I, Draugr Chapter 61

"So, tell me everything, my boy."

Gildarts sits down with a long, heavy and drawn out sigh. Makarov sat before him, his small frame using the desk as a seat instead of the chair behind it.

"Where do I even start…?" A hand brushes through short, red hair before falling flat on his lap, "I… Nearly died. A week or so ago. To a Dragon."

Makarov's eyes widen, "A Dragon…?" He repeats, utter shock and horror within his gaze, "Was it-?"

"Not Natsu's. This one was black, with blue marks all over his scales." Gildarts shook his head, as that too was his first thought, "Didn't talk. Just went straight for the kill the moment we ran into each other. Even my strongest attack barely tickled the fucker."

He leans back, shuddering at the memory, "Lost an arm and a leg, and my guts were hanging out… When they appeared." He nods his head to the side, towards the wall and window facing the guild hall below, where their guests were taking a break and enjoying some local food, "But it was two of their friends who aren't here first."

"A woman and… I can't even call that being a Dragon." He leans forward, cupping his hands together, gaze hallow, "The sheer magical aura that being released, Makarov… It felt like I was standing before a God. Even the other Dragon was smashed into the earth by the pressure alone."

Lah, was his name. Leonidas had told Gildarts that the name was in the tongue of Dragons, and literally meant 'Magic'. A fitting name for a being so horrendously powerful in that art, to the point that it felt like an insult if Gildarts dared use magic before him.

"Dear lord…" Makarov breathes in, eyes wide as dinner plates, before he turns towards the window in his office, "Each of them… They feel as strong, if not so much stronger than most Wizard Saints. That titan of a man puts us all to shame, even."

Deinmaar, the walking wall of pure muscles and power. During their travel here, Gildarts had the pleasure to exchange blows with the man beneath the armor.

A single punch made Gildarts feel like he was dying. It was exhilarating.

"Did they tell you where they come from?" The Ace of Fairy Tail shook his head.

"A place called 'Skyrim', from 'Tamriel', but I've never heard of these places. And I've traveled before." Like Guiltina, which was on the other side of the world- But it wasn't the only other Super-Continent in their world.

"Though, they did tell me that they are preparing for war, though."

Makarov's gaze droops, instantly overflowing with pity, "Truly? Such young children?" Gildarts nods, his own shoulders drooping.

"They came here for a vacation and to train, before going back to handle their matters." Humming softly, he tilts his head, "The child with them did often let slip a… Name- More like a title, actually. 'World-Eater'."

The guild master's brows rose, "Quite the title." He sighs through his nostrils, ruffling his mustache, "What do you make of them?"

The Ace of the guild pauses to mull over his thoughts, and go over his interaction with these new and incredibly powerful people. "I've… Never met people so kind, open and friendly."

Only Serana had been less open, and seemed to be on friendlier terms with only Hildr and her younger sister.

And Dinok, but the small, minute and terrifying woman didn't speak at all, and only hung around with Deinmaar, or Aurelia.

"Well, that does calm my heart." Makarov muses, stroking his beard with a light smile, "They did seem pleasant enough at first glance too, and I've noted how Aurelia and that giant of a man had noticed the quest board and nearly dashed out to go help people."

Shaking his head, the guild master regards his Ace with a gentle look, "How long will you be staying this time, my body?"

Fingers rise to scratch at Gildart's bearded chin, "Quite a bit. There are things I want to… Check on." Like the matter of his possible daughter, for one.

Makarov noticed the strange tone, but decided not to question it. Instead, he moved towards another matter, "Oh, yeah! Why were you even back in Fiore? What brought you back here-"

BOOM!

A sudden explosion caused the guild hall to tremble, startling Gildarts and Makarov both, with the two powerful mages sitting up in alarm.

A powerful magical aura raged outside, one that was very, very familiar. Gildart's eyes instantly widened, "Natsu!"

The two rushed out in a panic, feeling the anger raging within Natsu's magic, and found the entrance of the guild destroyed and scorched black.

Deinmaar stood beyond the entrance, with the area of destruction and scorched wood starting from his sides, with the area behind his feet and massive body having been left completely safe.

In front of the giant man in armor was Natsu, and Gildarts swiftly noted how the young teen was hyperventilating, eyes dilated and face scrunched in both anger, fear and panic.

