~A Dragon's &
Demon's Agony~

Song; Sound the Bugle

I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Tell me what you all think in the comments please!

Darkness filled the void where a body was floating peacefully within. Cherry blossom hair danced gently in front of a young man's still face. His body had been freed of scratches, bruises, and the deadly wound that had taken his life. His neck was bare; empty. His clothes tattered and stained with blood. And there was no heartbeat or sound of low breathing to fill the silence.

Natsu Dragneel's eyes snapped open.

He gasped harshly as he sat bolt upright. Darkness was the only thing that greeted his eyes. Natsu could feel goosebumps peppering his skin as he twisted his head to look behind him. The same sight greeted him.

Natsu wanted to see a kind face.

"L-Lucy?" He rasped out, his voice echoing, and coming back to him ghostly. Hauntingly.

"She's not here."

Natsu spun around and his eyes landed upon E.N.D's smirking face.

"Only I am."

The Dragon narrowed his eyes at the Demon. Seconds passed by in silence as they both seemed to study one another. Natsu titled his head to the side.

"You made me look awful." He deadpanned. "Worse than that Underwear King."

E.N.D balked and in those few moments that the Great Demon Lord was distracted, Natsu turned on his heel, and began to wander off. E.N.D snapped out of it and shook his fist in the air. "Where the hell do you think you are going?!" He screamed, smoke curling from his mouth.

Natsu ignored his other half's cry and continued to walk further into the never ending darkness. E.N.D stomped his foot and cursed. "Do you not listen when people are trying to talk to you?!" Now that made Natsu chuckle. "You are the second Demon that has asked me that tonight." The Dragon stopped and looked over his shoulder with a smirk. "And the answer is still the same."

"You are infuriating!" E.N.D snarled.

"You're annoying!" Natsu shot back.

"You are an insolent child that needs to listen to I!" The Demon snarled, flapping his wings, and landing inches away from his lesser half's face.

"I don't care what you have to say!" The Dragon growled, butting heads with the Great Demon Lord. They glared at each other for a moment. Eyes made of emerald clashed with pulsing black and red ones.

"Oh?" E.N.D pulled back with a smirk on his cracked face. "I bet that I can change that." Natsu stood his ground. "I doubt that." He crossed his arms over his chest and reached a hand up to his neck. A flash of panic shot through his system when his fingers brushed against his flesh.

Natsu's scarf was missing.

E.N.D tracked the impulsive action. It was almost too perfect. The Demon took that moment to strike.

"I bet you do not even remember or know just how you got that wicked scar on your neck..." E.N.D smiled when Natsu immediately touched the old scar that his scarf always hid. "Do you?"

Natsu hesitated. "I gave it to myself when I was little."

E.N.D chuckled and clicked his tongue. "Na-uh," he wagged his taloned finger in the air. "Wrong answer."

Natsu's eyes flashed, "How can it be wrong when only I know the answer?"

E.N.D put a hand to his cheek, his lips titling up on one side. "Because I have been inside of your head." He tapped his temple with a obsidian talon. "I have all of your memories-"tap-"right-"tap-"here."

Natsu's eyes narrowed to slits, "So what?"

"So," E.N.D hummed. "I know something you don't know~" he sang huskily. "It's something truly twisted."

A rumbling growl vibrated through Natsu's chest. "Like I said before," he hissed. "I don't care what you have to say."

"And like I said before," the Demon rocked forward on his heels. "I bet that I can change that." Before Natsu could take a breath E.N.D was already launching into his story. "Now make yourself comfortable and open up those heightened ears." E.N.D's smile dripped with vileness. "I've got a tale to tell."

The Demon started to weave his villainous tale for the Dragon who should never have heard it.

"The father you always think so highly of. The father you still look up to. The father you thought loved you so. Was in fact the one who was supposed to kill you. That scar is from when Igneel failed to stop your heart. A permanent reminder of his failure."

"I bet it was just so painful for him to watch you breath everyday knowing that he could have ending your life. It would have been so simple too. I mean, you were just so useless back then as you are now."

Natsu lungs were closing up and his heart was failing. Lack of oxygen to his brain was making the whole world tilt around him. The darkness was creeping in on him. Suffocating him. Killing him. Drowning him.

