BOOK 1 - Fairy Gods: Ascension

Chapter 10: The New God of War

<<Days later>>

With the God of War defeated, and Crocus safe, many people wondered what is it that happened that day. Many think that Larcade didn't die, but simply regretted his actions and left. Others believe that it was the King of the Gods, Zeref, and the other gods the ones to intervene and take down the God of War. None of that was entirely true. Sure, Zeref and the gods did their part, but it was someone else who finished the job. A mortal that proved that the gods were not allmighty after all.

Right now, that person found himself at a small village. Drinking inside a bar while trying not to pay attention to all the noise going on around him. Natsu covered his head with a hood, trying not to stand out. It was useless. One of the drunk men nearby lost his balance and bumped into Natsu accidentaly, making him drop his beer. The pinkette was not happy.

"What's you problem?!" Natsu yelled, turning to punch the man.

This last one quickly grabbed a chair and tossed it to the pinkette. Natsu dodged it, and the chair hit another man behind him. This other man attacked the first one in anger as more men barged in wanting to cause havoc. And so, a full-fledged free-for-all fight began at the same time that the musicians at the back sped up their tune. Natsu was as furious as he could be, but also quite bored. He had killed a god and many other beasts in the past. It is no wonder why a mere fight in a bar was a waste of time for him.

Still, he took part in it for as long as his patience let him. Then, he quickly slipped out of there, a rum bottle in hand as he suddenly noticed someone calling for him, waiting next to a door at the back of the bar. Natsu narrowed his eyes. The person in question was the Oracle from Crocus, Hisui, who Natsu assumed he would never meet again.

Not only that, but the green-haired girl looked at him in a seductive manner, wearing her usual revealing outfit, and swinging her hips while entering the room behind her. With her finger, she signaled the pinkette to follow her. Any man would feel enchanted by such thing. Even Natsu found himself a bit excited, but he also knew something was off, and as he followed Hisui, he figured it out.

"Nice to see you again, hero" muttered Hisui as soon as Natsu shut the door closed. "You did not think you could escape without receiving a proper thanks, did you?"

Hisui lied on a bed, nothing but a top and a cloth covering her. The bedroom was a bit dark, only illuminated by some candles spread all around. The noise from outside couldn't be heard either, and while Natsu found it quite charming, he also found it very suspicious. "What are you doing here?" asked Natsu with a  serious expression.

"Eh? Didn't you hear me? I'm here to offer you a reward. Go ahead... Come and claim it"

Natsu couldn't be fooled. "Enough, Irene!" he yelled angrily. "So far, this is the most pathetic of your attempts to contact me! Just show yourself already! End this illusion!"

There was a short silence, Hisui keeping her seductive a glare at every moment until she realized it was useless to try and enchant Natsu. Her confident smile and bright eyes slowly vanished, replaced with a serious expression that showed no emotion. Hisui stood up and walked towards Natsu. While she did so, ther body began glowing, changing form slightly until it took the form of someone else: The Goddess, Irene.

"Not so easy to trick, huh?" muttered Irene. "Should've expect no less from the mortal who killed Larcade"

"I'm only gonna ask one more time. What are you doing here?" Natsu bluntly asked.

"What do you think? I've tried reaching you for weeks, but you have ignored all of my calls ever since your battle with the God of War"

"That is because I have nothing to say to you, or the other gods" Irene startled. "You think I don't know? If the gods really wanted to help me recover my memory, they would've done it a long time ago, Irene. They were never going to do it!"

"Natsu"

"The countless tasks, the missions, all the killing and violence... You were all just using me as a tool! Someone to clean the messes that you didn't want to clean yourselves!"

"That is not true!"

"Really?!" Why are you here then?! To give me another task?! Another target to kill?! Hurry up! Just tell me what you want from me!"

"I already told you, mortal! I'm here to reward you!"

At that moment, Irene smacked the floor with her crosier. The entire room changed in the blink of an eye, transporting Natsu and the goddess to another location. The pinkette was shocked as he found himself at the peak of majestic mountain next to the coast. The wind, the sight of the sea, the sound of waves beneath. Natsu's confusion dissipated as he recognized that place. He had been there only once before: The time he begged the gods for help.

"Mount Alvarez?" Natsu asked.

"No" replied Irene. "This is just the entrance to it. You see, Natsu... While Larcade was indeed a menace to Alvarez and mortals, his role as a the God of War was of upmost importance. Without a God of War, the balance in our pantheon will shatter"

Natsu remained pensive. "What are you getting at?"

"It's simple. We mourn the death of our brother, but now, there is an empty throne in Alvarez... and a new God of War is required"

The pinkette widened his eyes, fully aware of what Irene was offering him. Not riches. Not luxuries. POWER. A position of power among the Spriggan pantheon... Among the gods who he just recently learned to hate openly. It was very contradictory, even an insult to Natsu, who did not like the idea of working beside them. However, the pinkette also saw it as a chance, a step towards getting his memory back, to learn about his origin and identity.

Natsu mulled it over throughly, thinking while Irene waved her hand, causing some sort of mystical door to materialize in front of them. Such magical entrance glowed and opened in a matter of seconds, creating a passage towards a very long stairway: The path to Mount Alvarez.

"Go ahead, Natsu" Irene continued. "Go... and claim your final reward"

Natsu didn't hesitate anymore. With a serious expression, he crossed the gate and slowly climbed up the stairway. He admired the giant palace at the top, approaching more and more until he was suddenly teleported somewhere else. He was in a chamber inside the palace. Dark. A bit old. The only source of light were some torches hanging from pillars all around. And the middle of the room... was a chair... A throne... Natsu's throne.

And so, he did it. Natsu took a seat. He reflected for a while, thinking of everything he had been through so far. Then, he remembered the many visions he'd had of his past... The dragon... The guy riding it... The blonde man... THE BLONDE WOMAN.

Those were all questions for another time. For now, Natsu took a deep breath and lied there for a long time, placing his blades next to him. Those damned blades which were now the symbol of his title... His role as the brand new...

...God of War

TO BE CONTINUED...