(Warning... SUPER LONG CHAPTER! You may want to put the video on loop. Enjoy.)

The fights went on and very soon the Fairy Tail dragon slayers were overwhelmed.

"You just don't know how to stay down," Dren laughed. At his words, thousands of explosions went off around Natsu.

"These are nothing compared to Jackal's curses," Natsu roared trying to smile. There was a crack as Dren disappeared. He reappeared behind Natsu and delivered a powerful punch to Natsu's back. Natsu stumbled forward. There was another crack and Dren appeared, in front of Natsu this time, and punched him in the face. Natsu snarled and roared point-blank immersing Dren in lightning and fire. 

Dren emerged unscathed and chuckled as he steamed. He lunged for the weakened Fire Dragon Slayer and grabbed him by his neck, Natsu found that his opponent seemed to be radiating heat.

Natsu wasn't done, he jerked himself out of Dren's grip and sent him flying with a fire dragon talon.

"You put a good fight for a Fire Dragon," Dren chuckled sitting up and wiping the blood off his lip. Natsu panted and looked on the verge of collapse.

"You must be wondering what my element is," Dren supposed slowly standing up. Natsu braced himself for the next attack. "Well to be honest... I don't have one."

Natsu's eyes widened and Liesy disappeared with a crack. He reappeared to Natsu's side and roared a beam of orange light. When the beam died down, smoke appeared surrounding Natsu immersing him in a blinding sphere of smoke. Loud cracks were heard as Dren teleported around Natsu hitting him multiple times. Natsu shook but was still standing, Dren laughed as he hid in the smoke "See, we are all children of Tyregenium... he's fed us dragons of many different elements and we have become hybrids. I suppose I must call myself the Heat Dragon."

Natsu snarled and lunged from the smoke throwing dozens of physical attacks, Dren smiled and dodged each of them delivering a few himself.

"I'm hot to the touch and immune to all fire attacks," Dren shrugged as he sent Natsu flying again. "I can set off explosions at my wish," Dren explained.

Natsu cried out in pain as a large explosion hit him full force.

"I ate a minor spacial dragon once and therefore can teleport, a smoke dragon allows me to encase myself and my prey in a blinding environment." Dren was grinning as Natsu tried to get to his feet.

"But... As you see... my physical attacks themselves aren't that strong. See being a hybrid is difficult because the mash-up of powers often creates strange combinations... that's why I need your fire. The fire of Fire Dragon Prince."

"You'll have to pry it from my cold corpse!" Natsu roared lunging and punching Dren. Dren smiled after he received the hit.

"That's the fire I need!" Dren laughed looking at Natsu with a crazed gleam in his eyes, "the fire that strengthens with the fight!"

He disappeared with a crack and reappeared above Natsu. He knocked the Fire Dragon Slayer to the ground and set off explosion after explosion until Natsu could hardly move.

"I need it," Dren shook putting a hand on Natsu's back. He grinned and laughed, "I NEED YOUR POWER!"

Natsu felt like his very being was being ripped apart. He could only lay there as Dren drew his soul out of him. Dren laughed and pulled a lacrima out of his pocket with his free hand. He tapped it with his thumb and a new screen opened before the crowd.

"Hey Acnologia," Dren greeted grinning, "I'm supposed to let you watch your Fire Dragon in his final moments... I think this counts as his final moments." Dren placed the lacrima next to him and Natsu so that they all could see Natsu shaking in pain.

"No," Acnologia growled trembling with rage.

'We have to do something!'

'MURDER!'

'NO!'

'What do we do?'

Acnologia held his head and cursed... the damned voices were back. And they were louder than ever.

Gajeel was also being overwhelmed. He tried to stand but had to collapse on one knee as Liesy circled him.

"Don't blame yourself," Liesy sighed as he walked. "You dragon slayers were ill-prepared, malnourished, if you will, of critical knowledge. Acnologia has pampered you and protected you from the horrors of real dragon life. What chance did you have when faced with dragon raised to kill from the egg."

"You talk too much," Gajeel gritted disappearing into his shadow.

