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Location unknown – Year X100 Giltena Continent
The land shook and burned from the force of magic exuded by the two colossal dragons that stood before one another. For the first time in almost two hundred years two Royal Dragons had engaged in a mating ritual display. The male dragon known to all of Dragonkind as Fire Dragon King Ignis was burning everything around him simply by exuding a fraction of his magic upon the land. Across from him stood the female dragon known to Dragonkind as Earth Dragon Queen Terraneel the land suffering constant quakes as she exuded her own magic in a show of power against her potential suitor.
"Your power is everything the legends speak of, Terraneel!" Ignis roared out in apparent joy, the land around quickly scorched black.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Ignis! Come and show me how powerful you really are if you hope to mate me!" Terraneel roared back the land around the two mighty dragons fracturing into massive chasms from her power.
It was shortly after this mating display that a large area of land all but disappeared from the Giltena continent. A successful Royal Dragon mating ritual would do no less damage to the landscape. This collateral damage, along with how prideful Royal Dragons were known to be, was why Royal Dragons often didn't try and court one another. However from the union of the Fire Dragon King Ignis and the Earth Dragon Queen Terraneel a new Royal Dragon was born, Magma Dragon King Igneel.
272 Years Later – Alakitasia
Igneel sniffed the air as he emerged from the cave he had been sleeping in. It appeared the mighty Magma Dragon King would be having a visitor today. From out of the forest surrounding the cave he had taken up residence in a young man emerged. Black hair, with red eyes and dressed in a black cloak with gold designs the young man reeked of powerful, but cursed, magic. He also appeared to have some sort of large, by human size standards at least, object wrapped in thick cloth on a small cart he was pulling behind him. Upon seeing the massive dragon the young man stopped and let go of the cart he was pulling so that he could bow low to the dragon before him.
"Are you the dragon known as Igneel?" the young man questioned from his bow.
"That is Magma Dragon King Igneel; human, you'd do well to remember it." Igneel rumbled back to the young man.
"Yes, of course, Magma Dragon King. I meant no disrespect. I have come seeking a favor that is beyond my human power to acquire." The cursed young man replied still bowed at the waist.
"Hmm, then look up and speak your request. I shall hear you out." Igneel responded as he fully emerged from the cave and stood tall in front of the young human.
"Thank you, Magma Dragon King, I've but one request. Please save my brother! I've done something horrible in my quest to help him." The young man said as he pulled the cloth from the wrapped object revealing a much younger human floating inside of a glass tube.
"I see, he reeks of demon." Igneel replied after taking a sniff of the tube. "He also smells slightly of decay. You tried to bring him back to life didn't you?"
"Yes, I tried to use Living Magic to breathe life back into my brother Natsu. But the only thing that showed any success at creating life with Living Magic was Demon Particles. But it only made him into a rampaging monster that lacked control. I sealed this Etherious form and power into this book." The young man stated a tear escaping his eye as he held up a book with E.N.D. on the cover.
"So that is how you ended up cursed so horribly, you tried to tread in the domain of your Gods. You humans truly don't learn from the lessons of your ancestors, do you? Why do you think there aren't any Living Magic mages in this world? They all went too far into their research and were cursed for it." Igneel declared with a snort of smoke. The cursed man only looked down in shame at what he'd done to his little brother. "Tell me your name cursed one, and then tell me how you expect me to save your sibling." Igneel demanded as he looked down at the young man that was trying to collect himself.
"Zeref, my name is Zeref Dragneel, Magma Dragon King. I've heard tales of human Dragonslayers that are raised by dragons. They practically become dragons themselves. Surely you could save my brother with the power of a dragon?" Zeref pleaded with Igneel.
"You do not know of what you speak, Zeref Dragneel!" Igneel roared out causing every animal in the forest to flee in panic. "The Dragon Soul Ritual is not something that can be done half way, any bastardized form of it will only lead to instability and a desire to consume the flesh of Dragonkin to try and fix that instability. Eventually the fate of any that use a bastardized form of the Ritual will be to undergo Dragonification and become a mindless dragon that destroys everything in its path. Is that what you want for your brother?!"
