BOOK 1 - Fairy Gods: Ascension

Chapter 9: The Climax of the Fight

The vortex above Crocus was slowly undone, the portal closing as two individuals came out of it. Those were Natsu and Larcade, falling down while exchanging punches. The pinkette struggled against the God of War, gripping his face, trying to push him. Suddenly, Natsu landed a kick that separated both adversaries, each of them falling on a different direction.

Natsu landed on the ground, rolling back until he recovered his balance. On the other hand, the God of War landed on top of a ruined bulding, his landing cracking the roof while his fury was now palpable. "Damn motal! Now, you've done it!" he yelled in anger. "You really think you can say 'NO' to me and live?! DON'T TOY WITH ME?!"

Larcade propelled himself forward. His impulse cracked the building more while Natsu braced himself for the fight. That's when 2 sharp hickles materialized in Larcade's hands, both weapons letting out some fiery energy in the same way Natsu's blades were doing.

The God of War attacked. Natsu countered firmly as both sets of weapons collided, producing a powerful shockwave, and cracking the ground. Following that, both enemies just moved around the battlefield, exchanging blow after blow, but without landing a good hit. Larcade swung his sickles wrapped in blazes while Natsu dodged, slashing too as the god was getting frustrated. Each of their attacks was strong enough to destroy more and more of the field.

Suddenly, Natsu landed a good elbow hit on Larcade's face. This last one was stunned briefly, but soon, he turned back and kicked Natsu with force. The pinkette blocked the attack, but was still pushed back several meters. While Natsu recovered his balance, Larcade swung his sickles again, letting out a barrage of sharp blazes going after the pinkette. Natsu startled and readied himself.

He sliced through one of the blazes, then another and another until he found an opening. Natsu jumped forward fast, so fast that Larcade was barely able to block this time, being pushed back across the field. The trail of flames coming from both of them was such that random explosions occured wherever they touched. At some point, the got some distance between them, but soon closed in again.

Natsu spun his scorching blades, handling them by the paif of chains tying them to his arms. He roared as Larcade did the same, sickles in hand and ready to attack. And so they did. Both of them yelled in fury, clashing their weapons one time after another, moving in a brutal dance so fast that the few people watching them had trouble to follow their movements.

More random explosions occurred around them, but neither Natsu nor Larcade showed any sign of backing up until one final collision between the blades and the sickles forced them to split. Not for long though. Natsu quickly propelled himself forward again. The weapons clashed with more force, but less speed. In addition, Natsu could feel something going on. It was becoming hard to keep up with Larcade's pace, meaning the power he got from Mavis's Box was starting to wore off. The pinkette had to finish the fight while he could.

Suddenly, Larcade swing his sickle and effectively sliced one of Natsu's chains. One of the blades was unattached from the pinkette, but he quickly held it to not lose it. With the remaing chained blade, Natsu slashed the God of War's arm, cutting its hand off while this last one roared in a mix of pain and rage. Not only was Larcade separated from one of his hands, but also from one of his sickled. Still, he wasn't defeated. The god swung his remaining sickle, and slashed Natsu's chest, leaving a deep wound.

The pinkette simply endured the agony while mentalizing himself, thinking of what to do during those instants in order to win. With his injury, the time he had left, and only one fully functional blade, there was only one last chance for him to try. Natsu rushed forward. He dodge Larcade's sickle and created an opening. With this new chance, he used his unchained blade to attack the God of War's chest. Nonetheless, Larcade deviated the attack at the last second, getting his belly pierced instead.

Natsu wasn't done though. He failed his first attack, but he still had a chance. He took a frim grip of his remaining blade and raised his arm, thinking of how the devil in front of him caused him pain in the past. How he was trying to kill him now, and even tried to manipulate him into giving up. Natsu had come to a conclusion. The gods were not merciful as everybody thought. They were not defenders of peace. What is more, they were not invincible either, and he was about to prove it.

"LARCADE!!" yelled the pinkette furiously, his scorching blade clashing against the God of War's neck in an attempt to behead him.

Larcade could feel his skin being slowly penetrated, burned down by the power of Natsu's blade. He could not believe that a mortal was about to behead him. In fact, he had no idea where Natsu was getting all that energy. It was like one last desperate attack filled with all of the pinkette's remaning power and will. The ground cracked beneath them, and wind and flames spread while Natsu kept on pushing, Larcade trying desperately to get away, but it was useless.

The determined look on Natsu's glare was such that Larcade knew it was over for him. He could not win. "Natsu... No..." muttered the god during those instants, seeing his life pass through his mind until he remembered the day he cursed Natsu with the fiery blades he possessed now. "I... I was just trying... to make you a great warrior..."

"You succeded" Natsu bluntly replied, and so, his last push finally delivered.

Natsu swung his entire arm, slicing straight through the god's flesh in a clean cut. A trail of flares accompanied the slash while Larcade's head was sent flying, getting lost in between the rubble of the battlefield. The adrenaline Natsu felt was at its peak during those brief instants, watching Larcade's headless body hit the ground until he too did. The pinkette was tired as hell, but also relieved. It was over.

...

...

...

There was a long silence after Natsu delivered his final attack. The pinkette crawled all over the floor, feeling the very last of the divine power he had borrowed to heal his wound on the chest. It wasn't his time to die yet. Other survivors of the gruesome fight watched in shock at the state of their dear city. They had no idea how, but they knew that the fight was over. Natsu had done the impossible... A mortal... defeating a god.

While the pinkette took deep breaths, he noticed Larcade's lifeless body starting to desintegrate, turning into small particles that soon flew into the sky. A reminder that the God of War was truly dead. In addition, a long scar was left on Natsu's chest, as a reminder of the final mission he was granted. Now, with his task complete, it was time to go.

"Where are you going?" asked Hisui, who suddenly showed up behind Natsu. "You can't leave yet. You saved us! You took down a god!" The pinkette was already walking away, but the girl didn't think it was fair for him to leave without proper thanks. Not that Natsu cared about that at all. "These people... They deserve to know who saved their lives!"

"Tell the folk whatever you want" replied Natsu. "I couldn't care less about the recognition. Besides, it's as I told you before. I didn't do it because of you or your city"

"Is that so?"

"YES" Natsu was cutting in his words, leaving Hisui without an option to reply. "Now, let me be. I have other things to worry about"

Hisui didn't argue anymore, believing that the best thing she could do repay the pinkette warrior was to respect his wish. And so, she simply watched him. The silhouete of a man losing itself in between the dust. Not caring about the fame, just having a new mindset at hand. "Very well..."