Everyone is searching for love. A home that has a warmth of a family, friends that will laugh with you or even the embrace of the person you wish to kiss. But do I even deserve all that? Looking at my hands, all I can see is death, rage and blood.

"Hey, Lucy, what do I look like to you?" Natsu asked.

Chapter 1

Ash

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance

It was a lively city, children's laughter swept the air of the park. People came in and out going to work or were prepared to see others throughout their day. Trees, flowers, houses, life, everything that represented a simple way of life among all the trivial troubles were robbed. The echoes of a young man were the only thing replacing the sounds of what used to exist in the city. He speed down through all the rubble of what used to be homes. Every step he took, his lungs felt like they were about to explode. The smoke made it hard to breath causing him to cough uncontrollably but none of that could compare to his utter anguish of his mind. Everywhere he looked was destruction, only a sea of motionless bodies covered the dirt.

This couldn't be his city, he thought. This just couldn't be, out of all the places why here!, he pondered.

"Why here!" he proclaimed.

"WHY HERE!" Zeref shouted out to the air, hoping they would hear. If there was anyone to hear him at all. His thoughts consumed him with questions, He worked for them, he did all he knew to make sure they would succeed. He never once thought destruction, experimentation, weapons or hate would be the thrive for his town's destruction. He was innocent in mind thinking just because he was an assist to them. They would never hurt him. He was wrong. Everyone who lived here and he talked with, were gone. Their life stolen from them. His heart wouldn't stop beating uncontrollably out of rage from this chaos. Then a quick thought cross his mind reminded him of his worst fear. The reason he came down running, his family. "Let them be alive" gasping for air as he zoomed from building to building. "Let them be alive… please.. Oh please… LET THEM BE ALIVE!" he cried out bolting down all familiar roads and paths until he reached his destination.

Staring down a roofless home with no windows or door. He felt the ground shaking and his heart about to burst out of him. Can this annihilated place actually be his home? A no escape his lips. Let them be alive! He pleaded. The dark hair man bursted inside the building shrieking out.

"MOM! DAD! Where are you!?" He ran to where their bedroom once stood. Yet, there was only stone and broken furniture

"Answer me!" He ran back to where the kitchen was but same result. At that moment, he was hoping for a relief that maybe they weren't even in city or home. He hope they didn't have the same fate as everyone else. The wishes in his mind were wanting to defy the reality "Be somewhere else I beg you.." He walked to his younger brothers room holding his breath for the worse at the same time holding his breath for any kind of hope. "Natsu?.." he called out his name. At the same moment the piles of debris started to shift slightly to his voice.

"Natsu!, I'm here! I'm here!" Zeref started to pick off the stones fast as he could. As he did, he noticed a larger body underneath "D-dad?" Clearing out the rocks he saw his father's body hurdle over, protecting another slimmer body. "MOTHER!, I can get both of you out, I'm here!" He was desperate with each passing second. Their condition was bloody and as he moved things around they weren't reacting to his voice. Finally free from all wreckage, Zeref wrapped his arms around his father's waist, dragging him gently away from his mother. He laid his father down. Then noticed under his mother was Natsu. The small boy was still conscious as he stared up to his older brother yet immobile. "NATSU!" he clasp him away from underneath his mother, holding close to his chest. He was alive, he wasn't sure of the conditions of his parents but Natsu was alive. There was hope everything will be ok! How overwhelming, how precious life is and simple as well. Reminding him how humans can die and how fragile we all are. "I'm here now, let's get you, mom and dad to a doctor ok" He smiled, the small trails of joy fell down from cheek to cheek. The small boy kept staring out at Zeref and gradually his eyelids closed. " Wait, Natsu.." His hope it was fainting away gradually with those eyes closing.. "NO NO NO, STAY WITH ME NATSU!" He shook his brother gently trying to keep him up but that was not working. Zeref touch his cheek, arms and forehead but they were becoming all cold to the touch.

'NO NO, PLEASE STAY WITH ME! DON'T LEAVE ME! NATSU!"

4 YEARS LATER

"Greed is the potent of power, knowledge, mass destruction. What more can human society consume ,Igneel? That's why slavery, murder, money and status are so engrave to humans heart. It all goes back to greed. Wouldn't you agree?" Zeref smirked to his old friend.

The man dressed in a white coat and red hair looked at the man who was known as the mad scientist. "I would say those who don't know the truth of life and love would agree with you. But I value life and warmth far more than all that." Igneel answered.

Zeref was delighted of his friend simple answer. In this laboratory and organization such things as human life values don't line up with what government wants. And what would that be? Control of land, money, knowledge, and lifes. "Then Igneel I have no fear of what will happen next"