement from his hand caused the swords to revolve around the opponent, and another jerk prompted them to fly towards the brunette in an effort to skewer him.

"…!"

However, the scarred man had regained his balance. When the force of the last assault eventually faded, he used his large sword to guard against the fast projectiles. His flexible joints enable him to avoid some of the attacks, but the rest pierced him like before. As gravity did its work to bring him down to the earth, the sword wielding Dragonslayer dived with his blade pointing downwards, and with a twisted grin he screamed;

"IT HURTS! IT FUCKING HURTS, SALAMANDER! WHY!? WHY DO YOUR FLAMES BURN HOTTER THAN MINE!?"

He covered himself in a thick cloud of red flames, and like an earthbound meteor, hurtled to the ground. Blood spewed from where the blades had impaled him, but he shut those wounds without second thought. The sound of sizzling skin was drowned by the rushing wind. The smoky scene blurred as he raised his speed, but his focus remained undisrupted.

"GRRRRRAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"NO YOU DON'T!"

Natsu raised his hand, creating solid wall after solid wall as fast as he can. Dumb as he may be, he knew that a crashing object utilizing that speed would prove to be devastating. Fiery barriers of varying thickness appeared to bar his way down but despite the unarmed mage's efforts, the burning body pierced through, and the sharp blade made its way towards him. He could run, but the impact would reach him no matter how fast it moved, and he didn't want an earthquake to erupt here and now, because;

"MISTER!"

He still had one person he needed to protect.

"KATRICE, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!"

Natsu called, his eyes zooming to where the girl was hiding. She was crouching behind a boulder with her back pressed against a cliff face. After confirming her safety, he fixed his sight back towards the opponent. A few seconds more and a new, large crater would present itself on the surface of the island.

Out of options, he decided to fight might with might; fire with fire. If the enemy wanted a test of strength, Natsu was the worst challenger he'd have met.

"CRIMSON LOTUS: EXPLODING FLAME BLADE!"

He spun, his magic covering him first, before spiraling together with him. The mark of the sun behind his back glistened and shone time and time again. The whip like torrents met the crashing opponent, prolonging his descent and pushing him away. The two flames clashed, pushing each other in an attempt to subdue the opposition. The ground started cracking under the pinkette's feet, and the wind kept crackling over at the brunette's side. As trails of orange and red met once more, forces immeasurable behind every attack, Natsu heard voices in his head; faint whispers which even the resulting explosion failed to mask.

"…Natsu-sama…what will you teach us next?"

"Why!? Why Salamander, why!?"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

…

The enormous shockwave blew away the surrounding flames; blew away everything. The smoke had been cleared to match the dauntless sky, and the ashes which settled on the ground had been scattered in the wind. The two combatants flew in opposite directions, their bodies rolling farther and farther, halting only once their respective momentums had ceased to play out.

"Wh…What was that?"

Natsu asked himself as he lay eagle-spread. That last contact with the opponent had apparently jogged something in his mind, but like the instances before, he had no clue as to what they meant…only, that last line sounded eerily familiar. He focused in order to remember, but nothing came to be.

"AAAARGH!"

But the man stood up first, supported by his sword. As soon as his wobbling knees stopped shaking, he immediately ran towards the still lying Natsu. He swung without warning; a reddish blaze trailing his strike, but the pinkette rolled to the right and placed his entire weight on his left foot in order to get up. He staggered, bent over to avoid a swift horizontal slash, tumbled back to escape another, and;

"FIRE DRAGON'S TALONS!"

*BLOCK*

His kick was blocked by the sword's blunt side, but he was a second too late in his retreat, for the fourth slash managed to graze his right leg. Fresh blood spurted from the shallow wound as he gritted his teeth in order to prevent the scream he would've withheld.

"Pathetic…to think that the feared Salamander has become this WEAK!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"

Once more, hard metal met his assault; but interestingly, his flames had been snuffed out as soon as contact was made. The man's face released an ominous grin, and somehow Natsu knew that something bad was coming his way. Goosebumps trailed the tiny hairs on the back of his neck, and as soon as his eyes registered the red flames gathering on the brunette's mouth, he quickly dashed back to gain some space, however;

*SHUDDER!*

"W-What!?"

His right leg remained immobile. Frustrated, he took a second to take a look, and his mouth immediately ran dry. The trivial incision he had received was slowly turning black, similar to the poison he had been subjected to before; it was as if his skin was being burnt from inside, and it was spreading at a very slow rate towards the rest of his lower body, eating away his very flesh and robbing him of his will to move.

"FUCK! MOVE, DAMMIT"

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

Natsu stopped thinking about an escape plan; and as the conflagration assaulted him from point black range, he simply waited for the man to run out of breath. When the fire stopped spreading, Natsu immediately proceeded in absorbing everything; despite the protests of his mind and his body, and in spite of the burns he had accumulated from doing so, he managed to once again digest those hellish flames.

*SLURP*

But…

*COUGH!*

As soon as the malevolent blaze diffused inside him, the Dragonslayer bent over on all fours, coughing out blood. He knew that he had paid the toll for swallowing those demonic flames, and that doing it once more would practically be suicide. The foreign power source was burning him inside, reminding him that these flames were not his to control; not his to use. His opponent stood right in front of him, a sinister smirk plastered on his face.

"You know, I never learnt a lot. Consuming fire, absorbing it and utilizing it as a new energy source…after that, I wasn't taught anymore. Fighting techniques and skills…I never had any, because…"

Natsu ducked in order to avoid his own head's decapitation. With what was left of his fading strength, he bent down further and swiped his uninjured leg under the opponent's feet; yet the attack stood out in plain sight. The rival mage simply timed his jump right, wasting the spiky-haired teen's effort to topple him over.

"You left us…You left us!"

The man shouted angrily, his voice quivering from anger. Those eyes were filled with wrath; wrath directed at him and only him. Those fists were shaking violently, wishing for his death. Yet deep down, Natsu could sense something else in the hate-induced mask his enemy was wearing.

Sadness. It was something akin to sorrow. The melancholic look which his eyes were hiding gave it away, and the pained strain his voice concealed sounded so clear in his ears. After all, Natsu understood it himself. He had seen his share of sadness; felt it even. But there was just no time for that; his sympathy would have to wait.

"What're you talking about!?"

He spat instead with equal tenacity, wiping away fresh blood from the corners of his mouth. Confusion remained in his mind, but he pushed it aside with little effort. The opponent glanced at him for but a brief moment, before he raised the sword for the pinkette to see; his fingers tracing the ancient markings on both of its metallic sides. His voice having regained its gruff tone, he spoke;

"But now…this sword is the only thing I need. That Ancient Demon's flames have been imbued in this sword; the very same flames which you yourself consumed...and have come to use! Now, I will use the source of your own flames against you! You will die by this blood stained inferno!"

He raised his sword overhead and with the sun behind him, Natsu witnessed a change happening on the weapon itself. Halfway through the blade's body, the metal started twisting; distorting its flat surface until what seemed like a grotesque, demonic face had appeared. At once, the temperature rose, and an outstanding magic power strengthened the air's density. When the empty eyes of the skull-like figure glowed an ominous claret, the bare-handed fire mage felt the oxygen in his lungs vanish.

"…Because right now, my blade has finally finished warming up."

The man declared, as crimson flames covered the sword from pommel to tip. The rich, dark red hue was closer to purple, and like the warmth it beheld, the power fueling it was cataclysmic. Behind him, the kneeling man could see a vague visage of a towering being which he couldn't clearly depict, but one thing was for certain—when his opponent would make the swing, he knew that it would definitely kill him in one blow.

"IGNIS STIGMA: PUNICEA PLAGA!"

.

.

.

Run.

Hide.

Those were the first two thoughts in mind. But how could he? His legs had turned to stone. In front of him, a gigantic pressure was stopping his every thought, halting his every movement. That power; it was indeed legendary, he could see why. Everything occurred in slow motion, and Natsu nearly laughed at the irony of his own situation. He could actually see the blade coming towards him, descending slower and slower, bringing with it the largest cloud of blood stained fire he had ever witnessed in his life. If he could just move, he might be able to dodge, but his body failed to listen. The sharp edge was nearing him, and the only thing he could do was wait.

Die.

Wait for the inevitable to happen. Wait for the sick weapon to cleave him in half. As the blade drew ever nearer, Natsu kept thinking of the dwindling seconds until his time would finally be up. The roaring blaze was burning him even though he hadn't made any contact with it yet. When he closed his eyes to mock himself for the pitiful state he had ended up in, he failed to notice the tiny shadow which made its way to him. The demoralizing voices inside his head drowned the rushing footsteps which ended in front of his unmoving form.

"VIRESCENT WATER-MAKE: CLEAR REFRACTION!"

The tiny voice made him open them again.

"K—Katrice?"

In front of him, the Water-sprite stood bravely; hands on the front and cyan hair flying wildly. A green magic seal which he had never seen before stretched in between her and the swordsman, and when the blade struck, a large circular, mirror-like object appeared and vanished as quickly as it had come.

*DEFLECT!*

*SLASH!*

*CRACK*

The strong shaking was followed by the appearance of a gigantic chasm which split the hard earth. He found himself only a few meters away from being swallowed by that dangerous crevice, but Natsu knew it had nothing to do with luck. For a second there, he could've sworn that the attack was coming towards him, but when it collided with the seal, the blade had been bent in another direction. The flames which covered it turned into steam; as if it had been doused by a large amount of water, and the man had been pushed back by the force from his own attack.

But the brunette was relentless. Realizing the failure of his attack, he charged once more.

"…YOU'RE ANNOYING, LITTLE GIRL!"

He shouted, swinging the heavy blade towards the newcomer, but the short girl had already finished her next spell. Blue seals covered the ground below him, and the moment Katrice pointed a single finger to the boiling lake;

"AZURE WATER-MAKE: BINDING FLOW!"

It happened in an instant. The nearby water source suddenly surged and large, watery hands grabbed hold of the man, encasing him with fresh lake water. The hissing of fire broke out countless times, and the captured Dragonslayer struggled inside the prison which enveloped his entire body. He had no time to summon his flames; Katrice made a pulling motion with her arms and the structured liquid was dragged back into its source. The Water-sprite turned to the lake as soon as the foreign body crashed against its surface, before she proceeded in making a circular motion with her hands.

"DROWNING POOL!"

The lake rumbled, and a tall pillar of water rose from its center. The pillar turned once, then again and again, stirring the waters with it. A sizeable whirlpool was created, turning and turning, swirling and swirling; ensuring a watery grave to the one who fell inside its premises. The vortex spun endlessly, until even the man's shallow silhouette completely disappeared; swallowed by the once still waters.

The shock left Natsu as soon as the call of safety came.

"Shit…T…That was close."

He dropped to the ground; having found the moment's reprieve he had been longing for. Haphazardly panting and close to being without air, Natsu lay there for seconds; making the most of what little rest he could get. Katrice rushed to his side as soon as the coast was clear, immediately summoning her healing magic to treat his horrid wounds. Blue light shined from her gentle hands; light she directed first on the bruises and burns his body had received.

"Are you alright!?"

She asked worriedly, but the smile he gave in turn loosened the knot her chest had contained. He hissed in pain once the magic was turned to his leg; his body grew equally stiff and the veins on his face had been accentuated. The lingering pain was going away at an agonizingly slow pace, but he could still feel the burns getting under his skin. Now he understood what made those flames so dangerous; it was the fact that it could burn the flesh inside out, not sparing a detail and burning a lasting mark on one's body. He had never faced magic like that, yet the fact that it was so familiar was simply unsettling.

The Water-sprite watched his supine form staring up into the now smoky skies. Ever since the start of their mismatched fight, Katrice had grown concerned over her new friend's well-being. She knew what those crimson flames could do, and she highly doubted Natsu would win an easy victory. After all, those flames—flames akin to the Salamander's were not to be tested. When that last strike came, she had to intervene…else…

She would lose him too.

"You're amazing, Katrice…"

The pinkette praised, patting the girl's head gently. She had been a box full of surprises, having saved his ass twice now, and that healing spell of hers had been a great help. He didn't bother asking about her magic; her two different kinds of magic. At first glance, the complexity of the seals she used indicated that they were lost ones, but he could care less. What mattered most was she was on his side, providing him the support which he would be too arrogant to deny in normal situations. But this situation wasn't normal, far from it even. She deserved the praise.

Yet, despite her accomplishment, her tears were already falling on the burning ground.

"Don't...Don't die mister…Please, don't leave Katrice...alone."

She sobbed, and Natsu's smile faltered for but a brief second. "Don't die." Those were words he didn't often hear. Those were words which had not been reserved for him. His friends knew his strength, his friends had never doubted him when it mattered. But this girl, she was troubled. She was genuinely concerned for his well-being, shrugging off the fact that they were close to being strangers.

She was worried. She was crying for him. How often had he seen someone do that? Those tears, she conceded them knowing he was capable. He didn't even realize. Just how deep did he dive in this time? Was this situation truly uneventful? How dangerous was this guy after all?

"Geez…who's gonna die, kid? I'm not dying again, until I've seen Magnolia."

But he could care less. Natsu had made his resolve before the moment he had seen those dead Sirens, before the moment he had heard Katrice's scream resound in the silent night, and even before moment he decided to take up this journey. Anger was raging calmly inside him, and he'd unleash it in nigh time. He'd avenge those whose lives had been reaped by that demonic sword; getting rid of the obstacle to Ascalon was just an added bonus.

After ruffling her short hair affectionately, he breathed his first sigh of relief. Natsu stood straight again, feeling his legs working at least, and the healing magic leaving him. The near naked Fire mage grabbed his right fist and cracked his knuckles, before doing the same to the other.

"Now, wipe those tears little girl. The fight's just getting started."

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

As soon as he said so, the lake's surface blew up. The tall pillar which had been stirring the very waters had been vaporized, as fresh steam rose heavenward. When the thick fog of evaporated water dissipated, the scarred swordsman was left standing on the middle of a perfectly dry lakebed. His large sword was rested on his right shoulder, and Natsu noticed the disappearance of the grotesque face from his large blade.

"…The Siren's magic…and the Water Sprites'…How rare; for one to be able to use both lost arts of water manipulation. No wonder your kind was given part of the Blessing."

Katrice's knees were trembling. She knew the trouble her intervention had landed herself in, but she had decided. She would fight together with "mister". He was the only thing she had left in this world. The Sirens who had brought her up ever since the land had been severed from time were dead. This monster of a man in front of her had committed the genocide for reasons unknown, and he was going to pay for it. She looked to her side, focusing her eyes on the quiet Fire mage beside her; but once more she saw the anger blazing inside them. His fists were shaking, and the Water-sprite actually found something quite ironic; the opposition held power which was not of this world, yet why did she feel more scared at the once cheerful man beside her? She knew what strength the Legendary blade had held, but why did she sense something more dangerous; more sinister hidden inside the seemingly weaker fighter?

"…Katrice, this is my fight. Don't get in my way this time."

His voice was hard. His eyes were cold. In that brief moment, the warmth he showered was slowly turning into a creeping chill, and the little girl felt her legs become lead. She thought his magic had entirely been used up, but apparently she thought wrong. Flames were crackling underneath his feet, and a silent force was humming from the ground he was stepping on. Her only option was to abide, and to hope that things would turn for the better.

"I don't want you hurt, so stay behind me."

Her surprised look calmed down once his words sunk in. In the position he was in; in front of that powerful enemy, he still had the audacity to insist on fighting alone, all because he wanted her safe. She looked back into a smile he had made.

