Dragon Tale - Chapter 7.1 (Patreon)

The giants of the Sun Village, were surprisingly active. Perhaps Brody shouldn't have been too surprised, because normal logic that dictated such massive powerful bodies would need a lot of fuel to work and thus they would spend much of their lives hunting for food just to function, didn't seem to apply.

Oh, for sure, they ate.

A lot.

Just not quite as much as he thought they would in comparison to their massive bodies.

And some surprising things. From what he gathered from observing them over the next few hours, they particularly liked Hodras, but that was not their only prey animal…or monster.

Watching over the giant village, Brody bore sight to a returning hunting party dragging all manners of creatures. From Raptor Rex, to straight up Hyenadon's, massive hyena-like creatures with green fur over ten feet tall and packed with muscle and even literal club carrying Ogre's.

Ogre's which near rivalled the giants themselves in size, with sharp horns poking from their foreheads and leathery skin ranging from green to shades of brown and even red and black.

They dragged in quite a few of them actually.

Which was surprising, because from what he saw, none of them used magic at all, but Ogre's were natural users of an element of magic, much like the Raptor Rex's.

They were dark creatures, and their innate magic power reflected that with them capable of using Darkness Magic.

The Hyenadon's were part of the animal soul branch of Take Over from what he knew, which was unlucky because according to the book he read about them in, they tended to stay in absolutely massive packs.

Still, finding out Ogre's should be living not too far away was a boon in of itself as well. From them he could take their natural talent with darkness magic and get started on it himself.

Albeit, he'd still need to train beyond their natural abilities with it, just like he would with the fire magic he'd gained from the Raptor Rex's he took over, but it was way better than nothing and would give him another avenue of magic to use, and possibly teach to the likes of Blue.

'The more I know about magic in general, the better.' he mused. Honestly, there was a ton of magic he wanted to learn how to use. Like Thought Projection. That would be hella useful.

Especially if he got it to the same level as Jellal Fernandez who could make his Thought Projection copy physical and capable of using magic and such beyond just having his consciousness appear in two places.

It was no Shadow Clone, and would halve his abilities, both physical and magical even if he got to that level, but it would still be great for getting shit done.

So much to do, so little time.

'Wait, little time?' he blinked, head cocking to the side and frowning. So little time before what?

Instinctual dramatic griping from his subconscious?

Or a remnant of what he'd forgotten of the future?

"…Well, no matter." Brody shook his head and put it out of mind. It was about time for him to make his move.

The last of the giants had finally returned to their homes for the night and most of the lights out and about around the huge village had been dimmed, only the blaze of the eternal flame remained illuminating the area.

"Beast Soul: Wyvern." he incanted, drawing on his magic. From his back, a familiar pair of green scaled wings shimmered into existence and he spread them wide.

And then with a powerful flap of them, he was ascending up high into the air and soaring over the village, making a straight beeline towards his target.

The massive blaze that was the eternal flame.

He reached it in moment, dropping down from the sky and landing right in front of it, and as he did, Brody had to pause and just stare at it.

'It looked much smaller from far away.' he thought, a bit awed in spit of himself as he stared up and up and up to where the blaze toiled away high into the sky, glittering embers raining down gently through the sky all around it.

It had to be a blaze of flame that extended up easily two hundred feet high in the air and the way they illuminated the area against the backdrop of the dark night sky, was beautiful in a way.

It was one of the few reminders that dragons once roamed this world, once ruled atop this world, the apex of apex predators that even the strongest of human, demon and god could only bow to.

It was never the power of any of those three races that brought the dragons low after all, and never could they. The dragons were defeated by the power of dragons themselves.

And that was the power he was here to obtain. The power of a dragon, to slay a dragon.

"So you've finally come."

Brody froze, eyes widening as a deep, powerful voice emanated from the flame, carried by the embers.

The massive eternal flame churned ever so gently, and eyes of dark fire glimmered into existence within the flame and locked with his own, rooting him in place as a massive pressure pressed down on his shoulders, making his legs buckle and almost give out beneath him.

"My son." Atlas Flame breathed.

"…What? Son?" Brody gaped, utter shock splaying across his features, eyes going wide and mouth gaping.

"Yes, my son, Brody," Atlas Flame replied and a shudder travelled through the flame, a maw of red flame curving into a smiling existence under the eyes within the blaze, "Long have I waited for your coming, four hundred years to be exact."

Atlas Flame…had been waiting for him, for four hundred years?

"How…how did you know I was coming? Why do you believe I'm your son?" Brody asked before he could stop himself. He mentally chastised himself for it, he shouldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth and all that.

"Because you told me, as did I tell myself, once upon a time," Atlas Flame mused cryptically, his flaming eyes crinkling in amusement almost, "Alas, as you said before, you will have no idea of what I speak right now, but that is fine. For I have seen all the proof, four hundred years ago. Though I admit, I am quite glad to see you without the stench of that perverted fool about you."

Wait…what? Brody himself told Atlas Flame he was his son four hundred years ago? And he told himself as well? What?

And what perverted fool was he talking about? Nobody came to mind that he'd associate with?

…Was he going to become friends with Loke, or Leo the Lion in the future or something?

Either way, it wasn't some case of mistaken identity here, because Atlas Flame outright knew his name, before they'd ever met.

Or…had they met?

But four hundred years ago? He would have to have used the Eclipse Gate or something like that to go back that far, but without the twelve zodiac keys he would never have been able to do so?

Then…would he collect them in the future? Or would he ally himself with the users of them?

He knew basically where all of them were except for…Libra and Pisces. No, he was sure he knew where they were as well? He tried to think, but all he could recall was a flash of Angel, or rather Sorana from the Oracion Seis Dark Guild.

…But she didn't have them he was sure. He thought she only had Aries, Gemini and Scorpio?