"I've already told you," Liesy sighed stomping the ground and causing it to tremble. Gajeel was jerked out of his shadow as the earth beneath him erupted. He flew and then rolled a few feet. "That won't work."

"Damn you," Gajeel spat trying to get up.

"I am the Mineral Dragon. My scales are as hard as diamond, I can make the earth shake with my hands, I control everything in the earth... you are no match for me," Liesy sighed.

"Shut up," Gajeel gritted pushing himself to his knees. He eyed Liesy with hatred, "No matter how hard you hit me, I'll just get back up."

"Then I'll stop hitting you," Liesy sighed disappearing into the earth.

Gajeel felt the earth trying to predict where he would emerge. Liesy emerged right in front of Gajeel. Compacted minerals surrounded his hand forming a blade. Gajeel had no time to dodge.

The pointed mineral went through Gajeel's scales, through his stomach and stuck out the back of him. Gajeel choked and shook in shock.

"It is alright... you gave me a worthy fight for someone like yourself," Liesy sighed pulling back and pulling the blade out of Gajeel's stomach. Gajeel collapsed and was caught by Liesy.

"Now... I need your full body defensive ability," Liesy said laying Gajeel down. Acnologia had seen it all through the screen Liesy had set up.

Acnologia looked from Natsu contorting in pain to Gajeel bleeding out and began to shake.

'What do we do? What do we do? What do we do?' one voice panicked.

'GET TO THEM!'

'Murder Tyregenium's puppets! Kill them all!'

'And how do you propose we do that?''

'Break the barrier. We can get to them before they kill the rest of our protegees.'

'We can't get to them all in time... it'll do more harm than good.'

'WELL, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!"

'We can't.'

'WE CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND DO NOTHING! THEY'RE DYING OUT THERE!'

Wendy was thrown into a building.

"I am the Harbinger Dragon. My touch brings both relief and horror. I bring terror to my enemies and relief with their death," Tirania explained walking towards the weakened Wendy.

"Why would you want my element then!?" Wendy yelled, "Sky has no purpose with someone like you!" 

Wendy threw a wing attack followed by a talon. Tirania grabbed Wendy's foot and immediately Wendy was overcome with terror.

"Sky... sky gives me the power to heal my opponents of their pain...and then I may murder them," Tirania answered softly.

"Why?" Wendy shook breaking free of her grip.

"I love granting people true relief... I love it... You are an incredible dragonelle... you deserve that relief."

Wendy used her roar and droned out Tirania's next words.

Tirania pushed threw the wind and grabbed Wendy's wrists.

"Shh, give in to the terror," Tirania smiled as Wendy began to shake. Tirania took Wendy's legs out from under her and pinned her down.

"Just let it consume you... once you feel as though there is nothing worse then this... you'll feel relief," Tirania smiled putting her hand on Wendy's neck and drawing out her soul.

"No... Please don't..." Wendy cried. She was crying with fear and trembling.

'No way in hell will we let this happen!' the voice roared as Acnologia watched Wendy shiver in terror.

'If we get Freed here he can break the enchantment and we can stop them'

'Freed's across the town. He'd have to go through the battlefield out there to get to us, you idiot. We have to break it ourselves!'

'We don't know how to undo enchantments. If I remember right, it was you who kept saying that they're useless.'

'Do you want to start this fight right now? Because I will happily oblige.'

'SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! THIS ISN'T HELPING!'

"Shut up," Acnologia growled leaning on the wall.

"Acnologia," Ur asked concern filling her voice.

"What is wrong?" Makarov asked.

"You three aren't helping right now!" Acnologia growled.

"Us three?" Ur asked.

'Oh, I'm sorry, we'll just let you continue watching our protegees die and offer no more advice.'

'Stop calling them that!'

'Shut your mouth and dedicate that moral mind of ours to figuring this out.'

'JUST STOP FIGHTING AND DO SOMETHING!'

"Dammit," Acnologia growled as the voices tore his head apart. He could feel his dragon threatening to burst out of his skin. Then another screen opened up.

Erik didn't understand it. When he had fought Quill the first time they had seemed to be equals. Now he was completely overwhelmed. 