"Natsu!" Gildarts shouts, getting in-between the two, his head swiveling towards the calm and equally confused Deinmaar, "What happened?"

The giant shrugged one shoulder, his arm gently extended to the side and resting before Dinok's small form. And Gods… Just looking at her nearly made Gildart's very Soul flee from his body.

Those pallid, blind eyes were locked onto Natsu, as if ready to erase his existence were it not for Deinmaar holding her back.

"He seemed to have panicked after seeing me exit the guild hall? I apologize if I scared him…" The giant truthfully and gently explained, and Gildarts instantly believed him.

So Gildarts turns towards Natsu, who was still focused on the titan with that scared and furious look in his eyes, "Natsu! Look at me!" The pink haired teen flinches, but does as told, "Calm down, deep breaths, and talk to me. What happened?"

Slowly, the teen takes a longer, shaky breath, then gulps heavily, "D-Dragon…" He starts, eyes narrowing, and one of his hands rising to point towards Deinmaar, "He is wearing the corpse of a Dragon!"

The Ace of the Guild freezes, then truly and fully looks at Deinmaar's armor.

Bone plates, with scales beneath them. A gauntlet of with clawed fingers, all made of bones and scales. And the helm… The helm resembled a miniaturized dragon skull.

How the fuck had he not seen this before?

"It is armor made of Dragon bones and scales, yes." Deinmaar nods, not denying the 'accusation, his large hand patting his weathered chest-plate, "The corpse they come from was from my teacher, before she died."

The titan's words bring Natsu to a halt, his eyes widening in disbelief, then joy, "Wait! Are you a Dragon Slayer too!?" The teen cried out, nearly leaping at the giant were it not for Gildarts still being between them.

Deinmaar tilts his head at the term, "I believe 'Dragon Slayer' is a type of magic, yes?" Natsu nods eagerly, his nose twitching- "Then no, I am not that-"

"What's going on?" Another voice cuts in, and Aurelia steps out of the guild hall, head tilted and gaze curious. Turning to Deinmaar, she misses Natsu's rapidly paling face, "You okay? It sounded like you got hit with an explosion… And Gretel was on Serana's lap."

The Atmoran chuckles deeply, "My armor seems to have caused a misunderstanding." He waved it off, making the silver haired woman turn towards the pink haired teen- Then pause at the look on his face.

"Natsuuu!" The flying blue cat that had been quietly watching everything noticed his best friend's state, and proceeded to tug on his scaled scarf out of worry, "What's with that face?"

Natsu shudders and takes a slow, fearful step backward, eyes overflowing with horror while staring straight at Aurelia, "W-Why…" He starts, voice trembling, "Why do you reek of Dragon blood…?"

Aurelia tilts her head curiously, while Gildarts finds his stomach dropping.

But before he could intervene, Aurelia answers the question, "Because I've killed many of them." She answers simply, seeing nothing wrong in her words, "Guess the scent of their blood remains even after bathing, huh?"

Gildarts could see the veins appear over Natsu's temple, and feel the way his magic started rousing, the air warping with heat. The situation was going to escalate without proper communication-

A startlingly loud clap brought silence over the building tension, and everyone turned back towards the entrance.

Serana stood there, hands cupped together, hood over her head, high-lighting her glowing orange eyes and the sharp smile on her face, "Perhaps it is best we talk inside, yes?"

Her gaze and words sent chills down everyone's back, and they all nearly saw Erza in the place of the hooded woman, which made everyone fall into steps.

Gildarts hadn't even taken note of the crowd that had gathered, so focused he was on trying to defuse the situation.

Turning back to Natsu, Gildarts couldn't help the fond chuckle at seeing the kid already on his knees, and frozen stiff. Just how traumatized was he…?

Stepping in, he couldn't help but bow his head in thanks towards the hooded beauty, "Thanks for that. I wouldn't have been able to handle it properly, otherwise."

Serana smiles, glowing eyes glinting with amusement, "I expected this to happen."

"I'm sure that idiot sent us ahead on purpose, in fact."

Oh, she meant Leonidas…

Hopefully he'd get here fast...

~XXX~

Oh, were are hella lost.