E.N.D's voice broke through his wild thoughts and slithered into his frantic mind. "Your father never loved you. You just imagined that he did out of loneliness and desperation."

Natsu's shoulders were shaking. His nails dug into his palms, leaving behind crescent moons outlined with blood. "You are wrong." His voice was nothing but a brittle whisper. "My father did love me...Igneel did." Natsu lifted up his head and fixed burning eyes on the Demon who had buried his talons into the Dragon's heart.

"You are just envious of an emotion no one will ever have for you." Natsu hissed lowly, deadly, murderously. E.N.D's eyes had widened at his lesser half's outburst and ugly words. With one last searing glare, Natsu turned, and stalked off into the darkness.

Then, E.N.D said something that he never should have.

"I met Luce by the way."

Natsu stopped dead in his tracks as something cold wrapped around his heart. E.N.D grinned sinisterly, "She was absolutely to die for."

Natsu slowly turned around, his eyes glowing, and when he spoke, his voice was deadly calm. "What did you do to her?"

"Oh, so now you are interested-" E.N.D jerked back when a wave of scorching heat slammed into him.

"What did you do to Lucy!" Natsu roared, fire coming alive around him.

E.N.D fanned his face and flashed Natsu a fanged toothed smile. "Something life changing."

Natsu lowered his head and gritted his teeth. A vein pulsed on his forehead as anger, swift and hot, overtook him. Horns bursted through his skin on each side of his head. His nails turned into bone crushing talons. His fangs extended and sharpened as well. Blood red wings shot out his back and a swishing tail followed right after. Ruby scales flashed as thousands appeared on his tanned skin, shielding and protecting him.

E.N.D watched the show with bored eyes. "You cannot kill me, Natsu. You cannot kill what is a part of you." The Demon sighed, circling the Dragon with his hands laced beneath his own black and red wings.

"I'm stronger, better than you are, and will ever hope to be." E.N.D stopped for a moment and smiled blissfully. "Luce certainly saw that."

"Shut your mouth." Natsu snarled, lashing his tail.

"Why? Not like you can stop me." E.N.D went on without a care.

"Just admit it, Natsu." E.N.D drawled, circling him. "She does not care about you anymore. I mean," he stopped roaming around to lean in and whisper into the Dragon's ear. "She did call you a monster."

Natsu lashed out and E.N.D barely dodged the Dragon's ivory talons. "Shut up!" Natsu roared. "You don't know shit! Lucy didn't mean those things!"

"She didn't?" E.N.D titled his head. "But she was right." Natsu took in a rattling breath as E.N.D continuously ripped into an old wound. "That is what you are. Both of us in fact. See? You and I are not that different." The Great Demon Lord smiled, flashing his fangs. "Luce certainly seemed to think so."

"All of that, every single word, is a lie." Natsu hissed, flapping his powerful wings.

"Is it though?" E.N.D wondered with fake thoughtfulness. "Well, it doesn't really matter anymore. Her opinion, I mean." He clarified, looking slyly at the Dragon, who's eyes dimmed with confusion. "Opinions only matter when that person is alive." E.N.D added, his eyes pulsing.

Natsu's whole being stopped functioning. His heart twisted inside of his chest. His fiery blood turned to ice. He staggered, his hands flashing to his aching chest. A low, heartbreaking moan left him.
He leaned forward, whatever left in his stomach threatening to come back up.

Natsu's body shook terribly as he cried out hoarsely. He put his face into his shaking hands. Not Lucy...Oh Mavis no...not my Lucy.
A memory caressed the back of his mind. He snatched it and the single memory lit up. There stood Lucy, a smile on her face, her arm up, the back of her hand facing him.
"Natsu! Look!"
She flashed him her new pink Fairy Tail Symbol.
"I got my Guild Mark!"
Natsu's body trembled, his eyes brimming with burning tears.
"That's great, Luce!"
His own voice echoed in his mind.
"You're part of Fairy Tail now!"

And, oh, the smile she had gifted him when he had said that... It had been brighter than all the stars in the sky.

