A/N: This began as one thing and evolved into another. At this point it essentially amounts to a story that's very tricky to put into genre and so falls into the tentative adventure category. It's more or less my version of the endgame/finale for Fairy Tail.

Given that, SPOILER WARNING, (as in, within the first few lines) for anyone who hasn't read up to chapter 477 of the manga. I myself have sworn off reading any further than that since at the rate the manga is going this story will probably end up being vaguely AU or AT (alternate timeline(?)) sooner rather than later. Which I guess means I better keep up with writing it.

And now I'll step out of the way and let the set up for the main story speak for itself. Enjoy.

Prelude to The END (I)

Zeref watched from a distance as his right hand, Invel, fell at the hands of the raven-haired boy- one of his brother's friends; he was terrible with new names after more than four centuries. That he was Fullbuster's son was the extent of his recollection. Not that it mattered. There were far more relevant issues with which to occupy his mind.

With Invel down, his Spriggan 12 were defeated. The immortal wizard tilted his head back, shutting out the shouts of his fanatical soldiers and regarded the sky. It was clear and indigo, a cloudless day, in sharp contrast with the battles being fought. Zeref felt a faint ache in his chest, something of an appreciation for the world's beauty.

He quashed the sentiment- the dark mage had made his final decision to go through with his intention to wipe out mankind. He didn't harbor any hesitation on the matter. Still, he found himself reflecting on the book whose weight rested in his left hand.

Wasn't it true that, though his guards had been bested, he did not yet have to take a more proactive role? Such personal intervention was unbecoming of an emperor after all, and he still had a pawn he could make use of.

Catching sight of his brother's rose-pink hair about the heads of his army, Zeref let the phantom of a small smile flash across his face. Yes, he decided. He would abstain from taking direct action quite yet. He turned his attention to the book of E.N.D.

Gray sighed, letting his devil slayer markings recede on his right arm. The ice mage swept his gaze over the form of Invel, making certain his opponent wouldn't surprise him with another attack, before focusing on the battle his teammates were fighting a ways away. Erza, Natsu, Lucy, Loke, Wendy and Charla were all working through at least a couple thousand of Zeref's army.

Gray winced as he rolled his shoulders- he'd sustained numerous injuries, but one in particular was going to form another scar on his right shoulder blade. Pushing the pain to the back of his mind, he began running toward his friends.

Ice Make: Floor!

Gray used his magic to weave a path of ice that led down from his vantage point above the action, skating his way down. The bare chested mage might have just continued on his way to join his companions, but what caught his attention out of the corner of his eye gave him pause.

Zeref. The black magic wizard was just standing still, and he was holding the book of E.N.D. out and open in front of him.

Gray had moments before he lost sight of Zeref amid the heads of his army, but he couldn't ignore the opportunity. Calling on his devil slayer magic again, he forged a large bow and arrow out of anti-demon ice. He angled the arrow while he kept moving on the icy path he'd created, training it on the dark mage. Even if he failed to hit Zeref, he'd take out the demon his father had been bent on killing before it could be resurrected. He pulled the arrow back, about to release his shot-

"Took ya long enough!"

Gray's nerves and Natsu's sudden remark threw his accuracy. His shot instead took root in the ground near a few dozen soldiers and erupted with spires of ice, taking them out in the process. The chance lost, Gray cursed and set himself to cutting down enemies with his normal Ice Make magic rather than shooting his rival a retort.

The ice wizard made a mental note to give charcoal breath crap later on about his failed attempt to take Zeref down on his own. The fire-eater had boasted about having a secret plan before charging off solo by way of Happy. He'd ended up returning to the guild with a new scar on his face and only waking the previous day at the guildhall. Happy had offered that Natsu couldn't get rid of Zeref or E.N.D., but both of them refused to say anything else.

Natsu was growing impatient. He let out a stream of fire from his mouth as he flipped upside down in midair. He'd been conserving his strength as per Erza's strategy for taking on Zeref for a while, and though the effort required to deal with Zeref's army wasn't an issue, the tedium was wearing on him. He hoped that snow queen's arrival would prompt a call to cut loose from Erza, but nothing-

Something intangible overwhelmed the dragon slayer while he was still in midair. A sensation so intense crashed down on him that it sent him into a momentary shock. He couldn't right himself before he crashed on his shoulder to the ground. He made a sweep of his surroundings. Did someone hit him?

"Natsu-san!"

Wendy sent a crowd of their enemies flying with a roar. Natsu, still dazed, rolled onto his stomach and tried picking himself up. He knew he hadn't been hit, but something had hurt him. A lot. And in the next instant, the shock faded and the fire mage's heightened sense keyed in on one thing-

Pain.

His insides felt like each individual organ had decided to relocate in his body at the same time and tear through flesh to do it.

"Natsu-san?"