"Please, stay here and watch."

When he ran, the little girl felt her spirit being lifted. The danger was still there, but somehow that man had assured her to remain hopeful. That sincere smile had been so powerful.

She didn't know it was the last time he would smile for her.

…

"FIRE DRAGON'S CRUSHING FANG!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

And once more they clashed. In the middle of the now dry lake, in the midst of crumbling ground surrounded by lava and molten rock, the two fire Dragonslayers fought it out once more. The man continuously blocked Natsu's assault with the use of his sword, but the pinkette refused to give up. Though he no longer had the leisure of using his most powerful spells consecutively, he threw his attacks; unplanned and without rhythm. The man gave his own. He hit and was hit. Like barbarians, they dealt their damages to the other. The man's powerful magic countered Natsu's enormous fighting experience. Natsu's powerful fists failed to pierce the man's seemingly invincible sword. Like before, it was a stalemate; a never-ending battle which could only be determined by endurance. And like before, damages had been incurred to the surroundings because of the rampaging of the two mages, so much that the once magnificent meadow was barely recognizable.

"EAT THIS!"

"HAAAAA!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"

The battle went on, and they tirelessly threw out each of their own attacks in order to outdo the other. Holes and craters had become a regular thing whenever one blow struck the ground. Ripples in the air and loud explosions kept erupting in the most unpredictable of times. Slashes and cuts flashed in the blink of an eye, punches and kicks flew from even dead and impossible angles. In the midst of it all, fire kept flickering. Orange and crimson continuously clashed and tried to dominate the opposition.

It was a hard battle indeed. Hours had passed, but the sun was still rising. Time had been forgotten, yet the two paid it no heed. Their focus was directed only at each other; every unnecessary detail had been left aside.

"GIVE UP!"

The brunette ordered fiercely, having been able to score another cut on the pinkette's left arm. The effect was immediate; his muscles felt the burns inside; and in no time at all, Natsu found it extremely hard to maneuver the part according to his wishes. But the strike was not without payment; the scarred man broke two ribs the moment his opponent countered with a heavy blow to the chest.

He was struggling. Natsu hated to admit it, but he was actually having a hard time. How long had it been since someone actually managed to push him beyond his limits? When was the last time he had ever faced such a powerful opponent? He had forgotten. Yet, why wasn't he feeling the excitement or thrill of the battle? Was that even possible for him, who lived for the sake of becoming the strongest?

But there was a reason. How can he stay excited when he had just witnessed the extinction of an entire race? It was his reason for fighting. It had nothing to do with the sword after all. Right now, he just wanted to make this man pay sevenfold. Those precious lives, taken as if they were nothing.

Ever since he unwillingly cut his ties with Fairy Tail because of his supposed death, the straightforward and reckless personality which defined him had slowly been replaced by a cautious and discerning one. It took him this long to realize the fact that he had changed so blindly; the fear of becoming his other self had unconsciously driven him to it. But he no longer cared over what he would become. He knew he had changed, but he knew where to stop. As long as he still had his reason, Natsu wouldn't give a damn about changes.

As long as he was Natsu; not Salamander. His hands were trained to save, not kill. His magic was given in order to provide light, not to cause darkness.

"You will pay!"

They traded blow after blow, and with every passing second, his scowl grew deeper. Frustration stirred his motivation to prevail, and he stopped thinking altogether; choosing to let his instincts take over. When he dodged a vertical slash by spinning to his right, Natsu let his battle-honed instincts do the job. He drove his flame powered fist without thinking of the consequences, onto the brunette's side.

"GRAAAAAGH!"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

Serpentine eyes were wound shut in pain. The man keeled over, but Natsu couldn't let such a sweet opening pass him by. He grabbed the blade's blunt side with a hand, tugged hard and delivered another straight punch onto the man's scarred cheek; shrugging of the searing hot metal and infernal burns he received from his rival's fire.

"FIRE DRAGON'S TALONS!"

That high kick to the chin couldn't be avoided. The unfortunate sword-user flew with his sword, and when he was finally able to look back at the spiky-haired Dragonslayer;

"FIRE DRAGON'S BRILLIANT FLAME!"

His next spell was already coming. The large ball of fire was zooming in the air, but he blocked with his sword and swatted it away to another direction.

"IS THAT—"

Another one rushed over; a ball of fire even bigger than the last one, and another behind it. The force which sent him up had run out, and gravity started pulling him back. Ways in front of him, the pinkette kept sending out attack after attack, leaving him with no more options for escape. It was impossible to devour them all at the same time, for there was just too many. He could only cross his sword to the front in an effort to lessen the damage he would receive.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

Natsu wiped away trickling drops of sweat when the simultaneous explosions resounded. He tried his best to stand on his two legs, but his posture gave away the weak right leg which had been damaged. His left arm was hanging limp on his side. The internal burn caused by the last strike had been etched into the very core of his flesh, and it was not something a simple healing spell could cure so easily. That—and his magic was completely running dry. Without Second Origin, he would've been wasted a long time ago.

*SLASH!*

"Whoah!"

The swing from his unguarded back was something he didn't expect. Natsu quickly sidestepped out of the way and faced his attacker. If he was even a second too late in catching the sound of rushing metal and crackling fire, he would have been done for. The very same opponent he had sent into the air a minute ago was facing him in front, and though his whole body was covered with bruises and burns, his sick grin betrayed the look of defeat. He lunged again; Natsu cocked his head out of the way, pulled it back to escape the horizontal slash which followed, sidestepped again to avoid getting chopped in half, and twisted his body for a roundhouse kick to the opponent's midsection once the opening unveiled itself.

"NGH!"

However;

"…H…GHA!"

At the worst possible moment, the damaged leg which he used as a pivot for his kick completely buckled under pressure. He fell down on his back, and seeing this, the opponent made a huge stabbing motion with his weapon. Natsu opened his legs in time as the blade pierced the ground, and pushed with his right arm to kick both of his feet up. The sword-wielding Dragonslayer ducked to evade his attempt for more damage, and having retrieved his sword, he staggered back to prepare for one big swing.

"SALAMANDER!"

"Shit."

When the enemy came running, Natsu had completely lost the feeling in his right leg. Once the blade descended to cleave him in half, his only choice was to block the attack, but he couldn't do it with bare hands; against a sword of that sharpness, his limbs would obviously be a mismatch. Reflexes kicked in, and he forced both hands to stop the sword in mid-swing. However, the man kicked him in the stomach before he could even try and he landed squat on his back; completely defenseless and horribly open to any and all attacks.

"DIE!"

He couldn't do anything else, except raise his hand and hope.

*FWOOOSH!*

*BLOCK*

"WHAT!? THAT SWORD!"

What did he make? He wasn't so sure. The moment he lifted an arm, his only wish was for something to appear in order to stop the attack and save him. He immediately gripped his hands on that one thing which came, feeling the weight of the opponent's assault halted by whatever it is which arrived to protect him. The man pulled back, his surprised eyes staring at the fire-made figure held by the opposing Dragonslayer.

"That's…THAT'S DURANDAL!"

"…what?"

He looked. His hand was closed on a handle which was longer than his forearm, and attached to the large blade which was shaped in an asymmetric and odd way. Sure enough, it looked just like Durandal, except;

"D…Durandal?"

The sword was but a mere silhouette; crafted by fire in that concrete structure. The thing he held in his hands was but a mere replica of the famed blade he had come to both marvel and fear. As soon as he realized what he was holding, Natsu tossed the fire-made object to the side, where it diffused in a cloud of orange flames. The opponent unexpectedly dropped his stance after realizing something. Curiosity played out in his hazel eyes, and he settled for staring at the opposition, who was trying his best to stand on his wobbly leg.

"…Now that I notice…where is Durandal? You have been holding onto that sword since…"

The brunette asked, seeing the person in question grimace.

"…I don't know."

Natsu muttered, casually shrugging as if it wasn't his problem. The inquisitor suddenly barred his canines, shouting;

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?"

"I TOLD YOU! I DON'T KNOW A FUCKING THING!"

Natsu countered loudly. His point having been made with a sincere snarl, the opponent could do nothing but shut up. He narrowed his eyes, trying to get a detailed look on the pink-haired teen he was fighting. He scrutinized every single detail Natsu had; from the messy spikes of his salmon-pink hair, to the prominent scar on his neck, towards the black mark of the Dragon on his left shoulder and even further down the solid muscles on his calves, and when he was done with his inspection, his mouth was agape.

"I'm not that Salamander…I'm different!"

The pinkette declared with finality, his right thumb directed at himself. The anger inside him was far from being appeased, but he bit down the urge of going on a mindless rage there and then. So far, he had been able to push back the murderous, beast-like thoughts which clouded his head, but he could only hold up for so long. Opposite him, he saw the man shaking his head in what he took as something of dejection.

"…It was rather stupid of me to not realize until now. But…"

He looked again, and Natsu looked back; his eyes blazing.

"You look younger…and your eyes—they are different."

When the acclaimed Salamander flashed him a murderous glare he reserved only for those who deserved a tremendous beating, the man tapped his sword.

"No…they are how they used to be."

Natsu jumped back on instinct; feeling shivers venturing down his spine. The heat had gone up so suddenly, and the demonic face had appeared on the blade once more. Those empty eyes were glowing red, like the flames which covered its user from head to toe.

"…My sword is ready once more."

Natsu scurried away as far as he could; expecting the worse to happen. He shifted his weight towards his still usable leg, lifting the heavy burden away from the other in order to gain a more advantageous stance. The sword-user promptly turned his weapon downward;

"IGNIS STIGMA: LAVA CRUSTA!"

A blood red seal appeared on his stomach, before it spread towards the rest of his body. Natsu saw the numerous wounds he had given turn into nothing but scars as the red haze slowly expanded; and the next motion caught even him, completely by surprise.

*SLURP*

The man absorbed the hostile flames which his sword spewed out. His stomach continually bloated as the element traveled into his mouth, shrinking only once everything had been taken in. Not one to wait until the preparations had been finished; Natsu charged first, taking advantage of the opponent's immobility. He rushed, ignoring the weakness of his right leg and left arm, and relinquished his devastating attack, yet;

"FIRE DRAGON'S CRUSHING FANG!"

"Pathetic."

When his flame covered hand swiped downwards to deliver the blow, the magic which he had imbued on it vanished; instead, it became a normal attack which was completed blocked by the opposition. His very own flames had been neutralized, and what was more—even before the moment he touched the man's skin;

*SIZZLE*

"AAAARGH!"

His right hand was burnt. He took a quick retreat after pulling his attack and looking back, his eyes traced a deep red glow surrounding the man. He immediately knew what it was, but he couldn't help asking;

"What the…my attacks won't work? What the hell did you do this time, you bastard!?"

"I have the protection of fire…Fire won't work against me!"

The man's skin was cracking, and red liquid ran through the small crannies like lava. His eyes had become like blazing coals of fire. The thick, extremely concentrated magic which covered the brunette was just like his very own "molten shell", except this one robbed him of his ability to use even magic.

But his recklessness refused to give in.

"Want to test that theory, dumbass!?"

Natsu ran in circles, trying to find the part with the least protection, all the while covering himself in his own magic. The man followed him with his eyes, his sword anticipating a certain kill once a single mistake was made.

"…!"

He didn't see the pinkette leaving large trails of fire to mask the visibility from his keen eyes. The moment he noticed, he pulled back his sword to better prepare himself, and Natsu found the opening he had been waiting for.

"CRIMSON LOTUS: REVOLVING FLAME EDGE!"

The fiery wall opposite the brunette's back had been divided like a curtain, and the spiky-haired mage's fire-clad body hurtled like a spinning meteor. Before the opponent could completely grasp what was happening, Natsu was only a meter away from piercing his body…only;

*FADE*

His fire had left him prematurely, but the attack's momentum was still on him. He couldn't stop; not anymore, so he crossed an arm in front of his head. If he didn't;

"AAARGH!"

It would have succumbed to an irreparable burn. The force of his charge knocked both him and the opponent onto the charred ground, but he used his hand like a spring in order to propel himself away from the enemy. His already burnt fingers had been further damaged, but his head was safe; the tips of his spiky hair was sizzling however.

Natsu landed a few feet away, but his injured leg took the brunt of the landing. He crumpled front first instead of standing straight, and it was in that moment of weakness that the man took the notion to attack.

"YOU'RE DEAD, SALAMANDER!"

His back was wide open to the lunging blade. The man didn't even hesitate when his eyes registered the ominous, glowing image of a golden sun tattooed on his being. Yet;

"AQUA BURST: TEARING FOUNTAIN!"

*BURST!*

The ground blew up unexpectedly, and the strong pressure from the newly formed geyser tossed the attacker up in the air. Natsu rolled once and managed a kneeling position, before addressing the person behind the attack.

"KATRICE! I told you to stay back!"

He shouted as soon as his ears registered the small footsteps. The sword-user promptly descended to the earth with a crash, and Natsu felt a smaller body press against his unguarded side. He recognized the cool sensation of the little girl's skin pulsing and offering him relief.

"Katrice has your back mister!"

She declared brazenly, and though Natsu couldn't see; he knew she was forming her magic even by now. He could feel her knees shaking, but her heart had been set. He couldn't just tell her off to hide; that'd be too dangerous. Now that she's entered the fray, the safest place for her was somewhere he could reach anytime and anyhow.

And that place was right beside him.

"Dammit…DON'T LEAVE MY SIDE THEN!"

"Got it! Katrice will use her magic to kill the flames. Use that opening to strike!"

"GRAAAAGH!"

She summoned her magic, and so did Natsu. The opponent rushed, and they both spread out to avoid the torrent of fire which his sword spat out. Thinking of the girl as nothing more than a slight nuisance, the brunette chose to go after his original prey, but Katrice was already two steps ahead.

"VIRESCENT WATER MAKE: SHATTERED MIST!"

The pinkette vanished; his silhouette hidden by a glassy fog. Thick, condensed air suddenly covered a small portion of the battlefield, and despite his Dragon-like sight; the man failed to see through it. The air around him kept sizzling; it was if dry ice had been burnt on the spot, and its scent strengthened the thought. The same scent masked the smell of his two opponents, and the mysterious breeze that came with it hid their voices. The mist wasn't moving, and he discerned that it was not just pure gas. He kept seeing his image reflected on the hazy atmosphere, attacking mere shadows which didn't belong to anyone, and hearing disembodied voices from everywhere.

"This is…the island's mist. How clever…BUT!"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

A single swing from his sword painted the hazy scene with a fiery one. When the disturbance had been driven away, he saw Natsu a moment away from him; his right arm clad in a huge gauntlet made out of fire. The swordsman smirked, pulling his sword for the kill without realizing another trap.

"WATER LOCK!"

The scarred Dragonslayer found himself encased in a liquid orb, but it failed to even touch his skin. A small space separated his body and from the rest of the sphere, but the shocked Katrice didn't stay astonished for long. Instead of letting her attack go to waste, she maneuvered it differently. She twirled once, her palms facing outward.

"WATER SPOUT!"

The sphere broke form and turned into a tall, spinning pillar. Like before; the waters failed to touch the smirking opponent, lest do any damage; but it robbed him of his vision. The swirling vortex kept shifting, but it was vaporized with a single slash from the legendary blade. Having regained the clarity of his vision, the man's eyes went wide. In the very instance that the body of water disappeared, Natsu struck. The sword-user, expecting him to come from the front suddenly lost sight of his target, and he failed to notice the incoming assault to the back of his head.

