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Episode 1: Slayer of Souls

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Natsu frowned. The ground in Acnologia's dimension was made of bluish white crystals that reminded him of the Lacrima in the Tower of Heaven. The dimension stretched further than the eye could see and had many pillars of crystals that ranged between six and about sixty feet scattered seemingly at random. But the crystals that he trapped the others in when we first got here were silver. Why would they be the only thing that's a different color? It didn't matter, Natsu decided, only this final battle mattered.

"So, uh, does anyone know how we get out of here?" Sting asked, glancing around the group.

Cobra frowned. "That… is actually a really good question."

"He ate us," Sting continued, "Does that mean we'll go out his-"

"Idiot! Keep your eyes on him!" Rogue hissed.

"Yes, mom," Sting muttered while rolling his eyes.

Rogue scowled. "The King of Dragons is literally ten yards away! So don't you get an attitude with me-"

Cobra sighed. "Really, right now?"

"Quiet," Laxus interrupted. Lightning flickered across his fists. "You can have your lovers' quarrel after we slay this dragon."

"Iron Shadow Dragon Mode," Gajeel growled, glaring at the king of dragons. Black magic flickered from Gajeel's skin like flame while his eyes shifted white. "I'm gonna make you pay for stealing my look, ya bastard!" he roared as he charged Acnologia.

Acnologia lifted a brow. "Mixing attributes?"

Don't run off without me!" Natsu cried, racing after Gajeel. Sting shot after him with Rogue following a moment later.

"Wait!" Wendy cried. "Oh, nevermind! Arms, Vernier, Ile Armor!" Wendy murmured before a white sheen surrounded everyone except the Dragon King.

"Those brats," Laxus muttered. "Wendy, Cobra, let us feel him out before you jump in," Laxus said before sprinting after Natsu.

Wendy nodded. "Okay!"

Cobra scowled. "It's Erik!"

"Iron Dragon Sword!" Gajeel's arm transformed into a black broadsword as he raced toward the king.

"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" Natsu called as both of his arms were consumed by fire. Acnologia sidestepped Gajeel's swipe and ducked under Natsu's extended arms before creating a blue orb in his hand. Natsu grinned.

Laxus shot a bolt of lightning at the Dragon King's back, which Acnologia blocked by spinning and shooting the orb in his hand. The orb smashed through the lightning with ease, forcing Laxus to duck. Natsu lunged at Acnologia's back.

Fire Dragon's Iron Fist! Acnologia ducked under the punch, only to find Gajeel leveling his Iron Dragon's Sword at the Dragon King's chest. Gajeel lunged, thrusting with all his might. Streams of energy from his feet propelled Acnologia over the attack. A blue orb formed in his hand before the king threw it into Gajeel's back, drawing a pained yell, creating a cloud of dust, and forcing Natsu to shield his eyes.

Laxus roared, launching a tornado of lightning. Acnologia thrust a hand toward one of the pillars, then black energy in the shape of a dragon's claw wrapped around the pillar, pulling Acnologia away from the lightning. The moment he landed, the dragon claw pulled back into his hand, and the dragon king found a tornado and purple fog racing toward him.

Acnologia extended his arm with his palm facing the sky; then he threw the hand overhead. The ground in front of him cracked before a blue pillar of magic erupted. The tornado and fog struck the pillar and exploded backward, sending Wendy and Cobra tumbling back.

It was then two pairs of hands wrapped around the king's ankles. Acnologia snapped down, a blue orb growing in his palm when Laxus landed atop the pillar next to him. The hands let go of the king when Laxus punched Acnologia's jaw, making him take a step back.

Laxus planted another lighting cloaked fist into the king's jaw with a roar, launching him into the air, then Laxus shot a blast of lightning from his mouth at Acnologia's chest. The king flipped away from the attack to land on his feet, but before Acnologia could regain his footing, Natsu landed in front of him.

Acnologia thrust his palm at Natsu, launching a burst of wind that forced him back and created a small trench. Natsu slammed his fists together while Acnologia pointed at him. Two hands sprung from shadow and wrapped around the Dragon King's ankles again as two shadows rushed him from his flanks. Natsu grit his teeth. Blaze Dragon King Mode!

Sting and Rogue leaped from the shadows at Acnologia's flanks. "White Shadow Dragon's Rough Silk!" Thin beams of shadow and light engulfed Acnologia from every angle, drawing an annoyed grunt. The beams fell as soon as they came, and Natsu charged. He grinned when Acnologia's eyes widened. The black claw of energy from moments ago materialized around the king.

"Fire Dragon King's Demolition fist!" Natsu roared as he struck, launching a torrent of flames that launched the dragon king off his feet and carved a black trench a mile long into the ground. Natsu panted, glaring at the scorched crystals before him. The flames surrounding him receded when he sensed his friends' coming to his side.

"Nice!" Sting grinned. Rogue smiled. Laxus landed next to Natsu with Wendy and Cobra joining them a second later. Natsu kept his eyes in the direction Acnologia had been blasted in. I can't see him because of those pillars he smashed through.

"I can't believe he packed so much power in that little ball," Gajeel groaned as shifted from his shadow form. "I could've sworn I shifted into a shadow before I was hit too," he muttered under his breath. Wendy frowned and murmured to herself before Gajeel's wound began to close.

"Wait, you said he hit when you tried to turn into a shadow?" Natsu asked, his eyes focused on the Acnologia's direction. He should be back by now, what's taking him so long?

"Yeah," Gajeel said, sounding as though the admission pained him, "I tried to shift when he jumped over me."

Laxus clenched his jaw. "I was afraid of this."

"What?" Natsu asked, glancing back at Laxus.

"He didn't hit a shadow," Laxus explained, "He hit Gajeel's soul itself. The damage done to his soul transferred over to his physical form."

"W-what?" Wendy cried. Gajeel cursed, Rogue flinched, and Natsu scowled.

"How the hell would he even do that?" Sting demanded.

"I'm not sure how," Laxus admitted. "It's probably a combination of several types of magic."

Gajeel grunted. "I heard he ate the magic of hundreds of dragons."

"Some legends called him the Slayer of Souls," Natsu interjected. "The legends only mentioned him slaying a dragon's soul, but it ain't that weird to think he could hurt human souls." It looks like I'm not the only one who did some digging while we were apart.

Rogue narrowed his eyes. "Come to think of it; our parents said he removed their souls."

Wendy shivered. "I-I still don't understand."

Natsu placed a hand on her shoulder and grinned. "We don't need to get his magic to beat him. We know some of what it does, that's enough to counter it!"

"He's getting closer," Erik hissed, tensing. "I don't know why, but it sounds like he's taking his time."

"He still isn't taking this seriously," Gajeel growled.

"Any clue what he thought when we fought?" Natsu asked, glancing at Erik.

"No. I can't read his thoughts at all," Erik admitted, clenching his fists. "My Sound Magic is only good for hearing the bastard's footsteps."

"Damn," Gajeel muttered. "I guess only Dragon Slaying magic works on him, after all."

Erik tensed. "Everyone! He's-"

An enormous orb of blue magic crashed into the earth five yards before them. The magic faded a second later. Acnologia stood before them, unscathed and smiling as though genuinely pleased. Natsu scowled and lifted his fists.

"I hope you made use of the reprieve I gave you," Acnologia's smile widened into a grin of such bloodthirst even Natsu shivered. "It'll be the only one you get. From here on out, it'll be a repulsive blood-drenched battle! The only way a battle between dragons should be!"

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I hope you enjoy this. I'll update when I can. My main project right now is On the Shoulders of Giants.

Thank you for reading.