Lucy looked around the battlefield only to see dead and injured guild members. Every where she looked she saw another comrade. She would never see any of them smile again. Even if they made it out alive, she would not. Lucy had known this the moment the battle had begun. She was the only one who could stop this battle. Team Natsu were the only people still able to fight. Well all but one member. Natsu was no longer who he once was. He was the enemy now. E.N.D. had finally taken over. Natsu went down fighting, no way was he going down without a fight.
Team Natsu was barely holding on. They didn't want to hurt their former guild member. They still believed that Natsu would surpass E.N.D. but Lucy knew that nothing was left of Natsu. Natsu was hellbent on killing every last Fairy. Zeref would have it no other way. Team Natsu finally started to realise that they were going to have to hurt Natsu. It was going to break all of them but they had no choice. It was the only to survive now. Lucy knew deep in her heart that the Team wouldn't be able to stop him, they would be broken if they had to.
Lucy couldn't stop her feet from moving forward. If she could distract E.N.D. then maybe, just maybe, Team Natsu could get away. Hopefully they would understand that she was doing this for them and everyone else in the guild. It was her destiny to stop E.N.D. and maybe in the at the end of this they could all be happy again. Maybe Lucy and Natsu would be able to live happily ever after in the afterlife.
"Lucy, it's dangerous, stay behind us." Erza grabbed her shoulder to stop her.
"If I can distract him then you guys can still get away and help the others. Please let me do this."
"It's too dangerous. He could hurt you, even if you guys hold a special bond, he's not the same person Lucy." This time it was Gray trying to stop her. He always had a brotherly love for her.
"We have no choice anymore, if we don't do something to stop him now then we will all be dead soon. We are fighting losing battle, this is the only way for everyone to survive. This is the only way I can help."
The team was defeated. What Lucy said was true. There was no other way out of this fight. They did not want to sacrifice Lucy, no matter how hard they could try to convince her there were others ways, it would be of no use.
"Lucy are you sure about this?"
"Erza are you really going to let her go?! That's not the right and you know it isn't." Gray was beyond livid, this is his sister he's about to lose.
"Enough. Lucy has decided. We can not stop her no matter how much we wish to. This hurts me as well Gray." Erza was about to lose another friend. This was about to break her as well.
"Thank you for everything. I'll always remember you. If these are my last few moments, just remember that I will always cherish the memories we share together." Lucy gave them one last bright smile before she made her way to E.N.D.
Lucy cautiously walked to E.N.D. She was beyond frightened but this was the only way to ensure her friends' lives. She stared at the man before her. He was the love of her life. She was never able to get the confidence to tell Natsu how she truly felt towards him.
"Natsu I know deep down you're still in there. Can you hear me?" E.N.D. halted his movements, it was almost like he recognized Lucy's voice. "Natsu it's me Lucy. Your best friend. Don't you remember me? What about all the adventures we went on together?"
"Lu...Lucy…" Lucy was barely able to hear him.
"It's me Natsu. I'm right here. You can fight E.N.D. You can come back to the guild, you can come back to me."
By now Lucy was standing in front of Natsu. She could see the scales covering him. Before anyone could stop her, Lucy lunged at Natsu and hugged him. Time seemed to freeze. Everyone was waiting in tormenting silence to see how E.N.D. would react.
"I love you. Please come back to me." Lucy sobbed.
"Run...Lucy...Run…" Natsu strangled out.
Lucy refused to move. This inevitably cost Lucy her life. In the next moment E.N.D. had his hand through her abdomen and out her back. Erza and Gray rushed toward E.N.D. but before they could reach him, E.N.D. let out a terrifying roar. They recognized this roar, it was a roar that signified a dragon was losing its mate. Natsu had overtaken E.N.D., only now it was too late.
"Lucy, I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. I can't handle you dying." Natsu had collapsed to his knees and was holding Lucy sobbing.
"It's okay, Natsu." Lucy paused only to cough up blood. "I forgive you. It wasn't you who did this but E.N.D. I love you." Lucy stopped breathing after whispering out her last words.
Erza and Gray had collapsed into a sobbing mess together. How could Lucy be gone? She was always so happy and determined. She had everything to live for. How was the rest of the guild going to take Lucy's passing? How was Natsu going to handle it? Even though Natsu did not mentally kill her it was his hands that did. This was going to destroy him.
Unbeknownst to everyone, when a dragon loses their mate, they themselves will eventually pass. It is the sad and horrible way of a Dragon, but it was their way of life. No matter how much it hurt people, Natsu was going to die soon as well. Erza and Gray wanted to try to comfort Natsu but they knew it would be of no use, so they went to help the other guild members and inform them of the lost members. Soon after they left Natsu, his heart broke and he died holding the love of his life.
The members of Fairy Tail forever told the love story of Lucy and Natsu. Generations upon generations knew of their story. Lucy and Natsu were together in the afterlife and they were never forgotten.