"CRIMSON LOTUS: FIRE DRAGON'S IRON FIST!"

"You never learn—"

"AQUA BURST: HYDRO CANNON!"

A quick stream of pure, concentrated water came from the side and blew a hole on the opposing Dragonslayer's defensive spell. With his keen sight and reflexes, Natsu used every ounce of strength he had left to shift his attack…

*BOOOOOOOOM!*

*BOOOOOOOOOM!*

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

Three punches got in before the curtain closed, but those three punches had been the hardest ones he had given. The man stumbled because of the concussion to his head, but his endurance was still high enough to partially shrug off the aftershock of the blows. While he staggered, slightly dazed and dizzy, Natsu and Katrice regrouped.

"Katrice was right; he isn't invincible after all. That was her most powerful attack; an equally concentrated volume of water can cancel his fire."

"…Nice job kid! You've got moves on you…"

Natsu blurted out, but his praise was delivered in a serious tone. Katrice smiled weakly, but the fight was far from over.

"You too Mister! We really make a great— "

An earsplitting howl blew towards them.

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

"—WATCH OUT!"

"KIYAAAA!"

Natsu pushed her aside, and took the brunt of the sudden breath attack. The red flames ravaged his skin, and if it weren't for the timely summoning of his "Molten Shell" he would've been turned into charcoal by now. His pearl necklace which hung on for dear life had been singed, but they were spared from destruction. Katrice snapped her fingers and the violent waterfall which came repelled the raging flames.

"DAMN YOU!"

The man stood straight again; the concussion having been driven away by will power alone, and this time he regarded the bluenette.

"…ANNOYING. Stay out of this fight little girl, or I swear on this blade; I will cut you—"

Natsu rushed blindly. His mind had been clouded with recklessness yet again, and he didn't even bother covering himself with his own magic.

"DON'T YOU DARE THREATEN HER!"

*BURST!*

His timing was downright horrible. For the third time, the demonic face appeared on the Legend's surface, and with his weak right leg and unusable left arm, he honestly thought that the unnamed brunette's victorious sneer would be the last thing he would ever see.

The man swung.

"IGNIS STIGMA: PUNICEA PLAGA!"

His legs turned to lead; his arms to jelly. Like before, in front of that huge cloud of blood red flames, there was no escape. Like an oversized fang, the attack slowly came towards his unmoving form. The scythe of death was coming for his soul at last.

"VIRESCENT WATER MAKE: TWICE REFLECTION!"

But he was saved yet again. His neck was spared the guillotine, and his body was spared the flames of destruction. The very same mirror Katrice had summoned earlier appeared again, as the cloud of fire descended to devour them both. Surprisingly, instead of bending the attack, the Water-make magic actually absorbed it. The large nebula which had threatened to take away his life had vanished into the liquid structure, before;

*SHINE!*

*FWOOOOM!*

It spurted out the same attack back towards the user. The man was caught by surprise, and when he started moving again, his sword's hostile magic had betrayed him. A larger cloud than what had originally appeared consumed the brunette, and the strong explosion which came after caused a split on the lake and shook the very foundation of the entire island.

…

What remained in the midst of the crimson outburst was but a mere silhouette. The dark shadow slowly walked towards them and as the flames parted to make way, a panting Natsu and a disbelieving Katrice were granted a view of the unscathed brunette. His clothes were all gone save for the flimsy piece of leather which covered his nether regions. He stopped walking the moment his body exited his traitorous firepower, dispersing it with but a mere wave of his wicked weapon. The red haze vanished from the battleground, and Natsu's bright orange flames were the only things left in the wake of their battle.

"…I see."

The man breathed out, the sick grin in his face far from gone. In spite of their combined efforts, he remained without damage. His serpentine eyes flashed towards Natsu and Katrice, briefly ending on the latter before he covered his face in a mock attempt to suppress his insane laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! This is rich! For the Salamander to have his ass guarded by a Water-Sprite of all people!"

"…What…? What do you mean!?"

"What are you talking about, you psycho!?"

The duo's surprise was clear despite the dim and smoky background. When the brunette finally stopped laughing, his eyes held seriousness; but the twisted smile which threatened to split his face never vanished. He started pacing; his sword perched on one shoulder, and his eyes fixed high above.

"Let me tell you a story..."

Natsu grabbed Katrice as soon as the enemy stabbed his sword downward. Those infernal flames burst from the ground, and it rose heavenward; a fiery pillar akin to one of his own moves. Once out of range, he set the girl beside him, cautious of any and all threats the enemy might relinquish, but the man simply smirked at them like before. He raised a hand for them to see, pulling back both his pinky and thumb so that the three fingers in the middle were all that remained.

"Three men defined the era of the Great Dragon War four centuries ago. Three men rallied the Dragons and humans who sought peace and coexistence to fight against the Dragon King and his army…and three men destroyed the very same world they were trying to protect…"

"…!"

A pause, and Natsu saw three figures flash before his eyes. He clawed his head, trying to get rid of the agonizing headache which came after. In this moment of desperation, he tried to catch a clear glimpse of those faces; but they were blurry. Their features were hidden by a thin, yet powerful veil, and despite his best efforts…

"…Kgh…S…top…It HURTS!"

He failed to see, or even remember who these belonged to. His mind was bursting. Pain filled it instead of knowledge. Pain ran through his whole existence. When man pulled back his ring finger, Natsu felt his weak leg give in. Katrice rushed to help him up, but that very thing had lost its significance. As he grabbed his head to shake away the thoughts which had intruded his tired mind, the faces started unveiling themselves.

"One man inherited the darkness…He became the Black Mage, who foresaw the decay of civilizations."

He saw the face of a thin, young man with smooth black hair and equally black eyes. That kind and passive face gave away a sad aura, yet hidden beneath those obsidian orbs were the hopes of gaining the respect of many and the approval of all. Those eyes held the wishes to be recognized, to be praised, but most of all, to be accepted.

It was the face of the man named Zeref.

"One man inherited the will of the Dragon King; a Dragonslayer turned Dragon; who rose to become the new ruler of that Ancient race, and instigated the destruction of men."

"…S…Shut…it…"

"Mister…? Are you alright?"

The second face belonged to another man; as young as the former, but he radiated confidence. His entire face was brimming with courage and fearlessness; like the silver hair which shone in the light, spiked sideways to emphasize his handsome face. His electric blue eyes reflected strength and belief, and the scar which ran from the bridge on his nose to his left cheek served as a reminder of trials won.

…Who was this man? His memory had failed him. It was on the tip of his tongue, yet he couldn't say it. He knew this man, yet somehow he had forgotten him…again. But the feeling of dread settled inside his beating heart. Those two men…why did they seem so important? Who were they to him?

Finally, the armed Dragonslayer closed his hand with the last of his fingers, and Natsu somehow knew what was coming.

"The last man was given the burden of saving what was left of his world from the ones who used to be his allies; his best friends. Though his existence had faded over the course of history, it was he who nearly drove the Dragons to extinction, and it was he who carried the hope of the world on his shoulders. T'was he who was tasked to kill the Black Mage, and t'was he who sought to end the life of the malevolent being named Acnologia. The Hero of light, hidden by the shadow of the past..."

"…No…No!"

The last face belonged to him. Pink hair shaped in uncanny spikes, and onyx eyes beholding warmth and kindness. But he knew…of course he knew. He just didn't want to prove himself right. Three men who defined the era of the Great Dragon War, and three men who destroyed it. Of course he was one of them. But what did it all mean? That Zeref and Acnologia were connected to him? Just how deep was he rooted in the history of magic?

Beside his lost form, Katrice grew ever worried. He had never managed to stand up from his previous position, and the curiosity and fear which compelled her to listen made her forgot about everything. Both of them did, as they were lost in a sea of thoughts; never being able to grasp what they intended to find. Natsu had his demons to conquer, but Katrice had problems of her own.

The man continued. Bored from the reactions they were giving him; he faced the large blade as if talking to it instead.

"Yet Acnologia proved to be too powerful, even for him. In their first clash, his sword had failed him, and that of his two friends; he was left without a weapon, for the three blades he used against the new Dragon King had been rendered broken. The only damage he could give it was a missing fang, which he took with him upon fleeing."

"…Why…are you telling us this!?"

Natsu finally managed a complete sentence, but the brunette simply ignored him and went on with his story. He kept tapping his foot impatiently, taking quick glances above as if to recall something.

"He asked someone to reforge his blade for him, to make it powerful enough to completely destroy its existence; but in order for it to be completed the root of magic was needed. He had to find the Ten Blessings—the essence of magic at its purest form, in order to imbue their magic into the sword, and eventually, help him slay the beast and the rest of its kin—"

"I…I know this story."

Katrice croaked, and beside her, Natsu's eyes had been opened wide. The voices inside were drowning his thoughts, filling his head with cryptic and nonsensical things which boggled him to no end.

But…

"It's missing…IT'S MISSING!"

"Traitors…every single one of them!"

"Where is it, WHERE IS IT!?"

He remembered. It was vague, but he recalled a certain fragment from his scattered memories.

"Ten Blessings…no…no…no…it wasn't complete."

He whispered to no one, but Katrice heard him.

"Finally, his sword was forged…When the priestess was killed, the sword came to be. However, the moment his sword awakened, he discovered something; he realized that he only received half of the Blessing of the Waters. Having feared that the Dragons would hunt them because of this, the Sirens—Guardians of the Blessing, had hidden the other half in the hands of the Water-sprites. When he learned of this, he marched to the Siren's Den, and slew them in cold blood. He then set off towards the village of the Sprites. The water elementals were complacent; they welcomed the man, for they knew him to be a great hero…they thought they could hide the secret, but the man knew otherwise. The moment he entered the village, he knew that the blessing was already gone. A little girl had been sent to carry the last blessing back to the surviving Sirens, and enraged…the man slaughtered everyone. He branded them traitors…he branded everyone traitors."

She was getting scared. She had been ever since the man started spouting his story. And Natsu—just when he was about to forget about the lingering images; the lifeless bodies of those Sirens whose blood had run dry, he suddenly remembered themalong with everything. The pieces of the past came rushing in, nonsensical and disorganized. Deaths. Bloody deaths and murder. Fire. Everything. Gone since long ago was the enthusiastic smile he feigned to hide his anger. Gone was the feeling of excitement in the prospect of a powerful rival. Everything vanished so fast, and everything was replaced by something else.

His anger resurfaced. In the midst of remembering the pseudo memories he carried, his wrath was invoked. Something burned on his back, but he knew it was his own magic. He knew that the mark was reacting; the Eight Rays were to blame.

*CRACKLE*

And the fire he commanded; his own fire started turning crimson.

"…Mister…?"

The Water-sprite backed away. The remaining flames all turned blood red, like the ones the enemy's sword controlled. His veins were popping out, and his clenched hands were shaking in fury. The heat was so high that Katrice felt her body being melted. The atmosphere was so hellish, that what little of the clouds which were left threatened to vanish.

"…what did I do…TELL ME—WHAT DID I DO!?"

Natsu demanded furiously, as the man laughed in hysteria.

"Yes, bring out those flames…let us see whose magic will come out on top! Let me see the magic which destroyed my race!"

"TELL ME!"

He persisted, ignoring Katrice's pleas for his attention. The surrounding inferno rose and fall, synchronizing with his every breath. The moisture was gone, and not even a drop of sweat persisted.

"Mister…Mis…ter…"

She saw it herself—the mark on his back was glowing. She had never inquired about the ominous tattoo, and as the Eight Rays flickered between orange and red, she struck the Dragonslayer's naked side against her body's protest.

"…!"

He almost struck her back. When the weak slap grazed his side, he raised his fist in alarm; but it was only the Water-sprite. It was only a crying Katrice.

"Your flames! Why...Why are your flames turning darker!? Mister!"

"..."

He failed to see that he had almost lost it. Blinded by his own rage; rage aimed not at others, not even at the opponent, but at himself. He almost swung recklessly and nearly delivered an irreparable damage. Katrice's embrace was tight. She endured the tremendous heat which came from his body. She shrugged of the flames on him, and held on. Her body was melting; liquid was turning into steam. Natsu had to stop; he knew he had to stop his own madness.

Slowly, crimson turned lighter. Slowly, his angry scowl lessened, and lessened.

"…I…I…"

His words had failed him, so he closed his mouth and apologized silently. Katrice understood; she was scared, but she understood. The dark red blaze disappeared as if nonexistent, and the man in front grew less excited; feigning boredom and went on with his tale.

"Now, where was I—ah yes…And though the sword was finished, it was never fully complete. It lost a tiny, but significant portion of its power, and the man failed to kill the beast. They clashed time and time again, but the Dragon King, who held dominion over all the elements, could never be defeated by an incomplete tool. Because of that, another war was bound to start. The remaining Dragons gathered under Acnologia, destroying cities while evading the powerful man. Then, in his delusional and hopeless state, the man went into the land where humans and beasts coexisted in peace, and slew the halflings which called the place home."

*VANISH!*

The feeling of dread made him drop his guard. He didn't even notice that the armed mage had suddenly disappeared. When Natsu turned to look, Katrice's arms weren't on him anymore. He immediately turned around, feeling her presence fade.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"KATRICE—"

The man carried the protesting girl on his shoulder. When Natsu stepped once to make a move, the rival mage swung his weapon and a wide chasm appeared and separated them. The pinkette forced his unusable leg beyond its limit, running back to gain some leverage, but the man pointed the sharp edge of his sick blade towards the little girl.

"You move, she dies. And don't even try summoning your flames. If I so much as see orange, you know what'll happen."

The enemy brazenly declared, and what else could he do? Held back because of a dangerous threat, the helpless Salamander's knees dropped to the ground once more. His eyes were fixed on the soot covered earth, his fists dug themselves on burnt ground and what remained of his anguish he directed through a shout to the sky. Katrice was held hostage. She was right here, in his arms, but that man took her away.

She was trembling. He could see her trembling, horribly afraid of what might become of her. He too was afraid, but he can't be reckless now. He had to play it safe—Natsu wanted her unhurt. He closed his bleeding fists, and looked back scornfully. The man was aggressively ruffling Katrice's hair against her will, but she had no options. She was forced to listen to the man and his words.

"It was at that day when the skies flashed purple. It was at that day when the sun momentarily disappeared together with the moon and the stars. It was at that day that the unfortunate were trapped in this Exiled land. The Darkest Day was caused by that man."

"LET HER GO, YOU BASTARD!"

Natsu screamed, his lungs nearly bursting. The sword-user paid him no heed, and his last words were delivered in a high and mighty tone. As Natsu watched helplessly on the other side, the man moved closer to whisper his menacing words.

"And you know what little girl? That man was the one you called Hero—The wielder of Durandal, the infamous Salamander!"

"DON'T! DON'T YOU DARE—"

The pinkette stopped shouting. The shaggy haired opponent was pointing a single finger at him, aiming him a sarcastic smirk which had been burned in his memory. Katrice slowly turned to him, as the man howled.

"And his name…HIS NAME WAS NATSU!"

"N…NO!"

"I'm Natsu, by the way."

In an instant, she understood. No, she had confirmed everything. Even from the beginning, she had her suspicions. A Fire Dragonslayer on a journey to reclaim Durandal, a man with overwhelming strength and control over crimson flames—Salamander's flames, and the melancholic look he had on when she talked to him about the past. The dots had been connected, but the answer unveiled had not been enlightening. She wanted to deny it, but like those bloody flames in front of her, it was impossible. Everything fitted so perfectly. Every single piece made perfect sense.

"Y…You're the Salamander…?"