The dark substance in the air made him feel lightheaded and yet his limbs felt like lead.

"Do you like it?" Quill jeered walking up to a weakened Erik.

"Die," Erik roared lunging forward, poison radiating from his body. Quill smiled and gave him a powerful backhanded slap that sent him crashing into the ground. Erik could hardly stand when he got back up again.

"I imagine it's hard for you to be weakened like this... you're used to poisons strengthening you... indeed they have... a normal dragon slayer would have been dead  by now but you're clinging on to the poisons in the air," Quill applauded, "Well done, Well done."

"Shut up and die," Erik growled poison encasing his hands again.

"Of course you metal scales are also blocking the toxins from entering your body... you would be a terrible opponent to face... of course... you'd have to actually be a strong dragon slayer," Quill began laughing.

Erik took a shaky step forward and took a deep breath.

"Poison Dragon," he yelled, "ROAR!"

Quill braced himself as the roar hit him full force. When the poison cleared Quill looked up and grinned, "Good try.... top-notch try."

Then it was Quill's turn, "Sickness Dragon... Roar!" he laughed as a vortex of black particles encased Erik. When the roar cleared Erik fell to his knees hardly able to breathe.

"Your poison is potent, even now I feel it eating away at me," Quill laughed walking towards Erik who was wheezing and hacking. "But you were never faced with worthy opponents, Acnologia never taught you hatchlings how to kill a dragon and so inside... you're still a weak and feeble human with pretty scales and scary roars."

"Shut... up," Erik gritted trying to stand.

"Don't hurt yourself," Quill laughed kicking Erik and sending him sprawling.

"I've killed three dragons and many more dragon slayers. I've bathed in their blood and stolen souls of my fellow comrades for years. I am more dragon than human!" Quill laughed walking up and placing a foot on Erik's chest. He pushed down making Erik cry out in pain. Weakly Erik opened his one eye and tried to roar. He was met with a claw to the face and Quill smiling as he leaned down. "I surpass you in every way... and yet somehow... your hand-to-hand combat power is better... that frustrates me you know... so I'm going to take that from you."

"I'd rather die," Erik spat throwing Quill off him and getting to his knees.

"Oh... everyone would rather die. Do you know what happens to a dragon slayer whose dragon soul is stolen?" Quill laughed

"Dragon soul," Erik repeated slowly.

Quill hit himself lightly, "Ah, yes... you don't even know what that is silly me. Never mind... never mind... you'll know when I rip your soul out of you poor broken body!" with that Quill sprang forward, tackling Erik and pinning him down. A thicker cloud of black particles surrounded Erik and Erik struggled like a fish out of water trying desperately to breathe. The virus' in the air were attacking his lungs killing him slowly and painfully.

It was agonizing for Erik... but Acnologia was quivering with guilt and rage. Part of him said to screw all laws of time and reason and break through the enchantment while other parts of him screamed to form another plan. He was at war with himself.

'We should be spending this time figuring out what to do... we shouldn't be bickering!'

'THANK YOU!'

'Do you see them! They have minutes left! We have to act NOW!'

Sting shook in pain as he tried to pull himself up. The claw marks on his back and shoulder hurt more than anything he had ever experienced.

"Don't run away," Treena laughed walking up to him, "I want to play more."

Immediately the pain Sting felt increased and Sting screamed. Treena pounced on him and dug her claws into his shoulders making him scream even more.

"I've only gotten a few opportunities to get stronger... I've only killed one dragon and one dragon slayer... Master says I'm already too strong," Treena whined as Sting collapsed shuttering in pain, she leaned into Sting and whispered, "It's not fair... It's not fair right?"

Sting didn't answer he was gritting his teeth and trying not to cry. He flipped over and punched Treena sending her flying into the next building. Immediately the pain increased and he collapsed again.

Treena grinned as she got to her feet, "I guess that means your ready!"

She ran forward and jumped onto Sting. She put her hands on his chest and giggled.