It had to be something to do with his memories of the future, right? Which he couldn't remember now because of…Ankhseram? That was the most likely suspect at least. He knew Zeref got his curse initially when he was planning on going back in time to save his little brother with the Eclipse Gate. So would him having knowledge of the future that could effect life and death have triggered the god into blocking his memories?

'Ugh, time travel.' he groaned inwardly, feeling a headache coming on. Time Travel sucked ass he decided right then and there. It was way to complicated.

Brody shook his head, putting it all out of mind. For the moment, the future and his lack there of memories regarding it, didn't really matter right now. What mattered right now-

Was the massive dragon in the shape of a titanic blazing flame staring down at him fondly.

"…I'm not sure what to do here." Brody admitted, he was completely at a loss here.

"Why not simply continue with your initial plan?" Atlas Flame hummed, "And use your Take Over magic on me."

"…Eh?" Brody blinked, "You…want me to use my take over magic…on you?"

He did not understand at all what was going on here.

"Yes, after all, we don't have a lot of time together, now do we?" Atlas Flame replied, "After all, it is not like I can do things the normal way, I am long since dead. My soul was reaped by Acnologia long ago, I was simply no match. Not even my dear friend Igneel could defeat the Dragon King. And should I leave this pit concealing my presence, he will come."

Ah…right. Acnologia could sense dragons somehow, he thought? Was that right?

"But…if I take you over, won't he be able to tell anyway if I ever go into your form?" Brody's brows furrowed, "It'll just be me he comes for."

"Unfortunately my son, you could never take my form even from me allowing you to quash my will," Atlas Flame merely chuckled, "I am just a soul, a remnant ember of a once great blaze after all. There is no form left for you to take."

Right, as he said a minute ago. And Take Over magic, needed a physical body to be took over to assume a form. Though, it was possible to steal the abilities of others through using it instead if one was not capable of pursuing a full take over because they feared a clash of wills they would lose.

It was only possible though if one could at least stalemate the user in a clash of wills though and backed out before the end of the process.

'…Wait.' Brody's eyes widened.

"I cannot impart upon you the normal training of a Dragon Slayer," Atlas Flame shook his head within the blaze, "But, while my body may be gone, my essence still remains."

Brody's hand twitched.

He wanted to, god did he want to do what he said. But, now that he was here, Atlas Flame calling him his son and inviting him?

He hesitated.

'No, this isn't right.' he ground his teeth together. How could he crush and subsume the soul of one who so warmly welcomed him, so earnestly offered him and fondly called him son?

He didn't know Atlas Flame at all, and this situation was crazy. But…but….

"There's no need to look so troubled Brody, this is what I want," Atlas Flame interrupted his thoughts, his powerful voice, gentle, "You are the legacy of the great and powerful Hellfire Dragon, the once candidate for king of the fire dragons and the son I chose. I understand, you are confused, this comes out of nowhere for you, you are lost, your memories in disarray and you are a foreigner in a world not your own and just trying to find your way. But, while you don't know it now, this is path both you and I chose together, you are the Hellfire Dragon Slayer!"

The massive flames shifted, parting like a huge curtain of shimmering red, orange and yellow embers. They pulled back, to reveal a titanic winged body of flame peering down at him with pride.

"Now come and accept your birth right as the son of Atlas Flame!" the giant dragon declared.

Brody ground his teeth together so hard they ground audibly, "Fine!" he snapped, "Fuck it, alright, I never had a fucking dad I knew anyway, so if you wanna be my pops, let's do it!"

"Yes, that's the way! A son of mine should be bold and never hesitate to face challenges head on!" Atlas Flame's body shimmered with pride and he beamed, "But what is the first meeting between father and son, without a present?"

Atlas Flame lowered his massive body to the ground so his head was right down next to Brody, and even then, his head alone towered over him. He opened his huge flaming maw, filled with blazing teeth and a glittering something dropped out and landed at Brody's feet.

"…Present?" Brody blinked, completely thrown off once more. He looked down at the so called present at his feet.

And found himself staring…at a small crystal, no bigger than his palm, the insides of it roiling with the colours of Atlas Flame's body.

A lacrima?

Brody's eyes widened, "Is this a….!?" his head snapped up to look at Atlas Flame in shock.

"A dragon lacrima," Atlas Flame confirmed with a chuckle, "It is not as powerful as it could have been I'm afraid. There was not much left of my body after my battle with Acnologia. But, it should be enough for you to become…what did you call it again long ago? A Third Generation Dragon Slayer?"

With shaky hands, Brody reached down and picked it up and just stared at it. He…hadn't at all expected something like this.

At best, he'd thought he'd use whatever left over of Atlas Flame there was to Take Over if he could, or perhaps make a lacrima from it.

Never had he imagined, it would actually all be in the reverse. Never had he imagined it would go like this.

"Wait…but to be a third generation I need to learn dragon slayer magic straight from you?" he looked back up at his new adopted father.

"You'll understand soon, now come." Atlas Flame replied simply.

"Fine," Brody shook his head, storing the dragon lacrima away in his Requip space for the moment and reached up, touching his face to the flaming head of the dragon. To his surprise, all he felt was a pleasant warmth, and not the searing, skin burning heat he expected, "Thanks for this…pops." he gave the giant flaming dragon an awkward smile.

Atlas Flame, merely smiled.

"From today onward, my name…is Brody Flame!" Brody declared as he activated his magic, "Take Over!"

Light erupted from his palm and then was drowned out by a sea of flames crashing down around him, sweeping over him, through him, drowning his consciousness in embers of red, yellow and orange.

Power flooded his muscles, his eyes sharped, his ears strengthened, his nose was reinforced and his canine teeth grew and sharpened.

The power of a dragon was taken by his body and changed him right down to the very bone.