She finally asked the question, still in denial. But Natsu wouldn't look her in the eyes; avoiding instead the innocent gaze she was aiming at him. He looked dejected. He looked guilty, and it all proved that everything was true. The man in front of him was the same man who took away her parents and her entire race. She could almost feel her consciousness failing because of shock.

"…L…LET HER GO!"

Natsu demanded, but the hostage taker simply released a sardonic laugh. He tightened his grip on the girl's body; his sarcastic smile never disappearing.

"You'll have to kill me first!"

"No…Never…Not again! I will never kill again!"

But he was already resolved. No more deaths. Not even deserving ones. He won't cause anymore sadness, he won't stain his hands with blood again. When Natsu relinquished these words, the brunette looked at him with disbelieving eyes, before he too replied;

"Oh? But I will."

"...No. NO. NO, NO, NO!"

In that very moment, Natsu saw everything crumble. The man steadily pulled back his sword while Katrice remained motionless, carrying only one intention. If there was something stronger than fear, Natsu was feeling it right now. Slowly, the blade's sharp edge came towards the Water-sprite's back, and he was just too far to do anything about it. His mouth had run dry, and the knot on his stomach kept growing. Natsu felt his whole body become weightless, as he stretched his arm to reach Katrice's faraway form. The stray tongue of fire which flickered in front of them grew ever so small.

"REACH HER!"

His mind was screaming, pleading with all its might, his heart hoping against hope. His body shuddered, the fiery scene twisted and blurred, and his entire form suddenly vanished from the earthly plane.

*FWOOSH!*

And in that instance, he found himself right in front of Katrice, his hand having reached her small face. The man's wicked grin turned into something of surprise, but for Natsu; it was all too late now. Everything was too late. In spite of him being able to pull off his impossible Flickering Flame, everything was gone.

*STAB*

Half of the sword's tip was protruding on the Water-sprite's stomach, and though blood failed to spill from the wound, no matter how hard Natsu could deny it, he knew the damage had been dealt.

"N…No…"

Katrice fell to the ground as the man's maniacal laughter ringed.

"How about that, eh? I did my research…at least, that's what my keen ears have been—"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

The murderer flew suddenly, hit by an invisible attack his eyes couldn't see. He failed to grasp how he could even be sent into the air without a single warning from the pinkette, and when he landed back with both of his feet, he could hear his opponent sobbing in front of the still girl.

"No... No... NO! Katrice…KATRICE!"

The enemy's crimson flames receded without warning, flickering in an effort to be put out by something. Tangerine flames gathered and surrounded the battlefield, replacing the darker colored ones. The master of Agneyastra raised his sword, beckoning his magic to appear; but the crimson blaze remained nonexistent. He fixed his eyes on the crying Salamander, cradling a dying girl in his arms, and the astonishing amount of magic power which was oozing out of his body. The brunette felt the air around him getting denser, and an unknown force constricting his own body.

But for Natsu...

Sorrow. He had never felt so much of it, ever since that day. When he saw her with the man she admired, when he gave up on her, when he died for her sake and when he unwillingly cut his ties with his guild. When he found himself all alone and when he discovered the haunting memories which was filled with so much grief. Even the sadness from his past failed to match the sadness he felt now. When the light in her eyes started fading, he knew it was too late to save her.

"…Mi…Mister…you…didn't tell…Katrice."

She was dying, and nothing could save her. He couldn't save her. The malicious sword had struck a mortal wound on her body, and no healing magic, no remedy nor aid could close it. The destructive element imbued within the weapon was destroying her from the inside, and all he could do was watch.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I just... I just didn't want you to hate me…! Please…don't die on me Katrice…! I…I…"

He was begging, on his knees with what little hope he had left. But Katrice, with what was left of her dwindling strength reached for the man's warm hands. With her dimming sight, she forced her eyes to look towards his. With what little breath she had, she used to deliver her final message. The crying Natsu desperately pleaded, but nothing could be done.

"It's…It's okay mister…be...cause even after all of that…you're still Katrice's He...ro. Katrice…believes you…You will always... be my Hero…Don't...don't become that monster again…promise Katrice y...ou wo…n't."

She stopped moving, and Natsu felt something inside him shatter into a thousand pieces.

"Vale…"

.

.

.

"GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAGHH! NOOOOOO! NOOOO!"

His powerful screams drove the flames away. His pained cries were so loud, they could be heard from miles. Unusual as it seemed, he broke down in the middle of battle. As the instigator of her death smiled a grim one, his tone betrayed whatever condolence he was going to give.

"And so, she dies…how ironic, don't you think? For fire to burn water...Now, the earth will have her. Her body will be one with the island's waters—"

"TACE! TACE! TACE!"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

And again, the brunette felt his head being blown away by some mysterious force. When Natsu stopped shouting his rage to the docile heavens, his face had been twisted far beyond sorrow.

"…Enough. I've had enough."

The man closed his mouth. In front of him, the spiky haired Dragonslayer had gently laid the lifeless body of the Water-sprite, and the voice he used to regard the man was monotonous; as if robbed of the feeling inside. So unusual and abrupt was this change that he remained without words for a minute. When the dead vessel touched the seared ground, Katrice's body slowly degenerated into water. The earth was taking her away like a sponge; absorbing the clear liquid into the core of the world. Natsu touched her one last time, but the only thing which was left of her existence was a tiny puddle; rippling once after a brush with his finger...before it too was taken into the burning earth.

"...You will always be my hero."

He heard her in his mind, but his anger had gotten the best of him. As soon as he regained his stance, the brunette instantly registered a blow to both his stomach and cheek. He regained his footing, but he was bewildered. The lone pinkette was standing on the exact same spot where he was, making no attempt to start or put up a fight, yet why was he suddenly hurt? In his flame-shelled state, he was immune to any and all kinds of fire attacks, yet why did it feel as if something was burning him?

"Why…why did…WHY DID YOU KILL HER…!? She was innocent…!"

Natsu screamed, and his fire became hostile. It rose when he stood up, it trembled when his fists started shaking. A new kind of warmth coursed through his veins, and he slowly regained usage over his disabled limbs. The mourning Dragonslayer pointed a shaky finger towards the culprit, and his teary eyes were fixed in a cold glare.

"Innocent…INNOCENT!?…You DARE speak to me of innocence when you have so casually slain a countless number of MY KIN!?"

"…You're kin…? What are you talking about!?"

The shaggy haired brunette was seething was anger, but that anger couldn't even compare to Natsu's. So powerful was the urge to forget everything and just be done with the deed. So powerful was the thought of ripping out the opponent's beating heart, of stabbing him with his own sword or burning him until he was no more than a particle of dust. The thought of murder came to mind, but he fought it. He struggled, but he kept his instincts in check.

"QUIS ES!?"

He asked instead, seeing the man grimace.

"So, you don't even remember my name, the name that YOU yourself have given me? Rest assured, this time you will not so easily forget it!"

Nonsense. He'd no longer listen. The man was talking nonsense, and he wanted no more of it. Yet, why did he feel troubled inside? His heart started wavering, but his will was indomitable. Now was not the time to doubt. There was no turning back; not for the opponent who killed in cold blood, and not for Natsu who will avenge her.

"I don't care what your name is—you killed HER…You killed THEM! You're no different to those I've fought before, and like them, you WILL FALL before me!"

"YOU are the only monster here, Salamander! You talk of righteousness as if you did NOTHING! As I turn your bones to char, your final thought will be that Ember was victorious!"

"…? Ember…?"

Crimson flames erupted from the ground, but Natsu remained motionless. He had finally discovered the identity of the opponent and with it came a realization. The sword-user was getting ready to strike, but the only thought inside his head contradicted his drive to win. Unexpectedly, Natsu dropped his stance. His footing was off, and his arms remained on the side. His angry scowl turned into a deep frown. His sharp glare slowly vanished and his face became a look of dejection. His shoulders sagged, and he simply stared at the ground.

"Now, DIE!"

What did he hope to achieve by fighting? What was there to gain? He asked himself as the seconds disappeared. For what? For whom? Why? Why does it matter? What change did he hope to see? There was no answer. He found no conclusion. His resolve crumbled and his ideals became forgotten.

"Nothing will change…why…? Nothing will ever change."

Natsu muttered lifelessly as the man named Ember charged; his sword poised to kill. He took the guardless form as an opening, and sent crimson waves with every swing of his sword, but Natsu was still standing on that very same spot. A second later, the crimson slash which had cut even the ground was a heartbeat away from his unmoving form, but;

*FADE*

"What…WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

The fires stopped and dispersed as soon as it would've hit him. The fiery cloud disappeared, and the sword's swing became as empty as his eyes. It was as if their positions had changed, and this time Natsu was the one using his defensive spell, but he wasn't doing such a thing. Ember tried once more, but the moment crimson flames left his sword, they all turned against him. They surrounded him; every single stray tongue of the very same flames which came from his blade. In that very instance, they all turned a brighter shade of orange. And afterwards, as soon as everything became tangerine, they all turned a shade darker once more.

*FLICKER!*

Scarlet flames brighter than his opponent's, but darker than his own. In the moment of abandoning everything, the hidden power his magic had concealed came to him. His back was burning with a foreign heat, but he shrugged off the pain. A familiar power had unveiled itself. Atlas Flames' gift erupted because of the emptiness from his heart.

"…Ignes Inferni…"

"THOSE ARE…THOSE FLAMES! I KNOW THOSE FLAMES!"

Ember howled angrily as Natsu stared at the new color, before he relinquished a sad smile. The former had lost both his composure and confidence; settling for running instead of fighting, because the powerful blaze was chasing him to no end. The latter remained nonchalant; but inside, his heart was in turmoil. His eyes once more on the ground, he closed his hand as the flames swallowed the brunette. Now, his magic hurt more. His anger dragged his power to a new height, but he hated the hollow feeling which came as an exchange. He hated the throbbing pain inside his chest. He hated being so powerless in the most crucial of times, and he hated losing a friend the most.

"HRRRAAAAAAGH! WHY DO YOU WIELD THOSE FLAMES!?"

"Why…? Why won't you come when I call you? Will you only listen once I've had enough…?"

"Let me take over…I'll kill him for her sake and yours."

The pinkette closed his eyes, fighting the entity which was trying to gain dominion over him; but the flames never stopped in their assault. They continued burning even without their master's supervision, and as the opponent did his best to guard, he himself failed to call on his sword's magic.

"WHY!? WHY WON'T MY FLAMES LISTEN TO ME!? TELL ME, WHY!?"

The swordsman asked angrily, fixing his eyes on the unmoving man.

"nihil mutabitur…"

A tiny whisper, for the fire mage had succumbed to the voices inside his head. Ember reckless charged towards him, opting for a close range strike. He shrugged off the numerous and irreparable burns on his body, finally managing a position close to his target. The brunette jumped even as Hellfire fed on his flesh, and he cut through the thick conflagration with his sword. The weapon's tip was nearing Natsu, but when their eyes finally met, Ember's heart skipped a beat. The moment he opened his eyes, they were different. His right eye was still charcoal black, but his left one was in the process of turning blood red. The foreign color was spreading towards his pupils, trying to take over the original color they held, and when he started speaking;

"Your flames…are mine…!"

Two different voices came out of his mouth in perfect synchrony.

…

Who knew the mighty Salamander's heart was so fragile? Was the ever present boisterous persona but a mere mask to hide the weakness he felt inside? Or did the power of his feelings do its magic? All it took was one life, and the melancholic tone of a past gone horribly wrong came back to haunt him. The strength of his fire had stretched farther, but it was not without a price.

He fought without reason, he acted without care. The world, both past and present had little interest to him now. His thoughts brought him back time and time again to the very moment Katrice had been stabbed, to that specific time of his failure. His eyes kept seeing her die, his ears heard nothing but her silent scream. The scent of burnt liquid was still intact on his nose, and the taste of dryness in his mouth had been there ever since. Just like Simon at that tower, just like the Lucy from the future, like the bloodstained past he led, was another death to reflect on. A life lost in front of him; at an arm's reach and a moment's breath away, yet it was impossible. Not everyone can be saved. Not Katrice.

He commanded the flames with little effort and movement. When his body moved, it was not because he wished for it to move; the flow of the battle was the only reason why he even acted, because inside, everything had stopped. Even while he simply stood there, his eyes blank and his mouth agape, all it took was for him to look; to picture the opponent being chased, harassed, surrounded and burned by the lifeless blaze, and it would do as he wanted. Ember had been running away; unable to even control or manifest his magic without it being stolen from him. The enemy's sword had been rendered useless because its flames had become a part of him. But in spite of this achievement, why did he feel so empty inside?

"…Why did it take so long for you to conquer his magic? Why did it take so long for you to realize that you could have absolute control over fire!?"

The voice erupted out of nowhere, its gruff tone berating him. The Salamander's thoughts coincided with his, but he had nothing more to say back. Right now, he could take all the insults in the world and he'd do nothing about it. His other self could preach all he wanted, and he'd just stand there with a blank look.

Because Natsu had enough.

"…Shut up…"

He replied, his voice lacking its usual exuberance. Ways in front of him, he could see Ember being toyed with the magic he halfheartedly commanded. The formless blaze didn't give his enemy even an inch for rest; a moment's reprieve had become impossible, as it seared and burned his already damaged flesh. Yet Natsu felt no sympathy; not even remorse.

"I see…her death made you realize just how weak you are…"

"…Shut up."

But this time, the Salamander was right. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, he was right. Her death showed him how naïve his dream of protecting everyone was. He was weak. So weak that he was pushed back in a battle of his own element. So weak that protecting a single girl was impossible. He was weak. He was pathetic. He couldn't save everybody. He couldn't save anybody.

A Hero, they called him. Lies. His life was a story of lies.

"Let me take over! I will make him pay for you!"

"…Shut up…I don't need your help."

Yet, he'd never sink so low as to except anymore "help" from a murderer who claimed to be a Hero himself. He'd never grant control of his body to someone else. The voice of his past grew stronger, urging him to relinquish command, but Natsu ignored him.

"You dare defy me!?"

"…Shut up…"

He replied again and again. He wasn't scared; not anymore. His fears ended with Katrice's death, and nobody could push him back with anything anymore. Not Salamander, not Zeref and not Acnologia. He was trembling, but it wasn't because he was afraid. The fear had come to pass, and only the emptiness remained. Because inside, he didn't feel anything…

"Are you not angry!? Do you not hate him!? Why do you stay so calm!? Even after her death, why do you—"

He had enough. Enough of this world and its ironies. Enough of these memories from his past. Enough of this cruel destiny and unfair fate. Enough of losing any more people. He had enough of everything.

"I said…"

"…TACE!"

His dual voice caught even Ember's attention. When the brunette looked, he saw the troubled Dragonslayer shouting like a lunatic; his voice directed at the wordless skies.

"…Angry? Of course I'm angry!? Hate him!? Of course I HATE HIM! Have you ever been so angry, that your head's filled with nothing but murder!? Have you ever hated someone that you wanted to burn him and torture him so badly!? My mind's been screaming, and it HURTS! I want to BEAT HIM UP so much for everything he did! I can't forgive him, I'll NEVER forgive him!

No, he felt everything. Bordering anger and hate, but he didn't know the difference. All he knew was that he wanted it to end. His already torn heart was being shredded by the conflict in his feelings.

"Yet inside…I feel hollow, I feel only sadness…It was my fault…everything was my fault."

"THEN WHY!?"