Something within the Dragon cracked.
Then shattered.
Natsu was in E.N.D's face.
The Dragon roundhouse kicked the shocked Demon in the head. E.N.D skidded back and shot open his wings to stop himself from going any further. The Demon rubbed at his sore jaw as he fixed a glare at Natsu-

The Dragon's eyes were swathed in fire and his body was engulfed in skin melting flames. All that fury. All that murderous intent. Was directly targeting E.N.D.

"You dared to touch her?" Natsu growled. "To look at her?" He took a powerful step forward. "To hurt her?"
His Magic flared and roared all around him. "You should know something E.N.D..." The Dragon's voice lowered to an insidious whisper. "Never touch what a Dragon considers his precious treasure."

E.N.D had better be scared.
Better be afraid. Better be terrified. For he had just let the monster out of his cage.

Natsu stalked forward with his murderous flames roaring at his back. His red eyes were locked on E.N.D's narrowed ones. The Dragon hissed and lunged forward. Natsu cocked back his arm and slashed his talons down. E.N.D braced himself and blocked the blow with his arm. Natsu's talons scraped off the Demon's scaly armor with a screech!

Natsu snarled his irritation and knocked his enemy's arm out of the way. He brought up his leg and jammed his knee into the Great Demon Lord's chest. E.N.D chuckled.
The Demon grabbed Natsu's leg and twisted the limb harshly to the side. The Dragon gritted his teeth when he heard a soft crack. Natsu balled up his fists, kicked off the ground with his other leg, and smashed his heel into E.N.D's temple.

The hold that the Demon had on Natsu's leg fell away when he lost his ability to see for a moment. E.N.D shook his head to get rid of the dots and his vision came back just in time to roll away from Natsu's flaming fist. E.N.D exhaled roughly as he stood up.
Natsu growled as he too straightened.

The Dragon Slayer and the Great Demon Lord glared at each other with their flames licking up their bodies.
"Where?" Natsu muttered, turning his body to start walking around E.N.D, but never taking his eyes off of him.

E.N.D smirked, and joined Natsu as he too began to circle the area. "You are going to have to elaborate on that." The Demon replied evenly.
A muscle in Natsu's jaw jumped when he gritted out, "Where is Lucy?"

E.N.D stopped and Natsu halted as well. "She's not here..." For some reason unknown to Natsu and perhaps even the Demon himself, E.N.D's voice turned heavy with a dash of sorrow. "Luce isn't anywhere were we or anyone can see her again."

"Then I guess I will just have to see that for myself." Natsu said calmly, tilting his head slightly to eye E.N.D.
The Demon shook his head in astonishment. "You are not leaving this void, Dragon." He brought up a clawed hand and shook his index finger. "I will not allow it."

Natsu's lips curled into a half smile oozing cockiness. "Good thing I was never one to follow orders." E.N.D closed his nightmarish eyes and huffed out a laugh. "I see," E.N.D lazily opened up his eyes and placed one set of fingers atop his forehead. "Then I suppose I will just have to make you stay."

Natsu smirked savagely, raised his arm, and spread his fingers. Fire sparked to life and licked along his digits. The little flames flickered and contorted into words. 'Come on' was what the fire had spelled out elegantly. "Try. Me." Natsu growled, a hint of playfulness coloring his tone.

"Oh," E.N.D smiled pleasantly, letting his body relax. "I certainly will."

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu Dragneel rushed forward and E.N.D dashed to meet him. Dragon and Demon met in a powerful show of fire and Magic. Natsu and E.N.D clashed together violently with neither one of them showing signs of slowing down.

They both used their talons to slash at one another. Natsu raked his talons harshly across E.N.D's chest, forcing the Demon to take a staggering step back to reclaim his balance. Natsu charged forward when he saw his chance. He swiftly leaped forward, turned his face to the ground, and balanced himself on his hands when he landed. Natsu twisted his arms and moved with the motion until he was nothing but a spinning blur.

"Fire Dragon's; Claw!"

With his feet blazing, Natsu lifted his legs, and smashed the heels under E.N.D's chin. The Demon's head snapped up just as Natsu fell back into a crouch. The Dragon slammed his hands into the darkness and using his legs, rocketed forward, flapping his wings to give him extra speed.
E.N.D never saw him coming.

