Taken by the Dragon Slayer | A NaLu Fan Fiction

Demon

"Natsu!" I screamed so loudly it hurt my throat but I didn't care. He was trembling before Zeref and it wasn't a tremble of fear-it was outright rage. Wendy was collapsed on the ground and holding her wounds as Carla tried her best to comfort her, whispering encouraging words to the Sky Dragon slayer. Gray and Erza where with the others trying to take down the vast endless army pouring out from vortex's breaking into other times.

"Natsu please, don't do it!" I beg with more tears falling down my cheeks. My own leg was pinned beneath rubble, I couldn't move to reach my keys which where strewn over the rocks. I tried to pull myself free but I needed someone to lift the rock off my leg which was possibly broken.

I dug my fingers into the ground to try and pull free, Zeref's words still ringing in my ear as if he had just whispered them into it, cold shivers ran through my body just thinking of them.

"Become the demon you really are Natsu, that's the only way you will kill me."

• • •

''There's no way, he's here?! Now?!'' I stared between Erza and Makarov as they delivered the news bad enough to make my blood freeze instantaneously. Erza had a dark look on her face and Master looked grave. Natsu and Gray leapt to their feet looking ready to rip his head off.

"Where," they both growled the question. Erza met their terrifying gazes evenly, she was Tatiana after all. Her arms where folded across her chest and she looked between the fiery Dragon and the icy Mage. For once, both where on the same page and completely in sync.

"He's advancing through Magnolia, headed towards us. We can wait or-" her sentence was finished by Natsu and Gray, "we can meet him on his way." The guild erupted into murmurs.

I looked towards Natsu who's eyes met mine for a split second, and for that split second I saw a shadow creeping up. My gut twisted; this wasn't going to end well for any of us. I knew that I had to keep him here, I couldn't let him get to Zeref...

• • •

Natsu's muffler was flapping in the wind. Large billowing masses of dust floated past us and I kept struggling to get free, cursing myself for not being able to move the rock and being nearly depleted of magic. It had taken all I had to delay Natsu and fight Zeref, I was lucky to be conscious at this point. My head was pounding as proof that I was past my limit, any farther and I would probably die. My heart was racing as I saw Natsu's heaving chest slowly calm. His head was bent and even with his back to me I could see his shadowed eyes.

"You want to save your friends don't you? Kill me. You don't have the strength to do it as a dragon, do you? Take your pick Natsu. Fight me as a dragon, or fight me as a demon," Zeref said lightly, yet the weight of hundreds of thousands of lives rested on them; we all knew that.

Natsu's arm blackens suddenly and marks appear to be forming from it. Terror fills every fiber of my being and I yank myself out from the rock practically screaming in pain as I'm sure I've dislocated my ankle. I stumble to my feet and try to run to Natsu but I fall to my knee wincing. Zeref looks at me plainly, like the harmless insect I am to him. I grit my teeth and get up again.

"Natsu, don't let yourself do this," my voice is ragged. My throat is sore and parched, each word trembled from my quivering lips. I was a complete disaster but I needed him.

"You can do this without becoming what he wants you to be, Natsu listen to me!" I cry and his head snaps to look at me over his shoulder. His irises have become those of a dragon's and my breath sucks in. Scales covered his sides, arms, the edges of his face and neck, and his legs where showing patches too. His fangs seemed to grow longer and he turned back to Zeref.

"I'll kill you either way, no way in hell will you lay a hand on anyone else," Natsu growled. Flames where erupting around him and his clothes where billowing in the crossing winds. The flames danced in it, and I could see the excitement in Natsu's eyes-the adrenaline.

Zeref smiled, that was the answer he wanted. Natsu lashed out at him and as Zeref dodged and returned attacking I fell to my knee again, coughing and not being able to focus on the fight. My head was spinning and I became woozy. I tried to focus on the two but they moved too fast for my lame eyes to catch. I felt my body collapse and I fought to keep my eyes open. Explosions shook the ground and I was barely able to move away from rubble.

I coughed more and blood spattered onto the ground beside me. I heard Natsu's distinct voice arguing with another over the noise of the explosions. They where talking about Igneel, and then about Natsu, and then about power... I cringed as a wave of pain hit my head and I gasped softly, heaving for breath. They where still arguing-my head pounding with each word.

"You're letting me win aren't you?!" I heard Zeref call. Natsu's heavy breathing was evident. He was growing tired.

"You wouldn't feel this setback if you used your demon powers," I heard Zeref prompt Natsu. I forced my eyes open and I struggled to shakily get myself to sit up. I saw Natsu crouched with his hand to the ground where he had taken an attack, Zeref standing still about twenty feet from him.

"Don't listen-" I broke into a round of coughs, "don't listen to him!" I sobbed helplessly. Natsu's black marks grew and Zeref's face was unchanging. He knew this was going to happen. I pushed myself with my arms towards Natsu, needing desperately to reach him.

To stop him.

I wasn't going to let him become a monster he is not.