"You know what happens when your soul is ripped out. You're will, your hopes, your dreams, every strong emotion you've ever felt is gone. You'll become an empty shell that can only scream when it hurts and then when you die... you fade away. There is no future for you White Dragon Slayer," Treena grinned.

Sting choked as the pain increased, now it felt like his heart was being ripped apart. It felt like his being was being pulled apart.

"Are you watching, Dragon King!? Are you watching!?" Treena giggled placing the lacrima on Sting's chest. Sting couldn't even move he was in so much pain, screaming hurt now too.

Acnologia looked from Natsu to Gajeel, to Wendy, to Erik, and then to Sting. His soul was ripping itself apart... for a moment he turned to run down the hallway and break the enchantment.

'Laxus and Rogue are still out there! And if our hatchlings become drained of magic power it'll make it easier for Tyregium's puppets to steal their souls... we can't do it... we'll only make things worse!'

'DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU AND YOUR LOGIC!'

Rogue had dealt Synal a few blows... but the darkness dragon was quick, her scales were strong, and she was ruthless.

Rogue was floating helplessly in the darkness occasionally making out a streak of silver before being brutally attacked again.

"I have a night dragon's scales to protect me, a star dragon's sight to guide me, a dark dragon's territory to rule, and yet... I cannot hide in my realm... funny don't you think," Synal chuckled slamming into Rogue again. Rogue went into his shadow and sent a torrent of air through the darkness. Synal dodged and grabbed Rogue's shadow pulling him out of it. Rogue was defenseless.

In a few more moments the darkness faded away revealing Rogue who was pinned down by Synal.

"Are you ready?" Synal asked, "I promise... this is the kindest thing we can do to you... you will suffer less this way."

Rogue snarled something unrecognizable but the snarls turned to screams as Synal began to rip his soul apart.

"Master has worse planned for you Uncle," Synal sighed.

'Maybe Serena sees this... Serena can save them!'

'Are you that idiotic!? Serena is miles away NO ONE IS COMING! We are on our own!'

Acnologia shook and slowly the voices of his comrades faded away as the seventh screen popped up, the voices in his head only got louder.

Laxus was being brutally murdered.

Frexis was fast, faster then Laxus in his lightning body. Frexis' attacks were powerful and harmful breaking Laxus' ribs with a simple punch.

Laxus pushed himself up as Frexis walked up out of the dust cloud thrown up by a nearby collapsing building.

"You said you have a reason to hate me... enlighten me," Laxus spat... he realized that he had blood in his mouth and cursed.

"To be simple," Frexis stated darkly, "I hate everything you have."

There was a flash of light and suddenly Laxus was on the ground with a few more wounds. He gasped in pain and lay stunned. Frexis stood over him sneering down at Laxus.

"You're so much like me it was sickening at first," Frexis sneered.

"I'm nothing like you," Laxus spat weakly trying to get up. Frexis dealt him a kick and sent the Lightning Mage flying into a wall.

"...Not anymore you're not," Fexis growled striding forward, "But I was like you." He stood over Laxus and bared his teeth in disgust, "And yet somehow... you still cling to your nestmates like a hatching who's too afraid to fly."

"You're wrong," Laxus spat getting up, "I don't cling to them... I'm there for them," he looked at Frexis his eyes burning, "I'm there for my guild and my siblings because we are a family!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO HAVE A FAMILY!" Frexis roared lunging forward and dealing Laxus many more blows faster then Laxus could register. Laxus collapsed panting and shaking. "I don't understand you," Frexis growled, Laxus looked up weakly and realized Frexis seemed to have tears in his eyes, "If your so much like I was... then how come you get to stay with your family?"

The world froze as Laxus looked to the man in front of him. He looked past the slit eyes and fangs curled into a snarl. He looked past the animosity and hatred and saw that Frexis was broken.

"I killed my siblings," Frexis gritted walking forward... "I had too... to become worthy in master's eyes... so why do you get to keep yours!?"

"You're jealous of me... because you committed murder!" Laxus roared standing up and holding his side, the anger returning.

