feral | sting eucliffe

XIII | FAH

Episode 13: Farewell and Hello!

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SWALLOWING IT, Y/n roared again as large stellanium similar to King Animus's grew on her back. She charged forward as Natsu attempted to dodge attacks, Chase keeping himself on top of her scaly back by using his chains. Using the attention Animus gave Natsu as an advantage, she lunged forward and attached her jaws to his tail, sending him into the ground.

However, the dragon rose as quickly as he fell, using a beam that forced the earth beneath them to stage as a fiery doom. Y/n landed next to Natsu, roaring in vexation towards Animus as the dragon landed across from them. "You weak, miserable human. . . " He commented, the smoke blinding Animus from seeing any part of Natsu.

Once it cleared, his eyes widened at Natsu's half-dragon and half-human form. "No. . . you're a dragon?!" He exclaimed, wide-eyed. Natsu sent him flying up using a flaming fist as Y/n kept up, using her stellanium to provide side attacks and long range support. All of a sudden, the red magic circles pointed towards Animus, providing him more magic power.

Y/n flew up again, watching Natsu yell something back, roaring as he pushed a flaming fist towards one of the dragon's stellanium. As it crushed under the force, Y/n forced a beam of her own into the equation. The white, blinding explosion boomed across the sky as the remaining magic circles that hovered above them disappeared.

Did we win? Y/n flapped her wings, surveying the area for any sign of Natsu. The fire dragon slayer began to fall out of the sky as Chase threw a chain, quickly catching him. Animus had somehow remained in the sky, tiredly chuckling. "You see, I am—" He was unable to finish his sentence. Y/n's jaws clamped onto his neck tightly as she dived down.

Beginning to spiral, she let out a shrill cry. Chase jumped off halfway, linking his chains to the ground below them in order to keep himself and Natsu out of the explosion. Still roaring, Y/n forced Animus's head into the ground, crushing the rest of the stellanium as she used the rest of her power to kill him.

After smashing the blue dragon headfirst into the ground, Y/n started falling as well. Akane teleported, grabbing her friend before teleporting to the others. She laid Y/n down, letting her set her head on her lap. The smoke cleared, revealing a powerless Animus on the ground, his jaw hanging open.

Horologium—who'd kept Lucy, Happy, and Sonya safe up until now—released them all. The dragon staff landed in the dirt in front of the soon-to-be dead beast. Sonya picked it up, breaking it by banging it against a piece of stellanium. Instantly, the magic circles disappeared into nothingness.

As sunrise began, Natsu began to appear underneath some heavy rubble, stumbling forward towards Lucy with a serious look in his eyes. "Tell me. . . " He started, his voice raspy. "What do I look like?" Tears brimmed in her eyes as she tilted her head with a warm smile, "Like the Natsu I've always known."

He let out a tired sigh, collapsing as his head fell into her chest, her arms catching him. Animus began to speak, somehow managing to gain the strength to voice out something. "I feel strange. . . I'm starting to fade away." Indeed he had, the others looking on as golden orbs floated into the sky. He concluded, "I'm dying."

Sonya walked up to him, looking at him with sad eyes. "Animus, I'm so grateful for all that you've done for me. For your guidance through the years." She clarified, smiling sweetly despite all he had just done and the chaos he'd caused. Finding it in his heart, he spoke. "Sweet Sonya. . . this is the first time I've seen your smile; it's beautiful." As he finished that word, he faded away.

A tear dropped down Sonya's cheek, "And the first time I've seen a dragon cry. I'll miss you, friend." Her head dipped in sorrow. "Farewell." Happy—who'd been watching behind a rock previously—turned his attention towards the broken pieces of the Dragon Cry. "Look, it's the Dragon Cry!" He pointed with his paw.

Nikos blinked, watching as the others looked on. Wisps of purple went in the air as it turned into a bland ribbon, flying away. "A ribbon?" Lucy whispered under her breath as Happy went towards her, still looking up towards the sky. "I wonder if that could be it's original form or something."

Nikos leaned up against a rock, chiming in. "Well, now it's flown away."

Happy waved up in the air, "See ya!" He waved goodbye towards the used-to-be Dragon Cry. As Sonya began to speak, Y/n shifted awake in Akane's lap, lifting her head tiredly. Her head pounded with an unmistakable and painful headache as she looked towards Sonya, hearing her words. "I wish that things would have been different," She cried.

"That we could've loved like you do."

Akane spoke up, a picture in between her fingers along with a few papers. "Actually," She began as the others shifted their attention from the brown haired girl to Akane. She waved the papers around, "I figured something was fishy. You and Gal look way too alike for your own good. Nonetheless, there's no way that you could've been alone your entire life."

She clarified, "Royal families usually have more than one child." Looking towards Sonya and glancing briefly at Galena, she gestured between the two. "You two," She paused, holding the photo up for everyone to see. "Are sisters." Both of their jaws dropped, Galena's eyes pooling with tears. Natsu shouted, his jaw hitting the floor. "WHAT?!"

"Sister. . . " Sonya whispered, as if not used to the term at all. Chase smirked, wrapping his arm around Y/n's shoulder. The h/c haired girl had managed to stand up, but still needed support as she leaned against her superior. "Well, isn't that quite the plot twist." He mused, tilting his head as Nikos snickered, nodding.

Chase looked down, glancing back up at Galena. "In all seriousness, Gal," The Kyuuseishu shared a look as the trio of team Natsu watched them. "If you want to stay here with her, it's alright. We love you and want the best for you; and if that happens to be here," Chase grinned as Nikos merrily smiled. "Then so be it."