"NO! I want nothing like that for Natsu! But if it means saving him from becoming the monster I made him into then wouldn't he be better off as a dragon?!" Zeref yelled back with tears running down his face in self-loathing.
"I see, so you would be ok with your brother undergoing the full Dragon Soul Ritual? To become my son in every way that matters? To have him become a dragon in human flesh? The Dragon Soul Ritual will burn away everything about him that isn't natural; the Demon Seed that resides within him will be destroyed as will his connection to that book you hold. He won't remember you or much of his past, he will only know himself and that he is my son. Are you sure you want this fate for him?" Igneel questioned while looking down at Zeref as if judging the cursed human's resolve.
"If it will grant him a life of his own and free him from the cursed existence that I forced upon him then I'd prefer he be a dragon in human flesh that doesn't remember his foolish, cursed older brother." Zeref replied with determination as he stared into Igneel's eyes unblinking.
"So be it then!" Igneel replied with what could only be considered a grin by dragon standards. "I'll take Natsu as my own son. The Ritual only requires that he spend a prolonged amount of time suffused in my draconic magic to facilitate the change. I will keep him inside of that tube of yours until the Ritual is complete; he should wake up once he no longer needs that tube to survive. You will not return here though, Zeref Dragneel, he will no longer be your concern but will be my son, Natsu Dragneel, the Magma Dragon Slayer!"
"Yes, that would be for the best." Zeref replied a small smile on his tear streaked face. "Please take care of him, hopefully I'll find a way to put an end to my curse without needing to meet him again." With that Zeref turned and walked back into the forest leaving behind the cart and the tube that contained his little brother Natsu.
"Let's get the Dragon Soul Ritual started, my son." Igneel said fondly as he used two of his claws to pick up the tube and carried it back into the cave. He gently laid the tube on the cave floor before encircling it with his body as he laid down to sleep; the large amount of dragon magic that naturally diffused from his body washing over the tube with the intention of changing the one inside of it into the son of a Dragon King.
1 Year Later – Alakitasia
"I've got you this time dad!" called out the young pink-haired Natsu as he rushed towards his father Igneel. "Magma Dragon's Burning Fist!" Natsu's fist and forearm were coated in a layer of lava as he jumped towards his dragon father and tried to punch him in the face. Igneel's tail smacked him out of the air, gently by dragon standards, and sent Natsu careening into the small pond that was near their cave. Steam erupted from the pond where Natsu impacted as his lava encased fist boiled the water on contact. Natsu quickly resurfaced sputtering and spitting out water as he paddled his way to the edge of the pond and got out of the water.
"Not fast enough yet, hatchling." Igneel chuckled at his son causing Natsu to growl at him.
"Are you two fighting again?" called a soft voice from the forest. Both Natsu and Igneel turned their heads to look at who was coming to visit them. A blonde woman with a face and body that would only be described as beautiful by men walked out of the forest with a smile at the father and son pair. Wearing elegant red and white robes with a high-collared cloak, the woman also wore a keyhole blouse and a long dress.
"Anna!" Natsu yelled with a smile as he ran over to the woman and hugged her.
"It's good to see you too, Natsu." Anna said with a smile of her own as she hugged the five year old.
"Igneel is teaching me how to use magic now! It's super cool! Wanna see? Huh? Do you? Do You?" Natsu asked excitedly as he bounced around the blonde woman.
"After our lessons, Natsu, go ahead and get your things so we can start, ok?" Anna replied with another smile when the young dragonslayer pouted at not getting to show off before he headed back up towards the cave to collect his parchment and books for his lessons from Anna. Once Natsu was out of hearing range Anna turned to Igneel with a serious look. "The Eclipse Gate is being constructed; in a few years we'll be ready to enact the plan. I hope that Natsu and the other children will be ready by then."
