That day, all that could be heard was screams and howls as village folk turned into werewolves, the red light of the Scarlet Night shining down on them.
A man with black hair led his brother, sister-in-law, and niece to a safe spot, knowing that his own wife would be safe and would keep his own child safe. He placed a lot of trust in Mavis.
"Zeref, what're you-?!" yelped his brother as Zeref pushed him into the safe spot, underneath a large tree away from the village.
"Stay there, Natsu." Zeref said, "You, Lucy, and Nashi should be safe here."
"What are you going to do?" Lucy asked.
"I'm going to go get Mavis and August, then return." Zeref replied.
"Be careful, Zeref." Natsu said. Zeref handed Natsu his scarf.
"I'll be right back." he promised before running off.
After a couple moments, Natsu, Lucy, and Nashi -a little three year old girl with black hair and her mother's brown eyes- saw a glowing X by the Scarlet Moon. Recognizing the figure of the person, Natsu began rushing to the area.
That can't be..! First!
"Hahahahaha!" Natsu heard Zeref laughing. He stopped in his tracks, first looking up at where Mavis Dragneel, Zeref's very own wife, was in the air, impaled by two glowing red magic blades, creating an x in the sky. He saw Zeref's child, a little boy with blond hair, standing in front of Zeref, Zeref holding a rapier.
The rapier was impaled in August's abdomen, the little boy coughing up blood.
"Dad… It… It hurts…" August whimpered.
"Obviously." Zeref scoffed. His eyes were as red as blood.
"Zeref! What the hell?!" Natsu yelled. Zeref's blood-red eyes moved to look at the salmon-haired male.
"...Ah… Natsu… You've arrived… Or should I call you E.N.D instead…? You don't remember, though so there's no point… You've once again forgotten…" Zeref said. Natsu grit his teeth.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Natsu charged, "What the fuck, Zeref?! Your wife… Your child…"
He moved to punch Zeref, but right as he did August joined his mother in the crimson sky. Zeref easily blocked his punch, before throwing him. Natsu growled, and charged again. Zeref took the bloodied rapier and slashed.
There was a splatter of blood as Natsu's arm was cut clean off, Natsu's Fairy Tail mark going along with his arm. Natsu yelled in pain and began to clutch where his arm used to be, blood now freely leaking onto the floor.
"You've never been able to truly fight me, have you, Natsu?" Zeref scoffed, throwing Natsu once again.
It happened quickly, but… Natsu couldn't ever forget it. A strange being… Not quite a dragon, and not quite made of fire erupted from the earth, engulfing Natsu's arm in flames that soon soldified into a mutated, monstrous arm colored red. It reminded Natsu of something, but he couldn't place it. Natsu then landed on the grassed ground, and roared. He felt like he couldn't control himself, his anger at his elder brother too much. Zeref easily dodged just as two daemons -being that had been attacking their village- appeared. Natsu's new arm grabbed one by the head and began to suck away some strange, dark aura. Zeref seemed surprised.
"A therion…"
The black-haired man then grinned widely.
How long has it been…?
WHERE'S ZEREF?!
Three years… Huh?
MUST KILL ZEREF!
I've been here… Eating these things… For three years….
ZEREF!
That day… Really had been normal up to then… Huh…?
ZEREF!
Lucy… Nashi… Happy…
MUST FEED TO KILL.
MUST KILL.
MUST KILL ZEREF!
"Nat….Su…?"
Who was that…?
MUST FEED!
"NATSUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
Hap...Py….
The small blue cat clung to his friend in tears. Natsu smiled widely, his eyes shadowed. His mutated arm flexed a little, as if it was getting ready to eat its next meal.
Hap...Py…? Where is… Zeref…?"
HAPPY, GET AWAY FROM ME!
"Natsu! Come back to me!" Happy cried, clinging tighter. Natsu pulled his mutated arm back, ready to pull Happy from his clothing.
"I'll… Eat you, Happy… 'M hungry…" Natsu said.
"H-Huh?!" Happy froze up.
"'M hungry… Where's Zeref…? I gotta eat more… So I can kill him…" Natsu stated slowly. Happy's face contorted with shock.
"What happened to you…? Natsu…" Happy whimpered.
"Zeref… Killed his own wife and child… And turned me… Into THIS…. Gotta kill him… Where is he…?" Natsu's mutated hand suddenly erupted into flames, "I'm hungry… Gonna eat you, Happy…"
"Natsu! Stop it!" Happy conjured up his wings and flew to Natsu's flaming hand, trying to push it away. Natsu grabbed Happy's front paws, ignoring Happy's cried of pain as his paws burnt. Black wisps of smoke began traveling from Happy to Natsu.