His hands flew to his ears. Wendy's delicate voice sounded a harpy shrieking straight into his face. He rolled on the ground, all his senses sharpened to the point of agony. He could, and did, taste the blood, sweat and dust all around him, along with a dozen other things. The dragon slayer felt a pressure build inside him that demanded release. Natsu's conscious mind shut down and he writhed on the ground, screaming to relieve the pressure. Flames indiscriminate and wild erupted out from his body.

Erza felt the heat before she saw the flames. She requipped into her Flame Empress Armor without conscious thought. Ignoring the cries of those around her, she turned toward the source of the flames, intent on giving him a proper scolding for stepping out of line with her plan.

"Na" she began calling out, losing the edge in her voice once she saw the fire mage roiling on the ground, "-tsu?"

Said pinkette was screaming, oblivious to his surroundings. Her ire forgotten, Titania parted the dissipating fire with her blade and cut down the few braver souls who tried attacking Natsu while he was prone. Erza shouted at him to get a grip, but his eyes wouldn't focus on her and he breathed only to scream again.

She had a feeling her typical cure for his motion sickness wouldn't help anything.

Happy soon joined her, the Exceed urging his partner to calm down with soft words. Though the scarlet-haired wizard couldn't find any physical injuries, she called to Fairy Tail's healer.

"Wendy!"

The younger dragon slayer appeared from overhead courtesy of Charla in her Exceed form. Wendy ran to Natsu's writhing form, her eyes darting to Erza. The S-class mage took hold of one of Natsu's shoulders even as she asked Wendy if she could heal him.

"I'll try."

Erza watched from behind Natsu, her arms snaked under his and hands locked behind his head to keep him still while Happy continued giving comforting words from a perch in his pink hair. Wendy held her hands over the fire mage's abdomen. A faint light exuded from Wendy's fingers, the glow spreading across Natsu's chest. It faded moments later.

"Wendy?" Happy prodded. The bluenette looked up at Erza with wide eyes.

"I can't tell what's wrong. Nothing's happening when I apply my magic!"

Happy whined from atop Natsu's head. Erza felt the dragon slayer's body temperature spike.

"Get back!" she shouted. Charla whisked Wendy away and Happy followed after her just as Natsu produced another violent outburst of flames. Erza released her grip, grimacing as her friend fell back to the ground. She heard Lucy's voice calling her and another rush of soldiers approaching as she clutched her head in frustration.

"Be quiet!" Erza shouted through gritted teeth. With the speed of thought, she changed into her Black Wing Armor and knocked out dozens of the horde with one stroke. She stared hard at the ground and huffed, mumbling, "I'm trying to think."

Happy was worried. He'd been more watchful and alert with regard to Natsu since their last encounter with Zeref had left him on edge. He hadn't told anyone about all that happened, per Natsu's request, but what they'd learned ate away at him regardless.

"Natsu," he murmured, shivering as his adoptive father let out another cry. As he pondered what to do, something dark in the relative light of the day caught his attention. Happy gasped when he saw Zeref behind another few hundred of his soldiers.

The book of E.N.D. was open in his hands. There were eerie runes floating in the air around the immortal dark mage. The ancient writing flowed out from the pages of the book.

Happy put the pieces together in his head, and he dove from his position in the sky toward Zeref. As little as he understood about what was going on, he knew that the book was somehow connected to Natsu's screaming.

"STOP IT!" Happy cried, not noticing the nondescript magic blast careening toward him.

Lucy, in her Leo Star Dress, shouted to Erza again, Loke never far behind her. The celestial spirit mage had broken from her immediate fight along with her partner as soon as she first heard Natsu screaming. She saw Gray alternating between knocking down pursuers and running to meet with the others. She didn't notice a certain blue Exceed until she heard Happy yelling.

"STOP IT!"

Lucy twisted her neck up to catch sight of a stray magic blast on a course to intercept Happy. The flying cat seemed oblivious to the fact. Pulling out her Fleuve d'étoiles, she extended her magic whip and snapped it across the magic projectile. The impact missed Happy, but the shock nonetheless threw him off his course and knocked him out of the air. Lucy ran up to catch him and, despite the battle they were in the midst of, nuzzled his head with her hand.

"Are you all right, Happy?"

The blue Exceed looked up at her with watery eyes. Lucy found herself startled at how desperate Happy's expression seemed, something in it begging help me.

"Lushi," he said, hiding his face from her, "I gotta tell you something."

Lucy had to tilt her head with her ear toward Happy and lean in to hear him. The young Exceed muttered into her chest. The celestial mage pulled Happy's face up to look at her.

"Is that true, Happy?"

He nodded.

"Aye..."

"What is it, my lady?"

Lucy felt Loke's hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see everyone sans Natsu gathered around her. Her eyes fell on the still flailing dragon slayer.

"Happy says," she swallowed, and took a shallow breath. "That Natsu is one of Zeref's demons."

The air around her seemed to grow thinner.

"Natsu is E.N.D."