Natsu plunged his horns into the Demon's stomach, ripping into flesh, and tearing blood vessels. Natsu savagely yanked his horns out of his enemy's obliterated stomach, spilling guts and gore everywhere. Black liquid trailed down E.N.D's mouth in rivers and he looked down at his destroyed middle with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm rather disappointed," E.N.D muttered much to Natsu's anger. The Dragon took a step back, wiping the Demon's blood from his face that dripped down from his horns. "Why is that?" Natsu snarled, eyes narrowing. "I just thought that you would be a bit more of a...challenge." E.N.D told him smoothly, the black tendrils on his shoulder coming to stitch, and repair his flesh back together.

"And I thought you wouldn't be so annoying." Natsu mumbled, eyes flashing, and fire pulsing much like E.N.D's eyes. The Demon Lord chuckled darkly. "Such a hot head I have for a counterpart."

"Such a bastard I have for mine." Natsu shot back without missing a beat. E.N.D smiled, amused, "I suppose..." E.N.D was in Natsu's face.
"You could be right." Before a breath could be taken E.N.D had already landed his blow. He had spun and smashed his elbow into Natsu's throat. The Dragon gasped horribly and was sent flying back from the force.

Natsu hit the ground hard enough to snap a bone in his arm. He rolled and rolled until he finally came to a stop feet away from the laughing Demon Lord. "What a hit!" E.N.D cackled, putting a taloned hand to his stomach as Natsu moaned in pain. "I think I heard something crack!" E.N.D giggled, unfurling his red and black wings, and flying over to land where Natsu still lay in a heap.

The Demon fell to one knee and he cocked his head at Natsu who was cradling his fractured arm close to his chest. E.N.D's brows furrowed and he turned Natsu over with a push of his hand on the Slayer's shoulder. The Dragon's lips were pulled into a thin line and pain was overflowing in his eyes. However, his hand was steady when he placed it upon E.N.D's neck.

"Get-the-Hell-away." The Dragon growled dangerously. E.N.D ignored him, hovering his hand above Natsu's broken arm, his black and red eyes pulsing with curiosity. "I've never felt pain before..." He murmured, wrapping his fingers around Natsu's wrist with the upmost care. "You're not missing-" Natsu hissed in pain- "out on anything."

"Is that right?" E.N.D whispered, eyeing his enemy's arm. "Well then," a sadistic smile curled his lips, "perhaps you could show me more."

E.N.D pulled Natsu's shattered arm above his head and then slammed the limb into the ground.

The agony that shot throughout Natsu's whole being was enough to make his scream a silent one. Tears of pain filled his eyes and slipped down his cheeks in rivers. In a desperate move Natsu brought up his tail and whacked the extra limb into E.N.D's back. It did not even faze the Demon.

"Oh?" E.N.D dragged a talon down Natsu's wet cheek. "Is this 'pain'?" He wondered aloud, studying the Dragon's contorted face. "I've faced Death before..." E.N.D tightened his grip on Natsu's wrist until he broke the remaining bones on his left arm. "He did not scare me." The Dragon's screams were foreign to E.N.D's ears.
"Although, few things do." The Demon never let his victims live long enough for their cries to become so loud.

It was so interesting and entertaining.

E.N.D would have to remember to do this more often.

Natsu kicked and struggled under the weight of the Demon who had him pinned. The pain was far too much! He couldn't bare it! Natsu's system was going to shut down soon if he didn't do something! Now!

"Get-" His fire began to flicker and come alive across his skin. "Off-" Flames slithered across his face and twirled in his hair. "Of-" Natsu jerked his head up, fire igniting around his eyes, and his fire roared just as he did. "ME!"

With a bellow of anger, Natsu brought back his head, and smashed his forehead into E.N.D's surprised face. The Demon jerked back and Natsu took that small opening to wrap his tail around E.N.D's throat and throw him away with a flick of his tail. The Demon hit the ground hard and dug his talon's into the wispy blackness surrounding him to stop his descent.