"N-Natsu?!" Happy yelped. Natsu grinned widely.
All of a sudden, flames were sent at Natsu. Natsu jumped up, eating the flames easily. He blinked a few times afterwards, straightening from his earlier feral, animalistic stance. He yelped when he saw what his arm was doing to Happy, moving him to his 'human' hand, hugging the cat to him.
"Happy!" he exclaimed. Happy began crying hard.
"I'm sorry, buddy...Are you okay?" Natsu asked.
"I am now!" Happy sobbed.
"Good." Natsu grinned, before looking to who had sent the flames. He blinked, seeing a young girl with brown hair in pigtails approaching them.
"Who're you?" Natsu asked.
"I am Zera…" spoke the girl, "My true origins are long forgotten here, but… I will say I am an ally."
She then took a deep breath.
"Arrgh! Talking to people is still so hard!" she yelled. Natsu blinked.
"She led me, Lucy, and Nashi here!" Happy explained. Natsu nodded, grinning at Zera.
"Thanks, Zera!" he exclaimed. Zera gave a little nod, before tossing over new clothes to Natsu. He blinked, looking at his torn and destroyed clothing. He began to dress, but blinked when he heard Happy's gasp.
"N-Natsu… Your… Your guildmark!" he exclaimed. Natsu looked at where his mark used to be, sighing.
"Yeah… Zeref cut my arm off from there down." he said. Happy looked sad, but Natsu shrugged once and finished dressing, applying bandages to his arm, sealing it.
"I'll just get myself marked again!" he grinned. Happy nodded a little, and led Natsu and Zera out of the cell.
"Natsu!"
"Daddy!" As soon as they were out, two bodies, one small, and one an adult, tackled Natsu, hugging him tight and crying.
"H-Hey, Lucy… Nashi…" He grinned a little, hugging Lucy and Nashi with his human, non-sealed hand.
"We can do reunions later!" Zera exclaimed, "Let's get out of here."
The group nodded and exited the room, only to hear a voice and footsteps. They turned, seeing someone they presumed to be a man named Gajeel Redfox, only…
His clothes were just as worn, torn, and ragged as Natsu's had been. Half his body were iron scales, and the eye on that half of his body was completely white. He grinned.
"Hey, Salamander!" he greeted, "Seems like you broke out of your cell… I think I'll stick you back inside!" He kept walking over.
"...You broke out too, Gajeel." Natsu deadpanned. Gajeel growled, gritting his teeth.
"Shut it, Salamander!" he exclaimed, turning his arm into an iron club. Natsu's fists were enveloped in flames, the salmon-haired daemon getting ready for a fight. Lucy got in the middle.
"Wait a moment! Gajeel, why're you here?" she asked.
"Robed bastards took me and Lily from Levy, Episoul, Vi, Hex, Echo, Myst, and Aiko and stuck us here." he scoffed. The aforementioned black cat stared at them from Gajeel's feet, giving a nod in greeting.
"I was taken here by Zeref." Natsu said. Lucy and Nashi gasped, while Gajeel just frowned.
"Let's get out of here!" Zera exclaimed. The group nodded, making a stop at a chest to grab Lily's sword and another stop for Gajeel to change into new clothing.
They ran through the prison, Zera freeing other prisoners in order to create a riot. Zera led the group to the back gates, but someone was already waiting…
"That can't be…" Lucy gasped. The man got into a strange stance, readying to fight.
"Seems like prisoners escaped." he said, "I'll have to kill them, then."
He formed a sword from ice.
"Gray, what the hell are you doing?!" Natsu yelled.
"How do you know my name, daemon?" Gray asked, glaring before charging. Natsu grit his teeth and blocked, enveloping his hands in flame.
"You guys get to the docks!" Natsu ordered, "I'll hammer some sense into the ice bastard and meet you there!"
"C'mon!" Zera led the rest of the group to the docks.
"Natsu…" Lucy frowned at her husband, but followed Zera.
"Don't die, Salamander. Only I get to beat you that much." Gajeel said.
"Good luck, Natsu." Lily said. Happy frowned at his friend, but followed everyone. Natsu got into his fighting stance after tossing Gray back.
"Let's do this, ice princess!" he exclaimed. Gray just scoffed.
"I'll definitely kill you, Daemon." he stated.
What is this strange new beginning?! Brothers against each other… Natsu vs Gray begins this new story!
My new Tales of Berseria X Fairy Tail story! :D This technically happens six years after the events of Fairy Tail.
Please review!