Chương 42: 42
Having descended into the mausoleum, Natsu found himself in the Easthearth Catacombs, a dark, depressing place with an awful stench.
Curiously though, he hadn't run into any resistance yet, despite hearing the footsteps of more undead. Try as he might, he simply couldn't figure out where the sounds were coming from, as there were enough of them to echo all across the area.
"They must be moving around in an area that isn't accessible to the ordinary person," Natsu muttered quietly to himself, as he reached what was supposedly the end of the catacombs. "Nah… I bet that the secret passage Felix mentioned is around here somewhere…"
Igniting the tip of his finger in order to give himself some light, Natsu began to scan the back wall. The Gravetender had managed to find this secret passage, which meant that logically, he should easily find it too.
"Hello…"
Pulling aside an old, worn cloth, Natsu stepped back to look at an aged, faded emblem that had been marked onto the back wall. Anyone with any dealings with the Dark Guilds would know this emblem, he'd already seen it numerous times.
"Tartaros," Natsu muttered darkly, the insignia for the Guild painting a rather grim picture of what was going on here. "The question is, are they behind this now, or is this the byproduct of one of their old experiments getting loose?"
Examining the insignia closer, Natsu narrowed his eyes. The more he looked at it, the more his mind began to process what he was seeing.
"This doesn't make any sense; it looks like its at least a century old? All records indicate that they only rose to power in the last few decades, not over a century ago? I'd better be careful moving forward…"
Just as Natsu was about to move on, he noticed that there was a brick slightly out of place on the wall. Deciding it was worth testing out, he pressed it into the wall, as the faded insignia began to glow a sickly green.
"Well now, let's see what this does," he muttered, as green fire began to shoot out of the insignia, lighting several rows of lanterns along each side of the hall he was currently in.
Once all the lanterns had been lit, they all projected solid beams of bright green light into the center of the hall, forming a sizeable sphere of Dark Magic at the center of the room. Once all the lanterns were focusing light into the central focal point, it then fired a sizeable beam at the Tartaros insignia, causing the entire wall to light up, before fading away.
Natsu waited another few minutes, just to see if anything else would happen, before deciding to walk over to where the wall had once been. Waving his arm through the now empty space, Natsu looked over toward the newly revealed stairwell, and shook his head.
"Guess there's only one way forward…"
Slowly advancing forward, he arrived at the staircase, noticing that all the lanterns along its edge were lit with the same sickly green fire as the ones in the room behind him. What confused him more, however, was the fact that the room could go either up or down, despite the fact that directly above him should be the surface.
"Spatial Magic," Natsu muttered, deciding to ascend the stairs. "Let's see what's up here first…"
Making his way up the stairs, Natsu noticed that there were dusty, old photos of Demons that lined the walls. Each had a small nameplate on the photo frame, and a plaque underneath them.
He didn't really recognize any of them, until suddenly, he found the last one he'd been expecting to see in a place like this.
"That's Hecate," he gasped in shock, wiping the dust off of the picture and the accompanying plaque so he could read it.
Hecate Sar-Tok
Book Of Darkness Crescendo Vol III
Birth – X447
Death – X778
Created by Lord Zeref as a means of countering his own darkness
Lost after a failed raid on Lilac Town where she was absorbed by the Fairy Tail Mage Mirajane Strauss
Considered deceased upon the orders of Lord Mard Geer Tartaros
Natsu couldn't help but look at the picture, both stunned, and confused. It was definitely Mira's Satan Soul, however, she had black hair instead of white. Also, in the photo to her right, there was a man sitting in a chair with a book held firmly in his grasp that had strange lettering on it.
"E.N.D… I wonder what that means? More importantly though, this must have been the Demon Mira said she took over that caused those villagers to go after her and her family," Natsu muttered, as he examined the plaque again. "And what's this Book Of Darkness Crescendo mentioned here? What does that mean…?"
Deciding that he wasn't going to learn anything else from the image, Natsu decided to continue on. Curious at what he might find, he decided to examine the one next to the one he'd just viewed.