Natsu took in a deep breath and his lungs seemed to celebrate for they at last got to have some much needed air. E.N.D had been crushing them with his knee. The Dragon cradled his useless arm to his chest and he forced himself to stand. To continue to fight.
He had to see Lucy again. He had to see if she was okay.

Natsu would not lose!

With his Magic still flaring up around him, the Dragon bent his knees, flared his wings, and shot forward. Natsu kicked off the ground and spun in the air to whip his tail across his opponent's face. E.N.D's neck flashed to the left and his strange colored scales snapped off. Natsu didn't give his evil counterpart a chance to recover for he went in once more.

The Dragon smashed his scaly palm into the Demon's nose, snapping the bone, and pushing E.N.D's head back roughly. With a snarl and a flash of fire, Natsu slammed E.N.D into the blackness that served as the ground. The blow to the Demon's skull caused a terrible sound to rise up that sounded like something cracking.

Natsu still did not let up with his attacks. He balled up his only good fist and straddled the Demon who had stolen his image. Again and again Natsu wailed on him. He cracked his fist into E.N.D's face, chest, arms, stomach, ribs, anywhere where he could successfully land a blow.

E.N.D could do nothing but try and block each hit. Natsu knocked away the Demon's arms and cocked back his own arm to deliver a final, powerful blow. Fire sparked to life and engulfed his fist. Natsu bared his fangs and bellowed, "Fire Dragon's; Iron Fist!"

With the incantation still ringing in E.N.D's ears, Natsu brought down his arm, and rammed his flaming fist into the Demon Lord's face.

Bones and blood vessels that made up the Demon's face snapped and cracked beneath Natsu's fiery fist. E.N.D twitched, a gurgling sound coming from him, then...he went still. The Fire Dragon Slayer's shoulders slumped and his aching hand uncurled itself. His chest rose and fell sharply as he fought for breath. He titled back his head as a fresh wave of fatigue hit him. Natsu's lips parted as he panted and he looked down at E.N.D's bludgeoned face.

Natsu had to close his eyes and look away from what he had done. Warm ink black blood dripped from his busted knuckle and dropped onto what was left of E.N.D's face. The Dragon Slayer felt sick and he had to cover his quivering lips with his aching hand. He swallowed hard and clamped his mouth closed.

The Dragon had won in the fight against the Great Demon Lord E.N.D.

Natsu had just begun to try and rise up when something wrapped around his waist. A scaly red tail with pulsing black cracks. "It's so strange to try and kill yourself." Natsu's eyes snapped open and he swiftly jerked his head down. His air was abruptly cut off when E.N.D clamped a taloned hand around his throat.

Time's clock seemed to shatter when the Dragon's eyes locked with the Demon's open eyes. A smirk was crawling across his lips stained crimson. "You thought you had some control, did you not?" E.N.D whispered huskily, already the black cracks on his face were beginning to heal what had been damaged.

"Who's in control now?" E.N.D purred, digging his talons further into Natsu's throat. "I fear that I cannot hear you, lesser self of mine." The Demon Lord pouted as Natsu gagged. "Would you like to give up now?" E.N.D closed his eyes and smiled. "You can stay here forever if you do."

Cherry blossom hair caked with red and black blood fell over Natsu's eyes, shadowing them. His lips parted and he mouthed something that escaped E.N.D. "What was that?" The Demon smirked and leaned closer. "I'm afraid that I did not catch that." Natsu opened his mouth once more and E.N.D titled his head to listen-

The Dragon's fangs gleamed as he sank them into E.N.D's flesh, and ripped the Demon's ear clean off.

The Demon jerked away and his lips curled up into a snarl when he saw Natsu's struggle to smile, black blood dribbling down his chin. E.N.D growled lowly and threw Natsu into the air. The Dragon could at last breath and he quickly snapped open his wings. Natsu sucked in a raspy breath and rubbed at his sore throat. He flapped his wings and looked to where E.N.D was staring up at him with hatred swimming in his nightmarish eyes.

With a rumbling roar E.N.D shot from the ground, unfurled his wings, and rocketed to where his opponent waited for him. Dragon and Demon collided in the air with a resounding boom! Talons gleamed with shedding blood, fangs flashed, and roars mixed together.

