Chapter 20.2- And so the Dragons Danced

XXXXX- TOJI

“Will you now, boy? Come take them then” The Old King replied. Toji moved quickly to ensure that he would be in position for when the time came and he got the opportunity, but he also made sure to keep an eye on the battle as it begun.

The old king was the first to move, covering the ground with a boost from his earth bending that meant that he was at Natsu’s throat before the man could do more than inhale. Instead of exhaling air, his friend breathed out an actual firestorm that forced the King to stop in his tracks and bend up a wall to block him from the flames. Toji’s vision was not blocked for long as the wall was cut in twain with a knife hand from his prodigious friend. Bumi, the crazy fart, was nowhere to be seen. Natsu suddenly jumped into the air, aided by two jets of flame from his feet.

The ground all around him turned into deceptively still sand. Quicksand, Toji guessed. The king tore through the sand and surfaced with several spikes of stone aimed at Natsu. He angled himself to dodge the attacks as each spear sailed past him with no effect. When he landed, it was with a roll into a flying kick that sent a massive wave of fire at his opponent. Bumi just allowed his stone absorb the unconcentrated attack with no difficult.

Natsu’s fingers twitched as his stance changed for a second. There was virtually no forewarning as in a second, Toji was forced to clean out his ears. Where Bumi had stood was a massive hole that tore through most of the city. It traced a clear path. A powerful lightning bolt. But one that had done nothing to help in the fight in the first place.

The next two spears sent at his friend were crushed with quick punches. He trusted his friend to have a hand on things as he walked deeper into the city to get a vantage point. He couldn’t see the fight anymore, but the whooshing sounds made by massive waves of fire and rocks sent flying at speeds that would put the fastest ostrich-horse to shame reassured him that the fight was still ongoing. There was also the old king’s insane laughter that had begun after their first exchange and hadn’t stopped since then.

For better or for worse, Natsu was very good at keeping the mad man’s attention on him. Bumi hadn’t even looked into his blindspot. A strange choice considering it was an attack to his blindspot that had allowed them stall him for long enough for Natsu to get into the fight. Toji worked to make sure he was set up as he pulled out the bow and began notching an arrow. This was the second part of their plan. Even though Natsu was confident that he could take the Old King now, there was no point in risking it unnecessarily.

The fight had shifted in form in the time he’d taken his eyes from there. There was a massive wedge shaped shield of stone that was being battered down by attack after attack. Natsu was pummelling the King’s position with heavy artillery in the form of powerful fire bending attacks. Natsu made him rethink just how dangerous a bender could be. Barely even old enough to drink and strong enough to put the Butcher of Omashu on the backfoot. Suddenly, the earth dome exploded outwards in a barrage of smaller stones.

Natsu dove at the area where the King had previously been to find nothing. Toji could see the earth shake as Natsu jumped away. Where he had been a series of spears poked out of the ground. Each of them detached from the ground, and Toji turned to the side to see the Old King with his hands raised and body trembling from the exertion. The spears shot at Natsu as one and he retreated, practically flying into the city to get out of the way of the attack or find something to put between himself and the spear.

Toji watched his oldest friend stumble as one of the spears clipped his shoulders but he kept moving nonetheless. The Old King made pursuit shoved forwards on his raised stone platform that tore apart the ordered cobblestone streets of Omashu as he moved. Natsu jumped into a house but was forced to jump right back outside through a different window as the entire house came crashing down. The Butcher of Omashu clearly had no qualms about property damage. Only Natsu’s youth, agility, and fire bending skill allowed him to keep ahead of his opponent as they tore through the village in their fight.

Bumi chased him across a corner and was forced to bend over backwards to dodge out of the way of a flame enhanced dropkick. Natsu landed on his feet and continued his run. His opponent stabilised himself and wasted no time continuing the pursuit. Suddenly, instead of jumping through another building, Natsu adjusted the angle of his jump. His foot planted itself on the window sill and he jumped right backwards aiming for his pursuer. This fakeout was less effective than the first as a wall appeared in his path. The Earthbender didn’t even flinch. Natsu used the rock wall as a platform to jump forwards and onto the system of chutes that marked the city.

“Stupid plan” Bumi laughed and then steadied his stance. Once again, the man’s surprisingly old and muscular frame shook as he brought the entire chute system to a halt. And then he cackled further as the carriage Natsu was riding began to reverse its course. This was the best opportunity he would ever get. The man was focused, tired and had sapped most of his energy on grand displays of power.

Toji silently nocked the bow. He took a deep breath to steady himself. His aim was impeccable. All he had to do was kill an old man. One arrow to the base of the skull. That was all he needed. He drew the arrow and then exhaled as he let it loose. It sailed through the air with all the force of his strength and Toji let out a breath he didn’t even notice he’d been holding as he saw it was about to hit. And then the impossible happened. Somehow the ground Bumi was standing on rotated itself and he was face to face with the arrow. He lifted both his hands and clapped down on the arrow. The force made him take a step back but that was the best Toji was able to achieve.

“Hahaha. I knew you’d try another sneak attack. You’re a sneaky one aren’t…” His voice cut off with a gurgle. In his celebrations, the old man had failed to take account of his enemy.

The left side of Bumi’s chest had a hand sticking right out of it. A hand that glowed a red hot. Natsu smiled at him from his position and he smiled back. Just like clockwork. Natsu pushed the body off his hand and then fell on his arse. Toji hastened to get to him. Amara hadn’t been able to perfectly heal him and the other small wounds he’d gotten in his second fight with Bumi had to add up.

A/N; I really hope that was good. I’ve agonised over writing this fight for so long. I actually had to rewrite it three times and this is the only version I’ve been able to say that I am even vaguely comfortable with.