Kalros Solunta-Ar
Book Of Symphonic Chaos Vol I
Birth – X212
Death – X754
Created by our Lord Zeref as a potential vessel for his own power
Killed by the Second Master Of Fairy Tail, Precht Gaelbog, during the Dawnspire Incident
Considered deceased due to the loss of his Book under the orders of Lord Mard Geer Tartaros
"What the Hell… Killed by the Second Master of Fairy Tail!? And these displays… they must be some sort of record of every known Demon of Zeref? The fact that they have the date Mira defeated Hecate logged in here means that they were using this place until recently," Natsu pondered to himself, before looking further up the stairs again. "I should keep moving…"
Making his way further upstairs, he eventually reached a door that was simply titled Records, which was definitely a room he'd be interested in. Making his way inside, Natsu started looking around, and quickly stumbled into a decrepit library-like room.
'Well, I might be able to find a few answers here about this place,' Natsu thought to himself, as he began to look around on the various shelves for anything of use. "Hmm? This one has various research and development projects… This one has information on high value targets… The History of Tartaros itself," Natsu muttered, shocked that a shelf like this even existed at all.
Natsu quickly began to scan the aisle for anything useful, until he came across one that said Project CUBE. Taking the book off the shelf, Natsu began to read…
Log 4494 – Disaster
Date – X697
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
I have just suffered a catastrophic setback in my research! A raid on one of our Human farms by the Magic Council saw the seizure of no less than FIVE of my prototypes!
Lord Mard Geer has assured me that this will not go unanswered, and that I shall have my materials returned to me. Little does he realize that they are already worthless to us now. The mixture cannot be tainted by Human DNA in any way, shape or form, yet all five have been touched by their disgusting flesh…
I have petitioned Lord Mard Geer to divert our research away from Project Immortalis and Project Neo. The Council and those Mages are making it harder than ever for us to pursue our vital work in Lord Zeref's name!
I have submitted my designs for a new Project, one that will not only allow us to continue our research in relative peace and comfort, but also grant us a sanctuary away from these filthy primitives…
Project Cube…
Log 5122 – Vacation
Date – X723
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
Construction of Project Cube has finally begun after numerous delays. Finally, a place that will allow us to carry out our plans in relative peace and quiet. Naturally, this has put into question the fate of the current Guild Hall used by the Tartaros Guild. That fool Jackal actually had the gall to suggest being allowed to blow it up!?
I question his genetic composition sometimes…
Lady Kyoka suggested a coverup, a much more sensible plan, due to the sheer amount of things held within our current base of operations, things that will take at least a century to fully extract without causing problems or alerting the Magic Council.
There is a small village of primitives nearby known as Easthearth that was founded a few years back. We allowed it, as we could farm them for genetic material and other resources. Now, however, we can use them to mask the true purpose of this place…
Lady Seilah has infiltrated their number, posing as one of the village Elders, suggesting that the site above our Guild Hall be used as a Graveyard, a stroke of genius on her part, as we can take the bodies buried here for research purposes at our leisure!
I must be sure to thank her for this…
In any event, Lord Mard Geer has requested that all current experiments that are capable of being moved, be relocated to the construction site of Project Cube. All experiments that he considers to be non-critical, are to be immediately cancelled and subsequently destroyed, so as to cover up our presence here.
I do lament the loss of this laboratory, for I spent the last five hundred years fine tuning it to my liking… Perhaps in the future, Lord Mard Geer may see fit to give me permission to use this place for another purpose?
The people of Easthearth in half a century could make for useful test subjects…
Log 5207 – A Brief Return
Date – X725
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
It has been two years since I last set foot here within our old Guild Hall, and already, the place has fallen into disrepair.
Project Cube has been completed, and we now possess the greatest Guild Hall in the world, a place above these disgusting primitives, and one that will allow us to navigate the world with ease.
My lab aboard the Cube is rather striking as well…
Lord Mard Geer has allowed me to return here for vital research materials left behind during our relocation to the Cube. Though the Cube is now operational, we are missing vital components used to power its flight capabilities for an indefinite period of time.
Research into Project Immortalis has been halted until further notice, at least until I recover the parts necessary to continue its construction without risking the Cube's power from fluctuating.
Barring any intrusions, I should be able to get what I need within the next few days. That is, unless those Humans begin their pesky burial rituals that they seem to perform almost daily…
Such frail creatures, unworthy of the gift of life…
There are many things left for me to do, so much left to ensure Tartaros' dominance in the region. I must ensure Project Cube is perfected…
Log 5244 – Pointless Distractions
Date – X743
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
Once again, I find myself returning to the crumbling ruins of our old Guild Hall, the potential for experimentation being wasted in favor of more pointless material gathering endeavors!