The voice asked angrily, and the words ringed throughout his head. The rage was getting through, seeping past his chest and injecting even more of the darkest thoughts he could conjure. Almost—he could almost feel himself going insane. He could almost feel the negativity cloud his mind; almost see himself losing it.

But Natsu had decided. In the midst of everything; every darkness which ganged up on him, was a promise so simple, but so deeply rooted in his heart.

"…because I promised. I promised I would never lose it like you…I promised I would never BECOME you! The mistakes you made…I promise I'd fix it with my own hands…!"

His conscience clung on to that tiny oath. His reason was intact only because of her last words. It was the only thing which kept him from going berserk. The angelic voice which burned bright for him, fighting the devil which burned inside of him. It was the only thing which reminded him of Katrice's existence, and the only thing he could do in turn was keep that promise for the sake of cherishing the memory of her.

"Abeo! I don't need your power!"

He commanded, subduing the malevolent being with his indomitable will, while Ember himself tried his best to evade the inferno which was still after his hide.

"WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO!?"

Natsu stuck out his hand, making a motion of ripping out something from the air, and Ember's defenses crumbled. The flames which guarded his body dispersed by themselves, and the hostile firepower took the chance; stretching and burning what they could reach. A thousand flaming fists pounded him hard. A thousand flaming swords stabbed him, and a thousand flaming tongues spewed out to reduce him into a state of nothing.

"AAAARGH!"

The brunette helplessly swung his sword, flailing his arms in a vain attempt to drive away the magic which encased him. But it was for naught. He couldn't do anything.

"NO! NO! NO! WHAT IS GOING ON!? WHY WON'T YOU COME OUT!? WHY WON'T YOU LISTEN!? GRAAAAAGH!"

"It's no use…your flames will only obey me."

Slowly, Natsu walked. The opponent was on his back, rolling over and trying every means possible to put out the fire which burned him. The flames parted to make way for the spiky-haired teen, and he halted only once he was in front of the pitiful man he called an enemy.

"Fire Dragon's…SEARING MAGMA!"

*FWOOOOOM!*

The burst of fire took the form of a tall pillar which extended to the heavens, but he wasn't done. The brunette slowly crawled away from the incandescence, his hands reaching for Natsu's left foot.

"WHY!? WHY DOES IT BURN!? WHY CAN YOU HURT ME!?"

"Begone…"

Natsu spoke once more, not to Ember but to the Salamander which shared his existence. Slowly, the whispers trailed away. The nuisance steadily faded, and the prominent voice which had been pursuing him delivered its final message.

"…I see…You are close…you are very close."

And the sounds died down. Though clarity hadn't returned, he felt the foreign entity leaving him. Crimson vanished from his left eye, and the color of the night regained dominion over it. In front of him, the scorched man was unrecognizable at first glance, but the last of his endurance was still intact. Ember struggled to get up, avoiding the cold look from his opponent's eyes.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!? HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO DEFEAT ME!?"

"…You will regret everything."

Natsu Dragneel lit up his hands, rousing the kindled flames and calling them over to his side;

"CRIMSON LOTUS: EXPLODING FLAME BLADE!"

The swirling torrents reached even the clouds above, finally diffusing the smoke which filled the skies. The lashing of fire could be seen from afar, and the devastating spell did its number on the sturdy ground. It was Hellfire which assailed the brunette he branded a murderer, and it was Hellfire; not the bloodied flames he had come to despise, which pushed him down to the hard earth.

…

…Defeat?

I was defeated…? By him…By HIM!?

Wh…What…? Impossible…! Why…? WHY!? I have this sword! I have this power, yet…why? I trained so hard, I lived so long, yet why? I fought longer than he should have; all these years trapped inside this cursed land…All these years, chasing after the shadow of a man I called Hero.

It's not possible…no, it's not possible. This Legendary sword; these otherworldly flames snuffed out as if they were a mere candle light…

No…

Salamander…that name brings me back. Those flames…those flames used to be so warm. Those eyes…those eyes used to be so bright…so kind…yet…

How was I defeated by a mere shadow of the man I looked up to…? All these years, I've been searching…just so I could have vengeance…I've been fighting…Fighting and fighting, killing and killing. Power, for the sake of power! In order to become stronger! In order to defeat him! I had power, so much of it!

But…power…? Why did I want power…? Agneyastra, why did I wish to become stronger…? Three times I have called you, and three times you answered. Agneyastra…one last spell until we part, but I will find you again. Just like I had…

So help me. I don't want to lose. I don't want to lie in defeat. Not when I've finally found him. Not when I'm finally able to have my revenge…!

…yet. Defeat…?

This is the second time. I remember…that other man from years ago. I remember lying on my back like this, my face soiled with the dirt accompanying my loss. I remember his words, and I remember…

"That sword. If only you could use it to its fullest…"

His voice was as cold as ice, like the magic he used. The tall, cloaked figure which stood above me was standing in the midst of frosted air. He was an Exile, a wandering mage who found his way into the island. He was an Exile, who carried the mark of the black Dragon on his clothes. He was an Exile, who held a weapon akin to mine.

"W…Who are you?"

"…"

And I knew…he was a Dragonslayer like me. No, he was the Dragonslayer I couldn't become. I remember him walking away, and I remember grabbing the hem of his cloak, like a beggar pleading pitifully for help.

"W-Wait! You…You can make me stronger, can't you?"

"…I am not interested in weaklings."

"Just one! I beg you, just one technique! I'll do anything, teach me—"

I remember him hesitate, but my persistence won through. I remember watching him turn into one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I remember feeling power so overwhelming and terrifying. A spell so complicated and taxing, I was sure to die after if it was me who used it.

"…Just one then. Watch me…"

And I remember that final technique he taught me…

…

"…"

Natsu stood over him in silence. Though victorious, his face didn't show the smirk of a winner and his eyes held no proud glint. Instead; his mouth was but a thin line, his eyes were but blank windows reflecting no light. Bleak. The feeling of animosity had left him. The power of his anger was gone. Though victorious, he stood there like a statue; a dead man standing. His unmoving form carried nothing; no hopes, no dreams, and no promises.

The mighty Salamander had given in to the grief of sorrow, and though he wasn't showing it; his heart was but a hole inside. He stood there staring at the brunette's defeated form. Ember struggled on his feet, supported by his sword. His endurance had worn off, and his strength was fading. The fire which kindled his drive to fight had been snuffed out; controlled like the magic of his sword, by the man who stood before him.

Yet…

"I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY YOU!"

He declared audaciously, but Natsu's deadpanned expression told him it was impossible. The pinkette snapped his fingers, and fire came to life. The raging blaze; his raging blaze surrounded both of them this time. It was a threat. Stay down, or burn to death? Natsu was giving him a choice, but he would not surrender. Not now, and never again.

"WATCH ME! I WILL DEFEAT YOU HERE AND NOW!"

*STAB*

"…What are you doing…?"

The fire mage asked in a low and uninterested tone, and he had reason to. After all, the beaten man had deliriously stabbed himself with his own sword. Had he finally lost all reason? Had he finally given up? Natsu asked the plausible, but he dismissed both thoughts immediately. The trickling blood from the brunette's chest was slowly falling to the ground, but the mystery didn't end there. The substance of life was flowing in different directions; forming a massive magic circle he neither had the capacity nor the interest to remember.

The clouds shifted to warn him that something was coming. The foreboding of a storm foreshadowed the opponent's final assault.

"DRAGONSLAYER FORBIDDEN EXCHANGE—DRACONIC TRANSMUTATION!"

For the first time since he held dominion of the fight, Ember managed to summon his flames. But they weren't aiming for the pinkette; they were aiming for the caster. The dark, red blaze burned him instead as he shrieked in agony. The conflagration grew bigger, and bigger, and the tremendous magic power which came from it brought even Natsu on his knees.

"T…That's…? Ugh…"

He could hear something; again, inside his mind. Clutching his head offered no relief, and closing his eyes only made the sounds stronger. It wasn't Salamander—no, it was different. It was a memory without a vision; a piece of the past without form. They were disembodied voices with no owners; ghosts of yesterday which haunted him until today.

*GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!*

A Dragon's roar resounded throughout his head. He heard metal clashing, fires blazing and the noises of a faraway battle ringing in his ears.

"Ace…Ace, don't! Don't use THAT technique!"

He recognized his own voice in the midst of the chaos, and he recognized the Dragon speaking to him with a rough growl.

"WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT I NEED TO USE THIS FORM! ZEREF, NOW—"

"BLACK MAGIC: SEVERING SOUL!"

The voice was familiar; all of them were. He heard the pained howl of another gigantic beast reverberate in the air, and his ears registered the sound of something being ripped apart. The flapping of countless wings was so prominent, but they couldn't drown the nearby voices of the people who kept speaking.

"NOW NATSU! NOW! HIS EXISTENCE HAS BEEN DIVIDED! STRIKE NOW WHILE HE'S WEAK!"

The same voice shouted and as the beasts howled simultaneously, he heard himself cry;

"GLADIUS TITANI!"

.

.

.

It ended with him screaming. When Natsu opened his eyes, a towering Dragon stood right in front of him, and its whole body was covered in magical fire.

"…you look…just like Atlas."

He shrugged off the familiarity of the recent memory with little effort, having been so absorbed in the conflicting emotions he had garnered from Katrice's death. He didn't care. Not anymore. Nothing mattered. Nothing will change. Everything was the same. There will always be death. Death will always follow him, be it in the past, the present or the future. And even those voices; he was sure it was the sound of battle. He was sure more deaths had been inflicted in that specific scene.

"…THAT'S BECAUSE ATLAS IS MY FATHER!"

The Dragon replied with Ember's voice, but Natsu's shock only lasted for a moment. When the unarmed teen raised his arms to give an order, Hellfire combusted out of nowhere and formed a ring around the large beast. He closed his hand and the circle grew smaller, but…

*WHOOSH!*

The Dragon vanquished his flames with a single flap from those fiery wings.

"HAHAHAHAHA, IT'S NO USE! WHATEVER YOU DO, YOUR FLAMES WILL NEVER DAMAGE ME! I AM A DRAGON AT ITS PEAK, AND YOUR PETTY MAGIC WILL NEVER HURT ME!"

Natsu tried twice more, but his fire couldn't do the job. The beast was immune. It no longer had anything to do with barriers and fire, because the opponent was the very essence of fire. Yet, he had no control. To tamper with something living was out of his bounds—a living fire was impossible to conquer. Nothing he did worked, and the tables turned against him once more. While he nimbly dodged the powerful bursts coming from the titan's mouth, he couldn't deal his own damage. After having gained the upper hand, he sunk back to his weak and powerless state.

However…

"…So what…? So what if my fire won't work…?"

The Natsu now had no problem believing it. If it had happened before, he would've tried everything to deny the fact that his magic was powerless. Until his blood runs dry and his body surrenders, he would've fought still, even if everything was for naught. But the Natsu now was truly different. He stopped fighting back with his magic, thinking everything was in vain; because even if he did, he would just waste his strength. His time wouldn't amount to nothing. Fighting fire with fire won't work. Not anymore.

As the Dragon laughed, thinking victory was at hand; Natsu just stood there in silence.

"HAHAHAHAHA! HAVE YOU FINALLY GIVEN UP!?"

Breathe.

He breathed once to cool his head. He breathed twice to kill off the remaining thoughts which didn't belong to him. The third one was for the sole intention of gathering his focus, and the fourth one was for the purpose of recalling something.

"Then…what about this…?"

Natsu stretched his right arm to the side, remembering the Legend he had forgotten. The Dragon—Ember looked on curiously, waiting for his next move. After all, he had the advantage. In his current state, he could finish off the pinkette any time he wanted.

Or so he thought.

*ZOOM!*

Out of nowhere, a long, flat object sped up towards the unarmed mage's outstretched hand. Natsu caught the weapon by its handle, seeing the titan freeze in surprise for a few seconds. The pinkette held it closer, whispering;

"…I need you."

The concealed package started glowing. Three shining orbs lit up in the middle of the supposed sword, and the two combatants heard the rumbling of distant thunder getting closer. The foreshadowed storm came into existence. While the winds howled louder, Natsu shut his heavy eyes and listened instead to the crooning song of the artifact he held.

"…say the words, and call my name."

He heard the regal voice in his mind, and listened to the message it was trying to convey. He didn't need any knowledge nor experience in order to do what he needed to do. The sword did everything for him; prepared everything and planned everything before he could comprehend it, and even as the massive beast shouted its protest to him, Natsu didn't budge one bit.

"WHAT…WHAT IS THAT!? WHY DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER LEGENDARY WEAPON IN YOUR HANDS!?"

*CRACKLE!*

*WHOOOSH!*

When Natsu opened his eyes, lightning traced the skies. The dark clouds covered the surface above, and a heavy drizzle poured out so suddenly and violently. The ground sizzled. A flood was bound to break as the lake started filling itself again. But Ember in Dragon form shrugged off even the pelting rain; his flames refused to be put out, but he was anxious. He waited for the spiky-haired man to make a move, as thunder resounded in the background.

"…Et facta sunt fulgora, et voces et tonitrua…"

His whole body drenched, Natsu raised the weapon high above him. Sparks flashed and struck the blade's tip like a lightning rod, but he felt nothing. Electricity started coursing throughout his body, and even in his eyes. His words were delivered in an ominous tone, and the dumbfounded Dragon simply stared while he chanted lines from a dead language; his voice accompanied by the splashing rain and the grumbling sky. His sword had been unveiled, and both of them were granted a full view of the majestic weapon.

"Et terraemotus factus est magnus, qualis numquam fuit ex quo homines fuerunt super terram…"

The blade was glowing yellow, emitting sparks and currents which traveled back and forth to the hilt and the user. Three similar sized gemstones of topaz adorned the middle part of the metal. The guard was V-shaped, and metallic thunderbolts were hammered on it. The hilt was bound in black leather, and the pommel was forming a metal ring big enough to fit two fingers.

Another lightning bolt came, this one bigger and faster than the rest. It struck the pinkette, but he felt no pain. There was only warmth; the warmth that he had lost and the warmth that he had wanted to find again. The ground shook as a result of that last strike, but his balance was not lost.

"Talis terraemotus sic magnus…"

Ember attacked first. From his mouth burst forth a torrent of crimson flames, all coming towards the direction of the immobile Dragonslayer. He had gotten tired of waiting—No, he had gotten scared of waiting. That weapon was dangerous. The one he had; the one concealed by his gigantic body was resonating with the opponent's. The silent humming was already enough to cause shivers, and in the hands of a powerful user…

Ember knew he'd be slain, Dragon or not.

*FLICKER!*

*CRASH!*

But Natsu vanished with the thunder strike, appearing only once the breath attack had dispersed. He stood there again, acting as if nothing happened. The glint on his sword was getting stronger, and his words kept growing louder.

"Tonitrua Caeli…LUMEN INDRA!"

The last thunderbolt was so strong and struck so close that it blinded even the Dragon Ember, prompting him to turn his gigantic body away to shield his eyes from the bright flash. It was so loud that his powerful ears rang because of an immediate concussion. It was so devastating that he had to fly away in order to stay safe.

"VAJURA!"

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

"WHAT…WHAT IS THIS!? THE THUNDER OF HEAVEN—"

Natsu vanished when the beast regained his senses. Ember's huge head kept turning, his eyes searching and his ears listening for any sign of the enemy. His instincts went on red alert when a powerful energy suddenly appeared from his unguarded rear.

"YOU'RE MINE!"

*FLASH!*

He swung his gigantic tail, but Natsu wasn't there anymore. Streaks of lightning kept bouncing on the wet ground, flashing and vanishing in the air. The man was fast; too fast for even his pseudo Dragon senses to follow.