Pretty sure we are out of Fiore… Or on another Continent.

Fuck me sideways, this is what I get for goading Lah to use the Whirlwind Sprint Shout. Motherfucker crossed the goddamn planet.

How he didn't shoot us out of Orbit, I'll never know. I don't think he does either.

Another loud, annoying rattle makes me twitch.

"I'm gonna beat the fucking scales off of you if ya don't quit." I growl out, flipping around to stare at the bound giant body of Acnologia, who just growled back at me, trying and failing to tear at the glowing chains binding his form to the ground.

Sitting on the ground, I turn around and drop my elbow on one of my knees, then my chin on one of my palms, "Still not speaking though, huh?" I tilt my head, gazing into one of Acnologia's large eyes.

I could see the intelligence in them. The wariness. Let's see if I can crack this shell open, huh?

"You must've been truly sick in the mind for having taken up the name of the very Dragon that destroyed your home."

His body freezes, and if I could, I'd have smirked. Large eyes narrow, but I keep going, "When exactly did it happen, hm?"

"When exactly did you become the very thing you swore to destroy?"

Claws tense and dig into the earth, his body language telling me enough, but his eyes hide nothing. The hate, the confusion, the fury… "Perhaps it was from the very moment you picked up Dragon Slaying magic. Did you strike down the Dragon that gifted it to you right then and there, perhaps?"

"I wonder how good it must've felt, to tear apart good and evil Dragons both, implicating so many civilians, leaving behind the same type of carnage the real Acnologia did when he came back."

His body pounces, jaws snapping just inches from my face. I don't flinch or lean back even as he struggles crazily.

"So consumed were you by revenge, that you became the very thing you hated." I tilt my head and let out a mocking sigh, "Bet you can't even look at your own reflection, eh?"

More struggles, more pulling at the chains, claws slamming into the earth to try and reach me but to no avail.

"Was the guy you tore apart before we stopped you a 'Dragon' too?" I sneer, "Guess for you anything that is living and breathing is a Dragon now, you sick fuck."

Silence. His struggles cease, yet the hate in his eyes reached a peak.

After a bit, I speak again, "You remind me of a nice guy. Met him some time back." I start, and the hate in those eyes actually recedes back a faint bit. "He was completely focused on his 'duty'. On his 'punishment'."

"He knelt there, in the place he hated the most, for thousands of years." I look away from Acnologia, my mind going back to the first time I found and met Deinmaar, and the long nights I spent beside his quiet form, just… Reading to him, talking to him, even when he didn't talk back.

I shake my head, realizing I had fallen quiet just to reminisce about memories. And about that glorious fucking suplex Deinmaar delivered on the World-Eater.

I'll make sure that shit gets passed down in History. Hell, I'll have to go to Sovngarde and let Ysgramor know!

"...What happened then?"

I pause in surprise, halfway to standing up, and whirl my head towards Acnologia. Huh… Didn't expect him to start talking.

Slowly, I sit back down on the ground. "I talked to him. For months, entire nights. He didn't talk back, just… Knelt there, head bowed." I lean back, gazing up at the sky above, "Had to do what he hated to make him speak. Make him fight me. Make him face what he did."

I lower my head, and look back at the quiet, staring Acnologia, "Did you ever regret something, these past four-hundred years?" I ask him gently, without any mockery in my voice this time, "Genuinely regret something."

His gaze lowers, and he falls quiet. After what felt like a minute, I thought he just decided to ignore me, but then he speaks, "There was a girl." He starts, softly, "I couldn't save her."

Ah, the girl from the movie, whose name currently escapes me.

I look at Acnologia, consider it, then speak up, "She's alive." The Dragon stirs, eyes widening in disbelief, "One of the Dragons you left behind… She was dying, and so was he. He convinced her to make a pact with him."

His claws dig into the earth once more, "Do you see now? Do you see how they are-"

"Look at yourself." I cut him off sharply, "Truly look at yourself. At your actions these past hundreds of years. Swear to me that you did not kill an innocent civilian, or destroy a town. Swear it."

The Dragon falters, and actively hesitates. For Gildarts is one proof of this, and I know that there are many other cases where he took a human life, the same way Dragons did.