Between Project Immortalis and Project Neo, there hardly seems to be any time left for me to fulfill my own experiments, and although Project Cube has been perfected, I find myself more annoyed than pleased.
Admittedly, Project Immortalis is a necessity to ensure our survival far into the future, allowing ourselves to simply be reborn after death. It will ensure Tartaros is one day capable of ruling over all Earthland, as is our right, and that we lose no more of our Demonic brethren to those filthy primitives.
However, I do often wonder if Lord Mard Geer has forgotten our true purpose? Immortality is certainly vital for our success, but our true objective to slay Lord Zeref has completely fallen by the wayside…
Log 5311 – At Long Last!
Date – X765
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
It begins.
Lord Mard Geer has given me permission to use this place to conduct my experiments! After half a century of endless proposals and presentations, I can finally begin my goal of harnessing the power of the dead!
My goal, however, will take time.
That fool Deliora went on a pointless rampage, stoking the flames of Demon hunts once again. We will need to lay low and avoid arousing any suspicions here as we reforge the laboratories here up to our new standards.
Speaking of Deliora, he got himself frozen in an ice that not even Lord Mard Geer could break, so we had to pick him up with the Cube and drop him off on Galuna Island for the time being. I've been asked to devise a way of getting him out, but I'm not going to bother with that meathead, not when I can now pursue my own research!
Maybe I'll let Lammy deal with it…
There was one positive to come out of Deliora's rampage, a large quantity of subjects to use in my experiments. Some of these bodies look rather promising…
Log 5388 – Promising Failures
Date – X766
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes.
Research into animating the dead is promising, as I've managed to raise several Human remains into a semblance of undeath.
However, the results vary wildly. The ones that are all bones seem to be unable to do more than attack mindlessly, but I won't deem them failures just yet. They obey orders unquestioningly, which Lord Mard Geer as suggested we may make use of at some point in the future.
I'm going to have Lammy seal them away for now in stasis.
The remains that have recently departed appear the most promising, however. Subjects that were put in suspended animation from the Deliora incident have showed cognitive function to a limited degree when returned to a state of undeath.
My only issue is that the subjects all have severe injuries in some way which impedes their ability to be brought back in full…
With one exception...
I shall attempt to integrate my new Curse within this one over a five-year period, and perhaps he shall be my greatest triumph…
Log 5400 – Euphoria At Last
Date – X771
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
I have done it … I've actually done it!
I successfully revived the subject from death, and he has retained full cognitive functions, as well as all his memories! This is an unprecedented breakthrough in modern Magic not seen since Lord Zeref's time!
The subject calls himself Silver, and he claims that his sole desire is to kill Deliora.
I find that funny.
My personal amusement aside, he could definitely prove to be a considerable asset to Tartaros. Lord Mard Geer was genuinely shocked when I presented my results to him. In the seven hundred years I've known him, not once have I ever managed to render him utterly speechless.
It fills me with a Euphoria I cannot even put into words…
But I digress.
The subject, whilst appearing as if he is fully living, is, by all accounts, dead. No heartbeat, no pulse, and he lacks the need for food, sleep, or bodily functions. All the things necessary of a regular Human.
My experiment can now reach its next phase. I will release Silver onto the world, and grant him the knowledge of the Devil Slayer that is retained within our archives. I expect he will return to us in time with the full intent to kill us, which could prove to be an amusing game.
As for this laboratory, I shall now begin experimenting on the lesser corpses to see if I can enhance them in any way. Perhaps replacing body parts on beings that are lacking them is a viable option …
Log 5444 – A Strange Development
Date – X777
Scribe – Archbishop Keyes
Today I received word that there is to be an alliance between Tartaros, Grimoire Heart, and the Oracion Seis.
The goal is to unite all the Dark Guilds under a unified banner in an attempt to combat the threat that the Magic Council and the Legal Guilds pose…
What utter nonsense.
Such an alliance is doomed to fail. Dark Mages fight with each other almost as much as they fight with Legal Mages. To unite all of them under one banner, it would take the likes of Lord Zeref himself to pull it off!?
Yet Lord Mard Geer seems to genuinely believe in this alliance… and with Humans no less?
I've been recalled to the Cube. I have completed Project Immortalis on schedule, in addition to my own personal pet project, leaving all resources to be diverted to Project Neo.
Lord Mard Geer believes that shifting our focus into producing more Human/Demon Hybrids through Project Neo will help strengthen this … Bharam Alliance, as they call it. I do not believe this will work, but I shall return without protest.