"Of course, Acnologia has hidden himself away to try and recover through hibernation. My mother and father did a severe amount of damage to him from what I've heard." Igneel replied with a grimace at the thought of the black dragon.
"Yes, though you have my condolences for your loss. It can't be easy to lose both your parents." Anna stated sadly looking down.
"My father and mother died in a manner befitting of Royal Dragons, battling a usurper to their status and power. Had Acnologia not hidden himself away I'd have finished what my parents started. Though without his left arm and with a body covered in burn scars that will never fully heal it wouldn't have been much of a fight." Igneel snorted smoke with clear pride at his parent's accomplishment in their last battle.
"Perhaps, but we can't forget that Acnologia will more than likely awaken in a few more years ready to finish off the remaining dragons. After his hibernation I'm not sure if you and the other four will be able to defeat him." Anna frowned not liking the thought of Acnologia returning at all.
"That is why we'll leave a fragment of our essence within our children when we send them through the gate. It will insure the development of antibodies that will prevent them from undergoing a mindless Dragonification. It will also enable them to perform the Dragon Soul Ritual themselves, that way the Magna Carta we entered into with you and your people can be upheld." Igneel replied as he laid his head back down on his arms.
"Thank you again for offering the protection of dragons to humans. We humans may be the ones that eventually determine the path towards the future; but we can't face threats like Acnologia by ourselves. So the continued peace and protection from the dragons is a blessing I'm sure we'll need in the future." Anna thanked while bowing to Igneel.
"While we dragons may not be here, our dragon-children will be there to propagate more dragons in human flesh, more dragonslayers, to continue to watch over the world." Igneel replied as he picked up the sound of Natsu running back towards Anna with his books and parchment. "Natsu will be back soon, speak nothing of this to him."
"Of course, that was the plan and I've agreed to it." Anna responded as she turned to smile at Natsu coming into view. "I'd like to make Natsu a gift, would you mind saving some of your shed scales? Once the magic leaves them I'm sure I could knit them into something for him to wear."
"If you want." Igneel replied as Natsu bounded up to Anna asking her about the day's lesson.
3 Years Later ~ Year X376
Natsu quietly stalked his way through the rocky terrain on the border between the giant forest that he and Igneel lived in and the mountains to the west. He was out here performing his first solo hunt of a Dragonkin; his target was a Salamander, a large fire breathing lizard that roamed mountains and volcanic areas. As a member of the Dragonkin, creatures that shared common ancestry with dragons, the Salamander was both powerful physically and magically though not very intelligent. According to Igneel only true Dragons had higher intelligence and the ability to converse and share ideas. Dragonkin were all only about as smart as the average apex predator of any given area; excellent hunters, but incapable of any higher functions other than fighting, eating, and making nests or burrows.
Natsu had been tracking the Salamander for a few hours and was slowly closing in on the large beast. Igneel had hunted one for their dinner some time ago and Natsu found a favorite food in Roast Salamander. With a grin, and a small about of drool, Natsu crept up to the top of a large rock outcropping and peered over it spotting his prey below. The Salamander in question was around twenty feet in length from snout to tail, with bright orange scales mixed with darker brown and red scales the Salamander could definitely blend in with the reddish brown rocks scattered about the area. Its large fangs and long sharp claws were currently buried in the burned carcass of some kind of antelope-like animal that it was feasting on.
"Sorry to interrupt your meal, but you're about to become mine!" Natsu whispered to himself with a grin as he jumped off the outcropping and plummeted towards the unaware Salamander. "Magma Dragon's Piercing Talons!" Natsu called out as both of his feet were engulfed in lava. With his feet pointed straight down and aimed at the back of the Salamander the large reptile only had a moment to register the sound of Natsu's attack before it was struck. Natsu's lava covered feet smashed into the Salamanders back, directly on its spine, causing the beast to let out a loud roar in pain. Natsu jumped back and landed on the ground before having to dodge a swipe from the Salamander's tail.
