Response to Freerunner op: this is not a bashing fic. It's a rewrite of a battle I felt was underwhelming after Acnologia being built up for 300 chapters. The Dragon King's Avatar is inspired by the Yamata-No-Orochi of mythology. I gave it 7 heads instead of 8 because 7 is brought up so often in Fairy Tail. Although, having Acnologia say stabilize while powering up wasn't wise in hindsight.

I own nothing. Please support the official release. By buying it. In case you didn't get what that means.

Episode 4: Purge of Dragons

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"Run!" Natsu howled. Sting shifted into a shadow, and Laxus darted away as lightning while Natsu and Gajeel ran. Acnologia waved his arm, and the dragon fired the spheres. Natsu and Gajeel dove, then the spheres struck the ground, detonating in blasts that sent them flying with pained cries.

Natsu flipped to land on his feet with a grimace while Gajeel collided with a pillar. Before him, there were four craters deeper than a man's height and twice as wide as their depth. Most of the blast went up on impact, so we can't just jump over them to dodge. The heat they have is no joke either. He froze. Wait, only four blasts?

Two heads of the dragon turned to him, then they both fired another blast. "Fire Dragon King's Roar!" Natsu exhaled a stream of flame that forced one of the blasts to detonate, that explosion caught the second blast, making it explode too. Natsu grinned while Acnologia narrowed his eyes. It looks like they explode easy enough.

The dragon's tails slapped the ground in irritation. He stared. Wisps of black energy oozed from the tails. Natsu's grin fell into a satisfied smirk. We did injure it after all!

"Looks like the tails regenerate," Gajeel grumbled, crouching. The dragon snarled as Acnologia rushed them. He's much slower now. Gajeel's gaze sharpened. "Let's see if those necks regenerate too." Natsu summoned flames to both hands.

A tail swung at them from either side. "Iron Dragon's Club!" Gajeel snarled. Iron clubs taller than Natsu sprung up around them. The tails struck the clubs, making them bend back toward them.

"Fire Dragon King's Brilliant Flame!" Natsu threw an enormous orb of fire at the middle dragon's neck. Another head stretched in front of the middle head to take the blast. The head he'd struck lurched back as fangs flew from its mouth. Why did it take that hit for the other head? Two heads and two tails lunged at them. Natsu and Gajeel leaped back with all their might.

Five heads faced them with black spheres forming before their maws. Natsu's eyes widened in horror. Acnologia smiled as the dragon fired all five blasts. He's aiming for our landing!

"White-Shadow Dragon's Powerful Breath!"

"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!"

"Sky Dragon's Shattering Light: Sky Drill!"

"Poison Dragon's Fanged Thrust!" A black and white beam, a giant purple serpent, a halberd of lightning, and a drilling tornado flew from their backs and smashed Acnologia's blasts. The spells exploded with such force Natsu and Gajeel were sent flying with stunned cries.

Laxus snatched Natsu out of the air while Sting and Rogue caught Gajeel. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Rogue said with a grimace. The wound on his chest was sealed, leaving only a red burn with a large bruise surrounding it over his lung.

"We'd have been here sooner, but that avatar thing almost got us in its first attack," Sting added, wiping a trickle of blood from his busted lip. He had a small burn on a hand and one on his cheek.

"Better late than never," Natsu smirked as he faced Acnologia. Gajeel nodded at Rogue before doing the same. Wendy, Erik, and Laxus stood in front of them.

"Are you two okay?" Wendy asked, her eyes locked on Acnologia. "Do you need me to take a look at you?" Natsu waved her off.

"Well, they're definitely not okay," Erik snorted. "You look like shit, Salamander." He paused, glancing at Gajeel. "You too, Black Steel."

"I'll stab you when this is over," Gajeel muttered darkly. Acnologia crouched, and their brief reprieve ended.

"He's coming," Laxus told them, "Anything we should know?"

"The tails regenerate," Gajeel growled. "And they pack a hell of a punch."

"He can't use all seven tails to attack at once," Natsu said, "And the three tails in the middle can't wrap around him fully when he defends."

