Acqua faced Rogue, his teeth gritted with with an angry light in his eyes. "So all this time you've been after the unborn child..Well you can forget ever touching her..I will destroy you myself."
Rogue laughed. "Really? You? The former Saint level magician? I know you lost your powers as a Saint during World War 3! Now you're nothing but an ordinary magician facing against a man with the power of Dragons! You won't stand a chance against me!!"
Acqua readied himself, his face had a dangerous look on it..as if he was ready to kill without remorse. "Why don't you come and see if your suspicions are correct? Or are you just content to sit there and throw meaningless insults at me?"
Rogue's black and white aura blasted outwards as his Shadow Jaws chomped menacingly. "You're going to regret that..Rough Silk Of The White Shadow Dragon!!"
A powerful string of shadowy and white silk tendrils shot along the ground and blasted itself at Acqua who carried himself away using a massive wave of water, riding on it like a surfer.
Acqua raised his hands and a powerful blast of water exploded from the wave like a geyser as Rogue launched himself out of the way and jumped at Acqua with his massive Shadow Jaws open wide in preperation to chomp Acqua's head off.
Acqua twitched his head to the side and let loose a geyser of water which smacked into Rogue's gut, sending him flying through the air.
Rogue flew through the air for a moment before suddenly landing on top of a massive dragon that flew under him. The dragon had a massive jaw and rock-like scales. The rock dragon roared as Rogue leered down at Acqua.
"Not bad." said Rogue. "Your skill hasn't been lost even without the power as a saint! But I have the advantage of numbers! Now you shall be the dinner of dragons!"
"Damn.." Acqua growled as the dragon soared down at him roaring with rage.
Acqua jumped off his watery wave and let the massive tsunami crash into the rock dragon, pushing it back. Acqua clenched his fist, and the water swirled around the rock dragon smashing it into several more buildings as Rogue pointed his Shadow Jaws at Acqua. "ROAR OF THE CONSUMED DRAGON BORN!!"
A powerful combination of shadows and white aura exploded out of the Jaws in the form of a massive beam. The beam smashed into the ground at Acqua's feet, blowing him into the air, and causing him to fall flat on his back.
Acqua groaned and got up wearily as the rock dragon broke free of the twisting waves a lumbered forward with several earth shattering steps.
"Dinner time." Rogue said to the dragon as it opened it's jaws and lowered it's head towards Acqua.
"You talk about eliminating the future of this world by eliminating Lucy Misaka.." said Acqua. "But you're wrong...just because the line of Thundaarix in the Misaka branch goes cold..does not mean there still wont rise those to oppose you. Tyrants always create more enemies...Someone will rise to destroy Dravis and you..even if Mikoto and her sister are elimitated."
Rogue laughed. "Fool...you're right about enemies..but who says we just can't keep eliminating them every time they show up!? Like you for instance..you're about to become the appetizer right before this dragon consumes the Railgun's mother along with her unborn child!"
Acqua suddenly started to smile. "You said that you were now a White Shadow Dragon...do you know the history of White Dragons?"
"What?" said Rogue.
Acqua lifted his hand and a massive blast of water collided with the rock dragon's head, causing it to stagger back.
"White Dragons according to ancient records, were dragons that possessed no elements. An angel took favor with them and granted them the holy element. They became White Dragons...sacred creatures of Heaven.." said Acqua. "Something that is many times associated with Saints...My connection was to the Holy angel Gabriel..."
"Your point?" said Rogue as the rock dragon shook off the water and stomped forward. "All you've told me is that the White Dragon powers I've consumed make me like a Saint level magician in comparison!"
"Oh..I was just thinking about the many ways that Saints can regain their abilities.." said Acqua with a smile.
A massive geyser of water propelled Acqua into the air. Acqua lashed his hand out and grasped Rogue's face.
Rogue's eyes widened with anger. "ROAR OF THE WHITE SHADOW DRAGON!!"
Rogue opened his mouth and a massive blast of white and black energy exploded into Acqua and completely engulfed his body.
Suddenly the white energy in the roar attack seemed to dissapear as the black shadows were blasted away. Acqua appeared standing taller and prouder, his body glowing with the same sacred energy that sometimes surrounded Kanzaki.
"Like I said.." said Acqua with a smile. "It's all about the connections...I thank you...your White Dragon's energy reaffirmed the connection I had."
"I-Impossible!!" said Rogue. "You regained your Saint magic!?"
Acqua grabbed Rogue by the neck and held him in the air. "Yes..and as the charming youths of your generation would generally say: You are thoroughly screwed.."
Acqua threw Rogue, causing him to fly straight into a nearby building which exploded and collapsed on impact.