"DRAGON SLAYER SECRET ART REVISION—"

And suddenly, Natsu was already so far away. With his eyes, the Fire Dragon registered the teen raising his sword high above, and with his ears he heard his rival call;

"CRIMSON LOTUS: INCANDESCENT THUNDERSTORM!"

*ZUZUZUZU!*

*CRASH!*

*FWOOOSH!*

In the blink of an eye, the Dragon found himself in the middle of two large seals positioned high above and far below him. Hellfire suddenly surged upward in the form of a tall pillar which engulfed him. Lightning kept flashing and striking him at the same time. The large creature had been caught in the crossfire, howling in pain and agony. Nothing could escape the bolts which struck from above and the fire which came from below. The thunder would not back down from the tumult of the heavy downpour; instead, it resounded a volume stronger, as the very air vibrated every time lightning struck something.

When the spell faded, the Dragon's mighty wings had been torn apart. Even as his intangible, fiery body slowly regenerated; pieces of it were blown away by tiny zaps of electricity. Some parts of his body never reformed again, but Ember pinned the blame on the Legendary blade's power. Natsu's lightning infused fire had managed to pierce his guard, and the magic which came from above definitely did tremendous damage on him. The Dragon fell from the skies, and its mighty form landed hard on the flooded ground.

But Natsu was relentless. Each and every time he raised his sword, a huge lightning bolt came down and struck the Fire Dragon. When he raised his hands, electricity ran through the Hellfire he would summon. Thunder boomed and roared as the winds angrily howled. Sparks flashed each and every time a single raindrop splashed. Fire burned endlessly, fighting against the never ending drizzle.

Ember stood no chance of winning. In Dragon form, he was immune to heat; but Lightning was a different story. Natsu couldn't count the number of times he had commanded the skies to assail his opponent. He didn't even count. He felt too hollow to do that. What was the point? If he won, he couldn't bring anyone back. If this man lived, more deaths would be incurred. If this man died, nothing would change. He'd just add to the number of people he'd slain in cold blood.

His words… they had a limit. He realized that his voice would never be able to reach everybody. Some people would blatantly refuse to listen, and he had enough of being so self-righteous.

"That's right…nothing will change."

But he'd be damned if his feelings won't. His anger will strike a message. His grief will be felt. When Natsu raised Vajura one final time, he did it with the hope of ending the long fight. His magic was close to empty, and one last attack would deplete it completely.

"WILL YOU KILL ME THEN!? WILL YOU KILL ME AND PROVE ME RIGHT!?"

The Dragon roared, his voice hoarse and pained.

"…Yes…No…What's the point…? Nothing will change…"

Natsu asked in turn, not expecting anyone to answer. His next breath was a deep one.

"But…I will never stop…not until their deaths are repaid. My flames hunger for vengeance, and my blade seeks justice. I don't care anymore…Nothing will change. Nothing. Defeating you is the only promise I can give."

"HA! LIES! YOU CAN NEVER DEFEAT ME!"

*CRASH!*

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

The pinkette vanished with the lightning, and the Dragon blindingly showered the area he was in with his flames. The flooded areas hissed because of the clash between elements, but naturally; Natsu was already gone.

"…Dormi…"

And the very same man was already coming from below, aiming at the unguarded belly Ember had exposed.

"Teach me…your strongest technique."

He whispered before he jumped high. The sword hummed in response, and the pinkette nodded once to affirm his plan. One of the three glowing orbs completely lost its light and shattered, and Natsu felt his magic gathering in a single place. Every drop of it compressed, and being fed to the sword in one final attack. Lighting covered his heavenward form; concentrated for one clean blow.

"LUMEN STIGMA: TRES CAELA!"

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

Both of them called at the same time, and when lightning and fire clashed one last time, Natsu saw a memory.

…

He felt his hands move in an effort to wipe away the sand which had gotten on his eyes. The hot desert spread out in front of him, and the afternoon breeze was far from comforting. His feet sunk with his every step, and his bare skin was seared by the glaring sun. He stopped only as soon as the panoramic view overlooked a small village located a mile away.

"Arcadia…"

The sand blew right into his face, and he felt himself spitting out the particles which had wormed its way into his mouth. Once more, they had gotten into his eyes, and he rubbed tirelessly; unable to get them out unlike before. When tiny giggles broke out behind him, he felt his head turn.

The desert seemed to be playing tricks on him, or perhaps it was the sand which got into his eyes? He saw Erza Scarlet standing behind him, covering her mouth and suppressing her laughter with dainty fingers. A linen cloak of pure white graced her slender form, and the hood which was draped over her pretty face shadowed the porcelain skin bestowed upon her.

No…He knew better now. When the woman moved closer to wipe away the dust in his stead, strands of brown hair fell on her face. If only he could, he would've started tearing up again; but her eyes were too bright to shed tears for, and her smile was making it impossible.

It was Eara, and seeing her made him remember everything again. But this was only a memory. The Eara in front of him was but a fragment of the past, for Eara had gone to a place he knew not. She had departed to a place out of his reach, and nothing could be done to bring her back.

Eara. Dead, like the many from his past. Dead, like the friends in his present. Like Katrice. Only, she was just another ghost who held onto him, another memory who used to haunt him. Eara, his beloved Eara.

"Eara, is it really here?"

"Do thou doubt my words?"

"…No, it's just…What if they'll turn against us like the rest?"

"Believe, Natsu…"

She spoke with confidence, but inside he felt insecure. Whether the feeling came from the past or the present, he knew not; but he didn't care. What mattered was that inside; he felt conflict and turmoil in his heart. He felt like he didn't know what to do anymore. Like a broken compass, he felt as if he was going nowhere.

"Even after everything…? The Dragons who fought with us have hidden, the rest of the Dragonborn who supported us have sided with the enemy. Ace and Seraphos…"

He felt bitterness in his own voice, especially after those two names were spoken. When he raised his right hand above him; covering the sun's radiance with feeble shade, he saw a gold band glittering on his ring finger.

"And even…even Serene."

He closed his hand and let it drop. His feet were dragging him towards somewhere he knew not, but he didn't care. He just went with the flow, lifelessly and without energy.

But someone held his hand. He turned to look, but he already knew who it was.

"Thou art alive still… and I will always be with thee. Karel, Mavis and even Lord Athos still believe…"

The priestess came closer, towards his unmoving form.

"I believe."

She gazed right towards the taller man's eyes, and smiled yet again. To him, that warm smile was the loveliest thing he had ever seen in his life. It was a smile Erza had shown him on very rare occasions, but this girl—he felt as if she had been flashing it for him every single time.

"You really changed."

He spoke unwillingly, while she reached for his pink locks.

"We both did."

…

"CATCH THEM!"

Someone shouted, and the moment he first stepped onto the village gates, he felt the golden ring vanish from his finger. He immediately turned back, his ears perceiving the sound of running feet. The two culprits were already far from where he stood, racing away from the pursuing village folk, but he knew it was them.

"…hey. Hey. HEY! Those guys stole my ring!"

Having found the thieves, he vanished in a burst of golden flames. So shocked were the hooligans once his muscular form appeared out of nowhere; flames having combusted in thin air. They stopped like the mob, staring breathlessly at his tall form.

Imagine his surprise when he found the culprits to be no more than little children!

"Really you guys—this ring is important to me, so don't go around stealing it!"

His hands swift, he swiped the precious metal and fixed it back. The two youngsters stared at him in awe, as if in a trance.

"Wow…"

"What? Something on my face?"

He heard himself ask, running his hands on his face so as to get rid of whatever dirt that got ne. But the children; a boy and girl with auburn hair, were pointing instead to the mark on his chest.

"…that crest. You're the Salamander, right?"

The young boy cried eagerly, gesturing to the girl who nodded as enthusiastically.

"The Salamander!? The leader of the Seraphim? The one who defeated ten thousand Dragons in the War!?"

They waited for his confirmation, and the tall man breathed a long sigh. He shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"Of course it is—"

"…An exaggeration."

But his companion finished before he could. He felt himself frown at her, who was ironically smiling. He saw her coming closer to his side, as the rest of the villagers gathered.

"Lady Eara! You're Lady Eara, right!? You're really pretty…"

The little girl voiced out, and Eara gently placed her hands on their heads. Someone tapped him on the shoulder, so he turned around. It was a village elder no doubt.

"…Ah, Salamander-sama. This is—"

"Are these them?"

"Lady Eara? Ah…yes…"

Eara asked kindly, and the elder nodded. Around them, he could hear everyone else muttering and whispering, but the circling rumors were clear to his ears. He could hear them perfectly well, but he focused on the two youngsters, who were staring at him with awestruck looks on their eyes.

"We're Dragonborn!"

The boy declared. He felt the smile vanish from his lips as soon as the word was invoked, and the face of a man with silver hair flashed in his mind.

"…"

"…Really now? Who is thy parent?"

The priestess took over, bending so that their eyes were leveled. The little girl tugged on her companion's ragged clothing, gesturing for him to shut up.

"…Hey."

"Why should we be ashamed? We should be proud of our father!"

The little boy declared. Upon his confident proclamation, he pushed aside the thoughts that lingered and shifted his attention back to the two kids.

"…Interesting. What are your names?"

"…We don't have any."

The elder sighed. He turned to face the man, while the rest of the villagers shot each other unsurprised looks. Whispers broke out once more, but he paid them no heed. The old man hesitated, before he finally gave in to the inquisitive stare that he was giving him.

"Nobody takes care of these little rascals…they're quite the troublemakers too."

But the little boy made another proclamation. The youngster tugged hard to get his attention. The girl shook her head and rolled her eyes, as the rest of them listened.

"Our Father—he's the Dragon of Hellfire, Atlas Flame!"

"ATLAS!? You're ATLAS' Children!?"

*HUG*

A tight embrace. The two children didn't expect him to grab them all of a sudden. Warmth flowed through his body, and the same kind of warmth poured out from him. When he pulled back, he looked each of them in the eye, before he nodded eagerly to affirm his decision.

"…I've found you…"

The scene shifted, but he presumed he was still in Arcadia. The desert lay in front of him, and the sun was still annoyingly hot. In front of him, the two children fought a mock battle, their hands coated in the flames of a Dragonslayer; specifically, the flames of his Dragonslaying magic. He clapped his hands to get their attention, and both of them scurried towards him.

"Natsu-sama…what will you teach us next?"

"Hmmm…I dunno. What do you guys want to learn?"

"Techniques! Teach us techniques!"

He laughed. It seemed as if he hadn't been able to laugh for some time, because he felt his chest getting lighter. It felt as if he had been holding back his happiness, evident in the stray tears of joy his eyes conceded. After wiping out them out sneakily, he asked;

"Techniques…? You can learn those things on your own, you know?"

"Eh?"

The little boy shot him a look of disbelief, while his female counterpart giggled. He raised his brow in question, and as the boy fixed his eyes on the ground, the girl answered;

"My brother sucks at creativity. He can't do it unless he imitates someone."

"Shut up! Watch this—"

The boy retorted. He saw the kid put on a familiar stance; knees bent and arms at a specific angle, head reared and chest puffing out.

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

*FWOOOSH!*

It was weak compared to his own, but a perfect copy nonetheless. A torrent of flames spewed out towards the sky, and he laughed another hearty one. He was impressed. He was deeply impressed. However…

"See? It was like the Salamander's!"

He bragged, but the little girl's eyes were narrowed. She was muttering something under her breath, but the words were as clear as day to him.

"…Your footing's off by a few centimeters. Your arms are bent at a wider angle, but the stance is more or less legit. You got the timing of his breathing though, so gotta give you props for that."

This girl was on a league of her own. The ideal traits of a Dragonslayer were inherent inside her, and as he ruffled her reddish brown hair, he smiled.

"Hmmm, you're pretty observant. And you—"

He felt his arm move and the rest of his fingers clenched to direct a single one at the male.

"I don't stick my tongue out when I do my 'roar'!"

"…Really? I think you do! You also wipe your mouth when you digest fire—"

So much promise at a young age. So much talent, and passion for learning. A few years from now, and these children would grow to become like him. A Fire Dragonslayer—a full-fledged Fire Dragonslayer.

"Okay! I think we need names now! It's already been two weeks, and I can't just keep calling both of you 'you' right?"

"Hurray!"

"Yes! Gimme' a name! A cool one!"

The suggestion came out of the blue, but they accepted without hesitation. He paused. He was thinking. Not too hard, nor too shallow either. Names both simple and extraordinary, both powerful and compelling.

"Hmmm…I got it!"

He smirked, and the two looked on with excitement written all over their faces. He pointed, first to the boy.

"You're Ember…"

"Aye!"

The little boy pumped his fist in the air, pleased with himself. After nodding back, he directed his attention to the blushing girl.

"…and you will be…how about Ash?"

"Eh? That's pretty lame…"

She was frowning. He felt bad. He had given his all to search for a perfect name, but it was rejected. However, someone continued on from where he left off.

"Ashley might be nice…"

"Eara…"

The priestess was standing behind them, and her usually smiling face had a miffed expression on it. In front of him, the young girl's face lit up in a smile.

"That's better isn't it? How about it Natsu-sama?"

"Then Ashley it is."

He fixed his eyes on the two of them, seeing nothing but joy reflected in their eyes. He heard nothing else except for the collision of high fives and their laughter ringing out. It was happiness. Sincere and genuine happiness.

But every moment had its end. Every celebration would come to a close. As Eara drew nearer with her stoic look, he knew that the time to part ways had arrived.

"I already have it…we must depart at once."

"Eh~?…But it's too soon! You haven't taught us techniques yet!"

The children protested, but he himself was frowning. Even as they tugged his clothes, he felt as if something of great importance had to take precedence. Unable to bear the sad looks which were thrown at him, he patted their heads and ruffled the identical auburn hair which grew on each.

"Geez, don't worry! We'll be back before you know it!"

They stared at him, and then at Eara, and back again. At once they reached a conclusion.

"…Are you two going on a date?"

"No! Don't ditch us! Take me with you!"

"H-H-Ha! H-How absurd! A date with Eara? Sounds boring~"

Heat rose up to his cheeks, but he blatantly denied everything by shaking his head. Yet, she looked interested. Her lovely gaze was directed at him, her pleading eyes longing for an answer. Eara was fidgeting, and that look of expectation was putting him on the spot.

"...A date? That sounds nice…How about it?"

"You mean…right now?"

"While we walk…ti's fine, is it not?"

His throat felt dry. His stomach was filled with fluttering butterflies. Like a professional, he shrugged casually, but his blush betrayed the composure he feigned. Eara giggled as she took his hand.

"W-W-We're going then! Ashley, Ember—wait for us, alright?"

Slowly, they walked away. The footsteps they took trailed the grainy sand, but the children's innocent question made him turn back.

"Natsu-sama, why'd you give us weird names?"

A pause. He pondered for a while, as Eara hummed a lovely tune. She waited. They too waited. When he had gathered his thoughts, he spoke; his voice brimming with inspiration.

"Because fire destroys everything…what remains in its wake are the embers and ashes of something bygone…and Fire gives birth to something new…I guess?"

He explained, seeing the rhetorical question marks on their heads. Eara pinched him, inclining him to make it easier to understand, so he tried again. He breathed once before grinning.

"I am Fire…When Fire dies out, the embers remain, until they turn to ashes, and fly away. Those embers and ashes; they are feeble and weak, but they are bound to start another fire. You guys will be that fire; you guys will be my legacy."