"Well you're pretty tough aren't ya?" Natsu questioned excitedly dodging another tail swipe that smashed the large boulder it hit into pebbles. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" Natsu roared out as he spewed a large amount of fire at the Salamander. The reptile charged its way through the flames without much trouble before trying to bite Natsu with its jaw full of fangs. Natsu dodge backwards from three separate bites before slamming his foot on the ground. "Earth Dragon's Stone Spears!" Natsu called out in excitement sending a multitude of sharp spears of rock out of the ground to impale the Salamander. While most of the spears broke against the Salamander's magically resistant scales two of them stabbed into the large reptile and held it in place. The Salamander's pained cry was followed by it launching a large wave of fire at Natsu from its mouth. Natsu simply grinned before opening his own mouth and sucking in all the flames.
"Hey, not bad, your fire tastes pretty good!" Natsu called out happily before rushing the trapped Salamander for the finishing blow. "Magma Dragon's Scorching Claw!" Natsu cried out as he buried his lava coated hand into the Salamander's side and straight into its chest cavity destroying its heart. The Salamander went limp instantly without further struggle allowing Natsu to pull his arm out of the dead reptile and take a few steps back. "I did it…I did it!" Natsu cheered before he threw his head back and let out the loudest draconic roar that his nine year old body could produce. "Now, how do I get this back to the cave?" Natsu wondered as he crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his head in confusion. He vaguely thought he might have faintly heard Igneel laughing back at the cave. This slight, real or imagined, against him caused Natsu to rant about Igneel laughing at him while trying to remove the carcass from the Earth Spikes.
Six Months Later
"Natsu, as you know in about half a year you'll be ten years old. You know what that means, correct?" Igneel asked his son while Anna stood next to him across from Natsu.
"Yeah dad, it means I'll be old enough to leave the nest! You'll let me go travelling and find out what I want to do with my life, right?" Natsu replied with a smile.
"Correct, hatchlings that prove themselves on their hunts are pushed from the nest and out into the world at ten years of age. You're strong enough then to not need to rely on me for protection anymore." Igneel explained causing Natsu to grin and punch at the air in front of him a few times. Anna giggled at Natsu's display of strength causing the young dragonslayer to pout at her.
"Well, since you'll be going out on your own, Igneel and I both think you'll need to know something very important about life before you go. We want to tell you this now in case you have any questions about it before you leave, ok Natsu?" Anna explained with a smile which got Natsu to grin in return.
"Sure thing, Anna! So what're you two gonna teach me about?" Natsu asked expectantly.
"It has to do with mating." Igneel replied evenly while Anna nodded her head gently.
"What's mating?" Natsu questioned not realizing that he'd regret asking that question for the next month afterward. He'd also find it hard to look Anna in the eye for the next three months.
6 Months Later ~ Year X377
It was the day of Natsu's departure from his and Igneel's cave. He was finally ready by Igneel's standards to go out into the world and see what it had to offer. He'd been told that Anna and her clan of people had made a magical gate that would send him off to somewhere in the world where he could have a safe start to his journey. Natsu had questioned why he needed the gate but Igneel teased him saying that it was so Natsu wouldn't get homesick and run right back to the cave. That had led to an hour long fight between the two with Igneel laughing at Natsu's attempts to hurt him. Igneel flew the two of them towards the location Anna had mentioned and for the first time Natsu got to meet other people besides Anna and even four other dragons.
"Hey Igneel, do you know these dragons?" Natsu questioned with his head tilted as he looked up at the large dragons. One was covered in metal plate-like armored scales and had a black haired child standing in front of him. Another one that Natsu could smell was female had white feathers covering her wings and a portion of her body, she had a blue haired girl in front of her, probably a year or two younger than Natsu, that was currently hugging her right front leg. The next dragon Natsu looked at was white with antlers on his head and a long beard with a ridge of fur going down his neck along his spine. He had a blonde haired boy about the same age as the blue haired girl in front of him. The final dragon Natsu saw was all black with red eyes and had another black haired boy in front of him but he was the same age as the blonde boy and the blue haired girl while the first black haired boy was Natsu's age.