"Not much to go on," Sting frowned. Acnologia crouched, then charged.

"It'll have to do!" Natsu replied as the dragon bared its enormous teeth. This spell of his is too good to be true. It must have some weakness!

"White-Shadow Dragon's Powerful Breath!" Sting and Rogue exhaled a beam of black and white crashed into the dragon and exploded, covering it in smoke and debris.

"Poison Dragon's Roar!" Erik hissed before firing a fog of purple poison.

"Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!" Wendy cried, with a wave of her arms, she launched a whirlwind that sent Erik's fog careening at Acnologia. With a swipe of its tail, the dragon dispersed the whirlwind, revealing Natsu, Gajeel, and Laxus were behind it. Acnologia's eyes widened in alarm.

"Lightning Dragon's Iron Fist!" Laxus leaped and planted his fist beneath the jaw of a head, making it jerk back. A tail swung from his blind spot, and Natsu surged forward.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu struck the tail from below, sending it flying over Laxus.

"Iron Dragon's Sword!" Gajeel roared as he slammed his broadsword into a throat, only for the sword to bounce off. Cursing, Gajeel flipped away from a tail swipe. Laxus backpedaled as well, then Natsu inhaled deeply.

"Fire Dragon King's Roar!" He exhaled a gout of flames that consumed four of the dragon's heads. For a moment, the dragon was still, and then three heads lunged through the smoke. Natsu dove to the side, barely managing to catch himself on his knees, only to find two tails lurching at him. Laxus was there in a flash of lightning and threw Natsu aside.

The tails collided with Laxus' chest, throwing him through the air. Natsu rolled to stand when six of the dragon's heads blasted giant spheres at everyone except Laxus, forcing them to leap, dive, and run. The middle head leaned back and opened its maw. Blue energy whirled before the middle head. Every instinct Natsu had screamed a warning.

"You bastard!" Natsu roared while cocking back a fist. If that hits Laxus, there'll be nothing left of him! "Fire Dragon King's-" Two heads shot a giant black sphere at him each. They collided with Natsu before exploding, sending him skidding several yards on his back. He heard Sting and Rogue shout, and Gajeel curse and rolled onto his belly.

The dragon blasted a massive beam at Laxus that roared as it flew. After a moment, the beam faded, leaving a black trench that stretched beyond his eyes could see. Natsu stared, his heart pounding in his ears. He heard no scream of pain, that gave him some hope, but he knew the beam's roar could have drowned out a scream. No! He's probably just a little hurt and can't get back up quickly! Natsu clenched his fists so tightly he drew blood. He has to be alive!

A gust of wind sent him rolling several yards. Two of the dragons' heads crashed into the earth where Natsu had lain a second ago. "White-Shadow Dragon's Vortex!" Sting and Rogue called. A black circle formed around the two heads lodged in the earth. They're using the gravity created by their Shadow Magic to hold it in place!

"Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" Gajeel roared as his arm shifted into an enormous black broadsword. "Karma Demon: Iron God Sword!" He brought the blade down on the dragon's trapped necks with all his might. Natsu's eyes widened when the blade sank a few inches into the necks.

Gajeel's arm shifted from its sword form as Acnologia snarled. The dragon gave a deafening roar that shook the earth as it wrenched its captured heads free. Gajeel was sent flying by a tail swipe while Sting and Rogue shifted into shadows before slinking away.

"Poison Dragon's Guard!" Erik shouted as he thrust both of his hands out. Purple liquid flew from his hands and formed a wall. Wendy waved an arm, shooting a gust of wind that cushioned Gajeel's impact with the wall. The dragon's tails swung at Sting and Rogue, forcing them to flee toward the others.

Natsu gritted his teeth as he sprinted faster than he ever had before. Five heads turned toward his friends and gathered black energy in their maws. He slid to a stop and cocked his fist back. The dragon fired a barrage of black fangs so massive covered the sky.