The rock dragon roared and shook it's head and body in an attempt to shake Acqua off. Acqua leapt off the dragon and landed on the ground easily, now no longer needing to use his water.
"A dragon.." said Acqua. "The perfect enemy for my weapon to bite into after not being used for so long.."
Acqua raised his hand and a glowing light appeared, forming into a massive intricated sword with a spike on it's end as well as a saw blade near the middle. "Well what do you know..that requip magic really works.."
Acqua smiled coldly at the rock dragon. "This is Ascalon...believe it or not, it was made to slaughter dragons..the spike was made to pommel a dragon's fangs..the church key spike was meant to tear through the scales...a razor blade to cut away a dragon's fat..there are other features, but I think you get the picture."
Acqua raised his blade. "And now..you shall face the true power of a saint.."
The rock dragon roared then began to speak in a low booming voice. "Don't belittle me human..I hold no fear for that little knife. You think that because you gained the power of a holy angel, that you can stand against my ancient kind..but you are nothing but ants...food...a puny morsel for my amusement. I am not like the weak Igneel or Atlas Flame..I know who the stronger race is..it is time humans learned their place.
"Hmmph.." said Acqua. "Pride before a fall.."
There was a blur, and Acqua dissapeared. suddenly the rock dragon reared up in pain as his right front limb was sliced off cleanly and multiple bloody gashes appeared all over his belly. Acqua appeared right behind the rock dragon as it buckled and fell to the ground with a crash.
"My...and I thought you would be a challenge." said Acqua.
"Y-you.." the rock dragon stammered. "Curse you....curse you.."
"Still feel that we humans are the bottom of the food chain?" said Acqua.
The rubble nearby exploded with white and black energy as Rogue rose out of the wreckage, his Shadow Jaws raised in terrible fury. "YOU DARE!!? I will show you how a dragon truly devours a so called Saint!!"
"Well then come and get me.." said Acqua raising his massive blade and pointing it at Rogue. "I will protect the future with all my might...and as long as I stll stand, nobody will lay a hand on the sister of Mikoto Misaka!"1
"RAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH!!" Rogue engulfed himself in shadow and white light as he shot forward like a meteor. "SWORD HORN OF THE WHITE SHADOW DRAGON!!"
Acqua moved his blade in front of him, blocking the massive blow. A powerful explosion of rubble reverbrated around the two combatants as Acqua pushed against the powerful blow.
"You aren't just facing a Dragon Slayer..or just a Dragon Born!!" yelled Rogue as he pushed powerfully against Acqua. "I will be the one to succeed the King of Dragons!! Achnologia is no more..But I will succeed him!"
"Fool!" said Acqua. "The true King of Dragons is Dravis...and the Queen is Elanis. The two have been at odds for eons...because of that, there will never be a governing force that truly governs all dragons! Your dream is that of a deluded tyrant!"
"SHUT UP!!" said Rogue lashing out his Shadow Jaws. "And let the darkness swallow you!!"
Acqua slashed his blade and blocked the Jaws as Rogue continued to lash out his powerful Shadow Jaws around violently.
The two leapt back and forth at eatch other, both colliding in shockwaves of magic and sparks created by the friction of shadow against metal.
Rogue jumped into the air. "ROUGH SILK OF THE WHITE SHADOW DRAGON!!"
Acqua dashed away as the move exploded into the cobblestone road, missing him.
Acqua then propelled himself through the air as a massive wave of water exploded out from the the cobblestone road around him, taking Rogue by surprise. Rogue turned into a shadow and sped along the ground, avoiding the crashing waves as Acqua landed behind him.
Acqua dashed at Rogue, the sword in his hand dragged a deep gash in the ground as the tip of the blade skidded along the ground.
Rogue scowled and dodged the powerful blade then lunged his Shadow Jaws at Acqua again. But Acqua blocked the jaws with a swipe from his massive sword.
"You fight against me...you seek to defeat me..to protect that pathetic family!" Rogue said. "But all I see is a fruitless attempt. You may be a terrifically powerful Saint now..but what happens when you finally face against Diablo Etwatia? Against Dravis himself!? Your attempts to defeat me will be fruitless!"
"You speak of enemies who have powers that border on that of gods." said Acqua as he swung his blade to block Rogue again. "But the way to slay a god is not with sheer power alone. You must have will, love, honor...The Railgun has all these..and so does the one called Touma Kamijou. Even now I can feel the plague breaking.."
Rogue's eyes widened. "Breaking plague..no..you can't mean that-!"