However, I think I'll leave one of my staves here, just in case the Humans in Easthearth start getting too close to discovering our former Guild Hall here. We can't have them breaking in and discovering what we've been doing, after all…
I've also been informed that Silver ended up joining Tartaros, which was an amusing development. Supposedly, Tempester attacked him on sight, however, he appeared be in no physical discomfort, which could only mean he feels nothing. Only I know of his true intentions, it seems. And, if he were to kill Lord Mard Geer at some point… Well, I wouldn't exactly protest…
Natsu slowly lowered his gaze from the book, as he found himself sitting down on the floor. What he held in his hands was both sickening, yet also astonishingly interesting.
"Whoever this Keyes guy is, he's one sick bastard," Natsu muttered to himself, as he recalled some of the entries. "Experimenting on the dead, and bringing some guy back who literally feels nothing… It's clear he's the one responsible for that abomination out the front, but was he behind the recent conversions?"
Natsu stood and began to make his way to the exit, when a shadow slipped past the doorway, putting him on the defensive. Quickly making his way out to the staircase, Natsu saw the shadow make its way down to the bottom of the staircase, before sliding under a door.
"Guess that where I'm going," Natsu said, immediately dodging several bits of acid that were sent in his direction. "What the hell!?"
As he looked in the direction the acid came from, he was shocked to see two heads pop out of previously concealed holes in the walls. Immediately firing bursts of Crash Magic at them, he shattered them into bits, and quickly made his way downstairs.
Upon arriving back at the section of the stairs that had been concealed by the insignia, he was surprised to see two slim looking undead sprinting toward him. They moved faster than all the previous ones he'd seen, and they both had Guild Marks on their clothes.
"These must be the dead Guild Mages, still able to fight as well as they did when they were alive… I wonder what Guild that is though, I don't recognize it?"
Natsu immediately hit them with twenty times the standard gravity in a horizontal direction, smashing them into the far back walls, quickly following up with a controlled burst of Crash Magic.
"Down seems to be the only way forward at this point," he muttered, descending the stairs this time, and passing more displays of Demons.
Once he reached the bottom, arriving at the door that the strange shadow had slipped under, he steeled himself, before opening the door.
As soon as Natsu went through the door, he picked up a scent that nearly made him vomit. Bits and pieces of bodies, both Human and animal, were strewn around the area. What made him want to vomit, however, was that all of them were writhing about in a disturbing manner.
"Experiments like this are the worst," Natsu gagged, as he began to walk through the area, taking great care not to touch anything. "Another door?"
Walking up to the door, he carefully opened it and looked inside, only to struggle not to vomit once again.
Natsu seemed to have stumbled upon one of the experimentation rooms. Unfortunately, it seemed that there was either someone here recently, or, whoever had been here had simply left their latest experiment on the operating table.
Natsu hesitantly looked at the subject on the table, and finally threw up. A Human who appeared to be conscious had their chest split open, and had several vital organs taken out, left on the side table nearby.
The look in the subject's eyes shook Natsu to his core, as it was a look of utter madness. It only got worse as they seemed to notice his presence, eliciting an inhuman shriek that had him clutching his ears in pain.
Quickly dispelling Crash Magic, Natsu erased the person from the table. Its ear-piercing screams something he definitely wasn't going to forget anytime soon.
Leaving the room, Natsu noticed another room across from the one he was just in, and considered just leaving it closed. He knew he ultimately had to look, just in case there was someone else in there who needed to be put out of their misery.
Opening the door, Natsu immediately regretted his decision, as there was another one of the abominations he'd fought earlier. However, it was still in the process of being created. Destroying it on the spot, Natsu slammed the door shut, as he quickly darted to the end of the chamber.
Opening the door, Natsu was relieved to see it was just an ordinary room. No body parts or half completed experiments lying in wait for him. Just a regular, ordinary room.
Making his way inside, Natsu began to look around, whilst attempting to recover from the horrors he'd just seen.
Looks like you've finally arrived … Saint.
Natsu grit his teeth as he heard a sickly voice address him in a mocking tone, something that the voice seemed to find highly amusing.
It seems you do not like my pets? Such a shame, especially since Fiore shall soon be covered with them…
"Not if I can help it, you sick bastard," Natsu shouted, as the voice began to laugh.