"You don't know what it's like to serve Master," Frexis growled ceasing his attack. Energy radiated off him making his orange eyes glow neon, "Nextmates are turned against nestmates, father against son, mother against daughter, and he's at the center of it taking the strongest. It was me or them... And I was the only one with the will power to do what had to be done," Frexis snarled. He appeared in front of Laxus again and punched him in the solar plexus forcing the air out of Laxus' lungs. Laxus was pushed to the ground gasping for air.

"Will power?" Laxus spat, "You were a fool."

"What would you have done then oh wise Lightning Slayer?" Frexis roared twisting Laxus' arm until something broke. Laxus cried out but then quickly gritted his teeth, "WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE!? CRIED FOR YOUR UNCLE?"

Laxus smiled and looked up at Frexis, "I would have died. I would have died alongside my nest mates fighting for them."

"And you all would have died terrible deaths," Frexis snarled.

"But I would have died alongside my siblings," Laxus chuckled weakly.

Frexis snarled inhumanely and slammed Laxus's head into the stone road.

"You're a fool... you're a fool" he whispered to himself. He put a hand on Laxus's back and growled, "And you'll die for it!" He placed a lacrima next to them and continued to pin Laxus down... "You'll die for it," he repeated shakily.

Acnologia was now watching as all seven were being tortured. 

"We have nothing left to lose!" Max yelled turning to the enchantment.

"No!" Warren warned.

"He's right I'm afraid," Makarov gritted, "The magic power within them is the only thing that as allowing them to keep fighting... the moment we break that enchantment is the moment all is lost.

There was a deep growl resounding from Acnologia's chest. Ur was the only one to notice. She realized the dragon king was staring at the floor, his knuckles gripping the railing were white... and his eye pupils were reptilian slits.

"Acnologia?" Ur asked her voice unsteady.

"We need to kill them" Acnologia growled in a deep voice.

"No... no we need to save them... we can figure this out," Acnologia breathed shaking his head.

"Is he alright?" Makarov asked concerned.

"It's like he's going to war with himself," Cana shook.

'Break the enchantment. We're fast... fast enough to murder those challengers.'

'But not fast enough to save the kids'

Acnologia swore as he held his head, his growls grew in volume and his skin darkened as black scales threatened to burst from him... his tattoos began to glow.

"Acnologia," Makarov soothed.

"Makarov," Acnologia pleaded his voice strained, "Remind me who I am... where am I?"

"What the hell?" Jet cried.

"Makarov who the hell am I!?" Acnologia growled going to his knees and holding his head, "Am I a destroyer? Do I kill people... No, I save people... that's wrong though... It's wrong."

"He's losing it," Droy shivered.

"You are the Dragon King Acnologia," Makarov said slowly.

"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?" Acnologia roared holding his head.

'It means we go murder those challengers!'

'NO, WE SAVE THEM!'

'We need to save the kids.'

'Save the hatchlings kill the challengers... Same thing!'

"Acnologia," Alzack stated walking up to Acnologia, "You are a father... your kids need you."

"You need to kick some bad guys buts!" Asuka cheered.

Acnologia took deep breaths as the voices in his head continued the debate.

"They're you kids... and they need you. You are a caring parent, a good father, and a good man, you have a good heart and good soul but your kids need you so you can't lose yourself now." Alzack stated realizing he was treading a thin line.

"Good pep talk daddy," Asuka cheered.

Acnologia heard Alzack's words and something clicked... "A good soul," he repeated.

He was thrown four hundred years into the past.

"Do you see this?" Tyregenium asked using his magic to form a small neon blue sphere between him and the sixteen-year-old Acnologia.

"Yeah," Acnologia nodded looking at the orb that was about the size of his head.

"That... that was your soul when I first found you," Tyregenium explained making the blue orb spin in front of Acnologia. "Do you see how boring it is... smooth, with many capabilities for growth... a soul of a weak pathetic human.

Acnologia nodded but his gaze became ice-cold when he looked to the black and silver dragon before him.

"This is your soul now," Tyregenium smiled flicking his claw.

A new neon sphere appeared... now it mixed with black light and became a shifting shape that would jut out at times and then smooth over at random. Acnologia watched it with fascination.