"Fire Dragon King's Purgatory!" Natsu roared. He punched, launching a blast of flames so massive it was all he could see in front of him. The fangs covered nearly every inch of the earth within fifty yards of them. They dissolved after a moment. Acnologia stared at him with an unreadable gaze. Black wisps floated from the back of his Avatar's wounded necks.

"Thank you," Wendy said, wiping the small cut on her cheek. A few of the fangs got through my spell.

"No problem," Natsu replied without breaking eye contact with Acnologia. There were fewer black wisps coming from the dragon's wounded necks already. The dragon can regenerate quicker than it normally does when he's not attacking.

"We didn't see the spell coming," Erik grimaced, "He probably threw Black Steel at us because he knew we'd be distracted by it."

Wendy hesitated. "Natsu, do you think Laxus-"

"He's alive," Natsu cut in, "That guy's too stubborn to die. He's probably trapped in some rubble behind us." Wendy nodded slowly.

Gajeel rose with a grunt. Natsu glanced back at him. There were two small dents in Gajeel's chest. Good thing his Dragon Force turns him to iron. Wendy stepped toward Gajeel, her hands glowing with a healing spell, but he waved her away.

Natsu narrowed his eyes at Acnologia, "How could Black Steel hurt that dragon more than I did?"

Sting scrunched his brow. "I hadn't thought about it, but that doesn't make any sense." Gajeel scowled while Rogue frowned thoughtfully.

"A strike behind the neck?" Erik muttered, "That's it! That dragon has the same weakness as my Fanged Thr-" Acnologia surged forward.

"Scatter!" Gajeel shouted. "Salamander, stay here!" The others obeyed his command without hesitation, except Erik, who hesitated a second before retreating. Gajeel crouched, shooting Natsu a sharp look. I get it. We're the bait. Natsu summoned his fire, making Gajeel wince. Three tails fell upon them from above, and Gajeel knelt. "Iron Dragon's Club!"

Iron clubs sprung from the earth to form a tent above them. The dragon's tails struck the pillars with such force the clubs bent back until they nearly reached Natsu. Wait, he only used three tails? Natsu dove, tackling Gajeel before a black tail exploded from the ground. A head shot blasts of black fangs while another fired a giant black sphere. An iron club shot from the earth, throwing Natsu and Gajeel away from the spells to land on their feet.

"White-Shadow Dragon's Holy Ray!" A hundred black and white rays flew from Acnologia's right. Two of the dragon's heads turned and fired black fangs. The fangs and beams collided, detonating in a blinding shower. Sting and Rogue cried out in pain, and the middle head turned to them. Acnologia smiled, and blue energy swirled around the middle head. Natsu inhaled while Gajeel extended an arm. Four tails swung at Natsu and Gajeel, forcing them to leap back.

Gajeel cursed. "Our spells won't make it!"

"Lightning Dragon's Breakdown Fist!" A giant fist of lightning collided with the middle head of the dragon. The middle head's neck jerked to the side, making its enormous beam fly to Sting and Rogue's right. Acnologia scowled while Natsu grinned. He's alive! His left arm and leg were burnt black, and his arm hung limply at his side, but he was alive. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" Laxus shouted as he blasted a vortex of lightning at the middle head's neck.

The dragon's three middle tails lurched to cover the middle head's neck. Acnologia snarled, two heads shot a shower of black fangs in Laxus' direction. Laxus shifted into lightning and soared around the black fangs. Another head snapped to Laxus, black energy swirling around its maw. "White-Shadow Dragon's roar!" A giant beam struck the dragon's side, allowing Laxus to escape in his lightning form.

He's wide open! "Fire Dragon King's-"

"Iron Dragon's Lance-"

"Wait!" Erik shouted as he sprinted in front of them. Gajeel swung his arm down, sending his lance into the ground while Natsu jerked to throw his fireball to his right. It detonated in an explosion capable of incinerating Erik.

Natsu glared at Erik. "You idiot! We almost killed you!"

Gajeel snarled. "We have to help them now-"

"I know why Black Steel could hurt the dragon!" Erik cut in. Natsu and Gajeel froze. "It has a soft spot right where the dragon's heads and neck meet. Hit one of the heads there, and the whole neck will fall apart."