"Yes, Natsu, I do. The Sky Dragon is Grandeeney, the Iron Dragon is Metalicana, the White Dragon is Weisslogia, and the Shadow Dragon is Skiadrum. They are dragons that have also adopted humans as their own children." Igneel explained as Natsu gained a look of recognition that he wasn't the only dragon-child. He quickly ran over to talk to the other children with the white scale scarf Anna made for him flailing in the breeze of his sudden movement.
"Hey, I'm Natsu Dragneel, son of Igneel the Magma Dragon King! Who're you guys?" Natsu introduced himself while looking expectantly at the four other dragonslayers.
"Nice to meet ya, Sting Eucliffe, son of Weisslogia the White Dragon!" The blonde boy answered as he sniffed at the air getting an impression of this new person's scent.
"I'm Rogue Cheney, son of Skiadrum the Shadow Dragon." The younger black haired boy replied politely.
"Um…I…I'm Wendy Marvell, the daughter of Grandeeney the Sky Dragon." The blue haired girl said shyly as she looked towards the ground quickly after introducing herself.
"Tch, I don't plan to be all buddy, buddy with you anyway so why do I gotta introduce myself?" the older black haired boy questioned with a scowl.
"Gajeel…" Metalicana growled at his son.
"Fine, whatever, Gajeel Redfox, son of the Iron Dragon Metalicana. That good enough for you?" the older black haired boy questioned with a huff.
"Now, now all of you be good." Anna said with a smile as she walked over to the group of children. "When we get the gate ready you'll all walk in one at a time. The gate will send each of you to a safe place to start your own journey into the world. You could very well end up meeting each other again fairly soon depending on how close or how far apart the gate transports you."
"Um…but…what if we end up someplace scary and all alone." Wendy asked nervously afraid to end up by herself somewhere unfamiliar.
"Don't worry Wendy, you'll be safe, I promise the gate will only send you to a safe place." Anna reassured the younger girl as she hugged her.
"Tch, whatever can we just get on with this?" Gajeel questioned as he looked away from everyone. Anna smiled at the Iron Dragon Slayer before playfully ruffling his long hair causing Gajeel to growl at her and move away from her hand.
"Alright, I'll go activate the gate, say your goodbyes to your parents." Anna acquiesced as she and a few other mages from her clan moved towards the gate.
"Later, Igneel! I'm gonna train for a few years while I see the world and then I'm gonna come back here!" Natsu proclaimed with a grin up at his father.
"Oh, why is that? Are you going to get homesick by then?" Igneel questioned with a chuckle.
"Heck no! I'm gonna get so strong that I'm gonna beat you in a fight when I find you! So get ready for it!" Natsu proclaimed as he punched his fist into his other palm.
"Hahaha! You're a century too young to try and challenge me, boy! You'll have to be the strongest dragonslayer to have a chance at beating me!" Igneel teased his son causing Natsu to proclaim that he would be the strongest and he would kick Igneel's scaly butt! This just brought more laughter from Igneel and more fuming from Natsu.
"Grow up strong, Sting. I know you'll succeed at whatever you choose to do." Weisslogia told his son kindly causing the blonde boy to blush at the praise before smiling up at his dad.
"You got, dad! I'll find something awesome to do and be the best at it!" Sting proclaimed getting the dragon equivalent of a smile from his father.
"Rogue, find people that're important to you; they will give your life meaning and make it better than you can imagine." Skiadrum told his son getting a nod back from Rogue.
"I will, father, I'll find those I can call friends and family and enjoy my time with them. I hope to see you again someday as well." Rogue replied with a bow to his father causing Skiadrum to smile at his son.