Oh, I know all about you, Natsu Dragneel… Don't worry, I was prepared to deal with you. As we speak, my newest recruits are being massed in my newest camp just down the hill from here. I highly doubt you can take all of them…
"Newest recruits, what the Hell are you on about!? The only ones down the hill are…"
Natsu's eyes showed a look of absolute horror, as he quickly began searching the room for any sign of the staff.
You won't find it here Dragneel, I've moved it to a safe place. Now, why don't you head to the exit? I have a little surprise waiting for you...
A bookshelf began to move, revealing a staircase which Natsu quickly bolted toward, which ended up being an alternate exit from the underground lab. Arriving outside, Natsu could only gape at what he was witnessing.
The entire town of Easthearth was completely overrun, as thousands of undead seemed to be massing in battle formations. The fog began to clear, as Natsu saw several strange bits of Dark Magic fly around the area.
"Well now, this is a disturbing sight," Eliza said, as she made herself visible. "I trust whatever you saw down there was just as disturbing?"
"To say the least, it'll haunt my memories for some time," Natsu replied darkly, as the horde of undead began coming up the hill. "The one behind this was a guy named Keyes, one of the Demons from Tartaros. Apparently, there's a staff that is controlling all the Demons, but Keyes took it already…"
"Well, if you find the staff, then you break the spell. So, you just need to find Keyes, right? If only there were some way to find his whereabouts, perhaps by following a sign of some sorts …?"
Natsu looked at her confused for a moment, before it clicked.
'She's not allowed to interfere directly, but she's giving me hints! But follow what exactly? It's a good clue, but I just need to figure out what!?'
Natsu sprang into action, as the undead began to attack him, throwing everything he had at them in an attempt to try and remove as many of them from the battle as quickly as he could.
Just as he was about to punch one of them, his eyes widened in shock. The undead in front of him was Felix, the man from the barricade. However, he was missing an arm, and his stomach had been sliced open.
Clearing some distance, Natsu recovered from the shock, as he began to assault the seemingly endless horde with all his might.
Eliza stood on top of the gate to the graveyard, watching the battle with a sigh. Looking up at the sky, she watched the streams of darkness converge on one spot, before being expelled again.
"Come on Natsu, you should realize this by now…"
As Natsu continued to fight, he began to notice every undead he defeated released a small sliver of darkness, which floated up into the sky. Deciding to test a theory he had, Natsu cleared some distance, and took a deep breath.
"Fire Dragon King's Destabilizing Roar!"
Unleashing his breath attack, Natsu easily destroyed hundreds of them in one go, and watched on as the darkness quickly returned to a central point in the town.
Realizing that he may have just figured out Eliza's hint, Natsu quickly began mowing down any undead in his way, as he fought his way to the town.
Quickly reaching the barricade, which had been completely destroyed, and swiftly cutting his way through, Natsu charged past all the undead, and made his way to the center of town, where he found the answer to Eliza's clue.
"So, it was under their noses the whole time," Natsu muttered bitterly, his eyes locked onto a statue at the center of town that held a real staff in its right hand, Dark Magic focused around the Lacrima at its focal point.
"Well now, that wasn't very fun, was it Dragneel? Still, you have completed the experiment as I originally intended. These ones are hardly a match for the Council, so I'd be better off trying again elsewhere."
"You," Natsu growled, as the Demon himself appeared in all his glory.
The entity stood at nearly twenty feet tall, and was a skeletal Demon, rather than one of flesh and blood. He wore form fitting black and white checkered robes, and a strange ornate headpiece that bore the Tartaros Guild Mark where his forehead would have been. In his right hand, was the staff he sought, its metal rings clanging as he waved the Dark Magic about, directing the undead.
One Of The Nine Demon Gates Of Tartaros
Overseer Of The First Circle
The Gate Of Limbo
SSS Rank Dark Mage
The Black Archbishop
Keyes
"What are you talking about," Natsu snapped in response to his statement. "You just said before you planned on using them to take over the world!?"
"A simple statement to spurn you into action," Keyes replied plainly. "The only true way to test my experiments, was to have them go up against someone of a higher level, like a Wizard Saint."
"So all of this… All of it was just another one of your sick experiments!?"
"Indeed. And your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Now, I think I'll be leaving," Keyes replied in an uncaring tone. "Oh, and don't worry, this staff has served its purpose, and all data has been extracted."