The last thing he saw before the scene shifted again was the image of two smiling children, their faces filled with the hope he had bestowed upon them. Yet, the new memory made his stomach drop in a matter of seconds. Fire burned violently in the village he had ended up in. Just..why did it have to end like this again?

"Why? Why Salamander, why?"

"Not yet…You are not ripe enough to kill."

He remembered this scene. That tiny voice sounded so familiar, and he strongly wished he was wrong. When the fiery background flickered, the boy's face came into view. Auburn hair was covered with soot, and his pale face was masked with dirt. Holes littered the surface of his shirt, failing to conceal the cuts and scrapes on his elbows and knees. The little boy was looking at him with eyes full of fear and disbelief, sputtering failed words with his wheezy and weak voice.

It was the same boy from earlier.

And him—he was aiming his sword on the boy's neck. The sharp edge of his last strike had failed to reach flesh, but a shallow incision had been made. A small scar, which he somehow knew would never heal again. As fire continuously razed the surroundings, he heard himself say;

"…Thy blood shall be purged… The Dragonborn shall cease to exist."

And everything stopped. He saw only darkness, he heard only whispers. Everything died down, and everything disappeared in a moment's heartbeat. But now, he was certain. It became as clear as day. At the end of the memory, he realized that he had been fighting the very same Ember he had raised. His heart, which had already been torn apart suddenly received a new wound; another cut which would throb, and another scar which would never fade away.

…

"The lights of Celestia shine before me… But can they reach the darkness within you?"

That spell was forbidden for a reason. Slowly, his body glowed a dim red, like the dying glimmer of charcoal which had been burnt up. He was neither Dragon nor human, but something close to a corpse. Soon, there won't even be a corpse left of his existence, for the embers that he had fittingly become had started trailing away into ashes.

Supported by his sword and limping steadily, Natsu finally came to a stop in front of the opponent's defeated body. The pair of torn pants he had on was the only thing which covered him. Miraculously, his neck still hung onto the blessed necklace he had been given, and the three pearls were intact. Their last clash had been catastrophic, and what little beauty the meadow had left was completely obliterated by lightning and fire. His final spell had been the definition of a calamity; that last lightning strike which contained every drop of his magic had split the lake in half, diffused the raging rain and defeated the mighty Dragon he had been fighting in one clean blow. As he stood over the human-reverted Ember's supine form, what was left his animosity had completely left him; replaced instead by the dread he had been keeping inside his chest.

"I…I've come to my end."

Ember croaked, his voice weary. The sword Agneyastra silently lay beside him, devoid of hostility and use. The glow of vermillion had left the weapon, and its magic had become null. He had been defeated, and as the last of his life force slowly whittled down, Natsu forced himself to ask.

"Who—What are you?"

He was trying to make sure. Everything already made perfect sense, but Natsu remained in denial. After all, sadness had gripped his heart, and anxiety was welling up inside him. If the memory was right, then this man would've been an important connection to his past; this man would've held the answers, and the cause of this man's darkness would've been...his own hate.

Ember stayed silent for minute, trying to take in one big gulp of air. He was weak, but he forced himself to talk. With what was left of his voice, he directed at the man who ultimately defeated him.

"Among the last of a dying breed…A once proud race, a race you have given hope…and a race extinguished by your very hands…"

"…My…hands? Are you—"

Natsu hated the thought of being right. The truth hurt him so bad, and the sorrow inside; the sadness caused by Katrice's death grew. If the memories served right, and if he really was that Salamander, then that meant only one thing.

"You and your sword…We Dragonborn were outcasts…scattered to the wind. You…you used to be my Hero…Our Hero, and our savior. But then one day, you turned on us and killed everyone…you returned to my village, and killed everyone with no reason nor purpose!"

Hate.

Despair.

Two emotions fought inside, trying to gain dominance over him. His conflicted feelings were evident in his lifeless eyes, his tormented face and his fading smile. The surrounding flames started flickering. Hellfire started turning crimson, then crimson started turning black, before turning crimson once more. Again and again, his flames changed; indecisive over what form to take, unsure of what power to hold.

"We waited…Each and every single day, we waited…but…when you came back, you were different…You became that monster!"

After all, it was his fault. Everything was his fault. Everything was set into motion because of him. A violent chain reaction started by himself. Only he was to blame. Yet;

"I…I can't remember…"

They were vague, but the memories slowly became cohesive. As the Dragonslayer clutched his head and closed his eyes tight, he tried to remember everything in one go. The sword he held dropped to the ground, but his attention was no longer on it. Questions littered his head. Where did it all go wrong? What had happened to him in the past? What had caused this never ending cycle of pain and despair?

"There is sadness in your eyes, but it is not from loss…It is guilt. After all you've done, you think only of yourself…Your friend left you, your brother turned against you. The one you loved betrayed you and you killed the one who stayed behind… you became twisted by power; your greatest adversary…You sought to kill him, but instead…Your sword cut down everyone else!"

"Wh…what…?"

"You murdered them, even though they were innocent…You destroyed us! You destroyed us all!"

He clutched his head like he did before, denying the memories which came flowing into his head. Death and darkness, blood and war; they were the only things he could see. The faces of those who had perished; slain by his sword, were hazy. The memories themselves were so vague, so incomplete.

"Who are you talking about…!? What did I do…!? Who did I kill!?"

Natsu asked impatiently. His head was spinning. The large hole in his heart had gotten even wider, as Ember's words; both before and now finally sunk in. The flames kept flickering violently, but the man himself was dying. Natsu knew.

Ember had reached the end of the rope. His whole body, save for his face had turned ashen, and the glowing orbs inside his eyes were dimming ever so slowly. The final glow had been reached.

"Who knows…Who sees? My vision has left me…I shall finally be reunited…with them."

"No, NO WAIT! There was a girl with you—WHERE IS SHE!?"

The man took one last breath and made it deep, because it was the last one he would ever get. He reached out a feeble arm, touching the pinkette in an effort to relay everything else he couldn't say.

"Farewell, Hero…When the fire dies out…"

"…the embers remain… until they turn to ashes and fly away…"

And like the name he carried, the man whittled away; dying like embers. The humanoid form had decayed to dust, which had been scattered by the heartless wind. The pitch black particles swirled around and passed him by, whispering;

"Aeternum vale."

Natsu knelt there for what seemed like hours, as one more from his past disappeared.

…

Finally, he saw them—the marvelous gates which would lead him to the answers, yet…

He opened the heavy doors lifelessly; guilt intact in his heart, and entered the realm where Ascalon awaited him. Natsu looked back one last time, surveying the destruction which his battle had caused. His eyes zoomed in on the makeshift grave he had created for two lost existences, and the sword Agneyastra which served as the memento of both their deaths and his failure.

He couldn't save everyone. He was never meant to save everyone. No matter how strong he would get, there will always be deaths. There would always be failures and miscalculations.

The billowing blaze had calmed down, and the enormous fire had long since vanished…except, he could see it still. Natsu turned his back and walked away after looking at the sputtering spectacle one last time.

"…Guilt."

He hadn't noticed yet, but the mark on his back was glowing. The changing crimson and obsidian fire which fought for dominance a moment ago had vanished. And though it was small; the tiny, flickering flame which had been left in the wake of the large blaze shone exactly like glittering gold.

…

The garden inside was the most beautiful thing his eyes had ever seen, but the Natsu right now failed to appreciate the marvel which was right in front of him. Though the place seemed timeless and carried a certain beauty which would last an eternity, his downcast eyes were aimed at the ground; when it should have been gazing at the array of differing trees and flowers which grew here and there. Even the presence of the shadows was nonexistent, as the radiant light seeped through the branches and thistles of the trees and leaves. Heavy feet trailed the road.

Natsu only stopped once he noticed the large object which blocked his way to the calling voice.

"FINALLY…"

Silvery-white scales glittered in the sunlight, reptilian eyes colored white stared at his broken form, and large leathery wings spread out to cover his path with shade.

"SALAMANDER…IT TRULY HAS BEEN A WHILE.

Another Dragon blocked his way, and it was by far the largest his eyes had ever seen. Though the large body looked like it belonged to a male, its voice was soft and feminine. Horns protruded from its head in a fashion akin to a crown, and spikes ran down to the tail which circled its body. The giant was sitting lazily in front of a boulder larger than it with both arms supporting its long and slender neck. A bed of red roses lined the nest it made for itself, and the smell from them made him feel drowsy.

It was a real one this time, but Natsu could no longer feel surprise. The suddenness of the meeting simply inclined him to hasten his pace; to ignore what was in front and pursue his original goal. Though he was weak, without energy and barely conscious, he took quick steps with his uncovered feet.

"…Move."

He barked. His voice, though as low as a whisper, held firmness. It was an order, and to prove his point, Natsu's hand steadily made its way to the hilt of the sword strapped on his back. Though wary of his act, the Dragon's ancient face offered no surrender.

"MY, HOW RUDE…"

The Dragonslayer had no time for niceties. He pulled his still-clothed sword from the rucksack, and pointed the sharp edge towards the towering being.

"Move…or I swear; I will cut you down."

Though his voice was hard and his eyes cold, the Dragon knew it was a bluff. He had the strength to hide his injuries, but he had no more magic within. He was simply brandishing a weapon he wouldn't be able to use, lest cut her down. Her smirk told him that she knew; and though he dropped his stance, his resolve was all but intact.

"…I've had enough…I just want this to end…So please, get out of my way…I just need the sword…"

He whispered pleadingly, and the Dragon closed her wings to let him pass.

"I AM CHORONA, DRAGON OF TIME AND GUARDIAN OF THE ISLAND'S HEART. BEYOND HERE LIES THE GRAVE OF SOLITUDE; THE RESTING PLACE OF THOSE WHO PRECEDED YOU AND THE WEAPON THEY HAD PLACED THEIR HOPES IN. THE LEGEND IS HIDDEN; BRING IT TO ME…THE REAL ONE, THAT IS."

He was confused, but he didn't have the time to question her anymore. Cautious of any tricks, Natsu took the left route instead of the right, noticing that they both led to the same direction. He passed by the beast without a second look, hearing only the warning she had given him.

"…AND IF YOU FAIL TO BRING ME THE TRUE LEGEND, I SHALL HAVE YOUR LIFE."

He left without a word, tracing the steps on the road towards the sword. Natsu was so close; he could literally feel the powerful magic choking him. The spiky-haired teen stepped into the ominous hole without hesitation, finding no further obstacles to cut down. The light was so close, yet so far away. A second, a minute, an hour—it didn't matter, for he didn't count. As the radiance of the open world met his grim face, his nose indulged on the scent of roses and flowers. The garden was different from the last one, but its beauty was beyond compare; its majesty was eternal, like a painting without time. Darkness was nonexistent, and only light bathed the magnificent surroundings.

A hundred steps over, on the pathway lined with marble stood figures of unknown material. They were arranged in a linear fashion, centering the pathway of another crossroads he had yet to choose from. The intersecting paths seemed to have no end except for the one he had entered, for they stretched beyond the horizon his eyes could perceive.

Natsu fixed his sight back at the middle.

They were graves.

Four graves to be exact. Four tombstones had been erected, each bearing a name with faded letters. So worn out and ancient were these figures that the words remained a mystery. Behind each stood a life sized statue of cloaked people; similar to the one he passed by, but they were holding different objects—real life weapons shrouded in cloth of the same which covered his Vajura.

"…A choice."

Yet another one, but he no longer cared. Four weapons to pick from, and only one to bring back. But how was he to choose? The shape and structure of the Ascalon he saw in his dreams was nowhere in sight. With the way they were wrapped, he couldn't even discern what they looked like without the covers. He had no leads. He had no idea what he was looking for.

But Natsu had to choose. He just had to. He went closer, inspecting each and everyone with what his eyes could perceive.

The rightmost statue was a head shorter than him. The slender figure belonged to that of a female, but behind the magnificently carved hood was a woman without a face. The statue held a slim, long spear with a three-pronged tip in both hands, and the least worn out (but still faded) markings on the tombstone told him it was the most recent one. Beside it was a male figure having similar build to himself. On his right hand was a long sword with a blade thicker and longer than Vajura's, ornamented with wing-like designs—with the pointed part buried on the ground. An open book; carved like the figures themselves, lay on top of his left hand. The next statue was bigger and bulkier than the last. Its right sleeve was hanging limply on one side, and his left arm was holding a gigantic, single headed axe with a weird shape—it was huge, compared to everything he had seen before, and the tip of its long handle nested a considerable smaller axe blade compared to the main one.

"According to my research, there had been three wielders, and all of them have heard the call of Ascalon, just like you… However, each of the weapons they referred to as Ascalon had different forms. One was a giant axe, the other was a great sword, and the most recent, which was found over a century ago, had been a spear… The facts don't make sense to me…"

That was when he heard Black's voice, but he shrugged it off immediately afterwards. Natsu turned his attention to the leftmost one.

He nearly lost consciousness because of the shock.

"…W…What are you doing here…!?"

Though it had been veiled, he was certain. The figure was a head taller than him, but it was the sword which caught his attention. From the length of the hilt, to the shape of the blade, he knew; he was looking at Durandal. It was the Durandal he had seen in his dreams, and though bound in cloth, its chipped blade was very much alike to that same weapon. His hands shaking, he was going to pick it up.

…

"WHERE IS THE LEGEND?"

Chorona's voice echoed again and again upon seeing the pinkette return. Save for his rucksack and the sword it had nested inside, he carried nothing else. He came to a stop right in front of the massive Dragon which had curled in the shade of a lost boulder.

"I could ask you the same. It wasn't there."

"YOU THINK I LIED TO YOU?"

The Dragon asked gently, but her eyes were blazing. Her majestic wings threatened to spread out, but Natsu kept his composure. He looked around, surveying the garden and finally realizing that it was really beautiful. Everything inside was amazing, but that didn't matter to him. No compliments were made as his sight returned to the beast.

"No. But I think you didn't tell me the truth. Where is it?"

"BY THE GRAVES…"

Chorona insisted, but Natsu shook his head.

"…No. The weapons in the graves are the weapons of my predecessors—it was the weapon they called Ascalon. I'm asking you, where is my Ascalon?"

He pressed on. He had spent his time thinking and pondering back in front of the graves. Time didn't matter; he wasted as much as he had to. Again and again, his hand reached for that last sword, but he couldn't bring himself to pick it up. Frustration, anxiety and doubt had been circling; he had been pulling his hair for God knows how many times, and the only thing which forced him to return empty handed was a tiny detail which had purposely been left out.

"HOW CLEVER…BUT HOW DID YOU KNOW?"

"Because you're sitting on the only thing which is making a shadow in this place."

He had remembered the song. It was unusual, but Natsu had his suspicions from the start. The place seemed too perfect to be real. It was too beautiful to even exist, and the depravity of shadows was the one thing which ironically shone. Above him, the Dragon's head drooped over to return his stare. It opened its large mouth, fortunately not because it wanted to devour him.

"'…IN THE SHADOWS, I WILL BE WAITING…' IT SAID. VERY WELL…"

Chorona crooned gently, her voice devoid of hostility. Natsu nodded, adding;

"…and now that I realized, I hear no wind. There is scent, yes, but it the same and it never disappears. The leaves are not moving and the trees are not swaying. The shadows stay hidden in spite of the light. The sun never goes down, and the clouds never shift. It seems as if time has stopped."