I could feel the strange magic flowing from the Rainbow Gateway for weeks." said Acqua. "The magic that holds Fiore in eternal sleep. And now...I feel a familiar silence..as if the sleep has been shattered by a certain boy with a certain right hand.."
"You're lying!!" Rogue yelled. "And even if you are truthful, Fairy Tail will never make it in time! Dravis is only hours away from his final assault! None who face him will live!! Not even your last pitiful hope the Railgun!"
Rogue raised his massive chomping Shadow Jaws into the air as he pointed a finger with his other hand at Acqua. "William Orwell...prepare to face your final moments...INFINITE DARKNESS OF THE DRAGON BORN!!"
A blast of darkness, this time not infused with White Dragon aura, blasted into the sky, turning into a dome of pitch black darkness that engulfed the area where Acqua and Rogue were fighting.
"Can you feel that?" Rogue's voice echoed around the sightless black, as Acqua looked around, blinking, unable to see anything. "That is the feeling of emptiness, of the darkness creeping around you..consuming everything....that darkness shall soon consume you.."
Rogue was right, Acqua could feel his very existance being eaten, slowly fading from the infinite darkness around him...he was about to become one with the shadows..nonexistant...unfeeling...gone..
But...
Acqua saw the face of a spikey haired boy clearly in his mind. His right hand held up bravely in defense of his comrades...then he saw another boy with pink hair and a scaley scarf his body alight in fire as he said: "Ya mess with one of us, ya mess with all of us!"
Finally the girl Mikoto Misaka was framed clearly in his head, standing before these other two, her eyes wearing the furious passion of one who desired to protect everything.
The darkness had no hold over them...over these values...they were the future..and it was the responsibility of his generation to nurture that..to protect that.
Acqua raised the Ascalon in his right hand as his body began to glow with a sacred light.
"No.." Rogue's voice echoed, sounding fearful. "What are you doing? Stop it!"
"I will protect everything.." Acqua murmured.
Right next to Acqua, A small girl appeared, her body glowing in brilliant fairy light. Mavis looked at Acqua with a smile. "Let the light soar.."
Acqua grinned. "It's been a while since I've seen you..Mavis.."
And with that Acqua swiped his blade through the black that surrounded him, shattering the darkness as if he himself wielded Imagine Breaker. Before him stood Rogue, his eyes wide with shock and fear.
"You know Rogue." said Acqua. "Stare into the darkness long enough..and soon, the darkness is staring into you. But walk in the light long enough..soon the light walks as you."
Acqua held an arm out as red markings glowed over it..markings that hadn't been there before. "Here is a gift from an old friend I once met from another world.."
And Acqua began to chant the spell that Mavis had granted him...a gift from the guild Fairy Tail
"Gather! O river of light that's guided by the fairies!
Shine! In order to perish the fangs of evil!
FAIRY GLITTER!!!!!"1
A powerful light rained down from the sky and began to take shape..A tremendous circle of light surrounded Rogue and bore into him and a massive light of power exploded outwards from him. A light that was gathered from the moon, the stars and all the other heavenly lights of creation...and as Rogue from the alternate Future fell to the ground, vanquished by the heavenly light...the red mark dissapeared from Acqua's arm..and Mavis faded out of sight.
"You asked what I would do once Diablo and Dravis came.." said Acqua. "Well...I'll do what I always will do whether I am a Saint or an ordinary human...I will fight...and I will have faith.."
R.I.F.T. trivia.
1. Acqua actually encountered Mavis when he was a small child. Mavis had entered this world through the strange magic that always activated when a new master was made for Fairy Tail. As explained in the first book, this allowed Markarov, Purehito, and Gildarts to walk in Mikoto's dimension for a short while. Mavis, being the first Fairy Tail mage to ever enter Mikoto's world, befriended the child Acqua who was only known as William Orwell at the time.
2. Ascalon is actually imbibed with magic taken from Oberon..the sword passed down by Mavis's family and used by Mikoto to hold back Dravis in the second book. Laura Stuart, and the pope of the Roman Catholic Church are the only two individuals who know this other then Mavis and the 4 strongest Wizard Saints from Fiore.
3. As stated by Zeref after Touma defeated him in the 6th book, Index secretly holds a great number of the Books of Zeref. Meaning that within her head, without her being aware of it, she holds hoards of Zeref's most powerful demons, including a backup copy of E.N.D. the demon which Igneel himself failed to beat. It is actually believed that Zeref might have secretly travelled dimensions and captured Index after the incidents of Tenrou Island 7 years ago with the purpose of using Index as a reserve library in case of his defeat. As Necessarius was wiping Index's memory on a regular basis, it was easy to conceal this dark twisted truth from both Index and the English Puritan Church.