The entire neck will be destroyed if the heads are cut off? What would happen if- Natsu grimaced as he watched the dragon blast another barrage of black fangs. Sting and Rogue dove behind a pillar, narrowly escaping the fangs. Gajeel drew breath to question Erik, but Natsu spoke first. "Got it! We'll aim there."

Wendy's magic surged behind them. She skidded to a stop next to him. She panted heavily. "I-I'm sorry... finding Laxus… was hard."

There's only one way to find out if I'm right. "Gajeel, give me an opening. I've got an idea," Natsu said.

Gajeel glanced at him, then nodded. "You'd better be right about this," he growled, glaring at Erik before sprinting to join the battle. Erik rolled his eyes and ran after Gajeel. Natsu placed a hand on Wendy's shoulder.

Natsu grinned at her. "We're gonna destroy that dragon together!" She leaned in as he explained quietly. "Now," he said once he finished. "Take a few steps back and wait for my signal. They'll only last a couple of minutes, so watch closely." Wendy nodded and turned back to the fight.

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Gajeel crouched, narrowly ducking beneath a tail swipe. Laxus and Sting showered the dragon's torso with white rays and bolts of lightning. Acnologia frowned, and the dragon hissed. A tail swept across the ground and Laxus and Sting leaped back. Our attacks aren't doing much damage on the outside, but they seem to be bothering him.

Erik and Rogue ran to opposite sides of Acnologia. "Poison Dragon's Roar!" Erik shouted, exhaling a giant fog of poison.

"Shadow Dragon's Roar!" Rogue called as he fired a black beam. Acnologia dispersed Erik and Rogue's spells with a swing of a tail each. A head on both sides of the dragon lunged, forcing Rogue and Erik to dive. The heads missed them by inches, the power of their strikes sent Erik and Rogue skidding.

Two more heads lurched at Erik and Rogue. "Lightning Dragon's Roar!" A tornado of lightning slammed into one head's neck, throwing it to the ground.

"Iron Dragon's Club!" Clubs sprung up in front of Rogue. A hand sprung from behind Rogue and dragged him into his shadow. The shadows winded away while Erik scrambled to safety. Acnologia growled, his white eyes shining with malice.

"Iron Dragon's Roar!" Gajeel howled, blasting a black tornado into the dragon's chest. Even as his lungs burned, he roared. The others rained lightning, beams, and poison on the dragon. Then a head burst through Gajeel's tornado with its maws open. Gajeel lifted his arms to cover his throat before the dragon's jaws clamped down upon him, and he screamed.

The black iron of his body screeched as giant fangs slowly sank into him. The dragon shook its head as hard as it could, making Gajeel's vision swim and its fangs dig in deeper. Iron clubs sprung from his body, forcing the dragon's mouth open. It whipped its neck, hurling him into the ground.

Gajeel shot to his feet, then a giant black sphere crashed into him and detonated. Gasping and lying on his back in a crater, Gajeel could only stare up at the dragon. Before it could finish him, white rays, black beams, streams of poison, and lightning bolts assailed the dragon from every angle.

Four of the dragon's tails lashed out, blowing the spells away. It fired black spheres to its right, and Erik screamed. The dragon snarled as it turned to face Laxus. Gajeel rolled before a tail slammed into the earth where he'd been. He grunted as he pushed himself to stand. Iron Clubs sprung from the ground to form a tent around Gajeel. A tail crashed into the iron tent, but the iron stood strong.

Laxus cried out, making Gajeel snap back to the battle. It was then he saw it from the corner of his eye, a tornado raging far behind the dragon. A trail of fire soared from the tornado's tip.

The fire cut across the sky like a meteor before fading above the dragon's back. Gajeel's eyes widened as Natsu fell from the flames. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think, even the sounds of the battle faded as he watched. Fire shot from Natsu's feet and Acnologia stiffened.

"Fire Dragon King's Demolition Fist!" Natsu roared as he struck the middle head where its head met its neck and blasted an enormous river of fire. The dragon exploded in black wisps before the middle head could hit the ground. That's why he protected the middle head! It was the key to the spell!