Natsu was at an disadvantage.
He could only use one hand while E.N.D had full control of both his arms. Two sets of talons compared to one. Natsu's lips curled away from his fangs and rage coated him in waves. He was just so frustrated! How could he beat this Demon who was faster, stronger, and could heal any wound in a matter...of...seconds.

Natsu's thoughts trailed off as his eyes landed on the spot where he had ripped E.N.D's ear off.

The wound had not healed.

It hit Natsu like a blow from a Dragon.

Etherious Natsu Dragneel could not regenerate a missing limb.

E.N.D had a weakness and Natsu was going to target that imperfection. Natsu leaned back and E.N.D's talons reflected in his eyes as they passed by his face. The Dragon straightened, brought up his wings high above his head, and thrust downwards. Natsu shot forward with the force of a hurricane. E.N.D saw him coming and threw himself out of the raging Dragon's way. The Demon flipped through the air and flared his wings wide to regain his balance.

E.N.D whirled around, his eyes jumping about in the darkness to find his lesser self. "Natsu~" The Demon Lord called out with a pleasant lit in his voice. "You didn't run away from me, did you?" E.N.D titled his head and perked his ears to detect the slightest of sounds. "Ah, you hurt my feelings." E.N.D tutted, flapping his wings to hover, and turn in a tight circle.

"And you underestimate me."

E.N.D's head snapped up at the sound of the too close voice-

Natsu came streaking out of the darkness that clung to him in waves. His eyes were blazing and his pupils stood out greatly against the crimson that made his eyes appear to be on fire. His body was engulfed in raging flames that left embers floating behind him in his wake. Natsu's lips were curled back from his fangs, his fingers bent forward, talons ready to rip and tear. With a roar that could rival a Dragon's, Natsu collided with E.N.D with bone breaking force.

Both Dragon and Demon were sent hurtling to the ground in a tangle of wings and bloody limbs. Darkness rose up and enveloped them both as soon as they hit the ground. The landed was jarring enough to throw them apart. Natsu's breath was knocked cruelly from his lungs while E.N.D took the brunt of the fall on his shoulder. The Demon gritted his teeth when the bone broke and he smashed his talons into the ground to heft himself back up.

Natsu Dragneel was already there.

The Dragon tackled the Demon with a growl full of spite. They both began to grapple on the ground and roll about, both trying to gain the upper hand. Natsu rose up, cocked back his arm, and plunged his talons deep into E.N.D's broken shoulder. The Demon Lord howled and thrashed underneath the Dragon's weight.

Natsu curled his lips back in a nasty snarl and twisted his wrist, digging his talons deeper into E.N.D's flesh. The Dragon felt a surge of triumphant when he felt the tips of his claws brush against fractured bone. With a savagery that Natsu did not know he possessed, he leaned in, and with all of his strength, rammed his hand cleanly through his enemy's shoulder.

E.N.D threw back his head and released a guttural groan as his flesh was brutally ripped apart. Oh...so this is pain... The Demon realized numbly, his lesser self clawing and tearing his arm from its socket. Animal like growls rumbled from Natsu's chest and his body was scorching hot with out of control flames. With a low hiss E.N.D surged up right as Natsu ripped his arm off. The Demon barely registered his loss of a limb before he hit the left side of the Dragon's face with his balled up hand.

Natsu yelped at the flare of pain that sent his body rocking back. E.N.D leapt forward and using his only arm, wrapped the limp around his opponent's neck, and rolled underneath the Dragon, yanking him down by the throat. E.N.D steeled himself and began to crush the Dragon Slayer's jugular with his forearm.

For the third time Natsu's oxygen was stolen from him. He dug his talons deep into E.N.D's forearm and with his rapidly dwindling strength draining out of him, he mustered up all he had left, and slashed the Demon Lord's arm open. Blood vessels burst along with the tendons that controlled the arm. E.N.D's last remaining arm went limp and Natsu broke away to suck in great lungfuls of air.

Before he could even think to celebrate the small victory, Natsu was already moving, and thinking about his next move. He leaped to his unsteady feet just as E.N.D planted one foot against the ground to force himself to stand. Natsu's face hardened. He steadied his less dominate foot, spun sharply while simultaneously lifting his dominant leg, and swung the heel of his foot down onto E.N.D's ankle, effectively breaking it.