"Plus…" I turn my head towards the distant forms of Lah and Kara, who were going over their notes taken from studying him, "Look at them. They love each other."

Acnologia turns away, "It is a trick."

I lean towards him, "He spent thousands of years trying to find a way to grant her immortality, so that he could spend eternity with her." Acnologia shudders, "That is the purest form of love you'll ever see, and it is from a Dragon."

With that, I stand and leave the Dragon to his own thoughts, and turn to walk towards Kara and Lah. The freckled shorty turns and smiles at me as she notes my approach, "Mimicking Sheo a bit too much there, Skelly boy." She jokes, giving me a cute grin.

"Sheo talks to people normally?"

Kara pauses, "Touchè." She sniffs, then keeps going, "But I meant the whole… Breaking someone's character down and making them notice they are everything they hate. Though his way is… Traumatizing."

Fucking duh. God of Madness and Cheese for a reason.

Either way, I push through, "Discovered anything from studying the guy?" I ask, making both Dragon and lady perk up, visibly excited.

"The way they store Magicka is completely different from ours, which makes their physical bodies massively weaker than those from our world." Lah states, sharing what he analyzed during his short battle, "They need to actively use it to strengthen their bodies, while we are made stronger naturally, and can use Magicka to make us even stronger."

And a stronger body is also a stronger container for Magicka, a perfect cycle that can be repeated infinitely, but couldn't happen due to the Eye having been sealed.

It was why the Atmorans were such physical titans, but just focused on it even thought they could have been powerful mages too. Only Ysgramor walked down both paths, just to ride on a cool fucking Atronach Bear.

"Yeah, they store their Magic inside something called an Origin, if I remember right, and they can have two of them in total." I drawl out what I could remember of the series. I had seen and read it while I was in my teens, but my memory has always been good.

Kara nods, "Yeah, I discovered those things while studying the big guy over there." She nods her chin towards Acnologia's still form, then pouts, "Sadly enough, we don't have such things. Clearly due to the difference between our worlds."

I put my hands on my hips, then decide to nip something in the bud, "You know… I actually brought you all for an ulterior motive." I reveal, making Kara and Lah perk up.

The minute woman gasps and playfully cups her cheeks, "Oh no! World domination?! I've always wanted to try my hand at that!" Okay, what?

I'm not even gonna question that.

"By bringing you here…" I start, looking directly at Kara as I do so, "You exited the Dream, and stopped being a figment of imagination. You are now a real living being, not a Dream."

As I grow stronger, things just seem… Clearer. Make more sense. I understand the Dream more and more, how it works, and why Alduin is needed.

If the Dream becomes too cluttered… The Godhead might become brain-dead.

Will the Dream cease, in that case? Or will it keep going, persisting within the slumbering corpse of Eldritch God?

Kara's eyes are as wide as dinner plates, pupils shrunk into dots, "Wait, so…" She starts, letting out a slow shuddering breath, "If I go back, then-"

"You won't be able to undergo the Psijich Endeavor and ascend like Talos did." I nod, clearing her thoughts for her, "You are, right now, already a Lucid Dreamer, you just get to keep your mortal form, but don't get divine powers and get to reshape history as he did."

I then turn towards Lah, his own glowing eyes widen in shock, "Same for you, buddy." He jerks in surprise, "You are no longer tied to Akatosh, I'm pretty sure. You are now an actual Divine Dragon."

This had been the whole reason behind the multiversal travel. Yes, the trip would be nice, relaxing and fun- But fuck all that. I just wanted to make sure that the people I love and care about stop being figment of an Eldritch Being's imagination and become actual, factual existences.

Yes, there was a risk that stepping out of the Dream would make them cease to exist, and if that happened, then I'd have just dragged the Dreaming Godhead down with me.

But it didn't, so now I feel beyond happy and elated that Aurelia and Hildr are safe, real, and can escape in case things get bad.

I'll have to fill the other in too, before we come back. Make them know the reality of their World.

Kara, very slowly, leans back. Then throws her arms in the air, "Fuck yeah!" She shouts, massive grin on her face, "Man, that shit was so annoying! One wrong thought and I could have ascended to Godhood! Fuck that!"

Yeah, because there's no way she'd get Zero Sum. "Speaking of which… How did you even figure it out?" I question curiously, taking a seat beside her.

