Just as Lucy thought, Fairy Tail was not the only guild to fight for the sake of their homeland. In fact, she was even pleasantly surprised to see just how many guilds joined the fight, protecting and defending cities all over the place, despite the futility of their attempts. She was joyful that they were trying but… Sorrowful to see how they stood to no chance and quickly fell down.

And the battlefield she herself would join… The Northern Front, where Sabertooth were bravely proving to be victorious, until they met one of the 12… That was the moment when they decided to retreat, the best thing they could have chosen to do.

Since the battle begun, many hours have passed, and hours soon turned into days. However, time was not a concern of any of the ones on the battlefield, whose blood was blooming beautifully into spider lilies.

It was simply a matter of time since one side would lose, however, and that they all knew.

Maybe it was because of that they didn't even notice the passing of time, resting as much as they could before meeting enemies.

And, to be fair, casualties appeared on both sides, making Zeref's army tremble as they underestimated Fiore's mages.

"Amongst the Spriggan, five members have been annihilated already. It seems we have made light of their forces, after all." Imber told Zeref as he looked to Magnolia's central front from his army's camp.

"Well, Brandish didn't join the fight in the first place, but who cares about that now." Zeref sighed, displeased about how Lucy didn't pursue the matter of being killed by her further.

'Ah… no good… I must focus on the battle now…' He reminded himself, his thoughts already drifting onto Lucy. They were separated for now, for each had their mission to fulfill. And, for that, he had to properly focus on the matter at hand, and not underestimate his little brother in the slightest.

He looked at his army, marching proudly towards Magnolia once again, to end what has been started, and smirked.

'All my doubts have been cleared… Natsu… Mavis… I'll paint over your very existence with the darkest black!'

It was… Something he had to do…

Or at least he believed that…

That was why she fought, her water taking down enemies one by one as she advanced between the soldiers. To protect him… To fulfill his wish… To open up a future where they could be together… She would be the key to opening that blissful future for the two of them.

The water ghost danced, her white clothes undyed by the drops of crimson blood pouring onto the earth.

Everyone could see as she summoned the storm on the Northern Front, taking it over as she personally lead her army. Allies were joyful to have her. Enemies were trembling to have encountered her.

Yet… No one saw her tears as the snow fell…

Each person she cut with her water, each person she drowned in her water, each person she blew away… They all became her wounds, mirrored. That was what water was doing, after all… It mirrored… Inside the heart.

And then, she saw exactly the ones she has been looking for, a dark blue haired woman coming forth bearing a fierce look in her eyes and, with high precision, kicked Lucy's body a few good meters. The blonde spirit was quick to jump to the side, throwing a whip of water towards her right away, sensing the other combatant lurking behind her, just ready to forcefully hit her with his water spear, which she avoided.

Lucy couldn't help but smirk as she landed down, looking at them both back away from her with careful gazes and defensive stances up.

"Just who I was looking for… Pisces~" She chanted, laughing behind her veil as she raised a finger to her lips, as if telling them to be quiet when she could see a white shadow slowly appear behind them.

"Yukino!" They both shouted, pushing her away from them as they quickly noticed the puddle of water formed like a mirror beneath their feet, from which a forceful geyser sprung.

"Pisces!" Yukino shouted, looking at their fishes forms coming from the wall of water that rained upon the area. But when looking through, Yukino's eyes widened, for the saw for the first time the rumored Water Ghost of Alvarez stand proudly, a smirk on her face, still visible through the water.

In just the span of a second, however, the ghost disappeared from her vision, seeing it again just as she pierced through the wall of water, aiming for her, snakes of water surrounding her and becoming sharp as blades. Yukino's attempt to evade the attack was futile, but luckily for her, the two Pisces were quick to shield her, moving their bodies in front of her, receiving, in exchange, several cuts over their scales, their cries being heard by the whole battlefield.

"Pisces! Are you ok!?" Yukino, alarmed, shouted, seeing the damage done. But she knew she couldn't lose focus, and as her enemy was gathering all the water that was used around her again, Yukino took out another golden key. "Open, gate of the Heavenly Scales! Libra!"

Thus, the exotic spirit joined the battlefield, heeding her master. But as soon as she beheld the enemy, she frowned, and for once in a long time, she spoke as she positioned herself in front of her master.

"Such a troublesome enemy…" She muttered, quickly making use of her balances, increasing the gravity around Lucy by several ten times, making the blonde gasp as she forced herself to stay on her feet.

"Master, quick, summon Ophiuchus…" She added, surprising Yukino.

"Eh? Why, Libra? Do you know her?" The white haired girl asked, surprised to seeing Libra so defensive and careful, forcing herself even from the beginning of the fight.

"She's… the most troublesome enemy you could encounter, Yukino…" Libra said slowly as she sweated, Lucy's pressure pushing back onto her gravity powers, defying logic and natural laws. And at last, the spell was broken with a wave of hand, the gravity around her returning to normal as a gale surrounded her. "The most powerful celestial spirit… Aquarius the Water Bearer."