E.N.D swallowed his cry of pain and instead lashed out with his only good foot. Natsu wasn't fast enough to move out of the way of the Demon's kick and his ribs cracked when the blow hit home. Natsu was sent skidding back but he did not fall. He hunched his shoulders and bent at the waist to regain his breath, sweat trickled down his face, and attacked his eyes. He blinked the stinging droplets away and started to shuffle forward.

Only to bring his arm up just in time to block the onslaught of flames that came flying at him. The fire did not hurt him, for no fire ever could, but the force of the heat made him take a stumbling step back. E.N.D kept up the attack to ward off Natsu's own assaults so he could heal what had been broken. The tendrils began to stitch and set his flesh or bones back together while Natsu struggled to maintain his ground against the wall of Hellfire that E.N.D never stopped sending his way.

Natsu's stomach growled at the sight of the raging fire. Natsu was starving. He needed to refuel. If he didn't... Natsu narrowed his eyes as the flames pushed him further back.

Then his Magic would decrease more and more until there was nothing left.
Not even an ember would remain. The question was; Could Natsu eat the Hellfire without suffering dire consequences? Would it somehow hurt him? Make him sick? Kill him? He huffed out a frustrated breath as the flames danced against his arm teasingly.

Natsu risked a glance towards the fallen form of E.N.D and a seething anger took place within his chest. For the Great Demon Lord was slowly but surely healing himself while he kept Natsu busy defending himself. He gritted his jaw at the sight of the black tendrils slithering to and fro along E.N.D's body. Fixing what needed fixing. Repairing all of what Natsu had destroyed.

E.N.D met Natsu's eyes through the wall of flame.

The Demon smirked just as the Dragon parted his lips.

Natsu would not be defeated.

With a sharp intake of air that expanded his chest and lungs, the Hellfire that he had been keeping at bay surged forward, and seeped passed his lips, into his empty stomach. The Hellfire instantly began to fill the hollow, never ending pit that was Natsu's stomach. A warmth, like a soft newborn flame, began to coat Natsu's insides. A feeling of safety and power flooded throughout his battered body. His eyes closed at the soothing sensation....

Natsu snapped open his eyes as his new and old fire collided in an explosion of Magic that made the darkness itself recoil. E.N.D licked his lips and forced himself to his weak feet. The tendrils had done all they could. It wasn't enough. Not nearly.
E.N.D faced off against the newly revived Dragon Slayer and an unfamiliar sense of tiredness overcame him.

E.N.D shook his horned head and fixed his nightmarish eyes with Natsu's steady ones. The Dragon's fire flared as he took a gentle step forward. His footsteps were light and unhurried, never breaking eye contact with his other half's. E.N.D's body took a step back even though his mind rebelled at the action.

Natsu's lips titled up slightly at the corners. "You're not afraid of me, are you, E.N.D?" He asked softly, cocking his head to the side. The Demon straightened out his spine and lowered his head to appear more menacing. "Never." He hissed, forcing himself to keep his voice from faltering. Natsu's breathy laugh made E.N.D uncomfortable beneath his lesser half's untroubled eyes.

"Oh?" The Dragon Slayer hummed, steam pouring out of his mouth. "Why have you turned to lying?" Natsu wondered, eating up the distance between himself and the Demon with his sure footfalls. "Don't you know?" Natsu asked innocently; six steps away. "You"-five-"can't-"four-"lie-" three-"to"-two-"me"-one.

"For I am you and you are me."
Natsu's breath caressed E.N.D's cheek as did the Dragon's fire.
"I'm just the better one of us."

A growl broke free from E.N.D as he took a swipe at Natsu who ducked down low, and came back with a devastating punch to the jaw. The Demon's horned head snapped back and his back arched, leaving his stomach wide open for an attack. Natsu took the shot. He lifted his leg that was bent at the knee and struck out. E.N.D felt rather than heard his ribs crack. Before E.N.D could take a breath Natsu had him in an inescapable headlock. Unimaginable pain scorched his face when Natsu yanked down his head and smashed E.N.D's face into his knee.