"You know how in certain stories there's things called 'plot holes'?" Kara questions me in turn, cheeky grin on her face. She keeps going after I nod, "It's like that. I found a 'plot hole' when I discovered the Origin Runes, as they made no fucking sense whatsoever."

"Where did they come from? Why was I the first to ever discover them? Yes, I've made Magic my bitch, but I wasn't the first to discover Original Runes. Why did no one else trace them back to their source before me?"

I blink, then lean back in surprise, "That's why you went to Sheo in the past, didn't you? To see if anyone died once they discovered Origin Runes and it was recorded in the book." Kara snaps her fingers and grins at me, making me clap my forehead.

And to be fair, she is right too. Origin Runes cannot be used, as they are the most primal form of that element. Once activated, they just keep on going, and existing, until they are either isolated in another Dimension, or consume the Reality they are in.

It makes them feel pointless, outside of being a source of energy for Original Runes.

That is quite normal, as that world is a Dream. Dreams are cluttered, flicking to one thing and then another, not fully fleshing something out- Hell, the majority of history and whatnot was written and made by those living in it.

I shake away those thoughts and clap my hands, "Either way, think I'm gonna go and join up with the others. What about you?"

Kara hums, then looks towards Lah, seeking his opinion. The giant Great Sage shrugs his wings, "I do wish to find another Dragon to research. You mentioned there being a few more alive in another continent?" I nod as Lah directs the question towards me.

"I think it's called Guiltina? You won't have trouble finding the other Dragons there- Hell, one sure as hell will come to you looking for a fight."

Gods, I do pity Igneel's kid. Dude is going to get torn apart in the most humiliating way… Then likely get treated as a guinea pig, so to help Lah get a human body.

And then Lah will suffer. A great deal. Poor dude.

Acnologia might help, but he is a human that became a Dragon, so the process might be different. I think that's why they want to get an actual Dragon too.

"What about him, then?" I tilt my head towards Acnologia, making Kara glance his way. With a sniff, she jumps to her feet and strolls towards the chained Dragon.

"Hey, big guy!" She calls out once close, foot lashing out to give a claw a gentle kick. One eye blinks open and flicks to her, clear annoyance within it, "I got a choice for ya; I could kill you, right here, right now… Or you can come with me, but with your magic sealed. Make a choice."

Acnologia's eyes furrow and narrow, his body still. His gaze flicks towards Lah, who was waiting for a reason to erase him from existence, then to me, where it lingers for a while

Then, his body starts shrinking. He had returned to his Dragon form after waking up from Lah's beating, and was thus chained in place.

But now, his human form returned. Long azure hair and tanned skin with tribal marks all over his body. "Fine." The man spits out, standing on his bare feet and staring down at much shorter Kara, "But I have a request."

The Archmage raises a brow, "Oh? Spit it out."

"If the Dragons you find in the other continent are evil, and harming people… Let me kill them."

I tilt my head at that. Perhaps, he can be saved. He can become an ally we can bring back to Skyrim. Who knows…

Kara turns her head towards Lah, who nods after a few seconds of quiet musing. "Very well, big guy." A finger taps Acnologia's bare chest, and he hisses and shudders in place.

Leave it to Kara to instantly learn how to seal one's Origin after studying it for just a few days. What a terrifying woman.

"Alrighty! Let's go fuck some shit up, hubby!"

And with that, we parted ways. I first went back to where we left our portal, now hidden under a mountain, under an illusion, under a hundred barriers, and under more illusions.

Then I whipped out Keraunos, my giant flying spear, and like a true Young Master, used it to fly through the air, arms behind my back.

Now… Gretel really thought she was slick, thinking I wouldn't notice her stealing one of my toes.

Lemme just set up a plan with her help, so to traumatize some people!

XXX

The first to notice something was wrong was Serana.

"Hildr." She calls out to her red-haired friend, who turned to face her with her lone good eye, "Your sister is smiling, and sitting quietly."

Hildr blinks, then turns to look across the table. Gretel was indeed sitting in her spot, kicking her legs, with a wide and innocent smile on her face.

The table goes quiet. Deinmaar and Aurelia turn to stare at the small, now grinning brat. Dinok just quietly giggled to herself, as if having already seen through the plot.