Natsu landed in a crouch while Acnologia fell to a knee panting heavily, sweat cascading down his face. Gajeel's arm shifted into a club as he rushed the Dragon King. "Dragon King's Soft Silk!" Acnologia growled. Blue beams shot from his fingers to latch onto Natsu's limbs. He flicked his wrist, making the beams wrap around Natsu.

"Iron Dragon's Club!" Gajeel's club extended until it struck Acnologia's jaw. The Dragon King backpedaled, but the blue beams remained. "Iron Dragon's Club!" Three clubs sprung from the ground on both sides of Acnologia's arm. The Dragon King snarled.

"Dragon King's Wing Attack!" Acnologia hissed. He swung his arm, wrenching the clubs in front of him from the ground.

"Poison Dragon's Fanged Thrust!"

"Lightning Dragon's Heavenward Halberd!" A purple serpent and a halberd of lightning smashed Acnologia from both sides, launching him off his feet. Acnologia grunted and flipped to land in a crouch. Heat surged at Gajeel's side.

"White-Shadow Dragon's Powerful Breath!" Sting and Rogue shouted from his right. A swirling beam of black and white crashed into Acnologia and exploded, throwing him through the air.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" A tornado flew from Gajeel's side with such force; it tore the ground beneath it as it traveled.

"Iron Dragon's Roar!" Gajeel exhaled a tornado filled with shards of black iron. The tornadoes struck Acnologia simultaneously, hurling him higher into the air. The heat at his side rose until he could barely withstand it.

Natsu leaped high into the air. "Fire Dragon King's Brilliant Flame!" He roared as he threw a fireball twice his size at Acnologia. The fireball exploded upon impact, launching the Dragon King into the ground with a pained yell.

"Everyone! Let's finish this!" Natsu howled. "Fire Dragon King's Roar!"

"Iron Dragon's Roar!"

"Lightning Dragon's Roar!"

"Poison Dragon's Roar!"

"White-Shadow Dragon's Roar!"

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" A massive flare of fire, a tornado loaded with black iron, a vortex of lightning, a fog of poison, a beam of black and white, and a tornado flew at Acnologia side by side. Their roars exploded with such force all except Natsu stumbled back. For several seconds, Gajeel couldn't see anything through the debris. When the air cleared, Gajeel found trenches, craters, scorched earth, and rubble where Acnologia had been.

Everyone panted, and Laxus swayed. Wendy caught him before Gajeel could move. Wendy's hands were covered in blue energy as she lifted her hands to Laxus' blackened side. The blue energy flickered, making her frown, and pour more magic into the spell. We've used too much magic. I've got about four or five full power spells left before I'm finished. Of the seven of them, only Natsu's shoulders didn't sag with exhaustion.

Gajeel sniffed the air. I can't smell or sense anything. He can't be dead; he has to be suppressing his magic and scent. Erik stiffened, then the ground before the Dragon Slayers cracked. A blue sphere burst from the ground in front of Wendy and Laxus. A purple stream struck its side, forcing it to fly wide.

It detonated tens of yards behind them. The rush of heat and vibrations through the earth made Gajeel twitch. Erik panted, his arm still extended. His hearing is on a different level. Wendy stared at the hole in front of her for a moment while Laxus grimaced.

"There!" Erik growled, pointing at a pile of blackened rubble. The rubble flew into the air, revealing Acnologia. The Dragon King's torso and limbs were covered in tiny cuts and bruises. Gajeel and Natsu smirked. The others are giving him a hard time too. They must've attacked him a second after we did. Acnologia clenched his fist as he fell into a stance. Blue energy exploded from him instantly.

The air became hotter, heavier, yet a chill slithered down Gajeel's spine. A blue pillar erupted from Acnologia and flew so high he couldn't see its top. Black and blue wisps rose from across the battlefield into the sky. "He's gathering the magic from his earlier spells!" Laxus barked. "He's trying to end this right now!"