Yukino's eyes widened. Lucy, instead, smirked and let her body turn into water and rush into the sky, where Pisces surrounded her and where Libra couldn't properly catch her, returning to her human form and looking at Yukino's shocked face from above, her veil swaying and revealing her face.

"You also know her by the name of… Lucy Heartfilia, former celestial spirit mage." Libra added, seeing the grin on the blonde's face, in contrast to Yukino's disbelief.

"Long time to see, Yukino~"

"L-Lucy…!?"

Water conquered the battlefield… Ever since the Beginning…

But in Magnolia, END has brought Fire… Blazing, more fierce than anything, dominating…

"Well, I wanted to see you as soon as possible, Natsu." The darkest one said with a smile, seeing his family in front of him.

"Heh… But we've got to say our farewells soon, Zeref." Natsu smirked back.

At least, their histories intertwine.

"We ain't handing over the First."

"Things unfolded in this manner only because you were unable to destroy me before. Now… it's too late. I have already found a reason to live for."

"I never understand what the hell is coming out from that mouth of yours. Not that I give a damn either." Natsu, decided to win and end it all, started with his most special technique, wishing only for his everyday peace again.

Zeref too noticed it, the overflowing power he displayed. And he wondered… What could have changed him enough to offer him this power?

But Natsu did not let him ponder this at all, commencing the fighting. It was red versus black… The light of a burning fire against the depth of the heart's darkness. And just for a while… It seemed that light would win, fire burning everything in its way… even the darkness…

"That… was a surprise. What is that power of yours?" Zeref asked, bruised and with his clothes ruined. He had mixed feelings. While being proud of his little brother… He knew it was too late for him to give in to the sweetness of final death he could offer.

"I inherited this power from Igneel. The last of his power left behind inside me… It took 10 months to unleash this power and master it." Natsu, solemn, said.

"Power… granted from the death… I see, if it's that… It could really kill the immortals…" Zeref said, talking to himself, looking in awe as the earth itself has been set ablaze. "Remarkable…"

"I'm ending this right here, Zeref!"

If this was to happen years ago… On Tenrou, maybe… Then he would have accepted the sweet embrace of death with pleasure. Yet the gods were fickle, and threw him the brightest light in the world to be his. That's why… He had to survive… And meet that light again.

He closed his eyes, feeling the fire burn him but at the same time, his darkness protected him, defending himself, instead of staying vulnerable.

"You've truly… become strong… Natsu…" He muttered, his thoughts recollecting. He was Natsu. His most beloved younger brother. His most beloved lover's friend. But now… He was an enemy to both of them.

"I've thought that you will be the one to defeat me. I really thought that… But… You're a little too late. I've chosen to destroy the world rather than destroy me. And in that new world… We'll live happily, truly live…" He smiled, thinking of that bright future by her side.

"I believe… There is time for you to know the truth." And having gained his attention, the two of them locking gazes, he spoke. "My name is Zeref Dragneel and I… am your brother."

Of course, Natsu was shocked, not believing a word he said. Being dead and born again… Being END… It was utter nonsense to him, not a single proof of this being presented. It HAD to be a make-up story.

Until… The Book of END was revealed.

"You were never one to listen," Zeref muttered, throwing the book on the ground and piercing it with a bit of his magic, exactly at the same time, Natsu feeling the blow as if it pierced him.

"I've been waiting for you all this time but… 400 years is a long time…" He continued, seeing how Natsu was starting to believe him by now. "And a lot has happened since then. I've seen so many civilizations come to an end… I've begun to lose my feelings towards life and death. I've met Mavis… And I've lost her. I…"

"SHUT UP!" Natsu shouted, interrupting him, rushing up once more, determined to end it, but lacking the power to do so. His fire was weak…

"You're a demon of the Book of Zeref. If I die, you die too."

That was all Happy needed to hear to rush and stop all of it from happening.

"I don't want you to die! You're my friend! Don't you think the same of me!?" He cried, seeing how Natsu was struggling, rushing to his death. Only after he heard his words did the fire dragon stop, thinking for the first time about the bonds he was ready to sever…

Zeref, who had tears in his eyes as he thought about his little brother and the family they once had, looked after him as he was carried away by the exceed.

'You cannot stop me anymore, Natsu…' He thought with a bitter smile and took away from his robe a certain thing he recovered from Natsu during their battle, the fairy not noticing it in the slightest.

"As we've thought, you were keeping them on you…" He said, looking at ring of golden keys. Nine keys, all of which belonged to his lover before her death. And he put the tenth, from his pocket, on it as well, the sign of Aquarius lightening slowly.

"And here I wanted to tell him about Lucy as well…" He couldn't help but chuckle as he looked after his little brother in the sight once more.

It couldn't be stopped anymore… The Gate… Would open and bring forth the desired miracle…Soon…

"It's… my win, Yukino… Sabertooth…" Lucy said, standing solely on a bloodied battlefield, surrounded by bodies of the Sabertooth members that joined their celestial fight and the weaklings of Alvarez's army,she herself drenched in the crimson water, her blonde hair itself dyed with its colour, looking at the two golden keys in her hands.