Phoenix Fire || Fairy Tail [1]

𝐱𝐱𝐯𝐢. 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 {𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝}

𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙨𝙩𝙛𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙯𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙨
❛ ... ❜

◊

"Shadow Dragon's.... Roar!"

Rogue launched a beam of dark shadows at the dragon he was battling, pouring as much power as he could into the frontal attack.

The dragon laughed as his opponent's attack dispersed, unable to be held any longer.

Rogue panted heavily, attempting to maintain his dragon force. When he had been searching the city for a dragon which wasn't being taken care of he had walked straight into an attack from the small dragons which hatched from eggs dropped from the sky and was left with many injuries.

The shadows which emanated from him dispersed into the night air, his eternano reserves almost completely depleted.

"Rogue." Said the dragon. "You're much too weak to defeat a dragon. Why exhaust yourself any further?"

Rogue's gaze snapped from the ground to the dragon as he forced himself to stand upright.

"How do you know my name?!" the exhausted dragon slayer questioned.

"I was specifically instructed to spare your life." The dragon's breath came out misty in the cool night air.

"It's true, you know."

Rogue's attention turned to the source of the voice- his own shadow. It flickered strangely, as though it had a life of its own. A bright crescent in the shape of a mouth and one eye was located where its head was.

"What... are you?" the dark-haired mage asked, hesitantly.

"I am you. At least, I'm another version of your future. I am the darkness that always follows you, born from the darkness inside of your heart."

"S-shut up!" Rogue snarled, stamping his foot down on the shadow.

It laughed in an evil manner, amused by his fear.

"Shut up! You're lying, you're lying!" The shadow user insisted.

The dragon laughed at his terror, amused by his reaction. "You should stop fighting if you know what's good for you. You are the only human who will survive this onslaught, and in due time you will become the ruler of the world."

"What are you talking about?!" Rogue exclaimed. "I have no desire to rule the world! Who told you to spare me?"

"Who?" the dragon chuckled. "Why, you did, Rogue. You are the one who summoned us, we will destroy the world at your request so that you can rule over the wreckage... in seven years, you will hatch this plan and travel back in time."

"Ha..." the shadow dragon slayer closed his eyes. "I don't believe in this nonsense."

"But it's true..."

His eyes darted to the floor where the shadow had been, but it had disappeared.

Rogue began breathing heavily, panic overtaking his being. He couldn't be evil! He wouldn't ever hurt innocent people, and he didn't want to rule over the world!

So...

Why did he feel that what the shadow was saying was the truth?

"Look inside your heart. You cannot deny that it has been stained by darkness."

"What?" Rogue asked, turning to the dragon.

"Your heart will be stained by darkness."

Rogue glanced down, trying to make sense of what the shadow and the dragon were telling him. He would... be stained, by darkness?