"A human soul is pointless... but a dragon slayer's soul is everything. A dragon slayer's soul is a hybrid of the original human soul and the master. If a lacrima in involved then another factor is added for a lacrima is like a compact dragon soul."

Acnologia's gaze became filled with horror.

"Yes, my apprentice... your soul is tainted by me. Your dragon side is a reflection of me, you are more like me then you want to be," Tyregenium grinned exposing his large serrated teeth.

Acnologia remained silent as he stared at the reflection of his soul... it never rested, never stopped evolving and changing... it was beautiful but the same time, Acnologia eyed it with hatred because Tyregenium loved it.

"A good soul," Acnologia repeated again his eyes widening. He looked up at the screens. Suddenly the argument in his head stopped and everything became clear. He stood up straight and looked at the lacrima screens. "Thank you Alzack..." Acnologia gritted, "I will be back...  until then... make sure no one wakes me up."

"What?" Ur asked not sure she had heard right. With that Acnologia sat down and fell asleep.

"HE'S SLEEPING!" Jet and Droy screamed.

"No," Makarov said shaking his head, "he's up to something."

Acnologia woke up... but he didn't have a body. He looked down and admired himself... the blue and black sphere of his soul was still wild and random but now, he knew it was his, not Tyregenium's. The voices in his head were quiet, in this form, he had only one mind.

At first... he had assumed that the kid's dragon souls were reflections of their dragon parents and/or lacrimas. But now he knew he was wrong. A part of his soul had found its way into each and every one of his hatchlings... and that meant Acnologia could "visit" his hatchling's souls. He had made their souls sleep when he blocked their dragon seeds... and if he could wake them then the kids would stand a chance. It was a dangerous risk... setting an inner dragon free... but it was the only thing that could work.

Acnologia found Wendy's first. Wendy was in so much pain that her soul practically called out to the Dragon King.

Her sphere was bright and bouncy. It didn't stand still or darken even in its current predicament. Acnologia reached out and touched her soul.

"Sky Maiden?" he questioned.

"I am she," the soul responded cheerfully.

"You have slept for a long while... Now you must awaken for you are in peril," Acnologia instructed looking at the soul.

"You allow me to awaken?" she asked. Now Acnologia could hear some of Wendy in her... but there was more. Her manner of speech belonged to Grandeeney.

"Yes... I need you to awaken," Acnologia gritted.

"I only needed the word," the soul laughed... that was Wendy's part of Acnologia's soul talking.

"I wish you luck," Acnologia smiled as the sphere bobbed up and down and lashed out with tendrils. 

"And to you my alpha!" the soul laughed.

Wendy felt something in her chest grow warm. She shook and then suddenly she wasn't on the battlefield anymore.

"You can do it" A teenage Erik laughed holding the ball in his hand.

"I don't want it to hit me," young Wendy whimpered holding the baseball glove out.

"You gotta work on your hand-eye coordination sometime," Erik laughed.

"I'm just no good at it!" Wendy cried. Suddenly there was a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Don't give up yet young one," Acnologia chuckled kneeling down next to her. He held the glove while her hand was still in it. "The trick is not to close your eyes."

"But... if it hits me in the eye-" Wendy began.

"You have to trust me," Acnologia smiled. He looked to Erik and Wendy looked as Erik threw the ball. It arched upwards and Wendy found herself shaking in fear.

"Eye on the ball," Acnologia instructed moving the glove "You can do this." Wendy kept her wide eyes on the ball until it landed with a hard crack into her mitt.

At first, she didn't believe it and stared at the ball in shock.

"I told you," Acnologia smiled ruffling her hair, "trust me... you're capable of so much more then you know."

Everything in Wendy's head became clear. The fear dissipated and Wendy could feel the airflow around her... She could sense Tirania's breathing... she knew everything about this space. Wendy opened her eyes and looked at Tirania's face before slowly moving her hand and grabbing Tirania's wrist in a vice-like grip. Tirania looked up surprised and found herself starring into large brown eyes that were full of a spirit that hadn't been in the girl moments ago. Her dragon soul was awake.