"You'll do amazing things Wendy; your Sky Magic can help many people. Just have confidence in yourself child." Grandeeney said soothingly to Wendy who was currently hugging her mother for all that she was worth.
"I'll try Grandeeney. I hope I'll find some nice people to stay with for a while though." Wendy replied with tears at the corner of her eyes.
"Still going to have that foul look in your eyes even when we part ways?" Metalicana questioned his son.
"Hey! Shut up! I don't have a foul look in my eyes! You have a foul look in your eyes, rust face!" Gajeel yelled back at his father causing Metalicana to chuckle at his son's predictable reaction.
"Live strong, Gajeel, grow up and find a good mate for yourself." Metalicana told his son with a grin causing Gajeel to sputter in embarrassment.
"This isn't the time for that kind of talk, rust face!" Gajeel finally got out, though his face was still red.
"Gajeel…" Metalicana grumble out affectionately.
"Alright, fine, I get it. But I ain't accepting any weakling just because she cute! I'm going to look for a strong one!" Gajeel replied with a smirk.
"As long as you love each other, that's what's important." Metalicana teased watching his son go red faced all over again.
"Ok, the gate is ready now." Anna called over to the children as they all walked over towards their human teacher. "We took the liberty of preparing some supplies for your trip, children." She told them while motioning to the five rucksacks off to the side of the gate. "They each have your name on them and enough supplies to help you get started wherever you get sent. You'll find a couple days of food supplies and some water. There are also tools to help you catch food and make shelter like I taught you. Just in case you end up in a forest and have to find your way out."
"Thank you, Anna!" Natsu, Sting, Rogue, and Wendy thanked the blonde woman while Gajeel just mumbled his thanks. Anna smiled at the children before motioning them to start into the gate one at a time.
"Welp, hopefully I'll see you guys again soon! Just remember about our fight Igneel! I'm definitely gonna win when I see you again!" Natsu called out as he waved goodbye to everyone and stepped into the gate. He couldn't have known that he wouldn't see any of his fellow dragonslayers until many years later.
400 Years in the Future ~ Year X777 – Heartfilia Family Eclipse Gate
Layla Heartfilia stood before the opened Eclipse Gate as the magic swirled within the opened doors. The strain on her magic to keep this portal open was immense and she was already struggling even after just a few minutes. Her servants and friends Grammi and Zoldeo were standing back from the gate clearly worrying about their mistress. Suddenly five beams of light were launched out of the gate one after another and they all headed in different directions before they couldn't be seen anymore when they disappeared over the horizon.
"Finally, it's done." Layla stated tiredly as she stopped her magic and allowed the Eclipse Gate to close. She collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion as Grammi and Zoldeo rushed over to help her. "I'll be alright you two. I just need some rest. With this done Lucy won't have to worry about fulfilling the Heartfilia Family mission." Layla said with a smile knowing her daughter would be free to follow her own dreams. As Grammi and Zoldeo helped their mistress into the mansion and into her room to sleep no one in the house could have known that only a few short days later they would all lose a bright shining light in their lives. The least prepared for this loss would be Layla's ten year old daughter Lucy who already had a strained relationship with her workaholic father.
Many miles away in a forest a few miles east of Magnolia Town, Natsu was waking up from his trip through the Eclipse Gate. He quickly looked around noticing that he was in a forest and proceeded to sniff the air to get a feel for his surroundings. After making sure that there were no immediate threats nearby Natsu began to walk through the forest to see what or who he might be able to find. It was close to sunset when Natsu decided to make an improvised shelter from fallen tree branches and forest debris. After setting up his shelter he quickly sniffed out a rabbit and blasted it with a compact fireball. After preparing the rabbit, Natsu roasted it, then ate the whole thing and finished off a bottle of water before going to sleep in his debris hut for the night. It wouldn't be until tomorrow morning that Natsu would stumble upon a road leading to Magnolia Town. It would be on this road that Natsu would meet a kind, short old man that changed his life forever
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