The Beat of War Drums

Chapter 13 - The Battle (4)

Author's Note: Hey! Sorry about the almost late chapter. I had my first day of work today plus driver's ed, so I was busy. I'm now an office assistant at my mom's work. I'm pretty proud of myself. This story ends on chapter 15 and I won't make another book. I'm thinking of another FT fanfic, but I'm currently working on my own novel right now, so please be patient! :)

Chapter 13

Third Person P.O.V.

Natsu and Nilvashka are merely blurs of color as they clash together. Natsu's flames and his armor are bright, differentiating greatly between the black on black of Nilvashka. They fly at each other in blasts of fury. Natsu's magic and curses eat away and Nilvashka's barriers. The force of Natsu's Figa attacks are much more powerful than the Queen of Hell is capable of deflecting. As her barriers continue to shatter, Nilvashka releases a burst of magic, hoping to injure her descendant. Nilvashka's magic tears through Virgo and Loke, Lucy closing their gates an instant before they are harmed. Pain tears through her at closing the gates so suddenly, and against the will of the spirits. She doesn't even realize what a feat that is. Zeref grabs Lucy as her Celestial Spirits vanish and erects a protective barrier around them. His barrier turns remains transparent so that he can ensure that Natsu isn't injured anymore. If Natsu finishes his battle quickly, Zeref can reverse the effects of the Figa form. Lucy's breathing hard from battling with the Queen of Demons. She had done everything that she could to distract Nilvashka so Zeref could tell Natsu what he needed to know. No matter how much she hates being bait, she always plays the role perfectly. Natsu and Nilvashka separate, each taking a moment to catch their breaths. They fought more fiercely than before, yet Nilvashka now had the greater number of wounds. In just a few short minutes, Natsu had taken the lead once more.

Natsu's form has changed greatly. His skin is gray and dry, looking thin with the status of death that his body currently claims. In order to take on his demonic form, his body must kill itself. His armor, once black and simple, is now plated with gold and silver. Intricate carvings of the tortures promised to a soul in hell gleam in the metal. His scarf is pure black, tainted by the force of his death energy. His pink hair is now partially black, and bones protrude from his back, head, and arms. His eyes are what truly amaze Zeref. Both of his eyes are two different colors; one is silver and red, and the other is gold and red. He twirls his double-bladed sword as if he's been using it all his life. The bells hanging from his wooden staff jingle a tiny bit. His face is grim, as if he knows what he must do, and it saddens him greatly to think about it.

"Is Natsu going to be okay?" Lucy asks. She sounds fearful, but not for herself. She's afraid for someone so powerful as Natsu.

"I don't know." Zeref replies honestly. He too is scared for Natsu's fate.

The air around Natsu's staff turns foul, and he charges again. It's almost like the staff is eating away at the eternano-heavy air. Previously, he'd been striking with his sword, manipulating his natural elements in powerful blows. Now, he goes in with his sword down for defense, and his staff raised for an attack. The staff barely touches Nilvashka, but she lets out a shriek nonetheless. Natsu's eyes are the only ones quick enough to catch how her eternano degrades so rapidly that she's gone in the blink of an eye. The staff had indeed been eating away at the eternano.

He did know what he had to do, and it truly did sadden him. To destroy one's eternano completely, means to erase their existence from the world itself. Nilvashka won't be going back to hell, but she won't be going to heaven either. She's simply gone. Natsu's killed a lot of people, none of which whom he'd mourned or felt too guilty over, besides his family. But destroying Nilvashka is something that he's sure will always pain his heart. To destroy someone so completely, was never something he had wanted to do. Killing someone was completely different. At least then, their soul would live on. Like this, there is no chance for redemption.