"Thank you Uncle," Wendy breathed.

Acnologia found Laxus' soul next. His was golden and had much rougher edges. It was always lashing out at something.

"Lightning Slayer!" Acnologia called touching the soul.

"Who bothers me?" a loud voice mumbled.

"You must awaken... you are in danger."

There was silence from the soul.

"You... you will allow me to awaken?" the soul asked skeptically.

"I need you too," Acnologia answered.

Laxus lay there covered in wounds. He closed his eyes and sent a prayer out to his grandfather that he forgive him for dying so soon. Then he heard a voice.

"Will I be like him?"  someone was crying. Laxus opened his eyes and found himself staring up at Acnologia's whose eyes were full of pain.

"Will I be like my father?" he asked. He was nine and was sitting in Acnologia's lap as large tears streamed down his face. 

"No," Acnologia smiled putting a hand on Laxus's head, "You're nothing like him."

"But... but he's my father," Laxus cried, "What if I become just like him... what if-"

"Do not forget," Acnologia interrupted looking at Laxus sternly. Then his gaze softened and he smiled, "Just as Ivan is your dead beat father, I am your uncle... and Makarov is your grandfather. You are who you make yourself. No matter what, you decide what you do... so don't give up on yourself yet." Acnologia smiled and then pushed Laxus off his lap. "Alright, that's enough mushy-gushy time, we're done. I gotta go make dinner."

Laxus smiled as he watched Acnologia go

Laxus smiled as he thought on those words, "Don't give up on yourself yet,"

"I won't Uncle," Laxus gritted inwardly. He opened his eyes and looked at Frexis, lightning began to spark in between his fingers... his soul too had awoken

He found Gajeel's soul hardly intact. The smooth silver sphere was fading only lashing out occasionally with a thin tendril.

"Black Steel!" Acnologia called frantically reaching out to the soul.

"Don't bother me," the soul wheezed in pain.

"Back Steel! You must awaken!"

"It is too late."

"It is never too late. Now wake the *Input word* up and save yourself!" Acnologia ordered.

"You always are annoyingly bossy," the soul growled... definitely Metallicana's influence.

Twelve-year-old Gajeel had picked a fight with an older boy from down the street and was regretting it. Still, he didn't quit until the boy went home crying with a bloody nose and two teeth less. Gajeel was battered bruised and bleeding from a fat lip and his nose.

"You are Metallicana's child," a deep voice laughed. Gajeel turned and saw Acnologia smiling.

"You could've helped," Gajeel growled crossing his arms.

"It's not good to rely on help... Help won't always come." Acnologia chuckled, "Now your determination," Acnologia's eyes sparkled when he looked to Gajeel and he smiled, "your determination will always be there to back you up."

Gajeel muttered a few curse words. Acnologia growled, threw him over his shoulder and lectured him the whole way home about his language.

Gajeel's eyes flew open and they focused on Liesy who was nearly done extracting his soul. He balled his fingers into a fist and narrowed his red eyes... his soul was determined to win this fight.

Natsu was next. Acnologia reached out to his red and gold soul that was wild and flailed out with thousands of tendrils.

"NO!" someone hissed before Acnologia made contact. Acnologia tried to sense for whatever was there. "AWAKEN ME INSTEAD!" the voice screamed. Acnologia knew that voice... it belonged to E.N.D. Natsu's soul began to fade and Acnologia turned back to his mission at hand. He would worry about E.N.D's presence later.

"Salamander, the Fire Dragon Prince!" Acnologia called.

"Yeah?" a voice asked.

"You must wake up!"

"You yelled that loud just to wake me up!? You couldn't just say it!" the voice snapped.

"Wake up and defeat your foe!" Acnologia laughed.

"A fight! Now we're talking!" the soul laughed.

Natsu felt himself falling unconscious.

"One day, I'll find Igneel and I'll show him how much I've grown!" Young Natsu laughed play punching and kicking in the living room.

"Well then I guess you better improve that footwork of yours," Acnologia sighed from the kitchen as he chopped vegetables.