The Demon Lord choked on the blood that flooded his mouth and thrusted his head to the side to spit the liquid out. Once again he felt Natsu's hands going to his head and the next attack left E.N.D withering around on the ground screaming. Natsu Dragneel jammed his thumbs deep into E.N.D's eyes, ruining the sockets, and retinas.

E.N.D cried out, curled in on himself, tucked his chin to his chest, and covered himself with his wings to shield his body. It was true that E.N.D had never felt fear before. Never imagined that he ever would. Because he was fear himself. He made his enemies and even his allies tremble at the mere mention of his name. So...why? Why was it that he was the one left knowing fear personally?

Why...?

How...?

E.N.D did not understand it. He was supposed to be the scary one. Not his lesser self. Not the Dragon that towered over him now. E.N.D's muscles locked up and he pushed aside his pain that was already beginning to turn numb. He could feel the tendrils that littered his body starting to repair his body. If only they could repair his tattered emotions that had gotten far out of his control.

E.N.D supposed the raw terror he was feeling was because Natsu knew his secret. That he could not regenerate the loss of limbs. But... No, that was not the whole reason why he was so frightened. There was something...off about the Dragon. There was something present that was not there before that now took its place within Natsu. It was in the Dragon's eyes whenever he looked at E.N.D. It was buried beneath his skin that burned white hot with his Magic.

Not even the Demon wished to touch what had entangled itself with Natsu Dragneel.

E.N.D squeezed his damaged eyes shut. Even though there was no real point in doing so since all he could see was darkness. He knew he should not be this afraid. There was no reason to be. E.N.D knew that.
Like he also knew that Natsu did not know everything that he thought he did.

I still know something that you don't know~

Natsu gripped E.N.D's wings and ripped them away from where they curled protectively around the Demon. "There you are." He grinned, "I've been lookin' for ya." E.N.D snarled and lashed out blindly, only relying on his sense of smell and sound. Natsu easily dodged the lame attacks and looked down at the pathetic Demon before him.

"Did you think it would be easy? Taking over my body? My mind?" Natsu clicked his tongue and knocked away E.N.D's bone crushing tail that swung at the side of his head. "I'm in control. Not you." Natsu brought his hand up to his head and tapped his temple with his talon. Mimicking what E.N.D had done earlier.
"You're just in my head and I'm going to get rid of the sickness that does not belong." End could hear the smile in the Dragon's voice when he purred. "You."

Natsu slid up behind E.N.D and the Demon flinched when he felt the Dragon embrace him from behind.
"You see, E.N.D..." Natsu murmured. "You may not be my worst fear." He brought up his hand and ran his fingers lightly through E.N.D's matted hair. "But I can certainly be..."Natsu's fingers danced down the length of the Demon's right horn. "Your's."
Natsu whispered.

Natsu grasped E.N.D's horns with his tail and non-broken hand. "I'm all fired up." Natsu breathed in E.N.D's ear.

All E.N.D could think was;
Something insidious has infected the Dragon.

With the last of his strength, Natsu broke E.N.D's neck, and ripped the Demon's head off with one powerful swipe of his talons to the throat.

The truly scary thing was...Natsu had not even paused...or blinked. Perhaps there was more of E.N.D within Natsu than both Demon and Dragon had realized.

E.N.D had forgotten.
That Natsu was a Dragon. With talons made for slicing through bone. With fangs prepared to rip out throats. With a tail to crush someone's spine. With horns ready to gut out a soul. With wings to drag one up and up into the sky and drop someone to the ground. Natsu Dragneel was a Dragon. And he could and would slay anything or anyone who got in his way.

It was a shame really that Natsu had forgotten something as well. As E.N.D's 'body' began to break apart in fractures of red light in Natsu's hold, E.N.D's words came back to echo through the darkness that imprisoned Natsu within its never ending depths.

"I know...something that you don't know...and that is...that all I ever was...was something to keep you entertained... Natsu, my dear lesser self of mine, you see, I was never...Even...Here~"

~Let the Adventure Continue~

This Chapter is for book_worm_fairy500