Keyes snapped the staff, as all the undead simply dropped to the ground lifeless. Natsu was completely livid, instead of pleased, as he slowly advanced on the Demon.
"You think … that after all that shit … I'm just gonna let you WALK AWAY!?"
"Well, I noticed that you read my journal, so you must know that Project Immortalis prevents me from being truly killed. You can go ahead and kill me, but I'll just come back anyway."
"Then I'll find this Cube of yours, and I'll destroy whatever this Project Immortalis is!"
"A bold statement, but ultimately futile. One cannot reach the Cube unless Lord Mard Geer wishes it. Speaking of which, I must go," Keyes said, as he instantly vanished on the spot.
Natsu looked up as a large Cube slowly flew past, and grit his teeth. Launching himself into the air, Natsu entered the Dragon Force, and grew out his Dragon-like wings, allowing himself to fly.
Darting towards the Tartaros Cube he was suddenly halted in his tracks, as a Human suddenly popped into existence before him, one that he instantly recognized.
"You…You're that person from the photo of Hecate," Natsu muttered, noting that he was even holding the book that had the letters E.N.D on its front cover.
"And you must be the mortal Keyes was toying with, and the one that has been a rather painful thorn in the side of the Bharam Alliance," the man replied softly, a small smirk on his face. "For a Human, your tenacity is truly astounding, but your intelligence is sorely lacking…"
"And just who the Hell are you supposed to be!?"
"Hmm? Oh, that's right, not many mortals know my name these days," the man smirked, as he introduced himself.
Guild Master Of Tartaros
One Of The Three Great Dark Lords
One Of The Founders Of The Bharam Alliance
SSSS Rank Dark Mage
Mard Geer Tartaros
"Mard Geer Tartaros," Natsu muttered, before shaking his head. "It doesn't matter who you are, I've got to put a stop to Keyes, and destroy this Project Immortalis of yours!"
"Amusing, but futile," Mard Geer replied calmly. "You are certainly impressive, for a Human, but ultimately nothing more than an annoyance to the likes of myself. I will give you credit in defeating the Oracion Seis, but they were the weakest of our alliance…"
I think its time I make you realize that…
Natsu grit his teeth, rage steadily climbing, as the Dark Guild Master openly mocked him. Clenching his fists, he began to release his Magical Power.
"Go ahead, show me what a Human can do," Mard Geer smirked.
Natsu Dragneel (Dragon Force + Gravity Seal X4 Inactive + Full Power) – 781,022 MPI
"Heh…Hehehehe…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! GOOD," Mard Geer crowed mockingly. "Show me your anger, Dragneel!? Show me that righteous fury that destroyed our pawn Hogg, and that fool, Brain!"
"Fire Dragon King's Destabilizing Wing Attack!"
Natsu rushed Mard Geer, and hit him head, on sending him flying back into a nearby mountain. The Demon quickly recovered, and was back at Natsu's position within moments, barely a scratch on him.
"Good hit, no wonder you could defeat my Demon Gates," Mard Geer laughed, as he prepared his own attack. "Thorn Curse – Dea Yggdrasil!"
Mard Geer held out his right hand, forming a large spinning sphere, which fired out an immense wooden beam, directly at Natsu's position.
"Fire Dragon King's Destabilizing Iron Fist!"
Punching the wooden beam and shattering it, Natsu rushed Mard Geer again, as the two began to trade blows.
After landing several blows on the Demon, Mard Geer grabbed Natsu by the face, and flew at the ground at high speed. Within seconds Mard Geer had smashed Natsu into the earth, and began dragging him along the ground, tearing up everything in the area.
"Gravity Dragon's Destabilizing Repulse!"
Natsu manipulated the Gravity around the pair, hitting them both with a powerful torrent of raw gravity that shot them both high into the air, which seemed to actually surprise the Demon, allowing him to break free. "Fire Gravity Dragon's Zero Graviton Fist!"
Hitting Mard Geer on the left side of his face, Natsu sent the Demon flying down into the forest below setting off a massive explosion as hundreds of trees and other debris were forcibly attracted to the Demon's position, thanks to the gravity portion of the attack.
"Not bad at all Human," Mard Geer said, instantly appearing in front of him with only his clothes being slightly scuffed. "I haven't had a decent workout in years!"
"I couldn't care less about your opinion," Natsu snarled hatefully. "I'll destroy you, Demon!"
"Come and try then," Mard Geer jeered, as a large rose emerged from the ground beneath them. "Thorn Curse – Rose Explosion!"
