How Much Longer

A Time for Growth

"Chelia, we have a problem. Marvell's gone."

<hr>

There was a slight pang in her heart when she watched Igneel majestically materialize atop the Tartarus stronghold. The comforting scent of a dragon filled the air. It wasn't bitter and angry smelling like Acnologia's. It was warm and smelled of home. She longed to see Grandeeney's gentle form and feel her fluffy feathers brushing against her face again.

They wondered what Grandeeney would say if she saw them. Would she disapprove of the scales and claws? Would she disapprove of the destruction she was now capable of? Or would she be proud and encourage the death of Acnologia? Would she have pride in the strength she had? Wendy could see her mother do both, but she forced herself not to dwell on it. They had a job to do.

She took a running start before jumping, using the wind to bolster the power of her leap. She dug her sharp claws between the chinks of Igneel's tail right as the dragon launched into the air. Flattening themself as much as possible, Wendy held on. It was like hanging onto a sheer rock face and only her control of the wind let her stay in her position.

"I will tell you once you get me that book. When you get it, do not open it. Hear me, Natsu? Never open it. When you give it to me, I will tell you." She heard Natsu agree and then Igneel threw Natsu like a ball of fire toward Mard Geer.

"As for you," Igneel added quietly, "Grandeeney's brat. Who else would be foolhardy enough to climb onto a dragon?"

"We failed in killing Acnologia. I'm here to fix that." There was something odd about talking with a dragon that didn't intend on killing her. He curled his tail to make it easier for them to hang on.

She clawed her way to sit properly between the Fire King's large wings. Igneel hummed in contemplation, "Is that so? Your magic power is vast, yes, but are you capable of controlling it properly?" They bristled at the insinuation, but the King of Fire Dragons continued on, "I knew we failed the moment my dear friend vanished. I will not stop you. Do try and keep up."

With that, he flew through the air at a breakneck speed. They nearly lost their grip when Igneel met Acnologia's head-on charge with his own. The shockwave would've stolen the breath from her lungs if she were a normal human. The arcane slayer's eyes widened very slightly upon seeing them take a running leap to land on his back. Igneel's booming laugh echoed from the distant mountains.

She roared as the pressure around her dropped. The air under his wings vanished and the shocked dragon could only flail for a moment before gravity pulled him down. Igneel bellowed gleefully, fire licking at the edges of his interlocking teeth. Bright light assaulted their eyes and for a moment, Wendy thought the sun had fallen out of the sky. The heat washed over her like a weighted blanket, smashing Acnologia through the ground.

Their grip grew painful, piercing through thick scales as they plummeted through the earth. Igneel followed them, yanking Acnologia out of the melted rock and throwing him back into the air. Her eyes watered from the force and her grip slipped. Her claws dug little furrows into the scales beneath her palms as she slid backward.

Igneel scored his massive talons across Acnologia's face leaving shallow gouges. Energy grew from the dragon under her and Wendy barely managed to shield herself before it exploded. They could feel Igneel's flames hiss in response. When she could see again, her dress steamed and her silver bands were still glowing faintly from the heat.

The dragons grappled, each one trying to gain the upper hand. Slowly, Wendy inched up to Acnologia's neck. He didn't have scales like Zirconis. His scales were more plate-like and covered more area per scale. Huffing in displeasure, they continued to shimmy carefully up his neck. She almost lost her grip multiple times since Igneel continued to try and bash Acnologia's face in.