"He's out there," Natsu grinned looking out the windows, "And when I'll find him, I'll tell him all about you Uncle!"

Acnologia chuckled as if it was a joke, "I think he knows more about me then he wishes he did. Our relationship was much like yours and Gajeel's."

Natsu was silent in thought. "He is still out there... right?"

Acnologia paused chopping vegetables and looked to Natsu, "What does your heart say?"

"It says, yeah," Natsu answered.

"Then there's your answer," Acnologia smiled softly, "It's your heart that decided the future... it knows a whole lot more then you would think."

"I thought you said that the saying 'follow your heart' was stupid?" Natsu asked.

"IT IS!" Acnologia snapped furiously chopping a carrot, "these people act like the heart alone is your beacon... but you have to listen to the wisdom your mind and the will of your soul... saying 'follow your heart' is like saying 'walk with one leg'. It's dumb."

Natsu laughed at Acnologia's antics. The dragon king continued to rant as he furiously cut innocent vegetables.

Natsu smiled and smoke began to float from his fist. Dren didn't notice.

Acnologia found Erik's soul next... to his surprise, Erik's soul seemed to be trying to awaken on its own.

"Poison Killer?" Acnologia asked.

"Uncle?" Erik's voice answered... Erik's soul was a mix of many things... but it was also very much Erik because Erik had always been in tune with souls, especially his own.

"Are you ready to wake up?" Acnologia asked.

Erik's bright and wild soul lashed out a tendril and Acnologia could almost see Erik smiling.

"Hell yeah," Erik's soul laughed.

There was no flashback for Erik. He merely opened his eyes and smiled... he heard his own soul and it was roaring like a dragon.

Acnologia headed to Rogue's next but before he got there he heard agonized screaming... Sting was almost out of time.

Acnologia's soul collided into Sting's fading soul. He yelled two words.

"WAKE UP!"

Sting's soul was shocked... but it woke up all the same.

"I'm scared," Sting shivered looking at Acnologia who lay on his couch. Acnologia looked exhausted as he looked at Sting with large bags under his eyes.

"It's two-thirty in the morning." Acnologia moaned.

"It's dark," Sting shivered, "I don't like the dark."

Acnologia rolled his eyes but pulled Sting to him and lay him next to him on the couch. Slowly his tattoos began to glow giving off a soft blue light.

"Scared now?" Acnologia yawned.

Sting smiled, "nope."

"Good... now get some sleep!" Acnologia growled as Sting snuggled with him.

"Thank you, Uncle..." Sting wheezed opening his eyes. Treena widened hers in shock, "Thanks for showing me the light."

"You're soul if almost ripped out of you... how are you-" Treena began. Sting's eyes snapped open and stared into Treena's eyes. Treena found herself looking into the eyes of a dragon and for a moment she was frozen in fear.

Rogue was the last soul. His was fighting with everything it had. The grey sphere was round and bulged randomly, moving like water.

"Shadow Twin," Acnologia called, "wake up!"

"Alpha?" the shadow soul asked full of hope,

"Yes," Acnologia answered, "you are strong... now you must wake up and save yourself!"

"Thank you for coming Alpha," the soul murmured.

Rogue tried to struggle but was unable to move as Synal held his neck. Suddenly he was mentally someplace else.

"Why am I so weak compared to them?" young Rogue asked looking at Acnologia. The two were sitting beside a river looking at the town of Magnolia. Rogue was referring to his brothers

"You're not weaker than any of them," Acnologia chuckled.

"What... no, they're all-"

"Physically, with physical attacks... yes... right now, they're better than you but with strategy and stealth, you surpass them hands down."

"But what good are those things in a fight!?" Rogue asked desperately.

Acnologia chuckled and poked Rogue's forehead, "It's all in there Ryos. Everything you need to win a battle is in your head, in your mind, and in your soul. Magic power has nothing to do with it."

Rogue didn't believe him until many years later.

"It's all in here," Rogue breathed. He shifted again and looked up at Synal... he knew how to win.

They all knew now. There were no more questions.... they knew how to win, they knew what they had to do. Each one of them was strong... but they now had the soul to prove it.