Natsu and Mard Geer were face to face, as the rose beneath them detonated, destroying everything in the surrounding area. The explosion itself instantly engulfed the area they were occupying in the air, obscuring them from view.
The two quickly emerged from the explosion, still trading blows as Mard Geer continued to mock his ability.
"How long can you keep up this fight, I wonder? You Humans struggle to retain your power for extended periods, unlike we superior Demons!?"
"I'll keep going until I've beaten you," Natsu replied with a huff, as he punched the Demon in the face again.
"Fighting you here, I can tell leaving you alive could be a problem in the future. Any who would stand in the way of the True Master's return should be destroyed!"
"And who is this True Master of yours anyway!?"
"Surely you know him? The man from whom all Demons originate? The Black Wizard Zeref!"
"You're just a pathetic remnant that's clinging on to the belief that a dead man will come and give you purpose," Natsu spat in response. "Every time you lot spit out this Zeref crap, I lose brain cells!"
"Say what you want Dragneel, but he speaks to us! He is our creator, and we are bound to do his bidding!"
"Oh yeah, well bid this! Fire Dragon King's Reverberating Sword Horn!"
Head butting Mard Geer in the chest, the Demon was taken aback, as he spat out a small glob of blood. Almost as soon as he realized this fact, Natsu was struck so hard, he instantly went from the skies to the ground, as Mard Geer charged up an attack.
Mard Geer Tartaros (Base Form + Suppressed) – 2.01 Million MPI
"Play time is over mortal! Thorn Curse – Thorns!"
Massive vines began to emerge from the ground underneath Natsu's position, with the Dragon Slayer only able to grit his teeth as the vines quickly enveloped him. Quickly, they pierced him throughout his body, before suddenly retracting, as Mard Geer appeared directly in front of him, delivering a brutal punch to the face that sent him flying through the nearby mountain range.
The Dark Guild Master sniffed, wiping the small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, eyes narrowed, as he looked up to the skies.
"It is done, I'm returning," the Demon muttered before vanishing, leaving behind a devastated landscape.
Eliza, who had been watching the battle from afar, decided to go to Natsu, after ensuring Mard Geer wasn't going to take things any further. Tracking Natsu's impact zone by following the holes through the mountains, she quickly found him lying in a crater, no longer in the Dragon Force.
Walking over to him, she sighed as she looked at his wounds. "I suppose you weren't expecting those thorns to pierce you?
Natsu, who was struggling to remain conscious, simply shook his head in agreement.
"You made the same mistake many others have before you. The Demons don't use regular Magic, they use what are known as Curses. As you can see, they even work even against Dragon Scales."
"He … got away, didn't he," Natsu gasped out, as Eliza began healing him.
"I'd say that is fairly obvious, isn't it?"
"I seriously underestimated that bastard," Natsu hissed, as Eliza started mending the holes in his body. "I'm lucky you're here, or I'd be dead…"
"At least you acknowledge that fact," the War Goddess replied, as Natsu grunted in response to her treatment. "You know you'll have to report this to the Council, right?"
"I know…"
"You need to learn and grow from this loss, Natsu," Eliza continued firmly. "Foes like Mard Geer are what lay ahead in your future… You must be prepared, ALL of you must be prepared."
"Believe me," Natsu hissed, as she finished sealing up the holes in his body. "After this, I'm going to be rethinking my approach to dealing with these Dark Guild bastards…"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I've underestimated them, thinking that Brain was a good measure for their level of power," Natsu answered, as he slowly rose into a sitting position. "Its clear now that I was seriously wrong."
"Will you tell the others about this?"
"…No. I'll tell gramps and Gildarts, but not the others," Natsu replied after several moments of thought. "I feel like it would only frighten or demoralize them if I told them I got my ass absolutely handed to me…"
"For what it's worth, I wholeheartedly agree," Eliza nodded, as she helped him to his feet. "I won't say anything either."
"Thanks Eliza."
"That's quite alright Natsu dear," Eliza smiled, as the pair started walking. "I'll help you get back to Era."
"Thanks," Natsu replied quietly, looking at his bloodied hands, processing the fact that he'd almost just been killed.
Eliza remained silent, giving him time to process what had just happened to him. She knew that he most certainly wasn't going to take this lying down.
She only hoped his inevitable response to this loss was something that wouldn't lead him to his death
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