"Gretel, sweetie…" Aurelia starts, facing paling, eyes flicking across the guild hall in the middle of a brawl, one that was started by a certain pink-haired teen. "What did you do?"

Gretel shrugs, toothy grin growing even wider, "Leo asked me to!"

Those words chilled them to the core.

"We need to evacuate the guild- No, the city." Deinmaar stresses out, pure desperation and terror in his voice.

They had managed to solve the issue caused with Natsu by dropping everything on Leonidas' shoulders, saying that once he got here he'll explain everything.

But he wasn't coming normally. He was surely going to-

"NaAaaAAtsSSuuuuUUUU!" A distorted, howling screech echoed through the guild hall, instantly silencing it and putting a stop to the brawl.

Said pink-haired teen stops and stands tall, frown on his face as he looks around, "Who called for me!? Show yourself- Whoa!" He screams as inky darkness pours out of the pocket of his open sleeveless shirt, making him hastily take it off and throw it away.

The pool of inky darkness quickly spread, devouring destroyed tables and chairs, "NaaAATssSSuuUuUuUu!" That same horrid screech came from the darkness, dozens of eyes popping open within the darkness. Eyes of flies, of goats, of all kinds of animals and species.

They flicked around, terrorizing every member of the guild, filling the air with pure horror and fear, "IgNeeEEEllll! I kNNnoowWW! WwwHeeEErreeeEE! HeeEE! IissSS!"

Natsu gasped, hope shining through the horror, "You know where Igneel is!? Tell me!" He tried to leap at the pool of darkness, but was stopped by his flying pet cat, Happy, who pulled on his scarf.

Distorted hands with dozens of fingers rose out of the darkness, while Aurelia stood up with a deep sigh, "HeeEE! Iisss! IIIiinssid- Wait, what are you doing?" The horrifying voice instantly changed tune once Aurelia marched into the pool of darkness, swatting the hands and arms out of her way, "H-Hey! Quit it! Y-You're ruining my grand entrance-!"

With a huff, Aurelia punched a fist into the dark pool, then yanked it back out, now holding up Leonidas' hooded figure high in the air, "Hello there, my love." The idiot greets, making the Dragonborn's cheeks flush.

"Clean up this stuff." His lover orders, and the darkness fades away instantly while Leonidas slumps there, visibly sulking, "I apologize on his behalf, everyone! This idiot here!" She shakes her lover like a bag of potatoes, "Is Leonidas."

The reaction was instantaneous.

"Wait, the terrorist?!"

"The dude that dropped a giant frozen dick on the Royal Palace and the Magic Council?! My man!"

"How many Jewels to do it again!?"

Aurelia drops her idiot lover to his knees, and puts her hands on her hips as the rest of their group approaches, with Gretel happily launching herself in Leonidas' arms.

"Hm?" The hooded idiot suddenly perked up and looked around, "Where's Poopdaggah?"

Ice floods their veins.

Gretel just blinks innocently, "I thought he was with you?"

Leonidas looks down at Gretel. They look at each other for several tense seconds.

Then they shrug in unison.

"Eh, he'll be fine."

….

Thus, there he stood.

Loincloth flapping in the non-existent wind, revealing the mighty weapon beneath.

Poo-scraper in his hand, eyes staring at the Heavens and the Earth, not even putting the man upon the throne within his gaze.

"You dare stand before this Mard Geer Tartaros?" The man upon the throne comments, staring down at the Riekling below, unaware of the being that stands before him.

A slow, whistling fart leaves the Riekling.

His poo-scraper is lifted and aimed at the Etherious Demon. A challenge.

"Daggah."

Introduction given, the Riekling leapt towards the throne, a battle cry flying past his rotten teeth and drooling tongue.

The strongest Dark Guild of Fiore vanished overnight.

A.N. Poopdaggah the big dawg.

Man, do I love writing these idiots…

And Gods are they going to make Fiore go insane. And Fairy Tail.

I also realized that following chapters are faster and easier to write.

Since this is mostly a vacation, I don't need to care too deeply about the plot, so the writing is very smooth.

Makes me glad, not gonna lie. Helps me turn my brain off, and just enjoy writing!

Hope y'all enjoyed it too!

Toodles!