"BECAUSE STOPPED IT HAS. BY MY WILL AND MINE ALONE, TIME CANNOT REACH THIS HALLOWED GROUND. STOPPING TIME AND LETTING IT FLOW IS AS EASY AS BREATHING TO ME. TIME FLUCTUATES OUTSIDE BECAUSE IT IS NONEXISTENT INSIDE."

His suspicions had been confirmed. Yet…

"But why stop it…?"

For the second time, Chorona stretched out her wings; but it was for an entirely different purpose. The Dragon's long neck had been raised together with her large head, and the serpentine body which dwarfed him got up; forced to stand on four scaly legs by its owner. The beast uncurled its long, spiky tail and climbed up the gigantic boulder which was located behind.

"SO THAT THE MASTER OF ASCALON WILL BE PREPARED."

Impaled in the wake of her nest was a large blade with a hilt longer than his forearm. The slender handle was bound in black leather and topped with a thick arc. Further down, two spikes grew on opposite sides, running through a large blade which was as wide as his own body. The top portion was a thick, guard-like slab of gray metal adorned with different gemstones. A sun with eight rays was emblazoned on the center, framed by hammered curls. The symmetrical blade was pitch black with sharp silver edges, inscribed with Draconic letters—half of which were buried underground.

It was Ascalon. The Ascalon.

"…wow."

Power. So much of it. From where Natsu stood, he felt it all; the silent humming and the miniscule vibrations it was making. It made his head spin, and what little left of his strength falter. For one thing, he hated the thought of being faced against that sword. For another, Agneyastra and Vajura were already crazy powerful, but he felt that this weapon was on a league of its own. The thought of holding that sword excited even him in his grim state, and the thought of using it and the magic it held was simply surreal.

"BEHOLD! FORGED FROM THE RUINS OF THREE LEGENDARY BLADES, STRENGTHENED BY THE POWER OF THE TEN BLESSINGS AND CRAFTED FROM A SINGLE TOOTH EXTRACTED FROM ACNOLOGIA HIMSELF. THIS IS THE SWORD OF LEGENDS, THE ULTIMATED DRAGON SLAYER AND THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON OF ATHOS THE CREATOR—ASCALON!"

Slowly, Natsu approached it. His first step immediately made him stop, because his whole body shuddered unexpectedly. His right cheek glowed, and though he couldn't see; a magic seal colored azure had appeared. He felt his stomach twist and turn for no apparent reason, his knees giving in and his throat gorging out something. A blue orb of pure energy came out from his mouth, and it hastily floated towards the sword.

*SHINE!*

"…AND NOW, IT IS TRULY COMPLETE. THE LAST PIECE WHICH THE FOUR MASTERS LACKED IN ORDER TO DESTROY THE EXISTENCE OF THE DRAGON KING; THE OTHER HALF OF THE BLESSING OF WATERS, HAS BEEN IMBUED AT LAST. I APPLAUD YOU FOR BRINGING IT."

The sword glowed as soon as the orb entered it. Suddenly, the ground started shaking. The power became a hundredfold stronger, and the presence of the strong magic was choking him; taking out the air in his lungs and knocking him unconscious. In spite of the heaviness his legs felt, he forced himself to stand up. He fought the enormous pressure and made his way to the sword, a step at a time. The closer he got, the more powerful it repulsed him. Though it was hard, and despite the force which was pushing him away, his hand closed in to grab it.

Chorona looked, interested at the exchange. However;

"BUT HEED MY WARNING. THE SEAL ON THAT BLADE IS THE ONLY THING WHICH KEEPS THE OTHER LEGENDS FROM RISING. THE MOMENT YOU PULL IT OUT, THE LEGENDS WILL AWAKEN. ANOTHER LARGE BATTLE OF CATACLYSMIC PROPORTIONS WILL BE INEVITABLE."

Yet Natsu's resolve no longer crumbled. This time, his mind had been set and his heart was as firm as it could get.

"…So what? If that happens, I'll stop it myself. I've resolved myself for at least that much. This sword is the key to my past…In order to move on, I need it…"

Slowly, inch by inch, the sword was within reach. He dug his feet deeper, and placed what remained of his energy into his arms. His hand was so close. The weapon's hilt was so damn close.

"…AND A FINAL WARNING. THE BURDEN YOU ARE ABOUT TO CARRY WILL BE THE HEAVIEST ONE…AND YOU WILL CHANGE. YOU MAY FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT YOU WILL CHANGE DRASTICALLY. WHETHER IT BE FOR THE GOOD OR THE BAD, I CANNOT GUARANTEE, BUT A SACRIFICE MUST BE MADE—"

"I've already changed…and I've already lost so much…what more can you take from me? Move aside Chorona—"

Yes. He had decided. Though nothing would change, and though nothing mattered anymore; he had decided to end it once and for all. Anger, hate and sadness had momentarily disappeared from his being. The objective was right in front of him, and he'd already cast aside the conflict and turmoil inside for the sake of completing his original goal.

"The time to regain my sword has come."

Natsu had a vague feeling that this was the most concrete thing to say, as he finally managed to close his hands on the leather bound handle. But the moment he grabbed its hilt;

*SHINE!*

It was a five layered sealing spell. From the ground to the sword's pommel, five seals of different colors appeared in adjacent distances, and five more of similar structure surrounded him. From the topmost was pale yellow, then green, after that was reddish brown, and the one below it was crimson. These seals shone brighter, and one by one, they shattered like glass. When a single seal shattered, something came out from the sword and flew towards the air; directed to somewhere he knew not, and this happened for three more times. What was left was the bottom most seal—a pure white one which was starting to fade away unlike those before it.

But that wasn't what surprised him. The way those seals shattered and those foreign objects which flew out didn't shock him as much as the next incident had. Because when the last seal disappeared;

*CRUMBLE*

Natsu watched as the Legendary blade slowly crumbled to dust. He could do nothing but stare at its degenerating form; from thick metal to tiny particles of black sand, all that remained was the leather bound hilt from the spikes up. The large blade was no more, and it took him a few minutes to find his voice again.

"What…WHAT IS THIS!?"

Natsu asked angrily, gesturing to the weapon he could almost classify as a joke. The metallic sand had been blown away, and he knew no magic to bring back the blade from its current state.

"YOU THINK IT IS THAT SIMPLE? YOU MUST BE JOKING. NO, NOT YET—YOU MUST BE TESTED LIKE THE OTHERS. BRING THE SWORD BACK TO ITS PRIME…"

Chorona scoffed, her voice a pitch higher than the last. When Natsu stepped back, still in the state of disbelief, she returned to her nest and lazily lay back to her original position. Her face remained passive and neutral, even when the pinkette continuously pestered her with a million repeating questions.

"…Why? How? What should I do!?"

He asked again and again, his eyes only at the hilt on his hands. The titanic beast placed her head against her front legs and curled her tail once more. She closed the gigantic wings which had been opened since, before regarding the bewildered Dragonslayer.

"SEARCH AND FIND. SEEK AND DESTROY. WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE? THE WATERS OF LIFE OR THE GHOSTS OF THE PAST? WHAT WILL YOU DO? I WILL GIVE YOU THE TIME TO THINK. COME TO ME WHEN YOU HAVE THE ANSWER…"

…But he didn't have any. What answer? What was she looking for? What was he looking for? He didn't know anymore. He couldn't think anymore. He had finally reached his limit.

"…This is…so…"

Natsu's frown had returned, and news about the sword couldn't make his day anymore worst. A sword without a blade would never be of any use, and he didn't even know where to go after this. It was a cul-de-sac. A dead end. He had enough. He was already too disenchanted to continue with this endless goose-chase. No more. Enough.

Nothing really did change.

…

Like a derelict ship carried only by the current, Natsu found himself walking towards the familiar wooden cabin. When he opened its creaking doors, he saw the old woman inside; her eyebrows raised in alarm. But as soon she realized who it was, she let a weak smile trace her wrinkled face.

"My, you're back already… So, how was the journey?"

He settled inside, and sat at the nearest chair he could find before dropping his rucksack on the floor. Disregarding his nakedness, he rummaged; searching the bag's varying contents. Vajura cluttered on the floor, but he disregarded the Legendary blade. He tossed aside the ancient scrolls he had received from Black, and finally found what he was looking for.

The object, which started from two protruding spikes and ran down on a long, dark-colored, leather-bound handle, ended in a thick arc which was laden with gemstones. The diamonds it beheld were dull, like the rubies beside them, but he had no care for the precious objects embedded on it.

Natsu raised Ascalon's hilt high above, brandishing it for the older woman to see.

"So… It's broken…?"

She rasped, but the Dragonslayer remained silent. The older woman moved closer, trying to inspect the artifact. With her frail fingers, she steadily traced the leathery cloth. Her hands moved to the perfectly fitted gems, and she sighed a heavy one.

"It must've been so old, that it crumbled—"

"No. It's not broken…It is incomplete. The guardian told me to bring it back to its prime…"

Natsu replied sadly. He slumped into the chair, pink locks covering his eyes. She couldn't see it, but he was crying. He was silently crying.

"I see…I know what you should do then. If I'm correct, you will need me this time."

"…!"

Natsu immediately opened his eyes. After nonchalantly wiping away his tears, he aimed a quizzical look at the old woman.

"The Fountain of Fortuna… Its waters can bring back lost time, and return things to how they used to be. If you say prime, it would mean to return it to when it was the strongest. I you wish it, then I can accompany you."

…Was she offering help? Should he take it? From the depths of his tired heart, he appreciated it so much. He needed all the help he could get. However; in the back of his mind, a nagging voice told him to dismiss her. He saw Katrice again, offering her help and dying because of his weaknesses. He didn't want that. He didn't want another life to flash before his eyes.

"…You can trust me Natsu."

She spoke kindly, and he could almost see her younger form. After all, he knew this woman. He knew how strong she was, or at least had been. But was he strong enough to protect her when it came to it?

"…Okay, but you'll just lead me there. I'll handle the battles on my own, so promise me you won't get in my way."

Natsu whispered pleadingly, and the old woman nodded in turn. She was wise enough to know that there was a deeper meaning behind his cold and harsh words, and she was sensitive enough to mind her own business. Natsu Dragneel traced a small smile upon her agreement, while the she herself chuckled.

"What's wrong…?"

He asked.

"Something seems different about you. When you first entered here, you were always smiling…but now, your face is that of someone having lost something…Is it the sword's doing?"

The time mage just had to inquire, seeing his smile turn into a small frown. She regretted poking her nose in a little, but she just had to know. In front of her, the Dragonslayer remained voiceless and motionless for a while. She waited. She couldn't do anything but wait.

Natsu raised the sword's hilt once more, declaring;

"This is the link to the past I have lost; the memories I have forgotten, and the present I live in—the memories which remain. This is the key to the future I wish to find; the future I wish to save…"

A single tear fell down from his right eye, as he tried to remember everything. Igneel and the Dragons. Katrice, the Sirens and the Water-sprites. Ember, Ashley and the Dragonborn. His guild—Fairy Tail. His nakama. His friends from both the past and the present. Eara. Erza. Everyone who mattered, he remembered them all.

"…This is the promise which holds us together, the thread which connects our souls…"

"Natsu…"

Natsu heard a faint voice momentarily, as he gripped the handle tighter. Before, he would've called himself stupid for trying so hard at remembering something. He never would've expected that he'd go through such great lengths, trials and ordeals just so he could find something he had lost. But now—his views had changed. He himself had changed. The quest for his destiny was far from over; he wasn't even halfway done.

But still, even if nothing did truly change, save for the conflict which surfaced in his heart; he wanted to know. He wanted to find out for himself. What happened in the past? How did he end up going on this never ending journey? This sword held the answer to everything.

"…And this is the sword that binds us…the sword that binds us all."

Techniques and Translations

Proteus' Blaze: Titan's Firing Hammer—Summons an "Extremely large fist" from the ground. FMA style.

Virescent Water-Make: Clear Refraction—A defensive spell. Bends the attacks aimed against the user towards a different direction.

Virescent Water-Make: Twice Reflection—Do I really need to describe this? Huuh, I do? It's an uncommon spell used to return the opponent's magic with twice the power.

Virescent Water-Make: Shattered Mist—Replicates the L.O.E. mist experience.

Azure Water-Make: Binding Flow—Offensive restriction spell. User creates "Watery hands" to assault or capture an opponent.

Azure Water-Make: Drowning Pool—No, not the rock band. Offensive restriction spell. After bringing the opponent to a body of water, the user forces a whirlpool to stir the waters and hopefully give the opponent a watery grave.

Aqua Burst: Tearing Fountain—Like Old Faithful, this spell.

Azure Water-Make: Water Lock—A convenient clone of Juvia's more prominent spells.

Azure Water-Make: Water Spout—A smaller Old Faithful, this spell.

Aqua Burst: Hydro Cannon—A quick burst of concentrated water. Hydro pump anyone?

Dragonslayer Forbidden Exchange: Draconic Transmutation—Basically the forbidden art of physically changing one's body into a Dragon's in order to further utilize Dragonslayer magic to the fullest (Will be expanded later on). Ember uses this to change his entire form into that of a Dragon's with the help of his sword, and because of the sword's magic, he suddenly becomes immune to fire.

Dragonslayer Secret Art Revision—Crimson Lotus: Incandescent Thunderstorm—The move Natsu was going to use against Vincent Arguros. Think of it as a fusion between a thunderstorm and "Searing Magma", with you stuck in the middle; hence the term "Lightning above and fire below." Lots of hurt, this one.

Ignis Stigma: Punicea Plaga (Fire Brand: Crimson Cut)—A take on a big-ass Getsuga Tenshou, only it's flame based. Getsuga Tenshou? Read Bleach. Now.

Ignis Stigma: Lava Crusta (Fire Brand: Lava Shell)—An extremely amped up "Molten Shell" Capable of dispelling flame based attacks used against the user. Molten Shell? Never mind.

Lumen Stigma: Tres Caela (Light Brand: Three Heavens)—Vajura's most powerful spell. It's an attack which condenses all of the user's magic power and converts it into a single lightning strike, evidenced by a super loud boom of thunder. *BOOM*

…

Tace—Shut up!

Abeo—Move/ Go away! (Also, die!)

Quis es!?—Who are you!?

Ignes Inferni—Hellfire/The fires of hell.

Nihil Mutabitur—Nothing will change.

Gladius Titani—Titan's sword.

Et facta sunt fulgora, et voces et tonitrua; et terraemotus factus est magnus, qualis numquam fuit ex quo homines fuerunt super terram, talis terraemotus sic magnus— (Damn, that's long.) Well, in a nutshell, it means "And there were flashes and voices and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, one which had never been since mankind came upon earth, so great an earthquake it was, and so mighty." This was borrowed from the Vulgate, so forgive me if my translation ain't spot on. I'm thinking of having Legendary magic require chants to activate them.

Tonitrua Caeli—The Thunder of Heaven.

Lumen Indra—Light of Indra.

Dormi—Sleep.

Vale/ Aeternum Vale—Farewell (forever)

Special thanks to epic story reader for helping me with some of the tl's.

Sup?

'Bout time I start giving out answers, eh? Anyway, I was going to finish this a few months ago for a simultaneous update, but what the heck? To spare the long and boring explanation, things happened so please don't ask. As for the next chapter, I've basically given the equation for it: Old Woman Ultear + Time-returning fountain thingamajingy? You know what'll happen! The only questions are how will it happen and what will happen next? (more importantly, when will the next update be? Lol, I'll be sure to finish it as soon as I can.) Anyway, I've started a prequel to this story if you haven't known already and I have my reasons for doing it. Go check it out Solaris if you're interested.

…peace…