Fairy Tail - Eyes of Ice

Chapter 76 - Alvarez Pt. 12

Acnologia stood stoic in his human form before Kai, his arm crossed, a wicked sneer spread across his face. Kai maintained a hardened expression. Nerves rattled his insides but he also kept up a solid stance. Acnologia's tremendous magical pressure did want to make his knees buckle.

Erza and Wendy remained behind him for one moment longer before Erza called for Wendy.

"Let's go. We need to cover a lot of ground."

"Do come back, girl," Acnologia said, his eyes falling on Wendy. "I'll make you next. Maybe I'll save the most appetizing meal for last."

"I said you won't harm her."

"I don't care about what you have to say, boy."

"You won't touch my mother."

Acnologia laughed. "Mother? Perhaps I should kill you too, then, if you are a dragon-sire."

Kai twisted his blade, the glint of it catching in Acnologia's eye and forcing his attention back on Kai.

"I'll make an exception for this meal," Acnologia said. "I wanted to save you for last, Kai, to savor your death and make you beg for my sister in the end. Perhaps I'll get the chance to do that when your little friends return hoping to see you triumphant."

"Get going," Kai said, turning a bit toward Erza and Wendy. "We don't have all day."

"I love you," Erza said, suddenly, as Wendy rushed back into the house.

Kai smiled back at her. "I'll see you soon."

Erza jogged back into the house with Wendy, even Requipping into a new armor set. They fled out the back way, Kai sensing how far they were before letting out a great sigh of relief, leaving him and Acnologia alone.

Acnologia's cape rippled in the gust of wind sweeping the countryside away from the nearby sea. He gestured at the sword in Kai's hand.

"You hope that weapon will be able to harm me? There are no such weapons."

"And you have no words that'll stop me from trying," Kai said.

Acnologia retained his hubristic expression and exerted even more pressure against Kai, who remained unflinching.

"Believe it or not, in my seclusion, I have kept up with your goings-on. I had to know what sort of life my sister's child led. To my surprise, it is quite a tainted one. Uncontrollable magic. A lust for a woman who for years could not return it. Knowing you are always second fiddle to other, stronger wizards. And the best one yet? Seeking the help of Hades to become strong enough to slay me, as if that would've ever even helped and staved off your imminent destruction!"

"If that's all you know then clearly you haven't been paying attention."

"You have sinned, Kai, on your path to being the hero that slays the mighty Apocalypse Dragon."

"I wouldn't be a hero if I didn't sin. Heroes are born from goodness, they're born from a desire to do better. And I have."

"Not good enough."

Acnologia raised his lone arm and fired a pulse of magic at Kai faster than any spell Kai had ever seen. Still, Kai held his stance and deflected the magic back with his own sword, careening the force into the side of the cliff where it shattered.

"Oh," Acnologia muttered, nodding. "Good."

"I won't lose to you," Kai said. "It's over, Acnologia."

Acnologia said nothing but fired off a stronger pulse of magic that Kai had to dodge. Kai swiped his sword through the air, a clean slice of magic ripping across the sky before Acnologia swatted it away effortlessly. Acnologia curled a fist and two reams of blue magic burst from the ground beneath Kai before the entire ground before Kai exploded and sank away.