The ground beneath Acnologia fissured, the fissures extended, branching out in all directions. The Dragon Slayers cried out, backpedaling, and Laxus's blackened leg gave out. Natsu grabbed Laxus and ran. Gajeel and the others followed. Is the ground being crushed beneath the pressure of his spell?

He gritted his teeth and breathed in deeply. I'm done running! Gajeel exhaled, launching a black tornado filled with iron shards. Acnologia narrowed his eyes; then, a black claw sprung from his hand. His tornado cut through the blue energy, only to wash over the claw harmlessly. The fissures spread further as blue energy flew through the black claw. The cracks aren't large enough to swallow us at this distance.

Sting and Rogue spoke as one, "White-Shadow Dragon's-"

"Wait!" Wendy cried, pointing at the black claw. "The magic he was gathering is gone!"

"Gone?" Gajeel frowned. "His spell failed?" Gajeel spun his hand shifting to a broadsword. I'll kill him before we find out! "Dragon Slayer Secret Art-

"It's there!" Natsu pointed at the sky. They looked up. Miles above them, there was a titanic, shining blue and black sphere. It's the size of Magnolia! For a moment, all was still, and then the sphere began to spin.

"Dragon Slayer Forbidden Art," Acnologia said, his voice as cold as ice, "Dragon King's Purge!" Orbs of black and blue large enough to engulf them all flew from the titanic sphere, smothering the sky with their light. Meteors! Too many to count, too many to dodge, too many for anything! Gajeel realized, gritting his teeth. Levy...

"Impossible," Rogue muttered, looking dazed as he stared at the sky.

Wendy could only stare. "How can one person be this strong?"

"That fool!" Erik hissed. "Does he want to die too?"

"We don't have enough time to destroy that claw shield before those things up there crush us," Laxus barked.

"Let's sync and crush this spell!" Natsu growled as fire surrounded him.

Gajeel exhaled heavily as he shifted his arm into a spear. "Unison Raid?"

"Yup!"

"Rogue," Sting said, extending a hand. Rogue took it with a nod. Their auras of white and black magic became one. As the meteors drew closer, the ground cracked and sank in on itself.

"Poison Dragon's Roar!"

"White-Shadow Dragon's Holy Ray!

"Lightning Dragon's Roar!"

"Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!"

"Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!"

"Fire Dragon King's Roar!" Fire, iron, poison, light, shadow, air, and lightning became one and collided with the meteor shower, and Gajeel knew no more.

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Acnologia panted as he knelt on a knee. The Dragon King's Purge had left his dimension a smoking, scorched crater that stretched farther than the eye could see. He shut his eyes with a frown, extending his senses to search for the magic of his seven foes. I can't sense them. A part of Acnologia had hoped they'd survived if only so he could fight them a bit longer.

His cloak was in tatters, and his back was covered in countless bruises. Three of my ribs and my right leg are fractured. He would only have bruises had he not lost his left hand. Acnologia cursed. It seems it is impossible to create two Adamantine Claws with one hand. I can still finish Ishgar; that's the only good thing I can say right now.

Their final spell was brilliant. In spite of their lack of experience fighting as a group, they managed a magnificent Unison Raid. I'm glad my final hunt on this continent was with worthy opponents.

Then, he felt it, a mighty magic he couldn't recognize. He scoured the area again. Wait, I know this feeling! This is the magic that came from their Unison Raid! The power of all seven in one. His eyes snapped to the large hole thirty yards before him. He'd thought it just another one of the countless holes scattered around the scorching crater. They hid underground.

A figure wreathed in flame leaped from the hole and charged. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art!" The Fire Dragon roared with a fury that shook the heavens. Acnologia's eyes widened in alarm. I can't move yet! "Crimson Lotus: Phoenix Blade!"

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That was hard to write. I never want to write a fight scene with so many characters at once ever again. Still fun, though. I've never written anything like this.

The next chapter will be much shorter. The list of Acnologia's spells will make it seem much longer than it really will be. How'd the fight with Acnologia go in the anime?

I hope you liked this chapter. Tell me what you think? Does it seem fitting for the final battle of such a long series?